The lumbermen give Tristan a long, blank look, but Xavian and Contilo are able to convince of of their number to speak with you. He says:
"Vanick Inor's my name. A few days back we had a run-in with a patrol of satyrs. Six of our men were killed in the fighting. We sent four men out to track them. On the way, we came across a field where some people, humans mind you, were growing flowers just like ones stuffed in those zombie wolves. Our men were chased off by the folks tending the flowers. They're a bunch of crazy ex-druids. We recognized them becasue they're often begging in the town square. I can tell you how to find that field if you like, but I need you to promise that you'll take me to town to see Laurel. She's the herbalist, and maybe she can find a cure for this plague.
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his intentions sound pure enough, and what he says makes sense...but im not sure if i trust him yet.
yes, knowing where these wolves came from would be an excellent way to trace the source of this mess. Insnare, My lovely lady, would you be able to track the wolves also? just to ensure they did come from the gardins?
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Calanthe nods to Vanick, quickly drawing her hood over her head as they approach the villagers. Better to keep hidden than to ruin their chances of diplomacy here...
"I would like to speak with Laurel as well," the witch adds quietly. "I am a healer from the church of Pharasma... perhaps we could work together to find a cure for the disease..."
Before departing, the group searches the tents in camp. Most of them contain only cots and clothing, but the northwest tent look as though it was used as a makeshift office. It contains spare provisions, tools, and a desk covered in papers and cheaply-bound books. The desk containsa leather sack with 140 GP, the month's wages for the woodcutters.
The group then sets out with Vanick to locate the deadly flowers. After a short march (about an hour) through the woods the group comes upon a clearing.
Man-made rows of bright flowers paint this wide glade in hues of red, orange, and yellow. A warm breeze blows out of the field, and the pleasant odor of the countless blossoms fills the air and permeates the whole forest.
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---to see if there is some magical knowledge about these plants
Contilo turns to the group.
i think its time for the old i sneak around the back with xavian and you guys go talk to them, if things go sour we can put them down? what do you think?
While the group deliberates contilo will stand there watching the group, glancing over at the figures in the distance, while picking ear wax out of his right ear.
(if the group agrees)
Contilo will try to sneak up behind them - flanking position from the group going to talk to them.
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"It sounds like a fine plan, Contillo. I am not much for sneaking and prefer the straightforward approach anyway, we will give you a little time to get into place."
Tristan will give them a head start then begin moving through the flowery fields, distrurbing as little as he can along the way. When close enogh, he hails the human figures.
There are 3 gardeners. They hear some noise, and turn to look up at Contilo as he begins to move around them. They see Tristan, Calanthe, and Belvica at the entrance to the garden. They don't notice Xavian as of yet, but seeing intruders on all sides you see them taking out slings and loading stones into them.
As to the flowers, Belvica and Contilo aren't able to determine anything about them. Perhaps a closer look after the present situation is resolved will provide some answers.
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"Hail fellows, we mean you no harm. Put away your weapons and let's have a palaver before things get uncomfortable between us. I give you my word that we will not attack you unprovoked, but you must put away those weapons first."
Tristan tries his best to stake his honor to the discussion, sheathing his sword in the process, but keeping a wary eye on the gardeners.
The three gardeners give you all a hard glare. One of them says:
"You mean us no harm, but the opposite is by no means true. We won't have interlopers spoiling our plans. Attack!"
Initiative:
Surprise Round: Xavian
Round 1: Calanthe, Gardener #3, Contilo, Belvica, Gardener #1, Gardener #2, Xavian, Tristan.
Xavian's arrow indeed misses the gardener, but only by a hair!
Calanthe focuses on one of the evil horticulturalists.
The gardener shudders for a moment as Calanthe's hex takes hold, but she is able to shrug off the worst of its effects.
Gardener #3 (in front of Belvica) begins to whirl his sling over his head, but does not throw it yet.
Contilo's arrow strikes true, leaving a deep scrape across the cheek of Gardener #1.
The villain Belvica charges lets his sling-stone fly towards her!
The stone bounches off her tough hide armor. Belvica then lands her blow, gashing the gardener with her axe.
The other two gardeners loose stones at Contilo, whose accurate bowshot makes him seem quite threatening to them.
The first slinger's stone strikes Contilo squarely in the head, dazing him for just a moment. The second stone flies far wide of its target.
At that moment Tristan rushes forward and strikes the first planter with his sword, cutting a deep wound in her side. While she is vary badly injured, she just manages to remain on her feet.
Now Up:
Round 1: Xavian
Round 2: Calanthe, Contilo, Belvica
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ouch! ouch! ouch! contilo quickly rubs his forehead where the stone hit.
move action - Load Crossbow
standard action - SHOOOTTT
Contilo loads and looses another arrow at the same gardiner as before, trying not to be too distracted from being bludgeoned with stones!
A small amount of blood dribbles into contilo's eye as he shoots.
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With her curse withstood by the first gardener, Calanthe moves forward, her mismatched eyes glowing bright, seeing not this world but something entirely different. The back-most gardener's life energies are in her sights this time, but instead of weakening their ties to life, she infects the gardener's mind with a nightmare, peering into the dark recesses of their soul and dragging out the worst fear she could find.
Xavian's shot flies true, and his arrow strikes the rearmost gardener in the upper thigh.
Calanthe focuses her thoughts beyond the strictly material realm, and the same gardener winces.
He barely shrugs off the effects of Calanthe's hex.
Contilo's shot misses, the arrow falling a few feet short of its intended target.
Belvica swings her mighty axe again, this time slashing the gardener viciously. He staggers back half a step and collapses to the ground, bleeding out of a deep cut in ths chest.
The gardener in front of Tristan frantically drops her sling and grabs a sickle from her belt, swinging it wildly!
The blow causes nothing but a gentle breeze to wash over Tristan's face.
The rearmost gardener reloads his sling and now aims for Xavian!
The stone sails far over Xavian's head into the flowers behind him.
Now up:
Round 2: Xavian, Tristan
Round 3: Calanthe, Contilo, Belvica
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"I think you figured out how to use it..." Calanthe quips back to Contilo, although she does not smile; she's too busy being frustrated that her hexes are doing very little. Should any gardener still stand after this round of powerful attacks, she will fire her own crossbow at it, letting the spirit world be for now. Her eyes return to their normal state, no longer glowing with arcane light.
The Pathfinders quickly warm to their work, and begin to quickly srtrike down their foes. Belvica and Tristan land telling strikes with their blades, and the two ex-druids on their fronts collapse to the ground, bleeding. The gardener in the rear falls to the trio of arrows that appear in his chest, shot from the bows of Xavian, Contilo, and Calanthe!
None of the enemies are beyond aid, but all are defeated!
Calanthe moves to prevent the planters from coming to further harm. Tristan looks over their equipment. Each of them carries a very finely-crafted sickle (masterwork) and a sling. They are each wearing masterwork leather armor. Each of them also carries a small potion, a tanglefoot bag, fine gardening tools, a shovel and 50' of rope.
[spoiler=Spellcraft DC 15]each of these is a potion of cure light wounds[spoiler]
Belvica looks at the flowers carefully. She gets the distinct impression that something is wrong about them, but she can't recall enough about this variety to know for sure. She warns everyone to avoid touching them.
Vanick Inor steps out of hiding and speaks to you: [b}"Well done. Thanks for coming to our aid! If you want to question any of them, let's be quick please. I'd really like to get back to town to see Laurel about a cure."[b]
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"If you would like to speak with the druids here..." Calanthe says quietly, "I'll see what I can do about waking them up... I suggest that you tie them up first though..."
If/when the group is ready, Calanthe will lay a gentle hand upon the shoulder of one of the fallen (the one that appears least injured) and attempt to rouse them, flooding the wounds with curative energy.