If we're dallying... (?) ...
"So... is the hood reverse psychology, or what? Hide one's identity so that one becomes the mysterious stranger to which every man pins his secretest of hopes? Do the ladies like it? I never can seem to understand that breed..."
"But come, surely you can tell that we're more the adventuring type than your typical burger with eyes on moving a grade up the fancy ball invite list. If one doesn't do it themselves, then there's nothing in it. One doesn't roam deathly wastes just to give it up so you can tell your drinking fellows 'Ah, and thanks to good old Hoody at the Cross-roads, all I cherish is due to him'."
He who Dwells at the Crossroads says to Durnast, "You may brag, instead, that you were insolent to your betters. That is a victory that may gain you repute in some circles, but it will come at a cost." And with those words still hanging in the air, a great burst of wind rises up. It rattles all the cages so they become a giant, cacophonous windchime. Salt and sand and bones and dirt rise up and follows the swirls and eddies of the winds. When that dies down the Dweller is gone.
And Durnast's mount is on fire. It;s now coal black, with small red flames leaping over its shoulders and don its haunches. Brighter, orange flames outline its hooves and eyes. It's still nothing more than a horse, conjured from the mount spell, but it now cosmetically resembles a hellhorse.
You travel south until you are only a mile or two from Camp. Alia's best guess is that this would be the place to find the tracks, give or take a couple hundred feet.
It is still dark. You've got perhaps half a watch (2 hours) till first light. And artimus' horse is fatigued, having gotten no sleep as yet.
"We should stop here and rest. We'll start at first light. We risk to lose the tracks at night. Two hours rest won't be much but it's still better than nothing."
:
Resting here for two hours will remove the fatigue, but will set you at the "8 hours" mark. For each hour of travel once you get moving, you'll need to make a Constitution check. Because you're riding, rather than walking, you gain a +2 on the check.
"You may brag, instead, that you were insolent to your betters. That is a victory that may gain you repute in some circles, but it will come at a cost." And with those words still hanging in the air, a great burst of wind rises up. It rattles all the cages so they become a giant, cacophonous windchime. Salt and sand and bones and dirt rise up and follows the swirls and eddies of the winds. When that dies down the Dweller is gone.
And Durnast's mount is on fire. It;s now coal black, with small red flames leaping over its shoulders and don its haunches. Brighter, orange flames outline its hooves and eyes. It's still nothing more than a horse, conjured from the mount spell, but it now cosmetically resembles a hellhorse.
Or can I take it it is just a 'mark' of some sort, with no direct repurcussion?
My first instinct was to think Durnast was taking fire damage, but I guess not?
The mount is due to wink out in the morning when I normally prep spells, right?
After departing the cages, Durnast apologizes to the others for having possibly provoked a dangerous opponent, though nothing substantial seems to have come of it besides the horse.
"If that's Alia's judgement, I will go by it. Better not to lose the tracks by dark, or ruin them, as she says. If you want though, Alia, I have a scroll... which grants the sharpest night eyes of owls, if you wish to continue tracking without waiting for dawn."
Artimus holds a hand up and studies Durnast's horse. "Aye, there's a scattering of Evil, there. But it flickers like the flames themselves."
No fire damage. As for winking out, you'll have to see.
"If that's Alia's judgement, I will go by it. Better not to lose the tracks by dark, or ruin them, as she says. If you want though, Alia, I have a scroll... which grants the sharpest night eyes of owls, if you wish to continue tracking without waiting for dawn."
"It that but also, we need to rest if we want to do anything to save our friends when we reach them."
OK, Durnast needs 2-4 hours of rest by my count (?), probably more than anybody else by the requirements of his spell prep and 'interruption' adding an hour.
What do we want to do for guard watch? Durnast can use his Pearl of Power to re-gather the energies of Rope Trick to cast for more time than we need...
OK, Durnast needs 2-4 hours of rest by my count (?), probably more than anybody else by the requirements of his spell prep and 'interruption' adding an hour.
What do we want to do for guard watch? Durnast can use his Pearl of Power to re-gather the energies of Rope Trick to cast for more time than we need...
Artimus would be honored to keep watch. "And my steed must needs remain full-sized to get rest herself." he observes.
Two hours pass. As Artimus readies to rouse the rest of you, a flash of fire lights up the horizon to the northeast, and you hear the rolling echo of a distant fireball explosion.
"What is that?" says Alia rolling on her feet. "Do you know if any of our friends can cast that? It can be someone else as we saw some lighting from the same direction before. anyway, let's hurry."
Despite her tiredness, the coming of the dawn refreshes Alia and she seems to be as fast as usual.
Besides her, Swiftpaws stretches and soon, both of them walk around, looking for their comrades traces.
Alia Survival
Swiftpaws aid another survival
Durnast, what is your spell list for today?
Alia, the tracking is a novice's task. Mikka was trying to follow one elf's footprints after a couple days. You're following an elf, plus four people on horseback, on a trail that's only twelve hours old. With Swiftpaws' assistance, you can Take Ten and make good time.
Alia, the tracking is a novice's task. Mikka was trying to follow one elf's footprints after a couple days. You're following an elf, plus four people on horseback, on a trail that's only twelve hours old. With Swiftpaws' assistance, you can Take Ten and make good time.
Yep, Alia will mount and do that.
The sun rises. Two hours later, you come across a battle scene. Eight wolves lie in advanced states of decay, as in months old, but there are also two horse and one pony carcass, much fresher.
Perception DC 10:
There is a child-sized grave off to the side, empty.
In the far distance, to the east-north-east, there's a mirage of a clump of trees.
Alia: three sets of human / elf footprints continue on to the mirage.
"They fought goulh wolves here. And something happened to Nadeq. I do not see his prints afterwards. They must have decided to bury him elsewhere.
What I don't understand is that the horses were killed by fire. That must have been the fireball we heard."
Fortitude save for Swiftpaws or the first hour DC10 :
for the second hour DC 12
Artimus observes, "If they are on foot, we should catch up with them in short order."
Chamomile asks: "Hey! There's not supposed to be a bunch of trees out here in the desert, is there? I mean, that's why they call it the Desolation, right?"
"I think you're on to something, Cam..."
Yep. 60 foot.
Artimus looks around, taking in the scene of battle with consideration and a frown. Giving a slow stroke of his mustache as he is prone to when thinking he nods towards the smaller grave on the side. "Perhaps this is what has happened to our friend Nadeq? His stature would not require the same size tomb as one of mine. And while I do not know if any of our friends could cause fire in the way Durnast here can, I know that Mikka is known for her flames. She may have burned the bodies of the horses so that they would not rise again as ghouls." Making a final observation at the tree he glances to the others. "I do not know the ways of the nature folk. Could the tree be something caused by our Druidic companion? Maybe for safety or to create an area as a priest consecrates ground? In which case they may be nearby."
"Let's move. We have gained on them and from what the seer said, they may be in that oasis."
"It seems a likely place for any traveller to head if it offers a respite from the Desolation... especially so for Mikka, I'd guess. She has seemed to exhibit... fiery powers, so she may well be the source of the blast we saw. This tree may also be her work... or connected to the yonder forest. Still, best to be on guard. Just like the crypt, I think any refuge from the Desolation will already have someone or something claiming it."
"Should we dig this up to see if it is Nadeq"? Montague asks in earnest, as the others discuss approaching the forest. "And unless I miss my guest our compatriots are in that oasis, either voluntarily, or by force". "I can move quietly if the need should arise". "Should we get a little closer then I could go have a look"?
"Perhaps Alia might want to go with me". "I have observed her moving quietly as well".
"Should we dig this up to see if it is Nadeq"? Montague asks in earnest, as the others discuss approaching the forest. "And unless I miss my guest our compatriots are in that oasis, either voluntarily, or by force". "I can move quietly if the need should arise". "Should we get a little closer then I could go have a look"?
"Perhaps Alia might want to go with me". "I have observed her moving quietly as well".
"Good idea. We should bring Chamomile as well. Durnast, before we go, can you cast a green light spell on one of my arrows and a red light on another. I will fire the green one if all is clear and the red one if we need help."
Alia dismounts and kneels by Swiftpaws. "Stay with Artimus and Durnast. And don't let then fall into ghoulwolves traps.".
As you discuss maters, you see four figures leave the oasis / mirage / whatever it might be, heading in your direction: three human-sized walkers, and a much shorter companion.
After a time, you see it's Mikka, Rasina, and the drunken lout Veren, accompanying a goblin.
