If a Tree Falls, part 2

Log Info

• Title: If a Tree Falls, part 2
• Emitter: Aftershock
• Characters: Ashes, Asmli, Elena, Lanier, Smuldur, Tetrosabier
• Place: Forests around Alexandria
• Time: Monday, June 15, 2020, 5:34 PM
• Summary: The party has been split, finding fresh water and failing to molify the treant with words. It's up to Lanier to lead it to the drink, by staying just ahead of its flailing arms. Crashing throught the trees, like a one man right of way, the ranger is able to evade it and remain its focus. The others spread out around the spring and stream, Smuldur ready to use fire, Asmli with his axe, Ashlee, Tetro and the others waiting with words. The treant takes a few hits, and retreats closer to the water when the goblin threatens it with fire, though Ash's suggestion for more fire makes it lunge for her. The arvec and the egalrin are knocked over, then completely slimed when Shalehazel hits fresh water and expells the poison. They both contract the plague, while everyone else rests, regroups, asks a few questions then heads home.

Previously

The party had been sent by Better Homes and Dungeons to check on a treant. After disabling a trap door spider, they discovered the treant had been poisoned by the water in the pool nearby, a pool that glittering and dark, and had substances deliberately poured in. Lanier attempted diplomacy with the being while Ashlee led a group to look for better water nearby. She is successful and Lanier is not, with the treant deciding it wants to feast on his flesh more than talk with him.

Now

The words that Lanier says to the treant don't seem to settle well. For the creature wiggles in place and then is moving with surprising speed back across the pool of black water toward the man. "FLESSSSH!!!" It screams at him. A roar of hunger that echoes through the forest and leaves it resounding with echoes.

As it comes to light that his previous statement didn't quite land the way he wanted it too, Lanier's face turns dour as he says, "Spud, run! Go find the others." A moment later, Lanier is running like all get out as well, his feet carrying him as surely as anyone through the forest, the growth not hindering him in the least bit.

The ashen arvec raises her head, a bellow from the direction she came catching her attention. There's a lot of further commotion too. She seems ready to act, but is unsure what to do, "Sounds like diplomacy failed. We should be prepared."

The treant is hauling after Lanier, but it can't catch up to the faster man. The chase seems to have made it all the more determined. Its joints creak as it lumbers nimbly after Lanier, crushing everything in its path.

Lanier went in the same direction as everyone else, who can now see Lanier and hear that there is something chasing him.

Smuldur turns at the bellow and sees the ashen one turn, too. Then he sees the talking tree snack running. He waves his torch. "Come quick! Bring the Tree Ant!" Not only did they find it, but if they bring it back with them... they can PROVE IT!

The dwarf just caught up to Ashes and Tetrosabier.

The bellow certainly gets Asmli's attention. Not yet sure exactly what is happening, he immediately drops the harness from his back, the urgrosh in his hands in the blink of an eye. That crashing sure sounds ominous - but if he has to deal with a tree, what better weapon to have in one's hands than an axe?

Elena moves through the forest in exactly the kind of way that would make her elven ancestors cringe. Her weapon catches on some low branches, and she has to bodily haul herself off of it, losing valuable seconds as she tears herself free while trying to move to where the others are.

Lanier continues running through the forest, jumping fences, dodging trees, and trying to get away. Contemplating nothing but escaping, finally making it, he turns to watch the treeant make its approach towards his part of thhe river. He calls out, "Be careful everyone! If it turns on you, take cover. You don't want it to hit you with anything!"

Oh-de-lally, oh-de-lally, golly what a day.

Ashlee moves to the far side of the spring, away from the crashing sounds that are portending more arrivals. "We should try to avoid killing the treant, get it to stay on the clean water. Fire might worsen it"

Tetrosabier was supprised as the treant suddenly following him. He quickly turned and ran, not in any particular direction. Pulling out his rapier, he quickly put it back away realizing that there is not much that his toothpick would do against the giant. He glanced over at his friend Ashes and quickly decided that they seem to have a clue as to what they were doing, and ran over to assist.

GAME: Shalehazel rolls 1d6: (4): 4 (Lanier)
GAME: Shalehazel rolls 1d20+17: (9)+17: 26
GAME: Shalehazel rolls 2d6: (12): 12

The treant catches up as Lanier meets up with his comrades, whacking the poor guy with one of its long arms.

Smuldur can't set the water on fire. Tree Ant doesn't like fire. He can always try again on setting the water on fire, after getting the tree to it, maybe. He darts off towards Shillelagh, but turns to try and circle without running straight in.

GAME: Asmli rolls weapon1-2: (7)+8+-2: 13
GAME: Asmli rolls weapon1-2: (15)+8+-2: 21
GAME: Asmli rolls 1d6+4: (2)+4: 6

WHOA It's big! Fortunately for Asmli, fighting things bigger than he is is nothing new. "Ai, you overgrown pile of firewood, over here!" Without hesitating, he slashes at the thing, misjudging his mark and coming up short, then reverses the weapon and jams the pointed sword end deep into the bark.

GAME: Elena rolls Heal: (20)+10: 30

Elena manages to move at least mostly safely past the treant as she sees Lanier get whacked, running over to check on him. Looking the man's wounds over, she shakes her head. "I think the honeymoon is over," she tells him, looking back to where the raging treant is, looking prepared to act in case anything goes very, very wrong. Or even just how it appears it will go anyway.

GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+1+PA: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2: (20)+10+1+-2: 29 (THREAT)
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+1+PA: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2: (3)+10+1+-2: 12
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+1+PA-5: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2-5: (1)+10+1+-2+-5: 5 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d10+2H_Str+2H_PA: aliased to 1d10+6+6: (3)+6+6: 15

Lanier looks towards Elena for a moment and replies dourly, "I was doing so good there, for a little bit." He then looks back towards the Treeant, a frown settling on his face, "Time to tick it off a little more, I think..." He reaches behind him, taking the haft of the bradiche in hand and pulling it to draw of from the quick-release knots there. He brings it around, taking a step towards the treeant and swinging the axe-like polearm to tear into the flesh of the creature.

<OOC> Ashes: evil eye glare at it for AC
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+9: (12)+9: 21

Ash watches the proceedings, no change in her expression, gazing impassively with her skull markings. Still, she's not one to stay in danger so she carefully backs up. At the same time she fixes her eyes on the Treant. She has no wish for it to die, but a few whacks here or there might change it's mind. Do trees have vulnerable spots, is the question she focuses on.

"Are we giving up on diplomacy Lanier, or is the plan still to park it and run?" She asks.

Tetrosabier follows Ashes as they head towards safety.

GAME: Shalehazel rolls 1d2: (1): 1 (Asmli)
GAME: Shalehazel rolls 1d20+17: (9)+17: 26
GAME: Shalehazel rolls 2d6: (4): 4

It seems that hitting the treant put Asmli on its radar, because the angry being turns its attention on him, swiping at him casually with another of its branches. "FLESSSSH! NEED FLESSSSH!" The few cuts that it has endured are weeping blackened blood.

GAME: Smuldur rolls intimidate: (9)+7: 16

Smuldur finishes his scampering around and then stands up tall. He waves his torch over his head, jumping and yelling. "Fire! Fire! Tree Ant better make like tree, and ... burn!"

GAME: Asmli rolls weapon1-2: (6)+8+-2: 12
GAME: Asmli rolls weapon1-2: (5)+8+-2: 11

The treant smacks Asmli a glancing blow, but even that is hard enough to throw the dwarf off balance. "Yeah, try that again, you missed." He dives i again with both ends of the wicked weapon he wields, but neither finds purchase in the thing's thick hide. "Now I know why you're so stupid," he grows at it. "Thick skin, tiny brains."

GAME: Elena casts Bless. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15

Lanier calls out, "I haven't given up on saving this creature's life! We have to continue working on luring it towards the water!" With that said, Lanier takes a step back and then begins backpedalling across the water, making it to the opposite river bank and turning back towards the treeant with a look of consideration.

GAME: Ashes rolls diplomacy: (1)+0: 1 (EPIC FAIL)

"Smuldur, fire for all of us." Ashlee suggests, taking a step back, then another. "Move so it follows us so onto the spring."

She raises her voice, "Shalehazel, we will bring you flesh. You should stop and stay here."

GAME: Tetrosabier rolls Diplomacy: (13)+7: 20

Tetrosabier declines fire from Smulder and backs up Ashes. "Yes, lots of flesh. We will bring all of the flesh that you can eat, you just have to wait right here. Is that alright?"

GAME: Asmli rolls 1d20+8: (14)+8: 22
GAME: Asmli rolls 1d8+4: (8)+4: 12
GAME: Ashes rolls reflex: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Ashes rolls fortitude: (12)+4: 16
GAME: Ashes rolls fortitude: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Tetrosabier rolls Reflex: (11)+7: 18
GAME: Tetrosabier rolls fortitude: (8)+0: 8
GAME: Tetrosabier rolls fortitude: (10)+0: 10

The treant hears the word 'fire' and it's really one time too many. It loses the rest of what Tetrosabier and Ashes say and rushes them both. Then, the moment that it hits the water blackness explodes from its body. Expelling all over Ashes and Tetrosabier in a rush of sickening slime that clings to flesh and feather alike. It's... very unpleasant.

The slime goes everywhere, in the water, but mostly on the banks of the stream. But thankfully the stream itself is carrying the sickness downstream. Safely away, downstream towards the river, and following that thought -- towards the city.

"Ha! Hoot!" Smuldur hollers at the purging pine. "Smuldur scare the sap out of it!" He waves the torch around s'more. Just to make sure the black ooze keeps running.

The ashen arvec is caught up in the explosion of slime, and while she is normally one that enjoys the more decayed side of life, this is unpleasant and not to her taste. Her choker suddenly uncoils from her neck, apparently it's a giant centipede, and runs under her shirt, down her sleeve, to her leather satchel.

Her voice remains flat, monotone, although her words are coming a little faster, "Lets all back away. Smuldur that should be enough."

Asmli stops and frankly -stares- as his axe sinks deep - and the tree-thing -barfs- such foulness on his companions. "What is -that-?"

"Sap!" Smuldur doesn't rush the tree. It's the the water, anyhow, and he now knows this water doesn't like to burn so easy. And he gets to keep the rest of his fire now! He skitters along the bank and around some.

The treant groans and sinks into the water, streching its roots and then promptly expelling more... onto the bank of the river. It's very nasty. It shakes its leaves and streches them up toward the distant sun and peers at you. "Whooooo are yoooooooou?"

Tetrosabier stops cleaning and immediatly steps out of the water. He moves away from the others. "Stay away, I feel sick. Stay away from the sludge, it probobly has plauge."

"We have the plague now." Ashlee says, still sounding monotone. "Staying away is a good idea."

Asmli doesn't need to be told twice, although he looks at them both, and then at the sludge, clearly confused. "What ..."

Elena takes a step back. "Staying outside the city limits is probably wise," she agrees. "But stay close to the city nonetheless. There is a rumor that a treatment has been found, in certain circles. I cannot confirm it, not until I can speak to someone in particular, but -- I think that it will be alright." She glances at the others, and then to the tree in the water. "We're just people who were attempting to help," she tells the treant softly. "Unlike the man that made you sick. Do you remember anything of him?"

Smuldur makes his way around, looking between the sludge, the bird, and the skullface. "Fire!" He points out his torch towards one, waving it towards the other. "Fire fix everything!"

The treant is peering at Ashes and Tetrosabier curiously, but makes no comment on their sickened condition. "Maaaan came. Wiiiith..." The treant is distracted from its comments about the man by Smuldur's insistance about fire. "FIRE BAD." It rumbles low and unhappily, then with a sigh of its leaves turns its attention at length back to Elena. "Brought thingssss. With black-waaater."

"No fire now Smuldur," Ashlee says, with a rare level tone in her voice, mostly a weak and ill one. She brushes at the slime covering her, attempting to wipe it off. Washing in the stream and sending it towards the river, and the city, seems a worse idea than trying to gather it on some cloth. She nods at Elena's information, then sits down on the spot.

Smuldur didn't point the fire at the tree! It's not filled with sludge anymore! So he pointed it at the other two. In offering... which they don't seem to want right now. "Hmmph." Fine. If it's time to sit, he can sit. So he sits.

The group has completed their mission, broadly speaking. Further questionning of the treant and investigation is left for those hale and able to concentrate on the matter. Thanks to their efforts, Shalehazel will likely be at the Treantmoot, and the party returns to turn in their story to the copy-editor.