Assault on Dire Wood

3SpdDragster

First Post

• Dec 31, 2015

• #71

It is a clear cool morning when Ydadoras and Dorn lead out the group heading in a southerly direction. The two scouts set a brisk pace initially but after five hours of travel, a halt is called.

The elf explains that you are a few hours from the edge of the dire wood and that more caution will be required from now on. So, after the midday meal, they set of at a slower pace. Eyes scanning the thickening forest carefully, pausing frequently to listen as well as look, you can finally make out the ghostly shape of the white trees.

The trees you can see are almost uniformly ninety feet apart and indeed when you check you note they are exactly ninety feet apart. The tree branches are denude of leaves and the branches claw at the sky like skeletal fingers. Beyond, you see the forest thicken and there is a palpable aura of menace that seems to pervade the gloom.

Night will come to the forest soon. Do you wait till morn to enter or do you dare to enter the dire wood with night approaching?

 

log in or register to remove this ad

B

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!

• Jan 1, 2016

• #72

"Good occasion to test out those trees, ah?" boomed Loud Yann from atop his mighty warhorse. He clapped the reins and Frigate obediently clip-clopped up to the nearest 'undead tree', close enough for Yann to clunk it experimentally with the great branch he carried on his shoulder.


OOC: Any reactions? Does it sound hollow? If not, try laying his hand directly on it, then ripping a branch off and see if it heals. Knowledge Nature: Silviculture 101: 1D20+6 = [16]+6 = 22

 

3SpdDragster

First Post

• Jan 1, 2016

• #73

When tapped by Yann's club, the sound is a solid sounding "whack" as any he had heard before. Ripping a small branch proves easy and everyone starts as the broken limb shatters into a multitude of bright motes and surges towards the tree to reform.

Something about the way the tree reformed triggers a memory in Yann, he recalls talk of an ancient spell, which pre-dated even the elven culture here, which could create something called a Warding Tree.

OOC: Those with arcana or history can make a roll if Yann shares any of this information.

 

B

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!

• Jan 1, 2016

• #74

"Wow!" Still mounted, the giant of a man laid a bare hand on the trunk, looking up with some wonder towards its pale heights. "Any of you guys heard of something called a Warding Tree?" he said, in what amounted to a low voice for him.

"Don't know the details, but this is old, OLD stuff -- magics from before even the elves!"


EDIT= Oh, asssume he'll share any future knowledge with the group by default.

 

Last edited: Jan 1, 2016

R

River Song

Explorer

• Jan 1, 2016

• #75

"Well that seems quite magical in nature." Ydadoras looks about. "If we camp here we should be able to make the elven villiage by tomorrow evening." he adds with a shrug.

"I don't have much to add to the mystical nature of the trees though."

 

Strahd_Von_Zarovich

First Post

• Jan 1, 2016

• #76

Hmmm. interesting
Kesem says and raise a ghostly hand to break a little thin branch [Mage Hand] . He takes out his parcment and quill and write some notes as well indicating the place on the crude map he copied earlier.
Arcane roll: 1d20+7 23

 

S

Steve Gorak

Adventurer

• Jan 1, 2016

• #77

Dorn takes one of the silvered arrows lent to him by Ydadoras, and pushed the tip against the tree's trunk. "I wonder if the trees are affected by this?" he says out loud, mostly to himself but for the others to hear.

 

3SpdDragster

First Post

• Jan 1, 2016

• #78

Kesem releases the cantrip and watches as it moves up to the branch to break it, as it touches the tree it disappears and Kesem feels his connection with the spell disappear. However, when Yann mentioned the term Warding Tree, he remembered that the spell (and a spell it was) could only be cast by someone with mastery of the 10th Circle of Magic (level 10 spells) in both Arcane AND Divine. No one has been able to cast 10th Circle, or higher, spells since Mystra's ascension and her closing access to those spells to all but the gods.

Dorn places the silvered arrow against the trunk of the tree, nothing seems to happen for a moment then the arrow head seems the waver and slow like quicksilver as it is absorbed by the tree. The tree seems to flicker slightly and Dorn realises it is has moved back and pushed the corrupting forest back about a foot. The arrow has a normal steel head now.

 

S

Steve Gorak

Adventurer

• Jan 1, 2016

• #79

"My, my, this is rather unexpected! Ydadoras, sorry for the arrow, but I think it was worth it, no?" Dorn ponders and says jokingly: "I'm glad I didn't use my silvered rapier, that would have been expensive!". Thinking out loud, he goes on "Do we know exactly how wide this circle is, and is there enough silver in Faerun to shrink it completely?". Dorn then takes out a silver piece from his belt pouch, and pushes it against the same tree.

 

P

pathfinderq1

First Post

• Jan 1, 2016

• #80

Throughout the journey from the village to the barricade of trees, Rikka had trailed along behind the group- or so it had seemed at least. To tell the truth, she had been little more than a ghost, visible only here or there.

Once they arrived, though, she rejoined the group as they examined the strange trees. Most of her attention seemed focused on the forest on the other side- it looked as if she was looking for something specific. After a few moments she closed her eyes and rested one gloved hand on the trunk of one of the 'Warding Trees'.

Then she opened her eyes again and pulled out her slate and chalk. 'CAMP HERE, FOR TONIGHT? JUST OUTSIDE THE RING? WOULD GIVE US A CHANCE TO GET USED TO THIS- FEELS WEIRD- LIKE WE ARE BEING WATCHED'

After showing the slate around, she blew out a short breath and then stepped forward- past the tree and into the darker forest...

 

Last edited: Jan 1, 2016