Acheh will tell you that hags are spellcasters and monstrous humanoids. They have bloodline spell-like abilities and other spell-like abilities in addition to their spells. Most hags are found in covens.
You meet up with Dog's Tongue and he relates a little more of the history. Glad you all made it and are on time! If you were late, I might have amused myself with some careless murder! He giggles, but you don't think he was kidding! So here's the story as I understands it.
20 years ago, the Drovenge family patriarch, Vassindio Drovenge, declared a vendetta against the hags of the Maggot Tree and mustered an army of thieves to slay the coven. This force marched into Hagwood and caught two of the hags—the Sister and the Daughter—by surprise and slew them both. The Mother of Flies was away at the time and returned home to find her kin slain and home destroyed. She swore vengeance upon the Drovenges and has slowly marshaled her forces over the years to exact her revenge upon them. Now with all the turmoil within the Council of Thieves and the Drovenge family itself, she has seen her opportunity and wishes to ally with you to assist you in their own struggle against the Drovenges.
"Ah, good thing we were on time." Richard holds his shudder back. It's best to listen first, then act.
"Hmm, I see. I'd prefer a surgical strike rather than a bloody war. The sooner we learn about the leaders the sooner the Mother can taste revenge."
And the fewer innocent people will be caught in the crossfire.
"Well, lead the way. And keep your eyes peeled for ambushes." He keeps his whip drawn but not raised.
As they say, the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend but hopefully won't slit my throat for the time being. Ok, so the quote isn't exact but you get the drift. Let's go talk to 'Mother' and find out what plans she has for us specifically that her other forces can't do.
Tal keeps a few paces behind Dog Tongue with his hand resting lightly on his longsword. He didn't trust the creature but wasn't going to threaten him either. Only time would tell how this temporary alliance will pan out.
"Seems like an interesting knife edge to walk, this alliance. Let's see how it goes."
Soon you all see plumes of smoke rising from the interior indicate the presence of fires. Dog's Tongue, who up to now has seemed unflappable, stutters, Those...those look really close to the Maggot Tree!
Sherix points at the footprints. "Lots of people came here. And larger humanoids." She pulls out her tiny bow.
Richard nods and pulls out his whip. "Looks like we're coming in hot."
Uh what’s a Maggot Tree, Dog Tongue? And didn’t you say that this Mother was gathering her forces? That would mean that these fires could be her allies. Sog Tongue’s discomfort clearly was weighing on Tal though as he restrapped his shield and pulled his sword free from its sheath.
Sheriz, any chance you can identify what types of creatures left the large prints? And are they headed the same way we are going?
Dog's Tongue replies while never taking his eyes off the smoke, The Maggot Tree is where Mother lives. Mother would never start this many fires so close to her tree!
"Giant footprints. I mean, made by giants. You know, Hill Giants, Stone Giants and the like. I haven't met a lot of them but I assume they are big and strong."
Richard switches to his shortbow as they head towards the Maggot Tree.
Well if those fires are not allies of hte Mother and giant tracks on found heading that way it looks like we are going to have a serious problem here. There are only 3 of us and while we are quite capable i don't think we can charge in to help. We would get surrounded and picked off eventually. Acheh, do you think you can do some scouting or have your nature allies do some scouting for us? That way we can try and find a location that will give us some defensive position where we can strike and fall back.
If we're lucky, the hags will fall to infighting after giving us valuable information.
"Well, I can offer >Invisibility< to us upon entry. I can do it 5 times today, since I never got to use it on our friend before he managed to hang himself." Richard worries his eyes will fall out of his head after he finishes rolling them in sarcasm.
That would be great to get us in Richard. I am still worried though that we don't know where we are going once we are invisible or how I am to know where you 2 are at any given moment.
"We'll have to risk exposing our position, either by noise or action, like hitting a tree so you know we're close to it."
Once the team is ready, Richard will cast Invisibility, helping them for the next 9 minutes.
Dog tongue, do you know of a good place we can set up an ambush that has some place defensible nearby?
Tal Will take the invisibility but only at the last moment and will pull off his tower shield to make him move quieter if possible.
"I have a familiar that can do some recon fairly well. She can fly up and easily take a look ahead without too much notice as we move forward. I can summon if we want to try a lure some giants away into the kill zone."
"Good idea, Acheh. Sherix, go ahead and take a look. Our empathic link will make it easy to locate each other."
Once they are ready, Richard begins to creep into the wood, his whip at the ready.
Tal follows as well but about 50ft behind Richard and Acheh as he is not as stealthy as they are.
Stealth
You hear a patrol at the same time they hear Tal.
The yellow and pink thieves get into flanking position.
Tal will move to the south east to confront the 2 thieves trying to flank the party. Once there he will attack the flat-footed orange thief and cleave into the yellow thief. This should put him next to the warhound.
power attack +1 longsword keen for
cleave attack for
Tal wounds two of the thieves.
Blue warhound will attempt to bite Tal.
Dog's Tongue will attack the Green Ogre.
He misses.
Green will attack him back.
Blue Thief will attack Richard.
He misses.
Red Ogre will attack Dog's Tongue.
He misses.
Green Thief will shoot a bolt at Acheh.
Red Thief will shoot a bolt at Acheh.
Red Warhound will attack Richard.
Orange Thief will attack Tal.
He misses.
Green Warhound will attack Richard.
It misses.
Yellow Warhound will attack Acheh.
[oooc]Tactical Map has been updated[/ooc]
"Assailants!" Richard points a challenging finger. "Defend yourselves, everyone!"
Richard Whips the Blue Thief.
Acheh will take a 5ft step back (NE) and attack the yellow hound.
Cheken will pounce on the yellow-robed person.
Acheh slays the Yellow Hound. He next takes out the Green Hound!
Yellow and Pink will attack Tal
They miss!
Tal will continue to try and hold the east flank while taking out the yellow and pink thieves.
+1 keen power attack longsword for
cleave attack for
He then steps 5ft to the west to start getting in front of the ogres before they can get to Richard and Acheh.
Blue warhound will attempt to bite Tal.
It misses!
Dog's Tongue will attack the Green Ogre.
He misses!
Green will attack him back.
Red Ogre will attack Dog's Tongue.
It misses!
Green Thief will double move right next to Richard.
Red Thief will double move to right in front of Richard.
Red Warhound will attack Richard.
It misses!
Seeing how tough Tal is, Orange will attack Acheh,
Richard continues to Inspire Courage +2 among his allies.
Then he moves to trip the Blue Thief.
"Quickly, while they are prone!"
Acheh continues her war chant and flurry of arrowsf.
Cheken will attack the next nearest enemy.
Richard trips the Green thief!
Acheh takes out the Orange Thief!
Checken will take out the Green Ogre!
Tal steps over to the west next to dog tongue to attack the red thief and red ogre.
Power attack keen inspired on red thief for
Cleave into ogre for
Tal slices into the Red Thief and Red Ogre.
Blue warhound will attempt to bite Tal.
It misses!
Dog's Tongue will attack the Red Ogre.
He misses.
Red will attack Tal.
He misses.
Green Thief will try to rise and get an AOO from Richard.
Red Thief will attack Richard
He misses.
Red Warhound will attack Richard.
It misses!
Another round to Inspire Courage +2 amongst his friends.
Then he tries to topple the Red Thief with his whip. "Tal, I've set this one up for you."
Richard trips the Red Thief!
Acheh continues to fire as Cheken continues her attack.
Acheh slays the Green Thief, Red Warhound, & the Blue Warhound! Checken finishes off the Red Ogre and on the next round, Tal finishes off the Red Thief.
Even though he is bleeding from his wounds, Dpg's Tonggue will start mutilating the bodies.
Uh Dog Tongue, do you need any healing? You took a few hard hits there.
Tal knows that Richard and Acheh are capable of healing their own wounds so is not as concerned about them being able to repair the damage that they took. Instead he moves among the bodies searching them for notes or correspondence detailing their mission out here.
perception
"While my esteemed friend searches, let us heal a little."
"Ah, thank you." Richard flexes his arm. "Much better."
He doesn't wait too long for Dog Tongue. "Ah, shall we move on? We don't want to keep our host waiting."
If that is the strength of the patrols that they have out here then maybe we should look for them and take them out piece meal. That way we weaken the whole and do not face them all together?
Dog's Tongue, bloodied from his own wounds and the mutilation on the fallen enemy's corpse, sighs audibly. Perhaps we might find allies in these woods that we can convince to join Mother. We can make a short detour to the southern reaches of Hagwood, where a narrow creek with a bottom formed of red clay empties into a swampy lake, the waters of which are thick with red algae and clay deposits. This grisly-looking lake is known as the Bloody Tarn, and has long been the lair of a small clan of redcaps to which I once belonged.
The redcaps of Bloody Tarn call themselves the Blood Drinkers, and for many years have been led not by one of their own but rather by a half-mad satyr named Madjaw who has lived in the area for decades. I fled the clan many months ago after I dared to challenge Madjaw’s rule and failed to defeat the barbarian. I didn’t remain without a liege for long, and soon after my exile he became an agent of the Mother of Flies, but I'm still bitter about my previous defeat.
The Bloody Tarn fills a low, swampy defile in Hagwood. The redcaps mark their territory with bright red bits of cloth and flensed hide stretched taut on frames built from tied twigs and branches, surrounding a clearing of relatively solid ground about 30 feet in diameter on the tarn’s northern shore. A half-dozen crude leantos and shelters similarly composed of stretched hides decorate this clearing—the doubtful village of the Blood Drinkers.
What say you, shall we visit my former clan?
"Oh goody. More allies." Richard's sarcasm manages to drip ever so slightly. "Still, if these invaders are fighting everyone, we could use all the help we can get."
And if these wicked creatures manage to destroy each other, the world is better off for it.
"Any way we can prevent them from attacking us?" He readies his whip.
"Any way we can prevent them from attacking us?"
Dog's Tongue looks at Richard with a solemn expression. No he says flatly.
"Sounds like a display of force, or killing Madjaw, will earn enough respect for them to listen to us. Lead the way."
Tal sighs with probably the same reason behind Richard's sarcasm. Clearly this was a violent wood that only the strongest survived. Thankfully up to this point that meant Tal but he did not like the idea of a half-mad satyr barbarian. Lead on Dog Tongue and we will follow. A group of redcaps would definitely cause some of those humans to pause and think twice about whatever orders they were given. Just beware of the giants in any fight you come across.
On the way to the Blood Drinkers Tal asks Richard for a favor. Before we enter the camp would you be willing to cast that heroism spell on me? It sounds like the only way we are going to make any friends or allies is if we beat them senseless first.
"Of course, Tal. The >Heroism< magic should last for about 90 minutes or so."