Hollow's Last Hope

[King Tius]

Hollow's Last Hope IC Thread
OOC Thread Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182303)
Falcon's Hollow (http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Falcon%27s_Hollow)

[King Tius]

In the past few weeks a terrible affliction has spread across the town of Falcon’s Hollow. It is a hacking, wheezing cough that has claimed the lives of several residents and one town elder. The small foresting town boasts a Church of Iomedae, goddess of valor, justice, and honor, but so far their prayers seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Most of the town’s sick have turned to Laurel, the owner of Roots and Remedies. Though many claim she is nothing more than a snake oil salesman, there has been a long line outside her store for almost a week.

Before she was completely besieged by the sick, Laurel identified this illness as Blackscour Taint. The source of the malady appears to have been Brookman’s well, a small spring on the edge of town which has recently developed a small fungal infestation of Blackscour. In an effort to stop the affliction, the town constabulary (Sheriff Baleson) has banned the use of the spring. Unfortunately the disease continues to spread through the town and things are starting to look desperate. In a last-ditch effort to help find a cure, the Sheriff has posted a note in the Hollow Tribunal (the town paper) offering a hefty reward to anyone who helps end the Blackscour Taint. While this has caused several people to try their hand at potion making and even made a few poor souls march off into the woods with swords and torches, there is yet to be any progress.

Our adventure begins as five brave souls band together to fight this disease. The church of Iomedae sent out a distress call to neighboring temples and was answered by a young paladin coming to their aid. On the road to Falcon’s Hollow the paladin Braer happened upon a young elf named Aravir who heard of the town’s plight and believes that his not-inconsiderable skills would best be put to use being the town’s hero. When the two of them arrived and the paladin began to look for other adventurers to assist in the town’s plight, he happened upon a rather capable looking woman disembarking from the town ferry, followed closely behind by a rather odd looking gnome with green hair. Seeing in them the same wanderlust and desire to help the poor logging community, the paladin and transmuter quickly made their intentions known to the two new arrivals and the four of them teamed up. No sooner had the town learned of the four outsiders who had come to help then a fifth (and sixth) man was introduced to them. The Lumber Consortium, in an effort to figure out why their workers were dying and (more importantly) not coming to work, has hired an adventurer of their own. After explaining in no uncertain terms where the Consortium could shove all their lumber, the Sheriff introduced Bacara and Marieke to the rest of you, figuring that the town will get better results if you all work together.

After talking to the priestess of Iomedae and finding that her small amount of spells cannot help cure the Taint, the group has decided to ask Laurel’s opinion on the affliction. Our tale begins as the five of you round the corner to approach Roots and Remedies. The once orderly line has deteriorated into a small mob standing in front of the door, all pushing and vying to get in to see the herbalist.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Leaning on his spear, the redcoated man sighs. "Ye haff goht ta be kiddin' mah. Th'only plahgue Ah seh heyah is one o' madness."

tonk

The butt of another spear raps him on the shins, and he straightens with a start. "Mari..."

"Oh stop complaining, zero." His companion, a second spear-carrier but instead a woman dressed in light flowing summer clothes, gives him an annoyed look. "And drop that stupid accent every time you do. It's annoying." Both have brown hair and eyes and wear head-clothes faded to dull tans over their brows, yet it only takes one look to realize that the two are hardly related -

- although they certainly bicker like it.

"It makes it clear when I'm whining. Helps people cope," he mutters in a normal tone of voice, although unconvincingly.

"Feh. Stow it."

The exchange ended as soon as it began, and the two shoulder their polearms in sync, regarding the spectacle of front of them. "Should we break up the mob? Or shoulder our way past it? Might make a difference as to our entry. Personally, I find this scene a bloody nuisance. Clear the rabble out, I say."

"Bacara!" Marieke admonishes him, although his only response is the maintenance of a bored look, pointedly ignoring her.

[Xeo_Boy]

The small gnome let out a quick laugh, rolling his head back and tossing his mass of green hair up and out of his face. Resting in the hood of his cloak, a weasel duked happily, perching his front feet on Lensund's shoulder and nosing into his ear.

He batted his hand at the animal, and looked to the bickering pair. "You two are like noisy birds, pecking at the same worm," he said, chuckling. He cast his eyes to the crowd, pursing his lips. "Leave them all alone. These people are desperate. We can't take hope away from them, can we?"

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Mob? This isn't a..." A woman in a dark navy button up merchant suit said reflexively before catching herself. Cordelia turned away from the people between them and Laurel. She'd seen real mobs... with angry faces, sticks, and a pitchfork or two- nothing like this forlorn mass of unfortunates.

Covering herself up with a cough, Cordelia began again, "These people haven't done anything wrong yet, Bacara." She paused for a moment to pat herself down, double checking that her more important valuables were on her rather then with her Blue Roan horse, Sleet. Some of the townspeople looked fairly shifty, though it could be excused because of all the bottled up stress here.

Looking back up at the others she added, "Plus, I think a simple explanation would probably give us a easy way in. Its not as if the apothecary will vanish after we're done talking to her." Her eyes set themselves against each weapon the party seemed to brandish. Long, sharp, some even looked slightly weathered... Intimidation though those alone would probably scare these people off- that is... if it came down to that.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Yet. Yet," Bacara growls back in response. "All it takes is one promise, then they all want it, even if they have to bash the head of their neighbor in to get it. Don't like it. And if we explain ourselves, then we'll be the ones getting swarmed." His voice suddenly goes up several pitches. "Oh help us brave heroes! Surely you will be our saviors! Tchah!" The last exclamation is back in his normal cynical tone. "Not heroes. Just here to get a job done. Don't care - "

tonk

This time Bacara anticipates the tap at the feet, and moves the butt of his own spear beside his feet, but Marieke insists, punching forward with the middle of the shaft to knock him the shoulder - hard. "Cut it. You'll make the people even more nervous the way you're glowering there. You think they haven't noticed the spears?" she mutters to him.

Turning back to the crowd, Marieke thinks for a second. "Anyways, shall we make our way closer? Standing here isn't going to solve anything." She takes a tentative few steps forward, and Bacara follows behind, still nursing his injured pride. "We can give them hope. Who wants to talk?"

[ithildur]

"What IS that incessant noise, good fellow? It sounds as if it's coming forth from that round hole below your nose. Ah, I see,"the tall elf smirks at Bacara, then gives a mildly sympathetic look to his unusual companion.

"It looks to me like someone is already talking, but I suppose you meant something more useful. Very well, I suppose one must step up..."

With that he takes a few brisk, long strides towards the crowd, a gleem in his eyes that causes all of his companions with even a modicum of wisdom sense that Aravir is about to say something they might all regret.

((just double checking, the Eidolon's intelligence is 7? ))

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The outsider opens her mouth as if to give some advice to the jaunty wizard, but then elects to step back with a smile, her relaxed position a tacit statement of "go get'em".

Bacara on the other hand has an absolutely appalled expression plastered across his face, but the boot resting rather warningly on his toes keeps him from saying anything.

[Sinfonian]

Braer chuckles at the internecine squabbling of this ragtag group he had helped assemble, his baritone voice warm with mirth.

"Come now. We might want to save some of this hostility for when we need it. No sense in having go to waste on one another. Or at least you could trade barbs while we're walking.
Now...where was that apothecary again?"

He looks around for a moment before remembering the instructions they had been given to reach Roots and Remedies, heading off in that direction attempting to herd the group toward the designated shop.

[ithildur]

((thank goodness the paladin spoke up))

Aravir opens his mouth, and just as he's about to speak, the Paladin's words catch his ears. He stops and turns, grinning rather roguishly.

"Ah noble one, if you think this friendly banter constitutes hostility, then I've much to teach you in the way of insults that truly cut to the core! But no doubt such tutelage would hardly be appreciated by you, not to mention wasted."

In spite of his verbal jabs his attitude seems to soften slightly, and soon he seems to decide what he was about to say to the hapless crowd would've been a bad idea, at least for now. He turns and points, instead, addressing the Paladin once more.

"If that haggard and unfortunate line doesn't make our destination obvious Braer, I'm going to have to fingerpaint you a map. Come, let's get on with this adventuring hero business."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Sliding her foot off of Bacara's, Marieke gives her summoner a last glare of warning. Then, as if a switch was flipped, the quarreling pair nod at each other, suddenly cordial. "'Let's get on with it' indeed," Bacara declares, stepping forward with Marieke to the front of the line... mob... thing.

Wielding their clear adventurer status with obvious weapons and armor as a tool, the two begin trying to pacify and reason with those at the head, not bothering to address the people as a whole - that would attract far too much attention.

"We're from the Consortium. They're wondering why darkwood exports have lessened. Now, don't give me that look - we're not here to enforce longer hours or force the sick to work. Too much trouble. No, we're here to try and find a cure. Less micromanaging on our part, less trouble for you, and I'm sure we'll all be happier, eh?"

"Please, if you'll just let us on through so we can meet this the herbalist. She knows some of what's going on, right? She'll point us in the right direction. The sooner we know what to do, the faster we find a cure, and I'm sure we all want that."

Mechanics:
Bacara and Marieke start making Diplomacy checks. Each has a +4 modifier. Given their divide and conquer strategy, each is probably making separate checks, so:

[roll0]
[roll1]

[ithildur]

Aravir seems to be waiting for Braer to make some kind of a move or gesture to talk to the crowds or such, but seeing he seems a bit slow to act, and the summoner and his companion proceeding, he shrugs and moves down the line in the direction the people seem to be facing.

He continues until he either arrives at a building or spots someone that looks to be in charge/administering care on people, etc. If anyone asks what he's doing or protesting that he's moving towards the front of the line, he simply grins and states,

"Don't worry goodman/goodwoman, I and my la... er, companions are here to save you from your plight. Now if you'll allow us to proceed as quickly as possible to the herbalist... hurry, there is no time to be lost! If in fact you might point her out to us, it would be quite appreciated!"

[Sinfonian]

Braer looks at Bacara and smiles more broadly. Not to be outdone, he also addresses the crowd,
"Good folk, know that the Consortium is not the only entity concerned with your plight! I am sent here as an investigator from the Temple of Iomedae to observe and to recommend the church to take a broader role based upon what I see. Unlike my colleague here, I have nothing but your best interests at heart, though we share the same immediate goal. I would wait in line if need be, but the sooner we can speak to Laurel then the sooner I can see about getting some more aid from the Church into the town. If you would allow myself and the rest of these gents here through, then we can see to getting some relief for all of you, and even stopping this before it spreads any further."

Diplomacy:
[roll0]

((I figure if a diplomacy check takes a minute to make. I might well try to write a minute worth of dialogue or so. For now, at least.))

[King Tius]

Approaching the ailing crowd, Bacara and Marieke begin to try and talk their way to the front door of Roots and Remedies. While Bacara seems to make some progress, the Eidolon is rebuffed on all fronts and can't even shoulder into the masses. Aravir also begins to make headway towards the door before Braer's loud voice cuts through the mob's murmuring. Between his clear, confident voice and his banded mail and halberd the Paladin is quite convincing and the townsfolk shuffle to clear a path. While this lets you get to the door unassailed, you must still wait about ten minutes for the shop to clear out enough for you all to fit inside.

The smell of burnt earth and spicy incense chokes the air of the cramped, mud-tracked shop. Bunches of dried herbs hang from the ceiling, along with dangling pots, presses, alchemical apparatuses, and glassware of more arcane purposes. Pouches of rare plants, jars of colored glass, and all manner of dried, preserved, and jellied animal parts fill high shelves and tables doing double duty as displays and workspaces. In the shop’s rear, a rail-thin woman with severe-looking spectacles and hair pulled back tightly busies herself between an overpacked rack of herbs, a table covered in stray powders and measuring equipment, and a pot loudly bubbling over with thick gray froth. Over the din of her work and without looking up, the woman impatiently shouts, “And what’s your problem?” Apparently she could not hear Braer's declaration from inside her shop.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Marieke finds herself enthralled by the scene of the herbalist's shop, and so fails to block Bacara, too busy admiring a preserved... something... in its jar.

Unhindered, her summoner steps right up to the woman, a respectful distance away so as to not impede her work, but close enough to be noticed. "Madam," he says in a polite but businesslike tone. "Our problem is the illness that's stricken this village. This is not an empty statement. Now, all of us are interested in some manner in stopping it. I have been hired by the Lumber Consortium to rejuvenate the export rates of darkwood that have dropped due to the illness - I believe that stemming the illness is the fastest method. Braer, the good paladin there," he indicates with a tilt of his head, "represents the Temple of Iomedae's aid in any way possible. The various other figures who are currently in your shop are all also interested in charity work, although they are not connected with the Temple, at least not officially."

He raises an eyebrow. "From the way you're hard at work you look like you could use all the help we can get. We believe that you have the best idea of where to start this goal of ours. Consider this: seven extra bodies are at your disposal, with no great knowledge of herbs like you, but with sufficient arms to protect themselves. What would you do with them?"

Mechanics:
[roll0]

[ithildur]

“And what’s your problem?”


Aravir looks at the line going out the door, then back to the thin woman. A response begins to form in his mind, and nearly slips out off of his tongue, but he manages to catch himself, and soften his words, just a tad.

"It would seem, dear woman, that might be a question that we ought to ask of you, and not the other way around."

"We're here to help," he adds simply.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia took a few quick glances around the room, now that the multiple voice of the crowd were outside and away she could take a moment to think. Despite the slightly aggressive first impression they received from the apothecary, she immediately dismissed it for the fact that the woman had been harried day in and day out by the townsfolk.

She'd been here for only a few hours but she hadn't quite thought about the locals that much (Other then they mostly worked for the local lumber company). But for certain, Cordelia had been keeping her ear open for what tidbits she could pick up from outside. She took a moment to organize the disjointed bits of info she had gathered from the local townfolk- mostly rumors, important figures, and the like. Of course she wouldn't be able to share it until they were out... or just when they needed it, if they asked.

Knowledge Local
[roll0]

Suddenly realizing she'd come in and just gawked at her wares, Cordelia turned to the Lady somewhat embarrassed at her rude manner, "Oh, hello. My name is Cordelia. I missed a bit of what my comrades were saying... but I assume they gave you the gist of what we're here for." She smiled warmly at the tense woman, hopefully giving her the proper attention and respect she probably needed.

[King Tius]

Laurel stands full upright and stretches her back. Wiping her brow, she puts her hands on her hips and sighs as she takes the lot of you in. "So you're here to help then? Well bless my grandmother's warts, it's about time. I've done my best to ease the ails of those that walk in, but I've got no cure on hand. Although....."

She turns around and draws a large, ancient looking tome reverently off a top shelf. Keeping her back to you, she turns gently through the pages before giving an "aha!" Turning back to you, she picks up her mortar and pestle and continues to grind herbs as she speaks.

“My grandmother’s book has a brew in it that says it's good for this kind of thing. A weird concoction that sounds more like hoojoo than real medicine. Still, I've about run out of ideas, so it might be worth a try. The ingredients are some rare roots and concentrations, most of which I have here, but there’s three I don’t. Elderwood Moss, which I’ve never heard of, but granny says the stuff only grows on the oldest tree in a forest. A specially pickled root called Rat’s Tail, again, sounds like hoojoo to me. And seven Ironbloom Mushrooms, stunty little things that only grow in dark places thick with metal, a favorite among dwarves, or so I hear. If you're all so gung-ho to help us folk out, see if you can get me those reagents.”

Cordelia (and anyone else who passes a DC: 15 Knowledge (Local) Check

The rumors you hear run the usual gambit when a town is in crisis. Some claim Laurel started the Blackscour as a way to make money. Others say it is a curse from the orphanage that burnt down not too long ago. A few even claim that it is the Lumber Consortium's doing in an attempt to replace all their workers with mindless zombie lumberjacks.

As to Laurel's cures, most people admit that she's helped them for one thing or another, though many say half the stuff she sells is bogus. She isn't promising a remedy for the Blackscour though; she merely uses her remedies to ease peoples' sufferings. One interesting rumor that comes up over and over again is that Laurel's grandmother (and by proxy Laurel) is a witch.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Even while Bacara scowls at the lack of a hard, guaranteed solution, his eidolon has already crept into the conversation, having gotten her fill of strange sights.

"Surely there's more clues than that," she pleads. "We need to know where we might find the oldest tree, who might know what a Rat's Tail is, and where we might procure some of those mushrooms. If they're such a favorite, would they be for sale anywhere? We can pool some funds, try and buy some."

Bacara chips in with a low, rumbling voice, "She's right. Clarify a little bit, or give us the direction of people who would know more about these, and we can be on our way. As it stands right now? No. Not a chance, we're not going chasing after any 'tails' without a clue as to what they look like."

Mechanics:

Bacara aids another (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10154576&postcount=34), to add +2 to Marieke's result for a total of... 8. Unimpressive. Should have just made a separate check. :smallannoyed:
[ROLL=Bacara's Aid Another (Diplomacy)]1d20+4

[ithildur]

[roll0] Knowledge: Local



Recalling a few local rumors he heard just within the past day, Aravir studies the thin woman closely as he weighs her words, attempting to assess her trustworthiness.


[roll1] Sense Motive

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Well... If your Grandmother was alive, could she direct us to the herbs herself if we could find her? Umm... I mean... even if she's gone away now... did she have any other apprentices who might know more about these roots, herbs, or mosses?" She hedged around the subject a little awkwardly but if Laurel could direct them to someone who did the effort would be worth it. Sadly, knowing how suspicious the local folk were, they could've driven away her Grandmother generations ago.

Biting her lip slightly, she refocused on what they needed to retrieve. Cordelia didn't know much about trees... but by logic, if the herbalist didn't know where the eldest tree was- the lumberjacks might. It was even possible that the tree was being protected by some druids or magical creatures that were keeping them at bay. Always one to think positive, she completely dismissed the notion that the magical beast might not speak common.

[ithildur]

“My grandmother’s book has a brew in it that says it's good for this kind of thing. A weird concoction that sounds more like hoojoo than real medicine. Still, I've about run out of ideas, so it might be worth a try. The ingredients are some rare roots and concentrations, most of which I have here, but there’s three I don’t. Elderwood Moss, which I’ve never heard of, but granny says the stuff only grows on the oldest tree in a forest. A specially pickled root called Rat’s Tail, again, sounds like hoojoo to me. And seven Ironbloom Mushrooms, stunty little things that only grow in dark places thick with metal, a favorite among dwarves, or so I hear. If you're all so gung-ho to help us folk out, see if you can get me those reagents.”

The elf shrugs after a while, apparently not able to come to much of a conclusion on his reading of the woman's character.

Elderwood Moss, Rat’s Tail, and Ironbloom Mushrooms... hm.

He jogs his memory.


[roll0] Knowledge: Nature

[King Tius]

“Well, for the elderwood mold, there’s gotta be an oldest tree in the vale. Damned if I know where it is, though. Those outs up at the Consortium might. Milon Rhoddam's your best bet. He's the most experienced woodsman working under the Consortium's thumb." She throws a disapproving look at Braer's way as she says this.

“The rat’s tail and mushrooms are even longer shots. Way north, toward the mountains, people say there used to live a bunch of dwarves. They’re not there anymore, but I’d bet their forges are. If you can find ironbloom anywhere around here, that’d be your best bet."

“As for the rat’s tail, who knows? Well. Actually. Ulizmila, the witch that lives deep in the woods might. She’s a crafty, mean thing that knows all sorts of strangeness. She might even have one. I don’t know what she might want for it, but I doubt it’d come cheap. My grandmother traded her sight to the old crone for a few pages of what she knew, and that was years and years back, and I don’t know a soul who got any nicer as they got older.”

Aravir believes Laurel is telling the truth. He's also willing to be his pointy ears that he can find the tallest tree in the forest without some lumberjack's help.

In response to Cordelia: "My mother was my gradma's only other apprentice and she's dead, too. If there's anyone in the vale who knows about these ingredients, it's Ulizmila. I think this might even be her recipe to begin with."

[ithildur]

Aravir nods crisply, then looks at the others with a confident, almost cocky smirk.

"The mold/moss she speaks of should be an easy enough find..."

Turning back to the woman he asks, "And how far off are these three locations?"

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Bacara has a pen and parchment out, taking a few notes. "Milon Rhoddam, the Consortium woodsman. Huh. At least one friendly face out there." It seems he's far overestimating the power a Consortium contract gives him.

"Well, like you say, the other two are longer shots. And it's better if we talk with a few more people in..." Marieke hesitates, "civilized places before we go tripping across the countryside. We should go find this woodsman first - he might have other clues as to the mushrooms and rat's tail."

[King Tius]

"The Consortium's about 15 miles Northeast of here as these two can tell you. As to the others, I haven't the faintest idea."

You may all make Knowledge Local or Knowledge Geography rolls to try and figure out more specifically where these places are. Aravir is able to approximate where the Eldest Tree might be based on the lay of the land, but won't know for sure until you enter the forest.

[ithildur]

"I've a fair idea where to search for the tree; as for the other two areas..."


[roll0] knowledge local
[roll1] knowledge geography

[King Tius]

Aravir happens to remember overhearing an old, old lumberjack on his travels into town. He listened to the mans tales for well over a day's worth of riding. He recalls the old man mentioning the whereabouts of some old hut and the crazy woman who lived there. He claims she turned his friend into a newt, but he got better. The man also made mention of a dwarven building tucked in the foothills of the mountains. Based on the lofty tale the man told about watching a dragon fly over the town and off into the sunset, Aravir believes he can bring the party in that general area as well.

OOC: Dang, nice rolls. You nailed all three places (I made a second Local roll for you and you passed that too!)

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Thank you." "Thank you." The duo look at each other for a second, giving each other a quick glare.

The moment is quickly lost as each enters the figurative tank, trying to think of the local area...

Mechanics:
1d20
1d20
1d20-2
1d20-2

They get a 12, 13, 0, and 8, (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10190704&postcount=40) respectively.

[ithildur]

The tall elf smirked as he recalled the annoying, occasionally entertaining ramblings of the lumberjack, picking out elements to his tale that might seem useful. Memorizing spells complex and simple seemed like easy tasks compared to enduring that 'conversation' at the time, but now he was glad for it.

'And glad too, for my keen mind and memory,' he thought as he congratulated himself silently.

"... as for the other two targets, I'm quite confident I can lead us to the general area where we might find those as well," said Aravir, pausing to give a nod to Braer. "So, anything else we need before setting out? More information? Perhaps some herbal supplies from the good woman?"

He seemed rather pleased with himself as he looked around at the others, then at Laurel with an expectant gaze.

((ooc: sweet, it's not often I get 2 nat 20s in such short order ))

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The summoner frowns. "I don't like haring off into the woods with only an idea of the 'general area'. I still think we should go talk to that Milon Rhoddam. Times might have changed."

"As for herbal supplies..." His eidolon looks sheepish. "We haven't any spare money on our persons. We try not to carry it. Not on mission, at any rate."

[King Tius]

Bacara doesn't recall anything about these three places

[ithildur]

The expression on Aravir's face at Bacara's words were plain to read: a smirk of amusement.

"You don't trust me then, do you?" said the elf with soft laughter. "Or is it simply due to my playful jibes at you a little while ago? Come now, surely your ego does not bruise so easily?"

The elf turned back to Cordellia and Braer with a shrug, placing a hand at his hip while extending the other with open palm as if offering them the choice of final say.

"I am confident that if indeed this moss grows only on the tallest tree, then we have no need of consulting with a woodcutter, for I can find such a tree easily enough, or else I am a gnome! However I leave the choice up to you; it may be perhaps that he or others might have other useful information."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Oh Bacara... If anyone with Elf blood in 'em says they know the forest- You should actually trust them to know the forest." Cordelia stared at Aravir's hand for a moment as if still considering something important. "However... That doesn't mean you know whats in the forest other then the tallest tree there. Turning to Bacara and his other half, her face lit up in a coy smile, "Not all forests are filled with Unicorns and woodland creatures. Just talking to the LumberJack probably won't hurt. And best, we know what we're getting into. At worst, he'll ask for compensation or some off the wall request. He may even know a few shortcuts that would lessen our trek by a few hours."

'Sadly, Unicorns are fairly dangerous in their own right.' Cordelia added in her mental musings.

Looking over slightly to the side and scratching behind her ear she concluded her opinion, "Soo, Mmmm..." her voice went up one chord and then lowered back to normal, "I'm for visiting Rhoddam."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Like Cordelia says, it's not that I doubt you can find the tree," Bacara says gruffly. "I just don't want to get eaten by a bear the size of one at the same time."

Marieke chuckles a bit at the mental image, then sobers instantly when she realizes just how scary that would be.

"Do we have any other requests?" the summoner says, leaning on his spear while regarding - more accurately glaring at - the rest of the party.

[King Tius]

Bidding farewell to the apothecary, you strike along the road to the Lumber Consortium. Since you are not riding horses (and since there's a gnome in your party), it takes you most of the day to get there. You arrive at the camp just as the laborers are calling it quits for the day.

The Lumber Consortium Camp cuts an ugly scar of stumps into a dense stand of proud darkwood trees. Five sturdy-looking log buildings—
seemingly a bunkhouse, meal hall, office, barn, and smithy—stand with numerous wide carts and sleds amid the sawdust-covered clearing.

May of the Valley

http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/26430/northwind_area_map.jpg

You have ventured to the middle of the three lumber camps; the main one.

[Sinfonian]

As the group arrives at the camp, Braer looks at the weary laborers are returning from their day's toils. As he walks by them, he nods with a smile as he proceeds to go into the office. Before entering, the paladin leans in toward Bacara and says briefly:
"I'll handle getting information from the clerk, but I imagine you're probably better suited to talking to Rhoddam himself."

When he goes into the office building, Braer grins broadly and says cheerfully:
"Excuse me, good sir/ma'am [whichever is appropriate], but we would like to trouble you for just a moment. Could you be so kind as to direct us toward Milon Rhoddam?"

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[ithildur]

Cordelia Piers

"Oh Bacara... If anyone with Elf blood in 'em says they know the forest- You should actually trust them to know the forest." Cordelia stared at Aravir's hand for a moment as if still considering something important. "However... That doesn't mean you know whats in the forest other then the tallest tree there. Turning to Bacara and his other half, her face lit up in a coy smile, "Not all forests are filled with Unicorns and woodland creatures. Just talking to the LumberJack probably won't hurt. And best, we know what we're getting into. At worst, he'll ask for compensation or some off the wall request. He may even know a few shortcuts that would lessen our trek by a few hours."


Halamir smiled at the reply of the young woman, a less smirky one than the other smiles so far, and agrees with a shrug to the proposed plan.

She at least has some sense.

When they arrive at the camp, he nods to the Paladin's suggestion, although he asks the others out of hearing range,

"Does he always walk around smiling like a used weapon merchant, or did he find some buxom tavern wench's favors last night?"

[King Tius]

@Braer: "Piss off, chess piece. Do I look like a butler to you?"

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The eidolon looks mortified at Halamir's suggestion. "Watch what you say. I'm sure Braer is a far more moral, upstanding man than that," she whispers in a low voice, with a sidelong glance at the subject in question.

Bacara only smiles, ambivalent towards the jibe. He had work on his mind.

************************************************** *******

Chuckling at the barb Braer received for all his troubles, Bacara steps forward. Giving Braer a quick glance that said oh well, he turns back and drawls, "Oh, I'm sorry, but maybe you should review who you're telling to, ahem, piss off."

He moves aside to allow the clerk to see the six of them. An armored, halberd toting soldier; an elf carrying javelins and what might be a spell component pouch; a woman with two swords of superior make and the build to use them; a gnome with a clearly supernatural relationship to the weasel duking in his hood; and then himself and his eidolon, with matching weapons that spoke volumes of their time together. Marieke, clearly incensed by the clerk's reaction, plays along, rapping the butt of her own spear against the floor soundly.

After what he deemed to be a suitable span of time, Bacara moves back in front. Pulling out the papers that specified their assignment, he quite violently slides whatever might be on the clerk's desk onto the floor to slam them onto the hastily cleared surface. "Now, bean-counter, we are on direct assignment from the Consortium. Profits have been dropping. We have been told to do whatever it takes to stop that. Right now, you are obstructing our work. Call us 'chess pieces' all you like, we're pieces that'll get your arse out of a job faster than you can say 'checkmate'. The Consortium doesn't view those who cut into their profits... kindly."

With a hollow smile, he finished, "We'll ask again. Where can we can find Milon Rhoddam?"

[King Tius]

The building you stand in is little more than a glorified shack. The office, which is the entirety of the structure, is filthy, cluttered, and decorated with forest taxidermies. The strong smell of body odor and sap sting your nostrils as the man sitting behind the desk laughs at you.

"Do you have any idea who the hell I am? Look around you, whelp. I've dealt with far worse things than a green band of idiots looking to get themselves shortened by a head."

He eyes Bacara and Marieke a moment. "Oh yeah, you're the stooges the consortium hired to get those townsfolk to quit their bellyaching. Well I couldn't give half a rat's arse who hired you. You want to talk to one of my men? Pay up. It's one gold. Each."

[ithildur]

Aravir mentally sorted through an array of choice insults both subtle and not so subtle to be directed at the fellow. While he did not mind the scent of sap, the stench of sweaty human armpits in this place bothered the elf, and this miscreant's attitude made things worse.

Yeasty milk curdling witless buffoon... artless boiled brained barnacle... no, lumpish beetle headed rabbit sucking remnant...

Surprisingly though, he bit his tongue, sensing perhaps that starting off on a needlessly sour note at this juncture might accomplish little, besides delaying the rescue of the poor bastards who were wasting away from the disease.

Unable to switch gears to a more diplomatic stance for the moment however (his mind still silently and creatively churning out various insults), he looked to his companions in hopes they could spare them the indignity of paying to come to the rescue of this hapless community.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Quietly, Cordelia sighed near the back of the group. Almost abruptly, she pushed by Bacara with a slightly stiff smile... whispering something as she did, "Honey for Flies..." In her mind she would give the haughty clerk another chance, last one before she'd get mischievous, "Sir, one cannot deny that your collection is fairly impressive. But first, please excuse my friends for choosing to be slightly blunt with you." Slightly fussing herself as if today was ten degrees hotter then it should be she continued, We've been travelling for quite some time and its been getting to our heads a bit. Placing her right hand on the edge of the desk, she began walking around it clockwise- tracing it across the edges with her fingertips. Her other hand idly tugging at her collar. Half of her was holding her breath against the foul oder, while the other was focusing on an attempt to at least seem appealing. "We just want today to go smoothly, understandable right?", her emphasis on the "we" was beginning to sound more like an "I". Looking the stinking man in the eyes, she attempted not to flinch as her hand pressed against his... and then her left almost noticeably pressed against his waist to search for his coin purse. Cordelia's voice lowered as she tried to distract the man by tickling his ear, "Your trophies... they're impressive. If you lead us out today, maybe we can have a look at them closely tonight."

Diplomacy:
[roll0]

Probably modified by bluff
[roll1]

Sleight of Hand
[roll2]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Marieke's only response is to gape. Bacara mercifully shields her eyes with a hand, hoping that the clerk... taxodermist... person would find Cordelia a far more compelling sight.

[ithildur]

Aravir flinched visibly for a moment, but his more pragmatic side prevailed as he added quickly with a small grin,

"I'm sure a hard working fellow like you fully deserves to take advantage of such an... opportunity,"

((attempting to Aid Another diplomacy, dc 10))
[roll0] Aid Another

[King Tius]

Coredelia's ploy pays off. A lecherous smile spreads across the boss's face as he gives her a swift smack on the rump. "Now that's more like it! You can go romping through the woods with Milon but when you get we'll have us a better one." He puts two fingers in his mouth and gives a loud, sharp whistle. A minute later a burly lumberman walks in behind you.

"Take this lot to Milon." He kicks back in his chair and puts his boots on his desk, watching Cordelia backside as she exists the office.

The workman leads you to the barn. He gives a yell for Milon and a man steps out, holding a horse brush. The short, stocky man approaches you, dusting himself off as he does so. Once he's standing in front of you, he looks at you plainly and simply asks "what's this?"

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

With a side nod to Braer, acknowledging the trust the paladin was putting in him, Bacara clears his throat. "We're from the Lumber Consortium. With the recent illnesses that I'm sure you're aware of, production is down."

Holding out a hand to stall further complaint, he notes, "Now, I'm sure you're working as hard as you can. We've simply been hired to get the exports back on track again."

Beside him, Marieke smoothly takes the lead as if planned. "We're quite aware that we can't make those who aren't sick work harder - so we're of the mind to tackle the problem at its source instead, and find out what'll chase this illness away. We've been referred by Laurel - Falcon's Hollow's herbalist, maybe you know her already - to you for clues. Besides," she adds with a winning smile, "curing this illness is the simply the right thing to do."

"Elderwood moss, from 'the oldest tree in the woods'. A 'rat's tail' root. Seven 'ironbloom mushrooms'," Bacara recites dully from his notes, giving Marieke an annoyed glance at her glimmer of optimism. Lowering them, he adds, "That's what we're on the lookout for. You got anything to say about these, good woodsman?"

Mechanics:
Bacara's Diplomacy: [roll0]
Marieke's Diplomacy: [roll1]

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

As the man slapped her on the backside, Cordelia made an audible squeak... nearly dropping her pilfered goods. Tucking the gold into deftly into her clothing, she made a small girlish giggle to cover up her near mistake. As she followed the summoned lumberman, she made an obviously visible eye-roll out of the vision of both men, 'How silly... Expecting so much from an aquatance who you've never shared names with.' Quietly, she reminded herself to properly explain herself to Marieke- the rest too... but the clerk deserved it a bit.

-----

Cordelia waited patiently as Baraca and Marieke gave their explanation. She blew a few strands of hair away from her face... seemingly unphased with what had happened a few minutes ago. 'He always sounds so down to business.' she thought to herself. Cordelia made a silent half smile, 'Wonder how many pints it'd take to fix that.'

[King Tius]

The man listens to you with an almost completely neutral expression upon his face. Only when he starts to speak does a very slight sadness enter his eyes.

"My son's got the Blackscour."

He kneels down on the ground and pulls out a hunting knife. He begins to carve into the dirt and it quickly becomes apparent that he is drawing you a map. When he's finished, he describes the map in short, curt descriptions. "Falcon's Hollow. Mountains. This Camp (A). Orphanage. Oldest Tree (C). Witch's House (D). Old Dwarven Monastery. Abandoned Fishing Hut (B)." Milon adds and describes several other details, all of which you can see on the picture below.

Milon Rhoddam's Map

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa143/cpanthersfan/Golarion/Falcon_s_Hollow_Environs.jpg


Finished with his work, he cleans his knife on the side of his pant leg and sheaths it. He stands there looking at you, waiting.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Bacara is already hard at work at replicating the map, but Marieke actually bothers to comfort the man. "I'm sorry about your sun, Rhoddam," she reassures him, reaching forward to give him a pat on the shoulder. "We'll be back with a cure soon."

"Marieke, don't make promises you're not sure you can keep," Bacara says woodenly, still concentrating. All that does for him is earn him a dirty look - maybe more than one.

"In any case," the eidolon begins, turning back to the map and the woodsman, "so... here's the oldest tree. And there's this... witch's hut. And a dwarven monastery? Hmmmm... ok. Well, Laurel said that there might be a rat's tail with the witch. There. And then she said we might find ironbloom mushrooms in old dwarf forges... and surely there are some in their monastery, knowing dwarves," she chuckles. "But Rhoddam, have you been around these areas recently? Is it dangerous?"

[ithildur]

Aravir regarded the man a while silently, slightly taken back at the subtle but distinct glimpse into the tangible loss and pain.

"My deepest condolences," he said simply, but with surprising sincerity in his clear voice, after a while.

As the man began to tersely lay out the map's details, the elf jogged his memory to the earlier interview in the Church of Iomedae, comparing notes.

((consider this is 'placeholder' for the timewarping/flashback; I didn't want it to derail what's happening here at the moment in the logging camp))

[King Tius]

Rhoddam shakes his head in response to the eidolon's question. "Haven't been to that side of the lake in a fortnight. Dangerous?" He chuckles.

Apparently done with conversing with you, he nods curtly and turns to walk off.

Flashbacks:

You have already spoken with the priestess of Iomedae (it is in the opening post) but she had nothing to tell you. All she was doing was trying to use her spells to heal the sick. For the sake of getting to the action faster, you can check out the well if you want, but all you will find is the fungus growing around the well. There is no evidence of foul play (both Laurel and the town's sheriff have checked it out).

Where to first?

[ithildur]

((alright folks, let's get this party started already))

Aravir considered the map once more, then pointed to the abandoned hut.

"This is on the way to our target locations, the tree being the closest of the three; I wonder if we might stop by to look at it?"

He looked at the others, then added softly, "Whatever we decide, let's do so swiftly. The fate of this man's son, and many others, are at stake."

[Sinfonian]

Braer nods in agreement. "Yes, we need to get moving and get this outbreak taken care of quickly. Too many lives at stake to tarry."

After a moment of contemplation, he points at the map toward the hut indicated for the witch.

"I think that the rat's tail might be a good place to start. And if the witch is at all cooperative, she might help confirm the locations of the other ingredients as well."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Yes, and please don't threaten this one if we can." she added, emphasis to Bacara, "I doubt a Hermit and possibly curmudgeonly Witch will appreciate any intrusions onto her land." There was a glimpse of a shiver as she obviously did not wish to ever get Hexed in her lifetime.

However as if catching the issue before it would approach her, she continued as if she was still going in her line of thought, "And no... I won't do that again. Had a friend who owes me some bet money now- But looking back, I'm rather uncomfortable with the sleaze left on me." Cordelia's face began to flush visibly as her voice quickened to indicate she wanted this over with, "And no... I won't under any circumstances do it... it... unless I know and like them." The rogue took a deep breath as if she were swallowing air for the first time. Her only instinct was to find something to hide behind, but she forced her legs to stay steady- allowing her mannerisms to mild out, "But, lets see if this Hut will help us out."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"The man's son is of no major import," the summoner waved off dryly. "We're worried about the whole populace, not him in particular. No need to worry about particulars when what we're doing covers them anyways -"

"Pssst. Cordelia, mate?" Marieke suddenly whispered in the middle of Bacara's droning, sidling close to the rogue all of a sudden. "Once we get on the road, you and I are having a conversation. No buts, girl." She fired a sideways glare that brooked no argument.

- all the while, Bacara continued to consider his own sketch of a map, adding to it as they stood there. "Braer, bypassing this tree is hardly saving us any time - it's literally right in the path. At the very least we should make a cursory scan for it along our way. The witch can confirm it later... assuming we can find her in the first place," he qualified with a frown. "And Cordelia, believe me, I'll threaten bean counters all day long, but I - Marieke, what are you doing?"

"Nothing!" she chirped, bouncing away from Cordelia as if nothing had happened.

With a strange look, Bacara finished, "Anyways, I have no intention of threatening whoever's in that hut. I have considerably more respect for anyone who can live alone and prosper. Can't imagine it. Yuech." He shuddered - and somehow, it didn't seem affected at all, but was actual, physical revulsion to the idea.

[ithildur]

Aravir pointed at the body of water just north of their present location on the map.

"How wide and deep is this? Is it a river, or a stream?"

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia opened her mouth as if to say something back to Marieke, but immediately snapped it shut before Bacara turned his attention to them. She flashed an innocent smile back, in tandem with Marieke's perky response- probably making it seem even more suspicious. 'Huh. Wonder how seriously she took what I did.' she mused, drowning out the last few sentences from Bacara. But, for half a second she had the tugging feeling that she should be saying 'aww' and teasing him about something trivial.

"Seems wide enough to be a River, especially since it comes from the mountains." Cordelia gave an honest guesstimate... although admittedly she wasn't much of a map reader.

[King Tius]

With business concluded in the lumber camp you strike out into the forest, headed towards the old fishing hut. At first you follow a lumberjack trail that leads due north and is likely used for game hunting. After an hour or so you begin to cut more westward, making for the small lake. As you are walking, Cordelia and Aravir both notice a flickering of the sunlight off to your left.

I need to know the party's marching order

Coredelia and Aravir

A huge shadow is headed in the party's direction. With the dense trees it is difficult to make out, but there is something flying overhead that is interrupting the sun's rays peaking through the canopy. Whatever it is, it is flying above the treetops and will be on the group in 1 round.

[ithildur]

Aravir paused and narrowed his eyes.

"That's not a sparrow I'm guessing," he said quietly.



Any knowledge checks (local, nature?) perhaps to determine what kinds of large flying creatures might inhabit these parts?

[King Tius]

Either one will work.

[ithildur]

[roll0] Knowledge: Nature
[roll1] Knowledge: Local

[ithildur]

And just in case it's a freakin' dragon...!!

[roll0] Knowledge: Arcana

[King Tius]

You don't recall anything specific about this region, so you naturally freak out and think it is a dragon

[ithildur]

"... definitely not a sparrow..."

Aravir glances about, looking for possible cover/places to hide.

[Hazzardevil]

Son of a bitch!
Exclaims the Gnome witch Kiryu
I prepare an action to cust cure minor wounds on anyone who gets injured next round.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia pulled the reigns on her horse, Ash, freezing for a second to focus on whatever was flying toward them. Glancing back, she noticed that yelling back to the party probably wouldn't be the smartest idea.

Hopping off her horse and directing it away- She immediately pulled out her dual swords and searched for a good bush to hide in. All the while, she took a moment to figure out whatever it was that made such shadows.


Knowledge local
[roll0]

Stealth (If whatever is coming hasn't seen her already)
[roll1]

[King Tius]

Coredlia:


Based on the size of the shadow and the general terrain, you are fairly sure it is a wyvern.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Freaking out slightly after her realization, it struck her that hiding out as a big flying reptile monster swooped in wouldn't do her much good if it picked people off without landing. "Psst! Its a Wyvern! Try not to look squishy and appetizing." Cordelia attempted the best whisper yell she could muster. Although speaking was probably compromising to her hiding spot, it was probably worth the loss before the beast came down.

Noticing the flaw in what choice of weapons she was holding, she Resheathed her swords and began to pull out her bow.

[Hazzardevil]

I draw my bow and prepare to fire should it provoke an AOO or start to attack anyone.

What Cr is a wyvern?
All I know is that it is out of europeon mythology and is essentially a weaker dragon.

[Sinfonian]

Braer, who had been marching up at the front of the group, readies his halberd in anticipation of imminent violence, bracing it against anything that might charge the group. "Anything particularly important to know about this thing, besides 'don't look appetizing'? I don't care to be caught off-guard if at all possible."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Earlier, while on the road...

While Marieke generally kept pace with her summoner, from time to time she'd drift around. She shared a couple of conversations with the elf about small things - his familiarity with trees, for example. The moment she sensed Bacara had gotten used to her lack of presence, though, she slipped forward next to Cordelia.

"This talk," she greeted her, quite specifically. "Tell me, Cordelia. Just how much experience do you have with this sort of thing? I'm sure it isn't much at all, but it'll affect the advice I have to give you." For a relative stranger, she was being rather... aggressive, leaning in close, eyes hard.

*************************************

"Right you are, mate," Bacara responds to Cordelia in a low voice - not a whisper, but quiet enough, perhaps even less noticeable. "Braer, all I know about Wyverns is that they're big and dangerous, but I'll take her advice on hiding from it any day. Like I said: big and dangerous." He gestured quickly with his spear, herding the party away from the open road. "Stick together, but stay alert, and let's get to cover. Or at least stop moving around and attracting its attention."

As Marieke cruised by, gently sweeping with her spear to get people to move off the road, she added in that same low voice, "Now stop posturing at it, and maybe it'll choose to ignore us. Come on."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Earlier, while on the road...

"Umm..." Cordelia was slightly taken aback by how confrontational she was being, "Teasing guys? Plenty. They're fun to mess around with." Making a sly smile, Cordelia pulled out her slightly heavier purse and jungled it once, "I lifted something off the jerk- a friend told me that pushing a few buttons makes them a little more meatheaded then usual... well it worked." She shrugged and put the small pouch away. Cordelia paused for a moment, Marieke probably didn't want tips on how to steal from people, "Or uh... is this about something completely different?"

*************************************

Cordelia was thankful Bacara explained Wyverns to Braer. At first she wondered why someone wouldn't know about a Carnivorous monster that would eat livestock around farms... even people- but honestly, these things didn't just suddenly pop up in cities and towns. Depending on if they were trespassing in its area or if it was hungry, it might just leave them alone. However, if it appeared and charged someone- Cordelia resolved to remain tense and ready with an arrow.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Earlier, while on the road...

The eidolon raised a hand and jerked it towards the bag - and then snapped it back, as if rethinking the move. "This isn't about gold. This was never about gold." Her spear thwacked solidly into the ground as they continued to walk. It was only barely audible to Cordelia, but that she could hear the impact of wood against dirt at all said a lot about the controlled force behind the blow.

"Look, Cordelia, this is not a joking matter." She seemed to get puffed up, as if approaching a critical mass. "Sure, you can do this with a group of people around you willing to pull you out of a mess - but what if we can't? What if we're not here? Is pushing buttons always going to be something you'll want to do? Can you - can see that - what if that wasn't for your own choice anymore? What if you had to do that every single day?! So fun to mess around with now, huh?!" she practically spat, shoulders trembling with controlled fury - but not towards Cordelia, but something else entirely.

[ithildur]

"... definitely not a sparrow..."

Aravir glances about, looking for possible cover/places to hide.




Should I assume there is plentiful cover to attempt to hide under? If so,

[roll0] Stealth

Also, I don't want to presume/metagame knowledge of Wyverns; can I use my Knowledge Arcana roll earlier to determine how much/what Aravir knows about them, now that someone named the creature as a Wyvern?

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Earlier, while on the road...

Admittedly, Cordelia would've proudly said outrun the overweight clerk- next option being outwit and outfight him... but that didn't exactly seem to be the problem here.

"...Can you - can see that - what if that wasn't for your own choice anymore? What if you had to do that every single day?! So fun to mess around with now, huh?!"

'Hooo boy'

"Shh shh... Calm yourself down. I've never thought of it that way. But I see where you're coming from." Concern flew across her face in an instant. "Are you..." She made a quick glance around to see if anyone was watching, "Are you under duress? Did someone do something to you?" Cordelia reached out for the Eidolon's arm before she could possibly lashed out and hurt herself. "Get ahold of yourself." She said firmly.

Softening her tone, she deaccelerated her strong feelings slightly, "I'm... uh... no clergyperson but I can lead you an ear or a shoulder if you need one."

*************************************

[King Tius]

You all dive for cover and brace yourselves for the coming attack. The shadow continues to sweep over the treetops.....and glides right past you. A tense minute goes by as you wait to see if it returns, but apparently it either didn't see you or wasn't hungry.

With that large, vaguely draconic bullet dodged, you continue your trek into the forest. Along the way you begin to walk down a deer trail, taking advantage of the easier route it offers.

Cordelia, Perception check, plz.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Earlier, while on the road...

Marieke only brushed the comforting grip aside - although to call it a brush was generous, far more like a slap. "I'm completely in control of myself now, thank you very much," she whispered in a cold voice. At least she had paid attention to the rogue's reminder to quieter. "But will you be? It's not about me, it's about you. 'Pushing buttons' isn't something you do on a whim. You say right now that you won't do that again, but can you really say that you won't do that again if some young, foolish 'logic' decides it's a good idea? You can't let them look at you as a woman - you have to be strong, or else - or else - just look at me - "

"Marieke!" Bacara called from behind. Marieke had gotten animated again, and it seemed her summoner had noticed something was up. "Calm yourself, or back off. You're distracting our eyes." Cool, collected, businesslike - as usual.

For a second the eidolon's face contorted itself into an expression of pure murder, before she slumped her shoulders in defeat. "I can't be calm while talking about this," she murmured to Cordelia. "Later. When this blockhead is busier." With a solid pat on her arm, a mirror of the move Cordelia had tried earlier, she retreated back to her marching position - although not without a second dirty look at her summoner.

************************************
Slowly relaxing from his braced position, Bacara reshouldered his polearm. "Well, then, looks like we're in the clear. Back onto the road, mates, but let's keep a higher eye in the sky this time. Not to the exclusion of the ground, though," he added.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Earlier, while on the road...

'Well, she has some secret issues- but it seems like she truely doesn't wish to keep them secret' On her mental who-is-the-most-intimidating-matureperson Marieke jumped from spot 4 to 1 or 2 depending on how serious Braer got on law breaking.

In complete honesty, being told to not act like a woman irked Cordelia. She should have the right to act like herself- especially around comrades and "slightly less" when she was working. Cordelia clenched her fists, what was she? Some old biddy? Tell the young men to not act their age and ooo... tell her anything remotely like settling down and acting proper. Snapping herself out of it before she started a fight with Marieke, Cordelia suddenly became aware that the little spearbearer was already back with Bacara.

Spooky though, Marieke acted like she was just some puppet who was getting physically and mentally abused. A more cowardly part of herself kindof wished to knock Bacara out and pull him aside for questioning- but seriously? The dying people in this region needed that cure at the moment.

'By Cayden- We all need a stiff drink.' Cordelia murmured to herself.

*************************************

Cordelia glanced around, it seemed like the creature had overpassed them- but with intelligent monsters you could never be too careful.

[roll0]

[King Tius]

Spying a dead rabbit in the middle of the path, Cordelia is able to reign back her horse and avoid falling into a large but crude pit trap set up in the middle of the path. The trap door is roughly 10 x 10 and has been covered over with brush, leaves, and other forest-floor debris. Luckily enough the rogue's keen eye saw the telltale rope tied around the foot of the dead hare.

Do you want to disarm the trap or simply bypass it?

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Seems like someone is trying to catch some meat eaters..." Well, for one it was a fairly large trap- probably intended for large wild animals. Cordelia quietly fancied the notion that the abandoned hut might not be so abandoned. Not one to ruin some random person's hard work, she deemed it wise just to turn and yell, "Theres a large hidden pit here... follow me and we can get around it." Looking around the trap carefully, she made a point to pay attention for a possible cleverly hidden secondary trap around the first.

[King Tius]

While Cordelia is quite crafty, whoever built this trap is not. No secondary traps are found off the path. You press on, albeit slightly slower and more alert than before, for another hour before you come upon the river. Unfortunately, you went a little too west and ended up about half a mile downstream from where you believe the lake is. As you follow the river you can start to see the lake up ahead in the distance. Just as you are coming upon it, a curious sound reaches your ears. Not far from the edge of the forest-shrouded lake, a fox with large ears and bright orange fur lies bleeding, its hindquarters caught fully in the jaws of a crude iron trap.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The moment they come upon the fox in the trap, Marieke blinked. "Mates, help - "

Too late. In a decidedly uncharacteristic action, Bacara swore - and loudly, too. Even in his heavy armor, Braer was rudely checked to one side as, heedless of any sort of surroundings, the summoner charged forward towards the trap. His demeanor suddenly changed again - from righteous fury to simpering kindness, as he held out a hand to the trapped animal and made a couple of experimental yips.

Mechanics:
Handle Animal: [roll0]

Now, honestly, Handle Animal doesn't really cover "make nice with an animal", (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/handle-animal) and that's the realm of Wild Empathy, but hey, doesn't hurt to try.

[King Tius]

The animal is in extreme pain. It's back legs are totally shredded by the trap. It opens its eyes as you approach, but makes no motion to resist.

You can attempt to free it from the trap with a strength check. What about the rest of you guys?

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Aww... See this? This is just cruel." Cordelia frowned at the use of a clap trap, left out in the open without someone checking on it. Her first reaction was to release the poor thing, but a few factors stopped her. First the fox was a wild animal- one which she had no idea on how to calm down if it was conscious and scared. Another one was that someone had to have set up this trap, possibly for a lively hood of trapping or they needed the meat. And finally, she really didn't have any first aid for the fox and just releasing it wouldn't mean she'd save it.

Bacara's immediate response to help came as a befuddlement. Approaching the animal, she sighed. Here Bacara was, (of all people) first to jump in and assist the fox. Cordelia felt just leaving it was wrong anyways- maybe the paladin or the witch could help the fox if she brought it to them. "Okay, little fox.... I won't hurt you.", she attempted to coo the animal- although it sounded slightly awkward due to her having no real experience with wild animals. Slowly, she knelt down and tried to release the fox. It seemed it was being docile towards Bacara, so she just came right next to them.

Disable Device
[roll0]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Yes. Yes, it is cruel. Ne, nenenenenenene..." Bacara murmured, closing the distance to... handle the fox as best he could, trying to reassure it so that it wouldn't try to bolt once free, potentially harming itself even further, or even removing itself from their care, where it would surely die.

"Kiryu!" Marieke called, even as she knelt beside Cordelia. A quick glance passed between them - Marieke looked a bit embarrassed, maybe even apologetic, but the moment passed too fast to be sure - as the eidolon took a grip on the trap as well. "Would you please heal this fox? Bacara won't be going anywhere until he knows it's better... damn bleeding heart of his..." she dropped to whisper, only Cordelia close enough to hear. Cold, icicle Bacara? Caring for something?

I'm still going off of the old Handle Animal result, as nothing's really changed.

Also, I know it isn't "proper", but can Bacara use rejuvenate eidolon (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/r/rejuvenate-eidolon) on this creature at all?

Marieke's Strength Check to Aid Cordelia: [roll0]

EDIT: :smallannoyed:

[King Tius]

As Cordelia moves to assist Baraca and his fantastical talking creature/companion, the fox whimpers in pain. She deftly disables the trap, though she cries out in pain as an arrow flies out of the woods and grazes her right arm. The arrow came from the (Map's) northeast.

Cordelia takes 5 damage and we are now in initiative order.

Initiative Order
(19) Aravir
(17) Braer
(16) Bacara
(14) Kiryu
(6) Cordelia

You do not need to post in initiative order but I will be resolving actions in that order.

The Map


http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/6053/rivertrap1.png

The map should be fairly obvious. The darker water is too deep to walk in and will require swim checks.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

whiizzzthunk

For a moment Bacara stared at the slash across Cordelia's arm, still with the fox's body in his hands - and then, as if dipped in ice water, went deathly calm.

"Ambush!" he called out. Called, not cried, for his voice was completely emotionless, as if discussing the weather at a distance. "Came from those trees! Flush them out!" he directed, punching one hand quickly in that direction before returning it to the fox. "Come on, mate, we're getting out of here," he whispered, trying to pick up the animal without injuring it further.

Without any further prompting, Marieke snapped up from her crouch and hurtled toward the direction of the arrow, spear presented. As she crashed forward, a hound suddenly slipped through space into existence next to her, keeping pace - no, outpacing her, its nose high in the air, sniffing out the opposition.

Actions:
Bacara uses his summon monster SLA to summon a celestial dog (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/dog/summoned-creature-dog) to L14. He then uses his move action to pick up the fox, if he can. Yes, this means that his spear is being left on the ground, I'm aware. :smallwink:

Marieke simply double moves to E16.

Celestial dog (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/dog/summoned-creature-dog) summoned to L14, single moves to D15, then uses scent as its second move action (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules#TOC-Scent-Ex-) in an attempt to find enemies. It'll bark and "point" if something is there to the best of its ability.

Summaries:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: O11.

Marieke (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261276)
HP: 11/11. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: E16.

Celestial Dog (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/dog/summoned-creature-dog)
HP: 8/8. AC: 13, 12 Touch, 12 Flatfooted.
Saves: +6 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +1 Will.
Resistances: Acid, Cold, Electricity 5.
Position: D15.

[Sinfonian]

Upon noticing the attack upon Cordelia, Braer rushes forward to interpose himself between the stricken party member and where the arrow seemed to have originated. He strikes a guarding position with his halberd as he looks for the source of the arrow.

Braer advances to L-13. Depending on whether or not I get an automatic Perception check to try to locate the culprit, my actions are as follows.

Either way, Perception check [roll0]. (It disappoints me that martial classes still don't get Perception as a class skill, even in Pathfinder).

If the action is not free, that's the end of my turn (move and use the standard for the active Perception check).

Otherwise, regardless of check result, he will take the total defense action to increase AC by 4.

Edit: Screwed up reading the map, wrote wrong coordinates, fixed now.

[ithildur]

Aravir narrowed his eyes as he drew his longsword and intoned arcane syllables, surrounding himself with an invisible but tangible field of protective force. He'd seen similar tactics used by his kin before, but with much more devastating effect.

"Only a single arrow; I do not think their numbers are many," he spoke quietly as he took a small step forward.


Move action, draw Masterwork Longsword, Bonded object
Standard action, cast Mage Armor on himself
Five foot step north to Q12

I'm guessing actively trying to spot enemies requires an action, but in case a passive is good enough:

[roll0] Perception


Hp 12/12, AC 17, Touch 13, FF 14


(edited move action, as I probably should not assume he was walking with his weapon held out)

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Almost in the mood to boast about her skillful tool use, Cordelia was awarded with an arrow nicking her arm. "Ack!" Wait... an arrow? It took a precious sluggish moment for her to realize she was just shot at despite Bacara's call.

"Oooh..." the color of her voice immediately shifted, obviously ticked, "They're asking for it now... trying to shoot me in the back." Lifting herself up, she pulled out her swords with a flourish as she turned to face the forest. Noticing how Braer was already up and shielding her, Cordelia conceded that just chasing after the attacker right now would be selfish. Plus, unless this assailant was incredibly cocky or stupid- he or she was probably with another group of people. Readying herself, she took a step forward right beside the paladin.

Cordelia takes a move action to wield her two shortswords.

Takes a 5 foot step to L-12.

She follows Braer's lead and takes a full defense action- adding 4 to her AC.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu moves behind the paladin to O,11 (Or 11,0) He then draws his puny bow, (Damn being a midget!) and prepares to cast cure light wounds on Braer if he's injured.

[King Tius]

(19) Aravir
Drawing his sword, Aravir weaves a spell about himself. Unfortunately, searching the woods is a move action (which you already used).

(17) Braer
Stepping into a protective position, Braer scans the treeline for the party’s assailant.

Result of Perception Check

You spot a hobgoblin perched about 15 feet up a tree at B19


(16) Bacara
Bacara sends his minions forth as he picks up the fox. It cries out in pain but still makes no attempt to resist. The summoned celestial dog takes off, sniffing at the air. Unfortunately it can’t pick up a scent this round.

(14) Kiryu
Kiryu double-moves to M13 to get behind Braer, ready to heal him if needed.

(6) Cordelia
Drawing her blades, Cordelia steps up next to Braer, ready to take on whatever comes out of the trees.

(5)Enemies
Out of a tree near B19 erupt three large black crows with razor sharp talons. Two fly towards Braer and Cordelia while the third heads toward Aravir.
C1 and C2 get to attack this round:
C1 attacks Cordelia with both its talons:
Attack1: [roll0] Damage: [roll1] minimum = 0
Attack2: [roll2] Damage: [roll3] minimum = 0
C2 attacks Braer with both its talons:
Attack1: [roll4] Damage: [roll5] minimum = 0
Attack2: [roll6] Damage: [roll7] minimum = 0
Finally, an arrow flies from the woods (again near B19) destined at Marieke
Attack: [roll8] Damage: [roll9]
She does not see her assailant (and neither does the dog)

Everyone please keep track of your own HPs and report then in your posts (just like real life!)

The Map

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7193/rivertrap2a.png

[ithildur]

Attacking crows...? What in Desna's name...

Aravir glanced briefly towards the general direction the arrow seemed to come from, and pondered whether he should simply ignore the crows for now to deal with the archer. Perhaps it was an overly territorial Ranger or Druid who saw fit to defend his domain, or an overzealous hunter? He had no strong urge to kill the crows yet without a clearer idea of the situation (though had he known the archer was a hobgoblin, likely his attitude would've changed quickly).

Still, the one that clawed Cordelia was clearly out for blood, and the one that was flying towards him seemed to be measuring him for a peck at his eyes, in the elf's mind. Muttering a bit to himself, he gripped his magnificent longsword with both hands and swung with surprising strength at the crow.


HP12/12, AC 17 Touch 13, FF 14
[roll0] MW Longsword +4 Str
[roll1] MW Longsword + Str x 1.5

If he hits and downs the crow, he moves straight east towards the trees, seeking for cover, shouting, "We're sitting targets waiting out in the open; I suggest moving soon."

If he misses, five foot step east, shouts the same thing, then move action to active perception check for the archer (will reroll if allowed, otherwise keep the 9 from last post)

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

whiizzzthunk

This time, Marieke was the target, suddenly growing a shaft out of her chest. It might have dropped the average person, but for the eidolon it was "merely" a moderate wound.

Regardless, it hurt. And that made Marieke angry. So angry, that she would have charged forward at the tree that the arrows were obviously being shot from -

"Marieke! Fall back!" It was Bacara's voice again, and it was most certainly not a suggestion.

With a grimace, she turned her back on the sniper, trusting Bacara's other summon to cover her. Charging back towards the growing melee, her spear blurred as it swept forward towards the bird attacking Cordelia. "Take this beast down!" she cried to the rogue.

The dog was meanwhile... occupied, disappearing into the woods, still searching for its original target.

Bacara for his part was scrambling along the ground, desperately shuffling the contents of his hands. "Damn, damn, damn, alright, mate, just a moment, I know it hurts, I know it hurts, don't worry, we'll take care of you... TEY-YAH!" he exclaimed, his blood-slick hands thrusting his spear forward at the crow behind them. Clear out flankers immediately.

Actions:
Marieke charges to J13 and attacks C1. +2 for charging and +2 for flanking with Cordelia (right?), and she can make one attack, which'll be her "bite".

"Bite" Attack: [roll0]
"Bite" Crit Confirm: [roll1]
"Bite" Damage: [roll2]

The celestial dog (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/dog/summoned-creature-dog) continues crashing around, moving to B19. I have no idea what it'll encounter/accomplish there, but suffice to say that it'll attack whatever it sees if it can. Should this archer be stuffed up in a tree somewhere, I'm of the mind that it's a possibility for the dog to do some sort of leaping-bite-charge thing, although perhaps not this round. Just play out the dog's actions (somewhat) intelligently, it's capable of independent action after being given orders. :smallwink:

Bacara does a fox/spear shuffle in O11 as a move action and five-foot steps to N12. then stabs either C1 or C2 (both are in reach). Preferably C2, but if Braer kills that first then obviously C1. If C1, don't forget the +2 from flanking with Marieke.

EDIT: I fail at reading positioning. He'll attack C3, which is actually in reach. Should the C3 already have dropped from Aravir, he attacks C2, unless that dropped as well, in which case he moves to J11 (with enough squares to movement to skirt the AoO), so as to get into range to attack C1.

If he attacks C3, add +2 to the bottom roll for flanking.

Longspear Attack: [roll3]
Longspear Crit Confirm: [roll4]
Longspear Damage: [roll5]


Summaries:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: N12.

Marieke (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261276)
HP: 7/11. (4 damage from an arrow.) AC: 13, 9 Touch, 12 Flatfooted. (-2 from charging.)
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: J13.

Celestial Dog (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/canines/dog/summoned-creature-dog)
HP: 8/8. AC: 13, 12 Touch, 12 Flatfooted.
Saves: +6 Fortitude, +3 Reflex, +1 Will.
Resistances: Acid, Cold, Electricity 5.
Position: B19 (?).

The fox is chilling out on the ground next to Bacara, N11.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

After watching Marieke take a nasty arrow to the chest, the Rogue was too irritated to hold herself from taunting the hidden attacker, "Oi! You Yellow Bellied Eel Suh-"

"Pffspfft!" Cordelia sputtered as a wild mass of black feathers and sharp talons flew at her face. Fortunately, she'd dodged a flying arrow- seeing as she agilely shifted to the side by mostly muscle reflex. Unfortunately dusty down feathers never react well with an open mouth and inhaling nose. Within a second blink, her line of view also spotted Marieke.

"Take this beast down!"

"Avian." She responded in a matter-of-factly tone before getting into a good position, "I think it'd prefer that term... well that would the case if you didn't..." she stared at the remains of the crow, "Kill it."

Actions
If she needs to take a 5ft step to L-10 to gain flanking she will do so.

Plan A: Stab Crow 1 Twice and be done with it.

Main Hand Short Sword Attack [roll0]
Main Hand Short Sword Damage [roll1]
Confirm Crit [roll2]

Main Hand Short Sword Attack [roll3]
Main Hand Short Sword Damage [roll4]
Confirm Crit [roll5]

*This is if no 5-ft step was required*
Plan A1: If the bird dies after the first hit, cancel the second hit and instead have her move to O-14 if Crow 3 isn't dead.

Plan A2: If Crow 3 is dead (>.< lol) move to K-15 in a roundabout way to not provoke AOO.

Plan A3: And if that bird it dead too @_@ well then just move towards the magical wolf G-15


Note: If the poor bird is dead already...

Plan B: 5-ft to K-13 and full attack Crow two. No sneak attack damage and -2 on each attack to hit.

Plan B1: >.> If that one is dead, just move to O-14 and use the first attack.

Erm... if all crows are dead by her turn

Plan C: just double move towards the dog...

Plan C1: Even better if someone points the hidden archer out (or other combatants), in which case she'd charge them if they were in range, double move towards them if they are on the ground but not in range. And if they're out of reach completely (ie in a tree lol) drop her swords as a free action and pull out her bow as a move action. And shoot them.

No... not going to roll that unless its absolutely necessary.

Current HP 7/12
AC 19 Flat 14 Touch 15

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu draws his bow, (move action,) then makes a spot check to try and find the archer.
[roll0]
If he sees teh archer he shoots.
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Sinfonian]

Briefly removing his hand from his halberd, Braer points directly at the hobgoblin he spotted. "Hobgoblin in the tree at one o'clock, about 15 feet up. If someone's got decent range, see if you can get that handled."

Having said his piece and replaced his hand on the wooden haft of his weapon, he launches a single strike into the air with the spiked point at the crow in K12.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[King Tius]

Initiative Order

(19) Aravir
The snarky elf almost effortlessly fells the evil bird assailing him. He quickly turns and makes a B-Line for the cover of the forest, ending just behind some rocks.

(17) Braer
With similar easy, Braer uses the point of his halberd to slay the second crow.

(16) Bacara
With the other crow already dead, the Eidolon moves instead to J15 and stabs the remaining crow, slaying it.
Placing the fox gently down, Bacara picks up his spear.
The celestial dog crashes into the woods, barking up a storm. You can just make out it’s position, barking up a tree.

(14) Kiryu
With the aid of the Celestial Dog, Kiryu manages to spot the hobgoblin in the tree. With his bow already drawn, he delivers a devastating shot that catches the hobgoblin square in the chest. The creature waves its arms as it teeters backwards, crashing 15 feet down to the ground. The Celestial Dog immediately lunges, though the hobgoblin died from the fall.

(6) Cordelia
Suddenly free of crows and archers, Cordelia doesn’t need to go!

Congrats folks, you survived your first combat encounter! Each of you receives 101 xp

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Tch. Ow." Cordelia tsked as she lowered her raised weapons, "See anyone else?"

Bringing her left hand up to her mouth she whistled Ash back. It wouldn't be a good thing to leave him wandering out like that. Looking over at her arm she paused to assess the damage. It stung, but it didn't seem like she would need to worry about it too badly. Almost unconsciously, she rubbed the spot slightly, "Hey Marieke. Who wins the scar contest? You or I?" Cordelia joked lightly.

[ithildur]

"Hm... That's it? A lone hobgoblin and some birds...?" Aravir emerged from the cover of the trees looking profoundly puzzled, and a bit skeptical, still looking around rather warily towards the northeast.

"Hmph, if that had been a proper elven ambush, we'd all be walking pincushions by now. I suggest we search around a bit, examine the corpse, find out what the story here might be."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The fight almost instantly over, Bacara froze in place, spear still in hand - seemingly divided between the fox on the ground and his eidolon with an arrow in her chest.

The latter made his decision for him by stumbling over to her summoner underneath her own power, who laid his spear back down and knelt next to the fox. "Hurts," she said flatly, coughing a bit.

The man nodded in response. "It's an arrow. What'd you expect?" Even as he snarked, though, his hands were already reaching for her. "Slow or fast?"

"You know I prefer it fast," she answered, even as she knelt down beside him.

His eyebrows furrowing in disapproval, Bacara grabbed the arrow. "It's far less com-"

splorch

Marieke cried out, just a little bit, as the arrow exited roughly out of her sternum in a small spray of gore. "-fortable this way," he finished.

The eidolon had no response, other than to look at Cordelia and roll her eyes. "Sorry, mate, but there's no competition. You'll win, hands down." Even as she chuckled painfully, Bacara pressed his hand to the wound, blood trickling between his fingers... and then it all evaporated away. When he pulled his hand off there was nothing remaining but smooth, unblemished skin.

Bacara casts lesser rejuvenate eidolon, healing Marieke 1d10+1.

Lesser Rejuvenate Eidolon: [roll0]


Bacara looked at the spot for a second, twisting his mouth in some sort of agitation, before turning back to the fox. "Kiryu!" he called. "See to Cordelia's arm. And our friend here, as soon as you're done." The words might imply a command, but the tone of voice was more like a plea, rising at the end of the sentence like a question.

Meanwhile, Marieke rose, stretching with a loud gasp, spear held parallel to the ground in both hands. "Ahhhh... much better," she sighed, coming back down. A smile - a truly happy smile - beamed down at Cordelia. "Curative magic has nothing on this."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia watched the magic with a tentative stare. It was always a curious thing to see when it occurred, it just spooked her a bit. Well the kind that affected people, things like summoning things from thin air or causing fire seemed less ... feely. "Aww what? Scars build character- or personality at the least." Shrugging she turned to Kiryu, "Whelp, I'm not one to turn down healing in any form if someone is willing to give it. Nice shot by the way... You should try contests. Well not with Elves of course." She took a deep breath, slowing down her heartbeat.

Sliding up a little close to Marieke, she whispered a sentence or two to her before trailing off with a giggle, "Psst... Its a good sign, but I think by mentioning me before the fox- he thinks of me a little higher then wild animals." Walking away, she came up next to Aravir and agreed with his earlier statements, "Noted Aravir, tell us if we ever gain the ire of your people aaaand then I'll be spooked by your scary elf bowmen stories... But yes, we should check out that hobgoblin."

[Sinfonian]

Braer nods at Cordelia's suggestion and approaches the hobgoblin corpse. He will search the body for anything either usable or indicative of its purpose here. "Let's see if we can find why this thing was here. More importantly, if it's here on its own."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Even as the summoner knelt beside the crippled fox, his summoned dog was already dragging its fallen prey toward its master - Braer would intercept it before it made it far out of the woods, though. "Hai, friend," Bacara hailed the dog. "Take a treat on your way out. It's about that time anyways."

Dropping its hold on the hobgoblin's shoulder, the dog happily bounded over to one of the fallen crows instead. With a final bark of farewell, it snatched up one of the crows, its bones crunching between the animal's jaw - and then it was gone, crow and all, slipping away onto another plane. Bacara chuckled, but the laughs quickly stopped as he anxiously awaited Kiryu to finish his rounds.

Marieke, on the other hand, reacted far less favorably towards Cordelia's aside. "H-h-he's just being political," she half-stammered, half-spat at the rogue in a low voice, looking unsure. "What would you have thought if he said the fox first instead? It'd cause party conflict. Only one of you can speak. A-a-and anyways, don't be so sure. He came to me first, anyways. Don't be so full of yourself." It almost sounded as though she were trying to prove something to herself.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu quickly rushed to the fox and casts cure light wounds on it. He watches as the fox stops crying in pain and then strokes its head


There you go little fella, and why did that hobgoblin shoot at us?
We outnumbered it and didn't even try to escape when the dog was summoned.

Kiryu goes over and examines the body.
He pulls out the arrow from teh body and wipes teh gore off it.
He then examines the arrow closely for dents, finds none (It doesn't break it's some sort of arrow that doesn't break on impact,) satisfied it isn't damaged he puts it away.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia looked back upon Marieke with a stare that implied 'Really? You're that serious?' before glancing over the hobgoblin. It didn't seem all that exciting, so the corpse didn't keep her attention for long.

Looking back she watched the Celestial dog pop out to another plane and the Gnome healing the fox. For the second act, she quietly rolled her eyes. Without reacting overtly to not receiving first aid, Cordelia jogged over to her horse, dug into one of the saddlebags, pulled out her cheapest outfit, and cut a healthy-sized rag off of it. "And people ask me why I wear long-sleeves..." she said only to herself.

Dropping on a knee, she pulled her backpack infront of her and dug out a bar of soap. Dabbing the bar with water from her waterskin she tensed her jaw as she washed the long bleeding line on her arm- finally wrapping it tight with the cloth. Placing everything back into its place, Cordelia pulled a bit of feed out for her horse. "Yes... Who's a good boy for not running away?", she said quietly into his ear before giving him some food and rubbing his neck.

Heal Check is a take 10. ((Don't need a 15 to stabilize))

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Bacara and Marieke only watched Kiryu strangely as he marched straight past Cordelia to the fox. "Thank... you?" Bacara said tentatively. "But, uh, you forgot the first part of that. I'm sure the hobgoblin doesn't care about the arrow anymore, but I'm sure Cordelia still cares about her arm."

Marieke even had the decency to look a little offended on Cordelia's behalf. "Well, let's not waste time. I'm not leaving this body unexplored." On that note, she knelt down next to the fallen hobgoblin, and started rifling through its pockets.

Meanwhile, Bacara was amusing himself with the newly healed fox. "Eh, friend, how's that? Better, eh? Better, right - hey!" he exclaimed, quickly slapping the gnome's stroking hand away. "Don't do that. Just because we healed it doesn't mean it's tame. Wild animals are still wild, they're not pets to enjoy feeling. Wait a minute, let's see its reaction first. As for why it didn't run..." The square jawed man thinks for a bit, then shrugs. "I dunno. Maybe he thought he could force us to flee. Maybe he thought he could stay hidden. Maybe he thought he could score a kill - it's fortunate Marieke is... fortified," he says, unsure of the correct word to use. "That arrow would have killed the common person.

Mechanics
Handle Animal check from before stands, since it hasn't seemed to do anything yet?

Marieke gives the body a going over: I'm not going to bother rolling a Search check. Seriously, it's a body, not finding something hidden on it when not under pressure is simply embarrassing.

[Hazzardevil]

OOC:

bother, my colour is the same as someone elses, I'll change it to green.


Sees Cordiela roll her eyes.


I wasn't the one who thought it was a good idea to heal the fox, I belive the best thing to do is leave it soem food and let it heal naturally.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The summoner only glared at Kiryu for that answer. "Oh yes, let the crippled animal who can't even move all alone. Yes. What a great idea. Leave it food that other animals will just take from right in front of it, if a bigger predator doesn't eat it first," he drawled sarcastically.

Marieke looked up from her searching, but quickly lowered her eyes again, as if ceding the point without an argument. That, or she agreed with him... for once.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Relax you two... three. Lets clarify a few things before it gets out of hand." Pulling ash behind her by the reigns Cordelia moved herself between the summoner and the witch"Bacara, he means that we should've nursed the fox back to health naturally with us instead of spending magical resources for a quick fix. We're lucky it isn't adolescent... the fox probably stinks of human now. And anyways, quit badgering about it, you should let it go if you're worried about it biting someone."

Cordelia's had a few butterflies in her stomach, she wasn't the best mediator, "Kiryu, I'm sorry. I admittedly found it upsetting that you missed my injury. But try not to sound defensive like that... placing blame never solves anything. "

She bit her lip as if wanting to say something else important but didn't act upon it,"We need to get moving. I feel rather vulnerable as we sit here while people are dying. Now apologize and get on with it." Cordelia made the last two sentences rather grave, but indeed she was begging to feel uneasy since she had stopped focusing on laughing off her injury.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Bacara now turned his attention to Cordelia. "Now you're not making any bloody sense. You don't want to the fox to be tainted by human, and then you think nursing it back to health with us is a good idea. Like you say, we're on mission right now. We can't afford to be slowed down with a lame fox... no offense," he apologized to the animal in front of him. "This is the best way to ensure that nothing dies. Now, we should be moving soon. Just what are you thinking, anyways?" That last question was aimed at the fox, who still had yet to react.

[ithildur]

"Are we done yet?" the elf finally asked, after having patiently watched the bickering for some time. It seemed they had forgotten that a moment ago, they had been dealing with a hobgoblin sniper and it's foul feathered friends.

"If you are, perhaps a quick lookabout to the northeast by someone with keen senses... keener than even mine... might be a good idea, before we move on. The fox seems like it's been through an ordeal, but now is in good enough shape to be allowed to go, which, I suggest we get ready to do as well."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Face forward then." Cordelia placed a boot up on a stirrup of Ash's saddle, "I'll be ahead." Placing a hand upon the horn, she hopped ontop of her horse, wincing slightly as the wound on her arm rubbed against its binding,

"Yah!", tugging on the lead rope she turned again towards their woody destination. Ash trotted forward with his rider before she pulled him to a pause, turning him back to the group, "Think about it. I was talking about BABY Foxes, not ADULT ones." Yelling her piece, she goaded the horse towards their goal- leaving the group slightly behind her dust. One couldn't exactly read her face or body language as some of the lower tree branches parted though her path.

[ithildur]

The elf watched as the woman rode off. Then he looked towards the northeast towards the trees. Then back to the woman, trotting away on her horse. Then back northeast. Then back to the woman.


This was going to be ... interesting. He decided he would look forward to many needlessly exciting moments in the coming days ahead.

[Hazzardevil]

Yes Cordellia, that was what I meant.

Kiryu quickly frisks the Hobgoblin for arrows and the bow and then rejoins the group.


So which Direction are we going now?

He then quickly looks around and listens for sounds.

Mechanics:

[roll0]
[roll1]

[King Tius]

Approaching the corpse of the hobgoblin, you see that he wears leather armor that is clearly self made. From the looks of him he was definitely a hunter. On his person in fine leather sheathes are a set of hunting knives made specially for skinning, cleaning, and killing creatures. They all have horn handles and their sheathes match the leather of his boots and pants. The bow he used is Darkwood and looks like it would take a decent amount of strength to draw.

In a rucksack near his perch you find a pair of hunting traps and the necessary tools for maintaining such devices. He also has 43 gold pieces in a small, tightly wrapped pouch (so it doesn't make noise).

After receiving healing, the fox brightens up noticeably and begins to lick the blood off its hind legs. It accepts your petting cautiously at first but quickly warms to it. As you move to examine the body it follows you.

Cordelia bandages her wound without incident.

Searching the nearby area does not reveal anything else of note. However, you can make out a small structure near the water of the lake a few hundred yards away.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The process might be described as brutal, but Marieke handled it like it was just another chore. Stripping the hobgoblin down to the skin, without any pretense of modesty, she sorted its possessions out and arranged them clearly in front of the body. "There we go. Now, let's see here..." Dispassionately, she tries the draw on the bow. "Anyone else want to try? Cordelia? Those knives - think you can make use of them?"

The scene was discomforting. Marieke had been a constant advocate for the good of the people when Bacara had not, and yet this... looting... cast her in an entirely different light.

Bacara, on the other hand, seemed far more vindictive about the whole process. Without a word he pocketed the pouch, not even bothering to announce it to the rest of the party. Upon moving on to the traps, those he brought and threw alongside the hobgoblin's corpse - clearly showing what he thought of them.

As he did so, a sinking feeling slowly descended upon him, the fox always hot on his heels. Without a word, he raised a hand, catching Marieke's attention - and then he deliberately turned away and took a score or so slow, measured steps away from the scene... turning back, and checking if the fox had really just followed him the entire way.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Theres a building up ahead, no signs of other attackers." Cordelia yelled as she galloped back to the group. Hopping off near Marieke she listened to her talk about the knives, "Rather nice, too bad I'm more of a Short Sword sort of person." Grasping the horn handles one by one and looking them over, she re-sheathed the knives and took the whole set- leather and all, "I'll hold them for now unless anyone else wishes to use them. They'll probably sell well back in town." Pursing her lips, she looked upon the corpse, "If we had any cheap beer I'd spill some for a downed enemy. May his soul rest in peace... unless he was worshiping some sort of horrible torture God. Then uh... whatever suits him down there."

Walking over to the disengaged trap she bundled it up and placed it within her horse pack. Then upon hearing Bacara drop the metal near the corpse, she proceeded to pack those away also, "Seeing as this was probably the Hobgoblin's, I don't believe he'll mind us taking these away." Cordelia gave Bacara a rather pensive glare, as if she didn't exactly know what to do with him. He was probably giving her a rather animated one back.

[Sinfonian]

Braer looks up from the corpse and tosses a glance in Cordelia's direction saying, "I say that whatever his god was, he got the fate he justly earned through his ambush. He'd get no spirits from me, no matter how cheap." He grunts slightly as he gets back to his feet and wipes his hands off after having touched the dead hobgoblin.

Having rid his hands of the grime, sweat, and blood, he turns his attention to the spoils left by the assailant, looking at the bow in Marieke's hands. He asks to handle it and draws the string back a few times, finding the pull to his liking. "If no one else has use of this, it might come in handy for me later."

Finally, the paladin turns to face Bacara and the fox. "Please, take these words as gently as they are intended. I understand that you were overcome with compassion, and I appreciate that, but in the future, you need to exercise more caution. I'm glad the fox has its freedom from the snare, but had that ambush gone differently, you might well have lost your life. Rushing into a situation like that again might endanger the very thing you try to save. Remember that we're trying to do more than promote the welfare of a single wild animal. That said...it is pretty cute."

[King Tius]

Braer finds that he can easily draw the bow and take advantage of its higher pull (it is a Composite shortbow with a +2 Strength rating). Cordelia gathers up the remaining possessions of the hunter while Bacara performs his experiment with the fox. Sure enough, the little creature is following him.

[Hazzardevil]

Can I have one of the knives?
I don't have a melee weapon and I'm not really the sort of witch that will get people with fire.
The bow I don't want but I could use the arrows.

It is a cute thing, but I am worried it my have young to look after if we keep it. It's an important part of the food chain.

Kiryu then wipes his hands on teh grass to get the blood off and does the same with his arrow.

He then turns to the paladin.

If that fox really likes you, maybe you can make it your mount!

He then Laughs.

Kiryu then takes a look at the fox.

I expect the fox is an important part of the plot.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The eidolon handed the bow off to Braer without a word of complaint. "Agreed about the whole fate thing - if he's silly enough to ambush six adventurers, he deserves to die. Go ahead, take the bow, I'm not particularly adept with one of these anyways. Just make sure to grab some arrows, you hear?" she reminded him with a small smile.

"Ssshhhh - don't even talk about any sort of respect for this guy," Marieke hastily shushed Cordelia. "Bacara will have a fit, just look at the hate he has for him... just don't," she repeated, an earnest expression on her face.

Fortunately for the pair, Bacara was occupied with his slow-walking away from the fox, not paying a whit of attention to Cordelia as focused as he was on the paladin. "Eh, I'll have a little more care next time," he conceded. "But get this," he confirmed with a jab of his finger, "I am not leaving any creatures to rot. Anywhere. Ever. If the only way to do that is to spring an ambush, then that's what's going to happen." He turned back ahead, taking a few more slow steps, still leading the fox. "This is your only warning."

Marieke flinched visibly, although only Cordelia was close enough to notice.

"Oh dear, this is... not intended," Bacara sighed, now with his hypothesis confirmed. "Alright, mate, you can stick around, but... try not to get hurt? There might be fighting in the future. Can you take care of yourself?" Yes, he realized he was talking to an animal, but the questions were more for the party to think on than the fox itself.

[ithildur]

Talamir watched Braer testing the bow with an amused expression. He seemed to know how to use one, at least.

"Perhaps you should allow an elf to show you how it's done, good sir? Or do you intend to snipe from distance in your heavy armor, while the frail wizard *faint smile* engages in melee combat?"



I'm assuming since no checks were attempted, that Bacara picked up the pouch of coins and took it without any attempt to hide his actions, plainly visible to all nearby.



He then took a step towards Bacara, his left hand moving swiftly.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Certainly" Cordelia responded to Kiryu, "Here you go. Hee hee, I've heard of a witch that set people on fire... rather amusing story that." Pulling out a knife she viewed as rightly sized for the gnome, she handed it over to him.

As for Marieke's shaking warnings, Cordelia took them in quietly, "Sure... Bacara can keep the fox. It'll be his own distraction." She shrugged, wasn't like the fox could do that damage other then holding Bacara's everlasting affection for woodland creatures, "Sooo... whats in the bag?" Seeing as everything else was accounted for, Cordelia was rather curious about the contents of the last unknown. There was a rather distinct tinge to her voice which was fairly identifiable to those that knew her well.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Bacara looked up at Cordelia, nonplussed by the question. "Oh, that bag? Just some currency. A sizeable sum, in fact, something that makes me question what he's doing carrying it around with him, being the hunter that he is. In any case, it's nothing relevant. Nothing we can use for now." Slowly, his eyes narrowed. "What... don't tell me you honestly want to divy it up now? We're on mission here, if you hadn't noticed."

Marieke only gave Cordelia a sideways look and subtle nod, one that managed to say 'he speaks the truth' and 'you've gotten him started - again'.

[ithildur]

... his left hand moved swiftly and precisely, as he cast a spell, then opened back up with the palm facing up, extended out towards Baraca meaningfully.


Spellcraft DC 15
Prestidigitation!


"Excellent point, it's nothing we can use now. Now if you'll allow me, I'll show you a most handy trick."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia paid no mind to Aravir's fiddly hand movements at the moment. Rather, she finished off her quip back to Bacara, "No, not right now. Just... just don't lose it." She seemed to dismiss the matter easily- even though the contents of the bag were more then several weeks of pay. Infact, the quiet gleam flickered away- seemingly stifled by the fact that it was only currency.

"Wait, what was that?" Her attention veered back to Aravir in full focus. Fiddly or not, the elf was promising a trick. Magic was one of the more fascinating occurrences in one's life even little spells were rather interesting to her.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Without a word of complaint, Bacara produced the pouch and tossed it to the elf. "Here. Don't bother giving it back." Seemingly uninterested, Bacara turned his attention back to the fox... experimentally calling it towards him. "Hey there! Can you come over here?"

Marieke sighed, as if long familiar with this habit of her summoner's, and simply watched Aravir along with Cordelia, curious herself.

Mechanics
Handle Animal: [roll0]. Order is "come". Attempting to push a wild animal is DC 25, so I don't actually expect this one to fly. :smalltongue:

[King Tius]

Aravir determines that there are 43 gold pieces in the pouch (I'm cool with using Prestidigitation like that!). Bacara tries to get the fox to approach him, but it just sits down on its haunches and tilts its adorable head sideways a bit as it stares at him.

[ithildur]

The elf focused for a brief instant, eyeing the pouch in his hand as faint arcane energies did their work and sounds of coins being moved about came from the pouch. With a satisfied smile, Aravir then tossed the pouch to the Paladin.

"Three and two score gold coins, good Paladin," he announced, then added, "I think Braer would be the most suitable choice for carrying things of value, especially coins, which can get somewhat heavy after all in large amounts."

[Sinfonian]

Braer passes the bow off to another set of hands looking to test it for themselves and accepts the small pouch of money. "I will keep it safe and ensure that when we are finished that each receives his or her fair share." After a brief pause, he looks at the group and begins to motion along the path they'd been following before entering this area. "Now that the spoils are taken care of, let us proceed back on our task. There are lives still hanging in the balance."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Looking at each other, Bacara and Marieke shrug. "Well... if it's going to follow us, there's nothing we can do about it," the latter ceded.

"Alright then, the paladin has the right of it. Let's get moving." Giving the fox a last curious look, Bacara reshouldered his polearm and turned his tracks toward the building. "We should check this place out before we leave. No sense in leaving a stone unturned. Maybe the hunter will have stored something there."

Despite himself, though, there was a broad smile on his face as he heard the fox dutifully fall into line behind him.

[King Tius]

Finished with your looting, the party continues along the river. When the treeline breaks wide you can see the entirety of the small lake before you. About two hundred yards away of the way sits a small wooden hut, barely more than a glorified shed. From this distance you do not see any movement around it, though you can see that the door hangs at an odd angle by its upper hinge and a portion of the roof is clearly caved in. Poking out from the weeds behind the shack is the bow of a small dingy.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia spent the majority of the short trip keeping her eyes peeled for any more pitfalls and traps. She couldn't stomach the idea of watching ash get caught in the metal jaws of one of the contraptions from before.

"Seems like no one has been here for quite some time." Cordelia conjectured from the sight. The disrepair didn't seem too alarming, slowing her horse she commented back to the party, "Well if the dingy is as well repaired as the hut, I'd rather not use it."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Making sure to stay in an area Cordelia had already cleared, Marieke eventually makes her way up to the dinghy - giving it an experimental prod with her spear. "Eeeeh... no," she declared. "I'm no expert on seaworthiness, but in any case I don't trust that farther than I can throw it."

"That's actually farther than you think, you know," Bacara sniped, unable to help taking the potshot. It seemed that in the company of the fox, he was in a far better mood than he had been when in Falcon's Hollow.

Gracefully, Marieke took the jibe in stride. "That's still not across the river, though. So much for that plan."

Bacara merely grunted his assent, and began poking around the edges of the shack, although he was careful not to walk in. The last thing he wanted was the building deciding to breathe its last and die - on top of him.

Mechanics:
We're under no pressure. Take 20 on Search?

[Sinfonian]

Braer waits off to one side as the others examine the hut and dinghy, thinking this to be a distraction from their actual goal. He waits in silence as he indulges the curiosity of his companions. Luckily patience is a virtue with which I have at least a passing acquaintance. He signs at the memory of the boredom of many nights spent at vigil. Besides, it's good to let people sate their harmless desires, so long as they stay harmless. And as far as desires go, curiosity is about as harmless as they get.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia dismounted near the hut, dropping the reins but directing the horse to stay put. As much as she wanted to mention she was slightly versed on being a sea dog, Cordelia remained silent about it. "I'd like to have a look at it." Examining the Dingy closely, she determined its water-worthiness.

Profession (Sailor)
[roll0]

[King Tius]

Taking your time, you examine the hut and the immediate area. Other than some animal droppings, there are no signs of recent occupation. While walking around inside you hear a hollow noise as you step on a spot of the floor. At first fearing a trap, a tense moment passes as Cordelia checks to make sure things aren't about to blow up. Prying up the loose floorboard, you find a secret stash containing three vials of light blue liquid, a belt, and a bag full of gems!

Cordelia examines the boat and finds the boat *almost* seaworthy. The wood doesn't look rotted and is in fact sturdy Darkwood. She examines the creases between the wood and believes it to be in good shape. There is even a pair of paddles tucked under the boat. However, one thing Cordelia notices that may affect the seaworthiness of this boat is the large hole located in the stern of the dingy, starboard side.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Apparently fear of loose buildings didn't phase the rogue as much as the summoner, as she bravely crept inside of the shack.

Cordelia yipped with unhidden glee at the discovery, but held her voice as to not bring the shack down, "Oooh bonus.". The discovery of the stash was rather exciting to her, but seeing as they would do nothing in her examination of the boat- Cordelia left it there for the moment.

Continuing onto the boat, it was surprisingly better then expected. Gleaning over its sturdy sides and healthy accessories her eyes recognized Darkwood- a trade commodity in the area and also a strong material in its own right. They could work with this, it wasn't too much of a problem.

"Hey guys. We can actually use Ol' timber here." Poking her head around the shack, she pointed to the little dinghy, "Other then the one hole on the starboard side, its actually waterworthy. If any of you have anything to help me fix it up, we'll be golden." Pulling out the two oars, she placed them ontop of the boat. Cordelia wondered if she really had the tools to stop up the hole. It only took a couple of seconds before she came to the conclusion that she didn't have anything remotely useful for the task. 'No... I'm not ruining a perfectly nice Bedroll to plug a hole in a ship.'

"Ooh and look at this." Carefully creeping back into the shack, she used her clever fingers to pull out each object from the stash. She carried each of them out openly, "Tadaa..." Cordelia claimed with a mild flush. Cordelia resisted the urge to sniff the vials or wear the belt- it was a suspicion thing... plenty of telltale stories of hexed goods.

[ithildur]

Aravir's eyes lit up at the sight of Cordelia's find. At last, an opportunity to do something a bit more useful with his skills!

"Excellent find! Well done! Now... let's just see what we might have here..."

Holding the longsword in his right hand with his left hand free to gesture, he prepared to chant arcane syllables once more!

[ithildur]

And cast he does, finishing his chanting and gesturing, and proceeding to concentrate for a few moments on the discovered items.


Spellcraft dc 15 to recognize Detect Magic, concentrating for full three rounds with cone emanation on the belt, gems, and potions, etc.
[roll0] Spellcraft to identify properties of potion1
[roll1] Spellcraft to identify properties of potion2
[roll2] Spellcraft to identify properties of potion3
[roll3] Spellcraft to identify properties of belt if the belt shows magical aura

If the rolls are not high enough to ID, then knowledge arcana to identify schools using Detect Magic

[roll4] Knowledge Arcana to id school for potion1
[roll5] Knowledge Arcana to id school for potion2
[roll6] Knowledge Arcana to id school for potion3
[roll7] Knowledge Arcana to id school for belt

I'm assuming the gems do not radiate magical aura!

[King Tius]

The three potions are all Cure Light Wounds potions (Caster level 3rd) and the belt is a Belt of Physical Might +2.

[Sinfonian]

Braer's patient waiting is broken by the surprise of the cache within the hut. Having watched the wizard chanting over the items, he is intrigued to learn of a potent magical item that has been left alone. "I would have good use for that belt, it would allow me to provide a greater bulwark against foes we meet." He makes no motion to claim it for himself, instead waiting to hear from the others first.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The pair looked at each other. "I have no significant need for an item of that sort," Bacara shrugged.

"For me to have that item could be a liability," Marieke said quietly, almost withdrawn a bit. Wait, what - liability? "Bacara, go help Cordelia. A cantrip would help," she offered suddenly.

Without a word of complaint, Bacara acquiesced, soon kneeling beside the rogue. With a tired sigh, he pointed out, "You know, this boat can't hold all of us. Do you insist on fixing it up? We're hardly all traveling in it together," he sighed, with a significant glance to the fox perched on a nearby slope, still staring intently at them all.

Then Marieke was alongside it, giving him the same intent stare, and he let his breath out, apparently a bit exasperated. "Oh, forget it... just tell me what needs to go together, and where, and how. You're the sailor. What's the boat supposed to look like?"

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"I'm happy with what I have at the moment. Braer can use the belt... Just... don't turn into a donkey or farm animal after putting it on." Cordelia kept the mental image to herself.

Because honestly, if she was the magician that put enchanted items with a stash of gems- she'd happily turn the raiders into harmless animals before changing them back and sending them on the way. Luckily, it seemed like this collection was probably from a vagrant (or possibly a thief's ill gotten gains... it was fun imagining the tall tales and history behind the mystery treasure)- honest money was generally in banks, not hidden in downtrodden shacks. But she was going off track.

Poking Braer rather briskly on the shoulder she added, "Its rather nice, so take care of it for me will ya? I'd like one of the potions, though I've heard they generally don't taste that great."

Listening to Bacara, he seemed to have a few logical complaints... unsurprising, "Awp Awp-pup." the rogue chastised his sighing, "Well, for one having the option to use the dinghy is convenient. Plus, who knows? Maybe another weary traveler would like to use the boat and we're doing the world a favor. Its just a nice thing to do if it isn't too much of a bother." She explained rather brightly. "Now... First of all, this hole is the big problem- can you seal it up? Its not too dreadfully complicated." She her point at the hole was quite animated, one would have to be blind to have missed it.

[King Tius]

With Cordelia guiding, Bacara is easily able to repair the hole in the boat.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu tqakes a look at the lake/River and attempts to judge how big it is.


I think that the boat would be useful, if Cordelia riddes ehr horse round the lake and everyone else just goes accross in the boat, horses are expensive but that just might be me being a singy loner who's holed himself up in a shack for too long.

Kiryu then starts to play with his dagger, holding it in his hand and then flicking it so the blade alternnates between it pointing at him and the shack.


Mechanics

Kiryu makes a perception check to judge the length of the river.
[roll0]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Nice - feh. Not my thing. I still say we're wasting time here. Well, if there's some engineering flaw in here," Bacara said, standing back up from his kneeling position, "it's not my fault." It seemed he was eager to free himself from the boat, as if he almost expected it to fail.

Marieke looked to Kiryu. "That's not a bad plan... but then I'm worried for Cordelia. No offense, I think you're quite capable of taking care of yourself," she hastily added, "but we were just ambushed without provocation, and we've come across several traps. One rider galloping on a horse is a tempting target, no?"

[Sinfonian]

((EDIT: Double Post Removed))

[Sinfonian]

Braer takes the belt and cinches it around his waist, he looks toward Cordelia and pauses for a moment after he finishes, as if in thought. "Moo?....No, not a farm animal this time around. I believe we'll have to wait for another chance for such a thing to happen. And of course, I will happily surrender the belt to you in the future." He also takes one of the potions and stows it in his backpack, just in case.
OOC:
I imagine he'll also be entrusted with the gems as a fair arbiter of such things, as with the gold. I'm recording such things on the char sheet quite separate from personal possessions so they don't get mixed up.

He smiles broadly and turns toward the boat that has just been fixed. "Good work fixing the boat, people. I think it will save some valuable time crossing the river. The question remaining is: what about the horse?"

[Hazzardevil]

Would we be able to send the horse round alone, we either leave it here and defenitly lose it or we risk losing it or keep it by sending it round.

[King Tius]

Eyeballing the size of the lake you think it would take about three hours to ride around its perimeter at a decent pace. Kiryu guestimates that it is about 3 1/2 miles to the other side of the lake.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Regarding the distances, the average speed one could hope for in the boat and on the horse - Bacara did the calculations in his head. Marieke did too. It was a process akin to watching grass grow.

"I... don't think the boat will save any time, especially if we have to wait for a straggling companion," he eventually drawled. "Let's get rolling, shall we? I know, Cordelia, you want to use the boat, but it simply isn't worth the trouble." Still, he chuckled a bit. "If you really like it that much, we can come back for it after this is through. But right now, we're on mission. Don't get distracted. Weren't you the one saying that earlier?"

Marieke was already hovering behind her summoner's shoulder, bouncing from one foot to the other nervously.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia laughed at Braer's joke, it was a pleasant thing to be reciprocated. "I'll be taking one then." Grasping a potion, she placed it into her backpack.

"what about the horse?"

"Good point." Cordelia hopped over to ash and stroked his mane in thought. If she rode him around, it seemed like she'd actually beat the dinghy. In her mind it seemed like in terms of travel time- the horse would be first, and depending on who was manning the oars either the boat or walking would be second. "You're right Bacara, oaring the way across may actually lose us time- That was, if we didn't have such able bodied men with us. But don't put words I've said back into my mouth like that. Its not veeery... sportsmanlike." Cordelia commented. "I say you guys go, someone volunteer to come with me on Ash- and we'll meet across the lake."

Looking over the boat once again a curious thought hit her, "Waaaaait... is the boat enchanted at all? Well other then the mending spell. Seeing as the shack had magical doodads too." Thinking again, Cordelia quietly thought back to remember if anyone back at town mentioned any snippet or comment about the lake.

Knowledge Local
[roll0]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The duo looked at each other - then away. "Not either of us," they said in perfect unison.

"To whit," Bacara explained, "Ash is hardly able to carry three of us. Marieke has to stay close to me, else she slips back to her home plane - "

The named eidolon shuddered. " - don't want," she said, looking disgusted. "The nights are long enough as it stands."

Out of context, it sounded like something out of a bad love ballad, but there was a distinct lack of romanticism between the pair. More like... her home plane was somewhere terrible, and her time on this one, a pleasant fantasy.

[Hazzardevil]

I'll go on the horse with anyone, I can't contribute on the boat much and I have my bow in case we get attacked while riding round the lake.

Kiryu strokes his bow affectionatly while speaking and then pulls out his knife and flicks it about again and then nearly drops it in the ground.

Kiryu appears to have taken a liking to his knife and is now trying to make it shine as much as possible.

[ithildur]

Aravir walked up to the boat, lofting a brow subtly at Cordelia's question with a slight smirk.

"You truly are fixated on this boat, aren't you? As unlikely as it seems... very well..."

Good thing he could draw upon lesser magics easily enough an infinite number of times.

"Let's stick together and keep to the road for now; I don't think taking the boat for us would not save a significant amount of time."

With that he began chanting and gesturing for another spell.


Detect Magic, concentrate on the boat for three rounds, heck, while he's at it for the duration of the spell, use it to scan the entire party!
[roll0] Spellcraft

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

At Aravir's decision, Cordelia felt obliged to not push the boat on them further, "Well, if two of you don't want to sit in a small boat and row out- I don't think its right if I ask you to go." She spoke her thoughts, "Thanks though Kiryu" Cordelia patted him on the shoulder, "Lets go around then." Looking at Ash she realized how he truly was the only ridable mount in the group, "Mmm... Anyone want to ride my horse? Heheh- if only to keep some legs refreshed so that we can go faster. I don't mind sharing him at all." She assumed that the majority of the group knew how to ride a horse, and seemed to forget to offer to hold the reigns for someone who didn't.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"I'll be fine," Bacara declined. "But I believe our gnomish friend here would benefit greatly. It'd help him keep up with us long-legged folk," he said. It was unclear whether or not he was making fun of Kiryu. Probably not.

[King Tius]

OOG: I find it silly that you aren't from the area but can still make knowledge local checks. I guess it is about the kind of things you overhear on the medieval equivalent of the subway.

Cordelia recalls hearing that the fisherman who used to live in this hut was eaten by a monster from the lake. Some people say it is a dragon turtle, others, an aboleth.

Aravir scans the boat with his Detect Magic ability. Other than the residual effects of his mending magic, the boat has no particularly magical properties. As to scanning the party...(grumpy face)...the magic items the party currently has light up, as does the Eidolon. I feel like the Kiryu's companion would give off an aura as well, though I don't think they *techinically* do.

With Kiryu riding Ash, you are able to make slightly better time than having him on foot. You make it about halfway around the lake when the sun begins to set behind Droskar's Craig. As the daylight begins to fade you notice a hazy blue light coming from off in the woods about 100 yards away from the river.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The eidolon looks curiously in the direction of the light. Bacara mirrors the action. "Light. Isn't natural, I'd bet," Marieke obviously states.

"This could be a problem, or a boon. You think we've run into the witch's hut?"

"No way to find out except to move closer, eh?"

Bacara's sense of business seems to have returned during the trip. "Marching order. Weapons out, let's go..." and then he turns to the fox that's been resolutely following them the entire time, over trail, root, and rock. "... and you?" He arranges a few pieces of jerky onto a rock where the fox would be in clear view of the light. "Eat a bit. We'll be over there and back soon, okay? I don't want you tripping over something unpleasant, alright?"

It's a long shot, given the fox's normal reactions, but he just has to try. Marieke simply rolls her eyes.

Handle Animal: [roll0], plus whatever leaving food is worth to a wild animal. :smalltongue:

[Sinfonian]

Acknowledging Bacara's suggestions, Braer readies his halberd as he continues forward, preparing for more hostility. In the failing light, he decides that he should not trust only his eyes to tell him what might be out to harm them. "Let's see if there are any foes that may be lurking..."

He activates his detect evil class ability, and will maintain it as he continues to advance in the direction of the blue light. He will direct the 60ft cone in front of him, covering the area before the party. It should be 2 rounds before the area of effect hits the blue light, if it's 100 ft away. Braer will maintain the ability until he detects something, or until he reaches the light.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu casts detect magic to see if there is any magic in the hut. Presuming there is he cringes slightly but hides it from the rest of the party.

[King Tius]

You approach the glowing light source warily. You see that the light is emanating from out behind some large rocks. Giving them a wide birth, you circle around and see that the light is coming from some weird kind of fungus on the underside of the rocks. It emits light almost as bright as a torch and you imagine that you could scrape some off the rocks to use as a light source. It will take a Survival check to do so. By now the sun has all but set.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Even as they approach, Bacara and Marieke slowly relax from their combat-positions, spears pointed forward, to reshouldering them, once they realize that the only reason for the light is a fungus.

Furrowing his brow, the former disappears for a few seconds, jogging back to the fox to retrieve him-her-it. Some part of him wonders if it would be a good idea to identify, but... later.

Marieke for her part leans on her spear, admiring the natural light. "It's... beautiful, in a way," she sighs, staring at it. "Reminds me of some... pleasant times..."

Bacara then crashes back to join the rest of the party, stuffing some jerky back into his bag, fox in tow. "Marieke, what are you - "

"Remember the willows, Bacara?" she cuts him off, a smile growing on her face.

The summoner goes silent. "... Marieke. Don't waste time," he says flatly, moving to inspect the fungus more closely. "We can harvest this for a light source, but it's getting dark. No point in charging forward." With a glance towards Marieke, he suddenly adds, "... we might as well stay here for the night. Any complaints?"

His eidolon doesn't seem to have any, because she's already throwing off her pack and digging out the tents, the smile turning into a grin as she begins setting up camp without a single other opinion of another party member.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia bumped up behind the Bacara, rather interested to have another look, "Umm... Is it really smart to sleep near some unknown species of fungus? I'm no survivalist but I'm going to point out that if these were a giant plant that was dripping sap- we probably wouldn't sleep near it on account of it being man-eating." Out of curiousity, the rogue pulled out a long stick and poked one from a distance- experimentally... but not aggressively, "Doesn't glowing sometimes mean magical? And fungus mean horrible disease creating otherworldly plantish thing?" Her eyes were rather engaged with the things- like a deer focused on spooky headlights. Peeling herself away, she looked over at the rest of the group- "Well uh if we are going to be here anyways... I think I'll be over there." Cordelia pointed to a spot that she considered was far enough away from the glow and also a bit hidden in-between two bushes and a tree.

"I'll volunteer for midnight watch... Even though I probably won't be able to see anything beyond our torches or the fungus- I think I have pretty good ears." It wasn't as if she was saying no to sleeping there- but just that if no one else had complaints she wasn't going to force everyone to march to a different area.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The summoner chuckles, clearly amused by the rogue's question. "You have an overactive imagination, Cordelia. If these fungus were predatory, there would be signs... I think," he ends somewhat lamely. "And while I'm aware that this 'Blackscour' is a fungal infection, I'm sure the herbalists would know if it was caused by something as visible as a glowing fungus. The light should keep away night predators, anyways," he reassures her - or perhaps himself.

"Cordelia - " Marieke suddenly swings by, entering the conversation. "Don't sleep there. Sleep where people can see you. How're we supposed to know you haven't been eaten if we can't see sleeping?" A silly smile is on her face, a far cry from her annoyance during the ambush - but without even waiting for response she sweeps away, still busy with their campsite.

"As for watches... I believe I'll volunteer for first watch," Bacara says slowly, watching his eidolon quite literally prance about. "I need to sleep uninterrupted to regain my magic... I used some of it today." He shuffles his feet a bit awkwardly.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia pouted mildly at the comment at her imagination, "Okay... As long as you're sure it isn't here from the plane of strange-innocent-looking-creatures (that-actually-want-to-eat-you.)" she mumbled off. Her friend Thomas had really tricked her into believing the strangest things. If she'd actually found another wizard and straightened out all the facts- Cordelia probably would've known she'd been had by him.

"You'll hear it silly. I tend to make alot of noise when I put up a fight." Cordelia made a swing to punch Marieke playfully and completely wiffed as she ran off. After a pause she also added, "And who sleeps with their eyes open in the middle of the night anyways? You'll all know where I am." Cordelia jogged back to Ash and pulled him over to her selected campspot. Rummaging through her stuff in the pack she pulled out all of her tent material and began its setup.

[Hazzardevil]

It isn't magical, I saw nothing with detect magic one of my useful spells.


Kiryu stares at the Edidolon since this is the first time he has had a proper look at it properly and casts detect magic to see if theres anything he can discover about it. He doesn't tell or show anyone, just does it out of interest while setting up the tent.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Marieke giggles - giggles! - at Cordelia's failure, but disappears behind a tent shortly afterward.

Giving Cordelia a last chuckle and a wave of good-night, Bacara claps his hands. "Marieke and I will be taking first watch! Aravir, take this time to trance, but you knew that already, right? After this watch, we can have one other always assisting you - first Cordelia, then Braer, then Kiryu once he's done recovering himself."

With Marieke finishing their sleeping arrangements rather... close to Cordelia's own tent, as if she wants to keep an eye on her, Bacara takes up his spear and begins standing watch, silhouetted against the blue light of the fungus.

As the eidolon hammers in a piton, she realizes that Kiryu is staring. She wiggles her fingers and makes a face at him. "You're not going to see anything here, mate. I'm not of this world, but I don't look like it. Bacara keeps me real, and that's..." Flushing, she gets back to hammering in the piton. The exchange is clearly audible to everyone in the camp except Bacara, distant as he is - but not too distant.

[King Tius]

By the deep blue light of the Glowmold you pitch your tents and get to sleep. Though the eerie forest makes some disturbing noises, you make it through the night unassailed. Anyone who needed it regains 1 hit point. As dawn breaks you once again delve into the woods in search of the eldest tree in the forest. With Aravir guiding you, you walk for nearly two hours before Cordelia gasps at the front of the party.

Pinned to a tree along the deer trail you are following, the bodies of three tiny fey creatures reach out towards you with anguished looks on their faces. Their blood has spilled down the tree, painting it in a multitude of otherwise bright and beautiful colors. As is their way, their bodies have turned to wood (though the nails through their chests are still iron).

OOG: The Eidolon probably glows magically, but I don't know how exactly. Read up on the Summoner, I guess?

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Guys?" Cordelia turned back to the group, she wasn't all that knowledgeable about fairyfolk, "I don't know what happened here... or even if they could be still alive." Unlike before, this time Cordelia knew that she probably couldn't do anything about the situation. Her blood ran cold. It was hard to imagine why a creature could do something so heartless to the fey there. Almost as though triggered- she unsheathed on sword whilst making movement to hop off her horse and take a closer look. Cordelia felt a nagging feeling that there was a memory about these fey that was said back in town.

Knowledge Local
*Go to OOC forum

[King Tius]

If anyone wants to learn more about them, knowledge nature and then local rolls!

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Earlier that night, during the shift from Bacara and Marieke's watch to Cordelia's...

The square-jawed man let time slip by, his eyes wandering to and fro. Truthfully, there was no motion to track - the glow of the fungus was constant, without any fluctuation to produce flickering shadows. Much better than a campfire for light. He'd have to harvest some the following morning.

He smiled. He was surrounded by two companions; a rather devoted fox treating him like some sort of savior, following on his heels at any given moment, and -

"Marieke. Can you keep your eyes sharp?" he asked. His companion shifted a bit in response.

"Sure. What do you want to do?" Her voice was almost tired, but not quite: the sort of fatigue that sets in from constant boredom.

"I'm going to try and train this fox," he answered, sliding off of his seat on a rock. "Have to start somewhere."

"Don't forget. The willows," Marieke whispered. He sighed. Again with the willows.

"I won't. But until then, this will make a fine diversion," he chuckled, and her smile could have outshone the sun. Pulling out a piece of jerky, he waved it in front of the fox's nose, catching its attention. "Alright, mate, let's learn 'heel'..."

And so two hours passed, until Cordelia rose from her tent to the sight of a gallivanting fox, a cursing Bacara, and a Marieke about to burst from holding in laughter...

********************************

"First trapped foxes," Bacara growled with a glance towards his new friend, "now this. Does this forest's cruelty know no bounds?"

Marieke moved closer, examining the bodies. "I think they're dead," she murmured, almost as if surprised. "We should take them down, give them a burial - or some kind of service. This is obscene."

Bacara only grunted in assent, and then began crashing around the area, as if expecting an ambush just like the first time. This time, though, a certain friendly fox was with him. Maybe that would be of assistance...

Perception checks!

Bacara's Perception: [roll0]
Marieke's Perception: [roll1]

The fox might as well make a Perception check, but it really lacks any method of communication, sooo... it has scent, though, so that might be key.

Fox's Perception: [roll2]

[King Tius]

Bacara correctly identifies these sprite-like creatures as Keld Piskies. Hearing the name, Cordelia and Kiryu recall hearing some dubious stories about fairy blood being used as part of an alchemical process to turn lead into gold.

Bacara and his minions investigate the area but do not find anything of note.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu is shocked by whats happened to the fey.
He then trys to identify them and find out how long they had been there.


That's awful, even a fey doesn't deserve that.

He then vomits onto the ground in front of him.
He loks ill for a second then suddenly feels better.
A Weasel then appears out of his backpack and starts licking it up.


Yoroitchii, don't lick the vomit up.

This is my Familiar, Yoroitchii.
She doesn't appear often, mostly just hiding in my bag making me slightly more evasive. She's vital for my spells and I do not want to risk losing her and partly because I don't want her feeding of the commoners chickens.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

During Cordelia's Nightwatch
There was a quiet rustle from the trees around Cordelia's tent, then the rogue walked out- tearing slightly and stretching with a yawn.

As she rubbed the blurriness from her eyes, she caught very curious sight. "Why would you teach a fox that?" Cordelia shook her head, walking out into the moonlight and the blue glow. "Aaawhnn..." Cordelia gave another yawn, "I hope I'm not still dreaming, the idea of Bacara teaching wild animals to do party tricks seems beyond me." After giving them all incredulous looks, she gave a dismissive gesture before turning to a steady tree an attempting to climb it for a high vantage point.

********************************


"Alchemy? Ugh, if creating gold was that easy then the crackpots who bought that stuff wouldn't be running about in the street for such things." She was still grimacing at the sight, maybe it was a warning of sorts. Just showed people could be just as crazed as beasts.

Cordelia looked over at the gnome, then set her eyes on the weasel. "Well tell Yoro that its nice to meet her. Seems like I can relate to her a bit."

Relaxing her guard after watching Bacara scout out the area, Cordelia hopped back onto Ash and hid her blade once again.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Earlier during the watch...

"No - no - no! Stop! Stop! That isn't what I said - " Even as Bacara tried to explain the situation to Cordelia, the fox only ran back to his feet and jumped once before running back a distance away, most likely due to the summoner's over-enthusiastic gestures. "Gaa!"

"Bacara, our watch is over," Marieke gently chided him. "You should get some rest. You used magic today."

With a final sigh, Bacara stopped his flailing, the fox stopping with him. He took a look up after the rogue as she climbed a tree - strange place to take watch for the night. "I... alright. But that's not all, is it?"

She only gave him a long, hard gaze. "Willows," she repeated.

Sighing again, Bacara shrugged, posture resigned. "Alright. Good night, Cordelia!" he called out. Marieke called her own farewell even as she rose and moved with him, walking back to their own tent.

**************************************

"Hey - hey!" Marieke called to Cordelia as she turned around, voice harsh. "Come back here. Lend me a hand with this. You too, Braer, Aravir," she added, although she gave the nauseous Kiryu a sympathetic gaze - obviously deciding to spare him the experience given his current reaction. "Let's pull these damn nails out of these pixies. Give them a proper burial. I won't leave this in the air. It's an affront to everything I know."

She had no file with which to destroy the nail, so she simply attacked the tree itself, destroying the wood that anchored her pixie in order to free it. She had no shovel with which to dig a grave, so she simply hacked at the ground with the end of her spear until it was broken enough to bury the three small bodies. She had no chisel with which to construct a gravestone, so she simply put three stones over the disturbed earth.

She had no words with which to mourn the dead, so she simply cried, tears rolling down her face as she worked, silent and brooding.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

During Cordelia's Nightwatch
As Cordelia disappeared above the treetops, the several of the deep green leaves shook as she was laughing above them. "G'night, next you can teach the fox how to balance treats on its nose!"

Securing her body against a secure and thick branch. Cordelia equipped herself with her bow- generally on high alert. As the minutes passed by, she relaxed as she looked up at the midnight sky. The twinkling stars were peaceful, and slightly warm. Under her breath, she thanked Desna for the pleasant night- and then honestly talked about her day up to the sky. It was fun, and she absentmindedly wondered to Cailean why people would leave gems and magical objects in a shack instead of good booze.

An hour later, she creeped up a bit higher on the tree. Her eyes had adjusted to the moonlight, and she felt assured she could see a bit farther because of it. First she looked up into the high sky, scanning for that Wyvern again. Once that was clear she turned north to see if she could catch a glimpse of the Tallest tree. It was cold to be up past the protection of the foliage, so soon after she was back down to her old hidey-hole.

Cordelia wasn't the greatest at counting time, but as she expected her shift was over- she came over to the tent of the next watcher. "C'mon, get up. I would like to finish my nighttime nap." She poked it quietly... hopefully not scaring the sleeper.

********************************


At Marieke's plea, Cordelia dropped the reigns before even saddling up. Her left hand pulled up and pushed back her bangs. She didn't say anything, but the Rogue did watch reverently. Personally, it may have been impolite to attack the tree's holding the dead fae- Fairies had an affinity to nature... plus Cordelia shrugged, she found normal burials to be strange when applied to them. It was like burying a genie or dragon- mythical creatures that probably had their own forms of ceremonial death wakes.

She just watched, quietly, coldly, and quivering... the world felt silent for a few moments. Cordelia came close to the crying Eidolon and gave her a warm shoulder. "Don't cry, I've heard fae turn into beautiful flowers after they die. In a few years this place will look wonderful. C'mon, we need to go- You can ride with Bacara on my horse, I'll huff it on foot for a few hours."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"We do need to go. We've tarried long enough," rumbled the summoner's voice from behind the two women. He'd been patrolling around, poking into trees, circling around, and generally standing guard the entire time. "And I will decline the ride, although it is appreciated. I prefer to walk. I'm sure Kiryu prefers to ride so that he can keep up, we are trying to hurry - "

"Yes, yes, I understand," Marieke waved him off, taking refuge in Cordelia's shoulder for as long as she could, peeking up at her summoner, eyes red. "It's more efficient. The voice of reason, Bacara," she mocked, almost in a sing-song voice.

Bacara replied with a single, flat word: a name. "Marieke." Both he and his newfound pet simply stared at her, expressions unreadable.

"... I'm sorry," she said at length. But what for? With a last smile at Cordelia, she patted the rogue's shoulder before taking a step back, but remaining close. "Cordelia, take point with me?"

As Marieke asked her question, Bacara turned and walked back, muttering something about bringing up the rear.

[King Tius]

It takes a good 10 minutes but the Eidolon is able to hack the three pixies off the tree. Unfortunately, given the violent and blunt way she chose to do it, Marieke accidentally cleaves one of the fey corpses in two. After giving them a proper burial, the party continues towards the eldest tree.

Eventually the dense trees and thick brush of the forest give way, parting seemingly in respect for the titanic darkwood tree that dominates this clearing. Several times taller than a temple minaret, in one direction the obviously ancient tree reaches into the sky with branches like a giant’s arms, while in the other it plumbs the earth with roots thicker than a man’s waist. Its limbs broad and strong, its bark thick and so richly colored as to almost be black, and its leaves the size of bucklers, the giant thing is less a tree and more a cathedral of boughs and branches.

The clearing in which the tree resides is roughly ovular, 180 feet from north to south and 110 feet from west to east. The elder darkwood has a trunk 30 feet in diameter, with low, easy to climb branches that extend 35 feet from the trunk in every direction. The party has approached the tree from roughly due south.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The pair blinked in surprise at the majestic sight. "Well. That's... considerably more impressive than I thought it would be," Bacara finally exhaled. "But we're not here to dawdle. 'Grows on the bark of the oldest tree in the forest', the herbalist said. Well, then. Aravir, you're the tree expert. Can you find that moss? In any case, I'll secure the area first. This clearing... makes me skeptical," he said, although what 'skeptical' was supposed to mean was hardly clear.

Unshouldering his spear, Bacara began walking another circuit, just like he had when finding the bodies of the fey. Marieke stared after him for a few seconds, expression clouded, before sighing and nudging Cordelia. "Don't mind him. Let's go find that moss. Step one of saving the people," she smiled.

Bacara's Perception: [roll0]
Marieke's Perception: [roll1]
Fox's Perception: [roll2]

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Sure. He doesn't need to be so cautious- its just a giant tree." Cordelia just shook her head, mirroring Marieke in a way. She was in awe at seeing such a gargantuan Darkwood tree, fortune probably had protected it over the years... allowing it to grow and not be hollowed out or cut down by intruders.

The rogue took back possession of her horse from the group, and tethered him right outside the clearing. "Stay safe." she whispered to him... making sure his line wasn't so strong he couldn't pull away and escape from real danger- but strong enough to dissuade him for doing so on a whim.

Getting back to the clearing she scuffed her shoes against the ground while her eyes followed the edgings of the tree. "So under the roots, high up in the upper trunk, or between the shingles right here in the base... where should we start?" Cordelia was musing to herself, but she did walk towards the tree, content with just checking the closest part to her.

[King Tius]

You will need to make search checks around the tree to find the moss. Marieke (and I guess the fox) looks up into the branches of the trees and sees three bodies hanging in the high limbs. From down here, it is hard to make out any details, other than that they are not moving.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"It's just a giant tree," Marieke mocked, staring upward. And then she groaned, leaning against the base of the tree for a few seconds. "Cordelia. Another three bodies up there. Not nailed to the trunk this time. Gods alive," she cursed. "We came to cure a plague... I expected sick people, and dying people, but this is just - ugh."

Straightening, she pounded the butt of her spear into the ground and screwed it in, as if to steady herself. "We'll deal with that later. I'm not even sure how those got up there," she said - but from her tone of voice, not retrieving the bodies was not an option. "First, this moss."

Marieke's Search: [roll0]

[ithildur]

Aravir had been strangely silent for some time, as if in deep thought. The sight of the dead pixies clearly disturbed him however, as his eyes glinted with wrath.

"Whoever would do such a thing for greed... they will pay dearly someday," was all he had said, in icy tones.

The look of horror on his face was obvious, when one of the pixies' bodies was accidentally cleaved in two by Marieke. So shocked was he, in fact, that he merely stood and watched in stunned silence saying nothing, though it was a silence that spoke volumes.

The rest of the day continued with more uncharacteristic silence from the elf, likely getting over the shock and rage of what he had seen this day. He seemed to recover enough to assist with the search, though his attitude was rather cooler towards the Eidolon than before.


[roll0] Perception

Also, Aravir boosts his Dex this day rather than Str with his Physical Enhancement ability as a Transmutation Specialist. Spells prepared are the same as the previous day (Grease, Mage Armor, Enlarge Person for specialist slot)

How many arrows did we find btw on the hobgoblin?


Aravir stared up at the corpses as they were pointed out to the group.

"Right," he spoke, for the first time in some while. "Who's up for climbing today?"

[Hazzardevil]

[Kiryu
Kiryu is still astounded by the fey and presuming there is any left alive he makes a heal check on one.

[roll0]


I prepare Cure light wounds and Summon Monster 1
Are there any Fey still alive?

[ithildur]

Aravir eyed the magnificent tree once more, running a hand over it's bark at shoulder height and walking around the perimeter of the tree slowly.

Moss, he thought to himself as he found himself on the opposite (North) side of where they'd approached the area from. He wanted to take more time, but the corpses hanging above were clearly something that required investigation. Perhaps this area wasn't safe, and if so, the clearing they were in was especially vulnerable.

He reached for and drew his longsword. Just in case.

"We should secure this area first," he suggested. "If no one is willing to climb, by Desna, I'll do it myself."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Oh goody." Cordelia said dryly. She bent her head upwards and, sure enough, more bodies, "Fairly assured that whoever did this is less then human." She shook her head and tsked, "We aren't so... ornamental with cadavers. Hey, Aravir... if you see any tracks- we should make note on whatever direction the people who did this came from." Cordelia dropped her eyes back to her eyelevel, "These bodies might not be fey at all... Unless you guys have better eyesights." She announced, the rogue apparently didn't like jumping to certain conclusions, "Careful... they might be a sign to trespassers in the area."

Cordelia had finished her over and under search of the roots, before Aravir asked for a volunteer to climb the tree. "I will, maybe I can get a closer look at the dead and cut them off for proper burial." Jogging over to her horse, she pulled out her silk rope from one of his pouches. In a moment she was back with everyone else in the clearing. She didn't show fear of either the corpses or the height, just an assurance in herself for the task. Already grabbing holds on the rough ridges of the old Ironwood she looked back at the group, "Watch my back; and unless you know that you can make it up, don't follow me... Hmm," Cordelia made her instructions rather clear before reconsidering a certain action and hopping off the tree, "Anyone have a crowbar or something similarly hooked? If not I'm going to find a rock for my rope and see if I can toss it around a branch for extra stability while I'm climbing." Again, Cordelia was showing her varied skillset.


Search Tree Perception
[roll0]

[King Tius]

As Cordelia gets ready to climb you spread out to search the tree. Bacara manages to spot some of the moss growing on the North side of the tree with Aravir and points it out to him. Cordelia finds a good sized rock and ties her rope to it. Just before she is about to climb the hair on the back of her neck goes up and she stares up into the trees, wide-eyed with surprise.

Cordelia

You hear the slightest of hisses as you are about to start climbing, turning towards the sound, you see what looks to be a dragon-like snake with arms coiled in the branches of the tree directly over Kiryu, ready to strike! You get to act in the surprise round (1 action) and can of course call out to the group.

The initiative will be:
(21) ?????
(13) Braer
(11) Cordelia
(09) Bacara
(08) Aravir
(07) Kiryu



You may all post your normal actions beforehand but please do not post your reactions to Cordelia's surprise until I've had a chance to update from her reaction.

The Map

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/875/eldesttree1.png

The purple circles are the moss. The yellow bodies are....the yellow bodies

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

The rogue's eyes widened and then narrowed back into focus. She took a split second to realize it was more focused on her gnome friend then her personally. Her newly found rock thumped quietly back to the ground where it first belonged as the rogue drew her shortbow from her back. "Ay! You! Scale Face! If you can speak a speck of common, you'd better explain what you're doing above Kiryu."


Twang

"First shot's a warning." Cordelia honestly meant it. Even though it was slightly more unwieldy, she only shot a blunt arrow at the creature.

Free Action Drop Rope Stone. Move Action Draw Shortbow. Free Action Draw Blunt Arrow.

Shoot with Nonlethal Intent
[roll0]
Damage Roll [roll1]
Sneak Attack [roll2]
Confirm Crit
[roll3]

[King Tius]

Cordelia is able to draw her bow but cannot fire it before the creature strikes. With a loud hiss it drops from the tree and attacks Kiryu, raking with its claws and trying to bite him as a fell green mist wafts from its jaws.

Attacks on Kiryu

Claw 1: [roll0] Damage 1: [roll1]
Claw 2: [roll2] Damage 2: [roll3]
Bite: [roll4] Damage: [roll5]

If the bite hits, auto-grapple check:[roll6] vs Kiryu's CMD


The creature lands at O10 (but I am too tired to update the map now)

Initiative Order
(13) Braer
(11) Cordelia
(09) Bacara
(08) Aravir
(07) Kiryu
(21) ?????

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Bacara had just walked back to Marieke, a concerned expression on his face. "Marieke, what's wrong - "

"Ay! You! Scale Face!"

That got their attention. "Heads up!" Marieke called, levering herself off of the tree.

Bacara was already in movement as well, his free hand held up visibly - two fingers stuck up. In complete understanding, Marieke turned - and ran the other way.

And so it happened that the duo moved in from both sides, trying to cut off the creature's escape. "Braer! Get in there!" Bacara encouraged as he wove around the huge roots of the Darkwood elder.

Actions:
Assuming that the roots of the tree are impassable, Marieke double moves to P8. Bacara double moves to N14. Should there be more efficient methods of moving to surround the enemy, take those instead. :smallwink:

Without any prior training, Bacara won't waste actions trying to push the fox. It'll do... whatever it wants, I guess, it's a wild animal. :smalltongue:

Summaries:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: N14.

Marieke (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261276)
HP: 11/11 AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: P8.

The fox is doing wild-animal things in Q9.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu

Before the attack:
Kiryu draws his bow and shoots an arrow at some moss,
[roll]1d20+2[roll]
[roll0]

With the snake attack:
CMD roll:
[roll1] (1d20+1+2-1)

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu double moves away from the snake to the safety behind braer at L14 still holding his bow. (resolve this after everything else,)


Come and get me yer ****ty snakey thing!

[King Tius]

(13) Braer
The Paladin rushes to Kiryu’s aid, slashing at the Tatzlwyrm with his Halberd.

Braer’s Attack: [roll0] Braer’s Damage: [roll1] vs AC 15

(11) Cordelia
Cordelia shouts out to the Tatzlwyrm but gets no response. Unfortunately, her shot does not hit its mark.

(09) Bacara/Marieke
The dynamic duo hops over the tree’s roots to get into attack range.

OOC: I have put you guys in direct melee range of the monster. If you (for some reason) didn’t want to be in direct melee range or would rather be somewhere else, let me know. I know that Marieke attacks with a spear, but I see on her sheet that you only have bite/claws written down. I forget if the spear is fluff or if you actually want her to use a spear (which I think you can).

(08) Aravir
Aravir double moves with his sword already drawn, getting into range for next round’s attacks.

(07) Kiryu
The little gnome tries to flee but provokes an Attack of Opportunity from the Tatzlwyrm.

Attack of Opportunity: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]

If that attack hits, it attempts to grapple Kiryu: [roll4] vs Kiryu’s CMD of 12.


(21)Tatzlwyrm
As the little gnome scampers away, the dragon-kin turns to attack the Paladin who struck it.


Claw 1: [roll5] Damage 1: [roll6]
Claw 2: [roll7] Damage 2: [roll8]
Bite: [roll9] Damage: [roll10]


The Map

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/359/eldesttree2.png

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

As Cordelia noted the lack of intelligent response to her statements, she was rather annoyed with herself, "Are you alright Kiryu?" Cordelia had noticed its attempts to claw at bite at the gnome, making her mildly regret even giving the creature a small benefit of the doubt. There was a mild conflict of interest between a few parts of her. Relieved that she wasn't jumpy enough to kill a creature that approach her in this forest by reflexive aggression, disgusted that she was a bit of a coward by not running in to push a person out of harms way, and giddy- Cordelia enjoyed a good fight.

Knowing she was no sort of sharp shooter, the rogue deemed it unwise to shoot the reptilian creature around her own allies. Dropping her bow, Cordelia was once again in possession of her swords. "Ey! What is that thing? Bigger then any lizard I've seen but smaller then a dragon." All she could do was ask small questions as she approached the ... Arm-snake? ((o.O)) from behind.

Actions
Drop Bow in L8 as a free action. >.> Yes theres now a pile of stuff there.
Draw Swords as a Move Action.
Move to O9, by going through Column 8 southward to O8 and then stepping East to O9.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Braer!" Bacara called out almost immediately as the creature dealt the paladin a smashing blow. So much for encouraging him forward - that had had to hurt. "Marieke, close - "

" - in!" Marieke shouted in unison, the two surging forward, cutting into the worm from both directions. Well, not quite 'surging forward' - Marieke closed in, her spear blurring as she unleashed a flurry of blows, while Bacara took a step to the side, circling his target, lunging forth with his own weapon, electing to use his reach instead. In a way, it was very much like them: close and distant, hot and cold.

Although Bacara's spear clattered harmlessly off of the beast's hide... Marieke found herself cleaving straight through. "Kyaaaaah!" she cried, blood spraying all over - including the now-somewhat bemused Bacara.

Actions
Marieke stands in P9, full-attacking the crap out of the tatzlwyrm. +2 for flanking.

Bite Attack: [roll0]
Bite Damage: [roll1]
Critical Confirm: [roll2]

Claw Attack: [roll3]
Claw Damage: [roll4]
Critical Confirm: [roll5]

Claw Attack: [roll6] CRITICAL HIT!
Claw Damage: [roll7]
Critical Confirm: [roll8]

EDIT: Claws are 1d4 weapons, herpaderp. Rerolling here, (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10508950&postcount=312) for 6 damage on the first attack and 6 again on the second (critical?) attack.

Bacara five-foot-steps into M10, and makes his own attack. +2 for flanking.

Longspear Attack: [roll9]
Longspear Damage: [roll10]
Critical Confirm: [roll11]
Summaries:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: M10.

Marieke (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261276)
HP: 11/11 AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: P8.

The fox is still doing wild-animal things in Q9.

[Hazzardevil]

I'm all right you softy!
That thing can't hit the broad side of a barn!

On Kiryu's next round he makes a double move action to get to S 13 and then waits there.
As he gets there he pulls out an arrow and mumbles incoherently as if to cast a spell.

[Sinfonian]

Braer grits his teeth, wiping some of the blood out of his eyes. "You are going to regret that!" Knowing now from experience that the creature relies on quantity of attacks over quality, Braer opts for a different strategy. He launches a lightning fast flurry of blows toward the dragonkin, meant just as much to distract the creature as they were to actually injure it.

He uses his Shield of Swings feat as he attacks, halving damage in return for a +4 shield bonus to AC and CMD.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] /2 =

[King Tius]

The paladin moves to strike again but does not land a hit. Fortunately Marieke lands a critical hit, puncturing the creature's throat and killing it.

Woo! Quick fight! 120 experience for all of you.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Toeing the now fallen corpse, Marieke wondered aloud, "A natural predator? You weren't intelligent, by any means. What do you eat?" She looked up into the boughs of the tree - and then her eyebrows narrowed. "Don't tell me..."

Bacara shrugged. "We'll find out when we find out. Cordelia, could you proceed with the exploration? If there were more of them, they wouldn't have held back. I think we're safe now - and Braer!" he calls to the paladin. "How's that head wound? You think Kiryu needs to help you out, or do you think you can tough it out for now?"

Even as he spoke, he dug around for a few strips of cloth, a dressing, and a waterskin, approaching as if to dress the wound.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Hum... Gross, well it doesn't matter now on what it was seeing as its just a corpse like the others." Cordelia sounded slightly out of focus for a moment, the fleeting battle seemed rather short. She stared up at the high treelimbs, "I really do hope that thing wasn't the only dissuation keeping the lumber company for cutting down this tree."

Not wanting to keep the group waiting, the rogue immediately began working on her previous task. Placing her bow and weapons back into place, she once again worked with her rope and rock to see if she could get an anchor onto a high branch. "Give me a yell if you see another one of those things coming while my back is turned. Sit tight, recuperate, and I'll try not to drop one of these john doe's onto ya."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"I - alright," Marieke chimed in, settling herself down against the base of the tree, eyes looking up into the tree. "Covering you now. I'm not really an archer though," she admitted, "but the least I can do is look out for you."

"I'm sure the Consortium would cut this tree down if it could. But have you forgotten how long the trek was to get to here? Nah, they'll work from the outside first. But eventually..." Bacara shrugged. "They'll probably make it here. I'm not going to argue. I'm no druid. It'll be a bit of a shame, though," he conceded.

[King Tius]

With no other dragonkin to assail her, Cordelia easily climbs up into the tree and approaches the three dead bodies. Although the bodies have been stripped of nearly all their flesh, their equipment still dangles from their half-devoured carcasses.

Cordelia finds the following items that are still in useful condition: two crossbows, two short swords, a suit of hide armor, a masterwork shortbow, a signet ring with the image of a flaming hawk, 9 gp, 12 sp, and eight days’ worth of rations. Judging by their gear and tattered clothing, you suspect that they were Consortium woodsmen.

If you so desire, you may drop the bodies down out of the tree, though it may break some of their gear (particularly the bows).

[ithildur]

Aravir nodded at the paladin, patting his shoulder after seeing the unpleasant hit he took from the creature. He snorted at the mention of cutting down the magnificent tree, not hiding his opinion of the notion at all, but quickly was preoccupied with other matters as he called up to the climbing rogue.

"See if you can make anything out from your vantage point and scan the area, just in case. And what? You found something on those corpses? Here, give them to me if they're light, one at a time, before attempting to lower the corpses. No, no, wait, don't throw them down just yet... hold on a moment..."


Aravir casts Mage Hand, 5 lb telekinesis within range of 30 feet, can move objects of that weight or less 15 feet as move action




"Now just let it go, one item at a time, and I'll bring it down easily enough. Nothing too heavy though. Just trust me; it's a very simple spell called Mage Hand."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

At the sight of all the gear up in the tree, Cordelia was glad she'd taken the rope up with her. Weighing the thought of tying the items to the rope and lowering them verses just lowering the corpses- hold that thought. She peered downward, did she hear that correctly? "to me if they're light, one at a time, before attempting..." Seemed like the Elf had some convenient spell for the situation, the rogue first grabbed the loose and light articles that may fall out while she was lowering the bodies- stashing them into her backpack. 'Signet ring? Whoever's family this corpse belongs to probably wants to know what happened to him.' Then she picked up the medium weight articles such as the weaponry, called back to Arvivir that she was dropping each one so that he could catch- before dropping them down one by one.

Once all that was left was the corpses, she began working on lowing them rather then outright dropping them. Holding her breath, the rogue wrapped the end of one of her ropes around the chest and arms of the first of the three dead. Looking up, she then looped the rope over a higher branch and then around another that was off-shooting horizontally so that she could pull it across-ways. First she tested the weight, by lifting the corpse high enough so that it was unhitched from the branches- then she began to lower the corpse as moderately as gravity would allow her.

"Heads up, first one's coming down!"
she yelled to the group, "Untie him when he reaches the ground please." In a short order, the rogue repeated the process with the other two bodies.

And yes, once it was over- the rogue also attempted to get the best vantage point as possible to look out over the forest- it was the same as last night- only that the daylight instead of the moonlight was giving her the view. She didn't mind doing it, infact- she yelled over whatever key landmarks she could see.

((Edited))

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Even as Cordelia and Aravir cooperated to bring down the dead, Marieke had begun digging again as she had for the dead fey, slashing into the ground with her spear, expression... troubled.

Bacara stared at her for a moment, wondering, and then looked back to the fox - which was still as enigmatic as it had always been, if assuredly devoted. "What do you think, friend?" he asked tiredly. As expected, the fox merely stared back at him.

Sighing, the summoner grabbed his spear and gave Braer a last pat on the shoulder. "There, that'll keep the wound clean," he reassured him even as he rose to his feet. Turning around without a word, he stalked off.

Marieke didn't even notice him until another spearpoint stabbed itself into the ground. Surprised, she looked up, her unspoken question obvious.

"Area's obviously secure," he said in a loose tone, sounding more annoyed than anything else. "And these three are much larger than those pixies. We'll be here until nightfall if only you dig. More efficient this way."

Rolling her eyes, the eidolon only cuffed him on the shoulder with the back of her hand before taking another grip on her own weapon and digging in, Bacara matching her stroke for stroke. Her hair hung over her face - but anyone who stared closely would see the tiniest of smiles.

[King Tius]

Cordelia is able to lower the three corpses to the ground without incident. She does send an item or two down using Ararvir's Mage Hand, just to be sure.

From her current vantage point (only about 40 feet in the air), Cordelia isn't able to make out much as she can't see above the treeline. Edged on by her curiosity, Cordelia continues climbing and makes it to near the top of the 300 foot tall tree. From here she has an amazing view of Droskar's Craig (the big old mountain) and the forest as a whole. She can also clearly see Falcon's Hollow nestled up against the river. Unfortunately the Witch's Hut and the Dwarven Monastery are not visible, though that is hardly surprising given the thickness of the forest.

Bacara and Marieke get to digging with their spears but it will take them a very long time to dig a grave deep enough for three bodies

[Sinfonian]

Braer wipes the last of the blood from his face, clearing grime away from the wound at the same time. After that, he wordlessly pitches in to help give the poor souls an adequate burial. When the three bodies have been placed in the newly dug hole, he kneels and says a silent prayer to Iomedae, hoping that their souls find some comfort in knowing that what likely killed them is now dead.

On Burial:
Braer doesn't believe that they need a full 6-ft grave, probably less than half of that, enough to show respect for the dead and to prevent most animals from getting at them easily. He knows that while giving a more thorough burial might be preferable, but that there's much more at stake at the moment. The prayer is silent because neither he nor the others seem to know the people, and he isn't the type to actively thrust his beliefs into the face of others.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"What a view!" The rogue was incredibly enthused at being able to see such a sight. She took a mental picture, this was an angle that was generally reserved for the birds. The miniature town looked quite quaint from where she was situated in, the rogue took care not to release a hand to "squeeze" it between her fingers. However, she did pluck a twig from as high as she could reach as a souvenir. After a few more moments, the air up at the top of the behemoth tree was already chilling Cordelia. One whipping current in particular was the last she wished to bear. So soon after, she shimmied and climbed her way down- taking a short break at the middle before continuing her descent. 'No point in tiring myself and falling off.'

[King Tius]

Without the proper tools, it takes you about two hours to dig a whole wide and deep enough for three bodies. Filling the whole back in takes considerably less time.

Without much trouble you collect your moss samples and head off towards the Witch's hut. Fortunately for you, the trip is uneventful and only takes you about two hours.

As you walk, 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.

[Sinfonian]

Braer examines the fetishes to see if he recognizes something significant about them.

Knowledge (Religion): [roll0]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Marieke and Bacara traveled in silence, mostly. Yet this time there was less of a tense atmosphere, something that had crept in of late, and more of a relaxed acceptance.

Even the witch's hut didn't phase them overtly. "Well, someone's trying a little too hard to make a creepy atmosphere," Bacara chuckled, giving the scenery a once over on more levels than just one, Marieke moving in his wake to watch his back.

Good ol' detect magic reveals?

[Hazzardevil]

After helping dig the burial for the fey he sighs a little knowing that the fey could have helped the forest for many years, longer than the lifespan of his long lived race, which were cut short.

He then turns his sights to


I' m a witch too, don't go with stereotypes of witches being old crones that turn you into frogs, they can but they don't waste their spells.

I cast it too.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

The Rogue was rather silent on the matter. She took a quick look over at Kiryu and then back at the frightening witch hut, shook her head, and then shivered slightly. Slowly her body moved to be closer to the paladin, not too close- just arms length. Cordelia's silent reaction implied that she did not want to be the first to enter the Witch's domicile.

[King Tius]

Kiryu fires off his Detect Magic spell and picks up a few magical auras coming from inside the hut. Most are very, very faint and are likely just lingering magical effects from previous magic items. He does, however, pick up two distinctly present auras. Squinting with concentration, Kiryu finally informs the group that there is a Moderate Transmutation and a Faint Illusion aura inside. The scarecrows and fetishes are non-magical.

Braer examines the scarecrow-like fixtures and the fetishes hanging around the hut and identifies them as signatures of Voodoo (aka Witch magic). While many claim they are part of the Witch's magical rituals, Braer does not think there is any weight to these claims. For what he knows Kiryu confirms this, saying that the "statues" are scary but aren't meant for anything that he can recall.

The door of the hut (pointing south on the map) is clearly rotted and off its hinges.

The Map

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/5831/witchhut1.png
The red spirals are the scarecrows
The purple aura is the transmutation aura
The yellow aura is the illusion aura

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Meaningless or not," Marieke shivered in response to Braer and Kiryu, "they're still creepy. I don't like them."

"They're not magical, you know," Bacara chided her, unblinking in his concentration. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I mean, there's a few things inside the house, so take care there, but that seems about in line for a caster's home."

"Speak for yourself. I don't appreciate these." Suddenly, she moved toward the nearest one, spear raised to cut it in half -

"Stop that. I don't think the witch will appreciate someone destroying her property," Bacara scolded - yes, it was a scolding this time.

"Yeah, but look at the door," Marieke retorted, pointing towards the door. "You think anyone still lives there?"

"Remember where we hid out for a month?"

Marieke blanched. "Errr... yes. And - I - oh, fine," she grumbled, taking a step back to place her in her normal position, in front of and beside her summoner.

"Well then, let's get knocking," Bacara chuckled. "Keep your guard up. Hullo!" he called out to the hut, taking a few tentative steps toward it. "Anyone home?!"

Marieke kept a guarding position, and turned back to the party. Seeing Cordelia's reluctance, she only smiled and beckoned. "Come on, mate! Not going to let anything hurt you. Not if I can help it."

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

At Marieke's goading, Cordelia skittered forward albeit in a way that resembled a reluctant horse. "I'll... uh... enter the house, but if she opens a portal to the other world." Her voice raised itself in hesitation, "I don't think I'm willing to die yet." Cordelia continued to go on in a hushed voice, mumbling such things as "don't give her your hair. Witches will curse you." or "Don't tell her your name. (Again) they'll curse you." plus every few sentences a reminder of "They're more afraid of you then you are of them." Altogether the generally confident rogue seemed fairly jumpy right at the moment.

[King Tius]

Cordelia approaches the door of the hut and knocks politely. No answer. Trying again, she waits another minute before daring the handle. Unfortunately the door seems to have swollen and moved in its age and is jammed in the door. After giving it several good, hard yanks (and even bracing her foot against the jamb), Cordelia manages to rip the door free.

Inside, the cottage is dank, reeking, and filled with shadows. Haphazardly hung shelves line the walls, covered in all manner of clay jugs, clouded bottles, strangely cut rocks, rotted bunches of herbs, and a museum of other crude curios and remnants of a bone grinder’s artifice. A rusted
iron cauldron, with a mouth nearly 5 feet wide and a depth of at least 3 feet, dominates the hut’s single room, its ash-covered surface shaped with a relief of capering fiends and leering devils. Across from the door, against the far walls, stands a high-backed chair made of wicker, the gigantic curved tusks of some monstrous beast, and thousands of human teeth. In the chair
sits what looks like a corpse wrapped in filthy burial linens, its form padded with pungent herbs and sprouting patches of thick white mold.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Heep! Is it dead?" the rogue squeaked, her animated points focused on the wrapped form. Though judging by how the door was held in place, it wouldn't be a surprise if no one had attempted visiting in quite some time. "Oooh." She grabbed the closest arm in reach and squeezed it tight, "Do you think its spirit will possess whoever touches it?" Cordelia pulled out one sword and held it aloft, gingerly poking whatever she approached in the hut as if testing whatever witchcraft infused the house.

[Sinfonian]

Braer looks into the dilapidated hut and calls out "Hello?" He waits for several tense moments waiting for a response.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Bodies," Marieke spat. "Why is it always dead bodies." Given that this specimen was rather... tidy, though, the most she did was give it a glare and a wide berth. Fair enough. She'd spent enough time digging without a shovel anyways.

"Think that's the witch?" Bacara asked her, clearly unfazed by it, mold and all.

"... who knows. Whatever. We're here for that Rat's Tail. Let's find it and... get out of here," she shivered. She reached for a shelf, about to start haphazardly knocking stuff around -

- and was promptly intercepted at the waist by one of Bacara's arms. "Magician's house, mate," he chided her. "Eyes only."

Flushing with embarrassment, she spun away. "Alright, alright. No touching anything. Don't want to set off any explosions," she said in a sing-song tone. Bacara winced. Prior experience?

Taking 20 on Perception. No touching anything! I'm too genre-savvy to dare risk that! :smalleek:

[King Tius]

Braer does not receive a response to his greeting other than his allies shouldering past him as they enter the cottage. At Bacara's urging nobody touches anything as you slowly scan the hut's myriad objects. After twenty minutes of searching you spy a jar labeled "Pickled Tail of the Rat." Several other curios strike your fancy, including a small shrunken head giving off the faint illusion aura. Unfortunately, you will need to start touching objects (and making appraise/knowledge (arcana) checks) to investigate anything further.

Aravir remains outside the witch's hut, not wanting to overly crowd the already cramped space. Kiryu skitters all about the place, growing increasingly impatient and antsy as he stops himself from touching things. He is particularly interested in the wrapped up body. "Where is the fox?!?" He asks in his excitable, gnomish voice. He peers outside the door and sees that neither the fox nor the the horse has entered the witch's field.

The Map

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5520/witchhut2.png

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Giving the shrunken head a long, mournful look, Bacara eventually shook his head and turned around. He wasn't about to be carrying a piece of a dead body around with him - regardless of its magical capabilities.

Upon finding the root, Bacara and Marieke crowded in next to the jar on opposite sides, seeing each other's faces distorted in the brine. "Well."

"Well."

"That's it," Bacara offered unhelpfully.

"And you suggest we take it without touching it... how? Kind of an impossibility," she mocked.

Bacara pursed his lips. "Explosions," was all he said. "I hate explosions... Marieke," he suddenly said, voice firm. "Wait outsi - "

"Oh hells no," Marieke cut in, furious. "Look, a little fire might burn me, but I can't die. If this place goes up in flames with me inside, well, this thing's a lost cause anyways, and I'll be back tomorrow, after suffering through... that. If this place goes up in flames with you inside, though, I'm toast as well, and I'll never come back here." She swallowed. "You wouldn't deny - "

The summoner's face disappeared inside his palm. "I - this is against everything I - "

"Shut up, zero," she ordered, her ire rapidly turning into a victorious grin.

Throwing his hands up in despair, Bacara walked out of the hut. "I'll go check on our little friend," he muttered in response to Kiryu's question. Marieke, however, remained.

"If we're ready to go after finding this root, then I suggest you all follow Bacara and wait a safe distance outside," she said icily to the party. "I'm going to grab this thing and try and run out as fast as possible. It seems the witch is now more accurately 'the late witch', and if she was cranky enough to put defenses on her possessions, then none of you want to be in this hut when I grab this. Alright?"

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"So..." Cordelia cut in, "Get out? Place is hexed? Aren't you magician's supposed to recognize this hoodoo?" She seemed to frown upon the idea of leaving Marieke to possibly suffer alone, "Admittedly, I'm all for hightailing it out of this place-" for a pristine moment she again realized she was being given a favor, "but how 'bout we keep the door open so you don't get locked it. Keep an eye on you- but just a moment" The rogue obviously avoided the few objects pointed out to her that were "magical", but she did look around for literal, mechanical traps... possibly mundane clues for what had happened to the witch. Soon after she hopped out of the shack as nimbly her feet allowed her.

Perception roll
[roll0]

[Sinfonian]

Braer does the only thing he can add to the situation in helping to sort out the situation in the hut. He sweeps the area of the dwelling with detect evil, seeing if anything gives off an aura of evil.

Assuming he finds nothing in the hut that alerts him, he agrees that the best course of action is one of precaution and follows Cordelia out the door, though far less quickly than her fleet footsteps allow.

[King Tius]

Braer does not detect any evil and Cordelia does not find any traps. The two exit the building and back up (please let me know where you intend to go). Bacara also makes his way out of the hut, grabbing Kiryu and dragging him out by his collar. The young witch kicks and flails about as he tries to get back into the hut to continue examining things but the larger summoner proves too strong.

(I will post the results of Marieke grabbing the rat's tail tonight after my RL D&D game. Please take this time to post where you will retreat to/what preparations you will make otherwise I will just clump you all back about halfway out of the clearing.)

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

With the fox more or less at his side, Bacara matched the creature's action of staring intently towards the hut kneeling down with his spear as a support to lean on. "Alright, Marieke!" he called forward, leaning out from behind one of the numerous scarecrows around the hut. "Look, are you su - "

"I'm absolutely sure!" she called back, bracing her feet against floor, ready to sprint, snatch up the root, and dive out of the house in record time. "Now, are you ready?"

Bacara hesitated, obviously struggling with himself, his jaw clenched. "... yes. Yes!" he finally answered.

The eidolon didn't wait a moment longer. With an "ooooooh!" of exertion, she launched herself into motion, grabbing the jar and racing out...

Bacara is cowering behind the scarecrow around M7, with the fox at M6.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia moved right near the door as promised. If there was one thing she had little trust in, it was enchanted lairs of spellcasting recluses. Pulling out the sister steel to the one on hand, she stood outside- alert for whatever possible danger would present itself. Now seeing the glade's edges, she indeed noticed the fox and Ash both sitting outside the area. Cordelia didn't take much from the fact, other then animals were generally smarter about not going into places they knew were dangerous.

The muffled talk between Bacara and Marieke signaled off a message to be prepared. 'Deep breathes then. In... and out...'


She's in position J10, swords out.

[King Tius]

Everyone takes up their defensive positions, ready for what may come next. While the fox will still not leave the forest to join Bacara, he does have Kiryu with him (who is small and wily, so sort of like a fox). Everyone holds their breath as Marieke prepares to grab the Pickled Rat’s Tail. With one swift motion the Eidolon reaches for the reagent, her legs already pumping as she heads towards the door.

Her fingers wrap around the jar and she manages to take a step or two towards the door before she cries out in pain and surprise, nearly falling over as her leg is bitten…by the cauldron! The rusty, demonic looking pot springs to life when her fingers brush against the jar and it grabs ahold of her leg.

Marieke takes 3 damage as the cauldron bites her leg and grabs ahold of her

Initiative Order
(19) Black Cauldron
(17) Bacara
(14) Aravir
(09) Cordelia
(08) Kiryu
(07) Braer

Round One

(19) Black Cauldron
Things rapidly turn from bad to worse for Marieke. With a grip already established on the Eidolon’s leg, the cauldron is able to pull her down and swallow her hole without any trouble! The move happens so quickly that Marieke is caught completely unaware and the jar is swallowed along with her as she grips it tightly.

Even as it is swallowing the Eidolon the cauldron’s legs spring into action, propelling it out the door and towards Braer/Cordelia!
The motion of the cauldron causes Marieke to bounce around violently, dealing 3 points of subdual damage.

Marieke takes 3 subdual damage and is swallowed by the Black Cauldron as it moves to attack

The Map

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/3346/witchhut3.png

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu moves to 8N on his turn.
He hears Marieke making noises and sees the cauldron.


Holy ****, how's it do that?
He draws his bow and that is the end of his round.

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

Marieke ran. One step, two steps, then - what in the seven hells?

"Bacara!" she shrieked, her leg caught - and then far more, and she disappeared somewhere dark. There was a jolt, then another jolt, then another jolt, and then oblivion... but the familiar kind. No, no, no - the jar! The jar! She hoped it would survive the trip - she would have told Bacara to not break the contact so that she would protect it, but it had happened so fast... and Bacara would let an empire burn to ashes if it meant saving her pain.

Laying flat on her back on the grass that made up the infinite, featureless plain, Marieke looked up into the dark sky, sighed, and waited.

****************************

"Blasted - damn it!" Bacara cursed, jaw clenched. Even as he spun around the scarecrow to assist, Marieke disappeared into the jaws of the animated furniture. As quickly as he could, he found the thread between them, and cut it. There was a feeling of loss, an empty void, and then a creeping cold.

Furious, Bacara stood on guard with his spear, keeping the cauldron penned in.

Actions
Bacara scoots to K7, letting him flank with Cordelia and Braer. As a standard action, he dismisses Marieke.
Summary:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: K7.

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"Well thats new." Cordelia was mildly stunned at the animation of the Cauldron, "Marieke! Hold on a moment, we'll get you out." Not really sure if she could pull the Eidolon out of the magical pot, she fell back to her first natural response. She was slightly concerned about hurting Marieke, but she had no idea that Bacara had sent her off.

One, Two, slash. The rogue went at the side of the object.

Actions
5 foot step if needed to flank.

Attack rolls
Main Hand
[roll0]
Damage [roll1] +[roll2]
Critical [roll3]

Offhand
[roll4]
Damage [roll5] +[roll6]
Critical [roll]1d20+4[/roll

[Sinfonian]

Braer gasps at the animated cauldron as it swallows Marieke whole. He swings his halberd around with all the strength he can muster, attempting to smash it open.
Power attack trades 1 attack bonus for a bonus of 3 damage on this swing and any others made before his next turn.
[roll0] (Flanking bonus, if applicable, not included)
[roll1]


Edit: Spelling...

[King Tius]

End of Round One
(17) Bacara
Panicked that Marieke was about to come to harm, Bacara dismisses his Eidolon hastily. He feels her depart through his mystic connection and is further convinced that she has returned to her home plane when he hears the shatter of glass from inside the Cauldron. He spins around the scarecrow, ready to attack the cauldron.
Bacara dismisses Marieke and moves to K7

(14) Aravir
The Elven mage charges in with his blade drawn. He stabs at the cauldron with his heirloom weapon, but it seems to have little effect.
Aravir hits the cauldron and does 7 damage

(09) Cordelia
The young rogue, ready for the cauldron’s attack, slashes twice a its rusty exterior. Unfortuantely, not used to attacking such a creature, her swords clang harmlessly off its side.
Cordelia misses the cauldron twice

(08) Kiryu
Moving and drawing his bow, Kiryu gets ready to attack the cauldron next round.
Kiryu moves to N8 and draws his bow

(07) Braer
While the others have little success against the cauldron’s tough hide, Braer is able to bring his halberd to bear and deal a hefty blow, cracking the rusty iron side.
Braer hits the cauldron for 14 damage

Round Two
(19) Black Cauldron
With its stomach now empty, the cauldron attacks again, this time grabbing hold of Aravir.
Aravir takes 5 damage from the cauldron and is grappled

The Map

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/6082/witchhut4.png

[Sinfonian]

Braer is confused by the cauldron's action of gobbling up Aravir, because as far as he knew it still had Marieke somewhere in there. More importantly, Marieke had the Rat's Tail and many lives depended on getting that back. He again brings down his halberd with as much force as he can muster. Using Power Attack again, trading 1 attack bonus for 3 damage.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia spouted a sailer's curse, appropriate to the situation. It didn't take a genius to tell that she didn't do anything to it. If this set didn't affect it, she'd instinctively decided on changing her approach.

Her mindset was along with Braer's 'is that thing bigger in the inside then the outside?'

Actions
Full Attack again
Main Hand
[roll0]
Damage [roll1] Sneak Attack[roll2]

Off Hand
[roll3]
Damage [roll4] Sneak Attack[roll5]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

"Aravir! Hold on, we'll get you!" Bacara called forward, still a bit unstable - but his voice was gradually calming down, falling into that combat cool. Fully braced, he thrust his spear forward with all his might, still holding his ground.

Actions
Bacara attacks. Simple enough.

Longspear Attack: [roll0]
Longspear Damage: [roll1]
Critical Confirm: [roll2]
Summary:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: K7.

[Hazzardevil]

Summary
Kiryu Kollerway (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=272242)
Male LN Gnome Witch, Level 1, Init +2, HP 9/9, Speed 20 ft
AC 13, Touch 13, Flat-footed 11, Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3, Base Attack Bonus 0
None Composite Longbow 3 (1d6+1+2, X3)
None Club, heavy 2 (1d6+1, X2)
None 1d3+1 2 (1d3+1, 19=20 X2)
(+2 Dex, +1 Size)
Abilities Str 13, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 18
Condition None

Kiryu shoots an arrow at the cooking pot:
Attack roll:
[roll0]
Crit confirm:
[roll1]
Damage:
[roll2]

[King Tius]

End of Round Two

(17) Bacara
Using the advantage of his spear’s range, Bacara attacks from a slight distance, scoring a light hit.

Bacara attacks and deals 8 damage

(14) Aravir
Aravir once again attacks the black cauldron but is unable to score a hit.

Aravir misses!

(09) Cordelia
Again giving the black cauldron the one-two slice, Cordelia manages to land both hits. Her first attack deals a solid blow, though the second doesn’t seem to have any effect. Cordelia doesn’t know exactly where best to strike the cauldron, so she isn’t able to properly sneak attack it.

Cordelia hits twice, dealing 10 and 4 damage

(08) Kiryu
The little witch fires an arrow at the cauldron but his arrow flies harmlessly past the melee, thudding into the witch’s hut.

Kiryu misses

(07) Braer
Again the paladin gears up for a powerful swing, trading accuracy. Despite being magically animated, the cauldron is unable to dodge the swing and takes another solid hit.

Braer strikes the cauldron again for 10 damage

Round Three

(19) Black Cauldron
With Aravir’s foot firmly in its grasp, the cauldron swallows him whole, just as it did to Marieke.

Aravir is swallowed and takes 4 subdual damage

The Map

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/7650/witchhut5.png

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

"This thing... Its like raking rocks." The discomfort of watching the elf get swallowed was plainly on Cordelia's face. And also, the realization that she couldn't figure out any sort of weak point on the pot bothered her. But, she had managed to at-least put a mark on the thing on her last set- so her mindset did not fall into despair on her lessened effectiveness. Gripping the warmed leather of her sword pommels, the rogue once again went in to damage the rusty hunk of animated metal.

Actions
Full Attack
Main Hand
[roll0]
Damage [roll1] Sneak Attack

Off Hand
[roll2]
Damage [roll3] Sneak Attack

[Sinfonian]

Braer grunts with the continued exertion of putting his weight behind each of these blows, as well has having to steady the vibrating weapon after it strikes the cauldron. "Damned crockery, be done! We'll get you free, Aravir!" With that he swings his halberd down again with all the force he can muster.

Third time's the charm, Power Attacking same as before:
Attack: [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

This time around Bacara had nothing to say, not the slightest word of encouragement. One could almost see the words "here we go again" plastered on his forehead.

The spear, however, still shot forward again and again.

Actions
Bacara attacks yet again!

Longspear Attack: [roll0]
Longspear Damage: [roll1]
Critical Confirm: [roll2]
Summary:
Bacara (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=261273)
HP: 12/12. AC: 15, 11 Touch, 14 Flatfooted.
Saves: +3 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +2 Will.
Position: K7.

[Hazzardevil]

Kiryu shoots again, moderatly irratated by having missed with his bow.
Attack:
[roll0]
Crit confirm:
[roll1]Damage:
[roll2]

[King Tius]

Once again the summoner jabs at the cauldron, delivering a solid hit that manages to crack another small hole in the rusting pot’s side. Aravir continues to be jostled around helplessly as Cordelia attacks again. Though her offhand attack does little more than make her cringe from the grating sound, her main attack scores a hit. As Kiryu's arrow sails past the fight, Braer gives a shout of triumph as he smashes his halberd into the cauldron, shattering it to pieces and dumping a bewildered Aravir and some shattered glass onto the ground. The Elven wizard sits up and holds his head with both hands, cursing softy.

"It was like being eaten by a bell!" With an awkward look on his face, he reaches under himself and produces the Pickled Rats Tail, somehow miraculously still intact.

OOC: 160 XP for each of you!

[Zealumieo]

Cordelia Piers

Cordelia looked at him curiously, "How'd you know what that feels like? Do spellcasters like animating large metal objects so they can get eaten by them?" Not intending to have that answered, she immediately looked down at her weapons- frowning and tracing the edges of both of them with her finger. If her weapons were cheap they would've needed a sharpening... but it seemed these two could last for a bit longer. That is, if they didn't continuously fight something made out of heavy metal.

"Nice save on the Rat's Tail." The rogue grinned lightheartedly. "Where's Marieke?" she stated quite plainly before pushing away a few pieces of debris from the area with her foot.

[Sinfonian]

Braer is happy that the follow-through on his decisive strike did not carry on and strike the elf. He extends a hand and helps the wizard to his feet. At Cordelia's comment to break any tension, he chuckles and adds, "Oh, I'm certain it's a common occurrence of any arcane practitioners. I'm sure they can hardly go a week without their tea kettle trying to consume them."

[balistafreak]

Bacara/Marieke

The summoner had no response to Cordelia, for the moment the elven wizard tumbled out, Bacara had turned around and stalked off without a word to behind the witch's hut, away from view.

Silently, he took a seat against the wall of the building... simply staring off into space.

Anyone who wants to follow him can without complaint from Bacara, and make comments, again, without complaint from Bacara. This is the 1-minute resummoning ritual, FYI.