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Jan counts himself lucky not to have been injured as bad as some of the others.
Removing his wand of cure light wounds from his wrist sheath, Jan will heal himself and his companions (average 4.5 per charge?)
"Everyone remain calm... we need to get to the source of these blazes as soon as possible."
While both Yorad and Jan manage to evade the worst of the flames Meredith and some of the Redpine centaurs aren't quite so lucky, suffering serious burns and being forced to fall back further into the camp.
"See to the wounded; we'll do what we can here!" Nelket cries as she hastens to carry more water to the forefront of the blaze, Dolok doing what he can to help expand the firebreaks with his massive paws.
Brayden renews his stomping efforts against the fire and smoldering brush but still struggles to make any headway; Frankie is in fact right when he points out that it looks more like the brave warrior is singeing his boots than anything. And while Jan works to help heal the wounded, the fires continue to burn...
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Having already done what he could with his knowledge of nature and then using his burning sands spell to create another firebreak, Lazarus scratches his chin thinking about what else he could do.
The wizard-priest mutters another request for Desna's guidance.
"I'm not sure, but maybe we could dig a trench over there to channel the fire away from greater danger areas."
Seeing the wounded centaurs, the samsaran offers to treat their burns. "Let's triage the casualties by the severity of their injuries. I'll treat the most seriously wounded first."
Jan nods in agreement with Lazarus' plan; he trades off triage and healing duties with the clever samsaran and steps back up to the forefront of the fire-fighting to direct the digging of the trench away from the encampment.
It's a long and hard slog, especially with having to deal with those injured by the flames, but working together man, centaur, and goblin slowly manage to push the flames back from the Redpine encampment. With the errant flames beaten back and contained - for now - Chieftain Korag regards each of you. "You could have fled, left us to fight these flames on our own. Once again, you owed us nothing but chose to remain and help us fight the fires. And...that is also true of you, goblin of the Dragonskulls," she remarks, giving Dragbog a rather penetrating look. "Perhaps...the faith of these allies in you and your people is not entirely misplaced. But only time will tell for certain."
"For good or ill, each of you now bear the hopes of the Redpine clan. My people no longer have the strength to travel; it will be all we can do to maintain our position here," Chieftain Korag explains. "Take care on your journey, for I saw the undead monsters that danced in the flames and spread destruction from the Dragonskull village. May the ground always hold firm beneath your feet."
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With the group now free to travel into the Finadar Forest and back to the Dragonskull village Nelket draws out a small pouch and hands it to one of you. "This is for all the help you've given us - and the Redpine - so far. It isn't much but I hope that it will be at least some small compensation for your trouble." The contents of the pouch are revealed to be several pieces of high-quality amber, one of which glows with a soft magical aura upon further inspection.
This is actually a Swarmbane Clasp.
"Dolok and I will need to stay here, to keep an eye on the situation in Mishkar," Nelket continues, glancing back over her shoulder at the town. "Thanks to your help we shouldn't have any more trouble from Kaana and her people, at least for a while. Neither Dolok nor myself have any idea as to the current conditions in the forest though so please, be careful out there, my friends. And that goes for you too, Dragbog!"
Dragbog scoffs, waving off Nelket's concern. "Will be no problem, not with Dragbog leading the way. We be fine!"
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Frankie runs around the entire firefighting crew giving out high fives and handshakes, be it human or horse human, goblin or eidolon, blue man 1 or blue man 2, it doesn't matter. "Great job everybody! We won!"
As Nelket and the big bear bid them farewell Frankie gives them both a hug before dragging Dragbog off towards the path they must take.
"Come on, no time to lose, we've gotta stop the fires from burning up all the dead trees I like to knock over!"
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Recognizing the piece of amber for what it is, Jan nods in acceptance and pins it to his cloak.
Jan expresses the need to sit and pray for while the others prepare for the journey.
Jan casts Rite of Bodily Purity.
"We must trust in the will of Gozreh and the spirits of the forest...it is time for us to be off."
Jan quickly says goodbye to his beloved wife and sets off to face this new threat.
"Yay, ditties!" Denair claps. "This one time, Meredith and this other lady were mumbling about-" she pauses as Meredith gives a death glare. "Right. Keeping quiet."
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"I'm um," Brayden rubs his toe. "I apologize I was not able to help more. I do possess the ability to create water, but I was not prepared this time."
Are you *ever* prepared?
The samsaran turns to the goblin. "Dragbog, it sounds like there are undead to deal with. Bad things, those undead. Might your tribe lend us some assistance at the source?"
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Dragbog screws up his face in thought and digs in his heels, causing both him and Frankie to very nearly tumble to the ground in the process.
"Dragbog thinks maybe two days...two days trip to Dragonskull village, yeah!"
Then he pauses.
"Two days without fire. It'll take more time with fire to dodge, Dragbog thinks maybe...three days? But can't be helped, no other way to go but through woods!"
In response to Brayden's question he frowns, looking uncertain. "Dragonskull goblins all back at human town, safer there. Dragonskull village not safe with houses walking around and burning everything up. Maybe humans know what to do once see walking houses? Healers usually good at making undead re-dead," Dragbog points out, looking specifically at Lazarus and Jan.
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As Yorad begins you hum an amusing DITTY about a drunken sailor, he sees Frankie run off distracted by the goblin once again.
HEY, didn't you want hear my..." his voice trails off and he shrugs.
Oh well, should be a long hike...plenty of time to learn him! He thinks as he hums the ditty to himself.
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Jan is in utter shock and goes deathly pale, "The houses walk... That could be none other than the cursed magic of Baba Yaga! The Spinners have brought my FATE to the forefront."
After regaining his composure, Jan resolves himself as to what must me done and spits, "Cursed be the Witches of Irrisen... Cursed be Baba Yaga! In the name of the spirits of my ancestors... A GREAT VICTORY OR A VALIANT DEATH! Praise Gozreh!"
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Lazarus shrugs. "I've expended my only powerful summons," he fingers his tattoo, "then I used my bonded holy symbol to cast the spell again. And I also used my burning sands spell."
He checks his gear. "Looks like we'll need to rest a couple of times on our journey, anyway. We can set off now, if that's what you want to do."
Dragbog glances over his shoulder at Jan, looking genuinely puzzled.
"Why all the yelling? He do that a lot? Dragonskulls like to yell too before good party or when fighting. Pumps us up. Give him...hmm....7 out of 10. Needs a little more 'ARGHLBLRGHHH' type sound to it," the goblin remarks as he beckons the group to follow after him and Frankie into the burning forest...
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The Finadar Forest is a massive, sprawling woodland filled with conifers, seasonal undergrowth, and uneven terrain. You've been told that travel to the Dragonskull village from Mishkar would normally take two days under ideal conditions. However, with massive swaths of woodland flaring up unpredictably and much of the forest scarred with fire, navigating it now looks like it will be exceptionally difficult. Even worse, the forest air is harsh with smoke, burning at each of your throats and visibility is poor. Still...you're surprised to see that in spite of the fires having apparently been burning for several days, the devastation isn't quite as widespread as you might have expected.
For good or ill, the highly flammable nature of blood pine sap means the wildfire is actually spreading much more slowly than it might otherwise. The fires burn so hot fierce that individual copses frequently flare up and die back down before the fire has time to spread.
You also notice signs of active efforts made to fight the flames. In some areas, the trees show the rejuvenating effects of druidic magic, and in others, they bear the crude but clever cuts of goblin blades.
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"ARGHLBLRGHHH?" Frankie copies, looking to Dragbog for confirmation. Then he continues to repeat the phrase in different sounds and speeds, like he's trying to learn a language. This goes on for at least half an hour, adding in his own versions that sound similar along the way, nodding at Dragbog and Denny frequently to see if they understand what he's saying.
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Lazarus nods, "Meredith's right. For good or ill, the highly flammable nature of blood pine sap means the wildfire is actually spreading much more slowly than it might otherwise." The samsaran points at some of the casualties. "The fires burn so hot fierce that individual copses frequently flare up and die back down before the fire has time to spread."
"Maybe this is why." The wizard-priest points to a few other spots. "Looks like signs of active efforts made to fight the flames. In some areas, the trees show the rejuvenating effects of druidic magic. And other trees bear the crude but clever cuts of goblin blades. Evidence the goblins or someone else tried to stop the fire's spread?"
Denair coughs a lot, but it sounds more like sneezing. She's glad to know someone is looking at it, and she identifies some of the plants.
She watches Jan march off. "He seems really mad. Something about walking houses made him mad. Does he know tiny creatures are living on his body now?"
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Dragbog winces when Jan yells at him and then turns away with a scowl. "Geeze, was just suggestion..." But Denair's comment gets his attention. "Whut? He gots crabs or lice or something? Huh. Guess Dragbog would be grumpy too if he had crabs."
The goblin's own disposition brightens a bit when Meredith and Lazarus point out, here and there, the obvious attempts made to fight the fires by others. "Oh yeah, was Dragonskulls," Dragbog explains, puffing his chest out again with pride. "It hard to fight fires while running from fires and from scary centaur horse-people but we do our best!"
"Oh and droods, droods help too I guess," he adds, almost as an afterthought. "Don't know droods well, they keep to selves kinda like Dragonskulls do. But they okay I guess, for longshanks."
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In spite of the choking smoke and being forced to reroute multiple times around burning patches of trees and underbrush, the group makes good progress throughout the rest of the day with Dragbog and Jan working together - albeit rather tensely - to navigate towards the goblin village. Still, it's an extremely uncomfortable experience. The air glows red, thick with smoke, ash, and glowing embers. It proves very difficult to see more than maybe 20 or 30 feet ahead and the heat is uncomfortable at best and almost overpowering at worst. Signs of life grow fewer and fewer the further in you progress and you suppose that most of the wildlife and other forest inhabitants have fled from the encroaching flames.
As night approaches you're able to find a small clearing in the forest that's been largely spared by the flames thanks to the relative lack of vegetation and undergrowth to act as kindling. This is where you set up camp and spend a rather long, uncomfortable night trying to sleep amid the not-too-distant sounds of the crackling flames.
You rise the next morning feeling refreshed in some ways but less so in others. The constant exposure to smoke and ash is beginning to take a toll on your bodies and you realize that it'll likely only get worse from here...
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Frankie pops up out of bed, early as usual. Slurping sounds can be heard as he drains the last of his cold cocoa, followed by a bit of whining as he realizes its all gone. "Dragbog wake up! Dragbog!" He shakes the goblin roughly, an important question on his mind.
"Does your village have any milk? I'm out of cocoa and its just not the same made with water..." The sounds of fire, smoke and an overall bad scene is all around him but his biggest concern is his chocolate milk supply.
He reaches into his pocket and comes out empty handed "How about candy? Goblins MUST have candy." He states.
Dragbog groans as Frankie shakes him awake, lazily kicking out at the young boy. "Too early...too early for this..." he sighs, blinking peevishly up at his new 'friend'. "Milk? Uh...might have some goat milk somewhere if fires didn't burn it up," he yawns sleepily as he uncurls from the almost-fetal position he'd been snoozing in.
"Ooh...should be good and thick by now too. And have sour tang - that's when you know it getting good," the goblin adds, smacking his lips. "And uh...candy? What longshanks food that? Sounds gross!"
While several of you are clearly suffering the effects of the smoke, Frankie's luck appears to have rubbed off on Dragbog. Or perhaps the little goblin is simply used to the smoke? Either way, he seems unperturbed by the smoke and ash.
"Oooh...forgot longshanks don't like fire, don't breathe in smoke," Dragbog remarks as he watches Yorad, Brayden, and Lazarus coughing and hacking as they pack up and prepare to move out. "But don't worry, longshanks can protect against smoke using this one neat trick. Take wet cloth, wrap around nose and mouth - doesn't stop smoke entirely but helps! Can use any old cloth like scarf or underwears or hats, easy peasy."
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Meredith says goodbye to Denair and takes a rest. "Let's try to get some rest, eh?"
During the next morning, the smoke is overpowering.
The month of meditation in the woods with Denair paid off. Not only did it help her temper, but the raw, dirty, parasite filled food she tolerated helped her constitution. Turns out asking someone who absorbs nutrients with her feet through the floor for cooking advice is a bad idea.
Denair's glad to wake up in the morning.
And she gives everyone hugs.
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Lazarus hears Dragbog's advice and watches as Jan takes yesterday's damp, funky small clothes and wraps the undergarments over his nose and mouth.
The samsaran fumbles around inside his robes and draws out a silk kerchief. Spilling a little water from a skin over the cloth, he ties it in similar fashion across his face. The effect is to make him appear as a skinny, blue bandit wanna-be.
"How do I look?"
Sid, the cussing rabbit familiar complains, as his peaceful rest is disturbed by all the wizard-priest's rummaging around inside his robes.
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"Right," Yorad grumbles as he wets an old cloth and wraps it around his mouth and throat, "this is gonna be a pain in the rear." Noticing the Samsaran priest worried about his appearance he shakes his head in disgust. "The trees are too busy burnin' ta give a hoot how you look!"
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"Sour goat milk? YUCK! And no candy? Here, try this, it isn't much compared to what I usually have, but its sugary at least. Chew it some before you swallow it." He digs in his pocket and pulls out a half melted piece of caramel that looks like its been stuck in his pocket for a few weeks.
Frankie watches in awe as everyone seems to want to play a group game of cops and robbers and apparently he's stuck being a cop. "Awww the robbers have some much more fun!"
He pulls out his signal whistle, a glowing ioun stone and grabs up a thick stick for a billy club. With a word the ioun stone starts spinning around his head like a flashing light, then he blows hard on the whistle "I caught you robbers red handed! Now give back those stolen jewels or I'll bonk you over the head with this club see!?!"
He proceeds to chase after anyone with a mask over their face.
For being a goblin - and the behavioral expectations that entails - Dragbog looks rather nonplussed as Frankie proceeds to chase (or try) the others and Denair meanders around giving out hugs. He pops the half-melted caramel into his mouth and looks at Meredith.
"This normal for longshanks and friends? What they call 'team building exercise'? Have heard longshanks talk about stuff like that. Sounded strange then and looks strange now," Dragbog asks, working the caramel around in his mouth with loud smacking sounds.
"Hey...not bad! Not pickle-good but not bad!"
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"Like... this?" Brayden tears a strip off his pants and uses create water on it, then ties it around his face. "A bit uncomfortable, but it will definitely help. .... Hey, Frankie, what are you doing!?" Brayden shuffles quickly back from the halfling. "This isn't a game, it's for the smoke!"
Brayden runs for a moment, then stops suddenly and turns, casting Create Water above Frankie's head.