I will assume Adelram has had time to manifest his ectoplasmic lash (a full round action) and cast a spell (Shield).
Adelram moves up and lashes out at blue troll.
Ectoplasmic Lash +2: 2Hand
It's past the witching hour, and Ghoran's tavern is closing for the night. A handful of drunks make it out the door with the barkeep's help and stagger towards home as best they can, a few steps ahead of the Lepidstadt city watch; there's a fine for breaking curfew. But a few unusual customers wait behind as the room empties, and eye each other curiously in the now quiet tavern.
One of the remaining patrons is a tall, gaunt human brooding over an empty tankard. He wears a worn crafter's apron and a cloak patched many times with different colors of cloth, the very image of a grubby, hungover, half-starved, down-on-his-luck tinker. But as the barkeep locks the front door, he opens his pack and draws out of it a longspear that would require sorcery to fit inside. On the spear hangs a glorious black war banner, its device a golden hawthorne bush growing from a cloven skull. He looks morosely around the room and sighs before speaking.
"I didn't think anyone would come. I suppose you met Talia at the university, and she told you we were poking our noses into the dark, secret corners of Ustalav? Or perhaps you met Peredur patrolling around the streets of Lepidstadt, and he told you we were putting ourselves in the way of the shadows that devil this land? Or maybe you know Father Cidimolikus, or Justice Daramid, or the Twisted Kin. Maybe you knew our friend, the late Petros Lorrimor. It doesn't matter how you heard of us, you're here. Which means you want to help us on this mission of ours. So unless I can scare you off, it looks like I'll be out of excuses for not going."
"I imagine you've heard that Andrew--the so-called Beast of Lepidstadt--was cleared of a bunch of murder charges and then banished from the city. Which makes sense--not a bad sort of fellow once you get to know him, but probably not who you want as your upstairs neighbor, clomping around in size sixty hobnail boots. Anyway, Andrew let slip that his maker, the graverobber who sewed him together out of corpses, might be at Schloss Caromarc, the manse of Count Caromarc, who used to rule Vieland before it threw off its feudal oppressors and replaced them with more humble oppressors. "
"Andrew's creator needs to answer for his sins--and we're very interested in what those answers might be. These are some of the Hawthorne Society," he says, nodding to a couple of imposing women beside him and gesturing to the war banner on his spear. "I'm Sour Heck, a dirge bard by trade, and we're hunting an ancient and sinister cult of necromancers known as the Whispering Way. Andrew's maker seems likely to be one of them, or at least have a lead on them."
"Only Pharasma could judge who is craziest: the corpse-defiling necromancers of the Whispering Way, we fools of the Hawthorne Society for chasing after them, or you, if you join us. But I've learned you can't talk heroes out of a bad idea. If you're tired of waiting for a horrible death to come to you, you can go looking for one with us."
"I am Adelram, a priest of Pharasma. It is my duty and pleasure to find and punish those who would desecrate graves and the Whispering Way are enemies of all good folk everywhere. Joining the Hawthorne Society would only be a continuation of my holy mission."
He smiles. "Where do I sign?"
"Give me a fire flask, little sack," says Sour Heck, and pulls some alchemist's fire from the party's magic bag. "Everyone please step away from the dog. Oh, you were the one who didn't care for the music? Have a drink instead." The bard steps away from the semiconscious dog and hurls the alchemist's fire at it.
"That was cathartic. I should bring one of those to every performance."
"Not to pay your bar tab, my friend," Eloise says, clapping Sour Heck on the shoulder and grinning at him.
The Magus saunters up to Adelram and looks him up and down. She folds her arms.
"A calling's a fine thing. How are you for power, strength and training? What lore do you know, what do you bring to a fight?"
As the 'regular' patrons drift out towards their homes for the evening, the Elf who'd been sitting near the small performance stage of the tavern remains. Sitting, watching, waiting.
At the gaunt fellow's introduction and banner unfurling the Elf lass gaze drifts first around the tavern and those that remain, though becoming somewhat unfocused as 'Sour Hecks' speech.
Once he's done... the Elf watches and waits calmly as first one, then another of the human's gathered stands and makes their introductions. Brushing a strand of red coloured hair from her face the Elven woman finally seems to come to some sort of decision.
With fluid grace she stands, absently adjusting the black and red flowing dress and scarves which make up her ensemble, and she walks -High heeled red boots tapping upon the tavern's floor- towards those agreeing to join Master Heck's endeavor.
However, it is to the human woman the the Elf stops. Resting a hand upon her folded arm the Elven lass speaks quietly,
*Elvish* "Hail and well met." She says with a slight smile in the fluid and lilting tongue of her people before turning towards Heck.
"Greetings. I am a friend of Miss Talia and... knew the late Professor." The Elf's vice catches for but a moment.
"Your words bring closure to my seeking about events which I've only since read about having received correspondence since by way of Miss Talia." She steps lightly away from Eloise and bows gracefully to Heck by way of formal introduction.
"My name translates to 'Sunset', in the speaking of people. I offer my skills towards your..." She looks at every one else gathered smiling, " Our coming works."
Adelram concentrates for a moment and a whip-like weapon made of ectoplasmic matter forms in his hand. "I am a skilled combatant with experience fighting bandits and beasts. I can also cast spells."
"Do you think you could use me?"
"Looks to me like you're worth a try, at the very least," Eloise says, grinning.
"How about you, miss?" the Magus asks of Sunset. "What kind of skills and lore you got? What're your best moves in a fight?"
"Welcome to you both. I am Iesha Shadostar-Petrosca, cleric of Shelyn." says the half-elf. "Given what we've been dealing with, another cleric is always nice. Especially one with more familiarity with undead and their -creators- than my Lady."
Iesha stands and gives Adelram a polite curtsy, then turns and also curtsies to Sunset.
"Miss sunset, if that blade you carry is any indication, your skill-set is also useful."
The trollhound yelps in a gutteral, angry way before it gives an almost pitiful cry as Adelram's blade ends its vicious attack.
The trolls give a roar of rage but they are struggling with the rough terrain that Eloise had created using the pebbles.
"My blade is my focus." She begins to spin and twirl, shifting the long weapon dexterously into a one handed grip.
"My devotion is to the protection of the Goddess Arshea." She slowly comes to a stop and just as swiftly re-sheathes her blade.
"I grew up in a... um..." She frowns seeming to search for the right word. "Temple? Monastery?" She sighs.
"I believe in defending the faiths, even though I've never directly felt the Goddess touch. My clan believes there are more than one way to learn to serve in faith." She bows politely to every one.
"I hope my sword and skills can help in defending against the problems that grow to befall the lands."
Sunset twirls into combat and swings her blade at the...
She stares intently at any other surviving enemies.
"Who next wishes to feel the Goddess touch?" She declares.
Sour Heck is correct. I went after a troll.
Adelram's blade cuts into the trolls flesh illiciting a rageful howl as he deals damage to the hulking brute. This is followed up by Sunsets blade which makes the troll shudder with rage as its bosses yells at its backside in it sgutteral language.
"Quite ya bellyaching and kill dem humes! Crush them! Turn them into paste!
The angry troll bites Adelram, tearing into his flesh before reeling back and bringing its massive greatclub down with a shuddering crash. However Adelram was nimble enough to avoid the Troll's poor swing and avoids the blow entirely.
The Balista wielding troll continues to reload its massive weapon, shouting encouragement or threats to its followers as the battle raged on.
The one up in the tower picked up another rock, this time glaring daggers at Eloise before it lobbed it at her!
The rock sails by, thudding into the path behind her and making the winding path more treacherous to traverse but doing little else. The Troll howls in rage and slams its fists into the tower wall as it seems to be cursing its luck or immensely frustrated at its poor throws...
Eloise makes a rude gesture at the rock-throwing Troll, then runs up to the blue Troll, roaring at the top of her lungs, the shout segueing into a war-chant as she goes. The black blade, still outlined in red light, rises and falls!
"I'm pretty sure none of these are the Count, though I won't rule out them being aristocrats--amazing how many people think nobility is a substitute for soap and water."
Sour Heck moves warily as he jokes, keeping pace with Eloise and Adelram, and jabs his spear at their foe from the second rank. His spear can be heard chuckling darkly to itself, sounding amused by the bloodshed around it rather than by its wielder's jokes.
Adelram smashes his lash into the troll.
Ectoplasmic Lash +2: 2Hand, Power Attack, bardic performance
Sunset takes a step to the right to give her allies better access to the monster she's fighting.
Then a little jump to the left again as the monster reposts.
Between Adelram, Sunset and Eliose the troll was unable to bear theattacks and gives several roars and shouts of displeasure as their tiny cuts add up. What was the final nail in the coffin was Sunsets shocking grasp, which sent electricity dancing across the Trolls skin. Its skin blackens and with a mewling death rattle the might troll falls backwards, dead from the last blow...
The ballista wielding troll gives an enraged cry as he starts looking like he was going to retreat towards the stone structure. He grunts out in his savage tongue. "Damn Humes gone gettit! Shoot your ugly faces!" The snap of the ballistas string as it was pulled tight brings a savage smile to the trolls face.
Skirting the rough terrain and bypassing Sunset, Eloise runs up to the red Troll. "Where do you think you're going, Sunshine?" she growls as she swings her black blade at the enemy. "The Abyss is waiting for you!"
Sunset again moves to her right, trying to use the closer large brute as cover against the talking brute with the cross-bow.
Adelram moves closer to the wall to, hopefully, make it more difficult for him to be targeted by ballista. He then strikes out at red troll.
Ectoplasmic Lash +2: 2Hand, power attack, bardsong
"I'm beginning to have second thoughts about these heroes we found, Eloise…they don't seem frightened at all. Anyone with a lick of sense would be terrified of these brutes."
As if to make his own lack of sense obvious, Sour Heck uses the fallen troll's head to step onto its back, making himself the most obvious target on the battlefield, then stabs at the red troll. The bard's longspear seems to whisper vicious insults as it thrusts.
Troll finishes loading the Ballista sized crossbow with a sharpened tree bolt, but found himself hemmed in. He gives a guttural grunt from Eloise slash and rages at the scorch mark on his skin. Using his ballista sized crossbow he deflects Sour Hecks and Adelram's attacks with ease before dropping it and going toe to toe with Eloise...
Eloise gets the sinking feeling as the trolls large hands narrow miss her after she is bitten full on, that had it landed another blow this creature could probably and most likely seriously hurt her in close combat...
The other troll, abandons the rock throwing and instead jumps off the upper tower and down on Adelram. Lashing out with its teeth at the man as it lands with a earth shaking thud. However it's movements were far from graceful and brought on risks of its own...
Such asgetting stabbed by the little people it despised...
"Meh. If we start to question their sanity, we'd need to question ours as well, and I'm not feeling so introspective just now," Eloise says in reply to Sour Heck's quip.
Grunting with annoyance at the pain from the Troll's bite, Eloise once again raises her voice in song and swings her longsword with brutal efficiency, the searing edge cutting flesh and muscle both!
Adelram strikes out at the troll as it jumps down and is still off balance.
Ectoplasmic Lash +2: 2Hand, power attack, bardsong
The troll delivers a punishing blow that Adelram is only partially able to deflect. He counters.
Ectoplasmic Lash +2: 2Hand, power attack, bardsong
Sour Heck lifts his spear with a flinch, as if trying to deflect a boulder with a child's umbrella.
Pulling his weapon back, Sour Heck contemplates its bloody tip, scowling at its demented titters. "Do all weapons have such morbid senses of humor? It's terribly unseemly, you know. Shape up or I'll stop feeding you power. If I can figure out how to stop." Then the bard plunges in for another attack.
The Troll's reckless assualt from above costs it dearly, between the attacks of oppourtunity and their normal strikes Adelram and Sour Heck dish out devastating strikes. Between them they bring the Troll crashing to the earth, down and unmoving, in a matter of seconds.
The last troll roars in rage as his other minion falls, however Sunset still had time to act and it appeared no new enemies were presenting themselves...
With a twirling, dexterous step Sunset steps closer,
Trying to use the momentum to swing her blade to bear.
The last Troll looked haggard, he was injured but still standing with burnt skin and looked to its fallen comrades in a scornful way. "Dam ijjit's losing to deese humes, getta ya ded or ida kil'dya!" As he turned to look back at Eloise the light that burned in this creatures eyes was one of madness, for if looks could kill this troll would have struck her dead...
It gave a roar and lashed out at her and her alone once more...
His attacks were a blur as he slashed with his large claws and gnashed his teeth in an almost failed attempt to harm the warrioress that burned him. However, sadly for Eloise one of his claws slipped through her defenses and struck her side a decent wound. Drawing a sinister smile from the Troll then.
Seeing the large, bestial creature tear into Eloise, Sunset snarls and strikes in return,
"Can you burn this one?" Adelram askes Eloise as he moves to position against the red troll, drawing an attack from him (AoO against Adelram)
Ectoplasmic Lash +2: 2Hand, power attack, bardsong, flank
"I'm going to give it the old college try," Eloise growls. Taking her black blade in a two-handed grip, she chops at the last troll standing.
Iesha channels to heal the group once more.
"Eloise went to college for this? It seems like a poor choice of study--were there no classes in "Avoiding Injuries" or "How Not to Get in Fights with Giant Freaks?"
Sour Heck lunges again with his longspear.
"Nah, I didn't learn this in college, this is all independent study. My college classes had the potential for death in other ways."
The strikes rain down despite the trolls rage filled swings the fight goes against him, as each slive and burn adds until his body can take no more. He collapses to his knees with a heavy whump a weariness crossing its eyes before they glaze over as the life leaves it just before its large body slams into the earth. A single deathrattle leaves its mouth, kicking up dust and small stones as its final breath dissipates into the air around you. The smell of rotten fish assails the keenest nose among you...
Everything seems to be quiet now that all your enemies are vanquished...
"Right, then," Eloise says.
With grim efficiency, the Magus goes from Troll to Troll, decapitating each one before the crimson glow fades from her sword.
"Just to make sure we won't be facing these again on the way out," she explains. "Now, could anyone spot me a little healing?"
"Let me help you with that."
Adelram also take the time to change his ectoplasmic lash to a one handed weapon.
"Ahh, much obliged," Eloise says, visibly relieved as she prods bruises that were wounds just two spells ago.
"We've won...but at such a steep cost! Let us have a moment of silence for all the Sour Hecks we've lost this day." Sour Heck and his remaining reflections bow their heads and pat each other gently on the back. "There, there."
The bard then turns his attention to the bodies of the fallen trolls. "Now let's see if we can find out what in the nine hells these freaks are doing here. Working for the Count? Working for the Way? Working for themselves? Are there many more of them?" He checks the corpses for clues, especially their sacks and the ruby-studded skull necklace on their apparent leader.