The twigs all appear to be naturally broken.

Borimer doesn't find anything behind the pillar of dark mist except for more bramble thicket trees.  The trees are about four or five feet high and stripped of all leaves.

You hear more snapping and crackling noises from the darkness of the cavern ahead.

What ever evil awates us I wish it would hurry up, a fight i can handle better than this waiting.

"Then let's go find It..." Borimer draws the obsidian-like artifact and heads towards the noise in the darkness.

Tahldar tags along and hopes this last test goes by quickly.

Kahan follows behind the warrior, mace drawn and ready to kill whatever was making the noise.

As you head forward toward the noise, you get to the bend in the cavern.  Here, you see that the bramble and thicket trees are so thickly grown that you really have only the option of pushing through them (1 point of subdual damage per round and half speed), or destroying them to make a path (no damage).

Although you might think for a second about starting a fire, the bramble is so thick here that you will probably suffocate yourselves and start the equivalent of a forest fire that will wrap around the cavern you just entered as well as this one.

If you hew your way through, you are reduced to movement of 5 feet per round, plus another 5 if you have any skills or tools to do it.  (And must walk in single file unless hewing separately, which to do safely will create an entirely new path.)

Other ways taken on a case by case basis.

You see movement briefly ahead as some of the thorny thickets move.  They grow about five feet tall, are black, leafless, and full of thorns, and something may just be moving in the center of them below your line of sight.

The cave is so dark that you can't really see far into the next large cavern, but it does appear to open up about 50 feet ahead of you.

You also hear a low, soft hum in the distance.  It comes and goes, and is just within your range of hearing.

"Better to cut through then bleed, especially if there's a creature in there waiting, but time is running out," Borimer eyes the area for a moment...

if borimer pushes through and takes damage, would the other party members be able to follow without damage?

can borimer see/guess at how long it would take him to push through? (approximate range of how many rounds of damage it may take)

does his metal armor not serve to protect him at all from these thorns?

"I can honestly say I never thought I would use this spell..." the priest states to nobody in particular before beginning to cast a spell.

[]

Vuzyl waits to see what Kahan has cast.

I had never heard of that spell either:
Spell description:
The plant door spell opens a magical portal or passageway through trees, undergrowth, thickets, or any similar growth--even growth of a magical nature. The plant door is open to the caster who cast the spell, casters of a higher level, or dryads; others must be shown the location of the door. The door even enables the caster to enter a solid tree trunk and remain hidden there until the spell ends. The spell also enables the passage or hiding of any man-sized or smaller creature; hiding is subject to space considerations. If the tree is cut down or burned, those within must leave before the tree falls or is consumed, or else they are killed also. The duration of the spell is one turn per level of experience of the caster. If the caster opts to stay within an oak, the spell lasts nine times longer than normal; if within an ash tree, it lasts three times longer. The path created by the spell is up to 4 feet wide, 8 feet high, and 12 feet long per level of experience of the caster. This spell does not function on plant-based monsters (shambling mounds, molds, slimes, treants, etc.).

Kahan casts a spell, opening a path 4 feet wide, 8 feet high and 108 feet long through the bramble.  He shows the non-spell casters where the entrance is, since it is hidden from them.

Kahan's spell creates quite a stir.  A lot of movement seems to rumble through the bramble, almost as if a wind has gone through it.



if borimer pushes through and takes damage, would the other party members be able to follow without damage?
YES, IF THEY FOLLOW SINGLE FILE.

 can borimer see/guess at how long it would take him to push through? (approximate range of how many rounds of damage it may take)
IT IS ABOUT 100 FEET FORWARD TO THE CURVE IN THE CAVERN. HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW FAR FROM THERE THE BRAMBLE EXTENDS.

 does his metal armor not serve to protect him at all from these thorns?
WE'LL CALL IT HALF DAMAGE FOR THOSE WITH METAL ARMOR (1 SUBDUAL DAMAGE EVERY TWO ROUNDS)
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:00, Mon 11 Apr 2016.

"Not bad," Borimer smiles appreciatively at his friend's handiwork.  When the party is ready Borimer will lead the way through the thicket.

Vuzyl follows the large fighter I do not like the sound of that.

"Let's get this over." Tahldar says in response to the prospect of having to make their way through the tunnel in the brush.

"Aye, we should."  Leo gets ready to follow the others through.

"We must be wary; something went wrong with the spell, but I'm not sure what. Perhaps some of the brush is animate or living and therefore immune to the spell. We need to be ready for that possibility," the priest responds, drawing his mace as he follows behind the others in whatever spot along the marching order the rest of the party wants him to be in.

You start down the tunnel through the thicket, your feet crunching on branches below.  The path is invisible to all but Kahan.  To the rest of you it appears but a blur, and as though you are walking through the briar.  Therefore, Kahan takes the lead with Borimer close behind.  They are followed by Leo, Vuzyl, and Tahldar.  Shapfren walks just in front of Shae, who once again takes the rear.

You make it perhaps 50 feet before things start happening.  In the darkness of the cavern, it appears that the small, thorny bushes are moving or swaying to block your path, as if by a wind.

But then you notice that they are approaching you with branch appendages filled with thorns.  Each of the creatures blends in perfectly with the surrounding black thorny bushes, but when one steps in front of you, you can see it more clearly.  It is about 5 feet tall with two branches extending down like legs and two more out like arms.

The briar around you stirs as several more approach.  (Pushing out of the tunnel from Kahan will invoke the rules above.  There appear to be six approaching, two from each side, one from the front and one from the rear.  They approach cautiously.  Their reach is about 6 feet with their elongated arm branches.  Axes, scythes, etc. get +2 to hit/damage; swords or other blades get +1 damage/to hit; blunt weapons get -1 damage/to hit; projectiles get -2 damage/to hit.)



As the tree monsters attack, the humming in the distance seems to grow slightly louder.  You also notice more swaying in the other briar around you, meaning there are definitely more of these things in hiding.

Don't lose the path Vuzyl calls out as he strikes the one on the right closest to Tahldar, if he can do so without moving.

Borimer attacks the first one within reach of his blade, slashing twice and not liking the worsening situation around him.

"Not sure if this will work." Tahldar says as he casts a spell at the nearest forest creature.

OOC:  Tahldar will cast Daze.  Here is the only spell description I have: Humanoid creature of 4 HD or less loses next action.  If they are 4 or less HD they'd be affected, but I assume they'd still get a save vs spell, but at -3 due to Tahldar's bracers.

Shae attacks the tree thing in the rear with her ancestral spear, holding her back to the party to ward off any more threats.

Leo attacks the nearest one within range with his dagger.

Kahan begins casting.

[]

ROUND ONE
Kahan begins casting...

The six tree blight creatures approach cautiously, giving you the first attacks.

Borimer attacks the one in front, slashing it to pieces.

Tahldar casts Daze, but it does not seem to have any effect.

Shae attacks with her spear, hitting the rear tree blight with a slash and pierce, and it falls with a crunch to the ground.

Leo attacks with his dagger, hitting and cutting off a limb of the nearest tree blight but it still proceeds forward.

Vuzyl attacks and breaks to pieces the tree blight closest to Tahldar.

Kahan casts warp wood and the tree blight nearest him curls and twists in agony until it becomes motionless.

Shapfren stands at the ready but does not attack.

Two tree blights remain, one damaged one on the left, and an unharmed one on the right.  Each lashes out with barbed branches as long as a spear...

The damaged one gets only one attack and slashes at Borimer, but its one long barbed hand bounces harmlessly off Borimer's armor.

The other takes two attacks at Leo with both arms from behind him...but both miss.

Kahan swings at the creature nearest him. "We must push onwards before more come and the spell dissolves. It doesn't last forever unfortunately," he reminds everyone. Should the creature fall before he can swing, he will continue moving forward.

"They didn't attack first and they don't fight well...we may have attacked without need," Borimer mutters, pushing down feelings of guilt at possibly slaughtering innocent creatures. Or cursed ones.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:13, Mon 18 Apr 2016.