Anjali looks up at the twin falls, marveling at how so much water could flow into one place. Her gaze strays to the pump, shaking her head at the interference of the gnolls in such a life-giving place. "You are correct, Dhavyn. Water is precious. What they are doing to this pond, it is wrong."
As soon as the words leave her mouth, Anjali gets to work, combing through the area for tracks or signs of habitation. The last thing they needed was a nasty surprise.
Hajar says Dhavyn, you Anjali and Bartan do what you must to stop the gnollish artifact from stealing the water. I will join Khayal and Avenka and we shall prepare for the coming battle. Yazi you and Doc find a high spot from which to watch the approach from Kelmerane.
Hajar bustles off to assist Khayal in his efforts, doing whatever his older and wiser in battle Brother tells him.
Avenka says to Hajar and Khayal : "Lead the way" and she has her flail ready.
Yazi and Dhavyn know a thing or two about what a Nixie is:
Nixies are guardians of ponds, rivers, lakes, and springs. They prefer dwelling in idyllic places, which they protect from the depredations of predators and careless humanoids. While this often involves confusing enemies and driving foes away, nixies are not afraid of spilling blood to protect their homes—though they prefer not to resort to such means unless completely necessary. Nixies are 4 feet tall and rarely weigh more than 45 pounds.
Anjali can easily pick up Gnoll tracks, recent, in the area. And also a giant boot print of a man that must be at least 8 ft tall. But that track is older.
To shut the water off (use any skill you can work into the story to know some methods, helping okay as always!) Or come up with an idea of your own:)
You estimate bad guys will arrive within 1/2 hour of shutting off the water, so better be ready!
Dhavyn hurries to the pump and examines it under his magical sight. Not coming up with any better idea he suggests the obvious one. "I can't make much out of this device but we could always smash it - or melt it!" he adds cheerfully.
I'll let my smarter companions determine how to shut off the pump, instead I will spend my time caltroping and trapping probably lanes of approach.
After staring at the pipe for a while, all that Bartan can come up with is to smash the thing, unfortunately.
"Perhaps we can determine what type of spell is keeping the water flowing, and disable that, no?"
While the exact spell running the pump isn't known to Bartan, he at least can tell that there is a valve that can be turned off, which might ruin the motor, but at least the pipe would still be there incase we wanted to reuse it later.
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Not really knowing anything on Arcane and Engineering workings Yazi will nonetheless move over and search the machine for anything that might be interacted with. One thing she learned from the dwarves is the more complex something is, the more precise it needs to be and the easier it is to break. Also, levers are very fun.
Bartan follows Yazi over to the pump, taking the opportunity to whisper to her "Mademoiselle Anjali is acting... strange to me. Have I done something to offend her without realizing?"
"That is a good point Bartan. I wonder if we could perhaps jam it without breaking the whole thing. It's magical for sure but beyond that I can't tell much."
Dhavyn thinks for a moment trying to recall anything that might help with magical devices of this nature. While the device itself eludes him in its complexity perhaps something in the theory of its construction might aid.
Theory:
Practical poking:
Yazi's 27, +2 Bartan's help, +2 Dhavyn's knowledge help = 31!
Yazi spots the right switch and flicks it. The pump shuts down. The vortex dissapears. MAP UPDATED.
With the alchemical noise of the pump now off you can hear over the gentle cascading of the waterfall, that the crystalline structure on the island is humming ever so slightly, in almost a melodic way.
"Bon chance, mon chere! You really are more than just a pretty face!"
Knowing that the gnolls will recognize very quickly that their water supply has been cut off, Bartan starts scouting out good places to hide himself and get in a good spell-card-toss at the start of combat.
With the pump silenced, Anjali cranes her head, watching and listening for anything that might indicate the whereabouts of the nixie believed to be inhabiting this pool.
All she hears is Bartan's compliment to Yazi over the torrent of water. Anjali clamps her jaw tightly and carefully loads her crossbow instead of commenting.
Dhavyn scratches his beard "Well that was easy. Wasn't it?" He cocks his head and listens the quiet hum of crystals. "Those things definitely are magical but maybe we investigate them later? The Gnolls are surely here soon."
He hurries to Khayal and others, avoiding the makeshift fortification and spike traps they are building as he goes.
for crystals
Seeing the success of the others Hajar looks over from where he and Khayal stand Excellent work. Let us get ready for the coming response.
init:
10 minutes go by without any activity. Then, you hear the flapping of a winged creature.
You have heard that a Harpies are ugly creatures. Part women, part bird, they usually wreak of the stench of their vicitms.
But the creature that just landed in the tree near Yazi and Bartan does not appear ugly at all. On the contrary, she resembles a striking women. A gold circlet crowns her head, and her lithe form makes you think more of an aasimar than an feral bird-women.
Still...
Stealth = 23
Bartan hears something coming, though he can't tell where it is. He casts unerring weapon from a scroll, as quietly as he can, and waits, watching intently.
Hajar detects the creature for an evil aura and calls out By the order Princess Almah and the Pactmasters all those living illegally in Kelmerane will leave now, of suffer certain death.
Bartan will stay put, stay Stealthed, and see how this plays out.
Hajar detects no evil. Doesn't mean she isn't.
Kelmerane proper, my apologies Lady. You make this waterfall your home?
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The harpy creature closes her eyes and breathes in the fresh oasis air, the mist from the waterfall...
Why yes, yes I do make this waterfall my home! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Undrella. She bows her head and places her handish-talon over her heart. Then looks around from side to side. Are you here alone, Sir?
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"Huh? I could swear that crystal is talking." She contemplates swimming over to inspect it but weighs whether it would be okay to incur the Nixie's ire by doing so, Fey not always being the most agreeable creatures. Her thoughts are eventually interrupted by the flapping of wings and the arrival of the harpy. Half expecting some Greir or other vicious beast she is pleasantly surprised when the beautiful creature appears before them. "Why no he is not mon cherry. Or was it mon sugar? What's a pretty little thing like you doing all out here by your lonesome?" wearing her catlike grin as she slowly sashays her way towards the newcomer.
My companions have hidden themselves, we are expecting a response from the hostile tribe of gnolls from Kelmerane. They are worshipers of the Rough Beast and deserve nothing less than death. What was the nature of that contraption in the pond? Hajar says
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Undrella smiles as Hajar mentions the rest of you and as Yazi comes toward her. She looks around more carefully but still does not see anyone hiding.
Oh, you turned off that gnollish alchemical monstrosity? Oh dear. Indeed you will meet a response from a hostile tribe very soon. But not a tribe of gnolls *chuckles* Truly, we may have but only a few moments left to speak to eachother!
Undrella leaps from the tree, gliding with grace to the ground in front of Hajar and Yazi. Walking toward you with a seductive gait Undrella stretches her arm-wings and neck before leveling her eyes at you...
What shall we do with our stolen time? she hisses.
You hear additional wings in the air and the trees...
When Bartan hears more wings in the air, he charges his cards, casts a spell and tosses a harrow card at the beautiful harpy.
-> The Big Sky (Chaotic Good, Strength)
"You may have wings, but the Sky is too vast for even you to comprehend!"
vs. flat-footed AC
plus cold, DC 13 Fort save or staggered for 1 round.
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The harpie's eyes widen as the card explodes upon her small frame. She looks at Hajar and Yazi: Help me!
The wings you can hear beat harded then something lands in the tree where the Harpy was.
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Monsters:
Underella - delays calling for help. -15
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Khayal waits to see the Harpy's response. Not quite sure why she was attacked but perhaps there is something he does not know. He surveys the area around him making sure no one is sneaking up on the group.
Hajar turns on Bartan Curse your eyes Varisian, are you mad!
"She threatened you, can't you hear! There are more of them coming!"
on the harpy I just carded. I sense nothing.
to determine what just landed in the tree. I also perceive nothing. Sigh.
Avenka stays alert, but is certainly confused, not knowing if she must attack. She will delay her action until after Dhavyn to see how things unfold.
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"Ya don't attack a pretty lady just because more are coming!" she shouts at Bartan before mumbling under her breath "Premature jackass.". She wears an apologetic look as she turns back to Undrella and extends her hand towards the harpy. "Sorry about Dealer, he's really protective of his friends. We have healers with us who can fix ya right up."
Turning back to Yazi and Undrella, Hajar says Indeed Mistress, One Thousand Apologies. he looks to see the new arrival.
Dhavyn looks confused at the sudden appearance of the Harpy and because of her reaction to Bartan's attack. "Am I missing something here? Who is about to attack who?" he glances at the Harpy.
"If you know who is here to attack speak plainly!" he exclaims while scanning the Harpy with detect magic, failing completely to identify any spell that might affect her.
Anjali steps out from behind a spot of greenery, a poor hiding spot for sure. The harpy confuses her. Despite its friendly demeanor, the fact that there were more coming makes her wary.
A voice comes from the woods. A male voice: Lady Undrella, what do you see? Are they friend or foe?
Undrella looks at each of you quickly, then leaps into the air, wings beating frantically. She flys Southwest back toward Kelmarane yelling Foes! They be foe!
A gnoll with chain mail steps out of the tree line. He smiles. Ah...good! Then he raises a whistle to his lips and blows. The tree behind him again shakes violently as the biggest vulture you've ever seen takes flight and swoops in to attack Dhavyn, Avenka and Khayal. Two more gnoll hopelite warriors also appear at the tree line smiling. Raising round shields and spears high they cover eachother and begin to advance...
MAP UPDATED.
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Monsters:
Underella - escaped
Geier Flies to attack Dhavyn, Khayal, Avenka
3x Gnoll Hopelites emerge from tree line and advance
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Hajar, eyes narrowed at the harpy's betrayal, shouts Dawnflower! before drawing and swinging Tempest in a glittering arc, designed to separate head from body! However, his swing was wild due to his technique drawing the blade, which was new to him.
When the vulture is at Avenka's level, Avenka swings her flail to attack this massive creature.
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Monsters:
Geier Flies to attack Dhavyn, Khayal, Avenka -10
3x Gnoll Hopelites emerge from tree line and advance
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Starting to get used to dangerous situations like this Dhavyn's mind races for options even as he prepares to invoke his power against the gigantic bird.
Realizing he can't escape the bird of such size he focuses on defense while weaving the energies into a spell. ברענען הענט he intones even as he pulls back from the creature.
A wave of searing hot flames distracts the gigantic bird just when Dhavyn pulls back, spoiling its counterattack.
Khayal attacks the vulture, determined that it should not get away.