"Keep a look out, boy." Jacyn whispers to Smoke as he spurs the horse into motion, trying desperately not to lose sight of the wolf, just to see where it might be going.
As they ride, Jacyn and Smoke both keep a look out for any kind of trouble.
Jacyn, as you ride over where the wolf was, you see another one of the rodents on the ground. The wolf has apparently bitten off its limbs, but it's still alive and wiggling around helplessly.
The wolf doesn't really seem to be going to anywhere in particular so much as it's going away from you.
Adam calls after the wolf.
"Wait, Master Wolf! We mean you no harm if you feel the same toward us."
Jacyn sits by quietly while Adam tries to talk to the wolf, looking back to make sure Bea hadnt fallen behind.
Talking to a wolf? This has got to be the stupidest idea ever.
The wolf stops, looks back over its shoulder, and says in a rather growly voice, "Then leave me alone, and I'll leave you and your horseflesh alone in return."
Adam attempts to dismount, delighted that his hunch had been correct.
"That is a fair agreement! I value true independence as much as anyone, but surely we do not need to be enemies. We might even be able to trade information, or perhaps foodstuffs in the future. Friendship has its benefits, you know. It must be sometimes difficult to eke out a living here in the wilderness, when you only have such rodents as these to dine upon."
Adam gestures towards the squirming mammal.
"We can probably hunt down a stag or deer for you if you need some other nourishment. Or come to some other agreeable arrangement if you can tell us more about who you are and why you are in these lands."
Beatrix is too astonished at this turn of events to say anything, and sits with her mouth wide open watching the conversation.
As the 'wolf' begins speaking, Jacyn's jaw drops so far, his face is near as long as Smoke's.
After Jacyn recovers from shock, he patiently waits for the wolf to respond.
The wolf continues to keep its distance. "Don't think I can't bring down bigger meat just because I'm eating guinea pigs . And you're a fool if you think I'd be bribed by an offer like that--why, half the fun of eating is bringing my prey down MYSELF! Faugh! I'd sooner starve than accept meat killed by a two-legs."
Adam grimaces.
"Forgive me. You have made several valid points. I know too little of you to make a reasonable offer of friendship. My name is Adam, and these are my companions Jacyn and Bea. We've been... charged with clearing these lands of banditry and I've taken it upon myself to improve trade relations throughout the lands as well. I had hoped to include you in those trade relations, but if we have nothing of interest to each other then that is difficult."
The wolf raises its muzzle, sniffing at the air. "Clearing the land, eh? You two-legs, can't leave well enough alone. No, I think I'll be on my way." Unless anyone tries to stop it, the wolf is going to continue to trot off.
Adam shrugs; he is clearly out of his element. Negotiations with talking wolves were never a specialty of House Surtova.
Jacyn spins Smoke around to head back to the others, though he keeps a close eye out, in case the talking wolf was just trying to make them think it wasnt stalking them.
Jacyn is so preoccupied with checking over his shoulder for the wolf that he leads Smoke past a tree with some low-hanging branches, which scratch up his face quite nicely.
The party rests unmolested by wolves, or much of anything else except biting insects.
Terrill and Jal are now fully healed, and Gellus is over half. Everyone has spells restored. The party is roughly two hours from the mite lair, and it's somewhere around 4AM. What now?
"If everyone is up and done eating, I think we should be on our way.", Jacyn says, doing a quick head count to make sure everyone is present and accounted for.
The early morning is pleasantly cool after the previous day's heat. With very little conversation, the expanded party sets out. All six ex-bandits are still with you. Gellus hangs out more with Jameth, Willem, and Jal, while Branko and Terrill are still the odd men out.
The sun is just rising behind the Old Sycamore as it comes into view on an otherwise barren hilltop to your east.
"Well then," Simn said, "An open approach, do you think? I don't think we'll snak up on them in any case, so we might as well give negotiation a shot."
Adam scowls as they approach the sycamore.
"I hope they speak common. I only know a few languages. It wasn't really necessary to study Mite-ish."
There's no evidence of mite (or any other) activity that you can see.
Willem replies to Adam, "I've never understood a word o' their jabbering, but then I'm not a boffin scholar such as yourself or your wizard."
Bea stands uncomfortably, kicking a rock into the dirt before finally speaking up. "Well, no use frettin' about it. Let's move on."
The party approaches the tree. It's a good hundred feet tall, with only a few clusters of leaves here and there on its branches.
It takes a few minutes of searching, but eventually someone spots a well-concealed entrance under a wall of roots. It's a hole roughly five feet across and fifteen feet deep. At its bottom Simn can see openings to the east and west. The hole is lined with roots.
Adam turns to his traveling companions.
"How do you want to do this?"
Simn shrugged, "I'd've thought we'd be met outside. The place seems pretty dead, really. Might as well take a look inside though," he went on, clambering into the hole and making for the branch. He and Adam were the two who'd have the easiest time of it, so they might as well take the lead.
Jacyn appears noticibly uncomfortable with the idea of needing to leave Smoke behind to head underground.
"I think we should leave a few outside, in case the mites have another way out. We wouldnt want them coming around to surround us or coming out and killing the horses. Anyone interested?" Jacyn asks, looking towards the recent converts.
Terrill and Branko immediately volunteer, followed closely by Gellus. Jal rolls his eyes a bit and puts up his hand as well, and Willem and Jameth complete the set. Willem says, "Well, Gellus should stay outside, on account of him still bein' wounded an' all. How about we draw lots for...two more t'keep him company?"
"Before we go in, here's a few things that I remember about mites from legends I've heard. As you've probably gathered they're a type of fey. They're physically weak and fragile, but they have some ability to control insects and other vermin. Oh, and they really, really don't like gnomes - so Simn, be careful down there."
Seeing the way the party is leaning, Branko relents. "I will go under tree with you...better to be near healer, yes?" Terrill looks like he's about to object, but contents himself with a glare at the other four ex-bandits before following Simn and Adam down the hole.
Climbing down is easy because the many roots growing through the wall of the hole provide plentiful handholds.
Though he doesn't much relish going under the ground and getting his fine clothing dirtier than it already is, Adam makes his way down through the hole, following Simn.
Jacyn leaves his lance strapped to Smoke's saddle, but otherwise brings everything with him, drawing his sword shortly before disapearing down the hole.
Looking around one last time, Bea climbs down into the hole, then stands blinking while her eyes adjust to the darkness. "Well, which way?"
Except for the bottom of the shaft, the ceiling runs about 5' high. Everyone except Simn and Adam is at -2 to hit because of the cramped quarters.
The tunnel at the bottom of the shaft seems to go about twenty feet in each direction before opening up, although only Jacyn and Simn can see that far. There is currently no light save what filters in from above. All of you can hear occasional snatches of what might be high-pitched speech in the distance, but nothing you can distinguish clearly.
Retsiji casts light on his staff, slings it over his shoulder, and climbs down gingerly.
Havrin climbs down behind Retsiji, keeping a watchful eye on Branko and Terrill while also keeping an eye out behind the party.
"Anyone opposed to goin East?"
Bea looks back and forth, and seeing only darkness, speaks in a low voice "East looks good as any." She ducks in the low ceiling, unsheathes her sword, and steps tentatively down the slope, staying well within the magic light.
"Wait a moment."
Before they proceed down one direction or another, Adam takes a moment to carefully sniff the air from both directions.
"To the East it is, then."
Havrin draws his weapon and follows the party in the rearguard position.
Jacyn bends down, trying to fit through the too-short-tunnel, "Shall I lead then?" Assuming no one protests, he begins moving down the tunnel, trying to be as quiet as he can manage while he goes, "Whoever goes behind me mind carrying a light so I can see a bit better?"
What's the marching order, besides Jacyn in the front and Havrin in the back?
Bea falls in immediately after Jacyn, trying her best to mimic his moves to be as quiet as possible.
Adam follows Bea, also attempting to remain silent as possible.
Well, if the mites had a grudge against gnomes, it was probably best Simn not be at the forefront. With this in mind, he brought up the rear ahead of Havrin.
Branko and Terrill follow Adam, shortswords out.
Branko, however, manages to dislodge a chunk of dirt from the wall while steadying himself on a root. Terrill glares at him.
Retsiji takes a position between Terrill and Simn, holding his staff as high as it will go.
Kukri in hand, Havrin attempts to emulate Retsiji's silent movement...
... but not with much success.