TAG. The Adventurers Guild. IC

[Pyrophilios]

"Oh great, now even the plants around here want to kill us. Do you need any help with that thing or do you just want to burn it?"
Lanius replied as he saw the aggressive vegetation, carefully drawing his rapier.

[oaken]

Lenna Tanglírë Wood Elf Warlock AC: 13 HP: 15/21 HD: 0/1d8 PP: 12 PIv: 10 PIs: 12 Quiver: 22 arrows Conditions: -- Concentration: --

As they climb down to the cobblestone path and walk towards the house, Lenna turns to Aelia, in response to her question: "To be honest, I am not quite sure I would have survived the whole night if not by meeting all of you. I was already in bad shape, the shadowcats had been attacking me, and I climbed a tree. As for me... I am just an exiled elf, not by choice. I grew up around Brance... What about you?"

When they realize Aelia is being chased by the shrub, Lenna protests: What? Even plants? Had you seen attacking plants before? She draws her dagger, but doesn't quite know what do.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "I've read about them before.... and yes I'd like help and yes I'll also try burning it." Aelia replies and tries to point blank hurl some fire into the shrub attacking her. As an afterthought she adds, "I am also from Brance." Spoiler Show Fire bolt: (1d20+6)[11] disadvantage: (1d20+6)[7] damage: (1d10)[6] if crit: (1d10)[2] Nature to know more about animate plants (of this kind): (1d20+4)[8] if a different knowledge check is more appropriate/would also work add +2 to that.

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius left the banter and drew his rapier to prune this little uppity scrub.

Spoiler

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(1d20)[6]+6, damage (1d8)[6]+6+[roll]+1d6[/roll], if crit (1d8)[2]+[roll]+1d6[/roll]

Damn, corrupted my sneak attack

But the small plant proved to be harder to hit than expected.

[Holy-hunter]

Burning worked well. Aelia’s fire bolt did the trick, it’s dry little twig branches charring and snapping with the hit.
Lanius’s pruning proved unnecessary as the sentience was already gone from the shrub.

Aelia’s knowledge told her that Daisy would probably know more, but this was not a natural creature, probably a product of the magic Isah had mentioned.

No other shrubbery seems to be coming your way.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Maybe Daisy would know more about things like that? Do we want to keep searching or check with her first?" Aelia asks Lucius and Lenna.

[Pyrophilios]

"Let's keep looking. 'Plants hate fire' is likely the most important information here - and we know that already.
Anyway, someone barricaded themselves in here. Let's walk around the house and see if we can find a different way to get inside. Otherwise we'll have to do it the hard way."
Lanius replied, indicating that he was going to walk counterclockwise around the house.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Ok." Aelia says and shrugs. "Like I was saying before I was assaulted by shrubbery, I'm also from Brance. My family runs a smithy and such. But I wanted to see things for myself and Brance is very superstitious about magic. So.... here I am." she says, continuing from where she left off before.

[Holy-hunter]

Moving around the building you have opportunity to notice new things.

Spoiler: Perception DC 10 sight

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There are large spiderwebs on the windmill preventing it from turning properly.

Spoiler: knowledge nature DC 10

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Giant wolf spiders

Spoiler: Perception DC 13 sight

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There are those small indents in the ground throughout the paddocks, they grow more congregated near the raised ground of the windmill.

Spoiler: Perception DC 15 sight

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There are strange scuff marks circling the building, along the ground and across the walls.

Spoiler: Perception DC 17 sound

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There is a soft sound coming from within the building, a scuffle here and there across floorboards. An odd dull thump.

Spoiler: Perception DC 20 smell

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On the breeze, (travelling west to east) something rotting wafts in the air.

The building itself seems pretty heavily boarded up. Small look out slots are left between planks of wood and arrow slits have been cleverly carved out. Who ever is or was hiding in here appears to have been holed up for a while.

At the northern face of the building you come across the endless flickering flame of an ever burning torch hanging over a beaten door. The door itself is barely on its hinges and through splintered cracks in its upper half you can see the dresser set on the floor barring the base of the door. Bolts protrude out of the wood, having been fired from inside. Char marks indicate a small fire once existed just beyond this portal. Signs of its flickering flames scaring the door through its splintered cracks.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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Perception test: (1d20+7)[26]

"Stop!" Lanius held up his hand with the rapier. "Looks like we have - in addition to everthing else - also a wolf spider infestation around here. I don't like the look of those indentations around the mill and I'm pretty sure I heard something from within the house. These things like to capture their prey alive though. So there might be someone caught in there, soon to be devoured. Get your flame shooter ready. We'll likely face some really ugly big arachnids in a few moments."

He put his shoulder to the backdoor and tried to push it open.

[Holy-hunter]

The damaged door snapped off its hinges and fell apart over the furniture behind it.
There is 10ft of difficult terrain but otherwise nothing else is stopping you from entering the house.

You are in a 40ft hallway with a door at the end.
To your immediate left is a door, a little past that is another corridor. Two more doors are spread out along the right wall.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "Do you think we can bait them to come to us instead of us getting swarmed from every direction by going in there?" Aelia suggests, mentally adding "oh, so that's what the deal is with all those indents in the ground", and prepares the pelt the first foe she sees with flame. Spoiler Show Prepared action Fire Bolt first enemy I see that I wouldn't have disadvantage on.

[Pyrophilios]

"I'm not sure we have to do much baiting. If there weren't potentially still alive people around, I'd say we burn the whole building down. Still, there is nothing we can do but search the house room for room and make sure we watch each other's back."
Lanius replied while carefully entering the corridor.

[Holy-hunter]

Entering the building Lanius’s keen eyes easily notice the falling net trap suspended on the ceiling and its corresponding trip wire running across the corridor just a little way beyond the entrance.

((DC 15 to disable))
((DC 0 to avoid))

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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Disable:

(1d20)[9]+8

Lanius stopped again: "Web trap. Let me spike it just in case we have to make a quick retreat."
With care, hard won over a long campaign, he wedged a piece of wood into the the wall, so he could stop the triger line from releasing.
"Keep your eyes open in all directions. Those bastards can walk on wall and ceiling", he wispered while moving forward with his rapier drawn.

[Holy-hunter]

Climbing over the debris and passing the disabled trap you ignore the doors to either side and continue down the hallway where noise comes from behind the far door.
No enemies jump you. As you reach the intersection you see a short corridor with an open door on the left and a closed door at the end.

Knowledge nature checks on the sound.

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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(1d20)[11]+7 Nature

Lanius stopped and listened before taking a careful look into the room with the open door to his left.

[Holy-hunter]

Spoiler

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[roll0]+7 Nature

Lanius stopped and listened before taking a careful look into the room with the open door to his left.

It appears to be a study, apparently someone left in a hurry or there was an altercation here. The chair is laying on the floor as well as books and paper. The window has been smashed inwards by something powerful as glass shards reached all the way to the back wall. A wide chest sits in the far corner lid open, the other walls hold shelves of books and trinkets.

The sound coming from the end of the other hallway sounds similar to two dog like creatures, sniffing and alert but not barking.

[Pyrophilios]

"I'll open the door just a tiny bit to get a glimpse of what's going on in there. Be ready stab if something tries to force it open completely." Lanius whispered to his companions, before getting ready to do just what he said.

[Holy-hunter]

The door drags heavily across the floor, even for such a small movement. The sounds of the dogs grows louder, a scampering of claws on wood and the slight whining and eager whimpering, but it doesn’t draw nearer. It seems they are trapped behind yet another door.

Peering through the slightly open gap you see what looks like a large kitchen that has been raided many times over. It’s a mess. It’s also well guarded. The windows are boarded heavily, caltrops cover near the entire floor (and you realise what the door is caught on.)

There is one door leading onwards and you have no doubt that the beasts lie behind it.

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius began to pick up the caltrops. They were useful - and he didn't want to cross a space with them on the ground if he might run out in a hurry.
Gesturing to him companions to follow him, he moved slowly closer to the next door.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- With some trepidation, Aelia follows Lanius inside. Still keeping as much distance from any doorways as she reasonably can and prepared to hurl a flame at the first foe she sees.

[Holy-hunter]

There’s a moments confusion as Lanius opens the door. The scratching and sniffing explode into a wild viscous chorus of growls and barking. The dogs so eager to get out nearly block the door but Lanius manages to get it open and shut it behind the creature that lunged at him.

Only one got out but two heads were snapping at him.

Spoiler: Attack

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(1d20+4)[24]
(1d6+2)[3]
Fort save dc 12 if hit otherwise poisoned

(1d20+4)[23]
(1d6+2)[7]
Fort save dc 12 if hit otherwise poisoned

The beast had two heads. It was a large feral wolf-like dog. It looked to be skinny for its size and its dark fur was a mess. It attacked with a wild ferocity!

[Pyrophilios]

Lanius had paid dearly for his tardiness. Two deep wounds in his upper leg reminded him why he despised dogs.
With as much strength as he could muster he tried to pierce the creature's heart

Spoiler

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(1d20)[7]+2 Con save
(1d20)[14]+2 Con save

(1d20)[4]/disadvantage if poisoned (1d20)[10]+6, damage (1d8)[1]+(1d6)[1]+4, if crit (1d8)[6]+(1d6)[3]

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- Aelia ponders what kind of magic mutated this dog. Perhaps whatever has made the plants animate and hostile? Then, she throws another bolt of fire. Spoiler Show Fire Bolt: (1d20+6)[18] damage: (1d10)[10] if crit: (1d10)[1]

[Holy-hunter]

AC 12, HP 29
Initive
Dog 13, Aelia9, Lanius?

The two headed dog continues it relentless assault on Lanius before being hit hard by the fire.

(1d20+4)[22]
(1d6+2)[3]

(1d20+4)[14]
(1d6+2)[5]

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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Ini: (1d20+4)[11]
Another 3 points of damage

Counter attacking - poisoned - so with disadvantage

(1d20)[6]/(1d20)[5]+6, damage: (1d8)[3]+4, if crit (1d8)[6]

Lanius did his best to avoid the beast's teeth but he was fighting one on two and the venom now coursing through his body made him see double - so technically it was now four on one.

[Ramsus]

Aelia Smith Human Artificer AC: 19 HP: 27/28 PP: 11 PIv: 16 PIs: 11 Conditions: -- Concentration: -- "This is one angry dog!" Aelia comments as she throws fire. It was a kind of stupid comment and she wasn't sure why she'd said it. Just the urge to say anything to vent a bit of the stress of the situation perhaps. Spoiler Show Fire Bolt: (1d20+6)[19] damage: (1d10)[8] if crit: (1d10)[9]

[Holy-hunter]

AC 12, HP 21
Initive
Dog 13, Lanius11, Aelia9,

The dog helped as it was hit by another bolt of fire, one of the heads even swung around to look momentarily at Aelia, but it was only a short glance amidst a wild flurry of gnashing snapping teeth as it’s ferocious battle with Lanius continued. Each head snapping and gnawing at him, hungrily trying to rend the flesh from his bones.
The stagnant stench of death on the creatures vile breath.

(1d20+4)[15]
(1d6+2)[5]

(1d20+4)[7]
(1d6+2)[3]

[Pyrophilios]

Spoiler

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down to 5 HP
bonus action to activate favored foe if I hit
(1d20)[4]/(1d20)[8]+6, damage (1d8)[5]+4 (1d4)[2], if crit (1d8)[1] (1d4)[3]

The beast hit and bit by bit wore Lanius down. "I really need to get better armor. I'm chewed to death here by this psychotic furball."