Ssej, the tree turns (??) to you and responds, “Hello there!” Its a jaunty, cheerful voice. You don’t know where the voice came from.
The tree has stopped walking. You saw that it was moving its roots to propel itself along the ground. You hear the voice again: “Are you a villager from this area?”
Matthias moves ahead to join the conversation with the tree creature. Since it seems to have taken an interest in Ssej, he stands quietly by, trying to look generally pleasant.
“Me? Oh, I’ve recently become self-aware and I’m heading to a town to be around people. It’s the strangest thing, one day I was just a tree, doing the things that trees do, and then suddenly I was aware of things, and could talk, and move about. There was this lady, she said she did it to me, and she asked me to stand by this road and crush people with my boughs as they go by. But honestly that didn’t sound very nice, so I thought I’d head to a town and see what I can do there.”
“Hmm, she had dark skin, the color of rich earth, and black hair in braids, but she was wearing a cowl on her head made from an animal, I think a badger. She was wearing lots of animal skins and coats. After she talked to me, she turned into an owl and flew away!”
"You're right, that's not very nice at all," Matthias says to the tree. "This lady, did she tell you why she wanted you to guard the road and crush people?"
“No, she didn’t explain, and the whole situation was so new to me that I didn’t think to ask. Can we walk together? I want to get to the town. Do you think I’ll be able to fit in with the town somehow?”
Auraani stood in awe of the tree creature. Her people had always loved the forest, but she wondered how they would react to a living tree trying to come into the town, "You never know, they might be open minded?"
The nameless tree seems an optimistic chap. You stroll along with him until the city of Easthaven draws near.
The town is quite large, though not so populous as Bryn Shander, and it sprawls along the southern shore of Lac Dinneshere (the lake). Easthaven is well known for its ferry service, which transports goods and folk to other Ten-Towns that are further up the lake and more difficult to reach on foot, namely Caer Dineval and Caer Konig.
Two signs as you approach read: “Welcome to Easthaven” and “Watch thy pouch!! (Pickpocketing is legal)” You enter the town unchallenged. It is fairly late in the evening, but still, the streets are deserted. It feels anticlimactic, what with the spectacle of the talking walking tree: there’s no one to gawk at it or you.
Seeing the sign Ssej makes sure his coin pouch is well secured and tucked inside his pants. "Sseemss like they won't have any issssue with you being in town. By chance do you have any knowledge of little tiny creatures called Chwingass?" Ssej asks the tree.
“Chwingas? Sure, I know about chwingas. Cute little things, pretty harmless, get a little devilish in blizzards though, especially lately. Say, where is everyone? I was expecting to have to do some explaining but this is sort of a letdown.”
It’s no ghost town. You soon spot someone exiting a building ahead and hurrying away, deeper into the town. There are other signs of life. A lighted window here, smoke from a chimney there.
As you proceed into the town, you can hear ahead the dull muttering roar of a large crowd of people. Heading that way, you find where everyone has gone.
You can hear someone speaking above the crowd. The voice becomes clear as you approach.
“—these crimes he shall now be burned at the stake. Farewell, Dzaan, Red Wizard of Thay!”
You can see the crowd surrounding a platform, on which is a sort of pyre. Standing in the midst, bound upright to a wooden pole, is a bearded man in robes. He stares straight ahead, emotionless. As you take all this in, the pyre is lit on fire and he is quickly engulfed in flames! His face breaks into a grimace of pain. The crowd is muttering angrily but in seeming agreement with the situation.
The fir tree says, “Oh dear, I’m not sure I like cities. I suppose they’ll do that to me too if I make a mistake?”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Auraani steps forward towards the fire with a grim look on her face. Is this man truly guilty or is this more foolishness by the towns like the lottery. If the man is too far gone to save, but still suffering, she will pull out her bow and try to put a quick end to it.
The arrow flies true, striking him in the heart. The burning fellow gasps and he briefly makes eye contact with you, Auraani, before the spark of life fades from his eyes and he slumps against his bonds. The crowds exclaims in surprise and many look around. Those near you see what you have done but they bow their heads in respect, no qualms about your action.
The fellow, apparently named Dzaan, is quickly consumed in flame.
To the tree's question, Matthias says only, "You will find many kind people in a city, and many horrible ones..."
He then watches the sick spectacle unfold, trying to choke down a feeling from somewhere in his heart that is something like excitement at the sight of the flames consuming the man. He is stunned and amazed at the perfect shot from Auraani. Putting the man out of his misery was a very fine and decent impulse--one that had never even occurred to Matthias himself.
He nods at Variety's question and looks to the nearest local. "Greetings. What did this red wizard do that warranted his being burned at the stake like this?"
The local, indistinguishable from many others in his heavy winter clothes, turns to you and looks you up and down before answering.
“Im surprised you don’t already know, seeing as you look like adventurers. This bloke hired a group of adventurers just like you for somesuch task or another, and then later once the task was done, he had ‘em all murdered! I guess that’s what you get for cavorting with strange wizards, but still, we won’t put up with that here, nosiree. Gotta keep some law ‘n order, even in these dark days.”
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Ssej, the tree turns (??) to you and responds, “Hello there!” Its a jaunty, cheerful voice. You don’t know where the voice came from.
The tree has stopped walking. You saw that it was moving its roots to propel itself along the ground. You hear the voice again: “Are you a villager from this area?”
Matthias moves ahead to join the conversation with the tree creature. Since it seems to have taken an interest in Ssej, he stands quietly by, trying to look generally pleasant.
"Came from Targoss on missssion to loctae objectss, traveling to Easthaven in search of target, you?" Ssej responds.
“Me? Oh, I’ve recently become self-aware and I’m heading to a town to be around people. It’s the strangest thing, one day I was just a tree, doing the things that trees do, and then suddenly I was aware of things, and could talk, and move about. There was this lady, she said she did it to me, and she asked me to stand by this road and crush people with my boughs as they go by. But honestly that didn’t sound very nice, so I thought I’d head to a town and see what I can do there.”
"What did the lady look like?" Variety asks.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
“Hmm, she had dark skin, the color of rich earth, and black hair in braids, but she was wearing a cowl on her head made from an animal, I think a badger. She was wearing lots of animal skins and coats. After she talked to me, she turned into an owl and flew away!”
"You're right, that's not very nice at all," Matthias says to the tree. "This lady, did she tell you why she wanted you to guard the road and crush people?"
“No, she didn’t explain, and the whole situation was so new to me that I didn’t think to ask. Can we walk together? I want to get to the town. Do you think I’ll be able to fit in with the town somehow?”
Karl shoots Ssej and Matthias a skeptical glance.
"I don't mind walking together, but I don't know how well the town will accept someone. . . as tall as you."
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Auraani stood in awe of the tree creature. Her people had always loved the forest, but she wondered how they would react to a living tree trying to come into the town, "You never know, they might be open minded?"
The nameless tree seems an optimistic chap. You stroll along with him until the city of Easthaven draws near.
The town is quite large, though not so populous as Bryn Shander, and it sprawls along the southern shore of Lac Dinneshere (the lake). Easthaven is well known for its ferry service, which transports goods and folk to other Ten-Towns that are further up the lake and more difficult to reach on foot, namely Caer Dineval and Caer Konig.
Two signs as you approach read: “Welcome to Easthaven” and “Watch thy pouch!! (Pickpocketing is legal)” You enter the town unchallenged. It is fairly late in the evening, but still, the streets are deserted. It feels anticlimactic, what with the spectacle of the talking walking tree: there’s no one to gawk at it or you.
Seeing the sign Ssej makes sure his coin pouch is well secured and tucked inside his pants. "Sseemss like they won't have any issssue with you being in town. By chance do you have any knowledge of little tiny creatures called Chwingass?" Ssej asks the tree.
“Chwingas? Sure, I know about chwingas. Cute little things, pretty harmless, get a little devilish in blizzards though, especially lately. Say, where is everyone? I was expecting to have to do some explaining but this is sort of a letdown.”
Matthias looks about, trying to see any sign of recent occupancy. If the town has become a ghost town, that would raise a whole host of concerns.
Perception 1
It’s no ghost town. You soon spot someone exiting a building ahead and hurrying away, deeper into the town. There are other signs of life. A lighted window here, smoke from a chimney there.
As you proceed into the town, you can hear ahead the dull muttering roar of a large crowd of people. Heading that way, you find where everyone has gone.
You can hear someone speaking above the crowd. The voice becomes clear as you approach.
“—these crimes he shall now be burned at the stake. Farewell, Dzaan, Red Wizard of Thay!”
You can see the crowd surrounding a platform, on which is a sort of pyre. Standing in the midst, bound upright to a wooden pole, is a bearded man in robes. He stares straight ahead, emotionless. As you take all this in, the pyre is lit on fire and he is quickly engulfed in flames! His face breaks into a grimace of pain. The crowd is muttering angrily but in seeming agreement with the situation.
The fir tree says, “Oh dear, I’m not sure I like cities. I suppose they’ll do that to me too if I make a mistake?”
Auraani steps forward towards the fire with a grim look on her face. Is this man truly guilty or is this more foolishness by the towns like the lottery. If the man is too far gone to save, but still suffering, she will pull out her bow and try to put a quick end to it.
Attack: 13 Damage: 8
The arrow flies true, striking him in the heart. The burning fellow gasps and he briefly makes eye contact with you, Auraani, before the spark of life fades from his eyes and he slumps against his bonds. The crowds exclaims in surprise and many look around. Those near you see what you have done but they bow their heads in respect, no qualms about your action.
The fellow, apparently named Dzaan, is quickly consumed in flame.
Variety watches him burn, not really sure what to think, "Perhaps we should see what happened?" she suggests to no one in particular.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
To the tree's question, Matthias says only, "You will find many kind people in a city, and many horrible ones..."
He then watches the sick spectacle unfold, trying to choke down a feeling from somewhere in his heart that is something like excitement at the sight of the flames consuming the man. He is stunned and amazed at the perfect shot from Auraani. Putting the man out of his misery was a very fine and decent impulse--one that had never even occurred to Matthias himself.
He nods at Variety's question and looks to the nearest local. "Greetings. What did this red wizard do that warranted his being burned at the stake like this?"
The local, indistinguishable from many others in his heavy winter clothes, turns to you and looks you up and down before answering.
“Im surprised you don’t already know, seeing as you look like adventurers. This bloke hired a group of adventurers just like you for somesuch task or another, and then later once the task was done, he had ‘em all murdered! I guess that’s what you get for cavorting with strange wizards, but still, we won’t put up with that here, nosiree. Gotta keep some law ‘n order, even in these dark days.”