"Runaway!" Seres calls, turning his horse and retreating at a gallop.
Connor shudders as the creature's gaze shakes him but steels his teeth and rides forward, shouting as he brandishes his greataxe, "I have a magic weapon ... let's destroy her now! Use your arcane powers Seres, infuse your bow. Test her mettle before we retreat!"
The cavalier slips in his saddle swinging a terribly underpowered backhand swing that misses widely as he rides past her to set up a second charge.
Seres grimaces but checks his turn to retreat. He draws his bow, empowering the weapon with his arcane essence, and lets loose on the ghost.
;
Veronica says, "Stay close to me!" and drops the reins in one hand to trace mystical protective glyphs as she intones a prayer of protection.
Ezekial begins to retreat.
Connor wheels around and prepares to charge.
Veronica quickly traces a magical circle to ward against the ghost.
Seres contemplates retreat but upon seeing Connor taking stand he turns and fires his enchanted bow on the ghost - the arrow tears through the ghost's ethereal fabric.
The ghost floats in to engage Connor with its luminescent ranseur. Connor charges as soon as the apparition makes landfall - his glowing great axe shreds a portion of the spirit's essence.
The ghostly ranseur cuts through Connors armor .
Raff steps forward and yells at the ghost, bringing his falchion down on the woman.
Veronica blesses the party with Erastil's grace once more in anticipation of the rough battle ahead.
Connor would have done a wheeling charge, allowing him to ride by with a 90 degree turn. Not sure where he started but he would be 60 feet off.
However, I can't ready a charge. Just realized that charge is a full action unless a surprise round thus ready as a standard doesnt work. Will fix that in the future. Connor's token is technically inn the right place given that he would have readied for approach for a regular attack.
Larisa will focus on the ghost, loading one of the flaming bolts into her weapon.
Calling on Erastil Larisa will cast a spell on herself.
Seres draws and fires another arrow at the ghost.
;
Connor rides north defensively to set up a charge line, spinning around and waving his great axe in a circle over his head as Cinder paws at the ground, "Courage Ezekiel! We are committed, and everyone has a way of hurting this cursed thing. Engage, honor demands it!"
Raff moves up and cuts through the apparition with his enchanted falchion.
Veronica calls down the divine blessing of Erastil on the group.
Ezekial holds and waits to engage.
Connor wheels north while rallying the party.
Larisa loads her weapon and infuses herself with divine power.
Seres fires on the ghost again but finds that his comrades are blocking his shot.
The ghost now turns her unearthly fury on Raff. She strikes twice and cuts through the half orc's armor with the second strike .
Veronica says, "Don't get killed out there, Zeke." She utters another quick prayer and lays a hand on his arm.
Closing one eye to focus his aim, Seres fires again.
;
Raff cries out in pain as he lashes out at the woman, only this time harder and more wildly. "Argh! This isn't even what we're out here for! We still have the GOD'S DAMN TROLLS TO KILL!"
Larisa takes aim at the Ghost, firing with the magic bolt.
Connor turns and charges, bellowing out a challenge astride Cinder, with Cinder swinging out with the magical great axe in as tremendous sweeping blow before wheeling Cinder to the right and heading back into the trees.
Veronica casts a divine protection on Ezekial.
Ezekial moves up and nicks the ghost with his magical rapier.
Raff hacks at the ghost's essence with his enchanted falchion.
Larisa manages to fire a flaming bolt between Raff and Ezekial and hit the ghost.
Connor charges and drives his ax down on the ghost - dissipating much of her essence.
Seres again fires and again cannot get a clear shot in the melee.
The ghost steps backward 5' and then turns the fury of her ghostly ranseur on Ezekial - hitting him with both swings .
Connor spins Cinder about and rides back down the path he just charged tearing back to the north.
Shaking his head in frustration, Seres pulls a wand and points it at the ghost, firing a magic missile.
Veronica unleashes a wave of healing power to keep Ezekial on his feet.
Larisa casts a spell as she reaches out and touches Zek, healing him.
Connor's final charge dissipates the ghost. The revenant slowly sinks below the water - she stares coldly at Seres as she descends.
You know that the ghost has cursed you somehow. You also know that tomorrow she will rise back up again to continue haunting Nettle's Crossing.
Raff takes a knee as he huffs out of exhaustion. "Well... All's well that ends well I suppose. Whew... Where too next? Hope we have some time, I've been thinking during the ride, I have an idea on how to make potions at an accelerated rate. Could be useful if I can get it to work."
"I believe we have an appointment with some trolls?" says Veronica. "Zeke, are you all right? That looked like a rather nasty pair of gashes."
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Breathing hard Ezekial says Thank you for the healing Veronica. Between your channel and Larisa's spell I am as good as I am gonna get. Not very effective. At least I was a good target for the thing. He sheaths his rapier. I need to learn to better use this thing. Trolls are fine. I'd welcome any solid enemy that I can stick a knife in. he says.
"Something's not right... the ghost, she's cursed me somehow. Why?" He shakes his head. "She will return on the morrow. We must kill the Stag Lord for good to end her haunting."
"Good job all, especially those of you that stood your ground without any way to return harm."
"That's damn frustrating, Seres ... we have no idea where the Stag Lord is. Perhaps the kobolds do. Let's return quickly to the kobolds, have them send a group to confirm the ghost is gone immediately. I will then challenge Chief Sootscale, win, place Mimek on the throne, get Tartuk's body and then we will tell him about the 24 hour return. That should buy us some time to get the Stag Lord, make the gnomes happy for now and address the trolls before we return to the kobolds."
Connor rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs. "This diplomacy thing is gods-awful complicated. If there are no objections to the plan, let's be off for the Sootscale tribe now."
After rest and a half day ride, you once again arrive at the warrens of the Sootscale tribe. Kobold sentries dutifully return you once again to the throne room where Mikmek and Chief Sootscale await you.
Mikmek again appears pleased to see you. "Greetings, Sootscale allies! Have you brought dead gnomes? Is the ghost menace ended?"
Chief Sootscale eyes you suspiciously.
"We've killed the ghost, send your patrols to verify it. It's also time for us to take the body of Tartuk with us and for the rest of our demands to be met."
Connor stands firmly in the middle of the room, wide stance with his head held high, his hand resting easily on the handle of an axe hanging at his belt.
Mikmek faithfully translates to the chief. Sootscale barks several orders in draconic.
"Thank you for your service to the Sootscale nation. As payment, we will overlook your harboring of the criminal Jubilost - for now. I warn you though, New Hope will be held responsible for any future gnome aggression."
He then regards Connor coldly. "The bones of Tartuk will not be removed from the sacred shrine."
Mikmek looks at you nervously.
"Yeah, so, I'm done with your warnings and your threats, Chief Sootscale. You have no grounds for your position other than your disrespect for us and obvious racism. So here's what's going to happen ..." Connor looks to Zeke to translate to ensure his words are captured accurately.
"You have lost your strength in the tribe, you are no longer fit to be Chief. You couldn't beat the mites, we did. You couldn't rescue Mikmek, we did. You couldn't stop the war with the gnomes, we did. And, finally you couldn't defeat the ghost on the bridge. This tribe is ours, Sootscale. You're not fit to lead any more. Feel free to come try and take it back," Connor draws his battleaxe and flips it over in his hand.
Chief Sootscale is clearly shaken by the turn of events. He points an accusatory finger at you as he moves to the shadows of an adjoining passage. "Kill them all!"
The cavern is suddenly filled with the cacophony of kobolds drawing weapons and guards shrieking the alarm. Mikmek falls to his knees with his arms in the air - his desperate calls for restraint are ignored as the kobolds mobilize for battle.
Connor smiles grimly as he watches the events unfold, "Mikmek, get your friends under control, we're just gonna lop the head off this tribe and let someone else ... someone we trust ... run this tribe."
Seres reacts as the guards start to move. He casts sleep on the cluster of guards to the east.
Raff acts quickly and excitedly when Conner makes his statement, making way towards Sootscale with a focus on his face. Reaching out to grab the chief in muscly arms.