Findarion seems to hesitate for a moment before opening up a bit to these strangers with similar distaste for elemental cultists.

"Kidnapping, Mayon, they kidnapped my brother. Messed with the wrong elf, is all I have to say."

"Zora," she finally introduced herself to their new companion, roused from her thoughts. "And kidnapping is a serious problem. she moved forward to defend her group from the hounds.

After several minutes, the hellhounds slink way into the surrounding hills.

Jak watched outside and then leaned back in slowly. "Huh." He scratched his chin. "Suppose we caught a break an' they got bored? Or more like our luck's been goin' an' they're off t'get reinforcements?"

He let out a sigh, figuring it was likely the latter. "A'right. So. Do we go help this person who just showed up chased by hellhounds with a kidnapped siblin' story?" He grinned widely. While his tone was a bit flippant, he sounded ready to go do just that.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:06, Fri 21 Sept 2018.

Findarion's keen eyes follow the hellhounds as they hide in the hills. His face was slowly singing while they had the conversation, losing its cheer.

"Somehow I doubt it is the last we've seen of these... I suppose we should be grateful they got bored quickly." He chuckled dryly.

"Well, it would be quite weird that the elemental cults were NOT connected with each other. Have you searched this place thoroughly?"

I'd like to give this place a good shakedown for clues to whereabouts of the Fire Cult.

Huet clears his throat. "The fire cult hath some sort of a camp to the northeast of here, in the heart of the Sumber Hills. I canst describe its location for you, though you mayhaps find it easily by following the smoke. I willn't accompany you there if you decide to go."

---

Huet describes the distances a bit more precisely, and I've marked its rough location on the The Dessarin Valley map.

"Oh I think they're connected. Given our experience with the knights and the earth priests I think they're all at war with each other. "

She watched the hounds go with a frown. "It's probably best to chase them down, deal with them alone before they show up when we're engaged with something else, no?"

Jak gave a shrug and nodded at Zora. "Sure! Why not? My day's free thus far." He winked at Morg, "So many cultists, so little time." He let out a chuckle and then stopped suddenly, looking back at Zora.

"Aw, do we have to?" He let out a sigh. "Bleh. Fine. Do we have someone good at trackin'?"

"Some good news at last, thank you!" Findarion nods at Huet. "Who would you be, sir?"

He turns towards the window, watching the surrounding hills. "I am not the best at tracking, but I'm fairly good at spotting." He winks at the sprite.

"I'm not fast enough to catch the hounds" Morg says, and looking at Jak, "and I'd rather not fall off some flying thing; but I'd like to go east anyway towards this air cult temple to look for any remaining delegation hostages."

"So, a thoro search here, then east to the smokey camp, and farther east to the air temple?"

Huet bows formally to Findarion. "I am Huet, Feathergale Knight and acquaintance of this band of - cult hunters." His cultured voice takes on an edge as he pronounces the word 'cult'.

"Master dwarf, a slight correction to your geography," Huet says carefully to Morg, sketching an invisible map into the flagstones of the entrance hall with his sword tip. "The nearest entrance to the Temple of Howling Hatred lyeth on the far side of the Sighing Valley just below us, thus." He taps an imaginary point not far from his indication of the location of the Spire. "Though I have not visited the temple, I understandeth that the stair down to it lies in Knifepoint Gully, from whence the Lost River originates. I advise you again to steer clear of the Temple - Aerisi Kalinoth is not said to suffer intruders gladly."

"The camp with fire cultists is beyond the Sighing Valley, in the heart of the Sumber Hills." He moves the tip of his sword a couple of flagstones to his right.

---

It's a little confusing, but the Sighing Valley is the steep-sided misty location where Feathergale Spire is located, and where you are now. It lies within the Sumber Hills region, which is much larger.

See maps of Feathergale Spire & Sighing Valley and The Dessarin Valley for reference to locations.

Hope that helps!

"The camp seems to be our best bet. If  nothing else it's close and on the way to anything else that we may have planned." Mayon remarks with a nod.

Jak listened to Huet and gave a nod. That seemed to make sense. He tilted his head to Morg and  glanced at Mayon and shrugged but with a grin. "That sounds best. Fire cult camp it is. Hmm, Fire Cult Camp. Try sayin' that 3 times fast."

He then lit up. "I'll catch up!" He took off upstairs at a run, heading to grab his stuff but then angling to get Sharpwind ready to go. "Hey there girl! Ready to stretch your legs and wings?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:58, Sun 23 Sept 2018.

"I see your point," she smiled and looked down at Morg's short legs. "Perhaps running down hell hounds isn't in our future, with your gait and my heavy armor. Let's head to the camp. Lead on, friend dwarf!"

Lowering the drawbridge, the group crosses the short gap to the far side, then starts heading into the heart of the Sumber Hills, skirting the edge of the misty Sighing Valley. After several miles Huet and Asano announce that they are leaving the group to pursue Savra, who disappeared from the tower the day before, after her rescue.

Farewells exchanged, the remainder of the party continues nearly due east, struggling through the rough hills of the region. A cool breeze rises in the air, and clouds roll in as the group trudges along. The temperature drops, and a light drizzle turns the footing slippery. Still, the group makes steady progress.

Difficult as it is to tell the time of day through the clouds above, the party estimates it as early afternoon when they first become aware of a smoky odor. As they move forward, the misty air thickens with smoke. After some time a tall hill becomes visible in the distance.

Visible through the haze that covers the hill is a square tower ringed by ruined walls. In front of the tower burns a bonfire shaped like a fiery giant. Scattered on the slope below the tower are seven bonfires with tents clustered around them. Humanoid figures huddle near these closer fires. A trail leads up to these hillside encampments.

---

This whole area is lightly obscured. In a lightly obscured area, such as dim light, patchy fog, or moderate foliage, creatures have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Exception: if you have darkvision you can see up to 60' away as if it were bright light.

"Well, well. This is it." Findarion takes a comfortable position and peers through the dim environments.

"How do you usually approach... things? I prefer stealth."

Findarion is looking for a way to the tower, any section of the ruined walls that would be easy to climb?

A path between the scattered encampments that would give him an opportunity to approach stealthily?

Peering through the haze, Findarion can see rough paths through the rocky terrain between the various campfires on this side of the hillside. The camps are dispersed around various places below the tower at the top of the hill, all with a good view of the giant bonfire.

Though the terrain is rough, the slopes farther away from the camps do seem gradual enough to climb, though there is precious little cover aside from the smoky air. The backside of the hillside isn't visible from the party's present location.

The tower itself is ringed with walls in various stages of disrepair.

---

Map updated - see maps thread or here: Fire Camp. It's a little small at the moment, but should give you a high-level visual of the hillside. Don't worry if you can't see the coordinates; if it becomes relevant I'll post a zoomed-in version.




This message was last edited by the GM at 23:29, Tue 25 Sept 2018.

"Stealth is not really my strong point," Zora grumbled, clanking around in her heavy armor. "Not sure there's a much better option. We can go tent by tent, or sneak around to get close to the tower itself. A familiar scouting out ahead might be helpful."

"Should we try to scout out the other side, keeping our distance while watching out for the hellhounds?"

Turning to Findarion, he says "Any chance there's a way to discuss the release of your brother? What's his name, and why was he kidnapped?"

---

10:26, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 2 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 1.  Insight check on Findarion about anything he says about his brother, and the fire cult.

"Agreed. Let's stay far out, I clank like a kitchen at dinner in this armor."

Morg, Findarion has this lovely bridge he'd like to sell you.

"If I had to guess, ransom. But they have not sent any demands yet, as far as I know... And Morg, the last thing I want is to deal with suspicious scoundrels.

My brother's name is Merellien."

Jakrynn flew out on the griffon mount Sharpwind. He stayed aloft and tried to keep an long eyeview out for hellhounds as they traveled. When they approached the fire camp, he swung out wide in a lazy circle around the entire camp to see what was all around it - and if there were any good ways to get in or get to the tower without going through all the tent camps. He stayed a bit back to not only avoid being spotted, but also because there was so much smoke!

Once he'd finished his 'scouting', such as it was, he landed a bit away and bade Sharpwind to stay back from the camp. He didn't want her getting killed or eating any horses the fire camp may have.

He moved quietly up to the party and listened to what they had to say. "Wait, am I the only one good at sneakin'? That seems odd. I mean, we can't fight our way though EVERYTHIN' we come across." He gave a chuckle but then looked at Findarion. "How 'bout you? You stealthy?"

"Yes, like I said it is my preferred approach."

"You boys go have fun, scout out the tower if you like. They're going to hear me coming a mile away, unless I go in naked which kind of defeats the purpose of heavy armor trainin'."

Jak and Findarion circle around the hill warily. They find the back side of the hill to be steep yet climbable. There don't appear to be any fires or creatures on this side of the hill, and no movement is visible.

The light from the bonfire atop the hill casts the ruined walls and the tower in silhouette against the smoky air.

---

There doesn't seem to be anything stopping the group from climbing the backside of the hill. Let me know if that's the way you all want to go, if you want to split up, or do something else.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:57, Fri 28 Sept 2018.