Yuriel advances up the battlefield cautiously.
Seljak, eager to find the remains of the company standard and get back to camp, moves to J9, using the rock there for cover, keeping his longspear ready.
DM:
Roedd moves cautiously up to H17, trying to pick out the scents of anything that may still be a live.
grumble, grumble... "I can't believe my fate depends on Angus here, ginning up enough sauce to make a bloody decision."
The cleric moves to M8 and conceals himself in the foliage.
Move up to I8.
The majority of the group, all except Roedd, move warily forward, acting very cautiously after the hyena flees.
Start of ROUND 4
The last hyena manages to zip away from the battlefield, wanting no more of this group.
Fearful that it had been discovered by the hairy man, a tiny humanoid with leathery wings swings its barbed tail at the shifter from within the bush in front of Roedd. . Despite his being caught unaware, the stinger doesn't quite penetrate Roedd's armor.
Tulgeikh -
Jacen -
Seljak -
Roedd -
Booj -
Armand -
Imp -
H1 - Dead A
H6 - Dead T
H3 - Dead A
H2 - Dead B
H5 - Dead R
H4 - Fled -
Seeking to finish the battle quickly, Yuriel dashes forwards to attack and harass the strange fey creature.
"So, you are the perpetrator."
A drop of acid appears at the end of Armand's dagger and flies across the battlefield towards the imp.
Fog like wisps emerge once again, and pummel the impudent imp.
Religion:
"The temper is roused. It is not so easy to calm myself. But perhaps you are correct."
Armand removes his hat and bows to the imp.
"My apologies for this harsh greeting if you are not, as you appear, an enemy. We are men at war and apt to be impulsive."
As it swings its stinger, Roedd's gut reaction kicks in and he knocks the little bat-like creature away.
Seeing a new threat where there was not one before, both Armand and Booj spring into action. Booj's shot falls short of his target, but Armand strikes true, smacking the thing with a dollop of acidic goo, searing the creature as it cries out it pain.
Yuriel makes haste to the front, where his teammate had just been attacked, and slashes the little creature with the tip of his spear, rupturing the newly corroded flesh.
In a high but still raspy voice it exclaims, "Why do you attack me, I did nothing wrong? I was just hiding from the dirty scavenger dogs!"
Jacen -
Seljak -
Roedd -
Booj -
Armand -
Imp -
Yuriel -
H1 - Dead A
H6 - Dead T
H3 - Dead A
H2 - Dead B
H5 - Dead R
H4 - Fled -
"Sniveling diafol! You lie! If not, then why attack? Did you not see us kill them, or does your corruption rob you of sight?"
"Yes, you killed them, quite efficiently, and then you came right for me. I thought I was your next target. Purely defensive act on my part, I assure you." He whines.
"Naturellement. This is a battlefield, after all. Hence our own wariness. Expressed so forcibly in our actions."
Armand shrugs gracefully and looks at his comrades.
"Possibly this small thing has useful information. Alive he may be helpful. Dead is something we can accomplish if it seems needful."
"I'm less inter'sted in ya trying to stick da hairy feller den in whatcha was doin nosin' about out 'ere like a pig in a trough? Quit yer whinen and speak up now..."
"Me? Oh, pfft. I'm just scavenging anything useful. You can usually find something useful you mortals discard after battle." He offers, eased by the conversation instead of action.
Booj scowls at that last, but says nothing.
As the fey creature flits up above the group's heads, Yuriel shifts to get a better grip on a javelin. But he waits for orders.
@the party, "They seem to be scavengers robbing the dead, no better than the hyenas we chased away. Although they could possibly be enemy spys seeking secrets left behind."
@the strangers, "I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender. Once you have been interrogated and you convince us of your harmless intent you will be released far away from the front lines."
"Do so now to avoid harm to yourselves."
Religion check =
Init =
Intimidate =
The imp tenses as he cocks his head a little at the suggestion. "I cannot drop my weapon, as the only weapon I have is my tiny stinger." He holds up his tail to emphasize his point.
"I don't understand why it is I'm expected to surrender, just to convince you of my harmlessness. I thought we were doing fine with our amiable discussion." He states.
"Surrender is a token of good faith and honour merely. It is offered for your own protection. Without surrender, we are under no obligation to maintain your life. With it, we must do so until you prove traitor. It is quite simple."
Armand explains the realities of the situation.
@the party, "They seem to be scavengers robbing the dead, no better than the hyenas we chased away. Although they could possibly be enemy spys seeking secrets left behind."
"They?" Booj squeaks, looking around rapidly. "There's more than one, Boss?"
@the party, "They seem to be scavengers robbing the dead, no better than the hyenas we chased away. Although they could possibly be enemy spys seeking secrets left behind.""They?" Booj squeaks, looking around rapidly. "There's more than one, Boss?"
DM
To the group: "Not sure what ya'll 'spect em to do when he sur'enders, ya dont plan on taking em pris'ner do ya? Let's just have us a nice liddle chat eh."
To the imp: "So yer a scavenger eh? Happen ta find half a banner round here abouts? It'd look like this" Seljak points to the rags attached to the end of his longspear.
"I will not kill the honourably surrendered. To chat - maybe. But I have this temper and it will not always be controlled. Still, I too hunt for debris. Some orders, which this small one may perhaps have seen. They may have been left behind. Or possibly taken. Maybe by this small one."
"Oh. Just one. Well, he's looting our soldiers. That ain't right, Boss. That's our property."
"Well, Wizard of the Council of Eight, if you give me your word that I am under your protection, I can accept surrendering." He concedes.
Explaining he continues, "I found nothing, nor scavenged yet, as those beasts were all over the site. I was just waiting for them to leave. If you guys are looking for something, I could help you find it. I have good eyesight and can squeeze into places you big lugs can barely fit your hands." He adds as an offer.
"I am no wizard. I am greatly blessed by Chalyse merely. However, I accept your surrender. In token of this, you shall show us where the last guardians of this engine fell and you shall travel within my sight always."
Armand replaces his hat at a jaunty angle.
"So, small one, have you a name and occupation? It is curious to find such a one as you without a master, I think."
Jacen watches the proceedings apprehensively, knowing an imp would not be so helpful unless it had some other agenda.
"I'd keep my distance and watch out if it goes invisible, that's when it'll get stingy."
"Not a Wizard! How have you not been captured and cleansed? These must truly be good friends to help you hide your witchcraft from the High Protectors?" He exclaims in surprise.
"I can understand the slaves, they have no choice in what they are allowed to do, they are simply less than the rest of you. The soldiers though, especially a Priest of Kavast, whose ranks began the High Protectors, being willing to work alongside you is truly heartening." He adds in explanation.
With a nod and a smile he includes, "I feel allying myself with you is safe after all. For them to thumb their noses at the rules of society in such a way, having an imp with you would seem a small thing."
"Have I not said that Chalyse herself blesses me? Always her storm is in my head. You will not insult her by calling such a gift witchcraft. You are insolent."
Armand draws himself up.
"It is not possible to challenge those words when you have surrendered, but were you still free, you would pay most dearly for such an affront."
"My belly is growing empty by the minute. Talking with a diafol rarely comes to any good. I suspect this will end much the same."
Yuriel will stay close to Tulgeikh, keep his lips sealed, his eyes on the fey, and his hands on a weapon.
"Oh, no sir, I wouldn't dare openly insult a Goddess. As I understand it, it is not her power you wield, but it may still be by her grace that it found you. You and I should speak at length." he adds hurriedly.
He eyes Roedd warily as the shifter passes to begin his search, then continues "As for your previous queries, my name is not pronouncable to your kind. On this plane I have answered to Levechem."
"I am indeed without a master, and had lost him during the course of this battle. If you tell me what it is you may be looking for, mayhaps I can aid in some manner?" He offers.
Lowering his voice to a near whisper, he addresses Armand specifically, "Given the way that the rest seem to be watching me, and given your word of safe surrender, may I alight on your shoulder?"
"Certainly we will converse, Levechem and you may rest upon my shoulder."
Armand calms down a bit and gestures to his left shoulder.
"I would warn you that your continued safety depends entirely upon the goodwill of my comrades. As you will see, they are mistrustful of your motives and will strike both of us down without fear should you attempt to betray any of us. For myself, I seek orders carried by one of the fallen. Have you seen such things?"
Booj decides that the situation with Levechem is resolved, at least for the moment, and turns his attention to the rest of the field.
The goblin gives Tulgeikh a questioning glance to see if there are objections and, if none, begins to saunter about the battlefield looking for smaller bits of usable gear.
Seljak also needs to search the field for the remnants of the company standard. Presuming that it was lost during the fray, Seljak will look over the corpses scattered around the wreckage.
Seljak catches a glimpse of the standard from the corner of his eye, stuck to the side of a small thorny bush just on the other side of the demolished Command Platform.
Booj, on the other hand, starts by looking under a few nearby rocks and shrubs, and has not found anything useful.
"Orders, Sir? How can one see orders?" Levechem asks, "Alas, I have found nothing, you all arrived before I was able to investigate the area." He informs Armand.
"Even a blind squirrel finds en acorn ever once'n'awhile. Der it is over yonder!"
Seljak hurries over to the standard and carefully plucks it from the thorny bush.