As Jasper heads back into the hut, he responds, "Not me, I just knew I needed to get out of there. I'd hardly be a nibble for that thing."
"So, what are we looking for?"
After a brief reminder to Reekis that they are looking for any sign of or clue to the root known as Rat’s Tail TO CURE HIM, Reekis and Jasper resume searching the hut (or what is left of it after the fight). Jasper employs a minor cantrip to help him spy anything magical.
Jasper’s spell reveals two dust covered glass bottles that have survived the battle whose contents radiate magic of the conjuration school of magic. He also discovers a horrid object which resembles a small grotesque shrunken head with leathery skin, a matted beard, and stitched together eyes and lips, hung on a leather cord. IT radiates faint illusion magic.
Reekis discovers a small semi-precious stone, six carved wooden dolls of middling quality that might possibly have some sort of value, and a pouch of funny coloured salt that he almost throws away before he realises it too might have some value.
They also discover a sealed glass jar filled with some sort of preserving fluid, floating within are several twisted roots that vaguely resemble rat’s tails.
After a brief reminder to Reekis that they are looking for any sign of or clue to the root known as Rat’s Tail TO CURE HIM....
"Oh, yeah..."
They also discover a sealed glass jar filled with some sort of preserving fluid, floating within are several twisted roots that vaguely resemble rat’s tails.
"What, like this?"
"I;m fine now, really. It's just, well, I'm a witch. I can hex people, but when I need to keep the hex going it, take hold of me. It freaks people out. It freaks me out. But it passes once the hex is gone."
After a brief reminder to Reekis that they are looking for any sign of or clue to the root known as Rat’s Tail TO CURE HIM...."Oh, yeah..."
They also discover a sealed glass jar filled with some sort of preserving fluid, floating within are several twisted roots that vaguely resemble rat’s tails."What, like this?"
Anor will have a look over the bottles, and head.
Anor identifies the second potion as a potion of lesser restoration. The first potion she is unable to accurately identify, although its aura is similar.
The strange shrunken head Anor identifies as an odd and rare magical item known as a soulspeaker.
This grotesque, amulet-like shrunken head is said to contain the enslaved soul of its former owner. Forced to obey whomever carries it, once per day a soulspeaker can repeat a message as if the spell magic mouth were cast upon it. The owner must merely hold the 6-inch-in-diameter head and speak his message and the conditions under which the soulspeaker should repeat it.
"This potion will help restore vitality. It could be useful. I think the other is the same, but I'm not sure. This head thing is the weirdest messenger I've ever seen. But it may be useful, or it may sell to a curio collector."
Adalwin mills around, trying not to get in the way in the small hut as his companions search the room. Finally he moves outside to give them more space. He slowly makes a circuit of the hut, meaning to keep an eye out for any approaching danger, but ends up spending more time in a mock battle with the stick effigies, chopping at them with his sword.
Oliver tries his hand in identification of the potion left unresolved by Anor's studies. He opens the stopper and very cautiously dips a pinky into the substance to dab on his tongue. He is too wary of all the questionable contents of the 'witch's' hut, that he doesn't even get enough of the liquid to warrant even a taste.
He shrugs, then heads off to speak with Adalwin, "I know you still have injuries, but I only have enough power left this day to perform one more healing. If it is not asking too much of you, I would like to hold onto this gift in the off chance that it may be needed to bring someone back from the brink. If such a need does not arise this day, I will then heal the last of your wounds. Does this arrangement suit you?"
With a look of disappointment, he shakes his head and passes the tiny container back to Anor.
He shrugs, then heads off to speak with Adalwin, "I know you still have injuries, but I only have enough power left this day to perform one more healing. If it is not asking too much of you, I would like to hold onto this gift in the off chance that it may be needed to bring someone back from the brink. If such a need does not arise this day, I will then heal the last of your wounds. Does this arrangement suit you?"
Adalwin stops his idle massacre of the effigies and nods. "Of course that is fine Oliver, I would not want to be the reason one of the others could not be saved. You've already done more for me than I could have asked." He unconsciously rubs a hand over his ribs.
" We are getting close to completing the cure for you and Reekis! And the townsfolk of course. Wont be long now before your back to normal."
"Yeah, and chicks will dig the town's saviours," says Reekis with a wink, clearly extrapolating wildly from his otherwise extremely limited knowledge of the opposite sex.
The utility of the first potion continues to evade the group’s spellcasters.
"I am pretty certain that this restorative will help with the taint. It may be worth trying. It may be worth trying the one we aren't sure of too....I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"
"Yeah, and chicks will dig the town's saviours," says Reekis with a wink, clearly extrapolating wildly from his otherwise extremely limited knowledge of the opposite sex.
Adalwin looks at Reekis thoughtfully, flushing red. "I hadn't thought of that..." The boy starts to wrack his brain about the women who he had seen around town, and which ones may have been eligible.
"Yeah, and chicks will dig the town's saviours," says Reekis with a wink, clearly extrapolating wildly from his otherwise extremely limited knowledge of the opposite sex.Adalwin looks at Reekis thoughtfully, flushing red. "I hadn't thought of that..." The boy starts to wrack his brain about the women who he had seen around town, and which ones may have been eligible.
"I'm pretty sure that happened in the night anyway...."
"According to our map the ruins are almost directly north-west from here. There doesn't look to be any major obstacles in our path, so I guess thats the way we head. To the east of the huge mountain, assuming we could see it through these trees"
Adalwin changes out of his scale mail back into the leather armour.
Yes, let's get moving out.
"Right!"
Anor leads the band north west out of Ulizmila’s clearing, guided by her internal compass and occasional useful observations by her travelling companions. Despite the volcano of Droskar’s Crag being an obvious landmark towards your destination, it is all but invisible here in the forest with the dense canopy above.
Away from the witch’s hut, this northern part of the forest seems ancient, dark and somewhat musty. Whatever the truth of the matter, there is a sense that few humanoids have walked beneath these branches, between these trunks before.
Despite the faint sense of unease caused by this ancient forest, most of the rest of the afternoon’s march passes without incident. As afternoon begins to stretch into twilight and the traveller’s begin to grow weary and start thinking about a place to camp, the distant howling of a wolf can be heard from somewhere to the north.
"Did you hear that?" says Reekis nervously.
"Yeah, they were howling last night too. Wolves do that."
"Really? What, like every night?"
"That seems a good idea."
"We could go a little longer" Adalwin says, though the yawn that follows undercuts his words. "Though if you guys need to stop I guess we should" he finishes lamely.
A brief search by Anor and Adalwin reveals a suitable seeming campsite, atop a slight rise, relatively clear of trees and undergrowth, and with a small natural spring nearby for fresh water. Eljoy collects firewood and gets a sheltered fire started, and the group settle in, resting their weary feet and tucking in to their rations for an evening repast, huddling under blankets and cloaks to stay warm in the chill evening air.
As they are about to bed down for the night, Oliver decides that he will used the last of his healing resources on Adalwin as promised. "Barring another night of unforeseen attacks, let me heal you, otherwise the power goes wasted and it does no one any good saving it for the rainy day after next."
Jasper follows along, trying to keep an eye out for any threats, but as the march wears on, he finds himself nodding off in the saddle. Fortunately, Percival needs no guiding hand to follow the party leaders and maintains pace without the halfling's help.
At the camp, an embarrassed Jasper tries to make up for his poor showing by helping Eljoy gather up firewood even though it takes so many more trips for him to provide a useful amount of fuel for the fire.
The first watch passes without incident, although the distant howling of wolves continues to periodically disturb the night.
The midnight watch sees the air grow cold indeed, and a silence settle over the wood, but nothing occurs to disturb those sleeping.
An hour or so before dawn, during the third watch ...
Adalwin thanks Oliver profusely for his administrations. He helps set up the camp, then settles quickly to bed to be well rested for his watch.
Adalwin hears the crunching of leaves coming from somewhere to the north of the camp. Looking in that direction, Jasper can see a small figure (about his own size) staggering slowly through the dark towards the fire light.
Adalwin whirls towards the sound, drawing his blade as he does so. "Who goes there?" He calls, loud enough to wake his companions. "Can you see anything Jasper? It's not another snake is it?"
Quietly, "I see someone about my size, moving slowly like they are injured. I will investigate - hold these, would you?"
He conjures up a set of dancing lights, multiple-globe form, and sets them centered on Adalwin so his vicinity is well-lit.
For himself, he moves toward the figure, relying on his darkvision to see the visitor. In Common, Elven, and Halfling, he repeats, "Hello? Do you need help?"