Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid sleeps like a rock and wakes early to take her shift on watch. She checks on her poultices and ingredients, searching the hut once more to see if she can find anything useful. She is particularly looking for something to help Sik with the burn scars on his face. When the subject of food is mentioned, "I have enough rations for over a week; I'll be happy to share."

Hit point rest: [1d8]=8
She's back to full hp.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibshe

Also is at 5 days rats, and agrees that we still have a little time left.

He'll rest but spend some time in prayer to Raven & Mordezzan. He will also try to see what he can discern from the notebook about edible mushrooms in the garden that can help sustain their food supplies.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Resting With Mushrooms
No Idea On Time Or Day

Besides the frogs constant chirping and jumping on you throughout the rest session, no other distractions are experienced.

Taibhse and Ceana continue searching the journals to learn more about the many mushrooms and fungus that fill the garden, discovering several more potable variety, but still careful not to pick all of each specie so growing can continue. They find nothing specific about burns or their treatment, however.

After sleeping, praying, and studying is complete, and the group is feeling much better healthwise, a discussion about where to go next seems to be leading towards following along the waterway to see where the dwarfs were pointing towards in the darkness.

Actions?

I want to pause for a bit longer here to let any spells be switched out or cast, if necessary.

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 10/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C2) FA:1 AC6 9/11
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 5/12
Cyril (Pr2) FA:0(20) AC8 9/12
Ceana (D2) FA:1 AC5 13/13
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 14/14

[OGRE MAGE]

DM aside:

One particularly energetic frog is remembered from the last time you slept here, and for the same reasons. It chirps louder and jumps a bit more often than the others. Looking closely at it while it hops up upon each person who takes a watch, this frog just appears and acts a bit differently for some reason.

Belloc notices that it takes a special liking to him, leaping on and speaking to him more often than the others, despite him already having a dangerous (for a frog, anyway) animal companion.

Xenos also finds something familiar about the multi-colored amphibian, but he too has no idea why he thinks that way. Yet?

[shaidar]

Xenos looks down at the frog

"You're a friendly one aren't you? Don't go hitching a ride with us, when we go home the desert is no place for a creature like you, you'll be a dried up husk in no time. Maybe you're a reincarnation of somebody I once knew...is that you Snorri?"

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"I know nothing about magic, but this one looks particularly intelligent. Maybe it was a person changed into a frog by the matron. Maybe a Princess has to kiss it, like in some old fairy tale." Jests the warrior. "Ceana?"

[silifi]

Sik regards the frog with some suspicion, wondering if it is the result of some witchery.

Sik has a 4:12 chance of detecting sorcery.

[Rex]

Drest

"It does sort of smell like Snorri, but it is clearly smarter."

Should we cast healing spells and rest another day?

[hedgeknight]

Akhilleus "I know nothing about magic, but this one looks particularly intelligent. Maybe it was a person changed into a frog by the matron. Maybe a Princess has to kiss it, like in some old fairy tale." Jests the warrior. "Ceana?"

Ceana rolls her eyes. "You're right. You know nothing about magic! And I ain't kissing no frog! The one and only time I did that, was on a dare from one of my cousins. I woke up three days later and was told I acted like a wild person, running through the woods naked and singing as loud as I could. I still haven't lived that one down."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

"Besides, maybe it's looking for a prince. Go for it, Akhilleus. Dastardly trick, that, having a frog need the kiss of a prince instead. Much harder sell after the fairy tale."

Kain has an idea. "Hey, Ceana. Can't druids talk to animals and such? Or is that another fairy tale?"

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

If Sik is amenable he'll once again perform his healing ritual for him.

Healing of Raven[1d4]=4

[hedgeknight]

Kainaxarthos "Hey, Ceana. Can't druids talk to animals and such? Or is that another fairy tale?"

Ceana thinks for a moment. "Yoon'Deh offers ways to do so, but I haven't prepared that spell for today. I can work on it tonight and cast it tomorrow. Are you thinking these frogs may be able to tell us something?"

[Rex]

Drest

"Possibly, but that one in particular." He points at the smarter frog.

[Rex]

Drest

"Jokes aside, I think it most likely that the frog was the witches familiar and therefore probably knows some valuable information."

[OGRE MAGE]

Have some XP for starting yourselves on fire earlier.

viewtopic.php?p=695350#p695350

[Karaunios]

Kainaxarthos

"Besides, maybe it's looking for a prince. Go for it, Akhilleus. Dastardly trick, that, having a frog need the kiss of a prince instead. Much harder sell after the fairy tale."

Akhilleus thinks for a second or two. "Hm... Not a prince. Now that I think of it, Ceana isn't a princess either. Besides, I don't want to end up singing like her. Singing's not my thing."

[Belkregos]

Belloc
tries to concentrate on his studies, and adds to the map he has been crafting of the area making sure to note any observations
he finds the lively frog a bit distracting but amusing and does not bother him

he looks through his back pack making a quick inventory of the contents he finds a component pouch and pulls out a small dried spider and tosses it to the frog
yes indeed, it sounds like he's a bit opinionated

also a peace of dried meat for Crestos

I have 5 days worth of rations, can also share if needed

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Friendly Froggy
No Idea On Time Or Day

The energetic frog just blinks when Xenos ask if it's really Snorri.

Akhilleus suggests the frog might be something else, like a person cursed by a witch or something. Then he remembers who this hut belonged to before they slaughtered her, the Matron, a potent witch herself.

After Taibhse works his healing ritual on him, Big Sik looks the frog over suspiciously as well, also sensing something more about it, though he can't tell what exactly.

Belloc feeds the special frog a dead spider that it ignores completely. When the mage looks at the amphibian a little closer, he is intrigued by a familiar looking natural coloration pattern he spots displayed across its tiny back.

frogs back.jpeg (19.54 KiB) Viewed 236 times

Ceana tells Kain she can actually speak with the frog, but not until after another full day passes. Now the group needs to decide if they will risk staying another 24 hour period in this remote place or to move on without being fully healed. Perhaps it's the neverending darkness that feels so strange about this area, but something tells a few of the more astute members that they may be pressing their luck remaining in the same place for so long in this unknown environment.

Actions?

Drest (Sc4) FA:3 AC7 16/22
Xenos (DS3) FA:3 AC5 10/17
Akhilleus (F4) FA:4 AC4 19/35
Kainaxarthos (C2) FA:1 AC6 9/11
Sik (Ba1) FA:1 AC5 9/12
Cyril (Pr2) FA:0(20) AC8 9/12
Ceana (D2) FA:1 AC5 13/13
Taibhse (Sh2) FA:0(20) AC5 11/11
Belloc (M2) FA:0(20) AC6 14/14

[silifi]

"I think we should press on - perhaps take the frog with us, if its agreeable to such a thing,"Sik suggests.

[Belkregos]

Belloc
notices a distinctive mark on the frog, his initial shock to quickly turn into intrigue. He focuses intently on the amphibian, weighing his options and deciding what to do with it.

"Well, well, you've certainly have my attention. If you're up for it, you can come along for the ride," Belloc offers as he allows the frog to hop onto his hand. "I'll do my best to keep you moist, but the desert might not be your ideal habitat. Feel free to hop off whenever you please."

Before departing, Belloc plans to thoroughly examine any writings left by the matron and jot down any pertinent observations."