The guard shifts his stance, his eyes flicking over the other members of the party before settling back on Naiethua. "Yea... Nathan is here..." He trails off, turning his head back, "Hey Nathan... some people here to see you." A shaggy looking blond man steps away from the tree, pulling a cloth from his pocket and wiping his hands off as he walks towards the group seeming a bit curious. "Yea... is there a problem of some sort?"
"Hello, Nathan," Naiethua says to the worker. "There's no problem, but Master Highsmith said you could help us. We're helping him find little Nicca and he told us you saw her last. I hope you could show us where you saw her last."
"Yes". "Anything you can tell us about that...incident...would be of great help".
Diplomacy aid Naiethua
Nathan scratches the back of his head a bit, looking out to the forest. "I s'pos if the boss said it was alright I can show ya but the woods aren't safe... you appear to be adventurers more or less so I guess I am safe enough with you." His gaze flicks briefly to Lyra before looking back at Naiethua. "Off we go then..." Nathan hesitantly walks into the woods though he will pause and wait for the group if he isn't followed.
"Thank you, Nathan," Naiethua says as she follows the man.
Victor follows the group in silence, staying vigilant of the perils hiding in the shadows of the forest.
You are lead into the forest, traveling for about 30 minutes before Nathan stops at another clearly where trees had been cut. He takes a few steps in, pointing to the far edge.
"I saw the girl over there standing near the work area and before I could say anything an orc ran an and scooped her up before running off." He shakes his head as he sighs, "She didn't seem afraid of him none either... I figure she must be familiar with the guy."
Sylthain moves forward without a word, heading towards the area the man indicated. He began looking around the location, trying to find some clue as to what exactly was going on.
"Thank you, Nathan," Naiethua says. "Are orcs seen often in this part of the forest?" She doesn't wait for his answer before she starts walking to the place Nathan indicated. Now, this I understand, she thinks as she gets down on her hands and knees and starts examining the ground for any sign of the girl or orc passing through.
Nathan shakes his head, "Nope... I would think the elves get to them pretty fast when they are... seen a few elves of course." Nathan shifts uncomfortably, looking around the area.
Just like Grandpa taught me to track: remain still, observe, and remember. Then gather the spoor. She starts muttering in the Druidic tongue
The elf stands up and walks to the bush she's been staring at. She takes a light blue piece of fabric from one of its vines. Then she turns to Nathan and smiles. "The elves must like you since they let you observe their passage through the woods. Do you remember what Nicca was wearing when you saw her? I don't know much about the fancy details of noble clothes, just tell us what color she wore."
Nathan scratches the back of his neck as he thinks about it, "I s'pos some kind a' blue... Was pretty dirty looking... Maybe oversized for the girl come to think...."
How to ask this without making Lyra worry more about her cousin?
"Blue, like this?" Naiethua asks while showing Nathan and the others the cloth. "If she was wearing this, the stains might belong to whoever she borrowed the dress from."
Nathan nods slightly, "Yea she was wearing something like that... like I said I only saw her briefly though."
"I appreciate your help, Nathan," Naiethua tells the worker. "I think we will be able to get Nicca back home thanks to you. May the Sky Guardian bless your path."
The druid returns to the spot where she saw signs of travel and tries to see where the trail leads.
Nicca survival
Mystery "orc" survival
I must really be slipping if I can't follow an orc's trail, Naiethua thinks. That or I'm trying to hard to show off for the humans. At least the Nicca's path is clear enough.
"It looks like the girl came this way," Naiethua tells her companions as she starts to follow the trail. "We'll need to take our time as the forest will be growing over their footsteps." She methodically traces the girl's path looking for more signs of her large companion.
Sylthain follows silently along, trying to watch the elf's tracking but realizing how woefully out of his element he was.
Nicca's path seems erratic at best, it stops at various flowering bushes which show clear signs of said flowers being plucked, it stops at a noticable ant hill as well as it backs through the forest to a cleared section of forest near a cropping of rocks.
You aren't alone... you hear and can see a large figure in the bushes at the edge of the clearing.
Naiethua notices something in the corner of her eye. She walks over to Sylthain and whispers, "I think we have company." She gives a slight nod in the direction where she saw the figure. Stepping away from Sylthain, she readies her bow and arrow and looks back to where she noticed something.
Sylthain notices the movement coming from the clearing's edge. He nods imperceptibly at Nai, signaling that he saw it too. Casually he moves himself so that he now stands between the stranger and Lyra. He doesn't make any other obvious movements, waiting to see what happens next.
A gruff, rumbly voice calls out from the bushes in trade tongue, "I get you in sights already, put bow down, go away."
It sounds male, shortly after a softer child-like voice can be heard murmuring, clearly not directed at you guys and doesn't seem to be in any language you know. In response the other gruff voice murmurs, likely in response to the child-like voice, in the same language.
Naiethua keeps the bow and arrow in her left hand. She lowers her left hand down to her leg so the arrow is pointing at the ground and raises her right hand. "Hello," she says. "Didn't mean to startle you. You never know what you've noticed lurking in the bushes." Naiethua slowly walks to the pile of flowers she noticed earlier. "It looks like someone left their dolly here. Do you know who it belongs to?"
There is a long silence before the figure grumbles, "Saa's doll...." Suddenly there is a small cry from the same bushes and a little girl comes running out to where the doll sits to snatch it up quickly. Following after and near stumbling out of the bushes a half-orc yells protectively, "Saa!"
The little girl looks like she could be related to Lyra easily, the same red scaling around her face and the same bright green eyes, she appears undamaged, healthy even, her dress is a little oversized, stained but blue in color.
The half-orc is rather sizable, clutched in one hand is a long bow and to exceptionally crafted battleaxes are strapped to his back. He is wearing studded leather armor.
Naiethua takes a look at the half-orc and the weapons that she's certain he can wield confidently. Focus on the child, she thinks. Lyra and Sylthain can take care of each other. Should be safe enough as long as I don't threaten the small one.
The elf crouches so she's almost at eye level with the girl. "Hello, Saa. That's a nice dolly. My mommy and I made one kind of like that when I was little. Did your friend here help you make your dolly? Oh, didn't mean to be rude. My name's Naiethua, but that's a big name for a little girl to use. You can call me Nai. What's your friend's name, Saa?" She looks towards the half-orc as she asks the last question.
Seeing that the half-orc left the hiding, Victor slowly moves behind him. His hands are free but ready to unsheathe the swords, waiting for the further development of situation.
"Naa" silently backs away from Naithua, running back over to the half-orcs side.
Grunting softly as he stands, the half-orc speaks. "Naa not speak huu-mon. I Grawk... you go now?" It's easy to tell the half-orc does not want you here, he doesn't appear threatening, just not accustom to outsiders.
"Hello, Grawk," Naiethua says. "We'll leave soon, but we need to know something first. My friend Lyra here is looking for her cousin Nicca. I can't help noticing a similarity between Lyra and little Naa. I'm curious about how you've come to be caring for a human child."
The half-orc's gaze drifts briefly to Lyra, he holds Naa protectively near him. "Naa family... I find her in burned wagon... yuan-ti attack... all else dead... Naa hurt... I fix her." He rumbles something softly down at a girl in the same language as before.
Grawk's perception
Nicca's perception
Nicca suddenly screams out clutching tighter on to Grawk, Grawk drops his bow pulling an axe from his back and facing the bushes now.
Sylthain could smell something foul and sensed movement in the bushes. The girl's scream only confirmed it as put himself between Lyra and the threat. Despite the hope that they had found her cousin alive and well, Lyra's safety was his only task.
Good thing I didn't let Grawk talk me into dropping my bow, Naiethua thinks as she aims the weapon at the bushes.
Victor quickly turns to the bushes and silently unsheathe his swords. His firm grip, and clear mind ensures him that he is ready for the encounter.
Grawk Ini:
"Saa" Ini:
Thaddeus Ini:
(Rolled as per his sort of request)
Necroplasm Ini:
Turn order:
Sylthain
Grawk
Necroplasm
"Saa"
Victor
Naiethua
Thaddeus
Slithering out from the bushes and leaving a trail of sludge seems to be a creature that is little more then skeletal bones covered ectoplasmic goo.
Grawk visibly pales, pulling his other axe out as he charges the creature.
He yells, "Little elf bow no good, no hurt."
Reaching the creature he attacks immediately,
The axe slices cleanly through the creature.
The creature takes advantage of the half-orcs careless advance, slashing its skeletal claws and attempting to latch on.
Grapple
The first slash of the claws rips into Grawk the second misses but despite this the creature has managed to latch on to the half-orc.
Damage to the half-orc.
Sylthain reacts immediately, seeing the oozing form moving out of the trees. Running up, he sends a knee flying towards what would be the creature's head.
"Thanks, Grawk," Naiethua says. "The bow may not be much use, but..." The elf's hair stands on end and she extends her right hand towards the abomination. A bolt of lightning flies from her fingers towards the thing.
Victor takes advantage of his position and swiftly moves into the flanking. He aims carefully at the most fragile bones of the creature and strikes with one of his swords.
Victor easily hits the creature, his sword slicing through the ectoplasmic sludge. However, Naiethua's lightning and Sylthain's attacks both miss the creature.
Saa spends this round screaming in terror.
Grawk will carefully attempt to slice in to the Necroplasm which currently has him grappled.
Neither axe manages to hit the creature as grawk twists and turns to hit it.
The creature will attempt to maintain a grapple on Grawk.
However Grawk's twisting and turning shakes the creature off, but not before it had done something that visibly caused the creature to brighten red in color and Grawk seems a little paler.
A child screaming in terror as her parent fights for his life. Just like... Put the past aside and deal with the here and now. Naiethua shoots another blast of lightning towards the creature.
Sylthain grimaces at the red color suffusing the creature after its brief contact with the half-orc, knowing something bad had happened. Stilling his mind, he flew forward, fists and knees spinning out in a blur as he tried to pin the creature between himself and Victor.
Encouraged after previous attack, Victor lifts both swords and slashes the horrid creature fiercely.
Damage:
Sneak Damage:
Offhand Attack roll:
Damage:
Sneak Damage:
Bonus Offhand Attack roll:
Damage:
Sneak Damage:
SO MANY ROLLS!
One of Sylthians attacks manages to hit the creature, Nai and Victors attacks miss.
The creature recoils from the monks attack turning to him now.
Grawk pants with exertion as he slices into the creature again with his axes.
Damage:
The creature attacks Sylthian now
Damage:
Grapple attempt:
The creature is now attached to Sylthain, attached to you you feel the strange sensation of being drained and the creature grows even brighter red in color.
Take 1 con damage.
The strange glow coming from the creature surprises Victor for a second but not long enough to stop him from performing his next full attack.