Wraith remains in the doorway, not inclined to sit. She does, however, set her pack down just inside the room, out of the doorway, as a concession to the warm welcome Tokor has offered.
Wish she would stop bossing people around. Had enough of that for a couple of her lifetimes. And what gives her the impression that she speaks for all of us, anyway? Just because she's the loudest and some of us prefer not to speak unless necessary?
Tokor scratches his head. "Dream magic, you say? I didn't think that was really a thing that people do. I mean, I mostly focus on transmutation and levitation, but my understanding is that putting specific images into someone's sleeping mind is rather difficult, and I would think anyone powerful enough to do so would have better things to do with their time."
He pauses to think some more, stroking his chin. "I mean, obviously I wouldn't know the potential motivations of everyone who might possibly be able to do that, but I really can't think of anything."
His smile falters only briefly at his inability to help, then resumes full force as he moves on to other questions. "Now, as for those crates, they contain mostly just ordinary supplies. Blank spellbooks with the Academy's name on them, potion-mixing flasks, high-quality ink, that sort of thing. We've not yet gotten long-term relationships settled with local suppliers, so our inventory gets channeled through the main campus in Sempal, then comes to us."
Tokor sighs, then says, "I'm sure Ella thinks I'm being silly when it's less than a day late, but the road from Sempal to here isn't exactly long and complicated, where someone could get lost. Maybe I'm just a worrywart, but I can't help wondering if something happened, like maybe bandits or something." He looks over at Teo and says "That's why I included the part about additional compensation if things get complicated. We had another shipment, every bit as ordinary, never arrive a couple of weeks ago as well. And another one a while before that. Of course," he grins broadly, "Only the inventory guy would really take notice of that, right? Maybe you all can prove I'm just being silly, and get some easy cash just by taking a walk. Or if it turns out something's up..." he spreads a smile across the lot of you... "Well, you look like folks who could handle it."
Having taken control of the conversation with the chief secretary, Finlogan relaxes and practices elven patience. He wants to see how these strangers think and what they reveal of themselves.
Gwenifer hops to her feet. "So you don't actually care so much about your stuffy books and inks. What you really want us to do is clear the road of bandits. Why didn't you just say so? The real question is, why are we sitting around here drinking tea when there are heads to bash?"
Gwenifer unsheathes her greatsword and with a single overhead chop slices the chair she was just sitting on symmetrically in two right down the middle. "Woe is the foe who stands before Gwen the Widower! If you like that, come see my performance tonight." She winks at Mr. Tokor. "As a transmuter, you can probably just wiggle your fingers and fix that, can't you? If not, put it on my tab. Gwenifer always pays her debts."
With that Gwenifer re-sheaths her sword and starts marching towards the road to Sempal not waiting to see if anyone else is following her.
Finlogan's eyebrows arch at the woman's behavior. His hands slowly relax and move away from the hilts of his shortswords when she sheathes her greatsword. He feels his body relax a shade when she leaves the room.
After an uncomfortable silence, the wood elf prince politely says to Mr. Tokor, "I would have that cup of tea, now."
While someone is pouring the tea, he congenially suggests, "Mr. Tokor, maybe you could start by describing to whom you entrusted the delivery of the shipments that have gone missing. Maybe more precisely estimate the timing of those missing shipments and what they might look like en route. Saddlebags? A crate? A cart full? Many carts?"
He looks to the others in the room for consensus and encouragement to join the conversation. He hoped they were not as ill-mannered as the woman.
Wraith raises an eyebrow at Gwen's demonstration, but otherwise listens patiently, absorbing the information for future reference.
Mr. Tokor jumps back in alarm as Gwen draws a weapon in his office like some kind of maniac, and is visibly relieved when she leaves.
"I, um..." he stammers, his smile shattered. He takes a breath to compose himself, then replies to Finlogan, "I- I don't choose how things get shipped here. The main campus would have some local courier to bring it, most likely in a one- or two-horse cart. It's three crates, stamped with the Academy name. It's only a few hours from Sempal to Linhaus, so I'd have expected it to arrive by mid-afternoon yesterday. When it didn't, I posted on that bulletin board last night."
Tokor wipes some sweat from his face, clearly shaken from the sudden use of arms in his office, and seems to be verging on tears.
"Um, well, if that's all...?" he says, looking downward at his desk.
Seeing Mr. Tokor so upset, Finlogan offers his newly poured tea cup to him. "Mr. Tokor, you seem like you need this tea more than me at the moment. If we get all the way to Sempal without finding anything, we probably should investigate at the academy. Who would be the best person for us to discuss your shipment?"
Teo grabs a cup of the tea for the road.
Once they got outside of his chambers, Teo began talking. "I'd advise no more chopping up of chairs. I'm afraid he will try to use that when it comes time to discuss our final recompense. In fact, if you all will let me do the talking, I bet I can wheedle more out of him than he even expects. There's no telling what craziness we will run in on this job, or that we can tell him we ran into!"
Gwenifer smiles at her small female friend. "Oh, wonderful! For a second there I thought I'd be waiting outside by myself. I do apologize for the chair but I can see you are a young entrepreneur yourself so I'm sure you appreciate the importance of proper advertising. I perform at that the local taverns. You should check it out."
"Oh and if he does charge for the chair, I'll pay for it out of my pocket. I'm not in it for the money. I'm in it for the fame!" Gwenifer closes her eyes, raises her arms in the air, and spins in a circle imagining the adoration of her fans. "But don't worry, I'll do my best not to hinder your attempts at negotiation. Girls like us need to stick together." Gwenifer pats Teo on the shoulder and waits for the others to finish their questions inside.
"I like your style, Gwennie! Of course, you terrify me, but I think we can be fast friends. I respect someone who doesn't shirk from the limelight. I appreciate that."
Mores the gold for me, if she's not interested! I like her already...
Naia watches Gwen, again, with some interest. She waits for the party to leave and makes a small apology for the outburst, and asks who she might talk to in future about the strange events that led her here. Once given direction or information Again she follows the group.
How this current task might be helping me I am not sure. But I am learning a lot about people outside the wetlands...
"Who would be the best person for us to discuss your shipment?"
Tokor explains that if it comes to that, the front desk of the Sempal campus should be able to retrieve records and/or direct you further.
Finlogan thanks Mr. Tokor for his time and politely departs.
On his way out, he introduces himself to the two elves (Naia Tam & Alexis) who leave the room with him. "Well, it appears that we will be traveling together. My name is Finlogan. Who might you be?"
Wraith She heads in the direction of the road, calling over her shoulder, Are you coming, or are you staying? She sets a steady pace, but not fast enough to make them run if they wait another few moments to follow.
Finlogan had never stopped walking toward the road and found the elf-maid's brevity almost as rude as the woman, because he holds elves to higher standards of civilization than other races, especially humans.
The wood elf looked next to him toward the water elf hoping for at least one of his fated companions with hospitable manners. His graceful pace easily matches the water elf's strides.
Gwenifer spots the elves approaching and cheerfully waves them closer.
"Hey there! Glad you could make it! The more the merrier. Five heads are better than one or so they say. How was the tea? I'm kind of regretting not staying to finish mine. I could use a caffeine kick right about now. I burn through energy like you wouldn't believe. Anyway, we should hurry. If there are bandits, they aren't going to just be waiting for us in the middle of the road. Well...they might. Either way, the sooner we get this job done, the sooner we can be back in a tavern celebrating our success. The first round is on me! And in case you were worrying that this walk would be boring, don't. I came prepared and brought my drum along with me. I can really rock some beats! And I got enough songs to last us there and back."
Gwenifer unstraps a small drum from her pack and begins wailing on it as loud as she can while she marches forward.
"Lashing out the action, returning the reaction
Weak are ripped and torn away
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower
Gwenifer is here to stay!"
Does she want to be ambushed? I'm out of here.
I'll scout ahead. Can you be any louder? You haven't alerted enough people yet. Are you trying to get us killed? That racket will alert any potential enemies in plenty of time to set up an ambush.
Wraith speeds up without waiting for an answer, moving ahead and off the road into whatever cover or other strategically advantageous position she can find.
"NO, I don't want to get anyone killed. That's why I carry this greatsword. It is for defending my allies and good people in need."
"I guess you haven't traveled with many bards. I met this one bard in Korkas who introduced me to this wonderful instrument called a bagpipe. Now that was a sound to behold!"
"We've hardly left town, but if you wish for a more stoic journey, I shall put away the drum. I just feel the need to express myself, you know? I'm a young woman in her prime; ready to take on the world; full of love and laughter. How can you not just want to stand up and scream? Aaaaahhhh!!!"
Gwenifer puts away her drum and walks silently after that.
Teo smiles at the crazy human's outburst. This one was very interesting. She stayed by her side. "A bard you say? Can you play any other instruments? I never learned myself. A bagpipe? What is that...I'm pretty sure I've never heard of that one."
"Alas, I only have skill with the drum."
"A bagpipe is just like it sounds: a bag with a pipe connected to it. You squeeze the bag and noise comes out. I don't know its origin. Perhaps dwarven."
Naia accepts the unspoken offer of company along the path...road.
"Well met Finlogan...Prince. I am of the wetlands , and my folk are the Tams. Were we more genealogically inclined we would be also an ancient clan..." here the elf-maid trails off, lost in a reverie of elsewhere, or when. She returns just as quickly to the present.
"There was a disturbance most troubling that mine elders had no knowledge of - they sent me here to find what I could of what it might be. A stillness in the natural order. Like a vacuum of life. But....here we are. And we have the path ahead of us to explore and enjoy. So let us, shall we?" she adds with a true smile.
Finlogan smiles and concludes, finally, a civilized traveling companion."
"Well Lady Tam, it is a genuine pleasure to meet you and travel with you. It is concerning that your elders detected the disturbance. However, it brings us together and provides evidence that our dreams have not been tampered with by a charlatan. Something serious is afoot beyond simple theft."
You follow the road for miles, trying your best to stave off boredom while also keeping an eye out for clues. Hours pass with nothing to see but the road passing beneath your feet. The terrain is gentle, with a few small hills here and there but nothing difficult. Trees dot the landscape, sometimes clustered into small groves further from the road, but it could certainly not be called a forest.
Mid-day arrives, putting you only a few miles from reaching Sempal, when at last you see something. The light rain from a couple of nights back has left the ground somewhat soft, and you can see what appears to be the tracks of a horse-pulled cart, veering off the road and heading west.
"Any of you have better eyes than me? Tracking's not my game. I'm more of a run and hide type than a lets go find them type," Teo says with a laugh.
Finlogan silently and matter-of-factly examines the tracks. He looks for someone to take the lead in tracking, because he does not want to get in front of some of these "ladies". He offers any assistance to another leader.
However, if no one steps forward, he will take point.
Wraith also examines the tracks, aiming to follow them.
This trip would have been less boring if I was allowed to sing... she thinks to herself.
Gwenifer leans again a tree, pulls out a small mirror, and begins checking her looks. "Yawn. Let me know when you find something. I'm not about to start digging through the mud. Do you know how long it takes to look this good?"
Naia takes a look also.
She then looks to see Gwen checking her deportment.
"Apparently a long time..." she comments drily.
Finlogan confirms his knowledge of tracking with the other two elves and lets them take the lead. He falls in easy stride next to Lady Tam.
You follow the cart's tracks easily, following them west. About two miles in, you also notice additional tracks: footprints of boots or shoes, probably about four-ish sets in all, along with the original hoofprints and ruts of the cart you were tracking.
You see some blood on the leaves of a nearby bush.
From here, there are two trails: one continues west, and consists of cart-wheel tracks and a couple of pairs of shoes/boots; and the other heads southwest, and looks like a couple of heavy things were being dragged.
Finlogan examines the tracks. "there's some blood on this bush. Probably a disagreement. We probably should follow the cart if we're interested in recovering the academy's shipment."
Teo was quite impressed with the elf's detective work. "Not you first time in the woods, huh, Fin?"
The halfling fell in line with the others as they continued tracking.
"I dunno. I think we should follow the drag marks. Maybe they stabbed the cart driver we're looking for and dragged him out into the woods. I refuse to let a man die if I can help it. And even if its not, it's most likely the shorter of the two paths. They couldn't have gotten as far dragging something heavy as they could driving a cart."
We need to investigate both. Gwenifer is correct that this is likely the shorter trail. (indicates drag marks) We should follow this first, then the cart.
Without waiting, Wraith follows the drag marks.
to continue following the tracks
to pay attention to everything else
because sneaking is a habit for her
Naia agrees the saving of a life warrants attention over the cart.
"Though, to be fair, either a body or bodies or the "consignment" has been dragged."
to notice anything else
again, to notice stuff...
When the ladies have all headed down the trail with the drag marks, Finlogan smiles and follows. Happy that they chose the right trail first.
Perhaps distracted by her sneaking habit, Wraith (with precious little help from Naia) follows the drag-tracks as best she can. After nearly an hour, you reach a place where she can't seem to pick up the trail again, but you soon see the remains of a horse, lying beside a tree. You prepare to investigate further, but are interrupted as several creatures whose territory you wandered into scurry down from the treetops, looking hungry!
Shaped something like lizards, these dog-sized creatures have a hide that looks almost wooden, much resembling the trees they're clinging to. They have wide jaws full of needle-like teeth and similarly spindly claws with which they latch onto the tree trunks.
These creatures, commonly called "wood skinks", nest in treetops in lightly-wooded areas like this, as well as in denser forests. They are both scavengers and predators, willing to eat both dead and living flesh. It's not entirely unheard of for unscrupulous folks to dispose of bodies by dumping them in wood skinks' territory.
They are excellent climbers and jumpers, and have nasty teeth and claws.
Six of these creatures begin climbing down from the trees, clinging to the trunks like squirrels, but Finlogan, Naia, and Teo are able to react quickly before they get all the way down.
At least we didn't find the body of a man. That means there's still a chance that he's alive.
"Form up! Stay behind me if you need to!"
Finally, some action.
Gwenifer leaps into the air and drives her greatsword down with an overhead strike. "HAAA!!!"
Wraith melts into the trees, pulling out her bow.
Teo casts Acid Splash at the closest enemy.
Spell attack
Damage
Teo burns one of the creatures with acid!
wow.
Finlogan sees the wooden creatures scurrying down their trees. He draws his longbow and targets the closest one from his position in the back of the group.