As for NPCs this week is all about the Herbalist and the Hunter. We have already met our Herbalist, Tyreal but tonight we meet the Hunter, someone who is deeper in the woods than they have reason to be and perhaps, its for a good reason.
So let’s sit down, string our bows and lets travel deeper into the forest!
Herbalist and the Hunter
432TuHeHu
As the party left the Alchemists shop Tyreal continued to give them a wish list of a dozen or so other ingredients. “If you see the Lilly-heart plant a dozen or so leaves should do it. You should find plenty as there are are no elves that would dare to go that deep into woods these days!” he calls as the party walk out, for their own safety.
As they walk through the desolate streets they find their way to the north gate where the path splits to curve to the west to continue onto the next city along. However the road that they need to go travels further north into the Sarkred forest. The path gets rougher as they travel and the trees begin to grow older, more twisted and gnarled and darker. Several creatures that they would not normally expect to see become a commonplace as they travel deeper into the woods.
However the signs of civilisation all but disappear as the road ceases and only a path, ancient and worn remains. The rough ground and stone looks like it could have been sung out of the earth before being twisted and reclaimed by the ancient trees and their massive roots that breached the surface. The curious sound of a whistling bird, reached their ears as the travelled along the path and following the sound they were greeted by something out of place.
A woman knelt as she dug in the soil a dozen or so feet from the road. Her hair was wild and she had a strong but crudely made bow and quiver of arrows on her back. As the party watched her she turned her head to reveal she was an elf, more wild than the ones they had met in Wellspring. “Well I wasn’t expecting to have an audience. I assume you don’t wish me harm or you would have done so already like the others have in the past.” she called as she slowly turned revealing her dirt covered tunic and hands.
“If you haven’t come hunting for the woods for me then I suspect you are here to hunt something else. The animals in these woods are protected, sacred to my kind so I would suggest that you refrain from defiling the balance of nature if you wish to leave the woods in one piece.” she warned. After a brief discussion she seemed to understand what they were after, but her response was cold and abrupt.
“You wont find the Thren plant without help. It hides from those who seek it and only those who know where to find it will realise what it is. Something that I admire of these woods is the resilience of all its living things.” she smiled. “My name is Thren, and much like what you seek I am normally quite elusive. I can take you to where the plants grow if you promise to leave after you find them and do not upset the balance of these woods. Everything is carefully measured and checked, the plants, creatures and elements all working to protect the woods.”
After receiving their agreement she dusted her hands off on her tunic and walked away from the path. “you won’t find the Thren at the end of a path, you find it by looking where no one will find it.” she called back as she unslung her bow from her back as she silently moved deeper into the forest. It was a matter of moments before the party lost sight of the elf and only when she called out to them did they realise where she was.
A busy night, a large part of the adventure discovered and a path to the Thren revealed. I will continue to broaden this adventure progressively each day this week. So don’t forget to come back daily to stay up to date and lastly, as always, don’t forget to roll with advantage,
The Brazen Wolfe
Brazen Wolfe Tabletop 