Has your village had any troubles with bandits in the area? We are seeking a group who has been terrorizing the local countryside. raz says to the old man wondering if he knows anything useful
Bass will attempt to disern the truthfulness of the men's response.
The older man calls back, "Bandits? No. A pain in the ass woman in the woods on the other hand is another story. She seem hellbent on stopping our operation here."
"A woman? What is she doing? raz responds, his interest piqued
"If you're all that interested, go down river another two hundred yards or so and cross the the bridge we built. I'll let ya all talk to Corax about it...he's boss at this camp."
Garethane is likewise intrigued. "Well, it sounds like we have an invitation to enter the camp. I too am curious about this woman who so stymies these bold lumberjacks."
"I agree, let's speak with Corax. Life in this land is never easy, but it sounds like someone's out there looking to make it even harder. Bandit or no, anyone causing trouble for simple folk, disrupting honest work, that just doesn't sit well with me."
Tove shifts her hand away from her quiver, back to the reigns of her trusted companion.
Having decided to check out the lumber camp a bit more closely and speak with the camp's leader, Corax, the party heads a few hundred yards down river to the bridge.
The bridge itself is of newer construction, but definitely built more for purpose than aesthetics. Waiting on the opposite side of the bridge are the pair of men that you had previously spoken with.
"Welcome to the camp." the older man, who introduces himself as Ned. "Follow me, I'll take you to Corax - assuming he hasn't left yet."
You get more than a few curious looks as you cross the camp, finally arriving in front of a man brown-haired, bearded man with a bow on his back and a pair of axes at his belt. From all appearances he and four other men are preparing to leave the camp, looking for a fight.
"Corax," Ned says, "these fine folks would like to talk with you. Might even be able to help out with our problem."
The leader turns to regard the party and says, "Is that so? Who might you all be?"
"Our group has been tasked by the swordlords of restov to restore order to the greenbelt, rooting out banditry and villany wherever it may be found, and to help the people who call this region home. Currently we have heard whispers of a so called stag lord who seems to be rallying the formerly unorganized bandits into a force to do his will. We seek any and all information on him, his followers and their whereabouts, and helping you with your problem would not only fufill one part of our charter, it may lead us to more knowledge in this bandit lord
"Don't know much about any bandits or this stag-guy." Corax says. "Might not be worth the trouble to try and pick on a bunch of guys who swing an ax for a living." he adds with a laugh.
"Now this fey b#*** on the other hand..."
"Fey? My family has had many dealings with fey and as such i speak their language, and their tricks dont work on me as well as others. Mayhaps we can lend a hand with her. What is it she does to you folk?" Raz says, perking up at the mention of fey.
"She's taken control of a couple of my men's minds and won't let them go, just because we cut down a couple of trees in her precious glade..."
"Mind controlling Fey. Sounds delightful. I've got a few cold iron arrow should things become heated." Garethane does not, in fact seem delighted as he signals Corax to lead on.
"Mmmhmm," says Ivo noncommittally. The gnome doesn't seem inclined to get into an argument, but by the same token he doesn't seem to be fully inclined to take the loggers' word whole cloth.
Bass reaches out his hand to Corvax. "Certainly I would be willing to assist in recovering your men."
"we could try to broker a deal with these Fey, but it might be unwise to continue logging in a grove they have taken under their protection, Raz states, "do you have any other information on these fey?
"It's not a group of them...at least not that I know of. It's just one b+#$* who is a pain in my ass." Corax says.
At the mention of a deal Corax says, "You're welcome to try to bargain with her, but honestly I think this quiver of cold iron tipped arrows is the answer."
"Whatever the outcome may be, saving those men and resolving this dispute are well within our mandate." Bass says, turning to his companions. "I say we go to the grove and see how things stand as soon as possible."
"I'd much prefer to use words rather than arrows, but mind controlling Fey are not to be underestimated."
"You wouldn't happen to have any of those cold iron arrowheads running spare, would you?" Tove asks their new acquaintance.
Corax smiles. "Sure do." he says handing over half a dozen arrows.
"Well, if you're comin' with us, we need to get goin'." he adds as he and his four men begin to leave the camp.
After walking through the woods for twenty minutes or so, you come upon a small glade. Multiple trees have been downed around the glade and currently three men who likely came from Corax's camp stand guard with vacant looks on their faces.
"Alright you watery b!&~*, come on out here so we can finish this!" Corax yells.
You hear in response, a high-pitched, feminine voice respond. "Return what you have stolen and leave my glade. Only then will you have your men back. Fail to do so and the consequences will be most dire."
Before following Corax, Garret digs a handful of the requested arrows from his secondary quiver and passes them over. "Tove, I'll give you four of my nine. I can refletch them if the arrowhead is intact, but we should probably stock up next time we have the opportunity."
After hearing the Fey's response, he asks the Lumberjack, "What is it that you are accused of stealing?"
Corax gestures toward the tree stumps in response to Garet's question.
"Cut down the wrong trees, eh? Anything of value to *you* found there other than the wood itself, Corax?"
Corax looks at Garet, somewhat confused, and says "Just the trees. Tis a lumber camp after all."
Tove graciously accepts the cold iron arrows and stows them away in her quiver, retrieving one once they reach their destination and keeping it nocked while Razarak makes his address to the glade’s fey guardian.
A small, green-skinned woman with webbed hands and feet emerges from the waters of the glade. Her hair is the color of algae, and is decorated with shells.
"Tha iad air cuibhreannan de mo dheilbh a sgrios. Ma tha na h-amadain a ’cur mo chraobhan às ùr agus a’ fàgail mo shruth gu bràth, leigidh mi às dha na daoine aige. Mura bheil ... 's dòcha gu bheil uaigh uisgeach a ’feitheamh." she says to Raz's comments.
"Talk so we can understand you, you damned demon!" Corax yells.
Ivo translates for the faerie.
"Soooo yeah, cutting down the trees of a faerie glade is, uh, a good way to make enemies," he adds.
Turning to corax, "She says if you replant the trees in her glade and leave her glade alone, she will let your men go, otherwise she will attack, seems like a pretty easy choice, there are many other spots to log, just not in her protected glade."
I must agree with both Razarak and Ivo. Planting a few trees seems like an easy way out of this impasse. And it's not like she is the only Fey in the area. Shifting your logging operation to avoid making enemies would be a wise move. Especially enemies with lots of friends and magic."
"That all fine and dandy." Corax begins. "But it ain't quite that simple...she wants the trees planted to be the size of the ones we cut down."
You look around and see that the average diameter of the stumps is little bit over a foot.
Ivo rubs his chin and then says, "So we need magic trees or something."
"Ivo, perhaps you could ask the creature how a human without magic is supposed to accomplish that task. Magic is very expensive for laborers, like Corvax here."
Ivo nods and then speaks in a sussurus to the dryad.
"How can we achieve such a goal? Causing a full-grown tree to appear in a moment is beyond the power of most mortal beings."
"Tha mi creidsinn gu bheil puing agad" the nixie says. "Tha mi a ’smaoineachadh gur dòcha gum bi Tiressia comasach air cuideachadh leis an sin, a’ gabhail ris gum b ’urrainn dhut a toirt dha. Tha a chraobh leth latha an iar air seo."
"She says there's another person named Tiressia who lives in a grove about half a day to the west of here. If it's another faerie, that probably means a dryad. She may be able to assist us in dealing with the tree problem," says Ivo to the team.
Garethane considers the options for a moment. "A walk in the woods is still probably a better option then fighting a Fey on her home ground. Can someone ask her to keep her captives safe and fed for a couple days?"
Raz will turn to the rest of the group and make sure everyone is good with going to this other fey and asking for help to avoid a fight, if the are he will translate for Garethane, thèid sinn a bhruidhinn ris an Tiressia seo agus chì sinn an cuidich i sinn. Am biodh tu cho coibhneil ris na fir a tha thu air ithe a chumail agus sàbhailte gus an till sinn?
The nixie ponders the deal for a moment before responding, "Tha cùmhnant againn. Tha trì latha agad, gun a bhith nas motha."
"Looks like we're on a timetable, gents. Let's go see a dryad about some trees."
With a limited time arrangement made with the nixie, the party prepares to set out to the west. If the nixie's words are true, you should reach Tiressia's grove just before nightfall.
Corax looks to you as you prepare to leave. "Three days, right? Just so we're clear she even thinks of drowning my men, I'll kill the b!%+& and chop down every damned tree for miles."
Ivo looks fake-scandalized and says, "Why, but that would be murder." He rolls his eyes and hauls on the straps of his pack to prepare for the grueling journey, considering that the team must travel quickly to meet the faerie obligations.
After a few hours of expedited travel, the forest parts to reveal a peaceful forest glade dappled with fading sunlight. A small pond lies placidly at the roots of an enormous oak tree with a scattering of leaves floating upon its surface. Birdsong twitters from branches high above.
DC 20
Bass turns to Raz, gestures to the woman, which he doubts is a fully accurate description, and quietly asks "I assume that woman there is the dryad?"
Ivo pauses and lowers his pack as the group approaches the forest glade.
He tugs on Bassius' pant leg and says, "Hey, uh, she's tending to someone who's wounded. We might be able to make a good impression if we open up by offering to help."
Bass leans over Emperor Stavian's flank and says "Fair point, Ivo. I would take the lead, but there's a good chance she neither speaks nor understands Taldane. Maybe you or Sir Medvyed could convey that I can provide healing for her companion in exchange for the help Corvax needs."
"I'll give it a shot."
Ivo carefully puts down his pack, makes sure his pistol is holstered, and then advances slowly, hands up.
It appears that the woman dryad is just finishing casting a healing spell on her companion when Ivo begins to speak with her.
"Beannachdan, àrd bhall." she says in response to Ivo's call.
"No need to speak in a language that not all of your friends understand, although I do appreciate the effort to speak in my native tongue. I also appreciate the offer of aid, but Falchos here will be fine physically, his pride may be irreparably damaged though " she continues, smiling at the horned man who begins to make his way to his hooved feet.
"You seek Tiressa? And found her you have. But the question is why?"