[IC] Nature will gradually erase...

[rs2excelsior]

As the creature retreats, Darach briefly considers pursuing it, but experience has taught him that charging off blindly after an unknown creature is a good way of getting killed. If he knew what it was and was more confident in being able to take it on, maybe. As it was, he instead made himself content with ensuring there were no more creatures coming before investigating the little lizard-like creature. He can sense an odd feeling of fear coming off of it--strange. It doesn't seem like it's hostile, whatever it is. "Hmm... It seems to have run straight for you, Mercuira," he remarks, returning his axe to its sling and coming closer to the little creature. "Do you know what it is?"

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome keeps his bow handy at the moment, scanning the treeline warily. He answers for Mercuria. It’s a carbuncle. They’re quite rare. Highly magical, unable to speak, but they have empathic abilities. They’re fearful, shy creatures... oh, and they sometimes form bonds as familiars with those with magical talents.

The thing that screamed was a capramace. Humanoid goat-like creatures. Herd-like, highly aggressive when startled or attacked. They can call together their herdmates with their screams. One on one, we can take one easily, but if the whole herd comes at us at once, we’ll have a hard fight. Luckily, I think the one our little buddy startled lost its trail and is moving off.”

[hannahbbug3]

The carbuncle, as Jarome identifies it, snuffles softly and grips a little tighter to Mercuira when Darach comes closer. When the girl bends over, the tiny creature nudges up into her hand, nipping softly at her fingers - not aggressively, just seeming to want to get a better idea of what she is.

[purepolarpanzer]

You've made friends with a carbuncle, Mercuira. They're usually attracted to people who are magically active. Daedalus steps forward to get a better look, while Hastur keeps his attention on the forestline, still wary of the loud noise.

[thelastorphan]

After the threat passes, uneventfully, Taicho notices the small lizard. It's quite cute. And seems well interested in you.

[theasl]

Mercuira smiles as the creature climbs into her hand and starts nibbling on her fingers. "Attracted to magic, hm? Well, I guess I can take care of it. It'd be wrong to leave it behind." As she says that, she feels a sense of relief from the carbuncle, which clambers up her arm and curls up on her shoulder, looking warily at the others in the group.

[hannahbbug3]

The group, with their new friend in tow and all the horses across the gap, are able to clamber back onto their mounts and ride on in the direction of the supposed 'missing village.' Soon enough, you are reaching the point where you think it might have once been.

Spoiler: Perception/Survival

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To try and locate the village.

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome rides along the trail with easy comfort, used to the roads and the rhythms of travel. He looks around with comcern as they reach the point where the village should be, as normally villages were anything but hidden, dependent as they all were on trade and support.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception - (1d20+8)[13]
Survival - (1d20+10)[13]

[rs2excelsior]

Darach is still unsteady on his mount, but he keeps a hand near his axe and scans the area for any signs of the town. "Did the main road run directly through Perhyst?" he wonders, partly to the party and partly to himself. "Perhaps we should search off the road a bit as well. I doubt even this accursed forest could swallow a whole town without a trace."

Spoiler: Rolls

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Perception - (1d20+8)[11]
Survival - (1d20+9)[18]

Some knowledge rolls to see if I recognize anything that -could- eat an entire town (literally or figuratively):
[roll=Knowledge (Nature)]1d20+6[/roll]
[roll=Lore (Battles against forest)]1d20+5[/roll]
[roll=Lore (Leshy)]1d20+5[/roll]

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[thelastorphan]

Taicho keeps his Quagga on the road and follows the others. Growing slightly more wary as they approach where the missing town had been. Some markers of it should remain obvious.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception (1d20+11)[15]
Survival (1d20+3)[12]

[theasl]

With her new little friend curled up sleeping on her, Mercuira scans around, looking for any sign of civilization.

Spoiler: ooc

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perception (1d20+10)[24]

[hannahbbug3]

It takes a moment of searching, but eventually, several people in the group are able to see what seems the be an unnatural growth in between the trees. Not that the entire forest isn't unnatural, but plants don't usually grow in that shape. A moment of study reveals the plants to be shaped roughly in the form of a house, if they had grown right up over it.

[rs2excelsior]

Darach furrows his brow. "This is odd..." He pulls back the plants, looking at the empty void where a house should be. "I think I found something," he announces to the rest of the group. Drawing his dagger from his belt, he cuts a hole in the curtain of plants, both to see if there is anything unusual about them and to make an opening. Once he is able to climb through, he goes inside and searches for any sign of the house's foundation or clues as to what might have happened.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm assuming nothing particularly interesting happens when I cut the plants. If something jumps out at me I don't go inside, obviously.

Some rolls, in case they're relevant:
Nature - (1d20+6)[22] to see if there's anything odd about the plants
Engineering - (1d20)[8] untrained to look for signs of the foundation of the house
Perception - (1d20+8)[28] in general

[theasl]

Mercuira is shocked to see the empty inside once Darach cuts through the plants. "What...what happened here?"

[purepolarpanzer]

It appears as though the plants may have overwhelmed this place and grown over everything... Daedalus also takes a closer look, using a small pair of shears to lift some of the growth and cut it for further study.

[thelastorphan]

What a strange occurrence. What could possibly have done this. Taicho looks around anxious, a bit terrified, but holding together. It must be some kind of magic? What else could create such a thing. He cautiously follows Darach, unwilling to let him do something so possibly dangerous alone.

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome looks around thoughtfully, frowning. "There is nature magic that can shape and form plants to the caster's will, or this could be one of the Forest's own ineffable designs. Still, we've seen no sign of the inhabitants, or of any danger that would have struck them down. Let's be careful though."

While Darach investigates the first building-like plant, Jarome looks to see if he can find others nearby.

[hannahbbug3]

The town - or what's left of it - is eerily quiet. No one in the group is able to think of a particular creature or magic that would be able to cause destruction on this level - at least, not without unfeasible amounts of power at hand. It is likely this is a result of an attack of the forest itself, though why it would move on a town previously so well-fortified and seemingly safe with such success is unclear.

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome curses quietly to himself. "This road is wiped out now. If the Forest made a move on a community like this one, I doubt anyone will be eager to resettle here without natural resources like Vark has to attract them. Maybe if they're open to it, the summoner's school will be willing to open their doors to outsiders and take on the northern route?"

[theasl]

Mercuira is...stumped ^{ba dum tschhh} by what's happened to the town. "W-well...what happened to the people then? What do we do?" She thinks back to her home, on the outskirts of the forest - what if it happens to them one day?

Seemingly oblivious to this all, her new little friend - Lizzy, she's taken to calling it - is still sleeping happily, clinging to her shoulder.

[purepolarpanzer]

We can look for clues... but if we don't find anything... it might be distinctly possible there is nothing we can do here. Some great power has touched down on this town... and seemingly wiped it off the face of the planet, replacing it with plant matter. I know of no power that could do this... and I certainly wouldn't want to fight it... Hastur growls a bit at Daedalus' words, but it seems he agrees to an extent as he looks over the remains of the buildings.

[rs2excelsior]

Darach takes a knee in the middle of the vanished structure, letting out a stream of angry Orcish--half prayer, half curse. He pushes his way out of the curtain of plants, cutting at the sheet with his axe. "No sign of them. None whatsoever," he growls. "We should send word to Vark, once we reach the college. And to other towns on the border, if we can. They should be aware, in case whatever did this comes back." There is an anger in his eyes, burning more brightly that it has before since he's been with the group. He takes several minutes cutting his way into places where it seems other structures stood, trying to find any other sign of the town's occupants or buildings--any bodies, any tracks, anything. After a fruitless search, he returns to the group. "Let's keep moving. I don't think there's anything we can do for these people," he says bitterly.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm assuming I don't find anything. If I do, ignore that last line, obviously.

[hannahbbug3]

The ghost town is completely silent. The group heads back towards the road, pushing their way through the undergrowth to get back to it. It takes several minutes. Then, several more. And, wait, shouldn't you have gotten there by now?
It doesn't take long to realize that something extremely out of the ordinary has happened, and it does not bode well. All around the group, the forest presses in, and there is no distinct landmark to tell you which way you came and which way you should go.
From somewhere above the trees, there is a soft, sinister sound. A bird call? The wind? Or... was that truly a laugh?

[rs2excelsior]

Darach's mix of bitter disappointment and frustration begins developing into a seething anger as it becomes more clear something is toying with them. "Everyone stay close. If we do get separated, I'll sound my horn. Something is out here..." One hand on his axe and the other on his holy symbol, he scans the trees above, waiting for a target to smite.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Survival to see if we're continuing straight ahead: (1d20+9)[22]
Perception to find a sign of enemies: (1d20+8)[18]

[theasl]

Mercuira, growing more and more uneasy, reaches to draw her bow and nock an arrow awkwardly over Lizzy, still sitting on her shoulder, and scanning for signs of danger. The little carbuncle is awake now, sensing something wrong as well.

Spoiler: ooc

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perception for both: (1d20+10)[12] and (1d20+9)[18]

[purepolarpanzer]

Darach is right! Whatever you do don't allow yourselves to be separated! I'd recommend we form a circle so we can keep eyes in all directions at once! There is a tremble in the tailor's voice as he lifts his hands, ready to cast a spell. Hastur falls in behind his summoner and raises his blade, eyes upwards trying to chase that sound. Don't allow yourselves to be overwhelmed by fear, either! We will overcome this if we stay together and rely on each other! Hastur punctuates this with a booming laugh, trying to lighten spirits with bravado.

[hannahbbug3]

"My, my, see how the mortals tremble before my power..."
The voice resonates through the trees, seeming like a whisper on the wind and a roar that shakes the ground all at the same time. Tendrils of poison ivy grow quickly across the canopy, beginning to block out the sunlight. "Strange group you are. There have not been Starwalkers in the temple for quite some time. Did you really think you'd be able to go through there unnoticed, little children?" The words seem to come from no singular direction, constantly on the move but getting ever closer to the group, stalking in on their defensive circle. "No. I was watching you. Poor, pretty things. Have you gotten lost in the woods?"

[rs2excelsior]

"I do not fear you," Darach responds evenly. His grip tightens about his axe, ready to strike. The use of his adopted surname did unsettle him, however--was the creature referring to him directly? Or just followers of the Star Gods? In any case, it was clear they were dealing with something incredibly powerful, and Darach was not about to show them weakness. He channeled his anger at the fate of the village into whatever was now toying with them. "And we will not be the last to return to the temple. By the Gods, we will not surrender this world to your kind. Do what you will with us, but know we are not the last... and know your days are numbered."

[Gyrfalcon]

Jarome looks around at the foliage and raises his voice, speaking in a strange tongue.

Spoiler: Sylvan

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"Come now, these cheap theatrics are beneath you. Why don't you come out of hiding and talk to us face to face? Or are you simply afraid of my companion with the axe?

[thelastorphan]

I will not let you scare me. Clenching his scarred and bandaged hand and raising his other for a fight. If it comes to that I will be ready.

Taicho backs up into the group and makes sure to stay close. The fact they were so easily lost does not sit well.