Kryolani nods, "Well, that's that. The local bandit lord knows someone is opposing him now. Let's hope we can still take the bastard when the time comes. Now, on to those radishes..."
"Yeah, we definitely missed them in the night. Too bad really, I'd like to have thinned their numbers further. We'll have to be careful they don't try to ambush us."
- - -
Serolt nods, going along with the others. "Sure, I guess we can go back to Oleg's before seeking radishes. I don't want to make a habit though of running back to Oleg's every time we do something. We're meant to explore this land, and we won't see much traveling the same trail back and forth."
Serolt piles the crates onto various horses and begins to walk Misty back to Oleg's.
Rok shrugs and Jacobus. "We did tell Svetlana we'd look while we were out there, and we've already dealt with the bandits. I don't think it would hurt to take some time on the way back to the trading post."
Either way she helps her companions pack the horses and starts moving out, in whatever direction they choose, keeping an eye out for the radishes.
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— Moonday, Pharast the 6th, 4609 AR
— Morning to Evening
— Narlmarches
— Cold
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Since it seems like no one wants to go straight back to Oleg’s, you spend the whole day exploring the area where Svetlana told you would find the moon radishes. Even Jacobus’ conditions are met, since as it immediately becomes clear, the area is just on the way back to Oleg’s.
Throughout the whole day, you suffer from the terrible cold’s grasp. Your cold-weather outfit helps, but the cold is so intense that your organism need to adapt to it nonetheless and you clothes cannot fully protect you.
---
---
Despite the withering cold, you do not back off and spend the whole day in the wilds, searching for Svetlana’s moon radishes and also seizing the opportunity to map the area you are exploring: this is your very first exploration, and now you’re beginning to do your true job, the one you were tasked to complete from the Swordlords. You make several stops during the exploration to drink and eat some trail rations. Thankfully, no wild beast nor any strange fey creature hampers your exploration.
---
After 6 hours spent exploring, with about 2 hours more spent eating, drinking or just resting, you finally see something that actually catches your attention. A large patch of delicious moon radishes grows in an arrowhead-shaped clearing here. Unfortunately, along with the radishes you find four moaning black-scaled, small creatures, similar to biped lizards, lying on their backs in the center of the patch, bellies full of the spicy roots and three overfilled baskets of the same lying nearby.The creatures shriek and clamber to their feet as they see you approaching.
--------------------------------
---- ----
--------------------------------
• Kryolani
• Jacobus
•
• Roksana
• Serolt
______________________________________
--- ---
--- ---
Round: 1
Cold Iron Arrows = 22/30
Cold Iron Silver Blanch Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
longbow: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +4 Damage: Str +2
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +2 Damage: Str +2
(max 10 - unskilled)
”What the hell is that?!” Serolt cries as he takes out his bow (move). He takes a 5’ step .
Unsure what to do, he follows the lead of others, or reacts to an attack.
(point blank) (point blank)
Surprised by the whole situation, his arrow, if shot, flies wide and far.
Shaking with the cold, and constantly casting prestidigitation on his own gloves to keep them as warm as possible, Kryolani's mood has become foul indeed. He is in the process of swearing to burn down the woodlands for warmth when the group finally locates the radishes, and a group of tiny lizards standing guard over them. Kryolani grits hit teeth to keep them from chattering, and fires off a glob of acid. A gout of flame would be more useful, but he'll be damned if he'll risk roasting the very radish patch they were sent to gather from. "Take care, they c-could be poisonous..."
Round 1
"Kobolds!" Roksana sneers. "Might as well be rats!"
Roksana moves up to the closest scaled pest and swings her warhammer. Though the frigid cold has left her stiff and the attack is not as precise as she hopes.
Jacobus shows his hands in front of him, though not too far from his mace.
"It's OK. We mean you no harm. We just want some of the radishes. For a pie or something."
He carefully approaches, "OK? No harm? You understand?"
Cursing himself for not learning languages when his father told him to, he waits for the kobolds' response.
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“Unsere! Unsere Radieschen! Geh weg!”, squawk in a chorus the kobolds, completely ignoring Jacobus’ words, as three of them quickly close in to attack while another one stays in the back, preparing to fire her sling. They’re clearly aggressive, also due to Kryolani’s failed spell.
---
The first kobold to attack is the one holding the sling: her shoot is surprisingly accurate and hits Serolt right in the eye. Immediately thereafter, the three spear-wielding kobolds close in: two of them attack Roksana, while the other one thrusts forward in an attempt to pierce through Serolt’s flesh. They’re all successful.
---
Serolt steps back and fires an arrow at one of the kobolds, but his arrow flies wide and far. Roksana, still surprised by the sudden attack and stiff from the cold, draws her warhammer but her blow is not precise as she hopes.
--------------------------------
---- ----
--------------------------------
• Kryolani
• Jacobus
•
• Roksana
• Serolt
______________________________________
--- ---
"I could use some healing!" Roksana shouts as she takes the hits from the kobolds. She's finding it difficult to stand, but she manages, for now.
Round 2
The half-orc steps to the side, raises her shield , and twists her body to be more difficult to hit. She then swings wide to not disrupt her defenses, opting to protect herself instead of worrying about accuracy.
------------------------------
Jacobus shook his head in disbelief, "Ah hell, will my diplomacy be wasted in this land?"
Seeing Rok skewered by two of the little devils prompted the inquisitor to action. Leaving his heavy mace in place, he suffused his hand with healing magic and touched the half-orc.
Round 2
"Against tiny lizards? Yes, probably!" Noting that the Kobolds have moved forward out of the radish patch, Kryolani skips to the left and unleashes a wave of fire directly into their faces.
Round: 2
Cold Iron Arrows = 21/30
Cold Iron Silver Blanch Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
longbow: Attack: BAB +1, Dex +4 Damage: Str +2
melee: Attack: BAB +1, Str +2 Damage: Str +2
Serolt very nearly takes a knee at the onslaught, but he keeps his head and steps back to make a cleaner shot.
”Nice spread Kryolani!”
He shoots at the kobold in the back, trying his hand with the sling.
(point blank) (point blank)
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Kryolani’s cone of flames invest the kobolds in front of you: the creatures screams in pain as the flames burn their scaly skin and when the magical fire is gone, all that’s left are three unconscious kobolds lying to the ground.
---
Witnessing his companions sudden death, the last kobold, the one wielding the sling, tries to run away as fast as she can. Unfortunately for her, Serolt’s arrow hits her in the back while she flees, grounding her.
---
---
Once the kobolds have been dealt with, you quickly harvest the moon radishes for Svetlana, filling a sack or two with the bizarre plants.
---
You spend the rest of the day exploring and mapping the area, ensuring that there’s no other threat to defeat. In order to fully explore the vast area, you spend the whole day and are forced to camp in the wild unless you don’t want to travel at night.
______________________________________
--- ---
--- ---
The inquisitor shook his head, "Dying for a bunch of radishes..."
He then turned to gruesome task of smashing in the skulls of the little lizards, "I hope we're not debating what to do with these poor sods."
He inspected Rok's spear wounds, "Not fully healed yet but can't do much more for you today. We'll have to be careful during the rest of the day. Everyone else OK?"
Kryolani looks down on the smoking corpses in confusion, "What the hell were those things? Kobolds, you said? And how were they speaking the Dragon's tongue?" He shakes his head, "Anyway, if you guys want to try conversing with the next batch we run into, I can speak their language. Apparently. Anyway, let's head back to Oleg's. I'd like to sleep in a warm bed sometime soon."
The near crippled Serolt looks at their fountain of healing and shrugs. I'll just have to wait. he thinks.
"Yeah, let's just make sure there aren't any more of these things in the immediate vicinity. But Oleg's sounds good to me."
He loads up Mitsy with as many of the radishes as he can find and hobbles home...
Roksana walks away from the burnt Kobolds with disgust clearly all over her face.
"No better than rats, Kobolds, with their ambushes and their big egos. They think they're dragons! Please." She looks at Serolt Jacobus and Kryolani with a nod of approval. "Glad to be fighting with you three, solid tactics and battle sense. Let's get back to the trading post and call this detour a success."
Serolt rises early for his watch. He stomps his feet to try and stave off the cold that crept into them during the earlier part of the night. ”Pretty cold out ‘ey Regin?” he tousles the cats warm fur. He purrs and pushes back against Serolt's hand.
After a while, he blows on his hands to further warm them and gathers some wood for the fire.
Building it up he prepares some breakfast for the group as he keeps an eye out for bandits and kobolds. As folks awaken he serves the simple fare and chats. ”So I think it’s going to be very dangerous out here for us. We should pool our resources and order a Wand of Curing just as soon as we can.”
”We’ve a little better than 1,200 gold now. When we get to camp tomorrow, let’s entreat Oleg to order us a wand - paying in advance if needs be. We just can’t keep fumbling around like this. If we’d been attacked in the night, I’d be near death for the fight!”
He looks to Jacobus, ”I could still use a little help in fact, if you can spare it.”
”We’ve a little better than 1,200 gold now. When we get to camp tomorrow, let’s entreat Oleg to order us a wand - paying in advance if needs be. We just can’t keep fumbling around like this. If we’d been attacked in the night, I’d be near death for the fight!”
He looks to Jacobus, ”I could still use a little help in fact, if you can spare it.”
Jacobus was just finishing his morning prayers and perked up at the sound of the gold gathered.
"1,200 gold is mighty nice for just a couple of days worth of work. I think we did pretty good."
He nodded, "I agree about the curing wand. If Oleg can't supply it then we should get one from Brevoy as soon as possible."
His hand then grasped his golden key and he passed it over Serolt's worst wounds. "Sure thing. Just keep shooting your bow like you've been doing."
He then turned to the others, "I've been blessed with a little more magic. Everyone else fit to travel? i rather heal you now and not in the middle of fight..."
"Wand sounds good Serolt. Especially after these last few days out in the cold fighting bandits and pests." Roksana keeps an eye on the horses as they travel, to make sure they aren't being pushed too hard.
"I'm still a bit sluggish from the wounds I took at the bandit camp, Jacobus, if you could do anything about it I certainly won't mind."
"I'm still a bit sluggish from the wounds I took at the bandit camp, Jacobus, if you could do anything about it I certainly won't mind."
Jacobus smiled, "Sure. I rather do it now and have your hammer ready when it's needed. The Lawgiver has bestowed gifts on all of us."
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— Toilday, Pharast the 7th, 4609 AR
— Morning to Noon
— Narlmarches
— Cloudy and temperate
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When you wake up again, the cold has partially left these lands, though you cannot say it’s hot. With Rob following along, you quickly get on your horses upon awakening, eager to come back to Oleg’s trading post.
---
During the travel, Rob (who’s sitting behind one of you) comments Serolt’s words about your riches: “More than a thousand pieces of gold in less than a week? That’s amazing! You sure know how to make money here, not like that drunken weirdo. The Stag Lord, I mean…You’re much better than him. You know how to fight, you know how to make money…” The guy shrugs and gives an appreciative nod to each of you before resuming his incessant whistling.
---
At noon, you finally reach Oleg’s trading post. You dismount quickly and Rob helps you out with carrying your loot from your horses’ saddle bags. He looks nervously around, knowing that many will ask the reason why he’s still with you.
The first thing you notice upon arriving is that someone has set his small tents up just south of the stable, in the shadow of the palisade. You immediately grow suspicious, as you also notice that two armored soldiers are patrolling the trading post’s walls. You don’t even have the time to draw your weapons: Oleg comes closer and greets your arrival with a rather radiant smile. “Oh-oh, welcome back my Brevic friends. How’s the bandits hunt gone?”. The gruff man puts up a concerned expression as he notices Rob. “And who’s this guy?” Rob could have well let you handle the delicate question, but he instead prefer to introduce himself: “Well met, Master Oleg. Name’s Rob, Rob Henderson. My father died in a border skirmish against the Molthuni soldiers when I was seven and my mother became a whore to pay her flyleaf addiction” he says with a smile, as though those memories couldn’t hurt him anymore. Oleg stares at the guy with his mouth gaping like a dead fish. He looks at you, seeking for some sort of explanation. Rob just shrugs and continues carrying your loot around the trading post.
After you’ve provided Oleg with an answer to his concerns, you hear a metallic clattering coming from the middens. In a few seconds, the man causing those noises reveals himself: he’s a rather tall man, with manly features partially covered by his steel helm. He wears a not-so-shiny breastplate. He approaches slowly, gazing at each of you with a stern look. Once he’s in front of you, he speaks with a cold voice: “Good morning explorers. My name is Kesten Garess, and I’m tasked to protect this place from the bandits and monsters lurking in the Greenbelt. Those three men you can see around are my underlings: Titus Lavenia, Dimitrii Alynev and Anatoly Schuk. Well done with those bandits: Oleg told me you’ve defeated them in a heartbeat. Very well done. Now, with your permission, I have to get back to my duties.” The man bows stiffly and reaches his men atop the walls.
---
After Kesten has left, Oleg briefly explains you why the man is here along with his underlings: “Remember when I told you I had asked the Brevic government for some guards to protect my place? That’s it, there they are. I cannot complain. Sir Kesten is a skilled fighter and bears a noble surname, so I’m fine with him and his soldiers”.
---
Once you’re done carrying you loot in the trading post, Svetlana approaches and greets you warmly: “Oh, here you are again. I prayed Erastil every night for you to return safe and sound, and it seems like the Old Deadeye has listened. I’m so glad to see you! Oh…Those are my radishes? Take a look, Oleg! See what the guys have brought back for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”, says Svetlana with her usual good mood as she unties a pouch from her belt. “Here, they are not much, but I want you to keep them. For your trouble. Don’t forget to visit Bokken and bring him a sack of moon radishes when you’ll have the time too. He will give you some magic potions for sure! Oleg, help me carrying this sack in the kitchen. Today moon radishes soup for everyone at lunch!”, says the woman as she steps in the building where she lives with her husband.
---
After having helped Svetlana to carry the sack in the kitchen, Oleg comes back with a mug of beer for each of you. Rob is not included in the generous offer though. “Well sit down my friends and tell me how things went out there. Did you manage to kill those mean dogs?”
While the conversation ensues, Svetlana returns with a steaming bowl of moon radishes soup. Upon eating it, you feel relieved, as though your physical troubles were instantly eased. Your mind is filled with strange images though, and you cannot avoid to look at Svetlana with a rather different intent: you notice for the first time her generous breasts bouncing around. And Roksana finds herself surprisingly attracted by some of her companions. It’s not a compelling effect, nor something that gives you visions. You just feel a bit more sexually active.
______________________________________
Kryolani starts by gulping down the soup. The broth is delicious and warm enough to wash away the lingering chill in his bones. Soon, though, as the warm feelings turn to distracting thoughts, he pushes away the remnants in the bowl.
"Bokken, eh? You'll have to direct us that way. A friendly alchemist in the region should make this exploration a bit easier. The first bit of bandits have been dealt with. Scattered or slain. Or, in one case, given a single last chance to reform in exchange for information. Information that... could have been less distressing. Have you folks heard the name of the Stag Lord?"
Jacobus thanked Svetlana for the money but offered to return it to her, "We don't need additional compensation. The fact that you care and cook for us without charge is more than enough."
"Oleg, will you be able to keep an eye out for the Rob? I think the kid means well and with the extra eyes maybe you can give him a chance. Only one chance is all he gets and he knows that. Just keep him busy; the idle mind is home to many sins."
Doing his best to keep his eyes off Oleg's wife, he asked, "So what is the deal with Kesten; how long are they staying here?"
He then turned to his companions, "What do you all think of visiting the apothecary tomorrow?"
As they arrive in camp Roksana takes stock of the new 'protection', unsure if she should trust Garess and his men.
She's happy to let the others tell the story of the bandit camp and their scuffle for the radishes as she takes the time to clean her hammer and armor so there's no remaining blood the next time she enters combat.
When dinner comes around the tall half-orc finds herself blushing terribly. Unable to look at her companions or Svetlana without having some unpolite thoughts, she keeps her face in her bowl and only gives a cursory mumble if addressed.
"Visiting the apothecary sounds like a good idea, Svetlana do you think you could tell use how to get there?" She dares to take a quick look at Oleg's wife and her companions but immediately regrets it, her blush turns an even deeper shade of red. This radish is powerful stull
Serolt largely ignores the military presence, though he is pleased they're there.
"If we have in fact made enemies of the bandits, it's good that Oleg and Svetlana will be protected. We can't stay here all winter, and there may be reprisals."
That aside, he smiles and hefts Svetlana's purse, "Maybe we can use this as a bandit improvement fund? Give it to Oleg to hire Rob. Easy."
"And yes, let us see this Bokken immediately. He may have the wand we seek, or an avenue to acquire one. Either way, anything we can do to knit this area together is good for us."
Kryolani turns to Oleg during the meal, "Sir, in order to help with the exploration of the territory, we were hoping to purchase a wand of curing. Is that something you could help us facilitate? We figured you might know someone in Brevoy that could make the purchase and have it sent down."
Oleg quickly answers Kryolani between a spoonful and the next one. "If you wish to purchase something from Restov, I can arrange to make it arrive here. But it will take some time. If you want to purchase that wand please write a note with its name and leave it here". The man grunts when the idea of leaving Rob here is mentioned: "This guy was a bandit, and I will allow no bandit in my home. My answer is no, I'm sorry. He's no good, and I don't want him here. He must leave, before night comes."
Svetlana smiles when addressed and refuses to accept her reward back: "No, please, don't force me to insist. I want you to take that money. You've earned it; besides, they could save your life someday. So keep them, please", says the woman. "Bokken? Oh, well, his hut it's not far from here. Just travel east for a few miles and then turn slightly southeast. You should be able to see his hut without problem. It's a day's ride from here...Altough I have to worn you: the man is a bit...crazy. He's a strange one, but still a very talented potion maker. We have been buying potions from him for the last five months and he has always complied with the agreements we had made. Just...be nice to him. There's a lot of pain and sorrow in his past. Don't be rude, be patient instead, and he'll give you what you want."
"They're going to stay here as long as needed, Mr. Varadin", chimes in Oleg as his wife explains you how to reach Bokken's hut.
"As it will take time, and we don't know if this alchemist even has one, I say we order the wand now, before we leave."
Serolt carefully writes down exactly what they want, and gives Oleg the cash to buy it.
He gives the gold and the note to Oleg, "Get this just as quick as you can. Thanks."
- - -
He shrugs when Oleg refused the boy. Can't be helped.
[b]"Look son, you've got to scamper, but chin up. You'll do just fine in Brevoy. Here, take a few gold to get you started. No sense in backsliding now."[b] he gives the boy 10gp from his own purse.
- - -
Jacobus nods gracefully and takes the money back from Svetlana, "We shall make a profit for everyone with the money then. Thank you."
The inquisitor claps the kid on the shoulder, "If you're serious about turning yourself around, go see Varadin & Sons and they'll give you a job. Tell them that Jacobus sent you."
"Will do sir!", answers Rob to both Serolt and Jacobus. "I'll start a fresh new life. Even though I would have preferred to follow you. But I guess Brevoy will make. Thank you for your trust, and...Well, good luck with the Stag Lord, if that's what you're after".
---
For today, you have travelled enough. Now it's time to rest, sell some items and prepare to depart again tomorrow at dawn. While you enjoy your stay at Oleg's you also have the chance to notice that a new wanted poster has been added to the previously empty Oleg's bulletin board. The poster reads as follows.
---
The Sootscale kobolds dwell in a cave somewhere in the Kamelands. Normally not a problem, they’ve been riled up by something lately. Find their lair and ensure that the kobolds aren’t going to continue being a threat.
Reward: 800 gp from the Aldori Swordlords.
---
At dinner, you also hear this rumor from Kesten's guards: An old friend of a friend had a brother who went missing in the Stolen Lands a while back. A traveling wizard. His spellbook’s probably just rotting away in the underbrush or in some monser’s lair. Shame, really!
Serolt fingers the notice, "When we've returned this might be interesting. 800gp is a tidy sum, and we know what the kobolds like to eat anyway. Might be some use that."
"And if Brevoy doesn't work, there's still my mercenary offer." Rok gives Rob a firm handshake when they send him off, not entirely sure how sincere the boy is, but she's hopeful.
She sneers at the poster, "That's a lot of money just for killing Kobolds. They must be raising all sorts of hell there in the Kamelands for pay to be that good. Either that or whatever riled them up is tougher than this bulletin wants to admit. Regardless it sounds like a good fight, and that money could help outfit us for whenever we deal with this Stag Lord."
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— Wealday, Pharast the 8th, 4609 AR
— Dawn
— Oleg’s trading post
— Cloudy and temperate
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You wake up the following the day, at dawn, and as always enjoy a good and hearty breakfast prepared by Svetlana. Unfortunately, you haven’t had enough time to trade the items you’ve found in the Thorn Ford Camp, so you’re leaving them at the trading post. Oleg accepts to watch over them while you’ll be away.
Before you depart, though, Oleg comes closer, taking advantage of a moment in which Svetlana is inside their house. “Hey guys…Just wandering if you could do me a little favor while you’re out there. Nothing too hard nor dangerous I suppose. The bandits stole Svetlana’s wedding ring when they came the first time. I had hoped you to find it in their camp, but the ring is not in your sacks. Maybe they’ve already sold it, or someone have stolen it from them. I know, it’s only a ring, but Svetlana has suffered from its loss. There’s her name etched on the inside of the ring. If you could track it down or somehow manage to find it, I would be very grateful…I would offer you a thousand pieces of gold in trading post’s credit as a reward. That ring is very important to my wife, and so it’s for me…Thank you!”
---
You spend most of the day in the wilds, exploring the area where Bokken’s hut should be according to Sveltana’s indications. Unfortunately, it also starts raining, and your exploration gets a bit slowed down by the low visibility and the hindrace. Anyway, by the end of the day, in the afternoon, you spot a lonely hut in the plains and you ride towards it.
---
When you knock on the wooden door of the hut, you have to wait for almost a minute before someone on the other side comes and opens it. The man standing in front of you is quite old, with wild red hairs: he appears to be trembling, but maybe it’s just the cold weather. “Who-Who aar’ya? Watcha want?” says the man with a mad expression on his face. Behind him, you can glance at a rather small hut containing all manners of alchemical tools and potion material, messily scattered around the hut.
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______________________________________
--- ---
"Of course we'll look for Svetlana's ring Oleg. It's good to see you're so concerned for her." She packs her things as she talks to Oleg and then peers outside, to judge the weather. "Rain clouds, not too many though, probably just be wet for a handful of hours. Temperature seems like it's likely to drop again though. Make sure you pack your furs boys!"
As they travel she keeps her eyes wandering, trying to stay alert for any danger, even as they arrive at the hut she keeps one hand close to her hammer. When the man inside proves to be steps outside she smiles a little and grabs some of the radishes they hadn't given Svetlana and holds them up.
"We were told you might be interested in trading some goods for these moon radishes. Please don't tell us we came all this way for nothing!"
Jacobus is glad that this person spoke common and not just attacked them.
"Good morning good sir. As my partner indicates, we have some moon radishes that we were told you might be interested in."
He blows on his hands to ward off the cold, "We are staying at Oleg's and his wife told us to come see you to see if you had any healing potions available for sale."
Bokken stares at Roksana for a few second, his eyes fixed on her. Seconds pass, and the situation is beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable when the weird man suddenly shakes his head as if his soul has just returned into his body after a short absence. “Moon radishes? Well, yeah. I need them, thank you”. Bokken grabs the sack containing the moon radishes, and shuts the door closed. Leaving you outside.
Before the situation can turn violent, though, the man open the door again. He’s holding five potions in his hands, each one labeled with a quivering handwriting. “For you”, he says in a toothless smile, as he hands you four of the potions. “This one is to sell. Cure moderate wounds. 300 gold pieces. I can make other potions, but you will have to place an order for them and wait for a few days”. After accepting your possible orders and possibly selling you the cure light wounds potion, he shuts the door closed.
---
Seconds pass, and the weird man appears not to be willing to open the door again. But suddenly he does. “I need fangberry juice. I’m running low. You’re good gatherers. I’m good potion-maker. You bring fangberries to me. I sell you potions at a discount. 25 percent. For one month. We have a deal”. Bokken starts frantically nodding to himself. Then, without anyone really paying attention to it, he show you his missing pinky finger. “What are you looking at?” He spits. “My brother. Bastard cut that offa me the last time he hit my mother, Desna rest her soul. But he took off right after to live in a hollow tree down south rather than face the guards, so I guess it all worked out well enough.” Bokken walks outside of his hut, takes ten steps ahead, then shakes his head frantically, looking around nervously. Suddenly, he rushes back into his hut and slams the door closed. “Goodbye! Bring fangberries!”
______________________________________
Serolt nods in agreement with Rok. "We'll want to be indoors tomorrow that's for sure."
Before leaving Oleg's he buys some furs (12gp, 5#, +2 survival checks vs cold) and puts them on over his cold weather gear and armor.
Later, at Bokken's, he tries to get a word in edgewise with the strange little man, "I don't suppose you have any wands do you? We need one for cold weather, any chance of that?"
He expects to be disappointed but he hopes.
When asked for Fangberries, he wonders where they might be found.
Unsure, he asks Bokken, if possible, "Where would you find these berries? I'm not familiar with them."
Kryolani stares are the door to the hovel for a moment. "Ooooookay. Well, we've got some potions, and a few ideas of things we can do. First though, I suggest we get back to the trading post. Rok, you said tomorrow is going to be chilly? We don't want to be out in that yet." Kryolani plucks the stopper out of one of the potion vials and takes a whiff. The stench is somewhere between boiled cabbage and burning squirrel fur. It is not pleasant, and he quickly crams the stopper back in. "Ugh. Yeah, I don't want to be the first guy who needs to drink this. Lets get back into cover and make plans."
Roksana listens as Bokken makes his request and waits for some clue as to where these berries might be, once that's over with she nods at Kryolani.
"He's right, cold damn near put me out of commission the last time we were out here, we don't have anything overly pressing to handle, the bandits are already fortified and the berries aren't going anywhere. It's too bad we already sent that boy on his way though, we might have asked him about Svetlana's ring."
As the party turns to leave Roksana waggle her pinky finger at Serolt and smiles wryly.
"Please tell me your story is better than his. You don't have to tell me what happened, but I just tell me it's interesting. "
“Wands? No, I can’t craft them. And no, I don’t know where to find fangberries. A hunter used to provide them to me. But he must be dead. I’ve not seen him in a few months now. Yeah, he must be dead”.
---
You spend the rest of the day exploring the area surrounding Bokken’s hut. When the sun sets, Serolt finds a comfortable shelter where to sleep in and you spend the whole night there, alternating in watch duties.
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— Oathday, Pharast the 9th, 4609 AR
— Dawn
— Bokken’s hut surroundings
— Rainy
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As the sun rises above the Kamelands to the south, you pack your gear and depart as soon as possible, knowing that a rainy and cold day is approaching.
You reach Oleg’s trading post in about three hours, and when you arrive you’re welcomed warmly by both Svetlana and Oleg. The warm inside the trading post is welcoming. As soon as you arrive you also notice that there’s another person in the trading post, someone who you haven’t ever seen before. He’s a middle-aged man, with deep wrinkles and a receding hairline. He smiles at you kindly upon your arrival and Svetlana introduces him to you: “Guys, have you met Father Kavken? He’s an Erastilian priest and has arrived yesterday evening”. The man nods at Svetlana and stands up from the bench where he had been sitting to shake hands with each of you. “Well met, travelers. My name is Johd Kavken. I already heard amazing stories about you and I’m so glad to make your acquaintance. I’m here because I received a vision from my god. I had planned to search what I had seen myself, but when Oleg and Svetlana here told me about your task of exploring these lands, I thought I could just wait for you and see if you could help me”, explains the main with a quiet and warm voice.
---
Outside it’s still raining and you have plenty of time to speak to Father Kavken. You’re in the guesthouse, only you and him. The priest is sitting on a bed, looking outside through the windows, his eyes staring at Kesten’s guards patrolling the walls. “Do you believe in dreams, guys? I do. I had a particularly vivid dream about an overgrown temple of Erastil guarded by a huge, angry bear not so long ago. Upon waking from my dream, I felt an irresistible tug to the south, and realized that Erastil had given me a chance to serve him. I also heard rumors of “lost temples” to Erastil in the Stolen Lands. Maybe one of them is the one I saw in my dream? Anyway, if you would like to help me, you just need to keep an eye out for anything of this nature: a lost temple of Erastil guarded by an angry bear.” The man’s accent is somehow exotic or at least not so common in Brevoy.
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"I'm not exactly sure what the weather's going to be but it looked like a cold front was moving in yesterday, so I suggest we wait a while before heading out."
Serolt will ask Oleg how long it takes for things to arrive from Brevoy - specifically the wand of Endure Elements we're ordering. If we buy one or more tents, can they be had from Oleg or do we need to wait for Brevoy for that as well?
- - -
He shakes Father Kavken's hand, "Father. Nice to meet you. Godly visions are uncommon. You must be quite driven to be out this far. Angry bear huh? Could be dangerous depending on the breed."
"We're waiting out the weather for now, but we can and will keep our eyes open for you. Do you have any other information that might help? Did you see a forest or plains in your dream? A stream or other water source? Anything?"
Jacobus smiles as he meets the Erastil priest, "It's great to see Old Dead Eye is active in these areas; it looks like plenty of settlers could use his help in building communities."
"We will surely look for any trace of old temples, especially when we go south then."
The inquisitor then brings up another subject, "Did you guys see the poster on bandits? We need to make sure that the Sworldlords know it was us who routed them..."
When Serolt goes to speak to Oleg in the storage, the man is busy lifting a heavy crate. "Hey Serolt, come here, gimme a hand". As they lift up the crate, Oleg wipes out the sweat from his forehead and listens to Serolt's requests. "Mmm...Usually it takes a week for items to arrive from Restov. But I have that tent you're looking for. Do you want to buy it?"
---
Father Kavken listens intently to Serolt's questions and thinks about them for a few seconds, brushing his thick moustaches with his hand. "It was a forest...Yes, a forest with several tall beech trees. There was also a pool of murky water in my vision".
Kryolani leans over to stage whisper to Rok and Jacobus as Serolt deals with Father Kavken, "So. A bear. Tell me they are not nearly as large as I've always heard. Even if they are, I'm thinking south as soon at the weather clears, we try to explore the territory around the bandit encampment we cleared out, see if we can find that ring. Thoughts?"