No sounds issue from the homes and buildings of Daggerford. No person or even animal appears. Indeed, it is as if the entire city has been utterly deserted. The mist continues to roll in, now from all directions, pouring down over the city walls and enveloping the buildings within. It picks up speed, roiling like the angry thunderclouds of summer, but without the promise of rain. As it passes over Zied’s light, that too is extinguished.
From every direction the mist rolls in over you, and as it does your exposed skin grows damp and cold. The smell of wet earth is everywhere, but is tainted by a sour stench of decay and rot. And now it hangs still, like a thick curtain.
The way ahead, toward the keep, becomes completely obscured, though you are quite familiar with the route. Yet, as you move toward what you know to be Morwen’s stronghold, you feel a strange sensation in your feet. The ground, which should be cobblestone, is dirt, and root, and rock, and shrub.
The smell of rot grows strong, incredibly strong, until you fear to open your mouth to breath it in.
A dizziness overtakes you, and the world, or what is left of it, fades to blackness.
Ed stirs, he awakes uneasy. As he starts to rouse he has vague memories of his dream, his home town being swathed in fog, of seeming desolate, his concern for his sisters... It was so vivid, rarely could he remember dreams so strongly, though he knew to take note of signs such as these and hopefully a meaning would become clear. Ed puts his hand down on the moss and starts to push himself up, then freezes. He clenches his fist around the damp, spongy fauna beneath his palm, pulling a clump of the moss up and starting at it. He rises swiftly looking around, seeing the dense woodland, he thinks back to the dream... No, not a dream, the dinner, the travellers, the fog... Clarity replaced his initial panic as he remembered.
"Sezsu! Zied! Alessa!" He shouts looking around for his companions, seeing them scattered around the woodland floor, Ed shouts again to wake them fully. "Rise my friends, and ware yourselves, we are not in Daggerford any more!"
"Ow. Sonofa... Is this what it feels like when you drink too much?" Sezsu says, sitting up with a hand to his head. He looks around and rolls his eyes. "What in the not-seven-not-eight-but-Nine Hells just happened?"
He gets to his feet and turns in a circle, looking for signs of life or anything to catch his eye that isn't trees or mist.
"HELLO?!?" he calls before helping the others to their feet.
"I am here."Alessa was standing by the tree studying the forest around with expression of disbelief in her eyes. She cleaned herself up as much as it was possible (magic was still with her - that was a relief!) and now was trying to reach her familiar (hard task with the little black bird in the black forest). "You might be right. I am no druid, but do not remember any forest like that around Daggerford. But ... if not there, then where are we?"Another rhetorical question, of course. "I do not remember any attack on us, do you? And yet, we were clearly robbed. Someone went for so much trouble for so little gain."She sighed and shook her head. "Well, whoever that insane person was, guess we have to try and find the way to the closest settlement. Have any preferences in direction?"
"I fear the duchess may be unhappy that we lost the items she so kindly loaned us but let's us focus first on getting ourselves back from wherever this is, to be able to remedy that particular problem." He pats himself down, taking stock of everything that did come with him through the night. Ed looks around, thinking back to the times he travelled around Daggerford, his various comings and goings to his home town and tries to recall any woodland areas that this might be familiar to. "We can't have travelled that far in one night... Something here should be familiar."
Strange. Haze. Something he hadn't felt in years. Zied's mind is a fog. A fog sorely missed and unseen fo so very long. Growing groggy, then awake hearing Ed call out. First impulse is his ring-still there, feeling its etchings gives him comfort, second he reaches for his clockwork watch-still save, under his shirt. Whatevers happened, as long as he has that, he can continue... If its been more than 12-24ish hours, it would have wound down and stopped by then. Otherwise it would be ticking.
Crawling from prone to standing up. Thinking and worried about his workshop; was it safe? The ring is here.. it should be. She should be fine... He needs to check. but this place isn't safe.
"Its worse than you think. I was asleep. I don't sleep. I can not sleep. I haven't slept in years. I'm being literal. You may not have noticed-I try to fake it. But this is serious enough to tell you. Whatever that was-was powerful. " Examining the rest of his gear, confirming none of his reagents have spoiled, nor broken, Zied's demeanor returns to his static calm as he continues. " Seems like only armaments were taken? I still have some of my enchantments, and my alchemy tools... I can make do. First, find a weapon, next... Climb a tree and see if we can see lights of a town, or stars. Sound good?"
Zied shuffles around the area, looking for a sturdy bit of wood he can fashion into a club "Ed, you any good with a club?"
There’s no response to Seszu’s call--only the occasional sound of wildlife, the call of a bird, the croaking of a bullfrog, echoes through the trees, dampened by the mist.
The mist. Directionality is nearly impossible to determine, as the cloud cover is so thick as to hide the sun. On one side, the mist hangs so thick that it is impenetrable, and even the trees disappear only a few yards into it. On the other side, the fog relents, giving you a view of a murky wood. Naked deciduous trees are interspersed with giant evergreens. Dried leaves blanket the ground.
The group is able to scavenge numerous tree branches, their bark black and wet. Some are quite thick and could function as crude weapons. (These will function as clubs or greatclubs, your choice.)
You are at the top of a gentle slope. At the bottom, black pools of water stand like dark mirrors in and around a muddy roadway. Giant trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mist. In one direction, the road passes into the dense mist, disappearing from view. In the other, it continues on through the forest.
"We're safe enough," Sezsu says, holding one palm face up as a foul-smelling greenish puff of gas blooms and dissipates. "I've seen what you all are capable of as well. Ed practically is a club."
He continues looking around. "I just don't like being out in the open with no recognizable landmarks. But that's a good idea. I'll see if I can climb this tree over here that's conveniently taller than the rest..."
Seszu's able to climb quite a ways up the gnarled trunk. Centipedes and mites scurry across the bark. On on side, he only sees thick fog, obscuring all. On the other, the forest seems endless, with no clear landmarks in sight. Only the road offers a sense of direction, and it bends and twists out of sight several yards ahead.
Alessandra finally located her familiar (or he finally was able to answer) and now the little bird was again sitting on her shoulder. She waited for Sezsu to get down with the grim news. "The road is here, though, and were is the road, there has to be some settlement. If we are lucky, may be even a human one. Not sure I would want to go into that fog - would you? Looks so thick we can get lost even with the road under the feet. Shall we try the ... fogless direction? I will send Grano to check the path ahead."
That she did - small black shadow flew from her shoulder and disappeared behind the first turn.
While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
Alessa went quiet, listening to familiar's reports.
Grano flies to the limit of his telepathic tether (100 ft), reporting to Alessa the seeming endless nature of the forest. The path turns here and there, ever on through the mess of tangled trees, without a visible ending. But, there is no emergent danger the owl can see.
"We can all agree, this is a bad situation. Might I suggest? Speed did not help, so we should approach this with awareness. Alessandra, if you are fine with it. I would suggest, I (or Sezsu) carry you piggy back, you keep an eye from above and around, Ed leads, I follow up, Sezsu keeps pace with me but keeps an eye behind.(or reverse if Seszu carries-Effectively carrier in the middle to help Aless protection)" Regardless of Alessandra's choice, Zied falls into line with the others, securely afixing his suply kit within easy reach. "Settlement is a fine idea as any-Lets not abruptly say hello and take a look first."
"Very kind of you," smiled Alessa softly, "but do not worry, I can walk freely even when Grano is searching. There is no need for me to constantly look through his eyes, he will just signal if something suspicious is on the road".She did not mind to walk in the middle of the formation but rpobably was not very attentive to surrounding "listening" Grano's reports.
Ed nods at the sense behind everyone's comments and picks up the stoutest chunk of wood that he can find. "Eyes up high should give us sound enough warning, and whilst a road makes us more visible as we travel it, having no idea of the surroundings it is probably the safest bet at this point." Taking a swing with the improvised weapon, he adds "Lacking a sheild, I guess a bigger stick is the better option."
As Ed checks his things, he feels a small ball of something in his pocket, sliding his hand inside he finds a crumpled piece of paper that he doesn't recall depositing there himself. He takes a moment as he reads it his face changes from puzzlement to mirth and a hearty chuckle accompanies the change. He holds the crumpled paper out in an offer for the others to view it should they wish. "Friends, I fear we have been enrolled to undertake the Vistani's contract without much say in the matter..."
"My friends. I am so sorry. I owe the Devil a deby. I had no choice. Find Eva. - Stanmir"
Shrugging his broad shoulders in acceptance of their situtation. "Let us try and seek out Madam Eva, and not bear the Vistani a grudge until we find out more about this all." Ed directs his closing words more towards Sezsu than the others of the group - knowing the priest was the least enamoured by the Vistani's proposal.
"I'll bear a grudge. But whether anything comes of it, depends on them. This harms my goal. I don't appreciate that." Zied comments, while falling into pace with the others. Using his small club as a walking stick.
"Right," Sezsu says snidely. "Grudges won't get my stuff back but a fist in that nomad's face might. At least it might make me feel a little better about our abduction. Let's just hurry this up. I was promised cake."
Forming up as the rear guard, Sezsu keeps his eyes and ears open as they travel.
The road continues to wind through the wood. The trees, the fog, and the occasional sound of wildlife are your only company. The fog spills out of the forest to swallow up the road behind you.
Five hours pass.
Then, ahead, jutting from the impenetrable woods on both sides of the road, are high stone buttresses looming gray in the fog. Huge iron gates hang on the stonework. Dew clings with cold tenacity to the rusted bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flank the gate, their heads now lying among the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence.
As you draw nearer, the gates swing open, screeching as the hinges move.
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No sounds issue from the homes and buildings of Daggerford. No person or even animal appears. Indeed, it is as if the entire city has been utterly deserted. The mist continues to roll in, now from all directions, pouring down over the city walls and enveloping the buildings within. It picks up speed, roiling like the angry thunderclouds of summer, but without the promise of rain. As it passes over Zied’s light, that too is extinguished.
From every direction the mist rolls in over you, and as it does your exposed skin grows damp and cold. The smell of wet earth is everywhere, but is tainted by a sour stench of decay and rot. And now it hangs still, like a thick curtain.
The way ahead, toward the keep, becomes completely obscured, though you are quite familiar with the route. Yet, as you move toward what you know to be Morwen’s stronghold, you feel a strange sensation in your feet. The ground, which should be cobblestone, is dirt, and root, and rock, and shrub.
The smell of rot grows strong, incredibly strong, until you fear to open your mouth to breath it in.
A dizziness overtakes you, and the world, or what is left of it, fades to blackness.
You wake to a soft, gray light, and the feeling of cold wetness.
The ground is hard, yet supple, and covered in moss.
You are in the woods. Black tree trunks, gnarled and thin, sprout up toward the sky.
You are still clothed, but find that all of your armor, and your weapons, are gone.
Ed stirs, he awakes uneasy. As he starts to rouse he has vague memories of his dream, his home town being swathed in fog, of seeming desolate, his concern for his sisters... It was so vivid, rarely could he remember dreams so strongly, though he knew to take note of signs such as these and hopefully a meaning would become clear. Ed puts his hand down on the moss and starts to push himself up, then freezes. He clenches his fist around the damp, spongy fauna beneath his palm, pulling a clump of the moss up and starting at it. He rises swiftly looking around, seeing the dense woodland, he thinks back to the dream... No, not a dream, the dinner, the travellers, the fog... Clarity replaced his initial panic as he remembered.
"Sezsu! Zied! Alessa!" He shouts looking around for his companions, seeing them scattered around the woodland floor, Ed shouts again to wake them fully. "Rise my friends, and ware yourselves, we are not in Daggerford any more!"
Bring out your inner chatacter class...
"Ow. Sonofa... Is this what it feels like when you drink too much?" Sezsu says, sitting up with a hand to his head. He looks around and rolls his eyes. "What in the not-seven-not-eight-but-Nine Hells just happened?"
He gets to his feet and turns in a circle, looking for signs of life or anything to catch his eye that isn't trees or mist.
"HELLO?!?" he calls before helping the others to their feet.
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
"Oh man! Where's that shiny new breastplate?!? Her Grace is gonna be so mad... SHOOT!!! Where's my shield?!?!?"
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
"I am here." Alessa was standing by the tree studying the forest around with expression of disbelief in her eyes. She cleaned herself up as much as it was possible (magic was still with her - that was a relief!) and now was trying to reach her familiar (hard task with the little black bird in the black forest). "You might be right. I am no druid, but do not remember any forest like that around Daggerford. But ... if not there, then where are we?" Another rhetorical question, of course. "I do not remember any attack on us, do you? And yet, we were clearly robbed. Someone went for so much trouble for so little gain." She sighed and shook her head. "Well, whoever that insane person was, guess we have to try and find the way to the closest settlement. Have any preferences in direction?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"I fear the duchess may be unhappy that we lost the items she so kindly loaned us but let's us focus first on getting ourselves back from wherever this is, to be able to remedy that particular problem." He pats himself down, taking stock of everything that did come with him through the night. Ed looks around, thinking back to the times he travelled around Daggerford, his various comings and goings to his home town and tries to recall any woodland areas that this might be familiar to. "We can't have travelled that far in one night... Something here should be familiar."
Bring out your inner chatacter class...
Strange. Haze. Something he hadn't felt in years. Zied's mind is a fog. A fog sorely missed and unseen fo so very long. Growing groggy, then awake hearing Ed call out. First impulse is his ring-still there, feeling its etchings gives him comfort, second he reaches for his clockwork watch-still save, under his shirt. Whatevers happened, as long as he has that, he can continue... If its been more than 12-24ish hours, it would have wound down and stopped by then. Otherwise it would be ticking.
Crawling from prone to standing up. Thinking and worried about his workshop; was it safe? The ring is here.. it should be. She should be fine... He needs to check. but this place isn't safe.
"Its worse than you think. I was asleep. I don't sleep. I can not sleep. I haven't slept in years. I'm being literal. You may not have noticed-I try to fake it. But this is serious enough to tell you. Whatever that was-was powerful. " Examining the rest of his gear, confirming none of his reagents have spoiled, nor broken, Zied's demeanor returns to his static calm as he continues. " Seems like only armaments were taken? I still have some of my enchantments, and my alchemy tools... I can make do. First, find a weapon, next... Climb a tree and see if we can see lights of a town, or stars. Sound good?"
Zied shuffles around the area, looking for a sturdy bit of wood he can fashion into a club "Ed, you any good with a club?"
There’s no response to Seszu’s call--only the occasional sound of wildlife, the call of a bird, the croaking of a bullfrog, echoes through the trees, dampened by the mist.
The mist. Directionality is nearly impossible to determine, as the cloud cover is so thick as to hide the sun. On one side, the mist hangs so thick that it is impenetrable, and even the trees disappear only a few yards into it. On the other side, the fog relents, giving you a view of a murky wood. Naked deciduous trees are interspersed with giant evergreens. Dried leaves blanket the ground.
The group is able to scavenge numerous tree branches, their bark black and wet. Some are quite thick and could function as crude weapons. (These will function as clubs or greatclubs, your choice.)
You are at the top of a gentle slope. At the bottom, black pools of water stand like dark mirrors in and around a muddy roadway. Giant trees loom on both sides of the road, their branches clawing at the mist. In one direction, the road passes into the dense mist, disappearing from view. In the other, it continues on through the forest.
(Actions?)
"We're safe enough," Sezsu says, holding one palm face up as a foul-smelling greenish puff of gas blooms and dissipates. "I've seen what you all are capable of as well. Ed practically is a club."
He continues looking around. "I just don't like being out in the open with no recognizable landmarks. But that's a good idea. I'll see if I can climb this tree over here that's conveniently taller than the rest..."
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Seszu's able to climb quite a ways up the gnarled trunk. Centipedes and mites scurry across the bark. On on side, he only sees thick fog, obscuring all. On the other, the forest seems endless, with no clear landmarks in sight. Only the road offers a sense of direction, and it bends and twists out of sight several yards ahead.
Alessandra finally located her familiar (or he finally was able to answer) and now the little bird was again sitting on her shoulder. She waited for Sezsu to get down with the grim news. "The road is here, though, and were is the road, there has to be some settlement. If we are lucky, may be even a human one. Not sure I would want to go into that fog - would you? Looks so thick we can get lost even with the road under the feet. Shall we try the ... fogless direction? I will send Grano to check the path ahead."
That she did - small black shadow flew from her shoulder and disappeared behind the first turn.
While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the familiar has. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
Alessa went quiet, listening to familiar's reports.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Grano flies to the limit of his telepathic tether (100 ft), reporting to Alessa the seeming endless nature of the forest. The path turns here and there, ever on through the mess of tangled trees, without a visible ending. But, there is no emergent danger the owl can see.
"Well, it is safe for a while at least. A very short while but I will keep checking". She looked at the group. "Shall we go?"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"We can all agree, this is a bad situation. Might I suggest? Speed did not help, so we should approach this with awareness. Alessandra, if you are fine with it. I would suggest, I (or Sezsu) carry you piggy back, you keep an eye from above and around, Ed leads, I follow up, Sezsu keeps pace with me but keeps an eye behind.(or reverse if Seszu carries-Effectively carrier in the middle to help Aless protection)" Regardless of Alessandra's choice, Zied falls into line with the others, securely afixing his suply kit within easy reach. "Settlement is a fine idea as any-Lets not abruptly say hello and take a look first."
"Very kind of you," smiled Alessa softly, "but do not worry, I can walk freely even when Grano is searching. There is no need for me to constantly look through his eyes, he will just signal if something suspicious is on the road". She did not mind to walk in the middle of the formation but rpobably was not very attentive to surrounding "listening" Grano's reports.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Ed nods at the sense behind everyone's comments and picks up the stoutest chunk of wood that he can find. "Eyes up high should give us sound enough warning, and whilst a road makes us more visible as we travel it, having no idea of the surroundings it is probably the safest bet at this point." Taking a swing with the improvised weapon, he adds "Lacking a sheild, I guess a bigger stick is the better option."
As Ed checks his things, he feels a small ball of something in his pocket, sliding his hand inside he finds a crumpled piece of paper that he doesn't recall depositing there himself. He takes a moment as he reads it his face changes from puzzlement to mirth and a hearty chuckle accompanies the change. He holds the crumpled paper out in an offer for the others to view it should they wish. "Friends, I fear we have been enrolled to undertake the Vistani's contract without much say in the matter..."
"My friends. I am so sorry. I owe the Devil a deby. I had no choice. Find Eva. - Stanmir"
Shrugging his broad shoulders in acceptance of their situtation. "Let us try and seek out Madam Eva, and not bear the Vistani a grudge until we find out more about this all." Ed directs his closing words more towards Sezsu than the others of the group - knowing the priest was the least enamoured by the Vistani's proposal.
Bring out your inner chatacter class...
"I'll bear a grudge. But whether anything comes of it, depends on them. This harms my goal. I don't appreciate that." Zied comments, while falling into pace with the others. Using his small club as a walking stick.
"Right," Sezsu says snidely. "Grudges won't get my stuff back but a fist in that nomad's face might. At least it might make me feel a little better about our abduction. Let's just hurry this up. I was promised cake."
Forming up as the rear guard, Sezsu keeps his eyes and ears open as they travel.
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
The road continues to wind through the wood. The trees, the fog, and the occasional sound of wildlife are your only company. The fog spills out of the forest to swallow up the road behind you.
Five hours pass.
Then, ahead, jutting from the impenetrable woods on both sides of the road, are high stone buttresses looming gray in the fog. Huge iron gates hang on the stonework. Dew clings with cold tenacity to the rusted bars. Two headless statues of armed guardians flank the gate, their heads now lying among the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence.
As you draw nearer, the gates swing open, screeching as the hinges move.