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As Jamorin fights his way through the thicket, a tentacle lashes at him but fouls on the foliage. His return strike is similar obstructed. He breaks cover near the cat's hindquarters and swings a whistling blow at its hips, which are apparently not where they appear to be. The wooden end of the sansetsukon rebounds off the ground.
Karl hustles around the party's right flank.
The first cat hisses at Uthar and Jam. It snaps at the well armored blacksmith. It's tentacles slash at both of it's foes.
The second cat snakes its tentacles toward Uthar also.
Behind you movement and voices as Samantha and Nils free and arm your captives.
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Lydia steps back again, and looses an arrow at one of Uthar's attackers.
Attack: Damage:
Miss Chance 50%:
Linokashtai continues trying to think the nearest cat to death, strain on her face.
"They're displacer beasts," she lets the others know, "They are difficult to target."
Karl nods at Lino's information, whilst trying to target the shifting feline in the gloom. He moves to put his back to a tree, whilst in one hand he plays his flute softly - a very vibrant piece with notes of complexity; much like the movement of the creatures.
In his other hand, the thin blade flicks out whip like to distract the beast.
They aren't where they appear to be, Lydia thinks. But are they where they appear to stand?
Falling back another step, Lydia whispers words that echo the cry of a raptor , and draws into herself the perceptions of the bat . With enhanced perceptions she seeks not the creatures but the tracks where their feet scuff the ground...
Perception:
Uthar is beginning to notice the blows raining down upon him, but he presses nonetheless.
Seeing Uthar's blade come down on the cat creature give's a boost of confidence."Nice one Uthar, let's see if I can follow up."
Jamorin takes a step to get himself in a better position and goes for a double swing with the three sectioned staff he's using. Sweeping at the cat creature with one end and trying to club it with the other.
Aljohar says to Lydia in passing, "Good, keep clear of the beasts if you can. I must help the smith; we need him standing."
She moves close behind the big man, drawing her gift from the village and tapping him with the wand.
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Lino's mental thrust again has no effect.
Karl tries to engage the second cat to no effect.
Uthar's greatsword lands and comes away sheathed in blood. The cat wails before dropping into a hissing crouch. Jam's staff swings over it's back. Then it whirls and dashes away.
Aljohar moves behind Uthar to heal his wounds.
Lydia tries sharpening her perception.
Drawing back her bow, Lydia sights on the remaining displacer beast and let's fly.
Attack: Damage:
Miss chance (25%): %
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Lydia drives an arrow into the beast's shoulder.
Syrus' third magic missile follows nearly immediately and also strikes the beast.
Behind you some kind of altercation breaks out. There's shouting and a clash of swords.
Nils and Samantha are engaged in a confused melee with the four prisoners. Groom has wounded Nils, who is crouched in pain but still wields his sword in partnership with Samantha against groom. Cass and Pol are engaged in a wrestling match. The cook stands between the two groups, looking back and forth.
Jam takes a swing at the cat-beast as it attempts to move away
With the first beast either down or fleeing Jam turns his attention to the one remaining, and quickly rushes over to engage it. Taking another full swing with his Sansetsukon.
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Jam smacks the fleeing cat on its haunches. The cat tries to redouble its speed. The monk is less lucky with the second displacer beast. It rakes him with a tentacle as he closes, and the monk's own blows don't land.
Aljohar waits to see if her companions need aid.
Syrus launches yet another magic missile into the fray. It flies past the displacer beast.
Cass and Pol have fallen to the ground in their wrestling struggle. The cook is holding his hands up weapon free. Samantha stands over Nils with a shortbow in her hands. There is no sign of the groom.
...
Clutching at his side, Karl's rapier tries to fend off the feline. The tip whistling out at the tentacles at they try to sting his sides, making a nice counter point to his melody.
Taking note of the creatures' formidable mental defenses, Linokashtai instead attempts to shoot it with a bolt from her crossbow. This is why I was never on the front lines, she thinks miserably as the bolt flies into the brush.
She loads another bolt.
Linokashtai has nothing with which to take a swing at the fleeing beasts, and so she moves back towards the others in camp. Her shoulder slump miserably when she sees the fight that transpired, lamenting tonelessly, "To be honest, the main reason I wanted the binds untied was so that if we could not repel the beasts that you'd be able to flee. Seems cruel to allow bound men to be eaten by cats."
She crosses her arms. Mistakes! Mistakes! Mistakes! her psicrystal chastises mentally, while Lino says as she holds out a hand to feel the rain coming in, "Just my luck. What happened?"
Aljohar touches the wounded and returns their strength.
She nods at Lino. "I thought we could protect them, but deferred to your mercy. There was reason to your action. It proved a good test, as well. Now we know better. Let's bind Pol again; he has forfeited all trust. There's nothing I can do for the dead, but his friends can at least bury him. And we need to catch and calm the horses who bolted." She looks up into the rain and sighs, letting the cool moisture bathe her heated face.
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Samantha squares her shoulders and faces the Kalashtar. "We didn't want to untie them, but they said they'd fight the beasts. As soon as we untied this one...." She kicks at the groom's corpse before continuing, "he grabbed a mace and took a swing at Nils. Pol there gave me a shove and tried to bolt. His brother and the cook held him up."
A little aside, Cass responds to Aljohar's comments. "He's no friend of ours. Let the beasts have him."
Seeing the beasts start to flee Jam moves over to join the others, not interested in pursuing the creatures if they no longer pose a threat. "A real nice way to show gratitude... How are you Nils?" He asks looking down at the injured man. Knowing that Al has the injuries under control he shifts his focus over to Pol being held, then goes about looking through the discarded rope for any long and strong enough to securely tie up Pol.
Lydia goes to round up the horses, calming them and ensuring all is well.
Wild Empathy:
Handle Animal:
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Jam finds the rope and rebinds Pol.
Lydia quickly gets the nearby horses under control, but two have run farther afield, and of course one is dead. By the time the missing two are tracked down it's mid-morning and the mist has faded to nothing.
Your trip back to Haltwhistle is otherwise uneventful. Haltwhistle however has been transformed. Tents surround the town and Winehorn's troops patrol the streets. A low fencelike barricade surrounds the tents. A hard-bitten warrior challenges you at the barricade.
"Who are you and what's your business?"
"I am Linokashtai. I was a military advisor," says the psion blandly, "We sent the rider to greet Lord Winehorn, to inform him of a potential bandit threat while our party went to get more information. Now we're back at our hometown with more information than we had previously."
She pauses a moment in consideration and says, "It could be beneficial for us to have the chance to speak to Lord Winehorn. We have reason to believe that there is more to this threat than simple thieves."
"We have prisoners...they were helpful in return for clemency," Lydia adds tersely.
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"You're the pursuit party? Lord Winehorn asked to see you when you returned. We'll take your prisoners. Hammer, show them to the Lord."
Inside the barricade a stocky dwarf, stocky even as dwarves go, waits for you. He shrugs and turns to lead you down the main street. "Follow me." As you move down the street, the dwarf asks quietly what you learned.
He leads you to a large house near the middle of town. "Lord Winehorn's here," he says somewhat unnecessarily because in the next instant he announces to the door. "Pursuit party's returned. They're here to see the Lord."
There's a momentary pause, before the door opens. A woman in Winehorn's personal livery ushers you into a vacant room. "Lord Winehorn's asleep. I'm sure he'll e right in. Please wait here." The room is well furnished. The drapes are thick and richly dyed. A long wood table inlaid with ivory squares is surrounded by eight claw-footed chairs.
Some ten minutes later, Winehorn shuffles in guided by aides at each elbow. The noble's head is bowed, a continuation of the stoop of his shoulders. He stops beside the chair at the table's end. The aides maneuver around the chair to help ease him into it. When he looks up his eyes are deeply set above cheeks lined only slightly less than his wrinkled brow.
"Please sit. Lydia will tell you that I am never formal with my scouts. Tell me of the enemy."
Lydia drops into a chair with some relief, and delivers a terse report.
"My Lord, following the attack on Haltwhistle, we gathered up what resources we could and tracked the retreating bandits northward. We overtook two of their rearguard, unfortunately one escaped. Their course seemed strange as information from the prisoners indicated that their home base is in the Blackcaps while this group were making for Lake Galifar, or so it seemed.
"After trailing them for a few days I noted a small group of riders breaking to the west, directly for the Blackcaps. We decided to follow this smaller group in order to gain more intelligence, and located them shortly after sunset. We overpowered them and took several prisoners, and established that they had one man badly injured which is why they broke away from the main group. He was fanatical, but some of the others were just men left adrift after the war who seemed to have fallen in with the others and couldn't see a way to get out.
"They supplied us with some valuable information: the bandits are part of a large, well-organised group led by some elves who are preaching some kind of battle-religion. The injured man was something of a fanatical follower. Their intention seems to be to carve themselves out their own 'kingdom' and raid surrounding lands - including ours - in order to secure resources of which they have few, and maybe even break the peace and restart the war.
"During that night two monsters attacked our camp, and in the midst of it our prisoners offered to fight with us if they were freed. Two of them promptly attacked their guards, one was killed and the other was restrained by his fellows. Following that, we made our way back here to resupply. I believe we can mount a scouting expedition at least into the Blackcaps - I know those mountains."
Aljohar nods agreement. "The two prisoners who helped us may be glad to defend the village and earn a place here, if the folk will tolerate them. The third is in no way trustworthy. He's one of those soldiers who find their life worthwhile only in battle, like many of this cult. There seem to be two factions in the group. The main faction is lead by one they call Barabbas, who preaches the idea of isbrid hinafid, an elvish warrior spirit. One can attain that status by training hard and fighting in battle. And to do that, they need battles - lots of them."
She grimaces. "Then there's a smaller faction led by one Martan, who sounds more sinister - blood and power and, by rumor, cannibalism. Life beyond death. I'm not sure if this is an undead cult or gruesome warriors. As if war isn't horror enough."
"One more thing, my Lord, if I may be so bold. One of the cooperative prisoners is the brother of the die-hard. Their presence here might be disruptive, and execution of the one might make the other hostile. You may wish to ship them all elsewhere to be held and interrogated or... whatever. The villagers may be out for blood once they learn of the prisoners, and discipline here must be maintained. Forgive me if I presume, Lord Winehorn." Aljohar lapses back into silence.
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Winehorn shakes his head. "I always welcome thoughtful advice. You only presume too much in thinking that I command. I no longer have the energy for that task. My son commands in the field.
I am afraid you'll have to repeat your report in his tent. I am also afraid that Lydia will not be treated with the respect she deserves nor given an open ear. Where the entire Sovereign Host could not control my son, the Silver Flame has done much to improve him, but I wish the vessel of that improvement was someone else.
Rest and refresh yourselves here, while I send ahead to make sure someone hears Lydia truly. "
Winehorn whispers a few words to his secretary who quickly departs. A few minutes later a servant brings a tray with bread, peaches, ham, water, beer and wine which he lays on the table.
Jam started leaning back into the chair thankful to be off his feet for a time. When Winehorn addresses him he looks up quickly as if the question had given him a start. "Me? Err yes of course" He starts as he pushes himself back to his feet and gives a salute, despite having just been told the man was not formal "Forgive me sir, I should have introduced myself. Jamorin Tigersoul, I was a messenger in the war, a runner sir."
Dropping the salute the young martial artist continues "Afterwards I really had nowhere to go. Thenji was kind enough to take me in, gave me a place to live, even set me up with a job of sorts, tending to the gardens and orchard. It pays just well enough to keep a roof over my head... well with the discount Thenji gives me anyway."
At the question of family Jam looks a bit uncomfortable he looks down and to the side slightly "Well sir mine are all gone... I suppose I have a new family, with the people of Haltwhistle. Lydia has been like a sister, and by extension Amanda like a little sister; Thenji is always looking out for me. Stephen and all the kids... They're all my family now I need to make sure they're all safe."
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Jam started leaning back into the chair thankful to be off his feet for a time. When Winehorn addresses him he looks up quickly as if the question had given him a start. "Me? Err yes of course" He starts as he pushes himself back to his feet and gives a salute, despite having just been told the man was not formal "Forgive me sir, I should have introduced myself. Jamorin Tigersoul, I was a messenger in the war, a runner sir."
The creases in the old man's face rearrange themselves around a small slow smile.
"At ease, Tigersoul."
Dropping the salute the young martial artist continues "Afterwards I really had nowhere to go. Thenji was kind enough to take me in, gave me a place to live, even set me up with a job of sorts, tending to the gardens and orchard. It pays just well enough to keep a roof over my head... well with the discount Thenji gives me anyway."
At the question of family Jam looks a bit uncomfortable he looks down and to the side slightly "Well sir mine are all gone... I suppose I have a new family, with the people of Haltwhistle. Lydia has been like a sister, and by extension Amanda like a little sister; Thenji is always looking out for me. Stephen and all the kids... They're all my family now I need to make sure they're all safe."
Winehorn nods, his eyes half closed. "We all lost something or someone in the war. At least it seems you are trying to make something of this peace.
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Food and small talk continue for some time. Just before the hourglass on the mantel runs down, a servitor arrives to flip it over. A few moments later one of Winehorn's men steps through the doorway. He whispers a few words in Bradford Winehorn's ear. The old man nods, then turns to the party.
"My son will see you now. Lydia, I warn you that he's gotten worse about shifters. I've arranged for you to speak directly to Theodred Martin while the others speak in council." His voice wavers and his eyes drop. "Now please friends, go." The old warrior ushers you gently and slowly toward the door. At the exit he stops. A bit of steel returns to his voice.
"Return to me when you are done there. I will want a report."
[Spoiler= Know local DC 16, Lino, Jam +2 ] Theodred Martin is one of Bradford's scouts.
Knowledge (local) Untrained:
Lydia frowns and then shrugs, prejudice against shifters being not uncommon.
"I'll go find Theodred Martin, then," she nods simply and goes in search of the captain of scouts.
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Winehorn's man leads you down the main street toward the big corral at the south end of town. It's quiet. Just a few people are out. The scene changes when you cross the barricade at the end of the street and turn east past the corral.
One hundred yards farther along is a large square tent, the headquarters of Karrn Winehorn. A couple squads of town militia and Winehorn's troops mill about around the pavilion. Four guards in chainmail with longspears and swords stand duty at the four corners. Two more flank the doorway.
Lydia doesn't have to look far for Theodred Martin. He's waiting just outside the entrance of the tent too. He says something to one of the guards and they share a laugh. Then he steps toward the party. "Good day. I'll warn you that Karrn's not in the best mood, but the information you bring will probably cheer him up. It's not knowing that drives him mad." He nods to Lydia. "Shall we talk by the horses?"
The rest of the party is ushered into the tent. A panel of the ceiling to the north has been left open, so it is shaded, but still quite light inside.
Karrn Winehorn lounges with a half dozen other men and women on circularly arranged cushions. They stand up when you enter. Your guide announces, "The pursuit party, sir." Then he takes a post by the door.
"Good!" Karrn strides forward three steps and reaches out to take your hands. "Some information at last." He gestures to a small low table against the south wall. "There is food and water if you need it."
He moves toward a larger table in the center of the room. "I have a map here. Tell me everything."
Linokashtai takes Karrn Winehorn's hand when it is offered to her. "Thank you, sir," says Linokashtai.
She places her psicrystal on the table, having it scurry over to the map so that it can point out the path that the party took on their travels as she relays the events as they happened. She tonelessly paraphrases what Lydia had already told to Bradford Winehorn, with the psicrystal pointing out any geographical features that are mentioned during her story.