The party continues and everyone spends the night at the Keep. The next morning the Lord Caud introduces you to his daughters. Then allows each of you to eat and after breakfast.
He says We have had a report of two priest being taken into the woods. Will rescue them?
"Of course, do you have a map or a guide for the area?"
Lord Cauldyth looks over and say I believe my daughter Rhiara may. [b] Sweet Darling do you of the map? A young woman with dark-haired, impish beauty of fleet feet and much mischief. Arrives and say
No Father we don't. Also are Lhoreth, Ansyble, and Ethuan here to see you. These are our surviving priests of Chauntea in Aithe. They live here in the Keep helping us.
The men come in and Lord Cauldyth recounts your groups epic tale. The men murmur.
If you need any healing of the Lady Chauntea please come to us! The Bane cult is out is in the woods doing goddess knows to our Breathern. Please bring them back quickly. Lorheth says.
You each take your leave from the group and a Soldier will lead you to the edge of the woods.
Dernall Forest is vast and deep and old, rising like a great, green wall behind the coastal farms. Shrubs cloak its verges, rising into tall, well-spaced trees, devoid of lower branches where foresters have cut kindling. For a short way in, trails and stumps tell of the taking of firewood and timber—carefully and lightly, a tree here and a tree there, never brutally-cut clearings or groups of stumps all in one place. As the group go deeper into woods you realized your group is turned around. It has been 4 hours of riding into the woods and night is falling.
Wis check:
Survival
or Wisdom only +1
"Did you know that moss only grows on the North side of these trees". Kolfax relays to the group, pointing out how to keep your direction without the sun or stars.
Kolfax is able to find the following. These include hidden drinking water that wells up in rock crevices marked by particular ferns and mosses; and the spoor of boars, bears, deer, and smaller
woodland creatures. Kolfax who is used to woodlands will also sense that something is not right in the Wild Wood; its creatures are too few—and too silent. The Wood seems to be listening and waiting
around them.
There is a trail leading to the right and one to the left. Which way do you guys want to go. Each path seems well worn.
Lynore nods at the sage advise she hears from the wind.
"A wise old elf once told me when you come upon a split in the road, to always bare right, for you could not go wrong, if you went right!"
Varis starts down the right-hand path.
As the group goes down the path Kolfax notices some things as he is walking. Lynore and Varis also as well.
Arcana:
marking a trail that passes through Dernall
Forest from one side to the other
(a journey of some six days, if one
doesn't get lost, and can swim or ford
the river without losing much time).
The Harper trail links several sacred
groves along its way through the forest.
Lynore just sees some circles on the ground in pattern at all. Kolfax notices the circles but has no context for them. What does Varis do?
"Something seems strange here". "The wildlife is not as active as it should be".
Varis examines the marks and seems to be ready to dismiss them, when his eyes suddenly widen and a smile crosses his lips.
"Yes, yes! That is what it is! I am sure. My friends, come here and gather round. These odd marks are not simply random scratches, but rather markers for a path...probably all the way through this forest. They most likely, knowing those who made them, lead to the sacred groves of the Ffolk. We should follow them as it will hasten our travel through this forest!"
"Then lead the way friend. I have your back"
Varis smiles and nods back to Kolfax. He looks over to Lynore to see if she has anything to add before he begins to follow the blazes deeper into the woods.
As the group rides on there is some tracks on the ground. As if someone recently passed through here.
Lynore studies the tracks to see if she can get an information from them.
Perception
Perception:
A group of 3 Bandits jump out. Kolfax being the great fighter is calls out. The group is not surprised! Two of them are dressed in leather armor with maces and the other is dressed in a hide armor armored with Great Axe.
Attempting to put an end to this battle quickly, Varis casts a spell of slumber on the bandits.
Sleep spell: hp affected
Kolfax lumbers forward determined to end this quickly.
Warhammer Attack
Disarm damage w/Superiority die. (Vs. STR Roll)
Then spending the action Surge
Warhammer Attack
With the exhaustion of his first attack making his second go astray.
Lynore casts sacred flame at the bandit that Kolfax is attacking.
Varis spell fails to make the men go to sleep. Kolfax swings at the man with the great axe. Attempting to disarm him, but fails too. Lynore tries to cast her spell but the Axe wielder sides steps the spell.
The first Thug is five feet from his Axe Wielder friend and attempts to hit Kolfax. He misses the great warrior. The Berserker becomes reckless swinging at the warrior, the first swing misses but the second one hits. The last thug seeing Varis cast a spell makes his way to the elf putting him out of range of his group. He loads his crossbow and shoots at the elf. His shoot hits the tree.
Crunch
ok...sounds good....maybe we will find someone wandering the forest...as Kofax wanders off on his own..
Varis fires off a bolt of fire at the raging barbarian in hope of taking him down.
Attack-ranged:
(Advantage Roll) Attack-ranged:
Damage:
As the Varis bolts hit the bersker. A young creature dressed in green armor, carrying a rapier and riding a pony appear. He has green hair and blue eyes. The armor he is wearing is ember green and has leaves on it. Seeing the three on two battle, he joins in. He jumps off his pony and attacks the nearest thug.
Lynore pulls out her bow and lets an arrow fly at one of the thugs.
Dara's blade bites into the Thug(T1). The rapier draws blood across his chest. The surprise of seeing the young Gnome causes Lynore to miss her target. Varis starts to casting again! The sound of approaching horses can be heard. They will be in there in two rounds.
Varis fires another bolt of fire at the Berserker.
Attack-ranged:
Damage:
Varis's spell hits the Axe wielding man. The bolt grazes his left arm. The thug (t1) that was hit by Green Knight comes in close to hit the gnome. At the same time the Berserker ignores the Mage and comes in after the Gnome. The axe bites in to the Gnomes leg and he keeps standing. Darafane mumbles a spell and then strikes with his rapier to the axe wielding man. The rapier swings wide but misses as it does the blade glows red hot as if on fire.
Roman views the battle going on and grits his teeth. He palms his wand, preparing to cast a spell. As a precaution, he mentally tells his familiar, Ajax, to keep an eye on him from the sky.
The nobleman smiles as the owl sends back the psychic equivalent of, "Well, of course I will, you idiot."
Dot
Lynore shoots another arrow at the thug.
Lynore arrow hits the Thug (T2). The arrow sticks in his arm. The new arrivals come in you see a another warrior and the return of Rolen the rogue who went missing from the ship. It turns out he was on mission for Blackstaff the famous mage of the Realms. He had to go and report on Helso activities.
"I take it the others aren't your friends then?" Roman asks Rolen. Once the rogue confirms this, the nobleman raises his wand in a sweeping gesture, aiming a flaming missile at one of the wounded thugs.
"Tor shuul!"
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I do not know them, but they appear to be here to help.
Rolen fires an arrow at the nearest enemy.
Both Thugs face the fire and the arrow of the new comers. Darafane Let's regroup and fight on friends ... He yells.
Lynore wins the dex roll
Seeing a new opportunity Lynore steps up to deliver justice on these bandits.
Lynore continues to shoot at the thug she wounded.
, piercing
Lynore arrow hits it target and the Thug winces in pain as the clerics's arrow sticks in his leg. The Axeman decides to swing at the new comers and takes a swing at Roman.
The Thugs chose to wait to see what the new group will do and will react to whoever attacks them.
Roman flicks his wand in the direction of the axe, and a golden, shimmering, translucent shield takes shape and intercepts the incoming weapon.
"You are outmatched, villain. You should run."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Rolen fires an arrow at the enemy engaged in melee combat with Roman.