As you seek to move stealthily into position, two enemies appear.
From the south-east, a sleek big cat, black fur with an orange stripe, which most of you recognise as a firepelt cougar, leaps forward.
Meanwhile, a goblin brandishing flame in both hands walk out of the bramble tunnel walls as easily as you would walk across a manicured lawn!
Before you can react, the cougar leaps to attack Rak.
Firepelt Cougar
Shalelu
Goblin
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak
Lelu quickly grabs arrows from her quiver and launches two arrows at the goblin with the flames.
The goblin scowls and barks out in the creatures' strange tongue. Plants erupt from the ground and try to wrap around your legs.
Entangled: The character is ensnared. Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force. An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) or lose the spell.
Firepelt Cougar
Shalelu
Goblin
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak
Lelu easily avoids the thickening vines as she deftly steps around. the magic not amplifying them much more than thick underbrush to her.
Kadrian deftly leaps our of the ways of the encroaching plantlife, and advances on the goblin.
Kadrian scores a deep wound on the goblin.
Akuleh just manages to keep the vines from completely engulfing his legs up to the thigh, and steps out of their reach before they can grow any further. As he does so, he draws his morningstar and brings it down toward the big cat.
The ensorcelled grasses wrap tightly around Rak's legs; he finds his movement restricted, and with the positioning of the cougar, can't see a safe way out! He focuses himself on the threat then, hoping to kill it quickly so that he can escape.
Firepelt Cougar (-10)
Shalelu
Goblin (-8)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak
Both the goblin and the cougar take serious damage from the party's attacks.
The cougar strikes back at Akuleh with a roar.
The creature's frenzy is easily turned aside by Akuleh's armour.
Firepelt Cougar (-10)
Shalelu
Goblin (-8)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak
Lelu fires off another two arrows at the goblin.
Shalelu's second arrow strikes true, after the first glanced off the goblin's armour.
Firepelt Cougar (-10)
Shalelu
Goblin (-16)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak
The goblin swings for Kadrian with his blade of flame.
As the goblin's blade goes wildly awry, the rest of the heroes leap into action.
Firepelt Cougar (-10)
Shalelu
Goblin (-16)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak
Akuleh continues the assault against the cougar with Rak, swinging his morningstar down at the cat's streaked back with a grunt.
Rak continues to struggle against the writhing plantlife, momentarily breaking free. He uses this to his advantage, striking the cougar with his rapier with a carefully placed thrust. He finds nowhere to move, however, and can't avoid the grasses re-entangling him.
The Sandpoint noble continues his attack on the mad goblin.
Both foes are struck!
The goblin looks worried but the cougar merely snarls and launches another attack at Rak, the hero who struck him.
Rak is struck keenly by bite and claw, but understands it could have been even worse!
Firepelt Cougar (-16)
Shalelu
Goblin (-21)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak (-12)
Lelu looses two more arrows at the goblin, determined not to let it try and retreat.
Her first arrow flies true and the goblin takes another wound.
Then it flees directly through the brambles as though they did not exist.
Firepelt Cougar (-16)
Shalelu
Goblin (-30)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak (-12)
Hearing the goblin retreat for now, Akuleh steps back and drops his morningstar in favor of his longspear, hoping that Rak will be able to step out of the mass of brambles that are continuing to wrap around his legs.
Akuleh thrusts the tip of the spear toward the cougar, not with the intent to harm the creature, but to give Rak an opportunity to move more freely.
Vexed, Kadrian can only watch as the goblin makes his escape, surely to tell others of his tribe. Looking around, the swashbuckler sees his dwarven friend attacked by the cougar and advances to assist.
Rak nods at Akuleh; it was clear the Shoanti was trying to provide him cover to get out of the entangling plants. He breaks free from the plants' writhing grasp, and Rak wastes no time moving out of the way, joining Shalelu off to the side.
Unfortunately, Rak cannot get away from the cougar and is fixed in place.
The creature sees an opening and it’s jaws snap.
The cougar bites at Rak once again.
[dice]1d6+3[/dice
Firepelt Cougar (-22)
Shalelu
Goblin (-30)
Akuleh
Kadrian
Rak (-20)
Lelu curses under her breath as the goblin retreats, she tries to see it through the brambles even though they are likely too thick.
She decides its better off to remove the immediate threat, as likely more of the green snots would be coming soon. She deftly moves around the others drawing her blade and tries to move behind the cougar without letting it get in a bite at her. Either way, she cuts at the cougar, taking advantage of its split focus.
I didn't know that, then I guess I'd just shoot it.
Shalelu's arrow finishes off the firepelt cougar, it's beautiful fure streaked with blood and rent by wounds.
Akuleh momentarily eyes the beautiful pelt of the cougar, but shakes off the urge to take the team's kill. There are greater matters at hand. "We should move quickly before that goblin calls down the entire tribe upon us. Rak, are you able to move on, or do you need healing first?"
"Shalelu, that shot couldn't have been timed better. One more hit from that cougar and I'd be down, I'm afraid." He steps slowly and carefully out of the weeds and grasses that had vexed him so much, and turns to Akuleh with an answer. "I need healing, and bad, my friend."
Animals can be fearsome opponents when cornered. But we most choose to either press forward, or retreat for now. And we must decide quickly.
Lelu moves forwards a bit, retrieving the arrows she can and glances around the corner.
"It looks like we need to go around", the swashbuckler states. Kadrian moves west to what looks like the nearest entry and investigates.
"Stupid goblin didn't need to leave these plants here this way..." Rak extricates himself from the writhing plants, and follows Kadrian.
"Hmmm..." Rak considers the writhing vegetation. "It looks like we have to cross this mess to get through." He looks up at the others, then motions for quiet. He listens carefully, trying to detect any sounds of alarm or pursuit.
After he relays what he did or didn't hear, he asks "Should we push through it now, or wait for this spell to expire?"