The two remaining lookouts run away at full tilt. Yakhem fires at the one on the bridge...
His shot transfixes the man's chest and he falls forward with a pitiful cry, bleeding out on the bridge. The one to the south runs as fast as he can, barreling south along Sawng's Way.
Seeing the wall of fog appear before her, Anna turns around with a murderous look in her eyes. She screams something incomprehensible at Paze and in a fit of berserk fury charges at him knocking him backwards over the east edge of the bridge. As he falls, he grabs the madwoman's shoulders and the two of them fall together as he yells, "iiiiiiiitch!!!"
Yakhem sees them vanish into the water and darkness and shakes his head. I lose my mate, and that man's kills them both. What kind of justice is there in this world...?
Almost immediately after the two blonde-haired northerners have fallen, the cloud of fog begins to break up and the entangle spell ends. Alis rushes to Priyya's side and quickly casts a healing spell to mend the deep gash in her side.
As Priyya's breathing becomes less labored, Alis looks about for Mal and sees that he is being cared for by Bajala and a few others. She then looks with sadness on Saija. Walking over to the bloodied mare, she puts her hand in front of her nose and her eyes go wide. [b]"She's still alive! Does anyone have any healing potions or magic left?
At Alis' words, Yvonne runs down the east side of the tower and begins healing Saija as best she can...
The brave mare's eyes flutter open and she shakily regains her feet. Walking over to Priyya, she leans her head down and nuzzles the side of her dark-skinned sister's face with her own.
Looking about, Yvonne surveys the scene and gives a weary sigh. Sarge appears to be dead. Talvyra having made certain to avenge her brother's wound. Four of his grunts perished either by her hand or by the arrows of others. The leader's three henchmen also fell to their deaths o the rocks and rapids 100 feet below. Yet she takes no joy in what is essentially a victory.
Walking over to Malandraenas, she expends the last of the healing magic she is able to muster to heal what injuries she can...
XP: +600 each
Priyya gathers the wounded together, herself included. She casts CMW on Mal:
She channels energy, twice:
HP Update
Saija 15/15
Talvyra 27/27
Priyya 25/25
Mal 34/34
Once Priyya has finished with the tasks of healing her companions, he looks over at her, an undisguised look of relief in his eyes. He was so sure she had been slain earlier.Leaving the cleanup of the grisly remains to the Golden Drakes, he sweeps her up in a comforting hug. He doesn't say anything, but simply holds her in his arms.
Deep down inside, he wonders how he will react should he ever lose her. He thought he was strong enough, but now with the close call just passed, he now knew doubt.
I dinnae wanna lose 'er! Am I so weak, I cannae survive wit'out 'er?
LEWT: Toll Bandit's
Priyya clings to Felmor for a time, hoping to assuage his fears. There is only so much she can do; it is a dangerous life. She gives him her prettiest smile, "It really wasn't as bad as it looked, beloved. I was just looking for an excuse to take a little nap."
She kisses him and then pulls him onto the bridge to satisfy her curiosity. "Lend me your eyes, Fel. I want to make sure the lead bastards are really dead. That Wizard jumped from the bridge on purpose." She scans the bodies below, straining her eyes to identify them. She is particularly looking for confirmation that the Gilban, Paze, and Anna are actually dead.
Lureene approaches the couple looking over the bridge and seeing them scanning the ravine below, sends a mental command to Grak, Fly down and find the remains of those who jumped.
Grak, who had been hovering above the fray, dives down into the ravine area and, once he reaches the bottom, searches the bottom of the ravine looking for signs of the bandit leader bodies.
Slowly sensation filters back into Mal's mind, and as the memory of the big man's blade ripping up through his torso returns a great gasp escapes from his lips as he bolts upright, gripping the gap the weapon found in his armor.
I've not been so close to returning to the soil in a long time. he thinks as he opens his eyes - which are met by those of Little Sister's just inches away, the great cat lying protectively across his chest. Mal gives a weak grin, "Next time I tell you to protect someone… just do it." he whispers in their feline tongue. Her response is a half-hearted attack on his own combat ineffectualness, which they both laugh off.
Mal struggles to rise to his feet. A few pats and stretches show his body is back to capacity, if quite a bit sore where he was torn open, but the body's memory of pain would subside over time. With a few questions to a few Drakes - all of whom ask concernedly about his well-being - Mal tracks down both his group and an accurate accounting of what went down after his fall.
He steps up to the women who are again responsible for his healing and dips his head in thanks, "It appears without your aid again there'd be one more grave dug here - if one a little larger than the rest. Thank you all." Then in his usual straightforward manner, "So what's the plan? On down the road?"
The ravine is well over 100 feet deep and fairly dark at this hour. Looking down, Priyya can see nothing but churning white-water and slick stones. If there were bodies down there, they would almost certainly have been carried away by the rushing water.
Grak flies down, scouting around underneath the bridge and the surrounding vicinity, and sees no sign of any bodies.
Priyya thanks Grak looking vaguely unsatisfied with the results of his search and then proceeds into the main group of Drakes and team members, saying "Well, I guess we'll find out if they made a clever escape at a later date. It seems they were expecting us - judging by that one talkative fellow and our speed at getting this far surprised them. Given how they fought, I don't think they were your typical highwaymen."
Lureene looks over to Priyya, a thoughtful look on her face. "Hmmm. You could be right there, Priyya." Her eyes flash dangerously as she looks over to the bandit prisoners. "Have we tried to...interrogate them yet?"
"It appears without your aid again there'd be one more grave dug here - if one a little larger than the rest. Thank you all."
Yvonne gives Mal an apologetic smile. "This," she gestures to the path the road takes, "is our home. Please forgive us that we were unable to provide to you a safe journey. For your continued bravery we are grateful."
"So what's the plan? On down the road?"
"Skull's Gap should not remain without guards. Bajala? You, Yakhem, and our friends in the rear guard — would you please look to secure this place? A few days may pass before reinforcements we can send."
The caravan master looks to Yvonne with concern, not for himself but for her. She smiles gently and says, "I will be well, my friend, worry not."
Bajala nods his head in acknowledgement and sets about making preparations. Yvonne continues, "For tonight at least, inside the towers beds, shelter we shall find. Among the council of their peers does Valehaven count me. Your tales I shall tell to them of how on this day you aided the commonwealth. We can in the morning to Drellin's Ferry travel."
"When a rabid wolf breaks into a bear-den and harms a bear's cubs, the bear is not to blame. We all walk away from this day." Mal looks over at the pile of corpses, "the rabid wolves do not. There is nothing to forgive."
"A gracious man are you, Malandraenas."
"Well, I guess we'll find out if they made a clever escape at a later date. It seems they were expecting us - judging by that one talkative fellow and our speed at getting this far surprised them. Given how they fought, I don't think they were your typical highwaymen."
"Among them was a mage. Injured though he was, a fall is no certainty of death even into the rapids. Their leader, at least, is dealt with, and their men dead, captured, or fled."
"As for these words you say they spoke, and the gold found by us... I think they had no anticipation for the return of our caravan so soon. If not for the request of Corrina, yet longer would it be by a week, maybe two before a return we made with much larger a group. Of the Golden Drakes they could not help but know. Yet recognize us in these small numbers they did not. I think no ruse would they have made if in full number we were. Perhaps to leave before our return was their intention..."
"Have we tried to...interrogate them yet?"
"Not yet, no. Tending to wounds, securing the captured, scouting the area, and calming the horses has busied us."
Mal growls, "I'm sure my friends would agree with me that we'd be more than happy to help if questioning is something you're interested in." His wicked grin flashes among the crew, "I've found we all can be quite... convincing."
Yvonne motions to the north-west tower where the 3 surviving spearmen have been confined within a holding cell. "Please, feel free..."
Lureene walks into the room where the prisoners are being held. She looks over their bodies with a lascivious look in her eyes. She stands over one of the men and allows him to enjoy the scenery, as it were. She waits for a few moments, and then licks her lips seductively.
”Now, we know your leaders of your little highway band of robbers have fled, thus leaving you at our tender mercies. Sooooo…we can be pleasant about this, or we could be, not so pleasant. I will leave that up to you, although I do prefer the pleasant aspects of this, don’t you? All we really want to know, for starters, is how did you learn of us, and who were your leaders working for.” she gazes into his eyes, allowing him to see both the benefits and the drawbacks of his choices.
Mal follows her in, being intentional about having to dip his head when entering the small room. He rolls up his sleeves, flexing each clawed hadn as it is revealed.
"I dont' know why you're wasting your time with this lot, blondie. They're bandits, they deserve death, and frankly, I'm starving."
His wicked grin makes it obvious what that meal will be.
Stuff
Taking 10 for a total of 17.
The man who was previously gnawed upon by Talvyra looks to Lureene with fear in his eyes and says, "Please, don't let him or that panther eat us! We buskwhacked the normal guards, but they's all holed-up in the south towers, we didn't kill nobody!"
The man that Alis captured continues and says, "We didn't want to have to resort to banditry, but we owed it to Sarge, we was tryin' to help him out."
Lureene motions to one of the Drake guards, and whispers, "Can you please check on this for me, thank you." Turning her attention to the man who spoke up last, she responds, "Really? And did the Sarge say what specifically he needed help with?"
"Well Miss," the bandit who was stuck in Paze's entangle spell until it expired speaks up, "he sorta needed the gold ta get someone outta a tight situation. Ya see, Anna weren't always crazy an' we weren't always bandits. Up 'til recently we used ta be a mercenary group headed up by Sarge. Well, one mission on tha edge o' the 'Shade last month, we encountered the gods-damned Ghostlord hisself!"
"Now I ain't the sharpest spoon in tha kitchen, but I ain't rube enough to think we made it outta there cause o' skill. The ol' wight put some kinna curse on 'er and she ain't been right ever since. We lost our jobs after that botched deal and needed the coin fast 'cause she wuz gettin' worse e'ry day."
"Course, guess that all don't matter now..."
Lureene thinks to herself, Ghostlord? I don't like the sound of that. he sounds like some sort of undead creature, or even a demon! Perhaps Priyya or even 'Lis can shed some light on this. I wonder if this is related to the increased raids the Countess was talking about earlier.
She looks at the prisoners for a moment, before speaking to them in a silky voice, "Well, if what you have told us is truthful...and trust me, we can find out easily if you have lied to us...then perhaps I can arrange for leniency for your band." She then turns to leave to talk with Alis and Y'vonne about what she has learned.
Sense Motive Checks:
As far as the two of you can tell, the three appear to be telling the truth.
When you inform the Drakes of the prisoners in the south towers, you do indeed find about a dozen men bound and gagged. While they are extremely irate over their confinement, aside from some rope burn and soreness from being gagged, they admit that they've been fed and have no injuries beyond bumps and bruises to report.
The leader in charge of the bridge states, "We weren't exactly on a first name basis with all of those men, but yes, we knew who they were. About a fortnight ago, shortly after the Golden Drakes last passed north from here, we were actually sharing a meal with them. They had a big old keg of ale they got down at the Fat Osprey, and well... it can be a slow post sometimes. I let the men have their fun and the next thing we know, we're waking up in here with monster headaches. Guess they slipped something in the brew to put us under because I wasn't about to let everyone get completely torn-up. I mean even when slow, there is still a job to do..."
Lureene nods at the leader, "Well, although Lady Y'vonne may hold that against you, I sure don't. You had no way of knowing." She turns to Y'vonne and Princess Alis and motions for them to walk with her out of earshot of the others.
She says quietly, "These bandits mentioned that berserker lady was under the influence of someone called the Ghostlord, who was from the Demonshade. If such a being is taking an interest here in our activities, I would like to get confirmation of that. I think we should try to locate her body. I feel uncomfortable in continuing without knowing what is going on."
When they find out that Lureene is looking for everyone else, Alis, Felmor, Priyya, and Yvonne listen to what she has to say.
A dark look comes across Yvonne's face when Lureene mentions the Ghostlord. "If in these people's fates that one has had any influence, then distance ourselves from them we should. Since before my grandmother's grandmother was a girl, that one has in the Dæmonshade dwelt in a great lion made carved of stone."
"A druid that one was once. From the steppes he came leading bands of nomads and lions. Legends say he was a kind and noble nomad, but that is not so. Cruel leader of a lion cult was he, cannibals were his men. A domahni called Tarrencia Estoria once held here. It was that one who brought downfall to it when against him the Tarrenth clan warred."
"In death, that one from the grave arose. Blight and ruin he brought to Tarrencia. Only since Gelriss Sawng this road cleared has life to Elsmyr Dale returned. Do not seek out this lord of ghosts or to many more than yourselves do you risk bringing doom. That that one would allow escape to any of these men bodes ill. By their own admission even they tell that cursed this Anna became. Be glad then the river did wash away such evil. Pray that it washed away such evil."
"No interest did these people have in us. Bad opportunity this was and no more. To march too near to that one? Foolishness! A fool will you be if learn from their folly you do not!"
Perception Checks
Priyya thinks on this news for a while and gives her thoughts: Whatever sort of undead creature the Ghostlord is, he must be powerful indeed to have arisen on his own while retaining free will. The fact that he was able to venture a great distance and destroy a mighty city speaks to his power and that he is not necessarily tied to a particular site. However, the fact that for hundreds of years he has not done so would indicate a preference for being left alone.
Alis frowns at this news. "Not that we actually have the time to go investigating such matters, but I'm curious about something. Did the men say what they were doing out there?"
Lureene is about to respond with some harsh words for Y'vonne but Felmor, reading her intent, places a hand on her shoulder, and murmers, "Easy thar, lass, no need ta say anyt'ing now.'
Lureene pauses and takes a deep breath. No need to throw insulting words now. She smiles gratefully at Felmor, and says calmly, "I was not suggesting we seek out this Ghostlord, but if he is spreading his influence, it would be wise for us to learn more, that is all I was saying, Y'vonne."
Alis frowns at this news. "Not that we actually have the time to go investigating such matters, but I'm curious about something. Did the men say what they were doing out there?"
Lureene turns to Alis, and replies, "According to one of them, they did encounter the Ghostlord when one of their jobs went awry, that lead to Anna becoming unhinged. I suspect they needed the money to treat her."
"As happy as I am to put down the unnaturally living, we have an assignment already. Maybe when Alis's task is complete we can come to help rid the Daemonshade of this monster." You can tell that walking away from any fight near the cursed land bothers the hunter, but once he's set to a task, he sees it through
.
.
.
.
.
- They took a job than went bad (they haven't said what the job was yet).
- During the course of said job, they ran afoul of the Ghostlord.
- T'he Ghostlord put a curse (or something) on Anna
that curse made her crazy.
- With the job botched, Sarge then had to find a way to raise money so she could get treated.
- In not so many words, they implies they couldn't go back from whence they came.
"I was not suggesting we seek out this Ghostlord, but if he is spreading his influence, it would be wise for us to learn more, that is all I was saying, Y'vonne. According to one of them, they did encounter the Ghostlord when one of their jobs went awry, that lead to Anna becoming unhinged. I suspect they needed the money to treat her."
"As happy as I am to put down the unnaturally living, we have an assignment already. Maybe when Alis' task is complete we can come to help rid the Dæmonshade of this monster."
"Hmm," Alis muses. "If we all get killed rooting the– um... this guy out, I guess that would cause problems for a lot of people, wouldn't it, Mal?"
"Still, I can't help but wonder what job Sarge and his company thought would be worth heading into such a place. I'm also curious as to why banditry, or at least toll fraud, was the best solution."
She sighs as the last rays of the sun disappear behind the mountains, replaced only by the silvery luminescence of Brightpool. "Let's see if the campfire is built yet and continue our discussion with those men by its warmth. Does that sound alright, Yvonne? I mean these are your prisoners after all..."
"Inclined I am to loose them in the wilderness to their fate. If talk you wish, then talk. However, I tell you this. The failure to plan and to know of dangers on their part does not excuse the choices of theirs or make for us an emergency."
A few short minutes later, the three men find themselves seated before a crackling fire while the rest of you along with many of the bridge guards and Golden Drakes stand looking onward. In spite of the fire's heat, the three men shiver beneath the many icy gazes focused upon them.
"Now then," says Alis, "one of the Golden Drakes here is Lady Yvonne, a member of the Council of Valehaven. If the three of you hope for some fate beyond what normally awaits highway men, I would say that you should explain what in the name of the Valar you were doing heading into the Dæmonshade and provoking such a powerful being."
"Yer Ladyship, we're right sorry fer all the trouble, we dun caused but it's a matter o' client conshedenfiality–"
One of the other spearmen gives a sidelong look at the man and says, "Oh, would you stow it about the confidentiality stuff! The damn client is dead you moron!"
"Quit arguing you two!" The man who was gnawed upon by Talvyra speaks up, "Look, it was a nobleman from Valehaven. He had a real fancy house and lots of hunting trophies all over the place. He said he heard that there was interesting quarry to be had hunting in the 'Shade and he wanted us to be his guards."
"Now most of us grew up in the Dale, well except for Anna and Paze anyway. We'd all heard about the Ghostlord as kids but it was always just some scarey story our folks told us at night so we'd settle down and get to bed! I never figured he... it was a real guy. I figured a place being called the Dæmonshade and being all brown and scary looking was good enough of a reason to stay clear without there being any boogey men in there."
"Anyway, this older guy who claims he's some hot-shot hunter hires us for a trip to go hunting big game. While I can't say we ever figured it would be easy money, it would have been enough for us to buy that old keep that belonged to Garlnag up in the woods south of here. We could have fixed it up and had ourselves a nice base of operations. I think Sarge was hoping that if we got in good with the guy, not only would it be money enough for that, but with more jobs and having someone with clout backing us that just maybe he'd make Lord of Westermarch someday."
The man who just berated the slow guy a moment before interrupts him and continues, "Anyway, long story short, Mr. Noble McFancypants wanted to go hunting a type of lion that's only found in the 'Shade. That's why blabber mouth over here keeps pissin' himself everytime he sees that big black cat. Thing is, apparently this Ghostlord bastard has a thing for lions! You'd think stumbling across a giant statue of one shoulda been a clue, but the client assures Sarge it ain't occupied and the place is fair game. Guess what: fu<ker was wrong. Now he's dead and Anna's got some curse on her."
The more timid man sighs heavily and looks intently at Alis and Lureene. "It's like he said. We got out there and no sooner had the old man shot himself a lion then all hell breaks loose. Suddenly there's ghostly lions flying out of the statue, and this guy that looks like nothing but bones, only dressed like he's some ancient king of the wilds comes marching out of some stone doors in the chest of that giant statue. He gives the old man just one touch of his finger and suddenly the nobleman can't move. The lions start tearing into him and he grows old and crumbles to dust before our eyes!"
"Well Anna wasn't having any of it. She charges the Ghostlord with that big sword of hers and puts it clear thru his empty ribs where his heart should have been. Well I guess he's got a weird sense of humor or something so he returned the attack in kind. He paralyzed her somehow then takes out her heart and replaces it with the one from the lion! I'm telling you, it was the craziest damn thing I think I've ever seen!"
"Somehow Anna didn't die and her mail was all closed up, but she fell over screaming and thrashing, foaming at the mouth like she was having a seizure. The big bad then tells us to leave before his sense of mercy runs out, and the next thing we know we get chased two days march back out of there by real lions all the while having to carry Anna and listening to her crazy ramblings. Probably lost a good dozen men back there."
"So at last, we're out of the 'Shade and Anna finally wakes up but she's different somehow. Now she'd never really had what you'd call a long temper, but her man Paze said there was some kind of curse put on her or maybe in her by what he said was a lich. He said only maybe a 'full heal' spell or something he called 'break enchantment' were gonna be able to help her. Mind you, neither he nor Gilban could cast that kinda magic and powerful clerics and mages don't exactly work for free."
"We couldn't go back to Valehaven without the nobleman or his daughter, Lady Kale would have skinned us alive! Sarge figured our only option was to head north to Estoria and look for help there. Figured it would cost somewhere between 500 and a grand for the sort of help we were gonna need. We didn't have much time and since Skull's Gap was on the way... Well, you know the rest."
Sense Motive Checks:
Felmor and Malandraenas look at one another and shrug their shoulders before looking to their respective ladies. Priyya fails to notice seeming lost in thought ever since the men said the word 'lich'.
Lureene has little doubt that the men are indeed telling the truth, particularly when she sees the grim glances exchanged by Alis and Yvonne. The rest of the bridge guards and Golden Drakes seem chilled by the tale and murmur among themselves nervously as the twilight deepens.
Princess Alis gets up from where she was talking to the men and goes to speak with Yvonne and the rest of you. "Well, Mal, Lureene... I guess your good guard, bad guard routine did a good job of warming them up to us. They seemed to be rather forthcoming, wouldn't you say? For what it's worth, I didn't notice any of the telltale signs of someone lying. Did you?"
Yvonne shakes her head, a sour look marring her exotic features.
Looking to the rest of you, Alis asks, "This isn't technically Estoria so whatever we do will be up to Yvonne, not me. Still, do any of you have thoughts to offer on the matter?"
Lureene thinks for a long moment, before she replies to Alis, although she knew her response was as much for Yvonne. "I think, were this just a simple case of highway robbery, then whatever the standard punishment for these hoodlums would satisfy me." She chews on a fingernail unconsciously, as she continues, "But the presence of this Ghostlord complicates things. If what these men say is true, and the lich is satisfied with the level of revenge exacted, then we would be safe. What concerns me is the lich may have a link to any of these men, he could be scrying them right now as we speak, for all we know. Perhaps to complete his revenge, on this group, who knows." She lapses into silence.
After a few moments, she finishes her thoughts, looking directly at Yvonne, "Exile away from these lands may be the kindest fate for them, as, if I were in your shoes, I could not be certain they would not be compromised in some way."
"To be honest, my blood rises at the thought of removing any abomination of the Daemonshade. We have a job to do elsewhere, and I don't know how time-sensitive it is. Were it just myself and Talvyra, we'd go check out this Ghostlord who seems to have some affinity for my blood-kin." He shrugs, "It's gonna have to be on you, Alis. If your responsibility can wait, then I'm more than curious to find out more about this abomination." He looks over at the three men. "As for what to do with this lot.. I don't really care. They were taken while preying on others. They bit off more than they could chew and are paying the price. I don't care if they hang, honestly."
"Oh like ye ain't ne'er gone huntin' big guy? I ain't smart but I weren't born yessirday. Ye got the smell o' blood all over ya! Like we's said, we gots hired to protect a fellah. Ain't nobody died in all this business 'cept for our pals when ya'll started in on us!"
The other two try to hush their brother in arms while anxiously taking in the grim gazes around them.
"That smart mouth says something unasked to me again it'll be without it's tongue." He turns back to the group. "Like I said, I'm good either way. Check it out or move on."
Seeing that Yvonne is still weighing the matter in her head, Alis replies, "Actually Mal, even if I'm not thrilled about it, yes my mission to Dafur is time-sensitive. The various factions vying for power there are at risk of toppling the colonial government. If Ilmarond's navy has their hands full with minotaurs and other raiders, then we'll be lucky if we can make it in time. If this lich has been here for a few hundred years, a few more months isn't going to make much of a difference. If we stop to right every little problem we come across then the big problems that only we can do anything about will go unchecked."
Turning to Priyya and Yvonne, Alis says, "Sorry, but like you guys pointed out to me back at the beach, sometimes there are larger matters to consider than our own desires..."
Lureene affixes the talkative bandit with a cool stare, remembering how both Mal and Priyya nearly were killed earlier. "I would advise you to stop digging while you are behind."
She then looks at Y'vonne, "Time is moving on, what is to be done with them, Lady Y'vonne?"
Mal shrugs, "Works for me. And I'd say the quicker we can get a move on, the better."
Ah. I thought the fact that there was back-and-forth between the npc's meant this was something you thought we might enjoy. That's why i entertained it. I have no interest in killing off Mal.
"Lady Kale..." Yvonne's voice is filled with contempt. "Only if it was her inheritance that she lost would for she feel sorrow. This man who they took to hunt was head of the merchant guild for Valehaven. Many lives did he risk to have his trophy. It should be him to see punishment for this foolishness, that is why to confidentiality he made these men swear!"
Clearly irate, the green-eyed woman paces back and forth, jade flames trailing from her form and footsteps as she walks.
"You three," she points at the men, "you will not hang. Your guilt is stupidity and following orders without knowing better. However, to Valehaven you will come. There you will help me by telling to the council the same tale that to us you told. When that is done, go free you shall. Your wrong is bad, but of bigger worry is imprudence of House Kale. Your price of freedom will be your words in court. If that is not suiting to you, then off that bridge should you follow your leaders."
"For now," she turns to the rest of you, "we make camp, and dinner we cook. Please forgive for my angry words. Much death could have been avoided, yet much more death could have come from this foolishness. Please, try to be comfortable, and accept from me thanks for your help."
Between the garrison guards posted at Skull's Gap, the Golden Drakes, and even members of your own group, there was no shortage of watchful eyes keeping a lookout over your camp. By the time you break camp in the morning, the most excitement you've seen is the passing of another caravan heading north in the early morning.
Rosday is thankfully much less interesting than yesterday. You depart Skull's Gap with the three mercenaries under watch in the lead wagon. With a few hundred yards of the bridge, the mountains become obscured from view as you enter the western reaches of the largest forest in Elsmyr Dale, The Dimwood.
At various points, the road rises up onto manmade causeways constructed over deep bogs that well up below the forest canopy. It is more than a bit unnerving for passengers in the carriage to look out their windows only to see murky water below them, but the bridgeworks are solid and the only ripples in the water appear to be from water rats and snakes rather than lake monsters (much to Felmor's relief).
It is mid afternoon by the time you reach Drellin's Ferry. A light drizzle falls from the sky, but the sun at your backs as you turn east heightens the intensity of the color of the sleepy riverside town and its outlying fields and buildings. As you approach the river, you note a set of six stone pylons rising above the river just to the north of the guy lines for the ferry. Yvonne explains, "In that place, once an old bridge stood. Maybe 10 years past, after heavy snows, when the river surged with melt waters, it washed away. Slower is the ferry, but safety too it provides."
Upon recognizing Bajala's hails, the ferrymen hitches a pair of draft horses to a huge wooden capstan and sets it turning. This sends the ferry across on the two enormously thick ropes. With the river being roughly 400-ft across here, it takes a good six minutes for the ferry to make it to your side and another six to make it back. While the Golden Drakes give priority to getting the carriage across first, it takes quite some time before the rest of the caravan has made it across.
As everyone gets out to stretch their legs, Yvonne says, "On the sorth of the town green, just east of here and on the right, will you find the inn. 'Old Bridge' it is called. At the livery behind it is where we stable our horses. East of the inn and south will you find the general store."
"On the road north east of the green, the sound of hammer falls will to the smithy lead you. Further out, at easternmost end is the shrine to Alíta by the pond."
"If follow the river north you do, Sertieren who is a mage in a large house lives. On west side of river and south, Avarthel there keeps a stone circle for the spirits of this land." She thinks for a moment and concludes, "No other places can I think of that to you would be of interest. For now, to the home of the town speaker I must go. News of what happened yesterday he will need..."
With that, Yvonne leaves the rest of you to your devices.
"Say, El?" Alis turns to Lureene, "It doesn't sound like there's much else to do in this little town. I think Mal was going to visit the weaponsmith and maybe that druid while Priyya was heading to church. Want to go visit that mage that Yvonne mentioned?"
When Lureene nods emphatically, she smiles and hooks her right arm around Lureene's left arm. "Right this way, milady," she jokes in the deepest voice she can muster.
The ferry hasn't even had time to complete its second trip by the time the two blondes are approaching Sertieren's manor house. It stands two-stories tall with nicely painted white clapboard siding, black shutters and a pair of red double-doors with large oval windows in them etched with scenes of fey. The door on the left bearing a scene of a druid by her oak, the one on the right a nymph in her pond.
Seated on a black rocking chair on the front porch, puffing away at a pipe and reading a book is a distinguised looking man with grey hair wearing a red silken parlor coat. By his side, hunting dog with red fur sits keeping watch, a small white cat curled up by its side napping.
At your approach, the dog stands up and give a single loud bark and wags its tail expectantly. The cat beside him stretches lazily and eyes you with curiosity before hopping up onto the rocker's armrest and into her master's arms.
"Ah, well hello there," says the man, "It looks like I must have lived a good life if a couple of angels have come to see me off! Care for a spot of tea before we go?"