"Give me all of the gear. I can carry it all with no problem as I have a hole. Literally." Koldur grins.
He didn't know where Zod was and since he wasn't around nor did he seemed to let them know where he had decided to go. He wasn't looking to find the disguised giant. If he became a problem then it was on him.
Gotta love these dwarves, Flouncy giggles. They're ready for anything!
"Sounds good, meet me at the stables and we can pull the items off my pack saddle." Beorn offers.
Items:
cooking kit
bedroll
hooded lantern
Flask of oil x5
shovel
sledge
battle axe
He will then add about 30 of the rations so he has more room available in his haversack.
"When will you know if we can travel by pegasus or will be going conventional?"
Adney smiles at this and says I could use some extra rations, some water canteens, and some mode of transportation I'd we are not walking?
Assuming we confirm we are traveling by pegasus, we can leave the following morning. No particular search pattern, just a straight shot using our high vantage as a means to spot things of interest. If something is spotted we can scout it from the sky before landing to engage/investigate. Once we find the temple in the north, we may want to set some food traps for the worg to see if we can draw it out.
Koldur moves out with the rest following him as they leave the town.
Once they reached a reasonably large clearing, Koldur puts two fingers to his lips and whistles a cadence of 5 short bursts.
Moments later, the soft beating of wings signals the arrival of their ride as Soar Wings and his friends come heeding to the call of the one who was called friend to the herd.
As Koldur explains to the pegasi what was needed and who they had to bear they backed away to confer among themselves before coming to an equine agreement.
Soar Wings steps forwards towards Koldur and Whickers mischievously earning a wince from the aged dwarf. The others step forward towards each of the companions while one of the pegasi accepts a letter from Koldur which the others will find out contains a letter from Koldur towards Sable.
Something about them needing a way to communicate and to see if the Elf could confer with the others on something that could work. It also contains news on where they're headed off and whom they made an agreement with in the previous town.
With a pegasus picking each of you, soon enough you are mounted and then in the air.
As you fly you can see the wide open field that the pegasus have been living within. They have a clear view of the water to the East.
With flying mounts you will be able to cover two or three hexes a day.
As you leave the capital you could fly over the abandoned farm if you wanted.
You fly over hex 19 and don't see anything out of the normal. In the same day as you fly over hex 30 you get hailed.
The river makes a sharp bend here, widening into a deep pool dotted with lily pads and fringed with waving reeds. Several freshly felled trees lie beside their stumps on the shore of the pool, their crowns dangling in the water among fading tendrils of mist.
A band of freelance loggers seem to have recently decided to harvest a grove of coachwood trees in this glade, unaware that something lives in the pool.
Two of the lumberjacks, now stand guard in front of her pool with axes in hands. The two groups are now in a standoff, with neither willing to make the next move.
The rest of the loggers stand about 30 feet from the pool.
As soon as he notices you flying and likely coming to hover one of the men quickly hails you.
Once you land he explains the situation in a gruff voice liberally laced with profanities, claiming that the nixie attacked his men unprovoked and complaining bitterly about how hard it is for “a decent man to make a living with all of these damnable fairies in the woods.”
Melianse responds calmly to this accusation, claiming that she politely asked the loggers to leave at first but was forced to charm two of them afer Corax threatened to hang her from the nearest tree “to drip dry.” She adds that the trees felled by the loggers had been growing next to the pool for over 200 years and deserved a far better fate than serving as “some grubby peasant’s slop table.”
The conversation soon devolves into more accusations, rebuttals, and shouted insults.
Let's just hold on, here. What are you talking about?
Being the least imposing of the group, the halfling tries to calm the situation before it comes to blows.
"I agree with the loggers, let's hang her out to drip dry and get these gentlemen back to work." Beorn says in agreement with the loggers.
You are able to seperate the groups, moreso move the loggers back, with your words. The logging captain smirks at Beorn, appreciating the support. Though as the other members help him keep a level head he does nothing more... yet.
Flouncy asks the woman (dryad?) to tell her side of the story first.
"They came and I warned them not to use their axes. They didn't listen. I don’t care how the five trees are replaced but I need them to restore the “balance” of my home. I don't care what kind of trees, I simply want five trees back." She relays.
"Ok. So, it is not in the best interest of the loggers to wipe out trees without replacing. It would basically chop them out of a job. If these guys replanted new trees, that would balance the equation?"
"I require 10 saplings or five full trees. As if double the saplings would even compare to full trees." She states with almost anger at the affront of substitutes.
Then we'll help these men find suitable replacements. Does that sound fair?
"To the council;
While we are off to our next bounty hunting spree we have come across this man.
Grigori, a bard extraordinaire self proclaimed off course.
Currently we have found a few things like what his main intentions of coming to our kingdom has being."
Koldur describes the contents of the letter as much as he can.
"This man though has decided he'll rather take our side and be employed by us. I would ask that someone come around to discuss terms of employment with him."
"We have also learnt of the following;
Someone named Clark is one we should watch out for. This person of note is heading South West towards another Settlement called Varnhold.
We're also investigating claims from the Red Claws about a holy bear related to a temple of Erastil."
"Rognar has a contract drawn up with Grigori but I appreciate if he could be tied down to us with iron clad chains. He is after a spy sent to disrupt us."
"Elf! No doubt you're aware of what we have being up too. Soarwings and his herd have agreed to aid us in travel but I need you to check with your paramour, Olivia, if there is another way for us to communicate other then sending couriers. We have also met a giant who has magical abilities named Zod. Friend or foe We haven't decided yet but he's now running loose in our lands and he may not have friendly relations with his own kind."
"More Importantly, I left Moonshine back in the capital for additional enchantments to be laid upon. If the Blacksmith ruins it, save him before I kill him. If I don't return, then Moonshine goes to you my friend.
Send Hundor my regards and well wishes. I expect he should be stablising his own territory by now."
Signed
Koldur of the Axe.
Koldur looks tot eh loggers and to the Dryad.
Remembering a few friends who might appreciate the Dryad more he too steps in.
"Some balance should be maintained here. Are there no other trees that can collected instead of these?"
Turning to Beorn and the Dryad.
"You have the skills for such, are there no other forested areas that these loggers could harvest lumber from instead of destroying this grove? Seems like a pity to ruin something that has being here for years."
"Yes that sounds fair." The fey states but is not thrilled to say the least. She releases the two loggers from her spell with a flourish. She is still 20 feet from the bank of her pond. Then she adds, "You can only take the felled tree once it's replacement is put into place."
The two loggers move away stunned at what had just been done to them.
The logger captain offers, "These are fine coachwood trees and it is a better wood than most to craft with."
Adney bends in and whispers to Rognar about the trees and how to do conservation and logging at the same time.
The captain relays, "Sure if we were looking to just do that, though we are looking for prime material. Not much comes as prime material with rot or needed to be felled."
The fey in the water nods her head in agreement with Rognar.
Flouncy addresses the dryad. Melianse, do you know any druids around here? They can speed the growth of plants. You might be able to make trees suitable for your unique needs.
"I have to tend to my home but if you meet a druid and send her my way that would be most appreciated," He says happily.
We surely will. Flouncy isn't sure she's being sincere, but he doesn't know what else to do.
Wary of her mind bending powers Beorn backs up several paces (30') "You need good trees for good products but replanting and not clear cutting is an excellent compromise. A druid would make the process quicker I assume. Fey however are not about compromise, it's their way or no way."
"Okay so we will find some saplings to transport back. The logging captain relents.
The dwarf looks between the loggers and the dryad.
"If everyone is in agreement then let it be done."
I wish I knew a druid... the halfling muses.
Well, if we see one we'll be sure to send them your way.
Speaking to the loggers, Flouncy says, If you gentlemen cooperate with this lady, I think you will both benefit. You'll get the wood you need, and she'll make sure you will have a sustainable source for a long time, rather than just cutting it all down and ending up with a treeless wasteland that benefits no one.
The leader of the loggers nods his head in agreement, offering, "We will see."
Your group goes to the pegasi, and mount up, ready to go. It is a bit late, it is well past noon. Do you make camp here or move on?
north-west looking for this worg and searching for the temple. As a matter of fact (hexes 19, 30, 31, 36)
Hexes done: 19, 30, going to 31.
and then turn north and head toward the northern reaches of our territory (Hexes 32, 33, 34, 26, 25). Last, we could head south-west to return to the town (blank hex, 24, 14-18).
Taking 2 hours of traveling, you begin to explore the next region. This region is dominated by trees, to the East is the skunk river. This area looks healthier than most of the other wilderness. Eventually you come upon a glade. The trees part to reveal a peaceful forest glade dappled with sunlight. A small pond lies placidly at the roots of an enormous oak tree with a scattering of leaves floating upon its surface. Birdsong twitters from the branches high above.
As you approach, a humanoid creature with skin like bark and shades of orange leaves growing as her hair, kneels by the water’s edge, weeping sofly, her tears falling into the pool to create tiny ripples in the still water.
"Boys, check it out down below. We have another woodland fey in distress of some sort while another hides in the wood line. Let us go down and see what the issue is. Beorn says as he starts his pegasus descending at a gentle pace.
"I see her and another hiding nearby." Koldur whispers to Soar Wings and he too banks to glide gently down towards the fey.
Landing 50 feet back and approaching on foot?
As you approach, a humanoid creature with skin like bark and shades of orange leaves growing as her hair, kneels by the water’s edge, weeping sofly, her tears falling into the pool to create tiny ripples in the still water.
Once you get within 15 feet of her she looks up at you and weakly smiles. She says, "Is there still hope?"
Flouncy casts Shield on himself before he dismounts, and lets someone else do the talking. He watches the satyr warily.
"There's always hope. What troubles you?" Beorn asks, bow in hand but not drawn.
Given the nature of fey, Flouncy isn't sure that what he sees is what he gets.
He combs his memory to identify the species of the female.
Then, Flouncy casts Message on the entire party.
"Hope is always there even if it is oft hidden." Koldur responds.
"What ails you?"
She can speak with plants and cast other spells.
Tree Meld (Su)
A dryad can meld with any tree, similar to how the spell meld into stone functions. She can remain melded with a tree as long as she wishes.
Tree Dependent (Su)
A dryad is mystically bonded to a single, enormous tree and must never stray more than 300 yards from it. Most dryad trees are oak trees, but other trees function as well (often having subtle influences on a specific dryad’s personality and appearance). A dryad who moves 300 yards beyond her bonded tree immediately becomes sickened. Every hour thereafter, she must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to resist becoming nauseated for an hour. A dryad that is out of range of her bonded tree for 24 hours takes 1d6 points of Constitution damage, and another 1d6 points of Constitution damage every day that follows—eventually, this separation kills the dryad. A dryad can forge a new bond with a new tree by performing a 24-hour ritual and making a successful DC 20 Will save.
Wild Empathy (Su)
This works like the druid’s wild empathy class feature, except the dryad has a +6 racial bonus on the check. Dryads with druid levels add this racial modifier to their wild empathy checks.
Woodcraft (Ex)
A dryad has a +6 racial bonus to Craft checks involving wood, and is always treated as if she had masterwork artisan’s woodworking tools when making such checks.
Dryads are tree-fey who prefer secluded woodlands far from humanoids in need of lumber. Dryads’ main interests are their own survival and that of their beloved forests, and they have been known to magically coerce passersby into aiding them in tasks they cannot complete. They are more likely to be friendly to non-evil druids and rangers, as they recognize a mutual respect for or empathy with nature.
Dryads are benign guardians of trees, and though they can do little in the way of direct violence, they can trap and disable threats to their homes or turn enemies into allies. Some keep one or more charmed humanoids in their territory to fend off or lead away attackers. Incapacitated foes are typically dragged to the edge of the forest by the dryad’s allies and left there, but evil or overtly hostile ones are killed once combat is over.
She states as she stands, "We were attacked, and fear for our lives. The blighted trees roam."
She says plainly, "Falchos come on out, if they were going to attack it would have already happened. Oh they have other names or more specific names, a scythe tree I believe you call them."
The saytr slowly limps out to stand beside the dryad after she invites him.
Then in a pleasant voice she asks, "If possible it would be helpful if you could defeat those trees for us! I am Tiressia and this is my consort Falchos. Let me tell you the tale: The Scythe Tree is an evil, intelligent, carnivorous plant that particularly relishes the taste of dryad flesh. We have tried to drive away the malevolent plant numerous
times by ourselves, but the monstrous trees has repulsed our attempts to destroy it or drive it out every time. During our last attempt, Falchos suffered grievous injuries before we could flee back to the grove. Unable to abandon my bonded oak, we tried rallying the other fey creatures of the area to assist her, but after seeing what happened to us, none of them would agree to risk their own lives." She then describes the way to the scythe tree’s lair, a dark, blighted hollow a few miles to the south.
"Well now, that sounds like something worthy of a song. Shall we go destroy this tree and free these people from its tyranny?"
I vote yes. Seems like the fey folk around here can't catch a break.
"Is that an undead tree?" Koldur asks.
"If there is such a thing as an undead tree it would be a blighted tree." She says with sorrow in her voice.
---
Once you agree to face this menace, she offers for them to guide you. Though Falchos's wounds are slowing him down.
After several miles the lush forest is replace by less leaves and the trees even look sickly.
