Chapter 3: New Friends and Late Nights

Having defeated the ettercap and it's spider companions, the adventurers searching through the nearby sarcophagus. Having touched the artifacts contained within Xelgius fell unconscious suffering constitution damage. August found himself afflicted with a curse dulling his wisdom after grabbing the staff within. Terra grabbed the amulet from its throat and was unaffected by it.
Seeing their friend Xelgius unconscious, Terra and August administer first aid stabilizing him then bringing him back to consciousness with smelling salts. Looking around the room they quickly realize that Carric is nowhere to be found. "Where the fuck is Carric" states August "Does he always disappear like this?" Xelgius replied. "Not really!" chimes Terra
They proceed to search the room investigating the statue Carric was so transfixed on. August notices out of the corner of his eye that the staff the corpse in the sarcophagus was holding disappear. Taking note of this he continues searching the statue to find a small recess in the back with a small black orb pressed inside. He tries to turn it to no avail, thinking it may have some sort of arcane nature he tells Terra to check it out. She tries to turn it as well with similar result. Feeling the temperature of the area around that statue drop several degrees she looks up just as Carric collapses out the back of the statue directly on top of her. Not only is he significantly larger and heavier than she is, but he appears to be covered in some sort of viscous goo like material.
Moving him off of her they realize he is unconcious and try to revive him with some of August's smelling salts. This proved to have no effect on his status and he appeared to be in an almost comatose like state. Its at this point they noticed the staff that August saw disappear clutched in his hand. Trying to release his fingers from it, they were unable to release his death grip on the staff opting instead to wrap it in August's cloak. Deciding they probably should not remain inside the cave they prepared to set out. As they were about to leave they saw the corpse in the sarcophagus disolve into what appeared to be sand and the crown previously atop its head now sat amongst the sand. Terra reached in and was seemingly unaffected by it.
Xelgius & August carried Carric's lifeless form out of the cave with Terra following close behind. Deciding to move away from the mouth of the cave they traveled northward back toward Thornhollow for about thirty minutes where they set up camp in a small clearing between two rock outcroppings.
After several moments of taking turns slapping Carric's unconscious form, they hear a faint whistling. Tama a large Tortle bard sees smoke from a campfire ahead and proceeds to whistle louder announcing his presence. He cautiously enters their camp hands up before himself, stating he means no harm.
After several moments of introductions and conversing about what brings him through the woods, they all agree to travel together at least as far as Thornhollow. During these introductions Carric wakes up. His friends ask if he remembers anything of where he went or what happened while he was gone. He lies to them saying flatly "No..."
They proceed to ask how he got the staff, at which he looks down and notices the staff clutched in his hand. "I don't know." was his reply. August says "Can I at least have back my cloak?" At which Carric gives it back and August puts it on and says he'll take first watch.
Finding his watch uneventful, he goes to wake Carric who agreed to take second watch. Finding no immediate danger he approaches a small pool in a nearby glade. Looking at his reflection and focusing himself his appearance shifts to that of August albeit a bit crude as his one tusk still protrudes from his lip. Interesting he thinks, and shifts his appearance to that of Xelgius. This appearance is a bit better but still not perfect. Shifting to that of Terra only instead of her thin lithe form he appears a bit more burly though otherwise an accurate representation. Finally he shifts to the form of their new friend Tama Mwala his newfound tortle form is smaller than Tama's actual form. Satisfied with his newfound ability he reverts to his natural form and returns to his watch.
Xelgius comes out of his trance to take his watch finding that his head is less clouded and he feels his vitality returning to normal. The remainder of the night goes by uneventful, and he takes time to prepare some of the remaining venison they had hunted before entering the cave.
August wakes to the smell of cooking meat on the fire, his head a bit clearer though not at full strength. Their companions proceed to wake up and they all break their fast and prepare to set out for the day.
Traveling throughout the day they come across a small grove with a pool . At this pool they notice a deer drinking. Xelgius keen eye also catches sight of an owlbear approaching from the opposite side of the pool. He cautiously alerts his friends and they attempt to sneak away and avoid a confrontation with the creature. Xelgius steps on a twig with a very audible snap alerting the beast to their presence. It immediately starts heading in their direction and battle ensues.
August climbs a rock outcropping and is attacked by a wolf. Meanwhile, a second wolf moves through the trees and attacks Terra knocking her prone. Using his blade August fells the wolf attacking him while Xelgius, Carric, and Tama battle the owlbear.
Carric tests a new ability he learned while he was inside the statue communicating with Dromlar his patron. The great sword he obtained from the Orc Chieftain that attacked Thornhollow is absorbed into his back and his arm outstretches forming into the visage of the blade. Slashing at the owlbear with his blade arm deeply rending the beast's side. The battle continues and Terra manages to slay the wolf harrowing her. As they are about to slay the owlbear they hear "Stop! Stop! Stop!" shouted from the forest behind them. Accompanied by ragged running through the underbrush.
Readying themselves for the owlbear to attack while looking to the approaching individual. The owlbear starts to lick at its wounds with a low wounded growl. A very worried elf appears atop an rocky outcropping behind them dressed in green and brown leathers, with leaves about him. "Stop... Please she's my friend." He exclaims as he begins climbing down the rock face. "Don't hurt her." Eliciting a low growl-screech from the owlbear that August perceives as hostile.
With a throaty "Humph!" he looses a bolt from his hand crossbow at the owlbear's face. With unnatural reflexes Xelgius reaches out and snatches the bolt from the air mere centimeters from the owlbear's eye. With an audible grunt of pain he stops the blade from felling the beast. The elf having finished his descent rushes to the owlbear and begins to cast cure wounds on her. " I'm sorry to you and to her for all of this..."