No wonder she hadn't heard much about this 'hag'. Estria sure hadn't seen that coming.
She was a relatively slim Taldan woman with violet eyes - a telltale sign of Azlanti heritage, though there was nothing that suggested it was much more than distant ancestry. Her clothes were definitely better than most, though.
"Estria, of Taldor. I'm a scholar, and I'll be along to try and help answer any questions that pop up." she said. The lack of a family name wasn't omission - she just didn't have one, as was the custom among those who shared descent from the ancient empire.
Rick bows. "I am Rick. Hajimemashite." Rick wears common clothes and a pair of strange goggles on her head. He clearly seems of Tian ethnics. The visible parts of his arms are covered in a dragon-shaped tattoo, in a manner that the head ends up being on the back of his hand.
Rick might have a good chance to talk to Ameiko during their walk to see "the Hag", but right now he has another concern. He turns his head to the Sheriff. "If we go see Melissa, we must make sure that Gregan doesn't follow us."
"You may call me Kpu'Unde." offers the tall Mwangi man.
A tall half-orc strides over. His black hair is cropped short, and his face is plain, but not unsettling. A plain but functional set of equipment gives you the idea that this man either knows quite a bit about caring for his arms, or he pays somebody to do it. The half of an elven curveblade rises over his right shoulder, while a longbow can be seen over his left.
"Greetings all, I am Tekk, called Smalltooth by those whom I serve in the Guild Master's hall. I am sworn to them, but my ties of service allow some leeway in when and how I meet that obligation."
"I have guarded the caravans from Magnimar to Sandpoint several times this season, and I wouldn't mind a change in scenery. If you will have me, I'll gladly join."
The dwarf takes stock of the gathered and makes mental notes checking for strong callused hands and visible scars. Nodding towards the mwangi man.
"And what can you do Kunde?"
Nerak eyes the two new arrivals, measuring them up. Tekk didn't quite come up to Nerak's height, but he looked leaner, a little bit stronger, than Nerak was. Rammbock was obviously much smaller, but also looked like he had some heft to him.
He nods to them briefly, flashing a grin to the both of them. As he did, it showed off his wicked sharp looking teeth. "It'll be good t' have some extra muscle along. M'name is Nerak Gajuntar, Imma bit o' hunter, bit o' tracker, bit o' drinker. Good t' meet ya both."
"Kpu'Unde. And I have some matter of arcane power."
"Oh? What kind, exactly?" Estria inquired, not particularly gifted with arcane energies herself. She could get by with a bit of alchemy, but... sigh, it just wasn't the same.
"A bit of a drinker, haa? Let us put that to the test Nerak. Let us find a mug of ale worth of the nagelprobe and have some fun!"
Ordering a gallon mug of ale he quickly drains it in one huge draw turns it round and with glee announces"As our ancestors drank!"
"Yes, yes, we can get drunk later, I guess." It's not that Rick doesn't like drinking, but...
"So what's the plan? We go straight there?"
"Well, the sooner we get somewhere, the sooner we can solve the problem." Estria said cheerfully. "I see no particular reason to wait around unless we're actually waiting for something."
Dusk smiles politely at Tekk.
"Dusk Bloom. Well met Tekk."
Nerak grinned a huge, excited grin at the challenge laid out by Rammbock. "A challenge, is it? Anytime!" He seemed all fired up to follow Rammy off to a bar when Rick and Estria redirect them back on plan. With a slight crestfallen look, he nods, but mumbles to Rammbock "We'll see 'bout it after".
Tekk watches as the group jokes about getting a drink. As the boasting begins, he watches as the female human sidles up to him. She introduces herself, prompting a sincere nod in return.
"Pleased to meet you, Dusk Bloom. How long have you been traveling with your companions?"
Dusk looks startled for a moment, as if shocked by something, though Tekk can tell it is not anytging he said, more something prompted in herself.
"Umm. Since the festival. A few days? We really don't know each other that well..." she finishes lamely.
Ameiko greets Tekk and Rammbock, as well, and then announces, "It's time we got on our way. Gregan won't accept the answer he got from Belor and Kendra--and with this raid having scared everyone, he just might be able to convince someone who knows the way to aid him."
Ameiko leads you out of town. But instead of going out the north gate to follow the Lost Coast Road like you did this morning, she leads east over the Tanner's Bridge. You'll follow the Turandarok River until it comes along the south edge of the Tickwood Forest (you came to its northern edge by your route this morning). There's a crossing at the southwest edge of the woods.
You take a quick break along the river for lunch. Ameiko has hastily packed sandwiches for you all. When you arrive at the edge of the Tickwood Forest it is mid-afternoon.
"We shouldn't have any trouble--I know the way to Melissa's home. But there is always the possibility of a run-in with a boar, or more rarely, a couple of giant ticks. Those things are nasty."
"Well, I mean, so are we." Estria said cheerfully. "I'm pretty sure we can handle a few pests."
"Mhmm!!!" adds Bloom, her mouth full of sandwich.
"Mangks for the samwidges!" she manages, holding one up as evidence.
"Mhmm!!!" adds Bloom, her mouth full of sandwich.
"Mangks for the samwidges!" she manages, holding one up as evidence.
Ameiko smiles cheerfully. "You're welcome, Dusk Bloom."
"Well, I mean, so are we." Estria said cheerfully. "I'm pretty sure we can handle a few pests."
"I do look forward to seeing you all in action, should the need arise. If we do run into giant ticks, though, be careful not to let them sink their teeth into you. They start draining blood fast."
And--wouldn't you know it--after you've entered the Tickwood Forest and walked for 15 minutes or so, you see a boar! He's not in any condition to be attacking you, though, because he's dead. The giant ticks nearby are probably the reason why. You see two ticks which are extremely bloated and appear to be in a kind of daze. Then there are the other two ticks, which look a little swollen but are now looking in your direction!
**Rick
**Tekk
**Nerak
**Estria
**Dusk
Giant Ticks
Rammbock
Knowing the bigger fighters will want to charge, Dusk defers to them, taking her time to thread a path through the boles and trunks to get into a flanking position. Her distaste for the bloated creatures is evident as she finds a path not near the satiated ones.
Full Round Action: Double Move to get behind one of the ticks if that is possible.
Full Round Action: Double Move to get behind one of the ticks if that is possible.
Estria remained behind the others as she padded forward, mixing a few chemicals together. As earlier experience had shown, mind toxins weren't so effective on things that barely had minds to begin with... but maybe a little fatigue would work out. It was about all she had.
When Ameiko warned them of potential danger up ahead, Nerak took her seriously. With a grim nod, he quickly assumed his Large size, dwarfing even Tekk. He kept his axe at the ready, in case any beasties did appear.
Luckily he was not disappointed, as the giant ticks made their appearance. He grins in excitement, and quickly leaps across the distance between them, bringing both his axe and his bite to bear on the both of them.
The giant ticks convulse a little as the cloud envelops them, but the one next to Dusk Bloom seems unaffected--the other one looks a little droopy.
And then Nerak arrives, knocking the unaffected tick down with a squelching sound. A mix of tick and boar blood begins to pool on the forest floor.
Tekk watches as Nerak reacts a moment faster, charging in and slaying one of the monsters. Taking advantage of his comrade's sudden attack, Tekk strides forward in his wake and brings his elven sword down on the other tick with a massive overhanded swing.
Rick takes some time to decide how is he going to break the ice with Ameiko. When he finally finds something not too silly to say, the group find the dead boar and the ticks. "Blast my luck."
He reacts as he knows, moving forward to get into range and invoking his chi to blast the tick next to Dusk.
Touch
The giant tick moves quickly toward Nerak and tries to bite him!
Nerak dodges the bite easily.
Then Tekk is there, and his elven curve blade descends with fury, slicing the giant tick cleanly in half!
The other two ticks are slowly trying to move away from you, but it is slow going in their bloated state, having been sated with the blood of the boar they killed.
"I guess you were right, Estria," says Ameiko. "Nice work."
Estria just smiled at Ameiko's words. "Unfortunately, that was the last of the toxins I brought with me from home..." she said. "But I have been tinkering with a few things on the way here, and I think I'm finally ready to give this a try." she spun a slender staff covered in silver filigree around, and a bit of electricity crackled near the edges. "Don't worry - I tested it on the way up, and it's quite accurate."
Once the group is back on track, Rick decides to open fire. He gets closer to Ameiko, looking for the precise moment.
"Uh... may I ask you for how long has your family being here, in southern lands?" he asks. Immediately, he realises that's a quite harsh lack of etiquette, and blushes, quickly adding an apologise. [/b]"Sorry, I meant no disrespect. I've forgotten my manners. I am thrilled to have found familiar faces here."[/b]
Once the group is back on track, Rick decides to open fire. He gets closer to Ameiko, looking for the precise moment.
"Uh... may I ask you for how long has your family being here, in southern lands?" he asks. Immediately, he realises that's a quite harsh lack of etiquette, and blushes, quickly adding an apologise. "Sorry, I meant no disrespect. I've forgotten my manners. I am thrilled to have found familiar faces here."
"Not at all, Rikkuro. It was about 50 years ago that my grandparents left Minkai--it was not long after that my father was born in Magnimar. You sound like you weren't born around here, like I was. What brought you here?"
You continue to make your way through the woods.
After about an hour, you come upon a clearing, where you see a small hut. Outside the hut there is an area with a fire pit and a cauldron (no fire going currently), and in another area is a quite expansive garden. There aren't many flowers, but many varieties of herbs and tubers and vegetables.
"GRAAAAAAARRRR!"
You hear a shrieking, growly sound, and quickly moving toward you is a green hag! But then the hag stops. "Ameiko? What--why have you come with all these people?" The illusion of the hag fades away and in its place you see a woman of medium height. She wears brown pants and a green tunic, and the long curly hair which falls down her back is a blazing orange-red.
"Melissa, listen." Ameiko says. "There was a raid on Sandpoint last night. Gremlins and flytraps. These people," she gestures at you all, "found your symbol on one of the gremlins. They didn't know who you really were, so Belor and Kendra had to tell them. But I'm worried, Melissa. One, you need to know that Gregor is back in town, and I think he might be able to use the fear from the raid to finally convince someone who could actually lead him to you. Two--why in the name of blessed Shelyn would your symbol be on a gremlin that participated in a raid on the town?!"
Melissa replies, "Gremlins and flytraps? Ameiko, you know I have friends among the fey, but not gremlins! And there aren't any flytraps that live in this forest."
She turns to you all. "Were you able to track where they came from?"
"They certainly seemed to be coming from this direction." Estria noted. "What else lives out here? Any major enclaves or groups that might be able to get that kind of power together?"
"Well we should just move there and investigate. And axe all problems!"
"Erm... Sorry" Ricky interrupts. "I hate to be that guy, but Gregor could find the way here when we least expect him. We should take measures to impede him as much as reasonably possible." Ricky looks everyone in the face. "Do we have the means to divert him anyhow?"
Tekk listens to the conversation, eyes moving between the speakers as he absorbs the conversation. As talk turns to Gregor again, Tekk glances around, then takes a half-step back and to the side so he has a better view of the path that led the group to the clearing.
Nerak listens to Melissa, a frown on his face. "Aye, one of the little beasties got away from us, and ran back in this direction. Picked up their scent the next day, and followed it straight to yer forest, before it got lost in th' other scents. Plus yer symbol and all. You know anybody tha' would want to set ye up? Could even just be someone wantin' to use the hag as a rallying point. Problem with creating fictions like this, ye don't know who all will believe it."
At Rick's question, Nerak's frown deepens. He says to Melissa "Maybe ye should keep up an illusion of some sort, in case Gregor does show up. Got anything that won't make him attack ye right on sight?"
Rammbock carefully checks the area, trusting his nightvision to aid him in finding enemys.
Nerak gazes around intently into the woods, worried.
Tekk watches patiently.
"Melissa?" It's little more than a whisper, and, in fact, only half of the people in your company even hear it.
Rick, Nerak, and Tekk whip their heads around to see, walking toward you from the northeast, none other than Gregan. Some distance past him you note the figure of someone jogging in the opposite direction--it must be some woodsman that Gregan convinced to guide him, and he had no interest in following Gregan the rest of the way to the hag.
Now all of you take notice of him. Gregan shakes his head vigorously, and the look of wonder which had been on his face is now gone. Instead, his brow furrows and his eyes seem to darken with hatred as he continues to stare at Melissa.
"You fools!" he says, eyes looking upon the rest of you now. "You have all fallen under her spell, don't you see it? Did you forget the hags' proclivity for illusions?"
Shiiiiing! sounds Gregan's sword, the Hag's End, as he draws it from its scabbard. "Now, stand aside if you're not going to assist me!"