Malgrim takes a look at the things we found in the cabin.
I think you're right Sighere. Better to burn the body just to be safe. I wonder what turned him into an undead? Is that a thing that can just happen this deep in the Fangwood?
We need to figure out what to do about Edran as well. His coded notes indicate that he's a spy from Molthune. If we had a town jail we'd lock him up and send word to the capital. ... Sigh... That's not possible out here. If we kick him out of camp he'll go back to Molthune to report. And the battle front will get hit even harder. Do we have chains, manacles, to keep him locked up with us? Then we'd have to feed him, and lose more people from foraging that have to guard him. No good options. I think we tell Abby, Rhyna, Jet and Anyikha. Maybe a few more. Then confront Edran in camp. What do you think?
Uh... pretty much got to burn the body. Don't have a shovel.
The Longbow is a Longbow +1, and the arrows are +1 flaming Arrows!
Pila said he was often upset, but she didn't know why. I hoped for clues in the hiding spot, but no luck there. Cursed? Using bad magic? Who knows. Maybe the toad-friend would know?
Regarding the rat-dog-snake, if he's the enemy, why say they needed to dislodge the hobgoblins? We need to know why. Break through front, we don't know where the front is right now. Too many missing pieces, he has some of those pieces either way.
Those are two potions of cure light wounds... clearly to late to help their previous owner.
I'd say anyone with the skill can attempt a knowledge: Religion check to determine the causes of undead, and perhaps to identify Keloch's undead nature.
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Pretty sure by "anyone with the skill" you mean Sighere. :)
Burning it is. Wish I knew a bit more about how it happened, though. And what we need to watch out for tonight.
Ryll looks up at the mid afternoon sun, frowning. I think you're going to have to make due with one evening of peace under a roof, Sighere. With the Edran situation being what it is, I'm honestly tempted to push it and get back to camp tonight, but unfortunately I think Zdena has the right of it.
She glances down at Premek. I agree that there are a lot of missing pieces with that note of his, but I agree with Malgrim and stand by what I said last night. She smirks But I'll keep my mind open to other options. And you can say you told me so if I'm wrong. She glances at Malgrim I might add Lirosa into that circle of folks we tell about the note, since she's already noticed something off about him, but I'm not married to the notion.
She glances around the clearing. We can certainly do a bit of looking around the nearby area. Maybe tidy this place up a bit. The rest of the repairs can wait until we move the camp here. More hands, and it'll give then something to do.
Speaking of that, I'm inclined to leave the two traps up until we actually bring folks back here. Can you all remember where they are for the night, or do I need to disable them now?
You work collectively for a couple hours examining the area around Keloch's cabin. Pila wanders about the area keeping an eye on you as you explore and gather firewood. You build a suitable pyre for the former owner of the cabin, and lay his undead remains upon the pyre.
In laying the man to rest Sighere notices several injuries to the body, which seem locked in its undead state, namely a broken leg and two broken wrists. As an interesting side point you discover he was a half-elf, and had a tattoo over his heart of a fanged spider.
You spend the night in his small cabin, and it passes uneventfully. In the morning, you, along with Pila, head out from the clearing journeying back toward the campsite at the thicket. It takes you all day to navigate your way back through the tangles of the Fangwood, yet nothing interrupts your journey, and you find yourself arriving back at camp as the sun is setting.
The campsite is nestled between and around the thickets, with the thorny brambles limiting the approaches. It seems more defensible than the first campsite you stumbled across. The center of the encampment is cleared of all thickets and thorns, and several large fires burn the early spring chill from the air. Improvised smoking racks continue to preserve the meat gathered from the previous days, and the smell of roasting onions and garlic tugs at your noses as you come in. You can see Jet and Anyikha tending dinner; while Aubrin seems to be leading the children in a game of plucking geese, all the while handing the goose feathers to Lirosa, who in turn, hands them off to a team of Florantin, Taidel, Kining, and others who are assiduously tying them to new turned arrow shafts.
Zdena is almost run into by Gweneria, who seems like she’s been crying, ’Xcuse me, I’m sorry…. as she stumbles away deeper into the camp. Before you can follow her Jayness appears, almost as if out of nowhere.
You are all back! This place is great you found! Animals keep coming here for the berries, and the cats seem to just know- they rub up against someone and then look at the arrows, and then away we go after whatever game showed up. He beams with success and pride, the kind of only youth can hold. And Abby helped everyone get organized on making arrows, she’s feeling a lot better, She even lead out the hunting party today and came back with wild onions and garlic for dinner. Let’s see what else? the youth pauses, but only for an instant before continuing to ramble ahead.
He looks at Sighere, Your tribesman, Pharus, and Garrett headed north. They scouted everything around here, and said they didn’t find anything; so they were going to take a couple days and look further north. Flemming, Taidel, and Lirosa are going to head up there also, said they saw some megaclerosos… I don’t know that word, nevermind-giant Elk tracks heading north. He looks at you again, realizing there is a large Lynx with the party, Wow more felines in camp?!? Premek, this is all your doing isn’t it? he grins at the cat...
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Premek studiously grooms a forepaw, but pauses to give Jayness a wink.
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Once the others start talking, Premek starts telling Pila about the people.
Jayness: A kitten that will probably grow up strong. He would be an enthusiastic friend, exhausting like kittens are, but easier to train.
Aubrin: The mother-protector of the whole group. She is very good but will rarely let herself go far from the crowd.
Lirosa and Taidel: Very good hunters. I think they like being in the woods more than being surrounded by people. They are used to hunting together as a pair.
Jet: Probably not a hunting companion but she has the best snacks!
Zdena when she isn't looking: A good hunter, still growing. She gets very focused on one thing at a time but maybe never on herself.
Other cats: Cats are friends, not food! :)
Thank you Jayness and Sighere smiles at the child's enthusiasm.
Based on my Knowledge Nature ranks (zero), I am pretty sure they are like elk, but giant. :)
Of course even regular elk look pretty big from a cat's-eye view.
Common Knowledge, Giant elk are just giant elk. I pulled this from my memory, seeing giant elk skulls and horns in Ireland mounted in a castle.
Zdena starts to say something to Gweneria, but gets distracted by her cousin's torrent of news.
Wow, that... all sounds great actually. No sign of Hobs? No weird fey stuff or plant monsters?
yeah, I was hoping for ways to make it easy to find and kill :) I've seen a giant Elk skull, and want nothing to do with those horns.
That Elk could be a boon for feeding everyone if we want to try and go after it. It's not something I am familiar with though. He looks around the new camp This is not a bad spot for a bit, I still worry about that hunter's cabin and would like to know more about it. Do you think this spot buys us the time we need to find a more permanent one?
Jayness smiles at his cousin's questions, No, no weird fey things, plant monsters, or hobs since we've moved. I mean that's what, two days? He motions for you all to come sit, and leads you to where Martin is practicing sleight of hand magic tricks for Anne, Ceolwynn, and Dierdre. He isn't too bad as street magicians go, and he flourishes with a minor magical talent to create glowing lights over his audience.
After a moment, he sees you all, and stumbles a bit, the glowing lights over the audience fading as he flushes with mild embarrassment.
Thank you all! he says, And if there is time, I'd like to invite Malgrim to tell a quick tale? Come they'd love to hear a brief story of what you have all been up to for a few days?
I've time for a quick tale.
Malgrim tells the gathering about fighting the Mites and saving the wolf mother and her pups. And the discovery of the Mites loot bag containing 1 boot, and all the sewing supplies and cloth.
... Of course finding the other boot is a tale in itself. And one that's longer than I have time for right now.
Taking a bow Malgrim moves on to unload the supplies we found into the communal larder. They spend a few minutes talking with various people trying to raise spirits. And mention the need to talk tonight to Abby, Rhyna, Jet, Anyikha and Lirosa. All that done Malgrim goes looking for Gweneria to talk and find out what's wrong? (What isn't wrong?!?)
Malgrim finds Gweneria sitting quietly at the edge of camp. She's staring off into the forest's wilderness.
Oh, hi Storyteller. It's nothing, I'm sorry about earlier. Just Oisean's upset, and when he's upset he yells at me. Blames me always for being bad at farming, and now we're all away from home, hiding from hobgoblins, and he's stressed out by it all. He see you and the others being big damn heroes and he feels like he's stuck herding the goats with a sword he doesn't know how to use. Its nothing to bother you with, just simple frustration the situation; you've got bigger fish to fry.
Malgrim sits down next to Gweneria.
This situation is stressful and hard for everyone. I'm sorry Oisean takes it out on you. That's not fair to you too have to deal with all this and his outbursts as well. Tending to the goats is making more food for us all than Ryll, Zdena, Sighere and I are going off exploring. I just hope we can find some place to make a better camp soon. You can always talk with me if you need to. I'll think about what we can do to help people's spirits up.
You gather back in the center of camp and pull together your small but trusted team of refugee advisors. Jet, Abby, Rhyna, and Aniykha all gather to hear what's on your mind. Before you begin Abby mentions, We've got a good system down for the production of arrows going on, and the only hold up is we don't have enough arrowheads for them all, but we can occasionally scavenge a few back from successful kills, but it is something to bear in mind. Luckily the hobs we're carrying lots of arrows on them.
Jet pipes in though, We're getting in lots of meat and now vegetables that we've put it in everyone's minds that we need to make sure we have them in our diet. Although Lirosa's thought is that we'll need to be careful about overhunting the area, so they're expanding their range in finding food.
Rhyna gives the final immediate update, Spirits are overall pretty good, people are getting by and we're working hard to keep everyone bearing up as best as they can. Between Martin and Abby they are doing a good job at keeping everything light but realistic.
Premek indicates to the party, let me know when you want to have the conversations about the rat, I will find a shady spot to be ready in. And if you have suggestions for Pila, I'll pass them along. Otherwise I'm going to thank the cats for helping the hunters, and introduce Pila to them.
That sounds like camp is pretty well organized. Thank you all. We... Umm. We noticed that something didn't feel right about Edran. Some of you did as well. So we did some snooping. We found Edran has been taking notes... Written in code. It took a while for us to break the cypher. But when we did this is what his notes translated to.
Malgrim reads the translation to the group
We've talked about this ourselves and we think this means Edran is a spy for Molthune. If we were in Phaendar we'd lock him up and send word through the rangers for someone to come get him. Then it would be the capitols problem. We don't have that luxury here. He's our problem to deal with. We do have a set of manacles. So we could keep him chained up and question him. But this would also mean guarding him. And losing those guards from our foraging crew.
There is no simple solution. But we need to do something.
As Malgrim reveals Edran's true nature to the impromptu advisory council, hard looks cross their collective faces. There is a general pause as they consider the Storyteller's words.
Aubrin speaks first, We've all got really bad experience with Molthune; heck Ryll- you're barely back from the frontlines yourself. she nods with her head to the half-elf.
Abby continues, Most of these people from town have all had hard times because of this endless war with Molthune, and while the Ironfangs may now not be working for Molthune - anyone who survived the Ramgate massacre will tell you. Maybe we turn him out and send him on his way? I don't know that spending our limited resources feeding and keeping a guard on him is a good idea?
Aubrin pauses again, Zdena, Ryll, what do you two think? I mean we can manage it between the lot of us, but everyone else may get a little testy about his shackled presence.
Premek tips his head back and forth. I don't know if he's definitely a rat. But if he is... he smacks his paw down, ...he has to die.
Zdena sits in silence for a long time, her brow furrowed. Finally, somewhat haltingly, she says, Don't think we keep him. Not sure between let him go and kill him. Kill him is safer, but maybe not... sprawiedliwość? Not right to do.
She shakes her head. But none of that is next thing. First is talk. We know *nothing* happening in Phaendar, or Molthune. Anything can get out of him, by lying or pretending to be friend, is more than we have. So we talk. Then we search for all his notes, no bothering with sneaky this time. THEN... well, maybe by then Edran makes next choice easier. Or he doesn't and we make it then anyway.
I can not condone killing him, but if that is what the group decides, I will accept it. Something like this is beyond me, I can't imagine turning on those of your village, so I'm sorry if I'm not much help here. I will leave it those with more experience.
Aubrin thinks on Sighere's words about the hunter. Well, that's unfortunate. Sounds like he turned into a Wight, given your description of him. That can happen when someone evil dies suddenly; and that tattoo is the sign of Rovagug, the evil lord of destruction and unmaking... It's one of the most evil religions out there.
She pauses a moment, Well, this Edran isn't from town. None of us know him.
Jet pipes up at this point, He was staying at the Root, had come in two days before the unpleasantness in town. Mostly kept to himself, and was wandering around the market.
Huh. Thought we'd settle some people in empty cabin. It's a good cabin. We need to check it over for evil stuff? Zdena thinks for a moment. Guess we should think about *who* gets cabin, too, is not that big.
She nods at the comments about Edran, and says to Sighere, We took everyone we found to woods, not just locals. You and Pharus, merchants, caravan guards. Didn't actually find Edran, though, remember? He found us next day.
She frowns. Wait, when did he even cross river? Before we got to bridge first time it was guarded. Abby and Jet, you had eyes on it until we got back. Then we blew it up. Did he run away *before* Hobs attack?
When he reached our camp, he was running from the goblins and bugbears. That fear seemed real. He was ready to run from us, too, he wasn't looking for people like us.
If he's working for Molthune, that demeanor and the note indicate the Iron Legion is not under Molthune's control, at least not completely.
Or, Molthune is not the army he's working for.
Are Moltune and Nirmathas the only armies it could be?
[/dice]
Your council breaks from it impromptu summit, fanning out through the camp, until Edran is located. He's sitting with Avis, Yarrow, and Clidon. He looks up at the lot of you, accompanied by Jet, Rhyna, and Anyhika; and it starts to dawn on him that something is amiss. His smile fades, and he looks around nervously, Evening all, I trust your hunt went well? His eyes dart between you all as he speaks, and then to the three other 'outsiders' he was sitting with.
Malgrim, Zdena, and Ryll notice that Abby has flanked the part of camp where you are currently, and is hiding behind a shelter, longbow and arrow in hand...perhaps just in case.
As you set in to question Edran, he gets more and more nervous, and his tale of being a Taldan traveler starts to fall apart. I uh, was bound for the Worldwound to sell spices to the crusaders.. he tries, but Malgrim makes short work of his prevarications. He consents to be searched, where you recover the notes he'd been hiding in his boots.
Upon the discovery of the notes, Edran's head slumps and he becomes more dejected, They assigned me to observe the Spring Market and report back the operational posture of the town. Then the hobgoblins appeared out of nowhere, I was able to magically charm one of them to escorting me out of town as a prisoner right away, then let me go. It was terrifying. I just started running, but I didn't know where I was going until I found you. You confiscate his dagger and armor from him, as well as a potion of invisibility and 8 GP he was hanging onto.
Satisfied with that answer, he's clapped in irons and set under watch. People are understandably not happy about feeding and watching over the prisoner, but agree with the hero's assessment about keeping him alive is the right thing to do until you can find some people with actual legal authority to figure him out. Rhyna and Abby agree to watch over him in shifts, and Smith Kinig finds a length of chain to attach to a tree to make it hard for him to escape during the night.
The next morning you spend hours packing up the campsite and moving everyone to the hut. Pila sticks pretty close to the party throughout the day, unsure of her role in the very large group of humans. The other cats continue to help their foragers with collecting food as they go, and long after nightfall a camp has been erected around Keloch's hut; with the children installed inside the ruined cabin, Florantin cobbles together a fix for the roof.
Lirosa, Taidel, Fleming, and Pharus limp back into camp, with Flemming bearing deep wounds in his abdomen. He is quickly rushed to Rhyna and Aubrin to tend to his wounds, while the others breathe hard and drink deeply of the proffered water. Pharus speaks first, Damn huge boar ambushed us and got away a’fore we could set ourselves for it. He was a smart one that b@sterd. He sits heavily on a log turned camp stool.
Lirosa speaks up, Its damn Gashmaw, he’s an agressive, territorial, and too-smart boar that’s been harassing hunters for the last few seasons around here. If we’re in the territory he occupies, we’ll be in for a real pain in the coming days. Better stick close to camp, or we’ll get more of what the Ulfen did. At least he’s alive, damn near lost his stomach there.
Sighere will add some magical aid to healing to speed things up.
While I can appreciate the boar's nature, maybe we persuade him another territory may suit him better
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Bacon!
Sighere considers what he knows about wild boars: wild boars vary in size and temperament but can be aggressive in defending their ranges from outsiders. Farmers typically use packs of dogs to keep boars from ravaging their crops, as boars do like to dig up their food. They have natural predators: like great cats, wolves, and bear. Boars are omnivorous scavengers so kill remains wouldn't scare them away. An interesting point Sighere recalls is that boars typically are only aggressive in mating season, which occurs in late fall or early winter- so a boar being aggressive in early spring is unusual to say the least...
I am a great cat. Bacon?
I could try to talk it down, but, boars are not great talkers. No promises.
Ryll smirks. You are indeed, Mek, but I'm not sure this Gashmaw will appreciate your particular sort of greatness.
Ryll listens to Sighere's observations and Premek's suggestion and shrugs. Boar hunting is nasty business. If we can redirect him, or fix what's riling him up, I'm all for that. But we may want a plan b in case things go poorly. Some of the traps that were set around this place might come in handy for that.
Malgrim watches anxiously as Flemming's wounds are tended. Worrying even more as details about Gashmaw come out, and the unseasonable aggression of this boar.
So it sounds like we should track the boar to a region. Set up a few of the hunters traps before we get to close. Then approach and see what Zdena, Sighere and Premek can do to calm him down. If things turn violent we run back to where we set up the traps and fight there. Any other suggestions? How far away did your patrol find him?
Lirosa thinks a moment, We were about four miles west by northwest of here, Those traps would probably help make sure we funnel him into a kill pocket if needed. Taidel and I can come with and help with the trapping aspect of things for you?
Aubrin turns from tending the hunter's wound, I've healed him up, he should take it easy tomorrow, but between Sighere's and my healing we should be through the worst of it for him.
A little later in the evening, an exhausted-looking Vane approaches the group, With all the moving around its hard to settle to work on things, but I got this, might help with the boar situation I heard about. He hands you a large sack, slightly resinous on the outside, Just throw this at the boar and it should help stick it to the ground, make it less a threat, ya?
We do know a wolf b&*&! in the area with some hungry mouths, wonder if we could somehow get her aid? Or if we could convince him to move closer to Phaendar it my help protect our backs or at least slow down the hobgoblin scouts. Sorry, just thinking out loud. I think your plan should work Malgrim.
You set forth in the morning with Lirosa and Taidal, the half-elves carrying the bear traps from Keloch's cabin, and the other one you'd found in Phaendar from the hobgoblins. Serendipity, Malgrim's faithful steed accompanies you as well. Following the hunter's directions you quickly move through the forest toward where Flemming was gored by Gashmaw.
It is just after midday as you wind through the forest, occasionally sesing blood trail from where your friends had passed last night bearing the wounded Ulfen, when suddenly you all hear the clink of harness and a quick Тынч! in goblin...
Then the woods get very, very still and there, you see it, through the trees, sunlight reflecting off a sword. Your fears confirmed, a half dozen hobgbolins peer at you through the trees some 60' distant...
Casting Entangle (40' radius spread, DC 15) centered about 10' in front of Blue, should be far enough away to stop about 10' in front of us
Two hobgoblins do not seem hampered by the grasping plants around them, while the others seem definitely to be Entangled. A hobgoblin in a green cape surges forward through the constricting grasses, while the one with blue war paint on their face takes a moment to rip themselves free of the entanglement... and begins to stalk forward toward the party...
Premek, Malgrim, Ryll, Orange, Yellow, Zdena, Pink, Red, Lirosa, Taidal. Round 2: Sighere Green, Blue, Bold May Act
Premek crouches, ready to spring forward. Give them a chance to get bunched up...
I'm delaying, at least for orange and yellow to act.
Ryll steps to the side, raises her crossbow and shoots at the Hobgoblin in the green cape.
Malgrim starts tapping a quick beat on their drum. They draw their sword and advance towards the hobgoblin that got out of the entanglement zone.
Premek waits watching to see what the other hobgoblins do, as Malgrim begins playing on their drum advancing at the lone hobgoblin in the clear. Ryll's shot goes wide into the forest. Meanwhile the two other hobgoblins struggle to free themselves from the grasping vines Sighere animated.
Neither of them meets with any success in disengaging from the tangling wines, as they struggle forward to reach the party, their movements hampered by the overgrowth.
Premek, Zdena, Pink, Red, Lirosa, Taidal. Round 2: Sighere Green, Blue, Malgrim, Ryll, Orange, Yellow, Bold May Act
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Zdena steps around Ryll and moves up to stand to Malgrim's right, watching the nearest hobgoblin warily.