No sooner has Ratibor flown unceremoniously off the porch, that the Hut settles back down to rest, seemingly content to be rid the barbarian at last.
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Ed still gaining his balance from Ratibor's twirl was grabbing a post when the Hut came to life. It's sudden violent motion reminds Ed that this hut is very very powerful.
Easy girl I see you weren't happy with him either. Ed says with a whisper. Hoping that the Hut doesn't take umbrage with the gender assumption.
As the hut settles back on it's legs. HAHAHAHAAAAA!!! Ratibor how do you manage to make a house mad? Ed says with a chuckle.
Well I was going to ask you if you wanted to stay here, and deal with the giants in the area, or come back in and maybe get off at our next destination, but that question is now moot. We have to leave, but do you need food or any equipment that you might have left inside?
Reflex Save
The lad's arms windmill wildly and his hips sway in extreme contortions, yet somehow he keeps his feet and manages to stay on the porch.
"Hohoho! A frisky little hut!" Davosh floats down at a comfortable pace.
Ratibor picks himself up and rubs his backside. Damned witch got one last shot in, even as you managed to release me.
He remains grateful, if rather sore, and lays claim to nothing inside — the furs he wears and equipment he carries is more than enough. He presents the party with the gold necklace he wears before departing.
"Ratibor! What will you do now? Where will you go? Who will write your story?"
"Ah! This necklace will make you a bit like a pachyderm!"
Reflex
The barbarian is flung off the porch. As he flies through the air, Vojtek seems to flex his shoulders in a strange way. Almost as if he expected wings to sprout and unfurl...
The wiry little man smashed into the ground and seemed quite surprised that he wasn't able to gently land.
Sorry I've been AFK...
Vojtek somberly asks Ratibor for one thing in return. He knows the pain of friends lost, of family killed. He also knows the warmth of newfound brother and sisterhood with his current companions.
Vojtek asks Ratibor for a simple thing, but something that has proven again and again to be the ONLY thing he has. "Ratibor, I ask you for your friendship"
Vojtek adds, "and for myself, I offer you mine." He looks at his companions, hoping one of the more eloquent among them might be able to convince Ratibor the Bold to more formally declare himself an ally, even if the road takes him for from the group for now while he exercises his newfound freedom.
Sorry I've been AFK...
Vojtek somberly asks Ratibor for one thing in return. He knows the pain of friends lost, of family killed. He also knows the warmth of newfound brother and sisterhood with his current companions.
Vojtek asks Ratibor for a simple thing, but something that has proven again and again to be the ONLY thing he has. "Ratibor, I ask you for your friendship"
Vojtek adds, "and for myself, I offer you mine." He looks at his companions, hoping one of the more eloquent among them might be able to convince Ratibor the Bold to more formally declare himself an ally, even if the road takes him for from the group for now while he exercises his newfound freedom.
Ratibor stares at Vojtek for a long moment, then draws his dagger, cutting his palm and offering it, pommel out, to the Northman.
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Vojtek solemnly accepts the dagger, cuts his own flesh and clasps hands with Ratibor the Bold. Mixing blood in the way if the ancients signifies a bond of brotherhood, and Vojtek Clanless is deeply moved by the gesture. He scrubs the mixed blood off the blade with a bit of snow and wipes it clean with a rag. Upon handing it back to Ratibor, he nods silently, afraid the lump in his throat might betray his emotions if he tried to speak.
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"Liska, myself, and all your dead relatives agree with Edward."
With Ratibor and Vojtek having become brothers in blood, the barbarian departs to seek his fortune in modern Iobaria, while the party turns its attention back to the Hut. The door opens by itself as you file onto the porch, and you quickly find yourselves in the room you first met Ratibor, with everything as it w—
You! Why you come into Zorka's Hut? Shoo! Shoo, all of you! The familiar, unfriendly voice of Zorka emerges from the floor below, as her straw broom thrashes about in some odd cleansing ritual. Oh! You lot are back! Well, get out of Zorka's way, Zorka need to clean this room of the stench of that Ratibor fellow. Shoo! SHOO!
She chases you all out of the room and back into the eternal hallway of the Hut. The double doors leading to the cauldron room are clearly visible across the hall, and it seems as good a place as any to rest.
"How rude! Bah! Well, yes, let's sleep, rest, and prepare for the morrow. We're going on a grand adventure!"
Maybe Vojtek can cook us up a stew!!
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Vojtek nods. He doesnt mind performing women's work occasionally, especially since Ali seems to be under the sway of the lunar influence today. He'd rather take no risks.
He does his best to keep his own bloody rag clear of the ingredients.
The party beds down in the cauldron room. They feel comfortable enough inside the confines of the Hut that they don't set up formal watches.
Upon arising the next...is it morning? afternoon? evening? Who knows? Davosh stands aside the cauldron, dropping the nugget of gold and the dragon scale into the cauldron, where they rapidly sink into the unappetizing stew. The warlock again grasps the heavy, giant spoon and stirs.
The room around them shimmers and a bit, and the very walls themselves dissolve the items in the room fade into and out of focus.
A moment later, the shimmering and fading stops. The wooden walls of the hut disappear, replaced by large windows set in delicate iron traceries that look out in all directions over a wide, gloomy garden. Thick clouds hang unnaturally low over overgrown stands of trees, barren flower beds, and white pebble paths. The sky and distant landscape seem peculiarly artificial, almost as if they were part of a faded and blurry watercolor painting.
The large iron cauldron sits atop a round, marble-topped table this time, surrounded by four white wooden chairs in the center of the circular room. A set of framed stained-glass doors to the south provide the only exit.
Kappi is both excited and nervous. Are we still in the hut?
The lad starts to poke about
Perception
Vojtek joins his little brother.
From their vantage point inside the glass room, neither Kappi nor Vojtek have any indication that they are still in the Hut save for the massive cauldron on the table. They see nothing stirring in the woods and fields beyond the glass.
"Well that was unexpected." Davosh looks around. "We can't stay here. Vojtek, step outside and check for dragons."
Once outside I'll try to figure out where we are.
Kappi goes with Vojtek over to the south facing door. The lad looks them over before opening.
The pair open the door to the gazebo after Kappi checks it out. Open grassy land with meandering cobblestone paths are immediately nearby, while various areas further out contain a forest of coniferous pines to the north, a well-maintained orchard and garden to the east, a tangle of briars and thorny weeds weeds to the south nearby a thick copse of deciduous trees, and a teeming jungle of tropical trees and undergrowth to the west.
Perception,
The lad points out there is no breeze at all. There should be something in this open area. After discussing it with Ojos Locos and Edward, they decide they are all still probably inside the Hut.
Well, which way should we go first?
"Well, let's go out and check it out! Lead the way, northwest!"
"Well, let's go out and check it out! Lead the way, northwest!"
The Varisian lad reties his headscarf and then leads the way.
Zorka I'm pretty sure you can hear me. Do you know where we are?
Zorka appears standing on the ceiling of the gazebo, sweeping feverishly with her broom. Zorka not see this grove before, she says before turning back to a particularly stubborn cobweb. But Zorka know you not find out where you are by staying here! Now SHOO!
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
As Kappi leads the party down the cobblestone path heading northwest, all note the same still air that the Varisian rogue did. The path has a crossroad up ahead, a handful of garden plots to the right and a dirt pathway that leads into the tropical growth to the left.
"Kappi, scout a SHORT distance in each direction."
"Kappi, scout a SHORT distance in each direction."
At a word from Davosh, the young rogue slips down the western path just a short distance.
Perception
Stealth
Vojtek eyes the grove suspiciously. He hates the odd closed-in feeling.
Vojtek's claustrophobia doesn't show signs of letting up, while Kappi observes that the dirt path rounds a corner back out of sight, though curiously it seems to track back toward the edge of the treeline.
So the path goes out of sight, then loops back to where it started?
Vojtek's claustrophobia doesn't show signs of letting up, while Kappi observes that the dirt path rounds a corner back out of sight, though curiously it seems to track back toward the edge of the treeline.
Kappi goes a little bit further.
Perplexed, Kappi moves forward and sees that, while the path moves back toward the cobblestone, it soon separates into a T intersection.
Somewhat perplexed, though Kappi is used to being confused. The lad heads back to his comrades and gives his report.
Staying in stealth mode the lad checks the first right hand path.
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Before he left, Ed reminded Kappi to stay within the area of Ed’s life link.
Ed will follow with his bow out. Everyone, lets let Kappi scout, we can follow, but at a distance, remember quiet as we can. He gives Vojtek a look that stops the barbarian from exclaiming that he is always as quiet as he needs to be.
Towering tropical vegetation grows in profusion here, and the canopy of green foliage gives the impression of a leafy ceiling overhead. Thick creepers choke the trees and taller shrubs, each straining to reach the light above.
As Kappi creeps forward, he sees two massive, twisted trunks clustered with bulbous blossoms begin to stir, evidently oblivious to him but stirred to action by his companions! Each holds up a gaping mouth large enough to swallow a victim whole!
Surprise round
Kappi — GO
Round 1
baddies — TBD
Vojtek — TBD
Kappi — TBD
Ali — TBD
Edward — TBD
Davosh — TBD
Since Kappi gets to act in the surprise round, he can move and reasonably expect they don't have the ability to react to his surprise round action. Unless they have Combat Reflexes or something similar.
While the lad’s blade hand feels itchy, he knows he is part of a team. He quickly slips back to inform his comrades of the plant monsters
If they are going to attack it should be as a coordinated effort. Kappi also figures he can still slip ahead of his comrades with his Vanish trick to land the first blow anyway
Kappi retreats to the party. Plants! he hisses to his comrades. Moving plants tha—
The plants he mentions abruptly make their presence known as they erupt from the foliage to engage the party!
Red lashes out at Edward!
Edward is savaged by the strange plant beast!
Blue shambles forward and emits a blinding flash of light!
Light Pulse (Su) As a standard action, a moonflower can release a pulse of bright light. All creatures within a 50-foot burst that can see the moonflower must make a DC 22 Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds. Moonflowers are immune to this ability.
Round 1
baddies — baddie stuff
Vojtek — GO
Kappi — GO
Ali — GO
Edward — GO
Davosh — GO
druids and others who regularly converse with plants, but possess some manner of strange telepathy and are in constant communication with their nearby brethren. They have plant traits.
"AH! They're brainless, but dangerous! They'll swallow you whole!" Trying to help as best he can, he casts a spell of Blessing of Fervor
Fort Save
Round 1
Kappi swears loudly Desna's dimpled arse!
He can't understand how the party is RIGHT BEHIND HIM while he is supposed to be scouting.
Not much can be done now, the lad takes a cut at the red plant. And then screams again as he is blinded by the other plant monster.
1st attack miss
sh sword
offhand attack miss
sh sword
2nd attack miss HIT!
sh sword
Knowing things have all gone to hell, the rogue makes his move when his blade finds purchase.
- Round the First
- Current HPs: 129/129
Vojtek steps forward instantly. His rage bubbles to the surface. He cant wait to sink his axe into the vegimal in front of him.
for
for
And for .
BoF Attack: for
Vojtek's axe takes to chopping down the oversized plants well, while Kappi manages to flip himself to the other side, despite the blinding flash!
Kappi blind for 3 ends
Round 1
baddies — baddie stuff
Vojtek — not blind, flurry of rage
Kappi — blind, spiffy Rogue sh!t
Ali — Fort save and GO
Edward — grabbed, Fort save and GO
Davosh — Fort save and GO