that hits and the swarm disperses.
Now that the stirge swarm has been destroyed and disbursed what is the group doing?
The wine cellar is cool, damp and dark. There are a few barrels of wine remaining but the place looks pretty ransacked already. There is a crack in the one wall that opens to a small winding tunnel. Most like the access point for the stirges. There is a husk of goblinoid creature in the back of the cellar. His gear is shredded but you fine a small bone dagger, and coins spread around. There is total of 17 coppers, 7 silver and 3 gold pieces.
There are no other doors within the cellar.
Grimm takes a knee, breathing hard from many of the drill like wounds.
Stupid oversized bugs.
The dwarf pulls a wand and starts tapping himself with it.
That be all I cannae do fer meself just now. Ye want a tap or three, Paladin?
"If you'd like to reserve the charges, I can heal the group easily enough. Knowing there's undead about, it may be wise to retain those powers to combat them instead."
Grimm stows his Greataxe away and pulls his large shield from his back and keeps the Warhammer in hand.
Wouldna mattered against the swarm but, I'm gonna have ta be a bit more defense minded till I get proper healed.
"If you'd like to reserve the charges, I can heal the group easily enough. Knowing there's undead about, it may be wise to retain those powers to combat them instead."
Yeah, save yer channelin fer undead or healing everyone at once. The wand was cheap
I can heal up my physical wounds myself, but I would need yer help, Karnog with the weakness that I feel.
Holding up here is ok by me. Got me a wand o Keep Watch that'll let us o the faithful stay up all night. Don't need sleep fer me prayers. But if me and Malcolm can sleep proper we might heal some o our vitality eh? So Karnog, the wolf and Sheyan mebbe?
"Kio and Teima, and yes, they are good to keep watch for a shift" Sheyan gets a bed ready outside and piles some leaves together for Kio and Teima to rest on.
The night goes by uneventfully.
Sheyan wakes, preparing to heal the damage from the other day. He tells Karnog to preserve his spells, he can cover this.
lesser restoration on Malcolm.
"Those bugs were brutal. I will keep an extra one of those prayers in mind going forward. Can always use it to heal up, anyways."
Grimm flexes newly restored limbs, Please do blokes. My talent is killin, not duckin! Much preciatted.
His prayers said and health restored, Grimm waits for the nod to move on and while drink his last elixir of hiding as soon as they are ready.
Same drill as yesterday, aye?
He is holding his Greatsword.
Sure. Let's carry on, and thank you, Karnog.
After the healing the group emerges to a grey cloud covered morning. Sheyan notices that kio is not present and that Teima is off in the distance near a small tree line she is looking back towards the wine cellar.
I figure your wolves know Desmond since he was sent to find Sheyan. The wolves found Desmond in the tree line and Sheyan will want to go to investigate or Desmond will follow the wolves tot eh wine cellar.
A swear is heard off in the distance as the sound of somebody walking through brambles drifts from the trees. After a second Kio emerges, and behind him is a man with curly brown hair who looks like somebody more accustomed to the city than the woods "Thrice accursed prickle bushes. I swear" He looks up at all the armed people giving him a lot of attention, then mockingly puts his hands up "Please, wait! Don't kill me!" He grins, then looks at Sheyan "Do you even know how hard it is to track you? Do you!? Well I wouldn't know, I tracked the rest of your group who left a 5 foot wide path through the forest. I think I could have done it blindfolded" He walks over and clasps Sheyans arm "It's been a long time old friend, and I'm afraid I'm not bringing the best of news. Chief Redtusk decided he wanted to expand his lands, and that includes your entire domain as well as the town. Things were restless, now they're dangerous. Fights are starting to break out. You need to get back there and get things to calm down or I fear a clan war"
Sheyan smiles at the appearance of Desmond "You always were a lousy tracker. Everybody, this is Desmond, he's my contact in the city and a good friend. We are both lousy in each others territory so we help each other out" He frowns at the news of the Chief "He has always been one to cause trouble. You're right, I don't think this will resolve peacefully unless I get back there" He looks at the others apologetically "I am sorry friends, but this is a matter I cannot ignore. I hope that one day you cross through my area of the woods and we can chat like old friends" He inclines his head, then begins walking off with Desmond.
As they are about to cross into the woods, Sheyan stops, turning to Desmond and talking with him for a moment. Desmond listens intently, then claps Sheyan on the shoulder and laughs, nodding his head. After a moment, Sheyan continues off into the wilderness, Kio and Sheyan flitting around him.
Desmond watches Sheyan leave, then turns back to the others. He walks up, arms crossed "Well I owed Sheyan a favor and I can hardly resist discovering a new area anyways. Consider me yours until this is over" He throws back his cape and rests his hands on a pair of shortswords "I'm best at point"
Grimm smiles and extends a paw to shake.
Fine with me. Me elixir o hiding is only good fer another 40mins or so anyway and while I'm quieter n most warrior's I ain't got the skill o a true sneak. Name's Grimm, I'll be yer backup. I AM good at killin stuff so ye leave the up front stuff fer me and ye can backstab if ye like. Got a good Orisin fer examinin stuff at a distance if ya think somethin gonna go boom.
The notion of a heavily armed and spiked Armored dwarf scouting was preposterous to a professional rogue, but Desmond would note the padded and greased joints in his armor. This was a dwarf who did at least put a good effort into quieting his gear.
Desmond rests his chin between his thumb on finger while examining Grimms armor "Not the worst I've seen, but I couldn't fight in something like" He looks at the others "Ready?"
"Sorry to see you go, Sheyan. Good luck in your forest. "
Vatilda nods "At least you won't travel alone..." .. bidding goodbye to Sheyan.
She then turns to Sheyan's friend; gesturing for him to lead on. "We will be swift to act on your signal, but be careful. This is no goblin cave. There is a strong malevolent power in this place."
Desmond grins "Please, I just got here!" Desmond flings back his cape and draws a pair of shortswords, identical if not for the dark blue runes on one and bright red on the other. Then he enters, getting into the scouting mindset
"His name was Sheyan? Huh."
After the group assembles they get a better overall view of the grounds during the daytime. They can see, and follow, the wall of the cloister which circles this part of the complex. there is a secondary door on the backside, that is closed, and the northern wall nearly over hangs the cliff looking out over the marshy swamp to the north.
The east lies an open area, or field, of mostly over grown vineyards but there are ruins there, you can also make out at least one more cellar possible two form your current location. Most notable though is a second walled cloister at the far end of the field approximately 100 yards away. The entire area appears absent any people.
"Looks like we got a closed door on the back, and a couple cellars. I'm never one to enter through a regularly used door if I can help it, so my votes for a cellar. What do you guys think?"
Well we are going in blind so anyway is just as unknown as nother. Cept the celler we already been in IS cleared and is defensible. I'll follow ye.
The closest cellar is that CL10B on the Outer Cloister Grounds Map, which is in the vineyard field between your current position and ruins. Is that where you are heading? You think from your position there may be another one beyond that cloister to the inner cloister but you don't ahve the best view of that from this area. Lastly there looks to be three caves near the bluffs overlooking the swamp (CL9 on the Outer Cloister Grounds Map).
The vineyard is overgrown with birar, thickets and thistle, ancient trees covered with moss and most are stunted from lack of care. there are vineyard wires holding up a few old neglected bushes that have a few bunches of grapes on the vines. You see no movement other that an occasional bird.
For no better reason than being a dwarf, Grimm points towards the cave opening.
He nods in that direction to the human rogue, hoping he had an affinity for the darkness.
There are three cave openings.
As you begin to weave your way across the large field covered with overgrowth you notice the rain begins. As slow sporadic splattering first, big fat drops of rain, as the sky darkens.
perception
DMPC rolls:
Malcolm:
Vatilda:
Kalim:
------
The group is careful in trying to avoid detection as they cross the overgrown vineyard.
Karnog, Grimm, Vatilda (using Know-Nature), Malcolm each pull up wide eyed. "Desmond Stop! Malcolm warns, "Some of the vines are moving." As the realization that you've walked into a patch of moving plants.
This creature is an assassin vine, a semimobile plant that collects its own grisly fertilizer. You know that it has the typical plant traits.
Though unable to move at any great speed, these plants have a large reach and are dangerous enemies. As well as being capable of dealing nasty blows with the trunk of their vine, the construction of these vines allow them to grab and strangle their victims with ease.
Initiative order:
Assassin Vines
Karnog
Desmond
Kalim
Grimm
Malcolm
Vatilda
RD 1: Assassin vines
As a free action the thickets and old vineyard plants begin to move and entangle the group. This movement extends out for 30 feet in all directions from each assassin vine.
The group can see three large assassin vines they attack:
The red haloed one attacks Desmond:
;
The yellow haloed one attacks Grimm,
;
The blue haloed one attacks Karnog,
;
Grab:
If any attack hit the flat-footed adventurer(s) the creature begins to grab, without provoking an AOO:
-not Entangled
Grimm reacts quickly to the probing vines and is able to remain free.
He looks to the casters and says Get yeselfs back
He casts Divine Favor on Himself and activates his Justice Judgement, figuring with at least 3 of the plant things attacking it would be worth it.