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"So the plant came to life?", Bellicus remarks as Leynus describes what he had been told. "I was already planning on giving the goblin fruit a wide berth, but that just seals it. Nothing good will come from that, mark my words!"
At the farmhouse, Bellicus nods in agreement with Val's assessment. "He might have run afoul of the knave we seek, or perhaps tried to mount a rescue for the Hucrele children. It is interesting though that the ranger left nothing here. It's as if he knew he wouldn't be coming back. I don't see any issue with staying here, but there's wisdom in pressing on while we have light. A quick look around first, though. He might have missed something in his effort to empty the place." Bellicus begins searching for anything - clues, weapons, minor magics, whatever might shed some light on what led the occupant to disappear.
The sky is overcast, leaving the landscape gray and dreary-looking. The barren field to the west is particularly gray, looking almost as if it is covered in ash.
Abandoned farms and even small villages dot the countryside along the road, but the occasional bird or small animal is the only sign of life.
After Elion finishes his search he'll stare pensively at the fields to the west, "Mayor Lergis told me that most of the farms along the way were abandoned, but this is more than simple abandonment. It's like there was a general crop failure and plague combined. Where did they all go? Why didn't anyone in Oakhurst mentioned a disaster of this magnitude?"
Taking a look around, Elion discovers some arrows that their owner was in the process of crafting, a worn out pair of boots, some rotten vegetables, a partially-devoured rat, an empty (and unlocked) lockbox (with no key), and other various useless items in the farmhouse. There is no visible damage around the place; it simply has not been used in a while. Just as he's about to give up, Elion realizes that the chairs in the room with the hearth, which should be in close proximity to it, have been moved into the corners, leaving a large empty space near the hearth. After some time searching and finding no seemingly significant clues, Bellicus notices the same thing about the room. The two search around the hearth together and discover a splotch of green ink on the floor (though there is no ink or writing utensils of any kind to be found in the house). They both recall that Sherise's letter was written in green ink.
Akshara does not notice anything that seems particularly dangerous in the area around the farm. There are some small field animals scurrying about, and the occasional bird - nothing that would make a great meal, but sometimes food is food... and she is not alone in stalking the mice. The cats are hard at work as well.
Anton can tell that these crops would be enough to sustain someone through the winter and have a significant amount leftover to trade. They are - or were - expertly tended, until probably a few weeks ago. Animals have been at them since then, and weeds have started to encroach upon the garden.
*****
The party continues along the Old Road after deciding to make more progress and camp along the road. Later that day, as evening is coming to a close, you decide it is time to make camp and begin looking for a suitable spot...
Looking at the green inkstain on the floor of the ranger's house, Val surmises, "I wonder if Sir Grachius and the Hucrele twins enlisted Karakas' aid and the four of them went to the Sunless Citadel together?"
As the afternoon begins to wind toward evening, Val starts to look for the obvious and oft-used roadside campsites that she tended to use in the days when she was a traveling troubadour.
After not noticing any for a couple of miles, she realizes that such sites are not to be found along seldom-used roads leading through desolate, unpopulated landscape.
After the group finds its campsite, lights a campfire, sets up, and has a fireside meal, she breaks out her lute and fiddle to play a few songs before retiring. "Leynus, I've noticed that drum you carry. Care to join in?" To the rest of the group, "Anyone have any requests?" After playing a few requests, she then says, "And here's a song that can get you hanged for playing it before the wrong crowd. An Andoren fellow taught it to me a few years ago. He said this song was a popular anthem among the revolutionaries during the Andoren People's Revolt of 4669. I think it might be appropriate to the situation we currently find ourselves in. I know I draw some measure of hope from these words..." She then plays "Chimes of Freedom."
the living list...
Places;
- The village of Oakhurst
- Ancient Citadel, the Sunless Citadel
- dilapidated farmstead belonging to Karakas
NPC's;
- Vasdralo, the man sending us on this errand.
- The Druid Belak
- Lergis, The Mayor
- (Barbazu the mayor's dog)
- (hobbit, the mayors slave)
- Disgraced Hellnight Grachius
- Paralictor Rovarus (a Hellknight officer that we haven't met)
- Karakas, ranger (missing)
- Innkeeper
- (daughter Calia )
- (quiet daughter Miliverna)
- Madam Hurcrele
- (Talgar and Sherise (missing kids))
What we know (or what we think we know);
- Probably no dragons
- Probably no strange cult of demon worshipers
- Goblins bring magic fruit to town to sell each summer.
- There are rumors that there are more potent winter fruits that the goblins don't sell
- The innkeeper purchased some of the magic fruit but it didn't save his wife.
- The mayor purchased some magic fruit ostensibly to prove that it didn't work. He claims that he planted the seeds from the fruit and grew a horribly twisted and thorny sapling. One of his dogs attacked it and died as a result.
- The mayor's halfling slave claims the tree came alive and attacked the dog. He didn't think that the dog was poisoned but died of blood loss.
- Our mission is to kill the Druid Belak.
- The innkeeper (shopkeeper?) told us, "maybe thirteen years ago an odd-looking little man in brown robes came through (Oakhurst) asking about the whereabouts of the citadel".
- Calia is sweet on Talgar
- Talger and Sherise left with a Hellknight? to get magic fruit?
- The Hellknight was seeking ranger Karakas as a guide
- The Hellnight's name is Grachius. He failed his mission and has been sentenced to death
- Madam Hucrele paid Paralictor Rovarus to hire us to find the missing Hucrele children. Vasdralo privately instructed us not to let the children interfere with our primary mission while publicly reassuring Madam Hucrele that we would rescue them.
- A large space was cleared on the floor in front of the hearth in Karakas abandoned house. Some of what looks to be the same ink that Sherise wrote her note to her mother with was splotched on the floor
Questions;
- Why did Talger and Sherise need magic fruit?
- Why was the Hellknight Grachius ordered to go to the tower? According to Madam Hurcrele he was on a 'divine mission to find the source of the magic fruit'. Who sent him?
- What is the fruit supposed to do? What magic healing properties?
- Why did the tree the mayor grew from the magic fruit seem twisted and poisonous?
- Where has Karakas gone?
- What happened to all the farms and villages along the Old Road? Why didn't anyone in Oakhurst think it was important enough to mention.
- What was someone working on in Karakas' house that needed a large cleared space and green ink?
People to talk to;
- Karakas (if we can find him)
- Hellknight Grachius
- Talgar and Sherise (missing kids)
- The Druid Belak
Did I miss anything?
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As the group travels on, Akshara takes noticably longer forays into the wilderness off the side of the road. Sometimes gone for ten minutes at a time, she comes back covered in dirt with dried leaves tangled in her already unkempt hair. She follows the group more often than not, though, walking in that stooped posture until something beyond the sparse treeline catches her eyes and then she's off again, sprinting towards some unseen sight.
By later in the day, it's become clear to Anton, at least, that the tiefling was foraging and has thus far come up empty handed. Judging from the amount of dirt on her, though, that isn't the only thing she's been doing...
"Shelter," Akshara excitedly notes with a rolled r, ears perked forward and dirt beneath her nails. "Found warm place... for the long dark."
____
Leynus finds no suitable shelter for the night. He smiles when he sees Akshara bounding back into the group's presence and is content with following her to wherever she has picked for tonight.
When Val asks if Leynus would care to join her, he shakes his head. "I'm afraid I would not help to lift the moods of those present here. I am no tavern minstrel, nor a herald of the people. You will hear my music and soon most like, but not in such pleasant company, with a fire near and a meal in our bellies. But don't let me dampen your spirits - you have quite a gift, as we saw in the inn. Please, play on."
"Aye, Ashkara. Fine shelter. Smart girl." Anton starts getting ready. "I would volunteer to help with the first watch, or last, if need be."
Mostly thanks to Akshara, you manage to find a spot a few hundred feet from the road that is sheltered by several trees - a slight decline and the cover of the trees means that you would be hard-pressed to see the camp from the road, but you can still see the road from the campsite. (That will likely no longer be the case as night falls, as the stars are partially obscured tonight.) Akshara first noticed this spot because it seemed like someone had camped here before and, despite their efforts to bury the fire, had left signs of it behind.
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"Well, I have to say, I'm impressed, creature," Bellicus says as he surveys the camp site. "I'd expected some sulphurous den to be what you picked, but this will do nicely." He sets about gathering firewood and clearing away snow from what will soon be the center of their site. He pauses for a few minutes, warming himself by the heat of the flames.
As night falls and the group settles the matter of watches, he sets to making a good perimeter, alternating his time between walking that line and trodding through the campsite as well, stopping to warm himself by the fire now and again. After an hour or so, he approaches Teral and speaks quietly with him, so as not to awaken the others.
"I must ask, Teral, for it seems very likely that we will encounter resistance soon. I am sure House Thrune would not send you on this quest if you were not capable of handling yourself, but you carry few weapons on your person and no armor. Either you have some skill in magic, or you've trained in some unfettered martial order. When we face conflict, as inevitably we must, how will you meet it?"
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Bellicus' back-handed praise isn't percieved as such by Akshara, and the tiefling seems rather proud of her discovery. However, there's a clear expression of you're doing it wrong that is painted across her face as a campfire is made and a more traditional camp is erected. Akshara, sticking to the edges of the camp, instead has sucked herself in an earthen hollow dug out beneath the twisting roots of old trees, packed down with dead leaves and concealed from view.
When the time comes for others to sleep, Akshara -- who had been sitting by the warmth of the fire with an inquisitive curiosity about it while Valeria sings -- crawls as deep in the hollow as she can, curling her body tightly together with only the reflection of firelight in her eyes visible in the darkness of the hollow. That, and occasionally, the lashing tip of her sinuous tail flicking back and forth.
________
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While the rest of the party was setting up camp, Val volunteered to fetch some water from a nearby stream. While filling the waterskins, she also filled a clay flask with water. Looking around to make sure noone was watching or in earshot, Val cast bless water on the water in the flask, consecrating it to Desna and turning it into holy water.
---
After half an hour of music, Val puts her instruments away. "I think it's time to get some rest. Blessed dreams, everyone." She snuggles into her bedroll and blankets and looks up at the stars for a while. Goddess of the North Star, thank you for this day, and for this night, and for the dreams you will grant us all as we sleep. I pray that tomorrow, your luck will shine upon us.
"It has been ...too long. Too long since I felt the green beneath me and the black above. Our specific circumstances are poor, but I appreciate this night."
"Anton, I agree with you completely on that."
Hopefully it's a moonlit night? Elion will keep an unlit torch handy during his shift. If something bad happens he'll toss it in the low flames of the fire in order to shed some light. This is to ensure that everyone in the party is effective so they can save his ass!
GM rolls some dice:
As you make camp, a very light drizzle dampens your spirits and threatens to ruin your night, but you manage to find some dry wood and keep it dry enough under the shelter of the trees until the rain passes. The clouds clear up somewhat, allowing the moon and stars to show through just enough to provide dim illumination across the fields.
The first two watches pass uneventfully, the fire crackling low and the various snores and noises of those resting here being the only sounds that disturb the otherwise peaceful night.
The cool winter air and open landscape are comforting to Anton and Akshara as they take their watch, at least in comparison to the damp dungeons and cramped wagons of the past several weeks. Anton is filled with memories of many winters long past, and the sound of wind blowing through dry leaves reminds him of... wait... dry leaves?
Anton quickly turns to face west, and Akshara half expects his ears to swivel in that direction as well, then remembers that he's... not quite like her. The two of them watch as four things that resemble woody shrubs more than anything else shamble out from behind the bushes to the west, rustling as they move. Their arms creak and crackle as they raise them, extending their wicked claws...
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Out of her den, covered in patches of mud that is caked now into her hair and smudged across her face, Akshara sits beside the fire with Anton. While much of their watch had been simple and calm, the tiefling's curiosity at Anton's words back in the village finally resurfaced. "You say..." her ears fold back, shoulders hunch forward and a visible twinge of nervousness crosses her expression. "Gods make people? Like..." brows furrowing, she seems to be having difficulty articulating her point.
"Make like pups? Or-- " Akshara goes rigid and quiet, one ear pivoting towards a sound in the treeline. Sitting up straight with her hands in her lap, the bestial tiefling looks off into the darkness. One ear twitches, and swiftly Akshara gets to her feet and looks closer. Something there is wrong, something in the woods is moving and shouldn't.
Seeing the shambling mass of brambles with arms and legs skittering out of the dark of night amidst the rain, Akshara's yellow eyes widen and her ears fold back. A low, yowling growl begins to rumble in her chesta nd the back of her throat, followed by a threatening hiss as she widens her stance, scaled tail lashing back and forth behind her.
___________________
Having been listening to Askhara's question and starting to formulate an answer, Anton sees the disturbance and . He then moves and casts Burning Hands. , hoping to catch fire to the dry beasts, but not doing much initial damage.
Teral turns over in his sleep, restlessly shifting as if having unpleasant dreams.
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When flames erupt from Anton's hands, Akshara flinches and stares in wide-eyed awe at the spectacle. Never before had she directly witnessed someone actually use magic before, she had only felt the lingering after-effects. Now, with Anton causing a cone of lapping flame to sear into existence, she is brought face-to-face with the truly supernatural. Standing her ground, Akshara remains behind the tree with her ears folded back, hissing loudly as if trying to warn off the bramble creatures. But if they close in on her, this cornered beast will fight.
___________
Anton sees the creatures and doesn't recognize them - he is positive that they are no ordinary plant creatures, that they are in some way unique, born of some sort of corruption of nature. By the look of them, cutting or crushing their bodies will be far more effective than stabbing them.
The thorny creatures rush forward on their creaking limbs, preparing to strike. The noise they make combined with Akshara's hiss is enough to wake up those who are sleeping.
"Burn, abominations. Be culled."
The plant creatures are singed by the heat of Anton's fire, but continue to rush forward. He shoots a flaming bolt at the one on his left, which flies over the creature's head and strikes the wet ground with a splutter and a hiss of steam.
"Shelyn's shiny tresses! What are those... things?!"
Leynus wakes groggily to the crashing of brittle branches, blasts of fire, and the hissing of some strange animal. He stares briefly, eyes still bleary and mouth slightly agape. He then sighs lightly, stands and grabs his drums, and heads towards whatever mayhem may be upon them.
"Unnatural perversions. Blades will do little. Burn or bash them."
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Once their shift is over, Bellicus removes his armor and bundles himself up, settling down to rest for the evening. That blissful sleep is interrupted by a low roaring sound and a blast of heat far too close and far too hot. He rolls awake, grabbing his sword and sitting up. "What is happening?", he cries, hearing Anton's response.
"Blades are useless? Well, good thing I've got another option." He leaves his sword on the ground and goes for his shield, standing up and taking a few steps to enter the fray.
Since I was resting, my armor was off, which gives me an AC of 14 at the moment.
Standard: Grab my shield from the ground.
Move: Stand up.
Free: 5' step to J6.
Elion will circle around to F7 and attack
(flanking)
Teral snorts, coming awake with a start. As his eyes focus and he sees the oncoming creatures, he starts to scramble to his feet, uttering what sounds like a curse in a hissing, snarling language and raising his right hand. He barely even seems to aim, but a bluish white bolt of light leaps from his upraised palm, striking the closest of the creatures square in the chest.
Teral's bolt of light strikes the plant creature square in its chest, sending splinters of wood flying into the air behind it and leaving a gaping hole behind. The creature continues to lumber forward, its body lopsided, barely held together by a few strips of wood. It lashes out at Akshara with its claws. The other three creatures, singed by Anton's fire, press the attack, trying to surround him and rip him to shreds. Two of them step closer and attack with both claws, while the other must close the gap and only attacks with a single claw.
The creature manages to slice Akshara with its claws, and a stinging sap oozes onto her skin. Anton somehow manages to dodge the attacks of the creatures surrounding him.
Elion moves to outflank and attack the creature attacking Akshara, drawing an attack from it as he does so.
Claw attack vs. Elion:
Elion moves and slashes at the creature's back, cutting the strands of wood keeping its limbs connected. It crumples to the ground, looking like no more than a pile of thorny sticks.
Elion cringes at the sting of the creature's sap, but now stands over its crumpled "body."
Leynus runs past Akshara and around the other creatures, hoping to help Anton and distract the creatures. When he reaches his destination, he starts to play his drums. The music he produces is... odd. The tempo is slow and methodical, and it echoes eerily from inside the drums, as if they were larger than they appear. The larger drum in particular has a long reverberation after each hit of the drum head, and is only occasionally used in the performance.
The initial response of his companions is a frown, which is quickly replaced by a blank stare. They can feel their emotions becoming subdued. While in the back of their mind they might find this unnerving, they can also feel themselves calm down from the shock of the attack and can view the battle with clear sight.
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Seeing the druid surrounded by the plant-things, he rushes towards Anton, his charging form silhouetted by the campfire's dancing flames. He barrels towards one of the creatures, and stoops to smash his shield into its gnarled form. "Fall back, Anton", Bellicus says calmly, any trace of anxiety or excitement in his voice squelched by Leynus' rhythmic drumming. "You'll do us no good if your blood waters this cursed earth."
Charge the stick figure at I2, and shield bash him! This will make my AC an impressive AC 8! Power Attacking as well.
With a sense of calm in the face of danger that she finds somewhat disquieting, Val circles to flank one of the plant creatures that's fighting Anton. She then slashes at it with her starknife.
"Anton--step back! You're surrounded!"
"I feel a little woozy...
(flanking)
Teral utters another phrase in that strange hissing language, clenches his fists in front of his chest, and a shimmer of force appears in the air around him, coalescing into a shape much like a faintly transparent suit of armor made from the hide of some giant lizard.
As he finishes the spell, he stoops, gathering his spear from the ground, and takes a step forward towards the fray.
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Stepping closer to Anton, eyes wide and panicked, Akshara releases another sharp hiss and lunges at one of the brambled wooden creatures, trying to get a hold of it so as to deliver a bite with her feral incisors. Her teeth once again snap at thin air and the tiefling lets loose a howl of frustration. Seeing movement in her peripheral vision, she lashes out at the other, jaws snapping powerfully, but ultimately biting little more than thin air once more.
Seeing Anton surrounded, Akshara's muscles tense and her clenched fists begin to shake.