Slo ambles into camp after Popcorn, calmly looking around for trouble.
No one appears to immediately responds to Popcorn's invitation to come out and play.
"Look at these things! Shells, stones, feathers...leshys collect these!"
Fluff Fang looks to Popcorn "Common back down to the river with me, I think something friendly might be still hiding."
"Hmmm there are signs people were here. Candles scented with jasmine and some trail rations."
Popcorn runs alongside Fluff Fang to see who might be hiding there.
Popcorn and Fluff Fang scurry off to the river's edge.
They look here and there, but don't see anyone. Just as Popcorn gruffly turns to leave, chiding Fluff Fang for leading them on a wild goose chase — without any geese — a small satchel strikes them squarely in the back of the head!
Poooppcoorn! says a voice, Sorry about hitting you in the head, but it's such a tempting target! as the voice dissolves into a flurry of giggles.
Popcorn whirls about to see Glimmer, a pixie with whom she's had run-ins before. Glimmer is mostly harmless, but does love their pranks — and particularly relishes in teasing Popcorn. The seeds in that bag are just your type, Popcorn! Cook 'em up, munch 'em, and you'll
toughen up for a bit!
Glimmer floats down to rest on an oak leaf. So far away, so far from home, but here you are! Glimmer is always happy to see friends. Oh, and Poooppcoorn too! they conclude, with another giggle.
Bamboom scowls at Glimmer. Pixies have flesh, so aren't to be trusted, but they don't have as much flesh as big fleshies, so aren't as bad.
"We're busy, looking for some friends!" he tells her.
Popcorn yells "AAAAAAAAAAH!" and swings her flail at the bag, causing some of the seeds to toast and puff up.
"Leshys are missing and all you can do is make fun!"
Slo finds a nearby tree to lean against, chuckling as he takes in the tableau.
Ooh! Pop pop pop the seeds, Popcorn! Glimmer excitedly claps her hands, and the satchel bulges with light, fluffy, pale blue exploded seeds. Yum, yum, those look like I want some. Tasty treats for to eat!
She dances through the air, then suddenly stops. Wait, did you say leshys are missing?
Popcorn punctuates her words by continuing to strike the bag.
"YES!" Whack! "Leshys..." Whack! "are..." Whack! "MISSING!"
Popcorn's face twists into a frown, despite the number of tasty snack created by her tantrum.
Ohhhhh, so that's what that fella was going on about! Glimmer says, as though they had just solved life's greatest mystery. They float down and pick up one of the blue popped seeds, plucking off a chunk and tossing it into their mouth. Mmm, yum for my tum. They're bitter when raw, but scrumptious when properly cooked!
"What fella?" Bamboom demands! He wonders why Glimmer appears to be coated with bark, but decides she's probably just trying to not look like a fleshy.
Reaching Rings emerges from the shadows.
"Why do you have protective magic little one? Have you seen anything frightening? Who was this fella you spoke to?"
Glimmer looks down at themselves at Reaching Rings' question. Must be the tasty pastry! Try some yourself!
Dunno who it was, and I didn't speak to him. Human. Red hair. First I saw him, he was yelling at a burlap sack — who yells at a burlap sack? It's not like a burlap sack yells back, but then this one did make noise until he yelled. "Be quiet," he said, like a burlap sack can do more than be quiet. "Be quiet or I'll throw more than your toys in that fire," he said. Wore green and yellow. Sack stopped squirming then and he ate something with his shiny teeth. Wasn't exciting anymore, so I lay down for a little nap cuz he was boring all of a sudden and not yelling at the burlap sack or anything with his muddy boots. BORING. So then I woke up when I heard you lot here.
"Typical fleshy! There must have been something in that sack! I bet it was one of us leshies!" Bamboom declares. "But who likes toys?"
He ponders what he knows of his missing flower folk.
Fluff Fang looks to their fellow leshies "Maybe there are still tracks?"
Glimmer reacts to Bamboom's observation. Say! Do you think it was your missing leshy friends...?
Popcorn stops beating up on the bag long enough to look for tracks. "Here! They're here! They're going that way!"
"Let's go then!" Bamboom urges, quickly heading off in the direction Popcorn indicated.
The leshy legion sets off after the new tracks, Glimmer waving a frantic farewell as they depart.
Roughly an hour later, the trees have begun to thin out as the edge of the Verduran Forest approaches. Rounding a curve, the group can see the a small village getting closer in the distance.
As the group approaches a clearing, a curious and brave pack of deer have decided to investigate these strangely mobile bundles of delicious petals, leaves, gourds, and mushrooms that have stumbled across their path.
Seconds later, the deer approach and decide to have some lunch!
Reaching Rings manages to duck out of the way!
Initiative
Hungry deer hazard — thank you very munch
Fluff Fang — GO
Popcorn — GO
Slo Poke — GO
Bamboom — GO
Reaching Rings — GO
Dluff Fang ponders going to mean route but decides to start with nice plant and see if he can convince them we're too cute to eat.
"No! Leshies aren't for eating!" Bamboom scolds, drawing on the power of the verdant and sending a branch flying to try to scare off the monstrous monsters. He summons a tree to help protect them!
Popcorn starts huffing and puffing. "You can't eat us! We're on a mission!"
(bludgeoning, disarm, sweep, trip)
Plus 4 fire (arcane, evocation)
(bludgeoning, disarm, sweep, trip)
Plus 4 fire (arcane, evocation)
Fluff Fang tries a subtle approach.
Popcorn and Bamboom do not. the kinetic blast if off target, but Popcorn's flail strikes true.
The deer are not fond of the pain the leshy induces, and are less so of the fire. But they are also hungry, and as yet undeterred.
Initiative
Hungry deer hazard (-28) — thank you very munch
Fluff Fang — Diplomacy (without the ability to speak Hungry Deer)
Popcorn — ANGRY BEATS
Slo Poke — GO
Bamboom — blast and protector tree
Reaching Rings — GO
"HEY! STOP EATING ME!"
Reaching Rings tries a twin feint!
Slo poke whips his hand out from under his sarape, a pistol in his spiny fist. "Go on, git, ya varmints!" he shouts, firing his gun in the air as he glares at the deer.
Reaching Rings does a fair bit of biting back, but it's the report from Slo Poke's boomstick that, discretion being the better part of valor, starts the hungry deer a-running!
Beyond the deer clearing stands the friendly village of Worth Petalbrook.
With the classic feel of small town comfort, Petalbrook's proximity to the Verduran Forest and its productive fields nearby means the residents have little trouble securing food. Indeed, the wildflower fields in town also make Petalbrook an ideal place for beekeeping; the village produces a considerable surplus of honey, which it trades with other villages in exchange for crafted goods.
There are locals nearby, some of whom have raised an eyebrow at a quartet of leshys arriving, but none seem overly put off by you at the moment.
Bamboom looks around, glowering at the fleshies. He marches up to the closest one, hands on his hips. "Tell us where our friends are right now!"
Bamboom looks around, glowering at the fleshies. He marches up to the closest one, hands on his hips. "Tell us where our friends are right now!"
The baker Bamboom randomly accosts is quite unprepared for such a line of inquiry. Er, why yes, of course! Glad to help. Uh...who are your friends?
"They're LESHYS! Like US! But they're MISSING!"
Bamboom glares at the clearly suspicious baker. He probably uses flour. Made from plants!!! And trying to avoid the question?! Would anyone who's not guilty do that? Bamboom doesn't think so!
Boom! Got you!
Ah, yes, er, missing, you say. The baker, guilty of using flour, made from plants, does not seem to realize his guilt. Well, now I'll tell ya, you're the first leshys I've seen in town for nigh onto a year.
"What about a human with red hair and a burlap sack and also he talks to the sack?"
Fluff Fang listens, hoping for a helpful answer to the sack question.
That sounds like ol' Darius Wick for sure, the baker replies. Bit of a strange fellow, ain't much for chatting.
"Where can we find him, fleshy?!" Bamboom demands. Clearly the man is addled based on his answers so far, but hopefully this won't be too taxing for him!
The baker gives Bamboom a long stare before resuming his walk. Over that way, he waves vaguely as he departs. Didn't much like the tone of that one's voice, if I'm bein' honest. Not real neighborly.
"Much obliged." Slo tips his hat to the man, then starts to mosey in the direction the baker indicated.
Fluff Fang notes "That didn't go especially well, maybe a song will put them at ease"
Bamboom stalks along angrily, glaring at the stupid plant-eaters!
Slo glares at the next townsperson he sees. "Listen up! Yer gonna tell us what you seen, and that's all there is to say about it!"
Popcorn goes up to an elderly woman.
"YOU! I know you know where he is. WHERE IS HE? WHERE IS DARIUS?"
Reaching Rings has spent a bit more time with humans than his companions. Perhaps he learned something useful in that time?
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Fluff Fang and Slo Poke have no success with Petalbrook's non-leshy townsfolk, with the former's performance not generating much attention and the latter being avoided entirely.
Reaching Rings believes that honey is more effective than vinegar in attracting help, but Popcorn quickly demonstrates the value of a more direct approach.
Oh! Oh, my! Yes, uh, Darius, well, youmayfindhimathisshoponthesouthsideoftownHavetogoIthinkIwetmyknickers! she stammers out before scurrying away.
Reaching Rings uses the info Popcorn shook out of the old woman to learn that Darius' shop is called Crystals and Candlewax, on the south end of the village.
Fluff Fang waves to their allies "Crystals and Candlewax, common lets go."