The bear reaches the tree and expertly jumps on the trunk and shuffles up to the first great limb that hangs out above the clearing. The bull elk arrives too late to put up a defense of the late calf. It snorts and paws aggressively at the ground as other elk arrive. They don't come too close. The bear eyes the bull warily, but seems willing to be patient. The bear lays the dead calf across the bow then sniffs the air.
As Chy watches this play out she is flooded with the memory of her hunting instructor teaching her about bear encounters. There is a great deal to know about bears he explained. He went out of his way to highlight a few important points.
Bears can out run you and out climb you and they can smell you from hundreds of feet away. They are predictably shy around humans unless their food or their cubs are involved. Then they are predictably unpredictable, with a tendency toward extreme agression.
The last thing she remembers she considers to be particularly relevant to the moment. He said,

"If you have a choice between fighting a bear toe to toe with a Longsword out in the open,  or with a dagger up in a tree; take the dagger. Bears are clumsy in a tree. They will destroy you on the ground."

As she considers her options she looks around. She is twenty feet off the ground, there are no trees to jump to. The elk are cautiously moving on less one calf. They don't seem overly concerned. The bear lords over his prize but he is frantically sniffing the air. Chy is convinced he smells her and will locate her soon. The bear is 10 feet down and 10 feet out from tree trunk. It would take at least ten  seconds for it to get up to her she figures conservatively.


Knowledge Nature DC 10/15/20
1d20 +4 ranks +1 int
Rolled: 16 + 5 = 21
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:47, Wed 13 Mar.

The bear tries to enjoy his cleverly won meal but there is a smell he can't get out of his head. Something familiar is nearby. A man perhaps. He sniffs urgently at the air trying to determine the direction of the scent.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:54, Thu 14 Mar.

Chy keeps very still hoping that the joy of fresh meat and the powerful aroma of organ blood will mask her scent and the bear will continue to eat.

If it starts to move towards her she will lower herself as best she can on the branch and drop to the ground, planning to run into the water if she needs to to evade the massive killer.

The bear rises up on it's haunches, balanced on the limb, he holds his nose high in the air, sniffing incessantly.  His head is slowly turning in Chy's direction.

The bear twists its head, following its nose until it is looking up and over its right shoulder. It sees a man, higher up in the tree. It is confused for a moment as it just looks up at the newcomer.

The bear sniffs a couple times and assures himself that this smell belongs to that man. He reflexively wheels about on the limb, standing over his prize he roars terrifyingly up at the threat to his food.

He then rears up and roars again, displaying a vicious maw, capable of great damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:16, Thu 14 Mar.

Chy looks around carefully, looking to see if it is possible for her to move away from the bear without going higher in the tree. She starts to move out along the branch -- hoping that moving her weight out, away from the bole of the tree will cause the branch to sink lower. Her goal is to get away without challenging the bear. As soon as she can drop to the ground without getting closer to it, she will.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:05, Fri 15 Mar.

The bear loses sight of the man. He sniffs the air freneticly finding the sent everywhere. His sense of smell is so powerful he notices that the man is getting farther away, even if it's only a by a few feet.

He relaxes, a little. He huffs and chuffs, in a display of annoyance it seems. After a few moments, his attention is recaptured by the meat, but his ears remain erect and searching.

As Chy slides further out on the limb, she realizes that this mighty oak isn't going to bend much for her. She is pleased to see she can keep the tree trunk, which is easily five feet in diameter at this height, between her and the bear. So far that seems to be lowering the temperature on the situation.

The bear starts at the sound of a squirrel running across the acorns below. He continues to pick at his meal though he is nervous.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:16, Fri 15 Mar.

Chy moves out as far as she can on the branch before it starts climbing higher. She still can not see the bear, but she can hear it chomping and grunting as it tears apart his meal. Looking down Chy is questioning the dropping down.  It looks much higher than is comfortable.  Resigning herself to the fact that it's her best option to avoid the bear. She hangs and drops, intent on rolling for a softer landing. As her feet hit the ground they encounter the slippery nature of acorns, like a child's marbles on the ground. Her feet learch out behind her as she slams face first into the ground. Even dazed she has the consciousness to turn to see bear. The sight line is clear and the bear gives another blood curdling vocalization. He does not however leave his pearch.

Chy Tumble DC 15
1d20 + 2 dex
Rolled: 11 + 2 = 13

Fall Damage non lethal
1d6
Rolled: 3

Fall lethal damage
1d6
Rolled: 5
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:33, Fri 15 Mar.

The bear had almost forgotten about the man, when it fell out of the tree. Very clumsy, not overly threatening. He thinks he probably ought to throw some intimidation, just in case he is wrong.

"ROOOOAAAAARRRRRR!!!!"

Nursing her bruises, hoping she's not broken any bones, Chyresia keeps low to the ground and scuttles away from the tree, leaving the bear the undisputed master of the scene.

Moving around towards her raft she will try to launch it and float away, cursing at the bad luck to fall and hurt herself.

Chy, without turning her back on the bear creeps slowly down toward the river bank where she had tied up the raft under the blueberry bushes. Her ears are ringing from the fall and she is a little dizzy. She manages to make her way to the water. As she looks for the raft she catches a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. In the snare she had set the night before, is a fat grouse. Her tummy grumbles. She crosses over, keeping an eye on the bear who is basically ignoring her now, and dispatches the bird with the flick of her wrist. She gathers up her trap and bird and packs it all into the box on the raft. She unties, pushes off and starts drifting down river again.


Chy Listen DC 10
1d20 +3 Wis
Rolled: 1 + 3 = 4

Spot DC 10
1d20 +3 Wis +2 feat
Rolled: 20 + 5 = 25

Survival Trap DC 10/15/20
1d20 +3 wis +4 rnk
Rolled: 20 + 7 = 27

DM: For avoiding the bear 150xp, for great role play and skill use 50xp. 200 total for this encounter.

This message was last edited by the GM at 13:08, Sat 16 Mar.

The river is awesome in every respect. Painted pink and purple by the flowers of the redbud trees that line the banks on the west side, and emerald green by the waxy leafed magnolia and yaupan on the east. Wild goodberry bushes are plentiful as are blackberries and the quickly ripening blueberries. Rabbits,  pheasant, deer and foxes, another young bear and a great golden eagle all make appearances throughout the morning. About mid-day as the sun peaks above the forest a drizzle starts to fall.

As the light rain begins to fall Chy sees a fork in the river ahead. The main river, the Black continues to flow south along the human controlled lands of Edwin. Chy knows from lessons, that to continue that way would soon bring her to human towns and villages that line the river on the way to Black Gate.

The other tine of the fork heads southeast deep into the Black Forest. This is called the Middle Fork and it is rumored to lead to dangerous fey beasts and gnome settlements. Rumor has it that the beasts are far more likely to be stumbled upon then the settlements.

Nursing her wounds, Chyresia decides she might be better off for now avoiding the company of other humans. A single bear was enough of a fell beast for now.

She steers her raft towards the middle fork, following the flow towards the Black Forest, and keeps her eyes and ears open for signs of danger.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Mon 25 Mar.

As the river flows more east, the forest on either side starts to thicken and close in. Chy figures its 30 feet to either bank. The water is deep and the current much slower than the Black River. She spots many normal animals and at one point, she thinks she sees a fairy but if she did it is gone a moment later. The further she drifts the darker it gets, but it never gets as dark or gloomy as the rumors had suggested. It just seems like an ancient forest. Full of life and mystery. All her life she has heard that there are gnome villages that can be reached via the river with some luck or cunning. Perhaps she will see someone along the river, someone who is certainly not affiliated with her father.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:11, Tue 26 Mar.

Chy passes her time by plucking the bird she had trapped and dressing it for roasting. She won't risk a fire on her raft, but she wants to be able to cook it as soon as she decides to land. She keeps her eyes open for a suitable safe place to beach the raft and prepare her meal.

It is late afternoon when Chy sees a very peculiar clearing on the northern bank just ahead. It looks like a garden. Not rows of crops like a human garden, but manicured and cultivated wild plants. The sun breaks through here and the glade is bathed in bright afternoon sunlight. There are some trees in the garden as well as bushes and flowers. The place looks very inviting as well as a source of fruit and greens.
Chy looks about but sees no one, nor any creatures other than some birds and squirrels, only the garden.

Chyresia steers her raft towards the bank and pulls it up on the shore, making certain it is secured before she goes exploring the wonderful garden. She can see clearly that this did not grow naturally. Someone has worked with these plants to create a place of beauty. While she can see fruits and vegetables growing, she does not forage them -- they belong to someone else, someone with great talent and she does not want to steal.

After exploring a bit, never going beyond sight of her raft and listening carefully all the time, she finds a place on the bank where she can start a small fire without harming the growing plants and sets about cooking her bird, spitted on green twigs she cuts from brush outside the garden area and burning dead wood also collected from outside the garden.

Baylor watches the visitor with caution. She hides, quite easily given her camouflaged garb and sun-browned skin. From her vantage point in the largest tree in the garden, an apple tree that is in full blossom, she watches the tall woman as she looks about Bay's garden.

Baylor takes note of the respect shown by the visitor. So unlike the kobold that have been coming more frequently in the night. She decides that the guest is either benevolent or a deceiver.  Either way it would be best if she introduces herself. If the human is a deceiver, Bay will deal swiftly with her. Otherwise, company!

Bay climbs down quietly from the tree. She walks toward the river bank and the smell of burning wood. She gets within fifty feet of Chy before clearing her throat so as not to startle her.

"Greetings and welcome."

Bay determines, by the confused look on her guest's face, that she does not speak gnomen. She thinks to herself that humans must struggle with languages. She tries again. This time in human.

"Greetings and welcome! I am Baylor Thistleberry. This is my garden. I have been observing you. Thank you for the respect you have shown. That grouse smells delicious. Would you care to supplement with fresh carrots and onion? I even have some salt."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 13:08, Wed 27 Mar.

Chy struggles not to jump out of her skin when the silent woman appears almost at her shoulder as silent as a mouse then babbling in some unknown language. But she soon switches to the human tongue and seems to be welcoming.

"Thank you, Baylor Thistleberry. Carrots and onions would be wonderful. Also salt. I am called Chresia Swift -- Chy for short. I would be honored if you would share some of my catch. Your garden is wonderful. Do you live here alone? I have never been to these woods before. Are they dangerous?"

The young ranger, very conscious of how much taller she is than the diminutive gardener, makes room for her to join her at the fireside.

The gnome smiles and with body language accepts the invitation.

"I could never be alone, surrounded by so much life. I love it here. Over there you could gather a few carrots, or over there. I will fetch an onion and a board for chopping on."

After pointing toward two patches of lacey leaves comeing out of the ground she turns and moves away gracefully and silently.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Thu 28 Mar.

If she had known that she would have access to carrots and onions, Chy might have decided to make a stew of the bird rather than grill it over the coals. If she had had a pot. But then if the world went the way she wanted it to, she wouldn't be here at all.

She checks the tiny filets of meat, turning the twigs to sear without burning the flesh, and moves over to pull a few carrots, washing the dirt off in the shallows of the river. Fresh plucked like this they will be tender and juicy. The onions, though, she thinks she might like to coat in mud and bake in the coals to get them soft and mushy. Her mouth is watering at the idea and she looks around for the tiny woman to reappear.

As Chy looks back to see if her host has returned she is greeted with an unexpected sight. Baylor is returning alongside a large puma. Neither convey any threat. In the Gnomes hands are a cutting board and a small pot and a large spoon. The puma licks it's chops and subtle samples the air with short sniffs.

"This is Benedict. He watches over the garden when I am away. You might call him my caretaker. I wanted him to meet you, so that he would know we are friends. You see, friends may rest and eat here whenever they like. Others are held to stricter standards. Kobolds are of course forbidden from entering. Benedict will always remember you, friend or foe."

She hands the pot and board to Chy. As Chy turns to prepare the vegetables, the druid reaches for Chy's arm. Chy turns to see Baylor studying her intensely.

"I almost forgot to give you the salt."

She reaches into a pocket of her dangling lavender smock and produces a wooden salt shaker. She smiles and hands it to Chy.

"Fowl needs salt for my taste."

Chyresia is somewhat startled by the appearance of the large cat pacing along sedately behind the the diminutive gnome. She manages not to wet herself in terror, but keeps very still as Benedict sniffs her aroma, and turns her attention to chopping the onion.

Baylor's touch is unexpected, but not unwelcome. The ranger smiles at the tiny woman, wondering of there is some social significance to the sharing of salt in her culture.

"The spice of life," she murmurs as she sprinkles a good shake of the crystals into the pot.

"True in so many ways."

She sits down near the fire. Benedict lies down beside. She pets his head as she speaks.

"So, Chy, you dont appear to be from around here. What brings you to my grove?"