In the hut the woman taps the potato again as she is thinking and then says, "There are the lizardfolk as well. They tend to not be great neighbors as well. They have an island down the river." She starts peeling the next potato.
We have met the Lizard folk. The majority of them are quite nice. The leadership not so much.
This mad hermit, what can you tell us about them?
"I don't know his name, but he has crazy eyes and spends most of his time talking to himself. He has a cat that he has trained and keeps with him. If you run into him, I would watch him carefully. Just like you should be careful about the Will-o'Wisps of ol' Candlemere Island. Or the Lonely Barrow in the Kamelands to the east." The old woman says as she starts cutting up her potatoes.
Albert makes a mental note to mark these locations on his map. "Thank you for the warnings, as we are still new to these lands.
Tell us, how are you able to remain safe here with such dangers about in this wilderness?"
Saoirse listens closely, taking note of the locations the old woman thought important enough to warn them about.
She gives you a toothy smile and says, "I just keep to myself. And its not worth it for the odd crazy hermit or Will o'Wisp to go out of it's way to come bother me."
I thank you for the information on the local area. It is greatly appreciated.
Andreas ponders his next question.
You have survived out here and done so alone. You know the region well enough to know your neighbors. How well do you know the landscape. With the influx of people to our settlement, we will be needing supplies for trade. I would be interested in trade with you. I am looking for anything really. Anything that would be helpful towards a new settlement. Plants and such that can be used to brew remedies for common ailments. Spices that are hard to come by. The fangberries and moon radishes. Trees...hard woods for timber. Harvested properly we can maintain the species without destroying them.
She shakes her head and says, "If you want trees, head towards the forest. I have a general idea of what I can and cannot eat, but I don't have excess to trade. And I am not looking to start a business. Really, I doubt I should be the one to teach you how to live in these lands. I am not exactly living in opulence. There are trappers and loggers in the area already. They would be more helpful for that."
If you need supplies, I am sure we can make arrangements to stop by at some point.
Rillka has been furiously taking notes, I have a map, would you, could help a little handling and tell me the locations you know of.. please? Rillka looks up at the old woman hopefully.
"I am doing fine out of here, but thank you for the offer." Old Beldane says to Sir Andreas and then looks over at Rillka and blinks before saying, "I have never really used maps. I doubt I could give you more then the general area. But if you show me your map I can point to the rough area."
Again, I thank you for the information. The knowledge will be very useful as we continue to stabilize the region.
He seems ready to leave when he turns to the woman one more time.
If you should be in need of anything send word to us. We have started a community around the Stag Lords fort. It has been a hard possess but the area has grown, and many have flocked to the area.
I thank you kindly for your hospitality.
Rillka happily makes notes of the general areas in her journal to update the map later. She waits for the rest of the tall folk to finish talking and simply follows their lead.
Old Beldane plops her potatoes into the soup and once they are cooked she offers to share her soup with you. Do you partake?
Albert happily accepts, appreciating a change from travel rations.
"Thank you very much, ma'am," he says before sipping from his bowl.
Rillka was never one to miss out on a good meal... or witch made potato soup. She take a bowl appreciatively.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality!" Saoirse, says, graciously accepting a bowl of soup.
Thank you kindly for the meal. I am wondering if the taste is as good as the aroma.
You all taste the soup and it turns out to be a thin potato soup with very little flavor. Apparently, Old Beldane does not have much in the way of taste buds anymore. She will host you for a while and then seem to become less interested in having company.
Rillka is good to continue exploring. Don’t think we learned anything that requires immediate attention or altering our plan.
"Thank you very much for the meal, Madam. We won't take up any more of your time." Saoirse says, picking up on the cue that their welcome may have expired.
At the end of Day 5 since you have left Sturmulme, you have completed scouting and mapping this region. You find tracks of various natural creatures, but nothing strange occurs as you work your way through the area. You are currently in the eastern edge of the region. And it is time to pick where to go next.
"So, should we investigate this Mad Hermit next, or something else?" Saoirse asks as they break camp in the morning, preparing to continue on.
We were heading that direction anyway, I say we seek him out and see what we can learn.Rillka give Saoirse an agreeing nod as they are breaking camp.
Duzz nods to Rilka. "From what I understood, we are not in a rush. Our planned route is still good."
Madame, I thank you for your hospitality. I think we should be moving along. We have lots of areas to explore and I would like to make some headway before we have to set camp for the night. If you are in need of anything, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to help you out.
Again thank you for all you have done for us.
"Thank you for the offer. I should be fine. If you are passing by, feel free to ring the bell and say hi." Old Beldane said as she ushered you out to return to Duzz.
----------
The morning after you finished mapping this area, you turn northwest and start exploring the next area. This area quickly becomes forested.
I am set.
I'm set, as well.
Rillka is set;
I moved Jackob to the top right corner of the map, then stole his horse to be the draft horse with Rillka.
[spoiler
As the group slowly moves forward and maps out the area, Ser Andreas suddenly cries out as a large cat rises out of a pile of leaves and charges at Rillka in a burst of teeth and claws that land several painful blows on the small halfling. At the same time a strange looking man bursts out of a bush and lashes out with a whip at Albert, but the whip catches on some of the brush and his swing goes wide and misses the Magus.
Initiative & Notes Bold Go!
Rillka [5/22]
Mad Hermit [??/??]
Large Cat [??/??]
Duzz [35/35]
Ser Andreas [43/43]
Albert [35/35]
Saoirse [32/32]
Rillka gasps in pain, and casts Snowball on the hellcat...
Andreas drops his lance and pulls forth his weapon as his mount moves towards the new threat.
I guess we are not talking, and I am not too fond of those that attack my friends.
The trained horse lends her hooves to remove the threat as well.
Ser Andreas drops his lance and pulls his sword as his horse moves towards the attacker and lashes out. Unfortunately, the horse does not connect. Rillka reacts quickly to the fierce attack by the cat, but her aim is off and the snowball flies wide from the charging cat.
The man steps away from Ser Andreas and tries to lash out at Albert again, but misses wildly. The large cat bolts around Duzz and his elk. The cat bites at Duzz, but also misses.
Initiative & Notes Bold Go!
Rillka [5/22]
Mad Hermit [??/??]
Large Cat [??/??]
Duzz [35/35]
Ser Andreas [43/43]
Albert [35/35]
Saoirse [32/32]
As the large cat darts around Duzz's elk, Saoirse has to make the split second decision on whether to enhance her allies, attack either of the enemies facing them or protect the severely wounded Rillka.
Quickly surveying the battlefield, she attempts to perform both at once, focusing her innate inner magic on the wild-looking old man as a explosion of golden particles erupts all about him, hopefully taking him out of the fight for a moment.
"Stay close! I can heal you!" she says to the Magister beside her.
Scared, Maruk brings his antlers and hooves against the cat.
Worried, Duzz has Maruk stepping away from the angry cat while reaching for Rilka with a healing spell. "Can't we just back down and talk?"
I will have that pelt for my bed, or you can bury me here! Rillka yells as she casts snowball at the cat again.
Seeing spells going off and his companions pressing the attack, Andreas moves closer to the human.
Rillka, you can make a necklace out of its claws for all I care but for now stick by Saoirse. Get some healing.
He turns his attention back to the attacker.
I am not certain who exactly you are, but I do have my suspicions. You attacked us unprovoked and that I cannot accept.
Albert attempts to control his frightened mount.
Aurora whinnies and rears as Albert tries to rein her in, without success. He is preoccupied with keeping the mare under control.
Saoirse casts a spell and a burst of glitter shoots out and hits the crazed man, but he seems unaffected by it beyond the glitter now adorning his ragged clothes. Duzz's mount tries to attack the large cat with a hail of attacks that all miss. He then shifts his mount back to heal Rillka. Rillka turns and sends a snowball beneath Duzz's elk and catches the puma directly to the head. The large cat is slammed backwards and then slumps unconcious on the ground. The man cries out in rage as Sir Andreas continues to attack him wtih sword and the hooves of his trusted mount. The man manages to dodge most of the attacks, but at the sight of the fallen cat, one one of the hooves strikes true.
In anger the man turns and stabs at Sir Andreas. He delivers a solid blow before stepping further away.
Initiative & Notes Bold Go!
Rillka [5/22]
Mad Hermit [-8/??]
Duzz [35/35]
Ser Andreas [35/43]
Albert [35/35]
Saoirse [32/32]
Surrender or die. Rillka calls to the old man, blood frothing at her lips. By her tone, she cares little which option he chooses.