"Yes, this is good," Aurelian says. "But give us time to let the village know you are coming, so they do not get mistaken and think they need to call Aurelian Fache to defend them or take some hasty action on their own."
"I'm so happy everything worked out!" Ashlyn gushes. "I'll see you again when you and your people come to visit!"
Ashlyn pales a bit at Aurelian's word. "Oh, yes! He's right! We need to tell them you're coming so they don't panic! Let's go do that now. Then we can travel to the mountain tomorrow."
With her mind made up Ashlyn waves goodbye to her new friends. "Bye! See you next time!"
Travelling back to the colony takes some time and the sun is setting by the time the heroes paddle their boat into the bay. Ramona is warned of their arrival and comes to meet you all at the beach, but takes one look at the semi-healed wounds and the general pallor of the group and sends you all immediately to bed!
"We can debrief in the morning!" She assures you all. "Get some sleep for now."
-----------------------------
The next morning Aurelian wakes, later than normal, and heads to the bay to swim. He strikes out into the clear water and finds himself face to face with a strikingly beautiful, and naked, woman.
"You are a true hero Aurelian Fache!" She says with an enchanting smile. "And you deserve a heroe's blade!"
She offers Aurelian a bone-white rapier, set with gems in the pommel and hilt, four in all.
"Bear this weapon well, champion." She says, kisses the swordsman on the cheek, and vanishes into the water beyond.
When Aurelian emerges from the water he finds that the rapier is lighter than almost any other he has held, the very air parts before its edge!
"Wait," Aurelian calls as the woman turns to leave. "I would give you a gift as well, in thanks! And does the rapier have a name?"
He stares into the water, trying to catch another glimpse of the lady of the lake babe of the bay.
Tettia seems quite satisfied to have her feet on dry ground again. She spends the evening working on notes for a spell she has in mind that would protect everything in her backpack from water.
She finds whatever horizontal surface that's available and proceeds to cover it with parchments covered in formulas and arcane scribblings.
When Sarine wakes up, she goes to a higher vantage point nearby to survey the island in light of the new information they have received. In particular, it would be good to know how long their intended journey to the mountain might take them.
During the night Ashlyn tosses and turns restlessly. It was so quiet. Without Elizar in her head she couldn't sleep. "Are any of you awake?" she asks into the darkness of her shared home.
Eventually she rises and heads out for a walk. She paces around the colony, back and forth, until she gets bored and heads out to the beach. She watches the moonlit ocean for a while, wondering how her family was doing back in Andoran. Eventually she sighs and returns to bed. Thankfully, Jenner's snoring rather loudly, which sort of reminds her of Elizar's grumbling. Soothed by the noise she finally falls asleep.
When she awakens late in the morning she groans. Then she suddenly sits upright, as if startled, claps her hands, and does a little dance! "You're back!" she exclaims to no one in particular. She places a hand over her heart and draws Elizar out of her, bringing her mournful friend back into the world. She claps her hands again, squeals in glee, and gives Elizar a big, sloppy hug.
Elizar wails loudly, then devolves into a fit of sobs.
"I know, pal. We're trying." Pulling away she and Elizar head out to the beach for their morning swim, with Ashlyn chattering away at him constantly, filling him on everything he missed out on the day before.
They pass by Aurelian, chatting up some watery tart, which makes Ashlyn's eyes widen. She blushes brightly, puts up a hand to block them from sight, and pointedly hurries off further down the beach. She did not want to be a part of whatever was going on down there!
"So... Uh... Oh, my... Where was I?" With a gasp Ashlyn exclaims, "OH! Elizar why didn't you say you were hurt! You look like you're falling apart!"
"There! All better. Now, let's see what we can catch for breakfast today."
Ashlyn and Elizar go for a swim, catch some fish, bask on the beach for a bit, and haul their catch back to the colony for brunch. After they eat Ashlyn heads to her cabin, properly equips herself for the day's misadventures, and heads out to find her companions.
"Are we ready to head to the mountain now?"
After some time working, Tettia sets aside a single parchment filled with arcane writing. "It can be done. I don't care what Newman says. It just needs a little more work."
Once everyone has swum, communed with nature spirits and eaten breakfast the group heads to the town hall for the promised debriefing with Ramona.
Talmandor's Bounty has reached the point of bustling and moving down the hard-earth streets the group are greeted by smiles, thanks and (in Aurelian's case) a suggestive look from the young couple with whom he has 'sparred' before.
The effect only lasts a moment and if drawn the sword shows nothing out of the ordinary.
Ramona is already busy in the town hall, Evie sitting by her surrounded by pen and parchment. Both women smile at you before Evie gets down to note taking and Ramona to questions.
"That is quite an achievement!" Ramona responds once the full tale is told. "To have the locanth on our side should help immensely, and this water naga is going to be a much better neighbour than a shipful of skum I'm sure!" She looks from face to face. "I'm sorry to push you but we could really use more good news and a better idea of what else is here on the island. Reports of this witch in particular worry me - could she have taken the first wave? Kidnapped them for some sort of foul scheme?" She takes a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is when are you able to head out again?"
"Yes, this is exactly what Aurelian Fache thinks. He wanted to make sure you were not scared by these locathah or naga, and he can leave immediately to confront this witch!" the eager swordsman proclaims.
As the group walks through the square, Tettia looks up from one of her journals to comment, "Hey, Sarine? Does your sword normally glow? That's a effect that I'd love to study."
"Oh, yes! We're ready to head out right away. This witch sounds like a huge meanie! And really dangerous, too!" Ashlyn nods 'wisely.'
"A sword that glows?" Aurelian asks earlier. "This is most impressive, Sarine. Your magic becomes more powerful!"
"But I didn't..." Sarine trails off. "The last time the sword glowed, those creatures were around." She draws the sword only to see that it isn't glowing now.
"That's strange. Perhaps we should search around the village after we speak with Ramona. We've had enough problems with nasty things sneaking in here."
At Ramona's question, Sarine stretches some of her joints that are stiff from the rough treatment they received the day before, but nods. "If there's even a chance that some of our people might be on that mountain, we have to go."
"It only glows in the presence of certain creatures?" Tettia questions, her interested decidedly piqued. "What type of creatures? What's the sensing perimeter range? Is it blocked by dense sustances? Can you increase the range by applying a secondary source of ... " The young girl shrinks back a little. "Sorry, I did a paper on bio-reactive magic. I got a 'B' on it, but that's because ... well ... never mind."
"Do we need any special gear to climb a mountain?" Tettia asks.
Aurelian frowns at Sarine's words.
"We must go, but we should search the village first, and let Ramona know. If those creatures are here, that's more urgent than dealing with the witch. Unless you wish to deal with this threat while Aurelian Fache goes and teaches this witch a lesson by himself," he offers.
"Now now, let's all stick together," Jenner says cheerfully. "Remember, Master Fache, good as you are with that blade, you've fallen a few times, and I'd rather I were in arms' reach if you do again. Tettia, that's a good question. We'll want all the rope we can manage to bring, chalk, grapple hooks, pitons if there's any available..."
Jenner goes into a minor reverie of happy detail listing, and will make sure to see what sort of makeshift climbing kit can be thrown together from the settlement's burgeoning stores.
"So aye, village first. Why'd you get a B, Tettia?"
"So aye, village first. Why'd you get a B, Tettia?"
Tettia looks down and her face flushes slightly. "Professor Masters had criticisms about my papers. He said I should bring more of myself to my writing - that I was too clinical. So I ... um ... I wrote that paper with ... with pink ink, and I illustrated it."
She looks up nervously. "He thought I was being cheeky."
Jenner arches his brows, and then chuckles. "Were you?"
Tettia's eyes shift around nervously.
"Maybe," she says with a sly grin.
Jenner barks a laugh, and he claps the much slighter figure of Tettia on the shoulder.
"You'll fit in well here, Tettia. Don't worry too much about things like that fight in the water. You handled yourself just fine, and as long as you don't get too far from Jenner, I can get ya patched up."
As the group walks around the village, Tettia is full of 'helpful' advice.
"Try holding the sword upright."
"What if you present it in front of you, blade down."
"Does it do anything different if you put it down near the ground?"
"Let me try." She quickly gives it back after attempting to hold it aloft in the air. "That's a lot heavier than I thought it would be."
This is all accompanied by her repeatedly casting a minor detection cantrip.
Ashlyn and Elizar trail behind the others, looking around for anything suspicious, and signs of the enemy's passage.
Despite wandering around town for nearly an hour the sword remains quiescent, demonstrating no glows or other strange behaviour. About the only strange thing is the small crowd forming in front of Alba Divenaar's shop. The old woman is standing in the doorway looking tired.
"I'm sorry everyone. I'm under the weather and running short of ingredients. I need to close the store for a few days to recover and mix up some new stock. I'll be open again soon."
Tettia seems quite put out that the sword refuses to glow again. "I know I saw it glow," she mutters to herself. "If you'd like, let me spend a few hours with it tonight and maybe I can analyze the enchantment to determine what would trigger the effect," she asks Sarine.
The student looks around at the others.
"So, does that mean it's time to head up the mountain?"
Aurelian nods agreement.
"Yes, let us scale this peak. We will deal with the witch and then take in the romantic views from the peaks," he agrees.
"But what is this crowd?"
"Alba!" Jenner says, hurrying forward concernedly. "Folks, give her some space-- Alba, are you alright? Damn my beard, I ought have come seen you when we got into town last night, what with one thing and another..."
Jenner is generally helpful, or tries to be, but discerning eyes can detect he's especially solicitious of the middle-aged dwarven woman as he tries to help her inside and shoo the crowd.
"Come now folks, she'll be back in business as soon as she can but there's no profit in standing around jawing, now let me see to her," he scolds.
"Now, just how are you feeling poorly?" he asks with concern. "Fever? Aches? Eating enough? Be honest with me now, my dear lady."
"Yeah, let's -- Oh! I guess we're waiting a bit while Jenner checks on Alba. Well, that's awful nice of him. I didn't know he was a doctor."
Elizar stares at Ashlyn for a while...
Suddenly Ashlyn blushes bright red. "Oh, my! I... Uh... I'm sure he's just being kind!"
Tettia looks back a forth between Ashlyn and Elizar, certain that she's missing something.
"Is ... Is he not being nice?" she questions.
"Yes, sometimes when two dwarves like each other very much, they act like humans," Aurelian explains. "It is very romantic and sensual, Aurelian has heard. Or perhaps she simply needs more herbs again."
The swordsman watches curiously to make sure there are no problems, ready to move on as soon as this trifle has been dealt with.
"Oh. Oh!" Tettia looks at Jenner and flushes. "I-I guess the mountain can wait until ... until."
She looks around for another topic of conversation.
"So, Ashlyn ... Um ... What kind of manifestation is Elizar? What would be the required steps to lay him to rest?"
"I'm eating fine dear." Alba says, patting Jenner's hand. "It's nothing a few days of rest won't cure, but at my age, in this heat a small fever can come on easily. I'll be right as rain by the time you get back from whatever you're doing next!"
She offers Jenner a cup of tea but definitely doesn't seem her usual cheerful self. Jenner doesn't see anything obviously wrong with her, but he's no expert on mental ailments.
With Alba checked out (in the most medical and professional possible manner!) the party heads north east out of Talmandor's Bounty, and head up the mountain!
As they head up the trial, Tettia has a sketchbook in her hand. Her stylus moves rapidly as she creates a rendering of the view.
"You should look ahead," Aurelian says, glancing back over his shoulder momentarily where Tettia is. "The view is amazing."
Sarine is puzzled by the glow from her sword, but finds herself without an explanation. "Thank you for your offer, Tettia. If you could examine the sword more closely later, that would help...I never learned much about magical theory."
"But if I look ahead, all I see is you," Tettia responds quizzically. She then looks quickly back down to her sketchbook. "Oh."
"Well...." Jenner can find nothing medically wrong with Alba, and his brows knit in concern. "Can I look for herbs for you while I'm out, help restock your supply? If you get worse call for the good priests here, aye? Don't be stubborn. And yes, I know I'm saying that to a dwarf. --and what's all this about at your age-- I'm sure you could out-work half the dwarves and all the humans in this settlement."
He takes a somewhat-concerned leave, tugging absently on his beard where Alba's token is still twined.
***
Jenner beseeches Abadar for a blessing for his feet so he can keep up with the group without having to make a forced march... and keeps his eyes peeled as they hike, both for landmarks, and for any herbs Alba might have requested.
"Yes, as Aurelian said, the view is most pleasant to look at," the swordsman answers Tettia confidently.
Ashlyn blushes brightly at Aurelian and Tettia's exchange. She pointedly looks the other direction as she walks, keeping an eye on the west with Elizar.