With a casual twist of Tarkus' wrist, he carves a great notch out of the wolf in front of him. The wolf whines, but is too ravenous to give up. It lunges forward, sinking its teeth in Elsie's leg, and dragging her to the ground. Elsie brays, panicked, and scrambles back up to her feet. The wolf attempts to snap at her again, but the donkey turns and runs before it can do so.
Herral circles around the wolf that hurt his poor Elsie, before delivering a tremendous blow across the wolf's head, knocking it unconscious. It lays there, grievously wounded. The other wolf snarls, but it comes out all garbled due to its dripping jaw wound. It wavers, unsteady on its feet, before lunging at Anthony, who swiftly dodges the creature. So close!
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Soroza begins swinging her whip back and forth overhead to build momentum while sidestepping to her left. Taking the wolf's failed strike at Anthony as an opening, she strikes!
Soroza puts too much momentum into her swing when one foot slips, turning her slightly to the right. Her lash ends nowhere near the wolf. Adrac moves back into the fight, flanking the wolf across from Davi.
Adrac turns his body sideways to the wolf, lifts his knee, and thrusts a kick out at it with the bottom of his heel. His full weight snaps into the wolf, knocking it unconscious. Both wolves are now slowly dying.
Elsie the Donkey is off in the trees, just within sight, whisking her tail back and forth agitatedly.
Soroza lets loose a sigh of relief as the final wolf falls.
"Are these damned woods just going to keep trying to kill us with steadily larger varieties of hounds?"
Quickly recalling her rather embarrassing predicament of just a few moments ago, she begins intently searching the area.
"Whatever misbegotten bastard set that snare is going to be counting their regret in years when I find them."
Soroza's teeth clench in quiet fury, but she takes a deep breath and let's it go for the moment.
"Oh Grelm," she whispers to herself, "I am going to enjoy knocking you, and your circus of buffoonery, down a few pegs."
She turns to the others, all business: "Right. We need to get moving again. We have to keep on those idiots if we want to win this. But be careful, if they set one trap they've probably set others. Eyes wide people, stay alert, don't let your thoughts wander."
"Bet you they left the dead rabbit to attract predators. Such charming people, we'll have to give them an appropriate thank you gift."
Davi grumbles. She heads over to Flower and starts digging through her bags.
"Herral? I've got some healing supplies in here. I can bandage Elsie if you'll hold her for me. We can put her bags on Flower so she's not carrying weight on that injured leg."
Herral quietly tracks down Elsie to examine that wolf bite.
Then the halfling calls out for Desna to heal his traveling companion. The butterfly symbol flares blue briefly then motes of silvery light appear between his hand and the worst of the wound.
He shakes his head a little at the results. "'Ow many times do Oi say you shud be prayin' to Desna! Need sum of that bandages good lady Davi."
Drawing his dagger, Tarkus will put each of the wolves down. It was not the wolves' fault in this attack, as the creatures had their hunting instincts manipulated by the Banners, and Tarkus did not have the heart for having any creature linger in pain.
The dirty task completed, he waited to the tending of the pack animal before pressing forwards with their trail.
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Davi pulls out a roll of bandages and heads over to Elise. She pets the donkey for a minute. "Poor thing, today is not your day is it?" She uses some water to gently clean out the wound before wrapping it in bandages.
"Now, this is really just to keep dirt out of the bite. I can try the disinfectant and poultices and all that fun stuff when we camp for the night." Davi lightly scratches Elise behind the ear; the donkey sighs in contentment. "She's a trooper. Here, lets put her bags on Flower and get out of there"
The storm picks up yet again. The thunder booms, and your pack animals bray and protest in fear, but the loyal creatures stay by your side even through the worst of the rain.
You hustle on for another half an hour until you reach the location marked on Doctor Krane’s map. A clearing opens in the wood ahead, and the druid’s grove that is contained within seems poorly maintained. A sudden thrashing noise coming from the clearing breaks the silence of the forest. A crude stone altar constructed as a dolmen – a stone slab supported at either end by smaller stones – sits in the center of the clearing. Flanking it are two rough stone monoliths, each standing 10 ft high, and around two feet in radius, bearing lines of writing rudely chiseled into their surfaces, but the writing is too fine for you to be able to read them from where you stand safely several feet away. The writing continues all around the monoliths, covering them entirely. The altar and entire floor of the clearing is covered in a growth of thick, brown vines. The thrashing noise comes from a pair of full-grown wolves that lay entwined in the grasp of the vines, feebly struggling as the last of their breath is squeezed from their body by the plant. Once the wolves stop twitching, the vines let go of the wolves. The tendrils snake warily in the direction of the party, clearly noticing a disturbance in the forest, but are unable to extend far enough to any of you.
Initiative
1. Adrac
2. Vine 2
3. Anthony
4. Vine 1
5. Herral
6. Soroza
7. Tarkus
8. Davi
Anthony frowns and ponders, "This is the grove then? Where is Willowroot. And the Black Banners for that matter? Can you tell whether they were here and which way they've gone, Soroza?"
"Also, let's try to avoid being strangled to death by semi-sentient vines. They must be guarding something though..."
Herral loads his crossbow preparing to shoot the nearest vine. He will move as far back as he can with Elsie but still see the target, probably about forty feet.
The storm made it difficult to make out, but Anthony noticed a pair of dead rodents off to the side. Searching for more clues, he twisted about, scanning the melting footprints. He grunted aloud, "We need to move quick. Grelm left some more wolf bait, but more importantly, they split up. I'm not sure why, but they got here first and probably had a good reason for it. Anyone have any ideas? If not, I say we split up and follow them."
Davi walks the perimeter of the area, staying out of the vine's reach. " Geeze, they really didn't bother to cover their tracks at all, even a novice could figure this out."
The changeling paces back and forth as she thinks. "We could split into pairs and follow them...but why play fair?" There is a wicked looked in her eyes. "I say we split into two groups, three and three. That goblin stuck close to Grelm, and his tracks go off to the east. So I say we send three people after the tracks to the east and the other three after another set of tracks. We disable those four easy then deal with the other two later."
She eyes the dead beasts thoughtfully "Grelm thinks he's smart leaving wolf bait behind, but I bet our druid won't like it at all."
"Oh, I think those idiots went and did something stupid. I think they took something from that altar."
She nods at Anthony's assertion, and closes her eyes a moment to think. She opens her eyes and takes a closer look at the tracks.
It appears that all three groups have one human a piece.
Derrak went southwest with Aliciette. His footprints are broad and deep.
Nirashi went south with Pudge. Her footprints are lighter than Aliciette's. Pudge does not wear the big, heavy boots that Grelm does.
Grelm and Knu went east.
"I don't know, Davi. There's a good chance the third group could be long gone by the time we handled the other two."
Soroza places her hand on her forehead, concentrating.
"We only have a very rough idea what they're capable of, from that bar fight, but it's better than going in blind. It looks like Grelm and Knu went East. Davi, I think you and Anthony should go after them. Pudge and that creepy woman... Nir-whatsit, they headed South. Herral and Adrac should be able to handle them, I think. Tarkus and I will head Southwest, after Derrak and Aliciette."
Assuming a mantle of leadership isn't something Soroza has any real experience with. She feels awkward doing it, but she feels time is burning and someone needs to take charge. She hopes the others buy the confidence she's trying to sell.
"Any objections?"
Anthony nodded in agreement as the rain pounded across their vision. "So no one has any theories on that?" Anthony asked, pointing at the dolmen and vines. He shakes his head, "It doesn't matter, anyway, the Black Banners probably know more than we do by now. Let's move!"
"Cun us all follow tracks? If'n you can then that be a foine idea otherways we be bumbling round lookin' for ar backsides. 'Specially when they be meeting back up togther and we cun take everythin' back fromum then."
Tarkus listened to the opinions of the others, but kept looking at the alter surrounded by the vines. Something didn't add up right to him and as the others began to prepare to split up, he finally voiced his thoughts.
"Maybe I am wrong in this, but the tracks all stop short of going into the vines as well from how I see them. Like they were afraid to go there themselves."
Looking up at the rain slicked woods, Tarkus scanned the trees surrounding the makeshift alter.
"I agree we need to be mobile and go after them, but I also agree with Anthony that we need to scout the alter? Perhaps one of you better climbers could go up in the trees to look while the rest of us keep the vines distracted with our presence down here? If it is nothing, or if the Banners had the same plan, then I fully endorse Soroza's plan of going after each of the smaller groups to cover more ground."
Indeed, a tree growing at the edge of the clearing has a large limb that hangs over the grove directly above the two monoliths, but is too high for the vines to reach. It is a big oak tree, and relatively easy to climb with a DC 10 climb check.
You can sit on the tree branch safely out of reach from the vines.
The writing on the monoliths is in Sylvan. If you have paper and ink, perhaps you could transcribe what you see?
In addition, on the tops of the monoliths are small concavities, carved into the stone.
Inside the left monolith is a beautiful breastplate with an orange and red flame at its center. You recognize this as the Breastplate of Sacred Fire from the Professor's drawing of the Panoply of King Narven
Inside the right monolith is a wooden bowl full of rainwater.
If you succeed on a single DC 10 climb or acrobatics check, you can hook your legs around the tree branch and flip upside down to retrieve the items. Or perhaps you can think of another solution?
If you fail on the climb check to retrieve the items, you can attempt a DC20 reflex save to grab onto the branch. If you fail this, you can attempt another DC10 acrobatics check to avoid 1d6 fall damage. Either way, failure to grab onto the branch means you fall into the vines below...
Seeing a likely tree, Tarkus pointed it out to the others.
"That branch there seems to be our best bet, but in my armor I would be as likely to break my neck trying to climb up as I would to break the limb with my weight on it."
Anthony sets his pack down and offers, "In this rain, I'd normally say no, but I think I can make it."
As he starts up he wishes to himself, Why didn't I prepare any other spells today?
Aaand his slips and falls back to the ground. Luckily, he hadn't gotten off the ground very far, so it wasn't such a dangerous fall. He looks around at everyone else to remind himself who might have been a better climber based on natural strength and whether they were wearing armor. His eyes fall on Addrac, but he looks away just as quickly. He couldn't ask Addrac to do this, he was getting so old. Then again, he did offer to come along, and handled himself more than well in the bar fight.
"I'll try one more time. If I can't make it, then Addrac, you may be our most able climber. Would you mind trying?" Anthony asks apologetically.
Once atop the tree, Anthony feels slightly terrified but entirely exhilarated. Dragging his heavy armor up the tree was more difficult than he'd anticipated but he made it.
Noting the foreign script, he calls down to Tarkus, "Would you toss me that scroll we found earlier? Its in the side pocket of my pack! Also, I think I found the Breastplate!"
Noting the foreign script, he calls down to Tarkus, "Would you toss me that scroll we found earlier? Its in the side pocket of my pack! Also, I think I found the Breastplate!"
Moving to the mage's pack, Tarkus grabbed the scroll and tossed it up to Anthony.
"Good call on wanting to check the alter out lad. It seems the Banners were in too great a rush to get away from the wolves and the vines."
Looking from the branch to the alter and back to the mage, Tarkus did not want to see him come to harm trying to get the breastplate up from the alter.
"How do you plan on getting the breastplate from up there? Do you need some rope or anything?"
“It was in and about the reign of the Green Faith
When the green leaves were a falling,
That King Narven Feathereyes, of the Arthfell,
Brought peace to Darkmoon Vale.
He sent his kin down through the town,
To meet with good Lord Aerl,
‘O haste and come to my master dear,
If ye be the Count of Elberwick’
And so, and so, rose he up,
To the Heart of the Forest where he lay,
And so the two came to accords,
To split the forests in two:
The Arthfell forest of the south,
The Kingdom of King Narven
And the Darkwood forest to the north,
The land of Baron Nyes of Darkmoon.
The Kingdom was born anew
Unto the Greenfire Circle
But for good King Narven
Death was with him dealing:
‘Adieu, adieu, my dear friends all,
Leave my body for the scavengers all,
Adieu, adieu, my dear friends all,
And be kind to all the Vale.”
"Two miles toward the sun's first fire, the earth's embrace will still its ire."
"A league to the south in sacred mother's home, the royal water is returned to its own."
"Southwest four miles the image flies, atop forest giant in azure skies."
"Lofty stone reaching higher, holds in its grasp the sacred fire."
"Six miles south, at Forest's Heart, where name and namesake no longer part."
The sensation of suddenly being able to read and translate a whole new language left Anthony somewhat frozen and speechless, save an involuntary, "Oh"
He cursed his luck for the rain. Had it not been so wet he could transcribe the whole thing onto parchment. But with the downpour, even the parchment might turn to rawhide before he finished. Instead he recited the poetry aloud to his companions. After finishing the left monolith head gasped in delight, "Oh, I see! '...Holds in its grasp the sacred fire'... That's the Breastplate of Sacred Fire! the second monolith's 'poem' is a treasure map! Hah! Let's see... 'Two miles toward the sun's first fire, the earth's embrace will still its ire' So two miles due west we should find the Wand of Earth's Ire. 'A league to the south... ' Is the Vial of Pure Water '...sacred mother's home...' not sure what that means, but we might have more difficulty with that one than the others. Southwest four miles the image flies, atop forest giant...' it appears the Sacred Firmament may be in a tree four miles that way." Anthony points southwest. He continues, "And 'Six miles south, at Forest's Heart... name and namesake...' The Spirit-Staff of Narven. "
He looks over to the breastplate atop the Monolith, he rubs his hands together and says, "Here goes nothing." and attempts to swing down, hanging on the branch by his legs to snatch the Breastplate and the bowl.
He smiles after retrieving the items, but that smile slowly turns upside down. He vocalizes his grave realization, "Guys? They probably read it already, and they're way ahead of us."
Inside the bowl is a lot of rain water, but at the bottom is a stained silver ring with a repeating wave pattern about its circumference.
"That be a great start. Well done. Now what? Tarkis un I be the slowest. If'n we after the pairs in four ways then they haven't gone straight to one. But they have the head start and all move like swallows on the wing. P'haps they be meeting up at the Forest Heart, but we can argue the toss or jess follow? But my hand says you two pairs go after the closer ones an' Tarkis un me head to the way they didn't loike so we 'ave a chance. How does that sound for a piece of wet finger in the wind?"
Herral can tell that:
Nirashi went south with Pudge.
Derrak went southwest with Aliciette.
Grelm went east with Knu.
Herral repeats what he can work out from the tracks and directions.
"Thank you Herral," Soroza says pithily, "For repeating what I *just* said."
She throws up her hands in frustration. "Look, I offered a strategy. I'm no leader, and if you'd all rather come at this from another angle I don't care. But every second we don't get moving is a second they *are* moving."
She looks up towards the Tiefling in the tree, "And Anthony, I think the sun rises in the east"
"If'n you said that Tarkis an' me shud be together then I be sorry for repeating on you, Soroza. But then I don't want us chasin' we wont catch no one. Send us hafta the west thing since us'll have a chance of beating them there."
Herral makes a note of the pairs, there directions and the monolith hints.
Addrac would certainly be better at keeping us from getting lost than Anthony and Davi pairing up. No matter how hilarious that would be.
Anthony looks up ponderously after Soroza corrects him. After a moment, he replies, "So it does. I can't seem to think how I got that wrong. Maybe its the height making the blood rush from my brain."
Anthony pockets the ring and clambers back down the tree. Nodding to Addrac, he asks, "Shall we go sir? It might be better if you lead , though. I've obviously got no sense of direction."
Adrac & Anthony
The grandfather and the tiefling head east for two miles, following Knu and Grelm’s tracks. They proceed for forty minutes before a grove of beautiful willow trees part, revealing a small clearing before a steep embankment. A dark, eight-foot diameter opening breaches the small rise: a small cave in the wilderness.
”These tracks lead up into the cave…then exit back out again, heading southwest,” says Adrac, pointing to the tracks as they go. "I wonder if we've been beaten to the chase?" he muses, thoughtfully.
"Herral is right about the slower members of our group and theirs. So, here it is: Davi and I will head South after Nir-whatsit and Pudge, Anthony and Adrac will go East after Grelm and Gnu, and Tarkus and Herral will head Southeast after Derrak and Aliciette."
As the others nod in assent, she gestures to Davi. "Lets go, Claws. And take it easy, time is a factor but if we're spent when we get there catching them won't matter."
Soroza & Davi
The Calistrian and the changeling head south for an hour and ten minutes, covering a league of ground. Pudge and Nirashi’s tracks suddenly disappear into a thicket of tall rushes, surrounding a pool formed from a crystalline, bubbling spring.
Davi suddenly stops, whispering to Soroza urgently, "Ssssh. Pudge is trying to hide in those reeds over there. I don't see Nirashi though..."
Anthony peers at the cave, then replies, shaking his head, "Maybe there's something in there still. We have to make sure. After all, we thought they had us at the Grove, but the Breastplate was still there, right?"
He starts cautiously toward the cave and murmurs to Addrac, "Let's see if they left anything for us this time..." Anthony tries to peer into the cave and check to see if he can spot anything of interest before actually heading in.
"Don't rush, youngster," Adrac whispers. "There's a black bear inside of the cave. A small one, but still."
Indeed, there is a black bear laying in the cave, its back to you. It is breathing steadily, and has two arrows sticking out of its hide.
Soroza puts her hand on the whip tucked into her belt.
"Pudge!" She calls out.
"I thought we already had a conversation about your poor decisions. Now come out here and surrender before I'm forced to show you what I can do with this whip. And I don't mean the fun stuff."