DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3Y.A1 - Shadowtop Cathedral

DM

Through Whisper’s eyes, Jaliera watches as the owl follows the fresh scar in the undergrowth easily now, the crushed ferns and broken stalks forming a crooked line through the moss. The trail ends in a narrow glade tucked between massive old trunks.

At the center of the clearing, a lone figure lies on their side near the base of a broad, ancient tree.

Half-elf. Druidic garb, torn and darkened with blood.

Their chest still rises and falls, but shallowly.

Dark shapes move around the fallen body.

Three figures drag themselves from the roots and shadows: towering, bark-skinned forms wreathed in twisted vines and thorns.

Wood woads.

Their hollow, amber eyes burn with cold purpose as they close in a slow, deliberate circle.

One of the woads raises an arm. Vines peel back just enough to reveal a jagged wooden blade, held aloft as if preparing to strike. The movement is slow and deliberate, not born of haste, nor of fury. Methodical.

The druid’s fingers twitch weakly against the soil.

Whisper’s round-trip flight from you took little more than a minute. Whatever is unfolding here is close enough that you could reach it in moments.

Or pass it by.

Davroar

"We should check it out."

He is not certain exactly what is going on, but to him it is worth the small bit of time to find out since the tracks are so fresh.

Jaliera

"This way! Quick!"

She is already off at a run at the same time urging Whisper to distract the creature with the blade. As she runs, she pulls her bow forward and grabs an arrow.

Zindra

"Yes. Let's approach but not get too close and let's try to be stealthy."
zindra Steath
Neptune rolled 1d20+9 and got 15

Jeeze, I needed all of that +9!

Davroar

He tries to reach out to stop Jaliera from running, as he asks, "Why? Jaliera, what did you see?"

Like Zindra, he does not want to rush into something without some idea of what is going on. He could easily shape-shift into an animal that would beat everyone there, but for now he wants to keep his options open.

Jaliera info

She has Meadow but was leading her and walking with the others. She is not staying in touch with Whisper. Generally a distraction order is to stay out of reach but to swoop, attack from the rear, do what she can. Jaliera is still running. She will check in with Whisper just before she gets there. Forewarned is forearmed. Plan is to pause in treeline and fire bow.

Stealth roll whilst running.

Jaliera Stealth
Gypsy rolled d20+10 and got 28

Jaliera

Over her shoulder..

"Turlang in danger!"

Pavel

Pavel the city boy who is not used to being in the woods at all moves up with the group. He starts readying a few spells.

He follows the rest dismounted. Weapons drawn. Making sure his horse is tied to a tree.

Note: If he is in range Pavel intends to cast Web in between Turlang and those creatures.


Pavel Stealth +2
Miales rolled 1d20 and got 14

So a 16

OOC: We have 2 horse: Zindra, Bern and Davorar lost theirs but Bern's taken off. That left Pavel and Jaliera with horses and since Davroar's going to definitely hitch on with Jaliera, I guess that leaves Zindra to ride with Pavel. We would likely hitch our horses to a tree before sneaking up.


Zindra
As she gets closer to the scene, Zindra casts Hunter's Mark and targets one of the wood woads. If it moves to strike the half-elf, she'll let loose with two arrows at it, hoping to put it down before it does any additional harm.

DM

After Jaliera's urgent alert, the party hurries stealthily along the trail of blood, every step placed with care. Whatever instincts guide the trees today, they favor the party, or at least don't hinder them. Branches part where needed, leaves hush beneath boots. The party reaches the edge of the narrow glade unseen.

What Whisper showed Jaliera was only the beginning.

In the clearing, the half-elf in druidic garb still lies crumpled on the ground. But with direct observation rather than a related telepathic image, his condition is much more apparent. Blood has soaked through the druidic wrappings at his side and pooled darkly in the ground beside him. His breathing is shallow and irregular now, each rise of the chest more uncertain than the last.

Three wood woads stand around him in a near-perfect triangle, root-shaped feet stepping deliberately, almost synchronized with each other. All bear a shield seemingly growing from their left arm, and wield a large club in their right.

Whisper is diving and swooping in an attempt to distract, but the tree-like creatures care no more for an avian creature than the forest trees do when they fly by or alight on a branch. It would take a deliberate attack to get their attention. Even trees tolerate woodpeckers. Ultimately, the owl is completely ignored.

And one of the wood woads has just stepped forwared within range to strike a fatal blow. It raises its wooden club. Not in anger, not in haste. But with the cold, patient certainty of execution.

The afternoon sun catches on a pendant hanging at the half-elf’s throat: a token familiar to Zindra and Davroar immediately. The sigil of the Emerald Enclave.

Mere seconds remain between life and death for the half-elf Emerald Enclave member.



OOC: Before Pavel's Web or Zindra's Hunter's Mark can be cast, we need to enter initiative order.

Roll for initiative.

Jaliera: if you wish for Whisper to participate in this encounter, also roll for her initiative, otherwise I'll assume she flies clear of whatever happens.

The party has succeeded in approaching stealthily so they have surprise: one full round of initiative where only the party can take actions.

IMPORTANT:

I've set up the party on Roll20 and placed the party together approaching within the treeline. This is probably not where you want to be. Before beginning initiative order, please move your token to where you actually want to be. Your actual location on the battle grid will possibly matter more than you might think. This is your last chance to take action-free movement to arrange yourself how you want to tactically approach this encounter.

For clarity, I've labeled the three Wood Woads as WW1 (about to strike), WW2, and WW3. They will share initiative order and act in numerical order.

Davroar

He casts his cantrip Shillelagh to make his staff magical as he makes his way through the forest as quickly as he can. Taking a slightly different approach so that they are not all in a bunch, he breaks cover north of the group of creatures. Quickly noticing the severity of the wounds of the druid, he will upcast his healing hoping he will prevent the death of the druid.

Davroar Initiative
Dugan rolled 1d20 and got 6

Davroar Healing Word on injured druid
Dugan rolled 3d4+4 and got 12

Jaliera

Instructing Whisper to stay clear. Jaliera readies her bow.

Jaliera Initiative
Gypsy rolled 1d20+4 and got 6