”Um, will my axe hurt a shadow? If not what the heck do I fight with!?”
"Helgrim, that is indeed a problem."
Qitaba's eyes look piercingly from warrior to warrior. "We have a lot of valor and few magical weapons. I mentioned I lack the spell to ensorcel a weapon; does anyone have it? Otherwise we are sorely hampered. Helgrim and anyone who cannot fight, your best wager is to run and find us shelter. Tarson may hold them back."
" No. I believe I'm the only other one who can harm the shadows besides Tarson."
”Well, crap. Okay, well, I will standby to snatch and rescue anyone who falls back to the temple I guess.”
I have an arcane strike trick that will do the trick as well Teasel. Wish I could share it but it does not work that way.
"Well...are we as ready as we can be? And Teasel, don't discount my magnificent cantrip against the undead!" Qitaba gives the tree oracle the "finger-guns" gesture, popular in Alkenstar.
Tarson raises his holy symbol, and a flash like a second sun erupts across the ruins. The edges of the shadows' forms are boiled away, and they recoil as though plunged into flame. A howl of pain that can be felt rather than heard echoes across the old stones before the undead flee back down the mossy well, climbing back into the pit from which they emerged.
Though the temple sits in a fallen state, the ground remains hollowed and has amplified the energy that Tarson channels. Thus, you have earned a reprieve from the angry spirits that yet cling to Raseri Kanton. You are free to continue your advance through the ruins, whether by the surface ruins or the tunnels below.
That was well done Tarson. Your faith is strong. Freyja praises. Let us advance quickly so as to not loose this advantage.
Teasel looks at her hand and then looks at the lack of enemies and then back to her hand and simply shrugs.
”As unsavory as this sounds. I think we should risk the tunnels unless we can track Freja’s father somehow.”
I've not the skill to track him I fear.
Tarson looks a bit surprised at his holy symbol before nodding his head. "Abadar graces us today. Sadly I am not skilled at tracking either. "
"I could try but I am not the best at it" Wulf says as he looks at the others.
Then please see what you can see Sir Wulf. And I think it's just as likely that my father would have taken the tunnels as the above ground path.
"I'll right I'll give it a shot" Wulf says crouching down to study the area and takes in the area.
”Wulf, I think his tracks are this set over here. See!?”
The dwarf traces out the whispy marks that are easy to miss.
"...Yes, indeed..."
Qitaba cannot see a Hells-blasted thing even when the dwarf points them out. "Which way do they lead? Venka, you'll let us know about traps, won't you? Teasel will be watching," he says gently, to the bound harpy.
Siffa keeps watch, lest the shadows emerge anew. You suspect that she is frustrated to have been denied bringing her axe against the undead, even if this was the wiser course.
The older tracks left by Freyja's father remain distinct from the fresh ones made by the party. Helgrim and Wulf are able to follow his first set of soft boot prints leading into the shelter afforded by the ruined temple. They then identify the second set that mark his attempted escape, leading to signs of a struggle.
No tracks lead from the disturbed earth where he was apparently attacked, though. This leads you to suspect he was carried off by a flight of harpies.
When the signs are explained to her Freyja nods. Better the harpies than the shadows. He might live yet. I hear these creatures are known to keep pets, at least until they tire of them.
"We do know where the harpies are. Mounting a resuce operation may be the best move at this point."
Qitaba nods in agreement. "It will be a chance to discuss the hags as well."
"And we have a bargaining chip. Add in our ally and this could turn out to be really interesting." Wulf says as he stands and dusts himself off.
"We travel by the surface, then?" Siffa asks the party. Her grip remains tight upon the haft of her ancient dwarven axe, while her eyes roam from the bound harpy, the well where the rebuked shadows fled, and the distant cliffs where more harpies may await.
"That course would earn my support, as well. The thought of plumbing those tunnels, trusting they remain stable and unhaunted...it is not to my liking," the swan warrior maiden states.
”Well, that matter’s settled then. To the cliffs. Our harpy guest knows what our abilities are. Let’s get Freyja’s dad back and talk about killin some hags.”
"Bear in mind, the harpies now have a diplomatic counter to our hostage," says Qitaba, as he walks with Helgrim and Siffa.
”Good point Qitaba. Very good point. The greater enemy of my enemy makes my enemy my friend . . . For a time being, I am ready to move. Wulf? Anyone else?”
When it is clear the group is moving out Freyja draws her longsword and cast Heroism on herself.
Tarson will ensure his crossbow is loaded as they continue on.
"Helgrim or Wulf, I'll ready a strength spell." Qitaba looks resolute.
Bump
It is a long, hazardous march across the broken city, but you are blessed with good guides. Teasel provides insight regarding the natural dangers: toxic plants, warrens of vipers and rats, and open stretches that look like the prime hunting grounds of birds of prey - especially very large and loud ones, in particular. Helgrim's counsel steers you away from unstable ruins and ground that looks liable to collapse into a sinkhole, leading you instead towards well-planned avenues that might provide safe passage across ancient districts of Raseri Kanton.
The ragged cliffs loom ever closer as you cross the distance, despite how your filthy, feathered captive might slow you down. Siffa keeps a tight grip upon her, ensuring she does not escape or sabotage your progress.
Eventually, as the sun slips from its zenith overhead and you are passing beneath a series of narrow bridges that span a street running between sturdy rows of old stone buildings, you hear the flapping of heavy wings overhead. You quickly duck inside a nearby storefront that remains sturdy after so many centuries and avoid immediate attention.
You can hear another flight of harpies talking among themselves, perched on the roofs above. They are searching for their sisters who went out on patrol and failed to return.
”I am thinking we should begin parley about ridding these lands of the hags and offer a prisoner exchange in good faith, AFTER we have Freyja’s father back. Anyone else have any thoughts?”
Helgrim whispers to his teammates.
I like the sound of that Helgrim. But the hags could have my father.
"That is true, Harpies could have your father. Which is better than the Hags or the Undead"
”Lets get ourselves in the best possible defensive spot we can and make contact then. Who’s going to speak first, or do we reveal ourselves or many of us at once?
"I think one person, or two, with the prisoner, in the lead, but the rest of us should not hang back too far. The harpies could swoop far too easily, or sing, and our defensive position would be rendered into a disadvantage."
Qitaba nods towards Tarson. "You or Freyja are the most charming among us, yes? Freyja, I reckon you could charm the beard off a dwarf--no offense meant, Helgrim. The rest of us should have ranged attacks at the ready."
And ear plugs. Freyja offers, agreeing to the plan.
"I am versed in negotiations if we want to operate under the assumption they do have their father. I would not take much faith in them following any sort of agreement without the expectation of force being ready to enforce it as well. As we have seen with how quickly they have gone against the hags they do not seem to have much loyalty."
"True Helgrim would not look good if you took his beard"Wulf says with a very straight face as he looks to the others.
”Eh! No one is touchin my beard. It isn’t a part of the proceedings!”
Helgrims face reddens a bit.
”Alright everyone put in your plugs. It’s go time.”
The dwarf puts in his earplugs and makes sure everyone is ready before continuing.
”Enough of this sneaking around then. We will go out there and get their attention, you be ready with the flowery words.”
The dwarf steps out into the open with his axe on his shoulder hoping to signal the winged monsters with the reflected light.
”Ay! Yeap. Ay! Over here! Before you start singing your songs, we have your sister with us and she has offered an alliance beneficial to both our parties. So, come on over and talk with us. We come in force and think you’ll want to hear what we have to say!”
In a whisper to the others.
”YOLO, right!?”
Like carrion birds descending upon a slain deer, the flight of harpies fall from the sky and land among you. Whilst you tussled with a trio of the bird women back at the temple, this time a full half dozen slip down between the overarching bridges in response to Helgrim's summons - three on either side of Helgrim along the old avenue.
They recoil upon seeing their bound sister, their faces twisting in a mix of fear and anger.
"How dare you disrespect our sister like that?" one of them demands shrilly. "Speak your words carefully, for they may be your last!"
"Better than her dead, harpies. We're here to offer a bargain."
Qitaba keeps his stance proud and his face stony, but he talks out the side of his mouth. "...Tarson...Freyja...feel free to jump in..."
Freyja steps forward. While we hold no love for your kind, your sister here claims we share a common foe. We are here for the hags. You help us kill them, and release the man held prisoner by either you or them, and then we release your sister and we both go our own way. This is the deal we offer you. What say you?
The Dwarf keeps his face stoney and ready as he tries to gauge the mood of the scuzzy bird women.
Freyja's appeal secures at least one immediate accomplishment: the harpies refrain from setting upon you with tooth and talon right there in the ruined city's street.
What's more, Helgrim discerns that the harpies are seriously considering her offer. As they deliberate among themselves, their unquiet voices lay bare how much they chafe under the hags' dominance. However, two of them are quite unwilling to surrender the "handsome human" they captured, and this seems to be a sticking point in the matter.
Finally, one of the harpies delivers a counteroffer.
"Release our sister, and we will either release the man or help you against the hags. You cannot have both!"
Freyja looks confused for a moment then glances back at the others, a pleading look on her face.
”Heh. He is a part of our team. He got here a bit before us and you got the drop on him. We need him back and you want us to have him back so we can kill the hags. Look, if you want your sister back we need him back get it?”
”None of us want to live under the hags rule. You know much about that Hag kingdom they set up up north? You know what you won’t find there? Harpies, that’s right. Once they control the area guess what’s left? Hags and their prey animals, Humans, and that’s it besides a butt-ton of snow and bones, that’s what they feed their food. Bones of the other food ground into bread.”
”Think about that a bit. Do the hags do any of the fighting? You do it right?”
”Three or four of your sisters attacked us and shadows popped up out the ground and got handled too. Your other sisters are dead, but we brought this one back to you as a sign of good will and because our fight is not with you.”
”Now, we would like to work together. So give us our man back, you help us get to the hags, you get your sister back and we can all live and let live in this valley.”
The dwarf rests his hands on this hips.