Nikolai leaves camp before the rest of the party with an intent to scout out a circle ahead of them and see if there are any hints of danger ahead or to the sides. He tries to keep his companions within earshot.
Before leaving he mutters something in halfling and his fine studded leather armor darkens to black and melts into a plain shirt and trousers.
[dice=stealth]1d20+7
[dice=perception]1d20+3
Nikolai moves silently and slowly. His feet gently squeeze a thick carpet of pillowy mosses and various lichens. There seems to be almost no sticks or leaves or dead plant life and other refuse that litters most of the forest floors Nikolai is used to.
Nicolai hears the sound of rushing waters ahead and comes upon a wide river flowing slowly. The water is stagnant and murky around the edges and there are hundreds of large lillypads and algae. Some very large frogs covered with a sticky looking saplike substance glare at you. They're the size of housecats. You hear a gentle tearing sound as your boot grazes the size of a paperthin bulb of fungus.
A puff of yellowish pollen covers your face.
Nikolai hears a snarl from behind him.
He whirls around to see 5 snarling jet black cats the size of horses stalking towards him.
He quickly realizes he got himself turned around and it's exactly sure which direction he came from but the river is on one side of you and the cats are closing in.
Erazire sees Nikolai and he senses something is wrong. He taps his serpent bracelet to conjure his battle and rushes to assist Nikolai.
Florr sees Nikolai looking panicked. She quickly reaches back and grabs an arrow. She does not advance but calls, "What's wrong? Are you ok?!"
Nikolai backs away from the cats slowly gripping a string around his belt. If any of the cats get close enough to attack him or they begin to run toward him he will turn around and pull the string dropping 20 caltrops behind him as he runs toward the river.
The party observes Nikolai leap across the river after dropping caltrops.
leaping toward*
Everyone (other than Nikolai) please make an investigation roll, or a perception roll at disadvantage.
Nikolai, make a wisdom saving throw.
"Nikolai!" Florr calls, "What's going on? Are you hurt?" She keeps her arrow nocked and looks around.
"He's bewitched!"
Guldar approaches with outstretched empty hands
"Calm down boy!"
[dice = wisdom (with minor ring of prot) ] 1d20+2
Your heart is pounding in your throat and you're sweaty. Something feels...wrong about the panthers. Dreamlike even. You think like you might be on drugs.
"Just conk him over the head and be done with it!" Rurik loudly whispers. "I swear this wood has eyes, and they're all looking at us..."
Aengus looks anxious grips him hammer tightly and scans the forest for any sign of trouble.
"I don't see anyone do you?" Grombar whispers to Aengus.
[dice=investigation] d20
You find a patch of wicked looking mushrooms near a pile of caltrops.
One of the mushrooms looks like it was hollow and has been ripped open.
"I don't see anything, but I don't think Nikolai should go much farther by himself!" Florr follows Guildar towards Nikolai, ready to shoot any enemies at a moment's notice with her bow and arrow.
Nikolai twists his face up in a look of bewilderment, confusion, and euphoria. He begins to giggle.
"Heheh, those are some biiiig kitties, hehehehe, MEOW MEOW MEOW!"
Erazire has no idea what is going on, but he doesn't like it. He taps his wrist to summon his axe and starts looking around.
Erazire has no idea what is going on, but he doesn't like it. He taps his wrist to summon his axe and starts looking around.
The forest is very quiet other than the party. You remember it wasn't previously and was very loud with the sound of forest creatures.
Nikolai twists his face up in a look of bewilderment, confusion, and euphoria. He begins to giggle.
"Heheh, those are some biiiig kitties, hehehehe, MEOW MEOW MEOW!"
You see one cat rear up on it's hind legs and point a bow at you, another much closer draws a wicked looking axe.
"Oh enough. He's gonna to fall in the river or drown or something. He's gotten into some devil grass or something."
Rurik marches like a frustrated father towards Nikolai stowing his pickax and shield.
"Aengus, help me hold him down till it wears off."
Aengus jogs to catch up with Rurik, looking a little unsure, he leaves his hammer behind.
"Be careful boys..."
Nikolai's attention breaks from the cats as he see's a number of trees fall over with massive *CRAAAACKS*
Two wooly mastodons snort and crash past the cats heading straight for you.
Nikolai's attention breaks from the cats as he see's a number of trees fall over with massive *CRAAAACKS*Two wooly mastodons snort and crash past the cats heading straight for you.
Feeling that trying to outrun the beasts would be fruitless, Nikolai bolts directly toward them at full speed. He attempts to slide beneath their feet, pop up into a jump, spin around and land on one of their backs.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Florr yells, very confused at Nikolai's acrobatic jumping and spinning. She is still holding her bow nocked with an arrow.
Nikolai's attention breaks from the cats as he see's a number of trees fall over with massive *CRAAAACKS*Two wooly mastodons snort and crash past the cats heading straight for you.
Feeling that trying to outrun the beasts would be fruitless, Nikolai bolts directly toward them at full speed. He attempts to slide beneath their feet, pop up into a jump, spin around and land on one of their backs.
"Blasted street urchin.."
Rurik lunges trying to grab at the halfling.
"I'll git em."
"Give me a break, we don't have time for this!"
Florr looks around for anything unusual. "Nikolai, please calm down! We need to help Grit!"
"Wait did you hea....."
Arrows fly from the trees from all directions
Two arrows clang harmlessly off Guldar's dark iron pauldrons, the last wedges under his armpit an into his lung.
Guldar's face goes slack and he mumbles something and stumbles floppily to the ground.
Two arrows clang harmlessly off Rurik's backplate, the last wedges itself under his helmet at the base of his neck.
Rurik trips and stumbles.
Two arrows land deep in Aengus' stomach.
He wobbles but grips his hammer and lets out a agonized grunt and looks around in panic trying to find his attacker.
"COWARDS!"
Grombar takes two arrows to his shoulder. He grits his teeth hard and you see fresh blood pouring between his teeth. The veins on his neck bulge and his body shakes with anger.
Florr looks around for anything unusual. "Nikolai, please calm down! We need to help Grit!"
[dice=perception] 1d20 + 3
The woods are quiet.
Nikolai's attention breaks from the cats as he see's a number of trees fall over with massive *CRAAAACKS*Two wooly mastodons snort and crash past the cats heading straight for you.
Feeling that trying to outrun the beasts would be fruitless, Nikolai bolts directly toward them at full speed. He attempts to slide beneath their feet, pop up into a jump, spin around and land on one of their backs.
[dice = acrobatics]1d20 + 5
You land precisely on the larger mastodons shoulders. As a hail of arrows fly from the woods.
Make an Intelligence saving throw with Advantage
"Watch out!" Florr yells, looking around intently for who is shooting the arrows. "Who's there? Don't shoot!"
[dice = int save (+1 on saves ring)] 1d20 + 1 + 1
[dice = int save adv (+1 on saves ring)] 1d20 + 1 + 1[dice = init]1d20 + 3
You come to, you're currently standing on Aengus' shoulder. You feel a little groggy and the colors of the forest are more muted, the sounds more distinct. There's no sign of any panthers or mastodons and you see Rurik and Guldar struggling to move.
Grombar lets out a roar of frustration and ducks behind a fallen tree. (on his turn)
After seeing where the last hails of arrows came from Aengus is able to pick out some of the attackers.
"Grombar, two to the south, in the trees. I'll take the two to the north."
He begins to run and raise his hammer.
"There's three to the east in trees and 1 to the west on the ground."
He smashed his hammer into the tree with a thunderous clap that sends out a wave of concussive force.
You see two primal looking elves fly out of the tree and crash to the forest floor along with piles of branches, leaves a few dead birds.
"Don't shoot!" Florr repeats. She tenses her arrow in the bow, but doesn't shoot. "Can we just talk? We are looking for someone!"
She is ready to shoot the elves at the next sign of attack.
"Don't shoot!" Florr repeats. She tenses her arrow in the bow, but doesn't shoot. "Can we just talk? We are looking for someone!"
[dice=Persuasion] 1d20+2
She is ready to shoot the elves at the next sign of attack.
Florr cant see anyone other than the two Aengus knocked out of the tree.
Florr takes a deeper look at the trees.
Nikolai readies his bow and attempts to hide behind Aengus.
Erazire readies his axe to finish off one of the demon elf things: