Tests and Trials

[The Lost]

”Ah’ll dry out tha clothes. Ah think it’s be a bit cramp’s ta put a fire on thar....”Joe will use presigigitation to dry out clothes.

[Dlover]

Lurn pokes his head inside the magical structure, considering whether he'll actually be able to fit inside with everyone else, and provides a Goodberry for each person. "So... What are we to do tomorrow?"

((Lurn would want to follow the trail while it exists, but with nothing to prove this is the right way he can't really argue against anyone who wants to go back.))

[Rodgeir]

"Ya gonna dry my small clothes?"

Celus seem dubious but open to the idea.

"I'm still up for whatever, I'm between jobs and mostly just aiming to head to Seat to meet the Duchess!"

Indra shrugs in agreement and Jolly looks to Dama who looks back to him and says,

"Don't got any plans, yet."

Jolly nods and mutters,

"Just gonna see where this leads me. Gotta say meeting ya four and Ves changed my plans."

[NotStickFigures]

Jolly nods and mutters,

"Just gonna see where this leads me. Gotta say meeting ya four and Ves changed my plans."

"Yeah, Jolly, who'd have thought. Both of us, not long ago, had never thought we'd be travelling quite so much. I had never really left Stenrek before for any long period, and certainly not on a journey like this!"

Drying off actually gets Jaq in a bit of a better mood. When he is asked about where he thinks they should head, he just shrugs his shoulders and clearly has no firm opinion. (He'll not vote for their direction at this point, letting it be Joe's decision)

[The Lost]

”...Ah think we should try tha oth’r trails first. If nothin’ then Ah wanna talk ta tha husband...maybe we can find ‘er at ‘er own house...”

[Dlover]

"... The hag owns a house? Was there a reason we didn't check there first?"

[Rodgeir]

"Long time to spend in those walls Jaq. Gotta be less than half your age and seen more before we headed out. Seen more trees than I coulda dreamed now though."

He gives Jaq rueful smile.

[The Lost]

"'...Ah was too focus'd on whar she'd fought meh at th'n anoth'r area she may be at."

[Rodgeir]

((So back to town tomorrow?))

[Dlover]

((Yeah, let's go back.))

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav settles down with a sigh, grateful to Joe as they magic away the wet.

"A dry roof and dry clothes! You certainly know how to travel in style, Cap'n!"

[Rodgeir]

The night passes uneventfully and everyone has a chance to dry off. As the day starts to brighten it quickly becomes apparent the rain hasn't stopped or grown worse.

Celus looks through the magical walls at the rain and suggests,

"How bout we just have a nice dry breakfast in here before-"

The hut poofs out of existence and everyone finds themselves back in rain without cover.

"-we go out in the rain." Celus finishes lamely.

Dama curses as she starts shoving her gear into her bag while also trying to pull on her boots. The rest do the same, albeit with less cursing.

After everyone does their normal morning routines the party turns around and follows their own trail back. No special effort is needed, the churned ground clearly showing where they've been. A few hours into the day something large, maybe a dire wolverine or large wolf, looks to have joined the trail the group made and followed it for a few miles before breaking away and heading off to the northeast following another fresh animal trail. Several other, new animal trails look to have been made during the night but nothing to indicate humanoids in the wet earth.

The day is beginning to darken as the soaked party stumble out of the woods into the clearing housing the village of Grann. The refugee camp is nearly empty but a few scattered tents remain, another smaller group of decons looks to have arrived as well. There are no patrols in evidence and it looks like the military detachment is likewise gone.

((If Joe didn't do anything with her beard yesterday she doesn't need to roll for it today. If she shaved it off she would need to roll for it today, d2 = 2 equaling beard!))

[The Lost]

(Joe would shave when ahe has the chance.)

1d2 = [2] = 2

[Rodgeir]

((Okay, Joe has a beard until she shaves, again. It is the end of the day but you are back in Grann, doing anything?.))

[The Lost]

Joe will keep the beard covered by a conjured scarf and tries to find the husband.

[Rodgeir]

Joe walks into the clearing to assess where the husband might be. The soldier's camp is gone, where she last saw the husband's tent. Maybe it is one of the scattered tents out in the muddy field? No one is outside, probably avoiding the rain, so it is hard to say.

She figures she could ask at the boarding house, he had said he was sleeping outside there before.

[The Lost]

Joe goes to the boarding house to ask for the husband.

[Rodgeir]

Joe enters and finds a plain wooden building. A few people are finishing dinner and a few more sit chatting.

An older man rises stiffly from a behind a table near the entrance.

"Welcome, welcome! You are seeking of lodging out of the rains? Seeking of warm foods?"

[NotStickFigures]

When Joe enters the boarding house and everyone else is waiting, Jaq finds a nearby building to shelter against, depending on what way the wind is blowing the rain.

He restarts the conversation of what they might all want to do next...
"One thing that we found that does pique my interest is that magic person type thing, that wants to lead us to an old Library. If this hag-hunt goes dry, I think that would be an interesting journey to try. An old abandoned library could be full of all kinds of interesting items. Or an old, unknown, but still operating-in-secret library could be even better!"

[The Lost]

Joe describes the husband, stating she needs to see him.

[Rodgeir]

The old owner blinks at Joe and he scrunches his brow in thought while scanning the few people in the boarding house.

"There have been many faces the last couple of weeks. You will forgive an old one. I cannot say I remember this man? You say he stayed here?"

Outside Jaq makes alternate plans, just in case. Jolly gives a noncommittal shrug, Celus looks interested, Indra sighs but nods. Dama isn't around, having slipped off when they got back.

[The Lost]

”Ya...tha’usband o...Bellany?”

[Rodgeir]

"Sorry... Maybe ask the mayor? Things have been so busy."

He turns to those in the boarding house,

"Anyone know a Bellany?"

No one answers.

((Joe does know the midwife who knows who she is talking about.))

[spiderwrangler]

((Kroshav is a bit at a loss at the moment I think. He'll head to tend to his horses (I don't think he took them with him? So would have had to secure boarding for them).))

[The Lost]

Joe will ask for the midwife then.