Stroud turns his attention to the Pixie Lilaera and says, "My thanks Ms. Pixie. I know just who to use this on!" His mood brightens at the thought.
Teena was pleased to hear the newcomer might know the way to her goal. "Stroud, if you'd be so kind as to take us to Marascar, you'd become my favorite person of all time. We have to get there..."
"With a promise like that beautiful and exotic Teena, I would slay Dragons. Leading you all to Marascar will be simple. Shall we?"
Stroud offers his arm to the Air Sorceress, and gestures for all of you to follow.
"Ahem, we still need to discuss the crook with Fire Tender."
Bidding farewell to the remnants of the fey and creatures of the Feralwood who stood against the Fellnight Prince, the Fire Tender leads you back to his secret cabin. Once he has brewed some tea and settled into a chair seemingly shaped from woven branches of mahogany, he gestures to the crook in Teena's hand.
"That is a powerful object, and it must be destroyed. I expect the usual methods will not be a permanent solution, though I believe I can deal properly with it. I must ask you to leave it with me. I can offer something in payment. Wealth, an item or two, perhaps a magical favor?"
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"And how exactly do you propose to destroy it?" Troxell asks, perhaps with more suspicion than he might like, but recent encounters haven't exactly built up his trust for strangers, even helpful ones.
"Should we stay with you until we ensure it is destroyed? Perhaps the item has a taint that corrupts. The whole group of us here might be able to resist its siren call..."
Sense Motive
Stroud eyes the Fire Tender suspiciously...
"I dont know how to destroy the Crook," he replies to Troxell, "but I believe I can commune the knowledge from nature or through the Shalm." To Teena, he nods. "You can stay if you think you can help me destroy it, though I think I should warn you that doing so may draw attention from powers vested in its existence, who may come looking for you some day."
Troxell can't help but be suspicious of the Fire Tender, and suspects he harbors a secret motive. Teena can't get much of a read on him. Shane senses he's being honest, but holding back something.
"My concern is there is potentially a witch and a cold rider both loose in the area who would want to acquire the crook from you before you can ascertain a manner in which to destroy it. Can you hide yourself effectively once again? I don't want that object falling into despicable hands once again."
"Troxell has always given good advice before. It took all we could do to slow down a Cold Rider. If there is another one that might be looking for the Crook, we all need to find a way to destroy it before we go anywhere."
"Don't worry, I can secure this place again." The Fire Tender says. "If you are concerned, then I invite you to stay, and after the Crook is dealt with I will send you swiftly to Marascar by way of the northern winds."
"I think that would be for the best, yes."
If the rest of the group is fine with staying a little longer, Troxell does his best to assist the other druid, although his knowledge concerning the arcane is a bit nonexistent.
Knowledge Arcana
Spellcraft
Shanee somehow helped Teena concentrate even more on the issue. With his support, she felt very confident she had ideas on the staff's destruction.
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" Oh good this should be interesting. I have heard that destroying some magic things can be a royal pain. There is a story of a man tasked to steal an amulet that turns out to be quite cursed and the things he had to do to destroy it...."
Shanee continues to tell his story throughout the process of getting rid of the staff every once in a while eyeing the Firetender with a mischievious look in his eyes. You could swear he starts an arcane spell every now and then but fails to finish it apparently changing his mind several times.
Resting for the night, the next day you set yourselves to research the crook. The Fire Tender begins the process by communing again in the hot spring near his cabin. With knowledge gained from nature and the Shalm, interpreted with the aid of Shane, Troxell, and Teena, you divine the way to destroy the artifact.
"Well.." the Fire Tender says, looking over the collected notes, "it would appear that the Crook is susceptible to breaking midday on the Summer Solstice when exposed to pure sunlight."
Scratching his head, he looks to your group. "That's nearly 8 months from now. I know you are hesitant to leave the item, but unless you are willing to stay here for a few seasons I think you might want to consider trusting that I can protect it and deal with it at the appropriate time."
Teena wasn't keen on waiting here nearly a year without her memories. "I think we have to trust you will be a man of your word. I've got others more pressing things for the time being. Remember how important this is."
"Are you capable of placing the crook in an extremely safe place? I do not want to be partially responsible for it falling into the wrong hands again, especially considering your close location to the breech between worlds." Troxell asks Fire Tender with absolute seriousness.
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"I'm sure he is more than capable of hiding the staff. Besides do you all really want to carry it around and possibly have someone come looking for it while we are occupied elsewhere. Remember Teena has a price on her head.... Speaking of which."
Shanee turns to Firetender
"Can you get a message to Kragis Aer and let someone there know that Teena is not the assassin so they can watch out in case someone tries again? I can give you a couple names of who to let know unless you know someone there that might be able to do something."
The Fire Tender stares at Shane. "Uhh.. Did you say assassin?"
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"Uh yea Teena has been accused of trying to kill the lord of Kragis Are I thought you figured that out by the question I asked during the first commune you did sorry. With my association with the 6 winds I am trying to get her cleared and find who may have set her up. Though my reasons for doing so are my own it is only right that she should be cleared."
"As far as I know, I've not been an assassin! Getting my memories back will help with all this nonsense. Remind me never to accept a 'devil's bargain' again. It was helpful, but id give anything to be whole again."
Meanwhile Myhm has taken to the Fire Tender like pup. Unconditional trustful, laying gently snoring by the fire place; next to him, a large emptied wooden bowl that held a venison stew to the brim moments before; only thing missing was his name on vessel. He rolls over, clutching his massive bear fur cloak closer.
Stroud shakes his head in wonderment at his new companions.
"Oh, right. That assassin." The Fire Tender says, his face somehow seeming a little more red than usual. "I can send a message to Kragis'Aer, which may help Teena's case. I hope. Air Lords can be tricky, and there may be more going on behind the scenes with this assassination attempt. If I learn anything I will pass it on in a sending."
Changing the subject, he says "In the morning I will send you one your way with my magic. Have you decided what you would like as compensation for the Crook?"
Wiping off the drool after several hours of sleep, Myhm sits up and looks around bleary-eyed; after a few moments nudges the Fire Tender, "Ummm, where's Mikmik? He had big hero job to do?"
"Yes, where has our little friend gotten off to? He is part of the group as well."
"Mikmik is brave for a kobold, but Marascar is no place for him. He would draw much attention to you." The Fire Tender says. "I asked him to return to the Lord Bronin's lands in the Greenbelt and see to a few tasks for me. I need to know if Prince Rowan's invasion was part of something larger."
With your requests made the Fire Tender withdraws to a back room of his cabin for a time where the sounds of his rummaging around can be heard. When he once again emerges he holds a cloaks draped over each arm. One is white with gold trim in the style of the Kor Empire, the other is dusky red-orange bearing a plain bronze clasp.
"I do not have two cloaks with lesser enchantments, but these should do." He also hands you a pouch filled with gems.
With the new cloaks and a pouch of gems now in your possession, the Fire Tender takes you outside and explains the magic he will employ to speed you on your way to Marascar.
"This spell will temporarily alter the substance of your body to a cloudlike vapor. In this form you can move through the air at great speed."
"You will appear misty and translucent, but not invisible. I usually done my white hooded cloak to blend in with clouds or fog, but I don't have enough of those to go around for you. Even so, you will be traveling faster then any normal flying creature."
"Marascar is a few hundred miles to the north, and this spell should get you there in about 4 hours if you fly directly there. While the spell lasts you can switch back and forth between air and solid form, but keep in mind that each change takes about 30 seconds. As the spell comes to an end you will automatically begin to descend, and when that happens you will have about a minute before the spell ends."
With his instructions complete, he begins the spell, chanting and calling upon the powers of the Shalm. You feel suddenly lightheaded, then weightless as your bodies transform into wisps of white vapor.
"Farewell and good luck to you my friends!" The Fire Tender waves cheerfully as you begin to drift away on a gentle breeze.
Fly
Survival
Once the group was ready to depart, Teena took to the air and maneuvered pretty well through the air. She wasnt good at noticing anything about the lands while she did so, though.
Myhm waves lamely at the Fire Tender as his body begins to dissipate, "Goodbye..."
"I should have just changed into an air elemental." Troxell grumbles to himself as he flies along as vapor.
"What in the name of the gods is this?!" Stroud cries in panicked wonder as his body changes.
Taking to the sky, you soon learn how quickly this form can move. Even Troxell, with his natural ability to assume elemental form, has never flown so swiftly across the sky.
This speed also comes with a drawback, as Shane finds himself soaring off out of control in the wrong direction. With your forms looking like wispy clouds, if you get too far apart you could easily loose sight of one another among the real clouds in the sky. Adding to the issue is Teena, who also flies off in the wrong direction, but for different reasons entirely - she apparently doesn't know which way to go.
I'll need a DC 25 perception check for those trying to keep track of Shane, and a DC 20 perception check for Shane to keep track of everyone else.
Also, another fly check from everyone please!
Troxell tries to figure out where Shane went as he continues to master the nuances of wind walk.
Perception
Fly
Teena was getting more lost by the second. Mastering this spell was tricky.
Myhm keeps up with whoever is left of the group, although can barely tell with way was up, much less where Shane went.
Panicked, breathless, and in a state of awe Stroud almost forgets that there are others around him. This is truly one of the greatest moments of his short life. He concentrates however knowing that his new found friends need him!
Shanee does the smart thing and stays put long enough for the rest of the party to organize and set out to find him. Soon enough Stroud spots him and the group reunites, then sets out once more, heading north following Myhm and Troxell, both of whom seem to have picked up the knack for flying and kept their bearings in the process.
The Feralwood passes quickly below. A few minutes into your flight you cross over a river and spot the rooftops of Cairllen's Crossing in the distance to the east. Further north the forest thins among rolling hills where you see the occasional tiny village or solitary homestead. Wildlanders are not known for their agricultural skills, and farms are rare, but shepherds and their flocks are more common where the forest gives way to the highlands.
About two hours into your flight you pass over the western highlands that mark the beginning of the Banderwall Mountains. From the air it is easy to pick out the remains of the Old Empire Road that was once the main trade route used between Marascar and the rest of the Kor Empire. Were you to follow it south it would take you back through Blackwing Pass, to Candlemere Lake, then along the mountains before joining the Great Western Empire Road near the Ethrai River. And there you would also find Oleg's Trading Post, the place where some of you first began this journey.
You continue north...
The lands north of the highlands are much different then the lush green forests to the south. Here a dry hot wind rises to meet you as trees and bushes wither into chaparral, which in turn gives way to pale desert steppe. The Old Empire Road remains intact here, though sand threatens to bury it in places.
PERCEPTION
Near your third hour you notice a caravan making its way south. From your position above also notice about two dozen riders waiting for it over a rise. by the way they hold weapons at the ready, they are unlikely to offer a friendly welcome.
Teena nods. "You are right. I'd feel terrible if we just let that caravan get overrun." Teena casts Haste on the crew at her earliest opportunity, to get the team ready for business.
"Although this does not really concern us, at least we can warn the caravan about the armed men." Troxell muses, "Although I fear if we break off now it may hamper our progress to Marascar."
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As you close distance you get a better look at the riders in wait. Dressed in linens that blend in with the environment and protect them from the sun, they are lightly armored and carry curved scimitars, javelins, and composite longbows.
You are not close enough to make out many details about the caravan.
A bit of relevant history:
Centuries ago Marascar had a sister city called Syrascar, which was sacked during an ancient war with cyclops. In the time since the Ascari of Syrascar formed nomadic tribes in the Lostlands, while the Ascari of Marascar formed a merchant run city-state known for its gladiatorial arena, slave markets, and a thriving black market. The Marascari often prey upon the Syrascari, in conflict over limited resources and oasises along trade routes in the Lostlands. In response, the Syrascari raid the Marascari for resources or vengeance.
Baron Bronin of the Greenbelt is a member of one of the strongest Syrascari tribes. He won his land charter with the hope of uniting his people to rebuild Syrascar, but the chartered lands were assigned at random and he ended up with the Greenbelt instead of the Lostlands. The ruins of Syrascar were claimed by Baron Meagar Varn as his capital, and he renamed it Varnhold.
While some Ascari nomads have traveled to join Bronin in the Greenbelt, many have remained in the Lostlands, stuck between the ruthless Marascari and a Baron who is more interested in looting the land of lost treasures then building a prosperous nation.
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"Well I do hate to complicate things but shouldn't we find out who the bad guys are first?"
You can see Shanees misty form shrug.
"I mean this area is known for slavers. It could be that the caravan is a slave caravan and I would just hate to help them out but on the other hand the others could be gathering slaves I guess."
Looking around Shanee suggests
"How about I go have a quick look at the caravan?"
"I will come too!" Stroud says almost excited to see some of his own kind again.