The Mouth of Doom (Inactive)

Game Master Grimmy

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

MUAH! Tell me everything...

"An Hag... Antropophagus, resistant to magic and all but bludgeoning weapons..." - Raziel whispers at Ghaelja using his arcane magic.

Using Message spell.

Raziel inches back the way he came from, and warns his companions - "I believe a powerful foe has appeared, though I do not know where from... I don't understand if the girl transformed or... But I think we should leave"

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Before Raziel crept away from the circle of pines, he observed the hag sniffing the ground. He also noticed fragments of the clay water jug scattered in the pine needles.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

With his Garuda eyes Q observes from a distance and whispers to no one in particular "Move back Hombre. This is not our fight."

He nods silently as he sees Raz back away from the hag.

From 200' Q sees trees and more trees :P

No view even to Ghaelja, much less Raziel.

On the other hand he does notice that some of the trees near the bank where they had planned to water the horses have very peculiar root systems. It could be that some soil was washed away when the water was higher, or perhaps some creatures have hollowed out a lair beneath the trees.

Natural features of the terrain hide these openings in the root systems thoroughly, making them noticeable only to keenest of senses.

Q realizes his Garuda eyes have failed him, but he does check out that lair looking thingy.

"The girl's stuff were all just lying around, broken... Could it be?" - the tiefling ponders, once they are a safe distance away, then adds - "By the way, it was sniffing at the ground so... I am not sure if it will follow us. We best make haste, and come back at a later time"

Hearing what Raz saw, Ghae agrees and heads back to the others.
We can come back when we have trained more and are fully healed. I think that for now leaving is the wiser choice.

I agree

Investigating the root system, Q sees that some roots have been cut so they can be pulled aside, revealing a 5 foot wide tunnel. Small footprints track both in and out, too small to be a gnome.

"Agreed. I've got things to take care of before I die. This hag is not one of them. Q! Quit playing around. Let's move!"

Q stares at the roots for a second longer, but moves on with the rest of the party.

Right, if we a pick fight with this being, someone just might get their head ripped off.

Cough cough

Is someone keeping track of each of these things we are discovering? The bandits, the hag, the remaining cultists, the tunnel, the gnolls, anything else?

I am terrible at this and am hoping fingers crossed to get a new job before long. So I don't think that I am the best for keeping track of these things. Heck, I have a tough enough time keeping track of my hp and spells.

Haven't been markign any map. I don't think we have access to it. I do remember the gnolls and cultists.

I am keeping track ;) Will add it to the Obsidian Portal page as soon as I get some spare time.

Just before they leave, Raziel is still staring down the hole in the ground, his curiosity urging him to find a way to look inside. He does decide it best to follow his companions, but not before scribbling a note detailing its location with as much detail as he can, and referencing it on his map - "Yeah... We'll get back to this later on... Could just be the lair of some animal I guess..."

Raziel has a map he got in Zelkor's Ferry, and soon he will have to buy another notebook :D

Five out of six voted to leave the scene, and Ogrim was around posting and didn't object, so... I think that's enough to move one.

Krull:
Con: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

About a mile along Krull announces that he can't go on without the Red Syrup. If no one will share theirs he will head back to the cottage to see if there's any more.

Someone more chatty than me will have to try to convince him to keep going.

"Bah, let him and his dog go. "

Should he stay or should he go now...

I don't want him leaving. He could be caught by the cultists and inform them about us.

"Uh, why is everyone talking about me like I'm not standing right here?"

"Because you're not a participant in the discussion. You're the subject."
Turning back to Hound, "He won't if he knows what's good for him. Risked ourselves to help him, and if he betrays us, he must know that if we survive we'll come after him next. We can tie him up and use him at a trap sponge as we go through the Mouth."

Krull hangs his head in shame. His hand has a noticeable tremor.

"Of course, that's all conjecture. I don't have any syrup to give you either way."

"I hold the syrup" - the usually jovial tiefling's voice takes on a somber tone as he turns to Krulll - "Your will is being siphoned by this concoction, as you have clearly become dependent of it. I feel like tying you up kicking and screaming if need be, as you sweat it out, but will not do so - if you wish to leave, leave. I will not stop you, but will not offer you any of the foul brew to keep you with us" - his dark eyes glimmer.

"Now... If you WANT help, perhaps we can help. I am not practiced in the healing arts, but maybe Ogrim or Ghae can offer you assistance, if they are so inclined" - he looks at his two companions, then back at the half-orc - "You have a chance here - GRAB it!" - he urges.

Hmmmm... Diplomacy?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Krull nods somberly.

Queue Ogrim and Ghae? :D

If you keep going it will be your eleventh hour of travel today. DC 12 Con checks to forced march.

Heal: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 <-- figures

Ghae looks at Krull:
Clearly addicted, but have not treated humans enough to really be of assistance here.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27 <-- do I see anything

Hound sighs. I say that none of us are ready to go crawling into the depths of the earth. How far is it from the ferry?.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

The middle of the wilderness is no place to be arguing about this, if Krull needs his drug, we should get him back to the ferry and he can purge himself there.

9 miles to the ferry, six of them through hilly terrain.

"Agreed. I am going to be the one to advocate for some rest this time, though. I'm entirely too winded to continue at this pace."

Con: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Ghaelja notices the woodland creatures are being awfully quiet, like they were before the chill wind blew through the circle of pines and the red-haired woman who called herself the Kingsbride had stared off with that worried, distracted look in her eye.

Ghae looks to the others:
Something is wrong. Nature does not quiet like this unless something unnatural is about. You all keep moving at double speed, let me watch from here and see if anything is following us.

Let us move double time then.

"You stand a good chance of being spotted right away Ghae" - Raziel raises an eyebrow - "I am good at remaining unseen. Don't you think I should be the one staying back here to confirm if anything is on our tracks?" - he adds.

Just RPing out the way I think Raziel would act ;)

8PM, Nightfall, Edge of the River Basin
One hex away from the Ferry

-Ghaelja is ready to hide the trail of the rest of the party, and go off on her own leaving an obvious trail.

-Hound is ready to hustle off after his tracks are covered behind him for a bit.

-Raziel is ready to wait behind and get visual confirmation that the monster is in pursuit.

Sounds like this all makes sense together.

Let's hear from Ogrim and Eli and Q as well since this is an important decision.

Q puts his hands on Ghaelja's shoulders. "I do not know what it is you see," he says, golden eyes wide with worry, "but I trust you. Please come back to us alive."

He follows Hound and then speaks to Raz. "Let us trust Ghaelja's wisdom in this matter. I do not think we want to tangle with whatever is after us."

Ghae looks at Raz:
Yes, in most circumstances, you are much better at hiding. But, I do not intend to hide from something that is tracking us. I intend to lead it away. I can move through almost any part of these woods as though they were an open road, perhaps better. If something is following us, I will lead it off and then head into brush and briars and thorns and other things that are less than fun to follow someone through. Then, I will try to hide my trail and circle around to find you all. Hopefully, if something is truly following us, I can lead it astray, as I think we need a good night's rest to regain our strength and not knowing what is behind us is not the time to make a stand if we are not at full power.

Survival(hiding party tracks): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Sweet.

So, does Raziel head out with the others, or wait behind to spy and see which way the stalker goes?

"I was not hinting at making a stand - not now, and not against that creature" - Raziel frowns - "very well then, but are you sure there are such briars and thorns closeby? That thing moves fast, and if it sees you, will catch up with you in a couple of seconds" - he adds - "Good luck" - he finishes with a grin, then moves off.

The plan is set, and they won't let me bargain with the hag... It would have been... Legendary ;) So he moves away double time with the others.

"Good luck Ghaelja. I've no head for the wilds, so I'll have to take your word on the matter, but if there is something out there, I hope it doesn't eat you."

Ogrim sets out with Hound.

I assume I can find something - downed trees, a stream, briars, vines, mud, etc - which will allow me to use woodland stride to keep ahead of the hag, and then eventually use survival to hide my tracks - probably following a stream or something for a while.

"The less of a chance of having to fight that thing just yet, the better. I am voicing an objection to splitting up while on the defensive, it never ends well. There's a reason the phrase is "divide and conquer" but I don't have a better alternative at the moment. Just don't go and get yourself killed."