The sun comes up.
Zokon having gained his composure and wits again in the hunt decides "Let's stop, if we have not found her now, exhausting ourselves will not help us. We'll rest for a while and then decide. Let's make a camp and get some sleep if we can or at least rest."
"Ilvah too will be getting tired, and we have magic to press on. I say we hunt her to exhaustion."
Durgan will wish to stop for an hour at dawn to pray for new spells (and get an all-new set of Channels) but he doesn't actually need to rest. And giving Ilvah an hour isn't enough to let her rest.
"Unless any of you know that werewolves are tireless."
Serena nods to Durgan's silent query, assuring him that she will use her powers as necessary to refresh the party and keep them moving. She herself starts to stagger once or twice but presses forward.
Fergus for his part does well at first, and even catches a second wind for a bit, But eventually his lack of physical training begins to show.
You know, I am reminded once again. huff. That I am not designed for this type of thing. I am at my best in my study, with my books and research. Phew. That aside, I'm a natural sprinter, but I am wasted on cross country. Hewww. Are we sure she continues to run?
"Ilvah too will be getting tired, and we have magic to press on. I say we hunt her to exhaustion."
"True, but she's moving at a good clip faster than you lot."
"She may be faster, but exhausted all the same. She does not know we decided to pursue her, or she would have made attempts to hide her trail. She will decide to rest at some point. We just have to outlast her."
"*Yawn*" Illthir comments. Yeah ... "Depends on how much faster she is; if she outpaces us *while* taking a nap we're screwed."
Prerequisite: Perform (percussion) 3 ranks, Perform (string) 3 ranks, or Perform (wind) 3 ranks.
Cost: Feat or 1st-level bard spell known.
Effect: This bright and spritely tune mimics the sound of human feet, slowly building to a steady, ground-eating pace. When you complete this performance, you affect one ally in hearing range per bard level. This masterpiece increases the affected target’s base land speed by 10 feet for 1 hour. This adjustment is treated as an enhancement bonus. There is no effect on other modes of movement, such as burrow, climb, fly, or swim. As with any effect that increases your speed, this spell affects your jumping distance (see Acrobatics).
Use: 1 bardic performance round.
Action: 1 minute.
"Are you coming?" snaps Medwyn. "I don't have all day you know."
A sleepy skald gives the druid a sheepish look then invokes the masterpiece that would let them run slightly faster. Useful to track - probably useful if they were to stumble back to camp as well. That's going to be a pita.
I wonder what's in here.
"Strange." says the old forester stopping short, and looking around in pre-morning gloom. "There are no birds here."
The pathway becomes clearer ahead, and the foliage above skeletal, like spring had yet to arrive. Up ahead, down in shallow fold between the hills a series of abandoned structures loom out of the night. The tumbledown ruins have yet to be fully claimed by the surrounding wilderness and their broken walls are still too regular to be anything else but the shells of what were once the hovels of some long deserted forest hamlet. A pale, creeping fungus lays over the scene like a shroud.
Durgan is not trained in Survival at this point.
"Perhaps she has a lair in these ruins. Or this was her home back before she was turned.
Maybe we can sleep in shifts, while keeping the pressure on her enough to prevent her from resting? I am unsure about venturing into that pale creeping fungus."
Hmmm... webbing. Be cautious, I've heard tales of giant spiders and the like. While I think this webbing is of different make than a spiders web, perhaps more like a caterpillars cacoon, I cannot tell precisely what created it... I wager nothing benign. Considering the seeming absence of most Fauna. As far as it goes, spiders are fascinating creatures to observe. Though, I admit I do not enjoy interacting with them. Especially if it involves them touching me. Fergus just rubs his beard as he speaks, thinking about the best course of action. He trusts the druids ability to track, besides he wouldn't really have much of a clue.
Zokon looks around and checks out the area, searching for signs
"No birds, thick webbing, kinda caterpillarish and wolf tracks leading down into the ruins. I'd suggest we have something like a natural guardian, that may be being used to have guard the ruins where she is lairing. Do we go in?" he asks
Serena examines the strange growths without touching them, suppressing a shudder when Fergus speaks of giant spiders.
The company discusses their options and the possible hazards path ahead.
If not for this druid here I'd suggest burning her out...
"I am fine with any plan. My ideas:
To go in there after her immediately;
To stop for an hour, let her think we have given up the chase, and send our stealthiest to sneak in with a silver knife and cut her throat while she sleeps; or,
To camp here and sleep in shifts, sending some in to make noise and force her to wake up and move.
Of those, I like the second option the best, assuming we can find and eliminate this silk-spinning guardian. If she thinks she is safe, she will have to sleep."
Serena spares a glance at Durgan. "As efficient as your second plan may be, the thought of slaughtering a foe while they sleep does not sit well with me. She should be permitted the opportunity to face her punishment awake and fully aware. The other problem is her companions. I would expect that she would have a couple of worgs as bodyguards."
Fergus chuckles at Serena's apprehension.
The only reason to let someone see their death coming is to cause further emotional and mental harm. It would be kinder to slaughter it in its sleep. Though if you prefer to further punish it for its actions I won't disagree. As for the plans, I would rather not assume it is resting. For all we know, it may well be still running. We don't know what abilities it has or how efficient it is at running away. And the last time we split up in regarding this creature we nearly lost someone. I would caution against it again. Fergus speaks matter of factly.
"Mm. I still don't think the Worgs are with her. But whatever else is here; yeah that doesn't sound nice ..." Illthir scratches her chin and winces. She didn't enjoy moral dilemmas even when well rested. She leaned on a nearby tree a little - not to much no certainly not. ...zzZZzzZz ... No! No sleeping yet! "Mphm. This isn't any difference then a bandit or mugger, just a bit more furry. We're not going to assassinate those are we? So let's just go in and drag her out. My opinion."
If that is the safest and most logical course of dealing with them? Why wouldn't we? Fergus replies to Illthir, refusing to show his fatigue as any good dwarf would do.
"If an ally used a Sleep spell during a battle, would you take the opportunity to finish the downed foe? Or would you consider that assassination? Because I see this as a long drawn-out battle.
I do not fight for the honor of glorious and fair combat, but I respect those who do. I will accede to the wishes of Illthir and Serena."
Zokon keeps out of the moralistic conversation
"I think she might just catch us out if we try and sneak up on her, plus i'm an archer, I do have some silver arrows though. Aye a good option is too wait and let her rest a little then go."
As the sun rises the the party continues to debate between long periods of awkward silence. An hour passes....
Durgan will do as Zokon suggests; wait an hour and then go.
He will pray for new spells during that hour if possible, if it is about dawn.
Durgan will do as Zokon suggests; wait an hour and then go.
He will pray for new spells during that hour if possible, if it is about dawn.
"Let's go then." Zokon grabs his bow and readies his gear for moving. Making sure he has a silver arrow in hand
Durgan will cast Barkskin on himself and draw his silver warhammer.
Illthir opts for her polearm - whatever made those webs had her more worried then a lone and tired werewolf. But her silver hammer was looped to her belt at least within easy reach. Just in case. "Mhm. Let's."
Serena draws her scimitar. She is neither cheerful nor smiling, merely doing what she knows must be done.
The party advances into the web-shrouded ruins.
The party moves into the ruins, past the shells of old, crumbled stone buildings and through the accumulated leaves of autumns past. Nearly all of the structures have lost their roofs some to pestilent trees that had grown from their foundations. Most are also miss all or part of a wall or two.
Zokon feels uneasy. There are so many animal tracks along the path into the dead village, but none leaving, with no sign of what creature may have build the sheets of white silk fluttering in the morning breeze like the sails of a ocean-going phantom ship.
He's on edge too from lack of sleep, the long chase, the fight the night before. For it all to end up here in this early dawn ghost town....
The old dried leaves are making too much noise.
Then he remembers something old Erlund showed him years ago in the forest, and jerks his eyes skyward.
Surprise and Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Illthir
__ Fergus
__ Zokon Surprise round actions only
__ Huge-eyed, Horse-sized Spiders hanging from the trees 30' above you! Readied!
__ Durgan
__ Alia
__ Serena
"Above in the trees" Zokon takes a 5ft step and aims his bow up and fires at the one above him
Zokon cries out and let's an arrow fly. The arrow sticks itself into the armored mandible of one spider to little apparent effect.
At the same time the trio of huge-eyed, horse-sized spiders hanging from the trees above the party descend quickly extending their nets! Two of the spiders entangle Alia and Illthir in their webs, while a third net misses Serena's head by inches. The spiders haul back on their web nets.
The Official Round 1! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Durgan
__ Alia entangled
__ Serena
__ Illthir entangled
__ Fergus
__ Zokon
__ Huge-eyed, Horse-sized Spiders hanging 10' up, yellow -6 hp
Durgan casts Liberating Command as a swift action on Illthir on his turn (he would have done it as an immediate action as soon as the webs hit, but he was flat-footed).
She can reach the spiders with her weapon, and has a decent chance of breaking free.
Durgan then moves and activates his Aura of Deflection, giving all allies within 20' a +2 deflection bonus to AC and CMD. Think that should cover everyone.
Serena slashes her scimitar at the nearest spider to her.
Serena slashes her scimitar at the nearest spider to her.
"..Darn it!" Was it too morbid to wish that the spiders had feasted on the girl instead? At least there would be no hard choices then!
The skald flails around ineffectively in the web!
"DARN IT!!" she groans and flails a bit more, this time with her weapon.