”Lets bring this traitor back to town, lock it up, and then get some rest.” Ingrid said. ”And glad ye know about the Court. Interrogation would have taken awhile to get that much information out.”
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Brogol taps the side of his head and clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, a Varisian gesture that means, basically, smart. "The Court o' Spears and the Nine Princes were one of the few 5-pencers written about our corner of Cheliax. I think I still got my dog-eared copy stashed somewheres. And ma said it wasn't any use reading those 'rags.' Ha!"
"ALL my books have pictures, my dear Eris," Brogol says, beaming.
The return trip back into the town is straightforward and proceeds without any further surprises, and before long you've dropped the unconscious halfling off in the town's jail and headed off to get some rest.
For those of you who head back to the Ash House to do so however, you find an unpleasant surprise. The entire building is blackened and still smoldering from an act of arson earlier in the day. The perpetrators, whoever they may be, are long gone, but the building is left as little more than a charred shell. It's no longer fit for habitation except by the most undiscerning of individuals. There's no sign of Cimri at the Ash House or anywhere nearby.
The following morning, you report in to the Archbaron, though only Razelago is available to take your report. The devil rubs his pudgy hands together with pleasure at the explanations of what happened at the Chapel and offers a "The Archbaron will be very pleased, very pleased indeed. The rebels will undoubtedly lash out in fear now that we are close to crushing them, so you will need to be swift and catch them while they're still not expecting to be attacked. Heh." He flaps over to a cabinet and then returns with four potions of cure moderate wounds for your use in the upcoming raid on the Court.
Meanwhile, you're able to track down the Doctor at his hospital, where he happily examines your magic items to determine their uses.
Small +1 shortbow
Feather token (whip)
Scroll of summon monster II
Wand of shield of faith (33 charges)
From the church:
1st level pearl of power
3x bandages of rapid recovery
an elixir of truth
The items that you found that were labeled are really what they said they are. I think that's everything, but let me know if there's anything else you still needed to ID.
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Eris looks at the cache of equipment they have found and identifies a few that could be useful for her.
"I want this, and this, and this, and that, and this, and three of these."
To Razelego, she says "My Darling, where are we supposed to sleep now? Can you please find us a new house to stay at? Someone burned mine down. Pretty please?"
Ingrid thanked the good doktor for his assistance. There wasn’t anything she particularly wanted, so she didn’t care if Eris was being herself. All she wanted was some rest before they finished their work.
Razelago cackles "Keh He! You out a place to sleep? Not my problem. Maybe one of these rebels you killed left their house unlocked for you."
Brogol looks at the charred remains of the Ash House and nods to the others. "I'll be staying at the jail tonight. See you there after you talk to the Baron? I'm gonna run and see my sisters."
Once at his stepfather's house, Brogol creeps to the back door and leaves a small sack with 100 gold and a scrawled note, written across the back of a five-pencer, addressed to his sisters. Need to take care of things. May be blowback. Get out of town. I'll meet you at Westcrown in two weeks, at the Happy Eel. Love you, Brogol.
Fading into the shadows, Brogol pulls his hat low and makes his way to the jail.
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It's well into the afternoon by the time you all wake and ready yourselves for the campaign ahead against the rebel hideout. After regrouping, you set out as a trio for the Whisperwood, relying on Brogol's knowledge of local landmarks and cheap paperbacks to keep you on the right path.
It takes hours of trekking through the woods before Brogol warns you that you're coming up close. You emerge from a dense thicket into a stand of gigantic aspen trees rising from the shadowy scrub-covered forest floor. Overhead, amid the powerful branches, hang an array of platforms, swaying bridges and wooden structures that create a camouflaged forest fortress.
The trees themselves are truly titantic, with trunks up to 40 feet wide. The structures above in the trees are at least 30 feet above the forest floor, or even higher in some cases. The bridges between the platforms and structures above are constructed of ropes and wooden planks and look quite sturdy.
On the ground level, moldering piles of debris suggest that there once were structures and fortifications on the ground level. Today however there are none still functional. The northwestern-most tree sports a rope ladder that dangles down to ground level next to a dilapidated hutch. There may be other ways up if you investigate the ground level more thoroughly.
Although you hear sounds of scattered and mostly muffled conversation from the trees above, the clearest threat right now is the pair of wolves resting in the center of the cluster of trees.
Ingrid looked around and saw naught but...trash. The entire place was shoddy. It was poorly made. As much as she felt turned away by Torag and her people, she had to admit that if dwarves had made the hideout then it would have survived the test of time. "The state of this place fits its current inhabitants. There is naught but refuse and filth here."
"Fitting," Brogol whispers, looking up the trees above. "Shall we try and take the wolves quickly, before an alarm can be raised? I can charge one, Ingrid the other, and if any still stand, Eris can follow up?"
Ingrid doesn't spot anything other than the obvious threat of the wolves on the forest floor. Brogol notes that the there are separate conversations among the muffled noise from above, and they seem to be spread out. So most likely there are multiple groups of rebels in different locations in the tree fort. He's not able to pinpoint any of them. He doesn't spot any lookouts.
Brogol puts his finger over his mouth - shhh - and then points upwards, to the various places he thinks the conversations are coming from.
"I'll duck into the treeline and circle around. Creep up north just past that tree. When I charge, follow and attack."
Fading into the underbrush, Brogol takes a circuitous route around the trees, placing him in a position - he hopes - to charge the wolves and kill one before they even know the group is there...
-
===================
Ingrid is the first to recognize that Brogol's attempt to sneak in and dispatch the wolves has hit a snag. She acts first!
|||| INIT ||||
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Red Wolf
Brogol
Eris
Thinking quickly, Ingrid reached into her pack and pulled out the dried meat from her rations. Doing her best to look friendly she got up and motioned for the Wolf to come eat. She reasoned that fighting the wolves would raise the alarm, and given the distance there was no way she could kill them before they alerted the guards. Their only chance was for the wolves to see them as friends. And for that to happen, what else could be done but use food?
|||| INIT ||||
Brogol
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Red Wolf
Brogol waits, his hand on his scarf, an extremely nervous look on his face. Perhaps Eris' spell would take hold and he wouldn't be dog food...
Brogol sends a quick, sharp look in the direction of his companions, who are far off. Focusing back on the wolves, they seem to be surrounding the driver in an instant, their fur raised, their eyes focused. Brogol had seen the behavior in his former master's hounds; they were ready to strike and he'd certainly pay the price. He keeps his voice low, his movements slow and placid, and raises his hand in a gesture, high above his head, a balled fist, thumb pointed up at the sky. This was a gesture used at his old master's manor to gather the hounds' attention and make them sit. "Wooah there, good boys. No need to be upset, then? We're good friends, yes. Down, boys, down..."
The animal breaks off from combat or otherwise backs down. An animal that doesn’t know this trick continues to fight until it must flee (due to injury, a fear effect, or the like) or its opponent is defeated.
Perhaps due to a lifetime of being around two-legged creatures that treated it more or less reasonably, as Brogol speaks calmly and tries to influence the wolves, one of the two briefly lies down - almost by reflex. The other one however keeps its guard up and looks about to howl.
|||| INIT ||||
Brogol
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Red Wolf
Ingrid moved forward, making low shushing noises at the wolves...
|||| INIT ||||
Brogol (6 dmg, prone)
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Red Wolf
Brogol stifles a shout as he's dragged off his feet, landing on his back with a loud thump, the wolf tugging at his bloody leg. Brogol's new hat flies from his head, rolling into some neaby underbrush. Turning his head, Brogol can't make out his companions and panic takes hold of the driver. He springs to his feet and lashes out with his scarf.
|||| INIT ||||
Brogol (12 dmg)
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Red Wolf (10 dmg)
Ingrid cursed at the sound. She broke into a run to get closer, knowing full well that she was unlikely to make it in time.
There's no visible response yet from the treetop fort above.
|||| INIT ||||
Brogol (12 dmg)
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Red Wolf (10 dmg)
Too far removed from the others to wait, Brogol grits his teeth and pushes through the pain. Swinging his scarf overhead, he brings it down, raking its blades across the wounded wolf's back, bringing fur and blood back with them.
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|||| INIT ||||
Brogol (12 dmg)
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Finally close enough, Ingrid moved in for the attack! Sadly, all of her running had left the infernal dwarf somewhat winded. She at least got into position....
|||| INIT ||||
Brogol (12 dmg)
Eris
Ingrid
Blue Wolf
Brogol steps to the side of the wolf, the dim light at the forest floor glinting off the blades of his scarf as he winds it back up and sends snaking towards the beast. The driver makes good use of the forest underbrush as he fights, keeping his defensive footing.
As the Wolf tried to flee, Ingrid reached out an arm to claw at its flank.
Pinned between the two villains, the wolf is sliced by the scarf and torn by a claw. It whines as it falls to lie still next to its mate.
Combat Over
In the aftermath of the fight, you can hear that some of the conversations above have been interrupted and there's some movement above. No one seems to have seen you yet, but its probably a matter of seconds. You'll have to act fast or probably face a lot of attention.
”Quick, take cover.” Ingrid hissed as she got out of line of sight of the coming foes.
Nodding, Brogol ducked into the nearby undergrowth, dragging a wolf with him
As you rush for cover, you hear the creaking of wooden boards above. From the nearby undergrowth, you listen in and hear scraps of conversation.
"You see that? Nab, over there."
"I thought I heard them howling."
"Where's Nib?"
"That's a lot of blood. Something killed her fast."
"A bear?"
"I wouldn't count on it. I don't see anything down there."
A more authoritative voice calls out. "Take guard positions, just in case. And be quiet."
With that, the voices fall to a muffled murmur and you hear the sounds of movement as individuals spread out up above.
Scanning the fort above them, Brogol looks for a way up. "Maybe we just wait? They'll send a group down at some point to check on their wolves."