Samaraba the squirrel

Sam was Addrun's first follower- found in Geldyn when the Starshine of Decay sent the forest into chaos. The little red squirrel has traveled loyally with Marulama for several months and has survived deadly battles in the saftey of a nearby tree or his saddlebag nest where he guards Addrun's bag of oats. He has willingly acted as scout, king, bait and eyes for Addrun, but mostly he is just cute and eats a lot. In fact he is now too big to leap from banch to branch in the treetops. The huge, fierce bariaur warrior loves to cuddle with him at night.

~Addrun passes out after requesting morning watch and leaving Spike on guard. His dreams of chasing pretty does across fields of alfalfa and clover are interrupted by someone calling his name, and not a female voice. Spike needs him to awaken. Addrun leaps to his feet with spear in hand and shakes off his slumber. The camp is surrounded by the oddest-looking wolves that Addrun has ever seen. He shares a look with Mac but sees that the druid has never seen the creatures either. Addrun sizes them up trying to discern the leader as they enter camp and sniff the baggage. The horses are completely unperturbed by them. He tells the group to show no fear or make any threatening gestures. Shushing Spikes's nervous chatter, Addrun tries to communicate with a wolf who has a chattering squirrel on his head. He tries to verbally stress that his pack will be out of their territory in a few days. The wolf stares back blankly but the red squirrel looks the towering Bariaur in the eye and asks for nuts. Addrun absently tosses a bit of his oats to the side to distract the squirrel and reaches out with his hand low to signal to the wolf that he means no harm. Asking his nervous friends what the commotion is behind him, Addrun waits patiently as the wolf walks up and sniffs. Addrun barely pulls his hand back in time before being bitten. The wolf backs out to the edge of the camp and Addrun notices that he has a very friendly and very hungry squirrel on his shoulder.~ Geldyn Forest, the 22nd day of Tanot

~Feeling less than half as healthy as he should after the battle the night before, Addrun finds a place to lie down near the main building and work on making arrows. He sees Samaraba running through town square- probably looking for him. Addrun calls over his tiny chatty friend and gives him some tasty oats. Addrun then talks quietly to the squirrel about the events that just transpired and Sam seems to listen in between bites.~ Woodglen, the 8th day of Enkilot

~Addrun awakes not-quite-as-early as is his routine but manages to hobble around the outskirts of the Woodglen to look for anything odd and collect twigs for arrow shafts. Samaraba was more than a bit hungry so Addrun decides to give him a magic berry. He chomps it down greedily then rolls over and rubs his happily swollen belly with his tiny hands. He rides on Addrun's back just as easily as he lies in a tree branch. It seems squirrels are as dexterous on their backs as they are on their feet- the perfect acrobats.~ Woodglen, the 9th of Enkilot

~The party crosses many old frogmen tracks and eventually the terrified woodgnome says to stop. He says this is where they saw the frog monsters last. Indeed the signs of an ambush are very apparent as the ranger makes a circuit of the area. As seems to be the motif for the week, the group argues about what to do to find this tree of woe. Addrun hears croaking not to far away and shushes them. Addrun asks Samaraba to scout cautiously towards the croaking and return with news. The squirrel dives out of the gnome's arms, who pouts, and Sam skitters towards the craoking sound like only a squirrel can do. Verrin and Mac decide to take it upon themselves to investigate and proceed in trying to sneak like hill giants with gout. They make all kinds of racket but manage to get fairly close without being captured somehow. As Samaraba races back past them, they share a look and return to the group.
Samaraba is now on Addrun's shoulder and tells the ranger about giant frogs. Addrun relays this to the group and tries to ask Samaraba in a simple way how many there were. The little critter does not seem to understand. Addrun grabs a handful of oats and places a few on is right hand. He then asks Samaraba if the frogs were more like the left hand with a heap of oats or like the right hand. The squirrel looks Addrun right in the eye and then takes some from the right hand leaving 7 oats. Addrun understands that that is the number of frog monsters and smiles as he tells his now fascinated companions. Then Samaraba places an oat that he had nibbled down to a smaller size than the rest into Addrun's palm. Addrun didn't have to tell them that the conjurer tree spawn was with them.~ Geldyn Forest, the 9th day of Enkilot

~Mac and Addrun hide in the bushes watching their charming tiefling friend trying to make a deal with the chaotic Seelie. Verin is talking with a tall beautiful fairy princess. Addrun feels something odd and is distracted from Verin's conversation when he looks back and sees the fairy Blutey swinging on his little bobtail. Several other tiny Seelie appear and start pestering the "hiding" Bariaur. He tells them to shush because they are hiding. Blutey makes himself invisible but continues swinging and singing some fairy song. Some of Blutey's playmates are chattering about their new king named Samaraba. Addrun doesn't know whom they are talking about, but then the ranger's furry little buddy comes bouncing into the scene. He leaps onto Addrun's back and says something about good food. He is wearing a tiny gold crown and the silly fairies stare in reverence. Who ever heard of a king squirrel?~ Geldyn Forest, the 10th of Enkilot

Companion Squirrel

Engorged Squirrel

Scout Squirrel

King Squirrel

~Just then a huge purple hairy monster comes loping into the clearing and sees Samaraba running away. It chases the brave squirrel without a second glance at the stunned party. Addrun races after the pair and actually sees the beast turn into an exact copy of his little friend complete with a tiny crown. The nimble creatures quickly lose the big Bariaur in the dense forest, and so he gives up the chase and returns to the group rescuing the gnome druids.
The gnomes are lying awake but immobile on the ground when Addrun returns to the clearing. The group loads three of them up onto Addrun's broad back and the others each carry either a gnome or a fairy back to the Seelie. The fairies are delighted to see their lost companions and magically return them and the gnomes back to health so that they can play. Samaraba returns panting and exhausted. Addrun mothers the little hero, who falls fast asleep in the ranger's arms.~ Geldyn Forest, the 10th of Enkilot

Hero Squirrel

Here is Sam wearing his sexy winter coat and showing off his extraordinary foraging skills.

But this is what he is really best at...

Addrun wakes early as usual. On a typical day, he would be scouting around the campsite, looking for anything unusual that could harm his “flock” or the like. Today on the Denday of the Month of Wealth, however, the Bariaur is gorging himself on the delicious magical apples of the Temple of Idun. His saddlebags are already nearly bursting with them and even his faithful squirrel companion is lying on his back in the soft grass rubbing his swollen belly.
Addrun looks at his follower and says, “I named you for being talkative when I met you in Gelden Forest, but I think I should have named you ‘comido’ instead. You are a very fat squirrel, Sam.” Samaraba opens his eyes a crack, gives Addrun a naif look, and then closes them again in bliss. ~ 25th of Hedrot

Satiated Squirrel

Corpulent Squirrel

Addrun looks at his fat companion. “You can't possibly be hungry, so go climb that tree and look for any other people coming this way. It’s not winter sleep-time yet. Go.” Sam walks very un-squirrel-like to the maple tree that his ranger pointed out and climbs it dutifully and without enthusiasm. Addrun just saw another squirrel jump over to the tree and hopes that they get along. The 17th of Vangalot, Omani’embra