Lokilia is happy to help out Dev and finish sentence when he talks about crossing the river. "Swimming!" she says enthusiastically. "A raft might be better. We'd want to find a calm section to cross either way." She is a bit oblivious to his discomfort and simply continues on with the group.
As she the chamois seem to start following, Lokilia seems to get excited. "Oh! It seems they want to offer us encouragement." She starts to study them a bit more closely, though still moving along. "Or maybe they are trying to tell us something. I wonder if there is a pattern to their numbers."
(Perception: 22)
(Also, I had thought chamois are an antelope type of creature - since there seems confusion.)
Normont carefully makes his way down the ridge, struggling a little to keep up with the others due to his little legs. When Lokilia points out the chamois are following them, he also turns to take a look. Trying his best to recollect anything he has learned about these creatures.
"Perhaps they think we have some food, or we are moving towards their home", he suggests, although not really having a clue as to their behaviour.
Magnus gets a prickly feeling on the back of his neck as he watches the agile creatures draw closer...something is wrong with them...
But it is Lokilia who knows the cliff climbing animals from back home and she soon notes something very, very wrong with these animals....patches of fur are missing replaced by scales, spines or in a couple of cases eyes and mouths...most have too many eyes on their heads and their mouths have strange filament like tendrils that waved like sea anemones...all of them had blacks stained muzzles and drooled a tarry black liquid from their mouths....they made their way closer...moving far faster across the steep terrain than the companions could...they seemed to be converging from everywhere as if moving as one...
Magnus shouts out a warning to the group as he frantically looks for a better defensible position that the open trail. "Watch out friends, those animals or whatever they are, are not friendly!"
"Those... aren't really animals," Lokilia says as she observes the creatures. "Magnus is right, they don't seem friendly." She too looks for defensible ground, or even just an opening where they might be able to not be hedged in by whatever this is. (Survival: 13)
Dev’s face has transformed from an expression of fear and concern, eyes bouncing back and forth from Lokilia to Magnus, Normont and Quinn, to an expression the companions have not seen in a few days.
A strange light twinkles, almost burns, in his eye, and his eyes and his yellow horns give off a subtle flickering glow as red lightning dances over them.
Standing tall but his brow low, as if pointing with his forehead, the tiefling focuses on the approaching creatures, and a rumbling rhythm starts to grow, almost like distant thunder, but steady, pulsating, the thunder getting closer with each pulse. (OOC: Minor illusion & Thaumaturgy)
When Magnus warns them about the animals, Normont frowns and puts his hand over his eyes like a peak to try and get a better look.
"Are you sure?", he asks Magnus, but Lokilia quickly confirms Magnus is right. "Nuts and bolts, this is all we need".
Seeing Dev set himself and his horns start to flicker with the red lightning, he decides to get ready himself. He straps on his shield and draws his pistol.
"They are moving fast, too fast", he says and then his eyes search the sky for Amber, hoping the homunculus can see him as he waves her back.
The chamois-things begin to converge about 3 dozen of them coming from all directions....Lokilia spots an overhang below them, there may be a defensible cave or something beneath it....however it seems to be what the chamois are 'herding them towards...
( The mutated animals are about 40' away at this point, moving almost like a school of fish to keep the group hemmed in and moving downwards...)
Lokilia relays her observation to the others. "While it seems the overhang below might lead to a defensible spot, it also seems to be where this creature is trying to direct us. It may be better to stay put and hold our ground here."
"Are we going to be able to hold off this many creatures though? The overhang might not be our best bet, and more than likely isn't, but how much worse can it be than what we currently face?" Magnus asks a shake to his voice as he continues to look between the creatures and the overhang. "I am kind of out of my depth here, and will go with your decision Lokilia."
"Nuts and botls! If they are acting as one trying to direct us under the overhang, that means something is controlling them. I am keen to find out what that is otherwise other unsuspecting traveller's will be set upon by these things as well", Normont replies, knowing that is what a member of the Grey Hunters would do.
He looks around at the others to see if he is alone in his interest.
"If we are staying here, we should make a defensive circle. Perhaps they will be scared off by loud noises", he says and holds up his pistol and fires.
"If we are staying here, we should make a defensive circle. Perhaps they will be scared off by loud noises", he says and holds up his pistol and fires.
(OOC: @DM is Amber back?)
As the pistol shot goes off and the retort echoes along the ridgelines and down into the river valley it can be seen that those chamois with the least number of....differences....react to the noise by fleeing but only for a moment as something else overides their instincts and draws them back. Those with more mutations simply remain utterly unaffected staring impassively at the companions as they continue their approach.....
Hearing Magus say she should make the decision, and Normont voicing his thought that something is controlling them and they should find it, Lokilia is not sure what to advise. "I'm no tactician! It does seem like a lot to fight. Maybe we should drop below that overhang? How could it be worse?" Having, evidently, decided, she starts to move in that direction. Though not without keeping an eye on these strange creatures.
"Now that is a plan! An orderly retreat to the overhang it is", Normont says in agreement with Lokilia.
"Amber, go and make sure nothing is waiting for us directly below the overhang please. And stay out of reach as much as possible", he says in Gnomish, to which Amber obediently obeys, flying off to look under the overhang.
He then moves after Lokilia, staying close to her and waving to the others to do the same. If any of the strange chamois come too close, basically within 20 feet, he will fire at it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Lokilia is happy to help out Dev and finish sentence when he talks about crossing the river. "Swimming!" she says enthusiastically. "A raft might be better. We'd want to find a calm section to cross either way." She is a bit oblivious to his discomfort and simply continues on with the group.
As she the chamois seem to start following, Lokilia seems to get excited. "Oh! It seems they want to offer us encouragement." She starts to study them a bit more closely, though still moving along. "Or maybe they are trying to tell us something. I wonder if there is a pattern to their numbers."
(Perception: 22)
(Also, I had thought chamois are an antelope type of creature - since there seems confusion.)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamois)
Normont carefully makes his way down the ridge, struggling a little to keep up with the others due to his little legs. When Lokilia points out the chamois are following them, he also turns to take a look. Trying his best to recollect anything he has learned about these creatures.
"Perhaps they think we have some food, or we are moving towards their home", he suggests, although not really having a clue as to their behaviour.
Nature (with guidance: 2+3+3=8
Magnus gets a prickly feeling on the back of his neck as he watches the agile creatures draw closer...something is wrong with them...
But it is Lokilia who knows the cliff climbing animals from back home and she soon notes something very, very wrong with these animals....patches of fur are missing replaced by scales, spines or in a couple of cases eyes and mouths...most have too many eyes on their heads and their mouths have strange filament like tendrils that waved like sea anemones...all of them had blacks stained muzzles and drooled a tarry black liquid from their mouths....they made their way closer...moving far faster across the steep terrain than the companions could...they seemed to be converging from everywhere as if moving as one...
lol, I had thought:
https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/products/tower-chamois-aster
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Magnus shouts out a warning to the group as he frantically looks for a better defensible position that the open trail. "Watch out friends, those animals or whatever they are, are not friendly!"
Perception: 22
"Those... aren't really animals," Lokilia says as she observes the creatures. "Magnus is right, they don't seem friendly." She too looks for defensible ground, or even just an opening where they might be able to not be hedged in by whatever this is. (Survival: 13)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Dev’s face has transformed from an expression of fear and concern, eyes bouncing back and forth from Lokilia to Magnus, Normont and Quinn, to an expression the companions have not seen in a few days.
A strange light twinkles, almost burns, in his eye, and his eyes and his yellow horns give off a subtle flickering glow as red lightning dances over them.
Standing tall but his brow low, as if pointing with his forehead, the tiefling focuses on the approaching creatures, and a rumbling rhythm starts to grow, almost like distant thunder, but steady, pulsating, the thunder getting closer with each pulse. (OOC: Minor illusion & Thaumaturgy)
If the chamois come closer, he is ready for them.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
When Magnus warns them about the animals, Normont frowns and puts his hand over his eyes like a peak to try and get a better look.
"Are you sure?", he asks Magnus, but Lokilia quickly confirms Magnus is right. "Nuts and bolts, this is all we need".
Seeing Dev set himself and his horns start to flicker with the red lightning, he decides to get ready himself. He straps on his shield and draws his pistol.
"They are moving fast, too fast", he says and then his eyes search the sky for Amber, hoping the homunculus can see him as he waves her back.
The chamois-things begin to converge about 3 dozen of them coming from all directions....Lokilia spots an overhang below them, there may be a defensible cave or something beneath it....however it seems to be what the chamois are 'herding them towards...
( The mutated animals are about 40' away at this point, moving almost like a school of fish to keep the group hemmed in and moving downwards...)
Lokilia relays her observation to the others. "While it seems the overhang below might lead to a defensible spot, it also seems to be where this creature is trying to direct us. It may be better to stay put and hold our ground here."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"Are we going to be able to hold off this many creatures though? The overhang might not be our best bet, and more than likely isn't, but how much worse can it be than what we currently face?" Magnus asks a shake to his voice as he continues to look between the creatures and the overhang. "I am kind of out of my depth here, and will go with your decision Lokilia."
"Nuts and botls! If they are acting as one trying to direct us under the overhang, that means something is controlling them. I am keen to find out what that is otherwise other unsuspecting traveller's will be set upon by these things as well", Normont replies, knowing that is what a member of the Grey Hunters would do.
He looks around at the others to see if he is alone in his interest.
"If we are staying here, we should make a defensive circle. Perhaps they will be scared off by loud noises", he says and holds up his pistol and fires.
(OOC: @DM is Amber back?)
( She is)
As the pistol shot goes off and the retort echoes along the ridgelines and down into the river valley it can be seen that those chamois with the least number of....differences....react to the noise by fleeing but only for a moment as something else overides their instincts and draws them back. Those with more mutations simply remain utterly unaffected staring impassively at the companions as they continue their approach.....
"Well that didn't work", Normont comments as he sees Amber flying back over to him.
(OOC: How far away is the water? Would it be reasonable to think of running and putting the River between us and them?)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
( 20 or so miles)
Hearing Magus say she should make the decision, and Normont voicing his thought that something is controlling them and they should find it, Lokilia is not sure what to advise. "I'm no tactician! It does seem like a lot to fight. Maybe we should drop below that overhang? How could it be worse?" Having, evidently, decided, she starts to move in that direction. Though not without keeping an eye on these strange creatures.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"Now that is a plan! An orderly retreat to the overhang it is", Normont says in agreement with Lokilia.
"Amber, go and make sure nothing is waiting for us directly below the overhang please. And stay out of reach as much as possible", he says in Gnomish, to which Amber obediently obeys, flying off to look under the overhang.
He then moves after Lokilia, staying close to her and waving to the others to do the same. If any of the strange chamois come too close, basically within 20 feet, he will fire at it.