Raxus has been quiet since they left. He seems curious about the noise and scans the surroundings
but sees nothing.
He kneels beneath a tree next to Arianna and keeps his dogs still and quiet.
she thinks
"What the heck is that?"
Arumil gets close to Arianna but flips his bedroll over his body. Hopefully he would look like a mound of dirt at best. Remembering what the gnomes are referring to he whispers it to the others, silently cursing being right.
As Arianna begins casting, the fey-gnomes gasp as her voice carries over the clearing. One urgently whispers, "It can hear you, run!" before taking off into the brush followed by the other strange green gnomes.
The other gnomes look around, but two glance upward and gasp, pointing at the dark shape moving across the sky. One looks at the other gnomes:
The gnomes break and take off together, stumbling through the dense forest.
From high above, you hear another call, "HOO-HOO-HOOT! HOO-HOO! HOO-HOO!"
Now clearly visible as it crashes through the upper limbs of the trees, the massive Jubjub bird begins descending toward the clearing. From the way it turns its head from side to side, you get the impression that it hasn't seen you yet, but it seems to be coming directly toward your position!
"Judging from their reaction it's very bad,
Think we should run like scared little kids,
or follow the gnomes?"
Bydar whispers"Do any of you have spells that can create lights or sounds elsewhere to lure it off away from us?"
Arumil whispers.
"I do but the range is very close. It wont last long on top of that."
"This way! Run!" Raxus says, calling to the gnomes and bolting through the woods, running like a loping beast.
Arianna shrugs and nods in agreement with Raxus' order, but pauses to cast a minor spell to hopefully distract the giant bird long enough to buy her companions a few precious seconds. Four torch-like lights flare into existence at the edge of the foliage approximately forty feet away from the young woman in the opposite direction from which Raxus and the gnomes fled. With barely a thought Arianna directs the bobbing lights to move thirty feet even farther away as she turns to follow the fleeing group.
Bydar shoots Arianna a grateful look for the distraction and follows. He keeps pace with the gnomes as best he can not wanting to desert them.
Acrobatics +2, Climb -1, Escape Artist +2, Perception +2 and Survival +0
Bridgette runs follows Raxus through the woods
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As your group begins tearing through the forest, you hear a massive flap of wings as the huge bird dives after the dancing lights Arianna sends fleeing away from the clearing.
[Round 1]
The small gnomes begin running in your directly, wisely deciding that the Raxus would likely try to protect them (or that the Jubjub bird would take the largest target instead of them).
In their haste, Bydar and Arumil both stumble over tree roots, falling to the ground. The rest of the group manages to avoid the tangle as the man and elf get back to their feet.
Snapping trees and a shriek of pain and anger tear through the forest as the Jubjub bird tries to grasp the lights, only to slam into the ground, destroying a dozen trees as the creature rolls through the woods.
[Round 2]
The companions continue fleeing through the forest, but Dawn and Dusk both leap back in surprise as a squirrel jumps away from their path, causing Raxus to trip over the large Apollos. He quickly rights himself, barely breaking his loping stride.
The Jubjub bird raises its head to the sky and lets out a horrific shriek, the likes of which you have never heard. It swings around and turns its baleful eyes on your fleeing forms. With a thrust of its wings, it heads up into the open air.
[Round 3]
The gnomes continue to scramble forward, trailing you but moving as fast as their little legs can move.
Unfortunately, a shallow gulley surprises the group as Bydar, Arianna, and Teremith tumble head over heels and land in a tangle of arms and legs. Bridgette and Arumil make it down the slope on their feet, while Raxus simply leaps down with an immense jump that clears nearly twenty feet. The worg yips happily as she also jumps down the slope, followed by Dusk and Dawn.
Overhead, the ponderous Jubjub bird calls out "HOO! HOO!" But where the calls were curious before, everyone can hear the tinge of anger and frustration in the thing's cries.
[Round 4]
Everyone picks themselves up and begins moving, with Arianna and Teremith managing to rejoin the group, but Bydar stumbles again and slips backwards into the gulley. The worg looks over her shoulder and calls out, "Keep up, priest!" before sprinting ahead.
With a huge "HOOT! HOOT! HOOT!" the Jubjub bird appears through a break in the trees, barely sixty feet away.
[Round 5]
Bydar rolls to his side, then manages to leverage himself upward, ducking his head and charging ahead in the footsteps of the rest of his companions.
Bridgette stumbles and slows down just enough to cause Teremith to break his stride. Helping her right herself, they quickly start running again.
The Jubjub bird pulls down through the trees, breaking off branches and losing feathers at an alarming rate. Despite the injuries, the giant bird pushes itself forward, opening its jaws and slamming them shut with a lethal-sounding CLACK! as it finally nears its prey.
[Round 6]
The group continues sprinting through the forest until Raxus shouts, "There!" A dark foreboding hole looms ahead of you, partially obscured with ivy and fallen limbs. The half-ogre barrels through the opening and down into the depths, clearing the way for the rest of the group. As quickly as you can, you follow Raxus into the cave.
Outside, the sounds of the Jubjub bird tearing into the cave continue to follow you for several minutes. It appears the creature had a single-minded focus on finding you, but the cave proved to be too small for its bloated form.
-----
"Ow. THAT was humbling," the cleric says, "I've never seen one of those before,and hope I never do again. Is everyone alright?"
Raxus huffs like a great beast as he leansagainst the wall of the cave and tries to catch his breath.
"Fine. We're fine." he says, ruffling his dogs' fur and starting to slowly chuckle.
His laughter swells and becomes a full throated belly laugh that echoes through the dark cave. He grins like a happy shark in the near-darkness.
We're fine."
Arumil cast a spell to clean himself up.
"Fine, we seem to be missing a few gnomes. Any idea what happened to them?"
"They likely know the area well enough to know where all the best spots to take shelter are."
Bydar chuckles at Raxus' belly laugh, then joins in a moment. It is good to be alive, that much is true.
Answering the others, he ponders, "I'm not sure, but at least two of the fey gnomes are still with us, perhaps they can lead us to their companions now that the coast is clear? And we do have a village to save. Though I'm tempted to pray and rest here for a bit."
After the encounter with the Jubjub bird, many of you find it difficult to get back to sleep. Your adrenaline continues to flow well into the later hours, and before you know it, the sun is creeping over the horizon.
Soon after dawn, the missing fey-gnomes reappear, seeming relieved to see all of you still alive. The journey continues, and luckily, your next night passes without interruption.
On the third day, Derry the fey-gnome stops you, "In about an hour, we're going to arrive at my village. I'm not sure what we'll find, but we should be able to convince my people to stay out of the way. Now that Zatlusan is dead, they won't be afraid any more."
He nods toward Korrelan, "His people are in a big pen near the center of the village. It shouldn't be hard to break them out."
Korrelan speaks up, "If its all the same to everyone, that's where we'll be - if you can handle everything else we'll make sure our friends and families get a chance to escape."
-----
Derry describes the village as a large clearing, about a hundred feet across. Small homes are scattered around the perimeter, with a big wooden stockade in the center holding gnomes from Korrelan's village.
In the northern part of the village, Zatlusan erected several alchemical labs and containers to create the disease he was spreading. Anybody, or anything, that now guards the village is likely going to be near there.
Because of the illusions hiding the village, you have to enter from the south or risk becoming lost and turned around, even with people leading you. Stealth may be an option though; Derry indicates the fey-gnomes typically don't post guards, they depend solely on their illusions to protect their homes.
I just need to know if you intend to do anything specific (with skill rolls) as you enter the village.
Korrelan speaks up, "If its all the same to everyone, that's where we'll be - if you can handle everything else we'll make sure our friends and families get a chance to escape."
Arianna places a comforting hand on Korrelan's shoulder. "If our groups get separated, head north to the Levetons' trading post that we told you about - it's on the South Rostland Road. Ask for Captain Garess or Oleg and Svetlana Leveton. Tell them that the Liberators sent you and what happened here. They'll give you any help you need," Arianna advises the gnome.
"As she says," Bydar agrees.
"Well I was recently able to learn Boggard so we can speak with it, next time our paths cross." Arumil says as an after thought.
Something else crosses his mind when they speak of the post.
"Make sure you approach from the front gate. To make sure you come off as friendly."
He fails to say that the rest of the post is littered with traps. He figured it best to keep such things to a need to know basis.
"I could disguise myself as Zatlusan, if you think it would be helpful..." Arianna suggests slowly and with a thoughtful expression as she considers the possibilities and difficulties with her own new idea. "It might delay or confuse whatever guardians are left in place... For a few critical moments, at least. We don't have the signet ring, but I could wrap my hand with a bloody bandage to make it look like my ring-hand was wounded..."
Arumil shakes his head.
"I do not think it wise to even give the thought of him being alive to them. Their fear of him or his master may cause them to become hostile. If you deceive them from the start would it not make sense they will not trust anything you say afterwards. Better to be caught sneaking in then in a lie."
The gnomes nod as you explain where to go in case the groups get separated. They repeat the names you give them, and seem pleased that you are seeing to their welfare after they free their companions from the stockade.
You do not detect any sign of poison.
"Whatever we do, let's stay together. Fey magics seem built on confusion and compulsion as many of you know better than I, so I think separation would be a very bad thing."
When the others are ready to try to sneak in, Bydar does his best to do so as well
Raxus scowls at the thought of sneaking. He'd never been much good at it.
The group begins to move slowly and stealthily into the fey-gnome village.
Following your guides, you continue forward despite everything in front of you appearing to be simply more rolling hills and scrub forest. After several minutes, your vision clears and you are in the midst of a large circular opening. Small houses and buildings rise around the perimeter of the clearing, and a stockade rests in the center. Sullen-looking gnomes sit in the stockade, staring at the ground or huddling together.
Several of the strange green gnomes wander around the village, turning in surprise as you enter the clearing. Their faces turn to confusion as they recognize their fellow fey-gnomes in front of your party.
On the far side of the clearing, you see what can only be the alchemy lab used in the creation of the plague spreading throughout the Stolen Lands. Large wooden vats leak a viscous milky white fluid.
Three large forms stand beside the alchemy lab. They resemble knights clad in plate armor holding greatswords, except they appear to be made of wood.
Additionally, they are magical creations, and do not possess the ability to speak. Similarly to golems, they obey the instructions of their master and cannot be reasoned with or intimidated.
Their only real weakness is fire, but certain spells that affect wood have been known to severely damage thorn knights.
Arumil catches sight of three constructs. He whispers what he knows to the others before adding to the fey gnomes.
"Who controls those three thorn knights?"
"This could be ...interesting," Bydar says upon hearing the wizard's whispers on the Thorn Knights. He's suddenly glad for the glaive he carries.
The green gnomes look at the thorn knights in confusion, and Derry says, "We don't know, they weren't here when we left."
The other fey-gnomes in the village begin backing away from your group, retreating to the safety of their homes and buildings. The ones with you step forward and call out to no avail.
The gnomes in the stockade finally take an interest in you, looking at your group. Korrelan cries out "We're here, we'll free you!" and begins running toward the stockade as fast as his legs can carry him. The other gnomes follow his lead, and they are soon smashing the wooden braces and bars in an attempt to sunder them.
As the sound echoes in the clearing, a hoarse laugh interrupts the gnomes' efforts. An old woman, bent with age, and leaning on a rusted scythe exits a building near the thorn knights. Throwing her ratty long gray hair away from her face, it's clear that she suffers from some sort of wasting flesh disease - fully half of her face seems to be covered in boils and wounds.
"What have we here, more slaves for the vats of Urgathoa?"
At her words, the thorn knights drop into battle stances and raise their weapons.
"Well I guess that answers my question."
He conveys what he knows to the others.
"If anyone wishes to make an attempt at diplomacy feel free. Personally I rather doubt it will work and as she follows a god of waste, I would rather be rid of her from these lands."
Arumil readies a spell for the wicked woman.
Bydar's eyes narrow, "Servant of Urgathoa, you taint this land in all you do. We will put an end to the ugliness you seek to spread"
With that, he touches Raxus on the shoulder, "Shelyn shield you from evil."
"Thanks for the info, I was wondering why she made my skin crawl when I heard her speak. "
Raxus' arm and chest lit up at Bydar's touch, shining with the rainbow bird of Shelyn. His brows rose. He glanced down at himself and knew his mother's goddess was with him. He had never heard of Urgathoa but something about the nature of the magic and the things this hideous shamen seemed to be doing made him realize that the shaman's patron was everything his mother's goddess was not. He looked to Bydar for a moment with rainbows rippling through his eyes and nodded, seeming almost serene, then turned to face the horrible woman.
He pointed to Bridgette and rumbled something in the tongue of his father. His dogs moved to her sides.
Then he moved forward, beginning to pick up speed, his prismatic eyes locked on the crone.