Perception.
Guess I'm a light sleeper!
Alrick, drained by the excitement of the day and the prospect of some actual heroism in his future, snores fitfully and shifts in his sleep, oblivious to anything and everything.
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As the Green glow pulses once in the bushes, both Ekan and Tae snap their heads around looking in their direction, as a wave of nausea passes over them emanting from the sickly green light that had flashed so briefly, and they see a humanoid shape in the shadows quickly transform into the shape of a bat and fly off in the direction of the Sunless Citadel.
Ekan thinks once about sending his familiar after the bat, but in the darkness, he knows the hawk would be blind.
That same wave of nausea passed over the entire party as they slept, causing each to open their eyes. There was danger, and they sensed it.
, , , , , ,
Ekan points to the bushes and says 'Look'
You are quite amazed to see Bushes animate and began to stalk forward, pulling their rooted feet right from the ground, the same sickly green glow in their eyes that have appeared on a small stick-like head. clawed hands stretch out from the foliage opening a closing menacingly.
Plant Traits- Immune to Mind Affecting Spells, Paralysis, Poison, Polymorph, Sleep, and stunning. FO: +3/Ref: +/Wil: +0
Remember- You roll attacks and damage for you (and Miss chances), and saves for Blights. I roll the flip side for you
Ekan feels a bit woozy for a moment, almost sick. Then, he glances to the bushes, "Look!" he points as those same bushes seem to come alive.
"Wake up, everyone," He adds even as he begins to intone a protective spell, his fingers seeming to leap about in circular motions.
Grommund stands up and grabs his axe from beside his bedroll where it lay. He looks about warily for foes, blinking sleep from his eyes.
Zarrick would sleep in his as well. He should have learned a bit about that detail.
He grabs his mace which is setting beside him and stands up in a defensive posture as he tries to figure out what is going on.
Tae moves forward to H14 and readies to send an eldritch bolt at a twigblight if one comes within range.
GM put the creature stats in his post Tae to help move combat along a bit.
Alrick sits bolt upright, even before his eyes are fully open.
"Wha...? is the best he can offer, before he sees Tae and Ekan's magic. At that, he stands surveying the scene as best he can.
He picks up his mace, and prepares to interpose himself between Tae and the thing that appears to be closing on her.
Klor wakes up, Time fer watch already? then he realizes combat.
He jumps to his feet grabbing his axe. no time for armor he grabs his shield and takes his postion.
As the party stood, grabbing weapons , and Ekan began an incantation that ended with a shimmering field of force between him and the creature; the three stick-like figures slowly crossed the broken ground of the hilly area the party had chosen as their campsite. Each step dangling roots reached into the ground to anchor themselves on unsteady feet. Clawed appendages flexed and moved in the dim light caused by the campfire.
As the northern one approached, Tae's eyes began to golw and she thrust out both arms, and an eldritch bolt of pure energy was thrust out over Grommunds shoulder.
The Bolt was high and slammed into the ground, leaving a slight indentation in the hard ground.
AC-13/T-11/FF-12 HP:{B13}6/6, {B3}6/6, {K1}6/6
Plant Traits- Immune to Mind Affecting Spells, Paralysis, Poison, Polymorph, Sleep, and stunning. FO: +3/Ref: +/Wil: +0
Dim Light- 20% Miss Chance for attacks by anyone without Darkvision/Low Light Vision. Darkness- 50% Miss Chance for attacks by anyone without darkvision and no Dex Bonus to AC.
Remember- You roll attacks and damage for you (and Miss chances), and saves for Blights. I roll the flip side for you
Alrick's eyes settle on the thing closing near Zarrick, realizing that Tae is fine with Grommund nearby.
"I am with you, Zarrick!"
Alrick moves close, readying his mace to attack, should the thing approach.
The rock terrain hindering Klors movement he advances on the closest wooden meanace
Alrighty ya brainless hackit bastards interupt me beauty rest will ya!
takes a swipe at the little bugger
Tae takes a step to the side (to G13) so no one is between her and the blight. She sends another bolt of energy at it.
Grommund swings his axe at the plant thing with two hands.
It's been years since he swung a battle axe, and his aim is somewhat off.
Zarrick remains on the defense, waiting for advancement of the stickly creatures or a chance to use his healing skills.
Note: I have 3 Stabilize and 2 Cure Light Wounds spells available.
Alrick moved across the broken terrain, it slowing his advance more than what he had hoped as he came up behind Zarrick
Klor took a few steps to his right closing on the menacing plant swinging his axe much a woodsman, he almost knocked it over, his axe biting deep into the small truck, a vile green sap dripping onto the ground
Tae moved a few steps across the uneven ground and once more a bolt of force arced out blasting the pile of sticks into harmlessness.
Grommund, in mid swing, failed to notice that Tae had destroyed the one near him and his swing spun him around as it went through the air. He recovered quickly though and made his way towards the halfling.
Zarrick stood his ground, mace at the ready.
Ekan eyed the creature coming his way and prepared a spell as it moved within range he pointed a palm at it and a fist sized beam of cold
but his aim was off and all he did was coat the bush behind it in frost.
The two remaining stick figures advanced. the broken terrain slowing their advance. Grommund saw one change from going after Ekan to coming towards him, since he was a tiny bit closer and Zarrick had the one come right upon him and he swung his mace . The mace connected smashing a good portion of the plant into splinters.
AC-13/T-11/FF-12 HP:{J9}6/3, {F9}6/6
Plant Traits- Immune to Mind Affecting Spells, Paralysis, Poison, Polymorph, Sleep, and stunning. FO: +3/Ref: +/Wil: +0
Dim Light- 20% Miss Chance for attacks by anyone without Darkvision/Low Light Vision. Darkness- 50% Miss Chance for attacks by anyone without darkvision and no Dex Bonus to AC.
Remember- You roll attacks and damage for you (and Miss chances), and saves for Blights. I roll the flip side for you
Next turn: Zarrick swings his mace at the freakish creature for
With all the blights in direct melee with other members of the party, Tae holds any further hostile action and readies to move and heal anyone who becomes severely injured.
Alrick grunts as the terrain impedes his movement. Seeing the thing close with Zarrick, he steps around him, and swings his mace.
When the mace connects, he gives out a wordless cry of triumph.
Between Zarrick and Alrick the two remaining plant creatures were smashed to splinters. Looking around the group realizes there are no further enemies....
Edit: never mind
Klor will just assume his watch then.
Is everyone alright?
well those stick things don't look to well off.
"Weel dain lads! Aam back ter sleep 'en, wake me when its mah watch." Grommund says, genuinely impressed with how the greenhorns had handled themselves. He lies back down a pleased expression on his face.
Tae shudders as she looks at the dead plant creatures and resumes her watch even more alert than she had been before, now watching every plant around them with expectatios of animation.
The balance of the evening passes uneventfully. Its chilly in the morning when you awake, and you can see clouds on the horizon coming this way, with threats of a thunderstorm.
You stand on the edge of the Ashen Plain, looking off in the distance you think you can make out the edge of the gorge a couple miles away.
"Weel, eat quickly an' 'en be aff. We need tae fin' whatever's turnin' bushes intae beasties an' kill it." Grommund quickly shoves some hardtack into his mouth, eating like a dog. When he's done he spills some water on his face and rinses the crumbs and dirt from his mouth and beard.
but his aim was off and all he did was coat the bush behind it in frost.
As I mentioned in my how I do combat. 24 hours to post. And except for healing I take simple non resource abusing actions for you
Ekan was stunned by the action, "What WERE those things I wonder?" Still, he dutifully goes back to watch, and tries to rememorize his lost spell if there's time.
When he awakens, he looks curious at Geargrip's comment, "You think some force is behind that transformation? I suppose it must be. I'm afraid I don't know much about nature, even when it's perverted."
Feeling famished, Zarrick scarfed down his rations, drank down the water in his waterskin then refilled it at the nearby stream. He checked the supplies in the healers kit to make sure everything was still in useable condition, then neatly packed up his gear, as to be ready when it was time to head out for the gorge.
Note: Remember Alrick, you were given 1 ration of food the previous day.
Klor. has a light breakfast before heading out making sure the campsite is clear.
listening to Ekan de thing be twigs from hell, can only image what would happen if a dog found one of em. gives new meanin to that word fetch
Makeing sure that his waterskin is full of water and the ale skin full of ale.
Before leaving with all, Tae fills her waterskin then follows along.
The trek to the gorge is quick across a small area in the hills that was completely flat. When the citadel was above ground, it would've given the guards a good hour by foot and 3o minutes by horse to preapre against an assault. It was a good tactical location back in the day. Now however the Citadel had dropped beneath the surface.
The flatlands around it had been reduced to ash. Nothing growing at all. A fine black ash covered the ground, winds kicked up the ash and soon the group was being covered in the same light dusting of black. It got everywhere, nose ears, eyes, beards,...everywhere.
As they approached the slight rise where they could see 3-4' wooden pylons sunk in the ground and some signage about a hundred yards away they were relieved to be off that ashen plain.
Grommund approaches the signs cautiously, eyes peeled for signs of danger.
Once he reaches the signs, he sees if he can read them. He's also looking around for tracks or signs that anyone else has been here recently.
Ekan fills his water once more, taking Tae's lead on that. Later, he actually smiles at Klor's fetch joke. His hawk looks over the plan from his shoulder. When the ash kicks up though, he allows his familiar to hide partially in his hood and covers his mouth and nose.
Alrick too, fills his water, grateful it was the one thing he did remember to bring.
He follows as the group presses on, lingering the back. When they finally reach the end of the plain, he washes his mouth and face with some of the water, and sits for a moment.
"That was most unpleasant."
As the group pauses to have a drink of water before heading to the edge of the Gorge, Grommund stalks forward having a look.
The signage is written in a language you cannot read. There's additional almost graffiti like writings on the various pillars and pylons in 2 different languages. that are not Dwarven or Common
blasted desert of the hells?
Klor tries to keep his mouth and nose covered the best he can. as they approach the gorge.
Klor comes up beside his fellow dwarf what do ya see? something promising I hope
Tae follows the two dwarves, and looks at the sign and the graffiti in the hopes that perhaps something there is written in a language she understands.
If not, she instead looks down into the gorge, getting a sick feeling at the dizzying height. She takes a step back from the edge.
Ekan follows Tae as she moves up. "Something to read?"
Zarrick follows the others to the edge of the gorge and wonders just how far down the bottom is.
The group follows Grommund to the edge of the Gorge and the signage and graffiti is lost to all except Tae and Ekan, who recognize one of the languages, but not the other.
As you peer down inside the of the Gorge, vertigo threatens you. The narrow gorge, some maybe 20' across, drops down about 25 feel to a flat ledge from which crudely carved stairs descend back and forth along the cliff face another 50 feet until the come out onto the top of a Citadel Battlement. The rope tied off descends to the ledge. There are also crudely carved handholds along the cliff wall from the ledge to the top of the gorge. The Citadel fills the gorge which as it drops down, spreads out easily 250 feet across.
"It's draconic!" Ekan says excitedly, "At least these are here... looks like it is from the 'Dragonskull tribe'. They claim the keep, warn any goblins away, that sort of thing."
He also steadies himself as he looks down swallows, "My that's a big drop."
"Aint 'at whit kobolds spiick? Lets gie doon thaur, keep yer een peeled fur traps. If ye see anythin' lit me tak' a swatch at it." Grummund says before descending the rope.
Tae waits for Grommund to climb down, watching carefully how he does it, then tries to emulate him, using the rope and being very cautious in her actions.
When/if she reaches the ledge safely, she is nearly in tears from the effort and breathes a heavy sigh of relief, glad to release the rope again and be standing on solid ground.
Ekan lets his hawk go to flight knowing she'll follow him down, and then he tries to mince down the rope.