The Beginning of All Things (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

Calex, hearing that Patricia has taken up the organizing of the festival, approaches her and says "Pardon me, but if you need any help with the preparations please let me know. I have already made a small fireworks display for the festival. I was wondering if you wanted it used for the opening of the event or as a closing finale?"
HAH! 1st post on the new page! WHOOHOO!

Seeing Calex enter the conversation with Patricia and the discussion about organizing the festival, he steps up to Mr Panforey and speaks softly to him.

abram cowers when Oscar scolds him, and begins singing more neutral songs.

Dieredon and Chance begin their trek back to town after watching their new acquaintance slip into the water and swim away like a fish.

That is some trick....I should definitely make it a point to offer my knowledge of the wild to this aspiring hunter. I will also need to note his abilities for my next trip to Castletown after the Festival.

As they walk in silence for a few minutes, Dieredon strikes up a conversation with Chance.

So, friend, what have you recently discovered in this untamed wild of ours? I would like to have you catch me up with your drawings and notes when you get the opportunity.

Dieredon appears more comfortable and less haughty around Chance than he does with most other Humans due to the charismatic and festidious nature of the youth. He views Chance in the highest regards amongst what he perceives as the generally uncivilized population of Woodbridge.

Cara just listened as Elizabeth recounted her afternoon with the flock and Roan. She was at the marriageable age and amazingly pretty beyond any girl Cara had seen. Far prettier than she could ever be. Wiscara thought herself pretty average. Nothing really special. Her mother always told her how beautiful she thought she was but she was old enough to realize that all mothers would say that no matter what. Probably all the boys liked Elizabeth. She felt she was too, wild looking.

Roan was quite handsome she would admit, but she didn't like him like Elizabeth did. She was unsure what advice she could offer to her older friend. When she heard what Roan did she was reminded of that day several years ago, when a man, probably close to Roan's age had come through the woods all on his own, asking for food. He had decided he liked Cara and attacked her trying to take advantage of her. She didn't understand at the time until later when her mother explained such things to her.

She remembered how she felt though. Unlike Elizabeth who had at first felt great at hitting Roan, she had been terrified when he grabbed her arm. Completely panicking, struggling and trying to resist which angered him further. In her frenzy she had grabbed the first thing closest to her, a spear. Unable to think, acting on instinct she blocked his dagger at the same time her spear found his heart. She had never told anyone about it except her mother.

"I haven't ever kissed anyone. If you want me to I promise not to tell anyone, I would never tell your secrets Liz," she put her hands to her lips momentarily to show they were closed, "are you going to tell your mother what he did? I bet he was surprised you could hit him so hard," she giggled slightly before returning to all seriousness, "Let's make a deal. If you need someone to tell things to about men or other things, I'll always be waiting to listen," she smiles at Elizabeth, seeing the edge of the flock not too far off, "and I'll tell you if one starts bothering me, though I doubt that is likely. And besides, I'm too young, I don't really like any guys, though maybe I think a couple are kinda handsome. I hope Roan will learn his lesson for you, if you really do like him."

She stayed with her friend, chatting about girly things and watching the flock together for about half an hour before she remembers the scissors. "Oh Lizzie I have to go. Mother will be expecting me back now, I'm supposed to be helping her and I need to do a few other things for my ceremony. Will you come? I want you to be there for it. It would mean a lot to me."

Cal considered what he has just learned.
"The Fey here! What a marvel to encounter! I wonder if I could entice them to treat with me? What magic they could teach! Even to see them would be a treasure. I wonder what gifts would attract them, or what I could possibly offer such beings? The dangers of dealing with such is well written, but so are the tales of the rewards if one if true, fair & friendly in return. But I must move slowly. Trust must be earned & I have not done anything that would warrant such from the "Good Folk". I need more knowledge of how they relate to us here in the village..."
His thoughts trailed off in speculation.

Outside the O’Lehig home

Patricia listens to Calex and eyes him suspiciously. Her expression isn’t a friendly one, but when he is finished she says, “Let me take my father home and make sure he is taken care of. I couldn’t keep him from coming over here when he heard something had happened to L’sbirr, but he’s exhausted now, and then I’ll tell you what. I’ll visit the stage, hopefully their still working on it, and then we can meet, you and I, at the Bread and Board, with Brother Phineas, and talk about what needs to be done to be ready for the festival. I’ve heard about these things, fireworks you call them, from people who have been to Castletown. I just want to be sure that it’s safe. We’ll talk later. What’s your name again? Are you related to the Greshams? You remind me of that young girl, Wiscara.”

Mister Panforey’s eyes go wide when Brother Phineas mentions the good folk, and he says, “Aye, yi, yi, Good Folk, indeed,” and he makes a sign in the air with his hand, it is an old sign, meant to ward off bad luck. “He’s lucky he didn’t end up carried off to the Hill of the Cairns to be under the spell of them that call themselves the good folk. You’re young, Phineas, and it’s been many years since anyone in the village, other than Connor, have had any dealings with them. When we were boys, Connor and I, my si – Well there was a girl in the village who used to go out looking for them, fool that she was. Now see here, there are all kinds of spirits and creatures beyond the village, and beyond that, things that are more common and yet more dangerous.” For a moment Panforey looks off in the distance and seems to be lost in his thoughts.

But he comes back to the here and now, and he looks at Phineas and says, “Calex has a good idea. Let’s meet at the Bread and Board tonight, and I’ll tell you both what I know about the Sprites and the Lyphs.”

Meanwhile out on the edge of Lakeside

Dieredon and Chance are coming out of the woods to the north of the village when they encounter a flock of sheep.

“These are the Goodwell family sheep,” Chance says. “I recognize this flock, but where is Elizabeth?”

At that moment something on the ground near a large oak tree catches Dieredon’s eye. There is a pool of blood, not large, but someone or something was injured here, and then, using the skills he has, he examines the ground and can see that a man, or a man sized thing, was dragged from this location not long ago. He is almost certain that he might be able to track whatever it was.

“What is that you are looking at?” Chance asks Dieredon.

Then, across the field, Wiscarra and Elizabeth appear. Wiscara is saying goodbye to her friend, when she sees the strange tall Elven man and the local boy Chance standing by a large oak tree on the edge of the forest.

Elizabeth throws her hands up to her mouth, and runs toward the tree afraid of what she might suspect has happened.

Dieredon sees his approaching aspiring Druid friend, Cara with the Goodwell girl in tow. He quickly turns his attention back to the gfround as he crouches low and moves along the trail of what has dragged off something. Never taking his eyes off the tracks, he says,

Chance, it appears that something has dragged off something large from near this tree, and I believe I can track it. Do you see the pool of blood here, and the drag marks. Please try to find out if those two saw anything while I remain focused on the trail.

Dieredon waves absent-mindedly at the oncoming girls, but his eyes remain on the trail still, anxious to move forward after the tracks.

Survial: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 = 18

sorry all I am out of town and hard to find time. Phineas will agree to meet mr p and calex and Patricia too at the tavern later. Now though he has studies and chores to attend to. Those mushrooms are still in his pocket. He will earn his keep and study until evening meal.

"Right." Chance nods at Dieredon and pets Welkin on the head before walking toward the two girls.

"Good evening, my two beautiful friends," Chance greets them with a friendly smile and a wave as Welkin sniffs of the ground near Dieredon. Despite his warmth of greeting, he wasn't particularly trying to hide his worry over the pool of blood. As he meets up with them, he allows his expression to fall into a more serious one. "Did you two happen to see anything unusual over here? There seems to have been an incident."

Calex gives Patricia a slight bow.

Phineas was doing his routine chores but still thinking back about the days events, so far. Never in his memory had he lived through a more interesting day. Life in Woodbridge was normally routine, but now he found out there were magical forces and fey creatures here, even in their small town. Phineas had seen the Hill of the Cairns many times, but never really been interested in it's strange stone formations, but if that's where the Good Folk lived, suddenly he was very curious.

He found concentrating on his studies and religious texts very difficult. "Maybe they didn't contain the whole truth of this life he thought. Maybe there's much more out there than anyone knows about, even Mr Panforey."

He labored through his work and when evening came, he prepared to meet his friends and mentor at the tavern.

Just let me know when the rest have caught up in timeline and I'll jump back in.

"What is it Liz?" Cara asks as Elizabeth runs over to the oak. Something they were looking at on the ground seemed to bother them. She decided to take a look and started walking over to them as Chance comes towards her. Ignoring his compliment, she is about to ask what has happened when he asks her almost the same thing. "We didn't see anything. What sort of incident? " she asks.

Walking over to the oak and seeing the blood for herself , she instantly thinks of the lion tracks. But they were hours old and this must be relatively fresh... She kneels down, getting a closer look at the blood to see if she can identify the type of creature it came from.
Knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Realising it was dragged away from the blood she follows with her eyes the other blood stains trailing away from it until she sees Dieredon not too far ahead already trying to follow it. She stands up and walks over to him to try to help.

Dieredon waes up Chance and Liz.

Come Cara, let us track the beast that dragged off something very large from that tree.

Dieredon draws an arrow to his bow and moves along the trail in pursuit.

If I am overlooking someone in the village who needs a question answered, or an interaction with an NPC resolved, please bring it to my attention and I will get to it right away, meanwhile…

“This is where I left Roan,” Elizabeth, cries. “Has something happened to him?” She then follows Cara’s eyes to the blood on the ground, and gasps.

“What have I done?” Elizabeth paces back and forth for a moment, and then tells

Chance

“Something has happened to Roan. We need help, can you help me drive the flock back to the village and then get help? Cara, don’t stray too far. Chance and I will get help from the village.”

Deiredon tracks the movement of a creature, or creatures, through the underbrush. He has no trouble following the tracks, but he is confused by what he is finding. It is like nothing he is familiar with, like no animal or humanoid of Alodoa. It is, almost, as if a heard of large snakes dragged a large animal, through the wild flowers and bushes.
Cara examines the blood on the grass and is convinced it is human blood, and is almost certain it is probably Roan’s.

When she follows drops of blood, here and there on the exposed roots of the tree and on the trampled wild flowers, she sees Dieredon and hurries to catch up to him.

At the O’lehig Home

Patricia waits, patiently, for Calex to finish his introduction. She sizes him up, smiles, takes her father by the arm, and says, “I look forward to talking with you more, Calex. I’ll see you this evening then, good afternoon.”

Dieredon stays on the trail, and he begins to look ahead as he moves more slowly in anticipation of catching up with the prey.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Dieredon puts a finger to his lips as he turns to Cara in an attempt to silence their movement.

Unfortunately Elizabeth was most likely right. She didn't realise Roan had been hurt this bad, how did Elizabeth knock him out so well. "The blood is human," she looks at Dieredon and says, "pretty sure it is Roan." she studies the track further closer, hoping to find out what may have dragged Roan away, she is sure it is him now.
Knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

"Just, a moment," she says quietly to Dieredon while studying the tracks. Her mother and the Maetaur had taught her this skill and she had learned quickly. How to tell how old a track was by the bent grass and disturbed stones. Any regular patterns in an irregular environment were the first things to look for. Dieredon was skilled in this also so she knew they would be able to find him, hopefully in time.

DM: Marcus with returning to the O'Leigh house with food for L'sbbir

"Well that was a waste of time,"Phineas said out loud as he slammed shut his books and sat back on his bench. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't shut out the thoughts of his encounter with the 'Good Folk. He had vainly tired to keep busy with chores around the Panforey place and with studying the few religious texts scattered about his room, but nothing could distract him.

Finally ready to give in, he stood up stretched and put on his cloak. He stole outside and made his way quietly in the gathering dusk towards the tavern. He nodded politely as a few townspeople went by.

From a short distance, he saw his new friend Calex also walking toward the door. Hailing him from a distance, he held they door open for the Alodoan and ducked inside himself.

He looked around to see if Mr Panforey was already present, he had not been at the farmhouse before, but not seeing him he pointed out a good corner table to Calex and made for that resting place.

"Lulu, it'll be two pints of stout for us, and a rack of that mutton you've got roasting. It smells delicious. We're expecting a few more so bring enough, now.".

Calex waved to Phineas when he heard his name called, and grinned at the red-headed cleric. As he approached the tavern, Cal gives his friend a gentle reminder, "Remember, Phin, the 1st round is mine."

Cal taps Phin's shoulder with a friendly punch as he slides by him into the tavern. Once inside, Cal breathes an appreciative sniff at the cooking smells coming from the kitchen, and follows Phin over to the table. After Phineas orders, Cal sits back to enjoy the atmosphere of the tavern.

The rest of the gathering has yet to arrive, so he takes a moment to savor his drink, then turns to Phin and says "I tried to find out more about the fey from my books- and while I now know allot about the ones hanging about places back in the Empire that I've never heard of & pretty sure never seen, I'm afraid that does not do us any good here in Urandoman. I think, unless you found more, we'll have to wait for the others."

Cal grimaced at his lack of progress, then suddenly got a sly grin on his face. "Do you think that I could make a name for myself by writing such book on my own? It seems it would be the first of its kind!" Cal pauses, takes another pull on his drink, and looks back at Phineas.

Phineas sips the beer slowly savoring the flavor. He listens to Calex relate his research into the fey, unfortunately with no success.

"Cal, I think that idea is brilliant!. The few religious books I have gathered don't say anything about Good Folk either. In fact, I'd never heard of such a thing until today. Writing a book about them would certainly impart new information, but how would you find out enough about them to write a book? Mr Panforey and the Witch of the Woods may know a little, but surely it's not book material? I can't think of anyone else in Woodbridge who would know more. Maybe this Cicily that Panforey wanted from the Metaur tribe? It's enough to make my head spin..."

Phineas frowned thinking of the all the secrets of the wider world and the small place that Woodbridge, which had been his whole life until now, held in that world. The enormity of what was out there gnawed at him and he sighed.

"I guess we'll have to wait until Mr Panforey arrives to find out more. Look, there he is just entering!"

I would love to be part of this conversation, as would Chance and Cara, I am sure, but we are slightly delayed with a potential encounter.We are planning to be in the Bread and Board later. So, try not to get too far down the road. LOL

As Marcus walks, carefully, toward the O’lehig house, he sees the last of the crowd dispersing, and Cicily, the Maetaur woman approaches the house from the opposite direction.

“Hello young Marcus,” Cicly, greats him as they both come to the front of the house at the same time. “Are you bringing lunch to L’sbirr and her husband? That’s thoughtful of you.” She moves ahead of Marcus and knocks lightly on the front door.

Mister Panforey answers the door, sees Cicily, and exclaims, “I’m so glad you’re finally here, please, come in and,” he stops mid sentence when he notices Marcus carrying a tray. For a brief moment he looks confused, but then smiles when he says to Marcus, “Marcus, did you bring something to eat? That’s so kind of you, please come in, come in.”

“Put that on the table, there,” Panforey says to Marcus as he points to a small table in the corner of the room. “Cicily, Auria is in with the family and L’sbirr. She is resting. Auria says that it is a stroke, and that she will need your help in speeding L’sbirr’s recovery. Marcus, I’m glad you’re here. L’sbirr is going to have trouble walking and I hope you, with you keen mind, can take some measurements and then deliver those measurements to Logan Mitterson, the carpenter, and ask him to begin fashioning a set of crutches for her. Can you do that for me?”

At the bread and Board

Abram sings, from a corner of the tavern, and soon he is accompanied by a young woman who plays a small fiddle. She plays is softly, not wanting to overpower the Halflings voice, but she smiles, pauses occasionally and watches him intently, so as to get a feel for the rhythm of the song he sings and the key of his voice. She doesn’t draw attention to herself, but simply draws a long note, and now and then a trill from the instrument that compliments his singing.

It is early afternoon, and already a few people are gathering in the tavern to talk about the morning’s work, the weather, and the coming festival. There are seven people in the tavern (four human men, two human women, and one Elven girl). The Elven girl is a pretty girl, tall and slender with jet black hair that is cut short and straight above her shoulders. She sits close to Abram, and smiles when he turns her way.

When Calex and Phineas enter, Abram notices the place is becoming crowded, and he begins to sing a little louder.

Over behind the bar, Oscar is setting out the few mugs he has, preparing to keep everyone well served. He Looks toward Abram and he grins. Oscar begins to bounce his head, just slightly from side to side, in time with Abram’s song, and when he turns to fill two mugs from a barrel behind the bar sitting on a self, he seems to even begin to sway his shoulders.

Meanwhile, out in the woods northwest of Lakeside

Chance whistles and calls Welkin away from the scene under the tree. Slapping his hands together, and following Elizabeth’s lead, he and Welkin begin driving the sheep, who bound off quickly toward the bridge in the distance.

Wiscara moves a few paces behind Dieredon, who is more intent on following the trail than trying to identify what made it, and suddenly she has an inspiration.

As Dieredon follows the trail he realizes he is moving parallel to a bend in the river and probably just to the west of where he earlier set out snares. The trees here are not tall, getting shorter as he moves further from the large oak tree, and the brush, wild flowers and grass grows thicker. Moving low, keeping his eyes on signs of the trail he is following, he suddenly realizes he is about to approach the edge of a pool of brackish water. He can smell the distinct aroma of water plants and stagnation. It must be a small bog, cut off from the river at some time in the past.

Parting the bushes ahead of him, Dieredon sees what he was expecting, and something he wasn’t. It is definitely a small bog, no more than two hundred, fifty feet across, and nearly a perfect circle. The water is not deep, and the bottom is chocked with weeds and water plants, the water is dark brown and flies and other water insects cover the surface almost like a carpet. The sounds of frogs croaking and the occasional splash of the water when a small fish snaps a bug from the surface, breaks the otherwise eerie silence here. In the center of the pond is a raised mound, possibly of dirt, but it is difficult to tell. The mound is about fifty feet across, meaning the mound is no more than eighty or ninety feet from where Dieredon crouches, and on the center of the mound is what looks like a dilapidated and abandoned cottage. The walls of the cottage are made from stacked stones and logs, and the roof, once thatched, is almost entirely gone, only patches of the thatching can be seen near the edges of the roofing timbers, which are cracked and broken in places. From this view there are no windows or doors in the cottage that can be seen.

The trail ends at the edge of the pool, and the water is calm and still, meaning whatever passed by this way, passed long enough ago that there is no sign in the water of its passing.

Dieredon turns to Cara, and in a low voice says,

I do believe our prey to be found in that cottage. Are you up for a little sport? I think that we should call up Chance before proceeding into the bog. Would you mind gathering him up while I keep an eye on the place. I am certain that you can find yopur way back here with Chance and Welkin.

Dieredon crouches down at the edge of the bog, and he secludes himself into the high grass.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Greetings Cicily, here to see L'sbbir I take it. I hope she will be okay. Although since you are here, I am sure she will be.

As Marcus sees Panforey, he lets out a warm smile to ease the mans obvious tension. Marcus walks in as quietly as possible and sets the food on the table as instructed.

I would be more than happy to take her measurements, once you and Cicily give the okay that she can be seen. I will wait here and let you two see her and tend to her.

Realizing what beasts had passed this way, Wiscara gasped. This was not good. She hurried tp catch up to Dieredon and warn him. Stopping him from going into the bog she put her hand on his shoulder. "Careful, the bog is full of these creatures. The have tentacles for legs and are ferocious and evil," she looked worried.

After his suggestion she agrees, "Please be careful, they could easily overwelm you, but I fear Roan has little time, I will hurry."

By request Phineas and Calex's conversation is probably on hold for a bit. We have to wait til Panforey finshes at the O'Lehig's in any event. If okay, we will have some interaction with Abram and the rest of the tavern crowd while waiting. If you have some other line you want us to follow, just let us know..

agreed. I'll pop back on on Wed to see if you guys still need more time (no rush- I'd rather go slow & make a good story than rush it and turn it into some poorly done piece of dreck. I can wait, and >grabs popcorn< watch the rest of the show for a bit).

Besides, I just picked up Patricia Brigg's newest novel, so...yeah...

Thanks guys!

Brother Phineas, Calex, and Abram, are at the Bread and Board Tavern

Marcus is at the O’lehig home

Poseus is in the Gymnaga settlement

Dieredon is in the woods to the west of Lakeside (approximately one tenth to one quarter mile beyond the tree line demarcating the edge of the larger Woodbridge Village area)

Chance is helping Elizabeth drive the sheep back to Riverside, and they have almost reached the Bridge

Wiscara

Runs as fast as she can to cover nearly half a mile back to catch up to Chance, and she reaches him just as the sheep are being herded across the bridge back to Riverside, Woodbridge.

Phineas hears Abram and the girl (do we know her?) singing together and takes a moment to wave at the bard. The harmony of her voice with his is quite pleasing and he motions he'll buy a drink for them when their set is done.

His eyes roam around the tavern, nodding at several townsfolk he recognizes. They do alight on a Elven girl near the stage who he has not seen before. "Strange how more of the Elvish folk are coming to Woodbridge recently. There is that tall, silver-haired hunter I saw this morning and now this fair lass. Wonder when all these changes will end and life will get back to normal around here.".

He continues his conversations with Calex, but keeps one eye on the Elf girl to see what he can about her.

For the second time today Wiscara runs with everything she has got towards the bridge where she knew they were headed. Today had been more eventful than any for a long time. She hadn't been in the bogs before, she wondered if Dieredon had. If there were now a group of Fulogh’Mogobbh in there now...

There they are, good timing Cara

Chance
Dodging a couple sheep, she calls out when she is in earshot, "Chance! We found a hut on the bog, the tracks led us right to it. Dieredon wants you and Welkin to help." She stops in front of them and catches her breath a little, her hands on her hips. "Elizabeth, let Cicily and Dominic know that some Fulogh'Mogobbh are in the bogs, tell them I recognized the track and where to find the trail if anyone decides they want to help."

Dierdon stays low in the grasses outside the bog, and he peers intently at the bog ant the cottage, looking for any movement and awaiting support.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

"Good timing, too. We just got the sheep across the bridge." Chance whistles for Welkin, and the wolf runs up to him. He flashes Elizabeth a smile of reassurance before taking on a more serious expression. "I don't know how much help I'll be, but I will give it my best."

"We're ready when you are. Lead the way."

"Hurry Elizabeth. Roan!" Hoping that her warning would bring a more prepared force to deal with the bog creatures, she wasn't really sure how big a threat such an incursion would be. The three of them, Dieredon, Chance and Cara may be able to rescue Roan in time however. Four. Welkin makes four if he is trained like Chance says he is.

"Stay with me," she says and takes off running back towards where she left Dieredon, glancing back to make sure Chance and Welkin were keeping up with her. Navigating through the brush they were soon at the tree. She paused for a quick breath, for her sake as much as the others. "This way, not too far." She began running again, following her remembrance of the trail. Soon they reached the edge of the bog where she had last left Dieredon. She doesn't see him straight away...
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
...but looking around and noticing a slight disturbance in some long grass she moved towards it slowly, motioning for Chance to be as quiet as possible. The shades of his clothes differing from the grass, marking Dieredon out. They crept towards him, "Have you seen anything?" she whispers to him.

The human girl who is playing a stringed instrument , not singing, at the Bread and Board, is Anna Ballinig, eldest child of the Ballinig family.

Elizabeth Goodwell drives her families flock to the south end of the island within the oxbow lake that is Woodbridge proper. She knows she does not have time to try and get them all in the pen, not now. She then runs off up the east side of the island toward Connor O’Lehig’s house.

“Mister O’Lehig, Mister O’lehig!” Elizabeth calls out as she approaches the home.

Inside the house, Connor O’Lehig hears his name being shouted by a familiar voice, and he comes, moving as quickly as his old legs can carry him, out of the bedroom, and heads for the front door, as he passes Marcus, he says, “She’s resting now, go on in and do what you need to do Marcus.”

Out in the bogs

Dieredon watches intently, but sees no movement, no sign of anything at all on the island. He waits, patiently, and then he hears the approach, behind him, of Wiscara and Chance. He turns, when he hears Wiscara ask him

"Have you seen anything?"

and reminds them to be quiet, but as he turns turns back, expecting nothing has changed, he hears Wiscara gasp, and then he sees what she has seen. A group of strange looking creatures have come out of the ruined cottage. He, Wiscara and Chance can count four of the creatures. They are pulling a human boy along the ground by ropes. The boy is alive, but barely, he turns, and occasionally tries to lift himself up off of the ground, but is knocked down or tripped with every attempt. The boy is naked and bleeding from several small wounds.

Dieredon has never seen anything like these creatures in his life. They are shorter than Halflings. Their heads are too big for their bodies, their arms long and gangly, and instead of legs, they move on tentacles. Dieredon has eaten squid and octopus before (they are imported from the coast of Alodoa to the places he used to live). He has never seen one in the wild, but he imagines that how those creatures move along the sea floor is the same as how these strange creatures are moving now. The creatures have mottled green and black skin, black, greasy hair, and they wear no clothing. They do carry spears. They are, in a slight way, similar to goblins, and Dieredon knows that creature well.

Dieredon has never seen anything like these creatures in his life. They are shorter than Halflings. Their heads are too big for their bodies, their arms long and gangly, and instead of legs, they move on tentacles. Dieredon has eaten squid and octopus before (they are imported from the coast of Alodoa to the places he used to live). He has never seen one in the wild, but he imagines that how those creatures move along the sea floor is the same as how these strange creatures are moving now. The creatures have mottled green and black skin, black, greasy hair, and they wear no clothing. They do carry spears.

The goblin-like creatures drag the boy to the north end of the little island. One of the monsters reaches into the grass and lifts a chain with a large metal band, opened like a large leg cuff, and when the boy is dragged close enough, the creature clamps the boy around the neck, and then the monsters begin to move back toward the ruined cottage.

South, in the Gymnaga settlement

There is a commotion in the settlement. One of the young Gymnaga children, who was swimming too far north of the village, has found a skull of a small humanoid, it could be a Gymnaga skull or a Maetaur skull. Rosilindeae is in the center of the settlement, examining the skull, and has asked for someone to take the skull to the village of Woodbridge, while she goes with the young Gymnaga girl to the place where the skull was found.

As the background music on the show goes all low and intense, I run back with more popcorn! >nom nom<

Finally satisfied with his dinner, Poseus carefully took the pot with fish and vegetables out of the hot coals.
Finally I'm starving

Then he hears the commotion outside, first he sits idly down to eat his supper. Then he sees his sister slipping out as fast as her tail allowed her to out of the door.
Jellika's head popped round the corner of the entrance: "Are you coming or what? I heard one of the other girls yell something about finding a skull." she was more enthusiastic than probably good for her "Rosilindeae is there as well, this is probably very important."

She has to get rid of that attitude, she always rushes into things. He thought to himself with a grin.
He grabbed a large cup, poured his dinner into it, took a spoon and slithered out as well.

Seeing Rosilindeae at the center he slided up next to Jellika, waving to his parents which he saw among some neighbours.
Rosilindeae had been shouting something, but he couldn't quite make out what as he focused on eating as rapidly as he could.

"Ah I see with have a volunteer for this small task." Rosilindeae said, looking in his direction. He noticed he still had his hand up... he almost choked in his food. What in blazes is she talking about?
"Very well Poseus Murandae, you shall bring this skull to Woodbridge proper, find someone who knows about these things." Would Auria or Cicily know anything about this?

He swallowed a large chunk down, replying to the high priestess "It would be my honour. In a matter of fact I have business of my own there as well, it won't be any trouble." he bows slightly before Rosilindeae

Thank you, Marcus responds quietly, then enters L'sbirr's bedroom. Maarcus makes sure to stay as quiet as possible, to let her rest. If she is awake he will tell her to relax and gather her strength to she may try and enjoy the upcoming festival.

Marcus will take her measurements, basically her height should be all that's needed to have Logan Mitterson make some crutches. Once Marcus is finished, he takes his leave, says farewell for the time being to anyone who is still at the house, and makes his way over to Logan Mitterson to fashion some crutches.

Dieredon whispers low.

Let us move as silently as we can to the island and try to free the boy without a fight. Be prepared for one in any event.

I will treat the first one of those things that emerges as a pin cushion.

Dieredon draws his arrow and keeps it aimed at the door on the cottage as he moves into the bog and towards the island, being as silent as possible.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Marcus

As Marcus leaves the O'lehig home, he runs into Elizabeth Goodwell, frantically relating the story of a missing Roan, and an Elf, Wiscara, and Chance tracking some creature Wiscara called a Fulogh’Mogobbh (pronounced Fah Low Mack Ovah)

Poseus

Poseus’ Mother approaches him, with Rosilindeae and as Rosilindeae hands the small skull to him, his mother says, "Take this to Cicily and Auria, they’ll know what to make of it, but Poseus, it will be dark soon and I don’t want you to try to return in the dark, Go and ask that nice Goodwell family if you can spend the night with them. If nothing else I’m sure they will let you sleep in the sheep shearing shed.”

edit: Dieredon

The "door" if there is one on this cottage, must be on the opposite side of the building from where you are, but I understand what you want to do. It will be the first monster to appear from around the corner of the cottage, if one does appear.

Wiscara and Chance (and Welkin) can make stealth checks.

Elizabeth, slow down. Take a deep breath and try again, slower so I can understand you.[b] Marcus replies in a calming tone.

[b]Elizabeth, try and calm down. I am sure that Dieredon, Chance and Wiscara can and WILL find Roan. I am on my way to tell his folks and gather as many able bodied people to help in the search. The more people we get, the better chance to have to find him and scare off whatever these Fulogh’Mogobbh are.

After calming Elizabeth down, Marcus will head over to the Bread and Board, inform Lulu and Oscar about what is going on. Also in the process, Marcus will try and gather as many healthy folks organized to aid in the search party as possible.

Diplomacy to gather people 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

"As you wish mother." Poseus takes the skull carefully from Rosilindeae and gently places it in his backpack.
"I know Elizabeth, she always herds her sheep as I finish my hunting. If her family is as nice as she is I'll have no problem getting a roof over my head."
He shores up his four spears in his bandolier, making sure they don't fallout easily.

He kisses his little sister on the cheek. "Don't you worry about me ok? I hope to return tomorrow with some answers High Priestess."

With that said, he slides out the center, turning once to wave farewell to his family. Out on the road towards Woodbridge, at night it's better to do so. Swimming wouldn't be smart with the skull in his backpack.

Don't know exactly where the Goodwell house is, I'm sure someone at the Bread and Butter knows that

excellent posts, but let's remember to be careful of who we are logged in as, okay?