Round 3
She stands and moves forward to Quince,
Round 4
She moves to Tristan taking her time to get to him, likely provoking, then casting a cure moderate wounds spell.
Kevros's shots seem to have very little effect on the scythe tree. It strikes out to hit Quince's summoned beaver.
Quince pulls out lantern oil and casts another spell.
The beavers strike.
Quince moves in a wide circle toward Angeus.
Once his movement ends Quince tosses a vial of oil up into the branches of the crazed tree.
Round 4
Angeus smiles as the beaver appears and begins to try to gnaw on on the scythe tree.
Her grin widens as Quince throws oil up onto the murderous plant.
Pulling a wand found earlier in their journeys, she concentrates and points it at the scythe tree...
ROUND 2
Kevros moves forward in the field of bodies ...
... slipping here and there but keeps upright, he then uses his shoulders to push his buckler forward, "ERASTIL, HEAR MY PRAYER. PLEASE GRANT MY FRIENDS HEALING IN YOUR NAME!"
ROUND 3
Kevros attacks the tree some more ...
FREE ACTION - RAPID RELOAD
20/67, AC 19,
The Scythe tree slices up all the dire beavers.
Round 5
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
Round 4
Round 5
Hopefully, the top of the scythe tree erupts into flame. Either way, Angeus barks the arcane trigger for her wand and another sheet of flame bathes the horrible plant in magic fire!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Angeus burns the scythe tree, gouts of flame erupt from its tar like blood. Then with a second helping it falls to the ground ablaze and burning. It does not move.
Just in time to see the fireworks the man gets to Angeus greatsword in hand. From the South an elf emerges and begins to walk toward the pyre.
"Well I was here as back up then," he states taking one of his hands off the greatsword to pat Andeus on the back, "Nnice work with the fire."
She casts cure light wounds on Tristan to bring him to consciousness again.
"Welcome to the fight Saren. It is good to have your steel even if we don't need it at the moment." She says happily.
Angeus was admiring the embers spiraling up into the air from the charred scythe tree when Saren pats her on the back.
Turning with surprise, she lets out a yelp and gives the warrior a big hug, "All better I see!" she exclaims with delight.
Then her eyes settle on Stalker walking out of the foliage, and she releases Saren to run to their friend, purple and green and blonde hair streaming behind, antlers waving crazily, to give the stoic elf another exuberant embrace.
Quince calms eyeing the burning tree watching to see if nearby brush does not catch fire.
Quince turns and greets the new comers. He then turns in ernest to check on Tristan cloak and fluffy fox tail trailing.
He quickly stows his bow before Angeus reaches him embracing her fully, even lifting her off the ground for one turn around, "It is good to have friends again, good to see you Angeus."
Saren sees that the one down is being cared for and sheathes his blade on his back. He lifts his own sweat filled handkerchief to cover his nose as he begins to look around for loot.
There are many bodies in this clearing, the horrible smell of death lingers. With the burning tree the smell actually worsens. There is very little chance that the fire would lick up the bodies and over to the fauna.
Quince as he makes his way to Tristan and Katrina, "Will he be alright?" Seeing Tristan conscious Quince smiles which looks strange on his furry fox like face. "I worried for you friend glad to see you in the land if the living." His voice is followed by a happy yipping sound. Did I just yip?
Quince looks cross eyed at his vulpine snout. His looks startled and pulls off his gloves speaking frantic in Celestial. He looks at the red-golden fur of his hand. He calms he looks at Tristan and Katrina rather deadpan and says, "Well that secret is blown. Don't worry I promise I am not a werewolf." He turns and looks for Angeus.
As he walks he pulls off his other glove and heads toward Angeus tucking his gloves in his belt. He approaches sheepishly, "Um hey I have a sort of confession to make." He smiles awkwardly, "I ah have second form sometimes, was waiting for the right time to talk to you on this one. I think I had a strong reaction to seeing Tristan go down or Erastil chose to give me an extra blessing."
Katrina looks up at Quince a bit surprised by his transformation. "Um Quince, have you been hiding something from us? Perhaps your furry half? So then what are you Quince?"
Katrina focuses on another of Tristan's wounds, healing him again with another cure light, . She helps him stand and moves him out of the rotten area towards Kevros. Once out she has him sit on a log and tends to his wounds some more making sure that he is mostly healed.
"That is a question that I can't really answer. I am under no curse from what my parents learned when I was young. My parents found me as a small child by the river. They raised me as their own." He shrugs. "They believed me to be human perhaps blessed by Erastil, somehow fey touched . . . but they felt it best to be kept secrets too many tales of werewolves. It might be linked to the burden Erastil has given me. In times of battle my mind only works in Celestial, in even greater stress . . . well I go more like this." He turns looking in Angeus' direction, "I dream sometimes I am a full fox."
As he walks he pulls off his other glove and heads toward Angeus tucking his gloves in his belt. He approaches sheepishly, "Um hey I have a sort of confession to make." He smiles awkwardly, "I ah have second form sometimes, was waiting for the right time to talk to you on this one. I think I had a strong reaction to seeing Tristan go down or Erastil chose to give me an extra blessing."
Angeus smiles and give her head a toss to get a bunch of hair from out of her face. It generally goes everywhere, tangled in her helm's antlers, and of course down in front of her face.
"Don't worry, Quince. Our little dragon friend told me about you a while back....said you were what's called a Kitsune. " she says, her eyes merry, as she tilts her head back and laughs out loud, "Gossipy little things they are!"
She reaches out and grabs Quince by his now furry cheeks and brings him closer. Gently she kisses the end of his foxy nose, looking the shapeshifter directly in the eyes, "No amount of fox hair will make me love you any less, Mr Medvyed. Whether it's Erastil or just you, I'll take it ....tail and all." she finishes, looking down with a mock concerned look at Quince's nice bushy tail.
"A what." Quince looks shocked but then his focus shifts, "Love me?" He is caught by surprise when she kisses him on the nose. He shifts his tail a few times before it disappears. His fleshy hand lifts her chin to see he is back to normal, "I love you too." He kisses her.
He picks through the dirt where the scythe tree originally stood and digs out 3 pieces of amber worth 100 gp each and a foldedup bundle of cloth that appears to be a robe of bones. He points out the objects as he puts the amber in pocket and the robe in his pack. He keeps searching until told otherwise.
Tristan finally awakes and sees his friends.
"Well did we kill it or are we all dead."
He then sits up and takes in whats around him.
"Good we killed it. That thing tore into me good." He groans.
Kevros carefully maneuvers through the body strewn "field of death" to help Katrina with moving Tristan out of the carnage and decay to heal him. He looks up as Stalker and Saren as they walk up, he smiles and gives Stalker the usual Elven signal of Friendship and nods to Saren, "Thank you for helping." He then looks to the others, "Good work all keeping Tristan from certain death and bringing the scythe tree down!" Kev looks at Kat when she states that Quince is full of surprises and nods in agreement with her and after Quince states something about werewolves, he responds jokingly to Quince, "So Quince, are you telling us, you are a werefox?" He looks towards Saren picking up loot but does not say anything and then looks at Tristan, "It's dead and we are all still alive. Yeah, that tree was pretty nasty! Tristan, you still require healing?"
"I can ride. Nothing a little magic and food from Katrina won't fix. At some point I need to do a ritual. Ragathiel has given me much I have an animal companion that waits to be called."
Quince chuckles at Kevros, "Werefox . . . don't worry I only eat half-elves on the blood moon."
Happy to see Tristan up and about, "Have you considered a dire beaver the don't fight well but evil trees hate them."
"Good to see you Striker, Saren. Saren has the right idea. He already has a good bit of treasure discovered."
"Should we try to burn or bury these bodies."
He nods to Kevros' praise to the group and adds, "Yes it is good that another evil is slain and that we are all healthy or soon to be anyways. Is anyone else hurt? No, okay, here Tristan let us see if another cure light will do the job...Erastil bless Tristan with your soothing salve..." Then she does another just to be sure.
She laughs after Quince's joke of the dire beaver and evil trees hating them, then adds, "Watch out Kev, he is going to eat you one the Blood Moon!."
"Quince we could try to burn the bodies, most appear to be animals, possibly some fey or bandits but from the amount of damage it would be hard to tell which is which. Though burning these bodies would take a lot of fuel and likely the rest of the day to find the wood needed." She offers.
With Quince and Stalker helping him, it only takes an hour to go through the whole death field to recover some more loot. Another 3 people helping would cut the time in half.
Putting the loot over near the rest of the group you see your spoils: 42 cp, 55 sp, 6 gp, and simple silver ring worth 65 gp.
He also pulls out the robe and the amber to put with the others: 3 pieces of amber worth 100 gp each and a foldedup bundle of cloth that appears to be a robe of bones.
Tristan will help search through for loot and things before saying.
"Most of these bodies are long dead, this place is corrupt and will be for awhile, but it will pass. Let the animals feast on what remains here. Let us return to the dryad and satyr and give them the news they are safe."
He calls for his horse and begins to mount.
"Thank you as always Katrina. I feel much better."
"Excellent, glad to hear it Tristan. Perhaps you will wade into war with someone next time, or wait for the threat to come to us. Onwards to the dryad then?" She says pointing out possibilities. She then begins to walk back on foot with the group.
The trip back takes no more than an hour, much quicker than when trying to find the scythe tree. Stalker stops by the body to collect a bit of this and that before joining the group. Stalker is upon his Grey as Saren takes up the flank with his dragon mount.
The dryad, Tiressia, is overjoyed at your return, clapping and giddy she asks, "Did you do it, is the scythe tree dead?!" The saytr looks better but is still resting. Kevros's brother is tending to the horses.
goodberries (5), potion of cure moderate wounds
(2), scroll of summon nature’s ally II, wand of cure light wounds
(26 charges), 6 feather tokens (tree);
she also promises to aid the PCs in guarding the Narlmarches and
keep them updated about threats within its borders. This
grants a +2 bonus to their nation’s Stability.
EARLIER
Kev laughs with Quince and Katrina regarding the Werefox and Bloodmoon joke.
Kev looks at the bodies, "I agree with Kat and Tristan, let nature take them. Perhaps, we can form up a detail at Oleg's to come out here and bury them in full? However, I will give them last rites."
"GREAT ERASTIL WE DO NOT KNOW THESE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN VAIN BY A CORRUPTED BEING OF NATURE! PLEASE TAKE THEIR SOULS HOME AND LET THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES MAKE THIS LAND WHERE THEY HAVE FALLEN BEAUTIFUL ONCE MORE ENDING THE CORRUPTION. IN YOUR GREAT PRAISE!"
At which point, he then walks with Katrina back to the Dryad to report the status of the fallen Scythe tree.
LATER
"Yes Tiressia, the evil and corrupted scythe tree is dead. We do not have the resources nor want to use Erastil's great gift of the forest to burn the bodies. I blessed them and we left the bodies were they have fallen. I hope Erastil will return the corrupted area to the forest and those who have fallen will rest and not become that of the undead thanks to my blessing."
Tristan nods and then speaks in sylvan.
"Thank you for your generous gifts. We would appreciate help form the fey on the land as we try and make it safe for all. If you need aid in the future do not hesitate to ask. May we rest here with you for the day?"
EARLIER CONTINUE
Kev nods and smiles, "Thank you Saren and Brother Stalker for collecting the treasure around the scythe tree. Please take a part for your troubles?"
NOW
Kev looks at Tristan, "Yes, Sister Tiressia, may we rest here? Tristan went down during the fight with the corrupted tree and he must also pray to his god. If it was not for my love Katrina, Tristan would no longer be with us."
You find out that the horses really like this new fellow. He brushed them down, fed and watered them.
Quince approaches Scram and puts a hand up to rub the horses lightly, "The horses like you. Thank you for caring for them.
Quince smiles, "Down but not out. A blow that would have taken the rest of us." Quince looks to Tiressia and to the Satyr, "Is there any more that we can do?"
Quince begins to make preparations for camp, making sure there is grazing for the horses, securing the tether and so on.
Once settled Quince gets out his map and writing equipment he finds the dryad and satyr "In our efforts we have been hoping to better understand the land and places in it. You both have unique perspectives that I would love to have. Are there any landmarks, residents of note, dangers or wonders that we have missed." Quince continues chatting with them sharing stories and making note of anything they may add to the map.
Tiressia thanks you again, offering, "We will keep our eyes out for undead and do our best to clean out the corruption. Here take these items to further your ends in our lands. We will will call upon you if needed and have us as your allies. We will aid you in guarding the Nalmarches and keep you updated about threats within its borders. Yes rest here as long as you need, I am sure you will find the waters refreshing."
She offers up (5) goodberries, (2) potions of cure moderate wounds, a scroll of summon nature’s ally II, a wand of cure light wounds (26 charges), and 6 feather tokens (tree).
Kevro's brother nods in acknowledgement before working on sharpening his weapons again.
Tiresia, offers up some suggestions as to troubles nearby, "To the West there is an abandoned keep, bandits may be there. To the South there is a mad hermit that has killed many a walker, though both are at least a days ride from here."
Katrina blushes at the compliment from Kevros and begins to setup camp with Quince. She then walks around looking for dead branches and other wood to use for a fire.
He stands vigilant at the edge of the glade, unsure what to do at the moment. Once he learns that the group plans to stay here for the rest of the day and tomorrow, he opts to head back to the fort unless they want him to stay.
He walks slowly around listening to the interactions and offers to go hunting for the group, "Take your ease, I will hunt for you, another threat has been eliminated and that must be cherished. Rest I will return."
Tristan offers his thanks and goes off to start his ritual. 24hours pass and he returns to the camp with a pale white great cat.
"I have named him ghost. He will be able to aid us in hunting and tracking. As I gain strength so will he."
He then takes the next 8 hours to rest after staying up to complete the ritual.
Quince smiles squats low and looks at the cat making no threatening moves, "Hey there."
Quince then walks to the horses and speaks to them laying there fears of the predator to rest.
Katrina looks at Tristan and asks, "How was the ritual? Tiring? Can the cat understand us, it is still feral correct? At least it is over." She continues to stir the small cauldron filled with stew, tasting it and adding as necessary.
"It was long. Constant prayer. So a bit tiring yes. He is still feral and untrained but loyal. I can command him to attack but will need to work on other things when we have time. So have we decided where we go next?"
"Good to know, no plans have been made yet. We have just been relaxing, haven't we Kev?" She asks with a big smile...
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
The day passes by with plenty to eat, good food, great companionship, and just a great time. There is likely quite a bit of praying between Katina, Kevros, and Quince. Stalker returns with a deer to eat for the rest of the time.
Items to be split up among the group: (5) goodberries, (2) potions of cure moderate wounds, a scroll of summon nature’s ally II, a wand of cure light wounds (26 charges), and 6 feather tokens (tree).
This grants a +2 bonus to their nation’s Stability. Who is record keeping? The next time you go to Oleg's there is a big surprise waiting for you.
Staying in her glade for over 24 hours grants you resistance fire 5, for a week.
On the new dawn you all appear to be well rested and break camp.
"So perhaps since we have nothing else pressing we can head back to Oleg's and take back these heads before they rot." She offers up.
During the camp wait. Quince enjoys the camaraderie and makes good use of the time going over his gear and cleaning things, tending the horses and such.
Quince finds the faerie dragon and asks a few questions, "So I hear little friend that you have seen my kind before. I thought that I was unique . . . or something. I know that my parents found me in the woods as a babe but know nothing of my true parents. My adopted parents took such good care I never gave it much thought. They of course kept it secret. It would do no good to have the Medvyed name and not be of the blood for some of my extended relatives."