The kreen attempts to siphon HP from Yodar to Gorkhan (DC 19, at -2)
The tigone moves to attack the storm eater to his North East.
The flaming sphere, unmoved this round, burns at the half giant storm eater.
And Grit motions for the shadow to attack the half giant as he calls down a bolt of lightning from the sky onto the same half giant before he closes on the storm eater directly in front of him.
Raun's satisfaction at having downed the storm eaters falls as she finds the Yodar has in fact retreated from the webs and her grasp. Ignoring the sticky strands that seek to bind her movements she lumbers her way through them until she looms over Yodar, the nearby torchlight flickering over her, leaving half her face in shadow and she leers at him, taking a clumsy swing.
A crimson sphere streaks north from Däina's outstretched hand, blossoming into an expanding bubble of fire when it nears Yodar and the Storm Eater's half-giant champion. Blocking the brunt of the flame with their shields, both emerge singed but not seriously injured.
The fiery spell burns away some of the webbing, which Raun tears through like paper as she strides forward and levels a crushing blow at Yodar. The helmed warlord easily dodges the attack, however, even as he growls in pain as Nnn'tkklik'l siphons some of his life force to heal Gorkhan.
Shifting south, the Klar-Killer launches into a devastating attack routine. Slashing with his toothed shield, he slices deep into meat of Raun's thigh, severing arteries and washing both combatants in a spray of blood. Following up with the wrist razors mounted on his other hand, he leaves a trio of cuts along the half-giant's forearm.
To the south, Safia battles with her own opponent in the ruins. This time the confined space proves no obstacle as she cuts the man's legs from under him with one swing of her scythe, then takes his head with the second.
Grit's tigone leaps into the ruins after the cowering raider archer. Already drained by the summoned shadow, the man goes down easily beneath the creatures ensorcelled fangs.
Near the well house, the half-giant champion is unable to avoid Grit's flaming sphere and howls in rage as his armored legs blacken and smoke. Still, the champion manages to side-step the shadow's clumsy strike.
Something strange happens as Grit calls down a stroke of lightning and advances to Gorkhan's aid. The bolt of lightning strikes at the half-giant, but is drawn into a bone and wicker fetish hanging from the half-giant's neck. Glowing brightly, the crackling energy appears to be caged in the necklace somehow.
Stepping under the half-giant's reach to put his back to the well house wall, Gorkhan's unleashes a flurry of blows at the raider now flanked between him and Grit. Two deep slashes connect, wounding the raider severely.
Expecting to dodge another attack from the half-giant, Gorkhan instead watched as the champion grins evilly and reaches toward the caged lightning at its throat, crushing the bone and wicker fetish between thick fingers.
A blast of lightning follows, spreading outward in a sphere that encompasses Raun and Yodar, as well as Grit, Gorkhan, the wounded raider and the summoned shadow.
As the flash clears you see Yodar and the other raider are wearing similar necklaces that now glow with caged energy. Staggering backward, the wounded raider smashes his, as well, enveloping those near the well house in another blast of electricity. The burst seems weaker this time, however, and also scorches the half-giant champion, whose amulet disintegrated after a single use.
With a quick whistle and a hand gesture from Grit the tigone moves through the rubble to attack through a gap in the wall at the half giant.
Grit then steps north and, swinging his enchanted club, tries to finish the normal sized storm eater to his right.
"Ssej trilvol!" Däina points at the two buildings by Gorkhan, and suddenly they shudder and two lengths of stone erupt outwards and close behind him, separating Gorkhan and the storm eater behind him. After a moment the stone wall grows spikes that drip with an unhealthy green liquid.
Even Raun feels the strength of Yodar's blows, grunting and gritting her teeth. She sways slightly as it is followed by a blast of lightning but takes a firm grip on her hammer and delivers a mighty blow. Her strength lags on the followup however, and the ghostly remains of disembodied minds swirl ineffectually around her.
Bleeding profusely, Raun smashes Yodar with her hammer, sending him to his knees. The helmed human warrior rolls out of the way to avoid the follow-up blow, gasping as Nnn'tkklik'l again siphons his life force, funneling it into Raun.
Seriously wounded but undaunted, the Klar-Killer launches himself at the raging half-giant, slicing her with shield and claw and re-opening the wounds the thri-kreen's healing had sealed.
To the east, Grit launches himself around the corner of the crumbling adobe and fells the wounded raider with a pair of sharp blows that spray blood across the peeling walls. His tigone attempts to attack the Storm Eater champion through a gap in the ruined walls to the west, but becomes wedged in a crack. Ignoring the beast, the half-giant once again dodges Grit's flaming sphere, but is struck a glancing blow by the summoned shadow.
Shocked by the cold of the shadow's touch, the half-giant swings its impaler at the black figure. Seeing the bone pick pass right the creature, the half-giant stumbles backward a pace, toward Yodar.
Rallying, Gorkhan darts after the half-giant, his bone blade a blur as he passes through Däina's illusory wall. His first attack clatters off the half-giant's shield, but he quickly reverses the stroke, plunging the sword up through the champion's ribs and into its heart. Dead, the half-giant tumbles into the dust with a resounding thud.
Däina again prepares a fireball to throw, this time grasping her cinnabar bead necklace as a focus. This one erupts at the far end of the battlefield, only hitting their leader.
Pulling itself free of the rubble of the crumbling wall the loyal desert cat moves to attack the Klar-Killer. Coming up just to the east of Raun it bites at the man., likely fatiguing him.
Grit also closes on the man, coming up to the east of him to flank with Raun.
The kreen once again attempts to pull vitality from the bandit leader and siphon it to Raun, to keep the barbarian alive for one more round...
heads up, Nnn has this ability:
it would be a good idea to try this if you need healing and I am not giving it to you. I am struggling somewhat to keep up with my games and might miss you. except Raun, who i always assume needs healing. :D
Gorkhan swiftly moves to flank Yodar with Raun and swings his blade, expending the psionic focus in his psicrystal on the strike.
Seeing the rest of the group surround Yodar, Däina decides to save her fire bead.
Battered and drained, the raider chief realizes his fate, too. Tearing loose his close-faced helm, he glares at you through a ragged beard marked by long, jagged scars.
"Look on me well, dung eaters, so you'll know the one that haunts you from the Gray," he says, spitting blood at the nearest of you.
Loosing a howl of rage, he launches himself at Raun, who side-steps, hammer whistling down even as Gorkhan, Grit and the tigone rush in, as well. It is over in seconds, with Nnn'tkklik'l drawing the last of the dying man's life force into the collective.
Däina sends Anar up to scout from the skies and make sure the area is truly clear of enemies while she checks the buildings.
Grit breathes a sign of relief, turns to Gorkhan and casts a healing spell on the wounded man.
Very Brave to rush into them like that. Almost fatal too. He notes.
Raun pummels the bandit leader into the dirt and then looks around for more, slowly lowering her hammer with a sigh as she allows her rage to fade. She pokes at the body just to be sure, before drawing out her axe, looting the body until her strength returns. Once it has she drags the body nears to the torch, and lops off his head carrying it around until she finds something to put it in.
Once he knows his companions are all ok Grit will spend some time praising his Tigone before attending securing/exploring the runes and then looting the bodies. He will cast Detect Magic to aid in this. He will save the Well for last.
It is possible that the well is trapped or even inhabited. Can someone check it for traps?
Safia was more or less lost in a state of stupor for most of the fight and it wasn't until the warlord's claim of haunting them that she was properly roused from it. Her shifted form drops and hastily she moves in towards Yodar, kneeling down beside him before Raun dragged him off. "May your transit be swift and without problems, may the Grey welcome you with open arms and may you swiftly forget your crimes." She then closed his eyes before letting Raun take him off.
[b]"I'm not quite sure what came over me there. That raider.." With that she turned back around towards the one raider she had slain. She searched the guy, looking for something.
A search of the ruined village turns up nothing alive, but plenty of evidence of the raiders' past victims - including several that appear to have been butchered for meat. One of the huts contains several sacks of grain, dried mostly to dust, as well as a piles of ruined silks and embroidered fabrics the raiders had been using for bedding.
A search of the bodies turns up more more valuables, including an iron hand axe and other high-quality weapons, some ceramic and silver coins, a fine cloak of z'tal scales and a slim gold armband hidden under one raider's leather cuff.
Three of the raiders wore bone and wicker amulets like the ones that trapped Grit's lightning spell. The amulets, which detect as enchanted, appear to be useable without any special skill or command.
Yodar carried the only other magic - a heavy hide shield ringed with the wickedly sharp teeth of a tembo. In addition to a shaggy, soiled cloak of klar fur, he wore a finely-made breastplate of klar carapace and wielded a tri-bladed wrist razor of sharpened bone.
After gathering the raider chief's head and the ears of the others, you move into the empty well house. The stone shaft appears unremarkable - after pulling a bucket of lukewarm, clear water from the well, you tie off a rope and shimmy into the shaft - the waxed leather bundle is exactly where Nell, the Veiled Alliance contact, said it would be.
MW obsidian trikal
Large masterwork heavy shield
Large bone impaler
(4) large stone javelins
(3) mighty composite longbows (+2) w/ 60 MW bone arrows
MW bone wrist razor
43 ceramic coins
12 silver
carved gold armband (~10 gp)
iron handaxe
fine z’tal leather cloak (~3 gp)
+1 bashing spiked heavy shield
MW klar carapace breastplate
klar fur cloak
Yodar's head
10 raider ears
(3) intact stormcatcher amulets: These bone and wicker talismans can absorb one damaging spell with the electricity subtype that would affect the wearer. Within the next three rounds, the wearer may release the trapped energy in a 20-foot radius spreading outward from the wearer. Damage is equal to the spell that “charged” the amulet, minus one dice. Reflex save for ½ damage, with a DC one less than the charging spell. The stormcatcher is destroyed after the energy is released.
Veiled Alliance package
Grit picks up the shield feeling its weight. Nice. he says. He then looks at the klar carapace breastplate, comparing it to what he is currently wearing.
to see if that grain is usable in any way, even if to make decidedly un-tasty gruel or weak ale.
Däina looks at all of the loot that they piled up, then looks at Raun. Still too scared of the half-giant to approach her, Däina tugs on Gorkhan's sleeve. "Umm, could you see if Raun is willing to carry some of this stuff?.."
Raun is already laying out one of the larger, more sturdy blankets from the raider's bedding and dumping everything in the middle of it.
"Now this is interesting," Gorkhan says, as he picks up the wrist blade to examine it more closely. He then straps it to his left wrist and gives it a few practice swings. "It'll do in a pinch."
Gathering up the valuables scavenged from the raiders, along with a leather sack holding Yodar's head and almost a dozen ears, you begin the trek back two Tyr. It's slow going in the darkness, even by the road, but you manage to reach the Caravan Gate by dawn and are first in line when the might gate creaks open.
The templars manning the gate examine your writ and usher you in. After a look inside the leather sack they send a runner to summon the centurion from the Bureau of the Watch who agreed to the bounty.
An hour passes before the hawk-nosed templar arrives.
"Now you see, I expected you to wait at least a day or two before coming back with some slave's head, claiming it to be the Klar-Killer. Your greed has undone your con," he says, sneering.
He pales when he catches sight of the carapace breastplate, bladed shield and klar-fur cloak Grit claimed from the raider lord.
"How?! ... I ... I see. You've certainly proved more capable than I imagined. Let me see, I ... Stay here. I must summon a superior to see to your payment," he says.
Another hour passes before the centurion returns with two other templars. One, a fat, groveling sort, looks like he'd rather be inside counting coins. The other has the broad shoulders of a brawler and short-cut, graying hair.
"My lord, these are he mercenaries who cleared the raiders from the client village. As you can see, they bear proof of Yodar Klar-Killer's demise and wish to collect the reward," the hawk-nosed centurion says, speaking to his muscular superior.
The fat templar interjects. "I never authorized a reward of any sort. If you want to pay a bounty, you can pay it out of the Watch's coffers, you snake!"
The gray-haired man stops him, raising a scarred hand.
"Enough. They have done the job your own bureau should have done weeks ago. You'll pay the promised bounty for the leader," he says, then turns to the hawk-nosed centurion. "You, however, can pay for the ears of the other Storm Eaters. From your own funds, not those of the Watch."
After a final look at your group, the gray-haired templar leaves, leaving the other two to scowling at each other. The hawk-nosed man reluctantly pulls out his own purse. Looking inside, he curses, then twists off a thick gold ring set with flakes of jade.
"Take this. It will cover the price promised for Yodar's followers," he says. His scowl transforms into a smug smile as he continues: "My colleague from the Bureau of Farms will provide the remainder of you payment."
Speechless with rage, the fat templar impatiently motions for you to follow him to Iron Square, where he leads you into one of the templarate's weigh stations. Tossing Yodar's head on a scale, he commands one of the clerk's to begin pouring silver coins into basket. Hundreds of coins spill out by the time the arms of the scale are in balance.
"Take it and begone!" he growls, retreating into a back office once the count is done.
Returning to your warehouse quarters, you spend a few minutes counting the silver coins - there are 500 - before sitting back to discuss your next move.
Nell, the Veiled Alliance contact, left you a turquoise scarf embroidered with crimson thread - to arrange a meeting, one you need only tie it on the left hip and visit the public fountain in Iron Square at noon.
Raun grins at the look of shock on the templar's face, replacing the scowl that had been beginning to form. It fades soon enough as they are left baking in the morning sun, for a second time. The silver that pours onto the scales restores her good mood as they leave the templar station.
"So... give box back to alliance people and see if they have any more work?"
Nnn'tkklik'l gives any grain he managed to get to those who look like they might need it.
Nnn'tkklik'l gives any grain he managed to get to those who look like they might need it.
Däina glances from angry man to angry man, shrinking down and trying not to draw attention to herself. Finally the prices are settled and she's the first one out the door.
Däina breathes in the fresh air, then turns to the others. "Well unless you all have need of me I have more spe...bookkeeping to do. Shall we meet just before noon?"
Flush with coin and a well-deserved sense of victory, you settle into the warehouse. Not needing the rest, Nnn'tkklik'l heads off to the School of Thought to pick up the psionic carrying straps he ordered before you left Tyr.
Daina spends the day studying her spellbooks while Grit and the others rest. Safia seems lost in a trance, so Raun takes the turquoise scarf to the square at noon. No one seems to pay much attention, but she spends most of the noon hour hanging around the square, looking out of place.
Gorkhan slips out in the early evening on some errand. Soon after, a street urchin stops by with an invitation to meet at the Drunken Giant, the wine shop in Shadow Square where you first left word for the Veiled Alliance.
Making your way carefully through the shadowed streets, you pass a group of templars on the outskirts of the Elven Market. In contrast to the lazy, near empty state when you last visited, the square is packed with elves, humans and half-breeds, prostitutes and pick-pockets vying for marks in the crowd.
Inside the Drunken Giant, a low buzz of conversation greets you as you pass through the doors. Seeing you enter, the bearded bartender - still scrubbing the same mugs from your last visit - motions toward a beaded curtain shielding an alcove near the back of the tavern.
Inside, Nell waits with an older human man, his white hair and beard neatly trimmed. Wearing a white robe in the Balican style, the old man has a regal bearing - a noble or master of some sort, you'd guess.
"Nell tells me you have come to our aid once again. Do you have the package from the village well?"
Grit looks to Nell, trying to sense if everything is ok and if he thinks any coersion is in play before responding.
I do not know you old man, but if Nell trusts you then so shall I. And with that he places the package on the table slightly closer to Nell than the speaker.
The old man's eyes lose focus for a moment as he takes the package from Grit.
"Ah, yes, this is it," he says, eyes opening as a smile replaces the stern frown. He stands abruptly and moves to leave the curtained alcove.
"Be ready in two days time - we will have need of you again. If you will excuse me, I have other business to which I must attend. Nell will see to your reward."
The old man disappears into the kitchen at the rear of the tavern, where you assume a second exit must offer a way out of the building.
Nell watches the old man as he leaves, then shrugs.
"He can be a bit ... abrupt. But don't feel bad - that was as much gratitude as I've seen him express to anyone."
pulls a leather pouch from underneath the table. Inside are six glass vials, each filled with a brightly-colored liquid.
"I thought you might be able to use these, although you can trade them in the elven market if you'd like - they can't be traced back to the Alliance. These two with the gray liquid, will allow you to move invisibly for a short time. The green vials in the middle will allow you to fly like a cloud ray. And these two, here, will allow you to take on the shape of another race, gaining some of its strength."
Nell passes the potion vials to Grit, then pulls something from a pocket and lays it on the table. It's a small ceramic whistle on a cord.
"When you need to contact us, bring this to the curio store near the brickyard and tell the owner it's broken. He'll put you in touch with someone quickly, and can also take orders if you need anything that the Alliance might be able to help procure. You'll have to pay for it, but we have access to materials that you otherwise might have to brave the elven market to find. You mentioned earlier that you had some spell formulae you wanted to sell - we can offer you silver for those, as well, if you no longer need them."
<<I would like to go to the Crystal Spider.>>
Däina mostly nods, letting the others do the talking, until they get to the last bit. She brushes back her bangs and steps up. "Umm, yes, although I am still copying some of them down. Hopefully I'll be done next time we meet."