Cricket understands Wolvie well. The perpetrator came around the house, hid behind the tree, and then flew away from there.
Kelgan will search through the junk and inspect the bodies.
"It seems Otis is still in town. We need to find him. If he's not trackable then we need to be smart about where we look. We never did search the church. Let's do that first. Then we need to check the farmhouse again. Otis must be stopped."
Delaying your departure, you use the hours of daylight to search the village. When they find out what you're up to, the rest of the villagers all pitch in to help -- soon you have the entire population tearing open root cellars, looking under crawlspaces, checking attics. As the late afternoon sun begins to wane, it becomes clear -- Otis and his remaining coffin(s) are not anywhere in town.
Jed, wipong sweat from his brow, remarks, "Otis was a ranger. He loved the woods more than the town anyway. His coffin could be anywhere in a hundred square miles of forest."
"Great! a vamp ranger just what I wanted to hear. Best you townsfolk figure out how to stay safe from this threat, it only takes knowledge and caution."
"And make sure no one opens their doors tonight! Everyone should be in by night fall"
Miralda points out to the villagers that placing a holy symbol on the front door will keep the vampire from simply knocking and dominating whoever answers. With that done, and the windows and shutters closed and barred, everyone should be safe unless thet venture out.
"This is wise counsel. Follow it and stay safe at night. We will find Otis and end his menace. Searching the forest will take time, and will require patience and cunning. I know your village has suffered painfully in under these curses, but they are all but broken. Jed, I appreciate your offer to join us in the hunt, and do not think that I considered it lightly. Right now, you'd best serve me with your knowledge. While we're away arming ourselves in preparation for a manhunt, any information you can uncover about Otis's favored spots in the forest will only hasten its completion. Though I had hoped to find him in town, it is obvious that he will not so easily be ferreted out. I'd delayed our departure in hopes that we might uncover him easily, but I can delay no longer. I must return to Fenrift Keep ere I continue my search here. Keep heart, and keep safe, Jed. I will see you again soon!"
Kelgan is disappointed in the failure of the search, and a bit daunted at the prospect of searching the entire Erb. Nonetheless, he puts his best plan forward and makes ready to depart. While worried for the safety of the villagers, he trusts in the potency of their wizard's wards to keep them safe while the party is away. Unless something significant occurs, he will depart immediately.
Cricket takes three holy symbols. One for himself, one for Wolvie (he ties it to Wolvie's collar) and one for Gleed. Upon second thought, he takes some more.
If there isn't any time he does with what he's got.
"For a bit of good news, should tha vampire return frequently we have some guess of how close he is to the town."
"Keep the fires banked and torches handy, but do not attempt to pursue the vampire away from town."
Cricket: Yeah, you've had most of a day to swap your spells out. Done.
Kelgan: An immediate departure means travel at dusk/into nightfall, so you runk the risk of fighting Otis, only to have to fight him again when you come back. Then again, if you can reach the Banshee River in time, he can't follow you across (this is common knowledge and does not require a skill check).
"Let's make for the Banshee River. Either we make it then we are safe, or Otis finds us before we get there, then the village is safe...at least for the night. And then we don't have to look for him."
At night, no one is bothered by light sensitivity.
The first leg passes uneventfully, and, having traveled for a few hours, you can hear the river ahead.
It is at this point that an arrow comes winging from the darkness, from somewhere off to your right:
Jaegr is struck as if his armor didn't exist! Peering in that direction, most of you see nothing but darkness. Miralda says, "There's a ridge or something, with trees all over it -- he's up there somewhere."
Initiative:
Caspian throws an alchemists fire into a rocky area nearby...
Alchemists fire
Ranged touch attack On a hit deals
a miss deals 1 of splash damage
"Now that the forest is set on fire we should head for the river...I have no desire to play hide and seek in the woods at night with a vamp ranger!"
"Hopefully the fire and smoke can cover our movements to the river. I might not be able to take another shot like that. If I don't make it...keep moving, find some cover...get that egg to Fenrift."
Caspian knows his throwing arm is nowhere near adequate to reach the ridge from where the shot was fired -- but he doesn't need to. By tossing the flask down on some dry brush and rocks near the party, he'll generate enough smoke so that further shots will be difficult. Unfortunately he can't act before another arrow comes.
The archer fires too fast for Kelgan to interpose himself. He hurries to set his stance to protect the dverge but senses another impending attack.
Another arrow comes winging from the dark.
Kelgan, caught flat-footed, is somehow moving before he is even consciously aware he's doing it, directly into the path of the arrow. It shows the same uncanny ability to ignore armor -- although the dwarf's training and experience take away a little bit of the sting.
As it strikes him, Kelgan marvels at his own sudden lurching movement, thinking "For Jaegr's sake, I'm glad that happened, but I somehow don't think my subconscious will be making a habit of it after this!"
Caspian hurls his flask at the ground, eliciting a small fire -- just what he needs to create a lot of pyrotechnic smoke to hide them from an archer! That decided, his brain, scurrying ahead in time, is already considering other strategems for continuing to cover them as they move.
Wyvurn will unsling his bow and attempt to use the smoke and foliage to get out of sight of the sniper. He'll hold still and attempt to pinpoint where the sniper is.
Initiative
Cricket prepares to cast entangle if he gets a view of the vampyr.
Well over a hundred feet away, you assume; things are pretty dark for you past 60.
Okay, Cricket takes one for the team. He casts barkskin on Gleed, puts him atop Wolvie and says to him
I'm so sorry, dear Gleed, that I have carelessly dragged you into this terrible danger. Here, ride Wolvie to safety!
Cricket then whistles to Wolvie and directs him to run away from the river, but be ready to return, quickly, at Cricket's command.
After they are gone, Cricket says to the party
Maybe that'll flush Otis out...and hopefully he'll shoot at Gleed, not Wolvie.
LOL!
Wyvurn hides, motionless, and strains his senses for a sign of Otis
Unfortunately, even with Wyvurn's exceptional senses, Otis' stealth in the forest is exceptional.
At this point Wolvie breaks from cover and races across a hillside. A pair of arrows swiftly follow:
Gleed is heavily wounded by the first arrow, and the second strikes his back nearly simultaneously, toppling him to the ground, where his small, garled body bounces like a rag doll.
Holy shiznit! Poor Gleed!
Cricket makes for the river.
Jaegr, understandably slow to react after being hit with a heavy clothyard shaft, takes a moment to catch his breath and break off the arrow. Gritting his teeth, he then continues towards the river, right behind Cricket and Miralda. Kelgan stands with his shield, covering you, while Caspian causes his fire to erupt into a huge cloud of smoke, covering your escape.
No one is quite sure where Wyvurn is, but the hobgoblin's capacity for stealth is not to be underestimated.
Round 1, count 25 - Second arrow fired; Kelgan uses grit as immediate action. Count 20 - Jaegr takes a breather. Count 19 - Wyvurn hides. Count 13 - Cricket casts spell on Gleed, Wolvie runs. Count 9 - Caspian throws alchemist's fire. Count 4 - Kelgan adopts stance, readies shield, pulls potion.
Round 2, count 25 - Two arrows fired; Gleed falls. Count 20 - Jaegr holds action to make sure others coming. Count 19 - Wyvurn still in hiding (unless declares otherwise). Count 13 - Cricket runs towards river; Miralda follows. Jaegr uses his held actions to move at this point as well. Count 9 - Caspian creates smoke, blocking line of sight. Count 4 - Kelgan's turn.
Round 3 starts after that.
There is a pause, during which time no further shots are fired.
You definitely don't hear anyone moving on the ridge, though, which is somewhat disturbing.
Wyvurn will use accelerated movement to move and full speed towards the river and try to remain hidden. He will also actively look at where the arrows are coming from to see if he can get a glimpse of the shooter.
Kelgan will take a breather, still coping with his body's instinctive leap and his second impaling in as many days.
Wyvurn creeps swiftly and soundlessly towards the river. It seems impossible that someone could keep to cover and avoid stepping on branches and leaves, and still move so swiftly, but to the ugly hobgoblin it's nearly second nature. It bothers him, however, that he hasn't caught a single glance of their assailant yet. He gets the sense that something isn't right, that maybe he's not reckoning on some factor.
"Anyone been able to tell who is shooting at us? I couldn't see diddle?"
Cricket and Miralda make it to the river, with Jaegr right behind them. (Wyvurn is actually already there, but they don't see him.) As Cricket uses his darkvision to look for the best crossing point, some of the mist over the riverbank coalesces into a big, ungainly humanoid shape. Cricket can make out a large man with a boyish, vacuous face, dressed in woodsman's clothes. He has a bow and quiver of arrows on his back, but is facing you unarmed. Even under colorless darkvision, his skin looks very pale. In his half-open mouth you can make out fangs.
Kelgan advances, hurrying along through the dark and towards the safety of the river. Confronted with the pale monstrosity, he pauses, but continues forward, resolute. He scans the riverbank, looking for a bridge or ford.
There's a ford -- right behind the pale, grinning shape.
Cricket whistles for Wolvie and then casts entangle.
Cricket is silent and drops to the underbrush and hides.
If Wyvurn is still unseen, he will attempt to put an arrow through the heart of Otis.
Wyvurn, still concealed, carefully draws a bead and fires at the vampire's heart. Unfortunately, either from concern for his companions or because the vampire is still partly gaseous, the arrow fails to find its mark.
Cricket, finding himself the subject of the vampire's gaze, quickly entangles the monster.
Reflex:
Still coalescing from his gaseous form, and with reflexes hyped up from his vampiric state, Otis has no problem avoiding the tangling grasses.
Count 25 - Otis finishes movement, coalesces.
Count 20 - Jaegr catches up to Cricket & Miri.
Count 19 - Wyvurn fires arrow.
Count 13 - Cricket casts entanglement; Miralda attempts a spell (see below).
Count 9 - Caspian.
Count 4 - Kelgan.
Miralda, despite being threatened by the vampire, is easily able to get a simple spell off before he can react.
Otis' half-mindless grin never wavers; it's clear he has no idea what the spell does.
Jaegr accepts the spell gratefully and keeps his eye on Otis as the others continue to move to escape. When he sees Otis appear at the ford, he moves forward to clear the way, "Almost there! Kelgan you need to get the others to the other side!"
Caspian sees the man blocking the most obvious place to pass.
"Can we go around him?"
Inquires the little Hobbit, who begins playing his bagpipes and decides to inspire his allies.
"If we can we can try and get away."
Inspire Courage...
+2 morale bonus to saves vs charm, despair, and fear effects...
A +2 on both attack and weapon damage.
Kelgan surveys the situation, with the rushing water and twisting weeds and decides that moving through that area would not be his best bet.
He draws and loads his crossbow and fires at the vampire, though Jaegr's charge makes him jerk to the side.
Wyvurn will move into a position so that Otis is directly between him and the river trying to remain unnoticed by the vampire.
He will then lower his shoulder and charge.
Gritting his teeth and summoning everything he has to keep his legs pumping and drive himself and Otis into the river.
= 32 total
Hopefully avoiding the entangling plants along the way.
Otis, still grinning at the missed shots from Kelgan and Wyvurn, flails his arms at Jaegr:
Thankfully, the mighty dwarf's armor is proof against these attacks, and Jaegr makes a powerful counterstroke with his pick; the incredible power of the blow leaves the monster reeling, in perfect position for Wyvurn's hurtling tackle. The scarred hobgoblin knocks both himself and Otis into the rushing water; Otis, helpless, washes downstream and is quickly lost from view.
Cricket asks the grasses to stop entangling, and you all make it across the ford without incident. Indeed, the remainder of the trip to Fenrift Keep is almost anticlimactic after that.
Back at the keep, you notice troops marshalling. Miralda, with a shout of glee, runs over to a scraggly-looking elf -- from the looks of him half wood elf and half high elf -- and greets him with an enthusiasm that implies some sort of romantic relationship.
On his part, Count Fenrift greets you with what passes for great enthusiasm on his part -- he invites you to his private office and pours each member of the party a pewter vessel of finely aged and peated whiskey from his personal stock, and asks you for a debriefing.
"Kelgan, were it not for your missive, I would have already marched on Skarn Keep. I trust you bring news that makes the delay worthwile?"
Huzzah! but...
After Otis is washed away, Cricket rides Wolvie around trying to find Gleed. I'm guessing that Gleed is dead, in which case Cricket says some prayers to Old Mother Tree. If he isn't, Cricket uses some of his cure light wounds spells.