Hunt for the Thessalhydra (Stranger Things D&D)

[Error 420]

You follow Xoco into the woods surrounding town, avoiding the road and instead moving deeper into the Wabash Valley, the forested hills around you becoming taller and taller as you go deeper in. With her intimate knowledge of the forest, you move through unimpeded, your way lit by fireflies, following the secret paths of the firbolg clan.

Xoco, you estimate that you're quite near to the first of the outer camps, where the clan keeps guard to make sure none go further into the forest. You get a strange feeling that something is deeply amiss. The camp, although camouflaged perfectly against the forest, is empty, and the tracks of your brothers and sisters lead further into the woods, towards the main village. It's unusual for there to be no scouts near here, and it's very unlike your clan to leave any trace of their presence.

 

[Snek]

Xoco halts, holding up a hand for her companions to halt as well. "This isn't right, there should be sentries and scouts posted here..."
She begins investigating the camp for clues or signs of struggle.

*Investigation attempt*

 

[still watching fma]

Adron starts to follow the tracks, to see how far they actually go.

 

[Error 420]

(Xoco: Investigation 3+1=4)

You aren't able to discern anything else out of the ordinary. The area looks just like how a usual scout camp did when you were a young scout, with various games drawn in the dirt and abandoned partway through. If you didn't see the tracks, it would have seemed like the scouts just disappeared. You see Adron start to head off into the forest, and are unable to warn him about the possibility of traps before

(Adron: Dex Save 16+2=18)

a snare springs, ropes pulling a net taut where Adron stands. He manages to deftly jump out though. Judging by the moss growing on the ropes, this trap was laid a long time ago, and not disarmed, like many such traps usually are before a camp is abandoned.

 

[Snek]

Xoco opens her mouth to warn Adron, closing it again when he deftly avoided the trap.

"There will be plenty more like that along the way. If you follow behind, I can lead us around the snares and traps. However, it is highly unusual for my people to simply disappear like this...and with the camp in perfect shape, too. If they weren't fleeing immediate danger, perhaps they are simply anticipating it? Let us follow the tracks and see where my people have gone."

Xoco ventures further into the woods, leading her party on and avoiding the traps.

 

[Error 420]

In your absence, many new traps are likely to have been set, both for game and for intruders.

(Xoco: Survival 9+4=12)

You manage to point out any traps the party comes across as you progress into the forest, with no real surprises. The village is about a kilometer away, and hunting camps along the way are similarly abandoned, with more and more tracks leading into the village, apparently picking up in pace. How will you approach the village?

 

[Snek]

Xoco signals to her companions to get down low to the ground. "We must approach with caution. Who knows what caused my people to abandon their posts? The shadows will be our ally until we understand what has come to pass."

She begins to sneak through the underbrush, following the tracks but not trailing them directly so as not to draw attention.

"Have either of you an idea of what might have caused them to disappear like this?" she whispered. "If the Thessalhydra had come this way, surely there would be a sign."

It had been a couple of years since she had paid her family a visit. Many of the elders didn't take kindly to her leaving the forest to live among the city people, but her druidic powers and gifts of provisions and clothing appealed to many of her comrades. With the hard times they were going through, any amount of outside help was of immense importance, even if the firbolgs' pride meant they did not know how to ask for that help.

 

[still watching fma]

Adron reluctantly follows xoco, grinding his teeth every step of the way. " How can these strange creatures traverse these lands without getting trapped themselves"?

 

[Slurpee]

Y’Menkos followed quietly along behind the pair, eyeing for any subsequent traps as he did so. He only piped up in response to Adron.
“I agree with the mercenary... even for a reclusive people this feels rather extreme.”

 

[Snek]

*stealth check as Xoco approaches the village*

 

[Error 420]

*stealth check as Xoco approaches the village*

(I’m on my phone, what’s your stealth modifier?)

 

[Snek]

(+4 total)

 

[Error 420]

(Stealth: 10+4=14)
You lead the group through the rest of the forest quite deftly, avoiding every trap along the way. Upon arriving on the outskirts of the village, you see every single one of your brothers and sisters moving about the village, towards the hollow great oak which houses the most sacred items of your village, only trafficked during celebrations and during times of grief. Your whole body is overtaken with emotion as you hear the wind shift directions, blowing through the leaves, rattling the branches to make sorrowful music of the woods. The owls and wolves go silent as a low melody begins to play in the wind, your clan murmuring in harmony. You recognize this ritual instantly as a ritual of passing, when a member of your clan has been killed by outsiders. Your fur begins to glow in the moonlight as you’re instinctively pulled to join in the song, as your clan begins to dance and glow brightly, a deep gold light illuminating the black forest. You appear to go unnoticed.

 

[Snek]

Her heart torn asunder by the long forgotten sound of her clan's mourning ritual, Xoco takes a few spellbound steps forward before remembering her allies.

"Remain out of sight. I must attend to this tragedy..." Her voice trailed off as the song pulled her in, her lips parting to chant the sorrowful words and her feet carrying her closer to her people. She looked toward the great oak, trying to see what the source of the situation was.

 

[still watching fma]

Adron

Adron saw the procession of forest folk and was taken aback. He was none too familiar with their ways, but if his guide didn't know of this before entering the village, then he wasn't going to let her go. He grabs xoco by the shoulder and says with grit teeth, "No, I have a funny feeling about this. That queer music...and 'yer sudden change of heart unnerves me".

 

[Snek]

Xoco stops suddenly, halted by the mercenary. Her song pauses, as she looks around.
"This is part of the ritual. We must recite the song of our ancestors to help the deceased pass into the afterlife. However, I know not who - or what - has come to pass. I will see if I can get a closer look. See if you two can find any clues or traces of the beast around the village. Something is definitely afoot..."

She continues singing the song, this time trying to stay aware of her own consciousness instead of being swept along like a leaf on the wind. Approaching the center of the village, she attempts to get a good look at the center of the communion, doing her best to suss out the situation and gather as much information as possible.

*skill attempt - whatever skill it takes to gather information from this scenario*

 

[still watching fma]

Adron

"This is why I don't trust non-humans", he said while approaching the village while watching out for traps.

 

[Error 420]

(Xoco Investigation: 14+1=15)

You slowly make your way into the communion as the melody takes its full volume, billowing outwards into the forest, the glowing of the village outshining the moon. It's a very uncommon ceremony, as it's rare that one of your tribe is known of, let alone attacked by, outsiders. Inside the great oak is one single member of your clan, not singing or glowing like the rest. It's the torchbearer, who lights symbols in the air with flame to guide the way for the lost spirit. She rapidly forms signs of light, wonder, and joy. However, the singing grows louder and more uncomfortable, becoming a cacaphony of emotion as members of the tribe begin to glow in all different colours. The torchbearer lights signs of pain, sorrow, and a symbol you recognize from the texts of Twilight, and did not know your tribe even had a symbol for. The symbol itself roughly means "That which is of the wrong world", but it's usually interpreted as the undead. The village is angry and afraid and deeply morose, due to a death caused by the undead. Soon after, the song quiets, slowly resuming its original melody. The torchbearer finally forms the symbol for peace, and then the song is reduced to low hums, as the clan comes back to this world.

After a brief quiet, one of your sisters comes to you and embraces you. She was much smaller when you last saw her, a youngling under your tutorship as a scout before you left. "Sister, I am glad to see you have returned. There are terrible rumors among the clan, that you had abandoned us, and taken a name." Everyone else keeps their distance from you as the clan dissipates to resume their duties. A few make eye contact with you, but do not approach. You notice that the tribe is much larger than usual: while most families leave to form new clans when they number more than ten, it seems as though the tribe is incredibly crowded, with more than a hundred, including many from other tribes, returning to the center of the tribe when the ritual had ended, many coming to console members of your tribe. As you look around, you see ramshackle huts made from wood on the ground instead of in the trees, incredibly crowded and small. Your sister goes to join with her family in mourning, and the torchbearer approaches.

A woman of 400 years, she places a strong, almost barklike hand on your shoulder. "Xoco Sunfury. It has been quite some time, my child. I understand you've become quite the druid in that time. I may need your help, as well as the help of your companions hiding in the bush there."

In Common, she yells out to Adron and Y'Menkos. "Outsiders, come and join us."

 

[Slurpee]

Y’Menkos blinked, rising from his place of hiding at the sound of the woman’s welcome. If they’d already been seen, no use in sticking to stealth. He followed Adron’s lead and approached the village. He gave a slight wave to the woman who’d welcomed them, still quite unsure of what to make of the village as a whole. He approached the collection of firbolgs cautiously and quietly- on edge, but hoping not to disturb those in mourning. He took in his surroundings and for a moment found himself in awe. It was rare that in his travels he’d find a forest dwelling people who weren’t actively hostile. For a moment he felt himself at ease, yet quickly reminded himself such trust was not yet warranted.

“Many thanks for welcoming us, ma’am.” He said, with as much warmth as he could muster. The tiefling looked out at the crowd of mourners and felt a pang if sadness. As he did so, he attempted to glean any information he could at first glance (attempted investigation, +0 modifier). ”I am admittedly unfamiliar with your culture... but I can gather something tragic has occurred. I am sorry for your loss.”

 

[Snek]

Xoco watches the ceremony take its course in solemn and respectful silence, doing her part to carry the song. Once it ended, she looked over at the young girl that she had tutored so long ago.

"Yes, sister, I took a name, but I would never abandon my people." She ruffled the hair of the young one and then turned to acknowledge the woman.

The matriarch of her tribe, junlisha, "elder mother", addressed her, asking for her assistance.

"Of course, junlisha," Xoco said respectfully, bowing her head briefly to honor her matriarch. "My companions and I are at your service."

She smirked back at her partners, beckoning them forward. "What favor would you ask of me, honored grandmother?"

 

[Slurpee]

(anybody alive in here?)

 

[Snek]

(me lol. Was waiting for dm but it seems he has vanished)

 

[Error 420]

(Was waiting for still watching fma and then got caught up in college stuff [it’s the first week of the semester] so if there’s not another post I’ll continue soon.)