Orik gets Creature B with his first shot. Ka-thunk!
Round 5
Erdija aims for the same demon as Orik's target. "The other Rashalka are engaged," she shouts. "I can see more of these andrazkyy running about, causing mayhem. They are focused on us, though." She seems to mean 'us' as 'myself and you twolegs, which, honestly, is kind of nice, but not something you can focus on under the circumstances.
Her shots leap into the blue fur of the middle demon, and it falls over in a heap, goaty legs spread wide in a very undignified manner.
The completely miniscule set of "jewels" between the demon's legs appears to be the multiverse's revenge on these misogynistic demons. You realize these beasts are all probably impotent.
Erdija 54/69 hp, acted
Elbrynn -16 hp,
Dez, -3hp
Yrja, -6 hp
Demon A-DEAD, Demon B, -DEAD, Demon C
Orik, 47/56 hp
Dez moves to the remaining demon and attacks, although he has not had a chance yet to study it to make his attacks even more deadly.
"That's it, show them who they're messing with!" It's unclear if Yrja is shouting this encouragement to Erdija, Dez, or both. Either way, she glares at the surviving demon.
Dez slashes the demon, who screams at the touch of the flames. It staggers with the weight of yet another curse hurled by Yrja.
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Elbrynn's shot goes wide!
The remaining demon looks glazed in the eye as it strains with the effort of summoning another from the vile depths of the Abyss.
Nothing happens, and the demon howls a curse. (but not an actual curse, like Yrja, just bad language in Jotun.)
Bring it on home, Orik!
Orik keeps arrowing.
He then steps up to try and bite one!
The remaining demon takes one of Orik's arrows to the gut, and it snarls. Orik and Elbrynn continue to drip blood from their wounds.
Erdija nocks and shoots her feathered arrows. The first one thunks into the demon with a satisfying sound.
Round 6
Erdija 54/69 hp, acted
Elbrynn -17 hp,
Dez, -3hp
Yrja, -6 hp
Demon Demon C -37 hp
Orik, 46/56 hp
Elbrynn, Dez, and Yrja are up!
Remembering HUNTER, his elven curve blade, Elbrynn draws and moves in to attack again (Demon C)
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Elbrynn slices at the demon!
Elbrynn slices at the demon!
#2
#3
Dez will study the remaining opponent and strike out:
Between HUNTER's two slashes and Dez' burning rapier, the last andrazku drops and begins to fade from view.
You can hear the scattered sound of combat--a few other demons are being dealt with.
Erdija comes back into the tent, her face crinkled with worry. "Two-legs. Our tent was targeted. No other part of the camp had as many demons."
You emerge to find Korak standing with his hooves firmly planted on the chest of another andrazku, which has had hands and fangs removed from its body by hand, club, spear and sword.
Korak growls at it to talk in Jotun, but the demon just laughs weakly and manages to swallow its own tongue. Despite two centaurs trying to extricate it from the demon's throat, the creature is dead within a minute, turning even bluer in death, and then growing insubstantial.
Korak kicks at the vanishing corpse, failing to move it. He speaks to the assembled centaurs, and Erdija translates into Taldan.
"There's rumors of Kostchtchie worship among the Tsolniva centaurs," she says. "They lie to the north and are already our enemies, but to worship a cold giant of the great below is..." She pauses and spits. "...uncentaurly. It is an abomination." She replaces her bow and inspects the tent and surroundings.
Except that he did indeed go to the Abyss, carved out a realm, and achieved fiendish divinity. His worshippers swear to kill all witches, and avenge all slights three times over.
Dez knots his brow in concentration, then shrugs and says quietly to his companions, "Any of you know what he's talking about?"
Orik knows what he doesn’t know and keeps his mouth shut on matters of comparative religion.
”Yeah, they were probably targeting us. We should leave soon - or you’ll have more enemies come. Don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Felt this was valid given that centaurs are, well, centaurs
"You know, in the southern forests of Kyonin, Kostchtchie is more of a fairy tale than a god. We speak of him as a cautionary tale, juxtaposed against the reality of Treerazer. He was supposedly an Ulfen human here in Iobaria, filled with such rage that he killed his own mother and sister after being tricked by his father who he then killed as well."
Elbrynn take a breath ...
"The story goes on to say that, desiring immortality, he fought the giants of Iobaria in seach of Cyclopean secrets, and eventually came across The Great Witch. She granted him his wish, but turned him into what he hated the most: a giant, wildly misshapen and grievously ugly ... and that is how we scare little elfs."
Erdija nods savagely. "We do not love Grandmother Yaga here---but we hate The Immortal Lord. He is like a skinny dog that sneaks near the campfire for scraps. A cowardly, craven god. Elbrynn Elf, your people are wise to fear him, though he be a filthy backstabbing rat."
She nods to Orik. "We'll break camp now, if you like. We'll want to rest and take cover when in Deeprun Cravasse. It's exposed, windy...and there are fell beasts that are there. No trees and quiet like the Hoofwood--everything will see us and hear us coming from a long way off."
She taps a finger to a hoof, thoughtfully. "We may run across taiga giants, though. They're 'friendly' enough."
She inspects her 'saddle'pack carefully without further ado.
Def rest
While you are initially excited to head out immediately, cooler and sleepier heads prevail, and you go back to sleep, while Koraak stations extra sentries for the remainder of the evening--or early morning, whatever it is. You wake up refreshed, although slightly bleary from the night's combat.
Erdija is already awake and clopping about the camp. She meets you over steaming bowls of oats and smoked fish, with fresh leeks on the side. Her grin is a slash on her face. "Normally Artrosa is a day's run, but with you all, it will take us 3, maybe 4 days. Centaurs are not quiet, though." She points to her hooves, which are double wrapped. "This may help. I don't want to be slow and loud, like a bunch of aurochs."
"It's many miles through the Hoofwood to even get to the border," says Erdija. "We can go along the Hoofpath to Vurnirn, the largest town here, and then follow the river out into the Crevasse, or we can try cutting across the forest directly to save some time." She shrugs. "Of course, that means bushwhacking and possibly alerting hostile creatures."
Orik gets himself packed up, and eats the hearty food quickly. He grunts non-responsively at Erdija's question, as if thinking, but eventually responds, "no matter to me - forests or towns are both fine. Others may want to get some new gear, so I'm happy to head through there if the smarter folks want to pick up something for Artrosa."
"Well, let's make an inventory first. Erdija, what do you think of our gear? Are we good with what we have, or do we need something specific to help us make the journey and survive in these parts?" Yrja opens her own backpack for the centaur's inspection.
Erdija looks through your goods. "Artrosa is a series of rooms, like a castle, I think. There's The Three Who Watch, huge statues, and it's said to be inside there." She shivers. "We centaurs don't like small spaces, or stairs." She shakes her head. "I haven't been inside. But I would imagine there are witches...no offense meant, Yrja."
She thinks for a moment. "There will be centaurs, and more demons. Giants. If we are very unlucky, a dragon. However, I don't think it will come down near Artrosa. And there are Bolidiv. Balls of fire that chase you, in Deeprun Crevasse."
"We should take the fastest path," muses Yrja. "But my mentor also said "hurry slowly". Cutting across might get us lost or mired into something nasty - is there quicksnow? But unless someone needs basic supplies, or unless Vurnin has magic for sale, I'm fine with going through the forest if it's faster."
Orik’s pride looks wounded, and he grumbles, ”do you think that would happen? I’m not against going to the town but it’s not like I can’t spot all the natural hazards. This area isn’t much different from Ustalav, maybe a little wilder. But Erastil will provide if we trust his wisdom, and the appropriate signs.” He opens his hands, ”even if this place is cursed - it is not forsaken by the gods, not completely. The plants are strong, the food is abundant, and I can build us a hide every night.”
"Given that I don't really have much gold to spend on supplies, I'm fine skipping the town. I do always have things I'm looking for, though, so hopefully we will find some treasure along the way so we can fortify ourselves for the future challenges that will inevitably come -- I suspect we have a long road before us."
"Given that I don't really have much gold to spend on supplies, I'm fine skipping the town. I do always have things I'm looking for, though, so hopefully we will find some treasure along the way so we can fortify ourselves for the future challenges that will inevitably come -- I suspect we have a long road before us."
"I suspect the same ... and I suspect that a meal we do not forage for and we do not cook ourselves may be welcome. Our time with the centaurs was very much needed. The opportunity to ask for information we do not have seems prudent also."
Orik folds his arms and grumbles, "maybe it'd be best to just go to town, then."
"Fine with me."
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It's a reasonably pleasant trek of about twelve miles to Vurnirn. "We call it the Centaur's Cliff," says Erdija as you walk. She doesn't seem to mind the slow pace. As you walk, she points out edible berries, and the fresh green new pine needles. "Good for a snack," she says.
"If we had left earlier, I could have shown you the names of our constellations...they are probably different than yours. Most of them are centaurs," she says with an easy laugh.
By late afternoon, you've traversed the Hoofpaths to Vurnirn, gradually running into more and more centaurs along the trail. To a one they are surprised to see you, and a few can be heard to mutter questions about plagues and two-legs, but Erdija is known to many of them, even to other tribes, and they nod to her respectfully.
Most of the centaurs have knots in their hair ringed with metal and bone. "Clan Phelor," Erdija explains. "They supervise Vurnirn."
Finally, after miles of wood, Vurnirn itself appears--a dramatic city with colorful pennants and even what looks like sails on buildings, catching the updraft from the Deeprun Crevasse far below. Centaurs of every clan canter past, chatting and laughing, and the sounds of traders rings from every street. As with the Hoofpaths, the way is mercifully clear of dung...centaurs don't like to foul their own roads like mere horses. Bright red, white, and golden paint decorates many a building. The city ends abruptly at the cliff, as do the trees, but in the distance you can see some centaurs carrying unusual looking watercraft--centaur canoes?--above their heads, disappearing beyond the cliff's edge on what must be truly frightening paths down to the roaring river a good two thousand feet below. Bloodhawks and eagles alight on the tops of buildings, having flown from the other side of the Crevasse, which is sheer, dense forest.
You get the sense that this is not so much a city but a constant, changing gathering place for the nomadic centaurs; the changing of the seasons and the variability of food sources doesn't keep any visitors here for too long. As such, it appears to be a place of a great deal of carousing. You can smell the malt of many types of fermented ales and of course, kvass, permeating the air, and unfortunately, the faint odor of people who have subsequently lost the contents of their multiple stomachs.
Yrja wasn't used to cities and towns, especially after weeks and months spent in the exclusive company of a small number of people, but the novelty of Vurnirn is captivating. The colourful paint, the sails, the sight over the edge of the cliff, the dozen adaptations that show that centaurs - not humans - dwell here.
She tries the local delicacies, although steering away from the rowdier locales, before setting out to replenish their supplies at the various merchants. They probably know best what is needed for a journey in the surrounding areas, so she makes sure to ask for their recommendations.
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Yrja gets through a throng of dancers and jugglers and--not sure who they are, but those man-taurs had their head hair braided to their manes with some sinews of Aroden-knows-what keeping them together, and doing some sort of twisting, singing chant (along with drinking horns of what was certainly kvass and kumiss)...and finds some incredibly tasty Hoofwood fare. Unidentifiable game meats simmered in delicate green sauces, 'earcakes' that do rather look like a fey ear, with snowberry and lingonberry fillings, and mussels and sturgeon from the river far below, dried and diced or garlicked and steamed, or breaded and fried...it's rather dizzying.
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Dez is delighted at all of the novel sights and seems to try to take in every detail to be mused over later. He accompanies Yrja as she tries different delicacies and follows her lead, sampling the same. As they enter the "town" he tells his companions, "I've been looking for a mithral shirt, so if you see anyone that might be selling one, let me know. I'm also looking for some potions to use with this extract I can make that allows me to benefit from a potion without using it up, so let me know if you see people selling potions." Dez will also keep his eyes open for people selling armor or potions.
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high is bad
Yrja and Dez lead the group, with Erdija clopping beside them, extremely amused, and exchanging various cheerful greetings to other clan members.
A centaur woman with a shaggy coat and a Mitzenki catfolk boast an impressive number of alchemical items, potions, and also fun items: kaleidoscopes, flowing vases of volcanic glass, gently glowing moss, and various shrine items for prayer and contemplation. Their wares fill several tables.
Dez finds potions of: heroism, barkskin, spider climb, remove disease, and remove poison.. "Disease is a big thing for you two legs," growls the Mitzenki ominously. The woman-taur arches an eyebrow at the bipedal catfolk, and he shrugs and gets down on his hand and knees. "Better?" She guffaws. "We do have plenty of evil eyes--ward off a hex? Ah." The centaur-lady puts down the very obviously not magical evil eye and goes mum at the sight of Yrja.
The groups also finds a dwarf, of all two-legs, with an enormous amount of plate mail, polearms (popular among centaurs, who can wield them one handed at times), and...a few gleaming mithral shirts. The white-bearded fellow goes by the name of Gallek Zolzala; his own dented ebon armor and bald, scarred pate gives clear evidence that he is doing just fine handling the Iobarian wilds.
Dez delights at finding the table of potions and other unusual items. He will pick out a kaleidoscope, some unusual alchemical items (mostly for curiosity's sake), and try to negotiate for potions of heroism, barkskin, and spider climb.
heroism = 750 gp
barkskin = 300 gp
spider climb = 300 gp
remove disease = 750 gp
neutralize poison = 750 gp
mithral shirt = 1,100 gp
Dez is guessing that there are not all that many travelers passing through here who have significant funds to spend on magic items, and that centaurs are not buying single use heroism, barkskin, and spider climb potions (especially the last one!). He will attempt good naturedly to negotiate the price down from 1,350 for the 3 potions (plus the other items which I assume are de minimus).
Dez will also try to buy a mithral shirt from Gallek, trying to conceal his excitement at finding such an item which would lift some of the weight off his back -- an important issue for the slight tiefling. Dez assumes Gallek is a tough negotiator, but he will try to bargain down from list price (1,100 gp, assuming that's the relevant price). As part of the negotiation, Dez will comment on various items in Gallek's inventory, using the advantage of his prodigious memory to recall some details about more unusual items.
He will save his other funds for future investments...
"Contrary to popular beliefs, certain shapes or colours do not help against hexes. What does help is a disciplined mind and strength of will." Yrja smiles at the centaur trader, then her eyes begin to roam the tables of wares for something pretty to wear.
The trader puts away his gewgaws, making a few atropaic signs surreptitiously, and muttering to another centaur.
Yrja scouts around, but it appears that runes in general are frowned upon. "Taiga giants don't like 'em," says a wandering centaur on the slender side. "Bad luck. Bad luck as in they kill people who have a lot of runes," it says, clopping off.
"Oh no, you don't say! Well, good to know, I suppose." Yrja looks at Orik, as the one with the most wilderness knowledge amongst them. "Where to now? Looks like we're all done with shopping."
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Erdija looks at Orik as well, and Yrja.
"Well, we can take a boat up the Crevasse a bit, or cut across the forest. Boat is faster, probably safer. They can take us to the Ice Knife Shoal...after that, too many rocks and bad currents, and we walk the rest of the way in the Crevasse. Maybe 30 silvers a person; they'll have to row against the current, but I can probably talk them down a bit as you all weigh less than us..." She pats her (upper) abdomen and winks. "...I think I still have a slender enough figure, probably 1100 pounds," she concludes. "Don't ask me to do any tree climbing, though," she concludes with a boisterous giggle.
"I think taking the boat would be fun! I've never done anything like that before." Yrja glances over the top of the cliff at the glittering ribbon of the river far below.
Dez agrees, as his eyes follow Yrja's to gaze at the river. [b]"That sounds fine to me as well."[b]
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low is bad
Orik visits another merchant, then another, in rapid succession, obtaining 5 oils of Bless Weapon, a handy haversack, and an anytool. Coins are exchanged between dromaar and centaur, and all is well.
Erdija clops over from near the cliff. "Flag-talkers tell me there's a good boat ready to go in half an hour."
You descend down a wide, sturdy cut in the cliff, and note that there's another cut for ascending--the centaurs don't like something so wide that something large could come up from below, or some other strategic reason. The cut-trail in the rock zig-zags down the cliff in steady straight strokes of perhaps 100 yards at a time, finally depositing you at a large, blocky wharf that stretches for a furlong, hugging the Crevasse and stretching out into the river, which flows gently at this point.
The captain, a rippling and doughty centaur by the name of Jikaan, greets you all with rock hard, callused handshakes and claps on the back all around. His crew is equally muscled, both men and women-taurs, and wear hardly anything on their bodies despite the slight chill of the river. He speaks in fairly good Ulfen, grinning: "Aye, we can pole up about thirty miles--we have a haul out to the Wyrmtooth for trade. After that, it's a climb. There are maybe three waterfalls to the ledge at Artrosa--"
"Four, you alewife," interjects Erija.
"Four, you forest pig," he agrees with a laugh. "Then you're back with this stubborn war mare. We'll try not to piss off the giant eagles along the way, and watch for lacedons. They're the worst!" He laughs. "They're all plague victims who died on the river--two legs like you! Well, more like two fins now." His crew laughs with him, and a mare-woman speaks up, her hair shaved on the sides to make a raven crest on her head. "Usually a bop with the pole or the oar and we toss them a cow flank and they leave us alone. They know better than to mess with us."
The crew take turns flexing and scowling, then laugh uproariously again and resume loading their cargo on their ship, which looks like a giant square at first. As you approach it, you realize it's a trimaran with a big flat deck that can handle the weight of these musclebound, heavy hoofed, river rats.
Dez listens and watches the centaur interactions with fascination, drinking up all the details and storing them away for later further reflection. As the group settles on the boat, Dez first lets the centaurs settle themselves, but then tries to claim a spot with a good view forward and to the sides, and he tries to engage any centaurs near him in conversation, if he can find a common language. In particular, he tries to gather any information or rumors about Artrosa.
Elbrynn, as could be imagined, perks up hearing that there would be Giant Eagles along the way. He turns to tell Rising Star as well.
"If we do happen to meet giant eagles, I will be happy to speak to them and negotiate safe passage."