As Baradim and Goruck lay the treasure they've found upon the ground, everyone's eyes light up. It's a significant amount of wealth in gold, silver, a few pearls, and a handful of small semi-precious gems, to mention nothing of the potions, wand, and feather.
The label on the wand reads: "el endevinador"
The label on the seemingly metallic swan feather reads, "el vaixell."
Seven of the potions are a viscous grey in color and read, "oli d'arma."
Five of the potions are of a perfectly clear liquid and the labels on them all read, "clergue líquida."
That is the extent of the items that are labeled, perhaps a detect magic would reveal more about them?
Wand= The Guesser
Feather= The boat
Seven oil bottles= Weapon oil
Five potion bottles= Liquid Cleric
Sweet Sacred Flame! Why all the labels, though? Merchants, y'think?
Kairon grasps a handful of the coins and lets them fall through his fingers back into the pile. Those creatures musta been used to taking what they wanted . . . . Let's see about finding that oldest tree, first, though, and we can divvy this up during supper and the watches.
Looking to Baradim, he asks: Well, woodsman? Where do you think we should focus the search?
Chillel's eyes light up a little seeing the treasure. She then points to the labelled items and asks:-
May I look at those? As I thought, the labels are in Dwarven. Translating what is on this wand, "The Guesser", maybe it means it is a wand of identify. On this feather "The boat", no idea what that means sorry. These oil bottles, all seven bear the label "Weapon oil". These five bottles of liquid are all labelled "Liquid Cleric" which to my mind suggests either they contain very small water elementals with clerical levels or else healing potions.
Tatzylwyrms are very odd creatures, rude and homicidal when you meet them in person, yet they are considerate enough to leave their goods with clear labels for our convenience after we killed them in self defence. Most peculiar.
Baradim will look further into the woods, giving a nod. "The eldest trees will be just a bit deeper. I will keep Kanga here as lookout and find it. Perhaps Goruck or Lunarinus will join me, just in case."
Baradim would head out into the woods, searching for the eldermoss. He had time to look for it and took his time to do so. To choose the wrong thing would mean death for Falcon's Hollow.
As Illiam concentrates and casts about with his divination, Kairon does the same, just to see if his patron blesses him with insight.
As Baradim goes just a bit deeper into the forest to search out the eldest of all the trees, Lunarinus adds his mental two coppers into the identification of the magical items. Kairon's additional knowledge helps and Illiam is able to correctly identify both the properties and activation word for the feather. The feather is a feather token swan boat.
Interestingly after Illiam turns back to the laid out treasure, after having examined the wand, the strongest magical aura he sees is coming from something that was not labeled. He sees a moderate magical aura coming from one of the pearls mixed among the gemstones. The pearl is black, and seems to lack a bit of the luster that the other pearls possess. Curious?
Between Kairon and Illiam, after putting their collective magical heads together they correctly identify the viscous grey vials, all, as being oil of magic weapon and the clear potions as potions of cure light wounds.
They are also able to correctly identify the properties and activation of the wand. Funnily enough it is a wand with the spell identify with forty-seven charges left on it.
Shortly after they have made all those discoveries, Baradim returns and says he's successfully located the eldest tree; it is a mere few hundred paces to the northwest, a massive darkwood tree, with a layer blackish-green moss growing so thickly around it, they could collect enough to fill all the spare room in their packs, and still not have collected it all. Which, of course, begs the obvious questions: how much to take, and where in the world to put it?
We need to be able to make how many batches of the tea?
Dolok will also cast detect magic and study the treasure items.
Up next to the next, Goruck drinks in the sight of the forest from so such a lofty position, murmuring, "To think I spent all my youth gazing to the heavens, and never even considered the beauty of the terra firma."
Landing with a meaty thud, Goruck gently spills out his collection of the recovered treasure. "One of those creatures," the swordsman gently raps an egg, "would make quite the ferocious companion if raised correctly." Glancing at Kanga, he amends, "
Lai gan, tas būtu nepieciešams lengendary cilvēks, lai padarītu vienu savu vienāds."
Trusting Baradim, the mountainous swordsman take a moment to inspect the objects before the group. "Knowledge is a weapon all its own. He muses as he focuses on the black pearl.
Illiam uses the new wand to identify the black pearl devoid of luster as a bead of force, a rather powerful magical item, even if it can only be used one time. Illiam, also being the most versed in monetary trade, surmises that the coinage and semi-precious gems total somewhere around 2,100 gold pieces in value. With all the treasure tallied and identified it seems that following Baradim to the eldest tree and gathering as much moss as is possible is the last task the weary group can accomplish today. Even now the light filtering through the canopy is much dimmer, and everything is tinged with a purple-blue hue.
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Illiam considers trying to swipe the Bead of Force for himself, but the others have already seen its strong aura, even if they haven't been able to identify it yet. Instead, he decides to make a case that he should be the one to carry it.
That's a bead of force. Illiam picks up the magic item and holds it between his fingers, letting the light hit it. That would have come in handy, needing to fight with my own magic depleted... Illiam trails off, giving someone else a chance to suggest that he hold on to it.
Shrugging, Goruck says. "I defer to the judgement of those versed in the arcane arts."
Lunarinus simply nods after all the treasure is valued and identified. Illiam, I think that bead of force, whatever it is, is fine to stay with you, if it strikes with force, it would indeed be something useful for you to use when your spells run out. He then starts the process of gathering up the treasure so the envoy can move on. Baradim, if you please, lead us to the elder tree, I do think that will be our final stop for the day, both you and Goruck need to rest, and we've seen how much more difficult it is to fight without Illiam's magic. Lead on my friend, and we'll set camp at the base of the eldest tree. Then we can discuss the divvying of the treasure and how much moss to bring back with us. I would also suggest, if at all possible, someone with quill and ink writes some more specific landmark directions on the back of Milon's map, so the eldest tree can be found more easily in the future. With that he shoulders his pack, and awaits Baradim's lead, standing next to Kanga for the moment and scratching the courageous cat between his ears.
Baradim gives no real comment on the use of the bead of force, the arcane users are the best for it and each has their own merit for wanting it. He gives a nod towards the paladin, gesturing the others through the forest before he seems to stop and smell the air. A concerned look grows on his face. The few tries that grew beneath the canopy show their silver, an expectation of rain. The winds up above blow harder than before and the little light there is seems to be disappearing faster than it should.
"A storm is coming. Tomorrow will be rough travelling. Prepare yourselves for it, I will do what I can to make sure we take as little of the storm's fury as possible." He leads the group further on now, settling by the eldest tree in the forest. It was a beautiful place, the tree bringing a smile upon his face as he looked it over.
"It is beautiful. What wonders this tree has been witness to..."" Stepping closer, he gathers a few pounds of the moss upon its sizable trunk, packing it down and using it to try and keep the eggs warm. Kanga, during this time, carefully but curiously makes his way around the camp. Inspecting the others, smelling more at their packs, checking on the larger half-orc. It seemed the beast had adopted them as members of its pack as well, only returning to Baradim for a moment before it realizes that Athena can fly and playfully chasing a bird is quite fun!
Baradim searches along the wide trunk of the tree not just for the best and most healthy moss, but also for any clue of his teacher's presence. A tree of this magnitude held such reverence in their hearts, a true testament to the will of the spirits.
Standing by the eldest Darkwood tree in a forest made of mostly Darkwood, is, without a doubt, a powerful experience. The trunk is bigger around than Sharvaros Vade's tower, bigger by far, and the forest floor beneath the tree smells of life and growth. Reaching down and feeling the soft black dirt underneath the fallen leaves, sticks, and other detritus nearby, you feel certain anything could grow in it, yet only the trees grow here, tall and strong, reaching for the sky. Perhaps all the lesser plants long ago gave way to their betters, for the trees nearby are certainly the royalty of the forest, and this tree their king. It stands regal, majestic, having witnessed at least a century of the changing of the land. Here it stands, sentinel against time, for as the fleeting lives of mortals have come and gone around it, here it has remained. There is a quiet peace to the forest here, a sound of birdsong floats along the increasing breeze, and a gentle swaying of boughs in the wind creates a wonderful natural lullaby. Perhaps it would be good to sleep beneath the tree, and to listen. Perhaps the soul of the forest has something to convey for those with ears to hear.
Looking up at the tree, the staggering height, and down at his comrades Lunarinus says, If there are no objections, I'd like to rest here. There's something peaceful about this place. Something that just feels safe. With that he drops his pack and starts sweeping clean a spot for a fire pit. Then he stops and looks up at their Halfling companion. Illiam? Can your magic dig a firepit? He asks, realizing his magic has helped with other menial tasks.
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Illiam doesn't feel particularly safe, having just encountered what they can only assume is an entire nest of tatzlwyrms near by, but traveling further has its dangers as well. Illiam decides not to argue, but he will be sleeping with one eye open.
Illiam looks up at Lunarinus, squinting despite the lack of light. Not any better than those big muscles of yours, but I can give it a shot. Illiam sits down on his bedroll, casts Mage Hand, and begins moving 5lb of material at a time to try to dig a fire pit.
We must be extremely cautious with any fires in these woods. Let us be overly obvious at being cautious about this just in case anything is watching us. I suggest we dig a fire-pit as Lunarinus has said, and also put at least one, if not 2, rings of rocks around the edge if we can. I will go so far as to stick my hand down into the pit to start the fire, just to help ensure it does not go anywhere else.
If you're worried ya might burn more than the firewood, Dolok, I have a bit of the Dawnflower's magic that might be . . . less risky. It's good for lighting torches, candles, and such . . . .
Yes, Kairon, that may be a wise idea just to be on the safe side. I appreciate that! I sure wouldn't want to be responsible for burning down the eldest tree or anything like that!
Once the fire pit has been dug, and dead wood gathered, Kairon uses his magic to ignite the campfire. It's not much use in a fight, near as I can tell, but plenty handy.
The cleric chooses a spot to unshoulder his backpack, and spreads out his bedroll. Sitting cross-legged, and ensuring the little fox has a spot to curl up beside him, Kairon pulls out some of his road food and begins to eat, sharing small bites with the dedicated animal. Somebody remind me to buy some ink and a quill when we get back to town, eh? I need to write more things down, and this chalk's not gonna do. Main thing is, I wanted to ask about medicinal uses for any of the plants and roots ya can find in these parts -- Baradim, in particular. I'm gonna need to start resupplying my medicine kit on my own. At this point, Kairon occasionally asks some question or another about herbs and curatives, not dominating the conversation, but keeping that dialogue ongoing.
Anybody notice if there's a spring nearby? I'm gonna need to top off my waterskins pretty soon -- used a fair bit o' water rinsing wounds today. Kairon pauses for a few moments, and his expression sobers. Those tatzlwyrms nearly ended us, folks. Sure, only two of us got hurt, but it was far closer than any of us would like. I think we need to take some time to hash out what we'll be doing in a fight. Sarenrae saw us through that one, but we'd best not overtax her good grace.
Laying down his bedroll and undoing his gear, Goruck kneels as he first takes a whetstone to his nodachi, methodically keening his weapon. At Kairon's mention of ink and quill the swordman pulls out a stick of charcoal wrapped in oiled paper. "This works quite well for recording on paper I find. It's what I use."
As the half orc strains to straighten out the deformed scales of his armor, he also nods in assent. "Indeed, and it very nearly was." Goruck's grimace reveals more of his tattoed tusks, but the actions seems melancholic, rather than fearsome. "I thought Illiam had perished to the beasts, and I fared little better."
Lunarinus drags some dead hunks of log over to ring the campsite, both for ducking behind if necessary, but also for resting his back on, which he does immediately. He looks at Baradim and Goruck and a strange expression crosses his face. You weren't close to death. He says it so matter of factly that it may seem a bit arrogant. I don't think anyway. I've watched many people die at the temple of Sarenrae, back in Almas. Every time I got a very strong feeling right as they died. It was almost a feeling of a window being opened to a strong cold wind. He says and his eyes glaze over as he watches the fire Kairon started. On a happier note, we really should discuss who is taking what from the treasure in their packs. I wouldn't mind one of those magic weapon oils, and a healing potion myself. I also wouldn't mind a few of those dwarven coins, silver is fine, really, I just want to take it back and show my friends. He pauses for a moment then, and looks over at Illiam. You say that feather turns into a boat? That'll be awful handy for getting back to town once we've gathered all the ingredients we need. He pauses again, this time for longer, and his eyes rest on the newly forming coals in the fire. Sarenrae is on our side. It explains such fortune. I pray her guidance and blessing continue.
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Hearing Scipio almost repeat verbatim something Illiam himself said before being distracted by the lusterless shine and strong magical aura of the bead of force, Illiam is reminded what he was trying to accomplish. Oh yeah, I wanted to get a look at the map to see how fast we can get back, and plan tomorrow's journey. Who has it now? Illiam stands and looks to each of his compatriots in turn, looking to see who will respond.
With only the five healing potions, we'll have a tough decision to make. Who gets one? It makes sense for me not to have one, but, then, what woulda happened if that critter had knocked me out, 'stead o' Goruck? I'm not sayin' this 'cause it's my skin, but all our skins: I die, our chances drop like rocks. I think somebody oughtta be tasked with makin' sure I don't die.
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Momentarily distracted again from his search for the map, Illiam thinks about Kairon's words. For a moment, he considers how much he can trust the others, and how he thinks they perceive his value, before responding to Kairon. If you needed one, it would be better if someone coming to your aid didn't have to search you to find a potion to pour down your throat. After the hit I almost took, if something like that does manage to hit me, I doubt I'll be conscious to use it, so I'd have the same issue. For my own purposes, I'm more concerned that whoever comes to my aid is able to heal me than about healing myself, so as long as everybody else has one, Illiam looks around, meeting the eyes of each party member again, I'm willing to be the odd half-man out. The math there will change once some of them have been used, though, so I reserve the right to reconsider. Fair enough?
Then, not wanting to let himself be distracted again, Illiam says Now, about that map... Illiam turns and starts toward the big half-orc hunter, Baradim, did you have it?
"Not as long as I have anything to say about it." The half orc stand ramrod straight. "I swore myself to the cause of the magister, and I will not turn back on my oaths. It was not the strength of body that allowed us thus far, no, it was the sharpness of the mind and the fortitude of spirit that has served us faithfully. I can not, and will not squander such a gift while there are others whom it would benefit far more."
Plunking down with a thunderous slam, Goruck's face is set as stony as his mask. "I am but a simple swordsman, one among many. My role is to be the bulwark that the sea of our foes break on, and that would be wasted if those I protect perish."
Exactly what I'm sayin', "half-man". If that meant somebody carried two of 'em, I don't see how it would be a problem. A . . . 'dedicated reserve', guess ya could say. We decide who's keepin' an extra eye on me, make sure a potion's in his, or her, keepin' just for that purpose. Kairon leans forward, gazing with intensity at each member of the party, the firelight casting flickering shadows over his face in the failing daylight. It was a tough spot for me, Goruck bleedin' on the ground in arm's reach, but two of those beasts threatening us. I coulda helped him, then and there, and probably gotten him in a state to defend us, but sometimes that ain't a sure bet. And we saw what happened with Grung earlier today, when he tried to get up after the wolf knocked 'im down -- same coulda happened to our swordsman. Knocked out is one thing, but falling again when you're barely able to act could easily put any of us past my ability to quickly heal. That's why it seemed wiser to me to try to take another of 'em out of the fight, even though Baradim was still at risk. My job isn't just to patch ya up after; I'm supposed to keep 'em off of ya, too. That's why I use the spear.
Kairon tosses out a quick: Yeah, I think Baradim's got the map, Illiam, and then responds to Goruck's interjection. That one slash you got in before the tatzlwyrm took you down is probably the one blow that did break him, in the end. I did nothing but pierce air before he got to you. Sorry my aim was off. You did exactly what you swore to do.
Baradim leaned against the tree, watching the leaves flutter down from on high and be caught in the gentle winds. Kairon was quite right, this place had a peacefulness that even the carnage of the previous battle could not approach. His hands idly worked with a sharpen piece of metal, slowly cutting a hole through the dire wolf's tooth that he had taken and a fang from the Tatzylwyrm that had almost taken his life. He had nearly faded away and joined with the other spirits in the great beyond, the half-orc smiled for a moment and breathed in deeply, as if the air was precious and entirely new.
"This place is wonderful..." He said with a soft murmur, those amber eyes turning towards Kairon as he asked about the herbs and roots that could be found and useful here. Leaning forward, he gave a short nod and opened up a small pouch upon his outfit. Within, carefully rolled, were a few different flora that he kept with him just in case he needed to identify other ones. "Peppermint, Thyme, Rosemary, Chamomile, Sage, these are all herbs that have grown in the wilds for centuries. Here, you can have these and use them to identify others like them. They will treat wounds, help the body heal faster. Ground them with the mortar and pestle and add them to your bandages to keep them clean. Brew them with tea and they will help soothe the body as well." There is a sense of enjoyment upon the hunter's face as he gives instructions, almost as if he had hoped to have been asked such a thing. When he asked about clean water, Baradim would shake his head but the smile still remained. "Before Isha...left, she taught me a few prayers of the Faith that could help. If needed, I can cleanse the water we collect from the river, make it pure and whole. Same goes for food that may be near rotten or poisoned." His face becomes somber for a moment, his head nodding. "She taught me very well, it seems. I hope she'd be proud."
Leaning back against the tree, a hand lazily running over Kanga who had been incredibly territorial of Baradim ever since that encounter, the hunter would nod and look down. "It is true. If it wasn't for our speed and ferocity, not all of us would be here today. By the Gods, I thought I had lost a friend..." The words linger as Baradim looks over towards Illiam once more, the memory of the halfling being torn apart still vivid in his mind. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the map, safe and securely folded in a treated pocket to keep it safe from elements. He hands it over towards the small man, nodding. "If you have difficulty reading it, let me know friend."
The discussion of tactics gave Baradim a moment to reflect, his eyes looking between both Kairon and Goruck for the moment. When there was a chance of silence, he spoke up. "When the alpha wolf of a pack is threatened by an outsider, his mate will lower her head under his. It is an act of submission, supposedly looking for protection, yet it also protects her mate's throat from their enemy. We must have faith in one another, we must trust that each will do everything they can to aid the other." He scoots closer to the fire, the flames licking up at the air and casting an orange glow upon his skin. He leans in, the shadows raising upon his face. "Every challenge we have faced has been a test of the woods, a test sent by the spirits to make sure we are worthy. We are no mere envoy, no simple adventuring group. We are ģimene. We are family, forged in blood and battle. You all saved my life today, you honor me with your ferocity and your bravery. I...I have waited quite some time for a group such as this to come to Falcon's Hollow, a group I felt this bond towards."
The amber eyes of the half-orc passes over each and every person there, staring into them and through them all at once. "I have lived alone for so long, only Kanga has been my companion. Yet I have others that I have shed blood with, shared laughs with, and learned with. I hope that...when this task is done...some of you will wish to stay. My heart will be heavy if you left, I consider you to be like brothers...and a sister...to me." A small smile spreads across his face, his head shaking as he slips a hand through the dark, oily hair atop his head. "I am sorry, I have spoken to heavily for such a day like we had and I fear I am becoming soft and losing whatever stern nature I have accrued over the years. I just..." The words hang in the air for a moment, before he smiles and bows his head to them all. "...thank you."
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Illiam takes the map and unrolls it as Baradim is finishing his speech. He finds a relatively smooth, clean place on the ground to lay it out that is both close enough to the fire (though not too close) and to Baradim for the two of them to look at it together. The monastery is marked on the map, and there's a road to the river from there. If we can get what we need and follow that road, the boat will take us the rest of the way back to town. It can go about 6 miles per hour, but going with the current should make it even faster, right? How far would you say it is along the river from there to town? Do you think we can make it there tomorrow, after getting the other two ingredients? Looks like a long walk compared to how far we've gone, but the terrain is easier on this side of the river...
Lunarinus walks over to look over Illiam and Baradim's shoulders to look at the map. He then looks up at the canopy for a moment. Well, if all goes well, and we don't hit any hazards, we should be able to make it to the river by nightfall. If that happens we could just have those that take watch manning the rudder, while others sleep on the way back. He looks at Kairon then, and smiles a smile of both humor and pity. Well, most of us will be able to sleep... You're right Illiam that the current flows south, so we should have that benefit of added speed. He looks more closely at the map. It looks like what, about 25-30 miles of river between our drop in point at the juncture of the roads, to the docks at Falcon's Hollow? Heck, if all goes well, we might even be able to pull into the docks in the middle of the night tomorrow. Before he walks away, he pats Baradim on the shoulder and says, No thanks is necessary. I am proud and pleased to call you a battle brother. That goes for you all. And Chillel my battle-sister. He sweeps an arm in a circle gesturing to everyone. My master-at-arms used to say to me, "no bonds are so strong as those formed in the forge of battle." He then goes to sit, with his back against a log. Since it seems like others are unable to make the decision, here's how I think it makes the most sense to divvy things up. Goruck gets three of the magic weapon oils, I get two, Baradim and Kairon each take one. Give one healing potion each to everyone except Kairon and Illiam. If they need healing, then we'll have the potions on us to administer. As far as the coins and jewels go, if Illiam is right and the whole hoard is worth about 2,100 gold, that's 300 for each of us. I don't care who carries the coins and gems for now, we can divvy that up on the boat, when we have nothing else to do, or back at town for that matter. Illiam gets the magical bead, feather and wand, since he'll know best how to activate them when we need them. Sound good? He says, and then doesn't even wait for people's assent. Good! Now, you all should get some shut-eye, if Baradim and Illiam are right, we've got rough weather coming tomorrow and a long way to go in it. Chillel, we're on first watch.
Chillel has been quietly eating, rubbing some sore muscles, obviously tired. Hearing Scipio she focuses attention and replies:-
... Yes, I am ready. Kairon, I have some ink and a pen in my pack you are welcome to if you need it. And I believe I can carry some of the goods we have acquired tomorrow.
Taking a moment to look through the proffered herbs, Kairon replies to Baradim: You hold those for now, Baradim. If we can scrounge up some more as we travel tomorrow, I'll be happy to take some then. When the healers were training me back home, a lot of what I needed to use was in ready supply -- I never had to worry about whether we had enough or not. It's different, out here -- better you know what's what, and I can put it to use when needed. Gonna need you to tutor me a bit, as it were; and I'm a terrible student. A quiet laugh escapes him as he passes the bundle back to the hunter. But I'll try to be focused.
Looking to Goruck and Chillel, Thanks for offering the charcoal, Goruck, but I think the paper in this book will take ink better. If I smudge my bad handwriting, even magic can't make sense of it. So, if it's no trouble, Chillel, I would like to use your pen and ink for a bit.
Three hundred crowns! That's a solid number. Double down on some supplies, maybe get some spikes for my armor. Or I may just save till I can get some custom-made . . . .
Chillel removes her ink and pen from her backpack and hands them to Kairon.
In response to Illiam's question, she says:-
Well, we can make a start. It is a bit late try too much.
Chillel than starts to instruct Illiam in the basics of Sylvan. Chillel has learned a number of languages and knows how to start teaching one to another.
When her watch comes around, she is on first with Scipio, she talks more than usual with Scipio and Athena and spends a lot of time on her feet.