The group continues along for a short bit while looking for a good campsite. They easily find a decent location both near enough to a water source and well enough off the goblin's path as to not risk discovery from anyone using said path. The manage to stumble across an old hunting fire-shelter that blocks sight of the light from all sides. Plenty of dry fallen timber in the area will guarantee smokeless warmth.
Everyone begins to quickly make camp . Fromagalli heads out to refill his waterskin and stumbles across a deer taking a drink. In the blink of an eye his blade zips out across the stream and back, the creature falling quickly from the strike. He returns with enough for a feast. The others pitch in for dinner prep and everyone plans the watch schedule.
The group wakes and slowly moves to get ready for the day. Meat left to smoke overnight is tough, but chewable like jerky and provides a nice snack during the day. Waterskins are filled, camp is organized and the group tromps off, sticking to the pace of the shorter legged and heavily armored members. Liet-Gar stays a bit ahead and all begin picking their way through the forest again.
A little past noon, the half-elf puts his hand up to indicate something is ahead. The group slowly creeps up to see...
...a small stream passes along the base of a thirty-foot-tall black stone scarp. Strange, horse-sized cavities pock the face of the cliff, their edges smooth and warped as though etched or melted into the stone rather than carved. The air is thick with the stench of decay and rot, beneath which there is a faint tinge of an acrid, chemical odor. Despite the smell, things here are eerily peaceful.
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Take ten on knowledge arcana or nature if anything springs to mind at this place (eighteen results) then look around perception also takeing ten for same result
Fromagalli surveys the scene racking his brains to see if anything here is a clue to something greater. If nothing comes to mind he will cautiously approach the strange cavities
It is quite easy to tell that the goblins must have camped here recently. Multiple tracks lead into and out of two of the lower cavities. The odor present at the site comes from the combination of the goblins’ leftover stench and a pile of purplish goo, easily identified as demon's bile. A dagger lies near the goo, obviously cold iron in make as the goop seems to be trying to grow around, not over it.
As a possible insight into the goblin forces, any that are willing to brace the stench (no actual save, just really nasty) can peruse the very crude drawings made on the cave walls in chalk. It appears to be pictures of a bigger bear-like creature, a very scarred goblin and a fancy pool with naked goblins bathing and doing very crass things not fit for children... or adults to look at.
As they walk into the area, Fromagalli, Niza, Albis and eventually Dimple notice something shiney glinting in one of the higher cavities.
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"I know what you're thinking. No way that's a bugbear. The proportions are all wrong. They didn't even get the number of teeth right. But, despite these glaring inaccuracies, that is what is it supposed to be. Like when that kid drew a stick man with big ears and said, 'That's Lie-Ger!'. Of course that child then asked me if his parents were a lion and a tiger; and then wondered how come their baby looked like a broken ear'd elf. She when wanted to know why they didn't eat him because he looks like food to them. Then she started chasing a lady bug and tripped over an apple. It was a weird conversation. Still, THAT is a bugbear."
Dimple leaves the others to basks in her wise words as she scampers up and around the geological landmark and tries to drop in from the top.
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"Well there is a mage hand spell that some wizards might cast to grab such a distant object. But that will not work if the object is magical. I think the best solution might be for me to provide my own version of mage hands for Dimple or Niza" Fromagalli stoops down to pick up an imaginary child and then lifts them towards the glinting object. before looking inquiringly at the two gnomes He spends some time looking round for Dimple before Dimple drops in front of him with the object in hand
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Niza covers her mouth with her ponytail and breathes through her hair, an attempt at stifling the nauseating stench. Checking out the crude drawings, she exclaims, "Ooooh, I think that creature is supposed to be a Bugbear." She points to the bigger bear-like creature.
Niza notices a glint in one of the higher cavities and tries to climb in to investigate.
Fromagalli stays outside with the others while the smaller gnomes easily pick through the goblin camp and inspect the cave paintings. Dimple firstly appears to indicate that the creature is not a Bugbear, then wanders outside to rattle off a story that might be about Liet-Gar. Niza, drawn to what she is pointing at simply comments that it most definitely IS a bugbear, at which point Dimple finally gets to the end of her anecdote.
While Fromagalli questions the value of using magic, both gnomes seem intent to activate more natural methods of procuring whatever shiny might be in the higher cave, which is definitely out of gnome on half-elf shoulder reaching range.
When Niza starts to climb, her foot slips and she slides back to the ground. Quickly picking a different route she scitters up and up. But the first fall was costly as it allowed Dimple the time to take the long route around and flip herself over the lip of the cavity and into the darkness that awaits. Fortunately though, nothing is there to eat either gnome. Just a simple metal canister with the symbol of the Isgeri army on it. Inside are two vials, a nice light steel shield and a small pouch of jingling coins. Both gnomes are able to easily return to the ground.
The bugbear is the largest of the goblinoid races, a lumbering brute that stands at least a head taller than most humans. They are loners, preferring to live and kill on their own rather than form tribes of their own kind, yet it isn’t uncommon to find small bands of bugbears working together, or dwelling in goblin or hobgoblin tribes where they function as elite guards or executioners. Bugbears do not form large warrens like goblins or nations like hobgoblins; they prefer smaller-scale mayhem that lets them keep their favorite acts (murder and torture) on a more personal level. Humans are a bugbear’s favored prey, and most count the flesh of humanity as a dietary staple. Grisly trophies of ears or fingers are common bugbear decorations.
Bugbears, when they turn to religion, favor gods of murder and violence, with various demon lords being favorites.
A typical bugbear stands 7 feet in height and weighs 400 pounds. They often use simple weapons like Morningstars in melee and Javelins at range to take advantage of their naturally high strength. As one would guess, they speak goblin but many also know enough common to at least be able to taunt and better torture their prey, humans. They are often agile and tough, but their minds are a bit weak (Low Will Saves).
Niza does not quite figure out what either vial contains.
Without anything further to find, the group heads off down the path. About two hours later, a bit before it is time to make camp, they stumble across...
...a steep-sided ravine runs east to west here, opening at the far western end into a wide grassy depression. The scene would be idyllic if it weren’t for the scattered rusting weapons and pieces of armor, a few of which still contain moldering bones, strewn about the area. Pungent moss and a few patches of mushrooms dot the field; this place looks like it is the final resting place for many unfortunate souls. The path the goblins took leads right through it.
Moving along the path, the group does not identify a collection of vines and flowers as being dangerous, allowing it to toss towards Liet-Gar a cloud of pollen. Sadly though it is just a dumb plant and forgot that people move and lobs its ball of pollen just behind the half-elf.
Coiling around several human skeletons, this wet green plant’s sickly flowers smoke with a nasty yellow vapor.
Dimple
Fromagalli
Niza & Albis
Enemy plant thing
Kasvot
Liet-Gar
Bold are up, a plant thing has thrown some sort of yellow glob at Liet-Gar.
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"Uh, guys... That patch of moss is alive! I've seen this before... it's a yellow musk creeper." She shares whatever other knowledge she learns with the group as well.
Niza moves forward and eyes the plant. She is too far away to get to it and whack it with her club. She pulls back her arm and swings, waves of energy come off her fist and toward the flower's petals.
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Pollen Spray (Ex) As a standard action, a yellow musk creeper can spray a cloud of pollen at a single creature within 30 feet. It must make a +4 ranged touch attack to strike the target, who must then succeed on a DC 14 Will save or be entranced for 1d6 rounds. An entranced creature can take no action other than to move at its normal speed into a space within the yellow musk creeper’s reach, at which point an entranced creature remains motionless and allows the creeper to insert tendrils into its brain. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Fromagalli's sword slashes a chunk of leaves off the creature, but Niza's punch does not connect. Even with Dimple's inspiration to toss flasks of stuff at it.
It turns and aims a glob of pollen at the tall lanky thing that just injured it. Fromagalli is struck cleanly in the face. The pollen attempts to infect his mind and make him calmly wander over towards the plant to let it root around in his brain.
In anger at being so slow to notice the threat, Liet-Gar dashes over and hacks more leaves and part of a vine off the creature.
IC is up!
Dimple
Fromagalli (Will Save)
Niza & Albis
Enemy plant thing (-17 HP)
Kasvot
Liet-Gar
Bold are up.
The two gnomes shoot and club in quick succession. Dimple's arrow drilling straight into the pollen spitting flower and Niza's club whacking it clean off in a puff of pollen that is fortunately not concentrated enough to cause harm.
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Dimple walks up next to ranger. She stands quietly for a few moments. Without looking away from the pile of plant she asks, "What are we looking at? I don't want to miss anything. Just give me a hint. Is it blue? Is it that stick that looks like an arrow? Coz that's actually an arrow. I literally just shot it. From right over there, by that rock."
With the dangerous plant foe defeated, the group checks the area around the plant but doesn't find anything other than rotted old armor, rusted weapons and many dead bodies from long ago.
Later in the evening, whatever location the goblins are calling home is not in sight. The group camps again for the night, though have no luck finding much food and at least three of them have to rely on rations .
The next morning, camp is subdued as another long trek seems to be ahead. Everyone is wondering how far they will have to travel.
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Midway through the day, everyone stops for a brief rest. While wandering around to find a good location to use the facilities, Kasvot finds an old little stone cottage. Crumbling stone walls mark the site of what was once a small cottage, but is now merely a ruin. The remains of a garden, now in disarray, surround the dilapidated and collapsed cottage.
Fromagalli does not find evidence of goblin footprints, but does notice that there is evidence of something using the cottage ruins as a lair. A few bones and one partially eaten rabbit corpse is visible inside.
Liet-Gar finds that... the stone walls look quite similar from every side. One will have to go inside to discover more about what might be there.
Liet-Gar steps warily inside and looks around for a dangerous creature.
Sadly though, while he sees the colorful plant in the corner with long, thin leaves and three prominent, bright pink pistils that reach elegantly toward the sky, he does not recognize that it is a threat. It charges towards him... but does not have the intelligence to recognize that his reflexes are insane.
Liet-Gar's strike is true, though it does not fell the voracious vine. Its charge ends with an attempt to slam and attach to his tasty little target. But even flat-footed, Liet-Gar's armor is too thick for the tendrils to connect for any harm.
Kasvot
Enemy (-7 HP)
Niza & Albis
Dimple
Liet-Gar
Fromagalli
Bold are up!