You currently reside in Bastion Aforethought, the largest of the Calfite forts and main supply dump for the armies on the front lines. It is a huge complex that constantly buzzes with activity. There is always a large number of new recruits and the supplies arriving from around the country are pouring in. You are stationed here and have individual rooms that are small and plain, but not uncomfortable.
Your rooms are in the main tower of white, magically reinforced stone that serves as the military HQ. There is a central meeting room where you get your briefings from a magical map/table that shows the real-time position of all the armies at the front and all the available information of their condition. Today the front is holding steady. Galbar seems content to send magical missiles and the odd lesser monster at the fortified trenches that are nearing completion, but nothing you need to worry about. Not so far at least...
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Image of Lady Lady Incendia Anisha Rosala, sits smoking a small Cigar and waiting to see who else they had conscripted into the good fight.
Her boots are up on the table, in a burned out and empty inn.
She looked over as the handing body of some poor soul who was in here when it was attacked. Seems the troops wanted some sport.Her clothing was a well made black uniform, her only weapon by the looks of it a Cold Iron Dagger in one of her polished and well kept fine boots. The simple silver insignia on her collar showed she was an officer of the Calfon city Intelligence core. Her black orb eyes looked around, as she tipped some Ash off the end of her cigar, she flipped open an old news paper she had found and started reading, every now and then taking a pull on her smoke and tipping off ash.
A happy go lucky looking halfling in a shirt of chain which somehow seems to absorb the light walks into the room and sits down. There is a crossbow on his back and little other gear.
Incendia lowers her News paper and peers over the top of it with a smile.
The smile is beautiful as is the lady who gives it. Darkness also seems to spread from her, and a nagging feeling, a kind of slight dread. But her smile seems warm, promising so many pleasures."Good morning Master halfling, you here for the fun?."
Her ascent speaks of nobility, breading and education.
"Fun? War isn't fun. However it is a necessary evil, so on we go. At least I keep clear of the messy bits. "
She puts down the news paper, points with her small cigar at the dead body dangling.
"I bet he thought the same thing, that is until messy bit found him."
She reached down and pulled up form under the table what looked to be some kind of wine in a chard bottle. She then placed two odd matching mugs on the table.
"I have a little look around, want some"
She asks pouring him and her a drink.
"I'm Lady Rosala by the way, a specialist in... well lets say finding things out. Could I ask your name and lets face it what counts at the moment, your specialty."
She starts placing more mugs on the table and a few more bottles of wine saying
"For the others, I'm expecting there will be more of us in this new.. irregulars tactical unit"
She says, again with that smile.
While he does get up on the chair, he studiously avoids touching the mug. "I'm Canaan. I shoot rats. I mean I used to shoot rats. Now I shoot what I'm told to shoot. I'm pretty good at it. "
"Well it's nice to meet you Canaan, and a shotist no less. Rats, well we all have to start someplace. Canaan, If you don't mind me asking, what would you say your maximum range for a single kill shot would be. It's always good to know things like that."
She looks over his garb and weapon, as your closer you can now see she is quit tall. Some 6 foot with a very curvaceous body, with only a dagger on her it she seems a little out of place on a battle field. Yes she seems quit at ease here.
"Hello fellow recruits." The voice comes from a glowing ball of sickly green light. "My name is Akumu. One task, the humans said. One more task, and they would release me from my servitude." Akumu spits in a direction where he will hit no one. "My task is to assist you in this mission to make it a success. I have certain talents, like I can move completely unseen, and fly anywhere I wish." He vanishes. "Rest assured, I have not abandoned you. I am still here."The voice comes from empty air, making you wonder if you were hearing things. Then Akumu appears, a glowing sickly green ball of light.
"Now that is a handy talent to have Akumu and wecome to the irregulars. Help yourself to a drink thete is plenty. Im lady Rosala and this is Canaan."
she says having not taken her eyes of your general area the whole time.
Akumu gives an eeire laugh. He sips the drink out of politeness. "My thanks, Lady Rosala, but I gain no sustenence from mortal beverages. Mortal fear, however, is another matter. Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods." His voice fills with rapture. "Think it strange do you not? The war...the screams of the dying, their fear...so delicious...yet mortals hate it."
"Maximum kill shot? is that a human or a rat? Rats are a bit harder to hit. Well unless the human has armor. It's all a bit complicated. I can hit a man sized target with an aimed shot at 800 feet, but I do admit it would take a good bit of luck. By that range the drop is very large, so you are aiming well over the target, and any wind will really screw things up. I'd say reliable range is within 160 for regular kill shots... maybe out to 240. "
Then when the odd voice and being pipes up. "Right, handy stuff that. " obviously a bit creeped out by the monstrous company.
Damn, our side must be getting desperate to get in bed with such things. he thinks to himself.
Akumu gives an eeire laugh. He sips the drink out of politeness. "My thanks, Lady Rosala, but I gain no sustenence from mortal beverages. Mortal fear, however, is another matter. Ambrosia, the nectar of the gods." His voice fills with rapture. "Think it strange do you not? The war...the screams of the dying, their fear...so delicious...yet mortals hate it."
Lady Rosala looks hard at Akumu then a palpuble wave of terror eradicates from her, for a fraction of a moment, shadows form around her as if the space darkens. A vistion of a real of shadows and darkness. In that momentary wave lay the sum of all your fears, every dread you ever had, even you Akumu feel fear for a fraction of a moment and they joy of such a dark plain of endless shadows. Then its gone and the lady is just ths lady once more.
"I think you and I have much in common Akumu. Stick with me and I feel your hunger my find things to feed on"
She tips ash from her small cigar.
"Umm, I think I need to go find the privy. " and he gets the hell out of the room with the creepy critters.
As Canaan Fodda approaches the privy, he notices a form appear in the shadows. Or half of one. The shadowy figure seems to nod at the halfling as it floats by into the inn.
It addresses the assembled group directly to their minds, *I am the Darkweaver.*
"Oh...the ecstacy, it feels sooo goood." Akumu shudders with joy. "If this is what it's going to be like, then we shall feast on the fear and suffering of our foes," he crows in triumph. "This service might actually be enjoyable, " he muses to Lady Rosala.
"Did we spook the halfling out? They're supposed to be fearless." He laughs at his own joke.
"Hail, Darkweaver. Welcome to the League of Extraordinary beings."
"Seems a skittish chap our halfling"
As your project your mind speech to Lady Rosala you find a resistance and then your alowed in.
::"Well, well its nice to meet a fellow who can talk this way"::
She looks in Darkweaver's direction there is no mistaking she is tracking you.
"So Darkweaver, what skills do you bring to our little group, I have a feeling I may know some. As we seem know the same realm well."
She places a mug of wine on the table for him should he want it.
[spoiler=Incendia]::Talking the way others do harms the silence.::
It nods, ignoring the wine. ::Yes, your kind came to our home long ago. We debated your presence and judged you acceptable. I can be difficult to see. Perhaps not so much as the small one, but enough for most purposes. I tear things apart with my claws and unburn things with coldfire. I can remove the light from darkness and see in such conditions. I realize that many others can only see in partial darkness, and I will use true darkness as needed. The halfling may be a problem unless he has corrected the flaw in his vision. He will require far too much light to be effective. Such light makes subtlety difficult. The skills he brings must be worthwhile enough to overcome his handicap.::
::"O yes, yes, true dark holds little fear for me, I do not need eyes to see minds."::
She projects.
::"Well we had so few places to go after the silly selfish god's locked us away in the Hell's. Wanting mortals all for themselves, and they call us greedy. We seek only to help mortals find perfection you know this. We seek only to Enlighten."::
She chuckles
::"And yes we are fully aware of Zon-Kuthon's pets and your fun debates. Its just a shame that no matter what you may agree, Zon-Kuthon has the only vote that counts"::
She says wryly, as if knowing more than she is saying.
In the pricy:
Canaan takes a little while to get centered. He counts to 100 forwards and backwards and gets ahold of himself.
You've seen worse on the battlefield . They're on your side. THEY"RE ON YOUR SIDE.
Then, like an idiot he heads back.
Can't let them detect fear. It's like any predator.
"Ah yes, much better now. Must have had a bad meat pie for second breakfast."
"I see. I heard that mortals occasionally suffer from stomach discomfort. Must be a really trying thing. Maybe you should note down the source and stop getting sustenance from there. Different sources offer different...quality of goods."
You get the impression that his reference to goods....might not be in a conventional fashion.
"Well yes, but being as there is a war on, food is a touch scarce. Best to not ask about the meat in the meat pies from what I've heard. Not like there's too many places to eat beyond the mess halls anymore these days. " he replies deliberately trying not to fathom any deeper meaning.
They're on my side.
The shadowy being looks over the small humanoid. ::Perhaps you should hire someone to magically purify your food. I am constantly amazed by the ways you mortal beings develop ways to compensate for you limitations and flaws.::
He seems to acknowledge Incedidia's comment, though does not respond.
"Yes I expect a priest could take care of that, but they are rather busy tending to the wounded and don't have time to be harassed over something that just upsets one's tummy. I'm not one for using magic myself. "
As you converse, a human in the military armor and a cloth covering his right shoulder with three crimson stripes that mark him as a Captain walks in. He shows no signs of fear as he faces you. More like he's surveying just another group of soldiers.
Listen up! He barks. The Furious 42nd just got hit with conjured fog and shock troops have broken our first line. The 42nd has done a decent job containing them, but they brought something over in the rush. We don't know what it is, but it has a Thudder* and it's angry. I need youall to go in and reestablish that line. Questions?
There's a sound of large wings flapping and then a *thud* outside as the Captain finishes speaking. Not long after, another human in light armor, his insignia marking him a Sergeant, jogs up to the door.
"Sir!" He salutes the captain smartly. "I've brought Sharptalon, per your orders."
Thank you. We have acquired one of the griffons for close air support. They might try to send fliers once they realized you've been deployed. He waves and dismisses the sergeant.
"Roger captain. Do we have any transport? Well beyond one Griffon. "
You will be taken by wagon to the front, but only as far as the forward med tents.
"Ok, away we go. " and goes out and loads into the wagon.
Darkweaver will address the griffon, ::Since they left you without a handler, I assume that you have some degree of sapience. You can respond to my mindspeech if you need to communicate anything.::
If it is anything less than full light, it'll float onto the wagon. If it's regular or bright light, it will float under the wagon to avoid the light.
It is currently dusk, and threatening rain. This mission will probably be a wet one.
Her ladyship waits as the army officer talks, as an intelligence officer her job was a simple one in situations like this. Find out as much as she could about what ever they had sent, with out being destroyed, banished or captured
As the griffin comes she smiles gets off her chair and walks over to it. Admiring its long sharp talons and placing her hands on its find plumage.
@Griffon Cavalry
"Your a beautiful boy ant you, I bet you have cut some thing with thous sharp talons of yours. And your plumage is truly breathtaking. Where heading to battle now, so would you mind allowing me to ride there on you. If we land when the wagon stops at the medical tents, I can carry on, on foot from there. But before then I would really like a little fly over what ever we have to fight, give us a heads up on what it is and how we can beat it. How dos that sound Master Griffon"
she says and asks.
"Sir!" The Sergeant saluted again and departed.
Sharptalon is waiting outside, well away from the wagon and its tempting horses. He jumps slightly and screeches in surprise when Darkweaver 'speaks'.
Darkweaver can tell that his thoughts are more than animal, though perhaps less than human. Some are more emotions than full thoughts, and none are expressed in words. Surprise! Uncertainty... Curiosity? He starts looking around at all of the strange creatures. Who talk?
"Hello Sharptalon. Good to have you on the team.Do you speak?
"Want me to go have a look with you? They can't see me afterall, I'll stay about 50 ft ahead of the rest." Akumu reactivates his invisibility.
Sharptalon puffed his chest out at the Lady's praise. He nodded to her as she finished, then looked over at Akumu and shook his head with a slight screech. Then he knelt slightly to let Incendia on.
She nodded back and mounted the fine Griffon, she pats his neck.
"Thanks you, your a wonderful Griffon."
She seems a little lighter than expected but other than that she looks like a half-elf with black orb eyes.
She looks over at the others.
she Calls to Canaan in the cart.
"Canaan know you could ride that old cart to the fight, OR you could ride with me and this fine Griffon, the trip would be faster and Im sore he can carry us both, all you need to is ask him nicely."
Sharptalon looked the halfling over, then nodded his assent.
Lady Incendia Anisha Rosala looks at the others and says to them all.
"Well it looks like poor old me is the ranking officer for now. But where a special tactics unit, I'm not going to pull rank unless you try and do some think really dumb or try running from the fun. Your all compliment so Rank will not be needed here unless the brass shows up understood. If you have a good idea, one that may stop us coming to harm while getting the job done, say it, do it, don't wait for orders."
She offers her hand to Canaan
"Right when your all ready lets forgo the cart and fly to this one."
"But I need to be dropped off at some place where I can make a hide overlooking the fight. Getting close does me no good. " and he will jump up on the griffon.
::Then let's fly.:: Darkweaver will take to the sky, using his natural shadowy form to keep unseen.
It takes about half hour to arrive at the front via flight. On the way you can clearly see the wagon trains and roads leading up to the mouth of hell that is the front. This section is an ant hill of activity. Troops are marching double time toward the front and the wounded are being brought back by the cartload.
The rain starts about half way to the front and is soon coming down in earnest. You make several passes over the front but struggle to get a good read on your target. Sharptalon gets pot shots thrown his way whenever he descends too far. The invisible ones get a bit closer and narrow down the location of the target to a hastily set up command tent, but there's no way to get in without getting yourself in trouble. You are able to see that it looks human, though much bigger than he should be, and the Thumper is somehow grafted to his left arm. It's a huge weapon. You can only guess at the damage it does.
You land at the front where the men give you a wide berth. The target tent is only a few dozen yards away in a straight line and skirmishes are constant here. The section sergeant approaches. It's clear to your eyes that he's hiding his fear for the sake of his troops. He has to shout to be hard over the downpour.
Greetings. I assume you're the strike team. We're ready to secure the sections you clear and watch your back. We estimate at least two companies made it over along with that beast and his Thumper. I've already lost a squad and a half to that monster!
As they get ready to set off she helps Canaan up and places him in front of her.
"We will find a spot for you, don't you worry Canaan"
::"Tell me where you where to take us? where the Furious 42nd med tents are at once that is an order!"::
::"Fine and bold griffin Sharptalon, do not worry, I am talking to your mind. I am lady Rosala she who now sits on your back, with the little once Canaan. Would you be so kind as to take us to the forward med tents of the Furious 42nd"::
::"Akumu fly point with Weaver, if you two can get close to what ever it is and have a look see that will help. Report back what you find to us at the medical tents here... "::
@The group
::"Before we go fully in to the fight I'll need to make for the medical tents and pick up the rest of our group. There should be more of us, so I am taking it they will me joining us there. Weaver and Akumu check out what we are facing. Ill Drop Canaan of at a point he can shoot from. Once we know what we are facing and have the rest of us, we can go from there. Lets move out."::
With that she waits on Sharptalon to take them to the air.
==============
fly there
==============
As the land she lets Canaan down and then dismounts herself.
@Akumu & Weaver
::"Stay in the air and unseen, while I talk to the ground troops how about you scout out what we are facing and see of there is a way to take it down"::
@Sharptalon
::"That big thing has some group support, where going to go kill some of them soon."::
She hears the sergeant out.
"I'm Lady Rosala, Intelligence core, there was meant to be more of us coming. If they do, send them my way. Where going to try and take that thing out now. We and the Griffin here will need your men's support, Your troops need to give us cover fire to stop its supporting troops getting in our way. Keep the their heads down kind of thing. I have troops in the air scouting now. Once they let me know more detail. My hope is we can get this done fast."
She go's to move out, then stops turning back she says in a voice all around can hear.
"Don't worry sergeant, that thing just walked itself into its own personal nightmare. The bad guys are here"
Brevardo aside it always helps to bust troop moral.
She then moves by foot with Canaan and Sharptalon to get close to see what the thing is and scout its supporting group troops.
@Canaan
::"Canaan that thing needs to see to shoot, do you think you can find a good shooting spot and blind it?"::
The need tents are just a couple hundred yards back from where you landed, uncomfortably close to the front.
Sharptalon crouches down to let anyone on his back who wishes get off, but his gaze is fixed on where their foe awaits them.
Lady Rosala starts to make her way thought the tranches to the Front.
Thick with mud as the rain starts to fall. Her find black uniform soon covered in mud splatter. Its shimmers and changes to a drab brown one, with only the insignia on her collar showing she is an officer. Passing the troops hunched down and taking cover as the whizzing and then thudding sound of the Thudder come from ahead. What ever that big beats was it was making a mess of the line. She takes out form her pouch a head gear and puts it on. It looks like military cap with a gem on it.
::"Where the %££&! are the others, I was told this new tactical unit would have more of us. Sorry thinking aloud. Alright, you can all hear me I hope, back there I linked all our minds, this link works over any range. You can talk to each other by it as well. My psycystal will pass on your works."::
She takes out a ciger pups in her mouth as she clams down against a mud wall and takes a peek up ahead at the big thing with its big magic gun.
::""%^" that thing is big, Canaan, you in position yet?, Sharptalon stay close for now, any of the enemy come attack em. So Akumu & Weaver what are we facing here."::
Akumu moves closer to the thing, carefully. Should it happen to see him and start firing, he will retreat at full speed.
"Weaver, should you be using a darkness I can't see throigh, direct me on where I need to go so I may attack."
The front consists of about a dozen men manning a hasty barricade consisting of a broken supply cart with lots of standard issue light shields plugging the cracks and a bunch of debris holding the whole thing up. It's a crude thing at best, but it's the only thing keeping the enemy from pouring into your second lines. The men there are very committed to keeping their heads down, and only peek beyond the barricade through tiny cracks in the ramshackle construction.
Incendia- You see your target wandering behind the shield wall that forms the enemy's front line. There are at least a dozen shock troops between you and your target. They wield tower shields and light maces. Ten of then have formed said shield wall and are looking restless.
Cannon - The terrain makes your belly sink. Most of the "high" places are so barren as to provide no cover, and you're close enough to the enemy's trenches to get sniped at if you're not careful. Your best bet is a two story tower that used to be a three story tower overlooking this area. The top floor has been blown to oblivion, hopefully not by this thing you're hunting.