Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
Chase slides up to Elena and in a low voice.
"If it's any consolation I agree with your plan lets just hope you can get some good intel."
Rook the Hooded |
Rook watches the charge dispassionately. He would like nothing better than to sink his sword into the gut of one of these pathetic creatures, but his training kicks in and he restrains himself. While the others talk, he keeps his eyes on the area the elves came from.
Elena D'augustino |
Elena can't help herself. She hands them some of her trail snacks, a bit of jerky.
"There are no animals anywhere around here. Where did they all go? ...and how are wood elves starving in their own woods?"
So far, she was chalking this up to Sorcery. Did she have an expert on Sorcery available?
Belac93 |
The elves ravenously devour the jerky, and begin speaking in elvish, so fast it is hard to understand.
Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
Chase is lost
"Hedgerow I heard you talking their language, what are they saying?"
Hedgerow |
The dwarf nodded at Elena's translations.
"D'augustino has the right of it. They be starvin' and desperate, nothin' more."
Hedgerow fished out his own waterskin and rations, sharing some - but not all - of them with the hungry elves. He prodded further, hoping for answers in between gulps and chews.
"Is there truly no food or water to be found? I see that the trees are burned but surely you must have areas where food can still be found? Are there more of you out there? If you have a group, tell them to flee the forest if you cannot find means to live. War is brewing and that can only be bad for you."
Belac93 |
The elves who are not speaking seem very grateful for the food, and seem to be wrapping a bundle a little ways off.
Lord Borak the Despoiler |
Lord Borak had kept his peace, letting the others feel out the situation. Now it seemed that a solution was growing. It was time to make the move.
He walks out of his place in the formation and up to where Hederow and Elana are talking. He sends out a message to their minds. 'It seems we have a good alchemy of solutions here. They have nothing to do, and are starving. We have come from a warcamp, which has rations. I propose that we offer them a pact: If all of them of fighting age enlist in our ranks, we will feed them all. The men and women will draw rations from their ranks, the elderly will look after the children, and they'll be supplied from the Foreign Relations fund.
There is no other way. Any action that does not aid the war effort must be rejected.
What say you?'
Riswynn Clanless |
Riswynn shares a bit of her rations with the elves as well, obviously relieved to have avoided a fight. She had no idea what any of them are saying, though, and sticks close to Elena to hear her interpretation. She gives Borak a raised eyebrow as he approaches and seems to be focusing on something without saying anything, but writes it off for the moment. Those from Therenger were capable, but Riswynn figured she should expect some strange behavior from one whose country allied itself with demons.
Turning her attention back to Elena, she says, "If it were me, I'd have left this wasteland soon as I could if the alternative was starving. Sounds like these kids want to go, too - is this Halarian who we're here to talk to? If so, we should get our ambassador to them as soon as we can, see if we can't resolve this mess."
Lord Borak the Despoiler |
Borak nods at Riswynn, taking her meaning. He retreats back to the ambassador. "Sir, are these from the wood elf that we are negotiating with?"
He continues mentally listening to any response Hederow and Elana might make.
Rook the Hooded |
Rook takes out some of his rations, and making sure at least on elf is watching, takes a bit of the food. He chews for a few seconds, then spits the food out and grinds it into the ash and dirt. A cruel smile spreads across his face as he finishes doing this.
Hedgerow |
** Elven - "...Do you have magic to help grow food?"**
The druid became a bit self-conscious, knowing that he did indeed have such magic, but it wasn't particularly powerful and wouldn't provide the needed yield to remedy the hunger of so many. If he had time and no current obligations... but alas, he did not.
----------------
Hedgerow grew startled for a moment when the voice intruded upon his consciousness. Identifying the "speaker" as one of his own, Borak, he turned and nodded. He was unsure if he could respond in kind, so he first delivered that affirmative motion.
He thinks the words, in hopes that they will be communicated back toward Borak,
"Yes, that's as good an option as any. Better to live as a soldier than die hungry."
He turned to the starved elves,
"We are en route on a diplomatic mission and we cannot help you further. It is probably not your first choice, but I should tell you that if you go back the way we came--", he motioned in the direction of the army's camp, "and you volunteer to join the army's ranks or even as laborers, you will very likely be given shelter, food and drink for the duration of your employ. That is the best I can offer."
----------------
After his words with the elves, he then began to wonder how powerful this man called Borak was. It was no small feat to communicate in this fashion. He may be much more than meets the eye. Hedgerow thought he better have more discipline of mind than he usually practices, in case someone is listening.
----------------
The dwarf raised an eyebrow at Rook's callous action, though he wasn't surprised. His ebon-skinned folk had a most sinister of reputations, rivaling that of his own outcast dwarves - the duergar. He suddenly pondered what reaction he might have if a hostile group of starving duergar dwarves made a move against him.
Would I act any differently? I would like to think so.
Elena D'augustino |
"Alright then" Elena said, "I'll go tell the ambassador what we know. Personally though? I just want them out of harm's way."
She walked up to the ambassador.
"The elves here are starving. The fire seems to have destroyed a lot of the community. Their spiritual leader refuses to let them leave though. That's going to make this a lot easier and a lot harder: the remaining elves are a little loopy with hunger, but if we can convince this 'Halarian' to take their people out of here and get food somewhere else, we'll be good to go. Or we could convince them to join the army, we'd feed them, they'd fight, good deal?"
Elena shrugged, giving the ambassador a smile. This was good information. He could do a lot with what they knew now.
Belac93 |
He glares at you for a second, and then gives a grunt and concedes. "Fine. But, if they start eating the other soldiers, it's on your head." He turns to the elves and says a few words in their language, and they nod and gather round. He turns and says, "They will escort us to their village."
You walk for about a half hour through the burned out forest before coming to a ring of straw huts gathered around a central campfire. There seems to be no-one around except for a figure in the middle of the village. It appears to be a woman elf, wearing a bear skin cloak and bone mask. She is sitting cross-legged, and appears even thinner than the other elves you have seen.
"Are you here to kill me?" She says out to the group in common. As the ambassador opens his mouth to speak, her eyes flick open, and she looks at him, saying, "No words from you, half-breed! I know what you think of us! I want to hear from people who do not think of me as no better than a bug." Her eyes move to the soldiers. "What do you want?"
Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
Chase feeling curious.
"I think we may have many things to talk about, but perhaps you could give an account of what happened to your people that you are all starving out here?"
Hedgerow |
Hedgerow almost laughed out loud when the diplomat was silenced. What a ludicrous endeavor this was turning out to be!
As he had no information about why the diplomat was being escorted, he found his friend Chase's questions to be sufficient for now, and so added nothing to the conversation just yet.
Belac93 |
"Well, the previous elders told me that nothing like this has ever happened before. In the five hundred years I've walked this forest, we have never been dangerously short of food before. But one night, there was a fire. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, bubbling up from the heart of the forest, blackened and...scorched. It didn't look like normal fire. It looked like a half burned log made to dust."
"Since then all our food has been gone. It killed everything, and the animals it burned made us sick to eat. But it is our forest, we should not leave the place we have lived in for thousands, no, millions of years! See this here?"
She pulls out a nugget of metal from a pouch around her waist. It is extremely shiny and painted half red. "This was made before all! When the idea of cities, and your roads, and even swords was nothing! This comes from a time when ice ruled the land, and the woolly beasts roamed." She puts the piece of metal back. "We still have records of that time. My grandfather hunted the furred elephants, and his grandmother's grandfather remembered the beginning of the world! The entire time, we have lived in this very forest. So tell me, is it right to abandon it now?"
Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
Arcana: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Intelligence: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Chase listened to the terrifying story.
When the elf had finished Chase says,
"I can see why your people are resistant to leaving. And from what you described this fire may have been from malicious magic. My questions is: Did it ever at any other time make sense to leave for your people?
I mean your people may have been here since the origin of time, but did they ever stare like this? Were they ever so defenseless, exposed, and withered?
My point is appears you have every reason to find out what happened to your people's home where that fire originated."
Belac93 |
"We have never been weaker than we are now. The forest was always here for us. It never occurred to me that the fire might be malicious. There was a particular tree, in the middle of the forest, that was twisted and blackened. It has been there for a thousand years, and never fallen, but any part of the tree, when burned, gave off that same fire. I thought it may have caught, and it's flame spread."
"So, the answer to your question is no. We have experienced hard times, but we have always gotten through them."
Elena D'augustino |
Elena says, "You may leave now, but you can come back later when the land has rejuvenated. If you do not leave now, you'll all starve. Sometimes, all you can do is get out of the way, but it doesn't stop you from returning another day."
Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
"Perhaps now is time to consider a change for the well being of your people. Have you gone to investigate that ancient tree since the wildfire?"
Belac93 |
"The others can leave. I will stay. No I have not gone to the tree yet, I have been busy trying to commune with the spirits. If you want to take a look, be my guest. I will tell the others to leave, but in shame. They will be welcomed back by the land when we are gone." She stands up, and begins to walk into the burned forest.
Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
Chase to the party.
"I guess we should follow her?"
Lord Borak the Despoiler |
Arcana: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Arcana: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Lord Borak felt the situation sufficiently diffused enough to begin the clean up process of logistics.
One stone, two kills: The army always needed more bodies, and forest had been under a demon attack, so the rest had leave.
He advances on the elf that had lead the ambush against them, and had given them most of their data. Borak had grown weary of using translators, so he reaches directly into his mind to speak, the words sounding as if they came from a great voice hiding behind the stars. '"YOU are now in command of your tribe, as your Elder will be remaining behind, in the forest.
March your people back there, the way we came. When you find the army camp ask for Sergeant Krak. Tell him the Ambassador convinced the entire tribe to enlist in the army. You'll be given rations and a job. And your survival.
If we are able to magically make the forest thrive again, you will be sent for.
Now GO!'
He returns to the ambassador. "Sir, your mission here seems to have been a success. You may return to the army, or stay with us, although I can not guarantee your safety if you stay."
That done, he follows Elana...unless there are further complications.
Belac93 |
The group walks through the forest as Halarian goes from place to place, seeking out elves. It takes about 3 hours, and is heartbreaking work. Many of the elves seemed relieved to be able to go, others cried, and still more just stood in shock.
In the end, all who wanted to leave gathered around the young elf man who attacked you at first and, with him bowing to the group once, he leads his people off. There are two hundred-twenty-two people in fighting age, and another 41 people not able to fight because they are either too young or too old. The ambassador goes with them, seemingly humbled.
About 9 elders decide to stay in the village, and 70 adults who do not want to leave their forest, plus Halarian.
"I will trust you to make sure our people stay safe." she says, "This will be a strange new life for them, and I do not want us to lose ourselves. Thank you though."
What is your course of action now?
Riswynn Clanless |
Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Intelligence: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Intelligence: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Riswynn doesn't understand the elves' language, but the looks on their faces are easily understood. She takes comfort in knowing that the Halarian is not so stubborn as to trap their people in this ashen waste for the sake of history. Sidling up to Hedgerow, she speaks to her fellow dwarf, "It's good that we've gained some allies here - or at least some soldiers - but I'm worried that there's something going on here. You're the outdoorsy type; think you could find the source of this fire after the elves point it out to us?"
Approaching Elena, Riswynn tries to get her attention with a casual head nod. "Commander D'augustino, we've done what we were sent to do. But my gut tells me we haven't reached the heart of this matter. I suggest we track down that weird tree the Halarian mentioned. I'm not sure what happened here, but I think it's unwise to move on without investigating a possible cause of this destruction."
Hedgerow |
Int, Arcana DC 14: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16
Int DC 12: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Trepidation welled up inside of him as he heard the elf describe what seemed to be hellfire. What this portended, he couldn't say yet, but it had great potential for evil. When the nugget of Olithok was displayed it took his mind off of things for the moment, sending him back to one of his earliest memories; his father, a traveling tradesman, had acquired some of the rare metal and sold it to human who claimed it was for some lord's new sword. Before it was traded, his father told him of the great dwarf smiths that used these rare metals to make the finest weapons and armor in the world.
His father always had a prideful gleam in his eye when he spoke of dwarf culture.
------
"Aye, show us the tree," said Hedgerow, simply.
Rook the Hooded |
Rook helped gather the elves not at all. He watched for a distance, not seeing any worth in the sad remains of the elves. He sneered as the pathetic creatures marched off to the camp and vocally scoffed the stupidity of the elders and those who remained.
"Why bother, unless it is to thank the demons who destroyed these haughty elves. Good riddance to them!"
Belac93 |
"Well, I have nothing else to do now." Halarian says. She leads you to the tree, taking about half an hour.
The Tree
The tree is a giant, about 10 feet around and 100 feet high. It is twisted and blackened, and looks like it is halfway through the process of smoldering. However, the elder says that is how it looked before, as she leaves. So, it is completely unharmed by the devastation around it.
Everyone make a perception check please.
Hedgerow |
I have a passive perception score of 15, so I will eschew rolling in this circumstance.
"Quiet! Do ye hear that soond? There's a scratchin' from inside!"
Hedgerow brandished his warhammer suddenly, sending a flex motion up and down his fingers and he gripped the handle.
Hedgerow |
"Ye skinny white-aired poof, when I'm done with the tree-demon my hammer's comin' for yer arse!"
He looked to the drow and smiled, giving him a wild-eyed look that was somewhere between appreciative comic relief and exasperation.
Chase Strumhold |
- Skills:Acro+4,Arcana+3,Ath-1,Decp+3,His+1,Intim+3,Inves+1,Nat+1,Perf+5,Pres +5,Rel+1,slofh+2,stlth+2
- Attk:Dagger +4 1d4+2p, QuarStaff +1 1d6-1
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 15
"The tree's inside are moving what tremors are these."
Chase works the spells he knows through his head in haste.
Rook the Hooded |
Somewhat taken aback by the dwarf's playful banter, Rook almost smiles...but stops and refocuses his attention on the tree.
"Can any of you detect magical auras? Perhaps whatever is in there was bound...and we would do well to leave it alone."
Riswynn Clanless |
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Riswynn doesn't hear anything out of the ordinary, but draws her hammer with a concerned look. "Whatever you're hearing, it doesn't bode well for us or what's left of this forest. I'm curious, though... If this tree was always here, then why has this destruction only come now? Was it provoked? Did someone else make use of it somehow?"
Lord Borak the Despoiler |
PErception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19
Borak's eyes shifted slowly over to the tree. He knew what it was. He knew what was coming.
But there was nothing to do.
Well...there was one thing.
"Do you want to wait until it comes, or shall we be proactive?"
He peers into the fog of the future and seeks a clearer path...for himself.
Casting True Strike
Elena D'augustino |
Elena draws her sword.
"Well squad, stick together, don't die. And I'd much prefer the Halarian be here to see this, because I REALLY don't want her to think we killed her damn tree. Can we hold off on stabbing it until we get her back here to see we didn't kill her tree?"
She shouts, "Halarian! There's a problem here."