The prisoners are sated, ready, and yet still tense, they see Hirsi and Thunberg Woad standing outside as a sign that all is not well, there are still dangers to be wary of.
Out at the alley Vins first energy burst misses it's target, the second landing true and causing the Madcap to look around for the source, though it's eyes are only able to look upon Sam and Elthana surrounding it still. Neferox has similar trouble, the Madcap in melee with her doubles over, dodging around her bites though one catches it in the side, Neferox gets a mouth full of putrid blood and consumes it, then both the Madcaps lash out in retaliation.
Neferox;
17 to hit, 7 slashing.
16 to hit, 19 slashing.
The Madcaps last lunge over balances it and the creature goes screaming forward sprawling across the floor burying it's blade in the cobblestones momentarily (nat 1)
Sam;
9 to hit.
11 to hit.
19 to hit, 8 slashing.
If a Creature made entirely out of demon blood could sweat, then this one would be, trying to keep half an eye on Elthana behind it distracts enough for it to miss it's first two attacks, only the third catches Sam in the shoulder, more a lucky strike than anything else.
(If neccessary, Sam shifts position to be flanking the Madcap with Elthana... But I think we're already doing so.) Sam swings for the fences trying to knock the Madcap that just struck him through the nearest wall...
Attack 1: To Hit is 23, Damage is 21
Sam grunts with some satisfaction then swings again - Either at the same Madcap (if still a solid) or he moves over to the one attacking the Demon Dog and again takes up a flanking position before going Smash!
Attack 2: To Hit is 29, Damage is 22
If the Madcaps have all been put down, Sam will use whatever is left of his movement to kick around the dirt and the makeshift runes to mar and disrupt them. "Not sure it helps but can't hurt," he says in a bit of a breathless growl, still wanting something to hit...
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
If the madcaps are still up Vin also continues his barrage of blasts but now moving along the rooftops to get closer and to also get a view of it anything else is coming.
Perception: 2
Eldrich Blast 1: 11 Damage: 7
Eldrich Blast 2: 15 Damage: 12
Neferox is continuing to maul at them even if they fall down she will ensure their deaths. She seems quite pissed off at these particular creatures, likely for how they hurt Vin earlier.
Sam successfully mails the Madcap through the wall of the nearest building within the alley, only to see the Madcap's body lose form on the other side dissolving i to the darkness.
Elthana and vin successfully finish off the last remaining madcap with ease, Elthana and neferox flanking the thing beating it back and forth whilst it also has died damage from Vin sniping above, in the carnage it is unclear who got the final blow in there, but with all the creatures gone and the runes kicked apart by Sam, the alley descends into relative silence and heavy breathing from the group.
Looking around it seems that the Madcaps when first summoned fully devoured the redcap who summoned them, the only thing left is a few scraps of cloth and a nearly empty pouch of metal shavings with a hole in the bottom.
Looking to the distance out west from this vantage point, Vin can see that the that the fighting that was going on earlier at the treeline has now grown still, the awakened trees that formed the first distraction have done their jobs and returned to the forest, he surmises that they must have done a good enough job of distracting to let the Woad Thunberg in to tear through large swathes of the Redcaps, whilst the group were busy securing the Tradepost building. Now the town is quiet, deserted... The moon hangs over head reflecting the blood stained snow on the cobbled ground, as the night presses on.
Muir turns back to the survivors "I know you have been through a great ordeal. My companions and I are doing everything we can to aid you in your times of need but if there is anything you can remember hearing or seeing now is the time to speak up. We know they boil the blood and take it to the mountains for possibly a giant or a hag as food or a source of summoning magic. We have slain many of these redcaps but they seem to pop out of no where....has anyone seen where they come from?" Muir makes one last attmept to extract any information from the survivors
With nothing left to hit, Sam starts to relax and find his calm again. Not enough to shrink back to normal size. Not yet…
“We should get back,” he says to the others, trying not to think of Hootie and Órga. Trying to remind himself that they’re not gone, just back in the pouch, when he does.
With no other word, Sam starts heading back to Muir and the prisoners…
"Redcaps? You've named them?" The bearded man once again joins the conversation, " they came from the mountains, somewhere near Favian's place, had a giant with them yeah, horrible looking thing with massive boggled eyes that looked like they was gonna fall out of its head, had boils and bumps all over it like its body had been fried in oil or something, course I didn't look too much... Busy running, lotta good that did me, did any of us." The man falls silent, and a deep but obviously female voice calls out from the back of the shop, "I got a good look at it, it got a good look at me too..." The moonlight pouring through the window illuminates a young woman as she steps forward, by the looks of it she is possibly a Goliath late teens, though it is difficult to tell under all of the mutations that cover her face and torso. Unnatural protrusions and large boils, the same symptoms suffered by those that the survivors in the forest named 'The Mutated'.
There is some mumbling outside as Hirsi greets Somone, she then opens the door a crack, her floppy ears entering the building before the rest of her head, Sam can be seen just behind her, likely the rest of the group too, "are we ready?" The young druidic Ovate asks
Muir looks at the what he believes is a Goliath and the mutations found on her. "This that was done to you....What did they.....How.....I'm sorry, you are the first I have seen with these mutations. How did they do this to you? This Giant lives in the mountains near Favian's place....the same place where the children who the people of this town call soulless played...."
Muir stops at the sound of Hirsi's voice and smiles at everyone returning. "Come in everyone, we will leave if it is safe shortly. Help everyone up. I have tended to their wounds while Hirsi fed them. They confirmed some of the things we assumed. The blood is taken into the mountains somewhere near Favian's place which is where the children, the soulless ones, played. There is a giant with hideous mutations. This young lady was got a good look at the giant and now has these mutations....She was about to tell us more"
"And hear more we should, someplace safer..." Sam says in a restrained manner. He wants to get these freed prisoners to the defensible location they created, not waste more time here where they have no idea what could be lurking about.
"We cleared the way from our safe house to here. The journey is safest now as it will be til we finish this scourge. There are defenses and guards there. We should move..."
Vin hops down from the rooftops to join the others and report. Seeing Sam meeting up with Elthana and Vin will join them heading back to the other villagers. As he joins them Neferox almost instantly shadowing him in a protective manner as she keeps an eye out for moving shadows and threats.
Vin looks to the pair and says "Good news is, it seems like the town is mostly clear. I didn't see much of any movement from up top. The trees did a great job. I think we might be clear to get them out now."
Before Vin walks to go over to where Muir, Hasri, and Gewyn were he ask Sam "Are you alright? I have some healing stuff. I was going to apply some to Nef but i got extra for you two if you need" vin also looks to Elthana and says "Do you need any healing too?"
Once they arrive back to where the villagers were held prisoner Vin notices the folks disheveled and horrible state. A sign of what the creature do. Vin just seems so disturbed like he can't understand. He says "I just don't understand how something could want to cause so much pain..." Nef is unusually quiet to this. The boy looks for who might need the most help and goes to aid them. He acknowledges Muir and the others effort to fix folks up "You all did what you could. Let's get them out of here. Thanks Muir, Hasri, Gewyn."
Before Vin walks to go over to where Muir, Hasri, and Gewyn were he ask Sam "Are you alright? I have some healing stuff. I was going to apply some to Nef but i got extra for you two if you need" vin also looks to Elthana and says "Do you need any healing too?"
"I indeed took some licks," Sam answers Vin.
"I've a potion here I could take," he continues, patting the one of his pouches. "Figured I could wait on taking it til I saw if I really needed it or not." Sam lets out a sigh and it is obvious he is not at his best. Less than half his best. But he's a trooper and will carry on.
"Our Elthana there though, she knows how to take a hit, I'll tell you," Sam said with a sudden burst of energy and wonder. "She took at least as strong a blows as I did and I don't know how she manages, a small slip of a thing like her, she seems to bounce right back like nobody's business..."
"Maybe I'm just getting old," Sam suggests, giving Elthana a discerning look over. "Could that be it?"
Once they arrive back to where the villagers were held prisoner Vin notices the folks disheveled and horrible state. A sign of what the creature do. Vin just seems so disturbed like he can't understand. He says "I just don't understand how something could want to cause so much pain..." Nef is unusually quiet to this. The boy looks for who might need the most help and goes to aid them. He acknowledges Muir and the others effort to fix folks up "You all did what you could. Let's get them out of here. Thanks Muir, Hasri, Gewyn."
"Never worked in a slaughter house, kid, have you?" Sam replies to Vin's stunned question. "This may be a bit different, these creatures do perhaps seem to be getting some joy out of it as well, but that could just be their... Differentness? But end of day, nobody likes to see how their food becomes their food... Not normal people, anyway." It is indeed an uncomfortable sight for Sam as well, but he at least has seen similar before and that makes it a bit easier to stomache.
The woman looks confused at the mention of the soulless, having not heard that term before. "I don't know how it did this, but I know it was that giant thing, it didn't touch me, just looked into my eyes and a sense of dread filled me, I felt sick, a chill down my spine and that's when this deformation appeared, all at once, It was agony... I ran into the nearest building and hid, curled into a ball, it's all I could do whilst in so much pain, then eventually the town feel silent, and those Redcaps came for me..." The young Goliath woman states with a cold and distant stare.
At Vin and Sam's suggestion the group begin to move, slowly and surely, the prisoners using the scraps of energy they managed to gather and pushing forward. a few need help, lost limbs and withered muscles prove to get the better of them Thunberg outs a couple in her branches to not slow progress even further as the group moves as one.
Thunberg begins speaking once more, the odd language that Shionne speaks, and Hirsi once she realises what is happening quickly tries to translate again, "I can feel the fey power dwindling, giving way to something vile... You all must hurry if you want to stop the plans of this hag and giant you mentioned, however I cannot come with you, trapped within the boundaries of Hokum I am, it's sworn protector. I'm afraid my reach only covers the town and forest, but I can escort you to the base of the mountain if you'd like?" The hollow void of the medium tree turns to face Muir specifically, the two glowing orbs reminiscent of a pair of spiritual will o' wisps hovering in the dark. "You're all destined for something great, and the help I offer, it's the least I can do."
Elthana looks around to make sure they got the last madcap and then follows Sam and Vin towards where the prisoners were held. Happy to see that nothing attacked them while the four of them were busy, she takes in the state the prisoners are in. Worse that what she had imagined. She watches a bit as Muir, Hirsi and Gewyn do what they can to get them ready to go and she tries to stay out of the way.
She then listens to Vin and is happy to hear that the awakened trees to the North have obviously done their job. As he asked about healing, Elthana looks down at the gashes on her body from the madcaps. Just as she is about to do what she can to ignore it, Sam goes on about how she can take a hit. Her mouth drops open as he talks about it, she has no idea how to even react. Her cheeks turn a bit pink, and she manages to stammer, "I.. I'm doing alright I guess, almost bloodied, but I'll manage. Let's focus on getting these townsfolk to our fortified area."
As the tree creature she saw fighting earlier starts talking in that same strange language, it stops her in her tracks. She tries to listen to Hirsi's translation, but what really resonates with her is hurry. She does what she can to get everyone moving.
"Perhaps Hirsi and Thunberg can take them to Iver and help protect them until we get back. If time is of the essence we should move toward the mountains and put out the fires of the boiled blood. Perhaps cold blood will not work for them?"Muir looks to the others for their opinion as they begin to get moving
Sam nudges Elthana with his elbow as they head back to the fortified safehouse, probably harder than he intended. "Said you could take a hit, not that you're not injured," he says to her in a conspiratorial voice. "Just looked like it could have been worse than it was, is all... Like there was something protecting you... Something like..."
If his Sleight of Hand works (DM has roll) he holds up a fine chain with a small, obsidian statue of a deer on it.
If his Sleight of Hand doesn't work, he clumsily tries to reach into her pack but is caught. He gives a nervous chuckle and puts his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I was trying to be tricky... Hard for one my size though. I just wanted to show you that amulet you got from that bag thing..."
Either way, he continues on: "I know a kid, oh many many years ago... Back before I had made anything of myself and was just an urchin fighting amongst the others for every scrap. This kid, Mungus was his name... Scrawny little spit of a kid. But he could last in a fight longer than he had any business doing. He could take a beating long after he shoulda been spitting teeth, ya know? He had an amulet like that... Called it his lucky charm. I just thought maybe if it helped him...?" Sam shrugs and just lets the thought dangle out there.
Sam indeed fumbles and is noticed, quite rudely reaching into Elthana's pack, this gets a couple of looks of disgust and disappointment from the townspeople surrounding them, as well as Elthana's attention.
The entire group stop at Muir's suggestion, the possibility of the party leaving the towns people in the sage hands of Hirsi and Thunberg, hirsi immediately looks disappointed and sour, like a child being scolded, "I want to come with you, I can help!" She pleads, but is soon stayed by the wooden arm of Thunberg who drags he back slightly with a couple of words, the Wood Woad approaches Muir and begins speaking to him directly, she reaches out a hand and takes Muir's quarterstaff from his back. As Thunberg continues talking in her strange language she extends vines, roots and branches over the simple quarterstaff, they take root within its simple structure and cover the thing completely, likely destroying it. When she is done she detaches the wood of her body that she extended over the staff and hands back to Muir a full staff, a staff of green and life with a large bushy top the branches of which seem to form a druidic rune.
Muir nods and responds back in Sylvan before turning to Hirsi
"You can help by healing my companions before you go. Leading these villagers to safety is important. Their lives are important. We need to restore balance in this realm and aiding these villagers and restoring their town is a part of it. Take control and lead, Thunberg is there to aid you. If I do not return tell Gore everything."
Muir then turns to his companions "Shall we go and rid this world of this plague and save Shionne and those that have aided us?
Elthana latches onto Sam’s wrist as he tries to sneak into her pack and her astonished look from him praise is soon replaced by a countenance of annoyance as he tries to sneak something out of her pack.
She pulls out the amulet he is referring to and looks it over. She knows that is not the reason why she was able to take a hit, but she doesn’t voice it. She looks back up to the big guy, “So you think this is helping me? What do you think it is?” She hands it over for him to look at it more closely.
Looking to Muir, she responds, “With no immediate threat at the moment, I think it best we just take all of the townsfolk to the area designated and then we head off. Just in case there is another puddle of blood, just waiting.” She continues to head in the direction of the fortified tower.
"Sorry, sorry," Sam insists. "No harm intended..." He takes the amulet and the chain and gently pokes at it a bit in his hand before giving Elthana a bit of a shrug.
"I think perhaps there's some magic to it? I don't know much about such but perhaps it could be lessening the hurt or something?" Sam suggests unsteadily. "Perhaps one of the others would know more? Could perhaps mend the chain?"
Regarding returning or sending the prisoners on alone, Sam ruminates a bit but figures if time is such a factor as Thunberg suggests, perhaps they should head to the mountains? "Perhaps Hirsi, if you are able, you could heal Elthana and myself a bit before we leave? If you can and all," he asks a bit sheepishly, not liking the asking. "We know what they need to avoid, pool wise... And it is not far now back to the safehouse. Perhaps once they return and are set up one of the guards or two could sneak out and look for more pools and disrupt the symbols around them. If they feel up to it... But if we have to face some bigger evil, I think it best we go to them. And the sooner the better it sounds."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
The prisoners are sated, ready, and yet still tense, they see Hirsi and Thunberg Woad standing outside as a sign that all is not well, there are still dangers to be wary of.
Out at the alley Vins first energy burst misses it's target, the second landing true and causing the Madcap to look around for the source, though it's eyes are only able to look upon Sam and Elthana surrounding it still. Neferox has similar trouble, the Madcap in melee with her doubles over, dodging around her bites though one catches it in the side, Neferox gets a mouth full of putrid blood and consumes it, then both the Madcaps lash out in retaliation.
Neferox;
17 to hit, 7 slashing.
16 to hit, 19 slashing.
The Madcaps last lunge over balances it and the creature goes screaming forward sprawling across the floor burying it's blade in the cobblestones momentarily (nat 1)
Sam;
9 to hit.
11 to hit.
19 to hit, 8 slashing.
If a Creature made entirely out of demon blood could sweat, then this one would be, trying to keep half an eye on Elthana behind it distracts enough for it to miss it's first two attacks, only the third catches Sam in the shoulder, more a lucky strike than anything else.
(If neccessary, Sam shifts position to be flanking the Madcap with Elthana... But I think we're already doing so.) Sam swings for the fences trying to knock the Madcap that just struck him through the nearest wall...
Attack 1: To Hit is 23, Damage is 21
Sam grunts with some satisfaction then swings again - Either at the same Madcap (if still a solid) or he moves over to the one attacking the Demon Dog and again takes up a flanking position before going Smash!
Attack 2: To Hit is 29, Damage is 22
If the Madcaps have all been put down, Sam will use whatever is left of his movement to kick around the dirt and the makeshift runes to mar and disrupt them. "Not sure it helps but can't hurt," he says in a bit of a breathless growl, still wanting something to hit...
Elthana continues to flank the madcaps, trying to take them out.
Attack: 22 Damage: 9
Attack: 26 Damage: 10
Attack: 18 Damage: 9
If the madcaps are still up Vin also continues his barrage of blasts but now moving along the rooftops to get closer and to also get a view of it anything else is coming.
Perception: 2
Eldrich Blast 1: 11 Damage: 7
Eldrich Blast 2: 15 Damage: 12
Neferox is continuing to maul at them even if they fall down she will ensure their deaths. She seems quite pissed off at these particular creatures, likely for how they hurt Vin earlier.
Bite 1: 13 Damage: 14
Bite 2: 27 Damage: 23
Sam successfully mails the Madcap through the wall of the nearest building within the alley, only to see the Madcap's body lose form on the other side dissolving i to the darkness.
Elthana and vin successfully finish off the last remaining madcap with ease, Elthana and neferox flanking the thing beating it back and forth whilst it also has died damage from Vin sniping above, in the carnage it is unclear who got the final blow in there, but with all the creatures gone and the runes kicked apart by Sam, the alley descends into relative silence and heavy breathing from the group.
Looking around it seems that the Madcaps when first summoned fully devoured the redcap who summoned them, the only thing left is a few scraps of cloth and a nearly empty pouch of metal shavings with a hole in the bottom.
Looking to the distance out west from this vantage point, Vin can see that the that the fighting that was going on earlier at the treeline has now grown still, the awakened trees that formed the first distraction have done their jobs and returned to the forest, he surmises that they must have done a good enough job of distracting to let the Woad Thunberg in to tear through large swathes of the Redcaps, whilst the group were busy securing the Tradepost building. Now the town is quiet, deserted... The moon hangs over head reflecting the blood stained snow on the cobbled ground, as the night presses on.
Muir turns back to the survivors "I know you have been through a great ordeal. My companions and I are doing everything we can to aid you in your times of need but if there is anything you can remember hearing or seeing now is the time to speak up. We know they boil the blood and take it to the mountains for possibly a giant or a hag as food or a source of summoning magic. We have slain many of these redcaps but they seem to pop out of no where....has anyone seen where they come from?" Muir makes one last attmept to extract any information from the survivors
With nothing left to hit, Sam starts to relax and find his calm again. Not enough to shrink back to normal size. Not yet…
“We should get back,” he says to the others, trying not to think of Hootie and Órga. Trying to remind himself that they’re not gone, just back in the pouch, when he does.
With no other word, Sam starts heading back to Muir and the prisoners…
"Redcaps? You've named them?" The bearded man once again joins the conversation, " they came from the mountains, somewhere near Favian's place, had a giant with them yeah, horrible looking thing with massive boggled eyes that looked like they was gonna fall out of its head, had boils and bumps all over it like its body had been fried in oil or something, course I didn't look too much... Busy running, lotta good that did me, did any of us." The man falls silent, and a deep but obviously female voice calls out from the back of the shop, "I got a good look at it, it got a good look at me too..." The moonlight pouring through the window illuminates a young woman as she steps forward, by the looks of it she is possibly a Goliath late teens, though it is difficult to tell under all of the mutations that cover her face and torso. Unnatural protrusions and large boils, the same symptoms suffered by those that the survivors in the forest named 'The Mutated'.
There is some mumbling outside as Hirsi greets Somone, she then opens the door a crack, her floppy ears entering the building before the rest of her head, Sam can be seen just behind her, likely the rest of the group too, "are we ready?" The young druidic Ovate asks
Muir looks at the what he believes is a Goliath and the mutations found on her. "This that was done to you....What did they.....How.....I'm sorry, you are the first I have seen with these mutations. How did they do this to you? This Giant lives in the mountains near Favian's place....the same place where the children who the people of this town call soulless played...."
Muir stops at the sound of Hirsi's voice and smiles at everyone returning. "Come in everyone, we will leave if it is safe shortly. Help everyone up. I have tended to their wounds while Hirsi fed them. They confirmed some of the things we assumed. The blood is taken into the mountains somewhere near Favian's place which is where the children, the soulless ones, played. There is a giant with hideous mutations. This young lady was got a good look at the giant and now has these mutations....She was about to tell us more"
"And hear more we should, someplace safer..." Sam says in a restrained manner. He wants to get these freed prisoners to the defensible location they created, not waste more time here where they have no idea what could be lurking about.
"We cleared the way from our safe house to here. The journey is safest now as it will be til we finish this scourge. There are defenses and guards there. We should move..."
Vin hops down from the rooftops to join the others and report. Seeing Sam meeting up with Elthana and Vin will join them heading back to the other villagers. As he joins them Neferox almost instantly shadowing him in a protective manner as she keeps an eye out for moving shadows and threats.
Vin looks to the pair and says "Good news is, it seems like the town is mostly clear. I didn't see much of any movement from up top. The trees did a great job. I think we might be clear to get them out now."
Before Vin walks to go over to where Muir, Hasri, and Gewyn were he ask Sam "Are you alright? I have some healing stuff. I was going to apply some to Nef but i got extra for you two if you need" vin also looks to Elthana and says "Do you need any healing too?"
Once they arrive back to where the villagers were held prisoner Vin notices the folks disheveled and horrible state. A sign of what the creature do. Vin just seems so disturbed like he can't understand. He says "I just don't understand how something could want to cause so much pain..." Nef is unusually quiet to this. The boy looks for who might need the most help and goes to aid them. He acknowledges Muir and the others effort to fix folks up "You all did what you could. Let's get them out of here. Thanks Muir, Hasri, Gewyn."
"I indeed took some licks," Sam answers Vin.
"I've a potion here I could take," he continues, patting the one of his pouches. "Figured I could wait on taking it til I saw if I really needed it or not." Sam lets out a sigh and it is obvious he is not at his best. Less than half his best. But he's a trooper and will carry on.
"Our Elthana there though, she knows how to take a hit, I'll tell you," Sam said with a sudden burst of energy and wonder. "She took at least as strong a blows as I did and I don't know how she manages, a small slip of a thing like her, she seems to bounce right back like nobody's business..."
"Maybe I'm just getting old," Sam suggests, giving Elthana a discerning look over. "Could that be it?"
"Never worked in a slaughter house, kid, have you?" Sam replies to Vin's stunned question. "This may be a bit different, these creatures do perhaps seem to be getting some joy out of it as well, but that could just be their... Differentness? But end of day, nobody likes to see how their food becomes their food... Not normal people, anyway." It is indeed an uncomfortable sight for Sam as well, but he at least has seen similar before and that makes it a bit easier to stomache.
The woman looks confused at the mention of the soulless, having not heard that term before. "I don't know how it did this, but I know it was that giant thing, it didn't touch me, just looked into my eyes and a sense of dread filled me, I felt sick, a chill down my spine and that's when this deformation appeared, all at once, It was agony... I ran into the nearest building and hid, curled into a ball, it's all I could do whilst in so much pain, then eventually the town feel silent, and those Redcaps came for me..." The young Goliath woman states with a cold and distant stare.
At Vin and Sam's suggestion the group begin to move, slowly and surely, the prisoners using the scraps of energy they managed to gather and pushing forward. a few need help, lost limbs and withered muscles prove to get the better of them Thunberg outs a couple in her branches to not slow progress even further as the group moves as one.
Thunberg begins speaking once more, the odd language that Shionne speaks, and Hirsi once she realises what is happening quickly tries to translate again, "I can feel the fey power dwindling, giving way to something vile... You all must hurry if you want to stop the plans of this hag and giant you mentioned, however I cannot come with you, trapped within the boundaries of Hokum I am, it's sworn protector. I'm afraid my reach only covers the town and forest, but I can escort you to the base of the mountain if you'd like?" The hollow void of the medium tree turns to face Muir specifically, the two glowing orbs reminiscent of a pair of spiritual will o' wisps hovering in the dark. "You're all destined for something great, and the help I offer, it's the least I can do."
Elthana looks around to make sure they got the last madcap and then follows Sam and Vin towards where the prisoners were held. Happy to see that nothing attacked them while the four of them were busy, she takes in the state the prisoners are in. Worse that what she had imagined. She watches a bit as Muir, Hirsi and Gewyn do what they can to get them ready to go and she tries to stay out of the way.
She then listens to Vin and is happy to hear that the awakened trees to the North have obviously done their job. As he asked about healing, Elthana looks down at the gashes on her body from the madcaps. Just as she is about to do what she can to ignore it, Sam goes on about how she can take a hit. Her mouth drops open as he talks about it, she has no idea how to even react. Her cheeks turn a bit pink, and she manages to stammer, "I.. I'm doing alright I guess, almost bloodied, but I'll manage. Let's focus on getting these townsfolk to our fortified area."
As the tree creature she saw fighting earlier starts talking in that same strange language, it stops her in her tracks. She tries to listen to Hirsi's translation, but what really resonates with her is hurry. She does what she can to get everyone moving.
"Perhaps Hirsi and Thunberg can take them to Iver and help protect them until we get back. If time is of the essence we should move toward the mountains and put out the fires of the boiled blood. Perhaps cold blood will not work for them?" Muir looks to the others for their opinion as they begin to get moving
Sam nudges Elthana with his elbow as they head back to the fortified safehouse, probably harder than he intended. "Said you could take a hit, not that you're not injured," he says to her in a conspiratorial voice. "Just looked like it could have been worse than it was, is all... Like there was something protecting you... Something like..."
If his Sleight of Hand works (DM has roll) he holds up a fine chain with a small, obsidian statue of a deer on it.
If his Sleight of Hand doesn't work, he clumsily tries to reach into her pack but is caught. He gives a nervous chuckle and puts his hands up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. I was trying to be tricky... Hard for one my size though. I just wanted to show you that amulet you got from that bag thing..."
Either way, he continues on: "I know a kid, oh many many years ago... Back before I had made anything of myself and was just an urchin fighting amongst the others for every scrap. This kid, Mungus was his name... Scrawny little spit of a kid. But he could last in a fight longer than he had any business doing. He could take a beating long after he shoulda been spitting teeth, ya know? He had an amulet like that... Called it his lucky charm. I just thought maybe if it helped him...?" Sam shrugs and just lets the thought dangle out there.
Sam indeed fumbles and is noticed, quite rudely reaching into Elthana's pack, this gets a couple of looks of disgust and disappointment from the townspeople surrounding them, as well as Elthana's attention.
The entire group stop at Muir's suggestion, the possibility of the party leaving the towns people in the sage hands of Hirsi and Thunberg, hirsi immediately looks disappointed and sour, like a child being scolded, "I want to come with you, I can help!" She pleads, but is soon stayed by the wooden arm of Thunberg who drags he back slightly with a couple of words, the Wood Woad approaches Muir and begins speaking to him directly, she reaches out a hand and takes Muir's quarterstaff from his back. As Thunberg continues talking in her strange language she extends vines, roots and branches over the simple quarterstaff, they take root within its simple structure and cover the thing completely, likely destroying it. When she is done she detaches the wood of her body that she extended over the staff and hands back to Muir a full staff, a staff of green and life with a large bushy top the branches of which seem to form a druidic rune.
Muir nods and responds back in Sylvan before turning to Hirsi
"You can help by healing my companions before you go. Leading these villagers to safety is important. Their lives are important. We need to restore balance in this realm and aiding these villagers and restoring their town is a part of it. Take control and lead, Thunberg is there to aid you. If I do not return tell Gore everything."
Muir then turns to his companions "Shall we go and rid this world of this plague and save Shionne and those that have aided us?
Elthana latches onto Sam’s wrist as he tries to sneak into her pack and her astonished look from him praise is soon replaced by a countenance of annoyance as he tries to sneak something out of her pack.
She pulls out the amulet he is referring to and looks it over. She knows that is not the reason why she was able to take a hit, but she doesn’t voice it. She looks back up to the big guy, “So you think this is helping me? What do you think it is?” She hands it over for him to look at it more closely.
Looking to Muir, she responds, “With no immediate threat at the moment, I think it best we just take all of the townsfolk to the area designated and then we head off. Just in case there is another puddle of blood, just waiting.” She continues to head in the direction of the fortified tower.
"Sorry, sorry," Sam insists. "No harm intended..." He takes the amulet and the chain and gently pokes at it a bit in his hand before giving Elthana a bit of a shrug.
"I think perhaps there's some magic to it? I don't know much about such but perhaps it could be lessening the hurt or something?" Sam suggests unsteadily. "Perhaps one of the others would know more? Could perhaps mend the chain?"
Regarding returning or sending the prisoners on alone, Sam ruminates a bit but figures if time is such a factor as Thunberg suggests, perhaps they should head to the mountains? "Perhaps Hirsi, if you are able, you could heal Elthana and myself a bit before we leave? If you can and all," he asks a bit sheepishly, not liking the asking. "We know what they need to avoid, pool wise... And it is not far now back to the safehouse. Perhaps once they return and are set up one of the guards or two could sneak out and look for more pools and disrupt the symbols around them. If they feel up to it... But if we have to face some bigger evil, I think it best we go to them. And the sooner the better it sounds."