Even with Grelda's song,travel through the jungle has only gotten slower since you left this morning. There is no discernible path through the jungle, and the plants trip you up if you aren't careful of your footing. Massive, seemingly man-made rock formations block your path and several points, though you cannot determine what purpose they may once have served. Still, by midday, you are only a few miles from the old man's town. On the map, it is marked Ruin Village.
That is when you first hear the screams piercing the air. A woman yells "Leave him alone! You're hurting him!" Though you can't see the source of the voice, you can tell it isn't too far away. It would likely only take you a few minutes to find them.
Cantrips: Message, Detect Magic, Daze, Touch of Fatigue
Lvl 1: Mage Armor, Ray of Sickening, Ear-Piercing Scream, Enlarge Person
Lvl 2: Unnatural Lust, Lipstitch, Vomit Swarm
Scroll of Dispel Magic
Scroll of Endure Elements
"We should probably see what's going on." Valeriya says. She lightly pushes Jolis' shoulder while putting herself behind him. "Onwards, brave leader!"
Jolis nods.
The big warrior switches to the front of the party, replacing his crossbow with his machete, making a path through the overgrown to the screaming woman.
Grelda tightens her grip on her clubs, ready to bust some skulls if needed as she follows Jolis.
All this work and walking had made her stronger she was sore, also the need to use skills she had never had to before. What ever this place was for her it was a very good training ground.
It was a trap that was clear, voices calling for help. How ever knowing its a trap is the 1st step in avoiding it. She took her bow out and as her clothing shifted to match the foliage, she faded into the greenery, moving ahead to give cover to the others.
As Richard follows, he starts downing potions ending with him disappearing from view.
Quickly following Jolis, Vitranna definitely moves more quietly in the same general direction...
As you get closer, you start hearing other voices. Several low guttural laughs, punctuated by crossbows firing, followed by another shriek. Soon, you're able to see the able to see the cause.
You see a clearing ahead where a woman with bark-like skin and hair like willow branches is bound to a large stone by chains. Green tears stream down her cheeks, but she seems otherwise unharmed.
Several feet away, a half dozen bugbears face a massive tree, at least twenty feet in diameter. They take turns shooting flaming bolts into vaguely human shaped targets painted crudely on the side of it. Judging by the number of bolts in the tree, they've been doing this for quite a while. "Bah. It rains too much in this stupid jungle. This tree won't ever burn like this," one grumbles.
"Guys we have to help them! Miya, you can shoot the bugbears if they don't listen to reason," Lera says with uncharacteristic concern and seriousness.
Richard tries to understand the situation. He would have normally never given a second thought about someone shooting at a tree. He moves as quietly as possible to the woman, and attempts to unlock her chains.
Trying to aid Richard in his attempts to free the creature in chains, Vitranna pulls out a bit of wool and casts a Ghost Sound cantrip in the jungle on the far side of the tree away from the chained prisoner. The spell will make sounds like a large creature crashing around back oand forth in the bushes sniffing-snuffling for a meal!
Quietly sheathing his machete, Jolis draws his longsword and shield. Nodding to the others, the big warrior will circle the clearing to get closer to the bugbears.
Miya hears Valeriya and understands, this time they had to act as one, they have one advantage here and that was surprise. But who was the enemy here, she had worked with bugbears before. They where mean but they made for a good brute squad. So she took up a shooting position to wait. She uses Valeriya magic to say back to her.
"I have some magic Valeriya that would give me the illusion of looking like one of them, I could change to a female one and try and get them to follow me, say from that best in the woods over there. Can you hear it? This may split the group, give us time. Ask the others if they wish me to do this."
Lera will relay Miya's plan and endorse it. "My magic cannot protect you that far so be careful."
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Richard whispers to the chained woman, and Lera. Don't be afraid. We're here to help. I'll try and free your chains, but don't run, they'll simply give chase. Wait for a sign, you'll know it when you see it.
He whispers to Lera. I can enlarge myself and pretend to be the Tree waking up. should be enough to allow the rest of you to get the drop.
After hearing Miya's plan. Tell her to draw them away for a bit, then I'll draw them back, it should give us time to deal with half quickly, and keep her safe.
Miya puts her bow away in her small bag of holding and places her dagger in her boot.
The she shifted form, growing is size and shifting in shape to become that of a female bugbear, she then uses her tattoo to places the illusion of very basic and reveling bugbear armor around her. It has a damaged look like some best has rant it. One breast is showing.
She moved to the area where Vitranna's best sounds where being made and then ran out from the trees panting in panic. Her voice now deeper she calls out.
"I'm going now"
"HELP HELP!! who will save me? Its going to eat me, O HELP! Help!"
and then run across the area as fast as she can, and into the trees across from the bests. Just away from the bugbear's but in clear view of them. She is careful to act as tho she has not seen them as she dose. Letting them see her. She looks and sound scared, but with a slight hint of vulnerability. letting her legs and large breasts show and bounce provocatively as she runs.
It's quit an act, the lure of sex and saving a female. She take care to give them time to notice her and see her, before dissipating still calling out into the trees.
Richard moves into position next to the big tree. He drinks the elixir that enlarges his invisible form, just in time to see Miya start her ruse.
The woman is a slightly stranger case. From stories you’ve heard, you guess that she is a dryad – a fey that protects nature and bonds her spirit to a single tree. Lera is the first to grasp the implications of this, and understand exactly what you are witnessing, but the rest of you are not far behind.
The bugbears have yet to notice you as you each move into position, setting your plan into motion. As Richard works to unlock the woman’s chains, she’s surprised at first, jerking away from him, but stills at the sound of his voice. She looks towards him and nods, remaining still even after the chains loosen.
The sound of crashing in the jungle draws their attention away, and two of them aim their crossbows towards it. When they see the disguised Miya calling for help they exchange laughs. ”Looks like somebody pissed off the wildlife. She’s not one of ours, is she?”
”I’ve never seen her before, but lets go anyway. Shame to let a woman go to waste, don’t you think?”
Two of them start to head after her, still laughing, when another grabs on by the armor, sniffing at the air. ”Forget her. I smell humans snooping around.”
Seeing that battle is about to commence, Grelda bursts forth from the brush. It's been weeks since she's had a good battle, and the simmering rage inside her is in dire need of an outlet. Dum! Ba dum dum dum! goes the drums, the skald intoning the rhythm of war.
Miya hearing them stop goes all in, and runs back there way.
"Humans and Orks, big ens! they will kill me! help! twenty or so, I only stole a little, just a baby, no eating at all! now they want to hunt and kill me!"
She calls to them as she runs to bugbears as if in fear.
She moves fast arms flaying.
Then or all arm waving can scream of fear, she is in the middle of them, holding onto one big male, she just about jumps on him.
"SAVE ME, and I'm YOURS!"
She says, clinging to him for dear life.
After Grelda's charge and Miya's acting, Vitranna steps to make sure her movement is free and she begins her spear spinning!
With the tone that sounds like angry bees, Vitranna spins her hips as she swings her spear as if batting something out at the group of bugbears and a haze in the air follows her movements!
*10 foot radius spread!
*Fort DC:14 to avoid being stunned (no actions) for 1 round!
Richard moves up just a step and fires. Say hello to my Boom Stick!
The massive twelve foot tall scientist Pulls his sword cane free in his off hand. then reloads his firearm.
Cantrips: Message, Detect Magic, Daze, Touch of Fatigue
Lvl 1: Mage Armor, Ray of Sickening, Ear-Piercing Scream, Enlarge Person
Lvl 2: Lipstitch, Vomit Swarm
"Feel affection unjust; feel not love but lust!" Valeriya weaves her hands targeting one bugbear for her enchantment, filling him with lust for another.
It only takes a few seconds of chaos to either confuse or incapacitate most of the bugbears. A blast of sound from Vitranna's spear stuns one of them, and a shot from Richard's pistol kills another. One looks to aim his crossbow, but before he fires, a strange urge comes over him. He grabs his incapacitated companion by the waist and kisses him passionately.
"Giant! Shoot him!" one yells. Two will aim their crossbows at him, while the third aims at Grelda.
The bugbear nearest Miya looks around, baffled. "F%*! this. Let's get of here!" He'll reach for her hand and try to run from the fight.
The dryad takes Richard's sudden appearance as the signal and shakes off her chains. She runs to the tree, placing herself between it and the bugbears. "Stay away, you filthy beasts!"
Jolis charges the nearest bugbear from the underbrush.
She slaps his face, and as she does a large foxs head forms Biting his head.
"What kind of girl do you take me for!!"
She declares, the fox is the one form her tattoo.
The bugbear howls in shock and pain, fleeing alone.
Vitranna maintains her bardic performance and send another distortion at the same group of bugbears with a simple flick of her wrist and humming spin of her spear!
*10 foot radius spread!
*Fort DC:15 to avoid being stunned (no actions) for 1 round!
She will then move closer to maintain a good range and cast with her free hand her Shadow Trap spell on the bugbear near Grelda!
Shadow Trap! DC15 .
"No come back I love you"
Miya calls after the one running away.
"You will love me wan't ya"
But he knows better and moves so she can't hug him.
"You hurt my feelings"
She says as if hurt.
The bugbears are not as intimidating as Grelda expected. Snorting derisively, she maneuvers around to flank with Miya. She brings her club down in a rage-fueled strike!
The bugbear drops from a bullet to the head. It was the first person Richard had ever killed. It frightened him how easy it was. Then a bolt flies by his head, and another bounces off his armor and toughened skin. He snapped back to reality and the situation at hand.
He saw one trying to escape. Richard knew that it was very likely he would go to get reinforcements. However, he could not shoot the fleeing bugbear in the back. He runs to catch up, all the while taking a draught of a viscous fluid which he held in his mouth. When Richard gets in range, he spits the goo at the fleeing fighter...hoping it stops him dead in his tracks.
A black aura radiates form Lera's fingertips as she hexes the gullible Bugbear. "Your fate to sever; reclaimed never."
With two of the bugbears stunned, and a third barely moving after being stuck by Richard's spit, the threat has been largely neutralized. The last, realizing how unlikely it is he will escape, decides to at least try to inflict as much damage as he can before being taken down. He tosses his crossbow aside and pulls the morningstar from his belt, swinging towards Grelda's ribs, but she is able to sidestep it.
Though the threat seems to be handled, the dryad watches warily, ready to act if anyone comes near her.
Miya moves and punches the Bugbear facing Grelda, with a short hard punch aimed at its kidney. A killing bow, delivered with deadly skill.
She waited to see if it felled the thing, if it did she drops her nee on it throat crushing its wind pipe. Then walks away while it chocks to death.
Pulling her deadly black sword to end the lives of the other Bugbears.
As she walks her form changes back to that of Miya, the simple monk. Nice cute and smiling. The persona of of the rude female Bugbear gone.
Addressing the dryad, Jolis gestures to the arrow pocked tree.
"Lady of the Forest. Please. Rest."
Observing no reaction from the fey, Jolis adds, "We mean you no harm. You've just had a horrible experience. Rest within the safety of your trees."
Walking over she slits the throuts of the two prone bugbears. .
"See, we are watering your tree and your welcome."
She adds with a nod to the fey.
Looking over at the large Rich-hard she asks him.
"You want me to end that one or do you want to keep it?"
Vitranna stops her performance suddenly, turns and charges the fighting Bugbear with her spear!
"Never mind"
she says seeing Vitranna spearing it.
"Someone best start pulling them flaming arrows out the tree, By the way"
Pointing at the tree.
"Ah-ah-ah! No one goes near the tree", cautions Jolis. "It might be seen as another attack on the tree. Everyone be calm, wait for what the dryad wants to do."
"Keep one alive so we can question it."
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The twelve foot tall scientist keeps up with the slowed bugbear who is trying to make his escape under the giant tree. Richard booms. Throw down your weapons and surrender! I don't want to kill you!