[Respite] - Factions

1. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #521

   As Fafnir and Toboran discussed the merits of deer-flesh, Jaegarmond found his little companion quite interested in the exercise.  Very quickly Jaegarmond learned the patterns for the parts of the leaf.  The creature varied frequency, pressure and would even slide slightly in its tappings, his language being far richer then Jaegarmond first thought.
   
   
   Estrwick interjected into the hunter's discussion.  "You know, you'll need to go a d**n sight further out to find any deer! We's just to the treeline, and the woods have been pretty much hunted out a days walk past the edge of that.  The only critters you see that come this close are out to hunt us."
   
   "Mind you, I'd love some venison as much as the next guy."
   
   Prompted by the old prospectors words, Toboran took a look about and saw a figure a few hundred yards away, somewhat closer to the charcoal burners.  Sensing his eyes, the figure immediately withdrew into the forest.
   
   
   
   

2. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #522

   "What is it? I'm busy!" said Gevaris, putting down the knife. "It had better be important."
   
   "They've left the city!"
   
   "Who?", Gevaris said, his voice think with annoyance.
   
   "Toboran - and others. No sign of the nomad though."
   
   "Well, thats fine. We'll find him eventually.  Terrisch, I need to leave now. Don't go anywhere please..."
   
   
   

3. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #523

   Fafnir noticed that Toboran was distracted by something in the woods, but could not find the source of his distress. He spoke " Is something amissssss friend? Perhaps we should begin our hunt. As Estrwick has said, we shall be hard pressed to find food nearby. Though if we are lucky something edible will stumble across our camp."

4. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #524

   "Hmm? Oh, yes", Toboran said, distractedly, "Yes, let's go", then, to Gideon, "We should not be gone for long, and hopefully we will be back with lunch".

5. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #525

   "Toboran! Before you go, in Respite a man was asking about you. I didn't get his name but he was heavily armored. Just thought you should know."

6. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #526

   "Well, that was random", Toboran muttered to Fafnir as they walked into the forest.

7. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #527

   Carefully moving through the forest, Toboran and Fafnir found that there was an abundance of tracks, though unfortunately all of the two-legged variety.
   
   But the forest was not completely empty, Fafnir managed to take down a large rabbit with a well-placed arrow, and Toboran shot a turkey-sized flightless bird. The creature had odd blue-green plumage, and a strangely hooked beak, but would roast well.
   
   While carrying their prized back to the campsite, Toboran noticed a large,moss-covered boulder that seems unusually shaped, far too square to be natural..
   
   Toboran and Fafnir are about 20 minutes walk from the camp when this happens, about an hour has elapsed since the last post..
   
   
   Back at camp, Balin continued to mull over the stone names, having committed them to parchment.  Gideon, walking about and chatting with Rajani, absently kicked at a small stone. It flipped over and Gideon noticed immediately that it too, bore runes of some sort on the exposed side.
   
   
   
   
   
   

8. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #528

   "Wait, Coldblood", Toboran said to Fafnir, "I want to see what this is, it may be of interest to Balin".
   Kneeling beside the boulder, Toboran took out the dagger he had gotten from the bar fight and began to, fairly carefully, scrape the moss from the stone.

9. Re: [Respite] - Factions

   #529

   Jaegarmond's attention was diverted briefly to his companions doings, but nothing truly seemed amiss, so he went back to his alternating pattern of learning new words in the sapling's language and watching the surrounding area for anything sufficiently suspicious. Hopefully he would soon be able to truly communicate with the little tree.

10. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #530

    The stone soon proved to be more then a single stone. Scraping the moss free, Toboran found that it appeared to be constructed of large, well-fitted stones. 
    
    Looking more intently at the structure - for that it appeared to be, he found it to be almost perfectly square, a cube 8' on a side, and nearly 6' in height.  Scraping more moss away, what appeared to be a single solid stone rectangle 2' wide by 4' in height.  It was covered with more runes of a style similar to that of the roadstone that Balin had been examining.
    
    
    
    
    

11. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #531

    "Perhaps our little friend could explain this bizarre rock" Fafnir said as he gazed at the stone in Toborans hand. " We must return to camp if we wish to ask him, we are done here I think."

12. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #532

    "Aye, I think Balin would indeed be interested", Toboran replied. He stood up and cut a blaze on a nearby tree, "I hope that this should help us find our way back, though the way it seems to be going, the forest may very well hide what we are trying to find when we seek to return".
    Toboran started back towards the others, carrying his kill and blazing more trees to point the way back.

13. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #533

    "I like dwarves. They write on rock, and that lasts." Gideon played with the stone, then put it down next to Balin, without disturbing his examination, and went to search for other such pieces; what else was there to do there?
    
    He was looking forward to the moment they find a hint as to where the small folk made their dwellings, for they usually settled where earht's bounty was not far.

14. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #534

    "Is there any reason these Dwarves choose to write on stone?" Rajani asked. "I mean there are certainly easier methods of writing."

15. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #535

    Jaegarmond was sitting with his little tree. He had made good progress while Balin nosed about and Gideon and Rajani talked.  The smell of roasted turtle nearly distracted him when his little tree went nuts. 
    
    The trees little wooden eyes became unfocused, distracted, and then it seemed to go mad, its little fists pounding away at Jaegarmond's earthy arm in a desperate staccato.  Though it lacked any subtlety, the message was clear.  Danger.
    
    
    

16. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #536

    Oblivious to the little tree, Gideon replied: "Dwarves are obsessed with the idea of durability, striving for eternal works and records dating back to... well, very far. I think they believe that their legacy lives on in their works, and as long as those are used and admired, their soul is great in the afterlife... or so I read..."

17. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #537

    Considering the sheer amount of mass being animated by the Dunshar, one wouldn't expect that Jaegarmond could move from sitting to standing as fast as he did. The little sapling had gone absolutely berserk, and sitting down was the best way be caught flat-footed. He began to search the surroundings with his eyes for anything out of place as he moved closer to the rock that was the source of their stop.
    
    "Rajani," Jaegarmond's basso voice resounded clearly to those nearby, "Gideon, I think we may have more pressing concerns than why dwarves are obsessed with rocks."
    
    

18. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #538

    "Well then, let's carve a few well-meant words into the foemen.. things. You get the point."

19. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #539

    "You know, Friend Gideon, it strikes me that my old master of mysteries always chided me for never taking a familiar as a proper student of the art should. I think in a moment such as this, a pair of eyes that could fly would be a boon beyond boons. I think, should we survive this day I might investigate that little lapse in my magical investure." Rajani said, her fingers fluttered from the handle of her wand, to the hilt of her dagger.

20. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #540

    Balin took note of his companions conversations even while he studied the runes and so quickly removed his eyes to the surrounding woods. spells would soon be needed.

21. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #541

    Lund was leaning on his shovel, the buried fire was doing its work, turning the green wood into charcoal. He had been watching with some interest the dwarf and other strange folk poking about a large rock some ways away.  He was starting to get bored when they appeared to become a little more animated. They began to look about with greater interest then they had before.  What were they looking for? What had set them off?
    
    Lund's thoughts were shattered by sudden noise behind him.  Turning in surprise, he saw something coming right at him, a furious mass of roots and tendrils.  Moments later, he was slammed into with tremendous force that hurled him back bodily onto the earthen heap.
    
    Two of the other charcoal burners, still in shock at the sudden appearance of the thing, were immediately snared by snatching tendrils.  One was pitched headlong into the charcoal pit, driven through the earth into the cooking coals below.  The second was held up in the air momentarily, before the things tendrils tore him apart, fragments and blood scattering about.
    
    The remaining charcoal burners scattered like a flock of spooked ducks and their guard began to rouse, though to fight or flee remained to be seen.
    
    You are 220 feet away from the action.  Terrain is light forest with numerous stumps, too small to be useful as cover unless prone. Full out sprinting is dangerous, and there is a large pit of soft earth with a fire burning underneath, approximately 25' in diameter. The thing has tendrils at least 10' in length and appears to be a huge, mobile stump.
    
    Toboran and Fafnir are some time away, I'm not saying how far at this point.. :P
    
    Initiative order will be determined after first declarations of actions.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

22. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #542

    "I tell you why dwarves do not write on tentacled tree-stump things - because those will not last!" Gideon called, and advanced slowly towards the woodland monster, banging his fist against his chest.
    
    "Come and get some!" he taunted it. "The rest of you - form up on me, we'll surround it!"

23. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #543

    Continuing his habit of non verbosity, Jaegarmond instead flanked Gideon, readying a blast of arcane energy for the chlorofiend. Actions speak louder than words. While the group advanced on the creature, he spared a glance for the little sapling rooted in his arm, to see if this was the danger it had tried warning about.
    
    

24. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #544

    Unlike Gideon, Balin advanced quickly so as to cast his magic sooner rather than later. His chosen spell was on his lips and readying in his fingers, this plant would know flame.
    
    

25. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #545

    Jhoric was seemingly deep in thought when the tree-stump monster attacked. He jumped to his feet and fired a blast at it before he was even fully aware of the situation.
    
    

26. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #546

    "칼 및 창을 채택하는 이들을 강복하십시오" Rajani intoned, her voice reaching into the strange inflections of Endkeltish, a language that outside her her tongue, was most likely dead. She felt the heat of the divine swell inside her breast, filling her with it's endlessly cyclical essence, "저희를 해 하는 사람들을 혼동하십시오 무릎에 관하여 그(것)들을 치고 그(것)들에게 낮은것을 가져오십시오 그들이 낮고 겸허하다 그래야" She finished, feeling the touch of the divine pulse through her, flowing from her pores, her throat, billowing out on the wind like the seeds of a yarbow tree.
    
    
    (OOC - Cast Blessing on party)

27. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #547

    The wooden abomination stood for a heartbeat, as if surveying its destruction, when Pieh's bolt of supernatural energy slammed into it.  A burst of splinters and rotten bark were scattered by the bolt and the thing immediately charged in Jhorics direction, suddenly oblivious to the panicked charcoal burners and escort.  The guards dispersed into the forest on the heels of the charcoal burners, leaving the creature to Balin and company.
    
    The creature was covering the distance between itself and the party with frightening speed, its tendrils keeping it high above the stumps and other debris. It held the base of it's stump forward, flat forward as a 3' wide battering ram.
    
    A word of magic and a sphere of flame appeared right in front of it.  Without pausing, the thing smashed straight into it and was momentarily enveloped by the flame.  Singed, its wet wood steamed a little as it passed through, but avoided serious charring. Near the same time, a small sliver of crystal lanced out from Jaegarmonds outstretched hand and slammed into it as well.
    
    "Hold still a moment you bif oaf!" yelled the prospector from his harness on Gideon's back. "I'll wait till he's closer - don't spoil me aim!" He was holding an ancient arbelest and was trying to get a bead on the woody foe.  It did not seem long before the old man would be able to club the thing at the rate it was moving.
    
    
    Creature is closing at 80' per round, Gideon, Jagaermond and Rajani at 10' and Balin at 20' (poor stumpy dwarves :P ) so
    
    Jhoric 12 HP damage with 1st bolt.
    Balin:  Caused 3 Hp damage (Somewhat fire resistant)
    Jagaermond: 5 Point magic missile!
    
    You are now between 130' and 120' (Balin) from the creature.
    
    Start of round 2. Init order is
    
    Balin
    Jhoric
    Jagaermond:
    Rajani
    Gideon
    Prospector
    Oaken Shambler
    
    
    Edit: Overlooked poor Rajani...
    
    
    
    

28. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #548

    Balin cursed under his breath. So it could resist his fire? Not all of it. "Flama Sphera," Balin sent another ball of fire at the beast, this time he put it where it would be at its current speed. He also mentally moved his first sphere as fast as it would go to catch up.

29. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #549

    Jhoric was now fully aware that a large piece of wood was hurtling towards him. He made a quick sideways sprint to try to put Gideon between himself and the plant, then fired another of his dark energy blasts that seemed to upset the stump so much.

30. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #550

    Seeing the alarming speed that the ungodly stump monster was moving, Rajani decided it might be more prudent to put her faith not in sorcery, but in steel. She moved behind Gideon, placing her hand on the small of his back. She felt the wind blowing across her skin, the sounds of animals moving, fleeing, the scent of blood in the air, and the stinging burn of charcoal and peat moss burning. The magic pulsed in her, a simple spell, she let it flow from her. It was the first time she had cast it on another instead of on herself, but she passed the spell around Gideon's large frame. In her mind she saw the armor form around him, all arcane force, invisible except to those who could see things magical. "Be brave my friend, you shall not fall so long as I draw breath." Rajani said, as the spell collapsed around him.
    
    (OOC - Mage Armor on Gideon, not sure when my turn is in order)

31. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #551

    While the creature was moving at a frightening pace, it wasn't yet close enough for Jaegarmond to use some of his other spells on it. He grabbed one of the scroll cases hanging from his pack and unfurled it, revealing arcane symbols and scribbles. The magic itself was formless and void; it was the mind of the living that harnessed and molded it to a purpose. The symbols were another method of that harnessing, and a useful one at that. But they still needed a conduit for the magic's flow, and that was where he came in. Arcane syllables and intonations issued forth from the dunshar's mouth, harsh and edgy in their pronunciation, prophets of the coming spell's malevolent intent.
    
    

32. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #552

    The onrushing thing again was enveloped by Balin's mystical flames, but again emerged from it, singed but hale.  Jhoric's bolt again slammed into the creature, again sending out a shower of half-rotten wood, and another crystalline projectile took its toll as well.  Damaged by the spellfire, the thing still shambled on, and now was perhaps 30' from the companions. It showed no signs of slowing down, however, and was apparently focused on the largest target, Gideon. 
    
    A crossbow bolt sailed over Gideon's shoulder towards their enemy, but the bolt flew harmlessly over the top of thing, missing it by feet. "I tol' you to hold steady! Now I got to reload the d**n thing!". The prospector began to laboriously work the weapon's windlass. 
    
    Jhoric 10 HP damage with bolt.
    Balin:  Caused 5 Hp damage
    Jagaermond: 4 Point magic missile!
    
    Round 3 about to start, Init order the same.  Please declare any actions including move. 
    Flaming spheres will take some time to catch up, as it is moving at a 80 vs the spell's 30' move.
    The stump is very obviously charging.
    
    
    
    
    
    

33. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #553

    Fafnir and Toboran were making their way back to camp when they saw two men - laborers from their clothing, burst from the underbrush and run pell-mell past them. Their eyes betrayed fear and horror as they ran, ignoring the ranger and lizardman.
    
    
    
    

34. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #554

    Feeling the ground under his feet, Gideon braced himself, ready to swing his blade in a wide arc with full force. He was like a spring, a singularity of will, purpose and body, focusing upon a point ahead; once the beast crossed it, he would release all the pent up strength at once, to deliver a devastating blow.

35. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #555

    Balin dashed to the side, out of the thing's reach and continued to concentrate on his second sphere to bring it closer to this beast.

36. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #556

    "We'd best hurry back to the others", Toboran told Fafnir as he started to run, "I have thought this forest would turn on us, and I think it has finally lived up to my expectations".

37. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #557

    The threshold was first crossed by long, reaching roots which extended forward, quickly followed by the massive center of the stump.
    
    Balin backed away from the tree, keeping outside of the reach of the roots, but only barely so.  If it had chosen him as a target, he could not have avoided it.
    
    The thing entered the invisible circle that marked Gideon's swing, and moment's later, the immense blade slammed into the trunk, rocking it back and sending a shower of half-rotted wood into the air.  The force of the impact nearly forced Gideon to drop the blade.  Another blast of dark energy tore into the thing, cast into it by Jhoric...
    
    Chaosmark? Do you have any more magic missles?
    
    
    [img width=400 height=360]http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1161/oakenshambler.jpg
    By valadaar
    
    http://valadaar.deviantart.com/art/Oaken-shambler-115323718
    
    
    

38. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #558

    "It must be terrible, so as to frighten those men to losing their senses. We most definitely should hurry back." said Fafnir as he began a dead sprint back towards the campsite.

39. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #559

    More scrolls hung from Jaegarmond's pack, but it would be folly to continue using such a limited resource here. Only if the situation demanded would he resort to that. Surely this creature was beginning to wear down, purely from the magical beating it had taken thus far. He summoned to mind a simple cantrip, yet one that should be particularly effective on this chlorofiend. The air around his earthen hand began to cool, and he drew his other arm back from the frigid air. His companion certainly wouldn't appreciate losing foliage to spellcasting. The mage pointed his hand at the oaken shambler attacking Gideon and released the leashed energy of the spell.
    
    

40. Re: [Respite] - Factions

    #560

    And followed by a thin ray of ice sent from Jaegarmond's finger.  He noticed with surprise as he began the near instant spell, his little friend uprooted himself and scooted up his sleeve.  He also found the spell more difficult then normal - it barely took, but then hurtled downrange to the dangerously close tree-thing.  The spell created a patch of frost on the thing, but went almost unnoticed by it.
    
    Balins flaming sphere's were rolling towards the creature, but its speed was such that it would be many seconds before the thing would experience their flames again.
    
    Rajani stood behind Gideon, ready to heal the warrior as he faced the thing. Following through with its charge, it slammed directly into him, nearly toppeling himself onto Rajani behind.  Even through his heavy plate, the impact was shattering, and Gideon knew that at least a couple ribs were cracked.  The prospector gave a cry and was tumbled from his perch to the round, narrowly missing a log with spike-like broken branches. "You clumsy Oaf!" he shouted from the ground.
    
    Even the plant thing seemed stunned by the impact, its roots momentarily idle as it regained its focus.
    
    As Toboran and Fafnir ran back, they broke the treeline into the large clearing where the campsite was located.  Close to them was the charcoal pit, the stench of blood and burning flesh strong in the air.  Nearby, a laborer was pulling himself to his feet, doubled over and coughing up blood.  Across the clearing, they saw a massive treelike thing in close combat with their companions, perhaps 200' away.
    
    Gideon: 23 hp inflicted, 16 hp damage received
    Jhoric: 10 hp inflicted.
    Jaegarmond: 2 hp inflicted.
    Rajani may still act.
    Balin may move, but with two concentrations spells active, no other actions possible.
    Fafnir and Toboran may run pell mell and get there in two rounds, but will need to succeed at DC 16 (10+2 per movement increment over rough - am assuming you will do the full 120 foot runs) to avoid tripping due to the difficult terrain.  New house rule :P Normally, running across difficult terrain is not allowed...
    
    
    
    
    
    

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