The drumbeats and marching feet draw ever nearer. The party and the prisoners hurry through the exit into the forest air.
From behind him, Amar swears he hears someone yell in Goblin, "they are taking our dinner!" followed by much confusion and some arguing.
Amar and Pagan are last through the door and it slams behind them. They don't remember pulling the door shut. They hear the bar fall back into place on the other side of the door. They certainly don't remember doing that.
The group finds itself in a short 20-foot long passage that heads out into the cursed forest. Skulls line the corridor and your eyes follow that line back to the now closed and barred door. The door itself is decorated with more skulls and a sign that plainly reads in common:
Come in! We'd like to have you for dinner!
You all glance at each other for a pause and then continue out into the forested ravine dotted with cave mouths. This is the same place you were before, but this is not the cave mouth you entered and you believe you are standing at least a good 20 - 25 feet higher above the ravine floor than when you entered earlier.
Although the trees occlude the sunlight. You can still tell it is early afternoon.
Amar suggests to the party with a bit of luck we can hit town before dark, get some half priced ales, rest and explore more tomorrow. I assume our new friends would like to head home. Including Vrutha.
On a practical note we need a long rest to heal wounds and spells...
Amar suggests to the party with a bit of luck we can hit town before dark, get some half priced ales, rest and explore more tomorrow. I assume our new friends would like to head home. Including Vrutha.
On a practical note we need a long rest to heal wounds and spells...
Vrutha is nowhere to be seen.
You all once again have the feeling of being watched from the different cave openings.
(@Brumdal, I assume you are traveling in real life and might not be as responsive, but feel free to chime in when you can.)
Javon says, “it is a short march back to the Keep. Either way we should make it back before night falls. As I mentioned we could signal my patrol once we make sight of the hill on the far side of the road, should we need their assistance.”
"Let's return along the route we followed in," says Pagan. He looks at Amar, "I believe I owe you a cold draft when we get back." His thoughts turn toward the bolt that slammed on the other side of the door... did we get some help from Amar's dog friend?
The next morning is overcast and cool, but not so cool that you are uncomfortable outside--perfect walking-down-the-road weather. This is a mild summer day and you are grateful that it is not too hot.
The keep sits on a lone hill in a relatively flat floodplain. The road leads from the gatehouse generally south (and sloping downward) for about a quarter mile before it comes to a t-intersection with the main road you would have used to get to the keep. Heading west takes you back toward civilization. Heading east along the road takes you into uncharted territory.
Along the road from east-to-west you can see to the north a forested hill. The slope of the hill starts immediately heading north of the road with the forest starting some 600 yards later. You can see if you were to head east the road and forest grow much closer--almost intersecting at one point. You learned from your time in the tavern that the forest is called the Whispering Wood because it seems to always be windy there and wind makes the trees sound as if they are whispering to one another.
Along the road to the south (maybe a few hundred yards away) is the Goblinwater, a river so named because of the many goblinoids and (other savage humanoids) that can be encountered near the keep. The river is known to be fast running, deep and therefore not easily crossed, but there might be places where the current is not so fast and the waters not so deep where you could safely cross it. Beyond the river are marshlands and more hills.
That was the post I made when you left the keep the first time. I've edited it down to just the parts that are still relevant for the return journey.
How much time has passed in game? Only a few hours. It took a few hours to get to the Caves and once there, you spent an hour or two inside. It is now early afternoon with the weather still in your favor. (I assume) you are eager to put the Caves behind you as you protect your rescued charges and, I assume you are using some of your rations and drink while you walk back to the keep and you are sharing with Lhodis, his wife Laressa, and their two guards.
As you backtrack along the route, you encounter the same border where the forest seems to be twisted and gnarled and then abruptly becomes a normal deciduous forest. You follow the forest's edge keeping site of the empty road and the hill watching over it. That is the hill where Javon says his patrol's encampment is, but you see no activity. You assume there are hidden sentries posted there.
You come out of the forest where the road and river are closest to it. The air smells a bit smoky as if there were a fire that was burning somewhere to the south.
Perhaps 100 feet or so down the road toward the keep, several creatures that look like large rabbits with a unicorn's horn bound across the road toward the river. You feel as if your eyes are playing tricks on you, as you are not sure whether there are eight or nine of these creatures. One of them seems to have vanished from the back of the pack and then reappeared at the front of the pack right before your eyes.
Javon noticing the creatures says, "those are blink bunnies. They have a fancier name, but most of us at the keep just call 'em that."
He goes on, "a while a go, a merchant was transporting these creatures down the road, and he was attacked by goblins--"
"That seems to be a theme around here," mutters Laressa under her breath.
"Anyway," continues Javon, "several bunnies escaped, and you often find them grazing out here near the road. Your eyes don't deceive you, they teleport short distances. They usually flee from danger, but can be fairly aggressive if cornered."
Lhodis perks up, "yes, I hear one of those could fetch a high price if sold at a large marketplace like one in Arabel or Suzail."
Zerys frowns at the thought of grabbing these beasts merely for profit. "Don't forget Lhodis there are bazzars where man fetches a price. Did you already put from your mind your recent dinner guests?"
Amar makes a mental note, bunnies for cash. . .
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Pagan is eyeing the way we came in. "Let's go," he says. He returns his attention to watching back for trouble. "I'm sick of this place."
Oh wait, I forgot to go collect my arrows.
Just kidding, GTFO.
Lets go!
Wildnerness Map
Where are you heading now? And which path are you taking?
Amar suggests to the party with a bit of luck we can hit town before dark, get some half priced ales, rest and explore more tomorrow. I assume our new friends would like to head home. Including Vrutha.
On a practical note we need a long rest to heal wounds and spells...
Markas agrees with Amar, he'll lead the party back out of the forest to the road. I'm guessing we'll probably take the same route out that we took in.
Vrutha is nowhere to be seen.
You all once again have the feeling of being watched from the different cave openings.
You can do that.
Lhodis’s guards seem to think you could actually head straight out to the road by descending to the ravine floor and the head away from the caves.
Zerys would rather follow Markas suggestion
@Pagan, what say you?
(@Brumdal, I assume you are traveling in real life and might not be as responsive, but feel free to chime in when you can.)
"Let's return along the route we followed in," says Pagan. He looks at Amar, "I believe I owe you a cold draft when we get back." His thoughts turn toward the bolt that slammed on the other side of the door... did we get some help from Amar's dog friend?
"Where did that Orc go?"
Proposed route back to the Keep
Markas is all for sticking to the forest as long as possible, so that route looks good.
Amar, "Sounds like a plan, and Pagan I think we have much to discuss!" Amar slips his potion back in the bag and gets his mace ready. "Lead on Markas"
Zerys pipes up, "who's buying me ale?" and follows along with Markas.
Shall we head out?
That was the post I made when you left the keep the first time. I've edited it down to just the parts that are still relevant for the return journey.
How much time has passed in game? Only a few hours. It took a few hours to get to the Caves and once there, you spent an hour or two inside. It is now early afternoon with the weather still in your favor. (I assume) you are eager to put the Caves behind you as you protect your rescued charges and, I assume you are using some of your rations and drink while you walk back to the keep and you are sharing with Lhodis, his wife Laressa, and their two guards.
Zerys frowns at the thought of grabbing these beasts merely for profit. "Don't forget Lhodis there are bazzars where man fetches a price. Did you already put from your mind your recent dinner guests?"
Amar makes a mental note, bunnies for cash. . .