"Jaxom, wouldn't it be fun if they got lost somewhere?", Hecktor smirks at the thought of Payden and the Regulators being lost.
"They might arrive, but much later and unable to overheard any finer details of discussion."
The youth smirks as well but holds firm. "That would be amusing, but I would not even tell them in which direction north lay. You hold the Queen's favor. These mud-men do not. I will not be responsible for bringing fire and iron amongst my people. If you want them lost in the forest, this I will do, but they may not follow."
"Well, I can help lose them by turning one or two of us invisible," Lucanor says softly, "But that has its limits."
Silas nods and suggests, "I was thinking of offering a service rather than gold, and I agree we don't want to take THEM. I'm not sure we need to go in person, instead what I think we should do is find us some honey, your little friends will appreciate that."
A smile creeps across Silas's face as he asks, "Master Gilmork would you be so kind as to find us some bees?"
Jaxom laughs.
"You might not want to let the small folk dicker on your behalf. You may end up finding that they have traded your fine swords for magic beans. But, they have been faithful allies to you. They could shield our path from prying eyes. But you will need a great deal of honey. And they would value sweets they could not find themselves even more."
"Hecktor, Gilmork, Luc, what do you think? Should we try to buy the scrolls in town - probably needs to be someplace bigger than Falcon's Hollow, or should we risk asking the Fae?"
"A tight spot is what it looks like to me. It'd take a bit to get to Almas, time i don't know what brings forth next. Jaxom said the fae queen favors our success so far and would like to see us succeed further too, right? So maybe he can request from them the help we need before we resort to going to Almas or another big city."
Hecktor turns his attention to Jaxom.
"You said they could possibly trade, what have they traded for in the past that you know of?"
"I think my people will have the magic you seek. Just let me get rid of these others."
In response to Hecktor, "The most common request is a quest. Or some treasure. Or your first memory of dawn . . . ."
Just describe the plan and make any rolls you think appropriate, I'll narrate from there.
"That latter one wasn't pretty, i'd trade it but i don't know if they'd want it."
"OK, let me know if you need any help! Perhaps if we just head off on a forced march they won't be able to keep up with us anyway without my marching songs!"
"OK, let me know if you need any help! Perhaps if we just head off on a forced march they won't be able to keep up with us anyway without my marching songs!"
"Okay, here is the plan, Gilmork will find us some honeycombs. Then we will march away in a wrong direction. The little folk will lead them astray on our path for the honey, and then I will lead you to people who might have the magic you seek."
"Either has merit, but sounds like Jaxom's idea works, or at least MIGHT work."
Silas ponders and suggests, "I can think of a few things we can do to loose them. Speed worked last time, and I think Luc's invisibility in combination with an Illusion or two can disguise where we have gone. Make them think we've gone somewhere up north and west and then we can head to our true destination. To help their thinking we can make up some emergency that requires us to go to some plausible location in that direction."
"I will try to find us some honey, but we'd need to leave this place as we won't be able to find any living bees around here."
Gilmork says as he motions for the others to follow him back to the normal portion of the forest.
"I'm curious how this will turn out.", Hecktor says with a smile at the prospect of fooling Payden and his goons.
Gilmork indeed finds honeycomb after hours of searching. During that time, Silas, Jaxom and Lucanor lead Payden and his men on a merry march which leads in them being lost in the Northwest area of the Marrow.
Heckto laughs, not loud enough to make noise though.
"Oh fantastic, i'd like to see their faces, not too soon but still. If i were invisible i'd have a good time then.
Which brings another thought to my mind, since the goons wanted their pay, this could have them get upset with Payden even more, catch my drift?"
Silas smiles, "Last I saw, they were marching off into the distance... I wonder how long they'll keep on going? Anyway to er business. Jaxom I hope your little friends appreciate the honey! The bees were not happy with poor Gilmork. I guess it's best to ask for an audience?"
After giving the little people the honey, Jaxom will lead the party to where he believes a priest of priestess of one of the Eldest who is powerful enough to have a scroll of Dispel Evil.
There is a dryad within miles of the Marrow. The two sprites, although thankful for the honey, really wanted some candies from the human town.
The Dryad is amenable to the party's plight. She'll need very little convincing. Also, she won't have a scroll of dispel evil, it would be dispel magic she would have. She is a level druidess.
Jaxom promises the sprites he will look in to it, especially concerning this mysterious chocolate.
Jaxom will speak in Sylvan and then repeat in Common for the benefit of the rest of the party this plea:
"Honored Elder, these heroes, these favored of the Queen, come before you as supplicants. Evil walks across the vale in the form of the dead. Bravely, they enter the land of Cold Bones to seek it out and cast it down into ruin. Alas! There is an ancient curse on the tomb that will strike dead and raise as shadows any who would enter therein. Please, honored Elder, mercy and succor for these heroes."
Lucanor had a surprisingly fun time helping to lead folks off. A mischievous streak he hadn't indulged in in quite awhile got some exercise.
When they greet the eldest, he also nods, hoping Jaxom will translate if the dryad is curious.
"While your folk are as mysterous as they are lovely to behold," Lucanor says, "We know they hate abominations of undeath as much as we, and this curse will create those. Stopping the curse will keep more of them from coming about."
The Dryad does indeed offer a scroll of Dispel Magic at CL 9. She offers it to you for the exchange of carrying an acorn into the Cold Marrow and planting it once your task is finished. She warns you
There is much evil there, it will resist the planting of this seed.
Silas is secretly relieved, 'I'm under no illusion that task will be dangerous, but it sounds like a worthy cause.'
He bows in thanks and says, "I'll perform that task gladly, whatever the risk."
"Fair nough..." He says, then pauses, "Ma'am... there was an incident, called the carnival of tears by some, in it, some men were turned into trees. I've squared them off, looked for a way to restore them, but if I can't, I'd at least like to be sure they aren't in any pain. You've done so much, but I was wondering if you could also advise me in this? Are they still alive and aware of their state? Are they suffering?"
"It will be as you say, honored elder."
The Dryad responds to Lucanor and seems troubled I do not know. I had heard of this Cursed Carnival some time ago. Take this she says as she hands Lucanor some silvery powder from a pouch that was at her shapely waist. And sprinkle it on the cursed trees. I will be able to commune with them and have a better sense of what went wrong.
"Thank you, ma'am."
After spending time near the Marrow, Silas is enjoying the verdance of the forest here. "Its lovely here, I wish we could stay longer but then those undead kobolds will be able to move unchecked. I guess we'd better go back...", says Silas, voice tinged with regret.
Waiting on me>?
"Whatever is waiting for us, we've survived against odds before. Don't let it get to you."
Ok, the party makes it back to the Cold Marrow safely. You are all back at the tomb and it is getting later in the day at this point.
Jaxom reads off the scroll directing it at the necromantic curse.
Silas humms his magic finding tune just to be sure the dispel worked. Assuming he found nothing he congratulates Jaxom saying, "Good work! I'll summon some light and I guess its safe to enter. Well as safe as any other undead infested tomb..."
Silas pauses as he was about to enter and checks to see if he can see or hear anything...
Its been about 7 hours since you left the tomb originally so however many rounds.
If there's nothing unusual to be seen or heard, Silas steps inside...
"Who's taking point?"
"Well, i'm wearing this nice full plate for a reason... ;)
So i'd say i'm volunteering for that."
The Dispel Magic scroll does indeed work!
Jaxom eyes the ominous doorway dubiously, but he wasn't about to complain. He would show these heroes his mettle. He longs to shimmer out of sight, but given the shadows from last night, Jaxom feels he may need to call on his magic more directly.
"Will your mail protect you from shadows, fearsome Hecktor? Perhaps someone with a magic blade should go first?"
Jaxom casts Mage Armor on himself and Darkvision on Luc before entering the tomb. He will also cast Light on the sword of whomever goes first.
"Hmm...you've got a valid point Jaxom. My weapon is indeed not magical, but whom would you suggest go first then."
Silas ponders the question for a moment and suggests, "This sort of thing needs special training, the sort that Lucanor or Gilmork have."