Quill's arrows downed the wounded drake, giving Storn a chance to smash the big one with his hammer. The blow landed, and a few sea-green scales hit the floor, along with a fang. The drake reared and smashed at Storn with tooth and tail, but the big man's armor held. Sander's bomb drifted in, scorching the river drake and sending a splash of fire onto the third. Mariana moved up and healed Halrex with her wand, hoping that the coxswain would be able to help with the last two drakes. Suddenly, a charging form leaped into the cave running. What at first appeared to be an orc turned into an uglier half orc, half pig thing. The newcomer ran right past a startled Molly - ruining her shot - and the others, right up to the drake, where he(?) tried to gore it with his tusks.
The third drake, bellowing in pain and frustration at not being able to get at its foes directly, took to the air. There was hardly enough room for it to get past the larger drake and the ceiling, but it managed, landing heavily on one wounded foot in the outer chamber.
One down!
3rd drake provoked AoOs from Storn, Halrex, Mawj. Get him!
Intiatives:
drakes
group
Current hit point status:
Mariana -0
Mawj -0
Molly -0
Quill -0
Sander -0
Storn -17
Halrex -2
Molly runs forward, grumbling about the way the battlefield keeps changing -- and fires again at the nearest drake. With the bolt discharged, the Witch's thoughts start racing as she considers her next move.
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Round 3, Init 21
"STORN! WATCH YOUR BACKSIDE!! THERE IS A GIANT BATTLE PORKER BEHIND YOU! IT LOOKS READY TO...TO...PORK!!" Quill calls in alarm. He steps 5' back and tries to shoot the near dragon.
to hit; (-rapid,+PBS,+bless,+DF)
damage.
to hit; (-rapid,+PBS,+bless,+DF)
damage.
AC 17
HP 21/21
Happies: 0/4 used
Ferves: 1/4 used
To Hit: +2 BAB, +3 Dex, +1 WF, +1 Masterwork
Damage: 1d8 + 1 Str +1 magic
[ dice]1d20+7-2+1[/dice] to hit; (-rapid,+PBS)
[ dice]1d8+2[/dice] electrcal damage.
[ dice]1d20+7-2+1[/dice] to hit; (-rapid,+PBS)
[ dice]1d8+2[/dice] damage.
The pig-man lashes out at the passing drake...
...and then continues to slash, stomp, gore, and bite. It continues to squeal and begins to laugh, exulting in combat. "REEEEEE-HEE-HEE-HEE!!!!"
HP 26/26
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 14
Fort +6 (+2 vs. poison), Ref +7, Will +3 (+2 vs. fear)
CMD 13
Bombs: 2/6; Mutagen: 0/1
Effects: frilly blessing
Sander lets out a little scream of fear as he sees another attacker rush toward the fray, but it trails off as he realizes the ... thing ... is also attacking the drakes.
What is it Yelena used to say? The enemy of my enemy is my ally? I wonder what she would think of this creature...
Not happy about the drake getting close, he tosses a bomb toward it and backs off.
"Mmm...I love pork! shouted Storn as he continued to slam his hammer into the larger of the remaining river drakes. The smaller drake was already reeling and looking ready to take flight when Sander's bomb sailed into it. The explosion tore the beast apart, and it crashed to the ground. The orc-pig spun, turning its massive claws and tusks onto the final drake. In a sort of frenzy, it tore the larger drake apart, sending scales and gobbets of flesh splashing all over the cave.
"YESSSSS!!!! The pig-man bellows triumphantly at the form of the dead drake. For good measure he gives it one last kick with a cloven hoof before turning to the party. He is still breathing heavily from battle, his wide nostrils flaring in and out. "You are friendly? I am Mawj. You are in the land of my people. Vhy do you travel vith orcs?"
"Hunh," Molly says, eyeing Mawj. For a moment she stands there, tapping her crossbow with a fingernail, and then she shrugs and slips the safety back on. "Hey there... Mawj," she says. "Well, we're traveling with the Orcs to get where we're going, basically. So. We're here because these stink-lizards snatched the horse and our fellow traveller right off the boat. That gonna be a problem...?"
Ignoring the newcomer, Quill moved to Sharg's side. He didn't even need to look closely at the horse to see that it was near death. The intestines spilled on the floor and the eyes rolled up in their sockets were enough to show that. Sharg, on the other hand, was stable, though her broken legs were splayed out and she moaned with pain at every twitch.
"Maybe. Are these orcs raiders? Do they vork vith the raiding orcs or giants?"
"Nah, mate. They have a boat. They move freight. For that funny ole money, you know? They're sailors and businessfolk, not raargh kill you all-Orcs."
"Why are you here?" Sander asks, too surprised by the sudden appearance to remember to be tactful, as Louly would have expected of him.
"Oh. In that case, Mawj does not have a problem vith them." The pig-man makes a sudden wheezing sound, like the air was knocked out of him by a fall, and his bestial features recede. Once again he has humanoid hands, feet, and facial features. "Mawj lives here. You are currently traveling through skinwalker territory." Without the piggish muzzle, his speech is no longer accented. "Mawj's village is nearby. We've had some orcs raiding the farms. They didn't kill anyone, just stole food and fled in the night. Actually, not being violent made us concerned. We thought they must be up to something and in a hurry. Mawj has been tracking a party of them for a few days along the river. They seem to be foraging and gathering food, which says that they are supplying a larger force. Mawj happened to see your boat being attacked and stopped to help."
He puts a finger on one nostril, turns aside, and blows a loogie out of his nose. "Sorry. So what are you doing here? There isn't much else upriver from here but orcs and giants. You hunting them?"
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"Nah, mate. They have a boat. They move freight. For that funny ole money, you know? They're sailors and businessfolk, not raargh kill you all-Orcs."
"MOLLY! COME OVER HERE!!" Quill says urgently. "They need your help...? Or should I fix them a different, much sadder way?" Quill asks, not wanting to use his dagger to put them out of their mercy.
"You can talk to the pig man later. It seems tame enough. Come help these two!"
Quill steps back so Molly can help as he doesn't have much ability to.
* * *
Quill jumps to avoid Mawj's nose loogie, lifting his foot out of the pasty wet arc.
"Uhm...I'm Quill. Can you point that in other directions next time, Marge?"
"On it," Molly says.
The Witch runs first to the horse, then to Halrex, and uses her Healing Hex on both.
"This ain't good," she pronounces, pointing to the Orc's legs. "'m No doctor, but we might haveta break 'em again later and straighten them out, then use more healing less'n they go crooked."
"I am Storn of Gorum!" roars Storn as the drake lies dead at his feet. He wipes of his hammer as he looks over Mawg.
"And yes, we're hunting giants and orcs. They made war against our home, and so we take the fight back to them."
"Mawj greets Storn. Mawj has had to pray to Gorum more lately. Where's home for you? What happened?"
Mariana watches in complete shock from everything going on. She walks over to Storn and presses a hand to him, using her own spell.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. It's allergy season, and going into beast mode makes it even worse. Mawj is used to being in the woods by himself."
Storn grunts assuredly over to Quill.
"Killing things and taking their treasure is the circle of life. Let's see what we can find."
He clanks along, iron spikes ruining the appearance of his otherwise magnificent plate mail. Storn's low voice lilts strangely with his thick Kellid accent.
"Trunau. The orcs are being organized by a giant, and so we're going to cause some problems for them."
He pauses, looking over Mawj.
"And if you're friendly to their lot let us know in advance so we can club each other to death like civilized folk. Who are your people?"
Sander shudders at Mawj's actions.
"Well, thank you. You guys search, I guess, I'll stay here and make sure Sharg is OK."
He pulls out some herbs to encourage healing and heads over to the injured woman.
Mawj snorts in amusement. "Nah, we kill them on sight just like most decent folk. Mawj comes from a village named Briarhill, about three days' journey from here. We are skinwalkers of every stripe. Mawj comes from the noble and brave House Boar. We heard that some of our farms were being raided, and Mawj was sent to scout."
He rubs his chin. "It sounds like we are hunting the same orcs. Feel like teaming up?"
"You keep mentioning skinwalkers. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think I know what those -- you? -- are..." Sander says.
Storn grunts, looking over Mawj critically.
"Well, even if you're not to be trusted, we just spent a while travelling with someone we didn't even know existed who was trying to kill us. Can't be that worse. Also you turn into a giant pig and kill stuff."
He looks to the others.
"This fella wants to kill with us, I say we test him out. Proves trustworthy, we work with him more. After the attacks we need every able hand. Also, he turns into a giant pig and kills things."
"As you say, we can use any help we can get, I guess," Sander agrees.
I bet Quill is thinking something about Storn also turning into a giant pig and killing things. I hope he's tactful enough not to say anything. For a change.
The halfling casts a reproachful glance at the young-seeming elf.
"Skinwalkers? We're beastfolk. Different bloodlines for different animals. Boars, wolves, cats, all different sorts. We have two spirits, and change when we feel like it."
He turns to Quill. "Mawj is in more danger by himself than with a group, young miss. Let's kill some orcs and giants then go home. Easy peasy."
Mariana's eyes are wide at the explanation as to what Marj was. She knew of them but never thought she would get a chance to see one. They were considered to be very rare, as far as she knew there was only a handful in the entire society. Quietly, she speaks up, "I believe that we could use the help, but we are on our way to find some gear before we head towards our target, so we have a side trek that we must take first so that you know..."
"How far?"
Halrex held Sharg down while Molly straightened the woman's legs, only healing her once the breaks looked to be set at about the right angle. With a sickening grinding sound that could be heard over the injured woman's screams, the bones slid back together and fused correctly. The echoes from Sharg's screaming seemed to last longer than they should, but eventually the cave quieted back down.
While the others were chatting with the newcomer, Quill made his way into the adjoining chamber, arrow to the string of his bow. once he saw that there were no more creatures that were about to pounce, he turned his attentions to finding any treasures that the river drakes had stored away.
Though the lesser cousins of true dragons, drakes still felt the innate need to hoard treasures. Of course, what was worthwhile to a river drake was not necessarily of worth to a merchant. Quill found piles of shiny river oyster shells, bleached crocodile skulls, and even a small pile of shiny fishing lures. He also found a small pile of goods that had obviously been gathered from the people that the drakes had killed over the years. Much of it was worthless, but he did manage to scrounge a shield, a trio of vials, and a scroll. He also found a small pile of coins and gems.
The horse wasn't completely healed, but it at least had its entrails back inside its abdomen where they were supposed to be. A week of rest - or some dedicated healing - would likely see it back to decent condition.
Halrex threw a rope from the drakes' nest over the horse's neck and lead it out to the keelboat once sure that Sharg was going to be okay.
"Arright, suggest you keep off these legs at least until tomorrow, when I've renewed my magic," Molly tells Sharg. "You need rest and good food, most of all."
When the loot is brought out, the Witch mutters a cantrip and looks the lot over.
"This is magic, that is magic, also that, that and that. Lemme see," she says. "What might that be...?"
Realizing Molly had been setting bones without him, Storn walks over to examine her handiwork critically.
"Hrmph. Well, that was the right kind of scream of pain. Good enough. You need more magic let me know. I won't barf spiders on you. Just... barf."
Storn takes a moment to heal his own wounds before stomping over to examine the gear Molly didn't puzzle out.
"Anything good?" Mawj comes and peeks over Molly's shoulder.
Sander stays with Sharg as the others look over the dragons' treasure.
"See, it'll be all right. I'll give you some herbs to help you heal. You might feel a twinge when it rains, but other than that, you should be as good as new in no time," he reassures her.
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"Anything good?"
Quill joins Mawj in looking over Molly's shoulder, trying to keep his eyes on the magics and not on anything that might be hidden by blouse or robe in the chest area.
"I dunno. It's nice to find loot, but that our companion and our horse are both alive is what The Elf Who Hugs The World could ask for," Quill replies, still watching Molly's, then Storn's spellcrafting. He watches and tries to learn.
Getting back to the boat wasn't too big of a trek, even with the wounded. Mawj was introduced to the crew and the keelboat moved back to the center of the river. Despite the death of the drakes in the cave, no one could truly tell how many of the creatures made that cave their home, and Halrex wanted to be far down the river before any remaining drakes returned.
Because of the combats, and problems with the captain being poisoned, Halrex decided to stop early today, and make camp. She tended the captain herself, only relying on the magical healing of Molly and the others grudgingly. She was still suspicious of any newcomers, and wouldn't even let Mawj meet the captain. It was a tense evening as you settled in for dinner and your assigned watches.
Mawj is happy to tuck into whatever is served for dinner that evening. To thicken the meal and endear himself to the crew, he contributes a brace of coney he had caught several days before. "Here you go! " He plops them down on the cook's table. "They've been dressed and seasoned for two days. Ready for the pot. " He sits himself within earshot, but allows as much room as possible. "Mawj would like to know if you have had any other problems on the river. It is usually quiet, but these orcs and giants have been flushing game as they advance. Predators from the highlands and mountains are coming into the lowcountry to find prey. Predators like those drakes."
"Can't seem to figure out this one," Molly reports after Storn and she have finished their examination, and she sets the potion aside. "As for the rest..." The Witch reports on their findings.
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Quill trusts others with the magic loot, letting him know if something might suit him. He knew that the oldest and loudest would always get the best stuff, girlfriends, & food. Quill will make do with the rest and things they didn't want.
Quill is about to scramble up to the watch nest when Mawj speaks. He pauses.
"Mawj would like to know if you have had any other problems on the river. It is usually quiet, but these orcs and giants have been flushing game as they advance."
"Uh...a crocodile or two tried to eat Storn. And our bilge was infested with an angry, vengeful widow, but we handled both of them. Also, sometimes big 4-armed gorillas are loosed in the galley. Outside of that and the drakes and orcs, this has been a really nice quiet cruise," Quill explains the to Mawj.
"Yeah, right," Molly says - and tosses the scroll to Quill. "Here. This probably suits you best. It's for ranged combat and Storn keeps rushing up into the enemy's face."
Mariana looks over the single potion that her companions did not recognize.
Caught up in her own musings, Mariana didn't take the time to investigate the magic items until they returned to the boat. There, she took the lone unidentified potion from Molly and stared at it, smelled it, and tasted it, finally deciding it was a potion of resist energy (electricity).
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Dex to catch scroll
Quill flails to catch the tossed scroll, barely hanging on by a sheet, but he catches it.
He unfolds the scroll, trying to read it as is, but realizes that he can't. However, he pretends he can, nodding and mouthing things as if he completely understands what it is an what it does.
Bluff
"I see. Yes. Of course, carry the 1, and then add 1/2 cup ground cumin...of course, this makes sense," Quill mutters, trying to be magical like the rest.
He puts the scroll away and thanks Molly.
"This is perfect, I know exactly what to do with it," Quill says, stuffing it into his pouch.
"It shoots a bolt of pure goodness, Ears," Molly says. "You're best with a bow and you do Cleric spells, so I figured this'd work best for you."
"I think Quill listed all the problems we've had..." Sanders says, nodding in agreement.
He settles in for dinner, wondering what next horror will befall them to be added to the elf's list.
Delighted at having beaten something close to a dragon and stealing its treasure, Storn decides to keep his armour on for the time being as it is obviously good luck. He tears into a coney while the group distributes the loot.
"Yeah, give Quill the scroll. Too busy hitting things over here. Gorum would think I was kidding if I cast that spell. And what the soft elf is saying is that we had a stowaway who was trying to kill us, or mate with me. Sending a four-armed gorilla to fight you is the kind of birthday present my people would only dream of. We usually just punched mammoths to get in the mood."
He throws a bone over his shoulder.
"But since stowaway is dealt with, and drake is dealt with I can't imagine we'll have any other problems on this trip."
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Quill nods at Molly and Storn as if he totally knew what the scroll did all along.
"Yeah, I got it. No problem!" Quills says, bluffing that he knows a lot about scrolls and these magics and wasn't in the process of learning. "I've done this stuff before. I have tons of magical experience."
Bluff
Quill seems as if he actually believes that.
"I think Quill listed all the problems we've had..."
Quill looks down at his feet, an attack of self doubt on his mind.
We've barely survived the boat ride. What hope do we have in the Vault of Shadows if the journey almost kills us?
Quill nibbles on some nuts and fruit, wondering if he should get back to the watchtower.