Eltariel puts the wand away, takes out her slender bow and lets fly.
Attack:
Damage:
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Eltariel readies the wand of burning hands. "If you have anything that can effect a swarm, Kegmar, now is the time to use it."
"Stirges!" Eltariel snorts with contempt.
Eltariel takes a step clear if she is in range of the bloated birds and with a word and gesture unleashes flight of glittering bolts of unerring accuracy at the one holding Aude.
"Very strange." Eltariel examines the subterranean vegetation carefully. Knowledge (nature):
Eltariel will lead the group forward, staying a respectable distance behind Layjiani as she heads toward the cacti-plot.
"All right ... let's approach with caution. Layjiani?"
"We can and will get you out of here, but I would advise you do not attempt to leave yet: There's a treant out there somewhere who is less than friendly and has poisoned the well of a nearby village, and the current occupants of this cavern have yet to be dealt with." She pauses a moment, pondering how to deal with the smugglers as her duty as a dignitary of the city would normally be to arrest them. On the other hand, they have suffered badly at the hands of the monsters, and may be encouraged to pursue more honest professions. "We'll deal with them, and return to escort you out of here when we return," she adds.
"Oh my ... we need to get these poor people out of here," Eltariel murmurs. She will use the wand of lesser vigor to help revive them and distribute her trail rations - not too much food each, as they probably cannot handle much. She'll use her heal skill to assess each one. Heal (prisoner #1):
Then see if any of them can give us any further information ...
"I do not think any of us took any blows," Eltariel responds. "Fredrich, that was very impressive. Let's see what we have in here."
"Start working down the other one, the cold should finish off the first," Eltariel calls out. She gestures and speaks words of the strange druidic tongue, and Kegmar feels his connection with the earth deepen.
Eltariel is in A7. "Try and hold them at the door!" she cautions. Knowledge (nature): What does she know about shambling mounds? Edit: Just about everything it would seem. "Whatever you do, don't hit them with electricity - fire isn't much help either. Don't let them grab you." On her turn, Eltariel will cast creeping cold on one. Damage (cold): Fort save DC15 for half.
"Shambling mounds," Eltariel mutters. "They're strong as oxs and can engulf you alive. What's up with them? They normally attack anything animal."
"Be ready," Eltariel casts light on a copper and tosses it into the darkened interior of the building.
"All right, let's see what we have in here," Eltariel nods to Layjiani, standing well back.
Eltariel examines the ground for signs of what may dwell in this structure. Survival:
Detecting magic ...
Eltariel makes her own careful descent, looking around concerned. "Stay clear of any fungus - we've encountered shriekers before and we do not want to set any off here."
Eltariel readies her entangle spell to counterspell the effect is anyone employs it.
"I can go with that," Eltariel nods. "Are you two in agreement?"
Eltariel complies with the request, casting light on the cloth and then taking a close look at the 'door' ...
"Then let us get after those bugbears. Be alert, my friends, the forest could conceal anything."
"Layjiani, it's her way. If it stops spontaneous undead, I will not complain. I am sure she will deal with all of the fallen the same way."
"It looks like there may have been some kind of a fight here," Eltariel observes. "What say you Layjiani?"
"Let's leave no stone unturned here, then go after those bugbears - I think they will have further information on our treant," Eltariel speaks as if from experience.
Eltariel takes the Alchemist's fire for any who feel the need to carry some, and the chalice to put in the party's omnipresent loot stash.
"Nothing like making sure," Eltariel comments. "Especially with trolls. Let's keep together while we search, we don't want another run-in like that. Some trolls keep company, but if this one had any I'd imagine it would be with us by now."
Eltariel fishes out the wand of lesser vigor and uses a charge for herself and Fredrich.
Eltariel backs up five feet and unleashes a firebolt at the troll. Ranged Touch:
Initiative: Eltariel will take a step behind the shelter of the fighters, although still with a field of attack before her, spell ready. "Do you come to parley or fight?" she asks if the troll does not attack before her turn. If it does she cuts loose with a burning hands instead.
Eltariel will do just that as we go around. At the corpses in the smithy she pauses, and examines the human - does he show any signs of the 'curse'?
"They do not need them, merely moisture," Eltariel corrects. "A little rain will keep them all alive a while. Let's investigate the remaining buildings in any event."
Eltariel feeds the grateful Meg and explains to the others: "The poor dog's owners became sick, then the bugbears came and stole everything. I am guessing this was after the transformation to trees took place. There is one thing we need to do here, friends - mark the well as poisoned, and knock some holes in the buildings to let light in. Without it the trees will sicken and die, and then all hope of a cure is gone." Once Meg is fed, Eltariel will release her and follow where she leads - although it will not tell us much if it is straight to the two trees indoors.
"... and here's a scroll of speak with animals I prepared earlier." Eltariel uses the scroll and asks the dog what happened. :)
Eltariel will move behind the property, likely to find a dog in the yard tied up and hungry ... Wild empathy: Looking to calm the animal and feed/water it.
"The treant or the bugbears? I think we'll need to take the latter first. They may have information on our treant, after all, and so far as I know he is as yet unaware of our presence."
"You were correct - the well has been poisoned," Eltariel confirms. "Kegmar, you doubtless know more of such things than I, can you identify the poison and perhaps concoct an antidote? Not out here, obviously, but if there is a chance of saving these people in some form we should take it."
Eltariel will first detect magic on the well and it's vicinity, then detect poison.
"Agreed - I like being close to nature, but I don't want to be that close for a few centuries yet."
"I most certainly do," Eltariel confirms, and looks for the villages water-source.
"Who could have done this?" Eltariel asks as she examines the damage.
"Be very careful, all of you. The root cause of this," Eltariel is unaware of the inadvertent pun, "could be anything: we should not remain too long, but find out what we can and then leave. Look for diaries, letters, log-books, whatever might tell us something." Search check:
"Yes .... something very strange has happened here." Eltariel mutters a cantrip and looks around with her wizard's sight.
"This is strange ... all right, let's try the Inn first. Layjiani, can you do the honours?"
"I'm guessing, but if the information about this treant trying to corrupt fey is correct, I would guess it is fey magic, or else some eldritch magic the treants themselves have. You have to concede from their point of view it is ... appropriate."
"Hello!" Eltariel calls as they enter the silent hamlet. At the inn she knocks loudly on the door. |