Subject: Part 2: On the road 2,259 views

[Weasel]

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"It's dry." he comments rubbing his fingers together, still frozen "Bone dry. Now that's..."

He cuts his words short as he elf begins to mutter his strange magical language. He tenses slightly, always a bit worried what may happen when magic is involved.

Bnor waits for the forest to implode.

[rainbowpalmcakes]

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Bael continues to concentrate on the magic that surrounds the area, hopefully figuring out where the magic was coming from, what kind of magic it is and the caster's level

[Shiv]

Bael and Bnor:

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The boot high mist continues to glow under the effects of Baels spell, clearly magical in nature. Bnors eyes sweep the clearing, but no movement can be seen beyond those of his companion. No winds disturb the gently rolling fog at your feet, and no animal sounds break the low chant coming form Bael who is currently muttering another string of words in Sylvan, weaving minor spells and beseeching the spirits to give her insight to as to where the mist is coming from. As much as you try though it is to no avail. No spirits answer your call, and you see no signs as to who wove the mist-spell.

((I'll assume you rolled spellcraft, since you didn't specify what skills you'd be using. You have no idea why the mist is here, or where it's coming from. The only thing you know it that it's magical in nature. Also, you can probably assume Bnor understands what spell you just cast. Detect magic is quite common, even amongst dwarves.))

Nu:

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You continue your advance through the forest. Above you Lanna speeds by, her passing noted by your empathic bond.

Itrav and Rashid:

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Glorgar makes a face. "Oh all right then, cold dinner it is. Good thing I brought something that is ready to eat", he intones and starts rummaging in his pack, soon producing a loaf of dark bread and a wheel of cheese. "Anyone care for some? It's absolutely scrumptious, even when cold", he states.

Wheather anyone accepts his offer of dinner or not, he soon takes a seat on a small fallen log, that he meticulously brushes clean off snow. "You really think they're in trouble though?", he asks. "The scouts I mean. Does Lan'Nuiatnal know something we don't? Or is he just overly worried?"

[Black_Hawk]

Itrav/Shiv

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Rashid turns down the barber's offer instead walking to his bag next to his sleeping bag and pulling out something akin to smoked meat and some cheese, then walking back to the others. I know not if he knows something we are unaware of. "I'm afraid that with him it could be either his worry over his mate or something sincerely wrong." Rashid takes a bite and tears off a chunk of the cured meat, "As I have said, we shall see how this develops. If something has happened we will have to go find them, as they are the best at finding trails in this snow and the dwarf himself has the map."

[rainbowpalmcakes]

DM

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If you reference page 219 of PHB for detect magic, you will see that as long as Bael concentrates each round for first three rounds of detect magic she will gain more info. Round 1 detects all magic, round 2 the different sources of the magic and round 3 the school of magic and a general level of the magic. Also detect magic will last one minute per level of caster. Spellcraft will allow u to see what the magic is supposed to do. With more info Bael will be able to decide what she and Bnor should do next. Sorry for the confusion.

Bael continues to concentrate in hopes of finding out what school of magic was used and how powerful their adversary may be. While she is checking she stays still and watches the surrounding area. Thinking that her aias will be worried about her and also hoping that she and Bnor have not walked into a trap.

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[Weasel]

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.oO(Must be some kinda magiks.) he thinks to himself, not wanting to interupt Bael's concentration.

Bnor relaxes, but stays still.

.oO(Almost sounds like a detection spell... but of what I'm not certain. Could be checking for traps, and if that's the case I better stay planted.)

[Shiv]

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Bael slowly turns, her spell sweeping across the clearing, illuminating a cone of greenish light in front of her outstretched hands, much like a searchlight or a lighthouse. In her mind she can feel the whispering of spirits, and the faint hum of the magic cast in this area. From what her senses tell her, the spell creating the fog is old, almost decrepid, and it's emanating from the central stone henge. It was probably more powerful -once- but the spell has eroded over the years.

You can also feel several very weak sources of magic in the frozen moor around you. Though what they might be is beyond you, the emnations are weak and diffuse, almost intangible.

((Hah, yeah I'm pretty bad at this whole -rules-, so pointing things out to me is good . Also, you failed four conscutive spellcraft rolls to determine the school of magic, I'm guessing Bael would give up after that))

[rainbowpalmcakes]

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Bael slowly stands up while staring at the glow.
With a worried look and a glance at the sky for another sign of Lanna, she starts to step back and away from the clearing. She shakes her head then looks at Bnor;

"Let's go back."

This place was made to be barren, this stillness, silence, this is unnatural. Its infuriating this has taken the place of this land, but there must be a reason for it existing here, I will not take my chances even Nu won't approve of it

"We have to go back to camp, we can deal with this in the morning with the whole party."

She continues to step back out of the clearing keeping her eyes peeled and senses high for any danger.

[Weasel]

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"Well if ya think that's best." Bnor replies obviously disappointned.

He takes a step or two back, before stopping and looking back. He hesitates for only a moment, and then turns to continue.

"Get a better idea of it tomorrow, I suppose." he comments still sounding defeated.

Bnor steadily attempts to make his way back towards camp.

[rainbowpalmcakes]

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Bael feels the "defeated feel" from Bnor, looks at him and sighs...
she feels the same way, more so that she feels that by now Nu would be away from the rest of the group searching for her.

My aias...

"Bnor lets go back to camp the same exact way."

Bael follows Bnor keeping her senses high for any sign of Nu, she thinks that if she goes the same way back she'd run into Nu.

[Shiv]

Bael, Nu, Bnor:

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With a final gaze at the clearing the two scouts turn around and start the trek back, the mysterious fog dissipating behind them like some great beast returning to its sleep. The two backtrack, following the faint trails left by Bnor, and pretty soon run into Nu. The sylvan looks slightly winded and explains that he got worried from their "late return" and decided to go look for them. One could note that they weren't very late at all, and that the elf is just being overly protective, but Bael doesn't seem to mind, and Bnor has decides to keep the peace with the two sylvans.

Together you all return to camp. When you arrive you find that no fire has been started, and that the party is enjoying a cold dinner or dried meat, bread and cheese (the latter supplied by Glorgar). The tents have been pitched though, so the group is clearly meaning to spend the night here.

Dinner is almost over when the trio of companions arrive back at camp, suddenly stepping out from the surrounding trees like shades, dark shadows intent on sucking the life from the living. It might just be the slightly oppressive ambiance of the forest, or the trailblazers clear skills at stalking, but Glorgar nearly chokes on his bread as the two elves and the dwarf suddenly appear right on top of the camp.

As much as their entrance caused a few hearts to jump, the group itself seems unharmed. Nu is a bit winded, and Bnor looks plain hungry, but beyond that everything looks to be normal with the three scouts. And pretty soon everyone has gathered for a short brefing on the paths ahead...

((Yes everyone is back together now, spolier tags no longer needed))

[Weasel]

"There'll be hell to pay if you've eaten all the supper."

When he realizes no supper has been prepared, he simply frowns and looks for a place to sit. Slowly lowering himself onto a suitable rock, he starts rummaging through his things for his own salted meats.

"Found a strange little clearing up ahead." he states as plainly as if he'd only found a burberry bush. "We can give it a look on the morrow."

With little reply to his statement he takes a bite off a strip of meat, and chews furiously. Only after swallowing does he continue.

"Had this large stone structure in it's center. Looked liked piled stone. Strangest mist you've ever seen. Driest too."

Bnor simply shrugs and goes back to looking into his things for stale bread.

"We'll be having stew tomorrow night. Don't worry, I'll make it."

[coyotelaughs]

I enter the clearing, still a little winded from searching for tracks, but happy to see my aia and the stonekin back safe. I head to an area that is suitable to set up sleeping arrangements for my aia, then lay out furs for Ik to rest on, avoiding the rest of the camp. Pulling out some cooked venison for dinner from the Ik's packs after dropping some straw for Ik, I return to the group and quietly offer each member venison that aia and I had prepared before the party had left the stone people village.

I sit next to my aia with the rest of the party to listen to the briefing, Lanna resting on my shoulder. When Bael mentions the lack of any living creature in the area, I do not hide my disgust at the abomination to nature. (Sylvan)"I am so glad that nothing happened to you while you were there in that sickened place. Do you know why it scares the local wild away from it?" (Common)"We destroy or leave?"

[Weasel]

"Why thank you." the stout dwarf replies as he takes the offering.

He takes a bite and smiles at the pleasant taste. Bnor watches the elf as she speaks her native tongue, but can't understand a word of it.

The words she speaks in common almost cause him to choke on his venison. He coughs a few times and then spits out the hunk that was about to catch in his throat.

"Destroy? The clearing? Now why would we be doing that, lass? We've only just seen it fer a moment or two. Don't know why it's there or what it is? Let's at least give it a good look before we even discuss destroying something that could of been there for cent'ries."

[rainbowpalmcakes]

Bael's face lights up upon seeing Nu. She pets Lanna and gives Nu a little squeeze on the shoulder. Upon arriving camp Bael kneels then shifts her left leg out stepping her foot. She grips on the soil and shifts again, bothered by what she felt and saw from the clearing. She is upset that she had to back down but knew it was the right thing to do as of that moment, also enraged by the presence of the stone disturbing the natural flow of nature around the area. She fists at the ground and lets herself fall down to a lotus position, sighs and looks at Nu. She shakes her head when he offers him food

(sylvan) I will eat later. That clearing, its surrounded with ancient power, we experienced a mist as we stepped in the clearing and I felt the magic protecting the rock form in the middle of it. Tiny fragments of the magic has eroded but it is still by far stronger than what I could handle sensing. It has desecrated the space made for animal habitat (common) i wish to destroy.

She looks at Bnor as he comments.
She stands up and walks to a spot where everyone can see and hear her. She addresses to the party (common) "We found a clearing that is guarded by ancient magic. It is strong. It protects the place from outsiders. There is a rock form in the middle. Energy is strong there. Me and Bnor comes back. Dangerous to make a move on the clearing. We plan to come there morning with whole party."