After several minutes, she pulls back slightly and looks deeply into your eyes. Please Hezar .... I wish to wait no longer. Make love to me, this night. Lay claim to me forever! Her beautiful, almond eyes glisten in the candlelight; her sweet breath delights your senses.
You receive a boon for winning the love of the young bard: henceforth, you shall always resist fear and mind controlling effects at +2, as the thought of your beloved gives you strength and courage to overcome any odds.
Soren will dismount, drawing his well-oiled moonblade whisper-softly as he does so, and work his free hand through the intricate gestures of the Shield spell as he chants the appropriate words.
When you do have access to the map, I can place you, all you need to do is give me the co-ordinates you want to be placed at. For now, I've placed you close to the skeletal warrior, and had you cast shield on yourself. Effective AC is now 20.
Actions for Tranche #5:
The young caravan guard draws an arrow and takes aim at the remaining ghoul:
attack:
damage:
Her arrow strikes true, lodging in the beasts' chest. It still stands, though it bleeds black ichor from it's wound!
Round 1 complete!
Round 2 is here! Order of action:
Tranche #1: Amestri
Tranche #2: Ghouls
Tranche #3: Skeletal Warrior
Tranche #4: Soren, Matthias
Tranche #5: Caravan defender, caravan archer
Tranche #1 - that's Amestri - is up next!
Amestri curses when another guard falls but rejoices when Matthias' power overcomes the fiend feeding on the corpse. Once again her fingers and hands begin to weave in the same pattern as before and pointd at the remaining ghoul, muttering "Elissim Cigam". The missiles fly into the creature, and Amestri hopes it is enough to fell it and remove it from the concern of the others.
Not quite willing to turn his back on the ghoul struck by Amestri's arrows of light, Matthias strode forward with his heavy mace cocked to crush the skeleton warrior's skull.
mace attack:
mace damage:
In the name of Helm!
Actions for Tranche #1:
Amestri again casts magic missile; the two mystical bolts arc directly at the remaining ghoul, severing it's head and leaving it's body twitching in the dirt.
Actions for Tranche #3:
Spying Soren, the skeletal warrior steps forward and strikes (with surprising deftness!) at the elven warrior mage:
attack:
damage:
The ancient warrior lands a vicious blow, opening a nasty cut on Soren's arm.
@Matthias: If you're committed to a physical attack, I'm going to move you so you're flanking the skeletal warrior - you guys could use the help!
Actions for Tranche #4:
Matthias circles around and attacks the skeletal warrior from a more advantageous position:
mace attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 (+2 for flank=18)
mace damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
A telling blow! Matthias catches the skeleton on the head, knocking it's helmet off, and fracturing the skull. A deadly blow - if it had struck a living human.
Soren's action will be next!
A quick note on timeframes here: I'm going to assume that Belgrin will be on watch as the caravan rolls in - assuming Soren, Matthias and Amestri still live, of course! :-)
Remembering his training, Soren takes the intense pain of his wound and channels it into a white-hot nimbus of power. He lets his eager blade taste some of the energy, which isn't so much a concerted action on his part as a slight concession of control, letting the sword take over for a brief moment. The rest of the power he channels into his casting: an angry, crackling snarl of charged current down the length of his blade. He steps into position and drives Aelovar into any available opening, hoping to use the unbreakable blade as a fulcrum to snap bone, discharging the energy in the process.
Completing Tranche #4:
Soren's blade bites deep; as it does so, the skeleton's eyes seem to erupt with blue light, and there is a sharp crack, like thunder. Smoke begins to billow out of the undead warrior's skull, as it drops to the ground, any last hint of animation gone.
Combat over! Excellent work, all three of you!
As the last foe falls, the remaining caravan guard jumps to the ground to check on her fellows. Four guards lay dead; the young man who came to fetch you (introducing himself as Randall) and the young archer (Janeth, she says her name is) are all that are left.
We must hurry to the estate! the young man says. These supplies are vital to the refugees surrounding the Stendarr estate ... we can't let our friends have died for naught! The young archer, her eyes rimmed red with tears, nods her agreement.
There are three large carts, and tethered to each a sturdy horse, built more for endurance than for speed. The estate lies just about a mile and a half to the south; you can be back there in less than an hour.
Matthias touched Soren, allowing the power of his god to flow through him. Then he bent his head, thanking Helm for His aid and praying that the dead may live on in His halls.
Looking around, he went to where the dead guards lay, picking them up and loading them into the carts. They will not suffer an anonymous resting place - we will bury them at the Stendarr estate, and give them a funeral in honor of their sacrifice.
When he was finished, he tied his mount to one of the carts and climbed up onto the driver's seat. With a nod to the guards on the other two carts, he clucked and flipped the reins, getting the draft horse moving at a quick pace. Soren, Amestri - please keep an eye out for any more undead planning to ambush us on the way!
"Thank you, Matthias." Soren clasps forearms with the priest and nods.
He swings back up in his saddle and spurs his mount onward with one hand on the reins, leaving his blade drawn. "We'll be vigilant," he says, his eyes briefly cast down as if to indicate the sword.
Aelovar seeps into his mind like slow-poured honey, dulling the haze of pain.
You let that creaking thing strike you? We're redoubling your training at first opportunity. Pathetic.
Soren gives no reply -- he merely shakes his head and rides on.
@ Belgrin: The night's patrol on the wall was, as you had anticipated, uneventful. A few undead wandered the landscape; any that came within 100 feet of the main gates were quickly crushed by one of the patriarachs, who then returned, unpeturbed, to their stations on either said of the gate.
The peace is interrupted about an hour into your watch as a caravan of three wagons approaches. The wagons appear laden with cargo; and you make out three drivers and two riders, altogether.
A young guard - introduced as Broderick - stands beside you on the wall. Could be the caravan from Zazesspur we were waiting for. In absence of any guard leaders, you seem to have been elevated to a position of leadership amongst the guards. They seem to be awaiting your response before acting. They are, to be fair, generally very young and quite untested.
"Aye, likely, but I wouldn't rush out with open arms just yet. Keep a sharp eye, here and elsewhere. Be just our luck if we let em in and a dozen bandits hop out and steal all the food overnight." Belgrin strokes his beard a moment, then points to two of the nearby guardsmen. "The two of ye, come with me, we'll greet em proper at the gate."
Upon leading two of the guard off the wall and to the center of the gate, Belgrin then calls out to the caravan as they approach within earshot. "Hold, Travelers! Declare yerselves, if ye would kindly!"
Matthias reined in the foremost draft horse, raising a hand to greet the guards. Well met, saer dwarf! We come with supplies! he called back. I am Matthias of Helm, and these are my companions, Amestri Atezadeh and Soren of the Amarillis clan, and the remainder of the guards we encountered defending this caravan against the risen dead! Please, allow us to pass within with your supplies, and lay to rest those brave souls who did not make it.
Knowing his holy symbol was too small to see at this distance, Matthias kept his hands in plain sight and hoped that the guards of the Stendarr estate would believe him.
"Ye say remainder. Ye carryin' bodies? Better not be any slain by ghouls or the like, or you're only carryin' more death with ye. Let's make sure we're not welcoming trouble before we bring ye in, lad."
Belgrin turns to his guardsmen. "One of ye report back inside and tell 'em what we got here, see if we can get some confirmation on everything from someone who knows all the facts."
Turning back to Matthias, he adds "Not that we don't look forward to resupply, lad, but sure as the sun sets, the first time we get careless'll be the last dawn we see, aye? "
"The good priest speaks true. With all due respect, these men died good deaths and all have a right to be returned to the earth in a proper burial."
He dismounts and looks to Matthias.
"I may not be the foremost expert on the subject, but will the proper rites not prevent their rising again?"
Then he turns pointedly to the as-yet-unnamed dwarf.
"Or... are you suggesting we build a pyre outside the gates?"
Matthias nodded to Soren. "They did not die of the fever that filth carries with them, but of their wounds. If they are properly consecrated, all should be well."
He looked back on the remaining guards, Randall and Janeth, with sad eyes. "I hope for the sake of the living that they may be laid to rest inside. These good people have suffered enough."
The guard returns with Evaline, the guard sergeant. We are indeed awaiting a caravan from Zazesspur, she advises. We had expected them several hours earlier, however. We should send a detachment out to search them - if it checks out, we can permit them entry to the compound. The young woman gathers four guards together and heads out to search the wagons. Finding nothing untoward, she signals for the gates to be re-opened and for the wagon to pass within.
As they rode in, Matthias looked around at all the tents full of refugees. Obviously, more was going on here than they knew. "I see why they needed supplies!" he murmured to Soren and Amestri. "They can't possibly feed so many for any length of time..."
Once inside, Matthias approached Evaline. "Aidan told us this would be a safe haven should we need one, but I see we aren't the only ones. What has happened to drive so many here? Is it the undead that we ran into as well?"
"Even full bellies will only be a temporary solution. People can't live like this for long, especially if every shipment of supplies that comes to them can be expected to be attacked."
He pauses to look around more, shakes his head sadly, and then continues, barely above a whisper, "And I hate to say this, but we were fortunate. Those creatures could have been tenfold in number, or..." his voice quavers a bit, "...a hundred, or thousands..." he trails off and suppresses a sudden shudder as they enter the building. "Let's hope that's not what's afoot."
Matthias gave Soren what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'm sure we would have heard had an entire city been overwhelmed by the undead. No, if ghouls are all we must worry about, there cannot be quite so many." He didn't mention that if they were dealing with other kinds of undead, ones which might be raised from the grave centuries later, all bets were off. There was no reason to alarm the poor elf; he sounded shaken enough as it was.
Evaline regards your group for a moment. You're not the security detail that was sent with the caravan, then? Well, we've had a significant issue with the walking dead these past two tendays. There is another group here - also dispatched by the church of Helm - which was sent to investigate the undead corruption issuing forth from Tilver's Folly. I don't know many details - but it's bad. Real bad.
The guard sergeant runs her hand through her short hair. She is pretty, and her ears seem almost to hint at an elven heritage, though nothing else about her gives that impression. Let's get you accomodations for the night. In the morning, you can report to the lady of the house, and talk with the other adventurers who are here... She spies a serving girl close by. Girl, find these adventurers something to eat and drink, then a place to sleep. The young servant runs to her task, and you are quickly seated at a table with a generous repast laid out.
Before they were led away, Matthias touched Evaline's arm to stop her. "Those guards who died defending the caravan... is there a chapel here? I would see them laid out and given Helm's blessing before I can rest," he said quietly.
The chapel is devoted to Siamorphe - the traditional God of the Stendarr family. I am sure Helm will still hear your prayers there, though ... many of the guard venerate the great watcher. Evaline directs you to the chapel, and a young servant awaits to direct you to your rooms.
Amestri looks around at the ranks of refugees sadly. What can cause such misery and fear that people need to leave their homes from miles around?
"All of this... from some corruption at Tilver's Folly? We were first assaulted on the road there as we pursued bandits... It must be stopped," she nods to herself before looking at Evaline. "I look forward to meeting the Lady in the morning. Thank you for your direction and for the food and lodgings," she says before following the serving girl towards the food.
Sitting at the table she looks at the healthy feast laid out and frowns slightly. "Certainly this is too much for the three of us. I'm not sure how I would feel eating like this while those nearby go hungry." This was why I left Calimshan.
She takes a few select bits, enough to refresh her and stave off hunger and then pushes her plate aside. "I do hope the remaining food goes to those in need."
Matthias nodded. "I believe Siamorphe would not be offended, at least, though these men and women seem more to fall within Helm's purview."
He thanked Evaline, then saw about getting the bodies of the guards to the chapel. His heart lifted in the peaceful surroundings; though there be death, there was life beyond, and justice for those who fell fighting darkness.
He knelt in prayer over the dead for a time, asking Helm to watch over them in death as He had in life.
Then he made his way to join the others.
@ Amestri: you hear whispers directed at you as the refugees and household servants see a calishite amongst them - none of the whispers are very kind. The hatred for your people seems to run deep, and amongst those who have suffered loss, a scapegoat is often sought. Evaline advises you: Keep your head down and keep out of trouble. There's another calishite girl that came in with the previous adventuring group - she got the same advice. Don't give this rabble any reason to be angry with you - moreso than they are, at least.
@ Matthias - there is no priest present - but you feel your mace start to hum, gently - Helm is with you, and will protect the souls of those who have passed, guiding them through Myrkul's realm and to their final reward. To your eye, the faces of those dead you brought to the chapel have become ... serene, as if finally at peace.
He looks at her for a while.
Then of course we must save the world and afterwards perhaps we can settle down somewhere near my forest, but close enough to where you can be near the city easily enough. What do you think?
Spotting Apollo pouncing on a pillow, he grins rises and wraps her in a hug.
But first we must get this little monster some breakfast I think.
She smiles delightedly at your plans for the future. That sounds wonderful! I hope to leave the city behind ... but, well, sometimes a girl has to shop! And meeting your parents - those who raised such a wonderful man - I cannot wait! She smiles wickedly at a sudden thought before giggling again. She grows more serious for a moment, sensually crawling towards you on the bed. We can eat in a bit, all of us. For the moment ... lay back, my lord, and let me show you how I've been wanting to wish you good morning for a week now....
@ everyone: Morning comes, and with it, a gentle knock at each of your doors. An invitation to breakfast in an hour, and a chance to take counsel with the lady of the house.
Hezar rises and races down to the Baths to bathe, really just dives in and rapidly scrubs himself with soap. Then he races back to get ready, and vacate the baths in case any of the ladies wish to use them.
He looks at his gear, then decides to don his Elven Chain Shirt and carry his bow,unstrung, with his dagger and hand ax at his belt, on the off chance he heads to the walls again.
I know it might be silly, but I like to be prepared...and it gives me an excuse not to wear those ridiculous fancy things!
Hezar takes Belina's hand and beckons Apollo to follow and heads to breakfast when it is time.
Amestri frowns at Evaline. "They are people, not rabble. Despite the fears the people have and anger they hold towards me, I would still wish them treated well, and the excess food here does not go to waste. Still," Amestri continues in a more conciliatory tone, "I thank you for your warning. Your advice is welcome." She nods her thanks and follows the serving girl up to the room alloted to her.
---------------------
Amestri awakens the next morning at the knock, refreshed, receiving the invitation with a smile. Making sure she looks presentable, she also slips off and replaces her bracers so her clothes become something suitable to meet the Lady of Stendarr, yet still remain Calishite in design. She then allows herself to be led towards breakfast.
Matthias rose to the pale morning light, feeling much refreshed for having slept in an actual bed, without having to keep watch for murderous bandits and worse!
After his prayers and ablutions, he wandered out into the halls of the keep, attired in his armor despite not expecting to be set upon within the walls. You must always be vigilant, and prepared for the worst, the holy texts read. He had never found cause to doubt that this was wise.
One of the first at breakfast, he greeted those who entered, eating heartily. Food that wasn't cold, dried, jerked or stale was a pleasure after the bandit hunt. They hadn't dared to have cookfires with the bandits after them.
He waited patiently for the Lady of the house to appear, as well as the other adventurers Evaline had mentioned.
Belgrin arrives a bit after the first attendees to breakfast, still shrugging off his late watch and stifling gaping yawns. Spotting the new arrivals, he raises a hand in greeting. "Oy, welcome to the fray, lads. Good to hear everythin' checked out. Here's hoping a Stendarr breakfast is as good as their dinners, aye?"
Janiries is not in her room. Nor are her belongings.
Hezar walks into breakfast with Belina. At his heels is a small grey wolf puppy. Hezar stops short at seeing new faces.
New arrivals during the night? Greetings I am Hezar, this beautiful woman is Belina. And this little rascal at my heels is Apollo. It is wonderful to meet you all. What brings you to us?[b]
Hezar looks around the room taking in everyone and does a double take at seeing Amestri. [b] Belina it appears one of your countrymen has joined us as well.
He smiles welcomingly to all and immediately snags a piece of bacon and feeds it to Apollo, then he pulls out Belina's chair for her.
How was the second part of the watch Belgrin?
Belina smiles upon seeing another Calishite at the table; upon seeing her rich dress, however, she bows her head a little and mutters My lady. Social class runs deep in Calimshan!
You are soon joined by a human druid named Marius, a handsome young man with dark curly hair and a ready smile; and his friend, a black panther named Tethys. A human cleric of Helm, named Duvall, arrives shortly thereafter and warmly welcomes Matthias; and several dwarves, introducing themselves as Pontus (the oldest of them), Tol, and Beldas.
Witnessing the deference to the newcomer Hezar frowns.
I wish I understood her culture more!
Amestri smiles upon seeing Belina, acknowledging the bowed head with an upturned palm, a force of habit she still seemed not to have gotten over. "Please. I had heard there was another Calishite here. I am happy to have finally met you, Belina. We must speak some time," she says, then frowns as she realized how what she said might be taken, Damnit! Even after this much time, the mere presence of another from my country, and I fall back to my training. I am not a Pasha here. Schooled also in the art of the veil, her consternation doesn't show on her face and she continues smoothly, "if it would please you, that is."
Turning to Hezar and Belgrin, she smiles, "Pleased to meet you both. I am Amestri. This is Matthias, and our third member, Soren, should be along shortly. We can, perhaps, discuss more when all are present."
Soren rises well before the dawn, arriving at breakfast only after rigorous sword training, quiet meditation, time spent studying his spellbook, and a cleansing bath.
He nods to everyone in turn, greeting those he has not yet met and offering his name and clan name in exchange for theirs. His sword is conspicuously present at his side, though it is peace-tied with a length of white silk.
"I trust the morning finds you all well?"
He sits across from Matthias and says to the priest, "Thank you, again, for your ministrations. I worked most of the tension out of my sword arm in this morning's drills and feel quite relieved that none of those monsters' filth took root in my flesh or spirit."
Hezar can barely contain his grin seeing the new woman, speak to Belina as an equal, even if there was a moment of oddness.
Belina has told me some of Calimshan. I hope to perhaps one day see it for myself. What brings you so far from home?
When the elf enters Hezar rises to greet him.
I hope this goes better than with Lafali...I wonder where he has gotten to?