Phelannie seems to respond positively to Lumen's playing, and for a couple of brief minutes, her eyes fix on him with an almost magical gaze. He finds herself as enthralled by her gaze as he does her voice. He plays so well, fretting chords with such ease and creating wondrous melodies right on the spot, with technique and musicality that shine well above any recent performances he can remember. Whether it's the muse of seeing this beautiful fey creature right in front of his own eyes, hearing her own melodic voice speak in the elvish tongue, or some other stroke of inspiration, Lumen almost finds himself hypnotized by his own playing, perhaps even more so than by simply being in the presence of this enchanted forest dweller.
He's just enthralled, looking at the dryad, wondering what she's like, what she's been up to, if she seems hurt or recently-imprisoned, anything he might have missed about her...
Krackle starts clapping wildly. "Wow! Good job Lumen! That is really good!" The kobold would say as he dances along. Without understanding elvish, the kobold would cast mold earth and quickly bury the dead spiders before pulling out his dark and going to work on cutting off spider webs from the tree.
Phelannie looks on, smiling as Krackle does his little dance, and she nods approvingly when he helps cut more of the webs from her tree and uses his druid magic to bury the spiders. However, despite the relative good cheer that has been brought on by Lumen's music, the dryad reverts to a more somber expression as she continues to speak in the elvish tongue.
Loosely translating Phelannie's words, Kess says,
"Phelannie says that she really enjoys Lumen's music, and she is pleased to hear and feel such positive energy from him and the rest of us, especially after such a trying ordeal, being imprisoned in her own tree by the Ettercaps. She would like to know who we are and why we are here, and if Ander... if Master Dundragon is ok. She seems to fear that he is in danger. She seems be a little confused about why we have come to seek her out."
"Also, she says that we should not be complacent right now, as there are more Ettercaps nearby."
As you continue to clear the webs from her tree, Phelannie smiles and appears visibly relieved when she hears that Dundragon is ok, although she says that she does worry about him, living among so many people and potential dangers. She does admit to the irony of worrying about him when he had actually sent you all here to look in on her, right when she was in a time of great need. Her voice and body language would indeed indicate that she is very fond of him, and she doesn't try to hide this fact from you.
Regarding the Ettercaps, she speaks in a much more somber and timid tone, once again, translated by Kess.
"Ettercaps are woodland dwellers, and they are the natural enemy of fey creatures, such as myself. When they move into an area, they poison the health of the forest, as they have no desire to live in harmony with nature. They wish to despoil it, and they use their dominance over the spiders and other foul insects to bring darkness, death and disease."
"Ettercaps are always a minor threat, but there do seem to be an unusually large number of those terrible things lurking around this part of the forest right now. Perhaps there is some reason, but I do not know what that reason is. I am grateful for your coming and for your help, though, friends of Ander Bran, and I would be even more grateful if you could help clear the rest of this area of their filth."
"Well... we can help! Krackle is a good helper. We can help get rid of all the big spider things and then you can give us some of your hair! Then everyone is happy!" The kobold would exclaim as he struggles to hack at the web without hitting the tree.
"We can do this -- are there safe places to spend the night in the forest? We have been warned about the nocturnal dangers between here and town, and if we are taking more than a few hours, it seems we will need to spend the night here,"Lumen says, rising to his feet. "Have you been staying hidden as they took over your tree? Were there too many? And would the trees and life in the forest be okay if we tried to light the webbing on fire to clear the rot away? Don't want to start a forest fire, but it's been wet recently, so perhaps it would be safe."
The Dryad gives Krackle a gentle smile of appreciation and intrigue. Then, answering Lumen with her soft voice that sounds like elvish being whispered through the rustling leaves, which is translated by Kess, Phelannie says,
"Of course it is safe to spend the night in the forest. I have lived here all my life, and it is no more dangerous here than it is in any other place. Yes, there are always threats under the canopy, as there are anywhere else, just as there is always good and evil, but such is the balance of life. Even though we must always fight for survival, we do not succumb to the fear of evil, lest we become controlled by it."
"The ettercaps are dangerous, but I have ways to elude them should one pass by. However, I was quickly overwhelmed this time, and they trapped me in my tree. I am grateful that you came along."
"Yes, the webs don't burn, they quickly smolder and melt when touched by fire. It would take a fire much hotter than what is needed to burn a web to start a forest fire."
Chrys, upon receiving a translation, turns to the others. "I don't mind helpin' either. I think Dundragon would count it as part o' helping his girl here, anyway. But I think I'm gonna need to catch some sleep, an' recover my strength a bit 'fore we press a frontal assault,"she admits grudgingly. "This forest is takin' me off guard, an' I wanna be sharp if we're goin' ettercap huntin'."
You continue to converse with Phelannie through the late afternoon and finish cutting and burning away the rest of the webs that cover the trunk of her maple tree. The are still a few straggling strands that are tangled up in the upper branches, but overall, the sickly look that you saw has mostly been dispensed with and tree takes on a much more healthy appearance.
During this time, the dryad occasionally flutters gracefully about the areas around her tree, cleaning up small bits of refuse and generally brightening up the ambiance of the clearing. As she moves around, she graces her soft hands across some of the branches and you watch as small, colorful flowers bloom beneath her dainty fingers and add even more brightness, cheer and color to the area.
"I bet we could sleep up in the tree... or I could dig us a cozy hole to sleep in." Krackle would reply as he peels bits of web from his arms. "I think we need to get rid of these spiders. I really like these trees... I have never been in a forest like this. It's really big. All these big trees make me feel nice." The kobold would say as he takes a deep breath in through his nose as he enjoys the woods.
Chrys begrudgingly admits that maybe, just maybe, forests aren't all that bad, as Phelannie works her magic. Sure, the darker parts of the forest are still creepy, and the thought of having to fight even more of those poisonous creatures fills her with grim determination. But for now, the sudden appearance of flowers reminds her a bit of the mountainside blooming in spring, and a brief bout of nostalgia for Twilight Tor passes over her.
"Well... we're here to bring trouble to any who'd disturb this peace. So I say we just camp out the way we always do, an' keep a good watch between us for the evenin'. And if somethin' tries to attack the trees again, well... this time we'll be here to put a stop to it, right?"
(Chrys will take the first watch when the party rests.)
Lumen agrees to resting by Phelannie's tree. He offers to cover Krackle (and Vesper, if she wants) to take a slightly wider circuit around the clearing, targeting more webs in the band of trees farther out, almost burning away a firing line to give the group, and the dryad, some space if anything arachnid gets curious during the night.
With the decision made to stay here for the rest of the afternoon and evening, you spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the small clearing, burning webs from the nearby trees and removing any signs of death and filth from the area around Phelannie's tree. She flutters about, brightening the place in her own way, making more flowers bloom, occasionally disappearing into her own tree, and also magically moving between some of the other surrounding trees, as well. She also calls for in her gently voice in a tongue that only Vesper can understand (Sylvan) and speaks with the few small animals and forest creatures, beckoning them to return to her grove, which some of them reluctantly being to do.
Phelannie moves with such grace, it's quite an intriguing sight to watch a fey creature up close like this... and you know that few people ever have the opportunity to do so. Everything you've ever heard about fey folk is that they are mysterious creature who are closely tied to nature and often possess supernatural abilities. And, of course, you know that Dryads are only one of many types of fey folk, which range from delightfully cheerful and slightly mischievous to downright terrifying and evil.
Kess tells you that elves and fey, although not technically related, nonetheless share a untied belief and common connection to nature and the natural purity of life. Elves originally came from the Feywild, a similar, but separate plane filled with unusually potent magic that "echoes" the Prime Material Plane, but eventually abandoned that plane, save for the noble Eladrin elves.
As the afternoon shifts to evening and the darkness sets in, the place gets seems to bet a little more eerie, but not as much as it seemed earlier when you first entered the grove and were ambush by the Ettercaps. It feels relatively safe here, but at the same time, oddly mysterious and uncertain. You enjoy your dinner at the base of the dryad's tree, and when she does appear, she asks you about Ander-Bran and how you know of him.
Eventually, the hour turns to night and you settle down for the night. Chrys takes the first watch, sitting up, and occasionally watching the dryad come and go, disappearing and reappearing, usually in silence beneath the dark, quiet canopy of the grove.
Lumen takes second watch, happy at the progress the group made at clearing the grove. He tries not to stare at Phelannie, but he pays attention to the translated stories of the Feywild.
He almost forgets to be nervous about the stories they've been told about the High Forest at night.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Uh, well,"Chrys begins awkwardly during dinner, speaking of course through Kess. "We kinda ran into him back in Yartar. His apprentice, that is. The boy got in a scrap o' trouble and we went to visit Du-- Ander-Bran to settle things down. Turns out he was lookin' for a couple o' stout adventurers to check up on ya. An' I'd say it was a lucky thing he did too, huh?"
She scratches her head. "One thing I don't get is that Du-- uh, Ander-Bran told us to keep an eye out fer books. Guess he likes collectin' 'em or somethin'. But we haven't see many books out these ways so far. I don't suppose ya heard of a library or somethin' anywhere near these forests, have ya?"
Later that evening, Chrys tries to make herself comfortable in the forest -- again, not an easy task, for a dwarf so unused to the fey side of things.
Perception: 17
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Sorry for the delay: 20
Phelannie seems to respond positively to Lumen's playing, and for a couple of brief minutes, her eyes fix on him with an almost magical gaze. He finds herself as enthralled by her gaze as he does her voice. He plays so well, fretting chords with such ease and creating wondrous melodies right on the spot, with technique and musicality that shine well above any recent performances he can remember. Whether it's the muse of seeing this beautiful fey creature right in front of his own eyes, hearing her own melodic voice speak in the elvish tongue, or some other stroke of inspiration, Lumen almost finds himself hypnotized by his own playing, perhaps even more so than by simply being in the presence of this enchanted forest dweller.
(19 and then a 20, wow Lumen)
He's just enthralled, looking at the dryad, wondering what she's like, what she's been up to, if she seems hurt or recently-imprisoned, anything he might have missed about her...
Krackle starts clapping wildly. "Wow! Good job Lumen! That is really good!" The kobold would say as he dances along. Without understanding elvish, the kobold would cast mold earth and quickly bury the dead spiders before pulling out his dark and going to work on cutting off spider webs from the tree.
Phelannie looks on, smiling as Krackle does his little dance, and she nods approvingly when he helps cut more of the webs from her tree and uses his druid magic to bury the spiders. However, despite the relative good cheer that has been brought on by Lumen's music, the dryad reverts to a more somber expression as she continues to speak in the elvish tongue.
Loosely translating Phelannie's words, Kess says,
"Phelannie says that she really enjoys Lumen's music, and she is pleased to hear and feel such positive energy from him and the rest of us, especially after such a trying ordeal, being imprisoned in her own tree by the Ettercaps. She would like to know who we are and why we are here, and if Ander... if Master Dundragon is ok. She seems to fear that he is in danger. She seems be a little confused about why we have come to seek her out."
"Also, she says that we should not be complacent right now, as there are more Ettercaps nearby."
"Master Dundragon is fine. He wanted us to come see if you're okay and to get a lock of your hair."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
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Chrys pulls out her dagger and gets to work with Krackle, trying to free the tree of its spiderwebs. As Kess translates, her brow knits.
"They got a nest or somethin' round here? Why're there so many attackin' the forest right now? This can't be normal, can it?"
As you continue to clear the webs from her tree, Phelannie smiles and appears visibly relieved when she hears that Dundragon is ok, although she says that she does worry about him, living among so many people and potential dangers. She does admit to the irony of worrying about him when he had actually sent you all here to look in on her, right when she was in a time of great need. Her voice and body language would indeed indicate that she is very fond of him, and she doesn't try to hide this fact from you.
Regarding the Ettercaps, she speaks in a much more somber and timid tone, once again, translated by Kess.
"Ettercaps are woodland dwellers, and they are the natural enemy of fey creatures, such as myself. When they move into an area, they poison the health of the forest, as they have no desire to live in harmony with nature. They wish to despoil it, and they use their dominance over the spiders and other foul insects to bring darkness, death and disease."
"Ettercaps are always a minor threat, but there do seem to be an unusually large number of those terrible things lurking around this part of the forest right now. Perhaps there is some reason, but I do not know what that reason is. I am grateful for your coming and for your help, though, friends of Ander Bran, and I would be even more grateful if you could help clear the rest of this area of their filth."
"Well... we can help! Krackle is a good helper. We can help get rid of all the big spider things and then you can give us some of your hair! Then everyone is happy!" The kobold would exclaim as he struggles to hack at the web without hitting the tree.
"We can do this -- are there safe places to spend the night in the forest? We have been warned about the nocturnal dangers between here and town, and if we are taking more than a few hours, it seems we will need to spend the night here," Lumen says, rising to his feet. "Have you been staying hidden as they took over your tree? Were there too many? And would the trees and life in the forest be okay if we tried to light the webbing on fire to clear the rot away? Don't want to start a forest fire, but it's been wet recently, so perhaps it would be safe."
The Dryad gives Krackle a gentle smile of appreciation and intrigue. Then, answering Lumen with her soft voice that sounds like elvish being whispered through the rustling leaves, which is translated by Kess, Phelannie says,
"Of course it is safe to spend the night in the forest. I have lived here all my life, and it is no more dangerous here than it is in any other place. Yes, there are always threats under the canopy, as there are anywhere else, just as there is always good and evil, but such is the balance of life. Even though we must always fight for survival, we do not succumb to the fear of evil, lest we become controlled by it."
"The ettercaps are dangerous, but I have ways to elude them should one pass by. However, I was quickly overwhelmed this time, and they trapped me in my tree. I am grateful that you came along."
"Yes, the webs don't burn, they quickly smolder and melt when touched by fire. It would take a fire much hotter than what is needed to burn a web to start a forest fire."
(Assuming Kess translation) Krackle would then produce a flame in his hand and begin rubbing it all along the webs.
Chrys, upon receiving a translation, turns to the others. "I don't mind helpin' either. I think Dundragon would count it as part o' helping his girl here, anyway. But I think I'm gonna need to catch some sleep, an' recover my strength a bit 'fore we press a frontal assault," she admits grudgingly. "This forest is takin' me off guard, an' I wanna be sharp if we're goin' ettercap huntin'."
You continue to converse with Phelannie through the late afternoon and finish cutting and burning away the rest of the webs that cover the trunk of her maple tree. The are still a few straggling strands that are tangled up in the upper branches, but overall, the sickly look that you saw has mostly been dispensed with and tree takes on a much more healthy appearance.
During this time, the dryad occasionally flutters gracefully about the areas around her tree, cleaning up small bits of refuse and generally brightening up the ambiance of the clearing. As she moves around, she graces her soft hands across some of the branches and you watch as small, colorful flowers bloom beneath her dainty fingers and add even more brightness, cheer and color to the area.
"I bet we could sleep up in the tree... or I could dig us a cozy hole to sleep in." Krackle would reply as he peels bits of web from his arms. "I think we need to get rid of these spiders. I really like these trees... I have never been in a forest like this. It's really big. All these big trees make me feel nice." The kobold would say as he takes a deep breath in through his nose as he enjoys the woods.
Chrys begrudgingly admits that maybe, just maybe, forests aren't all that bad, as Phelannie works her magic. Sure, the darker parts of the forest are still creepy, and the thought of having to fight even more of those poisonous creatures fills her with grim determination. But for now, the sudden appearance of flowers reminds her a bit of the mountainside blooming in spring, and a brief bout of nostalgia for Twilight Tor passes over her.
"Well... we're here to bring trouble to any who'd disturb this peace. So I say we just camp out the way we always do, an' keep a good watch between us for the evenin'. And if somethin' tries to attack the trees again, well... this time we'll be here to put a stop to it, right?"
(Chrys will take the first watch when the party rests.)
Lumen agrees to resting by Phelannie's tree. He offers to cover Krackle (and Vesper, if she wants) to take a slightly wider circuit around the clearing, targeting more webs in the band of trees farther out, almost burning away a firing line to give the group, and the dryad, some space if anything arachnid gets curious during the night.
With the decision made to stay here for the rest of the afternoon and evening, you spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the small clearing, burning webs from the nearby trees and removing any signs of death and filth from the area around Phelannie's tree. She flutters about, brightening the place in her own way, making more flowers bloom, occasionally disappearing into her own tree, and also magically moving between some of the other surrounding trees, as well. She also calls for in her gently voice in a tongue that only Vesper can understand (Sylvan) and speaks with the few small animals and forest creatures, beckoning them to return to her grove, which some of them reluctantly being to do.
Phelannie moves with such grace, it's quite an intriguing sight to watch a fey creature up close like this... and you know that few people ever have the opportunity to do so. Everything you've ever heard about fey folk is that they are mysterious creature who are closely tied to nature and often possess supernatural abilities. And, of course, you know that Dryads are only one of many types of fey folk, which range from delightfully cheerful and slightly mischievous to downright terrifying and evil.
Kess tells you that elves and fey, although not technically related, nonetheless share a untied belief and common connection to nature and the natural purity of life. Elves originally came from the Feywild, a similar, but separate plane filled with unusually potent magic that "echoes" the Prime Material Plane, but eventually abandoned that plane, save for the noble Eladrin elves.
As the afternoon shifts to evening and the darkness sets in, the place gets seems to bet a little more eerie, but not as much as it seemed earlier when you first entered the grove and were ambush by the Ettercaps. It feels relatively safe here, but at the same time, oddly mysterious and uncertain. You enjoy your dinner at the base of the dryad's tree, and when she does appear, she asks you about Ander-Bran and how you know of him.
Eventually, the hour turns to night and you settle down for the night. Chrys takes the first watch, sitting up, and occasionally watching the dryad come and go, disappearing and reappearing, usually in silence beneath the dark, quiet canopy of the grove.
Lumen takes second watch, happy at the progress the group made at clearing the grove. He tries not to stare at Phelannie, but he pays attention to the translated stories of the Feywild.
He almost forgets to be nervous about the stories they've been told about the High Forest at night.
"Uh, well," Chrys begins awkwardly during dinner, speaking of course through Kess. "We kinda ran into him back in Yartar. His apprentice, that is. The boy got in a scrap o' trouble and we went to visit Du-- Ander-Bran to settle things down. Turns out he was lookin' for a couple o' stout adventurers to check up on ya. An' I'd say it was a lucky thing he did too, huh?"
She scratches her head. "One thing I don't get is that Du-- uh, Ander-Bran told us to keep an eye out fer books. Guess he likes collectin' 'em or somethin'. But we haven't see many books out these ways so far. I don't suppose ya heard of a library or somethin' anywhere near these forests, have ya?"
Later that evening, Chrys tries to make herself comfortable in the forest -- again, not an easy task, for a dwarf so unused to the fey side of things.
Perception: 17