You make it sound like a doomsday eve......
I'll post an update anyways. We can retroactively add in what decisions Michael makes for the final combat round.
The party travels for approximately 7 more hours around the Darkwood lake making camp in a "safe" place. (Gared took 10 on survival) You can expect to arrive at the Elder Tree around 11am on Day 3.
On the way to the campsite though you witness a troubling sight.
Michael from atop his steed spots it first. A trio of what look like fairies nailed to a Darkwood tree.
Hold on, when we tried to help the fox we ran into an ambush. Best have a quick look before we get more goblin faces on our necks.
Lucanor spits on the ground, "Murderous superstitious fools... killing fae out of misguided greed. Wish I knew the proper burial ritual for these poor fellows."
"Oh no you don't! You try to kill us and then run when the tides turn! You won't get off that easily!"
As he finishes his final sentence he swings his war hammer in an underhanded motion, much like you would if playing polo, and connects with the back of the fleeing goblin's head with a sickening crack. The force of the blow sends the hobgoblin tumbling to the dirt and Michael doubles back to the apparent corpse.
"Looks like your ambush failed. Better luck next time."
Michael then dismounts, retrieves his rope, and ties one end to the legs of the corpse. He checks the body for fragile equipment, such as potions, and pockets any such items and any gold that he finds. He then takes the free end of the rope in hand, mounts his horse, and makes his way back to the others while dragging the corpse behind him by about 10 feet.
When he returns to the group, he says "I got one of them. See if he has anything any of you can use. I'd say it's the least he can do for us after attempting to kill us. By the way, how's those wounds, Percy? You gonna make it?"
After everyone takes what they desire from the corpse of the goblin, Michael unties it and stows the rope once more.
On seeing the dead fey, Michael shakes his head in disgust.
"Everyone, look around and look carefully. Hecktor is right to assume that this could be another ambush."
"Thank you, Lucanor, but I will tend to my own wounds come the morning."
---
Percival goes slightly white at the sight of the fairies. "My stars... ugh." He turns away and covers his mouth for a moment before asserting himself. "To hell with them being bait. And I venture that a proper burial will NOT constitute being nailed to a damned tree."
Pulling out a small knife, Percival tries to dig out the nails and lay the Keld to the floor before the tree.
Lucanor helps the doc, as best he can. He does heed the advice to keep an eye open, and listens for any trouble as they do so
Hecktor looks at Lawson.
"Lawson, i whole heartedly agree with you. But even then a proper burial would be "good" for them. As to the culprits.....
He points towards his scythe he retracted and put on his back..
"Should we meet them, i reckon a little mowing would perhaps satisfy your sentiment."
Silas sounds discussed when he says, "Lo and behold the tree hasn't turned to gold. Look they used iron nails too, thats barbaric! Fey are burnt by iron..."
Silas pauses for moment before continuing, "I'm sure you remember the rhyme from the tavern:
'Darkmoon vale contains wealth untold, where faeries hide their hidden gold, within the very trees behold! Iron and blood is the key or so I'm told, to all that first world gold...'
Someone from the consortium I presume is spreading that. I would have words with them if I find them."
** spoiler omitted **
On seeing the dead fey, Michael shakes his head in disgust.
"Everyone, look around and look carefully. Hecktor is right to assume that this could be another ambush."
[dice=Perception check]1d20+4
Gonna use your perception roll for a search of the environs of the ambush site.
"Thank you, Lucanor, but I will tend to my own wounds come the morning."
---
Percival goes slightly white at the sight of the fairies. "My stars... ugh." He turns away and covers his mouth for a moment before asserting himself. "To hell with them being bait. And I venture that a proper burial will NOT constitute being nailed to a damned tree."
Pulling out a small knife, Percival tries to dig out the nails and lay the Keld to the floor before the tree.
Percival the tiny Keld's bodies once freed from the cold iron nails turn immediately to wood. You get the urge to plant them in the ground so you do Immediately upon burying the Keld Piskie roots a small plant springs forth, there are 12 berries that grow from the three plants.
Michael pockets the coins for himself, and grabs the longbow as well.
If we fight anything else with wings, I might need more than just a sword and hammer...
When he finds the snakeskins, he stuffs them in his saddlebag after a cursory glance. The look nice, and he figures that maybe he can get a nice pair of gloves or boots made out of them. At the very least, maybe someone in the group can find a use for them.
Anything that the group doesn't take for personal use is going into a makeshift bag made from one of Michael's yards of canvas and one of his pieces of rope. He'll rig the bag up to Adrienne's saddlebags or saddle somehow, so that it can be transported with relative ease.
--------------------------------------------------------------
This many normal arrows left on the Hobgoblin.
You see no evidence of being ambushed. The view seems normal to you.
Gared looks at the berries in order to determine what they are.
"I've not seen these before but I've heard of them from other woodsmen. They provide as much nourishment as one meal and heal minor scrapes and bruises," he says, picking the berries from the bush.
"We may as well take them in honour of the fae that died here," Gared continues, "Better us than the men who murdered them in case they return."
After picking them, Gared looks up into the sky.
"We had best make for our campsite for the evening, Gared says after a few moments of study, "We don't want to be on the move when it gets dark."
"I agree with Gared", says Silas between mouthfuls of dried fruit, "Perhaps we should set up a few unlit torches in the ground in case there are any surprises in the night and we need light."
[ooc]Take 10 on K. Nature[ooc]
Percival smiles and, bending over, picks five fruit and swallows them, feeling his wounds close. "Fey... kindness is so much a part of their unpredictability." He sighs for a moment. "Poor fellows, who killed these. They will not like me." Standing, he joins with the rest to head to the campsite.
"A little further before we make camp, I suggest. We do not wish to be too close to the fey. Silas, a superlative suggestion about torches."
Your campsite for the night is uneventful. In the morning you set off, with Gared's guidance you make good time toward the tree. The forest gets thicker and the going gets tougher.
Around noon on day 3 you arrive at the Elder tree.
The dense trees and thick brush of the forest give way,
parting seemingly in respect for
the titanic darkwood tree that dominates this
clearing. Several times taller than a temple
minaret, in one direction the obviously ancient
tree reaches into the sky with branches like a
giant’s arms, while in the other it plumbs the
earth with roots thicker than a man’s waist.
Its limbs broad and strong, its bark thick and
so richly colored as to almost be black, and
its leaves the size of bucklers, the giant thing
is less a tree and more a cathedral of boughs
and branches.
The tree itself is about 80' away from you.
ancient of its kind in Darkmoon Vale. Said to have been carried as a sapling from the Hissing Jungle and planted here in the distant past by Deirzir, the Eagle of The First Way, himself, the druids that once guarded
the forest claimed this darkwood to be the root from which all Darkmoon grew.
Lucanor admires the elder tree, "I'm not the most nature loving fellow around, but that is mighty impressive." He moves about ten feet closer, taking his time as he does so.
Lucanor you think you see something up in the tree but when you look again its only some birds.
Hecktor looks at the gigantic tree that is visible and whistles.
*Long whistle*, "now that is one impressive tree. Just how many seasons has it been here?"
Silas cranes his neck to see the crown of the tree. For once he seems locked for words.
After fixing the sight in his mind he murmers, "High enough to touch the sky, it must be one of the oldest living things..."
After a few moments of contemplation, Silas exclaims with feeling, "I do hope we don't have to climb that thing!"
Realzing he's been gaping at the tree for some while, Silas suddenly becomes mindful of his surroundings and checks that all is well.
Silas you gaze at the tree for a while and think you see movement in the branches!
But its just the leaves blowing from some unseen wind.
"We have to go to the north face of the tree, for the moss. Course, I thought I saw something up there for a moment. Let's be cautious as we circle round."
"I figured it was just the wind rustling the leaves, but this place is uncanny, we should be on our guard lest something attack while we're gawking..."
Michael stares in awe at the massive tree standing before him.
"I've seen big, but... Wow... It's a wonder the Consortium hasn't tried to cut this one down yet. That's got to be months worth of wood in a single tree, easy. I mean... Just... Wow..."
After staring at the tree for a few minutes, he gains his composure again.
"Alright, we've got to get that moss so lets hope that story about it growing here is true. I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to plants, so one of you guys who's got more of a green thumb can do the actual gathering. Let's go."
"Green thumb isn't my forte, but alright. Iomedae willing, whatever may or may not be spying us will realize we've no intention of hurting this magnificent tree," Lucanor starts to head towards it at an easy but ready pace.
Hearing Michael's statement Silas says,"I guess the consortium being unaware of this is too much to hope for..."
"If they do have such plans they must be stopped!", says Silas vehemently.
Initiative Order:
Percival
Silas
Gared
Dragonkin DC 12 Kn:Nature
Lucanor
Michael
Hecktor
Two snakelike beings pounce from the trees. These serpentine creatures have the head of a ferocious dragon and two relatively small forearms that end in tiny claws.
Combat Map located HERE
What's the distance of 1 square in the map?
Depending on what it is, i'd do following:
If after moving once the snake is within 60ft range:
Move: towards the snake near Silas and shoot at the snake.
Attack: ranged with shortbow
If after 1 move snake is outside 60ft
Niles
This place is steeped in lore, perhaps I've heard stories of them?
I wonder if these creatures can be reasoned with?
On seeing the beasts drop from the tree, Michael yells out to Lucanor and Silas:"Move out of the way! Give me a clear path!"
@ Hecktor 5' grid so you can engage in melee or shoot into melee
Gared trawls his memories in order to try and figure out what he knows of these beasts. As he does this, he strings an arrow to his bow and lets it fly towards the nearest dragonkin.
Silas Shouts, "Tatzlwyrms! They breathe a poison that saps your strength, keep your range if you can!"
I don't believe my usual tricks will work on these...
Silas Shouts, "Tatzlwyrms! They breathe a poison that saps your strength, keep your range if you can!"
I don't believe my usual tricks will work on these...
You cannot draw a weapon as part of a move action until +1 BAB. Doesn't matter cause you missed. Also, that action will provoke an AoO, moving out of a threatened area. The Tatzlwyrms threaten Silas and Lucanor. I'll let you rethink your actions Silas.
I guess I'll use the withdraw action then! I'd like to end up on the square to the left of where Michael currently is.
Lucanor wishes he had the sense to have his weapon ready as the things lunge. "Well, that ain't proper." He withdraws and draws his weapon.
Percival frowns and quickly runs through the grass forest floor in front of Silas. Pulling out a few grey vials, he swiftly mixes them together in a single movement and chucks the resulting conconction at the first dragon creature.
ROUND 1
Initiative Order:
Percival touch attack hits 6 damage to #1
Silas withdraws, smart move
Gared fired, missed
Tatzlwyrm 1 & Tatzlwyrm 2 bunch of misses
Lucanor withdraw action (you can draw a weapon next turn, withdraw is full round)
Michael
Hecktor
Tatzlwyrm 1 moves to attack Michael.
Tatzlwyrm 2 attacks Lucanor.
ROUND 2 GO GO GO
Initiative Order:
Percival
Silas
Gared
Tatzlwyrm 1 -19hp & Tatzlwyrm 2
Lucanor
Michael waiting on actions from round 1
Hecktor