Haversill III: Return of the Donkey

[dauphinous]

Although our intrepid heroes have not seen Haversill in longer than they fully realize (of course, one of them has never seen it), their fates are still tied to it unfathomable ways. Now on the path of revenge against a dryad for trying to use the druid for more than he thought he bargained for, the band stands contemplating the possibilities on rolling, grassy hills not far from Ciderspring. It is mid-morning, the sky is clear, the day is warm, and crickets, they are a-chirpin'.

We are down to four: Getty, Allard, Tom, and Mallain. Well, five if you count Belle the wolf. Okay, six if you count Heecor the donkey. Seven, if you include Mallain's lute. But definitely only four humanoids.

The previous thread

[mdsoze]

Allard

Allard flexes his right hand.

That hurt. A lot. But sometimes, you've just got to run away. But don't worry Mallain, I won't be hungry like the wolf too often.

So, back to the clearing?

[kariokie]

Getty

Four? One... two... three... four. Huh. Getty looks around, finally realizing the issue -- the small gnome had suddenly vanished. "We are dispossessed of more individuals in that manner than I am entirely comfortable with." She shrugs, feeling no particular need to investigate for some reason.

"Yes, let us defeat your dryadic dragoon, dear Allard!"

[mdsoze]

Allard

Well, at least find out what she's really doing. And then defeat her, should that be required.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Something seemed to be missing...but at the same time, nothing was out of place. Ah well.

Tom drawls, "I done thought druids and dryads were like best of buddies? Why's it seem like plum near every stranger we done met wants one of us for some darn right crazy 'ritual', 'ceremony', or other hogwash? When it's not trying to eat us, that is."

Tom kicks absently at leaves while they walk.

[Hzurr]

Mallain

Mallain looks at the Druids arm with wide eyes. Ooh...that...might have been me. Mallain glances up at the sky with a small smile maybe I should rethink this whole "Atheism" thing.

"Wait, so nowwe're burning down the forest? And is it just me, or did our collective height just increase?'

[kariokie]

Getty

"Well, we need not resort to a full-fledged conflagration, however we should leave open the possibility of fighting flagitious with fire. Though it is likely merely molesting the trees-" Hee! "-will be enough to elicit a response."

Getty loads her crossbow and holds it at the ready as they continue on.

[dauphinous]

The moment Allard crosses back into the forest, everything seems a little darker. The place just has a bitter, angry feel to it. Everything is very quiet, and the leaves of the trees that previously provided dappled sunshine now seem to be closed together to only provide a dim sort of gloom. The light breeze that blows outside the forest stops dead at the line of trees, leaving the air heavy and hot.

[Hzurr]

Mallain

"Allard, I realize that you have spent most of your life living in the woods, but are you familiar with the phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?" Why do I have a sinking feeling that a normal woman's fury will pale in comparison to what this Dryad plans?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"So you seriously chewed off your own arm to get away from this woman? I ain't had any real girlfriends...but if they drive you to do that, I'm not sure I want one!"

Seeing the darkening environs, Tom raises an eyebrow, "We sure we be wantin' to go exact our revenge on this dryad? Maybe we should let her cool off a few days...those steps are lookin' awful temptin' right about now."

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty looks around the darkened wood. Well, I've certainly felt how this forest looks. "I believe Allard relayed she had wanted to employ him in some fashion of plan she had concocted, and thus his need for a speedy escape. We should discover what her purpose is, and if it threatens others."

[mdsoze]

Allard

She said her ritual would be conducted on the summer solstice. Regardless, she's just a dryad. The four of us together should be fine. Let us go.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom starts counting on his fingers, concentrating very hard before giving up, "Uh...when is that?"

[kariokie]

Getty

"In approximately two month's time, Tom. However, I do agree we should continue forward. This dryad's devious deceptions must be ceased, lest she prey upon another unsuspecting individual without the fortitude to remove his own appendage to facilitate his escape."

[mdsoze]

Allard

I suppose it was fortitude. It wasn't all that bad though. In fact, we taste like chicken.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Glancing - with wide-eyes - from Allard to Getty, Tom can only quip, "Between the two of you, I sure am learnin' a whole lotta strange information."

[kariokie]

Getty

She ponders this information. "All pigs taste similar, as do all cows. If we taste similar to chickens, could we be related to them in some manner?" The thought is fascinating until she wonders what physical traits she and avians could share and begins to get sidetracked. Shaking her head to dismiss the idea of her having feathers, Getty looks around cautiously as they proceed. "I will continue to maintain an ocular orb out for our dryadic harlot, however I do theorize she is more adept at hiding here than I am at seeing."

{Spot! (1d20+7=15)
Listen! (1d20+7=22)}

[Hzurr]

Mallain

Mallain scoffs "Maybe you humans taste of chicken. We elves are much more appetizing.

"Err...well, so I've been told. ANYWAY," he says, a bit flustered, "while we might be able to take her on alone, I imagine that a Dryad would have no shortage of aid from the other inhabitants of the forest. Is there any way that Allard or his friend the bird-man could help keep the other creatures in this forest docile?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"So...are we plannin' on just subduin' this tree-lady, or is talkin' with her still an option? 'Cause maybe we can just, I dunno, ask her what the heck she was planning? Maybe she wanted to grow an extra acorn tree or something?"

[Hzurr]

Mallain

Mallain pauses, and starts counting on his hand. "Wait a minute...summer solstice? That's in just under one month, not two."

[mdsoze]

Allard

Allard will look up at the sky, knowing what he knows about the movements of the sun through the seasons, to see what he thinks of the matter.

(Knowledge Nature +8, feel free to roll for me).

[dauphinous]

You have walked only s short way into the wood at this point. perhaps 30 feet or so. As Allard looks up, he hears a small chittering voice overhead.

"Them's the ones!"

A veritable rain of sticks, acorns, small rocks, and similar forest detritus falls upon you all. While none of it causes any actual damage, some of the rocks do hurt, and your assailants seem to have a sizeable quantity of ammunition.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"Hey! Ow...wait, what's going on? What the..."

Tom makes for what cover he can find from the barrage.

[kariokie]

Getty

"Mallain, I clearly recollect that the summer solstice is in two mo- ow!" Getty's declaration of her incorrect assumption regarding the fluidity of time between dimensions is interrupted as she is pelted in the head with an acorn. "Qui- Sto- I sai- Dam-" She nimbly avoids some of the incoming armaments, however enough continue to make an impact to quiet her for a few seconds as she seeks cover. Finding none forthcoming, she finally pulls out an alchemist's fire and states loudly, "I am reminded of a statement Zott once made under similarly dire circumstances. Permit me to paraphrase: You know what this forest needs? More fire!'"

Getty waves the incendiary device around in a threatening manner, "Translate for me, Allard. If their hostilities do not cease, I will demonstrate for them several chemical reactions which will terminate in their oxidation, combustion, and what have you!"

There's a wicked gleam in her eyes. It felt good to be playing with fire again.

[Hzurr]

Mallain

Mallain follows Tom in trying to get behind cover, but his eyes widen when he sees Getty pull out the flask. "Um...Getty, shouldn't burning down the entire forest be a little lower on our list of appropriate responce?" He turns to Tom "Has she always had this much of a problem with fire?"

[mdsoze]

Allard

Allard takes cover, and then roars back up at them at first with his loudest wolf growl, and then switches to their language.

Stop. Or we will eat every last one of your babies.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom turns to Mallain, responding, "Problem? She has a full-blown condition. One I think I'm beginning to develop, if they don't stop their Gods-BotHERED CHITTERING!"

"I hope you done told them to take those furry tails elsewhere, Allard."

[dauphinous]

The barrage ceases with Allard's shouting. There is a deep silence for about 10 seconds. Then one acorn conks Tom on the head and the rain of forest detritus begins anew, with more fervor and gusto. A couple of small birds fly off, deeper into the wood.

[kariokie]

Getty

I cannot burn down the forest. Yet. She considers launching into an angry cheeping fit, but she's pretty sure she knows no words in squirrel vile enough to describe her mood.

Searching around on the ground, Getty grabs a sizable rock, and attempts to chuck it up into the trees as return fire. She misses wildly, barely reaching even the lowest branches. "Allard, I believe we should continue our forward progress despite the barrage of flora from the fauna."

{Attack! (1d20+5=7)}

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"Hey, ow! That really hurt!" Tom shakes his fist impotently at the tree vermin.

"Yea, let's get out of here before I make that tree get up and shake those grey-furred rodents out of it."