This is the journey of Clyde the Cleric, B.E.N. the Druid, Robert the Paladin, and Tundra the Sorcerer.
Our adventure began with Robert, the Octolord Paladin, wandering through the DeepWood Forest. He heard a rustling in the bushes and hid. A Human Cleric named Clyde and an AwareWolf named Tundra came running out of the brush, leading a young girl named Serena away from a pack of angry kobolds. A battle broke out amongst all parties, with the kobolds taking the most of the hurt (although Clyde did end up wacking the hiding Octolord). Mid-battle another rustling could be heard as a WarForged Druid named B.E.N. came running out of the woods to help attack the kobolds. The pack of lizards was defeated handily.
With the kobolds dead introductions were made amongst those still standing. Tensions were high and trust was low, but ultimately everyone agreed to band together to get out of the forest. Clyde and Tundra wished to escort Serena north, as the Almighty Brillhart commanded. Robert wished to travel to find the ancestral homeland of his species. B.E.N. just wanted to be helpful and have a bit of an adventure.
Along the way the party found themselves at a bridge with their path blocked by an angry suit of animated armor. They tried to use some nearby logs to float across which almost resulted in a watery end for Serena. In the end they successfully made it to the other side of the river.
While making camp for the night the party was ambushed by an angry Dryad. Through its trickery it seemed like the party might not be able to find the creature, let alone fight it. It was due to some creative spellcasting that reveled the dryad that the party didn't meet its end then and there. The party was shaken, but ended up continuing their camp for the night...
The sun rises above the DeepWood casting a calming glow on the treetops. In a clearing rests our party, who are all beginning to wake up from their rough night of sleep.
Clyde streches his arms as he wakes from sleep. He glances around and sees the rest of the party still slumbering, except for B.E.N. who is staring dutifully off into the distance.
He heards birds chirping.
"Cursed birds disturbing the morning peace..." muttered Clyde through his still half asleep scowl. He yawns and then turns to B.E.N. "Were you awake all night? I can't say I blame you. I'm amazed I was able to sleep after the wounds I got from that dryad attack."
BEN, whose gaze has been fixed on the icy mountains, turns to look at Clyde. "I don't sleep. I've been keeping watch for the rest of you. I believe you meant to wish the birds of my forest a good morning, yes?" He looks into the trees and nods, smiling.
"Errr, yes. Good morning birds and trees and damp grass and whatnot..." Clyde stands and streches then begins cleaning up camp. "I don't wish to wake the others after the night we had, but I would really like to get moving. Those mountains look still a day or two away so I would like to not waste any time."
BEN turns back towards Clyde, "Firstly, I would like to know why you were scavenging the ruins? Because there is a darkness that eminates from that place. I've grown more and more uneasy about it."
Robert's tentacles twitch, causing him to wake up.
Not only does Robert hear the birds chirping, he can somehow tell exactly what kind of species they are as well. He grumbles to himself about nightmares.
"Goodmorning folks", Robert says as he rubs his eyes with his tentacles.
Tundra wakes up to the cheerful sounds of the birds echoing in the forest. She stands and stretches, letting out a growling yawn.
"How delightful!" she says with a grin as she looks at her surroundings.
"Scavenging? You call rescuing a kidnapped girl scavenging? There was something evil in those ruins Ben, and I bet whatever was creating that darkness you feel was going to do something unsavory to our young friend."
Clyde stands up straight, staring at the Warforged. He notices Robert and Tundra were waking up and nods in their direction. He took a seat on a nearby rock, sighs, twitches his mustach, and then almost reluctantly says...
"Almighty Brillhart did not tell me what dwells there, only to save the girl and bring her north to safety. She doesn't even remember herself what might be so important about her to make her get kidnapped in the first place. I bet you though, that our run-in with those kobolds and that armor that tried to prevent us passage are linked. Brillhart has not given me those answers, but I can nearly guarentee it."
BEN ponders this momentarily, "You're right, I apologize Clyde. I...I have trouble understanding situations such as that. I only know the great dark presence I felt there. A presence I also feel was released from its realm."
"Uhh no... no worries" Clyde awkwardly looks away from Ben, not really knowing how to respond to his apology. "Well anyways, now that we are up, shall we get walking?"
"I agree with Clyde, I would like to continue. I don't feel comfortable in this forest after all that has happened..."
The party packs up camp and resumes their travels northeast towards the mountain pass. All-in-all their walk is uneventful. Slowly they begin to rise in elevation and the forest begins to become less dense than it had been. It was clear that the party was in the edge of the forest by now.
Seeing as few pass this way the party was surprised to hear the sound of what seemed to be hurried footsteps heading in their direction. They were all on their guard as a man came into view further up the path, waving his arms and yelling something...
"Travelers! Stop! You must help me! The man approaches and stops to catch his breath as he nears the party. He was a shorter, dirty looking man, and he was currently covered in sweat with a look of fear across his face. "My brother and I were traveling this road when we were attacked by a horrid monster! I managed to escape unharmed, and I thought he was behind me, but when I turned back to look he was nowhere to be seen! I fear the worst, but I am not brave enough to fight the beast on my own. You all look capable, will you please help me?"
BEN looks curiously at the rest of the party, unsure of how to proceed. "Do we trust this man?"
"Hmmm..." Clyde feels very uneasy about this man's story. There is essentially nothing to the east of the mountains, so he wonders why this man and his supposed brother would be here in the first place. He turns to BEN and the rest of the party and whispers... "I'm suspicious. Why would he even be traveling east of the mountains in the first place? Call it paranoia but I wouldn't be so quick to jump to his aid. I won't be the one to make the decision though."
Robert ponders but cannot tell whether the man is lying. "I think we should hear his story out; even if he's lying we should get more out of him."
He then proceeds to crawl onto BEN's shoulder.
"Uhh.... beats me; I'm a bit paranoid regardless and my only concern is Serena," Tundra says and shrugs, giving Serena a bright smile.
"There is no time! My brother is in danger! He is going to die!" The man points further up the road in a frantic way.
No one but Clyde has any reason to believe this man is lying. As far as they are able to tell he is telling the truth that his brother is in danger. Clyde, despite being suspicious, has said he will follow what the party decides to do. He is frantically begging for help.
BEN looks at Clyde and gives a shrug, "I say we follow him."
The party decides to believe Grimly's cry for help and they take off running up the path. True to the words of the traveler when they round the corner they come upon the sight of a small, red, winged creature looming over the form of a man lying on the ground. The man on the ground let out a yell as the creature raises its claws as if about to strike. The party rushes forward to help, only to be taken off guard when suddenly both figures stop and turn towards them with sinister grins on their faces. Laughter can be heard in the mountains as the red creature and the man quit with their act and begin advancing on the party, laughing.
"I knew it was a trap!" Clyde exclaimed as he reached for his weapon. The others give him side glances as if they were judging him for not trying harder to convince them of the danger. Robert spins around to confront Grimly on this injustice, but the traveler is nowhere to be seen. He voices this news to the party, who just seem to become more frustrated. The red beast and the man are fast approaching the party...
Robert shouts to the group just as B.E.N. is making the same conclusions "The winged creature is an imp and the humanoid is actually half-ogre! Be on your guard!
Ah, f#!$ it! Tundra exclaims as she gets into fighting stance.
- Imp
- Tundra
- Robert
- B.E.N.
- Clyde
- Half-Ogre
Imp: 13
Half-Ogre: 12
Currently, the party is all situated together, each member within 5-10 feet of eachother. There is about 40 feet of distance between them and the enemies.
The path the party was following was walled on both sides by canyons. They just walked out into a clearing that is much wider, but still walled. There are a few small trees and boulders, but nothing too high or anything that could provide more than 50% cover.
The Imp was ready to attack upon seeing the party approach. Laughing, it quickly closes the gap of all 40ft and raises its scorpion like tail to attack...
...Robert!
vs. Robert's AC of 18: HIT
The Imp zooms up to Robert still on B.E.N.'s shoulder and flies around his head, dragging its stinger across his face. Robert winces in pain, but quickly notices a burning sensation that almost seems like... poison!
SUCCESS
/2 due to successful saving throw =6.5 ~6.
Robert's total damage from this attack: 10
The imp laughs from its successful attack and flutters behind the party.
Tundra lunges at the Imp and grasps it, casting Shocking Grasp.
HIT
A bolt of energy flows through Tundra's hands and into the Imp's entire body. She leaves the creature twitching on the canyon floor, sparks of static electricity flickering about.
Robert grimaces at the sting of the Imp's attack. In one quick motion he launches himself off of B.E.N.'s shoulder and unsheathes his sword towards the enemy....
vs. Imp's AC of 13: MISS
Despite his best efforts and the Imp being paralyzed from Tundra's attack, the attack misses and Robert's sword plunges into the Earth.
BEN raises his hand to the half-ogre and closes his eyes.
The half-ogre feels a brief sense of loyalty to the druid before shking off the charm effect. BEN looks perturbed and furrows his brow.
"That was...unfortunate."
BEN moves around the group in an attempt to distance himself from the imp.
"I knew better than to trust that man... I didn't expect a gang like this though! Take this you devil!"
HIT
Clyde swings his mace around at the shaken Imp. Despite the creature's condition Clyde's aim was slightly askew and he only barely makes contact with the creature. It lets out a small yelp of pain, but it still draws breath.
The half-ogre shakes his head as if confused. It glances around and realized that B.E.N. was the only one staring at it, with the rest being preoccupied with the Imp, which he can see has taken a serious beating. He yells out in a rade and lifts his axe up high with both hands and begins to charge full speed straight at B.E.N.
The Imp, still quivering in pain, realizes that it can't win the fight going on around it. With a cough of gross imp blood it concentrates for a moment and then suddenly turns invisible.
Tundra curses under her breathe as the Imp disappears from her sight. She turns to see the half-ogre running full speed right at the party. In desperation she begins to shift.
Robert's rage heightens as the Imp disappears just to the side of him. He makes a taunting shout and rushes the half-ogre before them, "Divine Smite!"
vs Half-Ogre's AC 12: HIT
Robert's sword slashes at the half-ogre, a small pulse of holy light emerging from the wound.
BEN holds his hand up to the half-ogre as a stream of poison gas appears to jettison from it.
The ogre rushes through the poison, resisting it!
Clyde momentarily blinked in shock at the sudden disappearance of the Imp. This shock turned quickly to a paniced anger. He swung his weapon once more at the last place the creature had been before vanishing.
With a loud THUD Clyde's mace hits the dirt.
The half-ogre feels the pain caused by Robert's blade as it slashes its skin, but is simply yells and keeps on its coarse towards B.E.N., enraged that spells keep being case at him. Within striking distance, he raises his battleaxe and swings it down hard at the warforged.
HIT
The axe, swung with the force of an angry bull, comes crashing down on B.E.N. The axe blade makes a clean cut all the way down the warforged's body, creating sparks and smoke from the friction of the axe's metal making contact with his wood and metal frame.
The imp is nowhere to be seen, it is as if it just wasn't there anymore.
Tundra finishes shifting and quickly looks around for the Imp.
She can't detect where it might been so she focuses her attention on the half-ogre.
: HIT!
Tundra slashes at the half-ogre with her front claws, digging deep into it's flesh. The monster cries out in pain.
Robert decides to team up with Tundra to attack the half-ogre and leaps into the air, brandishing his sword above his head.....
: HIT!
The blade cuts across it's chest, leaving a deep wound.
BEN quickly scans around for the imp who is nowhere to be seen before pulling out his old pal Slashy the Scimitar.
As slashy sweeps across the half-ogre it clashes across the armor but doesn't impact past that. BEN steps back 10 feet.
Clyde thinks he saw something odd but was too distracted by the battle to really determine what.
Annoyed that the imp seems to have escaped, Clyde turns his attention and his mace upon the half-ogre.
HIT
The mace knicks the arm of the beast. It grunts in pain.
The half-ogre is bleading a lot and breathing heavily, obviously injured but no less furious. In a rage it turns its attention on the one that attacked him last, Clyde.
MISS
Clyde's eyes widen as the half-ogre's weapon comes speeding towards him, but he manages to step out of the way just in time.
The imp has appeared to have fled the battlefield.
AMENDMENT:
BEN swings Slashy at the half-ogre. Seeing the large construct's arm rear back to make a strike, the half-ogre tucks his shoulder down and charges forward -- flipping BEN over his shoulder and onto the ground behind him. BEN stares at the sky feeling quite defeated.
"This is why I never leave the forest..."
Tundra quickly scans the area again but fails to pinpoint where the Imp has gone. Her fury grows and lashes out again at the Half-Ogre.
: HIT!
The claws dig deep into the monsters flesh, tearing it apart, as Tundra's eyes glow red.