Being in the wilderness slowly puts Garik in that survival mode again more than a year ago when he escaped from Kurmog's bandit group. The task of leading the group's way with the help of Bolkin does not seem to help bring his wilderness skill back as fast he as he wanted to as he self-consciously act like a guide. Hence when three green humanoids suddenly jumped over a fallen log lying across the road, the young dwarf barbarian just stood up there like a startled sloth.
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Telperion welcomed the weighty tug of his pack as he followed the others out of town.
Telperion hadn’t spent any significant time in the wild over the last decade. And before that, Korvosa didn’t offer many opportunities. So he was eager to learn about everything he was seeing.
Keeping his place in line, he began to question Garik about the various grasses, trees and plants nearby. It was clear from his diction that Telperion had very little practical knowledge of the subject, but that he’d obviously encountered some botany at some point in his life.
“Lanceolate leaves, an intact margin and a 5-lobed fringed corona for the flowers: I’d say the oleander family. It’s supposed to be poisonous, but I’ve never seen anyone ingest it. Do you know the effects?”
His focus was obviously elsewhere as the creatures came into view. It was only after the first cries of alarm that he dropped his small collection of leaves and looked around for the reason.
Engrossed in one of Grukk's tales as the companions march down the path, Drosk is slow to react to the ambushing orcs.
..... slow to react to the ambushing orcs.
"Orcs! Nasty buggers fit for pounding!"
..... slow to react to the ambushing orcs.
Init Order
> Raven 23
Grukk 18
Orcs 14
Bolkin 13
Drosk 10
Garik 7
Telperion 7
The lead orc's eyes glaze over a moment after Raven casts her spell, clearly lost in a stupor.
Initiative Order Round 1
> Grukk 18
Orcs 14
Bolkin 13
Drosk 10
Garik 7
Telperion 7
- Round 2
Raven 23
Grukk let out a war cry as he withdrew his whip, letting it swing wildly before moving up and swinging in a wide arc in an attempt to trip one of the orcs that were at their fullest.
”Welcome to slashin’ and poundin’, greenies!”
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Time was moving so slowly. His questions couldn't keep up with the movement, images and sounds that bombarded him.
"What are those th...?!?" his mind asked. "Did she just cast a sp...?!?"
Aagh!, he gasped at Grukk's yell, his shoulders hunching over instinctively.
But it helped. "I have to get moving", he thought with clarity. "Quick, which way?"
Grukk's whip wraps itself around one of the orc's legs, and with a deft tug the greenskin goes down.
The orc Grukk felled gets up and slides forward a step, menacing. The remaining orc closes the distance and takes a swipe at the bard with its greataxe.
The axe tears through the bard's gut, leaving an enormous bloody rent. Somehow, the bard remains standing despite what is obviously a very fatal wound.
Initiative Order Round 1
> Bolkin 13
Drosk 10
Garik 7
Telperion 7
- Round 2
Raven 23
Grukk 18
Orcs 14
"Grukk!" Bolkin cried out as the bard took what seemed to be a very nasty blow. Determined to help the half-orc out, he ran at the assailant while drawing his weapon. With a quick swing, he was determined to diffuse the threat by removing the weapon from the orc's hands.
Bolkin's flail wraps around the haft of the attacker's weapon, and after a brief tug-of-war, the greataxe clatters to the ground, the monster glaring in disbelief at the human's strength.
Grukk looked down gawking at his internal organs spewing out of himself. The pain was unbelieveable, beyond any that he had ever not felt before. Grukk fell backwards laughing nervously letting go of the whip and grasping his split stomach.
Drosk's face pales in alarm as he sees one of the orcs grievously wound Grukk. The priest of Torag rushes to his companion's side with a healing prayer on his lips.
Drosk's eyes widen in surprise as Grukk's wound fades before his eyes before he can cast his spell. Glancing up, he sees that the orcs have become flat and translucent "HERE NOW!" the priest bellows, "THESE HERE ORCS BE NOTHIN' MORE'N ILLUSION!"
Raven's face blanches when she sees Grukk go down with his stomach cut open. She's not surprised to hear him laughing - she's heard of people becoming delirious when they've been mortally wounded. Her chest tightens and her mind starts racing, trying to decide whether to cast armor on herself, or take a shot with her crossbow.
When she hears Drosk's call, she first feels relieved, but then catches herself. "ALL OF THEM?" It'd be pretty crafty to cast an illusion of one or two extra orcs among one or two real ones. You can't trust illusionists. "FIND THE CASTER!"
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Recognition dawned across Telperion’s face, his spreading smile akin to a rising sun.
“Tobacco? Pipe…Holgast!” he said out loud.
He began to laugh. Loud. A high, chittering sound followed by a sucking wheeze. “Holgast is here! It’s a trick!”
Realization of the deception came in a rush of confused emotions. He felt shame for his naivety, but respect for the quality and purpose of the ruse.
But it was all overlain by a huge, swelling sense of relief. Grukk was alive. They were all alive.
“He completely tricked us! We all look like IDIOTS!” he laughed, as if this were the best day of his life.
Garik's mind whirled as events around him moved faster than he could comprehend. Raven moved so fast that the young barbarian realized only that she had cast a spell when one of the orcs just stood glazy-eyed.
Then he heard Grukk out from the back shouted a war cry and moved so fast towards an orc that the next thing the dwarf saw was a deft flick of the half-orc bard's whip that pulled down his target.
Though the next thing after seemed to freeze the scene before him as the other orc used its greataxe to open up distracted Grukk's torso!
Garik just vaguely heard Bolkin shouted the bard's name as the town guard quickly disarmed one of the orcs.
Drosk's shout that the orcs are just illusions brought Garik to some semblance of action as he looked closely on the orcs.
"Bah! Mind tricks!", Garik shouts with a nervous laugh as he berated himself inwardly with his not-too-quick reaction to the orcs. He admired the way the rest responded fast and felt a bit shameful that the others might think less of him. "You have to do better next time! You're ugly enough to be a sloth!"
Raven's pale face turned red with anger, but Holgast isn't one she felt she could direct it at. She came out from the trees and remarked aloud to no one in particular, "Now we're going to have to endure their pranks the whole way, too."
She goes over to Bolkin and speaks through clenched teeth: "Let me see that map. Can we make it there before nightfall? If we have to camp out, you know they're going to have another stupid trick to play on us then."
Bolkin was surprised to hear that the orcs were nothing but illusions. Perhaps he wasn't as well-versed in dealing with illusionists as the others were, but that greataxe he had just wrestled from the orc's hands felt real, and the half-orc's innards spilled over the forest ground certainly LOOKED real. Bolkin liked to think he was more courageous than to let a grisly death (fake or otherwise) phase him, but he still felt rather uneasy about the entire thing. Regardless, he let out the best laugh he could muster at the news. If anyone could appreciate a well-executed prank, it was Bolkin. Grukk not being hurt was welcome news as well, he supposed. None of this did anything to lower his guard, however, since (trick or no) he didn't want to be the next to be made an example of.
He noticed Raven approaching, more upset with the current events than he was. When she asked about the map, all he could do was shrug and reply, "I doubt we're making the trip in one day. Sorry, but we'll have to take our chances with camping out." Despite his apologies, Bolkin personally could hardly contain his excitement at seeing more of these pranks.
Drosk grins sheepishly as he realizes that he and new companions have been duped by Master Holgast.
"A fine bit o' magery there, Master Holgast!" Drosk calls into the forest. "Very convincin' illusions! Thought poor Grukk there was a goner! Please, come join us for a rest while we get our wits back, an' share a afternoon snack with us!"
The orcs - and Grukk's garish wound - start to slow down, become stilted, and ultimately fade as the group realizes what they are or the wizard quits concentrating on them.
The perceptive might hear the rustle of retreating footsteps in the dry leaves and a low incantation. They might even see a few branches crack as something invisibly rises through the forest canopy.
Bolkin's right - the group won't be much more than a third of the way by the day's end, so camp will have to be made. The rest of the day's journey is uneventful, just more trail through the late autumn Fangwood. Eventually it comes time to find a place to camp.
Garik was quite impressed with Holgast's illusion but it nagged him heavily that it was not remotely impossible at all that such an encounter could really happen in this place. He remembers well how he spent the night up a tree to avoid a hungry bear before.
Suddenly he felt a bit fearful. Grukk there could have been dead and though the half-orc's not exactly a friend, the dwarf barbarian felt that he would have really missed the bard.
"It seems fun but this could be deadly serious." Garik did not want to voice it out as he felt it would dampen the group's spirit. He just joined the laughter of the group and was quiet with Raven's consternation. "Well and good if it be only the town's tricks we be worryin' about." The young barbarian became obviously quiet as they continued their journey.
As the rest of the day proves uneventful, Garik smiles and guardedly hopes. "Maybe we'll just need to worry about the town's tricks after all."
With a bit of renewed enthusiasm, Garik helps on finding a good spot for their camp for the night.
"Hey Drosk! If the rations got the ingredients maybe you could whip that stew of your Aunt Beryl", Garik enthuses as his optimism for the adventure starts to go back again. Then addressing the half-orc bard, "And while eatin' maybe Grukk there could regale us the tale of our battle with the 'evil' wizard and his orc minions! Har!"
Raven's mood lifted as the day continued. She didn't like being made a fool of, but they were all in the same boat. Besides, Holgast didn't seem like the type who'd rush back to the pub to share a laugh at their expense. And they hadn't really performed too poorly. She'd reacted quickly enough to the intrusion, and dazed one before they'd even had a chance to act. It was the savage hit on Grukk, though, that made her feel like they'd failed the test.
When they'd set up camp, she speaks up. "I doubt a real orc would've hit Grukk that hard. Holgast probably just made it look that bad to scare us."
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As they left the scene of the ambush, Telperion observed his comrades. He understood Raven’s anger (even if he didn’t share it) but was glad to see it dissipate over the course of the afternoon. He was also comforted by Bolkin’s shrugging acceptance and growing excitement.
But he most identified with Garik’s stern commitment to greater vigilance. He and Garik had been the slowest to react, and that added to his own sense of disquiet that seemed to be felt in some way by all.
Therefore, Telperion spent much of the day practicing his reactions. His eyes scanned the path ahead and the surrounding woods, and he challenged himself to hold his attention on things for greater and greater stretches. He started picking out roots or snags, exaggerating their menace until they became, in his mind, tripwires, or spike-covered tentacles. These he took meticulous care in avoiding, practicing acrobatic moves as he walked.
Any source of movement in the surrounding forest he used as a chance to practice his reflexes. A flitting bird or shifting leaf was an excuse to move his hand to a weapon, either rapier or bow depending on the distance. He didn’t draw either for fear of alarming his fellow travelers. But his occasional grunts of triumph at mental victory over a few insufficiently alert squirrels were probably distracting in their own way.
The additional outward focus started to increase his appreciation of this woodland. The patterns of bark, the way leaves scattered in wind, the crunch or hush of ground underfoot, it was all so varied, intricate and beautiful. “We should come here in the summer”, he said aloud to everyone.
He used this new appreciation to test himself. He wanted to calculate the location of suitable site for the night’s rest. His sole source of information on the subject was a long elven poem called “Building a Fire”. He’d learned it from a travelling bard when still a youngster. It was only later that he realized that its Mierani meter and complex rhyming scheme identified it as an erotic work, and that its subject was not, in fact, camping. But it still contained some good advice: stay off the rocky ridges, but not too close to the soggy bottoms, etc. These stanzas he combined with what he could gather from Garik’s behavior and he made a prediction on where they would stop.
Garik led them confidently past Telperion's predicted location, past three more the elf thought plausible and finally to the one where everyone started setting up camp. Now that he was here, Teleperion could see how it was superior in every way to his choices. "Huh. That's interesting", he thought to himself, taking notes on the site's qualities and the surrounding country side.
When the preliminary work was done, Telperion settled in to help with the cooking. He looked up at Raven’s doubting comment, and then rolled it over in his head for a few moments. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen an orc, or an axe like that. But a much smaller blade seems to serve the butcher well enough. He’ll take the head off a pig in no time. And he doesn’t look like he’s straining.” The thought that she wasn’t actually interested in a dissertation, or that Grukk might not like being compared to a pig didn’t occur to him.
He took a few onions from his pack and handed them to Drosk.
"Yeah," Bolkin responded. He hadn't said much after the battle, though it hadn't taken long for the usual spring in his step to return. Still, he was determined to make sure what happened to Grukk didn't end up happening for real. He continued, "Don't underestimate how quickly you can lose your life if you're not careful. And don't go thinking that just because this time was a ruse that the next threat won't be very real." Despite his sobering words, he still had a slight smile on him, as if the subject was fascinating to him. "Of course, that doesn't mean you should be afraid either. You have to find the right balance of confidence and caution."
By this point Bolkin's eyes were seeming to light up with excitement as he went on, "I personally treat fighting like a game, albeit one that you by no circumstances ever want to lose. Of course, in the game of life and death, there's only one rule, and that is that there are none. Anything goes, you know? If you want to survive, you'll need as many advantages on your side as possible. Advantage of numbers, advantage of terrain, weakening the opponent before they can weaken you..." He continued going on about this for quite a while, quoting his own personal philosophy of pragmatism, going over battle tactics, etc..
When it came time to turn in, Bolkin volunteered to be the first one to stand watch. The way he saw it, if he went either first or last he would have a full night's worth of unbroken sleep as opposed to the poor suckers who would have to be woken up in the middle of the night to stand watch for a couple hours before struggling to fall back asleep. Bolkin always liked calling the easy shifts before the others could realize what they were missing.
Feeling rather unhappy and disturbed the entire rest of the walk he snapped back at Raven for her words, "Understatement, real orc would have took my arms off with the innards. No this is just some sick joke and I have the right mind to just go and burn Holgast's home down with the very flame we're bringing back! Why would he even do this?" Grukk sat down with his back to a tree and pulled some unmarked, though weathered, cards and threw them in front of him. "No bedtime stories tonight, no mood for that, but who wants to play game before we get some rest? I can't shuffle so one of you will have to deal. Did I mention that hungry bears and wolves have been sighted in the area as of late?" Grukk began thinking to himself, This must be how people become evil in the first place, cruel jokes which the other can justify as a test of strength.
When it came time for Bolkin's watch Grukk refused to go to sleep if atleast not for a little while while he pulled out some parchment and started writing new material for a song while chewing on a tough hunk of bread.
Garik seems to be getting back the hang of being in the wilderness again. The almost instinctive manner of finding a good camp for the group even surprised himself.
As they cooked their food and ate their dinner in a relatively subdued manner, Garik's senses seem to go overdrive as the dwarf kept hearing some howling from a distance which got uncomfortably nearer as they finished their dinner. By the time the group was just about to finish their meal, Garik noticed that the howling stopped.
"Ah guys! Been hearing some howling since we arrived and it's been getting closer in case you haven't noticed. And methinks it just stopped right now. I dunno but methinks we're about to have some company"
"Company, huh?" Bolkin hadn't heard the howling; most likely he was too busy going on about fighting to listen carefully. Still, up to this point Garik had been the more observant one, leading them through the wilderness and all that. He didn't see any real reason to doubt the dwarf.
Bolkin began unwinding the chain of his flail as he readied the weapon. "You know, just in case," he clarified.
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Telperion heard the howling along with Garik, but he only started to get worried when Garik mentioned "company". He followed Bolkin's lead, and picked up his bow. He placed an arrow on the string and began scanning the surrounding terrain, his back to the fire.
"I'll take whichever watch is needed. I don't sleep much", Telperion offered.
Raven had been hearing the wolves, but she had been wary of bringing it up. She suspected it might be another trick, and she didn't want to get Grukk started again, though she certainly didn't blame his anger.
Having the howls stop early is a detail she didn't think many pranksters would think of. She casts a spell on herself.
"Wolves howl to bring the pack together. The fact that they stopped... I think you may be right about the company. I'd suggest that we all keep watch for an hour or so. Drosk, Grukk and Garik, since you all can see in the dark, you can take one side, and the rest of us can take the other. Anyone sees anything, say so."
Raven casts another spell, and 4 lights with the intensity of torches appear on the non-darkvision side of the perimeter.
She looks everyone up and down, then casts the same spell as earlier, this time touching Telperion. She tells him, "Mage armor." in a low voice.
Grukk carelessly remained sitting down with his deck of cards and began dealing a different type of game. Arranging them into a peculiar fashion, he tried to match them up with the higher suit. "What are you all babling about, I heard absolutely nothing. Is the spooky nightlife getting to you all? I think I might actually win this game for once. If anything does come out though, be sure to let me know."
Grukk continued to play his game but then got to thinking, I need to put some music to these words!, Grukk dropped what he was doing then spoke a cantrip and out popped a brown poorly crafted mandolin. Grukk wasn't very good with the thing but he didn't intend the song to be good at all anyways. If anything does happen to go flying out of the dark tonight I suppose that having an instrument of some kind would be helpful. Perhaps that isn't the best word to use, if something comes flying then I believe I should run. I'm done with near death experiences.
Grukk began fiddling with a tune trying to get better at the device when the lights went up, Fine, I'll be at the ready. He put away his cards into the pack and put his back to the fire. With a few words exchanged the mandolin for his trusty horn and crouched.
"Hey Drosk! If the rations got the ingredients maybe you could whip that stew of your Aunt Beryl", Garik enthuses as his optimism for the adventure starts to go back again.
"'Fraid my hands're more used to stokin' a forge than stirrin' a stew, but I'll check my pack an' see what kind o' rations they put in..." Drosk's voice trails off into muttering as he rummages through his pack. "Hmmm... ven'son jerky... parsnips... a sweet potato? And what's this, celery? Ugh, get rid o' that!" Several leafy stalks go flying into the forest. "Oooh! Spicy mustard!... Any beans? O-ho! The nice big fat red ones! Those'll make a tune to scare away any night critters! Let's see... Ahh! Chili powder... now we're talkin'! If only we had some onions..."
[Telperion] took a few onions from his pack an handed them to Drosk.
"Ah-ha! Thankee, Master Telperion! These'll do nicely! Hmm. No pot. Guess I'll have to use my helmet. Oh well. Fine dwarven craftsmanship, always multifunctional! Now I can't guarantee it'll be as good as Aunt Beryl's, but at least it shouldn't kill us!" the dwarf priest announces with a hearty chuckle.
As the companions set up camp Drosk busies himself making a stew, creating water with his clerical powers to fill his helmet and placing it over the campfire to boil. The dwarf priest adds his varied ingredients into his makeshift pot, and soon the glade is filled with the aromatic smell of stew.
As they cooked their food and ate their dinner in a relatively subdued manner, Garik's senses seem to go overdrive as the dwarf kept hearing some howling from a distance which got uncomfortably nearer as they finished their dinner. By the time the group was just about to finish their meal, Garik noticed that the howling stopped.
"Ah guys! Been hearing some howling since we arrived and it's been getting closer in case you haven't noticed. And methinks it just stopped right now. I dunno but methinks we're about to have some company"
"Company, eh? Well, if they be real wolves then best be prepared!" Drosk says, dumping the stew from his helmet and summoning more water to cool it before placing it on his head. "An' if it be more tricksters, then let's give 'em a good show!" he adds, drawing his warhammer and setting his shield as he takes his position with Garik and Grukk.
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She looks everyone up and down, then casts the same spell as earlier, this time touching Telperion. She tells him, "Mage armor." in a low voice.
Telperion was still berating himself for focusing on the moving, magical lights when Raven sheathed him in another spell. Despite completely covering him, it wasn’t restrictive at all. He could feel its protective power, but it didn’t hamper his movement. It was only barely visible, and he thought he caught the scent of…dogwood maybe? It was certainly some kind of flowering tree, reminding him of the small gardens his mother helped tend in South Shore.
“Eyes back on the trees”, he mumbled. “This smells good, Raven. Thank you.”
There is a wolf skulking at the edge of the firelight, apparently quite bold as it makes little effort to hide itself. It realizes the jig is up and its hassles raise...
Raven
Telperion
Garik
Init - Surprise Round
23 - Telperion
16 - Raven
13 - Wolf
8 - Garik (heh, sorry for that result)
Telperion's yell and the direction he fires in lead the rest of the group to spot the wolf easily. Hunkered down just at the edge of the firelight, an arrow in its right flank.
The elf's shot was true, and as far as any one can tell, the wolf is true and the blood welling up from its wound is true.
Init - Surprise Round
> 16 - Raven
13 - Wolf
8 - Garik (heh, sorry for that result)
Init - Round 1
23 - Telperion
Raven was surprised to see a wolf come so close to the camp. It must be truly desperate. She draws her crossbow, in case Telperion's shot wasn't enough to scare it off.
The beast, realizing it is outnumbered, wounded, and spotted, hightails it straight away and through the woods.
Garik though quite satisfied with himself for being aware early enough of the howling wolves couldn't help but grumble anyway on his apparent slowness in reacting come the actual danger.
Telperion's extra fidgety demeanor since Holgast's trick evidently served the group well as the elf's lightning fast shot in the dark hit the wolf solidly. The wolf seems real enough as it ran way wounded with an extra "tail" on its right flank. Garik smiled at the image whether it's real or not.
"Hah!Great shot, elf!"
"Seems Raven's right. Be needin' for us to stay awake for an hour or so just to be sure. That thing seems real enough to be any tricks."