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Sounds like a good idea, Kakao. And we will also have the opportunity to tell him how stupid running off into the wilderness alone, at night, with a monster that all of us in combination were bested by.
Karl's attempt to sound angry are wreaked by his relief to see Caramir alive. He guides Caramir to the barn.
Laggard: to be lazy, apathetic, slow
I am relieved to see you Caramir. I thought you were another victim of the hollow man,
While being completely ignorant of magic helps? I'm not an archmage to be sure, but I know something of what I speak. It has had help. It was aimed like an arrow last night. It went for its target and left. Karl shakes his head.we are reaching for snowflakes. Whether intelligent, bound or automaton, it needs to be destroyed. To mikka don't take it the wrong way mikka. Weird can be good. It's just my family has had problems with druids, from time to time. I really shouldn't follow their attitudes. . On hearing the villagers on the wood wards, karl shakes his head. superstitious villagers!
You are mistaking programming for intent, I think. Golems in general are mindless, and are empowered by the dead or elemental spirits. So I have been told, anyway. They simply obey orders. An order like "follow the trail of dead animals, kill any at the trails end, kill any who prevent you accomplishing this task" would be sufficient to do everything it has done. Of course there is the other possibility. Golems can go berserk, which makes them...unpredictable and lethal. Karl shrugs. there have been stories of intelligent golems, and I guess that is possible. But why would it travel all that distance to attack a, forgive me, fly speck of a village in the middle of nowhere? It is more likely that someone is doing the thinking for it. Someone is laying the trail of dead animals. Not the hollow man. That someone is the murderer.
Kakao@ Oh, my family was interested in druids for...reasons I guess. I was tasked in learning a bit. I wasn't much good at it, but wood golems are a druidic item. It seems logical if the Hollow man can use them, there is a link.
Karl thinks after Kakao asks about the stick men. It is obvious that the hollow man could control them. So there is a link of some sort. I think it is a magical link in that they are all created by the same type of magic. Druidic, I think. We should find out who made them. And maybe we should destroy them.
Karl frowns. I'm not certain. I don't think so.
Here, I'll show you the way.
to make a golem requires powerful magic, to control it less so. We have no suspects yet. Wood golems are made by druids. There are none here. But it is controlled. It heads for specific targets.
we believe this golem is guided, by someone who has a grudge of some sort. It follows a trail of dead animals to its target. Golems are mindless, in general, so need something like that, a simple instruction, such as follow this trail, kill any who oppose you, kill any at the destination.
It's hollow man by the way. Why do you keep saying hallow?
A good question. I for one would not say no to more aid. As long as it is timely
someone has been spying on thus meeting, i think.
I believe the no retry on spells applies to identifying spells being cast, or that have been cast.
hmph, I though we were just being nice. Well, I won't say no to payment, but let us worry about the creature first. Our friend ran off in pursuit. We could track him. Hopefully he is alright.
Karl steps up, holding his hand up. Rash accusations will help no one, sir. Also, it is unlikely a witch or whatever will simply answer your question. But you have a small point. Who are you, please? And excuse the directness. This is a place under siege. Aldan. A name to remember
Karl disgusted at the display, gets up, grabbing the staff. BE SILENT! he yells, casting a ray of frost into the ceiling. What are you doing? This is not helping. I know you are scared but you can get through this. Think! You know the threat now, and you can prepare for it. This creature is not indestructible. The amin reason it has succeeded is due to surprise and its inate powers. But it has weaknesses. Basically it is a wood golem. Fire harms it. It also only follows a set trail of slaughtered animals. Karl continues quietly Many things can stop it. Lure it into a pit filled with kindling and roast it. Hack it to bits with axes. Other ideas are possible. But none of that will happen if you panic, and start blaming each other or us. Remember, we offered our services. We have suffered loss and blood to this thing in your defense. If you don't want us here, we will go, and good luck to you. If you want to flee, run.But consider. Barca ran. Now he is dead. You are safer together and united in purpose He looks around the meeting, trying for eye contact with as many as possible. The hollow man is a weapon I believe. Someone or something is wielding it. It may be someone here, or not. If it is someone here, we will find out who. But baseless accusations will not reveal him or her. Karl throws the speaking Staff onto the ground. The choice is yours. Make it a good one
Run caramir, run
BTW, anyone else looked at the new vigilante class playtest? Sort of 4 classes in one. Looking at it seems its power is on par with an inquisitor. Sort of.
Yeah that's it, I think
trux, you gave out a defensive spell a while ago. I seem to have lost the note I took on it. To save a bit of a search, could you detail it again? It was a defensive spell. Thanks
We have done our best, and we will help more if we can. But this is a tough beastie. We lost a companion last night in your defense, and another is missing.
i think you are seeing too much in its actions, kakao. All its actions can be explained as a construct following direction. There is a mind behind this, but it's not the golem. Karl looks over and sees the townsfolk gather.
I am in eastern Australia, so i am 16 hours ahead of you or so.
That is important, Morti, but it may have to wait. We should attend this town meeting first. Caramir chose his path. We will help him, I hope, but finding the instigator is more important. And we need to decide, as a group, how to determine that.
I think that someone is deliberately sending the hollowman to attack the village. Someone planted the trail of dead animals for it. We need to find out why Bacca was back, in case he was involved, we need to check that villager, he may know something, and we need to back track the hollowman's path. And I think we need to do this before night fall. He looks around.
Karl finishes studying his spell book, and his breakfast and gets up. He looks around a sees that the others were wandering around, doing things, so he moves to gather them up, for a private chat. When he does so, he says
Karl's Journal: we are not beating this thing with combat, not easily. Let me think about this. He casts a light spell, and pulls out his journal and starts writing.
Point: the hollow man is a wood golem. He also seems to be the local boogyman. Point: Golems are mindless automatons. They obey orders to the point of destruction. Question: Who gave it its orders? Point: It seems to be following a trail of dead animals. Question: It's a construct. It is made. Who makes wood golems? Druids? Let's say druids. Point: It killed Bacca. Question: Why? Was he the target? Point: A villager was reluctant in the preparation. Point: The hollow man approaches, following the dead animals. It arrives. It kills (its target/ whoever is in its way), then it leaves, its task done. Point: This is a weapon, like a spell from a hand, or an arrow from a bow. Question: Why use a weapon? To intimidate, to kill, to defend? Not defense, seems too malicious. So...to kill, and intimidate. Point: Animals have also being acting out of character. Druid link? Question: Motivation? Why do this. Motivations can be divided into two things. A desire for something, A relief from something. A curse? Maybe. Conquer village? No, I don't think so. Kill individuals? Maybe. Easier ways to do that. Drive Villagers away? More likely. Punish villagers? Possible. Conclusion: This is not a wandering monster, this is a weapon directed at targets. To kill specific people, and to scare the rest. If animals are used to mark a trail, someone is doing that. Further conclusion: Find that person! Suspects Bacca: Could be a ritual gone wrong. Didn't he leave. Strange he is back, at night when it attacks. Reluctant villager: He should be questioned. Priest: Never trust a priest. They always have an agenda. His dementia could be a fake. Druids: see priest Comment. Also woods bunnies. But would they slaughter animals just to launch an attack like this? Clues to look for: Holy symbols, possible of evil cults, or druidic. Someone with hunting and wilderness skill. People with a grudge vs the village/people in it. Bacca's body. We have his head, but his body may reveal clues. Further question: If the Golem could vanish in the trees, why to such an obvious approach. Answer: because it had to. It was following the trail set for it. things to do. Back track golem to starting point. I'm betting it is a sort of shrine. We cannot trail it when it left, but we can back track the approach. But first, seek out clues.
Karl looked around from his spell book. Isn't morti in that cart over there? I thought Caramir was back also
Karl, overcome by tiredness, watches Caramir run into the woods. Shaking his head he returns to the barn, and finds the note.Oh. Fair travels, my friend He sits, trying to collect his thoughts. we are not beating this thing with combat, not easily. Let me think about this. He casts a light spell, and pulls out his journal and starts writing. Point: the hollow man is a wood golem. He also seems to be the local boogyman. Point: Golems are mindless automatons. They obey orders to the point of destruction. Question: Who gave it its orders? Point: It seems to be following a trail of dead animals. Question: It's a construct. It is made. Who makes wood golems? Druids? Let's say druids. Point: It killed Bacca. Question: Why? Was he the target? Point: A villager was reluctant in the preparation. Point: The hollow man approaches, following the dead animals. It arrives. It kills (its target/ whoever is in its way), then it leaves, its task done. Point: This is a weapon, like a spell from a hand, or an arrow from a bow. Question: Why use a weapon? To intimidate, to kill, to defend? Not defense, seems too malicious. So...to kill, and intimidate. Point: Animals have also being acting out of character. Druid link? Question: Motivation? Why do this. Motivations can be divided into two things. A desire for something, A relief from something. A curse? Maybe. Conquer village? No, I don't think so. Kill individuals? Maybe. Easier ways to do that. Drive Villagers away? More likely. Punish villagers? Possible. Conclusion: This is not a wandering monster, this is a weapon directed at targets. To kill specific people, and to scare the rest. If animals are used to mark a trail, someone is doing that. Further conclusion: Find that person! Suspects Bacca: Could be a ritual gone wrong. Didn't he leave. Strange he is back, at night when it attacks. Reluctant villager: He should be questioned. Priest: Never trust a priest. They always have an agenda. His dementia could be a fake. Druids: see priest Comment. Also woods bunnies. But would they slaughter animals just to launch an attack like this? Clues to look for: Holy symbols, possible of evil cults, or druidic. Someone with hunting and wilderness skill. People with a grudge vs the village/people in it. Bacca's body. We have his head, but his body may reveal clues. Further question: If the Golem could vanish in the trees, why to such an obvious approach. Answer: because it had to. It was following the trail set for it. things to do. Back track golem to starting point. I'm betting it is a sort of shrine. We cannot trail it when it left, but we can back track the approach. But first, seek out clues. After writing this Karl closes the journal, and settles down to sleep. The day would bring fresh perspective.
Earlier@Thanks for the healing, Kakao Karl stirs Can't a mage get some sleep? he grumps. When he sees what's going on, he says No Caramir, don't provoke it... too late as the arrow flies.
Karl flops to the ground, exhausted by the tension release. It's gone. For a long moment he says nothing staring at the ground. Odd. It's leaving like that. Did it seem confused to you? It did to me. As if it's instructions were no longer relevant. He gets up. We have to follow it, find out where it came from. Let's look at the tree is vanished near first, see if we can find a trail or a clue. Karl, hefts his axe, and starts to the tree.
The dead creature you threw in there?
Go in you dumb lump of wood. Morti, if it doesn't go in, we'll charged the bugger.
Karl renews the light spell at barca's hut, so the area is well lit.
He Then moves to join the party
oh s#@$! More of them? Karl hefts his axe, nervously.
why not grab it? But whatever works
Karl gathers wood, straw bales and other flammable stuff and throwing it into the house. He also explains the plan to the villagers.
dive through a window?
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