Disquiet in the woods
Subject Into the hills
From Mund's own experience, is this normal or bizarre for there to be no large animals in this area?
From: Mark
Subject Into the hills
It is enough for him to notice it. Not seeing any large animals may not be uncommon, especially with a group this big, but to not hear any at all. That means no large animal of any sort, no bear, no elk, no deer, no lion, no large cat, nothing.
There are a few creatures that might cuase that. Dragons for example.
From: Porter
Subject Into the hills
"That's a good idea. This don't smell right."
Mund nervously pulls out his hunting knife and starts whittling a piece of stick into shavings.
During the trip most nights Mund has spent some time playing his lute. He stuffs a rag inside it to deaden the noise. Mund can hear it just fine, but you have to be right next to him in order to hear much at all of what he is playing.
Tonight, however, Mund is too spooked to do this. He he seems to always have an excuse to have his favorite knife out, whether it be whittling, eating, cleaning his nails, or practicing throwing it into one of the trees in the camp.
From: Karl
Subject Disquiet
If Salix were to take his wild shape as some predator, say a bear or panther, would that allow him to sense whatever it is that has the large animals scared?
From: Mark
Subject Wildshape
He is not sure. He would have to take the shape and see what he finds out.
From: Karl
Subject Wildshape
For the record, Salix usually has Noctis assist with the watch at night. He generally let's Noctis sleep during the day unless he is needed for something specific. He let's Noctis hunt during the time they are setting up camp and getting ready for bed and may also let him hunt when Salix takes his own watch unless there is reason to ask Noctis to make an extra patrol during that time. At other times during the night, Salix has Noctis keep watch. This might be from a perch nearby or taking the occasional patrol of the perimeter to relieve the boredom. This is their normal habit, so unless I write that Salix gives specifically *different* orders, it should be assumed Noctis is assisting with the watch to some degree.
However, tonight Salix will put Noctis on alert and have him keep watch and patrol the perimeter at regular intervals until dawn.
From: Porter
Subject Disquiet
If he did this, then there would no longer be a lack of large animals. Problem solved.
Brilliant!
From: Karl
Subject Disquiet
"Something in the area must have the animals spooked. All I can sense is the strangeness of their absense, not *why* they are avoiding this area. Harp, if you think it wise, I can use a new ability I was granted by Obad-Hai during my experience in the sacred grove. I can take the form of a bear or panther or other predator and see what I can sense in that form."
If Harp agrees, Salix will ask Mund specifically *what type* of large animals are missing from this area. (i.e. He doesn't want to take the shape of a tiger if they aren't native to this region anyway.)
From: Porter
Subject Animals
DM? What does Mund know about this?
From: Mark
Subject Animals
For the most part it would be the wild life of the lower Canadian Rockies, bears, elk, moose, a few types of large cat, like mountain lion, sheep, goats, etc
From: Porter
Subject Animals
Goat sounds....yummy. :)
From: Karl
Subject Disquiet
Well, not to get ahead of myself, does Salix notice anything about Noctis that would indicate he is agitated or upset about something? If so, it might be a good idea for him to pray for Speak with Animals, and find out from Noctis what is up, if he can.
From: Mark
Subject Disquiet
No, the birds in the area seem to not be bothered by whatever it is.
From: Karl
Subject Animal
Ok, assuming then that it is agreeable to the group, Salix will take wild shape (mountain lion) and see what he can sense. He will move around the camp area sensing. If he senses something trackable, like a scent, he will try to gather all the information about it he can (strength of scent, if it is on the ground or in the air, what direction it is coming from (air) or where it went (ground), and apparent distance, if he can tell, also what it might be (dragon, etc) if he can tell.) He will move out into the forest for some distance if necessary.
He will tell the group this so that they will know what he is up to.
From: Karl
Subject Animal
Mark, if there is any tracking advantage, please change the animal shape to wolf. If not, then just leave it at mountain lion.
(Thanks, Porter!) ;)
From: Randy
Subject Watch
Ranthir readily agrees to the proposed watch schedule.
OOC: Sorry I don't have much time today to add anyhting meaningful here. I just wanted to be sure to check in so you know I am still around.
From: Kevin
Subject Disquiet
"Salix, I appreciate your offer, but I am gravely concerned. *IF* there is something out there hunting larger animals, you would be hard pressed to protect yourself from it.
It goes against my better judgement, but go ahead. However, if you start to get a sense of what is causing this disturbance, please return. Our task is not to kill this thing, but to get to our assigned destination. We can deal with it if it waylays us, but if it ignores us, I plan to ignore it (OOC: like that has any chance of happening). If you can determine what it is, return at once - do not track it. We can guard against it better if we know what it is.
OOC: Does anyone have any spells that might help Salix's wild form? Before we let Salix get on his way, lets check tonight and respond tomorrow morning.
If any one else has any suggestions, let them fly.
From: Derek
Subject Disquiet
OOC: I've been super busy with deadlines and my first presentation at a conference this week. I'll do my best to keep up.
Allistair thinks alot about the observations of Salix and Mund. Both of them were very intimate with the natural world around them, though for different reasons. Allistair is at a loss as to what might be the cause, nor does he have any divining spells that could prove useful right now. He does have a familiar though, which posesses a sense of smell far beyond that of humans.
His posession of this particular familiar is not necessarily something that he wants disclosed, since he has found that often people do not feel comfortable around vipers, but seeing Salix with his owl he decides he must have a word with the druid. "Salix," he asks when he can speak with him somewhat privately, "As you are aware many mages employ the companionship of an animal. I myself have a snake by the name of Sysyphys, who is able speak with me." (He whispers a few hisses and a snake pokes its head out of Allistair's robe, flicks it's toungue a cople of times towards Allistair, and then disappears back in his robes.) "Sysyphus also posseses a keen sense of smell, and I would like to ask her to sniff around the campsite this evening. Do you think it would be possible to ask your owl to, well, look elsewhere when looking for meals?"
Assuming that Salix aswers in the positive, he will thank the druid. When he is alone for a few moments this evening (perhaps during his watch) he will talk to his snake, Sysyphys, asking her to move into the woods for an hour or so and see if she can detect any stange scents.
From: Derek
Subject Spells
OOC: My only spells that might prove useful to Salix would be invisibility or fly, but both of them are of too short duration to be much of a use at all. They'd probably be more useful if saved for combat.