Round 3
Francis: nature red in tooth and claw...
Pious: ???
Jit: zap!
CT: prods a scimitar at the troll, gently
Iradyiel: raging bludgeoning
Aza: burning hands (but see below)
Graular: never got to rend you apart...
Stunned by the blinding multi-colour burst from Jit and with her moss-like mane aflame, the troll staggers under a multitude of blows. It's not possible to tell who strikes the final blow; instead in a bloody climax she seems to crumble under the party's assault before collapsing forward into the street. Her head is still burning like a candle; your nostrils are assaulted by the stench of charred troll.
Looking at each other and at the smouldering form in front of you, what you have achieved begins to sink in - this was a terrible threat to you, and to the town, and you vanquished it unharmed. The length of the talons, the 14' height of the creature, its formidably muscled frame - how did you manage this? Townsfolk begin to emerge from the streets around you, and in the lashing rain, you are hailed as heroes with whoops and cheers !
Examining the troll cautiously, wary of the chance she could be faking, you perceive that its wounds do not appear to be knitting back together, nor its injuries re-forming as you had seen before. You re not entirely familiar with its regenerative capabilities, but right now it appears inert and unable to recover. This is good, because you have no idea how you could burn a 14'-long carcass in the middle of a thunderstorm...
Alongside the body lie the club she never got the chance to wield, and her bulging loot sack.
You are out of combat.
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Francis looks on and appears ready to slash again when the troll collapses. He appears confused and surprised for a moment then rears up on his back legs and unleashes a roar of victory that echoes throughout Pridon's Hearth as he pounds his chest with his bloody fists.
We're never going to hear the end of this," Chest Thumper mutters, speaking of his brother though he is looking down at his scimitar accusingly, as though it were the reason he had been unsuccessful in attacking.
He decides to make himself useful another way, squatting gingerly next to the body, ready to spring away at the slightest sign of motion while checking for any signs of life in the creature.
Assuming the is not attacked, he turns his attention to the creature's loot next. With a grin he hefts the enormous club and offers it to Iradyiel.
"An upgrade?"
Pious is not prepared to take chances
"And the beast shall fall, unto the dust it shall fall"
His blade falls, double handed, at the creatures throat
"The town is not troll free yet, she had young. But the storm is the first foe. On with the preparations I think."
And with that he turns his back on the headless corpse, carrying the still bleeding head with him.
With a sickeningly wet tearing sound, Pious severs the head from the body and lifts it away, before examining the rest of the body for salvage
Pious and Chest Thumper check over the loot bag for salvage. It contains a variety of nearly-worthless plates, cutlery, a hoard of fruit and other foodstuffs, 2 potions of CMW, a scroll, a wand, and (strangely) a collection of rugs and pillows, a child's dolly and a leather ball.
In addition, she wears a necklace with 10 six amethyst gems worth 70gp each in a stained silk bag round her neck.
Aza flinches heavily as Pious decapitates the troll. "D-did you have to be so gruesome...?" she mutters quietly. At the mention of having young, Aza bites at her blackened thumb. "Y-young..." She kneels and looks at the troll's now headless corpse. I wonder if they will survive... Or if it is better to let them die? I wouldn't assume they were born evil, but... Aza's train of thought is cut short by a peal of thunder and the cry of an ape, and the oracle stands, smiling awkwardly at Francis. "You d-d-did well."
'An upgrade.' As Iradyiel releases the rage he looks at Chest Thumper as if he had insulted him. Shaking his head "My friend, bigger is not always better." lifting his club, he explains. "This is a knobkerrie club carved by my father, there is no finer club available."
'Was that necessary?' Iradyiel flinches as Pious kills the unconscious troll, nodding his head in agreement with Aza. Then looking ath her, 'He did well? What am I chopped liver, I broke the things back.'
young, there may be more.' Shrugging his shoulders he steps back from the body, keeping a keen eye out for more trolls. Asking, "Do we have time for stripping the dead, are there anymore threats?"
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he steps back from the body, keeping a keen eye out for more trolls. Asking, "Do we have time for stripping the dead, are there anymore threats?" perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
There's no further threat here - I'll post further later today, after the townsfolk have slapped you on the back in triumph !
-Posted with Wayfinder
Chest Thumper's attempt to check the troll for signs of life is interrupted by Pious removing its head. With this done, and the loot sack retrieved, the party and the few onlookers who witnessed the battle return through the mud of the side alleys (via the shacks / the smithy - feel free to pick up / drop off kit as required) to the Bank of Abadar, leaving the decapitated body of Graular behind.
They find a large crowd of people, goods and livestock crowded into the hall of the Temple, with the townsfolk being looked after by Baldra's clerics, the smith, and a handful of town watchmen. The atmosphere is ordered and calm; with the height of the storm approaching, the townsfolk have finished what they can and sought shelter. Finding nothing here to demand their attention, the party push on.
Shaking the rain from their clothes the bar of the Stone Hall should be more welcoming. Yet it is loud, humid, and tense; there are a number of confrontations going on simultaneously and the atmosphere is volatile. A rotund merchant is arguing loudly with Sgt Sara of the town watch that he needs the watch to post men to protect his warehouse from looters, an exhausted-looking young blonde elf wrapped in rain-soaked shawls is in hysterics at the door being held back from launching out into the storm on her own, and a clearly inexperienced dwarven watchman is trying unsuccessfully to calm a crowded room of townfolk concerned about the coming storm. Sheriff Adaela is not present; indeed you have not seen her for a couple of hours. There is a tangible note of fear in the room, accentuated by the shrill howl of the wind from outside.
Jit grins at the appreciative townsfolk, basking in their adulation with a few overly dramatic bows. She turns as she hears more sounds of violence, worried that the troll has stood back up. Jit looks disconcerted and a bit grossed out, but can't feel too sorry for her fallen foe. She approaches Aza, darting her eyes toward Pious and back and whispers, “Is he… always like this?”
From Graular’s sack, Jit examines the scroll and the wand, trying to identify their magic properties as the town protectors make their way back to the temple for safety.
Jit grimaces at the tension inside. She looks back at her companions and comments, “And I thought that fight was messy. Storm's outside, but it's a powder keg in here.” She quickly moves underfoot through the crowded Stone Hall, not having to go far to reach the blonde elf trying to dive back into the storm outside. With little time for introductions, she asks the woman and the folks holding her back, “Hoy! What's the problem? I'm assuming you're not trying to barrel out of here to go for a promenade along the docks, right?”
---
’the troll had food and plates but then also bedding and a doll and a ball, it looks like she was just trying to feed her family and take care of her children. Then we killed her, sure she hurt the militia man, but what would I do if my kids were starving?’ Iradyiel ponders as he slogs through the mud heading to the temple.
Iradyiel, still thinking about killing the troll, proceeds with his friends to the stone hall. Not really noticing the chaos until Jit yells “Hoy.” It startles him back to attention, he looks around seeing the hysterical blond elf. He pushes his way through the crowd and approaching her, he asks ”Miss, are you ok? It’s dangerous out there, is there some way I can help you?”
Aza sighs in response to Jit. "I th-think that's just the way h-he is..." She pulls her dark cloak tighter around her shoulders. Faith-th can do strange things to people-people."
Upon returning to the Stone Hall, Aza can feel the heat of the arguments wash over her. "Th-this is not good... Saving the town from the storm is nothing if-f-f they all kill each other in here." She notes the dwarf attempting to calm the gathered townsfolk. She steps up next to them, placing a burnt hand on his shoulder. "M-may I speak to them?" If she encounters no resistance, she speaks loudly and as confidently as she can to the crowd. "D-do not be afraid, please! I know that we are all stre-stressed from the storm and being packed in here, but w-we have taken precautions and all will-will be safe. You are a strong bunch, and we will all make it through this just f-f-fine."
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Chest Thumper frowned as his jest fell short. He was still looking at Iradyiel as Pious hacked off the beast's head. He fought down a yelp of surprise then tossed the club away.
"I wonder whose kids she killed and ate to get these," he says as he looks at the toy and doll.
He heads back to the smithy, handing over the weapons and picking up his own gear. "Thanks for the loan. I clearly need more practice with them."
He puts his armor on on the way to the Stone Hall.
Both he and Francis are uncomfortable with so many people crammed in such a small space.
Perhaps that is why he is so aggressive as he approaches the man demanding guards.
"Sit down and shut up. We have mire important things to deal with than non-existent looters going out in the wind and rain to steal your junk."
Stone Hall
In the charged and noisy atmosphere, the party set to work to restore order. Chest Thumper shoulders his way to the rotund merchant, and standing side-by-side with Sgt Sarah, bullies him into quiet. The man's florid face pales as the ape-man bellows at him, and he quickly drops his protests, returning to his seat next to a fellow merchant where they exchange angry mutterings under their breath. Sgt Sarah expresses her appreciation to Chest Thumper, "Thank you. Take no offence; folk here are fearful of their lives and livelihoods. This'll blow over as fast as the storm passes."
Behind him, Aza succeeds in pacifying the crowd - albeit in an entirely more conciliatory manner. Despite her slight and frail-looking frame, her words command attention, perhaps aided by an entirely coincidental bolt of lightning and peal of thunder from outside, as she steps up to speak. After only a few minutes, the fearful undercurrent in the room is replaced by a calmer air of resilience. Several of the townsfolk signal by nods or small words their appreciation of her moment of leadership, a situation entirely novel to her.
Iradyiel and Jit, meanwhile, seek to comfort the hysterical elf, a young woman by the name of Galinila. Two burly brothers, fishermen from their odour, gratefully step back from restraining her from leaving, as she tearfully opens up to the tall barbarian and diminutive gnome. "It's my little brother, Gilthel: he's not here! We got split up - he told someone to tell me he had to go back to our shack in Islandtown. That was an hour ago, and he's not come back! My father took sail on the Cobalt Eye" "and I have to look out for both of us - I have to go back for him!"
As a second bolt of lightning illuminates the crowded room, the party are able to gather to discuss their next steps. As they do so, Sgt Sarah steps over for a word, "If you're considering going out again, I'd be grateful if you could keep an eye out for any further stragglers. Madame Mirya Oyin for one; she's not here and is probably trying to brave the storm out in her store. If you head that way, you could also catch Sheriff Adaela and tell her we're OK here and at the Bank; she should be at the sandbag flood barrier with two others, down by the front.". Whilst you consider her words, the Stone Hall barman thrusts a bottle of wine at the party; "Here, you sit down and get that down you - we all appreciate what you've done for the town today. Take a drink and rest awhile...although," peering at Pious, "Would you mind leaving that dripping head outside the door of the bar?
A third bolt of lightning crashes out, this one some way out to sea.
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Chest Thumper almost ruined his successful intimidation by preening afterwards. It was the first time he'd come to this town that he'd successfully cowed anyone and he fought the urge to look around and grin in triumph at his brother or any of his companions. He contents himself, instead with giving the merchant one more baleful grimace before turning away.
He mutters to Sgt. Sarah so the man can't hear. "Where is his warehouse? If we have to go back out, we can swing by it to check on it."
He waits long enough for her to answer then joins the rest of his group. It does not take long for him to hear of Gilthel's plight and Sarah's request that they check on others. He sighs and wonders how these people took care of themselves for so long before he, Francis, Iradyiel, Aza, Pious, Jit and Jamba arrived.
He contemplates the door and the tempest beyond, catching the bottle of wine thrust at them out of the corner of his eye. Without turning his head, he takes hold of it, brings it up to his mouth, pulls the cork out with a tusk then takes a slug straight out of the bottle before passing it on to the next person.
He signals to Francis to follow him then marches to the door. The ape eyes the bottle, then his brother, then the bottle again before following. They both stop as Chest Thumper opens the door and the full fury of nature assaults them. And both just as stoically head out a few moments later, becoming drenched almost immediately and incapable of hearing any but the loudest shouting over the howling of the winds.
'Her little brother, poor little guy.' shaking his head, he asks, "so your brothers name is Gilthel? How old is he and what does he look like, I mean other than being an elf. You said he left an hour ago for Island town? Which part? We should be able to find him if we know where he was headed. I certainly don't mind going out into the storm for a fair maiden." He smile, partially because of the girl and partially because in his minds eye, this Is what hero's do. Coming back to reality for a moment. Attempting to sound as heroic as possible he asks; "Umm, you didn't tell me your name, Who should I tell Gilthel sent us?"
Once Iradyiel pries himself away from the young blonde elf he joins the others listening to Sgt Sarah nodding his head as he tries to remember the information. 'Keep eye out for any stragglers... Madame Mirya Oyin...brave the storm at store...o catch Sheriff Adaela and tell her we're OK ... near the front.'
Iradyiel concentrates for a moment to figure out if the emporium was headed the right way. He smiles and answers Chest Thumper "Oyin’s Emporium is down in Island Town. We can check on her when we go look for the boy! Should we check on the Sheriff first or last?"
Smiling at the Barman as he offers a drink. "Master Shepard can set the troll head outside when we head back out." Smiling at the pun. "'Head' back out? Set the 'head' by the door? Get it?" He looks around the party to see if anyone smiles at his humor. Shrugging his shoulders he tells the barman, "Thanks, but it will have to wait, I think were getting ready to check on the Sheriff!"
Aza gave the crowd a smile, pleased with her work, before stepping down to listen to what Sergeant Sarah had to say about searching for missing persons. She brings a shaky hand to her chin, considering. "Th-there's still a lot of trouble out there..." She accepts the wine but does not drink very much, at least somewhat because she is lost in her own thought process. "I think th-that the sh-sheriff can handle herself for the most part-t. At least better off than an untrained ch-ch-child and the Madame for sure. W-we should check on them, first."
Aza pulls her spellbook from her side and flicks it open, jotting something down in it - the names of the people they are looking to find. She shuts it gently before re-attaching it to her belt. "We sh-should leave soon. The longer we wait, the longer they ar-r-r-are in danger." She lets out a small chuckle at Iradyiel's pun, but mostly at his reaction to his own joke. "A bit gru-gruesome for my tastes, Mr. Iradyiel."
Jit shakes her head. “Hoy, Galinila that’s no good. You can’t go running out in that storm!” she exclaims, as if the young elf simply hadn’t thought of the danger yet. She nods along as Iradyiel offers to help, but then rolls her eyes at the words “fair maiden: and gives him a sharp kick in the shins. “This is no time for flirting, you dolt, this is serious! It’s a dangerous time to have your head in the clouds, you know.” Jit immediately shifts tones, beaming at Galinila. “Don’t worry, lass, we’ll find your brother for you! It’s dangerous outside, but I’ve got good storm luck.”
As the rest of the plan congeals to make a second venture into Island Town, Jit is eager and ready. She takes the offered bottle of wine from Aza (comically large in her hands). She takes a swig and wipes her mouth on the back of her hand. She’s grinning, but looks a bit clueless at Iradyiel’s pun. “Huh. I don’t get it.” The comment appears sincere rather than sarcastic, as Jit tilts her head in mild confusion. “Anyway, I’m ready to go! Gilthel, Oyin, Sheriff - got it!”
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’No good at all’ Iradyiel nods his head in agreement with Jit, but jumps back a little surprised when she kicks him. His eyes wide, ’flirting? Hero’s don’t flirt, of course they don’t get kicked on the ankle either.’ whether due to the kick or the accusation, it’s indeterminable, ”Flirting? Mistress Wary? I’m simply being polite, I was raised in Almas, not some back water…” Realizing what he said he looked at the young elf. ”No offense, miss.” He looks from Jit back to the girl. ”Mistress Wary is right. We’ll find you brother.” Now properly embarrassed he turns to Jit. ”we should join the others.”
’That’s a good point, The sheriff can take care of herself and the little boy cannot.’ Nodding his head in agreement with Aza, he waves goodbye to the barkeep. Approaching the door, his smile drops a little when Aza uses the term ‘gruesome’ ”I didn’t mean to be Gruesome Aza, may I call you Aza? please call me Iradyiel. Mister makes me feel so …old”
He unintentionally glancing at Pious and then quickly away, smiling to Jit. ”Nothing to get, ma’am, it just struck me as funny. But you are right, it is time to go.”
The wind about wrenches the door out of his hand as he opens it. But holding on to the handle against the gale, the rain blowing in almost parallel to the ground, Iradyiel smiles shouting over the wind and thunder.
After the door is closed, Iradyiel pushes into the wind with the team toward Islandtown.
Grrr - GM error leads to embarrassed retraction...
Jit: The scroll contains the 3rd level spell water breathing. I'll give you the wand's nature - it's a CL3 wand of 'touch of the sea' with 15 charges remaining.
The Stone Hall
Galinila submits to not leaving the Hall given the party's promise to seek out her brother; she reamins distraught and most insistent that they find him, "I have nothing to offer but my gratitude, please, please bring him back to me!" Readying themselves for heading out, the party get the locations of the merchant's warehouse (down the hill from the Stone Hall) and of the route from where Galinila last saw her brother and the home they share with their sailor father. The latter is in one of the poorest areas of Islandtown, the Shallows: a low-lying slum astride a number of narrow creeks.
Conversation drops as the party head out into the storm once more. The last image Iradyiel has of the Hall as he shuts the door behind them, is of pale worried faces watching him leave.
Outside, in the storm
Struggling through the streets against the wind battering the town, the party are instantly drenched. As they descend down the hill from Stone Hall, they pass the merchant's warehouse and it is abundantly clear that there are no looters here to worry about. The building is sturdier than most, intact, locked and barred. They move on.
Islandtown, the Shallows
Closer to the seafront the storm is taking more of a toll. The torrential rain plus a rise in the sea level driven onto the town by high waves has inundated many streets, although the sandbagged barriers raised by the Sheriff's teams seem to be holding and preventing a general flood, so far. In places they have to wade through water six to twelve inches deep, retracing the route given to them by Galinila. Suddenly Francis, over the tumult of the storm, seems to hear something and gestures them down a back alley.
They emerge into a half-flooded square, perhaps a fisherman's market in quieter times, surrounded by the wooden shacks and huts of the poorer folk who live here. The centre of the square is flooded with muddy-brown water and floating debris; in the middle sits a half-submerged stall, and atop this an elven boy they assume to be Gilthel. The boy has his back to the party, looks drenched and exhausted, and is clinging to the stall for dear life. For good reason - circling the stall at speed are three dark threatening fins, each standing a good 18 inches or more proud of the congested waters.
Yet the most perceptive of the party realise the something here is very wrong: the fins are those of terrifyingly large fish; yet the water flooding the square is not connected to the sea, and must be only knee-deep or waist-deep at most...
Initiative
Order:
Kit, Aza, Pious, Iradyiel, CT, Francis, BG
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Chest Thumper slogs through the wind and rain with quiet stoicism. to be honest, he is enjoying the storm somewhat. Given his reverence for nature, this primal, irresistible reminder of the power of nature is invigorating.
Francis is less sanguine about it. He regularly stops next to one building or another, looking at the group as though wondering why they're letting themselves be soaked rather than enjoying the relative dryness and comfort of having a roof and walls.
He has little hope of convincing his brother of the logic of getting into shelter. The half-orc had proven himself quite foolish time and again. Eventually, he pokes Jit with one thick finger then points to a building and gabbles at her insistently.
By the time they reach Islandtown, he has given up trying to convince the furless ones of the stupidity of what they're doing.
When they come into the square, Chest Thumper and Francis share a look. They were both confident that Francis could take on anything on land, including a shark. They were less sure of his chances fighting a shark in water. He wasn't a great swimmer and certainly not as good as a fish.
The Half-Orc takes a moment to study the scene, contemplating the likely flow of water and path that animals this size would have had to take to get to this particular spot.
"That's not right," he mutters to himself. "I don't think they're real."
He looks around the edge of the square, looking for someone else who might be watching the scene.
Jit pushes through the storm, pushing her soaked hair out of her face as needed and trying to keep a keen eye out once they’re all in Islandtown. She pushes through the accumulating water as best she can, but at her height it’s more of a wade than it is for the others.
When they eventually find the boy trapped on top of the submerged stall, she breaks out in a grin even as her teeth chatter. “Hoy there! We’ll help!” she shouts at Gilthel. She rushes to the edge of the docks and takes aim at one of the circling fins with a finger. With an excited cry of “Zap!” she fearlessly unleashes a small jolt of electricity at the monstrous fish.
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Slightly embarrassed, as they Iradyiel nods to the elfin girl but doesn’t say anything else.
I didn’t mind the rain in Almas, but I figured the rain here would be warm and gentle boy was I wrong. Looks like I’m going to need to dry my armor when were done to keep it from rusting.’ Leaning into the cold harsh rain, Iradyiel trudges past the merchants warehouse and beyond toward Islandtown.
’It’s a good thing the salesman promised my boots were waterpro… maybe he didn’t understand what I meant.’ Soaking his feet while slogging through the calf deep water, the only entertainment being Francis attempting to convince Jit of the need to dry off in a building. Watching the ape he realizes that Francis has stopped appealing to Jit and has begun sniffing the air and pointing toward an alley. His voice covered by the wind he isn’t sure anyone would hear him, so he turns to follow Francis.
’That must be our boy!’ Excited that they have found the elfin boy Iradyiel begins to move through the water, nodding his head in agreement with Jit. ”Yes we are here to help, stay there we will get you down!”
Then stopping when he sees the ‘fish’. He Looks at Chest Thumper and adds. ”Not right at all! We will need to kill them to get to the boy." Nodding his head as Jit sends a bolt jolt at the sharks, Iradyiel begins to draw his glaive so he doesn't have to get too close. Then realizing what else Chest Thumper had said, using the back of his hand to wipe his face and push his hair out of his eyes, he asks "Master THumper what do you mean 'not real?'"
Jit looks over in surprise when Francis pokes her. Recognizing his insistence, she concentrates briefly and with a spell opens up communications between them. “Hi, Francis! I'm sorry, I know you said I was smart, but I'm only smart enough to talk to you for a brief time every day. So I'll try to explain our foolishness quickly,” she apologizes with a grin. “We heard there are some stragglers still out in the storm. An old lady, and someone's little brother. I know you don't like this weather much, but I figure we're lucky that you're coming along. I don't think anyone else is as practiced in helping little brothers, right?”
She ends her rhetorical question with a huge face-stretching grin, pushing a wet clump of hair out of her eyes. I'm so glad Francis likes talking to me! He's very practical. Would probably make a decent sailor if he didn't have such distaste for exciting weather.
Aza moves with a stumbling grace through the rain - while the splattering of water has surely already thoroughly re-soaked her, the rushing winds still seem to be of some help to her, even in very subtle ways. Still, the shoes of a scholar were not built for this, and she would have to be sure to pick up some new ones after the storm. Fortunately, her spellbook is wrapped in enough layers of leather to stop it from being ruined by the downpour.
After you save everyone, Aza! You must focus! She nods to herself and pushes on through to the square.
"Oh, no..." Aza mutters, seeing the enormous looking creatures in the water. "D-don't worry!" She agrees with the party, yelling over the winds. "You'll be just fine!" She takes a moment to examine them, looking for an angle of attack, before Jit immediately jumps forward with a small zap of lightning. It startles Aza, who jumps a bit, before readying her own quarterstaff. Jit was right, this was time for action! Gilthel needed their help now.
The Stone Hall
Pious seemed quiet all the way through town, and did not speak at all at the hall. In retrospect this seemed out of character; rarely before had the tattooed inquisitor been the retiring type. Yet silent he had been, ignoring the furore in the bar, the conversations with Sgt Sara, and meekly obeying the request to deposit the troll head outside the door of the hall. All the way through town and into the Shallows he had maintained his silence, as if the killing of Graular had revealed some deep religious revelation to him, which commanded all his attention.
The Shallows
The party take in the situation ahead of them, each in their own way. Iradyiel pitches forward towards the boy, before halting calf-deep in water at the edge of the flooded square. Aza moves to the right for a better view; Chest Thumper senses something wrong; and Jit lefts fly with an arcane 'jolt'! Pious remains immobile: weapon drawn and wary.
As the jolt hits the nearest shark fin, it vanishes - well, collapses, falls down back into the water with a splash. As does the next nearest, a half-second later. The far fin stops, motionless in the water, and in a most unnatural way, swivels on the spot to face the party.
The elven boy hears the party's approach, turns and cries out, "Help! They've been hurting me - make them go away!" At the same time, Pious' breaks his silence in a hoarse shout, "Beware! These creatures are not of this world, nay even this plane - they are Outsiders, here against nature and against Aroden's will ! He rushes to Jit's side, blade pointing into the shallow water, "There! They come to seek justice..." A dramatic bolt of lightning over the houses to the north of Island town lights the scene before the peal of thunder hides his next words.
Round 2
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Chest Thumper pays little mind to the fins, now, though Pious' words send a shiver up his spine that is unrelated to the trickle of cold water that's been running down it ever since they left the Stone Hall. The idea of otherworldly sharks was even more terrifying when facing the possibility of fighting them in the water than plain old material plane sharks.
Still, it doesn't seem like anyone else has seen what he's seen and two of his companions are in danger without even knowing it.
He makes a gesture and a grunt of request to Francis to get the big ape moving.
Francis, eager for action to distract him from his discomfort gladly follows along, falling in step with his brother as Chest Thumper rushes past his companions, drawing his all new, all awesome great axe along the way.
"May the power of the Rain Deer guide my blow!" he declares as he sloshes into the deeper water and brings the blade down in a mighty overhanded swing.
Jit tries to shout over the storm to Gilthel, “Don’t worry! We’re coming to help!” as she moves closer, wading through the shallow flooding. She fixes her gaze on the fin swiveled to “face” them all. She scans the surface of the water, looking to see if there’s some kind of treachery or trick going on. She keeps an eye out for any surprise attacks, and when she sees one flaps her arms as if wafting huge quantities of air into her mouth and makes a sound of inhalation that is supernaturally loud. When she exhales, though, it’s completely silent save for the outsider who hears her magical scream.
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Aza's steps falter as she hears that the creatures are from another world, though she might have guessed at Chest Thumper's sudden attack towards whatever appeared to be near them in the water. While electricity crackles through her bones, she chooses not to release it, instead raising her hand, waving about in the harsh winds, and casting a more beneficial spell. "دعونا الرياح نعمة دليل لدينا ضربة-- ضربات و تجعلنا الشجعان."
'"There! They come to seek justice." What is Master Shepard talking about.' Iradiel, stand still staring into the water where Pious pointed. 'Power of Reindeer?' Then looking from Chest Thumper to Jit, "Yes we want to help but I don't see them!"
Iradiel stands poised with his club ready to strike any large fish that appear.
Acting first, Jit readies herself for danger with a spell, and Aza blesses the party with a divine surge of power. Neither is prepared, perhaps, for Francis, Pious and Chest Thumper to rush past Jit into the shallows, with Pious and the apeman thrashing with their weapons at the empty calf-high waters in front of her. Chest-Thumper brings his greataxe down with strength and intent but no result; Pious, right next to him, spears forward with his longsword and makes firm contact with something beneath the surface: amidst the splashing of water and shouts of confusion, everyone hears a liquid, fluid shriek of pain and anger! Iradyiel steadies himself for the approach of a large fish from beneath the surface.
What actually manifests is a totally different threat. In three separate places in the shallows ahead of them, in front of their very eyes the water surges upward, spinning, throwing off spray in all directions and forming a series of screaming humanoid mouths.
In reaction, Jit looses her spell and the integrity of the westmost watercolumn vibrates, shivers and bursts apart.
As two of the columns converge on Iradyiel, he heaves his club sideways across one of them , disrupting its shape, and causing it to collapse back into the waters with a splash.
The third and largest of the columns builds higher, and once up to nearly 5 foot in size, lashes out at Iradyiel with a limb of water and floating debris. It crashes against his chest and knocks him backward a step, but causes no damage. The sole remaining visible waterspout roars in anger in the same fluid, liquid tongue as before; it appears to be a creature made entirely of pure churning water !
Round 3:
Jit, Aza, Pious, Iradyiel, CT, Francis, BG
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"That...was not what I expected," Chest Thumper declares. "But at least it's not hell sharks!"
He curses his own inaccuracy, muttering under he breath about the fickle nature of rain deer, even as he marvels at Iradyiel's continued ability to do devastating amounts of damage. The blow he delivered the weird water spout was enough to rattle his tusks and he wasn't even the one hit.
There's still one threat visible to the party, though, so Chest Thumper still has the chance to redeem himself. He jabbers at Francis with hoots and growls, aiming an accusatory finger at the waterspout.
With a bravery that is not shared by most of his kind that has arisen largely from years of his brother teasing him about being a coward, Francis approaches the unnatural thing, moving up next to Iradyiel on his left.
At the same time, Chest Thumper wades his way through the water to stand beside his fellow half human on his right.
Then, almost as though they had planned it, both of them lash out at the spout.
After her spell finishes off the outsider that Pious stabbed, Jit lets out a low whistle of appreciation as Iradyiel smashes the water creature’s form back into the water. “That was a hit!” she exclaims, beaming at the half-elf. “I wanna see what you can do with this!” she says, explaining herself rubbing her hands together until they crackle with electricity, then poking Iradyiel’s club. The electricity flows from her hands to the weapon, surrounding it and sparking slightly in the rain.
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"I- what?" Aza is taken aback at the sudden attacks at the water, and wonders for a moment if something had caused her allies to go crazy. Of course, she was more surprised by the sudden appearance of a strange... thing made out of water. "I-I'd take hell-hell sharks over fighting the actual water!" Aza responds. Seeing that none of her allies had taken a hit from this intimidating foe, she decides to toss a splash of acid at the water, hoping it'll do something.
'Not hell sharks but the water itself? It didn't feel like water when I hit it. Why would water want to fight?' Feeling his club smash into something more substantial than just water, Iradyiel looks from Aza to Chest thumper "Why would water be mad? It gets to do what it wants!"
Smiling as he hears Jit's comments, "I learned that from my dad!" As Jit touches the club he feels the electricity crackle and pop as he swings the club at the water again.
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Crashing through the water towards the sole remaining waterspout, Pious slashes forward with his longsword, lank wet hair spattered over his face. "Return whence you came, foul elemental - this realm belongs not to you!"
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The party gather about the remaining spout, variously biting, clawing, slashing and bludgeoning it but largely without gaining purchase on the insubstantial shifting entity animating the water. Aza's acid orb even whistles through the spout, as it opens a gap to let it through. Only Francis manages to inflict meaningful damage; to his astonishment, his attacks find something tangible to rend, and he hears it bubble with fury as his attacks connect.
The creature, in response, collapses. The waterspout subsides back to the surface and, as the party watch thigh-deep in water, begins instead to swirl faster and faster, forming a whirlpool of racing currents around their legs. Within the whitewater they see furious faces, twisted in anger and hissing, spitting fury at them. The whirlpool shifts, and attempts to pull Iradyiel over into its grip and dash him against the flagstones beneath...
Indefatigable, resolute, the barbarian stands immobile as a rock, the water crashing against him without effect.
Elsewhere, the shallows remain calm with no sign yet of any recurrence of the first two waterspouts...
Round four
All to act, then bad guys...over to you!
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Chest Thumper realizes that he's doing this all wrong. As glad as he is that Francis managed to land a blow, it is obvious that Iradyiel has the best chance of ending this quickly. The half-elf has worked himself up into a fury that is causing his already impressive muscles to bulge even more, he's got an electrified club, and he's been blessed by whatever powers protect and guide Aza.
Further guidance may be just what he needs to land the deciding blow.
He takes a big step back to hopefully be out of reach of the spout and focuses on the power of nature and, especially the water they're surrounded by, to find the easiest, most powerful past.
Then, he lays his hand on Iradyiel's shoulder for a moment, passing that focus on to the half-elf.
Francis, encouraged by his success...small though it may be, presses his attack, strange though his opponent is. Were he a more thoughtful sort, he might contemplate the intricacies of wrestling with water. Instead, he just slashes and bites.
JIt continues to beam at Iradyiel, as well as at the swirling water, her eyes manic at the danger. She jumps up and pokes Iradyiel’s ancestral weapon, causing it to regain its electrical aura. “Your dad seems like a smart guy! Now get ‘em!” she shouts with glee, splashing back down in the water and vibrating with excitement.
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'Didn't make contact, I at least need to make contact!' Feeling his club just splash water, Iradyiel watches as the water think makes a whirlpool and tries to pull him in, resisting the waters pull, he smiles as Jit compliments his dad, Nodding, "I will do my best." he swings at the whirlpool.
Aza grits her teeth as their fighters slogged through the water, splashing things but having trouble hitting the slippery foes. She could feel the winds encouraging her to be more offensive, slinging tougher spells at the water - but she didn't know if they would connect with the creatures, and likely her fire would not be that much help to begin with. Instead, she just hucked an acid orb at the water spout, silently cursing her own uselessness.
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"Back! Back to your home plane! Aroden forbids your remaining here !" Pious stubbornly continues to thrust at the whirlpool with his longsword, searching to disrupt the animating essence of the elemental. "Return whence you came, foul elemental!"
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Anyone watching the scene from the huddled rain-soaked houses surrounding the Shallows market would have been quite perplexed. Two warriors plus a ferocious ape thrashing around in the flooded square like children at washtime, but with weapons. Three spellcasters, drenched, but hurling arcane and divine powers into the melee. And all to little effect. For all the mystic buffering Iradyiel received, once again it was only Francis who succeeded in tearing into, and further weakening, the water elemental's grip on this plane.
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The water elemental was not so ineffective. Each of the three attacking the whirlpool felt the buffeting of waters seeking to knock them down under the surface. Each of the three was assailed by violent blows dealt by watery fists studded with cobblestones and hunks of timber. Only Iradyiel maintained his feet; both Pious and Francis were swept into the maelstrom, dragged round in a dizzying spin. All three took damage from this battering.
Then, the whirlpool collapsed, and rising once more out of the water, the elemental took the form of a wave-like humanoid torso, with a gaping mouth atop. Two mighty fists formed and slammed down of the still-staggered Pious, crushing the air from his chest and slamming him into the cobbled market floor beneath the water. After this assault, with his life-blood staining the water around him, he lay underwater, motionless.
Round 5
Over to you...
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Chest Thumper can only gape as the waterspout mauls 3 of his companions, including his brother. Pious clearly gets the worst of it though and is in obvious need of assistance.
He steps over to the fallen man and, ironically enough, calls upon the healing powers of the waters that surround him to ease his pain.
"Rise Master Pious. Your strong right arm and stronger sense of purpose are still needed," he coaxes the man.
The rest of the party is really going to have to do some damage to this creature soon or Francis is going to be truly insufferable. He is angry enough at being slammed around and drenched but if he is the one that takes the creature down, he's going to lord it over all of them...forever.
He attacks again, ready to give back some of the pain he suffered.
Seeing Pious slip under the bloody water takes the wind out of Jit’s sails. Her grin curves down into a nervous grimace, her brow worried. “Uh. I guess it’s time to try again!” Jit shouts over the wind, failing to keep the worry from her voice. “Keep at it! I don’t want to be shark bait!” she shouts as she electrifies Iradyiel’s club again.
Is this storm enough to even work the water itself into a frenzy? she thinks as the malicious waves continues to slam into them.
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I can't believe I missed again!' Iradiel sighs a heavy sigh, shrugging his shoulders at Jit. Lifting his club again, telling the water "Hold STill!" He swings with all his might at the swirling water.