In Search of Heroes

Game Master verdigris

Nimeon quickly casts Power Word: GM Knowledge.

"He is most likely found in the glade where we first encountered him. If you don't find him there I've no doubt the local fauna are familiar with him."

Kast looks at Dorial and shrugs.

"If you can do this, Dorial, it would be helpful. However, if not, we can go together after we get the kids back."

Dorial smiles at Kast.

"If you stay in town and prepare, then I can send word once I've found him."

"OK then, so the plan is, we all head to town and prepare to fight the evil fey while you," he gestures to Dorial, "hunt around the woods and then summon us when you've found whom you're seeking. Then we'll meet you where you suggest. Right?"

He turns to Dorial, "Is there anything you'd like from town? I plan to make a few purchases if I can squeeze it in. Can I get you anything at all while I do so?"

Kast nods at Othoe's summation. "Right. So now we rest...in the morning we march for town. Usual watches, everyone."

Kast patrols, watches, rests, awakes, meditates, practices, packs and is ready to go.

We're going back to town! Town has beer! BEER!

Chrystosm goes to sleep with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. Or possibly it's just wind.

The next day dawns bright and cheery. The air warms with Spring's promise, stirring hope that soon the world will be as right as it ever was. Those marching back to town prepare to leave, with even the children chipping in to clear the camp and get on the way, while Dorial prepares to fly back to the elf's protected glade.

Unless anyone else has anything they wish to do at this point, we'll get under way...

Dorial stretches as she rises in the morning. She eats a light breakfast in preperation for a long flight ahead of her. "I'll send word back to the Inn in case anything comes up. Otherwise, I'll see you all when I return."

She mediates for an hour once all the conversations are done.

Kast is ready to go, repeatedly counting the number of children in case some were stolen in the night under less perceptive watches (like his, for instance).

The children, while very happy to be alive, are subdued enough that they stay close to the adults. Kimi and Hollin chatter about getting back to their families, while Javros stays close to, but just out of reach of Othoe.

Dorial watches as the others take off back towards town.

Well, let's get on with this.

She slowly starts walking in the direction of the glade, and the breaks into a run as she leaps into the air and takes flight.

Simon helps herd the children back to town, happy to have at least saved these ones. "Don't worry Nimeon, we'll find Jurin, and we'll cook that black satyr good!"

while Dorial soars off....

The rest of the group begins the long slow trek back to the town. The children try to keep up, but they are only children that have been through more than they should ever have had to see at such a short age. By the time the sun is high, Kimi lags behind Nimeon, catching up every few minutes. Hollin tries to keep pace with Chrystosm, but often ends up keeping pace with Othoe or even Kast. Javros is the worst of the bunch, and only the continual prodding of his elders keeps him on his feet.

Nimeon stops for the third time and look at Kimi before scooping the youngling up and continuing the march.

Othoe, doing his best to keep up on his own short legs, largely ignores the children. Instead he spends most of the trip lost in thought, trying to figure out how to pin down the evil fey. Once we do pin them down, will we be powerful enough to take them out?

He goes over his spell list one more time as he trudges along with the others.

Chrystosm, remembering certain aspects of his training, tries to get the party to match its pace to the slowest member, loping along beside Hollin and trying to keep the kids occupied (and annoy everybody else) with the sort of inane babble he specialises in. Part of his conversation involves sketching out the rapier and dagger set he intends to commission as soon as he can get to the blacksmith's, another part consists of a highly colourful description of what it's like to be trapped inside a gelatinous cube, and the rest of the time he's trying to think up rude rhymes for 'kobold'. Then:

"Hey, maybe we ought to make litters for the kids..."

Kast marches in the lead on the way back to town.

"Yeah, just follow me, kids."

Kimi gives a half-hearted attempt at arguing, but eventually settles in. With everyone marching at Kast speed, the trek settles into a rhythm. Hollin laughs at Chrystosm's rhymes, though the description of the gelatinous ooze adventure leaves him wide eyed and silent.

* * * * * * * * *

Simon scoops up Jarvos and carries him back to town, his normally fast stride slowed to a Kast pace by the burden of the child. "My words child, you're slower than a small wizard, what's that book you're reading?"

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Silly lad.

Seeing Simon handle it, Othoe keeps trudging along.

Javros looks up guiltily, then squawks as simon scoops him up.

"I just...nothing, really, honestly!" the boy tries shoving it back in his satchel.

Kast marches on, pacing himself for the kids (and Othoe...and really himself too).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The companions travel throughout the day, reaching the river just before dusk. While not where they crossed on the way here, the crossing here is shallower, and downed tree crosses most of it.

"Quick, Nimeon, no time for delay, we know you can walk on water, carry the children across and let us continue with all haste!", Simon implores heroic action from the paladin, knowing that time is of the essence, even as he strides out on the log to help brace a rope for the crossing.

"I doubt I walk on water Simon, but we should cross now while we still have light. Still, such places are often good for an ambush, let's be cautious."

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29
Survival: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Kast looks both ways, up and down the river. He tests a few logs, looking for a good path, but will leave the final determination of where to cross to Nimeon.

1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7 Perception

"This is a good spot, here, right?" Kast points to a deceptively deep part of the river that is covered by weak and unstable branches.

Nimeon looks in all directions, but doesn't find anyone or thing watching the crossing. Kast steps up to help, nearly landing Edgrin in the drink as the traveling musician nearly falls through the weak and unstable branches along the path pointed out by Kast.

Chrystosm assists with setting up a rope bridge, helping get the children across safely then skipping nimbly along the log to the other side himself.

Othoe watches poor Edgrin trust Kast in such matters and waits for Nimeon to suggest a path before undertaking it.

Once across, he helps to setup camp for the night.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

With Chrystosm's rope bridge, the group manages to cross, with only one or two wet from their endeavor; finding a fitting place to settle for camp takes little more time, as there is a clearing just a little ways from the riverbank.

That night, as the children sleep - and just before Othoe's watch - he'll examine this so-called spell book of Javros. He'll cast Detect Magic and treat it carefully as one might a trap.

When he's finished examining it, he'll replace it where he found it and begin his normal watch duties.

Simon takes his usual turns in the watch and tending to the children. "Let's hope nothing else has befallen Falcon's Hollow before our return."

Kast takes his turn at watch also worrying what new ailment has befallen Falcons Hollow.

I wonder if some half elf waif as entered the town and turned the place into a giant spider and shiver hive. Probably.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

At the fire, Edgrin and Tyran coax stories from the others, offering some of their own to ease the way,

"We were in Oldfen, gathering tales of their dragon, a wee fellow, as dragons go. Copper and chatty and more fond of drink than he should be, Wataxshyl seemed a great personality for a long wintering in, when stories came of the mysterious plague that lay over a small town to the north. Not ones to be frightened off, we thought to go, of course, but we soon became embroiled in a physical discourse between ourselves and some of the worst ne'er do wells you ever did see. What did we know that the big oafish leader was the brother of the sheriff? By the time we were out the stories had changed; big heroes had come to Falcon's Hollow's rescue. The stories though, were sparse on the details. Would you mind filling any of the details? Hearing a story fresh from those that lived is always better, and would help us make sure we've the details right." The men wait, hopefully.

@ Kast: *lol*, It's probably fairly safe; half elf waifs tend to be on the flighty side and that sounds like it would require planning. ;)

Chrystosm embarks on a delicately embellished recounting of the group's adventures so far.

"So then we crept into the lumber camp, under the noses of a coup... a dozen... TWO dozen bloodthirsty cultists and bearded the vicious, fairy-tormenting villain in his den! Because he had a beard.", he explains.

"Anyway, he slashed at me with his wicked, barbed claws, but I beat them aside with the flat of my blade and thrust..."

Chrystosm embarks on a delicately embellished recounting of the group's adventures so far.

"So then we crept into the lumber camp, under the noses of a coup... a dozen... TWO dozen bloodthirsty cultists and bearded the vicious, fairy-tormenting villain in his den! Because he had a beard.", he explains.

"Anyway, he slashed at me with his wicked, barbed claws, but I beat them aside with the flat of my blade and thrust..."

Tyran and Edgrin listen raptly, the children gasping all at once at the mention of horrific fairy tormenting villain and his barbed claws.

"What happened then?" Kimi whispers, leaning into the circle as she takes in the story...