"Well... back at home seeing water flying upwards would have caused me to cast an odd look or two" Samuel then starts to laugh while rubbing the back of his head "But nowadays where I see gnomes and women flying, huts in the trees, huts with chicken legs and strange vortexes every single day, well... water flowing up does not trigger as that strange anymore" he completes amused.
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Callix chuckles and adds, "You forgot portals that let you cross hundreds of miles in a single step."
all Magic was weird. Then once you start adventuring and traveling things change. Like suddenly waking up and being unable see more than 60 feet.
after some discussion about the possible power sources for the portal, Letitia examines the magic around her. detect magic results in a clash of sensations as multiple overlapping and overwhelming magical sources register to Letitia's mind.
she finds elements of both overwhelming abjuration and overwhelming conjuration around her.
Samuel scouts ahead to the east a little ways and finds another clearing a short distance away
A large chunk of stone juts from the ground like a natural stage. Six boulders float in the air and slowly orbit the raised platform. The rich scent of loamy earth hangs heavy in the air. atop the central stone is another Dawn Piper, squatting on the boulder and playing a flute.
Callix pauses a momment, then says, "We had water, now we have earth. I suddenly get the feeling identifying the power sources may be easier than we feared. Though the presence of Dawn Pipers also seems obvious."
She pauses a moment then asks, "Do we think we could ask the fey to... deactivate... the power sources? I mean, if they're not allied with those who oppose us."
Letitia blinks away the bright magical auras from her eyes as she stops concentrating on the spell.
When they see the second dawn piper and an elemental font this time evidently of earth, she nods in satisfaction of being right. Or, much more likely to be right than before.
Letitia mulls over Callix's suggestion that the fey could shut off their fonts for a short while. She didn't like the water piper's attitude, so she doubted it would be easy. "Perhaps, but convincing two and possibly more flighty and chaotic fey to go along with shutting down their connection to the First World?"
She shakes her head and lowers her voice to a whisper. "Slaying them might be easier."
Callix sighs, "Easier isn't always better.... Though I'm not disagreeing it might be necessary." She laughs, "Don't suppose anyone's got a half-dozen scrolls of Charm Monster hidden away?"
Letitia shakes her head. "Closest I can get is three castings of suggestion. And that would require us to rest for a night."
"Ok, now floating stones... we are on something now... let's try talking with them... maybe they can be tricked" Samuel approaches the floating stones and shouts at the Dawn Piper "The witch needs to reach the hut. It is time for you to deactivate the power source and let us in"
Whispering back to Timm, with a smile, he says "If he refuses... just blast it with fire... you have my support"
Letitia moves a little closer and decides to make sure Samuel's bluff is clear.
"He means your elemental font. You only need to shut it off for a short while. An hour at most.
The piper carefully lays his instrument down in his lap and looks at you with a mocking smile as you speak.
"the witch needs to reach the hut does she? and so we should just stop what we're doing and let her in? Turn back, mortals. you cannot pass. we have come to claim this reality, and we'll take the Crone's hovel with us. Turn away and live your lives in peace and safety, unburdened by the heavy weight of... relevance
Clearly the piper is not going to just stop what they are doing. Samuel gives the signal and the group prepares to fight!
bold may act:
Ashling, Samuel, Callix, Letitia, piper, Timm
"And we need the Crone's hovel too... you cannot take it" Samuel shouts back happy his musket allows him to reach the creature without having to jump over strange stones.
Callix pauses a moment, then thinks, If it's called a piper, that's likely for a reason..., and begins to cast silence.
"I hope you're using cold iron bullets," Letitia says to Samuel before turning to face the dawn piper. "You lay claim to that which you have no right," she hisses while raising her wand. A jagged spear of ice juts out from the ground, possibly tripping the fey.
Ashling will... attempt to acrobatics across the stones sword drawn, trying to get to the piper
Ashling tries to jump onto one of the rotating rocks but doesn't get quite enough energy into her jump.
Callix starts casting a spell
Letitia uses her wand to cast an ice spear
the spear glances off of the creature doing some damage but not unbalancing them.
Samuel's musket booms and the bullet strikes the piper squarely.
as soon as it was hit by the bullet, rage fills the pipers eyes. the hair on its head seems to grow brighter. they bring the flute to their lips and play a fast, Dissonant piece. as they play, a bright nimbus of magic surrounds them, threatening to blind anyone looking at the piper
most of the group closes their eyes or pushes through the pain, but Timm and Ashling are both blinded! blood drips from their eyes as the light damages them
the whole party may act!
Global Condition: none |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 51/51 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 34/36 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Timm HP: 62/63 NL 6 - AC: 22/16/18 Status: blind, bleeding 1
Samuel HP: 51/51 - AC: 22/18/15 Status:
Ashling HP: 43/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Cold 5, blind, bleeding 1NPCs:
Piper : HP -14 | AC: ??
Callix finishes her spell and casts it on her cold iron throwing axe, then winds up and throws it at the piper... This should stop the thing from trying that again...
for
"Cold iron, got it witch!" Samuel quickly chooses cold iron for his new bullet.
The Taldan covers his eyes with a hand just in time to avoid the bright side. He looks in horror at Ashling's and Timm's bleeding "Rats! What is that?! Behind that childish look this creature is a terror!"
Resolved to bring it down Samuel takes aim and releases another bullet.
Blowing the cannon after the blast, the High Sentinel smiles back at Letitia "You were right, cold iron rocks it" if the piper is still alive after that, he loads another cold iron bullet, otherwise he reloads a normal one.
Letitia steps forward a pace, grinning confidently as the fey is struck by a cold iron bullet and Callix's sound-snuffing axe. If it is still alive, she hits it with her Evil Eye hex to strip away its defenses.
She only regretted that the silence spell made any cutting comment irrelevant as the fey faces its imminent demise.
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Samuel loads up a cold iron bullet.
Callix launches an axe imbued with a silence spell, immediately cutting off the sound of the flute and (presumably) a yelp of pain from the fey as cold iron burns their skin.
it doesn't have much time to feel that pain, however, before a perfectly placed cold iron bullet strikes them right in the forehead, ending their life in a quick and gory manner.
the rocks waver in the air, then come crashing to the ground (silently).
end of combat
"Excellent shot," Letitia states as she turns her attention to their blinded and bleeding companions.
"Callix, you should use the wand to stop their bleeding. Let's save my more potent hex for later."
Callix whistles, "If I'd have known you were going to do that, Samuel, I'd have kept my spell."
She starts to study Ashling's wounds, nodding as she stops the bleeding. "Don't need to use magic for that, unless there are other wounds that need help."
Ashling oddly calm, good work... the bleeding isn't horrible, a little sting, but my vision has gone completely compared to the usual. If the effect doesn't have an expiration this could prove troubling.
Letitia frowns in thought as she considers the possibility of Ashling's and Timm's blindness being permanent.
She casts detect magic to determine if the blindness is a magical effect. "I can lift curses if that is the solution, but we'll need to take precautions for the next dawn piper we face. I would hate for more of us to be afflicted by that attack."
"Well, I did not know the damn thing would not try to move when I aimed at his forehead" Samuel smiles back at Callix, satisfied by the outcome "Letitia, do you know how to shut down this power source now?"
Ey! I can't see anything either, Ashling. But I'm happy to hear I didn't even have to move... As much as burning enemies is fun! Good job, Samuel. - says the gnome, scratching his eyes.
Once she inspects the wounds with her arcane senses, Letitia sweeps her gaze across the boulders and the body of the fey. She looks for signs that the elemental font is shut down, and for anything magical the dawn piper might have possessed.
"The collapse of the boulders leads me to think the power source is now inert, but more study is required. Allow me a moment," she replies to Samuel.
while the group tries to figure out just how permanent the blindness is, luckily both Timm and Ashling recover their sight in a matter of moments. the effect was not magical, just a byproduct of looking too closely at a very very bright light.
Letitia studies the boulders and determines that the power source is indeed shut down with the death of the piper.
Samuel registers the body of the piper in case it had some items useful to the party goals.
"Ok, if this one is shut down, shall we go back and deal with the previous piper or do we explore further north in case there are more sources there or perhaps an alternative entry to the hut?" Samuel points to the northeast path within the trees.
Callix says, "I'm thinking it may be cardinal directions - so we could probably swing round and end with our friend from earlier."
Letitia nods in satisfaction that the elemental font is shut down. Her mind switches to consider the next font. "We know where the water font is located. That means we'll likely find the fire and air fonts somewhere amidst these forest paths."
She gives Callix a shrug. "That's one way of going about it. Travel north from here, and see where these unexplored paths go. I recall the water site had a path leading away as well. So you may be correct, Callix."
"Ok. Let's find out if Callix is right" Samuel nods, then starts to stride north trying to find the new piper.
the group continues on through the woods to the North.
ahead they can see that the trail forks again.
as they approach the fork, there is a sound of beating wings and a horrifying screech from up above!
looking up, you see two creatures with a stag’s body, a hawk’s wings and talons, and the head of a slavering wolf with a rack of sharp antlers on their brow.
these are Perytons. incredibly territorial and aggressive, especially during mating season. this looks to be a bonded pair. they hunt prey by marking them with their shadow and then going for the kill, trying to tear out the heart of their prey. they are resistant to non-magical damage and have several fear-based abilities.
Ashling, Letitia, enemies, Callix, timm, Samuel
Samuel is considering where to go next when the two winged creatures make their appearance "Rats! What is that now?!" alarmed and confused, he is slow to react this time.
I dont know what that is but i'm not willing to wait and find out, plus i want to try a new spell outShe wipes blood from her eyes and holds out her hand casting Frostfall
5 foot burst on one of the creatures, dc 15 fortitude save or staggered. the damage happens without save
"Perytons! Steel your minds against fear and use enchanted weapons!" Letitia shouts as she recognizes the creatures.
She prepares to hex one of the magical beasts once it comes within range of her Slumber Hex.
Ashling trows magical ice at one peryton
Letitia hexes the other one
the two creatures move to attack the women who attacked them.
the one that was hit by the frost attack swoops over ashling
the shadow moving across the ground changes to match Ashling's shadow. it then swoops down and tries to gore Ashling
Ashling is overtaken by fear as the creature attacks her. she is frightened for 1 round
the second one goes through the same process against Letitia, acting in unison with the first monster
the shadow moving across the ground changes to match Letitia's shadow.
the whole party may act
Global Condition: none |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 51/51 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 28/36 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Timm HP: 62/63 NL 6 - AC: 22/16/18 Status:
Samuel HP: 51/51 - AC: 22/18/15 Status:
Ashling HP: 36/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Cold 5, frightenedNPCs:
Red Peryton : HP -12 | AC: ??
Blue Peryton : HP ?? | AC: ??
Samuel frowns as both Ashling and Letitia are badly attacked, stepping closer to the fighter he raises his musket up and takes aim at the red one, shooting over Ashling's head "Magic you say? Let's see how they taste lead!"
Then, he quickly reloads the musket with another bullet.
Letitia's face contorts into a scowl when the peryton throws off her hex. The buffer to her true life force held, though it was weakened when the monster matched its shadow to hers and gored her.
"Foul beast, you have made a fatal mistake," she hisses as she casts a spell carefully.
Her hand radiates black, harmful energy laced with Winter.
Callix winces, Why can't they stay on the ground so I can cut them... I don't want to use up all my magic before we even get to the hut...
She draws an alchemist's fire from her pack, then throws it at a Peryton.
for
Callix smiles, "Well, I've got a magic weapon right here...", and moves forward to attack the creature that attacked Letitia, spinning the axe in her hand as she closes.
for
as she's frightened Ashling takes a withdraw action
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Timm shoots a blast of flame at the peryton that Ashling just moved away from.
Letitia and Callix work together to fight the one that came after the witch
Letitia's spell doesn't take to its full potential, but Callix gets a good smack in.
Timm unleashes an amazing blast of fire, directly in the beast's face, searing it to the bone and killing it instantly.
Samuel shoots the still living one, doing good damage.
Injured and seeing its mate burnt to a crisp, the second peryton shrieks in anger or fear and starts to fly away
If the party wishes to try to finish it off, you probably have one round before it is out of range over the trees. otherwise, combat will likely end
Ashling comes back in control of herself and is no longer afraid
the party may act
Global Condition: none |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 51/51 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 44/36 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor, 8 thp
Timm HP: 62/63 NL 6 - AC: 22/16/18 Status:
Samuel HP: 51/51 - AC: 22/18/15 Status:
Ashling HP: 36/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Cold 5, frightenedNPCs:
Red Peryton : HP -60 | AC: ?? | dead
Blue Peryton : HP -35 | AC: ??
Letitia scowls when her spell fails to be as effective as she'd hoped, but it turns into a satisfied smile as the creature chooses to flee.
When the snowflakes settle, she gives another appraising eye at Timm, as if seeing him in a new light. She doesn't say anything, however, just gestures toward the path through the mysterious and clearly enchanted wood.
"You do not need to tell me twice" Samuel steadies his aim and releases one more shot.
Whether the creature falls or flies away, the man nods agreeing with Letitia and walks north-east looking for more power sinks "We do not want alarms or backstabs"
Letitia watches to see if Samuel's shot brings down the peryton.
"Strange that we would encounter such beasts here in Whitethrone," she muses aloud. "We are a long way from the Frozen Fog, and I don't recall many perytons coming out of that place. I wonder if they were called here by the power of the elemental fonts, or arrived when the forest arose around the hut."
Ashling watches from her distance as Samuel takes the shot, making her way back over. Guards, maybe Assassins? How likely is it theyre being controlled?
Letitia turns to regard Ashling. "Controlled by whom? They attacked me despite the boons in my possession, so they likely were not in league with Baba Yaga. The White Witches would not use such beasts if it can be avoided.
"The earth piper's remarks lead me to believe that these fey are not in league with anyone but themselves. It's possible they are the perytons' masters, but the creatures were savage and attacked immediately. They offered no clues about their motives."