The
Quest
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The
Quest
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Chapter 4: Smallwood
At Nova’s words an expression of disgust and anger twists Crovic features as he turns to look at the young man. Fixing the injured Nova with an angry stare he says, "I will not *allow* such an unkindly idea towards the forests and to nature. The woods have saved my life more than too many times for me to let you make such a horrid comment. You will take back what you have just said or I shall strike you with dear mothers rage and fathers fist!"
Lars steps over by Nova, but pauses to find out what Simoneous is doing.
He notices the smoky lit torch, "Are you sure that is wise, Simoneous? Things are fairly wet just now, but isn't there a chance things could get out of control with all this deadwood about? Although this could just be my innate distrust of fire talking. Nasty, destructive stuff, fire..." his voice trails off and he turns back to Nova.
Perhaps it is the pain speaking or perhaps Nova has some steel in him as he replies, “I don’t care! You like this dead forest so much you can have it. I’m sure that stupid hungry tree over there would be more than happy for you to stay for supper!”
Lars grabs Nova’s ankle holding it firmly and says a quiet prayer that is lost under Novas ranting. “This place has done nothing but creep me out since I got here! Mass animal graves, giant cages, little green men, giant winged shadows, and now man hungry trees! What kind of sick crap is it going to throw at us next? Why can’t it be a normal forest like the Green Forest to the north? The worst I have to worry about there are a few bandits and the occasional orc!”
His mood turns a little softer as he realizes the pain in his leg has gone away. He looks at his leg and sees that Lars has healed it and he pauses before continuing, “Ummm, sorry guys. I guess this place has just got me freaked out. It’s like this place was made to capture and kill everything! Let’s face it this place definitely isn’t normal.”
Then he looks slyly at Crovic and says, “Okay fine we won’t burn the whole forest down, but you tell us how to get past that groping monstrosity that sits in our path?”
***************
To that Crovic has no answer. However, holding his brand aloft Simoneous speaks his mind, "I agree with Crovic, we should not destroy the forest for doing what comes natural to it. Do we kill the hawk for hunting a rabbit? An owl for a mouse? The only difference here is that we were the prey and the fact we are not on the top of the food chain makes us angry as it attacks our sense of self. On the other hand if we are careful we should be able to carry lit torches that should dissuade them some. I know if I were a tree I would avoid fire. If one of their roots comes too close...” He looks to the torch in his hand, “we singe it a bit. Warn it off so to speak. As long as we are careful I think we should be able to pass through the forest, as long as we don't go too close to the trees so they can over whelm us."
Nova shrugs and says we still have to go past that tree...
Finally it comes to Lars to point out the obvious, as he looks at the forest with puzzlement. "Can't we just walk *around* it? It's tendrils only reach so far. Perhaps we could leave a warning sign here for other travelers. Now that we know these carnivorous trees are about, we can watch for more and avoid them as we go..."
Having had enough abuse for the moment and disgusted at himself for not having thought of such a simple solution Nova checks his things and says, okay find just cobble some sticks together or something. He takes another look at his map and mumbles, “Why isn’t any of this stuff on here?”
Lars and Chatham managed to find a few decent sized pieces of wood which they tie together using a length of Chathams’ ropes. Then realizing that they have no way to write on the sign without ruining valuable equipment, Chatham artfully carves skull and crossbones on the front of the plaque and they carefully plant it into the ground where others can see it. Chatham adds a small carving of a tree whose roots are surrounding the skull at the last minute.
They head out moving around the edge of the clearing and find nothing disturbs them. However Crovic stops more than once trying to glimpse a half-seen shadow.
They loose a good portion of the day to the clearing and by nightfall haven’t traveled very far when a thick fog rolls in. They call it a night and everyone retires, but this time Chatham insists that Nova take the first watch, “to make sure everyone does their fair share.”
Early the next morning they wake to find the fog even thicker, Crovic steps out of the fog into site and they find that it had only recently gotten this thick. For a moment he had even lost site of the campfire.
Perhaps it is just a trick of the light on the fog, but shadowy creatures seem to be moving around the fog just out range of clear sight.
***************
With the sudden appearance of the shadowy creatures, Simoneous, Chatham, Nova and Crovic go on alert and draws their weapons.
Lars walks near Crovic and says quietly, "Is it just my eyes, or are we surrounded?"
Looking around it would seem so. For several long tense moments the shadows flit through the fog, just barely on the edge of being seen. The like ghosts they vanish as if they never were. All of the shadows vanish at the same time.
Chatham waits for a few more moments then moves deliberately into the fog sword at the ready. After a few dozen paces he vanishes utterly into the fog.
The group waits tensely for any word from him after a long silence, Nova calls out, “Chatham? You still alive out there?”
At first there is nothing then Chatham comes running through the fog swinging wildly at the air, “Get out of my WAY you pathetic little spirits!”
When Chatham spots the group he looks around quickly, “They haven’t gone away but they aren’t much for engaging in battle. They seem more annoying than anything else but until this fog lifts I don’t think we should go anywhere, we could end up really lost.”
“What makes you think you aren’t already lost?” A voice from the fog says, “If you’re here you can’t be where you wanted to go.” A figure walks out of the fog, half as small as a dwarf walks a man with a shock of curly blonde hair a boyish face and a hikers outfit colored in various shades of bright green. He walks barefoot and has very hair feet and arms. He stops at the edge of visibility and looks up at the group, “Boy, I heard you guys were tall but that is ridiculous. Humans right? Of course I’m right, I’m always right. Names Jonathan Smallwood! Pleasure to meet you.”
***************
Chatham looks at Jonathan Smallwood and says, “What the heck are you supposed to be a fairy?”
While Lars stares open-mouthed at the small apparition, Crovic boldly steps forward and says, “Hello Smallwood. I take it you be one of the Halflings I have heard of?”
The little man chuckles, “I take it you be right about that, but I can’t says you’ve heard of me personally I’m not much for creating a bit of a fuss.”
Crovic watches him carefully, “Are you among us with good intentions or do you plan on killing the lot of us? Be you good or evil Smallwood?”
“Kill you? I just met you! I should be asking the same about you? Human’s have a bad reputation for killing just about anything that moves...and a few things that don’t.”
Lars suddenly bursts into delighted laughter interrupting the halfling. He soon recovers, but he has a wide grin plastered across his face when he finally does speak, “Good day to you Master Smallwood! Well a foggy day, in any case! How good remains to be seen! I am Lars Wyrdson and I am, as you have so rightly surmised, a human.”
Good day to you Mr. Wyrdson, “Well for the record, I come in peace. Actually I’m just a lone traveler taking a shortcut between towns. We don’t do no killing back where I come from, we leave that sort of thing to the lesser civilized species. So you’ve got nothing to fear from me.” He chuckles then looks inquisitively at the group, ”The question is do I have something to fear from you. Especially the shady looking one there.” He points to Nova.
From the moment Nova laid eyes on the halfling, bags of gold began jingling in his head. He was just figuring out how to make himself disgustingly rich of this bit of luck when he realizes the halfling is pointing at him, “Huh? What? Oh no no no you get me all wrong, the last thing I want to do is hurt you” (my little ticket to disgustingly richville).
“Uh, oh. I’ve seen that look before,” Jonathon Smallwood says warily, “Last time I saw that look I was just about to be cheated out half a dozen gilder from merchant Biggsby. Keep you’re sales pitch to yerself laddie.”
***************
The bright young man in green and black says, "It is a pleasure to meet you Jonathan. I am Simoneous. I assume by your appearance you are what we know as a Halfling. I am not sure if that is the proper name of you race. From the fog as such, it appears that you have gone to a great trouble to meet us. Might I enquire why?"
Jonathan shrugs and says, “That names as good as any other, though I think it used to be an insult way back when. But that was long before even my grandfathers time.” He cocks his head to the side and looks back at the young priest, “What makes you thing this fog is any of my doing. Like I said I’m just a simple traveler taking a shortcut. As far as I know the fog is always this thick when I take this short cut, should it be any other way?”
Lars' smile fades as he speaks. "I am very sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings. We came across a dreadful scene a few days ago. A great cage stood in the middle of a forest clearing filled with the bones of many creatures. Several halflings were among them. We buried them and I gave them what rights I could, although I do not know your customs."
This surprises the diminutive visitor, “Are you sure you’re not pulling my leg. I don’t remember hearing no rumor about anyone going missing recently. Or perhaps you’re thinking of starting?” He starts to look just a tad suspicious and uncomfortable.
"Enough of this little needed talk, Smallwood” Crovic interrupts angrily, “since we have come to know that you have more fear from us than you then I would like to ask where in hell we are since Nova over there has somehow gotten us lost.” Crovic gestures toward where Nova was standing.
The little man, “Well where are you planning on..”
Crovic interrupts, “I would also like to know if you plan on hunting for some treasure and evil monsters who deserve a good wack... I take that back since you do not kill how to you prevent bloodshed of your own self?"
There is a moment of silence before Smallwood bursts out laughing, “Oh that’s funny! Monsters? Treasures? Old bones and giant cages! Ha ha ha ha ha!” He wipes a tear from his eye, “Well now that was a good one. Ye had me for a while, lad. No the wandering spirit ain’t for me and mine. I just want a nice safe home and a warm hearth and the end of the day surrounded by my friends and family.”
“Yes that was quite a funny joke wasn’t it?” His voice smooth as silk, Nova appears behind the little man.
Jonathan Smallwood, may be jolly and relatively carefree, but he isn’t a fool. Recognizing the tone in Nova’s voice he realizes he’s about to be ensnared into some bizarre scheme, “Hold it pal, didn’t I tell you I didn’t want what you’re selling?”
Nova looks at him innocently, “I’m not selling anything. But I was wondering. You seem to know your way around here and we are kind of lost. I was wondering if we could use your services as a guide. We’d pay well and you could get an adventure out of it...”
“Oh no you don’t! We all know about your kind. Rule number one never go anywhere with a human, because you’ll not ever get back home again!” He steps away from Nova and the rest of the group. I don’t know where your going and I don’t want to know. If you’re lost in the fog just sit here until it goes away. But that could be a while.”
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