Agorth and Morn exchange a quick worried look, at Spira's words, and this time they are perfectly in agreement on the line of action to be pursued and hurry to escort the messengers of ominous news to a large hollow trunk covered in moss, from which they invite out comes a woman who seems more ancient than old... her face, framed by white hair gathered in a ponytail, seen up close shows the signs of numerous wrinkles... but shallow wrinkles, which merge with her graceful features, rather than distorting them, giving it a timeless appearance. A squirrel peeks curiously out of her hood, peering at both the two druids and the messengers.
"Venerable Traga," Agorth speaks first "the conscientious Spira, Sergeant of Arvandor, to whom we gave hospitality just last night, has encountered a large goblin army that is heading in this direction with warlike intent - and she came to warn us!"
"Even scaring us, for a moment..." adds Morn "Although of course it was much better to be scared by her than by an army that arrived by surprise!"
Traga sighs, looking from one to the other of the two young druids: "A large army. Of goblins. In the Lurkwood. And it didn't occur to either of you that it could be... 'The Chill'?"
The two look each other in the eyes, apparently ashamed of not having thought of something obvious, then they turn, practically at the same time, to the tiefling cleric. Morn: "Did you happen to come across 'The Chill'?" Agorth: "This army had insignia, flags? Can you describe their emblem to me?"
[[OOC: In case Spira wants to answer Agorth - to determine if she has seen the Amry emblem she must succeed on a DC 10 Perception check. If she passes it, she remembers noticing, as insigna:
"If the goblin-folk were interested in prisoners, they would be held at their camp. It might be interesting to investigate the clearing to understand what had been there." Roxana pauses as she thinks through the options. "Not sure what we'd gain from the charred ruins but may be worth at least checking out enough to get an idea if there are captives. We could always take a look at what was destroyed after. What do you think?"
After a moment she adds, "A third option might be to see if there are signs of survivors that might have fled. They may both need our help and have information. Though if the goblins aren't after them they likely hid well. And there is no guarantee anyone did escape."
"Maybe the clearing first?" Gaer speculates "We'll be at less risk of being spotted and we might start to understand something - maybe who the victims were... maybe if anyone might have been taken prisoner... and maybe if anyone might have escaped".
[[ OOC: Whether Roxana accepts, or she suggests starting from a different place, Gaer will follow her... and both she and Gaer will have to roll a Stealth check - so Roxana can directly roll, next post, once she decided where to start. I'll roll for Gaer when I post back ]]
Roxana nods in agreement with Gaer. "The clearing does seem to be the less risky of the options. And we can gather information there." She starts to cautiously make her way in that direction. (Stealth: 11)
The stealthy pair proceed low to the ground. The heat of the fire melted any layer of snow and ice that covered the ground of the clearing, transforming it into a muddy expanse that makes you dirty, but at least helps you slide easily and, in part, blend in with the environment. As you get closer, the smell of burned flash assaults your nostrils. Considering that some time must have passed but the smell is still strong, you suspect that a lot of flesh has been burned here.
The tiefling ranger seems to startle at times, when he thinks that Roxana (perhaps to avoid the mud? Perhaps due to the nausea of the terrible smell?) is holding her head a little too high or in any case exposing herself a little too much, but from the goblinoids army no alarm is rised. You soon find traces of the first victims... Whose flesh has been completely consumed by the fire - only the skeletons remain, large skeletons. They are certainly not skeletons of human beings; more likely giants. And in fact, although no traces of any of their weapons or armor remain, the very few rudimentary furnishings that you have identified are of a size suitable for use by large creatures.
Wandering around for a while, you find numerous traces of broken oil flasks (if not fragments of Alchemist's Fire jars), confirming that the flames did not break out by chance, but were instead used purposely by the goblinoids as a weapon in the course of the attack. And in fact, no intact corpse remained. The settlement must have numbered about ten giants, but the bodies were all burned and only the bones remained.
Members of the army should also have died - despite the overwhelming numerical superiority and the possible surprise effect, it is unthinkable that they managed to overwhelm such a large number of giants without suffering any losses; but evidently the bodies of the fallen goblinoids were not simply abandoned on the battlefield, but brought elsewhere.
"I really can't imagine who the victims were..." Gaer approaches the girl from Longsaddle and whispers in her ear "Although, at least, they weren't humanoid. Do you have any guesses?"
"And even more important..." he smiles, unsure of what to do, but curious to know how far his adventure companion's courage goes "Do you think we should continue the reconnaissance by getting closer to their camp? Or do you think you've already had a sufficient amount of emotions for tonight?"
Agorth and Morn exchange a quick worried look, at Spira's words, and this time they are perfectly in agreement on the line of action to be pursued and hurry to escort the messengers of ominous news to a large hollow trunk covered in moss, from which they invite out comes a woman who seems more ancient than old... her face, framed by white hair gathered in a ponytail, seen up close shows the signs of numerous wrinkles... but shallow wrinkles, which merge with her graceful features, rather than distorting them, giving it a timeless appearance. A squirrel peeks curiously out of her hood, peering at both the two druids and the messengers.
"Venerable Traga," Agorth speaks first "the conscientious Spira, Sergeant of Arvandor, to whom we gave hospitality just last night, has encountered a large goblin army that is heading in this direction with warlike intent - and she came to warn us!"
"Even scaring us, for a moment..." adds Morn "Although of course it was much better to be scared by her than by an army that arrived by surprise!"
Traga sighs, looking from one to the other of the two young druids: "A large army. Of goblins. In the Lurkwood. And it didn't occur to either of you that it could be... 'The Chill'?"
The two look each other in the eyes, apparently ashamed of not having thought of something obvious, then they turn, practically at the same time, to the tiefling cleric. Morn: "Did you happen to come across 'The Chill'?" Agorth: "This army had insignia, flags? Can you describe their emblem to me?"
[[OOC: In case Spira wants to answer Agorth - to determine if she has seen the Amry emblem she must succeed on a DC 10 Perception check. If she passes it, she remembers noticing, as insigna:
a fist surrounded by a white nimbus
(Spira's PER: 5
Spira's History {how much she's heard about The Chill herself}: 20)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
"I didn't associate the symbol I saw with The Chill," Spira says wearily, "but I should have. A clenched fist surrounded by a nimbus of white does seem like something they would use. I've had a combination of good luck and good training, and that's given me the chance to earn that rather immodest title ... but sometimes I'm no quicker on the uptake than anyone else. In fact, I never should have been swapping military titles with that devil if I'd only thought through that an angel would be a much better source to apply to if we wanted to get Dobbian resurrected. Ididn't even realize we were seeking a being at that point, I thought it was an item we were after!" Something in the calm presence of the venerable archdruid melts something in Spira she hadn't even realized was bottled up; and she finds herself pouring out the whole story to Traga far more candidly than she's ever told it before, complete with all her fears, doubts and lonelinesses. She is just about to launch into a glowingly detailed account of how Aedion and Darvin between them have completely banished said fears, doubts and lonelinesses when she catches herself. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. We're dealing with The Chill, not Quspira's life history. Hmmmm... I might have overreacted a bit, given that. I've heard they try not to raid so close to home, so that folk will hire them as mercenaries. But as they ARE mercenaries, I don't know if the right pay would tempt them to take a job closer to their home base than they normally operate."
In fact, now that she's reminded of the insigna she saw, Spira recalls some historical facts about The Chill... She recalls that it is a military band of goblinoids and others formed approximately around 1350 DR. This mercenary army is characterized by the fact that, contrary to what goblinoids usually do, refrained from raiding nearby settlements in order to maintain good relations with the cities of the North, who would clandestinely hire the group to fight their enemies, notably trolls, orcs, and barbarians. And the base of this army (which nowadays, in 1500 DR, still exists) is right in the Lurkwood.
"I certainly do not blame you, Sergeant of Arvandor, whose prudence and thoughtfulness honor me" Traga smiles sympathetically at the tiefling cleric. "But these two airheads" she waves a hand at Morn and Agorth "should have considered the possibility of The Chill... especially considering that they have sought our services for emergency treatment more than once!"
"It's true, venerable Traga, I should have thought of it..." Argoth mutters. lowering his eyes. "Spira, however, only now spoke about the 'clenched fist surrounded by a nimbus of white' ..." protests Morn "If she had told us straight away, I would have immediately remembered that it is the insigna of The Chill!"
"Be that as it may," Traga sighs "as a precaution I will alert the messengers of the forest... If indeed The Chill heads towards us with warlike intentions, it will find us prepared. You two, dumb and dumber, find a place for the Seargent of Arvandor, let her spend a comfortable night, after the trouble she has taken to warn us".
The two young druids begin to escort Spira towards one of the characteristic hollow trunks which are much more comfortable inside than her external appearance would suggest, bickering among themselves in a low voice: "He called us 'dumb' and 'dumber'! Which of us do you think is 'dumber', Argoth?" "As if you could ever be more than me at anything, Morn... I am obviously 'dumber'!"
"I believe, however," Traga confides to the tiefling cleric, before letting her go "that The Chill's target was another. We, as I have just told you, have been useful to them several times as healers. And Grunwald more than once has hired them. Although age has taught me to use the word 'impossible' sparingly, I still find it highly unlikely that anyone could have made The Chill an offer tempting enough to prompt them to take up arms against us. Lurkwood is home to many bands of marauders... sometimes simple small barbarian tribes thirsty for blood and glory, sometimes bands of monsters who have organized themselves. It is more likely that the army, either for its own gain or on commission, was heading to eradicate one of these gangs".
(Should Roxana roll to determine if she might be able to tell what these giant-sized victims might be? Or were you saying that they are in fact giants?)
Keeping her voice lowered, Roxana tells Gaer, "It does seem that all that lived here were slaughtered. It is a horrible scene, but do you suppose there could have been prisoners taken? We should be cautious, but I think we should try to see."
The girl from Longsaddle examines the bones... Indeed, she wonders, how to determine, from those miserable remains, what the original creature looked like? Yet, without giving up, her lively mind continues to reflect, to put together clues... Like the fact that no trace of weapons and armor remains. Giant-sized weapons or armor would have been neither particularly easy to carry away nor particularly profitable to sell, by the goblinoids. The fire should not have consumed them completely. So these giants appear to have used no weapons or armor. Which rules out most actual giants... And it should rule out Ogres too, because, primitive as they are, they too tend to use weapons and armor in battle. Then a detail gives Roxana an idea... The mutations of some skeletal structures. Some hands have an extra finger... In some skeletons a joint is fixed differently than in others... Mutations which... according to a rumor that Roxana had once heard... could be the ones to which they are subject the Trolls, with their superactive regeneration system! Perhaps the goblinoids attacked a troll camp - burning them to make sure they couldn't regenerate.
If so, it is not to be expected that such wild and dangerous creatures would have been taken prisoner...
And sure enough, creeping unseen to the edge of the camp, Gaer and Roxana see no sign of prisoners. And the sentries, organized in an effective arrangement along the perimeter, with patrols that periodically make a check-up of the positions, even if they have not identified the pair of furtive spies, would probably end up discovering, in the end, someone who got close enough to try to enter the camp.
The tiefling ranger's solid-black starless-night eyes search those of the girl from Longsaddle, questioningly. He motions to turn back and crawl away...
[[ OOC: Obviously, at this point, if Roxana retreats, Gaer will also follow her... even until she returns to the party camp, possibly, unless the girl from Longsaddle has further investigation in mind. But if she stays with her because he has something in mind, he stays with her. ]]
Spira spends (With Zentromya and Aedion) another night in the unexpectedly comfortable climate inside the hollow trunk, sleeping on a bed of dry leaves far more softer than it should be.
The next day, after a breakfast of winter berries and small game, the tiefling cleric receives a visit of thanks from the now aspiring druid Gostar. The teen appears embarrassed, frequently shifting his weight from one foot to the other, but looks the tiefling straight in the eye as he says: "Thank you once more, my Lady... or Sergeant... or... whatever your right title is! F*ck the formalities! I'll never be good at those! But I want to thank you... even if you didn't know me, you did a lot for me - more than the people who knew me longer did! Thank you ... Spira. Thanks to you, I have a new chance here. I won't waste it. And I won't forget".
[[ OOC: After that, if Spira has nothing else to do in the Sacred Grove, Zentromya teleports back to party's camp, with her and Aedion ]]
Spira spends (With Zentromya and Aedion) another night in the unexpectedly comfortable climate inside the hollow trunk, sleeping on a bed of dry leaves far more softer than it should be.
The next day, after a breakfast of winter berries and small game, the tiefling cleric receives a visit of thanks from the now aspiring druid Gostar. The teen appears embarrassed, frequently shifting his weight from one foot to the other, but looks the tiefling straight in the eye as he says: "Thank you once more, my Lady... or Sergeant... or... whatever your right title is! F*ck the formalities! I'll never be good at those! But I want to thank you... even if you didn't know me, you did a lot for me - more than the people who knew me longer did! Thank you ... Spira. Thanks to you, I have a new chance here. I won't waste it. And I won't forget".
[[ OOC: After that, if Spira has nothing else to do in the Sacred Grove, Zentromya teleports back to party's camp, with her and Aedion ]]
Spira laughs. "You don't want to f**k the formalities, they s**k at it so you'd be really bored anyway. Stick with the down to earth druids; I bet you'll find even Traga has some pretty spicy stories tucked away from her younger days to warm her old bones over now. And the best of luck to you; you deserve it. You didn't let your bitterness conquer you." With that, she waves and steps through twisting time and space to ...
... "Where is everyone?," asks the Sergeant of Arvandor, looking about her as she materializes back in camp with the two celestials.
Before they check out the camp, Roxana quietly whispers, "Trolls," to Gaer. "Think that's what lived there." She doesn't dare to say much more until they've had a chance to complete their reconnaissance of the goblinoid encampment. She nods to him to turn away, putting distance between themselves and the large group.
Finally away, Roxana says, "I think we can return back. I suppose it could be good if they took care of trolls. They certainly seemed to know what they were doing with the fire."
Unless Gaer has other ideas, she returns with him to where the others had camped.
Even Gaer's solid-black eyes seem to light up with admiration, on the way back to the party's camp, as Roxana explains her deductions to him: "You're so perceptive, dear! That's one of the things that makes you so terribly charming... That your body is so beautiful to look at and agile to move is certainly a great thing - and very appreciated to boot... but the way in which your agile mind promptly sets itself in motion in critical situations is what strikes me most about you".
The tiefling ranger then seeks out her beloved's lips... and potentially tries to carve out a moment of private sweetness and to get her to indulge in activities that could delay their return to camp. But, sooner or later, the couple returns and so, the night passes, for the rest, without events, so Spira, when she teleports with Zentreromya and Aedion in the morning, finds her companions preparing to leave again.
[[ OOC: If you want, you can tell each other what you did; in the meantime I will determine what happens during the travel day ]]
In Sacred Grove:
Agorth and Morn exchange a quick worried look, at Spira's words, and this time they are perfectly in agreement on the line of action to be pursued and hurry to escort the messengers of ominous news to a large hollow trunk covered in moss, from which they invite out comes a woman who seems more ancient than old... her face, framed by white hair gathered in a ponytail, seen up close shows the signs of numerous wrinkles... but shallow wrinkles, which merge with her graceful features, rather than distorting them, giving it a timeless appearance. A squirrel peeks curiously out of her hood, peering at both the two druids and the messengers.
"Venerable Traga," Agorth speaks first "the conscientious Spira, Sergeant of Arvandor, to whom we gave hospitality just last night, has encountered a large goblin army that is heading in this direction with warlike intent - and she came to warn us!"
"Even scaring us, for a moment..." adds Morn "Although of course it was much better to be scared by her than by an army that arrived by surprise!"
Traga sighs, looking from one to the other of the two young druids: "A large army. Of goblins. In the Lurkwood. And it didn't occur to either of you that it could be... 'The Chill'?"
The two look each other in the eyes, apparently ashamed of not having thought of something obvious, then they turn, practically at the same time, to the tiefling cleric.
Morn: "Did you happen to come across 'The Chill'?"
Agorth: "This army had insignia, flags? Can you describe their emblem to me?"
[[OOC: In case Spira wants to answer Agorth - to determine if she has seen the Amry emblem she must succeed on a DC 10 Perception check. If she passes it, she remembers noticing, as insigna:
a fist surrounded by a white nimbus
]]
"If the goblin-folk were interested in prisoners, they would be held at their camp. It might be interesting to investigate the clearing to understand what had been there." Roxana pauses as she thinks through the options. "Not sure what we'd gain from the charred ruins but may be worth at least checking out enough to get an idea if there are captives. We could always take a look at what was destroyed after. What do you think?"
After a moment she adds, "A third option might be to see if there are signs of survivors that might have fled. They may both need our help and have information. Though if the goblins aren't after them they likely hid well. And there is no guarantee anyone did escape."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
In Lurkwood:
"Maybe the clearing first?" Gaer speculates "We'll be at less risk of being spotted and we might start to understand something - maybe who the victims were... maybe if anyone might have been taken prisoner... and maybe if anyone might have escaped".
[[ OOC: Whether Roxana accepts, or she suggests starting from a different place, Gaer will follow her... and both she and Gaer will have to roll a Stealth check - so Roxana can directly roll, next post, once she decided where to start. I'll roll for Gaer when I post back ]]
Roxana nods in agreement with Gaer. "The clearing does seem to be the less risky of the options. And we can gather information there." She starts to cautiously make her way in that direction. (Stealth: 11)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
Gaer's Stealth: 21
In Lurkwood:
The stealthy pair proceed low to the ground. The heat of the fire melted any layer of snow and ice that covered the ground of the clearing, transforming it into a muddy expanse that makes you dirty, but at least helps you slide easily and, in part, blend in with the environment. As you get closer, the smell of burned flash assaults your nostrils. Considering that some time must have passed but the smell is still strong, you suspect that a lot of flesh has been burned here.
The tiefling ranger seems to startle at times, when he thinks that Roxana (perhaps to avoid the mud? Perhaps due to the nausea of the terrible smell?) is holding her head a little too high or in any case exposing herself a little too much, but from the goblinoids army no alarm is rised. You soon find traces of the first victims... Whose flesh has been completely consumed by the fire - only the skeletons remain, large skeletons. They are certainly not skeletons of human beings; more likely giants. And in fact, although no traces of any of their weapons or armor remain, the very few rudimentary furnishings that you have identified are of a size suitable for use by large creatures.
Wandering around for a while, you find numerous traces of broken oil flasks (if not fragments of Alchemist's Fire jars), confirming that the flames did not break out by chance, but were instead used purposely by the goblinoids as a weapon in the course of the attack. And in fact, no intact corpse remained. The settlement must have numbered about ten giants, but the bodies were all burned and only the bones remained.
Members of the army should also have died - despite the overwhelming numerical superiority and the possible surprise effect, it is unthinkable that they managed to overwhelm such a large number of giants without suffering any losses; but evidently the bodies of the fallen goblinoids were not simply abandoned on the battlefield, but brought elsewhere.
"I really can't imagine who the victims were..." Gaer approaches the girl from Longsaddle and whispers in her ear "Although, at least, they weren't humanoid. Do you have any guesses?"
"And even more important..." he smiles, unsure of what to do, but curious to know how far his adventure companion's courage goes "Do you think we should continue the reconnaissance by getting closer to their camp? Or do you think you've already had a sufficient amount of emotions for tonight?"
(Spira's PER: 5
Spira's History {how much she's heard about The Chill herself}: 20)
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
"I didn't associate the symbol I saw with The Chill," Spira says wearily, "but I should have. A clenched fist surrounded by a nimbus of white does seem like something they would use. I've had a combination of good luck and good training, and that's given me the chance to earn that rather immodest title ... but sometimes I'm no quicker on the uptake than anyone else. In fact, I never should have been swapping military titles with that devil if I'd only thought through that an angel would be a much better source to apply to if we wanted to get Dobbian resurrected. Ididn't even realize we were seeking a being at that point, I thought it was an item we were after!" Something in the calm presence of the venerable archdruid melts something in Spira she hadn't even realized was bottled up; and she finds herself pouring out the whole story to Traga far more candidly than she's ever told it before, complete with all her fears, doubts and lonelinesses. She is just about to launch into a glowingly detailed account of how Aedion and Darvin between them have completely banished said fears, doubts and lonelinesses when she catches herself. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. We're dealing with The Chill, not Quspira's life history. Hmmmm... I might have overreacted a bit, given that. I've heard they try not to raid so close to home, so that folk will hire them as mercenaries. But as they ARE mercenaries, I don't know if the right pay would tempt them to take a job closer to their home base than they normally operate."
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
In Sacred Grove:
For Spira:
In fact, now that she's reminded of the insigna she saw, Spira recalls some historical facts about The Chill... She recalls that it is a military band of goblinoids and others formed approximately around 1350 DR. This mercenary army is characterized by the fact that, contrary to what goblinoids usually do, refrained from raiding nearby settlements in order to maintain good relations with the cities of the North, who would clandestinely hire the group to fight their enemies, notably trolls, orcs, and barbarians. And the base of this army (which nowadays, in 1500 DR, still exists) is right in the Lurkwood.
"I certainly do not blame you, Sergeant of Arvandor, whose prudence and thoughtfulness honor me" Traga smiles sympathetically at the tiefling cleric. "But these two airheads" she waves a hand at Morn and Agorth "should have considered the possibility of The Chill... especially considering that they have sought our services for emergency treatment more than once!"
"It's true, venerable Traga, I should have thought of it..." Argoth mutters. lowering his eyes.
"Spira, however, only now spoke about the 'clenched fist surrounded by a nimbus of white' ..." protests Morn "If she had told us straight away, I would have immediately remembered that it is the insigna of The Chill!"
"Be that as it may," Traga sighs "as a precaution I will alert the messengers of the forest... If indeed The Chill heads towards us with warlike intentions, it will find us prepared. You two, dumb and dumber, find a place for the Seargent of Arvandor, let her spend a comfortable night, after the trouble she has taken to warn us".
The two young druids begin to escort Spira towards one of the characteristic hollow trunks which are much more comfortable inside than her external appearance would suggest, bickering among themselves in a low voice:
"He called us 'dumb' and 'dumber'! Which of us do you think is 'dumber', Argoth?"
"As if you could ever be more than me at anything, Morn... I am obviously 'dumber'!"
"I believe, however," Traga confides to the tiefling cleric, before letting her go "that The Chill's target was another. We, as I have just told you, have been useful to them several times as healers. And Grunwald more than once has hired them. Although age has taught me to use the word 'impossible' sparingly, I still find it highly unlikely that anyone could have made The Chill an offer tempting enough to prompt them to take up arms against us. Lurkwood is home to many bands of marauders... sometimes simple small barbarian tribes thirsty for blood and glory, sometimes bands of monsters who have organized themselves. It is more likely that the army, either for its own gain or on commission, was heading to eradicate one of these gangs".
(Should Roxana roll to determine if she might be able to tell what these giant-sized victims might be? Or were you saying that they are in fact giants?)
Keeping her voice lowered, Roxana tells Gaer, "It does seem that all that lived here were slaughtered. It is a horrible scene, but do you suppose there could have been prisoners taken? We should be cautious, but I think we should try to see."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
In Lurkwood:
[[ OOC: I'd say an Investigation check is needed to get an idea of what these giant-sized victims might be ]]
"Very well," Gaer smiles, thrilled by the challenge "let's get nearer and see..." and she starts crawling in direction of the camped army.
[[ OOC: Another Stealth check will be needed then ]]
Gaer's Stealth: 7
(Inestigation for giant- sized creatures: 21)
(Stealth: 16)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
Sentinels' Preception: 15
In Lurkwood:
The girl from Longsaddle examines the bones... Indeed, she wonders, how to determine, from those miserable remains, what the original creature looked like? Yet, without giving up, her lively mind continues to reflect, to put together clues... Like the fact that no trace of weapons and armor remains. Giant-sized weapons or armor would have been neither particularly easy to carry away nor particularly profitable to sell, by the goblinoids. The fire should not have consumed them completely. So these giants appear to have used no weapons or armor. Which rules out most actual giants... And it should rule out Ogres too, because, primitive as they are, they too tend to use weapons and armor in battle. Then a detail gives Roxana an idea... The mutations of some skeletal structures. Some hands have an extra finger... In some skeletons a joint is fixed differently than in others... Mutations which... according to a rumor that Roxana had once heard... could be the ones to which they are subject the Trolls, with their superactive regeneration system! Perhaps the goblinoids attacked a troll camp - burning them to make sure they couldn't regenerate.
If so, it is not to be expected that such wild and dangerous creatures would have been taken prisoner...
And sure enough, creeping unseen to the edge of the camp, Gaer and Roxana see no sign of prisoners. And the sentries, organized in an effective arrangement along the perimeter, with patrols that periodically make a check-up of the positions, even if they have not identified the pair of furtive spies, would probably end up discovering, in the end, someone who got close enough to try to enter the camp.
The tiefling ranger's solid-black starless-night eyes search those of the girl from Longsaddle, questioningly. He motions to turn back and crawl away...
[[ OOC: Obviously, at this point, if Roxana retreats, Gaer will also follow her... even until she returns to the party camp, possibly, unless the girl from Longsaddle has further investigation in mind. But if she stays with her because he has something in mind, he stays with her. ]]
In Sacred Grove:
Spira spends (With Zentromya and Aedion) another night in the unexpectedly comfortable climate inside the hollow trunk, sleeping on a bed of dry leaves far more softer than it should be.
The next day, after a breakfast of winter berries and small game, the tiefling cleric receives a visit of thanks from the now aspiring druid Gostar. The teen appears embarrassed, frequently shifting his weight from one foot to the other, but looks the tiefling straight in the eye as he says: "Thank you once more, my Lady... or Sergeant... or... whatever your right title is! F*ck the formalities! I'll never be good at those! But I want to thank you... even if you didn't know me, you did a lot for me - more than the people who knew me longer did! Thank you ... Spira. Thanks to you, I have a new chance here. I won't waste it. And I won't forget".
[[ OOC: After that, if Spira has nothing else to do in the Sacred Grove, Zentromya teleports back to party's camp, with her and Aedion ]]
Spira laughs. "You don't want to f**k the formalities, they s**k at it so you'd be really bored anyway. Stick with the down to earth druids; I bet you'll find even Traga has some pretty spicy stories tucked away from her younger days to warm her old bones over now. And the best of luck to you; you deserve it. You didn't let your bitterness conquer you." With that, she waves and steps through twisting time and space to ...
... "Where is everyone?," asks the Sergeant of Arvandor, looking about her as she materializes back in camp with the two celestials.
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
Before they check out the camp, Roxana quietly whispers, "Trolls," to Gaer. "Think that's what lived there." She doesn't dare to say much more until they've had a chance to complete their reconnaissance of the goblinoid encampment. She nods to him to turn away, putting distance between themselves and the large group.
Finally away, Roxana says, "I think we can return back. I suppose it could be good if they took care of trolls. They certainly seemed to know what they were doing with the fire."
Unless Gaer has other ideas, she returns with him to where the others had camped.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard ||
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer || Bronnryn Hethgar, Cleric
Together again:
Even Gaer's solid-black eyes seem to light up with admiration, on the way back to the party's camp, as Roxana explains her deductions to him: "You're so perceptive, dear! That's one of the things that makes you so terribly charming... That your body is so beautiful to look at and agile to move is certainly a great thing - and very appreciated to boot... but the way in which your agile mind promptly sets itself in motion in critical situations is what strikes me most about you".
The tiefling ranger then seeks out her beloved's lips... and potentially tries to carve out a moment of private sweetness and to get her to indulge in activities that could delay their return to camp. But, sooner or later, the couple returns and so, the night passes, for the rest, without events, so Spira, when she teleports with Zentreromya and Aedion in the morning, finds her companions preparing to leave again.
[[ OOC: If you want, you can tell each other what you did; in the meantime I will determine what happens during the travel day ]]
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