Aivar pats his horse and rubs - almost scrubs, its back with a leather-clad gloved hand. He eyes Mikmek whilst doing so and listens to the exchange between the kobold and the elf. Turning his head to Raquel, he comments, "Whatever will happen, at least it will be interesting. Maybe when we return to civilization you can talk and boast about that time you spent drinking with a clan of kobolds?"
As always, Aivar focuses on the possible positives.
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"You know it! Oh, I can write a song about it! I'll call it The Brave and the Ko-Bold! What do you think?"
A challenge in Draconic rings out, from an unseen sentry. Mikmek answers it and there is a short exchange, before she steps forward hesitantly with a whispered caution to Nariel.
Following the kobold, you enter through the mouth of the hill (this is obviously your day for being underground). It is pitch-black inside, but small hands reach out from the darkness, guiding you around unseen (and probably unsafe) obstacles. You walk for several minutes through cramped uneven tunnels, wary of catching your head on the low ceiling, before you arrive at what - from the sound of the echoes - is a much larger cavern. At a sharp command from an unseen voice, a single torch flares into life, illuminating in its ring of light a raised dais holding a throne. Perched on the edge of the seat, regarding you with interest, is a rheumy-eyed kobold whose wrinkled and faded scales show his great age, and whose eyes gleam with an ancient malice. The explanation for your presence in these caves is quickly extracted from Mikmek, following which - at an imperious gesture from the leader - several of his guards quickly pounce on her, pinning her to the floor and swiftly, brutally executing her.
Holding up Mikmek's severed head, the leader rasps out to his followers:
The cry comes back from a multitude of unseen kobolds, echoing in the vast space of the cavern:
The leader allows this to continue for some time, before idly waving one hand and letting the noise subside. He then addresses you directly for the first time since your arrival here:
Unable to understand a single darned word that the kobold is saying, Aivar balls his hands into fists. When he addresses, he almost bites out the words. "Give me one good reason why I don't send this accursed fella to Pharasma's embrace, Nariel. This can't stand."
"Gorum's curly hairs!" Raquel curses, shocked by the sudden and brutal execution. "I'm with the big guy, these a@!!!#$s need to pay!" Her hand hovers over the hilt of her rapier.
Arianna screams when Mikmek is killed, backing up in horror. "What...what the hell?!" In the back of her mind she's trying to think, but comes up blank. "I...we..." She tries to count the number of Kobolds, but her eyes are no good for this. Still, from the sound, it's enough to know, "We're...really outnumbered here. We can't--don't--f+*%, do not touch your weapons, we won't leave here alive--Gods this was a mistake, we need information but this was a very big mistake."
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Watching in quiet horror as Mikmek was swiftly executed, Nariel allowed her head to drop slightly. Closing her eyes, Nariel shook her head ever so slightly as she fought back her desire to weep and scream at the same time. Placing her right hand over her eyes, a real sense of sadness struck her. To go to such lengths to save a life, only to see her executed so brazenly... such a waste.
Letting her hand drop, Nariel forced her own sadness pass, or at least she buried it for the time being. She had no choice, as her close companions grew ever closer to escalating an already tense and dangerous situation. At that moment, Inuviel's voice intruded her thoughts as her companions cried out for justice... You see Nariel, savages. That voice was like a knife, but it nevertheless focused her.
Glancing back at Aivar and Raquel, Nariel shook her head and spoke tersely "Enough, Arianna is right... stand down. As much as we despise the way of the kobold, it is their law and we are on their land insofar as they are concerned." Looking over at Arianna with a nod, Nariel adds "We will leave here alive, I promise you."
Taking a deep breath, Nariel fought her nervousness as she stared down the old kobold leader, finally addressing him in his language. Burying her contempt for such a cruel and vindictive leader, she responded in a firm but diplomatic and neutral tone. Inwardly she was frightened, desperate to get a hold this volatile situation, but outwardly she appeared confident.
Raquel scowls but listens to Nariel. She quietly murmurs a prayer and touches the elf's back, helping her choose the right words.
The ancient kobold flicks his tongue out of his mouth, lizardlike, as he weighs Nariel's reply. He gestures curtly and his guards step forward to relieve you of the eggs. Cradling them in both arms, they scurry away into the darkness beyond the torchlight.
The leader returns his attention to you, his eyes narrowed with disdain
At another command, a kobold (decked out in an array of bones and gems) steps forward. With great solemnity, it hands you a black hexagonal scale, perhaps a foot in diameter and harder than steel.
The leader speaks once more.
Aivar refuses to accept the scale, aching only to get out and away from this lair filled with inhuman reptiles who so willingly take the life of a caring mother. And for what reason? Did it even matter what the reason was? Pragmatism will have to wait until both his heart and mind manage to cool down. Right now, Brevan fire dictates his thoughts.
Raquel shares in Aivar's rage. Her family had been cruel and tyrannical, but in her eyes these kobolds are monsters, just as bad as the mites, antithetical to everything Cayden Cailean stands for. She silently seethes as Nariel negotiates, already contemplating returning with an army to eliminate these heinous creatures from the Stolen Lands.
Taking the scale with both hands, Nariel nods graciously. Being mindful to be respectful, Nariel nonetheless confidently returns a stern look for him and responds in his native tongue
Exiting with her companions under an uneasy peace, Nariel holds her head high, looking down on the kobolds she eyes skittering about in the darkness. Returning to the surface, Nariel gradually quickens her pace. Finally, when a safe distance from the kobold lair, Nariel's confident demeanor slowly morphs into anguish.
As the danger subsides and her adrenaline fades, Nariel legs finally give out and she falls to her knees. Burying her face in her hands, the normally stoic elf takes a moment acknowledge the horror they just witnessed, quietly choking back a sob "Such savagery, we should never have come here." Finally gathering her wits after a moment, Nariel stands while wiping away a tear. Turning away, Nariel only mutters "I... let us leave this place, quickly." Putting the scale away, Nariel makes her way toward Hrive and immediately unties him and climbs back into the saddle, urging her steed away.
Sasha flinches only slightly at the brutal execution of Mikmek. The kobold certainly didn't deserve to die, but in the world she grew up in, her fate was an all-too-common one. Life was cheap.
When they get back into the fresh air of the Stolen Lands and out of earshot of the kobolds, she rests a hand on Aivar's arm. "We got what we came for, big guy. Vengeance can come later."
Raquel grimly mounts Thunder and follows Nariel, the cleric's normally unassailable good cheer conspicuously absent.
Leaving the Sootscale caverns behind you head Northwest, following the line of the Shrike river. Unlike the two more peaceful woodland rivers you have encountered - the Thorn and the Skunk - the Shrike river is mountain run-off: icy-cold, even at this point of the year, and very fast-flowing as it races through the Kameland Hills.
The Kamelands at this point are just starting to give way to the rolling plains that lead into Rostland, but the ground itself seems almost confused; a veritable maze of hillocks and stony outcroppings that make travelling in a straight line almost impossible.
Between the need to watch your step and the noise of the swift-flowing river, the sound of battle ahead of you is obscured almost until you walk straight into it: a group of bandits (led by the woman you encountered previously at the Thorn river ford) has used the river and the higher ground as a strategic ambush point, turning the hills into a killing zone. The bodies of several soldiers, bearing the livery of Restov, lie where they fell - they and their horses riddled with arrows. A brave - or foolhardy - youth who looks barely old enough to shave has taken command, leading the survivors of the patrol up the slope, seeking to take the fight to the archers.
It's a bold plan, and it might almost work if it weren't for the deadly crossfire coming from the other side of the river...
With hushed voice, Aivar spits out instructions, but already his feet are carrying him forward to the four villains up on the high ground. "Someone, please distract the two across," and Aivar points at the apparent leader of the group of bandits and one of her flunkies. "The rest, let's take care of the four up ahead."
Raquel grasps her holy symbol. "Fight bravely! In Cayden's name!" As the blessing suffuses the party, she moves to follow Aivar, drawing her rapier.
"On it!" Arianna says, and heads for the river crossing.
Arianna draws her bow as she moves, takes aim, and fires at one of the bandits.
At the kobold's execution of their own kind, Tristan is too shocked to react. His hand strays to his rapier handle until Nariel makes it clear that they are under no threat - yet. Once outside, Tristan shakes his head. "I've never been happier to be an exile," he remarks, his glibness covered deep unease.
At the sounds of battle - and the realization that there were fair enemies ahead - Tristan feels an almost giddy happiness. Finally, he had an opportunity to strike back against the cruelty in the world - and it looks liked. He begins to ready his bow as he raises his voice and casts using his free hand. He shouts out a slightly modified chorus to a popular and ancient battle tune.
"Arrows fly and trumpets sound,
Throw them down, throw them down!
Into the river, let them drown,
Throw them down, throw them down!
Satire (Su): A court bard can use performance to undermine the confidence of enemies who hear it, causing them to take a –1 penalty on attack and damage rolls (minimum 1) and a –1 penalty on saves against fear and charm effects as long as the bard continues performing. This penalty increases by –1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Satire is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability that uses audible components.
Nariel glances over the battlefield, and listens as Aivar calls out his directive. Nodding, she speaks aloud "Distraction, right." Following Aivar as he closes in on the archers, Nariel grabs a piece of fleece from her belt pouch. After whispering a quick incantation, something strange occurs... a plainly visible grizzly bear wonders up behind the archers quietly. Speaking only loud enough for Aivar to hear, Nariel adds "Ignore the bear Aivar, it is an illusion designed to occupy the archers."
Sasha follows her companions up the hill, pulling her bow from Thunder's saddle. She knocks an arrow and looses at the closest bandit not engaged Aivar. for fear of hitting the paladin.
Sasha's heart flutters a beat when she spots Yuri across the river, but she doesn't call out to him. Distraction in a fight usually meant death.
+1 splash v Aivar, Sasha and Raquel
+1 splash v Nariel
+1 splash v Nariel
With the advantage of surprise, Sasha's arrow strikes deep, although the bandit's cry of pain (echoed as Arianna also lands a hit) raises the alarm.
Taking advantage of the sudden distraction, the blond swordsman forces his way up the hill, pushing the enemies back and making space for the soldiers behind him; although he takes a blade through the ribcage for his troubles (he doesn't seem to notice).
The bandit lieutenant, Kressle, doesn't hesitate at the new development - she sends the man beside her to join the press of bodies on the hillside below. She bides her time, the axes in her hand waiting for the right moment.
On the other bank of the river, the four bandit archers whirl round to face the new threat - spotting the bear as they do so. One of them hurls a ceramic flask at it, which promptly explodes, drawing a cry of panic when the beast is unmarked: "It's invincible!"
His companion smacks him on the head. "You're a loony - it's not ******** real!" He moves forward towards the wizard, before throwing a flask at her that wreaths the elf in flames. The other two step back, more worried about the immediate threat of the armoured paladin approaching them than they are about the arcane arts. They also launch burning projectiles, scouring the hillside with flame.
Seizing the moment, Kressle hurls her throwing axe at Arianna; despite the range, the weapon strikes the redhead girl solidly in the midriff, although the distance takes most of the force out of the blow.
Kressle smirks and pulls another axe from her belt. "Got more here with your name on, cutiepie!"
Yuri - 10
Red - 9
Pink - 4
Blue - 7
Aivar 18/26
Arianna 16/21
Nariel 7/14
Raquel 17/18
Sasha 17/18
Tristan 16/16
Raquel winces as she is scorched and her allies take some nasty blows. "Cayden preserve us," she prays as she channels healing energy.
Cursing aloud in elven, Nariel struggles and fails to keep her illusion going. Realizing her ruse failed, Nariel eventually gave up and allowed her spell to dissipate.
Feeling a little rage well up, Nariel ignores the fire and draws her bow as Raquel's healing energy waves over her. Gritting her teeth, she fires off an arrow at the lone archer standing in front of her.
Ignoring the flames isn't the smartest thing Aivar has done in his life, but ignore them he does. A prayer to Shelyn, to see him and his comrades through this fight alive, is uttered before he closes the distance to the bandit scourge.
Tristan hadn't had high hopes for a repeat of their previous encounter with the woman, but he still finds time for disappointment when his spell seems to have no effect. He opts to practice his archery next.
Arianna pulls the axe out and throws it to the side. "You throw like a girl!" She nocks an arrow and shoots, landing a hit, and simultaneously she prepares to take the fight in close.
Something odd happens to both Nariel's and Arianna's shots: the arrows are deadly accurate, but somehow deflect slightly at the last second, so the shot that would have gone through an eye, or punctured the neck, instead gives no more than a nasty scratch.
The melee on the far side of the river continues, with only the blond swordsman managing to land a hit - a rather neat strike that drops his opponent.
Kressle laughs at Arianna's bluster. "Like it up close do you, cutie? Girl after my own heart." Rapidly crossing the river, she closes into melee and lands another hit with her axe.
The bandits on the near side act as one co-ordinated group, taking a swift step back before unleashing a devastating volley of arrows against their targets. Aivar bears the brunt of it and is hit twice, while Nariel and Sasha are also both marked.
The liquid fire adhering to Nariel and Aivar finally burns out, but not without further harm, leaving Nariel barely standing.
Yuri - 10
Red - 9
Pink - 4
Blue - 15, dead
Yellow - 5
Kressle - 5
Aivar 15/26
Arianna 16/21
Nariel 1/14
Raquel 18/18
Sasha 15/18
Tristan 16/16
"Nariel! Hold on!" Raquel falls back to the elf's side, laying her hands on her burns and calling upon Cayden's power to heal her.
As Kressle comes charging forward, Tristan drops his bow and draws his rapier, joining the fray with a step-thrust.
"Odd, I remember you use to run by this point in a fight," he snarks.
"On your knees!" Arianna snaps as she hooks one of her feet behind Kressle's leg and tries to force Kressle to the ground.
Aivar continues to struggle with the sheer amount of bandits he's facing, swinging wildly at one and then another.
Nearly succumbing twice to the liquid fire and missile onslaught, Nariel curses herself quietly as Racquel rescues her again. Grabbing some multicolored sand from her belt pouch, she looks at Racquel with gratitude, but also an obvious sense of disappointment in herself "I would be long passed if it were not for you Racquel. Whether it is the cold or the my ineptitude in battle, you have rescued me more than I deserve."
Glancing back at the archers, Nariel scowls with hatred as she tosses down her bow "That being said, we must neutralize these archers." Moving forward, Nariel flings the sand in the direction of the archers, which turns into a brilliant display of light.
Sasha lets out a whoop when she hits the bandit, but her elation takes a backseat as they return fire. She only just manages to dodge to the side to keep an arrow from killing her, and receives a bloody gash for her trouble.
Gritting here teeth, she assesses the situation, looking at the fight tactically, as her father taught her. The expedition was outnumbered and outgunned against the archers; and Narièl is in trouble. Sasha had to distract them to buy the wizard some time.
Drawing her rapier, Sasha shouts a battle cry and charges the archer in front of her, missing with her thrust. Undeterred, Sasha waits for Narièl to cast her spell before stepping sideways, further into the midst of the archers.
She stabs out with her rapier, hoping to take advantage of any that might be stunned.
"I would be long passed if it were not for you Racquel. Whether it is the cold or the my ineptitude in battle, you have rescued me more than I deserve."
Despite the raging battle, Raquel blushes slightly. "Just doing my job," she says, but there's an edge of something else in her voice.
On the far bank of the River, the blond swordsman cooly dispatches another of the bandits, and his men take down the remaining one. Their grisly work completed, they start to march up towards the ford, looking to cross the river and avenge their losses.
Nariel's spell works, and two of the bandits reel back, stunned and blinded; Sasha ensures that one of them will not recover, putting him down with ruthless speed.
Kressle gives a shriek of surprised outrage (OK, mostly rage) as Arianna knocks her down: "B**ch, I can take you from the floor!" One axe whirls left, easy to dodge; but Arianna realises too late that it's a setup, and ducks straight into the path of the other one, taking the blade full in the face!
The remaining two bandits fire at the closest targets, Aivar and Sasha: both of them are hit by an arrow.
Yuri - 10
Red - 9
Pink - dead
Blue - dead
Black - dead
Yellow - dead
Kressle - 5, prone
Aivar 16/26
Arianna 4/21
Nariel 10/14
Raquel 18/18
Sasha 11/18
Tristan 16/16
The tide seems to be turning. Are the Gods on their side? Is the Queen's grip on this part of the world not as strong as they had feared? As Aivar steps up to strike at one of the remaining bandits, a ray of sunlight pokes right into his eyes.
Raquel grimaces as she sees Arianna take a nasty hit. She hustles to her side and heals her wounds.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Nariel leaves the two stunned archers to retrieve her bow and takes the opportunity to finally put up a proper defense with a quick incantation.
Realizing that if anyone had the martial skill to take down the leader it was going to be Arianna, Tristan joins Raquel in healing her up.
On the hit, Arianna is stunned briefly from the pain, and blood runs into her eyes. Then, she feels the rush of healing energy reinvigorating her. She wipes the blood out of her eye, throws her teammates a thumbs-up, and stomps on Kressle.
Sasha cries out in pain as an arrow takes her in the flank. The other blinded bandit will have to wait, she thinks. We need to finish off the archers.
Sasha slips around the stumbling archer and jabs at the one that shot her.
Arianna's booted foot lands on Kressle's face, smashing the woman's nose with a satisfying crunch. The bandit snarls, jumping to her feet without a word - there's no bravado left. This is only kill or be killed. Her battleaxe swings again, relentlessly accurate, biting deep into Arianna's body, with a snap of breaking bones.
The bandit attacked by Sasha, already previously wounded, cries out in pain as her sword pierces him. Bleeding profusely, he is barely on his feet; and yet he stands. Drawing a wicked-looking blade, he attacks the girl, but misses. His companion joins him, and he has better luck, although Sasha's excellent reflexes turn what would have been a nasty wound into little more than a cut.
The blond swordsman crosses the river, his men close behind him. He nods courteously to Arianna: "Is this a private duel, or may anyone join in?"
Yuri - 10
Red - 12
Pink - dead
Blue - dead
Black - dead
Yellow - dead
Kressle - 14
Aivar 19/26
Arianna 9/21
Nariel 10/14
Raquel 18/18
Sasha 9/18
Tristan 16/16
Raquel sees Arianna get hit again, and she grimly steps forward beside the wounded brawler. She glances at the blonde man. "I don't know about you, but I'm about to cut in." She thrusts her rapier at Kressle's face, but only ends up nicking her cheek!
With the threat of missile attack neutralized for the time being, Nariel turns her attention to the battle northeast of her position. Noticing the brutal effectiveness of Kressle's axe, Nariel reacts with her last prepared spell.
Arianna takes a swipe at Kressle as she stands up but whiffs. She grumbles something that might be acknowledging the soldier but gets lost in the moment as she takes the hit.
She swings at Kressle ineffectually and ducks into a defensive posture.
Aivar continues to strike, but it's as if someone or something has jinxed him. Perhaps a not-to-be-named queen of sorts?
Sasha jabs again at the wounded bandit, and this time he goes down. The blond swordsman gives Raquel and Arianna a dazzling smile: "Well, ladies first, of course, but now..." Stepping in with a flourish, his duelling sword cuts Kressle down just as the greased axe topples from her nerveless hands. With her dead, the soldiers are able to move past and they do so at a run
The remaining bandit looks around, calculates the odds, and flees for his life.
The blond swordsman gives you a nod of acknowledgement. He has one hand pressed to his side, where blood is staining his rather fine linen shirt. "Damned close-run thing, that. Glad you showed up when you did! I am Yuri of House Wenislaus, Swordlord of Restov, and I am in your debt. And you are...?" He looks around, not appearing to recognise anyone.
"Damned close-run thing, that. Glad you showed up when you did! I am Yuri of House Wenislaus, Swordlord of Restov, and I am in your debt. And you are...?"
"...a sucker for a pretty face," Raquel says, favoring the swordsman with a dazzling smile of her own. "Raquel Cailean, at your service. These are Aivar, Arianna, Nariel, Tristan, and Sasha. We're explorers who have been chartered to map the Stolen Lands. What's a guy like you doing in a place like this?"
As they chat, the cleric channels healing energy for her companions.