"No, I have not been here before. I have dreamed of seeing The High Forest, but this is the first time I have laid eyes upon that impressive wall of greenery."
Lumen nods at him, then starts walking into the High Forest (staying on the path). He's looking for anything in the trees, getting familiar with how the forest should look, any anomalies.
[I'm having an OOC moment of silence for Big Basin right now... :( ]
Chrys comes to a standstill, and, much like Krackle, looks up, mouth open. Mountains being tall, she was used to. But trees?!"By the Duin,"she murmurs under her breath, her eyes wide. "I ain't never seen nothin' like this." She looks over at Kess. "This looks ta me like straight up elf territory,"she says sheepishly. "D'ya know more 'bout this forest? Will it e'en welcome folks like us coming this close? They say the trees can talk in the older forests, I hear!"
Lumen turns back to listen to Chrys (like this), and then turns back, craning his neck up and finally realizing how high up the trees go. He takes them in with raised eyebrows, and begins humming a tune that might turn into a song, inspired by the awe the trees engender in the group.
"Um... well, yes. Some of the trees can indeed, talk and even walk. Some of them were saplings long before any of us were born. And you COULD say that parts of the High Forest can be considered elven territory, but not so much so for me and my own kind, the Teu-tel-quessir." Kess explained, taking a breath to explain as much as she could; this was going to be a long explanation. "The High Forest is as beautiful and majestic as it is very dangerous. It has wonders such as the Star Mounts and the Lost Peaks, dryads, old ruins... maybe even treasure, for those daring or foolish enough to seek it. However, the forest can also be very, very dangerous. If we're not careful. we could find ourselves facing any number of threats, such as brown bears with hulking forms larger than a common storage shed, owlbears, fey, packs of wolves, mountain lion prides, savage orcs that aren't allied with Many-Arrows, and Uthgardt tribesmen who may or may not be so welcoming depending on the tribe in question, as well as outlaws that hide within the edges of the wood, and many other creatures and hazards that could await us be they natural or otherwise. We could offend a treant if we're careless, anger ghosts at a ruin, or even attract the caring attentions of any dragon that calls the forest home. And that is BEFORE considering my kindred who live here, the Or-tel-quessir or Wood Elves as they're also known in the common tongue. They're not necessarily malicious, but they do tend to keep to themselves as long as no harm is done to them; I imagine most would be courteous or leave us be and some might even help us, but they are isolated here in the forest. The Knights of Silverymoon and a league of rangers of my kind known as the High Forest Scouts also help to keep the peace and guard against abuses against the woodland where they can in concert with druids that inhabit the forest, but even so... there is no guarantee of safety within. If we were just passing through, the most relatively safe route would be to remain alongside the rivers and waterways within the forest. It's the safest way to prevent getting lost, unless you know these woods like the back of your hand. So... we'd best enjoy the view, but step lightly and lively, lest we find ourselves as bones within the lair of some monstrous beast or as prisoners to bandits... or worse."
"I dont know what is worse than being made into bones but it sounds scary. maybe we dont really need to go into the forest." Krackle would say nervously as he huddles close to Chrys.
Chrys is nodding slightly, looking dazed at the explanation. "I gotta admit, I prefer the solid stone o' the mountain under my feet ta that." Shaking her head, she looks at the forest again, this time more critically. "Well... we gotta do, what we gotta do. Let's just get to the town first an' see if visitin' the forest is gonna be part of that job before we work ourselves up."
She strikes out along the road once more, though this time more slowly, and definitely more cautiously as she continues to throw glances over at the looming trees that grow closer with each step.
After taking a brief respite to soak in this incredible sight, you continue forward on the trail until you pass through the wall of green and set foot into The High Forest. Almost immediately, you recognize that you have entered an entirely different environment and ecosystem. The small stands of cottonwoods and alders that lined the river to this point give way to a vast woodland of gnarled old oaks, tall ashes, thick leafy maples and massive pines that reach high up into the dense canopy that covers nearly the entire view overhead. You can see very little of the sky above, and reduced sunlight filters down through the tangle of thick foliage, creating a more dimly lit world. Your eyes adjust quickly, but you realize that a creature could find concealment very easily in here.
Being out of the direct sunshine, the air is a little bit cooler in here, but not by much. It’s quite muggy, and there are many mosquitoes that buzz by your ears as they look for any bit of exposed skin on your bodies.
Kess's cautious words about the best way to navigate in here instantly ring true. The trail alongside the Dessarin remains plainly visible, but it’s by far the easiest possible route you can recognize through this wild terrain, which undulates with hills, gullies, stream beds, moss covered rocks, thick branches, tangles of heavy brush and fallen trees that lie on the forest floor, slowly rotting their way back into the rich dirt that makes up the ground beneath you. It’s not so thick that you wouldn’t be able to travel off-trail, but progress would be considerably slower and the chances for getting lost much greater.
By now, you have only walked a few hundred feet into the forest, but in this very short time, it has already become your new reality. Looking back, you can barely see the small gap where you entered this thick green world.
Chrys steps carefully through the forest, cautiously sticking to the trail. She feels out of her element here; wrong-footed. Sure, the hills and valley of Twilight Tor were rife with natural wonders, too, but there's no reassuring stone here - just the shifting, mossy earth and the tall trees, crowding her in. She grows quiet, and unusually for her, uncertain, feeling smaller than she already is when surrounded by so many giants.
"You okay?" she says as Krackle lets out a yelp from her shoulder. She pats the kobold on his foot reassuringly; Chrys is actually glad Krackle is close to her, and not for his sake. He seems more in tune with the forest and its surroundings than she; it's both comforting and grounding to have a friend this close to her. It allows her into hope that she won't get separated from the rest of the Pie Pals on the way to the Hold.
(whoops ignore that 3, typo ^^; still a natural 20 though yay)
As you walk deeper into the forest, you pass a small rise just off the left side of the trail, and you hear a faint sound that catches your ears above all of the other natural sounds of the wood, like the stream, the chirping of birds, the scurrying of small furry creatures in the trees. No, this is more of a scraping sound, perhaps metal on bark, and as you turn your heads and look to the left, you catch a quick glimpse of something.... someone hiding behind one of the trees. It appears to be a human peeking around the edge of the tree, and from what you can tell, it's a man in leather armor wielding a light crossbow that he looks to be aiming at you.
Your wits suddenly fill you with a sense of alarm, and your eyes dart to the other trees in the immediate area, where you spot not one, but three figures who are hiding behind large tree trunks, all within a few feet of each other, obviously lying in wait for an ambush. (Krackle only sees the first figure.)
Chrys
You also spot a fourth figure hiding among the bunch.
Since you all have successfully spotted these men, despite your dismal perception rolls, 😂 You can all roll initiative.
Krackle would stand with his mouth open staring at the wall of trees.
"Did you say you've been here before?" Lumen asks Antonio.
"No, I have not been here before. I have dreamed of seeing The High Forest, but this is the first time I have laid eyes upon that impressive wall of greenery."
Lumen nods at him, then starts walking into the High Forest (staying on the path). He's looking for anything in the trees, getting familiar with how the forest should look, any anomalies.
[I'm having an OOC moment of silence for Big Basin right now... :( ]
Chrys comes to a standstill, and, much like Krackle, looks up, mouth open. Mountains being tall, she was used to. But trees?! "By the Duin," she murmurs under her breath, her eyes wide. "I ain't never seen nothin' like this." She looks over at Kess. "This looks ta me like straight up elf territory," she says sheepishly. "D'ya know more 'bout this forest? Will it e'en welcome folks like us coming this close? They say the trees can talk in the older forests, I hear!"
Lumen turns back to listen to Chrys (like this), and then turns back, craning his neck up and finally realizing how high up the trees go. He takes them in with raised eyebrows, and begins humming a tune that might turn into a song, inspired by the awe the trees engender in the group.
"Um... well, yes. Some of the trees can indeed, talk and even walk. Some of them were saplings long before any of us were born. And you COULD say that parts of the High Forest can be considered elven territory, but not so much so for me and my own kind, the Teu-tel-quessir." Kess explained, taking a breath to explain as much as she could; this was going to be a long explanation. "The High Forest is as beautiful and majestic as it is very dangerous. It has wonders such as the Star Mounts and the Lost Peaks, dryads, old ruins... maybe even treasure, for those daring or foolish enough to seek it. However, the forest can also be very, very dangerous. If we're not careful. we could find ourselves facing any number of threats, such as brown bears with hulking forms larger than a common storage shed, owlbears, fey, packs of wolves, mountain lion prides, savage orcs that aren't allied with Many-Arrows, and Uthgardt tribesmen who may or may not be so welcoming depending on the tribe in question, as well as outlaws that hide within the edges of the wood, and many other creatures and hazards that could await us be they natural or otherwise. We could offend a treant if we're careless, anger ghosts at a ruin, or even attract the caring attentions of any dragon that calls the forest home. And that is BEFORE considering my kindred who live here, the Or-tel-quessir or Wood Elves as they're also known in the common tongue. They're not necessarily malicious, but they do tend to keep to themselves as long as no harm is done to them; I imagine most would be courteous or leave us be and some might even help us, but they are isolated here in the forest. The Knights of Silverymoon and a league of rangers of my kind known as the High Forest Scouts also help to keep the peace and guard against abuses against the woodland where they can in concert with druids that inhabit the forest, but even so... there is no guarantee of safety within. If we were just passing through, the most relatively safe route would be to remain alongside the rivers and waterways within the forest. It's the safest way to prevent getting lost, unless you know these woods like the back of your hand. So... we'd best enjoy the view, but step lightly and lively, lest we find ourselves as bones within the lair of some monstrous beast or as prisoners to bandits... or worse."
"I dont know what is worse than being made into bones but it sounds scary. maybe we dont really need to go into the forest." Krackle would say nervously as he huddles close to Chrys.
Chrys is nodding slightly, looking dazed at the explanation. "I gotta admit, I prefer the solid stone o' the mountain under my feet ta that." Shaking her head, she looks at the forest again, this time more critically. "Well... we gotta do, what we gotta do. Let's just get to the town first an' see if visitin' the forest is gonna be part of that job before we work ourselves up."
She strikes out along the road once more, though this time more slowly, and definitely more cautiously as she continues to throw glances over at the looming trees that grow closer with each step.
After taking a brief respite to soak in this incredible sight, you continue forward on the trail until you pass through the wall of green and set foot into The High Forest. Almost immediately, you recognize that you have entered an entirely different environment and ecosystem. The small stands of cottonwoods and alders that lined the river to this point give way to a vast woodland of gnarled old oaks, tall ashes, thick leafy maples and massive pines that reach high up into the dense canopy that covers nearly the entire view overhead. You can see very little of the sky above, and reduced sunlight filters down through the tangle of thick foliage, creating a more dimly lit world. Your eyes adjust quickly, but you realize that a creature could find concealment very easily in here.
Being out of the direct sunshine, the air is a little bit cooler in here, but not by much. It’s quite muggy, and there are many mosquitoes that buzz by your ears as they look for any bit of exposed skin on your bodies.
Kess's cautious words about the best way to navigate in here instantly ring true. The trail alongside the Dessarin remains plainly visible, but it’s by far the easiest possible route you can recognize through this wild terrain, which undulates with hills, gullies, stream beds, moss covered rocks, thick branches, tangles of heavy brush and fallen trees that lie on the forest floor, slowly rotting their way back into the rich dirt that makes up the ground beneath you. It’s not so thick that you wouldn’t be able to travel off-trail, but progress would be considerably slower and the chances for getting lost much greater.
By now, you have only walked a few hundred feet into the forest, but in this very short time, it has already become your new reality. Looking back, you can barely see the small gap where you entered this thick green world.
(Need perception checks, please.)
Lumen perception: 7
"I wonder if any of the trees have names," he says, eyes rising up and falling down the trunks.
(We're looking for Phelannie, who lives near the Old Man Tree, which is 3-4 hours down the trail past Noanar's Hold, our target town for the night.)
"Ahh.. this is way better on my eyes." Krackle would say as they enter the shaded forest.
Perception! 3
**** "GAH!" The small kobold would say as the turns and a small twig pokes him in the eye.
Perception: 323
Chrys steps carefully through the forest, cautiously sticking to the trail. She feels out of her element here; wrong-footed. Sure, the hills and valley of Twilight Tor were rife with natural wonders, too, but there's no reassuring stone here - just the shifting, mossy earth and the tall trees, crowding her in. She grows quiet, and unusually for her, uncertain, feeling smaller than she already is when surrounded by so many giants.
"You okay?" she says as Krackle lets out a yelp from her shoulder. She pats the kobold on his foot reassuringly; Chrys is actually glad Krackle is close to her, and not for his sake. He seems more in tune with the forest and its surroundings than she; it's both comforting and grounding to have a friend this close to her. It allows her into hope that she won't get separated from the rest of the Pie Pals on the way to the Hold.
(whoops ignore that 3, typo ^^; still a natural 20 though yay)
Perception: 5
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
I know that SodaSaint is pretty busy these days, so someone can go ahead and roll for Kess.
Perception:5
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
DM Rolls
Initiative rolls
As you walk deeper into the forest, you pass a small rise just off the left side of the trail, and you hear a faint sound that catches your ears above all of the other natural sounds of the wood, like the stream, the chirping of birds, the scurrying of small furry creatures in the trees. No, this is more of a scraping sound, perhaps metal on bark, and as you turn your heads and look to the left, you catch a quick glimpse of something.... someone hiding behind one of the trees. It appears to be a human peeking around the edge of the tree, and from what you can tell, it's a man in leather armor wielding a light crossbow that he looks to be aiming at you.
Your wits suddenly fill you with a sense of alarm, and your eyes dart to the other trees in the immediate area, where you spot not one, but three figures who are hiding behind large tree trunks, all within a few feet of each other, obviously lying in wait for an ambush. (Krackle only sees the first figure.)
Chrys
You also spot a fourth figure hiding among the bunch.
Since you all have successfully spotted these men, despite your dismal perception rolls, 😂 You can all roll initiative.
Chrys Initiative: 6
Lumen initiative: 23