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Deus Ex Machina

Craft gingerly tries to mount his horse, just barely succeeding. He then follows Dog's instructions on how to ride, and gallops off to try to heal the still-smoldering Warforged.
 

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Spike's slingshot flies wide, but the goblin simply remains standing stock still, a look of profound accomplishment on its swarthy face as Grace runs him down.

As the rest of the 6th Squad mobilizes, the guards approach on their horses.

"A telling blow tonight," says the one carrying the colonel. "We'll be withdrawing within the week, I'm sure, but I can't say I'll be unhappy to see the back end of this gods-forsaken land. We'll report to Major Kamphas down in the camp, and let him know you're on your way. Godspeed, and may Dol Dorn lend strength to your arms."

"Cyre stands!", salutes the other guard, and they wheel their horses around and gallop towards the campfires down below.

Taking stock of the situation, you all look up the mighty face of Pargon's Peak behind you. A clear trail switchback's across the mountain face, but no sign of the First Cave can be seen in the darkness, despite the occasional explosions of sorcery.

Inspecting the so-called "final messengers", you see that they are small, palm-sized clockwork mechanisms, insectile in nature, with intricate filigreed wings. They look quite fragile. In their current state, they appear dormant, the wings folded back across their backs, and the legs tucked underneath, almost like scarab ornamentations. Seven in total, they are obviously meant for the warforged. In the training halls of Eston, the warforged were told of devices similar to this, Cannith artifices that could attach or embed themselves in the bodies of the units, ready to be commanded by the will of each individual. Most of those currently prevalent in warforged units are made by Cannith artificers, but rumors abound of more powerful and ancient devices that have been recovered in the lost continent of Xen'drik. How this is possible, considering the recent creation of warforged, you do not know.

The time is now 1:00 am, and everything is dark and eerily quiet as the tent is now a pile of ash and glowing embers.

[sblock=OOC]I'm surmising that 6 PCs are riding horses, and Spike and Fixem are on foot. In addition, Erran and Dog are bringing a mule/donkey. Tell me your general plan of action, including how and when you plan to heal yourselves.[/sblock]
 

'We need to find a defensible position until Craft and Fixem can repair the other units' thinks Spike, "Sir, I think we need to get under cover and find a spot where we can guard against any further goblin incursion while we repair the damaged units"
 

"That seems a sound plan. This unit needs repair badly. Going into the flaming tent was poor judgement," Dog says, hanging its head a bit. "A defensible position from further goblin attacks would be advisable."
 

I fear that defensible postions are going to be hard to find at this point. We need to get away from here before more goblins arrive. Our best bet might actually be to get to the first cave and use that, or to hope we find something along the path up the mountain.
 

"We must move. We do not know the purpose of the goblin's flare. It may bring reinforcements, or it may be a signal for artillery bombardment. Either would impede our mission." So speaking, Grace begins to ride off toward the trail up the mountain.
 

The squad begins the arduous journey up the mountain face. Even by torchlight, the footing is treacherous, and the horses stumble more than once. The mules, of course, simply plod onward. The campfire-dotted valley below drops out of view as you ascend, and all sound recedes to the echoing clip-clop of the horses' hooves. The magical bombardment continues, but you are too focused on the next ten feet in front of you to notice.

After two hours, you reach the treeline. Only bare rock greets you ahead and above, and still no sign of the cave entrance. Your weariness pulls at your legs, and your wounds, untreated, are likewise sapping your strength. You need rest, and soon.

[sblock=OOC]Anyone with Survival can make a DC 20 roll to find an appropriate camping spot. Should everyone fail, another Survival roll at DC 15 will be required to further navigate the mountain path while exhausted.[/sblock]
 

Erran, exhausted and feeling lost as he rides up a mountain in the middle of the night with nothing but a squad of constructs, searches desparately for a suitable place to rest. Sadly, he is so distracted by his sorry state that he is utterly unsuccessful.
[sblock=ooc]first survival roll 13
second (if necessary) 23 [/sblock]
 

Dog knows the horses need rest, Small Dog needs rest, and the corporal needs rest too. And food. And water. And the rest of them needed at least a mildly defensible position for the fleshy ones to sleep and the other 'forged to repair each other. He bent his skills to the task, hunting along the trail for a place large enough for them all to rest for the night...

OOC: [sblock]I totally find a place with not only a defensible position, running water, and fodder, I think I might have also uncovered a nice inn with good prices and decent service! ;) Survival check is a 27.[/sblock]
 


Into the Woods

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