The boggard waits patiently for the group to discuss the arrangement. As he does so, an enormous tusked, purple, toad comes hopping out of the larger ruin to sit next to him. The boggard just gives a froggy smile and pats the creature on the head.
Kyrie nods. "Fair enough," she replies as she removes her bow and puts it down by what looks like a good camping point for the sentry, then places her short sword and dagger next to it.
They're joined a moment later by the balanced throwing dagger she removes from her left sleeve, and the hold-out knife in a booth sheath.
Kyrie straightens up again and retrieves a final slender heartseeker from her armor's bodice and places it on top of the small pile before stepping away.
Sia actually eyes Kyrie a little warily as the number of blades she has on her becomes obvious, but she sets her staff aside without actual comment on the matter before going in to enjoy the frog-creature's company.
Kyrie notices Sia's stare and smirks briefly. "You're going to have to take my word for it that this is all of them, I'm afraid..."
Sia smirks back. "I'd ask just where you'd hide another one, but I'm not sure I'd like the answer,"
Kyrie grins. "That would depend entirely on how nicely you ask..."
Salinthas gives a nod at the news of the condition and as everyone starts to leave their wepons behind he takes a seat nearby. "I will take the first watch. I am not bothered by the rain."
The boggard continues to watch, waiting for the two more obviously armed members to leave their weapons.
Bregor slowly unbuckles his swordbelt and lets it join his companions weapons in the ground.
"Ah my lady love, sleep well, I shall miss your warmth this night, but fear not, I shall be a perfect gentleman to the other ladies even when you are not by my side."
Sia heads into the ruin and out of the rain. "Does our companion mind if we build a fire? It would be nice to get these clothes dry before we head out."
As Gorax reluctantly leaves his weapons behind and joins the rest of the group heading towards the smaller ruin, the boggard makes a motion to his 'pet' and the giant frog hops off.
"Garuum," the creatures says, pointing to himself as he turns to escort everyone to his home. It is not much, no more than one would expect really. Much of the space is taken up by an odd green fungus over the floor and walls, but there is a place for a fire, and a pile of rotting detritus that must be a bed. And perhaps most importantly, a roof.
Then he sits down to one side, squatting in a very frog like fashion.
Sia grins. "Siarani," she introduces herself. Pointing to the elves, she also says "Salinthas" and "Kyrie" in turn before busying herself with the fire and starting to pull out some of the preserved food to add to the stock of things to eat - not that she avoids the fungus, but it seems rude to impose unexpecteldy, at least to her.
Kyrie nods at the Boggart as Sia introduces her, then moves to help with starting the fire.
"A roof over our heads to shelter us, a fire to warm our limbs, food to fill our bellies, and company to converse with. I am well content."
"I thank you for letting us share your roof, and your food, but please, let us share our food with you as well. We are guests after all."
The boggard grunts softly and slides over, reaching out a hand to cautiously take some of the food. He sniffs it, licks it, then makes what could only be a distasteful expression before giving it back, dripping now with boggard saliva. Instead he reaches over for some fungus, and begins filling a bowl with it along with several large insects. "Why are you here? In my domain? He glances sidelong at Bregor, suspicion still heavy in his eyes.
Kyrie looks up at the Boggart's question. She can't understand a word of what it's saying, of course, but the tone resembles that of someone having second thoughts about a trade deal they were about to close...
"Well my friend, we have travelled this land in search of adventure, riches and fame. Like we humans do. And I'd be more than willing to tell you all about it if you like. I have some tales to share indeed. Why are you yourself here? You look competent, and your beast is ferocious, I think you can easily carve out a bigger domain if you had a mind to."
The boggard grunts softly, apparently unconvinced by something Bregor has said. "I came here from large boggard tribe to the west. Miles west of here, past the forest, there is a big, beautiful swamp. Delightfully wet, and with the most delicious insects." He pauses, obviously remembering something fondly. "I tried to take control of my tribe," he jerks back to the present, then shrugs. "I failed. I escaped before they ate me." He indicates his left arm which is severed and badly healed. "Escape was not easy. I came here, and made my own kingdom."
"You are still alive however; as long as you are alive you can still succeed. I see potential in you my friend, you have survived out here almost alone, and that takes strength and fortitude. You have the potential to be so much more than you are."
The boggard shrugs his slumped shoulders, non-committaly. He then asks for more stories of their own adventures and sits back comfortably, listening to Bregor for quite some time. By the time he falls asleep, the hour is late and the sun has long since set.
The night passes without any incident, save for the swamp sounds that one would expect, and the occasional loud croaking of the giant frog-thing in the other building. The rain does eventually come sometime after midnight, and the shelter is well appreciated as the wind lashes rain against the walls and the sound of thunder rumbles over the trees.
However, the sun peeks up over the trees to reveal a clear azure sky, with barely even a wisp of white cloud to mar it.
The first thing Kyrie does upon waking is to head to the rock where the party's weapons are stored and collect all her daggers, before finding a relatively unobstructed area to begin her morning practice.
I'm enjoying this exploration for the most part, but right now I'll be glad to get back to Oleg's; I miss warm meals that aren't from preserved rations...
Sia eventually wakes up and stretches, checking over her spell notes for the day to make sure everything is in order. She looks a little tired, but nowhere near as miserable as she would have been in the rain.
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A groggy Gorax wipes sleep from his eyes and stretches. He groans as his bones seem to creek in the dank, damp sleeping conditions. Under his breath he says "Damn, b****y frogs." He rises slowly, scratching all over, trying to remove the cloying damp and without a word, goes out to the cache of weapons, making sure all is there. He smiles weakly up at the sun breaking through and puts his armor back on. Somehow, even his insatiable appetite is blunted by the night in the frogs house. He calls out, "Lets just get outta here."
Kyrie rolls her eyes. "Don't worry, Gorax. We should be heading back to Oleg's soon, and with any luck we'll find something for you to punch on our next trek..."
Bregor turns to the boggard and give him a courteous bow.
"We appreciated your hospitality my friend, perhaps we can return the favour one day."
Bregor grabs his sword and straps it back on, marvelling how such a simple act can make him feel whole once more.
"Well now, it is about time we left yes? The sooner we start the better. While I admit I am beginning to enjoy this travelling about, I do think that the less time our clothing needs smell of swamp, the better."
Sia nods to Bregor as he provides a needed distraction. "Too right. I think we'll spend a day or so at Oleg's at least, and figure out if there's anything to be gained with a couple of days spent in Mendev to actually do the research."
"Don't forget, we should stop by Jhod on the way back and let him know about the statue we saw earlier - he'll want to know about it," Kyrie adds as she mounts up. "It shouldn't be too far off the straight course..."
Sia nods to Kyrie. "Right, thanks for reminding me."
"We are perhaps moving at a pace slightly slower than intended, but seeing as how we are travelling through wild country with dangers all around, I would still say that we are making good time of it. Tell me, of all the tasks we have overheard needing doing, how many do we have left, and how many have we taken care of. I remember taking care of the boars head, and now the Wyrms as well, are there more?"
"... I think Gorax mentioned that someone knew where Svetlana's missing ring probably could be found," Kyrie replies after a few moments. "Other than that, I can't think of any offhand."
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Gorax replies to Kyrie, "I don't know, you, Sia and Bregor came back from Oleg's and said you'd read some posters there and stuff...perhaps the posters are still there. If we're going back, might as well read 'em then...but yeah, we should see if we can find Swetlana's ring, as soon as we can....but first, let's get back and have one of Swetlana's fine breakfasts. We stopping to see that old priest on the way...you know the one we took to the temple. I dare say, he cooks a good meal too...hmm..." Gorax beams, as he gives his horse a good nudge forward.
The trip back to Oleg's goes much faster and easier than even those in the party would have expected. A stop ad Jhod's finds him ecstatic to hear about the presence of another shrine and he is almost immediately making plans to head out and clear it up. Not without taking the proper precautions of course.
In just a few days, however, you find the familiar sight of Oleg's fort coming into view. Already it seems you can smell the home cooked meal and feel the nice warm baths and comfortable beds. It is a welcome sight to be sure, and marks an important milestone as you find your mandated exploration of the forest at an end. All that lies before you are the hills of the Kamelands and you can count your mission completed.
The end is in sight.
As for quests. There are still several tasks you either already know of or hear of while you're at Oleg's this time. I've listed them below.
- The crazy hermit guy asked you to get fangberries, located to the south of his hut.
- There are still Kobolds in the hills that Restov wants dealt with in some way.
- Of course there is Svetlana's ring. Latest info I think has that being stolen from the bandits by mites.
- And Kesten asks that you capture a bandit named Falgrim Sneeg, alive if possible.
- Lastly, there is always this 'Stag Lord' that needs to be dealt with. Rumour is he has a base somewhere to the south.
There are also many other romours that you catch wind of as you wait for Sia's return.
- 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.
- 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!
- Taldan colonists once made an attempt to settle in the Stolen Lands. They failed, but not for lack of resources. There’s supposedly some old and abandoned mines somewhere in the Kamelands—and some folks believe that there’s gold in the hills!
- An old friend of a friend had a brother who went missing in the Stolen Lands a while back. A traveling wizard. His spellbook’s probably just rotting away in the underbrush or in some monser’s lair. Shame, really!
No one knows where the mites might be, but you do get a few stories about them. Little thieving nasty buggers. They are universaly despised as dangerous pests.
Norbert knows little of any Sneeg. He does pass on what he knows about the bandit king, quite willingly actually. But of Sneeg all he can say is that the stag lord is supposed to have several lieutenants with him at his fort. Perhaps he's one of them?
Kyrie spends the mornings in brief blade practice, and seems to be wasting the rest of each day flitting about, chatting with people and occasionally keeping the guards on watch company.
Additionally, while her chatting with the guards on wall duty might seem to distract them she more than makes up for it by paying the attention they aren't, and especially in the evening her elven senses help far more than her chatter hinders...