Kulloda eyes the blackened, rusty spike in the ground. Rust makes sense if it's out in the open but why blackened? Does it absorb the power of the angry pixies? (Arcana 13)
If it makes no difference for the ritual, Anachain uses one of her own daggers to replicate the symbol in the sand. She silently grumps to herself several times about being careful to keep her footsteps, and the impressions that they make, on the outside of the symbol as well as reminding herself to keep turning the book as she moves around the area so that the top of the symbols are both always in the same direction...
Sleight of Hand: 13
But despite how careful she tries to be she always ends up cursing and throwing her dagger into the sand then having to smooth it out and try over again...
"Well?" she finally calls out to Gimrin. "You going to give it a try or just sit there all judgey??"
She scowls and watches as the thief hopefully does a much better job than she managed... She kept almost having it, she knew, but it was always just a wee bit... She curses silently in her head and mentally beats herself up for having her familiar wearing the gloves.
When the time comes she offers to sign the lullaby. She was no professional, grey gods knew, but she had plenty of practice watching kids over the years. At least the kids weren't real critics, they just wanted something soft and gentle and with what they found an amusing premise. Silly kids, always either frightened by imaginary dangers or amused by the ones which are all too real... Softly, Anachain sings one of her personal favorites.
Hush now, child, the moon is high, Shadows creep across the sky. Close your eyes and softly doze, Or goblins come to steal your toes.
They prowl the caves, they skulk the glen, They sneak through doors at half past ten. But if you dream and never peek, They’ll pass you by till next we speak.
So drift to sleep, my dear, don’t weep, The goblins only hunt who keep Their lanterns lit and mischief sown… Behave, and they’ll leave you alone.
Deniz stands over Anachains shoulder, holding the book and giving guidance (not magical) on scribing the symbols. Once he is satisfied with the quality of the writing, and as the lullaby begins, he then nods to Kulloda to start hammering the spike.
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How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Grimrin takes a look at the book and sees curves and intersections of line that Anachain does not, he doesn't wipe away any of her work but does adjust some angles here and there before giving Deniz and Anachain a nod and stepping back, drawing his now and keeping an eye out for any hostiles that may approach.
As the lullaby begins, the sand in the circle begins to lift and swirl, the etched blessing flows faintly before rising with the soft whirlwind of sand. Kulloda is buffeted ok the center, his movements are made slow and methodical with the hammering of the spike punctuating each line of the lullaby.
With the last line sung, the spike fully sunk, and the blessing accepted the sand in the air disperses and falls back to the ground, though the grains fall slower than they should, as if they weighed no more than mere snowflakes.
Kulloda makes his way out of the circle and a cool wind blows across the hill. Nothing around looks different, but there is a feeling of success from the ritual grounds, something has indeed changed, for now.
Deniz closes his eyes and stands still, breathing deeply and enjoying the cool wind that blows across the hilltop. It reminds him of standing on the beach listening to the waves crash on the shore and feeling the ocean spray. After a moment of peace, he maintains the pose but listens for any sounds carried on the wind that might indicate the chernomoi/quickling battle has subsided. Finally, he turns to the others, smiles a rare smile, and says:
It is done. The next task is to recite a prayer around a circle of stone, with a ritual involving clean water.
As far as he can recall, they haven't encountered the darklings yet.
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How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Thinking back Deniz finds he is correct, these darklings are currently an unknown and if they haven't been encountered so far then it is likely that they are around their ritual circle.
With the Quickling's ritual attended to, the druid consulta the book and begins to lead the group away. Back in to the forest and eastward. Though it is odd, there is no sign on the wind that the chernomoi is still fighting, and no signal that the quickling's are 'better', though knowing how the chernomoi was keeping the quickling's at bay, the little creature ls are likely still dead and will be more sane when they next regenerate.
The walk into the forest to find the darkling lair takes the group into a thicker part of the forest, though the path, (similar to the one from the hut to the quickling hill) is a well trodden one free of large obstacles. The canopy of the treetops over head seems to close in blocking most of the light from the sun above and casts everything further off the path into a dim lit shadow.
It would be prudent to avoid conflict, Deniz suggests, looking around. Perhaps I can use nature to conceal our passing.
With that, he intones some words in Elvish while waving his sea-shell pendant in patterns around the group. Shadows seem to shift around them, as though being cast in the wrong direction from the sun, as the sounds of the forest around the group become muted.
There, he says at last. Let us continue onwards, but avoid this path.
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How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
As Deniz casts a spell upon the group you all find your footsteps silenced, the light that would have glinted and glistened off of your clothes and armours dulled and your movement obfuscated by shadow. But should you remain on the beaten path if you are to lose your tail?
(I'll need a group stealth check and a decision from whoever is leading the party as to how you're all going to proceed)
The group become like shadows creeping through the undergrowth gaining some distance from the beaten track but keeping it enough in sight to follow it.
At the breaking of a branch behind you all, slowing to a stop and observing becomes necessary. Stalking around near the path you all see a small creature clad in a padded black leather cloak from hood to toe moving slowly, blades drawn looking for you all. Another joins it and the pair seem to hiss at one another before they both dart down the path as fast as possible heading in the direction of your goal.
You all progress forward now knowing that the creatures are no longer following you. You see the path enter into an odd clearing where the trees around it have grown thick and lean inward completely blocking the sun above. Those with dark vision see a circle of stones in the shadows of the clearing, along with a few small creatures wandering around within it.
Deniz scans the area for a moment, then turns to his companions.
Let us proceed without delay. I have the jug and the prayer. Do as you think best.
The elf then touches his feet, speaks a few words in Elvish, and some tiny feathers sprout from his ankles. He hefts the jug, which sloshes as though full of liquid, and again speaks a few words in Elvish. Finally he creeps into the clearing, moving softly in the dim light, heading toward the stone circle with the jug uncorked...
Deniz casts Longstrider on himself, speaks the jug's command word for the Fresh Water, then attempts to Hide (staying silent and out of sight) while moving forward...
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How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Kulloda watches the darklings lurking around the ring and then Deniz sneaking off to begin the ritual.
Kulloda then moves off in the opposite direction of Deniz (if Deniz moves clockwise to start, Kulloda moves counterclockwise), once clear of Deniz he looks over at the darklings and clears his throat.
"Why you follow Kulloda?" Kulloda shouts at them.
He keeps his hand on his sword, ready for a fight but for now is focused on drawing attention away from Deniz and the others.
Anachain uses her Mask of Many Faces feature (disguise self) to adopt the exact same appearance as that of Deniz excepting the fact that she has a small white shamrock on each shoulder, one on the center of her chest and one on her back between her shoulder blades. They are small enough to be discreet but there as a visual clue to those who know her that this is her. ((If she never made note of this to the others before now she does so now in a whisper...))
As the real Deniz sneaks forward to try to do the task unseen, Anachain intends to make a target of herself so that they won't be looking for the actual druid. She is thinking of doing whatever Deniz does but only like thirty feet behind him but Kulloda draws attention first and so she sighs and just does with that, standing beside Kulloda and trying to discern all the darlings, targeting the one closest to where she believes Deniz is and/or needs to be... Not attacking yet but ready to.
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Kulloda eyes the blackened, rusty spike in the ground. Rust makes sense if it's out in the open but why blackened? Does it absorb the power of the angry pixies? (Arcana 13)
If it makes no difference for the ritual, Anachain uses one of her own daggers to replicate the symbol in the sand. She silently grumps to herself several times about being careful to keep her footsteps, and the impressions that they make, on the outside of the symbol as well as reminding herself to keep turning the book as she moves around the area so that the top of the symbols are both always in the same direction...
Sleight of Hand: 13
But despite how careful she tries to be she always ends up cursing and throwing her dagger into the sand then having to smooth it out and try over again...
"Well?" she finally calls out to Gimrin. "You going to give it a try or just sit there all judgey??"
She scowls and watches as the thief hopefully does a much better job than she managed... She kept almost having it, she knew, but it was always just a wee bit... She curses silently in her head and mentally beats herself up for having her familiar wearing the gloves.
When the time comes she offers to sign the lullaby. She was no professional, grey gods knew, but she had plenty of practice watching kids over the years. At least the kids weren't real critics, they just wanted something soft and gentle and with what they found an amusing premise. Silly kids, always either frightened by imaginary dangers or amused by the ones which are all too real... Softly, Anachain sings one of her personal favorites.
Hush now, child, the moon is high,
Shadows creep across the sky.
Close your eyes and softly doze,
Or goblins come to steal your toes.
They prowl the caves, they skulk the glen,
They sneak through doors at half past ten.
But if you dream and never peek,
They’ll pass you by till next we speak.
So drift to sleep, my dear, don’t weep,
The goblins only hunt who keep
Their lanterns lit and mischief sown…
Behave, and they’ll leave you alone.
Performance: 1 or 18 +5 for 23
(yay advantage?)
Kulloda pulls out the old spike and throws it into the bag that holds the clean spikes.
"Clean later."
He then gets ready to hammer in the fresh spike, but still waits for Deniz's cue as to when to go.
"Kid should just kill goblin," Kulloda says after listening to the lullaby. "Sleep good after."
Deniz stands over Anachains shoulder, holding the book and giving guidance (not magical) on scribing the symbols. Once he is satisfied with the quality of the writing, and as the lullaby begins, he then nods to Kulloda to start hammering the spike.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
(I didn't try with advantage for drawing the symbol... And failed by 1. We'll need Grimrin to succeed or we're all doomed... DOOMED!)
Grimrin takes a look at the book and sees curves and intersections of line that Anachain does not, he doesn't wipe away any of her work but does adjust some angles here and there before giving Deniz and Anachain a nod and stepping back, drawing his now and keeping an eye out for any hostiles that may approach.
As the lullaby begins, the sand in the circle begins to lift and swirl, the etched blessing flows faintly before rising with the soft whirlwind of sand. Kulloda is buffeted ok the center, his movements are made slow and methodical with the hammering of the spike punctuating each line of the lullaby.
With the last line sung, the spike fully sunk, and the blessing accepted the sand in the air disperses and falls back to the ground, though the grains fall slower than they should, as if they weighed no more than mere snowflakes.
Kulloda makes his way out of the circle and a cool wind blows across the hill. Nothing around looks different, but there is a feeling of success from the ritual grounds, something has indeed changed, for now.
Kulloda looks around and shrugs.
"Angry pixies not angry now?" Kulloda asks then starts for the path down the hill. "Now where?"
Deniz closes his eyes and stands still, breathing deeply and enjoying the cool wind that blows across the hilltop. It reminds him of standing on the beach listening to the waves crash on the shore and feeling the ocean spray. After a moment of peace, he maintains the pose but listens for any sounds carried on the wind that might indicate the chernomoi/quickling battle has subsided. Finally, he turns to the others, smiles a rare smile, and says:
It is done. The next task is to recite a prayer around a circle of stone, with a ritual involving clean water.
As far as he can recall, they haven't encountered the darklings yet.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Thinking back Deniz finds he is correct, these darklings are currently an unknown and if they haven't been encountered so far then it is likely that they are around their ritual circle.
With the Quickling's ritual attended to, the druid consulta the book and begins to lead the group away. Back in to the forest and eastward. Though it is odd, there is no sign on the wind that the chernomoi is still fighting, and no signal that the quickling's are 'better', though knowing how the chernomoi was keeping the quickling's at bay, the little creature ls are likely still dead and will be more sane when they next regenerate.
The walk into the forest to find the darkling lair takes the group into a thicker part of the forest, though the path, (similar to the one from the hut to the quickling hill) is a well trodden one free of large obstacles. The canopy of the treetops over head seems to close in blocking most of the light from the sun above and casts everything further off the path into a dim lit shadow.
(Everyone give me perception checks)
Kulloda pauses and looks into the darker parts of the woods around them. At one point he points so that anyone else who hasn't noticed it can focus.
"There. Small. Quiet. Slow," Kulloda says. "Not angry pixie. Maybe darkling."
He keeps his sword ready to slash if the creature makes any hostile moves but he otherwise sticks to the path they're traveling.
Perhaps the gladiator is more accustomed to detecting subtle movements, but Deniz looks in the direction Kulloda indicates, and can't spot anything.
How many are there? he asks. Have they detected our presence yet? he whispers
The druid is prepared to call on nature's magic to disguise their passage if necessary...
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Kulloda looks over at Deniz.
"Sound like just one," Kulloda says. "It follow us. It know we here."
It would be prudent to avoid conflict, Deniz suggests, looking around. Perhaps I can use nature to conceal our passing.
With that, he intones some words in Elvish while waving his sea-shell pendant in patterns around the group. Shadows seem to shift around them, as though being cast in the wrong direction from the sun, as the sounds of the forest around the group become muted.
There, he says at last. Let us continue onwards, but avoid this path.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
"You don't mean that squirrel, do you?" Anachain asks, trying to look where Kulloda points but seeing absolutely nothing of interest.
"I know he got hurt fighting earlier... Did he take a hit to the head?" she whisper-asks the others behind his back.
But jokes aside, Anachain once more readies her wand in case it is needed but mostly just continues onward...
As Deniz casts a spell upon the group you all find your footsteps silenced, the light that would have glinted and glistened off of your clothes and armours dulled and your movement obfuscated by shadow. But should you remain on the beaten path if you are to lose your tail?
(I'll need a group stealth check and a decision from whoever is leading the party as to how you're all going to proceed)
The group become like shadows creeping through the undergrowth gaining some distance from the beaten track but keeping it enough in sight to follow it.
At the breaking of a branch behind you all, slowing to a stop and observing becomes necessary. Stalking around near the path you all see a small creature clad in a padded black leather cloak from hood to toe moving slowly, blades drawn looking for you all. Another joins it and the pair seem to hiss at one another before they both dart down the path as fast as possible heading in the direction of your goal.
You all progress forward now knowing that the creatures are no longer following you. You see the path enter into an odd clearing where the trees around it have grown thick and lean inward completely blocking the sun above. Those with dark vision see a circle of stones in the shadows of the clearing, along with a few small creatures wandering around within it.
Deniz scans the area for a moment, then turns to his companions.
Let us proceed without delay. I have the jug and the prayer. Do as you think best.
The elf then touches his feet, speaks a few words in Elvish, and some tiny feathers sprout from his ankles. He hefts the jug, which sloshes as though full of liquid, and again speaks a few words in Elvish. Finally he creeps into the clearing, moving softly in the dim light, heading toward the stone circle with the jug uncorked...
Deniz casts Longstrider on himself, speaks the jug's command word for the Fresh Water, then attempts to Hide (staying silent and out of sight) while moving forward...
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
Kulloda watches the darklings lurking around the ring and then Deniz sneaking off to begin the ritual.
Kulloda then moves off in the opposite direction of Deniz (if Deniz moves clockwise to start, Kulloda moves counterclockwise), once clear of Deniz he looks over at the darklings and clears his throat.
"Why you follow Kulloda?" Kulloda shouts at them.
He keeps his hand on his sword, ready for a fight but for now is focused on drawing attention away from Deniz and the others.
Anachain uses her Mask of Many Faces feature (disguise self) to adopt the exact same appearance as that of Deniz excepting the fact that she has a small white shamrock on each shoulder, one on the center of her chest and one on her back between her shoulder blades. They are small enough to be discreet but there as a visual clue to those who know her that this is her. ((If she never made note of this to the others before now she does so now in a whisper...))
As the real Deniz sneaks forward to try to do the task unseen, Anachain intends to make a target of herself so that they won't be looking for the actual druid. She is thinking of doing whatever Deniz does but only like thirty feet behind him but Kulloda draws attention first and so she sighs and just does with that, standing beside Kulloda and trying to discern all the darlings, targeting the one closest to where she believes Deniz is and/or needs to be... Not attacking yet but ready to.