As you turn to follow, a blue light catches your eye. You see Azzanar making a bee-line for the iron door to the east. "Hurry poppet! I can get you all to safety but we have to open a doorway for the spell to work!" Azzanar lands on the ground in front of the iron door and his glow begins to intensify.
Berkarak stops mid-run. "Wait! The key!" He digs out the key he and Grymar found fluttering in the cave. "Come quickly! The iron door!" He turns and dashes back towards the iron door, hoping his friends will follow.
All - You make a mad dash through the large fungus filled cavern, the sounds of your footfalls eclipsed by that of countless mushrooms cascading into the space. You see the iron door ahead of you, smaller than those typically found aboveground. As you near it your perception of space and distance becomes skewed. Instead of getting bigger as you approach, the door appears to be getting smaller. Berkarak reaches the door first with key in hand, he struggles to fit it into the lock as it slowly moves downward but then unlocks it and flings wide the door. The space beyond is pitch blackness. Nothing is discernable beyond the doorway, even with darkvision. It is as if the space repels light. You watch Berkarak take a deep steadying breath then step through and disappear as the doorway shrinks ever further. Grymar follows, the sounds of his heavy breathing silenced the instant he steps through. The sound of the encroaching mushrooms becomes a roar. Risking a glance back, Zubien sees a massive wave of fungus boiling its way toward him. He turns back and swiftly strides to the door, sliding at the last moment as it continues to shrink. Kalhala finds the doorway about half the size of a normal one as he approaches. He calls out ahead, unsure if his allies can hear him, then unstraps and lobs his weapons through ahead of himself. He too attempts a slide like Zubien but his broad shoulders catch in the frame. He feels it slowly but surely pressing against him as he shuffles through. The sound in the cavern is deafening now as Lehmani dashes to the door. Her heart skips a beat as she sees Kalhala seemingly stuck in frame. She increases her pace, intent to shoulder him through if necessary, but sees him clumsily maneuver through. The doorway appears fit for a gnome now and shrinking still. Lehmani yells a prayer to Gond and dives forward into darkness. She feels a sensation like passing through a veil of black silk, even though the armor and clothing. All of you do, as if tumbling naked through a forest of silks. Lehmani feels the doorway pressing down still as her hips just make it through, then the rest of her slips into the darkness...
You find yourselves in total darkness, though you can feel solid ground beneath you and hear the sounds of each other catching your breath. After a few minutes, you learn that you all made it through the doorway unharmed. Kalhala manages to find his weapons after blindly searching the area for a bit. You all begin to see a faint blue light. It seems to be getting closer, but you lose sight of it at times, as if it's navigating through a crowded space. Eventually it gets close enough to discern a humanoid form. Male in appearance with wavy shoulder length hair. Two goat-like horns emerge from the hair on the forehead and the eyes are solid orbs of the same faint blue color as the rest of the body. A human-like upper body covered loosely by a sash and skirt, out of which two goat-like legs and a tail emerge. The being speaks to Berkarak first, who seemingly understands it. They converse for a bit before Barkarak explains that you are in the Feywild. This being transported you here to rest and recover before continuing your journey. They lead you through what you now realize is a dark, dense, and beautiful forest. As you walk the sky brightens, eventually to a twilight gloom as you reach a glade. The ground is carpeted with lush purple grass and a crystal clear pool stands nearby. Rocks of varying shapes and sizes dot the space and on some you see hints of long worn iconography. The being explains that the space you are in is safe, but cautions you not to stray from it as danger lurk out in the depths of the woods. They bid you farewell, explaining further that the efforts of their spell have drained them and they too must recover, though elsewhere. The being strikes a peculiar pose and suddenly you see their skin begin to harden and change color. They grow and stretch into a large tree with long thin branches that hang down like a weeping willow. Beautifully colored fruit hang among the branches, looking plump and juicy. The space is tranquil and you appear safe for now.
Lehmani takes a moment to fall to her knees and openly weep, thanking Gond for his grace in delivering us to this sanctuary. She reflects on the gateway to this untamed magical wilderness thriving within the heart of Durgeddin's stronghold.
Once she's had her cathartic cry, she'll take a moment to check in on each of her companions, then partake of the tree's fruit and prepare for a long rest if there's time.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Classic Adventures Reborn
Rylan - L1 Human Paladin - Barty's "Princes of the Apocalypse"
Berkarak also falls to his knees, but out of exhaustion rather than prayer or worship. The emotions, anxiety, and tension from the last hour finally release.
He looks over the strange area, bewildered and amazed, but feels a sense of calm and safety. His eyelids feel so heavy.
He sits back on his ankles and fishes a book from his pack. He prepares a place to rest and falls asleep quickly after only a few paragraphs of reading.
Zubien finds a comfortable place, sets his weapons down, and meditates to clear his mind and body of that he and the party had just gone through. He wants to restore the Ki he had to use due to the encroaching mushrooms. When his mediation is done, he sees to cleaning his weapons, before he too, joins his comrades in resting.
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then hear a sound, the gentle clanking of metal on metal. You turn to find the source and see something hanging from a nearby tree limb at the edge of the clearing. A collection of four cogs hangs on a string tied to the tree limb. The sway and clink against one another as if caught in a breeze, or recently disturbed by something passing by. No breeze ruffles the purple grasses nor disturbs the glass-like surface of the pond. All is silent. Then, another clinking sound. Further this time, deeper into the wood. You can just spy another bundle of cogs swaying as if just struck at the very edge of your vision.
Berkarak -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Even the ever-present connection you feel to Azzanar is gone. You feel truly alone for the first time in a long time. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then catch a familiar scent on the air. A scent that brings sudden tears to your eyes and a wrenching to your stomach. Calico's perfume. Through watery eyes something catches your attention. A thin purple ribbon, caught upon a nearby tree branch. The very same Calico used to tie her hair back when she was serious about getting a job done. You approach it and the scent grows stronger. You go to reach for it but it is suddenly blown free of the branch, further into the woods. The smell fades, but you can still see the ribbon, fluttering gently just at the very edge of your vision.
Zubien -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. As you make your way to the edge of the glade you hear something. A flute playing the familiar notes of a song you haven't heard since you left your clan and ventured out into the world. A song only known to those within your clan. As you continue to listen, you see movement in the trees beyond the edge of the clearing, and catch glimpses of red colored cloth slipping through the trees, the same hue worn by your people. The flute player approaches the climax of the song but stops suddenly, leaving the chord progression unresolved. As you take a step closer to the edge of the clearing, the playing resumes, then stops again when you stop. Peering out into the woods you catch glimpses of red cloth swishing through the trees, reminiscent of the communal dances of your people. You find that the song and dancing resumes when you continue walking and stops when you stop.
Berkarak's face is a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and resolve, but two heavy tears roll down his cheeks. He grips the ring that hangs from the chain he wears around his neck.
He kneels, afraid to move forward out of the safety, and afraid to lose this opportunity. He means to shout, but comes out a rough whisper, "Azzanar?" He wipes his left cheek and whispers to no one. "Is it real?"
He collapsed further, on his hands and knees, and starts crying freely. "I'm sorry, Calico. I'm not strong enough now. Come home to me."He struggles to keep his eyes open.
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then hear a sound, the gentle clanking of metal on metal. You turn to find the source and see something hanging from a nearby tree limb at the edge of the clearing. A collection of four cogs hangs on a string tied to the tree limb. The sway and clink against one another as if caught in a breeze, or recently disturbed by something passing by. No breeze ruffles the purple grasses nor disturbs the glass-like surface of the pond. All is silent. Then, another clinking sound. Further this time, deeper into the wood. You can just spy another bundle of cogs swaying as if just struck at the very edge of your vision.
Berkarak -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Even the ever-present connection you feel to Azzanar is gone. You feel truly alone for the first time in a long time. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then catch a familiar scent on the air. A scent that brings sudden tears to your eyes and a wrenching to your stomach. Calico's perfume. Through watery eyes something catches your attention. A thin purple ribbon, caught upon a nearby tree branch. The very same Calico used to tie her hair back when she was serious about getting a job done. You approach it and the scent grows stronger. You go to reach for it but it is suddenly blown free of the branch, further into the woods. The smell fades, but you can still see the ribbon, fluttering gently just at the very edge of your vision.
Zubien -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. As you make your way to the edge of the glade you hear something. A flute playing the familiar notes of a song you haven't heard since you left your clan and ventured out into the world. A song only known to those within your clan. As you continue to listen, you see movement in the trees beyond the edge of the clearing, and catch glimpses of red colored cloth slipping through the trees, the same hue worn by your people. The flute player approaches the climax of the song but stops suddenly, leaving the chord progression unresolved. As you take a step closer to the edge of the clearing, the playing resumes, then stops again when you stop. Peering out into the woods you catch glimpses of red cloth swishing through the trees, reminiscent of the communal dances of your people. You find that the song and dancing resumes when you continue walking and stops when you stop.
Intrigued by what he sees, Zubien will continue to cautiously move towards the music and the movement of the red cloth.
Grymar exhales, saying “Well, will ya look at tha…”. He is gobsmacked at the course of events, having never experienced anything like this before. He also takes a juicy piece of fruit from the tree, eating with gusto, sitting down and resting. Soon, the weight of his eyelids is too much, he starts to sleep.. and snore softly. The events of the day beyond anything this dwarf has ever seen…
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
As you kneel weeping, you catch the scent once more. Looking up to where you last saw the ribbon, you see it flutter against the branch, then slip further backward to the next branch, deeper in the wood.
Zubien -
The music continues as you follow the brief flashes of red cloth through the trees. You hear songs from your homeland, songs you haven't heard in years, and new songs. You follow for an indiscernible amount of time, the red cloth ever just out of reach. Suddenly the dense wood gives way to another clearing. This one is bathed in sunlight, causing you to cover your eyes 'til they adjust. In the center of the clearing stands a large tree. Its base has a diameter of about sixty feet and the branches hang low, thick with blue-green leaves. The trunk is smooth and off-white. Butterflies with wings as large as your hand flutter about the space and among the branches. No breeze blows through the clearing but the boughs of the tree bounce and sway still, as if something moves unseen within its leaves. As you observe the space something calls out to you from the direction of the tree, "Hello."
Grymar -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then hear a sound, an insectile buzz as a large iridescent bee flies lazily past you and into the woods beyond the clearing. It is like no bee you've ever seen before. Looking around, you spy another and another still. Both ambling through the air, past you and into the darkness of the woods. Movement on the ground catches your eyes and at your feet you find a grand march of various fantastical insects passing by and over your feet as they follow the bees.
As you near the next bundle of cogs, you hear and see another further into the woods. You follow for an indiscernible amount of time, the bundles of cogs tinkling brightly as you approach them. Suddenly the dense wood gives way to another clearing. This one is bathed in sunlight, causing you to cover your eyes 'til they adjust. In the center of the clearing stands a large tree. Its base has a diameter of about sixty feet and the branches hang low, thick with blue-green leaves. The trunk is smooth and off-white. Butterflies with wings as large as your hand flutter about the space and among the branches. No breeze blows through the clearing but the boughs of the tree bounce and sway still, as if something moves unseen within its leaves. As you observe the space something calls out to you from the direction of the tree, "Hello."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Berkarak - The mushrooms seem unfazed by the illusory flames; seemingly content to mindlessly take over the space.
ROUND 8
The mushrooms proliferate.
Map:
Zubien recommends, "We should head up and out before we are surrounded by these ever-growing mushrooms."
Grymar keeps pressing north, not wanting to get cut off, trapped by the fungi. “I wonder if that ghost will know a way to deal with em…”
Action : Dash north -
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Berk dashes with the group
Berkarak -
As you turn to follow, a blue light catches your eye. You see Azzanar making a bee-line for the iron door to the east. "Hurry poppet! I can get you all to safety but we have to open a doorway for the spell to work!" Azzanar lands on the ground in front of the iron door and his glow begins to intensify.
Berkarak stops mid-run. "Wait! The key!" He digs out the key he and Grymar found fluttering in the cave. "Come quickly! The iron door!" He turns and dashes back towards the iron door, hoping his friends will follow.
Lehmani dashes with all her strength, following Berkark and Grymar's lead.
DM - Classic Adventures Reborn
Rylan - L1 Human Paladin - Barty's "Princes of the Apocalypse"
“Hol on, wait for me, Berkie!” Grymar follows after Berkerak.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Zubien heads to the iron door, but keeping a wary eye on the approaching mushrooms
All - You make a mad dash through the large fungus filled cavern, the sounds of your footfalls eclipsed by that of countless mushrooms cascading into the space. You see the iron door ahead of you, smaller than those typically found aboveground. As you near it your perception of space and distance becomes skewed. Instead of getting bigger as you approach, the door appears to be getting smaller. Berkarak reaches the door first with key in hand, he struggles to fit it into the lock as it slowly moves downward but then unlocks it and flings wide the door. The space beyond is pitch blackness. Nothing is discernable beyond the doorway, even with darkvision. It is as if the space repels light. You watch Berkarak take a deep steadying breath then step through and disappear as the doorway shrinks ever further. Grymar follows, the sounds of his heavy breathing silenced the instant he steps through. The sound of the encroaching mushrooms becomes a roar. Risking a glance back, Zubien sees a massive wave of fungus boiling its way toward him. He turns back and swiftly strides to the door, sliding at the last moment as it continues to shrink. Kalhala finds the doorway about half the size of a normal one as he approaches. He calls out ahead, unsure if his allies can hear him, then unstraps and lobs his weapons through ahead of himself. He too attempts a slide like Zubien but his broad shoulders catch in the frame. He feels it slowly but surely pressing against him as he shuffles through. The sound in the cavern is deafening now as Lehmani dashes to the door. Her heart skips a beat as she sees Kalhala seemingly stuck in frame. She increases her pace, intent to shoulder him through if necessary, but sees him clumsily maneuver through. The doorway appears fit for a gnome now and shrinking still. Lehmani yells a prayer to Gond and dives forward into darkness. She feels a sensation like passing through a veil of black silk, even though the armor and clothing. All of you do, as if tumbling naked through a forest of silks. Lehmani feels the doorway pressing down still as her hips just make it through, then the rest of her slips into the darkness...
You find yourselves in total darkness, though you can feel solid ground beneath you and hear the sounds of each other catching your breath. After a few minutes, you learn that you all made it through the doorway unharmed. Kalhala manages to find his weapons after blindly searching the area for a bit. You all begin to see a faint blue light. It seems to be getting closer, but you lose sight of it at times, as if it's navigating through a crowded space. Eventually it gets close enough to discern a humanoid form. Male in appearance with wavy shoulder length hair. Two goat-like horns emerge from the hair on the forehead and the eyes are solid orbs of the same faint blue color as the rest of the body. A human-like upper body covered loosely by a sash and skirt, out of which two goat-like legs and a tail emerge. The being speaks to Berkarak first, who seemingly understands it. They converse for a bit before Barkarak explains that you are in the Feywild. This being transported you here to rest and recover before continuing your journey. They lead you through what you now realize is a dark, dense, and beautiful forest. As you walk the sky brightens, eventually to a twilight gloom as you reach a glade. The ground is carpeted with lush purple grass and a crystal clear pool stands nearby. Rocks of varying shapes and sizes dot the space and on some you see hints of long worn iconography. The being explains that the space you are in is safe, but cautions you not to stray from it as danger lurk out in the depths of the woods. They bid you farewell, explaining further that the efforts of their spell have drained them and they too must recover, though elsewhere. The being strikes a peculiar pose and suddenly you see their skin begin to harden and change color. They grow and stretch into a large tree with long thin branches that hang down like a weeping willow. Beautifully colored fruit hang among the branches, looking plump and juicy. The space is tranquil and you appear safe for now.
Lehmani takes a moment to fall to her knees and openly weep, thanking Gond for his grace in delivering us to this sanctuary. She reflects on the gateway to this untamed magical wilderness thriving within the heart of Durgeddin's stronghold.
Once she's had her cathartic cry, she'll take a moment to check in on each of her companions, then partake of the tree's fruit and prepare for a long rest if there's time.
DM - Classic Adventures Reborn
Rylan - L1 Human Paladin - Barty's "Princes of the Apocalypse"
Berkarak also falls to his knees, but out of exhaustion rather than prayer or worship. The emotions, anxiety, and tension from the last hour finally release.
He looks over the strange area, bewildered and amazed, but feels a sense of calm and safety. His eyelids feel so heavy.
He sits back on his ankles and fishes a book from his pack. He prepares a place to rest and falls asleep quickly after only a few paragraphs of reading.
Zubien finds a comfortable place, sets his weapons down, and meditates to clear his mind and body of that he and the party had just gone through. He wants to restore the Ki he had to use due to the encroaching mushrooms. When his mediation is done, he sees to cleaning his weapons, before he too, joins his comrades in resting.
Lehmani -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then hear a sound, the gentle clanking of metal on metal. You turn to find the source and see something hanging from a nearby tree limb at the edge of the clearing. A collection of four cogs hangs on a string tied to the tree limb. The sway and clink against one another as if caught in a breeze, or recently disturbed by something passing by. No breeze ruffles the purple grasses nor disturbs the glass-like surface of the pond. All is silent. Then, another clinking sound. Further this time, deeper into the wood. You can just spy another bundle of cogs swaying as if just struck at the very edge of your vision.
Berkarak -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Even the ever-present connection you feel to Azzanar is gone. You feel truly alone for the first time in a long time. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then catch a familiar scent on the air. A scent that brings sudden tears to your eyes and a wrenching to your stomach. Calico's perfume. Through watery eyes something catches your attention. A thin purple ribbon, caught upon a nearby tree branch. The very same Calico used to tie her hair back when she was serious about getting a job done. You approach it and the scent grows stronger. You go to reach for it but it is suddenly blown free of the branch, further into the woods. The smell fades, but you can still see the ribbon, fluttering gently just at the very edge of your vision.
Zubien -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. As you make your way to the edge of the glade you hear something. A flute playing the familiar notes of a song you haven't heard since you left your clan and ventured out into the world. A song only known to those within your clan. As you continue to listen, you see movement in the trees beyond the edge of the clearing, and catch glimpses of red colored cloth slipping through the trees, the same hue worn by your people. The flute player approaches the climax of the song but stops suddenly, leaving the chord progression unresolved. As you take a step closer to the edge of the clearing, the playing resumes, then stops again when you stop. Peering out into the woods you catch glimpses of red cloth swishing through the trees, reminiscent of the communal dances of your people. You find that the song and dancing resumes when you continue walking and stops when you stop.
Berkarak's face is a mixture of curiosity, confusion, and resolve, but two heavy tears roll down his cheeks. He grips the ring that hangs from the chain he wears around his neck.
He kneels, afraid to move forward out of the safety, and afraid to lose this opportunity. He means to shout, but comes out a rough whisper, "Azzanar?" He wipes his left cheek and whispers to no one. "Is it real?"
He collapsed further, on his hands and knees, and starts crying freely. "I'm sorry, Calico. I'm not strong enough now. Come home to me." He struggles to keep his eyes open.
Intrigued by what he sees, Zubien will continue to cautiously move towards the music and the movement of the red cloth.
Grymar exhales, saying “Well, will ya look at tha…”. He is gobsmacked at the course of events, having never experienced anything like this before. He also takes a juicy piece of fruit from the tree, eating with gusto, sitting down and resting. Soon, the weight of his eyelids is too much, he starts to sleep.. and snore softly. The events of the day beyond anything this dwarf has ever seen…
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Berkarak -
As you kneel weeping, you catch the scent once more. Looking up to where you last saw the ribbon, you see it flutter against the branch, then slip further backward to the next branch, deeper in the wood.
Zubien -
The music continues as you follow the brief flashes of red cloth through the trees. You hear songs from your homeland, songs you haven't heard in years, and new songs. You follow for an indiscernible amount of time, the red cloth ever just out of reach. Suddenly the dense wood gives way to another clearing. This one is bathed in sunlight, causing you to cover your eyes 'til they adjust. In the center of the clearing stands a large tree. Its base has a diameter of about sixty feet and the branches hang low, thick with blue-green leaves. The trunk is smooth and off-white. Butterflies with wings as large as your hand flutter about the space and among the branches. No breeze blows through the clearing but the boughs of the tree bounce and sway still, as if something moves unseen within its leaves. As you observe the space something calls out to you from the direction of the tree, "Hello."
Grymar -
You awaken from your slumber and find yourself alone in the glade. All appears as it was when you fell asleep except the distinct lack of any sign of your companions. Rising to your feet and turning about, you still find no sign. It is as if they were never really there at all. Approaching the edge of the clearing you peer into the darkness beyond and see nothing but deep, dark wood. You then hear a sound, an insectile buzz as a large iridescent bee flies lazily past you and into the woods beyond the clearing. It is like no bee you've ever seen before. Looking around, you spy another and another still. Both ambling through the air, past you and into the darkness of the woods. Movement on the ground catches your eyes and at your feet you find a grand march of various fantastical insects passing by and over your feet as they follow the bees.
Lemahni carefully approaches the clinking sound...
DM - Classic Adventures Reborn
Rylan - L1 Human Paladin - Barty's "Princes of the Apocalypse"
Lehmani -
As you near the next bundle of cogs, you hear and see another further into the woods. You follow for an indiscernible amount of time, the bundles of cogs tinkling brightly as you approach them. Suddenly the dense wood gives way to another clearing. This one is bathed in sunlight, causing you to cover your eyes 'til they adjust. In the center of the clearing stands a large tree. Its base has a diameter of about sixty feet and the branches hang low, thick with blue-green leaves. The trunk is smooth and off-white. Butterflies with wings as large as your hand flutter about the space and among the branches. No breeze blows through the clearing but the boughs of the tree bounce and sway still, as if something moves unseen within its leaves. As you observe the space something calls out to you from the direction of the tree, "Hello."