Im still here waiting to see what happens with the parents before the not so friendly Half orc scares everyone.
In Dwarvish:”I thank ye f’er y’er kind words. I had the chance at a decent award for me service from the first Count some years after he recovered, but I couldn’t bring meself to accept it. I couldn’t feel a celebration while our friends’ remains wandered of their own volition. But Ole’ Parlfrey was right, o’course. The glade was so far lost to any man, but us, so while it was disturbing that they existed they posed no significant threat to a soul, that while they should be purged it wouldn’t be right for us to lead healthy men into battle for personal gain,” he sighs.
The elder dwarf pauses and strokes a hand through his full, grey-white bread, lost in thought for a moment, before letting his face fall eyes, glazing over as he stares at the rippling stream.”I’d like that a lot, though, young’n. Puttin’ the bones o’ me friends rightfully at rest is long overdue and it would do me soul well to see it happen a’fore I pass. But...I know not if it be right to ask ye to take on such a task. Those things what rose in the glade, they’re worse than just the shamblin’ dead, though there was a fair share o’ the lesser creatures as well. There was a malevolence about the gleam in there eyes, an intelligence behind it. The chill in the air was palpable, and they rent souls with a touch. These be foul denizens what haunt my dreams to this day, lad. We were capable enough warriors, but we was caught by surprise and already wounded by the traitor amongst our ranks...”
He mulls the situation over, obviously agonizing over the decision, before finally pounding a fist into his palm with grim determination.
”If y’er friends agree to it, I’d be proud to have a able dwarf such as yourself battle in my stead. It has been so long since I’ve seen another of the stone-folk that I cannot pass up this opportunity to spare the souls o’ me friends. But I cannot ask ye’ to do outa’ of your honor. It is a danger that deserves a proper reward. My companions and had our share of magic, and some o’ it has bound to survived; I’m no warrior anymore, and I don’t need no reminders o’ what that life were like- so what ye find would be yours. ‘n there be the darkwood o’ the Gleaming Glade there too, if you be a craftsman, I recommend you take yourself a piece as well. Whenever you be ready, come ‘n see me, ‘n I draw ye a map to the best ‘o me recollection.”
Borgorin listens quietly again to the elder, then, when Grizzler is finished, he places his gnarled hand on the wizened one and replies "Ye don' have tae ask my friend, as I've already offered. N'I give my word now, if my friends agree to it, I shall see yer friends avenged and the evil that took them down destroyed for good.
Speaking of them, I should go find them I reckon before they get themselves in too much trouble without me there. Will you come with me or do ye care to sit here a spell more?"
Still ready to play.
At the party's insistance, Andern, Bartholew's brother who served you drinks and the most calm and put together out of the bunch (barring his grandfather), escorts you to Jeleneth's private chambers. Shortly after arriving he apologetically takes his leave with rolled eyes and a heavy sigh, however, as there is the crash of shattering glass and a muffled "Eh?" from the other room, where the elderly man was left in charge of tending the bar. He leaves to clean up after the old fool, allowing you to search the room at your leisure, letting you know to call for him or Bart if you are in need of any assistance.
The chamber is immaculate. While pristine, though, it is rather bare. There are a few peices of finer furniture than you'd expect at an inn, especially one so out of the way.
There are unlatched locks of average quality on the door and window (which hangs widely ajar to allow a gentle breeze and warm sun to stream in), likely to combat murmurs of the impropriety of Jeleneth spending her evenings in town at her suitor's pub rather than with her parents at their property. At the foot of her bed is a small traveler's chest containing several basic neccessities for a few day's journey to Galduria. Her closet is mostly empty with the exception of a modest peices of dusty attire that likely haven't been worn in ages. Her spellbook is easy to spot; it is a fine, leatherbound tome with her own and Tauster's insignia stamped into the cover and adorned with silver lying atop a cradenza. A cursory search of the room reveals no sign of any struggle.
Iriesys will cast detect magic, examining the entire area.
"If you don't mind, me and my tired old bones are going to sit here for a little while longer. I'd hate to hobble off on a day that I may be finally destined for a bite." Ol' Grizzler manages a wide, albeit somewhat forced, smile. Before you depart he imparts a few last words of wisdom. "When I was a tot there were an old sayin' 'mongst the dwarven shield bearers of Janderhoff, ye might have heard it:" "It matters not what you fight, but what you fight for."
Well, there aren't any auras remaining, which seems normal enough. Auras of low strength don't last very long, and if there was still one here, that would mean either a spell had been cast recently, or that we're dealing with things way out of our league, Iriesys explains informally.
Dreadan stands outside of the doorway looking inside but not wanting to disturb the others search.
Perception :
Dreadan moves across the room and begins to look at the window for signs of tampering. [b]"Maybe she left through the window?
Perception:
Joining in to finish the saying, with pride in his voice and a smile on his face Bogorin says in Dwarven "...It matters not what you fight, but what you fight for. I shall return with my companions as soon as I'm able my friend. Until then, take care of yourself!"
and then hurries off to the tavern to find his young team mates.
Bogorin finds the group in the Baron of Mutton just as they are finishing up searching Jeleneth’s private chambers for clues, their search turning up woefully little as Andern greets the dwarf and directs him to the remainder of the party. Flipping open Jeleneth’s modest spellbook, before even skimming the arcane syllables and equations of her most basic spells, Iriesys notices a strange series of bluish-gray blots on the edge of the paper as if someone had spilled a drink too near the tome or had been exceptionally careless with their vial of ink (and a strange color of ink at that). Almost as soon as the stains are noticed, the somewhat muted odor of rotting fish wafts from the discoloring on the pages.
Telsyn, do you wanna try and figure some of these out?
Telsyn will give it a try. He's got +8. Doesn't have read prepared, either.
We can try the others tomorrow. Telsyn is visibly pleased.
I hope we can return this to her soon.
I hope so as well.
With little trace of Jeleneth in her chambers at the Baron of Mutton in Nybor, the party begin their return trip to Galduria to inform Tauster of their findings, or lack thereof, pausing briefly along the way at the Harenshire ranger, Cooper’s, farmstead, for any assistance he may be able to provide as a more than able woodsman.
The trail North again is smooth and the group doesn’t pass so much as a farmer running grain between towns as they travel, although the path is inexplicably and unpleasantly muddy and damp in random patches along the way, sucking at your boots annoyingly at unexpected moments, even when a fair distance away from the shore of Ember Lake. By mid-evening on your first day out of Nybor you see the warm glow of a farmhouse in the distance.
Closing closer you hear the sounds of a man grunting and the thunk of wood splitting beneath an axe. Before long, you round a hill to see a shirtless man with red-brown hair wipe the sweat from his brow and take a deep swig from a waterskin as he leans against a horse free of saddle or harness, a pile of neatly stacked firewood nearby. So caught up in his work and the rest following he is a bit startled by your approach, not noticing you until you are within a stone’s throw of him. Seeing you appear not hostile he greets you warmly and invites you over to share a break with him.
No knowledge here. Telsyn will memorize and cast read magic to find out what the other 2 spells are.
Right now, he'll motion for our more charming members to initiate the conversation.
Although charm has never been his forte, one thing the old dwarf does know about and can appreciate is hard work and the mighty thirst that goes along with it.
With a crooked grin, he pulls free his flask and says "'Ere, ye look like ye've earned a healthy swing or two." as he tosses it over to the sweaty woodsman.
Dreadan smiles and slaps his hand against his shield as he sees his friend. " Cooper! Takining a break I see, you don't have me around to chop the wood for you, so you must have gotten soft!"
With a nod the man deftly catches the flask and unstoppers it in one smooth motion, taking a fair swallow before tossing it back with a warm smile, grateful for the drink. "Do me eyes deceive me!? Dreadan, you green-skinned bastard, how have you been? Making friends with dwarves who'll share a drink I see; quite a pleasant if unsettling thought. Keep that one around. Me and the the misses have missed you 'round here, not as much as the horses though," as if on que the large equine behind him gingerly steps forward nuzzle against the half-orc. "Now, now, Feyleaf, lets not be rude," he chuckles. "Nor as much as the boys for that matter- now all they have to keep up in the middle of the night with their crying is me and the wife. Speaking of which, shall I have her set the table for a few more?"
Telsyn quiets Flash, who is eager to meet a similarly equine creature just out of curiosity.
Hold, girl. There's time enough to make a friend.
The half orc laughs and runs his hand down the horse's neck patting it on is muscled shoulder. "Aye, stange things are happening indeed. I would love to shair another meal at your table my friend, but first we need your help." Dreadn's face sombers as he looks at the ranger.
"We are trying to find a girl named Jeleneth. She was an aprentice of the mage Tauster and went missing with out explanation from the Baron of Mutton in Nybor. I had hoped maybe you had heard something, or be able to give us some ideas on what could have happened."
"Aye. I know Jeleneth. She wanders by time to time headin' from Galduria to Nybor and back. After a few passes we invited her to dinner and got to know the lass. Me wife showed her to the hog brook once where we run the swine from time to time when she said she was looking for herbs and other components for her spells. She checks it on every trip now. Perhaps she wandered out that way? I hope no tragedy has befallen the girl there, though the woods there are relatively tame they still can house danger. I'd be happy to help you search for signs if none of you are capable trackers; though I know that Dreadon here knows a few tricks, but with the sun swiftly falling I doubt it will be easy to find a sign," Cooper responds amiably.
Perhaps this would be a good time to pause on our search, and share what we have with Cooper, here. We can start fresh in the morning.
Knowing that most of the others, except for Dreadan, have poor night vision, Bogorin agrees "Aye, best compare notes and start out our search fresh in the morning. But perhaps Dreadan and meself kin do some quick scouting of the hog brook now? Just in case there still be some urgency ta findin her?"
Dreadan scratches his chin and nods his head at the dwarf. "We can take a look but I dont think an another cycle would mater at this point."
Let's stick together. We can rest and have at it in the morning. I doubt Jeneleth's close enough we can find her tonight.
Bogorin shrugs his shoulders, not much caring, as, by his accounts, the girl is likely long dead, or fled with some other lover.
Much more interested in the quest he's sworn to undertake for Ol Grizzler, he asks the group "So? What do ye think 'bout headin' inta tha dark woods, tae rid 'em o' the evil spirits n' undead n' such n' try n' find n' bring back the remains o' Ol' Grizzler's friends?"
Maybe, but I think Jelenith is in a little more danger than the bones of this dwarf's friends.
I think if you go out looking for trouble, there's a chance you'll find it. Do what you like, Bogorin, but I'd prefer the safety of numbers and daylight, myself.
"Aye I want to visit my friends before we go out into the unknown again. I never had any before"
Yes. The darkvision boys were thinking about wandering around in the dark, but decided against it.