As you approach the village Dolok Darkfur, guardian deity of the Farheaven Clan stalks outside the walls keeping an eye on the centaur encampment. The bear-god’s mighty voice cuts clearly through the crackle of flames and bustle of the busy townsfolk as he calls out “Who goes there? Not centaurs, clearly. Are you the Pathfinders Nelket sent for? Dragbog, you’ll want to fetch the ‘mistress’.”
At Dolok’s call, a stocky goblin dressed in armor made from the bones of what appears to be a dragon steps out from behind the great beast and dashes into the town. Dolok watches the goblin retreat for a moment before turning back to the Pathfinders. “Nelket will be here shortly. Dragbog is too desperate to stay on our good side to tarry. It’s best you hear what happened directly from Nelket. In the meantime, I don’t suppose I could convince you to help us finish securing the perimeter?”
As the bear-god finishes speaking, he swings his massive head from side to side to indicate the scrambling humans and goblins all around.
"The goblins are helping us to keep the fires at bay." The villagers scrambling about are busy forming bucket lines to douse the houses nearest to the forest fire, while the goblins split their attention between running around stomping on drifting embers and clearing dry brush before it can become fuel for the spreading flames.
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Knowing that she is barely stronger than Lekki, Laafdahni ponders her spell repertoire for a moment as she approaches the line of fire fighters. Once she arrives, she casts Mage Hand to help her grab an extra handful of empty buckets as she follows the line of people who are running them back to the well to be refilled.
Your efforts seem to help, but the villagers and goblins need more help. Osten makes good progress on the fire line. Lekkit isn't that much help. He drops a bucket on the head of a goblin who gives him a glare.
Laafdahni helps with the fire brigade. The Mage Hand is a big hit with the townspeople. Leyton's assistance helps everyone's work a little easier.
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Seeing that her efforts are not entirely useless, Laafdahni rededicates herself to her task. Despite her intense focus, she manages to look relaxed and poised, calmly directing her spell where it is most needed. The orange glow from the fires flickers off her deep blue skin, rendering it almost black in the dim, smoky light. Against the dark background of her skin, the links of her chain belt glint in the flickering firelight, and her limpid turquoise eyes seem to glow with power.
As you finish your tasks Dragbog returns with Nelkat. “Have 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!” Nelket’s face curves in a wry smile as she greets you.
“I can see from your expressions that you’re curious about what’s going on here. Let me fill in the details for you.” Nelket proceeds to describe the current situation to 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 at an embarrassed-looking Dragbog before continuing.
“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, the bit about the centaurs is quite true. Perhaps I should let Dragbog tell you the rest in his own words.” After finishing her introduction, Nelket nudges the nervous goblin towards you and raises an eyebrow, prompting him to begin.
“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.” The goblin finishes his story proudly, clearly impressed at his own “masterfully” constructed narrative.
Dolok Darkfur huffs a husky laugh in response to the goblin’s tale. “True enough, as it goes. I thought the little rascals were the ones spreading the flames at first, until I noticed that they were actually containing the larger fire. They’ve been industrious enough around the town the last few days, though I worry about the attention they’re drawing from those centaurs.”
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'...old stone in town' caught fire? The stone itself? Really? That was a really confusing narrative. Laafdahni tries to keep her puzzlement off her face, putting on an expression that hopefully looks thoughtful and analytical. She nods at Dragbog and querries: "Hmm... Do you mean that the fire did not behave as it usually does? Do you have any idea why?"
Turning to Nelket, she explains: "When your note reached the Venture Captain, it was damaged; parts of it were illegible. This situation is clearly quite different from what we assumed, based on what we could decipher. Would you be so kind as to tell us what assistance you requested?"
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The old bird does his best to follow the goblin's story, but can't quite get there. "Huh? What? Sorry...I don't quite..." He then casts comprehend languages and smiles. "Okay, this is much better, please continue. I don't speak goblin fluently..."
He finishes listening, "That's true, I was under the impression we were sent here to stop the goblin menace. Hmmmmph, can we assume something else is starting the fires?"
"The note was burned? That makes sense why you didn't know the goblins were helping us. I need you to follow Dragbog back into the burning forest and find the “burning stone” that animated the Dragonskulls skeletal homes and began spewing fire into the forest. Odds are that burning stones in the forests of Iobaria are cyclops relics, and an untended cyclops relic of such destructive power would undoubtedly cause even more harm if left to run wild and uncontrolled. We can't leave the village just in case the fires get worse." says Nelket
"Just big stone that started to burn. Had funny squiggles on it." says Dagbog with a shrug.
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"A 'burning stone' with runes on it... yes, this is filling in the gaps a bit," says Leyten. "All right, Dragbog, take us to where this started, back to the burning stone."
To Laafdahni, he says, "If we can deface the writing on the stone, that might stop the burning. Assuming we don't turn to ash first, of course."
"Let's go. Let's go." says Dragbog. He's ready to lead you off as soon as you are ready to go.
You also notice signs of active efforts made to fight the flames. In some areas, the trees show the rejuvenating effects of druidic magic, and in others, they bear the crude but clever cuts of goblin blades—all intended to trim back brush, reduce the amount of fuel available for wildfires to ignite, and feed the goblins’ own celebratory bonfires to highlight their regional holidays.
Everyone but Osten manages to avoid most of the smoke effects. 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.
An old ranger’s trail cuts through the woodlands here, offering a path that’s a bit less choked with smoke and embers than the rest of the forest. While this trail offers a natural path for you, it also represents shelter and a natural escape path for woodlands animals fleeing the fire.
Through the flames Leyton notices a couple of creatures on what might be the path ahead.
The flames suddenly flair up near them, and they begin to run down the path with cries of pain.
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"Huh, what...hmmmm where? I think the flames are dancing again...ohhhhh, look at them go." The old bird muses with the undine, clearly not "hearing" anything.
He will move closer to Osten, and touch him with virtue, "Hmph, my friend, you've been working out too much..."
He sticks with the group, waiting for them to pass through the flames.
Leyton can see two animals coming down the path toward the group. They are the ones making the painful sounds.
Dragbog looks at the creatures as they run toward the group. That necklace. I know it. The wolverine it belonged to “Senenlelel”. The elf guarded the area around our village. He steps aside as Leyton asks.
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"That wolverine belongs to a guardian of this forest? Then what has happened to the guardian? Perhaps the wolverine can lead us to the elf." Laafdahni begins calling out to the wolverine, trying to coax it to come to her so it can lead them to the elf. "Come! Come here! That's it. We will not hurt you..." Osten likely thinks this is ill advised...