"I believe that Molin is taking meal in the meal hall. I will send for him."
Nodding his head at the rest of the group."And they are with you?"
"Thank you, foreman."
"Yes, they are." Serila nods, as if to add extra confirmation to her words. "As you may know, Alperion's mother suffers from the illness. The others arrived in town today, but immediately volunteered to help find a cure."
"Sorry to hear that Alperion but if your not working your not getting paid." Looking at the rest of the group. "After your business with Milon I am guessing that you will want commendation for the night since it's to later to make it back to town now and even the road is not safe at night. Well we are not an Inn and the bunkhouse is full anyhow(except Alperion's spot), but you can sleep in the barn. Miss Gudlinck you may sleep in my personal quarters and I will sleep here in my office."
A half an hour later a tall, skinny human male has weather worn tanned skin and salt and pepper long hair walks in to the office. Jarlben waves him over. "Milon, Miss Gudlinck and her friends would like to talk to you about a witch."
With that Milon gets a confused and slightly frightened expression.
Keanan smiles at Milon and says, "Now now my good man, no need to worry. We are looking for some ingredients to cure the town of Falcon's Hollow and a woman named Laurel said you might know where a witch lives in the woods who probably has one of the ingredients we need. All we ask is that you provide some directions, nothing more. In exchange we can offer you our thanks and our hopes to save the lives of those in Falcon's Hollow."
"We had indeed hoped we could stay the night in the camp. You're very kind foreman, to even offer me to stay in your personal quarters."
Though I hope those smell better than this office.
"Good evening", Serila says to Milon as he steps into the office. She then notices the man's frightened expression at the mention of the witch.
I wonder what that means...
"The witch's name is Ulizmila", Serila adds. "If you know where she lives, please tell us. We don't have any other leads on how to find one of the ingredients Laurel needs."
When the party tells Milon that they are here to find a cure he gives them a smile and gladly sketches them a map of the region with all the locations of the ingredients. Map
"Please find a cure my nephew has the taint and I don't want to lose him."
Placing a hand on Milon's arm Serila smiles reassuringly at the man. "I will do all I can to try find the cure, I guarantee you that."
Serila looks at the area on the map in between the camp they're at and the witch's hut. "Could you point out where to best cross the river? I don't see any bridges on the map."
"The northern rivers are easily to ford just about anywhere but the Darkmoon River is much harder and only here at the Deadwood Ford would I even try. Anywhere else you will either need to be a great swimmer or build a raft." Map
Keanan murmurs, "Counter clockwise crossing the northern river to the elm, then the witch, then the ruins and to the ford to get to Falcon's Hollow seems the fastest route."
To Serila Nebdel mutters, While his assitance was adequate, the foreman seems confused and distressed. If he is coming down with the fever, you may not want to sleep in his quarters.
To Milnon, Approximately how long is to travel by foot to the witch's location? And do you know anything about her that would help us to convince her to help?
To Keanan, Seems reasonably efficient for the little information we currently possess.
Milon turns Nebdel's way. "It is not wise to seek a witch, therefor I have never met the witch or seen her but since you must deal with her watch your words. Her hut lies 20 miles by the route your dwarven friend suggested, which will take more than a good days hike."
"To me the confusion seemed to be caused by an entire group, including lion, entering this office", Serila replies to Nebdel.
She turns to the foreman. "Are you feeling ill, foreman?"
I'd rather sleep with no men around, while I still can...
"If it takes more than a good days hike, we may want to make camp several miles away from the witch's hut. Then we'll arrive at her hut rested and prepared the next day. Keanan, you mentioned knowing where to find the other ingredients. Can they be found close to the path we'll take?"
"Depends. If you take the path I suggested, yes. If not, no. The only place I wasn't aware of was the witch hut."
"Then I agree with taking the path you suggested, Keanan. We should get all the ingredients as fast as we can."
"I'm feeling find Miss Gudlinck but if I or any of the boys come down with the taint out here I'll be blaming you for bringing it out here. On second thought you can sleep in the barn as well."
Serila stares at the foreman for a second, surprised by the man's sudden change of heart.
Huh, what?
"Then I'll sleep in the barn, no problem", Serila manages to say, though she'd rather not. "As an entirely different matter though, I'd like to inform you of something. Blackscour Taint is caused by a fungus, which seems to be spreading through water or food. So I doubt you'd get it from us."
I bet the barn smells even worse than this place...
"I don't know much about healing or fungus but to be on the safe side I don't want any of you wandering around the camp getting my workers sick. Go see the stable master and he will set you up in the barn loft for the night. If it wasn't for you being with the group Miss Gudlinck I would have them all sleep in the wild or back on the road."
"I understand the concern for your workers, foreman. The barn will give us more shelter than we'll probably have in the days to come."
I've slept in worse places than a barn August thinks to himself.
He allows the others to do the talking. When members of his mercenary group were hired, it wasn't typically for their skill with words.
I'm not familiar with these people, It will be best if I allow the others to handle this matter of locating this witch. Although finding her doesn't thrill me either.
Trying to be polite, yet use to the idea, August managers to mutters a few words in response to the offering of the barn.
"Thank you..."
Jarlben gets out of his chair and hobbles around to the front of his next. ”Milon will you show our guest to the stables on your way back to the meal hall and have the cook send over my dinner. Good night.”
With that they group is shown the stables and get setup for the night. The loft is cramped but dry with plenty of hay to make beds. The night passes uneventful and the group wakes in the morning right before the sun.
Milon explains that many of the trails are small game trails and it can be easy to get lost. He also warns the group of the Fey both good and bad and the animals both wild and magical that roam the forest. "I myself have been fooled by and spotted many Fey creatures luckily not to my determent. Do not trust the Fey, even tho some are good at heart they my not help you in the way that you would like. This forest is very old and many of the dark deep holes still have ancient beast in them. Do not stray from the trails and keep your guard up."
In the morning Serila gets up and stretches. She packs her bedroll and puts it inside her bag. After readying herself for the journey they'll be making, she walks over to the others. "You ready? I still suggest taking the route Keanan mentioned, as it will lead us to all the ingredients. Anyone thinks otherwise, or maybe has some extra ideas?"
Didn't sleep too bad actually. No one tried anything funny, so that's good. Though I'm glad I randomly took my bedroll with me when I left home, or the night might've been less comfortable.
Serila takes in a deep breath, then makes a face as if in pain. She quickly straigtens her face after.
It sure smells though, this barn...
Keanan picks some of the straw that got into his beard, but leaves most of it in there (bah, who cares) and rolls over to pass some additional gas (I've been doing that all night, but my morning thunder is especially strong. Wonder if anyone noticed?).
"Yep, now I'm ready to go. I just need to go outside and pray for a few minutes"
Responding to Milon's advice, "Thank you, Milon, for your sage council. We will do our utmost to secure the ingredients necessary to alleviate this blight upon The Hollow including your young nephew."
I must make my devotions to Desna, then I am ready to leave.
August tends to be an early riser. He was up early, and is packed and ready to go.
"I do not wish to linger any longer than is necessary. I am set to leave. Pray to you gods as you wish, but then let us be gone."
The forest canopy reaches high into the air, giving you the feeling of being in a grand cathedral and the brush at foot is small and sparse. There is a well traveled trail heading out the of the lumber camp which is heading in the general direction of the lake to the north. The day is pleasant for this time of year.
... Like the first session of the day, this preparation takes at least 15 minutes, and it takes longer if she prepares more than one-quarter of his spells.
August takes a deep breath as he looks around, admiring the forrest. Days like this, he often thinks of his father and some fond memories of him.
August tries to make a little small talk to pass the time and get to know his companions just a bit more.
"Well, its a fair day to travel at least. I remember this one time...I had hired on with a small group keeping watch over a group merchants, heading north to Tamran. We were just passing Fort Ramgate, and the rain...the rain was just hammering down on us. Made for horrible travel.
That was just after I left the hand, and took looking for my father."
"Rain might make for an unpleasant voyage but it does cover one's tracks. The coin is not often scarred on both sides."
As the group travels along the narrow trail you began to see the water through the trees to the north. A chill is coming off of the water and a little fog is hanging over the lake. To the east the bank of the lake turns northward. To the west the Darkmoon River can be seen flowing into the lake.
"There is apparently something in distress near the lake ahead. Shall we investigate or continue on our path? Let us not forget Milon's advice about not straying from the trails as many evil things lurk in these woods."
"If we are to turn away in fear of evil things now, we might as well head back to town in failure. I say we should investigate, but with caution.
For all we know there is more that have fallen ill with this taint, and will require treatment. We could advise them of our quest and send them back to town to await aid"
Keanan walk over to Serila and says, "My lady, mind if I talk to your new friend for a minute?"
"Now Balazar," Keanan continues, "do you smell anything else around here?" Balazar takes a big, deep sniff in the air.
Keanan says, "Nothing huh? Just as well." Keanan starts eyeing for a trail to the lake.
"Call me paranoid, but there could be a mechanical trap to ensnare us as we make our way to the sound of distress. We should keep an eye out for them as we move that way." Keanan waits for the group.
Sigh... It is probably a trap for the unwary. But if we want to be able to sleep at night we must check it out. Let's circle in to it.
The group finds a narrow game trail that leads out to the lake shore. As the lake grows closer the whole group can hear the whimpering cry. Not far from the edge of the forest-shrouded lake, a fox with large ears and bright orange fur lies bleeding, its hindquarters caught fully in the jaws of a crude iron trap.
"By Gozreh's gonads, how terrible this is! I'll cut the throat of any person using a trap like this." Keanan's face begins to turn about as red as his beard and moves quickly to free the fox from the device.
The fox lies on the grassy shore of the lake, some 10 feet from the water and 25 feet from the forest. As Keanan stands over the fox....he suddenly feels a thud in his stomach and falls to his knees, looking down he sees a long shafted arrow half way in his gut and blood is pouring out around it.
Its clear we are not alone in these woods
August holds his spear at the ready and moves to backup Keanan. The dwarf is clearly distraught by the site of the fox and is most likely focused on it.
August peers around looking for signs of any hostiles.
Careful Keanan...