Tynia noticing that the creature fled lowered the bow (if she had in her hand, that is) and glanced around. She shook her head then noticed the newcomer and felt the familiar reticea(sp?) come over her.

She inclined her head silently at the introduction, but said nothing more.

The party reaches the lake shore again when the sun is only minutes from dipping below the horizon. Already the skies in the east are darkened and faint golden glow fills the sky to the west, highlighting high clouds that stream the sky far overhead. The sounds of croaking frogs begin in earnest, and makes it hard for one to imagine getting rest at all with all that noise. But as the night comes on, the weariness of the day sets in. The constant croaking, chirping, and sounds of fish flopping at the surface of the lake become less of an irritation and more of a lulling sound.

A small fire is started near the edge of the lake and behind a large felled trunk of a tree so that it might be hidden from view mostly from anyone along the shores of the lake.

For the moment, things are peaceful...

Once camp was set, Jhaelin rests comfortably on his backside against the fallen tree, marveling at a few very small but colorful shells he sees among the lake shore pebbles. Then, he takes the satchel that Ordil gave his life to get and opened it. Inside is a handful of small tendrils of moss, silvery in texture like coarse hair.

"He got it." Jhaelin says wistfully, "He got what we came for."

Jhaelin pulls the draw on the satchel and places it in his pack before regarding Roxie curiously.

"What is your trade Roxie? An adventurer perhaps?"

While he speaks, he takes a few dried pieces of bear meat from a pouch and chews on it after asking his question. He offers the girl some, holding the pouch out to her.

"Are you from Falcon's Hollow?" he asks before Roxie can answer the first two questions. He knows the answer to that one, of course, having lived there many years. It was a leading question. One designed to determine certain traits of the woman's personality.

Brett is silent through it all. Things had been eventful, to say the least. He didn't say anything but allowed Jhaelin to do all the speaking to the newcomer.

He was just relaxing, to allow any magic to recuperate within him. But he did not relax the shield shell. He had learned his lesson about that.

Roxie stood with her arms crossed over her chest and feet set apart as she looked out from the camp though she had spotted Jhaelin looking at some sort of natural substance. Her lips pursed when he declared it was the prize they sought and for what the man died. Hope it was worth it she thought to herself.

And then came the inevitable questions, which she always answered truthfully. "Adventure is the way of life for a wanderer," she said and leaned down to take the offered strip of meat with a thankful smile. "Nothing pinning me down ... pure freedom to walk down any path I choose." The firelight danced in her eyes as she smiled easily as she took a bite of the meat.

"I don't remember where I was born and mostly I traveled with some entertainers. Things went pear-shaped a few years ago, disputes about who should lead and they pretty much disbanded," she said as she chewed and then swallowed. "I've just travelled around on my own, seeing the world and scraping in enough coin to keep myself fed and clothed ... maybe a pretty bauble now and then."

Karok had labored with the others to gather firewood, make the fire lay, light the fire, and fish but, once all was over, he began to dig a shallow grave just at the edge of the circle of firelight, Ordil's body, which he had dragged along, lay nearby.

"Back to the earth's alright," he was heard to mutter. "But I'm not lettin' that critter eat him. He's not getting that satisfaction!"

As she told her brief background, she watched the dwarf trudging along and couldn't help admiring his determination. He was singed and looked as if he'd had a pretty close call himself and there he was laboring over someone they'd only known a few days. "Excuse me," she said to Jhaelin and tucked the rest of the meat in her mouth, brushing her hands on her backside as she walked over to Karok. "You should be resting but I figure that's not gonna happen until he's at rest. Need a little help?"

Jhaelin laughs inwardly at Karok's own sense of satisfaction at not letting the creature take anything more from them. After that fight, it seems a reasonable thing.

"A shallow grave should suffice to keep the animals from him," Jhaelin says, throwing clumps of dirt from the hole that he loosens with a hand ax taken from Ordil. As they work, Jhaelin explains to Roxie their situation and the importance of Ordil's death. It was certainly not wanted, and in Jhaelin's eyes he had acted with more bravery than the cleric had ever seen in anyone, including himself.

He explains their travels over the last three days without exaggeration. The problems facing Falcon's Hollow and their quest to find the curative reagents that could cure the village.

"We have lost one our group today, and the way I see it, Heironeous has provided and graced us with your presence m'lady Roxie. Do you believe in the Gods and their wisdom? In their influence of every day natural things?"

"Tomorrow, we will seek out another of the reagents for the cure to the black scouring taint. It will be dangerous, that is a fact, but that fact is one every adventurer understands and accepts. Your skill with those daggers, or crossbow would be welcome if you join us."

Jhaelin wasn't sure, but suspected Heironeous may have provided, guided to us, another with skills usually learned by those with less than a moral or law abiding nature. He would watch carefully, but quietly. He also offers a prayer of thanks to the deity.

Karok paused in his labors as the human woman approached. "You should be resting," she said. "but I figure that's not going to happen until he's at rest." ('Got THAT right,' he thought.) "Need a little help?"

He glowered at her from beneath bristling brows, then said: "Nay, I NEED no help... but it is a kindly offer, and I'll take some." He patted Ordil's deceased shoulder. "Our thanks." Then, "I think Ordil would've liked you. 'Fact, he would'a been payin' court to you by now. I think he'd be pleased that you're part of his farewell ta this world."

When Jhaelin came over and joined in with the interment, it was even more affirming. And the simple funeral was good, too. Heironeous seemed like a worthwhile Deity, Karok thought. Now, he, himself, was a dwarf, so Moradin, Clangeddin, Dumathoin and their pantheon served for him, but he thought they'd get on with Heironeous well enough.

As Jhaelin worked to recruit Roxie, Karok put in a quiet, "We divide all treasure by equal shares in this group."

It was something he thought she should know.

Roxie hid the smile as Karok bristled at her a bit, keeping her expression calm and friendly. She also listened intently to Jhaelin as she used the only thing she had to help, one of her daggers, and scooped the dirt with her bare hands not seeming the least bit bothered with getting dirty.

Her mouth twisted into a rueful grin, looking at Jhaelin when he asked her thoughts on gods and such. "I try not to talk about religion and politics," she said with a bit of glint in her eyes. "Don't know enough about either and figure it's best to keep my mouth shut so I don't aggravate though I do tend to think there are hands that guide us now and then."

Karok nabbed her attention again and she chuckled before sighing. "Always a day late and a gold piece short it seems. From the sounds of things, a woman would be lucky to have a man such as Ordil's attentions. Wish I could have met him," came a somewhat wistful reply.

Mulling things over, it seemed they needed someone with her skills though she knew she wasn't the best by far. "I knew something was wrong, making people sick and maybe just taking back some clothing or something will suffice as proof the betrothed are no longer in this world ..."

It wasn't like she had to return the next day after all and it seemed a shame for Ordil to die in vain. "I don't mind splitting things equally," she assured both of them. "So if I can help, I will." And hopefully I won't get myself killed in the process, she thought to herself.

"I just wish we had helped Ordil sooner, for him to die in such a manner," Brett muttered, then glanced at the woman with a look that almost bordered on suspicion. He shook his head, realizing where his thoughts were going. He would wait and see. "Well, we should do what we can, in honor of Ordil's sacrifice."

The night passes uneventfully and morning arrives. It is about a hand before new sun and the birds have begun their morning calls. The air is filled with the chirps, tweets, and shrill calls of a variety of forest avians. Even a loon can be heard calling from way across the lake.

The sky is slightly overcast, the temperature mild, and the air without breeze. The first thing one might notice is the lack of dew on the leaves and grasses, a sure fire hint that the day will be another scorcher.

The fire is stoked back to life as the party rouses from sleep.

As the party gathered for breakfast, Karok spoke, purportedly to Jhaelin, but his occasional glance included the rest of the party, tacitly inviting input.

"I've been thinkin'," he said. "We know, now, that we've got enemies, and at least some of them are the same as the ones who want to trouble the town. I mean the sickness is working for them, and now we're gathering the stuff to cure the sickness, and we're in danger, and that's okay, but what about Laurel? We need her to mix the stuff up, but some of our enemies will know that, too."

"Should we come up with some way of seein' that she's protected?"

Jhaelin sits cross-legged on the ground against the fallen trunk of a tree, studying through a religious tome. It is a book of prayers and also contains a treatise first aid and healing. His eyes dart over to Karok when the dwarf asks his question. He had genuinely not thought of that. Is she in trouble, he questions thoughtfully. She had always been able to take care of herself and he had never questioned it. She is the older sister and had always taken care of what ever needed done. She is so strong willed.

"You're right Karok. If those behind this would send a message to us through Ordil, they would surely take some action against Laruel if they find out she is behind our quest. And, and we have not exactly been quiet about our intentions."

"We could return and check on her, but that would then delay our gathering of the two more reagents needed by at least two days. People will die in that time that might not need to."

Jhaelin mulled their options over in his head. Time was of the essence.

"Laurel will have to take care of herself. She knows what type of people live in Falcon's Hollow. We have to trust she will be alright. I have to trust in Heironeous and His Will."

"That is my take on it. If someone has another idea, I am more than willing to listen."

"Aye," conceded Karok. "I suppose you're right. She'd know the terrain, there, in town, as well as anyone. And I guess she could always ask the Sheriff's help."

"Sorry to have worried you for nothin'."

Roxie rolled up her bedroll as Karok and Jhaelin discussed things and shook her head. So they had enemies and were pressed enough that they couldn't go back and check on this woman ... lovely. "So what two items are you searching for now? And any idea where to find them?" Given she'd just fallen in with them, she was understandably clueless.

Jhaelin put away his tome and readies his pack for travel. He idly wonders what this day will bring them. Yesterday was bad. Very bad, and those events were weighing heavily on his mind.

"Well," Jhaelin says wistfully, "we have to gather two more reagents for a brew that Laurel the herbalist in Falcon's Hollow can put together as a curative for the black scour taint."

"Yesterday, we gathered the rare elder wood moss. Today, we need to get the iron bloom mushrooms, or the pickled rat tail which is some sort of preserved flower root I think. The iron bloom mushrooms may be in an old dwarven monastery nearby. Funny that I have never heard of it and it being so close... and, the pickled root we might get from an ancient hag lives out in these wood. Ulmizila, or something like that, is the great great grand-daughter of the infamous Baba Yaga herself."

Jhaelin pulls a strap tight on his pack and breathes deeply. He was ready.

"Thing is, the hag will want something in return and usually that turns out to be something you don't want to give up."

"We will just have to deal with that when we get to it."

The young cleric turns to Karok and the others. Which will die today, he wonders moodily. Will it be me this time?

"Which first? Monastery or Hag's Hut?"

He unfolds the map Milon made for them and notes that Hag Hollow as marked on the map is a little bit farther than the monastery which is a bit more north and west of their current position. Either will be a push through the forest in temperatures that will only get higher.

"Don't forget to get a fill of water."

"The monastery is closer," Karok noted. "But I take no joy in going there. T'is an evil place which saw the worst of some of my own people."

"Now why would a monastary be an evil place," Tynia would ask of Kurok. Was there something going on there that was not good? Tynia didn't know.

"That's pretty much it," he said. "It began as a good enough place. One given to meditation and work dedicated to our gods. But then the wrong sort slipped in and the humbling of oneself went to humiliation of oneself. Then to flagellation, mortification of the flesh, outright torture..." He opened both blunt fingered hands in a small shrug.

"And if they'd even kept it to themselves, it wouldn't have been so bad-- though bad enough-- but they... um, evangelized for the monastery. Spread out and brought in 'converts'. By force."

"The clerics of Moradin, Berronar, and Clanggedin gathered forces and went to correct the situation. It took a lot more time and blood than it should have. The corpses and undead that had been left behind..." the dwarf shook his head.

"And some that had been in that place never have been found. My people cleansed it as well as they could, but no one wanted it afterwards. It was pronounced anathema. I don't suppose any of my people have been near that old monastery for decades. Not until today."

Roxie stood next to Jhaelin, looking at the map as he did and seemed deep in thought. "Sounds like the hag should be the last stop to me," she mused. "Perhaps one of us can pay the price and the others get the ingredients back for the people." She included herself in the word 'us.' She wasn't all bad though she knew the others were still suspicous of her.

Pouring out the old water, she refilled her waterbag as Karok told the story of the monastery. Cupping her hand, she collected some water to rinse out her mouth and then swallowed some fresh before rising and hitching her pack to a more comfortable position. Normally she would make a quip of some sort but she knew better than to raise a dwarf's ire. "Well you're not going alone so perhaps that and the light of day will help," she offered.

"Perhaps," he replied, heavily. Karok turned away to finish his own packing, then, but was heard to mutter-- seemingly to himself, but loudly enough for everyone to hear-- "The worship of Droskar permeated the abbey. That is one of our vilest gods: that of fruitless, thankless toil. An embodiment of hell."

"We go, today, to Droskar's Crucible."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:12, Tue 15 Nov 2022.

Tynia glanced quickly at Karok in surprise. What made him decide to go to that place. She shuddered inwardly. Not a good place to be, she guessed.

"Why go there?" She asked.

"Where there's dwarves, there is mining and iron. And where there is mining and iron, there may be iron bloom mushrooms."

When everyone is ready, Jhealin will let Karok take lead and point him in the direction of Mt. Droskar which can be seen looming in the background above the canopy of the forest. It is the highest mountain in the region and can be seen from even Falcarragh on a clear day.

Jhaelin falls into step behind Karok and Durwe.

Roxie watched the three strong men take the lead and then looked at Tynia. Tender and tasty without sauce most likely, she thought to herself and took rear guard position. At least she wouldn't be quite as easy to chew on if something tried to sneak up on them ... she hoped.