The fields slowly give way to grasses and thicker vegetation as the group nears the forest edge. All would be familiar enough with this forest as it consumes most of the eastern portion of the region and even makes up the southern border to the castles along the glimmering sea. Travel through the forest was often avoided after the main roads had been installed. This left the wilds rather untouched. There had been stories of various tribes taking refuge in the isolation that the forest offered. It had been years since any real scouting efforts had been in place to map out the eastern portions of Koresica.
would both realize that the cries seem to be coming from the grove that they'd often visit.
((Let's get a head count of the players still able to play. I will assume anyone not posting in the next 3 days is unable to play and will adjust the campaign accordingly. If anyone has any questions or issues, feel free to DM me and we'll get it all sorted!))
Valyncia gives Cailee a pointed look as she surges forward towards the clearing. She's clearly familiar with this part of the forest from the speed at which she moves through the otherwise thick brush. Rather then say anything she simply pushes through providing a path for the others to follow.
Jubal did his best to keep up with the Firbolg and... human?... that surged forward. They seemed to know where they were headed; the bard hoped this meant that they might have a clue as to what was going on when they finally got where they were going.
It doesn't take long before the group arrives at the edge of the clearing. Sunlight shines down through the canopy onto a small stream that brings cold water from the east. At the center of the grove is the large band of hyenas who are gathered in various states of pain. You can hear their yaps and laughs that are directed toward a figure standing near a small obelisk that looks to be mostly buried in the dirt but the expose portion has been cleared away.
The figure is shouting words in celestial toward the beasts and waving their arms in a sort of rhythmic dance. You watch as the hyenas gathered around begin to tear into the soft forest floor and toss away the dirt as they dig.
((If you intend to do a hostile action, you may roll initiative now))
Vallen followed the two and looked upon the figure with a raised eyebrow then to the hyenas and their actions. He looks to the rest of the party in particular Valyncia and Cailee, “What’s going on here? Is this someone you know?” He once more looks over the scene trying to understand what is going on.
(Perception check if needed!) Perception Check: 15
Jubal looked to Vallen, then back to Valyncia and Cailee, then back to the figure speaking Celestial. He decided to give the two who rushed here first the benefit of a doubt; surely THEY would know if there was something wrong with the scene?
For now, Jubal will simply ready an action: casting Minor Illusion to create an illusory boulder nearby that he can quickly hide inside. However, he'll probably eventually need a Initiative Check:21
Vallen looks over the scene unfolding before him. The hyenas look to be entranced by the movements of the figure and under their control. You watch as the chunks of soil are tossed aside as they dig with aggression and purpose.
Valyncia pushed forward, almost impulsively, into the clearing. Getting her large maul ready in her hands, however she didn't want things to turn violent just yet. She did definitely want to know what was happening in this clearing they had visited just the day before. Because so far she didn't like what was happening.
"You there! Explain yourself! What are you doing here with these creatures?"
As Valyncia looks on at the figure, it seems they did not hear her. The shout would have been clearly audible to anyone nearby so she's left to assume they were ignoring her.
Vallen readies himself taking on a battle stance with his warhammer and shield raised and ready, looking to Valyncia and would follow her actions, only acting if she did.
Xinq steps forward, raising a staying claw, and softly but firmly urges "Hold!"
Drawing a wand that appears to be carved from an animal bone, he half-closes his eyes and concentrates. Strange words burst from between his teeth, as if they each had transient, fleeting lives that were over almost as soon as they were uttered forth into the world. The tip of the wand glows with a soft blue, shimmering radiance.
Casting detect thoughts. "You initially learn the surface thoughts of the creature--what is most on its mind in that moment." No save for this bit.
Unwilling to lose his momentum, Jubal pointed two fingers and cast his spell as soon as he noticed Svent move and Xing wave his wand.
A rough boulder, embedded halfway into the ground, but still covering nearly the entirety of a 5-foot cube, suddenly appeared just 15 feet away on the bard's right. He quickly stepped behind it--from the vantage point of the hyenas and the chanting figure--and then crouched and stepped forward INTO the boulder so that it became translucent for him.
He glued his eyes to the scene in front of him, readying another spell in case things turned ugly.
Jubal will ready another spell: Vicious Mockery, and will cast it toward whoever attacks, targeting either the figure or one of the hyenas as appropriate.
Edit: I need a Stealth Check, don't I? -> 11
Also, while waiting Jubal will attempt to count the hyenas.
Kairn steps up, surveying the scene before him, and goes beside Valyncia. In a low voice, he says steady lass...I don't like the looks of this a bit. Be ready to back me up if things get ugly. He looks up, and mumbles a brief prayer, then walks slowly forward, shield raised and hammer ready toward the figure. Oi! What're ya doin' there?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Back and ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
The thoughts seem to be frantic in nature moving from one thing to the other and back again. You get the sense that they're thinking about the hole they're causing the creatures to dig and each thought jumps from hyena to hyena. It's rather mind numbing the pace it's occurring. There is an urgency to the creature's thought pattern.
Kairn approaches and finds there is little reaction from the figure or the hyenas.
This close, Kairn can see the figure is...
a human woman that is most likely in her early twenties. Her eyes are clouded with an arcane aura as she moves her hands in rhythmic fashion as part of the ritual spell she is casting. She is covered in a red dust and you notice that the hyenas have this same residue in their fur. The ground here has similar coloring the further the hyenas dig. Most of her features are...
covered in long robes most often associated with monks. They do not react to your shout. You're uncertain if you should approach and closer. You're currently at roughly 20 feet away from the closest hyena and roughly 40 feet away from the figure. The hyenas are in a circular position around the figure and each digging their own hole currently.
The fields slowly give way to grasses and thicker vegetation as the group nears the forest edge. All would be familiar enough with this forest as it consumes most of the eastern portion of the region and even makes up the southern border to the castles along the glimmering sea. Travel through the forest was often avoided after the main roads had been installed. This left the wilds rather untouched. There had been stories of various tribes taking refuge in the isolation that the forest offered. It had been years since any real scouting efforts had been in place to map out the eastern portions of Koresica.
(MAP)
Valyncia and Cailee...
would both realize that the cries seem to be coming from the grove that they'd often visit.
((Let's get a head count of the players still able to play. I will assume anyone not posting in the next 3 days is unable to play and will adjust the campaign accordingly. If anyone has any questions or issues, feel free to DM me and we'll get it all sorted!))
Valyncia gives Cailee a pointed look as she surges forward towards the clearing. She's clearly familiar with this part of the forest from the speed at which she moves through the otherwise thick brush. Rather then say anything she simply pushes through providing a path for the others to follow.
Jubal did his best to keep up with the Firbolg and... human?... that surged forward. They seemed to know where they were headed; the bard hoped this meant that they might have a clue as to what was going on when they finally got where they were going.
Whistler
Titus - V. Human Battle Master Fighter 3 - [Pic] - [Pic2] - [Traits] - in Shadowglass
Locke - V. Human Shadow Monk 3 / Undead Warlock 2 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in FOW - DMless West Marches
Flèche - V. Human Swords Bard 10 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in The Scarlet Mist
Sterling - V. Human Bard 1 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
It doesn't take long before the group arrives at the edge of the clearing. Sunlight shines down through the canopy onto a small stream that brings cold water from the east. At the center of the grove is the large band of hyenas who are gathered in various states of pain. You can hear their yaps and laughs that are directed toward a figure standing near a small obelisk that looks to be mostly buried in the dirt but the expose portion has been cleared away.
The figure is shouting words in celestial toward the beasts and waving their arms in a sort of rhythmic dance. You watch as the hyenas gathered around begin to tear into the soft forest floor and toss away the dirt as they dig.
((If you intend to do a hostile action, you may roll initiative now))
Vallen followed the two and looked upon the figure with a raised eyebrow then to the hyenas and their actions. He looks to the rest of the party in particular Valyncia and Cailee, “What’s going on here? Is this someone you know?” He once more looks over the scene trying to understand what is going on.
(Perception check if needed!) Perception Check: 15
Jubal looked to Vallen, then back to Valyncia and Cailee, then back to the figure speaking Celestial. He decided to give the two who rushed here first the benefit of a doubt; surely THEY would know if there was something wrong with the scene?
Whistler
Titus - V. Human Battle Master Fighter 3 - [Pic] - [Pic2] - [Traits] - in Shadowglass
Locke - V. Human Shadow Monk 3 / Undead Warlock 2 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in FOW - DMless West Marches
Flèche - V. Human Swords Bard 10 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in The Scarlet Mist
Sterling - V. Human Bard 1 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Vallen looks over the scene unfolding before him. The hyenas look to be entranced by the movements of the figure and under their control. You watch as the chunks of soil are tossed aside as they dig with aggression and purpose.
Valyncia pushed forward, almost impulsively, into the clearing. Getting her large maul ready in her hands, however she didn't want things to turn violent just yet. She did definitely want to know what was happening in this clearing they had visited just the day before. Because so far she didn't like what was happening.
"You there! Explain yourself! What are you doing here with these creatures?"
As Valyncia looks on at the figure, it seems they did not hear her. The shout would have been clearly audible to anyone nearby so she's left to assume they were ignoring her.
Vallen readies himself taking on a battle stance with his warhammer and shield raised and ready, looking to Valyncia and would follow her actions, only acting if she did.
Svent slips into the bushes silently, hiding, bow ready in preparation for any potential fight.
Stealth, 21
Initiative, 12
Svent feels certain that he was able to slip away without being detected by the hyenas or chanting figure.
Xinq steps forward, raising a staying claw, and softly but firmly urges "Hold!"
Drawing a wand that appears to be carved from an animal bone, he half-closes his eyes and concentrates. Strange words burst from between his teeth, as if they each had transient, fleeting lives that were over almost as soon as they were uttered forth into the world. The tip of the wand glows with a soft blue, shimmering radiance.
Casting detect thoughts. "You initially learn the surface thoughts of the creature--what is most on its mind in that moment." No save for this bit.
Unwilling to lose his momentum, Jubal pointed two fingers and cast his spell as soon as he noticed Svent move and Xing wave his wand.
A rough boulder, embedded halfway into the ground, but still covering nearly the entirety of a 5-foot cube, suddenly appeared just 15 feet away on the bard's right. He quickly stepped behind it--from the vantage point of the hyenas and the chanting figure--and then crouched and stepped forward INTO the boulder so that it became translucent for him.
He glued his eyes to the scene in front of him, readying another spell in case things turned ugly.
Jubal will ready another spell: Vicious Mockery, and will cast it toward whoever attacks, targeting either the figure or one of the hyenas as appropriate.
Edit: I need a Stealth Check, don't I? -> 11
Also, while waiting Jubal will attempt to count the hyenas.
Whistler
Titus - V. Human Battle Master Fighter 3 - [Pic] - [Pic2] - [Traits] - in Shadowglass
Locke - V. Human Shadow Monk 3 / Undead Warlock 2 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in FOW - DMless West Marches
Flèche - V. Human Swords Bard 10 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in The Scarlet Mist
Sterling - V. Human Bard 1 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
((Initiative (just in case): 15))
Kairn steps up, surveying the scene before him, and goes beside Valyncia. In a low voice, he says steady lass...I don't like the looks of this a bit. Be ready to back me up if things get ugly. He looks up, and mumbles a brief prayer, then walks slowly forward, shield raised and hammer ready toward the figure. Oi! What're ya doin' there?
Back and ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Xinq taps into the mind of the figure,
The thoughts seem to be frantic in nature moving from one thing to the other and back again. You get the sense that they're thinking about the hole they're causing the creatures to dig and each thought jumps from hyena to hyena. It's rather mind numbing the pace it's occurring. There is an urgency to the creature's thought pattern.
Jubal feels confident that he is hidden within the illusion. Looking over the lot, he counts eight hyenas furiously digging in the fresh soil.
Kairn approaches and finds there is little reaction from the figure or the hyenas.
This close, Kairn can see the figure is...
a human woman that is most likely in her early twenties. Her eyes are clouded with an arcane aura as she moves her hands in rhythmic fashion as part of the ritual spell she is casting. She is covered in a red dust and you notice that the hyenas have this same residue in their fur. The ground here has similar coloring the further the hyenas dig. Most of her features are...
covered in long robes most often associated with monks. They do not react to your shout. You're uncertain if you should approach and closer. You're currently at roughly 20 feet away from the closest hyena and roughly 40 feet away from the figure. The hyenas are in a circular position around the figure and each digging their own hole currently.
Snout quivering in concentration, Xinq probes deeper into the woman’s mind, “What is the purpose of this ritual?”
((Wis save))