Yaron says, "I'm wondering how many homes and camps the mites pilfered to amass all this... I mean, unless we think they actually need to shave? The dagger is magical, by the way."
"Likely a lot. Either they were preying on people for a long time, or have taken advantage of the chaos of the hobgoblin attacks." Faerieth says grimly. " Either way, we can put this all to good use and add to the supplies. Every bit helps." she says beginning to gather things and the slow process of ferrying everything out of the cave.
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"All good Big John, mites are down."
He called back to the big man to let him relax a bit. Darry knew the big man was under quite a bit of stress. Helping to remove the loot he eyed the crossbow that was thankfully his size.
"You folk dont mind if I snag that crossbow do you? Will be good to have a way to hit things when they get all tangled up in yer vines Faerieth."
Sor spits. "Little scavenger a*#@*&&s."
Arlen helps collect the loot, or keeps watch, as needed.
Once it is done, he suggests going to visit the wizard to get Big John healed up.
"Yes, we definitely should seek out the Wizard, even on the off chance they can help. If not I can at least give those of us affected a slightly better chance of resisting the continued effects." Faerieth says, Stretching and rubbing sore spots from the cramped cave.
After packing away everything you care to take, you start travelling through the dense forest and increasingly overcast day towards the wizard's camp.
As they set out, Faerieth's natural sense of direction and uncanny ability to navigate in the wilds is invaluable as she takes the lead in guiding the group to the Wizard's keep
He and Sebastion followed along the others, having very little training in woodcraft or scouting really he just paid attention to the others pointing out the way to go, they remained alert though, for more mites or hobgoblins.
Faerieth, having a good sense of where she was in the forest, leads you along faint paths through the densely wooded terrain.
It takes you most of a day and a night and another day before you stop.
Faerieth is clearly puzzled; you should have arrived at the wizard's place by now.
Sor spits on the ground and points to the scorched stone. "Walking in f*&%ing circles."
Arlen frowns. "Are you sure? Faerieth seems like she knows what she's doing. "
Sor looks at Arlen and nods, but he wastes no words, instead retracing and trying to figure it out himself.
”What? Going in circles! How? I totally thought we were going in the right direction.”
Big John says while scratching his head and looking around.
"That doesn't make any sense, I know for a fact we were going in the right direction, but now... " Faerieth trails off, thoroughly confused.
" Unless..."
The druidess stops speaking, her gaze intense is she quietly chants in druidic, closing and reopening her eyes, this time with her vision enhanced to discern the emanations of magic.
That direction leads directly into a blackberry hedge. A hedge that reeks of Illusion.
Eyes glowing with magical enhancement Faerieth stares at something only she can see. "I knew there was no way I went that wrong!"
She takes a length of rope from her pack, tying it around her waist handing the other end to Darry. [b]"The forest is enchanted to make you lose your way. I'm going to try overcoming it, it looks like the only non-magicked area is that blackberry hedge. If this works, ignore what your eyes tell you and everybody just follow the rope.
Arlen prepares to follow Faerieth.
"Alight then sounds like a plan, Sebastion boy take a good scent of miss Faerieth In case something crazy happens."
He ordered Sebastion who moved close to the druind and gave her a good sniff. The halfling rider gave her a nod.
"Looks like blackberries to me but we have your back miss."
He added doing his best to not believe the bush in front of them wasnt an actual bush.
”Tricky wizards.”
Big John shrugs.
”Lets do it.”
Yaron says, "Did we blindly wander into an enchantment, or is this trying to keep us away from the witch, do you think? Or are we cursed?"
To those watching, Faerieth simply pressed forward into the thorned tangle of vines and disappeared from view. The rope continued to slither in after her.
After a dozen yards of dense and sharply pointed greenery, Faerieth stepped into daylight again. And stepping into open air.
Falling down the side of moss covered rock wall, the rope came taut and stopped her six feet above a pond mostly covered in lily pads.
Dragonflies swirled erratically about and frogs hopped off in a huff at the intrusion.
Beyond the pond was a lovely little dell amongst the gigantic trees of the surrounding forest. There was open grass fields, fruiting shrubs, an orchard, and several gardens of vegetables and exotic plants used in arcane works. Nearby, a ramshackle house sent up a thin plume of grey smoke from a chimney.
As Faerieth rotated gently around, taking in the scenery, she found herself nose to nose with a tall, lanky woman with wild iron gray hair.
She is dressed in a old, much patched robe, holding a basket of cultivated plants in one hand and a pipe in the other.
Her face is covered in the tan and wrinkles of a life out of doors.
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The woman looked at Faerieth with a deeply skeptical exam, then her eyes traced the rope back up and over the lip of the dell.
She let out a sigh of exasperation, turned and walked off towards the house.
Arlen gasps as the rope goes taut. "Faerieth, are you okay?" he asks and runs forward after her
”Eh? What just happened?”
I'm okay! It worked!" Faerieth calls back, working to carefully untie herself. "Follow the rope through, Darry bring the end with you when you and Sebastion come through. And everybody watch out, there's quite the sudden drop, about a dozen yards in."
"You heard the lady."
He began scanning the woods waiting for the others to trod through the illusion. His lips twitched in impatience as he patted the top of Sebastions big shaggy head.
"See boy, no worries, told you miss Faerieth would find the place."
He said lowly while his mount half tilted his head back to look up at his rider.
Faerieth worked the knot, which finally came undone and dropped her to the grassy floor of the Dell.
One by one, the others came through the illusionary thorn hedge, coming out at the top of the drop.
Arlen uses the rope to climb down
Everyone that held back make their way through the illusionary thorn bush and gawp at the bucolic dell from the top of the valley wall.
Yaron and Sor get down without a problem.
As the others begin to drop through, Faereith returns her attention to the woman walking away towards the house. "Hello! Ma'am, we're sorry to intrude on you, but we need your help." she says quite honestly.
I thought we were looking for a wizard. This lady seems more like a Witch. Arlen thinks to himself
Big John shimmies down the rope.
”Heh, This is a cool little hidey-hole.”
He looks around.
Come on boy, time for a bath."
He said urging his mount to hope into the pond. Poor Sebastion never learned to climb ropes.
"Cannonball!"
He called out with a chuckle as he and Sebastion made quite the splash into the pond.
Yaron whistles, "I imagine this keeps the hobbies out."
"Hello! Ma'am, we're sorry to intrude on you, but we need your help."
The woman started arranging the plants on drying racks.
"Well then. You've found me. Skillfully done. And you need my help." She said acerbically. She turned and fixed Faerieth with a jaundiced eye.
Behind them, they heard "CANNONBALL!!" shouted before a great splash soaked Faerieth and the woman.
Glaring at Faerieth as water dripped off the end of her nose, the woman gritted out; "What. Do. You. Want."
Faerieth pinches the bridge of her nose with a sigh. Looking over her shoulder at Darry and Sebastion with a bit of a glare, she shakes out her hair as she gives the woman an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry about...all this. We had a run-in with a number of ghouls, and some of us were affected by the fever that comes with getting injured by them. Come sundown, the after-effects might be permanent. We were hoping for some magical aid in staving off the effects."
"An army of Hobgoblins Sacked Phaendar if you didnt know, we have been gathering survivors, sorry about the splash miss, Sebastion is terrible at climbing ropes."
He added taking a more somber tone when he saw the mess the two of them had made.
Yaron says, "Apologies, we do have manners and don't generally just come tromping through loudly and demanding help... We're... well..." ...what are we?..."survivors of Phaendar, organizing to protect the other refugees, and to even strike back."
He sighs, "We found the ghouls accidentally while foraging for supplies, and... we're worried about our companions."
He shrugs, then smiles, Not exactly a bawdy, now is it? Then again, this isn't really a performance...
He bows, showing respect, and says, "I am Yaron."
"Is there anything we can do for you? " Arlen offers
She sneered at Faerieth.
"Well of course! That's why I came all the way out here, to do villagers who exiled me favors! For free!"
"Is there anything we can do for you? " Arlen offers
Immediately, her attention is captured by Arlen's offer. A suspicious smile curls around her lips.
"ANY...thing?" She purred.
”Heh, well maybe he will do anything, but the rest of us still have standards and morals, but if payment is needed what do you have in mind?”
"Uh..." Arlen coughs. "Well, we need your help, I'm just wondering if there's something we can do for you to show our goodwill. Or just in payment."
He looks at Big John and sets his jaw. There's a lot I would do to keep that guy from turning into a ghoul. he thinks to himself
Struting up to Arlen, the woman invaded his personal space.
"Well..." She purred. "Such a gentleman, to make such an offer to an old and lonely woman..." She said, brushing a fingertip down the line of Arlen's jaw, then down to his chest.
"You've called to mind something I DO want." She said.
Then she abruptly spun Arlen about to face a giant treetrunk laying across the meadow.
"I recently helped a hill giant out of a jam. When I asked for firewood in payment, he dropped this monster on my doorstep.
"My price for healing you is for you all, with your youthful strength and energy, is to render this log into useable firewood."
She turned and went back to her cabin.
"I'll get started on the cure!"
Arlen let's out a sigh of relief as the woman walks away, then laughs at himself. He moves over to the tree, looking for a timber axe he can use to get to work
Yaron nods, "I believe we can do that... would you have an axe nearby, so we don't need to blunt our weapons?"