Rhasadilara holds up a hand to stop the other riders, looking around and trying to identify what they might be approaching. If it's a den of young, she would prefer to avoid angering the mother..
Gorguk continues to follow Rhasa lead and stops Durok abruptly. Maintaining a vigil Gorguk prepares for the onslaught by lowering his lance and strapping on his shield. He doesn't say anything to Rhasa but indicates that he is ready to meet the encounter head on if needs be.
Whispering to Gorguk, "I think it's a native creature in the pit, perhaps a den, up ahead. I will circle to the right close enough to look in. Circle to the left, if you would."
Barnabus stands in his stirups but does not ride so close as of yet.
"Demon-dogs?"
"Brush thylacine, possibly. It is carnivorous, but I don't believe it to be demonic in nature."
Gorguk listens and heeds Rhasa advice. Knowing that she has more experience in this area he maneuvers Durok to the left maintaining enough space if Durok needs to charge in to help Rhasa.
Kill, capture, or release? is all Gorguk asks as he moves out.
As they were traveling and discussing Calinder's idea for defending against the spiders, Calinder responds, "No Rhasadilara, there is no reason that I know of that the spider's would not be affected by the power that I have in mind. It's just that it can be set to use any of the five forces of energy, so if the spiders were susceptible to a certain type of energy, then it would be beneficial to use that type of energy if it is triggered."
"Basically I can create a magical warding in a small area that if entered by a person or creature, such as spiders, that it is set to act against, then they would be attacked by the force selected when cast."
"I think I understand somewhat how you feel. I never knew my human father, and my mother died when I was young, my memory of her is faint. I was raised by the priests of Erastil and when old enough was inducted into their order and became a follower of Eratil. So, I too have been separated from my elven heritage as I know nothing about my mother's family, and the few elves that I have met, have had no answers for me and say they know nothing of my mother or her family."
When they reach the clearing in the woods, Calinder halts his horse when asked to by Rhasa and quietly waits for further instructions.
Tilting her head to the side, she looks at the cleric. "What do you know about her?"
Barnabus looks into the pit at the creature....
Feral speech hex....
"Hello can you understand me?"
"Not much really. When she was alive she never spoke much of her elven heritage or past. Other than that she had come to Rostland, met my father whom I never knew or met, I do not even know his name. I use my mother's family name of Surital, but know nothing of the Surital name."
"When she became ill we moved in with the clerics at the temple to Erastil, and then when she died the clerics took care of me, and then when I was old enough, I became an initiate of Erastil, and eventually a new cleric. I was chosen by the order to try become one of those who would attempt to settle this land due to my studies of history of religious orders that were in this area in the past."
"That is my history as I know it, but I would certainly be glad to learn more, but it seems that all whom I've had an opportunity to ask, either know nothing, or are unwilling to say anything."
"That is my history as I know it, but I would certainly be glad to learn more, but it seems that all whom I've had an opportunity to ask, either know nothing, or are unwilling to say anything."
"Perhaps another elf can have more success. We will have to see about that someday."
Reflex save
In the yipping voice...
"I'm falling in too!"
***flight hex - feather fall
guess Im going in....
Gorguk moves as close as he can to the pit without falling in himself to see if Barnabus is safe and what the results are of the creature in the pit with him. If it looks like Barnabus is fairing poorly Gorguk will draw his sword and dive into the pit.
Rhasa shakes her head at the impetuous one, but readies her bow after telling Sunset to hold his position. "Gorguk, remember that Barnabus can fly, my friend. He can get out more easily than you can."
Calinder shouts, "Barnabus, watch out!" As the grounds gives way underneath Barnabus.
Calinder then dismounts and wait to see if there is anything that he can do to help.
"It seems tha creature wishes to be freed, though it also is likely hungry, an animals err not known fer loyalty while hungry."
@critter
"We will free you but it will take some time. Can we offer you food and water in the mean time?"
"I think feed and water it first an figure a way out later, likely a log will let it climb out."
"Agreed, I was thinking much the same. I will seek out its path to freedom if you want to see if you can reassure it that its release is nigh."
Rhasa will search for some branches long enough to extend from the bottom of the hole - or the debris in the hole - up to the edge. Assuming she finds some, she will give the pit trap a wide berth as she pulls the makeshift bridge behind Sunset using a rope. Once the branches are where she wants them, she will ride Sunset around to the far side of the hole, paying out rope as she goes, and drag the branches across the hole so they fall in.
She explains the plan to Barnabus so that he may relay to the creature what it needs to know to avoid being hurt.
Seeing that the branches Rhasa grabbed are too short or brittle, Gorguk draws his sword and approaches a tree. A few minutes later Gorguk has Durok drag the entire tree over to the hole so the whole tree can be lowered to facilitate both Barnabus and the animal's release.
Seeing Gorguk's plan mirrors her own, Rhasa moves to aid him, using the hand axe for the work. "I hate to see you use a fine blade for this sort of work."
Perhaps we alternate blows then. We use the axe for the hard chopping and the sword to clear the area of debris. That way it goes quicker and lessens the time that Barnabus is in the pit with a ravenous, snarling, animal.
By the way thanks for the reminder that Barnabus can float on the breeze. I forgot that but still wanted to hurry to see what the reaction of the animal was in case it attacked Barnabus.
Barnabus spots a place in the hole and begins using create water to provide the critter with fresh water.....
@critter
"Fred you say I am Barnabus, what do you like to eat?"
"Barnabus, is the creature injured or in need of any aid that I can give?"
"He mentions no injury, thirst, hunger, and freedom only...."
"He be a meat eater, us an our horses might not be safe less we provide meat first."
Barnabus pulls some dry meat from trail rations...
Yipping....
"Try this with lots of water while we get a tree to throw down."
"We need not do more than provide him a way out. If he attacks our 'herd', he will be put down. Make sure he understands that."
Calinder moves to position himself between the pit and the horses and retrieves his morningstar, ready to defend their mounts in case the creature attacks once it is freed.
Barnabus feeds and waters the animal while Cal moves into position to defend the horses. All of this takes place while Gorguk and Rhasa get the tree cut and in place.
Barnabus is trying to feed/water the creature and maybe an agreement not to stalk or attack them then will be freeing the creature.
Also will inform the creature the ability to speak is limited to once per day......
1. feed/water
2. cooperate/agree
3. free
"Whatever irresponsible idiot dug this trap is obviously not checking it for their catch. We should collapse it or fill it in, but unless one of you has magic to do it quickly, I think this is another task that will have to wait for another day. What say you?"
She gets back onto Sunset, obviously planning to leave the creature to its own devices now that it's free.
Yipping
"We will be around, take care where you go, if you see anything we will be around."
"Agreed, we can mark tha edges with rocks an sticks an maybe keep others out."
"For now, leave it open and leave the 'ladder' in it. As long as our absentee trapper does not come back and cover it again, it should be plainly visible during the day. At night, they would not see sticks and rocks, either. Let's go."
Agreed, let's move on from here and again this is something that we can task those at the fort to come here and fill the hole. The tree ladder will have to do for now unfortunately.
"Barnabus, could you ask the creature if he would allow me to touch it? I have the ability to calm and heal minor damage with a touch of the hand, and I'd just like to make sure the creature is in better shape then it looks to be in before we leave."
"I shall see."
yipping
"Can one of my friends touch you and heal with magic?"
"He seems reluctant friend Calindar, I shall see if he will come to me and provide mine own healin hex upon him."
Barnabus becomes non-threatening and holds out his hand low and palm up in front of the creature....
Readies the healing hex.
yipping
"touch my hand and be helped."
Healing hex
Calinder tried to remain perfectly still and holds his breath while Barnabus tries to heal the thylacine, hopefully enabling the creature to survive on it's own after the group of adventures leave.
"Tha irony o mah gift is mah own lack o knowledge, I can't tell if a critter is an animal err something else, an can hardly tell tha difference betwixt an herbivor an a carvore, but if it be an animal I ken ask it what it eats."
Seeing the animal jump out of the pit Gorguk prepares to ride it down if it shows any indication of attacking the horses. Instead the thylacine runs off to the woods. God everything turned out ok Gorguk dismounts and helps Barnabus climb out of the pit. Once that is done, he will take five minutes to grab some small branches and drive them into the ground a few feet away from the pit in a rough circle. Hopefully people will see the branches and beware of something unusual. The branches are not hiding the pit at all but trying to accentuate it.
Once that is done he will mount up, nod to Rhasa, and prepare to continue with their exploration.