"I am an elf."
Corum checks out the magic items.
"Can any of you identify these magical items?"
”I will help as I can. Let me see.” Norde points at the various items as he describes them. ”Those four are small swords. Those four are eating utensils. All are made of some strange material. That is armor made of leather, as are those three. Those are shiny rings, and a bead, and money. What else did you want identified?”
The bead is a campfire bead.
The rings are essentially "Minion Rings" linked to a more powerful ring (not present). Whoever wears that "Ruling Ring" is aware of any wearer of a linked ring like a constant status spell. Additionally, all wearers of linked rings count as familiar to the "Ruling Ring" for purposes of spells such as scrying and teleport.
Functions as a Dungeon Ring, Prisoner's.
Sunny blinks and backs away form the fellow as he vents. Looking at her waking companions she notices Corum,
The peasant responds to Arcthyl's reading of the parchment, and questions. "Matron has returned? I'd feared so. She was thought to have been dead for hundreds of years, but... with what I've witnessed tonight... I'm starting to believe some of the scandalous theories. Her kin have villas along the Palanquin Path. It spirals from the pass into the retreat to the center - where the main estate is. Matronguard is just those of us who've volunteered to be protectors... keep Feyeater's Retreat safe."
He then approaches the amiable female, Sunny.
"Pardon me miss. I'd like to go home now... if that's alright. Common courtesy would say I should invite you folks back to my little village.. get you a drink and some food."
"Perhaps while we go with you, you can tell us more of this history and what we might do to help... "
Sunny turns and nods, smiling happily to the fellow.
"Aye! An' sure that'd be grand!" She replies, offering a hand out towards him.
"M'name be 'Sunny' in'a speakin' of tha' peoples." (^_^)
"Whut is it ye be callin', then?" She asks, by way of introduction, then she blink, looking to those others around her.
"Aye, an' I meanin' that in way of sayin' hello's ta' every one elses, too"
"So it's evil we are fighting? Which way to it then?"
"Hullo Sunny. I am Arcthyl. Do you know where we are and how we actually got here? I'm a bit confused and disoriented. I fell asleep in the back of a tavern, deep in my cups and having strange dreams. Then I awoke here in these woods, before a blazing fire and a stained gravestone... And a voice, saying something about fighting evil and seeing 'her' hate, and being summoned from dreams. And all of you were there, looking as confused as I felt. Perhaps this 'her' is the Matron this parchment speaks of? But who or what brought us here, and why? I feel... strangely used, as I am more accustomed to being the summoner than the summoned." He says all this as he grabs his gear and readies to travel with the rescued fellow.
Anumil snapped the blood off his blade before he sheathed it.
Going back, he grabbed his pack and the rest of his clothing.
"Somehow, this area is completely unfamiliar. There must be a solid reason we in particular were gathered together, and it's likely we need to stick together to survive whatever this is."
He picked up his crossbow and loaded it.
"I agree... we must have been brought here for a purpose. Someone or something has arranged this meeting. We should, as you say, stick together."
"The Hornmaster will have summoned us to do his bidding."
The elf seems interested in the rings.
"These lesser rings make you subject to the wearer of the master ring. Probably worth more in what it will bring to the high profile jailor, but of limited use to us. Well, we root out this evil in the center of the path, the fluffy estate that is the filling like the center of an elvish fine pastry."
The peasant introduces himself as Epner, and leads you though a slim path in the woods to a small settlement of eight modest homes in a nearly complete circle. The homes face the center, and each has a garden behind.
On the far side of the circle are two barns with animal pens between and on either side.
In the very center a man stands on a platform, and is addressing villagers seated in front of their homes.
Epner the peasant keeps his voice low, and points... "That's Elder Munfried right there. If any of ya might have a bit of fey-blood... best keep it quiet." He glances at Arcthyl, but quickly averts his eyes in fear of offending.
Norde whispers to Arcthyl, "are we to kill that one then?"
"no, I think he's the leader here, and these folks are defenders against the evil. Unless I'm misunderstanding what's going on. "
Sunny skips along with her new found companions, nodding brightly to what Epner says.
"Should we be goin' in an' sayin' hello?" She asks.
As you stroll closer to the village, Epner clarifies... "There are several villages... each minor estate held by the descendents helps support us with protection, and food... what we grow ourselves is not enough. Our village is within the domain of Lady Jorunea."
Sunny nods, "So... we's gon'a be sayin' 'Hello', then?" (^_^)
"Hullo Sunny. I am Arcthyl. Do you know where we are and how we actually got here? I'm a bit confused and disoriented. I fell asleep in the back of a tavern, deep in my cups and having strange dreams. Then I awoke here in these woods, before a blazing fire and a stained gravestone... And a voice, saying something about fighting evil and seeing 'her' hate, and being summoned from dreams. And all of you were there, looking as confused as I felt. Perhaps this 'her' is the Matron this parchment speaks of? But who or what brought us here, and why? I feel... strangely used, as I am more accustomed to being the summoner than the summoned." He says all this as he grabs his gear and readies to travel with the rescued fellow.
Sunny nods along to Arcthyl's words as she too picks up anything that might be hers that was lying around whree she was sleeping.
"I... dun't rilly remember nuffin' much a'tall. I were a sleepin', like, too." She nods.
"This be all... cunfuzzled-ment.. in me head. Like I got a bonkin' in it, or sumin'..." A frown passes over Sunny's features for but a moment.
"Sure-nuff things'll come right tha' longer we think on em, hey?" She suggests brightly. (^_^)
Corum moves into the village with a curious glance.
"We need to find out what is going on here!! Let us have a meeting with the village elders."
You hear enough of Elder Munfried's words to pick up he is trying to reassure the villagers. But once he sees a growing number look wide-eyed in your direction, he stops, and turns.
"What? Epner!? How? ... and who comes with you?" He takes a couple steps back, and most of the villagers inch toward their front doors.
Epner the peasant responds with a shrug, then jerks his thumb toward you.
"Folks saved my life." He glances to Corum, and nods. "Think they'd like a word with you. Promised 'em a bit of food and drink... I'll see to that." He smirks at a few stunned and timid villagers. "Could try to look happy t'see me alive."
Elder Munfried appears human - as do most of the villagers, though many look to have some elven ancestry. Elder Munfried recovers more quickly than the others, and bows his head. "I am the village elder here... Name's Munfried. Appreciation is in order for... your certainly well-intentioned efforts.... Uh... if you would, (he gestures to one of the homes) "I would be willing to speak with you... come."
Norde asks more of Arcthyl, "this one isn't the enemy, or the Hornmaster?"
"I don't know anything about who or what this hornmaster you speak of might be, but I'm fairly certain this fellow is NOT our enemy."
"The Hornmaster is he that summoned us to do his bidding. Is this your first summoning?"
"Don't have any knowledge or belief in any hornmaster. But I was brought here against my will... it seems there is some evil afoot and we were brought here to right it... perhaps that is the key to our return to our places of origin. "
Norde laughs deeply. "You deny his existence, and yet you recognize he called you here for a purpose. How can you deny that which you clearly know to be true? You make me laugh Hornbrother!"
Sunny skips up and offers Elder Munfried a and for the shacking,
"Hey-YA there!" (^_^) She greets him, pumping his hand vigorously up and down as she does so. She nods at the indicated invite into the nearby house. With a slight tilt to her head and a smile she half listens to the conversation between Norde and Arcthyl. Slipping closer to the large blond man she smiles.
"I int' never hear a this 'Horn' thing afore. Whut's it all about?" She asks inquisitively.
"The horn is sounded to call us forth to do battle. This is your first summoning as well?"
Sunny scratches her blond mop at Norde's question/answer.
"Well.. t'is first time I waked up here..." She replies looking around.
"But I din't hear no horn..." She looks slightly confused as she seems to ponder Norde's words.
"Is like I said ta'..." And she points to Arcthyl, "Is like I got a bonkin' on'a head. Me thoughts is all... confuzzled, like...." Sunny sighs.
Elder Munfried pulls his hand free from Sunny after a moment, and looks over the group... "Brought against your will, you say?" The interior of Elder Munfried's home (as the exterior of all the buildings) is decidedly plain, and without any sign of culture or decor... purely functional. "Please... make yourselves comfortable." He gestures to a large oak table in the one-room abode.
He leans out the door to address the villagers "I'm quite certain we'll get to the bottom of this... no worries." Once you all enter he shuts the door, and you see that he is in fact worried himself. He inhales deeply then "As Elder, there was always a possibility of this burden. Knowledge regarding the truth of this world has been passed from Elder to Elder for generations."
Elder Munfried unlocks a chest, pulls out a map, and lays it out on the table. "For reference, our village is here." He points to the westernmost dot.
Norde peers at Sunny, "you didn't hear the voice? The one saying we'd been summoned? Ask the others, they heard it."
Anumil gave a graceful bow while doffing his hat to the elder.
"Anumil Rythen, your chieftainship." He recovered and put his hat back on.
"It seems there was no coincidence for us to appear like this, strangers all;" He glanced at Sunny. "Or almost all."
"you didn't hear the voice? The one saying we'd been summoned? Ask the others, they heard it."
He nodded in agreement.
"Aye, the voice was mealy mouthed, as many sorcerers are; but yes he said something like that."He approached the map.
"Do I take this line to mean a road? The road down which our enemy must proceed? And what exactly IS our enemy?"
He turned to the chief curiously.
"Good questions, Anumil." he turns to the elder and peer at him from beneath his horned brows. "Mayhap you should also begin by telling us the truth of this world as you understand it and it has been passed down to you."
"Yes, start from the beginning. We have much time. I am hundreds of years old by the way."
"Yes. The spiraling line is the Palanquin Path. The Matron would tour her domain upon it to see the people, as well as claim suitors and soldiers." He makes an "easy now" gesture to Anumil upon use of the word "enemy".
"Heh.. well most don't precisely consider the matron and her guard enemies. Some rabble over the years have claimed so, but... we would not be here if it weren't for her."
Epner comes to the door with a pitcher and a bundle of food. Elder Munfried takes the refreshments from him, then shoos him away before continuing.
"The Matron brought the first ones here to serve her. A sizable expedition I've been told... from great warriors down to the lowliest boot-scrapers. These first ones tamed this land, culled the vile fey, and built glorious structures... Fort Ildroniak, Feyeater Estate, and the Villas." He deals out mugs, and pours from the pitcher - a drink similar to hard cider.
"You see our world was doomed. She'd seen the end, and had known the limits of her power. She could only save so many, and only a fraction of what the world had been. Heh... I've been told you could walk for days and weeks and not see the end of it."
To Arcthyl he adds as he leans in, and lowers his voice. "The truth... which is not known to my fellow man, is that our retreat - our world is eroding. Trees in the lowest lands are dying because their roots reach the void which lies underneath. It is an... unsettling notion."
"Unsettling to say the least.. What is the cause? and what can be done to stop it, if anything?" Arcthyl looks truly disturbed by the notion of the land dying in such a fashion.
After settling her stuff down Sunny wanders over and leans upon the table to peruse the map. She tilts her head this way and that.....After a time,
"Here... Why's it a circle?" She asks.
"Some horns are spiral shaped like that."
"Oh aye. They's like tentacly, but they's got a shell. Some is rilly pretty." Sunny pauses thoughtfully, "An' some? They's smart too. They's can be takin' over a person. Make 'em do things." She gives a small shiver.
"But whut I were askin' is why is tha' map like that? Where's tha' mountains? An'a oceans? An'a deserts? An'a valleys an' stuff?" She asks perplexed.
To Arcthyl he responds... "My hope is that the Matron's return will bolster our world - that she will be able to cease, if not reverse the erosion."
And to Sunny "Hmmpf... Oceans? Deserts? I have heard of such things... supposedly as plentiful as trees in our lost world. Though from my understanding these were not hospitable environs."
He ponders things for a moment, steeples his fingers and drums them against each other. "It would appear you were summoned to kill the Matron, but... in lieu of such a thing, perhaps it would be in her power to return you to your worlds. From what I understand, you have seen a fraction of her command of nature yourselves - in how she has imbued her guard with the strength of legends. My suggestion would be to somehow gain audience through her kin." He then places a finger on the Jorunea Villa.
"If and I repeat IF we were summoned to kill the Matron, wouldn't that be at odds with your own wishes, since you are hoping her return means your world would be saved? And our own goals of returning home? Who would summon us for such a task and why?"
Norde looks at Sunny, "Home? What does he mean? We will just get summoned by the Hornmaster again to fight another fight."
Corum looks at Norde with barely concealed amazement: "I prefer to be more in charge of my own destiny. It appears we to follow this pattern to find the cause of this world eating magic or effect. After a rest, we can head out. Now, looking at the map, I see a hill. We may be able to climb this hill and save some harassment."
Anumil nods at Corum's words.
"Aye, it is true for me as well. I dislike the thought of being a... some kind of hired murderer (And for no money to boot!). If it could be done, ending the threat of some world devouring magic is far more of a worthy goal."
"Why yes... it would be at odds with our wishes. I would assume it would have been the work of a descendent or disciple of Henry the Blind...." He smiles through the group's further discussion as he unwraps the bundle of food Epner had delivered.
"Ah. How generous. It would appear Epner has offered his entire month's ration of smoked nymph. And I hope pumpernickel is satisfactory...."
Norde looks to Sunny, "did he say smoked nymph? That doesn't sound tasty at all. Feyeaters Retreat is more than just a name I see, and this might explain why someone is out to get them. What think you?"
Sunny blinks and eyes the offered food warily even as she glances to Norde and the others,
"Um... did ye be meanin' tha' word in'a same ways whut people's be thinkin' ye meant it? I know me speakin' in't tha' bestest... but whut ye said does sound all wrong..." Sunny asks. Then frowns,
"Here? Did ye say folks were on rations? How bad is it with ye selfs fer feedin', then?"
Corum nods: "I have a delicate appetite. Any simple grains or fruits?"