Chapter 3: Ship people meet woods people

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Jul 6, 2022 2:52 pm
"Melianne, I am glad to help. I do not believe in murdering helpless prisoners. But keep in mind he will tear our throats out if given a chance." Krenmuth binds the gnolls arms and legs before helping remove the log. "Perhaps the great Tree will know what to do with him."
Jul 6, 2022 9:27 pm
With combined strength you lift the log and drag the gnoll out from under it. Its legs seem to be severely damaged. It barks at you but you can see that it just tries to appear tough, currently it doesn't seem to be threat.
Carric and Drusilia join you.
Seems like you've decided to show mercy. So be it. At least for now. We will bind the beast and bring it to the cove. Maybe it can at least provide us with some information on the Green Triskel Clan. Carric says, waves his hands and conjures some vines that bind the beast's arms and snout.

You retreat back to the cove under the old tree. The gnoll is placed in a wooden cage
An owl brings news to Drusilia that the rangers of the clan were able to disperse the rest of the attackers.
She bows her head Unnecessary bloodshed, but the Green Triskels wanted it that way. Nevertheless, I invite you to spend the night here, Tomorrow you can tell your leader that you've found new friends in the Owl Claw Clan. We will cooperate with you as long as you respect nature around your dig site. Whatever happens in your dig site is nothing our spirits can touch.
If you want to contact us you can always rely on the owls as reliable messengers

She guides you to a place where bedrolls made out of plant fibers lie. The area is surprisingly warm even though no fire is burning here.
OOC:
If there is anything you want to do in the cove you can do so. Else I'd proceed us to your arrival at the camp on the next day
Jul 7, 2022 6:12 am
"Are you sure your grove will be safe now? These 'Green Triskels' - that can't have been the full extent of their forces."
Jul 7, 2022 5:25 pm
OOC:
Aravel will identify his magic ring during the Long Rest.
Jul 8, 2022 1:07 am
As the rush of adrenaline leaves and the after-battle exhaustion settles over her, Melianne's thoughts once again return to what was bothering her before the attack - the fate of their camp. And then the comment of Krenmuth brings forth a briefly forgotten vision which the Tree showed her, and the dancer slows her steps; she pulls away from the group while Annika is talking to Drusilia and pauses to look back at the massive tree, frowning.

Then, her mind made up, she quickly glances around for the closest druid she can find aside from Drusilia - preferrably someone who doesn't look important. - before sliding into their personal space and batting her eyelashes at them. "Excuse me, would you please be so kind as to assist me with something? A bit earlier your great Tree had showed me something, but I'm having trouble understanding its message; surely not a problem for yourself!" She smiles charmingly, though her worries shine through her tone. "Would you happen to know anything about, how I put it, a man who wears a brown suit? Or something like... three petals?"
OOC:
Persuasion roll, just in case something is amiss. :P
Last edited July 8, 2022 1:09 am

Rolls

Persuasion - (1d20+4)

(16) + 4 = 20

Jul 8, 2022 6:32 am
OOC:
Between available healing spells and rests, can we assume everyone is healed up by morning?
Krenmuth offers to use his Mending cantrip to fix the broken objects of anyone in the Owl Claw Clan or the party. He also asks the people if they've been troubled by undead, particularly skeletons, in this part of the woods.
Jul 8, 2022 2:24 pm
Annika gratefully accepts Krenmuth's assistance in mending her clothes.
Jul 8, 2022 9:30 pm
kadeton says:
"Are you sure your grove will be safe now? These
'Green Triskels' - that can't have been the full extent of their
forces."
Drusilia slowly nods at Annika's concerns.
It's true that this was probably only a fraction of their force.
Nevertheless they live near the untamed mountains and can't afford to field large armies without risking to be invaded by neighboring tribes.
Also winter is coming and long marches in the winter are usually not a good idea. We may find some scouts or stragglers but I think that we probably fended off their main force in these lands.

She looks in the direction where the battle took place.
Unnecessary bloodshed. But it is in the nature of the Green Triskels to solve conflicts by force and so it happened. At least the bodies will provide nutrition to the land...
Melianne meanwhile found a druid who is currently weaving some vines. A rather old human in the same green robes that everyone is wearing.
He takes a step back, tilts his head and has a strict look on his face as she asks her question. After a few seconds he seems to have considered her question and answers in a coarse voice.
Oh young one... Well the Old Man Tree showed you something and someone in a brown suit appeared in your vision. Hmmm who could it be...? I think it's someone who wants to hide in plain sight he says
in a slightly joking manner before pointing at the big tree in the center.
Old man tree is a bit of a jester. Likes to insert himself into the stories he tells. I always saw him as a bear in brown robes.
As for the three petals... Let me show you something

he beckons her to follow him deeper into the cove. After a few minutes he finally points at some stones on the ground. One of them has faint carvings that resemble three petals that are pointing at a center point.
Stories are that the whole region was dominated by elven kingdoms.
And the three petals were the crest of the kingdom that occupied the area from your camp all the way to the mountains. The trees still whisper that there was one their cities, beneath the ruins you are digging up.

I hope this helps, young one. he says before he turns on his heels and slowly walks back to the center of the cove.
Some of the inhabitants of the cove take Krenmuth up on the offer to mends their belongings and he repairs some trinkets, bowls and other small items.
Carric rips out a bushel of grass , forms it into a ring and hands it to Krenmuth.
Thank you for your service. The spirits of the grove will help you heal
He says and leaves again
OOC:

The grass ring allows Krenmuth to cast 'Cure Wounds' once as a bonus action without requiring a spellslot. After that the ring expended

Aravel meanwhile studies his ring and finds out that it is a ring of jumping
[ +- ] Ring of jumping"
Jul 8, 2022 10:38 pm
"Your Tree is a rather handsome trickster then, I must say!" Melianne giggles in amusement, glancing at the central tree with a mischievous glint her eyes. She then thanks the old druid, and as he leaves her, turns to stare at the crest of the old civilization.

"Elven kingdoms... Maybe I can speak with Aravel about it later. Or Astrid..." The dancer leans down and absent-mindely traces the carving on the stone with her fingers. "But why should we follow them? And how, if the entire region was this kingdom once?" She looks back at the Tree and jokingly waves her finger at it. "You are a mystery, mister! But thank you."

With that, she goes back to rejoin her companions - mostly Krenmuth, assisting him with healing and mending to the best of her abilities.
OOC:
Ready to switch scenes!
Last edited July 8, 2022 10:38 pm
Jul 13, 2022 6:29 pm
The next day Carric and Drusilia hand you a bunch of berries and a thick stew as a hearty breakfast.
Not much is left to say. We once again thank you. Should we hear any news that could have influence on you we will happily share them with you. I hope you'll do so as well. Carric says before you leave.

The two days of marching back are rather uneventful. The camp looks about the same as when you left it. You enter and want to greet the guards but they just blankly stare into the air.
As you move further into the camp you see that everyone is working but no one is talking to anyone else. Some seem to do ordinary tasks like cooking or fixing tools but most of the people at the camp dig at an area that hasn't been excavated until now. They dig down into the ground and an orderly bucket chain moves the dirt from the pit they've dug to a dump hill further to the west.
You try to make them react to you but calling, waving or touching don't seem to work...

Mysterious things are happening at the camp. Let's get to the bottom of this in the next chapter

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