Faerin hurls her final Javelin, sighing as her throw misses abysmally. The dryad was making the absolute best due of her defensive magic, but she had to run out of spells eventually. the more they threw at her, the sooner shield have nothing left.
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You all dogpile the Doom Spider and finish it off. When the Dryad dies, all of the portals close and the First World flora disappears, leaving the hill top where you stand barren of life once again. The sense of unease you felt fades, but not completely. It remains like a vague itch in the bacj of your heads.
The standing stones atop the hill are ancient and the writings on them illegible. You head back home and report the results. Tristian, Jhod, and Linzi will investigate the situation further and have a report for you in a few days. Throughout the Barony, the spider attacks have ceased as well.
You still have the troubling reports about the trolls though. After a rest, you head for the ruined tower that Kesten mentioned previously.
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You arrive at the site of the ruined tower. There is an old cobblestone road in a serious state of disrepair that leads to the south. As you walk along it, you see a very large dog, or perhaps a wolf, that acts strangley as you near it. Instead of running or growling, it dips its head and whines plainitively. It then turns and runs a few feet before stopping and looking back at you, almost in anticipation.
You arrive at the site of the ruined tower. There is an old cobblestone road in a serious state of disrepair that leads to the south. As you walk along it, you see a very large dog, or perhaps a wolf, that acts strangley as you near it. Instead of running or growling, it dips its head and whines plainitively. It then turns and runs a few feet before stopping and looking back at you, almost in anticipation.
A breeze picks up around Regongar as he shifts ...
"We're coming little buddy!""Fury, keep up with him, let's see what he is going to show us."
Immediately taking note of the large canine, Faerin observes it's obvious distress. Approaching slowly, showing no sign of aggression, but projecting strength, she reaches out to the animal, murmuring a chant in druidic to grant her the speech of wild animals for a time.
Pyros begins to approach the dog, but pulls up short as Faerin casts her spell. This is her specialty, best let her handle it.
Signaling to the others to follow, Faerin takes off after the dog, coming up to his companion, sitting wounded against the rocks.
"<You are good friend. We help.>"
Crouching down beside the injured man she looks at his wounds, trying to assess his condition.
"Your loyal companion here, might have just saved your life." she says to the man as she checks his wounds. "What did this to you? Was it trolls?"
Looking back over her shoulder Faerin shares a concerned glance with her companions at the man's description of fighting the trolls.
"We are actually hear to deal with these trolls as well, to protect those within our lands from their predation." she says noting the haunted expression on the wounded hunter's face. "Please, allow my friend Harrim here to heal you, I'm Faerin."
Once Harrim comes forward to administer healing to the wounded man, Faerin moves over to the others, her expression puzzled. "It looks like Kesten's reports had more truth to them than any of us believed...trolls that aren't hurt by fire?"
"It could be that they were hurt by them, just not killed. But even so...do we have acid with us?" Pyros asks, glancing around the others.
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The man looks relieved when you offer to help.
"Thank you. I was waiting here because this is a good spot to ambush the trolls. They gather down there regularly."
He points to a spot that is down a path to your right. From where you are, you have a clear view of the spot he indicates, and there is only a narrow path up to the rdge you are on for them to attack from.
"Looks like we'll see the truth of it soon enough." Fearin replies, looking toward the indicated spot, and the pass leading to their vantage point. "I only have a single spell available to me today the burns with acid. Regongar, Octsvia...how about you?"
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"Looks like we'll see the truth of it soon enough." Fearin replies, looking toward the indicated spot, and the pass leading to their vantage point. "I only have a single spell available to me today the burns with acid. Regongar, Octsvia...how about you?"
"My little cantrip to make a splash of acid is usally more effective in barrooms and markets, BUT, it could give us the edge we need if we can bring a troll down with more normal attacks, then I could use the cantrip to effectively "turn off" their regeneration. I will work on practicing another more powerful acid spell tho ..."
"Alright, I guess we'll have to take them down hard and fast, and Reg, be ready to drop acid on the fallen once they go down" the druidess replies.
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You settle down to wait. The man gives you his name, Ekundayo, but not much else. He is taciturn and disuades you of any attempt to get personal information beyond the fact that Trolls attacked his vilage and he has been hunting them since then.
After about an hour, you hear noises below and see a group of four trolls gathering at the spot that Ekun had pointed out. They are close enough for you to hear them talking.
Octavia brings her hand up, a closed fist signaling her companions to be silent as she listens to the trolls' conversation.
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Octavia translates for everyone.
It appears that two of the trolls are "recruiting" the other two trolls. The nominal leader is speaking:
"King Hargulka wants more fighters for our new kingdom, Trobold. You fight with us, you get better stuff."
He points to himself.
"Me big boss in new army. We fight together, borba can't stop us. All you need do is obey King Hargulka's orders, eat well."
The other two trolls look interested in what this troll is saying.
"What's the plan then chief?"
As Faerin listens to Olivia's translation, she can see Ekun seething with the desire...no..need to kill the trolls. "If we attack, we should probably try to keep the one in charge alive until we can question him about this King Hargulka and thier kingdom of Trobold." she whispers.
Octavia gives a brief nod in agreement. "I have a few spells that can deal substantial acid damage, which can be exacerbated if I strike in the right places." she says in a hushed tone.
"And we can of course test the fire theory" she says with a wild grin.
"I was going to say that eliminating the leader might have a disproportionate effect on the others-cut off the head and the body dies." He pauses, then shakes his head ruefully "But I guess that's not true of trolls, is it? Lets try to nail one at a time, that'll be more effective than spreading our attacks out."
"You guys bring them down, I will go in and finish them."
"Works for me!" Octavia says with a grin and a playful wink, before creeping forward into optimal striking distance.
The sly wizardess begins casting a spell, the somatic elements of it reminiscent of drawing a bow, as she sends an arrow made of pure acid streaking toward the troll accompanying the leader.
OK, the map is up in Roll20 (the link is on the campaign tab). I have already moved Valerie and Octavia. Everyone else gets a single action for the surprise round. Also, any buffs (up to 3 rounds worth) can be done, let me know. Harrim cast Bless, so everyone has that buff active.
Reg will for sure shift to his minor form to get his dex bonus
I will open Roll20 in a little bit
As they prepare, Pyros quietly prays to Milani for her aid. As he gets up to head toward the cliff, he activates his armor's barkskin spell and readies his longbow. "Make them come to us. he says, before taking a shot at the same one Octavia attacks.
I guess that means Amiri can have entered into accurate stance of rage ahead of time then by loosing a round of rage for the fight. I'll do that.
"You're in charge chief. But I don't like not charging in." Amiri attempts to bean a rock off the head of the one that Pyros shot at, using her sling.
Looking down at the quartet of trolls, Faerin begins a chant in druidic, opening her arms in an expansive gesture as a burst of acidic stinging nettles explodes among them.
"Try to focus on the same one, if we do enough damage quickly enough we can exceed their ability to heal!"Faerin calls out as her companions choose their targets.
"Try to focus on the same one, if we do enough damage quickly enough we can exceed their ability to heal!"Faerin calls out as her companions choose their targets.
Reg growls as his shift takes hold of him
"and then I will race in and turn it off for good, I promise!!!"
I guess that means Amiri can have entered into accurate stance of rage ahead of time then by loosing a round of rage for the fight. I'll do that.
"You're in charge chief. But I don't like not charging in." Amiri attempts to bean a rock off the head of the one that Pyros shot at, using her sling.
[dice=Sling]d20+7
[dice=Damage]d3+5
[ooc]I'm not sure you can charge down that cliff, it requires a climb check. One they come around the long way (or climb the cliff) and you have a clear lane, feel free. I might be right behind you.[ooc]