Raz disengages and beats feet.
Victor and Casdin look at each other, give a curt nod, and reach their damaged party members determined to pull them out of this veritable fire.
Victor wishes there actually was a fire.
Razz, realizing the poor state he's in, decides to hurry out on his own accord.
Sheva, however, decides she will lash out at least once more. She drops a magical darkness that the hags curse, their darkvision blinded by this magical darkness. But Sheva moves forward smiling, seeing her effectively blind targets whirl around, trying to find their prey.
"Come closer child..." Morgantha croons, "I want to see that pretty face one last time..."
Victor hefts Galador over his shoulder trying to hold his shield over the man's body.
Victor bellows as he turns to bring his new companion away from the wretched place as quickly as possible.
"Can anybody see into the darkness is she ok?"
Sheva yells back out the door,
"Run! All of you, run! I can't maintain this for long! I'll be right behind you."
Satisfied that her companions have gotten out, she drops her bravado and backs up toward the door, maintaining her focus on keeping the hags blinded in darkness.
She steps outside, just far enough to keep the spell intact, and hoping to give the rest of the group a sufficient lead to escape.
Casdin flees as well, dragging Raz behind him.
Raz needs little encouragement to run as fast as he can.
-You must go, you're the Principal! Run!
Vasilios flees like a ghost taken away by the northern winds.
Thr group manages to successfully leave the old Windmill and they race outside down the path further and further, until they're hesitantly sure they aren't being followed.
You find yourselves on the trail, the twilight is fading, and it seems that night will be upon you in a couple hours. In the distance you hear something that resembles cackling, but whether that's the hags or the wind against the dead trees, you aren't sure....
"Casdin, can you heal Galador? Then we should make our way to that village. I'd prefer to have even a thin set of walls between me and that which lurks on these dark lands..."
"I can cast a healing spell for everyone, but it requires an intensive amount of time."
Once everyone agress, Casdin will wrangle the injured people into a circle and then cast Prayer of Healing.
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'I'm the principal? What kind of bat-moon half-batted school would let that fly?'
Galador blinks awake, jarred by Victor's jogging and Vasilios' reality-bending proclamation.
"Alright, alright! Put me down, Victor. Your soft-but-firm grip on my buttocks, though comforting, doesn't seem to be very helpful now that we are far from the recent unpleasantness."
As Galador regains his feet, he nods at Casdin. "Gratitude for the healing. I am more myself again. And, yes, I believe we had plan for visiting yon walled town. Let us commence with such. Perhaps after a good meal and warm beds we can awake refreshed---and have yet another humiliating and unfruitful day before us."
Galaor turns toward the village, a dark cloud engulfing his emotions.
That was something I don't want to repeat in a hurry but one thing I do want to do in a hurry is get to an inn and have a drink or four in a place that has boltable doors.
-I agree with Victor. I'll feel safe when I'm at the village inn with some more people, a cozy fire and a good wine.
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Galador starts in remembrance. He pulls out the ever-full flagon that the old bat-crazy priest gave them back in town. He takes out a few tin cups from his mess. He fills one cup and drains it himself, then fills two full and passes one to Raz and Vasilios. "Here. Some medicinal tonic seems apt for the now, all things given. And we can get an early start on a debauch worthy of an epic tale!"
-Thank you, Galador, but I'm perfectly fine. Casdin did a good job on me. Have it yourself, or any other one who might need it.
Sheva grabs the extra cup from Galador.
"Why thank you, kind sir! Don't mind if I do!" she says sarcastically. She drains the cup quickly and gestures to Galador for a refill.
"I don't know there's enough draughts to make me forget what we just saw. Perhaps we stick closer to civilization for a bit?"
She looks off into the distance and spies a familiar figure wandering toward the village in the shadows, carrying a lantern with an ever-lit green flame.
"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon. Perhaps this is stronger drink than I thought." she mutters to herself.
"We should probably get moving. They creatures may well be tracking us."
"I think we're safe for now. But yes, let's get to proper civilization, warm beds and cold drinks quickly."
Sheva keeps staring off into the darkness as though she sees something, but there's nothing there.
She pulls her strange lantern from her pack and holds it in front of her as she begins to walk.
"I think we're safe for now. But yes, let's get to proper civilization, warm beds and cold drinks quickly."
Sheva keeps staring off into the darkness as though she sees something, but there's nothing there.
She pulls her strange lantern from her pack and holds it in front of her as she begins to walk.
Victor grins at Galador, "I see, you've used me now you are casting me aside, I thought better of you but alright".
Victor follows along with the group as he is probably the least familiar with the surroundings, "Next time, we start by burning that building..."
He keeps his eyes alert for any danger.
Perception
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"Ah yes, fair Victor, though you have enjoyed my round, firm buttocks well, my buttocks are meant for another! Goodbye, fair prince, perhaps our roads will meet again!" Galador toasts the health of Victor by downing a cup of the thin, weak wine.
Then he refills his glass and, in a completely unrelated matter, strides next to Sheva. Enwrapping his left arm in her right, he dutifully refills her cup. Noticing that her other hand is busied with a lantern, and that she stares off into the distance and something unseen, he draws close.
Then he pulls back and laughs. "Ah! How dare you suggest such a thing! I am a chaste gentleman and have not even heard those words! But soft, we are alive and walking toward perhaps the first happy place in this thrice-cursed land. Let us celebrate another hour's breath stolen from the greedy clutches of death itself!"
Galador guzzles greatly from the goblet and grins.
Sheva sets down her lantern and leans in close to Galador, content to have a brief, quiet moment for once. She smiles gently as he whispers to her, and then whispers something back, batting her eyes at him.
"You know what haunts me, dear Galador. It's her again. I'm afraid I have to talk business with her as soon as I'm alone. Right now I need her as much as she needs me, at least until we can be rid of the vampire."
She bats her eyes and leans close to his ear.
"After that — well perhaps you'll have the chance to 'rescue' me at last. But for now just say something witty and carry on, dear friend."
She feigns indignation at Galador's accusation, nodding along.
"Yes. Chaste. Indeed!" she giggles.
"Why, you'd be pure as the driven snow were it not for all the salacious temptresses threatening your delicate virtue with their unruly ways!"
She barely finishes the last words as she breaks down in a fit of laughter and raises her cup.
"Here's to a moment of peace and quiet. May we find more soon."
Unfortunately for the party, it seems that the town is much farther off than anticipated. As they trudge on the road through the woods, night has almost completely fallen, with no settlement in sight.
"I think we should keep moving. The more distance we can put between them and ourselves, the better off we'll be."
Agreed, says Raz looking concerned. I am not a bad judge of distance so this settlement still being out of reach is a bit unnerving.
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Galador glowed in the warm silence as he walked next to Sheva, but he grimaced as both Casdin and Raz counciled pushing on. He liked not the idea of traveling at night in this thrice-cursed land. They've encountered nought of goodness by day, so the night shall surely only double the odds of having fell beasts come upon them.
Ah, well, nothing for it. He didn't want to appear the timid milk-maid in front of Victor, who will probably follow suit and suggest continuing, so he simply nodded at the suggestions to keep trudging on, and kept his heart light at the chance that, with good food, better wine, and a warm inn, Sheva might let him revisit the topic of letting him "rescue" her.
Time will tell.
Agreed, says Raz looking concerned. I am not a bad judge of distance so this settlement still being out of reach is a bit unnerving.
"At least another hour we should march, then decide if camping out is for the best if no sign of the town is in sight. A full night with no rest is not wise either".
You hear the howl of a wolf some distance away.
It's very eerie at night, and though you do your best to trudge forward until hitting the next settlement, it doesn't appear as you traverse the forest trail.
However, Casdin is acutely aware of possible dangers, and while he wasn't sure at first, he is now positive there is a pack of wolves stalking the party through the forest.
They must be waiting for you guys to either take a rest, or get in another fight before striking. Smart doggies.
Victor growls at the statement from Casdin he pauses and motions for the group to come closer, "What say we set a trap for them hey? Of course, we shall need light to fight as these beasts have an advantage over us here in the night".
Vasilios thinks carefully at the possibilities.
-I'm not sure... last time we fought some wolves we were severely beaten up, and now we are not even rested. Maybe we should reach a safer place.
Make a big fire? Stand with our backs to it so they can't hamstring us and we can use fire brands to hold them off if they are normal wolves...
"Where there's wolves there may also be a master nearby and we're in no shape to face him again. So either we find seek temporary shelter, or we obstruct them and make haste toward the town."
"Either way I think you'll finally get your fire, Victor."
Sheva gazes out into the darkness with her Devil's Sight, looking for any area that might provide temporary shelter.
Victor frowns but nods in agreement, "I have just arrived if those of you who have been here deem it too dangerous I shall follow your advice. What say we set several fires behind us and head in the other direction?"
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"Mmmmph. Normally I'd council caution at fires in a forest, but now I care not if we burn the whole thing down, so long as we live to see morning.
Let us walk until we see enough dry wood to build at least a small fire. Then we can pile it around any tree we care to, and make that the center of our fire. As the tree lights--and, live or not, if we can keep the fire burning it will light--we should have light enough to serve any purpose.
Else, if we are fortunate enough to find a large downed tree, we could use that as a wall for our backs, but finding a tree large enough would take some hope...
...and hope has left this place."
-If you show me a proper amount of dry foliage, I can make it burn.
Victor nods to Galador, "We should repeat the process with a line of trees if possible. A wall of fire if you will".
"With the blessings of Oghma, I can cause any fire you set to spread."
You all keep marching on, trying to discern in the dark what trees seem the most burnable. AS you walk....you see something odd on the ground.
A cup from a children's tea set, cracked, tipped on its side, stained in blood.
How strange to find on a trail in the middle of the woods.
After what seems to be another hour of walked, you have picked up enough stray sticks, dead branches, and some dry leaves to start a sizable fire. For such a dark forest, it is surprising full of life.
Yet, before you can find a defensible position, you seem to arrive at the town of Vallaki, the next morning arrived.
The old Svalich Road meanders into a valley watched over by dark, brooding mountains to the north and south. The woods recede, revealing a sullen mountain burg surrounded by a wooden palisade. Thick fog presses up against this wall, as though looking for a way inside, hoping to catch the town aslumber.
The dirt road ends at a set of sturdy wooden gates with a pair of shadowy figures standing behind them. Planted in the ground and flanking the road outside the gates are a half-dozen pikes with wolves' heads impaled on them.
Hail the barricades! We are travellers seeking shelter from the night and are escaping wolves - let us in.
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As the town, previously thought so far off, springs out of the fog like a leaping bandit, Galador angrily tosses his clutch of tinder to the side. "Oh confound! What devilry is this that even entire towns can not properly lay a fair distance apart! No sooner do I gird my loins to another day in this foul woods than a town leaps to vision without warning or leave!
Gah! They canst not even do a forlorn copse properly!
Bah, go on Raz, you have the silver tongue. Spare a few words for those cold sentries upon the barricades and make them think we are honorable people."
Victor scratches his head confounded by the series of events that have befallen him, and the others of course. Then again, Victor has survived as long as he has by ensuring that his own well being is top priority.
He remains silent, certainly he can be the face of a group but when others are around to do work for him why not let them?
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"We are honorable people. Ones who sometimes set things on fire." Sheva giggles.
She then looks up to the shadowy guards and lends her voice to Raz's plea, batting her eyes at them while smiling innocently.
"Greetings, noble soldiers! We would most appreciate entry to your fair town as we are indeed weary and honorable travellers!"
"Among our ranks is the Legendary Galador the Chaste, Pure and Virtuous Champion of Good and Law, Defender of Small Children and Fuzzy Animals and Shunner of Wicked Temptations!"
"Truly, you would be privileged to have such a bastion of heroism and valor walk within your walls!"
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Galador, bringing up the rear of the party as they neared the gate, suddenly drops to his knees, a massive coughing fit shaking him and rendering all speech asunder. It sounds like he might be fighting a combination of coughing and laughing, but such minor distinctions are lost as his face is buried in the dirt.
In time the spasms pass as he makes it up to one knee, then both of them, at last standing straight-ish. He lightly beats a fist to his chest, banishing the last of the coughing demons. "Pardon," he mutters, "must've got a piece of chastity caught in my throat."
When Galador collapses, Casdin will move next to him and inspect him.
The party approaches the Town of Vallaki, walking towards the west gate. As you approach, you also see a few abandoned shacks, most likely the abandoned remains of an expansion attempt.
Two guards man the gates, though instead of traditional spears they wield pikes.
Ho there! Halt! What business do you have in the town of Vallaki?"
[character diologue]
Casdin finds that Galador isn't really hurt, but just surprised, maybe a bit sweaty, from being praised so suddenly and heavily.
The working words of Sheva seem to convince the guards.
"All right, but don't make no trouble." one guard says as tehy unlock the gates, swinging them wide open to let you in.
"Thank you. Can you direct us to a good inn?"