Arc 1 - Beast of a Thousand Knives (Completed)

[PupSage]

Kuori's brain set into motion as she began to think out loud. "The Genasi is a mage. Mages throw fire. Trees burn. Big tree. Big Fire. Moving tree. Moving fire. Which goes up in flames first, the town or the countryside? Then there is the dryad, which must remain anchored to a tree. If the tree burns, what happens to the dryad, or maybe its not her tree, after all there are lots of trees around. How much fire can the mage throw before he hits the right tree." She looked down at the others and said, "Sorry, the gears started turning and the mouth started moving." She began walking into the town, not about to split the party. Hit up the councilman for a quick chat, camp out till nightfall and kill whatever the thing was. Sounded easy enough. Her long gait meant that she caught up with Sardis. "You're welcome." Whether or not he recognized it, some of the focus had been taken off of him.

Knowledge nature Treants 5+13= 18
Knowledge nature Dryads 10+13 =23  

[Kowsauni]

((I think people are missing this point so I want to make it clear. There is no way into town atm. The only way in is through the archway which is currently being blocked by two enormous treants. Sardis and Kuori, you are still on the road outside this gateway. Poa seams concerned about letting you all into the town after Sardis tried to cast a spell on her. No one has done anything yet to alleviate this worry or vouched to keep Sardis in line like she has asked.))

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Rain Yupa

Southern Cross Nemesis

PupSage

I Drink Blue Moon

Onlin3 Gam3r

 

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge would truthfully react to the Treants by gripping his halberd with both hands now, bringing off his shoulder and brandishing it towards the wooden creatures.

But when they made no aggressive moves, but defensive ones, the paladin would stand tall, lowering the business end of his weapon towards the ground.

"I apologize once again, this time for myself," he would say, looking towards the girl. "However, time was short, but I thought it best to allow introductions to be handled by the others, and not give our Genasi opportunity to run rampant in the town while we stayed and chatted. A moot point now, it seems."

He remained standing, in the middle of a triangle between Sardis, the others, and Poa. "I can respect a good gate keeper. The name I go by now is Revenge - forgive me, I'm going through a phase - and while my teachings don't necessarily emphasize upholding the law, like those my brothers and sisters who serve Bahamut and Moradin do, they do emphasize that I uphold my word. I can give no such promise on behalf of Sardis, for he is a being of respectable power. I can, however, send him to an early grave if he breaks the stipulations you have laid out before us."

He would then stand at full height (for what it's worth, with a Goliath like Kuori in the party), holding the half of his weapon with his right hand, resting the base of it flat against the ground.

"Though it is to my understanding that the eerie happenings of Lupa includes missing cattle and property damage have gone unobstructed, despite the presence of a Gate Keeper tasked with keeping the riffraff out. I would even be so bold as to claim that you would need the assistance of a being of respectable power to aid you in restoring peace to this town. Luckily, I know where you can find one."

Revenge would then walk to Sardis's side, and turn and look at Poa. "The sooner we finish here, the sooner you can go back to your peace and sunbeams. Until then, you have my promise as a Paladin of Sehanine, to be a 'short leash'." He would even go so far as to place a gauntleted hand on Sardis's shoulder.

----------

Diplomacy of 30 to convince Poa to stand down.

(Also, Blue Moon has posted some rolls in the dice roll thread)

Revenge also marks Sardis with his Divine Challenge. Sardis, you have -2 to attack anyone but me, and if you do attack someone else, you take 7 radiant damage. The mark will end when I mark someone else, attack someone else, or end a turn more than 5' away from you.

For the time being, I will renew it as needed (a minor action) every time Sardis gets out of arm's reach of me (but still within 25'), which I can do every 2 turns.  

[PupSage]

Kowsauni

OOC" [ I get that its blocked. I also get that it is impossible that they cover 100% of the entrance. If they try to stop her, we go into combat and I make an athletics check to get through the gaps between the treants. Worst case scenario we don't make it into town and don't solve the mystery and they lose everything because of it.]  

[I Drink Blue Moon]

Sardis bore the drone of the lower lifeforms. Albeit the tiefling made an intelligent point, as did the Goliath. "As Revenge" the name rolled off of his tongue with the sound of disgust, "said. We are here to assist your petty town and rid you of the beast. If you believed yourself capable of removing it, you would have done so. My guess is that you yourself are incapable of leaving this general area, as most dryads are." He lifted Ravenge's hand from his shoulder and said, "So, you have your leash. I have mine. Now can we move on and get this settled before your town is forced into becoming vegetarians due to lack of cattle and starts looking at you like tomorrows supper."  

[Onlin3 Gam3r]

[Intimidate vs Sardis 6+13=19]
[Intimidate vs Poa 15+13=28]
Such chaos would not be tolerated. The dragons fury began to boil to the surface. "BOTH OF YOU CALM DOWN!" She leapt up, flapping her wings and landing in front of the Genasi. "You pompous, entitled, son of a lich. Keep your mouth shut from here out unless you are casting a spell on our target." She then looked at Poa and said, "For a guardian, you are terrible at your job. Falling asleep in the sun, asking questions that are borderline racist, summoning up treants just because some guy cast a harmless spell at you. I ran my hand through that mist, it didn't hurt me and obviously it didn't have an effect on you unless it made you magically rude. It was aesthetic, get over it." She began to calm down. "If I want into town I can fly in. If you stop our investigation I will hold you under suspicion." She pointed at the Genasi and said, "That goes double for you."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Confused on what was going on, and no seeing a way he could help or one to cause damage...

"Thork need drink"  

[Kowsauni]

Poa the Dryad

Poa vanishes from sight, then reappears on top of the archway above the Treants. She then remarks, "And yet after 200 years under my protection, Lupa still stands as the peaceful place it is now. Memory to Mist is far from a harmless spell and I don't need him casting it on the people of this town. You also do not hold any authority here, so I would not make such empty threats."

Poa sighs and sits down on the archway, resting her chin on her hands. "Frankly, I don't have to justify myself to you--it's you that have to justify to me why I should let you into Lupa."

Poa sighs again looks to be mulling things over in her mind. "I can tell you really want in here. And you say you're coming to investigate the rumors that have been spreading amongst the townfolk about the few missing cattle. I haven't found reason yet to take them too seriously, but perhaps there is more there. "

Poa stands back up. "Tell you what--what's in question here is your character. I have no way of verifying it, but I know some people who can. There is a young couple that recently settled in the forest. If you go back up to the main road and head north on it for a short ways, you'll see a small path leading off to the left. Follow it and you will find their cottage. Their names are Lhai and Ophelia. They are out there all by themselves and need all the assistance they can get. Help them for a day with their tasks. If they send back good words, I will let you into Lupa."

((Sardis and Kuori, your nature checks reveal that Poa is indeed a dryad, though she is far from the shy reclusive forest dwellers that you have been taught about.))

((Kuori, your nature check reveals these are actual treants, but it goes against what you have been taught for them to be guarding a human settlement.))

((Sardis, your arcana check reveals there to be an incredible amount of powerful arcane energy swirling around Poa. You feel it might serve to remove her tree bound state.))

(Perhaps a history check will reveal more about this situation)  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"hoof print vanish, if no followed soon, if bull go to wood. Wood beast stronger than bull, hurt bull, eat bull. Give Thork and one more, Poa say to track only wood no town. Better than leaving bull alone." Thork spoke as he placed his glaive on the ground. "Thork leave weapon of Thork, Poa no fear Thork damage."(shot in the dark.... diplomancy +2 for promision just to look for the defensless oxen)  

[Kowsauni]

Poa the Dryad

Poa's face softend as the orc offered to lay down his weapon in exchange for searching for the missing bull. Though his words did not help his case, his selfless act seemed to make an impression on her. "I'm sorry, you asked me a question earlier and I did not answer. There are indeed countless beasts in the forest that would make a meal of the bull, provided they could bring down such a large creature. I don't know what would cause the bull to leave the safety of his pen, it could be almost any reason. If you want to search the forest, you don't need my permission--it's not valued there anymore. I think you should take your weapon with you, though, if you decide to go."  

[Rain Yupa]

"So the citizens of Lupa have had to be taught not to fear outsiders... this couple you mentioned, Lhai and Ophelia, they will be receptive to a small squad of heavily armed warriors of assorted unfamiliar races, showing up at their doorstep begging to wash their pots and pans and hang their laundry for them? That should be our task when word, even fear, of these 'rumors' have reached even us, so far away? That would be the best use of our time, rather than ensuring any truth, even remote, of this danger is stopped as early as possible?"

Revenge would leave a moment's pause, before he continued.

"... I am willing to abide by your terms. But to be clear, if something happens in the time spent on this test of worth, you will be held accountable for it. Your shoulders will be the ones to bear that burden, not ours. For your sake, I hope rumors are all this turns out to be, or else you may need to be charged with your own test of worth when this is through, gate keeper of Lupa."

Grumpy paladin is grumpy, and begins returning up the road as instructed unless otherwise impeded. The sooner the fool's errand is complete, the better.  

[I Drink Blue Moon]

Sardis began to dust off his hands. "Being welcomed by insults I can tolerate. Actively ignoring the fact that this very capable gate guard hasn't already cleared up this mess, I can live with; but I did not come here to help peasants with their farm work. The horny one said it right, when the next cow goes missing its going to be your fault you petulant weed. Sadly I won't be here to see it. I've quite had my fill of this charade. I bid you all a fond adu." He took out a scroll and said a few arcane words before taking a step back and sitting cross legged on an invisible platform that began to carry him off into the distance. Away from the town and the forest.  

[Kowsauni]

Poa the Dryad

Poa watches Sardis float away. Once he is in the distance a small smile appears on her face. Those with a high perception can hear her quietly comment to herself. "Well, that answers that..." Poa then turns to the rest of the group. "Well, judging by the fact that none the rest of you fled, I can see a little menial labor to help a poor farmer doesn't scare you...good."

Poa eye's light up green and the Treants once again move. This time however, they move back to their original spots on the side of the road. Within moments they had transformed back into the large willows they had been before. Their branches sway peacefully in the breeze as Poa speaks. "As much as dear Lhai would appreciate your help, I can see you all are quite concerned about time. I will accept the fact that you were willing to help them as proof enough of your character. Just don't make me regret this...and if you do find there is something more amiss here then I suspect, then I'll, uh, improve the enchantments on your weapons."  

[PupSage]

Kuori couldn't decide which was more disappointing. Poa's excuse of a test, or the fact that it worked on Sardis, either way she wasn't about to say anything that might further delay this quest. She looked down at her companions and began walking towards the town.  

[Onlin3 Gam3r]

Following Kuori's lead, Thava nodded and walked into town. Time to meet Mr Redman.