Arlen examines the new acquisitions as well as those boots of Tartuk's.
The boots are magical; they are boots of elvenkind.
The idol is surely the one stolen from the kobolds, and it is not magical, as you had all suspected by this point. It is of fine workmanship, though, and you could probably sell it for 100 gold.
As you detect magic, you notice something that escaped your attention previously. Tartuk's journal has a slight glow! You open it again and a scroll falls out from the pages. It is a scroll of fly!
hey look Arlen, you can hold on to this scroll and read it to your rabbit later so you can learn the spell, right?
Then Rai takes a look at the maps they have been making and says there seems to be one more area for us to map out here before we head back, let's do that!
Arlen nods thoughtfully. "That's worth a shot!" She takes the scroll and studies it carefully and stares back and forth between it and Rasputin for a while. After increasing apparent frustration, she throws up her hands. "Ack!!! Maybe later!!! It's very tricky to manipulate the laws of gravity!"
She holds up the boots "These are interesting. Wearing these will make one of us much nimbler."
Once everyone has climb back to the surface, Brokk'r pulls up their ropes and unties them. He hands one to Rai and then unknots his own before returning it to his pack.
"Back to Oleg's then?" he asks his companions. "Should probably explore that one region we missed on the way. Maybe we'll finally find that boar... Tuskgutter was it?"
The party heads to the northwest on Gozran 10th , to another set of hills and rugged terrain. You see in the northern distance the flats of the Greenbelt plains, so you judge yourself to be on the edge of the Kamelands region. All is quiet... it is a pleasant spring day, and the wind gently blows through the freshly growing green grasses.
Terrain: Hill ; max PC speed: 20 ; days to explore: 3
A cool spring day. No effects
--Three exploration checks from each party member--
Rai is happy to be out of the mite cave and back to his original size and riding once more. He will keep a keen eye for anything of interest out here on the hills and rugged terrain.
Rai will continue to look at the various flowers and point out a few that both Pygmy and "the vorpal Bunny" can eat out here.
Finally as always Rai is on the look out for any alchemical components in the area
Arlen nods briefly at the rugged beauty of the terrain then turns to matters of her... peculiar interests. She attempts to get Rasputin to stop fidgeting so much in her jacket pocket
but the persnickety rabbit doesn't care at all what she wants and keeps stretching his long hind legs whenever he wants.
To distract herself from the kicking rabbit, Arlen fiddles with the boots they found, trying to see how they work so she can learn to make similar things in the future.
After a while she calms down and decides to examine the landscape again. Perhaps the location of these hills would prove important some day for defending or invading...
Brokk'r has a little pent up aggression from the encounter with the mites. He had expected, and maybe hoped a little, that there would be a fight. To release it he climbs to the highest point he can find to get a good look around, taking the lay of the land.
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Sigurd is glad to be out of that cave. It seems that he's gotten used to the wide open spaces and lush green forests of the Greenbelt. Plus, those mites gave me the willys
As he travels with his companions, he makes sure to keep his eyes open for anything of interest to the group. Those things that he does find, he practices identifying before handing anything that's too hard off to Diceros.
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DIceros enjoys the day, even as he yearns for those plains just over the next group of hills.
His heart is conflicted. He decides to talk to Sigurd about it...though the whole party is welcome to join in.
"I think as I gain understanding as a druid, I understand that the animals and plants of this land should be under my protection. But if a creature gains sentient thought, and chooses to use that power for evil, I am not sure they need protection. Rather, perhaps I am called to justice?"
"In this case, I feel we did right because we freed a mite from torture, and then kept our promises to it and its tribe. But now we know of a group of troublemaking mites live in this territory, and will probably make trouble for any settlements that might grow out here. Should we just have dealt with them by fighting instead?"
As Diceros ponders this, and watches Rai teach Pygmy about some new delicious tubers, he keeps his usual eye out for trouble, for natural sources of food, and for native species with medicinal value.
On the second day in this area, as Diceros ponders questions of good, evil, and long-term consequences, his eyes catch another large tree. An old lightning-struck oak tree stands atop a low hill about 1/2 mile in the distance. It looks eerily like a claw reaching for the clouds. He points it out to the others.
Arlem rubs her head in consideration. "Odd. Let's check it out! Anyone feeling sneaky!?"
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"THIS one must be the one that matches our drawing!" Diceros says excitedly as he rummages around for the sketch and holds it up to compare.
Assuming this is indeed the claw-shaped tree, Diceros reminds everyone that we found this drawing in the spider's den, and that there was an "X" marked in blood at the foot of the tree.
You look at the drawing and the tree simultaneously. They sure look like a match! Though the drawing is a crude sketch, you see the artist must have had a least a little bit of skill to reproduce it in charcoal.
Rai looks at the map then the tree and then will move up toward the tree to get a closer look
Give me some perception or other checks on the tree.
Arlen gives the tree a wary eye.
Rai looks it over
Brokk'r puts what he's learned about survival to the test as he examines the tree, following Rai to get a closer look.
You examine the tree carefully and notices a patch of dirt at the base-- recently disturbed.
You all get down and begin digging- with tool, hands, and rhino feet, and soon uncover a cache wrapped in an heavy leather cloak! Inside you find a wand, a silver ring, and spellbook!
Arlen gets extremely excited upin discovering the cache.
Ike follows along, looking up at the old tree before noticing the disturbed dirt. Forming his appendages into shovels, Ike helps lift the cache out of the dirt, before looking it over and studying it. What was this doing here...? He eagerly turns a limb to Arlen, awaiting her assessment of the items.
Sadly, the ring isn't magic! It looks like it is made of silver though and could fetch some gold at Olegs. (give me appraise check)
The wand is a wand of burning hands! (3rd level caster level, 12 charges)
Also, there is a spellbook...
quite the find. Perhaps we can find out who the owner was and if they have any family. If not, we can sell it to be sure.
"Just easy ta find, I imagine," Brokk'r says. "Welp, better get a move on."
It certainly is a mystery; hidden treasure under a tree, in the middle of nowhere. The party recalls that the map to the tree was in a spider's lair, and the general consensus, after some discussion, is that the owner was probably digested by the spider and getting solid answers may be impossible.
Discouraged by this, but happy to find the treasure, the party pushes on the rest of the day and the entirety of the next to finish this area.
That night at camp, you put your map pieces together to see the immense area you have covered. It has been about a month and a half of intensive exploration, and it is fulfilling to see how much you have done!
Your conversation wanders about about a multitude of topics as the fire crackles in front of you.
Arlen cackles with glee at finding the wand. "Let's hold onto this in case we need to burn anything!"
Arlen sits around the fire contemplating the events of the past couple of days. "Hmmph. Apparently a little diplomacy goes a long way. I'm used to just scaring people who acted up in my library. I wasn't allowed to kill anybody back when I lived in civilization." The old, wrinkled elf yawns. "Much more convenient now to have the option when necessary."
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Diceros is in a contemplative mood as he stares into the fire.
"Killing...troubles me. How is it up to me to decide life and death for Nature? I am torn knowing that death is a part of nature; there is no end to the circle of life. And yet...I don't wish to die, so how can I wish it on someone else? And does that person's "goodness" or "evilness" matter in that decision? After all, good and evil are a part of Nature as well. Who is to say that either requires my response?"
Diceros shakes his head, lost in thought.
"Still, though, these weeks exploring, mapping, fighting...these have truly been the best weeks of my life! I never was welcomed in my own tribe, never felt like I belonged anywhere except with my mother. But out here, with all of you, with Pygmy, adventuring...I have found a place I belong. I thank you all for that."
"Sounds like everything's a part o' nature, so whatever ye do's natural..." the dwarf mutters, staring into the fire. He watches the flames dance as he considers his time with the group. He wasn't sure about this motley crew at the outset, but they've proven more capable and reliable than he'd expected.
After a while, he turns and says, "Ike, I know I was hard on ye when we first set out on this little adventure, and I know ye were havin' a rough go of it for a bit there, but ye should know that ye're a part of this team. I'd risk my life fer you or anyone else here."
high praise from you Brokkr. I had not expected to find friends here. Enemies of mine took me and dropped me out in these lands to separate me from my family. I am sure they thought I would die here. The only reason I have not is my new group of friends. You folk are good folk. Rai says the most he has said for some time.
Ike opts to try a dwarven form this time... he's seen enough of Brokk'r to at least make the attempt. It's the facial hairs that are the hardest part... so many individual tendrils to mimic. So while he comes close, it looks a bit... fake. More like it mimics the color and shape, but not quite the same texture.
"...I appreciate you all being diplomatic with the mites. I know that can be... harder... I know it is. And I didn't make it easier by looking like a kobold. I just hoped that... if they saw one of them being peaceful, maybe they'd... do likewise... but you all salvaged a mess I made. I'm... grateful."
Brokk'r's statement that he'd put his life on the line to help him makes his faux-dwarven eyes widen a bit, before pouncing and hugging the genuine article. "THANK YOU!!!" he shouted before likely getting shoved off. Once back in his seat, he stares intently at the fire for a little bit, before finally speaking again.. "...I don't like to fight. I feel like there are better ways to resolve things than fighting. But... if I have to... I don't want to lose that fight. So... I want to get stronger. Not because I want to fight, but because if I have to.... I want to win. I have too much to lose - too many friends now - by being weak."
He stared a bit longer at the fire, as the gears in his slimy mind began to turn a bit. After a moment, a light seemed to click in his head. "Is that what leaders do? Like... good leaders? Like Sootscale and his kobolds. He didn't seem to want to fight, but he did so he could save his tribe... is that what a leader is supposed to do?"
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Sigurd stares into the fire and ponders Diceros' words.
"Yes, good and evil are a part of nature, but does that mean evil should be tolerated? Evil drives the most terrible of actions: murder, theft, rape, and others. These are things that have no place in modern society and are touted as evil by all civilized peoples.
I respect your difficulty with taking a life, even if I don't entirely understand it. But you have to admit, sometimes the presence and influence of evil demands action by the good.
'Good and evil are a part of nature' isn't an excuse for inaction when the helpless are being assailed by the evils of this world. It is then that the gods call us to action.
Arlen strokes her gnarly wrinkled chin thoughtfully. "Good and evil, eh? I think a bit more like Ike. There's us winning or us losing. I want to win so we can make the world how it should be. I don't care how we win. Talking is fine. Fighting is fine." She cackles, recollecting her run-in with the bandit. "Obviously, I think backstabbing is fine too. I'm just rubbish at it." She looks more serious. "But I believe in this team and our goals. And I'll do anything..." The sternness of her cursing magic burns beneath her eyes as she repeats the word "ANYTHING... To make sure we win."
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Diceros shudders a little bit after Arlen talks. He doesn't say much out loud, but he's coming around to Sigurd's point of view, as he realizes that he definitely disagrees with the word "anything" there. No, he would take action if he witnesses evil, especially evil against the natural world, but he wouldn't do *anything* to win a fight, especially if he thinks he might be on the wrong side of that fight.
He nods to Sigurd. "So inaction -- if I'm trying to stay perfectly neutral and claim I will let Nature decide, is choosing a side in the end. I guess it *is* choosing the winning side, after the fact. But not necessarily the right side. I think I agree with you."
it's all about logic and being pragmatic. Most of the things we fight want what we have or want to eat us or want something we won't want to give up. That's it. Survival. It's been lucky that we could talk with the kobolds and mites. If a kingdom does arise here we may be forced to deal with that later.. Rai says matter of factly.
"...but if we can find a place for them... I want to do that too." Ike said, looking up from his fire gazing at the mention of the kobolds and mites. "Can we do that? These lands are their homes to begin with... they shouldn't..." He turned back to the fire for a moment.
"...I know what that's like. To have a home, a place you think of as safe... and have others force you out of it. Because you're different. Because you're a... a monster." His expression shifted from saddened to determined quickly, nodding. "That's... that's what I'll do. I'll make a home for monsters. Like me. Or anyone who feels like they don't have a home. They deserve one... and I'll get strong, to protect them from others who don't want them to have their home! Like... like a king! That's what a king does, right?"
Ike stood quickly, clearly fired up by the idea. It gave him hope! It gave him... purpose! Something to strive for! If he couldn't find his own place... he'd make it! "Yeah! And... and I'll call it... uh... Monster Town! And I'll be the king! King of the Monsters!"
The party eventually retires and heads to bed, with dreams of King Ike Oozey dancing in your heads. Perhaps a dream for some, and a nightmare for others...
The night passes uneventfully and you get an early start. Once out of the hills, you mount up and are able to travel rapidly across the plains.
It is evening of Gozran 10th when you arrive back at Oleg's Trading Post! As in the past you hear a familiar call!
"I SEE THEM! THEY ARE COMING BACK!"
Noober jumps down from the wall, spraining his ankle, and attempts to shake everyone's hands as they ride in.
Jhod the priest, Kesten the guard sergeant, and Oleg and Svetlana all raise their voices in welcome and gather about you to hear of your most recent adventures in the Stolen Land.
"The temple from my dreams! Tell me, did you see anything that looked like an abandoned temple?"
"Any sign of Falgrim Sneeg? He was a mercenary, but always had a penchant for hunting? Have you run across a nasty hunter?"
Svetlana says nothing but looks at you hopefully. Those watching may see her glance down at her hand.
Oleg swears at everyone. "About bloody time you durn fools got back! Yer stuff been sittin' here for days!"
He drops a brewkit, a finely crafted elven branching spear, and a brand new shiny cure light wounds wand on the ground.
"Take it! You've been clogging up my storage room."
Arlen moves up to Svetlana first and draws out the ring. "Madame, I believe this belongs to you." She smiles with great gratification at Svetlana's reaction (I expect).
"Oleg! This is it! They got my wedding ring back! You are all such heroes! Tonight, I shall prepare a feast and toast you all with wine and beer! Oleg! Now you have to make good on that 1,000 gold in trading post credit."