DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3X-Leaving Calling Horns

(OOC - Also, just for my own clarification as I wasn't sure I followed all the ins-and-outs of the explanation, as I understand using the economy of action rules you cannot use a Bonus Action to do a Normal Action, but you CAN use a Normal Action to do a Bonus Action. That effectively means that if you forfeit a normal action you can do 2 Bonus Actions in a turn. Have no idea if that applies here, just noting.)

Pavel

Pavel starts making his way back to his horse careful to not get caught up in the last of the sliding earth.

Jaliera

Jaliera throws her arms around Meadow's neck, so proud of her horse, who not only survived but saved her too. She looks aound at all of her friends, relieved to see everyone had survived. Not true of their mounts though. She feels sad about that.

"Anyone need help? I have healing potions." She calls out to the others.

Zhu

Climbing down lightly from the tree she glances towards the river where some of the horses bodies are still visible. "Best check and see if any of them are savable." She calls, releasing the Web spell.

Aubric

As the battle concludes, and the web is dismissed as it no longer serves a protective purpose, Aubric steps forward toward the corpse of the Hill Giant, his pendant with its holy symbol clutched tightly in one hand. As a disciple of the Life Domain, he's particularly attuned to the balance between life and death. He studies the giant, particularly the eerie, lifeless eyes, searching for any signs of the unholy magic that might have twisted this once-living being into its current state.

Drawing upon his divine knowledge of life and healing, Aubric attempts to sense any lingering life force or the absence thereof in the creature's massive form. He's especially interested in understanding how this apparent undead state might differ from the natural cycle of life and death he's so familiar with, still not convinced the creature is truly dead until he ascertains so for himself. [OOC: Assuming medicine, religion, arcana, and/or some other check(s) might be required here at Nep's discretion.]

He leaves any potential horse rescue to those already working on it, but also glances around the party to assess injuries, waiting until after the immediate rescue actions are completed before offering assistance on request. [OOC: Prayer of Healing can restore 2d8+8+4 to up to 6 creatures, but I'd prefer to save the spell slot unless I know a long rest is coming, which I doubt. or I can Preserve Life and distribute 40 hp to any combination of creatures, if a short rest is expected, which we might consider. Either way, it's on-request so I know which is a better use of my resources. ]

He also notes, "We should decide whether to press on here, or find a spot to briefly rest in case there are further challenges along this road. I doubt this creature is the only threat here." [OOC: a 1 hour short rest with Aubric's Preserve Life and Sindar's Song of Rest would be a pretty efficient healing pause.]

<Bern>

He continues to 'round up' the group's horses and lead them all back to the tree where they can be tied.

Sindar

Freedom from the web never felt so good. It had served it's purpose and kept him alive. But he was still glad to be clear of it. He looks around to see where he can assist.

DM
The mudslide now over and the hill giant now disposed of, the party starts tending to the wounded and investigating the scene.

Aubric climbs up to the downed hill giant and with little trouble, now close to the corpse, to realize that it died a while ago. Under it's robes it had wounds that festered with maggots that were eating it's insides. It was undead.

Zhu examines the horses and realized that once they fell they took more and more damage after begin swept from rock to fallen tree trunk to rock in the raging river. Their bodies were scattered downstream and from a distance she could tell that they were likely mangled beyond mending. A problem that the lost horses presented was that they carried several bedrolls, tents and other things needed for a proper campsite for a group this size.

The rain continued to pelt down and the ashen sky didn't offer a hint of letting up. The river was raging harder and the water was rising up the banks. The noise of the rain made it difficult to hear someone withing touching distance. To make matters more concerning, lightning was lighting up the sky and the sound of thunder echoed.

Zindra calls out to the others, through the driving rain, "We better collect what we can and move forward! There's no safe place to camp!"

Pavel

Pavel gets to the bottom of the hill and then checks his horse. He was ready for a break the effects of the adrenaline wearing off and the pain starting. The effects of the mudslide evident on his horse as well. He wasn't liking what he saw through the rain.

"Get some rest, boy." he tells the animal as he ties his horse to the wagon. Then he turns and starts slogging to where the dead horses were. The mud and rain got to be too much as he walked and then he started casting Mold Earth to smooth out the terrain and make his passage easier.

Once he reaches the first horse he starts collecting the supplies and the saddle and placing them in an area next to a tree with hopes of them staying dry. Seeing he'd have to go horse to horse he pauses and ritually casts Tenser's Floating Disk [OOC:10 min + 1action]. Once the ritual is donehe starts placing the items on the disk and heads to the next horse to collect the supplies and place on the disk as well.

Jaliera

Noone seemed in need of her potions but then they do have a number of spell caster who can heal.

"Can you keep an eye on Meadow?" She asks Davroar.

"I'm going to help Pavel with the salvage."

It is not a task she wants as she knows the dead horses will upset her but they have to be practical.

Zhu

Moving carefully along the bank, she too salvages the items the horses were carrying.

Sindar

He helps lead the horse and wagon forward slowly and carefully.

Davroar

He nods at Jaliera's request, gathering her horses reins and will check over her horse for any serious injuries.

Aubric

The cleric is satisfied that the giant is, indeed un-undead (dead), but still remains puzzled how it became undead in the first place. A lone undead giant seems very out-of-place.

But as there's not much more to do with it, he turns his attention to helping out anyone else who needs assistance. As he's nearest the cart, he'd probably help with getting the cart ready to travel again and a new harness on Boris unless asked to do something else, including use any of his healing.

Zhu

Having salvaged what she could from her own horse and some others nearby, she repacks her backpack with essentials and loads the rest onto the cart, including the horse's tack and saddles. She then looks to Aubric, who she saw examining the Hill Giant. "Find anything?" She asks, adding, "If it came from up there", she nods towards the top of the slope, "it might pay to take a look."

Aubric

Aubric shakes his head, in response to Zhu. "Not much. The giant was indeed undead, but it looks like it's been that way for some time. Its wounds were festering with maggots. I still don't know how it became undead in the first place, which is concerning."

He glances up the slope, considering Zhu's suggestion. "You're right, it could be worth investigating. However, given the current conditions, it's not wise for any of us to climb up there right now. But can we ask Jaliera to send Whisper aloft to take a look for any threats beyond the ridge... or anything else of interest up there which might indicate where the Giant came from?"

Zhu

"Good idea." She answers simply.

Jaliera

Jaliera can be seen helping Pavel fill his disk with Whisper flying overhead to spot any kit.

Pavel

Once he collects all the gear he can salvage with the help of Jaliera, he leads the disk back to the rest of the group and the horses. He'd heard murmurings of their discussions but nothing coherent due to distance and concentration.

"I think we got all that we could salvage. Are we regrouping here for the night and sorting in the morning or slogging on through this muck?"

The prospect of either was not something he wanted to do. But the thought of a rest after the fight and salvage was welcome rain or not.

Zhu

When Pavel and Jaliera return she looks at Jaliera and points up the hill. "It might be worthwhile to have Whisper fly up there and take a look around. The Giant came from there and it is a bit much to believe it was wandering around aimlessly." Placing the last bit of gear into the wagon she adds to Pavel. "I think it is best to try to get past this slope before we try to rest. Another slide like that when we're sleeping would be disastrous."