As the other's approach the girl and agree to help, Angeus sort of flits around behind them, admiring the glade and pond and birdsong.
She stops when she notices the satyr in the forest's edge, "Come closer." she calls out, "We're friends, we're here to help."
The Dryad is most appreciative of your willingness to help, "Thank you, thank you! I can do my best to alert you to any happenings down here. What kind of things do you want me to watch for?"
At Angeus' prompt a satyr comes out of the forest line with his pipes in hand. He comes forward with a limp, you can easily see that he has large slashes on his leg and side. He timidly tries to explain, "Sorry the scythe tree has hurt me and if you were unfriendly it would have been best for us if I was unseen, thank you for helping us."
Katrina keeps back, holding the horses reigns with Kev's brother. Though as the evidently wounded satyr comes into her view she comes forward pulling out a bandage out of her healer's kit. Urgently she orders, "You sit down and let me have a look at your wounds, come over to the water so we can clean them."
Scythe Tree CR 6 XP 2,400 CE Huge plant (Tome of Horrors Revised 310)
Init –1; Senses blindsight 30 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
DefenSe AC 19, touch 7, flat-footed 19 (–1 Dex, +12 natural, –2 size)
hp 67 (9d8+27) fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4
DR 10/slashing;
Immune mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning, plant traits
Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
OffenSe Speed 20 ft.
Melee 3 branches +10 (2d4+6/19–20) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. TACTICS During Combat The scythe tree uses Lunge to increase its reach on the first round on combat. It focuses its attacks on only one or two opponents, slicing them with Power Attacks.
Morale Unused to strong resistance, the scythe tree fights until it is reduced to 13 hit points or fewer, at which point it tries to flee into the forest.
STATISTICS Str 23, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 12 Base Atk +6; CMB +16; CMD 25 (can’t be tripped)
feats Cleave, Improved Critical (branches), Lightning Reflexes, Lunge, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills
Perception +16, Stealth +3 (+15 in forests)
Languages Sylvan, Treant
SPeCIAL ABILITIeS Branches (ex) A scythe tree makes its primary attacks with its branches, which deal slashing damage and threaten a critical hit on a 19–20.
Katrina easily patches up the wounds of the Satyr. The directions Tiressia gives should have you to the gnarled darkened glade in under a half hour, for it is only a few miles away.
Katrina thinks about what she knows about the scythe tree as she works also thinking on the dryad's and satyr's words.
She stays quiet as she works, once the group is ready to move South she follows pulling out her bow, stringing it and getting an arrow ready. Determination is set on her eyes. She brushes her cloak of many furs and it seems to shimmer with magic.
Angeus watches Katrina work on the Satyr, her attention equally diverted between the Satyr and the Dryad also watching attentively.
Being so close to two of the Fey, made her all tingly and excited.
Trying to maintain focus, she asks, "This scythe tree, is it truely at tree or is it a creature with brain and heart?"
"From what I recall it is like a Treant. Fire will work well against it. If the rest of you are ready let us head out. We should leave the horses to rest if our new fey friends wouldn't mind."
He looks to the Dryad and Satyr.
Before Kat's Healing
Kevros listens to Tiressia's to see if she is sincere on that the Wardens are not being fooled into being on the wrong side.
"If you see any evil, suspicious, or extra destructive being conducted in the area is what we want to know. That is what we are here for Tiressia. To bring order back to the Stolen Lands."
While Kat is Healing
Kevros walks over, watches where he is placing his crossbow, and places his hand on Kat's back to see how the healing is going, "How is he doing sweetie?"
Currently
Kevros makes sure his crossbow is still ready, he look at Kat, then looks at Tristan, "Both Kat and I are ready if our fey friends will look after our horses."
Both of the fey nod their heads. Tieressia offers, "We can watch over your horses, we will tend to them until you return."
Kevros's asks if he should stay behind to protect the fey?
The Grig and Fearie dragon come out giggling from the horses. They happily greet the dryad and satyr. They send their best wishes as you leave to hunt the scythe tree.
------
Your group sets out on foot looking for the glade.
The glade has twisted old trees all around and their limbs cover most of the glade making it dim light. Bodies of animals and humanoids lay strewn about the ground in different states of decay. Most are at least several days old as others merely have bones.
[ooc]Some one aid me!!! :) [/dice]
"Now, where is this blasted tree...." Angeus wonders.
Kevros's asks if he should stay behind to protect the fey?
and to see how long it took.
Prior to leaving the dryad's grove Quince speaks with the horses and leaves commands with Scram to guard the horses, the dryad and the saytur.
Once they find the horrific scene at the Scythe Tree's feeding site he lets out a quiet sigh at the horror of the image before him.
"Erastil guide us through this horror. . . Well the evil tree doesn't hide its actions but it certainly seems hard to spot."
Quince looks at his mace and wonders aloud, "If its a true tree, I mean made of wood. Maybe axes would serve us well."
"Quince, we have a enough to take it down. Shall we attempt diplomacy first? Since you are the best at it Quince, do you want to first try talking to Scythe? And shall I bless everyone's weapon with Erastil's divinity before we start verbal diplomacy just in case we move on to stick diplomacy?"
"Its a ridiculously savage tree that eats folks. . . We can try." He shrugs, "It seems opposed to goodly fey. They might find it an abomination and really want us to reach a peace with it. The dryad spoke of it as evil"
Quince readies his shield and morning star steps fourth and calls out in a feral sounding language you have never heard him speak, aklo. The words growl and snarl like a dark mirror of Sylvan.
(+2 more if it counts as fey)
Even with Angeus's description you can only see where the tree might be located. Quince steps forward and even with his likely honeyed words in a strange language nothing happens. Nothing speaks back or moves.
Quince tries in Sylvan, common and Celestial.
Still no response as your group stays next to the trees from the direction you approached. Angeus pointed out the scythe tree is in the center of the glade with a few other trees.
"It looks like Scythe is in an ambush mood? Can anyone tell me about Scythe's kind?"
Kev keeps his head on a swivel while asking questions ...
"Are we wasting our time trying to converse with Scythe? Is there anything we can do to change his evil ways or make him feel better if it is a disease?"
"Its a tree Kev . . . I was humoring you."
"It is an evil fey, their evil is ancient as time. Their can be no salvation here, only vengeance. Now which tree was it Angeus?"
Kev smiles at Quince, "Sorry, I missed the humor. If it feels hate, it is more than a tree."
Kev looks at Tristan, "Warden Morgan, no accord or permanent peaceful solution can be made here?"
"I hungers for the flesh of fey especially the dryad you agreed to help. You wish to go back and comfort her with the thought we let the tree live because it said it would not hurt any more. You are naive and a fool. Vengeance for those it has already devoured is the right course. Now again which tree Angeus."
Kev turns red with fury, then relaxes, "I am not being naive and a fool. Both of those titles you just granted me are the results of actions or lack of actions. I have not made an action yet. I am simply making sure there is no other alternative by discussing it with you all first like we agreed to do from the beginning. That is a tree, you are a ranger, hence you have knowledge of it so I simply asked. Next time, don't give me frivolous answers. Just give me the facts, "No Kev, no saving can be done here but eternal sleep." Or I will just stop asking for your professional advise."
Tristan shakes his head a bit.
"Don't worry about it Kev. It seems whatever that power I inherited really taps into my spirit of vengeance. It all comes from the loss of my parents I suppose. Seeking salvation is noble but there are things such as this tree that are not redeemable."
"I think everyone would have been pleasantly surprised if he invited us in for a chat. If I knew where it was I could spit fire at it."
Kev smiles, "I understand Tristan and I will keep that in mind the next time I ask for advise. What weapon are you going to use?"
Angeus squints and points to a group of trees at the center of the glade, "It's there, kinda hiding. But it's watching us for sure, I can see it's eyes. There's lots of bodies in there, will make it difficult to walk. "
She ponders the dark tree-like being for a moment, "Fire is what we need...I've some torches, and tindertwigs to light them...and this wand we found, burning something or other..."
"Ah good. I don't see it yet, but lets see if we can get it to reveal itself."
As Tristan approaches his sword glows for a moment as he enhances it preparing for battle.
She takes aim from Angeus's description and begins shooting her bow over Tristan's head. She at the same time says, "it will show itself once hurt, get ready."
Scythe Tree
CR 6 XP 2,400
CE Huge plant (Tome of Horrors Revised 310)
Init –1; Senses blindsight 30 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
DefenSe AC 19, touch 7, flat-footed 19 (–1 Dex, +12 natural, –2 size)
hp 67 (9d8+27)
fort +9, Ref +4, Will +4
DR 10/slashing; Immune mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, stunning, plant traits Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
OffenSe Speed 20 ft.
Melee 3 branches +10 (2d4+6/19–20)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
TACTICS
During Combat The scythe tree uses Lunge to increase its reach on the first round on combat. It focuses its attacks on only one or two opponents, slicing them with Power Attacks.
Morale Unused to strong resistance, the scythe tree fights until it is reduced to 13 hit points or fewer, at which point it tries to flee into the forest.
STATISTICS Str 23, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 12
Base Atk +6; CMB +16; CMD 25 (can’t be tripped)
feats Cleave, Improved Critical (branches)B, Lightning Reflexes, Lunge, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +16, Stealth +3 (+15 in forests)
Languages Sylvan, Treant
SPeCIAL ABILITIeS Branches (ex) A scythe tree makes its primary attacks with its branches, which deal slashing damage and threaten a critical hit on a 19–20.
Treasure: The scythe tree keeps its most precious treasures buried under its roots (DC 20 Perception check to find): 3 pieces of amber worth 100 gp each and a foldedup bundle of cloth that appears to be a robe of bones (but is in fact a robe of vermin). In addition, 42 cp, 55 sp, 6 gp, and simple silver ring worth 65 gp can be found scattered among the bones in the clearing
\
Even with arrows whizzing into the trees and lodging into the bark, the tree does not move.
Once Tristan and any others that chose to walk with him are near the trees, the tree strikes out revealing which tree it is but catches Tristan still 15 feet from the trunk of the scythe tree. Its eyes blaze red and its mouth splits open on its trunk revealing rows of sharp teeth. Three razor sharp branches slash down, two are deflected by Tristan's armor and shield but the last one slashes into his flesh leaving a bloody wound.
Init:
sychte
Katrina
23 Quince’s Initiative Check
22 Kevros’s Initiative Check
22 Stalker’s Initiative Check
13 Katrina
11 Angeus’s Initiative Check
10 Tristan’s Initiative Check
7 sychte
Round 1
Once the scythe tree exposes itself an arrow whizzes into the tree from the Southern side of the glade slamming into the bark.
Round 2
Three more arrows whiz into the scythe tree as the elf emerges from the treeline. Another humanoid in armor charges forward doing his best to keep his greatsword over his head as he attempts to keep his footing over the bodies.
Quince mutters in Celestial and casts some kind of spell. He moves forward drawing hos morning star.
Quince continues forward drawing his shield the spits a cone of fire when he gets near Tristan at the tree.
ROUND 1
Kevros blesses Tristan's weapon with Erastil's power. The blade now glows yellow-gold
(The Holy Strike Blessing lasts for 1 minute, +1d6 vs evil creatures, 4/5 Blessings)
Kev does not perceive anything to gain advantage or anything else.
ROUND 2
Kev looks to Kat, "Katrina, would you like me to bless your bow with Erastil's power?"
Round 1
Tristan is able to move over the bodies and make it to the tree.
w/ Blessing
Round 2
Tristan studies the Tree now that he is close enough to see how it fights.
w/ Blessing
Angeus hurries to keep up with Tristan as he advances, but lets him continue, stopping to wave her hands around...vanishing.
Round 1
Advance with Tristan
"Hey , who's that?"
Round 2
"Looks like they're on our side!"
Cast Vanish
Round 3
Advance under stealth...
Scythe Tree fight... fixed I believe.
The terrain is very difficult with all the bones and bodies in the glade.
As Tristan moves in to get within range of the Tree it swings again at him.
Round 2
It slowly begins to back away from Tristan as it continues its assault, hacking and slashing at his body rending massive gashes as big as Tristan puts on the evil tree.
round 2 attacks
round 3 attacks
23 Quince’s Initiative Check
22 Kevros’s Initiative Check
22 Stalker’s Initiative Check
13 Katrina
11 Angeus’s Initiative Check
10 Tristan’s Initiative Check
7 sychte
Round 1
"No Kev, it looks like I need to heal Tristan again..." She quickly says before quickly trying to follow to get in range to heal the bull headed ranger.
She charges forward with a simple movement over the bodies and keeps her footing to put Tristan in her range of a channel, the green magic blasts from her healing those around her in a 30 foot radius.
Round 2
She continues forward in order to use her spells on Tristan. Falling into the filth all she focuses on is another channel.
ROUND 1 CONTINUE
Kevros instead places a blessing on his crossbow.
ROUND 2
Kevros aims up on the tree so anyone between Kev and Scythe does not act as cover, and he fires twice.
At least one bolt makes a solid thud into Scythe ...
13 points of magical damage
4 points of Good damage
Quince finishes spitting fire abs sees that Tristan does not get back up. Quince lets out a cry reminiscent of a howl. "Tristaaaaaaaan."
Quince's appearance changes his features change into the likeness of a fox and his skin grows a layer of russet fur. He begins casting a spell. Though there is a feral quality to his voice.
ROUND 3
Kevros moves forward half way to Katrina, displaying his elven agility,
"FOCUS FIRE ON SCYTHE!"
An angry beaver appears near the tree and starts gnawing at the tree thing.
Kevros's shots seem to have very little effect on the scythe tree. It strikes out to hit Quince's summoned beaver.