Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 2: The Indomitable Fire Forest of Innenotdar

[digimattic]

Arnir walks down the flaming road in wide eyed wonder. While he walks, he casts Detect Magic in the area all around him, trying to get a really good sense of the magic around him. As he walks he removes some of the items from his pack. To Bannock he gives the potion of enlarge person

"Here, Bannock....when things look dire, drink this elixir- it will make you as strong as an Orc!"

to Alric he hands the potion of Cure Moderate Wounds "You've been on the wrong end of a sword more than once. Take this potion when you are near death and your health will be greatly restored."

He also pins the golden broach to Alric's chest "I want you to wear this Alric. It will protect you from one of the more common magical attacks for some time. Given that you are usually the vanguard of our party, you could use the protection...or give it to Bannock if you want!"

Lastly, to Torrent he gives the Dream Shroud "Here Torrent. You helped me sending that wizard to Mystra...and this shroud is of more use to you than any of us. Take it in good health."

As they continue to walk, Arnir idly uses his knowledge of spellcraft to see if he can tell what sort of magic is at play.

 

[Gregor]

[sblock="for Kirio"]Kirio, you can learn no clues from Lars' description of his vision or what you remember Crystin saying. You're fairly confident that it rings no bells.[/sblock]

[sblock="for Arnir"]Arnir, detect magic and spellcraft yields some fascinating results. The entire area around you and by extension, you can assert, the entire forest, is bathed in an overwhelming amount of magical energy. In fact, your head throbs just from probing the area around you. The fires themselves appears to be natural, but the forest is infused with planar energies that may be powering it. You can't be certain what the source(s) is but you definitely register overlapping positive energy, potentially from some upper celestial plane, and energy from the plane of elemental fire. As as interesting side effect, you know that any spell cast which uses the element of fire is automatically empowered as per the feat "empower spell"[/sblock]

 

[digimattic]

Arnir's head pounds as he takes in the raw arcane energy and is nearly staggered by its sheer power. He is about to share his new found knowledge with the group when they round the bend, discover the bodies and Lars collapses.

"How interesting! Lars' visions seem to be highly prescient, perhaps there is something to this one as well. I can tell you that having studied the magic at work here, the fire itself is natural, however the forest is infused with incredible power- likely from both the plane of elemental fire, and the celestial plane. Perhaps there is a connection?"

Looking over the charred bodies, Arnir asks "Could someone fish me out a dagger from that husk? Though I can use this longsword, it's heavier than I'd like and truthfully, I'd rather not need to use it at all!"

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric accepts the items from Arnir with some surprise. Surprised partly because he's used to being a mercenary and responsible for his own gear and because he would not have judged the wizard to be acting as such a team-player. Though it encourages Alric to know that he has comrades watching his back and he is glad to have misjudged Arnir.

Alric inclines his head to Arnir with a slight smile curling his lips, "You have my thanks brother. I hope I am the one enemy blades turn towards since your robes do not seem to have the resilience of mine armor." He looks at the items pensively, "Though the potion seems to be straight-forward enough, could you instruct me on how this broach is used?"

Alric looks at the smoldering corpse with a grim look on his face. Having baked in his banded mail for hours now, he's not quite certain how much worse it would be to plunge his hand into smoldering hot coals. Though he wonders if there is another option. Alric walks up beside Arnir and draws one of his javelins from his pack, and nods at Arnir hoping he understand what he attempts to do.

When Arnir moves aside, Alric attempts to work the dagger from the charred bones using the butt end of the javelin.

OOC: I have no idea what this will entail mechanically. Let me know if a roll is required.

 

[Bannock]

"Well, thank you Arnir. Never look a gift 'orse in the mouth!"

Says Bannock, weary, but trying to be bright. He struggles awkardly to put Arnir's potion into a pocket of his pack, then squats at the bodies and pulls out a dagger. Shaking off a thick coating of ash, he hands it to the elvish wizard.

OOC: Jere slipped in there before me... I suppose I take back the part about the dagger.

"One day, when we're sitting by a cool lake and sipping brandywine, I'm sure we can spend hours and hours talking about 'eavenly powers and visions. But we're in a death cauldron many miles from anywhere pleasant. Our legs best keep pace with our mouths! Lars, if you'll be finding yourself wobbly, you can take my shoulder any time."

Bannock keeps on marching up the road at a deliberate pace.

 

[Gregor]

Alric, you have no trouble in dragging a dagger towards you using your javelin. In fact, that was probably a smart thing to do as the blade of the dagger is terrifyingly hot and is slightly scorching the wood of your javelin.

As you pull it through the ash, your tool bumps into the charred bodies, causing one of the bodies to burst into movement. In a burst of ash and incinerated flesh and cloth, one body sits up quickly. It's naked hairless body is blackened, scarred and still on fire. It holds up its hands to its face and looks down at the two other destroyed bodies. Suddenly a horrifyingly sad scream tears from its burned mouth: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Why!? Why do I still burn? Why do I still live? My family!!!! Ahhhhhh my family!" It looks up at Alric and begs through tears that immediately turn to steam: "Please....kill me! End my pain! I burn! Why do I still burn?! KILL ME!"

 

[Adjuntive]

Alric starts at the burning man as if the world just exploded underneath his feet. In the blink of an eye he jumps back, twirls his javelin in his hand, then brings his arm back into a position to launch it with all his strength at the terrifying apparition, and then pauses as his training kicks in from recognizing no immediate threat. He just stands there, agawk, javelin at the ready for a killing throw, mesmerized by the terrifying and baffling scene in front of him of a completely burnt man, prostrate before him, begging to die.

"I think this heat has finally driven me completely mad..."

 

[Bannock]

Spurred by the commotion, Bannock turns back around to witness this living effigy begging for mercy. Feeling an incredible mixture of revulsion and pity, Bannock hesitates only a moment before taking a firm grip on his weapon and raising it to strike. He desperately wants this to end.

OOC: If someone actually wants to stop Bannock from ending this suffering, post in the next short while.

 

[Bannock]

Possibly too transfixed to react, the party watches as Bannock's glaive thrusts at the flaming spectre, to deliver a merciful coup de gras.

OOC: Let me know if there is anything mechanical to be done here

 

[Gregor]

Bannock, your glaive stabs the burning man in his heart, killing him in a single merciful blow. His blood ignites, giving off noxious fumes and he is able to mutter a quiet: "thank....you...." as he slumps over in a burning pile of charred limbs.

Torrent speaks a prayer over the body of the dead man and turns to Bannock: "I think you gave him what mercy we could provide. My magic could have healed his wounds, but I doubt it would have solved anything. His body was ruined beyond anything I have ever seen and yet he lived, wreathed in flame and suffering horrible agony. I could not have solved that ... I don't think any of us could ... so I think you did the right thing."

She turns to keep moving down the road, turning back only to ask Arnir a question: "You said this place is infused with both fire and positive energy? Hmmmmm my healing powers are drawn from positive energy. Perhaps there is some link to why that man kept living even though he should have died. That turns my stomach..."