Alazandaru does not see nor hear any potential danger. He comes near Sandru and notices that he is entirely unbound, but that his back rests easily in the crook of the tree trunk. His arms and lets are folded carefully around branches.
Sandru does not stir. He appears to be unconscious.
Lisabett might have protested, but knowing that she has no skill at climbing, and that Alazandaru has greater eyesight, she stays silent. And would I like him to see me like this? she wonders, considering the blood, sweat and filth from the swamp staining her clothing. And so tired... I hadn't thought it possible, warm as the climate is here.
Lisabett follows Alazandaru's ascent with her eyes, and she slides another javelin into her hands.
Knowing that he is less than agile when climbing, Raziel takes his time to slowly scale the steep incline.
Being at the rear of the group, Raziel can't see what they are speaking about too well, but it appears that Sandru has been found.
'No doubt my healing abilities will be needed soon,' he thinks as he tries to position himself to have at least one hand free.
Alazandaru attempts to pick up Sandru and carry him back to the others*.
Well, let's see what happens now...
Almar, pistol in hand, check the sorroundings for eventual ambushes or other attacks
Perception check:
Sorin relaxes slightly. "I sense no stench of evil; not right around us anyways."
Sorin will move into a position to help Alazandaru should he slip while carrying Sandru.
Alazandaru carefully untangles Sandru from the tree and places him gently over his shoulder before carrying him back to the group. Sandru moans, but does not stir.
Well... thats my part done. I'm not much good at seeing to wounds, only at making them in other people... Alazandaru said. I'll keep watch... he decides, doing a small patrol of the surrounding area- never out of sight of the others but never too close either.
How did this happen? We saw no sign of struggle on the trail! Lisabett's mind seethes when she sees Alazandaru carry Sandru down from the tree. She crouches beside him and searches for wounds, but finds none. Frustrated with her useless eyes, she rises again, and casts in her native Skald, but the cool comfort of her magics is of little, now.
Stepping up to Sandru, Sorin places a hand on his chest and mutters under his breath in a sing-song voice.
Sandru's face twitches as he comes to. He blinks hard; his eyes are glazed over. He looks at your faces in bewilderment for a moment, but a smile comes to his face as he focuses on Lisabett. He reaches his hand out to touch her cheek.
"Mo...Mother Koya." He stammers. "You found me."
Lisabett does not shrink from Sandru's touch.
"Be still. We are not yet safe."
"Brother Holheim, can you rouse... Sandru?" Lisabett inquires, reluctant to look away from the captain.
"I should be able to give him some healing," Raziel says.
He examines Sandru as he moves closer, then reaches out to touch Sandru, his hand full of healing light.
Raziel looks over Sandru with quick but careful deliberation. He does not appear to be physically wounded in any way. He is dazed and half in a dream state; more than likely he is afflicted by something chemical or magical.
"Sandru is under some kind of drug or spell," Raziel says after examining him. "I'm not sure what would bring him back to his full senses. But it looks like someone set him here to be safe while the effect lasts."
"But now we have him, and the question is what to do next? I would not wish to place him back here alone again, but he will burden us as we search for Koya."
'Koya, did you do this? Is Sandru a delay for us, or did you want to keep him out of trouble?' Raziel ponders.
Of course, no man would touch this face on his own initiative.
Lisabett removes Sandru's hand from her face and places it on his chest. She swallows hard and looks away from him then, the fingers she used to touch him flexing as though she is suffering from exposure, and frost over taking her eyes.
"We must needs find shelter. This... cavern that was mentioned, we could build a fire for heat that would be hidden from the swamp... I... am not certain how cold it will be tonight, but without gear, and... the horses," Lisabett inhales and it sounds almost pained.
"If the captain were left here... There is track to this position which headed back down the trail. We... perhaps we are going the wrong way?" Lisabett's voice seems strained. I tire of this swamp. "There is too little information."
I am lost.
"So he was either drugged or a spell was cast on him? And then left there unharmed? This situation is getting more and more complicated each passing moment
I don't see how Sandru would have fallen for such attacks without tring to fight back unless it was someone he trusted and took him by surprise... Koya could have done this probably... but why exactly? Maybe she doesn't want to be stopped just yet? But for what purpose? We can't risk leaving Sandru here like that and we could use a little rest... I hope Koya is fine but I can't risk everyone's lives by moving in the dark in this place"
"Let's camp people, we cannot leave him alone here in that state, I'll try to find a place for a decent fire, moving in the darkness in this swamp doesn't seem the best of ideas anyway"
Survival check to find a good spot for a camp and to build it:
"Just to mention this Almar, but Sandpoint isn't too far away, and the horses would make carrying Sandru easier after we leave the swamp."
Lisabett gives a weak nod at Brother Holheim's wisdom. "I agree," she says softly. "Carrying... the captain to his horse will be less taxing than continuing with him in such a state. And there is the issue of supplies, and security. I've only a bedroll, no blanket to maintain his temperature, and any fire is sure only to prove a beacon in this myrr okræsilegr."
Lisabett frowns. He will hate me for saying so, but, I bear worse sins than dragging a drugged man from likely danger. "We are each of us tired, weary and blind in darkness besides. What manner of reliable watch might we organize to maintain ourselves from all sides? From monsters, dead men, and an enemy witch?" she shakes her head mournfully. "Likely it is best if we returned."
"At this time and being this far it's unlikely we can get back to sandpoint before nightfall and having an injured person with us will not help us move faster. And by travelling by night in this treacerous swamp we are just exposing ourselves to danger MORE. At the moment our best solution is to camp and set watches. And being ready for everything that might attack us... of course"
So saying Almar keeps searching for a favorable spot to make a defensible camp.
The overgrown trail along the cliff is defensible, but it is also very steep. Sandru was hung safely in the low tree, but there is no other foliage as secure. Sleeping here would be perilous.
The trail continues up, though it gets even steeper. It may be difficult to ascend with Sandru in tow. The way down is only slightly more accommodating.
Suddenly, a flock of butterflies bursts from a bush behind Almar. Their wings glow blue in the light cast by your magic. They surround all of you in a whirling loop before dispersing and fluttering down into the swamp.
"I do not believe that Sandru would forgive us if he found out that we had left our search for Mother Koya to return him to Sandpoint. There is no easy choice here. But I fear that waiting through the night will spell doom for Koya. I don't understand what's going on here exactly but Sandru felt enough haste to rush out here by himself; perhaps, in that haste, falling victim to some type of trap or ambush."
"I don't like it but I think we need to press on and find Koya. I can carry Sandru if need be. If we're lucky, whatever is afflicting him will soon wear off."
Sorin looks wearily out into the swamp. What have you been thinking, Koya? Have you foreseen something?
Lisabett begins crying when the butterflies surround the group. As before, with her magics embraced, the moisture freezes just outside her eyes and the frost spreads from a film over them to her face. "My Lady... I... believe She suggests that we have Her blessing," she says softly, her accent thick. "To... free Her daughter.
"The night, the spheres... it is Her time."
"Almar, check around that bush behind you," Raziel suggests.
'Omens and portents! Koya, what are you involved with?' he ponders to himself.
Almar nods to Raziel
Perception check:
Something catches your eye, above the tree line. There is a thin column of smoke rising from the northern part of the swamp. You watch it for a time, and it does not seem to grow, or to wane.
Almar checks the foliage carefully. There is nothing out of the ordinary inside or around the bush.
"Wha...what?" Sandru sits up suddenly. He looks around at all of you. The look of dazed comfort he wore moments ago is now gone from his face. "What are you? Who...? Where is she? She was here just a moment ago. She said she would help me."
Lisabett flinches and moves away from the captain, as far from Brother Holheim's light as possible, and pulls a length of her filthy blonde hair in front of her face. "Mother Koya is not here, Captain," she reports. "If you are well again, we will assist you to find her."
"Aye, Sandru, I'm happy to see you awake. Can you tell us what happened since we left for our mission? We solved the goblin problem, and now we just need to find Koya and head back to Sandpoint"
I may know exactly where to look... Alazandaru says in response to Lisbett as he finishes his patrol and returns to the others.
Theres a column of smoke to the north- I suspect its from a campfire. Doesn't look too far from here and I say its worth investigating.
Sorin kneels besides Sandru. "Sandru? It's me, Sorin. We came her to find Mother Koya, and yourself. Are you fit? Can you travel? We can't stay here, we need to move north."
Almar takes his attention away from Sandru to Alezandru for a moment as he briefly considers his report "That we can do, as long as it's not too far away"
Carry him if necessary- its not far the young rake says as he moves impatiently to lead the group towards the smoke.
Lisabett easily follows Alazandaru without so much as uttering another word, but she is not entirely silent as they continue on the trail, her feet slipping and displacing rocks. The frost beneath her eyes gradually melts as she releases her hold on her power, creating clean rows on her generally dirty face. She is grateful that none watch, and prays that not a one has observed her shame.
Sorin will follow, helping Sandru as much as is needed.
Sandru looks between Lisabett, Almar and Sorin. From the look in his eyes, he would appear to understand, but all he says is: "She was just here. She said she'd help me."
He comes to his feet easily, and follows ably enough with Sorin's assistance. In a few minutes, the group has descended the steep trail and is in the swamp once again.
The path at the base of the bluff seems to head in the right direction. The party travels cautiously through the marsh, Alazandaru in the lead. Eventually, you come to a fork leading to the left and right. The fire would seem to be ahead of you still, but off the trail. You continue.
But you must be getting close. There are lights in the distance. A camp, perhaps?
And then you recognize your surroundings. Warden Proudstump's house is visible through the trees; light flickers through his windows. There is a healthy span of water between you and the halfling's home, however.
Lisabett curses in Skald when she recognizes the Warden's home.
"I claim responsibility for this failure," Lisabett states. I should have placed more faith in the Lady's sign. Had we followed the trail down as Her companions suggested... Lisabett shakes her head.
Sorin appears confused by Lisabett's remark. "Failure? What are you talking about?"
We should never have left the Warden alone knowing there were undead about.
Sorin begins examining the water to see how deep it is or how easy it will be to go around it.
"My Lady's sign. The butterflies, they lead back towards the horses. I... should not have discounted Her ability to provide for such coincidence," Lisabett replies. "We found Sandru hale, if we had followed we might also have found Mother Koya."
Lisabett breathes a short prayer in Skald to Desna, thanking Her for the sign that guided the party to safety. She is given pause by the pool of water between themselves and probable security, recalling from earlier that the dead men had no difficulty walking beneath the surface of the water.
Raziel renews his light spell, and move forward to help Lisabett.
The water does not look particularly deep or difficult to cross. It continues for some distance in both directions, however.
Lisabett sighs. She has no particular fondness for this brackish water, particularly in light of the creature melting into it earlier, and the possibility that the dead men may be waiting within, but... then, if they had assaulted the Warden's house for being lit, it likely would not be. And the Lady's sign, She meant for us to find safety.
"I see little other alternative," she says mournfully. "We cannot continue to stumble blindly through the swamp without rest, and... our smell for wading through this filth once again will put us as equals with the Warden, I expect."
The water does not appear as deep as it was in the place you crossed earlier.
Perhaps Koya herself will have sought shelter here. We're almost there now, lets go give the Warden a visit.
"I agree."
Sorin will bring up Detect Evil and begin crossing the water. If he detects any evil from the water, he'll point it out.