"The wounds on the fey indicate they've been killed by slashing weapons and what looks like animal bites. They died just over a day ago."
Serila stands up after her inspection of the fey and rejoins the group. "Ready to go."
"Good, let's get out of this crazy place."
Vade shakes his head. "I do not know what I have done to lose your trust master dwarf but you should not throw away my friendship so quickly. We will not be together much longer. As soon as we reach the hut we can part company."
The group moves into the forest away from the grove in the direction of the witch's hut. The rain continues as the sun gets lower in the sky making the forest even darker then before. After a few hours of travel the party still has not reached the withered clearing of the witch's hut.
Clearing his throat, Keanan speaks up in the rain to Vade. "Vade, my companions and I will continue to protect you up to the witch's hut. We are getting very close. Which way is the hut, I'm not about to say, but it is close."
"I have stated many times that I do not trust you. Something is just very odd about your interest in the witch, the generous payment, the circumstances and timing. However, I will continue to honor my agreement. Prior to reaching the hut, we will have to trust one another. I have been pondering how we can do this, and I believe I have found a solution."
Kenan paces back and forth, and places a hand on Un'gra's shoulder. "Un'gra here is pretty good with a blade and obviously not a druid. In fact, you could say we've sometimes had a disagreement in the past. So, should I voluntarily betray you Vade, I grant Un'gra the right to put one of his blades into Balazar, my best friend. In exchange, Vade, you will give me your spell component pouch. You won't be missing it long, we are almost there, and when we reach the hut and you haven't betrayed us, you will have the pouch back. We both give up something dear to us for a very short period of time."
"See, I came up with this idea, because I know I'm not going to betray you, so I don't fear for Balazar. But you, Vade, I'm not so sure about, so no physical harm, no blade to your throat or anything like that. The group will still protect you, but, Vade, you will be without the components for your spells for a very brief time, which will undoubtedly complicate any ideas you might have had to betray us. Plus, with us being so close to the hut, you will have very little time left to prepare a new spell. Please hand me over your spell component pouch, and we'll be at the witch's hut momentarily. Should you decline, I suspect everyone here will wonder why you refused, and then things will be even more complicated and difficult for you to betray us."
"You see, in that regard, I win both ways. Either you give up the spell component pouch, and remember Un'gra can be prepared to stick a blade into Balazar, or you refuse to give up your spell component pouch, and Un'gra and everyone else will be ready to put a blade inside you on any hint of betrayal. See what I mean when I say I win either way? Your best course of action, should I be so bold as to suggest it, would to give me your spell component pouch, we arrive at the hut, and then you may mock me for my lack of trustworthiness in front of my comrades. I will accept that mockery, in exchange for making sure everyone is safe."
Keanan puts out his hand, ready to accept Vade's spell component pouch.
Vade is expression is one of frustration. "Your distrust is misplaced and I will do as you want but I want one thing. I don't know Un'gra or any of you very well but if I where to choose someone to honor an oath it would be Hajar." Turning to Hajar. "I will do as the dwarf wants only if you personally vow for my safety."
"That's acceptable."
Hajar eyes both men with narrowed eyes. He doesn't agree with the dwarf's blunt manner and rude behavior, but he certainly doesn't trust the wizard.
I vouch for the wizard's safety until we reach the Witch's Hut, by the Sun and the Dawn he shall not be harmed by this one, or those who travel with him. He looks to Vade and accepts the component pouch, placing it securely in his own belt. Let us end this distasteful business. The day lengthens.
"Hmmm, I was expecting the pouch, but no matter, let's hurry to the witch's hut. I feel a bit safer already. Hajar, should we come under attack at the witch's hut, and you believe Vade isn't part of it, you can give it back to him."
Un'gra looks Balzar, "Lets hope you buddy, doesn't put me in a position where I got ta stab ya. How bout I scout ahead a bit, make sure we don't get surprised."
The sounds of the forest become suddenly distant as the trees part, opening into a small, almost perfectly circular glade. The nearest stands of pine, eyln, and darkwood—all typically sturdy woods—twist away from the clearing, as if bent by some impossibly strong wind or seemingly in an attempt to flee despite their paralyzed roots. At the glade’s center squats an ugly cottage, little more than a pile of twigs, shoots, and ivy stacked upon mud walls. From the thatched roof dangle bundles of gnarled roots, old dried beast carcasses, and knuckle bone bangles, all clattering together like gruesome wind chimes. The sun is nearly down and the clearing is covered with long shadows that look like fingers.
what a strange little place...
mutters the halfling.
I wonder if this apparatus in merely there to make us uneasy or if there is power in roots and animal parts.. Do anyone know something about this witch?
[dice=knowledge arcana on the purpose and use of the "spooky wind chimes"]1d20+8[/dice]
To Keanan
Not relevant now, Keanan, in fact I should have thought of it way earlier when we found the dead Fey, but do you think your lion would be able to pick a scent and track the killers? The deaths were recent, after all, only yesterday or so said Serila.I'm not really used to wilderness and beasts, I apologize. It should have been obvious. I'm more used to a good book by a fire,a mug of tea and a piece of cake...
"You know mistress, I did a very thorough search and Balazar did indeed smell around. Still found nothing. I didn't even see tracks."
"I'm gonna have a look around, make sure we're really alone. I've slept in some c**** places but this place, can't believe someone lived here. You guys had some trouble here before, eh?"
Un'gra will search the area for traps and potential threats while trying to go unnoticed. He'll stay within earshot of the group.
My apologies, Keanan... I didn't even noticed. In fact, I don't know how much about the hunting trade.Do you know the name of some important authors about the art of living outdoors?? It could be helpful for me, later, as a research reference
"No need to apologize. But you're asking about books on the wilderness? I just grew up in the wilderness. Perhaps you should ask one of the humans. The best authors are Gozreh and life experience, but I'm not sure either publish."
magical auras.
Master Vade walks around the clearing inspecting the trees and plant life, taking notes with parchment and quill.
"Looks like its clear, do you need to go inside Vade or we good? I'm fine with checking it out but somebody wanna back me up?" Un'gra looks the hut over, looking just a little unsettled by the strange place.
"Hey Ungra, why don't you take Balazar around and see if she smells something. She'll roar or something, I hope, to let you know. I'm curious what happened to the straw men. Didn't I put them back? Can't recall."
Keanan looks around, to see if anything had changed or if there are recent tracks to the hut.
Hajar scans around the area also .
Let us finish this task quickly, Vade what do you need here?
"Sounds good. Come'm Balzar, let's look around. She seems to be good about letting us know when something bad is around. I just didn't know to listen before. If she see me trying to be sneaky, will she do the same?"
Un'gra does a quick re-inspection of the area with Balzar following him, more watching to see if the lion reacts to anything. This time he stops at the entrance to the hut, tries too look inside, then looks at Balzar to see if she seems like she smells anything? "Safe?" Un'gra draws his scimitar and enters the hut quietly hoping the lions does the same.
Map updated, moved Balzar with me, feel free to ignore if she didn't follow me.
"If everything's the same as when we left the door should be on the ground, and there should be a broken cauldron inside the hut." Serila tries to look inside the hut from a distance to confirm this. She moves up behind Hajar, looking over his shoulder.
And a tied up corpse in a chair...
Vade walks over to Hajar. "All I needed was to find the place now I can come an go as I please. May I have my pouch back please?"
Vade follows Un'gra into the hut.
The cottage is dank, reeking, and filled with shadows. Haphazardly hung shelves line the walls, covered in all manner of clay jugs, clouded bottles, strangely cut rocks, rotted bunches of herbs, and a museum of other crude curios and remnants of a bone grinder’s artifice. A rusted iron cauldron lays on the ground split in two. Across from the door, against the far walls, stands a high backed chair made of wicker, the gigantic curved tusks of some monstrous beast, and thousands of human teeth. In the chair sits what looks like a corpse wrapped in filthy burial linens, its form padded with pungent herbs and sprouting patches of thick white mold.
Keanan will stop Vade prior to entering the hut. "I think you might be forgetting something Vade. Payment to the group prior to entering the hut. That was the agreement. We have fulfilled our duty. You of course, after payment and granted your spell component pouch, may feel free to berate me. Not before."
Keanan puts his hand out to receive payment.
Vade stops and turns to the dwarf. "Here is your payment Dwarf." Vade turns away with out saying a thing.
Here is your component pouch Master Vade. Hajar hands the man his pouch Now we go back? Hajar asks Serila.
Yes, what do we do now? I'm not sure about our future plans...
"We're searching for a necromancer. We might as well start by looking for clues here?"
Not sure where to start though...
Serila scratches the back of her head. "Hmm... Hajar, could you try to detect the presence of evil in and around the hut?"
There is nothing here. Hajar says, uncomfortably.
"That's... good... albeit unsettling..."
"Vade?" Serila calls out to the wizard who's entered the hut, "Just curious, are you looking for anything specific?"
I never gave him a reason to dislike me, did I? So he may reply when I ask it.
Vade sticks his head out of the doorway. "No Ms. Gudlinck, I just want to study any remaining magic in the area. All I need was to be shown the location of the hut. Now I may travel to a from as I please with my magic. Your group may leave now if they must. I will be quite safe I assure you. Thank you again." Vade turns and begins to read off the contents of the hut as his quill and parchment magically enchanted write down every word.
"Yes, well, where to now crew? We have the warg's den that wasn't fully searched, we could go back to the dead fey and further our examinations there, or head back to Falcon's Hallow. Or was there some other place I'm not thinking of?"
"I vote warg's den but I don't care much. "
I would like to find any clue we might have missed on the dead Fey. But if you think we have more urgent things to do, or if you feel there's nothing much to find there, i'll follow you.
"Thanks Vade, I hope you'll find what you're looking for!" Serila replies friendly.
"I suggest we first go to the warg's den," Serila suggests, "as it was our original objective. When we're done there we can take the planned route back to Falcon's Hollow, picking up the hunters' corpses near the Ancient Tree. I don't think we'll learn anything new when inspecting the dead fey again, and both routes back to Falcon's Hollow should take the same time."
"I would've liked to bury the fey, but we shouldn't visit that place until we've recovered the object to restore it. The place felt dangerous."
Once we're back in Falcon's Hollow I want to return the hunters' corpses to the families as soon as possible. We need to find out who's obtained the object the fey were protecting...
Keanan and Balazar leave the witch's hut and moves towards the warg's den.
Serila follows after Keanan and Balazar. She wraps her coat around her body while moving. "It's cold... Definitely not looking forward to the night this way..."