Unrak growls in anticipation. Well, I can "reach out" farther with my sword anyway.
My brother has the right of it--I'm all for giving Drelev his just desserts--and maybe even get my scabbard back!--but it will be important to decide if this will require a full-fledged invasion, or if a strike team will be enough to pull it off. Because...we know a good strike team.
"Kisandra, we shall work to see your weather turn fair. What recon can you give us for the lands to the west?"
"Fort Drelev is situated on the west side of Lake Hooktongue. Between here and there is the Slough: swamplands as far as the eye can see. You're best off making for Wyvernstone Bridge to the north, before the East Sellen flows into the Lake. From there you can follow the western edge to Fort Drelev. Going south means a lot more swamp."
"It will be important to decide if this will require a full-fledged invasion, or if a strike team will be enough to pull it off. Because...we know a good strike team"
"I don't have any good advice on that. Although... if you make it to Fort Drelev, make contact with Satinder Morne. You'll find her at the Velvet Corner, and she's no friend of the Baron's. Here, it's dangerous to go alone, take this." She pulls a jade ring off her finger and hands it to Unrak. "Show it to Satinder and she'll know you're friends."
"Huntsmen, I suggest we make haste slowly. We should devote time and effort to raising an army here. I'll see if we can devote funds towards stationing troops in a proper building. Gentlemen, I think many of us are sitting on a nest egg. Let's spend some and be ready. Scrolls would have gone a long way today."
"Kisandra, you may rest assured that Duke Redleaf and the huntsmen will doing everything in their power. He is a just man and where there is injustice he will stomp it out."
"I suggest we make haste slowly."
"This sounds a bit contradictory but you know that I am here to serve. Whatever you need me to do, just let me know."
Wherever Bytor goes, he looks for opportunities to inspire the people to follow Duke Redleaf and to serve the kingdom by preparing to keep it safe.
"I don't have any good advice on that. Although... if you make it to Fort Drelev, make contact with Satinder Morne. You'll find her at the Velvet Corner, and she's no friend of the Baron's. Here,it's dangerous to go alone,take this." She pulls a jade ring off her finger and hands it to Unrak. "Show it to Satinder and she'll know you're friends."
Unrak takes the ring, and slides it onto his pinky (if it does not fit, then into a pouch), with a sincere nod and eye contact. We'll do what we can to get your family back
To his companions, he states We need to scout this out, figure out our approach.
John agrees with Unrak and swears to whatever he can.
"Let us cut west. We were en route to visit Tiressia, and now I fear we must come with bad news. If willing, we could work to annex her space to provide some protection."
After a long, hard, and bloody day in Tatzylford, you find your way back to your rooms at Able's Inn. Some of the fighting apparently reached here, given the new hole in the roof, but Able has already covered it with canvas and sends a meal (and five beers) up to your rooms.
In the morning, you bid Rezbin, Evanore, Lowry, and the folk of Tatzylford farewell, striking south and then west for the Grove of Tiressia.
The dryad receives you well, creaking out of her tree form to greet you. "Visitors in winter, what pleasure!" she smiles, though she shivers slightly and moves slowly. "What brings you to my quiet glade?"
"Well met, gentle wood folk. Duke Redleaf and company kindly ask permission to pass through your grove as we work our way toward Drelev."
"Actually Tiressia, we'd like to talk to you. Our business in Drelev is fell. I also worry for your lands..." Taranis then explains the battle, the belligerents, and our worries that war is brewing and that her grove isn't safe...
"I want to offer protection if I can. Willing, we would expand our claim westward, and it would include your grove. I would ask you to set terms for your space so that we can truly protect you, not lord over you."
"That is troubling news," Tiressia says, but she gives a little laugh. "If your foes march through my grove, they will find the trees thicker than they remembered."
"I have not forgotten your service to me, and the words we shared after. You have my blessing. I ask only that no men with axes and saws come to my trees; they are my flock, after all."
"Such a request is minor in the extreme and of complete logic. I almost pity the man who tests your stake to this place."
Will definitely obey this.
After parting ways, "Gentlemen, let's explore and map towards the western lake."
Heading west, you plunge deeper into the Narlmarches. Here the forest is denser, darker, older. The vegetation feels ominous, even unfriendly, if beautiful in its own right.
By [color=teal]15th Abadius[/color], you feel confident that there are no hidden structures or points of interest within the forest.
Southwest. We are slower here, and each bit is harder earned, but I think we should push on a bit more."
You continue deeper into the forest, looking to what few traces of the sun penetrate to the forest floor to keep a southwestern heading. After a day of exploration, you settle in to make camp. The winter sun fades early, and the air grows bitter cold, yet you dare not light a fire here. Wrapping cloaks and furs tight, you set to work.
In the dimming light, Augrym catches sight of a beautiful blue flower growing on a vine at the edge of the glade, nearly a foot in diameter and just beginning to blossom. He was sure that was not here when you selected the site for the night...
Suddenly, the flower bursts open, revealing a cluster of sharp, bright-red stamens arranged like a ring of teeth within its leafy muzzle. With the jerked blossoming comes a spray of seeds that sting as they strike the half-orc's skin.
+2 if Surprise
+2 if Surprise
Round I
Surprise: ???
1. Gozrek, Unrak, Augrym (83/95 hp, Reflex)
2. ???
3. John, Bytor, Taranis
Bytor recalls what he can about this dangerous looking flower.
Unrak rushes forward to harvest the flower!!
Use ability Certain Strike to reroll one attack!
Unrak rushes forward to slash at the petals!
Round I
1. Gozrek, Unrak, Augrym (83/95 hp, Reflex)
2. ???
3. John, Bytor, Taranis
Well traveled as he is, Bytor has never even heard of these flowers, let alone seen them.
Round I
1. Gozrek, Unrak, Augrym (83/95 hp, Reflex)
2. ???
3. John, Bytor, Taranis
Augrym studies this creature, moves and attacks.
Gozrek slides towards the creature and casts a quick spell
Gozrek detects no poison in the plant. Augrym has no idea what the flower is either, but that does not stop him from slashing it in half...
After this final cut, the flower rapidly disintegrates into a patch of brown goo, seemingly half mulch and half mold. Somehow the air around it gets MUCH colder, as though the substance is sucking the heat out of the air---so cold that even Toth and John can feel the sudden chill. For Augrym and Unrak, the cold snap is downright dangerous!
To make matters worse, nearby vines shift to reveal three other bright-blue flowers, each of which opens to emit a spray of ice-cold seeds!
Round I
1. Gozrek (38/52 hp, Reflex), Unrak (79/110 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2), Augrym (48/95 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2)
2. ???
3. John, Bytor, Taranis
Gozrek dives perfectly out of the way!
Bytor quickly prepares his friends for battle with the casting of haste. He then gives them inspiration of courage.
"Rise up Huntsmen and let us vanquish this deadly plant!"
Gozrek ducks at just the right time while Bytor starts off with his usual spell and soliloquy.
Round I
1. Gozrek, Unrak (79/110 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2), Augrym (48/95 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2)
2. ???
3. John, Bytor, Taranis
Taranis rushes in and casts a spell of Resist Cold on as many of the team as he can
Something about the bright blue petals stirs in the Duke's mind... calthagars! Not only are these deep-forest "hail lilies" deadly, but they are known to have a primitive intelligence.
John delays until after Bytor, anticipating inspiration and hoping for magical haste!
John delays until after Bytor, anticipating inspiration and hoping for magical haste!
Round I
1. Gozrek, Unrak (79/110 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2), Augrym (48/95 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2)
2. Calthagars
3. Bytor, John, Taranis
Taranis works a fire snake spell, looking to protect the party from any other ill effects:
- Round the First
- Current HPs: 76/76
- Inspired
- Hasted
John steps to his right and draws his bow. (5' west please?)
His calloused fingers release the bowstring with a twang and the familiar whistling of several arrows start filling the close humid air.
(Order of attacks, West, Southwest, South. Concentrate fire on one till it falls then shift to the next)
RANGED FULL ATTACK
First Attack:
for damage.
Second Attack:
for damage.
Rapid Shot:
for damage.
Haste Attack:
for damage.
CONFIRM
Second Attack:
for damage.
John gets out his bow and shoots all of the bright blue plants that he can see, causing all three to wither into more brown goo. The icy chill of the glade deepens...
Round I
1. Gozrek, Unrak (79/110 hp, 16 nonlethal, Reflex x2), Augrym (66/95 hp, 16 nonlethal)
2. ???
3. Bytor, John, Taranis
total 26 damage, 16 NL. And I should have specified that I raged on the first attack. Current hp 110 of 136, 16 NL
Taranis casts his spell, and a thread of fire snakes through the forest. Unfortunately, wherever the fire touches the patches of brown goo, those patches suddenly double in size!
It is as if the goo is drinking up the heat with relish... and Augrym and Unrak feel the bite of its chill.
Round II
1. Gozrek, Unrak (112/136* hp, 36 nonlethal), Augrym (66/95 hp, 36 nonlethal)
2. ???
3. Bytor, John, Taranis
Aurgym activates Bane on his weapon and attacks!
Augrym's blade cuts through the muck like butter... but the steel leaves it no worse for wear.
And it's cold. So very, very cold.
Round II
1. Gozrek, Unrak (112/136* hp, 36 nonlethal), Augrym (66/95 hp, 36 nonlethal)
2. ???
3. Bytor, John, Taranis
Gozrek stares at the goo. Brown and cold? I wonder...
"Here goes nothing!"
He conjurs a magical snowball and hurls it at the goo nearest him!
for
Gozrek's suspicions are correct! The nearest patch of brown mold---a hazard that grows with heat but shrivels and dies when confronted cold---instantly disintegrates into nothingness.
Round II
1. Gozrek, Unrak (112/136* hp, 36 nonlethal), Augrym (66/95 hp, 36 nonlethal)
2. ???
3. Bytor, John, Taranis
Seeing that Augrym's blade did nothing to the mold, and Gozrek's magical cold DID harm it, and there are no more flowers about, Unrak backs off--but still holds his rage, in case more enemies present themselves.
Unrak beats a prudent retreat. The mold does not follow, but the chill lingers. A crust of rime snakes up Augrym's blade and thickens in his beard.
Round II
1. Gozrek, Unrak (112/136* hp, 36 nonlethal), Augrym (66/95 hp, 66 nonlethal, staggered)
2. Brown Mold
3. Bytor, John, Taranis
- Round the Second
- Current HPs: 76/76
- Inspired
- Hasted
- Icy (10/10)
John takes stock and whispers his dead wife's name, "Reykala, I need cold my love"
He watches in wonder as icy blue crystals engulf his bow for a moment. He draws out an arrow reverently from its place in his quiver and nocks it. Ice crystals briefly rime the fletching and he looks for a target.
(Activate Icy via sprit warrior)
Seeing John's plan and thinking it an excellent one, Taranis backs away and whistles to Toth to do the same.
Three arrows is all that John needs to finally put an end to the calthagar threat!
"Huntsmen! Back off. Let's keep ourselves alive. Make sure Augrym gets out!"
Once all are clear and Augrym moved to safety, John levels his bow for a clean shot at the brown mold. While three twangs sound in rapid succession, his arms are as much a blur as his arrows. With naught but a few snowflakes drifting in each arrow's wake to mark their passage, the fight is over.
Bytor backs away, but draws an arrow just in case.