Leeoli knows about the area well, having some regular professional contacts in Cortaud. The cork-like towners of the the town break the hilly tree lines surrounding many dairies and pastures. Rural farms dominate the rocky country with the main town residing within a winding river valley. The gray Pharismin cathedral, Velonstair, presides over it all. There are elite establishments along the river, with some reputable inns. The town isn't nearly as militant and strict as is Tamrivena.
I know the town ahead..nothing remarkable to it. We can camp here, or in a bed. I know what I'd choose.
"The bed." Rufus hopes that's where Leeoli was headed, but says it just to be certain.
"Very well, bed it is." She clicks her tongue to get her horse moving toward the town.
Always the last mile that is the most dangerous. Leeoli slides an extract of heightened awareness onto his tongue.
You enter Courtaud with little trouble or restrictions....in fact, you just basically wander in. The town is small, much like Ravengro, save perhaps with people who are a bit more wordly. Though most are farmers and commonfolk, they no doubt see a fair share of adventuring types out of Lepidstadt, given the proximity.
There are a few inns by the river that seem clean and sturdy, and the same services that you paid handsomely for in Tamrivena are available for only two gold pieces. The meal is fine, the bed is serviceable, and you're largely left to your own.
The next morning dawns with sunshine, a welcome last leg to your journey. With little more to do, you strike out in the morning towards Lepidstadt. You travel through the morning and to the afternoon before you see a large gathering on the road ahead. Several hundred feet to the north is a group of nine covered wagons with nags. The wagons are gaudily painted and depict strange figures underneath them, with an overarching title on each that says "The Crooked Kin - Ustalav's Greatest Traveling Cabinet of Curiosities!"
Well we need to set things straight. WE are Ustalav's Greatest Traveling Cabinet of Curiosities! Leeoli laughs at his own poor humor, but continues In all seriousness, let's just go around and avoid the pickpockets
"Indeed," Rufus agrees. "I am not of a mind to enjoy such things just now. We have a mission to complete on behalf of the Lorrimors. More than likely these are just cheap parlor tricks. Besides, Daniel is more captivating than any trained horse."
"Aww, thanks Rufus. He likes you, too." Dura frowns at the Cabinet, but snickers after Leeoli's comment. "I'm not the biggest fan of those kind of places. I rescued Daniel from a traveling circus that was abusing him. Poor guy."
As you attempt to circumvent the group, you are hailed by an albino man with red eyes and long, white hair that hangs below his knees. He wears a tall red top hat, a long red coat with gold buckles, and striped trousers. He cups his hands around his mouth to call out. Please, we need help!
Leeoli holds up a hand in greeting, but leans to Gur Take the book we are to deliver and continue on. We do not want it to get taken, no matter what. I will go talk to them.
Leeoli slips an extract of shielding and an extract of heightened awareness, and dexterous mutagenic essence. Why not go prepared. Leeoli slowly approaches, keeping 30 feet in distance. What can we do that you and your crew cannot already do?
Dura was planning on just riding by til the fellow called out for help. With a sigh, she turned her horse and trotted next to Leeoli to see what was up.
Gur shrugs and goes to grab the books destined for the eye. If no one stops him, he will lift up his burden and continue.
"Hang on a moment, Gur. We should stay together." She glares at Leeoli. "It was hard enough to keep him from riding off without us the first night. Don't encourage him."
"One should make up their minds over who leads..." Gur looks the ring leader in the eye. "Point the way, and tell me who is lost or needs avenged... then move out of the way and let me do my work." Again the coldness returns to Gur, again he is bound for just work. The large orc pulls a sugar loaf helm from his pack and places it on his head, a black axe is worked into the visor and a white dove perches on it just over his eyes.
As you walk up the the group, you see various members milling aimlessly around the stopped caravans. There are two girls crying, a small boy covered in hair howling like a wolf, a giant man nearly 8 feet tall trying unsuccessfully to console them all, and several others arguing about the best course of action.
The albino man smiles hideously in what appears to be an attempt at genuine gratitude...just on an unfortunate face. He rushes forward and addresses you, his voice that of a practiced showman. Thank you for stopping! One of our own, Aleece, has gone missing. Many have already passed us by...I'm sure you can guess why. I'm afraid to risk anyone to rush out to find her in dangerous environs - though we're all odd in appearance you see, we're performers and harmless ones at that. We are in no way equipped to deal with any dangers that may lurk out there beyond the path.
It wasn't clear what dangers this troupe was afraid of - orcs perhaps, or cutthroats? There were bogs nearby, so some hungry denizen thereof? He continues.
I have an heirloom - a fine dagger, magical indeed. I'd be happy to offer this as a reward should you find our Aleece. Please, will you help?
Dura's heart goes out to the caravan. They aren't all that different from her. Her own family thought of her as a freak. She looks at Leeoli and shrugs. "They need help. I couldn't live with not trying." She hops down off her horse and approaches the albino. "Do you have anything that Aleece owned? Anything that might have her scent?" She whistles two sharp tones. "Please, don't be afraid," she says as Daniel comes bounding up from the some marsh grasses off the road.
Leeoli listens dispassionately, examining the man's eyes, the scene of worried women and men, the crying child, trying to discern any tell tale signs that their plight was not in fact a fiction told by bandits to lead them into a trap.
Rufus sighs. This is, at best, a needless distraction from their task, though he presents himself polite enough. He regards the albino man and his entourage with more than a little interest, wondering what perversions of science and nature culminated in their existence. "A lost woman? A description of her appearance and last known whereabouts would be helpful. Does anyone wish her harm, or would otherwise have an incentive to spirit her away?"
The man nods vigorously. Of course! I am Kaleb Hesse, the Ringmaster of the Crooked Kin. Aleece is one of our pinheads - she and her sisters were born with microcephaly. He gestures towards the two crying girls and the giant man trying to console them. We have most of her things here, which of course led us to believe that her departure was in no way intentional. She was last seen wandering over there, near that trail head. He points to the east, where a small opening in the vegetation could....with loose translation...be called a trail.
At a call from Kaleb, a woman in exotic silks approaches with a shirt from Aleece. The woman clutches it between what would be her first and second arms, while the other two sway oddly, seemingly somehow affected by the motion of the two above.
DC10 survival check to begin to follow; the trail is only wide enough for single file, so let me know order...I'd assume Daniel is leading with his sniffer.
Dura calls Daniel to her side. "Get a good whiff, boy. Let's see if we can find her."
+any bonus scent might give you
+Dura's aiding him
Daniel moves down the trail with Dura right behind. She points out anything she thinks might help him as they go along.
Leeoli decides he likes the man, quickly regrets using his shield extract. Ah well.
Let us take a look, then.
Rufus walks to the trailhead, drawing his greatsword as he does so. At least here, in the woods, they weren't likely to find incorporeal ghosts of burned prisoners.
But then, in Ustalav, anything is possible.
Leeoli follows Rufus, picking his way through the dense green. We cannot be sidelined long, but charity is a light against the dark, and it may well be that fate brought us here. Let us see what it is we will see. Perhaps I should slip ahead, quietly. Without waiting for a response, Leeoli moves ahead of the party to scout, keeping about 10 yards ahead.
Axe in hand, Gur prepares for whatever comes. Aiding in the search where he can.
You follow the tracks for about a half mile as they head down into a boggy river valley, and then into a densely vegetated, midge-infested marsh. The marsh is a shallow bog, with high reeds between 6 and 8 feet high.
Aleece's tracks soon all but vanish under the water, but Daniel is able to spot them and follow for another hundred yards or so to a cramped clearing filled with dismal looking gray flowers. Once you enter the clearing, you hear the strangled cry of a female voice obviously in distress. It comes from the east, across from you as you entered the clearing from the west side.
Leeoli hold up a hand. He hurries back a bit. Her voice seems strange, unnatural. Be wary of a trap. Leeoli reaches down, pulls extracts of longarm and shielding and swallows them. Lets go he points with an enlongating arm
"I think Lee is on to something. What on earth would draw her out here, this far away from the road? I don't like the feel of this at all."
She pulls her mace out and pats the tiger's flank. "On guard," she whispers.
You proceed towards the east and, when about in the center of the clearing, you hear a cry to the north - this one is a frightened No!.
"Aleece?!" Rufus yells. "What is happening? Come to us!"
"Well, that can't be good. I think they would have mentioned her being a teleporting witch girl. And since they didn't have a sign for that, I am going to guess this is some kind of unquiet spirit trying to break us up. So, plan." Gur starts to walk out into the reeds. "You cluster in the clearing and watch. I will act as bate.
Go for it. Leeoli eyes Gur
The calls cut off to the north with a choke, and the clearing is silent and still as Gur makes his way to the eastern edge of the clearing. As her perhaps expected, a form comes into view directly beside him once he reaches the well covered edge.
The creature is large, about the size of a horse, but more round and bloated, like a satiated tick. It has the legs and fangs of a spider, but an oddly humanoid face buried in thick, shaggy fur. The spider lashes out with fangs, but Gur is ready for him. The powerful swing of the orc hits the creature center mass, splitting its body and letting loose a torrent of gushing fluid.
The creature, wounded beyond compression, lashes out defensively - more perhaps to defend itself than catch prey. Its fangs slide into Gur's arm, digging so far in to pop out the other side, blood spurting out of the wound. Gur feels a sudden itching at the wound, as if the fangs carried some additional effect.
At once, the spider retracts its fangs and simply seems to wink out of existence.
Silence reigns in the clearing. No attacks are forthcoming.
Gur roars at the spider as it winks out of existence, pain coursing through his arm.
Once Gur drops to one knee and grips his axe as if to steady himself, shouting "Stay where you are and prepare some arrows for its return. The beast must not be allowed to survive." He prepares to strike, one last time.
"GRRRRR", Dura cries/growls. (Fortunately, that's pretty close this time.) With her her mace held aloft, she moves forward, and blesses the party.
Daniel lopes along at her side, ears alert, nose sniffing.
Rufus slowly steps toward the center of the clearing, the dark hem of his cloak trailing through the overgrown weeds and thorns. His hands tighten around the hilt of his sword, waiting for the spider to reappear. "I am curious about its venom. Gur, how do you feel? Is there necrosis of the tissue?"
As several seconds pass without incident, the sense of impending doom hangs like a pall over the clearing. Eventually, after the agonizing wait, the creature pops into view, just behind Leeoli. The deft Maleye is instantly award and spins and slashes, cutting into an nearly through one of the chitinous legs. The giant creature stumbles slightly, but still manages to dart in for a quick bite at its attacker. However, it's damaged leg causes it to lurch off balance, and the creature misses with its fangs. It seems to blink out of existence just after the attack, and once again no visible enemy is about.
"Gah!" Rufus cries in frustration as his sword embeds itself in the blighted, muddy soil. Yanking it free, he turns 'round and round. "Form a tight ring. Stay together, lest it land upon our backs!" He prepares to strike again when the creature appears.
Dura and Daniel move to form a tight square with Rufus and Leeoli.
"Getting attacked by some kind of hell spider, and you want me to check what the bite does. I'm feeling itching and exhausted, good enough?"
Gur stays where he is, readying himself to be the odd man out. If it strikes were they are weakest, he should be next.
"Come now, it isn't that large, not by Ustalavan standards at least. There are spiders in the woods of Lepidstadt the size of horses. This one may be a mere spiderling. Leeoli, what do you make of these symptoms? Without necrosis, I suspect a neurotoxin. It might explain Gur's foul mood."
His sense of humor was never well received at the best of times. Perhaps there is too much of a different sort of venom in his own veins...
The silence lasts for only a few breaths this time, as the spider once again appears, this time just beside Rufus. Rufus just happens to be facing right at the creature as it appears, and attacks without a moment's hesitation. His sword slams down into the beast's body, cracking through the carapace and into the meat within.
The sword stops when it hits strong mandibles at about halfway through. The creature squirms and thrashes as it sinks to the ground, its life flowing out of it in a reddish brown mass of fluid. It does not disappear again.
"Well, let's find the body quickly and return her where she belongs. At least we slew this monster so it can not hurt anyone else." Gur is convinced this thing has already eaten the missing girl.
Finding her voice as she relaxes a bit, Dura pats Rufus on the shoulder. "Nice hit." She walks carefully over to where Gur continues to search. "Here, let me help you." She touches his bicep, healing energy flowing through her hand.
Then she helps him search, whistling for Daniel to her side.
+scent
Leeoli looks at Gur oddly. Can you move while swinging your sword like that?