Then he looks at Hedran and Nigel. "Hedran!We haven't seen you for a while." He greets Hedran warmly, "So how was Crowstump? We don't move around much news of other places is always welcome."
"It has been... Different Father. I've learned much, and still have a long way to go" - Hedran smiles - "And how have you been? I've heard something about missing tomb sweepers?"
"But did you like it there?" Father Noelan asks. "Different can be good, or can be bad."
"Well life down here is pretty peaceful most of the time. I mean there was that goaring by a territorial boar that the hunters took to calling Grashmaw, but the Fangwoods have never been exactly civilised lands..." Father Noelan states.
"Yes, that's why I called for adventurers. Ryan, Mura, Geran and Victor went to Nessen's tomb about a week back to clean the place up and replace the offerings, and the hunters haven't seen any trace of them since." Father Noelan says, troubled. "Now the hunters are fine above ground, but I'm afraid they may not have the expertise to pull off an underground rescue, that's why I called for outside help." Father Noelan explains.
"But did you like it there?" Father Noelan asks. "Different can be good, or can be bad."
"It wasn't easy finding a new life and starting from scratch" - Hedran ponders - "But yes, I liked it very much. And I intend to return, though not right away" - he added with a smile.
"Well life down here is pretty peaceful most of the time. I mean there was that goaring by a territorial boar that the hunters took to calling Grashmaw, but the Fangwoods have never been exactly civilised lands..." Father Noelan states.
"Second time I hear about this Grashmaw since I arrived less than an hour ago... He's getting popular"
"Yes, that's why I called for adventurers. Ryan, Mura, Geran and Victor went to Nessen's tomb about a week back to clean the place up and replace the offerings, and the hunters haven't seen any trace of them since." Father Noelan says, troubled. "Now the hunters are fine above ground, but I'm afraid they may not have the expertise to pull off an underground rescue, that's why I called for outside help." Father Noelan explains.
"Understood - I'm willing to lend a hand Father, so you can count me in"
"If you're happy there, then I urge you to go where your heart is." Father Noelan says earnestly. "I know you have some unhappy memories here, and I wish your mother had been more caring, but maybe she had reasons on her part causing her to act the way she did." Father Noelan remarks somewhat sadly.
"Well - you know we've always lived off the land - so generally only the more cunning animals get to live long enough to acquire a notorious reputation. Otherwise they'd have ended up in the stewpot a long time ago." Father Noelan states matter-of-factly.
"Besides you know the human mind, the beastfish that got away is always bigger. And grows with each retelling." Father Noelan smiles.
"I'm glad to hear that, Hedran." Father Noelan. "I mean after the way your mother treated you, if you wanted to have nothing to do with the town, I couldn't really fault you, either."
"Father Noelan?" A young male voice calls out from the archery yard. "Here's your lunch order from the Taproot."
"Ahh Patrick is here. Most excellent. Ratel and a caravan guard named Robert said they were willing to help out as well. Ratel was asking Azmythe to help, but I don't really think much of him. He seems to have too much trust in the wrong places. Calling Ratel's bear his friend. If it was really a wild bear, he'd have gotten mauled." Father Noelan remarks. " I'll send Patrick for Ratel and Robert, to meet up here, then get Lorethiel and Tarethelan to gather the supplies needed for the trip." Father Noelan states.
"Come in!" He calls out to the delivery boy. A young man with a mop of curly blonde hair and blue eyes carries a large sack, which he unpacks to reveal loaves of rye bread, a pot of steaming hot venison stew, cheese baked broccoli and two baked pheasants. "Would you wish to join us?" Father Noelan asks Hedran and Nigel.
Rhyna goes into the store to take out the foldable table, while Sandra gets the utensils.
"Patrick, I need you to go back to the Taproot and get Ratel, and Robert, a nondescript looking fellow with a bow in leather armor around 20ish, to come to the Riverwood Shrine. If they're having lunch, wait for them to finish up."
Hedran flinches at the open mention to his mother, and a sneer appears on his face - "I look for no excuses Father, and I offer none" - is all he replies.
"Come in!" He calls out to the delivery boy. A young man with a mop of curly blonde hair and blue eyes carries a large sack, which he unpacks to reveal loaves of rye bread, a pot of steaming hot venison stew, cheese baked broccoli and two baked pheasants. "Would you wish to join us?" Father Noelan asks Hedran and Nigel.
"Definitely" - even if still hesitant after the touchy subject, the great smell coming from the venison stew seems to work wonders on the half-orc's mood, and he moves to assist Rhyna with the table - "Ok, so there are at least two others willing to join in the search? Good" - then he looks at Nigel - "Maybe more"
Azmythe agrees to go with Bear to have a beer. "Listen, Bear, you say he's your friend, but he, like, makes you wear that slave collar." Bear grunts. "Training collar, whatever, man. Either way, it ain't right. But, hey, maybe that's your kink, and, ya'know, I don't judge." Azmythe glances at Ratel. "But, if you decide to leave him be, you could, like come crash at my place." Finished with his 'conversation' with Bear, Azmythe looks over to Ratel as if he could't hear what was just said. "So what, like, brings you to town?"
Robert is sharing the table with his fellow scouts and merchants from the caravan. "Now, remember. This nation is at war with it's neighbor. People living in war zones often have what's called a 'go-bag.' Pack a backpack with the things you need to survive, but not so much that it slows you down. Outside of your rooms, wear your armor and carry your weapons. If an attack happens, follow the locals. If you can't, cross the bridge and make for that big forest. I'll try to find you there."
Robert looks around and sees a person looking at him intently. He points to himself with a questioning look in his eyes. After receiving a nod of confirmation, he finishes his stew and bread. After tossing back the last of his beer, he stands. "Got a job offer, right now. I'll see you when I get back." Robert follows his escort back to the shrine.
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Nigel frowns thoughtfully.
"Right. So it is zat some custodial staff have gone missing, rather zan zat treasure seekers have cracked open a long-forgotten crypt. Zat is something, I suppose. I agree, it is vorrying zat zey have not come back on schedule; still, I suppose something could have happened to zem in ze wilds?"
Ursula gives a happy squeak when she is petted, and Nigel smiles indulgently.
"She likes zat. It can get lonely sometimes going betveen settlements, and I enjoy ze company."
Nigel bows, careful not to disturb Ursula.
"My name is Nigel. I came here in response to ze 'help vanted' ad?"
When asked to join then for lunch, he happily does so, leaving Ursula nestled in his laps (although he intermittently feeds her tiny morsels of food).
’A Chernarsado Ranger?’ Looking at Brian sort of funny, Ratel shakes his head, ”I’m not a ranger, I , um, I just have a pet bear.”
As Azmythe starts talking to Bear, Ratel looks from the bear back to the elf to see if he answers, rolling his eyes he eventually comments, ”This is the closest town for my village to purchase goods. Bear and I were nearby so we decided to stop for a drink before we headed home.
Ratel goes immediately back to the tavern, as he walks in, he looks apologetically to Jet, "Sorry Jet, Tarethelan said I couldn't leave him out in the woods...don’t worry about ‘special food’ he eats anything. Mashed potatoes are a big favorite"
Realizing how stupid that sounded, he stop speaking and dragged Bear over to the table Robert was sitting. Smiling as he approaches Robert and his friends, he waits for Robert to stop for a drink the adds, ”In my village we call it a Bug-out-bag.” Then pointing to Bear. "Robert, meet Bear, Bear, Robert." He then nods toward Azmythe, ”That’s Azmythe, Bear picked him up in the woods, he’s going with us, Has the priest sent word yet?”
Robert puts his hand out for Bear to sniff, then scratches his head between the ears as he stands up to leave.
"Greetings, man. Good to meet you." Azmythe says to Robert. "I have, like, a ready bag too. It's right here." Probably to no one's surprise, Azmythe points to the sack on his back. "All my worldly belongings, ya'know? I like to live lite, ya'know? The most important things can't be possessed, like, friends and stuff."
Robert nods. "Too much stuff will only hold you back. As a Ranger, I need to be able to move at a moment's notice. But, I'm not entirely rootless. My home and family are in Magnimar."
"But we're traders! Our trade goods! We can't leave them! And I haven't used a sword since I was 10! " One of the traders in John's caravan, a round fat fat man with a mop of brown curls named Cildon protests. "And we haven't seen anything except wild animals on our way here." Another trader, a lean human with shoulder length black hair and a goatee named Farrow adds.
Aubrin hops by the table, gesturing at Robert. "He's right though, The Fangwoods are not safe. There's bandits, and Molthuni in there. The only reason why you haven't been seeing them is because the Chernarsado Rangers have been doing their jobs. I might even have a chat with them about the people here getting too complacent, the next time they visit." Then a shadow falls over her face. "But again, if they do not intervene, it usually ends up with innocents getting hurt, which no one wants."
Ratel brings Bear into the tavern. There are several gasps of shock from the traders that Robert had been travelling with. ”Arrgghh Bear!” Farrow gives a high pitched squeak.
Jet, on the other hand, calls out genially, ”Hey Ratel, that yours? Hullo, bear.”
Aubrin on the other hand, throws Ratel a slightly hurt look, ”Ratel, why didn’t you tell us you had an animal friend? One thing I miss about not being out there is all of the Chernasardo’s rangers animal buddies.”
She gives a disdainful sniff in the trader table’s direction. ”Watch. Watch and learn.” She tells them, then calmly walks up to Bear, and scratches him between his ears.”If a half-blind cripple like me can approach a bear and scratch him between his ears, I do not see why able-bodied men like you should scream like little girls.”
Bear gives an appreciative whuff as Aubrin scratches him.
Then she gives them a tongue lashing. ”Look, once the Chernasardo rangers come to town for resupply, they’ll bring their wolf friends along with them. They’re well trained and will harm no one. And there’ll be wolves walking in the streets. Get a spine, and live with it.”
Behind the bar Jet gives Aubrin a few slow claps. ”Well said. Well gentlemen, we’re THAT kind of border town. And since this is the only place that’s big enough to host you lot, it’s either here –or you can REALLY sleep in the woods with wild bears.”
The traders are suitably cowed by the pair that they give no further protest on the Bear in the taproom.
"Mashed potatoes?" Jet furrows her eyebrows at hearing that. "That's not very like the wolves of the Chernarsado rangers."
"Bears are omnivores, Jet," Aubrin explains. "Sure, we can give him mashed potatoes to fill him up, but he needs to get his protein too. Probably some salmon or some innards from Perkins."
Then she hops over to Ratel and whispers, "Sorry - but it'll be 5 copper pieces per day for Bear, if we're feeding him. If you're feeding him, he can stay for free."
Rhyna goes into the store and takes out cushions for everyone to seat on the floor cross legged, around the table.
"Well as I said earlier, I had the local hunters combing the route to the tomb,but they didn't spot any of them." Father Noelan answers."So yes, I'm worried."
At this point of time, there is a knock on the door, as Patrick the delivery boy enters, looking for Robert and Ratel, telling them that Father Noelan sent for them. Patrick does not seem to care about the Bear following him along either.
Robert, Azmythe, Ratel and Bear head to the Riverwood shrine, to see Father Noelan, the elves Tarethelan and Lorethiel, Sandra and Rhyna, Ibrahim having a lunch of Venison stew, baked peasant, cheese and broccoli and loaves of dark rye bread.
"Come in." Father Noelan calls out to them. "Feel free to join us for lunch." He offers Robert, Ratel and Azmythe. "Rhyna, go get food for the bear from the store. Grab a sackful of carrots and potatoes." Father Noelan bids."And the pot of honey too."Father Noelan adds as an afterthought.
"And Patrick, get another 2 more dishes from Jet. Ask of she's got any pies.Thanks." He calls out to Patrick.
Robert will have just enough to eat to avoid being slowed by a full stomach.
"Well,he's your bear so I'm not looking at him sideways."
Father Noelan briefs the party about the investigation during lunch. "So basically every year,we send people to clean up our founders,Nessen's tomb. Ryan,Mura,Victor and Geran went this year. It's about 1 and a half days there,and one and a half days back."Father Noelan takes out a map from his pocket and lays it on the table,showing a path from Pharendar,passing through Fangwood and skirting by a lake, passing through hills before heading to a valley to a location marked Nessen's tomb."Its been a week since we've seen any of them and I've had hunters combing the route to see if they could be found in the woods. The searches came up empty. There were no chewed up bodies either."Father Noelan frowns. "Now what I'm suspecting is that there might have been a minor earthquake,causing a cave-in, trapping them there. They have supplies for a week,so they should be fine for a while, but since they haven't returned yet,it doesn't bode well."
"The tomb is rigged also - it was built in an era less peaceful. But mostly the traps are to deter looters,not so much to kill. Besides the tomb sweepers know how to bypass them, or at least Geran, Victor and Mura do. Ryan is a bit...slow." Father Noelan says apologetically.
Seeing that Tarethelan and Lorethiel have finished their lunch, he tells them, "Both of you,go to Phaendar Trading Post and give Kinning this note as well as get the goat cart from her. Then go to Oreld's fine wears and pass Vane this note and pick up the rest of the supplies, then return here."
Father Noelan addresses the party,"Whatever you find in Nessen's tomb,you may keep, with one exception. Do NOT rob our founders sarcophagus. It's underground in a large chamber and it will have a sigil of a silver scale on it. You may also keep all the supplies I'll have ready for you. Any questions?"
"What do we do if it's more than a lost custodial crew? If it's something more malicious, do we deal with it?"
"If they are bandits or Molthuni - kill them. We do our best to discourage banditry as well as Molthuni in this part. Both groups only care about increasing their wealth or power at the expense of common folk." Father Noelan states implacably.
Robert nods as he expertly copies Father Noelan's map into his map book.
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"Do you mind if you keep Ursula for a while? Or tell Ursula not to panic? I have a special friend too, Brownie, but she's usually up at noon." Rhyna asks Nigel.
Rhyna goes into the room and brings out a chocolate coloured ferret with a white head, then feeds her some venison stew.
Looking from the traders, to Jet then to Aubrin, shaking his head on moment, nodding it the next, ”I um, it never came up?” breathing a sigh of relief and Aubrin begins to play with Bear, and both the women give the traders a good tongue lashing.
Smiling when Jet asks “mashed potatoes?” nodding as Aubrin explains Bears and omnivore. When she points out what she would feed bear for 5 CP. He nods, ”That’s reasonable, I don’t know how long we’ll be in town. But save your scraps: fish head and guts, offal, potato peels, carrot and squash ends. He’ll eat anything, no reason to waste what you can feed the traders over there.”
Hearing the boys announcement Ratel nudges Bear, ”Come on Bear.” looking at Azmythe he nods, ”You to Azmythe, you may as well see if you want to do this or not.” He then follows Robert and the boy back to the shrine.
Ratel smiles at Brian as they head to the shrine, but he doesn’t say anything.
’That smells good,’ Walking in the shrine, Ratel can smell the food, nodding and taking a seat, ”Happily, this smells delicious.” Hearing Father Noelan’s instruction to Patrick, Ratel calls to him, ”Don’t bring Honey, if we give him Honey He’ll roll up for a nap and we’ll never get him to move.” He nods to the priest, smiling. ”Seriously, he’ll be snoring in your shrine in no time.”
Ratel helps himself to a larger serving of stew, dipping the dark rye bread, occasionally dropping a piece of broth-soaked bread to Bear. Helping himself to a second serving as the priest speaks. Nodding as Robert asks his question. Finishing off his second bowl of stew, Ratel wipes his mouth, and then holds the bowl so Bear can lick it out, he recaps. ”Find the sweepers, avoid the traps, don’t touch the founders sarcophagus, execute frontier justice and keep what we kill. Do I have it about right?”
Setting the now clean bowl back on the table, he looks at Azmythe and smiles, ”So are you going with us or what?”
Aubrin shakes her head,”Feeding scraps won’t be enough. Bears in the wild eat quite a bit.”
”Right, he’s your bear, so you know him best. I know wild bears love breaking into hives to eat both the honey and the bees.” Father Noelan mentions. ”Rhyna, then just the carrots and potatoes.”
Rhyna drags a sack of potatoes and carrots from the shed, then pours them out, near Bear.
”Mura and Ryan are a brother and sister pair who run a cobbler’s shop named “Happy feet.” They both have mousy brown hair and eyes, Mura’s quite the beauty, but Ryan didn’t inherit his family’s good looks. Victor is a potter. The slower flowing parts of the Marideth provide the clay he uses to make pots in his workshop. He’s rather tall and dark and going bald. Geran is a farmer who has a farm with his wife Ella, and his two young children, Jennifer and Betty. He often sells his produce to Brian the greengrocer. He’s the stoutest of them all, and has a mop of flaming red hair. ” Sandra helpfully describes the missing Phaendarians. ”I’ve known them since they were young ‘uns. And they were praying to Desna here for safe travels just before they left.”
Nodding his head in agreement, Ratel smiles, "True, but no need to let good scraps go to waste. Besides, he's happy to help wash the dishes too." He nods, towards Bear, who is licking clean a wooden spoon that someone had dropped under the table.
As Rhyna drags the sack in, Ratel stands and helps her dump it "Thanks for feeding him." He nods down towards a rolling potato that he catches with his foot, and slides back to the pile. "I don't want them to get to close to any feet, don't want anyone to get the wrong idea."
Getting up and looking at the map while Sandra describes the missing people, Ratel asks "So four went?" He looks from Sandra to the Priest, "I assume they were armed? I mean I guess the edge of the forest is safe enough for a farmer, potter and a couple of cobblers." He then looks to Robert, knowingly.
"Ooh yeah I see your point." Jet says she notices Bear licking someone's spoon."Usually the wolves only eat out of bowls or troughs. I think the Rangers trained them that way so they wouldn't snatch each others food."
"We're not spoiled city brats, most of us know how to use a crossbow or a sling. There isn't much else to do while tending sheep and goats,anyway, so one could always get some target practice if one was so minded.Ryan is actually a decent shot with that crossbow of his." Father Noelan answers. "Besides, most animals are more afraid of us,then we are of them."
Ratel knows there's the typical wildlife around in Fangwood,wolves,deer squirrels, badgers, boars, frogs,pheasants, bats etc. Sometimes there are Molthuni spies and bandits. Near the lake they are passing by,rumors has it that there's a large monster in there, or maybe people are telling tall tales...
The descent to the gully to Nessen's tomb is also a little unstable and tends to crumble if you step on it wrong.
Smiling Ratel nods, "Well Bear has a very diverse skillset, If you would like him to come back to the kitchen and lick the dishes clean he would be able to do that. He especially likes the beer-steins." Looking around the room, he breaths a sigh. "Good, the steins I see are copper instead of clay, if he gets over exuberant sticking his muzzle in them he can break the clay ones. The copper or pewter ones, he just get's his muzzle stuck in and we have to pull it off for him."
He reaches over and pats the bear on the head. "Don't you boy."
Bending over and picking the now clean spoon up, he hands it to Jet.
Looking from Robert to Hedran and then Nigel, he looks back to Father Noelan, lifting his hands, "Peace Father, I did not mean to infer that you were. But it's not animals I'm worried about. There are worse things in the woods. Hopefully no bandits have wandered into the area looking for an easy cairn to raid."
"Meh...too many drunken rowdies around these parts for clay utensils."Jet waves a hand."Though I have a clay pot or two in the kitchen. The flavor's better."
Aubrin begins to whistle innocently. Jet shoots her a glare,"Yes, you're included on the list as well."
"Wha-? I tell stories better once I've got a pint or two in me. Besides it's my religion to drink."She grins back as she pets a dented silver tankard at her belt.
Father Noelan sighs heavily."I hope so too. But over these years, so far no one's attempted raiding his tomb, probably since only us Pharendarians know where it is. The map I showed you earlier is usually kept a locked chest. Outsiders shouldn't even know the tomb exists."
Looking from Father Noelan to the others, his eyes resting on Azmythe, he responds, "Well, we will keep your secret, won't we gentlemen."
Glancing back at the map one last time, "Between the five of us we should be able to memorize where we are going, so we shouldn't need the map."
He looks around seeing if Tarethelan and Lorethiel had returned yet, "As for gear, what do you feel we need? Did you say something about a goat cart?"
Patrick yells, ”Father Noelan, I’ve brought back the pies!” returning with a large mutton pie and a large apple pie. ”Put them on the table.” Father Noelan gestures.
”Sorry,” Father Noelan apologizes. ”I wasn’t expecting guests, so I ordered enough to cover the Shrine staff. Anyone wants second helpings or desert?” Father Noelan points at the pies, as he helps himself to a slice of apple pie.
Tarethelan and Lorethiel drive a small cart, pulled by 2 goats, next to the archery yard. ”Got everything.” Tarethelan answers. ”Though Kinning wasn’t very happy at us borrowing a goat cart with Market Festival around the corner. Said she needed as many carts available as possible for the transportation of goods, and complained that we were pulling valuable labour away to load the cart, even after we did most of the loading ourselves.”
”Well, Kinning’s never been known for her generosity.” Lorethiel remarks. ”More like the opposite.”
On smelling Bear,the goats flick their ears uneasily then start fidgeting and Lorethiel quickly pulls on the reins to prevent them from bolting.
Inside the goat cart, there are the following items:
5 backpacks (each containing 7 days worth of rations, a small tent, a winter blanket, a full waterskin)
In a sack labelled miscellaneous, there is 100 ft of hempen rope, a box containing 3 tinder twigs, a labelled potion of cure light wounds, 3 torches, a grappling hook, 3 crowbars, a block and tackle, 3 shovels, 3 hammers, 4 pitons, a healers kit (10 charges), and a small bottle of local brandy.
'Second helpings? I'm stuffed, but I would like to check the equipment.' Pushing away from the table, Ratel shakes his head. "Thank you no, I've had plenty." Pointing to the two pies, smiling. "But I may pack a piece of each for the trail."
Looking from Lorethiel to Tarethelan, Ratel chuckles, "That sounds like Kinning." Turning to Father Noelan, he asks, "Do you mind if I look at the gear?" rummaging through the gear quickly, he looks up. "Well, Kinning will be happy, we can carry all this ourselves, our dwarf blacksmith will get her cart back soon enough."
Father Noelan raises an eyebrow, as he asks Ratel, ”All of it? You sure you don’t need the goat cart?”
”I mean don’t carry so much by yourselves that you take more then a week to get there and back…there aren’t all that much supplies. Travel light, you know.” Father Noelan adds.
”Oh yeah. I don’t think Kinning’s got any kind bones in her body at all. “ Tarethelan grumbles. ”All she thinks off is everything in profits. Like some bloody big city penny pincher, counting every pence…”
”Vane was willing to help pitch in to land a hand,”Lorethiel adds, ”Even though he had customers in his shop. He told them politely, sorry, they’d have to wait while he attended to Father Noelan’s business.”
”Kinning on the other hand,” Lorethiel looks sour, ”Told us to get the goat cart ourselves, even if we had a note of requisition. And when Old Danny came to help us, told him to go help the lumberjacks unload their wood instead, since that was where the money was.”
”I’ve told Kinning several times by staying here she’s part of the community and we should be treating each other like family. I’ll stop over at her forge after this to give her a piece of my mind.” Father Noelan states. Then he gives a sigh, ”Again Kinning knows she and her apprentice, Thomas, are the only blacksmiths around here. Which makes it a pretty pickle.”
"I think we should take the cart" - the half-orc pipes in, having been calmly eating his meal - "The venison stew is amazing, by the way"
He puts down his plate, and introduces himself to Ratel and Robert - "Well met - I am Hedran"
Ratel also finds another unlabelled sack filled with jerky.
'Take the cart?' Turning and looking at the half-orc in the lamellar armor, he drops the pack and bag back in the cart. Then reaching his hand out, "I'm Ratel Dier." Nodding his head, "That over there is Bear."
Shrugging his shoulders, "If you want to drag goats and a cart into the forest, I'm not going to stop you. Besides, if something goes south we can burn the cart for firewood and eat the goats.
'Take the cart?' Turning and looking at the half-orc in the lamellar armor, he drops the pack and bag back in the cart. Then reaching his hand out, "I'm Ratel Dier." Nodding his head, "That over there is Bear."
"Well met" - Hedran returns the hand shake, and looks at Bear for a long time - "Is a bear, you mean?"
Shrugging his shoulders, "If you want to drag goats and a cart into the forest, I'm not going to stop you. Besides, if something goes south we can burn the cart for firewood and eat the goats.
"I don't want to" - he replies - "But I don't think we can carry all that is in the cart by ourselves" - he nods to a backpack bursting at the seams in the corner, along with a few weapons - "At least without severely hindering our movements"
'Is a bear, oh I know what he means.' Ratel smiles, "well he is a bear, and his name is Bear." Looking a little sheepish, "I was young when I named him."
Gesturing back to the cart, "It would slow us up a little, but like I said, carry the sack in hand, drop if we need to. I just don't know how fast a goat cart goes in the fangwood." He shrugs his shoulders, "If the father thinks we should take it then that's what we'll do. What's the worst than can happen?" He gives a smile."The answer is easy, the nearest carnivor attacks the goats instead of us. Sounds like a wining proposition."
'Is a bear, oh I know what he means.' Ratel smiles, "well he is a bear, and his name is Bear." Looking a little sheepish, "I was young when I named him."
"Ah, understood" - Hedran chuckles - "Seems like a fitting name, that is for sure"
Gesturing back to the cart, "It would slow us up a little, but like I said, carry the sack in hand, drop if we need to. I just don't know how fast a goat cart goes in the fangwood." He shrugs his shoulders, "If the father thinks we should take it then that's what we'll do. What's the worst than can happen?" He gives a smile.""The answer is easy, the nearest carnivor attacks the goats instead of us. Sounds like a wining proposition."
He chuckles again - "The goats may disagree"
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Nigel nods to Rhyna.
"I vill let her know not to be alarmed."
He then starts wrinkling his nose, and squeaking.
Amazingly, Ursula seems to understand him, and goes back to chewing a chunk of carrot; her fur puffs up slightly when the ferret comes out, but when it doesn't try to chase her, she goes back to happily munching, although she keeps a close eye on it.
When he is offered seconds, or desert, he smiles, and raises an apologetic hand.
"Ze meal vas lovely, zank-you, but I must decline any more; I find zat over-eating before a journey leaves me vith a terrible stomachache."
Nigel quickly assesses the contents of the cart, only frowning when Ratel suggests leaving the goats to be eaten by hostile creatures.
"Let's keep zat as a back-up option; zey are still town property, and in a place like zis, every animal lost is a significant sacrifice for the community."
Winking at Nigel, Ratel explains, "I'm just saying it's better they get eaten than us, that's all." Reaching his hand out, "Names Ratel Dier." Nodding his head toward Bear. "That's Bear, I haven't taught him to shake paws yet."
Seeing that Ursula isn’t running away squeaking at her ferret, Rhyna introduces her ferret. ”This is Coco. “
”Would you want to hold her?” She offers Coco to Nigel.
Surprisingly Coco doesn’t seem particularly nervous around anyone, including Bear, despite Bear being able to fit her in a single mouthful. Robert, Nigel and Azmythe suspect that Coco is not an animal, but rather Rhyna’s familiar.
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Nigel nods.
"By all means."
He carefully coaxes Ursula up into the folded hood of his cloak with a dried sultana, and the gently picks up Coco, allowing her to sniff his fingers, and play-bite, before, with a grin, bouncing her into the air a few inches at a time, and then catching her.
When she seems tired of that, he looks to Rhyna for permission, before offering Coco a small strip of jerky.
Rhyna watches in astonishment as Coco makes a clucking sound of joy as he bounces her up into the air and catches her. Once Nigel puts her down, she snuggles against him."I think she likes you." Rhyna remarks.
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Nigel smiles sadly.
"My mother had a ferret companion vhen I vas groving up, so I got used to zem. Her little one enjoyed zat particular maneuver, as vell; I know zat some people zink zat zey are evil little creatures, but I alvays found zem to be fun little balls of chaotic energy; as long as you just try to gently direct zem, rather zan controlling zem, everyzing is alright."
He then scratches Coco behind her ears, in a friendly fashion, ducking his fingers in and out as she playfully tries to bite them.
The party bids farewell to Father Noelan,who wishes them godspeed and good luck.
The party packs up and Ratel urges the goats, pulling the cart, onwards, as they leave town, heading into the Fangwood.
The path is into Fangwood is easy to follow and the party make good headway for the first hour or so, pass the Marideth river, into light forest. Then the path begins to narrow as the forest gets thicker, the canopy beginning to cut off some of the sunlight. The party is treated to bird song, occasionally catches a squirrel scampering among the branches. Then, as the narrow path winds through the raking claw of trees, a fallen tree trunk blocks the path. Suddenly a trio of snarling humanoids leap up from behind the log, all greenish skin and fearsome tusks, bellowing vulgar challenges.
” Sega umiraš!”
Now you die!
The party hears the squawking of alarmed birds and their flutter of wings as they fly away.
The goats begin to give frightened bleats as they scan the surroundings looking for an escape route.
Ratel recognizes these creatures as orcs – and they have ferocity.
Hedran and Azmythe detect the smell of pipe smoke.