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Prologue: Shadows of the Past Turn 14: The Twilight Grove
Having committed as much as he could to memory, Danton slipped away from the door he had opened just a crack and made his way back across the Frog Man’s study and out into the hallway where the other party members waited. When he described the panorama of the grove and the massive tree at its far end, Nanoc and Telemachos were immediately anxious to charge into the grove and have at anything and everything that might get in their way. “Truly,” said Telemachos, looking at Danton, “you better close that gaping mouth, bard, some flies might fly in rather than fly out as usual! The situation cannot be so daunting! Muster up some courage and get your oil ready! 'Tis burning time! And, get that quill of yours ready to record our heroic deeds!" “Yeah!”
bellowed Nanoc. “Let’s get ‘em! Now, just remember
what I done already told ya ‘bout what Grundar taught me. O'
course I know we can't just go a plowin' through that forest. We
gotta try to avoid any big plants or trees, cause they may grab us.
We need ta keep our eyes out for movin' vines. Least we gots quite a
bit o' oil, and I know plants don't like fire.” “Hold, hold!” said Danton firmly, his hands raised in a blocking gesture. “We must think things through carefully first—great danger awaits in the grove. And I do not believe we can afford to parlay with the Frog Man should the opportunity arise. No doubt he is exceedingly clever. He could use such a moment to cast a spell; or to trick us, feigning cooperation; or even to raise a silent alarm to bring enemies upon us en masse. Perhaps he may even mind-meld with the Dark Tree. Any amount of deviltry could be in the air if we give the Frog Man time to conceive it. Methinks we should strike him down at first chance, even if 'tis a shot in the back. I prefereth neither honor nor glory, but rather cold, hard cash, the sight of the sun, and a breath of sweet, fresh air.” “I have a plan,” said Mauser, interjecting himself into the debate at last. “I know that Nanoc would prefer to barge in there and start clobbering the goblins, but that seems unwise. We do not know what that tree is capable of doing and we do not know what sort of vicious flora lies in wait for us to foolishly wade through it. We also do not know where the druid is or if he has more powerful minions waiting in reserve.” “Precisely,” agreed Danton. “Perhaps I could listen at the door and see if I can discern any of the conversation the goblins are having,” continued Mauser. “This might provide us with more intelligence. I may also be able to disguise myself enough to pass as a goblin and converse with those inside freely. What say you?” “Disguise yerself as a goblin?” asked Nanoc, doubt evident in his voice. “Aren’t ya a little big ta pass for a goblin?” “I have…unique abilities,” said Mauser. “And they should allow me to recon the situation. But one thing more occurs to me. Perhaps I could get these four goblins to come down the hallway we've just entered, from where we could set an ambush for them. That would be four of the creatures we would not have to worry about going forward.” “That certainly is a wiser course than charging in pell-mell,” pronounced Danton, casting a severe look at Telemachos and Nanoc. “Perhaps we should seek to take one alive as well. So, Nanoc, remember to cudgel at least one of them so that he remaineth alive…for the questioning.” “I’m thinking,” continued Mauser, “that I should come out of that other door instead of the druid's study when I confront these creatures. I can tell them that there are humans heading up the hallway and to stop them while I fetch Belak. Once they go through the door, I can follow them and cut off their chance for retreating back should Tel be unable to dispatch his goblin. If I get into trouble at any point when I am off on my own, I will call out the words ‘Frog Man’, and that will be your cue to come to my assistance.” “Har, har, more sorry attempts at humor,” grunted Telemachos sourly. “I just wanna hack up the Frog Man, torch his tree, loot the place and get the hell out of here, but we can do things your way for now.” “Now yer talkin’, Mauser,” agreed Nanoc. “I can take the three on the right and Tel can take the one on the left an that'll be it. You just shove them there nasty ol' goblins this way an' we’ll take care o' them. Maybe Danton can even do his ol' sneakin up trick; he sure is good at that.” “Say,” added Nanoc, “did I ever tell you fella's bout the time we was at Castle Hafthar? We went ta make some money wrestlin' an’ boy did we ever, ‘cept that ruler...what were his name, Danton? Far somthin' the grim...boy was he grim; he piled all kind o' taxes on our winnins. Anyway these fellas came an' offered me some share in loot if I was ta move a stone. Boy ol' Danton saved me there, steerin' me clear. There was another fella that was a good wrestler that I liked and he made fair coin too. Them fellas that offered me money to move the stone did the same ta ‘im, and I saw ‘im leavin’ town wit ‘em. Well Danton and I followed 'em an’, as I liked that fella he was a good guy, sure enough it was a setup just like Danton said.” While Nanoc continued speaking, Mauser turned to Erky, handed him two of the scrolls the party had recovered in the citadel and said, “My good Erky, one of these scrolls is outside my area of expertise, but perhaps you will find it useful. The other is for healing purposes, and I think you should hold onto it until such time as it proves necessary.” The
gnome accepted the two scrolls with a nod and began to peruse them. “A
lovely story,” said Mauser, “but for now I would ask you
all to congregate in the hall whilst I prepare my disguise in the
study. We shall then exchange places and I shall emerge from the
other door to confront the goblins.” While Danton shooed Telemachos and the barbarian out into the hallway, where Nanoc continued to relate more details of his Castle Hafthar story, Mauser removed most of his own gear and equipment and replaced them with the heavy chainmail shirt that the huge goblin had worn. He added some bits of his own burned and ruined clothing underneath in an effort to approximate the attire of the humanoid as closely as possible. With his strength still at a low ebb after the encounter with the shadow, wearing the heavy shirt and hefting the goblin’s morninstar was not easy, but Mauser could still manage it. When the cleric emerged from the study after some ten minutes, the remaining party members were stunned at his transformation. Instead of Mauser’s customary well-groomed, if recently somewhat singed, appearance, what stood in front of them now looked like the very same seven foot tall goblin that they had fought in the Frog Man’s first underground garden (Mauser disguise: 19+10=29). With the exception of the missing antlers that the big goblin had worn, Mauser now looked exactly like the creature. “Let the games begin,” said Mauser, first in common and then in goblin. Hefting his morningstar, he stalked off towards the hallway door that led directly into the grove. The others watched in amazement for several moments before they slipped back into Belak’s study, where they would wait for Mauser to spring his trap. *** Mauser shoved open the wooden door as loudly as he could, stalking into the chamber on the edge of the Twilight Grove as if he owned the place. Barreling towards the four surprised goblins that dropped the wood they were gathering and stared up at him, the disguised cleric shouted out: {{Where’s Belak, you little bastards? We got trouble an’ he needs to know about it!}} he shouted out in goblin. For added dramatic effect and realism, Mauser clocked one of the goblins on the side of the head with his open free hand. {{At the tree! At the tree!}} screeched the goblins all at once, cowering, cringing and generally seeking to put as much distance between themselves and Mauser as possible. Two of them pointed across the grove towards the huge, twisted tree that towered over the grove, walls, and ruined towers that filled the cavern. {{We got invaders!}} yelled Mauser, {{Humans! They’re charging down the hall right now! You little buggers gotta get out there an’ hold ‘em off while I alert Belak! Then we’ll be behind ya to offer backup!}} Mauser pointed back at the open door with his extended morningstar. {{Get out there now and stop ‘em!}} Literally tripping over one another, the four panicked goblins scrambled for their weapons and then made for the doorway. Mauser made a brief show of stalking deeper into the grove, but spun on his heel as soon as all four goblins were through the doorway. Having been able to hear the entire exchange through the slightly open door of Belak’s study, the rest of the party was ready to spring the trap when the four goblins charged down the hall. As the creatures approached, Nanoc and Telemachos stepped out of the study and into the hall to block the goblins’ advance. [Initiative: Goblins: 14, Nanoc: 21, Telemachos: 15, Mauser: 20, Danton: 6, Erky: 19] Most of the the shocked goblins never knew what hit them. Nanoc smashed his axe into the torso of one and then sent the dead creature’s body flying backward when he pulled hard on his axe to free it (attack: 12+8=20; hit; 18 damage). At the same time, Telemachos cut down one goblin and then used his momentum to eviscerate a second creature (attack: 14+7=21; hit; 10 damage; cleave feat enables second attack: 20+7=27; critical hit; 17 damage). With the other party members staying out of the melee unless needed and with Mauser now silently blocking the remaining goblin’s line of retreat, the creature swung feebly at Nanoc with its short sword, only to be struck down by the barbarian moments later (attack: 12+8=20; hit; 12 damage). The fight was over almost before it started. While Nanoc looted the goblins (6 gold and 80 silver), Mauser approached the other party members. “Well executed,” he said. “I love it when a plan comes together. And now for phase two.” “What happened to taking a prisoner for interrogation?” asked Danton. “Twould have been a vital source of information on the whereabouts of the Frog Man!” “In all the exciteme, I, uh, forgot,” said Nanoc sheepishly. “Don’t worry,” said Mauser. “The goblins told me that Belak is at the tree. I shall now return to the grove and obtain more information…but not in this form…My friends, I believe it is time that I disclose my true nature to you. My skills at disguise go beyond make-up or magic. I want you to know that only people who have gained my complete trust would be granted this knowledge. Please do not be alarmed by my abilities.” And then, without another word of explanation, the huge goblin standing before the party twisted and shifted before the very eyes of the other party members. It shrank, and the color and texture of its skin blurred and changed. For a brief moment, Mauser’s skin and hair took on a pasty white hue and his facial features appeared blurry and indistinct, but then he stood before the others in his normal form, long hair, short beard and all, with the massive chainmail shirt now looking far too bulky on him. As the others watched, transfixed, Mauser removed the chainmail, put on his own armor, and then began a second transformation. This time, his body shrank still further, the color and texture of his hair and skin changing once more. His features became increasingly bestial and crude, and his front teeth extended out of his mouth…just like those of the last goblin that Nanoc had killed minutes earlier. After a full minute of transformation, Mauser now looked almost exactly like the last goblin (disguise: 10+10=20). Although the cleric appeared to be physically identical to the goblin, the disguise was not quite as good as his impersonation of the larger goblin had been, simply because he now wore his mostly his own clothing and equipment, but the disguise was almost certainly good enough to fool anyone who had not just witnessed his stunning transformation. “What in the…?” began Telemachos. “This doth require some explanation!” blurted Danton. “Cool!” was Nanoc’s only comment. “I’ll be back,” was Mauser the goblin’s only reply as he picked up the short sword of one of the fallen goblins, spun on his heel, and marched back into the grove chamber. *** Now in goblin form, Mauser reentered the grove and made a show of returning to the task of stacking wood. As he did so, he looked carefully at his surroundings, making many of the same observations that Danton had earlier regarding the size of the cavern and all that was in it (spot: 18+4=22). One thing that Mauser noticed that Danton had not, were hints of movement here and there in several parts of the grove, as if some of the smaller tree-like growths were moving. Finally dropping the pretense of gathering wood, Mauser began to move deeper into the grove, moving as slowly and quietly as he could (move silently: 11-1=10) and seeking to avoid any contact with the moving “trees”, which he judged to be yet more twig blights. But this task was easier planned than executed. Pale, spindly briars coated with tiny barbs pressed close as Mauser moved deeper into the grove. Between avoiding the blights and picking his way around the walls, towers and briar patches, Mauser had few options as he picked a path forward. As if all of this were not enough, the violet light produced by the lichens on the ceiling above cast nauseating shadows on the earthen floor, creating the perpetual illusion of movement among the branches, though no wind blew here. And it was these flickering shadows that finally caused Mauser’s luck to run out. After he had moved some fifty feet into the chamber, the cleric skirted around a low wall and then ducked behind a thick patch of vines when he thought he saw shadowy movement ahead. Trying to duck aside and out of sight, he slipped and fell against the vines, which produced a loud scraping sound of wood on wood. Mauser held his breath, but moments later three twig blights stalked around the wall and stood staring at him. Improvising as best he could, Mauser regained his footing and made a show of gathering wood, but there was little kindling in this area, and the tree creatures continued to stand and stare at him. There was a brief, tense moment as the twig blights, evidently uncertain how to handle the appearance of a goblin in this part of the grove, held back, but then they apparently reached a decision and stalked towards Mauser again. *** “Frrrrrroooooooggggggg Maaaaaaaannnnn!” came the scream from somewhere deep in the grove, echoing off the walls and reaching the far end of the cavern where Danton, Nanoc, Telemachos, and Erky stood just inside the door from the hallway. Telemachos and Nanoc both hefted their weapons and looked at Danton. “Go!” hissed the Velunese, “But just remember that we are here for the Hucreles—our mission is to get them home. Unless we have no choice, the Frog Man and his Tree are problems for another day … and another adventurer!” By the time Danton finished his admonition, the two warriors were already charging into the first of the briars and beginning to wend their way towards the sounds of combat somewhere deep inside the grove. Nanoc’s long strides quickly carried him ahead of Telemachos and far ahead of Danton and Erky. *** [Initiative: Twig Blights: 6, Mauser: 15, Nanoc: 13, Telemachos: 18, Danton: 13, Erky: 17] Dropping any pretense of acting like a normal goblin, Mauser threw aside his goblin sword, withdrew his newly acquired morningstar, and pressed his back up against the stone wall in an effort to limit flanking attacks. The three twig blights fanned out into a half-circle and approached en masse. Although he was still weak (-2 to all attack and damage rolls), the new weapon felt good in his grasp, and Mauser smashed it into the center blight (attack: 15+3-2=16; hit; 2 damage). The weapon glowed a bright yellow when it hit the creature, but Mauser’s strength was insufficient to power a decisive blow. Then the three blights all rushed him at once, slashing at his head and torso with their clawed appendages. Using both his weapon and shield for defense, the cleric managed to block most of the strikes, but one blight did penetrate his guard and cut his cheek (1 point damage; fortitude save: 11+8=19; success). Although he could feel the sap from the creature’s attack burning his skin, Mauser managed to shrug off the effect and quickly wiped the sap from his face with the back of one of his gauntleted hands.
Nanoc was the first one to round the corner of the wall and spot Mauser pinned against it by three opponents. The barbarian was about to rush to the cleric-goblin’s aid when two more of the twig blights emerged from the briars to block the path forward. Nanoc brought his axe down and reduced the first one to so much kindling (attack: 14+8=22; hit; 15 damage), while Telemachos, arriving seconds later, hacked apart the second blight (attack: 13+7=20; hit; 6 damage). Seeing still more of the blights flooding into the clearing from the north, Nanoc and Telemachos rushed forward to block them, while Danton and Erky, arriving on the scene huffing and puffing from the exertion of their mad dash, moved to assist Mauser. “About time,” grunted the cleric through clenched teeth as he flailed at the twig blights yet again. Unfortunately, his already taxed strength was truly beginning to flag now, and the creatures simply moved too quickly for him to make contact (attack: 6+3-2=7; miss). Although Erky and Danton charged into the fray, their efforts were ineffective (Danton attack: 1+1=2; miss). The single-minded twig blights ignored the newcomers in favor of continuing to slash at Mauser (1 damage; fortitude save: 2+8=10; failure; 1 extra damage). With his strength fading, the poison sap that now coated his skin in several places finally did begin to cause the cleric real pain. At the northern end of the clearing, Nanoc shattered another twig blight (attack: 8+8=16; hit; 8 damage), while Telemachos missed a second one (attack: 6+7=13; miss). Fortunately, the Furyondian fighter’s armor and shield were sufficient to block the thing’s counterattacks. However, additional twig blights continued to pour into the area from the north, and two more joined the one that still attacked Telemachos. As he raised his axe to deal with the newcomers, Nanoc stumbled over a twisting root that lay somewhere underfoot, throwing off his downswing (attack: 3+8=11; miss). At his side, Telemachos swung his sword in a long arc, with all his strength behind it, and shattered two twig blights with a single swing (attack: 14+7=21; hit; 10 damage; cleave enables second attack: 13+7=20; hit; 7 damage). The single remaining twig blight cut through Nanoc’s leather armor (1 damage; fortitude save: 16+5=21; success), but the mighty barbarian did not even notice the sap the creature extruded. With Mauser now able to do little more than defend himself (attack: 3+3-2=4; miss), it was left to Erky and Danton to try to finish the blights that still harried the disguised cleric. Erky smashed one to bits with a solid blow from his mace, while Danton (attack: 16+1=17; hit; 5 damage), stuck his rapier in the wooden “back” of another and twisted the blade about until the creature collapsed to the ground in front of him, its body twisted and ruined. The last blight standing continued to attack Mauser, but the cleric managed to block its claws with his morningstar and shield. Seconds later, Erky finished it with a blow to its mid-section with his mace. While Mauser slumped to the ground to catch his breath and Danton and Erky stood around him in a defensive posture, Nanoc and Telemachos faced and dispatched the last two visible twig blights (Nanoc attack: 16+8=24; hit; 10 damage; Telemachos attack: 10+7=17; hit; 10 damage). For several moments, the only sound to be heard was the heavy breathing of the party members as they sought to recover from the exertions of the fight and their charge to assist Mauser. They all stood warily, waiting for additional twig blights or other creatures to attack, but none came. Finally, Danton and Erky helped Mauser to his feet and the cleric explained what had happened. “Mayhap the Frog Man hath given his pets leave to attack the goblins should they stray too close to the heart of his domain,” mused Danton, “for ‘tis difficult to believe that such creations possess the sophistication to penetrate your disguise.” “That may be so,” agreed Mauser, “but the game is up now. With all the noise we made, this Belak must know that we are coming. While I shall remain in goblin form in hopes that it might confuse the druid to some degree, I fear that the time for subterfuge has passed.” “He’s right,” said Nanoc. “No point in sneakin’ about now—that’d just waste time an’ give the Frog Man more time to prepare his defenses.” Shaking his head in resignation, Danton gave in: “Then let us go, but forget not what our real mission here is—the Hucreles! No one is paying us to kill druids or destroy trees, even if I fear it will almost certainly come to that before the end.” The scout looked up and nodded towards the great Dark Tree, looming over the walls and foliage in the distance. Now that the party had come closer, the towering black mass of the tree seemed even larger than it had at the entrance to the cavern. Giving the surrounding vegetation as wide of berth as possible, Nanoc led the group away from the wall where the battle with the twig blights had taken place and deeper into the cavern. The barbarian made his way around a ruined tower, through a gaping hole in a ten-foot high wall and around numerous large clumps of briars and other sickly vegetation, all the while using the towering mass of the Dark Tree as a compass to guide him to the party’s destination. Finally, after the party had marched over two hundred feet into the huge cavern, the group came to a courtyard wall of heavy stones that created a half-walled clearing amidst the briars and other plants. Several varieties of plants grew around the perimeter, including at least three suspicious-looking saplings that seemed to move of their own volition, but their importance paled before that which stood at the courtyard’s center. Beneath the venomous fungal light that shone down from above grew a singular tree of evil. Its blackened, twisted limbs reached upward, seeming to reach the very ceiling from this close vantage point. The mere presence, the mere existence of the tree somehow seemed wrong in a way that no one could articulate, but that all could feel. Human figures stood near the tree: a woman and two men. A three-foot long tree frog squatted above one of the men on a low branch. One of the men wore a simple hooded brown cassock and carried a scythe, while the other wore scale mail and wielded a gleaming longsword. The woman wore blue robes.
“Come out, come out wherever you are!” yelled Telemachos. “Come on, bug eyes! All your minions are dead! You’re next! Frog legs are back on the menu, boys!” As he shouted his taunt, Telemachos looked closely at the three humans (spot: 18+1=19). While the man in the brown cassock was inscrutable with his face hidden in his hood, Telemachos noticed that there was something strange about the skin of both the sword-wielding man and the robed woman. It somehow seemed rough and bark-like. “Hold,” said the man in the cassock. “I am Belak, called the Outcast, and I would speak with you.” “Not a good idea,” whispered Danton, glancing down to ensure that his torch and Erky’s were still burning. “What are you doing down here?” called out Mauser. If Belak thought it odd to be addressed in such a manner by one of his own goblins, he did not show it. Instead, he replied: “The druidic society expelled me, the fools. And why? Because I dared to expand nature’s reach in ways their pathetic little minds couldn’t grasp. I don’t care. I have found what I long sought, embodied in the Dark Tree. “It is beautiful, is it not?” continued the druid, pointing up at the vast black tree that loomed overhead. “It lives, though it looks dead. In an age long past, someone staked a vampire to the earth on this very spot. The wooden stake was yet green and took root. And so grew the Dark Tree, reverberating with dark primal power to those who can tap it.” “And these twig creatures?” asked Mauser, pointing at the saplings planted nearby. “The Twig Blights grow from seeds of the tree’s fruit,” replied Belak. “What is the deal with that fruit?” interjected Nanoc. “I give fruit to the goblins with orders to disperse their seeds on the surface,” said Belak. “Deceitful beings that they are, the goblins barter the fruit, but the seeds are dispersed all the same, and my plan for colonizing the surface with the children of the Dark Tree continues.” “You’ve done something to those two, haven’t you?” asked Telemachos, pointing at the man and woman with the bark-like skin. “They were the first two supplicants of the Dark Tree,” said Belak. “The Tree has accepted them, and they are mine to control, just like the twig blights. You can’t save them.” “Nevertheless, we are here for them,” said Mauser. “Perhaps we could negotiate a settlement and avoid any…unpleasantness.” Belak laughed. “Though your remains would enrich the compost, you’ll better serve my needs as additional supplicants. Plus, you retain your lives, after a fashion. That is the negotiation I offer you: surrender your weapons and submit peacefully, or it will go the worse for you!” _______________________________________________________________ Notes for turn 15: Please send postings for Turn 14 by the end of Friday, July 14th. At a minimum, your postings should include the following:
Items gained this turn: 6 gold and 80 silver Undivided Loot previously gained: 897 silver, 434 gold, 3 gems, 2 onyx gems, Items used/lost this turn: none FOES DEFEATED:
Current Status of the Party: Nanoc AC: 17 Equipment: great axe, 2 short bows, short sword, studded leather armor (2 sets), 46 arrows, 2 quivers, backpack, waterskin, 10 days trail rations, bedroll, 2 sacks, 2 flint & steel, bearskin, tent, 50’ rope, 16 pounds of caltrops, 1 sap, spare chainmail shirt, 2 small marble statues, 3 silver rings Gold: 2 Mauser Strength: 7 Spells Available: 0 Level (4): none 1st Level (4*- one of these four spells must be a domain spell):Alter Self Equipment: quarterstaff, heavy mace, light crossbow, scalemail, 40 crossbow bolts, small wooden shield, backpack, pouch belt, 50’ silk rope, 3 torches, waterskin, flint & steel, 2 holy water flasks, peasant outfit, bedroll, entertainer’s outfit, cleric’s vestment (all clothing badly damaged by fire), healer’s kit, 8 days rations, four jade dragon figurines, ½ potion of cure light wounds, 1 sap, 2 unknown arcane scrolls, 1 Hucrele signet ring, 1 unknown potion, scroll of slow poison, unknown tome, enchanted morningstar (?) Gold: 0 Danton AC: 15 (16 vs. one opponent) Equipment: rapier, 6 daggers, light crossbow, studded leather armor, quiver with 13 bolts, bedroll, backpack, flint & steel, thieves picks, waterskin, 12 days trail rations, hooded lantern, 7 flasks of oil, notebook, pen, ink, gold ring engraved with the name Karakas, 1 sap, 1 metal key from Yusdrayl Gold: 9 Telemachos AC: 16 Equipment: Longsword, short sword, 2 daggers, long bow, quiver and 40 arrows, scalemail, large wooden shield, backpack, large sack, flint and steel, 13 days rations, waterskin, bedroll, tent, 1 sap, spare suit of scalemail Gold: 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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