The party sets up camp around the standing stones.
"I can perform the first watch hour" says Leira.
The harebrained Leira is up to enter the portal when her more experienced companions stop Kaos and her from entering.
"You are the ones for something. It is true, we know nothing of what is in there and there is no reason to press on. We better go in with all our resources full" the girl agrees.
During the rest time, Leira will likely approach Anga "I have seen you showing powerful magic during the combat with the giants" the girl seems a bit hesitant and troubled as she speaks "Since I lost my mother I also lost my mentor. It would be great if you help me to keep progressing in the art of magic"
ah well, ah guess. What were ye interested in. Ah tend to focus on evocation spells, but ah'm rather bad at charm and necromancy.
Anga finds a comfortable spot to sit, and motions leira to do likewise.Basically ah'm a evoker wizard, skilled in movin' energy and such. Kaos is part sorceror; well he dabbles in it. How would ye decribe yerself?
"Oh well, I feel something ferocious and fearful to press inside me to get out" the girl looks down a bit concerned "I have broken beds to splinters and put other to flame before. But after those powers have uncovered, I have so far found a way to use them to help others" she uncovers a series of tattoos on her body.
"I think it is thanks to the basic magic studies my mother taught me. She taught me to understand the tattoos on my body, and showed me how to read magic, use it, and keep my own spellbook" the girl draws her spellbook, which has the fake title 'Accounting journal'.
"You are the heroes of Trunau, I would love being able to cast spells to make you stronger and protect you from harm. But having the opportunity to learn from a real evoker, it will also be great if I could learn those magic missiles and shield you used in combat before" she pushes her book Anga "Of course, if you want any of the spells of my mother, take it, copy it, my mother would be grateful to know it!"
"Well I am up for the last watch. Who is up to join me?"
Anga takes the book and looks it over.
Aye, basic spell book, draconic lettering it seems, hmm.
Anga looks at the young mageling.
We can exchange spells if ye want. Magic missile and shield are both force spells, ye ken. When ye use those ye are working with the powers of creation. Here.
Anga pulls out her spellbook, a large ledger style book, with red leather and gold inlaid lettering. It says in
As above plus
All 0 levels less necromancy and enchantment spells
Lv1 magic weapon, thunder stomp, Shield, identify, Mage armour, shield, magic missile
lv2 mirror image, invisibility, molten orb, scorching rayx, mirror image
lv3 fireball, haste, tongues
Now the lettering is Ignan, but don't let that worry ye. A read magic spell will make the meaning clear, but ye must use ye leaning to make it clear fer copying.
Leira sits just next to Anga and presses herself to learn as the female dwarf helps her.
Quietly, she starts copying the spells into her own spellbook very calmly and with all respect to detail.
Once she finishes the girl shows her book with the new spells copied very proudly "It worked! Thanks a lot Ang! You are a patient and delightful master"
She then looks for a good spot from where to control the camp next to Kaos until it arrives the time to wake up the next turn.
The girl goes to sleep happy for the first time in weeks.
Anga likewise takes ten and copies
liberating command
enlarge person
Vanish
-30gp
Anga them watches leira go to sleep. She calls out ratty, her familiar and feeds him. Strange. Ah have never been called a master before.
She shook her head, and settled down herself and was soon asleep.
Kaos, That be all i can provide right now
Blast and bother, everyone gather 'round" Ragnir brings his axe down on the giants' necks, to make sure there's no hope of them being healed and then channels Torag's blessing to heal everyone.
"I be close ta spent meself, now
Ingrahild beds down after first watch. Her snoring likely caused any would be monsters to flee in terror.
The sun rises over the swamp. The rest was fraught with mosquitoes the size of a tankards buzzing about and taking a nibble now and then.
Day Twenty-Six
Anga gets up and stretches.
it's mornin's like this that make ye wonder why we adventure. Oh well.
she settles to studying her spellbook.
Feeling his wounds close and his spirits rise Ulfgard lovingly cleans his weapons at the evening fire and starts a snoring competition with Ingrahild
The portal remains open. Who is first to venture forth? And then what order after that?
"Let me explore this" says Leira "If I am not back in 12 seconds, please come after me"
The girl casts vanish upon herself and stealthily goes into the portal.
Once at the other side, the girl quickly recognizes the terrain and heads back through the portal explaining what she has seen.
When Leira passes through the portal, she sees a lone menhir standing in a clearing in a vibrant forest filled with thick, verdant plant life. Exotic flowers drape the standing stone, which pulses with brilliant chartreuse light. A path lined with rose petals leads from the monolith to a giant floral bloom carved from wood. Two carved wooden stamens stretch out toward the pulsating menhir, extending from either side of a set of ornate doors carved into the giant flower. An overpowering fragrance of flowers and sweet grass permeates the air. The sun above sits at its zenith, basking the area in light and warmth.
Leira sees moving in the forest around the menhir a couple, maybe more, tiny, vaguely humanoid creatures. They appear to be like bundles of twigs wound with thorny vines. They react to the opening of the portal, but fail to notice the invisible Rogue Arcanist.
Leira quickly comes back through the portal after recognizing the terrain. Back at the druid circle Leira quickly explains her findings "I am back here guys!" her voice seems excited "There are flowers everywhere and wooden sculptures. The sun shines all over, and a couple of tiny, vaguely humanoid creatures like bundles of twigs wound with thorny vines are lurking in a forest around a menhir, close to the portal."
"Let's go in and find our way to the druid's hold!" as soon as one of her companions decides to go into the portal, Leira reacts going into as well attacking the creatures before they can attack her companion.
Leira recalls tales about Twigjacks:
Deep in old-growth forests, twigjacks spend their time tormenting intruders and wreaking havoc on settlers. Maladjusted protectors of the wood, these malicious fey constantly threaten any attempts to civilize the wild. Twigjacks delight in breaking wagon wheels from expansionists’ caravans, snapping hunters’ bows, and sabotaging isolated cabins and villages. Although they possess a keen intellect, few creatures, even other fey, can tolerate these twig-born creatures for long. Treants especially find twigjacks bothersome, and resent any suggestion that they are related. Equally, twigjacks resent being considered plants, and are proud of their fey heritage. Twigjacks sometimes go out of their way to impress dryads, an effort that is rebuffed almost every time. But some spriggans, quicklings, and other evil fey associate with twigjacks, and while goblins fear and distrust the creatures, bugbears often bully them into service.
Gnarled sticks bundled by vines and brambles form a twigjack’s entire body. Atop its head, a mossy growth not unlike hair sprouts. The creature’s eyes appear as vacant dark knotholes, and its mouth is just a canyon of splintered and broken sticks bisecting its face. Leaves and sprigs of new growth randomly sprout from the creature’s body.
Round One
Leira fires at the Twigjacks with the clearest shot, harassing the creatures so they do not assault her companions as they jump into the portal.
The girl suddenly turns visible!
When the party passes through the portal, Ingrahild reacts quickly. The Dwarf Rangers eyes one of threats and moves to dispatch the tiny fey. She hacks and bits of wood goes flying, "Taka that ye wee litt'l bit."
Prior
Anga casts mage armour on herself
Now
Anga casts force missile at twigjack 4
Hopping in Ulfgards foot gets caugth by a root and he fails to react properly.
Haakyll passees through, and takes up a spot to cover Anga.
Ragnir steps through with a mischievous grin on his face, calling out boldly, "Now where be these cute little plant men ye were talkin' about?"
He then turns to attack the plant closest to himself, keeping Anga between he and Haskyll.
Round One...mostly
Having an idea what they are facing the party passes through the portal.
Ingrahild is first through and moves on a Twigjack to her left. She cuts into the tiny creature as bits of wood and thorns go flying.
Anga was quick through the portal as well. She sees one the creatures in the growth and sends a Force Missile at the tiny Fey.
Ragnir passes through the portal in a full defensive mode.
After Blessing the party, Haskyll moves through the portal ready to attack.
While still invisible, Leira passes through the portal bow drawn. She sends an arrow at one of the Twigjacks. It actually manages to hit the first one.
Kaos brings up a Shield, then passes through the portal. He sees one of the tiny creatures to his right. He hacks with his oversized axe and also sends forth a spray of wood and thorns.
Ulfgard nearly falls on a vine stumbling through the portal.
Their turn.
The first Twigjack steps back into foilage, then from its tiny body it lets loose a barrage of thorns at the party.
On the other side, the second Twigjack does about the same thing. It takes a movement back into the vegetation and lets loose its splinters.
The other two Twigjacks seem more apprehensive and fail to react to the intruders.
Ulfgard and Round Two
Stepping to the side and imbuing again her arrows with magic, Leira shots at the same creature as before .
Moving to the little one in the left upper corner ulfgard hammers his opponent as hard as he can.
Ingrahild ducks under some of the splinters. She then takes a step into the foilage and hacks at the wee bit of wood. The wee bit of wood stops moving.
Haskyll grimaces on the spray, and then moves back slightly to get the group, but not the sticks.
Anga staggers forward, the thorns punching into her skin. Haskyll's healing washes over her, aleaviating most of the pain.
She casts a magic missile on twigjack 4
Taking the brunt of the damage Ulfgard is not happy
Ragnir manages to get his shield in place to deflect most of the twigs attack, but still gets stuck by splinters. "Always tryin' ta take out the iron clad with twigs! Time ta be makin' kindling!"
Round One finish
Ragnir hits the second Twigjack.
Ulfgard takes the brunt of the second Twigjack's volley. He then steps up and splits the tiny twig terror in two.
Round Two
Ingrahild ducks some of the splinters, but not all of them. She then takes a step and begins to chop some wood. The first Twigjack stops moving.
Anga didn't take the full volley of Thorns from the first Twigjack. She was not as fortunate with the second one's volley. The Dwarf Wizard then shoots out a volley herself, hitting the fourth Twigjack.
Ragnir gets his shield up in time to deflect some of the volley of Thorns. He moves on the third Twigjack, but misses the odd little Fey.
Haskyll takes a full volley of Thorns from the first Twigjack. He then positions himself to bring forth a wave of healing that engulfs the party.
Seeing the first Twigjack suddenly fall to Ingrahild's blow, Leira changes target missing the fourth Twigjack with her arrow.
Kaos takes a full volley too from the second Twigjack. But seeing Ragnir and Ulfgard finish off the second tiny terror, he moves on the third. He brings his oversized axe down hard on the woody Fey.
The third Twigjack begins to panic. It moves deeper into the vegetation and launches his own volley of Thorns, but it only affects the big human.
The fourth Twigjack moves ten feet toward Ingrahild. It too launches its volley of Thorns, but the Fey's previous damage effected the number of Thorns spraying forth from its tiny body.
Ulfgard's Round Two and Round Three
The Tiny Terror's spray of splinters hits the Dwarf Ranger in her face, arm and legs.
"By Torag, what manner o' beasties is this," with blood dripping from her cheek, Ingrahild takes a step and attacks the fourth Twigjack. And with a crunching thud finishes off the fourth Twigjack.
Ragnir grumbles again as he moves forward to try and strike the weird stick man. "Alricht!! Tha's about enough of yer throwin' yer wee splinters!
Despite her usual ability to avoid attacks, Leira is taken amiss and reacts just a bit too late with most splinters hitting her.
As the creatures fall, she moves hastily to a position where she can shot at the remaining one all over Ragnir, using her magic to make the arrows crack with arcane forces.
Ulfgard pulls splinters out of his body.
Round Three
After taking another volley of splinters, Ingrahild chops up the fourth Twigjack with a thud.
Anga also starts pulling out a copious collection of Thorns.
After also taking another volley of splinters, Ragnir steps into the third and final Twigjack. But he swings over the tiny fey.
Haskyll removes thorns out of his....
Leira moves to position herself behind Ragnir. She imbues arcane energy on her arrow and fires. The arrow sticks solidly in the last Twigjack. You just about can't tell the remnant body of the Twigjack, the arrow, or the surrounding flora from one another.
It is just as well that Leira finishes off the last Twigjack, for Kaos was clearly distracted by all the splinters he too will need to pull out from his.....
Victory
Seeing only enemy still alive and Ragnir in control Ulfgard removes a painful barb from his armpit. How in Torags name could it land there. Afterwards he moves forward, shield in hand towards the door, looking around for any hidden surprises.
Leira lowers her bow happy that the menace has ended but still removing some of the wooden tiny needles the creatures have thrown at the group "Uff... those splinters really hurt."
She moves then her attention to the door while the others check the bodies "Look that flower petal door. Let's see what it is there"
And before even opening the door, she will closely examine it for traps or noises.
Leira and Ulfgard will not detect anything menacing. But when they approaches the door, they see writing above it: