IC

[shaidar]

Newton shrugs

"The day off it is. I'll go back with you. It's unlikely but there's a chance Madan Fleur has found me a recruit."

Before he heads off, Newton will commune and recover his spell.

[thirdkingdom]

Thirdmonth, Thirdday
Junction

With the rain showing no sign of letting up the adventurers and their retinue retreat back over the bridge to Junction and spend the day like sailors on shore leave. Madame Fleur, when asked, tells the adventurers to be patient. "I just started with the appointed tasks. It will be at least another day or two."

The rain stops around midday, leaving everything wet and muddy.

Thirdmonth, Fourthday
Junction

First thing in the morning the adventurers cross back over the bridge. They've got two proposed courses of action: continue searching the hex they started the previous day, or search for the hive of the bees that had attacked them.

[Pulpatoon]

Aldus to Madame Fleur: "Of course! Please don't allow us to make you feel rushed—good work takes time. However, I do have an additional request, one that might be easier to fill on short notice. We need a beekeeper. Someone who knows the ways of bees and can advise us in dealing with them. Probably just a days work consulting with us, but we'll remunerate generously. Especially if they know anything about, um, giant bees."

Back at the camp, Aldus says, "As reluctant as I am to go looking for trouble in the form of deadly bees, I'm even more reluctant to be caught unawares by them. I, for one, say we attempt to track down the bees. Although how you track a prey that flies through the air, I do not know."

[thirdkingdom]

Aldus to Madame Fleur: "Of course! Please don't allow us to make you feel rushed—good work takes time. However, I do have an additional request, one that might be easier to fill on short notice. We need a beekeeper. Someone who knows the ways of bees and can advise us in dealing with them. Probably just a days work consulting with us, but we'll remunerate generously. Especially if they know anything about, um, giant bees."

Back at the camp, Aldus says, "As reluctant as I am to go looking for trouble in the form of deadly bees, I'm even more reluctant to be caught unawares by them. I, for one, say we attempt to track down the bees. Although how you track a prey that flies through the air, I do not know."

Madam Fleur arches a single eyebrow at Aldus's request. "A . . . beekeeper familiar with giant bees? I . . . will see what I can do, but I will likely have to travel to Rhea's Ford to find anyone capable of such a thing, and that would interupt my time here. Which is more important to you?"

[VonAlric]

On the afternoon back in Junction, Gardo will ask Madame Fleur if she would direct him and Mariusz to someone who may be inclined to buy the stingers of the giant bees. Gardo will see about selling them for best price he can get, using the sad story of how some of their troops died at the ends of the bees. Mariusz is there to make sure he doesn't misunderstand things.

On Fourthday, after crossing the bridge, Gardo will address the party. "Not sure how far those bees would fly but something had to happen to make them mad enough to come after us. We may want to start at where we were attacked and work our way south from there."

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

The mage shrugs. "I guess I'm outvoted. Giant bees, it is. Why don't we start with the sub-hexes closest to the bridge and work our way outward?"

[Pulpatoon]

Aldus to Madame Fleur: "It doesn't have to be an expert on giant bees. Just an ordinary keeper of ordinary bees should be plenty helpful. Someone who can tell us when to apply smoke, and when to apply fire, if you follow me. Surely there's a local with a hive or two?

"As for priorities, well, I can't speak for my comrades, but we've already sent a dead soldier back to his family, and I think a little expertise could prevent us from having to send more. Let's make it a priority over my sewing shop at the very least."

[shaidar]

Newton

"Maybe we should avoid the bees until we know more about handling them. If we find the hive and anger the whole lot, things could get nasty"

[thirdkingdom]

Thirdmonth, Fourthday

The adventurers continue searching the area north of the road. The day passes uneventfully, and nothing of interest is found. The adventurers retreat back to the safety of the guardpost and spend an uneventful night.

Encounter on 1-2: 1d6 4
Subhexes 306, 407, and 506 are explored.

Thirdmonth, Fifthday

The adventurers continue searching the hext but find nothing of interest to report. Leaving the mercenaries at the outpost, they return to Junction to meet with Madam Fleur over dinner. Their factor has some news for them.

"I've found a beekeeper that is willing to consult with you," she says, "but when I mentioned it was in connection with something you found across the river he intimated that it would take a sizeable amount of gold to convince him to cross. I'm still looking for a buyer for the stings you brought me, but on the plus side I did find a fellow looking for work. Name's Egar Sephwil; not sure what his specialty is, to be honest, but he seems capable. Kind of a shifty fellow, if you ask me. I can certainly set up a meeting with him if you would like, though."

One retainer found after three days searching. It will take one week of searching at this point to find 1d2 candidates.
Encounter on 1-2: 1d6 5
Subhexes 607, 706, and 606 are explored

[shaidar]

Newton

"If it's too late to speak with them this evening, then perhaps they will meet with us before we head back out tomorrow?"

[thirdkingdom]

Newton

"If it's too late to speak with them this evening, then perhaps they will meet with us before we head back out tomorrow?"

Thirdmonth, Fifthday

Madam Fleur

"I can bring them in now, if you would like," she says, "it is not too late."

The beekeeper proves to be a mousy man of average height, who continually wrings his hat in his hands as he speaks to the adventurers. "My name is Timmer Hol," he says, "and I hear you're looking for someone with apiary experience? I've got a score of hives outside town, and have been keeping bees since I was twelve. If anyone can answer your questions I'm likely your man."

Egar Sephwil is brought in next. He is the opposite of Timmer; tall, with bright red hair, he walks with a swagger and introduces himself without a moment's hesitation. The adventurers note that his fingers are long and nimble. He is clad in leather armor, and has a short blade at his belt. "I hear you're looking for hired hands," Sephwil says, looping his fingers in his belt, "I believe I am just the person you're looking for."

[thirdkingdom]

Newton

"If it's too late to speak with them this evening, then perhaps they will meet with us before we head back out tomorrow?"

Thirdmonth, Fifthday

Madam Fleur

"I can bring them in now, if you would like," she says, "it is not too late."

The beekeeper proves to be a mousy man of average height, who continually wrings his hat in his hands as he speaks to the adventurers. "My name is Timmer Hol," he says, "and I hear you're looking for someone with apiary experience? I've got a score of hives outside town, and have been keeping bees since I was twelve. If anyone can answer your questions I'm likely your man."

Egar Sephwil is brought in next. He is the opposite of Timmer; tall, with bright red hair, he walks with a swagger and introduces himself without a moment's hesitation. The adventurers note that his fingers are long and nimble. He is clad in leather armor, and has a short blade at his belt. "I hear you're looking for hired hands," Sephwil says, looping his fingers in his belt, "I believe I am just the person you're looking for."

[Pulpatoon]

Aldus quizzes the beekeeper, taking notes.

Topics of enquiry:
1. Tracking bees to their hive.
2. Use of smoke to subdue bees.
3. How do bees react to fire in their hive?
4. Weaknesses of individual bees.
5. Weaknesses of bees collectively.
6. Uses for giant bee honey,royal jelly, stingers, etc.
7. Bee behavior: Why would bees seek out and attack individuals who were not threatening them or their hive in any way?
8. Anything else that could be of use in confronting giant bees.

[thirdkingdom]

Aldus quizzes the beekeeper, taking notes.

Topics of enquiry:
1. Tracking bees to their hive.
2. Use of smoke to subdue bees.
3. How do bees react to fire in their hive?
4. Weaknesses of individual bees.
5. Weaknesses of bees collectively.
6. Uses for giant bee honey,royal jelly, stingers, etc.
7. Bee behavior: Why would bees seek out and attack individuals who were not threatening them or their hive in any way?
8. Anything else that could be of use in confronting giant bees.

Timmer Hol

The man gets an excited expression, the look of someone who is passionate about a subject and finally gets a chance to answer a large number of detailed questions. "Usually all you have to do to track bees back to their hive is follow them, right? We use smoke all the time to subdue hives; it . . . calms, them, like, and makes them drowsy and less aggressive. We've got special pots we use for this, and usually start smoking them about a half hour before going it. Bees, like most creatures, I would imagine, are not crazy about fire in their hive. Plus, intense heat would melt the comb. I don't know about weaknesses . . . I mean, they're small, right? You can step on them pretty easy. Water will knock them out of the air, and once they sting you they usually die."

His expression changes when he realizes that Aldus is asking about giant bees and not regular bees. "Ah, well, I really have no idea. I assume that giant bees act in much the same manner as regular bees, but don't go getting yourself killed and then blame me. Everyone knows that giant versions of normal animals are the result of Chaos, and what is Chaos if not unpredicatable and inscrutable!" He asks to see one of the stingers and handles it for a few minutes, frowning and turning it over in his hands. "Besides the fact that it's much larger than a normal bee's sting, I'm not so sure this belongs to a honeybee. I've heard tell of a hybrid bee variety, from the east, that is more aggressive than our normal bee. Why anyone would want a more aggressive bee is beyond me, but then, there's no telling what foreigners are thinking these days. I would guess that this is some sort of more aggressive bee species. Or, maybe it's just some weird Chaos-born monstrousity?"

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

"The inscrutable East, eh? Who knows with those folks. In any event, I've heard rumors of giant bee honey being quite valuable. Something about it having medicinal properties. Does regular bee honey have anything similar?

Also, do you have any of those smoking pots that we could rent from you?"

[thirdkingdom]

Telemachus

"The inscrutable East, eh? Who knows with those folks. In any event, I've heard rumors of giant bee honey being quite valuable. Something about it having medicinal properties. Does regular bee honey have anything similar?

Also, do you have any of those smoking pots that we could rent from you?"

Timmer Hol

"I've heard of this as well, but have never had any first hand experience with giant bee honey . . . or giant bees, for that matter. I know that the honey regular bees produce can be used as an antiseptic. It is also quite sweet, and good on sandwiches, bread, apples . . . really anything you want to add a little sweetness to. I like to add honey to my tea."

"I can rent you a couple of pots, I guess, but I'm somewhat leery that you will not return alive."

[sulldawga]

"I can rent you a couple of pots, I guess, but I'm somewhat leery that you will not return alive."

Telemachus

"How about we pay full price for them and you can refund some of our money as long as we return them in good shape?"

[thirdkingdom]

"I can rent you a couple of pots, I guess, but I'm somewhat leery that you will not return alive."

Telemachus

"How about we pay full price for them and you can refund some of our money as long as we return them in good shape?"

Timmer Hol

"Sounds like a fair bargain. They cost me 5 sp apiece."

This is covered under CoL as far as I'm concerned.

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

"Excellent! We'll take as many as you have."

[Pulpatoon]

Aldus thanks Timmer for his help and pays him whatever price Madame Fleur had negotiated.

When the interview with Timmer is done, Aldus will say to Telemachus: "I think we might as well construct our own, giant-sized smoke pots. We just need some barrels stuffed with excelsior. Drop a coal in there and close the lid, and it should smoke for a long hours before the barrel catches on fire."