Mapping the Corruption
Log Info
- Title: Mapping the Corruption
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Armnar, Tommy, Asmli, Faranmidahn, Ezil
- Place: RPOne: The Wilderness
- Time: Friday, July 10, 2020, 3:28 PM
- Summary: Cryosanthia has contracted an Explorer's Guild party to help update maps of the Felwood borders. Armnar, Tommy, Asmli, Faranmidahn and Ezil answer the call, much to her delight as she hasn't seen some of them in a while. A briefing is given, along with warnings of corrupted elementals, and the party sets out. They find a game trail with deer and wolf tracks. Something seems amiss, but only Faran's riding spider, Torrent is able to detect the ambush before it is sprung. Three wolves attack one side of the party, followed by three more on their other flank, and a much larger wolf looming. All the beasts are diseased, infected, or dead-and-ambulatory. Battle ensues, with the party staying tight. Faran challenges the Big Black wolf, and occupies it, until it nearly tears her leg off dragging her from the saddle. She is rescued by Tommy, while Ezil casts a spell to force the Big Black Wolf to attack him. Meanwhile, Armnar and Asmli are smashing their way through the wolves, although Armnar ends up on his back after several attempts to trip him. Faran warns that fel energies are building in the Big wolf, just before Ezil lands the killing blow and it explodes with gore and bone fragments. Armnar is knocked out. In the aftermath it's not clear what happened to these wolves, party corrupted, partly undead, Faran posits a strange interaction of Salina's plague and the Felwood's twisted magic. A partially eaten deer, and some odd looking bugs are taken as samples and the group returns. Cryo thanks them for their efforts, updates her master map, and wonders what it all means.
- APL: 3.8 (Barb 2, Sorc 2, Ftr 4, Sorc/Cav 5, Pal 5)
- Encounters: CR7 XP3200
- (3) Terror Wolves XP 1200
- (3) Zombie Wolves, Fast XP 1200
- (1) Dire Terror Wolf, XP 800
-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Armnar 4'3" 180 Lb Mountain Dwarf Male A stout Dwarf with a bald head, red beard and tan skin. Tommy 3'4" 30 Lb Halfling Male Breezy halfling (with shoes). Asmli 4'2" 178 Lb Storm Dwarf Male Blonde khazad-mornir, walking with a limp. Faranmidahn 3'3" 35 Lb Halfling Female Albino Lucht woman in black leather armor with a BIG spider Ezil 5'11" 175 Lb Human Male An armored man with dark skin, and grey-blonde hair. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=- As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 267 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
An Explorer's Guild contract listed a need for wilderness explorers. It had a few notable features. The calligraphy was excellent, the meet-location was Wilderness Pointe Inn and it was provided by Mictlan and the Wardens of the Green. The Inn is located north of Alexandria, along a well travelled road, but still almost a half-days worth of time to get there. Starting out early was necessary.
The contact is a white-scaled sith-makar woman, who is familiar to some and greets them enthusiastically with a hug. "Faran! Ezil, Asmli! This one was not expecting you!"
She's friendly enough to the other two adventurers, "Greetings, and Peace on your Nests. This one is Cryosanthia, Speaker of the Sith-Makar. I'm helping out Un'eth. What we're doing it seeing what has changed with the plague gone. Most animals seem to be recovering, but..."
She shrugs and exhales, "Well, a few scouts haven't come back, and with some things it seems the corruption of the Felwood jumped in where the plage used to be, so animals, elementals that were really infected still are. So we're mapping whether the Felwood is expanding or contracting. Also, try to find those scouts."
She holds up some papers, and writing implements, "Anyone good with drawing maps? Any questions?"
Armnar strokes his braided beard in thought and says, "Not mucha one to draw, I'd be appy to assist with the combat aspect. If neede O'course." He grins a bit and then introduces himself. "Armnar of Clan Stonesmasher, Brother to the last of my Hold!"
Tommy flexes an elbow so that he can raise a hand for a small wave. "I'm Tommy," he supplies. "This will be my first adventure in the Felwood!" he flashes a smile. Then he does his best to assume a look of competent adventuring concentration. Or how he imagines something like that to look. It's a matter of opinion how he actually comes across. "I'll try to draw a map. I've never done that before either!" he reports proudly.
"Cryosanthia, yer alive! I ain't heard from ya in so long I'd wondered." Asmli still walks with a bit of a limp, but with nowhere near the difficulty he'd had the last time they'd met. Still jovial, still with that good-natured grin. "By the Tower's holy hammer, you've changed." He looks the sith-makar up and down and up and down, several times. "Bet you've got a story worth an ale or six, but that's for later," he dismisses the last, finally pondering what it was she said.
"I s'pose I can map a little, though I ain't no artist," he offers. "Done a bit o' tracking, though." When Armnar introduces himself, he immediately turns, and offers a burly, armored arm to clasp. . "Last of yer Hold? Where's that? Asmli, also of Stonesmasher, mine's up near the mines a bit." His smile melts away. "What happened?"
"Aye" Armnar replies. Then says, "Perhaps better over an ale. Fer now, lets help the lass..." He smiles a bit and leans on his battleaxe.
Faranmidahn , with a white fuzzy spider about the size of a mouse on her shoulder, and a glossy black one in armour about the size of a large dog beside her, shines a bright smile to the familiar faces, "Hi Ezil, Hey Cryo!" she returns, then, as the Khazad makes his introductions, she flips up her visor and gives a bow, "I am Sir Faranmidahn Waywalker, Knight of the Purple Rose, it's a pleasure to meet you all."
"I am not good with drawing, no." Ezil answers Cryosanthia, looking to the others as he takes in who's in his party. He smiles, watching them interact, and letting them go about sorting who shall draw. He checks his armor, weapons, and other small gear before they get into the thick of things, listening as Asmli talks to Armnar about Holds and dwarven things. "Always a pleasure, Faranmidahn. It is good to see you. As said.... I am Ezil, Sentinel of Telmentar."
"This one is! Much has changed. I will share ales, when you're back. Your leg is looking good!" The white sith self-consciously brushes at one of her large horns, sweeping her hand back to the tip. She makes a small curtsey to the dwarf, the passes out paper, a writing stick, "Please be careful, this one ran into a corrupted water and air elemental."
Both are given to Tommy as well. There is a map of the area already on it, with some key features such as the road, boundaries of treelines and hills. A line demarking 'The Felwood' exists, but there's a second broken line that is new and shows the area generally larger, though it also dips back across, "Don't go too deeply in. And retreat if necessary, it's mapping, nothing worth dying over. If there's something too hard to handle we'll send a bigger party next time."
Cryo grins at Ezil, nods her head in Tommy's direction, "He'll draw for you then."
The white sith embraces the little lucht knight again, a cool hug, "I can't come, I'm coordinating things here, but you be safe, ok?"
"I'll take you up on that, for sure." Asmli nods to his clansmate, and turns to the others, flashing a broad grin at the only other one he recognizes, and seeming to mercurially dismiss the matter of holds. "A pleasure to meet you, those I ain't know..." His eyes get very, very big as he suddenly catches sight of the spiders, and he. trails. off. "Naw, we've got this," he tells the sith-makar.
He's still watching the spiders, the larger of which is at least as big as he is.
"Well met!" is given by Armnar. "I suppose we get to it then eh?" He stops leaning on the battleaxe and throws it over his spiked shoulder.
The pale Lucht gives the sith a vigorous hug, then and, there is a soft, voiceless rumble from the area of her shoulder, then, "I'll do what I can. See you when we get back." she then looks curiously at the other halfling. She turns then, to see to her spiders, and mounts the larger, buckling into her odd saddle before knocking on it's shell which prompts him to stand.
Tommy takes the map, looks around, turns the map sideways to look at it and then rights it again. "I'm ready to go," he announces. He turns to face the general direction in which the Felwood is from where they are now.
Ezil nods to Cryosanthia. "I have a wagon if people can not ride. Though, we know not what the terrain will be like." he admits, his glance looking at the others to lead on. It seems he is content to follow. "It matters not, we will get there one way or another." The sith-makar woman is very tall, almost a foot more than Ezil and two to three for everyone else. Self-consciously she crouches down, tail stretched out behind her and indicates things on the maps she's provided. "Okay, head down the road here, there's a rock outcropping, cut in. There should be a game trail that will take you to the edge of the Felwood. I've explored here, you'll be a little south, so keep going south. You'll have to park the Wagon at the trailhead, but it will help as a base marker."
"There was a scout who hasn't returned, a druid, but he said he would be two to three days and this is day three so he might be ok. Leave a note for him on the Vardo. This might be a retreat area, so go past the Felwood line if necessary to update it. You'll be able to tell. Good luck.
She stands and watches as the adventuring party heads off. It's some backtrack travel to get to the location she indicated, but it's only an hour past noon when the cut-in is located, then some further trekking on foot into the woods.
The trees start out sparse, then grow close together and the underbrush becomes thick. The game trail is clear passage but it gets dense on either side. Visibility isn't ideal, but it's healthy forest and the trees rustle with a light wind.
"Tis a fine gesture", Armnar states. He then hops into the wagon, with difficulty. "I dont think it'll be anything we cant handle".
The woods get quite dense, with lots of small trees that afford a little bit of cover. More worrying is the undergrowth, which hides things and is difficult to move through.
GAME: Tommy rolls survival: (19)+0: 19 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls survival: (10)+2: 12 GAME: Ezil rolls survival: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Armnar rolls survival: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Asmli rolls survival: (16)+6: 22
"Oi! Hold up!" Armnar yells. He looks down and points to some tracks on the ground.
Ezil had been following the others, but a bad step causes him to stumble. A subtle shift of his footing causes him to let go of a branch he had been trying to navigate by, catching his balance, but the branch snapped back and slammed into his visor, closing his helmet with a loud clank of wood on metal. "Ow...." the man mumbles out from under the plate, a hand rising to open the slit once again with a jerk. "I don't like this place already." he states, noticing Armnar as he calls for them to halt.
Asmli, who'd climbed up onto the wagon without complaint for the ride, seems to have spotted the same thing Armnar did. "Bang on, kinsman. Good spot. Deer ... and wolves. Both of 'em." He's trying and failing to not chuckle at Ezil's woes. "That's what you tallfolk get," he tells the paladin, grinning fit to split his face open. "Aye, let's go on, but keep yer eyes open."
The Deer tracks are from over several days, perhaps weeks. Deer must have made this trail. Wolf tracks, less than a day, very faint. The deer tracks were made when it was muddy, the wolf tracks, dry. No humanoid tracks
After a moment of further study, turning back to the tracks one last time. "The deer tracks are much older, and were probably set in the mud. The wolf tracks are new, so they ain't far."
Armnar stops and pokes the tracks with his foot, and says, "Reckon thats the missing scout?" He hops up slowly to his feet and dusts himself off.
Faranmidahn follows along well enough, though her vigilance looking for the odd unexpected threat veers her slightly off course here and there. At the clank, she looks concernedly to Ezil with an, "Are you alright?" Her attention turns to the trackers, "How many do you think here are?"
Tommy peers at the tracks. "Wolf? But those are normal. Nothing like an elemental." He shrugs. "Unless it's some sort of corrupted wolf. I suppose we'll find out any time now." He unrolls his map, holds the pencil over it, a few centimeters form the paper. Then he looks up, and tries to pick out a few landmarks. Then he moves his pencel so it hovers above another spot above the map. Finally he makes a tiny mark, and labels it 'corrupted wolf tracks'. After a moment he adds in parenthesis, '(probably)'.
Blonde hair atop Asmli's half-shaven head shakes. "Nah. Nothing humanoid, whatever it is it's got too many feet. I'd bet an ale it's a wolf, probably more'n one."
"Aye, but a Druid she said." Armnar replies. "Im thinking the deer tracks. As far as the wolf..." He shakes his head a bit and finishes his statement. "Dont look good. Nope".
Ezil raises a brow as he finally catches up to the others, listening, and watching as they discuss tracks and different animals. He takes a long look at the source of discussion, but he doesn't contribute, leaving it for them to decide.
"Woah." Asmli had been about to reach over and offer Armnar a hand up, but something catches his eye just as he's turning away. "Uh...think there's more'n one. One bigger, and the little one's pawprints fit _in_ the big one's. Might even ben more than one, I don't know. I ain't a tracking expert. Think there's more than one."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18 (Small wolves stealth) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20 (Big Bad Wolf stealth)
Tommy crosses out the 'f' in wolf on the annotation he's making on the map. And replaces it with 'lves'. He looks at Armnar and then the others. "Let's follow the tracks!' he urges. He takes a few steps and then stops, having already lossed the trail.
GAME: Tommy rolls perception: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Armnar rolls perception: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls perception+2: (8)+4+2: 14 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+3: (20)+3: 23 (Torrent Perception) GAME: Asmli rolls perception: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Ezil rolls perception: (6)+2: 8
Armnar nods and says, "Indeed, we should check it out. If its the scout, they'd be worth saving..." He scratches his face and then looks to the others present. "What say ya?"
On the trail, the party is closely packed. In front is Armnar, followed by Asmli. Tommy is next, with Faran riding on his right making Torrent travel through the underbrush. Behind Tommy, Ezil is rearguard for the trail.
Forest, trees, undergrowth. A lot of green. The canopy moves under the light breeze, down by the ground the bushes and other foliage is still. There's little noise, no noise in fact. No birds, nothing small moving through the leaves. A wiff of decay, which swiftly passes. Only thin shafts of sunlight which filter down through the leaves, illuminating nothing.
Nothing that the party has been able to detect, but Torrent bristles and silently rises into alert.
GAME: Faranmidahn casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
As Torrent suddenly changes posture, Faran's eyes widen in alarm, wondering what's the matter though she snatches up her lance , 'Something's wrong, make ready!' Her free hand contorts into a series of arcane gestures as she chants, "sandy bleep bleep blah blrgl sandy beagle beagle blah sandy bleep blah sandy" and a pink glow emanates from her eyes as she tries to see if anything mystical is amiss. <unknown>
Torrent is reacting to something in the undergrowth. It's big, magical, roughly thirty feet away from the pair. The aura is detectable, but whatever is causing it is hidden by brush.
Armnar looks around and notices the lack of noise and movement. "Strange", he says as he readies himself for any ambushes. "Be on guard". He then hears Faranmidahn. He grips his battleaxe even tighter.
Make ready? Tommy wonders what that means. He rolls up the map and sticks it through his belt. Then he looks at the rest of the party to see how they are preparing. Finally he looks at Torrent and then at the trees, trying to piece together what the spider is looking at. So many eyes, which one spotted something??
Asmli isn't paying much attention to what is going on around him. As the trail gets denser and rougher, he's slowing down a little, and beginning to favor his left leg some. Not a lot, but some, and when the call goes up to make ready, he's caught off guard. "Huh?" He stops, though, and goes for the harness buckled at his chest. Beaten leather slithers to the ground, and in a breath, the well-loved urgrosh is in gauntleted hands.
After all, when one wears full plate, there is no such thing as silence.
Ezil adjusts his shield, tightening it to his arm at Faran's warning. "Noted. Thank you both." his glance shot from Armnar to Faran. "We might of given up our location." he notes, looking to Asmli and then to himself and the armor he wears. "Stealth isn't my thing."
With a point of her lance, Faran indicates a mass of undergrowth about 30' from the group, "Something magic there, it's got Torrent riled up, but I can't tell what it is!"
GAME: Ezil rolls perception: (8)+2: 10 <OOC> Ezil says, "I will use Unsanctioned Detection to use perception at +10?" GAME: Ezil rolls perception+10: (14)+2+10: 26
Ezil raises his glance, muttering to himself in a low chant-like tone. "Telmentar, give me your guidance and let me see what it is that threatens us." a soft glow of light within his eyes for a brief second as he looks about their location, his brow furrowing. "Seven beasts.... wolves. We're surrounded." he notes, drawing his warhammer and and motioning towards the brush. "The one there is the largest.... and about to pounce. Circle up." going on full guard after his words.
In the direction Faranmidahn indicates, there is something... the sounds of rough chewing? It's at a distance, it's hard to tell.
The Paladin's warning is just in time, as he indicates the number of wolves, three burst from the foliage right on top of the party. Snarling, they snap at Armnar, Tommy and Ezil.
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+9: (7)+9: 16 GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5 GAME: Tommy spends ONE use of ELEMENTAL RAY. GAME: Tommy rolls ranged-4: (18)+5+-4: 19 GAME: Tommy rolls 1d6+2: (1)+2: 3
Ezil had been waiting for his foe, slapping the wolf that closes on him with his warhammer. It isn't the hardest hit, but it is a warning of what is to come. "No biting!" he calls, having witnessed those gnashing teeth.
Tommy looks back and forth as the wolves emerge. He seems torn what to do, but when Ezil starts fighting one that seems to settle it for Tommy as well. The Lucht turns sideways and falls into a lunge with one arm held straight out behind him while the other points at the wolf, two fingers outstretched. There's a brief crackle and then a bolt of energy zaps out at the wolf, sizzling into it's side.
<OOC> Cryosanthia: wolves attack Armnar, Tommy, Ezil GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (15)+4: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (9)+4: 13 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17 (Trip attempt on Armnar) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Z Wolf damaged Armnar for 9 points. 22 HP remaining.
These are not healthy wolves. They stink, their eyes are empty sockets, their hide is torn and rotted, their teeth yellow. The one rushing in to snap at Armnar is dragging intestines beneath it, and the wretched teeth take a chunk.
Tommy and Ezil are likewise threatened, but manage to avoid the ugly maws.
GAME: Armnar rolls 1d20 + 2: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Armnar rolls 1d8+2: (6)+2: 8
After the wolf bites him, Armnar yells, "Ya bloody Bastard!" as he swings down on the wretched animal, Nailing it with his battleaxe!
<OOC> Asmli says, "Using Two-Weapon Fighting for a double weapon." GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2: (5)+8+-2: 11 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2: (7)+8+-2: 13
Not prepared for the stink - or for the fact that these are definitely _not_ normal and healthy wolves - Asmli clumsily reverses his weapon and goes after the one that just tried to take a chunk out of the thrower of lightning. "Aren't you the ugly one, now?" True that Tommy gets a side-eye from him, but they're on the same side, and so he's more than willing to help. Unfortunately, he staggers a little as he moves, and both slices go wide.
The rotting wolves which came out of the underbrush were on the far side of the path, the opposite direction that the lucht knight was pointing. Yet there were only three, and the paladin clearly saw and called out seven foes.
Three more snarling jaws appear from out of the leaves, snapping at Asmli, Torrent and Ezil. Like the other wolves, these ones are wrong, ill. Their hides are blackened, and there are strange bulbous growths making them misshapen. Dark ichor tricles from holes, adding slime to their stink.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Asmli Torrent, Ezil" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (6)+2: 8 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (20)+2: 22 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (1)+2: 3 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (7)+2: 9 (Trip attempt on Torrent) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: T Wolf damaged Faranmidahn's companion for 4 points. 23 HP remaining.
Asmli and Ezil escape the fetid jaws, Torrent is not so lucky as teeth close around his leg and the wolf tears at it. There is a wet splash as the belly bursts on one of them, entrails and a dark ooze splattering at Ezil's feet at the wolf that tears at him slips and slides by.
Yet...
Where Faran indicated, a shadowy form appears. A wolf rises, looming above the bushes. It is not a pleasant sight. It is the size of a horse, bloated and swollen as if the gasses of decay have inflated it like a balloon. It has bulbous, open wounds on its legs, and a weeping hump on it's back. There are several bones sticking out of the hide, as if they were broken and it simply grew more, or it was developing new limbs. One sticks out of the side of its belly, like a spider-leg. The hide is patchy with cancerous masses that pulse and ooze. It opens its mouth and howls, drooling a dark liquid.
GAME: Ezil rolls will: (17)+9: 26 GAME: Asmli rolls will: (12)+3: 15 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls will: (4)+6: 10 GAME: Armnar rolls will: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Tommy rolls will: (14)+4: 18 GAME: T Wolf damaged Armnar's Wisdom for 1 points. 1 total damage.
The howling of the wolves it unsettlng, and chills to the bone. It is not the regular baying of canines, but a choked, burbling noise accompanied by a rushing of wind. Armnar hears his clan calling.
<OOC> Faranmidahn: tactician, shielded caster tactical feat. GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+3: (17)+3: 20 (Torrent attack) GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d8: (7): 7
As all hell breaks loose, Faran, eyes still aglow, is slightly taken aback by how different the environment makes to certain pack tactics. Tactics... In a bold, if cute voice, she shouts, "They'll like to attack your legs, backs toward each other and mind your sides!" She feels Torrent lurch in pain and leaves him to answer the slight as she knows he will and so, even as the arachnid lurches up to bares his fangs, the little knight draws her defensive blade. Once Torrent has buried his fangs into the blighted beast, she points her lance in the direction of the bloated monstrosity at the core of this ambush, "You there, I will see you laid low for this, creature!" her eyes, still glowing pink narrowed in resolve.
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+9: (4)+9: 13
Ezil had expected chaos, but for the wolves to hit them from all directions, and to single out some of the party is surprising. He misses his second attack against the first wolf that charged, his glance shot to see how the others are faring as things devolve to violence. "Not good."
GAME: Tommy spends ONE use of ELEMENTAL RAY. GAME: Tommy rolls ranged-4: (6)+5+-4: 7
Tommy is standing with his hand still outstretched...when another wolf nearly bites off his hand. Tommy's eyes widen. He takes a few shuffling half-steps back, but Asmli moves in. Tommy turns his next half-step into a repeat of his earlier lunge, only the other hand is pointed at this new wolf rather than the one he used before. Electricity crackles off above the wolf's head and dissipates harmlessly into the air.
<OOC> Cryosanthia: Attacks on Armnar, Torrent and Ezil. Torrent and Ezil are effectively flanked." GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+3: (1)+3: 4 GAME: Z wolves damaged Armnar for 4 points. 18 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20 (Trip attempt)
The three rotting wolves attack, luncing at Armnar, Torrent and Ezil. The stonesmasher dwarf feels their teeth sink in again. While Torrent and Ezil are being harried from both sides, they manage to evade the snapping jaw.
GAME: Armnar rolls 1d20+2: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Armnar rolls 1d8 + 2: (6)+2: 8
Armnar takes another bite to a leg from the wolf. He grunts a bit and as the wolf has hold, he comes down with another massive blow of the battleaxe, sending blood flying into the air.
GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2: (17)+8+-2: 23 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2: (15)+8+-2: 21 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d8+4: (7)+4: 11 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d6+4: (4)+4: 8
Asmli steps into the space left by Tommy and sets his weight as his armsmaster taught him, this time. "Aw, you're mine now," he tells it, and the beaten urgrosh in his hands is like a blur. Nasty-looking ichor flies everywhere as the axe-end strikes first, leaving a deep gash, but it's the half-melted, pointed end that sinks deeply into it, ramming through the unfortunate creature and pinning its corpse to the earth like some sort of dissected and gross bug on a pin. "Heh. Who's next?"
<OOC> Cryosanthia: Little black wolves attack Asmli, Torren and Ezil GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (17)+2: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (10)+2: 12 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (13)+2: 15
Wolves fall under the dwarves weapons, turning into wet messes of flesh and fur. There are still teeth, tearing at Asmli, Torrent and Ezil, but the second wave of wolves fail to snap anything between their disguisting jaws.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+9: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Big Bad Wolf damaged Faranmidahn's companion for 14 points. 9 HP remaining.
Like the ocean, there are small waves, and big waves. The big black wolf is one of the large waves and it surges through the bushes towards Torrent. The putrid mass attacks, tearing a chunk out of the valiant spider.
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls weapon2: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+3: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL) (Torrent Attack) GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d6+1: (2)+1: 3
Faran, successful in getting the pustuwulf's attention, screams, "Torrent, no!" as it takes a big bite of her dear friend. As her mount wheels to the new threat, and, rears back for his ill-timed lunge, she twists at waist and shoulder to draw her lance back and jerks foward again, breaching the sullied hide to a spray of black blood and bone shrapnel that falls short of them, even as Torrent's fangs pump venom into the soil. He's hurt. Give him a break.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Ezil rolls 3d6: (12): 12 GAME: Ezil damaged Faranmidahn's companion for -12 points. 21 HP remaining.
Ezil notices Torrent doing badly from the corner of his eye, turning away from his foes and gnashing teeth to aid the mount. The two snapping and snarling wolves lash out, but meet only metal and air for their attacks, giving the paladin the chance he needs to get away, and sheath his weapon. A hand touches the spider, his healing light poured into the creature as he mumbles a prayer, hoping to keep him in the fight.
GAME: Tommy spends ONE use of ELEMENTAL RAY. GAME: Tommy rolls ranged: (15)+5: 20 GAME: Tommy rolls 1d6+2: (1)+2: 3
Tommy watches Ezil move away from a wolf, but doesn't follow his progress. Tommy doesn't want to take his eyes off of the wolf, now fully revealed. The Lucht straightens up from his lunge while also whipping his trailing arm forward as if throwing something underhanded. Only instead of an innocuous skipball a crackling bolt of energy flies from his hand, sizzling into the wolf's side. Tommy blinks and then opens and closes his hand. "I think I'm actually left-handed," he says, voice full of wonder. Then he shakes his head and puts back on his adventurer-face.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (11)+4: 15
The rotting wolf pursues Ezil on his mission of mercy, and snaps at his heels. At the same time, one of the bulbous masses on it explodes, spraying rotting chunks at the paladin. Both miss.
GAME: Armnar rolls 1d20 + 2: (5)+2: 7
Armnar turns and moves swiftly to get next to one of the remaining wolves. He swings but due to unstability, misses and does a semi spin followed by a "Damnit ya beast!"
<OOC> Asmli says, "PA, My BAB is +4, so -2/+4." GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2-2: (4)+8+-2+-2: 8 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2-2: (11)+8+-2+-2: 15 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d6+4+4: (5)+4+4: 13
Almost immediately, Asmli gets a volunteer in the form of a black wolf who makes _every_ effort to make him its next meal, but strong jaws fall short against the strong and magicked armor. "Oh, you want some too?" Again the urgrosh flashes in a blur, but this time the axe swing is wide and misses wholesale thanks to a swing that has all his weight behind it. The reversal is just enough, though, catching it in the throat. Black, nasty-looking blood drenches and dim's the khazad's armor, rendering his blonde hair nearly night black as it, too, in its turn is pinned to the earth like nothing so much as a demented, slavering bug. He jerks the blackened and dripping weapon free, staring down at it. "Bad move, ugly."
<OOC> Cryosanthia: two little Black wolves left, one on Ezil. The other attacks 1 Asmli, 2 Faran 3-4 Torrent" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4: (3): 3 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (20)+2: 22 (Threat) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (7)+2: 9 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: T Wolf damaged Ezil for 4 points. 51 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (9)+2: 11 (Trip Attempt) <OOC> Cryosanthia: LBWolf on Torrent GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (6)+2: 8
Out of the bushes, the little black wolf that was terrorizing Torrent attacks again, biting at the spiders legs, unable to successfully bite.
Its partner however, finds a weak spot in the paladin's armour. He feels plaque encrusted teeth sink into his calf, and blood flow freely.
<OOC> Cryosanthia: BBW, has a pick of 1Faran, 2-3 Torrent, 4 Tommy and 5 Ezil GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d5: (4): 4 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+9: (5)+9: 14
The Big Black Wolf snarls, spraying black spittle on Torrent, then turns its jaws towards the sorceror. It snaps down at the halfing, giant jaws closing on foliage as it misses him.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Roll an intimidate along with your attack" GAME: Faranmidahn rolls weapon2+1: (7)+5+1: 13 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls intimidate: (12)+9: 21
Concern for Torrent builds as it seems she's led him into a bad position, and seing Ezil rush into heal him, Faran gets a quick flash of relief across her features, then leans back into the attack. On the 'attack' front, she manages to stick the lance in creature's face and, perhaps inspired, shouts, "NYAH, not touching you, I'm not touching you, Nyah-nyah!"
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+9: (10)+9: 19 GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6
Ezil feels those teeth sink into his leg, a grimace crossing his face as his warhammer is drawn again. "I said no biting!" and a clubbing swing catches the wolf with a blow. It doesn't down the creature, causing Ezil's attention to focus on it for the moment.
GAME: Tommy spends ONE use of ELEMENTAL RAY. GAME: Tommy rolls ranged: (11)+5: 16 GAME: Tommy rolls 1d6+2: (1)+2: 3
Tommy scrambles back away from yet another wolf. These monsters swarm like a pack of...well, you know. But luckily for him there are also other members of the party around. Tommy takes careful aim (With his left hand) and unleashes a ray of electricity. He looks shocked as something sprays out.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18
As the battle landscape changes, the remaining rotting wolf turns on Armnar and snaps at him. It's violent motion also causes a bone to break out of it's skin like a spear. Both miss the dwarf.
GAME: Armnar rolls 1d20 + 4: (5)+4: 9
Armnar barely misses another bite from the smaller wolf. He manages to swing back with his battleaxe but alas, misses.
<OOC> Asmli says, "Let's try throwing in PA with the TWF" GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2-2: (11)+8+-2+-2: 15 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2-2: (3)+8+-2+-2: 7 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d8+4+4: (1)+4+4: 9
Undeterred by the ick that now coats him, Asmli bares his teeth and turns to the next one, slashing down hard with the urgrosh - so hard he nearly forgets to reverse the urgrosh for the second attack at all, and the stab goes well wide - but that might be because the first axe swing connects in a spray of black ichor, leaving yet another ugly corpse on the path. He's on the warpath now.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+2: (18)+2: 20
The wolf snapping at Ezil's heels tries again, it's teeth are turned by his armour.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+9: (11)+9: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (3)+6: 9 GAME: Little Black Wolf damaged Faranmidahn for 9 points. 20 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+12: (4)+12: 16 (Trip attempt)
The Big Black wolf surges up, stepping on Torrent's head and snapping at Faran. It catches her on the leg, teeth sinking in. With a twist of its head, it tries to rip her from the saddle, but the lucht knight remains seated.
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+9+4: (11)+9+4: 24 (Concentrate) GAME: Faranmidahn rolls weapon2+3: (10)+5+3: 18 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+3: (7)+3: 10
She definately has it's attention, now. It must have been the Nyah-nyah at the end. As fetid jaws clamp down on her thigh, the albino screams in started pain, though the creature fails to drag her from the saddle. Angry glowing eyes narrow as she brings her lance back again, infusing it with her arcane energies and drawing rein. Torrent rears back and flexes his fangs as his mistress twists for another thrust with the lance and they come down again, the weapon scoring deep into the beast and shoving it away, leaving a cloud of icky, chunky darkness and some breathing room in it's wake, though the spider alas, misses again.
Fel energies swirling around in this thing, some of those explosions come with small magic flare-ups. Like bones form then spray out as shrapnel.
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+9: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+3: (6)+3: 9 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "snappy is Dead!"
Ezil had felt teeth on his armor a second time, this wolf having made it's presence known, and it's annoying. Shifting, and snapping his warhammer down across the beasts head as it had been readying to attack again, sending it's body sprawling backwards a couple of feet as it collapses and doesn't move. "One more down."
GAME: Tommy casts Ray of Frost. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14 GAME: Tommy rolls ranged-4: (15)+5+-4: 16 GAME: Tommy rolls 1d3: (3): 3
Tommy's attention is drawn by sounds of fighting. The number of monsters has been whittled down since this fight started, and it's possible to pick out the noises of individual wolves. Tommy decides to try the other one, this time pointing a single finger and chanting a spell. A stream of sparks streak out and wash over the wolf. "I think this one is on it's last legs," Tommy reports.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+3: (2)+3: 5 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Z Wolf damaged Armnar for 14 points. 4 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22 (Trip attempt)
As the rotting wolf is electrified, its hide chars with a revolting stench. Gut-churning, its own insides fall to the ground as its belly bursts open. It lunges for the dwarf, teeth closing around his ankle. At the same time a spear of bone erupts from its skull and pierces his hip. Then the world rotates as the sturdy dwarf is dragged off his feet and onto his back.
GAME: Armnar RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 4 temporary HP GAME: Armnar rolls 1d20: (11): 11
The wolf bites and trips Armnar and he falls hard, but afterwards it seem the Dwarf has become posessed with blinding rage. He starts flailing his body on the ground and the battleaxe with it. Trying to hit anything and everything near him!
<OOC> Asmli: two-handed, and PA. GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2: (20)+8+-2: 26 (THREAT) GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2: (5)+8+-2: 11
Seeing his clansman in trouble and flailing rather embarrassingly, Asmli whirls and takes the axe in both hands, shifting his grip to give him more power, and dashes towards Armnar and the thing looming over him. Rotting head and suppurating, splintered, ichor-stained body are disconnected in one well-placed blow, splattering both khazad with black goo, entrails, and leaving a piece of intestine in Asmli's hair, and another one dangling like some sort of maniacal earthworm from his left greave. "You all Right?" <unknown>
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "BBWolf keeps attacking Faran" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+9: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (6)+6: 12 GAME: Big Bad Wolf damaged Faranmidahn for 12 points. 8 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+12: (14)+12: 26 (Trip Attempt)
As the last of the little wolves goes down, the big black one is still standing, still fighting, still spraying black droplets of ichor. It surges towards Faran again, she having drawing its ire. This time, stinking jaws close firmly around the knight's leg. She feels the bite deep in her thigh, scraping bone. It tears at her, pulling, and it seems the choice is losing her leg or staying in the saddle. As her grip loosens, Faran finds herself dragged free of Torrent and slammed on the ground.
<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "ow. swift- arcane strike, standard- stab with traveller's knife, then draw longsword as a move" <OOC> Faranmidahn says, "but first... +roll 1d20+9+4" GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+9+4: (15)+9+4: 28 (Concentrate) GAME: Faranmidahn rolls weapon5-3: (2)+6+-3: 5 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls knowledge/arcana: (18)+9: 27 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+3: (11)+3: 14
With a shrill screech, like someone stepping on a rabbit, Faran is yanked out of the saddle, sheering her belts, and slammed onto the underbrush. Somehow holding onto her weapons, and even her spell after such abuse, she infuses the short Traveller's blade with magic and thrusts at the creature to no avail, leaving the lance to the side. She draws her longsword hastily, shouting, "The corruption is increasing as we knock bits away!"
And Torrent misses again, unused to being attacked without a Lucht on his back.
GAME: Ezil casts Challenge Evil. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+1: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)
Ezil notices two wounded in his party, and the large beast still rampaging against the group. He takes a moment and focuses his divine power, his emblem of Althea gripped as he speaks. "Telmentar's foes come in all shape of sizes, but your evil will face me, or it will be sickened in fear. Fight me!" trying to draw the beasts ire with his divine spell, feeling as it's attention shifts to him, a wisp of a smile forming on his lips. "Good.... I am glad that worked."
Little Battle Map
Path........Brush
+.....5'...+.....5'...+.....5'...+.....5'...+
|..........|{~Difficult Terrain~~~~
~|..........|{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|.........|{~~~~~~~~~~~~Torrent~~~~BB Wolf
|.Tommy...|{~~~Asmli~~~~Ezil~~~~~~~~Faran
~ |.Armnar..|{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GAME: Tommy rolls 1d20+strength: (14)+1: 15
Tommy can barely see what's going on around the remaining wolf. While most of the party is under five tall there is one tallfolk among them, positioned just so that Tommy's view is almost completely blocked. But he does manage to make out that Faranmidahn has somehow been dismounted and is now being menaced by the wolf. Perhaps inspired by Ezil and his earlier heroics, Tommy forces his way through bushes. Once he's close enough he grabs his fellow Lucht Faran and in one last surge of strength pulls her away from the wolf. "This is so exciting!" he gushes.
After the attacking wolf is dropped in place, Armnar clamers tohis feet, giving a "Thanks Brother!" and then rushes to gain position for another attack. Apparently its in his blood...
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+9: (8)+9: 17
As the adventurers reposition themselves, the Big Bad wolf turns on the paladin. His spell called him, it will attack the holy warrior. Its previous prey is forgotten as Faran is dragged out of range. It lunges, it snaps! The jaws fail to catch anyone in their snap.
"Anytime, brother." Asmli doesn't waste a lot of time on words, though, picking his way off of the path and closing in on the big nasty threatening his companions.
GAME: Faranmidahn casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 3d4+3: (7)+3: 10 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+9: (7)+9: 16 (Concentration)
"blah bleep" Faran pants as her kinsman drags her to safety while the others cover her withdrawl. She flashes him a grateful smile and gets to her foot, favoring her good leg and letting her Lucht blade fall tot he soil She traces her figure eight the light trailing from her fingertips chanting, "blrgl bleh blrgl bleep beagle blrgl blah beagle bleh blah bleh beagle" and a burst of three arcs of white, glowing force bolts arc into the creature.
As the magic missiles hit, there are minor explosions of fel energy inside, and physical changes like bones growing and cancerous pustules exploding. It seems both magically stronger and physically weaker.
The pink light of her eyes fades and she cries, 'The fel energies are building as the shell is weakening, it may explode!' <unknown>
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+11: (20)+11: 31 GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+11: (1)+11: 12 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+3: (7)+3: 10 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Big Black Wolf damaged Ezil for 5 points. 46 HP remaining.
Ezil has decided to take it's attention and fight it blow for blow. Sadly when the warhammer does connect, ichor and bloody discharge spurts from where the weapon impacted. Bits of bone, and other vile things spray over Ezil with a sickening squirt. "This thing won't die..." he says the burning of it's fluids on his skin, causing a wrinkle of his nose, and a bit of strain on his face seen in his eyes. "Foul... just foul."
GAME: Tommy spends ONE use of ELEMENTAL RAY. GAME: Tommy rolls ranged-4: (18)+5+-4: 19 GAME: Tommy rolls 1d6+2: (3)+2: 5
Tommy beams at Faran. The expression slips a bit when she mentions explosions. Then he smiles even brighter than before. He begins to make his way back through the bush, more slowly this time and firing another bolt of lightning at the wolf when he sees it through an opening between other adventurers. "Did you hear that guys! It's going to explode! This really is the best adventure ever!"
GAME: Armnar rolls 1d20 + 4: (13)+4: 17
Armnar reaches back with his battleaxe and grunts with a mighty swing but misses due to the eruption of gasses from the wolfs body."Bloody Hell!"
<OOC> Asmli says, "Let's see. Attack / PA / TWF" GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2-2: (6)+8+-2+-2: 10 GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8-2-2: (4)+8+-2+-2: 8
"That's your idea of the best adventure ever?" Asmli shouts incredulously at Tommy, looking back at the sorcerer with wide eyes. The very idea - or was it the explosion possibility? seem to have distracted him enough that his footwork is completely off, and both of the urgrosh's swings find empty air.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+9: (14)+9: 23
The wolf lunges at the Paladin again, compelled to attack him, and unable to connect with its teeth.
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+9: (15)+9: 24 GAME: Faranmidahn used a Scroll of Web. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
Intending to contain the creature and maybe study it for a better method of disposal, or at the least, keep it pinned down to destroy it from a safe distance, Faran draws her last scroll from her belt pouch and reads it aloud, "Suddenly, a massive spash of sticky webbing erupts from one side of the corrupted wolf. Alas, the strands gain no purchase on the monster and the lucht frowns, "Damnit, that was expensive!" She brings her hands to her mouch and shouts, "Pull back and try and destroy it from range!"
GAME: Ezil rolls 1d20+14: (16)+14: 30 GAME: Ezil rolls 1d8+3+10: (7)+3+10: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Big Black Wolf damaged Ezil for 5 points. 41 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 2d6: (8): 8 GAME: Ezil rolls Reflex: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Armnar rolls reflex: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Asmli rolls reflex: (7)+4: 11 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+4: (9)+4: 13 (Torrent Reflex) GAME: Explosion damaged Ezil for 8 points. 33 HP remaining. GAME: Explosion damaged Armnar for 8 points. 0 HP remaining. (DISABLED) GAME: Explosion damaged Asmli for 8 points. 22 HP remaining. GAME: Explosion damaged Faranmidahn's companion for 8 points. 13 HP remaining.
Ezil moves to try and finish this fight, calling upon the divine powers he borrows from Althea. He imbues his weapon with her grace and goes after the wolf with a hefty blow. It again leaks ichor and grossness, splashing the Paladin as it recoils and falls over, defeated from the empowered smack. Sadly... it seems to have had it's own plans... as it promptly explodes from where it fell in the middle of the party, making a stinging, and painful mess of most of them.
As the killing blow lands, the Fel energies which have been building release with sudden force. The Big Bag wolf is torn apart, it's hide ripped into tiny pieces, which end up caught in Faran's web. The black blood which it seemed to contain in gallons splash on nearby party members, as well as bits of bone.
There is... more than one skull, blown out of the mass. Small, misshapen, it's unclear if it was growing new ones or these were some twisted fetuses that would never live. Everyone near to the beast are knocked flat and covered in gore. The stench is tremendous.
Armnar is prone and...Snoring?
Asmli's scream as the shards of bone and burning black ichor sneak in under the armor and leave jagged splinters in his skin is cut short as he's flattened by the wave of epic disgustingness that had the unfortunate creature at its epicenter. It's closely followed by groans and what looks like a moving, khazad-shaped biological waste pile slowly shifts from where it had hit the ground.
Ezil sits up after that craziness, thankful for once for the visor of his plate kept the bits of nastiness from getting to his lips. He snaps it open, and tries to bat the nasty bile and undead ichor from his chest he feels the burn and sting of new wounds. Ground zero was not pleasant. "Is everyone okay?" giving up on that task of cleaning, and trying to get to his feet, giving a glance over the battlefield to see if there is any too wounded. "What in the hells was that?!"
Faranmidahn is far enough away that she has time to see the explosion of gooey bits and brings her arms up over her face so she at least doesn't get it in her eyes. She makes an inarticulate cry of dismay and runs toward Torrent and the group, "Is everyone alright??" She knows Zephyr is fine, and the little spider crawls down the lucht's arm onto Torrent's leg as the sorceress frets over his injuries... and gooeyness.
Tommy blinks a few times. His eyes are wide, but from shock rather than the exuberance of before. The lucht starts to examine at each member of the impromptu party. But he stops when he spots Armnar, and then Tommy hurries to make his way over to the fallen Khazad.
The snoring sound coming from Armnar grows loud and then begins to fade. Underneath all the vile gunk that covers him, the pore dwarf is fading it seems.
Torrent has the sense to crouch down, and the blast shifted him only a little bit, although it did leave him with numerous small wounds and the slimey contents of the big black wolf. An ugly ichor that might cause infections, diseases or worse if left untreated.
Sounds slowly return to the forest, birds, small creatures moving out of sight. The dead wolves, undead wolves, whatever they were, stay dead and unmoving. There are injured that need attending to, some more critical than others.
Ezil wakes his way towards, Armnar. He trudges through the leftover ichor and wolf remains to get to the dwarf so that he can share some of his healing energy to help wake the man from his injuries. Luckily it seems the man was just unconscious and weak, and not dying. "It did a number on us." he calls to Faran, kneeling to make sure the Dwarf can soon rise again as he touches his shoulder. "Come, Friend. Now is not the time to rest.... it may be over, but this is grossness can not sit."
Tommy watches with what might be quiet interest until Armnar seems healed. When Ezil mentions grossness, Tommy brightens again. "I have a spell that might help," he offers. He glances around, quickly inspecting the surroundings. "Maybe we should get back onto the trail first..." He makes his way out of the brush. And then while waiting for the others to join him, he pulls out the map and looks it over. Producing the pencil he crosses out where he had earlier written '(probably) corrupted wol-ves'.
Armnar stirs and coughs a bit of vile gunk up and then opens his eyes. "What a rush..." He then stands slowly and follows the others but on the way he tells Ezil, "I owe you one laddie. Thankya!" and pats him on the back.
Drip, drip, drip. There is the quiet patter of droplets as the black ooze drips from leaves, web strands, branches, every surface it landed on, to a lower surface. It sounds like foul rain.
GAME: Tommy casts Prestidigitation. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14 GAME: Ezil rolls 3d6: (15): 15 (Lay on hands) GAME: Faranmidahn casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 GAME: Armnar rolls survival: (15)+2: 17
Tommy chants softly. He takes a few slow steps and moves his arms in graceful motions that grow more expansive until they end with his hands gesturing in a certain direction - at a certain person. Then he repeats the process, picking another spot, and finally begins casting on the ground and leaves that seem especially fouled even for the Felwood.
You paged Faranmidahn with 'all the wolf bodies have fading Fel magic, there do seem to be two different types of them.'
Ezil takes that thanks, smiling as the Dwarf pats his back. Though he soon looks about, seeing the corruption drip from where it splashed, shaking his head when the party is all back on their feet. "We still have work to do, but be careful... I have feeling whatever this stuff is, it has something to do with the land-blight." eyes on Tommy as he mentions his idea for getting clean. "When we are out of this, I am all ears."
Armnar begins looking around to the ground, from timeto time he moves some bruch or a rock out of the way. He mutters,"Makes me wonder what they were up too?"
Faranmidahn tries to clean up her mount, but, concerned about a repeat, recasts her earlier spell, and she looks around with eyes radiating pink light. She looks over the wolf bodies/fragments, "THe corruption is fading, but... it looks like there's different groups of them, some significantly farther gone." She knows more about the energy signature of the recently cured plague, and some of it's effects over a long time of exposure, and wonders how much of that is underlying whatever is going on with the area, or if this is whatever blight has traditionally afflicted the Felwood.
There are a lot of deer tracks, it does seem that this trail was made by deer or things following them. Some traces seem weeks old, although there is a newer set which leaves the trail and goes into the bush.
Searching along them, which is incidentally the direction where the Big Black Wolf was first spotted, reveals the meal that had its attention. A buck, specifically.
Well, it resembles a buck. There's a straight bolt from the path, as if it was surprised by something on the far side. It's difficult to determine what took it down, as the head is torn clean off and the forelegs and stomach completely mauled. It's not hard to imagine a single deer falling victim to same sort of ambush the party did, and fleeing headlong... or headless into the big wolf.
Tommy makes his way around each area where a corrupted wolf was slain, doing his best to cleanse the spot where their remains lie. "The land-blight," he murmurs once he's done. When the party moves on he ends his task early - hard to say if he was having any effect in any case - and hurries to keep up with them. He stops and looks at the deer. "I guess that's the way of the woods," he says in a subdued tone. "Everything is either predator or prey."
"Well, I reckon tha we should get back to the mapping ya?" Armnar stops looking around. "It is what we were hired for aint it?"
Ezil nods his head, looking back at Amnar. "I agree, we still have a job to complete. We can report this when we're done......" his words trailing off as the glances to Faranmidahn. "Little-Knight. What is your opinion?"
Faranmidahn closes her eyes, and brings a hand almost to her visor, and shakes her head, "Gods..." she exhales softly. She looks a little green at the concept she just formulated, but approaches Tommy, looking him over a moment, then clearing her throat, "Pardon.... but, have you been making any notes about the wolves, so far? Anything more detailed, rather?" With Ezil's question, she looks his way, "The wolves were probably corrupted first... I think Sally's plague came into the mix at some point and fed off the corruption. When it was expunged, it didn't leave much behind, just... these poor creatures, stuck in a fel twilight.."
Armnar shakes his head. "Brings back bad memories it does..."
"You know I think every life is sacred, even an animals... but this is not my domain, Faramidahn." Ezil says, a bit of a dour note in his tone. "I wish I could be of more help, but other than dispatching those who have succumbed to undeath is about all I can do." looking back at the rest of the wilds, and waving a hand. A mule suddenly appears, just apperating out of nothing. "Sorry, Waffle. I know this place is a mess, but I need to take samples. Perhaps Cryosanthia or Un'eth will be interested." hands going into the saddlebags.
Tommy looks down at his map. "Detailed?" He seems mystified. "Well, no...I could. Maybe on the back." He turns the map over and looks at that side. "Or I could just remember," he offers. "Corrupted first...Sally's plague...and stuck in a fel twilight." He glances at Faranmidahn to see if he got it all right. But only for a moment, as his gaze is drawn back to the surroundings. He looks at the map again. Then he looks at the surroundings. "We could definately go back and tell them what we've found so far. It might be a good idea to keep coming out here." His gaze turns slowly to focus on the remains of the deer. "Is there any sign that the deer had the plague? If it's not spreading that would be a relief."
Armnar says,"I will go where needed. If ye both want to keepat er, then thats whatl do. If we go back, I go as well."
Faran blinks at the readback, then smiles to the halfling, "Yes, thank you. I'll add my own notes when I have more time, but that gives me a reminder." She approaches the Khazad, reaching in sympathy for his shoulder, "I understand... this is foulness of great magnitude... will you be alright?" Then Ezil's remark draws her attention, "I think we may need more support. We definately want more ways to engage at range, just in case there's anything more to this... exploding goo." she says mournfully, "But.... putting these poor things down is probably the only way, left, but for all I know of the plague's auras, the fel is... new to me. I don't understand how it works."
It doesn't take very long to collect samples from all the corpses, including the deer. Although several of them are far to wet and reeking for comfort. Addtional notes regarding the area are made on the map. The trees seem fine, they've been here the longest and change the slowest. It is the same for the bushes, even though they can grow and die in a decaded, there appears nothing wrong with them.
Animals aren't a great indication, as the can roam far, especially the predators or the larger prey. Still, corrupted wolves aren't a good sign. Neither are some of the small insects, found in the dirt, under rotting leaves, unconnected with whatever exploded or fell from the wolves. These... don't look right, and would be the most responsive to the conditions of the land. The druids would have a better idea what it all means.
After that, it's a reasonably quick trip up the trail to Ezil's Vardo, then a ride of about an hour or so back to Wilderness Point where the mission started. Cryosanthia is sitting outside, watching for arrival and updating a much larger map she has spread out on a picnic table. The sith looks up, then bounds out to meet everyone.
"That was quick? Something happened didn't it? Oh what's that smell?"
Armnar lifts an arm and sniffs himself. Then shakes his head and says, "Sorry, musta been the sausages I had yesterday..."
Faranmidahn rides back, gently stroking the little white spider's shell with her thumb while guiding the larger from the saddle and glancing about for more hostility. She smiles sadly to Cryosanthia as the sith bounds out to meet them and sighs, "The plague definately interacted with whatever the Fel actually is. We ran into what was probably originally at least two packs of wolves, operaating together. They were Groooossssss!"
By the time they reach their starting point again, Tommy seems as exuberant as before. He hands over the map with one last wistful glance, then nods along with the details supplied by the others.
Ezil had been driving the Vardo, letting Waffle walk to one side. From his perch, he looks down at Cryosanthia after Armnar's joke, having smiled. "I think Faranmidahn has the best idea of it." agreeing with her words, and letting out a sigh. "They were corrupted, evil seeped from them, and their taint burned untouched flesh as if it were fire."
Cryo nods, listening to the provide details and collecting the maps and notes. "That... sounds bad. I'll make sure to bring this to Un'eth's attention. Oh... she won't like that it was wolves, she likes wolves."
"I'm glad you made it back." She crouches down to hug Faran, and pets her on the back, then offers an odd personal detail. "I haven't noticed any personal changes. I had the plague for a long time, the first time, and the things it did to me persist. There definitely is a difference between short-term and long-term infections. Not enough info yet to determine what is going on, but what you brought back is helpful."
"Rest and clean up at the Inn if you need further, and I'll see what we can do next. I've still got a few more teams due in."
Combat Stuff
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
16 Ezil 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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15 Tommy 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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13 Z Wolve
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13 Armnar 1
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6 BB&T Wolves
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5 Faranmidahn 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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| Name | Race | Class | CHP | HP | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
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|Armnar |MOUNTAIN_D|Bbn | 31 | 31 |18/16/12 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
|Asmli |STORM_DWAR|Ftr | 30 | 30 |22/20/12 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
|Ezil |HUMAN |Pal | 55 | 55 |25/24/12 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 9 |
|Faranmidah|HALFLING |Cav/Sor | 29 | 29 |17/14/14 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
|Tommy |HALFLING |Sor | 13 | 13 |14/11/14 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
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