[Jean] Chapter 14: Escape from the Treants

pringerbeam · June 05, 2019, 11:47:10 AM

"Well... We are at least safe up here for now but like you said Gust is injured so we will need to set down somewhere. The trees seem to be very persistent so we can't set down in the forest anywhere for long." Relaxing his grip a little as Gust's flight became less hectic, though still keeping an arm each around Ren and Dalina for security, Jean surveyed the lands below them, looking for the edge of the forest and any places that might be suitable to land at. "Returning to the mountain may put the others in danger so it would be best to go somewhere else but we have no supplies and well... We still need to get directions to the other temples from Marina and we can't leave Anja behind... As big a risk as it may be I think we should return to the mountain. Maybe the elder dragon knows how to call off the treants or how to talk to the dryads. They are their neighbors after all so maybe she can help start a dialogue. If they can't help us then we will need to drop off the villager's goods that I still have with me and leave as soon as possible. I was hoping we could spend a few days collecting information on the lay of the lands we are about to go through but I don't think we have that time anymore." Jean looked to the darkening sky and the setting sun. "I don't think we have much time to make a decision... The sun is starting to set. What do you guys think?"

[info]Not sure how far along the day/night cycle we are at but I think its close to 9:00 pm?[/info]

Throndir · June 05, 2019, 03:09:22 PM

Location: Northwest of Mt. Velothia - 1,000 ft in the air
Date: Day 7 (Jean), Day 9 (Rosalie) - Time: 9:00 PM

"As long as I'm with you, master..." Ren said, you could feel her tentacles squeeze you slightly.

"Ren... I'm not sure how you could say such embarrassing things all the time..."

Ren cocked her head. "You like master too, right?"

"U-umm no!" Dalina vehemently denied it, though she had started to blush slightly. "Anyways! As much as I think we should head back to the mountain, the treants, assuming they can keep following, would make their way back towards everyone... And that would be after midnight. From my reading of the treants, they would be able to see in the moonlight just fine, but might be harder for the rest of us, and especially the land-dwellers that make their home at the base of Mt. Velothia." She paused for a moment gathering her thoughts. "But at the same time, even though the peaks of the mountains to the west are devoid of trees, it's unnaturally cold... Like there's something about there that doesn't make sense. You can tell right? We're a thousand feet up in the air, and it's still not as cold as it was down on the ground."

"We can go back to the mountain, but... even though they are land-dwellers, I wouldn't feel right if we the treants started to attack them because of us."

pringerbeam · June 05, 2019, 03:44:30 PM

Jean paused trying to think for a moment. "I told Anja I wouldn't separate you... I can't just leave her to wonder what happened to you like your mother before. It's a risk but we at least need to let her know. Whatever is happening I think I'm the source..." Jean pointed to the snowy peaks of the mountain range to the west. "Drop me and Ren off then fly back to the mountain. Get some provisions and warm clothes. Tell Anja what is happening and that Viridio is in her care. While you're there tell them that I'll leave Amie's father's goods in a cache on that mountain. When the moon is at its highest I'll send up a signal. I'll try to be as close to the peak as I can. Find us and we will go by foot from there."

Throndir · June 06, 2019, 08:56:11 AM

Location: Northwest of Mt. Velothia - 1,000 ft in the air
Date: Day 7 (Jean), Day 9 (Rosalie) - Time: 9:00 PM

Dalina nodded, as she patted Gust lightly. "Alright Gust, hang in there." Dalina told him, and with that Gust chirped back a response. With that, the three of you headed westwards. Due to Gust's speed flying, the journey was much faster than it would have been going on foot. What would have it been a couple more hours of journeying through the mountains became only half an hour. At the same time you knew that the treants were at least 5 hours behind, and if they continued their march westwards like you, that would make them even farther away from Mt. Velothia. It became cloudier and cloudier, and Gust had to lower elevation a few times in order to maintain view of the mountain range. The temperature also became colder and colder the lower you descended. Soon enough it became freezing, and as Gust continued to fly, snow began to accumulate. First it was light, then, it became thicker and thicker. It was getting to the point that Gust's movements started to be sluggish. Snow continued to pour from the skies as well. It seemed more like a blizzard than anything else, though, neither you or Ren were affected much by it.

"Jean!" Dalina called out. "I think we have to land here! Gust can't go much further!" Dalina yelled out through the high chill winds. A second later Dalina sneezed as she shivered from the cold. The peaks of the mountain was just about an hour away, so it didn't seem too far. Though Gust had a layer of frost over him.

pringerbeam · June 06, 2019, 10:35:26 AM

"Okay, we'll get off here." Said Jean as he got off Gust with Ren. "Be sure to bring a tent and warm clothes." He yelled over the wind. "And tell Anja I'm sorry that her training is going to have to wait. Oh also, ask Marina about if she had some kind of way of communicating with the island. I think she had something planned so that we can keep in contact." Jean looked around surveying the new snowy domain. "Be safe Dalina. We'll see you in a couple of hours. Don't forget to get some food for yourself while you're there. We haven't eaten since this morning and I'm starving, I can only guess you are just as hungry." He said, squinting through the snow.

After Dalina took flight back to the mountain Jean took stock of his surroundings. The cold bit at him but it did not hurt as it once would have if he had dared to walk out into the snow in as little clothing as he was wearing right now. "How are you holding up Ren? I think the master has gifted me with an ability to endure the cold depths. Do you have the same ability?" He finished looking around. "Well even assuming the trees are angry enough to follow us up here, we've still probably have some time. We should look for a cave or something to store the Eldricksens's materials."

[info]Not sure if I need to make a check but I'll throw out some stuff that might be pertinent to trying to find a cave for the goods.

Perception[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+17 : 7 + 17, total 24[/blockquote]
Survival[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+8 : 1 + 8, total 9[/blockquote][/info]

Throndir · June 06, 2019, 09:15:23 PM

Location: Northwest of Mt. Velothia - Near the peaks of the Eastern Antwarch Mountains
Date: Day 7 (Jean), Day 9 (Rosalie) - Time: 9:35 PM

"Jean... Don't do anything too rash out here. I'll be back with supplies! I promise I'll be back!" Dalina said. She looked like she wanted to say more, but coupled with the freezing wind, and the fact she realized she was hesitating, she bit her lip, then pulled the reigns of her bird, having Gust taking flight again.

Ren nodded. "Not as good as yours... I can do better than the human but..." Ren shivered as she scraped some of the frost. "I will be okay..." As for you, the robe that you wore managed to somehow either deflect or absorb all the cold that should have affected you. Gust definitely had a good amount of frost covering him, and Dalina did too on various parts of her own robe. Ren had much less frost on her. Lastly for you, the robe itself was frost-free along with the rest of your body. Even your hands which were exposed to the elements didn't really feel uncomfortable.

QuoteI'll take the Perception. Though, if you start moving in the weather, roll Survival.

[info]Perception: 24
Everywhere you look was covered in snow, though there was plenty of outcroppings of rocks. At the very peak of the mountain, there seemed to be a large rock, that looked dark underneath. However, the distance was far, and it was late evening, so it was hard to tell specifically if that was a cave or not. There were no trees up here as well, either the ground was simply not suitable for plant-life or it was just too cold for them to take root. Further down the mountain range was the start of a few trees, though, even that was a long distance away, and you could only barely catch sight of them through the falling snow. Apart from that, due to the weather conditions, it was hard to see much of anything else.[/info]

pringerbeam · June 06, 2019, 10:45:06 PM

Jean shielded his face from the wind. "I guess we make for the peak. It looks like there might be some shelter from the storm up there." He looked at the slight frost that was affecting Ren and the swirling snow about them. "Come on." He pulled her next to him. "We need to stick together. It may not seem like that far of a distance but we can't risk getting too far away from each other and separated. Back in my world many people died on mountains if they didn't take these kinds of precautions..." He started to trudge through the snow up the mountain, one arm securely around Ren, the other blocking the stinging frost that was buffeting his eyes. "I hope this isn't a huge mistake..." He looked back down the mountain to the distant treeline. "But I don't think we have many options at this point... Hopefully this is just as inhospitable to the trees as it is to us..."

[info]Survival check[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+8 : 20 + 8, total 28[/blockquote][/info]

Throndir · June 07, 2019, 10:50:40 PM

You began to travel towards the peak. However, you found the journey rather easy, even though you were being buffeted by the winds being extremely light. At the very least, Ren kept you grounded with her powerful tentacles, and whenever the wind would hit, she would lock you down to the ground. You made a very fast and quick pace towards the peak. There were times when your visibility had been severely reduced, but with your prompting, the both of you soon reached your destination.

[okay]You have gained a new title『The Wise』
You have gained +1 WIS
You have gained a new title『Survivalist』
You have gained +1 WIS[/okay]

Location: Northwest of Mt. Velothia - Peaks of Antwarch Mountains
Date: Day 7 (Jean), Day 9 (Rosalie) - Time: 10:30 PM

The rock outcropping you had seen from below looked different the closer you were to it. The structure looked too unnatural, though it was made out of rocks much the same as the rest of the boulders you had passed by on your journey upwards. For some reason, the snow didn't seem to stick at all on its surface.

pringerbeam · June 08, 2019, 01:04:59 AM

Jean approached the outcropping, one arm still firmly around Ren. "Huh... No snow accumulation?" He wondered aloud as he neared the outcropping. Keeping an eye out, he walked into the shadow of the outcropping, or at least what may have passed for one in the darkness of night during a blizzard.

[info]Perception check to try and inspect the area and look for anything amiss or of interest.[blockquote]Rolled 1d20+18 : 10 + 18, total 28[/blockquote][/info]