Assault on Dire Wood

[3SpdDragster]

Kesem and Yann

"Well if it mysteries you seek to unravel then you will have your fill in the High Forest. One of the elven scouts, Ydadoras, has ventured in several times and has found sign of foul undead and also the spoor of creatures he has never seen before." he scratches his faces absently then using his hands to demonstrate. "One of the creatures is like a giant cat with tentacles that seems to be able to fool the eye as to it's location and also he spotted a roper."

"Neither of those creatures normally inhabit the High Forest." he sighs. "The area of contaminated forest seems to be saturated in both arcane and divine magic which so far has prevented the elves scrying the area. No one knows why but there are old stories that there was once a city there but who knows."

"If you are interested in helping, travel north to the High Forest, one of the scouts will find you," he smiles. "Just ask for Elder Whitebow."

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

Foul undead, tentacled cat ... interesting.
There must be a magical or divine source for their appearance, maybe a sinister summoning of some kind.
Kesem replies as his mind race for possible answers. He takes out a piece of parchment, quill and ink and begin to write down the information with in the Draconic language.
Ydadoras and Elder Whitebow you say. Can you spare some more information about the contamination and the lost city?
Kesem adds without raising his head from his writings

 

[Steve Gorak]

"It is my pleasure, I am not the most scholarly of my order." she smiles at the elf. "Also, Dorn here is interested."

Dorn would have preferred to only listen, and not be an active participant in the discussion: it's much easier to deny knowledge in the future when you're just a fly on the wall. No matter he thought to himself, at least i am wearing a disguise!

He nodded in acknowledgement of his interest and he waited for the elven trader to speak.

 

[3SpdDragster]

Kesem and Yann

Arlen shrugs, "I think it was a Netherese outpost called Karth or Karse. I cannot recall the details as it was left to ruins when the shadow people returned to their plane and was abandoned long before the elves settled in that part of the forest."

He watches Kesem scribble for a while. "As to the nature of the contamination..... sorry I don't know.

OOC: Kesem can make a history skill roll.

 

[3SpdDragster]

Bumble and Dorn

The old elf motions you to one of the cook fires that had been set up by the elven teamsters. After a slight wave of his hand the teamsters stand and move to another fire, leaving the three of you together.

"It has been two years since the night of the blood moon when the white ring appeared. We had no premonition from our diviners, no warning of any kind. Overnight miles of forest had been claimed and an entire villiage was lost. Thankfully most of the people managed to get out, but we did lose many. On the first night there were attacks by the dead, then mosterous and unnatural beasts forced the people to flee."

"Since then we have sent several groups to try and determine the nature of the ring, but to no avail. Cendra, our most capable wizard, caught a glimpse of something she calls the red giant, but we know nothing more than that despite our attempts."

"The ring has been slowly expanding, taking more of our land. We need people with skills we do not have, people like yourselves."

 

[Binder Fred]

Kesem and Yannock

Yannock patiently smiled and drank beer.

Under him, his wooden stool began to sprout.


OOC: Anything his knowledge of Nature (and things that can go wrong with Nature) can tell him, 3Spd?
Forest besieged: 1D20+6 = [17]+6 = 23

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

History: 1d20+7 21
Kesem is tryin to recall lore about the region.

 

[pathfinderq1]

Reading Rikka's words by the firelight, Ydadoras smiles sadly.

"Kelonmaz has travelled north looking for aid and others have also headed out." he snaps some small branches and adds them to the fire. "He should be back in a few days, so you will have plenty of time to reaquaint with your family."

"We have sent groups to investigate but all have ended badly."He looks over at the strange elf, considering her thoughfully. "What training have you received? You move well."

Rikka stared into the fire for a few long moments. She plucked a single leaf from one of the nearby branches, and cast it into the flames, watching as it curled and then charred. Then she turned and looked directly at Ydadoras for another minute. Finally she gave a harsh exhale, what might have been a sigh. Reaching up with one hand, she pulled her jacket and shirt down from one shoulder, exposing a small tattoo just above her collarbone- a dark circle inside a purple ring. Pulling her jacket back into place, she picked up her slate once more. 'I have walked in darkness. I was young, and foolish, I guess. I can only hope that I am not the worst of all those who will answer the call here, though I might be the one most in need of redemption.' Shifting the slate to one hand for a moment, she drew her sword, just far enough to expose the silvered blade. 'For all of that, I can fight well enough, and scout, and I have a few other tricks of light and sound which may help our expedition'

 

[3SpdDragster]

Kesem and Yann

As Arlen mentions the name of the ruins, Kesem has a faint recollection of reading the name Karse in a tome penned shortly after the fall of the Netherese Empire. It mentioned "..and did the followers of Karsus build Karse, to honor .....". The name Karsus doesn't mean anything to him though.

Yann knows that the cat creature is called a Displacer Beast, sometimes found in the service of powerful evil beings or running around in packs. They can be a fearsome foe due to their ability to fool the eye making them hard to hit. The corruption of the forest does not strike him as natural.

 

[3SpdDragster]

Ydadoras and Rikka

A young elven man, Wyllaneye, approaches the fire; his clothes are travel stained and his red hair dishevelled.

“Ydadoras, Rikka.” He squats down by the fire. “Whitebow will be here in two days. He has a sun priest with him and one other and Xartiel has been messaged by his son Arlen. Arlen says he has found two others who are willing from the south. I am heading to Southmark to bring them in.”