"Oh, do ye really want tha' painting or do ye really just want our hearts?" Finley suddenly asks, "ye don't have any other kind o' deals fer what we're asking for? Should we go get two other hearts instead o' ours or is it just ah wee bit more fun fer ye ta get ours cause they'll be filled with anxiety and fear?"

"No other deals, just your hearts and yes I do enjoy them when they are filled with dread. Now do we have a bargain? The Painting for a heart." says Bavlorna. 

"Aye, alright then. We'll get yer damned portrait if ye tell us exactly what it looks like." Finley says, staring up at her.

Bavolorna describes the portrait of her elder sister Skabatha and shakes Finley hands and lets out a cackle like laugh as she has struck another fey bargain. She snaps her fingers, and the doors open, and spiraling stairs rises out of the water below. At the bottom of the stairs is a small pier with a boat ready for the party. "You may go but do hurry back."  

Quote from Weathervision >>

"No other deals, just your hearts and yes I do enjoy them when they are filled with dread. Now do we have a bargain? The Painting for a heart." says Bavlorna. 

Valrieth considers for a moment.  "Bavlorna's right," she thinks, "my heart is filled with dread."   Then she gasps with surprise, blinks, and clamps her mouth shut, quivering with some emotion.  While Finley continues bargaining with Bavlorna, Val takes out her notebook and pen and makes notes about the portrait.  

Quote from Weathervision >>

Bavolorna describes the portrait of her elder sister Skabatha and shakes Finley hands and lets out a cackle like laugh as she has struck another fey bargain. She snaps her fingers, and the doors open, and spiraling stairs rises out of the water below. At the bottom of the stairs is a small pier with a boat ready for the party. "You may go but do hurry back."  

"We will be back with the portrait, eight days hence," Val says.  Then she makes a curtsy and herds Vansel, Octavian, and Finley quickly out of Bavlorna's house and down the stairs in front of her. 

As they get into the boat, and Octavian starts to row them back toward Downfall, Val watches Finley sympathetically.  Once the boat makes it to the open lake, and the fog bank closes around Bavlorna's house, hiding it from view again, she finally asks, "Are you feeling OK Finely?  That was quite generous of you to make the bargain for Octavian's heart, wasn't it Octavian?  And very clever of you to agree to the bargain as soon as Bavlorna said, 'The painting for a heart.'  You drive a hard bargain!  Why, you talked a hag down from two hearts to one!  I wonder whether she even noticed."  Val feels relieved that she didn't have to make a bargain with Bavlorna, and she hopes that her praise can help Finley share in some of that joy despite the bargain he just made and the danger he's now in.

Once Val gets her bearings, she directs Octavian toward the northwest.  Now that they have a deadline hovering over Finley and terrible consequences should they fail to meet it, she's focused on finding Clapperclaw and getting to Thither as quickly as possible.  As Octavian rows across the pond, Val unstraps the stag skull that Clapperclaw uses for a head from the top of backpack.  When they land at the docks at the burned-out building (D4), Val hops out of the boat and wishes Vansel well.  "We told you that we'd rescue you from Bavlorna's, and we have!  You're free to go now, unless you want to come with us to Thither.  Just be careful not to be captured by Bavlorna again.  We may not be back in time to rescue you!"

Finally, before they go looking for Clapperclaw on the bridge (D5) to the pavilion (D6), Val asks Octavian whether he plans to come with them to Thither or wait here in Downfall for their return?  If Octavian decides to stay in Downfall, Val says that he can take the boat.  She doesn't think that they'll need it.  She points out that the mushroom patch where they first met him is on the opposite side of Bavlorna's hut from where they are now.  (Val was always good with maps and directions!)  A thought occurs to her, and she comments on their first meeting with Octavian, "Goodness!  Was that really just two days ago?   It feels like we've been in stuck Bavlorna's filthy hut for weeks and weeks!"

Once they've settled all of that, Val gathers her things, picks up Clapperclaw's head in her arms, and walks to D5, hoping that they find the animated scarecrow still sitting on the bridge.

"Ah'll be alright, aye." Finley adds, settling into the boat, "didn't want yer heart to be up for grabs too, ye've done a lot for others so ye dinnae needta put more at risk. Ah dunnae think she realized it, but she must be beholden to it, ah'm sure it's ah law around here." He doesn't say much else as the boat travels across the water.

"Let us not tarry long here, Octavian ye may do what ye wish but we really must be going." He then follows Val, keeping his head held high and not thinking about the consequences of his actions too much.

A small man in a great sogginess.

Otto is no stranger to traveling the wilds. The past few years have held as many nights spent outdoors as in. And that's not to mention his time in the underdark. But this sloppy mess--this Hither--has proven to a special kind of awful, especially for a man of his dimensions. Despite his best efforts to find flotation or purchase on nearby flora, his instinct to stay hidden has forced him into the plane's stinking bogs for most of the trip. Soaked through, stinking of rot, and covered in all sorts of muck and more, he felt near the brink of giving up; or more likely, panicking. But Downfall is finally in sight, and as far as he knows, Clapperclaw is within. And so for now, he will remain, a small man in a great sogginess.

But then...voices? Yes, and not the burbling of bullywugs he's been picking up on during his travel; no, these sound like other travelers.

"Aww heck." Otto grits his teeth, and lowers himself deeper into the muck to stay as hidden as possible. He hopes these might be possible allies, but the chances are just as good this is more fey tricks. And no one tricks and trickster. So, for now, he nears, but stays silent and hidden (he hopes), and he watches.

Stealth: 28

"going where?" a light voice cuts in. on the middle of the bridge is, well, something. youd say hobgoblin, but its too pale and too short "and why must you not tarry, do you predict perilous pursuit from powerful perpetrators? are brigands abundantly badgering and backstabbing, blossoming into a blight?" the figure, with a large centipede on its shoulder, and a mace in one hand looks to be more one of the mentioned brigands than anything, though his words paint him a fool instead

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

"going where?" a light voice cuts in. on the middle of the bridge is, well, something. youd say hobgoblin, but its too pale and too short "and why must you not tarry, do you predict perilous pursuit from powerful perpetrators? are brigands abundantly badgering and backstabbing, blossoming into a blight?" the figure, with a large centipede on its shoulder, and a mace in one hand looks to be more one of the mentioned brigands than anything, though his words paint him a fool instead

Valrieth stops as they approach the figure.  She's a little brown harengon, barely 3' tall, which makes it easy to see the dwarf stomping along behind her. 

The harengon is wearing a green tabbard over her leather armor.  The tabbard looks stiff and new, but not surprisingly for Hither, it's already stained with water and mud and algae.  Most of her gear looks rather plain and except for a fancy monocle that dangles near her chin, tied with a plain string to one of her ears.  At the sight of the hobgoblin-ish creature, her ears swivel forward and quiver stiffly, standing nearly a foot higher than her head.  She has currently slung her shield over her back so that she can hold the skull of a stag in both hands. 

Val glances at the dwarf behind her with a questioning look and then turns to the figure on the bridge, "Um...hello.  May we pass?  You see that we wear the badges bestowed on us for service to Duke Ickrind," she shifts the stag skull a little to show an ornament pinned to her tabbard that looks like a fly with wings that flutter.  "I'm sorry, but we're rather in a hurry today.  Have you seen a little scarecrow near here with claws for hands and a gourd for a head?"

Finley moves his stocky 4’8” form around Val, to be slightly ahead of her on her right. His heavy armor clanking beneath his open long coat, the same badge that Val pointed out is pinned to it.

”We want no trouble, aye?” he adds.

His hands stay down at his side as his gauntlets make a dull humming sound as he watches the person ahead of them. Although one of his thumbs loops into a rope that hangs on his full tool belt.

"i dont recognize that badge" he shrugs "but of course you can pass, and i certainly don't want trouble from the likes of you either, much less if you truly would be backed by the local court" he backs up to the end of the bridge so they can cross "so, you seek a slashing scarecrow? do i view the most vile of villains? or heaven sent heroes hellbent on healing harm? what do you think friend?" the last few words are addressed to the centipede

Scarecrow? No, it couldn't be...

At the mention of the word, Otto's eyes narrow and his ears prick up. His hope that these may well be allies grows. He stays hidden, but listens in all the more intently.

Finley raises an eyebrow, "we're returnin' its head. Thank ye."

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

"i dont recognize that badge" he shrugs "but of course you can pass, and i certainly don't want trouble from the likes of you either, much less if you truly would be backed by the local court" he backs up to the end of the bridge so they can cross "so, you seek a slashing scarecrow? do i view the most vile of villains? or heaven sent heroes hellbent on healing harm? what do you think friend?" the last few words are addressed to the centipede

Valrieth leans toward Finley, as though she's about to whisper something confidentially, but she speaks in a normal, speaking volume, "Do you think that he only speaks in alliteration?  Like that goblin, Treaclewise, at the Witchlight Carnival who only spoke in rhymes?"

Without leaving the bridge, Val eyes this new-comer and his giant centipede uncertainly.  She thinks for a moment and then tries addressing him in his own manner.  Still clutching the big stag skull, she looks past Finley to address the the hobgoblin-ish creature, "Um...hello, again.  Are you a gangway guard for Gullop XIX who governs this general geography?  If not, what deeds of daring or desperate desire drags you to Downfall?"  Val smiles, apparently pleased with her attempt.

(OOC: Does Valrieth see any sign of Clapperclaw on or near the bridge?  Perception 7)

A loud cracking breaks the conversation. The group turn their heads toward a large tree with a hole in the inside. The tree is barely living from the swamp but one can see its former splendor by the large shape of the branches. Bright green light shine for a few second from the inside of the opening and a magical portal forms. The weave crackles, the raw magic swirls and in a loud bang, a large silhouette tumbles down and lands in front of the adventurers.

A 5.5 feet tall harengon stands up and shouts "Zybilna, I heard you ! Where are you ?". He then realises he landed in front of a crowd and starts to remove the dust and the mud from his clothes as well as rearranging his large battleaxe on his back. The group witness a large rabbit, all in white fur, wearing nothing but leather clothes with embroideries sewn across his chest. He quickly looks around as if searching for something or somebody "Good day ! Quickly... Have you seen a large women with black and white hair ?  With a tattoo of a chicken's foot under her right eye. ? She must not be far, I heard her...It's important !"

Otto gasps, unable to stifle his shock at the sudden appearance of the harengon followed by the mention of Zyblina. But instead of pulling in air, his lungs instead fill with the bog water within which he'd been hiding. He immediately and uncontrollably starts coughing the water back up and out, unintentionally revealing his position.

"ZZzzbrbrzrbpprppb?! ~cough cough~ huffin heck ~cough cough~ sorry, ah beans, I'm sorry folks ~cough hack~ aw it's in my sinuses"

Otto struggles his way to the nearest bit of dry land. And after thirty seconds or so of coughing and nose-blowing, he stands himself up to his full halfling height and, thoroughly soaked and cover in crud, addresses the group.

"I'm sorry, but, did you say 'Zyblina'? And you--" he gestures to the group of four with the stag skull "--this scarecrow you're looking for, that wouldn't happen to be--" he pulls out a now bog-soaked piece of parchment, the ink on it now running and splotchy "--erm, Crapperjaws, is that it? No, no, uh, let's see here--"

"i am completely capable of speaking norm-" the hobgoblin cuts himself off, grinning delightedly at valrieth's next words "i incredulously inquire the impetus in this inquiry" he replies "it is imperative i applaud your impromptu yet imaginative and inspiring performance. but no, i am not a guard, instead i am simply seeking salvation"

when the harengon falls from a tree he automatically pulls a large bell from his side, but then relaxes when nobody is attacked, despite yet another person climbing from the mud "what do you all want with zybilna?" he asks a little sharply

“She is … let’s say… a dear friend, who was there for me when I needed. I will always be there for her when needed. I was sleeping, heard her calling my name and she sounded desperate. This portal opened in front of me, So, I jumped !” The rabbit-like creature now realises that was a bit reckless but that was his way of doing things.

He looks a bit around, observing each person of group one by one and says ”sorry where are my manners. Name is Lerak, good to meet you.”

At the mention of Zybilna, Valrieth hurriedly hops off the bridge and sets the stag skull on the soggy ground for a moment.  She looks around with some alarm and, with her hands in front of her, palms down, makes a downward gesture with her hands (sort of fluttering but gently "patting" downward), saying, "Shhhhh!  Quietly!"  She looks around to see whether there's anyone else nearby other than the bullywug heads that are stuck on pikes in the water along the north side of the bridge.  

Val's panic subsides a little, and she looks up at the mountain of a harengon until her ears flop back a little, "Hello, Lerak! You have arrived in the land of Hither in the Fey realm of Prismeer.  If you have come to help that lady...well...I'm glad you're here.  My name is Valrieth."  She offers her small, brown hand for him to shake, reaching up as high as she can.

Val turns her gaze to the mud-spattered creature (fairy? gnome? halfling? -- it's hard to tell under all of the mud) and the hobgoblin-ish creature with the centipede.  She steps back a bit so that the armored dwarf is partially in front of her and, staring intently, asks, "But first....How do you two know that lady?  I would caution you not to use her name here."  She looks south, across across the water and into the thick fog at the center of Downfall for a moment.  Then she turns back to you and says, "Not this close to Bavlorna's home."

"ilifir" the hobgoblin responds "and this is codagh" he pats the large centipede gently, looking back to the first harengon he nods, you dont just ignore advice like that "she is wise, and i am hoping she can teach me to mend my heart"