"Perhaps, Garborn thinks, we also go to lumberyard in morning?"
Vladimir allows himself a smile, seeing Tig reunited with his mother.
His thoughts had drifted toward a warm bed and a good night's sleep when Garborn asked his question.
"Perhaps not at first light, as it is late and it would be a good idea to ensure everything is in a good state here before leaving again, but yes, we should head out that way soon."
You go to your chambers for a good night of sleep.
The next morning at breakfast, your serving staff mentions how the town is already buzzing with news of your success regarding the return of the Tannerson boy.
Through your prior knowledge, and details delivered by Kesten and your staff, you put together the whole story.
The Tannerson's grew concerned after not having seen or heard from the father, Daldin - who works at the Corax Lumberyard. It was recently Tig's birthday, and Daldin never misses it. Daldin's brother was set to ride out to the lumberyard, when Tig convinced his uncle to take him along.
As you know, they were then driven off course by wolves, and eventually ran into the lizardfolk.
After they'd been gone five days, Tig's mother posted the notice upon the bounty board.
"Good, people happy! Not surprised, bringing child back, good deed.
Now, we go to lumberyard and look for father?"
Still pleased by reuniting Tig with his mother, Vladimir finds himself nearly equally pleased with the effect the news seems to be having on the fledgling nation.
Turning to Garborn, "Yes, now we should head for the lumber camp." Vladimir says in agreement.
Marisol nods as well. "Best to reassemble as much of the family as we can," she says.
Mal nods at Marisol. "Recover them if we can but if not, just knowing will be better for their relatives than not."
You set out and ride toward the rising sun, along the north bank of the Skunk, and into the woods. Though there are areas where thick copses of trees encroach the Skunk, most of the way there is a good solid path within twenty or thirty feet of the sulfur-rich river.
Early afternoon you reach a point where it might be faster to cut through the woods (due to the upcoming bends in the river).
"Nothing bad ever came from taking a shortcut, right?"
Mal laughed. "I ever tell you about the time I got between a pair of owlbear chicks and their mama out walking through the woods? I've never run so fast, before or since."
"look, spoor! Good, follow these spoor and find deer path, secret path through forest.
Can make good speed here."
"Lead the way, Garborn. I, uh, trust your instincts more than mine." Nico smiles
To Malylev, he says, "Before all of this, I spent some time helping hunt down bandits and such around New Stetven. It was all shortcuts. I've had enough surprises to last me a while. But not, uh, owlbear-sized ones. Had a giant mantis drop on us once, though. Uh, that really got the adrenaline flowing."
Mal makes a face then laughs. "Other than spiders, I've never met any giant bugs. I wouldn't want to have a huge mantis drop on my head, that's for sure. You'd probably hear me scream from here to Restov."
You pass through grove of old trees with interwoven canopies... and low branches which make riding in the saddle difficult. You find it similar to other areas of the woods where fey and feytouched reside.
After an hour of travel, the woods change to tall and straight deciduous trees, and frequent clearing where the warm sun reaches. You are now near enough to the river to hear the rushing water. You smell campfire in the distance, and soon see the large camp. Small tents and wagons surround a central area - barricaded by a waist-high wall of stacked lumber and logs. You see several men with spears patrolling the makeshift wall who have yet to show a sign they've spotted you.
"Hmm, interesting. Always good to be on guard in wilderness, but Garborn think maybe little excessive?
Think trouble already happened before, or expecting now?"
"Probably some kind of difficulty with local creatures," suggests Marisol.
"Dangerous lands, always have been, may remain so for years to come.
Well, time for the big talk, Garborn charming, but not so good with words. Maybe let courageous leader show his pearly whites instead?"
"Could be that they know they're having trouble with the lizardfolk. That chieftan of theirs seemed bold enough to raid into an undefended camp."
Vladimir chuckles at Garbon's suggestion and takes the suggestions of both Marisol and Malylev into consideration before approaching closer to the camp.
"Hello in the camp!" Vladimir calls out from a distance, not wanting to startle the guards. "We come from Hope's Haven seeking Daldin Tannerson. Is he still here?"
The nearest "sentry" turns his head, and calls out "Boss!", and then turns back to you to respond.. "Aye.. Tannerson is here!"
A hulking man with balding shaggy blond hair rushes to the sentry's side.. with the hand not holding an ax, he motions for you to approach.
"Come! Come! Hurry now! &*$#ing damnable fairy witch about!"
Nico blinks several times then looks at his companions before saying, quietly, "Um...did we have 'fairy witch' on our list today?"
Mal grunted. "I've stopped trying to predict what's going to happen to us every morning," he murmured back to Nico.
Vladimir waves to his companions, inviting them to join him at the camp.
Approaching the camp, Vladimir asks the assumed leader of the camp, "What is this about a witch?"
Garborn grins and leans closer to Nico.
"Fairy and witch, two words often meaning beautiful woman...ALWAYS time for beautiful woman on list for today."
Nico follows after Vladimir, talking quietly to Garborn and Malylev. "True enough, Garborn, though with fey...Um, beauty can be a veneer.
"I am just, um, concerned. So many strange happenings, so much taint. I know these are wild lands, but..." His voice trails off and he shakes his head as they walk. It looks like he's about to say something, but he remains lost in thought.
Garobnr leans even closer, so close his nose almost touches Nico's and his grin becomes wider still.
"Land IS wild, but Garborn? Garborn wilder still!
Marisol remains quiet, having been called a witch once or twice in her time.
Following Vlad in a cluster with Nico and Garborn, Mal chuckles at Garborn's bravado. "Worse ways to go than being drowned at the bottom of a naiad's pool. Maybe not many, but that view sure would be pretty."
As you approach the lightly barricaded camp, you see five armed men including the "boss". Two more are seated back to back, gagged, and bound... both are battered and bandaged.
One of the armed men exclaims "My lord!" and bows... "Master Corax.. this is the Baron of Hope's Haven! Thank the gods!"
The burly boss Corax nods impressed "Very good... dusk is coming.. she'll be here soon, no doubt." He looks toward the river. The near bank is studded with stumps among felled trees. The far bank is thick with gnarled trees and thistle.. faint coils of mist drift out in wisps from the dark woods and hang over the river.
"Fey come? Hmm, interesting.
When speaking to fey, always good to have druid present.
Speak similar language you could say."
Nico looks at the two men who have been restrained. "And, uh, what is this about? Are they under a spell of some sort?"
Nico asks the question Vladimir had on his mind before he can manage to get the words out. The swordsman somewhat patiently waits for the reply.
While the others are talking to the head logger, Mal looks curiously across the river at the mist between the trees.
The logger with whom you'd first interacted, points to one of the bound men.. a red head. "That's Daldin there."
Corax nods "That fairy witch magicked'em up. Not right in the head.. They kept tryin to take our weapons from us, and tellin us we oughta clear outta here. She's got four others still with her.. took em into the Skunk. Went right under.. we lost sight of'em.. Lost in the mist."
The man who'd recognized the Baron adds.. "Took Warden Sneeg as well, my lords.. m'lady. Good as gold to see you now. Was looking bleak, m'lord."
The barricaded area in the center of the camp is about thirty feet in diameter. There are two fairly large tents and campfire, and you now see there are a few of the eight men whose garb and trappings suggest they are from Sneeg's hunter posse and not from the camp.
"Hmm, witch tell what she want or just attack? Possible to bargain maybe.
Sounds like not want you here, is reason why here and not somewhere else?"
Nico studies the auras and says, "An enchantment of some sort, for sure. As for which spell...um...given how long it's probably been, and Corax's description, I'd say a compulsion to do what they were told." He fidgets with his ring while he thinks. "I am going to try something. It...uh...may not work, and it won't be for more than a few minutes if it does, but it is better than leaving them like this. And, uh, maybe we can learn something if he can speak and act freely."
Mal nods at Garborn. "I was wondering how you knew it was this fairy witch, as well. Have you talked to her?"
"Also, when you say into the Skunk, what do you mean? They went down into the river? And... how long ago was that?"
"Perhaps, as said before, Naiad? Would make sense."
Mal nods at Garborn. "That was just an example, though. But yes, it would."
Corax eyes Nico and Daldin "So now what?" There is no visible change - though he is still gagged.
He responds to Mal "Believe me.. I've tried talkin sense into her. Wasted breath...."
"Looked like they went under.. hard to say when the mist rolls in. She comes most nights.. been close to two weeks now that she's been givin us problems. Was a few days ago that she started taking my men with her."
Garborn grins at the idea that it would be wasted breath to talk to the "witch".
"Gyahahahaha! Never seen the lord talk before, can charm anyone! And if fey, Garborn can help too, fey and druid get along better than most."
Nico says, "Now we, uh, remove his gag and see if he can speak rationally. If that worked, I want to know exactly what she told him to do."
Mal nods at Nico. "Let's see what they have to say."
Daldin's eyes grow wide as you move to remove his gag, then wild as he speaks with urgency...
"Please! Please! We must leave here! These woods are not for us! The good lady of the woods will continue to punish us if we stay! Lay down your arms!"
He continues as his pleading gaze falls on each of you.. "Lay down your arms!"
Garborn grins, finding the logic behind it all simple enough for him to follow.
"Fey minding woods, woodcutters come, conflict.
Make perfect sense to Garborn now.
Question, how to solve, possible still diplomatic."
Nico squats on the ground a few feet from Daldin. "Daldin, my name is Nico and we would like to help resolve this. Um, in order to do that, we need to know exactly what the lady of the woods told you to do."
Nico says, "Seems like a general charm rather than a specific compulsion. Which means we just have to wait for it to wear off. There's, uh, no 'cheating' an end to it."
He walks up to Vladimir and says, quietly, "She seems to just be charming them as a means of persuading this group to leave. Which is, uh, notably nonviolent. We should find out if anyone's been directly injured or killed. If not...she may be amenable to, uh, a neutral arbitrator. Assuming she'd see us as a neutral party."
Garborn, meanwhile look to the leader of the lumberjacks.
"Garborn curious, why pick this spot? Particularly good trees for lumber here?"
He also looks around, wondering if he himself might figure out the answer.