Ehren takes another look at the bell tower itself, recalling the religious iconography they saw within. The structure predated Caerwen, which was literally built around the nigh indestructible tower. Over the many years since, the wooden tower has endured, even as the fort around it fell into ruin. The druid frowns, realizing that the bell's removal would likely result in the destruction of a holy site that has stood strong for over a century.
"If we must leave it behind, then it will be safe here, at least," Ehren supposes, his respect for tradition winning out over pragmatism. The artifact is a powerful tool, but he does not wish to misappropriate Desna's divine favor. In any case, he was not exactly looking forward to an overland trip across the Worldwound.
"Once we draw closer to the forest, I will attempt to commune with nature," he says to the group, having considered how to reunite with their friends. "I do not know if nature spirits still dwell in that place, but if any remain, then they might be able to help us find Auraelia and Gaiwan."
Li'an travels to the top of the belltower after Hinagiku to determine how to make it stop ringing. However, coming close to it, she finds that it is not making any noise at present.
After determining that the bell was in a sacred space and should not be moved, and that the Archdruid had a plan for locating Li'an's lost celestial friend, Myrna stands up and shoulders her pack. Gesturing to her soldiers to do the same, she turns to her companions. "Are we ready to travel, then?"
Li'an heads back down from the tower, and lands next to Ehren and the others. "That sounds promising, Ehren. If the Menhir still exists and the ley isn't tainted, it would seem there must still remain some bit of nature there to reach out to."
"I am ready when you are, Myrna."
As Unafe sleeps, her Ancestors cleave close, several lining up to instruct her in their arts. Efa the Stout sits with her, teaching how to weave additional protective shields around herself and her companions. Arianwen, daughter of Dilys, instructs the sleeping clan-liege in how to draw her comrades into a more coordinated whole…including how by opening up to one another they can get so in sync that they can hear each others’ thoughts. Rhys, son of Owen, takes her for a walk across her Dreamworld, showing her how to guide her companions, such that they can all traverse the wilderness at near-supernatural speeds.
When she wakes, she feels energized, and inspired by the lessons she’s learned in the Dreamtime. She starts the day in deep communion with the spirits, and finds that she can bind herself and them together, bringing their skills to her fingertips.
She calls her companions together. ”Before we leave: Rhys, son of Owen, has shown me the secret to speeding our travel today, four-fold. And Arianwen, daughter of Dilys, can guide us to be able to communicate more, in less time. In fact, for those ready to reveal something important about yourself, she knows secrets that would allow us to communicate across this entire plane.”
Notes:
1) spirit boons from multiple spirits don’t stack with each other
2) the choices made below can only be changed with a 10 minutes seance, but
3) I can change my essence allocation as a Swift action.
4) current essence:
- Champion: 2, Guardian: 1, Spherecaster: 1, Trickster: 1
Champion
+2 to hit/CMB, fort saves, STR checks/skills; BAB doesn’t go up, but effective BAB and Striker level counts as +2 for SoM talent benefits & feat qualification
+6 to damage
+ 2 Feats - Great Focus, Vital Strike
Guardian
+1 to AC/CMD, Fort & Reflex saves, # AoOs/round
+13 THP, recovering +3/round
+ Talents - Berserker: Leg Smasher (* which I had previously, as Striker), Guardian: Endure Pain
Spherecaster
+1 to caster level, CHA checks, CHA-based skill checks, and Will Saves
+ Talents - Chariot Motif, High Priestess Motif, Death Motif
Trickster
+1 to AC, Dexterity checks, skill checks, and Reflex saves
+4 to Athletics
+ Talents - Fleet Movement, Efficient Acclimatization, Environmental Invulnerability, Lightning Escapist
The Hellfire Squadron leaves Caerwen and advances into the heart of the Stonewilds, their path winding through a silent forest of stone. The petrified trees stand as solemn sentinels, their lifeless forms a stark reminder of the Worldwound's blight.
Peace-Amidst-Pain, their presence a quiet strength, takes their place at the rear. Their pace, measured and deliberate, dictates the pace of their march.
Li'an walks along mid-group, keeping an eye on the petrified woods as they travel. Having encountered an incredibly well hidden scorpion on the way here, it was best to be prepared.
Myrna leads the party alongside the Archdruid, using her wilderness survival training to make sure that they didn't lose their way as they travel into and through the Stonewilds.
Myrna appreciates Unafe's offer of shamanic rituals to commune with spirits and increase their power, but she doesn't wait for the meditations to begin their journey -- without the ability to enhance every member of the squad, and without any need to communicate silently while traveling loudly as a large group across the landscape, she didn't feel the need to gain those powers.
"Shall we speed up?" asks Myrna, "We can proceed at a jog if I play my drums, but I'm not sure if we want to attract attention like that."
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +6 | AC 32, Touch 29, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 35 | Fort + 16 Ref +18 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 4 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 2 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..04........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..04........18........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Move (enhanced patrol):
Free:
Standard: move
Full round action:
_______________________________
With Myrna leading the soldiers out of Caerwen Unafe can share Rhy’s or Arianwen’s wisdom, Hinagiku simply joins the young clan-liege in the walk towards the ley node. ”It seems you continue to grow, and learn more and more about your ancestors. I am really glad for you and look forward to hearing more about the ancestral knowledge of the Demetae. Are you starting to meet more and more of them, used to hearing their voices and that of your second heart?”
As the group slowly walks through the woods, Hinagiku opens her senses to the evil that stalks these woods, on the lookout for any signs of discordance on the movement of the surrounding ley.
When Myrna pauses to mention their pace, Hinagiku hesitates a second before answering.
”I am not sure it would be wise to make noises, these forests have been corrupted for so long, the scorpion we saw is likely not the only danger we could attract. Earlier, Mrs. Unafe suggested using the wisdom of her ancestors to help speed some of us, maybe it could help Peace-Amidst-Pain better keep up with all of us.”
Ehren looks back at the giant, plodding earth elemental, who is undeniably slowing them down. Of course, that is hardly Peace-Amidst-Pain's fault - it is a small miracle that such an absurdly large and heavy creature can move at all, let alone keep pace with them.
"If we can somehow get him to move even just a little faster, I believe that would be sufficient. In the meantime, I believe now would be a good time to beseech the Green for its aid in finding Auraelia. I do not know how deep into the forest she had to go to find Gaiwan, but she might be within my spell's reach."
Myrna signals for the troop to come to a halt when the Archdruid tells her that he wishes to commune with the Green for knowledge. "Very well, Archdruid. Perform your magic, but be quick about it. We're in enemy territory here."
Unafe nods at Hinagiku's suggestion. "I can certainly help Peace-Amidst-Pain to move far faster across the land. (I could aid a few more of us as well, if it matters, though nothing like this large crowd. If we'd come with a smaller force perhaps, Peace and Ehren and I could've all followed Owen's guidance on fast travel and carried the others...but no. And I'm grateful we had the crusaders' support.)
"While we are stopped, I believe it's been long enough that I could call on more aid from the Ancestors without imposing."
Unafe sits down on a flat rock, lets her eyes relax out of focus, and calls on the Ancestors for their aid. After 15 minutes of communing with them, she says, "Diolch, hynafiaid anrhydeddus. Fel bob amser, byddaf yn gweithio i anrhydeddu eich cof ac i adeiladu ar eich etifeddiaeth."
She calls Efa the Stout forward in her heart as she inwardly binds ancestral spirits and wards to herself and her companions.
"Hopefully the green will give us an idea where to look," Li'an says, hopeful the magic would help. A similar spell had allowed them to find the secret entrance to Caerwen, after all. If it could do that, certainly it could find signs of Arie in the stonewilds.
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“It should take but a few minutes,” Ehren replies, understanding the risks of standing around idly.
The archdruid takes a few steps ahead, glancing around at the petrified forest with a frown. If any nature spirits do indeed still dwell in the Stonewilds, he can only hope that they will be helpful. A daunting prospect, considering how thoroughly the Worldwound’s corruption has seeped into the land. Still, even amid the myriad of unnatural creatures that lurk here, Gaiwan and Auraelia should stick out like a sore thumb. In theory.
Ehren closes his eyes and tilts his head back while spreading his arms to the side, palms facing upward. Like a tree rooted to the earth, he instinctively sups from the ley, further deepening his connection. For several minutes the druid chants, beseeching the the spirits of the Green to lend him their ear.
"Cogar aeir agus cloiche, fionnadh agus lasair, bláthanna nach bhfuil faoi bhláth a thuilleadh. Deonaigh comhartha dom go mairfidh an Fhaiche fós fiú sna tailte truaillithe seo. Tá do ghaois de dhíth ar an gceardlann."
”Tá dídean darb ainm Gaiwan tar éis dídean a fháil sa réigiún seo. Tá sé i gcuideachta duine neamhaí beag. An féidir leat cabhrú liom iad a aimsiú?”
“Seachas mo chairde anseo, an bhfuil cónaí ar aon daoine eile sa cheantar?”
“An bhfuil aon bhearnaí i do radharc anseo, áit nach mbaineann an Fhaiche le chéile?”
“Apart from my friends here, do any other people dwell in the area?”
“Are there are any gaps in your sight here, where the Green does not touch?”
As you commune, the whispers of the forest, faint and distant, begin to answer your call. In this quiet space of communion, your senses extend beyond the tangible. The petrified trees around you pulse with elemental energy. A subtle shift in the air carries with it the faint scent of greenery, a reminder that life persists in the most desolate of places. The Green, though weakened, endures here, its presence a fragile thread woven through the fabric of the Stonewilds.
The Stonewilds whisper of recent disturbances. The spirits speak of a tiefling's passage,through the air, held aloft by his otherworldly companion. A direction unfolds in your mind, a path leading deeper into the woods, at least 8 miles to the north.
Regarding other inhabitants, the forest's response is a somber silence, punctuated only by a distant, angry buzzing. No human presence touches the land here, only the lurking shadows of creatures twisted by the Worldwound's blight. A warning, perhaps, of the dangers that lie in wait.
Lastly, a sensation of emptiness brushes against your consciousness, areas where the corruption has severed the land's connection to its spirit. These voids in the forest's memory are dark, ominous, places where the natural order has been upended, and the Green's voice falls silent.
The forest, previously wrapped in a tense silence, now reverberates with the sudden, jarring sound of buzzing. The sound, insistent and unsettling, cuts through the tranquility that had accompanied Ehren's communion with the Green. Every member of the Squadron, already on high alert, tightens their grip on their weapons.
The archdruid frowns instinctively when he senses the inherent wrongness in this place, not just as an observer, but as a part of nature itself. He remembers the agony the ley shared with him all those seasons ago, that set him down the path he still walks today. That the Green has endured such suffering for so long is inspiring, but also heartbreaking.
“The Green has answered,” Ehren says finally, opening his eyes and lowering his arms. “Auraelia and Gaiwan’s passage here has not gone unnoticed. The spirits tell me that they are sequestered somewhere eight miles north of here. That should at least get us close enough to search through more conventional means. It need not be said, but we must tread carefully. We are not alone here.”
As the buzzing goes on and on, Ehren tightens his fists, wondering what matter of foul being has caught wind of their presence.
"I think we are going to get an answer from more than the green shortly," Li'an says as the stillness of the forest is replaced with buzzing. Preparing for the worst, she quickly enchants herself with stoneskin for the coming battle.
Unafe furrows her brow. No time to ask the ancestors for all I might. Very well. We will be enough, as we are.
She takes a moment to grow to her full saurian size, and calls on the ancestors to help stave off ill fortune.
In anticipation of a potentially advancing threat, Ehren quickly raises a sprig of holly before his face and murmurs an incantation, heightening his senses. After pocketing his divine focus he goes very still, listening carefully to the persistent buzz and keeping watch for whatever is causing it.
Li'an scans the surrounding area carefully, looking for signs their foes are upon them.
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 35, Touch 32, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 2 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........33........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move: move to Valaria’s side
Move (enhanced patrol):
Free:
Standard: move
Full round action:
_______________________________
Hearing the buzzing, Hinagiku falls back toward the stretcher on which Valaria is being carried. There she adopts a defensive stance, ready to defend the weakened hero, and perhaps even find a way to fight a swarm.
”Mrs. Valaria, if I remember well, you had a necklace that allowed you to cut through swarms. Any chances you still have it?”
Seeing her companions prepare for battle, and hearing the approaching sound of swarms, Myrna enchants herself with heroic bravery and fortune. She knows that not much can help her be of use against swarms, but she also knows she wouldn't be of any use at all if she fell prey to their poison or distraction
To her companions, she calls, "Shall we begin moving north?"
"We have a long way to go yet, after all."
Seven metallic wasps, each ten feet in length, emerge, hovering menacingly just shy of a hundred feet up, near the tops of the petrified trees. These mechanized abominations, a twisted meld of metal and malice, beat their wings with a mechanical hum, casting eerie, iridescent shimmers through the air. They pause, looming ominously above the Squadron, their wings a constant, menacing drone.
The Squadron members exchange quick, resolute glances, their hands moving instinctively to sword hilts and bowstrings, the air thick with the sound of the wasps' relentless buzzing.
Warmonger wasps are a common sight in the Worldwound. They travel in various numbers, from small packs to enormous swarms. Warmonger wasps are often allied with cultists or demons, but some are independent agents, or members of a larger nest.
Round 1!
Ehren is up!
Looking up, Ehren recognizes the insectile constructs, having fought several over the past few years - the first of which was Staunton Vhane's favored mount. Their ability to unleash explosive bolts of electricity would wreak havoc on them if they did not eliminate them quickly.
"Their false flesh can mend itself, but their defenses are otherwise weak," Ehren says aloud as he wards himself against their static discharge. "Focus them down. Keep them from moving. Whatever it takes to stop them from unleashing their lightning."
From her prone position, Valaria nods weakly, her voice a faint murmur. "Yes, in my pouch... the silver chain with the sapphire pendant," she responds to Hinagiku.
Before further plans can be made, two wasps dive, their forms crackling with contained energy. With a hiss, they release their stored lightning, the bolts detonating amidst the Crusaders in a blinding explosion of electricity.
Unafe and Li'an are up!
The two Crusader women are both caught off-guard by the warmonger wasps' dive, unleashing explosions of electricity between them before either is even able to do anything. Beatrix's natural resistance protects her by a small measure, however.
While the blast does little to Li'an, her reflexes and innate resistance to electricity being sufficient to protect her, the troops nearby are not so lucky. Knowing they'll need every bit of help they can get, she immediately casts resist energy warding Myrna, Beatrix, and 9 others from the squad against the next wave of lightning blasts.
Despite being warded against electricity, Ehren was not about to just stand around and get blasted by lightning. The druid manages to avoid the worst of the static discharges, his spell reducing its deadly current to a mild tingle.
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Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 35, Touch 32, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 2 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........33........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
”Thank you Mrs. Valaria, but it seems no one will need it.” Hinagiku says as the giant wasps appear from behind the stony canopy.
Before the monk can do anything further, two of the monsters are already diving towards them. Sensing the electricity build-up moments before it becomes deadly, she gracefully weaves a spiritual lighting rod from the ley surrounding her, forcing the nearby arc away from her and into the ground.
Knowing the danger the wasps pose to the troop, Hinagiku flies up just above them. As she does, her left hand drags behind her the protective weave she just made. Hopefully, she would be able to deflect the brunt of their foes strikes from there.
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Unafe sees the massive lightning blast coming, and hears Rhys' voice call out, You're too big, don't try to dodge it. Ride it!
With a cautious smile, she leaps, and finds she can actually ride the force of the explosive lightning to propel her to safety. Then she leaps straight up, attempting to grab two of the wasps at once and smash them to the ground beside her less mobile partners.
Free: Leap out of the way, in response to the blasts, via Bomb Jump
Free: -1MP : Gain Twin Tie-Up for 1 minute
Move: leap up
Stnd: grapple vs the two wasps I put Unafe in contact with. If successful, she’ll move them to the two squares I drew.
Swft If needed, will surge (-1 more MP)
// Note, I assume we’ll all take falling damage, unless they can somehow keep me aloft. If so, I have boots of the cat that let me treat each d6 as an auto 1.
The lightning propels Unafe skyward with its explosive might. She clears the tops of the trees then falls back to the forest floor with a loud crash. Unafe leaps again, her hands grasping two of the wasps in a grip of iron. She brings them crashing down with her.
In swift unison, the Hellfire Squadron retaliates, their bows drawn and arrows nocked. The air hums briefly before a hail of arrows cuts through, each aimed precisely at the closest warmonger wasp. Another warmonger wasp zeroes in, its metallic body glinting ominously in the sunlight. With a mechanical whirr, it descends swiftly, aiming squarely at the heart of the Squadron. Without warning, the wasp unleashes its static discharge, a pulsating orb of crackling energy that hurtles towards the Crusaders.
Myrna and Hinagiku are up!
Unafe holds firm, her saurian hide proving an unyielding barrier against the desperate thrashing of the wasps in her grasp. Their stingers jab futilely, unable to penetrate her formidable natural armor.
Meanwhile, the aerial dance of death continues as two more wasps execute a dive-bomb maneuver on the squadron. They release orbs of static discharge, the energy crackling menacingly before erupting in a violent burst among the Crusaders, the air thick with the scent of singed armor and the sharp tang of electricity.
In the chaos, the northernmost wasps seize their moment to retreat. With a mechanical buzz, they dart away, their metallic forms quickly swallowed by the dense canopy of the petrified forest, leaving a lingering unease about their sudden disappearance and the potential threat they may yet pose from the shadows of the trees.
Round 2!
Ehren is up!
Again, Ehren anticipates the impact point of the electrical bolt and manages to avoid the worst of the resulting explosion - not that it would have mattered, with his abjuration in place. Looking up at the wasp that launched the bolt, the druid takes a deep breath and invokes the elemental aspect of air. In an instant his body vanishes into thin air, air that immediately whips into a howling frenzy, a spiraling current of silvery winds.
Taking on a vaguely humanoid shape, the living tornado launches into the air, directly at the hovering wasp. Unfurling a long, tapered appendage - itself a spinning funnel of wind - Ehren closes in and attempts to wail on the construct.
The wasp, which is mostly encased in metal, resists the brunt of Ehren's fury. Yet, the living tornado does not relent, swirling around the foe, a relentless force of nature pitted against the cold precision of the machine.
Unafe and Li'an are up!
Joining her squadmates, Beatrix unleashes a blast of holy light at the Abyssal wasp that the squadron has targeted. A brief prayer, a simple hand-gesture, and a familiar blast engulfs the construct.
Seeing that battle has begun, Myrna expands in size. She changes stances as well, widening her step and bringing her shield to the ready. Her hammer falls into her hand as well, and she looks between the two wasps that have been brought down to the ground, seeing if either of them would try to escape back into the air or unleash their attacks at her or her compatriots.
"Come on!" she shouts at the nearest one, "Let's see what you've got!"
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Unable to jump away without releasing the two wasps she's clutching, Unafe manages to twist behind one and shield herself from the worst of the blast.
She then tightens her grip, banging the two wasps together like cymbals, and then slamming one of them against a nearby tree. As she does, she gives a mighty of triumph, inspiring her allies to give their utmost.
Move: maintain (damaging both)
Stnd: brutal strike #3
Swft Honk!
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 35, Touch 32, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 2 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........33........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
131/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
Slowly ascending toward the abyssal wasps, Hinagiku waves her arms left and right, dragging the ley like a large invisible veil over the heads of the crusaders. Yet, such is its size that it is swept by the tides of the remaining ley, washed from side to side, leaving the monk struggling to close the inevitable gaps of the protective fabric. In one last ditch effort to capture the wasps discharge, Hinagiku fumbles, failing to protect anyone and electrocuted in the process.
Li'an focuses her efforts on protecting the rest of the squad, drawing upon the remainder of her spark to ensure she's able to cover the remainder of the group in one go. Once they're protected from the worst of the wasps' electric attacks, she shifts her position to benefit her allies and unleashes a wave of shimmering light, bathing them in its healing energies.
Light cascades over the construct, grazing it with purifying energy. Seizing the moment, the Hellfire Squadron unleashes a concerted volley, their arrows finding purchase in the wasp's battered exterior, further weakening the mechanical foe. Meanwhile, Unafe slams two of the constructs together, the sound of crashing metal echoing through the air. A wave of shimmering light bursts forth from Li'an, washing over her allies, the healing energies mending wounds and bolstering spirits.
In the midst of the chaos, one of the uninjured wasps seizes its chance to escape, its form quickly disappearing into the north, vanishing behind the dense conifers.
Hinagiku is up!
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 35, Touch 32, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 2 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........33........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: renew enhancer
Move: move
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard: attack wasp 5
Full round action:
_______________________________
Letting go of the emotions that come with pain, Hinagiku endures through the shock and continues her ascent, joining Ehren in the fight in the sky. Knowing that protecting the troop is too much for her skills, Hinagiku lets go of the net she had weaved, focusing instead on the ley that courses through her body, aligning it to strike through the wasp’s defenses. And, as the monk just comes within reach of the first foe, she lunges at it with a closed fist.
Hinagiku's fist, a conduit of aligned ley energy, collides with the wasp's mechanical exterior, leaving it teetering on the brink of destruction. The wasp, critically weakened by Hinagiku's strike, attempts a desperate retreat, its hasty maneuver exposing it to her supernatural awareness.
Meanwhile, the wasp engaged with Ehren proves more elusive. With a sudden burst of speed, it darts away, maneuvering skillfully through the air. It retreats towards the north, its form swiftly disappearing behind the dense foliage of the petrified trees. It hurls another static discharge towards the heroes below, a parting gift of destructive energy.
On the ground, the wasp in Unafe's grasp continues its frenzied struggle, stingers striking repeatedly. Yet, against her thick hide, the assaults prove futile. Peace-Amidst-Pain lumbers towards Unafe with purposeful strides. Reaching her side, the elemental raises its massive fists.
With two deliberate, powerful motions, Peace-Amidst-Pain brings its fists down upon the wasp clenched in Unafe's iron grip. Under the elemental's formidable onslaught, the wasp's mechanical body yields. In moments, the wasp is no more, reduced to a heap of twisted metal and broken mechanisms by the elemental's relentless strength.
Combat Ends!
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 35, Touch 32, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 2 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........33........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move: move
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
Not having anticipated the wasp to flee so soon, Hinagiku believes her foe’s erratic movements to be a feint for an attack. So, she dives back defensively and strikes in the air where the monster would have been in that instant if it had fought instead of flown away.
Believing the pursuit to be too dangerous, Hinagiku flies down while keeping an eye out for more enemies. Once she is sure they are safe for now, she kindly tends to those that appear particularly wounded.
More accustomed to the mechanical wasps fighting until reduced to protoplasm and scrap, Ehren frowns, surprised that they possessed any sense of self-preservation. For several seconds he stays aloft, keeping watch among the petrified trees, before finally descending once more. Having expended powerful magic to assume his current form, he decides not to change back just yet - it could still be useful.
"With that out of the way, I believe we were about to head north," Ehren remarks airily, floating at the fore of the group.
Once again, Unafe manages to put the mangled metal monsters between herself and the worst of the blast.
Seeing Peace-Amidst-Pain demolish the last one in her grip, she nods. "ሰላም-አሚድ-ህመም፣ በእነዚህ የክፋት ፍጥረቶች ላይ ስለረዳህ አመሰግናለሁ።"
"Does anyone else need anything urgent? If not, I wonder if fleeing warmongers might be reporting back to some master, or looking for reinforcements? I pray I'm wrong, but we'd best make haste."
Myrna shakes her head, sure that Unafe's concern is unwarranted. "No, the wasps can't speak. I don't think they're on the way to report to anyone. Doubtless they were looking for someone easy to harass."
She looks to the Archdruid. "I agree. Let's go."
In response, Peace-Amidst-Pain, their voice a deep rumble akin to shifting earth, replies to Unafe, "ለእናንተ መርዳት ከፍተኛ ክብር ነው። እኛ በጋራ በክፋት ላይ እንቅስቃሴ እናደርጋለን"
"To aid you is a great honor. Together, we act against evil."
The squadron embarks northward, their pace steady. They cover three-quarters of a mile through the scarred landscape of the Worldwound, the terrain marred yet resolute under the weight of its history. The petrified forest looms silent around them, its trees like silent sentinels witnessing their passage.
Suddenly, the relative peace is shattered by a familiar, ominous sound – the loud, relentless buzzing that had marked their earlier confrontation. The noise, dense and foreboding, signals the presence of more threats lurking nearby. The squadron tightens their ranks, alert and ready, each member braced for what may come next.
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 35 | Fort + 16 Ref +18 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 4 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 4 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..04........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..04........18........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
Unafe’s question had been on Hinagiku’s mind for the last half-hour, she wondered whether the demonic insects they had met were cunning enough to regroup and ambush them again or whether they would let them be. The question quickly finds an answer when a new buzzing arises.
Kicking off the group, Hinagiku flies up as high as she can, trying to reach the top of the forest’s canopy before their foes are upon them.