Soon enough Laffen returns with the tall woodsman Milon.
Vartan gets up as they approach.
"Milon, good to see you" he says. "I was hoping you could help us with the location of a couple of places in the Wood. We're looking for that old witch Ulzimilla's hut and an old dwarven monastery called Droskar's Crucible."
Milon, a quiet, blunt man replies to Vartan. "Droskar's Crucible, eh? Why on earth do you want to know where that forsaken place is?"
"We are hoping to find some Ironbloom mushrooms there. They are for a tonic that may cure the Balckscour Taint."
"A cure for the Backscour Taint?" Milon exclaims. "That would be wonderful. My young nephew is suffering from it - I fear he may die of it soon. I know where both those places are, here, I will draw you a map."
He goes into the office and comes out with a map, which he hands to you.
"Please hurry. I am very worried about my nephew."
Milon says:
"Do be careful. Darkmoon wood is a dangerous place, and Droskar's Crucible may even be worse. I have rumors of it being infested by evil creatures lately."
"When should we leave?"
"Time is short. We need to go now."
Thimble stands up.He starts to walk towards the door when he asks Milon"Is there anything we need to know 'bout this place befo' we go there?"
"I don't know anything more than what I've already told you - just rumors, nothing specific. But my advice is: be careful."
"Good luck, all of Falcon's Hollow is depending on you."
As asther walks away she waves to Milon. "Thanks" she says "Hope your nephew gets better"
Milon waves back "He will if you find those ingredients and bring them back soon enough!"
"Dont worry, we'll find em"
You start north through the forest on a well-maintained logging trail. Vartan walks, leading Bess. After about a mile, the sounds of logging activities begin to fade and trail becomes rougher, and after about another mile it peters out altogether.
You are now traveling cross-country, sometimes on game trails, sometimes not, trying to stay on a generally north bearing. The forest is a dark and gloomy place, and it seems like it would be easy to get lost.
Asther:
BBCode
1d20+10=22
Asther points to a path, "this way i can tell ,the other way leads somewhere else"
Around midday the forest begins to clear a little bit ahead of you. Soon you emerge from the trees to a view of a large lake or pond. There is a band of grassy ground with no trees between the forest's edge and the water.
"We should take a brief break here for a meal - I have enough food in my saddlebags for all of us. Then we should head East along the edge of the lake. What do you say?"
Anyway, you eat lunch on the shores of the lake, then head east, walking along the lake's edge. After a short while Vartan stops suddenly.
"Do you hear that noise?" Vartan says. "It's coming from the shore up ahead"
Thimble:
Asther:
"Do you hear that noise?" Vartan says. "It's coming from the shore up ahead"
"What sound?" she asks Vartan. Asther holds Dena "Shh," she says to Dena.
Now Asther hears the sound of whimpering coming from a small animal like a dog or a fox. The sound is coming from further up the shore.
Asther slowly and queitly walks up shore. She singnals her hand, meaning for the rest of the group to come.
As you get closer you see that the sound is being made by a small, big-eared fox-like creature caught by its back legs in a steel trap. It looks to be badly injured.
Asther:
Thimble runs up to the fox but doesnt get to close,he knows animals in pain can be dangerous."'Ello 'lil fox."Thimble says while trying to see what he could do to take the trap off of the fox.
"Ok I know what to do," said Asther. "Thimble go to the fox and grab its throat-gently. Hold its head down, tight, but not too tight, don't hurt it. Now, I'm going to run up and undo the trap. I have been taught to undo traps."
The trap is very strong. You have to pull really hard to get it open.
1d20+2=7
"Thimble, I can't get the trap open, here lets switch places"
"Lemme try and get it open"
Asther moved over to the fox and gently grabbed its throat. She stroked it head to make it calm down.
Thimble walks over and grabs the trap.It was rusty but good madel,it would take some time.
Just then an arrow plonks onto Vartan's back and bounces off. You hear some loud cawing and the flapping of bird wings coming toward you.
stands up and pulls out weapon 1d20+3=12
You open the trap at the same time the arrow hits Vartan. Now what?
Dena jumps on Asther's shoulder and screaches BBCode
1d20+3=14for Dena
Asther holds the fox cradled in her hands and runs over to Vartan. "Are you ok, Vartan?" she said
Thimble looks around and shouts "What was that!!!!!!"
Thimble walks slowly and carefully over where the arrow came from.
Thimble stands up with his axe out but doesn't see where the arrow came from. However he does see two big black birds with razor sharp claws flapping towards you.
Another arrow flies by not hitting anything.
The crows attack, one goes after Asther and one goes after Thimble.
Thimble gets ready for a giant swing at a bird.