Gubble looks up at his concerned companion and nods easily. "Of course, easier your mind is almost as good as a break from sleeping on the ground. Almost."
"Oh and you should probably add human bandits to your list. We just drove off a band sporting some kind of simple bird banner who were attacking a group of local farmers making their way to the Bard's Gate markets."
"Bird? What bird?" - the man to the left of the leader asks, but then seems to regret the question when he receives an ice-cold stare from his superior, who then turns to you again.
"No other particular threats that we are aware of - bandits are common varmint all along The Tradeway, and nothing out of the ordinary, so to speak" - he clears his throat - "Until we stomp them under our boots that is" - the infantry men laugh - "Apart from that, like I said, stay out of the forest, and.... You do know the locals call it stirge woods yes? There is a reason for that, but I will let you guess" - he chuckles, then urges his men forward - "Stay safe citizens!"
Moving away from the patrol, you continue your trek along The Tradeway - for this night you camp just outside the Stoneheart Forest, but the next day of travel takes you right through the dense woods.
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Mootsdag, 23rd of Mithrond. Drizzle.
The forest itself is dark and oppressive. It is unusually wet, and the ground is damp. Both Cann and Thistle walk with their ears often flattened, and let out the occasional whine. Strangely enough, they do not go out on their own into the forest.
About midway through the day , you pass by a Way Station and grab the opportunity to pause for a meal inside - as with all such structures along the Tradeway, this is a simple 60 foot by 60 foot compound with a 15 foot high wooden palisade wall and a 20 foot wide set of wooden double doors set within the wall. The compound itself does not have a roof, but the doors do have an internal drop bar mechanism, so they can be locked from the inside.
You find no signs of recent usage inside the way station, and it is currently empty, except from some stuff left by previous travelers, like the remains of a cooking fire, old abandoned clothing and shoes, etc.
Holding up a fist to halt the others, "Do you hear that? Out within the forest? Yeah, I don't either. Why do you suppose that is?" he asks rhetorically, narrowing his eyes as he looks about the forest, trying to figure out why it's so quiet.
Hamish nods at Jalros.
"Aye. I hear the silence." He says watching the forest warily. He doesn't really try to hide his surprise at the relative abandonment of the waystation. Seeing no signs of any recent use he frowns and walks the perimeter of the station a second time.
"Seems odd that the caravans we passed wouldn't have stopped here." He says as the group partakes of a midday meal. "I don't see any signs of a struggle and these walled camps are too few and far between to simply pass up. I mean, most folk know there are too few stations along the Tradeway. Should be about double the number to keep folk truly safe on the road. But the nobility in both Bard's Gate and Reme, who hardly ever travel without their huge security contingents, don't see the need. So the next waystation won't be for another three days or so."
"Probably best we camp here for the night then," he responds, his focus still upon the forest.
'Somethings wrong, Thistle shouldn't be whining like this.' Occasionally Naomi looks down to the wolf, telling her. "Shhhhh girl, it's ok." but her demeanor says otherwise keeping a keen eye on the woods, her 'acquired' crossbow in hand. Turning to Jalros, she chimes in, "Whatever it is or isn't, the wolves are skittish. That's not normal."
Taking his focus off the forest for a moment and turning to Naomi, "You're right, it's not." He takes one more look amongst the trees before finally letting it be.
Hearing Jalros recommend they stay, she nods in agreement. "It's been a rough start, with the fight and all. We should rest up and heal up."
Nodding, "Yes. Agreed."
"Agreed as well" Gubble says, his cheerful mood unsettled by the silence in the wood. "Despite being behind walls, I believe our standard watch should be maintained." the halfling does inspect the left remains from other travellers, hoping in his heart they turn out to be simply discarded bits.
Nodding again, "Standard watch it is, sir."
Elgrin has trouble seeing the forest for the trees.
Would be pretty silly to pass up the opportunity to sleep within some walls. So yeah sleeping here tonight sounds good. Regardless, I agree let's keep our normal watch
Scoping out the Way Station from where he stands, "This place would serve well as a base of operations for a small squadron of men. I don't understand why it's empty. It doesn't make sense. What's to keep bandits from taking it over and robbing folks along the way?"
"Since we have time, should we scout the surrounding area? Mainly with the idea of checking for tracks that might tell us if this waystation might be watched regularly." the silence is distressing, and while he dislikes the idea of entering the woods he equally dislikes not knowing what might come after them in the night. "Or we could hunker down, start a fire early, and trade tales of legends and dreams."
Well we've got some time before nightfall. The forest is a bit quiet but maybe we can find something for dinner. Maybe there's a stream nearby. At the very least I can walk about looking for game tracks or whatever else has left tracks nearby. Anyone care to join?
Elgrin fishes out his fishing kit from his pack and the Short Bow and arrows taken from the ambushers. Not sure which will prove more useful.
Happy to have some company even if said company won't teach him how to shave...Elgrin heads off into the forest with Naomi looking for signs of game/tracks, food/berries etc, or a fishing spot. Trying to keep relatively quiet as they go to avoid scaring off any game. His falcata is sheathed and he has the shortbow in hand.
Guthlag walks along quietly for some time after the group leaves the patrol behind. He doesn't even seem to notice their conversation about the quietness of the woods, nor his own wolf's nervousness. When the group finds the waystation and decides to rest, he finally breaks his silence.
"The Fancy Shield and his patrol mentioned that there were orcs near Fairhill." Guthlag's voice is grave, he doesn't seem to realize that Naomi's title for the man they met earlier was in jest. "I fled to Bard's Gate so that I would be beyond the reaches of my own orc tribe." Guthlag taps at his one eye which is dyed completely white. "They had come for me, after I fled the first time. I was to be a shaman; Durk of Secret Winds whispered that I was a child more skilled in magic than many." Guthlag sits on the ground beside the remains of the firepit. "Perhaps it is the same orcs near Fairhill, who have come for me again."
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As the group splits up to settle in for the night, Guthlag follows Gubble's suggestion, checking for unusual tracks in the area around the waystation. "May luck find you," he says to Elgrin and Naomi as they depart in search of food.
After that, he helps to collect firewood, eyeing the sky as he does. As ever, he is concerned about the possibility of rain. Since there is plenty of time, Guthlag plans to spend a few hours constructing a basic lean-to against the far wall of the waystation which will keep him dry in case it rains.
To Naomi's statement about the shoe, he says "Who would?" though his response is tinged with worry.
To Guthrag's revelation, "Perhaps" he says with honest sympathy "If so are you prepared to face them again... not alone of course."
-----------
Since their belongings and their donkey shouldn't be left unattended, Gubble offers to keep an eye and ear open, while sending his little bird up on the palisade to keep his own out.
He'll spend his waiting time writing about the day's encounter in his journal. Well-documented Legends last the longest, he thinks, but will last even LONGER if put to song, whenever Naomi warms to the idea of the Band, he will broach the subject.
'What's to keep bandits from moving in?' Chuckling at Jalros' question, Naomi nods back towards the road they came down. "Probably Mr Snooty-pants." She smiles, "I'm sure his Fancy shield would instantly scare them all away."
Jalros turns to Naomi sporting an unwavering look. "I do not know who Mr. Snooty-pants is," he simply states.
Well we've got some time before nightfall. The forest is a bit quiet but maybe we can find something for dinner. Maybe there's a stream nearby. At the very least I can walk about looking for game tracks or whatever else has left tracks nearby. Anyone care to join?
Jalros then cuts his attention to the 'Mouse'. "I will go with you."
Guthlag walks along quietly for some time after the group leaves the patrol behind. He doesn't even seem to notice their conversation about the quietness of the woods, nor his own wolf's nervousness. When the group finds the waystation and decides to rest, he finally breaks his silence.
"The Fancy Shield and his patrol mentioned that there were orcs near Fairhill." Guthlag's voice is grave, he doesn't seem to realize that Naomi's title for the man they met earlier was in jest. "I fled to Bard's Gate so that I would be beyond the reaches of my own orc tribe." Guthlag taps at his one eye which is dyed completely white. "They had come for me, after I fled the first time. I was to be a shaman; Durk of Secret Winds whispered that I was a child more skilled in magic than many." Guthlag sits on the ground beside the remains of the firepit. "Perhaps it is the same orcs near Fairhill, who have come for me again."
Looking over at Guthlag, "If they come for you, Guthlag, they will not succeed," Jalros states matter-of-factly.
Leaving with Naomi and Mouse, Jalros keeps an eye out for everything, still wondering why the forest makes no noise.
While picking up wood close to the Way Station, Guthlag takes a moment to investigate the area around the structure. Even though he does not manage to pick up a lot of wood, since there aren't a lot of trees around the palisade, he does notice some strange tracks, as if belonging to a canid, but bipedal.
The three or four sets of prints seem to approach from across the road, toward the gate to the Way Station, then circle it all the way to the back, and into some bushes - pushing the bushes aside reveals a relatively large amount of excrements, but they seem dried and not recent. Cann growls, and wrinkles his nose at it though.
---
Lem flies up onto the palisade and hops on all around it then stops, staring towards the direction followed by Naomi, Elgrin and Jalros - turning its head from side to side, the thrush seems to become more and more agitated - first he lets out sounds of curiosity, but then he chirps feebly, and flies back to Gubble - "Eight legs! Big!" - he flaps his wings nervously, looking for a place to hide in the wizard's robes.
Elgrin finds an abnormal amount of edible berries, which seems odd since forest animals would usually eat at least a good part of these. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he picks as many as he can.
Jalros keeps an ever watchful eye on their surroundings, but finds nothing out of the ordinary, apart from the oppressive silence. From a distance, he does notice the forest becomes increasingly thick and dark further in.
Naomi notices the same as Jalros, but something more... There are patches of deeper darkness, large (human sized ) shapes dotting that already dark portion of the wood - she can spot two of them, standing motionless about ten feet from the ground, amidst the trees.
Not wanting to abandon Snowbell, despite her earlier escapades, Hamish maintains a watch at the palisade to make sure nothing slips in a steals mule and gear while the others are gathering wood and searching for clues to the eerie quiet.
Gubble is startled by Lem's outburst, feeling out the words out loud "Eight legs... SPIDERS!" he looks to Hamish "We have to find the others, warn them." he goes quickly out of the building "Guthlag, Naomi, Jalros, Elgrin!" shouting their names, choosing expedience over the potential of drawing more attention to them.
Guthlag, who has not gone far, is by Gubble's side at once. "Stay calm, Gubble," he says somewhat impassively. "Can your bird fly to them?" He holds his hands behind his back, folded, hoping to help Gubble to avoid panicking. "We already knew there were dangers in this place before they set off." Hoping that the wizard is now capable of thinking clearly, the half-orc shows him the tracks he's found. "I have found more evidence of terrible creatures that stalk in the night. A werewolf, perhaps," he doesn't seem too concerned about this threat. Whatever made these tracks, likely days ago, would probably chose to continue avoiding the waystation. "The droppings may be a bad sign," he admits quietly.
"I am, well, not calm, but I am being efficiently practical. Yelling provided the quickest way to determine how close any of you are." Gubble said, his voice back to its normal pitch. "With the complete lack of birdsong in the area, I would assume there are plenty of webs in the trees. Lem is not particularly brave but more to the point, I'd rather not lose him. Can Cann track them?"
Guthlag considers Gubble for a moment, then looks at his wolf. "I think so. But to the point, so can I." Finding the spot where the others struck out from is easy enough, Guthlag had been gathering a bit more wood as they departed, and had watched them go. He begins leading Hamish and the Wizard towards the others.
In response to hearing his name yelled Elgrin stows the bow and draws his falcata. He's curious about the shadowy shapes but thinks better of investigating that with just three of the group
let's get back and find out what he's yelling about
As they move through the gates Naomi rolls her eyes at Jalros, "You know, the armored guy with the shield, the one with the white horse, the black tower, and the two swords. That's his job, right? Keeping the road clear of bandits." She smiles and gestures towards the fenced area, "He literally wouldn't have to leave the road to chase bandits out."
Looking perplexed, "What an odd name."
'What are those shapes hanging in the trees?' Gathering sticks at the edge of the wood, Naomi sees the shapes just before Gubble calls out. Speaking in a calm voice to Jalros who had gone only a little further than her. "Jalros, I'm not sure what caused Gubble to yell out about spiders, but I see two very large shapes in the trees off in the distance. Maybe we should go back and ask him what he's learned."
Nodding, "Yes. Let's." Jalros then leads the way back to the others. "What is it, sir?" he asks the halfling. "What trouble is there?"
"Lem" Gubble starts as he pulls off his glasses to clean them. The little bird pops his head out of a fold in the wizard's robes "Eight legs! Big!" the little bird chirps.
Glasses back on again, he explains "He spotted giant spiders in the direction you three went. Correct?"
Lem chirps Yes.
"How many?" Gubble asks.
Lem tilts his head, thinking...
”Many!” - he eventually adds.
Hearing Gubble's alarm, Hamish draws his blade and watches for any large arachnids creeping over the wall.
"Judging from what those folk in caravan described, my guess is those hanging cocoons are unlucky travelers caught by these oversized spiders." Hamish says staring out into the shadow filled forest. "Creatures have probably eaten every living thing that couldn't escape their grasp, so now they turn to the only thing that delivers itself to their doorstep. The real question is, do we think any of those poor souls are still alive and if so, should we venture forth to attempt a rescue? Or do we fortify ourselves here and let them come to us?"
Continuing to peer beyond the tip of his blade. He frowns, pondering his own proposed conundrum. "Frankly, I'm more inclined to take the fight to them with steel and flame altogether, rather than sit here spooking at every shadow until they decide the time is best in their favor when half are asleep."
Setting his pack full of berries down Elgrin asks
does spider venom kill or is it possible those mansized cocoons could hold a live person?
"I do not know, Elgrin." Gubble admits but hopes Guthlag might have the answer. Though he does add his thoughts to fight or fortify. "I do know spiders, at least the small ones climb walls with ease. The compound might have a sturdy door, but with no roof, I worry trying to defend it would make us the fish in the fisherman's saying 'Stabbing fish in a barrel'." Gubble wasn't sure he got that saying right. The old fisherman that had told him it was way past having a full set of teeth.
Guthlag thinks about giant spiders for some time, wondering if it's common for them to keep live victims in their cocoons.
"Just as there are stars in the sky, there are many different types of venom." The half orc sets his pack down near the still unlit firepit, withdrawing his scythe. "We should bring torches. If none of you have any, perhaps we could fashion some from what pitch-wood we can find nearby."
"Quickly light some torches so we can rid the woods of these spiders." As soon as the torches are lit, Jalros heads straight for the vermin.
Gubble unfurrows the 'not yet accepting that they are a band' Band's flag, casting a quick light spell on the top cap. He understands that it is still daylight, but did so out of solidarity since he'll need his other hand free to cast spells and couldn't carry a torch.
Then he follows Jalros.
Guthlag knows giant spiders, depending on the type (yes, there is more than one type of big spiders :D), usually are able to spit webs from a distance to entangle their opponents, and they are also poisonous.
"I believe the statement about ridding the woods is an embellishment meant to rouse the heart." Gubble clarifies, hopefully, for their more succinct companion "For now, I believe the plan is to investigate these shadows, mostly in hopes they are food, food that might still be alive, based on the uncertainty of which venom might reside in these spiders." but he pauses, the thought of venom reminded him that they do have druid who is known to know things about nature "Guthlag, is there a way to draw the spiders out, bait them as Naomi wisely suggests?"
Hamish grabs a torch from his pack, makes sure Snowbell is secured inside the palisade, and takes off after Jalros.