Party 2

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Ezra spent the morning in his room, sitting at the edge of his bed with his armor half dawned. The chilled morning air sept into his room, the moist fog making his blanket feel heavy against his back. In his hand he held his necklace dedicated to Helm, a small shield, poorly carved from wood, one of the the first things he ever made for himself in his new life. His knuckles were white as he held it for what seemed like hours. He came to his senses after a while and realized that he had been crying. He put the rest of his armor on and straightened himself before stepping out and going downstairs. It took until then for him to realize just how long he had been in deep thought as he saw his companions were gone. “Ms. Thesa! Excuse me but I was wondering if you knew my compatriots locations perchance?”
 
The Horse & Anchor Tavern

Thesa looks up from the doorway where she has been shepherding someone off, there are the hints of tears in her eyes but she scrubs them dry and looks around the now empty bar. "Oh, Ezra. They headed off into town, they said they would be shopping. You should be able to catch up with them just fine. Didn't seem like they were in too much of a rush. Oh!" She suddenly remembers something and drops behind the long wooden bar before popping up with four packages wrapped up a small amount of string. She slides them over towards the paladin with a sad smile. "Take these to them will you, one is there for you too. It's just some food for the road, don't want any of you wasting away without me to feed you."

If Ezra takes the parcels he will notice that they are surprisingly heavy and seem very well stocked. Heading out of the door the fog seems to have faded a little from last night but the mist that hung around felt ominous, almost as though there were eyes watching him everywhere. He makes his way down through the town before he spots the rest of his group at the blacksmith engaging in conversation with Uran the owner whilst Henry is measured up by a boy for armour, a process that Ezra is familiar with due to his time training with it.

The Blacksmith

Uran laughs deeply at Draeric's words, the sound almost melodious and at odds a little with his raspy voice. "Two out of three lad, not bad not bad. The rain guard is uneven though out of design, it's to funnel the water down the blade inside the scabbard because the scabbard has a 'ole in the end to allow for easy release. Local custom though and yah wouldn't 'ave known it. Okay, if yah want to show off then yah can but if yah just want the blade I would try the one with the blue leather on the pommel it 'as a better tang for someone yah size." He points to a rapier in another barrel near Draeric that has a black leather hilt and curved quillions. It is not as ornate as some of the rapiers dotted around the smithy but the pommel is wrapped with a slightly brighter blue leather, more royal blue than navy. "That one is twenty-five gold pieces."

As Aelar looks through the daggers he pulls out a set of two on a belt that look thinner and very well made. The belt is a braided black leather with two thin scabbards on the one side and it has a solid steel buckle, the scabbards themselves look made as part of the belt and are not attached by any clips or buttons. The daggers in them are a dull grey and they look designed so as not to reflect any light. They are a little bit shorter and a lot slimmer than Aelar is used to but they are perfectly weighted and seem to fit in the palms of his hands. Uran looks over and smiles, pointing to the daggers. "Now this man 'as a good eye. Those are throwing daggers, go further and 'it just as 'ard. Two gold each still."

Seeing that the boy has almost finished measuring Henry Uran looks over and gives the barbarian a general eying up and down before shaking his head. "Usually the only people that ask that are ones that can't afford it in the first place. Stick to the 'ide armour, it will keep the cold off them skinny bones you 'ave. Ten gold for that." The young apprentice who has been packing away his measuring times and nods to Uran. "Thank you sir, no need to bring anything in." The boy scurries back to his post with the other apprentice and keeps his head down, going back to his previous task. Uran looks towards the pair of them and shakes his head slightly before looking back to everyone there. "Anything else yah need fixin' up with?"
 
Draeric walks over to the barrel and picks up the rapier and the blue leather on the pommel. While not flashy, the weight and length are indeed geared more towards an elf than some of the other blades. Examing the blade, he admires the skill and craftsmanship that went into it. While not flashy, it is solid and sturdy. Placing 25 gold on the counter "Deposit, I need a few more feet than inside your smithy. I'll be a step outside if you wish to witness something that you probably won't see again in a decade, or even two if'n you are lucky." He admires the blade again, enjoying the feel of the blade in his hand. He walks outside, sets his feet and closes his eyes for a second. With a sudden flurry of movement, almost leaping from where he is standing, he has moved almost 40' stabbing and swinging the blade with cold precision, without a pause he somersaults backward and moves a bit off of the starting spot and into another attacking lunge. Without pausing doing lunges, dashes, and dips, he covers another 20' feet and comes out in a strong attack. As a minute passes, he stops and breathing slightly increased eyes lowering down to examine the blade.
"Damn I have missed that feeling. Like to see you do that Tat." He quietly murmurs. His eyes continue to trace the length of the blade and up to the quillions and pommel. "The blade is indeed beautiful. The balance is almost truly perfect Master Uran. I wish I had the funding and the time to have you make me one custom fitted for me. Thank you."
 
Henry bristled when the blacksmith brushed off his question as if he were some commoner. His ears began to slowly turn red as Henry attempted to keep his cool. After all, this lowly blacksmith had no idea who he was. Putting on a forced smile, Henry picked up his coin purse and jingled it around a little. “Well Mr. Smith I am not completely without coin, and I was asking for a payment plan of some sort, maybe putting a deposit down now and I pay you when I return from our recent mission. You can ask Miss Thesa down at the inn, I am good for the money.”
 
Alaer tosses the throwing daggers into the air and catches them by the pommel a few times, testing their weight and balance. He sheaths the daggers onto the belt and proceed to put the belt on. The wood elf then grabs a bundle of 20 arrows and a quiver and puts them on his back. He takes out 5 gold from his coin pouch and places it on the counter. "These daggers would be perfect for me. I'll take the arrows as well. I'm impressed by the work you've done here Uran." After paying for the weapons, Alaer takes another subtle glance out the door. "Blacksmith, you said you haven't seen a fog like this in a while. Did anything odd happen the last time there was a fog like this?"
 
Ezra nodded a thanks to the barkeep “I promise, we’ll be back in no time. I’m sure this will only take a week or so. Thank you for the food” he smiled and made his way out of the tavern and to the smithy, just in time to observe Draeric’s demonstration outside. “Good to know I’ve gotten here in time friends”
 
Brushing his hair back from his face, Drae greets the paladin. "Ezra! Glad that you could join us! Was testing out Master Uran's blade. Been about two months or so since I was able to practice. Still two months can dull a person's edge. Intent is to finish some basic shopping, grab our gear and depart for this mysterious rescue job we've been offered."
 
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Uran watches the display from Draeric slack-jawed and there is the sound of something dropping from further inside the smithy as one of the apprentices completely forgets what they are doing. When the elf turns back to the blacksmith there is a nod of recognition and a good-natured smile on his face. He hefts the smithing hammer in his hand, looking back towards the greatsword on the wall, and his grin gets a little bigger. "I still reckon I could take yah." He is teasing but there is no malice in now, just his way with people. He picks up and pockets the gold. "The blade suits yah. May it serve yah well."

The blacksmith takes the long hard look at Henry again before gesturing to the rest of the party. "Yah with these right? And yah say Thesa at the 'Orse And Anchor will vouch for yah?" He pauses whilst he thinks, rubbing his hand through his beard and nodding to himself. "If yah tell people it's an Uran original then I'll let yah pay a bit now and the rest later for some scale mail, the finest in the shop. That'll be fifteen gold." He whistles and one of the apprentices brings over a suit of scale mail from the back, the collar and armholes trimmed with furs. The young lad holds out his hand for the gold, clearly also hoping for a tip.

Uran looks over to Aelar and takes the five gold and Ezra arrives and Draeric leaves the shop to greet him. The blacksmith looks on with some interest at the paladin before turning back to his most recent customer. "Right, thank yah for the praise. Keep safe on yah travels." The fog question catches him off-guard a little and he sets down the smithing hammer before crossing his arms to think. He's silent for a few moments before giving a small shrug. "Old man Verrin vanished but 'e was a drunk and clumsy as 'ell. Everyone thought 'e wandered off into the forest. Oh and the forest seemed more dangerous for a while after, more wolves and that. That's the only thing I can think of though." He leans over and picks up the hammer. "Anyway if that's all yah need, I've got work to do. Good luck in whatever yah doing, the lots of yah."
 
Alaer puts a hand to his chin as a troubled look grow on his face, "It could've been just a coincidence. Drunkards disappear all the time in Waterdeep. But in a small town such as this?" The wood elf looks towards his companions, "We'll have to be extra vigilant during our journey. Since last night I've had the feeling that something was off and that feeling's been growing stronger every minute." He gives the blacksmith a respectful nod, "Thank you for the information Huran. And we'll definitely need the luck."
 
Looking over to Alaer, "I can not but help and agree with you. That fog was not natural, I do wish to sound like a scared child but the elves have tales of the woods coming to life. Usually, when it happens, there is a great evil either present or awakening." Looking around the village. "Missing people in a village this size is indeed rare. Hopefully, we'll be able to find Verrin alive and well in the woods as we head out."
 
As you all meet up with Ezra you are given the packages from Thesa that contains some individual pies, cold meat cuts, dried vegetables, bread and cheeses. It seems like enough to sustain someone for more than a few days and is nicer than the rations some of you have in your packs. Each of the packages from Thesa is wrapped in brown waxed paper and has the first initial of your names hastily scrawled on by quill. Also tied to each of the parcels is a corked bottle of ale and a corked bottle of wine. The innkeeper seems very keen to make sure that all of you are well taken care of and that you understand her own personal care towards each of you as well.

All of you except Henry hear the footsteps running down the street, the barbarian seemingly more focused on his new armour than on anything else. As you turn up the street you notice a young boy jogging down towards waving happily. He has reddish brown hair that falls in a messy fringe which he keeps pushing back to one side with his hands and a big grin on his face. You all know the boy to be Finnan, Thesa’s son and someone you saw this morning in the Horse and Anchor. The boy is wearing a simple, if a little too big, white cotton shirt that has been washed until its thin but clean and a pair of dark green shorts held up by suspenders with some leather boots.

As you all see Finnan running down the road towards you, Ezra notices the tendrils of mist pulling off the walls towards the boy as well as the four of you. Thesa’s son calls out to all of the party. “Hey! Mr Ezra sir! Mr Alaer! Mum said you were leaving! I’ve just come to say goodbye and thank you.” Finnan’s voice is bright and cheerful and it doesn’t seem like he has noticed the mists at all, instead just seeming focused on saying goodbye to the people that had saved his life a few weeks past.

All of you now notice the mist is curling in around the back of you all, like fog rolling in from the sea. Even the blacksmiths is getting hard to see in the fog, the clangs and the shapes from inside getting obscured by this foreboding grey blanket. Within seconds it is like you are cut off, there is just the grey void surrounding you and one exit out of it all towards the street and the running boy who is suddenly starting to look concerned. The orange glow from the street lights that have become so familiar to you all now seem to flicker and die off as though they too are absorbed by the mist.

In front of you Ezra watches as the mists snake forwards on the ground before you all see them wrap themselves around the legs of the boy. They don’t pull him anywhere but seem to hold him in place, fixing him to the mist. All of you can see the mist doing the same around your own legs, even if you pull up your feet or try and sweep the mist away it seems to cling to you and as soon as it disperses it reforms. If you try to run you find that you cannot move at all. In the blink of an eye the street is gone. Everything now is just the mist.

Finnan starts to cry out of fear, his big brown eyes welling up as he reaches both hands out to all of you. “Help! Please! I’m scared. I don’t wanna be taken again. Help! Please make it stop!” His words are barely understandable behind the tears and slowly, inexorably the mist covers him up until there is only one hand sticking out as the wall of grey covers each and every fingertip. Finnan is gone. There is now only you four but each of you, looking around, notices the mist covering up your compatriots’ faces as well. Soon you are all individually in your own area of grey. Calling out does nothing, you don’t hear anything from anywhere else either. You feel like you are able to walk or run now but there is no difference wherever you move to. Everything is just grey.

You don’t know how long it takes but you feel that there is ground underneath your feet again, not just mist. You start to hear the chirp of birds and the sound of rustling leaves as the world seems to form back around you. This isn’t the village though, you were on cobblestone streets but now it is dirt. There were buildings all around you but now it is empty sky. The weather was cold and brisk in Hazelhurst but it is raining now and ever so slightly humid. It was late morning and now the sun appears to be setting. The fine drizzle seems to be pushing away the mist but it slowly soaks all of you to the core.

Looking around you can see that you are in the countryside, on a well trodden path. Off to the side looks to be a large expanse of woods but they are not similar to the ones you were hunting in last night. If it was last night. The branches are curled and withered and the ground seems covered in sharp thorn bushes and heathers that would catch and snare anyone attempting to walk in it. A few brightly coloured red birds can be seen flitting in and out of the canopy in the last of the evening light but there are no other animals around. The path itself leads off in the same direction as the street. You can see all of your friends, your team, standing in similar positions to where you were in Hazelhurst but when you look down the path it is empty. There is no sign of Finnan at all.
 
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I’ll get you the rest hopefully by the end of the week, and I’ll be sure to pass along word of your generosity and craftsmanship.” Henry lays the charm on a little as he excitedly straps on his new armor. It takes him quite a bit of time; while he was trained in fighting in armor, he was used to the notion that only weaker fighters needed armor. But Henry never cared for that idea; as far as he was concerned, anything he could do to stack the odds in his favor was worth doing.

He stuffed the rations that Ezra passed along into his pack before heading outside. Once he got outside he spent some time checking out the intricate overlapping of the scales and how they clinked slightly when he jumped. Thoroughly engrossed in his armor, Henry was actually startled when the kid shouted out to them. ‘Hmph, the kids kinda cute I guess, but I’m surprised his momma let him out of her sight so soon after losing him the first time. Woulda thought she’d keep him under lock and key.’ Even as Henry stepped forward to speak to the kid he noticed the mists. ‘Well that advanced pretty quickly. Maybe there’s something to this whole ‘global warming’ that’s going around.’

Henry’s surprised curiosity quickly turned to one of fear and alarm as the mists wrapped around the kid. He quickly draws his greataxe and grits his teeth, swinging at the mist in desperation, but to no effect. Soon the mist covers his own face and he holds his breath for as long as he can, afraid that there is something poisonous or toxic within the mist, but he eventually gulps a breath of air...and feels fine. Just as he’s adjusting to the wall of gray around him, the scene changes to the countryside with his allies around him. Greataxe still in his hands, Henry spins around on high alert, looking for whoever sprung this trap on them. “What the fuck happened? Where are we? Where’s the boy?”
 
Upon seeing the mist reach towards Finnan, Ezra opens his mouth to warn the boy, but he cannot speak Stay back boy! Can’t you see the fog is getting close? He grabbed for his axe, ready to swing upon the fog but when it enveloped him, he realized he was already set upon. He looked to Draeric by his side but couldn’t see the face he had come to know “Draeric? Aelar? Henry? Someone get Finnan, he’s in danger!” He shouted but his words seemed soft against the fog, barely shifting it and as he began to run, he saw nothing before him, he kept driving himself forward and when the fight settled and he saw his allies, he could only think “Finnan...Theresa....oh no”
 
As Finnan calls out to them, Alaer flashes a warm smile and gives a respectful nod to the child. "Are you here to see us off child?" The wood elf begins to notice mist around him acting strangely. With a grimaces, he tries brush the mist off him. When the mist begins to wrap around him more aggressively, Alaer quickly turns towards the boy, "Finnan you must get in..." Alaer blinks as the boy disappears from view and the whole world turns to mist. For the first time in his life, Alaer begins to panic."What in the world is going on? Am I dead? Is this the end? Is this all that's left?" After some time wandering, the world seems to come together around Alaer. He falls down on the dirt road, eyes closed, on his back, and heaves a sigh of relief. Slowly, he opens is eyes to observe the scene around him with a look of curiosity on his face. His eyes lands on his companions, and he lets out another sigh of relief. "I thought I lost you all. It seems like that was no ordinary fog." Alaer looks around for Finnan, "I don't see the boy anywhere. He might not have made it with us but maybe we should look for him just in case. And does anyone know where we are?"
 
Drae finished adjusting the rapier on his waist and putting the food away that he had asked Ms. Thesa to prepare. Smiling at the size of the packages, it was obviously more than he had asked for or could have expected. ‘I’ll have to make sure that I give her huge thanks and do what I can to direct more traffic to her inn.’
As the group was standing in the road, he watches young Finnan come running down the street. Smiling for a few moments, he then notices that light fog that had been hanging around all morning. The fog suddenly grows thicker and almost voracious. Remembering the warning the Uran gave about the missing farmer, Drae tries to move towards Finnan before he can be taken from his mother again. ‘I must protect him!!! He doesn’t deserve to go through any of that horror again!’ However, as he tries to move, he feels as if he is encased in chains and unable to move forward. With each passing second, the chains and fogs grow heavier. Unable to turn his head to see the others or even Finnan, he never stopped trying to move.
After what seemed hours or even days, the resistance and fog are gone. Looking around, Drae sees his teammates but the village and people are gone. Whipping his head around, he pulls the newly purchased rapier and scans the woods and the road.
“That was strong magic, and greater than what most mages could do even with several lifetimes of research and power.” The change in the time of day, weather and plant life is beyond unusual and unlike previous experiences. “I know that I do not have the skills to get us back home yet. There is indeed an evil taint to that fog. I fear that even if we find the farmer, we have no way of trying to get him back home. I’m glad that we were at least able to have our gear and supplies, unlike last night.”
 
Alaer slowly gets up from his seat on the muddy dirt road, and tries to brush off the dust from his clothing. After a few moments, he gives up and takes a better look at the environment and the foliage around them. His eyes linger on the gnarled branches and thorny bushes. "If the magic that caused this is as powerful as you say then there's nothing we can do about that now. Let's not panic quite yet. If we take this one step at a time and keep our focus we'll be able to survive. First let's find some shelter to keep out of this unpleasant rain. We might have to stay along the path though. The foliage does not seem very welcoming."
The wood elf puts a hand to his chin as he takes a closer look at the dirt road. "These roads have recently been in use. If we follow the path east, we should be able to reach a village or even a city. Be sure to watch out for wolves though. I see signs of more than a few running around here."
 
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"I feel that we should prepare to move to the east as quickly as possible, however, I would like to backtrack about 100-200 yards at most down the road. In the event that some poor soul hopefully not Finnan, was pulled in with us, I would not wish to leave them out here alone and possibly unarmed. If we had not been preparing to leave ourselves, we would have been caught unawares and unarmed." Using his foot he makes a large mark in the road, adding a small e and arrow for the east.
"As I stated, we are nowhere close to Hazelhurst. When I say nowhere close, I'm talking months if not longer travel." Looking down the road, and into the brush, Drae feels as if all of his nerves are hyper-alert. 'Calm down Drae. Nerves and being hyperalert will wear you out faster than a fight. Breathe. Feel the weave, pull it into you, focus, and release. Look for unfortunate victims and then work to get to civilization.'
 
Draeric spends a few minutes looking behind you all, checking for any sign of other people brought through the mist but there is no sign of Finnan anywhere. His cries for help and the sight of him being pulled into the mist still fresh in your memories as all start making your way east. The rain makes the trudge down the road more difficult as the mud starts to pull at your boots and stick your feet to the ground. Whilst you are all highly strung and alert for any danger you don't see anything except the road and the forest off to one side acting as a constant companion on your walk. Eventually the wolf tracks move away from the path and into the forest and, whilst still feeling foreign and cold and damp, the walk itself is uneventful.

After a few hours and just after the last of the light has left you come over a rise and looking downwards you can see a small village, similar to Hazelhurst but ringed by a low stone wall. The vague silhouette shapes of houses and streets are picked out by occasional gas lamps that throw a gentle orange glow, something you are all familiar with from the village you had spent the morning in. It looks like the village itself is about twenty minutes walk away from the top of the rise down and the land past the village is coated in an inky blackness that is not pierced by the streetlamps, the inky shroud of the night. It doesn't seem like the village has any gates or ways of barring you entry and it looks like the only place to be able to rest in the vicinity.

As you start to make your way down towards the cobbled streets and the relative safety of civilisation you all notice a familiar phenomenon, a rolling fog dragging itself across the grass around you like the clasping hands of the restless dead. Speeding up or standing still does nothing, the fog rolls in around you none the less. You all brace yourself for that clawing feeling and the empty void of shapeless grey that you found yourself in last time only for the fog to surround you and dissipate seemingly in minutes, not targeting you at all. Instead you see, lying off to one side and facing up towards the sky, a humanoid shape. It is not Finnan though, the boy still lost wherever the mists stole him away to, it is a high elf who slowly opens her eyes and comes to consciousness.
 
Draeric sees the female on the ground, as the fog suddenly recedes as if never present. Looking around quickly to make sure that there are no other 'guests or visitors' from the fog, he moves over to the female. Starting in pure elvish he approaches the woman. "Sister, are you okay? Can you hear and see us?" Pausing as he kneels down a few feet away, so as not to startle the woman, he continues speaking. "Do you have any wounds or injuries?"
 
As Lillian comes to her eyes briefly flicker about as she watches the thick fog move and weave about. As she hears the elf speak she briefly jolts in a surprised panic as she looks upon the group.

"Oh!" She blurts out in a startle. "I didn't expect to be seeing anyone else out here in the forest" her words slow down towards the second half of the sentence as she looks around at the streets around her and the cobblestone path underneath, her face growing wrinkles as she furrows her brow and her lips pulling together tightly. "Wait, where am I?" She looks around and grabs ahold of her quarterstaff and a wooden shield adorned with a etched golden rose about the front.

As she uses her staff to push herself up off the ground she turns back to the elf and responds in turn speaks in Elvish "Ah, sorry. No I'm fine. No injuries, not this time" as a childish grin comes over her to assure the others. Continuing in Common and louder as if to include everyone, Lillian asks "Sorry for laying about the streets like this, I've never blacked out like that before. What town is this?"
 
Looking around the new village, Drae briefly shrugs his shoulders and pushes hair away from his face. Realizing that 'this sister' could speak common, he switched back to the language for the benefit of the others. Quickly touching his chest, "I'm Draeric Nire'way, my companions are Henry, (the human warrior), Alaer (the wood elf), and Ezra Oreth, (1/2 Elf Holy Warrior). Alas, sister, I wish I could tell you where you are at, as we do not know ourselves. I highly doubt that you blacked out. Just before we found you, literally within a minute a huge fog cloud appeared along the road. It engulfed the area, and then you were suddenly there in the road."
Pausing to give the woman a moment to comprehend what he had said. "As for not being able to give you an answer to the village name or your location, is that we too have suffered the same ill effects from this malevolent fog. We were in a town called Hazelhurst this morning. We had been in the village square near the blacksmith, and suddenly we were on this road, and have been walking for hours on this road to arrive at this village in time to watch your arrival."
 
Lillian nods her head towards everyone "Well it's terrific to meet friends in a situation like this. I'm Lillian Leafront. If the information is worth anything, I was far from any town in the woods."

Lillian looks towards the town around them and asks "Should we maybe go and ask someone where we are and try to get out of this rain?"
 
"Probably a good idea to get out of the rain, find a nice warm inn and start drying off. Definitely feels like I went for a swim in the lake with everything that I own. Once we are out of this rain with some warm food, we can talk more."
Pushing wet hair away from his face, Drae looks around the village, checking for any signa that imply or say 'inn'.
 
When the mist starts to roll back towards them, Henry couldn’t help but draw his axe, even though he knew it would have no effect. As the mist passed by them without wrapping around them like earlier, Henry relaxed a bit, sheathing his axe once the fog disappeared. Knowing this mist was far from natural, Henry was only mildly surprised that there was a new person in their midst. As Drae introduced him, Henry gave the newcomer a nod, but he kept his distance, bringing up the rear as the group searched for an inn.
 
Alaer gives a respectful nod to the newcomer, "It's a pleasure to meet you Lillian Leafront. After what just happened, more help is definitely welcome. We're strangers to this place and the next people we meet may not be so friendly." The wood elf looks towards to nearby village, "As much as I love sleeping under the trees, I'd much prefer a nice bed and a warm fire. Let's hope the villagers are as welcoming as those from Hazlehurst."
 
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