Samuel doesn't have anything else to add at present.
I believe it is 1) gather at outpost 2) visit ruined temple.
Possibly while keeping our eyes open for the tiny lich.
---
The pioneers/labourers though can probably be directed to the river crossing - if it is possible to ford there with carts safely? That's probably something someone familiar with carts would know, which would hopefully be Ikiros or his underlings. Or someone traveling with the carts, though they wouldn't have seen the crossing.
At the outpost, the party reconvenes and makes plans to leave again. After inspecting the party's maps compiled during their Spring explorations and conferring with Akiros and his companion, the packmaster decides it'll be best to take the path south to the ford and cross there. Akiros offers to lead them.
Meanwhile, the party goes to confer with the reluctant Shepherd Jhod.
"Yes?" says Jhod looking up from sweeping out the outpost storage shed.
We know of ruined temple in the area, we were wondering if you wanted to come with us to inspect it. Fergus says, rubbing his beard.
Illthir was looking forward to seeing the temple. It seemed to have the right mix of non-threatening and ancient one could be excited rather then anxious about. Though mostly because she knew the party had previously dealt with the monsters that dwelt there already! Right? Hmm. Hopefully monstrous bear wasn't one of those renewable curses ... Better not dwell on that thought!
---
The skald gives Jhod a chance to reply before she unleashes a barrage of pleas and appeals to try and sway his course. But surely he too would be excited by this!
The broom falls from the shepherd's nerveless grip. Jhod falls backward onto a bunk, seemingly shocked to his core.
Tremulously he says "T-take me there."
Jhod sets about gathering his things for the journey, which amounts to him throwing some food into his already packed haversack, and grabbing his stave, longbow and a quiver of arrows.
"Careful now, it won't run away. Here, let me show you our maps." And as a precaution, Illthir will also show the rest of the council members at the outpost. Just in case it was cursed again. But surely it wasn't. But if...
"Careful now, it won't run away. Here, let me show you our maps." And as a precaution, Illthir will also show the rest of the council members at the outpost....
Akiros shrugs, indifferent to the idea.
"You want to go there!? What about little folk? I thought you said that part of the forest was thick with them and that's why you didn't explore more of it."
"Well, You didn't ask me," says the halfling merchant snootily, with his nose up in the air, "but if it were me going, I might map some of the northern Marches while I was at it, you know, for efficiency sake. Can't have kingdom without land now can you?"
"Say, he's right you know. There's supposed to be all sorts of gold and silver in those hills, maybe fairy treasure as well." says Chick, butting in as well.
Kesten casts dark glance at the former brigand.
"'Fairy treasure!?'" says the short, fat man, butting in even further, intrigued by the idea of magical treasure.
"Why sure, Wilbur, there's all kinds of treasure in those dark woods.... That, and packs of huge, monstrously-intelligent, man-eating wolves of course."
Wilbur, who looked excited at first, quickly goes pale at the thought. He looks as though he might faint.
"Are you folks ready yet?" asks Jhod from the doorway, all packed and ready to leave.
"Ready, yes. Willing and able."
"We'll be sure to map the beasts then. But fairy treasure is bad luck: don't need any of that." She makes sure to interact with their underlings, at least briefly. And a nod to Anando; they might as well look into the surrounding area. If they wanted to restore the temple, they ought to know about any nearby dens of flesh-eating wolves.
"Ready."
If we have the horses for it, I think it would be good to travel on them. If not, then so be it. I am curious about this place as well.
All horsed up, the party of four heads out.
They cross the plains between the outpost and the Narlmarches quickly enough and great forest looming ever larger before them grows more ominous as the clouds roll in threatening a summer storm.
.
"Hopefully the flesh-eating wolves stay away from the horses ..." Illthir paths her horse on the side. Or even better; let the wolves be made out of blonde hair and see how they like to be chewed on!
---
"Hmm." Illthir squints at the sky. Looks like they were about to get a shower. She grabs her poncho just in case and makes sure her bags are properly closed and strapped together. That ought to keep her mostly dry.
"I think I'd rather be underneath the trees then in the open when that hits." she points to the sky. "So we push on?"
"Hmmm?" Serena is roused from her reverie by Illthir's question. "Oh, yes. Press on. We should be able to make the trees before the rains come, with a little luck."
The days pass with little more more eventful than the rain on the first day. Following the map and path given to them by the fairies known only by the preposterous names of Tyg-Titter-Tut, and the Wee Mad Bee King they press past a the thick tangle of dry brambles that gives way into a large clearing the border of which is partially defined by a ruined set of stone pillars. The western face of the clearing is dominated by a looming, upthrust ridge of rock, nearly 300 feet across and rising to a moss-topped height of 100 feet at its peak.
This side of this towering cliff has been carved in the likeness of an immense elk, its antlers drooping down from its weathered face to frame a 50-footwide cave entrance. A flight man-made of stone steps leads up to this cave entrance. The whole place cliff relief, steps and the broken pillars are covered to various degrees in thick mats of moss and the leaves of many winters. A 50-foot-long oval pool sits in the middle of the clearing, its waters are as clear as well's. There is no sign of the thick foul-smelling algae that once covered the top. As you approach a family deer take flight from pool. They had been drinking from it.
This place was once a temple dedicated to Erastil. It looks like ages since anyone worshiped here though.
"I suppose it would be sacrilegious to take a dip?" Serena says, only half-jokingly.
"This is all so amazing. I feel as if I have been here before. In a dream there was a bear...." Jhod says to no one in particular. He looks over the pool and up the steps and into the shadows of the hill's entryway.
"Well, it *is* holy water. I think." Illthir wasn't sure about bathing etiquette in abandoned temples. But usually nothing good came out of tempting the gods, so maybe it was better to not. She decides to merely get something to fan herself with.
"There used to be a bear here; or a beast in the shape of one. But has been slain. And dare I say; the place looks less mm cursed then described." Illthir notes out loud. Perhaps it had been a load bearing bear; it wasn't uncommon for dungeons to spontaneously collapse after a certain big critter had been slain. The skeptics usually attributed such events to "diminished structural integrity" and "violent tactics" - but a Skald knew that was just how things went sometimes.
"Still, it pays to be careful. There might not be a supernatural shadow over the place anymore; there could still be loose rocks or napping regular bears." She grabs her weapon and ponders how to both be respectful of the shrine and ready to defend herself.
"Let's take a quick survey before the natural light slips away. We can be more throughout tomorrow."
"Agreed," Serena also readies her weapon and goes into investigation mode.
Well, if whatever was cursing this place was destroyed, or in some way, diminished, it would make sense that any powers left would seek to push back and reclaim its rightful place.
Fergus will walk around the area, hands clasped behind his back as he inspects it.
Ditzy, scout the cave itself to be sure. But be careful. Fergusd almost whispers into one of his pockets before a floof of white fur pokes out of it and scurried down his leg before darting from outcropping to outcropping as it makes its way up to the entrance.
The lowering sun through the trees paints the edge of clearing in a dappled light and shadow. Illthir's hand reaches out and touches what might have been a narrow beam of light except that when she pulls her hand away the strand sticks stubbornly to her hand. Fergus feels he headgear pull off as he steps beneath a sheet of such filaments and Ditzy gives a sudden yip from the stone stairs as the familiar finds itself in a similar sticky situation.
For her part Serena sees a huge spider web erected between the tress just out side the ring of stone pillars.
"Gods be damned! We've blundered into a spider's nest!" Serena draws her scimitar and readies for battle.
I bloody hate spiders... Fergus mutters to himself as he thinks of the best course of action.
Fergus will focus a moment to give himself a boost of strength, while ditzy will attempt to wriggle out.
I bloody hate spiders... Fergus mutters to himself as he thinks of the best course of action.
Ditzy wiggles and spins about, but can't escape the sticky webbing.
"Uh oh." This sticky icky feeling could only either be a tavern's floor or a spider's web; given their location Serena was probably right. "Uh oh!" The skald backs up as much as she can to not blunder into any other silken strands. Was it too much to hope for that the spider would be asleep? Still, she didn't want to be in this sticky situation for longer then needed; a rousing Song of Strength might help!
At 6th level, a skald can use raging song to inspire his allies to superhuman feats of strength. Once each round while the skald uses this performance, allies within 60 feet who can hear the skald may add 1/2 the skald’s level to a Strength check or Strength-based skill check.
Serena is looking around for the spider(s).
Fergus will twist and pull on the webbing, trying to snap it and free himself.
Ditzy continues to try and wiggle out.
Serena is looking around for the spider(s).
There are no spiders large enough to qualify as a threat as far as Serena can see.
Fergus will twist and pull on the webbing, trying to snap it and free himself.
Fergus drags himself free from the webbing while at the same time Ditzy tangles herself deeper into its grip.
Delighted that nothing had tried to eat her yet Illthir tries to pull herself free from the web.
She flails wildly but remains firmly stuck.
Jhod rushes around the pool to reach Illthir, as giant, man-eating spiders continue to remain absent from view.
Serena will attempt to cut Fergus free.
Finally Illthir's flailing pays off and she stumbles away from the web with a loud curse. Finding herself next to Jhod she restrains herself from further blasphemy. Instead she looks around, still failing to spot any giant spiders trying to eat her. But where there anything else? Were the horses okay?
"..Thanks Jhod.."
Serena will attempt to cut Fergus free.
Ditzy continues to struggle, so Fergus will moves to help her and cut her out.
In short order the party frees themselves of the sticky webs. [ooc]But now what?{/ooc}