Troubled Lands
Log Info
- Title: The Wounded Land
- Emitter: Un'eth
- Characters: Un'eth, Cryosanthia, Victor, Lanier
- Place: PRoom: Wilderness Pointe, Corrupted Forest
- Time: Sunday, July 05, 2020, 2:55 PM
- Summary: Un'eth enlists Cryosanthia, Victor and Lanier to search for lost scouts. They go a little ways into the Felwood, and discover two beside a fetid pool beneath a stinking cloud. Battle ensues, they eventually prevail and recover a bluescaled sith-makar woman and a male sildanyari, who had fallen to these foes. Un'eth may update further as part of her PrP submission.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 267 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. Lanier 6'0" 245 Lb Human Male Young, lean and strong Acanian wearing hide clothing. Victor 6'6" 290 Lb War Golem Male Pale humanoid War Golem in a cape. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Un'eth 6'2" 275 Lb Sith-Makar Female An ebon-scaled female Sith-makar -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
With Ea now able to begin healing and the plague no longer active, warders of Ea have sent scouts across the wilds to help assess the damage. While individuals might recover in days or hours, the land, seas, and sky don't heal so quickly. That some of these scouts are overdue has raised further concerns.
A more broad call has now gone out, to include the Adventurer's and other guilds in the city as well as those of The Green. It calls those who would see Ea assuaged and healed, as well as her caretakers made safe, to Wilderness Point. The location has always served as a waypoint between city and wilderness, and now is no different.
Un'eth, Shaman of the Tyrranik and Warder of Mictlan, specifically, and Ea, more broadly, awaits outside of the small inn and shoppe.
Cryosanthia, Speaker of the Sith-Makar, and currently nest-less, has heard the call and decided to make herself useful. She arrives, wearing a scale-tight armour of white leathers and a mithril mail shirt. A few accessories, like a short skirt, short cape, and a haversack, also in a white scheme to match her colours. She thumps her tail in greeting, "Peace on your nest, Shaman Un'eth". <draconic>
Victor strides up to the inn, every step accompanied by a thud and a few softer metallic clinks. He lifts a hand and raises his visor as he comes to a stop near Un'eth. "I understand the Explorer's Guild was asked to assist with efforts here," he offers. He nods to anyone he sees that he hasn't met. "My name is Victor."
There's a call, it's about nature, and it's having to deal with the Felwood. Of course Lanier is going to make it out. He walks at a pace that his mighty wolf companion, Spud, has an easy time keeping up with, approaching the Inn and Shoppes with no few sidelong looks at the man and the horse-sized wolf. He looks from Cyosanthia, to Victor, and then to Un'eth, "We're here too."
"This one is Cryosanthia, Speaker of the Sith-Makar, you can call me Cryo." The whitescale sith introduces herself to the war-golem. She leans her head towards the golem, sniffs, "I... this one thinks we met in the colosseum, you smell familiar."
The ranger and the wolf get a much more casual wave, "Hey Lanier, Spud." They're at least acquainted.
The white sith turns to focus on the ebonscaled one, dips her head formally, "Are more expected?"
Un'eth thumps her tail as the others arrive, dipping her snout to Cryosanthia before addressing all. "Peace on your nessts. Ea requires your aid, and I ask on Ea's behalf. We must assess the damage help the land to heal... but some of the scouts sent towards the Felwood have not yet returned and are past due. It is possible that ill has befallen them. Those able are already scattered in their own surveys, while others still recover..."
Her snout pans to the whitescale. "I know not whom nor how many to expect. As of now, there are the three of you. Mictlan, itself, is, and shall always be, my priority and much remains to do there."
Victor glances at Cryo when she sniffs, and he nods ever so slightly when she mentions that she recognizes his scent. He turns back to Un'eth and listens. After she stops, he waits a few moments before speaking - as his research into interactions with others indicates that is the best way to assure speakers taht he did indeed pay attention. Then: "Are we to seek out the missing scouts? Or take up the assessment where they left off?" He pauses and then adds, "...or something else entirely?"
Cryo nods, running a hand up along one of her horns and out to the tip. "This one can track a little, that one much better" she points at Spud. "Do you have scent-objects of them, or maps or an idea of the trails they took?"
She looks at Victor again, "We would want them back."
Then Cryo is addressing Un'eth again, "This one has read of mutated animals, dark pools of ooze, talking spiders, infected treants, crazed individuals who fight to the death. Of the scouts that have returned, what have they reported?"
"I ask that you find and follow the scouts' trail to locate them," Un'eth expounds to answer the pertinent question. "Assist them in their task, if able, aid their return here or to Mictlan, if not. If they can't be found, report whatever -is- found as you would take their burden."
She snorts at Cryosanthia's words: not at the white-scale for speaking the truth, but at the aberrational contents of that truth. "There are no reports of threats to the immediate north and east; sign of spoiled land and water, ill creatures, yes... but no direct dangers. It is towards the Felwood to the west you must go. You need not venture into its heart; that twisted and corrupted things exist there is well know. The scouts sought to see if it had grown, or whether the spoiling plague caused the creatures there to roam free."
Victor listens as Cryo lists off the various incidents reported. He raises a finger when she's finished. "I believe the phenomena of talking is not directly related to these events." He paused and then turns his head to look in the direction of the Felwood. "At least I have read of such occurances long before the ooze was reported."
Victor also raides a hand and lowers his visor into place. "I'm ready - we could start in their last known location."
Lanier looks towards Victor for a moment, and then to Cryosanthia, "The Felwood has long been home to abberations and deamons since the Daemon Wars, but this plague was different." He then looks between the two and nods himself, "I'm carryin' everyhing I need to go, too."
Un'eth's snout sways in a rather softskin head gesture of negative to Cryosanthia. "I do not know the members of the scouting party, nor what they may have left behind. I do know that they crossed the trade road, moving south to the Felwood, so they reached their destination, or nearly so. You should find their trail on the Fel side of the road."
Cryo nods, listening, then repeating back the instructions. "Search West moving south, past the trade road towards the Fel, look for signs, don't go deep. Assist if they're healthy, rescue them if they're not. Come Back. This one can, this one is ready."
She's sounding a more formal and sith-like than she does when she's in Alexandria. Perhaps it's the change of venue, or some other thing. She reaches into her haversack and takes out a small silver buckler, strapped to the back is a strange grey dagger in the shape of an icicle. The shield goes on her arm and the dagger in her belt. "This one has supplies, enough for two..." She looks at Victor, "... three days."
Lanier listens, looks towards Cryosanthia for a recap of the mission, and then nods th Un'eth, "I lived in the Felwood for many years. I know the road you're talkin' about." He then looks back to Cryo, and then to Victor, "I'm supplied as well."
As all seem prepared, and aware of their initial path, Un'eth bobs her head to them. "May you travel swift and hale, and return the same."
"This one shall do the task, we shall return." Cryosanthia makes a formal curtsey, thumps her tail then turns to Lanier, "You and Spud should lead the way. Victor seems well suited for hitting things, I can talk at anything that needs talking to."
As the party travels, Victor at first keeps up a slow but steady series of questions for Lanier and Cryo. With his visor down, Victor's voice acquires a mild hint of hollowness and echo. The general theme is that of one looking for practical experience with the Felwood, things not picked up through tomes and scrolls. And timed in a way likely calculated to relieve the monotony of travel. Once they reach the road he grows silent, other than the heavy sounds of his footfalls.
Lanier seems amiable enough to the questions, sharing his knowledge of the Felwood through years of residents and attempts to join the quests to rid the Felwood of its taints. He occassionally breaks out his maps of the area and a compass, comparing their location to items seen on the map and travelling across roads and overland to get them where they need to go to begin the hunt. From afar, Kira sighs and rubs face. "I think he just went with one of the worst possibilities now, to. :/"
Cryosanthia sets out in the direction she imagines is right, expecting Lanier will course correct her as needed. She seems... happy, a least there is a lot of vigorous motion. Her tail bounces wide and high, sometimes she makes a short run or a jump at something, or a leap to catch a low branch and swing herself forward.
Her expression is kind of flat, however. Sith-makar often are minimal in their facial activity, although Cryo tended to be the exception with the exagerated and playful faces she would pull. In town. Out here, cold impassiveness seems to match the cool aura that surrounds her. She's as easy to read as a snake, which is to say, almost not at all.
Making it difficult to tell if, when she's trying to catch butterflies, it's actual whimsy on her part or an effort to be whimsical because of some darkness she's hiding.
The travel to the likely area of crossing that was the scouts' last known position, is not difficult. The same road that provides the line of demarcation can be used to reach it. Once there, however, locating the exact trail may require more than simple observation. A small group of (presumably) woodsfolk do not tend to leave a great mark on the wilderness as they travel.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls survival: (9)+4: 13 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+6: (20)+6: 26 (Spud Survival) GAME: Lanier rolls Survival+3+2+2: (2)+12+3+2+2: 21 GAME: Victor rolls survival: (14)+7: 21
Cryo, seems successful at first. She locates numerous tracks. However they all seem to circle back to the road, making them unlikely to be the correct ones. "Am I missing something here?"
Victor follows a step after Cryo and studies each set of tracks she points out. Then he picks out one particular set. "If I am not mistaken, these are sith-makar. They also appear to be more recent than the others." He moves his gaze across the ground and points at what he has his senses trained on. Then he begins to move in that direction...southwest, and towards the Felwood.
Lanier ranges out, as rangers do, along with Spud. He returns a few minutes later, and nods his agreement to Victor, "I saw those. I also found some lighter tracks over there, then arc in and parallel the Sith'makar tracks." He watches as Victor moves off to the southwest, turns to Cryo and shrugs, "Let's go."
"I am really more of a City Sith-er," Cryo says, following after Lanier. She tightens the straps on her haversack and looks around.
"That would explain your skill at social interactions," Victor offers without looking. His eyes shift between the tracks he has been following, and now also the ones that Lanier noted. "But if we don't find anyone - or anything - to speak with, other abilities may be more usefu. You seem to exude an aura of cold. Can you control it? Project it against a specific target, or enemy?" He keeps his voice down but seems a bit more interested in the answer to this, than his earlier questions.
The tracks lead further into the woods. While not yet the twisted trees and ominous air or fog of the Fel, there are more subtle lingering signs of unpleasant, yet not so terrible, effects: patches of dead foliage; trails of soured ground; a few fallen squirrels left untouched by scavengers.
The trail leads to a small pond formed from fallen trees over a brook, and the slightly more clear around about it. The sith tracks end at the water's edge, while the others ...simply end, abruptly, a dozen steps or more from the water.
"No. Somewhat, not really. It gets stronger if I'm having..." The whitescale hesitates, "... a bad day, but rarely more than leaving frost on things. I have cantrips that do more damage, and they don't do a lot."
She shrugs, pushing a branch out of her way as she ducks under it, "I have a breath weapon, pretty sure. I used it once on a Demon but it didn't do anything. I had the plague and the Fae Queen did some experiments on me, I've got what feels like some kind of second puberty going on. A lot of things changing unexpectedly. I think my claws are magical now."
Cryo halts, seeing the water. "So... if that's a plague ooze, magic and edged weapons are bad. If it's a regular kind of ooze, just edged weapons. I'm not sure what it is, but it looks like something is in that water."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls perception: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Victor rolls perception: (7)+7: 14 GAME: Lanier rolls Perception: (19)+12: 31 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 (Spud's Perception)
Lanier frowns, "The trail ends here." The Gilead ranger seems perplexed for a moment, looking towards Cryosanthia and then to Victor, "Let's stop to take a look around here." He looks towards Spud, his green eyes narrowing as he dips into a slightly higher-pitched Sildanyari to bid Spud to go find something. He himself begins to page around the edge of the pond, calling out behind him, "Be careful about where you step."
GAME: Victor casts Shield. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
Cryosanthia makes a strange sort of noise, part surprise, part distress call. It sounds a little like a bird call but much deeper in tone and timber. She points, "That's a sith-makar tail!"
There's something which could be driftwood, but when identified and indicated it becomes much clearer it is blue and scaled. It blends in with the water, looks rather like her own, save the colour. Of course, there are plenty of bluescale sith around. Her words are quick whispers, "It's not Zeke, it's not Zeke."
Much louder she says, "That may be one of our scouts. We need to get them out."
"I concur," Victor notes. He begins to emit the loudest clatter yet, even though he's standing still. Armor seems to withdraw from his body, folding and collapsing into smaller stacked portions. More and more of a pale non-quite-human looking skin undear is revealed. It's hard to tell just where the the stacked metal plating goes, but it seems to diseappear somewhere around the area of Victor's neck. Finally a white cape unfolds. He chants a quick spell. Then, glancing at the blue scaled form in the water, he chants another spell before moving for the edge of the brook.
In his search, Lanier encounters an arrow left on the ground. He picks it up gingerly, turning to show to to the others, "It doesn't look like it's been fired, simply dropped." He then frowns, dropping the arrow again as he takes a few steps towards the water and narrows his eyes, "Where?" He then spots the tail, and narrows his eyes, "Set a rope, Cryosanthia!"
"Sure, hold on." Cryo removes some rope from her haversack and ties it off around her waist. She makes sure her dagger is secure the holds out the end for Victor or Lanier to take. Or hopefully, Victor and Lanier. "Sith aren't easy to drown. So, there's likely something bad in there."
The lack of prints near the water's edge is also rather suggestive. On her toes, literally, Cryo approaches the pool and the tail watching for unexpected ripples. Leaping out of water to surprise others and try and drown them is a youngling game, but this isn't a game.
Victor wades quickly into the water, moving much more switfly without his armor. He turns to glance back at Lanier and Cryo for a few steps at the mention of rope and reaches out to grab the offered end, possibly not understanding Cryo's plan. "It's not too deep," he reports. "One moment." A few more steps take him to the side of the floating form, and the water is still not even to Victor's waist. He reaches with his empty hand under the water ahead of the blue-scaled tail. And carefully, gently raises a matching blue-scaled form to the surface. One that seems rather limp in Victor's grasp. "Unconcious!" he calls back. "...possibly. I am unfamiliar with natural beings. And for that matter how best to treat them. Should I carry him back?" He also holds up the rope. So many options.
"Yes, carry him out, you're holding him fine." Cryo says, holding the rope, "Let me know if you need me to pull your, but it looks like you've got it."
Victor releases the rope so that his hands are free. He bends at the knees - seemingly uncaring that it causes more of his own form to enter the water - and positions his arms underneath the Sith. Then Victor straightens to his full height, lifting the figure as he stands. Like a living forklift he turns and then walks carefully back to the shore before setting the Sith down in front of Cryo.
The water is not deep, and one would expect the pond to be brackish or stagnant. Still, between Victor's sloshing steps and the lifting of the blue sith-makar, the disturbed water smells... most foul. This is not alleviated, despite a sudden breeze picking up to whip about hair, over scales, or ... parts. In fact, the breeze seems to make it worse.
Then things become notably more worse. First, Victor's steps seem to be made easier as some of the water...recedes. Cryosanthia does, indeed, notice ripples in the water... or, rather rippling OF the water, as it coalesces in a reverse wave motion to rise up behind Victor to a mass of cloudy, putrid water as tell as he.
The wind picks up further, and there is cracking from the branches in the trees above. In the spot Lanier stood not a moment past, where the arrows was found and re-dropped, a new item drops. In this case, a sildanyari dressed in tans and greens. He lands limply and remains limp. Perhaps he wanted his arrow back?
Above him, yet barely above the treeline, a dark, whirling ... stormcloud churns. It also gives off a wonderful aroma of putrefaction. If it is wind, it smells .... broken.
"Victor! Move faster. It's something. I don't know what that is!" Cryo calls out, her voice rising with concern. She stares as the Sildanyari drops out of the tree, and then at the stormcloud looming overhead. She coughs, "I don't want to say what it looks like, or smells like, but if it's an air elemental it's grew up in all the wrong places."
GAME: Lanier rolls Knowledge/Nature+2: (11)+12+2: 25 GAME: Lanier rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (14)+4: 18 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/nature: (17)+2: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/the Planes: (19)+6: 25 GAME: Victor rolls knowledge/nature: (14)+9: 23 GAME: Victor rolls knowledge/the planes: (14)+9: 23
They appear to be elementals of their respective types, but something is blatantly corrupted and twisted.
There is a pile of water standing behind Victor in the pond, and the swirling broken wind up above the sil. The sil is unconscious... at best.
GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2: (16)+12+-2: 26 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2: (17)+12+-2: 27 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2: (9)+12+-2: 19 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2-5: (7)+12+-2+-5: 12 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+4: (1)+4: 5 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+4: (5)+4: 9
Lanier turns quickly from the scene unfolding in the pond, looking towards the fallen mass of Sildanyari laying on the ground where he was just standing. He blinks once, as that's all he has time for, and then the wind picks up. He looks up into the air, and it takes a second to make out all the details of what he sees, at which point he calls out, "Air elemental!"
Like lightning, the Ranger's hand shoots up over his shoulder, unhooking the longbow that's settled there. As quick as the eye can see the longbow is in his left hand, an arrow is nocked, and he's drawing it back. The arrow flies, piercing the air elemental center mass. A second arrow trails right behind it, hitting a little lower. The last two that the ranger seems to be able to inexplicably fire go a little wider, but attention is given.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (1)+14: 15 (EPIC FAIL)
While two of Lanier's arrows enter the whirling mass, one seems to be brought to a halt by the winds at the periphery. Still, he gained its attention and it dives down and blows past him... though all Lanier feels is the passing breeze as it rushes towards the pond.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 4d6: (13): 13 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+8: (6)+8: 14
"That's no Air Elemental, that's the gaseous remeberance of a weekend's debauchery!" Cryosanthia says, somewhat randomly. She's dodging left to right on the bank, "Victor the liquid waste of a thousand tortured souls is rising up behind you -- Go that way!"
The whitescale sith picks a side, runs enough on the bank she can aim between her friends. Then ROARS!
She clenches her hands, braces herself, a glow starts under her chest armour and progresses up the highlight scales on her throat, then a blast of cold explodes out of her mouth, icicles, snowflakes and elemental cold, freezing the foul water.
GAME: Victor casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17 GAME: Victor rolls ranged: (5)+5: 10
Victor does his best to move in the direction Cryo indicates. In truth he's most concerned with reaching the bank, and once there he drops the Sith he's been carrying. Once his hands are free he turns in place and raises them, palms facing the water elemental. His thumbs and first fingertips touch and form a small triangular space as he chants in Eldritch. In this space a reddish glow appears, forms a bolt of fire streaking off...and firing wide. Victor braces himself for potential retaliation.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'll use 1 of 3 Charmed Life" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls reflex+4: (11)+9+4: 24 GAME: Lanier rolls Reflex: (13)+10: 23 GAME: Victor rolls reflex: (13)+4: 17 GAME: Un'eth rolls 4d6: (10): 10
Parts of the mass of foul water solidify from Cryosanthia's chilling breath and fall into the pond. These bits of colored ice are likely not pleasantly-flavored icy treats. This, and the near-hit of scorching fire, seems to enrage it further. It sloshes towards the two on the bank, rears back and then...
Gurgles.
It is not a yell, but it is an ejected ..gurgletation of its own foul, contaminated self, to spray over Cryosanthia and Victor. The good news is that both avoid the worst of it. The bad news is that... it still burns.
GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2: (16)+12+-2: 26 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2: (1)+12+-2: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2: (18)+12+-2: 28 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon1-2-6: (12)+12+-2+-6: 16 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+4: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12: (16)+12: 28 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+11: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12: (18)+12: 30 (Trip)
Lanier glances towards Cryosanthia, a grave look on his face as he replies, "That's the same thing!" He pulls another arrow from his quiver, pointing towards the water elemental and shouting, "Spud!" As the wolf leaps away, the ranger strings two arrows simultaneously, draws back, and releases. One flies true, slamming into the air elemental, while one is the victim of a misstring that kind of just falls with the string moving past it, landing on the floor. He follows up with two more arrows quickly, one striking true like the first one, while the other flies wide.
The mighty dire wolf Spud makes short work of closing the distance between the Ranger and the water elemental, attacking low and upwards from a position of advantage. He sinks his teeth into the legs of the water elemental, tearing from side to side and disrupting enough of the formative water to bring the elemental down with a splash.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+13: (10)+13: 23 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+4: (2)+4: 6
The broken wind darts back to Lanier, though does not pass this. Instead, it buffets him with the whirling winds and the debris within them.
GAME: Cryosanthia used a Alchemist's Fire. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls ranged: (18)+11: 29 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (5): 5
Cryosanthia stares at the swirling mass of foul water and broken air, "I have no idea what affects these things. Um! Trying this, look out!"
She reaches into her haversack, exactly what she needs is at her fingertips, and it's a bottle of Alchemist's fire. She flings it with deadly accuracy at the disrupted water elemental. The bottle explodes in a burst of phosphorous light, the artificial fire spot on.
It does splash a bit, hitting nearby things.
GAME: Victor casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Victor rolls 1d20+wizard: (4)+5: 9
Victor watches the elemental for signs of which elemental energy bothers it more - frost or fire? He can't come to a conclusion and determines more experimenting may help. Chanting again, but this time with both hands held level, he unleashes a cone of flame. It doesn't seem to harm the target in the least, and Victor nods to himself.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+10: (9)+10: 19 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+10: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+10: (7)+10: 17
The foul water rights itself and turns its focus on the wet wolf that attacked it, and which happens to be the nearest thing annoying it. Water sloshes up in crafted waves of its body to slam down onto the lupine. As if wet wolf did not already have a distinctive aroma.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+weapon7-2: (8)+12+-2: 18 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+weapon7-2-5: (5)+12+-2+-5: 10 <OOC> Lanier says, "Here's Spud's attack." GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12: (14)+12: 26 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+12: (2)+12: 14
As the ranger is surrounded swiftly by the air elemental, he seems to maintain his composure even as he is buffeted by heavy winds and debris. There's even a grim grin. He tosses the longbow aside, his hand reaching up to yank at the greatsword there. He hoists it up into a defensive position, his eyes narrowed and his head leaned forward. He waits until the perfect opportunity to strike, bringing his sword up and around in two quick swings, which unfortunately pass through the fettid air.
Spud seems to have better luck, sinking more teeth into water that creates the elemental most foul, tearing more of it away.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (18)+14: 32 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (5)+14: 19 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+4: (6)+4: 10
While Lanier's blade fails to cut anything solid in the Broken Wind, it manages to hit him in return with a rather large piece of broken branch that is swirling around within itself.
GAME: Cryosanthia casts Icicle Dagger. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15
Cryo is not sure what to do, and she's run out of useful things to throw. There's always her best spell. Her right hand loops in a graceful motion, and a swirl of light cascades down her arm. In her grip an icicle forms, long, twisted and sharp. The cold coming off it is visible at a distance, the way the air mists surrounding it.
Perhaps, it will make a Broken Wind a little more broken. The sith circles around to assist Lanier, flanking with him, and calls across the elemental to the Ranger with a grin, "Is that your breath or are you glad to see me?"
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+10: (10)+10: 20 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+10: (9)+10: 19 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+11: (6)+11: 17 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+11: (3)+11: 14
Victor lowers his hands, unwilling to risk another spell when Spud is so close. He is also unwilling to leave the brave animal facing the corrupted elemental's wrath alone and marches back into the water. Armor unfolds down from his neck and springs into existance to cover joints and extremities. With a final clank he lowers his visor.
The loyal Spud is proving very vicious at tearing apart the putrid fluid that makes up Foul Water. This may explain why FW seems to very much dislike the creature and continues to pound upon him with its weighty formed limbs.
GAME: Lanier rolls weapon7-2: (2)+12+-2: 12 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon7-2-5: (9)+12+-2+-5: 14
As the branch hits him, Lanier stumbles back a step. Meanwhile, Spud is hit hard by the water elemental, yelping as it falls back a step in the water. The dire wolf looks towards Lanier briefly, turns, and then makes it out of the water in a bound. Without hesitation, the wolf breaks towards the treeline, attempting to disappear and lick its wounds.
Lanier, meanwhile, seems to be losing his patience, his teeth bared as he brings his sword up and around to slash at the air elemental, once again to no avail.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (5)+14: 19 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (5)+14: 19
The whirling whirlwind of fould stench... only manages to muss up Lanier's hair.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1: (4)+13: 17 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1-5: (6)+13+-5: 14
The whitescale sith fails around, stabbing with her icicle, "This thing doesn't have any weakpoints, does it? or any points." If her magical blade will work, she's going to have to find some thick air to stick it in.
GAME: Victor rolls melee+1: (2)+6+1: 9
Victor nods to himself as Spud withdraws. The valiant wolf was proving to be the biggest threat and received far too much of the water's attention. He swings a fist gamely but doesn't connect. At least he's better protected, between heavy armor and other defensive enchantments. He hopes.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+13: (3)+13: 16 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+13: (7)+13: 20
The mass of Foul Water, with no more wet wolf to harry, turns its attention to Victor. Gallons of formed putresencse splash down in to the pond about him, but do little more than dampen his armor.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12-2+2: (9)+12+-2+2: 21 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12-2+2-5: (2)+12+-2+2+-5: 9
Lanier takes a step to the side, firmly planting the corrupted air elemental between him and Cryosanthia. He swings his greatsword again, though each attack seems to have trouble landing.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "as before, if melee OP&R" <OOC> Un'eth says, "BW will attempt to strike once each at each of you, now." GAME: You spend ONE point of PANACHE. (5 remaining) GAME: Cryosanthia uses an AoO! 4 remaining. GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (3)+14: 17 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (12)+13+2: 27 (Parry) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (8)+13+2: 23 (Riposte) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1d6+7: (1)+(5)+7: 13 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (19)+14: 33 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7
Now that it is aware of two foes, Broken Wind diverts its whirling attention. A splintered piece of branch at one and a hefted stone at the other. The wood is sent at Cryosanthia, whilst the stone impacts Lanier in the chest.
As things fly at her, Cryo lithely swipes at them with her blade. Something must have been holding that wood, she decides, and whips her blade along it. The air does seem thicker, and her icicle is chilling it quite effectively. The whirling is slowing down, it's being disrupted. "Doe! A deer! A female deer!"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (11)+13+2: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2-5: (9)+13+2+-5: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1d6+7: (1)+(2)+7: 10
The whitescale sith-makar follows up with more flashing of her blade, and the non-sensical battle cry, "Ray! A drop of golden sun!"
Something seems to be working, as she hits resistance, and the icy haze around her weapon is whipped away, disrupting the Broken Wind further."
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (12)+7: 19 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (14)+7: 21 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d6+6: (6)+6: 12 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (10)+12: 22 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (20)+12: 32 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (3)+12: 15 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+5: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+5: (3)+5: 8
In the splashing pool of summertime delight, Victor and the Foul Water exchange blows. The cohesion of the corrupted elemental is sorely tested, though neither does Victor appear to be shiny and new.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12-2+2: (5)+12+-2+2: 17 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+12-2+2-5: (6)+12+-2+2+-5: 13
Lanier flails and fails to connect.
GAME: You spend ONE point of PANACHE. (4 remaining) GAME: Cryosanthia uses an AoO! 4 remaining. GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (9)+14: 23 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (15)+13+2: 30 (Parry) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (1)+13+2: 16 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (12)+14: 26 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7
Once more, the whirling wind of broken splits its attention. Yet again, it manages to konk Lanier with something spinning about within it.
Another thing flies at her, and the whitescale swipes at it, turning it aside with her blade. She grins and sings, "Me! A name. I call myself!" And stabs at empty air. Not all strikes can land.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (5)+13+2: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2-5: (9)+13+2+-5: 19
"Far. A long, long way to run..." Cryo's singing is a little less enthusiastic as she fails to find resistance to her blade. Swipe, swipe, empty air again.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (8)+7: 15 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (5)+12: 17
Victor and Foul Water continue to trade blows in the pond. Or swings, in this case.
GAME: Lanier rolls BAB+Strength+MW-PA+Flank: aliased to BAB+Strength+1--2+2: (1)+7+4+1+-+-2+2: 13 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Lanier rolls BAB+Strength+MW-PA+Flank: aliased to BAB+Strength+1--2+2: (6)+7+4+1+-+-2+2: 18
The ranger attacks vigorously, but fails to find substance.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (10)+14: 24 GAME: You spend ONE point of PANACHE. (3 remaining) GAME: Cryosanthia uses an AoO! 4 remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (20)+13+2: 35 (THREAT) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (6)+13+2: 21 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (11)+14: 25 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+4: (5)+4: 9
Cryo bats around at the flying debris inside the Broken Wind, hitting a branch and flicking it away with amazing panache. However, her follow-up isn't as skilled, and she's striking air again. "Wrrrf."
A clear cycle in the natural order begins to appear. Lanier catches debris. Cryosanthia deflects debris. Cryosanthia stabs into air... and not the air she is aiming for.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (5)+13+2: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2-5: (16)+13+2+-5: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1d6+7: (2)+(1)+7: 10
"Sew... a needle pulling..." >thunk< "Yes yes yes I got something!" Cryo cheers, her icicle finally finding a puff of foulness and tearing it apart, "take that you thread!"
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d6+6: (5)+6: 11 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (15)+12: 27 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (3)+12: 15 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+5: (7)+5: 12
There is further splashing in the pond as Victor and Foul Water continue their pummeling of one another. Both appear to be in very poor shape at this point.
GAME: Lanier rolls weapon7-2: (9)+12+-2: 19 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon7-2-5: (5)+12+-2+-5: 10
Lanier continues slashing at air.
GAME: You spend ONE point of PANACHE. (2 remaining) GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (17)+14: 31 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (11)+13+2: 26 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (20)+14: 34 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+14: (8)+14: 22 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Un'eth rolls 2d8+4: (4)+4: 8
As if to make up for all the other efforts before, the stinking air is exceptionally accurate, hitting Lanier then Cryosanthia with the same branch. Impact, spin, Impact, like a teasing chastizement.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (16)+13+2: 31 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2-5: (10)+13+2+-5: 20 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1d6+7: (3)+(1)+7: 11
Cryo misses a parry and is thunked in return for her troubles. She snarls, snorts, exhales a chuff of cold air which forms a small mist in front of her before it is dispersed without a trace. If only this smell could be wafted away as easily.
With a growl, she shoves her dagger deep into the small maelstrom, "LAH! A note to follow SEW!"
This time, striking with success.
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+7: (6)+7: 13 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (16)+12: 28 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (8)+12: 20 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d8+5: (7)+5: 12
The Foul Water, perhaps by the power of slow rust and corrosion, is finally getting the upper ...roughly fist-shaped appendage over Victor.
GAME: Lanier rolls weapon7: (6)+12: 18 GAME: Lanier rolls weapon7: (12)+12: 24 GAME: Lanier rolls 2d6+2H_Str: aliased to 2d6+6: (11)+6: 17
Lanier misses several more times, each swing either being batted away by the wind blowing around him or simply not finding a corporeal piece of the elemental. Finally, his greatsword finds enough of the air elemental to take a chunk out of, and the magic that holds it together disappates.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1+2: (3)+13+2: 18
With the broken wind fading like so much foul air, Cryo turns and leaps into the water to assist Victor, who is not looking well. "Get out, I'll handle it!"
She swings, and it's a miss, "Ack! Do I continue the scales or start over?"
GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (11)+12: 23 GAME: Un'eth rolls 1d20+12: (3)+12: 15
The Foul and Fetid Water seems uncaring or unaware of the changing harassers and just swings at the one nearest it. Now, this is Cryosanthia, though all it does is splash around her.
Once Lanier is fully convinced the air elemental is dissipated, he turns and begins heading for the pond. He reaches down, touches the edge of the water and closes his eyes. A prayer said in Sildanyari causes a ripple to form in the water of the pond, not too far from his hand. Very suddenly, the ripple is torn apart as a creature breaks the surface and hops onto the shore, turning towards the foul water elemental.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1: (20)+13: 33 (THREAT) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1: (12)+13: 25 (confirmed) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1-5: (20)+13+-5: 28 (THREAT) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls weapon1-5: (9)+13+-5: 17 (not confirmed) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1d6+7: (3)+(6)+7: 16 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+1d6+7: (2)+(2)+7: 11 GAME: You gain ONE point of PANACHE. (3 remaining)
"TEA! A drink with jam and bread!" Cryo says, flailing at water and plunging her dagger in, seeing ice trail behind it. She follows up with another quick stab, "And that brings us back to Doe! Doe! Doe! Doe!"
The foul water dissipates, collapsing into the pool, and the whitescale sith-makar, who is a lot more brown and smelly now, dances happily, splashing, "Got it!"
Her head whips towards Lanier, "We have to check on Victor, Spud, and these two scouts now, do you know healing?"
As the water elemental dissipates, Lanier leaves his greatsword on the ground with a nod of his head to Cryosanthia, "Yes, I can keep them stable until we can get them to healers." He then adds as an afterthought, "Spud will be fine. He knows how to handle himself in these woods. He'll lay low." He moves quickly to the Sil scount that had fallen out of the tree, reaching down without turning him over to check for signs of life.
Cryo wades out of the water. She flings her icicle dagger and it sticks in a tree, then melts away, "Oops, uh... don't tell Un'eth I did that." Immediately, she follows with some quick gestures, her gloves glow and she cleans herself down with prestidigitation as she moves near to the sith. Vanity perhaps, or a desire to avoid inflicting more contamination on him as she follows up with similar washing motions as she rolls him to assess. Is he unconscious, or is he dead, and can she do anything about either of those.
GAME: Lanier rolls Heal: (2)+12: 14
Lanier finishes an initial checkover of the Sil scout, then turns him over quickly. He unshoulders his pack, opens it up and then removes a healers kit from it. The ranger makes somewhat short work of banding the wounds of the Sil, at which point he stands up and moves towards the pond and the two sith, "How do they look?"
The whitescale sith kneels beside the fallen bluescale. She doesn't know what to do. She closes her eyes, breathing slowly, concentrating and thinking about all the sith that came before her in her line. There's a glimmer, the pale, glacial blue scales on her back start to glow. Maybe...
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls heal+2: (12)+0+2: 14
She remembers things on an instinctive level, that might help. She starts her examination.
"This one here is alive. She is unconscious, badly pummeled and bruised." Cryo says, informing the small group. It's not Zeke! It's not Zeke, even if she saw him at first. A different bluescale. She shakes the illusion out of her head.
"She is stabilized, we can transport her. Her body switched to breathing water when she fell unconscious in it. We found her just in time."
Lanier nods at the news of the Sith-makar scout, "That's good." He takes a moment to look around and then adds, "Let's get them back to the main roads as quickly as possible. We're not in the worst part of the Felwood, but none of it is very good." With that said, he turns around and returns to the Sil scount to start getting him prepped to go.
Cryo stands, looking over at the war-golem who is doing things which she does not understand. "Looking good Victor! Let me know if you need assistance with anything. I'm going to get a travois together and make sure we don't lose any of their stuff."
Whereupon, she searches around the banks of the pond and in the water. The sildanyari has all his belongings so there's nothing further to be found; thie sith's blade is in the shallows of the pond, just offshore. Cryo retrieves it, gives it a quick cleaning and sets it beside the unconscious bluescale while she works on something to make her a little easier to drag. Sith-makar tend to be substantial, even the females and it will be more comfortable with a pallet for her. Eventually the whitescale completes her preparations and shifts the sith scout onto it.
"I agree, roads, proper healing. They will have something to report. Going further in would be foolish at this stage and time of day. Ready when you are."
The previous scouts are stabilized and readied, their equipment located, and means made for their transport. Their rescuers are, as a whole, not in significantly better condition, but they are still ambulatory. The path back to the road is the most difficult portion due to terrain and undergrowth, but it managed. The journey is not overlong, but not rapid, and some limping may be involved.
In the end, Wilderness Pointe is reached with daylight to spare. Wounds are healed, care of Un'eth and other shamans, sith or softskin alike. The discovery is valuable information. Whether they were isolated examples or more exist, the natural elements, themselves, were sickened.
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
>> 17 Lanier 1 <<
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16 Broken Wind
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12 Cryosanthia 5 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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12 Victor 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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3 Foul Water
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