Nearly dark and the far edge of the hex you find a roundish and oval rock about the size of a loaf of bread...

Drezghl dismounted and walked near the rock.   He looked around and then knelt down to examine the rock.

Tauron stays on his donkey and waits to see what Drezghl has found.

The smooth rock appears to be a prairie dog effigy made completely of stone.

Nearby is another rock that appears to be a brown snake, but it to is solid stone.


Perception and knowledge nature/arcane may be in order.

Tauron get of his donkey and come over to have closer look at the snake.

OOC:

16:31, Today: Tauron Alphmellon rolled 19 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 11.  Perception Check.

Picking up the stone snake, Filarion muses aloud, "What manner of beast could do this? A medusa, perhaps?"

He really didn't know, but just guessing.

"Remember when I collected the skins earlier?  I've never seen a snake shed that large. I have a feeling that it might have something to do with one of those tatzylwyrms that Oleg was talking about. I dont know how the stone snake has any connection.", Drez added based on his earlier observations.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:11, Sun 09 Sept 2018.

"What is a tatzylwyrm? Never heard of it."

As you more closely examine the stone effigies it is easy to note some defects in the smoothness of the skin, there are scratches that seem to be on the skin in three rows that narrow as the move across the surface, also near the neck you find a small wedge shaped bite mark.


Ranger or Druid

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
This appears to be the work of a cockatrice an overgrown chicken like creature that can turn it's prey to stone

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Aside from the piglet and the snake you also find a stone shaped like a turtle.

Tauron Alphmellon move back to his donkey.
I think it I remember from my text books that this may be a cockatrice.
It like a large chicken.  However it does not peck you to death it peck you into stone.
I would suggest not getting to close to it.
However for the good of this area i think we should deal with the creature.

"I believe you're right, Tauron.", Drez agreed. He drew a tomahawk from his belt.

"With so many stone animals, I suspect that we may be close to it's lair.  We should be careful and don't bunch up."

Just then you hear the crowing of what sounds like a tormented rooster....

The non combat trained mounts stop in their tracks as does any animal companions.

The area where the noise came from is 60 Feet away.  There are at least a few abandoned burrows that direction...

Freezing the elf whispers, "We should leave. If any of us are turned to stone, I doubt we have the magics available to correct it." As such he moves to leave the area, looking to see if there others follow or not.

Raz gives a shrug as he tunes the mandolin in his hands now.

"Not a lot of glory in running away. I can only think of a handful of tales where the hero was the hero for avoiding conflict. Nobody says we have to fight it. Perhaps it is already dead and we're just jumping at remains from a long time ago."

"No.  It's alive.  You heard it.  Be wary, it's small.  Nock an arrow if you're able.", Drez said.

He shifted his sword to his off hand and kept the throwing axe in his dominant hand.

Perception DC 15

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
You see what appears to be a chicken head pop out of the center prairie dog hole.  It ducks back down fairly quickly

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Knowledge nature or arcane DC 15

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Although dangerous this is nothing like the gaze attack of the Medusa, and no one is certain if these creatures are natural, fey or abominations

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Those without combat trained mounts find the mounts unwilling to move closer.
Those who have can make handle animal or ride checks DC 13 to move closer...

Filarion looks about nervously causing his eyes to fall upon a small mound. "There it is!" he calls out, warning his fellow adventurers. He pulls on the reins of Linta to pull him back away from the beast so that the stallion doesn't rear up and dump the elf on the ground.

Once they are a few extra feet away, the warrior drops to the ground and pulls his bow out.

Standard action: Move Linta 30' back
Move action: Dismount and draw bow

"I missed it.  Watch out.  It might come back from a different hole.", Drez shouted.   His arm was cocked and ready to throw his axe.

As you all watch the rooster head pops up out of the same hole...

Those who have readied a ranged attack can go ahead and do so....

Tauron draws his bow and had a go at the hitting the creature.

OOC:
21:11, Today: Secret Roll: Tauron Alphmellon rolled 7 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 5.  attack with bow.

Raz magically produces a violin and starts fiddling out a folk diddy about farmers tending to their flocks. It is an uplifting tune although the actual lyrics are quite dark as the farmers lure the animals to the slaughterhouse one by one. All the animals try different clever ruses to avoid being next but all of them fail and they all end up on the meat racks.

Still it does help shift the heroes' minds into the right place and calms their nerves to allow maximum effort.

OOC: Inspire courage! Everyone gets a +1 to hit and +1 to damage!

Drez was ready when the cockatrice popped it's grotesque head up out of the hole.  He threw his axe with a grunt and watched it fly towards it's target. Unfortunately it struck harmlessly in the dirt in front of the beast.


21:44, Today: Secret Roll: Drezghl Zuhv rolled 12 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 7

The attacks seem to be ignored by the creature thus far.  It crows again a bizarre sound indeed....

Carry on...

Drawing back the string in his bow, its made obvious that he's focused on the sword rather than the bow.


I'm going to move up within the first range increment.

06:06, Today: Secret Roll: Filarion Petxalim rolled 9,5 using d20+5,d6 with rolls of 4,5.  Attack/damage.

The feathered head bobs back down into the hole, it rises up again and crows...

You can attack again....