|
Hot on the trail of one group heading west, another gang of individuals gather. Is it bravery or idiocy that drive them forward and out of the secure blanket of the civilised world? Regardless, untold riches and opportunity await them in the raging fires of wilderness. Heroes and idiots alike can perish or prosper simply through luck. The map in The Sunset promises an elven camp due south west from the black gate, and compared to the desolate horrors of the rest of the wilderness, it looks relatively appealing. You do, of course, no elves. Some of you may be elves. However, the word elf covers a broad spectrum, from the somewhat snobby and erudite pale skinned beings, to the ruddy and wild men and women of the wood. On top of that, you know of drow, the dark elves who stalk the dark and damp places of the world worshipping spiders and sacrificing the innocent to try to block out the sun. The Captain of the guard welcomes you with a sly smile and opens the gate, allowing you through to the other side of the wall. "Good luck, by the look of you I fancy your chances better than the other whelps who came through here today." "I'll give you two to one that none but the runt make it back alive, Captain," a scar-faced guard chuckles. Soon the parapets are alive with shouted wagers. Make your final preparations.
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 07:08
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 04:47 |
|
|
Party Assumptions Travel Default Formation: 2x3 Ariatari Marl Jorkas Mordai Sylvester When things get narrow: 1x5 Ariatari Marl Jorkas Mordai Sylvester Camping Prior to rest, Marl casts an Alarm ritual over the sleeping area. The schedule will set aside about 10 hours for camping, 1 hour for setting up, 8 hours of rest, and 1 hour of breaking down. With 5 personnel, the party can afford five two-hour watches throughout the night, maximizing party rest. ---------   Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 10/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 Marl bends down to scritch the ears of a mewing calcio. "Ah commerce! It's good to know that, whatever happens, we've made someone money." After the cat mounts his shoulder, he stands to his normal height and addresses the paladin, "If this adventuring thing doesn't work out, with a partner I think we could make a decent piece running the books in this town." Marl returns the guard captain's smile and settles into discussing logistics. piL fucked around with this message at 14:12 on Sep 24, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 08:04
|
|
|
The party head west, through long flatlands of overgrown grass. Purple flowers bloom on emerald vines and the scent of wild animals fills the wind. The sun is warm and bright in the sky. The sheer adrenaline surging through your bodies at the start of the journey begins to hesitantly fade. Four hours later, still seemingly on course, you hit the edge of a great forest. You feel a rush of confidence. From the state of the map, few have got much further than this point and survived to return and share their tales. However, the path towards the supposed elvish camp is thick and difficult to navigate. The trees become a blur and there are few points to serve as anchors of your location. Using the glimpses of sun you can catch through the rustling canopy, you manage to forge a course and begin hacking your way through the overgrowth. You come to a shallow dry ravine and begin crossing a long-dead tree that serves as a bridge across. Marl swings his rapier to cut away a section of binding vines when he has a sudden suspicion of being watched. Reacting on pure instinct, the rogue leaps back and avoids the momentum of a log swinging across the path. At first, you mistake this as a trap of some kind, but from between the trees, appearing from some invisible and indistinguishable place, appears a large wooden monster. "You are trespassers here! I shall tear your limbs apart and dine on your hot, red innards!" the tree snarls in elvish.  You have only a few moments to contemplate how alien and strange this world of wilderness is, before it raises its jagged log arms and prepares to strike. You rolled a 12 on your final travel roll!  Initiative 23 - Marl 17 - Awakened Tree Hp:59/59 Ac:13 15 - Jorkas 13 - Ariatari 7- Mordai 5 - Sylvester Captain_Indigo fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Sep 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 18:00
|
|
|
 Jorkas the Mad, Gnome Druid Prepared: Entangle, Healing Word Jorkas walked in the middle of the party with barely a word. Sometimes he would grumble something under his breath but for the most part the druid ignored any attempts at conversation his companions may have. Instead he spoke to the animals, the birds, the insects, and even the occasional tree. It was in those moments the extremely rare smile would emerge, the face beneath the wild growth of beard growing warm. When the tree talks back in elvish, Jorkas is not only surprised, but jumps back a couple of paces. "This tree is wrong, thinks I," he grumbles after dropping his staff and unsheathing his scimitar.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 20:21
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 10/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 Marl quips back in well-practiced elvish, "I will have the bread with jam." It seems he memorized that one phonetically. He covers the short distance and lunges forward with his rapier (roll in Discord: **1**), but the terrain is unsteady. The leaves shift beneath his feet--his momentum continues forward against his volition. The unexpected motion causes him to continue forward and he plants the tip of his blade in the soft-packed soil while Embers dismounts and scampers into her pocket dimension.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 20:46
|
|
|
The tree giant rises to his full height, standing on bowed back legs that creak and crackle like a ship in a storm. The bellowing sound that comes from its hollow innards sounds like a deeply disturbing musical instrument. With a whoosh, it brings both arms down upon Ariatari but the paladin knocks the great blow aside with her shield. Its arms connect with the ground and the great rotten tree trunk and there is an explosion of splinters and bark. The awakened tree misses Ariatari with an 8.  All except Marl make a dexterity saving throw Vs 15. On a failed save, you are knocked prone as the ground quakes beneath you. Initiative 23 - Marl 17 - Awakened Tree Hp:59/59 AC:13 15 - Jorkas 13 - Ariatari 7- Mordai 5 - Sylvester Everyone is up. Captain_Indigo fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Sep 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 21:06
|
|
|
Jorkas the Mad, Gnome Druid Prepared: Entangle, Healing Word The ground shaking beneath the gnome's feet is enough to throw the druid to the ground. He quickly regains his feet, slapping the dust from his robes. He takes in the situation, realizing that asking for the forest's help in snaring the creature would result in his companions also being caught in the grasping vines. Instead he grasps his totem with his free hand and takes a step backwards. "Biting friends of the forest, burrow deep into this treebeast." Jorkas casts a spell (Infestation): Treemonster must pass a DC12 con save or take a single(!!!!) point of poison damage and be moved 5ft south.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2019 21:30
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 10/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 Marl rights himself and brings his rapier back up. A quick check of the tip followed by a seeming natural test swing of the blade and he seems satisfied. Arm remaining extended and blade high he finds the small space under the tree's left flank and springs forward. Dirty 20 to hit, 9 attack + 3 sneak attack = 12 piercing damage.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 02:47
|
|
|
Ariatari 12/12HP AC18 Ariatari swings her flail around after blocking the first attack with her shield, the ball at the end of the chain colliding into the angry tree’s trunk with a loud thud. (22 to hit, 6 bludgeoning damage) “Please, we mean no harm to the elves within this forest! We seek only to meet with them and perhaps forge an alliance!” She cries out in Elvish. Mr. Humalong fucked around with this message at 06:03 on Sep 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 06:01
|
|
|
 Mordai Mordai is unprepared for the ground to quake underneath him and his feet are quickly knocked out from beneath him. Once the tremors had settled down he got back onto his feet and pointing a finger at the walking tree a lance of energy leaps towards it. Once the bolt of energy had struck a very faint aura could be seen around it (22 to hit, 6 force damage, target has Hexblade's Curse applied to it)
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 08:58
|
|
|
 Sylvester, Human Clerics Prepared: Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, Detect Magic, Detect Poison & Disease Sylvester holds up his hand a bright flame sparks to life in it. He reels back his arm and throws the fire, hitting the tree square in the chest, but the fire appears to not leave more than a small scorch mark. Sylvester casts Produce Flame and attacks the awakened tree hitting with a 17, but only doing 1 point of fire damage, then moves down 2 and left 2 to try and take cover behind what looks like a giant boulder.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 14:58
|
|
|
A swirling vortex of termites is summoned forth from the thin air and burrows into the bark of the awakened trees. The awakened tree grunts in surprise but the infestation fails to cause much harm. Sylvester can sense that his flame spell is not quite on point, however, the spark that illuminates the awakened tree does more damage than it may initially appear. Unfortunately, the piercing and bludgeoning attacks seem to do little by comparison. The tree beast lowers its brow and growls as the paladin responds. "You have no business here. There is no alliance. There is no peace with you." - Elvish It swings a branch and slams Ariatari with all its might, but her extremely high defences render her invulnerbal to the monster. The awakened tree misses Ariatari with a 17  Initiative 23 - Marl 17 - Awakened Tree Hp:41/59 AC:13 15 - Jorkas 13 - Ariatari 7- Mordai 5 - Sylvester Everyone is up. Captain_Indigo fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Sep 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 16:44
|
|
|
Jorkas the Mad, Gnome Druid Prepared: Entangle, Healing Word Well that wasn't good. Jorkas takes another step back and once again calls out to the various wood eating insects of the forest. "Idiot elves and their idiot trees," he grumbles in Sylvan. Jorkas casts Infestation again as well. DC15 or treedude takes 5 points of damage and moves 5ft south. Deadmeat5150 fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Sep 25, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 16:55
|
|
|
As the tree rebuffs Ariatari’s attempt at diplomacy, it brings a thick branch down toward her. She is barely able to raise her shield in time and the sheer force of the tree’s assault causes her to grunt in exertion. Narrowly avoiding being knocked out cold, she brings her flail back around and swings it as hard as she can at the tree once more. “If there will be no peace, then there will at least be kindling for our campfire tonight!” Ariatari cries out in Elvish. Her taunt is diminished, however, by the ball of her flail getting tangled in some of the tree’s branches (rolled an 11 to hit). “I’m starting to remember why I moved to the city.”
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 17:37
|
|
|
Sylvester, Human Clerics Prepared: Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, Detect Magic, Detect Poison & Disease Sylvester steps out from behind the boulder with another flame in hand, this time landing the ball of fire right in the face of the tree with a much more impressive result. Sylvester steps 5 feet to the right to get a clear shot and casts Produce Flame, hitting the awakened tree hitting with a 14 and doing 6 points of fire damage before retreating back behind the boulder.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 17:57
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 10/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 Marl loses his footing as the tree slams forward and is tossed about with the sword buried deep in the wood. As the enemy resets for his next swing, Marl plants he feet and pulls his blade free before plunging it forward once more, chipping at the same spot. 17 to hit, 13 piercing damage
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 20:53
|
|
|
Mordai Mordai seeing the rest of the group had the tree's attention launches another beam at it, this time the beam hits much harder than the last one did. (24 to hit, 7 force damage, target has Hexblade's Curse applied to it)
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2019 23:06
|
|
|
As the swarm of insects reappear, ready to borrow into the trees flesh, the ancient monstrosity is ready. With a wild swing, he bats away the cloud before it can fully materialise, sending it careening into the woods. Reacting to the sudden rapier piercing its side, the tree turns around and swings its arms at Marl, knocking him to the ground and out cold. "Away, gnat!" Tree makes its save with a 20. Tree hits Marl with a 15 for 16 damage!  Initiative 23 - Marl 17 - Awakened Tree Hp:15/59 AC:13 vulnerable: fire resist:bludgeoning, piercing 15 - Jorkas 13 - Ariatari 7- Mordai 5 - Sylvester Everyone is up
|
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2019 06:37
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 0/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 Death saves 1  / 0  "Hah, I gochu y-," the impact is sudden and unexpected. Marl sails back several feet and when he lands, there's no animation left. death save: 17 piL fucked around with this message at 15:55 on Sep 26, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 26, 2019 10:18
|
|
|
Mordai Mordai seeing Marl go down focuses on the tree and lashes out at it once more with his eldritch blast. (13 to hit, 7 force damage, target has Hexblade's Curse applied to it)
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 00:24
|
|
|
Jorkas the Mad, Gnome Druid Prepared: Entangle, Healing Word Again the treebeast swings and this time it's the skinny one that take the strike. Only unlike the sturdy paladin, he takes it to the chest and his broken body goes flying. "Oy now, Tricksy, laying about on the job won't do you no good." The biting stinging insects seemed to annoy the beast. Good, good. Casting Healing Word on Marl for 7(!) points of HP, and once again using Infestation. DC15 or five points of damage and 5 points of movement south.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 00:47
|
|
|
Ariatari 12/12HP AC18 Ariatari watches the rogue go flying away, totally limp. She grimaces and swings her flail again...and manages to barely connect with the trunk of the irate tree. (21 to hit ...3 damage)
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 00:54
|
|
|
Sylvester, Human Clerics Prepared: Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, Detect Magic, Detect Poison & Disease Encourage by the tree being on it's last limb, Sylvester hurls another flame at the enemy, but his shot goes wide. Sylvester steps 5 feet to the right to get a clear shot and casts Produce Flame, missing the awakened tree with a 6. He again retreats behind the boulder.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 15:05
|
|
|
Insects burrow into the bark and the tree snarls in rage. While he is distracted, the paladin lands an akward strike against the wood. The awakened tree glares at you for a moment, then stands to its full height, raises its arms and freezes. The living wood that makes up its body seems to stiffen and rot, turning grey. The burning green embers of its eyes roar to life and from the chinks in its armour, green life energy seems to sizzle and crackle. Whatever nature magics animated the tree rise up and into the air, fading as they float away. What is left, looks like a random assortment of hollow trunks and stumps. The combat is over. 450 exp divided by 5 = 90 exp each. Please attach this to your banner at the top of each post.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 16:48
|
|
|
Jorkas the Mad, Gnome Druid Prepared: Entangle, XP = 90 The druid grunts as the animated foliage crashed to the ground, the magic giving the wood life leaving it forever. It would be interesting to see how the magic had affected the wood in the long term, especially as when the magic left it turned grey. Was it corrupted in some way? Breaking out his hatchet, Jorkas starts to hack off a portion of one of the hollow logs, essentially ignoring what is going on around him. Harvesting some of the wood for weird druid reasons.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 17:02
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 7/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 XP: 90/300 As the tree falls, Marl raises an arm in the air with a thumbs up to show that he's okay but otherwise continues to lay motionless on the ground recovering for a moment. Thanks! he calls out in gnomish. After far too long, he makes little fanfare about returning to his feet and watching the gnome work. "I didn't consider that not speaking Elvish might be a problem. But this is a fairly normal elf thing to do right--tree guardians that attack anyone?" He grimaces and hasn't quire convinced himself.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 20:13
|
|
|
Sylvester, Human Cleric Prepared: Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, Detect Magic, Detect Poison & Disease XP: 90/300 After the tree falls Sylvester conjures a handful of berries and goes around passing them out to anyone injured, placing the leftover berries in a pouch. Casting Goodberry to create 10 berries, handing them out to whoever needs some. Each berry heals for 4 (base 1 + 3 Life Domain) Reik fucked around with this message at 20:51 on Sep 27, 2019 |
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2019 20:42
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 10/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 XP: 90/300 Marl shrugs and eats the berry, feeling instantly better. "Wow, that's a good..." something compels him to stop speaking then and he's not sure what.
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2019 00:37
|
|
|
Ariatari 12/12HP AC18 90/300XP “Well! That was certainly interesting!” Ariatari says as she wipes some sweat and sap off of her cheek. She happily accepts a berry from the cleric and places it in a pocket, hoping it will still be good later. “Shall we press on? I’m hoping this was a rogue agent of the woods and the actual elves will be more welcoming, but maybe we should have asked around about this camp before heading this way...”
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2019 16:57
|
|
|
You press on, some harvested wood a trophy of your first clash with the monsters of the wilderness. You expect the forest to thin as you push deeper towards your target. You are, in fact, beginning to worry that perhaps you have moved off course in the chaos of the battle. As you are on the verge of diverting, some of you catch a strange, spicy scent on the breeze. It is hard to follow, but carefully tracing your steps, you find your way to a verge overlooking a series of three tens. In the centre is a campfire - longstanding and well built to look at it - atop which sits a large black cauldron. Steam rises from inside and the rich, delicious smell comes with it. From your position on the verge, you have not been noticed. There are three figures around the campfire facing away from you - all elven. They are dark skinned and ruddy with clay markings. Long braids hang down their backs and their elves point low and are pierced with bones and metal thorns. These resemble wood elves more than any other, but they are not quite like any elf you have seen back east. One makes a comment and the other two laugh but from where you are, you cannot yet quite make out their conversation.
|
|
#
?
Sep 28, 2019 17:25
|
|
|
Mordai "We've found the elves, now the question is what do we do? Do we approach openly or try to sneak in closer" Mordai says to the others as he sees the elven camp
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2019 00:50
|
|
|
Ariatari 12/12HP AC18 90/300XP “Shh, give me a moment. I’m trying to listen in on their conversation.” (Perception check of 19 to listen in on the conversation, if possible)
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2019 03:35
|
|
|
"...you Illiodor, she's old enough to be his grandmother and looks it!" "I never said this was true love, I said that it was rutting. People rut for a lot of reasons." "You're a fool, stop talking your foolish talk, you fool!" "I think its politics, I think..." "Politics?" "He wants to take charge." "Of what?" "Everything?" "No, of our camps AND the drow." "I just... I don't see it. If he was sneaking off to bang the matriarch, we would know. We would definitely know." "Yeah, we would know." "Pfft you don't know poo poo." This continues for some time.
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2019 06:54
|
|
|
Ariatari 12/12HP AC18 90/300XP Ariatari finally turns back to the rest of the party and quickly whispers, “Ok good news is, they speak Elvish. Bad news is they’re talking about the Drow like they’re on friendly terms with them. Any of you had direct experience with the Drow? I’ve only heard the horror stories.”
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2019 13:18
|
|
|
Marl - Level 1 Human Rogue - piL - HP: 10/10 AC: 14 PPer: 13 PIns: 11 XP: 90/300 Marl's voice is a hushed whisper, "Only drow I ever met was an exception to whatever rule. Still, we're going to have to introduce ourselves sooner than later--them finding us eavesdropping will be a bad first impression." He clasps the Tiefling on the back, "Are you ready? I think you're the speaker."
|
|
#
?
Sep 29, 2019 20:13
|
|
|
 Ariatari 12/12HP AC18 90/300XP Ariatari looks slightly nervous but nods her head, whispers "If I get filled with arrows bury me please," and then stands. She calls out to the elves down in the camp (in Elvish), "Hello there! My friends and I would like to speak with you! We are armed but we harbor no ill will toward you! May we approach?" {Persuasion roll of 13 to convince the elves we have no ill intent) Mr. Humalong fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Oct 1, 2019 |
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2019 01:24
|
|
|
The elves wheel around on their logs, rapidly drawing their bows. The arrows they notch are crude, but deadly looking - spikes of bone and polished obsidian tethered to gnarled sticks. Their eyes are nothing like the eyes you expect - these are far more primordial elves than you believed. From faces the colour of a walnut shell, large jet black globes stare at you. Their mouths are filled with thin, long, sharp teeth like the maws of some deep water fish. They regard you cautiously and slowly assess the threat your present. The wild elf rolls a 20 for perception. "You are a long way from civilisation, half-elf," he snarls at Ariatari. "You and your friends." "Come out! We see you!" The second barks at you. The third slowly lowers his bow and mutters something beneath his breath. Between his fingers, a flock of tiny purple humming birds begin to spring to life, fluttering back and forth, glowing a gentle violet light. He coaxes them gently to his face, then blows and the birds are swept towards Ariatari. Ariatari, make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or you are illuminated in purple light. Alternatively, let it happen. "What do you want?"
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2019 17:29
|
|
|
Jorkas the Mad, Gnome Druid Prepared: Entangle, XP = 90 Jorkas emerges from the bushes, his scimitar sheathed. He says nothing beyond grumbling under his breath in a language that sounds like the forest itself. "Oh course they saw us, its their forest," he says in Druidic.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2019 18:38
|
|
|
Mordai Mordai emerges from the bushes right behind the others his hands held away from his weapons to keep the elves from thinking he had any hostile intentions.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2019 22:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 19, 2024 04:47 |
|
|
Sylvester, Human Cleric Prepared: Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, Detect Magic, Detect Poison & Disease XP: 90/300 Sylvester emerges from any attempt to hide as well, displaying no signs of aggression.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2019 22:26
|
|