The effect of Hemlock's healing on Saoirseis immediate. The genasi's remaining wounds disappear completely and her concerned expression is replaced by one or relief. She gazes down at her own body - her ashen skin now displaying a combination of glowing starlight and flickering fiery undertones. When she looks up again she smiles widely at the druid. Nodding appreciatively, she says "Thank you, Hemlock. I really needed that. Let's take a look at that lake as you suggested." Her smile then turns into a playful smirk as she adds quietly, "Súmharóir!".She knows he won't understand, but can translate it for him later.
"Showoff!"
Turning to Sha-Gravis, the fire genasi adds, "You needed to be near a lake or a pond tonight, right? For the lunar event? We'll be right at your side, Sha."
Lam watches his Firbolg friend’s impressive display of star-powered healing magic with awe. At Saoirse’s muttered comment, he lets out a slight huff, almost laughter, and a glint appears in his eye as he looks back at his illuminated friend.
He nods in agreement to Saoirse’s words to Sha and adds his own: “We are with you.”
Aspen gasps involuntarily when Hemlock begins to shine, and seems.to be even more shocked when she recognizes the constellation. "kaleikurinn mun sýna örlög þín ...' She mutters, not quite quietly enough that Hemlock can't hear it.
"the chalice will show your destiny..."
She is staring at Hemlock, but avoiding his eyes. "You are being amazing... Soon, one will notice I am not being home, and I might being in trouble, so I shall going back. Come when you can, or I will trying to find you to morning." She turns to leave unless you wish to ask her more, and it may seem that she sways her hips just slightly more than necessary while walking away.
When Aspen calls him amazing, Hemlock's face flushes, and he imagines the starlight around his cheeks turning from yellow to crimson. He of course has no idea whether that is true or not.
He watches Aspen leave before giving his head a little shake and turning to his friends.
"To the lake then?", he says, trying to act casual, and likely failing.
Saoirseturns from watching Aspen, who is walking away, to look at Hemlock, who is clearly embarrased and tries to act as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. "Hemlock, you devil! Look how easily you have won that girl's heart! I am impressed. To think you looked so shy when we met in Coldwater."
The genasi smiles brightly, feeling so lighthearted that she has almost forgotten what they went through barely an hour ago. With an energetic nod she replies, "To the lake. Let's go.'"
"I said showoff"Saoirselaughs, nudging Hemlockgently, and then adds, "Oh, don't mind me. I think it's nice to see signs like these, for a change. Not everything has to be dangerous tasks, and violence and, well, you know what I mean. It's just ... nice."
Hemlock's shining skin does not betray his blush, and you would have to know him to recognize the distracted eyes and the cheeks tightening into an awkward, involuntary smile. To his chagrin, his traveling companions have gotten to know him quite well.
Hemlock chuckles, but all he says in reply to being labelled a show off is, "Perhaps".
He then gives Saoirse a nod and smile as she speaks of being happy to experience nice things. He even lets the starlight fade so she can see his face properly. He wasn't blushing any more, not thinking of Aspen at all in fact, just friendship. Friendship for Saoirse, and Lam and Sha-Gravis.
"Come on then, let's see what this lake is like, and this event of Sha''s".
A few hundred yards in the direction of the lake, you all begin to smell the unmistakable, swampy smell of anaerobic rot. Before you can see the lake, you notice that the Firbolg trail becomes a little harder to follow, months of fewer feet traversing it have allowed it to become more overgrown, denser, and thinner. The edible berries become rarer. The tree trunks begin to be covered in thick green moss, and the smell is putrid. You can see that there is a gap in the canopy just a few more skyoak trunks ahead, almost certainly the lake you're headed to.
But you also begin to see scratch marks on some of the trees, and a pair of strange footprints. It looks almost like a bear's, but too big, and with one too few digits. The claw marks are deep. There is another set of prints, but almost 30 feet away from the first, with no prints in between. This is not any creature you recognize.
Just as you get to the edge of the clearing, you hear a large splash, and you stop where you still hope it is easy to find cover among the trees. What you can see of the water from here is covered in a thick green algal slime - it doesn't look like anybody's going to see the reflection of the moon in that.
On one edge of the lake is a small bulding blanketed in moss and vines, it barely looks more than a hut, but the design of the building itself is beautiful, flowing stone. It looks like a high elf construction, like the bridges.
"I don't like the aspect of this lake, nor this part of the forest. And I certainly didn't like the sound of that splash. Whatever is underneath the water, it sounded big,"Saoirsesays. She does this a low voice, as their surroundings do not invite to speak any other way. "Shall we approach the hut first, see if there is anything of note inside? I'd stay away from the water for now."
If no one opposes, she'll start moving towards the hut as silently as possible and will keep checking for footprints as she does so. Has anything moved into or out of the hut recently?
Stealth: 18 Survival:14 (or a 12, if it has to be Perception)
Hemlock's demeanour shifts along with the landscape as they approach the lake. His face showing his displeasure at what he sees and particularly smells. He takes a little time looking at the strange footprints, before he continues on, and freezes at the splash coming from the lake itself.
"I don't like it either. Aspen wasn't kidding about some dark power coming from the lake. This whole area feels corrupt", he says sadly. "I think the hut is a good place to start, but remember Aspen's warning about monstrous creatures. This whole area is quite dangerous, I think".
With that he also starts to sneak around, keeping a [spell]guidance;keen eye and ear out[spell] for any strange sights or sounds. Also, for any sounds that would be usual for a lake in a forest. Small creatures, insects or birds.
Lam nods at Saoirse’s plan, and at Hemlock’s warning. He takes out his greataxe and tries to silently creep forward, keeping his attention on the lake and trying to see whatever caused that large splash.
Somewhat clumsily following along Sha scans the shoreline and water surface. Crestfallen he realizes unless some miraculous transformation takes place a baptism into the reflected eclipse here may not be possible…
You all begin to sneak around the lake, along what is left of the trees. All of you can hear birds and insects, and Hemlock and Sha are able to notice that none of the birds or insects are calling from the other side of the hut, or from right where you are. One small bird flies fairly close to the building, but disappears behind the hut's roof. In the last fraction of a second, Hemlock could swear it looked like something yanked the bird down out of the sky - something long, thin, and pink. In seeing it, he takes a slight, sudden, involuntary step away from the hut, and an old branch cracks beneath his feet. Nobody else saw that, however. Hemlock looks back towards the rest of the group.
Sha-Gravis is walking at the back of the group, and looking between the unfortunately verdant lake and the hut that they are all headed to, when he hears a sound in the tree above and behind him. He looks up, and in the tree there is a monstrous thing. Its long, froglike rear legs are poised ready for it to leap, but its torso is massive, with huge muscled forelegs ending in a grizzly bear's forward paws and four 5 inch claws. No part of it is furred, instead its skin is slimy, in mottled greens and reddish browns - perfect camoflauge in this swampy place. Its head is a frog's, with a wide mouth, wide enough to swallow a firbolg whole, and eyes that protrude from the top of its head. When Sha's hammer clinks against his clothing, those eyes fix on the tabaxi.
Hemlock notices it just before leaps from the tree, crashing down beween himself, Lam, and Sha-Gravis. The monsters chin puffs out, and a sound like a crocodile's bellow ververberates through the woods. There is no intelligence in its face, and no reason to believe it can be reasoned with. Its intention seems obvious: eat you, and tear you apart first if it needs to. Lam and Saoirse did not notice the creature until it was in the air and nearly upon them, and are surprised.
Roll Initiative. Lam and Saoirse are surprised, and their turns will be skipped in the first round of combat.
Focused on the lake as Lam was, he doesn’t notice the creature from the trees until it’s nearly on top of them. He grunts in surprise as he attempts to find his footing and get into a battle stance.
By sheer luck, Saoirse's hand was on her weapon's hilt in the moment the monster leapt near her, and though she is still reeling from the shock of it, she realizes that she can at least do something before it attacks, and that the creature has not seen her yet. Lam is a little less lucky, as the creature landed while he was mid-stride, and it will take him a few precious seconds to join in the fight. The frogbear has its sights set on Sha-Gravis.
*I'm willing to call this a rare case 'house rule,' that a nat20 on initiative when you're otherwise surprised lets you take a partial turn. Either an Action, BA, or movement, but only one of those.* Probably won't come up a lot. Depends how often NPCs try to ambush you.
The effect of Hemlock's healing on Saoirse is immediate. The genasi's remaining wounds disappear completely and her concerned expression is replaced by one or relief. She gazes down at her own body - her ashen skin now displaying a combination of glowing starlight and flickering fiery undertones. When she looks up again she smiles widely at the druid. Nodding appreciatively, she says "Thank you, Hemlock. I really needed that. Let's take a look at that lake as you suggested." Her smile then turns into a playful smirk as she adds quietly, "Súmharóir!". She knows he won't understand, but can translate it for him later.
"Showoff!"
Turning to Sha-Gravis, the fire genasi adds, "You needed to be near a lake or a pond tonight, right? For the lunar event? We'll be right at your side, Sha."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Lam watches his Firbolg friend’s impressive display of star-powered healing magic with awe. At Saoirse’s muttered comment, he lets out a slight huff, almost laughter, and a glint appears in his eye as he looks back at his illuminated friend.
He nods in agreement to Saoirse’s words to Sha and adds his own: “We are with you.”
Aspen gasps involuntarily when Hemlock begins to shine, and seems.to be even more shocked when she recognizes the constellation. "kaleikurinn mun sýna örlög þín ...' She mutters, not quite quietly enough that Hemlock can't hear it.
"the chalice will show your destiny..."
She is staring at Hemlock, but avoiding his eyes. "You are being amazing... Soon, one will notice I am not being home, and I might being in trouble, so I shall going back. Come when you can, or I will trying to find you to morning." She turns to leave unless you wish to ask her more, and it may seem that she sways her hips just slightly more than necessary while walking away.
DM: Heavy is the Head
When Aspen calls him amazing, Hemlock's face flushes, and he imagines the starlight around his cheeks turning from yellow to crimson. He of course has no idea whether that is true or not.
He watches Aspen leave before giving his head a little shake and turning to his friends.
"To the lake then?", he says, trying to act casual, and likely failing.
Saoirse turns from watching Aspen, who is walking away, to look at Hemlock, who is clearly embarrased and tries to act as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. "Hemlock, you devil! Look how easily you have won that girl's heart! I am impressed. To think you looked so shy when we met in Coldwater."
The genasi smiles brightly, feeling so lighthearted that she has almost forgotten what they went through barely an hour ago. With an energetic nod she replies, "To the lake. Let's go.'"
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Hemlock scratches the back of his neck as he tries not to think of his face glowing even more crimson after Saoirse's comment.
"I...well..um", he starts to mumble.
"What was it you said to me before? I didn't understand", he then says hoping to divert the conversation.
"I said showoff" Saoirse laughs, nudging Hemlock gently, and then adds, "Oh, don't mind me. I think it's nice to see signs like these, for a change. Not everything has to be dangerous tasks, and violence and, well, you know what I mean. It's just ... nice."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Hemlock's shining skin does not betray his blush, and you would have to know him to recognize the distracted eyes and the cheeks tightening into an awkward, involuntary smile. To his chagrin, his traveling companions have gotten to know him quite well.
DM: Heavy is the Head
Hemlock chuckles, but all he says in reply to being labelled a show off is, "Perhaps".
He then gives Saoirse a nod and smile as she speaks of being happy to experience nice things. He even lets the starlight fade so she can see his face properly. He wasn't blushing any more, not thinking of Aspen at all in fact, just friendship. Friendship for Saoirse, and Lam and Sha-Gravis.
"Come on then, let's see what this lake is like, and this event of Sha''s".
A few hundred yards in the direction of the lake, you all begin to smell the unmistakable, swampy smell of anaerobic rot. Before you can see the lake, you notice that the Firbolg trail becomes a little harder to follow, months of fewer feet traversing it have allowed it to become more overgrown, denser, and thinner. The edible berries become rarer. The tree trunks begin to be covered in thick green moss, and the smell is putrid. You can see that there is a gap in the canopy just a few more skyoak trunks ahead, almost certainly the lake you're headed to.
But you also begin to see scratch marks on some of the trees, and a pair of strange footprints. It looks almost like a bear's, but too big, and with one too few digits. The claw marks are deep. There is another set of prints, but almost 30 feet away from the first, with no prints in between. This is not any creature you recognize.
Just as you get to the edge of the clearing, you hear a large splash, and you stop where you still hope it is easy to find cover among the trees. What you can see of the water from here is covered in a thick green algal slime - it doesn't look like anybody's going to see the reflection of the moon in that.
On one edge of the lake is a small bulding blanketed in moss and vines, it barely looks more than a hut, but the design of the building itself is beautiful, flowing stone. It looks like a high elf construction, like the bridges.
https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/5nRs1L_uFdxM/HeavyistheHeadPBP
DM: Heavy is the Head
"I don't like the aspect of this lake, nor this part of the forest. And I certainly didn't like the sound of that splash. Whatever is underneath the water, it sounded big," Saoirse says. She does this a low voice, as their surroundings do not invite to speak any other way. "Shall we approach the hut first, see if there is anything of note inside? I'd stay away from the water for now."
If no one opposes, she'll start moving towards the hut as silently as possible and will keep checking for footprints as she does so. Has anything moved into or out of the hut recently?
Stealth: 18
Survival: 14 (or a 12, if it has to be Perception)
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Hemlock's demeanour shifts along with the landscape as they approach the lake. His face showing his displeasure at what he sees and particularly smells. He takes a little time looking at the strange footprints, before he continues on, and freezes at the splash coming from the lake itself.
"I don't like it either. Aspen wasn't kidding about some dark power coming from the lake. This whole area feels corrupt", he says sadly. "I think the hut is a good place to start, but remember Aspen's warning about monstrous creatures. This whole area is quite dangerous, I think".
With that he also starts to sneak around, keeping a [spell]guidance;keen eye and ear out[spell] for any strange sights or sounds. Also, for any sounds that would be usual for a lake in a forest. Small creatures, insects or birds.
Stealth: 6+2=8
Perception (with [pell]guidance[/spell]): 18+6+2=26
Lam nods at Saoirse’s plan, and at Hemlock’s warning. He takes out his greataxe and tries to silently creep forward, keeping his attention on the lake and trying to see whatever caused that large splash.
Stealth: 10
Perception: also 10
Stealth/Perception 4/20
Somewhat clumsily following along Sha scans the shoreline and water surface. Crestfallen he realizes unless some miraculous transformation takes place a baptism into the reflected eclipse here may not be possible…
You all begin to sneak around the lake, along what is left of the trees. All of you can hear birds and insects, and Hemlock and Sha are able to notice that none of the birds or insects are calling from the other side of the hut, or from right where you are. One small bird flies fairly close to the building, but disappears behind the hut's roof. In the last fraction of a second, Hemlock could swear it looked like something yanked the bird down out of the sky - something long, thin, and pink. In seeing it, he takes a slight, sudden, involuntary step away from the hut, and an old branch cracks beneath his feet. Nobody else saw that, however. Hemlock looks back towards the rest of the group.
Sha-Gravis is walking at the back of the group, and looking between the unfortunately verdant lake and the hut that they are all headed to, when he hears a sound in the tree above and behind him. He looks up, and in the tree there is a monstrous thing. Its long, froglike rear legs are poised ready for it to leap, but its torso is massive, with huge muscled forelegs ending in a grizzly bear's forward paws and four 5 inch claws. No part of it is furred, instead its skin is slimy, in mottled greens and reddish browns - perfect camoflauge in this swampy place. Its head is a frog's, with a wide mouth, wide enough to swallow a firbolg whole, and eyes that protrude from the top of its head. When Sha's hammer clinks against his clothing, those eyes fix on the tabaxi.
Hemlock notices it just before leaps from the tree, crashing down beween himself, Lam, and Sha-Gravis. The monsters chin puffs out, and a sound like a crocodile's bellow ververberates through the woods. There is no intelligence in its face, and no reason to believe it can be reasoned with. Its intention seems obvious: eat you, and tear you apart first if it needs to. Lam and Saoirse did not notice the creature until it was in the air and nearly upon them, and are surprised.
Roll Initiative. Lam and Saoirse are surprised, and their turns will be skipped in the first round of combat.
https://www.owlbear.rodeo/room/5nRs1L_uFdxM/HeavyistheHeadPBP
DM: Heavy is the Head
"What the— !??", is all Saoirse can say as she sees in shock how something jumps right over her and Lam, not allowing them any chance to prepare.
Initiative: nat20 (24)
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Initiative 7…
Sha-gravis drops into a half crouch nearly falling over arms pinwheeling as he sees this massive creature about to swallow him whole.
”Whooo! What!!! Nooo!”
Hemlock sees the creature before it lands, but he is no less flat footed by its appearance unfortunately.
Initiative: 6+2=8
Focused on the lake as Lam was, he doesn’t notice the creature from the trees until it’s nearly on top of them. He grunts in surprise as he attempts to find his footing and get into a battle stance.
Initiative: 16
By sheer luck, Saoirse's hand was on her weapon's hilt in the moment the monster leapt near her, and though she is still reeling from the shock of it, she realizes that she can at least do something before it attacks, and that the creature has not seen her yet. Lam is a little less lucky, as the creature landed while he was mid-stride, and it will take him a few precious seconds to join in the fight. The frogbear has its sights set on Sha-Gravis.
Initiative: Saoirse (startled*); Lam (surprised); Frogbear; Hemlock; Sha-Gravis
*I'm willing to call this a rare case 'house rule,' that a nat20 on initiative when you're otherwise surprised lets you take a partial turn. Either an Action, BA, or movement, but only one of those.* Probably won't come up a lot. Depends how often NPCs try to ambush you.
DM: Heavy is the Head