Hey Guys and Gals,
I hate to be a pain but I am going to have to drop out. I just found out that I will definitely have to find a new job come July so between work, job hunting, and a couple of weddings to go to this month I am not going to be able to participate. I apologize for this but I don't want to hold you guys anymore. I'll post this in the discussion thread as well.
Sorry,
Aaron
”I’d like you to meet another of our party.” says Garavel as you prepare to follow his instructions and begin a search of the area. ”He arrived a few days before us and was translating some documents for Lady Almah when the fire began. Nano, if you would accompany these people in their search for these pugwampis... Jackal headed rats that nobody’s ever heard of…” he breaks off again shaking his head as the small halfling he had called over walks up and introduces himself to you. Having given you your assignment, Garavel returns to have a quiet word with Almah’s personal guards before slipping back inside her pavilion.
Losk and Nuveril lead the way into the darkness, your small band inspecting the ground close to the wagon and fanning our around the campsite. It doesn’t take much to discover signs of some sort of creature, the tracks crisscrossing the sand surrounding your camp, a short distance away. Eventually, you discover a trail which even those of you unskilled in tracking can follow. It leads away from the camp into the darkness, the sand churned as if whoever made the tracks was digging their heels in.
As you move into the darkness, the flickering torchlight causes all manner of strange shadows and tricks of the light. You see no sign of the jackal-headed humanoids Dashki told Nuveril about, yet every scrub bush seems to hold a dark, threatening shape…until you draw nearer and see it is only a shadow on a rock. Although you are only a few hundred feet away, the campsite is out of sight now, disappearing behind a small hillock as you follow the tracks into the dark night.
Gradually, the vegetation grows thicker as the strange trail leads further into the night. The air is still and totally silent, lending a hushed tone to your conversation. Together, Nuveril and Losk start, the hairs on their necks rising as they hear the faint cry of something or someone in pain or terror. Pressing forward towards the sound, you hurry through the cacti and spiny bushes looming out of the darkness, catching your clothing as they press their sharp thorns against you.
You feel a sense of forboding – an unnatural sense of threat, or danger. All around you though, are nothing but silent cacti, seemingly shifting in the strange flickering light of your torches. As your small group comes nearer to the sound, you are faced with a sudden cluster of the spiny plants, a thicket which blocks your path requiring you to proceed carefully in order to avoid the wicked thorns. Despite the lack of enemies, you can’t shake the feeling of impending doom.
The halfling bows before you and introduces himself as ”Nano Bristlestick, Lady Almahs highly regarded personal assistant in the arcane art." Emphasizing the last part, trying to sound important.
After that he aproaches each of you with a smile an greets you with a hand shake.
Nano scans the dwarf, his eyes focusing on the well crafted battleaxe, He whistles and reaches as to touch the weapon. ”I see you are very well equipped good dwarf.”
As he turn about to greet the half-orc his eyes pops open, and he can't help but exclaim "Woa! big guy!
Turning towards the fierce looking halfling female so far more musculous than himself, he stops in motion, and scans her from head to toe before part intrigued part intimidated stating "i've seen a lot of things, but i have never ever seen a halfling looking like a wild one!”
Scanning his three new companions, he says to himself, loud enough for the others to hear Well, we are not going to be needing muscles. I bet this trip isn't going to be boring"
He suddenly flashes them all a grin and clap his hand together
"so! Exhausting walking through loose sand that slips in everywhere looking for bringers of bad luck, who we are not even sure excists, in the darkness of the night... What are we waiting for?" He grins again obviously enjoying his own humour.
-------------------
As the cactis grow thicker around them and Nanos tunic has been ripped several places, he glance around nervously, clearly not comfortable with the situation.
"you know, shouldn't we just call it a night? I mean, obviously there's none of these jackal-wampy-thingies in this thorn inferno. And i'm sure whatever is making that noice is just some animal getting hunted by a predator that means us no harm..... right?"
He directs the last question at Nuveril who seems most at home in the wilderness.
Nano scans the dwarf, his eyes focusing on the well crafted battleaxe, He whistles and reaches as to touch the weapon. ”I see you are very well equipped good dwarf.”
"Eye, ah am; An' am not affeared to use it. This axe has ben in me family for more of yer kind's lifetimes than ah care ter count. She cuts fearsome well." Losk says this in a tone that will leave the halfling wondering if he plans to use it just on enemies, or on upstart halflings too....
"you know, shouldn't we just call it a night? I mean, obviously there's none of these jackal-wampy-thingies in this thorn inferno. And i'm sure whatever is making that noice is just some animal getting hunted by a predator that means us no harm..... right?"He directs the last question at Nuveril who seems most at home in the wilderness.
"It's true, there's summin' not right aboot this night. Ah, have no tracking skills meself, spent most o' me life in a temple, but these tracks donne look right ta me. An this feelin' o' dread is unnateral in a dwarf."
Nuveril seems taken aback to find another halfling in the party, staring with wide eyes when he is introduced, but when he calls himself Lady Almah's personal arcanist, her lip curls and she does her best not to meet his eyes for the remainder of the conversation.
Later, however, in the flickering shadows of the cacti, she has forgotten her disgust enough to answer his query. "Every predator means you harm if it knows you're there." She is gripping her weapons so tightly her knuckles are white, and sweat glistens on her skin. Glancing aside, she realizes to whom she was speaking and startles.
"Bah!" she exclaims under her breath. "Why are we out here? The high and mighty lady only wants a scapegoat. We need the gnoll killer, but there are two cooks. Why not say one of them did it? The loss will not harm our party."
As you pause before the worst of the thicket of cacti the night air is split by a sudden scream of an animal in terror. Somehow, it seems to have wandered into the middle of the cactus patch, although there doesnt seem to be an easy way through. The tracks you have been following lead straight ahead into the thorny maze. You can see the briefest flicker of movement through the thorny plants, right on the edge of your vision.
low-light/darkvision:
The sense of unease is almost palpable here, shapes loom and then recede in the shadows, the cacti eerily lit by your flickering torches. Through it all is the plaintive cries of an animal in distress.
Losk pears forward into the darkness beyond the light of the torches. "Oh, for tha love of the sun! It's only a flamin' goat! What's that it's attached to though?"
This last is accompanied by Losk moving forward through the thicket...
Nuveril peers fruitlessly into the dark beyond the torchlight. "A goat? Unless we can blame it for the fortune teller's death, I don't care!"
Nano look surprised at Losk "a goat...?"
He nods in agreement with Nuveril, and shakes his head when Losk disappears into the darkness.
"Dwarfs...." he mutters under his breath.
As Nano, Ato and Nuveril watch on, Losk presses forward into the cactus patch. The ominous feeling is still with you as the dwarf picks his way carefully through the thorny plants. After a few paces, he places his foot on a seemingly sturdy piece of ground which shifts suddenly as he places his weight on it. Losk stumbles forward, reaching out to steady himself, but somehow his legs tangle together and he trips, landing unceremoniously sprawled in the dirt and grazing his face painfully against a nearby cactus as he does so.
Nuveril doesn't quite succeed in covering up an unkind snort of laughter. "I always heard dwarves were clumsy oafs," she comments to her nearest companions. "I suppose I ought to go rescue him and the goat," she says carelessly, dropping her madu so it won't get caught in the cacti.
Nuveril follows Losk into the thicket, treading carefully to avoid the thorns. Unfortunately, as she steps to one side, her clothes snare on a plant behind her, turning to extricate herself, she somehow manages to catch her other sleeve on a second cactus causing her to stumble back and fall hard into the embrace of one of the prickly plants.
As Nano, Ato and Nuveril watch on, Losk presses forward into the cactus patch. The ominous feeling is still with you as the dwarf picks his way carefully through the thorny plants. After a few paces, he places his foot on a seemingly sturdy piece of ground which shifts suddenly as he places his weight on it. Losk stumbles forward, reaching out to steady himself, but somehow his legs tangle together and he trips, landing unceremoniously sprawled in the dirt and grazing his face painfully against a nearby cactus as he does so.
"Ack, for the love of the sun." Losk stands up, instinctively checks his axe (is there, and safe), brushes himself down, and waits for the others, still trying to look forward in the dull light.
Nuveril doesn't quite succeed in covering up an unkind snort of laughter. "I always heard dwarves were clumsy oafs,"
"That'll teach ya ta be disrespectful of a cleric of Her Holy Might, little one." Losk says with a grin, offering a hand to help her through the last of the thorns.
As Losk and Nuveril lead the way, Ato follows them into the cactus thicket. Initially, he makes good progress, carefully watching his step as he presses forward into the darkness. Sighing, Nano also follows the others into the unnerving plants watching his step as he tries to avoid the thorns.
Somehow, once in the midst of the thicket, Nano and Ato both make a move into the same space at the same time, bumping into one another and stumbling to one side, reaching his hands out to break his fall, Nano grasps a cactus with his bare hands, the spines piercing his skin painfully as Ato staggers a short distance away, also stumbling into one of the unforgiving, desert plants.
Ato's acrobatics checks. (1d20+2=10, 1d20+2=9)
The three of you are all now in the midst of the thicket, the uneasy feeling of impending trouble refusing to lift. The flames of your torches cast shifting, ominous shadows on all sides as the bleating of the lost goat continues from the darkness ahead of you.
Nuveril spits a curse but only somewhat grudgingly accepts the dwarf's helping hand. Seeing the half-orc and the other halfling falling through the cactus toward her, she snaps, "I thought you were staying to watch my weapon!" Looking back through the cactus spines, she seems on the verge of going back for it but the trails of blood from puncture wounds on her arms make her reconsider. "Bah! If it's gone when we get out of this accursed thicket, you'll answer for it."
Narrowing her eyes and holding her torch as high as her reach will allow, she squints into the darkness, looking for the ridiculous goat ... or anything else that might be out there waiting for them.
When Nano cuts himself on the cacti, he sighs. "i knew this to be a bad idea! But since we are already in it, and going back also seems to get us some knicks and punctures, i say let's go forward, rescue that goat and be heroes of the day"
With that he motions for Ato to take the lead, hoping that his big body will snap some of the cacti so Nano will have an easier time.
"Bah! If it's gone when we get out of this accursed thicket, you'll answer for it."
"yeah.. maybe the goat will take it...."
It seems relatively straightforward to progress through the thicket without cutting yourselves on the cacti, you've clearly just been unlucky so far. The bleating of the goat is closer now, although your light is not yet reaching far enough for those of you without darkvision or lowlight vision to see it.
Nano closes his eyes and focus his balance, and then lightly skips ahead, avoiding the thorns. He turns around looking at his three companions trashing through the bricket, smiles and says
You guys are about as elegant as a blind Ogre in a glasswork
Losk pulls out his family axe, feeling the heavy weight in his hand makes him feel better, and also helps him balance as he moves through the next part of the thicket.
Looking at the cacti as though they will feel the axe if they attack him again, he steps forward...
You guys are about as elegant as a blind Ogre in a glasswork
"Ah, elegant I may not be laddy, but wait till ya see me axe move. The grace will make ya cry."
Nuveril angrily rips the cactus spines out of her flesh in a manner that probably does more damage than when they went in. "Violence beats elegance anyday."
Nuveril angrily rips the cactus spines out of her flesh in a manner that probably does more damage than when they went in. "Violence beats elegance anyday."
Losk lets out a deep, hearty laugh "Ya have a lot ta learn about a dwarf then! The only grace this axe ull ever see if of the violent kind, in the name of Sarenrea she'll cleave the skulls of those as stand in our way."
Inextricably struggling to get through the obnoxious plants, the three of you press further forward. Losk and Nano manage to navigate past the cacti however Nuveril once more stumbles, rolling her ankle on an uneven patch of ground and impaling herself once more against the small but painful thorns. You are still within the heart of the small, densely packed thicket although can make out a patch of barren ground and can all now see a goat, tethered to a scrawny bush with a short rope.
Panicked, the goat is running back and forth along the small strip of barren dirt, frantically pulling at its leash when it reaches the limit of the short rope. You can see it has a number of cuts, its eyes wide with terror as it continues bleating loudly. The patch of earth it is occupying is around forty foot long and about twenty five feet across, the whole area slopes downward to a precipitous drop, looking out into blackness. The footing in the area looks uneven and is covered with loose sand, two add to the confusion there is a terrified goat running back and forth along the small strip of dirt, trailing a short length of rope behind it.
Nuveril surveys the injured goat, the loose sand, the precipitous drop. "This whole thing is a trap, and the accursed goat is the bait. And we're the ones stupid enough to walk into it -- and I only half-armed." She hefts her scimitar almost cheerfully. "Perhaps we'll find something more interesting than a goat to bring back to camp in triumph." That said, she moves through the cacti more eagerly and deftly than she has managed so far.
Losk, moves forward into the final bit of thicket...
Nano laughs at Nuverils first comment, but his smile disappears when he realize that maybe she is right about this being some sort of trap.
"It is an odd place to keep a goat, i agree."
Despite his concerns he lightly skip through the last part of the area.
1d20+6=20, 1d20+6=26
Once clear of the cacti he moves over to the goat, and try to examine the wounds to see if it was just cut on a cactus like the rest of us.
The three of you finally manage to negotiate your way through the thicket, emerging onto the thin strip of land overlooking a precipice. Striding forward, Losk's feeling of relief is premature as he somehow treads on a loose stone which slips away underneath him. Unable to keep his balance, he careens backwards, landing in a heap in the dirt, his head slamming into the ground as his vision fills with a flash of light.
Your flickering torchlight illuminates the cacti eerily - the uneasy feeling of wrongness persisting as you stand at the edge of the clearing, the thorny plants surrounding you like a silent, motionless audience. The goat is charging back and forth, up and down the length of the break in the bushes, desperately trying to pull itself free. Moving close enough to examine it will risk getting tangled up in the rope, or bowled over by a panicked goat.
Eagerly looking around for any hidden enemies, Nuveril is thwarted when a cinder from the torches flies into her eye. Cursing and rubbing her eye, she is blind and deaf to anything around her.
None of you notice anything else - there is a small strip of almost bare land in the centre of the cactus thicket. The ground is uneven and slopes towards a precipitous drop, although usually you would not find it troubling - given the feeling of unease which pervades the area, everything seems that much more dangerous. Eyes wide with panic, Rothbard the goat is tied to a small shrub and is running back and forth along the strip. He stops abruptly each time he reaches the end of his tether before turning and charging back in the other direction.
Finally clearing the cinder from her eye, Nuveril takes in the situation once more -- the panicked goat, the dangerous precipice, and the overall sense of doom hanging over their heads -- and sighs. "Thrice-accursed goat," she grumbles. "We ought to slaughter the thing and take it back as tomorrow's breakfast." Digging in her backpack, she retrieves a length of rope which she knots around her body, then tosses the other end to Losk. "Here, dwarf; you look difficult to pull over. I'll try to cut the creature's tether, but I believe Dashki's rats are about tonight. If I go over the cliff, reel me back up."
Finally clearing the cinder from her eye, Nuveril takes in the situation once more -- the panicked goat, the dangerous precipice, and the overall sense of doom hanging over their heads -- and sighs. "Thrice-accursed goat," she grumbles. "We ought to slaughter the thing and take it back as tomorrow's breakfast." Digging in her backpack, she retrieves a length of rope which she knots around her body, then tosses the other end to Losk. "Here, dwarf; you look difficult to pull over. I'll try to cut the creature's tether, but I believe Dashki's rats are about tonight. If I go over the cliff, reel me back up."
"Ey, ya'll not go o'er while I hold this"
2d20.takeLowest(1)+1=6 Famous last words....(11 if I'm allowed to take 10 on the Str check!)
As Nuveril takes a swing at the cord which is restraining Rothbard the goat, her scimitar tangles in the rope she has tied around her waist. Unluckily, just at that moment, Losk was readjusting his grip and pulled it taut, almost twisting the weapon out of Nuveril's hand. Her backswing spoiled, the sword hits the rope with the flat of the blade, completely failing to sever it.
Startled by the halfling's approach, Rothbard charges around frantically, desperate to avoid her. The trailing rope threatens to tangle around Nuveril's legs and pull her off balance, unless she can jump out of the way.
As Nuveril takes a swing at the cord which is restraining Rothbard the goat, her scimitar tangles in the rope she has tied around her waist. Unluckily, just at that moment, Losk was readjusting his grip and pulled it taut, almost twisting the weapon out of Nuveril's hand. Her backswing spoiled, the sword hits the rope with the flat of the blade, completely failing to sever it.
Startled by the halfling's approach, Rothbard charges around frantically, desperate to avoid her. The trailing rope threatens to tangle around Nuveril's legs and pull her off balance, unless she can jump out of the way.
"Ack, what'r y' doin'?"
Seeing Nuveril in trouble Nano rushes over to help Losk hold the rope.
Nuveril tries to leap free of the rope trailing behind the panicked goat, but is unable to jump clear, her legs swept out from under her as she stumbles forward and sprawls in the loose dirt. Watching her helplessly sliding towards the edge, Losk tries in vain to hold Nuveril back with the rope, finding himself also pulled a few steps into the clearing. Nano joins the dwarf, however even together they are unable to prevent Nuveril from going over the edge, only arresting her fall once she is dangling three or four feet down.
Nuveril finds herself dangling above a fifteen or twenty foot deep ravine, suspended over a large forest of cacti. If she had fallen to the ground, it would have been a painful landing. Losk and Nano remain above on the other end of the rop. They have managed to stop her fall for now, however will need a successful DC 15 strength check to hoist her back up into the clearing.
Holding the rope with all the strength he can muster Nano says to Losk"There is surely something odd going on here! We were supposed to be able to hold her. She is not that heavy after all."
Then he yells to Nuveril "Are you ok? We'll pull you up, just hold on a second. Try to climb up with our help."
Turning back to Losk he looks him straight in the eyes and tighten the grip on the rope
"Okay dwarf, on three! 1.. 2.. 3!!
Muttering a steady stream of curses under her breath, Nuveril reaches out for the edge of the cliff as she dangles, trying to find places to wedge her hands and feet to climb back to the top.
Losk heaves on the rope, but with every pull, it seems to slip back through his hands again...
"I think ya may be right. There's no way this should be this hard."
While pulling the rope, Nano glances around, looking for.. well anything unusual.
Nuveril struggles to pull herself up over the lip of the precipice, holding onto a scraggily plant clinging to life on the chasm wall. However, as she hoists herself up the plant pulls free from the wall, showering her with dirt and small pebbles as she dangles helplessly once more.
Up above Losk and Nano are struggling, however there is very little danger that you will drop Nuveril, it just seems you are failing miserably to coordinate your actions. As you brace yourselves for another attempt, Losk feels a sudden burst of pain in his side. From across the clearing a mangy cross between a rat and a jackal emerges from its hiding spot amongst the cacti, barking and yapping unintelligibly. It is dressed in shabby rags and carries a tiny shortbow which it is reloading after shooting Losk.
Pugwampi attack on Losk. (1d20+3=17, 1d3=3)
Initiative for Nano, Nuveril, Losk and the Pugwampi. (1d20+4=7, 1d20+3=12, 1d20+0=11, 1d20+5=6)
Hearing the yapping sound, and Losk's exclamation, Nuveril renews her twisting and scrabbling for a handhold. "What's up there?" she shouts eagerly. "Something to fight?"