The druid looks upon the exhausted Adriana, "Here, try one of these."
He hands out another enchanted set of berries for them to divide up, "Consider this for the magic you've expended on me. I appreciate it."
Thinking for a moment he quietly turns to the others hoping to not scare the already uneasy folks in the shelter, "There is something uncomfortable here. The omens of the elementals, this storm, the fact that I was sent here through providence... I do not like it but I have to persevere. I would like to have you all by my side though, you are all very capable people even if you feel you have nowhere to go."
Ingolf had a strange feeling that his curse was somehow related to the storm, but how was a mystery.
When the subject of healing came up he said, "I could use a bit of healing if there's any left."
Ingolf replied, "I'll hang on to one of the potions, if that's OK. I case there's more trouble today."
While the group distributes healing potions and berries there is another crack of thunder that echoes across the settlement.
When the sudden cadence of thunders repeats itself for a third time in less than a minute, people start to unnerve.
Having a look through the window holes allows seeing these strikes are all touching down around the northern barricades of Island Town. Sherrif Adaela comes to you by the windows "I do not like this. It is like if some unnatural force was directing those lightnings..."
When the thunders echo for a fourth time, Adaela Praet takes the belt with her sword, a coat and gets to the Stone Hall doors "You stay here and hold everyone calm. I am going to investigate what is going on"
With that said, the Sheriff opens the Hall entrance door, the winds roaring around enter the room for some seconds as she makes her way out to the street and closes the door once more.
Grateful for the berry and finding it rather tasty, Adriana takes a moment to just relax as best as possible given the circumstances. "I doubt there'll be more trouble, and if there is, it's out of our hands." she says as the storm rages around them.
"I can't comment on the storm - I know nothing useful about weather, magical or otherwise. Well, I know the Eye of Abendago is close, but that doesn't count." She muses, wriggling about where she sits to attempt to be more comfortable as she tries to stave off fatigue.
It's only when Sheriff Adaela says she's going into the storm to investigate does whats happening register in her mind and she bolts upright and heads straight for the door in a panic, too late to stop or convince the sheriff to wait out the storm and stuck cursing and pacing at the door, torn about what she should do.
Jonah starts to reply to Splits' question "well, hunting is always about more than just the thrill, but I... he trails off as he sees the sheriff make her way to the door.
"wait! don't go out there alone!" but she is gone before he can stop her.
"what does she hope to do with a sword out in that mess? sure hope she gets back to shelter before she gets herself killed...
The druid looks at the scared people, "They need their sheriff, not some strangers." He starts toward the door, glancing at Jonah's direction with a face that says, You and I aren't quite done yet. Like most things that the druid hints at, there is no malice, just an attempt at understanding.
Ingolf could tell that Adaela's mind was made up. "Be careful! Come back soon!"
He did his best to reassure the townsfolk, "The sheriff's going to make sure everything's OK. She shouldn't be long."
Before you can realize what is going on, the brave Sheriff is gone.
Initially Ingolf words calm down the people gathered in the main room. Minutes pass and more of the strange lightnings fell over Island Town.
As thunder echo through the walls of the Stone Hall, people grows restless "What is this lightning? It is unnatural..."
One of the dika collectors makes a prayer sign "We have angered the gods... Gozreh, pardon us..."
More and more people begin to unnerve, walking around expressing opinions of bad omens.
"Why it is taking so long for the Sheriff to come back?" asks Martel Wymackie.
"She did already had time to reach Island Town, check what is going on and come back..." adds Heri Lighststep, the old halfling eats nervously a crust of bread "Something is going wrong..."
A new rapid succession of lightnings set the street into light, followed by another chain of thunders.
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"If the sheriff wanted help, she knew she could have asked any of us to come with her," Tonny answers the unasked question. "She wanted as many people safe as possible, which is why she worked so hard to get you all here. If you go out into the storm, you're spitting in the face of everything she worked for. I'm sure she's just taking her time and being careful out there."
At least, I hope that's what's going on...
"she left without asking for help, I sure hope she knew what she was doing. we have to stay here for now and keep everyone calm. if she ran into trouble out there there's no use in sending more of us out there to find her, we would end up in the same situation as her...
Despite his words, Jonah stands near the door, pacing nervously waiting for the woman to return.
The druid sighs seeing everyone worried about the thunder, Why would she leave so suddenly? Heading over to some of the others he helps them pray to Gozreh, hoping it would help them relax somewhat.
He doesn't quite buy what the others are saying but says nothing, this wasn't a normal storm after all.
Ingolf was worried about the sheriff himself. He went to the door and looked outside, although he didn't think he would learn anything new.
People is barely reassured. Minutes pass and the Sheriff does not return.
Ingolf has a look outside and despite the rain, the lightning flashes draw themselves clear in the sky. They are not falling following the typical random pattern of a storm, neither in time nor in space. They follow a cadence, and they are all falling over the same point, the gnome has no doubt.
The masonry owner, Zander Carr, approaches you "Guys, I fear something really went wrong with Adaela Praet. She went out just to have a look at what was going on. I do not think she planned to stay outside for that long. I really fear she found herself in trouble before she could came back"
Now that Adaela is gone, you feel like people is looking at you for answers and like a source of authority.
Pacing and swearing in between her muttering, Adriana tries to think of something to say - or do - while trying to figure out why the Sheriff, of all people, would leave now after all the effort spent to bring people to safety.
And without her, it looked like it fell to her and the others to keep things from falling further apart. She could keep most of the other from leaving - through her being scary, if not through force itself - but she was not a leader. Even if she could, the town would not trust her once they knew why she was in the colony.
Frustrated and almost about to leave to drag the sheriff back to safety herself, an idea clicks and she stalks to the others.
"Rope! I need rope! as much as we have. Now!" She doesn't bother trying to be polite as she immediately pushes past her companions and starts making the same demand of the guards and civilians. She had a crazy idea.
Ingolf huddled with his team-mates and told then what he had seen. "It doesn't look like a natural storm. The lightning seems focused and directed!
"I hate to say it, but I think we need to go and look for the sheriff!"
Among the supplies gathered at the Stone Hall, Adriana would find a couple of 50' rope sets.
Jonah raises an eyebrow as he watches Adriana gather rope
"you're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are ya? you really wanna go out in that soup? we just got everyone inside! at least we'll be able to drag you back in if you get in trouble, but this doesn't seem like a great idea.
Seeing Jonah's reluctance to soak himself up, Zander Carr arches an eye and says "Shall I point out that if the good Sheriff is dead she won't be able to pay you for the good contribution you have done to the community so far?"
Martel Wymackie interrupts the stonemason "Zander, you cannot ask them to do so, it is dangerous. The Sheriff just choose to risk herself alone"
Mirya Oyin speaks up "There is something going on. We need to know. You made a good job searching the Fort, maybe you can find out what is going on with the storm and the Sheriff?"
The druid hears the murmuring of the crowd. "Be still for a moment. Adriana, wait." He begins casting whispering wind and sends it toward Island Town, it was a gamble but it was better than just going in blind.
"Let me speak to the wind first and then we can make decisions."
"Sheriff. If you hear this help is on the way. Be careful. We are coming into the storm now. Stay in cover."
Ingolf told the villagers, "Don't worry, we're going to go and find the Sheriff!"
He summoned Ebba to his side, telling her, "We're going to have to go out in the storm."
Jonah heaves a sigh and mutters under his breath about stupid risks being taken for someone they barely know, but he will still join the others in searching for the sheriff.
he looks to the druid "anything you can do to protect us from all of this? you druids are good with weather magic right?
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Tonny starts tying the rope around his waist before passing one end to Adrianna and the other to Ingolf. "You know, this reminds me of those three-handed races on campus," he muses. "Almost knocked someone off their feet coming out of the Biology building. Of course, if she hadn't had her nose in her book, she would have seen the rope. Not that I was much better about paying attention during final exam week, I'll admit." He grins ruefully at the memory.
And... the group is finally pushed into the madness of the storm. Wading through the strong rain and winds you finally manage to set foot in Island Town were most of the lightnings seem discharging.
Following the source of the lightnings you witness atop one of the barricades stands a lizardfolk dressed in priests robes. Her belt is lined with the severed heads of the militia members of Fort Breakthrough, their faces pruned by water and contorted in horrified expressions. The lizardfolk presence seems to agitate the storm, bringing down lightning and increased rainfall that has already broken the barricade in several points, letting the higher waves to reach the land.
Surrounding this figure, three other lizardfolk armed with serrated scimitars and turtle back shields, attentively guard the priest looking around for incoming danger.
The lizardfolk have defeated Sheriff Adaela who lies in the ground among them.
Group passive Stealth: DC 7
The lizardfolk points towards you "Внимание. У нас больше посещений."
"Attention. We have another visit. "
Jonah manages to see them first and react before anyone else.
The priest casts a spell on himself while the others ready their scimitars for your approach.
Ingolf's heat skipped a beat when he saw the group of marauding lizardfolk. He was still wounded, and needed to heal himself. He moved up and reached into his pockets. "Where have they hidden that confounded potion?", he fumed to himself, finally retrieving the healing drought. This was the gist of his curse: the mischievous spirits that haunted him liked to rearrange his gear, moving items to unexpected locations. Very annoying, and at times dangerous!
Ebba dutifully moved up by her master's side, waiting for the order to attack.
The druid steps out into the rain again and looks at Jonah ruefully, "I wish I had such strength, as it stands right now I cannot cast much more. Gozreh has provided me enough to help prevent the damage from the storm but this is something else."
Seeing the lizardfolk and the sheriff on the ground, the druid named Splits the Leaves hears the language, but doesn't understand it.
"It seems that is the kind of druid you may be thinking of." He casts guidance on Jonah and quickly moves unhindered into the brush.
It's bad enough that they're all back in the thick of the storm, but the attack on the sheriff by lizardfolk is perhaps the proverbial straw. Unimpressed she draws her own scimitar and steps forward, her rage matching the storms.
"Any of you filthy lizards touch her again and I'll flay your whole tribe!" She screams into the wind.
Jonah moves into position quickly, drawing his longbow as he gets a good line of sight. he releases an arrow at the obvious leader lizardfolk who maybe hasn't noticed him yet
as the groups converge, Jonah takes one more opening to fire off 2 quick shots, targeting the leader again.
Rosemary stays in the air for now, waiting for the signal to attack
The group advances cautiously, with Ingolf producing a potion, Splits providing guidance to Jonah's shots and Tonny readying to fight any approaching lizardfolk.
Adriana attempts to intimidate the humanoid reptiles but under the raging storm noise her menaces does not seem that impressing.
Guided by the wind, one of Jonah's arrows just strikes true at the caster, lodging deeply in the shoulder. He shouts in pain.
In retaliation the lizardfolk says words of power while touching a holy symbol hanging from his neck. The grass and other herbs around start to grow and dance around you, trying to grasp your feet!
The priest says some words in Draconic and the other lizardfolk line up sheathing their scimitars and drawing javelins.
Ingolf cried out in alarm as the plants grabbed his ankles. He tried to break free to no avail. Finally he gave up and drank the potion.
Ebba was also caught in the the grasping plant life. She struggled but could not escape.
Feeling the plants crawl over him, the druid is upset that he spent all of his magic earlier. Hopefully they will see the townsfolk safe with the effort.
He is able to wriggle free from the vines and reposition himself out of them. Moving slowly out of the entangling brush he readies to blast some wind at one of the lizardfolk if it approaches Tonny.
The storm shears the edge off her words for the most part, but even through the thick rain she sees all she needs as one of the lizardfolk seems to recoil just enough from her words.
It'll be enough.
Quick on her feet, unaware and uncaring as the plants and vines snap and grab at her ankles Adriana stalks the one lizardfolk that reacted to her words. She would make good on her words and carve her rage into its flesh.
The grass grows and entangles fiercely half the party.
Ingolf drinks the potion and his wounds disappear while Splits attempts a mild wind blast.
A bit more lucky Tonny and Adriana hurry to get out of the overgrown area, although the plants restrain them making their advance very slow.
Jonah does something heroic.
At the sight of the dangerous scimitar the priest says words of power and Adriana's blade starts to get uncomfortably cold to the touch.
The lizardfolk throw their javelins, two at Tonny and one at Adriana.
With the tempest around, the javelins are pushed away by the winds and lost before they can even come close to target.
They bring their green scaly hands to their back and draw another javelin each.
Ingolf struggled to break free, to no avail. "Ebba, attack!" he shouted desperately.
Squealing, Ebba broke free and powered her way out of the entangling grasses.
jonah avoids the grasping plants and fires off a very fast volley of arrows at the spellcaster
as the rest of the party struggles to push through, Jonah just keeps shooting, treating these lizards as nothing more than the animals he is comfortable hunting.
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”That’s the spirit!” Tonny yells, cracking his whip again as his exhaustion is forgotten in the face of excitement and danger. He shakes his head, the rain having caused his long auburn hair to run down his face, before noticing the lizardfolk advancing on his position. ”Oh, whoops, gotta go!” he blurts, dashing to the other side of Ebba.
Numbed from the wind and rain Adriana doesn't notice the chill feeling emanating from her own scimitar and strides forward, unconcerned by the sight of javelins being flung all about by both lizards and the wind and moves forward with grim purpose towards the closest Lizardfolk.
Unable to escape the vines yet again, the druid looks upon the battle hoping to get in and help soon enough.
The bad weeds prove too much for the small gnome who struggles to move out of the way. Ebba though, manages to break free and find safe land.
Jonah manages to avoid the weeds, but he fails to 5 feet step on the difficult terrain created.
The hunter shots over the first line of lizards, the height of the barricade where the priest stands allowing him to avoid cover. Despite the distance is not at point blank shot and the storm rain makes three of his arrows go crazy, a third one scores true, stabbing itself painfully on the lizardfolk's chest "Aaaaggh!"
Tonny lashes at the purple skinned lizardfolk with his whip at the same time Adriana steps up to slash at him, but the warrior manages to rise his turtle shield in time to block the attack!
Splits fights the weeds but cannot really manage to escape!
The yellow skinned one throws the javelin all about towards Jonah "Никто не трогает Reszavass! Приди и сразись с трусом!"
"No one touches the Reszavass! Come and fight coward!"
Despite the storm the javelin manages to reach Jonah with strength enough that it lodges itself on his right shoulder! Noting his success, the lizardfolk reaches his back for another javelin, laughing at the group suffering on the moving weeds.
The other two drop their spears and draw their scimitars to attack Ebba and Adriana.
Both the boar and the woman dodge easily the weak attacks.
"Останови смертельные бивни! У нас будет жареный кабан на ужин!" as he says the words, the priest extends his hand and a crackling arc of electricity jumps all the way to the boar.
The electricity hits true, shocking the poor animal and lightning the area for an instant.
"Stop the deadly tusks! We will have roasted boar for dinner!"
Ingolf struggles mightily, briefly breaking free from the plants before being grabbed again.
Ebba grunts in anger and tries to gore her reptilian assailant.
Unable to move out of the vines the druid is silently cursing himself for using Gozreh's blessing without forethought. He was wondering if it was a lesson to be learned but now wasn't the time to ruminate.