the group recovers from the combat, the healing power of Iomedae taking some of the sting away from the wounds of the wyrm.
you can see the remains of the trail you have been following leading further into the woods
What do you do now?
Looking down the trail into the woods Paldo says "I don't think we should delay any longer. We should continue our pursuit."
"My ability to call on Iomedae for healing is near gone, but there is no point in waiting here. Let's move on."
"Aye," says Glim, the effects of the mutagen wearing off so that he seems less than he was, reduced in some subtle way. He hunches his shoulders and blows forth a plume of icy air. "Might as well be about our business."
Sigrun nods to Linge and Garran as they clean and heal her up. Once she's back on her feet, she doubles back to the corpse of the wyrm, her eyes searching it over for something to take as a reminder of her mortality. She settles on one of its cruel teeth, prying it out with some effort and popping it in a pocket of her pack where it hopefully will be out of the way.
"Yes, let's go. The Lady and her captors won't be sitting around waiting for us to catch up to them." And back on the march she went.
The group continues on, still able to follow the trail of the bandits they are tracking.
Before they get far, Honsul clears his throat loudly and addresses the group:
What are we doing here? wandering into the woods, fighting dragons? All to save a stranger? This is just more than I can handle. My mother needs me to help run the inn. she already lost one child to this forest, she would never forgive me if I died here and both me and my sister disappeared for good. I wish you all good fortune, but I feel I must return to Heldren.
With that the halfling and his ghostly sister depart, heading back the way you came
The remaining members of the group move further into the Border Wood.
Something in the trees catches your attention. Feathered bundles and strange fetishes hang from low branches in this part of the forest, swaying and shifting in the wind. all of them are stuck through with small pins holding pieces of leather bound around them.
What do you do?
Always cautious, Horn and Linge check for threats nearby.
Yet curiosity draws the druidess closer to the trinkets. Were they made by the bandits in superstitious fear? Or something else?
"How strange," she says, as she inspects the fetishes. "Are they charms? Wards of protection?"
Glim follows behind Linge, hugging himself tightly and trying to rouse his curiosity. It's too tempting to just dismiss the trinkets and totems and stagger on, but with effort he forces himself to pay attention.
"Hard to say," he mutters, chin buried deep in his cloak. "Primitive, to be sure. Magical? Don't know."
The snow relentlessly pelted Paldo face. He could see that something had caught everyone’s attention. Ducking behind Linge putting her body between himself and the blowing wind, Paldo cleared the ice from his eyes to get a look. Paldo looked at the feathered objects pinned to the trees. Curious he thought to himself as he examined them and cast a spell to check for any traces of an enchantment.
Garran frowns at the strange decorations. "Here for a reason. But who? And Why?"
Garran looks around, wondering if the person, or persons responsible for putting the fetishes up might be lurking around.
Satisfied that no one is about, Garran turns his attention to the feathered bundles and strange fetishes. Perhaps they are part of some religious ritual...
on closer examination, the fetishes are each a dead, mostly frozen crow. they are pierced by what look like 5 or 6 tiny fletched arrows in each corpse.
they do not seem to be of any religious or magical nature, and none of them radiate magic.
these seem to have been killed and hung as a warning of some sort.
Horn lets out a small growl, apparently not very reassured.
"Oh, dear... I guess it means more trouble ahead," Linge sighs.
She feels her cheeks heat with anger, though. Who would be cruel enough to torture those poor birds?
"Where there are tiny arrows there are tiny bows and where there are tiny bows there are tiny creatures. I suggest we keep our an eye out for the smallest of threats. If only it would stop snowing" Paldo complained as he held his arm in front of his face.
Paldo however can barely his eyes open to see the snow in front of him let alone any tiny creatures in the trees surrounding them.
Glim struggles to not become morose.
"Hunting while blinded seems a futile affair. But what else can we do but press on?"
Hunching his shoulders, he does just that.
"Makes sense, Paldo. Maybe it's the fey that Yuln was talking about back in town - he did say they were small." She tries to keep up her lookout from the front of the group, but she can make out even less than Paldo.
"Maybe just scarecrows. A crow could be a serious threat to folk of a size that would use such arrows." Garran shrugs his snow covered shoulders. "Either way, our business leads us this way."
He plods ahead through the deep snow; now looking for smaller creatures through the thick swirling snowflakes.
While most of the group is having trouble even seeing their feet below them in the swirling snow, Linge spots motions in the trees. almost like firelfies she sees small lights increasing and decreasing in brightness as they move through the branches of the trees on either side of the party.
before she can call out a warning, Linge and Glim are feel pricking sensations in their skin. reach up to feel them, they find tiny arrows just like the ones in the dead crows.
when . Linge cries out, everyone but Paldo is able to see three small flying creatures with tiny bows that shot at them. Paldo looks around but is unable to see anything.
these are sprites, tiny fey that don't pack much of a punch but are fast and can cast spells (usually Dancing Lights and Color Spray). they are resistant to damage from everything but cold iron.
these particular ones look wrong somehow. they are unusually pale and have an icy blue tinge to their skin that is not common for a sprite to have
Bold may act:
surprise round:
Linge + Horn
Round 1:
enemies, Garran, Glim, Linge, Paldo, Sigrun
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Garran HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/11/15 Status:
Glim HP: 7/8 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Linge: HP: 8/9 - AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Horn: HP: 10/17 - AC: 17/15/13 Status:
Paldo HP: 7/7 - AC: 14/14/11 Status:
Sigrun HP: 10/10 - AC: 17/11/16 Status:NPCS:
Red: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Blue: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Green: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Linge grimaces when an arrow sinks into her hand like a tiny needle. A trickle of blood starts to lazily run down her fingers, leaving one, then two red drops on the white snow.
"Sprites! We can only get them with cold iron or magic!"
Although Linge hesitates to cast her last spell, there are three of the little pests, and the party is ambushed. Hoping not to regret this later, she touches Horn's head and whispers a few magic words.
The bear cub treads through the snow, approaching the nearest sprite before trying to bite it.
Looking around Paldo sees his companions are alert and bracing for combat but he is unable to see any of the assailants. Paldo does his best to defend himself from the unknown threat.
Garran draws his cold-iron sword, then plows through the snow to get in range of one of the tiny archers.
"Careful," Linge warns Garran as he draws his sword. "Their magic can blind you. Not permanently," she quickly adds, realising how bad it just sounded.
one sprite (blue) flies thorugh the tree branches and fires another tiny dart at Sigrun
the arrow bounces off of her armor
as Garran advances with cold iron bared, the second sprite flees
the final sprite moves forward and unleashes a dizzying blast of colors over a group of people
luckily, no one is affected by the spell, probably due to Linge's quick warning.
Bold may act
Linge, Horn, Glim, Paldo, Sigrun, Garran, Sprites
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Garran HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/11/15 Status:
Glim HP: 7/8 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Linge: HP: 8/9 - AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Horn: HP: 10/17 - AC: 17/15/13 Status:
Paldo HP: 7/7 - AC: 14/14/11 Status:
Sigrun HP: 10/10 - AC: 17/11/16 Status:NPCS:
Red: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Blue: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Green: HP: ??? | AC: ???
three small flying creatures
Muttering to herself, Sigrun barely even feels the tiny arrow impact her armor through all the padding and numbness. She advances towards the closest creature, her shield presented towards the enemy.
"Come back here, 'n play bat-ball with me, you stinkin' wing rat!" Garran growls in frustration.
Horn growls in frustration as the fey hovers over him, just out of reach.
Since there is not much Linge can do, she attempts to startle the creature with a burst of light, hoping it might make it lose its balance and give Horn an opportunity to strike.
Approaching the fey, Sigrun figures out that she can't reach it with her shield, so she instead draws a spear and prepares for the inevitable attack coming her way.
Glim hisses beneath his breath as the fae take to the air, wings scintillating like flecks of mica.
He bounces a bomb in his palm, but then relents; with the swirling snow, the odds of his hitting are vanishingly small. The battle with the tatzel taught him caution, so he takes out a vial of tips its glittering gold contents into this gullet.
The ice freezing Paldo's eyes shut paid off when the tiny figure swooped in to blast him and his companions with a flurry of colours in an attempt to blind them. When he cleared the ice and was finally able to see one of the assailants Paldo cast a spell firing a blast of light at the little sprite.
Both Paldo and Linge cast Flare at the closest sprite. the combination of the spells is enough to get past his defenses, dazzling him.
the others have trouble getting to grips with the flying enemies. Glim prepares by drinking a potion.
the sprites keep to the air and fire arrows at the group
sigrun is struck twice by tiny needles.
the points of the arrows feel very very cold, but Sigrun feels no ill effect from them. the damage done by each arrow is minimal, but enough arrows could cause trouble.
Bold may act
Linge, Horn, Glim, Paldo, Sigrun, Garran, Sprites
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Garran HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/11/15 Status:
Glim HP: 7/8 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Linge: HP: 8/9 - AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Horn: HP: 10/17 - AC: 17/15/13 Status:
Paldo HP: 7/7 - AC: 14/14/11 Status:
Sigrun HP: 8/10 - AC: 17/11/16 Status:NPCS:
Red: HP: ??? | AC: ??? | dazzled
Blue: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Green: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Discarding the vial, Glim now draws forth another and quaffs it as well.
Garran stomps his way back toward Glim through the deep snow. "Seems they fear the cold iron a bit." He says. Then he makes his laborious way, on toward Sigrun.
"Hey, stop that!" Sigrun feels the little prickles, but doesn't pay them much mind. Instead, she tosses her spear upwards at the sprite, then draws another.
Seeing the first sprite affected by his spell Paldo focused his attention on the Sprite engaged with Garran. ”Little pests!”
Linge's teammates seem to face the situation better than she does, and there is not much she can do. For good measure, she still flashes a ray of pure light right in the face of the nearest sprite.
"Horn! Go help Garran!" she commands, seeing that the bear is still flailing uselessly at a flying fey that seems to taunt him.
With a frustrated huff, the cub steps away, and starts trotting through the snow to get closer to another fey.
the green sprite is partially blinded by the flash from Paldo's hand.
Sigrun throws a spear, but just barely misses the sprite.
the three sprites fire arrows again
only Sigrun is hit, and takes 1 pt of damage.
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Garran HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/11/15 Status:
Glim HP: 7/8 - AC: 19/16/14 Status:
Linge: HP: 8/9 - AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Horn: HP: 10/17 - AC: 17/15/13 Status:
Paldo HP: 7/7 - AC: 14/14/11 Status:
Sigrun HP: 7/10 - AC: 17/11/16 Status:NPCS:
Red: HP: ??? | AC: ??? | dazzled
Blue: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Green: HP: ??? | AC: ??? | dazzled
Horn keeps his eyes locked on the fey, occasionally striking out with his paws at the flying sprite, doing his best to distract it.
Feeling annoyed that the little creatures seemed untouchable Paldo grabbed is staff sling and tried firing one of his small bullets at flying creature through the blistering snow storm.
The bullet flies past the sprite hitting the leafs in the trees.
Thinking fast, Sigrun decides to try something new. Her Sylvan isn't very good, but if there's a language to use, perhaps that would work, if these are really fey. But then, another tiny arrow strikes her. She blurts out in Sylvan, «Ow, why are you attacking us?!» Though, it's clear that she has no peaceful intent, as she draws another spear and chucks it skyward, only to miss again.
Glim heaves a bomb aloft!
the group is being harassed by the tiny fey and are just unable to do anything in return. several party members miss, others have no way of reaching high enough to attack the creatures. Garran just holds his position, not having a way to attack untilt he fey come closer.
the blue and red sprites continue to pepper the group with arrows
Linge fights off the cold of the dart, but Sigrun is finally hit by too many darts and feel her muscles contract and move slower.
one of the sprites does indeed come closer to the ground for a moment, and casts a spell
bright colors flash from its hands again, much like the red sprite did earlier. the color spray washes over the majority of the group
Garran and Glim both fall unconscious, the flashing colors overwhelming their senses.
bold may act:
Linge, Horn, Paldo, Sigrun, Garran, Glim, Sprites
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Garran HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/11/15 Status: unconscious, stunned, blind
Glim HP: 7/8 - AC: 19/16/14 Status: unconscious, stunned, blind
Linge: HP: 7/9 - AC: 15/13/12 Status:
Horn: HP: 10/17 - AC: 17/15/13 Status:
Paldo HP: 7/7 - AC: 14/14/11 Status:
Sigrun HP: 6/10 - AC: 17/11/16 Status: staggeredNPCS:
Red: HP: ??? | AC: ??? | dazzled
Blue: HP: ??? | AC: ???
Green: HP: ??? | AC: ??? | dazzled
One of the feys starts to chant strange words in an unknown tongue and out of reflex, Linge covers her eyes. She sees tiny specks of light dancing inside her eyelids, accompanied by a sharp twang of pain, as if her eyeball was briefly pricked by a needle. The druidess winces in pain, blinking to dissipate that unpleasant feeling. When she opens her eyes again, and her vision adjusts to her surroundings, Glim and Garran are both lying unconscious on the ground.
Oh no.
Linge treads through the snow, rushing to Garran's side. The now perfectly unusable cold-iron sword is lying on the ground like a taunt.
"Garran," she calls, kneeling next to the warrior. "Please, wake up!"
Seeing Garran stirred by Linge, Paldo suddenly has a flash of his big lumbering adopted brother being roused from a slumber. Then he remembers a trick him and his brother used to play to grab things that were high or intimidate smaller beings into running away. Paldo mumbles an incantation watching as Garran doubles in size.
A humanoid creature whose size increases to Large has a space of 10 feet and a natural reach of 10 feet. This spell does not change the target’s speed.
If insufficient room is available for the desired growth, the creature attains the maximum possible size and may make a Strength check (using its increased Strength) to burst any enclosures in the process. If it fails, it is constrained without harm by the materials enclosing it–the spell cannot be used to crush a creature by increasing its size.
All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee weapons affected by this spell deal more damage (see Table: Medium/Large Weapon Damage). Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. Any enlarged item that leaves an enlarged creature’s possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size. This means that thrown and projectile weapons deal their normal damage. Magical properties of enlarged items are not increased by this spell.
"Ngh...s-s-soo c-cold..." Sigrun can feel her mind and body numbing up as one too many pinpricks find their mark. Not being able to think clearly, she is left to covering up, hoping that her allies can turn the tide.
Garran groans, and shakes his head, but makes no move to get up.