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"Does anyone know what this means?"
Zeebo holds up the symbol for all to see.
"Thanks Seebonickk, maybe yours work better than mine"
Again, Zeebo taps the Centaur by the wound and a soft blue glow closes up the wound even more.
Zeebo taps Iladora with the wand as well
"Oh, Seebonickk yours works much better than mine."
"it's OK, It's OK. We are not going to harm you. Here is you necklace that we found. Can you stand or do you need more healing, like I said we are here to help not harm."[/b] And hands back the necklace.
With two more bursts of healing the fallen centaur shifts and stirs.
Shaken for a moment, he sees the six of you looming above him. I...I can stand. He does so, though not easily. Taking the returned necklace, the centaur gazes at your party for a moment, then coughs as the rising smoke seeps into his lungs again.
You, you are not from here then? he asks. But you head towards Mishkar. Then you can go and tell them that they must turn over the firestarters. Justice must be administered! If Mishkar will shield them from us then they are just as guilty!
A crack as a distant tree limb falls causes the centaur to swiftly turn towards his tribe's encampment. I must return to aid Chief Kanna. You showed honor in reviiving me: do not discard that by allying with those arsonists.[/b]
He then turns to gallop off as well.
The six of you hurry towards the village, looking for the source of the water the villagers seem to be using to beat back the flames. Passing through the gates you see that the cozy town of Mishkar is a hotbed of activity. Humans scurry back and forth among the buildings. A bucket brigade has formed from a large well at the town’s center, with water being taken both to the village’s edge to douse on the encroaching forest and up to wooden roofs and walls to quench smoldering embers. What’s more, dozens of goblins also are running around frantically! The small green creatures are moving just as quickly as the humans, trying to lift buckets half their size and digging trenches between Mishkar’s border and the burning Finadar Forest.
A massive muscled bear with blue-purple fur and a mantle of rainbow feathers stalks the edge of Mishkar and sees you as you approach. It greets you in a booming voice. The hulking bear turns and yells at a goblin dressed in leather armor decorated with what appears to be dragon bones.
The goblin starts at the call, then dashes off through the town. The bear watches him retreats for a moment before looking back at you. Dolok swings his massive head from side to side to indicate the scrambling humanoids all around. Half seem focused on dousing and dampening the wooden houses nearest to the forest fire, while the rest work with the goblins clearing dry brush before it can ignite and making firebreaks.
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If within range Zeebo begins to cast create water on the flames. WOOSH two gallons of water pours on the flames. And he cast another on another fire and continues.
In between castings Zeebo asks
"The Centaurs believe that the ones who started the fires are in this town and want the fire starters turned over to them. Do you know what or who started the fires?"
WOOSH another two gallons on a blaze.
Dolok attempts to crouch down to Zeebo’s height, though the act is not easy for the large creature.
The bear straightens.
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Zeebo gets right to work helping clear the brush
No, No not that plant. It's called ice plant and has so much water in it that it will not burn. If you find more bring them here.
Woosh! He soaks the plants to stop them from burning.
Then he sees that the fire breaks should be like lines cutting rows for planting crops.
"Keep your lines free of branches. Dig here and here we are making fire breaks. Put the dirt on that side of the trench. Deny the fire of it's fuel."
Woosh! Soaking the ground to stop embers from flying.
"Quickly people the fire doesn't wait on anyone!"
Dolok growls to Seebonickk.
Over at Mishkar’s edge, Jack steps up and tries to take charge in directing the goblins’ efforts. Initially, the cowed green creatures are suitably cowed by the dwarf’s orders and rush at his instructions. However, it soon becomes clear that the goblins seem to be more knowledgeable and experienced with this type of work than Jack is, and the conflicting demands confuse the creatures.
Urias and Arin waste little time trying to lend their physical labor to the cause. The work is hard – the smoke obscures a great view of the ground and Mishkar’s soil is tough – but the pair manage to excavate several protective gouges in the dirt.
Among the building, the two gnomes rush to and fro. Seebonickk manages to scamper up several buildings with ease, but a few of the houses’ odd constructions through off the rogue’s pace. Zeebo meanwhile is a mobile waterspout, putting out fires all around him as he races in the streets.
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Realizing that her skills are better suited to helping clear burnables away than to spreading water, Iladora puts her command experience to use and starts directing the goblins. "You, get that side. You, hand me that branch. We need a trench right here, don't dig over there, the ground is too rocky, it'll take too long."
Iladora follows Jack's lead, but the goblins seem to take to her orders a bit better as the warrior demonstrates by example. All together, your party, the villagers, and the goblins spend several minutes pitching in as one, and before long Mishkar seems to have earned a temporary reprieve from the worst of the fire.
As the six of you take a moment to catch your breaths, Dolok lumbers over accompanied by the racing goblin from earlier and a young and somewhat exhausted woman. She gives a tired smile as she see you.
“So, the Pathfinders come to rescue the Farheavens once again? Honestly, if the circumstances weren’t what they are I’d feel bad about bothering you all again so soon!" She extends a hand. "I'm Nelket. As you can see, things have been...hectic lately." Nelket walks over to a nearby stump and sits down. The goblin follows her, standing nearby with his head darting back and forth between her and you.
“About two weeks ago, we woke up to fire on the horizon and goblins practically on our doorsteps. At first, we thought it was a raid. But when Dolok roared and charged to our defense, the goblins dropped everything they were carrying and started groveling on their bellies!” Nelket smirks and glances the goblin. The goblin stares at the ground, embarassed. “Dragbog here informed us that he’s the chieftain of these goblins, the Dragonskull Tribe, and that they were fleeing from fire, undead monsters, and some very angry centaurs. As you can see, that bit's quite quite true. As for the rest of it...perhaps I should let Dragbog tell you the rest in his own words.”
She nudges the goblin, who steps forward hesitantly, then looks at you six and begins speaking in a high-pitched voice.
We Dragonskulls live in the red trees for a long time.
Build our homes from dragon bones, hide beneath the ground when centaurs come. Red trees burn too good, but Dragonskulls know how fire works! The little goblin thrusts his narrow chest out proudly at this. But...something bad happen. We burn sick trees around village like every year to keep fires small, but old stone in town catch fire too! Fires start jumping everywhere, and then Dragonskull homes wake up and start trying to eat us with fire-tongues! We run until Redpine horse-lady stop us and say we burn down their village too! So we run again until fire get too close. Dragonskulls set small fire to eat food so big fire not follow, then big bear invite us here!”
Dragbog finishes his story, then looks at at your party with a proud smile, thrilled with his own 'masterfully' told tale.
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Compared to the few sentences she had heard goblins speak before, this was remarkably on topic and easy to follow. Still, she wondered if some things were being lost in translation. At least it was clear why the centaurs were so angry. "What can you tell us about the 'old stone' you mentioned in your village? Can you describe it? And... were you actually living in dragon skulls?"
Course: we Dragonskulls! Dragobog answers Arin, looking at the longshank as if that it the most obvious answer in the world. But now thanks to fire and homes eating us, we have no homes and no name.
Old stone just big rock in canyon, sticking out of ground. the goblin gestures with his hands, describing its size at maybe 4-feet high and 10-feet around. Look just normal, but when fire hit it evil fire writing started glowing on it. Then rock kept making more and more fire!
Yes! Dragbog exclaims loudly. Fire from bad rock started hitting homes, then homes and bones start to move again and eat No-Afraid-of-Dragon![/b]
Dolok growls out
So I extended them protection, in exchange for the Dragonskull's help protecting the town from the forest fire. Nelket cuts in. Unfortunately, that's drawn significant attention from the centaurs: they seem far less convinced the goblins aren't at fault - well, direct fault - here. And between the Redpine tribe's threats, the fires outside, and the fiery undead Dragbog is describing, I'm afraid the Farheavens are trapped here.
She turns to you. You Pathfinders have already done so much, but it pains me that I need to ask one more favor. Dolok and I need to remain here and ensure Mishakr and its people are protected, but Dragbog should be able to lead you through the forest back to the Dragonskull's homes. If this 'burning stone' isn't found and stopped from running wild... Nelket trails off.
Cover mouth, keep it wet. Dragbog readily volunteers to Arin. We keep down to ground, smoke too tall and miss us. The goblin points to the gnomes with a smile. You two smart to be short. Don’t scare: I know forest well. Well, when on less fire. Get you to Dragonskull homes and bad rock…two days!
Nelket adds Unfortunately while we have cloth tents and some water to spare, we weren’t exactly prepared for a fire of this magnitude. The Redpines have always been a bit more prepared for the dangers of the woods – they live in it after all – but given the circumstances they are no exactly jumping to share anything with us. She looks off through the haze, where the centaur’s encampment is vaguely visible in the smog.
Nelket nods. Good luck Pathfinders. May the gods bless you.
Dragbog smiles. Don’t need gods. Got Dragbog! The goblin fidgets impatiently as you finish creating rudimentary protections for your faces, then hurries to Mishakr’s border. He looks warily back and forth, but seeing no centaurs immeadiately around makes a break for the forest, motioning for you to follow.
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The Finadar Forest is a massive, sprawling woodland filled with conifers, seasonal undergrowth, and uneven terrain. Even in ideal circumstances, travelling through the woods wouldn’t be smooth. These are not ideal circumstances. As Dragbog guides you amidst the trees, the heat around you is sweltering. The forest is scarred with fire, and the goblin repeatedly has you zig and zag as he attempts to navigate while avoiding patches ahead still glowing and crackling with active flames.
Come on, slow longshanks. Dragbog says ahead of you as he scampers about. Wait too long, fire get bigger. And homes might move. Then Dragonskulls being chased by fire and horse-people and need new homes!
As the goblin leads you on, you hear him singing a little ditty to himself.
Stoke the ember, build the flame
Take its food to keep it tame
Chop the earth and cut the roots
From the ashes grow green shoots
Unfortunately, the song does little to help with the smoky air, with smoke and ash omnipresent and burning at each of your throats.
Of course! Dragbog says to Zeebo as they move through the forest. Dragonskulls love fire. Fire and goblin go together like pickles and goblin! So we smart, teach how make lot of fires over and over and over and over and over and over again, not one big fire that great and bright but then all gone. Like now.
Zeebo's magic is working overdrive as the gnome finds a lot of fire to douse. However, doing so is taking a toll, and the druid feels tired as his lungs begin to sear with moke and ash.
The smoke is a growing problem, but Urias manages to resist the worst of it for the time being.
As you continue through the Finadar Forest, the scorching flames tearing through the dense woodlands throw thick plumes of acrid smoke into the air. Narrow, rock-strewn paths and stony crevices cut through the wilderness, offering some shelter from the oppressive smoke and heat. Dragbog guides you a bit to the east where the more rugged terrain smooths out into a decently kept trail that cuts through the woods. The goblin smiles
Rangers and druids walk here sometimes. Easier path, less time to walk. Good idea, yes!
Unfortunately, even as he beams a pair of furred and clawed creatures burst out of the nearby woods. Snarling in frustration and confusion, the two animals race on a path directly towards you!
Uh oh. Guess they have good idea too...
Initiative
Seebonickk
BOLD is up!
Dragbog seems unwilling to argue with Arin’s advice – in fact the goblin has already managed to scramble behind you all!
Seebonickk cautiously readies his sword as he waits to see what the animals will do.Unfortunately, the smoke and fie seems to have thrown them into a frenzy, and one rushes straight towards you. Just when it snarls right up at Arin and Urias’s faces, the rogue steps up and gives the a strike to try and stop it. It’s a good cut, though the beast seems even angrier than ever.
Initiative
Arin
Iladora
Jack
Zeebo – fatigued
Bold are up!