Hess reads over Baern's shoulder and can't help but let a sharp breath intake when he sees the size of the reward. He almost starts towards the provisioner when Baern's wise question pulls him back into the conversation.
"The reward is substantial. I'm assuming others have tried and failed? Are there any survivors here we might speak with before our mission? Is there a map available that might point us in the right direction?"
"We're going to need directions, at any rate." adds Shianni to Hess' comments.
Hoddy keeps back from the "big folk" and listens to the guardsman tell of the rewards for clearing these caves.
"Sounds like a needed task to keep the area safe, and so you can count me in! A map or survivor's tales would also be good...good thinking lad!", he says to Hess as the Warlock makes the suggestion.
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"Map? I'll draw out a quick sketch if you desire, but if you stay on the road, it goes right by the Caves. Better to keep to the path. These woods are filled with hidden dangers. As for what you'll find, I admit that most of what I know about the Caves is hearsay. I've heard tales that say that many different tribes of creatures inhabit the Caves, and that the southern caves are filled with masses of treasure.
"I can tell you for a fact that to the south of the road lies a swamp inhabited by lizardfolk, and worse. The few survivors of expeditions to the caves tend not to stay around any longer than necessary, usualy shipping out weith the next caravan."
He draws a map for you.
Garret is somewhat taken aback at the reward on offer. That's the sort of money that could change a few minds back home. And the offer of a new place to call home if it doesn't is as good a consolation as any.
Once Evoe finishes the map, Garret will speak up from his thoughts:
Now while all this does sound like an offer that's too good to refuse, you mentioned the Castellan wouldn't tell us this formerly until we "prove our loyalty?" Now, I know I personally may look fine and dandy, but myself and our companions are a bit short on magical items and wealth to shower a man of his position.
I believe you mentioned the rescue of an important prisoner? Sounds like you might have someone in mind?
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"A merchant by the name of Lhodis and his wife Laressa were last seen on a caravan that was raided by evil humanoids, according to the single survivor that made his way here. They and several of their guards were taken prisoner by what he described as red-orange humanoids with yellow eyes, wide mouths with sharp teeth, and large red and blue noses. He escaped only by pretending to be among the dead until the creatures left. That was a week ago. If he were to be returned alive, or at the very least, evidence of his passing provided, that might satisfy the conditions."
"Well I'm in. I could use the coin, and excitement. Off to the provisioner"?
Teasag tenses at the captains words. "If there are captives we should not tarry, Hess is correct we should gather supplies and make our way after these creatures"
He rests his spear across his shoulder, and heads for the provisioner. he is about three steps away before he realizes that he does not know where the provisioner. he stops and turns back to the group.
The gnome spits off to one side as he growls.
"Sounds like ya gots yerself a bugbear infestation. Me and my darl'in Kate here can help ya out with them there beasties!", he says while holding his crossbow at the ready.
Baern listened to the others ask their questions, smiling wide at the wisdom of the group. The only foolish question was the one that you didn't ask, after all. That smile soon faded at the mention of there being innocent captives held by wicked forces residing somewhere within the caves. With a staunt nod, he readjusted his armor for a moment and murmured to the group.
"Aye, let us get our supplies and make our way out. If these are bugbears, like Hoddy says they are, they're in for a rude awakening." The dwarf's eagerness was evident as he began to march off with the elven monk, only realizing the same thing and clearing his throat. "Ahh...ummm...where is the provisioner so we can get equipped and head off?"
Well I was hoping for a chance to explore what the keep has to offer, but if it's adventuring today then so be it!
Garret's comments are totally belied by the excitement in his voice and spring in his step as he struggles to keep up with Teasag and Baern.
"I think your list is good considering the funds that we currently have... I think I'll go next door, and see if there is a used shield or something that I can buy for more protection".
Hess travels next door to the traders and tries to buy a used shield, or haggle the trader down to a lower price... then he's ready to go.
Persuasion or Deception
The trader does have a spare shield. Khalidd is a shrewd and clever man and drives a hard bargain, but you eventually get him to come down to 8 gp.
Hess begrudgingly blows the dust off of part of his dwindling pile of Gold, and hands them to the merchant. "Never was much good at hanging onto money. Guess that's what keeps me putting my life on the line for more. Still...This might keep more of my blood in my body... Done deal".
Hoddy will take the lead, following the directions, as well as examine any other tracks he happens to come across.
Survival:
Baern will go to the provisioner, handing in the coupon that reserved them hundred gold worth of supplies. When he later emerged, he was pulling along a donkey and a cart with him with a slew of supplies upon the cart itself.
"You never know if you'll get into trouble. Let us get upon the road."
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An hour-and-a-half of travel later:
The forest you have been passing through since leaving the road has been getting more dense, tangled, and gloomier than before. The thick, twisted tree trunks, unnaturally misshapen limbs, writhing roots, clutching and grasping thorns and briars all seem to warn and ward you off, but you have forced and hacked your way through regardless.
Now the strange growth has suddenly ended - you have stepped out of the thicket into a ravine-like area. The walls rise rather steeply to either side to a height of about 100’ or so - dark, streaked rock mingled with earth. Clumps of trees grow here and there, both on the floor of the ravine and up the sloping walls of the canyon. The opening you stand in is about 200’ wide. The ravine runs at least 400’ west to where the western end rises in a steep slope. Here and there, at varying heights on all sides of the ravine, you can see the black mouths of cave-like openings in the rock walls. The sunlight is dim, the air dank, there is an oppressive feeling here - as if something evil is watching and waiting to pounce upon you.
There are bare, dead trees here and there, and upon one a vulture perches and gazes hungrily at you. A flock of ravens rise croaking from the ground, the beat of their wings and their cries magnified by the terrain to sound loud and horrible. Amongst the litter of rubble, boulders, and dead wood scattered about on the ravine floor, you can see bits of gleaming ivory and white closer inspection reveals that these are bones and skulls of men, animals, and other things...
You know that you have certainly discovered the Caves of Chaos.
Teasag hops down from the cart and scans the area before beginning to release the Donkey from the cart harness, as he leads the beast away from the front of the cart it strikes him, "Friend Baern, it is unlikely to be an issue today, we should purchase feed for this beast." he says quietly.
Baern settles onto the ground, stretching softly before he readjusts the heavy armor upon his form. A few careful, practice swings with his warhammer loosens up his form and a smile spreads across his face. At least until Teasag mentions that feed would likely have been a good idea. The dwarf slaps himself in the forehead, mumbling in Dwarvish for a moment. It is easy to tell that they're some of the more flavorful curses of the stout folk.
"Aye, that would've been wise. My master would've whopped me good for such a poor decision." He murmurs slowly, looking around the ravine. The sense of something terrible lingering in the air weighs upon him and Baern's eyes narrow softly.
"Hide the donkey and the cart well. You can feel the wrongness here." Baern steps up alongside Hoddy, nodding towards the gnome.
"Can you find any tracks to those goblin bastards? The faster we move, the better the chance we can save some lives."
Garret fidgets nervously, fingering the blades on his belt. Sure he'd seen some scraps in his time, but goblinoids hostage rescues weren't exactly his forte.
"This place looks like a barrel of laughs..." he mumbles solemnly. "best keep our wits about us.
Teasag looks from the Cleric to the cart, then at the sparse terrain and back to the Dwarf.
'What tails of my people are told in your stone halls? Do you believe we can magically hide do Donkey and cart in these woods?'
With that thought he moves over to the elf druid, "Do you have any tricks that might help us conceal the cart?"
Hoddy examines the ground leading into this canyon-like area.
Survival:
Seeing the group fan out some, Baern would frown softly. Moving beside Teasag, he would help move the cart and the donkey into some of the treeline and do his best to hide it and their supplies out of sight.
Baern would help where he could, placing the cart behind some shrubs and moving the donkey so it wasn't on the wrong side of any caves.
"This is much easier when it is all rocks around, I can tell you that much." Looking around the ravine, he murmured softly to the monk. "If he can't find anything, where do you think we should start?"
Teasag kneels in and draws some concentric U shapes in the dirt. he pokes some dots to mark a few of the entrances.
"We need a line of retreat, I propose one of these." he points at two of the dots.
"We need to keep our heads about us, I am not a leader of men but, I propose we assign a battle leader their primary responsibility would be to call a retreat. I think we need to get buy in, if the leader calls a retreat we pull out and ask questions later."
Looking at the diagram the monk draws out, Baern looks towards the most northern cave and gives a nod.
"I say that way. Bring us just a few steps closer to my homeland. Maybe a bit of luck that way?" The dwarf says with a small smile, thinking of the snow-covered mountains of his home for a moment. Teasag's next suggestion brings him back to reality though, the dwarf nodding.
"Aye, that's a good plan Teasag. I'd volunteer myself but I'll be up in the thick of things." He says, proudly beating his chest a little bit and shaking the heavy armor he wore. "Anyone else want to? I will take that position, if no one else wants to." Baern's words are more somber, to lead in battle and make calls like that were not for the weak-willed or the timid. A leader had to be decisive.
"I am better with my crossbow, but I can stand with you at the from if needed. I do not want any of our less martial friends to get hurt!"
The little gnome loosens the axe at his waist and makes sure the harness on his crossbow is clear in case he needs to drop it to fight hand to hand.
"Maybe if we've got someone who's stealthy then could go a little ahead of the group and look for some more information before we go barging inn. The folks in the keep did say that many didn't return from here, so perhaps caution in this instance might be the better part of valor".
"I'm not the sneakiest guy in the world, but sometimes can be quiet. If you'd like I'll sneak up in front of you all, and see what's up. Just be ready to come in balls to the wall if you hear me scream".
Stealth... and proceed to find out that that patch of weeds actually had some brittle sticks embedded in it.
Hoddy will keep Hess covered with his crossbow as the warlock moves forward to examine the cave.
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Hess, as you approach the cave mouth, you see that twenty-feet into this cave is an east/west intersection. The north wall is decorated with humanoid heads and skulls in various stages of decay, placed in niches which checker the wall at various heights to the right and left. Sounds of activity can be heard from the west, but all is quiet to the east.
Hess motions Hoddy forward and whispers his observations. ”Do you see any familiar signs or tracks?” Investigation
Baern waits quietly at the cave's entrace, gripping his warhammer tightly. The dwarf's jovial nature is replaced by one of pure focus, ears keen to try and pick out any changes to his comrades within the dark cave.
"May the All-Father watch over them..." The cleric murmurs to himself, readying himself to run in if there is any trouble.
"Let's move back...there is something wrong with this entry. Come on!", the gnome whispers to Hess and begins to move back to the others to warn them.
Garret advances behind Hoddy, and stops when he does.
"Looks just like the others to me, but you're the boss!
I say we take a look at the other side and make our minds up from there. I'm happy to go the sneaky route if you need someone a little more subtle than Hess.
Hess slowly backs away keeping his eyes on the opening of the cave... just in case.
Hess looks relieved that someone else is offering to be the sneaky scout. "You are welcome to serve as the scout... it's not really what I'm good at anyway... but I'll be there backing you up if things go south".
Back to the rest of the group, after the information has been relayed. "If there is something in there it knows we're here, so I'm reluctant to turn my back on it. Still we need to see what's in the other cave eventually. I just don't want to stir up two hornets nests at once".
"Hess Speaks wisely, it is unlikely that we will find anything , right in any of these caves."
The elf looks over each of his companions, "On the other hand if I where to choose I would defer to Hoddy in maters of exploration"
Hoddy explains what he saw in the cave with the heads.
"Sneaky goblinoids! Pretending to be a rotting head just to spy on whoever might come into their home. I also would not want to stir up a second cave of creatures, so maybe we make our own trap at the mouth of that cave..what do you think?"
The gnome has not taken his eyes off the cave mouth the entire time he speaks with the others.
Baern quietly listens to his compatriots, his eyes narrowing at the mention of the skulls lining the walls here. It seemed that these have been home for whatever nefarious creatures that laid within for quite some time. None of these caves would be taken lightly and all of them held a risk of danger within.
"I agree with Hess. Riling up more of them would be dangerous. We don't know if we're dealing with just goblins and their ilk or a variety of dangers. Nor do we know if they have any alliances with each other..."
Nodding at Hoddy's suggestion, the dwarf moves near the move of the cave but off to the right hand side. "I say that Hess, Teasag, and myself hold here while Hoddy and Garret sneak in and draw them out. We'll hit them hard as they pursue or come in after you all if it gets too dangerous.". If the plan is agreed upon, Baern gestures for Hoddy to come closer. Placing his hand on the gnome's shoulder, the dwarf whispers softly.
"May the All-Father soften the earth beneath your steps and guide your weapons true." Baern whispers, a faint glow coming from his hand as a sense of confidence sets into the gnome.