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Have I had enough of people trying to push us around? Yes, I think I have.
The old bastard's voice growls in the back of his mind. When he remembers the moment later, Garduk will be disturbed to realize that it sounded like approval.
He sighs, and shakes his head.
"Fine. Take it."
Garduk reaches into his pouch, and pulls out some of the colored sand he had purchased from Senzer the day before. He throws it towards the woman and her guards as he says the words of the spell and contorts the fingers of his other hand.
A multicolored spray of light arcs from his upraised hand towards their adversaries, oscillating violently.
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She looks at Kulga Or you could, just turn it over The woman replies as Oret and Stonegrin draw there weapons. No reason for that
Garduk reaches into his pouch, Finally, a reasonab....
The colors fill the air!
The woman and her guard hit the ground with a thud!
Initiative
then
then stunned 1 rnd
Round 1
Xeanja u/b/s - 2 rnds, b/s - 4 rnds, s - 1 rnd
Kulga
Front guard u/b/s - 4 rnds, b/s - 2 rnds, s - 1 rnd
Bokkah
Stonegrin
Kamda
Oret
Rear guards
Garduk
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Stonegrin joins the rest moving toward the rear.
The rear guards attack Kulga and Bokkah respectively with there scimitars.
Both missing their attacks.
Round 1
Garduk
Round 2
Xeanja u/b/s - 1 rnds, b/s - 4 rnds, s - 1 rnd
Kulga
Front guard u/b/s - 3 rnds, b/s - 2 rnds, s - 1 rnd
Bokkah
Stonegrin
Kamda may post 2 rnds
Oret
Rear guards
Garduk
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Garduk casts his grease spell, the man fumbles and drops his scimitar.
Kulga's waraxe misses, but her shield bash hits. And Oret finishes the man with his negatively charged morningstar.
Meanwhile, weaponless the other guard feels Bokkah kukri strike, her second strike and bite miss, but it matters not as Stonegrin's sansetsukon finishes that man as well.
With both guards down all that remains to be decided is the fate of the leader and her other guard, both still incapacitated by the color spray.
-----Combat over -------
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Oret sighs heavily after combat is over, immediately withdrawing his weapon. He looks over his shoulders at the poor fools who got themselves in a mess. "Do we feel there is merit in questioning them? I had thought this was revenge for Luna."
Nonetheless, he makes himself useful and helps Bokkah tie them up.
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Garduk paces back and forth, kicking rocks and sticks out of his way as he goes, until there is a barren strip across the trail.
This place needs a blizzard. It should snow until the festering pustule of Bloodcove - until this entire jungle - is covered and hidden away.
He turns to the woman.
"How did you know about the key? How did you know we had it? Why do you want it? Who are you working with?"
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Garduk searches the woman and finds a scroll of sleep, wand of inflict light wounds (21 charges), a shortspear, and a spell component pouch.
The woman replies not holding back, I work for the Aspis Consortium and we divined your presence during your visit to the city. It took me until now to catch up with you. But more importantly, we divined both
the presence and importance of the key you carry. You can't just bring something like that into the city without us finding our about it!
The witch smiles gently. You may have stopped my efforts, but travel safely, Pathfinders, and travel swiftly, she says.
I’m far from the only Consortium vulture looking to pick your bones today! She looks toward the road back to Bloodcove, where in the distance birds and chattering monkeys scatter from the canopy as if frightened by a large force moving in this direction and, at best, two hours away.
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A familiar looking Oread enters the midst of the group, he looks the same, but with somewhat of a little bit more confident. He smiles. "Greetings all, I have bought myself some new weapons for our next endeavour." He withdraws his Morningstar, a work of fine craftsmanship, not only that, it also bears the symbol of Adabar on it's handle, somewhat visible to all. Similarly, he reveals a shining new shield, embossed with a the Just Scales of Adabar on the front. "This will allow me to channel Adabar's Justice into my weapons." He pauses for a moment and looks around the room. "Are we short on people?" He ask as he counts heads with his fingers.
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The caravan starts moving again after their all-too-brief stop to trade with a Society-related merchant they had happened to meet on the trail. In the back of one of the wagons, Garduk sits on top of a crate of something -- arrows, judging by the sharp point that jabs him as he sits, sticking through a gap in the top -- and starts sorting his new scrolls into the two special boxes he purchased for them.
Utility spells into this one, and spells that will be useful in a battle in the other. Now maybe I will be of more use to my friends in a fight.
Which will be important, if we are really going up against an army of hyper-intelligent apes.
The wagon hits a bump, causing Garduk to rise briefly off the crate and then land back down hard onto the sharp arrow point. With a grunt he shifts over to another crate, rubbing his sore bottom, and returns to admiring his new scrolls. He briefly considers using the scrolls to copy the spells into his spellbook, but decides against it for now.
I can only remember two real spells each day anyway, so I may as well keep the scrolls ready to be used as needed.
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You are several days northwest of Bloodcove—days of dusty, dirty running as your caravan guide, the scoundrel Raimondo Scevola, whipped his horses to go faster, faster!
You made enough distance between you and the Aspis pursuers, that when you happened across a traveling merchant on his way to Bloodcove, you were able to buy some much needed enhancements. He, luckily for you, was a friend of the Society and was happy to unload some of his wares with you rather than with the Aspis in Bloodcove.
However, as the days wore on the Aspis began to gain on you. Closing in behind you once more and now no more than an hour behind ride dozens of Aspis mercenaries. Just when things look bleakest. A sudden cry goes up, it's Raimondo, and all eyes look back the way you came. The days-old familiar sight of pursuing horseman has vanished. They’ve given up the chase! Raimondo declares.
You move on for awhile more checking to see any signs of the Aspis, but after a couple hours it seems you've lost them. Raimondo stops the caravan in a small jungle clearing.
We need to rest the team, I fear if we don't they won't make it much further!
You settle in for a break as Raimondo finds some water for the horses and tends their needs.
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Garduk stands up in the back of one of the wagons, wincing at his still sore backside but glad not be moving if only for a moment. He peers around, then jumps to the ground - new crossbow loaded and ready - and does the same, wary of possible Aspis traps. Or snakes.
Or more giant ants. Gods, those were horrible.
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Bokkah surprised everyone when she sold her beloved kukris to the traveling merchant. She explained: "My deity blessed me with these sharp claws. I intend to put them to good use."
When they halt the caravan, Bokkah preens and remarks, "It seems odd that the Aspis riders would suddenly give up the chase just when they nearly had us. I wonder what could have been more important to them? Or perhaps they were scared of something ahead of us?"
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Garduk tightens his grip on his crossbow. He had practiced occasionally with a similar weapon while he was traveling south with a caravan through Varisia, but once in Absalom, the instructor from the Swords had him unlearn everything he had learned from the Varisians, and taught him a more difficult but more precise technique. Or it would have been more precise if Garduk had been given more time to practice, but he only had the basics down before he was called in on this mission.
"What could scare off a small army of Aspis Consortium agents? And shouldn't it also terrify us?"
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All expect Kulga start to relax a bit, just then you hear the sound of snapping branches putting you on guard, then you hear a whistle sound and Aspis riders emerge from the North and Southwest.
Round 1:
map
Bokkah
Garduk
Kulga
Aspis Riders
Kamda
Aspis Captain
Oret
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Garduk moves northwest to take partial cover behind the fallen log, then summons a celestial pony as close to the Aspis captain as he can manage.
Piotr appears on the trail with a sudden POP of displaced air. He shakes his head briefly to get his bearings, then - focusing on the Aspis captain - he snorts and charges forward.
When Piotr reaches the captain, he rears up and lashes out at him with his front hooves.
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Bokkah blesses the party.
Garduk quickly summons a pony that charges in and attacks the Captain, who caught off guard by its sudden appearance. The right hoof hits, but the left one just barely misses.
Kulga calls out the Captain and gets ready.
The riders advance handling there mounts well and fire longbows at the party, 2 fire on Bokkah.
All the arrows fire wildly as the horse's movement throws off the riders aim; except one that catches the tengu.
The captain moves his mount back to position to attack the pony.
The captain's lance give quite a serious wound to summoned helper.
Round 1: Effects Active: Bless
Oret
Round 2:
map
Bokkah 4 dmg
Garduk
Pony 11 dmg
Kulga
Aspis Riders
Aspis Captain 5 dmg
Oret
Piotr rears back again and lashes out at the Aspis captain with his forehooves.
Piotr whinnies in frustration.