Tana blinks rapidly as her gaze darts around during the brief fight, too busy examining the man to assist.
"Oh, dear." She quickly snaps back to attention as Mother Clay approaches the battered figure. "Do be careful, I believe he's suffered a great deal of bruising."
She bends down toward the man, concern still knitting her brow.
Argyle quietly shook his head while staring at the dead bear. "We're fine, sire," he said simply, hiding the huge wave of relief that had washed over him as Hotspur actually proved useful in reviving their master.
He twirled his blades for a moment in a rapid, yet casual pattern in the rain, in effect rinsing them off; he then knelt to wipe any remaining blood off on the bear's own fur. That done, he spun them once again, sharply snapped the points outwards to flick off any remaining water, then deftly sheathed them both. They'd still need to be dried and oiled later, but it would at least keep the blades from immediate rust and pitting.
The bondsman then looked around again, taking special note of Mother Clay and Morseth making their way to the man in stocks. Things still didn't seem to be adding up with the scene.
He turned to Hotspur and Valor. "I'm going to see where the bear came from," he announced. "With those wounds, there should be bodies, or at least signs of a fight." With that, he slowly and cautiously made his way toward where the bear had appeared.
(( Although the bear started out only 10 feet from them, Argyle will cautiously move up to 90 feet away from the others in his investigation, looking for tracks indicating where the bear had come from, and for any bodies or signs of a fight. If any checks are needed-- Investigation:22 Survival:5 Stealth:9 ))
Valor turns looking for Teryl a moment before Teryl speaks. "Yes, I'll be fine. Must've just got the wind knocked out of me. Nothing's hurt but my pride. For a moment there.... But no, it felt worse than it must've been. Thank you for your concern."
He smiles briefly, "But, yes please go with Argyle, I was just about to suggest it."
Tana blinks rapidly as her gaze darts around during the brief fight, too busy examining the man to assist.
"Oh, dear." She quickly snaps back to attention as Mother Clay approaches the battered figure. "Do be careful, I believe he's suffered a great deal of bruising."
She bends down toward the man, concern still knitting her brow.
As the two of you, and Thatch, approach, the man’s expression of gratitude turns to confusion, then pain. Something whizzes from amongst the higher branches to hit him on the head!
You see a scrawny squirrel further up the tree, throwing acorns at the forlorn prisoner. From its chirruping, it seems to be enjoying itself. It is remarkably accurate.
Argyle quietly shook his head while staring at the dead bear. "We're fine, sire," he said simply, hiding the huge wave of relief that had washed over him as Hotspur actually proved useful in reviving their master.
He twirled his blades for a moment in a rapid, yet casual pattern in the rain, in effect rinsing them off; he then knelt to wipe any remaining blood off on the bear's own fur. That done, he spun them once again, sharply snapped the points outwards to flick off any remaining water, then deftly sheathed them both. They'd still need to be dried and oiled later, but it would at least keep the blades from immediate rust and pitting.
The bondsman then looked around again, taking special note of Mother Clay and Morseth making their way to the man in stocks. Things still didn't seem to be adding up with the scene.
He turned to Hotspur and Valor. "I'm going to see where the bear came from," he announced. "With those wounds, there should be bodies, or at least signs of a fight." With that, he slowly and cautiously made his way toward where the bear had appeared.
(( Although the bear started out only 10 feet from them, Argyle will cautiously move up to 90 feet away from the others in his investigation, looking for tracks indicating where the bear had come from, and for any bodies or signs of a fight. If any checks are needed-- Investigation:12 Survival:22 Stealth:26 ))
Valor turns looking for Teryl a moment before Teryl speaks. "Yes, I'll be fine. Must've just got the wind knocked out of me. Nothing's hurt but my pride. For a moment there.... But no, it felt worse than it must've been. Thank you for your concern."
He smiles briefly, "But, yes please go with Argyle, I was just about to suggest it."
Teryl, with his bow still at his side, rushes to meet Argyle’s side.
Argyle and Teryl entered the woods looking for signs and spoor, the bears trail was very easy to follow...the animals tracks heavy and its path of broken saplings and crushed undergrowth an obvious trail.
Some 40' into the woods was a large area of crushed foliage with patches of black sticky blood and phlegm, nearby was a large amount of bloody vomit containing large amounts of nettles and elderberries and little else.
Thinking on it both Argyle and Teryl knew that neither plant was a major part of a healthy bears diet....though they both recalled a little of their use in herbalism as pain relief. Thinking further on the wounds they had seen and the extent to which the wounds had turned septic the bear was likely injured weeks ago....
There was nothing else of interst in the immediate area.
Argyle turned to look at Teryl. He was pretty sure they had both come to the same conclusion; the bear's wounds weren't recent. Which meant whatever happened, had happened awhile ago.
"We should probably report this," he said quietly, trying to ignore the growing sense of dread he was feeling.
Tana blinks rapidly as her gaze darts around during the brief fight, too busy examining the man to assist.
"Oh, dear." She quickly snaps back to attention as Mother Clay approaches the battered figure. "Do be careful, I believe he's suffered a great deal of bruising."
She bends down toward the man, concern still knitting her brow.
As the two of you, and Thatch, approach, the man’s expression of gratitude turns to confusion, then pain. Something whizzes from amongst the higher branches to hit him on the head!
You see a scrawny squirrel further up the tree, throwing acorns at the forlorn prisoner. From its chirruping, it seems to be enjoying itself. It is remarkably accurate.
"How peculiar." Tana glances up at the squirrel, smiling slightly at the mischievous creature.
'Hello there little one.' She projects her voice into the squirrel's mind, making sure to use a softer tone so as to not disturb the creature too much. 'You seem to be having fun and I'd hate to ruin it, but this man here is quite injured already. Could you perhaps not throw your acorns at him?'
(This is using Mind Link, the creature can respond.)
"There ya go, right as rain. A word of advice, coz: when the bear swings, duck! And if it's a duck swingin', you've had too much wine!"
The bard turns back to the prisoner in the stocks. "So... is there something more out there? Or was that bear what drove away the villagers?"
"Heigh-ho, Solly, is it? Care to enlighten us? Are there more dangers lurking about? Or was it just the bear? Or perhaps a moose and a squirrel?"
" Dangers? Oh, I'll say there are dangers!"
He takes in Valors crest on his tabbard.
" Your kin to Sir Olvar? I've been his valet since he was a wee lad. He's in a bad place, and not just him."
He rubbed his neck against the wood surrounding it.
" You know Maxim Le Cloche then, his cousin on his mothers side?"
Of those present none have met Le Cloche but Valor does recall his father mentioning the man on a few occasions and calling him a shiftless skamelar and wastrel.
" Two days ago, on the night of the full moon, Lady Angela gave birth to a son. A storm began and the lights of the white house appeared between the lashing branches of the trees high on the wooded slopes above the town. Sir Olvar rode out to seek the house and demand of Queen Fhionn that she spare his child."
" As soon as Sir Olvar had departed, Le Cloche seized control of the manor house with a group of men I'd never seen before and ejected Lady Angela and her child,"
" All I did was show surprise when Maxim Le Cloche came barging into the manor house yesterday morning."
" Next thing I know, he’s dragged Lady Angela from her bed and cast her and her newborn into the street. Well, of course, I asked him on whose authority he had the right to treat her ladyship so. He says, ‘On the authority of the new lord of the manor—me!’ Then he charges me with looking at him funny, orders me whipped till I’m on my knees, and has me locked up here!”
Tana blinks rapidly as her gaze darts around during the brief fight, too busy examining the man to assist.
"Oh, dear." She quickly snaps back to attention as Mother Clay approaches the battered figure. "Do be careful, I believe he's suffered a great deal of bruising."
She bends down toward the man, concern still knitting her brow.
As the two of you, and Thatch, approach, the man’s expression of gratitude turns to confusion, then pain. Something whizzes from amongst the higher branches to hit him on the head!
You see a scrawny squirrel further up the tree, throwing acorns at the forlorn prisoner. From its chirruping, it seems to be enjoying itself. It is remarkably accurate.
"How peculiar." Tana glances up at the squirrel, smiling slightly at the mischievous creature.
'Hello there little one.' She projects her voice into the squirrel's mind, making sure to use a softer tone so as to not disturb the creature too much. 'You seem to be having fun and I'd hate to ruin it, but this man here is quite injured already. Could you perhaps not throw your acorns at him?'
(This is using Mind Link, the creature can respond.)
This is not the first time Tana has communicated with squirrels....but this does not go the usual way....the tiny creature immediately scampers up into the boughs and vanishes from sight.
" Get the blazes out of me 'ed. Yer not welcome here, little witch."
" Best hurry home before the White Lady takes you."
Argyle turned to look at Teryl. He was pretty sure they had both come to the same conclusion; the bear's wounds weren't recent. Which meant whatever happened, had happened awhile ago.
"We should probably report this," he said quietly, trying to ignore the growing sense of dread he was feeling.
Argyle turned to look at Teryl. He was pretty sure they had both come to the same conclusion; the bear's wounds weren't recent. Which meant whatever happened, had happened awhile ago.
"We should probably report this," he said quietly, trying to ignore the growing sense of dread he was feeling.
The two emerge from the woods to find the others in conversation with the prisoner.
Valor is perturbed. If his story is even partially true, then this was time for alarm. If not for the monstrous bear and the odd quiet, Valor would've dismissed his comments as the rantings of a madman or a criminal trying to talk his way free.
"Mother Clay, you know this man? IS he who he claims?"
Valor is perturbed. If his story is even partially true, then this was time for alarm. If not for the monstrous bear and the odd quiet, Valor would've dismissed his comments as the rantings of a madman or a criminal trying to talk his way free.
"Mother Clay, you know this man? IS he who he claims?"
Mother Clay fixed him with her good eye, " Aye, thats him. Solly. Not quite as handsy as he was back in his youth, but not one for fibbing. His Mother was in your fathers fathers household if I recall....", she began to meander into youthful recollections.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thatch retrieves his arrow from the bear’s hide and slides it back in his quiver, hurrying to catch up to Mother Clay, supporting her as she moves toward the prisoner. As he hears the man’s story, and it becomes clear that Mother Clay knows the man, Thatch slips a small, thin strip of medal from his sleeve and steps forward. With a look toward Sir Valor, he begins working the lock on the stocks, attempting to free the man. “Where is Le Cloche now? Where are Sir Olvar and all of the other villagers?”
Oh no Lady Angela and a newborn child homeless. Morseth ask Solly "Do you know where Lady Angela and her child may have went after being ousted from her home? Perhaps a friend nearby or a shrine"
"How peculiar." Tana glances up at the squirrel, smiling slightly at the mischievous creature.
'Hello there little one.' She projects her voice into the squirrel's mind, making sure to use a softer tone so as to not disturb the creature too much. 'You seem to be having fun and I'd hate to ruin it, but this man here is quite injured already. Could you perhaps not throw your acorns at him?'
(This is using Mind Link, the creature can respond.)
This is not the first time Tana has communicated with squirrels....but this does not go the usual way....the tiny creature immediately scampers up into the boughs and vanishes from sight.
" Get the blazes out of me 'ed. Yer not welcome here, little witch."
" Best hurry home before the White Lady takes you."
Tana frowns as the squirrel scampers off. She turns back to the group after casting another worried look around the trees.
"I believe we may be in the territory of some otherworldly force." She murmurs to the party, watching as they attempt to free Solly. "Has anyone heard of the name 'White Lady' before by any chance?" Tana inquires, also trying to remember if any other creatures had ever mentioned this name before.
(History Check: 19 or if applicable Religion Check: 20)
Valor considers, "Help the man free. Tana, Morseth, see what you can do to ease his aches. Give him some water and food. Argyle, Hotspur, Yessa, I would confer with you."
He pulls the three aside a little and says, "Thoughts? We need to scout this situation more, and find my cousin and the child if we can. But, we also need to protect Mother Clay, and this 'Solly,' if he is truly innocent as well. My father should also know of Le Cloche's actions as soon as possible. Yessa, you're knowledgeable about these otherworldly things any knowledge here?"
Hotspur seems to revive his cousin with little more than a snatch of song and an encouraging word, perhaps he was just winded after all...
Mother Clay breaks from her monologue of ills, to which she has now added bear attacks, and squints at the old man in the stocks.
“Solly? Is that you? What are you doing out here?” she cries, and starts trying to dismount so that she can bustle over to him.
"I am fine" says Morseth. He follows Mother Clay to help escort her in case she slips in this sodden path
Tana blinks rapidly as her gaze darts around during the brief fight, too busy examining the man to assist.
"Oh, dear." She quickly snaps back to attention as Mother Clay approaches the battered figure. "Do be careful, I believe he's suffered a great deal of bruising."
She bends down toward the man, concern still knitting her brow.
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
Tanatari Crelieu | Kalashtar Druid 2 | Damian_May's Sleeping Gods
Jynx Starrkeep | Changling GOO Warlock 2 | Astien's Tyranny of Dragons
DM | Eberron Eternal (Discord)
Argyle quietly shook his head while staring at the dead bear. "We're fine, sire," he said simply, hiding the huge wave of relief that had washed over him as Hotspur actually proved useful in reviving their master.
He twirled his blades for a moment in a rapid, yet casual pattern in the rain, in effect rinsing them off; he then knelt to wipe any remaining blood off on the bear's own fur. That done, he spun them once again, sharply snapped the points outwards to flick off any remaining water, then deftly sheathed them both. They'd still need to be dried and oiled later, but it would at least keep the blades from immediate rust and pitting.
The bondsman then looked around again, taking special note of Mother Clay and Morseth making their way to the man in stocks. Things still didn't seem to be adding up with the scene.
He turned to Hotspur and Valor. "I'm going to see where the bear came from," he announced. "With those wounds, there should be bodies, or at least signs of a fight." With that, he slowly and cautiously made his way toward where the bear had appeared.
(( Although the bear started out only 10 feet from them, Argyle will cautiously move up to 90 feet away from the others in his investigation, looking for tracks indicating where the bear had come from, and for any bodies or signs of a fight. If any checks are needed--
Investigation: 22
Survival: 5
Stealth: 9 ))
Whistler
Titus - V. Human Battle Master Fighter 3 - [Pic] - [Pic2] - [Traits] - in Shadowglass
Locke - V. Human Shadow Monk 3 / Undead Warlock 2 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in FOW - DMless West Marches
Flèche - V. Human Swords Bard 10 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in The Scarlet Mist
Sterling - V. Human Bard 1 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Teryl moves to Valor and throws an awkward salute before saying,
“Syr Valor are you okay? Permission to join Argyle?”
Valor turns looking for Teryl a moment before Teryl speaks. "Yes, I'll be fine. Must've just got the wind knocked out of me. Nothing's hurt but my pride. For a moment there.... But no, it felt worse than it must've been. Thank you for your concern."
He smiles briefly, "But, yes please go with Argyle, I was just about to suggest it."
(I was literally about to post the same thing).
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
“Aye Syr”
Teryl, with his bow still at his side, rushes to meet Argyle’s side.
As the two of you, and Thatch, approach, the man’s expression of gratitude turns to confusion, then pain. Something whizzes from amongst the higher branches to hit him on the head!
You see a scrawny squirrel further up the tree, throwing acorns at the forlorn prisoner. From its chirruping, it seems to be enjoying itself. It is remarkably accurate.
Argyle and Teryl entered the woods looking for signs and spoor, the bears trail was very easy to follow...the animals tracks heavy and its path of broken saplings and crushed undergrowth an obvious trail.
Some 40' into the woods was a large area of crushed foliage with patches of black sticky blood and phlegm, nearby was a large amount of bloody vomit containing large amounts of nettles and elderberries and little else.
Thinking on it both Argyle and Teryl knew that neither plant was a major part of a healthy bears diet....though they both recalled a little of their use in herbalism as pain relief. Thinking further on the wounds they had seen and the extent to which the wounds had turned septic the bear was likely injured weeks ago....
There was nothing else of interst in the immediate area.
Argyle turned to look at Teryl. He was pretty sure they had both come to the same conclusion; the bear's wounds weren't recent. Which meant whatever happened, had happened awhile ago.
"We should probably report this," he said quietly, trying to ignore the growing sense of dread he was feeling.
Whistler
Titus - V. Human Battle Master Fighter 3 - [Pic] - [Pic2] - [Traits] - in Shadowglass
Locke - V. Human Shadow Monk 3 / Undead Warlock 2 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in FOW - DMless West Marches
Flèche - V. Human Swords Bard 10 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in The Scarlet Mist
Sterling - V. Human Bard 1 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
"Heigh-ho, Solly, is it? Care to enlighten us? Are there more dangers lurking about? Or was it just the bear? Or perhaps a moose and a squirrel?"
"How peculiar." Tana glances up at the squirrel, smiling slightly at the mischievous creature.
'Hello there little one.' She projects her voice into the squirrel's mind, making sure to use a softer tone so as to not disturb the creature too much. 'You seem to be having fun and I'd hate to ruin it, but this man here is quite injured already. Could you perhaps not throw your acorns at him?'
(This is using Mind Link, the creature can respond.)
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
Tanatari Crelieu | Kalashtar Druid 2 | Damian_May's Sleeping Gods
Jynx Starrkeep | Changling GOO Warlock 2 | Astien's Tyranny of Dragons
DM | Eberron Eternal (Discord)
" Dangers? Oh, I'll say there are dangers!"
He takes in Valors crest on his tabbard.
" Your kin to Sir Olvar? I've been his valet since he was a wee lad. He's in a bad place, and not just him."
He rubbed his neck against the wood surrounding it.
" You know Maxim Le Cloche then, his cousin on his mothers side?"
Of those present none have met Le Cloche but Valor does recall his father mentioning the man on a few occasions and calling him a shiftless skamelar and wastrel.
" Two days ago, on the night of the full moon, Lady Angela gave birth to a son. A storm began and the lights of the white house appeared between the lashing branches of the trees high on the wooded slopes above the town. Sir Olvar rode out to seek the house and demand of Queen Fhionn that she spare his child."
" As soon as Sir Olvar had departed, Le Cloche seized control of the manor house with a group of men I'd never seen before and ejected Lady Angela and her child,"
" All I did was show surprise when Maxim Le Cloche came barging into the manor house yesterday morning."
" Next thing I know, he’s dragged Lady Angela from her bed and cast her and her newborn into the street. Well, of course, I asked him on whose authority he had the right to treat her ladyship so. He says, ‘On the authority of the new lord of the manor—me!’ Then he charges me with looking at him funny, orders me whipped till I’m on my knees, and has me locked up here!”
This is not the first time Tana has communicated with squirrels....but this does not go the usual way....the tiny creature immediately scampers up into the boughs and vanishes from sight.
" Get the blazes out of me 'ed. Yer not welcome here, little witch."
" Best hurry home before the White Lady takes you."
The two emerge from the woods to find the others in conversation with the prisoner.
Valor is perturbed. If his story is even partially true, then this was time for alarm. If not for the monstrous bear and the odd quiet, Valor would've dismissed his comments as the rantings of a madman or a criminal trying to talk his way free.
"Mother Clay, you know this man? IS he who he claims?"
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Mother Clay fixed him with her good eye, " Aye, thats him. Solly. Not quite as handsy as he was back in his youth, but not one for fibbing. His Mother was in your fathers fathers household if I recall....", she began to meander into youthful recollections.
Thatch retrieves his arrow from the bear’s hide and slides it back in his quiver, hurrying to catch up to Mother Clay, supporting her as she moves toward the prisoner. As he hears the man’s story, and it becomes clear that Mother Clay knows the man, Thatch slips a small, thin strip of medal from his sleeve and steps forward. With a look toward Sir Valor, he begins working the lock on the stocks, attempting to free the man. “Where is Le Cloche now? Where are Sir Olvar and all of the other villagers?”
Thieves tools to free the man: 20.
.
Oh no Lady Angela and a newborn child homeless. Morseth ask Solly "Do you know where Lady Angela and her child may have went after being ousted from her home? Perhaps a friend nearby or a shrine"
Tana frowns as the squirrel scampers off. She turns back to the group after casting another worried look around the trees.
"I believe we may be in the territory of some otherworldly force." She murmurs to the party, watching as they attempt to free Solly. "Has anyone heard of the name 'White Lady' before by any chance?" Tana inquires, also trying to remember if any other creatures had ever mentioned this name before.
(History Check: 19 or if applicable Religion Check: 20)
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
Tanatari Crelieu | Kalashtar Druid 2 | Damian_May's Sleeping Gods
Jynx Starrkeep | Changling GOO Warlock 2 | Astien's Tyranny of Dragons
DM | Eberron Eternal (Discord)
Valor considers, "Help the man free. Tana, Morseth, see what you can do to ease his aches. Give him some water and food. Argyle, Hotspur, Yessa, I would confer with you."
He pulls the three aside a little and says, "Thoughts? We need to scout this situation more, and find my cousin and the child if we can. But, we also need to protect Mother Clay, and this 'Solly,' if he is truly innocent as well. My father should also know of Le Cloche's actions as soon as possible. Yessa, you're knowledgeable about these otherworldly things any knowledge here?"
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
"Of course Sir Dayne" Morseth goes to help free the man. Once Solly is standing "Let me see your wounds"