Sharadon levitates out of reach of the bramble-giant-creatures, but takes no other action. He's confident that with only one opponent left his companions will quickly prevail.
The last creature attacks Surveen with it's long thorn-covered arms.
Tudan grins with fierce satisfaction as Surveen dramatically finishes off the bramble beast. Letting his anger subside, Tudan takes in the tactical situation. Once again, Tudan is reminded of how much more effective his teammates are at hurting things by hitting them; he's no slouch, but it just isn't his forte.
So, Tudan directs Pluck in Aquan, pointing first at the remaining enemy and then at the swift monk. "Go up to the last thorny creature and distract it from his attacks." Taking his own advice, Tudan positions himself to assist the precise magus by batting away any of the thorn monster's attempts at defending itself.
Gideon slashes at the last enemy
Even with Tudan's help, Gideon is unable to land a telling blow on the last briarling. He at least manages to avoid detaching his own foot.
The blue man is a dangerous combination of quick fire moves as he presses home his attacks.
Surveen hits with three of his four blows, and the fey creature staggers under the assault. It's hurt but not yet down, and seems to be filled with implacable rage.
Floating above the battlefield, the lanky albino mage strikes a dramatic figure in his iridescent blue robes. It hardly takes a genius to perceive both a pattern in the number of creatures appearing, and the need to escape this thorny cage; but even if it did, Sharadon Vos is in fact a genius. Standing tall in the air, he rubs his hands together and mutters to himself. "Let's kill two or three birds with one stone..."
Drawing items from his spell pouch and drawing figures with his hands, the experienced evoker chants words of power before tossing out a little marble of tallow, brimstone, and powdered iron that he had rolled in his fingers. A man-sized ball of fire appears in the air directly above the briarling, and then Sharadon directs it to drop straight down.
The briar-creature writhes and wails in pain under the sorcerous flames, then lurches forward, still smoking, to attack Surveen. It is clearly badly wounded.
Tudan raises his eyebrows in surprise as Gideon fumbles a strike that he's made dozens of times before -- and that's not counting practice. A fluke, no doubt; helping the Wanshou magus was still good odds. "Could happen to anybody. Don't worry, I've got your back!"
The well-armed oracle once again prepares to use his cold iron longsword to bat away the bramble beast's defenses from Gideon's attack, while directing Pluck in Aquan to continue assisting Surveen. "Same thing again!"
Surveen in a whirl of speed attacks the plant once more, but as he tires and the sweat breaks on his brow, the attacks lack the precision his training has taught.
Gideon redoubles his efforts and really concentrates on his attack, forgoing his usual flair in favor of competence.
Between Surveen and Gideon, and with Tudan's well intentioned aid, the final creature falls quickly. As it falls, a lone bird flies into the blue sky, calling mournfully. The conjured wall of thorns unravels, leaving nothing but scattered twigs and leaves on the party ground.
The party site is in disarray. Villagers are starting to peer from hiding places and open the doors of the church. Many are bee-stung, thorn-stuck, or badly bruised. All seem frightened and confused.
"We should find Elyin and Kailah, make sure they're alright. Elyin's probably gone ten kinds of soft without us."
Tudan grimaces at Gideon's humor, the closest thing he can do to a grin in his current grim mood. "We should also gather everyone for healing and questioning. Who is Tenzekil, and what the @#$% was he talking about with that 'shunned my pallid condition and laughed at my losses' crap? We also need to find out if anyone knows anything about Queen Rhoswen or the Fellnight fey." The outdoorsy oracle immediately begins doing exactly that, bringing people together so that he can heal many at a time, casually quizzing them as he goes.
Standing silently to the side, the albino wizard Sharadon maintains his ball of fire, directing it to float five yards up in front of him -- where he can keep an eye on it, and it can't hurt anyone on accident -- just in case.
A tired but happy undine concurs with Gideon, a slight smile across his face. "Yeah best make sure they're alright." He watches nodding in approval at Tudan's generosity in healing the village people.
Tudan's healing is appreciated, and villagers are happy to talk as they wait to be healed. A thankful matron confides that, "Tenzekil is, or was, a local beekeeper. A depressed little gnome. He succumbed to the Bleaching about 2 years ago and disappeared several weeks back. He surprised everyone by showing up again for the wedding.”
No one has heard of Rhoswen, or the Fellnight fey. "Oh, those bramble creatures were fey - perhaps he means them?"
While Tudan helps the villagers, Gideon and Surveen look for the newly married couple.
They find Elyin staring at the woods that surround the town. “Look!” a wedding guest exclaims, pointing toward town. From the forest an unnatural mist seeps forth, slowly enveloping Bellis and the wedding-grove within an eerie, silent wall, cloaking the stunned crowd and obscuring everything beyond twenty feet.
"Elyin, this is by far the BEST wedding I have ever been to. But...um...where's your wife?"
"What spell could create so much fog? And didn't the crazy beekeeper say something about how 'all will perish, choking on mist, pierced by thorns'? We need to do something about this." Tudan uses a simple cantrip to detect magic, in the hope of figuring out what's going on.
As Elyin turns to reply, you hear Kailah's voice ring out, directing the townsfolk to go back to their homes. Halak the blacksmith helps usher the villagers to, hopefully, a place of greater safety, while Kailah confers with some other important looking villagers, possibly town councilors or the like.
Elyin says "Thank the gods you were here to help us. Tenzekil Braybittle has always had an unpredictable nature about him, but none of us saw this coming. Kailah's started organising a town council, but the people are frightened, and I fear for their safety. Will you help us stop whatever he’s planned?"
"I'm always up for a bit more fun. Tell us about Tenzekil and I'll try to get the sap out of my nice new clothes. Probably ruined. This Tenzekil person is going to reimburse me for these clothes."
Surveen chuckles, "Of course Eylin, makes the trip all the more worthwhile, a little putting right the wrongs."
Tudan claps Elyin on the shoulder. "We've traveled many miles before, to help complete strangers. How could we not help our own friend, who is right here? We will do all that we can."
Sharadon is too distracted to respond right away, as the enigmatic wizard concentrates on trying to discern what kind of magic might be responsible for the fog.
"Let us hear what the town elders say in their meeting, before we rush off. They may have more information which will make our task easier." says Surveen with a shrug.
"That sounds like a good idea." Tudan nods at the monk's suggestion.
Elyin smiles, and you realise how relieved he is that you are here. "That's good to hear, my friends. Kailah will get back to us as soon as the council has confered. In the mean time, what can I tell you about Tenzekil... Hmm..." Elyin considers for a moment.
"He’s a local beekeeper. A depressed little gnome who succumbed to the Bleaching about 2 years ago and disappeared several weeks back. He surprised everyone by showing up again for the wedding. I don't know what he might have meant by 'Queen Rhoswin' or by the 'Fellnight fey'. Though there are many fey in the forest.”
Tudan ponders Elyin's words. "Okay. First, we should check out Tenzekil's house -- is it a house? I've learned not to make assumptions where gnomes are concerned... Anyway, I can try to find where he's gone. Hopefully he's still been coming back to his old place now and then; otherwise, the traces will be scarce by now."
"A beekeeper? Seems a humble beginning for a burgeoning villain. Like a wainwright turning into a dragon."
"Which is exactly the kind of thing that a fey might do, just to surprise you. Or to fool you. And gnomes are only a little bit removed from the First World." Tudan looks pensive. "But I don't really understand the Bleaching."