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Tera
you follow the path along the route Feyrith told you to. the first mile is fairly normal, if somewhat overgrown. then you notice a decided increase in small fey beings.
The first real warning sign is the corpses of a group of would-be heroes, who look like they were ambushed along the path. They didn't see the spriggans in the tree canopy, but you did!
The adventurers do, however, have a noticable circle of normal growth (as opposed to overgrowth) around them... you would guess they have cold iron charms, or some other way to discourage the overgrowth on them.
Finally, past the ambush, you arrive at the clearing. sleeping atop the altar is a large manticore, and it is surrounded by a small number of Elvers (big snake-thing, you really can't tell if they're plants, or just plant-like fey)
Varis
Perhaps we can negotiate a bonus, upon your return. if you encounter any rare creatures, and can take them alive, or intact enough for an informative necropsy, I am sure the zoological head would be willing to pay you she says
what do you do?
Vanadin
As best we can tell, the churches magic is just a form of hard-light Photokinesis... but we have been completely unable to replicate it. our illusionists, also practitioners of photokinesis, seem unable to focus the light to the point where it acts like a solid. for a while we had theorized that these were simply stylized evocation weapons, much like a magus who summons a blade of pure flame, which may nonetheless parry and strike as if it were a sword made of standard matter. But that would mean that the church was able to train initiates in a matter of years, to weild a power which evades many master mages, with decades of expirience. The blue mage pauses for breath. But if you are saying that your companion is intelligent... then they are not wielding the power themselves, but striking a deal with a powerful being. Though that does raise it's own questions, such as weather the church's paladins are in control of their actions, who is influencing ho, and whence these beings come. Do you have answers to any of these? he asks as you reach the balcony. what do you do?
Gorn
The blade is cold iron, about a meter and a half long. It has the symbol of the kingdom of Malkath on it. plese, avenge my son, kill that beast. he says.
as you finish, walking back to town, you see Tera flying overhead, alighting on the balcony of a high tower. What do you do?
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Gorn nods and shakes the man's hand--which to him is as good as a written contract. He's not yet so civilized as to knowingly cheat a total stranger.
"Ahoy! Ahoy, Tera!" Gorn calls, Jimmy trailing by his feet, as he sees her fly overhead.
"Well, we'd best gather the party so we can venture forth," he rumbles to Jimmy as he makes his way for the structure Tera ha landed upon and makes his way in, trying to meet her and share experiences of the day.
Varis is bored of this meeting and wants to move on already, Yeah, sure. I'll let everyone know. Turning to Silvia he says, Let's go gather the others. Tera will find our caravan easily enough from the sky and we shouldn't waste away cooped up in this tower.
He yells Vanadin! and when Vanadin turns he waves and yells, We're leaving! Join as back at the caravan quickly!
And he leaves.
Silvia, still halfway between intensely curious and overwhelmingly embarassed, bobs her head and leaves with Varis. She'll commit this place to memory, and maybe come back here some day. There might be answers here. Or at least a place to start looking.
Vanadin returns Varis' wave as the other two set out. He listens to the mage speak with an interested expression, trying to conceal that he's only understanding about a quarter of what's being said.
"No, I'm afraid I don't have answers - as soon as I saw the paladins' lanterns, I did my best to stay away, avoiding any awkward questions. Flicker was very interested, though, which usually seems to mean there's strange magic afoot, or someone's lying about who they are." He pauses for a moment. " It sounds like you don't really know much about these guys, then? "
Tera overhears Varis call for a return to the caravan and heads down to where he sees Gorn below. Varis signed us up for a job. Unless I'm mistaken, we have to capture a manticore alive. Come, I'll explain on the way.
The two (and Jimmy) discuss the details of the two quests as they walk back to the caravan. When everyone is gathered, Tera relays all the details from his scouting trip.
As they leave Varis makes sure to mention about how their tea wasn't very good, and separately that Silvia should watch herself around a woman like Olyn - she was not to be trusted based on his previous encounters with her.
If you guys plan to head for the monster in the cave first, you will want to bring Olakas, another of the Cataviir-estate scions, and an experienced hunter. He's well known for excesses, and definitely lives for the party, but he's also a good tracker.
if you plan to clear out the old site, you will want to take Eliza, A dwarven warder. they definitely will want payment, and they were only an apprentice, but as the actual warder is dead, she's the best you got.
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As Gorn walks with the others back to camp, at a "Steak on a Stake!" food vendor he trades a coin of his day's wages for a kebab of skewered meat for everyone.
Close examination of the savory reveals details more akin to lizard than cow, but it has a robust flavor and proves filling, if not the highest quality.
"I would council we seek the monstrosity in the woods," he rumbles out, Jimmy smacking loudly on his obviously skewered gecko. "I would not see another son felled by so foul a creature. And if it collects objects, then we might enrich ourselves all the more on its hoard.
I am told 'twould be neither hard nor long to find, given the right tracker. What say you?"
Traveling with Gorn back to camp:
Tera shudders as Gorn offers the skewered meat. Why would you ruin such a delicacy with fire? To each their own I suppose. As to our next task, I agree with you. I think a manticore might be a bit much for our village's first foray into mercenary work. Recovering this sword will give us a chance to learn to work together.
Vanadin finishes his conversation with the mages, excusing himself if it runs for more than a couple more minutes. Gorn's thread-lizard steak is delicious, but overcooked. He regroups with the caravan, and looks somewhat skeptical when Gorn describes the task. "No reward? You always were too soft hearted for your own good."
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Gorn finishes his lizard-steak and, in the way of ogres, finds that it was served on a thin bamboo-wood stake. Such are digestible by ogre simply because the humans keep putting things on them and ogre keep not noticing. He crunches the stick merrily. Jimmy hands over his own stick, used to the routine, and that too is crushed by strong ogre teeth.
anyone you ask about the monster attacks will point you to ahunter's trail heading west. fortunately, with the mages tower siphoning up much of the local magical energy, there is a notable dearth of overgrowth in this area.
going farther along, you begin to see signs of the attacks. Young tree's felled, older w=ones scored, and bits of equipment that was too damaged to salvage are littered about. What does everyone do?
Tera inspects the area near the attack, looking for unusual footprints, broken twigs, anything that might suggest what type of creature they are hunting and what direction it came from.
Well, I don't what went on here, but I can tell you it wasn't good, Varis says waving his fingers and rotating some of the equipment in front of him for inspection without toughing it.
Tera
Looking around, you notice footprints all right. one set of heavy, human(ish) footprints, and a number of stranger footprints, clawed and waking with a strange, hunched gait. whatever this thing is, it isn't alone in these woods. What do you do?
Varis
There is a lack of magic on the castoffs, indicating that, whatever this is, it doesn't fight with magic.
you also notice that there is nothing shiny, or valuable around. just tarnished junk. This thing clearly takes things. What do you do?
Whatever it is, it has company. Our prey has claws and walks with an odd gait. It is accompanied by at least a few large humanoids. This won't be such a simple task.
Well, they certainly don't use magic but they do know what to look for. I suspect they are some sort of savage scrapers - something like the naawaldi, seeing a lack of recognition Varis explains the basic entomology of the pragmatic intelligent beetles from the Far East.
Flicker flits about, darting beneath some of the junk and flipping it, and generally being a nuisance. In response to Tera and Varis, Vanadin sighs. "Not as simple as we were told, huh? It never is." He starts paying extra attention to the surrounding woods until the group is ready to proceed further.
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Gorn, hearing the party's gathered knowledge, clamps down the face guard on his helmet and takes a better grip on his shield. He unsheathes his sword and holds it before him. "Ha! If it was easy then someone else would have done it by now and we would have no treasure to find!
Do not worry, friend Vanadin, you shall have an epic ballad to sing after this day!"
Oh, that's right. Gorn -still- thinks Vanadin is a bard.
Tera draws his sword as the group continues on the path. I look forward to hearing your song of this day Vanadin.
As if in response to the sound of a sword being drawn, you hear the sound of branches being crushed, and leaves shifting. The sound is coming from about 30 meters into the woods, and by the sound of it, they are moving to circle you. what do you do?
To be honest, I'm not even sure what it is we are doing out here but here we are none the less. Can we just hurry along, I wish to be done with any unpleasantness before - is all Varis says before one of several meaty hands cover his mouth.
Hearing the approach, Varis prepares a spell for when things go south quietly pulling some too-dry alluring root and a scarlet leaf to his hand.
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"Hssst!" Gorn spouts, trying to shush the odd wizard to silence. "As I said afore, a man's son was slain whilst in these woods. The boy had the man's family sword with him. So we are slaying a child-eating monstrosity and reclaiming the grieving father's heirloom. All else that we find in the beast's den we may keep for our troubles.
Now hush. I shall charge the first thing to show itself. The rest of you act as you will."
Gorn peers into the moving shrubbery, trying to gauge the best point of attack!
Alas, with the labor of the day and the unknown quantity of the foe, all he can think of is swordplay, and let others think of guile and stratagem!
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"Not a bard. Not sure why that's so..." Vanadin's muttering stops at the approaching sounds. Flicker tosses one last metal shard, then zooms to Vanadin's hand. He looks somewhat surprised to be holding a glowing bow. Glancing around, he tries to find a spot with decent sight lines, ideally with his back to a sturdy tree.
Silvia draws upon the leaves themselves, coaxing an echo of their form into a quiet piece of camouflage. She backs off the path as she does so, merging with the undergrowth.
I'll try to see what we are dealing with.
Tera flies straight up, gaining altitude for a view of the battlefield.
What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?
Silvia
You are hidden safely as the brush, and watch everything that happens. what do you do?
Gorn
You hear a creak and a crack, and charge... Right into a tree. you crack your head hard, and stumble slightly as you recover . Meanwhile, you hear the footsteps continue circling. what do you do?
Tera
The three that are circling are not the whole pack, another two are coming from the east toward your party.
There is a somewhat rotten tree near the party... if someone pushed it over, it could give the casters some cover.
Aside from the surprise flanking, this is a fairly overt situation. What do you do?
Varis and Vanadin
the creatures finish circling, and dart toward you. bipedal, but twisted... like werewolves, if the person who made them had only heard very vague descriptions of a werewolf. a dog's head, twisted and wrong-way limbs, all precariosly perched atop skinny wolf-legs, and counterbalanced by a long, barbed tail. Three of them are rushing towards you, while the others have disappeared. what do you do?
Running into a tree again, Gorn? flashes through Vanadin's mind before the creatures break cover. " Don't suppose we could talk about this?" he asks, taking aim at the nearest of the creatures.
Silvia's message distracts both Vanadin and Flicker, and the glowing bow vanishes as suddenly as it appeared.
Calling upon her faint links to Tera and Vanadin, she strengthens them with a few mental exercises a pixie taught her until the tenuous bond allows thoughts to filter through.
Friend, what do you see? I will inform the rest post-haste.
Silvia is also peering through the brush for any approaching threats. She should be safe where she is, but the others...
Who is really in control here?
Varis quickly rolls his hands spinning the reagents in the air between them before shouting the command, Go home! into the ingredients turning them into a swirling cloudy dart that lances towards one of the wolf-men.
Tera yells from above. Five of them, two more to the East!
We can split them up with this tree! He then crashes bodily into the rotted tree.
He grunts in pain. Ugh! Help me bring this down!
Varis and Vanadin
Gorn succeeds in catching one's attention, but the remaining two are upon you quickly. one leaps onto Vanadin, sinking it's teeth into his shoulder. .
The other hesitates for a moment, before shaking off His spell and rushing forward. meanwhile, the powder ignited the forest floor, and by extension, you, furthermore, the beast is within range with it's tain,a nd is whipping furiously toward you. it would be difficult to move to the sides. what do you do?
Gorn
The beast shrieks terribly, as your sword carves off part of it's arm, and one of it's withered wings. however, it's tail whips forward, and you can feel the poison moving into your system, while the beast retreats out of your swords range. What do you do?
Silvia
from your safety in the bushes, you can see the battle clearly. These things aren't the predators that have been terrorizing the village... more likely they are simple undead who have been cowed into serving the monster. Furthermore, it is probably watching you guys, seeing how you operate in battle. what do you do?
Tera
OUCH! Wings are not supposed to bend that way. you definately go the tree down, it was a little more rotten than you expected.
one of your wings has come loose from it's socket, you are grounded until you can get someone to fix it
Varis uses the flames to his advantage, using their energy to spark an explosion with the wolves on top of him.
Varis is barely able to reach his volume of Sammy Salamader's Spark, Sizzle, and Sorcery! a gnomish pop-wizardry book only slightly on fire when the spell began. Varis' casting drew a little too much through such pulp, and it was lost to the flames.
Vanadin cries out in pain from the bite. As he tries to remove the creature's teeth from his shoulder, the cry of pain shifts to an otherworldly howl, and for a moment, the fire Varis started goes dim for everyone else present, and flares around the undead foes.
Vanadin takes advantage of his attacker's state, and wrestles free.
Even as Tera crumples back to terra firma, Silvia is already moving. She heard that *pop* and did not like the sound of that at all.
"Hold still." she mind-beams firmly.
Tera yelps in pain as Silvia touches him. I should have kept my belt!
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Gorn grits his teeth, trusting to his super-human vitality to see him through whatever the venom may do, he spins and turns on the foe pinning Vanadin!
Whipping his sword in a twirling arc of STEEL, he brings the razor-sharp blade down, aiming for the beast's neck!
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Varis
The Sigben recoils from the fire, it's dead flesh blazing, untio the monster stops twitching.
the fire has drawn attention, though. a trio of dark figures are visible against the starry sky, circling the clearing. what do you do?
Vanadin
firelight and starlight flare up, and through Flicker's connection you channel it at the beast. it rears back, clutching its damaged eyes with its awkward hands.
as it thrashes, you are able to get out and free, just in time to see Gorn drive his blade through it. behind you, you can hear the sounds of two more approaching from behind you. what do you do?
Gorn
The Sigben who assails the bard is in no way a match for the sword of the aquilion kings! With a single blow, you rend the beast asunder. Mor efoes approach from the south, and from above? Who will feel your Steel first?
Silvia and Tera
The wing is more complicated than a traditional humanoid limb, and attempts to set it as such are... ill advised. Doubly so when one is active using a telepathic connection.
The pain from it is transmitted over the link, loud and clear and strong enough to buckle Silvia's knees out from under her.
Tera nods at Silvia and launches up at the nearest nightwing, sword aiming for its heart.
Vanadin scrambles to his feet, offering a quick "thank you" to Gorn. He draws his staff and whistles at Flicker; the ball flits over, and begins whirring around his form. His eyes glance skyward, and he thinks back to the last time one of those nightwings attacked him...
Varis sees the figures, and Tera launching into the sky. Looking around he comes up with a plan.
Silvia staggers back to her feet, scanning around wildly. "I know you're out there! Call off your minions and let's talk!"
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Gorn grits his teeth as his veins FLARE from the heat in the poison. The vile liquid tries to find purchase in his organs, but his Ogre heritage and the Steelbreaker name refuse to submit.
Gorns spins and turns, slinging out his blade to clean the gore from it. "Ha! This does not seem fair, little ones. I mean...there are only two of you."
Again his sharp STEEL rises and falls, lunging for the nearest approaching beast.
Alas his ardor for more kills causes him to over-compensate and his swing goes wide!