Tests and Trials

[Rodgeir]

This does make the hobgoblin give an honest belly laugh.

"You maybe haven't noticed elf, we are already at war."

((At this point I will say you have one more shot at convincing him before Lurn can decide to do something or not.))

[NotStickFigures]

"We've already taken out your Ogres and a bunch of your hobs. All that's left of you, we will finish now, or you can drop the bow." He says, his face getting red with anger.

[Rodgeir]

((Go ahead and give me an intimidation for that NSF.))

[Dlover]

Lurn will add a Help action to that. Gesturing, he brings his spiritual blade up alongside the rest of the party. "If you think you can survive what even ogres couldn't, I'll gladly show you how easy it is to kill a hobgoblin."

[thinkslogically]

"Guess we found the right place. ... You ok?

Ves moves onwards, trying to pay better attention.

Perception: 1D20+3 = [15]+3 = 18

[spiderwrangler]

((I know it's not his turn to do anything mechanically, but for flavor, Kroshav is looking big and menacing behind Jaq!))

[Arch Lich Burns]

"It stings a bit but Ah think Ah'll be fine. I look'd fer more traps but Ah cannae see any."

[Rodgeir]

Ves picks herself up and she and Joe continue to follow the faint trail she found, though moving more cautiously and looking for potential signs of trouble. Perhaps ten minutes later Ves identifies the second landmark, a particularly twisted old tree nearly black with age. Stepping lightly past the tree Ves doesn't spot anything that looks to be a trap but does see the nearly invisible old remains of a small fire on the north side of the tree, shielded from sight of those approaching from the direction of the road.

((Investigating the tree/old fire? Something else? It is early afternoon.

Give me a new perception for Joe as well, if she would be looking.))

[NotStickFigures]

(Does the help from Lurn and the Menace from Kroshav help? I'm not sure how the rules work on that. Does it negate the disadvantage from Exhaustion or add something to the dice or??)

[Rodgeir]

((It will negate the disadvantage, so you can make a straight roll.))

[NotStickFigures]

Intimidation: 1D20+1 = [17]+1 = 18

[Rodgeir]

The hob considers the options he has and the angry assemblage. Nodding his says while backing up 30 feet,

"Fine. I'll drop it."

At this point he takes the bow by its end and wings it up into a nearby tree. He gets it a good distance up. Turning he runs another 30 feet away and yells back,

"Name's Gradig. Hope to see you all soon again."

((Combat is over unless someone wants to do something?))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq forces himself to stay still for a bit and let the hobs depart before going to the tree where his bow got chucked into. "I wasn't fooling with what I was saying. That was a gift from my mother and father, I would have tracked him down to try to get it back." He peers up into the tree. "Where's Ves when you need a friend who can fly?"

[spiderwrangler]

"I think she was headed back to wherever you guys started from."

"Hey Lurn, I've got a bit more I can give to Jaq, but you able to call on your lord a bit more and get him healed up good? Oh, it works better if I hadn't gotten him first, right?"

Dlover & Rodgeir

► Show Spoiler

If Lurn answers that he does, Kroshav will gently konk Jaq back to a stable 0 HP and cradle his limp body while he lets the cleric do his thing.

[Rodgeir]

The bow is around 20 feet up but is on a thicker grouping of branches. Should be able to hold Jaq's weight. Probably.

((Athletics for the climb up the tree to get the bow.))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq will wait till he is a bit more healed up before making a climb up, especially since he is still kinda tired from lack of sleep and knows he isn't going to be preforming any climbing at high standards.

[spiderwrangler]

((Kroshav is a strong climber, if the tree looks sturdy enough.))

[Rodgeir]

Arbelm moves forward and ignores Jaq looking up the tree.

"We wait her for another few minutes then head west and hopefully meet up with the rest of the team and Celus. Do what you need to do but be vigilant while doing it."

Dama moves back to the fallen hobgoblins and begins to give them a quick search.

((Tree looks pretty darn sturdy, though the outer branches that can support a slender, unarmored elf may be on the thin side for a twice as heavy dragonborn in heavy armor. If you decide to try for it give me a d20.))

[Dlover]

"Jaq... My powers are most effective on those on the border of death. While we won't put your life in danger, I'd like to ask if you would permit us to knock you unconscious for a moment, such that you will be healed as much as possible. You suffered a serious wound, after all."
Preferably, Jaq would agree, but whether he does or not, Lurn will apply Cure Wounds to him.

Once the healing is done, Lurn moves to the tree holding Jaq's bow. "One moment, before you climb. Some of my people talk of speaking to plants with our talents, and while I personally have doubts about a plant's ability to accede to requests, even if it does understand, I would like to try before you go climbing up there." Placing a hand against the trunk, speaking softly (Spech of Beast And Leaf), "An item of great importance to my friend has been taken and cast into your limbs. If you could, I ask that you attempt to set it loose."

[Rodgeir]

Lurn stands, hand on tree for a moment waiting for a response. The moment stretches. And stretches. There is a popping sound from up in the tree but nothing appears have changed or to be happening... or if it is happening it is happening very slowly?

((How long you going to wait before sending someone up? Arbelm would likely want to move in the next few minutes.))

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav, standing behind Jaq, raps him on the dome with one hand and catches his limp form with the other, cradling him gently.

"All yours!"

He steadies Jaq as Lurn heals him, before heading up to grab the bow if no one else jumps at it. If Jaq is feeling well enough to try, he'll let him go, otherwise reliving his time as a tree climbing lizard.

► Show Spoiler

Athletics: Climbing: 1D20+7 = [7]+7 = 14

[Dlover]

Jaq heals for 13 from Cure Wounds. "Well, I'd said that my hopes weren't too high that it would be able to help. Plants have limited movement capability, after all."

((If Kroshav fails in his climbing, Lurn can give a Guidance to whoever tries next.))

[Rodgeir]

Before Jaq can respond to Lurn's proposal Kroshav knocks him unconscious for the third time in about a minute. Lurn gets to work on healing him.

Arbelm sighs but doesn't comment having heard the reasoning.

Kroshav climbs the tree easily enough and carefully inches out to where the bow is hanging. The branches below the dragonborn crack and groan but he manages to get a hand on the bow...just as the branch below him snaps accelerating his descent. Fortunately he manages to hit enough branches on the way down it only stings but doesn't hurt.

► Show Spoiler

Tree break?: 1D100 = [75] = 75

You made it by 1. 76 would have gotten fall damage!

Arbelm appears ready to go.

"Ready? Anything else? Dama?"

Dama calls she is ready but only checked a couple of the bodies.

[Dlover]

Sighing softly as the branch snaps, Lurn mutters under his breath to the tree, "Apologies for the harm, my companions are in a rush."

[spiderwrangler]

A bit battered, Kroshav pops back up triumphantly, bow held out towards Jaq.

"Yeah, we should get moving, I think?"