Taerine, her nerves seemingly on fire as she heads into this new situation, studies the area around her, her senses seemingly heightened with anxiety.
Thkrull lopes along, unconcerned about any possible threats they might face. What, after all, could truly stop the dynamic eidolon?
Perception:
SImon
Molly
Simon Know Nature
Hard to tell in this dim light, but the groundcover up ahead almost looks like it's covering a pit trap.
Smells like... dragon? Something scaly, anyway.
There was a movement in that bush about 100ft over there to your left, like something small just took off running away from you.
"*sniff* *sniff* Huh. Smells like dragon. And not cooked, like I like it."
"It ... I don't know, but I think I might see ... well, it looks like a trap. Maybe. In the leaves?"
Denat casts mount before heading out with the others.
"Stop. Looks like a trap ahead, and something small just ran away."
In her best Admiral Ackbar impression "It's a trap. "
Then in her normal voice. "I also saw the small thing run away. "
"Grey, could you send one of your new friends to spring the trap. That or one of the servants dragging a bag of flour."
Glancing curiously sidelong at Simon, Arioch comments. "We didn't bring any servants...
,
remember?"
He unlimbers his whip as he does so, however.
Glancing curiously sidelong at Simon, Arioch comments. "We didn't bring any servants...
,
remember?"
He unlimbers his whip as he does so, however.
"The unseen servant spell effect, not an actual servant. Hence the dragging of a bag of flour for weight. "
"I had not thought to use them in such a way." Grey intoned.
"Do you happen to have a bag of flour?"
"I'm fresh out."
Simon looks around for something of approximate weight. A rock or tree limb or something. If he sees something he points it out. If not he takes our the Lucern hammer and hits the pit trap from the edge.
"If the creature that fled was a familiar or some other sentry, they may know we're here now. Perhaps we should just try to go round the trap and move quickly?"
Denat speaks softly.
"And if they are near, the could hear us. Oh well, nothing to lose...
He looks around and speaks louder.
"Anyone ? We have nothing against you, don't be shy."
"I'm fresh out."
Simon looks around for something of approximate weight. A rock or tree limb or something. If he sees something he points it out. If not he takes our the Lucern hammer and hits the pit trap from the edge.
The pit collapses at the merest touch of the branch - the shrubbery plummeting eight feet into muddy water, then sinking out of sight.
Unusually the pit is only five feet across,
The pit is too small to have been designed for large creatures, and probably for medium. The hair trigger on top suggests it was to be set off by little weight. This looks as if set for small or tiny creatures.
The digging looks professional, and the cords tying the top are tiny, with intricate knots. That suggests the builders were small, and potentially a mining or underground race. Gnomes?
Caillus flips his hourglass upside down and concentrates for a second. An image of him steps forward, walking as Caillus walks, upright, proud, eyes flitting left and right to take in details.
Let's see what would happen if we walked this path. the chronomancer whispers. It's not me, only potentially me from another time. But it may give us a clue.
The image walks directly into the path of the shifting creature, moving nonchalantly in a straight line.
Engineer
"Doesn't seem like the most impressive trap in the world. I think we'd have survived falling into it. Probably" Taerine says.
"Should we press on?"
Agreed. Let's see if we can't track that little guy.
I was confused until I reread my spoiler to you.
The movement and the pit trap are in different areas. There are in fact potentially multiple pit traps. The movement could well have been something moving away (which in fact it was).
I should have made this clearer, so you may consider your spell cast "for free" in this case - you can keep the slot. Don't want to penalise someone for good playing based on ambiguous information.
Anglon moves over to the indicated bush and finds clear tracks of something wearing a small shoe of unusual design in the soft ground.
"Bandits first, and we will track that little guy later ?"
"Agreed. We must be getting close if they've trapped the place. I doubt this is the only one, so everyone keep your eyes peeled. "
The false Caillus strides out into the forest, circling around for a while as the real Caillus moves forward with the group. When nothing leaps forward to ambush him. he ceases to focus on the image and it fades from view a few seconds later.
Boss:
"Huh. As if these little things could be trouble? They can't be more than a mouthful! Let's press on and take care of what we need to deal with!" Thkrull says in his rumbling voice.
Easy, Caillus whispers to Taerine. Indigents might be friendly if we pose no threat. Or they might have to be pacified. But with a certainty, they have eyes and ears that we don't.
He carries on with the group toward the brigands.
Taerine winces at Caillus' words.
"I'll try to control them, but it's not always so easy," she says.
"Lets just go get the bandits."
Unless someone has a good reason to object Simon leads the group around the traps and looks out for more ahead.
Simon continues to lead the group.
Now on the lookout the keen-eyed troupe avoid any more pit traps, but the need to do so costs them precious time.
Eventually Molly signals that you are almost upon the encampment.
Your horses seem almost relieved to be allowed to fade out of the world. More than one is lame, and all
are exhausted.
Armour is donned once more, undead are released, spells are prepared, and cast.
The group moves forward, spreading out chaotically in the manner of those trained for arcane combat - for it is better to be attacked from both sides than to lose everyone to a single spell.
Hundreds of feet ahead is the clearing Molly identified. A cool, refreshing stream runs through it. The enormous trees grow from each side like marching pillars - but at one point one of these giants has fallen, and now leans at a crazy angle against against a rock outcrop.
Under that tree is an overloaded cart, a horse, a few bandits standing around, and a shouting Dwarf.
The cart seems to have seen hard wear. One of the wheels is in the process of being patched and refitted. The Dwarf seems to be yelling at the bandits to work harder. The five bandits in turn seem willing to shirk the job as much as possible.
There is an enormous five foot long badger dug in under the trunk, only the tips of his nose showing.
Simon:
Perception
Initiative
Molly:
Perception
"Under that tree is an overloaded cart, a horse, a few bandits. A dwarf is shouting at them. "