Keildrithe hangs his head, wet hair hanging over his leather headband and into his eyes. He exhales deeply once Laithe has finished speaking, his breath visible in the chill air. "You speak wisely, as always, brother," says the bard hoarsely. "What kind of a monster am I becoming, that I lust for the blood of our foes so strongly?"
Glancing at the prisoners, he adds: "I will speak with them, if they understand Atuscan... If not, then Nicolai may have to do the honours... come to think of it, his detached manner and facility with Thuringian may make for a more productive interrogation."
As the sorcerer intrudes briefly on Keildrithe's conversation with Laithe to ask whether they can still see their enemies, the bard shakes his head.
"Ehlonna and the Ancient Ones be praised... none of our number have fallen." His gaze lingers a long while on Pharris, a short distance away...
"Let us pray the Artonites do not return too soon... we should not linger here long..."
By now, the Artonites/Thuringians are probably far enough to make it difficult for Keildrithe to target them with a short bow, so he'll just keep watch on the two prisoners that Nicolai and Kajetan are attempting to bind (with broken heart, as he really wanted to put all of their enemies to the sword). Re-grouping and letting the baddies flee is probably the best thing we can do, given that we've expended most of our magic and have several injured in the party... And if we can rest through the night, we might even be able to level up and be in a better position to take on the villains when they return... Mothman willining... ;-)
Keildrithe lets the corpse of the slain Thuringian pikeman slide off his sword and into the mud, then cries out in surprise as the archer's arrow grazes him. He quickly strides up to the dazed and singed pikemen, pulls the back-up weapons away from their sides, steps behind them, and places his sword to one's neck and a dagger to the back of the other's neck. "Nicolai, Kajetan... bind these gentlemen, if you please... They should consider themselves lucky that I am feeling... compassionate... at the moment..."
At the top of his lungs, he cries out: "The Artonite dogs flee like the cowards they are! Ehlonna and the elder gods have granted us victory! Run, Arotnite cowards, run as far as you can, for if you return, I swear that I'll kill every last one of you!!!"
Then, whispering to his prisoners... "I hope you understand Atuscan, my friends... one false move from either of you, and I'll slit your throats... is that clear?"
I'm assuming that their placement allows Keildrithe to do this? If not, he'll focus on one soldier...
I thought that only 4 pikemen were near Nicholai, Kajetan and Kieldrithe, 3 of whom may or may not be done for as a result of the damage dealt by Keildrithe's last attack and Nicholai's burning hands... I really hope I'm right about this...
Reposting initiative, otherwise I'll get lost:
Initiative:
Pharris: 20
Nicolai: 20
Laithe: 11
Keildrithe: 11
Bad guys: 10
Alton: 8
Kajetan: 7
Bad guys: 2
Hey Nicolai, from the descriptions we've provided of the man, the horseman is unlikely to be Atrek (he's actually one of the soldiers on foot).
Hmmm... have we actually seen Atrek? I know Pharris killed his bird, but...??? If he is on the battle field, Keildrithe would like nothing better than to get a shot at him... I'm guessing he might be one of the archers?
Keildrithe is about to invoke some more words of power when, hearing Kajetan's request, he changes his mind. "I trust you to save Pharris, wizard!" The bard leaps over the low stone wall and attacks one of of the the stunned pikeman, but the blinding rain and slippery ground result in a clumsy thrust that narrowly misses the bard's target.
Keildrithe hurls a dagger at the singed pikeman, but it hits the wall with a clatter and bounces back near the bard's feat. "Damn it!" growls the bard through clenched teeth...
Veiled by the rain, Keildrithe moves into flanking position behind the axeman that Pharris has wounded, and then lunges with his sword at him while reciting the words of his vengeful ode through clenched teeth.
Sorry for the delay folks, I was in the wilderness since last Friday.
Keildrithe continues to chant the verses to his angry ode at he top of his lungs as he advances through the rain with jaws clenched and fire in his eyes:
The pigs order us to follow orders and obey
The flies drink the decaying nectar of their tortured effigy
Cling to wasted beliefs and visions and bathe in apathy again
No solution, the retirbution of spiritual sickness begins
Born we are the same, within the silence, indifference be thy name
Torn we walk all alone, we sleep in silent shades
The grandeur fades, the meaning never known
Sorry, I'm a bit disoriented... Pharris has dealt with the axeman, Nicolai's foe is singed but still standing... anyone other than Nicolai's foe in melee reach? Those stuck in mud??? Keildrithe will move towards a target and attack, once I know who I can attack. The chanting is just for flavour -- I'm not spending a standard action to keep inspire courage going, although it lasts 5 rounds beyond the initial round...
Keildrithe curses beneath his breath, disappointed that so few of the warriors succumbed to his words of power. Seeing the one spearman approaching the wall, the Karand ducks behind it for cover, and yells out "listen to this and reflect, followers of Arton"! He then begins to bellow out an angry ode:
Religion changed the face of man, thou shalt not kill, we all are gone
The seed of ignorance is born thou shalt not think, thou shalt conform
The pigs call for pure submission and fall into the fray
The lonely hunter beats his shallow drum, the song of world disarray
Cling to wasted beliefs and visions and bathe in apathy again
No solution, the retribution of spiritual sickness begins
The legacy of suffering is through, the guilt we bear shall not tear us in two
Born, we are the same, within the silence, indifference be thy name
Torn, we walk alone, we sleep in silent shades
The grandeur fades, the meaning never known
Keildrithe begins to Inspire Courage among his allies... chanting the beginnings of "Born," by Nevermore... to be continued next round.
Keildrithe, reluctant to interrupt his casting, says nothing while he continues to hum his words of power, but flashes at both Pharris and Alton a wide-eyed look that holds a combination of incredulity, dismay, fear, and perhaps even anger.
Keildrithe ignores Pharris and Kajetan's pleas, keeping focused on the three pikemen that appear sleepy as he hums the words of slightly more potent words of power. Targeting the three sleepy pikemen with a sleep spell, DC 13.
Wow... I've never seen Age of Darkness reach the bottom of the PbP thread list. That having been said, I may not be able to post tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday. Cheers!
The stone trap door seems far too heavy for Kajetan to lift. Alton’s arrow flies true, causing a minor wound on one of the pikemen.
The knight urges his mount up the steep path, whilst the pikemen scramble up behind him. To the east, the axemen climb up the steep part at the base of the hill. Both groups make slow progress up this part of the hill, moving to within about 130 feet of your position.
The two archers train their bows on the tower’s remains, waiting for any of the defenders to again pop up to fire on the approaching soldiers.
Next round – further moves?
Keildrithe unleashes his lullaby spell (DC 12) on the closest and tightest cluster of pikemen, and immediately begins to hum the words to a sleep spell.
Twiceborn, the group of soldiers is about 100 feet away from the base of the hill … which still puts them about 250+ feet away from your position, taking into account the diameter of the hill itself, outside the range of your spell.
Oops... in that case, still holding on the lullaby spell.
Laithe, you notice something poke out from behind one of the standing stones at the base of the hill, perhaps the end of a bow.
The rest of the group waits, watching the approaching soldiers on the plain below draw closer (by the end of this round they are 100 feet from the base of the hill), the rider in the lead. The horseman wears dark, heavy armour and a helm that obscures his face, whilst the footmen jogging along beside him wear light chainshirts. There is still no further sign of the archers at this point, a few of the flaming arrows they shot earlier still burn fitfully around the camp at the top of the hill.
Meanwhile, Kajetan starts for the horses, intending to look for something to open the trap-door.
Round 4, what is everyone doing?
By the end of round 3, Keildrithe's readied lullaby spell would have been cast, with a DC of 12. See above for targetting instructions.
Keildrithe continues to sing gently, making subtle gestures with one hand as he peers over the wall, sword resting against the masonry.
Keildrithe continues to peer cautiously over the wall at the oncoming foes, gently humming a lullaby in the process...
Casts lullaby, and keeps concentrating/holding the spell until the attackers are within 130 feet, ideally targetting an area where the density of soldiers will be greatest (and favouring high density areas in which Atrek finds himself), and preferring to target those at the back of a group... if that makes sense...
Seeing no more arrows fly in, Laithe chances another look around the hillside, trying to spot anyone approaching who may not yet have been seen. He then mouths to Nicolai and Keildrithe "Talk?", shrugging the question. Finally, he rummages around in his pack for his sling and bullets, readying them to throw.
"Too late for that, I think... but if we concentrate our efforts on incapacitating Atrek, perhaps we won't have to slay so many of these other miserable, misguided souls..."
"Hide, and do not retaliate right away... let them think we are dead, and let them break cover and meet us here in the ruins," whispers Keildrithe to his companions.
Keildrithe sleeps hard through the first volley of arrows (thanks to the potency of Laithe's spell?), but awakes groggily when Alton begins to shake him. He clumsily reaches for his sword and stumbles to his feet, hugging one of the walls...
Kajetan is half listening to the others as he studies the ring and keep, lost in thought, he mutters "those that battle monsters had best beware in case they become one them self." in response to Keildrithe's vow.
Keildrithe casts a fiery glare at Kajetan. "And if the hunted does not kill the hunter, then he can be sure that he or his loved ones will end up dead sooner rather than later, especially if they are Karands... I'm willing to take my chances, scholar... It's clear that you don't know what it means to be oppressed, that you have never worn the yoke of the Artonites... and I hope you never do, my friend."
"I prefer to spend the night here, where we have higher ground and good defensive options to work with. If Atrek's men come this night, I may be able to reduce some of their numbers with... how shall I call them... potent lullabies I learned from my grandfather? In a recent dream, grandfather also taught me words that might enable me to make 'friends' of Atrek's men. But mark my words... last time, we made the mistake of letting Atrek live when we defeated him... this time, I won't give him that luxury..."
Turning to the others he asks "What say you gentlemen; do we make our stand here? It won't be much of an ambush mind you, with that cursed eagle watching our every move. There is also a level of uncertainty around the circle of stones at the hill base. Such circles have proven magical in the past," he adds, alluding to the stone circle just outside of Barg.
"We'll have to confront Atrek sooner or later... else, we may as well keep running for the rest of our lives... and I tire of running. I suppose we should scout the remains of the tower first, to make sure that it contains no surprises... at least, none that might harm us." Keildrithe dismounts and groans as he does so, evidently saddle-sore from the long hours of riding. He tries to stretch, winces, gives up, and then starts walking up toward the top of the hill, popping in his mouth the berry that Laithe gave him.
The bard shakes his head in frustration, anger and dismay, driving his horse harder towards the horizon. "Another joyless task is ended... and a third now begins..."
Laithe listens to Keildrithe's stirring ode with relish, filled with nostalgia at hearing the native song of his people, sung in it's native tongue. For a few blissful moments he is taken back to his home, sitting around the campfire on a clear, star-filled night, enjoying the company of his family and friends.
It is with sadness that he is pulled back into the present as the final chords of the song fade away. He rides in silence for a moment, mourning his own losses, and sharing his kinsman's frustration and anger in their current situation.
After a moment he gently goads his horse into a trot to catch up with Keildrithe and ride along side him. "I feel your pain, brother, yet I disagree. There is joy in these tasks we fulfill; though it be difficult to see through the pain and struggle. For me it is in the songs you play, which help me to recall with fondness those I have lost. It is in friends I have made in yourself and those who ride with us." He looks back at Pharris, Alton, Nicolai and Kajetan in turn, before turning back to Keildrithe.
"It is in the good we have done, and the lives we have saved; even though those threatened may not have realised they were ever in danger. It is in the beauty I see in the land around us" he continues, gazing out at the ruggard landscape through which they ride "and it is in the fact that despite all, we still stand and still strive to oppose those who would harm us."
He rides for a little more time in silence, contemplating his own words. "It is a bitter-sweet joy certainly, but you must have faith in it, faith that it is worth the suffering we go through to find it. Have faith in the land, have faith in your companions, and most of all, have faith in yourself."
He becomes deadly serioud now, and whispers quietly but urgently to the bard....
With a grim expression, Keildrithe rides on, meditating on the words Laithe has spoken to him. Eventually, when he is confident that he is out of earshot of the others, he responds to the druid.
Laithe and DM
Spoiler:
"As always, you speak with wisdom and reason, brother. You must know by now that it is not without reason that I carry the name Oldsun... bearer of the dimming light! I do not deny that we have done good deeds, and I am proud of what good we have accomplished. I am grateful for the friends we have made on our journey. I do cherish them deeply... some more than I wish I did." He glances briefly at Pharris as he utters those last words, then returns his attention to Laithe.
"But it saddens me that there is so great a need for such as ourselves, and that so few will stand against the Artonites. It is not with joy that I resist our enemies, that I face the evils of this world with you. I fight out of a sense of duty and loyalty to ancestors past, to friends present, and to those yet unborn... to our country and countrymen... and to the old gods. One should not need to endure so much pain and struggle in order to feel joy." He pauses for an instant, then turns and looks the druid in the eyes. "But I do appreciate your faith in me, brother... your words inspire -- know that I too have faith in my allies, and that I shall never surrender to the tyrants who would rule us and crush our spirits. I will fight to the end."
Then, with a laugh, and as if in afterthought, he adds: "Brother, have you considered embarking upon the path of the hedilye? You seem better cut out for it than even I do! You speak much like my grandfather did..."
As the party rides on towards the tower, constantly looking over their shoulders, Keildrithe begins to recite a stirring ode in Karandic, which he subsequently translates for the benefit of his companions...
Break the bread and drink the wine
Seize the chalice, suck the poison vine
There is frost in every sunbeam
Water flows, from the earth to the sky
Looking down on every rose
Nothing moves, the wheel of heaven turns
As our fingers leave their trace
We are gods in a world we dared embrace
Now we're lost, you can't disguise, the river of no return
Now it's gone, you realize, the river of no return
Glowing embers of our ancient lives
We struggle hard, we live to turn the tide
Living longer in the astral waste
We stare each other, we look death in the face
All my life, in front of you
Lonely secrets hidden from your view
Now we orbit a different sun
For eternity, doomed to tell no one
Now we're lost, you can't disguise, the river of no return
Now it's gone, you realize, the river of no return
Now I'm truly all alone
Canyon walls and the river of no return
I'm amazed at what I am
I never knew the feelings I ignored
Now we're lost, you can't disguise, the river of no return
Now it's gone, you realize, the river of no return
And the anguish drives me on, I wish I could return
All the love that washed away
Down the river of no return
The bard shakes his head in frustration, anger and dismay, driving his horse harder towards the horizon. "Another joyless task is ended... and a third now begins..."
END OF EPISODE 2
Song credits: "River of No Return," by Bruce Dickinson.
"If we head for the tower, we could even trick them into believing that we've gone inside it, while we prepare traps from outside. We might be able to divide and conquer that way. At the very least, we might be able to scare off the horses of those who go looking for us inside... and if the gods should deign to smile upon us, I may also be able to put some of our pursuers to sleep with a lullaby of sorts."
The only other trap I might see working would involve pulling a rope across the road as Atrek and his riders approach, and then throwing nets over them before closing for melee... of course, that would risk causing a great deal of harm to the horses, which I am sure would be more than just a little distasteful to most party members (including Keildrithe), and especially to Laithe... But aside from that, I've been thinking the same thing that Kajetan's been thinking, with regards to the tower.
He looks east once more at the speck that is Atrek's pet bird. "It will not be long before they spot us; I say from here we take a south-west route till we hit the road, and from there we ride hard. Once on the road we can look for a suitable place to stop and set up an ambush."
He turns to the warrior woman, obviously keen to put her sword arm to use once more. "Have no fear Pharris; Atrek and Vorn have tracked us all the way from Barg. As you say, since then we have added a new list of offences and grievances in their eyes. I have not doubt you will get a chance to put your sword to use soon enough."
Keildrithe spits on the ground as Laithe mentions Atrek and Vorn. "I wonder if the old tower in the hills Stonty spoke of wouldn't be the best place to meet our pursuers... it might be more defensible... though, of course, it might also end up being a death trap from which we can't flee if overwhelmed..."
"Thank you, brother, I should be fine," says Keildrithe to Laithe, keen on not losing face before Pharris... and unable to resist stealing a long glance at the amazon as she emerges from the river in her wet, clinging clothes. "Ehlonna, now would be a good time to smile on this humble Karand," he mutters as he steers his horse into the river...
Ride check: 15 + 1 = 16... thank you, dice! By the way, one needs ranks to use Handle Animal, correct? Or were you allowing untrained rolls for that?
He breathes heavily from his run, but cannot help a smile from spreading across his face. Laughing, he says to Keildrithe "Ahh, it feels good to be back out in nature, does it not Brother?" He spends a moment letting the breeze flow over him, before mounting up on the spare horse led by Keildrithe.
"Now we must look to head East, leaving a trail that will be hard to follow, but not too hard. We want to gain some distance on any pursuit without actually losing them, if we are to follow through with an ambush. Keildrithe, keep an eye out for suitable paths to take us back towards our meeting point."
I figure a track check with knoweldge nature may allow us to make a path that will be difficult to follow but not impossible? Laithe will make the check, or aid another if Keildrithe gets the better role. Knowledge nature 10 + 11 = 21, knowledge survival (track) 13 + 16 = 29, knowledge geography 20 + 6 = 26.
"Yes, my brother, I too feel the weight lift from my shoulders -- isn't it amazing how much easier one breathes when one no longer has to watch his back in a nest full of treacherous Artonites? We should also find it easier to see them coming now... if they come at all." Keildrithe helps Laithe identify a likely way to double back and meet the others...
Keildrithe is elated that they seem to have made it through the gates, without casualties or even injuries. "Ride, my friends! Ride hard!!!" He takes a quick look over his shoulder, praying that archers will not soon loose their arrows upon the fugitives...
Keildrithe takes a firm grasp of the reigns of Laithe's horse, then kicks his own mount into a gallop, following Pharris, who seems a little off-balance in her saddle. "Down with the Artonite tyrants! Die on your feet, or live on your knees, good people of Lichford! We shall return! FREEEEEEE-DOOOOOOM!!!" He spits on a guard as he attempts to storm through the gate...
"Farewell, knockers," whispers Keildrithe, smiling as they vanish. "I learned much from you, and hope that your kin are as brave and honourable as you were." Looking to his companions, he then adds, "our time is nigh... everyone ready?"
If we leave the yellow faceted topaz (worth 600gp) that should cover the cost of the horses, plus a little extra? We may as well then leave the rugs and tapestries with Stonty to cover his troubles and Hawthorn. The rest fairly easily carried, so we may as well take it with. Keildrithe, are you still alright to carry/keep a record?
I'm fine with carrying/recordig the loot we're brining with us... but just to be clear... we are not cashing in any items prior to departure and buying other gear before leaving town? It doesn't seem like we have time, but I don't want to assume, either... someone may have their heart set on buying some stuff...
Its not a criticism by the way I am happy with relying on ourselves more, just makes treasure less useful and probably makes balancing encounters tougher.
Same here, I've noticed that myself. Also thinking that it might make creation feats more useful to have, if more difficult to use. But while I would love to have a little easier access to equipment. (scrolls, potions at this level,) You have not only covered for it quite nicely, but I do like the fact that we are relying on 'ourselves' more. It is more interesting than having so many potions, scrolls and minor magical trinkets that you have bandoliers of scroll cases and potions, and so many things in your pockets that you sound like a junk truck!
I agree with French Wolf and Nicolai. I have only played/DMed low magic campaigns, so I quite like our magic-light situation and need for self-reliance. Buying stuff from the "magic shop" just seems wrong to me -- IMO, it cheapens magic. I want to be in awe when I find a magic item, especially something other than a potion or scroll.
"My friends," Keildrithe asks his companions after Stonty presents his appraisal, "I guess some of these items are worth more that I thought. They do not belong just to me -- some of them were acquired when Alton, Laithe and I first joined forces, and others after we met Kajetan and Pharris. So, what shall we do with these trinkets? I myself have little need for material wealth..."
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