He grins and smacks your butt back much harder than you struck him, but still playfully. "Don't start that woman. You're in no condition to win today!"
Seeing you're finally ready to go, Elvar gets the door for you, then follows you downstairs. A very sour looking Anthony is sitting alone in a corner nursing a beer. At the main table that dominates the room, Hugo, Lindsay, Jamie, and Ashlyn are all talking over empty lunch plates. You're starting to realize just how long you were out. Ashlyn spots you two coming down and excuses herself from the table. She makes her way over to you, calling out in a chipper voice, "Morning sleepyhead!"
Sa'sori hops at Evlar's smack on her tush her expression one of mock outrage... but it is spoiled by her chuckling fit that follows.
"You win.. for now!", she teases...
She strides a little less springy from the room heading downstairs...
Taking in the scene she gets some idea of the party that was in bash last night ... and wonders just what she missed.. and did?
At Ashlyn's chipper call she puts her hand to her head, remarking, "...not so loud.. there still two or three guys in my head still hammering away with sledgehammers..."
Elvar playfully teases, "Lightweight."
Causing Ashlyn to smirk, but she does speak a bit softer. "I may have found a bit of trouble we can get in to. If you're feeling up for it. There's some coin in it too."
Sa'sori elbows Evlar in the ribs, playfully... no force behind the blow.
"Sure ... I'm always ready for coin and trouble!"
Ashlyn grins, "Good! So I was walking around town, and I saw this young woman talking to some guards. So, I listened. Apparently some children have gone missing over the last few weeks, this woman's daughter being the latest victim. The guards have checked the area where the girl went missing and tracked her to some dungeon nearby. Apparently the cave is "cursed" so the guards won't go near without a wizard."
Her eyes lock on you, "then I realized, I know a wizard. Well, not a wizard, but you know what I mean. So I worked my charm on the lady, and she said she would happily reward us. Being a farmer, I doubt she has much, but still..." she trails off hoping you get the point.
Sa'sori listens closely, at the mention of missing children... her eyes turn hard and determined... unknown to Ashlyn... she has hit upon a sensitive matter with Sa'sori!
There is no question in her tone, " missing! Yes, of course, we MUST help... show the way!"
...clearly money is not the motivator for her eagerness.
Sa'sori... who had her childhood and innocence stolen away.. is an almost fanatical protector of children...
Ashlyn grins, "Great!" Turning to lead the way, explaining what she knows on the way.
"So, our patron is a woman named Mrs. Kane. Apparently she and her husband were watching one of their grandchildren. They were playing in a creek near the edge of their property. The child, Caitlyn, ran off into the woods out of sight. Mr. Kane was quick after her. Mr. Kane has some experience as a ranger once upon a time, and was quick to spot some sights on a struggle, but no blood. He followed the trail to the caves I mentioned earlier. Unwilling to go in alone, he doubled back and has been trying to call in favors to build a team to go in. Unfortunately local legend is proving too much for them to overcome. That's when Mrs. Kane decided to come into town and see what they could find from non-locals."
"I can't say much about what's going on, but apparently this cavern is deep. Like, way deep. Depending on who you believe, some of the locals say it has a couple tunnels that lead to the underdark. What everyone seems to agree on, is that the place is haunted. Legend says a dark wizard used to run dark experiments down there. Though he is long dead, they say some of his creations still haunt the place to this day."
Ashlyn seems to notice how pale Elvar is going at her description and ties to defuse it, nudging him with her elbow playfully, "Nothing our Sorceress supreme can't handle right loverboy?"
Elvar can only muster to give you a worried look.
Sa'sori... though still very emotional about saving the children... has calmed down from her initial rush of reaction and says, "Caves.. a system of caves? We should make sure you, , are prepared then. Some quick supplies need to be gathered."
She ponders briefly, " do you use a shield? If it is not too cumbersome to your fighting style we should get you one...", she will suggest at least a light wooden shield [3gp].
Sa'sori asks locals on the street to find a general store, she will suggest Ashlyn carry 50'ft of rope [1gp], Hammer [5sp], and Grappling Hook [1gp], and 7-days rations [3.5gp] and a full waterskin [1gp], 4x Iron Spikes [20cp],
and a Shield Sconce [1gp] for Ashlyn if she uses a shield.
Sa'sori will purchase a compass [10gp] and a map-making kit [10gp].
Sa'sori will suggest splitting the cost evenly among them for a total of 10 gold, 4 silver from each of them.
"Now we are ready... with some minimum gear to deal with caving... I don't want to waste anymore time.. the children may need us! My magic is potent...but of limited supply.. wish I could buy a Armored coat.. for when it runs out.. but I lack the funds. Let's go!"
Ashlyn gives a simple smile, "I have plenty of supplies, she says gently tapping her pack. Thank you for the offer though." She will happily escort you though in buying a map-making kit, she does offer you the use of her compass, unless you're just wanting your own.
Sa'sori's eyes brighten.. her opinion of Ashlyn growing greatly... she gives her a quick hug of affection and admiration, "I knew you were a smart, capable woman...! Fine we'll use your compass... we want to spend as little as we're not getting paid for this! Let's go!"
She will purchase the map-making kit [10gp].. grateful it is the only thing they need purchase.
Ashlyn leads you to the eastern gate, and after a bit of hassle, you're able to leave the town. Ashlyn takes a scrap of paper and using some local landmarks leads you for about an hour down the road through unbridled farmland, marked only by the occasional boulder too large to remove, barn, or cart paths leading to some unseen home in the distance.
After an hour on the road, you cross a small stream, and Ashlyn turns down after the bridge following the bank. "So by my understanding, we should be able to follow this down to a fork, then follow the eastern half of the fork to a low mountain. The cave should be on the north side of the mountain."
Sa'sori, begins taking note of landmarks and begins mapping as they go.
At Ashlyn's words she asks, "Is there a way to approach the cave entrance without following the tail? If the cave is a bandit hideout.. there should be some posted sentries..hidden of course... let's be.. subtle in our approach so as not to give any watchers easy warning. We are only three.. being over-cautious is not unwarranted!"
"To be honest, I don't know. The trail is the only way Mrs. Kane could tell me to get there. No one owns the land around the mountain, so there should be plenty of overgrowth and such."
Sa'sori ponders...
"Fine."
Stepping slightly away from Evlar and Ashlyn ... she unleashes in a burst of glowing tattoos her familiar .
The red-feathered hawk perches on her outstretched arm.
"Ok my friend.. fly down the path search up in the trees and around their bases for any men-folk hiding there ahead of us as we come down the trail... if you spot any one come immediately back to me... well ahead of us meeting them."
With a single shriek the Reddish feathered Hawk takes off...
Then addressing the other two, "We should give him a minute or so of a head start."
When they start moving again Sa'sori draws her longbow and readies an arrow...
Elvar will chime in, "You might want to wait until we at least see the mountain before sending Red Wing too far ahead."
Ashlyn will pause for a moment and kneel refilling her waterskin. "Yeah, from the map I have, I think it's another hour at this pace to the mountain and twenty to thirty minutes to the cave entrance from there."
Sa'sori will comply, "Ah..ok.. I just didn't want to get too close without some warning if this might be a mundane group of just plain ole' brigands. I'll do that."
Ashlyn smiles, "Honestly, I hope so. Not sure what we'll do if there's like a wraith or something in there."
Sa'sori, nods, "A Wraith would be difficult.. but we have .. an enchanted Longsword... incorporeal creatures are affected by magic weapons... just not as effectively unless the weapon is specifically enchanted to fully hurt incorporeal creatures. And my spells will certainly hurt a Wraith! I managed to kill a Shadow.. back in .. that had been woken in the Crypt of the Everflame... though I think Wraiths are supposedly stronger, but my knowledge is ...incomplete on the matter. I probably could have stayed longer in tutelage to complete more of my arcane knowledge skills... but I just wanted to get away from the molesting bastard!"
She pats the hilt of the magical longsword at her hip reassuringly...
Rising back up and replacing her waterskin, Ashlyn takes point again making her way down the trail. Elvar lining up beside you keeping you between him and the brush and overgrowth starting to build on your left opposite the creek.
Sa'sori will move to the best tactical position to give Evlar room to intercept any ambushers that might make for her ...at the same time covering with her bow Ashlyn's approach down the trail. Sa'sori will also pay some attention to the creek bed.. for hostile water lurkers as well. will also keep an eye out for danger alternating between overwatch from flying overhead to perching upon her shoulder...
At regular intervals of about half an hour or so.. Sa'sori will update her map or if some notable landmark is spotted she will make a note.
When they are about 45 minutes or so outside of the cave approach ... she will send down the trail with his task to search for watchmen or ambushers along the trail to the cave...
As you reach the base of the mountain, and you send Red Wing away, Ashlyn will suggest you guys rest for a bit. She drops her pack and pulls a trail ration from her pack.
Sa'sori will agree, taking up a position near the creek to refill her Waterskin... and rest her feet. Her bum... is still a little sore on the moderate sized boulder she perches on. She will eat some sparing rations... and an apple for something sweet.
But her longbow is within easy reach.
Sa'sori would likely be more talkative but it is clear she is worried about the children and keeps her eyes searching the surrounding area for any approaching danger...
Elvar gives you a pitious look as he sees you subtly flinch when you sit down. He plants himself on the ground, as Ashlyn makes herself comfortable sitting with her back resting against the rock face of the mountain.
Ashlyn will ask, "Can you do that magic light thing? I'm thinking if you do that, and Elvar having a torch in his shield should be plenty of light when we're in there. Let the big man be on point, with you at our rear." She seems to be intentionally leaving Elvar out of the tactical discussion, given his inexperience.
Sa'sori nods reluctantly, "Sort of. My spell is a talent of my Varisian 'Ragario' Tattoo's evocation properties. I can only do them so often during a day.. AND they only last 5 minutes.. so at best that's 15 minutes.. though I can move them about up to 100 or more feet away under my control. Hence why I got a shield sconce. And unfortunately.. ... does not glow continually with its own magical light."
She seem a bit disappointed, but seems to get over it quickly. "Even with just Elvar's light, we should be ok I guess. Have yours in an emergency too. Anything I should know? For working with you two I mean."
Sa'sori will consider... "I have a Area fire spell that's a cone effect... about 15'ft long and 15'ft wide at the end~ but I will give fair warning before unleashing it with the phrase 'clear the blast zone'. And I am skilled at shooting into melee without ANY penalty..my shots are precise with spell and bow! You already know my style of blade fighting..."
"Which one are you likely to use? Like, who should I flank with, if we get the chance you or Elvar," then she blushes and adds, "or will you two be setting your flank up for each other."
Sa'sori shakes her head, "In a cave my longbow is mostly useless unless in a large cavern, so I'll be wielding my Elven Curve Blade.. so we should plan to switch flanks fluidly with each other keeping the enemy guess and taking the most tactical advantage three swordsmen can provide. But initially, since I need space out of melee to easily cast my spells unthreatened, you two should flank with each other and only switch to flanking with me as appropriate for targets I clearly choose to engage in melee."
Elvars eyes seem glazed over in the discussion, and Ashlyn ties to draw him back in. "Hear that loveboy, your girlfriend just gave you permission to f-l-a-n-k with me." drawing out the word in such a suggestive way that you quickly catch Elvar blushing deeply at her, before glancing to you helplessly.
Ashlyn smiles, hopping up dusting her fine ass off, "Let's get going, I want to get that flank as soon as possible." She gives an over the shoulder grin to you, hoping you're sharing in Elvar's discomfort.
Sa'sori chuckles getting to her feet enjoying the show... grinning at Evlar... adoring how he blushes...
Commenting, "That's right you saucy wench.. keep prodding my ... cause when he finally corners you and that lovely tush of yours in the bedroom... he'll prodding you so much you'll be singing a different tune quickly and won't be walking straight for a week! I KNOW!"
Sa'sori moves into party formation ready to go holding her longbow and stretching out her feelings to to see if she feels the excitment of stalking prey from him...
Ashlyn smirks and gets up taking her place as well. Elvar follows up as well taking a bit longer to pack his things. You guys walk about 30 minutes before spotting Red Wing perched in a tree. The side of the mountain is starting to show some cracks. A thick overgrowth of vines hang down shielding glimpses of a cavern entrance.
Sa'sori called to her shoulder and putting her longbow away she draws her elven curve blade. She pauses to light a torch and place it in Evlar's shield sconce...
She whispers, 'Let's be a stealthy as possible... try to get as far as we can to map as much as possible.. find the kids deal with their abductors and get out!'
Sa'sori looks at the vines over the cave entrance... and pauses.
She grabs Evlar by the shoulder, "Hold. Those vines... do they seem too conveniently placed... or move of their own in any way?"
"Let's make sure those are innocuous..."
Sa'sori will look around at the trees and find a limb or branch of sufficient length... at least 10'ft and either retrieve it or cut it free with her elven curve blade and hand it to Evlar.
"Use this to try to move the vines first... there might be a trap we do not see...!"
Looking to Ashlyn.. she asks, "Do you have a ranged weapon... ready it if you do, and a torch as well just to be prepared for the worse case, stick into the ground next to you so its ready to grab."
Sa'sori steps next to Evlar, "Now on my 'Mark' try to move the vines with your branch... Ready?"
Sa'sori casts at the vines...
"..Mark!"
Ashlyn grabs a dagger from her belt holding it ready to throw. Elvar will wait and as soon as you say will knock the vine away. The vine spreads open revealing a dark natural cave behind it. Your spell launches striking one of the vines cashing it to simmer and burn before dropping to the ground.
Sa'sori smirks muttering, '...better to be paranoid than to be surprised.'
For good measure she will cast at the cave entrance.. panning the 60'ft cone around looking for any magical enchantments that might indicate magical alarms or traps.
Once satisfied, she will tell Evlar, "Hold the vines aside while goes in followed by me then slide the branch in and I'll hold them aside for you.. while you enter. I'll put the branch down inside the cave out of sight.. and we'll get back into formation to begin our search. I don't want the vines cut down to show anyone has come through here.. and the vines could still be poisonous.. best to not take any chances."
There is an aura of abjuration magic covering the cave entrance. Ashlyn seems to cross through without any ill consiquences.
Sa'sori's eyes go wide and she tries to stop Ashlyn from going through too late...
"Gah! There's magic here! Hang on let me try to identify what it is!"
The magical spell and signature flourish both elude you. As Ashlyn passed through, the aura seemed to shimer and rebuff from her as she passes.
Sa'sori grimaces, "Well that tears it.. can't identify what it is... bet its an alarm of some sort... so be wary.. we're probably going to be expected and quickly have company!"
"So nothing for it but to stand tall... be ready for a fight!"
She moves through the barrier... once inside they will shift to the formation with Ashlyn in the rear and Evlar on point with is torch in his shield...
Sa'sori directs to go left first as she jots notes in her map-making kit... then readies her curve blade in hand...
Following the cavern to the left, it seems to fork off again. The passageway to the left of the fork has narrow punctures in the wall where creatures seemed to have burrowed through to the other side. You could likely peek through if you approached, and each burrow seems to be about as thick as a well muscled arm. The right hand side of the fork appears to stretch beyond Elvar's torchlight.
Sa'sori will direct to the left passage and call for a stop.. about 15'ft away from the puncture in the wall. She will direct Evlar to stand just to her right an Ashlyn behind her... as she lights a torch... then casts to carry the torch into one of the holes in the wall to illuminate the chamber beyond.
Peering through the hole, you can see creatures that appear like a mix between snakes and grubs. They hiss at the light and cower away from it.
You hear the sound from the right side of the fork in front of you. It sounds as though a large creature growling.
Sa'sori whispers, 'There is a large beast in the right passage~ coming this way... Evlar, Ashlyn.. be ready!'
Sa'sori casts her dancing lights to send two down the right passage to illuminate the creature for all to see.. while she sends two motes into the holes in the wall to keep the snake/grubs disoriented and drive them back further.
Hefting her elven curve blade she take a 5'ft step more directly behind Evlar...
As the light shines down the cavern, you hear Ashlyn audibly gasp as an amalgam of fur and feathers, this bizarre half-bear, half-owl monstrosity raises its huge, ursine claws in anger.
Turn Order
Ashlyn, Owlbear, Sa'sori, Elvar
Ashlyn's turn
Seeing how far the creature is away, Ashlyn steps forward slightly and readies her blade to stab the creature should it approach, planning to close this distance next round.
"By the gods, it's an owlbear! No wonder no one comes near this stupid cave!"
Owlbear's turn
Letting out a loud hoot/roar, the creature moves forward swiping a claw at Ashlyn, the creatures impressive reach putting it out of Ashlyn's range, but her swing does cause the creature's claw to draw back harmlessly.
Sa'sori sees the Owlbear eyes going slightly wide... knowing their reputation for savagery and decides not to play around with it...
She moves 20'ft tactically to take some small cover around the stalactite pillar at Ashlyn's side...
She calls out clearly "Clear the Blast Zone!", as a warning... that she will be throwing an area effect spell.. though not necessary as none of her companions is threatened, this time, by her spell..
And casts at the Owlbear, peeking around the pillar...
A of arcane fire fills the corridor as the 15'ft-cone of fire engulfs the feathered furry beast...
She says to Evlar, "Move in, go total defense. , fight defensively~ and hit it, hold it there. I'll support with bow fire! After next exchange you switch tactics... total defense and fight defensively... keep it off balance!"
"Remember..we got NO healing among us.. don't get hit!"
Elvar's turn
Elvar moves in taking total defense against the creature, it swiping at the boy as he closes the distance. Elvar lifts his shield blocking the creature's heavy blow, showing the efforts of all his practice.
Round 2
Ashlyn's turn
Ashlyn steps in, taking a defensive strike at the creature, her blade bouncing off the thick hide of the beast.
Owlbear's turn
The owlbear growls loudly as it rears up swiping each of it's claws, one at Ashlyn the other at Sa'sori, frustrated as you both easily dodge, it lashes out trying to bite Elvar, it's beak bouncing harmlessly off his armor.
Ashlyn AC - 20 1 round
Owlbear HP - 31/47
Elvar AC - 23 1 round
Sa'sori Steps back 5'ft out of its reach and leaning her curve blade against the nearby stone wall she draws her longbow , and fires an arrow into the beast's hide!
Sa'sori growls at the less than even amateur shot~ bitterly missing the hard earned and paid for Composite Longbow of masterwork Quality made to her strength that was stolen from her by the damnable Razmirans! She is certain she would have hit with it.. rather than this crummy 'off-the-shelf' weapon...
Sa'sori's arrow bounces harmlessly off the creatures hide.
Elvar's Turn
Elvar slides over taking total defense again.
Round 3
Ashlyn's turn
Ashlyn lifts her defense a bit, striking with her full force, her blade slips into the creature as it wails in pain. Ashlyn follows up her devastating blow with an intimidating flourish, that seems to have no effect on the beast.
Owlbear's turn
The creature is furious lashing it's full assault at Ashlyn. It's injured arm flails pathetically, the second swing is on target, when Ashlyn suddenly dodges, the attack sliding backwards.
Frustrated the beast lands on all fours and bites out at Elvar, who once more is able to deflect the attack.
Ashlyn Panche 1/2
Owlbear HP - 16/47
Elvar AC - 23 1 round
Sa'sori knows..tactically the longer the fight goes... statistically the higher the chance the Owlbear has to inflict serious injury upon her dear friends.. she must END this fight quickly!
She draws another arrow, ready to shoot... but instead casts her spell at the beast... hammering it with three silvery bolts of arcane force!