Burn the stump? I can try that I guess. As long as Dagmar can get within 15 ft of the headless neck, Dagmar casts a flame spell since her torch isn't lit.
Angrily swinging again at the beast Jediah is too distracted with his own frustration to connect. Zethyris follows suit, his rapier touching nothing but water. Meanwhile Dagmar moves around and unleashes a fire spell singing the beast and cauterizing the wound. Shying back from the flames gives Rutilux an opening and he connects . Isham also connects as his pike shears in . The beast suffering many wounds and missing one head lashes out at Dagmar, Jediah, Rutilux and Instill but only connects with Ungrill . Julian lets fly with another arrow that again turning the beast into a porcupine . Instill can connect with any of the heads thrashing at him. And Anastasiya fires a bead of force at the beast . With the final blow of arcane energy the beast had es its last breath and collapses back into the water spraying everyone. Ungrill stands there breathing heavily, "Its done, I've avenged my boy." looking down at his wounds then back at all of you. "Thank you. It's time I joined my son." with that he slumps down into the water and all you can do is watch as his lifeblood spirals out from his ancient body long past being able to survive such terrible wounds.
Gems and Jewels:
Blue quartz 10gp, Blue quartz 3gp, Agate 10gp, Star rose quartz 24gp, Bloodstone 15gp, Chrysoprase 22gp, Sard 21gp, Ring 20gp, Bracelet 24gp, Turquoise 3gp, Tigereye 1gp
Coins 147 gold worth of gold, silver and copper coins.
Half--plate Armor
Royal outfit (359gp value)
Spyglass, Broken (541gp value)
Bell
Saddle, Pack (Inside is a soggy mostly ruined book)
Masterwork Cold Iron Greataxe
Masterwork studded leather armour*
two scrolls*
3 potions*
* denotes magical aura
"Ungrill?" Rutilux moves to the old man, only to realize it is too late. "An amazing man. We should try to take his body up for a proper burial, should we not?"
Jediah looks silently down at the old man. Indeed we should. Jediah sighs and helps get the body back up out of the water.
Anastasiya cries "Don't die! ... Stupid old men and their death wish!"
Anastasiya tries to identify all the magic items:
She turns her attention to the royal outfit.
Amazing that this is still in good condition after sitting in this rotten monster lair. I wonder if it would fit me.
"I think the people of this land prefer a pyre," Between Jediah and himself, the body should be easy enough to carry.
When he notices the outfit, and Anastasiya eying it, he suggests, "If it has some rip or tear, there maybe a lady or two that can sew it up. Such a garment is worthy of a queen."
He eyes the half plate armor thoughtfully, "Jediah, unless there is someone able to put it to a greater use, I think you, our good paladin, or I should take the half plate. It is clear every preparation for these lands should be undertaken, and we have come close to death more than once already."
"A pyre would be appropriate Rutilux, but please, let me see to your wounds before you go climbing about."
"Jediah, your bite wound looks rather bad as well, let me see to your wounds as well."
After seeing to their wounds, Dagmar glances over the stuff found in the beasts lair and looks at the outfit that Anastasiya is eyeing. "I wonder who owned such an expensive looking outfit and what they were doing way out here?"
Thank you for the healing. Jediah helps lift the body out of the water. There is that book as well, pretty damaged but you might be able to read something.
"If you insist," Rutilux gives a small but grateful smile despite his phrasing. His wounds ARE rather nasty, after all. Under Dagmar's healing touch, one of the bite marks fades somewhat, as if the fangs did not go as deep. "My thanks. And... I am not sure of the outfit, but if it bears some symbol or markings I might be able to make more of it."
He tries to get a closer look at it when manners and time permits
"Er, wasn't the old man our guide? Are you quite certain he's dead?"
Jediah looks at the cold iron great axe. I believe this is what we are looking for. I can use it, but I am less skilled with axes.
Anastasiya you identify the armour as being +1 studded leather, interestingly during your close examination you can see that each stud is stylized as a wolf's head and has a fur collar made from silvery wolf fur.
Using read magic you can tell that the scrolls are:
Arcane Scroll, Invisibility, greater {4th/7th} : 700gp
Arcane Scroll, Mirror image {2nd/3rd} : 150gp
the two potions you manage to identify are:
Potion of Barkskin {2nd/3rd} : 300gp
Potion of Hide from animals {1st/1st} : 50gp
The cold iron axe is ornate with carefully carved images of a bear standing guard over a mountain and you can see on the pommel a number of hash marks each small and carefully etched. There are a lot of them.
Zethyris can no doubt use the leather armor.
"Indeed, the protection would be appreciated. It seems very well made - flexible enough that it will not slow me down."
He takes a few steps toward it, then pauses.
"That is, if nobody else objects?"
No problems here.
"Certainly none from me,"the Cheliaxian assures.
"Perhaps you can discuss who gets what after we check on our guide, the only one that knows his way around?"
He looks dead. Perhaps Dagmar can double check.
Anastasiya replies to Rutilux absently, "Yes it would be, wouldn't it..."
Was that a compliment?
To Dagmar: "Yes, very strange. Not many ulfen people would wear expensive clothes like that."
It's mine. I saw it first. Hiss!
She tries to change the subject:
"What do you make of this potion, Dagmar? Do you know what this is?"
Anastasiya shows the still unidentified potion to Dagmar.
To Julian: "He's dead, Julian. We're on our own now. What is there to check?"
She speaks calmly and somewhat absent, still mesmerized by her new dress.
Dagmar responds to Anastasiya: "No, it doesn't look like anything an Ulfen would wear. The colors are definitely too bright for my taste. Perhaps someone from that village of southerners wandered up this way in it? Guess there's no way to tell for sure."
Dagmar will accept the unidentified potion from Ana and make an attempt to ID it.
To Julian: "He's beyond any of my abilities to help Julian."
"You mean the lumbering village we visited yesterday? This looks expensive. I don't think a lumberjack could afford it."
Not her taste of color. Good.
The gown is brightly coloured and is covered in pearls and small gems (that's why its worth so much) a tailor can easily trim it to fit you.
The studded leather has straps so it can be adjusted by the wearer but the half plate would require a smith to adjust it for whomever gets it.
The day is more than half over by the time you collect everything and prepare yourselves to continue. Not quite sure which way to go from here to either exit the forest or find the Black Oak minor squabbling ensues over the way you came and whether you should even continue looking without a guide when some of you hear faint singing coming fro everyone's left. With no other leads to go on and faintly hoping that whoever is singing can help you everyone begins following the singing, with Rutilux and Jediah carrying Ungrill's body on an impromptu stretcher between them. The singing leads you away from the swampy portion of the forest into dryer and somewhat warmer forest. The fog still flows around everything like a blanket of snow but using your ears you all manage to get closer and closer to the source.
Several hours of stumbling through overgrown areas and tripping over unseen roots brings you into a pleasant glade dominated by a young red oak standing imperiously in the centre with a lithe ulfen woman lying stretched out across the lowest branches clad only in a few oak leaves. As you walk closer you can tell that the woman isn't human, she's some kind of fae.
"Greetings travellers, welcome to my glade. We have seen what you did to the devourer and for that I offer you safety. If you leave your weapons at the border, especially that."pointing at the cold iron axe.
Rutilux is cautious, but never rude,"We surely mean you no enmity. Would it presume too much to ask you questions as well as take your kind offer of haven?" Before entering, he places his weapons outside the glade and speaks softly to the others, "I think we should trust her in this. If we are to build bridges with all neighbors on behalf of our lord, that will include the fae, will it not?"
Jediah sets his glaive and axe down at the edge.
Zethyris reluctantly unbuckles his rapier, and places it on the ground next to his bow.
"Thank you for your offer of sanctuary," he says cautiously. "My name is Zethyris."
He scans the clearing, then slowly enters. As he does so, he attempts to discern the intent and trustworthiness of the fae, as well as if she poses a threat.
Anastasiya puts her dagger on the ground, next to the other weapons.
She demonstratively shows her empty hands as she enters the glade.
"Thank you for your kindness. My name is Anastasiya."
Best to not mention the black oak right away.
Dagmar sets her weapons down and calls Alfdis down to her shoulder before entering the glade. I sure hope this a friendly fae. Though judging from her lack of clothing, she might just be friendly to the menfolk in our group.
Julian looks incredulously at the rest of the party. "So, we just ..." he sighs. He then carefully places his katana and his bow on the ground. Odds are these round-eyes' weapons aren't important cultural heirlooms ...otherwise why would they treat them with such carelessness?
"feel free to ask whatever you may but you may or may not like the answers."
Julian looks incredulously at the rest of the party. "So, we just ..." he sighs.
Zethyris whispers to Julian. "I don't like the idea of parting with our weapons either, but at this point I don't think we have much choice, unless we want to go back to wandering aimlessly. If we can get the fae to leave us unmolested on our return to Merroh, we might actually reach it.
"feel free to ask whatever you may but you may or may not like the answers."
"That seems fair. My name is Rutilux Talonn. It is nice to meet you. We serve Savol Kodiakborne. I do not know what his name might mean to you but he hopes to restore an ancient claim and reunite some peoples under him. It seems somehow a few of them have angered the fae. The town of Merroh is not allowed to lumber very far in the woods, yet a newer town to the south is? Or so we understand it. Why?" He looks curious.
Jediah just stands there with his arms crossed, but with questions running through his mind.
How will we get back now that our guide is dead? Just how many more quests do we have to do before this leg is done? Did the old man know he was going to die in the fight? Will that woman move a little to the side so I can see her breasts better?
"Well that's a very simple question and easy to answer. It's because they are responsible for bringing the devourer to this forest and setting it loose to hunt our kind."
"What? How?"
Ana is surprised.
Isham removes his weapons and leaves them at the edge of the glade. He taps Julian on the shoulder, and indicates quietly to him that they ought to lag back, within a short move to recover their weapons for use.
Isham is also surprised at the dryad's assertion, but leaves the questioning to the clever and charismatic members of the group. Although he doesn't have great hope of outmaneuvering fae in their home environment, Isham watches the surrounding forest for other activity.
And apparently Isham is absolutely correct about not detecting fae actions in their home environment.
Walking up to Anastasiya and then circling her like a dancer she replies, "How, it was an ulfen from that village that came into our lands and set it free."
Rutilux blushes a bit as one lovely woman circles another. He mentally reminds himself that both Anastasiya and Dagmar are allies first and foremost, and the fae lady a host. My manners seem to be in danger of vanishing in this glade.
"Did the Devourer kill the same Ulfen that freed it?" he concentrates enough to wonder Ulgrinn's son?
Well surely if that's true, it must have been an accident. I can't imagine anyone setting such a creature loose on purpose. And how is she not even shivering at all? I'm still cold with all that I'm wearing. "Now that the beast is dead, is there anything the other Ulfens from the village can do to be allowed back into the forests again?"
"I am Julian Itto, son of Ogami and Jassmyn. What's your name?"
Zethyris notes the fae has not given her name in response to any of the party's introductions, and with the memory of the fae's clouding of his mind fresh he keeps his tone guarded. "This... Devourer, you call it. What was it, and how was it 'set free'?"
"You couldn't pronounce my name but if you need one call me Redwyn. And just because you killed it doesn't change the fact that they brought it here and for ten years it has plagued this forest and my kind. For your bravery we grant you passage throughout this forest." she cups her hands and reveals eight acorns, "For as long as you carry these our mists will not hinder you and the full splendor of this place shall be open to your eyes.". Carefully placing a single acorn in the palm of each of your right hands. "if your people wish to prove their penance to us then they must also prove their worth to us." Redwyn then walks away from you all and disappears behind her oak tree, reappearing on the other side with an enormous leaf covered in edible berries and nuts. "Please sit and eat, you've had a long day so relax and enjoy my hospitality." shortly afterwards a choir of songbirds land upon the branches of her oak tree and begin singing together a lovely melody.
After enjoying your meal Redwyn bids you good night.
Late into the night you can see Redwyn moving between each of you checking that you're all asleep, pausing to sit with anyone who stays up. At one point for anyone trying to stay up or on guard sees Redwyn curl up with Anastasiya for a bit before returning to her tree.
"So, uh, what do you eat? Do you eat plants? Is that weird?"
"How might they, or we, for that matter, prove our worth?" he asks even as he stares at the single acorn, "And thank you for this." he looks thoughtful, "Also is there some way to acquire some fresh black oak that will not offend the fae of this forest?"
Jediah munches on his berries and accepts the acorn with a nod of thanks before taking a short nap and then waking for his turn at watch.
"So, do you, er, mate with ...like, a giant bee or something? Or are you the flower and some meat male is ...you know ..."
Rutilux hears Julian's question, and he his palm slides up his face,Gods, if he ever gets a mouth wound, I pray Dagmar's healing seals it shut.
Dagmar accepts the acorn with a thank you and then takes some of the nuts and berries and munches on them as she finds a place to lay down for the night.
At Julian's comment, Dagmar is just at a lose for words and just shakes her head. Men.
Julian, do not taunt the dryad who keeps the fae from killing us all.