Day 12 - Planning and Plotting

After a rough day yesterday, I was determined to bring the group together, talk about what happened yesterday and see if we could come up with a plan on how to deal with attacks on the road, who handles what, and ways to make the wagon safer for those inside and more dangerous for those attacking us outside. I also wanted to get the lay of the land and see if we can get an idea of what lays ahead into the unknown area. I went downstairs to the carriage room to find Tarryn already working on the Edhellen. We said our good mornings, talked, kissed, and then he taught me how the Edhellen works and how to repair it in the case that I need to due a mending quickly. Afterwards, I conjured up a three story 30 ft tall tower with a kitchen/dining, study and observatory.
 
I gathered everyone together and we started our meeting. Tarryn took that moment to apologize for his actions the day before and, as I expected, the others forgave him. I then pulled out a map I had made of the area and did a recap of yesterday's encounters. Due to the oddities we ran into, I felt that we needed to come together and make a plan. Ideas for securing harnesses on the inside for those riding inside the wagon should it take another tumble. Also, Ripper suggested the affixing of a ballista on the top and, with the help of Tarryn and Ripper's fey friends, he was able to get the materials and build the weapon. I had also instructed Toox to use the observatory to see what she could locate around the area, with the help of Simon , she was able to document the secondary road we saw yesterday, a small town that wasn't on the map, and the location of the crazy mage's shack. Since it was still fairly early in the day after all our activity, Ripper, Toox, and myself went to check out the shack.
 
The shack was well hidden from the road and we would have traveled right passed it if Toox had not spotted it with the telescope. Ripper cast his floating disk and then changed into a black bear taking Toox and I on a sled ride to help get us there faster. We came across the road to the shack, up the trail, found a natural trap, then and unnatural trap and a wall of force. This place was secured in such a way that I almost said we should go. I wasn't sure if I wanted to risk my life… now that I have something more to fight for.... We ended up climbing over the wall of force and slowly traipsing along a path to the shack that was apparently littered with teleportation circles. We some how made it to the roof of the shack and inside, but there was one more trap waiting for us. The three of us were teleported to a floating steam room, but we didn't take long for us to get out between our combined skills and Toox had a little luck not losing an eye.
 
Once we teleported back to the shack, we were able to turn the traps off and found that this mage had some connection to the cult we had run ins with about a month ago. We thought we had taken care of the marked cult when we cleared out some magic users from a hidden lair. This was the place we found the jewelry chest in that we left with Doc in Settlement. I wonder how Lute is doing. I will have to write him and share with him the Greendale Seven tale. This mage was more than crazy..... he was mad with a capital M. There are so many notes and connections, pictograms and writings that it will take four of us several hours to gather and catalog as not to lose the derailed train of thought. Ripper went to collect Tarryn and Simon, who had stayed behind and Toox and I stayed to get started. Between Ripper, Toox, Simon, and myself, we have gathered and cataloged the information, but we haven't been able to really go through it. Tarryn so generously hunted and provided dinner for us as the rest of us focused on our task at hand.
 
I set up two 2-story towers for the night, Tarryn parked the wagon in its place and I bathed, washed my hair, and then bid everyone a good night before going off to bed. Once in the bedroom, I brushed out my hair and braided it like I did during the war when there was the expectation of a battle ahead. It helps focus the mind with the precision of the plait and functionally keep my hair away from my face so that my vision is harder to impair and any head gear always fits better. I do not know what tomorrow will bring, but I know at least this time, we will be ready for it.