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Newcomers to Oak Glen

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 5:30 pm

"Good." Aeris smiled.

After prestidigitating a few times to get her daggers and robes clean, and gathering things that had been thrown, they started off again.

"I can see why they would want some help patrolling this," Aeris commented as they went. "There certainly does seem to be quite a bit going on here."
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Post by Kara Winters Sat Aug 18, 2018 6:29 pm

"I'm not sure what attracted the those blood suckers, but I'm sure the giant rats were normal rats at one point. It could be the magic here that caused them to grow as big as they were," Reed commented.

It made him wonder what else could be found around the forest, but at this point he wasn't willing to look too closely at it.

"And we've already made it a good distance around," he added realizing that he could see the far off outline of a very large tree.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:58 pm

"Well, good," Zoltan grunted. "Three li'le skirmishes a'ready on this patrol, I don' know aboot ye, bu' I coul' do wi' a bi' of a rest."

Aeris thought about the comment. "I think I'd be good to do something else, at least after something to eat," she decided. "I'd really like to visit a library, actually. Reed, you said the Bard Guild had one for the public?"

She looked at the half-elf expectantly.
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Post by Kara Winters Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:15 pm

"Of course, once we get something to eat when we're back in town," Reed agreed.

Though he wondered if the two were talking about different things. Aeris sounded like she was talking about after they were done patron, and Zoltan seemed to be talking about wanting to take a small rest before finishing their patrol.

"Do you want to rest for an hour once we get up to the lake?" the bard asked the barbarian.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:43 pm

Zoltan opened his mouth to say that it wouldn't be necessary and that he could wait until they reached the town again, but then he thought about it. His chest was smarting somewhat, and they did have a ways to go, and who knew what else awaited them?

"If ye think we've got the time," he said finally, "I wouldn'e say no."
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Post by Kara Winters Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:55 pm

"I think so, it's not like there's a time limit on our task," Reed looked to the sky.

He estimated by the time they were done it might be past noon. They should have brought something other than rations with them out here. Well, they would learn next time.

"Asim said that the area around the lake and tree is clear of creatures, so it should be a safe place to rest."

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:05 pm

"Then I would apprecia' a rest," Zoltan said decisively. "Bu' tha's for when we ge' there. Til then, le's keep a weather eye, eh? We've had enough surprises a'ready."

That was something Aeris really agreed with. She would never have expected this many encounters on a single patrol - but then, she was learning a lot about this area.
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Post by Kara Winters Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:20 pm

The group continued to walk, until they left the forest all together. Eventually they came upon the lake in which they planned to take rest. The lake's crystal waters glimmered in the sunlight. Despite the fact there was a large lake there and such a picturesque scene there was no one else there, not even a person fishing. Directly leading to this lake was the North Road that led to Oak Glen. At the end of the road was a large stone tablet with a carving of a waterfall falling into a still pool of water. At the foot of this tablet was a low stone alter that had broken weapons, a ring with a green stone, and even a simple doll. The single oak tree in the area was massive, like many trees in forest. There seemed to be small mounds surrounding it, and if one looked up into the tree's branches one could see tied to it's limbs more weapons that were broken and rusted as they had been there for so long.

"Wow... this is quite the view..."

Reed turned back to his companions and smiled.

"Shall we sit? Take a bit of a break."

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:40 pm

"Aye," Zoltan said immediately; and without waiting for anything else, he sat on the ground with his back against a tree and closed his eyes, resting well.

Aeris' attention was drawn to the altar-like stone with the items on it. She recalled vaguely that Asim had mentioned something about this place being sacred ground - of Eldath? She assumed then that the symbol on the stone was the goddess's holy symbol. To her knowledge, the goddess was the goddess of peace, and the broken bow seemed to her to symbolize peace, but the ring and the doll puzzled her slightly. How were they symbols of peace?

She looked up into the trees and saw more broken weapons.

"It seems this is an area of worship," she mused quietly.
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Post by Kara Winters Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:46 pm

"It is..." Reed replied as he took out his lute and began to strum out a song.

It was a soothing song that sounded like running water, fitting for a place like this. There was also a hit of magic within the song.

"Unlike other deities, Eldath, the Quite One has no need for temples. Her places of worship are often bodies of water like this one, or if there isn't one, a tree," he nodded over to the Peace Tree, "People come here to give her broken weapons or an item that might have been the origin of an argument or fight. The worshipers that tend to her sacred grounds though are nomadic in nature, that's probably why there aren't any right now."

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:06 pm

Aeris nodded. "I see. So there might be times when there are a number of people here, as well, yes?"

That would be interesting to see, she thought.
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Post by Kara Winters Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:09 pm

"Yea," Reed nodded, "But I don't know a thing about their travel patterns so I can't say when they might arrive. I don't even know if there's more than one group of them around. They generally keep to themselves unless they're needed to mediate an argument or broker a peace treaty."

He knew there had to be at least one group wandering around the country, but he didn't know much more than that.

After the hour was up, Reed put his lute away and the group began the last part of their patrol.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sat Aug 18, 2018 11:21 pm

By the end of the hour, Zoltan was feeling much better and far more ready to continue on. Even Aeris had taken advantage of the time to rest up a bit, though she had felt quite well to begin with.

"Now, no slackin' off jes' because we're on the las' stretch," Zoltan cautioned the young dragonborn. "I's of'en the las' bit where ye star' te feel safe because ye're near finished, an' tha's when somethin' jumps ou' a' ye."

"I'm watching, don't worry," Aeris smiled at Zoltan, amused, as always, at his worry.
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Post by Kara Winters Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:28 pm

Reed was glad that Aeris was still in good spirits after the last attack they had been under. He wasn't quite sure sometimes how she would take the world around her, but she did tend to look at things with rose coloured glasses.

"It probably doesn't help we can see the road," he added.

They weren't odd the road since creatures wouldn't be found there. But through the trees can could see the road to their left and knew they were heading on their way back to town.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:41 pm

Reed's comment puzzled Aeris. "What do you mean, it doesn't help that we can see the road?" she asked him. "Would it be easier if we couldn't?"

Wouldn't seeing the road mean that they could look around them more closely, because they didn't have to focus so much on the actual route?
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Post by Kara Winters Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:46 pm

"I mean, seeing the road gives that impression of safety so you're not as likely to be watchful. Kind of like a beacon of sorts, you're focused on that," Reed explained.

As the group traveled past the trees, they missed the fact that 40 ft above them were two giant wolf spiders that had made their nest in the trees. There was one on the right of the group on a tree 20 ft away and one on the left of the group on a tree about 10 ft away. They were brown creatures with fine hair and a set of fangs they would use to bite their prey.

The spiders, which were the size of a large dog suddenly dropped from their respective trees, having the group in a pincer formation. They hissed at them as they prepared to attack.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:11 pm

Zoltan was on the ball. He hefted his greataxe in his hands and ran to the nearer spider, the one ten feet away.

"Yeeaaarrrghh!" he yelled, swinging his greataxe at the spider. He gave it a powerful overhand swing - but a little too soon, missing the spider entirely as his greataxe buried itself in the ground right in front of the thing. He felt a raging fire burning inside his torso, boiling upwards until he threw his head back and let out a mighty roar.

Aeris gripped her staff and raised it above her head. Invoking an incantation, she sent an icy knife at the more distant spider, hitting it in the torso and burying inside of it. Almost immediately, there was an explosion inside the spider, causing its exoskeleton to burst. Tiny shards of ice buried deeper into the creature, frost growing along its insides. With a shudder, the spider collapsed to the ground, succumbing to the cold. Its legs curled around itself as death took it.
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Post by Kara Winters Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:19 pm

Since Aeris had taken care of the one spider all on her own, Reed rushed over to where the last spider was and stabbed it in the side with his rapier. It hits causing the spider to shriek, and lunge forward at Zoltan as it wanted to attack someone.

The creature bit Zoltan on the arm as if it still remembered that the dwarf had tried to split it in two earlier and was taking revenge for that. However it only managed to instead bite the handle of the axe that was still buried in the ground.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:31 pm

Filled with rage, fire in his eyes, Zoltan yanked his axe from the ground and swung at the spider again. It connected this time, the large blade slicing a few legs from the spider. Still, it was clear that this spider was made of sturdier stuff than the other one, as it was still very much alive.

Aeris didn't want to risk hurting anyone in her group again, so this time she opted to use weapons instead of magic. She threw her two daggers, one after the other. Whoosh! The first one hit the spider in one of its many eyes, making the spider squeal angrily. Whoosh! The second one hit the spider between its head and torso, the tender and vulnerable area. The dagger sunk in quite deep. With another shriek of pain, the spider curled up and stumbled, twitching, to the ground. It was dead.
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Post by Kara Winters Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:34 pm

"Okay..." Reed stared at the giant spiders.

There had been giant rats so why not giant spiders. Weren't they poisonous?

"Well... that's one way to end a trip," he muttered, "At least I hope this is the last group."

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Post by Nara-pyon Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:44 pm

"We're nearly back," Aeris said slowly, peering up the path. "The gate is just there."

The battle over, Zoltan's rage melted away. He wiped away some spittle from the corners of his mouth, the beginnings of what might have grown to a frothing foam, and the fire faded from his eyes.

"Stupid spiders," he growled, heaving his greataxe over his back again.

Aeris plucked her daggers from the spider and prestidigitated them clean, and then the group headed back to the town. They headed to the Lord Protector's house to report on their patrol and to collect their reward.
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Post by Kara Winters Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:48 pm

Asim was in his office speaking with a man with dusky skin and dark brown shoulder length hair done in many braids with gold beads in them. He (Asim) looked like he was ready to have a mild headache, but that could be from the growing amount of paperwork that was on his desk.

The man with him had kind eyes, wore simple tanned traveler's pants, a simple shirt and a red vest. The red vest was the only thing that suggested this man might be of wealth as it was embroidered with a simple design in gold. When the group is shown in by one of the guards they come in, in time to hear the man say in good humour.

"I will remind you, you agreed to this position."
"And I there are days I have regret not just staying in the forest," Asim finished as he took a sip of something that smelled rich and earthly.

It was coffee that he was drinking because he refused to actually drink, even if ale was a common staple among everyone.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:00 pm

Aeris felt a bit awkward walking into a conversation like that, but Zoltan had no such qualms. He strode into the room and cleared his throat.

"A-hum," he said loudly. "Lord Protector, we've returned from our patrol. Took care o' the nest o' stirges while we were out, tae. Reed."

He nodded at the half-elven bard, reminding him about the bit of burned stirge egg in his pack.
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Post by Kara Winters Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:03 pm

"Oh right!" Reed reached into his pack and pulled out the cloth he used to carry the burnt eggs.

He carefully placed it on Asim's desk for him to study. The half-elf leaned over and uncovered the eggs, poking them. They were pretty much burnt to a crisp, nothing was going to hatch out of those.

"Those are Stirge eggs alright, find anything else out there?" Asim asked.
"There was someone near the nest who died, we think from the Stirge," Reed replied and motioned for Zoltan to bring the map, "Zoltan added to the map where we found it."
"An adventurer?" the unknown man asked.
"Not likely, everyone who was sent out came back," Asim murmured.

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Post by Nara-pyon Sun Aug 19, 2018 4:06 pm

Zoltan pulled out the map and unfolded it as he stepped closer to the desk. There, he spread it out for the others to see.

"Here," he pointed at the spot that was marked. "A'most right next te the nest, actually."

"There were some unnaturally large rats and spiders, as well," Aeris spoke up.
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