You concentrate for a moment and the handle magicaly mends back together.

Nyx says, "We should get going. We might run into the druid again and I'd like to be as close to town as possible before that happens."

You do remeber that the room the druid was using was displaying the nightsky on the ceiling, you do not remeber a ‚spotlight‘ in there.

“Let’s get moving, I agree with Nyx.”  Hifu prepares to go -

 Roll me a survival check (i assume you try to recover the coffin)

Hifu survival :  10 

Nyx survival: 11

Gilgin Survival 10

5 2

You collect your belongings and Kravek takes the frozen Moose head and you make your way back to your camping site from two nights ago. You want to mark the border of the illusionary barrier that surrounds the hill and the grave, but no matter how far you get away from the hill, it stays in plain sight. After discussing for a few minutes what may be the reason, you settle that maybe someone broke something that was keeping the barrier up. With the barrier gone you don‘t see a reason to mark the area anymore and you make haste to recover your fallen guide.

After 4 hours of searching you must admit to yourself that while not completly lost, you have no idea where you are now in relation to your former camp. Do you want to keep searching and be stuck in the forrest for another night or do you head straight south to find the road and follow the road back to Lonelywood? (It is dark now and you use the crystal as a magical improvised bullseye lantern, it is around 6pm but you are not sure how long it will take to find the road)

Nyx says, "We should definitely not spend another night out here. It's what got one of us killed in the first place. We can come back tomorrow to try to find his remains"

"I agree, lets head back to town. Besides, we secured Boga's body..."

James nods to Gilgin.

"...and with all the cold, it should be ok until we or someone else can recover it."

Even though James has been keeping up with everyone else, the fatigue from his near death experiences is still evident in his eyes.

"I could really use a good nights sleep in a warm bed."

Hifu agrees, "Let's head south and find the road.  I don't want to spend another night out here.  I could use a big mug of beer and a warm fire myself."  

Gilgin sighs heavily. "Yeah, I could do with a drink. It's been too long out here, and I'm getting the jitters. Hopefully the cold will preserve the body. I'll pray tomorrow, and maybe Dumathoin will light the way with the flames of his forge."

3

To your surprise you are further south and closer to the edge of the forest then you did expect and it only takes you one hour to reach the road. Another 35 minutes later and you reach Lonelywood.

You make your way to Speaker Huddles house where you knock. After a moment the halfling woman opens the door. You see fear, surprise and relief on her face, before it turns serious and slightly angry before she kicks Hifus shin: „Come in you blockheads, you must be frozen stiff after being in that cold for several nights. Make sure to clean your shoes and don‘t mess up my floor.“

Hifu says “Ouch, Nimsey!”  He cleans off his feet.  “We have good news and bad Nimsey.  We did kill the White Moose terrorizing Lonelywood, but .... we lost Boga.  A fiendish Druid cast spells and killed him, we found her hideout in an Elven tomb, but she killed poor Boga and we could not revive him.  We do not have him with us, we secured his body and can go back for him, but we do have the head of the White Moose, I would like to mount it in the tavern if possible, and raise a toast to Boga.  The Druid perhaps blamed us for something, was seeking revenge, I wasn’t clear about that.  She was working with the White Moose I think, we were not able to kill her or bring her in... but we are exhausted.  I’m so glad to see you....”

„Come in come in, close the door and come to the kitchen. Leave the head outside, the frost will keep is fresh. And once we got a hot meal inside of you you can tell me everything slowly.“

She goes to the kitchen, where she puts a pot on and puts some bread and cheese on the table.  At one point her children come running in and start to chase each other around the kitchen before Nimsey can call the oldest to send them out of the room.

She is listening to your story and from time to time she is asking you questions:

1. how did you stay out in the cold for two nights?
2. details of the Elven Tomb?
3. What did the druid say about this revenge thing?
4. What was the relation between the moose and the druid? Was it some kind of familiar or a companion?
5. How did Boga die?
6. Did you find out how they were able to attack the loggers with such a precision?

While you are talking she is putting oats and dried fruits in the pot and after a few minutes everyone of you got a small bowl of hot porridge in front of you.

Hifu smiles and puts his hands around the bowl of hot porridge, breathes it in and takes a good bite.  "Hmm.mmmm.  Delicious.  As to your questions, my companions here were able to fashion an igloo that kept us protected from the snow and cold.  We were attacked by the White Moose and the druid, then tracked them back to this Elvish tomb.  There was a sarcophagus outside, and two inside.  There were phases of the moon on the outer dial, and different positions of the dial, like a moon dial instead of a sun dial, also a number of statues.  Very interesting.  We didn't quite figure that part out.  There were two other doors, we kind of crushed them to get through.  One of them housed the druid and her materials.  Inside the sarcophagus was an elvish body.  When we were fighting the druid and the White Moose, she summoned an ice storm and snow tigers on us, one of the tigers killed Boga.  As she ran away, she shouted at us "May Auril's grace embrace you for what you did to my sister."  Her words still ring in my ears.  I think she was seeking revenge against us.  She was working with the White Moose, it was perhaps under her power somehow, but a companion?  I have no idea how the druid was able to attack the loggers with such precision.  There was some magic there, a mirror, and some moon patterns, perhaps that helped her to track the time of day or place to attack, but I have no idea how.  I hope that helps..."

Hifu stops, and starts scooping in the porridge again.  He pauses to let the others speak and fill in any gaps in the story, but also to eat, with gusto.

James hods along with Hifu's recollection, enjoying the warm porridge. When Hifu stops James adds his own comments.

"We were set upon during the dead of night. Kravek and Boga where on watch and we were lucky only Boga died."

James points to Gilgin,

"Me and Gilgin almost didn't make to through that attack as well and I almost died again when we found the moose the second time."

James gives Gilgin a smile,

"I owe my life to this group a few times over now..."

James takes another spoonful of porridge before continuing.

"In the end the druid got away during our fight with the moose. After another nights rest, the druid still hadn't returned, so what happened to them is still a mystery."

"We've got a mighty White Moose head to mount in Danae Xotal's place.  Hopefully the loggers can get back to work now."  Hifu brings out the bow that was found.  "I'd like to try get a bowstring for this bow, some arrows, and also some arrow shafts for some arrowheads that I found.  Who is around that could help me with that Nimsey?"  Not sure what time of day it is, but imagine it may be time for a long rest, a good sleep to get our energy back.  When that happens, Hifu plans to hold the bow in his hand and see if he dreams about the mysterious elf and any tales they have to tell, and perhaps learn a little about this bow that he is carrying...  

Gilgin grunts affirmations of their stories between shovels of porridge. "Aye, it did be like that. Was a tough one. I got these here artefacts from the tomb." He throws down the silver crescent and the glowing crystal. "Seem familiar to ye? A whole structure, in the middle of them there woods, shoddily put together by elves. I always say, know what you're good at. I never professed to knowing how to write flowery words and all that, and if I ever needed to, I'd track me down an elf or summat. If you need stone done, know that's a dwarf's job. I think we more than deserve these here prizes, so you'll excuse me for not being in the sharing mood, but you recognise anything here? We'll head out at first light to find Boga's body, yer man did a grand job leading us out there, and it's only fair that we take him to Bryn Shander to see if we can get 'im back up and runnin'"