Adiel nods in agreement, appreciating the cleverness of the plan. He wishes he had a way to communicate with Holly from afar, with some sort of magic. There are forces in the universe that travel so much faster than horse or even bird, and they could convey a message... but harnessing those powers, magical or otherwise, for communication would be an enormous project in itself.

"Well, now that Sunna and Holly have come up with a plan that solves all our immediate problems in one stroke, we just need to go to Reynard."

"But would it be quicker to meet up in Goldenpoint or Gollag?"

Sunna smiles at Holly. "I'd hoped that you'd know of a way."

"I think Gollag might be better, it's further east than Goldenpoint." Sunna says thoughtfully. "And Reynard is of course an option!"

"Mmm, I bet you did cousin", Holly said with a smile to Sunna.

"I think you need to speak with Reynard. He might be able to help. He has already sent you Ragnar, so he seems to know something is going on. Find out what he knows and then return to Volge. I will bring Mord there. We need to speak to the elders of Volge to get us access to the other Elders. I want to try and stop the tribes wasting their time against the enemy armies and I can only do that by attempting to explain things to the Elders. I think my trip out to Tora will potentially help that. If I can't stop them attacking the goblins then I will have their bodies as evidence. If I stop them, then I should have proof the goblins are heading out of our lands. I might even be able to convince Tora now is the time to destroy the remaining goblins left in the woods. I won't know until I get there."

"But for now, I need sleep. I will take the last watch, and will then take off. You all pay a visit to Reynard. I am sure Ros will find it interesting if nothing else. Then back to Volge. I will see you as soon as I can get Mord there." Holly knew what she was intending to do was something she had never done before. She knew she could take on the form of a large bird for quite a while, but she had never attempted to do it for as long as she might need it to last to get to Tora and Mord in a day or so. That challenge would wait for the morning, tonight she would need to consider the words needed to convince Tora.

"Ok, we meet in Volge then. And first to Reynard. Do you need some ideas as to how to convince Tora? I think I could write something down before your watch." Sunna searches her pack for some paper and a pen. "We could even ask for a meeting with the Elders in Volge before you are there, explain things to them, until you get there with Mord, too."

"It sounded as if Tora wanted to gather some more information first", Ros says thoughtfully, "she was rather upset that she had no idea what the goblins are up to and how they were able to avoid notice with such a big army. I doubt that she will just rush into a fight. But I don't think that she will just watch them for a long while, either."

"As far as we know they are headed north, far north. So our warriors will just have to watch them - and wait - until they are out of our lands. And think of a strategy what to do while the goblins are away." Sunna looks at Holly. "There has to be something we could do here.

"Some would say we burn their forest down around what is left, so they don't have a home to come back to, assuming they come back. I cannot condone that, but we might be able to inflict enough damage on them and their spawning grounds. If they succeed in what they plan I don't think it will make much difference what the tribes do here, but I'd rather give them something worthwhile to do back here, or Tora and others might take it into their heads to follow the army." Holly said, wondering whether the burning of the forest would change the balance so much. Shaking her head, Holly could find no justification to convince herself, so let the thought slip back into her mind.

"Write your suggestions Sunna, and I will take them with me. If Tora is waiting, I will likely find a fertile ground for what we need to do. It galls me as a Triplefang not to punish them for their trespass, but I fear we would lose too much in taking them on. That, and we don't know where any other enemies might be lerking. Sunna, I think you need to tell Ros the full story. We may need her help at some point, and I'd rather her know what we are looking at."

Sunna, please write the gist of your note either here or in a PM, and make a diplomacy check.  Make sure to apply your new level, skills, and increased CHR to the roll.

Taking to the skies is an excellent option.  Not only is the eagle fast (80 move) but you're not hampered by the poor ground conditions.  Even better, you can find Tora's warband more easily from the skies.  According to the rules an 80 move animal can cover 64 miles per day.  You expect to find them in two days if there are no complications.

Two days is also how long it takes the party to reach Crim.  There they pick up some news.  Only a smattering of the reserve warriors are left at the barracks in Crim.  Tora took most of them with her, which is unprecedented.  Stories of the size of the goblin army are even more staggering than Ros led you to believe, although there might be some exaggeration.  Scores of hundreds of goblins!  It doesn't sound like Tora really has any sort of chance.  Luckily she's smart enough not to attack them head on.

Evidently a message has been sent by hawk to Volge.  No one is sure of the exact wording, but it was to alert Heinrich of the goblin army's march and asking him to muster an army of at least 100 warriors with as many archers as possible and put Adiel in charge of it.  Tora suggests they head east to Gollag and south to slow the goblins until her warband can rendezvous with them.  They are surprised to see Adiel here at all, and saddened that he doesn't have an army with him, just 3 friends.

Scottfard is still in town.  He's not very talkative, but wants to come with you to see Reynard.  Glumr went with Tora to fight the goblins.

Holly woke the next morning and prepared herself for the next days. The morning watch was one she enjoyed, spending some time preparing her spells for the day, and spending time with Moonlight. With the others set off for Crim, Holly secured the Dun's riding gear so it wouldn't get trapped in its travels with Moonlight who Holly had instructed to head towards Volge and the tree there.

With minimum of kit that would transform with her, Holly looked to the morning and became an Eagle. Beating her wings hard to move, Holly set her sights on the far distant east and moved that way whilst gaining height in the thermals that were beginning to rise with the day.

When she felt the strain of maintaining her form after spending hours in the sky, Holly came down to eat and prepare the next transformation. Checking the position of the sun, Holly was sure she had spent a good seven hours in the air which was something she had never done before. After the rest, Holly takes to the air again and this time takes more awareness of her surroundings and what lay ahead. Holly feels the need to get to Tora and Mord quickly and contemplates flying into the night, perhaps in the form of an owl to make up more time, but decides she needs the rest and as darkness begins to fall she tries to make out a good location for her to rest the night. Specifically looking for an expanse of thicket of holly to protect her whilst she slept, Holly kept up the watching of the ground below her.

Sunna writes down what she knows of Yggdrasil - all the legends she has heard of. She suggests to wait and watch the goblins, maybe prepare bridges to slow them down without being noticed, but to avoid a direct conflict. They will need every Triplefang for the days to come, to find out what's really going on. She suggests that Holly should mention possible plans of the three armies, maybe Tora can find out about the other two, especially the unknown one, instead of marching against the goblins?

OOC: rolled a 15 for diplomacy (CHR + skill + bonus from sense motive)

On the way Sunna explains the whole story to both Ros, adding her thoughts about possible plans of the three armies as well.

Sunna asks around in Crim if anyone has word of more strange things going on. She has heard of another army moving somewhere but wants to know if it's only rumors or someone exaggerating the goblins even more. And if anyone has an idea how the goblins managed to sneak such a big army almost into Triplefang lands.

Adiel winces at the term "scores of hundreds". He hopes against hope that the number is accurate, not just the biggest army size the counters and messengers could wrap their heads around. He does attempt to help Sunna with the note, not matching her natural talent but offering some reminders of formal persuasive technique.

21:37, Today: Adiel rolled 19 using 1d20+8.  Diplomacy (Aid Another).

Afterward, he is rather silent as they prepare to meet with Reynard, feeling foolish. He had thought he understood, the goblins' preparations for war. He assumed they were preparing to attack the clan lands. But they seem to have their sights on something greater, something he doesn't even understand properly. He doesn't like feeling so ignorant.

"Tora mentioned that we are outnumbered 10:1, even counting the reserves", Ros explains quietly to the group, "and even she was not certain if that is entirely correct."

"What could the goblins want that is better, from their point of view, than getting rid of us?" she asks, frowning.

She is looking forward to meeting Reynard. But those knowing her a bit better notice that she's also nervous, not only because of the meeting but with the big things going on.

"And who had the idea of working together with them?" Ragnar adds while counting his arrows. He shakes his head.

Sunna, Adiel, Ros, Ragnar, and Scottfard set off to talk to their mysterious talking fox benefactor.  Although it is strangely hidden in a valley in the woods, they have no trouble finding Reynard's cottage.  Several knocks on the door and an overabundance of patience yield no results.  Either the fox is not home or not answering.  Eventually the party's stares fall on Ragnar.

"What's everyone lookin' at me for?" Ragnar asks, but the answer dawns on him as soon as he asks.  "Oh right.  Find the fox."

The hunter circles the cottage a few times poking at snow, mud, old sticks, and mats of long fallen decaying leaves.  He determines a set of tracks to be the freshest of many old sets and leads the party along it.  Adiel and Sunna notice that Ragnar's tracking techniques vary wildly from Glumr's, but you accept whatever works.

For more than an hour, but less that two Ragnar leads you through the wet, cold woods.  Scottfard summons up a calm, pleasant song that fits well with the spirit of the forest and makes your travels more pleasant.  It even seems to help Ragnar focus.

"And here we are," he says.  "End of the line."

Everyone looks around.  You're still in the woods, but Reynard is nowhere to be seen, heard, or smelled.

"Tracks just end here.  See?"

On close examination you can tell he's right.

"Did he hop into a tree?  Do foxes even *do* that?" asks Ros.

Ragnar shrugs.  "This is something about our fox friend.  He does this.  He's not so easy to follow.  Does he fly or float?  Does he turn into a ghost fox, or just disappear and reappear someplace else?  Dunno."

"So what do we do?"

"Well, we can wait here, or someplace else for him to reappear."

You decide to go back to the cottage and wait for him inside where you'll be sheltered and can start a fire.  This time you knock at the door more as a formality before entering than to see if Reynard is there, but to your surprise this time the fox answers, slipping out the special wooden flap you had made for him at the base of the door.

"Oh hello Ragnar, I see you found The Legends.  Half of them, at least.  Aren't you missing The Strong and The Wise?" says the fox in perfect if accented clan tongue.

Ragnar blushes. "Yeah, well... Uhm. Holly went to fetch Mord, because Mord is out to find a big goblin army, you see... uhm..." He looks around for help.

"There are strange things going on", Sunna says, "I think you might have noticed. There's a big goblin army to the east walking north and two others, one undead, one unknown yet, with probably the same destination: the World Tree. And we wondered if you might have an idea as to how we can get there, preferably before the armies get there.
There's no use in trying to fight them ,there are too many of them."

You enter the cottage.   The fireplace is already burning warmly, bathing the sparse interior of the cottage in a welcoming glow.  There are now a couple of mismatched chairs facing the fireplace now.  One is built around a sizable wooden box with a padded seat, low arm rests and a partially reclined back.  The other looks like it belongs at a table in a school or church.  it has no arms and a high back with what might be a starburst or rough symbol of Pelor carved out of the top part of the chair's wooden back.  Ragnar walks over and slumps into the padded chair.  Renard sits on his haunches between Ragnar and the fireplace.  He nods at Ragnar's explanation of where Holly and Mord are.


"Two armies of Undead," the fox corrects Sunna.  "But they are more different than alike.  One very strong, one less so.  One born of blood and an immortal curse, the other born of dance and music, a haunting melody, percussion of dry bones."

"The Journey to Yggdrasil is an important step for you.  Maybe someday you will take me there.  There are so many paths to The Tree of Life.  You could say it's at the very center of all things.  Yet the gods put men and goblins far away from the tree - a distance to match their fleeting mortality.  I'm sure you have ideas of your own on how to get there.  Why don't you suggest methods of getting to Yggdrasil?   I will give you advice and warnings about your potential travels."

Before you can get down to business Reynard speaks up again.

"Do you happen to have any of those violet berries that grow in the winter near the big river that splits your land?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:12, Tue 26 Feb 2019.

Adiel bows respectfully as the fox greets them. He is silent for a moment, not sure how to address the strange being, and then decides to try a title that fits the legends... if Reynard is who and what he suspects. "Father Reynard, it's an honor as always. I... hadn't thought much about how to reach the tree, other than marching north by land. I don't think we have a way to travel by air, and going by sea is impossible."

He ponders Reynard's question about the violet berries, thinking about what sorts of plants grow near the Ventach River. He remembers the area well, smiling slightly at the memory of the first time he saw the river. It had seemed so massive, to a child's eyes! And the beautiful Goldenpoint bridge... it had proved to him that the human mind could conquer anything.

08:48, Today: Adiel rolled 27 using 1d20+16.  Knowledge (Geography).
08:50, Today: Adiel rolled 30 using 1d20+10.  Knowledge (Nature).

Am I right to assume the rolls were about the berries?

The winter berries are common around Silvergate, Volge, and Goldenpoint.  They are tart, not as sweet as many berries, but they don't need to be.  The mere fact that they are available in winter when few other food sources are gets them consumed and the seeds spread by animal feces.  Children eat them and they are used as bait in animal traps.  Adiel contemplates Reynard asking after them.  It speaks to fox instinct to eat the winter berries for survival.  The harper knows Reynard is not lacking in food supply.  That he has a taste for them mean that the fox has either been a good ways north of Crim or someone brought the berries to Crim where Reynard could snatch them.  Both likely.

He also knows that the plant would do just fine near Crim if a small batch were planted outside the forest.  It doesn't require the river or the geography around the Ventach to thrive.

They aren't very tasty, and there's plenty else to eat, so none of you happen to have any of the violet winter berries with you.


Reynard tilts his head when you say that you hadn't though about how to get there.

"Yes, you could walk there.  It's a very long way and will take you months.  Can you catch up to the three armies by the time they reach Yggrasil?  They have a sizable head start and you haven't even gathered The Legends together yet.  Tell me this.  Why do you think they are bringing armies to the tree?"

Sunna frowns when she hears about two undead armies. "Make men dance from death to dawn", she murmurs while she feels a shudder creeping up her spine. "Sounds a lot like Kelney Sowell might have something to do with one of the armies..."

"As for how to get to Yggdrasil I wondered... if there might be a way like the strange plates that can carry someone to another place in almost an instant."

"All we have are guesses right now. Maybe they want to destroy the Tree, to force the end of the world to happen."

The fox looks to Sunna and nods.

"There are shortcuts underground.  Geomancy.  With the right plate, or even just the tunnels themselves you could catch up, perhaps even reach The Tree of Life before the three armies.  Save wear on your boots too."

Reynard looks down at his front paws.

"Not that I have such worries."

Reynard shakes his head.

"They are not going all that way to kill the tree.  Few are interested in bringing about the end of all worlds.  No, they are marching their armies all that way for the glory of the God of Unnature.  The armies double as followers - a strange congregation of ghosts and goblins.  Can mana be pulled from a corpse or spirit as it is from a living, breathing believer?  Krammishir will settle for dark negative energy to fuel this anti-miracle."

He settles down, barking softly a couple of time as he gets more comfortable.  Then he continues the talk.

"You've thought of walking above and below ground.  Now use your imagination.  How else could you get to Tree of Life?"

"Geomancy," Adiel repeats, nodding thoughtfully, with great respect for Reynard. "I wonder if Holly knows enough Geomancy, or knows a Druid Geomancer who could help us find a path to the Tree. If not, we could take a ship to Trellor, walk or ride to Lodihelm, and look for a Dwarven practitioner. I suspect our highest chance of finding a Geomancer will be among the Dwarves. With the right tunnels or plates, the legendary journey would be far simpler.

"The trail to Sloss Hinterplatz is likely to be hazardous from the slowly melting snow, at this time of year; otherwise, I'd suggest that as a possible route."

He looks at Reynard, his face paling slightly. "An anti-miracle? Do they plan to elevate the power of unnature somehow?"

Adiel ponders the question of how else to travel to the Tree. There's magical teleportation, extraplanar shortcuts, flight... but he suspects such things might be beyond the abilities of the heroes, at least for now.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 00:38, Sun 17 Dec 2017.

Sunna ponders the question.
„Well, if we are just talking about any possibilities that come to mind: we could fly. If the Tree is connected to other worlds and we could get there, maybe there is even a way by boat.“ She shrugs. „I could spin a story of how to get there in several different ways, but I don‘t know if any of them works.“
This message was last edited by the player at 05:27, Sat 16 Dec 2017.

Adiel nods. "Flying there is possible, if you're a bird, but sailing there isn't. I think it's land-locked, or at least not connected to the ocean by a safe route."

"Oh yes.  They're going to bring a piece of Krammishir into your world.  This benefits the god immensely.  In return the dead gets an ever-living body, the immortal gets divine power, and the goblins get a leader for their war.  It takes a lot to motivate an endeavor of this scale."

The fox talks about these huge boons to evil very plainly, as if they were not alarming at all.  You don't know how he can be so calm about it.

Reynard pops back up to a sitting position at the mention of flying.

"Did you know that some golems can fly?  As amazing as this sounds, a man once hopped onto a golem as it was taking flight and rode it all the way to Yggdrasil.  I do not recommend this method.  Good way to fall to your death."

OOC: This happened (the riding part, not the falling to his death part) when I ran this campaign with my face-to-face group.  It really caught me by surprise, but I rolled with it.  It had a very mythical sound to it.

He adds one more comment before settling back down again.

"Teleporting is the easiest way."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:52, Tue 19 Dec 2017.

"Teleporting?" Adiel asks. "Who, or what, has that kind of magical power?"

"You might be surprised," is all Reynard answers.