Moriartus
Moriartus arches an eyebrow, obviously impressed with the half-orc's sound counsel. "My thoughts precisely, Miss Barba. I expect Mr. Clive has already examined the fungus, but it is unlikely he could search out the source with his responsibilities in the village. I was also considering a cave or cavern complex, or perhaps an area in or around the Moor. After what we found at the logger's camp, the latter case seems quite plausible."
Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
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Quonundrum
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Karaunios
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Dougal
"Can I take a look at that? Mibbe I can get somethin' oot' af it. If not, we can always ask the druid."
"Can I take a look at that? Mibbe I can get somethin' oot' af it. If not, we can always ask the druid."
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Quonundrum
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Moriartus
"Indeed, Mr. Dougal! Although, I suggest not touching it with bare skin, of course."
"Indeed, Mr. Dougal! Although, I suggest not touching it with bare skin, of course."
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Friar John performs his meditations and prepares prayers of cure, bless and command for tomorrow.
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
April 30th 1066
Crooked Yew village, Blackened Forest. West of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions: Ben -3hp,
The team breakfast in the stilted long house, enjoying the freshly baked bread and of course, locally produced honey.
The devout among you rise early to pray and meditate, each receiving their anointed blessings and invocations for the day. The mage studies his books, scripting new lines and methodically practising the arcane arts to commit to memory the erased spells cast.
The twins spar with some wrestling. Each has received a ministrations to help their wounds heal (+1hp each). Crabtree looks after the horse and wagon. Plans for the day are made.
Druid Clive gives the characters a brief tour of the apiaries. Spread out on the fringe of the village and along the stream are whitewashed wooden cabins. They are about 10'ft cubed with a double roof like a pagoda. Slits are cut into the wood for the bees to gain entry and various frames are able to be withdrawn with honeycomb in them. Generally the bees seem to follow a pattern of leaving the hive and flying off into the surrounding forest to hunt for nectar rich plants, hardly ever flying in the direction of the homesteads. However one in six hives are derelict and the druid takes you to view them.
They smell, decayed and rotten, dead larvae abound, grey sticky remnants not rich amber honey.
"The disease or virus which afflicts them is unknown. We have tried to communicate but the bees themselves have a distinct 'hive mind'. It seems infected ones convince others that the sweetest nectar is available and the drones fly away but come back afflicted. A vicious cycle that we cannot break. And the bees could fly 40 miles or more in their collection trips. The only thing we note is they mainly fly over the Moor."
The druids have been casting 'Cure Disease' spells on infected Queen bees but simply cannot cope with the number of afflicted drones which return. Some, like you saw last night are repelled by soldier bees who protect the hives, but again that protection is too thin to stop the virus taking hold of a hive. Within a few days, newborn larvae due, workers sprout this fungal infection and the Queens vacate the built hives to start infected hives out in the wilderness.
I will take questions and actions and options you may consider to explore.
Crooked Yew village, Blackened Forest. West of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions: Ben -3hp,
The team breakfast in the stilted long house, enjoying the freshly baked bread and of course, locally produced honey.
The devout among you rise early to pray and meditate, each receiving their anointed blessings and invocations for the day. The mage studies his books, scripting new lines and methodically practising the arcane arts to commit to memory the erased spells cast.
The twins spar with some wrestling. Each has received a ministrations to help their wounds heal (+1hp each). Crabtree looks after the horse and wagon. Plans for the day are made.
Druid Clive gives the characters a brief tour of the apiaries. Spread out on the fringe of the village and along the stream are whitewashed wooden cabins. They are about 10'ft cubed with a double roof like a pagoda. Slits are cut into the wood for the bees to gain entry and various frames are able to be withdrawn with honeycomb in them. Generally the bees seem to follow a pattern of leaving the hive and flying off into the surrounding forest to hunt for nectar rich plants, hardly ever flying in the direction of the homesteads. However one in six hives are derelict and the druid takes you to view them.
They smell, decayed and rotten, dead larvae abound, grey sticky remnants not rich amber honey.
"The disease or virus which afflicts them is unknown. We have tried to communicate but the bees themselves have a distinct 'hive mind'. It seems infected ones convince others that the sweetest nectar is available and the drones fly away but come back afflicted. A vicious cycle that we cannot break. And the bees could fly 40 miles or more in their collection trips. The only thing we note is they mainly fly over the Moor."
The druids have been casting 'Cure Disease' spells on infected Queen bees but simply cannot cope with the number of afflicted drones which return. Some, like you saw last night are repelled by soldier bees who protect the hives, but again that protection is too thin to stop the virus taking hold of a hive. Within a few days, newborn larvae due, workers sprout this fungal infection and the Queens vacate the built hives to start infected hives out in the wilderness.
I will take questions and actions and options you may consider to explore.
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Quonundrum
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Moriartus
Moriartus retrieves the vial of grey fungus he collected the night before from his satchel and holds it up for the druid to see. "I collected a sample of what appears to be a grey fungal growth from an infected bee. That suggests this contagion originated from a cold, wet, damp environment like a cave ... or the Moor. What you just said correlates with this hypothesis. Indeed, there has been an increase in treasure hunting activity into the barrow mounds and who knows what corruption and disease has been unwittingly released from these centuries old tombs."
He opens his journal to the hand drawn map of the Duchy and the local regions, copied from a topographical map hung on the foreman's office wall at the Silver Standard trading company depot in Helix. He traces a line from the approximate location of the Crooked Yew southeast to the Moor. "The Barrowmaze itself is not very distant from that edge of the Moor. I believe we should direct our attention in that direction, track the bees' flight path ..."
His last thought seems to trigger an idea as he pauses momentarily, silently tapping the page with an index finger. "Mr. Clive, would you be able to provide us with a length of string or yarn, and a small bell, ideally a wind chime?" He proceeds to quickly sketch a simple drawing on a blank page of what appears to be a poorly drawn bee with overly large wings and a line wrapped around the abdomen attached to a cow bell.
"Pardon my poor artistic skill. The Moor is covered by an ever present heavy fog, and coupled with the frequently changing dry paths and hidden bogs, attempting to track a flying bee would be nearly impossible without audible cues. We could wait at the forest's edge for an infected bee that I would enspell to sleep and attach the chime." He frowns slightly and shrugs with a sigh. "Although, even then still quite difficult." Moriartus admits.
He then happens to glance at the twins and notices Ben is still moderately injured. "You have already been a very generous host, but if I could ask of you to heal Mr. Ben? We should leave very soon as it's a long trek and I expect we will need our full health and resources upon entering the Moor."
Moriartus retrieves the vial of grey fungus he collected the night before from his satchel and holds it up for the druid to see. "I collected a sample of what appears to be a grey fungal growth from an infected bee. That suggests this contagion originated from a cold, wet, damp environment like a cave ... or the Moor. What you just said correlates with this hypothesis. Indeed, there has been an increase in treasure hunting activity into the barrow mounds and who knows what corruption and disease has been unwittingly released from these centuries old tombs."
He opens his journal to the hand drawn map of the Duchy and the local regions, copied from a topographical map hung on the foreman's office wall at the Silver Standard trading company depot in Helix. He traces a line from the approximate location of the Crooked Yew southeast to the Moor. "The Barrowmaze itself is not very distant from that edge of the Moor. I believe we should direct our attention in that direction, track the bees' flight path ..."
His last thought seems to trigger an idea as he pauses momentarily, silently tapping the page with an index finger. "Mr. Clive, would you be able to provide us with a length of string or yarn, and a small bell, ideally a wind chime?" He proceeds to quickly sketch a simple drawing on a blank page of what appears to be a poorly drawn bee with overly large wings and a line wrapped around the abdomen attached to a cow bell.
"Pardon my poor artistic skill. The Moor is covered by an ever present heavy fog, and coupled with the frequently changing dry paths and hidden bogs, attempting to track a flying bee would be nearly impossible without audible cues. We could wait at the forest's edge for an infected bee that I would enspell to sleep and attach the chime." He frowns slightly and shrugs with a sigh. "Although, even then still quite difficult." Moriartus admits.
He then happens to glance at the twins and notices Ben is still moderately injured. "You have already been a very generous host, but if I could ask of you to heal Mr. Ben? We should leave very soon as it's a long trek and I expect we will need our full health and resources upon entering the Moor."
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Karaunios
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Dougal
Dougal crosses his arms and listens attentively. He was about to suggest following the bees, but never occurred to him the idea of tying a yarn and a bell to them. He smiles and nods as he hears the group leader's ideas... and sees the sketch he's designed.
Dougal crosses his arms and listens attentively. He was about to suggest following the bees, but never occurred to him the idea of tying a yarn and a bell to them. He smiles and nods as he hears the group leader's ideas... and sees the sketch he's designed.
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Gomezthebarbarian
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Barba
Sitting and listening, the half orc nods silently at Moriartus‘s clever idea while running the sharpening stone along the edge of her sword.
Sitting and listening, the half orc nods silently at Moriartus‘s clever idea while running the sharpening stone along the edge of her sword.
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
April 30th 1066
Crooked Yew village, Blackened Forest. West of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions. none.
After breakfast plans are discussed how to eradicate the unknown virus that is afflicting the hives in the village. An obvious assumption that somehow the disease heralds from the old tombs on the Barrow Moor, the party set out in hope to trace the path of the contagion.
Crabtree is staying with Clive to erect the new study hive. The druid though does minister to the injured hireling and also blesses the team with a potion of rare processed honey liqueur. potion of Extra Healing.
You can get a wind chime or bell, maybe one more suited to a cat than a cow and a spool of fishing line. The idea to capture and tag an infected bee hoping it can be followed may seem very rustic, but then often the simplest schemes work.
Following Dougal, you take a narrow trail that leads from the village south east towards the moor. The forest is dense, the only paths being animal ones and they often meander rather than go direct. The shrubbery is thick, sprouting bushes and thickets of ferns, many budding with berries or blossom. Overhead you hear birds calling territorial rights or enticing mates. After an hour you come to the fringe of the moor, the white mist softly swirling among the treeline and masking the open grassland ahead.
You would walk further for the mist veils much of the scenery but despite the damp and fetid air, the clear smell of a campfire is noticed, which must be just ahead. The lead trackers halt their steps then dodge aside behind some fallen log. In the mist, humanoids gather. One, two standing , leaning on large spears; another seated under a thatched lean to, another dressing himself clutching some boots, another half naked goes to do his ablutions in the bush. There speech gluttural and harsh, maybe a form of Ogrish or Hobgoblin.
actions please.
Crooked Yew village, Blackened Forest. West of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions. none.
After breakfast plans are discussed how to eradicate the unknown virus that is afflicting the hives in the village. An obvious assumption that somehow the disease heralds from the old tombs on the Barrow Moor, the party set out in hope to trace the path of the contagion.
Crabtree is staying with Clive to erect the new study hive. The druid though does minister to the injured hireling and also blesses the team with a potion of rare processed honey liqueur. potion of Extra Healing.
You can get a wind chime or bell, maybe one more suited to a cat than a cow and a spool of fishing line. The idea to capture and tag an infected bee hoping it can be followed may seem very rustic, but then often the simplest schemes work.
Following Dougal, you take a narrow trail that leads from the village south east towards the moor. The forest is dense, the only paths being animal ones and they often meander rather than go direct. The shrubbery is thick, sprouting bushes and thickets of ferns, many budding with berries or blossom. Overhead you hear birds calling territorial rights or enticing mates. After an hour you come to the fringe of the moor, the white mist softly swirling among the treeline and masking the open grassland ahead.
You would walk further for the mist veils much of the scenery but despite the damp and fetid air, the clear smell of a campfire is noticed, which must be just ahead. The lead trackers halt their steps then dodge aside behind some fallen log. In the mist, humanoids gather. One, two standing , leaning on large spears; another seated under a thatched lean to, another dressing himself clutching some boots, another half naked goes to do his ablutions in the bush. There speech gluttural and harsh, maybe a form of Ogrish or Hobgoblin.
actions please.
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Friar John agrees with the plan.
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Karaunios
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Dougal
The ranger squats and tries to hide as he makes a sign to one of his scouting companions to inform the rest of the group of the situation. He tries to understand what the humanoids are saying, and to ascertain if they're either ogres or hobgoblins, by their size and language.
Just in case, he gets his bow ready.
To Barba, in a very low voice: "Gang aroond tae tak'a look. Mibbe there are meir. I'll keep an eye on'em."
Dougal can speak the orc and ogre languages.
The ranger squats and tries to hide as he makes a sign to one of his scouting companions to inform the rest of the group of the situation. He tries to understand what the humanoids are saying, and to ascertain if they're either ogres or hobgoblins, by their size and language.
Just in case, he gets his bow ready.
To Barba, in a very low voice: "Gang aroond tae tak'a look. Mibbe there are meir. I'll keep an eye on'em."
Dougal can speak the orc and ogre languages.
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Gomezthebarbarian
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Barba gives the ranger and curt nod and slinks off to the right, staying low and using whatever cover is available while keeping her eyes on the camp and its surroundings. If discovered the half-orc will charge the camp.
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Quonundrum
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Moriartus
Moriartus gratiously accepts Clive's generous donation and ministrations, assuring the druid they will endeavour to determine the source of the blight and, if possible, destroy or contain it.
The rough game trail was certainly rough on his muscles as he now couldn't ride in the seat of Crabtree's wagon. His disease weakened muscles, although greatly benefiting from the exercise, also protested vehemently against the exertion. He definitely wasn't anticipating the next morning's aches with any sense of impatience ...
Upon hearing the report of a humanoid camp from the scouts, he silently gestures for the Bennerjake twins to move up and behind Dougal. He reaches into a spell component pouch in preparation for casting a Sleep spell, if needed.
Moriartus gratiously accepts Clive's generous donation and ministrations, assuring the druid they will endeavour to determine the source of the blight and, if possible, destroy or contain it.
The rough game trail was certainly rough on his muscles as he now couldn't ride in the seat of Crabtree's wagon. His disease weakened muscles, although greatly benefiting from the exercise, also protested vehemently against the exertion. He definitely wasn't anticipating the next morning's aches with any sense of impatience ...
Upon hearing the report of a humanoid camp from the scouts, he silently gestures for the Bennerjake twins to move up and behind Dougal. He reaches into a spell component pouch in preparation for casting a Sleep spell, if needed.
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
April 30th 1066
Blackened Forest fringe, west of Barrow Mounds. Duchy of Aerik.
8.30am:
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions. none.
The group split either side of the deer trail as it opens from the forest to the moor. In a small clearing in the edge of the forest, shrouded in a veil of mist is a camp of humanoid creatures. Friar John and Two-Birds move to one side with Moriartus, each preparing a spell or skill if needed.
The twins and Barba at home in the wilderness creep up to close with the unwary figures in the camp lean-to. Dougal sneaks like a hunter, bow at the ready. He hears a gluttural vocabulary, a mix of rudimentary ogre and hobgoblin. The figures speak a dialect known as 'Bugbear' and talk of 'being forced to get religion', 'vulture soup gives you diarrhea', 'finding the Law written in stone', 'patrolling the Moor better than the Shrine and the Pit'.
You don't get much chance to hear more though as one, an apparent leader snaps them into attention and they hurry to dress and arm themselves. They remain unaware of the ranger in the wood and the three warriors who have crept up behind a fallen log and within striking distance of some of the large (7'ft+) figures.
You have an advantage of a surprise round to attack if you wish or to parley, sneak away.
next actions please.
Blackened Forest fringe, west of Barrow Mounds. Duchy of Aerik.
8.30am:
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions. none.
The group split either side of the deer trail as it opens from the forest to the moor. In a small clearing in the edge of the forest, shrouded in a veil of mist is a camp of humanoid creatures. Friar John and Two-Birds move to one side with Moriartus, each preparing a spell or skill if needed.
The twins and Barba at home in the wilderness creep up to close with the unwary figures in the camp lean-to. Dougal sneaks like a hunter, bow at the ready. He hears a gluttural vocabulary, a mix of rudimentary ogre and hobgoblin. The figures speak a dialect known as 'Bugbear' and talk of 'being forced to get religion', 'vulture soup gives you diarrhea', 'finding the Law written in stone', 'patrolling the Moor better than the Shrine and the Pit'.
You don't get much chance to hear more though as one, an apparent leader snaps them into attention and they hurry to dress and arm themselves. They remain unaware of the ranger in the wood and the three warriors who have crept up behind a fallen log and within striking distance of some of the large (7'ft+) figures.
You have an advantage of a surprise round to attack if you wish or to parley, sneak away.
next actions please.
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Quonundrum
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Moriartus
Moriartus waits alongside Two-Birds and Friar John for any news or signals from the scouts. He notes the sudden change of behaviour in the humanoids, although not quite sure what prompted it.
Moriartus waits alongside Two-Birds and Friar John for any news or signals from the scouts. He notes the sudden change of behaviour in the humanoids, although not quite sure what prompted it.
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Karaunios
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- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 7:56 am
- Location: Between Cervantes' hometown & The Black Forest
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Dougal
The ranger keeps his position, an arrow knocked in his bow. He'd shoot at the humanoids, specially before they get ready, but it's concerned that it might be a mistake, and curious as of to see what they're reacting for.
The ranger keeps his position, an arrow knocked in his bow. He'd shoot at the humanoids, specially before they get ready, but it's concerned that it might be a mistake, and curious as of to see what they're reacting for.
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Quonundrum
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Moriartus
As the situation continues to unfold, Moriartus quickly assesses their relative strength. Against several of these obviously tall and equipped humanoids ... he was less than optimistic. His concern is a discovery of Barba and the Twins within striking distance, and with the humanoids now at attention and alert, sneaking away is likely not an option. The ranger Dougal perhaps, but not the fighters.
He decides to take a calculated risk. If he hails them, they could be hostile, but if his companions are found though, he presumes aggression is almost certain. Being still rather close to the Hives, it is also quite possible they belong to a forest tribe that is neutral to the villagers.
Moriartus steps back onto the trail and calls out loudly in Common and Goblin, "Hail, strangers! We come from the village of bees!"
As the situation continues to unfold, Moriartus quickly assesses their relative strength. Against several of these obviously tall and equipped humanoids ... he was less than optimistic. His concern is a discovery of Barba and the Twins within striking distance, and with the humanoids now at attention and alert, sneaking away is likely not an option. The ranger Dougal perhaps, but not the fighters.
He decides to take a calculated risk. If he hails them, they could be hostile, but if his companions are found though, he presumes aggression is almost certain. Being still rather close to the Hives, it is also quite possible they belong to a forest tribe that is neutral to the villagers.
Moriartus steps back onto the trail and calls out loudly in Common and Goblin, "Hail, strangers! We come from the village of bees!"
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Gomezthebarbarian
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Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Barba’s head snaps around, her eyes widening. What was Moriartus up to!? It was now or never and not wishing to give up the element of surprise, she nods to the twins before launching herself from cover. With war paint on her face, the half orc screams out a bloodcurdling cry as she charges the nearest opponent attempting to cut him down with her broadsword.
Broadsword To Hit: [1d20+1]=11+1=12 Damage: [2d4+3]=5+3=8
I’m at work so I don’t know what the modifier is for charging
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
April 30th 1066
Blackened Forest fringe, west of Barrow Mounds. Duchy of Aerik.
8.30am:
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions. none.
The party hesitate slightly, not sure to press their advantage or not. Dougal relaxes the tension on his drawn bowstring, Moriartus breaks the tension by stepping out if the foilage cover and announces his presence at the head of the trail.
Barba and the hireling beefs, decide to act first and question later. The warriors hope their surprise actually strengthens their hand to dominate the encounter. She attacks a bugbear from behind, cleaving into his chest but the strike that may otherwise cut an opponent in half inflicts a critical rather than fatal wound
Thankfully she is followed into the fray by the twins who hack the tribesman down.
The caught humanoids are suddenly physically and verbally assailed, but the mortal wound of their kinsmen snap them to a martial attention and battle must surely ensue.
initiative for the group by the first poster please and attack actions and rolls.
broadsword vs large opponents is 2-7dam (1d6+1+ str)
Blackened Forest fringe, west of Barrow Mounds. Duchy of Aerik.
8.30am:
Weather: sunshine but cloudy, light breeze.
Conditions. none.
The party hesitate slightly, not sure to press their advantage or not. Dougal relaxes the tension on his drawn bowstring, Moriartus breaks the tension by stepping out if the foilage cover and announces his presence at the head of the trail.
Barba and the hireling beefs, decide to act first and question later. The warriors hope their surprise actually strengthens their hand to dominate the encounter. She attacks a bugbear from behind, cleaving into his chest but the strike that may otherwise cut an opponent in half inflicts a critical rather than fatal wound
Thankfully she is followed into the fray by the twins who hack the tribesman down.
The caught humanoids are suddenly physically and verbally assailed, but the mortal wound of their kinsmen snap them to a martial attention and battle must surely ensue.
initiative for the group by the first poster please and attack actions and rolls.
broadsword vs large opponents is 2-7dam (1d6+1+ str)
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Quonundrum
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- Posts: 3933
- Joined: Sat Jul 27, 2019 11:57 pm
Re: Crooked Yew and crocked bees.
Moriartus
No sooner than the friendly words of greeting escapes his mouth than the not-quite-so-friendly ear piercing war cry from Barba rends the air, almost as an immediate and defiant rebuttal. When her first powerful slice of her sword fails to slay the unusually tall humanoid, a blow that would have normally cleaved a human or elf in twain, his initial fear about these monsters is realized. He was unsure how effective, if at all, a Sleep spell would be, but he knew that they needed a tactical advantage ... spotting the leader, he decides to capitalize on the confusion by attempting to disable their leader with a Light spell.
Casting Light on lead bugbear's eyes.
Initiative: [1d6]=3
No sooner than the friendly words of greeting escapes his mouth than the not-quite-so-friendly ear piercing war cry from Barba rends the air, almost as an immediate and defiant rebuttal. When her first powerful slice of her sword fails to slay the unusually tall humanoid, a blow that would have normally cleaved a human or elf in twain, his initial fear about these monsters is realized. He was unsure how effective, if at all, a Sleep spell would be, but he knew that they needed a tactical advantage ... spotting the leader, he decides to capitalize on the confusion by attempting to disable their leader with a Light spell.
Casting Light on lead bugbear's eyes.
Initiative: [1d6]=3