"I'll try to help with those."
"I could maybe ... I mean, if no one else mind? ... use the crossbow? I think I remember how and it would make me less ... useless. In a fight, I mean," Taerine finishes in a rush.
She smiles tremulously as no one else seems to object and the rest of the treasure is quickly divided between the future Runelords before they set out on their way again, stopping after an hour forced march to rest for the night.
"Should we set up some sort of watch?"
I make my prayers at midnight, where one day ends and another begins. I am happy to take watch up til the witching hour, and then catch my rest.
Scholar's aside: We do not know who used necromancy on Harsk. The Runelords' records are ambiguous on this matter. We know Taerine, Denat and Anglon were involved. We know Anglon planned to use Speak with Dead earlier in the day - but no record of the conversation was recorded.
We do know what questions were asked and what answers given though. These were written in a shaky hand as the import became known.
"Who was controlling you?" Answer: "A Lady of Leaves - green, terrible and beautiful."
"How?" this question seems to have slipped out. Answer: "I do not know. Only Kyra, Seelah, Alahazra and Imrijka escaped."
"We knoc the paladin came back to the fort and died there. Maybe we should try to find what happened to those others ? "
"They were protected by their Gods. Those who avoided ensorcelment were direct servants of the gods. It might aid us if we knew to whom each hewed."
Nodding in agreement with Denat, Arioch adds. "Who can send a message to the camp? If Ambassador Garess knew which gods the other women served, that might provide us clues how & where best to seek them out."
Taerine looks dubious. "I don't know if we have any similar protection. If we just attack the camp, won't we be ensorcelled too? I mean, some of us will probably be fine, but I don't think, well, that I ..." she trails off.
"Maybe we should see if we can find these other women. Even if they can't tell us anything more, perhaps they'd be willing to help us?"
"Let us not forget this badger."
I believe we must be cautious, but our mission is unchanged. We should prepare the best we can, and learn about our bandit neighbors. This Green Lady is a threat, but she has resources. Draining or taking them benefits our cause.
It appears this would be a good site for a farm - were it not for the trees. Streams flow through dark soil towards a river, but all is shrouded by the canopy far ahead.
The trees here are enormous, but puzzlingly one appears to be a gargantuan wild apple tree. A trunk towers fifty feet tall, and apple branches entwine with neighbouring canopies. Green apples - almost impossible to see from the ground - dot the branches.
Soon after entering the area Thkrull smells again a whiff of draconic odour. Investigating he finds a cunning deadfall trap - sized for something four feet or smaller.
"This is where we saw something small take off running earlier. Maybe we should investigate now?"
"This is where we saw something small take off running earlier. Maybe we should investigate now?"
"We may as well. "
Molly and Simon will try to pick up it's trail.
Survival
Molly
Simon
Thkrull gives a toothy grin at the apples. "Finally, something to eat other than stringy dwarf!"
He lopes toward the massive tree, reaching up toward one of the apples .
"Huh. Smells like dragon. But a small one, I guess," he says, pointing at the pit.
With significant effort Thkrull manages to climb the tree to the top, carefully edging out along a branch to reach down to a a single apple. The apple proves surprisingly hard to pluck, however, and the branch cracks ominously as the apple comes free.
The scent and tracks are carefully hidden, but lead towards a small hill.
Stupid branch. Like I'm going to let you keep me from some food!
"Maybe we should be careful," Taerine warns. "Whatever it is already created one trap, this could be part of another..."
Thkrull nimbly leaps to another branch and takes a bite of the apple.
The taste is tart, the apple is crisp, but the seeds inside are the (normal sized apple) are the size of almonds.
"Dragons do not normally create traps. This was likely made by a Kobold."
"Dragons do not normally create traps. This was likely made by a Kobold."
"Quite right. Stay sharp everyone."
Pressing on.
"Huh. Big seeds," Thkrull announces to no one in particular. "Anyone want an apple?"
Denat follows Simon's advice and looks around, trying to look for traps.
Caillus Mordent looks broadly to survey the terrain as they walk. At the large tree, he narrows his eyes, trying to recall if he has, or later will, read of such a majestic thing.
As you approach the hole in the hill you notice signs of recent excavation. The hill has one of the enormous trees that cluster around this region growing from the side of the hill. At around 80ft Caillus notices something.
Movement in the tree next to the hill. Something small, hiding in the high branches 30ft above. (95ft range)
The scent grows stronger as you approach the hill.
Taerine, a bowshot ahead, there is something in the branches. We should bring it down for questioning.
Taerine looks at Caillus in some confusion.
"Um, OK. What do you want me to do?"
Still, she sends Thkrull in that direction to try to see if he can't catch the thing.
Thkrull sneaks forward, circling around to try to spot the creature.
Thkrull circles, his bulk vanishing behind scattered bushes and hillocks in the ground as he stalks towards his prey, belly to the ground.
Eventually he is below the prey, and looking up sees a small hide built into the tree, with a tiny lizardlike muzzle pointing out - attention riveted on the Runelords.
It's a Kobold
"Thkrull says Gray's guess was right. It's a kobold," Taerine informs her comrades, after her mental link informs her of Thkrull's find.
After giving it a moment's consideration -- more than his mercurial nature usually permits -- the eidolon reaches up to grab the kobold and pluck it from the tree.
"Come along now," Thkrull growls, "we want to talk to you."
"EH!" he calls out. "I CAUGHT IT!"
The Kobold squeals as Thkrull clamps down on it
"Attacked!"
Denat quickly answers in Draconic.
"Don't worry, we come in peace."
The kobold, grabbed by the enormous and terrifying monstrous claws of Tkhrull, is likely to be difficult to calm down quickly.
"I have an elixir that just might work."
Anglon pulls a small bottle from his bag. The red liquid inside seems to swirl with whips of pink.
"Hold him still, Thkrull, and try not to hurt him. Someone that can speak to him might want to get close."
Elixir of Love
"Eh, quiet you!" Thkrull tells the kobold.
"Bring him here, Thkrull."
"אנחנו לא רוצים לפגוע בך. אנחנו פשוט מנסים ללמוד עוד על האזור."
"We don't want to hurt you. We're just trying to learn more about the area."
Intimidate