Shendalyn finds a few fungi that are to his liking, Talingarde Bluecaps known for their intense waking nightmares as they render their imbiber unconscious. Albina does not sense any contagion of the air that would give her pause yet. Drawing through the trees you are almost upon the horn itself when roughly a couple of hundred feet distant and still within the trees you stumble into a small clearing limned with trees... and one powerful looking trunk with legs... and arms.
Standing on the other side of the clearing (roughly 40ft across) stands a tall treant... an animate yew tree that towers above you. Settling down slightly from his great height he regards the group severely, but does not make any threatening action. In a deep and clear booming voice he intones "You have happened upon the Horn of Abaddon, a cursed place once of great corruption. It is my sacred charge to see that evil never again takes root here. For your own protection it would be best that you sought another path..."
Mi'Dre turns to look ahead, having fallen behind once again. Was that talking? It wasn't one of the knot... He takes to the air briefly to close the distance, but rather than joining the group he fades into the shadows beneath the trees. Circling slowly around to the left it takes Mi'Dre a little while before he discovers what has halted their progress. A talking tree? No wonder he didn't spot it last night... who could care less about another tree in a forest. Moloch help him a goody-two-shoes tree at that. He bites back a retort, chewing on his lip as he fades back from the clearing again and continues to circle the creature, trying to place himself behind it's back.
Perception:
Mi'Dre is able to circle the treant and draw near to it's back as it patiently awaits an answer from the others.
Know NAture What do we know about treants?
Shendalyn regards the creature with an appraising eye and kens that it is neither the youngest nor eldest of it's race. The creature is powerful and direct, with the ability to animate trees.
Mi'Dre settles down behind the creature with a smile at being undetected. He was unused to such dense terrain, but it seems the tree is more deaf than he is clumsy. He flexes his fingers, the greataxe hanging unused at his side, waiting for his companions to either talk their way past the thing or signal the attack. He hopes for the latter...
"Ah, if you give me a but a moment let me confer with my companions about taking this route." Walking away about 40ft Shendalyn motions the rest to follow.
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"The tree-man seems like a useful line of defense against any who might seek to disturb the Horn. Perhaps we can explain to it that we have come to safeguard the threat from those who have learned of it's location and are coming to unleash it? If it will allow us to pass, we can attempt to destroy the threat forever, if it can help us by remaining to prevent the wicked from entering and freeing it. We will have to be very persuasive, obviously, for we know that at least one of the wicked forces will be pretending to be servants of righteousness, but if we present our best arguments, perhaps we can turn this to our mutual advantange." Albina says quietly, choosing her words very carefully in case of being overheard by the treant or it's allies.
The treant allows you to withdraw with a nod of it's heavy head.
Sholano takes careful note of the tree-thing's reaction as he and his companions walk away, and subtly revises his approach to the situation. He makes carefully sure that he takes a position where his back is partially facing the treant, just enough that it's obvious he is not speaking to it, but with his expressions in easy profile view. He nods to Albina, as if responding to an inquiry, and silently gestures towards himself with the hand away from the creature's sight. He raises his voice, then, speaking in a casual tone, just barely loud enough to be overheard by the creature. Seemingly addressing his companions, his voice projects the purest of earnest intentions.
"The guardian seeks only to protect this place from further evil? We are of a purpose, then - in fact, perhaps he can even aid our quest! If we can safely cleanse the Horn of its ancient evil, then there would be no need for his vigil, yes?"
Jethryk shrugs, disinterestedly.
"Its form is not a medium that I normally work with, so I have no particular desire to fight it. I think it is already suspicious of us, though - it might be better to simply convince it to let us pass, rather than trying to get it to come along; I would not want to run the risk of it turning on us at an inopportune time."
Sholano turns his profile slightly and mutters back, "Fair enough, but I say we start aiming high and then talk it down if necessary. Always easier to climb down then up."
Shendalyn shakes his head at the terrible display of deception before him. "M'lady while your desire to dominate and control all things has certainly been a favorite subject of mine come certain lonely nights I am afraid when faced with plant life hostile to our common purpose there is but one simple solution." Shendalyn smiles congenially and turns back towards the treant. "Burn it."
Standard Action Summon Monster 3 SLA: Summoning fire elementals. 1 to directly flank with Mi'Dre and another to form a traingle between the other two.
Sense Motive
LEt me know if this counts as a surprise round so the elementals can take their attacks. :)
Mi'Dre begins to shift from his position, disappointment clear on his face as the group moves past the creature. When they stop so near however he settles down again, rolling his eyes at Jethryk. When Shendalyn begins his little speech the devil bounces lightly on his haunches, before leaping into the fray as the elementals coalesce.
Jethryk shakes his head sadly.
"So much for finesse..."
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Albina pushes down her anger at Shendalyn's pointless display of intemperance, and instead examines the scene carefully for signs of the entrance to the Horn that this treat guards, under the assumption that a much larger than human treant would not be able to pursue them (or, at least, her into such a place).
Albina wagers that the entrance to the horn is likely what looks to be a cave entrance in a spring fed bog just before the base of the spire. While not in clear view from where you stand it was visible upon the approach when passing over a rise.
Sholano, mouth open to continue his mock conversation, is left with his jaw hanging in surprise. He stares at Shendalyn with mingled confusion and frustration for just a moment, quickly hidden behind a chuckle and an amused shaking of the head.
Bloody fool! The Cardinal didn't say a thing about dragging along a moron looking for fights we don't need!
Stepping back, he lays a hand on his rapier and settles down just slightly into a defensive pose, watching the beginning battle carefully for his moment to join in.
Unusually quiet until now, the hemotheurgist grits his jagged teeth as things go south;
"Heh... Our most impetuous and imperious Master Shawn does not let me down!"
Shifting his corpulent bulk, the mage calls forth an incantation of protection upon himself;
Mi'Dre Perception:
Treant Perception:
Initiative:
Shendalyn:
Treant:
The treant becomes aware of Shendalyn's approach and is not caught unaware by his summoning of the element of fire. It bristles with stoic anger as it prepares for the elemental's approach.
1.
Slam
damage if hit must make a DC11 reflex save or catch fire.
2.
Slam
damage if hit must make a DC11 reflex save or catch fire.
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CRIT CONFIRM
Shendalyn's hastily summoned companions lash at the treant and one scores a solid strike...
Reflex:
...but the woody form resists the lingering effects of the flame. The treant roars in defiance and anger "Defilers and liars both, Jurak will end you... the Horn will not be your plaything."
Mi'Dre:
Albina:
Sholano:
Jethryk:
Mi'Dre then rushes the creature from behind, where he lay in wait and rakes a claw painfully through bark and sapwood leaving an oozing scar upon the woody back of the treant.
Round 1: Albina, Sholano, Mi'Dre, Treant, Cruxcarr, Jethryk
Crux will likely open with Ray of Sickening if he can, afore closing to use Vampiric and Ghouls Touch spells
As Sholano and Albina both stand awestruck by the powerful treant lurches forward powerfully, it's thick and root laden legs dragging across the ground as it first backtracks before trampling across the elementals of fire as it strides towards Shendalyn.
Round 1: Treant, Albina, Sholano, Mi'Dre, Shendalyn, Cruxcarr, Jethryk
As the mighty creature turns and charges towards him Mi'Dre hesitates only momentarily, before launching itself at one of the creature's 'legs'. He attempts to cling there and dig his sharp fingers in, but his claws scrabble uselessly at it's thick bark, barely scratching it's surface before he tumbles to the ground, bruised and battered.
Picking himself up he glares at the creature, his circlet falling askew. The devil plucks it from his brow, dispelling his disguise as he looks to the sky. "Moloch guide my claws!" he yells, before leaping into the air, dual sets of wings flapping to gain height which he uses to dive upon the treant's back, to try and tear his way through it's protective bark.
Mi'Dre's charge is met halfway by a stout arm-branch on the backswing...
AoO Slam: for
...the devil struck a glancing blow upon his hip.
Jethryk shakes his head in resignation, and moves swiftly towards the entrance.