"It's a strategic retreat, Pipp. Does anybody have any idea what the orcling is up to?"
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As he makes flight with the pig carcass, Hieron calls, "May our feet by as quick as thought, my friends! Away!"
"Very well, then, let us make a run for it. Once we get well away, mayhap I can sneak back and catch sight of this Snow White and her army of dwarven men." Hieron commands the hound to remain behind and bark when the dwarves come into view, to give them some idea of how far behind us they are. He hoists a pig up on his shoulders and vamooses. For FDM: Hieron has two things in mind: 1. To glimpse this Snow White and 2. Does this army of dwarves have anything to do with the disappearance of his old partner, Dornn.
"My mind says, "Run now!" But something else hears the name, and has...other ideas."
"Yeah...real friendly, Pipp: Just ask B.B. C'mon, piggie, stop stalling and start talking, or we'll hand you over to the socio-path and the pyromaniac and then we can take you home the easy way -- as bacon."
Seeing the corpses, when Hieron reaches the halfling, he says,"Which of the piggies are you? What happened to your brothers? Why are you still alive?"
Thinking quickly and trusting to the luck of his god, Hieron finishes his summoning, but instead places the dog on the porch where it can sound a warning if anyone approaches the house. When he finishes casting, he moves quickly towards the door while trying to take in any details that would help him assess this surprising turn of events.
Speaking lowly to those nearest him, especially Maulfeuer, "Before we go setting the house on fire and destroying clues and treasure, let's see if we flush the little fellow out into the open, since he's already spooked. If he doesn't run, then maybe he's not alone after all."
"O thrice great Lord, send us a slavering hound with a fierce bark!"
Good morning, Mythic Monkey. Good morning others who might be nosing about in the morning shadows! Your offering is acceptable to the servants of the Thrice-Blest!
"Achai! What a smell! By Hermes' heels, this bone garden is sure to be a nest of corruption waiting to send its fledglings forth to do evil." Hieron holds the caduceus before him in grim anticipation.
::Strides through blitzed thread::
Hieron breaks off a branch around 3 feet long and takes it in the lair, where he twirls the end around in the troll's web. Once it's good and thick, he lights the end with the his flint & steel and hands the makeshift torch to the orcling. "Want a light?"
"By Hermes' heels, an interesting haul. Who knows what poor souls lost their belongings, and their wits if not their lives, to this per'lous webcrawler? I say we save the PBR against future need, and the sword and belt can go to those who call them. What say you?"
"Should we not first do a thorough search of the lair for anything else of interest?" Hieron rummages around in the lair, stacking any alchemist fire outside for the conflagration of the troll.
"Our little friend is right! We need to set this troll alight, lest it rise up on us while we search its noxious lair for coppers and clues! Who has something to light? Perhaps we can pile dried leaves over the corpse?" Hieron removes his flint and steel from his pack.
Hieron gives up on spell casting. He attempts to close with the troll so as to flank it. (Will let DM add bonus or not.) Hefting his caduceus, he aims it's axe blade and sends it trollwards with a shout. Take this, foul cave creeper!
Seeing the combat may yet get underway, Hieron casts Bless to give his allies +1 on their attack rolls for two minutes. Threefold Lord, bless the arms of my friends against the enemy!
Perception
Since the troll unaware of our presence, Hieron begins by casting Doom on the disgusting wretch. Will save DC: 13. Duration: 2 mins May the Lord of Good Fortune grant your doom through me! I assume for next round, Initiative:
Hieron pulls his pot helmet up over his hat and tightens his chinstrap. He proceeds, gripping his caduceus axe and scanning ahead for the webtroll.
UCK! This troll is a blight on the land! By the way, I wonder what Whitecrest meant by calling it a webtroll? Does it spin a web like a spider?
So, are we stalking the troll or drawing him out?
Transferring his flint and steel to his small pouch, Hieron resumes his pack, and takes one last look at the map with Baz. Well, if we have our bearings, let us make for house and be wary of the troll! Why is everyone being so quiet? The little deviant is right at least in his impatience to go, if not in his impatience with planning. Onward! He picks up some of Aevelyn's dropped "things" and hands them back to her.
"You meet such interesting people when you are an adventurer!" Pipp, that could be a song! You could call it, "Well Met in the Woods" or "Well Met in the Wilds" or something like that. Does everybody have a torch or a vial of oil or something? What about protection from fire? How are we going to tackle this troll? If we had eggs, could we lay a trap for it?
"Very good, Whitecrest -- your aid is handsome and will be repaid in revels. Surely with this intelligence, we may speed our way. We shall see you and your dames when this bloody business is done, unless the Fates interfere, that I may taste of their delights. "Comrades, let us prepare for dealing with this troll. For my souls hates the very thought of trolls, and this McLovin McBreakfast fellow sounds like a bastard ripe for the axe and torch!" Rummages through his backpack for his steel and flint.
Continuing in Sylvan: "Well met indeed, people of the wild! Whitecrest, I thank you for your greetings! Well did my Lord deliver yours from destruction in his youth, to be incubated in the thigh of Zeus after his mother's unfortunate demise at jealous hands. It seems some of our party have already given in. And while I fain would join them, we are hear on business with the The Three Little Werepigs. Can you give us news of them? Perhaps if we can learn more, we can determine whether it is best if we join you now or later.
God of Thieves! I did not expect an opportunity to demonstrate so soon! Calls to the dryads in Sylvan: Well met, fair ladies of the wild wood. I am Hieron, your humble servant, and these my companions mean you no harm! Bows from the waist as soon as he catches sight of the dryads, while never taking his eyes off of them.
Aevelyn snickers quietly at Baz's comment, "I think the goody two shoes is calling us lovebirds, simply because I feel safe in your arms." She pulls him close , and snuggles close to him. "You will protect me, right?" Oh...ah...ahem. Of course, I'll protect you. But my superiors in the priesthood of Hermes have a saying they teach us in our training: Never raise your herm in your hometown, but only at the roadside. Have you ever heard that saying? Baz, very well, let us hear Pipp's new song. Perhaps it is lay of war or a chanson of ancient days?
Cranes neck all about, checking the treetops and low-lying branches. I think I see what Baz is saying, though I'll be blasted if I can see any lovebirds. If we're already in the danger zone, we should quiet down. And if we're sending Skia and Malfeuer ahead, we should slow down to give them a chance to reconnoiter.
Aevelyn sidles next to Heiron and says softly to him, ”Would you mind if I walk with you?” You can’t help but notice she has refreshed her makeup somehow in the last five minutes. "Certainly, Miss BlackHair. Let us step lively behind our brave bard as he leads the way down our chosen path. Perhaps he will regale us with an appropriate tune as we wend our way? Or should we begin skulking?"
Q: Is the path wide enough for us to go two abreast?
"Thanks for the final words, Simon. Aevelyn, did you get your hair done when the party split up? It looks quite ravishing. Well, let us all be one our way. May Hermes guide our feet and our fortune!" The cleric steps lively down the path with his caduceus over his shoulder.
Thank you for your guidance, Simon. Any parting advice, like "Stay to the path?" Or where we might find the Special Leaf about which we've heard so much? Or maybe you can tell us why you think you're leaving us to our death?
I say investigate first, then plan. Are they holed up in the stone house after dispatching Biggy? They've certainly had time to prepare, and they seemed to have handled him with no problem with little preparation time. And do they have allies in the forest? I say these wereboarlings may pose more of a threat than we'd be inclined to think.
Hieron listens attentively from the copper tub full of steaming hot water, as all the party makes its way to their room and the facts coming tumbling out. Wereboar halflings, eh? They sound both devious and ferocious.
For my part, well, I'm sure you've heard that Lord Hermes demands that his priests meet certain minimum physical qualifications that match his public role as manifested in the sacred herms -- minimum requirements that are at the very least, quiet generous. If, fair one, you would share your information, I would fain to share with you a goodly measure of Hermes' bounty.
Picking up his Naughty Nymph, he bows slightly and indicates Pipp and Skia with a sweep of his hand. Lead the way, sun-kissed waterfall. I Hieron, with the aeolian Pipp and the dark maiden Skia, will attend.
Negotiating his way around Pipp's lute, up to the bar, Hieron favors the beautiful proprietress with a smile and removes his hat, placing a gold piece on the bar. I'm happy to see the tales don't lie, though they hardly come near the truth in its glory. What libation is this tavern's specialty? And is there a quiet corner where you could chat with me and my companions? Sadly, we're on a matter of some urgency.
She points off down the street. "Is that the place the Goblin said?" That looks like it. Skia, I'd like to suggest that you hold off on any threats until Pipp and I have tried diplomacy. Any idea how Goldie may react to seeing a dark elf such as yourself? I have little experience with elves, unfortunately. |