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Waggi gives a half-hearted victory shout as the last greenskin falls "Arrooooo! Good." He hoots as he stows his bow and goes about making sure the goblins 'stay' dead with an axe to the skull.
"These goblins.. are not very impressive. Let's see if they found us any valuable prizes..." He looks through everything and as he does handles the tablets.
He quickly recoils like he's been stung or burned "This stone spoke to me in my head! It must be infested with spirits!" Still shaken from the earlier episode, Waggi leaves the tablets for the others to make more sense of, taking a drink of water and keeping his ears peeled in the darkness all around them.
On the bodies of the goblins, you find a well-made dogslicer, a couple of smokesticks (2), a few thunderstones (4), a suit of studded leath armor, and a few other weapons. (dogslicer, 3 shortbows, 1 short sword, about three dozen arrows).
You also find a collection of vials, each with crude pictures on them. Four vials bear depictions of flames, one bears primitively rendered frog, one bears an etching of feather, and the fourth bears something resembling a smiley face.
With the goblins defeated, you are able to claim the stone tablets and any of the other items you wish to retrieve from the caverns.
At the entrance of the cave, Urgrin and Helga await excited to hear about what you found out about the cave. "We are placed ta see ya alive!" cries Helga. "Did ye fight off zombies fiends? Howling undead? Screeching ghosts?"
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Avoiding the tablets, but suggesting someone else brings them along, Waggi helps gather up the other useful items of weaponry and vials. He curses at the short, small arrows but takes some time to investigate the potions for colors and smells he may be familiar with.
"What was once there's is now ours. A nice haul from those ugly things." He pockets one of the thunderstones for future use.
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"We ravaged some green skins and found this silver hammer and some tablets. Take a look." He shows them the items, careful to not touch the tablets once more.
"Greenskins?!" Helga replies quizzically, before gasping upon seeing the scrawlings on the tablets. "Oh." The woman's face turns red with embarrassment. "So, those were the cries of undead we had heard, it was goblins?"
Urgin shakes his head shamefully, "We shouldna let our superstitious attitudes allow goblins to gain a foothold in this territory." He then lifts his head and says, "Thank you for dealing with them."
"Yes, thank you." adds Helga. "We are most appreciative of your efforts and are glad that none of you are hurt. Please, letme take a look at what lies 'neath these filthy etchins."
The dwarven woman takes ahold of the tablet.
"Ah..." she says as she reads the tablets. "'Tis a ballad--and an ancient one at that. These etched stones sing of Jorgar Ironbellows, an ambitious noble who murdered his father to secure his inheritance. Jorgar, in turn, was slain by his own son."
"This fable is one told among dwarven halls as a cautionary tale." she notes, "A reminder--nay, a warnin'-- 'bout the folly of favorin' one’s own ambition 'buv the lives of one's fellow kin."
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Waggi gives a curious eye as the woman makes no mention of spirits investing the tablets. Maybe they've come to live in Waggi... this is bad.
He pushes the silver hammer into her hands next "This was guarded by the spirits of other Dwarves. One by one they turned on each other and fought from within. It was a terrifying sight to see. All that remained was bones and this hammer." He looks for her to explain what they may have seen.
Helga graciously accepts Veilblade's words of reproof and encouragement. She then examines the hammer from Waggi and asks for a more detailed description of the vision that accompanied it.
After listening to the additional details, she notes, "Then, the area was haunted, it would seem--and may very likely still remain so."
"I cannot say that I am sorry to hear of the death of worshippers of Droskar. From the time when the ascendant Droskari theocracy began, it destroyed large amounts of dwarven art and culture. Much was lost." Helga laments.
"If the Droskari in your vision said, 'This weapon struck no enemies, only my brothers and sisters.', then perhaps the haunt can be ended by using the silvered warhammer to slay a traditional enemy of the dwarven people, such as an orc, hobgoblin, or the like."[/b] postulates Urgrin. "If you leave the weapon wish us, I will personally make sure that this is done."
"As for the woman in the domino mask," continues Helga, "I know not her identity, but it does not sound as if she was among the Droskari."
With the dwarves having renewed incentive to redouble their patrols and defenses, they aid the party with its departure from the Rising Spire.
It is not long before the party receives another missive from Kreighton Shane with directions for the party to head to another location to the south in the Arthfell Forest.
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Waggi gladly hands over the warhammer, feeling its cursed and wishing to not be associated with such "Ahh, would have been good to know. Someone could have smashed one of those greenskins with it. I'm sure they'll be more. I put an arrow through the leader's eye at 20 paces and the rest fled afterward." He leaves it at that as the group heads back to Absalom.
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Waggi reads the missive to himself and ponders what he knows of the Arthfell Forest.
"I think that is in Andoran, not all that far from this island." I may or may not have had an Uncle or two that raided a few of those villages...
Following the letter received from Kreighton Shane and with the aid of the magical wayfinder provided with the message, the party safely arrives in the Arthfell Forest heading in the direction where it is believed the gnome Eylysia had previously traveled.
En route, the party has time to contemplate what they may know of the area.
You know that creatures of the First World have called the Arthfell Forest home for longer than mortal memory. Conflicts between the fey range from mischievous fun to deadly serious.
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"... and that'sh vhy rah fey can be found everyvhere in rah Arthfell Foresht," Brakkik happily rambles as the group walks through the trees. "Of courshe, you never know vith rah fey if they're going to be nishe or naughty. Shupposhedly rah druidsh of rah area kept rah peashe betveen rah fey and other people living here, but there vash an argument that broke rah druidic shircle and now nobody mediatesh betveen rah two partiesh. But rah druidsh shelebrated both Shpring and Autumn ash feshtive holidaysh - Shpring being about new life, and Autumn about acsheptanshe of death." He nods, thoughtfully chewing on a shrewfly. "Perhapsh rah cowl ish related shomehow to the Autumn feshtival?"
The road upon which you travel on ends and the natural splendor of Arthfell forest falls away to a barrier of dried-out thorns that does little to obscure the lifeless trees beyond. Frigid winds whisper through branches that claw at the sky as a mist rises out from deep within the wood.
There you see a woman, clearly employing magic to tend to the thorns--her touch making the thorns green and revitalized, thereby allowing the barrier to repair itself, growing thicker in the process. However, soon after her touch recedes, the newly-rejuvenated thorns begin to lose their lush, green color and start to fade, becoming more brown and brittle.
Upon seeing you, she looks up somewhat surprised. Reacting quickly, the woman moves gracefully, yet swiftly, to place herself between you and the barrier of thorns.
"Greetings, Travelers!" she states. "I am Adelyn Rhinon of the Greenfire Circle. For your safety, I must insist that you go no further for beyond this protective barrier lies a thicket, now blighted from a senseless massacre of druids that occurred centuries earlier. So powerful is this blight that it causes plants to wither and travelers to become lost."
"My charge is to maintain this wall." she continues, subconsciously rubbing her hands as she speaks as if to ease the aches likely to follow hours of toil. "Know that it is in place to prevent both unsuspecting wanders from falling to the harms beyond as well as to bar entry to those wily lycanthropes who would seek to use its magics for their own ill-purposes."
She looks you straight in the eyes, while her hand moves to the pummel of a silvered blade sheathed at her waste. Assertively, she asks, "Of which kind, do you profess to be?"
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Ynam looks flustered, perhaps because she is tired from the journey, or perhaps because of how beautiful Adelyn is. "Those patterns, those hand movements and the magic... it was truly beautiful. It is rare that I find someone as talented with the wild arts on my journeys." The small wispy woman gathers herself. "Ahem, I am Ynam, and these are my friends. We are Pathfinders, from the Society. None of us, as far as I know, suffer from this horrible affliction you sharpen the thorns from."
She get's straight to the point, "We are actually on the trail of an unsuspecting wanderer of old. Zaul Blighstone was a valient adventurer in his time who visited these forests long ago. Have you ever heard of him, or the Autumns Cowl?"
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He doesn't seem to know all that much about this forest so he listens in earnest as the Rat man butchers the common tongue. "You, are hard to understand. You know this right?" He peers down at the man-rodent with a crooked smile on his face.
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Waggi walks through the forest with the ease and knowledge of a woodsman, but also with the foresight to expect trouble. He keeps his eyes and ears open for both boon and trouble on their trip. "Those thorns do not look healthy. Why won't your fey magic sustain them?" He is naturally a bit skiddish around wood spirits and their magic but this one is easy on the eyes so it helps.
When the question of lycanthropy comes up he grins a wild grin and responds "I have not yet been blessed with the strength of the moon wolves, but in my lands to the North this is a boon indeed, not a curse. You have never seen a more ferocious warrior on the field than an Ulfen berzerker on a full moon!" His eyes dance at the remembrance of the stories passed down from generation to generation.
"Have you heard of a woman named Eylysia? She would have come later than Zaul."
"My aren't you a breath of fresh air?" Adalyn says, locking eyes with the sylph. She smiles and shakes her head, before returning her gaze to the task at hand. Spying a patch of thorny vines now brown and brittle, she sighs deeply and begins to use her magics to restore them.
"Pathfinders, you say? I have heard of your Society and how some of its members have worked along side my order, the Greenfire Circle."
"Of this wanderer...'Zaul Blystone', was it?... I know nothing. Likewise, of such a cowl, though these woods are ancient band hold many a secret." she says as she continues her work. "I will bid you passage through the barrier. But, you will then be on your own to deal with whatever mysteries or dangers may lie beyond."
When Waggi speaks, a scowl forms on the woman's face. "The Shadow Pact bear no blessings." she sneers. "As for 'Eylysia', I believe there was a gnome by that name who passed this way many years ago."
The druid approaches the barrier of thorns before the party. With a wave of her hand, the greener portions of the wall part, granting a path through into the bleak wood beyond. The newly-formed opening provides view of the foreboding woodland that fills the space beyond. Tall, naked trees are interspersed with the occasional needle-covered fir, and the ground is barren with no signs of fauna.
"I wish to see this forsaken place returned to health." notes Adelyn. "The Greenfire druids established this wall of thorns around the entirety of the thicket, but due to the thicket’s magic, the thorns become brittle and dry if they are not regularly maintained. The Shadow Pact--the violent lycanthropes I mentioned--have repeatedly attacked the boundary. It seems they believe that some powerful weapons are hidden within. If that is true, then they must not be permitted to obtain them."
"Yet, the act of maintaining the barrier and restoring that which quickly withers has been quite laborious. Likewise, fending off the frequent attacks has also taken its toll." Adelyn implores, "Please, be mindful of any threats. And, if you learn of something of the blight that could allow it to be vanquished, I would be in your debt."
The Greenfire adherent bids you all safe passage and allows you through the barrier, before closing it behind you.
Navigating the deep, blighted wood proves more difficult than one would expect.
As the party travels, the quiet wood seems to hold some secrets.
You notice what appears to be a robed figure protruding from a tree.
The figure appears to be a portrayal of Ng, the mysterious hooded Eldest watches over the seasons, secrets, and roads.
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Waggi shrugs at the woman's response "Maybe these shadow wolves are not the same as ours in the North. If they attack do they have a weakness?"
Once through the wall Waggi directs the group forward to the best of his ability.
He's far too concerned with navigation to notice anything else on the trip.
With help from the wayang, the Ulfen man is able to safely navigate the woods, despite the enchantments and wards apparently put in place to make the effort more difficult. The skill of these agents allow the party to discover the center of the thicket quickly, outpacing an encroaching bank of dense fog.
The heart of the thicket is less visually imposing than its lifeless outer reaches. Deciduous trees burst with magnificent autumnal colors and the ground is covered in tangled gardens of flowers, gourds and vegetables.
Thick undergrowth chokes the ground in this open thicket, and clutching ivy climbs the posts and eves of an abandoned lumber mill on the thicket’s far side. Though the light of the sun reaches all but the darkest corners of this vine-covered garden, the air still bears an oppressive quality, as though neither light nor humanoid life is truly welcome.
Among the flowers, gourds, and vegetables that fill the thicket, Salvadore and Ynam each spot one pumpkin that appears rather unusual.
Surprise Round!
Veilblade
Salvadore
Brakkik
Waggi
Ynam
?
Salvadore explains that that jack-o'-lanterns can shrink in size and douse its sinister fiery radiance, allowing it to blend in almost perfectly with normal pumpkins. He expounds that that their fiery radiance allows them to breath flames, to resist all but the hottest flames, and to explode in a burst of flaming spores upon death.
Ynam notes that the creature's burning countenance invokes fear in those who see it and that the plant-monsters can ensnare prey within their tendril-like vines.
As if on cue, the leafy vines around the "pumpkin" begin to wiggle and writhe, forcing the orange globe into the air, as fiery shapes begin to form on its surface. Two triangular shapes form a gaze of blazing eyes, while the third distorts into a jagged, flaming maw!
On lithe, viny limbs it shambles toward you.
Round One
Veilblade
Salvadore
Brakkik
Waggi
Ynam
Jack-o'-lantern
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As Waggi listens to the report on the crazed pumpkin his mind is quickly made up "Shoot it from afar, quickly!" He tries to close a bit of distance for an easier shot but vines tangle his feet and he can only move so fast.
He fires off a cold iron arrow, something he reserves for those of strange magical nature. "Die foul fey beast!"
A flurry of objects fly towards the flaming fruit! The ratfolk's immature squash strikes the jack-o'lantern as does the sylph's snowball, and the evoker's missile of force.
Struck multiple times, the Gourd of the Battlefield falls lifeless to the ground!
Round Two
Veilblade
Salvadore
Brakkik
Waggi
Ynam
Jack-o'-lantern -16 HP
The Varisian stands back.
The remains of the jack-o'-lantern explodes in a cloud of flaming spores!
Okay, more like a flaming **pufft**.
Following the slight disturbance in the air, the thicket is now quiet.
A crumbling lumber mill stands to the north. It is unremarkable except for a large wooden statue similar to that previously seen, of Ng protruding from the front. A pile containing six delicious looking berries and three small gourds, likely left as offerings lie at the statue's base.
These are goodberries.
These are three immature jack-o’-lanterns .
Carved alongside the statue is an inscription that reads “Like the Lord of Seasons, our hoods illuminate truth, while their masks shelter deceit. Let this be the sign of our covenant. -E”
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Popping the now-toasted marshmallow in his mouth, the ratfolk examines the offerings.
"Ooo! Vhat delectable treatsh do ve have here?" Brakkik hurriedly shoves things aside in his backpack to make space for the gourds. "Look at theshe beautiesh! I vould hypothoshize that they are immature variantsh of the creature ve just fought. Perhapsh they too can make a lovely boom!"
"Now, vhat'sh thish about raishing our hoodsh?" The mischievous alchemist moves behind Waggi and tosses the ranger's cloak up and over the human's head. "Closhe enough, I hope!"
“Take ye not a step further into Ng’s sacred realm." cries a voice, coming from the mill’s doorway. Emerging from the wooden ruins is the figure of a handsome woman. Long, red hair trails down her back where it is met by red, fox-like tail. Her cascade of red hair catches the light, but her face is hidden deep within the cowl, which appears to have been composed from colored leaves sewn together.
"I am the Crocus Knight, sworn protector of the Thicket of Endless Fall and rightful successor to Ng’s chosen, Zaul Blystone." she declares as she tightly grips a silver lance in her hand.
She then grips her lance more tightly, scrutinizing the party. "Are you here to join in the grove’s protection, or defile its splendor? Speak now, lest I add you to the great harvest."
Having cast detect magic Ilathor perceives an aura emanating from the cowl, as well as the pile of berries. The pumpkins next to them produce no aura.
The cowl atop the woman's head must almost certainly be the Autumn's cowl.
The beautiful form of a woman sporting a fox-like tail might possibly be a huldra. Were she indeed a huldra, she would have a wood-lined hollow inside her back, revealing her true fey nature. However, her back is currently obscured by the length of her hair.
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Waggi moves forward a bit, lowering his bow for now. His gaze lingers on the woman's cowl and on her in general. "I be Waggi, a great explorer from the Northlands. We have come seeking answers left here by E." He nods towards the statue and the inscription. His words and tone are rough and do little to help the situation.
As the protector of this sacred place, I will not tolerate your presence a second longer until ye have explained yourselves!" demands the Crocus Knight. "You speak of discovery and exploration, but this is a place of solemn devotion for true adherents to the ways of Ng. And just who is this 'E' of whom you have spoken?"