Leiko shouts back. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you. We have an invitation. Here let me show you."
She wastes no time then to raise her rifle, and take a shot at Oaksteward on the bridge above them.
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Osiris sees Leiko going for her gun and knows the time to talk is over.
”We need to fight!”
Osiris runs towards the visible oaksteward and shouts: ”By opposing us you’ve chosen death!”
Then, Osiris draws his sword and messes with its modifications, taking it past its potential.
”I can’t remember the last time I’ve done this…”
The Oakstewards, Rifon and Menelimus, react swiftly to the sudden turn of events. "You've chosen the wrong path, invaders! We will defend this place to our last breath! Bolan's cause is just, and we will not let it be undermined by the likes of you!"
They maintain their focus on defending their position. They both aim their heavy crossbows at the party members.
One Oaksteward tries to shoot at Osiris, but fortune favors the inventor as the Oaksteward's equipment malfunctions at the crucial moment, causing the bolt to misfire harmlessly. However, Leiko isn't as lucky; the other Oaksteward's aim is true, and a bolt embeds itself into her.
Both Oakstewards then proceed to reload their heavy crossbows, preparing for the next volley.
Osiris moves as fast as he can to close the distance between himself and his opponents.
He goes upstairs to attack the hidden foe, and makes an attack with his sword as it vibrates in his hand.
Right before running into the building, Onyinyo eyes the man looking down at them, trying to figure out what makes him tick.
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◈◈ Double stride to points yet unknown
Leiko takes a shot to the thigh and lets out a howl as she returns fire to the oaksteward on the bridge.
Osiris snaps back at the sudden commotion and gives a look of frustration before bolting towards the gate and unleashing a blast of water and the oaksteward that hit Leiko.
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Thunder Rolling charged into the tree house thing, following Osiris up the stairs. At the top, when they saw the druid blocking the way forward, he pushed past Osiris and aimed a brutal chop at the druid's knee.
Everyone except Leiko rushes up the stairs, storming into the unknown. This sudden charge by the party creates a moment of distraction for the Oakstewards, diverting their attention from Leiko's position.
Seizing this opportunity, Leiko maintains her focused aim. With the precision of a seasoned marksman, she waits for just the right moment when her companions' bold entrance momentarily draws her target's attention away. She squeezed the trigger at that instant, and her shot found its mark.
Meanwhile, Osiris, Edra, and Thunder Rolling make their way up the spiral staircase, quickly ascending to the gazebo-turned-pillbox situated twenty feet above the forest floor. The gazebo, now a makeshift fortification, presents a challenging environment with its boarded-up windows and narrow murder holes. To each side, steep rope bridges lead to larger structures, indicating the expanse of the hideout.
Upon entering this new setting, Osiris and Edra struggle to adjust to the confines and strategic layout of the pillbox. The unfamiliar surroundings hinder their attempts to target the warden, causing their shots to go awry.
Thunder Rolling, however, adapts more swiftly to the environment. He capitalizes on the chaos, closing in on one of the druids with a determined stride. With a mighty swing of his weapon, he lands a solid chop to the druid's knee, incapacitating his opponent and gaining a momentary upper hand in the close-quarters combat.
Enyo moves with the others as his eyes narrow in concentration as he delves into his esoterica, searching for something that might give them an edge against this particular foe. After a moment of intense contemplation, he retrieves an object from his collection. It's something subtle yet significant, imbued with supernatural qualities relevant to the situation at hand.
The druid screams out in pain, dropping his crossbow and drawing his staff. He swings twice at Thunder Rolling but misses both times.
Outside on the bridge, the ranged battle continues. The druid aims Leiko again, burying another bolt into her chest.
Thunder Rolling swung his obsidian-studded club at the druid again, hoping to get him down before charging the one with the crossbow still taking shots at poor Leiko.
The champion leaped over the falling corpse and rushed the one still on the bridge, club aimed for the center of the man's head.
A second blow chopped out at the druid as Thunder tried opening the way to the druid on the bridge.
Edra open his kinetic gate grabbing a large sum of water and freezing it upon impact with his hand creating a giant club of ice. He dashes past Thunder Rolling and slams the slab into the head of the Oaksteward.
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Edra opens his gate and draws upon the plane of fire and conjures a large arrow made of bright orange flame. He grabs the arrow and hurls it through and Oaksteward. As it passes through the first Oaksteward the arrow immediately adjusts its course towards the second.
◈◈[ooc]Dc 17 dex
Thunder Rolling's club drops the druid inside the pillbox, leaving only the one on the bridge Leiko is battling. Edra's flame blast slams into him, weakening him further.
Onyinyo ◈ moves up to join the others, ◈ flashing his mirror toward the bridge until he's standing before the last Oaksteward, ◈ who he swings at.
Osiris moves to the remaining oaksteward, following behind Thunder. He takes to jabs at the last enemy.
”Hopefully we can end this now.”
Osiris gets his wish and ends it now. The second Oaksteward on the bridge goes down as the party quickly and efficiently deals with guardians. Leiko quickly moves in to join the party inside the pillbox.
Short bridges lead to doors of other rooms to the west and the north.
"Take what you need and pile the rest here. We can come back for it later if need be, but I'd hate to be weighed down. These two didn't raise too much of an alarm, but there is a good chance that someone is on the way."
As soon as Leiko arrived on the platform, Thunder Rolling laid hands on him, healing the half elf, then squatted down to recover his energies.
Osiris asks, ”Do you all think I could take a moment to fix my weapon? I cannot make it explode until I return it to normal.”
Onyinyo stands by to open the door once everyone else is ready.
”Okay, that should do it… I’m ready to go. Let’s try to be surreptitious; the less interaction the better I say.”
Osiris glances at Thunder and then walks up to the door held by Enyo.
”Let’s go.”
The party cautiously moves westward across the bridge, they enter a greenhouse that is a stark contrast to the rest of the hideout. Upon stepping inside, they are greeted by a burst of warm, bright light, amplified by large windows and strategically placed mirrors. The room feels like an indoor jungle, densely packed with potted plants of various sizes and types. The lush greenery seems to thrive in this carefully cultivated environment, a testament to the Greenleaf gnomes' horticultural expertise.
The western door catches their attention as it has been thoroughly boarded up, rendering it impenetrable and effectively sealing off that exit.
As the party takes in their surroundings, they notice two small, plant-like creature, unique and whimsical in appearance. The most striking feature are their heads, which appear to be an actual gourd, one is a pumpkin and the other appears to be squash-like. Their body is slender and appears to be made of vine-like material, giving it a flexible and agile form. Its arms and legs are also vine-like, ending in small, root-like appendages that serve as fingers and toes.
They turn towards you, cautious about your entrance since you do not appear to be Oakstewards. "Yes?" one of them asks cautiously.
”Oh great, it talks.”
Osiris takes a moment to think of a solution- looking around the room and eyeing down the strange creatures. He puffs up his chest and says, ”We are here for important matters; point us towards Bolan and get out of our way- this is urgent”.
He stares arrogantly at the floral entities, waiting for a response.
"Hello leshy friends. We are not here to hurt you or anyone else. We are here to stop Bolan from poisoning unicorns and otherwise befouling this land. If you would point us in his direction, we would be grateful."
Onyinyo eyes the leshy, curious to see how they respond to the two approaches. He tries to recall anything that may be useful.
Enyo recalls that leshys are guardians of fields, gardens, and farms. Many villages benefit from the protection of a gourd leshy, even if they are unaware of it. They can transform into small gourd-bearing plants.
Upon hearing Osiris’s assertive command, one leshy tilts its gourd head slightly, seeming to consider the gravity of his words. The other, on the other hand, appears somewhat taken aback by the directness and perceived threat in his tone.
However, it’s Thunder Rolling's gentle and friendly approach that resonates more with them. His mention of Bolan’s harmful actions towards a unicorn and the land strikes a chord. Leshys, as guardians of nature, are likely to be disturbed by such acts against natural harmony.
After a brief moment of contemplation, the second leshy responds with a sense of confusion and concern, “Poisoning unicorns? That doesn’t sound like something good for the forest…” The other nods in agreement, showing signs of doubt about Bolan’s intentions.
"Bolan is above in an office, most likely. Go back the other way and take the stairs up."
Edra, looks at the talking plant completely dumb founded. I thought leshy were things of legend... wow. Thank you mr uhhh... Leshy! We promise we will not let Bolan cause anymore harm to the forest than he already has.
Onyinyo thanks the leshies for their assistance and heads toward the stairs.
Leaving the gourd leshys behind, the party proceeds cautiously towards the stairs they believe lead to Bolan's location. Their journey takes them back across the gazebo-turned-pillbox, where they take an alternate exit, leading them into a new section of the hideout.
They enter a room that once served as a workshop, now a chaotic scene of disarray. Workbenches and pegboards filled with tools line the walls, but the space is cluttered with half-finished carvings and wooden devices scattered haphazardly across the floor. In the eastern part of the room, shelves have been toppled and piled with debris, forming a crude nest-like structure. Doors to the north and south lead out onto rope bridges, and in the northeast corner, a staircase spirals up around a tree trunk, hinting at further levels to explore. The ceiling is high, about 15 feet, giving the room an open, albeit cluttered, feel.
As the party enters the workshop, the presence of gremlins becomes immediately apparent. A gremlin and its two companions are quick to react to the intrusion into their domain. The small, wiry creature has a mischievous glint in its eyes and is the first to respond. It scowls at the party, its expression a mix of curiosity and annoyance. With a grating, high-pitched voice, it taunts the party, “What’s this? More big-footed clods to mess up our beautiful mess? You’re not welcome here!”
”We’ll be gone shortly; in fact, I believe we are here to confront the people who ruined your… work of art.” Osiris walks towards the stairs trying not to touch anything in the room, unsure if he might mess up more mess.
As Osiris confidently strides forward into the workshop, he unknowingly steps into the area of the caltrop snare trap. The moment his foot presses down, there's a subtle click, a precursor to the imminent danger.
Suddenly, the trap is sprung. From a hidden compartment, a burst of caltrops is released directly into the space where Osiris is standing. The small, sharp spikes scatter across the floor, covering the area around his feet.
As Osiris triggers the caltrop snare, the gremlins' reaction is one of delight and mischief. These fey creatures, notorious for their love of chaos and disruption, find amusement in the party's misfortune.
The gremlin lets out a cackling laugh, its eyes gleaming with malevolent glee. "Ha! Watch your step, big-foot!" it taunts, its voice high and grating. "You should turn around now before it's too late. It only gets worse from there!" it warns.
"Easy now, fellows. We aren't here to cause trouble for you. We just want to talk with Bolan, to ask him to stop hurting unicorns and other peaceful creatures of the forest. No need to fight."
Osiris winces and his foot jolts into the air. ”Gaaaahhhhh… why would you do that…”
He looks around the room and then back at the gremlins.
Edra lets out a small sigh before walking over to the caltrops now sprinkled across the floor, being careful not to step on any. Well look at the predicament you've gotten yourself into now Osiris, you should really look around before just wandering into rooms.
Onyinyo joins the gremlins in their mirth and he begins to laugh, "Ho, that was fantastic! You must teach me how to make those! In fact, I have a gold coin if you'll sell me one, two if you'll set them to catch Bolan!"
Leiko, currently standing behind the party waves and shouts in agreement with Enyo.
"And don't you know that you stand in the presence of the greatest inventor this side of the Arches? Perhaps he can share some of his knowledge with you if you let us pass. Right Osiris?"
Leiko nudges Osiris and Enyo as she speaks.
Osiris takes a moment to exhale…”Certainly, I’m an expert inventor and would be delighted to teach you friends a thing or two”.
”Ahhhh… I wish we didn’t have to deal with all these useless distractions. I’d prefer boring travel over this any day.”
He tries a friendly smile with half effort, still feeling the caltrops.
The gremlin looks at Leiko's feeble attempt to be diplomatic and covers its ears, "Your voice hurts. I assume you have hard time finding mates with those sounds coming out of your mouth!"
The gremlins all laugh at Leiko before turning back to Osiris and Enyo.
"Ok. Teach me something, and I'll sell you one, and you can pass without us nibbling off the half-elves ears." he looks to Leiko and licks his lips. "Though it might make her more attractive and maybe we should do it for her as a favor since her tongue is broken."
Osiris says, ”Watch this; don’t get poked.” he takes out his sword cane and holds it in front of all watching. He then tries his best to impress the gremlins with his tinkering.
”My weapon just became a whole lot less sharp. I can also make it explode but we should save that for later. Do you two want to try?”
”I feel like a school teacher…”
The gremlins are fascinated with Osiris's tricks. Their eyes go wide, and they eagerly hand him their weapons. "Oh! oh! Do mine, do mine next!"
"Thank you for surrendering your weapons in peace. Now, will you tell us where to find Bolan?"
Having navigated the precarious workshop and the deceptive gremlins, the party proceeds cautiously, mindful of Osiris's earlier encounter with the snare trap. They leave the gremlins behind, who, after a moment of confusion and realization, point the way to the staircase leading to an upper floor, a silent concession to the party's persistence.
As the party ascends the stairs, they emerge onto an open-air platform that feels like a hidden sanctuary amidst the treetops. The platform lacks conventional walls; instead, it is surrounded by a natural screen of leafy branches, creating an illusion of seclusion and tranquility within the vibrant forest. Above, a dense canopy of leaves provides shade. At the same time, the floor below is a mosaic of mismatched wooden boards, artfully arranged to accommodate the growth of small living branches through the gaps, blending the structure seamlessly with its natural surroundings.
Rope bridges extend north and south from the platform, suggesting multiple paths of exploration, and another staircase winding downwards to the east hints at further layers to the hideout.
However, the serene atmosphere of the platform is quickly disrupted by the presence of an older Oaksteward named Jeraya and her companion, a fox with fur that shifts between hues of red, dull brown, and silver as it moves.
With a protective stance, she prepares for combat, drawing her weapon with a resolve born of years of defending her beliefs and the enclave. She calls out to the party, her voice stern and unwavering, "Halt, intruders! I am Oaksteward Jeraya and you shall not pass further!" With her fox at her side, she initiates combat by casting a spell which causes her weapon to grow vines and leaves, brimming with primal energy.
"I am Mwalaiuliopalangalawinusawi of no clan worth mentioning. You may call me Thunder Rolling. We are here to peacefully treat with Bolan and ask that he stop trying to exploit the flora and fauna of this forest in his 'cause' whatever that might be. While we lack the desire to harm anyone, we most certainly do not lack the capability. Won't you please step aside, or lead us to Bolan?"
Osiris looks with a frown at Thunder, though he couldn’t have done much better.
Osiris pulls out his weapon and cranks it into overdrive as he runs towards the druid.
He glares at her as he readies his sword.
Leiko wastes no time to help support her allies, rushing up behind Thunder and Osiris. "Thats a nice weapon you have there. A familiar style. Let me show you mine!"
She draws her weapon, takes aim and fires, before quickly reloading.
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Edra dashes down into the room to assist Osiris. Awe man I wish I had a cool one liner in mind before I did this. Edra simultaneously activates his kinetic aura as he makes his first swing into the stomach of the Oaksteward. ◈ He quickly follows it up with a left hook ◈
Thunder Rolling's attempt at diplomacy with Jeraya takes an unfortunate turn. What was meant to be a peaceful overture ends up as a biting insult, exacerbating the situation rather than defusing it. Jeraya's expression darkens, her resolve hardening against what she now perceives as not just intruders, but disrespectful foes.
Osiris, sensing the rapidly deteriorating chance for peace, springs into action. He readies his weapon, cranking it into overdrive, its mechanisms whirring and clicking ominously. With a determined stride, he charges towards Jeraya, his presence alone exuding intimidation in an attempt to unsettle the Oaksteward.
Leiko takes aim and fires, hoping to support Osiris's aggressive advance. However, in the heat of the moment, her shot goes awry, the bullet embedding itself into a tree behind Jeraya, leaving a splintered mark but failing to impact the combat directly.
Enyo, with his knowledge of druids, silently assesses their foe. He's aware of Jeraya's ability to transform her hands into deadly claws and her peculiar power to curse those with blue hair. This insight into her capabilities informs the party's approach, especially for those blue-haired creatures who are especially vulnerable to her unique curses.
Edra, unphased by the unfolding chaos, unleashes a blast of cold energy towards Jeraya. The first blast hits its mark, engulfing the Oaksteward in a freezing explosion that deals significant damage. His second attempt, however, misses, dissipating harmlessly into the air.
Jeraya, in retaliation, swings her magical staff towards Osiris with a series of swift strikes. Despite her agility and the staff's enchantments, all three attempts fail to connect, missing Osiris as he maneuvers through the fray.
The fox takes advantage of the distraction, leaping with surprising agility over Osiris's head. It lands nimbly behind him and delivers a vicious bite to his calf, its teeth sinking deep and ripping out large chunks of flesh in a critical surprise strike from behind.
"Fine! If that's the way you want to play it, then let's dance!"
Thunder ran to put himself behind the fox and lashed out with his club.
Onyinyo ◈ strides forward and strikes the Oaksteward twice.
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