"Yes, I really could use some healing and im not sure we have enough time to convince our new potential friend here".
"Cast a final message spell in draconian. The message reads: We mean you no harm. As a peace offering, we shall leave behind your friend and not harm him. Next time we meet, lets talk before we fight".
"How about we go back to a nearby farm and rest and heal? If another of these groups catches us in this state, while they have two of those casters, I doubt we will survive the encounter in this state"
The creature seems to lax a bit further on its weaponry, still unsure of any of your true intentions; however, it doesn't seem to go to battle with any of you.
"Peace no option to her. Fare luck to you, creatures. Me get out while still make breath."
And with that the creature begins heading East, leaping over the manmade stream before disappearing into the wooded surroundings. The silence is unsettling, but it's still nice to not be fighting for your lives in the moment. A hard fought victory to you, heroes, and a partial win as the river flows where it once did. There still seems to be something more ahead, though, and the rest of your story here is still up to you.
"Fuck you. I opened up my heart to you and you stabbed it a thousand times." - Gamma, to me, right before confessing to being the town vig and murdering my scum partner N1.
"alright guys, lets see if we can find the farmers then went missing now that the fishmen have retreated temporary. Lets cross where the diverted stream was and see if we can find them in the area between here and the fishmen camp. They mightve even found themselves a good spot to hide that we can use".
"maybe one of you can continue to try and track them from there".
"Seems fine to me, but I'm gonna take one of these warriors with me, we'll likely want to interrogate them and...doesn't seem like the fishy one is gonna care too much about it. Anyway let's see if we can find any sign of them..."
Your crew gather their wits, hopping over the dwindling stream, and make your way down a trail of footsteps one by one with your roguish companion hefting the heavy frogman over their shoulder. Thickets and trees quickly get more and more dense as you traverse North and, if it weren't for the ranger, it isn't difficult to see how some could get lost in this place. But not you. Bumbling through, you power down the increasingly difficult path you're paving until you suddenly find yourself surrounded!
"Halt, or I'll skewer you where you... wait a minute. I-is that one of those monsters!?"
The band of would-bes happen to match what you'd expect a bunch of farmers to look like. Worn clothing, calluses hands, and rickety weapons or farming tools amongst the lot.
"...who are you people?"
"Fuck you. I opened up my heart to you and you stabbed it a thousand times." - Gamma, to me, right before confessing to being the town vig and murdering my scum partner N1.
"Ahoy friends, my name is Vekna. Bobert of Thode hired us to find out what happened to the river. So we went and broke a damn and then fought a bunch of frogs and fishies that were none too pleased with that. We brought this ugly one here to interrogate while were resting. We managed to find out that these creatures were most likely affected by a mental domination type of spell, so someone is controlling them to terrorize this region.
Now, do you lads maybe have a safe resting place? I assume so since the froggers havent found you yet? We could really use a moment of respite to tend to our wounds. Ever got bitten by an oversized frog? It feels every bit as nasty as it sounds.
Maybe you can tell us what you have been up to here?"
The group begins to relax slightly as they lower their weapons. A larger farmer approaches the little magic user with a strained smile and a nod.
"Aye, Bobert is a drunkard but I'm glad he got someone to help. We don't know nothin' about no magics, but we do have a spot in a clearing nearby. We've been holed up here. Not too proud to admit we've been a bit... well, afraid of what we could do and get out with our lives, y'know? We're simple people. And as soon as we came upon the problem those creatures chased us off. Barely got out whole but we've been stuck here ever since. They seemed to only care about chasin' us off... didn't follow, just sorta watched us flee into the trees. Here, follow me."
They all begin to slowly make their way North.
"Did you see the little red flying one? Probably the nastiest of them all. Foul beast nearly took my soul from my bones. Can't explain how or why, but I could feel it happening. Ah, here..."
It doesn't take long for you to reach their little outpost of sorts. Slings and stones are pocketed away in corners and it appears they've been staying in this spot for most of the day. Blood spatter marks much of the ground here.
"If you took care of the beasts and the dam, well... from all of Thode, I thank you. Not sure if we can be much help but we'll do anything we can."
The hodge podge of farmers appears to be five in total, none looking any better off than the next as you look at them.
"Fuck you. I opened up my heart to you and you stabbed it a thousand times." - Gamma, to me, right before confessing to being the town vig and murdering my scum partner N1.
"A little red flying one you say? That sucks souls? Did it also look like a frog or a fish, or did it have different features?
Regardless, during our fight at the damn two of their casters escaped. Do you guys have any idea about their total number? Did anyone scout for their camp or their base?"
"It looked like a... like a... I don't know. Not a fish or a frog, that's certain."
The villagers help you rest and recooperate, handing out food rations and bandages for your wounds. These people aren't fighters by any means, just the only ones in Thode that seemed to want to find out what was going on with this whole mess. And after about an hour or so it became a little more obvious where their hearts truly lied.
"Here... come with me. I'll show you where the water went."
The trek through the forest was quick but quiet. Though there were so many of you, the villagers guided the lot of you adventurers on where to step to get to where you needed to be. The lead villager gives a hand signal to halt, then to approach slowly.
"Just up there,"
he says in a hushed tone.
"There's a hut. Used to be a lovely, if reclusive, couple of Halflings lived there. Not sure if they're still there. Been several moons since we've seen them in Thode. And... well... if we're honest here, gentlemen, I think this is where we part ways. This is just too much for us. Gods bless you... best of luck."
And without another word, if you don't have any other questions, the villagers would begin on their way back home. All things considered, you've stopped the water interruption and found the villagers. But to make certain this stops here you must soldier on. Before you is most certainly a great danger, but would you truly be heroes if you didn't end it all?
"Fuck you. I opened up my heart to you and you stabbed it a thousand times." - Gamma, to me, right before confessing to being the town vig and murdering my scum partner N1.