Wealday, Gozran 11
Assisted by Suny, Svetlana and Vianne serve a warm breakfast of biscuits with gravy and bacon as the sun climbs above the eastern horizon. Berenkor and Kesten Garess join the group for the meal while Oleg has Gilbert and Mik ready the explorers’ mounts. ”Don’t forget the notices posted on the board,” Berenkor reminds the group as he points to the bulletin board outside the Leveton’s house . ”Bokken the alchemist wants to get his hands on some fangberries, and Oleg would love to mount a tatzlwyrm head here at the trading post. And some one-legged bowyer named Vekkel Benzen is offering a hefty reward for a giant boar known as Tuskgutter.”
”And remember, if you come across a hook-handed Varisian with a crescent moon scar on his right cheek, I’ll give you a reward of finely crafted weapons if you bring him back - dead or alive,” Kesten Garess adds.
Soon enough the companions load up their gear and make ready to depart. As Karthas finishes checking the straps on his saddle Vianne approaches and hands him a small package.
The companions bid farewell to the folk at the trading post and file out through the gates heading south. Euron and Karthas easily find the now-familiar game trail leading through the dense forest of the Narlmarches to the Thorn River ford and the former bandit camp. The weather remains fine and the day passes rather uneventfully, the only disturbances caused by startled wildlife crossing the trail at the companions’ approach. As night begins to fall the companions crest the rise above the Thorn River ford and make their way down the winding trail and across the shallow water to find the former campsite thankfully deserted.
Suny bounces along upon her horse, her head almost spinning as she looks at everything and watches all the places they pass. Her two riding dogs pad beside her mount, their packs only lightly filled with any camping supplies and food the party is bringing.
At the campsite/river. Suny settles her dogs, 'prestidigitations' them and her horse down, before again leaving her sword in their care and slipping off to find a deeper part of the stream to possibly bath in.
You see a tall, muscular humanoid with hairless, clammy gray skin. It's mien is monstrous, with six glowing white eyes arranged in two vertical lines down its broad face. Two slits serve as a nose, while its mouth is round and exaggerated, with numerous sharp teeth. Small flecks of spittle fly off of its thick tongue when it speaks. It's posture is both tall and slightly hunched, with elongated arms and slightly stunted legs. Each hand and foot ends in three powerful digits. Despite its crude form, there is obvious intelligence in its gaze.
He touches his hand to his breast and nods his head. "Sparklelord answers your summons, mistress. What would you have of me?"
Dismounting, Edrukk does a quick overview of the campsite to determine what, if any, quick temporary defensive measures are attainable with the terrain and available resources. "If possible, we should have 2 people on watch at all times to cover multiple approaches, with the horses as close to the middle as possible. I can take midnight watch; the darkness doesn't bother me, and I find the quiet of that hour to be quite soothing." He speaks quietly as he looks for a safe, sheltered spot to roll out his bedroll.
The eidolon turns and stands up straight and tall. "I am Sparklelord! Castellan of the Lantern King and Sworn Defender of the Bonded-One Yelena!" One of its many eyes takes a quick look at Yelena, who nods in satisfaction. "If you are to join my Bonded-One, then I will fight and serve by your sides."
The eidolon nods, then quickly walks over to a fallen tree and sits down, back straight and peering ahead. He is perfectly still and appears to have accepted his command whole-heartedly.
"I suppose we need to set a watch, which gives me a perfect reason to summon my eidolon. As an outsider to this plane of existence, they do not require food, water, or sleep. He can watch us all night while we rest. After all, we don't want any crankypants in the party because they didn't get enough sleep!"
"I doubt any amount of sleep is going to keep me from being too cranky, but the offer is appreaciated"
The massive Kellid is obviously taken aback a bit by the appearance of Sparklelord. "Greetings....well met. Sparklelord was it?"
"If possible, we should have 2 people on watch at all times to cover multiple approaches, with the horses as close to the middle as possible. I can take midnight watch; the darkness doesn't bother me, and I find the quiet of that hour to be quite soothing."
"That seems like a good idea, Edrukk. I will take one of the watches, it does not matter to me which."
As they make their way south, the old druid catches his wolf straying from the path. Knowing the pattern too well, he hops off his elk with a nod to Karthas and disappears beyond the scrubs that litter the kames. Euron is only gone for a fraction of a moment before he returns with a handful of hares slung over his shoulder.
"Got dinner. Say one thing for the Greenbelt. It's got plenty o' rabbit."
**
As they return to the Thorn River campsite again, Euron eyes the old bandit catwalks in the trees and rubs his bad eye with a dirty forefinger.
"Y'know - we keep staying here enough times, it almost makes sense to make this camp more permanent-like. Keep some folks here t' run our errands n' such. If we get folks we trust, they could even run the final leg back to Oleg's so we wouldn't keep having to."
Euron spits, and punctuates his thoughts, "not that I mind Svetlana's cooking, though she does seem t' overcook meat something fierce." The druid tears one of the rabbits, tossing half to Niko and biting into the other uncooked half himself before dropping the rest near the campfire.
"Not sure if any o' you want these cooked..."
Edrukk just chuckles at the hare being eaten raw. "Most people do tend to prefer their meat cooked in my experience. Tolerance for raw meat is definitely an acquired taste. If you wish to make it more permanent, I can start examining ways to make it so as I watch for trouble." After his brief examination, he will gather some firewood, and start a small cooking fire.
As does Karthas
Perception:
The companions set up camp at the site formerly used by bandits loyal to the Stag Lord. Suny finds a refreshing pool to bathe in on the upstream side of the ford. Edrukk inspects the clearing, noting the former sentry posts hidden up in the trees flanking both the northern and southern entrances into the site once Euron points them out. The companions make a quick meal of the rabbits caught by Niko and Euron before turning in for the evening, with Karthas, Yelena, and the otherwordly Sparklelord taking the first watch. The soft sound of the river flowing over the shallows of the ford is broken only by Euron’s snores.
*Snore....*
Will Save:
"A couple of weeks a few of my former companions, Eseldra, Tyr, and Hiram took an unexpected swim, presumablely due to the actions of a few mischievious fey. Would this match up with the story you were told?"
Suny skips back into camp, seeming quite chipper and chirpy.
She helps about the place where she can, before settling down and sleeping with her dogs until it is time for he to go on watch.
Euron rolls over, his snoring suddenly stopping as he begins to lick his lips in his sleep, dreaming once again he is a wolf running across the hilly kames chasing after a rabbit.
Then, the snoring resumes once again.
"A couple of weeks a few of my former companions, Eseldra, Tyr, and Hiram took an unexpected swim, presumablely due to the actions of a few mischievious fey. Would this match up with the story you were told?"
Yelena gives what in another time and place might be called a bad 'poker face.' "Well... that might be what they were talking about. It might not be, too..."
”A few mischievous fey?! A few?!? Ha! Shows what you know, biggins!” a high pitched voice squeaks from the air somewhere to the left of Yelena, its shrill tone causing Edrukk and Euron to awaken while Suny continues to sleep peacefully.
”That was all me! Three biggins taking a dip in the drink in one go! And the fey’ri and the firesoul almost fell in as well! It sure beat Tyg soaking you all one at a time with conjured water! She hasn’t been able to top that yet! Just like I told you, Yelena,” the voice continues to crow as a small, butterfly-winged dragon with iridescent sapphire-blue scales pops into view hovering near the summoner.
”Speaking of the fey’ri, where is she? And why didn’t you fall asleep, hmm?” the diminutive dragon asks Karthas pointedly.
Edrukk rolls over quietly, suppressing a groan when he sees fey about, pretending to still be asleep. While he doesn't automatically dislike them, this particular conversation does not encourage him about the state of mind of this one.
”Oooh! Yelena, you’ll never believe what Tyg and I saw! Last night a mud giant blundered past our nest, and it was carrying two kobolds! They weren’t its prisoners - they were riding it like a beast of burden. They were sitting in this strange contraption across its shoulders. It was the funniest looking thing! So of course we had to follow it to see where it was going. It made its way here, and then headed off down the river. We followed it downstream for a while until we got bored. Tyg decided to go pick fangberries, but I wanted to get back to our nest. I thought I’d stop by here on the way to see if the biggins were back again - you all seem to pass through here on a regular basis,” Perlivash directs this last statement to Karthas.
"I'm not sure what a fey'ri is, but if you are referring to one of my former companions, they have left the expedition in favor of more pressing matters."
"Why yes, we do pass through here often, often enough that you should know that we mean you or your friend no harm. It shall continue to stay that way should your ever present prank cease."
Suny giggles at what she sees, rises and scoots across the camp ground towards the small creature.
"Pretty!" She simply declares, kneeling beside it and slowly reaching out to scratch/stroke the glittering, winged vision of a fey.
"I'm not sure what a fey'ri is, but if you are referring to one of my former companions, they have left the expedition in favor of more pressing matters."
"Why yes, we do pass through here often, often enough that you should know that we mean you or your friend no harm. It shall continue to stay that way should your ever present prank cease."
Perlivash zooms over to hover in front of Karthas. ”You know, the fey’ri? Dark hair…pointed ears…swishy tail that she tried to hide under her clothes?” the diminutive dragon asks slowly as if speaking to an obtuse adolescent. ”The demon-blooded elf. She was quite entertaining.”
”As for our pranks - well, that was Tyg’s idea, but I got the better of her, you’ll have to agree! Besides, it was all meant in good fun. Why, you kicked out the mean bigginses that used to camp here all the time! Trust me, we could have let all kinds of bad sorts find you while you were here in the Narlmarches if we hadn’t taken a liking to you,” Perlivash adds with a toothy grin.
Suny giggles at what she sees, rises and scoots across the camp ground towards the small creature.
"Pretty!" She simply declares, kneeling beside it and slowly reaching out to scratch/stroke the glittering, winged vision of a fey.
The faerie dragon gives a contented purr as the nut-brown elf scratches under his chin. ”You see? Now here is one who knows how to show a guardian of the forest the proper respect!” he declares, zipping around to perch contentedly on Suny’s shoulder.
"Dear Perlivash, would you mind reminding me what 'mud giant' means? I'm afraid they don't use that nickname deeper in the Narlmarch."
”Oh, I’m sorry, Yelena! I forgot that mud giants aren’t usually found within the depths of the Narl. Mud giants are what we call thawns. They live in the moors and hills of the Kamelands. They’re about as big as ogres and just as dimwitted, but a whole lot uglier. Their skin is too big for their bodies, and it drapes them in fold upon fold of sagging, wrinkly, pox-riddled flesh. Why, they’re so ugly they can’t even stand to look at themselves! Their malformed, tumorous arms end in claws the length of scythe blades, and they can cut a man to shreds in the blink of an eye!”
”What’s so funny is that I’ve never heard of thawns working with kobolds before. Eating them, yes. But letting kobolds ride on one? I never would’ve dreamed it! And did you know? One of the kobolds was bright purple in color! Who’s ever heard of a purple kobold?!?” Perlivash exclaims excitedly.
”So I see the Green Brother is still traveling with you,” the faerie dragon comments, returning its attention to Karthas. ”And you’ve found a new elf – who smells strangely of the sea, if I may add. And you’ve met our dear Yelena. But where did you find a dwarf?” Perlivash asks, indicating the sleeping form of Edrukk. ”THAT’S A VERY CONVINCING ACT OF PRETENDING TO BE ASLEEP, BY THE WAY!” the faerie dragon loudly compliments the dwarf.
”So now that we’re all friends, I have to ask: Why are you here?” Perlivash asks pointedly.
Suny giggles happily as the Fairy Dragon prattles on. When Perlivash settles upon her shoulder she continues to scratch and stroke him.
At Perlivash' question of why people are where they are Suny swiftly stands and begins to spin in place.
"WHEEEE! (^_^)
Before she skips and dances around the crackling fire to tumble down in yet another fit of giggles and snuggles with the tiny fey.
"Well..." She begins, still a little breathless from her scarpering about, "I'm kind'a here a'cause back home I dunt quite feel right fittin' in. I be hopin' t'find m'self, more'n like..." She explains
"See....th' shiny blade whut I have is somat my kin have had fer simply ages. From a time a'fore we even settled in'a one place, y'ken? I were all-a-ways drawn to it." And she blushes, something that seems to happen from her head almost to her toes.
"Ooooo, th' amount o' times I were in trouble fer skippin' away from things I shold'a been doin' an instead were caught playin' with teh shiny..." She admits quietly and obviously very embarrassed and guilty, but still she giggles with the glee of having obviously gotten away with her behavior more times than she'd been caught.
"So...since it be somat me kin o' th' woods were more'n knowin' about. Here I be...lookin' t' be a-learnin' from findin' some of 'em." And she turns her full attention to Perlivash. Gently lifting him from her shoulders, the better to admire his bright colours and scales by the light of the fire.
"Now...while I do admit t' seein' many a finny and fishy back home whut were certainly bright an' colourful...we do fer certain have nothing as amazing an' fantastical as your-self." She states, turning Perlivash gently so that the light plays across his scales and wings, the better to show off the many shades and plays of colour across his body.
"Soooo pretty!" She quietly exclaims again, eyes alight with obvious wonder at the splendor that is the Fairy Dragon. .
Suny's two large riding dogs continue to slumber contentedly beneath their bedding...
Perlivash zooms over to hover in front of Karthas. ”You know, the fey’ri? Dark hair…pointed ears…swishy tail that she tried to hide under her clothes?” the diminutive dragon asks slowly as if speaking to an obtuse adolescent. ”The demon-blooded elf. She was quite entertaining.”
"Oh, you mean Eseldra. She had other issues to attend to." The Kellid says trying to hide his distaste for dealing with the fey creature.
”So now that we’re all friends, I have to ask: Why are you here?” Perlivash asks pointedly.
"My original companions and I have been issued a charter by the government of Brevoy to scout and map the Greenbelt. Beyond that our charter required us to quell the bandit activity in the area."
Euron's dreams of running through open fields chasing rabbits fade briefly, as he he's stirred awake by the sounds of conversation.
Upon realizing the playful fey have returned, he opens an eye to ensure things are safe before closing it again and attempting to return to a deep slumber.
Edrukk continues to watch the fey, but seems uninclined to fully wake up and deal with the psuedodragon just now, considering that he needs his sleep, and he still has his watch coming up.
Suny leans over to allow Perlivash better access to what ever it is people are looking at/doing/seeing. (^_^)
"So...since it be somat me kin o' th' woods were more'n knowin' about. Here I be...lookin' t' be a-learnin' from findin' some of 'em."
”Ahh!” Perlivash nods sagely as he listens to Suny’s explanation. ”Well, there used to be elves here in the past, but they left ages ago. Still see one or two from time to time, usually poking around in some of their old ruins scattered throughout the Narl. That is, if the new residents don’t eat them!” he adds with a chuckle. ”Still, if you’re careful you might find some of their old lore lying about.”
"My original companions and I have been issued a charter by the government of Brevoy to scout and map the Greenbelt. Beyond that our charter required us to quell the bandit activity in the area."
Perlivash gives Karthas a long, blank stare, blinking occasionally as he considers the Kellid’s words. ”I only understood ‘map the Greenbelt’ and ‘quell the bandit activity in the area’ - which while I respect the latter I can’t understand why you would need to do the former. What is a ‘charter’ and what is a ‘Brevoy’?” the faerie dragon queries.
Upon realizing the playful fey have returned, he opens an eye to ensure things are safe before closing it again and attempting to return to a deep slumber.
Perlivash notices Euron’s slight movement and comments loudly, ”YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ELDERLY MEMBERS OF YOUR SPECIES REQUIRE A LARGE AMOUNT OF REST! AND THEY’RE USUALLY RATHER HARD OF HEARING AS WELL!”
Yelena shrugs. "What they said. Humans are trying to move into the Stolen Lands and we're here to make sure that nothing tries to eat them." Suddenly she gets an idea. "Does anyone have a map? Perlivash, could you show us where the kobolds live and where you saw the mud giant?"
”Move into the Greenbelt? MOVE INTO THE GREENBELT?!?!” Perlivash asks incredulously as he bursts out laughing. The diminutive faerie dragon laughs so hard that he momentarily forgets to flap his wings, nearly crashing into the ground. ”Oh, that’s funny, Yelena! I thought you said that humans were actually trying to move into the Greenbelt! Oh, I know there’s a few scattered about in the northernmost part of the Kamelands, but they’d have to be insane to move any further south - not to mention try to move into the Narl! Why, the last ones that tried it barely lasted any time at all before…” Perlivash pauses suddenly, his mirth instantly fading as his eyes dart from side to side, a pensive expression upon his face.
”Yes, well. What were we talking about? Mud giants and kobolds? Right. Well, I don’t know where they live. We followed them southwest until they were nearly to the edge of the Narl, but I got bored and decided to head back to the nest. Tyg said that since we were halfway to that good fangberry patch that she might as well get something out of the trip and decided to head there, and then maybe stop in to visit Twyillyn, Queeg, and Fenna on her way back. That’s all I know.”
”Well, look at the time! I should really be getting back! Good luck, Yelena! Good to see you too, Sparklelord! Good-bye, human and elf-who-smells-of-the-sea! GOOD-BYE SLEEPING DWARF AND SLEEPING ELDERLY HUMAN! Be careful if you go much farther south. And bring some wine or mead the next time you’re through!”
With those words, Perlivash the faerie dragon *POPS* out of sight.
The rest of the night passes thankfully uneventfully.
Oathday, Gozran 12
The day dawns damp and overcast. The companions partake of a quick breakfast before breaking camp and heading upon their way.
"Or, I supposed we could stop avoiding the inevitable and go jam a spear into the Stag-man's eye socket," Euron offers up, wondering if his new companions are up to the challenge.
With the little Dragon disappearing, Suny skips off to her own blankets and snuggles up with her dogs again. She does her best to 'Keep her end up' when it comes time for her watch.
With the morning she again skips off a ways up stream, this time taking her dogs with her. All three coming back shaking the water from themselves. As she ties on her skirt and drapes her shirt over her shoulders,
"Well..that were a fun night! Should we stop by this temple place first? Talkin' to Clericy type folks is all-a-ways a good thing." She suggests.
"Though, I must admit, this mud thing does also sound intriguing..."
"I would assume that we are still heading toward the temple." the Kellid says, mounting his horse. "The sooner we are on our way the better." he continues, obviously not wanting to spend any more time with the fey creatures.
Later, along the trail, Karthas rides up next to Euron
Edrukk spends his watch quietly, making mental notes of how to best use the terrain to make more permanent defenses to aid the catwalks. In the morning, he ponders the question of how to proceed before offering his opinion. "I would suggest we continue on the route we have already chosen. It is very easy to get side tracked in these lands, and we will reach the bandit king sooner if we stick to our decisions unless given really good reasons rather than constantly changing directions as we go. There will always be something going on that we cannot immediately investigate."
The companions break camp and head southwest through the forest. By late morning the heavy moisture in the air turns into a light drizzle, then a steady downpour by afternoon. Guided by Euron and Karthas - who have both traveled this path a few times in the past few weeks - the group wends its way without incident along the winding game trails through the forest. Late in the afternoon they step into the clearing containing the recently re-discovered Temple of the Elk. The party members who have not been to the temple before gaze in awe at the sight
Ruined stone pillars partially line the eastern border of the clearing, while the western end is dominated by a looming, 100-foot tall ridge of stone. The side of the stone facing the clearing is carved in the likeness of an immense elk, its antlers sweeping down from its face to frame a 50-foot-wide cave entrance. A 40-foot-wide flight of stone steps leads up to the cave entrance. Karthas and Euron notice that the elk face has been completely cleared of the layers of moss that covered it previously, although the antlers still remain encrusted in the vegetation. Two men (who Karthas and Euron recognize as Bregan and Dorn) are busy repairing the steps.
A 50-foot-long oval pool of sparkling clear water rests in the middle of the clearing between the eastern pillars and the steps leading into the cave. A herd of nearly a dozen elk with several calves graze throughout the clearing or sip from the pool. A sense of peace and safety pervades the clearing.
”Back again?” A voice calls from within the cave. A moment later, a female half-elf dressed in hunter’s leathers descends the stairs, greeting the group with a warm smile and hugs for Karthas and Euron. Her smile remains as she welcomes the others but her expression becomes one of puzzlement as she scans the newcomers’ faces. ”Karthas? Where’s Eseldra and Tyr? Don’t tell me you’ve lost them as well?”
”Back again?” A voice calls from within the cave. A moment later, a female half-elf dressed in hunter’s leathers descends the stairs, greeting the group with a warm smile and hugs for Karthas and Euron. Her smile remains as she welcomes the others but her expression becomes one of puzzlement as she scans the newcomers’ faces. ”Karthas? Where’s Eseldra and Tyr? Don’t tell me you’ve lost them as well?”
"Good to see you again, Rani. Looks like you've had Bregan and Dorn quite busy while were gone.", the Kellid says with a smile. Noting the puzzled look on the Erastilian priestess's face, "I'm afraid Eseldra and Tyr have left us to pursue other tasks. See what you started when you left us?" he says with a grin and wink.
"You've already met Euron but allow me to introduce you to my new traveling companions, Rani, meet Suny, Yelena, and Edrukk. Suny, Yelena, and Edrukk, meet Raninr Alford, the mistress of this shrine."