Darklone said:
Rel, if I ever make it to your general area, I'd love to get the adress of that little waterfall thingy you wrote about in General... Sounds grrrreat!
It was indeed great though I'm not sure that waterfall has an actual address. As it was, we were lucky to be able to pick our way across the river without getting our feet wet. My wife is not always the most coordinated person in the world. Anyhow, I'd be more than happy to give you directions if you ever make it stateside.
Until then, you'll have to make do with a Story Hour update:
Where Did Everybody Go?
Marcus quickly ascended the rope into the odd little realm that Lazarius had conjured. He awoke his companions and urged them to come help him search for Speaks, Cathal and Scipio. The group was soon gathered on the muddy ground outside and began to cast about for clues.
Marius was an experienced tracker and he searched the ground for signs of where their companions might have gone. “I see no footprints, but there are some odd markings on the ground over here, as though someone dragged a pile of sticks across the ground. They lead off to the north. What lies in that direction?”
The three Imperials exchanged glances knowing that none of them were in familiar territory. After a moment Lazarius spoke up, “I think that’s the direction of the Dark Wood.” Again they looked at one another as the foreboding name hung in the air. Marcus spoke next, “Well we must try and find them and the day is getting no younger.” He gathered the remainder of his gear and soon the trio was walking north, following the odd trail they hoped would lead to their companions.
---------------------------------------------
It was light. And he was alive. And he hurt.
Speaks leaned over and spat blood from his mouth. He was in the woods somewhere, but where? And where was Scipio?! And Cathal?! He cast about for signs of his companions.
As he rose achingly to his feet, he saw that he’d been propped against a large fallen log and his eyes were suddenly drawn to something on that log. Just a couple feet from where his head had been a moment ago were words carved into the log in a language few understood. It was the same language he had used to carve his markers in the woods for his fellow Druids to someday follow. And the words carved in that language left him cold:
You have caused enough trouble. Abandon that which you seek. There will not be another warning.
Speaks regarded the carving for a few more moments as its ramifications sank into his mind. But practicality took over soon and he realized that he would have to contemplate this further at a later time. He reached into a pouch and drew forth a Goodberry, casually popping it into his mouth. It made him feel a bit better and the sweetness took the taste of blood from his mouth.
He then turned his attention back to the message on the log. He waved his hands in familiar patterns and spoke some words in the same language as the message before him and the wood became like soft clay in his hands. With a bit of effort, he was able to carve the portion of the log away that bore the message and stow it in his satchel. He used another of his spells to heal the worst of the bruises and fractured ribs that he had suffered.
That done, he turned his attention outwards once again and leapt atop the log. A few dozen yards away, he spotted a large prone form that he recognized as Scipio. He fearfully approached his friend, afraid of the condition he may find him in. But the great cat yet lived. He applied more of his healing magic and Scipio’s eyes opened wearily. Speaks scratched him behind the ears lovingly and watched as the Dire Mountain Lion climbed slowly to its feet.
Wordlessly they began to search about for Cathal but the Brigante tribesman was nowhere to be seen. Speaks knew that if he was going to find him that he stood a much better chance from the air. He took the familiar form of an eagle, which made him feel better all by itself, and weaved his way aloft amid the branches of the trees.
As he suspected, he was in the Dark Wood, just a half mile or so within the forest. The rolling hills more sparsely dotted with trees extended off to the south. He dipped back below the treetops and screeched in Scipio’s direction. The cat dutifully followed his master who took to the air once again, his keen eagle eyes scanning the forest for signs of Cathal.
----------------------------------------
Cathal of the Brigantes had faced possible death many times in the past year, but had never come any closer to it than the previous night. He regained consciousness somewhere in the woods and felt as though he had been trampled by a herd of Almani horses. He rose to his feet and quickly reached out a hand to a nearby tree, preventing him from falling back to the ground. His sword came into his hand as he cast about for possible enemies. A moment later he appreciated the fact that he still retained the weapon passed down to him by his father. He wondered why his enemies had not taken it.
He could not tell exactly where he was but he felt it likely that he was in the Dark Wood somewhere from the large trees that surrounded him. It was still morning and so the thin fingers of sunshine that penetrated the trees were coming from the east. That meant south was to his right and presumably in that direction laid his companions. If they still lived. He kept his sword drawn as he limped in that direction.
------------------------------------------------
Below, a human form emerged from the tree line. Speaks screeched and dove downward as Scipio picked his pace up to a trot and traced the path of his friend across the sky. The Druid transformed back to human form as he touched down a short distance from Cathal. “Thank the Wild that you’re alive my friend!”
The tribesman’s demeanor was more grim. “Am I alive? I was beginning to have doubts.” Speaks used what little healing magic he had left and Cathal began to feel as though he might survive after all. The two of them began to try and piece together what had transpired during the night when they were interrupted by a voice calling from a nearby hilltop.
They looked up to see Marcus, Marius and Lazarius trotting in their direction. “What in all the hells happened to the two of you?” called Marius. Speaks and Cathal explained that they were ambushed by some sort of plant creatures while Marcus used some of his magic to tend to their wounds. Speaks concluded his account somberly by saying that their assailants had left a message for him to “abandon that which he sought”.
“Someone wishes us to give up the search for Ilrath and his party?” questioned Cathal. “Perhaps this has more to do with our search for The City of Endless Summer,” Marius responded. “I was unaware that there might be those who would oppose that mission.” There was displeasure evident in the voice of the member of the Imperial Explorers Society.
Lazarius continued the conversation, “These ‘plant beasts’ that attacked you, those sound like the sort of thing I’d expect from the Dark Druids. Do you think that some of their brothers have returned to have revenge for our slaying them and destroying their army of undead?” The question was clearly directed at Speaks who wasn’t quite sure what to say. He had some suspicions as to the identity of those who had attacked them and left the message but he wasn’t sure he wanted to share them at the moment. After a moment’s further thought he responded, “Perhaps. Regardless it may be prudent to try and put some more distance between ourselves and this place. I’m not sure we can avoid this trouble but we might outrun it for a while.”
He explained to the group that he had an enchantment that would transform them all into birds. It would allow them to cover the distance to the Fodor in a day rather than several. While some in the party were reluctant to place themselves so fully at the mercy of the Druid’s magic, they were less willing to place themselves at the possible mercy of the Dark Druids or whoever had ambushed them the previous night. Speaks had some trouble coaxing Scipio to accept the transformation but by using a spell to
Speak directly to the
Animal, he explained his intentions and the cat agreed. Moments later they took to the air and continued west in a small flock overseen by Speaks in eagle form.
NEXT: New Enemies and Old Friends
