Magpie Spots Nothing.
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Magpie kicks the thing with a diapproving look on his face.'This thing isn't natural - we should destroy it's remains.' He'll then start to have a good search around the base of thge tree for the moss. Search for Elderwood Moss (1d20+2=4)
Magpie is too startled to do anything except strike out at the beastie that is attacking him. Attacks with Spear; Damage (1d20+1=15, 1d8+1=9) Does Magpie recognise the beastie ? Knowledge Nature to recognise beastie ? (1d20+7=8) I'm assuming Vorax will act on Magpie's turn to make it easier.
'Do we think the moss in around the tree, on the tree or up it ?' Magpie will tentaively approach the tree keeping his eye's fixed on it - thinking nervously of Hobgoblins and arrows and the like. 'Vorax Heel!' Handle Psychotic Badger (1d20+8=12)
Magpie pause as he enters the clearing for a moment of silent contemplation of the awesome power of nature.
As soon as he's sure the fox is stable (and free from the trap) Magpie thanks Greywulf for his assistance and Estra for his healing and then inspects the bodies of the Razorcrows. Selecting one of the longest tail feathers from both he ties them into his collection and then feeds the birds' corpses to Vorax, unless anyone else wants them ?
I will go over to Arianna and convert Shield of faith to a cure light wounds for 8 points of healing (over kill but a good roll). “ Let the Blessed healing of Sarenrae help and heal you my friend.” It was Magpie that took the damage - Magpie beaten up by Crows Typical !!
Magpie slowly approaches the Fox trying to calm (Wild empathy to Calm Fox (1d20+1=8)) it and accertain just how injured it is (Heal- Fox Triage (1d20+5=25) ). He'll use a couple of Cure Minor wounds on it if it looks like it needs it - that all he can do. 'Can someone help me get this trap open while I hold him ?' Incidentally, what type of Fox is it ? (Identify Fox (1d20+7=24) )
If he is still under attack from a crow after Arianna's done her stuff Magpie will strike up inhto the air with his spear trying to pluck the unnatural bird attacking him out of the air. Magpie attacks crow with spear; damage if relevant (1d20+1=6, 1d8+1=2) If he is not currently under attack he'll hunker down in the bushes and get his sling ready. 'Don't trample the Fox !'
Before he realises just how suspicious the situation is, Magpie erupts from the undergrowth with a flurry of leaves, he darts across to the Fox and if possible, picks it and the trap up and carries it both into the bushes near to where he thinks Arianna is. However if the Fox looks too injured to be moved he'll try to help it with with a Cure Minor Wounds.
After saying what he thinks is making the noise Magpie puts down his shield and pack, grabs his spear and peers ahead up the path. . "I'll go look. I'll go no more than 100 feet and come back the way I came - if anything comes back on the path, it's not me. I'll shout for Vorax if in trouble." To Arianna: "I'll go right side of Path, you go left." To Vorax: "Stay !"Handle Animal (1d20+8=24) If he see's nothing he'll then move off right of the trail until in some kind over cover and then start moving parallel to the path looking for the source of the sound. Move Silenty (1d20+5=20)
Listen and Spot if they're needed again: Listen (1d20+5=6)
Magpie Listen Check (1d20+5=17) "Be Careful. There's something up ahead of us and it seems to be in pain. I could sneak ahead to check it out?" Magpie listen's intently to the noise trying to recognise what creature is making the sound and if it's genuine.
Listen check to wake up when trappers arrive: Listening whilst asleep ! (1d20+5-10=2) With a loud snore Magpie rolls over and then settles once more.
Magpie rolls himself up in his bedroll muttering "Wake me when I'm needed" and, after a few minutes of dry coughing, falls asleep. Vorax, certain that Magpie is asleep, disappears off into the woodland in search of a meal.
After warning the rest of the party to 'avoid live wood' for the fire and telling Vorax to 'Stay' (Handle Animal Vorax (1d20+8=10)), Magpie too slips off to try his luck at the hunt.......closely followed by the diobediant badger. Hunting Survival Instinct (1d20+8=9). After about an hour Magpie returns empty handed disgusted with himself but vocally blaming Vorax who "Frightened everything off !"
"He's deranged and he smells bad - but he's a great tracker." To Greywulf "Tree first ?"
After about 30 minutes Magpie returns carrying a battered looking sling bag stuffed with gear and followed buy a slightly mangy looking and heavily scarred animal, a Badger. "This is Vorax - if you like having fingers don't touch him. Vorax, these are the people I was talking about, try not to bite too many of them." "Are we ready to go ?"
"However, if we deal with all quickly, the Taint won't have time to effect us more than it has already. We should not wast time." "I have some things to collect from my camp. We meet outside The Sitting Duck in half an hour ready to go. Yes ?" With that Magpie rushes out of the Herbalist, out of town, and picks up his pack and Vorax from his camp.
Magpie, with another hacking cough: "So we go then ? Now ?"
After listening to laurel's description of Blackscour Taint MAgpie's face looks even grimmer than before. "It seems that those of us who are ill must find a cure or die trying - which is preferable to dying from the Taint !" Upon hearing of the strange ingredients needed for the 'long shot' recipe: "I may be able to help with locating the tallest tree and perhaps more." Knowledge Nature to locate Tallest tree (1d20+7=16) Knowledge Local to locate Witch and Dwarves (1d20+1=10) To those who are introducing themselves: "I am Magpie. I live in the woods."
"This sickness is Nature's punishment on those that defile her. But she is rarely without forgiveness to balance her wrath. Surely there is something you can do ?" Now that he knows the sickness name,'Blackscour Taint', Magpie tries to see if he's heard of it before (Heal roll (1d20+5=7) Knowledge(Nature) (1d20+7=13)).
Arianna has asked the question Magpie wants answered. He'll indicate with a nod that he too has the sickness and needs a cure.
"This Healer doesn't cheat. I now realise She ministers to frightened people as they ask whether there is anything to be frightened of or not. Like comforting a spooked animal even though no predator is there. If we let her do her task in peace we'll probaly get seen quicker, unless......" Realising the Healer may need help Magpie moves to the doorway and ties to catch the attention of the Herbalist. "Do you need help ? I have some skill with afflictions." To the others in the queue: "Do any of you have skill at healing? Perhaps we could help her attend to the fears of these people ? Faster is better."
(To Arianna)"They're frightened. I tried to tell them. I'm not good with people."
Overhearing Kai's comment. "Most of them do not have the sickness."
"I don't like people. I sleep in the woods outside town. I'm here to help the loggers help the forest." Adding with a grim smile, " they don't know that yet." The smile becomes a fit of sneezes and Magpies eye's show themselves to be shot with red. "People. Too many people. And where you have too many people you usually get sickness ! UGH !"
Magpie looks at Arianna's delicate hand and then examins his his own cracked and dirty paw and with the ghost of a smile hides it slowly in the depths of his cloak. "Badger Piss" he informs."I'm Magpie."
"I live in the woods. I take the wood the trees no longer grieve for and turn it into images of the angry spirit of the forest." (He produces several little carved figurines of 'forest spirits', all wide eyed and angry) "People sometimes buy these from me in the Market and I use the gold to buy the things I cannot make.
He look impatiently down the line, frustated with waiting. "Recently I have been helping those who exploit the woods to redress the wrongs they have done. But there is more to do and I don't have time to be sick !" Suddenly realising what the woman had said he asks: "How did you lose your past ?"
"I have some skill. Not enough for this sickness though. I spend most of my time in the woods." After another sudden, explosive sneeze. "What do you do ?"
Magpie now ignores those who he tried to advise muttering "Nature helps those that help themselves" If the woman who's joined the queue looks infected He'll ask "So you've got it too ? The Cure's here don't seem to work. Get more sleep - you'll feel better."
Magpie will spen his time in the queue trying to persuade those who are not infected to stay away from those that are. He'll also keep his ears open for any sign of an alternate (effective) cure which doesn't involve going running to a priest. When (or if) he gets to talk to Laurel: "I'm Magpie. I'm sick. How do I cure myself ? They say your Cures are not working."
Magpie sits for a while brooding over what he should do when he remembers Laurel. With an explosive sneeze he jumps to his feet and leaves the vicinity of the Sitting Duck in his usuall rush. As he travels to the Herbalist he'll stop to check on the health and attitude of any domestic animal he see muttering "None check the Beasts". When he gets to the Herbalist's, which I'm assuming will be crowded, he'll wait patiently, stifling sneezes, trying to listen in to any conversation being had, especially between Laurel and he 'patients'. If anyone in the queue isn't sick or, at least, doesn't have the sickness he'll tell them "You're not sick. Don't stand with those that are !"
Magpie wakes feeling cold, stiff and with an ominous tickle in his throat. Whilst cooking his usual rough porridge he tries to work out if he's heard of or encountered the disease before Telling Vorax to Stay at his makeshift camp[ooc] Animal Handling (1d20+8=23)(for once the bad tempered creature does what he's asked), Magpie heads into town in search of aid. He'll spend time in all the main area of town looking for information on a cure, or someone who might know a cure. He'll try not to come into physical contact with anyone and keep an eye out for others who may be infected but not know it. If there are obivious crowds which are 'out of place' he'll go join 'em.
Stymied after 3 hours of effort Magpie will recuperate at The Sitting Duck drinking mead, sitting outside brooding over his misfortune and wondering where to go for assistance next. If he see's anyone he's aquainted with he'll hail them in a croaky voice: 'Hold. If you're not sick don't come too close. I am. Any news of a cure ? This is beyond my skill as a healer and I have work to do.'
Magpie will be periodically watching the activities of the Loggers (if they're set up within half a days walk of town) and selling his treen in the 'Market Area' during the day. Of an evening he'll be drinking mead outside The Sitting Duck and he'll sleep in a bivouac about 200 yards inside the woods on the edge of Falcon's Hollow.
Oh Dear.
The only problem would be Greywulf hunting for Furs, but Magpie would accept that as a price worth paying for Greywulf's help with his 'other endeavors'. When do you think we'll get started ? Also, would it help if I made some Alias profiles for the creatures I would commonly summon with Summon Natures Ally or are they going to be DM controlled ? To be honest I'm not sure how much I would use the spell to begin with but you never know when an 'instant' flank might be needed. I take it that with the Invisible Castle rolls we just make em and then include a link to them in our post. Never used them before.
Do you think Greywulf and Magpie would know each other ?
Spells Memorised added to character sheet.
Mevers When do you need us to be ready to get going buy ?
Magpie the druid? More like Magpie the Freak who lives in the woods !
Ok, all backgrounded up and ready to go.
Here's the Druid. I, er, got a bit carried away with the whole character sheet concept and haven't fully figured out a background but there is enough to give an impression of what he's like. He's got a 'mad' badger animal companion, called Vorax, which I'll create a profile for a bit later on. How are the characters going to meet ? Will we already know each other or.....? For DM only Spoiler: I am aware, through heresay, that something bad happens in the woods around Falcon's Hollow as the kick of to the adventure and it would be cool if Magpie could come into town to warn people and take help - would certainly cut out the 'you are all in a bar' kind of cliche. |