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"That seems like the clearest path," Goldur agrees. "We can ask more about the stone there. Assuming, of course," he adds with a chuckle, "that anyone will talk to us. Druids, from my experience, are a reclusive lot. Why, I met one once that hadn't spoken to a single person in three years. Strange fellow, I can tell you; hardly even remembered how to interact. His name was Berryn, I think. Or was it Bibbit? Barnaby? It started with a B..."
Despite the direction North, there is no further indication, the group has no idea exactly how north to march or for how much distance. The group is discussing what to do when they realize of this extreme when they hear a large group approaching from the south of the hut.
A band of eight gnomes makes appearance, the one leading them with a wolverine by his side sets foot in the hut, looks at Hemzel's fallen body, the smoldered walls and Hudor holding the druid's possessions. The gnome frowns and looks at you while the other gnomes already have longswords and crossbows readied at hand "We spot the unusual smoke and came to investigate. Who are you? What has happened here?"
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Seelah holds her arms wide in a non-threatening way, Greetings, My name is Seelah, and these are my companions. We have come to speak with Hemzel, but we arrived to find he'd been slain by the fey Cyflymder's minions. We seek to stop Cyflymder, who is heading for a druidic ring to the north, do you know of this place? Can you tell us how to get there that we can bring this murderous fey to justice and complete our mission?
Seelah speaks openly and forthrightly to the approaching party of gnomes.
We are Pathfinders. Check his body...he had been dead for a while. We just got here a few minutes ago. We put out the fire... the priestess says, holding up her singed cloak as proof.
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"The other is a Potion of Barkskin it seems as for the rest...I apologize as I have not concluded my arcane training. Yet, this atomie here is holding quite a bit of gear including a valuable onyx ring." Duath says kneeling down to gather the supplies.
When the group of gnomes approach he stops, instead picking up the atomie to show to them as well.
"It is true...the hut would be ashes by now had we not stepped in." he adds.
The gnomes relax as Seelah and Goldur speak up "Cyflymder? That problematic quickling... Hemzel was a close friend of mine. My name is Boomroppel. Thank you for putting off the fire. The druidic circle, of course..."
Everything seems to go good until Kyra mentions the group are Pathfinders and they look at Hudor holding up the items. They raise the weapons once more "Pathfinder looters?! Of course, Hemzel warned us about you, he was worried you lot wanted to have your hands on the lorestone"
Despite all, the gnomes do not seem as hostile as in the beginning and the group sees an opportunity yet to make them helpful.
Oh for the love of Sarenrae... Kyra says as she bites her tongue.
We are not looters...again. Yes we are with the Society. We were sent here by our superiors to help with the Lorestone. If we were looters, why did we spare the one fey that attacked us? I tended its wounds and still it went after us. I did not wish it dead...
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"I want to tell you a story, if you'll humor me a moment." Goldur finds the nearest chair or low table and sits down. "When I was younger, I once found myself in a town where a vampire had taken up residence nearby. Dangerous fellow. Had something of an affinity for young women, it seemed; three had gone missing since he moved in, lured to his manor where he would welcome them with open arms. None were ever seen again. The terrified villagers pooled their gold to hire a few sellswords, of which I was one.
"We explored the manor at noon, to ensure he was asleep. Imagine our surprise when we heard the crying of a baby-- we followed the noise and found a normal human baby cradled in the arms of a normal human woman, lowering her dress to feed the child. She was, in fact, one of the young women who'd disappeared from the village some six months prior.
"The vampire, it turned out, had been sheltering them. Each had needed to run from home-- this one turned up pregnant and feared repercussions, the other two were abused by their fathers. Many girls in the village encouraged the story that the vampire was feeding on them, while secretly knowing his was a safe house to which they could run if they needed it. The women living in the manor begged us not to reveal the truth, so when we returned to the village we gave back their gold and told them the vampire was far beyond us, that they were lucky such a powerful being hadn't already slaughtered the lot of them, and that one victim every few months was a small price to pay to keep him sated.
"Vampires have a reputation-- perhaps well-earned, I'll grant you-- as predators, swooping in and taking by force what you treasure most. Had I simply killed him, I would in fact have robbed the world of good instead of evil. He was, in fact, helping far more than most people will ever know.
"All that being said... yes, we are Pathfinders."
The gnomes get very interested on Goldur's story, they seem a bit confused by the end of it and start to ask questions about it and its repercussions, but they seem to forget about their prejudices against Pathfinders.
By the end of it all the gnomes are smiling and Boomroppel speaks up again, this time in a more friendlier tone "I do profusely apologize for our mistake. You really should track down and slay Cyflymder. He has become such a menace to this part of the Verduran Forest..."
Boomroppel gives you a fully charged wand of cure light wounds "We are not strong enough to face Cyflymder's band. But we can help you with this healing artifact if you are willing to face that dangerous mission"
"As about how to reach the druidic circle... just work north following the trail for a mile, then on the second oak tree turn inside the forest and walk east until you find a river. Follow the river bed all north until you reach a lake. The druidic circle is in an island inside that lake" the gnome pads his wolf and the other gnomes give you some food "If you want to interrupt the ritual before the sun shines and gives light to the lorestone, which will destroy the artifact, you will have to walk for the rest of the day and part of the night. I suggest you rush in before it is too late"
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Even Duath is distracted by the tale but shakes it off with the group og gnomes.
"Then it is time to head out. This proud son of Kyonin will not be bested by a pack of fey. I take it if we save the lorestone...you will allow us to study it without violence?" Duath says checking his arrows and asking a final question, for himself.
"If you manage to stop them I guess it is your right to keep the lorestone and study it" the gnomes begrudingly reject to accompany you though in your expedition "The circle is said to be a dark and cursed place. We desire the best for you thought"
They nod to Seelah and as the others have nothing else to say, they just quietly go and start rearranging the hut and taking care of Hemzel's body as the Pathfinders push to the circle.
Rushing through the night in a desperate race to stop the fey before the first rays of sunlight destroy the lorestone the Pathfinder squad go through multiple difficulties and efforts before they hit the druids circle.
The thick trees, brush, and brambles of the Verduran Forest finally give way to a glassy lake with a small tree-studded island just thirty feet offshore. An improvised bridge of mossy logs stretches toward the island from the near shore, though some of the trunks have tipped nearly vertical into the water, leaving gaps along the makeshift bridge.
Past the bridge you spot the massive stone circle inside the island. The river is about 10' deep.
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Grateful for the short respite, Goldur leans against a tree. I'm too old for all this hustling, curse it all! Why didn't I stay in retirement? After catching his breath, he surveys the river. "Hm. Doesnt look difficult for the rest of you, but these legs aren't what they once were. Perhaps someone could take a rope across?"
Perhaps we could shoot an arrow across with a rope first? Act as a guide...or someone can swim across with a rope..so if they get into trouble, we can pull them back...
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Seelah looks over the makeshift bridge and idly taps her armor, I don't know about this... Duath, what do you think? She asks the elf.
Perhaps we could shoot an arrow across with a rope first? Act as a guide...or someone can swim across with a rope..so if they get into trouble, we can pull them back...
That's a good idea Kyra, I'm going to have to pull off my armor it looks like anyway to get over there, unless we can think of some other way? Seelah glances between the others to see if any bright ideas are forthcoming before she discards her armor for this endeavor.
If the group has a rope, you will discover tying up one around the small shaft of an arrow is nearly impossible, and the mass of the arrow is unlikely to drag the rope. The group will soon find out they will need a grappling hook or some similar object with the proper mass and shape to drag enough rope for more than a few inches.
That said, grappling the rope like that to the other side will require a lot of trial and error or someone very trained on such duties.
Now... if someone skillful enough to brave the bridge or the water, brings the rope with himself, that would be a much easier way to set a rope railing for the others to support themselves in case of slipping away.
Perhaps if we sent our stoic friend across with a rope in case he gets in trouble. Then he can help pull us across... Kyra says looking at Xuan.
You're built like a battering ram...water should be nothing for you...
Well, fortune does favour the bold...or the foolhardy. Let's get going...we have much to do. Kyra says as she heads across using the rope as a guideline.
Be prepared to fish me out of the water if I fall. Nimble, I am ot..
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Seelah watches in apprehension as the others try their hand at tumbling and jumping the logs crossing the river. Finally seeing Xuan cross with a rope, she feels relieved. Thanks Xuan, I'm not sure I could have made that even without my armor on. Seelah finishes removing her armor, and bundles it over her head.
Grasping the rope Xuan tied she begins to wade across, keeping an eye out for anyone who may have struggled crossing themselves.
Crossing the river, Seelah begins to re-armor herself, Thanks again Xuan, being agile is not my strong suit. the paladin grins. Trust a druid's grove to be almost inaccessible by any means. she lightheartedly shakes her head, and begins the laborious process of re-armoring.
Duath, do you mind helping squire for my armor? I cannot reach all the back buckles on this, and it will go a lot faster with help.she asks the elf, while adjusting her greaves first.
Duath takes the lead easily jumping and balancing over the first makeshift bridge, then jumping over the second one, followed by Kyra who jumps and balances just behind him.
Goldur joins in, but he slides in when he spots something in the second makeshift part, there is a snare trap, a rope in the middle of the log he points out to Duath just when he is up to step on it!
Xuan, who has made himself on the water, also spots it just after swimming 10 feet inside the waters.
As all this happen, Seelah is starting to remove her armor and Hudor is balancing on the first makeshift bridge trying to help Goldur back into the log.
At that same moment a couple snakes swim out to face the group!
You also spot a crocodile below the logs.
From below the logs the reptiles swim out at the same moment the ones who spot them can do something.
These are viper snakes, they are poisonous and cause a deteriorating Constitution damage.
The snare binds around Duath's leg who is suddenly pulled up and hanging upside down from the tree's branch 10 feet over the water and the bridge!
Xuan swims forward with ease and almost reaches the other side.
Goldur quickly climbs up back into the makeshift bridge and begins an inspiring song!
Hanging upside down Duath bravely looks forward to put an arrow at the crocodile, but the arrow fall offs his hands as he tries to set it up!
The crocodile emerges from the waters and tries to snap at Kyra on the bridge.
But the good armor of the Sarenrite protects her well and the jaws are deflected by the metal!
Kyra slashes at the reptile with her scimitar.
Seelah draws her longbow very quickly as the action starts.
Kyra wacks at the viper on the water next to her, thanks to Goldur's inspiring courage, the snake is left staggered.
Xuan reaches the other side of the river and ties the rope to the nearby tree.
The staggered viper dives in and disappears below water.
The other one slithers over the logs and attacks Kyra.
But Kyra is perfectly ready to step back and avoid the snake.
Seelah shots an arrow but it goes wide and gets lost in the river depths.
Hudor tries to help Goldur but he finds out the dwarf helps himself alone into the bridge. The dwarf continues singing.
Compensating for his position, Duath sends another arrow, and this time he does indeed skewer the viper, leaving it ugly looking.
The crocodile attempts again to eat Kyra.
And again the cleric blocks the attack with a perfect defensive stance!
If it survives the viper tries to bite as well.
But Sanrerae clearly protects Kyra making her defenses unpassable!
Kyra tries to slice the viper.