"It was terrible," Dalvin agrees, watching Edran as he talks and absentmindedly running his hand through Drako's fur. "How did you get away and into the forest?" The man said he was alone, but Dalvin takes his eyes off of Edran for a moment and peers into the forest around them, looking for any signs of movement or life in the woods.
Edran turns to Dalvin. "I was in my room at the inn when the attack began. I sneaked out the back and made my way across the bridge and into the woods. I've been stumbling around out here for a day!"
"Good call. The bridge was the best way out, especially after we blew it up to prevent the Ironfang Legion from following us." Arhtorion offers his hand for Edran to shake. "There are a few of us left, and right now we're setting up a temporary camp and securing the area for now, until we can find a secure place to settle down for a while. We don't know yet what's going on with the hobgoblins, but right now we're trying to keep everyone alive. You are welcome to join us, Edran. We were just on our way back; come."
Something about Edran's words didn't quite ring true to Kudera. The man could easily have been at the inn when the attack began and he had clearly managed to get away. But across the bridge? That seemed unlikely without some significant magical aid.
Kudera asks the man, "How did you get across the bridge, Edran? There was a hobgoblin guarding it before we defeated it to cross. We blew up the bridge afterwards, so you wouldn't have had a chance to get over after us."
Edran winces. "I must have reached the bridge before they placed a guard. I confess that I am no warrior. My first instinct was to get free from Phaendar."
He turns his attention to the others. "So you survived the assault? Are there others?"
Dalvin pulls his attention away from the forest, looking between Kudera and Edran. "I think we can trust him," he offers, shrugging. "I can't see anyone around that might be with him or might have followed him."
"So you survived the assault? Are there others?"
"Yes, like Arthorion said we've set up a safe spot hidden away."
Kudera finds Edran's explanation plausible. Perhaps the hobgoblins were a bit slower and less cunning than the witch had originally thought.
"There are quite a few others, thankfully. Perhaps you'll find someone you know. Whenever you're ready, we can head back to camp."
"Could I join you?" Edran asks on the way. "I can do my fair of the work and I've no where else to go, not when the area is crawling with hobgoblins."
---
The party makes it back to the camp without incident. Jet eyes the new additions to the camp with a quirk of her eyebrow. "You go out to see what's around and return with pets?"
An inspection of the growing camp reveals that the survivors have built enough rough shelters for ten people. Taidel and Lirosa inexplicably acquired three goats, which sit in a makeshift pen. Oreld butchers a deer near a low fire. Nearby is a sizable pile of edible plants and roots, the combined work of the foragers.
Looking around, Arthorion gets preoccupied seeing that they are still short of shelter for everyone, but he hides his concerns and smiles to Jet. "Why not? Another mouth to feed, but another pair of hands to help. Seems like a fair trade." He opens his arm and invites Edran to step forward. "Edran here was staying at your inn, Jet, so yo might have already met. He's a trader from Tamran. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check on my wife and then go help prepare the supper." Arthorion excuses himself and seeks out Rowena and Flora. He finds his wife peeling some roots next to a fire. He bends over and kisses her on the forehead. "Hi. How was the day?", he says, picking up little Flora na dplaying with her. The little girl giggles; she almost disappears clutched gently between Arthorion's large hands. He then sits down with the child on his lap and starts helping his wife, the two of them sharing the events of the day. "Did anything unusual happen?" the miller asks.
Jet forces a smile. "Oh, right. Come this way, Edran." She leads the newly recovered refugee away. "I'm afraid that the accommodations here aren't as nice as the Taproot."
---
South of camp is a few miles before the edge of the Chernosardo forest and the highway towards Tamran.
Before the party can reach the border however, they stumble across what appears to be an abandoned orchard. All that remains of the farm is a tumbledown chimney where a cabin once stood and an overgrown stand of apple trees. The air here is thick with the tang of fallen, rotten apples.
Dalvin looks around carefully for any signs of danger.
"I wonder who used to own this orchard. Looks like it's been abandoned for a long time."
He wrinkles his nose in disgust as the smell hits him, and notices Drako having an even harder time with the stench.
"Careful, Dalvin. Do you hear the buzzing? Wasps. Hundreds of them, I'd say. Let's go around the apple trees and see if there's anything useful in the cabin. In any case, we can't lose time while scouting. Even as we speak, the Ironfang Legion is building a bridge to replace the one we blew up, and once that's done, we'll be caught in the middle of their supply lines." He takes a deep breath and sighs. "And we want to move our camp far from here before happens."
Keeping a distance from the orchard, the millers heads to the ruined cabin.
Rayne smiles to herself as they enter the orchard, breathing deep to take in its sharp, earthy smell. "Oh come on," she teases Dalvin when she notices his look of distaste. "It's not that ba—"
She stops abruptly, holding an arm our to signal to the others. "Whoa," she says quietly, then points towards the trees. "Wasp nest. An especially big one at that."
Dalvin glances at Rayne and manages a weak smile. "I, uh... I have a hard time with decay," he admits as begins to walk forward, halting at Arthorion's and Rayne's warnings.
"Thanks. That was close." Dalvin looks into the trees, trying to spot the nest for himself. He follows Arthorion the long way around to the cabin, calling for Drako to follow him. "How long do you think it will take the Legion to finish repairs?"
Dalvin sifts through the ruins of the cabin before reaching the chimney. Noticing the loose stone, he digs his fingers behind it and pries it open.
"Here, I found something!" Dalvin pulls out the three large sacks, dropping them on the floor.
Rayne scans the area as Dalvin looks through the sacks, the wheels in her head turning. "This orchard could be helpful," she says to her companions. "Easy food for us and the rest of the group. We'd have to figure out how to take care of the wasps, though." She looks at Arthorion. "You're a farmer, right? Any idea how to take care of something like this?"
Looking through the sacks, Dalvin looks up uncertainly. "The weapons will be handy. I dunno how useful the money will be for us right now..."
"We'd have to figure out how to take care of the wasps, though." She looks at Arthorion. "You're a farmer, right? Any idea how to take care of something like this?"
"I could try talking to them," Dalvin offers. "But I've never tried talking to a creature with a hivemind, so if you have a better plan Arthorion...." The gnome trails off, trying to think of a better one himself.
The simplest way to remove the wasps would be fire and smoke. Your weapons would be largely useless against the swarm.
"We might be able to smoke them out," Dalvin offers. "We'll need to be really careful though. We don't want the Ironfang to see smoke rising and track us down."
"Smoke might work if we can figure out how to get close enough to do it without disturbing the nest," Rayne says, nodding her agreement. "I don't think any of us have any magical abilities that will be helpful though." She turns back to Arthorion and grins. "Unless you have any other fun tricks up your sleeve, that is," she says with a wink.
Nisa was lost in thought when she over heard the light chatter on her normal tending path. Did I just hear a voice in common, she thought as her heart started racing. Swiftly she crouched low to the brush and peeked through the foliage to peer at whoever had managed to stumble into the abandoned orchard.
'A human and some small folk poking at wasps, shall we watch them get stung,' giggled a soft voice in her ear. "lrrut’yun Zeekan," Nisa said, just a touch too loudly.
'You know you don't have to literally speak for me to hear you right?' the silent voice whispered to her in mocking tone. Her cheeks reddened slightly as she pulled her hood tight to her head, her long jade cloak clinging to her to obscure her frame the best it could, as well as her features. They definitely heard me, perhaps I should run while I can.
"I don't know, maybe we could... throw something on fire at it?" Rayne breaks off, her head turning sharply towards the forest as she scans the trees. "Stop," she says quietly to the others, pulling a dagger from her hip. "Did anyone else hear that? Something's out there."
She spots movement and dashes off in a flash, bringing the figure crashing to the ground. "Don't. Move." Struggling with the figure, she rips the cloak from their face and stares down at them in a moment of surprise before her face contorts with rage. She presses her dagger to the hobgoblin's throat and leans in close. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't slice you open right here," she growls quietly.
Nisa recoiled from the sudden movement, and gasped as Ranye's knife pressed to her throat. Her bright jade eyes shone with fear as she spoke in a clear crisp common with little hint of accent, "Mercy half-elf, I am weaponless! I only have a knife on my side for hunting, disarm me and let me speak."
The hobgoblin woman was soft featured for her kind, a face that spoke of a gentle life, but the scars that covered her face and neck said otherwise. Her green eyes, unusual for hobgoblins, seemed to pulse with a green light as she stared at Rayne, small bits of bark seemed to cover her skin at parts, covering some of the deeper layers of scars in what looked like a patchwork armor.
Dalvin notices the sound as well but can't react as quickly as Rayne. He takes out his bow and follows behind her. Panic spreads across his face as he sees the source of the sound is a hobgoblin. Dalvin nocks an arrow and aims at the pinned hobgoblin, just in case Rayne loses control.
"How did you find us?"
"Find you?" Nisa said, her tone and face perplexed.
'Who is looking for them? Oh maybe they are on the run also.' Ignoring Zeekan, she struggled lightly with the half-elf on stop of her, then jerked her head, motioning back to a small foot path well hidden along the trees.
Nisa turned her gaze to the gnome, staring first at the bow, then meeting his eyes, as she spoke slowly, "I was taking a stroll to tend to the trees and overheard you talking about burning the orchard down. The orchard I tend too."
Rayne glares at the hobgoblin as she explains herself, though her anger makes it hard for her to listen. The faces of her slain friends and clan members pass, one by one, through her mind.
"So you want us to believe that you're out here gardening? Your kin," she sneered, spitting out the word as if it was poison, "just razed an entire city with no regard for anyone in it, and we're supposed to take your word?"
She was loathe to admit, however, that the hobgoblin she had pinned underneath her did look afraid, which was not something she could ever remember seeing in their kind before.
"Why aren't you with the rest of your kind? Why are you out here on your own... tending plants?"
Dalvin falters and relaxes the bowstring as he hears the hobgoblin's explanation. "You take care of this orchard?" he asks, surprised.
Dalvin notices the smell of rotten apples again. "If that's true, when was the last time you were here?"
Nisa flinched as Rayne's anger came through in her words. "Razed a city? Are they on the move then?" She let Rayne finish her questioning before she dared to speak.
"I don't live with my kind anymore. We...don't see eye to eye. I follow the ways of Dawnflower and the Great Dreamer, and seek only to do right by them." Nisa's eyes drifted down to two small beautifully carved symbols on her side. She let both of her attackers glance at the symbols before she moved her gaze back to them.
The hobgoblin took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds before continuing. " I live tending plants for my own survival and stay alone for my own safety. My kind are hated, and rightly so at times. For this reason I also wear my cloak, even when wandering the wilderness, for your kind is more likely to attack me then greet me. But I can promise you this, I had no involvement with those who attacked your city. Since escaping my home two years ago, I have lived alone." A touch of pain crossed her face as she mentioned being alone.
She turned her head to Dalvin, noting his surprise. "I care for the orchard for the health of the plants not for the food they provide a civilization. I pick only an apple or two when I pass, the rest may go to where they belong, the soil to be born anew."
Rayne glares at the hobgoblin, biting the inside of her cheek as she summons every ounce of willpower she possesses to push herself up from the ground. She turns and takes a few steps, running a hand through her hair and breathing heavily in an attempt to calm herself.
When she turns back around she seems more relaxed, but her eyes still betray her anger. "What's your name?" she asks sharply, pointing with her dagger. "And know that if you try anything, I won't hesitate. Not this time."
Dawnflower? The Great Dreamer?
Dalvin's eyes follow the hobgoblin's gaze to the carved symbols, trying to process this new information.
Dalvin studies the hobgoblin's face. She didn't seem to be lying, and something about her story stung. The circumstances were vastly different, but Dalvin knew what it was like to live alone. He looks at Rayne uncertainly as she pushes herself off the ground. He lowers his bow and places a hand on Drako for comfort.
"Do you know anything about the Ironfang Legion?" he asks in tandem with Rayne's question.
Nisa rolled over and pushed herself off the ground. She bent over quickly to grab her clock and threw it over her shoulders, keeping the hood down. She dusted herself off and made eye contact with Rayne as she spoke her name, "Nisa, among my people I am known as Nisa the Weak."
Her eyes narrowed as she heard the Legion spoken of. Say nothing, this is not the place. Unless you want that elf to stab you with that toothpick. Well, try to stab you.
She nodded, a strange gesture to those observing her, and turned to the gnome, her scars seemed to tighten across her face. "I have heard of them yes. Violent but organized. If I may ask what are your names, and what brings you here to this orchard?"
Rayne motions to herself and the others in quick, tight motions. "Rayne. Dalvin. Arthorion. We're scouting the area and found the orchard, figured we could make use of the apples if we can get rid of the nest over there," she says, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at the wasps.
She stares at Nisa for a moment before continuing. "If you're being honest and you're truly not part of the Ironfang, you'll be in danger out here alone. I'm sure it won't be long until those vermin are crawling all over these woods." She shrugs as she turns to her companions. "And if you're lying, at least we can keep an eye on you if you're with us. That is, if the others agree with you tagging along."
"And this is Drako," Dalvin adds, patting the dog beside him. He looks between Rayne and Nisa and nods. "She should come with us. I think she's telling the truth."
Dalvin turns as he picks up on the sound of the wasps again. "Like Rayne said, we still need to do something about these wasps."
Nisa glanced over at the wasps. She knew she could take care of them if they were a problem, but she would rather avoid it. She had been stung before and it was certainly not pleasant."If they want to get rid of the wasps, they aren't looking for a snack, they are feeding a group." Nisa nodded to herself.
While speaking, Nisa began to walk towards the wasp nest."Perhaps I can help with that then. I am assuming you need more then a handful of apples. How many people are you looking to feed?"
Arthorion stands in the back, his hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword. He allows Rayne to conduct the interrogation, and waits as Dalvin's good nature balances out Rayne's natural suspicion. He takes the time to carefully study the hobgoblin and weigh her words.
He finds himself unable to read this character. Nisa the Weak. As the rest of them seem to let their guards down, Arthorion steps in. He has fought to many a goblinoid during his years with the Nirmahi resistance to just accept a hobgoblin's word on good faith. Finally, he draws his sword and points its blade in Nisa's direction, from a distance. "No. You'll accompany us for now, but you won't get near our food. And you won't get out of my sight. I take you under our custody, Nisa, and I'll give you the chance to prove that you are who you say you are. But for now, you're as good as an Ironfang Legion spy, and you're lucky we even give you the benefit of the doubt." He moves closer to the hobgoblin to release Rayne of her position.
"Dalvin, maybe just a little smoke won't draw that much attention. In any case, we're far from the camp, so it wouldn't put anyone in immediate danger. Maybe we should risk it." He looks at Nisa. "We're already taking other risks anyway."
Pleased to hear Arthorion echo her own opinions, she studies the wasp's nest. "We have a large enough group that any food we can find will be of help," she says, answering Nisa's question.
She turns to face Arthorion, lowering her voice as she leans closer. "You and I will have to keep an eye on her. Dalvin may think she's telling the truth, but..." she looks back at the hobgoblin, fingering the scar on her cheek absentmindedly. "It's going to take a lot of proof from her end to change my mind."
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Arthorion hears Rayne's concerns and nods, replying under his breath. "Problem is, if she's not telling the truth, we can't afford to let her go. In any case, now that she's here, she stays with us, at least until we know we're safe from the Ironfang Legion. I'm suspicious, too, but let's try to keep animosity to a minimum." The miller frowns and looks at the hobgoblin, scratching the back of his head. "This will raise more than a few eyebrows with the rest of the folks." Arthorion steps forward in Nisa's direction and speaks firmly. "Ok, Nisa, maybe you can help us. What can you do about the wasps?"
Dalvin takes a step back as Arthorion comes forward to take control of the situation. Even though he believes the hobgoblin's story, his friend was right. They still need to be on their guard.
"Dalvin, maybe just a little smoke won't draw that much attention. In any case, we're far from the camp, so it wouldn't put anyone in immediate danger. Maybe we should risk it." He looks at Nisa. "We're already taking other risks anyway."
Dalvin nods, glancing around for any dry wood to produce a small flame."If it won't draw attention, then that's what we should do. Unless Nisa's idea is safer," he adds, still wanting to hear what solution she had to offer.
Nisa turns to the group, wary of the aggressive human pointing his sword at her.
"No. You'll accompany us for now, but you won't get near our food. And you won't get out of my sight. I take you under our custody, Nisa, and I'll give you the chance to prove that you are who you say you are. But for now, you're as good as an Ironfang Legion spy, and you're lucky we even give you the benefit of the doubt." He moves closer to the hobgoblin to release Rayne of her position.
"Dalvin, maybe just a little smoke won't draw that much attention. In any case, we're far from the camp, so it wouldn't put anyone in immediate danger. Maybe we should risk it." He looks at Nisa. "We're already taking other risks anyway."
Zeekan giggles, its wispy voice filling her head, “Aggressive. Big. Probably strong although all soft skins look breakable to me. Best to not get the bad side of that one. Or at least take care of him first.” Nisa turns to the side and shakes her head, trying to ignore the diminutive elemental.
"From one prison to another..." Nisa murmurs to herself just barely over a whisper. She turns to the group, and speaks up, "Very well, Arthorian. Just know that should you try to restrain me, I will not stay compliant." Resolve flashes in her green eyes.
Nisa looks back to the wasps. "While making a fire most likely won’t draw the attention of the Ironfang,” she explains, thinking out loud. “All of the timber around here is either alive or rotten. Making a fire large enough to smoke out a nest that size will take more fuel then we have around us."
The hobgoblin points at the wasps buzzing around the nest. "As soon as they smell even the first wisp of the smoke, they will come out in full force, just as angry as if we were to throw rocks at them right now. With the added bonus of us being right underneath them."
"If only we had a wizard," Rayne mumbles to herself. She turns to Nisa. "So do you have any suggestions, then?" She crosses her arms and waits.
Nisa turns to face Rayne, "Perhaps the most simple answer here, we remove the wasps with force. I should be able to handle the swarm."
Rayne steps back and motions towards the trees. "They're all yours then."
Nisa nods to the gathered party. ”Whatever happens, please do not be alarmed.” The hobgoblin throws back her cloak, opens her stance, and shuts her eyes. Her breathing slows and a green light suffuses her skin, her scars standing out brighter than the rest.
With sudden speed, Nisa thrusts both of her hands downward, the earth trembling where she aims. Exhaling sharply, she draws her right hand back, causing a sapling, small and green, to burst from the forest floor. The tree grows at breakneck speed, its wide trunk directly towards the hive.
The tree erupts from the ground, destroying the hive and crushing dozens of wasps. The remains wasps swarm around the remains of their destroyed home before surging towards the kineticist.