"Leave it to a dwarf to not be able to navigate above ground...This way...this way..."
Zalania finally takes her nose out of her spellbook and looks up, realizing they're going the wrong direction.
"Gambril's right. It's the other way."
Yeah, the boards were borked...can't wait for the madness to subside...
"Sally forth!"
"Yes... Holur, has your companion showed up yet? You're the leader for now. I don't really know where we're going."
"Yes, here he comes" Holur points to an old ragged-looking wolf trotting out from an especially deep shade in a copse of trees. The reddish-black coat of the beast seems a tad long for the season, but its movements speak to a lethality and uncanny intelligence to keep one guessing. The dull-grey eyes of the animal catches ones attention and slowly mesmerizes the viewer, cementing their attention. The wolf pads over to Holur as a warm smile splits his face and the beast nudges its head into the "mountain man". "With Maiiengan here, I am now ready to travel. He has become my best friend and most trusted traveling companion and I couldn't imagine being anywhere without him. He is fairly tame when I'm around, but make no mistake-he has his own mind and only obeys my requests because he chooses to. He poses no danger to anyone who does not threaten him or myself."
"The oldest tree is in a deeper part of the forest" Holur explains as he begins his stride to the well worn path, "I've not seen the tree, but I have been in that part of the forest once. I heard some unsettling things I didn't recognize, so I never returned. Holur breaks into a grim-looking grin, "That part of the forest is not frequented by "civilized" people, so it tends to be a haven for things that don't want to be bothered by them. We'll have to be careful when we get there."
Zalania holds out her hands palms up to the wolf, doing her best to make friends with the animal. "Hello there... Well, if we're ready to go, I say let's move out."
Gambril takes one step away from the wolf slowly
"Nice wolf, good wolf." Gambril stutters slightly."
Klanos turned as the male named Gambril steered him the other direction. "Err..yea dis way. Long as we be movin somewhere den. Oi, so was dis tree aboot den, we be needin some bark or what?"
The dwarf didn't seem to mind that he was going the wrong way, now that the group was on the move. He looked about with a sad expression at all the sick that seemed to need help. A small sickly looking blonde girl child waved at him from the street corner and he discreetly waved back with a smile only she could see. Inwardly he vowed to see this job done and as quickly as possible as the child began coughing furiously before being herded away by her mother.
Zalania answers immediately, without stopping to think.
"Eldertree moss. I believe it only grows in one area of the forest, and fortunately our wild friend here knows where it is."
The wolf starts to glance at her curiously, but Zalania corrects herself without looking at it.
"Not the wolf, but his taller and more wilderness-versed companion."
Yes, let's be off...
Ummm... okay.
Zalania steps out onto the space port deck, then changes directions suddenly a mere second before a blast of steam erupted from the steel grate where she had been standing.
"Are you coming, Gambril?"
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now I deleted that post practically seconds after it went to the wrong thread.... how did it stay there?
Anyway, fret not my friends, you are not in another galaxy, a long time ago, far far away.....
Yep, the Iraqi sandbox. It is good to be back. Now, if I can just get the posts to actually post and then actually go where they are supposed to....
I think you did delete it, and I just happened to see it before you did.
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Okay, you have all arrived after two days of uneventful travel, to within sight of the Lumbers Consortium.
The edge of the forest can be seen close behind the consortium, with the magnificent woods stretching father than the eye can see. Contrasting with the beauty of the wild forest, is the scarred landscape that makes up the consortium grounds.
Thick smoke and unpleasant smells waft through the air, with their origins clearly being the aforementioned locale.
Even from the distance, you can see the rough workers milling about plying their trades. Their reputations are much darker than other like establishments, and said establishments are far below the nicer side of societies approval.
Zalania pulls the edge of her vest up to her mouth and delicately coughs, doing her best to push the affronting air away from her.
"They certainly know how to make a lot of noise and smoke here. I suppose all that wood is worth it."
"Ah, hard working men, I hear they eat sawdust pancakes up here." Gambril jokes.
"Where has Holur gone? I'm sure this place is an affront to his natural doctrine."
"I'm not sure what scares me more, the consortium or the woods beyond..."
"I don't think I can imagine sawdust pancakes, let alone eat them." Zalania says in disgust.
Zalania tries to recall when she last saw their druid companion.
"I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Perhaps he's already ahead of us."
"Holur!" (she hollered)
"I'm here, mutters Holur. "I don't like this area as I can sense the pain of the land here, but I suppose we must deal with what we came here for first...
Holur gives a quick whistle to brings his four-footed friend bounding out of the bushes and skidding to a stop in front of him. The druid tussels the wolf's head and muzzle distractedly before he sighs and turns to the barbaric site of destruction. "I suppose we should get moving. I believe the part of the forest we're looking for is this way."
"Now where did that dwarf go?"
Zalania looks around for the dwarf.
"I forgot that the dwarf doesn't move as quickly as the rest of us. I hope we didn't lose him somewhere behind."
Klanos stands a few feet ahead of the group scowling. Arms crossed, his foot taps out a regular beat as the smoke from his pipe wafts lazily over his head. Looking back over his shoulder he replies gruffly. "Aye be 'ere. Maybe we canna be pressin on now eh?"
Zalania nods.
"Certainly. Follow the druid."
Ah, there he is, our "friendly" dwarf...nice to see you almost overlooked you Gambril says with a slight smirk...
Hello up there...
Perception checks (1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=18)
Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+8=21)
Zalania removes her silk headscarf from her head and holds it to her mouth and nose as she makes her way past the noisy sawmill.
Hello up there...
I don't have anything except some of my architectural school stuff available atm, I have that "Thorngrim" commisision I've done the linework on, but not completed, since I had a second job fall in my lap. Haven't had loads of time since. Trying to keep up with my games (though some of those are disappearing, so I think I'm going to try to dedicate 30 minutes to art daily again soon.
What were you looking to get?
Here's an architectural drawing for color reference.
Edit: Thorngrim OK I decided to upload the linework for that "ancient" commission, it's still rough, it need to be cleaned up, and the colored.
That should work, Deviant Art link
Holur shakes his head in disgust as he makes his way past the filthy butchers.
All in good time Holur, all in good time, for now, let us concentrate on this forest, and finding that cure...
Perception: 1d20+4=6, 1d20+4=24, 1d20+4=8
Perception checks 1d20+4=19, 1d20+4=13, 1d20+4=21
Upon entering the forest, all of you hear the distressed whining of an animal and the soft sound of a running creek, both of which are in the same direction off to the right of thetrail. The rest of the forest is In unnatural silence. A chill hangs in the air, imagined perhaps....
Gambril quietly draws his rapier and puts a tree between himself and the noise, "Holur...was that a natural animal? or a trap?" Gambril whispers.
Zalania peers in the direction of the sound, but remains silent, waiting for Holur to answer him. She struggles to remember if the sound is familiar to her magical training.
"Yes, and it sounds like it is in pain..." mutters Holur as he hurries in the direction of the sound.
"No it doesn't, but it sounds like someone wants you to think that"
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Holur, you are certain that it is indeed an animal and one in genuine distress.
As for those that approach the sounds origin, they see....
at the edge of a creek, a fox with large ears and bright orange
fur lies bleeding, its hindquarters caught fully
in the jaws of a crude iron trap. It desperately attempts to free itself again, upon seeing the those that approach. A sharp cry emits from it once more as it tangles uselessly with the trap. Dropping once more in exhaustion, the fox gives up. Its whining continues and the same silence of the forest stands with you, its presence as real and tangible as the people around you.
dammit Gambril mutters to himself, that thing is going to bring every predator around here down on it...and I know that beasthugger is going to help it...
Gambril looks around for danger, and hides himself, preparing his short bow
Stealth:
"Oh no. The poor fox. Why do people put up traps like this? We should do what we can to help it."
Zalania turns to Holur. "Do you think we can help it understand we're not here to hurt it?"
Holur whispers something to Maiiengan who retreats behind the two-leggeds as he cautiously approaches the injured animal. He reaches out to carefully release the prisoner from the trap and gingerly pulls the fox towards his body. The druid is constantly making soft reassuring noises to his patient all the while. He deftly uses water to wash out the bloodied areas and wraps these areas in bandages.
"I do not have any magic to heal this one today, but this should help it survive. I doubt it will want to wait around for me until tomorrow, so I'll set it free and trust in the wisdom of the goddess to keep her safe"
Zalania assists Holur, but stays back until the Fox is calm enough to let her approach.
"I don't know much about healing, but be sure to tie the bandages tightly, but not too tightly. The fox might try to chew them off."
Aid Heal Check, Untrained (1d20+2=21)