Disappointed in his own lack of contribution, never the less Maksim is filled with reverent awe. "Not hell, quite the other, I think a curse of some sort was broken. But the bear was a man, maybe a druid. Something very dark must of 'appened long ago. We may never know what. But the temple has been cleansed." Maksim comes forward and looks around for any other signs, portents or anything notable.
Perception: 1d20+3
Aye. Maybe there will be some evidence in the temple. We should go take a look.
The temple is as much of a ruin on the inside as the out, the intricately carved wooden pews are time and insect worn. Maksims keen eye spots a loose panel on the scratched and rotted alter, prying it off you find a forearm legnth green wood stick.
Arielle follows the others inside the temple to search around for clues as to who the bear was.
"How long do you think that poor fellow was stuck here as a bear, guarding this place? I wonder what he did to get stuck like that."
Aye, Brigh is a right good goddess. Her leanins are such that I believe she'll be happy to know that her granted healing helped to restore this temple. Maybe you could add an area for craftsmen there in on the side to thank her. You are not sure if Egan is serious or not.
After drinking, he recommends that everyone drink. This water has been blessed by good force. It's quite refreshin. I', gonna recommend it to all, and especially if you're wounded.
Egan spends a moment inspecting the dead bear. Quite a beast. Lookat these claws. I'm gonna take a trophy or two if no one objects.
Andrej drinks from the water as well.
Silva walks over to the pool of water at Egan's encouragement and takes a drink.
Erastil bless your holy temple.
When you drink from the pool your wounds close and a feeling of wholeness flows through you.
Maksim comes back to the courtyard with the staff, "Are any of you set to see mystic forces? I've a feeling this be a blessed staff of this temple."
[ooc]I believe its a wand - "forearm length." [/ooc
Egan casts Detect Magic and says [b}Lets have a look.[/b] He then casts guidance on himself before attempting a spellcraft check.
When you go back to recover him and your horses Jhod praises your efforts and thanks you profusely, he immediately starts planning cleaning the temple up and getting it up and running again. "Why don't you send that chap John and those two lads you brought back to the trading post with you down here to give me a hand? That might help out Oleg and Svetlana as well. I'll stay here and get started, then while your heading further south you have somewhere you can stop off and if you need my healing you can return to me quickly."
Egan studies the wand for a moment and pronounces As much as I would like this to be some holy artifact, it is not. But it is still quite useful. It is a wand of Cure Light Wounds that has 18 uses remaining.
Should we maybe set up a semi permanent camp here? I can see us putting in some work here.
Jhod looks pleased at the suggestion, "I was planning to stay here myself and start tidying up, as news of the temple spreads i'm sure Erastil's faithful will come and help. Though your contribution has been great some more assistance would be most welcome."
"Perhaps we could clear away a bit to make a good place for people to camp and set up a permanent and safe firepit? We could use it whenever in the area and it could also be used by pilgrims wishing to visit the temple. I'm sure any weary groups of pilgrims would appreciate a nice place to camp after a long trek."
"It would be good to put this temple back to service, double so since that was Erastil's will. But we will need to get some better tools in and some skilled craftsmen for repairs. With workmen worthy of hire that mean funds and so on. We can do good work in cleaning and seting up a camp but more will need greater preparation. Much work to be done here. Let's do what we can for now and after the evening meal, Lord Silva, Father Jhod, and I, and of course any others that wish to can discuss the larger issues and work toward solutions."
Maksim seems happy at the thought of endless hard labor. He sets his backpack down, brings out the small shovel that he bought, and sets about cleaning, moving rubble, building (or rebuilding) a safe fire-pit, etc.
As a follower of Brigh, I like this talk of craftsmen. I will certainly help.
Looking a little embarrassed Egan brings up a topic. Back in the fight, I sort of lost myself and got all tongue tied due to the excitement. Its part of being an oracle I am afraid. Brigh's blessing in a strange sort of way, and is not likely gonna get better. If you want to be able to converse with me during a fight, someone is gonna have to lear Ignan, the language of the elemental plane of fire. I'd be most happy to teach it to you if anyone would be interested in learning?
At a break in the busy workday Maksim says, "The wand should go to who can use it best in battle. I'm usually too far out for that so another of ye should use it. Erastil will not begrudge another's aid if they work to the better of all. Lord Silva is often in the front engaged so it seems our fiery Oracle is the best for it, but I welcome discussion."
At Egan's odd admission, "That seems passing strange to me but each god has there own ways not to be fathomed by mortals. Hmm, well it's a lot of work to learn a new language, double so for one that sounds so unusual. But I see that it could be advantagous if we did learn it, I doubt many, if any, of those who would oppose our work in these lands would know it. That is good in battle."
Arielle bounces up beside Egan. "I'd be happy to learn Ignan from you Egan."
I'll stick to something I can actually use....
He busies himself around the site as best he can, moving dead branches, rubble and so forth.
Egan happily begins teaching Arielle some fundamentals of Ignan. He helps her with some chores and focuses on the firepit as fires are sorta his thing.
Jhod, I will spread the word of this re-founding of this temple and of the wonder of the pool here. I ask of you to keep in mind the fey's role in the rebirth of this place. They are my cousins and my friends. It would be ungracious to ever forget their help. We hope to someday help found a new kingdom here and if I have my say the fey will be a welcome part of it all.
Maksim smiles at the start of a community forming with Egan's and Arielle's first steps. At Egan's desire for a united land with a place for the fey Maksim replies, "I'm all for a full community with as many willing participants as possible. If we can find a way through the morass of different ways of living and thinking then it could only lead to a better life. But that is the problem, fey often find us types dour and boring, the fey can appear prankish and irresponsible to us. That can led to anger and distrust on both sides. How would you suggest we deal with such issue before they become problems or even tragedies?" Maksim continues happily with the good work of community relations.
Jhod will work diligently at the temple and direct you to the things which need doing as a priority, "A fully integrated community would be something wonderous, but many have tried the mammoth task before. You have my full support though, and as i promsed my spellcasting abilities are yours for life."
While this is happening Anza has helped to set up a temporary camp for while you are working at the temple, she has spent the time you have been working looking ver maps and has planned a route which should take around a week to cover most of the forest surrounding the temple, sweep for threats and map the area. "If we set off in the morning we should be able to get through this area quickly, the weather is improving so its a good time to travel."
Silva uses his strength to perform the more physical tasks as he happily clears the terrain around the temple. May your dwelling place be returned to its former glory Erastil...a resting place for those who seek community and peace.
Good job friends. Tomorrow we will make sure the surrounding land is safe.
As they go about their work...
"Egan, I think it would be wonderful to include the fey in a new community. I wonder if perhaps the little ones resort to pranks just to get attention since they are so often not welcome in most communities. Perhaps they just need to feel wanted and given tasks to do? Even our own children can get up to quite a bit of mischief if given too much free time without supervision."
Egan nods. That would likely fit with some of the fey. Other, like the ones we've heard about by the big tree just are not gonna fit in well anywhere. Best to mark them on the map and leave them be I think.
Leave them to their world and us to ours... if we make some sort of working agreement as to where their lands begin and ours end, it should help
After putting in a couple of days hard work the temple is begining to look like a place of worship again and Jhod has a simple but comfortable living space organised for himself in the cave itself. Anza will confer with you about her plan for exploration before encouraging you to get a good nights sleep so you can start early. "If we head out to the north west we can map the edge of this forest and follow the woods around to the south east of the temple where we should be able to find this boar for you. What do you think?"
A good plan. As always Anza, I put myself in your capable hands.
Andrej grunts and nods in acknowledgement.
The last evening at the temple you have a simple meal, Jhod produces two bottles of potent mead from his saddle bags. "I've been saving these to celebrate finding the temple, now seems a good time to share them as simple as our fare is."
You have a fine night around the campfire telling tales and re-living your adventures as well as pondering whats to come, as the sun begins to peak over the horizon you all find your self awake. Becoming used to Anza's early morning preperations over the past weeks waking up at dawn has become second nature. After farewells from Jhod amd a blessing for those who will have it you set off to the north west with the morning sun at your backs. "May Erastil watch over you and guide your hands."
Perception
Egan yawns.
Maksim feels happy but tired after a long hard day of work and happily rests by the campfire drinking the meal and the simple meal. He retires quickly for the evening. He wakes at the morning as usual and does the morning services, at the rededicated temple, with Father Jhod. THen he preares to ride out with the others to see that if there are any problems with the area.
Perception:
Maksim replies to Father Jhod, "Thanks to the Father of Farm and Forest, for all his blessings, you not least among them. May your labor here plant a seed the will grow into a goodly community for all."
Maksim says to Egan, "While we are traveling perhaps, you can go over Ignan basics, I fear that my sputtering sounds less like fire and more like rude noises."
It'll be my pleasure Maksim. Once you master the basics its not that difficult, I promise.
They day you spend travelling this area of woodland is quite plasant, the trees here are smaller and thinner than the old growth around the temple and the fae nest allowing the warm spring sun to filter through the canopy. Signs of wild life are starting to return and hunting game proves to liven up your meal times, you spend the days idly riding as Anza and Arielle map the area with Maksim and Egan conversing in broken Ignan.
Suddenly there is a loud metalic snap and Andrej's horse screams and drops to the ground throwing him from the saddle, Sparky and Breeze begin to bark at the noise before you hear another snap. Sparky yelps amd falls to the ground rolling Egan from his back, as Silva's horse rears at the noise you hear another snap cause Silva's horse to tumble and trapping his leg beneath its weight.
Maksim and Arielle control their mounts amid the bear trap filled area, cautious of movent lest they suffer a similar fate.
Egan scrambles to his feet and looks around for potential ambushers. Is this a game trap or a man trap? he ask worriedly.
The screams of the horses force Egan to shout, however nothing seems to have acted on the traps being sprung so an ambush seems unlikely.
Lets get these traps off the horses and heal them up! Egan goes to Sparky and tries to calm him.
Its ok boy, you are not hurt.
Looking about carefully before she dismounts, Arielle will settle Breeze in safe looking spot as she offers her help to free the injured horses.
"I suppose these traps were laid out for that cursed man/bear we fought yesterday. Though I'm sure he was smart enough to evade these traps."
Perception: More traps? Anything else to note?
Maksim holds up, disgusted at the savaging of the horses. "This is a bad place to put traps without markings. Anyone could come by and be hurt. How badly are the horses hurt? Is the aid of the Lord of Animals of Labor needed?" Maksim will dismount and do whateer is needed.
Silva full of wrath over the traps does everything he can to help his mount stay calm. Does anyone have skill at disabling traps?
"I could try a little acid spell on the hinges of the traps if you can hold your horses still enough for me to get close without being stomped on."
Dammit, Andrej yells over the screaming of the animals.
This is turning out to be expensive'.
He rises, kicks his saddle bag and prepares to put the beast out of its misery.
Sparky calms at Egans touch while the horses continue to panic, Maksim checks the area for more traps but your current surroundings seem clear.
Maksim sees the futility of the situation and supports Andrej's decision. "These traps are clearly for men and horses. Put down the hurt beasts with mercy, and we will back out of here. We need to go back to Oleg's and get a master trapper, to find and stop these traps, then we find the fiend that put them out. It's insanely dangerous for us in these woods." Maksim prepares to help with the killing and getting everyone back safely.
Egan looks appalled. There has got to be a chance to remove the trap without killing the horses. We can heal their wounds completely. he says almost pleading. Anza, help us here. Who would set out such horrible traps?
He moves to the first horse, casts a Cure light Wounds, and then tries to calm the animal.