Sprig squinted at the tree in the distance. "Maybe there's somethin' hiding inside the tree. It is mighty peculiar. Best be ready for anythin'."
"We seem to run into all sorts of trees in odd situations, don't we?" Saraon asks. "First one missing from where we expected it because a giantess had taken it to use as a footstool, and now one that's walking..."
He frowned at the size of the undead moving tree... things got weird in the wastes. Instead of trying to figure out what it was he readied his Bardiche and moved to the front of the group making sure he was between them and the tree zombie.
"What are we uh... doing boss its getting closer."
He asked just a hint of nerves in his voice.
As the tree gets closer, it begins to lash it’s branches and picks up it’s pace slightly, moving towards the party with even more intent.
"Oh no, I don't think so," Ronan says in vague menace to the approaching tree, beginning a throaty chant. He lifts his right hand towards the sky and begins tracing a circle as though stirring the clouds above. A distinct smell of ozone beginning to drift down on the wind. There is a low rumble punctuating every few spoken words, and Ronan's hair floats lightly upward.
Hezekh waves his hand and chants a few arcane words. There is a pulse of magical power, but no other visible sign. He then moves forward cautiously.
"I knew tha' wasn' right!" Katheryn said as she lined up a shot.
Kat’s shot hits a limb on the tree and nearly snaps it off, though she doesn’t do quite as much damage as she thought she would’ve.
The tree drags itself forwards and slashes at Hezekh with two jagged branches, slashing into the man for 6 damage, though he manages to avoid the branch wrapping around him.
Ronan grins as he sees Katheryn wield her musket well. An interesting weapon, that was, with many tales that the spirits spoke of! As the smell of gunpowder accompanies a clap of thunder, Ronan feels similarly pleased to stay back in the distance. As a cloud finishes forming above, the Samsaran snaps his fingers and calls a bolt down onto the tree.
Saraon joins in the attack, swinging his sword at particularly cracked-looking branches.
Stepping forward lightly, Sprig focused elemental ice into one of his claws, flinging the powdery clump as hard as he could.
Grunting as he is struck by the tree, Hezekh shakes his head, then flexes his arm, which begins to crackle with electricity. He then moves up and punches the tree.
+
Katheryn saw Ronan eyes her gun and she grinned "Eyes only hon." She said before with speedy grace she reloaded her weapon and took aim once more.
He charged the tree monster with his Bardiche held back almost dragging it along the ground. When he neared the tree he used his momentum to throw the blade into the attack.
Ronan pats the pistol at his side when Katheryn quips at him. "Oh, no worries there. My eyes are keen enough." He is also in awe at the ferocity of his new companions.
Saraon can't get a good hit on the tree and Kat's bullet sinks into it's bark with little effect, but the rest of the party has much more luck. Sprig, Ronan, and Hezekh blast the tree with frost and lightning, weakening the wood so when Bas charges in, he slices the tree almost clean in half with a mighty chop.
What was once a concern is now a pile of firewood.
The night passes on with no more incidents, though Ronan insists that the spirits have told him of the significance of a slowly blinking shooting star in the night sky, something about speaking to those across the world and thoughts become images. Mumbo jumbo, almost certainly.
The morning sun wakes the party and with some coffee and rations they get on the road again. It's nearing midmorning when the party gets within sight of the rock spire that the cache is supposed to be on top of. It's tall and narrow and most distressingly of all, what looks like a vulture the size of a horse has just landed on it.
Katheryn gave Ronan a grin of approval before the thing was turned into firewood.
The next morning when they came their was to spire she looked it over. "You know, somethin' like that would be good with brown gravy I think" Katheryn said with a slow nod as she pointed out the large bird.
"I wouldn't recommend it," Saraon comments. "Vultures are important and noble in their work, but that same work also makes their flesh unsafe to eat. That said, we should approach with caution. They ARE for the most part peaceful birds too, but like any animal it will defend itself from anything that looks threatening...and there's of course the chance it may not be a vulture at all. Some druids have been known to take the forms of oversized animals in battle, and my Circle isn't the only one in the wastes..."
Sprig squinted as he looked upward, trying to make out what he saw. "Ah don't imagine it'd taste to good, being a carrion feeder. If that is a vulture... can't say that Ah've ever seen one quite that size."
Although his new companions seem to not pay heed to his lengthy discussion of the blinking star, Ronan leans his head back on intertwined fingers and watches its lazy arc through the sky. It brings him comfort as his eyes flutter down with the weight of sleep.
"It could be a roc," Ronan offers. "R-o-c, not r-o-c-k, that is. But if so, it'd be a wee thing. Full-grown rocs are near the size of a house rather'n a horse."
"You're wise in the ways of nature for a Ruster, Ronan," Saraon replies in a bemused tone.
Ronan grins at the druid. "Why thank you, Saraon. Mighty kind o' you t'say that." After a beat, punctuated by some hustling steps, the samsaran continues. "We're all animals, one way or 'nother. Just some of us build dams, n'others build cities. Ye figure that, 'n ye see things diff'rent."
This is not a roc. It is a vulture, and an exceptionally large one at that, but it is still a vulture. Rocs roost high in the Serpent’s Spine, flying down with the storm winds on a few rare occasions.
Peering a bit closer, Ronan's forehead wrinkles. "Not a roc, then. Definitely a vulture. As you say, we can hopefully leave it alone, or mayhaps scare it away if we get into contact."
"Let's get in closer...carefully..." Saraon says, taking the lead in approaching the creature, attempting not to make sudden moves and put it at ease.
"I'd'a figured meat's meat. But if a druid says not to eat it, I'll not be eatin' it. Always trust a man who knows his business." Hezekh says, while watching the gigantic vulture.
Saraon’s not totally sure what he did, but he’s pretty sure he made a really rude gesture in Vulture. The creature squawks with anger and takes off!
Saraon shrugs as it flies off.
"Well, like I said, they don't really like fighting. At least we can access the cache now."
"Iffin' it saves me bullets I'm pleased." Katheryn said with a shrug. "Though it didn't seem too pleased."
Saraon is too busy trying to calm down the vulture to notice that it is flying straight at the party, intent on turning them into carrion.
"SO... uh... its heading straight for us."
He added as he moved forward and readied to try and cleave the damned thing in half it got within reach of him.
Hezekh draws his pistol, concentrates for a moment and, aiming for the beast's head, snaps off a shot.
Ronan furrows his brow as Bas draws the party's attention to the growing threat. "Aye, this'n seems keen on a fight!"
The samsaran turns his whole body to face the diving vulture directly and tries to lock his gaze with its gaze. Don't be dumb, bird, there's no need to die today.
Sprig hit the ground, scrabbling to draw a summoning circle. As he marked the ground, he calls out. "Ah think Ah got jes' the thing, keep it off me for a bit!"
"Iffin' you don't get rid of it, and we kill it, I'mma eatin' it." Katheryn said as she lined up a shot. "No sense in wasten' food."
The vulture swoops in, cawing with anger! Hezekh's shot strikes true, and Bas intercepts the great bird with a mighty, mighty swing, throwing it totally off balance and keeping it from pecking at Saraon. Ronan's magic is effective and it fills the bird with terrible dread.
The bird gets a bit too close for comfort, so Ronan strides away to ensure that the others have space to step back. His eye widens again as he seeks to further debilitate the vulture.
"Might need t'cook it extra hot if'n yer fixin' to eat it," Ronan replies to Katheryn.
"I can do that." Hezekh says, and his metallic arm begins to glow red. He steps forward and slugs the vulture.
+
The vulture lets out a wounded squawk, singed feathers flying into the air as Hezekh strikes it. It flaps it's wings, getting ready to take off.
This vulture is just about ready to fly away unless the party wishes to stop it.
"It's decided we aren't worth the effort. It's going to fly off unless you're committed to buzzard drumsticks," Saraon says.
"If it sees the error of its ways, let it go," Ronan recommends, his eye scanning the others.
Sprig finished casting his spell, summoning forth a Giant Spider. He does not issue any orders however.
Ronan looks over at the kobold, then to the spider, and then back at the vulture. "Are ye tryin' to feed it?"
Sprig glanced over to Ronan with a chuckle. "No, this spider is one that eats birds, Ah think of it more as a threat. 'Get lost 'r else!' or that's th' idea."
The vulture flies off, heading in the direct opposite direction of the rock spire.
It lies open for the party to find their prize, though getting to the top of it may not be an easy feat.
Hezekh looks up the spire. "Well, that's a bit of a climb. I'll see what I can do." He says, before giving it a shot, rope wrapped around his shoulder and ready to be let down when he reaches the top.
Sprig thought for a moment before calling out to the newcomer. "Now hol' on a moment there Hezekh... Ah think our new friend here is well suited t' climbin' that spire."
Making use of what time he had, the kobold ordered his spider to begin its ascent.