Secret of mana IC thread

[Ridai]

Thaum looks at the chicken cockatrice trying and failing to peck at him. He looks it dead in the eye for a short moment, before jabbing a finger at it, commanding "No."

A moment later, he appears in front of an irate bush, which, too, finds itself pointed at. "No."

His shield ever at the ready, the healer lobs a droplet of water over his shoulder, landing right between Coney's ears.

Spoiler: Actions

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Cure Light Wounds on Coney, healing (1d8+25)[32] HP (excess becomes THP). No AoOs provoked for casting due to Shielded Casting.

[Aegis013]

Jahn is unable to overcome the plants grapple (1d20+8)[12] (28 on a nat 20 doesn't even do it). "Argh, what the heck is this thing?" he inquires, his concentration on the illusion broken.

Unable to wield his sword in the grapple, Jahn attempts to defend himself as best he is able. Total Defense (+4 Dodge to AC).

Spoiler: HP/Status

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DR 4 blocks some of the constrict damage, 5 goes into Steeley Resolve, and 3 deals damage to his HP.
Jahn has 70 HP remaining.

[Alhallor]

With two plants down, Jahn is still in the clutches of his plant.

Spoiler: Attack against Jahn

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Touch attack again to maintain the grapple: (1d20+11)[26]
Grapple check: (1d20+15)[31]
Constrict damage: (1d8+9)[11]

Though the chicken that suddenly has Coney before himself is only irritated for a moment that the healer is away and begins to frantically pick her instead.

Spoiler: Attack against Coney

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Peck attack: (1d20+12)[22]
Damage (1d4)[2] Should you be hit you need to make a Fortitude save against 15 if you fail you don't petrify, instead you get 4 Dex Damage (partly stonification) No double dex damage on a crit. If the Cockatrice hits you the stonification doesn't happen at the point it pecked you it seems to appear randomly on your body.

You all hear a whooshing sound and then a loud crash when... Something lands between all of you. The heavy landing let's earth and debry fly everwhere and a loud CUCKADOODLEDOO! is heard from the thing that landed.

Spoiler: Earth and debry damage against Ken, Thaum and Coney

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(5d6)[13]Reflex save against 18 for half damage.

Spoiler: Larimar

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That thing looks like a grossly overgrown Cockatrice, you never even heard of such a thing.

Spoiler: Map

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A new foe appears.

[kinem]

Ken wonders ”Is it just me, or is a walk in the woods just not as pleasant as I remember it?”

He turns his blade against the giant foul fowl.

OOC: Remembering the Recitation luck bonus this time.
Reflex (1d20+13)[30] vs DC 18

Swift action: Blademage’s Edge
Attack (1d20+21)[40], damage (2d6+18)[25]
Attack (1d20+12)[23], damage (2d6+9)[15]

[kinem]

Crit confirm (1d20+21)[34], damage (2d6+18)[25]

[WindStruck]

"You have got to be kidding me!" Larimar says, as he unleashes a volley of arrows at the oversized chicken thing.

Spoiler: pew pew pew

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Point blank rapid shot:

attack: (1d20+17)[34]
damage: (1d6+7)[10] + (1d6)[5]

attack: (1d20+17)[22]
damage: (1d6+7)[12] + (1d6)[6]

attack: (1d20+12)[21]
damage: (1d6+7)[13] + (1d6)[5]

All subdual damage! Oh... add +1 to all those attack rolls. From point blank shot!

[Toliudar]

Coney

Coney smiles despite herself, enjoying Jahn's sharp wit even as she fights off increasing dullness brought on by the cockatrice's peck of lethargy. She is startled by the massive chicken's dramatic entrance, but after grabbing vines and stoned chickens, her capacity for true shock was significantly diminished. She does her best to roll with the shockwave - perhaps aided by her essential shape and fuzziness, and uses that roll to get away from the giant chicken's little brother. Then, wriggling ears and nose, Coney sneezes what she hopes is enough stupidity at the little chicken to stun the fight out of it for the moment.

Spoiler

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Fort save vs the successful peck: (1d20+12)[13]. Thanks again to Ridai for giving me a fighting chance at this.

Reflex save: (1d20+8)[22]

Actions:
5' step SW to N14.
Full round action: empowered Ray of Stupidity on the remaining little Chicken. If she deals enough intelligence damage to reduce it to 0, I think it goes into a coma until it heals normally.
Casting defensively
Ranged touch attack: (1d20+7)[12] This roll will be 2 lower if she fails the fort save above.
Intelligence damage (1d4+1)[4] x 1.5 or 6

Edit: well, that went badly. But on the upside, the one ability from Naberius that Coney has never used comes into play: she automatically heals 1 point of ability score damage each round, so the dex damage reduces to 3 this round, and will fade fairly quickly.

Also, for Ridai: Coney is still riding down the THP from Thaum's last healing, so all good here for the moment.

[Ridai]

With the veritable shockwave racing through the ground caused by acute poultry impact, keeping his footing is quite the challenge. Also getting hit by rocks and dirt. That also does not help. Spitting out a bit of earth, the healer imperatively points up at the megachicken, resulting in a CUCKADOODLE"No!" to teach it some manners, as he reaches back to shield Jahn from harm until more martial help for him arrives.

Spoiler: Actions

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Thaum fails his reflex save

Standard Cure light wounds on Jahn for (1d8+25)[26] HP (excess becomes THP). Not sure if healing has to be applied to Steely Resolve or if that can be skipped in favor of more THP.

Spoiler: Current party status

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Name	HP (THP)	Status and buffs
Coney	50 / 50 (11)	greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves), recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 7 rounds); partial stonification (3 Dex damage)
Jahn	73 / 73 (16?)	recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 7 rounds) Steely Resolve (5 damage delayed)
Larimar	48 / 48	greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves), recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 7 rounds)
Ken	51 / 57	recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 7 rounds)
Thaum	43 / 56	Aura of protection (Will DC 18), greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves)

[Aegis013]

Jahn is still bound and unable to effectively defend against the binding plant. Total Defense: +4 Dodge bonus to AC.

Spoiler: HP/Status

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From 70 hp, 5 in Steeley, healing 26 - 3 goes into HP increasing to 73, 5 goes into Steeley reducing it to 0 (it doesn't have to, but in this case the end result is the same regardless) the remaining 18 becomes THP.

The enemy does 11, reduced by 4 from DR, reduced by 5 by Steeley, and 2 goes against the THP leaing 16 THP exactly as Ridai calculated.

all maneuvers were granted this round, but Jahn is unable to use them while grappled.

Next round:
(1d6)[4] - Tactical Strike
(1d5)[3] - Battle Leader's Charge
(1d4)[2] - Foehammer
(1d3)[3] - Revitalizing Strike

[Alhallor]

The plant's intent seems to be still pressing the life out of Jahn.

Spoiler: Attack against Jahn

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Touch attack to maintain the grapple: (1d20+11)[20]
Grapple check: (1d20+15)[17]
Constrict damage: (1d8+9)[17]

The massive chicken get's one slash from Ken's sword and a bunch of feathers seem to fly everywhere, though they can't foil one of Larimar's arrows impeding itself into the massive body.

Though instead of bringing it to flee the humungous bird get's incredibly angry and focuses his anger at Ken with three fast pecks.

Spoiler: Attack at Ken

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First peck: (1d20+15)[23]
Damage: (2d8+8)[18]
Second peck: (1d20+10)[22]
Damage: (2d8+8)[20]
Third peck: (1d20+5)[20]
Damage: (2d8+8)[15]
Should you be hit you need to make a Fortitude save against 18 if you fail you don't petrify, instead you get 4 Dex Damage (partly stonification) No double dex damage on a crit. If the Cockatrice hits you the stonification doesn't happen at the point it pecked you it seems to appear randomly on your body.

The small cockatrice nearly pecked at the Ray that Coney shoot at it, but it doesn't let itself get astray and keeps harassing the rabite.

Spoiler: Attack against Coney

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Attack: (1d20+12)[24]
Damage: (1d4)[1]
Should you be hit you need to make a Fortitude save against 15 if you fail you don't petrify, instead you get 4 Dex Damage (partly stonification) No double dex damage on a crit. If the Cockatrice hits you the stonification doesn't happen at the point it pecked you it seems to appear randomly on your body.

[Aegis013]

Jahn sees his opportunity to escape the grapple as the twisting plant moves in effort to constrict him even more tightly. (1d20+8)[14] However, the plant has him wrapped too tightly already.

Spoiler: HP/Status

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0 THP left, 71/73 HP, still grappled.

[WindStruck]

Larimar almost does a double take as the massive Cockatrice's feathers seem to deflect most of his shots. Then again, his aim wasn't really on point.. Looking around, Jahn was being strangled by vines, Coney was being pecked at by one of the little ones which was still smouldering, and Ken was bearing the full wrath of the big angry bird. Everything was a bit worrisome, but Larimar figured he should try to tackle the biggest problem first.

"That is one tough turkey.." he says, before firing another salvo of arrows at it.

Spoiler: rolls

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attack: (1d20+18)[22]
damage: (1d6+7)[10] + (1d6)[1]

attack: (1d20+18)[29]
damage: (1d6+7)[9] + (1d6)[1]

attack: (1d20+13)[28]
damage: (1d6+7)[11] + (1d6)[2]

[kinem]

Ken is not fast enough to dodge the giant bird's beak, and he reels as it slams into his armor, luckily hitting metal and not flesh. Mere luck? Didn't feel like it ...

"Jahn, whatever you did before, just saved me. Hang in there, we'll get you out soon."

He quickly considers his options, then casts a quick spell and swings again with his sword at the monster.

OOC: AC 25 with the Recitation bonus.

Swift action: Fell Weaken Blade of Blood (discharges upon next hit, or after 9 rounds)
Attack (1d20+17)[22], damage (2d6+9)[12]
Attack (1d20+12)[22], damage (2d6+9)[15]
If one hits: (1d6)[1] extra damage & imposes -4 Strength penalty on target

[Ridai]

With the group weathering the storm well, but having no time to free Jahn, Thaum begins to set things in motion himself. Blinking in and out of existence, he emerges next to Coney, putting his fingers between her ears. What feels like a warm wave somehow washing through the rabite casts away the forming stone, leaving behind magnificent fur.

"What have I been telling you!" Thaum chides the smaller chicken, before quickly stepping away and out of Larimar's line of fire. Reaching into a deep pocket, he pulls forth the rod of ropes, setting his sights on the entangled bard.

Spoiler: Actions

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Preparing operation "Bard Spear-Fishing" via Rod of Ropes grapple hook next round.

Swift Anklets of Translocation, teleporting from M10 to N12

Standard Healing Hands, curing Coney of six points of ability damage (which should leave her at full Dex once her turn rolls around). I am assuming that the 5 ranks needed to cure ability damage are the conversion rate (5 Healing Hands points for every point of ability damage cured).

Move draw Rod of Ropes

Free 5-foot-step from N12 to M13

Spoiler: Current party status

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Name	HP (THP)	Status and buffs
Coney	50 / 50 (10)	greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves), recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 6 rounds)
Jahn	71 / 73	recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 6 rounds) Steely Resolve (5 damage delayed); grappled, pinned
Larimar	48 / 48	greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves), recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 6 rounds)
Ken	51 / 57	recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 7 rounds)
Thaum	43 / 56	Aura of protection (Will DC 18), greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves)

[Toliudar]

Coney

The rabite, buoyed by Thaum's helaing touch, is happy to duck behind the healer and focus on helping Jahn. She weaves a simple spell to coat Jahn's clothing with incredibly slippery, fine liquid, hoping that that will be enough to help him escape his predicament.

"You see? This is what happens when you breed selectively for larger chickens. You get Gargantuan Magickified Organisms!"

Spoiler: OOC

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5' step away from both cockatrices.
Standard action: Cast Grease on Jahn's clothing to give him a +10 to escape artist attempts.

[Alhallor]

If Jahn get's out of the vine grip it try's to smash him, if not it keeps trying to press the life out of him.

Spoiler: Actions against Jahn

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If you get out.
Smash attack. (1d20+9)[12]
Damage. (1d8+9)[12]
If not
Touch attack to maintain the grapple. (1d20+11)[25]
Grapple check. (1d20+15)[27]
Constrict damage. (1d8+9)[16]

The small cockatrice wails impatiently against Thaum, not being able to get through his protection.

The large one screes loudly against Ken, jumps upwards and try's to slash him with his two spurs. Then he gives Larimar a sideways glance and throws three steel-hard feathers at the little chobin.

Spoiler: Attack against Ken

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Spur attack 1: (1d20+16)[35]
Spur damage 1: (2d6+6)[13]
Spur attack 2: (1d20+16)[22]
Spur damage 2: (2d6+6)[12]
You do get an Attack of Opportunity because of the ranged attack against Larimar.

Spoiler: Attack against Larimar

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Feather 1 (1d20+5)[20]
Feather damage 1 (1d4+4)[8]
Feather 2 (1d20+5)[10]
Feather damage 2 (1d4+4)[5]
Feather 3 (1d20+5)[23]
Feather damage 3 (1d4+4)[7]

[kinem]

One of the beast's spurs gores Ken, but the elf's training kicks in as he twists away from the blow, and he is still in shape to fight.

"Damn this is one crazy bird!"

Ken takes the chance toa ttack when he sees an opening. He then casts another quick spell and swings his sword again.

OOC: Ken hp 38 / 57

AOO: (1d20+17)[23], damage (2d6+9)[12]
Swift: Cast Wraithstrike
Attack (1d20+11)[20], damage (2d6+21)[29] vs Touch AC with full PA
Attack (1d20+6)[23], damage (2d6+21)[33] vs Touch AC with full PA
If any attack hits (first hit only): Extra 1 damage and 4 Str penalty to target for 10 rounds

[WindStruck]

Larimar smoothly dodges one of the feathers shot at him. Another seems to get deflected away just enough by what was probably his mage armor spell. The third, he just happens to stumble a bit, and that feather barely misses.

If the giant cockatrice is still up after Ken's Assault, Larimar will keep shooting at it, trying to take it down. Or if Ken finally got it, Larimar turns his attention toward the mass of vines strangling Jahn.

Spoiler: rolls

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attack: (1d20+18)[20]
damage: (1d20+5)[8] + (1d6)[3]
+2 damage vs cockatrice

attack: (1d20+18)[23]
damage: (1d20+5)[9] + (1d6)[1]
+2 damage vs cockatrice

attack: (1d20+13)[29]
damage: (1d20+5)[13] + (1d6)[4]
+2 damage vs cockatrice

[Toliudar]

Coney

Coney sees the giant chicken lash out repeatedly at her colleagues and winces, hopping a little further away from the crazy birds.

She does some calculations involving spheres and blast radii. Let's see. Pi is...more than 3, right?

Weaving her ears in a now familiar pattern, Coney sends a spark shooting up over everyone's heads. It blossoms into flame over the giant chicken.

Spoiler: OOC

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5' step away from the baddies.

Full round action: empowered fireball, centred far enough up that it doesn't reach anyone in melee with the chicken but engulfs the giant chicken itself.
(10d6)[35] x 1.5 = 52 fire damage, Reflex DC 19 for half.

[Aegis013]

Jahn remains constricted by the strange plant. Maintain Total Defense.

Spoiler: HP/Status

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Jahn is grappled and pinned.

16 damage is reduced to 12 by DR.

5 goes into Steeley and Jahn's HP is reduced to 63.

[Ridai]

Sending a healing droplet to Ken, Thaum does his best to take aim at Jahn and firing the grappling hook at him. The chances of success are not all that high, especially in the general chaos of the moment, but it is better than doing nothing.

Spoiler: Actions

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Swift Close Wounds, healing Ken for (1d4+27)[31] HP (excess becomes THP). No AoOs provoked due to Shielded Casting.

Free 5ft step from M13 to L14

Move Shoot grappling hook of Rod of Ropes at Jahn to grab him with the grappling hook. Deals (1d6)[4] damage if it hits. (1d20+4)[16] vs AC. Ironically, it is almost impossible for Thaum to hit Jahn, but, well, gotta try something. It doesn't seem like the party needs much support in this fight right now.

Standard (if a standard action can be used in place of a move action for using the rod). Reel the rope back in.

Spoiler: Current party status

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Name	HP (THP)	Status and buffs
Coney	50 / 50 (10)	greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves), recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 5 rounds)
Jahn	63 / 73	recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 5 rounds) Steely Resolve (5 damage delayed); grappled, pinned
Larimar	48 / 48	greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves), recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 5 rounds)
Ken	57 / 57 (12)	recitation (+3 luck to attacks, AC, saves; 5 rounds)
Thaum	43 / 56	Aura of protection (Will DC 18), greater resistance (+4 resistance to saves)

[Alhallor]

The giant chicken evades Ken's first slash gracefully but when his attacks are infused with magic it can't get away anymore. With Ken's first slash, a mass of feathers let itself lose and surround the giant bird, but Ken doesn't get distracted and hits the giant thing again. Coney's fireball brings the massive thing down. It crashes into the ground, letting it reverberate a bit.

Larimar focuses his shoots against the strangling plant and his three arrows thankfully miss Jahn and burrow itself in the plant who suddenly goes limp.

The last small cockatrice finally realizes that he is badly outnumbered and he let his head go down and slowly retreats, he's so afrait that he let's one of his shiny plumes fall.

Actuall all the cockatrices (including the big one) lose an especially shiny plume (even the ones who were just unconscious.)

after a check-up it seems that the plumes and the bunch of feathers that the big cockatrice let fall are all magical (the big one looks pretty plucked but it actually is still alive thanks to Larimar only doing subdual damage.)

The vines and they're grapes also seem magical. With a checkup (thanks to the Monocle) you find out the following.

Spoiler: Items

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The one unconscious vine doesn't actually die if the main vine is removed, it's like cutting a rose down, it will only grow more.

All three large vines function like a Whip +1, The (3d4)[9] berries function like a Potion of cure light wounds (healing 1d8+1) and it could be possible to enhance this further by making it into juice or wine.

The 5 shiny feathers from the small cockatrices function like a safe-wing-emblem if worn around the neck.
The one big feather from the large cockatrice can be wrought around the finger and work like a Ring of Feather fall but you can decide to fall normally fast or double the speed without suffering any ill effects when you land.
The "bunch o feathers" the big cockatrice let fall actually work like light armor with an AC of 4 (3 base +1 enhancement) with the light fortification feature, when the wearer loses half it's health some feathers lose itself and surround the wearer, working like a blur spell for 3 rounds. It's arcane spell failure is 0%.

[WindStruck]

"Who ordered the chicken to go?" Larimar jokes as the final little cockatrice flees.

He strides up to Jahn to help him out of the vines and looks around a bit.

"Not a great welcome party, was it? And this was just the flora and fauna around here..."

[Ridai]

Thaum breathes a sigh of relief as the fight ends. Checking in on everyone and collecting some of the spoils for safekeeping, this particular encounter went well overall.

"This sort of situation will sadly not be the last. There are few places where survival of the fittest is taken to the heights it is here. I suggest we journey onwards as soon as possible before this commotion draws more predators."

Spoiler: OOC

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Thaum collects the various items if no one else does.

[kinem]

Ken says "If this is a common occurrence here, it seems like few could survive. Predators require prey, so I look forward to seeing what the rest of the wildlife is like.

Those magical feathers and plants are strange. It would seem that mana has seeped into everything here.

I wouldn't mind using that big feather, for now."

As the party resumes the journey, Ken makes sure to keep an eye out for more birds and strange vines.

[Toliudar]

Coney

Coney does her best to assist Larimar in disentangling Jahn. Once she understands what the bunch of big feathers can be used for, she seems sorely tempted, and eventually wriggles into the mass of cockatrice feathers. She smooths it out with her ears and some simple prestidigitation as best she can, and seems pleased with the results. Coney chuckles.

"My oldest, Jaime, he would be laughing up a storm at me right now. I always called him 'chicken' when he grew up, on account of him being stupid reckless. Now I know what he'd be calling me."

She's pleased to leave the leftover bits and bobs to Thaum. Coney turns serious as they faced the prospect of further travel into dangerous lands.

"Perhaps, knowing what their frontier is like, the people of this land will show us more respect when we arrive. Well, I didn't think so either, but it sounded nice, didn't it?"

She flared the rear feathers experimentally. In a moment, Coney's appearance shifted from her thoroughly unconvincing lynx disguise to a fairly unconvincing cockatrice.

"Um. B'gock! Bock! Well, it's worth a try. Shall we continue?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Okay, Coney's taking the armour. Then switching her Disguise Self SLA from Naberius to look like a very plump, bouncy cockatrice.

[Alhallor]

You follow the path Larimar indicates, it seems that most creatures seems to avoid you now. Occasionally you can see (or hear) something that seems larger than it should be, but it either avoids you or you can avoid them without much hassle.

The light doesn't seem to change, even when you walk hour after hour, there is still the star-lit sky with a giant full moon above of you. The sickly sweet flowers are still pacing the way and occasionally you have to get through some thick underbrush. The rest of the fauna seems very different and distinct trees and other plants are seen on the way. The mass of small flying insects seem to slowly lose interest in Thaum's hair and the rotund cockatrice seems to even scare away some other wild animals. It feels like you have traveled for several hours (and Larimar's spell has already gone away.)

It's hard to say how long it will take till you reach a town, but you're starting to slowly feel exhausted.

[Ridai]

With a yawn, Thaum's body demands rest. With only night in this forest, the passage of time feels unusual to the healer. "I vote in favor of finding a safe place to sleep. Or the closest local equivalent." Another yawn underlines the general sentiment.

[Toliudar]

Coney

Flaring her plumage, Coney forms a kind of nest on the ground.

"Agreed! I'll be up with the sun, so can take last watch, but if you don't mind, I'll turn in now."

[Alhallor]

You find a resting place soon enough. Something off an abandoned cave that has bear-tracks but they seem a bit too big even for you that don't know that much about animals. But it seems to be abandoned for some time and after clearing out some bones it's kinda nice. The sounds of the forest are nearly silenced in here and you even get inside the cave fast enough that you avoid a heavy downpour of rain.

While you rest the rain stops those on watch see some small critters flitting about and they're are three black squirrels that seem to watch YOU! But it doesn't seem that they do anything besides watching you for a minute and then scuttling away.

The most intriguing thing seems to be a floating carpet with a face on it, that glides around but doesn't pay you any mind.

Spoiler: Flying sheet

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Something like this.

When you follow the tracks it takes another two hours but finally you reach a settlement. (I'm assume here that you stay outside for a bit before entering and watch a bit first.)

They are a lot of people Walking around that seem veryÂ… Different. You have seen some beastmen before, they are rare but not that rare that you never see some, but it seems here is a big menagerie of a lot of different individuals that have settled together.

On a hill in the center of the village you see some ravens, rolling down the hill, transforming, midroll into some teenagers that howl (or gawk) approvingly after an especially dangerous looking fall. This group doesn't seem to be able to stand still for long and flit around a lot. They look like normal humans (well, not the transforming into a raven.) With jet-black sometimes shimmering green or purple hair.

There seems to be a smith whose hair is literally fire that works on a piece of metal, his eyes glowing like flickering candles.

Some people enter the Village from a different direction than you. They seem to have manelike hair around they're necks and almost clawlike Hands. Some people cheer while they come back. The leg of one has turned to stone. Another has a nasty looking wound on his chest, but they seem to be quite cheerful. The least wounded one waves a big leaf, which draws additional cheers.