Moving into the room Jon moves the chain aside with his sword and shakes his head.
something bad happened here a long time ago. Looks like someone was hung here. he says looking at the shoe and the old blood stains a long time ago, maybe this place is haunted like harrowstone was . What do you think Markus? . He asks the priest oblivious to Davos being choked to death mere yards from him.
Spell resistance check
"It looks that way john, I hope there are no ghosts here It will be a while before I get over the last few we fought" Morbar says as he follows Jon around the house as they investigate
Markus looks around as he hears and then sees Davos taken by the tree. "Davos! Get out of the house this tree has Davos!"
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The hangman tree prefers to lie in wait near remote forest tracks and game trails, waiting for victims to wander by. These carnivorous plants are incredibly patient, and can wait for months in a single location for food to approach. When prey does draw near, the tree's vines lash like striking snakes. The tree often uses its pull ability to hoist grappled foes 10 to 15 feet in the air so that they are out of reach of allies while they slowly strangle. The tree generally only swallows one foe whole at a time, letting its other captured victims dangle and ripen until it is ready to feed on them.
Spell resistance, grab and strangle
Markus relays all the information he knows. Then begins to casts a spell pointing at Davos then gesturing as if to pull him free.
Watching onward as the others examine the house, Davos caught unaware of the vine and is tossed and dragged like a rag doll. Feeling helpless he looks on at the others as the oxygen is squeezed from his body
Attempting to free his neck from the vine he pulls and pulls at the vine in desperation
hp - 20
Open/Close
Light
Identify
Detect Magic
Prestidigitation
1st Level (6 + 1 evocation spell per day)
Magic Missile - 2
Grease - 1
Snowball - 1
Burning Hands - 1
Mage Armor -
Feather Fall - 1
2nd Level (4+1 evocation spell per day)
Scorching Ray - 1
Knock - 1
Invisibility - 1
Glitterdust - 1
Create Pit- 1
3rd Level (4+1 Evocation spell per day)
Fireball - 1
Haste - 2
Fly - 1
4th Level (3+1 Evocation spell per day)
Empower Scorching ray - 2
black tentacles - 1
telekinetic charge - 1
Wand Scorching Ray - 50/11
After clawing and wriggling the vine free from his neck, he takes a hard gasp of air into his lungs holding his throat as he withdraws away from the tree
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Cara looks on in horror as Davos is hauled from his feet and cries out a warning and call to arms to the rest of the team.
Sebastian unleashes his chi and watches as the roaring dragons wash over the tree but incredibly, it does not even appear singed. He looks down at his hands in disbelief as the attack seemed to have no effect at all!
Markus rushes to Davos’ aid, calling on the power of Desna to grant him a chance at escape. He begins to glow with a pale purple light and manages to slip out of the vine, taking a huge gulp of breath as he does so. He scrambles backward, almost defenceless against the massive thing but does not account for just how long those vines are. As he crawls away, eyes wide and red with burst blood vessels, the thing lashes out again:
Hit
Success
With the elf back in it’s clutches, the tree begins once more to reel him in like a fish on a hook, the vine ever tighter around his throat.
Success
Davos is wrenched up off his feet by the vine, hauled in the air to hang besides the skeletons that already decorate the tree’s branches. He kicks uselessly and thrashes to no avail. His vision begins to cloud over as he continues to be savagely strangled to death.
Davos takes his last breathe as he sees the vine whip out at him, attmepting to breaking free he falls unconcious
hp -1
Markus looks on as Davos is again grappled by the tree seeing his friend on unconscious or worse he steps within 30 feet of the creature. "I have to try and keep Davos alive! Jon! Morbar! get out here!" He then channels his holy light and a wave of purple light washes over Davos.
Spells
Level - 0
Mending
Read Magic
Light
Detect Magic
Create Water
Stabilize
Level - 1
Shield of Faith 1/1
Bless 1/1
Obscuring Mist 1/1
Sanctuary 1/1
Liberating Command 0/1
Remove Fear 1/1
Level - 2
Bull's Strength 1/1
Silence (DC 16) 1/1
Grace 1/1
Spiritual Weapon 1/1
Level - 3
Chain of Perdition 1/1
Dispel Magic 1/1
Blindness/Deafness (DC 17) 1/1
Level - 4
Blessing of Fervor 1/1
Spiritual Ally 1/1
--
Domain
Level - 1
Floating Disk 1/1
Comprehend Languages 1/1
Level - 2
Aid - 1/1
Detect Thought (DC 16) 1/1
Level - 3
Fly - 1/1
Protection from Energy 1/1
Level - 4
Dimension Door - 2/2
Freedom of Movement 0/0
--
Scrolls
Level - 1
Detect Undead 2/2
Hide from Undead 1/1
--
Wand
Level - 1
Hold Person 13/50 dc 15
Cure Light Wounds 89/100
Lessor Restoration 33/50
--
SL/SU
Daylight 1/1
Good Fortune 4/1
Silver-Tounged Haggler (7/7) (Su)
Bit of Luck (7/7) (sp)
Priest Channel Positive Energy 4d8 (8/9) (DC 16) (Su)
"What the...." as the spores leave his body Morbar slips back into reality. He sees his friend Davos hanging from the tree and his face fills with horror this soon turns to anger though as he charges towards the tree dawn breaker in hand ready to attack the creature
Seeing Davos hoisred aloft, his face apurple mask of pain Sebastian again suons his ki and two beams of heat again engulf the tree. He grits his teetch as his concentration narrows. His only focus is on destroying the thing that is hharming his friend.
Scorching ray ranged touch
Dam
Ray 2
Dam
Spell resistance
Caradwen does not hesitate, her bow releasing arrow after arrow at the creature - "Keep him alive Markus!" - she shouts - "I don't even know if my arrows will hurt it!"
"JON! Snap out of it! We are under attack!"
Wandering through the house Jon thinks it could do them as a place to rest up for the night.
it seems empty, we should stay here tonight. It will get is out of the weather and we can recharge ready for tomorrow he says totally unaware of the danger they are in
if we clear this fire place we could get a nice blaze going tonight, in sure we can find some dry wood in this place we can burn. Even if we tear up the floor boards
Jon continues to look around the house, completely unaware that his friends are fighting for their lives .
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As Jon remains oblivious to the immediate danger his friends are in, Sebastian and Cara take the fight to the huge tree-creature. The monk's second attempt at scorching the creature is successful as several branches catch in a blaze whilst Cara's arrows thud into it's thick trunk, their effectiveness impossible to judge.
Markus does his best to keep Davos alive by bursting forth with positive energy whilst Morbar hurls himself into harm's way in order to save the elf. As he charges in however one of the vines catches him by the throat and he finds himself choking and clawing at it.
The tree lowers Davos' helpless form into a hollow within it's trunk where he is battered by it's internal digestion system and hurled about in sticky sap.
Releasing Morbar from it's grip, it moves slowly backward along the side of the house to the east.
Unable to move up to the tree without being attacked and grappled by its vines Morbar decideds to try out maneuver them using all his heroic might and Armour training he tumbles towards the trees.
Morbar then swings Earthbreaker with a mighty thud into the trees trunk
HP-(71/91)
Sebastian shouts. "We have to help Davos now! "
He moves back a few paces and again summons his ki to hurl more flaming bolts at the tree.
Spell resistance
Ray 1
Dam
Ray 2
Dam
Waking up from the wave of light, Davos wakes up still unable to breathe he tries frantically to break free from the vine but looks on helps as he is lowered to inside of the tree.
"It wasn't meant to end like this"
He looks on into blackness and is squeezed and crushing inside, and is knocked out from the bludgeoning of the stomach of the tree.
hp = -2
I'll have this hearth cleared in no time, then maybe you can get a nice stew on the boil Seb. I'm starving now, and I could do with getting out if these wet clothes Jon says and looks around for the monk
he must have gone to find some wood. Ok let's get this fire going Jon clears the hearth and begins to lay a fire.
Loosing sight of the creature Markus moves to see it again shouting. "Jon help us! What are you doing?" Spotting Morbar he begins to chant a spell.
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The tree shifts slowly but steadily out of sight and the young woman curses as she sees Davos lowered into the trees' bulk.
We have to do something! she cries. It's going to kill him!
She rushes forward so she can see the trunk the thing, even if it is only through the crack of the door.
Please don't let me miss...
Hit
The shot doesn't hit solidly in the trunk but rather slices wide of centre, but still gouging a deep chunk out of the tree. She can't say for certain but she is sure a shudder runs through the creature.
The tree shambles further away from the farmhouse, but three vines lash out at Morbar as it does so.
Miss
Miss
Miss
The vines slash out at Morbar. ONe curls around the handle of his hammer but he wrenches it away while the others lash harmlessly against the steel of his armor.
The rain continues to slam down producing an odd percussion on Morbar's armor. His blood rushes in his ears and he can hear Sebastian and Markus and Cara all screaming at him, all urging him to save their friend. The wind in the branches of the Hangman Tree, blowing through the bones of the skeletons that hang there, whistles a high pitched cry.
But through all that, all he can hear is Davos.
The elf... normally so quiet... so reserved... cries out in agony as the tree's bulk twists and shifts.
Within the trunk Davos is hurled one side and then the other. The walls of the innards convulse around him and he can feel an immense pressure building in his head. His mind begins to roar in agony and revulsion as the thing crushes him and soon his voice joins it. He screams, not knowing if anyone can hear him but with a final twist, his neck snaps at an impossible angle, cutting off his scream forever.
"NO! he will not die i will not let him!" the dwarf steps up and assaults the tree with his hammer. "Ill rip him free from your belly you bastard tree, You'll be nothing but splinters when I'm done with you" face full of anger the dwarf strikes out desperately trying to free his friend unaware he is already too late.
HP-(71/91)
The monk hears a long drawn out cry of agony from within the trunk. The cry rings out growing ever weaker then suddenly it ends. no... . He fights off growing rage that suddenly blossoms within his soul at the terrible realisation that one of them is no more. He rushes forward and tears at the trunk of the tree with his bare hands. He ignores flames and splinters alike as he tears away chunks of bark.
Eventually he and Morbar reach the heart of the bole and gently, ever so gently, they remove the broken body of their former friend. They carry him to the relative shelter of the Lee side of the house. They lay the body on the ground and silently kneel beside it, each with head bowed. Sebastian holds one of the elf's shattered hands in his and gazes sadly at his friend. Tears and raindrops run down his cheeks.
Even though the elf was a man of few words the world suddenly seems to be a quieter place.
Markus stands back watching Morbar and Sebastian pull Davos from the creature following them in to the house, for he now has his work todo. Come on Davos your ok, you've had worse!
He then checks over the elf and starts to heal his wounds.
Seeing his wounds close up and the bruising fade away. He turns to the others. "Good job out there you three, you saved Davos it seems you took a few hits too Morbar. Taking out his holy symbol Markus channels a wave of healing light.
He then slumps to the group, the danger seems to be averted for now.
Jon clears the hearth and fills it with bits of broken floorboards and the remains of a door.
Stepping back he calls forth a tiny spark and sends it into the wood which catches alight straight away.
Feeding the blaze Jon smiles
a job well done. Where are the others?
Jon rubs at his temples and shakes his head as a fog seems to lift from his mind.
Wandering outside he sees the others all crowding around Davos who lays on the floor amongst them.
I've built a fire, this place should do us for tonight. Where have you lot been? Jon asks and then he says I'm gonna get some food on, anyone else hungry ? he is about to leave when he suddenly turns back in confusion
where's the tree? he asks dumbfounded.
Davos opens his eyes screaming from the pain within his body being crushed from the tree slowly calms himself down as he sees light and feels no pain and takes in deep breathes noticing around him and seeing the others looking down on him, the ordeal is over he is safe and free
He opens his mouth but is speechless for a few moments "Thank you" he says his a hushed tone
Need to start enjoying life more, seems it could end at any moment he thinks to himself after the realisation that death can happen at any time
Morbar looks over the dead tree and spits at it "I did warn you, you pile of fire wood. Last time you mess with any travellers" he looks on as seb pull Davos from the tree he rushes to his side. "Is he okay Markus?" the dwarf Looks on as Markus casts his healing magic on him, he sighs with relief as his friend finally speaks "There was no real worry there anyway guys that thing was all bark and no bite" the dwarf laughs loud at his own joke. " Oh the tree Jon it had to leave" the dwarf laughs again harder and for longer than any of the jokes were worth everyone looks at him like something is wrong and he slumps to the floor at Davos side. " I'm sorry guys this is not the place it's just we are so f!@#ing lucky! I dunno how we keep avoiding these things! One of us almost died again the gods must be watching over us"
Jon looks at Morbar and the mess Davos is in and a blank confused look comes over his face.
what happened? Davos nearly got killed? What by that tree? Jon asks as he watches Morbars laugh long and hard.
why didn't I know this was happening? I was inside building a fire, why didn't one of you call me or come get me? Jon asks not realising that he was under the effects of the tree spores.
He laughs when Davos comes around. "Davos! You live. I am glad my friend. Markus, you work miracles brother." The monk turns to Jon. "It is as I said earlier: something was wrong here. Only Markus and I could see those hanging from the tree for what they really were. That tree must have used some kind of power to alter the perceptions of passing travellers. Perhaps that is how it lured it's prey. You must have been under that spell and carried on oblivious to the peril Davis was in."
He looks around then up at the rain falling from the sky.[b]"A fire inside you say. I think a warm meal and good night's rest will do us all the world of good. And I could do with a wash and change of clothes. These ones are filthy now."
I did feel like I had just woken up after I lit the fire, I must have been coming out of its control. I had no idea anything was wrong. Jon says
sorry Davos, I should have been there to help. I'm just glad you survived. he says to the elf, who looks even paler than usual.
come on lets get inside he says and leads them in.
Jon looks around the room again with fresh eyes, free from the influence of the tree he can see the blood is relatively fresh.
I thought the blood and this boot were old but they aren't. This happened recently, I didn't realise it before Jon says and he begins to look around the area for any signs of what may have happened or tracks that may lead to whoever was hurt here.
Casting a spell jons senses are heightened temporarily as he casts about for anything that may indicate what happened.
The monk looks arounf at the grisly scene. [B]"You are right Jon. This looks recent. I will take a look around. He begins to search the room and the rest of the farmhouse looking for any other signs of occupation or clues to who has been killed here. He moves silently, being careful not to make any noise and making sure to test the floor before putti g his full weight down on each foot. He remembers well the warden's house outside Harrowstone prison.
Perception
Stealth
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There are the prints of several heavy humanoids still present in the dust of the farmhouse.
From the spattering of blood on the floor and wall, you think it likely that someone was hung from the chain and beaten, though there is no evidence of a body being left behind.
Outside, the prints have been obliterated by your battle with the hangman tree, though a patch of churned up mud some distance from the farmhouse suggests that an earlier fight with the tree took place as well. In fact, now that you have time to look at it up close, the tree bears many ugly gouges and scratches that could only have been made by claws.
Jon discovers sets of hoof prints leading away from the farmhouse to the south east, though oddly the tracks are bipedal and not that of a horse.
hmm...there were several humanoids here, their tracks are still in the dust. From the looks of things someone was strung up and beaten Jon says as he finishes examining the tracks around the area there is something else, it looks like the demon wolves fought this tree before us, there are claw marks on its remains and I found good prints leading away to the south east, but not horses. There were pairs of tracks, they must belong to the demon wolves they have hooves for feet don't they he says as he warms his hands by the fire.
As Jon checks the tracks and outlunes his conclusions Sebastian strips off and dries himself with a rag from his pack. He washes his hands and face then changes into a fresh set of clothes. He then begins preparing a meal fron their rations. "You should all try to get this place fit to sleep here tonight while I cook. Davos, you know a trick or two. Anything in your repertoire that will help clean up all this blood? I don't relish the idea of sleeping in it."
"It's ok Jon, Davos is safe... although beaten we are all still alive. We have something to follow tomorrow, good job picking up their tracks." Markus then takes out a bowl and conjurers water in it as he drinks then washes himself. "This might be our only real rest for awhile we should relish this, for tomorrow we need to be on the top of our game no slip ups."
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The party settle in the old farmhouse.
Eventually one by one they fall asleep to the gentle drumming of rain on the roof. In more than one place the rain pours in through holes in the thatch, once dripping irritatingly on Morbar's foot until he gathers himself with a curse and repositions to the corner. The wind blows through the broken shingles and sounds like the whispering of ghosts. The place feels full of ghosts...
You drift off and are welcomed only by dark dreams and desperate thoughts of what is to come.
But there is something in that eternity of darkness. Whispers and dark words. But captivating and enticing all the same.
You cannot make out what they say but the meaning is clear enough. Yet another of you almost falls. Why struggle, so? When there is a chance to save this world? When there is another Way...?
When morning dawns it is with a weak and milky light that barely penetrates the thick mist that has settled on all the land. The region looks more bleak and desperate than even the day before but at least in the dim light the tracks Jon found are clearer, of several hooved creatures and a single humanoid. The tracks show they left in a hurry and the humanoid seems to walk in staggering steps and is bare on one foot.
Morbar wakes in the morning and quietly eats breakfast when he is done her turns to the others "How are you feeling Davos? How are you all? Do any of you want to look into this place further? Or can we move out I don't like the feel of this places doing I would like to move out as soon as possible"