The Summoning
The group settles in as dusk deepens. None of the folk in rough clothing notice the hidden Stalker; they barely look at the horizon. They all wait impatiently for something, Jarrith occasionally hearing the words of "Where are they?" and "We must begin!" repeatedly.
Night finally falls, though the ever present mist hides the night sky. Unbeknownst to all, the evening is absent of moons, none haven risen yet. The perfect time for dark rituals. It is then that, with a dark shimmer, three figures suddenly appear in the darkness. One is a comely shaped woman in peasant garb, her face hidden with cloaks like the rest. The other is a bent, hideous matron, a sneer on her squinting features. But is the the thing behind them that grabs attention.
Standing in the middle of the runic circle, the human-like figure stands near 10 feet tall. Human, however, it is not. Wicked claws twist where hands should be, and its thorny visage and glowing eyes speak of of the shadows in deadly brambles. This could not be the Verdant Lord already?
As Jarrith shivers at the thought, the witches and the crone being to move to the points of the circle. With a gesture, the crone lights a sickly green bonfire at the center of the flame. Holding aloft something that briefly glints of silver, she chucks it into the flame calling out,
"O Verdant Lord! We call thee! Use this, foul trinket of the enemy, as your seed! Come! Come!" The others being chanting in unison, the creature of thorn and darkness watching impassively.
The Summoning: Surprise Round
It was time for
Jarrith to strike. Crouching along the wall, his silver weapons in hand, he snuck up behind the nearest droning voice.
[Stealth] The eyes of the dark creature seemed to look right through him a moment, but then look on unseeingly. Thanking his luck, the Stalker uttered a quick prayer and then lunged at the witch. The rapier cuts through the man's kidney, and with a gurgle, the man collapses!
"To me! To me!" The Stalker cried. Just like that,
Marot,
the Lady paladin, and
the silent brute appear to the north, ready for the coming battle.
The Summoning: Round 1
Map Key:
A: Ashlyn,
B: Green Lady,
b: The bear,
C: Fiend,
J: Jarrith,
J: Janis,
L: Ladreth,
M: Marot,
T: Tessa, W: Witches.
Conditions: Moving through dense rubble (rocky-looking squares) cost 2 movement.
Green area is a fire that provides light to 30 feet and shadowy illumination to 60.
The rest of the party is about 60 feet away at the edge of the clearing.
J: 21 [31/31, 5/5 turns]
J: 21 [35/35, 1 Con damage, 10/11 AP]
L: 21 [55/55, 10/11 AP]
W: 21
B: 20
T: 20 [35/35]
W: 19
A: 12 [49/49; 1/2 smites, 5/7 turns, 0/24 lay on hands, 0/8 AP]
M: 10 [41/41, 7/8 AP]
C: 9
b: 4 [36/51]