Ekun keeps watch with his bow out in case any more spirits or danger decides to try to harm them now that they know its secrets. "No wonder the Stag Lord was trying to hide this place with this overgrowth. Do you think he is ashamed? Or is he keeping an eye on it still?"
"The former certainly, but quite possibly both."
"And if he knew it would show his secrets, it explains why he wanted it burned down."
One can never underestimate the giant ego of these man babies with daddy issues. - said the sorceress, before continuing - However, I feel we might have some use to this information. More than just shaming that creature. Regardless, we might be done here already, so I'd say we should seek our next goal.
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Yesireee - Bosses! Let's jump on the ole' horses and get to somewhere else -- my horse is named Rusted Root just in case you all needed to know. Kinda, like if the horses are around a feeding trough and Rusted Root is bullying your horses, you can shout!
Linzi prattles on about different times and situations where you'd want to tell off a horse, she also mentions that we should get to the place that had the circling crows. She can show off Lizni's Bluff to Shayn.
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More house to explore! I wonder what images to find here?
Hey, does anyone know much about Erastil? What can you tell me about him? Does all his clerics go around swinging a stick as a rule of thumb?
Oh! Oh! Speaking of which, the Chelaxian's never had that rule in their books about being able to beat their wives- it's a common misconception. The rule where you can beat someone with a stick no thicker than your thumb only applies to Teiflings in Cheliax!
Shayn walks by the stone altar, looking with curiosity at it. In her core, she knew maybe it wasn't so strange for an altar to Erastil to be there, at that position; regardless, she couldn't help but wonder how falsely maybe the Stag Lord's father "followed" the deity, if he did so - or how the villainous son somehow corrupted that faith.
As with the well, you find another loose stone that hides a small cubbyhole. It is apparent that this would have been extremely hard to spot while the shrine was maintained, but the weathering and decay have made the hidden space more obvious. Inside you find more notes in the same handwriting as before.
"I went to the old Temple of the Elk today. Wicked, gloomy place now. Just like my soul--it used to shine once, now it is hollow and horrible."
Did he spy on me? Maybe I should lock him up? No, leave him be. What can he do, the useless coward. Just whimper and hide."
After you find and read the notes, Another ghostly figure appears. Pyros immediately recognizes her as the nymph that appeared to him in what he thought was a dream his first night at Oleg's, right before the mysterious fog appeared.
"I have been waiting for you. The flowers, the birds, the wind all told me you would come. Oh my poor flowers, they will perish soon in this fog..."
Faerin's eyes widen as the ghostly image of a nymph appears, seemingly to speak directly to Pyros. Clearly this was the nymph from the dream he'd narrated to them that first night, reaching out for their aid.
A sense of purpose fills her, fueled by that pull she felt toward the fey, a calling to something in her blood. "Not if we can help it." she says solemnly. "What they've done to the natural order here...it's beyond vile, and it will be restored."
Pyros nods along with Faerin, then speaks to the image. "I've seen you before. In a dream. What can we do to help?"
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"You have found some things of the old Druid that lived here. This fog is of his making, I'm sure of it. This suffocating veil is as vicious as his nature. We should learn more about this fog and the ritual that created it. The past may hide the answers that shape the future. His notes that you found, do they mention anything?"
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Hmmm? Did you mention notes, yes. Notes are right here.
Linzi looks a bit distracted. She remembered the notes. She din't take them, She think's she may have left them back at the herb shed.
Maybe someone else was a good helper and grabbed the notes.
Linzi keeps padding her pockets and belt pouches and backpack. Everything is an unorganized mess.
Ekun listens on. "Is the druid the old man or the Stag Lord? If it is the old man then that is proof he is being kept alive."
"The old man, the abusive father that is now the Stag Lord's prisoner." Faerin says, piecing everything together. "Can I see them for a moment?" she asks, taking the writing and looking through them for signs of the mention of the fog, or some sort of ritual.
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Giving up on finding the notes amidst her mess, Linzi mentions-
Oh I remember enough of the notes. So, The Druid prepared a ritual at the Temple of the Elk. That ritual created this fog that does some sort of suffocating.
Now, I am not a religious scholar but we have an altar to the hunting God- Erastil. But is this the Temple of the Elk? Because the Elk is something Erastil would hunt?
........ so the Temple was already gloomy prior to the ritual...
Which means we need to purge the temple... which is either here or somewhere else.... and said temple needs to be cleansed.
Linzi does root through her pack again and finds what she was looking for quickly this time.
Holding up a bar of soap.
I got soap, but I'm thinking that's not gonna really do the spic and span cleaning.
"Yes, the Temple would likely be the source. Perhaps there is something left there. The Stag Lord left instructions with one of his men to have it destroyed." Faerin adds.
"An ancient temple, the temple of the Stag God? Yes, yes, that must be it! The place of power where the druid created this fog. Perhaps we'll be able to cleanse it from there. The temple hides in a thicket not far from here. You'll need to go there and purge it of whatever evil is there, summoned by the druid's sinister ritual. You are my only hope..."
"Any tips on purging and cleansing religious temples?" Ekun asks the nymph as he feels a little out of his depth.
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"Any tips on purging and cleansing religious temples?
Linzi gives a WTF look to Ekun. She shakes the bar of soap in her hands to attract a bit of attention to it. While she already said above that something else might be needed, fully discounting Linzi and her bar of soap just isn't going to do.
Linzi breaks off half the bar of soap. Keeping half in her belt pouch.
Moving towards Ekun and slipping the other half into his beltpouch with her small hands.
I'm thinking that you are going to need that. Temple or no temple.
"until you arrive there, I cannot see it. Once there I may have information for you."
Faerin silently studies the nymph, intent on helping but feeling is if there was a missing element somewhere.
Shayn stays back for moments, not saying much as his companions dialoged with the fey. Finally, she turned to the party, then towards the nymph, and spoke.
I guess this is as good a lead as any. What is in it for us, though? It concerns me to risk our skin in such an unknown, gloomy place. What could you tell us about the Stag Lord and his druidic father?
What's in it from us is freeing this land of banditry and founding a new, free homeland for the Aldori. Pyros thinks to himself. He doesn't say anything though. He's still not sure what tis nymph's angle is. And that concerns him.
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What is in it for us, though?
Linzi - with half a bar of soap in hand. Pipes up with concern in her velvety voice. Hands gesticulating in wild fashion.
What Shayn Veilsong? Isn't the answer self evident? The lords of the land go into danger because *there is danger*. Surely your question was rhetorical?! Right?! Like when someone asks, "What is the best thing in life?" The answer is OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE. . If people like you didn't go rushing headlong into danger, how can someone as gifted as *me* document the victories, and defeats; the gleaned treasure troves, and the deaths of favorite party members?
Linzi's arms are flying all over the place as she speaks.
Rolling her eyes, Faerin lets out a quiet sigh. "Getting rid of this fog and it's warped magical effects benefits us all. The point after all is to create something habitable and sustainable here....something not under the thumb of the self proclaimed Stag Lord."
I don't know much about this Stag Lord, and I knew nothing of the Druid you say was his father.
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Hm. - limits Shayn to say, in a half-chuckle. Even if the nymph did knew something, her companions' reactions already gave her enough opening to pretend otherwise. Regardless, they seem inclined to wholeheartedly embrace the fae request, so the witch didn't insist.
Very well. - she finally completed as she turned back to face the group, and then walked past towards the middle to end of the line.
"Seems the druidic father began this mess by force from the Stag Lord. We will do what we can to end this mess." Ekun offers a small pledge to the desperate nymph. "In thanks to your directions to this Temple."
"Please, I implore you, end this dreadful fog, cleanse the Temple of the Elk. If not for my flowers and birds, then for yourselves to be able to get to the Stag Lord. He is after all, the one using this fog to shroud his realm from all others."
”We will. Of that, you may be assured.” Pyros says, nodding solemnly.
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Linzi replies and her tone of voice sounds like the nymph's instructions aren't to her creative liking.
Yes, Yes. I get it. I prefer a narrative that's not so "check listy".
Find Temple. Clear Temple. Lift Fog. See StaggLord.. the master of all bachelor parties.. and smite him. Yes. Yes. I have the story board all set up for the book. I hope you know and expect a bit of creative license on the end story....
Linzi starts looking for some type of trail that runs away from the house. A game trial or something the druid used. She lifts up branches on some surrounding trees to look for unusual activity. She quickly gets bored and breaks off some underbrush twigs to make a water vane.
I don't think My shrine detector is working. Anyone know how to make these work?
Linzi is holding a Y- shaped stick. The "y" part in both bands. The single end outward. She is pointing one end Eastward.
Oh! I think it's telling us to go East!
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"When next we meet, the fog will be a mere bad memory." Faerin promises sincerely. Watching Linzi's antics with amusement, the druidess chuckles softly, closing her eyes for a moment and softly uttering a phrase in druidic. Opening her eyes she looks in the direction, the bard was pointing to with her improvised 'divining tool' and shakes her head. "That isn't actually East."
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"That isn't actually East."
Linzi hears this, and looks like she takes ownership of her own miscalculation.
Really?She drops the divining rod to the ground. Quickly out of sight and out of mind.
I sure bet you are right Granola. I never took stock in that stick stuff. But let me see....
She puts a right index finger to her lips and chin in deep thought. The left index finger goes into the air, counting off the four navigation points.
Never
Eat
Soggy
Wheatbread.
I still don't know which way is east. That's why you are the one I trust to lead the group the right way. I will certainly have a whole chapter dedicated just Faerin and letting the reader know all about you!
I already have two bawdy limericks written about you. Those are pretty good and will go into the chapter too.
Speaking up and heading towards Shayn.
Hey IceRose! What do you think about all this? You got any special powers you are going to unleash at the Elk Ministry? or the Wapiti Worship Center?
Linzi asks this as she follows behind the front liners down the correct path her companions choose.
"It's a little harder to tell in the forest since you can't see the sky the clearest." Ekun begins to explain as he walks to the side of a tree and grabs a handful of moss. "Look for the side of the tree this stuff grows on. Moss grows to the north."
The nymph gives you directions to the Temple of the Elk, it is less than four hours away.
"Please, I do not know how much longer I can survive this fog!"
Shayn follows with the others, headed to the Temple of the Elk. The witch still has her own paranoia acting hard - not trusting anyone - but still, tries to act friendly in her own intimidating way. As they travel through the four hours, it's quite visible that her spells seem to be developing even more, giving her a higher control of low temperatures and the effects on its targets.
Shayn smiles to Linzi, greeting her silently with a quick nod.
You head West for the temple, as the directions say, it tales you about four hours to get there. You easily find the thicket the nymph described and within you see the remains of a low stone wall and archway. As you approach, the Nymph reappears.
You must take care, the druid has left animal defenders that act both as guards and foci for the curse he laid here. They must all be defeated in order to lift the curse and get rid of the fog."
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Linzi starts to hum a bit, getting the tune affixed in her mind and the melody revved up with her mouth music.
My grandma and your grandma were sittin' by the fire.
My grandma said to your grandma,
"I'm gonna set your flag on fire".
Talking about Hey-Now. Hey Now.
Iko Iko - Unday
Jock-a-mo fee-no ai na-ne
Jock-a-mo fee-na-ne
Look at my king all dressed in red
Iko, iko, un-day
Bet-cha five silv' he'll kill you dead
Jock-a-mo fee na-ne
She looks up at Ekun. Smiles.
You are my Red King in that song. Now, go!