Vladimir nods, agreeing with Nico's assessment of the situation while listening to the results of Garborn's questioning.
Mal examines the trees as well when Garborn mentions the quality of the lumber.
Corax answers Garborn with what is now clear to Malyev and the druid as they look around...
"This is the best swath of forest for hardwoods I've seen. Good quality lumber. That %&$# wants me to go'n'give up this camp.. I'll tell her again where she can go!"
His men yell "ayes and yeah's" in support of their boss's words.. getting ready for another fight.
The mist rolls in thicker - now drifting across the river.
Garborn begins to stroke his beard slowly, thinking back to the places they had already visited.
Was there anyplace he could recall that had hardwood as good or even better than here?
That would help, after all, it would mean just moving camp without a loss of quality.
Vladimir turns his attention to the approaching mists, still hopeful there can be a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Mal moves closer to the others to cast a spell. "In case that mist gets high enough to get to be a problem," he says.
Garborn turns and gives a wide grin, now the fun would really begin.
"Ho there! Garborn, druid of the green faith greets you!"
Despite Malylev's spell, you are not able to see clearly through the low-hanging mist. Luckily, it does not hide what approaches.
Three grim-faced loggers wielding crude clubs step from the river onto the near bank, then a fierce sodden wolf, followed by a green haired lithe female figure - she remains thigh deep in the water. Her eyes come to an extreme point, and her skin is a pale shimmering blue.
"More have come.. an escalation on your part begs for a lack of restraint on ours."
The wolf glances back to her, then steps between her and your group.. and snarls menacingly.
Between the two of you (Garborn's keen sight, and Malylev's knowledge of his own spell), you determine it must be illusory.
Nico whispers to Vladimir, "Um, our presence here is escalating things. We need to keep both sides calm. Garborn and Malylev can talk to her; we need to do the same with Corax. Or, uh, you should. I am not good with people."
Vladimir nods at Nico's suggestion, knowing the reputation of nixies, and turns toward Corax.
"Corax, tell your men to stand down. There has to be a better way of handling this that will not end in blood-shed...her's or that of your men."
"Is nice wolf, Garborn also have nice wolf."
Garborn whistles Whitefang to him and pet's her head.
"Difference, Garborns wolf more...ah...substantial is right word?
Garborn never escalate things, unless drunk, or fight over pretty woman.
But out here, no hurries, no worries.
Care to talk? Garborn is SCINTILLATING conversationalist."
Mal nods at Nico and takes a few steps toward the nixie, his hands out wide and visibly empty of weapons. "Hello. We were passing by and these people asked for help, but I suspect your side of the story may be different than these folks. Would you mind talking to my friend and me for a few minutes?"
Corax responds to Vladimir through his scowl.
"Aye... we'll hold off." He motions for his men to hang back.
The nixie is quiet for a moment, then replies.
"This had better not be a trick.. my patience is spent. Approach."
The charmed loggers stop their advance.
"No trick." As Mal walks forward, he gestures at Garborn. "As you can see, we are friends of the land, but we are also responsible for the safety of these men. We hope to find a peaceful solution here. Please tell us what happened here to cause this situation."
"Yes, want to resolve conflict, want to make things right, peacefully if possible.
But, caveat here, we listen to both sides, no shouting, no accusations, no demands of simply "do as I say".
Is not mature, is not natural, is not how world works.
Compromise, use brain as well as heart.
Garborn is druid, Garborn walks with the green on his side, learn much from nature itself."
"This grove is protected. They must leave. The felled trees will remain to decay, and feed the forest. I will release these men only then. But this one..." She nods to indicate the wolf. "Good druid Marlbeck will remain to assist me in bringing aid to a sister in need."
Meanwhile, Corax strains to hear, but shakes his head when he cannot. "Now is the time to strike. We've never gotten this close to her.. her guard is down. This lumber is for your kingdom Baron.. you know this, yes? She's made herself an enemy of your rule!"
Mal looks at the wolf. He didn't have any problem with leaving the nixie to her grove, but voicing that opinion probably wouldn't help with the humans behind him. But if the wolf was enchanted, now that was a problem. "That wolf is a druid? Can we speak to him?"
Garborn leans casually against the barricades. He affected a completely relaxed stance.
"Civilization coming to these lands, unavoidable.
Struggling to stop it, not wise, futile, however, CAN coexist, but must think, see from all sides.
These trees, if protected, probably ancient yes? Sacred to some.
However, you know lands yes? Must be other area with trees also good lumber, no?
Can tell us where, operation can be moved.
Also, bonus, when lands claimed by kingdom, can make this area off limits, sacred place.
Land part of kingdom, but granted to you as protector in perpetuity.
Is good deal, protection legal, sacred and bound by alliance.
Give little, get lot.
Garborn only druid, no statesman, but pretty sure this is good wisdom."
Without turning around, Garborn calls over his shoulder to the others.
"What you think baron? Garborn speak sense?"
Hearing Garborn's reasoning, Vladimir nods.
Turning back to Corax, he says, "While I understand that the lumber in question is for the barony, she was here before us."
"That being said, you have one of my councilors held under some sort of compulsion."[b] Vladimir says to the fey creature. [b]"Release Marlbeck Sneeg, and we can discuss this other matter once this particular issue is resolved."
The nixie strokes her jawline with a finger of her webbed hand.. contemplating for a moment. "Marlbeck.. you know these humans?" The wolf nods.
"Can we trust them?" The wolf nods again.
"Friends of Marlbeck... please approach." Though she has dropped the sinister tone in her voice, her words are by no means warm.
"I am Melianse. My sister .. dryad Tiressia knows these woods well. She is also in need of assistance. This is what I propose. I will release the angry man's woodcutters. You.. seek out Tiressia and fell what torments her grove. Ask her for five tokens to replace the felled trees here... you may ask her where your woodcutters may find similar wood, as well."
"Once my trees have been replaced, and the woodcutters leave, your friend Marlbeck will be released from my enchantments."
Garborn walks over to Melianse, unafraid and large as life.
"Not bad idea, potentially EVERYONE gets what they want.
And better yet, NOBODY would need to die either."
Garborn make sure his voice carries, so that nobody misses his tone or his words.
He was wise enough to know that right now, it was the make or break point, and he also wanted everyone to get the feeling that he was willing to pound on whomever broke the fragile peace that was being established.
For added emphasis he began stroking the head of white fang.
Nico addresses the group. "It's a way out of this, even if it, uh, puts us on the hook. It will cost Corax and his operation to relocate, though, and these folks still need to feed their families. We may need to offer something to offset that, at least in part. That may help buy, um, patience." Nico shrugs. "We all sacrifice something, and we all get something."
"I believe the tokens we are to ask for from this Tiressia will help in the matter of the trees, my love." Vladimir says to Marisol. "I do have that correct, right" he asks, questioning Melianse.
"Assuming that is the case this seems like a fine example of compromise. Everyone gets something, no one is completely happy."
Mal nods but has nothing to add.
"Very well. Go.. there." She points west-northwest. "Go now, and you should reach Tiressia before dusk."
The charmed loggers drop their clubs, and walk into the camp. Melianse drops under the water, and Marlbeck lopes into the river as well. At that moment, the loggers seem to come to. They stand there looking around.. staggered and bewildered.
The mists disappear, and the malevolently unnatural woods on the far bank return to normal.
"Well and good.
We go to meet...Tiressia then oh great leader?"
Drawing his great club from his back, Garborn thumps it into the ground and then leans against it, looking at the lumberjacks.
"Garborn gave word. Very important, never break word.
You be good boys now, Garborn don't want to come back and find someone broke his word for him, wouldn't be...good."
Garborn then slaps his forehead and chuckles.
"But! Almost forget, why came in first place.
Needed to tell about boy! But great leader can do that, him talk good."
Vladimir nods slowly in agreement. "While we do need to be on our way quickly, we wish to speak to Daldin Tannerson. Where might we find him."
For now, Marisol has nothing to add; the team seems to have the matter in hand.
Like Marisol, Mal has nothing to add. Instead, he watches the water where Melianse and Marlbeck both slipped into the river, wondering what it might be like down there.
The red headed man gets to his feet after being released from his bonds. He rubs his temple and forehead.. groggy as if he'd just awoken..
"I'm Daldin.. what's this...? How do you know me?"
"It is not you that I know." Vladimir says somberly
"I am afraid that I have a bit of mixed news for you, Daldin. I have the understanding that your brother and your son were on a trip here to see you. As you can tell they, never made it here. While we were exploring the region we were able to recover Tig, he is healthy and happy, back in Hope's Haven with his mother."
Vladimir's tone grows even more somber when relaying the next part, "Unfortunately, wolves had driven your brother and son off of the path to the camp leading to an encounter with some lizardfolk...your brother did not survive the encounter."
"I see...." Daldin looks downward as his eyes well up.. "I was late.. meant to make his birthday. They were prob'ly worried."
"Killed by lizardfolk? But Tig's alright. This.. this is too much right now." He climbs through the opening of a nearby tent.
Corax tsks.. then "We'll keep an eye on'im. Rotten luck..." He shakes his head and tsks again. "Been out in the wild my whole life. These woods... never seen the like. These woods.. need cleaned out. Like clearin' brush from a tree farm." "..m'lord." .. as he looks and nods at Vladimir, before turning to tend to his men.
Vladimir shakes his head after delivering the mixed news to Daldin. "Please do." he says to Corax's comment about keeping an eye on him. "And please do not let him leave for Hope's Haven until we come back. I would hate to think of him traveling back alone and more misfortune befalling that family."
Turning back to his companions, the swordsman says, "Let us be off."
Garborn taps the side of his large nose.
"Ah, but traveling at night ill advised in terrain such as this.
Maybe, stay in camp and leave first light instead?"
Eager to free Marlbeck of the Nixie's spell, Vladimir reluctantly agrees. "I suppose you are right."
Garborn, being Garborn puts a large arm around Vladimir's shoulders and rubs his head playfully with the other hand.
"Of course Garborn is! Get to know him well enough, you find him ALWAYS right, even when he is wrong! Gyahahahaha!!!"
For much of the early evening, your campmates are shaken.. quiet. One by one, as they discuss your calm and effective handling of the delicate situation, they seem to relax.
Corax is not terribly pleased, and perhaps skeptical (eye rolls and fidgets when the fey and her deal are mentioned), but nods when his men admit that they all seem safe now from harm due to your efforts.
Marlbeck's hunters leave to check traps, and forage.
Daldin comes out from the tent, and asks those of you nearby.
"How can I let my brother know Tig is safe? A priest? Can a priest do this? I need him to know."
Vladimir nods. "Indeed, a priest should be able to reach your brother. Unfortunately, there is not a priest of that caliber among us."
The rest of the evening goes by without incident, and the night is peaceful.. camped around the logger's tents.
You wake to a cool and dewy early morning. The loggers seem a bit uneasy as they begin their day's duties - soon losing your protection.
Corax wishes you luck "We'll load up the wagons with our tools and whatnot... t'make it clear to any lurkin fish in cahoots we're closin shop here. Get back here quick as y'can."
Daldin approaches - looking better rested "Is there any way I can help? I know I am to wait for you before traveling to Haven, but.. I'd like to help in any way I can."
Garborn raises an eyebrow at Daldin.
It was certainly understandable that the man wanted to help, but the question was, could he?
Sometimes it is best to allow people to answer that question themselves.
"Garborn does not know, how CAN Daldin help?"
Daldin pats the hand axe on his hip.
"I'm not much of a fighter, but no weakling. If nothing else, I could tend to your horses if trouble comes our way."
Garborn taps a finger against his chin as he considers that.
"Sounds like squire, all good knights and lords need squire.
Of course, up to big leader to decide, him lord."