Khalid's second shot is much closer than the first but the beast's erratic if clumsy movements are enough for the bolt to go high.
The wounded creature hurtles down out of the sky with all the grace of a catapult stone, aimed straight at the human who dared to shoot him. Several hundred pounds of angry winged dragon/lion slam into Sajan forcing him back a few steps and the creature rakes him badly on both sides with its claws before biting him in the shoulder. Yet, to the apparent surprise of the creature, the giant monk remains standing and able to fight, despite the blood running down his chest.
Bite vs Sajan (charge, power attack)
Claw vs Sajan (charge, power attack)
Claw vs Sajan (charge, power attack)
The creature is now on the ground (N,O,37,38).
1 refresh 1
2 refresh
The creature on the groud right in front of her, Nuveril sees her opening to charge but cannot find the energy to push herself forward. Nor can she muster the inner resources to propel her into her battlerage. "Damn it, elf!" she roars at Zeladiel. "This is your thrice-accursed tent at work!" Unable to rush in with reckless abandon as she would prefer, she carefully skirts around the lion-thing and comes up behind it.
Eventhough she is startled when the other dragonne flies into view, its roar is not enough to shake Linah like the first one did. It is however enough to catch her attention. In the corner of her eye she sees the first beast swoop down to attack and she struggles desperatly to get her shield up in time. When she realizes that the strike isn't coming it's to late, the dagonne has already sunk its claws into Sajan leaving the monk bloody and bruised. By reflex Linah reaches out and sends forth a burst of healing energy, not enough to close the monks many wounds, but at least enough to stop the bleeding.
Zeladiel's voice rises and he completes the spell with a half shout.
Three magic missiles fly unerringly into the beast attacking Sajan.
magic missile damage:
"Do you want me to stop using my magic, halfling? I'm happy to sit this one out!" Zeladiel retorts weakly.
Grall charges the creature in front of Sajan, roaring at it to issue his own challenge.
Let me get its attention away from you Sajan, the beat is tearrring you aparrrt!
Nuveril manages a solid hit to one of the off-balance creature's back legs while Grall lands another to its shoulder.
Zeladiel pours on more with his darts of force and the beast is bleeding freely.
Linah's powerful channel heals the worst of Sajan's wounds and the monk looks like he needs it with the creature concentrating on him doggedly.
Welcome to the Mountains
Round 3
Initiative
Dragonne 2 25 (acted)
Sajan 24
Khalid 18
Dragonne 1 16a
Nuveril 16b
Grall 15
Zeladiel 10a
Linah 10b
Effects
- Everyone is fatigued (-2 str, -2 dex, can't run or charge).
Notes
- Creature 1 is on the ground. Creature 2 starts fifty feet up. The creature is forty feet off the ground. It is large but has normal reach.
- The ground is not quite difficult terrain, no move penalties.
The second beast, tucks its head forward and dives down at Khalid hitting him from above. The inquisitor pivots smoothly to avoid the left hand claw but takes a bite and hampered by fatigue is just slightly too slow to sway back from the right claw.
Bite vs Khalid (charge, power attack, higher ground) hit
Claw vs Khalid (charge, power attack, higher ground) miss
Claw vs Khalid (charge, power attack, higher ground) hit
The dragonne's neck snakes out to bite at Khalid as he backs away, the beast striking more carefully without the momentum of its charge. Fortunately for the inquisitor, it seems to stumble over its own feet in its rush to get at him and Khalid darts clear.
AOO Bite (higher ground)
Sajan attacks three times with high kicks to the Dragonne's face, refusing to relinquish his crossbow or fall back.
Crossbow still in hand, Sajan lands ki-enhanced kick after kick to the wounded dragonne's face, leaving it a ruin. Barely able to stand, the beast keens, a long whailing sound, and with a leap and powerful beat of its wings takes back to the air, clearly having had enough and sailing over Nuveril's head.
The beast's companion looks away from Khalid toward the escaping dragonne.
Zeladiel regroups towards Linah and points at the fleeing creature unleashing a force missile that slices into the unsteady beast.
force missile damage:
Nuveril curses under her breath as the creature escapes from directly in front of her. She watches the smaller creature, as if daring it to land and face her.
Linah's head is still pounding from the roar of the first dragonne and her legs feel like jelly, unable to follow the swift moves of the two winged beasts. Horrifed she watches as her companions are being torn bloody. Linah spreads her wings and another burst of healing washes over the party. "Sarenrae, show mercy for your servants", she whispers before rushing forward to place herself between the last dragonne and her companions.
You will not escape us so easily beast!
Grall pulls out a Javelin and hurls it at the beast that is trying to fly away.
5 ft shift to N37.
Nuveril stands ready with her hammer while Grall launches a javelin at the escaping flyer. The throw isn't a bad one but bounces off one of the scales on the creature's belly without wounding it.
Zeladiel's magical missile on the other hand strikes it unerringly in the neck. It is apparently enough to knock the beast out and it simply falls out of the sky, hitting the hard ground with a loud thump, its blood splattering the rocks.
Linah channels again, healing Khalid and more of Sajan's wounds just as the remaining dragonne goes utterly bezerk. Ignoring Khalid completely it turns to Zeladiel, its mates killer and streaks toward him, claws outstretched.
Bite vs Zeladiel (charge, power attack) hit
Claw vs Zeladiel (charge, power attack) hit
Claw vs Zeladiel (charge, power attack) hit possible crit *uh oh*
Crit confirm? (charge, power attack)
no crit !!!!
Zeladiel does an excellent impression of a rag-doll as the dragonne takes him savagely in its teeth and rakes him with both large claws. He falls limply to the ground as his own blood gushes out. Its unclear whether he's dead or alive but if its the later its surely by a thread.
Grall swings at the creature
potential crit...lol's
AOO
(assumes no flank)
Grall and Khalid's weapons find their mark in the dragonne as it flies past. Sajan manages to make contact with his fists but fatigued isn't quite able to land a telling hit.
Welcome to the Mountains
Round 4
Initiative
Dragonne 2 25a (acted)
Nuveril 25b (delayed)
Sajan 24
Khalid 18
Grall 15
Zeladiel 10a
Linah 10b
Effects
- Everyone is fatigued (-2 str, -2 dex, can't run or charge).
Notes
- Creature 2 is on the ground at K,L,35,36.
- The ground is not quite difficult terrain, no move penalties.
Sajan moves into melee with a quick step, attacking with less ferocity than usual. The first time his fist makes contact, it leaves burns and scorch marks on the Dragonne's flesh.
"Ow!"
Zeladiel oozes.
Wrong place at the wrong time. Wherever she went Linah seem to be forced to the same fate: having the dragonne sweep past her to tear another of her companions almost to pieces. This time it was Zeladiel hanging limp between the beast's tusks. She pours her soul out in a desperate atempt to save the elf's life. Hope it's not to late. The blood stops to flow but Linah can't make out if the wizard is moving or not. She can hear Khalid calling out to her to trap the creature between them. His voice is distant, barely audible over the dragonne's roar and the pounding in her head. She does as Khalid asks, moving up behind the winged beast. It roars once more and turns its head towards her as she slams the shield into its hindleg, giving the inquisitor an opening to deliver a telling blow.
Grall swings at the creature with his falchion while biting.
Falchion atk fatigued
Bite fatigued
You make a half circle around the enraged dragonne, desperately trying to bring it down before it can attack again. Nuveril and Sajan add to the creature's wounds while Khalid manages to land a punishing thrust (aided by a jolt of electricity from Tempest) that nearly drops the thing. Grall adds the finishing strike with his falchion, the blow lacks his usual power but it is enough to leave the beast bleeding out.
Linah channels yet again and the powerful burst of healing is enough to bring Zeladiel back to consciousness, although the elf looks around groggy and wide eyed. The wizard's clothing looks like it could do with some serious mending and even with the magical healing it looks like he will bear a long scar on his chest as a sign of his near-death experience.
The battle over, you take stock. The creatures carry no treasure and you realise their lair could be miles away in any direction. Realising your exposed until you recover from the magically induced fatigue you carry on with the intent of holing up as soon as you find a suitable place to rest.
Unfortunately, in the terrain, that is easier said that done. It is two hours later and the weaker members of the group are sagging on their feet when Nuveril locates a valley, suitably shielded from the surroundings. Theres a vague hint of a trail and you pick your way downwards. Rounding a corner you can see the valley floor and realise someone has found it first. A cluster of a dozen or so brightly coloured tents looks incongruent against the grey rock, circled around an open fit fire from which a few lazy trails of smoke drift up. A small herd of goats amble around a makeshift rope pen.
The camp has been well placed with an eye to making it impossible to see from the outside. But there is no sign of any people.
Zeladiel gasps and wheezes, leaning heavily on his bow.
"I can turn someone invisible for 5 minutes, if they want to investigate."
He studies the rock wall beside him and, when satisfied, collapses against it.
Sajan nods and moves over to the tired Wizard, muscles aching.
Zeladiel mumbles something and waves his hand dismissively at the giant, who promptly vanishes.
invisibility
Sajan moves to scout the area in detail, working his way around the outside and if he encounters nothing unusual, working his way inside. Once hes had a good look around he will return to the group and report in.
Nuveril flinches as Sajan disappears from her view. "If he does not come back, wizard," she warns Zeladiel wearily, "you will be easy to kill."
Nuveril flinches as Sajan disappears from her view. "If he does not come back, wizard," she warns Zeladiel wearily, "you will be easy to kill."
Grall growls at Nuveril,
Foolish halfling, has he not earrrned yourrr trrrust by now! His magic is ourrr ally NOT ourrr enemy...
Zeladiel stops breathing for a second, but it turns out he has merely gathered his breath to sigh.
"Actually, if Sajan does not come back while sneaking invisibly, whatever prevents him will probably find us all easy to kill."
Nuveril flinches as Sajan disappears from her view. "If he does not come back, wizard," she warns Zeladiel wearily, "you will be easy to kill."Grall growls at Nuveril,
Foolish halfling, has he not earrrned yourrr trrrust by now! His magic is ourrr ally NOT ourrr enemy...
"All spell-throwers believe the spirits they employ are their allies," Nuveril grumbles under her breath, "until the spirits see their opportunity to break free and indulge their appetites for destruction." She squats down, lowering her profile even more than usual, and stealthily watches for any signs of disturbance around the unknown camp.
|
Weary from both the Dragonne's roar and the "conversation" between Grall and Nuveril, Khalid approachs the two barbarians...
"Enough of this for now...this sort of thing does not aid us in our mission. Nuveril, your concerns about the arcane have been noted over a year ago, Zeladiel's arts have done nothing but aid us. Try to remember that. I trust this is the last I will have to hear on the subject for a while."
Grall lowers his head like a scolded dog..
Of courrrse Khalid, you arrre rrright.
Once the tension has calmed down Linah sits down beside Nuveril. She looks just short of exhaustion and her voice is very as she speaks. "I am not going to scold you but i think you know as well that this can not continue. If we are to succeed with our task we must be able to rely on eachother. In the year i have know Zeladriel he has not given me any reason to doubt him. What can he do to earn your trust?", she finishes and looks the halfling in the eyes.
She dreads the halfing's reaction when she finds out about the rough seed. It is not Zeladriel's doing but if Nuveril reacts this way to a simple spell... she does not want to think about the repercussions that will have.
Grall lowers his head like a scolded dog..
Of courrrse Khalid, you arrre rrright.
Nuveril quietly scoffs at the gnoll's subservient attitude. Set free, he is still enslaved in his mind. After Khalid has moved away, she mutters, "The rest of you may trust his magic blindly. I will remain vigilant, and one day you may all be glad of it."
Once the tension has calmed down Linah sits down beside Nuveril. She looks just short of exhaustion and her voice is very as she speaks. "I am not going to scold you but i think you know as well that this can not continue. If we are to succeed with our task we must be able to rely on eachother. In the year i have know Zeladriel he has not given me any reason to doubt him. What can he do to earn your trust?", she finishes and looks the halfling in the eyes.
"What can he do? What did Halruun do? Deliver babies, bless unions, heal the sick, comfort the suffering, counsel the unsure ... and still the spirit Xulthos whispered in his mind and turned him. And because all trusted the shaman of their tribe, all perished." She returns Linah's gaze. "The elf has nothing to fear from me, as long as his loyalties remain with this group; but how can you counsel me to place my confidence in anyone when you know how my family was betrayed, by the one whom, of all people, they should have been able to trust?"
Zeladiel is too weak to argue with Nuveril. He feels a twang of guilt as the others rush to defend him. He knows he has to tell them some time, but his excuse this time is Sajan's absence. "Tonight," he promises himself again. "I'll tell them all tonight."
He looks down at his tattered tunic held against his skin by the blood that has seeped from his chest wound. "I hope my mending cantrip can fix that tomorrow."
"What can he do? What did Halruun do? Deliver babies, bless unions, heal the sick, comfort the suffering, counsel the unsure ... and still the spirit Xulthos whispered in his mind and turned him. And because all trusted the shaman of their tribe, all perished." She returns Linah's gaze. "The elf has nothing to fear from me, as long as his loyalties remain with this group; but how can you counsel me to place my confidence in anyone when you know how my family was betrayed, by the one whom, of all people, they should have been able to trust?"
Linah looks at the halfling with tired eyes. She has neither the strength or, she fears, the ability to sway Nuveril's iron will. "It hurts to think that i have not yet won your trust. That you still look upon me with suspicion", she sighs, her voice defeated.
Nuveril is frustrated with the rest of the party's monomaniacal obsession with "trust." "Why is it so important to all of you," she demands, "that I drop my defenses against you?!? Do we all strike harder if I 'trust' you? Does it make us stronger, or faster, or harder to kill? Are we not more powerful as a group if we remain vigilant not only against threats from the outside but against threats from within? Does not everything we have encountered argue that the most dangerous foes arise where least expected? Vardishal," she gestures toward Khalid and his weapon, "was betrayed by his compatriot, Kardswann. Kelmarane was destroyed not from without by an invading army but from within by its shaman." She shakes her head in bewilderment. "I have nothing against any of you. I fight alongside you without fearing that you will place a blade in my back. What more could I do if I chose to believe, against everything in my experience, that all of you are infallible and incorruptible?"
Grall looks at Nuveril with a certain sadness in his eyes, Trrrust is the tie that binds...without trrrust would a slave everrr have thought that a human trrrying to sell something...a thing called faith... was rrreal?
Trrrust guides this shell of a being, makes what is inside it strrrongerrr. Because of trrrust I have frrriends, not just people I can fight with.
Trrrust allows you to focus on yourrr goal, and not keep that little rrreserrrve of caution saved for everrrything else.
We can only show you the way Nuverrril, you must walk the path.
Linahrr, Nuverrril is what she must be as arrre you. She will eitherrr learrrn or she will not, the fates will decide, not us. Sarrrenrrrae will guide us in between.
Grall looks proud that he has listened to Linah's sermens well, even though he has to remind her of her owns words from time to time.. :)
"I guess you are right, Grall." Linah manages a smile, but her voice is still tired with a hint of defeat as she turns to Nuveril. "I can not sway you in this, and i do understand your reasons. I still hope that you can be more lenient towards Zeladiel. He is neither a priest nor a gnome." Linah speaks the last words with a teasing smile.
The camp is a hundred yards or so down the slope but the duration of Zeladiel's masking spell is plenty for Sajan to investigate the camp.
He vanishes from sight and after a few steps, your hearing, while the rest of you have your terse discussion, one eye on the camp for any threats.
The minutes tick by slowly.
You move down the slope, slowing as you approach the camp to minimise noise. Perhaps as a result of being unused to the spell you make a little more noise than your comfortable with although of course with the benefit of invisibility you believe you will be very difficult for anything but the most perceptive to sense.
On closer examination you confirm that the camp has seen very recent use. Various tools and utensils look as if they have just been laid down rather than packed or taken away. But you can see no sign of occupants other than the livestock.
You carefully approach a cluster of tents and your keen ears catch noise: whispers, although you can't make out any words, a few creaks, the sound of breathing.
Certain there is at least a few creatures in the nearest tents, you look for an opening that you can view through without entering. Finding a six-inch wide opening in the door in the second closest tent you peer through. Enough light penetrates for you to see the majority of the interior but you do not see anyone, although your certain you heard something inside a moment before.