Aneira stood, dusting the snow and ice from her clothing, and watched (from her current position, not drawing closer as Variel had advised) and watched her husband inspect the chest and determine the safety of opening it.
She tried to ascertain any other threats from where she stood.
Seeing Aneira come to help him with a spell, he shakes his head.
"Thank you... but I should be alright... for a time..." he says slowly.
"The trap barely wounded me."
"You should save your spell... in time there may be a greater need."
"I would not see our healers without spells," he says, looking away for a bit.
He hefts his bow.
"When next we battle... I will not likely be in the front... others may need quick healing that only spells can help."
Once done with searching the pile and bringing back whatever is found, Variel goes to check on his wife. How are you holding up Anee? What with Venja collapsing and the possibility of another trap I failed to see how you are. It sounded like Venja fixed you up from what I heard. Variel uses prestidigitation to remove any blood on her to get her at a least looking better in the hopes that will make her fell better as well. One that is done Variel embraces her and kiss a kiss on her brow to smooth away his screw up for not checking on her sooner.
Aneira leant gently into Variel's embrace. She realised that there were times he forgot to enquire after her, but it was just how he got when he was wrapped up in something. That he remembered and came back was what mattered. She would not hold a grudge.
In soft voice, only meant for her husband's ears, Aneira replied, "I am better now, thanks to Venja's magic. The trap pierced my flesh more than I cared for it to. I am worried, for I have exhausted all but one of my healing spells. But I will try to make do, husband, as always", turning her face into him and tenderly kissing the exposed part of Variel's neck. "Thank you for cleaning the blood from my clothes."
The chest does not appear to be further trapped but is completely empty when you open it.
Second fort save for cold
The chest appears empty but in good condition. Should we take it with us to hold our gear? If we need to camp for the night at least our stuff will be secure. At the least we can sell it or use it ourselves when we get back to town?
Sizing up the chest and Xanxan, Heck perhaps we can fit Xanxan in here and deliver it as a surprise for those we are tracking. Might need to pack him in a bit tightly but it should fit him.
"I know I move slower than others, but if we're going to start running into traps, then perhaps I should be in the front on my own feet anyway? I can't do much back here..." the gnome looks distraught that others were injured.
Sizing up the chest and Xanxan, Heck perhaps we can fit Xanxan in here and deliver it as a surprise for those we are tracking. Might need to pack him in a bit tightly but it should fit him.
That DOES make the gnome smile, "I cant check for traps in there either, but if there be air enough, and you like to try it, I find the idea novel."
Xanxan during the second hour you begin to shiver mightily and begin to feel your limbs go numb. You begin to get a bit weary as well.
Xanxan shudders a bit, and wraps his cold weather outfit tighter around him if possible. "Maybe we could set the trunk on fire?"
Gabryjel pulls his clothes around him a bit tighter, glancing up at the snow that is falling in mid-Summer, and he stares at it suspiciously.
He watches Xanxan and Variel examine the empty chest.
As I thought – it is clearly a ruse to use as bait.
Still, I wonder what they did with what was in the chest – if anything?
Like as not they simply took their gear with them…
Even so, the fact that there would be a trap in the middle of the woods bothers him.
Someone took the time to make it. If it was the people the pursued that means that at least they’d need to get a log big enough for the trap; they’d need to set up the mechanism to hold it and trap it.
All of that seemed very complicated and as if it would take a long time just to stop anyone from following them. After all, if the scum who abducted the woman were truly afraid of pursuers, why not simply hide in the trees and shoot arrows then run fast?
Or better still, why not simply run quickly and not waste time if pursuit was hot on their trail?
His eyes narrow as he thinks.
Unless the trap was meant to guard something? But if so; what would it guard? There is nothing here!
He frowns darkly at the thought, trying to puzzle it out.
This must have taken time to make; but why make it? It can’t be for our benefit, that would have wasted too much time. But than, why else would it be here? There is nothing to guard or protect with a trap; the chest is clearly empty…
Finally, frustrated with the riddle he scowls.
Unless there is something else here, there is no reason to set up an ambush.
His eyes widen a bit.
Maybe there is something else here, then?
With little to do as his companions gather the gear and discuss possibilities, Gabryjel will now take time to make a thorough search of the area.
While Gabe is busy searching the area again, Variel nods his head in xanxan's direction. I don't know about a fire right now, but getting warm does sound like a good idea. Might as well gather some wood now to use for later and store it in the chest to travel along. If you plan on walking then that leaves plenty of room on the horse for the chest and wood. We don't want to burden the poor beast too much but I think he would like a fire himself when we stop for lunch in an hour.
On the other hand if we unload some of my gear on the horse as well then I could carry you on my shoulders up front. That way you can see what is coming, it won't slow us down, and you won't have to walk through the snow as you are chilled already.
When you all move the chest, Gabe spots what looks like a small clod of dirt that seems out of place. Looking closer you see that it seems that the ground underneath was hastily tamped down.
"Maybe they buried something under the chest?"
If that is the case then XanXan, would you take a look for another trap before we start digging. I believe I have a spade with me on the horse. I will be right back.
Providing Xanxan gives the thumbs up that the area is clear, Variel will carefully start digging around the tamped dirt.
Xanxan finds nothing in the way of traps.
As there are no traps present, Gabryjel will do what he can to break apart the dirt with one of his daggers and pulling the icy loose clumps away with his bare hands, even as the others use their spades to dig things up.
When the last remaining dirt has been removed, he looks down at what has been uncovered...
Then Gabryjel looks up at the others.
"Thank you for assisting me," he says with a quiet but polite voice.
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You find a large heavy burlap sack that takes you a good long while to pull out of the ground to get to what is inside. Inside, are what appears to be the collective goods and gear of the guards that were massacred.
-5 sets of leather armor
-3 sets of studded leather armor
-1 masterwork chain shirt
-two light wooden shields
-6 longswords
-1 masterwork longsword
-2 spears
-1 masterwork dagger
-3 light crossbows
-25 bolts
Wow, that is quite a haul there. Any idea what we should do with the stuff we can't use? As it is, the only thing I would be interested in is the chainshirt, but if others want it I can wait. Anee, is there something you could use? Gabe,the ret of you?
"I wouldn't mind having that pretty dagger there... it looks much nicer than the one I have. But if someone else wants it, that's fine too."
Aneira looks over the find and the three who helped to uncover it. "Good work, Xan, Variel and Gabe."
"If it is alright with the group, I would like to take a spear and a light wooden shield."
Gabryjel leans back and looks at the gear critically, appraising its raw value.
Portable wealth…
He grunts a bit, then glances up.
Picking up one of the spears he eyes it for a moment.
”If we take these spears and one of the blankets from the kit on the horse, we can fashion a travios.”
He looks at the others.
”We can haul the gear with us to sell… or whatever else we might need,” he adds looking at the others.
”We have no wealth… this could be useful later,” he says, knowing that the burden will be very easy for a horse to drag, even through the snow, curious to know what his companions will say.
Gabryjel gets up and moves off the path and finds some slender trees, then he begins to drag them back to the path and trim off any excesses branches with his hatchet.
When he has two modest sized polls, he'll set them up with a blanket and prepare to create a travios, if the others are alright with it.
Gabe, since you are still somewhat injured, do you want to be in the rear and pull the travois?
Aneira had watched Gabe's industry at constructing the travois. When it was completed, she responded with a gentle "Well constructed, Gabe, and good thinking."
Hearing Variel, Aneira believed his question was valid for even though Gabe professed to it only being a small wound, it was still an injury and had to be looked after.
She was glad that her husband claimed the MW chain shirt for his own, especially since he was readily in the front during fights and battles. She would see him aided and reinforced. Aneira did not want to lose him.
Gabryjel stands up and looks at the others.
"There are several hundred pounds of equipment."
"So I will tie the gear to the horse, for that would be best."
He thinks a moment about the marching order; seeing a few flaws in it, but is afraid to suggest something else, so he remains quiet.
Shrugging, he simply moves to the back of the party and decides to lead the horse.
His expression is somewhat distracted as if he is thinking deeply about something.
His eyes seem very lonely, though.
"I don't think any of that is really gnome sized." Xanxan warms his hands
Gabryjel looks for a moment at Xanxan
"Will the dagger serve as a shortsword?" he asks speculatively.
"Kind of you to ask, Gabryjel, but I think I'll be fine with my own rapier right now. Surely other trinkets will fall from the heavens. Come to think of it, these chests just get better and better! Perhaps the next one we find will have a magic rapier just my size and a lamp with an attractive she-genie who grants wishes!" the gnome's eyes bright at the highly improbable possibility.
"Kind of you to ask, Gabryjel, but I think I'll be fine with my own rapier right now. Surely other trinkets will fall from the heavens. Come to think of it, these chests just get better and better! Perhaps the next one we find will have a magic rapier just my size and a lamp with an attractive she-genie who grants wishes!" the gnome's eyes bright at the highly improbable possibility.
Gabryjel nods.
"Perhaps..." he says with a rare smile.
He looks at Aneira for a moment.
"You were badly wounded; will you take healing before we leave?" he says looking at her.
After he hears her response, he looks at the others.
"The gear is packed; whenever we are ready to move, we may."
Aneira looked across to Gabe upon his offer of healing. "Thank you, but Venja has been kind enough to heal me and I am now well, Gabe. I am ready."
You all begin to get the gear together and continue on, a womans life being at stake as well as the well being of your beloved town.
As you progress, the snow begins to get deeper and deeper, piling up in drifts as the wind whips through the trees. After about another hour following the trail, you come to a section of forest with feathered bundles and strange fetishes hanging from the lowest branches of the trees, swaying and shifting in the wind. All are stuck through with small pins holding pieces of leather bound around them.
Gabryjel looks at strange bundles with a curious expression of confusion and suspicion.
"Is this a burial ground?" he asks with uncertainty, looking around.
His thoughts tack back to the dead he saw earlier and the magic and he wonders if this place is connected to darker aspects of the Fey Folk.
He stares at the feathers for a moment.
"What is this?" he asks the others his eyes intent on the bundles.
Know local is the only thing I have ranks in at this time
Responding to Gabe, I don't know man. Part of me wants to cut them down and the other part wants to just ignore them like I never saw them in the first place. Whatever they are the path seems to continue on through them. I guess we have no choice but to continue on even if we don't like it. Any thoughts dear? You may have more knowledge than I on this occasion. The rest of you?
Aneira is silent as she looks about the feathers and trinkets hanging from the lowest branches of the trees.
In quietly spoken Sylvan, she calls out to any woodland inhabitants hidden watching them, "We mean no harm."
To her husband and companions, she adds in softly spoken Common, "Please do not touch or desecrate this place. Let me consider it a moment."
Gabryjel shakes his head slowly.
"If this place is cursed it may be better to go around it..." he says slowly.
"It could take time, but there are some things are best not touched... we may be standing on sacred ground," he says uncertainly.
"What do you guess?" he asks Ariana, sensing that she has some suspicions.
"Pins? Mmm..." the gnome looks tempted, "Would it be so bad to take a look at one pin? I use pins all the time."
"Do not touch please, Xan. Take nothing down from the trees."
The gnome sighs wistfully
Xanxan, could this be an elaborate trap? I mean if we touch them and their poisoned or a pitfall or something? You said you have keen eyes, would you take a look?
"I'll take a look around, of course." The gnome checks for wires and the like about the items without touching them as best he might.
Thanks Xanxan. If you need me I will be over here away from the fetishes until you are done. No really I trust you, I just don't want a repeat of the log incident where we are all gathered together. I will come help if you need it.
The fetishes do not look like any you have seen before. They are almost brutal in their appearance, as if they are there to warn something away like a scarecrow.