AAremeth has always wondered how he survived the woods and one fancy he came across during his youngling years was perhaps that Ulizmila, might have protected him on his toddle to the wood cutting camp, he certainly couldn't have survived either of the beasts they had encountered before today.
The odd elf realizes that while she must be powerful, she might not be worthy of such stugma, he would wait to be afraid until she required it of him.
AAremeth will observe quicksilver for a moment before continuing in, he has always been a decent judge of character.
perception:
As you all cautiously approach the hut you notice the door has rotted from its hinges and is actually stuck into the door-jam at an angle. The porch is rotted away in places the reek of mildew and wood-rot waft out of the hut.
Looks deserted...
Perception:
Trevor shifts his grip a little on his axe and javelin, expecting evil to manifest. Sweat beads appear on his forehead as he wills himself steady. Step by slow step, he moves forward.
Hold on gentlemen, let me take a cautionary glance.
Aaremeth walks around the less than excited to get there warriors and crouches down peering about the cottage for any signs of a trap.
Perception
After a good look he will call out calmly. Excuse me, lady of the vale, might we have a word with you, we seek a bit of advice and perhaps a minor trade.
surely if they can handle fighting an owl bear and a tatzylworm, then they can handle speeking with a hermatic elderly woman.
You see no traps AAremeth, and you get no reply you all get the impression that the hut is deserted; There is defiantly no sign of life.
AAremeth brings a sunrod out and cracks on it on the ground sending the bright light into the area, Holding it high so that they might see into the cottage.
AAremeth moves the door out of the way excepting help from or helping Nikolae in moving it. He will hang his sunrod on a hoo on a belt across his chest for the moment.
+1 from guidance =10
AAremeth grabs the door to heft it out of the way with a mystical ripple he manages to get the door to the side of the entryway. The inside of the hut is aglow in the light from the sunrod you hear an assortment of small vermin scurry away from the intruding light.along the walls are a jumble of shelves haphazardly put up all oner the small cabin. All manner of clay jugs, cloudy bottles, strangely cut rocks, rotted bunches of herbs, and a museum of other esoteric curios litter the hut. A rusty stylized 5 foot wide cauldron dominates the room near the fireplace its ash covered surface a relief of capering imps and leering devils. Across from the door stands a high-backed chair made of wicker, the gigantic curved tusks and hundreds if not thousands of assorted teeth adorn the back. In the chair sits what appears could be a corpse wrapped in filthy linens, its form padded with pungent herbs and sprouting patches of thick white mold.
A bit ashamed that his fear of the unknown got the better of him, Harn moves up the stairs as Aaremeth forces open the door. Peering in, he shutters a bit at the sight of the inside, specifically of the moldy skeleton in the wicker chair. However, Harn remains resolute as he enters into the small shack to take the brunt of whatever witchcraft might be thrown the group's way.
Trevor stays outside, by the door, keeping an eye on the surroundings.
Perception:
"This place looks abandoned. Perhaps she doesn't live in these woods no more? AAremeth, do you think we could find what we're looking for in her jumbled stuff?"
If you can describe what we should be looking for, how it might be stored, we can help search for it.
it should be a root, named rat's tail much for the look of it's namesake, it is pickled so hopefully in a tightly sealed jar.AAremeth looks over Harn's shoulder. While technically true Trevor, it isn't because she left in the traditional sense. tis a shame that she has no one to bury here. I'd like to return to see her off a bit more properly..
He observes Harn for another moment and if nothing happens to him, he will follow him in.
perception
Lueck will help search.
Perception
You spread out into the hut looking at the assortment of strange things collected on the shelves and stacked where ever there is room. After a few moments Nikolae sees what he thinks may be the Rat Tail in a jar of slightly cloudy liquid.
Nickolae carefully picks up the jar asking AAremeth "Could this be it?" No sooner does he pick it up then the large cauldron begin to rattle its clawed feet rattle, the sound of scraping iron echoes as small stunty legs extend from the feet.Eerie green light issues forth from under the lid that sprouts two iron eyes clapping open to chomp down. It looks back and forth to decide who will recieve its iron wrath.
inititive
- Trevor
- AAremeth
- Lueck
- Harn
- Nikolae & Vermiis
- cauldron goes on 14
Startled by the unexpected threat, Trevor is a little slow to react.
He rapidly spins, dropping his javelin and raising his axe, then, with a roar, charges through the room at the enchanted bucket, putting all his weight behind his blade.
PA Greataxe: to hit (including a +2 charge)
Damage
His movement through the room his far from efficient and he finds little purchase to swing his axe through all the clutter that hangs around.
Round 1
I need to drink more during the day.
Lueck hoists his club in two hands and brings it down on the kettle.
To Hit
Damage
Round 1:
Power Attack:
Damage:
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Nikolae's action was to put the jar out of reach of danger, since it's important. He's not taking a combat action, having the whacky notion that he could negotiate with it. ('Cause he's never really dealt with ambulatory furniture before, and is a bit out of his element...)
Given the reactions of the others, that's a lost cause, obviously, but keeping the rat's tails safe is primary on his mind.
Vermiis will not attack this round either, since he hadn't entered the hut yet.
Round 1:
AAremeth reaches for a vial of acid and tosses it into the mouth of the beast. It claps down it's mouth then shakes from side to side if a cauldron could look unhappy this one now does.
Nikolae quickly sets the container up on the shelf again, so that it doesn't get broken in whatever melee is about to ensue...
"I was gonna pay for it!" he protests to the ambulatory cauldron, nonsensically.
Vermiis looks up from the fat little shrew he is nibbling on outside.
The cauldron scuttles forth at AAremeth biting down on him with his lid-mouth. It tries to keep hold of AAremeth as if to pull him into his inside, but AAremeth struggles free.
Trevor rapidly spins, dropping his javelin and raising his axe, then, with a roar, charges through the room at the enchanted bucket, putting all his weight behind his blade.His movement through the room his far from efficient and he finds little purchase to swing his axe through all the clutter that hangs around. It clangs loudly off the cauldron's side one of the eyes swivel to look at him.
Having stayed back to keep an eye on things as the others looked around, Harn was shocked to see that trouble was gonna be coming from the cauldron. Moving as fast as he could in his shocked state, Harn brings his axe to bear, swinging with all of his might, wanting to take this strange creature out before it started spewing hexes or what not, it was after all a witch's cauldron. He flanks the cauldron opposite Trevor clanging loudly the cauldron. It looks like a gnomish koo-koo clock with the two Valesmen swinging axes at the enchanted cauldron.
I need to drink more during the day!
Lueck hoists his club in two hands and brings it down on the kettle; adding to the cacophony of banging it begins to sound like a tolling of a bell as the cauldron bounces beak and forth on its legs looking none the worse for ware.
Vermiis gobbles the rest of the shrew and creeps up to pear in the hut with his ear laid back.
Round2 proceed
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Nikolae attempts to step around so that he is flanking the cauldron opposite Lueck, before taking a swing with his morning star.
Vermiis is less precise and just leaps forward to attack from any open space, attempting to find a place where he can bite the thing, perhaps it's flapping lid or one of its stubby feet?
Lueck will fight defensively. Do we have what we need? Can we leave this... thing to guard its mistress in her rest?
Its skin is thick. We should get out! "Someone grab the root! We should leave the hut, maybe it won't follow!"
As he shouts, Trevor places a last swing, trying to time the momentum of his axe with his own, before moving out of the cauldron's reach.
PA Greataxe: to hit
Damage
Acid
cure light wounds
"Well, if that's what ya want to do, then get a move on! I'll cover yer retreat!" Harn says as he takes another swing at the creature. Once the others are away, Harn will break off and retreat to outside of the rundown shack.
Attack:
Damage:
Lueck will retreat out of the hut at first opportunity.
Round2:
well, I do think they may be right gentlemen, acid and Magic will be the best if not the only way to hurt this thing. an alchemists curiousity begs me to slay it and have a better look around, but flee it, if we must. aaremeth proclaims as he attempts to tosses another vial of acid into the creatures mouth, and dumps a potion into his own. The vile of acid skips off the lid luckily the cork hitting the hard Iron. the Vile bounces past, and into the fire place shattering inside the cobbled stone hisses as the acid eats away at its surface.
Nikolae attempts to step around so that he is flanking the cauldron opposite Lueck, before taking a swing with his morning star. with a clang he chips the cauldron putting a small crack in its side. Vermiis is less precise and just leaps forward to attack from any open space, attempting to find a place where he can bite the thing, perhaps it's flapping lid or one of its stubby feet? He cannot seem to find an open lane of attack, however as the companions have it surrounded or there are shelves in the way. He growls in frustration.
The cauldron snaps at Nikolae swiveling an eye at him just missing. it clatters angrily.
Trevor thinksIts skin is thick. We should get out! "Someone grab the root! We should leave the hut, maybe it won't follow!"
As he shouts, Trevor places a last swing, trying to time the momentum of his axe with his own, before moving out of the cauldron's reach. With a mighty clack Trevor strikes the cauldron cracking it's side where he struck. Green light shines through the crack the cauldron takes the opportunity of Trevor falling back to try to bite the Valesman to no avail.
Do we have what we need? Can we leave this... thing to guard its mistress in her rest? Lueck looks at the strange cauldron and falls back outside of the hut.
"Well, if that's what ya want to do, then get a move on! I'll cover yer retreat!" Harn says as he takes another swing at the creature. Realizing after Trevor's swing that the thing isn't as strong against a good axe as previously thought just a bit resistant still it seems to have withstood his strike.
Round3 proceed
Focusing on the cauldron, Harn swings his axe once more, putting what force he had behind his swing in order to take out the creature.
ATTACK:
Damage:
Trevor stays near the door, covering everyone's escape, ready to hit the cauldron if he passes the porch to follow us.
Ready an action to hit the cauldron if he passes the porch.
PA Greataxe: to hit
Damage
"What madness is this? A possessed cauldron!?!"
AAremeth will step between Nikolae and the cauldron hopefully protecting his step back out of the way. Grab the root and get clear. AAremeth will stand with Harn until the others are clear with the root in the meantime he is going to attempt to make it pay for the nasty bite. He chunks another vial down the cauldrons gullet. Those nearby can hear the iron hiss from the corrosive liquid.
Nikolae says "I'm still not sure if that jar is the root we seek, but I'll grab it in a moment and we can get out of here and check outside."
The cauldron lurches forward snapping its lid at at AAremeth, but missing badly.
Trevor stays near the door, covering everyone's escape, ready to hit the cauldron if he passes the porch to follow us. "What madness is this? A possessed cauldron!?!"
Focusing on the cauldron, Harn swings his axe once more, putting what force he had behind his swing in order to take out the creature. Finally Harn connects with the cauldron, and even though the iron is resistant to the axe. He manages to bring the blow that seems to finish off the cauldron. It cracks even more as it drops to the ground acid dripping to the wood sizzling as it hits the ground.
"Nice swing Harn! So, is it the right root you picked Nikolae? I would prefer we stay outside to figure it out. I don't want the witch to find us inside her place, especially now that we've damaged her cauldron."
After some thinking, he adds: "Maybe we should leave some money for the cauldron and the root?"
Perception:
Sighing a breath of relief as the spell pot dies. Aaremeth looks around the room searching for valuables. I doubt that will be necessary Trevor. It seems the lady has passed. he motions to the dead witch in the chair. Having risked his life and being a bit opportunistic and a bit of an economist , he is more than happy to loot the un inhabited hovel.
Perception, know arcane,appraise
Well the first thing you notice is that the dead witch is no witch at all. It is an elaborate rouse. The body made up of sticks, branches, mud, and moss all covered with a large black cloak. Around its neck is an ugly necklace.Ugly little trinket As you go over the hut looking through the cornucopia of oddities you also find A Darkwood wand, a scroll case with 4 scrolls, and three potions. AAremeth there is also a ton of stuff you or Laurel could use in your shops.
After the cauldron is done for, Harn runs his hand over hhis axe, knowing that he would have to give it some tender love and acre after the beating it took to destroy the cauldron. Then, seeing to work, Harn get to work helping to look through the hut for anything that might be match the rat's tail's description.
Perception:
Oh whoops I forgot. The jar that Nikolae first stumbled upon is indeed the pickled Rats Tail.
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Nikolae selects the jar, and brings it outside, to bundle securely with the bark taken from the great tree. If no one is specifically carrying these items, he will make sure to carry them personally, in case some mischance causes them to lose Quicksilver...
As Aaremeth peruses the missing witches belongings, he steps outside and asks Vermiis to look for signs of tracks, suggesting what may have happened to her. Given the elaborate ruse, and prepared defense, it seems that she left willingly, but did she leave in the company of others?