Malleon and Louinor thank Laurel for her time, and promise to seek out the ingredients for the potential cure to the blackscour taint.
Leaving Roots and Remedies, Malleon turns to Louinor "I think we should find an inn for the night, and ask around for some directions to the lumber camp. How about the Jak'A'Napes by the docks? We might find Oso there as well"
Malleon and Louinor walk through the wet and muddy streets of Falcon's Hollow, and enter the Jak'A'Napes.
"Barkeep! A pair of ales please. And what hot food is being served today?"
"Oso, how fared it with the Sheriff? And who are your friends?"
"This one is from the ferry. He has not a name yet. The other is a guide and can take us into the wilds after the missing children. I do not have his name either. He talks alot."
"The sheriff is a half-blood elf and warrior. He has salt in him and I respect that. But the children may not be missing - he says."
"But these two think the children are somewhere with ghosts and we need a priest from a church."
Who is with you?" asks Oso bluntly. Oso has put his jug on the table in the Inn. He pours a thick lumpy drink into a mug as he talks.
"I remember you now, from the community signpost."
"Did you find what you were looking for at the church?"
"In my tribe it is polite to know someone's name if you intend to work with them. I have given you mine. For your friend, I am Oso Legumbe. What is all yours? Malleon is the only person I can travel a path with."
Oso sets his mug down and looks at the others.
Malleon leans forward and speaks quietly to Oso: "Oso, Louinor and I have been to see the herbalist that Lady Cirthana reccomended. She thinks she can make a medicine to cure this blackscour taint that is plaguing Falcon's Hollow."
But... she needs three ingredients which might be hard to find in the wilds of Darkmoon Vale.
The Sherrif said these children are 'not missing yet' so we can perhaps search for them later, or combine our efforts and seek out both the ingredients and the missing children.
But time is of the essence for all these people that are already sick, and Laurel needs the ingredients without delay.
Will you help me search for these ingredients?"
"I will do this with you. Cannot we do both, if the guide can help us? Are the children and the roots in the same places?"
"I will do this with you. Cannot we do both, if the guide can help us? Are the children and the roots in the same places?"
"The children might be in the same places as the ingredients, but we won't know without searching. But I think that unless we have evidence that the children are in danger, we should concentrate on the ingredients. Dozens of people are in desperate need of a cure, and more fall sick every day!
We need to find the Eldest trees in the Vale to find Elderwoof Moss. We also need Ironbloom Mushrooms, and those we can probably find in the dwarven ruins to the north. And we have to find Ulizmila the Witch, for an exotic root called a Rat's Tail.
If your guide can't help us, there is a man at the logging camp who was reccomended."
We need to find the Eldest trees in the Vale to find Elderwoof Moss. We also need Ironbloom Mushrooms, and those we can probably find in the dwarven ruins to the north. And we have to find Ulizmila the Witch, for an exotic root called a Rat's Tail.
If your guide can't help us, there is a man at the logging camp who was reccomended."
Bobek nods to the assembled crowd, "Ahhh...yes! Eldest trees... Ironbloom... Rat's Tail... sure, sure, no problem..."
What in the name of the spirits are these crazy outsiders talking about?
"Of course I know roughly where all these things are to be found. But, uh... we might best check with that man at the logging camp just to be sure, y'know, to pinpoint the... uh, exact geographical, uh... spot."
"It would appear the hourglass is draining rapidly. The quicker we find this cure, the quicker we might discover if these children are in any real danger."
"My name is Chalen, Oso. I merely refrained from mentioning it as I had assumed my name had preceded me."
"Do we rest tonight and start for the logging camp in the morning?"
"It would appear the hourglass is draining rapidly. The quicker we find this cure, the quicker we might discover if these children are in any real danger."
"My name is Chalen, Oso. I merely refrained from mentioning it as I had assumed my name had preceded me."
"Do we rest tonight and start for the logging camp in the morning?"
"Aye Chalen. At dawn we should be on the road to the logging camp. Every hour someones dies from the blackscour taint. I would suggest that you buy any provisions tonight, and get an early rest. We may be on the move for days on end."
"Chalen, Chalen, apologies I am not from here and this name means little to me."
"I have some trail bread and goat cheese but not enough for everyone. I will be ready to go when I have more food." Oso gets up and goes to the innkeeper.
"You have food for me to buy?" Oso keeps one eye on his new friends and his belongings. Ownership in his tribe was never secure and maybe one of them will seek the honour of stealing from him unseen.
Quietly; "Bobek, I wonder if you could inquire as to group room rates at the other inn we passed coming in to town...something...lady, I forget the name. I'm willing to pay a little more if that inn tends to be more sniff upscale than this establishment."
There is no way I am letting that one purchase rations for me. Rations indeed; backpack full of live grubs is more like it.
Quietly; "Bobek, I wonder if you could inquire as to group room rates at the other inn we passed coming in to town...something...lady, I forget the name. I'm willing to pay a little more if that inn tends to be more sniff upscale than this establishment."
Bobek flashes Chalen a toothy grin, "If by 'upscale', you're meanin' ladies available by the hour, extra-strong brew, and a wide assortment of dice n' card games, then yes, the 'Lady' is yer place. If you're meanin' fluffy pillows and a perfumed bath, well, then you're in the wrong town! Falcon's Hollow is a town with dirt under its fingernails and a guilty conscience black as charcoal..."
Bobek's grin fades as he scowls at the rainy sky now. Could be this town deserves a plague, and far worse punishment for its evil ways.
Cousin Merro, I hope you're roasting in hell for reducing me to this.
"Innkeeper, how much for two rooms for the evening?"
Food is served as the group discusses its probable plans, seemingly settling on finding Milon at the lumber camp.
The night is relatively uneventful, Jak's fills up later at night, as farmers, lumberjacks, and fishermen pull in from the wet, dark night to drink beside the hearth. Games are played, some songs are sung, but in general the locals steer clear of the party's table.
As the night winds down, Oso recognizes Sheriff Baleson enter the inn. The tall half-elf's face is stamped with obvious concern, yet as he approaches the group he offers a sincere smile. He pulls up a chair.
"Oso, I am glad to see you took my advice." The smile slides off his face as he dispenses with the pleasantries. "The kids have not come back, I have not the manpower for a full fledged romp through the dangerous woods. Are you still willing to help?" The warrior-sheriff is looking straight at the barbarian, his eyes steely.
"Hmmm. I cannot say yes now. But I cannot say no." Oso then points at Malleon and Louinor.
"I have promised to help these two with the diseases of the villagers. There are many sick dying. We are preparing an expedition with this one Bobek as our guide. We go to a wood camp to find some rats tails roots."
"This one is Malleon and he has accepted my sword. There is trust. My words were that we would look out for the missing ones while we were in the wilds."
Oso meets the sherrif's gaze. "Please say more on the missing children to help us get them back."
As Louinor and Malleon enter the tavern and sit at the bar Louinor waves the bar keep over and orders a nice dark ale and listens to Malleon fill in their new group.
"In my tribe it is polite to know someone's name if you intend to work with them. I have given you mine. For your friend, I am Oso Legumbe. What is all yours?"
Louinor smiles, showing all her teeth headless that to some people her smile looks a little menacing at times "I am Louinor disciple of Desna following her whisper on the wind."
After it seems everyone gets on board with what is going on and Louinor finishes her ale she listens to the half-elf sheriff talking to Oso about the missing children.
"I hate saying this but if we spend time looking for those children and wait to find the cure to this plague if fear that to many people will die let us concentrate on the cure first. We must choose the greater good in this instance."
"I will gladly pay for a room for myself, and a second room for the rest of you."
"After a quick meal I am going to turn in for the night, as I require peace for meditation. I have no opinion as to which we should do first, but my participation in this group requires that we do both."
Sheriff Baleson bows slightly in Louinor's direction, "I understand your concern for the plagued, priestess; I did not know you and your friends had the inclination to look into that problem for us as well. I am truly thankful."
Baleson sips an ale that the waitress gave him. "These are rough times in the Hollow, what between the kids and the plague. Aye, both are pressing; trust me I feel the weight of all of it." He offers the party a weak smile. "If you are interested in looking for the children as well as the cure, I could not repay you, but Jurin's father, Thuldrin could. And handsomely at that. The children were apparently heading to Elara's, bout 8-9 miles northwest of town."
Baleson eyes Oso and extends his hand in a warrior handshake. "Either way it sounds like you are going to be doing what you can to help us here. If I can trust you not to run off with them, I can procure some horses to speed your journey."
...
"I hate saying this but if we spend time looking for those children and wait to find the cure to this plague if fear that to many people will die let us concentrate on the cure first. We must choose the greater good in this instance."
Malleon nods his head. "I agree. If we can do both at the same time, that would be great.
But there are dozens of people in town deathly ill with the blackscour taint, and a handful of children missing. It pains me, but if I have to chose, the search for ingredients for a cure comes first."
Sheriff Baleson bows slightly in Louinor's direction, "I understand your concern for the plagued, priestess; I did not know you and your friends had the inclination to look into that problem for us as well. I am truly thankful."
Baleson sips an ale that the waitress gave him. "These are rough times in the Hollow, what between the kids and the plague. Aye, both are pressing; trust me I feel the weight of all of it." He offers the party a weak smile. "If you are interested in looking for the children as well as the cure, I could not repay you, but Jurin's father, Thuldrin could. And handsomely at that. The children were apparently heading to Elara's, bout 8-9 miles northwest of town."
Baleson eyes Oso and extends his hand in a warrior handshake. "Either way it sounds like you are going to be doing what you can to help us here. If I can trust you not to run off with them, I can procure some horses to speed your journey."
Malleon speaks to the Sherrif before he departs.
"Sherrif, could you help us by sketching a rough map or giving directions on how to reach the logging camp? I also have a few questions which might speed us on our way..."
"Laurel said there was a forester there that might have more information on where the elderwood moss could be found.
And could we check this Elara's on the way to the logging camp, or is it out of the way?
Could you give me the names and descriptions of the missing children?"
Oso looks visibly shaken at the Sheriff's offer.
"You do me great honour, a horse is a gift I would gladly look after. My tribe are born to the saddle. The others do not have the look of horsemen, but I will tend the horses," dismisses the barbarian.
"No offence to you all, I trust you will let me do this."
Oso nods and picks up his saddlebags. He begins to check them for wear and tear again.
The sheriff grabs the notebook and the pen; before he writes he says, "The kids are Kimi, daughter of the seamstress. She's a bit wild; 1/2 elf like myself and the leader of that group. Hollin's a good kid, lives with his sister. Mikra is Colbrin's son, the town butcher; the kid is a pleasure but a bit daft, unfortunately. Savram is Vade's son, don't know much about him because of that. And Jurin is a Kreed, one of the richest families in town."
Baleson sketches a rough map on the notebook. "I am not sure how you want to travel, but Elara's is about 9 miles northwest down that trail, while Milon's camp is about 12 miles northeast down the other trail. I suppose you could go to Elara's and cut across, I reckon that they are about 13-15 miles from each other, but that is across the vale, and you wouldn't have to enter the woods, so the horses could gallop."
"The children come second, we have already said," Oso argues.
"It only takes one person to bring the ingredients back. Do you have such a person we could use, a servant that will know the way back from the woods camp, someone perhaps that can hold the horses while we scout the areas, Sheriff?"
"Otherwise we all go after the roots and herbs then one rides back as fast as a desert wind and the rest come back past Elara's."
"Let me know your decisions. I go to the horses. I speak their words much better. Sheriff, where can I find the horseflesh?"
Once Oso has the directions he will head out to tend the animals he loves for a few hours.
Malleon ponders the rough sketch in his notebooks...
"Ok, both Elara's and the Lumber Camp are on trails from the town, so we shouldn't have any problem finding them.
Riding to Elara's, we should be able to get there in around 2 hours, maybe a little longer.
If we head straight to the logging camp, it would be around 3 hours by horse.
If we ride straight across the Vale from Elara's to the lumber camp, it would be around... hmm... 4 hours? There isn't a path to follow, but we can just skirt the southern edge of the woods and that should work I think.
So if we left at dawn we could be at either location by early morning . If we went to Elara's first, spent around an hour looking for clues and then rode on to the Lumber camp, we could be there by just after mid-day."
Malleon looks to his fellow party members. "What do you think? Can we spare the morning to search for the children? Time is of the essence, but if we set out at dawn..." Malleon is clearly torn about this decision,
Either way, Malleon has proposed and idea, I will await the groups decision before posting again. Oh and did everyone add their bonuses to their character sheets?
I assumed that at least some of the horses would be encumbered slightly (probably mine & Oso's?) I'm not sure if we can make the horses gallop faster the whole way, I thought the section in the PHB on movement assumed you were maintaining the best average pace. (But I could be wrong, I really just looked at the table briefly for the movement rate of a light horse)
And I added the Gather Information bonus ;-)
Either way, Malleon has proposed and idea, I will await the groups decision before posting again. Oh and did everyone add their bonuses to their character sheets?
I assumed that at least some of the horses would be encumbered slightly (probably mine & Oso's?) I'm not sure if we can make the horses gallop faster the whole way, I thought the section in the PHB on movement assumed you were maintaining the best average pace. (But I could be wrong, I really just looked at the table briefly for the movement rate of a light horse)
And I added the Gather Information bonus ;-)
Methinks you are correct, and either way those numbers work well for us.
Oso smiles in his dreams as he sees bushes and branches slapping against the face of Chalen and the others...... Sees himself digging up roots and herbs which he hasn't done since he was a child foraging for the soup.
Dawn. A different day, better weather; perhaps a good omen that smiles upon the adventurers. Malleon presents his idea of going to Elara's first, then cutting east towards the logging camp. .
The group saddles up and begins the trek northeast towards Elara's. The autumn morning is beautiful, with the hint of crispness in the air, and the occasional colorful tree; the morning passes quickly and within less than 2 hours you arrive at sundered structure.
The blackened husk of the orphanage lies atop the small hill. Charred timbers are strewn among piles of caked ash and the only edifice left standing is a soot-stained arch. A small stuffed doll lies below the arch, its faces seared off and her patchwork dress spilling dirty stuffing. Beside her, a troop of half-melted tin soldiers stand in formation, their bodies twisted and deformed by the blaze that claimed their owners' life.
Oso dismounts and begins to quickly tie the horses in a line about forty feet from the arch. Then he readies his bow.
Chalen dismounts with difficulty, more falling than anything, and rubs his stiff muscles.
"Should we call out to the children?"
Lounior looks at the charred rubble and slides off her horse, secretly thankful for the brief stop, she prefers her own two feet but knows there is a need for haste.
"I would think that any children would be long gone by know." Louinor starts walking through the burn structure kicking over fallen boards and looking at random objects but not looking for anything specific.
She bends down and picks up one to the half melted toy soldiers and looks at it and then drops it in her belt pouch.
Chalen dismounts with difficulty, more falling than anything, and rubs his stiff muscles.
"Should we call out to the children?"
"Aye" Malleon strings his bow and has an arrow in hand, but not nocked and drawn. He circles around the burned ruins.
"Savram! Juran! Kimi! Mikra! Hollin! The Sherrif sent us to find you, your parents are worried. Can you hear my voice!"
"What about tracks? A tracker checks first where I come from NOT after everyone has walked over the area. Why are you making Bobek's work harder?" a curious Oso asks.
Bobek grins, "It's okay, friend. A good tracker can read what's old and what's fresh as clear as you can read a... oh, wait, maybe you can't read? Never mind..."
Hmm... if the children were here recently, there should be tracks left in this thick ash and the mud from yesterday's rain.
Bobek kneels and peers closely at the ash and mud.
Malleon looks sheepish, and stops trampling any tracks that might exist.
"Sorry"
"What?.. oh right." Lounior stops and waits while Borek looks for any old sign.
Louinor pokes around, but unfortunately does not find anything before Bobek starts to usher people out of the way as he makes a more pronounced attempt at locating tracks.
Bobek notices quite immediately that a few clawed, reptilian tracks, mingle with what appears drag marks and broken twigs, branches, and trampled grass. It would seem that the reptilian tracks pulled and dragged something north. It is hard to follow the trail exactly as recent rain has washed away many footprints, though the broken underbrush is still a clear sign of northward travel.
As the rest of the group watches Bobek go through and point out the areas where the trail leads, Malleon calls out and scans the perimeter, only the caw of birds answers him, though to the east he catches a flash of what appears to be a young blonde girl. She darts behind a tree roughly 60 feet from the group.
Bobek notices quite immediately that a few clawed, reptilian tracks, mingle with what appears drag marks and broken twigs, branches, and trampled grass. It would seem that the reptilian tracks pulled and dragged something north. It is hard to follow the trail exactly as recent rain has washed away many footprints, though the broken underbrush is still a clear sign of northward travel.
"Definitely lizards. Yes, a flock of oversize lizards trompin' around here, headed northward..."
... Malleon calls out and scans the perimeter, only the caw of birds answers him, though to the east he catches a flash of what appears to be a young blonde girl. She darts behind a tree roughly 60 feet from the group.
Malleon spins and points to the east. "Hey, you there, behind the tree! My name is Malleon and these are my companions. We were sent by the Sheriff to look for some children that are missing from Falcon's Hollow. Please come out and talk to us, we aren't dangerous." Malleon puts his arrow back in his quiver and has his bow dangling from one hand as he finishes this speech.
"Definitely lizards. Yes, a flock of oversize lizards trompin' around here, headed northward..."
Distracting Bobek (and the rest of the group) from discerning the true source of the odd tracks, Malleon whirls around pointing at a tall oak tree to the east, as he calls out a small, waifish blond girl pops her head out "Please. Please don't hurt me."
"Hi there, what are you doing out here by yourself?
This is Oso, Louinor, Bobek and Chalen.
What is your name?"
Chalen spreads his open hands out in front of him.
"You are safe here with us now. Are you Kimi, by any chance?"
Oso steps up to the others by the arch. Like Malleon he keeps his bow non-threatening.
From there he slowly scans the area looking for the other children.
Giving up, Oso tries to make sense of the tracks and work of Bobek. No sense as usual.