Maria growls in displeasure and turns to Gadren. "Do you have anything that could help keep an eye out?"
"I have one spell that would enchant all of us to let us stay awake... now if we get in a fight the fatigue will catch up with us but at least we'll be awake and prepared if we do have a midnight visitor. It's not like I forewarning about this I am afraid."
Gadren will wait inside the secure shelter keeping watch from a window.
"Alright, then." Lazar wonders what kind of beasts this man has slain.
Maria stays near the campfire with her back to it so her eyes stay accustomed to the darkness, still armored, in preparation for the worst. She nods at Gadren's idea. "That sounds best."
"Works for me," Jack agrees as well to the Gadren plan. He remains with Maria near the campfire.
Later in the evening, as the brandy in the bottle gets lower and your conversation with Duristan dies down, a short, horrid snarl pierces the night, followed by a smothered scream.
The scream is from the SW.
What are you doing now?
Gadren watches some branches get moved gently by the wind...
Lazar points in the direction the scream came from. "Jack or me could check what's happening there with a simple spell for discretion."
Jack looks in said direction of scream. He then nods at Lazar, "Either/or, buddy. Or if you want, you can hit yourself with that magic of yours and I can still follow behind ten or so feet. Up to you. I'm game either way," he tells him, pulling out his blades.
Lazar touches Jack and the roguish gallant disappears with a 'pop'.
"And here we go," is all that's heard from where visible Jack was just standing. The unseen rogue then heads out in the scream's direction.
Jack you soon spot the two hirelings that were on watch here. At least they were, one lies dead in several pieces, the other hangs in the jaws of a large grey furred Werewolf.
It is scenting the air suspiciously.
What are you doing?
Taken aback at the horrific sight, Jack covers his mouth to cover his gasp. I gotta do something! The other one may still be alive! I mean I doubt it but it's possible. Crap! Alright, here goes nothing.
Knowing he's invisible, Jack decides to take a huge gamble. "HEY WOLFIE! HERE BOY! HERE BOY! I GOT A TASTY MORSEL FOR YOU RIGHT HERE!" He then whistles as if whistling to a dog and rustles the bushes.
The Werewolf drops the Corpse contemptuously to the ground and speaks in a savage voice. "You trespass on Vollensag territory Human! Why are you here?"
Gadren moves towards Maria "Sounds like it's time to act, with your permission I'll bolster you with heroism again."
Crap. He's dead. Man that ticks me off. Invisibly glaring at the werewolf, "I'll tell you why we're here, Dog Boy! We're here to take you and your mangy kind down! And I don't know who Vollensag is and to be honest, I don't really freaking care! If he's a flea bitten, mange loving, no better than a goblin dog like you, then we're going to kill him too! Anyway... that about sums it up. Don't suppose you'd be willing to turn yourself in and face proper punishment, would you? Because that sure would make this a LOT easier is all I'm saying," he says matter of factly.
The Werewolf doesn't pay attention to Jacks words. Calling them "Lies!"
It then starts delivering it's message.
“Your false explanations are meaningless. Go tell whoever sent you to stay out of wolf affairs! Let him know that his dealings with Mathus Mordrinacht and the Silverhide pack do not sit well with the other tribes of this wood. There shall be much blood spilled between our kin before a Silverhide packlord sits upon Highthrone. Mathus the betrayer shall never claim the title, and should you and yours continue to support him, the wrath of the wolf packs shall fall upon him! Now leave our territory and return to your cozy wooden den, or share the fate of these poor little sheep!”
What are you doing now?
Just in case, Lazar invokes some divine help . He would have thought, though, that a werewolf was a much frenetic and bloodshed-loving best. He'd never expected it to start engaging in a dialogue.
As the werewolf is unable to see the highest level of confusion that paints Jack's face, What is he TALKING about? "Wait wait wait! Hold just one moment, Dog Boy! What in the Nine Hells are you talking about?! What's all this 'Silverhide' garbage and 'Mathus Mordincrotch', or whatever, mean? The 'Betrayer'? Look, Wolfie, you're going to have to fill me in on what you're talking about because I truly don't know. The only reason I'm even here is because there's this idiot who wants to hunt you and he hired us on to help him. And before you get all ticked off as to why he hunts you I'm going to fill you in. BECAUSE YOU GO OFF AND RIP PEOPLE INTO A MILLION PIECES LIKE THOSE TWO!!! You know, maybe, just maybe, if you didn't going around slaughtering folks, maybe this wouldn't happen. You ever thought about that? Huh?" he asks, giving him a hard stare. He then remembers the werewolf can't see him. "Anyway forget all that. Not important right now. What is important is: Who is this 'Betrayer' guy, what is a 'Silverback'," he pauses and mutters to himself, "or was it 'hide'," while tapping his chin. "Hey, was it 'Silverhide'? Look, whatever, either way, I'm just curious as to what those are and is Vollensag a town? A person? Possibly some new type of horse and cart? Work with me here, Wolfie."
The Werewolf glares at Jack, again ignoring his words. Throwing back its head it howls to the moon.
Almost immediately, another wolf echoes their cries, then another, and another, spreading through the darkness until the entire wood seems to resound with bone-chilling howls.
Back in the shelter the famed Werewolf hunter Duristan goes white and starts suggesting it's time to leave.
What are you doing now?
Looking around as if trying to find where all the voices are coming from, Well, that would be my cue. Jack immediately turns and heads back toward the others at a swift a pace as he can muster.
Maria nods to Gadren, content to accept his help. She casts a spell of her own and looks around the woods, expecting trouble. "I'm sure you'd like to leave, little man. But it won't be that easy. We need light to have any chance out here."
Gadren follows in Marias wake watching her back. "If things go poorly rally to me. I'll teleport us back to the shelter... it's not much but it's a more defensible position and might buy us a few moments to heal."
You wait but the Werewolves do not attack, they have delivered their message and want you to leave.
The fact the message meant nothing to you doesn't seem to worry them?
What now?
As he group hears a rustling of leaves, Jack finally makes it back to the others. "Okay, gang, here's what went down," he starts and then stops. "Wait... am I still invisible? Man that is some good magic you got there, Lazar. Anyway, Dog boy mentioned something about Greybacks... NO, Silverbacks. Wait! HIDES. Silverhides. Crap there's too many colors in all this. Anyway, he wants us to stay out of 'wolf affairs' as he called it. He basically said that dealings with Mathus Mordincrotch - or something like that - and the Silverhides doesn't sit well with the other tribes of this wood. He said there will be a ton of blood spilled before a Silverhide lord sits on 'Highthrone' he called it. And this Mathus guy has apparently betrayed them. And if we continue to support Mathus - even though we've no idea who he is which totally makes that make no sense - then they're gonna kill Mathus. And on top of that, if we don't leave then they're gonna kill us too." He then looks over at Duristan with an invisible menacing glare, "Like he killed your scrub hired hands, Duristan!!! Where were you to protect them!!! He ripped 'em both apart, Mr. Werewolf hunter!!! Jerk!" Jack's anger gets the better of him as he kicks some dirt at Duristan, completely forgetting that he's still invisible.
"Alright, alright, there are too many new names there" Lazar interrupts. "Can anyone offer clarification? Duristan?"
"There are different factions of werewolves. This group as well as many others are in opposition against these Silverhides who are led by Mathus Mordincrotch. The Silverhides are making a power play to claim the High Throne despite this."
"They believe we are in league with the Silverhides, if we don't leave they will attack us and they are currently planning on killing Mathus." He looks over at Jack. "That was about it?"
Nodding, "Yeah, yep, that's exactly it. Well said, ol' bean. Sorry, but I can work much better when it doesn't feel like I'm surrounded by werewolves. One is one thing but a multitude of them? That can make a fellow nervous, you know?" he says as he continues to look about practically everywhere.
"But we're not in liege with the other werewolves." Lazar turns his head and talks slowly. "Are we, Duristan?"
"I'll tell you, Lazar, this werewolf would have no part of it. There was nothing I could say to convince him of that. He'd already made up his mind that we are traitors and he just flat out wasn't going to listen to anything I had to say." He then looks to Duristan, "So you need to answer Lazar's question, Duristan. And if you have any information about this Mathus character or any of this mess, you need to start talking. And right now, I mean that in the nicest way. If you want us to help you with this, you're going to have to give us a clue as to what in the heck is going on."
Maria chuckles slightly at the name Mordincrotch then shrugs. "Seems like a lot of trouble out here." She turns sternly to Duristan "Have these werewolves been causing trouble for honest folk before you started hunting them?"
Duristan is hurriedly packing, and ordering his remaining hirelings to help him quickly return to Ascanor lodge. As to hunting Werewolves here? He hasn't done so, this is his first time at the lodge.
Maybe someone at the lodge might know something regarding local lycanthrope politics?
Maria nods curtly. "Alright then. Let's get back to the Lodge and get some straight answers."
"A sensible response... and at least we can take some solace in how much better things went than they would have in our absence."
Lazar agrees. "We don't have to tell what happened here" he says, looking at Duristan, "but we do know it happened" he adds as a reminder.
Maria nods curtly. "Alright then. Let's get back to the Lodge and get some straight answers."
"That's for sure! Because we sure ain't getting any here," he says, looking over at Duristan with a shake of his head and roll of his eyes.
"A sensible response... and at least we can take some solace in how much better things went than they would have in our absence."
"And THAT is the absolute truth. This whole lot would've been werewolf chew toys. This whole expedition was an absolute joke that was led by an absolute joke," he says plainly and clearly enough for Duristan to hear.
Lazar agrees. "We don't have to tell what happened here" he says, looking at Duristan, "but we do know it happened" he adds as a reminder.
Turning his attention to the ranger, "Yep! Absolutely! Good one, Lazar." He then looks back to Duristan, "Remember that, Mr. Big Shot hunter. We do know it happened. So your days of hiring out folks is over, pal. If you go hunting - and I don't care what it is - you won't be taking anyone with you. You go by yourself no matter what you're hunting or you'll have to deal with us, understand? And that's not a threat, it's a promise. Because the ONLY life you are allowed to risk from now on is your own."
Duristan nods feebly at Jacks words. He seems to have come to the realization that hunting Werewolves for glory can have a high and bloody price.
Upon your return to Ascanor the halfling porter Belik greets you. He wears an apologetic grin and carries a silver tray holding hand-carved wooden mugs containing a steaming beverage. Belik calls out and beckons you over.
“Please accept my most sincere apologies for my inappropriate behavior earlier. I was not informed of your coming and acted hastily on behalf of the lodge warden. I can assure you that you will suffer no further ill treatment during your stay at Ascanor Lodge.”
He politely offers the you, and then continues.
“If it’s convenient for you, my master requests your company at this time for a brief introduction and to offer his apologies as well.”
What are you doing now?
Lazar is stunned at the change of attitude. What can have happened to make the porter be so kind all of a sudden? Lazar starts to think the politics here seem quite twisted...
Jack freely accepts the beverage as the halfling talks. When he finishes, Jack just looks to him curiously before looking around at the others. "Well, gang, what do you think? Shall we see what this master guy has to say? Might as well, right? I know I'm curious."
"After you" Lazar invites, accompanied by a gesture of the hand allowing Jack to go first
"These things happen, it is a necessity of the hunting lodge to be further removed than other locales. We do appreciate this warm welcome after the night in the woods." Gadren took one of the steaming mugs and warmed his hands with it. He peered into it curiously wondering what beverage it contained.
Maria nods with a shrug. "Let's go talk to this fellow." But her stern demeanor makes it clear she trusts this 'master' about as far as any random stranger. Which is to say, much less far than she could throw him.
Cedric had been lost in thought for most of the return trip after learning what they did from the werewolf. Once away from prying ears, he speaks up
I'd wager, the master of this lodge we are meeting is the one it was talking about. Likely he has come to some sort of agreement with this outcast faction, and likely wants us to help him, or to remove us if we don't play along... but that's just a hunch.
"After you" Lazar invites, accompanied by a gesture of the hand allowing Jack to go first
Jack gives a proper nod of thanks. "Don't mind if I do, my good man." He then proudly leads the way with a confident smirk and his chest puffed out.
Cedric had been lost in thought for most of the return trip after learning what they did from the werewolf. Once away from prying ears, he speaks up
I'd wager, the master of this lodge we are meeting is the one it was talking about. Likely he has come to some sort of agreement with this outcast faction, and likely wants us to help him, or to remove us if we don't play along... but that's just a hunch.
"Well one way or another, I guess we're about to find out."
Belik leads you into the lodge, through the Great Hall, and up the south stairs, stopping at the door to the reference library (area D30), where he knocks three times.
The door creaks open, revealing a circular room with book-lined walls and Estovion Lozarov.
Belik bows low and presents a formal introduction: “Esteemed guests, may I present Estovion Lozarov, Lodge Warden of Ascanor.”
Estovion thanks the porter and curtly dismisses him, waiting until the halfling’s footsteps fade off down the hall before speaking.
Then he greets you and speaks in a somber tone. “Please do not hold the actions of my porter against him. The error in your improper greeting was entirely mine. I neglected to inform my staff of the open invitations I gave to the Order,”
He pauses here to wink “and they did not recognize the reservations. Rest assured, however, that all of the lodge’s facilities are at your disposal, including our libraries. While the general library is down the hall, this one,” he says, gesturing at the book-filled shelves, “is likely better suited to your research.
What are you doing now?