|
Great, see? You did it again! Read the mood!
Giving up on her failed attempt to talk to the refugees, Catcher joins the group as they walk around the camp, listening to the refugee talk about flying demons.
She tries her best to remember anything of value about flying demons and devils. But for now, that knowledge eludes her.
”Are we going to liberate Sojourn again?”
Meldara leads you back to downward slope, and starts veer off of a path that would lead you toward Sojourn. This path ends in a small dell, a solid rock formation that appears to be fairly ideal for a small camp. As you draw nearer you see an old black firepit, but the ashes are clearly old and cold.
"This is an old campsite I've used from time to time. This stone wall here blocks the view from most angles. It'll get cold tonight, but I don't recommend you build a fire until nightfall. The smoke will give away your position while the sun is still out." She walks to a hedge of shrubs and bushes, and begins to drag them toward the party. "This shrub wall is a little creation of mine. You can move it as you please, and it makes a nice barrier to block most of the firelight from the angle of approach.
I recommend you make your camp here tonight.
Before I go back to the refugees, allow me to discuss a few matters. I am with the Consortium as well. Your coming was conveyed to me from a friend of mine in Tarlof. I was anxious to meet you all, as we are so outnumbered in this land. Now with the attack on Tarlof, our situation has become more complex and I will need your help.
There is a man called The Walker, a very old human man, maybe you've heard of him?"
The man known as The Walker is a very old human, maybe older than is natural many might point out. He was a friend of the Archmage Gengis Battleborn. (a particularly long-lived human himself, but his life has no doubt been extended via his powerful magic)
The Walker, or just plain "Walker" as most people call him, was once an extremely wise and powerful priest of Desna. He commanded the respect of heroes and kings in his prime. It was he and he alone who was responsible for destroying Ultruu's closest lieutenant, Zherzmourn, in his fortress of bone and dark iron(aka hell iron). That victory saved most of the southern realm in one fell swoop, and eliminated Ultruu's influence anywhere south of Haven.
"He is a hero through and through. What is unknown to most is Walker suffered greatly from his endeavor to battle a great devil lord, and his already venerable mind was weakened. He now wanders the realm, roaming from place to place, town to town. He has as gentle a heart as anyone ever has, but he has quite lost his mind. Trapped inside of his head are secrets and knowledge that could shift the balance of power back to mortal folk once again.
Walker has had a traveling companion assigned by Xavius himself, to watch over him but more importantly, to pay close attention to his more lucid moments and log any information that might be of use to our rebellion. This companion's name is Tylz. He's an old dwarven sage from Khaurak-Kohzil.
Walker and Tylz departed Tarlof not two weeks before you did. They were in resting in Sojourn when it was attacked, and their current status is unknown. Tylz is very secretive but I believe that he was coaxing Walker northward to Archdale, to be a part of this coming great council.
Tylz kept logs of his journeys, bits of lore, and he certainly will have kept record of anything important Walker had to say. It is imperative that we find those men, or at the very least, Tylz' logs."
Meldara continues, "I need to leave now and escort those people to a larger, safer camp farther into the woods. I will be back before first light. We can discuss plans at that time. For now, know that if we can enter town unseen, we can likely escape the notice of our enemies if we keep a low profile. There are many townsfolk still living there who will continue their normal routines. Nearby farms will still bring crops, travelers will still enter the city, but will be searched and taxed.
One of the villagers told me of two strangers who slept in the stables next to the Honeypot inn. Based on the descriptions, I believe these two were Walker and Tylz.
Be thinking of any questions or strategies you might have while I am away. I will meet back here before first light."
Chezarion says,"One of the bigger problems I see with Meldara's mission is that we won't be able to have our usual assortment of weapons and armor with us in the town. We would have to find some place safe to stash it nearby. Which means that if anything goes seriously wrong while we are in town we will be munch meat. Not that we would likely have much of a chance of fighting our way out anyway, but we would have even less with no decent weapons and no armor."
|
|
”We may be able to enter with our stuff. We are not farmers; neither are we pretending to be. As adventures, I do not see why they would deny us access. As Meldara said, we will be searched, but if no connection with any faction is found, they have will have no reason to be hostiles. What worries me more is this tax. It is not like we have money to spare.” then after thinking some more she says ”Well, it is better to confirm with the elf-Lady if this is a viable option.”
Roland pays attention, but he really does not want to be inside the city without at least his main weapon. "What about the sewers? We've used them before..."
I'm not one for sneakin but its better than all the walkin we been doin. If we be going in, we best do it legitimately. If we're spotted they'll be knowin we're supposed to be there. Maybe go in with some farmers, hide our stuff in the produce. I'd rather not go in there without me gear but me holy symbol is all I really need. Gromff mulls over what he said in his head for a moment then nods as if it sounds about right. He then goes about setting up camp, one ear to the conversation.
Chezarion shrugs. He says, "Even if we use the sewers to get into town, I seriously doubt that we'll be able to move around in the town carrying large, obvious weapons and wearing visible armor. Look at the group that just came out of there. They had three spears for over two dozen people. If they could have had a lot more weapons I'm sure they would have, but that was probably all they had that they could smuggle out that didn't get confiscated when the town was taken."
"However, if we can use the sewers to get into town without being seen then we can stash the armor and the obvious weapons near where we would get access to the streets. We'd actually take with us nothing more than traveling outfits and easily concealable light weapons. That might work."
The problem with linking up with a group of farmers is we can't be sure who we can trust. "
Well ye can't hit a target without seen it first, he says while doing through his backpack. Maybe one o you two sneaky ones ought to go check things out. Take a while to make this place comfortable anyway, Gromff suggests, pointing at the two elves.
Chezarion replies, "If I have to be dealing with some sort of invisible flying devils playing perimeter guard I'd better be on my toes. Right now I'm tired, cold, and hungry. So I think I'll just relax and wait for Meldara to get back. She's got first hand information of the sort it could take Tessandriel and I a day or more to gather trying to scout the place."
And by the way, my weekend is looking less busy than I thought, but there are still variables. Lets play it by ear.
|
|
We have all night to talk, let’s see if this bunch is a friendly one.
Catcher has been listening when she suddenly says "I am sure everyone already know, but my name is Catcher. Well, at least this is what I call myself." she smiles embarrassed ”I do not know my name or parents, I think they are long dead, I am not sure and I surely do not care. I think this is a great time to know more about each other, we will have to wait until Meldara get back tomorrow morning.”
She walks over the camping place, collecting wood to prepare a fire and continue talking.
”I know some of you may think I am not fit for this job. You are certainly right. My childhood was made of slave work, for a series of different slavers.” she then starts arranging the wood at the fire pit ”Until my mentor ‘bought’ me. At his house, I learned everything I know today.” more embarrassed than she smiles sadly ”He was a magician living in Vault.”
She opens her backpack pick up things she will use to create a fire. However, she set then near the fire pit, waiting for the sun go down, before starting the fire.
”Thinking now about it, I am not sure if his intentions were good or bad. I was happy at the time, and at the time, this was all that mattered to me.”
She get from her bag, an old looking book, covered in strange sigils and glyphs.
”My mentor entrusted me to deliver a very important message for one of his associates. However, things went bad, I was beaten to death and the message was stolen. When I was able to get back to Vault. My mentor had been accused of collaborating with the enemy, and his magic background was revealed.”
”To sum up, I want to find him, and find the ones that betrayed him.”
She then looks to rest of the party and ask
”And you, what motivates you all?”
Chezarion grins. He says, "For somebody who was beaten to death you seem to have recovered pretty well."
Chezarion is silent for a few moments and his face takes on a more serious expression. He says, "For a lot of you the fall of Mylosis is ancient history. Something that happened in your grandfather's grandfather's day. For me it is something I see in my dreams most times I go to sleep. I was there. It was the last day I saw my parents alive. I ended up having to flee the city in nothing but a loincloth, sandals, and with only a dagger that my father threw to me as he ordered me to run for it. I still have that dagger. It was one of a matched pair that my mother had commissioned to be made for my father on their 50th wedding anniversary."
Chezarion gestures to the dagger that he wears on his weapon belt. Some details are concealed by the fact that it is in its sheath, but it is obviously well made. It has an ivory hilt into which a stylized version of Desna's Holy Symbol has been inlaid in bronze. The handguard has also been somewhat stylized and has a couple of triangular shaped points coming forward in a manner suggestive of a star knife.
Chezarion goes on speaking, "I didn't have any contact with my family until we all met in the sewers a week or so ago. It was then that I saw the companion dagger to the one that I have hanging from a thong on Tessandriel's neck. So I asked her about it in private when I got the chance. It was only then that I learned that my father still lived and that Tessandriel is in fact my half sister. I'm still trying to figure out what to make of all that."
"Small world, hun?" Roland smile for some unknown reason, and he is actually anxious to hear an answer for his next question. "And where is your father now, Elf?"
Chezarion replies, "I'm not sure. Dad's a ranger and according to Tessandriel he's taken to moving around quite a bit. She would have a much better idea than I would of where Dad is."
"Oh, I thought you did not cared at all. In such a small world you may find him. Specially if he has the same goals as you do." He seems to be a nice guy at first, but the following denounces he is only worried with one thing. "So, the best way for you to meet him would be by slaying a large quantity of demons! You could become a legend one day, you know?!"
The evening turns out to be a pleasant one. Conversation is shared while munching on your trail rations. The snow and wind barely touch your campsite due to cover provided by the rock wall and evergreens. After the sun goes down you all sit around your fire, each contemplating the events to come.
When things have wound down and folks are beginning to prepare bedrolls for use, a flutter of wings and a loud "CAWWW!" break the quiet. You look up and see a good sized crow perched on a long branch of a nearby tree, turning his head to look at you all. The firelight glimmers off of its glossy black feathers and shiny black eyes.
"CAWWW! Meldara sent me to find you." it says to you in a silly bird-toned voice. "Meldara wants one of you to follow me. CAWWW!"
The bird goes silent but continues to turn its head back and forth, looking intently at your group.
Chezarion gets up, readies his bow, and nods towards the bird. He will follow it as best he can.
"Holy demons, that looks so much like a trap! How far is she, crow?"
Gromff, who had settled down quiet well even with all the chatting, flailed violently when he heard the first CAW. As the others jump to follow the surely dwarf struggles to find his stuff.
What'd that durned elf get herself into now?
Chezarion says, "Hold your horses guys. I've got this one. If it's a trap, that's what I'm trained to deal with. If it's not a trap, I can sneak better than either one of you and that seems to be how Meldara operates. Just be able to deal with any problems that show up here."
Roland is really relaxed, although the situation is not very favorable. "Call out if you need help, then."
Tessandriel makes enough food beyond what she needs for three more people, should they choose to have some.
"I'll come with you Chezarion. Two is better than one." she says while glancing at the mysterious bird cautiously.
Chezarion says, "Ok, let's see if the bird will guide us."
The crow says, "CAWW! Only one!"
"See? I told you it was a trap!" He looks up, in the direction of the bird. "What's Meldara's full name crow?"
"Trap, Cawww! Trap trap trap! Meldara wants one. CAWWW!"
The bird flies off and lands in a tree near the edge of low light vision and dark vision.
Chezarion says to Tessandriel, "Flip a coin for it?"
"Alright, but I'm going to be a light sleeper tonight."
"Since you are older than I, you will be tails, and I will be heads."
"Oh. I guess it's me. Um, sure. Keep one ear open will you?" she says just a bit nervously.
"He offered first, Tessandriel. Let the elf go. Woman should not wander alone at night." For some reason, he is very confident is his suggestion. He even seems to have some authority over their choice, for all that counts.
Roland waits to see what they decide and then gets out of the anti-wind wall, to increase his probability to hear any sound.
He crosses his arms and waits.
Gromff watches the back and forth for a moment before shoving his way to the front.
Oi, quit yer blusterin. I'll go. If'n its a trap I'll last longer than the lot o you. Might even save ye an enemy or two. He then presses on after the crow, weapons ready.
"I don't really care who goes, I was just trying to be fair. He did say to flip a coin for it." she states simply.
"As for "women should not wander alone at night", I have been wandering the wild for a long time. I choose when I will and will not do so."
"Shorty, sit down before you alert the entire forest you numbskull." she says to the dwarf.
Then one of ye get goin. The elf might be in trouble.
Chezarion says to Tessandriel, "Well, you won the toss, get going."
Turning to Roland he says, "If anybody is going to be ordering my sister around, it's going to be me. The reason I'm letting her go is that she's the best we've got in the woods. You didn't raise her, you didn't train her, you don't even know how to evaluate her skills."
After the party debates for a few minutes, a coin toss is used and Tess walks off into the night after the crow. The rest of the group is keeping their ears to the wind in case something goes amiss.
With the fading firelight at her back the only available light is from the two moons and stars in the night sky, but it is enough to provide her sensitive elven eyes what little illumination she needs to see in the dark.
The crow's clawed toes furl and unfurl around its perch impatiently until she draws near. It then gives another caw and flutters off to another tree, and then flies again to nearly the edge of your enhanced night vision where it lands on a stone outcropping. The bird proceeds to hop down to the ground out of sight for a moment.
Tess hears what sounds like spoken words coming from where the bird landed behind the rock. She approaches and sees...nothing. The bird appears to have vanished. The heckles on her neck begin to rise as she senses danger. Steel bites into her back and she hears a nasty whisper in a high pitched inhuman voice, "hehehe you should have listened to that ugly oaf back there! hehehehehe" There before you is a scarlet tiny winged devil, holding a jet-black dagger with your blood on it. It looks like a large weapon in its tiny hands. His pointy-toothed smile indicates that he is very pleased with himself.
Initiative
to the party back at camp: suspicions are confirmed, you hear Tess groan in pain. The campsite is 80 feet away from the combat.
*Initiative*
-GROUP 1
Tessandriel
Catcher
Gromff
Roland
Chezarion
-GROUP 2
Flying Devil
Chezarion would have taken his pack off at the camp site so he would be at his full base speed & light encumbrance. Knowing only that something is wrong but not sure what he would move out at a hustle (double move, 60 ft) with his longbow ready.
"I hate devils!" she practically hisses.
Moving towards the campsite , she draws her bow as she does so. Once she stops moving she lets loose with an arrow.
Turning to Roland he says, "If anybody is going to be ordering my sister around, it's going to be me. The reason I'm letting her go is that she's the best we've got in the woods. You didn't raise her, you didn't train her, you don't even know how to evaluate her skills."
Roland waits until Tessandriel and the crow are out of hearing range, then he adds to the possessive elf. "Nor did you, but you are wrong in one thing. I've heard from you that she's the best in the woods. She could certainly follow your trail in the woods, but you cannot follow hers, can you?"
Shortly after they hear the groan, and it cannot mean anything else than trouble. "Thank the gods our enemy is stupid!" Roland lights a torch and follows them.
|
|
Catcher hears the debate and does not bother to participate. The elf already made clear he does not trust her judgment, and he seems rather obsessive when the subject is his sister. However, she still feels concerned about them.
I’m the young one, but they are the ones behaving like spoiled child.
After hearing the first groan of pain, she get up from where she is sitting and move to camp border , and prepares to attack any enemy that appears out of the darkness.
As Chezarion practically glides over the forest floor coming up beside Tessandriel, Gromff has to pump his stubbly legs as fast as he can just to keep up. He ends his pell mell run just before the two elves, shield at the ready.
This creature is a common imp. Imps are devious little devils who delight in trickery and deceit. They can become invisible, they can change into several animal forms, they have a poisonous sting, and they have resistances to damage. You must have a silver or good-aligned weapon to overcome their damage resistance.
This creature is a common imp. Imps are devious little devils who delight in trickery and deceit. They can become invisible at will, they can change into several animal forms such as a raven/crow, spider, rat, boar, they have a poisonous sting, they can use a suggestion spell once per day, and they have resistances to damage. You must have a silver or good-aligned weapon to overcome their 5 points of damage resistance. Being from hell, they are immune to fire and have 10 resistance to acid and cold.
Chezarion runs to his sister's aid with longbow in hand,
Tessandriel pulls away from the tricky devil , and gets a solidly aimed shot off. The devil laughs at the attack but his grin turns to a grimace of pain as it sinks in deeper than he anticipated.
Roland grabs a torch and moves 30 feet closer to the fray.
Catcher assumes a postion of caution at the edge of camp, and readies and action to strike out at any hostile.
Ol' Gromff moves with less grace but more haste and joins forces with Chez and Tess.
Chez, Tess and Gromff are all side by side, about 60 feet from the campsite.
Roland is right in between these three and the campsite.
Catcher is at the campsite.
The hovering devil has a wound from the arrow slash. His face grows distorted with anger and quickly melts to a smile. He points a finger toward Chezarion, muttering an incantation. With magical energy compelling the elf to cooperate, the devil says to him,
"As we who serve Ultruu are sure to prevail, I suggest that you disarm your friends immediately, so I can put in a good word for you later...mwahahahehehehe!"
Scrambling awkwardly up the steep hillside near the campsite, 2 shambling humanoids can just barely been seen in the distant edges of firelight. The buzzing sound of flies accompanies them. As they get closer their features are better lit and you can see that they are walking corpses. You would guess that they couldn't have been dead long, but their broken limbs and fly-covered wounds ensure you they are dead...or should be. Their hollow eyes lock onto Catcher standing alone at the campsite, and flash with a bright red light. All of the party can hear their moaning and the sounds of shaken leaves as they pull on tree limbs to aid their climb.
You believe they will be in range to attack in 2 rounds. (going up or down hill counts as difficult terrain, so they're moving rather slowly)
There are no lighting issues this round. The elf, half-elf, and dwarf can see well enough right now from the moonlight/starlight; Roland has a torch; Catcher has the campfire light.
1-Tess, 2-Chez, 3-Gromff
We have a pending end-of-round-1 readied action by Catcher, and then she will again later this round in Group 3 due to the delay in initiative. Group 1, feel free to act/post your actions right away. Catcher will post her readied action from round 1 anytime before Group 2 acts in this 2nd round.
--------------------------
*Initiative*
-GROUP 1
Tessandriel
Gromff
Roland
Chezarion
-GROUP 2
Flying Devil
Zombies!
-GROUP3
Catcher
Chezarion takes careful aim with his on longbow and looses an arrow at the imp.
Seeing as the imp isn't coming to him, Gromff decides to go to the imp. He sets his morningstar spinning and charges.
: The dice giveth the dice taketh away.
I assume Chezarion made his will save.
Chezarion did not make his save. I put your save in the "misc rolls" spoiler. I tried to make it clear that you did not save with the flavor text "With magical energy compelling the elf to cooperate"
I should have been more specific. Chez I need you to take a different action, and you must obey the magical suggestion.---------
All of the party can hear their moaning and the sounds of shaken leaves as they pull on tree limbs to aid their climb."
Gromff you and the rest of the party have heard the undead approaching and can act accordingly anytime you are able and willing.
Tessandriel, please make a fortitude save vs poison when you take your action. You made your initial save when the imp stabbed you but it is coursing through your blood still.
The DC is 17
