The group sets off once more, "I am getting unusually tired, maybe is lack of strong wind, but flying here feels more difficult..." Griff responds to Elthana, the group continues down the road toward marblestead, after more hours of driving through snow and changing positions due to general discomfort, and Griff now having to make regular rest stops on top of the carriage, the group finally make it to the first tree as night descends.
At the site where the majority of the group first discovered a little lone fairy dead of exhaustion, there instead lies a massive mound of solid ground. The mound is about 50ft in diameter and about 25ft high, the tree that Sam planted can be seen atop it, now, similarly to the others, it has been completely petrified into stone.
The light dips over the horizon once more and the group stop to observe their surroundings and possibly make camp for then night.
Sam bristles each time Griff lands atop the carriage but does his best to ignore them while keeping an eye on them. He shares driving duties with Iver (and anyone else if they wish) and alternates his time not driving with either sitting besides Iver to keep watch and company or inside the carriage when he decides he needs a bit of time out of the cold.
Upon reaching the tree Sam brings the carriage to a halt and gathers with the rest together. "I don't recall that mound being here last time," he says to the others and studies the area. ((Perception: 15. Only a 10 if you want Investigation instead.)) Sam is trying to just see what, if anything, looks unusual here. What, if anything, looks different from last time.
If, after a few minutes, nothing seems off and nothing happens, Sam will take a stroll around the mound. "Helloooo?" Sam will call out every ten steps or so. "Ollie ollie oxen free?"
Once they start taking rests for Griff and he lands on the carriage more often, Elthana asks, "Are you doing better with more rests or is it not helping?"
As the arrive to the great dirt mound, Elthana stands in awe wondering what in the world would have made such a thing. She checks around, trying to understand it, (Perception 18), kicking it a bit and asks Vin, "Did you want to fly up to the tree and see if you can see anything from up there?"
Flashback- Earlier this day! Sometime early in the journey when Sam is steering the carriage.
"Hmph," Sam says to himself, tired of thinking. He looks about himself and eyeballs where everyone is. Iver is on the bench next to him. The bird-beak is currently taking it's second or third rest upon the roof of the carriage. The others are all inside or riding (or flying?) close by. Close enough, anyway, to see what Sam is doing and edge closer to listen in if they so choose. Sam said he'd keep no secrets from them... But he never said he'd call a team huddle every time he sent a message to Jimmy.
Sam digs around obviously in his stuff and pulls out the hand sized Sending Stone. He clears his throat loudly several times and then starts speaking into the stone...
"The clerics, and paladins, were all over the streets like an invading force. Mind you they were helping but those numbers? And their bigwig was there... Eloise or Loui-EmEm or something. And he had their "seer" or "prophet" in tow - Ebb. Remember him? Something smelled wrong about their numbers and their morbid fascination about the portal in the mountain but the Hokum leadership and people were less worried. We tried to buck up the Hokumites position as we could but we were sent to deal with one problem, not every problem. We figured the Hokumites could deal with the clerics. As we were leaving they were vacating the town anyway... To go to the Portal under the mountain. Precisely why? That's a political question, not out expertise... And you all want us back by the celebration so we had to leave. "Blockade solved. Crashed and such carriages from the Not-Deer and all. That shouldn't be a problem. Was also some mean ass dwarves and weird ass mounts that came through the tree portal from near there. We ended their nuisance... But there is a bird-man who came through some air portal. Griff is his name. Pain in the ass but probably harmless. We're letting him live so far. He's coming with us back to Marblestead. He thinks there is an air portal he can use to get back home somewhere back home. I have doubts since I never saw or heard of such... How about you? "We're passing the last tree I made today on our way to Trudnlesten and then home... Expecting to find some other ground monster there. That seems to be the pattern. If so, we'll try to settle that before moving on, of course... "The Druids also seem to have great interest in all things portals. Muir is quite adamant that we cannot let war break out, but that's druids for you eh? He is quite insistant he MUST be with us when we return to Marblestead. He will be I guess. "You know anything more about my companions now than when you sent us all out? Just curious."
Once finished Sam once again rumbles through his stuff and stows the stone once more. He's tempted to look around to see how others respond to the message he sent but fights that temptation and just looks straight ahead down their path...
Muir rides along with the rest of them hoping that his companions will take him seriously since to him it seems he was right about the seeds and the orb. Upon coming to the mound and hearing that this mound is new "It seems possible that one of those tunneling animals maybe built its home here? The mound is certainly big enough to fit one of them." Muir hears Sam's message to his handler and pays no mind to it. It sounded factual in the eyes of Sam
Elthana walks up to the enormous mound and starts moving dirt around, trying to get a better read as to what they were looking at. "No, I don't think so Muir. There are no burrow marks, no disturbed earth around the mound...here come look."
And she takes her palms and pushes a good deal of dirt out of the way, "See? Solid stone. Do you think it's possible for part of a habitat to come through the portal? Not just creatures?"
Muir gets down off his horse and follows Elthana "Hmm indeed there are no burrow marks and solid stone....How odd...Do you think there's something inside? Like it is a home? Odd that a single giant rock would come through, but to be honest, what do we know about these artifacts you have really besides what we have come across in our travels?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
traveling through the day Vin tries to get used to the sensation of flying but no matter what he did it just felt fantastic to him. Even if he was super cold. He'd keep up in the air with Griff asking them about their world. What made it different and in return tried to explain their own world a bit. Hoping to find commonalities as well as a deeper understanding of how different both worlds are. When Griff landed Vin would use the time to fly side by side with the carriage driver and with Nef right there as they continued on. He'd play a bit with nef swooping down to grab a stick then throwing it for Nef to play fetch as they marched on. The contrast of Nef's aggressive demeanor completely lost for a moment as they just play fetch with Vin trotting around the carriage as the stick is thrown in different directions.
When the first tree show on the horizon and there is a visible mound Vin get nervous as he eyes it. Wondering what could of made the mound this time. When Elthana suggests he flies above the tree to get a view he nods in agreement and says "Yeah, I can do that. I'll fly above and come back with a report before we get too close." With that Vin flies high to be over the tree and gets a good bird's eye view of what might be below. As he does so Nef watches the mound carefully like she's ready to charge it if it seems to take notice of Vin flying above.
As Vin flies up above the tree he looks around but then flies back and reports "Nothing out of the ordinary beyond that mound and the fact the tree is stone... I don't think this one showed signs of changing when it was first planted right? Did they steadily turn to stone faster with each one we planted? Anyway, might be a case of leave it be, or we can go poke the mound."
"I'm gonna start setting up camp again, small fire, watches, sleep in the carriage and all that or are we all gonna make use of Muir's place?" Iver slinks out of the driver's seat and stretches his legs, "I for one am just glad that nothing is trying to either eat us or bash our heads in, for now".
Griff pokes around a little and looks generally nonplussed by the mound and the tree, everything seems to be the same level of new to him and so things that stick out to the rest of you just blend in where he's concerned.
After Sam has walked around the mound shouting variations of "Hello" and "You can come on out now" and such in Common, Dwarvish, Giant and Orcish he will then stride upon the hill, making a point of stomping his feet, and go examine the tree.
"Maybe turned faster. We didn't know about the first two trees til we came back to them," Sam answers Vin. "They could have changed within minutes after we turned our backs to them, or days. The third one, in the field Old Thicket drained dry, that didn't turn immediately either... The only immediate one was in the caves. Could just be nearness to the portal quickens them. Hard to say..."
Sam spends some time inspecting the tree, knocking on it and so forth. He doesn't really expect to learn anything but why not fart around and find out?
"I somehow find the mound more disturbing than the monsters. Who knows what all beneath us came over. It could be a big rock, it could be a mountain full of caves and tunnels..."
If it has been a good days travel then Sam will suggest that perhaps they should call it a night here. "Muirs camp or not, everyone's choice I guess. Personally I think someone should be near this thing to see if anything happens overnight. I caused this, knowing or not, so I don't mind taking vigil alone," Sam offers. Worse ways to spend a night then watching a lonely tree up on a hill...
"So... That fruit heading back home... Our home. Marblestead. We thinking the Council knew about that?" Sam asks kind of out of nowhere while just kind of taking in the scenery. "I mean they formed us up as a secret champions group to go help Hokum. Isn't that odd? The Council being concerned about others that much? And over what? A disruption in trade? I mean we felt it a bit in the Tangles, prices going up and all. Be there was still plenty if you could afford it, just like always. And the Council and their ilk can always afford it... Could it have been the fruit trade they wanted reestablished?"
Muir sits and listens to Sam wondering about the council. Muir knows nothing about this part of their trip or why they were thrown together. He figures now is as good of a time as any to ask "So you were all thrown together by the council. One of you from each faction to investigate trade being halted from hokum? Seems somewhat....coincidental no? I mean now we find the fruit smashed on the road seemingly headed away from Hokum....You all have these special items that do mysterious things. Maybe Sam's musings are correct hmmm? Not so coincidental perhaps?"
Iver sits musing in the time it takes for camp to be decided, "I think it's a good thing, for too long people of different factions have butt heads and had rivalries, a not so merry band of adventurers that aren't just cavalcade loyalists should be some kind of salve for the people, showing unity and all that... I mean it's the main reason my sister and I became a guards, my whole family in fact... See we have roots between the treasury and the JFA but recent generations we have been guards, a form of giving back instead of resting on the laurels provided to us by the prosperous dealings of my great grandfather or whatever. I feel like the idea is alive in the forming of this group, an outward showing of how we can work together..."
Griff seems to have fallen asleep on top of the carriage, songs wrapped around himself like a blanket as he huddles, whilst people search and discuss.
Muir smiles at Iver "Why I hope you are right Iver. I am sure it's my mistrust in these factions that's causing my sour attitude. Perhaps it is as you say. Their group was formed to check on Hokum and reestablish trade. It could be some other group that's trying to stow away the mindless fruit and cause the Clerics of Hermes to become vigilant and ready to take out anyone who stands in their way....."Muir trails off thinking of Gore, hoping he is ok. "You are welcome to stay in my sanctuary again if you'd like. It beats the cold, there is food and comfort
Vin listens to Sam, Iver and Muir talk. he feels a bit called out as a loyalist... is being a fan make him a loyalist? He never really asked himself who he follows. Vin just always did what felt right. He looks to Nef laying down beside him as the pair joined the conversation. The young man patting her head gently as she seems to relax her guard a very tiny bit but her ears still seem perked for danger.
As Sam asks if the council knew Vin says "I don't recall hearing stories of folks acting like the folks in Hokum. I feel we would of been told something if the entire council knew about it. Maybe it hasn't reached the populace at large in Marblestead yet? I don't like how it makes you follow every command you're given. It... its bad. There has to be some kind of contact to move it to and from though, right? Definitely something to look into. That stuff is awful."
Vin doesn't touch on the loyalist bit but does reply to Iver saying "That's such a great ideal. Unity. I could see a bit of that in your sister. She was worried but also seemed so sure of what she needed to do. It was kind of inspiring actually. To be worried about you but stays for her duty to protect Trundlesten and work with others like us to help her out and find you. I hope all of us can live up to that aspiration. I might not know a lot about politics but I know I can trust you all. Perhaps that is the point of why we were brought together. Show folks an example. That this does work and we can trust each other." Nef's ears seem to be focused on Vin as he speaks. The hound clearly paying attention despite her eyes being closed. She makes a gruffing noise of acceptance and Vin smiles as he relays "Nef says you're all not as bad as most and that it's nice to have emergency fodder."
To the question of watches or sanctuary Vin seems to think on it and says "I wouldn't say no to a good night's rest but I'll take a shift watching the mound if needed. No need to make Sam stand vigil alone."
Elthana listens to the others talk, but doesn't have much to add. Just a few comments here and there to sprinkle into the conversation. "Those fruits are bad juju, I hope no one in Marblestead knew anything about them, and that they are not the reason we were sent out."
She listens to the possible coincidences and adds, "Well, there was that group that came before us and disappeared, though we know now what happened to them. So that could be a reason to bring the factions together and find out what is going on. An inaugural mission can be anything to test how well it works. Sometimes mundane isn't exactly a bad thing. Of course, it turned out this wasn't..."
When the mention of camp comes up, "Sam, I'll take watch with you. Muir, you should take Griff in, he isn't looking too good. I hope this isn't due to him being in the wrong plane and far from a portal? Remember how Shionne was weaker away from portals?"
Muir nods "He does look quite badly....I will carry him in if he needs it"Muir goes and wakes Griff beckoning him to follow him into the tree for a good rest
"Perhaps the fruit is part of the reason the Clerics of Hermes were so intent on getting to where the portal is back in Hokum," Gewyn muses as he looks over one of the shinier shortswords. He holds it up and tests its balance with a few swings before unhooking the redcap sickle from his belt. He makes the same swings and frowns at how ungainly they feel with the heavy curved weapon. He tosses the sickle into the pile and then removes his cloak. Wrapping the shortsword in the fabric, he ties it at the top and the bottom to form a makeshift scabbard before attaching that to his belt. He is once again wearing his tiefling skin, though he has done little to disguise the tiredness in his eyes from the recent trials.
"The Tortle... Judge Tibus, I think? Our first day he admitted that Hokum was not essential for crops and he mentioned 'special items.' I didn't think too much on it at the time, never trusting a word such uppity ups say," Sam says, still ruminating on this. "But it never quite sat right with me and now I'm wondering if he let something slip with that. What if the fruit is the special items?" ((July 18, 2022 post 11))
"No, I don't recall any like the Soulless around Marblestead... And I assume none of you do?" Sam asks, looking over the others as he does. "Perhaps it's the difference between eating the fruit and... I dunno... Diluting it? Imagine if it was just added in small amounts to the water somehow? If it had the same but far less effect then maybe it makes the masses instead of totally devoid of will then just, I dunno... easily convinced? Some people think nothing of taking away the will of others..." Sam pauses here and obviously does not look at Gewyn. "I suppose if you were in power and wanted to stay in power an easily swayed people might be helpful?"
Shaking himself from the subject, Sam looks to Muir. "Well, not every faction is represented. There are a lot of factions. Some stronger than others, all with varied interests. The Council claimed it was for the greater good... To help Hokum if they needed it as well as reestablish trade. But as I said before, they admitted as much that trade with Hokum was not essential except for the mysterious special items."
After some quiet moments of nothing in particular, Sam looks over to Vin. "You're Calvacade, right?" Sam asks curiously. "Sorry, I'm not one who usually pays attention to the factions unless it gets up in my business but... Aren't you a bit young and scrawny to be a graduate of their academy? What's the story there, you just fly through faster than the others? Don't get me wrong, I think you're great... I'd just expect a bit more confidence and polish on a graduate of theirs, I guess?"
When the talk of the watch comes up, Sam says thanks for all the offers but nobody should feel the need to sit out in the cold when Muir's comfortable tree fort is available. "I doubt anything will come of it. None of the other portal jumpers were subtle so I think maybe somehow a chunk of earth just moved over? I just... It's my fault so I feel the need to be sure is all. If something happens I think, if I understood right, I could still enter Muir's thing and call on you all... But mostly I just expect to be cold and grumpy. Will probably make Iver do all the driving tomorrow while I nap in the carriage... Sorry in advance for the snoring." Sam doesn't further try to dissuade anyone from sitting out in the cold to watch a lump of earth with him, but he plans to do an all nighter whether others take turns or not.
---
Not to jump too far ahead of the story but...
During the overnight Sam will do various things to keep himself awake, if nothing happens to do it for him. He organized the carriage and the cargo, he cleans the various weaponry they have collected, and he will spend some time studying the Dwarven Plate Mail he and Elthana collected after the last battle. The armor is a strange metal the likes of which Sam hasn't seen before and having worked in a forge for years, this is quite interesting to Sam. So he studies the metal and, while doing so, experiments a bit to see just how strong it is, how resistant to damage, etc. Sam will go so far as to even try on the gloves and the helmet, more out of boredom than expecting it to fit but... *shrug*
Griff is easily led to the tree and once inside he quickly finds a place to rest.
Sam takes up watch, and as Elthana and Vin take a watch with him they see him as he seems to fiddle with the dwarven armour for a while. Sitting under the stone tree Sam finds that the helm fits, though the rest of the armour does not, it takes a panicked look and a good yank before the helm comes off and Sam packs it away. As the hours go by elthana and vin leave Sam to his watch but not before a fresh faced Griff exits the tree and perches atop the stone tree making small talk with Sam who has now begun digging into the mound and investigating.
The night winds on, Sam and Griff keep watch and the dark winter morning comes without incident or issue. As the group collect themselves in the morning they find an exhausted looking Sam stil keeping vigil by the tree marking a lone fairy grave, and Griff dozing curled up in his own wings by the smouldering remains of a small fire close by.
The road over the next day is cold and rough, snow keeps falling as the carriage drives new tracks through the long undisturbed route, blankets and Muir's shelter become the only comfort as the next night sets in and the next day arrives.
During the morning of the fourth day on the road, Iver calls out to the group, "we've got company! Looks like a lot" down the road the group see oncoming traffic, around ten or so wagons and carts head in the direction of Hokum. Supplies en route, workers, a few guards, and some skilled builders and artisans. The group is hailed by a young but muscular and grizzled looking Gnome. "Woah there! What news do you have of Hokum? We've been sent to ferry supplies and assist in rebuilding, hey is that you Sam?" The gnome looks curious at the group, he jumps down from his wagon and approaches, two guards quickly rush up to see why the convoy has stopped and they take up position by the gnome, giving Iver a nod of recognition as they do.
The group sets off once more, "I am getting unusually tired, maybe is lack of strong wind, but flying here feels more difficult..." Griff responds to Elthana, the group continues down the road toward marblestead, after more hours of driving through snow and changing positions due to general discomfort, and Griff now having to make regular rest stops on top of the carriage, the group finally make it to the first tree as night descends.
At the site where the majority of the group first discovered a little lone fairy dead of exhaustion, there instead lies a massive mound of solid ground. The mound is about 50ft in diameter and about 25ft high, the tree that Sam planted can be seen atop it, now, similarly to the others, it has been completely petrified into stone.
The light dips over the horizon once more and the group stop to observe their surroundings and possibly make camp for then night.
Sam bristles each time Griff lands atop the carriage but does his best to ignore them while keeping an eye on them. He shares driving duties with Iver (and anyone else if they wish) and alternates his time not driving with either sitting besides Iver to keep watch and company or inside the carriage when he decides he needs a bit of time out of the cold.
Upon reaching the tree Sam brings the carriage to a halt and gathers with the rest together. "I don't recall that mound being here last time," he says to the others and studies the area. ((Perception: 15. Only a 10 if you want Investigation instead.)) Sam is trying to just see what, if anything, looks unusual here. What, if anything, looks different from last time.
If, after a few minutes, nothing seems off and nothing happens, Sam will take a stroll around the mound. "Helloooo?" Sam will call out every ten steps or so. "Ollie ollie oxen free?"
Once they start taking rests for Griff and he lands on the carriage more often, Elthana asks, "Are you doing better with more rests or is it not helping?"
As the arrive to the great dirt mound, Elthana stands in awe wondering what in the world would have made such a thing. She checks around, trying to understand it, (Perception 18), kicking it a bit and asks Vin, "Did you want to fly up to the tree and see if you can see anything from up there?"
Flashback - Earlier this day! Sometime early in the journey when Sam is steering the carriage.
"Hmph," Sam says to himself, tired of thinking. He looks about himself and eyeballs where everyone is. Iver is on the bench next to him. The bird-beak is currently taking it's second or third rest upon the roof of the carriage. The others are all inside or riding (or flying?) close by. Close enough, anyway, to see what Sam is doing and edge closer to listen in if they so choose. Sam said he'd keep no secrets from them... But he never said he'd call a team huddle every time he sent a message to Jimmy.
Sam digs around obviously in his stuff and pulls out the hand sized Sending Stone. He clears his throat loudly several times and then starts speaking into the stone...
"The clerics, and paladins, were all over the streets like an invading force. Mind you they were helping but those numbers? And their bigwig was there... Eloise or Loui-EmEm or something. And he had their "seer" or "prophet" in tow - Ebb. Remember him? Something smelled wrong about their numbers and their morbid fascination about the portal in the mountain but the Hokum leadership and people were less worried. We tried to buck up the Hokumites position as we could but we were sent to deal with one problem, not every problem. We figured the Hokumites could deal with the clerics. As we were leaving they were vacating the town anyway... To go to the Portal under the mountain. Precisely why? That's a political question, not out expertise... And you all want us back by the celebration so we had to leave.
"Blockade solved. Crashed and such carriages from the Not-Deer and all. That shouldn't be a problem. Was also some mean ass dwarves and weird ass mounts that came through the tree portal from near there. We ended their nuisance... But there is a bird-man who came through some air portal. Griff is his name. Pain in the ass but probably harmless. We're letting him live so far. He's coming with us back to Marblestead. He thinks there is an air portal he can use to get back home somewhere back home. I have doubts since I never saw or heard of such... How about you?
"We're passing the last tree I made today on our way to Trudnlesten and then home... Expecting to find some other ground monster there. That seems to be the pattern. If so, we'll try to settle that before moving on, of course...
"The Druids also seem to have great interest in all things portals. Muir is quite adamant that we cannot let war break out, but that's druids for you eh? He is quite insistant he MUST be with us when we return to Marblestead. He will be I guess.
"You know anything more about my companions now than when you sent us all out? Just curious."
Once finished Sam once again rumbles through his stuff and stows the stone once more. He's tempted to look around to see how others respond to the message he sent but fights that temptation and just looks straight ahead down their path...
Muir rides along with the rest of them hoping that his companions will take him seriously since to him it seems he was right about the seeds and the orb. Upon coming to the mound and hearing that this mound is new "It seems possible that one of those tunneling animals maybe built its home here? The mound is certainly big enough to fit one of them." Muir hears Sam's message to his handler and pays no mind to it. It sounded factual in the eyes of Sam
Elthana walks up to the enormous mound and starts moving dirt around, trying to get a better read as to what they were looking at. "No, I don't think so Muir. There are no burrow marks, no disturbed earth around the mound...here come look."
And she takes her palms and pushes a good deal of dirt out of the way, "See? Solid stone. Do you think it's possible for part of a habitat to come through the portal? Not just creatures?"
Muir gets down off his horse and follows Elthana "Hmm indeed there are no burrow marks and solid stone....How odd...Do you think there's something inside? Like it is a home? Odd that a single giant rock would come through, but to be honest, what do we know about these artifacts you have really besides what we have come across in our travels?"
traveling through the day Vin tries to get used to the sensation of flying but no matter what he did it just felt fantastic to him. Even if he was super cold. He'd keep up in the air with Griff asking them about their world. What made it different and in return tried to explain their own world a bit. Hoping to find commonalities as well as a deeper understanding of how different both worlds are. When Griff landed Vin would use the time to fly side by side with the carriage driver and with Nef right there as they continued on. He'd play a bit with nef swooping down to grab a stick then throwing it for Nef to play fetch as they marched on. The contrast of Nef's aggressive demeanor completely lost for a moment as they just play fetch with Vin trotting around the carriage as the stick is thrown in different directions.
When the first tree show on the horizon and there is a visible mound Vin get nervous as he eyes it. Wondering what could of made the mound this time. When Elthana suggests he flies above the tree to get a view he nods in agreement and says "Yeah, I can do that. I'll fly above and come back with a report before we get too close." With that Vin flies high to be over the tree and gets a good bird's eye view of what might be below. As he does so Nef watches the mound carefully like she's ready to charge it if it seems to take notice of Vin flying above.
Perception: 13
As Vin flies up above the tree he looks around but then flies back and reports "Nothing out of the ordinary beyond that mound and the fact the tree is stone... I don't think this one showed signs of changing when it was first planted right? Did they steadily turn to stone faster with each one we planted? Anyway, might be a case of leave it be, or we can go poke the mound."
"I'm gonna start setting up camp again, small fire, watches, sleep in the carriage and all that or are we all gonna make use of Muir's place?" Iver slinks out of the driver's seat and stretches his legs, "I for one am just glad that nothing is trying to either eat us or bash our heads in, for now".
Griff pokes around a little and looks generally nonplussed by the mound and the tree, everything seems to be the same level of new to him and so things that stick out to the rest of you just blend in where he's concerned.
After Sam has walked around the mound shouting variations of "Hello" and "You can come on out now" and such in Common, Dwarvish, Giant and Orcish he will then stride upon the hill, making a point of stomping his feet, and go examine the tree.
"Maybe turned faster. We didn't know about the first two trees til we came back to them," Sam answers Vin. "They could have changed within minutes after we turned our backs to them, or days. The third one, in the field Old Thicket drained dry, that didn't turn immediately either... The only immediate one was in the caves. Could just be nearness to the portal quickens them. Hard to say..."
Sam spends some time inspecting the tree, knocking on it and so forth. He doesn't really expect to learn anything but why not fart around and find out?
"I somehow find the mound more disturbing than the monsters. Who knows what all beneath us came over. It could be a big rock, it could be a mountain full of caves and tunnels..."
If it has been a good days travel then Sam will suggest that perhaps they should call it a night here. "Muirs camp or not, everyone's choice I guess. Personally I think someone should be near this thing to see if anything happens overnight. I caused this, knowing or not, so I don't mind taking vigil alone," Sam offers. Worse ways to spend a night then watching a lonely tree up on a hill...
"So... That fruit heading back home... Our home. Marblestead. We thinking the Council knew about that?" Sam asks kind of out of nowhere while just kind of taking in the scenery. "I mean they formed us up as a secret champions group to go help Hokum. Isn't that odd? The Council being concerned about others that much? And over what? A disruption in trade? I mean we felt it a bit in the Tangles, prices going up and all. Be there was still plenty if you could afford it, just like always. And the Council and their ilk can always afford it... Could it have been the fruit trade they wanted reestablished?"
Muir sits and listens to Sam wondering about the council. Muir knows nothing about this part of their trip or why they were thrown together. He figures now is as good of a time as any to ask "So you were all thrown together by the council. One of you from each faction to investigate trade being halted from hokum? Seems somewhat....coincidental no? I mean now we find the fruit smashed on the road seemingly headed away from Hokum....You all have these special items that do mysterious things. Maybe Sam's musings are correct hmmm? Not so coincidental perhaps?"
Iver sits musing in the time it takes for camp to be decided, "I think it's a good thing, for too long people of different factions have butt heads and had rivalries, a not so merry band of adventurers that aren't just cavalcade loyalists should be some kind of salve for the people, showing unity and all that... I mean it's the main reason my sister and I became a guards, my whole family in fact... See we have roots between the treasury and the JFA but recent generations we have been guards, a form of giving back instead of resting on the laurels provided to us by the prosperous dealings of my great grandfather or whatever. I feel like the idea is alive in the forming of this group, an outward showing of how we can work together..."
Griff seems to have fallen asleep on top of the carriage, songs wrapped around himself like a blanket as he huddles, whilst people search and discuss.
Muir smiles at Iver "Why I hope you are right Iver. I am sure it's my mistrust in these factions that's causing my sour attitude. Perhaps it is as you say. Their group was formed to check on Hokum and reestablish trade. It could be some other group that's trying to stow away the mindless fruit and cause the Clerics of Hermes to become vigilant and ready to take out anyone who stands in their way....."Muir trails off thinking of Gore, hoping he is ok. "You are welcome to stay in my sanctuary again if you'd like. It beats the cold, there is food and comfort
Vin listens to Sam, Iver and Muir talk. he feels a bit called out as a loyalist... is being a fan make him a loyalist? He never really asked himself who he follows. Vin just always did what felt right. He looks to Nef laying down beside him as the pair joined the conversation. The young man patting her head gently as she seems to relax her guard a very tiny bit but her ears still seem perked for danger.
As Sam asks if the council knew Vin says "I don't recall hearing stories of folks acting like the folks in Hokum. I feel we would of been told something if the entire council knew about it. Maybe it hasn't reached the populace at large in Marblestead yet? I don't like how it makes you follow every command you're given. It... its bad. There has to be some kind of contact to move it to and from though, right? Definitely something to look into. That stuff is awful."
Vin doesn't touch on the loyalist bit but does reply to Iver saying "That's such a great ideal. Unity. I could see a bit of that in your sister. She was worried but also seemed so sure of what she needed to do. It was kind of inspiring actually. To be worried about you but stays for her duty to protect Trundlesten and work with others like us to help her out and find you. I hope all of us can live up to that aspiration. I might not know a lot about politics but I know I can trust you all. Perhaps that is the point of why we were brought together. Show folks an example. That this does work and we can trust each other." Nef's ears seem to be focused on Vin as he speaks. The hound clearly paying attention despite her eyes being closed. She makes a gruffing noise of acceptance and Vin smiles as he relays "Nef says you're all not as bad as most and that it's nice to have emergency fodder."
To the question of watches or sanctuary Vin seems to think on it and says "I wouldn't say no to a good night's rest but I'll take a shift watching the mound if needed. No need to make Sam stand vigil alone."
Elthana listens to the others talk, but doesn't have much to add. Just a few comments here and there to sprinkle into the conversation. "Those fruits are bad juju, I hope no one in Marblestead knew anything about them, and that they are not the reason we were sent out."
She listens to the possible coincidences and adds, "Well, there was that group that came before us and disappeared, though we know now what happened to them. So that could be a reason to bring the factions together and find out what is going on. An inaugural mission can be anything to test how well it works. Sometimes mundane isn't exactly a bad thing. Of course, it turned out this wasn't..."
When the mention of camp comes up, "Sam, I'll take watch with you. Muir, you should take Griff in, he isn't looking too good. I hope this isn't due to him being in the wrong plane and far from a portal? Remember how Shionne was weaker away from portals?"
Muir nods "He does look quite badly....I will carry him in if he needs it" Muir goes and wakes Griff beckoning him to follow him into the tree for a good rest
"Perhaps the fruit is part of the reason the Clerics of Hermes were so intent on getting to where the portal is back in Hokum," Gewyn muses as he looks over one of the shinier shortswords. He holds it up and tests its balance with a few swings before unhooking the redcap sickle from his belt. He makes the same swings and frowns at how ungainly they feel with the heavy curved weapon. He tosses the sickle into the pile and then removes his cloak. Wrapping the shortsword in the fabric, he ties it at the top and the bottom to form a makeshift scabbard before attaching that to his belt. He is once again wearing his tiefling skin, though he has done little to disguise the tiredness in his eyes from the recent trials.
"The Tortle... Judge Tibus, I think? Our first day he admitted that Hokum was not essential for crops and he mentioned 'special items.' I didn't think too much on it at the time, never trusting a word such uppity ups say," Sam says, still ruminating on this. "But it never quite sat right with me and now I'm wondering if he let something slip with that. What if the fruit is the special items?" ((July 18, 2022 post 11))
"No, I don't recall any like the Soulless around Marblestead... And I assume none of you do?" Sam asks, looking over the others as he does. "Perhaps it's the difference between eating the fruit and... I dunno... Diluting it? Imagine if it was just added in small amounts to the water somehow? If it had the same but far less effect then maybe it makes the masses instead of totally devoid of will then just, I dunno... easily convinced? Some people think nothing of taking away the will of others..." Sam pauses here and obviously does not look at Gewyn. "I suppose if you were in power and wanted to stay in power an easily swayed people might be helpful?"
Shaking himself from the subject, Sam looks to Muir. "Well, not every faction is represented. There are a lot of factions. Some stronger than others, all with varied interests. The Council claimed it was for the greater good... To help Hokum if they needed it as well as reestablish trade. But as I said before, they admitted as much that trade with Hokum was not essential except for the mysterious special items."
After some quiet moments of nothing in particular, Sam looks over to Vin. "You're Calvacade, right?" Sam asks curiously. "Sorry, I'm not one who usually pays attention to the factions unless it gets up in my business but... Aren't you a bit young and scrawny to be a graduate of their academy? What's the story there, you just fly through faster than the others? Don't get me wrong, I think you're great... I'd just expect a bit more confidence and polish on a graduate of theirs, I guess?"
When the talk of the watch comes up, Sam says thanks for all the offers but nobody should feel the need to sit out in the cold when Muir's comfortable tree fort is available. "I doubt anything will come of it. None of the other portal jumpers were subtle so I think maybe somehow a chunk of earth just moved over? I just... It's my fault so I feel the need to be sure is all. If something happens I think, if I understood right, I could still enter Muir's thing and call on you all... But mostly I just expect to be cold and grumpy. Will probably make Iver do all the driving tomorrow while I nap in the carriage... Sorry in advance for the snoring." Sam doesn't further try to dissuade anyone from sitting out in the cold to watch a lump of earth with him, but he plans to do an all nighter whether others take turns or not.
---
Not to jump too far ahead of the story but...
During the overnight Sam will do various things to keep himself awake, if nothing happens to do it for him. He organized the carriage and the cargo, he cleans the various weaponry they have collected, and he will spend some time studying the Dwarven Plate Mail he and Elthana collected after the last battle. The armor is a strange metal the likes of which Sam hasn't seen before and having worked in a forge for years, this is quite interesting to Sam. So he studies the metal and, while doing so, experiments a bit to see just how strong it is, how resistant to damage, etc. Sam will go so far as to even try on the gloves and the helmet, more out of boredom than expecting it to fit but... *shrug*
((Arcana check: 19-1 for an 18...))
Griff is easily led to the tree and once inside he quickly finds a place to rest.
Sam takes up watch, and as Elthana and Vin take a watch with him they see him as he seems to fiddle with the dwarven armour for a while. Sitting under the stone tree Sam finds that the helm fits, though the rest of the armour does not, it takes a panicked look and a good yank before the helm comes off and Sam packs it away. As the hours go by elthana and vin leave Sam to his watch but not before a fresh faced Griff exits the tree and perches atop the stone tree making small talk with Sam who has now begun digging into the mound and investigating.
The night winds on, Sam and Griff keep watch and the dark winter morning comes without incident or issue. As the group collect themselves in the morning they find an exhausted looking Sam stil keeping vigil by the tree marking a lone fairy grave, and Griff dozing curled up in his own wings by the smouldering remains of a small fire close by.
The road over the next day is cold and rough, snow keeps falling as the carriage drives new tracks through the long undisturbed route, blankets and Muir's shelter become the only comfort as the next night sets in and the next day arrives.
During the morning of the fourth day on the road, Iver calls out to the group, "we've got company! Looks like a lot" down the road the group see oncoming traffic, around ten or so wagons and carts head in the direction of Hokum. Supplies en route, workers, a few guards, and some skilled builders and artisans. The group is hailed by a young but muscular and grizzled looking Gnome. "Woah there! What news do you have of Hokum? We've been sent to ferry supplies and assist in rebuilding, hey is that you Sam?" The gnome looks curious at the group, he jumps down from his wagon and approaches, two guards quickly rush up to see why the convoy has stopped and they take up position by the gnome, giving Iver a nod of recognition as they do.