"I, for one, would be interested in the shortbow."
Drakroo pulls a bunch of elder moss into his pack, while Ilya starts to look over the gear.
Fine by me, but the next one's mine! he says with an enthusiastic smile, before grabbing couple days worth of food as well.
Looking at Jordi, despite his being a little worse-for-wear, Drakroo inquires, Any chance you taller-folk can carry the rest of this stuff?
"I fancy that signet ring. I would rather like to have that. I can't really use rest of these things. Wrong size."
"Are you alright Jordi?" Kiroto asks helping Jordi with removing the beast of him.
"I wouldn't mind to take one of the swords, I like to collect and have spare swords!" He says with a look of excitement.
Hey, hey, all this belongs to those nice lumberjack folks.
Says Jordi with straight face.
Nah, seriously, lets see if we can get some healing in exchange of some of that stuff we found. That creature bite was nasty. -Says finally with a wide smile.
Still can stand, so I'll be good with some rest if we can't get someone that can take care of my wound properly, Kiroto. And even can carry whatever you don't take, no problem.
The group gathers the moss and gear and now must find their way to the next site. If good timing is made, the area where the witch's hut might be found could be reached by nightfall.
"Okay, we better get moving before it gets dark."
"Should we head to the witch's hut? It's should be closer then the Dwarf site.
Sounds good to me, let's just keep an eye out for whatever that thing was... Drakroo says, gesturing to the creature that had ambushed them.
"The Witch's Hut should be closest. And I don't like the idea of marching through this forest at night. Not after that thing attacked us. Whatever it was."
Since the beast we killed doesn't look natural, Tincorva will also try to remember if he's ever heard of a beast like it.
Ilya is certain that he can easily guide the rest of the group through the thick part of the forest. He looks at the map and plots a route that might very well be a short-cut.
After about two hours the group comes upon a clearing, a bit earlier than expected. 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 knucklebone bangles, all clattering together like gruesome wind chimes. A dozen small thatched fetishes—each shaped like a tiny man, imp, or rearing serpent—stand propped in the yard, keeping guard before a rickety plank door.
Well, if that's not the Witch's house, I don't know what is. Great job Ilya...Now who wants to knock...?
Saying his piece, the kobold takes a few steps back, indicating that he certainly doesn't want to be the one to initiate contact.
"I'll knock. What's the worst that could happen?" Ilya moves up to the door, and gets ready to knock with his bow.
"Worst case she curses you! Slightly better case she has a job for us in return for that tail herb thingie.
Kiroto stands just behind Ilya
Approaching the door, Ilya can clearly see that the door has rotted away on the hinges. It does not look like it can be opened freely and might take a bit of muscle to unblock this doorway.
I love your positive way of thinking, Kiroto.
Jordi looks around, not needing to use his abilities to know there is something evil living here.
The problems one by one, let's focus on the plague menace.
"This doesn't look at all inviting. Maybe we just need a bit more light."
With that, Tincorva uses his Dancing Lights to light up the witch's hovel to see things cleareer. Moving them into the hovel if there's any openings, like a window.
"Can anyone else see anything? I certainly can't."
There appears to be no windows or other entrance beyond the rotted door.
Ilya knocks on the door, and yells out
There is no answer in reply.
Hrm...Drakroo says, scuttling up to the door next to Ilya, pleased that nothing bad had jumped out of the woodwork, yet.
Let me take a look at that before we try it.
Running a careful hand over the wood, Drakroo checks the door to see if if may be booby-trapped.
hey guys, I really think this is not a good idea. If no one home we can wait, and if there is someone home and does not want visitors, well, that is.
Drakroo does not find any traps. He does think that the door cannot be opened, and must be forced due to the rotted wood and hinges.
"I think it's deserted. Considered the nasty sights we've seen on the way here, that witch could well be dead already. I think it may be prudent to look in her home to see if she's dead or alive. Carefully, mind. If she was killed by something nasty, it might still be in there."
"I'm not so sure it's a good idea to poke around the witch's house. Since it's not long untill nightfall we might set up a camp and see if anyone comes by?
Drakroo shrugs at Kiroto's suggestion and takes a look around, stopping when his eyes fall on the creepy-looking fetishes scattered along the yard.
Sleep....here? With them?
Ulizmila? Drakroo ventures, managing to pull his attention back towards the house as he calls the witches name.
Ulizmila!? he tries again, a little louder. Are you here? Is anybody here?
There is no answer.
Tincorva, hands on hips and tapping one foot, is clearly getting impatient and tetchy …
"Now see here … If Ulizmila has been killed, which looks likely, then yammering at her door about manners won't help anyone."
… Tincorva then marches right up to up to Ulizmila's door and starts banging on it with the pommel of his dagger. And starts shouting at the top of his lungs:
He then steps back to see if there's any response. He looks quite smug now that he's made enough noise to wake the dead.
And he's looking at the witch's home to see if there's any sort of reaction
While waiting for a reaction, an ear-splitting howl breaks the silence. Turning round, two vicious wolves break passed the twisted trees.
Uh oh... Drakroo thinks, turning around...
The wolves charge in to attack. One notices the wolf with the party and rushes it. The other goes for the tastey meat in the back .
The first wolf bites Batya's (?) neck and drags him to the ground.
The second misses Kiroto on the charge.
Kiroto is quite angry at the wolf attacking him unprovoked
Edit: possible threat
Kiroto's furious blow leaves the wolf unconscious and dying.
Tincorva shoots a fire ray the wolf attacking Batya.
After seeing Kiroto to take down one of the wolves, Jordi decides to engage the other and dispose of him as son as possible; the warrior charges the wild beast making an overchop swing with his blade.
I hope those two are the only ones. If an entire pack is coming, we are in a dire situation.
"But it would be a welcomed distraction. A good challenge to our skills!" The combined bloodrage and the furious attack has clearly gone to his head.
Tincorva's ray misses the wolf. Jordi comes in (too close to charge) swinging and catches the wolf with a heavy blow. The wolf looks badly injured, but is still up and alive.
"Some people have thethe fun!"
Drakroo moves swiftly around the wolf, positioning himself such as to flank the wolf, and picks out a tasty looking bit of the forest creature before quickly snapping at it with his own jaws!
Drat!
"Wolf! Attack!" Ilya shouts.
His wolf charges at the nearest wolf.
Ilya shoots at the same wolf.
The wolf attacks Batya as he tries to get up.
Batya moves just in time to avoid the other wolf's bite. Batya in turn delivers a powerful bite of his own rendering the wolf unconscious and dying.
"That was kind of unprovoked. Do you think it's safer to set up camp inside? Kiroto asks once the bloodlust has left his mind again.
"I think so. The walls of that hut would be better defence against wolves than being out in the open."
Anything has got to be better than being attacked by wolves again. Maybe we stay here tonight, then if the witch doesn't show, we head for the mushrooms in the morning? She was really our only lead of the rat's tail...