The party follows the trail of footprints for a few hundred yards. Just inside the treeline is a campsight. On the gound is a large makeshift tent that has been thoroughly shredded and a crude fireplace constructed of flat stones. Signs of a struggle are everywhere, with broken twigs, crushed foliage, scraps of clothing, and patches of blood on the ground. The struggle appears to have taken place within the last 24 hours.
Everyone make perception and survival checks.
A search of the camp turns up a few reptilian scales around the fire pit. Variel: Looks like Kobolds!
Tracks from what appear to be kobolds and the children lead off East deeper in to the forest towards Darkmoon Tarn.
"I think we should continue to follow the tracks."
I agree. We can come back and check out the trap door later.
I don't like leaving the door behind us. What if somehow a few of the children made their way in there and are trapped? But as you wish my friends; these apparent kobolds have a long lead on us and we must be swift if we are to catch them before the children's lives are made void. Same order as before?
Same order sounds good to me
The tracks didn't lead to the door. It was covered with an inch of ash. I don't think the kids went down there.
I agree there is a door with a melted lock, it would have been tough for them to get through that.
Variel smiles sheepishly, Aye, and it's a sad day when my woodsman skills are bested by a man of stone., looking over at Daedeloth. An inch of ash AND a melted lock? I guess I forgot we were hunting children and not some beast of legend. For all that be true, can you then explain to me friends how you didn't see the young girl watching us from up in that tree? He looks up at a large tree nearby. Girl, come down from there; we mean you no harm and I have no energy to come up there and fetch you!
The girl shimmys down the tree and cautiously approaches your group. H...huh....hi...I'm Jeva. Praise Desna someone has come! Jeva is a rail-thin, green-eyed girl in her early teens and quite petite. Her mouse-brown hair is a tangle of twigs and brambles and her face is smudged with dark stains.
"Praise Desna, what are you doing out here Jeva? Have you seen some other children about?"
Perception checks for everyone.
By Desna, yes! There was a group of five children here yesterday. I watched them for a little while to see what they were about and right when I was going to approach their camp they were ambushed by a group of kobolds. The girl fought bravely but the children were quickly subdued. I was so terrified I hid up in the trees as you saw and later came down to follow them quite a ways; I think I know where they are going, but what could someone like me do about it anyways? So I came back to their camp hoping someone would come looking for them so I could help get them resuced!
To Jeva: "What are you doing out here Jeva? Where is your home, your family?"
To group (quietly): "What are we going to do with her? I don't think we should be taking her into a potential battle with kobolds. Too risky."
Tears suddenly in her eyes: My hu-hu-home? My family? Tears now freely flowing as she looks hauntedly at the burned down orphanage; finally her resolve breaks and she bursts into tears running forward and embracing Daedeloth in a fierce hug. Why? Why did Desna let this happen to me? I've already suffered so much and now this!....continues to sob uncontrollably.
I try to comfort the girl and get her emotions under control. "Desna works in mysterious ways surely she has a plan for you."
Oh Lady of Luck, why have you forsaken me! Nothing about my life has EVER gone right! She continues to wail disconsolately. Finally after several more minutes of consoling (Sheldon style "there, there") Jeva regains some measure of composure; furiously wiping tears and snot with her ragged sleeves.
She has a plan for me your said....Of course! Her plan is for me to help you rescue those poor children from the vile kobolds! That would make everything that has happened recently make more sense. Come on I'll show you their trail! She turns and starts walking towards the mix of kobold/kid footsteps. Stopping and looking back with a desparate look in her eyes: Before we get started though, can any of you spare something to eat? I haven't had anything in my tummy for days.
I give Jeva some rations.
Maybe we should sing to her: Soft kitty, Warm kitty, Little ball of fur. Happy kitty, Sleepy kitty, Purr Purr Purr.
After wolfing down the offered rations, Jeva looks up with a gleam of excitement in her eye. Better; let's go!
Let's go, normal order, put Jeva in the middle.
Between the tracking skills of Jalriel and the knowledged of where the kobolds took the children the party makes very good time and rounds the outer East side of the Tarn by nightfall. As you make camp and discuss where the trail leads, it slowly dawns on you where the kobolds are headed: back West along the Northern bank of the river, towards the old Dwarven monastery. Jeva hangs very close to Daedeloth and peppers him with questions about the proper worship of Desna and what one has to do to become a priestess of the goddess. She eats anything the party offers her.
The night passes without event.
Any actions before heading out?
To Daed...she is your responsibility...do you think she can help us to find the other children. Talk to your goddess and figure this out. It does not feel right to me. We can take her home if necessary
[sense=motive Jeva]1d20+7[/dice]
On Jeva
On Jeva
[dice=sense motive]1d20+8
You feel that her story is very genuine and heartfelt. Obviously this young girl has experienced some serious trauma and is still full of emotion from it. She seems to really be taking a shine to Daedeloth and his conversation about Desna. In addition, she seems to be genuinely interested in finding the children.
The scars covering her arms and legs are a little disturbing, however.
Quietly to Azz, Jar, Val: I think we can find the children without Jeva. I would be happy to take her home but it seems as if her home was the burned down halfway house so we can hardly take her there. I agree something may not be completely right, the halfway house burned 6 months ago, how she did she survive for 6 months on her own. (Maybe she is Newt from the film Aliens?)
I think that we don't have time to take her to the town. We need to find those children. She is safer with us than on her own.
I agree, let's go.
The party makes another good day of travel with no events. You know you will make the monastery on the next day. Given how much you ran in to during your last foray, you are a little disquieted that things seems so tranquil in this usually troubled wood.
During the first half of the night, the party is awakened by Variel's harsh cry. AWAKE MY FRIENDS! We are attacked! The party rises from its slumber to find Variel gamely fending off several huge vines with thorns that almost look like teeth.
Initiative!
I strike with my sword....
if I hit
if I hit
Making sure to keep between the vines and Jeva
Variel stabs at one of the thick ropy vines for 7 points; Daedeloth and Jalriel also connect for a total of 21 points. Sap and fiberous plant mass fly everywhere, some hitting Azzakan in the eye disrupting his strike. A sharply thorned vine grabs Daedeloth for 8 points and starts to SQUEEZE!
Jeva lets out a squeal of terror as several small vines begin snaking towards her!
Initiative!
If I can still attack...
I leap in front of Jeva and strike
at the plant...not Jeva
at the plant...not Jeva
I swing my mighty shord sword for only the second time ever!
Again Jalriel hacks into the voracious vines, sending pulses of pain careening through the creature; as Variel misses. In response it quickly snatches the remaining party members into its thorny embrace, only Azzakan is able to evade its clutches but his nimble dodging spoils his blow. Daedeloth bats about with his morninstar but the crushing grip of the vine render his blows ineffectual.
SQUEEZE!-Daedeloth takes 11HP. Jalriel takes 14 HP and is grabbed! Variel takes 12 HP and is grabbed!
With a fierce look of determination, Jeva scrambles around trying to keep the lesser vines at bay with a firey brand she has plucked out of the campfire!
I hack at the vine holding me...
I hack at the closest vine that is holding someone if I can.
Third mighty swing of my short sword
I hack at the closest vine that is holding someone if I can.
Third mighty swing of my short sword
[dice=attack]1d20 + 5
[dice=damage]1d6 + 4
Before the rest of the group can act (except for Azzakan learing how to deal with his unweildy weapon) Jalriel again savagely hacks at the creature's stalks. This time the wicked weed can't withstand his power and the vines slump to the ground releasing their would be prey.
***end of combat***
Search the body of the foul plant
"Nice work Jalriel!"
I am going to channel energy x3, exclude the plant.