Perception
Stellan hears the other party abandon all pretense at stealth but believes he is concealed well where he is at. He checks to be sure of the rest of the parties position and then stops to shore up his defenses.
He does gestures and incantations that are nothing like what Anwel did an hour ago, except to those with eyes trained to see beyonrd the surface. Stellan looks to be covered in frost for a second then the frost fades from sight.
Stellan stays put, keeping himself hidden.
Stealth In case you require another one.
While most of the party struggles through the forest, the goblins continue to prepare their defenses.
Hearing Anwel's call to talk, the leader moves forward and shouts back.
He then leans forward and in a growling whisper says something to the goblins behind the barrier and in the nearby platforms.
spits Anwel, affecting the contempt he'd felt for the war party. It feels good to have an outlet.
"The leader's name is Vrag, and he says he will talk if we come out unarmed," he translates. "I told him we would not respond to threats. Not that we could comply," he says, gesturing vaguely around them as if to take in the whole Narlmarches. he explains, making sure to say it loudly and clearly. If Vrag heard and understood, hopefully he would believe their force larger than it was.
As he talks, Anwel continues toward the trail. One tree had fallen some time ago. Its roots, now pointed skyward, had torn up the ground around them as they came free, but that made it easier to traverse than the ground overgrown with plant life. The shadow of the root system is denser even than that of the canopy, thanks to the soil still caked in it. As Anwel passes by, he draws the shadowstuff together, forming a barely visible convex disk. It hovers in front of him, ready to push aside the remaining few branches that separate Anwel from the trail.
Andrei continues crashing through the trees sse. As he does so he. calls out in military sound voice [larger]"Company C, ready flasks, hold fire until my order."[/larger]
Round 2
So much for my plan to cover the approach with an animal rushing out of the brush. Well, the eagle has no weapons.
Warren advances carefully staying under cover of the heavy forest and casts his entangle spell .
Entangle
School transmutation; Level druid 1, ranger 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area plants in a 40-ft.-radius spread
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex partial; see text; Spell Resistance: no
This spell causes tall grass, weeds, and other plants to wrap around creatures in the area of effect or those that enter the area. Creatures that fail their save gain the entangled condition. Creatures that make their save can move as normal, but those that remain in the area must save again at the end of your turn. Creatures that move into the area must save immediately. Those that fail must end their movement and gain the entangled condition. Entangled creatures can attempt to break free as a move action, making a Strength or Escape Artist check. The DC for this check is equal to the DC of the spell. The entire area of effect is considered difficult terrain while the effect lasts.
If the plants in the area are covered in thorns, those in the area take 1 point of damage each time they fail a save against the entangle or fail a check made to break free. Other effects, depending on the local plants, might be possible at GM discretion.
Perception
Stellan continues to track the locations of the others, noting that Andrei is heading to the trail. Stellan casts quietly, a cool frosty breath comes out and fades, reappearing near Andrei, carrying his whispered words. "Andrei, Thad and I appear to be Ok in the deepwoods south of you. Do not cross the trail, there are goblins in four treeforts, and of the ones I see clearly, they are readying and aiming some clumsy tube things at the trail. They are disharnessing two Giant Spiders from a cart. Big ugly Bugbear, lots of goblins, more than ten, maybe lots more. For a moment you can whisper back, I'm still pointing at you. Oh and I think Warren is doing something to the main force."
Message: Cast and active for 20 minutes, ends when DM says so, ;)
Stellan stays put, hiding, not seeing a better place to be at the moment.
Round 2
Status -brief
Current Init: 5
AC:16 =12+4 for mage armor.
First level spells:
Sleep
Mage Armor Expended.
Ear-Splitting Shriek
Cantrips:
Light
Ray of Frost
Stabilize
Message
Tuney and Montey fly to aid the summoned eagle at Warren's command.
Tuney and Montey fly to aid the summoned eagle at Warren's command. Montey manages to get a claw into the already injured goblin while Tuney misses.
[
Add to Stellan's message in my post above,", aren't you Warren? Oh, I can talk to Andrei with the others and Warren up front, anything you need to say, I can relay, if needed, though I suspect Imon and Anwel could do the same, maybe even both of you, I not sure of your powers, now that I think of it; Gorax is the only one of us without mystic powers." Stellan shakes his head at his lack of thought.
Waiting for round 3.
Imon continued making his way toward the road until he found a path that was more clear, and he took it. He heard Stellan's whispered voice, but he couldn't make out any words as he headed toward the camp.
"Be careful they are aiming something at the path." Andrei relays to those near him.
Most of the party continues to slog its way through the forest. In the meantime Warren deals the first blow to the enemy as his summoned eagle swoops in to tear several long deep gouges into one of the goblin's flesh. It's short death squeal is quickly cut off by a strike from Tuney.
Following up on the success of his eagles, Warren's magic animates the branches, vines and grasses of the forest and causes them to rise up against the goblins. Two more of the creatures are immediately caught by the entangling vegetation, their shrieks and squeals echoing through the wood. The bugbear, surrounded by the magic simple wades through, the thin reeds and grasses of the clearing unable to hinder him as he runs forward to escape the magical effect.
The other goblin next to the barrier steps out of the way of his master and then attempts to fire an arrow at one of the attacking eagles. Unfortunately, the mist and damp fouled his string and the arrow sails away harmlessly.
On the far side of the clearing the goblins finish unharnessing the spiders and immediately hop astride the backs of the large arachnids. One slips in the mud and has to take more time mounting while the second mounts with grace. Uttering a few whistles the spiders turn and dash to the trees where they quickly climb into the canopy.
The summoned eagle goes after the remaining goblin before disappearing.
Tuney and Montey await the results of the empowered eagle's attack.
Warren moves south five feet and begins to cast again from the cover of the dense forest.
"Stellan, We are going to need to go down that path at some point, it's too slow going through the trees particularly for Gorax. Ask Warren if there is anything he can do to distract them when we want to charge?"
Seeing some clear space to the east that isn't the path Andrei moves east and slightly south to K15.
"There is no need to worry him," says Anwel, an edge creeping into his voice as he keeps pace with Andrei. By unleashing his eagles so early, Warren had ruined his attempt to play for time for the rest of them to get into position. The birds would probably pay most for it, but it had left Andrei, Imon, Gorax, and Thad vulnerable too. It's Anwel's first experience of how the druid handles combat and working with a group, and he is not impressed. "I can handle the distraction. Just be sure to make a lot of noise when you charge, and that the others know to do the same."
he shouts again, his tone mocking and singsong as if to say "these are the consequences".
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Gorax continues his tramp through the thickest part of the forest, or that's how it feels. Muttering, "Stupid idea following that tree hugger Warren, I dunno how he moves so fast through this stuff." He stops momentarily, spying a bush with small black round berries almost hiding its natural treasure in the undergrowth. "Must remember that when I come back, those look nice and tasty." He smiles and continues towards the camp, armed and ready.
Hearing only Warren and Andrei, Stellan tells them each others statements. "Andrei, Warren is using his nature powers against some of the goblins, and the two giant spiders are ridden and have gone into the canopy. Warren, Andrei wants to know if you can distract our foes when he and the others charge down the path, they cannot make progress through these woods. I'm slowed as well."
Stellan's happy where he's at for the moment, he'll let the bad guys come to him if they will.
Perception
,
Warren's summoned eagle dodges through the branches of the tree to strike at the second entangled goblin. Just before it disappears back to its home, the large bird lands a solid blow with its claws causing the little goblin to fall unconscious in the grips of the vines.
Andrei, Anwel, Imon and Gorax continue to slowly make their way through the forest while trying to coordinate with Stellan and Thad. Both the paladin and the witch remain hidden as Warren begins casting another spell.
The goblins on the southwest platform continue to scan the forest line, waiting for any target to emerge. Their eyes pass over Warren, but they fail to see the druid as the trees provide just enough cover to keep him hidden for the moment.
The bugbear shouts back to Anwel and then aims his own crossbow at one of the attacking eagles. The bolt flies true, hitting Monty right in the breast. The poor bird let out a surprised squawk and then drops unconscious to the platform like a sack of flour.
The second spider and rider finally manage to climb into the canopy and disappear.
Realizing the attack is coming from the west, the goblins on the eastern platforms swivel their weapons around to face the coming threat.
Warren pulls the remaining eagles back to the trees and fires the light crossbow prepared by Donal, the capable smith, at the bugbear before reloading and stepping back into the woods.
A summoned dog appears 30 feet south of Warren's position and charges the bugbear.
Seeing little success from those actions, he settles back to await events.
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Hearing the sounds of battle, dogs barking and strange gutteral languages being spoken, Gorax tries to hurry forward, keeping his eyes peeled ready to defend himself. "Rum lot this, it'll be all over by the time I get there." He shatters a brown rotten log lying in front of him, with a kick of frustration.
"They have two goblins riding giant spiders in the tree look out for them. Gorax, you are almost there."
Now that he can see the path ahead of them Andrei moves quietly to M16 to get a better view.
Dogs are very good jumpers.
If he is going to provide a distraction, Anwel knows he needs to remain hidden in the woods as long as possible. With that in mind, he continues east, his shield pushing through one final layer of thick brush and affording him his first good look at the camp. What strikes him first are the formidable frontal defenses. Two trees, their branches ringed with platforms and equipped with some kind of artillery, flanked the trail leading into the camp, and the trail itself was blocked by a barricade of sharpened stakes driven into the ground. Somehow a wild dog manages to balance on top of the points while snapping at something behind the wall. Dark, almost black, blood seemed to be dripping from the northern tree. Further north and east, Anwel can see some more cleared ground and the glow of a fire.
The fire puts Anwel in mind of his last fight, against the mysterious dead creature under the claw-shaped oak. He had fought the dead thing with fire. How symmetrical it would be if he were to fight the fire-using Bone Ravens with dead things! Even more so considering the Lissalites are necromancers.
"Durul durbatuluk randosh Ozri-Manshai utkush," he says, a little sadness seeping into his voice, as though he regrets pronouncing the goblins' doom. Anwel is close enough that he does not have to shout anymore. "Gul makul."
At his hissed command, a bony hand seems to thrust itself out of the ground next to the fire pit. A moment later, seven others follow it, and their bodies soon follow them. A few subtle cues, including narrower mandibles and ribcages, larger eye sockets, wider temporal bones, and longer femurs and humeri, mark them as elves. Their whole bodies burn with an unnatural, dark fire that seems to leave the tangling vines on which they stand untouched. Silently they grin, looking menacingly up at the platforms as though picking their targets.
Imon continued moving, frustrated at his slow pace. If he got close enough, he fired on the goblins' leader.
Warren's newly summoned dog emerges and launches itself at the bugbear. It easily leaps atop the crude barricade of logs and snaps at the bugbear. Unfortunately the creature is able to duck out of the way. The bugbear's luck continues to hold as Warren's aim is a little high causing the bolt to sail over his target's head. Imon finally reaches a more open area that at least gives him a chance to join in the combat. Again the bugbear's luck is true as Imon's attack bounces harmlessly off of the barricade.
The appearance of the undead elves near the fire cause the goblins in the east to squeal frantic warnings and fire their weapons into the dense mass of skeletal illusions. A series of loud 'Pops' fill the air as clouds of dust erupt on the ground throughout the area where the skeletons still stand.
Gorax continues his slog through the forest while Andrei settles in to take a closer look at the situation before acting further.
Thad, seeing some of the others finally in position readies his bow and steps into a better position to fire at the goblins on the platform.
Hearing Anwel's shouts and seeing the motions of magic, the goblins train their weapon on the shadowcaster as he emerges into the less dense edge of the clearing. Swiveling the tubed device around the goblin in the rear presses down and suddenly the air is filled with another set of rapid popping sounds as the entire area around the elf buzzes with deadly darts. Several of the tiny darts puncture through Anwel's protections. After the device is fired the second goblin begins to quickly work a lever back and forth causing a series of clicking sounds.
The bugbear reloads and takes a step back from attacking dog. In a quick attempt to fire, it's shot goes wide.
The entangled goblin attempts to break free, but to little avail as the vines hold the creature fast despite its struggles.
The goblins on the eastern platforms rapidly struggle to reload their own devices while exchanging fearful, worried looks toward the burning skeletons. A couple flash quick glances toward the safety of the nearby forest and their leader, pinned down on the other side of the swirling mass of entangling vegetation.
The first spider rider is glimpsed as it deftly leaps across the stream and then disappears back into the canopy.
Stellan starts a bit at the image of the undead rising from the ground, Anwel's not a necromancer? What? Then a thought crosses his mind, Anwel is an illusionist as he said, I wonder.... Stellan feels better at that thought, so he decides it's time to move, exploiting the distraction. Keeping to his stealthy ways, Stellan moves to a bit of light woods towards the trail off of the clear terrain in front of him.
Stealth Half-movement. Need to use two move actions.
Hopefully arriving safely, Stellan checks his surroundings and then for the others.
Perception Looking for tree walking spider-riders and then for everything and everyone else.
"Andrei, I'm in the light woods across the trail. Warren's by the north branching trail flanking the north platform about 50' forward and to your left. Warren I'm now near the trail, across and about 70' back from the nearest 'tree-house'. I'm sure we are facing at least a dozen goblins, not less then two giant spiders, a bugbear, all rather well equipped. This may not be wise, what's the plan?"
superninga'd this is what Stellan tries to do, have it fail as badly as you want. :(
Imon continues moving forward toward the battle . He readied another arrow and prepared to loose it at the Bugbear, when he saw movement off to his left. He quickly turned and fired at the spider rider he found there, and then fired again for good measure.
Seeing how miserably his shots had missed, he pointed at the rider and yelled "Spider!"
"We can take them, move up while they reload. Gorax and I can take the ones on the ground take out the goblins firing."
"Thad time to move up."
Warren is despondent as only a single eagle returns from the assault on the platform. The smaller eagle continues to bleed on the ground. Angered and inspired by Andrei, Warren finds the power of the eagles to grow claws and talons in his moment of truth.
The summoned dog leaps from the barricade to pummel the bugbear and attempt to knock him down, but misjudging his leap badly.
Anwel throws his forearm across his eyes to protect them as the goblins' weapon fires a cloud of flechettes at his position. He feels the miniature darts bite into his skin, somehow bypassing the layers of shadowstuff he had woven around himself. Their barbed tips stick in him like bee stings, helped by the thick wool of his robes. Anwel, however, keeps muttering his incantation, barely pausing to grunt at the pain. His mistress had trained him to keep casting while in pain, and she had prepared him well. One device she had used, a spiked chain that cinched around an arm or leg and dug in when Anwel moved, had felt very much like this. According to Andrei his friends were still forming up, and they needed the distraction to continue more than he needed to deny himself the sacrament.
At his whispered command, the skeletons move towards the two platforms that had fired upon them. Anwel does not have them react to the flechettes - they would not have done so if they were real. Instead, they simply proceed in the most direct manner possible towards the platforms, licked by their silent, dark red flames and grinning up at the goblins all the while. Anwel has them break into two groups, one to assault the northern platform and one the southern. The groups stay tightly clustered and so do not manage to make it all the way up the platforms. The closest skeleton manages to clamber up the eastern barricade, the fire around its body seeming to scorch the wood under it.
In the part of his mind that is not absorbed in maintaining his spell, Anwel hears Imon's shouted warning. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees one of the spider-riders cross the stream through the canopy. The things were fast, but Anwel puts the threat they pose out of his mind. Warren can surely manage one spider and its rider, especially if Gorax joins him, and Anwel has his own task to worry about. He does, however, retreat into a denser patch of forest.
Standard action to maintain concentration on Silent Image. S1 moves to AT14. S2 moves to AU14, to the top of the barricade. S3 moves to AS14. S4 moves to AP17. S5 moves to AO18. S6 moves to AN17. S7 moves to AM16. S8 moves to AR13.
Move action to move to P14.
As Andrei attempts to inspire the group, Warren begins to transform his body. The skin of the druid's hands turn a dark yellow and his fingers stretch and harden to become deadly talons matching those of the eagle sitting on his shoulder. Imon moves forward again firing to wild shots at the bugbear before turning his attention to the incoming spiders.
Dodging away from most of the deadly swarm of darts from the goblin's weapon Anwel manages to maintain his concentration while ducking back into the deeper cover of the forest.
Stellan creeps forward and manages to still avoid the gaze of the goblins while catching a glimpse of the first spider as it now slips more carefully through the forest canopy.
Gorax continues his endless trek through the forest. The nettles, thorny brambles, and low branches of fir and spruce slowing the warrior
to a snails pace.
Thad steps out from the cover of the woods to try and stop the goblins from getting off another shot with their weapon, but his arrow sales wide of the mark. Sticking harmlessly into the tree behind the enemy.
After failing to land a hit, Warren's dog disappears back to its home. This gives the opportunity for the bugbear to notice the skeletons marching on his goblins in the east. Unable to do much he reloads and sends a bolt flying toward one of the burning apparitions. The arrow misses completely. The appearance of the undead creatures rattles the bugbear causing him to forget to rally his own troops. This results in the goblins on the southeast platform choosing to live another day. The two small creatures slip down a rope dangling from the center tree and start running for the safety of the treeline.
The two goblins on the other platform are made of sterner stuff. The one continues to work the reloading mechanism, while the other draws his short sword and steps over to where the first skeleton is attempting to climb up the platform.
The pair of goblins on the west platform ignore the skeletons as their focus is on the obvious attack coming from the west. One works the reloading mechanism, while the other looks for another target having lost the menacing elf in the shadows of the trees.
The last goblin slips under the platform, staying near the cover of the tree. Holding a crossbow at the ready he looks for a target, but doesn't see anyone through the mist, fog an foliage.
"Good work Anwel, ask your friends to let the ones running go." Andrei says then hearing Gorax pull level "Now friends is the time for our victory, charge!" Andrei moves around the tree he was hiding behind and moves quickly down the path shield blocking the expected attacks.
Anwel nods at Andrei's order, though the man seems not to have bothered waiting for a response. The two nearest skeletons clamber up the tree into the southern platform and stand menacingly over the goblin artillery. Their firey eyes are trained on it now, as though they are working out how to operate it. The other two skeletons in the southern group are too far away to believably climb the tree, and instead pursue the fleeing goblins. Anwel makes sure to leave plenty of room for the goblins to continue their retreat.
Most of the northern group climbs onto their platform as well, making sure to clamber over the westernmost edge so the goblin with his sword out cannot reach them as they climb up. Once on the platform they adopt a guard pose and flex their fingers as if in anticipation of clawing goblin flesh. Their jaws hang open, revealing even more dark red fire. Meanwhile, the skeleton on the barricade rakes up at the goblin above it, but cannot reach. It seems to burn the brighter for it, as if animated by frustration and rage.
Anwel, meanwhile, is struck with a choice. Should he help clear the remaining platform for the others, or prepare for the spider-rider he knew to have crossed the brook? Warren, with new-grown talons in the place of his hands, looks like he is preparing for a melee, and the way Gorax is hacking branches out of his way shows he is spoiling for a fight. "...Spider..." Anwel manages to say in between his continued muttered incantations. He seems to be running out of breath. "...This side...at least one..." He will have to trust that that will be enough to keep them near enough that he can concentrate on the remaining platform. His choice made, Anwel unslings his longbow from his back.
Move to draw longbow. It's held one-handed to Anwel can continue maintaining his spell.
Stellan, in spite of the fact he drew no attention earlier, notes his last run was noisier than he expected, crashing through the underbrush. He slicks his blond hair with mud, dulling his visibility, and draws his dark blue jacket close, making sure the scarf is tucked out of sight. He sends a wave of love and reasurrence to calm Vinur's anxiety.
He then slips forward through clear terrain and then moves through light woods keeping to cover as much as possible. He crouches under a small half-broken tree, and peers out into the open area, unknowingly presenting a perfectly visible silhouette.
Perception Where are the bad guys, where are the good guys?
Stealth Half-movement. Need to use two move actions.
Stellan hears Andrei's order to charge but doesn't even try. Charging is for warriors, not me. Stellan thinks to himself.
"Warren, a spider-rider jumped the river, and is north of you, across the trail, in the deep woods. I don't know where the other is, I'd assume closing on you as well though. Gorax is about 30' behind you, slightly south. I doubt he can charge in that terrain so you could join him, if you wish."
Warren looks at the approaching skeletons, impressed at the magic required to create them. Necromany, can understand keeping that secret.
Warren delays until the spiders get close. He realizes his armor would be noisy in motion, so he keeps his position until he sees reinforcements. Tuney responds to attract the spiders--the eagle companion flies ten feet to the north of Warren's position and quickly rustles the vegetation and returns to roost on Warren's shoulder.
Oblivious to everything but the spider he'd been watching, Deciding care and taking things slow would work better than firing quickly, he only fired one arrow at it this time. He didn't know if Warren had noticed that he was about to be attacked, but he figured he owed it to the druid to warn him any way he could.
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Gorax struggles on, never has he been through such a matting of brambles and plants seeking to grab his feet as he moves. "What's up with spiders Anwel, you seeing things? Blah, all that hulabub and I'm missing it. Damn this forest." He continues his cursing and struggles on towards the sounds of battle. As he gets closer, the light gets a bit brighter, the forest's edge will soon be gone as the foliage begins to thin, and he can join the battle. "We're coming" he shouts, hoping he's making enough noise for a whole army.
Warren attempts to set his own ambush using Tuney for bate as Andrei charges the main barrier and inspires his companions to follow. Imon sends an arrow flying toward one of the spider riders but misjudges how fast the creature is moving and the missile sails harmlessly into a tree.
Anwel continues to direct his illusionary warriors scaring off two of the goblins. Stellan shouts a warning to the others about the incoming spiders and Gorax nears the end of his journey through the forest.
Finally, Thad moves up and sends an arrow flying toward the goblin manning the primitive dart thrower, but he stumbles on a tree root causing the arrow to fly wide of the target.
In retaliation the goblins on the western platform fire their weapon filling the area around the paladin with numerous tiny darts. Several pierce the knights armor causing small trickles of blood to flow from between the layers of his armor.
The goblins from the southeast platform flee down the trail while their more steadfast comrades each swing at the illusionary skeleton warriors. As their blades pass harmlessly through the ghostly elves, they realize the deception and shout warnings to the others.
The goblin hidden under the platform steps out and fires a small arrow at Andrei. He lands a hit as the minor missile pierces the bard's leg. The bugbear follows his minions's success as he raises up and fires over the barrier at the charging bard. He also lands a hit as the bolt graces Andrei's arm leaving a thin trail of blood.
The last goblin finally struggles free of the entangling vines. Panting and puffing from his exertion the little creature breaks away from the last bit of vine and staggers to an area of relative safety beyond the spell's reach.
Anwel takes the goblins' declaration in stride. One of them had been bound to recognize that the skeletons were an illusion sooner or later. He had set out to make sure the others were not fired upon while they formed up, and he had, in his opinion, succeeded. One artillery crew had fled, and every swing the other crew took at the skeletons amounted to flechettes not loaded into their cannon and a firing mechanism unprimed. He whispers one final command in the hissing tongue of his incantations, and lets the magic go.
Following his last command, the southern skeletons form up above and below the rope leading to the forest floor. The skeletons on the top of the platform cross their bony arms, while the ones on the ground ready their claw-like hands for combat. All four stare down the trail after the fleeing goblins, burning red. The northern skeletons' last action is far more spectacular. Two of them, including the one on the barricade, seem to break up into individual bones and graft themselves onto the remaining two. Suddenly the two skeletons that remain have doubled in height and their fires have reached new heights of wrath. The goblin artillerymen would be able to see through the illusion, but hopefully whatever residual shadow remained would cloud their aim.
"Gulatuluk gul," says Anwel, fitting an arrow to his bow and loosing it at the goblins on the nearest platform.
Move to draw an arrow.