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Tarrin grinned. "Gladly." He hooked a thumb over his shoulder at the others. "After all, I've been eating their cooking for the last few days."

He pulls up a stump and takes a seat, resting legs weary from a long day's walk. "So, where shall I begin? Well, the tor was every bet as impressive as you said. And when we first saw it..."

Falling into the rhythm of the story, he walked Rast through their entire adventure at the tor and under it, pausing only to eat and drink.

Greystone sits down with naught but a sound as the human goes into his explanation of the happenings at the Tor. He does not interrupt, except to add details in the parts where Tarrin does not have information (such as the scouting or the man who was mid-change in a locked cell).

Rast listens intently, even as he's passing around the freshly cooked trout and a basket of biscuits he must have baked earlier today. Of course, he eats his fish barely warmed but is respectful enough at least not to eat the head in front of you.
He doesn't ask a question at Tarrin and Greystone relate the tale, but he does sigh and look very sad by the death of King Gundar and the young barbarian brothers, and yet he cheers loudly when the werewolves fall. Finally, he passes around the jug of wine and asks, "So, my young friends, what are you going to do now? You've rid the Lurkwood of werewolves and you are helping to usher in the reign of a new barbarian king!"
Greystone and Darkstar tell that they plan to return to Neverwinter Woods to report about the werewolves of Lurkwood, while Tarrin mentions his desire to return home, to the Dalelands of the East. Rast nods and listens some more, patting Tarrin on the shoulder, still hurt by the loss of the she-bear, Tath. "I have...a message, young human. A friend of mine, who just happens to be an old raven with white feathers around his crown, told me there has been a...stirring in the woods of Neverwinter with strange lights and sounds coming seemingly from nowhere. And...that men in shadowy robes have been seen in the wood...and were found by members of the Owl Clan. It is said that they are seeking someone...someone of great value to them and their homeland. The leader of the Owl Clan, Celadon, is said to be organizing a search party."

Rast looks at Tarrin for several silent seconds, and then he asks, "Tell me true, youngling, does this mean anything to you?"

"If they're telling the truth, no," Tarrin said. The news was disturbing, certainly, but it was even more puzzling. "And even if they're Zhents, I can't imagine why they would have expended the considerable effort to come out here. There wasn't a gate or anything stable. My magic went wild in my would-be last stand, and I ended up here. They would have needed to track a wild surge, which if not impossible is the next best thing, figure out where it sent me, then teleport however many minions they've sent. That's a massive amount of magical effort."

He shrugged. "There's no reason for them to have done so. Not to track me down. They came for me and my family because we're bowyers, and supply the archers they feared with bows and arrows. I'm no threat to them here, so far from the dale."

After a moment's thought he added, "Though someone should look into it. If they are Zhents, they need to be killed with extreme prejudice. If they aren't, well, maybe we can find out what they're looking for. And magical mysteries are always fun."

Greystone speaks up, "Owl clan? That's not far from Lynx territory. Did your bird friend mention if anyone had been hurt by them so far? Tarrin," he turns to the young human, "maybe these shadowy robed figures have answers you seek. We have a saying in our clan... But, er... It does not translate well into common." He thinks for a minute before continuing, "coincidence is as common as a frigid nymph". He looks questioningly at Tarrin to see if he understands."It does not happen often," he explains, in case it needs it.

"I've encountered the same in dryads," Tarrin said with a shudder. "I understand just fine. Though I disagree with the sentiment; I've encountered plenty of coincidences. But I agree, it should be looked into." He shrugged. "If it turns out by the more unlikely coincidence to actually be the Zhents, I'd enjoy getting some back. And who knows? They might have been stupid enough to set up a permanent gate between here and home." He grinned wickedly. "I'm sure I could come up with any number of nasty things to do to them with such a doorway."

I know two members of the Owl clan who mentioned the name Celadon, but that is the limit of my knowledge I am afraid Darkstar says with a shrug.

Hoondatha wrote:"There wasn't a gate or anything stable. My magic went wild in my would-be last stand, and I ended up here. They would have needed to track a wild surge, which if not impossible is the next best thing, figure out where it sent me, then teleport however many minions they've sent. That's a massive amount of magical effort."

@ Darkstar: @ Tarrin: Adain shrugs. "I know very little about magic, but maybe they tracked you somehow, like Cole did the wolves that led him to our town." Adain nods at Cole and then turns back to Tarrin.
"If these people, these Zhents, be as bad as you say, perhaps the Owl Clan should be warned," Rast muses, poking a stick in the fire. "Perhaps the Lynx Clan as well. Frigid nymph, indeed!" the alaghi druid chuckles merrily. "No, young Greystone, Sylvester...my crow friend...did not mention anyone being hurt or in danger...but that is a possibility, is it not?"

Greystone nods solemnly,"I'm afraid at least I will not be going to see the new barbarian king sit on his throne; I must make my way back to our forests without much delay to warn the clans. I shall leave in the morning." He looks at Darkstar and Tarrin, and adds,"any who wants to join me is most welcome."

Nokrugh watches on as Rast begins to discard the uneaten trout heads and says, "you not going to eat those? The meat just behind the eyes is the best part." Relieving him of the heads he begins to suck the meat from them eye and all with a rather disgusting slurping sound.

"I'm going to head back with Aiden to Grunwald. The town will be vulnerable for some time and may need my sword, and I could use a night or two at the Stonebow besides. I'm not certain where I'll go from there. I left my village to prove myself because of a vision from Illneval, and I've done that. I don't know what his will is for me now however, I think him not finished with me just yet."

Nokrugh accepts a jug of wine from Rast and upends the bottle, wine spilling from the sides of his mouth as he finishes it off.

At Adain's mention of enemies tracking Tarrin the same the group tracked the wolves a memory stirred in Darkstar's head. Tarrin I just remembered that when we met you came through a stone archway near where the Owl clans guardian lives. Could your enemies have traced your arrival to the archway?

Thanks for the reminded Hedge

Tarrin hissed angrily. "I told you already. There wasn't anything in the High Dale. Even if my magic eventually connected me to an existing gate for an end point, which might explain why I didn't arrive as a red mist, there was no Dale terminus for the Zhents to use. It was just a bit of a hill, with no unusual structures or formations or lingering magic. At best they'd be trying to track a teleport, which is gods-damned hard even for wizards of power, and well beyond that of the jumped-up magelings I was fighting. And there's no reason for such a powerful wizard to be wasting time on me when there was a dale to conquer. If the Zhents even sent such a powerful wizard in the first place, which up until then we hadn't seen."

"If those stones are the terminus of a gate," Tarrin added after a moment, "we should ask the people who live around it if they know what's on the other side. If they don't destabilize, a gate can lie dormant for centuries before someone rediscovers its location and the key to make it work. Fortunately, elves happen to have memories that stretch back centuries. It could lead anywhere on the planet. Or other spheres, for that matter."

Rast frowns at the human's angry tone, and then frowns again watching Nokrugh guzzle the rest of the wine. "Perhaps this stone archway has a...terminus, to use your word...that you are unaware of. There are portals throughout the Realms...or so I'm told...that connect various parts of the world making travel quite easy for those who know how to do it. Yours was just sheer dumb luck, I'm guessing, but the Black Network, doesn't believe in dumb luck. If the Zhentarim are indeed seeking you, my young friend, you best be on guard."

FYI > I'll be closing this thread very soon because we are near the post limit; what are your planned actions for the rest of the night and the morrow? Greystone has mentioned he will leave for Neverwinter Woods; Nokrugh has said he will journey on to Grunwald. I'm guessing Darkstar will accompany Greystone. Tarrin? Cole?

Tarrin shrugged. "When it comes to the Zhents, I'm always careful. I want to look into this. If they are Zhents, they need to be killed. If they are not, the neighbors should know who they are." He looked around at the group. "Anyone interested in a bit of skulking and scouting, and possibly fighting over an active gate?"

Greystone nods, "It is on our way, anyway, Tarrin. Travel with us and we shall keep safety in numbers. You have been marked as 'friend' by my clan, and so I am sure the elders will be interested in aiding you, especially if it is of a mutual concern."

"Do keep in mind," he adds, after a moment of thought, "that a friendship with elves comes with certain... expectations. For example, it would be poor form for you to NOT return with us, after learning about these foreigners, these Zhents, in our* territory, if you have any knowledge of them that may be beneficial to the tribes."

*used in the general term, referring to the combined territories of all the elven tribes of Neverwinter Wood

Darkstar frowns at Tarrin's anger but says nothing. He instead takes time to inspect his bow, string and arrows and prepare himself for the next danger he may face.

You talk into the evening and Rast listens and interjects when necessary, doing more listening than talking as your group debates courses of action and tries to figure out what you will do. Rast gives your group the cabin to sleep in, deciding to spend the night outside in the crisp air by the fire. Should you choose to join him, he will gladly accept your company.
The morning dawns cool and breezy with yet another storm brewing. After a hearty breakfast - "Never skip breakfast," Rast lectures. "It's the most important meal of the day!" - you are back on the trail, some of you heading west for Neverwinter Woods, while the rest continue along the trail south to Grunwald.

Alright fellers, this is the last post in this thread. I need to know your plans from here so I can either start two threads or one thread. Please post what your character wishes to do in the next 2-3 days (game time) over in the OOC thread. We can hash it out there before bringing it back in game.