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<blockquote data-quote="haiiro" data-source="post: 1667235" data-attributes="member: 1891"><p><strong>(continuing session 1, Tuggle's Follies)</strong></p><p></p><p><em>Forgot the campaign date last time: 4th of Kythorn (June), 1372 DR, The Year of the Rested Serpent.</em></p><p></p><p><strong>Ambush</strong></p><p></p><p>Not long after they'd settled into this marching order, Tal heard a bestial grunting off to the right side of the road. The party fanned out a bit, and Tal drew his greatsword and headed for the copse of trees where the sound seemed to be coming from. Facing the opposite direction, De'lea concentrated and <em>detected evil</em> on the far side of the road. Just as she sensed the aura of evil's presence, a massive form lunged out from behind the tree Tal was approaching. Shaking leaves free as it shouldered its way around the trunk, the two-headed creature roared and took a swipe at Talishmere -- and in the moonlight, he saw that its arm was wrapped in thorny vines and spiked straps.</p><p></p><p>The blow connected, staggering Tal, and suddenly the other Follies were jolted into action. Tuggle created the <em>ghost sound</em> of a swarm of giant rats off to one side of the creature, while De'lea approached the underbrush wherein she had sensed the presence of evil. At the same time, feral-looking humanoids stepped out from behind trees and rose up from the bushes on either side of the road, and sent several arrows zinging through the group. Vicktor moved up to engage the two-headed creature with Tal, while Cupric tried to get a bead on the archers. Jaehn prepared to assist the others with his spells, while Artemis took this opportunity to flee down the road and into the fog.</p><p></p><p>A few short seconds later, Cupric had told the nine-foot tall two-headed humanoid a magically charged joke -- he cast <em>Tasha's hideous laughter</em> and rendered it helpless. As bizarre as the spectacle of this giant beast clutching its sides and roaring with laughter was, Vicktor and Tal wasted no time laying into it with sword and fists. Across the road, De'lea was able to dispatch an archer, although she still couldn't tell what manner of foul creature it was.</p><p></p><p>Looking like an unwholesome crossbreed of orc and gnoll, the archer's skin was oddly withered in some places, and scaled in others. Cupric noticed this as he felled another one, catching it with an arrow in the throat despite its best efforts to stay behind cover. The remaining two archers let fly again, and again their arrows failed to find their mark. A heartbeat later, Tal and Vicktor had killed the laughing creature -- and at this, the two archers wasted no time in bolting into the fog and fleeing the battle.</p><p></p><p>Searching the bodies revealed a few troubling details. The hybrid nature of the archers was made clear, and Cupric's store of bardic lore brought their name to mind: dogsbloods. They were apparently fairly common in Sembia, and were indeed suspected to be an orc/gnoll cross that bred true. They wore ill-fitting clothes and dark leather armor, and wielded odd horn bows. One of them carried a large brass whistle, which the party claimed for their own. The larger creature was first thought to be an ettin, but it too had odd patterns and variations on its skin. Cupric was able to identify it as a war-ogre, but knew nothing of them apart from the name.</p><p></p><p>An examination of the war-ogre's body turned up several very large nails that had been pounded into its back -- as well as one that was driven into the back of its head. These were not magical, but careful study suggested that they were used to control the creature in some way. Someone with sufficient knowledge of anatomy could insert them into specific areas of the body and brain to make the creature more docile -- or fiercer. When Talishmere pulled out the nail in the war-ogre's head, it was found to be at least eight inches long.</p><p></p><p>Although they were waylaying travelers along Rauthauvyr's Road, it was clear to the Follies that these were not mere bandits -- rather, part of some much more organized and powerful group. Before they had a chance to leave the ambush site, however, they were subject to a strange visitation.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Shimmering Man</strong></p><p></p><p>Practically in the middle of the party, a glowing orb appeared in the air -- it popped into existence under a small tree by the side of the road. The Follies scattered, and took up various hiding places in the immediate area. As they looked on warily, the ball of shimmering light expanded slowly -- from a mote into an oval, then a larger oval, then a doorway with a rounded top. When the bottom touched the ground, Jaehn created a <em>minor image</em> opposite the doorway, and mirrored it exactly as it continued to grow. Artemis returned at this point, and lingered just at the range where he could observe the light.</p><p></p><p>A moment later, the sparkling door coalesced into a shimmering humanoid form. This form appeared to walk through the doorway while at the same time pulling himself together from its substance. As the <em>image</em> mimiced this action, the being stepped completely through the doorway -- which was no longer there, as all of the light had gone into giving depth to his form. The shimmering man seemed poorly resolved, and no details could be made out on his glowing body.</p><p></p><p>He stood still and impassively surveyed the area, without seeming to notice the <em>image</em> or those members of the party who were still visible. After he had looked from side to side, he reached up with his right hand -- as if to grasp a staff that was not there -- and seemed somewhat surprised. With his hand still up, he said, "<em>Shauuuuuundaaaaaakul</em>" in a sonorous voice, and then disappeared without fanfare.</p><p></p><p>Although Jaehn and Cupric both had knowledge of <em>portals</em>, neither they nor any of the other Follies had ever seen or heard of this sort of thing. Baffled, the party pressed on for Selgaunt with all haste.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="haiiro, post: 1667235, member: 1891"] [b](continuing session 1, Tuggle's Follies)[/b] [i]Forgot the campaign date last time: 4th of Kythorn (June), 1372 DR, The Year of the Rested Serpent.[/i] [b]Ambush[/b] Not long after they'd settled into this marching order, Tal heard a bestial grunting off to the right side of the road. The party fanned out a bit, and Tal drew his greatsword and headed for the copse of trees where the sound seemed to be coming from. Facing the opposite direction, De'lea concentrated and [i]detected evil[/i] on the far side of the road. Just as she sensed the aura of evil's presence, a massive form lunged out from behind the tree Tal was approaching. Shaking leaves free as it shouldered its way around the trunk, the two-headed creature roared and took a swipe at Talishmere -- and in the moonlight, he saw that its arm was wrapped in thorny vines and spiked straps. The blow connected, staggering Tal, and suddenly the other Follies were jolted into action. Tuggle created the [i]ghost sound[/i] of a swarm of giant rats off to one side of the creature, while De'lea approached the underbrush wherein she had sensed the presence of evil. At the same time, feral-looking humanoids stepped out from behind trees and rose up from the bushes on either side of the road, and sent several arrows zinging through the group. Vicktor moved up to engage the two-headed creature with Tal, while Cupric tried to get a bead on the archers. Jaehn prepared to assist the others with his spells, while Artemis took this opportunity to flee down the road and into the fog. A few short seconds later, Cupric had told the nine-foot tall two-headed humanoid a magically charged joke -- he cast [i]Tasha's hideous laughter[/i] and rendered it helpless. As bizarre as the spectacle of this giant beast clutching its sides and roaring with laughter was, Vicktor and Tal wasted no time laying into it with sword and fists. Across the road, De'lea was able to dispatch an archer, although she still couldn't tell what manner of foul creature it was. Looking like an unwholesome crossbreed of orc and gnoll, the archer's skin was oddly withered in some places, and scaled in others. Cupric noticed this as he felled another one, catching it with an arrow in the throat despite its best efforts to stay behind cover. The remaining two archers let fly again, and again their arrows failed to find their mark. A heartbeat later, Tal and Vicktor had killed the laughing creature -- and at this, the two archers wasted no time in bolting into the fog and fleeing the battle. Searching the bodies revealed a few troubling details. The hybrid nature of the archers was made clear, and Cupric's store of bardic lore brought their name to mind: dogsbloods. They were apparently fairly common in Sembia, and were indeed suspected to be an orc/gnoll cross that bred true. They wore ill-fitting clothes and dark leather armor, and wielded odd horn bows. One of them carried a large brass whistle, which the party claimed for their own. The larger creature was first thought to be an ettin, but it too had odd patterns and variations on its skin. Cupric was able to identify it as a war-ogre, but knew nothing of them apart from the name. An examination of the war-ogre's body turned up several very large nails that had been pounded into its back -- as well as one that was driven into the back of its head. These were not magical, but careful study suggested that they were used to control the creature in some way. Someone with sufficient knowledge of anatomy could insert them into specific areas of the body and brain to make the creature more docile -- or fiercer. When Talishmere pulled out the nail in the war-ogre's head, it was found to be at least eight inches long. Although they were waylaying travelers along Rauthauvyr's Road, it was clear to the Follies that these were not mere bandits -- rather, part of some much more organized and powerful group. Before they had a chance to leave the ambush site, however, they were subject to a strange visitation. [b]The Shimmering Man[/b] Practically in the middle of the party, a glowing orb appeared in the air -- it popped into existence under a small tree by the side of the road. The Follies scattered, and took up various hiding places in the immediate area. As they looked on warily, the ball of shimmering light expanded slowly -- from a mote into an oval, then a larger oval, then a doorway with a rounded top. When the bottom touched the ground, Jaehn created a [i]minor image[/i] opposite the doorway, and mirrored it exactly as it continued to grow. Artemis returned at this point, and lingered just at the range where he could observe the light. A moment later, the sparkling door coalesced into a shimmering humanoid form. This form appeared to walk through the doorway while at the same time pulling himself together from its substance. As the [i]image[/i] mimiced this action, the being stepped completely through the doorway -- which was no longer there, as all of the light had gone into giving depth to his form. The shimmering man seemed poorly resolved, and no details could be made out on his glowing body. He stood still and impassively surveyed the area, without seeming to notice the [i]image[/i] or those members of the party who were still visible. After he had looked from side to side, he reached up with his right hand -- as if to grasp a staff that was not there -- and seemed somewhat surprised. With his hand still up, he said, "[i]Shauuuuuundaaaaaakul[/i]" in a sonorous voice, and then disappeared without fanfare. Although Jaehn and Cupric both had knowledge of [i]portals[/i], neither they nor any of the other Follies had ever seen or heard of this sort of thing. Baffled, the party pressed on for Selgaunt with all haste. [/QUOTE]
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