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Meredith enjoys the trip. It's quiet. She'll miss trading survival advice with Dalen, but life doesn't stand still; she had to follow her own path. This Yorad fellow had to be directed every step of the way. He is definitely a city guy.
Meredith is glad to see Denair found a new friend, at least one who is willing to listen to her stories. And Frankie continues to enjoy their company.
When they arrive at the village, Meredith notes how much vegetation has taken over. "I guess that's what happens in the end. You borrow land, and the land will return to claim it."
She casts Unseen Servant and calls upon the forces of wind to gain the diligence of ants. They form into a vaguely humanoid shape.
"Alright, we have some stuff to find... If no one has any big ideas we can just start with this building." She walks towards the closest building, then quickly turns after Frankie. "Wait! We don't know what's in there!"
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Jan will pay particular attention to identifying the local flora and fauna, as well as checking for any humanoid (or other) tracks that may be on the path and/or surrounding area.
, *
Is this place too quite?
*
"This place looks deserted, but looks can be deceiving.", Jan readies his composite shortbow, nocking a cold-iron arrow.
*=+2 if this region is considered 'Cold' terrain.
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Brayden always appreciated nature and its beauty, and so he stayed relatively silent through the journey, enjoying the sight of the river and the dipping valleys and rising hills. Each breath he took was a new inward journey of its own.
Serene, isn't it?
"This god summoning has me a little shaken, to be honest. I'm not sure what we'll find here, and I'd prefer we be careful. Oh, Frankie, wait!" Brayden draws his blade quickly as he rushes ahead.
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Lazarus looks around the deserted Farheaven village. "Some of the wood used in the original construction of the buildings has been pulled free. Something or someone has been here, since Nelket and the other survivors fled."
After a quick prestidigitation shower and a little dry cleaning of his robes, the samsaran joins the search of the eery location.
During the two and a half days that make up your trek out to the old Farheaven village Jan makes note of the area's local flora - towering coniferous evergreens such as larches, firs, pines, and cedars and deciduous birches, willows, and poplars. The area also teems with a surprising amount of wildlife - starlings and goldfinches sing from the trees, chipmunks and red squirrels scurry along in the search of seeds and nuts, and at one point you even catch a brief glimpse of a reindeer before the noise of your trek frightens it away! And of course the occasional howling heard at night leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that wolves also prowl these woods.
But this is no mere nature walk and even the remote forests of Iobaria may hold dangers besides hungry wolves or angry bears. Jan keeps a wary eye open for tracks...
You occasionally spot the tracks of wolves and even a wolverine at various points during your trek out to the village. And, from time to time, you find tracks left by humanoid boots - most of them old. You recall that Nelket did mention that others lived out in the wilds of the Norinor Forest, but largely kept to themselves.
As you draw close to the old village, however, you find tracks that are much more recent - probably made within the last day or so. You count three different sets of footprints - one set is large, like those of a man, while the other two are smaller and narrower like those of women.
Eager as ever, Frankie dashes up to the closest standing structure, which appears to have once been a home. This small building is overrun with a dense thicket of vines and shrubs bearing yellow-green leaves. Rather surprisingly, the door is still standing and seems relatively sturdy but isn't locked. Opening it reveals a large, single room that may have once been a combined kitchen and family area judging by the broken and rotting wooden furniture. In the southern wall a gaping hole that was once another doorway outside reveals a rickety old porch and a set of warped stairs. Another large hole punctures the eastern wall where a section of the wall seems to have collapsed. Almost immediately, everyone's eyes are drawn to one thing - hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room are several handcrafted necklaces, including one made of leather and strung with bear claws and black feathers.
As you look around you realize that this entire building is heavily overrun by a particularly dangerous, mutated strain of poison oak. It's going to take some careful maneuvering to get inside and get the necklace without coming into contact with it.
"Oh. That's poison oak." Denair points at the vines. "If you want the necklace without the oak, you'll have to be very acrobatic."
Meredith casts Guidance on whomever wants it before approaching the necklace.
"Oh wait, duh!" Denair grins. "I'll just ask the vines to move aside."
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"It's alright Frankie-boy," Yorad grins his eyes filled with mirth, "I once saw a sailor roll around in a patch of poison oak... or was it ivy? Can never remember the difference... on a dare...Anyway he needed to be bathed in a nasty solution for a week, just to get the swelling down!" He steps away from the entrance of the building, "If they can get that necklace out of there, then more power to 'em!"
After a quick bit of discussion it's decided that Meredith's Unseen Servant will retrieve the necklace, sparing the rest of you a very painful and itchy fate. Before it does so Lazarus takes a few moments to examine the necklaces and the surrounding area for magical auras but doesn't turn up anything. The necklaces seem to be just that - necklaces.
With that question answered the Unseen Servant is able to navigate the tangle of vines, if a bit slowly, and retrieve all of the necklaces. The first is of course the necklace of bear claws and black feathers but the other two are much finer, made of spun gold. One is set with an opal and the other, a topaz. Other than the necklaces, there doesn't seem to be anything else of note within the abandoned dwelling.
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Frankie, apparently asleep at the wheel as he kicks some toadstools in the grass, looks up to see everyone going into another cabin "HEY! I can't see back here!" He hops up and down doing his best to at least beat Denair inside.
Frankie turns and points off into the grass "Hey Denny, look at that cool weed over there!"
"Huh? Where?"
She looks at some grass, then looks back at Frankie. "You didn't mean that at all, did you?" She giggles and follows him. "The oak is real itchy, anyway. You wouldn't have liked it anyway. Rashes and burns all over. I can ask them to stand aside, but they only listen to me."
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Deciding that the best approach should be a thorough one, you leave the first abandoned building behind and move across the way to the next. This building actually appears to have once been some sort of stable or barn, adjoining a fenced-in pen that's now completely overgrown with weeds and vines. Of all the buildings near the village center this one seems to have weathered the passage of time quite poorly, as the small building creaks ominously in the wind as though it might collapse at any moment.
Lazarus does a thorough walk of the perimeter, looking for any signs of the other items needed for the ritual - a darkwood carving of a bear, a silver bowl, or even a polished, mottled stone - as well as any potential dangers. Though thankful to not discover any of the latter, neither does he discover any of the former.
All is quiet.
Still a bit curious about the dilapidated stable, Frankie scoots forward to check out the door - or what's left of it. The large double-doors hang precariously on their hinges; it looks like they could be opened by a simple push.
Meanwhile Meredith moves towards the next building, heading back towards the east. This house has certainly seen better days, but it seems to have weathered the last 15 years with more success than its neighbors. The walls and roof look more or less intact, though plenty of vines now cover the detailed carvings along the vertical support beams. The steps leading up to the porch on the southwest, next to where Meredith now stands, look like they’re about to collapse but the door of the house still seems rather sturdy.
As you study the house, something seems a little 'off' about it to Lazarus and perhaps some of the rest of you...
You suddenly realize that the house is actually well maintained but has been made to look as if it were in the same state of disrepair as the surrounding buildings.
Denair takes a look at the southern house and frowns. "Someone has been maintaining this building. He or she just made it look broken. I'm gonna take a look."
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Jan takes his time checking the area and moves to a position to protect Lazarus when the need arises.
- +2 vs. Humans, +2 in cold terrain.
"Someone... or something is here."
Jan stows away his composite bow and draws his axe and shield.
"Prepare yourselves for battle... and may the gods protect you."
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"Something is living here and wanting to make this hut look deserted. Given the history of this place, I will keep FEYKILLER handy... for the time being"
Jan scowls at Brayden and Yorad... These two have no sense of battle, how do they expect to survive if they walk around with their eyes half-closed.
Now on high alert, several of you fan out near the house to give the area a more thorough search and Denair immediately slips into the shadows. While there don't seem to be any traps around the house or on its front door, the door is quite obviously locked rather than broken or barricaded. Old, tattered curtains hang over the windows but with careful observation Denair can see that the interior of the house seems nicer than the outside - she can just make out what looks like a table and some chairs, as well as a few furs adorning the walls. What look like dried herbs hang from the ceiling.
Denair pulls out her thieves tools from Meredith. Assuming Frankie doesn't want to do it, she sticks her hands out and fiddles with the lock.
As the rest of you keep watch, Denair sets to work on getting the door to the building open. From what each of you can tell, working together, there doesn't seem to be anything out sorts near the house. No half-eaten bones, no carrion, no slime, no nothing, except...near the northwestern corner of the building Jan does finally spot what look to be tracks similar to the ones he spotted just outside the village. Even more telling is that it appears that someone actually tried to cover said tracks...
Unfortunately, try as she might, Denair just can't seem to crack the lock. But never fear, Frankie is here! It takes a little time even from Frankie but the lock finally does yield with a soft *click*. With everyone ready for just about anything, Meredith's Unseen Servant carefully swings the door open. The interior of the building is dark but the light flooding in from the open door is enough to reveal a surprisingly nice interior - much nicer than the outside. Animal skins and woven rugs adorn the walls and floors, helping to keep out the weather, and dried flowers and pleasant-smelling herbs hang from parts of the ceiling. A small table stands against the eastern wall, directly across from the door, upon which sits a large silver bowl.
Funny...it's almost like someone actually lives here, or something...
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Frankie's eyes strain to see inside the room but alas its no use. He digs in his belt pouch and pulls out a glowing stone and tosses it up, sending it whirling around his head. The room lights up significantly and Frankie gets to work. "Woah, I think someone is living here? Maybe they know what happened?" He carefully starts searching around for anything interesting.
"Well, at least the door's open..."
Denair slips inside and climbs across the ceiling, trying to keep quiet.
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Lazarus nods in agreement with Yorad, "I'll wait outside on the porch." He moves up the wooden steps and peers in the door, then looks up and down what passes for a 'street' for the building's owner.
He draws another wand, using it to cast mage armor on himself, then stows it away. Caution, Grasshopper. Not every stranger's peaceful, not every homeowner appreciates uninvited 'guests'.