You set out back into the jungle, De'ran leading the way. At one point Flutter spots a large patch of rocky terrain up ahead, then perching in the canopy on the clearing's edge notices a group of large, leathery-winged humanoids flying above. The tressym's warning allows De'ran to lead the group around the clearing under the concealing cover of the jungle, avoiding the ambush. The next day Sparks notices the scent of decay in the air, growing ever stronger in spite of the constant rain. Carefully approaching Sparks is able to see a group of dozens and dozens of zombies milling around the corpse of some gargantuan lizard creature. You move on before any of them catch sight of you. On the third day Aerin hears a strange rumbling, seeming to vibrate up from the ground below. His early warning allows everyone to climb into the branches of trees above, just before herd of massive bipedal creatures comes crashing through the forest, trampling all in their path.
It is the fourth day since you left the web-filled cave, around when you expect to reach the temple indicated on the Cartophile's map. Stopping for a mid-day rest, Garick sits in a mossy patch under a large, half-fallen tree propped up against a rock. He pulls out his mid-day rations and starts eating before looking up at the rest of the group, as a sprinkle of leaves and small pebble fall softly around him.
The rest of you look at the tree leaning against the rock. Both clearly have faces carved into them, and they seem to be almost vibrating as they lean against each other with more force than should be possible. The longer you look, the clearer the situation becomes. The faces aren't carved, but natural features not of a tree and a rock, but actual faces of creatures made of tree and rock, and the two are straining against each other, pushing with all their might, but neither able to move the other.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sparks and Flutter look to see if there is any reason they shouldn't just keep moving, if the path continues he waves everyone on and gives a shrill whistle to get them moving. This is clearly not a good place to take a rest.
Perception: 24 Sparks giving flutter the help action...
As Garick leaps to his feet he finds a vine loosely wrapped around his ankles, tripping him up. Garick, please make a dex save (DC 10).
De'ran, you don't recall either creatures names, but you've heard of powerful sentient trees and you know that most animated rock creatures are earth elementals of one sort or another.
Sparks and flutter, as you begin rushing around the struggling titans you notice a spiral of small stones beneath them, just beyond the moss where Garick was sitting. In fact the whole space below them is manicured and well tended. Not at all overgrown like the surrounding jungle. As you look closer, you notice that nothing around the large creatures is at all disturbed. No churned earth or trampled vegetation.
As Garick struggles with the vines around his ankles you all hear a tiny peal of tinkling laughter from the air near his knees. When Harbek calls his question the tree and the stone do not answer, but Harbeck hears the sound of beating wings, much like a large dragonfly, droning around his head and a small voice calls out "They're a bit busy for talk, can't you see?"
Sparks and Flutter get a good look at the area below the straining giants. What originally looked like moss, lichen, vines and the like growing naturally from the underside of the two creatures looks intentionally grown there, providing a cathedral-like ceiling for the space below. Small smooth stones spiral inward to a larger central stone. Placed upon the stone are a collection of small, natural items; a feather, a pebble, a sprouted seed, a purple flower. The scene reminds you at once of temples to nature that you've read about in the past, though those were more on a human scale, while this seems sized more for a mouse. Those were also all encountered in the feywild, from what you remember.
De'ran looks around and feels a bit uneasy or self conscious to put it better. He is drawn to this location, this setting... but is feeling a lost connection with nature. He feels like he should be more aware of what's going on and is starting to question himself. He pulls back from the elementals and just watches as the others interact with the environment.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
As everyone listens more closely you hear rapid and powerful wing beats, like a dragonfly. The sound is coming from the air around Harbek's head, but you see nothing there. From the same location, the voice calls back "I'm Pop, of course! The real question is who are you and what do he mean by sitting on the temple? Hardly the way to show respect for the eternal war of tree and stone!"
Aerin, give me a con save DC 10.
Flutter sees
(and would have seen this whole time, I forgot about the detect invisibility on Tressym!) a pair of tiny humanoids. One appears to be female, with butterfly wings, unarmed but trailing sparkling dust. She's holding a tiny feather as she flits up around Aerin's face, tickling his nose. The other male, with dragonfly wings, a tiny sword and bow buzzes around Harbek's head, never stopping in one place. This is the one speaking, who called himself Pop.
Thorin says: "please forgive us. we meant no disrespect. my friend was unaware the place he chose to sit was your temple. can you tell us about this eternal war of tree and stone?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Garick with stick towards the back as an almost rearguard
Perception 9
You set out back into the jungle, De'ran leading the way. At one point Flutter spots a large patch of rocky terrain up ahead, then perching in the canopy on the clearing's edge notices a group of large, leathery-winged humanoids flying above. The tressym's warning allows De'ran to lead the group around the clearing under the concealing cover of the jungle, avoiding the ambush. The next day Sparks notices the scent of decay in the air, growing ever stronger in spite of the constant rain. Carefully approaching Sparks is able to see a group of dozens and dozens of zombies milling around the corpse of some gargantuan lizard creature. You move on before any of them catch sight of you. On the third day Aerin hears a strange rumbling, seeming to vibrate up from the ground below. His early warning allows everyone to climb into the branches of trees above, just before herd of massive bipedal creatures comes crashing through the forest, trampling all in their path.
It is the fourth day since you left the web-filled cave, around when you expect to reach the temple indicated on the Cartophile's map. Stopping for a mid-day rest, Garick sits in a mossy patch under a large, half-fallen tree propped up against a rock. He pulls out his mid-day rations and starts eating before looking up at the rest of the group, as a sprinkle of leaves and small pebble fall softly around him.
The rest of you look at the tree leaning against the rock. Both clearly have faces carved into them, and they seem to be almost vibrating as they lean against each other with more force than should be possible. The longer you look, the clearer the situation becomes. The faces aren't carved, but natural features not of a tree and a rock, but actual faces of creatures made of tree and rock, and the two are straining against each other, pushing with all their might, but neither able to move the other.
De'ran tries to recall if he's ever seen or heard of creatures like this before..
Nature/History are the same so: 10
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
Sparks and Flutter look to see if there is any reason they shouldn't just keep moving, if the path continues he waves everyone on and gives a shrill whistle to get them moving. This is clearly not a good place to take a rest.
Perception: 24 Sparks giving flutter the help action...
Garick jumps up and backs away quickly. Seeing Sparks and Flutter he moves to follow their lead.
Harbek stands at the ready, but itches his beard. “What are you two doing?” He calls out loudly to the trees.
Paladin - warforged - orange
As Garick leaps to his feet he finds a vine loosely wrapped around his ankles, tripping him up. Garick, please make a dex save (DC 10).
De'ran, you don't recall either creatures names, but you've heard of powerful sentient trees and you know that most animated rock creatures are earth elementals of one sort or another.
Sparks and flutter, as you begin rushing around the struggling titans you notice a spiral of small stones beneath them, just beyond the moss where Garick was sitting. In fact the whole space below them is manicured and well tended. Not at all overgrown like the surrounding jungle. As you look closer, you notice that nothing around the large creatures is at all disturbed. No churned earth or trampled vegetation.
As Garick struggles with the vines around his ankles you all hear a tiny peal of tinkling laughter from the air near his knees. When Harbek calls his question the tree and the stone do not answer, but Harbeck hears the sound of beating wings, much like a large dragonfly, droning around his head and a small voice calls out "They're a bit busy for talk, can't you see?"
Dex save 12
You step through the vine loosely wrapped around your ankles easily, hardly stumbling in the least as they come free.
Sparks studies the ground closer, with flutter helping.
Investigation:15
Sparks and Flutter get a good look at the area below the straining giants. What originally looked like moss, lichen, vines and the like growing naturally from the underside of the two creatures looks intentionally grown there, providing a cathedral-like ceiling for the space below. Small smooth stones spiral inward to a larger central stone. Placed upon the stone are a collection of small, natural items; a feather, a pebble, a sprouted seed, a purple flower. The scene reminds you at once of temples to nature that you've read about in the past, though those were more on a human scale, while this seems sized more for a mouse. Those were also all encountered in the feywild, from what you remember.
(Did Sparks hear the voice earlier or was that just for the character spoken to?)
(Everyone heard the voice and the laughter before it.)
“Who’s there?” Harbek calls out to the voice, looking around for its source.
perception 13
Paladin - warforged - orange
De'ran looks around and feels a bit uneasy or self conscious to put it better. He is drawn to this location, this setting... but is feeling a lost connection with nature. He feels like he should be more aware of what's going on and is starting to question himself. He pulls back from the elementals and just watches as the others interact with the environment.
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
Aerin will also look for the source of the voice:
Perception: 19
Sparks will send flutter to find the source of the voice. Flutter can detect anything invisible within 30 feet of her...
DM Housekeeping:
P: 21
a 1
As everyone listens more closely you hear rapid and powerful wing beats, like a dragonfly. The sound is coming from the air around Harbek's head, but you see nothing there. From the same location, the voice calls back "I'm Pop, of course! The real question is who are you and what do he mean by sitting on the temple? Hardly the way to show respect for the eternal war of tree and stone!"
Aerin, give me a con save DC 10.
Flutter sees
(and would have seen this whole time, I forgot about the detect invisibility on Tressym!) a pair of tiny humanoids. One appears to be female, with butterfly wings, unarmed but trailing sparkling dust. She's holding a tiny feather as she flits up around Aerin's face, tickling his nose. The other male, with dragonfly wings, a tiny sword and bow buzzes around Harbek's head, never stopping in one place. This is the one speaking, who called himself Pop.
Thorin says: "please forgive us. we meant no disrespect. my friend was unaware the place he chose to sit was your temple. can you tell us about this eternal war of tree and stone?"