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[Song of Fire]

((“Goodbye, Jarhiel! We hardly even knew ye.”))

The comment about how there are clearly no gnolls about warrants no response from Galen. Whether the claim was made as a result of investigation in the matter or of confidence in past work, things change, and what once had been now may not be.

The trek through the trees goes uneventfully until the expanded group’s lone tiefling pulls a noisy vanishing act.

Galen quickly draws an arrow, readying his bow. His breathing slows, and he becomes nearly still, his eyes darting toward the area of the Tiefling’s last known location. He tries to see what has become of their recent, and very short-term, companion, but also pays attention to the rest of their surroundings.

((Where is everyone in relation to each other?

Perception:

Spoiler

[11]+3=14

Just investigate this already, Galen. It’s a secret passage, not the Sarlacc.

Axel:

Spoiler

Smelly barriers would get a bit overbearing, and I’m sure Galen wouldn’t be entirely thrilled with the added defensive bonus of Gnoll Stink (R) with nothing else. We could always find some better way to make them better.

Apparently Wizards of the Coast has a poll on the UA ranger this month, if we even have anything worth saying.))

 

[Mike M]

((Everyone is about 60ft in varying directions away from the ranger, who was alone. Keranos and Ludwig are together, but I'll leave it to your discretion whether you were paired up w/anyone else.

Are Nyx and Sagashi going to take any actions?))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Nyx looks around the area for any other threats.

Perception: 1D20+5 = [3]+5 = 8

 

[Mike M]

((Man these are some trash Perception rolls. Nezumi?))

 

[Nezumi]

Sagishi is admiring their surroundings when the tiefling suddenly vanishes out of sight. Just like the rest he quickly scans the undergrowth and thickets in hopes of spotting the reason for their companion's dissappearance.

Perception : 1D20+2 = [17]+2 = 19

 

[Mike M]

"Darren!" the captain cries as her squad mate vanishes from view. As she dashes through the underbrush like a predatory wind, most of the party cast their gaze about in alarm at the disappearance of the ranger, but they see nothing but foliage and the remaining humanoids. Only Keranos with his elevated perspective and Sagishi with the attuned senses of someone who's live and livelihood depends heavily on his alertness are in any position to see what has happened.

The ground beneath where the tiefling had been standing has given way, revealing a crude, yet fairly deep, earthen pit. Set at the bottom of it are a jagged arrangement of sharpened wooden stakes, their ends charred to harden them. The ranger is clinging to the edge of the pit with his clawed fingers, but the soil is soft and his feet aren't getting any traction as he attempts to clamber back out of peril.

Daring a quick look away from the predicament, Keranos and Sagishi don't see anything else suspicious or threatening in the immediate vicinity.

 

[ThLunarian]

The moment he spots the ranger hanging on for dear life, Keranos returns to his body and leaps off of Ludwig. He makes a mad dash through the foliage toward the pit and falls to his stomach, offering a hand to the tiefling to prevent him from falling.

"Somebody pull us up!" he yells back in Ludwig's direction, making no effort to try to extract the tiefling himself; it's all he can do to remain stable with his limited physical strength.

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess shifts in place, "I- I'll be there!" but becomes paranoid about stepping onto one of the traps himself. He takes out his sword and tries to prod for safe places to step.

Perception: 1D20+5 => (16 + 5) = 21

<I don't know if trap finding is rogue only but it seems in-character for Fhiess to try despite that>

 

[Nezumi]

As Keranos dashes forward Sagishi is close on his heels, helping the young half god to keep the tiefling from falling into the pit, though he has the uncomfortable feeling that even combined their body strength might not be sufficient for the task.

"Yes, a little help would be much appreciated here," he shouts over his shoulder.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

As the person in peril was dumb enough to choose a career in government work, and of a military nature at that, Ludwig doesn't feel the same sense of urgency as the others. Still, he won't just let a relatively innocent ranger get impaled on a bunch of spikes.

"Ok, one of you guys get a grip on him and I'll yank you all up. It may hurt a bit, sorry in advance." Once Keranos or Sagishi get a hand on the tiefling and say as much, Ludwig cranes his neck down and clenches his jaw wherever there's enough room on the rescuer to do so without biting away their grip. He then pulls his head back up, lifting them like ragdolls and dropping them a small distance away from the hole in the ground.

((I figure at most, Keranos and Sagishi both gripping the tiefling with equipment is below 500 pounds, which is a fraction of Ludwig's light carry weight. Still, if you want a roll for pulling them out like that, let me know.))

 

[Mike M]

((Naw, no rolls necessary on this between the three of you.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Thosar is slow to react, and by the time everyone else has responded, he is just starting to taking action. With the ranger's safety in hand, he begins casting about for more traps or hidden holes.
investigation roll for traps and hidden stuff: 1D20+1D4+5 = [13]+[3]+5 = 21

 

[Song of Fire]

As Keranos and Sagishi rush to save the hapless ranger, Galen joins Thosar and Fhiess in searching for further traps.

When he and Thosar are near each other, Galen says “It appears somebody has gone to some trouble to protect this trail from being traced.”


((So it may have been a bit closer to being the Sarlacc than to being a secret passage. Sorry, Galen.

Anyway, digital dice roll time:

Investigation for trapseeking:

Spoiler

[12]+1=13

Intelligence check for gnolls and the use of these traps (Alternate title: Of Gnolls and Traps):

Spoiler

[13]+1=14 (I assume it would be a nature check?)

Favored enemy Reroll Dice?
(Alternate alternate title: The Pitfalls of Gnolls)

Spoiler

[15]+1=16

))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

The scholar does not take his eyes off the ground as he continues his search.
"We could be near where they camped. This was a crudely made trap, so I doubt it was the work of anyone much more advanced than a gnoll. We will have to be cautious from here on out, however."

 

[Mike M]

The combined efforts of the squad captain, Keranos, Sagishi, and Ludwig are more than sufficient to pull the tiefling ranger from the side of the pit; in fact he has more than a foot of aerial clearance as he's hauled up over the edge.

Fhiess and Thosar take a more cautious approach, not wanting to fall into another pitfall trap as they test the ground before them at each step. No more traps on the ground reveal themselves, but now that they're looking for it, both of them can see a couple vines hanging from trees that should not have them. Knowing now that there are traps about, these are almost immediately recognizable as sprung snare traps, though they look like they were sprung a long time ago. Indeed, the pit itself smells strongly of decaying vegetable matter, and there's a layer of composting biomatter at the bottom. It seems likely that this pit has been here for some time, and probably benefited from the natural accumulation of falling leaves to disguise its location utterly.

Thosar makes a pertinent observation that such a trap would be well within the abilities of gnolls, which falls in line with Galen's knowledge of the creatures. Galen would further know that gnolls are hunters rather than ambush predators, but the use of such traps to protect a camp or what passes for a settlement with these beasts while they are out on their frequent excursions is not unheard of.

"We're getting close," mutters the human male ranger.

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess points his sword upward, "Look! I see more traps!" He almost casts a spell to make them more visible, but stops himself, "But they haven't set them back up..? Maybe I'm not seeing the ones that weren't sprung yet."

He continues prodding the ground in case there's still a vine snare nearby.

Perception: 1D20+5 => (20 + 5) = 25

 

[Mike M]

Once a thorough investigation of the immediate surroundings confirms that there are no further traps about, the Endowed and their ranger accompaniment press forward deeper into the woods. They move at a slower pace than before, realizing now that the dangers they face lie not in just a potential run-in with hostiles, but their malevolent surprises left behind for intruders.

The rangers mutter arcane incantations to themselves as they move, using a relatively simple yet effective spell to locate any such traps before they can be sprung. Another two pit traps--each completely covered by fallen leaves and nearly impossible to discern by sight--are found and triggered with a well-thrown stone. Several snare traps are also revealed, having been set and hidden with more skill than the sprung ones spotted earlier.

At one point, the paths converge to pass between a narrow gap in a particularly thick knot of trees. The captain holds her fist up to stop everyone in their tracks before hurling a throwing knife through the gap. There's a metallic snap, followed by the creaking of wood and a woosh of displaced air as a sharpened log swoops across the path. She approaches and kneels down for a moment before rising up with a length of thin wire held up between her fingers. "This," she says, "is not something gnolls would come up with on their own. They had some sort of help."

The sky darkens and the air smells of rain.

#

Eventually the trails cease to be of seven individual trails and becomes one trail of seven. The forest opens up into a small clearing, at the center of which stands the blackened and gnarled remains of what once must of have been one of the tallest trees in the forest. It is large and old enough that its very presence has influenced the landscape; In the direction facing the party, the massive roots entangle and surround what appears to be an opening to a cave, as though the tree itself split the bedrock it grew upon over the span of centuries. A shallow depression in the ground before this opening rises on either side to form a small mound that wraps around the tree were the accumulation of dirt and soil against the root system has been enveloped by thick sod.

As the group stands behind the treeline to gaze upon this place, a light rain begins to fall.

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ludwig walks along with the others as they proceed deeper in, the subsequent traps being dealt with without any need for assistance on his part. Maybe these rangers are good for something after all.

In between the increased sophistication of the traps and the environment screaming that bad things lurk, Ludwig is on guard. As they near the tree and cave, the J'raffa says "well this looks ominous. Perhaps the end of the line?"

Attempting to get insight on what's ahead, Ludwig uses detect evil in the direction of the gnarled tree and the cave opening.

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess slows his wading through the plant life. A once beautiful inspiration begins to turn haunting. Readjusting the weight of the crossbow in his arms, he inquires after Ludwig speaks, "Do you think it's true? That somebody other than the gnolls helped build a trap? What if they're watching us, hiding like a spider, just waiting to shove us off a cliff while laughing like a hyena?"

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

"Well first, they'd have to have been doing their squats for a pretty long time to push me off anything," Ludwig says with a laugh. "And if they whip out a cliff on us, I won't let them push any of us off of it.

Pending the results of his detect evil, Ludwig says "Unless whoever's been giving the gnolls and hobgoblins potions to make them feral has another potion that makes gnolls smart, it certainly seems like someone is giving them some help here."

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos responds to o Fhiess's concerns with bravado. "Spiders are made to be squashed," he says. "Let them come and feel the wrath of the storm god."



Approaching the mouth of the cave, he clutches his Holy Symbol in one hand and imbues it with divine energy. It emits a shining light to cut through the darkness of the cave.

"Come," he announces. He then pauses and furrows his brow. He looks uncertainly at Ludwig, and then at the mouth of the cave, and then at Ludwig again. "Errr..." He says uncertainly, scratching his head. "Will you be able to fit in here?"

((That's more a question for the DM I guess))

 

[Mike M]

((Yeah, Ludwig isn't getting in there. Something to think about, given you're on your way to a subterranean dwarven city.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

Thosar has been appraising the situation. The burnt tree and cave are disquieting and the more advanced traps are point toward outside influence. "We should go in, see about eliminating the threat that remains. I get the feeling we'll learn a few things as well. While Ludwig may not be able to join us below, I'd feel better having a watch on the entrance to keep us from getting flanked anyway. Maybe one of you fine rangers would like to keep him company out here."

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Did the detect evil yield anything?))

Ludwig sighs and says "I was hoping to procure some shrinking potions before we got to the mountains, but this came up, so there wasn't a chance to stock up. Yeah, sounds like I'll be covering the rear."

He is less than thrilled about Thosar trying to ask a ranger to stay by him, despite the extra edge in combat that would provide.

 

[Song of Fire]

((

"Do you think it's true? That somebody other than the gnolls helped build a trap? What if they're watching us, hiding like a spider, just waiting to shove us off a cliff while laughing like a hyena?"

I absolutely love this.))


Galen walks along with the group, each step placed with care, bow at the ready, eyes and ears open for that which lurks in the trees. Nothing makes itself known, however.

“From what I have heard, it does seem likely, doesn’t it?” Galen adds. “Some unseen hand pulling the strings in all this, gnolls and hobgoblins under that banner. I would not be surprised to find they've prepared some nasty surprises for us.”

He looks around the area, then bends down closer to the ground, holding his bow in his left hand, the fingertips on his right brushing lightly against the ground. “They could watch us, sure. But if so, why haven’t they made themselves known?”

A moment later, he adds, “I can stay behind with Ludwig.”

Galen keeps his fingers against the soil, speaking softly, yet to nobody present. If he has any suspicions as to why an unseen adversarial observer would remain hidden, he keeps them to himself.


((Galen is, in essence, running a perception check and making an attempt at Primeval Awareness.

Perception nets a seven. Congrats, Galen, you see trees.

It seems likely the dead tree is related to the Fangs.

And, you know, how everyone is spitting up might be a good thing to decide, seeing as Ludwig must either shrink or stay behind.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((I didn't actually spell it out, so just in case, I cast Light on my holy symbol))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

"If you'd prefer, maybe Galen or Sagishi could act as backup. It just needs to be someone who can see trouble coming."
The elf gives a knowing smile.

 

[Mike M]

((Detect Evil pings that the area immediately outside the opening to the cave and at least part of its interior are desecrated ground, but no individuals you can pick up. The spell is blocked by 1ft of stone, or 3ft of wood or dirt, however.

Primeval Awareness again yields an all clear within its range.))

((I absolutely love this.))

((Definitely one of the better Dark Souls gags we've produced. Well played, KM.))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

Ludwig pauses for a moment after staring intently at the cave. "Ok, there is DEFINITELY unholy stuff that has gone into that cave, I can feel the traces around the entrance. Maybe more of those fangs."

In response to Thosar, he says "If anyone is willing, that works for me. Don't feel obligated to stay just because I can't fit, though."

 

[Song of Fire]

“It does seem the tree may have suffered from their presence, if their path from this place is any indication,” Galen suggests.

“However, it may be that there are no gnolls inside. Anything that lurks within could well be something more sinister.”


((I take this challenge:

"If anyone is willing, that works for me. Don't feel obligated to stay just because I can't fit, though."

and I raise you this:

“I can stay behind with Ludwig.”

Whether Ludwig feels safe around this crazy man is his call. I just figured, with some of these posts so close together, that may have been missed.))

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Yup, I did miss that, multitasking is bad, mmkay. We'll just say Ludwig said that before Galen chimed up.))

"Well, I do believe that takes care of that then. Any gnolls that try to enter the cave behind you guys are in for a bad day."

 

[Song of Fire]

((Sounds good to me. It even fits together well that way.

Mike M, how well does it look like the tree could function as a lookout perch?))

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess is encouraged by Keranos' resolve, "You're right! If we do meet this trickster, we won't forgive him when he's at our mercy."

Feeling more than ready to face danger, he suggests, "I might be able to see a little bit in the dark, so I suppose I should be with the group exploring the cave."

((Definitely one of the better Dark Souls gags we've produced. Well played, KM.))

<Thanks! When the ranger sprung the log trap I was reminded of a video where this Patches cosplay build in Bloodborne was using the rolling log trap in Forbidden Woods to grief coop players.

Spoiler

I may have just given the DM, or a future DM, ideas

>

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Couldn't be worse than the

Spoiler

phase

spider swarm from the game I'm running.
I completely missed the dark souls reference, having never played it. >_>))

 

[Mike M]

((Sounds good to me. It even fits together well that way.

Mike M, how well does it look like the tree could function as a lookout perch?))

((Really well, actually. It looks easy to climb and has branches large enough to support a person. You'd have a view of the entire clearing.))

((Couldn't be worse than the

Spoiler

phase

spider swarm from the game I'm running.
I completely missed the dark souls reference, having never played it. >_>))

((If you ever play it, there's an NPC named Patches the Hyena. He's good people and sells cleric gear and spells.))

 

[Song of Fire]

((Excellent. Galen will want to keep watch from up there.

Are we going to have anyone else stick around in the nice, bright, gnoll blight-druid-infested outdoors with the… er, rear guard? I suppose the party is kind of ill-equipped to attempt to really fortify the area.))

 

[Nezumi]

((Sagishi can also see relatively good in the dark and might be able to help taking care of traps and the like, so I guess he better goes inside with the rest. No time just now for a proper post. Will write something short when I'm home.))

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Thosar will be going along with the entry party as well. He can identify things of interest along with having darkvision. Plus, his spells work better in close quarters anyway.)

 

[Mike M]

((So far it sounds like only Galen and Ludwig staking out the exterior? Nyx?))

 

[Mike M]

Given the fact that the rangers' fighting styles are not ones that favor close quarters with impair maneuverability, the squad opts to stay outside the cave. They melt away into the woods to make a perimeter sweep and see if there's anything lurking in the trees.

Meanwhile, Galen moves to scale the dead tree that overlooks the clearing. Around the backside of it, he finds the clear remains of a campsite; there's the remains of a fire and the detritus of at least one meal enjoyed over it. Judging by the bones, it looks like they probably ate some rabbits, though there aren't any complete skeletons to be had. There's at least three depressions where someone bedded down for the night, and there are a multitude of tracks all over the place. There's also a pungent smell that rises above the lingering scent of burning wood.

Nature DC 15

Spoiler

Somewhere nearby, a dog or wolf has marked its territory.

#

The portion of the party approaching the cave opening itself would see that the area immediately outside the is a mess of gnoll tracks going into and out of the cave, which would seem to indicate that they've been in the area for a fair amount of time. There's a foul odor that only seems to get stronger as they approach.

Insight DC 20:

Spoiler

The blighted tracks of the Fangs only come out of the cave.

Holding his glowing holy symbol aloft, Keranos enters the cave along with those that are naturally gifted with the ability to see in the dark. The passage is narrow and short enough that an average-sized person needs to duck their head slightly to avoid bumping it on the massive roots of the dead tree above, and it proceeds on a fairly significant downward grade.

Eventually the cave opens up into a fairly good-sized cavern roughly 60 ft in diameter. There appears to be two passages on the far wall.

The smell is almost overpowering at this point.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

The sage follows the young avatar in and immediately recoils at the odor within the gloom. He sighs before muttering "all my crowns for a spritz of peppermint oil."

Once the group arrives in the large chamber, he ponders the decision. "Perhaps one is a trap, we've had several already." He examines the ground for signs of traffic and the walls for markings.

((insight check_: 1D20+4 = [1]+4 = 5
lolno

investigation w/ guidance: 1D20+5+1D4 = [14]+5+[1] = 20


Good luck with the storm Mike. I hear it'll be a strong one.))

 

[KittenMaster]

Insight: 1D20+5 => (14 + 5) = 19

<Boooo, just one off

I also just realized I never picked two skills for Bard Expertise. I'll do that the next time I need to change my character sheet.>

Fhiess becomes preoccupied brushing a rashing nose against his arm, "This stench is fowl! It's not like what I am used to back at the shops." Noting the passage ways, "I wonder if the smell is stronger in one of these paths?"

 

[ThLunarian]

Keranos's lips curl reflexively at the stench, but he summons the willpower to not express his revulsion.

If neither path appears any more trapped than the other, he makes a snap decision. "To the left," he says.

((If anyone detected any traps, Keranos is fine with going down the safer path))

 

[Mike M]

((Good luck with the storm Mike. I hear it'll be a strong one.))

((Yeah, we're battening down the hatches. I bought like a ten pack of flashlights just in case.))

On the way down into the cave, Fheiss has the strangest feeling that there was something important about the tracks he saw outside, but can't quiiiiiiite put his finger on it.

An investigation of the immediate area in the cave doesn't reveal much in the way of tracks; while there was some soil blown into the descending passage, it thinned to nothing but clammy stone before opening up. There are some marks that might be claw scratches on the floor, but they're so jumbled that it's impossible to sort them out.

If there are any traps, they are so sophisticated so as to be indiscernible from the surrounding stone. That seems unlikely, given the level of competency demonstrated by the gnolls so far.

There is an underlying scent that fills the caves, one that speaks of too many filthy creatures living in close proximity and poor hygiene for too long. The passage to the left smells far, far worse. It is an overwhelming stench that robs one of their breath and tickles the hindbrain with the instinctive need to be anywhere but there.

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Got some led lanterns myself. I worry about a repeat of that weeks long outage about a decade ago.))

"Ugh, is that an otyugh down there?" Thosar wrinkles his thin nose and peers down the right passage. "Perhaps we should have the more stealthy of us scout the right passage and the rest follow behind a distance?"

 

[Axelhortsemchi]

((Yeah, storm prep materials are good to have. The last lengthy outage around here was Katrina, but it's good to have flashlights and whatnot around regardless.))

As the bulk of the party enters the cave and Galen climbs a tree to set up, Ludwig looks toward the maw of the evil cavern wistfully. "It's ok," the J'raffa says to himself. "It's just the free market choosing those most efficiently built for spelunking."

Forcefully shifting his attention to keeping baddies out of the cave, Ludwig slams his blade into the ground so that it is embedded a few yards in front of the cave. He then tries to get out of sight from the entrance so he's no immediately visible. If the larger than man-sized sword doesn't deter anyone, then hopefully his jumping out to wield it will.

 

[Song of Fire]

((Yay! There are so many bows guarding the entrance to the death trap!

Oh no! Poor Ludwig!

So… since we have so many ranged combatants about, how easily could the rearguard set up some logs or something to provide some amount of cover?

Also, if an archer were to ride Ludwig into battle, would the archer incur penalties from him being next to the enemy he or she is attacking? And does the grease from a grease spell burn?

As an aside, whatever it is, it is definitely

Spoiler

undead

. The entire setup reeks of it.))


Galen watches as the others enter into the maw of the Great Deku Tree large, dead tree. Nothing but darkness seems to await them, a void hungry for those brave –or foolish– enough to enter.

A part of him wishes to venture in with them, to stand by their side, whatever lay in wait, yet he also knows that he cannot and that he may yet be needed more outside. Indeed, though he could not voice it before the young artist, he too held concern about what may have been watching from the shadows, yet it was not an attack within the cover of the trees that concerned him, but that whatever it may be was waiting for them to enter the passage beneath the tree, where it could finish them off easily. Furthermore, he could not just leave Ludwig behind, and it is possible he had other reasons to stay.

As the others move to enter the cave, Galen speaks in parting, “Though you walk through the darkness, let your feet not stumble; when you do not know the way, seek the truth to guide your steps. May the Light shine upon your path, even in the darkest of nights.”


((And it is time for Galen to have no idea what is going on.

Roll for Survival!

Spoiler

[6]+1=7

Also, since Galen might have to go past the area with the Insight check to get to the tree anyway, I'm going to roll for that. If he is ineligible, that's okay.

Spoiler

[3]+5=8

I am officially in the market for a new secondary dice roller.

The comments about the storm kind of confused me. Of course, I had an entirely different kind of storm in mind, but it makes perfect sense now. Stay safe, everybody!))

 

[KittenMaster]

Fhiess reacts as quietly as he can, "Ack! Otyughs, the most hellish blights on a clean society, those are! I'm sure even the gnolls wouldn't find friendly company around them."

He then lets a frown, "I'm afraid I'm not good at sneaking about. At least whatever is down here won't smell us." He then considers for a moment, "Now that I think of it, there was something about these footprints, but I think some belong to the soles of our boots by now.."

 

[Noisy Ninj4]

((Also, if an archer were to ride Ludwig into battle, would the archer incur penalties from him being next to the enemy he or she is attacking? And does the grease from a grease spell burn?

As an aside, whatever it is, it is definitely

Spoiler

undead

. The entire setup reeks of it.))

((More demon corruption than undead.... not that that's an improvement. Grease from the grease spell probably isn't flammable, though it was in earlier editions. Web is given rules for burning while grease isn't in 5e.))

 

[ThLunarian]

"No need for stealth," says Keranos. He closes his eyes and leaves his body again, venturing 100 feet further into the cave.

Perception: [15] + 4 = 19

If there's nothing to see, he will return to his body, and repeat the process when the party reaches the point to which he had previously scouted.