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, she has the ability to cast while wildshaped, so she prepares to help should diplomacy fail.

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15  d20=2 ;
Friday May 26th, 2023 11:41:16 AM
(Khord came back and told the group - up to you of your PC went with him to check on Snark).

Teddy suspects this creature will only respond to a show of strength, but has no idea what he should do to scare them. Gore'Thum is the one good at that.

DM James: Muk, Gurgar, Brudda's and Bros. Map 
Friday May 26th, 2023 2:21:23 PM
The stand off between Snark and the ogre seemed to stretch for over an hour as each jockeyed back and forth in the negotiations. Eventually Snark lost his patience.

Gronk seemed taken aback by Snarks sudden assertiveness and holds up his hands. "Me talk to Gurgar, but need warspear first. Spear is Gronks....badge." he said after a few moments struggling to come up with the common word for a symbol of office. "Gronk Warchief Muk tribe. Gronk talk nice to Gurgar, make him leave. Okay...Gronk move rocks too." Gronk said with disappointment.

So while they were standing there a call came from Zenia's cottage. "Where's my breakfast!"

Gronk squeeked and ran past Snark quickly picking up the spear as he passed. "Gronk move rocks, get Gurgar to go home. You see. Tell Zenia I've been good. Gronk promises."

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Saturday May 27th, 2023 10:54:34 PM
Benni will help Teddy bring a plate to Zenia.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Sunday May 28th, 2023 2:48:32 PM
Snark gets the water in the kettle. Then he goes to look through the tome Zenia suggested he review while the water is brewing.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Sunday May 28th, 2023 8:32:55 PM
Isaac is surprised how fast the ogre moves at hearing Zenia's shouting. He sheaths his sword and shield he looks over at Khord "Lets follow his example and get back she doesn't sound happy. I expect an earful when we show up." Isaac goes back to the cabin and starts plating the biscuits he made.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52 
Monday May 29th, 2023 7:26:15 AM
Khord also is taken aback by the Ogre's desire to get away from even a hint that Zenia might be angry with him. He is not pleased with the ogre getting his spear back but hopes that he can be trusted to follow though on his word.

Khord hustles back to camp and carves up the squirrel and rabbit, rinses the berries and prepares it for a late breakfast.

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Monday May 29th, 2023 9:40:26 AM
Teddy heads back to help serve food.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Monday May 29th, 2023 10:47:40 AM
Jasper hops down from the branch and transforms, landing on the ground in her own shape. Breakfast squirrel and berries wait for no gnome, I guess."

She follows the others and looks for ways to make herself useful.

DM Esther: Breakfast at Zenia's, and Gronk's promise 
Monday May 29th, 2023 1:52:58 PM
With Gronk beating the hastiest of retreats at the sound of Zenia's impatient voice from the cottage, the Luck Makers now scramble to put together a breakfast for Zenia the Dark, who they are well starting to suspect is probably the most feared among all the creatures in this valley, for all the reasons that aged gnomish mages with sass and attitude are. Isaac, once over his surprise at that turn of events, start plating the freshly baked biscuits, while Snark tends to the boiling kettle under some reading, Khord skillfully carves the squirrel and rabbit roast and rinses the berries, and Benni and Teddy hurry to serve the meal as soon as it is ready.

Snark: Highlight to display spoiler: {The text you were given to read is surprisingly on point as an esoteric primer on the art of transmutation as it applies to plant based creatures. If as an aspiring greenmage he is to drink a potion soon that will temporarily render him into a tree, then at least he is getting a good grasp of what to expect.}

Jasper returns to the group from her flight to inform Captain Rio of the group's current endeavors and their expected return a week hence, and finds herself in the middle of the rest of the Luck Makers as urgently dedicated to the business of breakfast as they've ever been to anything.

Shortly after, Zenia comes out of her cottage and sits down at the outdoor table for the plated breakfast.

"Hm. Not bad, not bad. I see you do know how to do more than get yourselves into trouble."

She cuts and tastes of the squirrel meat, briefly dips a biscuit into her tea before biting into it, and has some berries to go with it all.

"What I do not see, is my green rod, nor my herbs. So I can presume you have also not been so foolish as to try to get those during the night! Very well, I trust you will hop to it after breakfast."

Getting to 'after breakfast' proves to take a while, as Zenia has seconds, and then expects the washing up to be done. By the time you return to the real task(s) at hand, you can already hear some commotion near the site of the rockfall before you get there. What you see, at some distance, is the ogre known as Gronk, hiding behind the spear that is his badge of office, while talking and gesticulating to a visibly annoyed giant.

The giant and the ogre are too busy with each other to have noticed you at this distance.. no, over the sound of their own voices, you might have managed to come this far with a mariachi band in tow and not get noticed.

After a little while, the big giant grunts something that does not sound too friendly at the ogre, and walks towards a half concealed natural hollow in the mountainside, from where he takes a walking stick the size of a young tree's whole trunk from against the wall, and picks up a crude sling bag that goes over his shoulder, before he starts walking with thunderous footsteps in the opposite direction of Zenia's cottage.

The ogre Gronk walks away in a direction of his own, but you can see him circle back once out of the giant's sight and he returns and sits on one of the stones, looking around nervously.

Even if you do not speak Giant, based on what Snark told of his encounter with the ogre earlier you can guess that Gronk has cajoled Gurgar into going to see his brother today. You do not know how far from here the tribe's main camp actually is, but he is away from his lair here, for now.

How do you proceed?

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+7=27 ;
Monday May 29th, 2023 8:54:30 PM
Seeing the Giant depart and Gronk set up a watch on the rocks, Khord and Niko will cautiously approach. "Oy, You gonna help move these rocks. If not ya need to get out of the way. Khord learned from his time on the streets of Dirt City that if you went at the guy who thinks he is in charge as though you are in charge they will often do what you say.

Intimidate = 27

Niko crinkles his nose as he is downwind from the ogre, and gets a good sniff. He shakes his head trying to get the smell out of his nose and gives a impatient bark.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK)  d20+2=4 ;
Monday May 29th, 2023 10:54:48 PM
Onesimos brings firsts and seconds with good cheer, the successful missions of Snark and Khord on one hand and of Jasper on the other augers good things in the future.

As the group gets up to the ogre and watching the departed giant, the elf proposes a plan. ”If we pitch in with someone on guard to warn us of the giant coming back, we may provide a situation when he returns of a completely cleared path. Tables turned, the giant will need to figure out if fighting is worth filling the path instead of fighting worth keeping the path filled.”

Benni is stronger than he looks, and will pitch in with moving rocks.
…

Strength check. 4

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+8=23 ;
Monday May 29th, 2023 11:37:12 PM
Jasper watches the exchange between the hapless Gronk and the giant. She almost feels bad for the poor guy as he cowers behind his spear.

"If the rocks and Mr. Gronk are sorted here, I might be of more use looking for those herbs."

Knowledge: Nature 23

---
OOO: I'm traveling this week. I'll try to ensrue my posts come in in a timely fashion.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20+13=15 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 12:52:18 AM
After reading through the tome, Snark will join his friends.

First thing he does is to walk over to Gronk. "Good work Gronk, and thanks for coming back to help with the rocks. Now, just like you don't want to anger a gnome wizard, let me show you how we can be helpful as well."

Snark will pull out his wand of Enlarge Person and touches the Ogre, enlarging him from large to huge size.

"There you go Gronk. Now you can help us move the bigger rocks with ease. And once the rocks are moved, I'll give you that item that lets you throw fire one something like I promised."

Once this is done, Snark will use his Knowledge Nature (rolled 15) to give Jasper an additional +2 to her efforts to find the right herbs. (He also has Profession Herbalist +10 if that's helpful.)

Then the little wizard will cast Detect Magic to see if he can detect this green rod Zenia seems to anxious to get back. If it's not there in the rocks, he will go check the giant's quarters for it.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20  d20+3=6 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 5:55:36 AM
Isaac gets ready to to help with the rocks but as Snark enlarges the ogre Isaac gives Snark a worried look not sure if the increase in size will make the ogre rethink the deal. If the ogre stays friendly Isaac will help with moving the rocks.

Strength check:6

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15  d20+14=33 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 10:14:33 AM
Teddy is far better at finding things so helps find herbs rather then move rocks. Knowledge nature 33

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 10:44:35 AM
"Snark, you have to teach me about herbalism! Thanks for the boost."

"Zenia, can you tell us a bit about what we're looking for? The herbs' shapes, colors, their preferred habitat? Forgive me if you already imparted that knowledge while I was away."

Jasper looks forward to foraging with Teddy and possibly learning from him.
___
Knowledge Nature: 25.

DM James: Cave Spunk...um spelunking. Map  d10=2 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 11:38:53 AM
Zenia explains again the appearance of the herbs and where they are located. Not surprisingly the condition of the trail and the position of the rocks make traveling past them both dangerous and nearly impossible.

When they arrived and Khord addressed Gronk he simply nodded and got to work. When Snark enlarged him he looked down on the Luck Makers as he adjusted to his new size. "Gronk put rocks near Gurgar's cave." he said as he moved the first of many up the trail to the side of the mountain. After about thirty minutes or so the trail was clear enough to pass and gain the upper heights of the grassy mountain. While Teddy, Jasper, and Snark went up the trail, Issac, Benni, and Khord worked at carrying the smaller stones away. That last task went quicker since Gronk told them Gurgar wasn't interested in the small stones. Still the 6" round stones were a job to carry aside.

Further up the mountain along the switchback trail they came out onto a large area surrounded by trees. Growing in the field were hundreds of flowering plants, yellow, red, and white ones. Per their instructions Zenia needed the roots and flower of the red one, three of them.

Collecting them was easy enough and shortly they were heading back down the trail where Snark took a side trail to investigate the hill giants lair. It wasn't hard to find since the rocks were stacked up outside of it. The inside smelled dank and foul, really foul.

Each entering the cave, Fort Save DC 15 or be sickened for 2 minutes and you must leave to recover, repeating the save each time you enter.

Along both walls inside the cave were rocks....boulders would be more accurate of a description, and these were marked. What the markings meant was a mystery. Elsewhere in the cave you see the remains of food, a deer carcass, a bear pelt, and moose antlers set against the wall....a back scratcher? There are also a few herbs laid out to dry as well as a small bottle of non magical fluid and a small pot of noxious material.

Perception DC 15 Highlight to display spoiler: {You can see that some of the boulders have been recently removed.}
Perception DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {Behind some of the rocks and wedged against the cave wall is a gnarled looking green stick and it looks like the giant has been using it as a toothpick.}

KS: Herbalism DC 15 or KS: Nature DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {Herbs used to treat inflammation and pain, some willow bark, and a small pot with an unknown mixture in it. It smells really bad, so whatever it is can't be good. Otherwise there are three uses of the herbs, +2 Circumstance Bonus on Heal Checks.}

Survival DC 15 Highlight to display spoiler: {The bottle is deer spoor used to attract deer to an area when hunting. You suspect the small pot is something similar. Either would give you a one time +4 circumstance bonus when hunting.}

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+7=22 ; d20+11=18 ; d20+11=28 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 4:24:00 PM
As the luck makers come back down the mountain towards the cave, Khord tells Niko to stay outside while he investigates the cave. The foul odor of the place burns in his nostrils but is not nearly as bad as the sewers below Dirt City. (Fortitude = 22) Looking about he can see that some of the boulders have been recently moved but that seems normal to him for a giant. (Perception = 18) Khord approaches the bottle and pot and gives the contents a sniff, immediately recognizing it as deer spoor (Survival = 28). It would be helpful while hunting but not worth taking and upsetting the giant.

"I don't see Zenia's magic stick. Are we sure she said it was supposed to be in here. Do you think the giant may have taken it with him?"

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20+7=23 ; d20+18=20 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 7:00:25 PM
Snark sees Khord enter the giant's lair. No fighting, no screaming. OK - probably safe.

Snark peers in. Oof - that's a bad smell! (Fort save 23). He ventures in and looks around. By the Crones! Who lives in a place that smells like this? Holding his nose he spots the green rod wedged into a crack in the cave wall. (Take 10 on Perception for 10+14=24)

"Well, here's the rod Zenia wanted. Ewww, it look like ol' Grossgar's been using it for a toothpick."

Snark will use Prestidigitation to clean the thing before touching it. Once he has it he uses Detect Magic to try to identify the properties of the rod. (Spellcraft 20 - identifies up to Caster Level 5).

Snark tries to see what's in the pots. He can tell what they hold, but doesn't take any of them - he's not here to steal, only recover what's been lost. (Professional: Herbalist take 10 for 10+10=20. There is not Knowledge:Herbalism skill)

"Awright, we got the herbs and the green rod. Hey Gronk - here's a magic thing you can throw at something to set it on fire. Careful where you use it." Snark hands Gronk a vial of alchemical fire as promised.

Once all that is done, he will return with the others and give the rod to Zenia.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK)  d20+2=4 ;
Tuesday May 30th, 2023 7:36:05 PM
Onesimos brings firsts and seconds with good cheer, the successful missions of Snark and Khord on one hand and of Jasper on the other augers good things in the future.

As the group gets up to the ogre and watching the departed giant, the elf proposes a plan. ”If we pitch in with someone on guard to warn us of the giant coming back, we may provide a situation when he returns of a completely cleared path. Tables turned, the giant will need to figure out if fighting is worth filling the path instead of fighting worth keeping the path filled.”

Benni is stronger than he looks, and will pitch in with moving rocks.
…

Strength check. 4

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15  d20=8 ;
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 7:58:54 AM
Teddy is able to identify the bottle as well. He suggests not taking anything that is not Zenia's rod - it's one thing to return stolen property, another to loot the place.

DM James: Prelude to Treed Map 
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 8:29:59 AM
"Gronk think Gurgar be happy rocks moved to home. He....." Gronk struggled a minute before finally saying a word in giantish. Linguistics DC 15 Highlight to display spoiler: {collects} ...them. Trades for things with tribe."

Gronk accepted the flask and carefully placed it in his pouch as he turned to leave. "Gronk maybe see you someplace else. Thanks for fire."

Back at the cottage Zenia was just finishing her meal as she stared into the green fire that burned beneath her large cauldron. Benni saw her on occasion toss a packet of this or that into the container, but the components were hidden in small sacks, presumably to keep their contents from mixing with the liquid while still transferring flavor the properties of the items.

When everyone returned she placed the recovered ingredients in another bag and tossed them in as well. "Should be ready in a bit." Zenia announced as she popped a blueberry in her mouth. "Find a good spot Snark you'll be looking that way for a while."

OOC: Yeah, should have said PS on that Herbal check. Good catch. DM Switch tomorrow.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 8:48:48 AM
ooc: sorry about the copy post... not sure how that one happened.

.............

With the path cleared, herbs gathered, and heroes returned to Zenia, there is little that Onesimos can see to do other than return to the camping spot and learn a little more on how to survive in the wild. Benni thinks with a couple more attempts, he will be able to make tea without burning the water!

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+17=29 ; d20+8=24 ; d20+14=28 ;
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 11:14:34 AM
OOC: I posted before the DM yesterday so I'll quickly roll checks.

Perception: 29. She spots the stick.
Know: Nature: 24. She identifies the herbs.
Survival: 28. She identifies the deer spoor.

____

Jasper steps just outside the hut, remaining close enough to hear what's going on inside. She observes the endlessly fascinating valley.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 11:23:08 AM
Snark finds a good spot.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52 
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 4:17:41 PM
Once the items are returned to Zenia, Khord will set a watch about the camp. Walking about, listening to the trees, wondering how many of them are also people or ogres. He cringes as Niko goes around marking some of the trees, hoping they won't hold it against him.

..................

OOC: I am going to the boundary waters for a long weekend, no technology just nature. I am hoping someone can handle Khord and Niko while away (Friday, Monday and Tuesday). will post tomorrow but taking off early Friday morning. Thanks

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Wednesday May 31st, 2023 7:16:24 PM
Isaac glad that their excursion went smoothly and no fighting smiles at Zetia as they get back. "Went off withou a hitch."
With Snarks meditation(?) under way Isaac gets comfortable out side the cabin tending the fire.

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Thursday June 1st, 2023 8:12:04 AM
Teddy hopes he's done with chores now.

DM Esther: One, Two, Tree 
Thursday June 1st, 2023 1:06:47 PM
Benni returns to camp and expands his knowledge of boiling water.

Jasper quietly observes from outside the hut.

Snark finds himself a spots that looks good enough to put down roots.

Khord sets a watch about camp, wary if any other trees may be people.

Isaac gets comfortable outside the cabin tending the fire.

Teddy just hopes he's done with chores now.

Zenia meanwhile labors over her cauldron, her body language suggesting it must be coming close to something of a result. There is something otherworldly about seeing the older gnomish mage at work with an air of being so professional at what she is doing, that she makes it look easy again while retaining a certain gravitas. And yet at the same time, if you squint a bit, it also looks like just a small old lady puttering about, only roughly measuring quantities of ingredients between her fingers and giving her stirring spoon the eye at odd times. At one point when she walks past the table where the Luck Makers had placed all the items she had asked them to gather, and stops before casually picking up the green rod in one hand, tapping it a few times to the ground by her side, and just grinning a pleased "Heh."

Eventually, the green flames under the cauldron start to dim, Zenia takes a ladle and carefully taste-tests the contents of the cauldron, turns into a beech tree on the spot, immediately turns back, and gives the cauldron a satisfied little nod. "Good batch", she says as she scoops a wooden drinking mazer full of what would best be described as a strong herbal tea from the cauldron.

Bringing it up to Snark she hands him the wooden container. "Only warning you once, I like mine well warm, but this is right from the kettle so you may want to let it cool a bit. When ready, just stand in your spot and drink up, and be ready to learn. That is all there is to it for your part now really."

(ooc: MarkB, you may write Snark's tree transformation when ready)

Zenia does not seem to have further tasks for the Luck Makers just right now, so the rest of you get to enjoy a moment of free time to rest, improve your campsite, or of course spectate Snark enrolling in Tree 101..

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Thursday June 1st, 2023 6:04:26 PM
Jasper watches and waits; it seems that's all she can do besides tending camp. She hopes Snark is OK.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Thursday June 1st, 2023 6:27:55 PM
"Thank you Zenia. Let's see how this goes."

Snark lets the concoction cool a bit. Then he goes to his spot, drinks it, and turns into a tree. A stunted, gnarled oak I think.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK)  d20+2=4 ;
Thursday June 1st, 2023 7:47:22 PM
Onesimos brings firsts and seconds with good cheer, the successful missions of Snark and Khord on one hand and of Jasper on the other augers good things in the future.

As the group gets up to the ogre and watching the departed giant, the elf proposes a plan. ”If we pitch in with someone on guard to warn us of the giant coming back, we may provide a situation when he returns of a completely cleared path. Tables turned, the giant will need to figure out if fighting is worth filling the path instead of fighting worth keeping the path filled.”

Benni is stronger than he looks, and will pitch in with moving rocks.
…

Strength check. 4

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Thursday June 1st, 2023 7:48:04 PM
Benni boils water for tea

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+11=13 ;
Thursday June 1st, 2023 8:46:04 PM
Khord will tell the others he is going out into the wood to hunt up something for their dinner, he invites any of the luck makers that might like to join him. He takes Niko with him and disappears among the trees. He is not as lucky as he was that morning (Survival = 13) only finding a pheasant that will barely feed two people. Khord wonders if the ogre and movement of the giant may have scared off the game. He returns to camp after a few hours, interested in finding out how Snarks tree transformation has gone.

................

The woods and the water are calling my name, and I must go. Be back on Wednesday. Don't let Khord die in the meantime.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Thursday June 1st, 2023 10:43:50 PM
Isaac addresses Bennie's plan "I don't think we need to go as far as fighting him. All we need is a look out to warm us of he comes back early. Besides I don't think we can lift those boulders that are left and we don't know if he'll have company when he comes back."

DM Esther: Some are a tree, and some have other things to do 
Friday June 2nd, 2023 3:09:05 AM
(ooc: Sorry about this small hick-up in the game flow, I had missed that not everyone was on the same page about whether the path was cleared now, so I picked up from the last few posts that everyone was going back to Zenia's place, only to now find some of you trying to move rockfall again. Adapting to that now!)

Benni suggests posting guards on the path to keep the giant from trying to move the rocks back. He makes an effort to help move more stone, but his strength seems to fail him this time. Concerns of the boulders being too large to move prove unfounded though, as with the ogre's help there is not a boulder here so large that it can not be rolled over given a thick enough stick for leverage.

Isaac says a fight may not be needed, and only suggests setting a lookout to warn of Gurgar's return.

You set a lookout, and throughout the hours it takes to clear the path, there is no sign of the giant coming back yet.

KS Local DC 20: Highlight to display spoiler: {As Gronk told you that Gurgar is the chief's brother, the customs of a typical giant tribe would demand that his visit is given a welcome that would involve at least a meal and alcohol in the evening, so he is probably staying until the next morning.}

After all that hard work, Benni starts making some reinvigorating tea. With the leafs on hand in this valley and a rest break, you avoid fatigue despite hours of moving rocks.

Meanwhile, back at Zenia's, Snark imbibes the herbal potion and transforms into a stunted oak with a bare minimum of spectacle. Zenia takes notice, and Snark manages to make her laugh! "Ha, how old are you in your own mind? You look gnarlier than I do!"

(ooc: Snark will now undergo a short solo trial that consists of making a few checks and playing out their result in game terms. At the end of this trial I'll sign off on his character sheet that he has met all the requirements to take the Greenmage class. First, he needs to succeed at a Constitution DC 15 to become fully aware of body as a tree. Also describe any unsuccessful attempts.)

Then Zenia turns around, straightens her face in front of the other Luck Makers, and tells them, "No pruning him. However tempted you may be. Most little things that happen to him in this form won't hurt him, but coming back out of it would be a bit like that feeling of getting out of bed when you've slept poorly."

"Now then... you." She points a finger at Teddy. "We can leave the cauldron be while it cools, so why don't we sit down and have a talk, because except when you're eating you have been looking decidedly glum over something. Come and tell old Zenia what has a fine young bear looking so lonely amid so many people?"

Jasper meanwhile has been observing things around the cottage for a while now, and is starting to notice a few non-obvious details. From the back of the cottage, there seems to be a barely hidden gnome sized trail leading into the trees. (You can roll Survival( find tracks) if you want to, but the DC is only 15 so you've got this even on a Nat 1.) You estimate that this trail is only used about once a week, but has been in use for a long time.

Khord and Niko's hunting takes them away for a few hours. (ooc: Have a great trip, Bill!)

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Friday June 2nd, 2023 7:13:57 AM
Teddy is surprised, nervous, and worried that a wrong answer will get him turned into a tree. He stutters a lot and has to be asked direct questions but eventually spills his life story again, along with the fact this is the first time he's been without Gore'Thum since they met. "Also, you're really, really scary and make me very very nervous." he admits. "But in a good way!" is a hasty addition.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Friday June 2nd, 2023 9:48:13 AM
Jasper is far from gnome-sized in her own shape, so she shifts into a little bobcat to fit. She sets off down the trail, sniffing the air and feeling the ground under her paws. She makes note of all she sees and looks for anything out of the ordinary.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20=18 ;
Friday June 2nd, 2023 3:08:04 PM
I wasn't sure if the DM meant a CON check or a FORT save, but in either case Snark would have made it with that roll.

CON - 18+2
FORT - 18+7

(If this will be a series of checks, might it be better to make them all instead of doing them one DM post at a time with little else for the other players? Play by post can be a little rough for these kinds of things.)

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Friday June 2nd, 2023 4:14:10 PM
Ooc: not sure what you mean by hiccup. For about the last month, the party was split with Snark and Khord having one adventure, Jasper doing a lot of flying, and Benni Isaac and Teddy were sitting at camp. Then I thought everyone had come back to camp, spent the night, and went together to go clear the way and get the herbs. Only to find the ogre (literally) did all the heavy lifting with misdirecting the giant and clearing the path. So the heroes had nothing to do except get the herbal and come back to camp where Zenia is getting ready to turn Snark into a tree (presumably just for one day, but no one has told any of the heroes how long it will actually be). Where we again have nothing to key off of.

…..

Having successfully made an invigorating tea, Onesimos decides to check up on his gear while Snark learns what it is like to be a tree. He removes his armor and weapons to clean them of rust and nicks: just basic maintenance and nothing that a specialist would need to do. Then he does a complete layout of his backpack, taking especial care of remembering the scrolls in his pack: one never knows when one might need a specialty spell!
…..

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20  d20+2=12 ; d20+3=13 ;
Friday June 2nd, 2023 8:21:32 PM
Isaac is looking around at the path with Bennie "I never got to experience much untamed nature as a kid didn't go far from the city. It's strange I'm used to the sounds of people and the hustle and bustle of merchants and pack animals but out here it quite. It's kind of odd. Even back in Heranmar it still had the sound of people but out here with no noise it puts me a bit on edge." Isaac looks off into the distance trying to watch for the giant and keep himself busy.
Know local:12
Perception: 13

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Saturday June 3rd, 2023 2:16:53 AM
Snark watches as his body elongates, his skin hardens into bark, and his limbs twist and leaf out. His blood seems to slow in his veins. He watches as others move around him. He tries to speak and finds he cannot. Which is actually pretty hard for the verbose little gnome.

So he patiently waits. Well, sort of patiently.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Monday June 5th, 2023 2:42:29 PM
OOC question/thought: While we're on this sojourn, can we possibly teach each other skills?

DM Esther reply -- What did you have in mind?

DM Esther: The one that speaks, the one that peeks, the one that sneaks, and the one that creaks 
Monday June 5th, 2023 7:13:12 PM
Teddy is surprised and nervous, and admits to finding Zenia scary. Perhaps because he feels backed into it, it is with some concerns in his heart that he speaks of his situation and his feelings to Zenia. He sees that she listens, and that she even softens up a little. "A friend that has been at your side forever, eh? And now he is not here and it just doesn't feel the same, and you're not sure yet if you've got what it takes to rely on yourself in a scary big world?". You can sense that the experienced greenmage is making an effort to not appear so scary.

Snark suddenly becomes aware that he no longer has a discernible heartbeat. That is.. probably normal, for a tree. He remains generally aware of his surroundings, but having roots in the earth adds a lot of wholly new impressions... (ooc: Let Snark roll a Wisdom ability check against DC 16 to become more familiar with a tree's senses. Succeeding at this check will unlock Snark being able to 'look around' himself by moving his attention, instead of being stuck facing only the way he was standing when he assumed tree form.)

Jasper takes the form of a little bobcat to be more on the scale of the gnome-sized trail she has found, and disappears into the greenery. Jasper Highlight to display spoiler: {As you follow the trail, you wind towards a cleft in the nearby rock face. Something about it feels inviting; but before you get there, an alarmed smaller creature darts out of there and starts running away from you.} Jasper only, KS(Nature) DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {You only see it in a flash, but you recognize it as a marten.}

While talking to Benni, Isaac thinks he sees movement by the path! As he gets a better second look, he realizes that it is not a returning giant he saw move, but one of the trees that had been in the original path of the rockfall. Rather than the usual swaying of thinner branches on the wind as trees do however, to Isaac's trained guard's eye for picking up things out of the ordinary, it actually looks like it has shifted position. Benni, who is in the process of re-packing his backpack, too is alerted by Isaac's initial reaction.

Khord and Niko meanwhile are hunting pheasant for everyone's next meal.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+8=17 ;
Monday June 5th, 2023 8:42:57 PM
Jasper approaches a cleft in the rock face. Ooo. What's here?
As she has that thought, a flash of motion catches her eye, but she can't identify the frightened little mammal that darts away through the thicket.

She continues toward the aperture.

____
OOC: My immediate thought was teaching each other stuff that might reasonably count as transferable knowledge -- things like Craft and Know. For instance, Snark (although he's currently a tree) knows about Herbalism, and could presumably teach the rest of us about how to identify and use certain herbs. Perhaps the rest of us can collaborate and work towards adding a skill point in a Knowledge, Craft (provided materials are on hand), Sleight of Hand, or maybe even the Survival skill. Just a thought on how we might productively use our downtime.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20  d20+1=11 ;
Monday June 5th, 2023 9:06:26 PM
Isaac curious about the tree looks over at Bennie "I'm gonna check out that tree over there " He points to the oddly shifted tree. "Trees don't usually move like that." Isaac goes over to the tree and tries to figure out if this tree is some sort of weird magical plant, fey or one of Zenia's tree prisoners. He touches the tree and looks up at the branches. He concentrates and tries to detect any evil aura surrounding the tree.
Know nature untrained. 11

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20+2=7 ;
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 1:32:58 AM
Snark does not make his Wisdom check to be able to see around him.

I will admit to being a bit confused by this. This is just the spell Tree Shape, and it says "While in tree form, you can observe all that transpires around you just as if you were in your normal form." Should I take this failed check to mean the spell is working differently?

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 6:09:04 AM
(remember you're supposed to make checks until you succeed Snark)

Teddy appreciates Zenia's efforts to be less scary. I mean it doesn't work, he's far to aware of her power and that she turns people into trees for doing the wrong things, but he appreciates the effort. "He's more then a friend. He's my mentor, the only reason I was ever able to cope with the world after I changed. I mean that ogre was massive! He could squish me with a finger, and I used to be just as big as that and able to tear ogres apart with my own claws. I just feel so helpless all the time. Gore'Thum felt like a big bodyguard to keep me safe and always knew what to do. I could just follow his lead."

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 8:00:02 AM
Onesimos looks up at Isaac's comment, and says "just a moment". He packs everything, swiftly but surely, to ensure they will be right where the cleric wants them in case of an emergency. And then he goes with the paladin to investigate the tree. The elf keeps shaking his head: it took him a while to accept that Gore'Thum was not just a pet, and he's still not entirely sure if the frog is a fully conscious thing worthy of equal respect and consideration as a person. Trees are even more different!

DM Esther: A decision tree 
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 4:13:44 PM
Snark is having some difficulty adjusting to his new senses, trying to wrap his head -or the present lack of such an essentially familiar part of anatomy- around just how 'looking around' works in a tree body that has no eyes to direct, nor a neck to move, but after some struggles he eventually gets the hang of it by power of will alone. Once he does, this looking around, in the knowledge that nobody on the outside can actually tell which way he is looking, or that he even is looking at all, is fun for a little while. But time passes, and with nothing to do but stand there, boredom is threatening...

(ooc: This next check will unlock Snark being able to slip into a semi-dormant meditative state while in tree or plant form, to avoid going stir crazy from just standing there unmoving for hours and hours and hours. Either roll Wisdom vs DC 16 again until you succeed, or just roll once as a Willpower check against DC 20 and every point you miss it by means half an hour more before he finds this state.)

Jasper continues on her little exploration, and is coming upon the aperture. The trail clearly leads through there, and while the narrow part of the cleft is deeply shaded, you can see daylight on the other side. Around the cleft you can smell scent markers of another predator -- but one smaller than your current bobcat form, and very possibly the same creature you saw make a break for it when you approached. You know more than enough about animal behaviour that you recognize that, if it chose to risk running towards you and then dash away to a side, that suggests it was afraid of getting caught in a place with no escape route that wasn't past you, so there is probably only this one way in and out of what lies behind.

Jasper, if you choose to go through: Highlight to display spoiler: {As you reach the far side of the cleft, you are greeted by a small open space surrounded by tall rocks, like a natural cauldron. Grass and clover cover the ground, bushes with flowers and berries line the edges, and right in the middle two stand trees, with a small earthen mound in front of one. Every druidic hair on the back of your neck -and in bobcat form that's more than usual- picks up on the energy of this place, reduced to a single word: Grove.}

Teddy relates more of what Gore'Thum has meant to him, and Zenia listens patiently. "Might surprise you, but I know me a thing or two about mentoring the young and foolish.. have you given it thought that your mentor would be measuring whether they are succeeding, by how ready you are to rise out of their shadow?" She hops to her feet, and stands at the unimpressive full height of a gnomish old woman. "If I were to be the judge of it.. I think you are not as helpless as you believe yourself to be. What have you even been practising all that time? And don't give me more of that talk about how big an ogre is - I send that muscle-for-brains running, and you're taller than me!"

Near camp, Isaac and Benni go to check out a tree that was showing a suspicious amount of movement. With Benni putting his gear away first, Isaac is first and as he comes up close enough to touch the tree, his first strong clue to what is going on does not come from the branches above, but from the ground under his feet, as the nose of his boot finds ground giving way far more readily than the soil around here should. Now that he is so close that he can see different sides of the tree with just a step to the left or right, he realizes that this tree is leaning badly -- it was not possible to see from where he stood at camp because the angle is towards that direction, but even an amateur at natural science like himself can tell that this tree would not have grown under the angle it is currently at! To Benni, when he gets there, it looks like the same rockfall that half buried the path, must have also slightly pushed this tree over and now it its center of gravity is off. It is only not falling further yet because it is hanging by its roots, which are now lifting up part of the topsoil now that the large rocks that had been weighting it down have been moved! Thinking of the shudder he saw the tree give earlier, Isaac can tell that this is a very unstable situation. The two of them are strong, but a tree this size is well beyond your ability to right just by pushing back against it. Maybe they can do something else to stop it from falling somehow.. or at least try to make it a controlled fall that isn't going to land it on either the path or on your camp?

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 5:00:25 PM
Benni boils water for tea

DM Esther reply: Is this an accidental repost or a sudden acute love of tea?

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 10:01:07 PM
Isaac looks over at Bennie "Got any rope maybe we can pull it to fall in a better direction or go get Zenia maybe she can move or something."

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Tuesday June 6th, 2023 10:26:58 PM
As she slips through the cleft in the rock, Jasper feels the uncanny prickle of living, green magic, so thick that she almost shudders. It feels both like and unlike home.

Were she in her own shape, she might cry. Her exile has been so long, and being banished hurts so much... more, truly, than she ever allows herself to feel. She pads forward and stops between the two trees and, still in bobcat form, settles before the mound to gather herself. This is a sacred space.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Wednesday June 7th, 2023 7:22:32 AM
ooc: apologies friends... it looks like my account is double posting from days ago for no discernable reason. Please ignore the above post about tea. :-)
..............

Onesimos looks the tree over and then looks at Isaac shaking his head. "I can't think of anything. I'm not an engineer and know hardly nothing about the wilderness. It seems too big for pushing or pulling, and if we tried to cut it down to avoid the path, it's just as likely to have the opposite effect. Well, plus we may have druids and greenmages mad at us!"

Another thought comes to the elf. "And what if interfering at all from the natural order of things is not looked on favorably? I just don't know."

The cleric smooths his brown hair behind his ears. "When learning as a postulant in Amberdale, we often came to things we had no experience to know, and we would seek out a wiser head. Let's look for Zenia or Jasper and ask them what could be done."

With Isaac's assent, Benni will look for Jasper or Zenia and present the problem to the first one he finds.

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Wednesday June 7th, 2023 7:52:34 AM
Teddy is a bit skeptical about the claim he's taller then she - at 2' 11" he's short even on gnomish scales - but he takes the advice to heart. He has learned a lot about magic and though he can't blow things up he is capable of a lot.

DM Esther: And there we shall converge 
Wednesday June 7th, 2023 2:40:36 PM
ooc: Please read with care, this update weaves several event chains with slightly divergent timelines back together, so your character may appear in more than one entry below. Also, this is the last post of Snark enduring his initiation, he will be reunited with everyone else in tomorrow's update.

Jasper has found a place of peace, and rests there a while to gather herself and the memories she carries, good and bad.

Over near the campsite, Isaac suggests using rope to guide the fall of the tree, and asks if Benni has some. Benni is not sure what would be the right thing to do and, reflecting on the lessons from his time in Amberdale, sets off to find Jasper or Zenia.

As Benni sets off, Isaac remembers that he himself is carrying rope, and for the moment at least uses it to anchor the leaning tree to prevent it from already falling over before Benni might return with help.

(ooc: Justin, Isaac has a Paladin's Kit in his inventory, that comes with 50' of rope. For expedience I am reminding you of that and letting Isaac follow through on his stated intention as if he knew that, because we don't need this to take another post if we're bringing it all back together today ;)

Teddy is still talking with Zenia about life, and Gore'Thum, and learning magic, when Benni comes running back to the cottage looking for either druid or greenmage. Since Jasper is nowhere in sight, it is Zenia and Teddy that listen to his account of how the rockfall has left them another little surprise to threaten the path she had asked them to clear.

Zenia sighs and shakes her head. "Is that so now? Well, sometimes we need to accept that all lives come and go, but if it is left up to me, I'd rather that one lived. All the ones over there have stories, you know. So let us see what can be done, eh? No dallying, lead the way already!" She grabs the green rod and sets out using it as a walking stick.

Khord and Niko return from their hours of hunting, and find Isaac waiting for the return of Benni there.

Over in the hidden grove, Jasper's reverie is broken when she feels an urgent pang of awareness of something amiss, and she receives a brief sense of a life somewhere crying out over almost toppling, followed by a vision of Isaac racing to secure it with rope. The vision is complete enough that Jasper knows exactly where this scene is taking place.

Benni returns to the site with Zenia and Teddy in tow, and they find that Khord and Niko have joined Isaac there.

Zenia has a look at the tree, and the rope supporting it. "..this one is going to need a lot of help." She then looks aside, and affords Isaac and Khord a grin. "This is a good shoring job you have done here, by the way. Now to help it right itself.." Zenia places her hand against the tree's trunk, and speaks an incantation, which makes the tree shudder dangerously. (Spellcraft DC 22 Highlight to display spoiler: {Animate Plants})

(ooc: If Jasper decides she is going to act on the urgent vision, this is when she will arrive on the scene.)

When the tree does not act in any way, Zenia frowns; "By the soil, how long have you been slowly growing weaker? Am I going to have to-" She pauses. Then, she turns to the small Teddy. "You. This one has been hanging by its roots for some time, the strain has taken its toll, and too much of its strength has already left it.. If this life were in your care, what would you do?"

Teddy, Benni, and if she's there, Jasper: Highlight to display spoiler: {(ooc: The condition she describes sounds like Ability Damage, and for rules purposes, an animated plant is temporarily a creature.)}

"The rest of you-", Zenia snaps at Isaac and Khord and anyone else that looks to be standing around, "-help out and increase the pull on that rope!"

ooc: If you are going to help increase the pull on the rope or otherwise help the tree up, make a Strength check or some other check you can convince me is relevant, and I will award competence bonuses to the check based on how you describe you go about it.

Back by the cottage, time passes quickly for Snark once he finds the ability to just let his mind hang back there in tree-time until something interesting happens. Sunlight shines on his leaves, water carries through his capillaries, afternoon turns to evening, evening to night, night to morning.. and a full day has passed. Roll one Reflex DC 20 save or spend a round staggered because this first time you had no control over the timing of the transformation ending.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+2=20 ;
Wednesday June 7th, 2023 4:54:24 PM
Khord will really put his back into pulling on the rope. To Isaac, he says, "This Zenia barks more than my old watch commander," and he gets a good hold on the rope. (strength = 20) Niko barks his encouragement and wishes he could help.

................

OOC: Glad to be back, the weather was great and we got back out of the wilderness before the choking smoke of Mordor, or rather the Canadian fires, settled on the area. I saw the e-mail about the process for getting someone to cover for you and I will make sure to follow through next time.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+3=19 ;
Wednesday June 7th, 2023 5:00:57 PM
Startled by the vision, Jasper dashes back through the green tunnel in bobcat form and skids to a stop in a clearing. Isaac has lashed a rope around a tree that's canted decidedly more toward the ground than the sky. That's the source of distress cry. No wonder! Its roots are half out of the soil, forming a twisted thicket, and sap seeps from its wounds. She wonders what destabilized it or deliberately knocked it down.

She returns to her own shape and rapidly casts Guidance to improve her odds of being useful.

"Isaac, let me help. We need to haul it back upright, but gently. We don't want to break any of those roots or branches."

She assesses the angle to ensure their efforts won't do even more harm, then takes up the rope and sets her feet. "Ready when you are."

To the tree, she says "We're going to pull you up, then we'll work on getting your roots back where they belong."

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20+2=6 ; d20+2=22 ; d20+6=20
Wednesday June 7th, 2023 5:01:41 PM
(Sorry for spacing on posting.)

In his tree form, Snark starts to get impatient with being a tree. He thought a day in a tree would be a breeze. But it's boring. It just goes on, and on, and on. He can't talk to people, he can't move around, he can't cast spells, he can't blink. He can't even breathe.

Wait. Can't breathe? CAN"T BREATHE! I'm gonna die!

C'mon Snark - snap out of it. I gotta get a grip - I can do this. Druids turn into trees, and they don't die. That ogre was a tree - he didn't die. Zenia's a greenmage - she's not dead. Unless maybe she's some kinda lich. No, that's silly. Would she have eaten breakfast if she was a lich? Hmmm. Jury is still out on Zenia the Dark. I mean why would she call herself the Dark? Or maybe it's just others that call her "Dark." And maybe because she's evil. Or a lich. Nah, Isaac would know if she was a lich. Benni would know. Unless she bewitched them.

Whew. Calm down Snark. You got this.

Snark does his best to get a grip in spite of the monolog in his head. (Second Wisdom check was a success at 22.)

Eventually, even in tree form Snark can see the day passing. He enjoys the sunset, he enjoys come cool of the evening. Then he sees the sunrise - the warmth of the sunlight on his bark.

And suddenly, his limbs shrink, his roots become feet, and he starts to breathe again. (Reflex save DC 20). The little wizard rubs his arms as he reverts to his gnomish self.

"Wow. By the Crones teeth, that was a weird experience. Did I miss anything?"

"Hey Benni, what's a postulant?"

DM James Reminder: Zenia has brown skin.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20  d20+3=21 ;
Thursday June 8th, 2023 5:55:02 AM
Isaac glad he remembered the rope gets into position to pull with khord and the others. "On my mark pull with all your might 1,2,3, PULL!" Isaac pulls with all his might on the rope attached to the trunk trying to pull the tree into a more stable position. He looks over at Zenia "Any time now!" he calls out desperate to not have the tree topple over.

Strength check: 21

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 8:03:25 AM
Teddy hesitates before hurrying after the group. After several moment's thought he realizes lesser restoration is probably the spell she wants him to cast and he does so when indicated.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK)  d20+2=21 ; d4=2 ;
Thursday June 8th, 2023 12:21:19 PM
Onesimos isn't and expert on identifying spells (unskilled = no cuccess above DC 10), but when someone else explains things to him, he brightens. "I actually have a spell for that!" he exclaims. Casting a Restoration spell, Benni is able to heal 2 ability damage to the tree.

Then, the elf follows the directions of Zenia and Jasper, leaning on the rope with Khord and Isaac with all his might! (Strength Check 21)

Puffing in time to the pulling, Benni grins at Khord's comment: "experts ...in their field ...often ...have the voice... of command.."

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 12:25:49 PM
addendum

As Snark arrives, Onesimos is surprised.."You could hear me when you were a tree? How interesting! Oh, but a postulant. That is what we called someone who was considering the religious life but not yet taken oaths to be a devotee of Flower. Call it something similar to being a pre-apprentice."

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 2:23:03 PM
Jasper looks up from the rope. Between tugs, she says "Hi Snark! Can't wait to hear about your time as a tree. You wouldn't happen to know... arrrgh.... this is really hard work... how to levitate things, would you?"

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 4:13:10 PM
As Khord is pulling he puffs out, "Friend Snark, you look no worse for wear from your arboreal experience." He is satisfied that the whole team is back together working toward a common goal, albeit an unusual one in his estimation.

DM Esther: Habemus fumum  d4=1 ;
Thursday June 8th, 2023 5:47:12 PM
ooc: How are so many of you rolling so well on Strength?! The dice are clearly on your side today.

Khord compares Zenia to his old watch commander, and puts in a mighty effort of strength pulling on the rope.

Jasper returns to her human form and helps out with the rope as well while speaking reassuringly at the tree. She punches, or pulls as it would be here, above her weight, adding only slightly less than Khord!

Snark finds himself a tree no longer, and goes out to look around for his companions.

Isaac takes it upon himself to coordinate the party's effort on the side of pulling the rope, and puts in a grand display of strength of his own.

Teddy recognizes that the condition of the tree is an advanced stage of ability damage, and he knows a restorative spell for that! Please add a roll when you cast a spell with variable effect.

Benni reaches the same conclusion Teddy does, and also casts a restorative magic before proceeding to put in hard physical effort that can rival Isaac's!

Between Benni and Teddy both performing magics to restore the tree's nearly depleted strength, and the group as a whole putting their own in such a surprisingly effective effort to right the tree, the tree seems to shudder again - in the right direction this time - and then you see it begin to lift its lower branches, setting them against the ground in front of it, and try to push itself back upright..

Highest roll was 21, treating all other rolls as providing Aid Another for +2 with an extra +1 for every 4 levels over 10 by which you made the check, for a total of 33. You also restored 3 points of ability damage to the animated tree so that it could help right itself, which lowers the target DC from 35 to 32... so it is a success!

It takes a few rounds of awfully hard work, but with the combined strength of your party and the strength you restore to the tree itself, you succeed in bringing the tree back upright. It takes some more time to fill in the earth around the roots once the tree is back in its place, but as several of you have small shovels in your adventurer kits this task is well within what you can do..

Just as Zenia's animating spell is about to run out, the tree - much bigger than any ogre - reaches out ever so gently to Teddy and Benni as if recognizing these two were responsible for making it feel strong enough to dare to move by itself again. It lightly brushes the small bear cub and the not so small cleric of Flower with its leaves, before raising its branches back to their natural position and stiffening back into place.

Zenia just watches, nods quietly, and hopes that perhaps this was a good experience for Teddy's confidence that he -can- help make a difference even if he doesn't think he is strong.

Snark arrives to find his assembled friends and, him being him, immediately takes a curiosity driven interest in something Benni mentioned earlier, which leads to Benni learning that a greenmage in tree form can still overhear things, and Snark learning the meaning of a postulate.

ooc: For the sake of encouraging player characters talking inter se, I'll handwave that the place where Benni spoke of his time as a postulant, and the place where Snark stood as a tree, would not have been so close together that he could have heard that part ;)

Jasper tells Snark that she can't wait to hear about his time as a tree, and asks for his help with the aftermath of this little ordeal.

Zenia rummages and pokes with the green rod she is using as a walking stick between the roots of the tree they have saved. Collecting a small something that looks like a tuber carried to the surface amid all the shifting of earth and roots, she smiles. "Heh. Now this will come in useful. Useful, yes. I suppose that sometimes there really is a just reward for a good deed.."

Turning around she looks at the Luck Makers, and slowly and thoughtfully taps her foot a few times before saying, facetiously teasing disappointment, "...oh, alright, you lot rest and catch your breath then. I suppose I'll go make this evening's tea myself."

You are pretty sure this means she is actually pleased with all of you.

- - -

After that, the next few days in which Snark receives further instruction pass quickly. When it comes to her attention that Jasper has discovered the hidden grove, Zenia allows her the use of it during her stay. Since her grove seems to accept Jasper well enough to have shared a vision with her, Zenia will also share some of her extensive knowledge..

Jasper Highlight to display spoiler: {Special: Next time you come across a Plant type creature and fail the check to identify it, ignore that result and treat it instead as a creature you are familiar with. (In other words, you may look up its stat block and treat all of it as things your character knows) Put this ability on your character sheet with the date of today and a note of why you have this one-time ability and who approved it (me)}

The day you will take your leave approaches, and Zenia presents you with a little parting gift she brewed from that odd root that turned up from under the tree you saved..

Every party member, add to your character sheet one Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds at the maximum caster level adjustment to potency (so 2d8+10). This is a 300gp value WBL adjustment, since you have indeed been falling behind a bit.

Before evening sets on the last day you would be spending here however, you find Zenia frowning outside her cottage, peering in the direction of the trade road. A thin column of smoke rises into the air from the direction of a certain familiar rock feature...

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 6:59:06 PM
Jasper is delighted that they were able to save the majestic tree. She's even happier to be allowed in the Grove. She bows to the little gnome.

"Zenia, I cannot tell you how much that means to me. Thank you."

Days pass.

Wait... what's that smell? Is that smoke? She follows Zenia's gaze toward the Pig's Ear.

"Looks like we might have a problem. I can fly ahead to scout."

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 7:45:16 PM
Onesimos accepts the potion with … well, h’e’s not sure what his feelings are. But he does accept, and gratefully.

Benni waves a cautioning hand towards Jasper. ”I think Zenia has already devised the cause of the symptom. If we wait a moment, it may be unnecessary for a far-away scouting.”. The elf turns to Zenia expectantly.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Thursday June 8th, 2023 10:45:49 PM
Isaac drops the rope taking a moment to catch his breath he sits down and watches Zenia talk to Teddy and Benni. He smiles faintly he's sure that they would not have succeeded without their spell casting. He was a bit surprised of their idea of healing the tree with restoration magic. he asked Teddy "How did you know that would work?"
Isaac also tells Khord Jasper and Benni "Thank you for backing me up on the rope I was starting to worry we wouldn't be able to pull it up right. You all did great."

on the last day Isaac looks over at the smoke "A forest fire?.. Bandits? Either way we better start heading over there."

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Friday June 9th, 2023 2:48:30 AM
I'm with Isaac, Jasper declares. Flames and forest are never, ever a good mix. Add in bandits and... I mislike this. Let's make haste.

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Friday June 9th, 2023 7:41:59 AM
(whoops, meant to roll then forgot. Also wasn't sure if it was to be cast while it was being pulled or after it was upright so as to let it re-root itself).

Teddy is glad that the team was able to complete the job. He's a little surprised that Isaac is surprised that healing magic works on trees. "I mean, it's a living thing just like us, so why wouldn't it work?" he says, confused.

He spends the few days sitting on on Snarks lessons when he can. Sure he has no interest in being a greenmage but it's always good to learn things.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Friday June 9th, 2023 11:36:52 AM
Snark is grateful for Zenia's tutelage. "Yer alright Zenia, and I owe you for this. This potion will come in handy. The last teacher I had was a real jerk. Dwarven mage named Elgor Blackheart in Hook City - he liked to use his magic to cheat people. Steer clear of that guy."

"Say, how come they call you Zenia the Dark? What's the dark part all about?"

He is glad to discuss what he leaned as a tree with Jasper.

When he notices the smoke, he says to Zenia. "Huh. That's the signal we was told to use. You expecting visitors? Maybe it's somebody else wants to be a greenmage."

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52 
Friday June 9th, 2023 3:57:13 PM
Khord spends the few days stealthing around the wood, working on his skills. He gratefully accepts the potion and stows it away in a pocket of his jerkin rather than his haversack, thinking that it would be good to have close at hand in a fight.

Upon seeing the smoke, Khord asks, "Are you expecting company, Zenia. If not I agree with Isaac, that we should check it out." Niko begins to pace, sensing the tension that has fallen over the group at the sight of the smoke. Khord waits to hear Zenia's opinion on the smoke and readies himself for a fight if necessary.

DM Esther: Smokey (but probably not a bandit?) 
Friday June 9th, 2023 8:28:45 PM
OOC: I apologize for my lateness today, circumstances have been.. unusual. I might slightly polish this post further over the weekend, but right now this is the product of an exhausted mind ;)

Jasper expresses her thanks for the use of the Grove. When a new smoke signal rises from near the trade road, she offers to fly out to examine it.

Benni suggests Jasper belay that, as using a transformation just to scope out the situation might not be necessary, if Zenia might have an idea of what is going on.

Zenia ponders the question Benni raises. "The.. cause of the symptom? Odd way to put it, but that smoke looks just about right over the signal rock- that is the one Wilma likes to call the piggy-eared one. That's where you lit a smoky fire to get here. What bothers me is that this is the second time this month, and I know I'm not expecting anyone. How am I supposed to be getting all my being reclusive done if everyone and their dog are going to keep showing up like this?"

To the suggestion it could be bandits, she shrugs doubtfully.

"I don't know what kind of out of their right mind any of them would have to be to light a fire on that rock. I mean, that's what summons me!", she sputters, "But come along. If they are bandits, you can have them. And if they're not, then a fellow traveler would have the latest about the condition on the road for your own way back tomorrow, hm?"

Isaac joins the others in wanting to investigate who has lit a signal fire out there.

Teddy spends the final few days here sitting in on Snark's lessons in hope of picking up something interesting.

(ooc: Mitch, remind me please what your plans are now with regard to possible character surgery now that the rules for the class you had were changed?)

Snark expression appreciation for the training her received here, and draws comparisons with his old master back in his Hook City days. He too recognizes that the fire is lit in the signaling spot, and wonders if it might be another student. Is becoming a greenmage suddenly the popular thing to do?

He also finally asks, "Say, how come they call you Zenia the Dark? What's the dark part all about?"

Zenia just grins. "I live out here like a dusky hermit and I glare and make people nervous. I've had a couple of nicknames in my time, and I don't even really know why that's the one that stuck. Dark magic? I don't think I've done anything so bad that I'd be be called dark for it." She pauses and reflects on her own words; "Probably."

Khord asks Zenia if she is expecting company, and offers to go out there to check it out.

As the entire party seems eager to find out what is going on, the party plus Zenia make their way over the path that leads out of the valley, and soon you are walking back out into the chill you remember from your original journey here.

As you approach the site of the pig-eared formation, you already spot several figures from far away, and several wagons. They are not hiding, having made their camp by the looks of things, with fires for warmth and cooking in addition to the signal one.

Perception DC 12 Highlight to display spoiler: {You spot at least one sentry keeping watch at the camp's perimeter.}

Perception DC 17 Highlight to display spoiler: {Guards and unarmed workers, wagons and beasts, quirky gear... this feels a lot like the kind of trader groups you saw back in Five Mile.}

Perception DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {A glint of metal and glass reflecting the light calls your attention to someone sitting on the roof of one of the wagons with a spyglass surveying the area.}

It might be a good idea to not come across as bandits yourself here? You have decisions to make about how you approach, and the one thing that is a given is that it will not be stealthy, not with Zenia going at a brisk pace.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20  d20+3=23 ;
Friday June 9th, 2023 11:12:22 PM
Isaac unusually perceptive today spots a few things "I spy at least one senty, but they dont look like bandits or not typical ones more like the traders they have guards and unarmed people among them along with what looks like weird stuff they are going to sell. Also someone on the wagons is looking around with a spyglass it would be hard sneaking up on them. I think this might be a caravan and we can travel with them over back to Hook City. We should announce our presence and sheath our weapons." Isaac stows his weapons and shield as they approach.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+17=31 ;
Friday June 9th, 2023 11:41:42 PM
Hmm, they seem peaceful. Benni, you're good with people. Maybe you can act as our emissary.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+11=26 ;
Saturday June 10th, 2023 7:58:31 AM
"I agree with Isaac's assessment, they do not appear to be looking for a fight." He nods in agreement with Jasper that Benni might be the best point of contact. He orders Niko to heel as he had been chasing a scent off the edge of the trail and will approach with his hands visible.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+11=26 ;
Saturday June 10th, 2023 7:58:40 AM
"I agree with Isaac's assessment, they do not appear to be looking for a fight." He nods in agreement with Jasper that Benni might be the best point of contact. He orders Niko to heel as he had been chasing a scent off the edge of the trail and will approach with his hands visible.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK)  d20+6=22 ;
Sunday June 11th, 2023 9:08:16 AM
Quite curiously, Onesimos also is eagle-eyed today: maybe all this time in the wilderness is rubbing off? He nods at Jasper’s thought: people he can deal with better than gathering mushrooms.

”we are in wilderness, so don’t look helpless, bilirubin not aggressive either, and no trying to have someone peel off to sneak up, either.”. Benni hustles with Zenia until they are within what he judges to be shouting distance.

”Hello, the camp! Permission to approach!”. He saves information like how many and who they are until there is either a response or where they don’t have to shout to be heard.

……
Perception 22

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20+14=17 ;
Sunday June 11th, 2023 7:20:12 PM
(Perception 17)

Snark can't quite make out all the details, but he trusts what he hears from the others. He wonders how Benni already knows their names. "Say Benni, what do you know about Billy and Ruben? Are they good guys? I probably shouldn't lead off with an attack spell, eh?"

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Monday June 12th, 2023 8:48:18 AM
Teddy wonders how this group will react to a crowd showing up instead of just Zenia.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Monday June 12th, 2023 8:57:47 AM
'better be'

(darn autocorrect!)

DM Esther: Meeting Revus Sundrian 
Monday June 12th, 2023 5:39:31 PM
The party collectively comes to the conclusion that the people camped out by the beacon do not appear to have hostile intent. Isaac speculates that this may well be a trade caravan, and Khord concurs.

Snark is snarky, and suggests it for the better that he not employ an attack spell. He is probably right - Zenia is liable to turn him into a tree again on the spot, since these are people who are using the signal that means they must have a need to meet with her.

Jasper suggests as these seem peaceful, Benni might work as an emissary, as she deems him good with people, and Benni for his part seems ready to try.

"Hello, the camp! Permission to approach!", he calls out.

In response, the sentry nearest the party waves, and blows a short whistle signal for 'people approaching' that seems to alert the rest of the camp to the situation.

"You are welcome to approach up to the perimeter, stay together and so we can see you all, and no weapons drawn please", the sentry then calls over to Benni, with the unmistakable intonation of someone who does guard work for a living. From the camp, a small delegation that seems to be a representative and two guards is already forming and walking up to the point they intend to meet you.

The closer you come to the camp, the more and more certainly the representative looks like a merchant. His eyes scan the group with some purpose.

Sense Motive DC 15 or Perception DC 20 Highlight to display spoiler: {You can tell he is definitely paying above average attention to those gnome sized. This is a man who clearly knew who he should expect here - as is about to become obvious through his words anyway.}

"Peace, friend. I am Revus, Revus Sundrian, and this is my camp. Blessings and law of the trade roads be upon our meeting! Speaking of which... I can't help but notice that your arrival has not been by way of the main road, or my man watching that would have told me of your approach quite a bit earlier. Might I then hope to be in the company of the honorable magister Zenia the Dark.. and from the extra numbers, I would guess the ones associating with master Harker of Hook City as well?"

Revus is a stocky, middle aged male human, with a beard that would do even a dwarf proud, and dressed in good quality traveling clothes. From the porters idly with mugs in hand, to a woman and a girl looking out from one of the nicer wagons, your meeting with him is drawing the eyes of just about everyone in the camp that is not specifically tasked with keeping theirs on something else.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+17=19 ; d20+7=24 ;
Monday June 12th, 2023 7:07:28 PM
Jasper waits for Benni, Zenia, and Isaac to make their replies.
She makes sure to stay well back from the established perimeter.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52  d20+13=14 ;
Monday June 12th, 2023 7:10:10 PM
Khord approaches in an open manner, with Niko bumping him and making him catch his balance, distracting him from being as attentive as he normally would (Perception = 14 (nat 1)). He glances toward Isaac as he hears Revus mention his last name and wonders if this fellow is looking for them or for Zenia.
He stands by letting Benni speak for the group.

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20  d20+6=8 ; d20+3=16 ;
Monday June 12th, 2023 7:38:53 PM
Isaac speaks up "Yes we know Mr.Harker from Hook City. We're starting to head back that way actually. Are you traveling to or from Hook CIty?" Isaac wasn't sure if revealing he was Harker's son would reassure Revus. With how things were going at Hook City he didn't want to stir up any ill will with the caravan if they had a bad experience there.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK)  d20+14=24 ;
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 9:40:44 AM
Onesimos isn't sure what are the 'laws of the trade roads', but maybe the gentleman is a follower of Ffloy? His woven holy symbol of Flower prominently displayed about his neck, he nods. "Peaceful times and seven loves to you, Revus Sundrian. I am Onesimos, and we are the LuckMakers from Heranmar, currently in the company of Zenia the Dark. We have recently completed our business with her, and are preparing to travel back to our home town."

The elf assumes that, as observant as Revus is, he will fill in the unspoken parts of Benni's conversation: that the LuckMakers are adventurers and could be enticed with heroic opportunities or rumors to go in other directions than Heranmar, or accompany the merchant on his own dangerous path.

..........

Sense Motive: 24

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41  d20+14=24 ;
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 12:37:24 PM
Snark is moving at gnome speed, so he will not get there until Zenia does.

As he gets there, he will give a silent nod acknowledging the speaker's authority. He will let Zenia handle further greetings with this person that seems to be seeking her out. He keeps a sharp eye out for trouble.

(Perception 24)

DM Esther: Meeting Revus Sundrian's.. cargo? 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 7:09:22 PM
Jasper waits for those more qualified to speak to have their say, and keeps well back from the perimeter.

Khord wonders if Revus was looking for Zenia or for them.

Isaac speaks up, "Yes we know Mr.Harker from Hook City. We're starting to head back that way actually. Are you traveling to or from Hook City?"

"From. We just set out from there at dawn today.", Revus replies. "Now that we have made this stop we will be spending the night here, and continue on our way towards Frost Lake as our next destination. As the road goes."

Onesimos wonders if Revus could be a follower of Ffoy, and returns an equally flowery and Flower-y greeting; "Peaceful times and seven loves to you, Revus Sundrian. I am Onesimos, and we are the Luck Makers from Heranmar, currently in the company of Zenia the Dark. We have recently completed our business with her, and are preparing to travel back to our home town." The elf assumes that, as observant as Revus is, he will fill in the unspoken parts of Benni's conversation: that the Luck Makers are adventurers and could be enticed with heroic opportunities or rumors to go in other directions than Heranmar, or accompany the merchant on his own dangerous path.

"Ah, yes indeed! Peaceful times are the best, especially so for a merchant.", is the immediate reply, less a thought out statement and more a commonplace.

Onesimos: Highlight to display spoiler: {You read Revus expression, and you get the impression he is having some additional thoughts about your words and the group's appearance, but before he can comment on such things, he is interrupted by what happens next. You might be able to try to still follow up on it later?}

Snark arrives with Zenia, and keeps an eye out for trouble. He finds that he spies no signs of trouble, probably because the party is currently inside the sentry line the merchants have set for the same purpose. He does count four wagons, some five porters, seven guards, including some that might actually be more porters but carrying a sidearm, at least two people inside one of the wagons, and Revus. Also, it smells like a potage of various vegetables and chicken is stewing in the large cooking pot.

Blunt and to the point, Zenia adds, "And that Zenia would be me." She points a finger to the smoke trailing up from atop the little pig-ear plateau. "So, what business does a merchant have with me? You even come knowing I have visitors over.. and here I thought there was only one institution left in the Hook City magocracy that still bothers to track me, and I am sure I have no overdue returns or outstanding late fees."

"Ah, merely to do a favor for my good friend Harker!", Revus declares as if this were the most obvious thing in the world, and he makes a soothing gesture in the direction of Zenia. "We are here to deliver a curious creature into your care. I must say we were rather hoping you'd know the why or what it is for, because, ah, frankly we find it a little unnerving. But please, you should be able to see for yourself. This way please?"

Assuming you follow, you are guided into the camp, to where a large sturdy sack has already been unloaded from one of the wagons. Revus opens the flap on the front of the sack, revealing that some furs were loosely used to line the inside, giving it the appearance of a very bulky sleeping bag. "When it is not sleeping, it is making unhappy grumbling noises..", Revus says, looking a little worried at this part.

As light flows into the sack, an eye opens and then another, and the shape nestled within looks up at you with a familiar face. "I am so glad to see all of you! The smoke signal worked then as miss Jasper's report said it did?", says Gore'Thum. "Things have gone.. awry. I need to speak with Teddy.. with you all. Rather urgently."

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 8:37:13 PM
Isaac follows Revus intrigued by the talk of a strange creature. Some sort of magical beast or a rogue outsider maybe a plant creature his mind raced as they followed Revus and was surprised the "Beast" was Teddy's familiar the frog Gore'Thum. "Actually Revus we are well acquainted with him. He's Teddy's companion and teacher."
"Uhh Gore'Thum what do you mean things have gone awry. Did the ship set sail? I thought we still had time to get back."

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 8:41:34 PM
Jasper is incensed to see Gore'Thum confined to a sack. Her eyes glitter dangerously, but she bites down her ire. Maybe it's just warm and he's traveling that way by choice.

She breathes in deeply through her nose, exhales through her mouth, and gives Gore'Thum her full attention.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 9:00:32 PM
Onesimos’ eyes sparkle with curiosity about Merchant Revus, but the occasion is interrupted by Teddy’s frog

While the elf is still getting used to Gore’Thum as a guiding spirit in its own right, he reflects that, if trees could be people too, then a frog isn’t a stretch at all. He deems the wisest action is waiting for more information.

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 9:26:57 PM
OOC, about my character: Jasper is retiring and shy, with charisma as her dump stat. Accordingly, she hangs back when dealing with strangers. Let me know if I'm not pulling my weight in that respect. It's one thing to role-play, but quite another to fail to contribute.
Thanks!

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 9:50:17 PM
Khord is surprised to see Gore'Thum who looks no worse for his travels in the fur lined sack thing. His respect for the Revus man grows a little bit that he took such care with their friend. Niko gives an excited yelp and tries to jump up to see the Gore'Thum too. Khord settles him down as he hears the spirit guide's tone and is eager to know what has him in such a state.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Tuesday June 13th, 2023 11:04:45 PM
Snark first addresses the Merchant. "Pleased to meet you Revus. I'm Snark. Thanks for bringing our toad warrior. He must've had a wild ride in that sack - kind of a toad-in-a-hole."

The little gnome smiles at Gore'Thum. "Nice to see you back pal. I imagine you weren't too hoppy in that sack. Glad to see you didn't croak. So what's this news, eh? How's our old captain? She misses me, doesn't she?"

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Wednesday June 14th, 2023 8:23:48 AM
Teddy squees is surprised delight and rushes over to hug the giant frog. He stats babbling all kinds of questions like why on earth he was in a sack and if he should get mad and start hexing people for mistreating his mentor.

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Wednesday June 14th, 2023 3:46:49 PM
Onesimos’ eyes sparkle with curiosity about Merchant Revus, but the occasion is interrupted by Teddy’s frog

While the elf is still getting used to Gore’Thum as a guiding spirit in its own right, he reflects that, if trees could be people too, then a frog isn’t a stretch at all. He deems the wisest action is waiting for more information.

DM Esther: The best laid plans of frogs and men 
Wednesday June 14th, 2023 5:00:10 PM
Isaac follows Revus intrigued by the talk of a strange creature. Some sort of magical beast or a rogue outsider maybe a plant creature his mind raced as they followed Revus and was surprised the "Beast" was Teddy's familiar the frog Gore'Thum. "Actually Revus we are well acquainted with him. He's Teddy's companion and teacher."

"He is?", Revus asks, and looks between what to him sure look like an unusually large frog and a small bear cub. He throws up his hands and with a good natured laugh asks, "Haha, that is mages for you, eh? Did they already look like this then too? Oh, never mind. None of my business, none of my business."

Snark addresses the Merchant. "Pleased to meet you Revus. I'm Snark. Thanks for bringing our toad warrior. He must've had a wild ride in that sack - kind of a toad-in-a-hole."

Revus greets Snark back. "Oho, master Snark is it? A relative of Zenia perhaps? Well now, I didn't have your friend pegged as a warrior. Or, I'll admit, as someone I expected to be friends with people. All the better for me though, as the stranger the tale, the more often I'll be able to get my peers to buy me drinks for the retelling of it around the tradeposts! Haha, do not hold it against me if I thus do seek to profit from this a little even though I agreed to make this drop-off as a favor for my friend Harker. A man must not let even a small opportunity go to waste, and a free drink is always an opportunity!"

(ooc: Mark, some small part of me wants to cheer you for knowing about Toad-in-the-hole, I thought that was such a regional thing! Although since the UK and US recipes differ, I do wonder if you were thinking egg or sausage?)

The Luck Makers seem to cover a range of emotions at the circumstances of this sudden reunion...

Jasper is incensed to see Gore'Thum confined to a sack. Her eyes glitter dangerously, but she bites down her ire. Maybe it's just warm and he's traveling that way by choice. She breathes in deeply through her nose, exhales through her mouth, and gives Gore'Thum her full attention.

Khord is surprised to see Gore'Thum who looks no worse for his travels in the fur lined sack thing. His respect for the Revus man grows a little bit that he took such care with their friend. Niko gives an excited yelp and tries to jump up to see the Gore'Thum too. Khord settles him down as he hears the spirit guide's tone and is eager to know what has him in such a state.

Teddy squees in surprised delight and rushes over to hug the giant frog. He stats babbling all kinds of questions like why on earth he was in a sack and if he should get mad and start hexing people for mistreating his mentor.

Gore'Thum looks just as happy to see Teddy again! As the happy reunion quickly comes to questions of why he is in a sack, he just looks stoic and says; "Warmth stays in here, cold stays out". You see a movement inside the sack where you'd expect one of the frog's hind legs to be, making a kicking gesture against something to make sure it is there. "I have a pot of warm sand."

Isaac asks, "Uhh Gore'Thum what do you mean things have gone awry. Did the ship set sail? I thought we still had time to get back."

Onesimos’ eyes sparkle with curiosity about Merchant Revus, but the occasion is interrupted by Teddy’s frog. He reflects that, if trees could be people too, then a frog isn’t a stretch at all. He deems the wisest action is waiting for more information.

Gore'Thum looks a mixture of overwhelmed at the number of people looking to him for information, and inflated with pride at the fact that they are. "Yes, the ship sailed. That too. But that's not the start of it. Or the end of it. It.." Gore'Thum stops himself from trying to relate the entire sequence of events that must have transpired after Jasper's visit to the docks, and instead he uses his tongue to pop a small waxed packet out from somewhere. "..no, I have a letter. A private letter, Luck Makers only!"

The little gnome smiles at Gore'Thum. "Nice to see you back pal. I imagine you weren't too hoppy in that sack. Glad to see you didn't croak. So what's this news, eh? How's our old captain? She misses me, doesn't she?"

Nestled in the fur-lined sack like a frog dug into the soil to escape winter cold, Gore'Thum still looks perfectly comfortable to stay where he is regardless the puns. "Missed everyone, and everyone missed the Captain. Now the ship is sailed! You must read the letter!"

The camp is not so crowded that it would be hard to keep the reading of a letter private to yourselves, as long as you don't read it aloud.

The letter is written in the hand of Corym, your friend and comrade who opted out of joining the journey to find the greenmage, in favor of reconnecting with some of his old acquaintances from his former days running profitable hustles in Hook City, and it succinctly paints a grim picture of the sequence of events that lead to Gore'Thum coming here to warn you. It would appear that the very wrong group of people had become aware that the Luck Makers adventurer group, being currently in the possession of a small fortune in very valuable, very fungible, and very portable platinum bars, had been sidetracked from their return voyage. Designs upon its misappropriation were set in motion, and knowing that they'd need to have the group at their mercy away from the city, and that the city wards to alert the guard to violent crime did not extend over the water, they'd conspired to damage or sink the Sea Witch from the bay side. Arrangements were then in place that would put the luck makers on one of a few alternative ships that would pretend to be sailing for Heranmar - which would turn into a death trap for them once at sea of course. It was only through sheer luck that word of some dockside toughs being recruited for this traveled through the underworld grapevine to reach Corym, and thus Captain Rio ended up warned and prepared to repel the attempt when it did come. Not going to risk her ship by sitting around for a likely follow-up attempt that would be coming without the benefit of being forewarned, Captain Rio ordered the Sea Witch to sail with Corym and Tykeas on board for the return voyage, after calling on Isaac's father to help them get a trusted merchant -Revus Sundrian- to take Gore'Thum with this letter of warning, using the description of how the group had found Zenia the Dark that Jasper had reported to Rio days earlier.

Corym in the strongest possible terms warns his friends to NOT come back to Hook City. They may be capable adventurers, but it is impossible to know who to trust - and when betrayal and a knife in the dark or worse can come from anyone, even the strongest can not stay on their toes every hour of every day. Instead, they should tell not a soul about the platinum, follow the overland trade route, and meet up again in Heranmar in a few weeks.

There is a footnote in Rio's hand that reminds the Luck Makers that the taxes over the profits on the Woad Beer they are gallivanting around with, constitutes a good chunk of Heranmar's town budget -- and that if they don't return with it in time for the town's annual wall maintenance expenses to come due, her not getting paid is going to be only the start of all the trouble it would cause!

Zenia does not look half as entertained by this meeting as Revus is, and seems lost in thought while poking at a tree stump with her stick. This means that for the time being, the friendly bearded merchant is free and available for anyone else to talk to. Oh, and if Jasper is uncomfortable talking to people, there are those draft horses around eagerly grazing now that they don't have to be pulling the wagons.

Khord Briarmark (Bill D) AC 20 T15 FF15, CMD17, HP 43/43; Niko AC17 T13 FF14 CMD20 HP 50/52 
Wednesday June 14th, 2023 9:04:09 PM
After reading the letter, Khord looks a little alarmed. " This is dire news friends, we have no time to waste. Heranmar is depending on us to deliver on our contract. We must be off with the morning light." He anxiously starts to check his pack and gear to make sure he has everything he needs and doesn't have to return to Zenia's home.

He will then turn to Revus, "Master Revus, where is your troupe headed. If my companions agree maybe we could share the trail for a time."

Isaac Harker (Justin M) HP 62/62 AC24/ T13 / FF 20 
Wednesday June 14th, 2023 10:22:00 PM
Isaac reads the letter silently mouthing some choice curses. The platinum bars had painted a target on their backs. "We better start planning. With no travel arrangements we'll either need to join up with Revus if he'll let us or start back at town after getting some supplies. We need a map to plot a course, some food, and transportation." Isaac looked over at Revus "Mr. Revus any chance your heading near Heranmar?"

Jasper (Holly) HP 48/52 AC 20 CMD 8  d20+6=8 ;
Thursday June 15th, 2023 12:12:26 AM
Jasper is glad to hear that the Sea Witch isn't at the bottom of the harbor. As she listens to her companions make plans, she wonders if the bandits they encountered earlier in their adventure knew who they were and what they were carrying. It's an unsettling thought.

She wanders over to the horses and casts Speak with Animals. "Hello, friends. I'm Jasper. Sorry to interrupt your supper. When you have a moment, can you tell me about the people you pull? I'd also like to hear about your journey here. Did anything along the way spook you?"

Gore'Thum and Teddy Treeborn (Mitch) HP 44/47 AC 12/11/12 CMD 11 Gore'Thum HP -1/48 AC 18/18/15 
Thursday June 15th, 2023 8:37:02 AM
Teddy tries to think back and remember how many days of overland travel it is back to Haranmar

“Benni” AC 20/12/16 +2 AC CMD16. HP 24 24 Onesimos (SteveK) 
Thursday June 15th, 2023 8:54:14 AM
Onesimos frowns, ”We need to return to Heranmar quickly, and not by sea. So first we need directions and then determine if we can safely move faster on our own or in company.”. With that, he confers with Merchant Revus.

”We need to make our way by land to the town of Heranmar, good sir, but I do not know the way. We would pay for your knowledge, a map, or a guide. Or, we could provide services for your caravan in recompense. But I feel we need to make haste.”

Benni trusts Revus enough that he won’t steer the team wrong, and that he will pick what he feels is the safest and most profitable choice for him and his people.

Snark Riverstone (MarkB) AC17 T13 F15, CMD 12, HP 41/41 
Thursday June 15th, 2023 4:41:41 PM
Snark is in agreement with the questions and assessments of others.

He will answer Revus, "Me an' Zenia related? Hmmm. Not that I know of."

"It seems we need to head to Heranmar on foot. Anyone know the way? You got a map we can use Zenia? We should get some horses and provisions too before we head out. And we might need a cart for Gore'Thum if he intends to ride the trip out in that bag."

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