Rhoddam nods as Zane speaks. It's clear he isn't bothered by the impatient tone. He asks if you have a map. Taking it, he hastily scrawls as he's talking. "You're right, Cartprett, the Forest Elder is in the middle of the forest, right about here. I don't know about the moss, but that's up to you. As for the Rat Tail root, I haven't the slightest what that is, but it sounds like something that old Witch Ulizmila might know about. Her hut is in a clearing not far from the tree. And the Ironbloom Mushrooms? I don't think The Crag would be your best bet. I'd recommend you check the old dwarven monastery just on the edge of the forest." As he finishes marking up your map, he looks expectantly at the group. "Please...find these items and find the cure." With a curt nod, he hands the map back over and leaves the office.
"That's all you needed, right?" Jarlben snarls. "If so, you can be on your way now."
"Thankee fer th' help Master Rhoddam. If'n it be in our power t' find these things 'n make a cure, be believing tha' we'll be doin' it. As fer ye, ye blowhard, best ye be hopin' that ye don't come down wit' th' rot. I doubt anyone'd care enough to raise a finger t' help ye out." With that said, Firebeard tugged his forelock to Roddham and walked from the foreman's shed, without a second glance.
Shalyna had been standing quietly out of the way. The foreman's actions grated against her. These were the friends and families of those that worked under him. He should at least be concerned, not spiteful.
She knows that anything she might say to him would likely incur his ire, so she instead keeps her mouth shut until Rhoddam's plea.
"We will."
And to Jarlben, "May a horde of pixies bless you with their presence."
Her smile lacks the warmth it normally has, but even if the foreman couldn't tell, Fluff's ruffled feathers gave her mood away.
Hassan wanted to leave before he snapped at the foreman, so he turned and walked out of the building. "Are you ready to go, my friends? It looks like we'll have a river to cross."
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Zane studies the map and the markings made by Rhoddam in detail. He seems lost in thought over the map, and is so absent minded, that when the large man leaves the office, he barely notices it, just grunting a short "Mhmhm... as a reply.
Exiting the building, walking behind Hassan, he replies to the strangely dressed Keleshite: "Actually Hassan, we do not have to cross the river."
Unfolding the map, he points his index finger on the location of the existing lumber camp: "You see, we are here, in this camp in the middle." Tracing his finger slowly towards north, he inches around the spring/pool of water in the middle of the forest.
"If we would to continue through here, keeping to the edge of the water, I think that would be smarter. I do not know if there is a good place to cross the river, without getting wet, and I would like to avoid that at all cost. Although it is not that cold, winter is still strong. The sun does not shine to the full, especially this deep in the forest. We would be very, very cold, and maybe even catch some sickness ourselves. No my friend, unless Tidus 'ere, knows some ford across the river, I would suggest that we go around. It is not that big of a detour, and I do not wish to risk those icy cold, wet fingers to pierce my lungs and take me!"
Zane shivers visibly, and then turns to others, his eyes stopping on Tidus.
Zane is right - there isn't a good way to cross the river without getting wet or having to swim. The path up the road to the next lumber camp is likely your best bet.
"Best we be movin' on then." Firebeard was anxious to be going, now that they had definite directions. Perhaps they could clear this thing up in a day or two.
"Then let's be off. The sooner we take care of this the better."
Shalyna is pretty anxious as well, but there's a feeling that there is another reason she wants to be away from the camp.
"Agreed, I think that is an excellent plan. Let us be off."
The group makes its way down the road to the camp. The trek is uneventful - you see a woodsman every once in a while, but other than that the warm spring air is fresh and the walk is easy, if a bit slow.
About about 6:00, you arrive at the next lumber camp. Many of the woodsmen are eating dinner or preparing for the return carriage to Falcon's Hollow.
After passing through the camp, you enter the woods where the lumber camp has created a natural path. Checking your map, you see that you still have about a six-hour walk, assuming the trail is clear and you have enough to light to see where you're going.
As the party makes camp, Hassan says, "I'll take first watch, unless someone else would prefer to."
Survival:
Aid Another Survival:
Second Survival check (including Hassan's aid and Guidance):
The group walks for another hour and a half, getting a good ways into the forest. Unfortunately, just as the sun was beggining to drop, the trail also ran out, making for much slower going.
After only a second of searching, Tidus is able to find a perfect clearing for a camp. With Hassan's help - Firebeard and Shalyna did more to get in the way - it only takes a few minutes to get a fire going and serviceable camp setup.
The night passes without incident, so early the next morning, before the sun is even up, the group eats a light breakfast, packs up the camp and continues on.
The going is much slower now that you're moving through the forest and not on a trail. You walk for about one hour before the sun breaks through the trees. It's going to be a glorious day.
Another hour of walking after the sun has risen, you hear a noise coming from the trees to south. Whatever is making the racket is uninterested in keeping its presence a secret, but it's difficult to tell how large the thing is or if it's even headed in your direction.
"What's th' sound comin' from over there? I hain't heard th' like of it afore on this trip. Perhaps we should go check i' out?" Firebeard is very interested to find out what is making the sound, especially since most things in this forest seem to run from them as they traveled, and not sit about making plain noise.
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Scratchin his head, Zane tries to listen a bit more closely, before responding to Firebeard's proposal.
"I don't know, master dwarf, I'd advise against it. Whatever it is, sounds big enough to make a lot of ruckus, and not to be afraid to raise such a noise. Could hurt us pretty bad maybe, and we are in a hurry. Would be bad if we have to detour, or turn back due to some injuries now. I'd advise we proceed with more caution, placing either Tidus or me at the back, in order to make sure we're not followed"
At dawn, Hassan takes the time to pray before helping strike the camp, asking Sarenrae's blessing on their endeavor.
"I agree with Zane, we must go forward. Lives depend on us. Unless it interferes with our mission, we should stay our curiosity."
Firebeard can tell that the noise isn't especially aggressive, distressed or in a hurry. It also seems to be walking parallel to your group.
"Perhaps yer right. 'Sides, it sounds like it's pacin' us. Might be it'll find us soon enough."
"I don't know if I like it following us. And if it's making a lot of noise, it's probably big enough to be a real threat."
Shalyna looks off to the south. Her face is full of worry and for once Fluff is sitting still on her shoulder.
You walk for a few more feet, the sound of the shuffling growing closer. The noise isn't aggressive or violent - it is simply ambling along at a relatively slow pace.
After 10 minutes of walking, you come to a break in the trees, and you see the thing that has been making the noise - it is a kobold, but it doesn't appear to have noticed you yet. It is moving forward aimlessly and in a slightly jerky motion.
Hassan whispers to his companions. "Don't kobolds usually travel in groups? This could be an ambush. I think we should ignore it, lest we find ourselves in a much greater fight."
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Zane is completely immersed in studying the strange sight in front of him. Similar to Hassan, Zane had the idea it could be a trap, or an ambush by sneaky little dog-like creatures, so he took a lot of time checking the surrounding area, as well as the strange moving kobold.
"I am of similar opinion priest, yet I've never heard of such...strange ambush..." - he whispers back to Hassan. Still, experience has learned him a lot, and he prepares his weapon silently, just in case.
Firebeard stared at the kobold, trying to ascertain why it was walking so funny, and hadn't seemed to react to their presence.
Firebeard and Zane discover something at almost the same precise moment - the kobold is undead. It turns its head slightly, and you can see its mouth hangs perpetually open and much of the flesh on its arms is rotted and falling of its body.
You also notice that it appears to be wearing a sign around its neck, though you can't see what it says from here.
It ambles on, still either unaware of or uninterested in your presence.
"By Kols, th' thing's undead! Nary a chance fer it t' be up t' good. We be owein' it t' folks round here t' be sendin' it t' it's eternal rest."
"Agreed. It needs to be put down before it stumbles upon a helpless victim."
Tidus draws his Greatsword and stands ready to strike when his allies are equally prepared.
"Undead? Then it shall fall before the Dawnflower's light!" Hassan drops his heavy backpack, leaving him more maneuverable, and draws his scimitar and shield.
Hassan -
Tidus -
Firebeard -
Zane -
Shalyna -
Surprise Round Order
Tidus
Firebeard
Hassan
Zane
Shalyna
Firebeard burst into motion, dwarven legs pumping as he flew towards the kobold. He leaped into the air and lashed out at the creature with a vicious kick.
damage
Firebeard's foot hits the soft flesh of the zombie kobold. It lets out an audible gasp and finally turns its attention to the group.
Hassan moves to position on the far side of the kobold, flanking with the dwarf.
Hassan hustles past, and as he does so, the kobold attempts to knock him over the head with the club in its hand.
Fortunately, Hassan manages to pass without getting hit.
Greatsword drawn, Tidus charges the enemy in his sights.
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Seeing his comrades engaging the strange creature, Zane decides to try and help them. The fact that he was slow to react did not help him, since he had to be extra careful in trying not to hit them with an arrow. So, he stows his bow, draws his flail with lightning fast speed and moves towards the monster.
Firebeard moves to flank the creature, whose attention had shifted to Zane. In a flurry of moves, he lashed out at the kobold with a kick-punch combination, aiming to take out its left knee with his foot, and a crossing knife hand blow to the throat.
5' adjust to J5. Flurry
attack
damage
attack
damage
critical confirmation on the 1st blow:
damage
Firebeard lashes out at the kobold zombie, his kick doing enough damage to end the fight immediately. The kobold lie still.
You're able to read the sign now that you're closer - it says "Shaman" in crudely scrawled letters.
A moment after the kobold is ended, a rat crawls out of its head, looks up at you with what appears to be anger, and scampers off into the forest.
You search the body, but there is nothing of use among its rags and filth.
Walking on for five more hours, you finally come to a clearing. The dense trees and thick brush of the forest give way, parting seemingly in respect for the titanic darkwood tree that dominates this clearing. Several times taller than a temple minaret, in one direction the obviously ancient tree reaches into the sky with branches like a giant’s arms, while in the other it plumbs the earth with roots thicker than a man’s waist.
Its limbs broad and strong, its bark thick and so richly colored as to almost be black, and its leaves the size of bucklers, the giant thing is less a tree and more a cathedral of boughs
and branches.
The tree has a trunk of at least 30' feet in diameter, and features low, easily accessible branches.
Firebeard's spirits were lifted slightly as they continued their journey to the forest elder. The kobold zombie had needed putting down, and he took great satisfaction that his training with Dirisha had paid off. He thanked Kols for keeping his end of the bargain (hah!), and vowed to hold his own.
At the tree, the dwarf stared up for a few moments, before spitting off to the side, partly in disgust and part nervousness. Just because he was a dwarf didn't mean he had to fear trees and what they hid, but this one made him nervous. "Ain't no reason fer a tree t' be this big. Ain't natural. It'd take a dwarf a week t' cut th' thing down." Firebeard spit again as he stared at the tree
Perception to find the moss, or anything else interesting
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Getting closer to Firebeard, Zane whispers softly: "I would appreciate if you'd not talk of tree cuttin' and things alike, at least while we're in it's vicinity".
Motioning towards the tree, he continues, still in a low voice: "Now, I ain't sayin' that the tree is alive or somethin', but in woods this big, there's gotta be a special reason for a tree to be this huge. There are stories in the village...nevermind, let us just thread lightly and carefully."
Still standing at the edge of the clearing, Zane clenches the shaft of his flail harder, while trying to take a good long look of the surroundings.
"Aye, ye ain't wrong in that"