He steps carefully through the woods, leading the others through as the light above fades away slowly. Only shafts of light pierce through the living roof above them, providing halos upon the forest's floor of brilliant light to counteract the darkness that seems to creep in. He is as silent as he can be, moving with purpose and keeping his conversation light as he focuses on the danger the woods pose to them all. The wyvern taking off was one such terror of the woods, the half-orc slowly cursing himself for not noticing its presence faster. Water stains his leather boots, Kanga's paws soaked with water from the swamps that they passed through the swamps and avoided the venomous snakes that pass through. Occasionally he stops though, grabbing roots, leaves, and fruit that are edible and safe. Passing them down the way, he keeps the group fed well enough to keep them strong and ready for the challenges ahead.
When he heard the fox's sounds, he stopped and listened for just a moment. The sounds of pain made him frown though, as he looked back towards Chillel. "We should. There might be something more there." Perhaps a dead predator, it seemed strange that something would be in great pain but still be left alive. Looking back towards Dolok, he gave a quick smile and nodded. "Indeed. It is good to make good first impressions here." He would begin to stalk off in that direction, moving as quietly as he could. Kanga stalks next to him, as silent as death as his predatory instincts kick in.
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Illiam accepts Dolok's offer to cast Resistance, then immediately begins to stalk forward, following behind Baradim and Kanga.
Illiam moves so quietly that the others in the group don't notice him passing . He stays behind Baradim as he creeps closer to the source of the sound, still scanning the area with detect magic, just in case. He stops just before leaving cover until seeing what's going on.
Chillel nods silently to Baradim. She then remains behind, remaining alert.
Didn't Jarlben have a stuffed fennec on his desk? Lunarinus whispers to no one in particular, not certain what, if anything, it has to do with the current situation, but finding it interesting enough to say out loud. Then, Baradim, Illiam, if there is anything out there, don't engage it, just come back and report, I don't like the idea of splitting up, even temporarily, especially since there's no way the rest of us could find our way through this god's forsaken forest without you. After making his warning he grabs his longbow from his back and puts an arrow to the string, swiveling his vision all around, and up and down every tree nearby.
Dolok will also stay behind. Turning to Lunarinus, he will whisper"Well said. We certainly would be in trouble if we lose our guide."
Dolok scans his surroundings & looks intently at all the tress, listening & watching for any signs of danger.
For once, Kairon says nothing. He drops into a half-crouch with his longspear pointed downward across his body, and his eyes focus on the middle distance, seeing everything and nothing, just as the faintest flickers of red fire start to dance across the fingertips of his left hand.
Pulling his blade free, Goruck settles into a grounded stance, holding his blade horizontal with the crook of armored elbow. Whispering, he asks, "Dolok, mind granting me that spell?"
Dolok will cast the spell upon Illiam, Goruck & himself, while he looks around expectantly at the other members of the group to see if they give any indication of wanting it.
Thank you Dolok, I may need it.
As Kanga, Baradim, and pulling up the rear nice and slow, Illiam, approach the sound, staying as hidden in the thick scrub as they can, they at first see a bright spot opening up in the canopy, then the reason for the bright spot becomes apparent. There is a small fresh water pond, perhaps fed by a trickle from the Droskmere, perhaps spring fed. At the edge of the pond, sure as Baradim suspected, lies a Darkmoon firefoot, a species of fennec unique to the woods. Its hind legs are caught in a steel trap, and it cries occasionally out of pain and misery. Bopping up and down in trees and a bush near the pond are three dark birds, similar to ravens, but seeming a bit bigger. When Kanga and Baradim approach the edge of the clearing one of the crows starts squawking loudly and bopping up and down on its branch. It appears very much like a clarion call of warning. Surveying the scene Illiam's sharp eyes see a humanoid, camouflaged, fifteen feet up in a tree just on the edge of the pond, the creature has a thick longbow in his hand and an arrow nocked and aiming into the small clearing where the fox is trapped. Silently, Illiam taps Baradim on the shoulder and points to the man, so Baradim can locate him. Thankfully it does not appear, at this point, that the man with the bow has spotted their adept hiding among the thick undergrowth.
Dolok will cast the spell on Baradim & Chillel as well, looking expectantly at Lunarinus.
Baradim will be stalk forward, the fox's cries echoing out through the forest. Yet when they came across the fox, his scowl would begin to deepen more.
"Clever...very clever." The hunter whispered at the sight of the imprisoned animal, his grip tightening on the guisarme before looking towards Illiam. When the halfling points out the figure waiting in the tree and the large birds begin to caw, Baradim nods again and speaks just loud enough for Illiam to hear him. "It is a lure, I think. The fox is to bring in bigger meals. Meals like us."
After Illiam was able to identify what the person was or not, he'd look back at the halfling. "It is a cruel tactic to be sure. We may wish to eliminate this problem rather than leave it behind us with the chance to hunt us through the woods. Can you tell the others? I'm worried I'll disturb the birds too much..." Illiam would be the first to see the almost predatory focus of the half-orc, the similarities between himself and the great cat crouched beside him striking in the dark foliage.
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Illiam moves silently back to the group and relays the layout. If one of you armored guys go over there he says, indicating the east side of the small pond You can create a distraction for Chillel and I, so we can come from the other direction and surprise him. Recalling the earlier discussion of tactics over blackberries, She can try to hex him to sleep, and if that doesn't work, I have a way to knock him out of the tree. Baradim says the crows over there won't bother you armored guys much, especially if we take out their master. The rest of you wait here and be ready to come engage the guy in the tree if he's not asleep.
"Since you made no mention of me in your plan, and I have no intentions of staying here by myself, I shall go with Chillel & yourself in case more 'fire-power' is needed."
Chillel replies to Illiam:-
You and Baradim may not have considered my... limited ability at stealth. We could sneak up that way, approaching the creature in the tree from behind.
Chillel's gestures indicate a path up the right hand side of the map, to the top right corner, then turning and approaching the Hobgoblin from behind.
But that means splitting in three groups, with one group having our three unarmoured people. Not good if there are enemies we don't know about. I favour moving up to Baradim as one group, ready for attack.
"I tend to agree with the Lady Chillel. I also have no ability to sneak or move about quietly. And as she said, what if there are other enemies about that we do not know of? If it is only the one, we should be able to handle him easily, but what if the birds are some sort of signal or messenger that could go & alert others in the area? Maybe we should focus on taking them out? Just a thought."
"Ambushing him sounds good, - though I think it may be over-kill, there are seven of us after all! - but I'm still concerned about those birds acting as messenger's or signals. Any suggestions?"
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Illiam is clearly not concerned about the birds (at least as long as he doesn't have to fight them himself), regardless of whether he should be or not. Baradim told me that one of the armored guys could just go over there and deal with them. They won't be able to get through armor! Plus, that will distract the hobgoblin!
This is not the time for lengthy debate. I propose moving up to Baradim as one group immediately. He is out there by himself.
"Agreed! Shall we go?"
"Try and stay behind my bulk. I'd agonize if you decided to sprout arrows. The half orc sheathes his blade, before looking at his party members. "I'm going to try and draw our foes attention. Stay safe." Looking to figure out the path, Goruck makes a quick prayer to Irori before creeping through the underbrush. May my body be balanced, my mind sharp, and my will iron.
Baradim waits patiently, crouching in the brush as he listens to the fox cry out in pain again. His attention switches from the birds beside him to the figure standing in the tree nearby. Armed with an arrow, the distance is great but Kanga could potentially close it but not quite enough. The razorbirds were dangerous still but the archer was the greatest threat of all and currently. There was always his sling but even that wasn't the most useful of attacks, the bullet may not be enough to put the creature down.
Neither the hunter nor Kanga caught Goruck's approach, though the feline's ears perked and twisted in that direction for a few moments before focusing ahead once more. Unsure of what might happen next, Baradim gently put away his guisarme and slung it upon his person while drawing out that sling and a bullet.
Chillel moves forward, careful to stay behind Goruck for the reasons he indicated.
Breathe deeply and evenly, show no fear Chillel thinks.
Moving to a better vantage point, Goruck focuses his gaze on the hunter in the tree. Remember the mantra. I am the Stone, born of toiled earth and upturned rocks. I am solid, unmovable, and keep the sky restrained and directed.
Belying his ridiculous size, Goruck creeps past the edge of the groups, moving closer to the hobgoblin. Once he nears his blade's reach, Goruck suddenly springs into action. Ripping his blade free of its sheathe, the half orc leaps to cleave his foe in twain roaring.
Chillel follows Goruck. She stops behind him as Goruck attacks, ready to observe the results and follow up his attack if needed.
Realizing combat is now inevitable after watching the group disperse into various directions Lunarinus moves to flank Baradim, knowing that things will get ugly fast if they lose their guide.
Belying his ridiculous size, Goruck creeps past the edge of the groups, moving closer to the hobgoblin. Once he nears his blade's reach, Goruck suddenly springs into action. Ripping his blade free of its sheathe, the half orc leaps to cleave his foe in twain roaring.
Dolok tries to move in carefully & slowly behind Chillel, though not as close, to get the hobgoblin w/in sight for a magic missile strike . He hopes that by taking this route none of the birds will see him even though he does not know their exact positions.
As Goruck and Chillel try and sneak up to the tree-bound hobgoblin the Razrocrow right near their position squawks loudly and prepares to leave it's perch. Unbelievably, the hobgoblin is not capable of separating the party from the bushes, trees, thorns and weeds through which they are traipsing. For the moment the group has caught him by surprise.
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Seeing Goruck's futile attempt to swing at the hobgoblin, Illiam buries his face in his palm. Bad plan, bad plan, bad plan. Illiam pushes his way further into the bushes, getting just close enough to cast Grease on the tree where the hobgoblin is perched, conjuring a thick, slippery coating of magical grease that covers everything within a few feet of the hobgoblin's reach. The hobgoblin's arms flail for a moment as he tries to maintain his perch.
Having been smacked by a magic missile, and watching as a sling stone goes sailing by seem to have not deterred the hobgoblin wearing the trappings of a woodsman at all. Then, after Illiam's spell takes effect, at first the hobgoblin appears to slip, making it look like he might fall, but he releases his longbow in order to have two hands to grab the nearest branch that isn't covered in grease. The excitement of his having to drop the weapon is immediately squashed when the longbow just falls a handsbreath and then dangles from the end of a weapon cord. The hobgoblin holds tight to the new branch, and finds purchase for his feet on a new branch.
The thick underbrush continues to grab at Baradim's armor and clothing, slowing him down as the sling whistles with the velocity it is being spun at. Another bullet sails through the air, aiming to try and smash into the exposed hobgoblin again. Before he does though, a quick prayer given as his body seemed to move more fluidly, more agile. Kanga's begins to bulk up, the muscles flaring and tensing as the great cat moves to protect his master.
The razorcrow nearest the action leaves its perch and flies immediately at Chillel snapping its razor sharp beak at her.
Unbelievably the razorcrow is able to draw a thin line of blood from Chillel's hand as she raises them to defend herself.
Seeing their brother's success the other two razorcrows take to flight. The one that was in the tree makes a slow curve around the enemies below careful to avoid any potential attacks and snaps its beak on the seemingly helpless girl at the base of the tree as well.
It too strikes home, but the beak finds only clothing, and does no damage to the young lady's white skin.
The third razorcrow flies straight and true toward its master as swift as it can.
Lunarinus draws bead and fires an arrow at the hobgoblin hanging in the tree.
All the cawing of crows and the thorn bushes tangling his clothing cause him to miss the mark wildly, the arrow skittering away towards the pond. Dammit!, he mumbles under his breath.
The hobgoblin is in the midst of pulling himself up to a higher branch when Chillel's innate magic blasts out silently and invisibly right into his mind. Immediately the hobgoblin loses consciousness and falls to the ground.
He lands on top of a pile of scrub brush on his back, but the thick branches and foliage soften his fall. The ground smacks him awake, and he stares up at Chillel being attacked by his birds and a rather large looking man in scale mail armor wielding a very strange looking weapon of foreign design. He immediately pops up, and pulls his bow back into his grip, in preparation for running away.
The sudden descent of the hobgoblin surprises Goruck. By the time his nodachi is whistling through the air his for is rising. Cleaving his blade into a crosscut, Goruck keeps an unnatural silence.
Seizing the opportunity, Goruck flips his blade into a half hand grip. Grabbing the middle and tip, the half orc attempts to bury the sharpened edge of his blade just above the hilt in the hobgoblin's throat.
Goruck of the Stone's battle prowess becomes evident immediately as he wickecdly slashes and then stabs right through the hobgoblin's leather armor, drawing a spray of blood so violent it spreads across Goruck, Chillel and his pet razorcrows. The woodsman hobgoblin grabs at the wound in his chest trying to stem what has become a rather significant flow of blood. His eyes widen and he stares at Goruck, pale, and in shock.
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Illiam briefly considers casting color spray to try to hinder the hobgoblin and his birds, even though it would also affect his allies. Seeing that the rest of them aren't in position to attack the incapacitated foes, Illiam decides against it at this time. He tries to look non-threatening to the birds, to keep them from turning their attention to him, and delays, waiting for a more opportune moment.
Baradim watches as the birds swarm and the hobgoblin falls, the sound of combat beginning in earnest. He looks towards Kanga and reaches up to grab the simple totem hanging from his neck. With a quick whisper, Kanga's legs seem become longer and stronger. With a quick command, he sends out Kanga to go and attack while following behind.
Dolok figures Illiam provides him with some cover from the birds so he will stay right where he is as he says: "Įrašyti ir išvalyti" and a fire ray shoots from his hand to the hobgoblin.
AS the fire ray goes wide, Dolok exclaims, "po velnių!"