Against the cult: the Forest Ruin (1.5)

Ogbar and Albertus headed upstairs and carefully began to carry the elderly sleeping Herald out of his room and down the curved staircase. While they were doing that, Joseph took his candle and retraced the party's steps through the ruin, gathering up all the other Pae medallions (mostly just from the ritual room on the top floor). The sleeping Herald already wore a medallion, and Ogbar and Albertus were able to move through the doorway into the Scriptorium as if there was no barrier there. There's a bit of slapstick humor then, as they hadn't prepared what to do with the man once they got him there.

They tried to prop him up in a chair, but the man just slumped over and slowly collapsed off of the furniture. As they tried to wedge him into a corner, Aanbo and Theran extolled the virtue of just leaving him laid out, asleep, on the floor...after all, they both have slept like that, and it's worked for them! Xana took charge and directed some of the burlier members of the party not holding the body - she singled out Aanbo and Kragga - to move some desks around to make a platform. She rather liked the idea of putting four desks together in the center of the room "to display him like a sarcophagus," but Kragga thought it'd be better to set up the desks in the corner "in case of an earthquake" or some other event that might cause the Herald to roll off and hurt himself.

In the end, the party got the sleeping Herald situated to their satisfaction. They gathered again in the front room, took stock of everything (Joseph presented the bunch of medallions he'd collected), and decided that there was nothing left for them to do or to take at this time other than to return to Hochoch to see if the concoction will work on the sleeping boy, Devek.

Theran writes an addition to his note, and the party tries to equip the sleeping Herald with every convenience and resource they can provide: food, water, supplies, tools, torches, a second medallion. Ogbar solemnly lays down one of his javelins. Joseph provides a dagger. The party goes through and closes each of the interior doors, especially the ones in the basement so that no further creatures seeking a warren will easily make their way up onto the ground floor. Joseph inspects the side door and leaves the arrow trap there alone, but his nimble fingers make sure to grab the second silver candlestick from the dining room.

Satisfied that the sleeping Herald is well-provisioned and that the other entrances/exits are secure, the party exits the Forest Ruin and closes the front door solidly behind them. They then set out through the woods in the direction of Hochoch to see if they can awaken Devek and to check in with the rest of the Dungeon Busters.

It is mid-afternoon as the party leaves the Forest Ruin. On the way back, the party discusses whether they should go straight to Hochoch and Devek, or whether to stop by the Jarl farm first, to let the family know that there's been some progress. The obvious point is that the path the party took originally was from the Jarl farm, so some members reason that they should notify the family. "We'll be passing by the farm anyway; it'd be weird not to say hello and let them know how it went." But when asked, Theran and Ogbar each agree that they're confident that they can lead the party back to the road rather than going back to the stream and following it up to the Jarls' place. "Even if there isn't a track, if we head south, we're sure to hit Cecily's Road eventually!" So the party doesn't have to go back the way they came. Nevertheless, some say that the family has a right to know; wouldn't you want to know if there was a chance? But Joseph observes how terrible it would be if the Dungeon Busters get the Jarl family's hopes up, all of them - the parents and all the little kids - accompany the group back to Hochoch, and then something goes wrong or the potion doesn't work. How terrible would that be? How badly would that reflect on the party and, by extension, all of Cecily Raptor's organization? On reflection, the party reluctantly agrees that it's best to have actual good news to report before returning to the Jarl farm.



The way south through the woods is thick with underbrush, but between them Theran and Ogbar find a series of game trails that lead through most of the obstacles. After they cross the stream, the ground noticeably begins to drop, sloping steadily down toward the Rushmoors to the south. There are a few points where they have to scramble down a steep, slippery slope, but working together the party manages to overcome all the more difficult terrain. In the end, they arrive at Cecily's Road in the late afternoon and turn right...heading west back to Hochoch. Within half an hour, they pass by the wagon they borrowed from Rufus, still sitting forlorn by the side of the road. At some point, they'll find the oxen or return with a fresh team to haul the wagon back to the wainwright. Some of the party looks with apprehension into the forest, but none of the Jarl family are there looking for them, and they pass by the turnoff to the farm unnoticed. The party gets a bit glum as twilight falls; some are definitely thinking fondly of the hot meals that Elista has prepared for them previously.

The party trudges on in silence. Ogbar tries to lighten the mood with another account of Olga's beauty, but by the time he's trying to force another simile comparing her hair to the down of yet another bird, Xana interrupts: "Shhh! Did you hear that? I think I heard that owlbear coming back - we'd better be really, really quiet from now on!"



It is two hours after nightfall when the party arrives back across the bridge into Hochoch. Some of the party are tired and want to go straight to the Inn of Eternal Rest, but Albertus, Kragga, and Aanbo all convince the others to go to the Temple of Rao to try the concoction on Devek. Diana is delighted to see the party so soon - it's only been two days since they left - and very pleased at what they found. "A magic sleep that lasts centuries?? Wondrous! I wouldn't know how to approach that, except through prayer to Rao. I'm glad that you've found this recipe. It perhaps seems simple to you? Overly simple?" Kragga cocks his head, narrowing his eyes. "Ah, I see this one has some knowledge of potions and the way spells often work. Complexity is rarely the key, but rather the specific ingredients and the meaning they have for the caster. These simple herbs may have had a special significance for this order, or even just for the believer who crafted the potion in the first place." She catches herself before she continues into a long discourse about the intersections of alchemy, magic, and potioncraft. "But I digress! I've checked this material, and it is not poisonous. Let us pray and then use it on the boy. A little bit at first, just to be sure it's safe, then a bit more...whatever you think is a full dose."

Energized by the prospect of reviving the boy at last, the party crowds into the room where Devek was being watched.

Aanbo takes the bottle of purple paste back from Diana and dribbles a bit of it on Devek's lips. The party waits expectantly, but nothing seems to happen for a minute or more.

Theran is the first to notice that Devek is breathing slightly faster: the rising and falling of the chest is still very slow, but it is barely perceptible now. He locks eyes with Xana, who nods with a smile: she's noticed it, too! "Give him some more - I think it's working!" the druid urges him, and Aanbo upends the bottle so that the purple paste slowly glorps out into Devek's mouth. Over the course of a minute, the boy's color improves, and his breathing quickens until he appears to be simply asleep. He mumbles to himself and rolls over without waking up. Diana beams. "Praise Rao, it worked! I think it worked!" She squeezes Aanbo's shoulder affectionately. "Well done! Well done, all of you!" Then she turns a bit more serious. "Would you all step back for a moment? I'd like to wake him to make sure, but I'd rather he not wake up with so many strangers looking down at him. You don't have to leave, just give him a bit more space." The Priestess of Rao kneels down by the bed as everyone steps back a couple of paces. "Devek?" she calls gently, "Devek, it's time to wake up..."

Devek Jarl's eyes open and he blinks sleepily. "Wha...Diana? Where am I...?" He sits up in alarm. "Oh no! Am I sick??" Diana laughs and hugs him. "No, no, you're fine...and it's all thanks to these kind people. The Dungeon Busters!" The boy goggles at the heroes.

Congratulations! The party has rescued Devek! Each PC gains another 100 XP.
Devek will stay at the temple for another night. Tomorrow you can decide to take Devek back to his family or to follow up with your trainers to advance to level 2.