Kala lashes out once more cleaving another creature in two, quickly followed by Phaerlin disintegrating another with a bolt of eldritch energy.
Vitrius seems to stabilize for a moment, but the creature that had latched on to him draws more of his life's blood, making his skin grey even more.
The other remaining creature turns its attentions to Kick-lick and attempts to latch onto him.
But the little goblin is to nimble and is able to easily maneuver around its attack.
Players are up!
Kick-lick stabs out at the bug in front of him. "You food! I no food!" Once he stabs it, he drops his rapier and draws a dagger.
Tes maintains concentration to give her allies the advantage of her blessed powers.
Tes will strike the insect threatening both her and Vitrius with her mace.
Mace Attack
Mace Damage
Phaerlin will move and then shoot the bug attached to Vitrius with an Eldritch Blast.
With a quick flourish from Kick-Lick, he spears the insect on his rapier, effectively leaving him a monster-on-a-stick. Phaerlin easily dispatches the last creature with on Eldritch Blast of power.
Combat Over
With the immediate danger gone, you are left with some time to recuperate.
There were definitely Heart stabber Mosquitoes. Odd enough, they shouldn't be found in this kind of green forest. Usually they live in swampier areas of Zendikar. But the land has always moved how it wants.
More importantly, they move in swarms and are drawn to the scent of blood. Though Phaerlin incinerated some, you aren't sure if you're still in danger or not.
Tes sighs as the battle ends, That was terrifying she thinks to herself then looks around at everyone else.
"Everyone alri... ah never mind. Vitrius, let me aid you".
Tes walks over to the Vampire and heals his wounds.
Knowledge Nature
Tes takes a look at the insects but cannot remember ay salient information about them.
Phaerlin is cured for 9 hp.
Kick-lick sits down and starts munching on the insect. Once done, he goes back to sleep.
Kala eats the strawberries she created earlier (3 of them, one she saved and two Vitrius rejected) to bring some color back into her cheeks (healing 3 hp in case there are more interruptions before the long rest is completed).
"Heart stabber mosquito. Shouldn't be here. Travel in packs. We move now, no waiting. Bad idea." Kick-lick begins packing up, not letting the others sleep just yet. He sets off again. "Sleep later."
"Sounds good Master Kick-Lick." Phaerlin begins collecting his things.
[dice=Cure wounds]1d8+1
Phaerlin is cured for 9 hp.
Apologies, I'm pretty sure she meant to heal Vitrius, so Vitrius heals for 9 hp
Tes looks at the Goblin at the insect and at the goblin again, [b]"Yes, lets' get going..."{/b]
What is wrong with me, perhaps its just a bad day nerves at getting so close maybe...
At Kick-Lick's urging, you all pack up quickly and begin to move out once more. Still you can hear the familiar buzzing of the heart-stabber mosquitoes closing in.
You are each allowed an action to help either prepare for another fight, or try and avoid it all together. If one of you rolls above my set Stealth DC, you can help your entire group hide, but if you fail you forfeit that prepared action before combat.
Vitrius looks up at Tes, a strange delirium starting to overtake him. After realizing that he was staring at her for a long time, he spoke. "Th..thank you Tes. I owe you much." He then says nothing more as he finishes gathering his things and joins the others.
Not wanting another encounter with those wannabe vampires, Vitrius attempts to keep quiet, but this forest is full of dry leaves.
Kick-lick tries to hide.
Tes nods to Vitrius, "I must do my part and keeping my allies healthy is a large part of why I am here, no thank you necessary Vitrius".
As the others attempt to stealth Tes follows suit though forest terrain is not her natural terrain.
Stealth
The buzzing draws closer, and closer. You all try to remain as quiet as possible, but still the swarm draws closer.
And yet....they pass.
You all breathe a sigh of relief as it seems the swarm has found prey elsewhere. At this time all of you have had enough rest except for Tes and Vitrius. Each of you gain one level of exhaustion if you decide to press on to the site.
Party decision?
"That was close. Well handled my compatriots. I would recommend that we push on to the site and then find a place nearby to rest so everyone is at their best before entering this dangerous area."
"I agree. We need a safer place to camp. Let's push on."
That last part Vitrius said more to himself than the rest as he continued forth.
Despite some tired party members, you decide to press on. It's still fairly early and you have a ways to go before reaching the site. Fortunately, your explorer's scope has been able to gather itself for another day. With that said, I'll need another survival check from a leader.
Kala is surprised the group wants to press on to an unknown area for safety, but doesn't contest the point. She takes the scope, suppresses her own yawn, and tries to avoid dangers.
Survival: 14
.
Tes who is uninjured from the encounter, hands the goodberries back to her injured companion, "You need these more than I do Kala".
Kala takes the reigns for the second day and makes decent progress. Now that you're all back on track, you find the tree's around you thinning in both number and size.
"We go!"
A need to find a safer place for all of them instills in Vitrius a sense of urgency as he presses ahead with the others.
The progress over the day comes in varying degrees of success. Though he had gotten you lost yesterday, Kick-Lick somehow manages to get you on course towards the site. Unfortunately though, Vitirius get's mislead by an erroneous landmark and Phaerlin misread the map leading you off the path once more. You fortunately do not become lost once more, but spend the last shreds of daylight peering through the canopy making it back to the nearest recognizable landmark.
With the darkness approaching and a few members more tired than usual, camp seems like the best option. You treat yourselves to a few rations, supplemented with the gooseberries provided by Kala before turning in/ getting ready for watch.
Your pride won't let you allow someone else to take the first watch. Your wounds have healed, but that doesn't mean your pride necessarily has. The first fight and you were the only one to fall...
Is this the strength the monks taught you? Is this all you will amount to?
These thoughts keep you up, distracted, until your watch ends and you go to wake Kala.
Awake alone once more. Nothing would make you feel better than crawling back into your bedroll, but the other's are trusting you to stay vigilant in case another attack comes. Provided no interruptions, you're confident that you'll be fine in the morning.
Still....
The wilds of Zendikar have always been formidable. If you had so much trouble with a small swarm, how would you far against a few eldrazi?
You ponder this, staying ever vigilant, before waking up Tes.
You've had your rest and feel much better, the strain of your muscles and aches in your bones have all but faded. Nature around you seems still, at peace even. You enjoy the solitude before its eventually time to wake everyone.
With everyone fully rested and awake, you all sit down for a meal before departing. The map indicates you should make it to the site by today if you successfully navigate the next two sections of travel: the edge of the forest and empty plains.
Kala En yawns and stretches at dawn. She shoves her concerns to the back of her mind, focusing on the fact that the party did triumph.
"I'm glad everyone is looking better today. As comfortable as I feel in the forest, it will be nice to have the greater range of sight in the open plains soon. The scope would be more useful there as well, without the trees blocking it. No more sneak attacks, then our expedition will begin in earnest."
Survival: 17
As Kala guides the party through the forest, she pauses and takes note when the wind makes the leaves rustle and the branches sway. Signs to guide her choices.
"If there's one thing to learn from the bugs, it's better to be the ones sneaking up than the ones snuck up on."
Tes eats seeming much more well rested, "Aye you are right but also less cover from enemies who may be roaming those plains."
"I certainly feel that we have spent enough time in the woods. I am ready to begin our delve of the assigned location!"
Vitrius seems distracted this morning and if you listen close enough, you can hear him muttering something. Mantras maybe? When you notice him, he clears his throat before speaking. "A well deserved rest for all of us I think. I am ready to begin the next leg of this journey as well. Though the trees gave us some cover, open land gives us time to spot those who would come against us. Perhaps we won't be as caught unawares next time." He leaves it at that, focusing on the trail ahead.
Kala leads you confidently, and before you know it you're just one push away from reaching the site.
However, it is eerily quiet.The sounds of the forest have gone as you exited its thick canopy. And though the land is seemingly flat for miles, you can't help but be a bit nervous about being so exposed like this.
Tes considers the area and what she knows should be here though she hesitates to use the scope, after all she got the group terribly lost last time...
Knowledge Nature
Vitrius follows along, looking more at his feet than the trail ahead. His thoughts were not his own, but he was going through as many mantras as he could to focus his mind again. He knew he was allowing his recent brush with death to bother him, but he had new companions that were counting on him to hold up his part of their journey. He wouldn't let them down.
"Tes? Would it be easier if we cut through that valley there?"