Frost's alchemist fire explodes in a blast of flame, singing many of the swarm as well as the paladin herself. Vinny's bomb just misses the swarm, but the splash damage is enough to finish them off as the few survivors disperse into the brush for cover.
The disembodied voice begins to chant, but pauses when you begin to appeal to her. "I can't call off the Gire. The Gire is me! I can't call myself off, can I? Oh! I don't know what I should do... It seemed so simple when Cyflymder said Hemzel was going to lead the humans to destroy the fey! So we pounced and surprised him. Cyflymder and his brutes tore the druid apart. His poor wolf friend too! So much blood! I thought we were just going to stop him from harming the fey. My friend is dead now and you people seem nice... Oh, I wish I had never listened to him! What will I do now?"
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"Gire, you finished the fight. There is no more fighting! Stand down. Andoran lives by the grace of the woods, and their people. We're here to help... sometimes dead just seems to be dead maybe Hemzel is still alive, can you take us to him and his wolf?"
The tengu is starting to get a sinking feeling. Could this be some sort of set-up to start a war?
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Marco grimaced with pessimism, Hard to survive being torn apart.
"The fey are residents of these woods? Hadn't Hemzel always been a defender of these woods and its residents? What would cause you, or Cyflymder, to believe that he now wanted to destroy you?"
"Hemzel had allies, didn't he? Some gnomes, that may have also been druids? Did Cyflymder believe that they were allied with Hemzel for his destructive plan? Can you tell us where we might find them?"
Marco listens closely to the responses of the voice, trying to detect any indication that her behavior had been influenced by enchantment.
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As the more eloquent members of the group tried to talk the unseen person down, Vinny casually strolled around the site of the swarms destruction, stamping out the multitude of small fires left in its wake. "Wouldnt wanna, ah, burn down the forest." He noted, stomping a particularly tenacious flame. "Im guessing that would make things, you know, complicated." He added, his voice as dry as ever, though he produced a sly smile at his comment.
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Brushing off the bit of singing, Frost politely calls out "We still seem to be talking to the dearly departed, because I hear voices but see no people, perhaps you'd be kind enough to show yourselves, so that we may parley. You are right, we are nice people - and probably worth talking to, so come do it"
Diplo
"Oh! Alright..." You hear a slight swish as Gire dismisses her invisibility, and you see a diminutive fey flying above the hut. She is green-skinned and wields a needle-thin rapier. A pair of dragonfly wings holds her aloft.
"Cyflymder is a great, bold fey. He’s promised to clear the Verduran Forest of the scum who stole our heritage. He says the druids only exist to trick us and help humanity steal our treasures. But… but I’m not so sure he’s right anymore. Oh! Poor Hemzel is still inside if you think you can help him, but I doubt it." She shakes her head sadly.
As you speak with Gire, you notice that the smoke is no longer confined to Hemzel’s chimney — the walls of the hut are starting to smolder.
These nimble creatures adore swordplay and practice with their blades endlessly. Atomies often travel their lands seeking adventure tinged with mischief. Sensitive to bullying and oppression, atomies revel in turning the tables on a cruel mayor or tormenting dishonorable mercenary bands. Atomies, enamored with tales of epic duels and the defeat of great evils, sometimes follow adventuring parties and eavesdrop on their nightly tales by the campfire. If a warrior in the group tends to boast of his swordplay, an atomie rarely resists the urge to humble him by sabotaging his equipment or invisibly reducing him and challenging him to a duel.
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Wei attempts to run to the building and look in any window or door or such for any methods of access, mindful of the fact that opening the door might cause flames to come shooting out.
"The greatest treasure one can have is friendship. There's no way one can steal that." It sounds pretty solid to the tengu as he attempts to make his way in.
"You don't have some way of helping put out the fire, do you, Gire? A fire in the woods, as Vinny noted, is kinda bad."
Wei attempts to figure out some way to stop the cottage from burning down with available resources, but will not take too much time on it.
If it looks like anything can be salvaged from inside he'll take the risk and go salvaging if the structure can't be saved.
The heat is palpable inside the primitive, one-room hovel. Tinder from the fireplace is strewn about, sparking the fires that now climb the reed walls. The room itself is in shambles. An eviscerated human body sprawls across the floor, and a butchered wolf lies against the wall by the front door. Puddles of blood surround them. The man’s hands are tied to a rough wooden table, upon which sits an ornate—but empty—box and a blood-spattered manuscript.
The hungry fire is beginning to spread, seeking to consume everything in it's path. It will likely be out of control soon if the pathfinders cannot stop it.
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The heat of the flames hits Marco as he peers in through the door, causing him to wince before focusing for a better look. He frowns at the dead wolf just inside. He looks at the futile fight against the fire. "There's nothing we can do for him now. Grab the box and those papers from the table and get out of there."
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"Not hearin' a lot of cooperatin'. There's six of us, we could put the flames out in a matter of moments."
Wei will keep beating at the flames on the bed (immediately to the south of the table in front of him) and if they get beaten down he'll move to the flames just north of him. If Frost gets the rest of the bed and Vinny gets the door.. it's not nearly the horrific situation that the M's are thinking.
Master of the Ways, I'm trying.
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Mira leaps off her horse, stumbling slightly as she hits the ground, and charges into the burning building, looking horrified as she sees the scene inside. Perhaps it was too late to be thinking this now, but she really should have left all of her gunpowder behind. She just had to hope that the powder horn would do its job.
Coughing slightly from the smoke, Mira calls out to Wei Ji, who seemed to be coordinating things. "I'll look after Hemzel! I've got healing potions if it's not too late!" It didn't look promising, but they had to at least check, just in case.
Frost saves the manuscript before it can burn as Wei Ji beats at the fire engulfing the bed and Vinny attacks the flames nearest the door, both of them extinguishing a section while Mira enters and moves to check Hemzel. Unfortunately, as she puts her hands to his body, it's clear that he is beyond your help. He has bled out from his wounds and feels cool to the touch.
Just as Mira bends to check Hemzel's body, you hear the thump of heavy boots running toward you. Mira feels the impact of a rough hand on her rump and a heavy shove that seems bent on pushing her down on the flaming bunk. But the gunslinger is more wily than anticipated and she throws her weight in the opposite direction, holding her ground against the assault. Her attacker flashes into view. At first glance he appears human, garbed like a lumberjack and wielding a battleaxe. But something about his features is off. His dark eyes too large in his pallid, grey face and the buds of horns have sprouted upon his brow.
Frost - moves in, secures manuscript
Vinny - moves in, smothers flames near door
Maedhros - shouts discouragement
Mira - dismounts, moves in
Wei Ji - moves in, smothers flames on part of the bed
Initiative Order - Surprise!
---------------------------------
Enemy!
---------------------------------Round 1
Maedhros
Mira
Wei Ji
Enemy!
Frost
Vinny
Marco
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Maedros sees the new threat appear in the flame-shrouded cabin, and his summoned eagle responds, swooping in through the door to attack.
Maedhros racks his memories for something that could cause the appearance that this man has, and in a moment comes up with the answer. "He's fey-touched! If anyone has silver weapons, use them!"
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Mira grimaces as Maedhros assesses the situation. She had no silver anything on her for this situation. Taking her musket in hand, she twirls to face her attacker, wielding it like a stocky spear. She might not be able to do much to hurt them, but she could certainly try to take care of that nasty axe.
Unfortunately, Mira overcorects as she spins to face her opponent, and her bayonet skims through empty air, missing the axe entirely.
Maedhros racks his memories for something that could cause the appearance that this man has, and in a moment comes up with the answer. "He's fey-touched! If anyone has silver weapons, use them!"
Mira makes a a halfhearted attempt to disarm the foe, only just holding onto her weapon. Wei Ji takes a defensive swing at the man, missing. Maedhros' eagle draws first blood on the fey-touched man and he slashes back with his battleaxe, but is unable to connect.
Frost - moves in, secures manuscript
Vinny - moves in, smothers flames near door
Maedhros - shouts discouragement
Mira - dismounts, moves in
Wei Ji - moves in, smothers flames on part of the bed
Initiative Order - Surprise!
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Enemy! Bull Rush Mira, fails
---------------------------------Round 1
Maedhros - Sends Eagle to attack for 5 damage
Mira - attempts to disarm, fails
Wei Ji - moves, drawing sword and board, attacks defensively, fails
Enemy!
Frost
Vinny
Marco
----------------------------------Round 2
Maedhros
Mira
Wei Ji
Enemy!
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"Aaah, damn it." Vinny muttered, looking about his person for an answer to the problem, before finally drawing his dagger with a sigh. Switching his smoke from on side of his mouth to the other, he gritted his teeth and stepped into the melee. "Hey, ah, pretty boy, over here yeah?!" He yelled, trying to distract it.
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The tengu will back up five feet and puts out the fire to the north, keeping an eye on the fey-burnt person.
Are you here to make sure we die in a fire, or are you here to destroy the evidence? Let's find out, shall we?
Hopefully that will open up the area a little bit for folks to move around the target. There's not much further he can move without serious risk for little gain.
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The eagle circles in the air around the creature, ripping into it with talons and beak.
Maedhros casts a spell to Daze their foe.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Frost - moves in, secures manuscript
Vinny - moves in, smothers flames near door
Maedhros - shouts discouragement
Mira - dismounts, moves in
Wei Ji - moves in, smothers flames on part of the bed
Initiative Order - Surprise!
---------------------------------
Enemy! Bull Rush Mira, fails
---------------------------------Round 1
Maedhros - Sends Eagle to attack for 5 damage
Mira - attempts to disarm, fails
Wei Ji - moves, drawing sword and board, attacks defensively, fails
Enemy! - Battleaxe attack on Eagle, miss
Frost - delays
Vinny - aids
Marco - acid splash for 2 damage
----------------------------------Round 2
Maedhros - Eagle lands 2 claws for 10 damage, downing foe.
Mira
Wei Ji - puts out another section of fire.
Vinny manages to draw some of the man's focus as Maedhros' Eagle unleashes a full attack of smiting talons, tearing at the fey-touched man's face and neck. The former lumberjack crumples to his knees and then falls, bleeding out onto the already blood-stained floor.
With no more distractions, the fire can now be dealt with directly. In short order, the fire is put out and the place searched. The lorestone does indeed seem to be gone, but Frost has Hemzel’s journal, which is written in a sort of pidgin shorthand of Common and Druidic.
Hidden under the table along the far wall is a small cache of useful items: a potion of barkskin +2, a potion of bear’s endurance, and two scrolls of lesser restoration. You also find a tablet of rare blue stone, with intricate cuneiform writing underneath the ruined bed, undamaged by the fire.
The fey-touched man wears only simple clothes and a breastplate. On his person you find a potion of cure light wounds and his masterwork battle axe. Near the door you discover the body of a deceased Atomie, who appears to have been crushed by the jaws of Hemzel's wolf. She carries weapons sized for her tiny stature as well as a bag of tricks (gray).
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Wei examines the axe with an expression of concern, carefully testing the edge so as to not cut himself.
Was it used to chop wood at any point recently, or much more... fragile things, like people, that sort of thing?
As he's examining the weapon, he'll take note of any particular ownership or crafting markings on it.
Any information he can glean he will share because it will help the party build a picture of what is going on.
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"Well..." Vinny said, dusting his hands off and coughing in the haze of black smoke that still floated around the building. "This, ah, isnt exactly, you know, starting like we could have hoped, eh?" Apart from that he didnt make himself much useful, instead sitting down on the bed, still coughing even as he continued to smoke.
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The danger past, Mira mutely crouches by Hemzel's body and uses her bayonet to slice through the ropes tying the body to the table. They didn't exactly have time to give the man a proper burial, but she could at least give the dead a little more dignity than this.
"Any clues in that journal, Frost?" Mira asks.
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"Hemzel will be back. All lives are chances to gain greater perfection, hopefully he'll be a bit luckier next time through. Think right now the best way we can help the guy is find out whoever took him out and return the favor if necessary. Seeking knowledge is not a crime, and he shouldn't've been punished for it."
Wei will take the carcass of the fey-touched one outside for nature to deal with.
He has no clue as to druidic death rituals and he doesn't want to offend nature spirits by screwing that one up, but the tablecloth will be used to cover the corpse and that of the wolf... he'll move the wolf to the druid's side.
Hemzel's journal proves to be detailed notes regarding the lorestone and his recent issues and research. Maedhros is able to decipher most of the writings, but the last portion eludes his translation.
You learn that the lorestone is keyed to druidic circles, and one lies several hours’ travel north from the hut on a lake island ; a band of fey has recently been harassing Hemzel and threatening to destroy the lorestone ; Hemzel assiduously avoided exposing the lorestone to sunlight .
yellow wood. You feel pretty sure that this is lost lumberjack you were contacted about. His name was Thaven.
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The tengu will nod quietly and take a blanket out of his bag. He wraps the axe with it carefully before placing it in a secure location in the backpack if there are no objections.
"Someone I know in the Society is very interested in this item, and any information we can uncover on the fae-touched one's situation in particular. Let's start heading north."
He'll glance to the items that were discovered, and will bring along any that the rest of the party does not pick up. Not because he is greedy, but because he doesn't want to see them go to waste.
Wei will not fight or argue with anyone who puts forth a claim on any of the other items, though he will attempt to offer Gire the mini-weapons and ask if there's any tradition for dealing with their dead in a quickly respectful fashion.
Potion of Barkskin+2, Potion of Bear's Endurance, Lesser Restoration Scrolls(x2), Potion of Cure Light Wounds, Bag of Tricks (grey), Breastplate
The tengu is only bringing the breastplate for the sake of completeness, if someone else needs/wants/suggests it be left behind he'll follow that suggestion.