(Corvin/Mordred Adventure 2): Hole in the Thornwall

[archolewa]

It is clear, thanks!


Initiative:
Corvin: 1d20+2 = 15
2x Gargoyles: 1d20 = 3


Corvin takes off into the forest away from the caravan. The flying stone statues take off after him. Since he didn't run directly away from him, they gain about a third of the distance on him in that initial burst. As he weaves through the trees, he throws frequent glances over his shoulder. The statues continue to chase him. He judges them to be a hair faster in the air than he is on foot, plus they don't have to worry about underbrush. On the other hand, their flight seems to be rather clumsy, which hinders them a fair bit in the dense forest.

Going to drop out of initiative, since Corvin is not engaging, but leading them on a chase instead.

[shaidar]

Corvin

As he runs Corvin looks around for denser forest to head towards, but in a direction that won't take him back towards the elven house.

[archolewa]

Wisdom Check: 1d20+13 = 17 < 20

Everything around him is dense, and he is unable to spy anything that looks denser. The stone statues gain slowly but steadily on him, their hideous grins widening.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin swears under his breath. Realising they're got going to give up and that the trees are hindering him more than them he turns in the direction of the forests edge.

[archolewa]

Corvin

Corvin swears under his breath. Realising they're got going to give up and that the trees are hindering him more than them he turns in the direction of the forests edge.

There is no edge. This entire region is very heavily forested.

[shaidar]

I meant in the direction taking him back to the path(?) the group has taken

[archolewa]

I meant in the direction taking him back to the path(?) the group has taken

Ah, that makes sense.

Corvin ducks and weaves through the trees, and angles back towards the path, the statues slowly but steadily gaining.

Constitution check: 1d20+9 = 10 < 20

But the day is catching up to Corvin. He has, since he got up this morning trekked to the lair of the halflings, engaged in two skirmishes, contended with some being wreathed in flame, nearly come to blows with his friend, comforted another friend, negotiated with suspicious and wary halflings, intimidated an ogre, negotiated with suspicious and wary victims, walked for several hours and now racing through a dense forest away from animated statues.

His breath is coming in gasps, his lungs are burning, and his limbs are leaden. The statues quickly gain on him, and it is clear that they will reach him before he gets back to the path, let alone back to the caravan.

[shaidar]

Corvin

He looks around for somewhere he might go to ground that would protect him from them, or at least give him some cover when they attack.

[archolewa]

Wisdom Check: 1d20+13 = 17 < 20

Corvin spots a Ranger's Rest, and an especially tall, especially densely branched looking tree, but before he can act on either of them, the statues are upon him, one coming from either side.

Initiative again! The statues are going to attack Corvin.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Initiative: [1d20+2]=14+2=16

Does Corvin think either of those might be dense enough to keep them at bay?

[archolewa]

Corvin

Initiative: [1d20+2]=14+2=16

Does Corvin think either of those might be dense enough to keep them at bay?

The Ranger's Rest possibly not, but if he can get up into the very dense tree, then it looks like they at least won't be able to easily fly at him from any direction except possibly below, it also heavily limits sight, and might provide hidey holes.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Realising the tree might be his only chance he ignores the fact that the creatures are almost upon him and runs for it, his intention to try and climb into the dense canopy.

[archolewa]

Initiative:
Statues: 1d20 = 19
Corvin: 16


Corvin sprints for the tree as fast as his weary legs can take him, but the statues reach him before he can get to the tree. They fly around him, clawing and gnashing and biting.

First statue: claw: 1d20+4+5 = 13, claw:1d20+4+5 = 15, bite:1d20+4+5 = 27 > 20, hits damage = 1d6 = 1, horns: 1d20+4+5 = 10.

Second statue: claw: 1d20+4+5 = 23 > 20, hit, damage = 1d3 = 2, claw: 1d20+4+5 = 13, bite: 1d20+4+5 = 14, horns: 1d20+4+5 = 26 > 20, hit damage = 1d4 = 1. Total damage: 1 + 2 + 1 = 4 damage. Corvin has 10/14 HP left.

Corvin ducks and blocks desperately, stone claws striking empty air, teeth clamping uselessly on fur. One of them manages to chomp briefly on his shoulder, but he throws it off before it can do much more than bruise him. The other rakes him across his chest, and lunges at his face with its horn. He barely manages to deflect the horn with the palm of his hand, leaving a shallow wound in his palm.

Climb Walls check: 1d20+17+3(wood, easy to climb for a clawed lupine)-2(being harassed by flying statues) = 32 > 20.

He scrambles up the tree, and into the dense canopy. The statues snarl silently as the thick branches block their immediate sight of him.

The statues are going to try to find and reach Corvin in the canopy.

[shaidar]

Corvin

The blood pounds in Corvin's ears as the adrenaline rushes through him. He resists the urge to growl at his attackers, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Instead he focuses on looking for a better defensive position in the tree, something to minimise their angles of attack.

[archolewa]

Going to briefly drop out of initiative here, since they're trying to find Corvin while Corvin finds someplace more defensible/hidden. That seems like something that makes more sense to do simultaneously.

Move Silently: 1d20+5 = 25 > 20
As the gargoyles flutter around the outside of the canopy, looking for some way through the dense, thick branches and their broad leaves, Corvin slips further up the tree, silent as a shadow, and settles into the crevice of a giant branch where it splits three ways. While a gargoyle could probably reach through one of the splits to claw awkwardly at him, there is really only one way for them to come at him directly, and even then only one at a time. He settles into the canopy, and waits.

Contested Gargoyle wisdom check vs. Corvin Dexterity check. Going to try something slightly different here, where instead of rolling both Hide in Shadows, and a Dexterity check if that fails, going to add the Hide in Shadows modifier to Corvin's Dexterity check. Gargoyle Wisdom checks: 2x 1d20+12 = 28, 22. Corvin Dexterity check: 1d20+16+5+2(Successful Move Silently means they have no idea even roughly where Corvin is) = 34.

34 > 28 > 22

The gargoyles flutter awkwardly about the canopy for a while, then fly up from underneath and into the branches. They climb, flutter and jump through the tree. At one point, one of them lands on Corvin's branch right before it splits. He can feel it quiver with the force of its landing. It stands there for a moment, but then moves on.

After a while, the gargoyles descend from the tree and fly away.

A few moments later, Corvin hears a faint, soft singing in a language he doesn't recognize. A beautiful, red-haired woman with fiery red eyes seems to materialize out of thin air underneath the tree, holding a pinecone that gives off a reddish light. She looks up into the trees, her red eyes seeming to pierce the darkness as easily as if it were bright sunlight. Still, it takes her a moment of searching, before her eyes settle on Corvin. She smiles. "Ah there you are. Very impressive with the gargoyles. Courageous too, running away from your friends. It would have been a slaughter if you'd led the gargoyles there."

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin looks down at the woman, wondering who she is. She might be pretty, but so was Mamba. Trying to hide his exhaustion, he keeps his voice as steady and neutral as he can "It's amazing what desperation can do. If you want me then you're going to have to come and get me and I'll fight every step of the way."

[archolewa]

"I have no doubt," says the woman with a mirthful laugh. "But you'll have to forgive me if I don't take you up on your offer. I like my skin intact, thank you. My name is Terri, and I must admit to being rather curious. I've been keeping to myself the past few years, so imagine my surprise when I stick my head out of my home, and learn the Tyrant is dead! And then, not a day after that, I see people carting their children around outside the Wall! Curious. Very curious. So how's about a deal? I guide you back to your caravan, and in exchange you answer some questions hmm? Slake my curiosity?"

Navigation check: 1d20+14+1-2(trying to evade gargoyles)-2(it's nighttime) = 27 > 20

Corvin is confident he can retrace his steps, and knows roughly where he is relative to the caravan... but retracing his steps exactly would bring him close to the elven ruins and the gargoyles. Trying another route risks him getting lost, especially in the dark.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin considers the situation. Terri is not openly hostile and already knows about the group, and if she has survived out here then she must have power of some kind. He decides she is likely not someone to anger.

"Perhaps we can come to an arrangement and share information. I'm Corvin. The elf house and the gargoyles are not yours then?"

[archolewa]

Terri shakes her head. "No. That is an old monastery dedicated to Abora Greenleaf. The gargoyles were created to protect the temple during the War. When the Tyrant killed Abora, her clerics lost their power and the temple was abandoned."

Terri grins and gestures for Corvin to come down. "But come. Let us get you back to your companions yes? Who knows what remnants of the Tyrant's army lurk amongst these trees, and I would rather not have to fight any of those twisted corruptions. Sounds like a giant bother."

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Very well." he climbs down to get a closer a look at the unusual woman.

Has Corvin met an elf before, or at least know what one looks like?