"Huh." Pipernortin followed Stephen into the largest of the buildings, wondering where all the people had gone. "I'm pretty sure this is Craggenmoor," the gnome continued, "But where is everyone? Last I'd heard this little place was as lively as a brothel with a beehive. What happened?"
"Huh." Pipernortin followed Stephen into the largest of the buildings, wondering where all the people had gone. "I'm pretty sure this is Craggenmoor," the gnome continued, "But where is everyone? Last I'd heard this little place was as lively as a brothel with a beehive. What happened?"
"I'd imagine what would happen soon after a beehive is brought into a brothel: people left." Galoria took a cursory glance about. "I don't like it. But the people had to leave somehow. It seems there were a few signs out there to present some options. I've never been afraid of bridges, myself."
"I'd imagine what would happen soon after a beehive is brought into a brothel: people left."
"Hey, it was a great business prospect! A lot of those women were really talented, and it really wasn't anyone's fault that the hive tipped over. It was a good thing I was there to record the whole affair in song! Er, I was there for the honey, not the girls. Long story."
Zinthar follows along with the rest of the group, smiling quietly at the hyperactive gnome and the stoic ranger. The levity is important since it is in direct contrast to the creepy nature of the place around them.
"Whatever this place was.......that was the past. What is this place now?" Taking Stephen's warning to heart, the mage casts his armor spell to make sure he is ready for any surprises this place might have in store for them.
"I am with the Captain. 'Serene Pool' sounds almost too pleasant to be true, given our recent run of luck. Then again, watch it turn out to be occupied by some blasted monster..." He shrugs. "So many routes to choose from. I'll cast my vote in favor of the Pool, but one must note that if there does turn out to be a monster, I did not jinx us."
"My gold's on them ALL being cursed so I am not sure it matters."
The hunter raised an eyebrow at the small man's tale. "The pool it is then. Let's hope there's something sweet there for father."
Taking a moment to step within the ruined building named, "CRAGG", you were quickly faced with what appeared to be remnants of a tavern. Broken lumber lay scattered about, perhaps what had once been stools and other furniture well disused and abandoned. During your search, you moved aside broken tables and found something that caught your interest.
Tucked away in the corner under a ramshackle beam lay a bow missing its string, a brown sack and a quiver. Hefting aside the lumber, you noticed that the pack may have belonged to a hunter. It's contents revealed the following:
1 x stringless long bow
10 x trail rations
7 x arrows
4 x arrows bearing blue lacing.
After giving the building a once over, you were satisfied that there wasn't anything of interest left.
Pip rolls his eyes. "Aye," he says, returning to his old man voice, "Any place with as lovely a name as the Serene Pool could surely not be full of horrible abominations of evil and death. Just like ol' Mother's Care."
"Then it's decided. Follow my steps - I'll try to plod the least noticeable path in case we're being put on." The ranger couldn't shake her innate suspicion.
Pip did a quick 360 and looked around the town. He then looked at Captain and shrugged. "I'm not sure anyone's coming back for anything. I must admit I'm a tad disappointed. I'd heard this place had good pies."
Zinthar looks at the gear the Captain found, his eyes squinting into a suspicious look. "Seems odd, this place looks like its been abandoned for a while but this gear appears more recent?"
"What's going on here?"
Aside from the gear you found, it seemed like the last residents who were here had left in a haste, as their campsite was hastily extinguished. You saw what looked like the footprints of two individuals.
It seemed so strange that a hamlet known for its desserts and quaint lifestyle would be...deserted. You couldn't help to wonder if some great calamity had stricken such a lively place.
Around you seemed like a memory tossed aside.
While you wandered around looking for a cause for Craggenmoor's calamity, you noticed one thing while joining Captain Andoran - two humanoid sized foot tracks lay scattered haphazardly around the campsite leading towards the north. It seemed that whatever had happened, something had spooked the people here.
Heck, even the campfire was hastily extinguished; dried, charred meat, possibly hare still clung to the stone. Judging by the meat's tenderness, it had happened not so long ago. Perhaps, several days ago?
A cursory glance of Detect Magic revealed that the 4 x arrows bearing blue lacing radiated with magical auras.
"Well, it sort of looks like whoever camped here did so recently. It might have been the rangers we're looking for. But that still doesn't say much about the poor village."
Pipernortin looks almost defeated. "I really wanted some of that pie! Why didn't anyone tell me Craggenmoor was abandoned..." He sighs, then pats Drips on the head. The dog looks up at him, curious of why the gnome was suddenly so depressed. "The pool it is..."
Zinthar nods his agreement to heading toward the pools. "If it was the rangers, surprising that they left these things behind. These arrows are enchanted..."
After looking at the arrows carefully, you were able to deduce that they were not mere magical arrows, but rather . 4 in total
Realizing that Craggenmoor had been left as a ghost town, the adventurers decided to bound for the Serene Pool. Surely such a benevolent name within an expansive forest would hold nothing but goodness for our heroes.
About a half hour later, they arrived at what seemed like a parting from the northern road, an outcropping of dense oaken trees with a sign haphazzardly nailed to a thick trunk aptly labeled To the Serene Pool.
"After you," the gnome says with an exaggerated bow. "I'm sure the spa is waiting just ahead."
Zinthar nods his agreement to heading toward the pools. "If it was the rangers, surprising that they left these things behind. These arrows are enchanted..."
[dice=Spellcraft]1d20+18
"You're right about that - we folk are none too wasteful." She glanced at the arrows with hesitation. "They might also be placed to mislead someone who might come looking for them." Though how their assaulting party would have predicted that is beyond me.
********
Unfettered as Stephen seemed, Galoria plodded forward. "We shall. Don't be disappointed - the forest alone is a welcome place."
"Yes, because nothing terrible ever lives in the forest..." Rafaello mumbles under his breath.
Zinthar hands the arrows to Galoria, nodding at her comment. "Quite an expensive misdirection. Not only are they enchanted, they are particularly effective against magical beasts like owlbears or manticores. Not the type of weapon you leave behind lightly, I would think."
The elf continues to smile at the group's banter, a bit jealous of the camaraderie but aware that he only met them a day ago. Hopefully they will see me as one of them soon enough.
"Exactly!"
Cutting past the wooden barrier, the interior of the Verduran Forest seemed like a swath of sprawling wood. It quickly became clear why many folks relied on rangers for their expertise in these kinds of environments. Avoiding tree roots and brambles, the group went further in. Rays of light peered through openings within the canopies, and several critters scuttled about.
Due to your short stature and keen senses, something caught your attention within the woods. It seemed like a child's crying. Panning around, you felt that it came from deeper within the woods.
The only noticeable magical auras came from the group.
Galoria made use of her talents and provided a way through the undergrowth that didn't leave a trail. Passing by a multitude of trees and other nature obstacles, she came across something that caught her interest.
A pair of tracks, one cloven and the other was long.
Given their presence, she wasn't quite sure what they were. Too narrow and sporadic to be horse tracks, and this wasn't no farm, so there's that explanation. The only thing she could surmise was that there had to be something out there. Possibly the cause for the missing rangers and villagers.
Sticking to stealth, it didn't take long before she lead the team to a treeline that opened to a clearing. There was a large pool of water some 30ft away crested by large rocks and fauna, and next to it was a small camp.
A pair of bodies wriggled from what looked like rope upon a nearby tree that overlooked a pair of ice covered creatures cackling over the remains of some poor animal.
Pip edged his way to the front, peeking through the lower of the bushes. Bits of the hedge popped up around his face, making it look like he'd grown a leafy beard. He resisted the urge to laugh.
The icy creatures looked like they might have been some sadistic fey - he knew plenty of those, some personally - but it was a little warm for them to be out and about. Then there were the twitching bodies. Dead? Undead? Given the nature of things, it was more likely they'd be all be some horrible daemonic beasts. He knocked a clenched fist against his head, trying to smack some remembrance into himself as he thought it over.
"Well done in getting us this far, Galoria, but... Ugh... what a grim sight."
"I do hope they are some manner of beast that our new implements will serve well against..."
"A sight indeed. I wonder what of though?" She spoke softly, lest they hear her.
While peering at the strange creatures, it made you think about a particular jingle that you heard while traveling about Avistan.
The Lacridaemons' Lament"
Beware the tears of ice,
how their touch is not nice,
blacken hooves that prod the ground
twisted grins on a face that's round,
Arrows as quick as a whip,
delivered by a blackened tip"
What stood before you was a small patrol of Lacrideamons. They're vile hunters, particular great at misdirection and singling down targets.
Demons, Devils, Daemons, you couldn't tell the difference. Just evil looking all around.
You have absolutely no idea what stood before you. It seemed part ice / fiend, and it definitely didn't belong in the Verduran Forest. Given their proclivity, extreme caution is recommended.
Pip pulls back from the undergrowth, speaking in little more than a whisper. "I... think they're lacridaemons. They have icy tears of death or some such thing. They like to separate and hunt down mortals one by one. I once heard a little rhyme about the buggers, but it ended with the author's miserable death. Not a good day for the bardic arts."
Galoria leans back and looks at him. "If we are up against icy death, I'd rather withdraw." For once, she was quite serious.
"Eh..." Pipernortin stole a glance at his two blissfully unaware pups. Drips had already laid himself in a soft patch of grass, his tongue lolling out sideways without any concern for dignity or appearance. "If we leave them be then they're likely to try and hunt us down later. Or they might just go and tear someone else to pieces. Or eat my dogs. I'd really prefer they didn't do that." Drips' ears peak upward at the mention of 'dog,' the canine looking happily at his master. "And believe me, I'm usually all for avoiding scary fights."
Rafaello tries to talk with considerably more confidence than he feels. "Now, were these anything other than daemons, I would suggest we simply leave them be, but... considering what has happened of late, I cannot help but feel it is my duty as a holy man to cleanse these impure things from the world. ...So what's the plan?"
"Daemons? So these are of the same breed as those things from earlier?" Galoria shudders remembering the small flying menaces. "I'm with you in that they should be dealt with, but we didn't fare so well last time."
She glanced about the group. "But it also looks like I'm outnumbered. Fire does sound good. I can line up a few shots from afar, and we can see how well they feel before they reach us."
"If they are like those things from before, I'd imagine their daemonic nature gives them similar immunities and weaknesses? I don't know much about this specific type, but as we saw back at the hospital daemons tend to be pretty resistant to magic, and pretty tough."
Zinthar looks at Galoria. "The arrows we found in Dern's gear were made to defeat exactly this sort of creature. And after our last battler I made sure to prepare that diamond spray spell since it seemed more effective than other magics." He gazes at the scene again, his eyes darting up and down as he inspects the area from their vantage point. "But if those are innocent prisoners dangling from those trees I'll need to be careful........."
About 30ft away lies a pool of water and a small camp where 2 lacridaemons are busy with their meal. 5ft from them lies a tree whereby a pair of bodies are dangling from a low branch.
They haven't taken notice of you yet.
You're certain that they're a fiend, just nothing out of the ordinary of daemonic / demonic folk.
Galoria notches an arrow. "On your mark, gentlemen."
Rafaello whispers a quick prayer and kisses his holy symbol, then quietly chants a spell.
Pip nods, then draws the mightiest of weapons: the fiddle. He waves his dogs over, signalling that danger lay ahead. Pavlov looks mildly interested and Drips wholly disinterested. Close enough.
"Ready. Who wants to do the honor of smacking them first?"
.
Zinthar has spent this entire time staring at the area, every few seconds his fingers moving as if he is counting. A devious grin is crossing his face as Pip asks his question.
"Oh, I think I can announce our presence with some authority. If everyone is ready........?"
Galoria notches two arrows and follows Stephen's lead for target.
"You really have a good shield arm there." Impressed with his aim, she vowed not to be outdone in the future.
Pipernortin feels its appropriate to serenade the entrance of a group of dashing heroes with triumphant music. Bounding out of the bushes alongside Captain Andoran, Pip raises his fiddle high and begins a tune of equally heroic scale.
His dogs follow behind, their teeth immediate bared at the otherworldly creatures mucking about in the wilderness.