Immersive Ink

Armando wakes with a start. "I've had the most curious dream ... !" Then, looking around at his scattered companions in their varying degrees of injury and gastrointestinal distress, and with the memory of yesterday's travails returning to him, he sighs deeply and stands to look around.

Scratching at his ribs, Armando spies the small heap of stuff that Gustave has disgorged from the curious sack. He ambles over to make a closer inspection ...

Once Wen has committed the The Infinitesimal Summons to memory he would be ready to go into the Ivory Wold proper. Gustave offer to join Wen is meet with a smile he would answer the lordly figure in Elven "I feel safer already, let us go make contact so we can end the hunger filled drudgery."

Wen look at the sleepers and back at the forest and point out a the a spot in the far off thickening canopy. "Once they others recover if you make for that point there we will return as soon as possible. Highbough knows the signal calls and at need I can raise the Eerie Lambent, those floating candles, to draw attention. Stay safe and rest well. My stomach gives you a 1000 thanks you Josiane."

With that he and Gustave we head into the forest. Once Wen feels far enough in he would work magic to conjuring up the Infinitesimal Summons, find the Elves my little friends...

Olaf scouts around the area where we dropped looking for water, food and if he can get atop a rise for signs that the Snorks/Wargs are following.

Highbough blinks in surprise at Josiane. "I thought you were dead?!?"

mushgnome wrote:Highbough blinks in surprise at Josiane. "I thought you were dead?!?"

"It would seem the Saint wills otherwise, Lord Highbough," says Josiane, favouring the ancient elf with a weary smile.

She then turns her attention to the badly-wounded Ulric, bathing his wounds and casting The Supplication of Medicant Requite upon them.

mgtremaine wrote:Once Wen has committed the The Infinitesimal Summons to memory he would be ready to go into the Ivory Wold proper. Gustave offer to join Wen is meet with a smile he would answer the lordly figure in Elven "I feel safer already, let us go make contact so we can end the hunger filled drudgery."

Wen look at the sleepers and back at the forest and point out a the a spot in the far off thickening canopy. "Once they others recover if you make for that point there we will return as soon as possible. Highbough knows the signal calls and at need I can raise the Eerie Lambent, those floating candles, to draw attention. Stay safe and rest well. My stomach gives you a 1000 thanks you Josiane."

With that he and Gustave we head into the forest. Once Wen feels far enough in he would work magic to conjuring up the Infinitesimal Summons, find the Elves my little friends...

"Fare thee well, young friend," Highbough calls to Wen in Elvish. "I shall remain here and shepherd this ragged flock while you go in search of help. Desmond will sound his whistle if we need to draw your attention: one toot for all-clear, two toots for goblins, three toots..." (his voice trails off)

doctorx wrote:

mushgnome wrote:Highbough blinks in surprise at Josiane. "I thought you were dead?!?"

"It would seem the Saint wills otherwise, Lord Highbough," says Josiane, favouring the ancient elf with a weary smile.

She then turns her attention to the badly-wounded Ulric, bathing his wounds and casting The Supplication of Medicant Requite upon them.

Highbough shrugs and returns to his book. Human days are only moments to the old Elf, and he feels the yearly rhythm of the seasons as you or I would experience a single night and day. This human female was a crawling infant yesterday; she stands bravely today; she will be dust tomorrow.

As he meditates on these thoughts, he casts his senses outward. Do his keen ears detect the normal, healthy sounds of a forest under Elvish protection? Does he see or smell anything amiss?

Very good.

An ad hoc campsite is established in the lee of the Wildwood, which is just a couple of miles away. Olaf posts himself as watchman while Josiane tends to injured, the ex-giants slumber on, and the others make themselves comfortable as Wen and Gustave head for the woods in search of Elves...

Wen and Gustave

Within an hour our curious pair reach the eaves of Wildwood, and within another they are under it's canopy quite fully.

The wood is rich and dense, and abuzz with insect life, the scampering of tiny feet, and the chipper squawk of bird talk.

Wen soon conjures to him a merry little flock of humming birds and honey-eaters who scatter into the woods in search of his kinsmen, while the pair march onward in a generally north-easterly direction. Wen leads the way, weaving a (somewhat dubious, in Gustave's opinion) path through the thick trees and foliage.

Within the hour Wen's little helpers begin to return, and flutter around him chirping merrily as they roll and circle and hover in the air about him; leading him (and Gustave) in a more northerly direction now.

They continue in this manner until somewhat before noon, when they begin to climb a steady rise with rocky and troublesome footing that is densely shrouded in vegetation. The twittering birds have no trouble whatever, but Wen and Gustave have a jolly difficult time of it.

As they continue the awkward climb, a firm voice hails them from the vegetation ahead:

"You choose a curious path, travellers. By whose leave do you trespass here?"

Pausing to squint ahead into the forest, they see now--just--a stern looking Elf in grey-green hooded cloak some 20 yards ahead. He has an arrow on his bowstring, held half raised and ready... but not pointing directly at our pair...


What now?

doctorx wrote:She then turns her attention to the badly-wounded Ulric, bathing his wounds and casting The Supplication of Medicant Requite upon them.

"Thank you," Ulric says to Josiane as she cleans and tends his bite wounds. "Also for your aid in the battle. You shielded me from certain death. It is a debt I will repay."

Once Ulric has completed his studying, he will pack up his spell book and join the others in inspecting items from the abbey.

"Now what have we here? There was the staff, most interesting, that sack, the mysterious strongbox, some plain dinnerware, and the crystal orb. Quite the collection. Josiane, perhaps together we can unravel the secret of this staff. You said it had healing powers? Is there any writing on it or other clues as to it's activation?"