Gabryjel will move over to the fallen Fey and take out his arrow from the body.
He stares at it somewhat dispassionately, examining it intently for a moment.
Then he proceeds to search it, seeking to find any other evidence on it.
When that is done, he looks at the others for a moment, giving them time to honor the elk or do what they need to do, but he says nothing to interrupt whatever it is they are doing.
If it's doable, and the creature is down at the moment, Aneira will perform an examination and attempt to heal it.
"Xan, from what I could see earlier, the Elk's lips were not moving as it spoke to me. That is when I grew worried something was wrong and asked it directly why it spoke in such a way. It did not answer me. But if it is alive, I would like to save such a magnificent creature."
"You're a good soul, Aneria. I hope it DOES talk...but even if it doesn't, this is kind of you." The gnome watches her work with curious eyes
"I think the elk were this creature's pet, or commanded by it. Venja, can yea staunch the bleeding?" Beck's better talking with animals than doing actual healing, but here's a check...
is the elk even alive? cause Beck and Sheelah dropped it with a bite and a club to the noggin
As the others continue to work with the elk, Gabryjel will knock another arrow and slowly move up the path to examine the terrain for any signs of these supposed "brethren" that the Fey mentioned.
Through the ministrations of Aneira with assistance from Beck the bolt is removed and discarded from the side of the elk. Working quickly the blood flow is stopped and the elk stabilized. It immediately starts to breath easier but is still unconscious from the damage and blood loss. In its current state it is easy prey for any predator who smells the blood and comes to inspect it.
Gabe, you search the trail and find the direction the elk was coming from, but there is no indication that there is anything else about. Perhaps the comment meant at some future time. On the fey creature, which Beck was unable to identify but looked very similar to those fought earlier, you find a diminutive rapier clutched in its hand.
OECD the fey had fallen, Variel gave it a quick thrust to make sure it was dead before returning to Aneira's side. Standing back so she could work, he simply puts a hand there to let her know of his presence. While she tends to the elk, he scans the area like Gabe does to make sure nothing else attacks while they are distracted.
Beck looks down at the creature lying unconcious, "Yeah, just a normal Elk, and I don't think we got time ta heal it up proper unless we use magic, but doin so means less ta keep us alive and find the Lady what's lost, and find out what's goin on with this weather mess." considering the situation as a huntsman himself he mentions, "We could make a clean kill and cut us some meat for the trek, cook it up when we make our camp tonight, burry most o' it in slow ta keep it from rottin. I'd kill a beast like this ta make sure we had food, and here one is now. It's humane and the way o' things in the wild."
Aneira was not a huntsman and she respected Beck's ability as a hunter and naturalist to know the best methods to kill a wounded animal cleanly and respectfully. But she was a healer and could not see the creature die because it was manipulated by the evil Fey and then seriously wounded by her, Beck and Sheelagh. She had felt Variel's hand on her shoulder. "I believe you would humanely kill this creature, Beck, but I must right a wrong. I hope in time you will understand my actions."
In reverent prayer, she bids her god, "Lord Erastil, aid my healing magic, so I may grant this Elk, a creature of your woodland realm, another chance at life. It was I who struck first blow, grant me the opportunity to right my wrong." Aneira laid her hands on the Elk's flank and began casting; a white light moving from her hands into the still creature. She stood up and back after she cast her healing, observing what would happen next and out of immediate harm's way, by Variel's side.
Addendum:
Upon the Elk opening its eyes, Aneira will coo and speak softly, gently in Sylvan, hoping to keep the Elk calm and not defensive, with her peaceful ways.
"I'll see if i can get the creature to follow us at least." Beck says with a shrug, hoping to calm the creature and get a hand from it, or at least make sure it doesn't attack again.
"So that's just an elk - it ain't magic and it ain't wise like men o elves or nothing; it ain't like Miss Venja's hare or Beck's good ol' Sheela,that's just an elk and it's just basically a deer that got shot; kind of like when we go hunting for deer to eat, eh?" he says, trying to digest all of what he saw.
He moves and gathers the reigns of the horse.
Then he feels the pain in his side, and turns gives Whitestorm a long look.
"You know, when I got blooded earlier and you said you'd heal me - I kind of asked you not to."
"That was pretty stupid of me, I guess, but I figured I'd take one for the team, because, well, who knows, right?"
"I mean, if one of us needed a healing spell in a pinch, you'd be able to help them, on account of the fact that you're a healer with magic and maybe it was one of us that lay dying in the snow and bleeding out and needed fast healing, you know?"
He shrugs.
"Well, like I said - that was stupid of me. Bad luck, I guess."
He gentles the horse a bit, still talking to Whitestorm, but keeping his eyes on the horse.
"I'll tell you this, though - Beck's right - meat is handy in the wild - if it's still snowing we can't all find just vegetables to eat. And that Fey made it sound like there'd be a lot more snow to come. Ain't much green to eat in the wild in the snow and elk meat's good eating."
He moves back into position, waiting for the others to advance.
"Sorry, don't mean to be rude or nothing, I guess I reckoned that if you were going to use healing spells, well, I kind of hoped it would be someone in the party who needed it pretty bad - on account of the fact that maybe they were dying and all."
"But that was just what I hoping is all," he says with a shrug, pressing his hand agaisnt his crudely bound wound, then waits for the others to advance.
"Anyhow, don't we need to get going on account of the fact that we got someone to rescue? Longer we wait, the colder it will get - summer or no, night's going to be comming cold," he adds, then remains quiet and simply waits for the party to act.
Aneira you do indeed revive the elk from unconsciousness. It opens its eyes looking at you and Beck for a moment still in a daze at to what has just transpired. Its eyes focus on Beck for a moment as Beck tries to speak to it and make it understand their intentions. Not comprehending most of it the elk stands up, looks around and runs off in to the forest.
Aneira you do indeed revive the elk from unconsciousness. It opens its eyes looking at you and Beck for a moment still in a daze at to what has just transpired. Its eyes focus on Beck for a moment as Beck tries to speak to it and make it understand their intentions. Not comprehending most of it the elk stands up, looks around and runs off in to the forest.
Gabryjel watches the elk run off into the woods and wonders about what they'll do for food when their supplies run out, if the snow persists.
But he says nothing, though, but merely strokes the nose of the horse waiting for whoever was on point to act.
Speaking softly to Anee as she moved next to him, That was a noble thing you did Anee. You gave it back its life and a chance for a future. Be happy with that and do not fret about the use of some of your powers.
Turning his head to look at Gabe, What do you think? Any others about or shall we continue on? I am ready once I clean up this blood to prevent other animals from finding our tracks.
With that Variel will cast prestidigitation to remove the blood on the snow.
Looking up at Variel and ignoring Gabe's caustic words, Aneira nods her head at her husband, grateful for his understanding and support, and watches as he wisely cleans the blood from the snow with his magic. Once the task is complete, she quietly falls into line again, between Variel and Venja ready to move forward.
What do you think? Any others about or shall we continue on? I am ready once I clean up this blood to prevent other animals from finding our tracks.
Gabryjel scratches his head, looking up at the sky with the heavy snow falling, remembering that it was coming so thick he had trouble seeing earlier.
"Snow's falling thick enough that that blood will be covered before the spell's done cooking, I reckon. It ain't worth the time to cast, but do what you feel is best on magic," he says politely.
He thinks a bit on Variel's other question.
"Didn't see any tracks, but then - with this snow I may have missed something," he adds with a shrug.
He cocks his head, looking Variel for a moment, and pauses to take a sip from his waterskin, waiting for the party to advance.
As he answered Variel he observes that Aneira flatly ignored his comment about getting food in the wild if roots and vegetation was dead - and he also noticed that she didn't acknowledge his apology or even consider what he had to say.
He sighs a bit sadly, feeling a little lonely, than takes a deep breath and turns to Variel.
"You remember when I was back with that Sylph - you know, when I did tracking with scouts and was wounded bad?"
"Thing I remembered about that is that if we ever got healing potions, you never use potions except on your priests and such - if you can help it, that is."
"When the priest falls you got nobody to raise them, unless that lad's got a potion, on account of the fact that the healer's already down."
"Healers heal the troops with magic, and troops heal the healers with potions."
He pats the horses nose gently.
"Anyhow, like I said - bad luck for me. But I learned my lesson. Next time I'm hit, I'll take the spell quick-smart and no questions or talk of triage, I promise," he says with a respectful tone.
"Well, 'I' for one am glad she healed the Elk. Sure, it didn't talk, but it was a magnificent beast and in the stories 'I' tell, it will talk, and be profoundly wise and generations from now, when I'm old and talking to your great grandchildren, they'll hear the stories and go out into the world to adventure inspired by tales of the talking elk, and it wont' be a lie, not really, because by then..." the gnome's eyes grow bright, "There will probably be at least ONE, and to seek it out, my, the places they shall see."
Aneira listened to Xan say he was happy the elk had been healed and she smiled quietly as he went on to say he would tell stories of it, turning it into a magical, talking creature to aspire the imagination and motivations of the future adventurers of Heldren. She bowed her head to the red-haired gnome.
She had heard Gabe's subsequent words and noted them in her mind.
"Well, 'I' for one am glad she healed the Elk. Sure, it didn't talk, but it was a magnificent beast and in the stories 'I' tell, it will talk, and be profoundly wise and generations from now, when I'm old and talking to your great grandchildren, they'll hear the stories and go out into the world to adventure inspired by tales of the talking elk, and it wont' be a lie, not really, because by then..." the gnome's eyes grow bright, "There will probably be at least ONE, and to seek it out, my, the places they shall see."
"Yeah..." he says slowly, looking over at Xanxan.
"So, uh - we planning on moving on or what?"
"I mean, if you want to talk campfire tales, I reckon maybe we'd tell the one about rescuing that girl that got captured?" he says glancing around at the others.
"That is - if we're good to go?" he says, glancing down at the snow, his voice trailing off.
"Well, of course we're going to rescue her,"Xanxan assures Gabe, "No reason we can't talk about the dreams of tomorrow and work on the problems of today at the same time. Let us be off, no doubt yon noble lady dreams herself, of a handsome and valorous gnome tailor to rescue her and adorn her in finery." Xanxan seems chipper despite the dangers and the cold and moves forward
"Well, of course we're going to rescue her,"Xanxan assures Gabe, "No reason we can't talk about the dreams of tomorrow and work on the problems of today at the same time. Let us be off, no doubt yon noble lady dreams herself, of a handsome and valorous gnome tailor to rescue her and adorn her in finery."
Gabryjel watches Xanxan with surprise on his face, then he shakes his head.
"Reckon so," he says after a long moment with a dry smile on his lips in the face of Xanxan's enthusiasm.
"Who's on point?" he asks the group, then stifles his voice, trusting the others to pick their marching order and advance.
"I believe Beck and Sheelagh take point, as always." Aneira answers quietly but confidently.
From her vantage toward the back, Aneira scans the surroundings for signs or tracks, something to aid the ones in front, or provide them with further/different information.
"Alright then, let's get a move on." Beck says, thanking Aneira as she points out things he's missed.
Xanxan nods "Hi Ho, Hiho...it's off to adventure we go."
Gabryjel watches the others move into line and takes the reigns of the horse and begins to lead the animal forward after them.
He hears Xanxan's words and looks at the gnome curiously.
I wonder where he learned dwarven songs...
Then he begins to advance up the trail after the others.
After another thirty minutes trudging through the snow, A human-sized snowman stands in the middle of the trail before a frozen stream. A crude wooden sign leans against it and bears the words "Trespassers Turn Back."
Gabryjel simply looks at the site.
Based on everything he's seen so far - he doubts highly that all is what it seems.
But as he is currently at the rear of the party anyway, and having no desire to shout - he will let older and wiser heads tackle this unusual situation...
From her position, third from the back, Aneira surveys the scene - the snowman and the warning and looks deeper, scanning for other signs or dangers. She does not draw any closer to the snowman. Under her breath, she says to Variel and any other who can hear her quiet statement, "I do not like the look of this."
"It looks like a crude warning... yet somehow I don't feel particularly intimidated by it. Shall we press on?" Venja says softly, even as she looks around just to be sure they aren't being watched.
Variel stops short when he sees the snowman. It's simplicity and crudeness was not lost on him as Venja mentioned. Yet he was not as relaxed about it either as was Aneira. It bothered him that this could be a trap as was the carriage and chest before this. Nt discounting any fears, Variel wiphispers back so he is not over heard, I don't know what to make of it actually. It could be as Venja says but nothing out here is normal. Perhaps just to be safe Xanxan should ate a look first.
Neither of you notice any creaturs in the area nor recent tracks in the snow. Of course with the snowfall any tracks within the last 90 minutes would be mostly covered up by now.
"Aye, Xan. See any traps or sommat what's like that?" Beck asks the group stops short before the Snowman
"A moment and I shall see, get back, no point in more than one of us getting hurt if I snip when I should snap," Slowly, meticulously, he moves forward to check it out.
Xanxan approaches to what he thinks is a safe distance inspecting the snowman. All of a sudden a voice shouts from the head Can't you read? The sign says turn back! Now get lost!
With that ear piercing shout Xanxan takes damage and needs a fort save.
The rest see the snow blast from the area by the shout but outside of blinding you for only a few seconds thereis no lasting effect.
"Well so much for it being a harmless warning. Xan, are you alright?" Venja asks.
I hope that was just a triggered spell and not a caster hidden somewhere nearby because I didn't see anyone.
After the shout and blinding, Aneira shook the momentary effect off and looked to Xan, "Are you injured? Was it another Fey?"
Xanxan clutches at his ears
Aneira, you do not recall any fey capable of using that spell. However you know enough in general to know that fey have spell like abilities so it is not out of the realm of possibility.
Xanxan, you clutch your ears as the shout reverberates inside your head. You are left stunned unable to comprehend anything around you or act for a round. However we are not in rounds so you are free to act as you see fit.
Venja, you know from your experience that the effect was an initial magic mouth spell that spoke combined with a sound burst trap.
"That started out as a harmless magic mouth spell, with a soundburst spell triggered as a trap. Xan will be stunned for a few seconds and he probably was injured slightly by the spell as well. The damage will linger, but the stunning effect will pass quickly."
Hearing Venja's explanation does little to ease Variel's concerns. In fact it makes him feel more uneasy. That may all be well and good, Venja, but I am getting sick of these traps. We are already low on healing but we must proceed onward to rescue the lady. I am just concerned at what the toll will be and if we will be in any condition to rescue the lady once we find her at this rate.
Variel watches to see if anything happens after the spell went off. If it only last a few seconds then he will let Xanxan revive first before he approaches.
A moment later, Xanxan rubs at his ears, "Sorry, did someone say something? I found a trap."
Venja casts 'detect magic' to see if there are any more spells set to go off.
"I'm sorry, Xan, I guess I should have cast this spell before you approached the snowman... in future, knowing our foes can create such traps, we should detect magic on anything suspicious before approaching it."