Tiressia falls to her knees sobbing when her lover's remains are bought to her
"I had hoped..."
After a moment she attempts to compose herself - badly - and stands
"I asked you to save him, and I can see you have done what you could. I am grateful."
"There is yet a way to save him. The Dancing Lady you asked about earlier has many powerful items. I believe if you can kill her, and bring those items to me, I may be able to restore my beloved to life."
"Are you ready then to tell us what she is?" Forsten asks, having watched her grieving with as little emotion as he usually shows. His lips are pursed slightly more than usual however. They had just granted her a favor, and her first response was to ask another.
"Yes.. yes, of course."
"She lives ten or twelve miles west-southwest of here, in an old castle from the first days."
"As to what she is... the Fey are from the First World. When a soul becomes snared in the fabric of the First World it turns some part of the First World into a Fey - and all Fey in this world are of, or descended from, such First World Fey."
"The Dancing Lady is of the First World. From what I have heard she is some force of death that has become a living personification of wickedness."
"Few Fey have any great love for humans, but the Dancing Lady is rumored to have some special hatred for them. She is not a noble, exactly, but the Dark Fae have been attracted to her. I fear she is forming a Court."
"There was a nymph nearby - Melianse - who was attacked by humans, and who recently joined the Dancing Lady for revenge. She used to be a friend of Falchos and I. If she is there she may aid you. If she will not do so in friendship..."
Tiressia pauses, steeling herself, then with a cracking sound she snaps off three fingers from each hand, one by one in quick succession.
Obviously pained she hands them over.
"She lost her glade. Plant these and each will grow into an okay like mine - and in time each will spawn a dryad to keep her company. For this I think she will help you."
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"We should make haste there before she gains anymore followers."
"Off we go then." Simon says as we prepare to depart.
Tiressia seems surprised - pleasantly - at how quickly the group agrees.
"Remember - bring me her possessions. Once I've restored Falchos it is all yours, and I will be your ally!" she promises
If using Plan Invisible Ronald:
initiative
Molly searches from above and flies back to report.
Denat stays with the others (maybe with Grey and Anglon). Sadly he's too distracted to be aware of what happens.
Molly's flight through the canopy overhead is terrifying, skipping past a spider the size of a cat and through the strands of a web like thin rope. Yet from her aerial view she has a chance to see the landscape, and reveals a symmetry invisible from the ground; a four towered keep heavily overgrown by the forest.
The trees in the primeval forest through which the Runelords travel loom oppressively overhead like giant wooden towers. Yet with Molly's information the Runelord's keen eyes and detections spot the few hints of grey that suggest one dense clump of trees is actually a half-ruined building.
A glimmer of reflected, dappled sunlight suggests a nearby dip in the ground might actually be a large pool.
"We've been spotted." Forsten says, his weapon coming to hand, enlarging in front of him as he gestures in the direction of the motion. He sits his horse alert and ready for attack.
Ronald casts arcane sight once Forsten gives his warning.
nature
I think its a male dryad. I read a little about them. They're called Woodwose
"So where's this friend the dryad told us about? And what are our rules of engagement? "
"So where's this friend the dryad told us about? And what are our rules of engagement? "
"The usual I imagine. An ultimately rebuffed attempt at diplomacy shortly before a swift and untimely death for the rebuffer."
Forsten nods at Simon, though he dislikes approaching any closer without magical preparation. "We could attempt to burn them out..." Forsten observes as he surveys the plant covered structure.
Enlarge Person, Bulls Strength, Expeditious Retreat, Spider Climb
If given the opportunity he will cast spider climb now as that lasts over an hour.
"I could hit it from here with my fireworks. Won't kill it, but it'll get it out from under that tree."
"Maybe we could use something a bit more.. peaceful looking ? I'm not sure they know what fireworks are and we should at least try to give them a chance to surrender."
[dice=Knowledge (nature)]1d20+17
"Maybe we could use something a bit more.. peaceful looking ? I'm not sure they know what fireworks are and we should at least try to give them a chance to surrender."
"Because that's worked so well in the past?"
"The Dancing Lady is of the First World. From what I have heard she is some force of death that has become a living personification of wickedness."
"There was a nymph nearby - Melianse - who was attacked by humans, and who recently joined the Dancing Lady for revenge. She used to be a friend of Falchos and I. If she is there she may aid you. If she will not do so in friendship..."
"Perhaps we check out the water, and see if that nymph can aid us?"
The group turns away from the castle and heads towards the lake.
Once over the rise the ground slopes quickly into a pool.
The pool is little more than a large and flooded hole in the ground. Perhaps forty feet across, though the murkiness of the water makes it impossible to guess the depth. Saplings - barely three feet high - are spaced equidistantly around the pool.
As you approach the clouds above behave strangely - almost as if a very localized thunderstorm was brewing.
If Melianse is here she is almost certainly spying on you as you stand here.
perception
know (arcana)
Sylvan: "Hello? Are you the fey known as Melianse?"
A voice echoes out across the pond. Liquid words in a beautiful voice.
Forsten makes an imposing figure as he scrutinizes the pond ahead. The fact that he is looking at a completely different spot of the pond from where the fey rests blunts the intense stare somewhat.
Sylvan: "It is good to hear that you have some small amount of patience remaining, then. I consider us fortunate for that. We bring word from a mutual acquaintance; a dryad named Tyressia whom we helped with a personal matter. I must offer condolences, her lover Falchos met with a sad end at the hands of a twisted plant monster. We brought that thing low and assisted Tyressia in her grief."
The Nymph's head is visible near the middle of the pond, her beautiful features crusted with mud and filth.
The melodic tones once again ring out as she speaks, though a somehow darker note intrudes towards the end.
"I? Of course I have some patience left. I have always thought it only a fool who does not try to reason with those they meet. Such are cursed to a life of constant fighting. I am gladdened to hear Tiressia lives at all. Fey fled or died to that Fell creature. You have done well to end it, but then that was ever the skill of humans. To destroy. To take. How clever of Tyressia to harness that dark power of yours. Alas. Alas that all human endeavor ends ultimately in destruction."
In the harsher terms of the common tongue she continues
"For all of you then; In Tiressia's name, then, and for the service you have rendered I will not take my vengeance upon you. You may consider my... lake... as safe ground. My power is strong here; none of the Dark Fae of this place will harm you whilst you camp. Stay the night and depart in peace in the morning. "
"Carry my sympathy and congratulations to poor Tiressia; Falchos was a noble protector, and the Forest all the poorer for his death. But I know his heart would sing joyfully to know that she lives."
Simon Percep
Molly Percep
Molly taps Simon and then points to the middle of the pond.
Then quietly
"She's seen better days."
Forsten's gaze narrows slowly in on the source of the voice, finally focusing as she changes to a language he can understand. He looks to Ronald quizzically, wondering what prompted the Nymph's offer.
perception.
"I am saddened to hear you feel that way of humanity. Not all of us are mindless destroyers and despoilers. Tyressia also gave us these, freely and without request. She said they might help you."
Ronald holds out the fetishes/fingers the dryad gave the party.
To the group: "See? Not everyone out here seeks to be our enemy. If we treat them with respect and honor, we might just receive alike in return. "
"So she offers us safety. Good. What about the inhabitants of the castle? Will she interfere?"
Grey and his new minion stayed well back from the nymph's pool. This was tedious enough without some misunderstanding regarding his work coming into play. He was close enough to see the grime that encrusted her pool and herself. His heart, usually stoic and logical, went out to the poor fae. He wanted to help her.
"What do you have there? Come closer, so I might see..."
Melianse seems very reluctant to leave the water.
"What do you have there? Come closer, so I might see..."
Melianse seems very reluctant to leave the water.
"Water Fey in stories have a tendency to drown unsuspecting mortals. For the moment I believe we'd all prefer to stay on dry land. However, we really are here to help. "
"If I have your word that you do not seek to do me harm, then yes, I will bring them closer. If not, I am afraid for my safety and will leave them here for your own inspection."