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"To know the difference between a fool's quest and a true need to stand is not cowardice," Hailey says. "Had you joined, you would probably have been as dead as he and then where would we be?"
She is fascinated, listening to Rois' tale, and she ponders what this ultimately means.
"I don't see how he could've run off and become a lich, at least, on his own . . . oh, wait. You people wouldn't want to know about any of that. Never mind."
She sighs with disappointment when Vorelloex says he doesn't think there's anyone interesting to talk to around, but then she hits herself on the head again.
How did I come by these people again? she thinks to herself.
"Sister Callie, for on . . . for only from your mind could the wisdom spring to go and pay respects to ancestors and great men. A perfectly sensible idea. Do you think this man to be a hero, Sir Rois? Perhaps someone you would like to emulate, albeit more successfully?
"I admit freely that I know nothing about the arts of blade and blood. But I think I'll stay out of honoring him. Firstly, I don't know if he'd approve of me, and since you'd need someone to stand outside and keep watch just in case trouble does show up."
She looks at Vorelloex, then turns away from him.
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After listening to Sir Rois tell his tale, Garekk is without words. His friends pain is clearly etched into every word that Rois speaks and this resonates deep with Garekk. We have all felt pain and misery.. there is so much of it, everywhere I look but I cannot imagine the burden he carries. Aloud, he gives what advice he can think of, knowing all too well that it is not sufficient to even try and relieve the man of his burden but he must say something.. "My friend, there is a time for everything, and for everyone. As horrible as it may be to you, that was not your battle. That was not your time to die. I do not know why but there were other plans meant for you. As selfish as it may be I am glad that you are here today and that chance or gods brought us all together."
Garekk fumbles his words and stutters off into silence.
Later, when confronted with the town, tomb, and darkness, he suggests to the group "Perhaps we should hold off on the tomb until the morrow. We can get some food and rest, then stop by there in the morning on the way out. Besides.. it seems rather fitting to visit a hero at the outset of the day, especially as we are on our own adventure. That is the reason for his sacrifice, was it not? To grant more days to his people at the expense of his own?"
You spend the night at the local tavern/ inn, "The fallen hero" The food is acceptable, but no one talks to you if they can avoid it.
Of course, Calistria won't be put off by locals who are too wary to talk. She'll do her best to engage them in conversation anymore. Not for any specific information but just to share stories and fellowship.
A few of the younger people in the tavern briefly speak to you.
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While the others had breakfast that morning, Voryn Chaldov, the reclusive scarfaced ustalavian woodsman from Silvam wasn't there. He had been up before any of the others and had been strolling the streets of Kolta in the cold morning mist, trying to shake off a terrible nightmare that had been reoccuring at odd nights for the past twenty years...
He was in the forest. His father, Valslav, was walking beside him through the woods, both with bows in hand. Voryn was only fourteen. They were stalking a buck and were deep in the woods. Suddenly the beast that had been lying in wait for them, hunting the hunters, leapt out from the bushes with a bloodcurdling roar and soon after he felt its claws tear into his face. His father jumped at the beast, stabbing it with his dagger, forcing it to let go of Voryn. RUN!, he yelled as he and the hulking creature of hell rolled around in the underbrush of the forest depths. RUN VORYN! He could feel the warm blood running down his face from the deep cuts he had been inflicted, mixing with the tears streaming from his eyes. No! the young man cried, before drawing his own dagger and attacking the beast, determined not to let his father die. With a swoop of its arm, the beast threw Voryn away, and kept biting and clawing his father with its huge fangs and claws. His father was screaming now. And his screams were more bloodcurdling than the creature's roar. His father was in agony. Voryn lunged his dagger into the beast's neck and kept at it. Finally the beast rolled over dead. But his father, all Voryn had left in this life after his mother had died, was dead as well. He was alone.
When he finally entered the tavern he had a distant look on his face. He walked over to the table of his friends. "Is everyone ready to leave?" he asked in a curt manner.
Swift, who had been quietly reading some ancient scrolls, looked up as Voryn approached them. He scanned the man over the top of his scroll.
"Is everything well, sir Voryn? I can't help but get the feeling that something is amiss. Could simply be the Ustalavian blood in me."
"Although I doubt I am wrong. Best not to push the subject too much, I wouldn't want to intrude without his permission."
The monk quickly stows his reading material into his clothing.
"I will be guiding Sir Rois through some basic morning exercises. If you wish to calm your mind, you are more than welcome to join us."
Calistria put on a bit of a show for the locals, dancing outdoors and replenishing her faith and her spells. She steps into the pub, gasping for breath but quite bright and happy.
"Good morning!" Calistria says as she drops into a seat next to Swift-Palm. "I hope you all slept well. Lot of traveling to do today! After we visit the tomb, of course."
"It's nothing," Voryn replies and takes a seat.
When Swift offers him to participate in him and Rois' morning exercises, Voryn declines.
"Thanks but I'm not really in the mood. I just want to get back on the road as soon as possible."
For the remainder of the morning Voryn is quiet and keeps to himself, waiting for the others to get ready to leave.
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Garekk comes downstairs, refreshed and ready for the day. "Are we all ready? I would like to see that tomb before we go."
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Vorelloex knows Voryn's mannerisms all too well. Being a man of wilds as well, however, he also understands that wounds should be left to heal on their own, rather than sticking fingers inside. He responds to him and Garekk in kind.
"Let's go. It's too stuffy in here, and there's too much to destroy before us. For Relthas."
He almost says his brother's name as if it were the name of an elder deity, pouring a brittle, formal blessing on his words and the tone of the situation.
Vorelloex is poised today. His expectation is brimming, but not with the rash fury of before. Now, with a sort of crucibled vehemence, being refined. Purified.
He finishes his plate of food, burps obnoxiously, then pays the shrewd owner for his dues, and is ready to go.
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In the morning, Hailey prepares her spells. She's going to prepare two Protection from Evil's, just in case. She can always discard them in favor of Inflict Lt. Wounds anyway.
She is quiet and doesn't interact with the locals much, though she does sit there watching them.
Why do these people hang around here? Too scared to live, but knowing that to stay is to die.
She thinks back on the night before, when she had come to see Swift-Palm.
"Sir, I fear the chaos in my mind. I can stave it off with academic work, with knowledge and scholarship. Nothing gives me greater pleasure, except, perhaps a game of chess.
"The problem is, I am torn between two directions. Do you think Nethys feels this tearing? He wants to destroy the world with his right hand and save it with his left, and so do I. Can your meditative techniques, your mental exercises and training, still this chaos and help me find where my loyalties should lie?
"I will tell you right now that I am drawn to the darkness. I relish the pain of my enemies, and I feel sympathy for the undead who have been killed. They are not doing what they do out of malice, but the control of those who make them. They are an extension of their reviver's will.
"And yet, this new sense of concern for those people we have left behind. Especially the baby. Why am I facing this now? Is it became I am no longer in the pure environment of the church?
"Is this how I behave, truly behave, in a real test? In the crucible of actual experience, is this how I serve my god?
"Maybe I should just learn to be like Nethys. Kill one day and heal the next. How can I find the peace that I must find, the clarity and certainty I thought I had?
"Well, take my position here. I can't believe I'm even willing to help you people out should we get into battle with the dark fey. That's like killing my own kind. I daresay I belong with them. And yet, I know that if evil wins . . .
"I came up with the idea of a separate but equal border zone between the sanctity of nature and the hordes of hell. The thing that stops me from running out and joining them is because I know that evil won't be mollified to remain within its borders. They'll want it all.
"Evil is stronger than good. It always has been and it always will be. But evil never knows when it's had enough. It's insatiable, it knows no checks and balances. It's like fire, beautiful and quick, but deadly and unpredictable.
"So that's my problem. Half my soul is drawn to fire and the other half is drawn to ice.
"Even if you can't help, thank you for listening."
"My, such doubt. You are confused child. The meditative techniques I have mastered will let you discover the answers to your many questions. It is good for you to ask this of yourself. Many people live their lives without knowing that such a conflict exists within themselves. You have gone past simply existing, and you are asking yourself why, and for what purpose. I do believe that a mixture of good and bad is necessary for our world. Good would turn evil if left unchecked, as it has many times in the past. And as you stated before, evil will always run rampant until some do-gooders lay it to rest. Do you want to be the dousing water, that which quenches the thirst of the people and extinguishes the fire of evil? Or perhaps the wrathful fire, that which destroys all that is good? I think that answer lies deep within yourself."
Swift gives her a moment to think, then presses on.
"This answer is not as simple as good or bad. Keeping the balance is a noble deed, one that many people will not understand. You cannot expect them to share your view. And Nethys. One thing I have come to decide is that deities can be very fickle beings indeed. It is good to pray and hope for his good graces. But you must understand what it is that Hailey wants. Do YOU want to kill? Do YOU want to save? Search within yourself.... Next time I do some meditation, I beg for you to join me. I will lead you threw some rudimentary exercises."
"The things you feel towards others is simply empathy. It is good for you to feel this way, for you can think of others when making actions. Understand the impact upon others every little thing you will do will cause. You have a heart, despite perhaps what your teachings have taught you."
"And when it comes to the undead, it is of course ok to pity the dead, for they do not act of their own accord. But I think choosing the life of an undead over the life of a living being is wrong. As I understand it, you are quite fond of them. You are indeed quite an interesting one."
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Garekk, walking into the room towards the tail end of Haileys angstful explanation, waits patiently as Swift answers the young Gnome before chiming in himself. "Life is not to be found in a classroom or temple, though. We all have these urges.. to harm and rage on one hand, but to heal and help with the other.. just as your God. There is always this battle in everyone, hence my quest for my people.
I must disagree with your assertation that evil is stronger, though. A single candle burning on the plains is visible for miles upon miles. More so a campfire. So good deeds resonate through life. Evil is destructive and easy. A dragon may tear down a city in but a day, and it may take years, if ever, to rebuild. Which is stronger.. more powerful? The years of dedication and toil? Or the minutes of fury? Let me put it this way. Lets take this necromancer for example. One man may do many evil things with the talents that he is given. That is his choice in life. However, his evil deeds have brought forth our Company. Out of that company, we have served justice by relieving the people of a group of bandits, we have cleansed a grotto being used for evil purposes.. we have even helped birth a babe. A babe that you yourself placed a ward and good wishes over. Which of these paths has had a farther reaching effect? The evil that is serving itself, or the goodness of our deeds? We must all find this balance withing ourselves."
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"You're describing karmic law, in the idea that evil deeds bring forth a counter-reaction. Good deeds do the same. Never forget that. The dragon may destroy the city, but he only invites hunters, trackers, and dragonslayers to go find him. I must ponder this."
She joins the meditation before her spells are prepared, though during this time she prays for guidance.
During the meditation, at the near end of it, her prayer is answered through the return of a memory she had long-forgotten.
She had been confused at a certain point during the time of her training as a priestess, torn then as she was now about the good and evil within Nethys and his followers. She could not reconcile the matter and turned to one of her teachers, seeking asking him to help her find her place in Nethys' work.
The priest answered her with the use of the tarot, looking into her future as well as her soul.
"Nethys, we implore thee, show us where this daughter, rescued by your hand, is meant to be and fits within your sacred holy plan," he prayed. Then he turned the cards.
"Who you are. The Ace of Wands. I see the fire of creation is within you. This card is always the card of new things. It is also the first card of the element of fire. In this, I am inclined to say that you give life and make new what was dead and old.
"What crosses you. The Page of Cups. Fear not, my child. She is the card of visions, and Nethys will give you his vision for you soon.
"What crowns you, or the very basis of your situation. The King of Wands. Here we see the master of fire, king of the lionhearted. Nethys goes with you, like a shadow, like a mantle, like an aura. From the day you were born, you were his.
"Your past. Two of Wands. I see the separation. The loss of who you were, and your delivery into who you are now. I believe this refers to the gnomes who bore you.
"Ah. Now we come to it. Present situation. 3 of Swords. Why do you let grief and sadness at what you see as the darkness and misdeeds, even of Nethys, burden your heart and douse the fire? Know you not that fire and air, the rulers of the sword suit, are friend elements?
"Your future. The Chariot, but reversed, which means its meaning is opposite from what it should be. Instead of motion, I see stasis, a waiting period. Your time has not yet come, and the reason why is because reason does not yet rule your passions. You must control your emotions, including your grief. Be logical, be wise, be cold.
"Who you truly are. Reversed Four of Swords. Your time of rest is coming to an end. Soon after your ordination will come your testing. And it is the testing that shows you who you are. This is a card that requires action instead of rest, as it would mean upright.
"Environment. Reversed Seven of Wands. Here you are at peace, in this temple, with books and scrolls and teachers to protect you.
"Hopes and fears. Reversed Knight of Swords. You fear being found unworthy and reckless. You fear losing his approval. But why? Who told you that you are unworthy of Nethys' love, you who bears his mantle? You who has him as a shadow? He acts through you!
"And the final card. The Queen of Wands. The Queen of Fire. She reconfirms all I have told you."
"But I still don't understand, Master," Hailey replied. "May I have one more?"
"One, and then the cards go silent, for if a questioner importunes, it offends the spirits. Show us the truth about Sister Hailey Besh. The Emperor. King, Queen, Emperor. You need no further answer. Your choices are all up to you, and you owe no one but Nethys and the Archbishop any justifications for them. Your destiny is wide open, girl. Now go and make it, with the blessing of the power of fire, the art of creation. Now go and create! The cards have decided."
Hailey shakes her head as the memory fades, returning her to the end of the meditations.
"I am his fire," Hailey answered. She suddenly finds herself shouting, "I am the Queen of Wands!
Her tone returns to normal.
"We both referred to evil as a fire, Swift-Palm. And I am the fire. If that means I am evil, so be it. But I am a different kind of evil fire. Evil burns. So I am the fire that burns evil back, that purifies the metal so that it makes a better tool. No, I will not burn the innocent, but woe to those who abuse the sacred arts, defile the beauty of magic, and by using it bring it into disrepute! Like turning art to trash."
She looks at Swift-Palm, not caring if he thinks she has gone mad.
"The undead and the arts of wizardry and necromancer are not an infection or a curse, despite the horrible things they were used to do here. Are swords evil because they kill the innocent as well as the guilty? But Nethys brought me here to find and punish the person who is abusing the gift he gave this land, and now he wants it back. He wants me to cleanse this place, and remove the magic since it both unappreciated and unwisely used. And now I understand The Emperor. He's abused what Nethys has given him and now he has to pay. I am fire, but the fire of justice, granting death to those who bring death and protection to those who bring life, though I myself cannot actually bring true like. So when I create, it'll be the undead, but they will created for the purpose of avenging themselves and their fallen kin on man who has tried to wrong them."
She looks at the men again.
"That's who I am, what I do. Just so it's perfectly clear, my powers gravitate to inflicting harm, not bringing healing. So I will harm and hex, but only those who have done truly evil things. To the innocent, including the lot of you, I vow to do nothing but advise and teach. If I am evil, it is only mildly so, not enough to be a threat to any of you. Consider me a like a swordswoman who lives to cut out hearts, but only uses my sword against other sword-wielding butchers."
Rois wakes later than expected and rushes down the stairs. I have no idea what happened. I haven't slept that late in years. Maybe some good can come of this...hopefully I have missed Swift's morning exercise routine...my head still aches from the encounter with that rock.
"Good morning everyone," Rois says quickly as he swiftly grabs a seat, "I've been going over our expenses, and, we are running low on funds. Now, I am not normally one to plunder ancient tombs, but, we need to find some treasure to ensure that we have sufficient funds to carry on this expedition of ours. Our goals may be for the good of Ustalav, but, the people will see more good if there is coin in their purses."
Then, something comes to Rois' mind that he had not thought of before. A premonition of sorts. That this moment, at this table is the beginning of something great. Struggling to find the words, he tries to share his thoughts to his companions...
"I do not know what this adventure will hold for us, or, what dangers we will face. But, if we are cautious and smart we will may live. Over our journey, I will give what advice I can. I hope that we survive this till the end. All of Ustalav is counting on us and we must not fail. We cannot fail. Whatever our thoughts on magic, or vengeance, or loyalty may be, we are a team. A company. And, at company of soldiers look out for one another despite their differences."
"So, are we ready to head out? We have much to do and our daylight is limited."
Vorelloex does his thing, following Rois' lead...
"Let us be off."
As you prepare to leave town, one of you notices a bounty on wolf pelts posted on a board in the town square.
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The tomb of Stephanos the righteous is at the top of the hill just north of town. He is buried inside a raised stone slab, that was crafted around him with magic and has been carved with images of his final battle. It has a permanent consecrate spell cast centred on the tomb. The stone has also been imbued with magic that prevents it from wear and tear so it always appears as if it was freshly carved yesterday.
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Seeing the notice pinned to the board, Garekk calls the attention of the group. "Well, looks like your concerns are answered, Sir Rois! We are going into the wilds any way, and we have a cart to carry the pelts. It looks like we just found our income!" Garekk seems to be really excited by the idea of a wolf hunt, with a luster shining through his eyes that his friends are unaccustomed to seeing. After paying his respects at the tomb, Garekk will share with the group why he has a new bounce in his step. "Before we come of age in my clan, the older children must pass a test to be considered as a warrior. Part of this test is to go on a wolf hunt. The wolves are plentiful near our home, and must be culled regularly. These often turn out to be battles between our warriors and the wolf packs. The new initiates must each kill a wolf to move forward to being considered a man or woman. However, not all hunts are initiaion hunts. I can remember many a cold winter day and night spent in the wilderness with my father. Learning to live off of the land, and to live WITH nature. This brings back many good memories." Garekk will keep his eyes open for any wolf sign for the rest of the trip.
Excited about the meager hunting job as well, Vorelloex slaps Garekk on the back and exclaims;
"Ha! Let's make your clan proud of you! I'm sure we could bag 20 of these wee houndlings in our journey over to those demon woods... You think that sign'd pay for demon hides?"
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"I wish there was another way." Calistria says, sadly. "Still, if the wolves are driven to harm people, I suppose there isn't much of a choice. And we do need funds. I'm not much of a hunter, though. Maybe while you do that, I can offer my services in town as a healer?"
Excited about the meager hunting job as well, Vorelloex slaps Garekk on the back and exclaims;
"Ha! Let's make your clan proud of you! I'm sure we could bag 20 of these wee houndlings in our journey over to those demon woods... You think that sign'd pay for demon hides?"
The slab is about 5 ft by 8 ft. There is nothing else to his tomb.
The reward for wolf hides is being offered by the baron of this village so you will have to return here to claim the reward.
"Ustalav is a hard place to make friends. Collecting wolf pelts will bring in some needed funds and turn this baron to aid us, if we are in need."
Rois takes a moment before the concentrated grave to offer a short prayer to Iomedae.
Vorelloex pulls a pouch from his belt, holds it in his hands, and looks at Rois.
"Funds? Oh, yeah... By the way, aren't you the master of coins now?"
He tosses the pouch at the soldier casually.
"You can add that to our shared stores. I don't have much need for gold these days..."
His eyes shimmer with the same substance of which he speaks.
"We must keep the balance. We shouldn't relish in the idea of hunting down these beasts for fun. They pose a great danger, thus they must be eliminated."
"We do have class after all. We're not ruthless money-grabbing murderers."
Swift also pays respect to the paladin's tomb. He meditates while reflecting on all the things they can learn from his sacrifice.
Standing underneath the raised stone slab with his comrades, Voryn looks at the tomb of Stephanos and the carved images of his final battle and wonders about the dreadful times that was the years of the reign of the Whispering Tyrant, and about the great effort that it took to defeat him. "And he still exists. I dread what would happen if he ever broke free of his prison. Ustalav is bad enough as it is..."
"If it wasn't for brave heroes like Sir Stephanos, Ustalav would've been much, much worse than it is. Ustalavians would be mere slaves under the most dreadful and wicked slavemasters. I commend his deeds and all others who stood up against Tar-Baphon."
Voryn kneels next to the grave and sits there quietly for a moment. He then turns to Hailey Besh.
"I reckon you know about Tar-Baphon. The Whispering Tyrant. He is one of the reasons why necromancy is as feared as it is in Ustalav. I know that you are nothing like him Lady Besh, but he might have been just like you before he became the monster that he is known as. There is great power in the dark arts, but too much power corrupts the soul. I hope you will remember that." He pats the gnome on the shoulder and walks out from the raised stone slab and takes in the view from the hill. He looks in the direction that they will be traveling.
"The Shudderwood. I wonder what awaits us there..."
"They would not be just slaves, Voryn, they would be undead slaves. A 'life' of no freedom or control...or memory of one's actions. It is hell. Sir Stephanos was a hero. A hero that all in Lastwall strive to emulate. He saved the entire world from that fate. Would it not be for him, Nex, Geb, and all the rest would never have existed and the world would be without life..."
"And without life, the world would not exist. It is Lastwall's mission to stop this from happening again. If Tar-Bophon were freed, all hope would be lost. I do not think there are any as noble as Sir Stephanos left to do what would again be required."
"Necromancy can be disturbing." Calistria says as she rises from paying homage to the great hero. "I think Sister Hailey would never, for example, trap someone's soul and force them into eternal servitude. She would use the body as a resource to help her but not the soul."
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None of you even know yourselves what you are capable until you're pushed to the limit. I may just be the most benign of us all, she thinks, but she says nothing. Let the magic and the madness show you all what's in your souls.
"Magic must be disciplined by wisdom, preferably into the service of Nethys. He gave us magic, so it should be used and returned to his glory. It's wrong to use it for your own. It's fun, but it's wrong.
"As for the idea of trapping a man's soul and making him do my bidding, generally, no and probably not. But in the case of this abuser of the craft, if I find he has done it to others and I am powerful enough myself, why not let the punishment fit the crime? If one has murdered, let him be murdered. If one has stolen, let him be stolen from. If one has abused the gifts, let him be abused and bereft of gifts. Harsh perhaps, but if you don't do the crime, you don't get the penalty. Or do I misunderstand the concept of justice, Swift-Palm? Should you not receive back what you have done? If I am wrong, please correct me. Which means, Sister Callie, that you should receive blessings by the bucketfull for all the good works that you do. Continue to do them."
She then turns to the rest of the party.
"Swift-Palm is correct. Let the balance be maintained. I suggest we go ahead and hunt ourselves some wolves, but not too many. Just enough to thin the threat down for a while.
"I remember a sermon a priestess of nature who was also a book-magician, of the banisher discipline, once preached in church. She was a visitor at a conference. She reminded us all that we cannot kill all the predators in a forest, for if you do, the animals they prey upon overpopulate and consume all of their natural prey, leaving nothing for anyone else.
"Her point was, cull predators, yes, but remove them all and the cycle of nature results in disastrous effects. So let us honor her wisdom. Kill some wolves, but not for many. Besides, wolf meat is an excellent food supply, wouldn't you agree? Even if we don't sell them, it reduces the amount of food rations we must purchase, doesn't it?"
Vorelloex looks at length into the stone slab, tracing his hand on the edge until his fingers slip from its corner as he walks around it, listening to the issues of his friends. Pondering the living and the dead.
He speaks into both conversations with a sort of ancient wisdom, far beyond his years or normal manners.
"Balance is bought with violence, it seems..."
He sighs, and his deep eyes flicker from the gravestone to each face he has come to know.
"The road ahead of us may not leave us without scars. Are you all prepared to face the demons beyond... ...and within?"
"I believe it is why we are all here. Each of us has faced something in their past. Perhaps this is a journey of self-discovery, of healing. I know I've faced my fair share of demons."
Swift sighs heavily, for once, he doesn't seem to be able to master his emotions. A pained expression passes over him. But a few moments later, he regains composure and stands quietly by the side of the tomb, gazing out at the land before them beside Voryn.
After paying their respects at the tomb the majority of the party begins preparing to hunt wolves while Calistria returns to village to offer medical assistance to those who require it.
Once preparations are complete Voryn leads the party west towards the largest nearby forest and just after noon you find a set of wolf tracks.
"They look fresh," Voryn says quietly, crouched next to the set of wolf tracks. He takes the composite longbow off his back, readies an arrow, and proceeds quietly and semi-crouched. He motions for the others to follow him. "This way. Quiet."
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Garekk looks quickly at the tracks, and follows Vorens lead into the woods with his sling ready.
As they go, Garekk keeps his eyes peeled around him as well
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While Hailey babysits the boys as they wolfhunt, Calistria walks back into town. They are wary of strangers, she knows, but a healing touch is always needed and many will accept a beloved of Desna when they won't accept another outsider.
"Hello" Calistria checks the pub, first. After all, in a town this small, everyone will know everyone else. "Blessings upon you. My name is Calistria of the Sacred Order of Couriers. A priestess of Desna. I'm here for a few hours and I wonder if anyone might need a healer or a priestess?"
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"Would you care to borrow my crossbow? It's small to you, but it's bound to be better than your sling and the first shot is already ready, since I prepared it during our first encounter with those bandits and never fired it. I can rely on my hexes and, I can fling my staff up to 30 feet. It's a trick all we who teach the supremacy of magic know."
Whether Garekk accepts the use of her bow or not, Hailey follows behind the men, trying to be careful but as nervous as a cat that's just met her first dog. She holds her quarterstaff at the ready.
Swift follows the others, making sure to stay as quiet as possible.
"I'm not much of a hunter, but I will try my best to not get in your way."
Vorelloex whispers.
"That's alright mate, we'll teach you to take 'em down. Like fish if you know how what they like... We should find a few rabbits actually. Bleed 'em and watch the hounds come running. Funny to watch, when it all goes down..."
He stops rambling eventually and follows Voryn's lead.
Rois looks at his fellow companions and then to the woods, A hunting we shall go, it seems. I hope the others know what they are doing...
"I have hunted orcs and undead, but, never animals. Tell me what to do, Voryn, and I will try my best."
After following the trail for several hours you final catch sight of a pair of wolves about 500 feet ahead of you.
While Hailey babysits the boys as they wolfhunt, Calistria walks back into town. They are wary of strangers, she knows, but a healing touch is always needed and many will accept a beloved of Desna when they won't accept another outsider.
"Hello" Calistria checks the pub, first. After all, in a town this small, everyone will know everyone else. "Blessings upon you. My name is Calistria of the Sacred Order of Couriers. A priestess of Desna. I'm here for a few hours and I wonder if anyone might need a healer or a priestess?"
[dice=Diplomacy check #1]1d20+6
[dice=Diplomacy check #2]1d20+6
One of the locals tells you that the village priest has fallen ill with a fever.
"Indeed, Garekk. I'd like to put them down as soon as possible, to not draw out their misery."
Swift gives a clear pause, obviously out of his element hunting in the wilds.
"I will follow your counsels, and do as I must. I have a duty to protect my friends."
** spoiler omitted **
The priest's wife opens the door and takes you to see him. Telling you that he returned from visiting a farm out of town with a strange bite and a fever. He was rambling incoherently.
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"Then the hexes, it's going to be. That means I'll have to be close, say within thirty feet to impact a lot of them, or close enough to touch one to do more serious harm, potentially, to a single one.
"If I'm forced to rely on my weapons, all I can do is a little bit of damage, since I'm not exactly the strongest person in the world."