Bein lights a torch and stows his shield so he can keep his longsword out and light the way as needed.
"Should we get oil ready in case there are those little ones again?"
After stowing the poison sacs in her pack, Xarafine calls upon Belam to give resolve to each member of the group.
She waits at the ready, approximately 10' from the hole.
Bein lights a torch and stows his shield so he can keep his longsword out and light the way as needed.
Bein lights a torch and stows his shield so he can keep his longsword out and light the way as needed.
"Should we get oil ready in case there are those little ones again?"
"I've got some oil if we need. Maybe you can store your torch and sword. It looks too vertical to go down with something in your hands. Just light the torch once you're down."
Bein nods and extinguishes his torch in the dirt after sheathing his sword. With the torch shoved through his belt Bein begins the perilous climb down.
Jack does tell the party about the strange lumps, and follows Bein down wit short sword drawn.
Bein leads the way down the tunnel. As expected, the climb is easy and, after 25' you reach the bottom. Lying on the bare earthen floor of a small chamber (10' x 10') are several dead teppecs and other creatures, all of which have tight dry skin shrunken against their skeletons, with strangely bulging clouded eyes. Amongst the corpses is that of a human in a similar state, still dressed in leather armour and rough breeches.
Upon seeing the human corpse, Jack says quietly, "Well, Xarafine was right about this creature being a threat to people. Maybe we should bury him. Well, more so."
Upon seeing the human corpse, Jack says quietly, "Well, Xarafine was right about this creature being a threat to people. Maybe we should bury him. Well, more so."
Finnabar looks down the well to Jack and Bein: "We'll send you a rope to bring him up. In the mean time, look if he's got anything that could identify him, jewelry or other."
Finnabar will get some rope from the saddle bags to haul the corpse up.
Bein nods and finally lights his torch to provide a little more illumination for their sad work. "At least he will be the last to fall to that monster... Just who were you though? A hunter most likely." Bein tears away the thick fiberous webs and searches the dead mans pocket for anything that could identify him.
On hearing the announcement of the bodies found below, Xarafine sighs and shakes her head sadly.
"It is too late for this poor man, and these hapless creatures. May the Nine give them peace."
She goes into her pack and begins removing the necessary items to conduct funeral rites.
When Bein is done, Jack will help secure the corpse with the rope.
On the mummified corpse you find a short sword, 10gp, leather armour and a silver stag-head amulet.
That's fine
While Bein gives the corpse an additional look over, Jack carefully lifts the stag amulet off the fallen man's neck.
"A stag. A servant of the bandit lord?" He shakes his head. "This spider may have done us a favor." Jack purses his lips, a darkness clouding his eyes. "I know we drove them from Oleg's, but we must be sure they cannot return..."
He looks up at Finnabar. "I don't know how long he was here, but if I could find evidence of other humans passing through, maybe we could find the path to the Stag's nest."
"A predacious bandit, consumed by a predator. It seems a fitting end," Xarafine muses.
"If this Stag continues to operate in the region, innocents will be no safer than if this great spider still lived. I concur with Jack, Captain. The Stag must be hunted."
As the others were speaking Bein spotted something among the bandits meager possessions. A scrap of paper that had been tucked in the bandit’s left boot. On examination he found it had a simple drawing of a claw-shaped dead tree atop an otherwise barren hill, with an “X” in blood scrawled by the tree’s roots. He shows Jack the curious drawing before tucking it into his journal to protect it from the elements. "Perhaps there is more to this mans story. He carries a curious object eh jack?"
Once they climbed out of the pit Bein nodded at Xarafine. "Then we may have to step up our efforts, it would mean our exploration would slow considerably. But if we want to crush this Stag Lord and reduce the bandits to scattered pockets of resistance, we will have to choose either our map making or finding them. If I had some soldiers, I would try and hunt them down but in this remote area such may not be possible."
As he speaks he helps ready the mans body for burial or burning however the Teacher decided.
Jack took the paper, frowning at it. "Well, there is some significance to it, or he wouldn't carry it with him." He thinks back over where they have traveled and what he has heard about the region. Where were there hills that were not forested, and where might be hills that were not currently sustaining life?
"We are still without our sextant for a few days. That may be all we need to find the bandits."
Finnabar listen closely to the group willingness to deal with the bandits.
"It's good to see all of you ready to take the fight to these bandits lair. But I'm not sure we can do that in a few days. From what the herbman Bokken said, the bandits are based to the east in a fort which sits on the eastern shore of the Tuskwater Lake. He also said that they were more than 15 of them.
So I don't think it's that close to here, and while I am as eager as you to put an end to that group, I think we should not rush to meet them. If they are holed up in a fort, a direct assault without knowledge would be suicide. I think our best plan is to try to get our hands on one bandit that has been inside the fort to get a better feel for their numbers and if possible, get the help of the soldiers at Oleg's. If we can also go back to the Pterans at some point to make a deal with them, they could be really useful as scouts. For now, our best bet is to continue exploring east to locate this fort and define a plan with better knowledge. Do you agree?"
Bein nods to Finnabar. "I didn't mean to suggest to charge the gates and storm the castle, on the contrary. As you suggest and more Lordship, if we locate this Fort we could use the advantage of surprise to reduce their numbers when they send out a patrol or challenge their patrols when they are returning. It would be simple really and in the interchange we could get some to surrender. I believe we must begin offering quarter to those who have the sense to take it, Oleg's fort needs men to work on its repairs and what better way to redeem those who turned against the law. Before long we will be able to challenge this Stag Lord on equal footing." Bein made a mental note to discuss about building a jail or appropriate housing for those that are captured alive.
Bein pauses as he moves alongside the corpse of the large spider, he looks it over for a moment before setting his shoulder against the spiders bulk. He slowly shoved it towards the opening that was once its den and, after several shoves, toppled it into the hole. "Heavy thing, it fought well. Even though it doesn't understand our code, it deserves to be burned in its home. Lest its body attract something worse."
He prepares a torch and sets it near the hole so that he can toss it in before they leave.
Most of the area you've explored has been within the Narlmarches Forest. To the East are the Kamelands which have far fewer trees even than the grasslands you are currently travelling through, and which rise into undulating and rocky limestone hills, eventually rising to mountains to the north (outside the area which your charter covers)
Jack nodded. "Yes, scouting and finding them is all we need to do." He shook the paper he had taken from Bein. "To the east are limestone hills. It would explain a rocky hill, with a dead tree like this. If we find this we may find more information. Or a bandit scout to question, as you say."
Bein smiles from behind his visor as he says loudly. "What are we waiting for then? Or do you wish to finish mapping this area Lordship?"
Before the party remounts, Xarafine walks to the edge of the pit, raises the Speaking Staff and gives a prayer in Canari :
"This battle fought was just and moral. A great and deadly menace was laid low. I ask the Nine's mercy on the ignorant, but innocent treppecs. May their kin and posterity come to knowledge of the Nine's Truth. May the Nine pass rightful judgment on the soul of this bandit, that he may forevermore feel the weight of the evil deeds he committed in this world."
"Sir Bein, if you would, please put these bodies to the flame."
Bein nods solemnly and lights the torch he had kept ready. The creatures body would burn well, and the trash in its den would burn readily, it would make a suitable pyre. He says a small prayer for the unfortunate bandit, before tossing the torch in and watching the pit ignite. "Rest in peace and may your ancestors forgive you."
He then made sure Arundel was ready and retrieve his fellows horses.
Bein nods solemnly and lights the torch he had kept ready. The creatures body would burn well, and the trash in its den would burn readily, it would make a suitable pyre. He says a small prayer for the unfortunate bandit, before tossing the torch in and watching the pit ignite. "Rest in peace and may your ancestors forgive you."
He then made sure Arundel was ready and retrieve his fellows horses.
Finnabar bows his head to honour the gods and make his way to his horse. Scrambling to mont it without a mounting block to support his leg, he eventually gets ready.
"Okay, let's move east, then. Standard formation, please."
Jack takes his moment of respectful silence with the others, hoping that Xarafine's prayer that the bandit sees justice in the next life is made true.
At the call to continue on, he returns to his horse, with thanks to Bein and retrieving them. He mounts and takes point, ready to head northeast. ()
After lighting the funeral pyre you continue onwards through the long grassland, leaving behind a whisper of smoke which snakes upwards into the clear sky. The remainder of the day is spent slowley, carefully mapping the landscape, and before too lonf night falls and you set camp.
18th Day of Pharast, Hex 16
The 18th dawns with a clear sky, a warm wind blowing from the east and whipping the fire quickly to life. Breaking camp, and mapping the final streatch of this area. Moving onwards to the east , the land begins slowley to rise, forming itself into sparsly forested shrublands which undulate and rise towards the mountains in the north. These are the "Kamelands".
You slowley move eastwards through the sparse vegetation, the sun climbing higher into the sky and the temperature increasing relentlessly. By mid-day you are all uncomfortably hot and sweat covers your horse's flanks.
At mid-afternoon you sight a tree in the distance which seems to resemble the picture on the bandit's map. As you approach a large four-legged animal bearing small horns on its forehead suddenly runs from the tree's shadow, startled by your approach.
Jack points to the tree, and the fleeing horned creature. "I think that's it. Shall I investigate?"
"Yes, let's go. We will keep close watch. Are you sure this beast is not dangerous"
Finnabar guides his horse towards the tree, keeping his eyes on the beast and on the surroundings.
"If it is running, I doubt it, but..."
"... but I did not recognize it well enough to say more. I will be careful."
"It doesn't look like a predator, and most herd animals will run, rather than attack. There are are exceptions, of course. That creature seems rather timid, though."
Jack nods with thanks to Xarafine for her assessment. He dismounts and hands his horse's reins to Bein (if he does not mind).
He seeks out any brush or broad tree shadow for cover and approaches quietly, looking around the area of the base of the tree.
Bein kept a wary eye to their surroundings and followed Jack closely with his lance at the ready. He watched the horned beast run away at the edge of his vision. They had found the strange tree easily enough, but his instincts were telling him it had been too easy to find.
As you approach, the horned creature runs some distance and then pauses, breathing heavily. It turns side-on to you, keeping one of the large round eyes on the side of its head facing you to watch for danger.
You begin to search the base of the bare-branched tree, looking for signs of disturbance.
As long as the creature does not show signs of hostility, Jack takes his time examining the base of the tree.
Finding greener vegetation than the scrubby brush around it, he wipes some of it away with his gloved hands and starts pushing away the dirt. He carefully gets up and walks back closer to the party. "Do we have a spade?"
As long as the creature does not show signs of hostility, Jack takes his time examining the base of the tree.
Finding greener vegetation than the scrubby brush around it, he wipes some of it away with his gloved hands and starts pushing away the dirt. He carefully gets up and walks back closer to the party. "Do we have a spade?"
"Bein was carrying one. What have you found?"
"Something was buried here. Maybe about a month ago. Which might fit more or less as a little before the body we found died."
You begin digging, the shovel easily biting into the loose dirt and revealing pale, sandy soil beneath. After about 10 minutes the shovel strikes something more solid than the surrounding dirt. Bending down to brush away the loose grit, a heavy leather tube is revealed which seems to be wrapped around something hard.
The covering turns out to be a heavy leather cloak and, wrapped inside it you find a very fine, decorated dagger, a dark wooden wand carved with faint symbols, a silver ring and a heavily leather-bound book which seems to be somewhat water damaged and which bares similar symbols to the wand on its cover and spine - a spellbook.
Bien wipes swept from his brow, the digging had gotten easier thankfully but as they started unearthing the items he gave a chuckle. "This day gets better and better. What can you tell us about these items Teacher?"
"Fine things indeed. I wonder where the bandits got them."
Xarafine begins her prayer for insight to Fillan . As the mystical energy touches the objects, she examines each of them carefully.
After examining each of the objects, Xarafine turns her attention to the book of magic.
"A book of magic. The spells within could be anything from useful tools to the darkest malice. This will require considerable study."
Taking in carefully in her hands, she intones another prayer for insight to Fillan . She begins by examing the cover for any arcane marks or sigils that may give her some idea who previously owned the book. She then carefully peruses the pages, attempting to understand the arcane formulas.
Bein nods to the Teacher and opens his visor as he address jacks joking sarcastic remark. Smiling grimly he responds. "Stolen of course, let us hope no one died during the 'procurement' of these items. Let me know what you wish for me to place on the mules Teacher." Bein drops his shovel and helps empty the hole of items before preparing to fill it back in. "After meeting those strange little creatures in the forest, i've decided I'd rather not anger any other type of fey creatures so best cover our trail so to speak..."
The wand is the only thing that detects as magical. The spellbook is badly water damaged, making much of it impossible to decipher, however, five of the spells (identify, mage armor, reduce person, silent image, and unseen servant) are still legable. The wand itself is a wand of Burning Hands (CL 2nd, 4 charges). Several of the pages notes writen in Illisarni, suggesting that the owner might have been from the River Kingdoms to the south.
"The wand creates magical fire that sprays outward from the tip. I lack the magical training to use it now, but with some time and study, I might be able to make use of it . The spells are also currently beyond my current understanding, and some, honestly, might remain forever out of the reach of my abilities."
Xarafine then examines the decorated dagger and silver ring, looking for a signet, sigil, or some other indication of who owned them.
"The wand creates magical fire that sprays outward from the tip. I lack the magical training to use it now, but with some time and study, I might be able to make use of it . The spells are also currently beyond my current understanding, and some, honestly, might remain forever out of the reach of my abilities."
Xarafine then examines the decorated dagger and silver ring, looking for a signet, sigil, or some other indication of who owned them.
Finnabar takes a close look at the items unearthed.
"This wand will be useful if we find some other spider nests. What do you think we can do about the book, should we keep it or should we send it back to be estimated and sold ? Maybe the ring will help and we can identify the identity of the owner."
"No doubt the bandits could not make use of it, or find a buyer. Maybe they buried them until they could figure out what to do with them." Jack scratches his head. "If there is an owner still living, they may be worth seeking out later."
He shifts back and forth. "We should pack these things up carefully. I'll refill the hole. It's a shame the trove could not tell us more about the bandits themselves."