Did someone...?!? Varamar sputters incredulously. No, I did this to myself - thought, hey why not drown myself today. Yes of course someone did this to me!!! Bits of black goo fly from the zombie-necromancer's mouth as her rattles the cage. He pauses a moment to contain his rage, then continues in a calmer voice. I tracked the giants that took the book and eventually caught up to them not far from here. After some "negotiation" they agreed to take me to their city to meet with their king and discuss an alliance with my mistress. But the deformed traitors turned on me soon enough, leading us into an ambush by hobgoblins then melting away into the swamp. After my minions were destroyed I was captured and brought back here and stuck in this accursed cage. That fat beast Mukar kept questioning me on farmsteads and forester camps. Here Varamar begins to get worked up again. Me! Imagine! Me, an acolyte of the undying Vanya, at his disposal and all he wants to know about is some stinking pig farmers. Well, once he realized that I cared not for such petty things, he dropped this cage into the water and left me there to drown. Varamar leer triumphantly, But the jokes on him isn't it? I'll bet he wasn't laughing when you lot ran him through. Show me his fat Hobgoblin corpse so I can raise him up as a zombie and kill him again!
Hrungir snarls at the mention of Mukar.
"Mukar. Mukar." Kennen mumbles the name a few times trying to remember where he heard it. Then he snaps his fingers. "Oh yeah. Harrol, one of the mercenaries we brought, mentioned him. Hobgoblin that's been hitting all the farms nearby. Pretty big bounty too. So this is he's fort?" he says looking around. Mukar either had a pretty good tactical mind or was lucky to get this place. Probably the latter since it was so under-maned.
He turns to the prisoner, a wicked smile on his face. "Unfortunately Mukar is still out there and you just told us he doesn't have the book. The giants do. Now, my silent friend here is a pretty good tracker," he says pointing to Warden. "So are the ones up stairs. We could probably find the giants ourselves but it might be faster if you tell us where the ambush took place and which way they went. Unfortunately, you haven't been the best conversational partner. Very aggressive. Very demeaning. And we don't exactly need you. We could leave you in there. Once Mukar comes back and finds his fort ransacked, I am sure he will not be happy. Then again, he now has a talking corpse to play with. I am sure he find an entertaining use for that. Probably something verrry embarrassing for a man of your capabilities and intellect."
"Might as well drop the cage back in the water. Either that or we are going to have to destroy him. At least here, he can't hurt anyone."
The warden levels his greatsword to run it through the bars. "Undead... threat." he growls.
The cage swings awkwardly as as Varamar flinches away from the brandished great sword. No wait! His filmy eyes bulge in fright. You'll never be able to track the Thawn. Their whole culture is focused on keeping their city secret from the rest of the swamp's inhabitants - and the ambush site will do you no good. I was ambushed by Mukar's hobgoblins, not the giants. But I know where their city is.
He pauses, looking expectantly at his captors/rescuers. Met with only skeptical stares, he gives a disgusted huff and hurries on. I saw their maps - unlike my minions, the thawn have to sleep, and one night while we camped, I uh, happened study their maps. Their city lies to the north east of here. I can lead you right to it.
Sens Motive
"I have no idea if he's honest or not. Seems logical that a crew of giants wouldn't be terribly hard to locate, but I'm not sure."
"Me neither," Kennen says, shrugging in indifference. "But he's a caster. Take his book, his components, and bind his hands and he can't do much right?" Then a light appears in his eyes as he smiles at Varamar. "He's also undead and can't feel. We can shove him a very small box with just his head poking out. Then drop him on his smarmy face if gets uppity."
The Warden hesitates a few long seconds before putting his weapon away. He goes looking for a means to transport the corpse without risking the group.
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We do not need the wizard. I can lead us to the Thawn.
Kee-rik is already sure he doesn't trust Varamar ...
... and doesn't notice anything that would change his mind.
"If Hrungir can get us there, we have no need for the wizard. Let's drop him back in the water and come back for him when we are finished. He can't do any harm down there..."
"Aw. No box wizard." Though he is saddened by the news, he waves cheerily at Varamar as he sinks back into the water. "Guess its for the best. Keeping prisoners is dangerous. Never know who might come and rescue them. So I guess your leading then?" he asks, at Hrungir.
What!?! You are going to trust a talking dog?? Varamar''s rant takes on a desperate tone as his cage starts to ratchet slowly back into the murky water. [ b]. You're making a horrible mistake! You need me! You haven't heard the last of Vara...glub glub glub...[/b]
Hrungir sniffs at the water and then turns
We go to the Thawn? Or we find Mukar?
Harrol, the mercenary leader speaks up. Well, my crew and I have done what we were hired to do - Found these folks here. I know there's still this book to find, but I reckon you can't leave warlord Mukar lurking around behind you. He looks to Kennen. You saw what he did to that poor pig farmer back in the bush. Doesn't feel right just letting him roam loose to do that to more honest folk, or to retake this tower. I know the old elf and the wizard back in Eiren said this book had to be found quick like, So why don't you lot follow its trail and we'll mop up behind you?
Raidh jumps in. That sound like a good plan. I can't leave that hobgoblin free to prey on more of my kinsmen. And Morgtii here wants to visit the ruins of his old hive - look for survivors. We'll stay here with Harrol's crew while the rest of you go on. We'll lay in supplies here at the tower if you need somewhere to fall back to or resupply.
Kennen lightens at the chance to rid the area of Mukar an his roving band but deflates at the suggestion to move on. "You sure you guys can handle it? I mean this is a good defensive position but we broke in pretty easy," he says, hopeful they can stick around a little longer.
Hrungir will lead the heroes if they wish it. However, he isn't trained in Survival.
The warden will move forward, placing a hand on Hrungir's flank in reassurance.
"I will lead." he says, his voice gravelly. "Tell me directions."
Kee-rik agrees to moving quickly to the red circle area, then searching carefully.
Dolph is quiet while the others are deciding on the tracking methods. He didn't have much to add to that, other than simply following along with the experienced trackers . "I'm with you. Lead ahead."
Hrungir puts his nose to the ground and begins leading the heroes into the swamp. His preferred method of travel involves him disappearing and reappearing dozens of feet ahead, scouting for the heroes as they travel.
This way Stony one...
Departing from the tower by mid day, the adventures strike north then turn north-east, eager to reach the area Hrungir thinks contains the secret city of the thawn.
Despite the stinging bugs, soggy, sucking mud, and oppressive, cloying air, the Warden sets a true course and they cover about 6 miles before the light begins to fail. The group begins thinking about a good campsite and heads for higher ground in the hopes of pitching their tents somewhere relatively dry.
You approach an area with a bit of dry ground, half a dozen woodsmen lay about on bedrolls hacking and coughing, their handkerchiefs stained with blood. A young half-elf moves amidst them offering water and gently tending to them. She is a stunning blonde-haired half-elf with deep black eyes and pointed ears.
It appears your approach has not been noticed yet.
The warden come into the camp spots the sickened beings, and ducks into cover where he wouldn't be seen and cause a panic. It's almost uncanny how easily his stony hide blends with the swampy terrain.
"Hey War...where'd he go?" Kennen says, looking around for the Warden. Upon not seeing him, Kennen turns to Dolpho and Kee-rik. "I'm not from around here. You know those guys?"
Dolph shakes his head and whispers. "I can't say I know them, or her for that matter. But, I'd like to change that alright," he says, admiring the beautiful half elf helping the men. "Anyone feel like making our introductions?"
Kee-rik stays his usual silent self.
Dolph stands and announces himself, seeing the others weee not going to do so. "Greetings, young lady. I don't mean to surprise you. I'm Rodolpho. It is a pressure to meet you," he calls out, taking a polite bow when she meets his gaze.
The woman looks up as Dolpho breaks cover and introduces himself. Her eyes light up and she breaks into a grateful smile. Oh thank the Goddess! I am Celia. My men have all taken sick, and I'm afraid we are need of some help.
Looking the camp over a little more thoroughly, you see six miserable men grouped around the campfire in various states of discomfort, and one bearded man standing guard at the edge of the camp, now staring at you suspiciously, hand on axe handle.
Know. Local
Sense Motive
Dolph slowly advances toward the woman "Myself and my friends aren't here to bother you. What happened to your men? Did it just come on them suddenly?"
The men started getting sick a few hours after we broke our mid-day camp Celia responds.
Dolph recognizes her garb as fairly typical of what the Edridal elves of Zaran wood wear. The men look to be lumberjacks and woodsman from one of the may logging camps that dot the edges of the wood.
Wish they made her in my size, is Kennen's first thought upon seeing the attractive half-elf. He was only a little a ashamed of it. He stares for a only a moment longer before looking around at the men on the ground. He takes note of the outward symptoms and thinks back to anything he knew that would cause it. "Where have you guys been?" It'd be best to avoid their route.
From his position hidden in the nearby brush, the warden observes their behavior, seeing if they were just putting on an act.
But everything seemed fine, as far as he could tell. He couldn't possibly be that rusty after being asleep so long.
He stared at the closest of the sick woodsmen and tries to recall if he'd encountered this illness before.
Kee-rik is his usual small unassuming self, not actively hiding but still probably easy to overlook.
Its hrd for Warden to make any kind of assessment of the woodsmen's ailment from his hidden position, but he'd wager it was food poisoning of some sort. He knew of several varieties of mushroom native to the area that would produce similar symptoms in humans.
To Kennen Celia responds, We set out from Zaran wood yesterday, and were making good time until this. She waves her hand at her disabled troop, clearly exasperated by the situation.
"I can cure a few wounds, but I don't know anything about curing poison, unfortunately. If you gather them together, I could try a quick spell, but like I said, it normally only works on injuries."
The warden stands up, suddenly becoming visible on the edge of camp as the natural camouflage falls away. "It's food poisoning." he declares. "Did any of them eat the mushrooms?"
"Mushrooms?" Kennen looks around as if expecting to see little maniacal toadstools with pitchforks. "What mushrooms? Use your words man."
Celia is suitably startled by the appearance of Warden, and several of the men let out nauseous groans at the mention of mushrooms.
Mushrooms? Yes, that old woman we camped with man rabbit and mushroom stew for the men! Ah what rotten luck - now my quest is ruined before it even begins.
"Now there's an old woman involved? Can we start from the beginning? Also, anyone know a remedy for this?" He asks of the group, looking at Warden in particular since he knew the source.
The warden will nod, going a short ways out into the swamp to collect what he'll need.
"Boil water." he growls before leaving. "make clean."
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Hrungir sniffs at the men. They smell ill, and so he stays clear of them.
Hrungir prefers to allow his allies to do most of the speaking, if his enemies think him some simple beast so much the better for him.
"Yes, tell us everything, so we can try to help.". Dolph grabs a nearby large rock and sits down, waiting for the story, so he can think properly.
We are on a quest to retrieve a family heirloom. A medusa that lives on the northern side of the bog, in a place called Oakentomb Wood, stole it from my family last spring as they returned from trading with the dwarves of the mountain. The warned me that it was too dangerous to confront such a fell creature in her lair over a mere trinket... but it is precious to me. So I planned and prepared all winter. I saved enough money to hire these brave men, [/b] here Celia bends down and show the group several scrolls and potions in her satchel. And I have the means to reverse the medusa's stoney curse.
Our quest began well enough, but earlier today we met an old woman out gathering peat and firewood. She offered to prepare us a hot meal in exchange for help with her chores, which the men were happy to do, seeing as they hadn't had anything but cold tack and porridge for the last three days. Ah, how foolish that turned out to be. Her she looks up and calls over to the stern man on guard duty. You were right Ethar!
She turns back to the group and finishes her story with a defeated shrug. Now I have no choice to turn back. The fight is gon from my men - I must sty and see to these brave souls who followed me out here. I have not the funds to hire more and daren't push on alone...