Chapter 2: The Haunted Wood

[Inferno]

DM:

Brightly cloaked Sligg gave his final breath and it was his death rattle. And then the forest was quiet again. As if nothing had ever happened.

The group resumed its progress through the eerily silent woods on the empty, forlorn caravan track east to Briarsgate.
The rain abated but the mist remained.

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Insubstantial shadows and ethereal visions that manifested in the fog...

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...dissolved upon closer inspection; a trick of the mind that added to the palpable sensation of a ghostly twilight dreamscape of subconscious nightmare, rather than any earthly realm the adventurers had ever known.

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The rest of the day passed without incident. One night and one more day, and they would reach Briarsgate.
The sun remained unseen, but the darkness was growing.
It would be a full moon tonight. The harvest moon.

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The temperature dropped and the fog worsened, reducing visibility below 60 feet. Torches or lanterns would soon be needed.
The trail continued due east before them, and due west behind them. To the north and south were thick trees and mist.
The group began to consider when and where to stop and make camp for the night.

Actions?


Status:
Elden Vodarte, Human Ranger 2: AC 3, HP 20/20
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4(5), HP 10/10
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 15/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 5/8
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 2: AC 3(1), HP 7/12
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 1: AC 2, HP 11/11
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 19/19

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo has Sephus fly around in and above the trees canopy before deciding on a place to camp.

He then addresses Hoom and Ingrid.

If you are in need, I can help with your wounds a little before the night is through. Please do remind an old man though, my memory is not what it used to be I'm afraid.

Eldon, do you see a suitable spot to camp for the evening or do you think we should travel on from here?

[Mister-Kent]

Elden Vodarte, Ranger

Vodarte's eyes flash distrustfully among the hazy wood. He raises his arm, and the red hawk Milah returns, claming her claws upon his glove.

"Let me scout a bit. When we do make camp, I insist on taking the first watch," he says.

What do you all think--find somewhere low or higher ground? If we head uphill the fog clears for us, but our light would likely be more visible.

Inferno, what does Vodarte's ranger experience say about this particular spot to make camp? I am assuming that "Is it safe?" is a useless question--Vodarte knows better than that

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser chews some beef jerky and canters his horse about. The mists remind him of Lankhmar's night fog.

[Zhym]

"Let's watch in teams of two," suggests Grothnak. "Better odds if attacked. We have four who can see in the dark. If we pair each with someone dark-blind, we reduce need for light."

A possible watch shedule:

1. Elden & Mouser
2. Grothnak & Pelias
3. Telkis & Ingrid
4. Long Bo & Hoom

[Inferno]

Elden Vodarte, Ranger
"Let me scout a bit...."

Vodarte knew how to choose a campsite.

• This area was relatively flat but any higher ground would prevent them from waking in a puddle in the middle of the night. Higher ground would be warmer too.
  Camping under trees also meant more warmth and less dew.
  Trees could be used to hang blankets as tarps. It looked like more rain was coming.
  If they wanted a fire, they’d need a small clearing to avoid burning down the woods. Plenty of firewood around here. They could find stones to line a fire pit.
  Flat ground. Not rocky. Off the trail.
  Near fresh water would be ideal, but its been awhile since they saw a brook or stream.

Vodarte can scout around and find the best spot for the night for comfortable, safe and defensible sleeping.

Zhym, no one knows the Mouser is half-elven. Not even him!

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior

Once Vodarte has chosen a suitable camping spot, Telkis digs his hand axe out of the saddlebag and gathers wood for a small fire. And though he's somehow not expecting to see any, given the general silence, he'll keep an eye out for any badgers or moles to have a chat with about current events in this part of the woods. He'll also have his bow handy in case any game presents itself.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos (MU/T):

"Thank you Bo. I would normally would say that I just need a good night sleep. That I should be fine in the morning, but with all this traveling I could some help. Once we make camp I will remind you of your offer."

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

He then addresses Hoom and Ingrid.
If you are in need, I can help with your wounds a little before the night is through. Please do remind an old man though, my memory is not what it used to be I'm afraid.

The figure of the druid is in a great contrast with the trees of Dim Forest. It's the two sides of the same coin: Bo is the secure, nurturing side of nature, while the local forest is the chaotic, twisted twin.

"Hoom is in greater need than me," says Ingrid. Her wounds aren't light either, but she hopes that she'll recover some strength during the night.

Just in case, she examines any food gathered in the woods and water taken from the stream, and calls Trithereon's blessing upon them - better die from a goblin's arrow than, hmm, diarrhea...
(Purify Food & Drink)

If Grothnak's night watch schedule is approved (Ingrid doesn't object, she tries hard to overcome her bias against the bloodthirsty fighter, Telkis), she warms up some food by the fireplace, feeds her horse, then goes to sleep early.

[AleBelly]

Pelias, touched by Ingrid's selflessness, takes a seat next to her. "Heironeus has blessed me with modest powers. I shall tend to your wounds, as you often do so for others."

He lays one hand on Ingrid, holds his prayer beads in another, and administers to her wounds. Should be 2 hp healed.

[Inferno]

Hi,
Everyone, please roll the following dice array: Save vs. Int: [6d6], [5d6], [4d6], [3d6]

In these saves vs. Intelligence, Elves and Gnomes may subtract 3 from their die rolls. Half-Orcs and Half-Elves may subtract 1. Thanks.

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"Thanks you," says Ingrid to Pelias. The paladin will probably understand, that these words are sufficient.


And the dice rolls: Save vs. Int (12): [6d6] = 18, [5d6] = 14, [4d6] = 11, [3d6] = 4

[Zhym]

Save vs. Int (9): [6d6-1] = 16-1 = 15, [5d6-1] = 12-1 = 11, [4d6-1] = 14-1 = 13, [3d6-1] = 7-1 = 6

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos (MU/T):

Save vs Int (12) [6d6-3] = 24-3 = 21, [5d6-3] = 15-3 = 12, [4d6-3] = 13-3 = 10, [3d6-3] = 14-3 = 11

[AleBelly]

Save vs. Int: [6d6] = 23, [5d6] = 22, [4d6] = 14, [3d6] = 8

[ChubbyPixie]

Save vs. Intelligence: [6d6-3] = 22-3 = 19, [5d6-3] = 19-3 = 16, [4d6-3] = 13-3 = 10, [3d6-3] = 4-3 = 1,

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo
Int 9 [6d6] = 19 [5d6] = 18 [4d6] = 14 [3d6] = 11 Failed on all 4 rolls?

[Grognardsw]

Save vs. Int: [6d6] = 26, [5d6] = 17, [4d6] = 12, [3d6] = 8

[Mister-Kent]

Elden Vodarte
Save vs. Int: [6d6] = 20, [5d6] = 15, [4d6] = 10, [3d6] = 13

[Inferno]

DM:

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The mysterious forest was cloaked in a ghostly shroud of fog.

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At the midpoint of the journey through the chilling nether-realm of the Dim Forest, darkness slowly reclaimed the woods. The harvest moon gave the etheric mist an eerie glow and the illusion of bright, intangible solidity.

Vodarte scouted among the trees for a camp site. Eventually, he found one that would serve and shouted back to the group.

Mr. Kent, please stop reading now and go directly to your private IC thread in the game forum. Thanks.
Everyone else, please click the spoiler directly below...

...
Vodarte's voice was strangely refracted and distorted by the spectral fog, rendering his exact location and meaning unclear, but the party did their best to follow it, slowly weaving their horses between the dense trunks in single file as they entered the unearthly woods.

Pelias Blanchflower graciously healed the healer, Ingrid Esthof.

Telkis Brassfang set out for firewood, bringing his mule to carry it. Its diminutive size made for better speed between the trees than the larger horses, which were holding up the progress of the party.

Chubby Pixie, Please stop reading now and go directly to your private IC thread in the game forum. Thanks.
Everyone else, please click the spoiler below...

...
Hoom Feethos, at the back of the line, saw something ahead, on the path in the Dim Forest.
His keen Elven eyes registered movement deep within the veil of mists...
A grey phantasmal apparition… perhaps.
The vaporous figment appeared to be 100 feet away... on foot... man sized.... and moving this way.



Hoom quietly warned the others near him.

Sephus the crow suddenly landed in a flutter of ebon feathers upon Long Bo’s shoulder, cawing frantically and ominously.

Actions?

Each map hex is 10 feet. The areas unshrouded by fog represent your visibility: 60 feet on the road due to mist, 30 feet in the woods due to mist and dense trees.

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Off the path, movement is halved due to the density of trees.
Missile weapons get -1 to hit for every shrouded hex they pass through.
Elden Vodarte's and Telkis Brassfang's placement on the map are approximations.
The '?' represents Hoom's phantom. Thanks.[/ooc]

Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4(5), HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 15/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 2: AC 3(1), HP 9/12, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl (Ingrid hasn’t cast Purify Food and Water yet.)
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 1: AC 2, HP 11/11

Magic:
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.