|
"It was a fine joke indeed!" Isabel smiles, instantly taken by the two playful, fey creatures. "Maybe don't do it again though - he's a bit sensitive! She stage-whispers, winking at her lover as she does so to soothe any ruffled feelings.
After Darian has offered his ring Isabel offers Perlivash her arm to land and and begins to praise his colouring and wings extravagantly. After a few minutes she comments, "You asked about the big meanies - and as Darian said we've already dealt with some, but I imagine you two must know lots about these woods! Is there anything else you could tell us about the forest? I'd love to hear about your adventures out here."
Lisl curtseys gracefully to the faeries. "Charmed to meet you, I'm sure," she says. "Your... pranks... were certainly a clever distraction." She smiles slightly. "Even if they were at my expense. Good nature makes good neighbors."
When questioned about the surrounding areas the pair of fey have a lot of valuable information.
You know of and have dealt with the Bandit camp in Hex16.
A "Bad Biggenses" has been laying a lot of traps in Hex3, not marking to to allow people to avoid them as other trappers do.
They tell you of the Moonradish patch in Hex10, which you have already found.
They also tell you that Hex14 contains hot springs.
And that there is an abandoned temple in Hex15, but it has a "Big, growly bear!" guarding it.
Where to now?
|
|
"Thank you very much you two!" Isabel is delighted with the two little fey. "You've been lots and lots of help! Can we come and see you more often? I'd really like to come back and spend some more time with you both!"
Once the fey have gone their separate ways Isabel pulls out her maps and scribbles on the advice they've been given. "I suggest we swing west for a couple of days. That should take us to the edge of our charter and then we can go north and east back to Oleg's. We should clear the traps on our way. Maybe Oleg will be able to tell us more about this 'abandoned temple'?"
"You want to keep dragging those two with us that long?" Freya asks, gesturing toward the pair of "reformed" bandits.
”I think Freya’s right, that’s a long time to be traveling with our ‘guests.’ Let’s clear the traps to the north then make a stop by Oleg’s to resupply and head back out then,” Darian says. He then turns to they fey, ”Thank you, friends. I look forward to meeting you again, perhaps without the undergarment mischief next time,” he adds with a smile.
Lisl adds dryly, "The obvious way to avoid the undergarment mischief is to not wear undergarments." It takes a moment to realize that this is a joke.
"I would be delighted to come back here again to visit," she adds, and curtseys once more to the faeries. "I do greatly appreciate the information you've shared."
"Lisl, you have a sense of humor?" Rok asks with a sly smile as she slaps the cleric on the back good-naturedly. She waves goodbye to the fey, having not spoken too much so as not to give them any opportunity to prank her.
"Darian is right, as much as I'd like to explore more, clearing these traps is for the good of anyone else that might come through. Plus, if we're going to give Ludi and Katrina a shot at a new life, they need to be given the opportunity to start it, instead of being dragged through the wilderness."
"So lets clear these traps, resupply at Oleg's and head back out post haste."
The ride back to Oleg's is peaceful, aside from a trapper heading back to his run in the forest you see no other signs of people. The trapper is heading SW, so you doubt he is the culprit who laid the bear traps.
Oleg's is a little more busy than when you left last. A few more people seem to be here. You even see a few patches just outside the walls where the ground is being cleared for a garden of sorts.
Oleg and Svetlana welcome you back warmly, it seems that the news is spreading and more people are heading to the trading post for trade.
When there is a chance Oleg takes you to one side and shows you a small sandalwood box which contains a slender platinum band, set with diamonds and rubies. "My friend in Restov came through." He says with a smile, "Tween the ring, and getting it here you don't get much change though." He hands you 10gp back.
What are you doing here?
Lisl, of course, spends her free time ministering to the people. She holds a brief sermon about the value of law and its importance in allowing people to have a peaceful, prosperous home. She also aids with any minor medical needs - seeing to bandaging up cuts, putting poultices on stings and scrapes, and looking in on anyone who complains of cough, fever, or ague.
Darian returns from his walk with Oleg and says to the others, ”We’ve got a good bit of supplies to sell. Anyone of y’all want any of this before we offer it to our friend here to purchase? We need to resumption our rations before heading out again. We were cutting it close out there this time...”
Lisl once you have rested and bathed and are sitting with a good meal and a drink you are approached by a middle-aged man.
Jhod Kavken, a travelling hunter, and a Cleric of Erastil has heard of the charter and come to offer his aid to those doing such dangerous work.
Jhod has had a particularly vivid dream about an overgrown temple of Erastil guarded by a huge, angry bear. Upon waking from the dream, Jhod felt an irresistible tug to the south, and realized that Erastil had given him a vision. The tugging led Jhod to Oleg’s Trading Post, but there it stopped—and soon after he learned about you and your charter from Svetlana.
What are you doing?
At Darian's mention of the gathered goods from their exploration, Freya shakes her head. "Nothing of use to me."
Otherwise Freya spends her remaining time cleaning up a bit and tending to her small menagerie of animals.
Lisl is sitting at leisure, well-dressed, unarmored and wearing her best stockings and corset, with a parasol shading her from the sun when the other priest approaches her for assistance. She gestures for him to sit and join her.
"Please, have some tea," she says, and offers to pour him a cup.
She listens intently to his story, nodding as he explains the dream.
"Of course dreams send us important messages," she says. She sips at the hot tea. "I am a firm believer that Erastil and Abadar are cotemporaneous and we should always look for opportunities to bolster one another. The people of the city need the food supplied by the farms; the people of the rural world benefit from the art, culture, law, and protection supplied by the city."
Sip.
"We have only just started to explore the Narlmarches, but if your dream is accurate, it is entirely possible that there is a shrine to Erastil somewhere within its boughs. I would be more than happy to take note of such a discovery. Or do you intend to search for it personally?"
Over-hearing a bit of the conversation between Lisl and the man described as an Erastilian priest, Freya wanders over.
"What's this about a temple?" she asks.
Sniffing at the air, trying to take in the scent of the tea Lisl has brewed, the Ulfen woman wrinkles her nose, muttering something about the leaves being too processed, before getting a bit of hot water and brewing a bit of tea of her own, something with a bit more...earthy scent and flavor.
"Old Dead-Eye has always been a friend to the Green Faith, I'd be happy to help...if you are willing that is."
Lisl gently puts her teacup down and with an open-handed gesture makes introductions.
"Freya, this is Jhod Kavken, a priest of Erastil. Jhod, Freya. Jhod says that he has had recurring dreams of a lost temple in the forest, guarded by an angry bear."
"Interesting." Freya says.
"Well met, Brother Jhod. Have these dreams shown you any landmarks that might help in finding this temple?" she asks Lisl as much as Jhod, having not been around for the beginning of the conversation.
Sip.
"This sounds somewhat similar to the abandoned, bear-guarded temple described by the faeries we met."
Freya chuckles. "I suppose it does at that. Maybe we should try and convince the others that's the direction we need to head first once we go back out."
On the random rolls.
You all get a rumor of people or events in the Stolen lands.
4. Is just rumors that the Bandits are lead by a man calling himself the Stag lord. So nothing new there.
6. The primary trade route from the River Kingdoms to Brevoy is the East Sellen River, a major waterway that runs through a swampy region to the west called the Hooktongue Slough. The trade route’s been closed for several months, though, due to an increased amount of violence from the boggard tribes that dwell there—hopefully the frog folk keep to the swamp and don’t turn their bulging eyes east toward the Narlmarches!
8. Some people report that a unicorn lives in the Narlmarches, but sightings of the magnificent creature have fallen off in recent months. Perhaps the unicorn was driven out by the bandits?
16. There used to be a bridge crossing the Shrike River to the southeast, but bandits ruined it. They say the old bridge keeper Davik Nettles haunts the place now.
Lisl & Freya Jhod shakes his head ruefully. "No, no well lit path for me. Erastil lead me here and then the pull faded. I know that the temple is somewhere in that forest to the west, but where I cannot say? All I ask of you is that you keep an eye out for such a site, and tell me if you should find it."
What are you doing now?
After finishing tea, Lisl cleans all of her cups and packs them away. The packaging for her horse this trip is nearly comical, with hay bales tied to its saddle balanced on its flanks and saddlebags stuffed with various tools and amenities.
"Should we alter course to see if we can find this abandoned temple of which both Jhod and the faeries have spoken?" she suggests.
"An abandoned temple! No telling what advantage we may accrue from it's discovery and a full survey mission. I suspect as well we could use the blessing of Erastil and his disciples in a land such as this..."
While some of the group speak with the new priest, Darian busies himself by looking over the map with Oleg and anyone else interested in planning out the next leg of their venture. Darian traces a finger over the regions he thinks would be best to cover, and in what route. ”We resume our exploration here, then curve down to tend to this bear threat Perlivash and Tig mentioned. Then we see what is up with these hot springs, and finish off with a westward push, then curve back north until we are roughly here, then turn back and work our way back to the Post. That would be about an 8 day journey, barring complications. Do you have enough rations for us for that long of a trip, Oleg? Say, sixty days worth? And enough coin to maybe buy some of this gear we...acquired? Mostly found, others...spoils of combat. It’s a lot of coin, but perhaps, if you have a shipment headed to Restov, you could instead broker a trade for us, keeping your share of the profits for the trouble, of course...”
Rok spends the time back at Olegs looking for anyone to spar with, and helping groom and train the party horses.
While the others talk about a potential temple in the wood, and Darian sets out his plan she nods appreciatively.
"Erastil isn't my god, but having a place of worship nearby might ease people's minds until we finish clearing out the bandit threat."
"Giving a little stability to the locals might help our reformed bandits too, so it seems to be in everyone's best interest. I like this plan Darian, you've got a talent for efficiency. Good work." She pats the bard on his shoulder and smiles.
"Once we get our rations, I'm good to go. Never fought a bear though, except that owl-shaped one from the other day. All I know is that they're large and faster than they look, when we near it's territory everyone should keep their eyes peeled."
Darian smiles at her kind words. ”Thanks, Roksana. I appreciate that.”
”The smart play will be to try and fell the bear at range with bows. When we begin to approach the area, we should all be ready to attack it as with whatever range options we have.”
|
|
Isabel joins the ladies for tea and nods appreciatively when the others remember what Tig-Tig and Parvilesh said. "Quite right. It sounds like that would be well worth investigating." She hurries off to get her maps and ends up engaged in discussion with Darian as they plan a route together. Thankfully Darian seems to have the supplies side in hand - so Isabel concentrates on updating her sketch maps with new drawings and annotations.
I never thought those hours of sketching classes would come in so handy!
Rok, you soon find some reward, Kesten Garess the man in charge of the four guards that came from Restov, is happy to spar with you. He also has his men take part in the session, wanting them to train as hard as possible.
Once supplies are settled, Darian walks over and introduces himself to Jhod before making his way to watch Roksana and Kesten spar for a few minutes. Kesten’s skill with a weapon is clearly evident, as is Roksana’s. The guards could use some work, but Darian was certain that under Kesten’s eye that he would have them whipped into shape.
He then goes over to Isabel and looks over her shoulder at the sketches in additions and notes on their map she was making. ”Looking good, honey,” he says before brushing her golden locks aside as he begins to give her neck and shoulders a massage. ”Roksana is putting Kesten through the paces, or maybe it’s the other way around...hard to tell which right now. And this Jhod character seems interesting. Brought here by a dream to find a temple guarded by a bear. That must be the same thing Perlivash and Tig mentioned, right? I’ve planned a route leading us there quickly so we can tend to that as soon as possible.”
|
|
Isabel practically melts into Darian's hands as he starts massaging her shoulders, and for a while can only respond with "um-hmm" and "that's perfect!" Once he finishes and she can form complete sentences again she smiles gratefully, "I think you're right. From what Perlivash and Tig said it should be somewhere here "What's your route?"
Rok laughs as she throws her hands up, conceding the bout to Kesten.
"Alright, alright!" She says breathlessly as she accepts his hand up. "Well fought! Good to know we're leaving the town in good hands when we head out."
She brushes off her Blue Dogs tabard and pats Kasper to calm him down, the horse nickering angrily. "Your boys could learn a thing or two though, think I knocked a tooth out, fell somewhere over there!"
She spends a few more minutes talking shop with Kesten before turning in for the day. When her companions are ready to head out, so is she, ever eager to chart the wilderness.
Your travel is uninterrupted by any dangers, you explore the new area carefully and towards even you discover the body of a trapper, caught under a log that he was attempting to place in a deadfall trap by a river crossing.
His hatchet, stuck in the log, only a few feet from his hand is a MW handaxe.
Darian & Jory both detect that the ropes which were holding the logs up as he laid the trap have been severed by something small and sharp?
The man has been dead for days now, and there are no tracks around the trap.
What are you doing now?
Darian studies the ropes, and seeing the recognition in Jory’s eyes, he asks him quietly, ”What do you think could have done this?”
"This is why you never work alone." Rok says. "We should let the river take him now." She looks reverently at the body of water for a moment before turning to Darian and looking at the ropes.
"My first guess would be those little fey creatures, but they didn't seem like killing was their type of fun. I wonder if there's anything else in the area."
Rok searches the site for any more clues that they may find, using her knowledge of the wilderness to inspect everything.
|
|
"If this is the trapper who has been leaving unmarked traps around then they might have done it." Isabel offers, unusually somber. "Fey in general are playful, but they don't have much tolerance for cruelty and if this is the same man then I'd say he was quite a sadist. Let's deal with the body and move on - there's nothing for us here."
"That's a fine suggestion, Rok." Freya says, in reference of how to deal with the body.
Muninn circles the immediate area while Freya surveys the scene.
Darian nods, and helps the others make the body as presentable as possible before committing it to the river. He then gathers up the axe and hops up on his horse. ”If this is the same trapper...this may not be the safest place for camp tonight. Let’s find us a suitable spot then head out for the bear in the morning.”
You make camp and enjoy at peaceful night in the forest, nothing is heard but the sounds made by the local wildlife, and none of these animals decides you would be a welcome addition to their diet this night.
The next day you continue southwards, following the less than clear directions given to you by the whimsical Fey.
It takes you most of the day, and the realization that the Fey spend much of their time flying before you work out just what they with some of their descriptions and make some progress.
The thick tangle of brambles gives way into a large clearing in the woods, its border partially defined by ruined stone pillars. The western face of the clearing is dominated by a looming, upthrust ridge of rock, nearly 300 feet across and rising to a moss-topped height of 100 feet at the center.
The side of this towering boulder facing the clearing has been carved in the likeness of an immense elk, its antlers drooping down from its weathered face to frame a 50-footwide cave entrance. A flight of stone steps leads up to this cave entrance from the forest clearing—both the steps and elk face feel quite old and are thickly encrusted with layers of moss. A 50-foot-long oval pool sits in the middle of the clearing, its waters thick with algae.
A DC 10 Knowledge (religion) check establishes the entire site as a shrine dedicated to Erastil, although also one that has long since fallen into disuse.
What are you doing now?