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"I just think the priority should be civilians and the injured before we go to battle. I'll also admit I'm playing it more cautiously given well.... You've seen how excited Gaius is. I dam well concocted this lie after he panicked to protect his friend," she says turning to look.
"Also, you don't know how disappointed I am. We've had one cute thing in months and they had to leave because of a food shortage. I was so excited. Pooka. Pixies. Maybe a cute leshy. Even dryads.... But no. Here I am interacting with a group that is happy that I'm covered in gore. Make no mistakes. We're taking this castle out of spite. Will it serve any tactical purpose? I don't care... ," she says very annoyed.
"If we can leave without violence, we should," Esperanza says. "We have slain the dragon, and found a ranger who needs our help. Keeping him safe is more important to me than whoever has temporary ownership of a half-melted pile of rocks. Picking an unnecessary fight before we've gotten him out makes it much harder on us."
"Besides," she continues, shrugging, "they'll probably get bored of it within the week and abandon it for the next thing that catches their eye."
"Oh splendid, they can run around the woods murdering people there. As long as we don't have to see it, right?" Thorek's voice is soft, but his knuckles are white from their grip on the dorn-dergar. "They're gathered in one spot right now, we could take out the lot of them and spare many others some suffering. Cirieo, would you lament Halk's passing?"
"Who is in the woods for them to murder?" Esperanza responds, bewildered. "Without any hobgoblins to ambush, they seem more a danger to themselves than anyone else."
A few strikes from Esperanza's glaive breaks the manacles' hold over Cirieo, but the emaciated one-legged halfling has no chance of standing on his own, so the swashbuckler's quick reflexes are needed to save him from the filth of the prison floor.
"Oh, no, I did this myself," Cirieo says with dripping sarcasm. "It's quiet, and no one bothers me, and this dank air does wonders to clear up my complexion."
He pauses with a groan, struggling to right himself despite his weakness and missing leg.
"In all seriousness, it was the hobs and their pet dragon that dismembered me and chained me up. When Halk and his crew moved in, they just decided to write me off as part of the decor."
When talk turns to battling the fey, the pooka speaks up.
"The atomies were pretty nice!" Her ears droop, though, as she adds, "but they flew away as soon as the dragon appeared in the sky. But the satyrs are still here! And they're really good cooks. Although...they kept saying a lot of strange things I didn't understand, talking about how they liked my tail?" Her voice rises quizzically at the end.
"I guess most of the nicer folks didn't care much for Halk. I thought I'd give him a chance. I thought his party might be fun. After all, everyone was talking about it. She sighs with a pout, saying "Oh, I guess I was nothing but a dumb bunny again, wasn't I?"
Cirieo doesn't empathize much with the pooka's defense of the fey. He makes it clear that few people, him least of all, would mourn the loss of the korred boss.
" Other fey? They can kill the other fey in the forest I mean I'm not excited to go to battle but I agree with Thorek here. Just not when we have refugees? Victims? Survivors? Civilians with us "
Gaius remains quite, looking back and forth as the role of speaker changes. Lily is right, I owe her one, at the least!
"Well, um, it sounds like they'll be here for at least a little while, right? Maybe we could come back tomorrow? I'm sure we could beat back the dangerous Fey, and then, you know, leave the Fey who'd like to keep to themselves well alone?" And then we'd be on ok-ish footing for me to speak with and study them at a later date! YES!
"It's ok, little one, how could you have known? But, maybe you should stay away from those Satyrs, ok?"
Undari comments after having thought for a while, saying, "The fey do not think like we mortals do, and some fall into cruelty or succumb to the blight. This Halk, though, seems to have done his damage by inattention, not direct malice towards the rangers. Though he may not be an enemy, he could not be counted on as an ally."
"Still, if we are to get Cirieo here to safety without bloodshed, I would prefer that unless we have reason to believe that Halk will be an unacceptable danger in the area," Undari adds looking in Thorek's direction.
"We have other concerns as well. I suggest we make our exit and head toward Hidden Hope with our rescued friends. If someone can spare a magical bag of holding, I can make a detour to a certain unguarded treasure trove now that the skies are clear of the black dragon," he says with a smile, "for as long as I can carry it, I can transform with it and bring it back for us all."
This last bit of conversation draws a smile out of Esperanza, along with a small chuckle. "I like your way of thinking, Undari. Very practical."
"Fah, so be it. We'll let Halk and the redcaps be a problem for another day," Thorek sighs, but Undari's reference to dragon-treasure does put a thoughtful look on the dwarf's burn-scarred face.
Pleased with the development, although not the situation as a whole, Gaius takes his pack off his shoulder and hands it to Undari. If we make it out of here cleanly, this will have been a worth while expedition!
________
" Excellent. I'll make sure our new friend here is invisible before we go out.," Lily says clasping her hands together.
"Halk. Thanks. The blood spilled her will be a extravagant finale to your party ," Lily says while wiping the blood on her face
Climbing the stairs back up to the kitchen, you find the two satyrs locked in an argument.
The other satyr clings to his pride as a "chef" and counter-insists that they stay to finish preparing the meal upon the stove to serve the surviving guests.
Halk and his fellow korred, a tinkerer by the name of Bristle Billie, remain in the front hall. Halk is kicking over chairs with his broad, hairy feet, while Billie follows behind him, setting the chairs aright in his leader's wake.
The sight of the gore-soaked Lily, more so than any of the other returning party members, draws Halk's attention.
"Well how-do-you-do, I'm glad to see some folks still have the party spirit!" comes his enthusiastic reaction to the bloody apparition. The korred boss shows no signs of seeing those shrouded by invisibility, including the pooka who used her own magic to vanish from sight.
Of course, the pooka's presence remains undeniable, as Gaius felt her scamper up his leg and arm, climbing atop his shoulder where she presently sits.
Feeling what could only be, or at least by all that is holy what he hopes is, the Pooka on his shoulders, Gaius has to suppress a huge smile. Instead of a grin, his efforts give him an odd, tight-lipped, smile with hints of constipation. She's coming with us, she's coming with us, she's coming with us! And Father said this day would never come, that all my work with those girly Fey hippies would amount to nothing!
He waits contentedly for Lily to ply her ruse.
Lily just cops a smile and says," You know I've been to plenty of parties before but never one so delightful as yours. Anyway, I know we just got here but I'm afraid we must leave. If you ever want to do this again just tell me. I'll be happy to join in again. "
Esperanza, still feeling a bit out of her element when it comes to dealing with the fey, keeps her mouth shut and her eyes open.
Thorek for his part glares daggers at Halk and mentally recites a prayer for patience. Lord of Iron and Flame, cool my wrath and forge it into a weapon against those who would work evil against our people. A weapon is precise, a weapon is purposeful, a weapon does not act on its own. Make your weapon, O Angradd. Their time will come.
Fortune smiled upon the party when it brought them to the chaotic court of Halk Grundlechar under these circumstances, for there are two things guaranteed to sober up a body: the passage of time and the arrival of a dragon. For the first time in several days, Halk is not utterly drunk. Thus, he is not given over as strongly to his wild desires. While drunk, he is a vicious prankster, and he might otherwise waylay and harass the party for his own entertainment.
As it stands, the burly and wild-haired fey is engrossed in plotting how to reassert his dominance over the local fey, particularly the redcaps. Without his other, now-dead korred kin as extra muscle, he loudly bounces ideas off Bristle Billie's head, focusing on how to leverage his accomplishments as First Drinker of the Red Rock Revel to garner respect. The party of longshanks now acquitting themselves of his acid-scorched court have already become an afterthought to him.
The broad, macabre bulk of the skinstich called Bughouse stands motionless in his niche beneath the stairs. Although its misshapen head does not move, its off-center eyes seem to follow you as you exit back out into the courtyard. Only once the double doors are closed and the ugly construct is out of sight can you breathe freely.
"I wonder what they'll do for next year's party?" the invisible pooka chirps from Gaius' shoulder.
Her tone makes it difficult to discern whether she asks in seriousness or in jest.
As they leave the range of hearing of the strange fey, Undari suggests, "Let us continue to make our way home as far as we may the rest of this day. When I am rested in the morning , I will fly to the fort and retrieve the remainder of the dragon's treasure. If someone wishes to join me, I can transform into a roc large enough to carry one of you.
"I wonder what they'll do for next year's party?"
"If they're taking suggestions on the venue, I'd like to propose 'a shallow grave,'" Thorek mutters, giving the fort a surly look as the group departs.
"I'd certainly feel better if you took someone with you, Undari. Also...I'd take it as a kindness if you'd help me make extra certain our tracks are well covered. I don't want that lot," he jabs a thumb in the direction of Fort Ristin, "anywhere near Hidden Hope."
"I'll travel with you, Undari!" Gaius volunteers. "If things turn sour, we could both slip away with relative ease, I think," he points out.
"Perhaps we could throw our own party next year! I think now isn't the best time, for obvious reasons, but I think it would do wonders for the morale of the people of Hidden Hope," he speculates. "And what will you do, little one? Are you coming to Hidden Hope with us?"
________
"Alternatively," Esperanza chimes in, "I can go with, if you're looking for someone to hold doors for you. I'm certainly easier to carry than Thorek." She gives the dwarf's shoulder a friendly punch. "Faster, too."
"You folks certainly seem worlds nicer than Halk and his crew," the pooka replies to Gaius. "If the rest of your friends are nice, too, then I'd love to come along! Oh right! I never actually told you my name. Well, you guessed it was Snickerdoodle. If you want to call me that, then that's fine. After saving me and Cirieo, I think you've earned that right."
Once your company is well clear from even the keenest earshot of the fort, the rescued halfling ranger speaks up, too.
"Likewise, if your hospitality is better than shackles and a cell," Cirieo says, "I hope you won't mind if I impose upon you until I'm in good enough shape to not die out in the forest. I need to link up with the other surviving rangers. These hobs won't drive themselves out of the Chernasardo."
Gaius looks a little wounded that Esperanza seems to have discounted his offer to join Undari, but he claps his hands at the invitation from the Pooka. "How marvelous! Perhaps one day I'll learn your real name, but Snickerdoodle it is!" A codename for my Fey friend! I've made friends with a Fey!
He squeals a little, completely ignoring the ranger.
"Do you think you could help me with learning more about the Fey?"
________
"Don't worry, Cirieo," Esperanza says, "you're not the first Ranger we've rescued, and we're planning to link up with them very soon." As they walk, she sticks close to him, offering a hand whenever he needs it. She does her best to be helpful without hovering or being a bother to him.
Undari continues to make sure their tracks are hidden, saying, "Of course, Thorek."
The pooka eagerly agrees to teach Gaius about the fey, on the condition that he, in return, teach her about big folk. She is very confused about the differences between the party members, Cirieo, and the hobgoblins, who are all just "big folk" to her.
It will require the rest of the remaining daylight and then most of the following day to cross the nearly twenty miles of forest between Fort Ristin and Hidden Hope. Undari's efforts, however, ensure that any surviving Ironfang forces still lurking in the Chernasardo.
Once you finally arrive back home, you find the ground in front of the cavern entrance to your refuge has been torn up, as though by beasts or battle. You are greeted by old friends Caladra, Cyrioul, Cedric, and Boudra, but they look just as haggard as yourselves. They are dirty and bear freshly bandaged wounds, suggesting that they were called upon to defend Hidden Hope in your absence.
Alarmed by the signs of battle damage, Thorek goes immediately to his companions and channels. "Slag it all, Cyrioul! What happened here? Have we been found out?!"
Having been looking forward to finally seeing the safe haven after all this time, Esperanza's feeling of excited anticipation is wiped away by the sight of Hidden Hope's injured defenders. Her tail drooping, she still hurries to keep pace with Thorek. While she waits for Cyrioul (whoever that may be) to fill them in, she looks over this newest bunch of strangers.
Undari moves to tend to the injured, checking them for disease, poison, or infection and binding wounds with poultices and magic as needed.
Gaius pauses mid lecture on the nature of the most populous "big-folks" of all when he sees the signs of battle. He waits quietly since Thorek already made an inquiry for him. Hopefully none of the children were harmed! Not that any of the survivors struck me as seasoned warriors, but at least most were capable woodsmen.
________
Thorek's divine channeling is a particularly soothing balm to Caladra, who clearly took the worst of whatever unfolded. She casts wary glances at the unfamiliar faces, but she makes no fuss since they obviously come with the party's guidance.
"I'll save the spell-slinger a lecture by telling you that everyone is safe, thanks to the blood and sweat of our homeguard," Aubrin calls out, emerging from the cavern, using her ornate willow-wood quarterstaff to speed herself along. "The good news is that we remain utterly hobgoblin free. The bad news is that we seem to have an uncanny knack for attracting owlbears. We've endured three waves of the mad beasts since you've been gone. You were probably on your way back when the last batch struck, a full three of the feathery juggernauts. We fought hard and celebrated hard, we did!"
A few things about this woman stand out to Esperanza, Gaius, and Undari, who have not met her before. The golden icon of a tankard hanging from her neck immediately draws the eye. Of course, you also strive not to stare at the leather "boot" around her left leg, which seems to have a missing or malformed foot.
Of course, it does not seem to slow her an inch, especially not as she steps closer to speak more quietly.
"Our church boy, Cedric, has been a bit glum. He once again feels like he let everyone down, not being able to efface everyone's wounds with his prayers."
"Owl...bears. Yes, I think we encountered a few shortly after we left here," Thorek glances at Gaius and Undari to confirm the creatures' identity. "Do they travel in packs? I can't imagine this area can support that many predators of that size...sounds like fey b%!%$*$$ to me." The dwarf scowls in the direction of Fort Rhistin.
"I'm glad everyone's alive and well, and I hope our rescued rangers all got here in one piece. We've had a lively few days!"
"Hmmmmm.... I wonder if we're near a nest. Nothing more aggressive than an angry mom. Though didn't we hear something about this. That something was displacing animals like the owlbear," Lily says kind of concerned.
Nodding, Undari says, ”Good thinking, Lily. After we patch up the injured, let’s go to the site of the battle and see if we can backtrack the beasts—if they have a nest nearby, we can eliminate them so Hidden Hope is more secure.”
Gaius looks down when Thorek hits him with his gaze and nods. "It is odd to me that there are so many in one place and that they are attacking Hidden Hope specifically. Bulky creatures need plenty of food, you see," Gaius explains. "I think Undari has the right idea, as much as I hate to snuff out a portion of an ecosystem, we can't simply weather wave after wave of attacks from Owlbears."
________
Esperanza watches the conversation go back and forth about the owlbears, her face knitting into a confused frown as it progresses.
"Owlbears are real?" she whispers, after a long silence.
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Lily just whispers in Esperanza ear saying," Just wait until you see the chickenfoxes...."
Esperanza turns to look at Lily through narrowed eyes, unsure of whether she's being made fun of or not.
Lily just smirks and says," Yeah they disguise themselves as chickens in order to better get food. Ask Gaius. I'm pretty sure they're a practical joke by the fey."
Gaius raises a finger and opens his mouth to back Lily up, but his new best friend clambers from his shoulders and onto his head. Her rabbit feet scrambling for purchase against his hair and face, whatever he had to say is lost to the distraction.
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"OH, OH! I know this one! Ooooooookay everyone! Look at me!" the Pooka cheers, raising her little arms in the air. Unsteady on Gaius' head, they quickly come back down as she balances on all fours.
"So, us normal folks don't ever poke, trick, thump, wump, dump, or frump the beak-bears. They're sorta-kinda around enough and kinda-sorta too big for us to not lose a friend or six when we do..." she pauses for a moment to attempt standing again, before flopping to one side. "BUTT! haha... butt... I, the Flopsy Snickerdoodle, know a big-folk-fighter who maybe can help! She speaks for the trees and hits big folks in the knees when they don't listen to the forest. Maybe she knows something? Longfrond is the bravest! I bet she does!" Deciding that this big folk's head just isn't right for standing, she deftly descends to the ground.
"So we know better going in can you give a better description of Longfrond?," she says imagining what sort of creature she can be.
"Can it wait until the damned morning? I want to check on our people and ensure that nothing else has gone wrong." Thorek growls as he side-eyes the pooka suspiciously.
"Why don't I head north to retrieve the rest of the dragon's hoard this afternoon with one of you, and the rest of you check on the camp and start the investigation into the owlbear issue?" suggests Undari, seemingly anxious to get going.
Fort Trevalay lies approximately 30 miles north from Hidden Hope. By taking wing and bypassing the dense forest below, Undari could reach the fort and return within a single day.