"Agree." Koldur is quick to accent.
"What kind of spirit is it? Does it need cold iron or simply sliver, Lady Silique?"
At Koldurs questions Hykan says "and does fire work on it?
Then he leaves with the others
Evil must be dealt with at one point or an other he says before leaving behind Koldur
She answers readily, "It is a simple tree infested by the spirit. Slashing weapons and fire should work the best upon it."
After you leave the pool, you find the tunnel back. You can continue or head up the ladder.
The sweet stench of decay hangs thick in this woodland clearing. Knotted branches of sickly trees line the perimeter, creating a thick canopy that blocks most of the sunlight and cloaks the hollow in shadow. Withered vegetation struggles to grow in ragged clumps among the multitude of bones strewn across the forest floor.
The thick canopy overhead reduces illumination from the sky by two steps, so that during the day the clearing has dim light. But it is the dead of night.
"Let's scout.. someone come with?
Hykan will wait and then proceed
"Something tells me that whether or not Lady Silique had informed us of this, We'd have dealt with this sooner or later." Koldur remarks as he catches sight of the dismal place.
Checking his axes balance as he draws them out.
"So Oscar, I assume we don't need to rely on your divine gifts to know this is definitely something that requires slaying?" refering to his ability to sense Evil.
"Let's scout.. someone come with?
"I could join you Hykan, but they would hear us from one hundred miles away" - Reknar chuckles.
One must always check he replied smiling
oscar points to a direction and starts moving toward "it"
over there !
As he is walking with Oscar he says
"I If we find the tree cannot move I suggest that we retreat back to just over 100 feet and allow me to blast the tree, that is after we've identified the right tree?"
"His proposal is sound, Oscar. Besides I think there be only but one tree that needs to be cleansed. We should be his guarding shields if anything else charges forward."
maybe it is like the last "tree"
he says going close to the evil aura
You four enter into the clearing and see the many bodies sprawled across it. Slowly crossing over them you follow Oscar over to the North side of the clearing.
Now before everything goes boom Hykan will activate his Searing flesh defence and boost it's damage by 1 point so up to 2 and take a point of burn which activates his elemental overflow
His eyes start to bleed fire though.
"You ok there man?" - Reknar throws a sidelong glance at Hykan, before following after Oscar.
"If you're going to explode, do inform us before hand." Koldur whispers as he inches foward slowly behind Oscar, after a quick glance at Hykan.
"Perfectly natural, odd side effect of my powers, annoying as I have to remember to dampen it to be subtle though."
Hycan goes elemental overflow and is prepped for battle before they even cross half of the clearing.
The tree awakens like a beast, thrashing one of its arms at Oscar with a readied action, striking at Oscar 20 feet away from where it stands. You can see its bark split apart to show a maw of teeth and several other scythe like branches ready to strike. The strike is averted by Oscar's armor!
AC 17
Prepared AoOs:
Koldur
Reknar
Oscar
Hycan
lost soul
Sycthe tree now a 11 after Oscar
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.
Round 1
Full defense and move forward 20 ft to get into close combat
That now is one heck of a tree ! Anyone knows what it is really ?
Current AC 27 [17+4+6]
Round 2
Fighting Def
Current AC 24
Round 1
"Seems like a damn palm tree, or is it an apple tree?!" - Reknar laughs - "Doesn't matter! Chop it down lads!"
Hykan uses a move action to gather power which creates a swirling mass of fire around him so he can use his extended range infusion and not take burn
He then launches the blast at the tree
Koldur charges into the Fray! His strong legs propel him heedlesss of the danger straight into the tree!
"Come on lads! There's some pruning that needs be done!"
Koldur charge is an excellent example of brutality as he smashes aside branches to slam Moonshine into the tree.
Then backing Oscar up, he begins a chopping frenzy as tireless powerful arms begins to hack and slash at the tree itself without pause, as the dwarf sets a solid stance meant more for standing his ground then his usual mobile style.
Round 1 40 hp
Oscar moves forward aiming to dodge any other attacks and successfully does so. The others are able to move in as well unhindered due to Oscar's actions. Koldur cuts out a chunk from the tree. A blast from Hycan comes searing in and burns high on the tree.
Round 2 AC 19, 40 hp
The group has more trouble getting their weapons to cut the bark this round than last.
The tree looks for a softer target, finding it in Koldur as the branches knock the fighter to the ground.
On Koldur
On Koldur
On Koldur
On Koldur
Round 3
On Reknar
On Reknar
On Reknar
Hykan watches the tree thing do nasty damage to his friends, so he blasts it again after he gather power using a move action
"Burn"
Round 3
Smite Evil
I'll Save you Koldur !!!
Current AC 21
Round 3
Oscar cuts one of the tree's branches off ask Hycan hits it with a super blast which ignites the tree as a whole. It falls over and burns. But not before it gets one massive cut on Reknar, bloodied .
"WooHar!!! Yeah!.. I've never done anything like that before!"
Elation just will not be wiped of Hycans face at the moment
Aa soon as the tree is down, Reknar moves over to Koldur - "Not today" - he grumbles, allowing some of his magic to wash over the dwarf, stabilizing him.
Round 4
Open your eyes Dwarf ! he says
as he put the palm of his hands on koldur's shoulder
"Urgghhhh. Where's that bull cart that ran over me?!?!" a rather battered dwarf speaks up even as he instinctly clutches for his weapons.
Bruised and battered, the dwarf may have seen better days but it is clear that he is old but pride drives him to his feet. Pride forces him to swallow his pain and crack jokes to alleviate his companion's worries. And it is pride as he takes up his weapons once more, looking for any further foes.
"Where else do we need to clear? Can Hykan just torch this place with his fire powers?"
"Good to have you back on your feet master Koldur" - Reknar slaps the sturdy dwarf on his shoulder, then moves to the area where the tree fell down and burned, clutching his bloody arm - "You got me well there. Now it is my turn to see if you have any secrets"
"Ummm Yes I could, but I think a more controlled approach is best used lest we anger the guardians of the woods."
As Hykan says this he is looking around the woods
"Im going to be feeling this the next day." Koldur gingerly examines his wounds before getting up to assist his companions.
as long as you live to see the next sunshine replied oscar to Koldur
as divine energy heals more of his wounds
he turns around
Nothing else evil within Oscar's range.
The scythe tree keeps its most precious treasures buried under its roots:
Koldur puts his axe to work to reduce the remains of said tree into kindling.
"Search around and tell me if there's still taint....." he grunts out as his blow of his axe lands on the tree.
"Not sure about the taint" - Reknar retorts as Koldur goes to work on the tree remnants - "Though at least we've got something for your troubles master Koldur" - he adds, waving the loot around.
"Guess it is time we double back then, and inform the task is done" - the man nods - "Let's go boys"
The four of you track back to the trap door, descend, and take the right path. At the edge of the underground pond again, you see the nymph surface in the center of the water again. She smiles at you and claps, "Good! Now I owe you a favor, you wanted that as a distraction while you assault the fort? My fey will have their eyes on you and a feaire to stay with you if you wish?"
Replying to Reknar,
"Aye. That tree hits hard...very hard...reminds me of my grandma when she got angry when we dwarvlings steal her cookies. Her frying pan is rumoured to have felled a giant though we could never be sure about that...."
Back at the fey
"That aid would be much appreciated."
Hykans eyes light up at her words
"Yes as my friend Koldur said, much appreciated."
Yes, we will burn trough that foul necromancer's conjuration and hopefully storm that fort oscar agree
"What is it with you and storming forts?" Koldur sighs as Oscar's words come to him.
"There might be a chance of redemption for the poor souls inside that fort now that we too know how much power and taint that Necromancer holds."
"A word of advice, come at the fort on the South side. That is where the main gate is but also not many undead compared to the other three sides of it. If there is nothing else, we will be watching." She offers and them quickly dismisses you.