Bobble will be very polite but will pass on the bargain.
He has heard many horror stories growing up as a gnome
About the cost of farie bargains.

Yin will suggest the group stays here for a couple of days to nurse Conan back to health.

Yin will be investigating a possible fey bargain for "drowning insurance".
This message was last updated by the GM at 10:39, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

   Makoto breaks down the alternatives; you can
1- stay here for a couple of days camping out while nursing Conan using Yin's heal skill(Treat disease) in place of Conan's For save.  The island is should be safe and the Nereid Queen won't bother you too much.
2- spend a day going back to the gnomes and spending 1 or 2 days there.  Conan would need to make 1 For save on his own and then can be nursed using Yin's heal skill(Treat disease) in place of Conan's For save for 1 or 2 days.
Makoto agrees with Yin, staying here is probably the best idea.  If Bobble will go with her to guide them back to camp, Makoto can easily provide enough food using Survival (remember, Conan is on "light activity" as he is being nursed).  Conan can pray for lesser restoration as a 2nd level to heal his ability damage.
   Conan needs a new animal companion.  If you want a domesticated dog you will need to wait till you get back to either the gnomes or the city where your wagon/horses are.  If you want a wild animal, you could spend an extra day here at the druid circle.  24 uninterrupted hours of prayer is NOT "light activity", so you can't do it while being nursed back to health.

  Fey Bargain CAN end badly, but unlike bargains with demons/devils, you USUALLY aren't risking you immortal soul.  You can also limit how long they last if you are really worried about it.

Extra Feats
Conan - Familiar Bond
While Conan is praying for spells the next time, a Diminutive thrush appears and introduces itself as your guide and life coach.  Your goddess has sent it to advise you.

Bobble/Makoto - Nature Soul
Your perilous journey to protect a druid artifact has awakened a nature part of your soul...or something like that.

Yin - Skill Focus(Knowledge (nature))
For Yin the interactions with the Fey Queen have awakened a hidden fey nature in her ancestry.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:21, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

Bobble is going to claim the magic dagger and masterwork daggers.
He will owe the party items / gold from the next treasure trove, but he
is the only one in the party that can use these items.

A faerie bargain’s terms must be spoken or sung to the mortal in a language the mortal understands, but the mortal need not understand its full ramifications.  It needs to be interpreted to understand, with various skills.

The fey Queen will offer Yin;
Yin;
Payment:
Her "voice/breath"(-2 chr damage - can be healed as normal).
Token:
A magical ice with trapped air bracelet strung on her fey hair that looks like sparkling gems.  The ice/air beads will gradually melt over the course of 2 years. (No Slot).
Benefit:
For the next 2 years, if forced into a drowning situation and conscious, activate the token as an immediate action to use Suspend Drowning on Yin for 2 minutes.  If Drowning and unconscious, it will activate automatically and return you to consciousness.
https://aonprd.com/SpellDispla...e=Suspend%20Drowning
Skills:
Yin uses Perform(sing) and Know(nature) to figure out what the offer is (dc 14).
Hidden Conditions, Escape Clauses and Terms
Bargain will last 2 years max.  Yin takes a –4 penalty on Perception checks and Sense Motive checks against the Fey Queen and it won't work against her drowning attack.  If Yin melts the ice cubes in her mouth the Bargain ends.  If the bracelet is destroyed by magical fire (it is immune to regular fire), Yin can return and get another bracelet.

Yin will accept this deal
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:19, Sun 13 Sept 2020.

Conan owes the party 3550 gp. for the two items he is taking, the +1 natural armor amulet and the +2 mitral chain shirt.

The party camps around on the island for 2 whole days while Conan is nursed back to health.  Makoto and Bobble forage for food.  While foraging Makoto finds 306gp worth of rare flowers and plants.
  The party divides up the loot;
Conan = 3550 in stuff(amulet of natural armor +1 and +2 Mithral Chainshirt) + 1050gp
Bobble = 9151 in stuff(4 mw daggers(small) and Hemzels +1 spell storing, shock(+1d6 electric) dagger (small) ) ; Owes Makoto/Yin 4551gp
Makoto = 1661 in stuff(blue whinnis poison (4 doses), cloak of resistance +1, rare flowers and plants and Wand of Mage armor (2/day; no charges) - fey made, small sized) +794gp + 2145IOU from Bobble
Yin = 2194gp + 2406gpIOU from Bobble

Unclaimed stuff that you can still get with your gp;
 150 potion of barkskin +2 (Cl 3)
 150 potion of bear’s endurance (Cl 3)
 300 potions# for return of a tablet of rare blue stone(chp4/msg 78)
      # = 6 spell levels worth of 1 or 2 level cleric spells up to 3rd caster level (1 2nd spell/3rd CL or 6 1st/1st CL or 2 1st/3rd CL)
 600 brooch of shielding (80 points)

---

The group then heads back to return the Lorestone to the gnomes.  Halfway back you meet a couple of gnomes that were going to the island to look for you.  The are overjoyed that Cyflymder is dead, the Lorestone is intact and you are alive.  You get to the gnome settlement and are thrown a feast.  Hemzel's druid apprentice has just returned from a druid meeting in another "wild" druid circle and will tell you about the hobgoblin druid.

Iktam is an older hobgoblin druid. He has bonded with the earth, not with an animal.  He is known for his scrolls and casting while in wild-shape.  Recent news says that his son was recently caught by humans and executed as a bandit.  Apparently he is on a mission of revenge.
- Earth Domain
- Scribe Scroll feat
- Natural spell feat
- older
It is not a large leap of deduction to realize, 1 of the bandits from Chp3(start in msg 8) was probably his son and he is looking to kill Bobble, Conan and Makoto in revenge.  How did he know about you?  Druids are exceptionally good at gathering information.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:52, Sun 13 Sept 2020.

Yin will take the Brooch of shielding.

Will also help out Makoto in buying some scrolls to put in her familiar.
Detect Relations spell(2nd cleric or witch)
Mark of Blood (2nd)

to buy;
Sleeves of Many Garments
https://aonprd.com/MagicWondro...nalName=Caber%20Twig
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:23, Mon 14 Sept 2020.

Bobble will give his gifts to the gnomes that he brought with.
He will do his best to make a good impression with them.

  The gnome appreciate Bobbles gifts and they fix up Bobbles dog with a masterwork "Military Saddle".    They will give Makoto a set of masterwork tools (to use with her new disable device skill).  They will give Yin a masterwork healers kit.  Conan will get 1 of their trained dogs to bond with, making it his animal companion.  The gnomes are fine hosts.  It seems they weren't quite as rabidly anti-civilization as Hemzul was.  He was their motivating leader and with him gone, they aren't sure what to do now.
  After Conan has bonded with his new animal companion, you head back to the town of Rosehaven.  By the time you get back 10 days will have gone by, hopefully you can pickup your fathers trail.  At least now you have an idea of who is hunting you and why.

If you want to discuss things on the way back you can...

Yin and Makoto will throw out some ideas;
- try using disguise or subterfuge.  Specifically, use Cap of Human Guise to appear as a halfling family or something.
https://aonprd.com/MagicWondro...20of%20Human%20Guise
  The problem being all the groups animals.  Much like stealth (the group is only as stealthy as the least stealthy member), disguise has to disguise everyone and long term disguises are difficult if someone is looking for you.
DM edit; While useful in the short term to get a lead, long term the druid will be able to track you down.
- could you lure him into a trap?
- could you try to broker a peace settlement?

Conan will thank the Gnomes for the dog, profusely since he wasn't expecting it at all and will take the Bear's Endurance and Barkskin +2 (CL 3) potions for 300 gp.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:26, Sat 19 Sept 2020.

Bobble is grateful for the saddle. He will thank the gnomes.
 You may notice that there is a difference in Tucker his riding dog.

Let's first try to make peace with this individual and failing that let's ambush him.   I could leave my growing zoo back at civilization if need be.   Conan opines regarding the Hobgoblin Druid.    But getting him to just talk with us is going to be rough, given that the magic you're proposing isn't very good in the long term.   Replied Conan to the more current discussion.

Yin says, "All we need to do is get him another son.  Find a hot willing young hobgoblin babe who wants to marry a powerful spell caster.  And Amore will take care of all the rest.  Amore, that's elven for love", deep sigh.

Other ideas;
- a 6 pack of hex nails would good idea for everyone.
https://aonprd.com/MagicWondro...FinalName=Hex%20Nail
- a caber twig might be a good idea for everyone to have.
https://aonprd.com/MagicWondro...nalName=Caber%20Twig
- Assuming the hobgoblin druid is evil, protection from evil would be good to get for everyone.
- hobgoblin bane arrows to use on the druid
- tanglefoot bags or stuff for everyone

Shopping List;
Sleeves of Many Garments
6 hex nails
2 caber twigs
2 scroll communal prot evil (4th level so can divide it between 4 targets)
1 scroll of Adhesive Spittle to allow Makoto to put it in her books/familiar

---

The communal scrolls should probably be bought as a group
Most of this stuff Makoto can make for at cost once you get back to town.

Where are we going to find a hot Hobgoblin babe that he'll fall for?   Asked Conan intrigued by the idea.

To Makoto he asks, Just how much is all this stuff going to cost?   He continues, I like the idea of planning for the worst but hoping for the best.    Since I once read somewhere that no plan survives contact with the enemy.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:23, Sat 19 Sept 2020.

  The group does some planning and discussing of things on the way back, but nothing is really settled.  The trip back is uneventful, at least until you get back to town late in the afternoon.  When you are close to the inn/stables where you left your horses and cart you see a young man talking to a group of locals.  6 of the locals start walking quickly towards the inn as the young man starts moving quickly in your direction.  He is NOT walking to you, his destination is past you.  No one seems to be afraid, mostly curious or maybe excited.   Makoto says "That young man is from the stables, Hamilton I think.  No one seems anxious or in a hurry and I don't see smoke or hear anything obvious.  I wonder what's going on?"  As Hamilton passes by she asks "What's going on?"  He stops for a moment, "OH it's you, glad to see you all alive.  After so much time some people thought the forest might have got you.  Well a mist has formed around the well in front of the Inn and strange sounds are coming from it.  The boss thought it might be a good idea to get a cleric who might know about strange and magical stuff.  I'm going to fetch them."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:58, Thu 24 Sept 2020.

Yes Hamilton please get the cleric. We will go investigate the well right away. But what were those men doing?

Bobble will wait briefly for a response then will head to the well with Rebel and the rest of the group.

Hamilton responds to Bobbles question, "They wanted to go look."  Humanoid curiosity at work.

At the statement "Humanoid Curiosity", Conan will retort angrily back before rushing forward towards the Inn's Well before any of his companions can respond back with a comment of their own.    It doesn't matter if you're Human or not we all have the seem curiosity that the Gods gave us.     Aren't you Humanoid as well.

Bobble will try to head off the group of men before they get too close to the well. He is not sure what is going on but it could be dangerous. He is on Tucker so should be able to get ahead of them with Rebel and Conan possibly

Conan, the phrase "Humanoid curiosity at work" was never uttered.  It was ooc stuff.


Bobble can easily get ahead of the 6 men, but as he does so he realizes there are more than just these 6.  The mist and strange noises have attracted a crowd, most of which are already there or are still ahead of him.  What does Bobble (and the rest of the group) do and/or say?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:01, Thu 24 Sept 2020.

Yin casts mage armor as she moves forward.  When she gets there she will declare in a loud voice "We adventurers have returned victorious and the first rounds on me" as she points at a nearby bar.  Then to Bobble, "There we go, crowd cleared."

If the crowd disburses great from Yin's efforts but if not than Conan will try to intimidate them into disbursing by simply yelling in a loud voice, Move,  away from the Well.


OOC:
17: , Today: Conan rolled 27 using 1d20+10.  Intimidate roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:31, Fri 25 Sept 2020.

  I was hoping for a bit more from you, but whatever. I will assume you want to stay together as a group (more or less) and you are about 1 minute away from the map.  It is late in the afternoon after you have been traveling all day.  If you choose to do more actions than I have listed, you will fall behind and arrive on the scene later than the rest of the group.
Yin casts Mage Armor and just moves.
Makoto uses Expeditious Retreat, and because she is moving faster she can then cast
Mage Armor (from the wand), invests Protective Luck in Conan&Bobble and (just before arrival) casts Shield.
Conan may cast 1 spell or use 1 item or activate 1 ability.
Bobble, because he is mounted and can take 10  with Ride:"Guide with Knees", may cast spells/use items/activate abilities up to 6 times.  However,

quote:

The normal take 10 and take 20 rules apply for ability checks. Neither rule applies to concentration checks or caster level checks

so he will need to make a concentration check for each spell he casts of 1d20+6(Caster Level 4 + 2 Chr Mod) vs dc 10 + spell level.  If you fail you lose the spell.


Makoto will also cast some spells as she moves forward.  Because she used Expeditious Retreat she can move once while Conan and Yin move twice, giving her the ability to cast more spells and use more abilities.

Bobble is mounted and can use his actions for other things.

Conan and Yin are both moving as fast as they can while trying to warn the people to stay back.

Once Conan and Bobble pick which spells they will cast or not, you will arrive.