Ricter's flail rebounds from the tough bark but seems to lose no momentum as the hellknight guides it back round to strike again an eyeblink later...1d20+13+2
Malthir typically charges in and tries to get eaten first, but if you want to take my place in the creatures stomach, Malthir has to admit that it isn't really that much fun in there...
Lets quickly bury the Dryad and the Satyr unless someone has an objection?
Then we can track this creature back to where it came from and destroy it, the mapping will have to wait in case it threatens anyone else.Do we find anything to identify the Satyr or the Dryad?
Quick burial and then move SE.
If Ricter and Malthirs blows were telling, Kalev's two swings are truly awe inspiring. His massive polearm attacking over Ricter's head, the slashing blade cuts three quarters of the way through the massive main trunk on the first swing, and the second severs through it entirely. An expression of agonised shock and pain on its strange wooden mouth, the upper half of the tree collapses off the top, falling and crushing several smaller trees and bushes behind it. The lower half of the Scythe Tree remains where it stands, but it is clear there is no longer any life within the creature.
Kip watches as the mighty tree falls to the blows of his fellow Guardians. That is a mighty pile of firewood you have there! Corax and his boys would be impressed. Shall we burn it?
Kip takes a long hard look at each of the remaining trees in the clearing... I hope these things live a solitary life!
Casimir stays alert, carefully scanning the clearing for signs of more dangers. When none seem to be present, he relaxes his stance.
"I would say we have removed yet another danger from the Stolen Lands. And yes, Kip - a nice big fire sounds like a good idea. Malthir, Ricter, how are your injuries - do you require healing?"
Casimir stays alert, carefully scanning the clearing for signs of more dangers. When none seem to be present, he relaxes his stance.
"I would say we have removed yet another danger from the Stolen Lands. And yes, Kip - a nice big fire sounds like a good idea. Malthir, Ricter, how are your injuries - do you require healing?"
Malthir is down 20.
I can take care of some of the wounds while Fenna looks at Kalev and Ricter, my are pretty minor compared to theirs.
"May these terrible wounds be mended, by Aroden's mercy." Fenna prays quietly, as she tends to the large gashes left by the tree's assault on Ricter.
Satisfied that the worst of the Hellknight's wounds have been closed, she then turns to Kalev, "Are you still hurt?"
HP: 33/58
The blood running from the seams in Ricter's full plate lessens. His breathing, previously haggard, becomes normal again.
"Thank you. That thing must have been mindless or suicidal to face the likes of us. It troubles me that the trees themselves are touched by chaos in these woods."
He moves over to inspect the fallen monster, flail still ready
"Could anyone make sense of what it was saying? It sounded vaguely like language"
Kip turns to Ricter. The typical threatening and boasting that usually precedes an utterly devastating defeat of the one speaking.
If I recall correctly it said, Kip attempts to imitate the Scythe Tree's voice, "YOU will be sundered like all the OTHERS. I will enjoy TORTURING any survivors of your band of WOULD-BE heroes and will dine on your FLESH this night!"
Kip turns and picks up one of the tree's branches and throws it back on the heap of wood that the tree has become.
HP: 33/58
Kalev turns to Kip, sending him a rare smile. Perhaps I should relinquish my duties and take up the lumberjack's trade. I hear they work all day and sleep all night.
Turning to Fenna, Kalev shakes his head. No, but thanks for your concern. Malthir's healing energy washed away all my pain.
Kip returns Kalev's smile. I would prefer you didn't retire just yet... I am quite fond of the forests in these parts. With you as a lumberjack I'm afraid they would not last long!
Kip summons the power to his mind, and with a gesture and a word he scans the area of the glade for magical auras...
Kip's detect magic illuminates the very roots of the Scythe Tree- and after a little digging, cutting and searching you find-
Four pieces of Amber, each worth 100GP
A folded up piece of cloth that you identify as a Robe of Bones
In addition, you find scattered amongst the bones in the clearing-
62 cp, 75 sp, 9 gp.
A simple silver ring worth 65 GP, with the image of a peaceful glade exquisitely crafted in its signet.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Heading back to the north-west, you finish your exploration of the area.
Survival:
Kip settles in for his watch, pulling his cloak tightly around his body to ward off the chill winter air. With the waning full moon of two nights ago overhead, Kip picks at the fire with a stick while wondering what tomorrow will bring...
You set up camp within the glade, setting up a fire and a watch pattern.
Kip looks to Fenna. What was it you were looking for yesterday?
Later on in the evening, Kip expresses some concerns that have been troubling him for a while now. I am not convinced that the threat represented by Grigori has passed. Someone hired him, setting him upon his path. Until we root out who was behind him, and what they sought, or should I say seek, to achieve, we need to remain ever vigilant. Likewise, the involvement of the hags of Heibarr would indicate that the menace that is the cult of Gyronna is far from contained. Kip steals a glance at Casimir before adding, And although it won't make me popular with some, I still do not trust Karina. Magical compulsion, while a convenient excuse, does not account for all that transpired. In my humble opinion of course. I would be glad to be proven wrong, but it would be folly to act as though it is not possible that, Karina, and or others within Kardas, work to undermine the Guardians.
We know of the plot to steal your first born, Malthir. What steps should we take to ensure that this plot does not resurface?
Yes he was well paid and quite powerful in his own right. A man like that doesn't come cheap. We have many enemies Kip. The other River Kingdoms, elements within Brevoy, other we probably don't even know about.
None of them want to see us succeed. If we do, we could change the entire balance of power in this region.
I will admit that I also had my doubts about Karina, but I don't think she is a bad person. I do believe that Grigori used magic on her in this plot. Beyond that she is one of us and I will trust her at her word until proven otherwise, she helped to save Kressle and bring her back to the side of light, why would she abandon this now?
We should be vigilant but we must trust Sootscales and others to help with this, we can't do it all on our own. As far as Vaysh and this plot against a child that hasn't even been conceived yet, we foiled that plot and any others will be a long time being put together.
We will do what we can, but should we find out who is really behind this...lets just say I wouldn't want to be that person. The planes of hell couldn't keep me from that group or person.
"Trust sootscales eh? I must admit I was surprised to find a Kobold in a position of authority in Swordhaven, but from what I have seen Sootscales is highly competent. HoI would be curious to know how he came to serve you."
"Trust sootscales eh? I must admit I was surprised to find a Kobold in a position of authority in Swordhaven, but from what I have seen Sootscales is highly competent. HoI would be curious to know how he came to serve you."
Malthir looks towards SwordHaven, It is a tale of bravery and saddness...Casimir could tell it best...
What about you Ricter, we know little about the man behind the mask...???
"I was trying to find a letter I received some time ago, from a friend in Brevoy," The gnome answers Kip, "looking back, it was quite foolish of me, I have no reason to be carrying it with me... I had the sudden feeling that I had missed something important when I first read it, but I am unsure what it might be. Perhaps something related to the reasons I joined the original expedition into the stolen lands, since that was what I was thinking of at the time."
Later, she sits listening to the conversation, "Indeed, Ricter, we all know something of the reputation of your order, and you have certainly comported yourself in line with my own recollections of Hellknights, but we know little of you as an individual."
Casimir looks up from his work with the whetstone at Kip's mention of Grigori and Karina.
"You echo my own thoughts, Kip. I'm fairly confident that Grigori did not act alone. That much was clear from what little we got out of him before he was hanged. We did our best to get him to reveal what he knew, but he was clever, I'll give him that. As for Karina..."he pauses, and for a few moments, only the scrape of the whetstone along the sharp edge of the blade is heard. "For Kressle's sake, I dearly hope she was just an innocent pawn swayed by magic compulsion. But somewhere deep inside my gut, I have a nagging fear that she was not. I would give much to be able to put that fear to rest.", he says, sounding tired.
Ricter answers Malthir and Fenna's questions with typical sternness
"The man behind the mask is unimportant. It is he that serves the armour, not the reverse"
Then, however, he smiles slightly
"Like most of my order's sayings, it's not as bad as it sounds. I'm exactly like the Baron here, really. I have given my life to a cause and take great pleasure in advancing it. There's only one difference. Walking the path of good is an uncertain journey scattered with difficult decisions. Walking the path of law, on the other hand, requires very few decisions at all."
He looks to Casimir
"Take Karina for example. You judged from the evidence at hand that she acted under compulsion, and now in the eyes of the law she is innocent. Therefore, she is. Unless new evidence arises, you need not even think of the things she did let alone why she did them. Learn to think in absolutes, and that nagging fear of yours will soon disappear"
He gestures to the newly honed blade in the bard's hand
"So much difficulty in keeping a blade sharp. I often wonder why the sword is such a widespread weapon. Sure you can feint and redirect your attacks to slip past an opponent's defences, but set a mace swinging at the right time in the right arc and there is no defence against it"
Hearing Ricter's comment about weapons, Kalev looks up and chuckles. I'd beg to differ. Give me a weapon with a good reach and you won't ever get the right time to swing that mace, or the sword for that matter, in the right arc. Furthermore, isn't the man weilding the weapon the true danger?
Kip smiles as the manly "men" of the group begin comparing the effectiveness of their respective weapons. I can't help but wonder if all this talk is in compensation for... shortcomings. Kip chuckles as he continues to poke the coals in the fire, sending up a burst of sparks and glowing embers.
And as for Karina, no such judgement has been made. For or against her. At best we have reserved our right to judge her when the time, opportunity and proper methods become available to us. She most assuredly has not been found innocent.
I feel in my guts, that she is more complicit than she lets on or that we realize. But I cannot prove it... yet.
And to sit idly by while evil plots against us, is far more reactionary than I am comfortable with. I will not sit idly by while forces maneuver and array against us. To wait for the reveal, may be too late.
I am not a mere cog in a faceless machine like yourself Ricter... relying on the next one in the line to right the wrong should you fall.
Ricter answers Malthir and Fenna's questions with typical sternness
"The man behind the mask is unimportant. It is he that serves the armour, not the reverse"
Then, however, he smiles slightly
"Like most of my order's sayings, it's not as bad as it sounds. I'm exactly like the Baron here, really. I have given my life to a cause and take great pleasure in advancing it. There's only one difference. Walking the path of good is an uncertain journey scattered with difficult decisions. Walking the path of law, on the other hand, requires very few decisions at all."
Blindly following anything just leads to abuse of power Ricter. Think about the old laws, a Baron or King could take a man's wife on their wedding night as his purvue or right of first choice.
What if I would pass a law that orders the enslaving of all fey? Just because it is the law, doesn't mean it should be followed. It must be tempered by justice and righteousness.We might argue this all day I think...know this though, when you are in our kingdom and you are fighting with us I expect you to follow our lead, our customs, though our laws are still a little loose.
If the Hellknights can not abide by those terms, then your cause is lost already.
In reality weapons are just tools, in the right hands they harm, heal, or break. We wield them because we must. It has always been the person holding the weapon or wielding the magic nods to Kip and Fenna, that has made me believe.
I am proud to call the folk here friend, I raise my weapon every day because of them.
Malthir walks over to his horse, from his packs he pulls out a mini-barrel. He opens it and then fills everyone's cup.
Vaysh thought a little ale to celebrate might be in order.
Nodding towards Ricter, To new friends, new lands, and new adventures!
Kip raises his cup. Hear! Hear! To new friends, new lands and new adventures!
Kip tips his ale and smiles. I knew I liked Vaysh...
"I am not sure I agree," Fenna says to Ricter's comment about Karina's guilt, "of course, should someone be found innocent of a crime, they must be treated as such, or we are at risk of persecuting those we disagree with. But simply because they are not culpable for a particular crime does not rule out their involvement with similar or related activities. The law must act in absolute terms, but people rarely do."
"It does seem to me that Karina was influenced by Grigori's magic to go to the extremes she did, and cannot be held responsible for the plot against the unborn heir, but I suspect that she must have had some motivation to be in contact with the cult in the first place."
"You are of course correct, councilor. One can be innocent of one charge and guilty of another. I did oversimplify a touch, but I still think there is something to be said for putting out of mind decisions already made and problems you are not in a position to address."
Turning to Malthir, he continues:
"This is your land, Baron. We will follow both the letter and spirit of any rules you lay down. The rightful ruler of a kingdoms has nothing to fear from us and everything to gain"
He takes the cup offered to him
"So, to new adventures indeed."
Kip eyes up the Hellknight while taking another draught from his mug. He muses as to the significance of Ricter omitting "new friends" from his toast response. Was that intentional? Should we feel slighted? Resolving to give Ricter the benefit of the doubt, Kip shrugs his shoulders almost imperceptibly and drains the rest of his ale.
Feeling that he has gotten what little they could from the man, Malthir watches the fire for a little while deep in thought before settles down for the night and goes to his tent.
Although no animals have approached the glade all night, you notice two eagles have landed on dead branches on the slowly dying Scythe Tree at the north end of the camp.
You can also hear other, faint movement in the trees around the glade, not particularily close to the glade but within a hundred feet or so.
"Good evening," she says softly to the birds, speaking in the language of the wild, "I am Fenna, councillor of the two-leg nation of Kardas. Welcome to our camp."
"Are there others with you?" she asks with a shallow nod towards the surrounding darkness, "I am sure there is room enough for us all to share the warmth of the fire."
** spoiler omitted **
So, it is true...
The eagles swiftly soar back into the forest and out of your sight. The noises from around your clearing can still be heard.