Turning to my companions quietly: Wasn't there some mention of the trade route from Brevoy to the River Kingdoms being threatened by Boggards? I think it was at Oleg's just after James and I met your all.
"Seems about right..." Ganit grips his bow with his left hand, his right hovering over the fletching of an arrow from his quiver. "What is this place you so desperately want us to avoid?" he calls at the frog-man.
Standing in my saddle:
This is our land and the land of Brevoy. Should you wish to live, you shall move several days that way. I am pointing west off of the map.
Intimidate:
Before escourting Jhod back to the Temple, Ganit joins Lukan to arrange the trade of 11 healthy horses to Oleg for some various camping and adventuring gear.
** spoiler omitted **
Jameson joins the two in packing the wagon while the other prepare their daily spells. When all is ready for departure, Ganit hands Jhod the reins so that he may lead the cart for the day's journey.
"No sense in going off looking for trouble this late in the day. We'll help you clean this place up until nightfall if you don't mind us staying here. As Carina said, we'll be gone by morning.
The boggard appears to have a very limited language and doesn't appear to understand what you are saying. He doesn't have a weapon out and keeps shouting. "You, go!" and pointing in the same direction as before.
Turning to the others: Anyone know anything about this creature? He don't look too bright, but also does not appear to be the type who would just tell people to leave. I think there is something else here worthy of investigation.
"Unfortunately I don't speak creature. One wonders what it really wants."
"It hasn't attacked us, I hesitate to hurt it. Are these creatures evil by nature, or can we parlay with them?"
"Ganit, it is probably his home or some land he has claimed as his own. Judging by his actions so far I wouldn't think him too much of a threat if he was just left alone, but we have to explore this area..."
Lukan pulls a ration from his bag and offers it to the boggard, "Are you hungry? We want a truce as well, but we need to go there." Lukan points past the Boggard and into the area the group needs to explore.
You get the feeling that the Boggard seems to simply want to be left alone. He seems a little scarred for a boggard and normally things things are commonly seen in tribes and groups like Goblins and other monsterous humanoids that live in the wilds. That much everyone knows.
He stares at Lukan, recognising the word Truce and moves closer to the ledge of the battlement, but still has a confused look on hisface as he doesn't appear to understand the majority of what Lukan said.
Lukan keeps trying to communicate through actions rather than words. "Boggard hungry?" He unwraps the ration, revealing the contents to the frogish thing. "Truce for food. We friends." He eeks out a smile as he extends the ration towards Boggard.
Lukan keeps trying to communicate through actions rather than words. "Boggard hungry?" He unwraps the ration, revealing the contents to the frogish thing. "Truce for food. We friends." He eeks out a smile as he extends the ration towards Boggard.
He appears to understand the first sentance and nods excitedly. You see him make his way out of the ruin, slowly towards you with two four-legged amphibians croaking menecingly and following behind him. HE puts his hand out, a distance away as he still doesn't appear to trust you.
"Food." he declares waiting for it to be thrown over to him in the short distance. The creatures remain behind him a distance away as ever-watchful guardians.The two creatures are known as Slurks. They are a failed experiment by dwarves to domesticate and breed subterranean frogs as food and labor animals. Though a failour, they still find friends with other underground denizens and creatures like Kobolds or Boggards. They are carnivous and vicious, however these two appear to be trained by the Boggard as they havn't eaten him or attempted to attack the party yet.
Their skin secreats a thick mucus that makes it difficult to grab a hold of and can even squirt slime.
Lukan wraps the ration slightly before tossing it the small distance towards the boggard's hand. "Food good." He holds his palms up towards the creature and slightly kneels down to show he is not threatening in any way. "We trade food for look around?" The soldier points to his eyes and then to the landscape around the area.
He turns slowly back to Ganit and says in a calm voice, "Ganit, show him the map, maybe he will understand that."
Knowledge(arcana):
What the heck do you think that those things are? And making nice is fine and all, but can we allow a vicious creature like this . . . thing to remain in the realm? If people move in here and plan on farming, I have no doubt that this monster will not be so nice if the next people it meets are a man, his wife and two young children as opposed to 6 heavily armed warriors on horses.
"Have we evidence that they are vicious? So far this one hasn't given us cause to want it dead. Perhaps they can be peacefully traded with?"
Always quick to judge we are. It's not easy being green.
The Boggard seems to be trying to understand you and as he takes a few tentitive bites of the rations he points to himself.
"Garuum." he looks to you all and seems to be having a general understanding of what you mean, though still struggling slightly.
While ignoring Carina's comments, he points to himself, "Lukan." Reaching inside his pack he pulls four more rations out and stacks them on one another, between him and Garuum. He takes the map from Ganit and shows the Boggard, with his finger, their intended route and where they need to search. He then points into the ruins nearby and then to his eyes and back to the ruins. He then points to the food, "We want look there."
"Garuum Good?" Lukan furthers his smile, "If Garuum good, then he have truce with all who live here." He waves his finger around everyone, pointing to the rest of the group and then to the map, circling Oleg's and the are where the bandits are. "All truce if you good." He points further to Oleg's, "You can go here with us if we can go there with you." He points to the ruins. "Lots of food there, but you have to be good Garuum."
Ganits hand shifts from above his quiver to the map case belted to his rucksack. He pulls the map from the case and points to the area that the group and the boggard are currently in, "Map. Map. You, we, here." With each word he points to the appropriate subject. "Explore. Search. Look around. Safe? Understand?"
The boggard again seems slightly confused, but he seemsot understand Ganit more and gives a uncertain nod. Once finished he returns to the ruins with the Slurks behind and moving into the second ruin next to his.
Lukan picks up the rations off the ground and returns them to his pack and nods to Ganit, "Guess I'll be keeping these." Lukan lifts himself up from his kneeling position and readies to enter the ruin and search around..
The knight points to himself and calmly says: "Bron."
He points to the sorcerer: "Carina."
Pointing to the ranger, he declares: "Sourface."
The others he introduces on a first-name basis.
Bron waves around, signaling the group. "We."
He motions as if walking, "are going"
Pointing to the woods, he finishes: "South."
With two thumbs pointing up, he asks: "Is that OK with Garuum?"
Bron waves around, signaling the group.
He motions as if walking,
Pointing to the woods, he finishes
With two thumbs pointing up, he asks:
"It seems my father's wishes for my education had some gaps. This creature is obviously intelligent, but we lack all means of communication. Carina the next time you have a dream you should ask that Orc shaman of yours for a way to speak to frogmen."
With my dream experience with the witch doctor, he would recommend the best communication to be a spear through the gullet and then place the frogman over an open fire and slowly turn until a golden brown.
With my dream experience with the witch doctor, he would recommend the best communication to be a spear through the gullet and then place the frogman over an open fire and slowly turn until a golden brown.
"I hope you'll be cooking. I heard what you said about the quality of my frog's legs. Let's see if you can do better with mustard seeds, leeks and pine cones."
"You have valuable knowledge on the region and the workings of this Stag Lord. If you can show the effort of helping us, I may be able to convince the guards to keep you around here, to lend a hand now and again. Do you happen to know what that password is?"
** spoiler omitted **
"Unless it’s been changed recently, the current phrase is, ‘By the Bloody Bones of St. Gilmorg, who wants to know?’ And no, I have no idea who ‘St. Gilmorg’ is." she tells him and nods as she clearly looks like she'll be happy to get out of this area.
The Boggard looks back and shakes his head putting his hand out to stop you approching any further. He seems to not want you come anywhere near his ruined buildings.
"Well, unless someone has an idea on how to communicate with this frog, I suggest we leave him be for now and continue onward." Lukan turns away from the ruined buildings and mounts up. His horse chomps on the bit while he tugs the reigns. "Maybe Bokken may know some way to talk to these creatures."
"Agreed, this is going nowhere slowly. We can come back when we have the means to converse with this... thing." Ganit coils the map over itself and stuffs it back into the case. He takes a long stare at the creature before motioning to Felicity that he is ready to leave.
Sense Motive (Hunch) vs DC 20:
Perhaps next time we get to the outpost I should buy a book of languages, the elf was supposted to be our translator and the Gods only know what happened to him...
"Agreed, this is going nowhere slowly. We can come back when we have the means to converse with this... thing." Ganit coils the map over itself and stuffs it back into the case. He takes a long stare at the creature before motioning to Felicity that he is ready to leave.
Sense Motive (Hunch) vs DC 20: 1d20+8
Perhaps next time we get to the outpost I should buy a book of languages, the elf was supposted to be our translator and the Gods only know what happened to him...
The Boggard leaves you to leave and heads back inside the ruin. His Slurks following afterwards.
As you move past the boggard watches with what could only be described as a froggish smile. He doesn't stop you leaving but continues to eat the rations happily.
The next day you all get up, heading into the new area you wish to explore and soon arriving into a deep forest. There is a calm here as you see no wild animals nearby, but you do come across a statue of Erastil. It appears to be covered in vines and moss from years of being unkept, however it still stands though it does need someone to clean off the dirt, grime and planelife to restore it to it's former beauty.
Jameson rides Donal warily closer, looking for any traps on the ground or around the statue itself.
"Do you suppose we should bring this to the attention of the priest? Do one of you wish to take the time to clear it off? I can keep watch while you do so."
How much of this savage land belonged to this deity at one point?
Perception:
Do I see anything unusual about the statue? If not, I will start to clean it up.
I may not follow the hunter, but he is a good god and deserves to have his statue cared for.
It is so strange that Old Deadeye would allow nature to reclaim so much. Something very bad must have happened in the past.
Lukan props his shield up on a tree nearby and joins Carina in clearing away the overgrowth. He hacks at the vines with his new trusty axe and yanks them down, tossing them into a pile nearby.
Ganit stands before the statue with his arms crossed and a bemused expression on his weathered face. "They say the power of the Gods can only be as strong as the convictions and devotion of their followers. Judging by what we've seen here in the past few weeks it's obvious these people have given up on your patron, Lucan. The Great Hunter was never one for explicit signs of gratitude but the occasional positive blessing may have held some of his wavering clansmen. It seems fitting that the earth absorb his presence here. At least then it is something tangible and rewarding."
"I think less given up, Ganit, than that they have been forced from their old places of worship. Driven from this place they can be forgiven for forgetting this ancient statue. It is right we should restore it now."
Remember Ganit, our charter is to make this land inhabitable. Showing those who would do harm that we respect and protect all good faiths will weaken their resolve and also strengthen the courage of those who would settle here, be they farmers or hunters.
"Perhaps, or maybe these lands are tainted so much so that the Gods themselves are buffered from influence," Ganit retorts as he takes a pull from a waterskin. "I won't stop you from polishing these old stones; just be aware that the sooner we clear our charter, the sooner I can be paid for my services and be done with this godforsaken place."
He has more influence then you think, Ganit. He is an ancient god who first taught men how to tame the wilds. You are blessed by him every time you loose an arrow. Even though I may be the only one in this group to worship Erastil, I suggest we all pay our respects, for we are set to a task that falls, with great weight, into his domain. Perhaps it is your attitude, Ganit, that infected the peoples that once lived here, bringing destruction upon themselves. Lukan continues cleaning the statue as he talks. He wipes the sweat from his brow with the back of his gloved hand. "We are nothing without the gods, but you seem to think it is the other way around?" He tosses a large vine into the pile, sending the crashing sound echoing throughout the forest. "Maybe we are both right. Gods would do well to show favor and," his tone grows condescending as he lectures Ganit, "we should do well to show piety."
As you clean you notice that nearby are the weathered foundations of what used to be a building that the statue faced. From the size it was probably a home or more likely a hunting lodge.
After cleaning the statue and a quick prayer the noise of creatures within the area falls silent which is eerrily comforting and the horses do not wish to approch the statue as if something was keeping them at bay.
”I followed Erastil for over two decades so I have a respectable insight to the shadows where his influence falls. I understand the effects of drought and unfavorable hunts on families for I’ve lived them and learned from them, both before and after his blessings graced my eyes and shoulders and heart. It’s easy practice to serve as the muscle behind your deity’s aggression, soldier, but it’s infinitely more difficult to serve as his student; especially when you the people you care for are depending on you. If I’ve learned anything since this charter it is that I am not the first man to recognize this apathy towards the mortals who cherish the ‘practical teachings’ of dear Erastil and I’ll likely not be the last.”
After noticing the lodge, Ganit drops to a guarded stance with his bow in hand and begins to make his way towards the building in a stealthy fashion, his eyes flashing between the ground and the door.
As soon as things start to quiet down, I stop cleaning and listen and look to see if there is anything causing the sudden change.
Perception:
"I would not know the easy practice as an arm behind Erastil's aggression for I serve him as a humble man, not as a soldier. I think you have mistaken me for a paladin. You act as if you are special, but we are all students of the gods. And yes, sometimes the lessons are harsh but it is what we learn from those lessons and our resolve that prove our worth in this world..." Lukan trails off and focuses even more dilligently to the task of cleaning away the dirt and grime from the statue.
Cambyl spends the journey in a sour mood, keeping silent other than necessary communication.
As the group deals with the Boggard, he stays off to the side, a bit repulsed by the creature. However, as he spends the morning after praying for inspiration from Cayden, he prepares a new spell in case they must deal with more Boggards.
As the companions clean the statue of Erastil, Cambyl listens to the different perspectives of faith and makes a decision. He dismounts and pulls his two mugs and a wineskin from his saddlebags, pouring two mugs full.
He attempt to hand one to Ganit and Lukan before they can rush off to the ruin and he salutes them before taking long pull off the wineskin itself.
"A worthy discussion indeed. I must apologize to all of you for my mood the last few days. I had a failure in my own faith. I had expected our adventure to be one of little risk, and a great deal of feats of arms. A fun lark, if you will, guided by the hand of Cayden and supporting a lifestyle he would smile upon."
"I must admit to a shaken faith given our start. We had companions that departed unexpectedly, and while I believe we are improved by our new friends, I will admit to missing the friends we had for a short time. My own skill at arms has been tested greatly and I fear the healing power Cayden has granted me has faltered as well."
"But with all that said, I have spent our current journey thinking about what has gone wrong and this statue here has brought to mind something I had forgotten." He pauses for a moment, taking another drink. "We all have different gods to which we owe our allegiance, but as the different gods work together, so can we. These lands it seems have been under Erastil's watchful eye in the past, but that has not gone well. It may be that we can return these lands to followers of Erastil, or it may be that other faiths will flourish here. But in any case, we cannot depend on the gods to guide us in everything. They have instilled in us and our hearts the desire and ability to explore these lands ourselves."
"Cayden might be responsible for my abilities to heal us, but it is my own mind, as well as all of yours that must keep us alive and healthy in these dangerous lands. So I raise my... glass.." He smiles for the first time in days, "to all of you. And once again desire to help us as we journey into the unknown." He takes one last swig and passes it to one of the other companions if they wish.
"Fine words on a delicate subject, Cambyl. It's refreshing to see you shake off your personal troubles. There are innumerable physical threats surrounding us at any given moment but none of them are as pressing as the deterioration of self doubt." Ganit accepts the cleric's peace offering and takes a hearty mouthful of wine with him as he creeps of in the direction of the lodge."[/b]
I have my crossbow out and loaded in case anything jumps out at Ganit.
"Easy Donal, easy now. Whatever you've done to that statue there seems to be something about it Donal doesn't care for. Your words are wise Cambyl, and I thank you for your welcome and trust."
Jameson will decline the wine while keeping a watch on the surrounding area, ready to ride towards any danger.
"As a father desires his children become self-sufficient, so do the gods. There are times though, when those fathers wish to still feel needed and appreciated. I will take your offering later, Cambyl, but, for now, I must keep to the task of showing my appreciation to my god by cleaning this place."
Lets get this place cleaned up and map out this area then we can move on to killing things. Anyone who wants to drink the day away, join Cambyl. Anyone who wishes to clean up this area, join me and Lukan.