The town of Lauderosk encroaches into the Droonsmere.  A thickly wooded, sometimes boggy, and often treacherous forest. Lauderosk grew, and survives on it's logging trade, and it supplies many of the local homesteads, and by highways and byways, some of the great Cities themselves.

It is unremarkable, and the people known for being superstitious, and called Droonsfolk by their more civilised neighbours.  However, the tithe has slackened, and with the effects of necroquake still being felt, a formal investigation has been sanctioned. The principle is that a hard boot now might prevent a full scale shortage later.

Your circle is but one of a panoply of official investigators en route to Lauderosk and your task is simple find out what is happening and stop it before the lack of good timber creates dangerous problems among rumours of war.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:43, Sun 07 Feb 2021.

Eris and Nirva had seamlessly joined the ferry headed towards Lauderosk at a stop a few days earlier. Much of the best lodging on board, such as there was, had already been taken up by a Gold Mage called Alberich Veer and his retinue. He rarely stirred from the cabin, but from all reports, he was the very farce of wealth. Heavy set, and arrogant.

Finally reaching the stop for Lauderosk, Everyone disembarked, including Alberich. A full investigation was clearly being taken seriously.

As you waited for the coaches, a familiar silhouette crested a nearby ridge, and Stormbark descended towards the gathering causing more than a little comment among the other travellers.

OOC: You can examine the other passengers. There is a full posse of investigators here, mostly from the Free Peoples. Feel free to look about or ask anything you would like to know and I will desperately scramble to invent something.

Eris, please make a Soul+Awareness roll with a free Focus for Witchsight. TN: 6

OOC: Stormbark. Make the same roll, your free Focus is for Ancestral Memory but does not count as your use in this case.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:12, Sat 13 Feb 2021.

Nirva couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of relief on finally reaching their destination. It was rather novel for one so used to life upon the waves – to crave dry land beneath her feet – but after her initial interest in their vessel had trickled away she had found their journey all but interminably boring. There was no thrill in such slow travel, no present danger greater than the odd fallen tree and shallows hidden by dark waters. It had left her restless and irritable, and she had no doubt Eris would have seen through the mask she sought to raise to hide her mood. In the end she had settled for whatever crumbs of amusement could be drawn from cards and dice with the other patrons. She even deigned to let them win the odd hand.

As such she found herself properly alert and awake for what had to be the first time in days as they touched down. Perhaps this place was drab and dreary, but surely anywhere that demanded an investigation of this scale had to have something worth her time. Surely.

The murmuring and excited chatter caught Nirva’s attention, and following their eyes led her to the arrival of their third. She huffed a quiet laugh, idly gesturing towards the group for Eris’ benefit. “What dull lives they must lead. So much talk for a walking tree.”

Nirva allowed herself a breath, then “… I’m going to ask after our transport.” A slight flick of the head towards Stormbark; her smirk was audible. “Say hello for me.”

---

While she certainly could be subtle, Nirva made quite sure the mage’s people knew she was approaching as she invaded their space. She had no wish to be accused of sneaking or whatever other imagined sins might come to mind, but even then any offense could just as easily be the gateway to their elusive charge. Playing it safe seemed the better option, so she sauntered, stifling a yawn as she passed her eyes over the rest of the group.

She picked out Lautrec on the outer edge of the retinue. He was a fairly dull man of middling age who had gladly unburdened himself of every last complaint about his work when offered a sympathetic ear. Little of it had been useful, much less interesting, but she imagined that time had been enough to open up some avenues.

Nirva caught the man’s eye and nodded a greeting. “No sign of the coaches yet?” she ventured, voice low. “Your master must be none too happy to be kept waiting like this.”

It was hard to make out from the distance but it looked like part of a corpse of trees had disengaged itself from the rest and was making its slow measured way towards the road and gathered people there.

As it came closer and more into focus it was obvious that this was one of the Sylvaneth, or tree people as they were called by some other races.
This one was huge even for one of his race, His bark skin showed years of hardship and battle with great gauges across his chest and arm which had healed but never the less had left their mark.
In one of his long-limbed hands he carried a huge bow and across his back a sword that would take two men to lift let alone use in battle. These alone marked this one as a Kurnoth hunter. Where these protectors of the wilderness went trouble soon followed.

This one seemed to be taking his time to get to the group at the roadside, his stride was long but unhurried as if he was unwilling to exit the wild and enter civilised society.
Eventually he came to the end of the field that ran along the road and his shadow fell across the people waiting for the coach.

Looking down his emerald green eyes met two others standing there and a smile cracked the lips of his face. ” ah friends  Nirva and Eris I hope your journey by sea was enjoyable, though from the looks of you both a tad boring”

He stepped over the dry stone wall and onto the road where he ever so slowly and gently lowered himself onto it so that while he sat his face was level with the two he was addressing.

“ you made good time I was expecting you to be late, I arrived two days ago, I said travelling by land would be quicker but then I do walk faster than your little legs can carry you.

He raised his head and looked off down the road “ Unfortunately Nirva I have not seen a coach or much traffic on the road these last two days so I believe we might have to endure more boredom before the day is out

He then turned and studied the others, his gaze intent and he sniffed slightly and sighed a mage, he thought to himself, not that he had anything against magic users, and after all Eris was one but then she was useful to have around this one looked too wet behind the ears for any type of outdoor life.

His eldritch markings glowed slightly on his bark skin as he leaned back and soaked up the sun’s heat and went as quiet and still as a great old oak

OOC

15:09, Today: Stormbark rolled 8 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,2.  soul+ awareness roll
1 success
This message was last edited by the player at 21:03, Sat 13 Feb 2021.

Eris Lightweaver was leaning slightly to the gunwale of the ferry watching the scenery slowly move by as she first noticed they had reached their destination... Or at least the one that could be reached with the slug of a ship they were on. The battlemage's long brown hair was protected by the hood of her white robe and her crystal topped staff was leaning on the gunwale beside her. Non-coincidentally the hood also gave her a small amount of privacy. Mages were not a common site in the region it seemed, for the crew of the ferry had a habit of staring her. At least when they thought she would not notice. It felt like an almost constant pressure against her mind. Still, out on the deck was the better choice by far than the cramped quarters of the ferry, especially what little was left after herr Veer had hogged most of it.

Eris had studied the gold mage during the trip when given the rare opportunity for such an endeavor. They had chatted a time or two for a short while during the trip. Mage Veer had not thrown his full arrogant personality around in her presence, though it seemed clear that Veer had decided himself to be the senior spellworker present. The gold mage had probably come to the conclusion simply because Eris' garments were magnitudes less ostentatious, even if her white robes were of good quality and had modest golden embroideries on the sleeves. Eris had not considered it to be meaningful to confront herr Veer about his views, though she was interested in his skills, knowledge and social standing.

Apart from the rare sighting of herr Veer and Eris' daily mental exercises and meditation the most entertaining phenomenon had been Nirva. The former corsair had been like a wild beast of Ghur locked into a cage. Eris could easily understand why, for Nirva's tales of her life had painted a lot more.... energetic life than lazy floating on a river barge. Despite being well-versed in all kinds of exercises meant to calm and guide her own mind, Eris had found herself at a loss when trying to help Nirva to endure the trip. Though Eris was not a great performer, the Lore of Light and wielding Hysh utilized singing, so the battlemage sometimes sang a calming song to the aelf. Eris liked to think it had helped Nirva at least a bit and so far she had not said otherwise.

It came as no surprise that Nirva almost evaporated away as soon as they could step on the dry land. When Eris noticed Stormbark, a warm smile spread on her lips and after getting off the ferry she stood a moment, leaning to her staff just looking the Kurnoth Hunter. Eris felt no small amount of awe when gazing at the now-familiar shape of the sylvaneth. They felt like life and hope and Stormbark was the mightiest specimen of the sylvaneth Eris had met so far. Focusing her mind to the task at hand Eris walked to Stormbark and greeted him in her respectful manner by bowing ever so slightly while touching her forehead with the index and middle fingers of her left hand.

"My friend, I hope your journey was uneventful and enjoyable. Though the ferry was hardly a swift way to travel, my feet are glad for the miles avoided", Eris said to the Kurnothi. Then the battlemage focused her attention again to the golden mage Alberich Veer and his retinue, now that they were in a more easily observed group.



OOC:

I rolled the Awareness (Soul) DN 6:S roll.

21:19, Today: Eris rolled 13 using 3d6 ((5,5,3)).
With the 1 free focus given for witchsight I can up one dice to 6.
1 success.

In addition I would like to know more about the golden mage and his retinue. How many are they, which species, all that can easily be observed about their role in the retinue. During the trip Eris would have used some effort to gather whatever information about the golden mage and his prowess. To that end, I roll Awareness(Mind), using Witchsight to roughly estimate Veer's capability with magic, if you GM deem that doable. I also roll Intuition(Mind)/Guile(Mind) roll to see what I can deduce from the conversations with Alberich Veer and his retinue about him.

Awareness(Mind) roll:
22:32, Today: Eris rolled 22 using 5d6 with rolls of 5,6,3,2,6.  Awareness(Mind) for witchsighting Alberich Veer.

I do not know the DN of this, but quite a good roll anyway.

Intuition/Guile(Mind)
22:33, Today: Eris rolled 13 using 4d6 with rolls of 5,1,1,6.  Intuition/Guile(Mind) to learn about Alberich Veer.

Seems I get something from there also...maybe. I decided to not pick just one skill, for I have neither so the dicepool would be the same anyway. The roll itself makes me feel like some avenue of information gathering was completely fruitless, while some other way might have worked.

Nirva: Lautrec grunted. "Don't know the half of it miss. Keeps threatening to add half a crown, or an extra drop to his fee for every minute he's kept waiting."

"I Don't want to be here miss. Droonsfolk are a suspicious lot at best, but something's spooked 'em horrid. Don't mind me, but your big friend may not help matters, if you don't mind me sayin' "

Eris: You are surprised that your mentors letter failed to mention the presence of another mage in the entourage. Looking at him now, Alberich glows like a bonfire against the Droonsmere. This means he is either surrounded by magical artifacts, or has no insignificant power of his own. Either way, his arrogance is not wholly unjustified.

This is corroborated by your own talks with the his followers. For all his demands, most have begrudging respect for him. "Looks after his own. In the end."

One thing does surprise you, is that a follower of the Lore of Metal, has come to an investigation surrounded by trees.

As you finish 'looking' at Alberich. Something, 'brushes' you. Something, old is the only way you can describe it. Old in the way that a mountainside is old. And the moment is gone.

Stormbark: The Droonsmere feels "wrong". Stepping into it causes a rush of sensations, from your own past, and others.  Most woods in the Realms don't feel this way, either they speak to you, or say nothing at all.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:56, Sat 13 Feb 2021.

“I imagine not,” Nirva agreed with a shrug and a wry smile, “But you might be surprised. Stormbark can be rather charming for a tree.”

She shot a glance back over her shoulder to the Kurnothi and for a moment her face held a look of worry. It was a fleeting thing though and vanished as quickly as it had arisen. “It seems like a sick joke if you ask me, sending him to demand more a town produce more lumber.” Nirva clicked her tongue. “Never let them tell you the God-King doesn’t have a sense of humour.”

A laboured sigh. “I should leave you to it. A moment more and our gilded friend is likely to have you for dereliction of duty, and I’d rather not throw you to the gyresharks for a little talk. You seem to be having it bad enough already.” She gave him a curt parting nod then turned on her heel. “Lautrec.”

---

She found Eris’ eyes already on her, or rather looking just beyond her. Hardly surprising, Nirva supposed. Veer and his cavalcade were the inescapable centre of attention here, and with only a foggy treeline to distract oneself from his display of self-importance there was little option but to form some opinion on his present state of pique. People like him were always interesting in their own loathsome sort of way.

“No news,” she declared by way of announcing herself. “You could almost believe the locals are less than eager to receive us.”

Nirva looked on Stormbark with a muted sort of fondness. She was no Wanderer, more familiar with wood that groaned against the tides than talked back, but still she’d come to regard him with his due respect. It was an easy enough thing to feel when he made such a formidable ally, not that she didn’t occasionally find herself considering how to exploit the odd gap she sighted in his guard. Old habits died all too hard it seemed.

Her arms set across her chest as she raised her head to meet his gaze. “Any tales from the road, Stormbark? Word from the wood?”

Stormbaark didn't move it was as if he's taken root in the very ground about him.

Suddenly his eyes opened wide and his head spin back the way he'd come towards the small corpse of trees. There was an audible crunch as his hand dug deep into the earth.

Everything stood still for the length of a deep breath, even the animals fell quiet.

Then as if sending a signal out to the land the giant Hunter let out a breath that he was holding and things seemed to go back to normal and animals started to go about their business again

The Hunter turned to his companion, it was difficult to read emotions on his bark covered face but his eyes were like the window to his soul and they reflected his feelings.

 "The Droonsmere feels wrong, something is out of balance. My people are linked to all of the wild, when we enter a forest we connect, it either embraces us and we commune or if his too old and wild and will turn its back on us and refuse to speak. It is as simple as that."

 He took another look at the trees then lifted a hand and smelt the earth the signed "the Droonsmere is acting in neither way, this is disturbing, a forest should be one or another not neither. We need to investigate I fear there might be a corruption at the heart of this ancient forest" the last statement  was spoken through gritted teeth and had an edge to it

Eris Lightweaver listened intently the discussion between Nirva and Stormbark. The sylvaneth's words gave birth to even stronger sense of worry in the battlemage's mind. Eris had received a letter from her former master Eberhardt Grimm, it had been short and the warning in it could not be bypassed. Stormbark's contemplations made it feel a much more real somehow. Eris felt it was odd, that Eberhardt had not mentioned the golden mage in the letter even though Alberich was of different college. Could it be that master Grimm simply had not known, or was this another side plot in the everturning political machinations of the Collegiate Arcane? I hate the politics. I had hoped that the path chosen for me would have gotten me out of the reach of that particular nonsense. Oh well, beggars can not be choosers..., the woman thought to herself.

Eris squandered one moment more to check on Alberich's entourage, to memorize numbers and everyone's face. Should there be politically motivated problems, Eris wanted to know what the faces of the opponents might look like. Then she turned her attention to her companions again. "How did your travels go Stormbark? Do you have any wounds that need to be taken care of? Seems to me that there is still some time to be idled..."

OOC:

I would still like to know the size of Alberich's retinue, at least some approximation. Half a dozen? Dozen? Do they all look like fighters or something else distinguishable? What kind of gear they have with them?

Stormbark turned to his friend " i am well the journey was not stressful and I kept to the ancient paths so I met no one I could not handle" he replied

" I would continue on the the forest as I feel a dread come over me but I also feel I would need your assistance in this matter so will wait with you for the coach"

Nirva eyes flicked to the treeline beyond, almost as if expecting to see some manifestation of whatever it was Stormbark had sensed on his travels. She held briefly, giving this thing a moment to make itself known, before throwing her attention back his way with a scoff. “Were you anyone else I wouldn’t have time for this. Any idiot alone in a mire can find something to fear in every noise and shadow, and the realms have danger enough without cowards adding their worries to the tally.” She shook her head and let that curtness slip away. “But you are no coward, and your instincts have served us well. If you say that something is amiss here ... well who am I to doubt your judgement.”

Pursing her lips, Nirva looked between her companions. “Tides willing this is some other vague malevolence and not why we're here, but when have we ever been so lucky....”

Stormbark looked at Nirva with his green eyes and nodded "I am glad you do not take me for a fool. Sadly I cannot trace the problem..... It is a feeling in my roots but I doubt we have been sent here to preside over the quantity of timber to be cut. Something is going on here and I will find it out in the end mark my words on that"

Eris listened the others silently, mentally tasting their words, letting them float in her mind. It was a simple mental exercise that sometimes gave surprising insights. This time around no such epiphany came on to her.

When the others had fallen silent for a moment, the mage finally spoke. "I am inclined to believe your reasoning Stormbark. There is either something a lot more sinister going on here... or something very important, for they sent us. Soulbound are not exactly common." Eris cast a glance to the other retinue. "The same thing can be said for the mages of Colleagiate Arcane. There are not skilled spellworkers hanging from every branch of a tree, even after the Necroquake. I sincerely hope we are two competing factions at work here, however irritating that might be. The only other reason I can think of is that the situation is truly bad enough to warrant two of us."

The mage sighed and drew in breath before continuing in a lot more hopeful tone: "Let us hope for the best, shall we?"

“… but prepare for the worst,” Nirva added, finishing the adage. “We don’t want another Vylgrim, and that means being ready to step in at the first sign of trouble. No taking anything lightly for comfort’s sake.”

She jerked her head in the direction of Veer and his motley crew. “I think we have to assume an enemy in that one – an obstacle at least. There’s no accord between us, and he doesn’t seem the sort to share glory or suffer others. Having people like ourselves on this venture has to feel more insult than assurance. Has to wound his pride.” A shrug. "Maybe he's better at business matters. All that gold has to count for something."

Apologies, life still crazy.

There are about half a dozen in Alberich's retinue. Four are household including Lautrec. The other two are either mercenaries or bodyguards; or both. They are called Grimbard; a thin, sallow man who has just drifted past middle age, and Taernika, a woman with thick, jet black hair in braids. She has mostly kept out of the way, only rarely venturing out of the cabin. Now she is patrolling a short way up the road, and back again. Each circuit she increases her distance from the group slightly.

mind + awareness TN 3

Lautrec suddenly appears at your elbow. "Masters not happy miss. Coaches should have been here half an hour ago. He asked them over there." He indicates a small knot of folk who, now the ferry has been unloaded and left have kept away from the outsiders.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:50, Thu 18 Feb 2021.

Overhearing the talk of a late coach Stormbark stood up "my friends I fear the coach is late for a reason perhaps I should take a walk down the road away and see if anything has befallen it"

Eris scratched her chin for a short moment and considered Stormbark's proposal.

"Even though the time spent in the barge was decent for studying, I feel my body aches for some exercise. Also, I feel like we are sitting targets if we are just waiting here. Would you mind if I accompanied you? Should we go all?"

Eris leaned on her staff while eyeing the route they would be taking, with the coach or without it. The battlemage was humming to herself almost quietly, though the sharp senses of her companions could most likely hear it.

"If we find the transport, there is always the chance to jump onboard, if not.... then we are not getting anywhere by staying here.

“I think I’ll stay” Nirva drawled, quietly amused at the contradiction. She quickly amended the thought. “Not that I disagree with you both – I’d sooner walk than suffer more idling – but one of us should have words with the locals. They’ll know if such delays are common and what might be the cause of them. Better we learn what they’re willing to part with than all wander off together and risk finding nothing.”

"If you find trouble then I'm sure a certain light wizard can find some way of making sure I know I'm needed..."

It was a playful sort jab, the sort of thing the others would have become all too accustomed to from Nirva. Needling others just seemed second-nature to her, words and moods running the gamut from spite to honest affection. Earlier in their adventures those barbs might have been sharper, perhaps even outright cruel, with the intention of testing humors and limits, but now they seldom ever went so far. She reserved her spite and malice for those beyond their binding - those who had earned it. However slight his infractions, one Alberich Veer seemed such an individual.

“As for Veer, he may have looked into matters himself but I have no faith that he'll ask the right questions, much less pass on the whole truth. I'd sooner find my own answers than settle for whatever comes through him.” She paused a beat, then turned to Lautrec with none of the hardness she reserved for his master. "That's not to say I'm unappreciative of course. It's good of you to keep us so informed."

stormbark nodded at Nirva "I am sure if the screaming starts you will come running" he replied as he pulled himself to his feet.

Turning to Eris " shall we go and see what has happened to your coach then?" he said as he took a few long strides down the road
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 13:49, Sun 04 Apr 2021.

Stormbark set off either his companions would follow or not for him finding the coach was now his priority as the feeling of dred had not left him