As Vin asks the next question Nef seems to take notice of the girl and seems to bring Vin's attention to them. So after Vin asks "Answer these two questions: What did this floaty fruit look like? Did you eat the floaty fruit?" Vin will take a moment after the boy answers his question to ask Shionne, "Does this floaty fruit sound familiar?" he then looks over at the girl and smiles and waves her over. Still kneeling next to the boy as he says out to her "It's okay. Come on over. Is he your friend?" If Nef seems to be scaring the girl Vin will pet the hound and say to her "Nef can be scary but they are a good girl. They won't hurt you." Neferox seems to huff in a big sigh but they lay down and attempt to seem less threatening. They even look away from the girl but mostly to watch for others paying attention or seeming suspicious.
Elthana watches on, keeping back of the half-elf questioning the little boy. She was impressed, the information that Vin was getting out of a soulless, she had kind of written them off. When he talks about a floating fruit though, she really gets confused. Did they take a bite of these fruits? Is that why they were in this state? Will they come out of it or is it like a poison and they need an antidote?
She watches Nef from time to time, which she is realizing is becoming a habit as she doesn't trust what the dog might do, and follows what she is looking at. She sees a small girl, an uneffected girl, watching the conversation unfold and getting very upset about the whole endeavor. Vin notices as well and asks her to come over, but with the devil dog staring her down, Elthana decides to walk to her.
Squatting down to be at eye level with the poor girl, "Hello. You seem to be troubled. My name is Elthana. What's yours? Do you know the best way to not feel the way you do right now? Is to get what happened off your chest. I know you're afraid you'll get into trouble, but you will not. I promise you. But you will feel a whole lot better once you tell me what happened. And maybe, with that knowledge, I'll be able to help your friend."
Muir watches the interaction between Vin and the elf boy smiling at the boy as his confidence seems to have changed from the day before. He watches the dog snort at the young girl and Elthana interceding. Muir's ears flap a bit thankful for Elthana moving to speak with the girl away from the dog. Muir wonders if a magic trick would help lighten the girls mood and moves over to help Elthana.
"Hello little one. My name is Muir. I come from the far west where I would perform little magic tricks...May I do a little magic trick for you? Do you like animals? Perhaps birds? Well have you seen the blue bird that washes over people? It is said that when this blue bird appears and sprinkles you with it's power, people of all ages and sizes feel strong and brave. In fact this one time I was in the woods investigating an illness that washed over animals, I was afraid to continue into the woods in fear I might get sick or worse, but this little blue bird washed over me. Not only did I feel brave and calm but I solved the problem and cured the animals. Perhaps...why what's that!? Look right above you, it is the blue bird! You are lucky! It has sent its power washing you with its strength and bravery so that you may face your fears and help your friends!"
Muir casts shape water in the shape of a tiny blue bird flying over the young girl.
"Answer these two questions: What did this floaty fruit look like? Did you eat the floaty fruit?"
"The floaty fruit look, like big plums, but blue and green. We ate the fruit."
Shionne shales her head 'no' at this, and Terry gives the unnecessary translation, "the fruits don't sound familiar...", Gore also shakes his head at this, unfamiliar with the description.
The girl that neferox spotted is hesitant to approach, even when beckoned, it doesn't appear she is afraid specifically of the dog, though as she continues sobbing, it brings the attention of the adult she is with. Looking over the group sees a thin man with the distinct markings of one of the mutated, bulbous growths covering half of his face and down one shoulder, he is also hesitant at first but dutifully brings his daughter over when he recognises the group. She tearfully nods, "this is Henrei, I was with him and my other friends in the cave, I told them we shouldn't be there and when something happened I told them all to run away, I don't want to be in trouble... I didn't want to go to start with!" She cries.
With the added, input of both Muir and Elthana the girl calms down slightly, nodding to Elthana and speaking a little calmer through sobs, "my name us June, I... I don't want to be in trouble, but I also want to help Henrei and the others" at Muir's magic trick she hesitantly reaches s hand out to the bird and gives a small smile, "I don't know why my friends are sick, or what happened, we've been in those caves before, we've eaten the floaty fruit before too but this didn't happen, before it just made you feel floaty and happy but this time it was wrong, then there was a loud noise, like something big moving in the caves a lot further in, i didn't want to be there any more and my friends started acting strange, I got scared and tole everyone to run, run away and run home again..." She starts getting upset a little again at reliving what transpired but then looks to Muir, "can you fix them? Like you did in your story with the sick animals?"
Vin sighs, really hopeful Shionne would recognize it. If their fey world experts didn't know then that made things way harder. Unfortunately, she doesn't so the only way to help them might be to get the fruit itself. "I guess we will need to get one of these fruits to see if we can figure out a way to cure them then." Vin looks to the druids and Shionne and asks "If we got a sample of this fruit do you think you could identify it and/or find a way to cure them if we did?" Vin seems hopeful but in the back of his mind he knows there something going on in dreams too. The boy looks around and sees Muir and Elthana talking with the girl. Vin isn't surprised she wouldn't come over. He doesn't blame them but he looks a bit more sad. He closes his eyes and tries to focus on the now. It won't help them if he's all mopy. He looks to Goldsheaf and says "I'm all for getting to the cave. Even if its connected in some way to the main portal we can still fortify it. Do you know anything about the caves? Like, are they an abandoned mine or something? I know we are heading to scope out Hokum but there will be some tunnels near there that we need to find a fruit in." Vin seems ready to go but the look at the little boy of 7 and pat their head saying "Henrei. That's a nice name. Two more question, please answer: it's something Nef wants me to ask. Something, I hope is a no but I want to make sure. Are you having nightmares? Have you received any commands from in your dreams or commands that pop into your head like magic?"
Gewyn approaches after concluding his conversation with Terry. "Hey, listen. You did nothing wrong. June, right? I'm Gewyn. That fruit you mentioned? You are right. What has happened to your friends is not a normal effect. A friend of mine from Hokum tried some once and told me all about it. Perhaps you know him. Have you heard of a man named Favian"
Sam mostly watches Shionne though he glances at the druids from time to time, while Vin interrogates the kid. Sam doesn’t trust them and is looking for signs that they fell guilty or are trying to hide or avoid anything…
The lion and the giant goat mostly rest, but stay alert… they have no idea what is going on but they can feel the tension.
“You can’t still want to bring the people to the caves???” Sam questions as it seems it is the source of the suspicious fruit. “The kids were smart to run from them, I think. It’s fine for us to go investigate what the rumbling was, what’s wrong with the fruit… but dragging them into the middle of it?” Sam scoffs.
“Look, whatever is happening may well be unintentional. If we are to believe Old Woody (and I don’t) then he didn’t mean to destroy the forest, just create new trees. Yet he continued… If the portal is in the caves then perhaps something else came through and is changing the fruit. Maybe by accident and don’t k ow the effects. Maybe not…we should go and find out. But not with children and innocents in tow,” Sam says.
Shionne speaks her Fae tongue and Terry does his usual duty, "we could take a look, perhaps there is something that can be done, if not then we can report this back to our city when we return and see if they have heard of such a plight" her words are concerned for the children, and her body language betrays the same, even with Sam's scrutiny
Goldsheaf shakes her head, "the tunnels are what is left over from volcanic flow eons past, not only are they near impossible to navigate, but they are also dangerous... but the fruits give me cause for concern, things don't grow easily up in the mountains and nothing should grow in the caves, not without intervention."
Henrei stares blankly as Vin questions further, "no nightmares, no commands in my head".
June seems dizzy and a little intimidated by the amount of people all talking to her one after another, her father dies his best to calm her and gives the group a slightly warning look as if to say, give her time. "Favian lives in the mountains, we see him sometimes out hunting...
it was him we were stealing from." She turns beet red and takes a pause before saying this last bit, as if she was about to burst with guilt, she starts crying once more and her father takes her away slightly.
Goldsheaf interjects, "I did wonder how one survived up there, not much to hunt, not much to farm, I just thought the man was skilled... He's one of my people, if he's behind this, it's my fault."
Vin can't seem to think of anything else and it seems to them that Henri will be fine once they figure out what happened to them. Vin then draws a bunch on dots in the sand between him Henri. The dots are in a perfect 5 by 5 grid all lined up so that if you connect the dots boxes can be formed. He says to Henri, "I think this has been enough for you for now. I can't promise you won't have to answer more hard questions but maybe I can give you something fun to do even in this state. Can you look here please?" vin points to the ground where he drew the dots. While henri is paying attention Vin gives him the instructions on how to play a simple kids game called dots and boxes when people take turns drawing lines from dot to dot to make boxes and if you put the last line to make a box you get to put the first letter of your name in it and go again. After explaining Vin will ask "I have two easy questions for you. Please answer them if you can. Do you understand the rules? Would you like to play?" Vin tests again asking what they would like. This time on something a bit more positive and not as hurtful. Vin trying to think what the boy might enjoy as a distraction from the torment he currently finds himself in. Unless Henri reacts poorly to the question in some way Vin recognizes that they might not be able to reply and will ask them to play one round of the game with them. Vin will watch the boy to see if they can pick up any sign that this is a welcome change of pace for them. Curiously, Neferox stopped watching others for a moment while Vin showed the boy how to play. Once the explanation was done they went back to closely monitoring the situation around them.
"I understand the rules, yes I would like to play" the game goes painfully slowly as Henrei starts only drawing lines between the dots closest to him, with some subtle nudging and some outright directions from Vin, the two manage to finish a game, but with the directions having to be constantly maintained, Vin feels a little like he just played against himself with a proxy. Regardless of whether Vin feels like it is a good distraction for the boy, his face does not change, he focuses on the ground when told to and then quickly regains his vacant stare, still seeming devoid of emotion.
"So we find this Favian and instruct him to explain this to us... So we have to make sure that he can still talk when we get around to asking questions," Sam says, kind of to himself.
"Girl... Can you point us to where you took the fruits from? And where you normally see Favian?"
"he lives up on the mountain, we don't go near his house because he shouts and gets angry if he sees us up there, but the cave is further away, covered up with leaves and sticks" June replies, now a little distracted by the game that Vin and Henrei play, Goldsheaf seconds June's claim. "I'm afraid you'll have to go into town to get into the valley that travels north up the mountain. Once there it opens up a little, his house is on the western path, I just hope he's not..." Goldsheaf doesn't finish the thought, instead choosing to hold her tongue with little ears listening.
Vin listens to the folks around him talking as he plays the game of Dots and Boxes with Henri. He adds in their conversation, "Goldsheaf, Iver, as far as I can tell you two are kind of the leaders of the Refugees. If you still want to go to the caves we will get you there and secure. i'm sure the druids and Shionne can help with make a safe location inside the tunnels. With solid rock protecting most directions even if its closer to the portal it'll be more defensible. After that, we will head out to do... something; hopefully find a way to undo what was done to Henri and the others and get your town back." Vin continues to play with Henri. his attention divided but he wanted to add that bit in. This Favian was connected in some way to what happened to the kids. It's possible he's the mastermind behind the attack on Hokum. Vin is a good kid. He also knows that doing nothing is almost as bad as being evil sometimes. It's why he always tries to do something to help those around him. Vin wasn't going to just stand around doing nothing.
Vin doesn't care that it was like playing against himself. The important part was that Henri said they wanted to play. It wasn't about Vin having fun it was about them having fun and a moment to do something like a kid again. The fact they can express what they want and that was huge to Vin. Vin was more determined then ever to help the soulless now. He was glad he was able to confirm that Henri wasn't getting secret commands. The young man was worried they were being used to spy with or controlled far greater. Now, he wasn't but he still wanted to help the boy in one more way. Having confirmed the soulless can express what they want, after the game of dots and boxes, Vin smiles and pats Henri on the head as he asks "I bet there is a lot of things you want to say but haven't been able to. Henri, tell me what you want to say the most that you've been unable to since this was done to you." Vin smiles and hopes the boy can say whatever is the most important to them right now. It might be terrible, it might be sad, but whatever it is Vin sees it as important they can speak what they want. It's unfortunate it must be phased in a way to make them but whatever it is it must be driving them crazy not to be able to say it.
Henrei stops playing the game to think a little, or at least that's what vin assumes as the boy becomes motionless, "I... I want to say... Scared... Tired.. want to.. to say."
As the group finish up here it seems that they are being left behind by the slowly moving main body of the survivors, June and her father quickly return to the main group, gore having set off a little before to head them in the correct direction, Iver gets s glint in his eye and gives a smile, "i know exactly how we're gonna secure them tunnels" and he runs off to get ahead of the group, the heavy pack on his back not slowing hin down as he goes.
Another ten minutes or so of walking with the group and everyone reaches the cave, it is nestled on a cliff face surrounded by trees and seems to be deserted, notably there appears to be some drag marks in the dirt out side of it, but it occurs to the group that these were likely made by Old Thicket upon his exit from here. The group also finds said gigantic tree, face and all waiting there for them. He greets the group as they approach, the survivors rightly seem apprehensive of the towering monster, but he attempts to speak in a low soothing tone instead of his usual boisterous yell, "my children are already here, no harm will come to your two legs here and you will hold up your end of the bargain, yes?". The guards begin exploring the cave and quickly find enough room clear for all the survivors. The caverns opening is spacious enough but begins to get narrower the further in, at about 100ft in the tunnel splits off.
Iver begins to converse a little with Old Thicket, and Goldsheaf begins to gather her survivors and inform them of all that has happened, all that is to come and reassure her people. Iver moves four of the trees into the cave and where the tunnel splits has them lay flat one on top of the other, their canopies twisting around each other and effectively blocking off any way through. Goldsheaf seems to be doing a good job with reassuring her people, backed up by Master Gore, but even so, some eyes are still on the trees and the party, Goldsheaf explains how clerics are on their way, and needing to hold out a little hope, and the party fighting to get the invaders out and their homes back, all eyes suddenly fall on the group, for some reassurance, for some strength, and hope.
Elthana quietly helps where she can to get the area as secure as possible for the survivors. Seeing Old Thicket there and his need for our end of the bargain to be upheld gives her a little more calm about the situation.
Once everything is settled and all eyes fall to them, Elthana speaks up, "I realize this isn't your home. This isn't where you want to be. But look around, you have your guards, your mayor, trees that have agreed to help, and we have clerics on the way. In the meantime, my friends and I are going to go to your home and do what we can to open it back up to you. We are all very capable people, and we are here for all of you. I am not much of a speaker, but this is our promise." She nods to the survivors, then looks to her group to see if anyone has anything to add.
Once that is done, she heads out of the cave, ready to go to Hokum.
“Wait, what? The cave is literally right here?” Sam asks incredulously. “That’s something that could have been mentioned…” Somehow he managed to miss they were already at the mountains. He still doesn’t like this idea, what if the floaty fruit poison is now just floating in the air… but it’s not his kids, not his choice.
Soon after coming into contact with Old Thicket again Sam asks him about the floaty fruit. “Does this sound like anything you may have seen before? This side of the portal or the other?”
Other than that Sam is much on board with Elthana’s sentiment of let’s get out of here and find a real fight in Hokum. “Or were we exploring the caves first for dangers and portals?”
Muir sits by and listens to Elthana and nods his head figuring she has said enough for all of them. He turns his attention to Old Thicket and Sam sitting on a stump nearby listening.
Vin smiles at Henri and says "I'd be scared too if I was going through what you are, but..." he looks left and right like he is about to tell a big secret to the kid. He leans down and whispers in his ear, "...we are heroes. We are going to save you and everyone here." With that he gets up and signals the person who is currently assigned to watching the soulless. When they come over to collect Henri Vin says, "He's tired. I know we can't rest right now but it is what they felt they needed to say the most right after being scared. I think the kid is still in there... just... trapped. We are going to help them." With that Vin listens as people gather and Elthana gives a speech. Vin was good at the little things but not the big things. To that extent he's glad he doesn't need to give a big speech. He seems to seek Nef out and finds her right behind him as always.
Vin and Nef were at the front when going into the tunnels and at the fork in the road a 100 feet in he says "Nef and I will scout ahead a bit to the right. Not too far. Just want to see if either side opens up at all to accommodate everyone." With that Vin heads a bit deeper with Nef to the left in the fork to see where it might lead. True to his word the duo do not go much further into the tunnels. Perhaps scoping out another 100-200 feet deeper depending how far the tunnel goes before the next fork. Their aim is to go to the next split in the tunnel thinking they will be perfectly safe as long as they are careful and don't allow a branching path to allow anything behind them. While they travel they will look very carefully for signs of other creatures that may have go this way. Especially fey ones. Nef is try to get a sense of smells in the area to pick up recent scents and trails beyond just Old Thicket. Fey, human, elf, doesn't matter they want an idea who's been this way.
The survivors take heed of Elthana's words and find reassurance in them, they calm enough or maybe simply resign themselves enough, to the current situation to begin dropping the many packs and items they are carrying and begin making a late lunch, before they begin the task of setting up their new temporary home in the cave entrance.
Old thicket leans down to Sam and as Sam describes the fruit mentioned, the old tree scrunches his face up a little, "no fruit that me or mine produce, though there are all kinds of things back home eh? Sorry I can't help you lad."
The adults who have been taking shifts supervising and caring for the soulless children thank Vin for his efforts, despite the boy being constantly guarded by Neferox, the carers find solace in Vin's continued effort to help, and offer him their genuine gratitude.
Iver holds off slightly with his tree blockade as Vin and Neferox dive into exploring the cave, they stealth around making no noise as they approach the right side of the split but they find no adversaries to contend with, Nef senses the smell of wolves, but not fresh, not present right now. As the right path sinks further into darkness it shrinks and shrinks to an impassable size before closing off completely a little further on.
As Vin asks the next question Nef seems to take notice of the girl and seems to bring Vin's attention to them. So after Vin asks "Answer these two questions: What did this floaty fruit look like? Did you eat the floaty fruit?" Vin will take a moment after the boy answers his question to ask Shionne, "Does this floaty fruit sound familiar?" he then looks over at the girl and smiles and waves her over. Still kneeling next to the boy as he says out to her "It's okay. Come on over. Is he your friend?" If Nef seems to be scaring the girl Vin will pet the hound and say to her "Nef can be scary but they are a good girl. They won't hurt you." Neferox seems to huff in a big sigh but they lay down and attempt to seem less threatening. They even look away from the girl but mostly to watch for others paying attention or seeming suspicious.
Elthana watches on, keeping back of the half-elf questioning the little boy. She was impressed, the information that Vin was getting out of a soulless, she had kind of written them off. When he talks about a floating fruit though, she really gets confused. Did they take a bite of these fruits? Is that why they were in this state? Will they come out of it or is it like a poison and they need an antidote?
She watches Nef from time to time, which she is realizing is becoming a habit as she doesn't trust what the dog might do, and follows what she is looking at. She sees a small girl, an uneffected girl, watching the conversation unfold and getting very upset about the whole endeavor. Vin notices as well and asks her to come over, but with the devil dog staring her down, Elthana decides to walk to her.
Squatting down to be at eye level with the poor girl, "Hello. You seem to be troubled. My name is Elthana. What's yours? Do you know the best way to not feel the way you do right now? Is to get what happened off your chest. I know you're afraid you'll get into trouble, but you will not. I promise you. But you will feel a whole lot better once you tell me what happened. And maybe, with that knowledge, I'll be able to help your friend."
Muir watches the interaction between Vin and the elf boy smiling at the boy as his confidence seems to have changed from the day before. He watches the dog snort at the young girl and Elthana interceding. Muir's ears flap a bit thankful for Elthana moving to speak with the girl away from the dog. Muir wonders if a magic trick would help lighten the girls mood and moves over to help Elthana.
"Hello little one. My name is Muir. I come from the far west where I would perform little magic tricks...May I do a little magic trick for you? Do you like animals? Perhaps birds? Well have you seen the blue bird that washes over people? It is said that when this blue bird appears and sprinkles you with it's power, people of all ages and sizes feel strong and brave. In fact this one time I was in the woods investigating an illness that washed over animals, I was afraid to continue into the woods in fear I might get sick or worse, but this little blue bird washed over me. Not only did I feel brave and calm but I solved the problem and cured the animals. Perhaps...why what's that!? Look right above you, it is the blue bird! You are lucky! It has sent its power washing you with its strength and bravery so that you may face your fears and help your friends!"
Muir casts shape water in the shape of a tiny blue bird flying over the young girl.
"The floaty fruit look, like big plums, but blue and green. We ate the fruit."
Shionne shales her head 'no' at this, and Terry gives the unnecessary translation, "the fruits don't sound familiar...", Gore also shakes his head at this, unfamiliar with the description.
The girl that neferox spotted is hesitant to approach, even when beckoned, it doesn't appear she is afraid specifically of the dog, though as she continues sobbing, it brings the attention of the adult she is with. Looking over the group sees a thin man with the distinct markings of one of the mutated, bulbous growths covering half of his face and down one shoulder, he is also hesitant at first but dutifully brings his daughter over when he recognises the group. She tearfully nods, "this is Henrei, I was with him and my other friends in the cave, I told them we shouldn't be there and when something happened I told them all to run away, I don't want to be in trouble... I didn't want to go to start with!" She cries.
With the added, input of both Muir and Elthana the girl calms down slightly, nodding to Elthana and speaking a little calmer through sobs, "my name us June, I... I don't want to be in trouble, but I also want to help Henrei and the others" at Muir's magic trick she hesitantly reaches s hand out to the bird and gives a small smile, "I don't know why my friends are sick, or what happened, we've been in those caves before, we've eaten the floaty fruit before too but this didn't happen, before it just made you feel floaty and happy but this time it was wrong, then there was a loud noise, like something big moving in the caves a lot further in, i didn't want to be there any more and my friends started acting strange, I got scared and tole everyone to run, run away and run home again..." She starts getting upset a little again at reliving what transpired but then looks to Muir, "can you fix them? Like you did in your story with the sick animals?"
Vin sighs, really hopeful Shionne would recognize it. If their fey world experts didn't know then that made things way harder. Unfortunately, she doesn't so the only way to help them might be to get the fruit itself. "I guess we will need to get one of these fruits to see if we can figure out a way to cure them then." Vin looks to the druids and Shionne and asks "If we got a sample of this fruit do you think you could identify it and/or find a way to cure them if we did?" Vin seems hopeful but in the back of his mind he knows there something going on in dreams too. The boy looks around and sees Muir and Elthana talking with the girl. Vin isn't surprised she wouldn't come over. He doesn't blame them but he looks a bit more sad. He closes his eyes and tries to focus on the now. It won't help them if he's all mopy. He looks to Goldsheaf and says "I'm all for getting to the cave. Even if its connected in some way to the main portal we can still fortify it. Do you know anything about the caves? Like, are they an abandoned mine or something? I know we are heading to scope out Hokum but there will be some tunnels near there that we need to find a fruit in." Vin seems ready to go but the look at the little boy of 7 and pat their head saying "Henrei. That's a nice name. Two more question, please answer: it's something Nef wants me to ask. Something, I hope is a no but I want to make sure. Are you having nightmares? Have you received any commands from in your dreams or commands that pop into your head like magic?"
Gewyn approaches after concluding his conversation with Terry. "Hey, listen. You did nothing wrong. June, right? I'm Gewyn. That fruit you mentioned? You are right. What has happened to your friends is not a normal effect. A friend of mine from Hokum tried some once and told me all about it. Perhaps you know him. Have you heard of a man named Favian"
Sam mostly watches Shionne though he glances at the druids from time to time, while Vin interrogates the kid. Sam doesn’t trust them and is looking for signs that they fell guilty or are trying to hide or avoid anything…
The lion and the giant goat mostly rest, but stay alert… they have no idea what is going on but they can feel the tension.
“You can’t still want to bring the people to the caves???” Sam questions as it seems it is the source of the suspicious fruit. “The kids were smart to run from them, I think. It’s fine for us to go investigate what the rumbling was, what’s wrong with the fruit… but dragging them into the middle of it?” Sam scoffs.
“Look, whatever is happening may well be unintentional. If we are to believe Old Woody (and I don’t) then he didn’t mean to destroy the forest, just create new trees. Yet he continued… If the portal is in the caves then perhaps something else came through and is changing the fruit. Maybe by accident and don’t k ow the effects. Maybe not…we should go and find out. But not with children and innocents in tow,” Sam says.
Shionne speaks her Fae tongue and Terry does his usual duty, "we could take a look, perhaps there is something that can be done, if not then we can report this back to our city when we return and see if they have heard of such a plight" her words are concerned for the children, and her body language betrays the same, even with Sam's scrutiny
Goldsheaf shakes her head, "the tunnels are what is left over from volcanic flow eons past, not only are they near impossible to navigate, but they are also dangerous... but the fruits give me cause for concern, things don't grow easily up in the mountains and nothing should grow in the caves, not without intervention."
Henrei stares blankly as Vin questions further, "no nightmares, no commands in my head".
June seems dizzy and a little intimidated by the amount of people all talking to her one after another, her father dies his best to calm her and gives the group a slightly warning look as if to say, give her time. "Favian lives in the mountains, we see him sometimes out hunting...
it was him we were stealing from." She turns beet red and takes a pause before saying this last bit, as if she was about to burst with guilt, she starts crying once more and her father takes her away slightly.
Goldsheaf interjects, "I did wonder how one survived up there, not much to hunt, not much to farm, I just thought the man was skilled... He's one of my people, if he's behind this, it's my fault."
Vin can't seem to think of anything else and it seems to them that Henri will be fine once they figure out what happened to them. Vin then draws a bunch on dots in the sand between him Henri. The dots are in a perfect 5 by 5 grid all lined up so that if you connect the dots boxes can be formed. He says to Henri, "I think this has been enough for you for now. I can't promise you won't have to answer more hard questions but maybe I can give you something fun to do even in this state. Can you look here please?" vin points to the ground where he drew the dots. While henri is paying attention Vin gives him the instructions on how to play a simple kids game called dots and boxes when people take turns drawing lines from dot to dot to make boxes and if you put the last line to make a box you get to put the first letter of your name in it and go again. After explaining Vin will ask "I have two easy questions for you. Please answer them if you can. Do you understand the rules? Would you like to play?" Vin tests again asking what they would like. This time on something a bit more positive and not as hurtful. Vin trying to think what the boy might enjoy as a distraction from the torment he currently finds himself in. Unless Henri reacts poorly to the question in some way Vin recognizes that they might not be able to reply and will ask them to play one round of the game with them. Vin will watch the boy to see if they can pick up any sign that this is a welcome change of pace for them. Curiously, Neferox stopped watching others for a moment while Vin showed the boy how to play. Once the explanation was done they went back to closely monitoring the situation around them.
"I understand the rules, yes I would like to play" the game goes painfully slowly as Henrei starts only drawing lines between the dots closest to him, with some subtle nudging and some outright directions from Vin, the two manage to finish a game, but with the directions having to be constantly maintained, Vin feels a little like he just played against himself with a proxy. Regardless of whether Vin feels like it is a good distraction for the boy, his face does not change, he focuses on the ground when told to and then quickly regains his vacant stare, still seeming devoid of emotion.
"So we find this Favian and instruct him to explain this to us... So we have to make sure that he can still talk when we get around to asking questions," Sam says, kind of to himself.
"Girl... Can you point us to where you took the fruits from? And where you normally see Favian?"
"he lives up on the mountain, we don't go near his house because he shouts and gets angry if he sees us up there, but the cave is further away, covered up with leaves and sticks" June replies, now a little distracted by the game that Vin and Henrei play, Goldsheaf seconds June's claim. "I'm afraid you'll have to go into town to get into the valley that travels north up the mountain. Once there it opens up a little, his house is on the western path, I just hope he's not..." Goldsheaf doesn't finish the thought, instead choosing to hold her tongue with little ears listening.
Vin listens to the folks around him talking as he plays the game of Dots and Boxes with Henri. He adds in their conversation, "Goldsheaf, Iver, as far as I can tell you two are kind of the leaders of the Refugees. If you still want to go to the caves we will get you there and secure. i'm sure the druids and Shionne can help with make a safe location inside the tunnels. With solid rock protecting most directions even if its closer to the portal it'll be more defensible. After that, we will head out to do... something; hopefully find a way to undo what was done to Henri and the others and get your town back." Vin continues to play with Henri. his attention divided but he wanted to add that bit in. This Favian was connected in some way to what happened to the kids. It's possible he's the mastermind behind the attack on Hokum. Vin is a good kid. He also knows that doing nothing is almost as bad as being evil sometimes. It's why he always tries to do something to help those around him. Vin wasn't going to just stand around doing nothing.
Vin doesn't care that it was like playing against himself. The important part was that Henri said they wanted to play. It wasn't about Vin having fun it was about them having fun and a moment to do something like a kid again. The fact they can express what they want and that was huge to Vin. Vin was more determined then ever to help the soulless now. He was glad he was able to confirm that Henri wasn't getting secret commands. The young man was worried they were being used to spy with or controlled far greater. Now, he wasn't but he still wanted to help the boy in one more way. Having confirmed the soulless can express what they want, after the game of dots and boxes, Vin smiles and pats Henri on the head as he asks "I bet there is a lot of things you want to say but haven't been able to. Henri, tell me what you want to say the most that you've been unable to since this was done to you." Vin smiles and hopes the boy can say whatever is the most important to them right now. It might be terrible, it might be sad, but whatever it is Vin sees it as important they can speak what they want. It's unfortunate it must be phased in a way to make them but whatever it is it must be driving them crazy not to be able to say it.
Henrei stops playing the game to think a little, or at least that's what vin assumes as the boy becomes motionless, "I... I want to say... Scared... Tired.. want to.. to say."
As the group finish up here it seems that they are being left behind by the slowly moving main body of the survivors, June and her father quickly return to the main group, gore having set off a little before to head them in the correct direction, Iver gets s glint in his eye and gives a smile, "i know exactly how we're gonna secure them tunnels" and he runs off to get ahead of the group, the heavy pack on his back not slowing hin down as he goes.
Another ten minutes or so of walking with the group and everyone reaches the cave, it is nestled on a cliff face surrounded by trees and seems to be deserted, notably there appears to be some drag marks in the dirt out side of it, but it occurs to the group that these were likely made by Old Thicket upon his exit from here. The group also finds said gigantic tree, face and all waiting there for them. He greets the group as they approach, the survivors rightly seem apprehensive of the towering monster, but he attempts to speak in a low soothing tone instead of his usual boisterous yell, "my children are already here, no harm will come to your two legs here and you will hold up your end of the bargain, yes?". The guards begin exploring the cave and quickly find enough room clear for all the survivors. The caverns opening is spacious enough but begins to get narrower the further in, at about 100ft in the tunnel splits off.
Iver begins to converse a little with Old Thicket, and Goldsheaf begins to gather her survivors and inform them of all that has happened, all that is to come and reassure her people. Iver moves four of the trees into the cave and where the tunnel splits has them lay flat one on top of the other, their canopies twisting around each other and effectively blocking off any way through. Goldsheaf seems to be doing a good job with reassuring her people, backed up by Master Gore, but even so, some eyes are still on the trees and the party, Goldsheaf explains how clerics are on their way, and needing to hold out a little hope, and the party fighting to get the invaders out and their homes back, all eyes suddenly fall on the group, for some reassurance, for some strength, and hope.
Elthana quietly helps where she can to get the area as secure as possible for the survivors. Seeing Old Thicket there and his need for our end of the bargain to be upheld gives her a little more calm about the situation.
Once everything is settled and all eyes fall to them, Elthana speaks up, "I realize this isn't your home. This isn't where you want to be. But look around, you have your guards, your mayor, trees that have agreed to help, and we have clerics on the way. In the meantime, my friends and I are going to go to your home and do what we can to open it back up to you. We are all very capable people, and we are here for all of you. I am not much of a speaker, but this is our promise." She nods to the survivors, then looks to her group to see if anyone has anything to add.
Once that is done, she heads out of the cave, ready to go to Hokum.
“Wait, what? The cave is literally right here?” Sam asks incredulously. “That’s something that could have been mentioned…” Somehow he managed to miss they were already at the mountains. He still doesn’t like this idea, what if the floaty fruit poison is now just floating in the air… but it’s not his kids, not his choice.
Soon after coming into contact with Old Thicket again Sam asks him about the floaty fruit. “Does this sound like anything you may have seen before? This side of the portal or the other?”
Other than that Sam is much on board with Elthana’s sentiment of let’s get out of here and find a real fight in Hokum. “Or were we exploring the caves first for dangers and portals?”
Muir sits by and listens to Elthana and nods his head figuring she has said enough for all of them. He turns his attention to Old Thicket and Sam sitting on a stump nearby listening.
Vin smiles at Henri and says "I'd be scared too if I was going through what you are, but..." he looks left and right like he is about to tell a big secret to the kid. He leans down and whispers in his ear, "...we are heroes. We are going to save you and everyone here." With that he gets up and signals the person who is currently assigned to watching the soulless. When they come over to collect Henri Vin says, "He's tired. I know we can't rest right now but it is what they felt they needed to say the most right after being scared. I think the kid is still in there... just... trapped. We are going to help them." With that Vin listens as people gather and Elthana gives a speech. Vin was good at the little things but not the big things. To that extent he's glad he doesn't need to give a big speech. He seems to seek Nef out and finds her right behind him as always.
Vin and Nef were at the front when going into the tunnels and at the fork in the road a 100 feet in he says "Nef and I will scout ahead a bit to the right. Not too far. Just want to see if either side opens up at all to accommodate everyone." With that Vin heads a bit deeper with Nef to the left in the fork to see where it might lead. True to his word the duo do not go much further into the tunnels. Perhaps scoping out another 100-200 feet deeper depending how far the tunnel goes before the next fork. Their aim is to go to the next split in the tunnel thinking they will be perfectly safe as long as they are careful and don't allow a branching path to allow anything behind them. While they travel they will look very carefully for signs of other creatures that may have go this way. Especially fey ones. Nef is try to get a sense of smells in the area to pick up recent scents and trails beyond just Old Thicket. Fey, human, elf, doesn't matter they want an idea who's been this way.
Stealth: 28
Perception: 19
Perception: 5
The survivors take heed of Elthana's words and find reassurance in them, they calm enough or maybe simply resign themselves enough, to the current situation to begin dropping the many packs and items they are carrying and begin making a late lunch, before they begin the task of setting up their new temporary home in the cave entrance.
Old thicket leans down to Sam and as Sam describes the fruit mentioned, the old tree scrunches his face up a little, "no fruit that me or mine produce, though there are all kinds of things back home eh? Sorry I can't help you lad."
The adults who have been taking shifts supervising and caring for the soulless children thank Vin for his efforts, despite the boy being constantly guarded by Neferox, the carers find solace in Vin's continued effort to help, and offer him their genuine gratitude.
Iver holds off slightly with his tree blockade as Vin and Neferox dive into exploring the cave, they stealth around making no noise as they approach the right side of the split but they find no adversaries to contend with, Nef senses the smell of wolves, but not fresh, not present right now. As the right path sinks further into darkness it shrinks and shrinks to an impassable size before closing off completely a little further on.