He nods and takes his elk to the stables, then he comes back and takes Quince's. Then he offers to take Vesi's lizard into the stables.
He follows Quince around and keeps a watchful eye about.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The red haired Elf meets up with the rest and is swiftly introduced to them. They on their part has their first good look at the mad Elf. Looking as scruffy and dangerous as ever, the elf if more then happy to join them and looks not stranger then those with an additional pair of ears. They look suspiciously like they would fit perfectly on bear.
Quince looks at Lykan curiously. ”Something is different.”
You can see the Varnhold fort to the North East as the sprawling village is to the South East.
Ah yes, Jemanda Orlarshen. She is back in Oppara.
"She went home eh." Quince looks to Penrod, "Well if you want to go back home you can. I am sure that Cleo from the Academy in Elkheart can get word to Jemanda and between them or with Sulvanii's help get you home."
Quince head back out to meet up with the expedition team. "Unless there is a pressing emergency Lycan I think we can get out and on the road." He looks to the west, "Might even make the feet of the mountains before camping tonight."
Quince looks to everyone gathered. "Let's ride!"
He looks to Kevros, "In a few days. I hope that we will potentially add a piece of land more than a 1/3rd of the size of Greenwatch to us. . . I am going to have to come with another speech aren't I."
Penrod gladly accepts your aid and returns to Elkheart.
Jorne promptly goes and collects the mounts one at a time. Bringing back the lizard first. He then mounts his elk and begins to follow Vesi with 30 feet between them.
"Prepared speech or heartfelt speech, it will only matter if anyone who hears it cares that you claimed the land. Claiming territory and having the people in it claim you are very different things. The first is almost irrelevant compared to the second. How do you hope to win the people?"
Vesi greets Lykan cheerfully, seemingly unfazed by the elf's unusual appearance.
"I hear that you enjoy the outdoors. I do as well, and I'm looking forward to explore these lands!" Vesi looks to the west, following Quince's gaze. "Oh, I've missed the mountains." They take a deep breath, the congested quality of their voice gone. "I like the air here."
With a last look around Varnhold, the druid is ready to go.
"Prepared speech or heartfelt speech, it will only matter if anyone who hears it cares that you claimed the land. Claiming territory and having the people in it claim you are very different things. The first is almost irrelevant compared to the second. How do you hope to win the people?"
Quince smiles weakly, "Sorry old tale. Kevros was with me at the beginning. Just joking about a speech at the start." As the rest of the elf's question sinks in he looks at the elf rather curiously. "Well I will start by recruiting heroes. Among them an Irori monk. I will go to their lands, face their enemies, find their kidnapped people, free them from and bring justice to the kidnapper, bring them home, feed them, give them protection, provide justice, make peace with those who will on their boarder. And when they ask to be part of our nation. Act swift to appraise their needs, repair their village, arrange prosperous and robust trade and as soon as I possibly can after they literally ask to join our nation. Join some of those same heroes that helped the village to survey the land, to check on its people and bring them fully into our protection. All but the last you have seen or been apart of where do you find us lacking?" Its a pointed question asked with sincerity. Though there is a bit of pain in his eyes.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The Aasimar chuckles. "Some pieces are easier than others. I was more concerned about the more scattered people who don't consider themselves of Varnhold, for instance. The family up-river who live off the land and send logs downriver in exchange for some goods received once or twice a year. The small community that formed around an inn catering to travelers, who think of themselves as a small, strong, independent people. The ones who do not associate themselves with the people you have already saved. The ones who normally ignore the very existence of someone claiming to rule over them. The normal people leading normal lives who aren't likely to directly feel the kind of assistance you've offered Varnhold. They don't see any of us as their heroes. They don't see any of what you have done as important to their lives. We are others they have to watch to be careful we don't accidentally hurt them, that they can happily forget after we leave. They are the actual people of the land."
Quince nods as he catches on. "Well. I hope their neighbors here in Varnhold speak high of us. We will be moving through their lands over the next couple days. Saren, Lykan and the other folks that we have roamed and I expect are doing right by the people. But many if not most of those people are settling in on the frontier because there is not opportunity in what was previously dangerous land. Varnhold is their first market, the place that stores much of the food for the region, is the place they look to for protection even before we arrived. Such is the way of frontier towns. If its anything like the lands to the west before Greenwatch, bandits and villains will fight it, folks looking for an honest living will thrive, and together we all will prosper. It could go another way" He shrugs, ". . . I have ears. And friends willing to ask hard questions." He nods to the monk acknowledging that he welcomes such question.
"Our help is not for Varnhold alone. And the land we have so far looked to claim was already joined with Varnhold and Varnhold's remaining leaders have asked us to take them in. Those Reeves will ride wide keeping the roads and trails safe. Look to justice and have a mandate to help if they can."
Quince pulls out his map. "These lands." He points to around Varnhold, "were settled by folks responding to what the original Varnhold team. Just as Elkheart is the seat of the Greenwatch. The village of Varnhold was made the seat of this area." He points to the hexes edged with blue dots. "I do not expect ever farmer to be happy that the leaders here in Varnhold picked a new ruler when the old one died, but they already submitted themselves to Varn, the leader of the Varnhold settlers prior to our rescuing the people of Varnhold. But they were under Varnhold's protection before and they will have ours. If they do not wish to live under it. Their land is theirs to sell to new settlers who I hope to see come to these lands and prosper just as those of the Greenwatch did."
He points to the lands south of the South Rostland Road between the sold outlined blue hexes of Greenwat and the dotted blue hexes of Varnhold. "I don't know what we will find here." Quince considers things a moment. "I guess you will have to trust our track record. We subdued bandits throughout the Greenbelt some of whom have given up the life of highwaymen for protecting others. We partnered with kobolds rather than exterminate them to drive out evil mites and they now prosper and the silver they bring out of the mines goes to our markets and we all prosper. We made friends with numerous fey in the Narlmarches, so much so that our loggers are tolerated and the fey remain our allies. The lizardfolk were subdued . . . they were also the aggressors. The survivors fought alongside against invading trolls. A fight we answered not chose. "
"We have never acted as conquerors. Yes we took a charter to subdue bandits, and settle a frontier. That frontier is a fledgling nation, a power for good in what was lawless country. Let us follow our road, look to what we find and we can talk more of what should be done."
"The trail calls lets ride." He looks to Kendryl "And fly."
Vesi greets Lykan cheerfully, seemingly unfazed by the elf's unusual appearance.
"I hear that you enjoy the outdoors. I do as well, and I'm looking forward to explore these lands!" Vesi looks to the west, following Quince's gaze. "Oh, I've missed the mountains." They take a deep breath, the congested quality of their voice gone. "I like the air here."
"How wonderful! Most often, I am the one saying that!"
"The trail calls lets ride." He looks to Kendryl "And fly."
"Up, up, and away!!!"
The group heads out towards the designated area. The first two hexes of area you can see the varnhold pass and sprawling farms. There you begin exploring... it seems to be devoid of threats until you come to a massive sink hole.
“It is dark in there!“
Vesi listens to their cousin's impassionate speech about the history of settling the Greenbelt, looking thoughtful. As they prepare to depart, the druid leans in to whisper to Quince.
"I didn't know what I would find when I made my way to your domain, but I am happy that I did. You are truly a good person, and seem to surround yourself with good people. I would like to help, if I can." The undine winks. "And I hope we come across fey here as well, I find them fascinating."
Leaning cautiously over the edge to peer into the depths of the sinkhole, Vesi points. "There's a few someones down there. The smaller ones I cannot make out clearly, but two of them are huge, with four heads between them and... made of mud? Very curious."
"I didn't know what I would find when I made my way to your domain, but I am happy that I did. You are truly a good person, and seem to surround yourself with good people. I would like to help, if I can." The undine winks. "And I hope we come across fey here as well, I find them fascinating."
Quince smiles at his cousin. "Glad you are here too." He smiles, "That would be fun. Remind me when we are back in Elkheart, we will visit a few fey friends."
The group heads out towards the designated area. The first two hexes of area you can see the varnhold pass and sprawling farms. There you begin exploring... it seems to be devoid of threats until you come to a massive sink hole.
"Mud creatures." Quince looks over the edge with the others. "I know that the original Varnhold team encountered mud creatures to the southeast of here at Lake Silverstep. These might be similar."
He wonders out loud, "We should likely clear them of the area. I am not fond of the idea of jumping down. Do we have any ranged spells to bring them up to us?" No weapon is in his hands ready to take what will be needed for the groups movement forward. Bow, halberd and longsword, stay ready on his person.
Quince grabs a rock at the edge of the sinkhole and casts light on it and drops it into the hole to get a better look at the creatures. "Are the two headed ones, mud as well or are they some sort of Ettin."
Quince grabs a rock at the edge of the sinkhole and casts light on it and drops it into the hole to get a better look at the creatures. "Are the two headed ones, mud as well or are they some sort of Ettin."
"I can certainly fly down a ways and take a better look to confirm, which probably makes sense anyway: because they are either trapped ... or there is another exit at the bottom. Might slow me down a little, but I could bring someone (light)."
Quince arranges another light for Kendryl. He readies his bow incase things go south in the hole.
At the light the Ettins look up, and you see they are not made of mud. After the rocks hits the mud the light dissappears.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Definitely ettins."
"Definitely ettins."
"Def NOT made of mud either ..."
The ettins are likely 30 to 40 feet tall. There is a 100 foot drop from the lip of the sinkhole down to the 'ground' or at least the top of the mud.
So the ettins can't be seen with the 60 foot darkvision.
The hole is a good 300 feet wide by 200 feet. It is a massive sinkhole.
"You've seen these md men before? What can you tell us about them?"
"Too deep to just jump down. Do we have the rope most of us will want to get down there? Seems the bottom is a fairly soft mud. Means there will be more trouble moving around once we're down there."
Quince shakes his head, "No the team that settled Varnhold before we were asked to help. Explored part of the area. They encountered a sort of mud elemental creature. I couldn't say for sure the mud or mud covered things down there with the Ettins are the same or not. I mean they could be people covered in mud. Its a long way."
"We have rope. Its a big hole. I might be able to . . . grow a bit tree. That might be tall enough to get near the top. But I think we need to figure out if they are hostile or not or if the smaller creatures are safe."
He calls down, rotating through the languages he knows common, sylvan, celestial, and aklo, "Hello, anyone need help down there."
Vesi repeats Quince's call in Giant, Goblin and Draconic, just in case.
"You are handy to have about." Quince wink at his cousin. He keeps an eye an ear out on the smaller forms to see if they are in danger not just from the sink hole but the ettins.
After Vesi says it in Giant, you hear several responses in Giant, "No, we good down here. Hey! Yes, I am hungry, you got any meat for us? We could use help this moist air is doing horrors to our complextions."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Vesi relays the ettins' words to their comapnions.
"They say they are hungry, are asking if we have any meat, and, uh, they are complaining about over-moisturizing."
The druid then shouts down the hole again. "I hear that exfoliating helps! And it may seem counter-intuitive, but a light moisturizer is quite essential as well! Anything we can do for you?"
"Seems like a cagey response. Are they trapped down there?"
The three voices come back, "Meat, meat, meat! Nah we good. You are always hungry. It would be nice to get out of this hole."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Quince looks to Vesi, "Do they seem off to you? Hiding something?" He looks to the others, "Anyone sensing a trap or ulterior motives." He looks down and says to Vesi, "Tell them we can help with both food and getting out. Ask them if they can climb trees. If they say yes tell them to move to one side of the hole."
He looks to Kendryl, "If you are game to fly down. Place this on the ground." Quince hands Kendryl a feather tree token. "It will grow a large tree. If they rush you I will put up a wall of fire between you and them and the rest of us will unleash all sorts of nastiness."
"Of course, glad to help. Things are so different here: on Jalmeray, we tended not to feed evil creatures ..."
"Well, if they have been down there long they will be looking to fill their bellies when they get up here. Not like their mud men companions could serve that purpose, but we could. What can we offer them better than rations to avoid the conflict?"
Quince looks to Kendryl, "They'll have a chance to prove they are evil. I mean we have a hill giant that joined our Reeves little more than a year ago. If I judged him by what I read or heard of hill giants . . . well he wouldn't have been as big help when the trolls came a long." He smiles, "That's also why I warned you that I would throw up a wall of fire if they did anything threatening."
He looks toward the mud creatures, "If they are covered in mud rather than made of mud. They might share more information about the ettins if they think the ettins won't tear them apart."
"My pot can feed almost 40 humans . . . that's gotta help feed them."
"Let's ask them about the mud creatures, are they young ettins, are they people covered in mud. That will help us."
It's hard to tell what is talking to your group as they are in shadows at the best. You believe the loud gruff voices are coming from the ettins, as the heads seem to be bickering.
After a bit of hesistation he states, "Ummmm... I believe they intend to eat us, so Kendryl should not fly down!"
Quince looks to Kendryl, "They'll have a chance to prove they are evil. I mean we have a hill giant that joined our Reeves little more than a year ago. If I judged him by what I read or heard of hill giants . . . well he wouldn't have been as big help when the trolls came a long." He smiles, "That's also why I warned you that I would throw up a wall of fire if they did anything threatening."
He looks toward the mud creatures, "If they are covered in mud rather than made of mud. They might share more information about the ettins if they think the ettins won't tear them apart."
"My pot can feed almost 40 humans . . . that's gotta help feed them."
"Let's ask them about the mud creatures, are they young ettins, are they people covered in mud. That will help us."
After Vesi or Jorne interprets for the group asking like questions you hear, "No these mud creatures are just mud. Elementals would be the word you are looking for dummy. I found some rock in some of them, though if we squish them they just appear again. Just mud. No meat on them and we already ate the bugs. The hole was much smaller before, it grew as we tried to get out. We have been stuck down here for weeks!"
After hearing the new words and translates them, he says, "I believe they are being honest to their level of intelligence."