03.01 Umberhulk's Attack

[Deebee]

The all building, except one, which were damaged/demolished belonged Maavu Arlintal a well known and established trader and businessman within Cauldron.

Rumours circulating later that evening were that there were cryptic runes/markings found on the floor of the warehouse which eventually collapsed.

Also Maavu was supposedly seen fleeing the city on a giant black steed, with clouds of steam coming from the hooves. The city guard that you questioned however were unable to confirm this.

[slug]

We were ambling down Magma Avenue when the keen eared Entwhistle detected a rumbling sound, it wasn't anywhere near lunch time so it probably won't be the Dwarves – it didn't sound right so bow off shoulder and nock an arrow.  Moments later a fiendish beast erupted out of the ground partially demolishing the adjacent building, the part lobster/part goodness knows what (later found them to be Umber Hulks) started making its way over to the party (possibly attracted by the hail of arrows/bolts/spells aimed its way).  The milling populace started acting strangely instead of fleeing, which some of them did, they acted confused – even turning to fight each other.  The beast approaches Entwhistle who is very nervous to find his normally reliable front line of armoured people aren't there any more …

..Xinh managed to jump in between Entwhistle and the Umber Hulk and bravely took the blow which sent him ape whilst a few more arrows dispatched the beast.  Moments later another Umber Hulk appeared in the debris of another building.  Unfortunately Xinh had taken off back to the jungle to find some fresh bananas and we are down to four members of the party (Leorn Pitfinder is resting at the Drunken Morkoth), three members of the city guard turn up and pursue (with our help) the second beast into a warehouse which has gained a new door courtesy of the hulk.  Not wanting to be trapped in a confined space with the creature we opted for a fireball to hopefully drive it out into the open, the dust (and smoke) settles and all is quiet, peeking in to the now structurally unsound building we see a hole in the floor the creature has disappeared into.

Another crash and we turn around and look at the Umber Hulk standing in the ruins at the back of the moneylenders shop - aaagh that's our money in that shop, defend it to the hilt more ranged attacks (interesting to note that spells don't always work on these creatures, luckily sharp bits of metal do).  Creature disappears into the tunnel it made and comes up in another shop with the creature just inches from us a final volley of missiles finish it off.

We take stock of the situation and nervously wait for another one to appear but all seems quiet.  We dispatch a boy to the magic academy to see if they are interested in purchasing two Umber Hulk corpses.  We notice that out of the four out of the five buildings partially demolished by the creatures belong to one trader.  Further questions elicit rumours of the person fleeing from the city on a mount with steam coming from its hooves.

Back to the Drunken Morkoth and lashings of beer and tales of daring do.