The stones radiate strong abjuration magic, almost overwhelming altogether, though you're not sure exactly what they are.
The axe appears to radiate faint transmutation magic.
The potions appear to be cat's grace and levitate, while the wand is cure moderate wounds (with 29 charges remaining).
Koremar will again share his findings and let the others have their pick of the items. He was a bit shocked that so much of his schooling was coming back to him but was quite thankful that it had.
How would we even begin to destroy such things?
"Hmmm..." Kreg ponders.
While Abigail seeks guidance from her god, Kreg empties the coins out of the box and starts to count them.
Koremar had assured Abigail that he would watch over while she communed and Kreg counted. He drew Mai'Tahl and willed that it shed light as he stood guard.
Abigail, you receive the following message bacl
Stones were set, lines were drawn
to keep the shadowed fey from dawn
Should they be most cruelly sundered,
the whole world be Queen Rhoswen's plunder.
Kregimie, you count 335 gp, 812 sp.
Koremar didnt speak right away. He was quite perplexed by the whole situation and dearly wished that they had Devarre's wisdom to guide them...but no matter...
Perhaps, this is where the spriggans are springing forth. If this is the lock to the barrier and said barrier is weakening; then my guess is that they are coming through here. Although I am by no means an expert on such subjects. the question is what to do next?
There does appear to be a little dirt and mud on the stones that doesn't match the cave floor.
Sound reasoning indeed Abigail. We'll need to find their designed resting places. I have a sack but at the sheer amount of these we will have to distribute them out amongst us all. I hesitate to put them in Bag of Holding for obvious reasons.
Kreg looks back and forth between Abigail and Koremar. "Sounds like a good enough plan. I think these two potions could help me in my scouting if no one else minds."
Very well then. I'll take the axe and wand in case the Abigail needs healing and I pray fervently that she doesnt. We'll give Cyrus the bulk of the stones to carry. ;)
As you leave the cave, dozens of small figures rise from the shrubs lining the rim of the ravine. With a shout, each one quadruples in size and raises a wooden dart, poised to throw.
“Well done!” the familiar voice of Tenzekil Braybittle calls out, “but the wardstones will do you no good! The first army of Queen Rhoswen has already arrived. She will claim this forest, and you can do nothing about that. Now put the stones back, lay down your weapons, and perhaps we’ll let you live!”
The hum of thousands of bees punctuates his warning as a rising swarm fills the sky.
...and just when this was turning into a nice day...
It figured that they'd been too late to stop the Queen's army. The magus waved at the recognizable gnome as he whispered to the others.
Well my friends suggestions before we start a small war?
"Um...run?" Kreg replies softly.
"Tenzekil! We mean you no harm! Surely we can work something out. Tenzekil, things CAN get better! Queen Rhoswen is using you as a pawn, my fellow."
There are about 40 of the spriggans, similar to what you fought at the wedding and when you saved the unicorn.
Tenzekil sounds fairly concerned about the stones; you suspect he has no intention of letting you go if he can help it.
Sense Motive -
I wouldnt even know which way to run Kreg. No, I dont think there will be an easy way out of this but Tenzekil seems unbalanced. I cant read him.
Koremar was running through his spell list and wondering how they would take on such a large group...we hit hard and with no mercy...
As you take stock, you see several spriggans making their way up the path you used to get to the top pool.
However, you suddenly hear sounds of battle below. Rushing to the edge of the cliff, you see several unicorns waiting at the bottom of the ravine. “Kindness repaid, friends! Leap down and we shall carry you out of here!” one of them calls out to you.
Koremar let out the breath he'd been unconsciously holding at the sight of the fair unicorns.
A most welcome and timely repayal indeed noble ones.
The elf wasted no more time mounting one of the unicorns.
The elven magus wastes no time in yelling. Gather around!
before casting Feather Fall on the group and then leaping out to glide gracefully down to the unicorns.
"That is Tenzekil. A fellow gnome who has succumbed to the bleaching. I fear he won't compromise on his threat. Let's follow Koremar to the bottom and fight our way to the unicorns if needed!"
Thanks to Koremar's magic, you all float gracefully through the air to the bottom of the falls, where you see several unicorns, including the one you rescued earlier, standing around the water-soaked forms of Cyrus and Ace.
The magical beasts touch their horns to you and suddenly everything disappears.
The unicorns abruptly arrive within a forest glade unaffected by the strange mist that has blanketed the forest for the past several days. Instead, faerie lights illuminate the clearing, dancing between the trees. Several creatures look up at your arrival -- a host of centaurs, wood elves, satyrs, and sprites -- all part of an encampment clearly armed for war.
You also spot Fira, the dryad you helped save earlier, and Devarre, as well as a scared, well-muscled Mwangi man.
The elven magus bows respectfully to Palombier, gives Devarre a firm handshake, hugs Fira and gives the newcomer and others a nod in turn.
Our gratitude for such a timely rescue cannot be measured. It is surely good to see such stalwart friends. Although as Abigail pointed out you are clearly preparing for war. Which sounds well advised given the size of the spriggan party we just saw but sad indeed. What news have you?
Thunder Rolling looked up at the newcomers and nodded in return to the female and the elf. He scrutinized the gnome suspiciously before giving a grudging nod, but held his tongue. It was not often good to be the first to speak among the highlanders. Among his own people, language was poetry and words were used to encourage, but his years among the highlanders had taught him that they used that vile excuse for a common language to belittle and revile more often than not.
The large Mwangi man felt distinctly out of place here, though the forest felt far more like home to him than the highlander cities he had spent much of his adulthood in. He rolled his shoulders back uncomfortably, seeking to alleviate the pressure of the new breastplate he had bought with his earnings from the last years' worth of work. The axe strapped to his back might have looked more at home on an ogre than most men, but Thunder Rolling wore it well.
The pale scars on his body stood out against the dark flesh, but none so much as the old slave brands on his forehead. The fact that his head was as hairless as an egg only helped to force the scars into more prominence. A person might guess that it was intentional; that person would be right.
"Palombier!" Kreg exclaims before racing to the unicorn and hugging his friend. "Many thanks for your rescue! Indeed, I did not want to go to battle with Tenzekil, but now I fear that may be unavoidable. He didn't seem to be reasoned with. And alas, we have also lost Cyrus and his friend Ace. The attacks in the water were too much for them."
Noticing the new face, Kreg walks up to him and introduces himself. "Greetings, I see that you are friends with Palombier. My name is Kregimie, but my friends call me Kreg." the little blue gnome says cheerfully as he holds out his hand.
Thunder Rolling looked down at the gnome, then carefully crouched down to be at a respectful height. He enclosed the tiny hand with his massive one, careful not to squeeze too tightly. "Hello Kreg. I am Rolling Thunder. How you know horned horse? Friends? How you know? I am not friend, but not enemy either. Perhaps...neighbor? Yes, that is good word. I am neighbor, but can still call you Kreg."
"Aye friends," Palombier says. "We gather for war, though we remain divided. We shall meet in conclave tonight to discuss our plans. Perhaps one of you will wish to address the gathered group? In the meantime, take your ease. There is food to be had if you wish."
A short time later, Abigail, you are approached by a satyr and nymph, who introduce themselves as Maligorn and Aripha and ask to see the stones they say you gathered.
The golden haired elf approached the large Mwangi that Kreg was talking to in time to there the man's last few comments.
A good neighbor is very welcome Rolling Thunder. I am Koremar Auvrealylth'Hel.
The magus shook the warrior's hand firmly.
I dont know what brought you here neighbor but you have found yourself in the middle of a war in which if we dont win all could be lost.
"Yes, wood girl told me about trouble. I helped with small band of little wood things. Fey, yes? Fey not fight like arena slaves or bandits, but die much the same. Still, much damage to forestkind. I help. You the first highlanders I have seen willing to help forest. Is good."
We would appreciate your help Thunder Rolling. Let us join in on Abigail's discussion about the stones. This is of great importance
Koremar wil join the lady priestess and will get out the stones he has as well.
The Mwangi shrugged his massive shoulders and went to go listen to what the woman - Abigail - was saying about the stones. It seemed odd that she would be carting about rocks. They didn't look like gemstones to him, just rocks carved with some sort of glyphs.
The fey look at the stones and converse briefly, before Maligorn shakes his head gravely. "There's no doubt they're wardstone, which explains much."
He explains they were created long ago beings of the First World after a young fey-queen named Rhoswen sought to expand her power by blending shadow magic with fey sorcery. She eventually discovered a gloom-shrouded valley with trees as tall as mountains, which she named the Fellnight Realm and made her lair, twisting every living creature with her shadow-sorcery. In disgust, other beings of the First World severed her lands from their own, trapping her in her own demiplane where she has languished ever since, apparently until now.
"What wardstone do to trap this Rhoswyn? Is magic?". Inwardly Thunder Rolling cringed at the awkwardness of the common tongue. At least the story made some sense now. If the rune stones were used to keep this ancient fey imprisoned, then their mportance was clear.
"Or how to arrange them so that they will block those creatures from coming out of the demi-plane?" Kreg interjects.