Bulvi got to his feet and moved over to the last zombie, they had to take it down fast, hopefully someone else here was a better healer than him.
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Sakitu's body lies unconscious but her mind races. Flashes of light and pain pulse through her body and she feels her life slowing draining away. No! I don't want to die! With sheer force of will she calms herself. Her body relaxes and finds an equilibrium. She is still unconscious, but no longer dying.
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round recap
Alexia's grip on this coil is failing
Green missed Quasit
Quasit stabbed Green for good damage
Sakitu found that the light at the end of the tunnel was a lie and turned away
Findurel shot Green
Bulvi moved into flank with Quasit
Round 4
Alexi -10
Green -9
Quasit
Yu -10 dead
Sakitu
Findurel -1
Bulvi
Bulvi lets out a roar of frustration and rage as another ally falls to the ground and raises his cold iron long sword to bring down on the remaining zombie's back, there was more rage than technique in the swing at this stage.
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Sakitu floats in an unconscious and unfeeling state, not really aware of the passage of time. Then there is a pull and her mind sharpens. She become aware of immense amounts of pain as her nerves regain sensitivity. Then the pain also fades. She opens her eyes. "That was weird" she says to Findurel. "Oh. And thanks." She smiles at him as she stands.
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As the first charge of the healing wand washes its magic over Quasit, she jolts back to consciousness with a gasp. Her eyes flash wide and her hands fly up, ready to continue the fight. Seeing the elf, her mouth moves silently for just a moment as comprehension returns to her.
"Findurel." she says, half in recognition to herself. As the second charge flows through her, knitting her bones and soaking away the deep bruise in her neck, she sits up and grabs her head.
"What happened?" she says. "Those were zombies, right? I'd heard about things like that, but I'd never ... ugh..." She stops and closes her eyes, and shakes her head. "They were horrible." Is all she can think to say.
Then suddenly, as more memories come back to her, she looks around the area. "How about the others? Is everyone else ok?" she says, her voice full of anxiety.
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Findurêl smiles a smile of pure relief as three of his unconscious companions come around...
"Glad to have you ladies back with us...but alas, I was not quick enough to save Yu..."
"The circus guy? He's dead?" says Quasit, with a crestfallen look. "I saw him go down, but I'd hoped that maybe...aw man..." She gets herself up, brushing away the dirt and grass. "I'd say we should send a message to his family, but it sounded like he didn't want any more to do with them anyway. So... he gets to die among strangers on a roadside in Taldor. For nothing. And no one but us will ever care. And I only met him, like, an hour ago. Poor guy."
Seeing the dead zombie lying a few feet away, she suddenly goes over and kicks it in frustration. "Stupid monster. Those bastards knew some one like us would be coming, and they left these zombie guys behind to get us, just like they left that lovely log trap back up the path. And now one of us is dead, thanks to them. I'm starting to feel like this is personal now. I want payback."
She rubs her sword arm with one hand to warm up a bit, then squats down to collect her sword and crossbow. As she stows her things away, she suddenly looks back toward Yu and frowns. "Um... I don't know how to say this and not sound like a jerk, but... um... is he gonna turn into a zombie too? Do we need to like, I don't know, drive a stake into his heart, or cut off his head, or put holy water on him or something?"
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"We need to get Yu's body back to town...we can always head back here in the morning. Perhaps we should check the chest Quasit and I found for clues before we head back though...wouldn't want whomever it is to trap it again. What do you think?"
Quasit glances back toward the chest in question and pulls down one corner of her mouth as she shrugs. "Probably nothing in that chest but a note saying 'Haha Suckers'. But as long as I already tripped the trap, I guess we might as well."
Bulvi looked at the zombies glumly, not wanting to look at Yu. The clothes or equipment of the zombies matching the other people in the caravan? Was there anything of use in the carriage?
Bulvi looked back at the others. "I don't want the wildlife getting at him, he died trying to help people. There are worse ways to go, but its not the kind of thing that'll go unanswered."
"These aren't a few golins drunk on fermented pickles. These creatures are ruthless and cunning. When we start pursuing them I think we need to be more organised. Myself up front, Quasit behind me lending her keen eyes. Then Alexia and Sakitu with Findurel at the rear. For example when we on that path at points that force us to go single file."
"Quasit was able to take advantage of openings I made. Alexia and Sakitu your arcane abilities can be employed out of initial arms reach of the enemy. Findurel your skill with a bow means the distance from the front means the least immediate impact. When it gets darker due to the canopy overhead or entering a building I can put a torch in my shield sconce hopefully attracting enemy attention to me and allowing Quasit to remain unnoticed til its too late." He was annoyed with himself for not trying to suggest something like this earlier but thigs had seemed simpler til they found this area.
"If that seems reasonable to all of you?" Bulvi picked up Yu's club and held it in his hands.
Infact Bulvi is as strong as a horse (literally) if we got the bodies onto one of the carriages could we ring it and them back?
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when Quasit opens the chest after inspecting it, there is nothing inside, not even a note
though give me a non trap perception
Bulvi starts loading up the bodies in the carriage, though he soon realizes the all the bodies weigh more then he can manage to pull on his own, he then sets his eyes on the breastplate and with a bit of effort he is able to remove it from the dead man
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when Quasit opens the chest after inspecting it, there is nothing inside, not even a note
though give me a non trap perception
Opening the chest, Quasit just nods and sighs. "Figured,"she grumbles. From force of habit, she scans the interior seams and feels along the lid and bottom for hidden compartments.
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"These aren't a few golins drunk on fermented pickles. These creatures are ruthless and cunning. When we start pursuing them I think we need to be more organised. Myself up front, Quasit behind me lending her keen eyes. Then Alexia and Sakitu with Findurel at the rear. For example when we on that path at points that force us to go single file."
"Quasit was able to take advantage of openings I made. Alexia and Sakitu your arcane abilities can be employed out of initial arms reach of the enemy. Findurel your skill with a bow means the distance from the front means the least immediate impact. When it gets darker due to the canopy overhead or entering a building I can put a torch in my shield sconce hopefully attracting enemy attention to me and allowing Quasit to remain unnoticed til its too late." He was annoyed with himself for not trying to suggest something like this earlier but thigs had seemed simpler til they found this area.
"If that seems reasonable to all of you?"
Quasit nods at all this, though she grimaces sardonically at the mention of her 'sharp eyes'.
"I didn't know Yu was going to go open that wagon,"says Quasit glumly. "Maybe if Fin and me were still back here with you guys, he wouldn't have died. I didn't even look back to see if you guys were coming. That was stupid of me. If we head into that forest tomorrow, we gotta be real careful about not getting split up like that again."
She takes her first real look down at Yu's corpse, but quickly closes her eyes and looks away.
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Findurel nods at Bulvi's counsel. "Sounds good to me. If the situation calls for it, I can also scout ahead and do some reconnaissance...if we deem it necessary...
I thought the same, Quasit...I just assumed they were following and I overlooked the carriage. If I'd been closer, Yu might still be alive..."
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Sakitu's face gets sadder and sadder as the other talk about Yu. "He seemed like such a nice man. A little bit loud. But still, nice. It seems that there is so much that we could have done to keep him alive." A tear forms in her eye and rolls gently down the soft fur of her face. I think we have to take him back to town." A snarl forms on her face. "Then we need to come back here and track down these monsters!"
Bulvi considered things for a moment as he wrapped Yu's body in a blanket and lifted him up. "We mistook you for a member of the group meant to meet with us Quasit since you were a member of the Society but headed off as the last woman hadn't arrived yet. Perhaps they've arrived in town in our absence, we could use the help."
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Sakitu's face gets sadder and sadder as the other talk about Yu. "He seemed like such a nice man. A little bit loud. But still, nice. It seems that there is so much that we could have done to keep him alive." A tear forms in her eye and rolls gently down the soft fur of her face. I think we have to take him back to town." A snarl forms on her face. "Then we need to come back here and track down these monsters!"
Quasit steps over to Sakitu and gives her a hug. "You did everything you could,"she says comfortingly. "Those things were all over you and Alexia. And don't worry, they are NOT going to get away with this, we're gonna see to that. Okay?"
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Bulvi considered things for a moment as he wrapped Yu's body in a blanket and lifted him up. "We mistook you for a member of the group meant to meet with us Quasit since you were a member of the Society but headed off as the last woman hadn't arrived yet. Perhaps they've arrived in town in our absence, we could use the help."
"Yeah, not a Pathfinder myself,"says Quasit with a smirk. "Just a girl on the make, trying to earn a grubsteak where I can. Though a part of me now wishes I'd kept my big mouth shut and minded my own business. But minding my own business is not something I'm very good at, honestly." She seems to realize how what she said must sound and quickly puts up a hand and catches herself. "Don't get me wrong, though! I've got nothing against Pathfinders. As tomb robbers go, you guys have a reputation as the cream of the crop."
"Hey, you ever met a wizard named Nevar? I ran with him for a while, then he went off and joined the Pathfinders, about 2 years ago. Tall, dark-haired guy? Pretty eyes? I think he liked the structure and direction it gave him. He tried to talk me into it, but I spent one day at that Grand Lodge place getting orders barked at me and I cleared out. So they didn't give me the flashy compass or teach me the secret handshakes or anything."
She looks around at the others. "So it's not gonna be a problem, right? You guys will tolerate an unbeliever in your midst, right? Now that we're literally faced death together and all."
Bulvi laughed bitterly "It wont be, this isn't exactly an official job and even if it was this is a dangerous foe. It's not a religion or anything, you meet all sorts going into it for all sorts of reasons."
Looking at the corpses he pointed half heartedly joking still feeling bad about Yu. "Once you start running into things like them you stop feeling so bad for the tombs. It's a little hard to define the difference between grave robbing and archaeology but you head off a few problems and bring some lost wonder back to the world sometimes."
He looked at Quasit squarely "Not that you'd think it to look at me but I'm in the recovering lost knowledge for a better tomorrow camp... just at the edge of it beating up things so smarter people than me can figure out all we are looking at. It takes a lot of experience to really figure things out... don't get me wrong I wont say now to a few coins as part of the deal either."
"I think we are all blaming ourselves at least a little, and considering what we could have done differently. I know I am. More care for now and hopefully we will have this resolved in a day or two but we will see."
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Looking at the corpses he pointed half heartedly joking still feeling bad about Yu. "Once you start running into things like them you stop feeling so bad for the tombs. It's a little hard to define the difference between grave robbing and archaeology but you head off a few problems and bring some lost wonder back to the world sometimes."He looked at Quasit squarely "Not that you'd think it to look at me but I'm in the recovering lost knowledge for a better tomorrow camp... just at the edge of it beating up things so smarter people than me can figure out all we are looking at. It takes a lot of experience to really figure things out... don't get me wrong I wont say no to a few coins as part of the deal either."
Quasit nods as she listens to all this and visibly relaxes a bit.
"Better tomorrows are good,"she says. "I just sometimes have trouble with the smarter people who are deciding what better means. But then I've never been much of a joiner, so it's probably just me."
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The cache contains the majority of the weapons and armor stripped from Lady Argentea’s guards, including five sets of leather armor, three sets of studded leather armor, a masterwork chain shirt, two light wooden shields, seven longswords, two spears, a masterwork dagger, and three light crossbows with a total of 25 bolts.
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I stand before you in gear better suited for a research lab or library or similar. Clearly flustered, I look completely out of place, spending more time looking at a journal than at my surroundings. I look up, surprised to see you, but I get over it quickly.
"Hello! Are you a part of the group that set off to the ambush site? I'm rather lost trying to find my way there. Well, first it was the carriage ride into town, well, that didn't go as planned. Couple of broken wheels, a night out, well, it wasn't fun. Then I arrive and find out you all left without me. And, of course, I get lost on the way. Oh....."
I look up, more closely at Bulvi. I close the journal that I was repeatedly looking at. I hold out my hand, slowly, tentatively.
"Ibona, nice to meet you. You are who I think you are, right?"
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"Hello! Are you a part of the group that set off to the ambush site? I'm rather lost trying to find my way there. Well, first it was the carriage ride into town, well, that didn't go as planned. Couple of broken wheels, a night out, well, it wasn't fun. Then I arrive and find out you all left without me. And, of course, I get lost on the way. Oh....."
Quasit looks doubtfully toward the newcomer and snorts sardonically at the tale of mishaps that befell her.
"Luckiest broken wheel you ever had," she says. She jerks a thumb at the corpse in the wagon. "You might have ended up like him. Fortunately you got here just as the danger is ending and we were discovering some loot. And now you can walk back to town with us."
Then she goes and wanders over the cache under the chest. "Well cripes, how did I miss that too? Chalk up another for ol' Eagle Eyes here." She squats down and fingers through the gear and quickly notices the masterwork dagger. "Ooooh, now that's nice workmanship." She picks it up, hefting it lightly in her hand, then flipping it quickly into the air and grabbing it, ready to throw, and pantomimes a throw, before flipping it back to rest hilt in her palm. "Good balance too. Dibs if no one else wants it. I wonder why they left all this here instead of taking it with them? Even if they were clearing out fast and travelling light, they could easily have held on to this fella. Odd behavior for kidnappers to leave loot behind, they're usually motivated by money. But I guess if fairies are running this caper they'd have their own priorities."
Bulvi had stashed Yu's club in his bag."Zombies, left hidden for us to uncover. We were spread out a d that left us vulnerable. Tell me, how much do you know about fairies associated with winter? If its more than us I will gladly here."
Bulvi glanced at the pile of weapons and armour "I think you'll put the knife to most use Quasit. Its grizzly but one of them had breastlplate that will better protect me. I have no great need for one of the crossbows as my javelins suit me well but they could still be handy with a far off enemy if there is one left after others have potentially declined."
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it will take several hours and its fairly uneventful, when you get to town, you head to the temple.
The Father greets you, and offers his sympathies at your loss. he promises to take care of the body and any rites. Though he does ask you to return in the morning and he may have something that will be able to assist you on your adventure.
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Sakitu sniffles a bit when Quasit hugs her and she accepts her encouraging words. "I know. But I wish it had turned out differently." She looks up and sees someone walking down the road towards them. "Who's that?" she asks Quasit. The two of them walk over to greet the approaching half-elf.
She waits for a break in the conversation between Ibona and Quasit then introduces herself. "Hello, I'm Sakitu."
Seeing the commotion further down the trail she goes over to look at the new stuff that the others discovered. "Hmm. Interesting. But I don't think I need any of it."
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Sakitu sniffles a bit when Quasit hugs her and she accepts her encouraging words. "I know. But I wish it had turned out differently."
"Me too, Foxy. But I guess it's like my Nonny used to say: 'If there weren't any bastards in the world, we'd all spend our days knitting doilies.' Actually now that I think about it, that doesn't make a lot of sense. But you get the gist. He was a Pathfinder. He knew the risks. He didn't know today was his day, but he probably figured he wouldn't be dying in his bed as an old man, you know. But I'm with you, totally -- I hate that he's dead, it really bums me out, and I'm gonna kick someone's butt for it tomorrow. And then I'm gonna kick their butt a second time for that stupid log."
She trails off, realizing that she's essentially babbling at this point. Then she blinks a couple times and shrugs. Then she looks up at Sakitu.
"You know what? We should all get drunk tonight. Do fox ladies get drunk? I bet you're a fun drunk. Let's get drunk and sing stupid songs til midnight, put buckets on our heads and dance like harem girls, throw up a couple times, then pass out somewhere dirty. I think that'll help. What do you say?" She elbows Sakitu and grins. Then she looks over at Alexia.
"What do you say Allie? Girl's night out?"