Madness at Brightmore Abbey IC

[Spore]

Emilia Shadowburn Forsaken Shadow Priest AC: 13 HP: 29/32 PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18 Conditions: - Concentration: - Emilia interrupted her night shifts with occasional thoughts about the Light. It forsake her, yes. But did she really try to reach for it? Maybe the Scarlet Crusade's teachings were right? Maybe she was an abomination that deserved to die? But he also read about a Alonsus Faol, a great priest in the Second War, now forsaken as her. And he still believes in the light, though he uses the darkness within as well. Maybe that was better than hiding, away from life, and bask in (un)death. As her shift came to an end the rural priestess laid herself into an indention in the ground, akin to a grave or sarcophagus. Closing her eyes, she crossed her arms like a corpse from Uldum, meditating on her state of unlife between life and death. The darkness beckoned, and yet she resisted. The Lich King beckoned, and yet she resisted. Creaking bark and unsettling energies awoke her. Rising from the grave, she saw an arrow fly at a tree, no treant, and the Farstrider immediately getting almost killed by an arm full of mud and dirt. By the Light, you are the world's worst elven ranger, you know that? She steps aside and near the card. Snapping her fingers, she sets the tree aflame in dark energies. Spoiler Show Void Strike: (1d20+9)[29] Bonus Action card activation. (6d6)[18] necrotic

[Amnestic]

Rather than waiting for the treant to reach you in melee, the party leaps out to meet it - still covered in the scattered dirt and rocks from the treant's first volley. Taking their blades to it, Jade and Jok'lek hack at its legs while Ox pokes at one of its feet with a magically-enhanced beak. The weapon choice was well made, as the bladed weapons cut into the bark, and though there might have been concern that Skipsy's bullets wouldn't pierce through, the magic behind them seems to push the bullets through to strike the inner tree. Great glowing blue sap 'bleeds' from its wounds, though the glow is quickly obscured when Emilia wreathes the monster in shadowy magic. She's buoyed by the card's magic, but it vanishes after she moves to it and appears amidst the treant's feet.

Analastra frowns at the frankly needlessly rude comment from the forsaken, but doesn't respond and instead focuses on loosing another two arrows at the monster. Once again, the arrowheads skitter against its thick bark and scatter again.

Rearing back, the black-barked treant - whether due to a natural affiliation to the magic, luck, or keen understanding of it (arcanists would probably judge the former as most likely) - also channels the card into itself as it brings its hulking clawed arms down against those who engaged it in close combat. It slams down first on Jade, the card immediately appearing once more next to the goblin, before the tree moves onto Jok'lek, who leaps aside, and Ox, who does not and instead receives the full force of the hefty magic plant.

Spoiler: Map

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Jade hits once, misses once.
Skipsy hit once, missed once. Ox hit.
Emilia hit.
I rolled Jok'lek's two attacks - missed once, hit once for 4.

Analastra continued to roll poorly, I'm blaming the goblin-sized shortbow as she missed twice though really it's just swingy dice.

The treant splits its attacks - hit Jade (9) bludgeoning, missed Jok'lek (Ox used its reaction on this, though it wasn't needed), and hit Ox (13 bludgeoning). It also made use of the card, and the effect is now under Jade, since she got hit first.

Everyone's up.

[Kushina43]

Most of the night had been going uneventfully, up until this point on final watch with Analastra. He was thankful to already be armored up for his post, once he heard the massive footfalls, and his eyes widen in shock as the treant comes into full view. Its bark is a dark color with sickening azure magic that makes his hair stand on end, and the feeling only kicks into high gear when it charges forward with intent to kill. Analastra shoots it but misses, and it retaliates with a large thrown rock that Jok'lek has to dive away from to avoid also getting blasted by shrapnel. Analastra isn't as lucky, pelted with chunks of rock, and along with the group he meets the treant and strikes at it. Some damage is dealt, and Emilia hits it with a gout of shadow magic with the Comet card's power backing her, but the treant also uses the card and hits Jade under its effects, its mighty frame bolstered further by the card's magic. It lashes out at him and Ox next, but Jok'lek is able to leap out of the way. He lets loose a battle cry and goes for the attack, a veritable whirlwind of steel as his axe swings for its legs multiple times.

Spoiler: OOC

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Bonus Action: Warrior Rage, 3 Rage Points
Action: 2 Attacks (see below, apparently)
Rage Points: 3+number of hits

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Xihirli]

Three of Jade’s fangs hit the dirt with a good-sized glob of spittle and blood.
"I’m sure those are going to grow back." Jade spares a glance at Emilia. "Hey, there’s no reason for that. She was beaten into unconsciousness earlier today, after all! We can’t expect her to… oh right I’m fighting."
With both hands, Jade swings at the mark she’d left in the wood, hoping to split the monster in twain.

Spoiler: KILL IT!

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LongswordRAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK!
(1d20+4)[18]/(1d20+4)[8]; (1d10+15)[22]
(1d20+4)[17]/(1d20+4)[17]; (1d10+15)[16]
(1d20+4)[17]/(1d20+4)[22]; (1d10+15)[21]

[Kushina43]

Spoiler: OOC

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Attack 1: (1d20+6)[9]
Damage 1: (1d12+3)[12]
Attack 2: (1d20+6)[21]
Damage 2: (1d12+3)[14]

[Khosan]

Skipsy gasps as Ox gets smashed, crying out, "Oxy!" The gnome steels herself, firing another two shots, and directs her partially crumpled mechanical pet once more, "Activate self-repair protocol! Keep running interference for the others!" Ox shudders, and momentarily lurches into a kind of T-pose, his head, buried halfway into his neck, pops back out with a metallic clank. Repairs complete, Ox adopts his usual stance, squawking and flapping his wings to distract the treant when it moves to attack.

Spoiler: Actions

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Skipsy's HP: 42 / 42
Ox's HP: 23 / 36 (plus his pending repair)

Action: Skipsy attacks, taking a gamble to deal some extra damage.
Attack - (1d20+4)[14], Piercing Damage - (1d10+10)[13]
Attack - (1d20+4)[13], Piercing Damage - (1d10+10)[13]
Bonus Action: Skipsy directs Ox to repair himself (2/3 daily uses remaining) for Healing - (2d8+3)[10]

[Spore]

Emilia Shadowburn Forsaken Shadow Priest AC: 13 HP: 29/32 PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18 Conditions: - Concentration: - In its weakened state, Emilia prefers to channel her mind into the brain of the aberration. Spoiler Show Mind Flay/Toll the Dead (1d20)[20] Wis save vs DC 17 or take (2d12)[6] necrotic.

[Amnestic]

Skipsy's rage may have channeled itself into her bullets, but she is no warrior, and all her frustration doesn't curve the bullets any better as they skitter past the monster, barely scraping the surface of the bark. Emilia has no better luck, as the great creature's mind resists her spell. It brings its arm up once more to slam down against the party, but Jok'lek and Jade's quick slashes against its legs finally cut through entirely, slicing through and causing it to collapse with a reverberating crash.

Now on its back, it struggles for a moment, trying to right itself and continue its assault, but its turns avail it naught and it falls back as the glowing blue magic sap leaks from where its legs used to be in great spurts and oozes. Finally, it falls still, the glow in its eyes fading and the creature falls still dead.

Spoiler: OOC

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Was expecting it to stay up another round or so, but it didn't. Combat over!

One more short rest will get you to your requisite sleeptime completed, then presumably back to Berrian?

[Spore]

Emilia Shadowburn Forsaken Shadow Priest AC: 13 HP: 29/32 PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18 Conditions: - Concentration: - Emilia glances at Analastra digging herself out of the dirt with a creepy smile. I hope your elven emotions are not too hurt by nature not only almost knocking you out, but also us destroying a precious treant. Emilia approaches the blue sap and takes a sample. She dumps out a bit of smelling salt from her healing kit and tries to get a clear sample of the sap. Spoiler Show I don't know how many uses of the healing kit you would remove for me dumping a container. But I want a bit of a sample.

[Amnestic]

Even with the threat of combat gone, the young(?) elf purses her lips and poorly hides that she's not exactly thrilled with Emilia's phrasing, but won't or can't say much in return, given her position. "Farstriders do what we have to, we always have and always will." She turns away from the conversation, and instead busies herself trying to get the hang of the goblin bow that perplexed her so during the fight.

Spoiler: OOC

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One charge for one sample of sap seems reasonable as an exchange rate.

[Xihirli]

Jade, coated in blue magic sap from the spray of the Treant, hops up to Analastra.
"Don't mind her. She's just cranky because everyone she knew and loved died horribly including her. Also you elves like... use wood for things, right? You cut down trees. Anyway I think that one was weird anyway. I bet it planted itself too close to a crazy river that flows with crazy water. My mother always said to me 'Gialtea, you're a failure to goblinkind! Go read a book and stop beating rats to death and eating them! You'll become half-rat if you keep doing that!' So I think this tree drank something crazy and went half-crazy, then drank it again and went full-crazy."
Jade nods sagely. "That's what I think."

[Kushina43]

Jok'lek wipes off his axe's blade of the glowing sap with spare cloth, though he was already splashed by some when the thing fell. "Rat story aside, I think you may be close. A treant being corrupted by dark magic sounds.. plausible, I guess. I know some gnolls use magic, perhaps they're harming the land, and this is a symptom meaning they need to be dealt with." He makes his way back to the tower where they were camped, getting ready to rest again. "I'd say that's my watch done after that scare. A bit longer and we'll head back to your camp, Analastra. Sound good, everyone?"

[Khosan]

Skipsy jogs over to Ox as soon as the treant tumbles, pulling out her army knife, she extends something that looks like a combination screwdriver-microscope and tends to her chicken's injuries, "Poor guy, he really did a number on you, Oxy."

Occupied with her repairs, Skipsy does take a moment to engage with the conversation, "Yeah, I'm with Jade. Likely corrupted." Something sparks in Ox's back, making Skipsy jump, "Yeek! Okay, that's fine, I can fix that! Anyway, yes, corruption. A lot of treants, especially ones more closely associated with the Night Elves, are friendly! Or at least, docile. There's one in Dalaran, Applebough? He sells apples. Lovely guy. Great apples! But in the wild, treants are susceptible to corruption from a variety of sources. They're very sensitive to ambient magical energies in the environment, like in Felwood demonically corrupted treants are the norm. Dunno what got our friend here, but I'll take a look once I finish with Ox."

A few minutes later, after mending Ox, Skipsy kneels next to the treant, pulling her goggles down over her eyes to get a better look, "Did it seem to anyone else like this one was...following us? It came up the same way we did and charged right at the tower before we'd done anything. That could just be bad luck, but I have to put the theory out there that he was after us specifically." She pointedly pats the pocket where she's been keeping the card.

Spoiler: OOC

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Skipsy casts Mending on Ox for Healing - (2d6)[12], if I managed to roll a 2 total she'll cast it again.

Then she'll ritual cast Detect Magic as she looks at the Treant, Investigation - (1d20+8)[23]

[Amnestic]

Given the treant's speed, your roundabout path, and most importantly your long hours of sleep Skipsy can judge that it's relatively unlikely that the treant was tracking you specifically; but following your own path back should prove or disprove that hypothesis more than guesswork. However, more notable is that the treant's magic does seem to resonate with or be related to the card you carry. The corruption that seeped into this treant isn't just the duskwood curse that blankets the land. It's something specific to the Abbey, it seems...and connected to the Deck?

Analastra nods along with Jade's...encouragement. It's clear from her expression (Except, perhaps, to the goblin) that she doesn't really understand but that the sentiment is nevertheless appreciated. "I wouldn't mind a bit more time to practice but...well if we're back to my brother then hopefully won't need to use this one again." She agrees with Jok'lek. She doesn't have much in the way of gear to carry, so aside from the slung quiver and too-small bow, she's good to go.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm in the office right now so I don't have all my notes, but I'll get another post up later today with a move back to the Font, whether or not there's any posts in the meantime.

[Amnestic]

With your investigations concluded, you proceed back towards the Font, picking your way through the dense tree foliage. Time becomes difficult to track, absent any celestial objects by which to track its passage, and instead you're forced to rely on the pace of your feet and the beats of your heart to tick away the minutes and hours.

Thankfully, your return to the Font is uneventful, and you're not hindered by any more wandering treants, owlbears, or warp stalkers. Analastra breaks the treeline first, and when Berrian spots her he rushes to meet her, embracing her with the relief of a family member rescued. Admonishment, it seems, can wait in favour of joy at their safety. When they separate, he looks to you bringing up the rear, and a quick glance at Analastra confirms that it was you who helped her. "You have done a great kindness by returning Analastra to us," While Berrian's demeanour isn't exactly soft, the edges of his eyes are a certainly less harsh than they were on your first meeting. "And a deed of heroism will doubtless see the Font reward you in turn." He beckons you further into the camp, to sit by the Font's side and bask in the gentle glow given by the enchanted waters.

"We are not keepers of the Font, but our time here has allowed us to understand its magic. For those worthy, drinking from it grants you visions of the past, of moments trapped in time, and they serve as..." He seems to struggle to properly describe it. "divine inspiration, almost, though it must be taken in moderation - drinking it too greedily has the opposite effect." He gestures to a stone cup, humble and crude in its making, that rests in the Font's waters. "It's waters can cleanse as well - one of ours was afflicted by a curse, and bathing them in the Font's water shattered the curse most assuredly as any spellbreaker."

"Finally, I'd offer my own knowledge - that of the Abbey, such as it is, and our cause, though I understand if you'd rather claim the Font's visions first." Analastra, who had disappeared, returns with a fresh elf-sized longbow and elven arrows, along with two blades at her waist. With a nod of thanks, she hands Jade's equipment back. "I didn't give a great showing, but I have been further out than the rest of our rangers; I can give some insight as well."

Spoiler: OOC

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Anyone and everyone can take a drink from the Font. If you choose to do so, roll a d6.

[Xihirli]

"Surviving by yourself out there is impressive enough!" Jade assures her, tucking her bow and arrows back into place. She then picks up the stone cup and chugs down the water.
"Alright, vision time!"

Spoiler: VISION TIME

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(1d6)[3] let's goooooo

[Spore]

Emilia Shadowburn Forsaken Shadow Priest AC: 13 HP: 29/32 PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18 Conditions: - Concentration: - Emilia fell silent on the way back. She had things to think about, and her abrasive nature was not able to deflect her own sorrow. She once played under such an oak tree. Her parent's farm had an apple tree with juicy red apples. The treant just reminded her of home and reflected her own person. Once pure and life giving, now a twisted and warped reflection of herself. Once at the ranger camp, she listens intently to the much more cautious ranger Berrian. She nods to his words of guidance and says: I wish to feel the Light again. I have drowned myself in shadows long enough. I do not fear it, but I truly feel the touch of the Light is missing. She pauses, then feels her warped undead form. Her body was mostly intact since the plague itself killed her, not some violent fight with the Scourge. She had not eaten since, not even thought about quaffing potions. I just hope I can keep it down. she adds in a defeated but somewhat ironic tone. Approaching the font, she drinks a cup, then patiently waits for the others to drink before dousing herself in the waters. Spoiler Show (1d6)[6] If the font is not arcane but divine, I am going for some sort of "second baptism" RP to have an IC reason to switch priest schools.

[Khosan]

Skipsy stares at the water for a solid minute, her face screwed up, "Someone bathed in this, huh." She continues staring for a long moment after, then finally throws caution to the wind, takes the cup from Emilia and takes a sip herself.

Spoiler: Divine Inspiration

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(1d6)[1]

[Kushina43]

At Berrian's thanks, Jok'lek offers a short bow, happy to have assisted. At the offer of the Font, the troll ponders for a minute longer, even after the others have had some to drink. "Visions and inspiration, eh..?" He takes the cup from Skipsy and mulls it over a minute longer, then says aloud "Great Hir'eek, grant me the insight through which to understand what I see from the Font with your clarity." and drinks the cup fully.

Spoiler: OOC

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Font Vision: (1d6)[4]

[Amnestic]

"We took the water from the Font, we didn't bathe them in it directly." Berrian hastens to add to Skipsy before she takes a drink.

Spoiler: Jade

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Vision of Purpose
Your vision brightens as the world falls away and suddenly you're at the top of a tall hill. Looking down, you see the land that would become Duskwood splayed out around you, bathed in sunlight. Behind you, the the shell of a building to be is being constructed from stone around a wooden skeleton. Human labourers sing as they hustle and bustle around you, not seeing you, and time seems to blend together as the Abbey's central temple building takes form before your eyes, impossibly fast.

One use: At no action cost, you gain the ability to not provoke opportunity attacks and increase your movement speed by 30ft. This lasts until the end of the current encounter.

Spoiler: Emilia

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Vision of Enlightenment

The Font and the people around you slowly fade away, replaced by images from what looks like the inside of a church. Humans dressed in robes and other religious vestments sit and pray, then a moment later they are doing gentle woodwork, and a moment later they are sat in a circle engaged in a vigorous philosophical discussion. You don't hear the words, exactly, but intuitively you understand the notions being expressed.

Two uses: At no action cost, you have advantage on an ability check of your choice.

Spoiler: Skipsy

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Vision of Heroism

Your eyesight swirls as your surroundings vanish. No longer by the Font, you find yourself in a building you do not recognise, yet one that seems close by. A human knight, bearing symbols of the Light and Tyr's hand, holds aloft a hammer. In front of his, a demon - grey skinned, clad in crimson armour and wielding a wicked blade the size of the man that stands before him. "I may not be able to slay you hear today demon," the knight calls out. "But by my sacrifice I bind you to this place, and ensure you can do no more harm." Light engulfs your vision, and you hear the demon's scream of fury, and even though you do not see him any more, you know, intuitively, that the knight's sacrifice indeed bound the demon.

One use: At no action cost, you gain an additional bonus action on your current and your next turns.

Spoiler: Jok'lek

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Vision of Past Valour

The Font falls away from you, though your feet remain planted on stone. The next thing you notice is your nose filled with the stench of flame and smoke. Turning, you see you are now on the Abbey walls, not far from where you clambered through the breach before, though the hole in the walls is no longer there - or perhaps, is not there yet. All around you are warriors and priests of Stormwind, mustering to defend the walls, and beyond the stone fortifications, bathing in the sunlight of a land yet to be cursed, is a sea of fury; an army of gnolls clutching crude weaponry, their raucous laughter a cacophony to your ears as they assault the Abbey from all sides in an army you didn't think possible. The defenders stand fast, despite the fear that you taste on the air, and as the vision fades you're left with the melancholic knowledge that they failed.

One use: At no action cost, you gain an additional Action this turn.

Berrian and Analastra remain seated, waiting as you slowly emerge from the visions your saw. How much time has passed? Not a great deal, and yet you feel like you were perhaps in the throes of history for longer than it seemed. Finally, the fairer of the two speaks, unable to contain her eagerness: "Well? What did you see?"

Spoiler: OOC

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What're the odds that you all roll something on 4d6? 50/50, because it either happened or it didn't.

[Xihirli]

I watched people build a temple and now I can go fast! But only for a little!" Jade explains. "Normally to go fast what I do is I go very high and jump. That makes me go really quick. I also really wish I'd paid more attention in history class."
Jade furrows her eyes. "The Duskwood was founded after... a big fish flopped onto the ocean and they made it out of the fishbones. No? Yes?"

[Khosan]

"A binding ritual?" Skipsy blinks repeatedly as her eyes readjust to the light, "A knight, probably a paladin of some description, maybe Silver Hand? Anyway, he was fighting a demon. Well, specifically, he was losing to the demon. The binding was a last ditch effort to stop...whatever the demon wanted to do. Which, as usual, was probably something bad." She scratches her chin, continuing to think out loud, "Assuming this isn't just a hallucinogen, and we're actually seeing visions of the past, I'd guess mine comes from around the time of the Second War? Silver Hand was formed around then and the Burning Legion would have been active in this area at the time."

[Spore]

Emilia Shadowburn Forsaken Shadow Priest AC: 13 HP: 29/32 PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18 Conditions: - Concentration: - The Abbey was once consecrated towards the Light. It would make sense to place a building of worship where a demon was felled. Or bound. Still, I feel something must have went wrong with the binding if the darkness can seep into the lands. I know little of the shadow I serve, but I know I am not in league with demons. So there might be something else that corrupts the lands. Despite the dark words coming from her undead lips, Emilia's mood brightens considerably. If the Light can be blotted out in Darkshire, but still produce visions this clearly, then there is a spark of hope. For this land, and for us. Spoiler Show This whole thing makes me wonder whether or not Emilia counts as undead for the purposes of holy water.

[Amnestic]

Berrian and Analastra look at each other when Jade reports her 'vision'. "You...might have had too much, but no, I don't believe Duskwood was formed from a giant fish." Berrian offers, while his sister merely shakes her head. "The abbey's been mostly abandoned for over a hundred years, humans have kept their distance from it for a while, but it's not out of the question that there might have been one here during the Second War, perhaps on a quest of some sort."

[Spore]

Emilia Shadowburn Forsaken Shadow Priest AC: 13 HP: 29/32 PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18 Conditions: - Concentration: - Excuse my friend, Berrian. She is an idiot, but she means well. We were told to investigate the Abbey and gnolls as travellers and merchants have been going missing along these lands. Do you know anything more of that? Past revelations is good and all, but our main concern is in the now. Alas, I am surprised the holy water did not burn me. This font might be arcane, or it might be not as pure as you thought.

[Xihirli]

Jade lights up. "Awww! You're my friend too, Emilia!"
She refocuses. "Anyway yeah, if you've scouted this place out we're really looking mostly for location and number of gnolls."

[Kushina43]

Jok'lek staggers back a bit, the vision unexpected in scale, and when he's back in his own time he takes a moment to compose himself. Listening to the others mention bulding the place up and the Light around it's creation, Jok'lek's vision seemed almost counter. "..What I saw was not any of those. Not creation, not Light.. Instead I saw the Abbey fall. Soldiers and priests of Stormwind defended this place, valiantly to the bitter end, falling to an uncountable army of gnolls. So, so many gnolls.. But this also happened before the land was cursed, so perhaps that curse drove those numbers out, and they're only now coming back... if they amass like that again, we stand no chance."

[Amnestic]

"What you saw was probably the fall of the Abbey," Berrian nods at Jok'lek, his face grim. "It happened some 150 years ago, the Abbey came under attack by a massive force of gnolls, aided by giants, trolls and some reports even suggested demons. The defenders might have been able to exhaust the defenders, except one of them lost their faith. They instead turned to a bound artifact they'd recovered - a magical deck of cards - and tried to use it to save themself, but the wards they'd placed on the artifact caused the magic to react...poorly. Instead it summoned up great monsters that began attacking both sides, leaving the Abbey in ruins." He casts a hand out to the forests around you, though clearly he's gesturing much further than you can see.

"Our father was there, during the fall of the Abbey, fighting alongside the humans, but then he vanished. It took us years to find out he was still alive, and longer still to track him to here, but the mages we hired couldn't figure out anything more so we're doing this the old fashioned way." Analastra sighs. If Analastra drew a connection between the magic card you held and the deck mentioned, she doesn't show it - she might simply not have noticed.

"I wouldn't concern yourself overmuch with the holiness of the water - if you were unworthy it would burn you, of this I have no doubt. You earned the right to partake of the Font, and so it did you no harm." You can't tell, exactly, if Berrian knows this or simply believes it. Regardless, his conviction is clearly palpable.

Analastra pulls out a map of the abbey she's sketched and slowly goes over what she knows, and what she doesn't know. "The gnoll leadership are in the Keep, with guards. There's an ettin out front, where at least one of its heads is always awake while the other sleeps. That actual abbey village itself...it must have at least a hundred and fifty gnolls and mercenaries, possibly up to double that if they're using the houses, that's just what we saw on the outside."

"There are some dryads in the forest but we kept our distance from them - they seemed more playful than malicious but the way Duskwood is we didn't want to take any chances. We did some scouting at the top of the hill but didn't go in any of the buildings - the southern building looked like some barracks or living quarters for monks, and it had some...creatures inside I didn't recognise. They looked dangerous though, like worms on legs that could burrow through the ground. The west building had some giant spiders inside, and the north building - a gatehouse down to the rest of the village - had some earth elementals that seemed to be eating metal."

"We left the Abbey's main temple building untouched. I didn't see any creatures there which made me steer well clear. Things I can see I can fight or run from, but for nothing to be in the biggest building?" She shakes her head, her blonde hair waving about. "Definitely not going there alone."

Spoiler: Updated Abbey Map

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[Xihirli]

Jade tilts her head and thinks about their mission.

Brightmore Abbey has been abandoned by humanity for generations and all manner of creature has taken up residence over the years. While they kept to themselves this wasn't an issue, but if the gnolls are raiding I can't leave it alone. Find out how many there are, what defenses they have, and then report back. 600 gold coins in payment.

"Alright, we've found out their numbers, now we just need to find out their defenses. So the gnolls are in this keep and this village... Emilia, if you want to do your invisibility thing, I think it's best done in those two locations. The rest of us could stay at the belltower so you have a secure-ish location to retreat to?" Jade suggests. "Or maybe better to be within sprinting distance of the keep."
She then turns to Skipsy.
"If things are invisible or in a different layer of the world like those popping spiders, do you think you could rig up a way to see them?"

Jade points to the garrison. "You haven't been here yet?" She asks the elves.

[Amnestic]

Analastra humms and hahs a little. "Yes and no, but mostly no. I took a look but couldn't get too close due to how many gnolls were around, but even if I wanted to it seemed sealed up, the gnolls kept their distance and it didn't seem like anyone ever came or went from it. I'm guessing it's some sort of magic lock, since I can't imagine any metal would keep them out for long if they really wanted inside."