Sylva gets out her Med Kit and says to Ravenna, “If you can make yourself comfortable…”
|
Nox scurries out of the grass as the beasts begin to dissipate into wispy smoke. He attempts to determine anything he could before they fully discorporate. The beetle helmed individual then looks to Ravenna being tended by the helpful undine sprite.
"This bodes ill. But shows that 'we' namely you all... can handle yourselves in a fight. I'm sorry that I was not more help, my abilities are still new and I am learning."
After taking a few minutes to patch up your injuries, you proceed into the clearing. Halfway from the clearing’s edge to the Seven Arches (about 100 feet on either side), you come across a wall of shadowy magic. A shadowy line seems to cross the clearing here, beyond which the tall grasses look dark and colorless, like charcoal sketches of themselves.
Ravenna and Sylva notice the air and plants wavering and shifting. Crossing the wall of shadows may be hazardous to your health...
|
|
Nox approaches the wall of roiling shadows. The monochrome sprite looking oddly at home with the strange wall of planar energy.
His eyes search for something beyond the veil as he reaches out towards it, the shadow in the loose sleeve of his clothes seem to reach out and interact with the wall itself.
Nox moves to Ravenna and looks up. "I believe I have a way through, but we should all move through at once if you'll allow. I need to be held close near your center, like a lantern if you will."
He points to a distinctly black splotch appeared near the bottom of the shadow wall. When elevated it seems to follow loosely, and Nox holds his arms out and with concentrated effort it slowly expands in an arch until it's roughly large enough for someone of Ravenna's size. He turns his hands outward and a sort of archway tunnel was punched a few inches into the shadows. As they moved closer it'd expand like a protective bubble for those in close proximity.
The sprite speaks with a strained voice.
"Quickly now... before it veil reasserts itself."
You pass through the shadowy wall unharmed. Ahead, seven arches of gray-brown basalt loom around the center of the forest clearing. In the middle is a crude wooden altar carved with vines. A hogtied unicorn bleats deliriously upon the altar. Despite two lines of lit torches around the altar, shadows clog the area like thick mist.
A trio of men and women wait in front of the altar, holding staves and daggers at the ready. In addition to the leather armor and green cloaks typical of the Oakstewards, each of these rebels wears an eerie leaf‑shaped mask that marks them as followers of Bolan’s cause. They cry out as they prepare to attack!
Sir Batman brushes any flecks of dirt and grime off his shield before stowing the slightly damaged one for his spare.
Smiling the entire time, the Bronze bat nods to his friends.
Well that was interesting. No worries Nox! Everyone has their specialty. Mine just happens to be a target.
The Champion of Mazludeh then says a prayer, causing his scratch to heal.
The Bronze Knight then refocused his energy for 10 minutes, while Sylva bandages Revenna.
As the group stops in front of something that the Champion was unaware of, he smiles over at Nox.
Like I said: Specialties!
The Champion will lead the way through at Nox' instructions....
Sylva does not hesitate. She picks the rightmost target (so the big people won’t surround her) and, for the unicorn’s sake, ▶️▶️rushes the rebel Oaksteward!
Ravenna stares at the scene in front of her, amazed to see a real life unicorn. That feeling of wonder is swept away by the realization that these lunatics intend to sacrifice the poor thing! In a flash, she lifts her musket and opens fire.
Before the druids can attack, Ravenna fires a bullet directly into one's chest! The force of the impact knocks him off his feet, and as he falls, she reloads and shifts her aim, shooting a second Oaksteward. In a flash, Sylva is upon him, driving her blade into his ankle. The pain of his wounds causes him to pass out!
The last remaining Oaksteward immediately drops her weapons and raises her hands in surrender. "Okay! Okay, you got us! Don't hurt me!" she wails.
Behind her, the delirious unicorn continues bleat and struggle against its bonds.
Sylva starts to patch up the fallen.
She starts with the one she took down, then rushes to the man who was shot in the chest—if it’s not too late for him. Sylva tells the woman, “You gotta help us free the unicorn, and we’re gonna chat.”
The man Sylva struck is unconscious but stable. Ravenna's first target is beyond saving, unfortunately.
The Oaksteward who surrendered uses her magic to calm and heal the unicorn before untying it. The creature regains its senses enough to flee into the woods.
"Okay, I've freed the beast," the hard-faced young woman says. "You're looking for Bolan, aren't you? I can take you to his hideout, or give you directions if you prefer." The druid seems to be rather pragmatic about the whole situation.
Though covered in blood from a wound she could not heal, Sylva tries to focus on the task at hand—getting a read on the woman, if she can.
“What would Bolan do if he saw you leading us to him? And how exactly did he convince you to, what, sacrifice a unicorn?”
She places her hands on her hips, though her tiny fists maintain white-knuckle grips on the hilts of Lemonsbane and Donkeytail.
“The you of ten years ago would be very, very disappointed. So how do you make it right, besides giving us directions?”
Ravenna keeps her musket ready, if not quite pointed at the surviving druid.
"Who else is with Bolan? Any more creatures like the bug dogs outside?"
The woman looks a little uncomfortable. "We didn’t want to kill a unicorn, of course. But it’s a small sacrifice in the long run to bring back the obnubilate curse!"
She smirks ruefully. “The curse is the world’s way of restoring the natural balance. If we had it our way, this curse would affect not only elves, but all who call themselves ‘civilized.’ Just look.” She points to the carnage all around—her fallen comrade and the unicorn blood upon the altar. “Do you really think any of us have a right to be here? I don't think there's anything I need to make right. We were just doing what needed to be done.”
The druid turns to Ravenna. "Bolan's at the hideout. He was going to bring the key once we’d prepared the site. We were supposed to send a runner back to tell him when the deed was done.
“The hideout is a gnome forest house, up in the trees. I can lead you there, but you’ll never get in. Bolan will hear you coming and lock the place down tighter than a terrapin.” She grins unpleasantly. "You may have beat us, but Bolan’s got twice as many with him, plus friends—friends you’ll never expect.”
She refuses to say more. Sylva gets the sense that this woman is just as cruel as she appears to be.
Sylva says, “We’re gonna tie you and the one I saved to the altar. We’ll free you after, and I don’t care if you free yourselves before we get back. I just want assurance you won’t assist Bolan.
“Because we’re the only ones who’re gonna walk out that place alive if the goal’s to wipe every sentient creature off the face of Golarion.
“I want you to live… just to see it all fail. Maybe that part of you against killing unicorns has a future. Better than what you’d get from this idiotic mass-murder-suicide plan.”
Sylva walks to Ravenna, ready to ride to Bolan.
Ravenna rolls her eyes at the druid's bravado. "If his friends are anything like you, we'll be home by dinner. Besides, were you expecting us? Be honest."
Sir Batman watches with his bronze jaw agape, as the two badasses eliminate two of three druid rebels and a third is made to water the grass!
I blinked! Barely!
Walking over to the still alive and conscious Druid, the Champion takes out rope from his pack and begins Tying her to the sacrifice altar place tight and secure-like
Is that too tight? No? Let me fix that.
He tightens her restraits with a smile.
Sylva is correct. Your younger self would shit herself from shame!
The Liberator winks.
I can swear; not a Paladin.
While the woman is tied down, Sylva takes Lemonsbane and slashes the strap the binds the leaf mask. She does the same with the unconscious, but not the dead.
“Never don the mask again.”
She slashes the mask with her itty bitty sword.
|
|
Nox pets the Unicorn in an attempt to calm it while the others deal with the already mostly-dealt with cultists. That is until it trots off from being free'd.
"I do suggest that you look into reassessing your understanding of what nature wants. The wonton death of countless innocents is certainly not it. The wonton death of countless sinners is also not it. However if you make yourselves an issue, know very well that we can and will finish the job if we must. As the woods are remorseless in their feelings towards those who would harm the most sacred of their dwellers."
The shadows around Nox thankfully generated by the strange aura around the entire area seem to throb in response to his aggression. "Do I make myself clear?" This seems far less a question than a pointed end to the talk.
But just as quickly he turns to his group and speaks in a not quite jovial but more natural neutral tone. "Well done, I believe that means they won't be bothering the Unicorn again, I think I may have met that one a few decades ago, alright fellow. But now we must deal with the major threat of Balon, perhaps he would listen to reason but... if he is willing to capture and sacrifice a creature so pure. I can't even fathom what vision he did have in his moment."
Happy with his passive-aggressive tangle with the evil Druid cultists, the Bronze bat nods in agreement with both Sylva and Nox.
Balon sounds like a mental mess most likely from eating too much mud.
The Champion of Mazludeh smiles at the bound evil Druid cultists. The sprite waves over to Nox.
Now please recite perfectly the correct directions to this gnome forest house, up in the trees. Why does everything go up?
Before the group sets out, Sir Batman walks over to Revanna, holding aloft his slightly damaged shield and Sylva's repair kit.
Any chance that you can mend this? Want to have both shields at full potential for this meeting with Balon
The Bronze bat grins.
The rogue Oaksteward seems thoroughly cowed by Nox's words. She provides you with accurate directions to Bolan's hideout, and you make your way there, arriving about an hour later.
Just ahead, the forest thins to reveal a chaotic network of brightly painted wooden houses high above. The structures are all several stories tall and interconnected by swaying rope bridges. In the southeastern corner of the enclave, a wooden staircase spirals upward from the forest floor to a suspended gazebo. Atop a tower at the enclave’s northern end, a small canvas-sailed windmill creaks in slow circles.
The whimsical houses are contrasted by recent fortifications: the trees’ lower branches have all been shorn clean, and the bare trunks shine with grease and are studded with downward-pointing wooden spikes.
Sylva asks her fellow sprites, “Assuming we’re all wingless mortals, anyone have a reliable means of ascending that? I can handle any additional sneaky stuff.”
Yes, there are stairs but “if I could be flown up, rather than take the obvious stairs, I could scout.”
Sir Bat strains his neck, his bronze helmet head circling as his blue eyes follow the spiral wooden staircase around and around and around...
It goes!
The Bronze sprite smiles. He then turns his face to his companions.
Alright fellow fairies! This may be dangerous, so let’s put on our mean faces!
Following his own advice, Sir Batman does indeed put on a particularly mean bronze face. The Champion of Mazludeh readies his shield before leading the particularly perilous trek up those stairs!
Ravenna takes the tiny shield and gets to work on it before they depart.
"They're really not messing around, are they?" she says, sounding almost impressed. Then, with an amused smile, she follows after Batman, musket at the ready.
Ravenna gives Nox a skeptical look. "I appreciate the confidence, Nox, but I think you may be overestimating my throwing arm."
A wooden staircase spirals from the ground up to a gazebo-turned-pillbox twenty feet above the forest floor. The structure’s windows are completely boarded up except for a few small murder holes. To the east and west, steep rope bridges ascend ten feet from the landing to larger buildings.
Scouting ahead a few feet, Nox sees a masked Oaksteward on the western bridge, as well as a second one looking down through one of the murder holes. They spot him a moment later, shouting in alarm as they reach for heavy crossbows!
About to place a booted foot on the initial step of the spiral staircase, the Champion of Mazludeh appears rather not too surprised when the shouting begins.
Placing both ◆hands on his shield, Sir Batman ◆Raises it, prior to ◆ascending halfway up!
You dirt eating murder cultists really could of built an elevator!
Sylva ▶️▶️hoppity-hops up the many, many really big steps. I said fly me up! Oh, maybe I just implied…!
Cursing, Ravenna sprints up after Nox, throwing herself against the wall for cover right next to him.
Sylva rushes ahead of everybody else, stabbing the Oaksteward at the top of the stairs. He cries out in pain, then both druids fire their crossbows at Sylva. One bolt grazes the sprite while the other misses. The druids then switch their weapons to their staffs as they prepare for melee combat!
Watching in frustration the impetuous Sylva advancing forward into the fray, the Bronze bat Raises his trusty shield, strides in front of an evil Druid cultists, and Shoves him behind the other evil Druid cultists!
Lining them up for you Nox!
Sylva takes advantage of the fact she’s got the enemy right where she wants him!
And her blades bounce harmlessly off of his shoe.
She looks up at the staff that’s about to flatten her.
“Eep?”
She ▶️takes cover behind her bat-winged friend as her missed foe is shoved away!
|
|
Watching the scuffle Nox maneuvers along with it so that the two druids are vaguely in line, before he flairs out his wings and cloak dredging up some of the shadow-stuff around and flinging a crashing wave of not-quite right tendrils and thorn covered vines at the pair.
"Rosh'Uk'Koth" He yells louder than a sprite should be capable, the air churning at his call.
Ravenna pops out from cover to take aim at the druid looming over Sylva, but pulling the trigger elicits only a puff of smoke instead of the expected bang. Cursing, she empties the misfire and loads another shot just in time.
Batman moves in and shoves the Oaksteward Sylva stabbed away from her. That allows Nox to line up his spell and unleash grim tendrils on the druids. The wounded man cries out as he takes the full brunt of the spell, but the other Oaksteward resists it. Ravenna fires on the wounded druid, dropping him with her second shot.
The remaining Oaksteward moves in on Batman, attacking with his staff.
Sylva ▶️moves to strike!
But the reality of taking a life today—and now another—causes the aquatic fairy to flinch!
Sir Batman Reacts quickly, blocking the majority of the evil Druid cultists attempt at mutilation!
Smiling up, up, up at the evil Druid cultists, the Bronze Knight decides to Raise his shield, Stride through the legs of the remaining evil Druid cultists into a Flank with Sylva, and Strikes out at an exposed ankle with his shield!
The Batman waves at Sylva when they both totally wiff!
Ravenna fires off a third shot, but it goes wide in the close quarters. "Damn thing!" she mutters angrily, reloading for another shot.
|
|
After using some of his true magical power Nox goes back to the simple stuff, such as using his not-shadows to rip pieces of equipment from the fallen druid and chuck it at his ally. As a full water skin lobs itself at the fellow with jelly-like abandon.
Before he scuttles out of the line of the murderholes again.
"Take that you meanie!"
Though most of you miss with your attacks, Nox hurls the fallen druid's staff at the other one. It smashes into the side of the Oaksteward's head, and he goes down as well!
Two rope bridges exit from this gatehouse, leading to larger buildings to the west and to the east.
Sylva considers the structure and is pretty sure the east side is the way to a higher floor.
“Shall we cross over to the west and make sure we won’t have any masked men following us upstairs?”
She keeps her named blades in hand, too committed to fighting to worry about the enemy waking up again (or not).
You head across the rope bridge to the building to the west. Large windows and elaborately positioned mirrors fill this warm greenhouse with bright light. Potted plants choke the room in what can only be described as an indoor jungle. North and west, other doors lead farther into the house.
Two small plant creatures with large gourds for heads are here, watering the plants. They turn to regard you with narrowed eyes. "You do not look like Oakstewards. Have you come to threaten our home?" one asks.
"Bolan said we are supposed to protect our home from danger!" the other says.
Sylva says, “Oh, thank goodness! There are two unconscious Oakstewards by the spiral stairs. I can administer first aid, but could you two watch the spiral stairs and make sure the intruders don’t come back?”
"Oh no! Of course, we will watch the stairs!" one leshy says.
"We are excellent watchers!" the other says.
Both rush off to do as asked, leaving you alone in the greenhouse.
Ravenna kneels down to carefully pick through the flayleaf, tucking the leaves carefully into an empty pouch on her belt. "Quick thinking, Sylva. Good job!"
Sylva covers her mouth to keep from giggling with relief. “They obviously don’t know what Bolan’s up to. I wonder if he duped any other fey.”
True to her otherwise-dishonest word, Sylva patches up the men while Ravenna harvests.
Once you have gathered the flayleaf, you head through the west door. Looms with colorful, half-completed fabrics are mounted around this room, along with large washboards, basins, and baskets of laundry. A wooden ladder leads up to another room through a five-foot-wide hole in the ceiling.
Ravenna checks the door to the north, then looks at the ladder. "Going up?"