"I have no love for fey, but it does seem unnecessary to go after him today. We'll just need good sentries tonight."
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Nyakala tenses as she recognizes the bloodthirsty fey but forces herself to relax. Her voice murmurs in the ears of her companions. "That's a redcap, another dangerous fey. If we fight it, try removing its cap or obviously displaying a religion somehow."
As the others investigate the stable, Nyakala studies the bodies on the walls. She tries to determine whether they are hobgoblins or humans, examines their injuries, and searches for any strange or useful items they might still be carrying.
When she hears the scream, Nyakala joins the rest of the group in moving towards the tower, though she remains at the back.
"I have no objection to the group exploring further, just be aware that I will be unable to provide much assistance if you run into trouble."
As the last korreds retreat, Nyakala relaxes from her fighting stance and takes a series of deep breaths, solidifying the edges of her body that frayed as she pushed her powers to the limit. She nods as Elyas speaks. "I won't be of much help until tomorrow, so I'm happy to rest. Might be better to do it outside the fort though, so we can't be trapped in here."
I'm happy to continue with our current players.
Feeling her reserves of mental power running dry, Nyakala lets out a final shriek at the korred near Lyndis' hyenas. She again manages to punch through its resistance to her magic.
Oh no, thank you for letting us know. I hope she recovers quickly and as painlessly as possible.
Without many other options, Nyakala continues howling at the nearest korred and attempting to probe its mind. This time she at least manages to pierce the fey's resistance to her magic.
Nyakala huffs in frustration as the korreds continue to shrug off her spells, but she lacks a better method of attack. She slips between a hyena and a web to get a clearer shot, then screams yet again at the same korred as before. Nyakala adds a mental probe to her casting this time, hoping to discern what is driving the fey to continue the fight so gleefully.
Nyakala also heeds Kalleb's cry, gliding around Carthas and attempting another scream at one of the further Korreds.
Nyakala whirls around on her column of darkness as the korreds spring from the ground behind her. She blasts the further fey with a tightly directed howl.
Seeing two of the korreds disappear into rocks, Nyakala quickly glances back to make sure they haven't gotten behind the party, then advances and looks around. She sees the two fey along the wall and throws the last dark globe she can manage over Elyas' wolverine at the further korred.
Nyakala is about to begin vaulting the wall with magic, intent on penetrating the fort and continuing her assault on its occupants, when a note of caution creeps into her thoughts. After a moment's hesitation she turns and glides over the rubble slope behind Carthas to take up a position in the middle of the gap in the walls. Once there, she casts another sphere of darkness at the korred on the edge of Annelise's web.
Nice! Best of luck avoiding side effects.
With the decision to attack made, Nyakala advances past Yorc to join the main group and prepares to begin casting.
"I believe I have made my position clear," Nyakala's voice whispers in the ears of the party. "Let us take the fort and be done with this."
Nyakala remains far behind the others, hiding behind the corner of the northernmost watchtower. She listens for any signs of life within the tower as she waits for the others to scout the fort itself.
Ah, thanks. Should’ve checked that. She’ll use it on Elyas then.
"The break in the wall seems like the way to go, yes. I'll hang back while you try to talk and come help when things break down." Unless anyone objects Nyakala has Taidel and Lirosa lead the group around to the north side, remaining hidden in the trees as they move. Once in position she prepares for battle, dissolving most of her body into a humanoid column of darkness with a swirling base and small shields floating around her. She also wraps several strands of darkness around Carthas' arms, effectively providing him with external muscles that enhance his strength.
When the party advances towards the fort Nyakala follows around 100 feet behind whoever's in the lead.
Nyakala sighs. "We'll see how things look when we get there. I still think we'll have to storm the place, but if you want to risk your own skin trying diplomacy you're welcome to."
"We can figure out a way to scout the fort before attacking, but I still think there's no point trying to negotiate," Nyakala responds to Elyas. "Even if they don't attack us I don't see why they'd just give us the fort, and we'd be throwing away the element of surprise. If you're set on 'asking to parlay' I won't stop you, but I'll be hidden far away when you try."
Herge is probably still nearby, so if someone wants to ask him I'm good with that. I'd rather not take the time to go all the way to see Longfrond before we head to the fort though.
Nyakala gives Elyas a dark look. "They covered the fort in mutilated corpses and left a hidden plant monster at the door. I don't want them as allies even if that's possible. And fey can be quite deceptive. The safest way to deal with them is to do it quickly, before they've had a chance to trick you." "I agree with Annelise, we should look for other ways and try to take them by surprise. I could levitate a few people as well if necessary. As for Herge, I expect he'd have said something when I asked for lessons in fighting fey, if he was really friends with them."
"Best keep sentries posted and food stockpiled then," Nyakala tells Kining. "We'll try to handle things at the fort as quickly as possible." Later, as the party and its temporary additions prepare for their expedition, she flatly asks everyone, "So who here has dealt with fey before?"
The half-joking mood Nyakala was in earlier dissipates instantly at Aubrin's request. Her fists clench, and she forces herself to take several deep breaths, faint puffs of darkness flowing in and out of her nose. Really? They expect me to– Not again. Not– But how am I ever going to face the Fangwood if I can't do this? Nyakala realizes no one else has answered yet and finally brings herself to speak. "Fine. We'll take the fort. Or I'll help, at least. And everyone who wants to come should join us, I want all the fighting strength we can get."
"Everyone say hello to our new friend Herge," Nyakala tells the other refugees wryly. "He's going to teach us how to live in harmony with the forest, so I hope everyone's excited for that. We may also have a treant as an ally before too long, though that'll take some more convincing."
Well that was fairly noncommittal, but at least he didn't seem angry about the fey thing, Nyakala reflects. Having a giant and a treant on our side would certainly be useful.
Nyakala seems almost disappointed that Herge was won over so thoroughly by the party's assistance with the trees, but as she settles into the glade and enjoys the smell of cooking her mood turns more charitable. When the giant asks what knowledge she desires, Nyakala answers, "If you can teach me to fight fey more effectively I'd appreciate it, though I realize that may be outside the scope of your offer. If it is, I suppose learning how to better avoid notice and spot danger in these woods would be useful."
Quite understandable. I hope she recovers quickly!
Nyakala reluctantly follows suit after Annelise introduces herself. "And I am Nyakala. Wielder of umbral power and associate of the people of Phaendar." She bows, sweeping her arms out theatrically.
Nyakala rolls her eyes at her companions' approach, but assuming Herge hasn't objected to their assistance she extends a tendril of darkness from one hand and begins telekinetically moving small clumps of dirt.
Nyakala has a hint of a wry smile as she asks, "So, should we go try to find Herge again, see if we can get extorted some more?"
Nyakala uses her magic to create a susurration of whispers which rises slowly in the surrounding woods before flowing inward and coalescing around her words as the speaks. "I am Nyakala," she says, trying to sound haughty and mysterious.
Nyakala follows the others forward but remains at the back of the group. She considers attempting to read the treant's thoughts but ultimately forces herself to wait for diplomacy to run its course before trying anything that might derail it.
Nyakala remains in the rear with Elyas, watching for danger and ready to begin casting if anything goes wrong.
Nyakala leans against the side of the cave's opening, looking unusually relaxed. She idly weaves a pebble through the gaps between her fingers as she replies to Elyas. "Seems to me we should go check out the owlbears, unless someone's come up with a foolproof plan to get the trees on our side."
"We're going after the owlbears first," Nyakala responds. "Try to find whatever's causing their attacks and deal with it. Some of the council wants to try capturing an old Ranger fort next, but that's one of the places our last expedition didn't go so well. I'm not sure it's worth fighting the creatures that have taken it over." Nyakala seems to notice Edran's consternation for the first time. She looks at him silently for a moment. "Bad as things may seem, I think staying with this group is still our best way out of this mess. Pursuing... other avenues of escape would only invite more risk." Giving him a twisted half-smile, Nyakala scoops up the pile of materials she needed and heads back to her sleeping quarters. After finishing her repair work and doing a bit of meditation in her insubstantial form she turns in for the night.
Nyakala spends a moment trying to remember Edran before her recollection of sensing his thoughts after her initial arrival at Caveholm causes the memories to click into place. "Would've been hard for it go worse without someone dying," she replies. "This forest does not seem to be the refuge we need right now. And yes, I have." Nyakala pauses before making a visible effort to refocus herself on the conversation. "Where'd you see these others?"
Seems like a good approach. Nyakala would agree as long as you're the one doing the invisible scouting this time.
"Aubrin, do you know where another one of the Rangers' forts might be, or would we have to wander randomly until we run into one?"
Nyakala has mostly recovered from the physical damage inflicted by the hallucinogenic plant, but she remains grim as she stands near the edge of the council chamber. Wisps of darkness occasionally leak from her skin. "As far as the Rangers' forts go, we did find one but I don't think it would be much of a refuge. It seemed to have been captured by hobgoblins, then occupied by some other force which brutally killed all the hobs. I really don't think we're going to be saved by the Rangers at this point." "Also, I have to agree with Annelise about the owlbears. Unless someone has a specific proposal for dealing with them without combat, it seems like our best option is to kill a few and hope they get the message."
Nyakala is more than happy to pull back with the others.
Nyakala abruptly shifts into her blurred form when Lyndis speaks but remains quiet, the edges of her body pulsing with her deliberately steady breath.
Nyakala forms a protective lattice of hazy strands around herself and prepares to work more offensive magic if necessary. With a puff of dark mist from her mouth, she whispers in the ears of the rest of the party, "Seems like we should get out of here now, unless someone's really sure they know how to make friends with angry treants."
Nyakala watches the dog's predicament impassively. "Well, that was fairly predictable. Regardless, I agree with Annelise. If you want to try that path go ahead Elyas, but I'll be staying out here."
Already irritated by the rain, Nyakala's mood grows even darker as she takes in the glade. "This better not be more fey shit," she mutters. Nyakala begins to scan for magic in the area directly ahead of her as she tries to work out whether a plausible natural explanation for the glade's peculiarities exists.
Nyakala glowers up at the rain and shivers, pulling her cloak tighter. "I say we head north for a while before turning east and circling back to Caveholm." |