Tests and Trials

[Dlover]

((Is there a reason the name is marked as ###?))

Lurn shakes his head, "No problem at all, friend. What can I help you with?"

[Rodgeir]

((Not all because I had forgotten his name and put that there while I looked it up but forgot to look it up. ))

Gethren bows again, now smiling,

"I would simply like to express my happiness at having found you on the road! I had not expected to find you and have a chance to speak with one such as you."

He starts reaching into a pouch he has at his side, somewhat clumsily with his gloved hands,

"For all that you have done, I would like to gift you something most special." He stops and looks up from rummaging in his pouch, "If that would be agreeable? It is small, but I hope you will find it valuable."

((Insight if you'd like?))

[Dlover]

Insight: 1D20+8 = [6]+8 = 14

"A gift is hardly needed, friend. I do what I do for the sake of helping others and serving my Lord, not out of hope for reward. Though, when you say found me, it sounds as though you were looking for me? Why would that be, for a mere servant of the gods like myself?"

[Rodgeir]

His smile widens at Lurn's statement and questions,

“This is not a reward! This is something from one son of the plains to another. Of course I was looking for you after all you had done, I felt compelled to try find you! I’m on my way back to Balyon to find with others also involved in great acts.”

He straightens proudly,

“I am something of a gatherer on behalf of Balyon, making sure its stories never die. Besides, no one is merely a servant of a god!”

He is honestly very pleased and excited to give you whatever it is he wants to give.
He seems very earnest in his beliefs and relief in having met you.

He pulls out a small leather wrap package from his pouch, easily fitting in his palm, and offers it to Lurn saying,

“If you would be kind enough to wait to open it? It is…embarrassing to have ones gift opened and if you don’t like it I don’t want you to pretend…”

He pauses awkwardly then says,

“But it is your gift and you may do as you wish.”

[Dlover]

Lurn accepts the gift, closing his hand around it, "If you insist upon it, then I shall accept thankfully. I hardly understand your enthusiasm, though, to say I've been involved in great acts knowing that my role is to stand in the back of a battle and provide support from there while my companions fight... Still, I wish you the best on collecting stories; those who spread the stories of those who have achieved greatness, and inspire hope in the hearts of others, are the greatest of us all."

[Rodgeir]

The package is light in Lurn's hand but feels solid enough.

(Give me a straight intelligence roll)

Gethren gives another slight bow,

"Hope and inspiration? You are too gracious. I will carry them with me. Good night Lurn. I hope you like your gift!"

He bows once more before turning and leaving back to the tents to the east with a bit of a spring to his step.

[Dlover]

Intelligence: 1D20-1 = [8]-1 = 7

Lurn nods to Gethren, then waits a moment after the man has left to open the pouch.

[Rodgeir]

Lurn takes the gift and watches as Gethren moves past the light of the fire into the darkness between camps before looking down and opening the small package. It turns out to be a bit awkward with only one hand as it has been tied with a bit of twine but eventually Lurn manages to get it open and look at the contents, which in the light fire looks to be a small stick. Lifting the stick out of the wrapping to better examine it Lurn determines it has hair on it, and is that a nail?

((Another intelligence roll please.))

As his attention is cast down there is an odd 'popping' noise to his side and a quick glance shows the hut looks to have disappeared. Before he, or any of the newly hut-less party members, can react a bright streak of light shoots from the darkness in the direct Gethren departed and stops. A half a beat passes as it blooms outwards with a roar almost blocking out the screams that start coming from the east.

((Everyone except for Dama and Jolly were in the radius of the fireball. The horses were outside it as well.

Dex save from Lurn please and initiative from everyone!))

[The Lost]

( Figured that was a trap, he was being...odd. Did Joe’s ion atone not ping or anything while near him? Laat time she was near that old lady, there was an odd sense comming from her that kinda alerted her to the danger)

1d20+4 = [16] = 20

[Rodgeir]

((True, forgot about the stone. It would have pinged Joe awake once the hut disappeared. Give me a dex save for Joe as well!))

[The Lost]

1d20+4 = [9] = 13

[spiderwrangler]

Initiative: 1D20 = [18] = 18

[NotStickFigures]

initiative: 1D20+5 = [13]+5 = 18

[Dlover]

((I figured it was a trap too, expected the 'gift' to be some nasty curse thing, but Lurn's not the suspicious type.))

Intelligence: 1D20-1 = [10]-1 = 9
Initiative: 1D20+1 = [12]+1 = 13
Dex Save: 1D20+1 = [18]+1 = 19

[Rodgeir]

Lurn has just moment to consider,

"Hey, this is a finger. A firbolg finger? Why would he-"

Before the fireball flies in and he throws himself behind his shield. Joe blinks awake in her bag and manages to grab her bag and cover her chest to block most of the flame. Everyone else isn't as lucky though a portion of the heat dissipates from Kroshav's scales and Jaq feels his ring get very, very cold for moment which somehow siphons the worst of the heat away.

Order:
Indra 23 -25hp
Gethren 22
Joe 20 -12hp
Dama 20
Jaq 18 -12hp
Kroshav 18 -12hp
Celus 17 -25hp
??? 15
Lurn 13 -12hp
Jolly 7

Cary ? -25 hp

► Show Spoiler

Fireball damage: 8D6 = [5, 2, 5, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3] = 25

Initiative for Gethren, Gapa and ?: 1D20+2 = [20]+2 = 22
1D20+2 = [11]+2 = 13
1D20-2 = [17]-2 = 15

Initiative for Jolly, Dama, Celus, Indra: 1D20+1 = [6]+1 = 7
1D20+3 = [17]+3 = 20
1D20 = [17] = 17
1D20+4 = [19]+4 = 23

Map:
This is just an initial placement map, the forest is to the north of you about 40-60 ft depending on person and about that to the west and east. The people with night vision will see more than I've revealed but I will handle that once I get Cary's initiative. The camps to the east's fires are providing some light and people over there are screaming.

► Show Spoiler

[The Lost]

Joe’s got 60’ darkvision thanks to the dwarven belt.

[Quarg]

Cary is down to 22 health...

_: 1D20+1 = [2]+1 = 3


And will likely be dying in this attack...

Chances are slim of surviving another fireball attack...

[Dlover]

((That's why we beat the hell out of them before they get to cast another.))

[Rodgeir]

Indra jumps out of her burning bedding and curses loudly,

"Again? Always fire?"

She looks around quickly to try and assess which way she should go before deciding that she just needs to split up from the others and dashes to the east, some vigor coming back to her as she moves, where people are screaming and yells back over the screams,

"Got some hobs over here! Lot of them but-- ya they are definitely already dead. And still walking."

► Show Spoiler

Indra perception+intelligence: 1D20+2 = [9]+2 = 11
1D20 = [16] = 16

Indra second wind: 1D10+4 = [3]+4 = 7

From somewhere south of Indra Gethren calls, with the same accent and tone as before,

"One is never just a lowly servant of a god Lurn! You will get a chance to speak with mine tonight."

As he says this utter darkness falls over, as far as those inside the darkness can tell, everyone. The darkness is frigid and the sudden change from firey hot to numbing cold is shocking and painful. What is more disconcerting though are the slurping, slithering and sucking noises coming from all directions around those inside it.

((Joe, Jaq, Kroshav, Lurn, Celus and Cary are all in complete darkness and take Cold damage: 5
. The terrain inside the darkness is now considered difficult. I won't tell you where you are within the circle of darkness or how big it is since your character wouldn't be able to see.))

Order:
Indra -18hp
Gethren
Joe -17hp <------
Dama
Jaq -17hp
Kroshav -17hp
Celus -30hp
Dead hobs?
Lurn -17hp
Gapa
Jolly
Cary -30 hp

[Dlover]

"The only god allowed to speak with me is my own, murderer! Shall I send you to the meeting in my place?"

[Rodgeir]

Over a loud, unpleasantly close burbling noise Lurn hears a cold laugh from somewhere more distant.

[The Lost]

“Why ye feck’r! Why ye attack us.”

Joe moves northish, doubly so if needed to get out of the circle.

[Rodgeir]

Joe moves through the cold darkness, feeling things brush against her and stumbling on something solid before emerging into the normal darkness of night. Behind her the sounds of something writhing and slithering is still very audible. The wall of black behind her blocks most of her view to the south and east but she can see the forest to the north and west along with the horses as they are edging away from the unnatural blackness.

((Joe still has 10ft of movement left and her action. She doesn't see anything moving but the horses.))

[The Lost]

Okay...um so she can’t see any hostiles so she’ll try to find some cover and hide.

Stealth 1d20+4 = [20] = 24

[Rodgeir]

Guessing that if she can't see through the darkness neither can anything else, Joe hunkers low and makes very hard to spot target of herself right beside the absorbing darkness. She can just make out the sounds of panicked yells from the southeast over the sounds coming from the darkness.

Dama does things that no one can see but does yell,

"If you all inside that cloud are still there, it ain't that big! Looks like its maybe 40-50 ft wide!"

► Show Spoiler

Dama attacking blue: 1D20+7 = [20]+7 = 27
1D8+3 = [3]+3 = 6

Dama attacking blue crit damage: 1D8 = [3] = 3

Order:
Indra -18hp
Gethren
Joe -17hp
Dama
Jaq -17hp <------
Kroshav -17hp
Celus -30hp
Dead hobs?
Lurn -17hp
Gapa
Jolly
Cary -30 hp