Elfquest #9

[GM Mad]

Elfquest #9

The Sylvan Realm has been reached! Now the elves are out gathering information from a wide variety of sources.


Overhead in the abandoned elfin town near the Crystal Platform, the half-elves have encountered a strange man-like figure amongst the trees. The figure wonders if the half-elves are invaders or a threat.

Lia shrugs off that she was mistaken about the presence before her and sheaths her sword. “We do indeed wish to help the elves. Two of our number are followers of Ehlonna and have come to restore these lands to its former glory.”

Kylie nods in agreement with Lia's statement. "That is true. If it will help, I am a daughter of Clan Feador; as is another of our small group. I know that many of our clan remained here when others left in ages past. I hope to find them so that our clan may be whole again. Do you know anything of the elves of this land or where they may be found?"

The man-like figure fades away, seemingly into the nothingness that spawned it. Another voice is heard, one that is nearer and behind you!

“The elves were gone long before we came here,” a small elfin-like figure explains. He has brown hair and bright blue eyes, but only stands two feet tall. He wears brightly colored wool garments and there are several leather pouches hanging from his belt. “We’ve lived here for many years now without seeing many elves.”

“We did mean to frighten you, but we didn’t know who you were or why you were here. Other men-like creatures are here from time to time and they do evil things and cut down trees. You cannot be too careful.”

Just as you’re getting used to the small elfin being, more of them come forth from numerous hiding places. There are males and females, but none of them appear to be dangerous nor do any have weapons drawn. All of them are quiet small and number nearly a dozen.

“Are you going to bring the elves back?” The small creatures wonder as the half-elves tower over them.



Elsewhere, Laucian has been led to a small Shrine to Ehlonna hidden in the deep forest by a unicorn.

“Greetings, Forest Lord. It is an honor to be among your presence.” he says as he bows deeply in respect then lowers himself on one knee before the unicorn.

“With every breath and every beat of my heart I wish to see this forest restored to the way it was. So that woodland creatures and elves may live in peace yet again. You have my word, Forest Lord, that the filth that threaten these woods and everything in it will meet its end.”

“It does my heart good to hear that,” the Unicorn answers. “The forest has been too quiet for too long now.”

He looks about the glade noticing no real sign of any elves Laucian grows concerned and asks, “How long has it been since the elves left these woods? It was believed some of Clan Feador remained behind to tend to the Mother tree. Yet of them I have seen no sign.

“They have been gone for hundreds of years, but one remained behind to tend to the Mother Tree. The Keeper’s were kind elves and they enjoyed our protection for many years. But the current Keeper was discovered by the orcs and slain. The other elves merged with the trees so that they could sleep until their turn as Keeper came.”

“As we arrived by airship, something I saw troubled me greatly when we first saw this land. I saw banner, one that I have never laid eyes on. A black moon with a single eye on a field of blood red. Do you know of these markings, who or what they stand for?”

“That is the flag of the forces of Moorkroft, he who used an army of orcs and men to drive out the elves. He seeks the mother tree and wishes to make its magical powers his. He seeks nothing less than to be immortal. It was Moorkroft who cut down portions of the forest. He learned that elves were sleeping in some of the trees and stole their essence to extend his unnatural life. Moorkroft is a monster who must be stopped. Many of the forest creatures would be happy to aid you on your quest. They too miss the elves and the Mother Tree.”


Out in the woods, Nariya has discovered a Treant.

"Have you seen this man?" Nariya asks. "How would we identify him?" Hopefully the Treant will have a little more information that will prove extremely helpful.

“He has taken the life essence of elves from the trees he’s cut down and placed it into himself. The human now resembles an ancient elf, but do not be fooled by his appearance.”

"Where my I find the centaurs and griffons, magnificent one?" Nariya will also ask. She would love to stay and speak longer with the Treant, but it is very obvious they need to make things right, and quickly. There might be time after this has passed for happier conversation.

“The centaur tribe is to the southeast, about twenty miles away,” the Treant explains. “The griffons are known to hunt the large clearing to the south. Do not fear the griffons, young one. They were magically altered by the elves long ago and the spell has passed down through the generations. They will loyally serve any elf and will do no harm to them.”

"I thank you deeply for this information," Nariya says with a respectful tone. "My friends and I will put a stop to this horror so that the forest and all within may live freely and openly once more."

“We will be watching, my brethren and I. Return if you are in need of aid.”

With that the Treant shuts his eyes once more and assumes the appearance of a normal tree.


Now what?

[Laucian]

Laucian

“They have been gone for hundreds of years, but one remained behind to tend to the Mother Tree. The Keeper’s were kind elves and they enjoyed our protection for many years. But the current Keeper was discovered by the orcs and slain. The other elves merged with the trees so that they could sleep until their turn as Keeper came.”

“Then the orcs do patrol these woods as well.” he adds thoughtfully. “Would you know of the where about of the sleeping keepers? Or even where the Mother tree could be found?” he asks hopefully but doubt soon creeps into his words.

“That is the flag of the forces of Moorkroft, he who used an army of orcs and men to drive out the elves. He seeks the mother tree and wishes to make its magical powers his. He seeks nothing less than to be immortal. It was Moorkroft who cut down portions of the forest. He learned that elves were sleeping in some of the trees and stole their essence to extend his unnatural life. Moorkroft is a monster who must be stopped. Many of the forest creatures would be happy to aid you on your quest. They too miss the elves and the Mother Tree.”

Laucian listens intently as the unicorn divulges information about this Moorkroft, and his forces. He begins to nod his head in agreement with the unicorn’s statements.

“I will see to it that this Moorkroft, Whom or whatever he maybe, be cut down just as those elves and trees were. Whatever harm he has caused to this forest and those who dwell here will be revisited upon him and his army ten fold.”

“You have helped us greatly already to achieving our quest. I would be hard pressed to ask any creature to aid us.“ he adds thoughtfully. “But it is their home as well.”

“What manner of forest creatures would stand by us and help us reclaim what is rightfully ours?” he asks curiously.

[Lia]

Lia

Lia watches as the Phantom man begins to fade, “Wait, come back!” she says concern in her voice as she looks vainly around for any sign of the being. A voice behind her alerts her to someone’s presence, she spins around her right hand resting on the handle of the her sword.

She looks around for a moment not seeing anyone then glances down where a child size elfling stares at her.

“The elves were gone long before we came here,” a small elfin-like figure explains. He has brown hair and bright blue eyes, but only stands two feet tall. He wears brightly colored wool garments and there are several leather pouches hanging from his belt. “We’ve lived here for many years now without seeing many elves.”

‘Pardon my rudeness” she says as she takes the little creature in but “What are you? An elfling?

“We did mean to frighten you, but we didn’t know who you were or why you were here. Other men-like creatures are here from time to time and they do evil things and cut down trees. You cannot be too careful.”

“Men-like creatures?” She repeats trying to grasp the understanding then the thought of orcs pop in her head, she has heard of stories of them doing such things. “You mean orcs, very ugly creatures." she thinks to herself misunderstood mostly to but she does not think her life experiances may help them here.

Soon more and more Elfing children come forward causing Lia to look about and take several steps back till her heels reach the ledge.

“Are you going to bring the elves back?” The small creatures wonder as the half-elves tower over them.

“We are trying little one. But we still know very little of this land, Perhaps you could share your knowledge with us?” she asks hopefully with a smile.

[Kylie]

Kylie:

As the floating figure fades away, Kylie feels a sense of panic. Did she answer wrongly?! Did she mistake the nature of this encounter?!

Before she can tear herself up about it further, a different voice arises from behind her. Turning about, she sees a diminutive elfish figure - but solid this time. He begins to speak, and others like him emerge as he does so.

‘Pardon my rudeness” she says as she takes the little creature in but “What are you? An elfling?"

Lia voices the question that is in her own mind. She has never encountered such as these, and would love to know what manner of sentient they are.

“Are you going to bring the elves back?” The small creatures wonder as the half-elves tower over them.

“We are trying little one. But we still know very little of this land, Perhaps you could share your knowledge with us?” she asks hopefully with a smile.

Kylie nods. "Yes, we will do whatever is necessary to bring my kin back to this land. Any information you can share with us could be the key to succeeding in our quest."

[Nariya]

Nariya:

“He has taken the life essence of elves from the trees he’s cut down and placed it into himself. The human now resembles an ancient elf, but do not be fooled by his appearance.”

"He should be easy to spot then, given the situation. We shall not be fooled," Nariya reassures the Treant.

“The centaur tribe is to the southeast, about twenty miles away,” the Treant explains. “The griffons are known to hunt the large clearing to the south. Do not fear the griffons, young one. They were magically altered by the elves long ago and the spell has passed down through the generations. They will loyally serve any elf and will do no harm to them.”

Nariya tries to picture the areas from when they were flying overhead. She smiles when the Treant calls her 'young one' and she knows she really is compared to him. "Thank you for imparting that knowledge, wise one," she replies. "Knowing the griffons will not harm us is quite a boon."

“We will be watching, my brethren and I. Return if you are in need of aid.”

With that the Treant shuts his eyes once more and assumes the appearance of a normal tree.

"My hope is to return only when we are successful," Nariya says as the Treant's features begin to fade, "but I shall remember."

Nariya heads back, wondering exactly how many Treants there are in these woods. She would imagine quite a few. something i will have to ask next when i get the chance she thinks to herself. Nariya remains alert but keeps her pace up. She has much news to share with the others!

[Lilia]

Lilia:

"So have you heard of this Clan Anachrin, Lilia?" If not, Kylie will ask the other elves about the clan.

“Yes,” Lilia answers easily. “I’ve made studies of many elfin mages of note. Thiondar Nightstar is one of them. Thiondar and his followers left the Sylvan Relam and formed their own clan, Clan Anachrin. After his followers abandoned Thiondar, Clan Anachrin was no more. Those elves were absorbed into other clans or formed their own.”


(Check out the 5th post from the bottom of the first page in New Frontiers #3 or do a search on Thiondar Nightstar. The name pops up in New Frontiers #13 as well.)

[Talen]

Talen:

Talen is astonished when the apparition vanishes and then all of a sudden there’s a really small elf among them!

“Wow, I knew that elves were short, but this is unbelievable!”

These small elves don’t seem to be dangerous, but Talen will remain on guard. The girls are handling the conversation well enough that Talen has nothing to add.

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

Up in the tree-town near the Crystal Platform, the half-elves have come across small elf-like beings.

‘Pardon my rudeness” she says as she takes the little creature in but “What are you? An elfling?

“An elfling?” The small creature repeats. Placing his hands on his vest, the small man puffs his chest and answers, “Not at all. We’re Brownies. Robin Goodfellow at your service.”

“Men-like creatures?” She repeats trying to grasp the understanding then the thought of orcs pop in her head, she has heard of stories of them doing such things. “You mean orcs, very ugly creatures." she thinks to herself misunderstood mostly to but she does not think her life experiences may help them here.

“Yes, orcs they’re called. Foul tempered brutes! Seemingly only exist to destroy what nice things you have.”

“We are trying little one. But we still know very little of this land, Perhaps you could share your knowledge with us?” she asks hopefully with a smile.

Kylie nods. "Yes, we will do whatever is necessary to bring my kin back to this land. Any information you can share with us could be the key to succeeding in our quest."

“I know a fair bit about the lay of the land,” Robin proudly states. “My family and I miss having people to help around the home. Been way to quiet for our tastes. If you’re going to bring the elves back, then we’ll help you as best we can. I’ll be your guide if you need one.”



Out in the deep forest, a unicorn has led Laucian to a concealed Shrine to Ehlonna.

“Then the orcs do patrol these woods as well.” he adds thoughtfully. “Would you know of the where about of the sleeping keepers? Or even where the Mother tree could be found?” he asks hopefully but doubt soon creeps into his words.

“Occasionally they do,” the unicorn answers. “Their master limits how much they are in the forest out of fear that they will destroy what he seeks. Moorkroft has found many of the trees that hold an elf spirit. Any tree he has marked with a white ‘X’ holds an elf inside it. As for the Mother Tree, we feel her presence, but she is not physically here among us. The elves used magic to conceal her from Moorkroft and he has yet to find her. The Keeper had a way to reach the Mother Tree, but that way was known only to her. Presumably that information was passed on to the new Keeper once released.”

“I will see to it that this Moorkroft, Whom or whatever he maybe, be cut down just as those elves and trees were. Whatever harm he has caused to this forest and those who dwell here will be revisited upon him and his army ten fold.”

“You have helped us greatly already to achieving our quest. I would be hard pressed to ask any creature to aid us.“ he adds thoughtfully. “But it is their home as well.”

“What manner of forest creatures would stand by us and help us reclaim what is rightfully ours?” he asks curiously.

“You will need assistance to deal with an army of orcs and humans. Their numbers are just too great. A tribe of centaurs live within these woods who would no doubt wish to help. In ancient times, the elves have trained griffons to serve them much like horses do now. The magic used to make the Griffons docile around elves has been passed down through the generations. They will serve any elf as a loyal steed.”

“Many forest creatures still live here in the forest. Brownies, treants, elfin cats and dogs, sprites, pixies and other such fairy folk. Other creatures might be helpful if approached properly. There is a nest of rocs to the west of here, for instance.”

“The Priests of Ehlonna who used to tend this Shrine left behind some tools that you and any other follower of the Lady of the Forests could use in your quest.”

Following the Unicorn’s direction, Laucian is directed into one of the buildings and a small closet. Inside the closet, hanging from hooks are suits of chainmail armor. But unlike regular chain mail, this armor is surprisingly light and soft to the touch.

“Those are Chain Mail of Ehlonna,” the Unicorn explains. “Only a faithful follower can unlock its full power. It is as light as Elfin Chainmail and can even be comfortably worn underneath regular clothing with out hindrance. The wearer will also be able to pass through the forest without making a sound and without leaving footprints.”

Lastly, the Unicorn will direct Laucian to a finely carved wooden box hidden underneath Ehlonna’s Altar. Inside are half a dozen rings, each bearing the symbol of a unicorn’s horn on it.

“These are Holy Rings of Ehlonna. Again, only a faithful follower can make full use of it. The ring will allow you to pray for more spells and make use of special spells at will. May these gifts aid you in your quest.”


Later on as the day is turning into night, the group gathers back at the Crystal Platform. Everyone has returned safely, but Valena is not alone. She has a regal looking falcon with her.

Looks like its time to compare notes!

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

Chain Mail of Ehlonna functions as Elfin Chain Mail +2 and provides a base AC of 3. The wearer can Pass Without Trace while in the forest and gains +10 to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows skills.

Holy Rings of Ehlonna allow the wearer to cast Stalk, Banish Blight, or Wood Sword once per day without having to pray for those spells. The ring also grants the wearer to pray for 1 extra spell per level.

Everyone has safely returned from their explorations. Robin Goodfellow will be the with the half-elves if they accept his offer to guide them.

Now what?

[Laucian]

Laucian

“Occasionally they do,” the unicorn answers. “Their master limits how much they are in the forest out of fear that they will destroy what he seeks. Moorkroft has found many of the trees that hold an elf spirit. Any tree he has marked with a white ‘X’ holds an elf inside it. As for the Mother Tree, we feel her presence, but she is not physically here among us. The elves used magic to conceal her from Moorkroft and he has yet to find her. The Keeper had a way to reach the Mother Tree, but that way was known only to her. Presumably that information was passed on to the new Keeper once released.”

Feel her presence but is not Physically among us? Laucian rolled the words about his head trying to see If perhaps it was a clue to where it maybe hidden. Alas it was far beyond what he can comprehend. Perhaps Lilia or Sherwood may know of such a place where it is possible to do this.

“A White X,” he says in repetition. “My comrades and I will keep watch for such a marking.”

“You will need assistance to deal with an army of orcs and humans. Their numbers are just too great. A tribe of centaurs live within these woods who would no doubt wish to help. In ancient times, the elves have trained griffons to serve them much like horses do now. The magic used to make the Griffons docile around elves has been passed down through the generations. They will serve any elf as a loyal steed.”

“Many forest creatures still live here in the forest. Brownies, treants, elfin cats and dogs, sprites, pixies and other such fairy folk. Other creatures might be helpful if approached properly. There is a nest of rocs to the west of here, for instance.”

Laucian listens intently upon the Forest Lord’s words. Within them comes great wisdom. Many of the creatures it listed could be swayed to their cause. Though some would be harder then others. Rocs though? He has heard only of them in tales of his people and even then they are a rare encounter. This will be a great endeavor indeed if they are to secure the great eagles’ help.


--

“The Priests of Ehlonna who used to tend this Shrine left behind some tools that you and any other follower of the Lady of the Forests could use in your quest.”

Following the Unicorn’s direction, Laucian is directed into one of the buildings and a small closet. Inside the closet, hanging from hooks are suits of chainmail armor. But unlike regular chain mail, this armor is surprisingly light and soft to the touch.

“Those are Chain Mail of Ehlonna,” the Unicorn explains. “Only a faithful follower can unlock its full power. It is as light as Elfin Chainmail and can even be comfortably worn underneath regular clothing with out hindrance. The wearer will also be able to pass through the forest without making a sound and without leaving footprints.”

Laucian looked surprised at the unicorn’s words as it directed him toward a building within the compound. Spotting the cabinet in which the unicorn spoke of Laucian walked over and opened the door with a tug.

Suits of Chainmail hung from hooks within, He eyed them respectfully as he admired the craftsmanship. He took up a tunic and held it in his hands. The metal was finely crafted, he was surprised at just how light they were. The softness rival that of cloth. He quickly realized he was holding Elfin Chainmail within his grasp. But then the wise words of the Unicorn reach his ear,

“Those are Chain Mail of Ehlonna,” the Unicorn explains. “Only a faithful follower can unlock its full power. It is as light as Elfin Chainmail and can even be comfortably worn underneath regular clothing with out hindrance. The wearer will also be able to pass through the forest without making a sound and without leaving footprints.”

Laucian looked up from the armor to the Unicorn in awe and elation. It was apparent he was at a lots for words but there was soon to be more. Lastly, the Unicorn will direct Laucian to a finely carved wooden box hidden underneath Ehlonna’s Altar. Inside are half a dozen rings, each bearing the symbol of a unicorn’s horn on it.

“These are Holy Rings of Ehlonna. Again, only a faithful follower can make full use of it. The ring will allow you to pray for more spells and make use of special spells at will. May these gifts aid you in your quest.”

"Thank you for showing me of these gifts. You have my word that we will make good use of their great powers."

He placed the wooden box back without taking a ring and silently prayed to his patron. For her guidance and direction as well as her unwavering support.

As he was done he gathered two rings, Both of which he put upon his finger. One for himself and the other for Valena. He will then return to the armor closet and remove his old armor, and dress in a suit of Chainmail placing his green tunic and leggings over them. Again taking a Spare suit of armor for Valena.

Gatering up his remaining gear he walked to the stream and filled his wineskin. Once he was ready he bowed low before the unicorn in respect and said,

“I cannot begin to thank you for your kindness and wisdom. Without your help I fear our quest would be far more dangerous. When the forest is returned to its former glory, I will return so that my comrades and I may thank you properly for all that you have done.”


He reached behind him and raised his cowl about his head, with a one last glance toward the unicorn and the untouched glade. Laucian smiled and nodded. Leaving the glade behind, he retraced his steps toward the river. He moved silently among the underbrush stopping now and again listening to the surrounding forest.

As the moon rose high over head he returned to base camp, Spotting someone new among their number Laucian squatted in the underbrush and watched for a few moments. After a time he rose from the underbrush without a sound, Onyx quietly in toe.

(More to come Once other’s post)

[Lilia]

Lilia:

Having completed her examination of the Crystal Platform, Lilia tries to relax. She returns to the barge to retrieve some fruit and nuts for supper. Picking up a book, the Elf Maiden passes the time reading while waiting for the others to return.

After a time Laucian returns.

“Hail Clansman,” Lilia calls out once aware of his presence. “I believe I’ve made some interesting discovers about the Crystal Platform. Did you find anything?”

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

Near dusk Sherwood returns to the barge.

“It was pretty quiet out there,” Sherwood reports. “I didn’t find anything beyond normal forest animals during my walk.”

“However, I did find something very disturbing about 8 miles to the west of here. There was a large area of forest where the trees had been ripped out of the ground and thrown aside. It looks like that many of these trees were cut into and large sections pulled out. I found tracks of humanoids, could be men or orcs and those of wyverns as well. My guess is that the wyverns were used to uproot the trees.”

“The area is very eerie. No animals were spotted and it felt like an oppressive silence hung over the area. All the trees were dead and dry. Another strange thing is that if found that some of the uprooted trees had a white ‘X’ painted on them.”

“What did the rest of you find out?”

[Kylie]

Kylie:

“An elfling?” The small creature repeats. Placing his hands on his vest, the small man puffs his chest and answers, “Not at all. We’re Brownies. Robin Goodfellow at your service.”

"Our appologies, Master Goodfellow" Kylie says with a curtsy. "I don't believe any of us have encountered Brownies before. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Kylie Lanthorn, daughter of Allurien of Clan Feador and Tomas Lanthorn of Elcadan."

“I know a fair bit about the lay of the land,” Robin proudly states. “My family and I miss having people to help around the home. Been way to quiet for our tastes. If you’re going to bring the elves back, then we’ll help you as best we can. I’ll be your guide if you need one.”

"That would be wonderful, Master Goodfellow. We would greatly appreciate your assistance."

Looking about, Kylie notes that evening is approaching. "I believe we should be rejoining the rest of our group. Will you come with us, Robin?"

They return to the clearing where they left the barge and meet up with the others. Kylie introduces a very small, elf-like man. "This is Master Robin Goodfellow. We met him and his fellow Brownies when we were investigating the town. He has graciously offered to act as our guide while we are here."

“However, I did find something very disturbing about 8 miles to the west of here. There was a large area of forest where the trees had been ripped out of the ground and thrown aside. It looks like that many of these trees were cut into and large sections pulled out. I found tracks of humanoids, could be men or orcs and those of wyverns as well. My guess is that the wyverns were used to uproot the trees.”

“The area is very eerie. No animals were spotted and it felt like an oppressive silence hung over the area. All the trees were dead and dry. Another strange thing is that if found that some of the uprooted trees had a white ‘X’ painted on them.”

Kylie doesn't like the sound of this. There has been great violence done to this beautiful forest. Fortunately, it has been limited to select areas. "Could this be what happened in those other small clearings we saw? What could they have been after?"

[Lia]

Lia

“An elfling?” The small creature repeats. Placing his hands on his vest, the small man puffs his chest and answers, “Not at all. We’re Brownies. Robin Goodfellow at your service.”

Lia smiles watching the little brownie puff out his chest like a game bird. “I never met a brownie before.” she said somewhat sheepishly. “It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Robin Goodfellow. I am Lia Galanodel and this is my brother, Talen.” motioning to her protective brother.

Lia then listens to Sherwood’s findings She can’t help but share Kylie’s concern.

[Laucian]

Laucian

“The area is very eerie. No animals were spotted and it felt like an oppressive silence hung over the area. All the trees were dead and dry. Another strange thing is that if found that some of the uprooted trees had a white ‘X’ painted on them.”

“What did the rest of you find out?”


Kylie doesn't like the sound of this. There has been great violence done to this beautiful forest. Fortunately, it has been limited to select areas. "Could this be what happened in those other small clearings we saw? What could they have been after?"

Laucian listened as told of what he saw, before he could comment though Kylie put forth her thoughts. Laucian looked between Sherwood and Kylie as well as the others.

‘The White X you saw was the mark of Moorkroft. He looked thoughtfully to the others and sighed. Unfortunately it also means Moorkroft found what he was looking for. The White X is a marker of a tree he believes to hold the spirit of a elfin care taker. If the it is dead and barren it is likely the elf is no longer their as well.”

“Hail Clansman,” Lilia calls out once aware of his presence. “I believe I’ve made some interesting discovers about the Crystal Platform. Did you find anything?”

“Good to see you well Lilia. Aye I did, some good, some bad and one I am not sure of. I was hoping that you may shed some light on the subject.”

"As I walked east, I encountered a fertile watering hole. I saw many signs of various creatures, though one I did not see till it galloped through the trees. For a moment I only saw a white blur move past my flank. At first I thought it might be a horse or small pony. Upon seeing the tracks I saw it was indeed had the markings of a horse’s hoof. I tracked it till I reached a clearing. Across the clearing a great bearded horse stared at me with gentle eyes. At first I didn’t realize it but I was staring at a Mythical beast. Its single horn glinted in the sunlight. It was then I realized just what I was looking at.

It was one of the most beautiful creatures I ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes upon.

The Unicorn lead me to a hidden Glade where a temple of Ehlonna resided. There were no Followers there but then the Forest Lord spoke of many things. Some good while others were troubling.”

He spoke of needing to form Alliances among the Forest creatures. Moorkrofts forces vastly outnumber us. To attack them now would be suicidal.

He spoke of griffons, brownies, pixies, sprites, wild dogs and Elfin cats that may join our cause. There is also a nest of Roc’s to the west of the temple. Though I cannot begin to fathom how we could gain their aid. But I think it would greatly aid us against the wyrven riders if we can.”

“Its seems this Moorkroft, whomever he maybe keeps his orcish army on a tight leash as well. I believe he fears that the orcish patrols may kill one of the Elfin care takers. Why I am not sure, but that is what I gather.

He took a drink from his wine skin. As he moved his arms his cloak reveals his Studded leather armor is not upon him, He seems to have forgone them for simple forest green and brown clothes. Though a silver shine shows beneath his clothing.

"The forest Lord mentioned something at first I didn’t think was significant. But as I thought on it I thought it might be a clue to the mother tree.

How was it worded"… he recalled his meeting and said it

As for the Mother Tree, we feel her presence, but she is not physically here among us.The elves used magic to conceal her from Moorkroft and he has yet to find her. The Keeper had a way to reach the Mother Tree, but that way was known only to her. Presumably that information was passed on to the new Keeper once released.”

"It struck me as odd that it was said in such away. Perhaps another plane of existence? Or a magical dwelling like the Lodge we used early in our days with the Guardians. Are there any magics you can think of that may help us?"

---

Upon seeing the brownie Laucian will say, “I see you made some friends since we were away. Whose your friend?” They return to the clearing where they left the barge and meet up with the others. Kylie introduces a very small, elf-like man. "This is Master Robin Goodfellow. We met him and his fellow Brownies when we were investigating the town. He has graciously offered to act as our guide while we are here."

Laucian will say in brownie, “Greetings Master Robin Goodfellow, I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grundalf, Follower of the Lady of Forests.”


(more to come)

[Lilia]

Lilia:

Lilia puts her books away as the others start to return to the barge.

"However, I did find something very disturbing about 8 miles to the west of here. There was a large area of forest where the trees had been ripped out of the ground and thrown aside. It looks like that many of these trees were cut into and large sections pulled out. I found tracks of humanoids, could be men or orcs and those of wyverns as well. My guess is that the wyverns were used to uproot the trees."

"The area is very eerie. No animals were spotted and it felt like an oppressive silence hung over the area. All the trees were dead and dry. Another strange thing is that if found that some of the uprooted trees had a white 'X' painted on them."

"The White X you saw was the mark of Moorkroft." Laucian looked thoughtfully to the others and sighed. "Unfortunately it also means Moorkroft found what he was looking for. The White X is a marker of a tree he believes to hold the spirit of an elfin caretaker. If the it is dead and barren it is likely the elf is no longer their as well."

"How horrible!" Lilia utters in shock. "Such desecration is almost beyond belief. There will be retribution for this vile act of destruction.”

They return to the clearing where they left the barge and meet up with the others. Kylie introduces a very small, elf-like man. "This is Master Robin Goodfellow. We met him and his fellow Brownies when we were investigating the town. He has graciously offered to act as our guide while we are here."

"Well met, Master Robin," Lilia answers with a nod. She's heard about Brownies, but never seen one with her own eyes before, as they tend to be rather elusive. "I'm sure that your knowledge of the Sylvan Realm will be a great help to our quest."

"Good to see you well Lilia. Aye I did, some good, some bad and one I am not sure of. I was hoping that you might shed some light on the subject."

"I will assist as I am able," Lilia vows.

“He spoke of needing to form Alliances among the Forest creatures. Moorkroft's forces vastly outnumber us. To attack them now would be suicidal.”

"That might be necessary," Lilia agrees. "But only if we are faced with an organized army. As it stands now, Moorkroft's forces are spread out over multiple bases. If we can deal with them individually, then the odds are more in our favor."

"It seems this Moorkroft, whomever he may be, keeps his orcish army on a tight leash as well. I believe he fears that the orcish patrols may kill one of the elfin caretakers. Why I am not sure, but that is what I gather."

"That would explain the current state of the forest, why it is relatively untouched and why forest creatures are so plentiful."

"The forest Lord mentioned something at first I didn't think was significant. But as I thought on it I thought it might be a clue to the mother tree.

“How was it worded"... he recalled his meeting and said, ‘As for the Mother Tree, we feel her presence, but she is not physically here among us. The elves used magic to conceal her from Moorkroft and he has yet to find her. The Keeper had a way to reach the Mother Tree, but that way was known only to her. Presumably that information was passed on to the new Keeper once released.’

"It struck me as odd that it was said in such away. Perhaps another plane of existence? Or a magical dwelling like the Lodge we used early in our days with the Guardians. Are there any magicks you can think of that may help us?"

“Hiding the Mother Tree in such a manner would make sense. It would ensure that she could not be found by the orcs. Wherever this place is, it has to be accessible by the Keeper so that they could tend to the Mother Tree. So it can be reached. Based on my examination of the Crystal Platform, I believe I have divined the other pieces of this puzzle that will lead to our rescuing of the Mother Tree.”

“I am convinced that the Crystal Platform is of elfin manufacture and its purpose is two-fold. As I observed the platform, occasionally light would find it’s way down the trees and strike the crystal. When it did, a reflection of a rainbow was seen.”

“It is my contention that the Crystal Platform was created by King Dorwynn himself. This in fact is the other end of the Rainbow Bridge the elves used to pass from the Sylvan Realms to the Elfholds! But it is now damaged since the roof that covered the platform has collapsed. Perhaps it is this roof that allowed those inside the rainbow to arrive here safely, converting riders into light one way, and focusing them back to elves the other.”

“I honestly don’t know what this means to those who came over the rainbow bridge. They could still be inside the rainbow awaiting release. Or… Or they might be gone forever. I just don’t know.”

Lilia can’t help but shoot a glance at Kylie since her mother crossed over the Rainbow Bridge many years ago. Her fate still remains unknown.

“The second purpose of the platform is that it allows access to the Mother Tree! As some of you have said, the Keeper had a way to reach the Mother Tree, but there was another to be used as a backup in an emergency.”

“Remember those four metal slabs that circled the platform? Each of them had writing on them that conforms to the ancient elfin names for the seasons. I didn’t make that connection until I was wearing the Star Crown. It has increased my cognitive abilities dramatically. Those names are also on the Star Map.”

“At the base of the Crystal Platform close to the metal slabs are a series of three indentations. Their appearance suggests that something needs to placed inside them, something about the size of a medallion. It is my contention that these medallions are keys that can be used to reach the Mother Tree. We need to acquire all twelve of them to open the doorway.”

“Given that the Sylvan Realms is divided into four parts, each mirroring a season, then three of the medallions will be found in each area. I believe that the Star Map is the key. It shows twelve constellations and we are in search of twelve keys. I believe the ancient elves entrusted the keys to the creatures depicted on the Star Map. Thus we’ll need to find griffons, centaurs, eagles, and so on.”

“Perhaps Master Robin here can lead the way to these creatures.”

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

They return to the clearing where they left the barge and meet up with the others. Kylie introduces a very small, elf-like man. "This is Master Robin Goodfellow. We met him and his fellow Brownies when we were investigating the town. He has graciously offered to act as our guide while we are here."

“Hello,” Sherwood responds. “Glad to have your assistance.”

Kylie doesn't like the sound of this. There has been great violence done to this beautiful forest. Fortunately, it has been limited to select areas. "Could this be what happened in those other small clearings we saw? What could they have been after?"

“That is most likely,” Sherwood agrees.

“The White X you saw was the mark of Moorkroft.” Laucian looked thoughtfully to the others and sighed. “Unfortunately it also means Moorkroft found what he was looking for. The White X is a marker of a tree he believes to hold the spirit of an elfin caretaker. If the it is dead and barren it is likely the elf is no longer their as well."

“But at least it means he hasn’t found the Mother Tree just yet. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering with the regular trees or keeping his forces at bay.”


Laucian relates the tale of his explorations. How a Unicorn led him to a Shrine of Ehlonna.

Stepping forward, Sherwood pats Laucian on the shoulder. “You have been blessed, my friend. Truly, a unicorn is one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. I’ve managed to see one once myself. I shall never forget it.”

"It struck me as odd that it was said in such away. Perhaps another plane of existence? Or a magical dwelling like the Lodge we used early in our days with the Guardians. Are there any magicks you can think of that may help us?"

“That seems reasonable,” Sherwood agrees. “The Mother Tree is a mystical being whose presence can be felt even if she was on another plane. Or perhaps she simply isolated from our world? The elves hid her well, so I doubt any spells that I have would allow us easy access to her. After all, this Moorkroft sounds like a much more powerful mage than I and he hasn’t reached the Mother Tree yet.”


Sherwood listens long and hard to Lilia’s analysis of the Crystal Platform. It does sound well thought out and reasonable based on what they know.

“Perhaps to restore this end of the Rainbow Bridge the crystal dome needs to be raised. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to go about doing that. Any tampering on our part might just make the situation worse. I feel we should leave it alone for now.”

“It seems to me that our immediate goal should be to recover these twelve medallions before concerning ourselves with Moorkroft’s forces. They don’t know we are here and that’ll work to our advantage for now. Perhaps the Mother Tree can solve some of our immediate problems once she is restored, such as repairing the Crystal Platform and releasing those elves that still slumber in the trees. That could instantly give us a small army of our own.”

“In addition our quest for the medallions could allow us to form other alliances as the Unicorn suggested. It seems to me that the choice we need to make is whether to search for the medallions together or divide our forces into two groups. I’m of the opinion that as long as our presence is unknown that splitting into two groups is doable. Each group could tackle a region, retrieve the three medallions and then return here.”

Turning to the Brownie, Sherwood will say, “Master Robin, do you have any idea where these twelve constellations would correspond with locations here in the Sylvan Realm?”

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

Valena returns to the barge with her new friend.

“I really didn’t find anything all that interesting as compared to the rest of you, but I did make a new friend.”

Valena will proudly show off the falcon she healed and befriended. She takes a seat and nibbles on some trail mix as the others report their findings. The half-elves found a Brownie who agreed to serve as their guide. Sherwood found a clearing of uprooted trees and that brings an unhappy look to Valena.

It is Laucian’s story that brings a joy to her eyes. “A unicorn led to you a isolated glade dedicated to Ehlonna? How marvelous! How lucky you are to have seen such a wondrous creature, forest brother! We will have to go there and properly pay our respects when able.”

Valena listen as first Lilia presents her theories and then Sherwood makes practice use of them. It seems that their immediate goal is to find the Mother Tree.

“I have to agree that finding the Mother Tree must remain our primary goal. The longer we wait, the weaker she becomes. She must be found before the unthinkable happens.”

“Splitting into two groups seems practical to me given the situation. Enough of us know our way around a forest to warrant it.”

[Talen]

Talen:

Lia smiles watching the little brownie puff out his chest like a game bird. "I never met a brownie before." she said somewhat sheepishly. "It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Robin Goodfellow. I am Lia Galandol and this is my brother, Talen." motioning to her protective brother.

“Hi”, Talen manages to say a bit dumbfounded. “Nice to meet you.”


Soon everyone is back together and exchanging tales of their encounters. Lilia reports the results of what she’s deduced about the Crystal Platform. Much of it goes over Talen’s head, but at least it seems that they now have a clear purpose. Find the twelve medallions to reach the Mother Tree.

Talen has no preferences as far as staying together or dividing their forces.

[Nariya]

Nariya:

Nariya finds herself arriving pretty much last. It seems like everyone had an encounter of some fashion. She listens to the others and looks over at the Brownie. A Brownie!

"Hello, I am Nariya," she will say to Goodfellow when introduced. "A pleasure to meet you."

While Laucian talks, she notices something under his cloak. It's too silver to be his studded leather. Nariya gives him a questioning, curious look, but doesn't interupt his tale. Perhaps he'll mention it soon enough.

A lot of information is revealed, especially about the Rainbow Bridge and the medallions that are needed to use it. Talk is brought up about seeking out possible allies that Laucian learned of when speaking with a Unicorn. A Unicorn! Truly they have been gifted with an abundance of luck and allies today.

When she can, Nariya tells her tale. "I spotted lots of signs of wildlife as well as observed some deer," she begins. "Then I had the feeling of being watched. I quickly learned that a Treant was observing me, curious at seeing an elf after so long. He spoke of finding the griffons and centaurs and that they would ally with us. He told me where we could probably locate them."

"He also spoke of this Moorkroft," Nariya continues. "He has found some of the elves within their trees and taken their life essence for his own. The Treant say Moorkroft now looks like an ancient elf and warned us to not be fooled."

There is talk of splitting into two groups, which Nariya agrees with. She also agrees that avoiding Moorkroft's forces for now would be for the best. She eagerly awaits what the final word is and looks forward to exploring more of the forest on their way to finding the medallions and hopefully an abundance of allies.

[Kylie]

Kylie:

“I really didn’t find anything all that interesting as compared to the rest of you, but I did make a new friend.”

Kylie smiles over at Valena. "Your new friend is beautiful, Valena," Kylie says. "Does she have a name?"

"The White X you saw was the mark of Moorkroft." He looked thoughtfully to the others and sighed. "Unfortunately it also means Moorkroft found what he was looking for. The White X is a marker of a tree he believes to hold the spirit of a elfin care taker. If the it is dead and barren it is likely the elf is no longer their as well.”

Kylie gasps softly as Laucian relates his news. This is horrible! So many dead... "Gods above..." she murmurs. "Are there still some alive, or has he slain them all?"

As Laucian tells of his meeting with the unicorn and what he learned, Kylie listens, distracted by the horror she has just heard. She tries to picture the unicorn, but finds only images of dead elves inside trees. Still, she is heartened somewhat by the news of likely allies her in the Sylvan Realm. Also, it sounds as though the Mother Tree yet survives, and this lifts her spirits some more.

“That seems reasonable,” Sherwood agrees. “The Mother Tree is a mystical being whose presence can be felt even if she was on another plane. Or perhaps she simply isolated from our world? The elves hid her well, so I doubt any spells that I have would allow us easy access to her. After all, this Moorkroft sounds like a much more powerful mage than I and he hasn’t reached the Mother Tree yet.”

The thought of Moorkroft been more powerful even than Sherwood amazes and frightens Kylie. How will they overcome him? If he has powerful lieutenants, they may be hopelessly overmatched. Perhaps stealth will help them where raw power fails?

"He also spoke of this Moorkroft," Nariya continues. "He has found some of the elves within their trees and taken their life essence for his own. The Treant say Moorkroft now looks like an ancient elf and warned us to not be fooled."

Laucian met a unicorn, and now Nariya tells of meeting a treant! This is truly an enchanted forest. But the description of him consuming their essences makes her a little ill. Such horror is almost impossible to comprehend.

“I honestly don’t know what this means to those who came over the rainbow bridge. They could still be inside the rainbow awaiting release. Or… Or they might be gone forever. I just don’t know.”

Lilia speaks of the crystal platform and what she has surmised of its purpose. The elven woman glances at Kylie as she mentions those who were sent before them, causing Kylie to realize that her mother would undoubtedly have been one of those!

"If they are still inside there, then releasing them would mean that they could join us in fighting Moorkroft, right?" Kylie asks, with just a touch of pleading in her tone. She has to believe that this is possible. They cannot just be gone; Kylie's not sure if she could continue if that were the case.

Lilia continues talking about the crystal platform and some medallions she believes will allow them to access the Mother Tree. If she's right, the same forest creatures that they need to recruit to help fight Moorkroft's forces should also have the medallions. "So finding the animals that the unicorn said may help us should also lead us to these medallions. Since Moorkroft's bases are all to the eastern side of the Realm, I would suggest that we start in the west. This would give the creatures we enlist over there time to make their way east to get into position for our attack on Moorkroft."

Sherwood seems to agree with Lilia and proposes that they pursue the medallions and allies first. He also suggests splitting the group in two, to which several of the others agree. "The only issues I see with splitting the group are that we only have one guide," she says with a nod to Goodfellow, "and only one flying barge. I suppose we might be able to build some kind of raft or some such that Lilia can fly with her Crown while we propel the barge with the Spell Engine. If we can find another guide, it might help make this plan much more effective. Do you have any ideas on where we might find another skilled guide, Master Goodfellow?"

"It would be helpful as well to find some information on where Moorkroft is. When the time comes, if we can attack him first, we may be able to surprise him and prevent him from having time to prepare. Once he's gone, dealing with the rest of the orcs and wyverns should be easier."

[Laucian]

Laucian

Stepping forward, Sherwood pats Laucian on the shoulder. “You have been blessed, my friend. Truly, a unicorn is one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. I’ve managed to see one once myself. I shall never forget it.”

“It is a sight that will always bring a smile to my heart.”

As he is telling his story he can’t help but catch Nariya’s questioning and curious gaze, He gave her a wink in reply as he continued on. When the others were finished speaking he said.

“There were other things the unicorn gave to us to help us in our endeavors. Though I could not bring them all with me due to their making. Reaching into his back he placed his rolled up Studded leather upon the ground. Reaching deeper into his Pack he took out a entire suit of Chainmail. Turning it in his Hands he motions for Valena to come forward.

Looking Up at Valena from his seat he said, When Ehlonna’s followers left these woods they left those who were worthy of it gifts to aid them in the task of reclaiming these lands. It is known as Chainmail of Ehlonna. power. It is as light as Elfin Chainmail and can even be comfortably worn underneath regular clothing with out hindrance. The wearer will also be able to pass through the forest without making a sound and without leaving footprints.”

He paused and took a ring, one of two upon his hand then took off another. One in which bore a unicorn’s horn he passed to Valena along with the Chainmail suit. The ring is Of Ehlonna as well. The unicorn spoke of the rings power. It allows a true follower of Ehlonna to pray for more spells as well as use special spells at will.

Later on, Taking the other ring, The ring Of Chameleon power he got up and sat next to Nariya. Taking her hand in his he gave it a light squeeze as he looked her in the eyes. I would like you to have this. It will allow you to blend into your surrounding as if you were a chameleon. He will slip it onto her finger and light kiss her hand afterward.


Laucian will take the time to get acquainted with Valena’s falcon when time permits it.

When she can, Nariya tells her tale. "I spotted lots of signs of wildlife as well as observed some deer," she begins. "Then I had the feeling of being watched. I quickly learned that a Treant was observing me, curious at seeing an elf after so long. He spoke of finding the griffons and centaurs and that they would ally with us. He told me where we could probably locate them."

A treant! He quietly wondered what other creatures this vast forest holds, “You were blessed to come across one. I have not known them to the social type.” he added thoughtfully. “Where could these centaurs be found?”

Sherwood seems to agree with Lilia and proposes that they pursue the medallions and allies first. He also suggests splitting the group in two, to which several of the others agree. "The only issues I see with splitting the group are that we only have one guide," she says with a nod to Goodfellow, "and only one flying barge. I suppose we might be able to build some kind of raft or some such that Lilia can fly with her Crown while we propel the barge with the Spell Engine. If we can find another guide, it might help make this plan much more effective. Do you have any ideas on where we might find another skilled guide, Master Goodfellow?"

"It would be helpful as well to find some information on where Moorkroft is. When the time comes, if we can attack him first, we may be able to surprise him and prevent him from having time to prepare. Once he's gone, dealing with the rest of the orcs and wyverns should be easier."

Laucian looks to Kylie with an amused face, “it would take us some time to build a craft in which you speak, even if we had the tools. The longer we linger here the quicker our presence may be noticed.

Of the Rangers among us, many of us know our ways about forests and woodlands. All we would need is a general direction and perhaps a landmark or two to go by. Between Nariya’s path finding skills and My tracking we would not be hard pressed to find our way about.

"It would be helpful as well to find some information on where Moorkroft is. When the time comes, if we can attack him first, we may be able to surprise him and prevent him from having time to prepare. Once he's gone, dealing with the rest of the orcs and wyverns should be easier."

Laucian shakes his head in disagreement. I tend to agree that removing the head of the snake kills the body, but I’m afraid in this case to do so. Removing the Head would only unleash the fury of his followers… The only one that keeps these orcs in check is Moorkroft.

I would not attack just yet. Not until we know the whereabouts of this Moorkroft.

Turning to Lilia and Sherwood as well as Kylie. “When Argent joined us she mentioned scrying on someone. Would such a tactic be wise to use?” he cant help but ask.

(If anyone can use his Studded leather +2, your welcome to it)

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

The others share their exploration tales and offer comments.

When she can, Nariya tells her tale. "I spotted lots of signs of wildlife as well as observed some deer," she begins. "Then I had the feeling of being watched. I quickly learned that a Treant was observing me, curious at seeing an elf after so long. He spoke of finding the griffons and centaurs and that they would ally with us. He told me where we could probably locate them."

"He also spoke of this Moorkroft," Nariya continues. "He has found some of the elves within their trees and taken their life essence for his own. The Treant say Moorkroft now looks like an ancient elf and warned us to not be fooled."

"It would be helpful as well to find some information on where Moorkroft is. When the time comes, if we can attack him first, we may be able to surprise him and prevent him from having time to prepare. Once he's gone, dealing with the rest of the orcs and wyverns should be easier."

Laucian shakes his head in disagreement. I tend to agree that removing the head of the snake kills the body, but I’m afraid in this case to do so. Removing the Head would only unleash the fury of his followers… The only one that keeps these orcs in check is Moorkroft. I would not attack just yet. Not until we know the whereabouts of this Moorkroft.“

“I’m not surprised that Treants are also here. It is a magical elfin forest after all. This revelation about Moorkroft extending his own life at the expense of elves is a troubling one. It potentially means that we are dealing with a centuries old mage. Someone who is powerful enough to hold whole armies of orcs in check. It’s clear that we need to learn more about this Moorkroft and where he rules from before even considering taking action against him. Stealth and the enemy not knowing we are here is our primary weapon right now.”

Lilia continues talking about the crystal platform and some medallions she believes will allow them to access the Mother Tree. If she's right, the same forest creatures that they need to recruit to help fight Moorkroft's forces should also have the medallions. "So finding the animals that the unicorn said may help us should also lead us to these medallions. Since Moorkroft's bases are all to the eastern side of the Realm, I would suggest that we start in the west. This would give the creatures we enlist over there time to make their way east to get into position for our attack on Moorkroft."

“That makes sense,” Sherwood agrees. “One group will take the northwest section of the forest, the other the southwest.”

Sherwood seems to agree with Lilia and proposes that they pursue the medallions and allies first. He also suggests splitting the group in two, to which several of the others agree. "The only issues I see with splitting the group are that we only have one guide," she says with a nod to Goodfellow, "and only one flying barge. I suppose we might be able to build some kind of raft or some such that Lilia can fly with her Crown while we propel the barge with the Spell Engine. If we can find another guide, it might help make this plan much more effective. Do you have any ideas on where we might find another skilled guide, Master Goodfellow?"

Laucian looks to Kylie with an amused face, “it would take us some time to build a craft in which you speak, even if we had the tools. The longer we linger here the quicker our presence may be noticed. Of the Rangers among us, many of us know our ways about forests and woodlands. All we would need is a general direction and perhaps a landmark or two to go by. Between Nariya’s pathfinding skills and my tracking we would not be hard pressed to find our way about.

“I have to agree with Laucian in this instance, Kylie. We need to keep a low profile. I didn’t even consider using the barge for this. For one thing the forest is too dense to make it practical underneath the trees and it’s too hard to see anything from above. I think we should just leave it here and concealed for now. It’ll be a something we can fall back on and use later on. Besides, I’m sure that most of us need more time away from the barge before using it again.”

“It is my plan to go forth on foot. We’ll have less chance of being noticed by the Wyvern Patrols while under the trees and have a better chance to locating the forest creatures that we seek. If Master Robin can give us a rough idea of where to find what we seek, then Nariya and Lucian won’t need a guide.”

“Here’s what I propose for the two groups. One group will be Nariya, Laucian, Kylie and Lilia. The other group will be composed of Talen, Lia, Valena, and myself. Master Robin will come with my group. We’ll take the Northwest quadrant; Laucian’s group the southwest. We’ll rest for the evening and then set out on foot in the morning. This mix will give each group a roughly equal share of abilities and skills.”

Turning to Lilia and Sherwood as well as Kylie. “When Argent joined us she mentioned scrying on someone. Would such a tactic be wise to use?” he can’t help but ask.

“We need a Crystal Ball to do such a thing,” Sherwood explains. “I do not have one myself.”


While settling in for the evening, Sherwood will pull out some paper and draw a crude map of the Sylvan Realm. He’ll then ask Master Robin if he knows locations that would correspond to creatures that make up the Elfin Constellations.

[Lilia]

Lilia:

"If they are still inside there, then releasing them would mean that they could join us in fighting Moorkroft, right?" Kylie asks, with just a touch of pleading in her tone. She has to believe that this is possible. They cannot just be gone; Kylie's not sure if she could continue if that were the case.

“Yes, I would believe that to the be case. With that many skilled elves on our side, victory has to be assured.”


Lilia mostly listens as the others share their discoveries. Laucian spoke with a unicorn and Nariya a treant! Both are wondrous forest creatures that Lilia has never seen before. Even better the unicorn led Laucian to a hidden shrine and gave him some Ehlonna specific items to help with the fight.

Sherwood decides to split up into two groups of four of roughly equal abilities.

“That sounds fine to me. I’d rather feel the forest floor under my feet and enjoy the shade of these mighty trees then spend any more time on the barge. This is our home and where we belong.”

Since the southwest seems to be our destination, Lilia will pay particular attention to what creatures the brownie indicates we’ll find in that area.

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

Kylie smiles over at Valena. "Your new friend is beautiful, Valena," Kylie says. "Does she have a name?"

Laucian will take the time to get acquainted with Valena's falcon when time permits it.

Valena will proudly show off her new friend and allow her to become accustomed to her companions. For the moment, it’s probably better to keep Onyx away.

“No, I hadn’t even thought about giving her a name yet”, Valena admits. “Do you have any suggestions?”


A look of pure enchantment comes to Valena’s face upon hearing that not only are unicorns present, but treants as well! She is saddened to learn about the elves sleeping in the trees being used to extend the lifespan of the evil mage who caused all this trouble.

Talk turns to the subject of how to reach the Mother Tree. Lilia believes that we need to find twelve medallions, as they are the keys to reaching her. Sherwood decides to split up into two groups for the search. It all seems reasonable to Valena and she makes no additional comments on the matter.

"There were other things the unicorn gave to us to help us in our endeavors. Though I could not bring them all with me due to their making.”

Reaching into his back he placed his rolled up Studded leather upon the ground. Reaching deeper into his Pack he took out an entire suit of Chainmail. Turning it in his hands he motions for Valena to come forward.

Seeing that Laucian wishes to speak to her, Valena approaches. A smile forms on her face as she sees what he has in her hands.

“You found some elfin chainmail. Wondrous stuff. I was fortunate to find a suit of it myself. Its incredibly comfortable.”

Looking Up at Valena from his seat he said, “When Ehlonna's followers left these woods they left those who were worthy of it gifts to aid them in the task of reclaiming these lands. It is known as Chainmail of Ehlonna. It is as light as Elfin Chainmail and can even be comfortably worn underneath regular clothing with out hindrance. The wearer will also be able to pass through the forest without making a sound and without leaving footprints."

Valena’s mouth forms a large O as she struggles to find words to respond with. Accepting the armor, she can’t help but feel the power of the Lady of the Forests in it.

“This is an incredible gift, Forest Brother! I will treasure it always!”

He paused and took a ring; one of two upon his hand then took off another. One in which bore a unicorn's horn he passed to Valena along with the Chainmail suit. “The ring is Of Ehlonna as well. The unicorn spoke of the rings power. It allows a true follower of Ehlonna to pray for more spells as well as use special spells at will.”

Taking the ring, Valena notes the unicorn’s horn on it. The Holy Symbol of Ehlonna herself! Valena places the ring on her finger and will admire it for a time.

“Thank you for these wondrous gifts, Laucian. I will do my best to be worthy of them.”


As the night winds down, Valena tries to relax but is far too excited. She’ll go through her ritual of cleaning her bow and arrows. In the morning she’ll pray for the new spells granted to her by the Holy Ring of Ehlonna. A weeks worth of spare food is stored into her packs and Valena will be ready to go find these medallions.

[GM Mad]

Post Continued:

Turning to the Brownie, Sherwood will say, “Master Robin, do you have any idea where these twelve constellations would correspond with locations here in the Sylvan Realm?”

“I’ll do what I can”, Robin vows. “The forest is far to empty without the elves around. We brownies secretly live among them, adding them as necessary. We don’t take much and have much to offer.”

Lilia runs down the list of the twelve constellations on the Elfin Star Chart, while Sherwood draws a crude map to help place them in the Sylvan Realm. As Robin answers the questions, the locations are penciled in on the map.

“The warrior?” Robin scratches his chin in deep thought. “That’s a tough one. Oh, there is a giant statue that does kind of look like an armored warrior! Maybe that is what you seek.”

“The Griffon is easy. There’s a large clearing to the south of here that they use as a hunting area. Not a day goes pass without seeing one there.”

“The Chimera? I’m not familiar with such a creature. Do any of you know what it is?”

Sherwood provides a description of a chimera, a three-headed winged monster. The central head is that of a lion, the others a goat and a dragon.

“Sounds horrid!” Robin exclaims. “There is a large stone that looks something like that out in the forest. It is an evil place and you’d be well suited to keep away.”

“I’ve seen eagles around here before, but they are not that common. They mostly live in the mountains that surround the forest. Although, there is a nest for a giant bird to the west of here. Maybe that’s what they mean.”

“Manticores are nasty creatures! There’s a flock of them that hunts around this large rock over here.”

“Centaurs are nice beings. I’ve got cousins that live among them. There’s a tribe of them down around this area here.”

“I can’t narrow it down when it comes to the Nymph. There’s a few dozen here in the Realms. Any one of them could have what you seek.”

“The Hydra is a mean one! It lives on the edge of the forest in the swamp. It’s another place we brownies avoid.”

“The Narwhale isn’t friendly either. It lives in the waters to the west. The elves called it the ‘unicorn of the sea’, but it doesn’t act like its land cousins.”

The last three constellations, Justice, the Lizard, and the House have no meaning to Robin. Two of them are not creatures, and lizards are to many to signal out just one.


The night will pass without incident. All during the night more of Robin’s family will venture forth to explore the barge and its crew. It’s unsettling at first to turn and find a brownie there that wasn’t present a moment ago, but you get used to it.

Morning comes and the adventurers are ready to begin their quest to find the twelve medallions.


GM Notes:

The Sylvan Realms map has been updated to the places indicated by Robin.

Now what?

[Kylie]

Kylie:

“No, I hadn’t even thought about giving her a name yet”, Valena admits. “Do you have any suggestions?”

"No, at least not right now. I would be happy to think about it and let you know if I come up with any ideas, though," Kylie says. "I'm sorry I didn't catch it before, but what part of her was it that you healed?"

“Yes, I would believe that to the be case. With that many skilled elves on our side, victory has to be assured.”

"That is very good to hear," Kylie says, clearly pleased. "Thank you, Lilia."

Kylie watches with some measure of envy as Laucian tells of the items he received from the temple the unicorn lead him to and shares them with Valena. Intellectually, she knows the enchanted items wouldn't work for her, and that she has many magical items of her own, but emotionally she feels left out. Choosing not to mention it, Kylie wonders if this is what maturity feels like and isn't sure that she likes it.

Laucian looks to Kylie with an amused face, “it would take us some time to build a craft in which you speak, even if we had the tools. The longer we linger here the quicker our presence may be noticed.

Of the Rangers among us, many of us know our ways about forests and woodlands. All we would need is a general direction and perhaps a landmark or two to go by. Between Nariya’s path finding skills and My tracking we would not be hard pressed to find our way about.

“I have to agree with Laucian in this instance, Kylie. We need to keep a low profile. I didn’t even consider using the barge for this. For one thing the forest is too dense to make it practical underneath the trees and it’s too hard to see anything from above. I think we should just leave it here and concealed for now. It’ll be a something we can fall back on and use later on. Besides, I’m sure that most of us need more time away from the barge before using it again.”

Kylie shakes her head. "I believe you both misunderstood me. I don't doubt the skills of our woodsmen. However, even the most skilled woodsman has to spend time seeking what they wish to find. Having someone who can take you directly to a destination is certainly faster. And I could be wrong, but I believe that time is an issue here. Using the barge would help at least one group of us get around faster, and since it can be rendered invisible, it would keep them from detection."

I would not attack just yet. Not until we know the whereabouts of this Moorkroft.

Kylie is, frankly, stumped by this mangling of her suggestion. "When I said, 'When the time comes,' I did not mean right now. I meant when we have completed the other parts of our mission and gathered whatever allies we can. Similarly, I specifically stated that we should try to learn Moorkroft's whereabouts before attacking."

“This revelation about Moorkroft extending his own life at the expense of elves is a troubling one. It potentially means that we are dealing with a centuries old mage. Someone who is powerful enough to hold whole armies of orcs in check. It’s clear that we need to learn more about this Moorkroft and where he rules from before even considering taking action against him. Stealth and the enemy not knowing we are here is our primary weapon right now.”

"That's pretty much what I was thinking. Not being found until we are ready is critical. However, I think there is some need for quickness as well; we know that the Trees of Life are dying."

“Here’s what I propose for the two groups. One group will be Nariya, Laucian, Kylie and Lilia. The other group will be composed of Talen, Lia, Valena, and myself. Master Robin will come with my group. We’ll take the Northwest quadrant; Laucian’s group the southwest. We’ll rest for the evening and then set out on foot in the morning. This mix will give each group a roughly equal share of abilities and skills.”

Sherwood presents his plan and others voice their agreement. Kylie nods her agreement as she doesn't really have anything to add.

As Sherwood and Robin go over the maps and try to figure out where the various medallions might be, Kylie observes carefully. Try as she might, she cannot find any obvious clues in regard to comparing the maps.

"As far as I can tell, the arrangement of the constellations on the Starmap doesn't seem to bear any relationship to the geographic locations Robin has suggested. They don't even seem to be in comparable quadrants, even if you twist the map around. We have potentially accounted for eight of the twelve medallions. That leaves: the Nymph, Justice, the House and the Lizard."

An idea occurs to her. "Robin, when we flew in, I noticed that the southern river had a small island with a hill or something on it. Can you tell us anything about that island?" Also, is there anything that might be worth knowing about that big lake on the edge of the swamp? A dragon is a kind of lizard, if I remember correctly. Are there any tales of dragons having lived in the area or anything else dragon-related that you can think of?"
______________________________________________________
Interestingly, your division of the group is nearly the same as what I had come up with. The only change I would have made was swapping Laucian for Valena and having Robin travel with Lilia's group.

[Nariya]

Nariya:

Laucian looks to Kylie with an amused face, “it would take us some time to build a craft in which you speak, even if we had the tools. The longer we linger here the quicker our presence may be noticed.

Of the Rangers among us, many of us know our ways about forests and woodlands. All we would need is a general direction and perhaps a landmark or two to go by. Between Nariya’s path finding skills and My tracking we would not be hard pressed to find our way about.

“I have to agree with Laucian in this instance, Kylie. We need to keep a low profile. I didn’t even consider using the barge for this. For one thing the forest is too dense to make it practical underneath the trees and it’s too hard to see anything from above. I think we should just leave it here and concealed for now. It’ll be a something we can fall back on and use later on. Besides, I’m sure that most of us need more time away from the barge before using it again.”

Kylie shakes her head. "I believe you both misunderstood me. I don't doubt the skills of our woodsmen. However, even the most skilled woodsman has to spend time seeking what they wish to find. Having someone who can take you directly to a destination is certainly faster. And I could be wrong, but I believe that time is an issue here. Using the barge would help at least one group of us get around faster, and since it can be rendered invisible, it would keep them from detection."

"The barge might be faster, but only if our final destination rests in a clearing," Nariya adds to the end of this long discussion. "I'm guessing most of these potential allies of ours aren't going to be lurking in the open where those wyvern riders could spot them. Otherwise we'll be spending a lot of our time looking for a clearing that isn't too far away, making sure it's safe to land, and then back tracking to where we flew over."

Nariya then smiles, keeping her tone light to show some humor, even though she is completely serious about her following claims, "Now if you were travelling with just Sherwood, you might want to have a guide, but I've been doing this kind of thing since I couldn't see over a tree stump. I'll get us where we need to go, and quickly too, you have my assurances on that. Sherwood knows, he sought me out for just this sort of thing."

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

Master Robin helps fill in some of the possible locations of the medallions. After the Brownie is done, Sherwood stares at the map for a time. Once finished he turns back to his companions.

“Having looked over the areas that Master Robin has filled in and given what we are looking for there, I believe that the barge should be used now. Take a look at this.”

Sherwood points to the map and will run his finger along it as he speaks.

“The Manticores are up on the hillside, potentially above the treetops. They’ll be easier to reach with the barge, as will the giant birds nest to the west of it. After those two locations, we can go north to the Narwhale location and then above the swamp for the Hydra. My group will take those four targets. (B, C, M, L)”

“Laucian’s group will head for that chimera shaped stone first, as it’ll be hard to find from the barge. From there head east and see if you can locate the griffons and then the centaur village. We’ll regroup at the base of the volcano. (The area between locations E & G, the side away from the wyvern camps.) Perhaps by then we’ll have learned clues about the other locations.”

“Does that sound agreeable to everyone?”

[Kylie]

Kylie:

Kylie doesn't really have anything more to add to the discussion, so remains quiet. She has voiced her concerns, and that is sufficient, as a word to the wise is reputed to be.

Sherwood makes an interesting observation regarding some of the locations. Since some are likely to be high up, having the barge may be helpful. And the barge should float, making it easier to approach the narwhale, and may be of similar help in the swamp, as well.

"I have no objections. The chimera stone, griffons and centaurs appear to be in a roughly straight line, so that seems reasonable. We should be sure to ask any potential allies we meet if they have any idea where to find the remaining medallions."

A question occurs to her. "Do we have any way to communicate with the griffons?"

[Laucian]

Laucian

“This revelation about Moorkroft extending his own life at the expense of elves is a troubling one. It potentially means that we are dealing with a centuries old mage. Someone who is powerful enough to hold whole armies of orcs in check. It’s clear that we need to learn more about this Moorkroft and where he rules from before even considering taking action against him. Stealth and the enemy not knowing we are here is our primary weapon right now.”

Laucian places his hand to his check absently rubbing his chin, "I’m not sure if this maybe relevant, but The mage Ember killed and took his palace for his own. It was very grand and very odd.. Placed hovering precariously above a active volcano. Perhaps this Moorkroft is much like Opkus was, Attracted to power and its safety… "

Laucian listens to the talk between Sherwood and Robin hoping to gather information as well as get a better idea just where these places might/will be.

“The Chimera? I’m not familiar with such a creature. Do any of you know what it is?”

Sherwood provides a description of a chimera, a three-headed winged monster. The central head is that of a lion, the others a goat and a dragon.

“Sounds horrid!” Robin exclaims. “There is a large stone that looks something like that out in the forest. It is an evil place and you’d be well suited to keep away.”

“Is it merely the stone in which your people are afraid of?” he asks curiously.

“I can’t narrow it down when it comes to the Nymph. There’s a few dozen here in the Realms. Any one of them could have what you seek.”

Giving it some thought Laucian tries to recall if he has any teaching on nymphs. (If I recall correctly I think he knows their language, Would he know what type of dwellings/areas they would favor over others. Lau’s character sheet doesn’t have his languages on the cs page) "Perhaps the Nymphs could be called? or Woodland beings could know of their where abouts as well. If they are so many in number surely the forest has seen them."


"As far as I can tell, the arrangement of the constellations on the Starmap doesn't seem to bear any relationship to the geographic locations Robin has suggested. They don't even seem to be in comparable quadrants, even if you twist the map around. We have potentially accounted for eight of the twelve medallions. That leaves: the Nymph, Justice, the House and the Lizard."

“Justice could be a temple.” he adds thoughtfully.. “A house? Where is the main elfin village, perhaps it is there.”

“Laucian’s group will head for that chimera shaped stone first, as it’ll be hard to find from the barge. From there head east and see if you can locate the griffons and then the centaur village. We’ll regroup at the base of the volcano. (The area between locations E & G, the side away from the wyvern camps.) Perhaps by then we’ll have learned clues about the other locations.”

“Does that sound agreeable to everyone?”

"Nor do I have any objections." Laucian is about to turn and go gather food and water for the others. When he hears Kylie’s question

A question occurs to her. "Do we have any way to communicate with the griffons?"

“The trick is in approaching them. We will have to do so without fear and slowly to show them we mean no harm. An offering of some sort may help are cause, A freshly caught deer or the similar.

Also, The unicorn spoke that the griffons were magically altered which passed through their bloodline. The Griffons will serve any elf as a loyal steed.”

As the day progresses Laucian will pray to Ehlonna and go through the rituals of prayer. He will also gather dry rations and place them in his pack.

(Ring spells will be added shortly)

[Lia]

Lia

Lia listens in silence though he expression is one of amazement. A unicorn? And a treant? A unicorn she has heard of before but a treant? She wonders silently just what a treant is but soon listens as talk of the rainbow comes to pass

"If they are still inside there, then releasing them would mean that they could join us in fighting Moorkroft, right?" Kylie asks, with just a touch of pleading in her tone. She has to believe that this is possible. They cannot just be gone; Kylie's not sure if she could continue if that were the case.

“Let us only hope they are still alive. We cannot even be sure if they had sufficient supplies to last this long.” she looks at Kylie with a sorrowful expression. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean.. “ but she broke off her silence speak far more then words could describe.

Seeing the exchange between Laucian and Valena, Lia looks on with a smile surely the suir of armor is magnificent to behold. Never having seen it before Lia moves toward Valena, “It is beautiful. I wondrous gift indeed.” she said smiling up at Valena.

Lia has no objection to splitting up knowing their needs. Lia will make preparations for the trip gathering food and then pray to Eilistrae.

[GM Mad]

Post Closed