Lumen looks over at Chrys when she mention's Phelannie's name, surprised that she was the one to share it rather than Krackle. He blinks his eyes a few times, then mutters something to himself about being paranoid.
"Well Chrys, it could always be worse," Kess said with a smile and a laugh as they all walked along the riverbank. "The stream is thankfully clear and doesn't smell foul. Surely there are worse things for a priestess of Duin to suffer than a little splash in the Dessarin?"
Kess had momentarily kept walking, having not realized Chrys and the others had stopped. She had strode on so much, in fact, she nearly jumped out of her boots and almost stumbled onto her butt when she saw the green-clad figures emerge from the growth and she came to a halt, for a moment almost going banshee white as she realized they were all within sights.
"Um... n-no, definitely not," Kess would admit to the woman after the other said their piece, her silver cheeks now burning a noticeable, soft shade of plum when she realized that three of her kinfolk and this human woman had witnessed her embarrassing tumble. "Um... I take it that the four of you are rangers who guard these woods, if the cloaks are anything to guess by? We mean no mischief or trouble in these woods. It is as my companions say. No need to draw steel here."
Kess looked up to see the raven-haired elven man... Or-tel'quess if she had to guess, then quickly averted her gaze, clearly more embarrassed by the knowledge that her stumble had been witnessed by him in particular.
Right now, she was grateful her uncle hadn't seen such a graceless tumble.
As you reply, the woman turns her head ever so slightly and drops a quick nod to her companions, and they all relax their bow arms in a clear sign of de-escalation. However, they keep their arrows nocked.
"I do not know the name Dundragon, nor do I know of a dryad named Phelannie. There are many dryads here in the forest, but I have had few dealings with them. My guess is that Thervanis here has more familiarity with fey creatures, but he's rather tight lipped around strangers." (She nods in the direction of the elven male.)
"At any rate, I am convinced that you are not foes. Bumbling fools perhaps, but none who possess a threat to us. And you are partially right, we are rangers, but we are not here to guard, but to hunt. Orcs in particular, particularly those that are threatening the trade routes along The Evermoor Way. War bands in the northwestern corner of the wood have been venturing up onto The Way and causing trouble of late, so we have come to lessen their numbers and collect bounties. The Merchants of Silverymoon have put up an offer of 10 dragons for each one slain."
"Many-Arrows...?" Kess asks, worried at hearing this information. "Or just disparate raiders...?"
Orcs. That was troubling information. Anyone who lived in the North knew of the Orc kingdom... and orcs were typically known for their brutality and savagery.
“Red Claws from the southwest. Bands have been moving up this way recently, pushing further north than usual, SM was far as the road. We aim to catch ‘em before they get outta the wood.”
”There are plenty of Many-Arrows orcs in here, too... seems like they’re everywhere in The North. Tribe’s big enough, and it keeps growing. Occasionally they clash with the Red Claws... apparently they ain’t so friendly with each other. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll take them too if we cross ‘em, but lately it’s them Red Claws what’s been the problem up on The Way, an’ that’s why me an’ the crew is here. I’m Calia, and the others are Brit and Salania. And as I sad, the elf is Thervanis. Damn fine hunter, he is. Best I ever worked with.”
”Who are you folks, and who’s this Dundragon you speak of?”
Lumen turns to the others and waits for them to introduce themselves. Afterward, he will mention they were attacked north of town by some bandits and one shadowy one got away, still out there, to warn them.
"Mmm. Aspirin' adventurers o' Faerûn, ya might say,"Chrys adds on to Krackle's reply. She wonders if she should recruit the others into striking a heroic pose whenever they say it. She's pretty sure Krackle would go along with it. Then again, by the way Lumen and Vesper's eyes are twitching as she and Krackle pair up to advertise their company, it might not be the best of ideas.
"We're also huntin' a dangerous criminal who's hidin' out here,"she adds on. "Some fella callin' himself "The Shadow". Or Katsi. Or Issio. Or Talissan. He probably has more names than there are trees in this here forest,"Chrys says with a look of annoyance. "Anyway, he's 'parently some sort o' follower o' Shar, an' his group o' cultists has been makin' trouble for some villages down the Way. If ya see someone skulkin' around these parts, be on yer guard. We've been told he's pretty powerful."
"I turned into a bear and tried to get him when he attacked us but he got away. I scratched hin up pretty good but he is probably still around" The kobold would say as he makes some bear claw swiping motions.
To Chrys, Calia replies after brushing a lock of thick auburn colored curls away from her eyes and putting the arrow back into her quiver. With her fair skin, she has the tropical look of an Iluakan. The other three look on, but remain silent, only nodding when they’re introduced.
”An adventuring party... I figured as much by your dress. You don’t look like merchants, and your elven companion doesn’t look like the typical High Forest guide. And yes, bandits aren’t so uncommon here in the wood, you’ll find a variety of out-of-the-way folk who live in here, and some of them will try and rob anyone who gets too close to their camp.”
”But this shadow... or whoever he is doesn’t sound like a run of the mill ruffian. Sounds like you got yourselves a handful with this one. I won’t ask what you did to earn the ire of a cultist who follows the Lady of The Night. I’d say be careful, but it sounds like you already know what you’re up against. We’ll keep our eyes out.”
To Krackle, she responds, “So.., you’re a shapechanger. A bear and now a kobold. If I may inquire, what’s your natural form?”
”And friends with the owner of a magic shop... you’re already full of more surprises than I would have guessed when I watched you and your companions try and cross the stream. You were the only one who made it without going for a swim.”
"This is how I look most of the time" Krackle would say with a smile. "But sometimes when I need to help my friends I turn into a bear. Bears are the biggest and scariest animals I can think of...One time I turned into a spider though! A big one.. like... this big!" The kobold would say as he holds his hands a couple inches apart. "I turned into a spider so i could climb up a wall. It was really neat." He would finish with an excited grin.
Lumen walks up the path a bit, away from the stream. He looks at the other group with a grateful expression, mainly for not shooting them. "So what's ahead of us on the path? We're headed to the Old Man Tree, whatever that may be. Anything odd happening around there? Any reason a dryad might find herself in trouble?"
"The path is clear all the way to the Old Man Tree. We just from came that way and didn't see anything unusual, though we stuck to the trail, and, that was a couple hours ago. Things area always moving in the wood, so clear one minute don't necessarily mean clear the next. It's been a quiet morning, though, so hopefully it'll stay that way for you while you head that way."
"That's good to hear," Kess would nod appreciatively at that. "I'd presume that more dangerous creatures of these woods tend to move and emerge at night, so as long as we make our way to the tree and back to lodgings by nightfall, we should be alright. Hopefully, the worst thing we run into this day are just a curious deer fawn or two."
Lumen pauses after Kess speaks. "She raises a good point. Can you tell us about what comes out at night? We've heard fear in Noanar's Hold. Hunt Lords. Ghosts? Do you hide somewhere at night? Theoretically speaking, that is. If we were to get delayed somehow. Is if safe up in the trees?"
Before Calia has a chance to answer, Thervanis, the coppery skinned elf stands up and speaks to Kess in the elven language, his words flowing light a summer breeze through the leaves to her ears. (Vesper can also understand elvish.)
"Va thro millet col,Tel'Quessir. Au Tel' Arvandor, Tel' Daoine lirr right eshaal viaren, eluthe velahrn. Daqunin finds var ernath ath noresh ent Ahnvae. Sehan ausa welsa eyes zel Tel' hours Ath Tel' Ar, 'Tel erkatam does n'. Gis vain Vael air entre kyshuf enta, shan susa Adon, Ebrath."
Kess and Vesper
Translation: "You know better, elf. The stars shine right through your eyes, beautiful blade wielder." (The "stars" comment is a common elvish saying referring to youth.) "In the High Forest, dangers finds you in both daylight and darkness. Walk with your eyes open, for the dwarf does not see. Keep your blades sharp and quick and go with peace, friend."
Answering Lumen's inquiry, Calia says, "There are many things that come out at night here in the forest. And yes, we have heard rumors of the ghosts that haunt the woods around Noanar's Hold, although we have seen none. I would say that if you are adept in the wilds and use your wits, then there is a good chance that you would survive a night out here in the darkness. Just be smart. We often camp out in here, but we do our best to remain out of sight and away from the path. Not that all dangers travel by path alone, but I think it's wise to remain hidden."
"Go with bravery and wisdom on your quest, and may you improve with your stream crossing skills... for you will certainly need them in here. That is only the first of many that you will find. And if you should encounter any orcs, remember, their insignias are worth gold."
"Perhaps we will meet again in the wood, or outside of it. If you do venture to Silverymoon, we are often found sipping wine at The Dancing Goat. Except for Thervanis... that place is a little to crowded and noisy for him.
"You are correct, bears are very strong animals, but they are not the stronger creatures in the forest... as I'm sure you will learn soon enough. Either way, it sounds like you are much more than meets the eye, small one. With you in tow, I would not worry about spending a day or a night out here in the wood. A kobold that can turn into bear or a spider, and cross rushing streams that topple an elf is a curious creature indeed."
"Nature works in strange ways, and if the Toril Mother has chosen you as one of her caretakers to help preserve her balance within the land, then you have my reverence. Walk with harmony and keep your friends safe."
Lumen looks over at Chrys when she mention's Phelannie's name, surprised that she was the one to share it rather than Krackle. He blinks his eyes a few times, then mutters something to himself about being paranoid.
"Well Chrys, it could always be worse," Kess said with a smile and a laugh as they all walked along the riverbank. "The stream is thankfully clear and doesn't smell foul. Surely there are worse things for a priestess of Duin to suffer than a little splash in the Dessarin?"
Kess had momentarily kept walking, having not realized Chrys and the others had stopped. She had strode on so much, in fact, she nearly jumped out of her boots and almost stumbled onto her butt when she saw the green-clad figures emerge from the growth and she came to a halt, for a moment almost going banshee white as she realized they were all within sights.
"Um... n-no, definitely not," Kess would admit to the woman after the other said their piece, her silver cheeks now burning a noticeable, soft shade of plum when she realized that three of her kinfolk and this human woman had witnessed her embarrassing tumble. "Um... I take it that the four of you are rangers who guard these woods, if the cloaks are anything to guess by? We mean no mischief or trouble in these woods. It is as my companions say. No need to draw steel here."
Kess looked up to see the raven-haired elven man... Or-tel'quess if she had to guess, then quickly averted her gaze, clearly more embarrassed by the knowledge that her stumble had been witnessed by him in particular.
Right now, she was grateful her uncle hadn't seen such a graceless tumble.
As you reply, the woman turns her head ever so slightly and drops a quick nod to her companions, and they all relax their bow arms in a clear sign of de-escalation. However, they keep their arrows nocked.
"I do not know the name Dundragon, nor do I know of a dryad named Phelannie. There are many dryads here in the forest, but I have had few dealings with them. My guess is that Thervanis here has more familiarity with fey creatures, but he's rather tight lipped around strangers." (She nods in the direction of the elven male.)
"At any rate, I am convinced that you are not foes. Bumbling fools perhaps, but none who possess a threat to us. And you are partially right, we are rangers, but we are not here to guard, but to hunt. Orcs in particular, particularly those that are threatening the trade routes along The Evermoor Way. War bands in the northwestern corner of the wood have been venturing up onto The Way and causing trouble of late, so we have come to lessen their numbers and collect bounties. The Merchants of Silverymoon have put up an offer of 10 dragons for each one slain."
"Many-Arrows...?" Kess asks, worried at hearing this information. "Or just disparate raiders...?"
Orcs. That was troubling information. Anyone who lived in the North knew of the Orc kingdom... and orcs were typically known for their brutality and savagery.
“Red Claws from the southwest. Bands have been moving up this way recently, pushing further north than usual, SM was far as the road. We aim to catch ‘em before they get outta the wood.”
”There are plenty of Many-Arrows orcs in here, too... seems like they’re everywhere in The North. Tribe’s big enough, and it keeps growing. Occasionally they clash with the Red Claws... apparently they ain’t so friendly with each other. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll take them too if we cross ‘em, but lately it’s them Red Claws what’s been the problem up on The Way, an’ that’s why me an’ the crew is here. I’m Calia, and the others are Brit and Salania. And as I sad, the elf is Thervanis. Damn fine hunter, he is. Best I ever worked with.”
”Who are you folks, and who’s this Dundragon you speak of?”
Lumen turns to the others and waits for them to introduce themselves. Afterward, he will mention they were attacked north of town by some bandits and one shadowy one got away, still out there, to warn them.
"We're the pie pals!" Krackle would reply "dundragon is a nice wizard. He has a magic shop" The kobold would add.
"Mmm. Aspirin' adventurers o' Faerûn, ya might say," Chrys adds on to Krackle's reply. She wonders if she should recruit the others into striking a heroic pose whenever they say it. She's pretty sure Krackle would go along with it. Then again, by the way Lumen and Vesper's eyes are twitching as she and Krackle pair up to advertise their company, it might not be the best of ideas.
"We're also huntin' a dangerous criminal who's hidin' out here," she adds on. "Some fella callin' himself "The Shadow". Or Katsi. Or Issio. Or Talissan. He probably has more names than there are trees in this here forest," Chrys says with a look of annoyance. "Anyway, he's 'parently some sort o' follower o' Shar, an' his group o' cultists has been makin' trouble for some villages down the Way. If ya see someone skulkin' around these parts, be on yer guard. We've been told he's pretty powerful."
"I turned into a bear and tried to get him when he attacked us but he got away. I scratched hin up pretty good but he is probably still around" The kobold would say as he makes some bear claw swiping motions.
To Chrys, Calia replies after brushing a lock of thick auburn colored curls away from her eyes and putting the arrow back into her quiver. With her fair skin, she has the tropical look of an Iluakan. The other three look on, but remain silent, only nodding when they’re introduced.
”An adventuring party... I figured as much by your dress. You don’t look like merchants, and your elven companion doesn’t look like the typical High Forest guide. And yes, bandits aren’t so uncommon here in the wood, you’ll find a variety of out-of-the-way folk who live in here, and some of them will try and rob anyone who gets too close to their camp.”
”But this shadow... or whoever he is doesn’t sound like a run of the mill ruffian. Sounds like you got yourselves a handful with this one. I won’t ask what you did to earn the ire of a cultist who follows the Lady of The Night. I’d say be careful, but it sounds like you already know what you’re up against. We’ll keep our eyes out.”
To Krackle, she responds, “So.., you’re a shapechanger. A bear and now a kobold. If I may inquire, what’s your natural form?”
”And friends with the owner of a magic shop... you’re already full of more surprises than I would have guessed when I watched you and your companions try and cross the stream. You were the only one who made it without going for a swim.”
"This is how I look most of the time" Krackle would say with a smile. "But sometimes when I need to help my friends I turn into a bear. Bears are the biggest and scariest animals I can think of...One time I turned into a spider though! A big one.. like... this big!" The kobold would say as he holds his hands a couple inches apart. "I turned into a spider so i could climb up a wall. It was really neat." He would finish with an excited grin.
Lumen walks up the path a bit, away from the stream. He looks at the other group with a grateful expression, mainly for not shooting them. "So what's ahead of us on the path? We're headed to the Old Man Tree, whatever that may be. Anything odd happening around there? Any reason a dryad might find herself in trouble?"
"The path is clear all the way to the Old Man Tree. We just from came that way and didn't see anything unusual, though we stuck to the trail, and, that was a couple hours ago. Things area always moving in the wood, so clear one minute don't necessarily mean clear the next. It's been a quiet morning, though, so hopefully it'll stay that way for you while you head that way."
Lumen nods in thanks for the information, and then looks to the rest of the party to see if they're ready to keep moving...
"That's good to hear," Kess would nod appreciatively at that. "I'd presume that more dangerous creatures of these woods tend to move and emerge at night, so as long as we make our way to the tree and back to lodgings by nightfall, we should be alright. Hopefully, the worst thing we run into this day are just a curious deer fawn or two."
"I'm ready to go! It was nice to meet you!" Krackle would say as he waves goodbye to the elves.
Lumen pauses after Kess speaks. "She raises a good point. Can you tell us about what comes out at night? We've heard fear in Noanar's Hold. Hunt Lords. Ghosts? Do you hide somewhere at night? Theoretically speaking, that is. If we were to get delayed somehow. Is if safe up in the trees?"
Before Calia has a chance to answer, Thervanis, the coppery skinned elf stands up and speaks to Kess in the elven language, his words flowing light a summer breeze through the leaves to her ears. (Vesper can also understand elvish.)
"Va thro millet col, Tel'Quessir. Au Tel' Arvandor, Tel' Daoine lirr right eshaal viaren, eluthe velahrn. Daqunin finds var ernath ath noresh ent Ahnvae. Sehan ausa welsa eyes zel Tel' hours Ath Tel' Ar, 'Tel erkatam does n'. Gis vain Vael air entre kyshuf enta, shan susa Adon, Ebrath."
Kess and Vesper
Translation: "You know better, elf. The stars shine right through your eyes, beautiful blade wielder." (The "stars" comment is a common elvish saying referring to youth.) "In the High Forest, dangers finds you in both daylight and darkness. Walk with your eyes open, for the dwarf does not see. Keep your blades sharp and quick and go with peace, friend."
Answering Lumen's inquiry, Calia says, "There are many things that come out at night here in the forest. And yes, we have heard rumors of the ghosts that haunt the woods around Noanar's Hold, although we have seen none. I would say that if you are adept in the wilds and use your wits, then there is a good chance that you would survive a night out here in the darkness. Just be smart. We often camp out in here, but we do our best to remain out of sight and away from the path. Not that all dangers travel by path alone, but I think it's wise to remain hidden."
"Go with bravery and wisdom on your quest, and may you improve with your stream crossing skills... for you will certainly need them in here. That is only the first of many that you will find. And if you should encounter any orcs, remember, their insignias are worth gold."
"Perhaps we will meet again in the wood, or outside of it. If you do venture to Silverymoon, we are often found sipping wine at The Dancing Goat. Except for Thervanis... that place is a little to crowded and noisy for him.
(OOC: Do they care that Krackle is a druid? I was wondering if these elves living in the woods would think a druid is a big deal or not :P)
To Krackle, Calia says,
"You are correct, bears are very strong animals, but they are not the stronger creatures in the forest... as I'm sure you will learn soon enough. Either way, it sounds like you are much more than meets the eye, small one. With you in tow, I would not worry about spending a day or a night out here in the wood. A kobold that can turn into bear or a spider, and cross rushing streams that topple an elf is a curious creature indeed."
"Nature works in strange ways, and if the Toril Mother has chosen you as one of her caretakers to help preserve her balance within the land, then you have my reverence. Walk with harmony and keep your friends safe."