Tales from the Age of Steel

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Tales from the Age of Steel The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/19 (Thu) 12:36:51 No.723535 [View All]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuMh2GXTZuo

In a time long past, before the coming of the Two, was a time of gods, heroes and monsters. A world as yet unexplored, an age of high adventure.

And in this age, eons ago, four wayward wanderers did find themselves crossing paths. Perhaps it was chance, or perhaps ordained by fate. I alone can elucidate the adventures of these four.

Hearken now to the Tales from the Age of Steel!

2052 posts and 16 image replies omitted. Click reply to view.

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/2 09/05/20 (Sat) 02:31:40 No.746632

>>746625
>>746603
"Care for food first, taste second." Noghu responds to Sunbeam, gathering shards from the ground, tying large shards to his belt using spare bolas, smaller ones going in his waterskins, "Much better than carrion."

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 02:37:51 No.746635

>>746625
I briefly think of saying 'fire with you' or whatever, but just nod again. Taking my gear back from the dragon, I walk over to the wolf, quirk my eyebrow, and wait.

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 02:51:13 No.746636

>>746627
Kothbiro shakes her head, still shaken a little. "We'll… have to deal with the fallout. …But not today." She smiles encouragingly. A rare sight from her.

>>746629
She doesn't seem to hear you at first, but then shakes her head slightly. It seems she either won't or can't share her vision.

>>746630
As she touches your chest, you feel a warmth spread from her hand, coursing through your body. The warmth grows into a fire burning inside you. It wells up, and you feel the urge to unleash it for a moment; then, it dies down some. You feel reinvigorated, and full of energy.
>Sunbeam gains +1 max wounds temporarily
>Sunbeam gains access to Dragon Breath: Light Elementalist
>Dragon Breath: recharge 2; Your dragon breath is far more developed than other dragons, able to cover a wide range and inflict damage. At character creation choose an Elementalist effect for your breath that will determine its element and effect. You can target up to 10 enemies with this attack, but the recharge increases by 1 for each enemy beyond 1 that you target. You can also use your breath to magically send messages, as long as established a link with your message recipient beforehand.

>>746635
>>746632
>>746630
>>746629
>>746627
A flame springs up underneath the Fire Witch, engulfing the sorceress in flame and obscuring her from view. When they fade, she is gone.

The she-wolf Saskia moves forward to lead you onward to the shelter. Kothbiro recomposes herself and nods, following her onward. As you travel under cover of night for a spell, you find yourselves reflecting on everything that's happened. Even though it's been only a few weeks, you feel you've made a strong connection with everyone present. The tale of the Sun's Heart is over. But there is still much more to come…
>Everyone gains 1 Enlightenment Point!

It doesn't take long to travel. Saskia leads you through a path in the woods that would otherwise be unfindable, coming to a flare of bushes and reeds. Nudging them aside reveals a hidden cave. It is as the Witch said; this cave has been made into a makeshift shelter for travelers, with some firewood, tents, and fresh water and dry food supplies stashed away inside. Overall, it's everything you need for a comfortable night in the woods.

Saskia stands guard by the cave entrance dutifully, while Kothbiro gets to work starting a campfire. "We're lucky this Witch is on our side," she comments. "We should get some rest. We have a lot of ground to cover before we get to that fishing hamlet." She seems quieter than usual, less prickly. Probably due to her injuries, the weight of everything that's transpired tonight, and the vision she was granted. She seems to have a lot on her mind.

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:01:15 No.746637

>>746636
"Thank you, Saskia," the cat says, his tone genuine. He follows dutifully, only casting a single glance backwards at the partially burnt city of Galatian.

"Hey, have you guys noticed that we tend to leave places a lot more… burning… than when we arrived? Just a thought."

As he journeys with the others, Kalidan takes stock of his supplies. They seem a bit light, and his stomach growls. He is visibly glad to see the cave supplied with food, and sets to rummaging through the dried rations immediately for something palatable.

Sunbeam [F Dragon Druid] 5/6 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:01:34 No.746638

>>746636
"Her motivations seems strange and elusive, but I seem to want to trust her. I believe I have seen her presence before but I cannot place it." Sunbeam says, assisting Kothbiro with the fire. "Like kin I had never met."

Once the fire is well, Sunbeam sits near it. "I never did get that sword." She says to herself quietly.

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:04:00 No.746639

>>746636
>>746632
>>746630
>>746629
>>746627
I take a log from outside, shrug my pack off, and dig my jaw harp and non-whiskey -I forget what they sold me- liquor out. Uncorking the bottle, I take a swig and start passing it around.

>>746627
Lookin up at the cat, I quirk an eyebrow and show him my jaw harp.

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:11:27 No.746641

>>746639
Kalidan, mouth full of dried meat, cracks a food-stuffed grin and pulls his flute from its little scabbard. He quickly swallows his morsel (a little too quickly maybe), finishes choking with a thankful gulp of the minotaur's liquor, and sits down near Koth's burgeoning fire.

"Do you know this one?" He raises the flute to his lips and begins a slow melody, waiting for Thungr to join in.

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:15:05 No.746642

>>746636
Noghu is happy not to have to hunt for their food tonight, and mostly stays quiet, cleaning his teeth with a shard of gemstone.
>>746639
Noghu eventually takes the bottle and repeats the action thinking it's filled with water, flinching and quickly giving the bottle back, "Why drink spoiled water?"

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:17:14 No.746644

>>746642
"Ta loosen up some." I offer the bottle to anyone else who wants it.

>>746641
I lick my lips, place the jaw harp to my teeth, and twang out a little harmony to the melody the cat is tootin.

Sunbeam [F Dragon Druid] 5/6 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:17:57 No.746645

>>746639
Sunbeam takes a careful sniff of the drink first. "Oh, I have had this before. Visiting Earth Ponies had much of it. Though it was lacking color and did not smell the same." She says, taking a sip after. "Oh, that night was fun. The morning after was not." She says with a giggle.

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:20:28 No.746646

>>746636
Avoiding the light as they travel, the sight of the shelter is a welcome one. The mad dash from the keep and the brawl afterwards proved to be very tiring indeed.

breaking down the skeletal saurian and placing the bones into the bag as before with the bear, the sorceress enters the cave, coiling up to the fire after finding something to eat from the supplies.

>>746639
Vajra takes a sip from the offered flask. "My thankss."

>>746638
"AsS we are, any ally we may find iss a welcome one. Galatian iss ssure to sspread newss of our flight from the keep."

"Ah, but that iss ssomething to worry over tomorrow."

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:27:34 No.746647

>>746637
The wolf chuffs slightly and nods.

"It does seem to be a theme," Kothbiro nods with a slight wry smile. "Hopefully this hamlet won't suffer the same fate…"

>>746637
>>746646
You find some strips of beef jerky and some biscuits among the supplies. Nothing extravagant, but palatable all the same.

>>746638
"Sword?" Kothbiro asks. "What do you need a sword for? You've got those claws, and your strange magics."

>>746639
Kothbiro gladly accepts, taking it when offered. "To new beginnings," she toasts before taking a good swig.

>>746642
There's a bit of a comfortable silence. Kothbiro eventually gets your attention. "…Seems I owe you an apology, dog. You're not as much a fool as I took you for. Where are you from anyway? Never seen your kind before."

>>746646
Kothbiro nods. "We have a heading. And that's enough. With any luck, we'll be clear of these lands in a few days. From there, who knows where the road will take us. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to just wander for a while, put some distance between us and this place while we follow the roads. Or even off into the wilds." She muses as she munches on some jerky. Unusual for a pony, you notice. "Sometimes the best plan is no plan at all. Don't you think?"

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:37:42 No.746651

>>746645
>>746646
>>746647
I nod a quick 'no problem', and stop playing long enough to take my flask, hold it up, take another swig, and put it back away. Guess we're headed to this fishing hamlet next. Ain't sure what's gonna happen after. Guess right now it don't matter. I put my harp back to my lips and start playin again.

Sunbeam [F Dragon Druid] 5/6 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:43:18 No.746653

>>746647
"It was more checking in on the blacksmith than anything. A sword in Trakali is a symbol of authority or a gift for ceremony. I have seen some marriage proposals performed with ornate knives." She says, a bit bemused with the thought.

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:43:58 No.746655

>>746647
"Plains, multiple packs there. Not there anymore, my own alpha now." Noghu says, a dark expression falling over his face.

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:48:22 No.746657

>>746647
"Hmm.. perhapss. The gem proved a fruitlesss endeavor, but time may yet pressent a new avenue of magic to sstudy."

"The rebelss we met mentioned one ssuch place to the north, though a path to reach it eludess me."

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 03:53:25 No.746661

>>746647
Kalidan nods in between flute songs. It's been a while since he's played, and he feels a little rusty. He continues practicing as the others talk, sitting around the outskirts of the warmth of the fire.

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:01:23 No.746665

>>746661
Kothbiro listens politely as you play. "Where'd you learn to play like that?" she asks curiously at one point.

>>746655
She tilts her head slightly. "Oh? How come? …Sore topic?"

>>746653
She blinks. "Hm. Perhaps we could forge you a sword next time we visit a good smith. If nothing else, it'd make for a good talking point."

>>746657
"Most likely they were heading to Roan," she comments. "Though they're in for a rude awakening if so. It's planned to be the next target of Thenn's conquest. He'll have his work cut out for him. They won't bend the knee easily there."

>>746651
Kothbiro watches you with curiosity, looking up from stirring the flames. "So, what's the deal with that bear transformation thing? I'm guessing you can't just do it at will. Some sort of curse, right?"

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:14:05 No.746670

>>746665
Noghu shrugs, "Pack hunt food, alpha claim food, pack eat bones. Good hunters got weak, bone eaters wanted meat."

Noghu crunches on the gem he was sucking on, "I am not meat."

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:16:05 No.746671

>>746655

Kalidan takes a quick break from playing to nod understanding at the dog. "I used to have a… pack, I guess you'd call it, too. Sometimes alone is better."

>>746665
He resumes playing for a moment, but pauses when the zebra addresses him, silent for a moment. "A long time ago, when I was scarcely more than a kit, a… friend… taught me to make these. My first was terrible, no tuning at all. Over the years I've refined my technique. May not look like much but it sounds alright."
He holds up the roughly - whittled instrument, shrugging. It doesn't look like he has put any effort at all into decorating the rough branch, aside from fitting notches to perfectly fit his large paws.
"Always figured the point of a musical instrument is to sound good, not look nice."

He continues playing, this time a haunting melody that brings to mind the harsh winds of the desert sands.

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:16:12 No.746672

>>746665
I lower my jaw harp and lick my lips again, this time from discomfort. Running my hand through my beard, I grunt. "Cursed." I confirm. "Happens when I get too hurt or too a'sceered'a somethin. Last one don't happen often. I don't spook easy, but… well, y'all seen me get hurt. Lose my mind. The animal takes over. Ain't nothin but claws, teeth, and anger til anythin what wants to hurt me ain't around to hurt me no more." I pause and linger for a moment, trying to decide if I wanna overshare. Finally, I continue. "Don't usually remember normally, but what happens when I change- it comes back in dreams. Drinkin a bit helps. Don't get much sleep otherwise."

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:18:02 No.746674

>>746665
"Sstrange that we will be sseeking sshelter within a city we were prepared to asssisst in ssubjugating, but ssuch iss the fate we have made."

"Will they recognize you ass one working under Ssyr thenn?"

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:18:58 No.746675

>>746671
>>746670
I hum. Seems like we ain't completely different. "Had a pack myself, too. Sometimes alone is better," I agree.

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:26:23 No.746679

>>746675
>>746671
Noghu blinks, looking at the group, "Strange to say now."

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:30:18 No.746681

>>746679
"Pardon," I say without a hint of sarcasm. "Don't know if y'all could tell, but I'm still gettin used to-" I gesture broadly at the party. "This."

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:32:39 No.746682

>>746681
Noghu shrugs, "Am my own alpha, but packs can kill bigger prey."

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:32:53 No.746683

>>746681
>>746679
Kalidan nods again. "Agreed. It's been strange working with others again." He pauses a reflective moment. "But not bad. I don't know if I would have made it through some of those scrapes without you guys." He carefully avoids eye contact as he concedes this last point.

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:39:06 No.746688

>>746683
I nod in agreement.

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 04:51:26 No.746694

>>746670
It takes her a minute to wrap her head around what you're trying to get across. She nods when it clicks. "You didn't like the leadership, then? Guess we're in the same boat. Heh."

>>746671
She nods in agreement. "You're quite good. Though, why not have both? You should take some pride in your equipment. Make it more your own." She motions to her propped up axe nearby. You hadn't gotten a good look before, but the handle is engraved with patterns, while the axe head is kept clean and well polished. It's clear she cares deeply for her equipment. "I should name her sometime."

>>746672
"Ah. I've heard stories about that sort of thing. Wretches cursed to transform into beasts under a full moon. I guess the truth isn't so different. …Maybe it's not all bad, though. I don't think we'd be here if you hadn't ripped through those guards like that. It was pretty impressive. Maybe there's some way you could control it."

>>746674
"Most likely not. I'm not anyone of particular renown, save to a few. I think I'll be safe. And if not, well, I'm sure I'll be able to talk my way out of it. It's not Roan I'm worried about anyway. It's those two minotaurs…" She looks uneasy all of a sudden. "It's the bed we have to lie in," she agrees.

>>746688
>>746683
>>746682
>>746674
She smiles at the ongoing conversation. "Strength in numbers," she agrees. "We'd all be dead or worse if we hadn't helped each other out. We make a good group together." She smiles and munches on some dried raisins for a while, watching the flames dance. For a moment, you can let go of any worries you have. You're in a safe place.

One by one, you go to sleep, whether in tents or otherwise, according to your preferences. Your dreams were pleasant, and you awaken feeling very well rested, despite everything that happened yesterday. Saskia shows up with some breakfast she hunted while everyone was asleep, in the form of a branch of edible berries, and a freshly hunted rabbit. She drops them for you near the dwindling firepit, along with some kindling should you wish to restoke the campfire.

Kothbiro stirs, mumbling indistinctly as she pulls herself out of the tent. She rubs her eyes and looks around. "Oh. Thanks, wolf. …We should get a move on as soon as we can. We have a lot of ground to cover. We should be able to reach the hamlet by tomorrow if we move quick. From there, we can stock up on supplies, then, head off to wherever we wish."
>roll Navigation when ready

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:02:42 No.746702

>>746694
Noghu nods, "We are fed, prioritize travel over hunt. Game would slow us down."

Noghu gets to work traversing, once again happy to be outdoors.
[1d10+1] nav

Roll #1 5 + 1 = 6

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:05:37 No.746704

>>746694
Feeling far better about the situation, Vajra retires for the night, resting atop her coils near the fire.

Waking up rested, the sorceress nods in thanks to the wolf, applying the kindling to the fire and making an effort to try and skin the rabbit to cook, using her ritual knife with cautious cuts.

Once breakfast has been had by all, she joins the others in traveling to the waylay hamlet.
[1d10] navigation

Roll #1 5 = 5

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:12:47 No.746707

>>746694
Kalidan looks at Koth's axe appreciatively. "You know I got a pretty good look at it when it was pointed at me, though I mostly just saw the business end." He lets out a chuckle to indicate his lack of rancor,then turns serious.
"Hey. Thanks for not cleaving me back there. I know you had every reason to. And… thanks for siding with us. You never explained why you didn't want to." He looks at her questioningly, but doesn't press the issue.

"Anyway, I always end up losing or breaking these things anyway," he chuckles again, looking at his rough hewn woodwind. Shrugs, puts it away. "Not a big deal to replace something you didn't put too much into."

By and by he curls up by himself closer to the slowly dying fire, using his pack as a pillow. He falls into a more restful slumber than he's had in weeks, snoring lightly as a puddle of drool slowly grows below him.

Waking with a start, he hops up, grabbing his pack and ready to go immediately. Surreptitiously he grabs a couple dried meats from the cave supplies and stuffs them into his pack, then sets off with his companions in the bright morning sun.

Navigation [1d10]

Roll #1 8 = 8

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:19:12 No.746710

>>746704
I pull out my bushcraft knife and help the witch butcher the rabbit. Grabbing my stew pot, I brown the meat chunks, letting them simmer in the small bit of fat that actually renders out.

[1d10+2]Survivalist DC4

Once I eat some dried fruit with the fried rabbit, I clean my pot, pack my gear, and get ready for the road.

[1d10]Nav

Roll #1 8 + 2 = 10 / Roll #2 6 = 6

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:35:20 No.746716

>>746704
>>746710
You manage to skin and prepare the rabbit. Kothbiro joins you happily, finding a sharp stick to spitroast it with before cutting it into chunks for the stew. It's quite delicious, if somewhat tough.

>>746707
She tries to explain. "I don't think I really made it clear how done for we'd be if the Heart hadn't been destroyed. Thenn wanted to give it to a dragon in exchange for his help in the conquest. Not a dragon like Sunbeam over there either, I'm talking an Archdragon. Winged hell. Nothing would be able to stand against him with one of those at his side. I… I couldn't let that happen. Think of all the people that would die, entire cities razed to the ground for defying him. It's… it's unconscionable. I couldn't sit by and let that happen."

>>746707
>>746702
>>746704
>>746710
Kothbiro takes a moment after breakfast to leave something behind. She digs a little hole, puts in a few coins and a waterskin, then buries it, marking the spot with a little stone cairn. "For the next traveler to stop by," she explains. "It's just common courtesy." Saskia rumbles softly in approval.

You head off into the wild. Saskia shows you hidden paths through the greenery, likely carved by the Fire Witch in her wanderings. Most of the day goes past without much incident. You stop for lunch at the top of a hill, looking down at a tiny creek. You feel like you've made great progress. Perhaps it's some enchantment of the Fire Witch speeding you along to your destination.

Later that day, at around 4pm, you come to a fork in the wilderness:

There is an overgrown path ahead that leads through a dense patch of woodland. It seems difficult to traverse, and will almost certainly slow you down.

There is a second path that seems to lead to a proper road, out to a more open area flanked by the shadow of a rocky mountain. This seems like the more direct path to take to reach your destination, but carries the risk of ambush from the inhabitants of the mountain above.

Saskia stops and sits on her haunches right in the middle of the path, staring at you expectantly, awaiting your decision with a bit of a head tilt.

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:42:05 No.746717

>>746716
The cat stops and sniffs the air for a moment, then goes and sits himself down by the path through the underbrush.

"I for one don't feel extremely comfortable taking well-traveled roads at this point. Not while Thenn's lackies, and gods know who else, might be looking for us. I say we take the path less traveled."

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:44:07 No.746718

>>746716
I adjust my pack and make my way toward the more heavily wooded area. Ain't lookin to get ambushed by no mountain folk today. Probably like them dern dogs.

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:45:43 No.746719

>>746716
Noghu concurs with the other two silently, heading towards the woods.

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 05:54:38 No.746720

>>746716
>>746717

"An excellent point. An ambussh in an effort to ssave time helpss no one."

slithing towards the overgrown path, Vajra follows Thungr close behind, occasionally cutting through overhanging branches along the path.

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:08:47 No.746721

>>746719
>>746718
>>746717
>>746720
Kothbiro looks like she's about to protest, but shrugs. "Just hope it doesn't slow us down before we run out of resources."

You continue on the overgrown path, hacking away grasping brambles and vines that block your way. Progress is painstakingly slow; Kothbiro wears herself out from all the constant hacking and swinging. Any attempts by Noghu to dig under it don't work either; there's solid stone under a few feet of dirt.

After about an hour of this, you look back. You've gone less than a kilometer, and the light is beginning to fade. To make matters worse, you hear a faint rumble of rainclouds in the distance. Saskia whines, and Kothbiro has to stop to catch her breath. "I think we made the wrong decision," she comments. "Maybe there's an easier way around?…"
>roll Navigation

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:10:21 No.746722

>>746721
"No trying to travel with storm, we stop and build shelter, avoid getting sick." Noghu says, instead looking for somewhere with higher elevation so water doesn't flow towards them once a storm starts.

[1d10+1] nav but only the local area

Roll #1 8 + 1 = 9

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:13:53 No.746723

>>746721
I grunt, grab a branch, wrap it in rags, and soak it with a bit of oil. Taking my flint and steel, I light the new torch. After I get back to making my way through the woods, trying to use what I can see of the sky to stay oriented. I sqint as I hear the thunder and smell the rain on the air. Dern glad I bought the tarp. Should be big enough to shelter everyone if I set it up as a fly. Hopefully.

[1d10+2]DC 4 survivalist
[1d10]Navigation

Roll #1 4 + 2 = 6 / Roll #2 2 = 2

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:17:29 No.746724

>>746721
Kalidan finds himself more frustrated with the larger, less agile creatures than the treacherous terrain as he clambers from branch to branch above their heads, spending almost as much time watching them as picking his way through the canopy. His thin limber frame is well-suited to squeezing through narrow passes and leaping from branch to branch, and he immediately concurs with Kothbiro's assessment of regretting their decision.

"You guys are soooo slow!" he complains for at least the tenth time. "You're also making such a racket! Any predators in this wood are already watching us, I'm sure." He looks around nervously into the darkening jungle.

"I'm going to go check out the surrounding area. I'd say don't go too far, but there's hardly a chance of that, is there?" He doesn't try to hide the disdain in his voice before bounding off into the brush.

Navigation [1d10]

Roll #1 7 = 7

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:21:51 No.746725

>>746721
Hissing in frustration at the lack of progress, Vajra looks through the area for some sign of clearer pathways. surely this forest can't be this thick all the way through?

[1d10] local nav

Roll #1 9 = 9

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:28:42 No.746726

>>746725
>>746724
>>746722
>>746723
"Your whinging's making more of a racket than all of us combined, cat," Kothbiro gripes.

A bit of searching reveals a better path; just to the west is a small hill where the bushes aren't as overgrown. Progress will still be slow, but at least you won't have to deal with constantly getting scratched by sticks and leaves and who knows what else. It'll also make for a better spot to be when the rain hits.

Kothbiro notices what you've noticed, and starts carving a path forward through there. It takes a bit, but the going does get a bit easier now. However, taking this path does leave you slightly more exposed to potential creatures in the area…
>roll Perception

Thungr [The Hermit] 3/4 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:32:10 No.746727

>>746726
I tighten my grip on my spear as we step into an area more prone to being picked out. For the most part I keep my eyes ahead, but cast brief glances to my sides and keep my ears open for anything important.

[1d10+3]Perception

Roll #1 4 + 3 = 7

Vajra [5/5 Saurian Necrolord] 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:35:16 No.746728

>>746726
Eager to finally make some progress but wary of the open view, Vajra unfolds the blanket to allow her skeletal ally to reconfigure itself, living and dead saurians taking up the rear guard.

[1d10] Perception, DC-2 detect life

Roll #1 1 = 1

Kalidan [Felid DK] 5/5 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:37:44 No.746729

>>746726
Kalidan is already waiting as the gang cuts the last obstacle of of their way. "Took you long enough," he snarks, before casting a look around the slightly clearer area.

Perception [1d10]

Roll #1 8 = 8

Noghu [M. Diamond Dog Wildguard]5/3 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:40:46 No.746730

>>746726
Noghu keeps his spear ready, staying aware of surroundings.
[1d10+1]

Roll #1 8 + 1 = 9

The Reticent Raconteur 09/05/20 (Sat) 06:45:25 No.746731

>>746727
>>746728
>>746729
>>746730
Vajra gets a bit of a sensory overload as she tries to detect life. There's a lot of creatures nearby. A lot.

As she tries to recover, the rest of you notice some rustling nearby. Before you can react, however, a small, furry creature bursts out, biting Vajra's tail, then rushes back into the bushes as quickly as it appeared. You hear it let out a shrill staccato yelp, followed by an answering call of dozens of the critters all around. The bushes seem to come alive as more of them start rushing towards you from afar!
>Vajra takes 2 hits

"This doesn't look good," Kothbiro comments, readying her axe. Saskia growls quietly and bristles, baring her shark-like teeth.
>pausing