Ulga's face goes a bit pale. "I've been having a paladin scrubbing pots?"
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Impasha can't help but chuckle at this. "It's all right Mistress Ulga, I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to. I meant what I said. I just want to help." She puts the pot down and towels off her hands with a rag, and walks over.
"Would it have changed anything if I'd come in here and just told you I belonged to a military order of knights? I hope not. You have a charge to protect these children who have lost everything, which is sacred to Iomedae. Your judgment of me should never come down to a statement of rank or entitlement. You owe it to your children to be more vigilant than that."
"And to be honest, I wanted to watch you for a while as well. My mother died of fever when I was three, and my father was killed in a fire when I was 14, so I've seen the life of an orphanage first hand. This is a bit personal for me. And one of the people who saved me and made me who I am today, was a woman not unlike you."
"I'm here to do whatever I can to help you. When I'm not otherwise occupied, of course. I plan to do some work at the blacksmith forge as well... I thought I might come by to help in the mornings and the evenings, if that's all right with you?"
Amadeen shows keen interest when Impasha starts talking about her past and listens intently.
"Aye, a paladin. But as you can see, one given to doing what needs to be done and not relying on a name. I can certainly respect that."
"You're quite welcome to help out. Not that we don't get enough assistance but you know kids, there's always more to be done!"
Impasha finds that people are largely happy with their leadership... there are complaints but less so than is common in most areas and nothing too serious.
A few days later the group heads out west to explore a previously uncharted area of the woods.
The river makes a sharp bend here, widening into a deep pool dotted with lily pads and fringed with waving reeds. Several freshly felled trees lie beside their stumps on the shore of the pool, their crowns dangling in the water among fading tendrils of mist.
Seven angry loggers with axes in hand stare down two smiling loggers and an otherworldly looking woman. She is the size of a halfling, with green skin and webbed hands and feet. "I'll give you a taste of cold iron if you don't release them you little tart!" The lead logger calls out while gripping his axe.
Nixies are guardians of ponds, rivers, lakes, and springs. They prefer dwelling in idyllic places, which they protect from the depredations of predators and careless humanoids. While this often involves confusing enemies and driving foes away, nixies are not afraid of spilling blood to protect their homes—though they prefer not to resort to such means unless completely necessary. Nixies are 4 feet tall and rarely weigh more than 45 pounds.
Nixies avoid combat if possible, using charm person to lead humanoids away from their lairs. They sometimes use this ability to enslave people to act as protectors or help with a task that is simply too big for them to deal with. They cast water breathing on charmed creatures helping with tasks below the surface. Nixies are reclusive and prefer to keep their presence hidden. They make lairs underwater, forming small communities if their numbers are great enough. Legends speak of a secret nixie kingdom at the bottom of a great lake, but no one has yet confirmed its location.
Amadeen starts talking.
"Hold the axes a moment. I'll speak with the nixie."
She then faces the nixie and changes to:
"Nixie, I imagine the trees are the issue here? Or is something else the matter? It's best that you let those men go on your way out of here."
She seems to await a response from the creature.
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Impasha turns her attention to the seven angry men. She steps up before the lead logger and speaks directly to him.
"Please, lower your axes and stand back. Give Queen Amadeen a chance to speak to the creature and resolve this. Fey are dangerous and magical creatures. Threatening it will only make this harder."
She also leans over and whispers to Eluvias and Johund. "Do either of you have spells that can break enchantments or incapacitate these loggers? If this goes south, we need to make sure this doesn't turn into a bloodbath."
Eluvias shrugged. ”No. Nearly all of my magic is offensive in nature. Or designed to allow me to kill. Most likely a byproduct of my sword’s influence.” He said, casually. ”The Queen is the one who takes strength in such subtle Magic. If she fails here, then it is my role to make sure that this disturbance is short lived.”
"We're not inside her borders but if she can put an end to that wretched Fey I'll not stop her!"
"These thugs just came in and started chopping down my trees. They came into my home and cut down my trees, I'm not going anywhere! If they leave and replace my trees I'll give their friends back."
As the fey spoke, Eluvias translated for Impasha and Johund. He was curious to see how they would respond.
"Ain't nothin' wrong wit' a little blood spilt," says Johund. "Hazard of the trade fer loggin'. Gettin' hexed by nymphs. 'Asides, we don't need t'kill 'em. Their friends here are sure to lend a hand in subduing 'em." He turns to the loggers who haven't been enchanted. "Right, fellas?"
"'N as fer you..." He looks at the woman. "Well, it ain't fair that ya just lose yer home. But these men is just plyin' their trade, tryin' t' make a livin' too. Like or not, we all gotta live here. Ain't there some way ya can give up some trees?"
Amadeen replies in Sylvan, relying on Eluvisa to translate for Impasha, Johund, and the woodsmen. At one point, she gestures towards Johund, mentioning his name.
"Okay, they came in to cut down trees. They're woodsmen. That's what they do. They weren't to know that you were here. Johund here has a good notion: work out a deal with them. Some trees but trees you choose. You get assurance that they won't press further than agreed, they get to work and earn their living without bothering you any more than necessary. How does that sound?"
Eluvias’ hand rested on the hilt of his sword. The loggers were their people, so if violence broke out he assumed that it would be to kill the fey. Not that he cared either way, but it seemed like a logical conclusion. He waited for the order.
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Impasha steps forward toward Amadeen and the nixie. She speaks privately to Amadeen.
"Your majesty, forgive me for interrupting. The offer you make is completely rational and fair... to a human. But this creature is a fey. We must try and understand how she might see this. To her, humans and their values must seem very strange, and these trees were no doubt like old friends. Perhaps even children to her. If someone slew two of your children, would you be satisfied to let the killers walk away with a promise not to do it again?"
"All you have said is true. And these two men must be released. But someone owes this nixie compensation for the wrong she perceives these men did to her. It seems to me that we should be discussing that as well as future limits on logging this area."
"If we make a fair bargain and restitution, this nixie might come to trust us one day. She might even become an ally."
"They can chop down trees over the horizon, far from me. They need to replace the trees they cut down. They're wretched people."
"Aye if you rush her we can restrain the lads!"
In common, Eluvias said ”This fey is seeming to place a boundary upon your territory. It is advantageous if it can protect said border for us, but at the moment it seems hard pressed to repel loggers. I do not see any advantage for having it in your lands.” Then, remembering that they had a paladin with them, he added ”Though I see the moral concerns, there is the practical nature of discontent if we take away the lively hood of the common folk, or if we are seen to take sides against their interests. It would not bode well for us if more malcontents take to the streets against your rule.”
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"This fey was not the aggressor here. She did not seek out humans to ensnare. She is only protecting a small corner of the forest she wishes to preserve in a way that seems fair to her. Her reaction is unacceptable, that we all agree on. But have we the right to execute her for it? Because that is what is being proposed. Is that preferable to planting new trees here and making some show of understanding?"
"What you say about the potential discontent of the humans in this region is a fair point. But what if this fey is not alone in these woods? What if our action begins a war with every fairy, sprite and dryad in these lands? What if we enrage a group of druids? Such things have happened in the Verduran forest of Andoren."
"So far no one has been hurt." Impasha then stops herself and steps back, apparently feeling she's said enough.
In common, Amadeen quietly replies to Eluvias and Impasha.
"I'd like all the allies I can get. But Eluvias is right. If woodsmen can't even go about their business without fey mind-controlling them, then it's not much of a kingdom and I'd not be much of a Queen. If the fey are going to turn on us for this, we'd end up fighting them all eventually anyway. We're going to free those men and hopefully the nixie will make a deal or leave. If she tries to draw blood after, that's on her."
Amadeen turns to the nixie and speaks:
"Trees come and go. These ones are gone. You have a choice to make, right now. Either free these men and come to an arrangement, free them and leave, or we free them. Choose."
As the Queen said her peace in common, Eluvias added to Impasha ”We have made a treaty with other fey before, which we and they abide by. Likewise, we have fought and destroyed many a hostile fey as well, though those did not even offer us the chance for parlay. I believe that all here hope that this is as the former, but we are ready for the latter.”
The fey switches to common. "I will not release them yet, I am alone here. They are trees but not just any, they are ones I grew and tended to since they were sapplings."
"If your loggers leave and swear to not return here then. They are not just loggers but thieves. If they stole sheep from one of your shepherds would they not be thieves? If they stole fruit from your trees would they not be thieves? If they stole the trees themselves are they not thieves. This is not their land, this is not their glade. It is my glade, from which they stole trees."
"But I know how the trees can be replaced before the moons turn. Your loggers will be free on your word that it will be done. The weregeld will restore some semblance of balance. You shepherd your humans, I tend to my trees. I have only borrowed your humans and will return them if the terms are agreeable."
”And how, my dear fey, are any to know which are your trees? I see no markings denoting which are so dear to you. For if a shepherd allowed his sheep to mingle with those in the wild, how could he become angered if another should eat one? How could a man begrudge a wanderer for sleeping on his land if he has not marked it as his? I would dare say that the only way to come to such terms would be for an agreement of territory. Your kin have come to such terms with us elsewhere, so I do not see why we could not do the same.”
"I'm willing to listen, nixie", replies Amadeen in common.
"Tell how you propose to replace the trees before we agree to anything."
The fey creature looks at Eluvias like he's talking nonsense. "It's plain for any to see not that you'd even notice! Fences, roads and signposts! You mortals can't just walk a path or know a thing by paying attention ye lead each other by the nose. I know enough of ye to know your cabins are not firewood but you'd chop down my home rather than pay notice to what is clear to one in tune with their surroundings. The barriers between the First World and these lands are thin, you'd do well to pay attention."
She returns her attention to Amadeen. "Thirteen miles west of here is the domain of Tiressia and her consort. She is a powerful Dryad and I happen to know she has a set of magical acorns she could be persuaded to part with. They will grow quickly."
"Then you would be wise to account for mortal lack of attention and make what is yours more obvious. We will seek out this dryad. If any harm befalls these men in the meantime, I will not remains so reasonable. Understood?"
If the nixie gives a sign of understanding and there are no objections, Amadeen will begin to move.
Now she looks at Amadeen in confusion "That's what I am doing. The terms are agreeable."
The head logger leans in. "How should we do this when she releases them. Just charge the witch as quickly as possible?"
”Only if you want her cousin to come and do much worse in retaliation. The queen will be negotiating the limits of this...hazardous terrain.” He responded.
Amadeen almost turns and says something intimidating to the woodsmen but decides to leave it as she continues moving.
The powerful do not need to waste too much breath. I should remember that!
The situation largely defused the loggers move on once their men are released. You have time to consider next move as your journey... west towards the Dryad or back to the Nixie to change the terms of the deal?
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Impasha relaxes noticeably as the situation de-escalates and the loggers leave unharmed.
"You handled that well, Amadeen. Hopefully the dryad will be reasonable as well. And will allow us to find her."
"You know, it really is a pretty little glade the nixie was protecting. It reminds me of shrines to Gozreh I've seen in Andoren -- little druid enclaves, that sort of thing. Perhaps we could set one up near here, and mark the boundaries of the shrine to encompass the pond and its trees? The fey should respect that as well. It would be a sacred space both sides might recognize."
"Cheers, Impasha. I find that negotiating from a position of strength tends to work out more smoothly - fewer people dumb enough to kick up a fuss. A shrine might be a handy way to keep the nixie happy. Anyway, let's go speak with this dryad. A"
The trees part to reveal a peaceful forest glade dappled with 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 the branches high above.
A beautiful woman with skin like polished wood, hair like autumnal leaves and vines growing all over her greets you as you approach. "Travellers, welcome to my glade. I would warn you a terrible creature haunts these woods and I would not see you harmed, indeed I would seek your aid in destroying it!"
An satyr hides in some bushes nearby, he has a bow in hand with an arrow knocked as he watches the scene but is not yet point it at you.
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Impasha dismounts from her horse a short way outside the glade and approaches the last several yards on foot.
"Your glade is very beautiful, lady. Thank you for your welcome. Tell us of this creature that haunts your wood?"
Impasha holds herself back from saying more, and looks to Amadeen to take the lead in discussing the matter.
"Greetings, Lady Tiressia. I am Queen Amadeen Irian of Thorneholme, and with my companions here, have considerable experience in monster-slaying. We had heard that you had a set of magical acorns, which could be very helpful to us in growing trees swiftly and help a nixie out. I am inclined to think that we can help each other.", she says warmly.
"Ain't hunted a creature we ain't been able t'slay," Johund adds with a slick smile.
"Thank you, it's deadly plant creature called a Scythe tree they have a taste for Dryad flesh!"
Everyone but Impasha recalls fighting and defeating such a creature to the south already... it seems you've slain this beast already
”Are you sure? I recall us already slaying such a creature. When did you last check on it?” He proceeded to describe the tree that they had destroyed.
"Yeah, if it's that tree, we've alraedy covered our end of the bargain.", says Amadeen, smiling. "And if not, then we'll take down the second!"
"You- it has been some time but they are rare. It must have been the same one. You have my thanks, it seems you've resolved the matter then I shall give you more than the acorns."
Potion of cure moderate wounds (2)
Scroll of summon nature’s ally II
Wand of cure light wounds
(26 charges)
Enchanted Acorns x6
"A pleasure! I don't want scythe trees in these lands any more than you do. Take care!"
”That went well. Much better than expected.” He said, somewhat doubtfully. ”I still expect there to be some sort of catch.”
"Oh, there surely is. Fey always have something in mind that they won't let slip willingly. But I hold to the notion that if they cause us serious trouble, we have the means to make them regret it."
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Impasha seems a little disappointed to have come all this way only to discover that no errantry was required of her. He shoulders slouch a little as she turns to leave with the others, but there is a wry smile on her face.
"You'll have to tell me more of your battle with this scythe tree to pass the time while we travel all the way back to the nixie."
"Why certainly, Impasha. Don't worry, by the way. There will be *plenty* of flora, fauna, and other things that will try to kill us all. We have a habit of finding them.", she finishes with a wink, before starting from the first sight of the scythe tree...
When you return to Tiressia she looks out hopefully "Did you get them?"
"Magic acorns! Next she'll be talkin' 'f magic beans!"
Johund lets Amadeen do the communicating.