Nerek runs over to Calar and casts CLW on him, sacrificing Divine Favor.
Calar offers a grunt of thanks as Nerek infuses him with healing; his grunt then switches to one of exertion as he hefts his hammer again.
Flipping his knife in his hand, Geddoe circled around the strange snake man, not quite reaching the opposite side of Calar. Mentally shrugging, Geddoe carefully struck out at the monster with his dagger.
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Flipping his knife in his hand, Geddoe circled around the strange snake man, not quite reaching the opposite side of Calar. Mentally shrugging, Geddoe carefully struck out at the monster with his dagger.
Actually since it is medium, you have just enough movement to get to a flanking position. In which case if you don't fight defensivly, you would hit. Choice is yours
Actually since it is medium, you have just enough movement to get to a flanking position. In which case if you don't fight defensivly, you would hit. Choice is yoursFlipping his knife in his hand, Geddoe circled around the strange snake man, not quite reaching the opposite side of Calar. Mentally shrugging, Geddoe carefully struck out at the monster with his dagger.
Nerek looks over the creature before a smile breaks out across his face.
"You did say strange creatures lived in these woods, and I'd definitely call that one strange! Let's get that moss and get out of here."
He scratches at his forehead as he returns to collect the moss.
Gritting his teeth as he struggled to get the blade out of the monster's spine, Geddoe ground out, "Holy man! Got it right here!" After catching the dwarf's attention, he tossed the fungi to him, then turned his attention back to the task at hand. "Stupid... I was probably safer in the city!" he grumbled under his breath.
Calar places a hand on Nerek's shoulder. "Thank you again for the healing, Nerek." Calar looks back at the beast. "That was a bit close for comfort."
"Where to next?"
Vishantos decides that keeping his crossbow out while exploring is a good idea, although he doesn't reload.
"I believe we should find this witch's hut next, no? Or is the dwarven ruin closer now?"
Nerek's ears perk up at the mention of the Dwarven Ruins, although he tries to hide his obvious interest with another scratch of his forehead.
"Thank nothing of it," he says to Calar. "We all have our roles to fill. Yours is getting stomped like a beetle, and mine is making sure you live to tell about it!"
He chuckles at his own joke and goes about reloading his crossbow and preparing for the next part of the journey.
"I reckon we gather up the moss, take a few minutes to catch our breathes and make our way to the Witch's hut."
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The witch's hut is about 6 miles away according to the map the wodsman gave you. You can make it in 6 hours easily.
Alternatively if Nerek hustles you could do it in 5, if everyone hustles you could do it in 4. People who hustle will take 1 point of non lethal damage, as you already hustled for one hour today.
You would be passing out from exhaustion to benefit any further from hustling.
"No point in wearing ourselves out. We will be no good to the Hollow if we show up on the doorsteps to winded to make our request; or worse off to tired to ably defend ourselves. Let's get going, but no need to rush ourselves unless the group disagrees."
"Erf... Sounds." Geddoe breathed heavily as he tugged the stuck dagger.
"... good!" he grit, applying more force.
"Huff... by!" the thief exhaled, putting both feet on the corpse.
"ME!" Straining greatly, the dagger popped out of the spine of the dead reptillian, startling him greatly and causing him to fall back into the underbrush.
Nerek nods in agreement with Calar, while idly scratching his forehead.
"What do you boys know about this witch, anyhow?"
"The witch should be closer." Addressing everyone, "If you're not in need of a rest, we should get moving while the weather holds."
Laurent gets some of his rations out and eats a bit as he re-shoulders his gear.
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The withch is a poorly known and worse understood denizen of the woods. Occasionally used as a boogeyman to scare children, even that purpose usually fails because it is so well known the witch is a hermit in the woods.
No one really knows whether her 'power' is real, or just a vile knowledge of the roots and herbs of all the forest.
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You estimate you must be getting near the witch's hovel. The long dark shadows of encroaching night deepen the gloom beneath the canopy of trees.
Suddenly, you hear the insane squeel of some tiny animal as a short shambling corpse wanders on to the path directly ahead of you. With the glacier quick reflexes it turns to face you and you spot a small rat face poking out of one of the eye sockets, the source of the squeeling.
Oddly, the creature bears a placard around its neck, proclaiming in draconic <SHAMAN>.
It emits a low, gurgling growl which sounds strangely like 'b-b-b-r-a-a-i-i-i-i-n-n-s-s-s-s-s-s' and begins shambling towards you, murderous intent obvious in the rat-pilot's beady eyes.
Geddoe: d20 + 7 = 25
Nerek: d20 +1 = 18
Zombie: 17 + 0 = 17
Laurent: d20 +3 = 11
Calar: d20 + 1 = 5
Vish: d20 + 2 = 7
Geddoe stared at the little monstrosity, then glanced back at Nerek. "You're kidding me, right? Can you do your cleric thing on the bugger?"
Nerek presents his gold coin of Abadar.
"By the Great Road I command you, begone!" he says sternly to the zombie.
"... Well, that was easy. Let's go." Geddoe continues on his merry way.
Calar watches the abomination shuffle off. "Damn these infernal woods."
Quite pleased with himself, Nerek smiles broadly before scratching his forehead. "Are the undead common in these parts?" he asks.
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You press on through the forest, barely another quarter mile...
The sounds of the forest become suddenly distant as the trees part, opening into a small, almost perfectly circular glade. The nearest
stands of pine, eyln, and darkwood—all typically sturdy woods—twist away from the clearing, as if bent by some impossibly strong wind or seemingly in an attempt to flee despite their paralyzed roots. At the glade’s center squats an ugly cottage, little more than a pile of twigs, shoots, and ivy stacked upon mud walls. From the thatched roof dangle bundles of gnarled roots, old dried beast carcasses, and knucklebone bangles, all clattering together like gruesome wind chimes. A dozen small thatched fetishes—each shaped like a tiny man, imp, or rearing serpent—stand propped in the yard, keeping guard before a
rickety plank door.
"So, uh, Geddoe, why don't you sneak over there and see if the witch is home," Nerek whispers nervously as he scratches his forehead.
Vishantos looks up suddenly. "Did one of you yell 'Braains' a minute ago? Oh! we're here!"
"So, uh, Geddoe, why don't you sneak over there and see if the witch is home," Nerek whispers nervously as he scratches his forehead.
"Aye, do it Geddoe. I will back you up, follow about 15 feet behind you."
"So, uh, Geddoe, why don't you sneak over there and see if the witch is home," Nerek whispers nervously as he scratches his forehead."Aye, do it Geddoe. I will back you up, follow about 15 feet behind you."
Geddoe gave Calar's armor a look that said, "You've got to be kidding."
"How about this: when I get in the place, creep on up near the door. If I start screaming, well..." Geddoe shrugged, then began slinking on up to the hut.
"You'll hear nary a peep from me, master sneak. Be careful of the witch. Not many know, but she's just misunderstood.... and be quick about your sneaking. I've seen enough of the legends of these woods proved true this week. And try not to disturb any o' the charms." Laurent whispers after Geddoe.
Geddoe paused for a half step when the bard whispered after him. 'Charms? Great, just wait until I'm about to infiltrate the place...' Then he continued.
Vishantos murmurs "...perhaps I should have been ready with detect magic. Ah well..."
Calar watches as Geddoe inches closer. He withdraws his hammer and prepares for the worst.