[IC] Chapter 2-4: You Hear Them Whispering in the Crowns of the Trees

[Silent Giant]

The nature lore (OOC - more like Survival) instilled in druid and ranger alike, point out that the partially devoured corpse looks as if half of the corpse would've been eaten by insects, probably ants, well known to clean up bones completely with the acids they secrete, but then why would they leave the other half intact? Another possibility is that some other source of acid caused the trouble.

The black patches, roughly round or oval in shape, look like burns, indeed, but it's hard to tell whether it's done by fire or some chemicals.

Throwing the lingering sour smell into the pot of imagination, they are both convinced that the source of destruction is some source of acid.

Toot also discovers some tracks (Giant barely missed) around the carcass and one of the blackened patches. They look like enormous footprints but given the rocky terrain it's hard to tell what kind of creature left them. Based on the sheer size, however, it can range from a rhino to a giant croc, but the weight must be over a couple tons.

Acid? Hm. - he whispers

OOC - You're really not kidding, first an iron golem, and now a black dragon, fine

[Toot]

[OoC:  Just a reminder that Toot has a +9 Survival skill and Boo has the Special Quality of Scent and the Track feat.  Assuming SG has a better chance to find tracks than Boo, Boo will Aid another to try to give SG a +2 on his roll.  If Boo has a better chance to Track because it's acid and the trail has a strong smell for Boo to follow (and because Scent allows him to ignore modifiers for surface conditions and poor visibility), Toot will ask SG to Aid Boo in finding the tracks.]

Scent (Ex): Boo's Wisdom Mod is +1

This extraordinary special quality allows a creature to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Creatures with the scent ability can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights.

The creature can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range.

When a creature detects a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed—only its presence somewhere within range. The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent.

Whenever the creature comes within 5 feet of the source, the creature pinpoints the source’s location.

A creature with the Track feat and the scent ability can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind of surface holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry’s odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Track feat. Creatures tracking by scent ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Water, particularly running water, ruins a trail for air-breathing creatures. Water-breathing creatures that have the scent ability, however, can use it in the water easily.

False, powerful odors can easily mask other scents. The presence of such an odor completely spoils the ability to properly detect or identify creatures, and the base Survival DC to track becomes 20 rather than 10.

Toot strokes the few hairs growing from his chin and then says, "Can one of you who is schooled in Arcane Knowledge tell if black patches caused by something magical (like a spell or dragon breath)?"

[OoC: Assuming that Toot's Knowledge: Nature would have revealed if these marks were created by something from the natural world, he will use his Skill in Spellcraft to see if he can Identify the spell or effect.   He will also use Knowledge: Nature to learn whatever he can about the bugs; how long they have been munching on the corpse; if there is anything special about the bugs; etc.  Toot will also use Heal skill to determine any more information about the corpses such as length of time they've been dead; cause of death if it's different than just acid (perhaps the creature used acid to cover up bite marks or something).

SpellCraft +11 = 26!
Knowledge: Nature +13 = 27!
Heal +7 = 9  Lets hope I can take 10.     If not, then maybe someone else can check because Heal is a skill that can be used untrained.]

[DM Surranó]

OOC - Giant's survival is +5 according to his signature so Toot is king of tracking here And I included Toot's previous natural 20 on the Knowledge (Nature) roll in the description above. The druid definitely thinks that if there is correlation then it's acid and no bugs.

[Shanna Rendin]

Acid? Hm. - he whispers

OOC - You're really not kidding, first an iron golem, and now a black dragon, fine

((OOC - unless it's a chimaera.  Or a rot worm.  Or a Green dragon.))

Toot strokes the few hairs growing from his chin and then says, "Can one of you who is schooled in Arcane Knowledge tell if black patches caused by something magical (like a spell or dragon breath)?"

[OoC: Assuming that Toot's Knowledge: Nature would have revealed if these marks were created by something from the natural world, he will use his Skill in Spellcraft to see if he can Identify the spell or effect.   He will also use Knowledge: Nature to learn whatever he can about the bugs; how long they have been munching on the corpse; if there is anything special about the bugs; etc.  Toot will also use Heal skill to determine any more information about the corpses such as length of time they've been dead; cause of death if it's different than just acid (perhaps the creature used acid to cover up bite marks or something).

SpellCraft +11 = 26!
Knowledge: Nature +13 = 27!
Heal +7 = 9  Lets hope I can take 10.     If not, then maybe someone else can check because Heal is a skill that can be used untrained.]

Shanna nods silently, knowing that here, in the forests, the little gnomish creature is far more in his element than she.  She slips her mind into Arcane sight, attempting to discern if the burn marks and black patches were of arcane origin, whether spell or arcane creature, or simply an effect brought about through arcane magic.

Know(arcana): [1d20+17] = 16+17 = 33!!, Spellcraft: [1d20+17] = 14+17 = 31!!


[[From the previous thread, when Cranberry asks her and Merri to 'control' SG.]]
"I make no promises, but I will do what I can.  Enchantment is not one of my capabilities."

[Merrinna Starsong]

knowledge arcana: [1d20+11] = 15+11 = 26

Merrinna does a cursory examination of the burns. There were too many ways of acid appearing to easily narrow it down. "Black dragon seems unlikely. This is not their typical lair. Generally they prefer swamps. Green dragons like forests, but they spew gas, not acid. It is pointless to play a guessing game we cannot possibly know the answer to without looking, so let us go look. It is the only way to be sure." She was small, even for an elf, and highly intellectual, but she was also a warrior and knew the value of scouting. "When we get close, perhaps Silent Giant can get in quietly without alerting the creature by himself."

[Toot]

OOC - Giant's survival is +5 according to his signature so Toot is king of tracking here And I included Toot's previous natural 20 on the Knowledge (Nature) roll in the description above. The druid definitely thinks that if there is correlation then it's acid and no bugs.

[OoC: Except Toot doesn't have the Track Feat so that limits him to finding tracks that have a DC10 or less.]

[DM Surranó]

OOC1 - I made a terrible mistake and it's too late to fix it now but you'll learn soon enough.
OOC2 - just how easy to find huge tracks that are not attempted to be hidden in the first place?


Shanna agrees that it can be a dragon, as well as what Merri said about black and green dragons. May it be a hybrid? Or a black who chose an unusual dwelling place? She remembers that copper dragons dwell in warm hills and also breath acid, but what would cause a good dragon to... misbehave...? And there are the less known mineral dragons, planar dragons, drakes, etc. And who knows what else.

The most the trackers can tell is that the creature is quadruped.

[Silent Giant]

Acid? Hm. - he whispers

OOC - You're really not kidding, first an iron golem, and now a black dragon, fine

((OOC - unless it's a chimaera.  Or a rot worm.  Or a Green dragon.))

OOC - Yeah, you are right, this is only an assumption, but black dragon's type is water and we have a lake near where he can hide, rest. I don't know rot worm, but I think worms leave holes. Against a chimera we have a little chance, maybe. It can be a hybrid dragon with more heads like a hydra, a hydragon

[Toot]

Acid? Hm. - he whispers

OOC - You're really not kidding, first an iron golem, and now a black dragon, fine

((OOC - unless it's a chimaera.  Or a rot worm.  Or a Green dragon.))

OOC - Yeah, you are right, this is only an assumption, but black dragon's type is water and we have a lake near where he can hide, rest. I don't know rot worm, but I think worms leave holes. Against a chimera we have a little chance, maybe. It can be a hybrid dragon with more heads like a hydra, a hydragon

[OoC: Chimera are only a Challenge Rating 7 creature which is based on a 4 PC party.  I certainly hope a group of SIX 8th level PC's can handle one CR7 creature.  If it was an Advanced Chimera that might be different but we have casters capable of summoning creatures who can fly and outmaneuver a Chimera.  I think Toot can even try to befriend a Magical Beast which even though unlikely it would be pretty funny having a friendly, playful Chimera hanging around.      

FYI: I just checked and Toot can only befriend Magical Beast with a 1 or 2 Intelligence.  Chimera's are smarter so he can't use Wild Empathy on them.   ]

[Toot]

Toot will continue to use his skills to examine the tracks for whatever knowledge he can learn.  He will mention that Portho should enlighten them with his Bardic Knowledge. 

"Me think we should speak with the local animals.  They undoubtedly know what happened here.  Me especially good at speaking with rats and their kin.  If that too difficult, me can memorize Speak with Plants tomorrow to try to get information from them too."

Toot will go about getting some rations out to try to lure out some rats so he can speak with one.  He is the same size of a rat so they shouldn't be too scared of him, if they are at all.  Toot will be of course using his Wild Empathy.