Nimly's Adventures
Chapter 12 - Fight or Flight
11th of Mirtul, 1492 DR
By midday in their travels, Nimly and Thorn reach a particularly dense part of the forest, where the canopy overhead provides cool shade from the sun. They decide to take a short break, sitting quietly and enjoying the tranquility of the wilderness. Nimly turns to Thorn. "This area looks promising. Let's keep our senses sharp and see what we can find.”
As Nimly runs his hand through the grass and dirt of the forest floor, his fingers glow green for a moment as he casts Guidance on himself. He looks around the forest, searching for any large outcroppings of bedrock that might indicate the presence of valuable mineral deposits. Despite his best efforts, his perception is somewhat dulled (rolling a 6), and the forest remains unremarkable to him, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird. Nimly’s attention seems to wander, and he doesn't spot anything significant. The thick foliage and shadows play tricks on his eyes, making it difficult to discern any promising geological features.
Nimly reaches out mentally to Thorn, who is sniffing around nearby. "Thorn, can you sense any streams or water sources nearby? We might find some interesting rocks and minerals along the water’s edge."
Thorn's ears perk up at Nimly's mental communication, and he begins to sniff the air more intently, his whiskers twitching with concentration. After a few moments, he squeaks softly and starts moving to the south, his nose bobbing in the air as he mentally relays that he's following the scent of water.
Encouraged, he trusts Thorn's instincts and follows his giant rat companion. The forest grows more lush, the sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird calls providing a soothing backdrop to their journey. Nimly feels a sense of anticipation, knowing that even if he didn't spot anything significant, Thorn's keen senses are likely to lead them to a valuable discovery.
After a short while, the sound of running water reaches Nimly's ears. They come upon a small, clear stream bubbling gently over smooth stones. Thorn stops at the edge of the water, sniffing around and occasionally glancing back at Nimly. They walk upstream, examining the rocks for any promising signs of gems and looking for significant rock outcrops. As they continue upstream, the forest encroaches further and the sound of water becomes more pronounced. The canopy overhead is thick with foliage, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air is cool and fresh, filled with the scent of cedar and damp earth.
Suddenly, Thorn freezes, his ears twitching and nose sniffing the air intently. Nimly senses “wolves” through their mental bond and spots movement in the underbrush ahead. Emerging from the foliage, a pair of large wolves step into view. They are lean and muscular, their dark fur blending seamlessly with the shadows of the forest.
Nimly sets his feet and, attempting to scare them off, sends an Eldritch Blast infused with Repelling Blast at the larger of the two wolves (14:hits). The cantrip hits with a powerful force, dealing 13 points of damage and sending the creature tumbling backwards 10 feet.
The larger of the two wolves, distinguished by several scars, remains undeterred and growls menacingly, its eyes locked on Nimly. It appears to be the leader, directing the movements of the other wolf. The second wolf, slightly smaller but no less dangerous, stands its ground, following the lead of the larger wolf.
Roll Initiative.
—-—-
Round 1
Nimly sets his stance, his fingers crackling with arcane energy, and unleashes an Eldritch Blast at the smaller of the two wolves (16:hits). The bolt of force strikes true, dealing 9 points of force damage.
Thorn scampers up to the smaller wolf. His small but sharp teeth find purchase in the wolf's flank (18:hits), ripping away a chunk of flesh and dealing 5 points of piercing damage. Blood spatters the forest floor, and the smaller wolf, now bloodied, snarls in pain.
The smaller wolf, driven by a mix of pain and rage, lunges at Thorn, but the wolf finds no purchase with his feeble attempt.
The larger wolf, seeing its packmate's plight, growls deeply and charges at Nimly. Its powerful jaws close around Nimly's arm (14:hits), dealing 8 points of piercing damage. Nimly grits his teeth against the pain, determined not to falter.
Round 2
Nimly glances around assessing the terrain and casts Rockslide. He slides towards the smaller wolf in a 60 foot line, skating on rocks and dirt that catches both wolves in his wake. Closer to Thorn now, he cheers at his friend. Nimly casts Elemental Shield as a bonus action, making his skin ripple in a gray shade once again and he gains 3 temporary hit points. He runs an additional 10 ft away from the larger wolf. The effect of the Rockslide causes the larger of the wolves to be knocked prone (failed save), while the smaller of the two remains standing.
Thorn lunges again, his teeth flashing in the dappled forest light. He bites into the leg of the same wolf (15:hits), dealing another 6 points of piercing damage. The smaller wolf begins to limp, its injuries mounting.
With a final burst of energy, the smaller wolf's hackles rise, and it snaps at Thorn (13:hits), its teeth sinking into the rat's fur and flesh, dealing 5 points of piercing damage.
The larger wolf struggles to its feet, using half its movement to stand. With a determined growl, it lumbers toward Nimly, closing the distance by 20 feet.
Round 3
Thorn, undeterred by his wounds, wiggles his butt and lunges at the smaller wolf once more (18:hits). His teeth sink deep, causing 5 points of piercing damage.
Nimly, with a flourish, turns on the smaller wolf and hurls another Eldritch Blast (23:hits). The force of the blast strikes the wolf, dealing 4 points of force damage.
The smaller wolf, disoriented but not yet defeated, lunges at the rat (14:hits). His bite sinks deep and causes 6 points of piercing damage to Thorn.
The larger wolf, frustration evident in its eyes, lets out a howl and uses its dash action to close the distance between itself and Nimly.
Round 4
Nimly, with an eye for avoiding damage to his friend, points precisely to a spot on the forest floor near both wolves. With a decisive gesture, he casts Shatter for 17 points of thunder damage. An intense blast of sonic energy erupts, hitting both wolves. They drop to the ground, doing their best to shield their sensitive ears. Each takes 8 points of damage after successfully passing their Constitution saving throws. The smaller wolf collapses, unmoving.
With one last surge of energy, Thorn rushes up and sinks his teeth into the larger wolf (18:hits), carrying it to the ground and dealing 9 points of piercing damage. The wolf’s carotid is severed and it lays still on the forest floor.
Nimly breathes a sigh of relief, the adrenaline of battle slowly ebbing away. He mentally checks in with Thorn, grateful for their survival amidst the dangers of the Whispering Woods.
—-—-
With the wolves dead and the forest quiet once more, Nimly attempts to salvage what he can from the corpses (survival 3). Using pliers from his gemcutter kit, he successfully extracts two canine teeth and two rations of wolf meat. He cleans the canines, wraps up the meat, and adds both to his pack. He gives his pliers a dubious look and cleans them as best he can.
Nimly and Thorn take a short rest, munching on rations while they each share their favorite moments from the battle. After the rest, both companions feel invigorated. Using their hit dice, they regain full health, and Nimly recovers access to his more powerful warlock spells. Encouraged by their successful encounter with the wolves, they continue up the river in search of gems. Despite its dangers, the forest smells nice and holds great promise.
With the sun low on the horizon, he decides to keep moving upstream, looking for a suitable campsite. He soon spots a small clearing near the stream, providing enough space for both him and Thorn to rest. Although it doesn’t offer a great view of their surroundings, it is cozy and appears to be safe enough. They clear away debris, gather firewood, and set up a makeshift shelter. Starting a fire, they roast the wolf meat harvested earlier that day, the gentle sound of the river providing a soothing melody to their dinner.
With all preparations complete, Nimly and Thorn decide to sleep in shifts. Nimly takes the first watch, and they take turns through the night, ensuring their safety from potential threats.
12th of Mirtul, 1492 DR
As dawn breaks, Nimly and Thorn awaken to the soft light of morning bathing the forest. The air is filled with the sounds of birds and other wildlife. Feeling refreshed, they pack up their camp and continue their journey upstream. The forest is vibrant in the morning light, and they are hopeful to find their intended quarry this day.
They move carefully along the riverbank, keeping an eye out for any sparkles and staying vigilant against potential threats. Up ahead, Nimly spots a promising glint on the visible bedrock. As they get closer, he sees veins of minerals and a few small rough gems embedded in the stone.
Excited, Nimly decides this is a promising site for gem extraction. He takes out his tools and works the visible gems loose (3 small gems), noting their quality before stowing them away for further inspection. He then looks around for a higher vantage point to get his bearings, hoping to accurately record the location of his find. However, the dense forest and uneven terrain prove difficult, and he is unable to get a clear view.
With the higher vantage point proving unfruitful, Nimly decides to use his Earth Glide ability near the spot where he extracted the gems, hoping to find a hidden cavern or tunnel beneath the earth. Slowly sinking into the ground, Nimly moves with ease. It isn’t long before he discovers a small, narrow tunnel that leads deeper into the earth. The tunnel appears to be naturally formed, possibly by water flow or geological activity, with some small veins of minerals visible along the walls, suggesting the potential for more gemstone deposits further inside.
Nimly moves closer to the surface, examining the tunnel as he goes. He finds a spot where the dirt appears thinner, with faint rays of light filtering through small cracks. Confident that it could be excavated to create a small opening to the surface, Nimly mutters a word and with a flash of his hands, he begins to cast Mold Earth. He uses the spell to open a way to the surface, allowing fresh air and light to pour into the tunnel, making it easier to navigate and explore further.
Nimly clambers out of the opening and motions Thorn over. Together, they delve into the tunnel and begin exploring. The light from the opening provides initial illumination, though neither companion needs light to make their way. They explore the tunnel system for several hours until they come to a branch with three separate paths.
Peering down each tunnel, Nimly chooses to go down the middle branch as it is wider and looks more traveled, with occasional signs of old mining activity. The air is cooler, and there are small deposits visible on the walls. Nimly continues forward, peering through the dim light for signs of valuable minerals. Taking heart from the old mining activity, he hopes that he might find something that they missed.
Further along (investigation:18), Nimly’s keen eyes spot several rich veins of gemstones. They are deeply embedded in a slight crack in the walls, and with careful extraction they might yield valuable gems. Nimly also spots a bunch of old, rusted mining tools left behind and forgotten. While not in the best condition, the tools could be useful for rudimentary gem extraction.
Noting this location, Nimly and Thorn continue further into the tunnel, hoping to find something more promising. They lumber along and are about to turn back, having found nothing except fully mined locations, when Thorn (perception:16) alerts Nimly to a draft coming from a small, narrow crevice in the rock wall. The draft suggests there may be a hidden passage or chamber beyond.
Nimly ponders for a moment, then heads back to retrieve some of the rusted mining equipment they found earlier. He swings an old mining pick, eventually widening the crevice enough for Thorn and himself to pass through.
Inside, they find rich gemstone deposits in the chamber. Nimly spends the next several hours excavating gems, focusing on retrieving larger gems while collecting a few lesser ones along the way. Using his gemcutter knowledge, he carefully extracts the best ones. The fruit of his labor is nine small gems and three large gems.
After hours of toil, they leave the tunnel and return to the surface. With the sun having set, he and Thorn set up camp just inside the tunnel. They again take turns alternating watches throughout the night.
Intrepid adventurers and DMs, I hope you enjoyed this continuation of Nimly’s story.
May your rolls be critically high or dramatically low, adding flavor and excitement to your campaigns!