I haven't made an appearance in years!
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Assured her belongings are in sufficient shape and all the water wrung out of her clothing Mezari nods agreement to Felmor and Grn'nak and sets her gaze off to the west towards where she recalls the tree to be. She has her crossbow back out and loaded as she goes, not willing to be caught off-guard again.
Hacking and coughing for air, she simply lets Felmor drag her along, more interested in clearing her lungs than her dignity. She mutters a thanks to Felmor once she's able to speak again then sets to making sure her belongings aren't too waterlogged.
"Well, I suppose there's no way around it...." Making sure her bolt pouch is tied shut (water won't hurt them too much, she hopes), her crossbow held securely in place, and her other belongings unlikely to sweep loose or pour from her pack, she wades out into the water until its knee-deep then makes to swim to the other side, doing her best to ignore the cold. She was never that great a swimmer, but her luck here is better than it would be taking the rocks....
Being unfamiliar with the territory Mezari isn't sure what sort of wildlife dwells in this particular river but she can hazard a guess - likely fish obviously, possibly snakes, maybe worse. Like Felmor, she takes a few moments to have a look around the area for trouble... paying special attention to the area scenery, looking for markings of wildlife, what exactly might be living here and if it might be dangerous. Plant life as well, what grows in the area often determines what lives there. If she spots nothing out of the ordinary - given the events of the day, ordinary is hardly an appropriate term in this case, but... - she resumes following along with the rest of the group unless they stop. She also silently prays they don't think it a brilliant idea to try and cross here by hopping from one slippery boulder to another.
Goblintongue... perhaps hobgoblin? Seems too controlled, too well-planned for the average goblin, and not brash enough for bugbear. Well, they would find out when they found the arrow-filled corpse in the trees. There was no point trying to hit the crows anyway, a stray shot could harm an ally... no, better to take out the sniper in the foliage. Mezari fetched another bolt from her belt and reloaded the crossbow before taking aim and firing once more.
Thankfully, Mezari's crossbow was already loaded and ready this time. The gnome's eyes lock onto the figure crouching in the trees as she pulls the weapon from its sling and takes aim; theoretically, animals with their trainer disabled will go on about their way, but something about these crows is off - and not just their size. Still, first things first - take care of the archer. She pulls the trigger.
Mezari simply nods her agreement and follows.
The little gnome keeps her distance, visibly disgusted by the scene - even if it is a miserable kobold, this was a fate she would wish on none. She frowns and nods slightly at Grn'nak's question but doesn't offer an answer, if for no other reason than she doesn't even have a beginning of where to guess. I could hazard a guess that this may have something to do with the local plague, but without more information it's naught but theory. She reloads her crossbow, not wanting to be delayed again if another threat should appear, then shakes her head slightly at Felmor. "Witches have many curses they may lay upon their enemies, so says legend and lore... from poor fortune to long sleep, shapeshifting to great terror; that said however I do not believe that creating the walking dead is among their talents." Barzai, seeing the battle has come to a halt for now, returns to his place on Mezari's shoulder.
Undead? Why by all the gods would there be undead in the woods? And an undead kobold at that...? Nothing left for it now. Crossbow wasn't exactly the most optimal weapon for use against zombies, but... Too much crowd, too small target. Bah.
Earlier:
The addressing Mezari. "So how do you know so much about plants and herbs Mezari?" "I've studied medicine for some time, I'm familiar with the general herbal remedies and basic antidotes. I've seen or used all of the plants we're looking for at least once, so if we can locate them I should be able to identify them as soon as I see them." She smiles slightly and gives Brit a confident nod. Now:
Her eyes catch a glimpse of a figure about her size, humanoid in shape; her reflexive guess is goblin or kobold, and unless they're closer to the mines than she estimated her bet is on the former. She remains at her place near the back of the line, spending a moment to draw and load her crossbow. No point in wasting magic yet, but if it is a goblin or kobold... well, where there's one there's always more. (Move action: Draw crossbow
The little gnome, mostly silent and following along behind for the duration of the inquiry, absorbs the information with calculating eyes and journalistic memory. Her only expression is a momentary slight smirk at the referral to Ulizmila as a "nasty old crone", and it flickers away back to a neutral expression just as quickly as it appeared. Once he departs she nods to Grn'nak and Brit. "I know where the tree is, enough to get us there... though I only know a general location, any obstacles or other problems that may be in our path I will have to defer to our guide." She nods respectfully in Brit's direction. "Sounds as if we can find the tree we can find everything except the swamp root just by following the directions."
Mezari simply nods and weaves her way out of the shop. Once outside she waits until Brit emerges then follows his lead.
The gnome nods with a slight frown. "Yes, that would complicate things... nothing is ever quite that simple is it?" She nods again at the mention of the old witch of the forest. "I am familiar with the name, though finding her location would be slightly more difficult. It is a lead however, something we lacked before, gives us a place to start." She glances between Laurel and Britton, hoping one of the two locals will know better how to find the witch.
Mezari nods to Felmor. "I'm familiar with the various plants and their uses. The root is found deep below in swampland, the fungus in mines and other locales rich in metal. The moss would indeed grow on the forest's eldest tree; if I remember correctly from my lessons from my mother and aunt, who once visited this forest, the tree in question grows to the east of the lake at the wood's center. A few hours' walk, at most. With fortune the whole can be retrieved in a single day."
"I think you have a bit too much eye-of-newt there." The gnome can't help but smirk at Brit's comment, but she's quick to suppress it before Laurel turns. She merely nods to the woman as Brit gestures in her direction, seeing no need to add any commentary to his explanation.
The lady prefers polite talk. The orcblood has limits to his patience. Both very useful, in the right situation. Mezari nods as Brit motions her forward and makes her way with the rest of the group.
I suppose the Sheriff was not kidding when he said recommendations from him would not be well received. Some sort of schism in the leadership of this little hamlet...? Mezari watches the scene, following behind Brit and Felmor quietly. She'd rather not get involved in a scuffle with commoners especially while there was work to be done, and besides Britton and Armandia seemed to have it handled. She certainly couldn't deal with it herself, casting magic in the village limits would cause a riot, especially with people already as on-edge as they appeared to be.
Violent hacking cough, dark liquid expectorate. I wonder if it's less an actual disease and more some sort of parasite or fungus.... Pushing her musings aside for now the gnome makes her way towards Britton, spending a moment studying him and the girl before heading back to the group. The resemblance between the two and the woman keeping the girl is impossible to miss, having seen illness in the family herself she can't help but empathize with the woodsman's plight. She follows at Britton's heels as he returns to the group, keeping silent for now.
After finding her fellow volunteers Mezari turns her attention more fully to the crowd. She watches the stream of villagers marching slowly and worriedly to the healer's cabin, examining each from a distance for a few moments in turn before moving on to the next, sizing up symptoms and trying to find anything that might be considered a pattern.
Mezari had never been much for civilization. That said, her traveling troupe of family and friends with which she grew up still attracted attention occasionally whenever they did pass through a village or small community, and one of the main draws had always been speaking with a wise elder or herbalist on this or that remedy. The gnomes had the advantage of having multiples; Falcon's Hollow, on the other hand, seemed limited just to this woman Laurel, if the sheriff's commentary was accurate and if this line of villagers was any clue. Barzai riding silently and somewhat sleepily on her shoulder, the witch makes her way towards the healer's hut, avoiding the winding line and looking for a familiar face; she catches sight of Felmor after a few moments of popping through the crowd and ducking beneath and around people, and heads in his direction.
Any supplies Mezari needs could be picked up from the herbalist herself come morn or foraged from the woods with any luck. The witch bids the others goodnight until tomorrow and goes to see about a room at the inn; if it weren't for the rumors of hauntings she would probably have just camped in the woods for the night, but being new to the area she decides not to take chances.
As the group exits the inn, a small blur of dark red drops from the rafters and alights on the gnome's shoulder. The little furry bat seems content to sit there as the group makes their way across the forest village. "Apoligies for the lack of information little one" he says indicating Mezari "but to be honest I knows little about the taint other than the way people's die when they gets it, Laurel will tell you more when you sees her." She nods. "Any information will be helpful, thank you." She continues to follow his lead.
"Mezari," she replies simply. (Looks at Mezari) "Pardon me lass, but you said you was fimiliar with th' plague? Was you a healer?" "I'm afraid I know little," she explains with a shake of her head, "at least of this particular plague. I've encountered disease before, though not of this caliber, and while I don't have any healing magic I am familiar with medicine and herbalism. I'm hoping that will be enough."
"Any Volunteers that can actually lift an axe!?!" Shouts the Sherrif seemingly getting annoyed. The gnome listens quietly for a while before this comment comes up, at which she turns and hops out of her seat, stopping just long enough to pull her coat on before taking a few steps toward the sheriff. She glances at Felmor and the half-orc, then at the local who volunteered to be a guide, before turning back to the lawman. "I can't lift much in the name of weapons," Mezari begins, "but I've other skills to compensate for that; more importantly, I know herbs and medicines, and enough of magic to know what to be wary for in the woods. It would be inappropriate of me not to at least offer some aid." She pauses, then adds in a lower voice, "Though, some information on the plague before we depart might be helpful."
The gnome leans back in her seat a bit and looks up at the ceiling a second before answering. "All over, but north most recently. No real home to speak of." She glances over at Armandia and nods before answering her question. "Tales and stories, mostly. Curiosities in the surrounding lands. Yourselves?"
Mezari glances at Felmor curiously at the comment, then glances at the wine decanter. "I suppose I will give it a try as well." She eyes his half-glass occasionally, wondering why if it tasted so bad he's already drunk half of it. Then again.... "Might I ask the lady's name?" she offers, glancing up at the dark-haired woman.
"I am Mezari... pleasure to make your acquaintance." She removes her coat and folds it in the seat, then sits atop it; the small boost doesn't give her the height she'd prefer at a human-sized table but at least her head and shoulders are fully above the table and available for discussion. The man is surprisingly polite for an adventurer, and she waits patiently until he returns to his seat before resuming the conversation. When the other woman approaches, Mezari glances up at her then back at Felmor. "It is the gentleman's table," she replies, looking to him to answer.
She doesn't recognize the man who raised his hand in greeting, but it's obvious he's probably not one of the locals, if from nothing else than his lack of murmuring or being alone at his table. A human, but seemingly another traveler; now's not the time for old grudges after all, and she'll need any help she can get if she plans to continue on into the woods and the rumors of hauntings be true. She takes the offered seat with a polite nod and speaks in a low tone. "My thanks, stranger."
Mezari seems more interested in her waning supply of herbs and other personal necessities than the mutterings of strangers; they're no different to her than the last few villages she passed through, with but a few exceptions they're all as reclusive about newcomers as the last. She makes a mental note to browse the shops before heading out into the woods, any stock she can recover before leaving the village will help at least a little. The thunk of a knife on the far wall pulls her out of her reverie and fully back into the present. A drink and a room for the night, exploration can wait until the morning. The gnome browses about for a place to sit; if she can find a table not currently occupied she takes it, otherwise she approaches one of the people who look like they "don't fit in" and asks if the other seats at their table are taken. Spoiler: Barzai, Mezari's bat familiar, is hanging from the rafters outside, hopefully unseen or ignored; he'll come if Mezari calls or is injured or threatened. I can roll a Stealth check if needed.
Statblock for DM perusal. Also posted in character profile. Backstory will come after Christmas dinner. :) ------ Mezari Jenkan
Combat Block:
Spoiler:
Initiative: +2; Senses: Low-Light Vision, Perception +3
Armor Class: 13 (+1 Size, +2 Dex, +0 Armor); Touch: 13, Flat-Footed: 11; +4 dodge vs. Giants, +4 w/ Mage Armor Max HP: 8 (1d6 + 2) Saving Throws: Fort: +2; Ref: +2; Will: +3; +2 vs. Illusions Speed: 20 ft.
Attacks: +1 vs. Reptilian and Goblinoid
Special Attacks:
Special Actions:
Special Qualities:
Combat Gear:
Trait Block:
Spoiler:
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Gnomish, Goblin, Sylvan
Abilities: STR: 8, DEX: 14, CON: 14, INT: 16, WIS: 12, CHA: 13 Racial Qualities:
Feats:
Traits:
Skills: (6 per Witch level)
Possessions
Spellcasting:
Spoiler: Cantrips Prepared
Detect Magic, Mending, Touch of Fatigue Spells per day
Prepared Spells
Spells Known
Spell DC 13 + spell level, +1 for Illusion spells |