Keegan calmly walks over to the fallen sniper, extricates his dagger from the hobgoblin's leg, and licks the blade clean.
Turning, he waits patiently for one of the birds to notice him.
"C'mere, feathery cheeses, c'mere to uncle Keegan..."
Perception BBCode 1d20=8
Jaden scans the field, looking for the last crow and seeing how the others faired in this ambush
Seeing the men relax somewhat, Effan roots about in the undergrowth, looking for the fallen razorcrow. He plans to make sure it's dead.
Faldor watches the fleeing crow and finaly takes aim and fires his crossbow. Instead of watching if the bolt hit he reloads and readies to aim.
Effan finds the crow in a tangled heap, unconcious among the tall grass and leaves. He makes sure it will never awaken.
Faldor shoots at the remaining crow, his shot flying out of sight into the forest as the crow takes wing and flies toward the north through the trees. You stare after it for a moment and decide that it has fled.
A whimper in the grass reminds the party that the fox is still in the jaws of the hunter's cruel trap.
Raph puts his crossbow away and picks up his rapier, which he looks at despondently. "My sword bloodied by some raving bird-beast... How dreadful." With that, he wipes the rapier off in the grass and hooks it back onto his belt.
He looks around at his allies. "Let us depart, lest the town die in our absence, hmm?"
"yeah you just stay away you... you... stoopid bird." Hozs heads over to the fox, making calming gestures and soothing talk. He will try and free the critter and dress the wounds. not necessarily in that order. "Hush little furling, the noisy bird-folk are gone..."
The fox seems to relax under Hozs' gentle ministrations, enough that he can tell that the trap is quite strong and that if the fox is removed and left untreated it will suffer and die in a couple days. The fox gives a soft whine and licks at Hozs' hand tentatively, it's eyes begging for help...
Jaden walks over to join Hors with the fox and aids in the animals claming and trys to pull the trap open to free the poor animal
"Easy boy, we will have you out in a second" Jaden give the arms of the trap a good pull, and it opens, freeing the animal
"I'll hold him still, if'n y'all can open the steel. Then Keegan and whomever else got hurt should gather 'round."
Jaden manages to pry the vise-like jaws of the corroded steel trap apart and Hozs extricates the animal gently from within it. Letting go, the trap snaps closed with a violent "CHINK", making everyone jump slightly at the force.
The fox's hindquarters are pretty torn up by the trap and will need a good amount of care(roughly a week) or some divine assistance to heal.
Ignoring Hozs' statement, Keegan lopes over to where he and Jaden left the hobgoblin. Stooping down, he begins rummaging through the creature's possessions.
"Hmmm... Wotcher gotten here, droogy..."
Keegan finds a well-used but servicable longsword, A shortbow made of gnarled darkwood, 13 arrows, 2 silver arrows, a dagger with a dunlied antler handle, a relatively clean suit of studded leather armor and a belt pouch. Inside the pouch is 4 silver pieces and a single human tooth. Taking a quick look behind the tree Keegan also spots a rolled and tied bundle of tanned furs. There are 4 of them and they appear to be Darkwood Wolf hides.
Knowledge nature DC 12-
"There, good dog. Hors, see if you can do anything for the animal, he might make a good hunting dog."
Jaden grabs one of his field rations, and gives a little to the poor animal. Seeing it will be in good hands with Hors, he walks back to were he droped his shield and straps it to his back.
He looks to where the Hobgolin was, and goes over to see how Keegan is doing
"Keegan, how is that arm, seems like the golinbrain got a lucky one."
Keegan finishes rummaging through the hobgoblin's things, taking the sword and dagger for himself, but leaving the rest. He begins to drag the corpse out into the open so the others can have their pick of the spoils.
"Looky, dead gobbo. 'E gots some nices on 'im. Lessee, nice arrowchucker... Umm, armor... OOOH! Double silver shields, and... lookin' like some nice nice wolfie skins. I thinks those should go to Mister Jadey, his kill, you kopat?"
Hozs will bind and wash the wounds of the critter. Cradling it in his arms as he walks over to the corpse. "Tonight I will try and get you something a little more. You'll be able to fox the wolves before I let ya to your own again." Hozs kicks the pelts and tsks at the idea of baiting. Its not the rules to use nature against nature.
"Hey, Hoss, we be keepin' the foxen? Why for? You planning for baiting?"
The first aid attempt is meager but you manage to cover the worst of the wounds with a binding of sorts. The fox is unable to walk currently but seems receptive to Hozs' ministrations.
"You're keeping that... thing? Are you daft? You don't know where it's been!"
"Truthly, me good droogy, he be knowin' specific-like where yon foxen's been."
Hozs will bind and wash the wounds of the critter. Cradling it in his arms .... "You'll be able to fox the wolves before I let ya to your own again."
The first aid attempt is meager but you manage to cover the worst of the wounds with a binding of sorts. The fox is unable to walk currently but seems receptive to Hozs' ministrations.
Effan watches Hozs and the fox, shaking his head. Leaving Catharine behind, he approaches the pair and says gently, "Hozs, might it not be better to put the beast down? It looks to be suffering greatly."
"I best be staying out of this fight. Hors is not bout to have any of that."
Jaden adds a little oil to his crossbow, working the actions a few times trying to stay a little bussy.
"I'll keep him long enough to get healthy again, maybe a week." If the wolf had done this to him, we could leave him for the wolf. But," Hozs kicks the corpse, "this aint no wolf." Hozs scrunches his face trying to see inside his head in the hopes of seeing some of the natures secrets stored in there. After a short while he nods as if in agreement with someone, "Wolves follows natures rules."
At Hozs' statement regarding wolves, Keegan begins to laugh; a shrill, creaking sound, reminiscent of treefrogs.
The woodsman calms down after a minute or two.
"Hehyeh... Hrm. *ulp* Yeah, that be the problem. That'n be gobbinkin. He been stalking for yon wolfies, now, savvy? Gots their skinses right there, O me droogy. Nature's not wanted in this timber."
"Hmph. Indeed! It seems to be filled with savages! Alas, 'tis nothing like the forests of Cheliax. I'll take fiend-haunted vistas over this boorish squat of trees any day."
"Hai, O me brother, these woods hide deadly beauties, truthly."
"I'll keep him long enough to get healthy again, maybe a week." If the wolf had done this to him, we could leave him for the wolf. But," Hozs kicks the corpse, "this aint no wolf." Hozs scrunches his face trying to see inside his head in the hopes of seeing some of the natures secrets stored in there. After a short while he nods as if in agreement with someone, "Wolves follows natures rules."
"cute little furling"
"I'll keep him long enough to get healthy again, maybe a week."
Effan grimaces. "No offense meant. Just thought that might be the easier road... for everyone." He glances around. "Shall we move on then?"
"cute little furling"
"I was impressioned that Furlings be un-visible..."
The party gathers it's things and continues making it's way around the lake. The going is easy and the party manages to get around the lake and are preparing to head north/northwest into the forest to try to locate the Eldest Tree when the day runs out of light.
Survival DC10
survival 19
Hozs is happy to be at camp, after feeding Miss Squeeker and the furling he sets Miss Squeeker to watch over the camp. He then kneels down and prepares his ki.
The fox's wound mostly close and it's leg seems to flex better after the effect wears off. The fox stands and takes a few steps, tentatively testing his wounds, then approaches Hozs to lick his hand. The fox then rolls over displaying it's belly to Hozs, a sign of trust and affection.
The night passes uneventfully after a relatively futile search for a vile and loathsome cricket who seems to want to supply the party with some up close lullaby music. Soon enough the sun is beginning to brighten the sky and it looks like it's gonna be a beautiful spring day.
After eating and breaking camp the group set off again.
The Darkwood trees in this area are starting to get larger and more dominant indicating that the forest is older in this area of the wood.
Perception-DC18---
perception 19 (20-1)
Sometime last night Hozs cast his other speaks with animals to ask the fox about the oldest tree trying to include a description of the specific moss we are looking for. He rubs the offered belly, regardless of the information received. hee hee haw
The fox, who lets you know that his name equates to 'Yip-yipa-yap', informs you that he hasn't strayed into this part of the wood but a b~~@+ once told him that she came from this direction and 'where the trees are really big'. She was called 'Yap-yip-yeeeip-yap' and Yip-yipa-yap seems to have some fond memories of impregnating her and spawning a good litter of pups. His conversation wanders to smells and scents of her before he comes back to the present topic. Yip-yipa-yap also tells you that he is gonna stick around with the 'pink 2-legged fox-friend'.
Fox-friend has nice scent.
The fox, who lets you know that his name equates to 'Yip-yipa-yap', informs you that he hasn't strayed into this part of the wood but a b~@&% once told him that she came from this direction and 'where the trees are really big'. She was called 'Yap-yip-yeeeip-yap' and Yip-yipa-yap seems to have some fond memories of impregnating her and spawning a good litter of pups. His conversation wanders to smells and scents of her before he comes back to the present topic. Yip-yipa-yap also tells you that he is gonna stick around with the 'pink 2-legged fox-friend'.
Fox-friend has nice scent.
Raphael tries not to stare. "Talking to animals now? How distasteful..."
Keegan frowns, pointing to a set of strange, cloven-hoofed tracks.
"Those tracks don't eye quite natural..."
Keegan frowns, pointing to a set of strange, cloven-hoofed tracks.
"Those tracks don't eye quite natural..."
Can't tell what they are but they don't see like any animal...Following them is easy enough but they only lead about 50 feet into the woods before mysteriously disappearing.
Keegan scratches his stubble, peering around for any other sign of what could have made the tracks.
"C'mon..."
The fox, who lets you know that his name equates to 'Yip-yipa-yap', informs you that he hasn't strayed into this part of the wood but a b~@&% once told him that she came from this direction and 'where the trees are really big'. She was called 'Yap-yip-yeeeip-yap' and Yip-yipa-yap seems to have some fond memories of impregnating her and spawning a good litter of pups. His conversation wanders to smells and scents of her before he comes back to the present topic. Yip-yipa-yap also tells you that he is gonna stick around with the 'pink 2-legged fox-friend'.
Fox-friend has nice scent.
lol!
You travel on for most of the day with very little disturbing your travels. A dunlied seen in the distance, a small Saingrist's crawler(red and black monstrous centipede) moving to hide under a log as you pass, the bird and squirrels all trying to keep hidden at your passage.
Jaden keeps his pace steady, trying not to out pace his smaller conpaions
Keegan sketches in his notebook, mostly geographic features and wildlife, but with some drawings of his traveling companions- Hozs frolicking with the fox, Jaden oiling his crossbow, Raphael washing his hands in a stream, the pair of gnomes regaling each other with tales of grand exploits...
After some time, Keegan puts his sketches away, peers at his compass, then takes stock of his surroundings. Drawing a deep breath, he exhales mightily, grinning. There's nowhere he'd rather be.
Perception, Survival (1d20+4=11, 1d20=20)
Raphael moans pitifully. "Are we there yet? This utter... greenness--yes, that's it--is getting to me!"
Due to the skill and cooperation that is display by those with knowledge in maps, survival and geography the party has no trouble homing in on the location depicted on the map as the spot where the Eldest Tree is supposed to reside.
The sun is starting to drop lower in the sky indicating that it is late in the afternoon when the dense trees and thick brush of the forest gives way, revealing a large grassy clearing. The only object in the grassy clearing is a titanic darkwood tree, at least a couple hundred feet tall, the canopy covers almost the entire clearing with branches like titan arms. The trunk is easily 10 feet across with gnarled roots the thickness of a stout man's waist delving into the soil. Leaves the size of small shields grace the branches and it's trunk is is covered in a rich, blackish bark.
The sight of this tree leaves no doubt in your mind that this is the Eldest Tree.
Due to the skill and cooperation that is display by those with knowledge in maps, survival and geography the party has no trouble homing in on the location depicted on the map as the spot where the Eldest Tree is supposed to reside.
The sun is starting to drop lower in the sky indicating that it is late in the afternoon when the dense trees and thick brush of the forest gives way, revealing a large grassy clearing. The only object in the grassy clearing is a titanic darkwood tree, at least a couple hundred feet tall, the canopy covers almost the entire clearing with branches like titan arms. The trunk is easily 10 feet across with gnarled roots the thickness of a stout man's waist delving into the soil. Leaves the size of small shields grace the branches and it's trunk is is covered in a rich, blackish bark.
The sight of this tree leaves no doubt in your mind that this is the Eldest Tree.
Keegan makes a mental note to draw this at some time in the future.
He looks the tree up and down, then turns to the rest of the group.
"I do thinks this is it." He grins at his little joke.
"It's just like the old elf said. I thought he was raving. Let's see if we can find this moss." Effan drops his oversize pack. Catharine trots up to the tree, avoiding the fox-laden Hosz, Miss Squeeker, and Faldor's fox and rubs against it's ridged bark. "What do you all see up there?"