Allansia Wildlands Campaign.

Rufus casually catches his lone returning Demon Dagger and resheaths it behind the small of his back. Throughout the fight, Rufus had been thinking the same concern that Banzo had voiced. Connar was an expert swordsman; but he would have been no match for this opponent on his own. 

Rufus cautiously moves forward to reclaim his blades and search the body.

Lindale, even though completely unharmed, was quite shaken by the experience. This time her natural curiosity was pretty tamed by the fear and she did not run closer to take a look. Instead, she walked to pretty beaten but stubbornly standing Brocc: "Let me see the wound..." Cure Wounds 5

It had to help for a moment and Lindale finally risked to come closer to the monster: "If that thing took Conor... his body is probably around somewhere." She did not know the guy but he was supposed to be dressed differently from tribesmen here? She looked around at the horror display of mutilated bodies.

Perception 23

Brocc gave an appreciative sigh at the healing.  he would move over and drive his spear into the beast again, making sure it was not going to get up.

"I'd say anyone it took is long gone."  Brocc says with a frown, glancing to the many bones around the place.  "We best search anyway, just to be sure there are no 'snacks' still here somewhere."  He nods to where the beast came from to start the battle, wondering if any prisoners might be held back there, or if anything of interest might be as well.  he starts in that direction once the others are ready.

Hatch starts looking for anyone who the monster kidnapped but hadn't gotten around to killing/eating yet, and also keeping an eye out for treasure.

Perception 18

Entering the cleft that the creature had emerged from the group found a charnel house, though Lindale noted straight away that of the large pile of bones here, all were humanoid despite the plenty wildlife they had seen on their way here it seemed to only be preying on...people.

A raised stone area was covered in scratches from metal and patches of white hair, and was clear of bones and gore.  Searching the charnel pile, they noted many of the bones were not from adults and though the majority of the personal effects scattered about were obviously belonging to hill folk, there were some rags of clothes and belts and such that indicated that the hill men were not the only ones preying on travellers.

The search was fairly perfunctory...nobody wanted to dig too deep into the pile of the dead....but Lindale found two leather pouches of dwarven make stamped with the Tornhelim Clan crest : one contained 120 platinum coins and the other a selection of gems: 

1. Banded Agate (6 gp)
2. Deep Blue Spinel (700 gp)
3. Hematite (12 gp)
4. Lapis Lazuli (7 gp)
5. Red Garnet (80 gp)
6. Rhodochrosite (10 gp)
7. Sardonyx (40 gp)

She also discovered an engraved silvery battleaxe, traced with runes and a strange bone necklace studded with amber.

Rufus search of the creatures body revealed that under its armour were a large number of sores both recent and long healed, likely from constant use of the armour without any underlayer.... 

Somewhat heartening there was no sign of Connar.

Figuring they had found all they could, Brocc waves the others out, making sure to be last to keep anything from surprising them from behind.  He then followed the others out into the fresher air outside.

Once in a less smelly area, he would identify the dwarven weapon.

Lindale was stoically moving around but at the end of the process got a visibly green shade of skin - the place really made her sick. As glad as she was that Conor's body was not here, she was even happier that the search was over and rushed after Brocc outside, breathing heavily. "I thought I will never see anything more disgusting and terrifying than that necrotic pet. But this... this was beyond horror!" She tried her best to stop thinking about small skulls and all those bones, but gave up. He face suddenly become hard and angry: "I am so glad we killed that monster, whatever it was!"

She did not care about the treasure - fresh air and blue sky was all she needed right now.

When the group emerged from the cave bloody and battered but alive the Hillfolk outside let up a loud cheer.

" Your alive!  You lot are powerful indeed, it is dead yes?"

The companions were handed waterskins....though from the smell the liquid within was rather more powerful and invited to sit and tell their tale.

" Later we will smoke the cave to cleanse it of any lingering evil and the old ones will send them off to the spirit world."

OOC:

Banzos spell determines the battle axe and the bone/amber necklace are magical.   As Brocc looks over the axe for the next hour or so during the celebrations he determines it is The Axe of Kerellim.  Kerellim being the dwarven name for Throff the Earth Goddess, creator of the dwarven peoples.

To Banzos suprise he finds the necklace is a rather rustic version of a Necklace of Adaption.

Rufus is both heartened to learn there are no signs of Connar within the beasts lair. He cleans his blades and carefully resheaths them behind the small of his back. As the group leave the lair, Rufus is surprised to see the Hillmen gathered in such numbers. It was truly satisfying to see how much this task would positively improve their lives and the lives of their children.

Rufus entertains the gathered simple folk with tales of their battle with the demon. Once again he uses Prestidigitation to highlight his retelling creating odors, sounds, and illusions to enhance his retelling. He focuses on the children gathered mostly.

He says, "We five brave souls willingly entered the lair of the Demon with trepidation. The room was heaped with the broken bones and grinning skulls of past victims, a testament to the Demons lethality. But we were not to be swayed from our righteous path, the Demon must die, so that your people could live free of it's terror."

Rufus pauses to sip of the offered home brewed drink, noting its potency. He continues the tale, "Suddenly the Demon was amongst us. One second we were discussing our strategy to find it and the next the roaring Demon was upon us. Bricc the brave Gnome and Hatch the demonic appearing noble knight rushed to engage it. Their initial attacks were turned by the Demons armor. Brocc was born off his feet and into the endless maw of the Demon. A lesser man would have died. Brocc endured the attack. Lindale our Elven beauty was there in a flash bolstering the gnome with her healing spells. Banzo the giant and I blasted the Demon with layers of frigid magic; but it resisted our spells. Again we attacked, small wounds began to appear on the Demon, staining it's white fur red with its blood. Prove that it was mortal and could be slain. Hatch was it nexts victim and was bitten across the shoulder. The veteran warrior refused to yield to his wound. Once more Lindale was there to revitalize our warriors to keep them in the fight. Seeing as how it had resisted my spells, I turned to blessed iron and steel to battle the beast. Specially made Demon Dagger's that ride upon the wind itself."

Rufus demonstrates the Demon Dagger double throw for the gathered audience. As he continues, "The Demon bleeding from a dozen wounds and parts if it's fur frozen stiff from arcane attacks was slowing down; but not defeated. Still the battle raged until the final instant. The Demon was skewered by Brocc's spear, hacked by Hatch's axe, blasted by Banzo's icy attack, slashed by the my hungrily circling daggers, and Lindale smashed a stone blessed by the very earth itself in response to the Demon's profane defilement of this cave. As these attacks struck in the final instant the Demon's roar faded to a gurgle and it was no more."

"Seems like this is a magical axe that gives you extra health while you are bonded with it."  Brocc says, nodding to the axe.  He glances around.  "Who would like it?"

Lindale finally joined the circle - no to drink that "stuff" but to listen Rufus's story (it sounded way more poetic than it felt during the fight). "Both things sounds to be useful for the one, who is going to hit monsters himself in close distance. Like any of you?" To be honest, pretty rocks impressed her more that these magical items (and even that mostly for color).

"I would like the axe if that be fine with everyone. Only weapons I use are axes," Hatch said, nodding at the axes strapped to him.

"Fine by me." Brocc agrees.  He glances to the others.  "Anyone object to Hatch having the axe?"

( +1 Inspiration for Rufus.)

<Nice!>

Rufus says to Brocc and the others, "Hatch makes sense for the Ax and we will all benefit from his usage of it. The necklace is useful for anyone. Possible someone who would be scouting or exploring dangerous areas?"

"If absolutely no one else wants it I'll take it, but I think that's a bit too greedy. If you want my genuine advice, I'd like to see Brocc wearing the necklace. As the two who'll be doing the up close fighting, if some poison spewing beast takes me out it'd be nice if he were unaffected enough to drag me back out of harm's way," Hatch said, offering his two bits. Whatever they would decide, he'd spend the next hour attuning to his new magic axe before setting up for a nice long rest.

"I don't mind taking the necklace, but have to warn you that some of my own tinkering requires me to bond with the items I create, so I might not be able to wear the necklace for too long."  Brocc says with a shrug.  "I'd wear it for now though, if that is what the group wants."

As the companions rested the hillfolk laid their dead to rest, huge piles of fragrant shrubs were taken into the cave and then a group of old men and women entered the cave and remained there quietly for some time.

They set fire to the shrubs and the cave and air was filled with the scents of burning eucalyptus and pepperberry, the old people emerged some time later covered in ash.

" We have sent on the spirits of Kavik and Linil, sons of the Yarrow.  We have sent on Juin and Kiru and Klitil, daughters of Sparkstone. We have sent on Juloon, Kirndi and Nisku, daughters of Fishtrap. We have sent on four sons of the Heron Clan who would not speak with us and two daughters and three sons of the Badger People who have gone to their own lands now."

They shuffled out and started tucking into the moonshine, woven baskets of food were placed in front of the companions: earthen pots of bean and mushroom stew, haunches of venison and roasted squirrels, stewed greens and small balls of honey and nuts.

An invitation was extended to spend the night here with the hillfolk.

Banzo was an object of wonder for the remaining children, as were the gnomes.  Hatch received a number of somewhat worried but still interested glances from a number of the hillfolk as did Lindale, though there was less trepidation in the looks she got.

The hillfolk seemed to have trouble treating the gnomes as adults, though they were obviously trying, it seemed they just weren't very used to interacting with small folk.  Though as the drinking wore on some of them seemed willing to give it a try.....whatever it may be.

OOC:

You can safely spend the night or set off back to town after your rest, it will mean some travel during the hours of darkness but you should get home near midnight/early hours of the morning.

(I vote long rest to heal up before we go to town, just in case we run into a fight with something)

"Do not think we can just leave," agreed Lindale, "it would clearly disappoint our hosts". The tribe made their peace with horrors of the cave and Lindale did not want to look weaker than those, who actually suffered from the monster. So she tried to be calm and confident (at least outside). "Let's stay here for a night."