Last Light of a Dark Future Table 2

Game Master Bane88

Gaurm helps Elo to her feet, then nods to the wand, "Once we are clear, I could use some of that healing." Then he looks at the newcomer, "Lady, your timing could not have been more timely. Thank you for your assistance. My name is Gaurm. Perhaps we can continue the introductions in a less giant-lizard-infested area?"

With a whistle he call his horse to him and mounts, ready to move out.

With a wave of a wand and a flick of the wrist:

Just roll however many charges you want to use. Each charge is 1d8+1

Kashuya shakes the hand of anyone who offers. When Garum introduces himself she remarks, "Ahh, finally someone with good manners and a proper sense of gratitude. I could loan you my boots, if you like," and gives Garum a small smile.

"All the yelling across the plains is SO unseemly." She gives a disapproving tsk. "There are far better ways of getting your message across, then having everyone in the vicinity hear you. Of course, you attracted my attention as well, which was fortunate for you, but I highly doubt most things you will encounter out here are inclined to be friendly."

She pauses for a while, "Watch. Watch and learn." She utters a single word, Zul, and points at each member of the party. "Point your finger at whom among us you wish to speak to, and we may hear your voice within 120 feet. Even if you should be speaking in a whisper, we will hear you, as if you stood by our side, uttering those words into our ears."

"Come to me every 2/3rds of an hour so that I may ensure the path remains open."

Using Message on everyone.

Elo leads the group back into scouting formation.

Gaurm and I up the front. Use that passive stealth stuff.

You do not want Gaurm involved in stealthy. Joshua is the scouting partner.

Gaurm looks a little uncomfortable at the idea of taking Kashuya's shoes, "I, um .. Thank you for the offer, but the wand should serve well enough. It would not do to have you standing about in your stockings."

"That's really thoughtful of you, Gaurm, and the rest of you would do well heeding his good example," with a twinkle in her eyes. "But don't worry about it the next time it comes up. For one, I've a spare pair of boots." She spends a full-round action, digging through her bag of holding to pull out another pair of walking boots."See? Anyway, my boots are special.They'll resize to their wearer, keep themselves clean, it's no hassle at all."

Kashuya keeps with the rest of the non scouting group."I can bend the light around us if we're grouped together to let us travel unseen, but for a short while only. Tell me if there is such a need."

If the rest of non scouting group are stealthing, I'll take 10 for stealth, total 12

Gaurm blushes rather profoundly, and turns to studying the passing countryside.

After the brush with the beasts, the group has discovered just how hostile the Belkzen plains can be. The day is mildly warm with low wind. Walking on until dusk, the group checks several sheltering rock or tree clusters, with Elo and Joshua pushing them on until they come upon one that is unoccupied by beasts. Dark descends as the best is saved for last. A sunken divot in the ground, shielded from wind on the high side by a massive rock and shielded from sight on the low side by a thick copse of trees. It seems that this is a common campsite. There are the cold remains of campfires and bones with spits, signs that orcs have used this place before. It appears all but abandoned now as the charred remnants are covered in sand and dust. Worn by rain. It should be possible to build a fire here without drawing undo attention.l

"Looks like a wonderful spot to camp"

"Charming," as she gives the place a supercilious look."A definite step down compared to the quarters of the Acadamae. Reminds me of the time when I was on an archeological expedition in Wati."She looks down on the site again."Seems defensible enough, I suppose."

She digs out a pearl from her bag of holding and touches it. She then mutters an incantation. A blue sphere surrounds her briefly, before it dissappears.

Regaining mage armor from pearl of power and recasting it.

"I suppose the next matter of the day would be to prepare meals, and after that, set the night watches?"

Gaurm nods to Kashuya, "I will take care of the cooking if the rest of you can see to the defenses."

He sets about finding enough dry wood to make a small, hot, smokeless fire over which to prepare the food. Luckily, most of the Mwangi cook with little more 'kitchen' than this.

Survival: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30.

Once the fire is going, he will set to cooking a meal using some of the provisions from Lastwall.

Profession(Cooking): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26.

Soon enough the delicious smells of a meal not often found outside the Mwangi Expanse fill the hollow.

Gaurm's comment takes Kashuya by suprise.See to the defences? But...all the fortifications she knew about involved loads and loads of stone, and lots of magic in construction. And there didn't seem to be a single stone block in sight. Kashuya sputters a bit, "But..but..you're mercenaries. Surely you know how to fortify a campsite! I'm not one of those backward, woodsy native people who go around praying to trees for walls of vegetation."she protests, as she goes off to watch Gaurm prepare food.

As the smells of a meal waft around, she remarks,"Oooh, smells good. A definite improvement over the stuff they whipped up when I was last outfield." She shows her ring of sustenance to the party. "There's a lot of time to do research at night, if you can cut back on your sleep. Not having to eat the stuff they cooked up was an added bonus."

"For this party, ma'am, defenses means clearing for animal dens, sightlines and routes to leave in a hurry. Little more." Elo dumps her pack, then scouters the edges of the camp while Gaurm gets to work. She helps Kashuya work, but gives the woman an oddly reverent amount of space and the occasional half-bow of the head.

Pouring some dinner into her tankard, Elo nods approvingly to Gaurm. "Top-grade chow. I've had far worse with far better ingredients to hand." She takes a weary sip from her waterskin. "Night watches?"

Taking her jar from her belt, she uncaps it and tips it on its side. The crab inside scuttles out and curiously darts its eyes at everyone. Elo lies back a little and looks up at the stars. "From those creatures we fought; we're risking our lives now. In the territory for it. I almost bought it today, might be any of you next. If'n you want something special for your remains and gear, or for them to go to someone special, might be time to share. And if there's agood story in that, worth sharing it too."

Those who need a straight 8 hours sleep, take the first or last watch. Those in the middle, those with better dark-vision aim to be the middlest. I'll take first or last. GM, feel free to handwave where we go if we're not too descriptive/forthcoming to keep things moving.

Joshua moves about the camp site preparing it for the night, moving rocks and brush. As he sits eating the meal he says, "This is really good food. I can take any watch needed so middle is fine if no one else wants it."

Gaurm smiles, obviously pleased that the others enjoyed the meal, "Thank you. I got a bit tired of eating things on the trail that would gag a badger. So I learned to cook. It will get a little more boring as the perishable provisions run out, but I will do what I can to keep it tasting good."

With an attitude of returning to important business, Gaurm clears a space for his bedroll, "I have pretty good eyes at night, I can take the dark watch if there are none with better night vision than I."

"Oh, so that's how you do it!" Kashuya exclaims, then starts takes notes. "I'm a part-time artificer and a collector of manuscripts." She opens up her bag of holding to reveal a portable artificers laboratory. "See? I've even brought my own crafting bench," she says smugly. "Also, can anyone trigger this manuscript down here?" as she holds out a scroll of protection from evil."I can write down mantras which can be used to unleash certain effects. I believe practitioners of magic call them scrolls." She raises a finger, "I would like to look into the creation of mantras that make one slippery and hard to grab. I believe it may come useful if we end up in the mouth of a dinosaur. Unfortunately, I am unable to create that effect on my own. Can any of you create such effects?"

"But enough about me. What brings you all to the mercenary calling?"

Hottentota Tamulus comes out of Kashuya's sleeve, skewers a nearby mouse that was getting curious about the campfire and begins to eat it.

"Night watches?"

Barrett draws a scroll from his bag. "We won't need watches; choose someone and they can be awake the rest of the night without fatigue - or any other ill effect."

"Unfortunately, I am unable to create that effect on my own. Can any of you create such effects?"

"Armor? Yes, I can do that."

"But enough about me. What brings you all to the mercenary calling?"

It's a personal calling of sorts.

Kashuya spots her Hottentotta Tamulus scuttling around the camp. "Ah there you are, my fine fellow,"and grabs him by the side in a long practiced gesture, deftly avoiding his stinger and pincers, drawing some angry chitters from him. After a short exchange of chitters, she grins and says, "He's just volunteered for nightwatch. Work that spell of yours. He can see better in the dark then any of us. I'll be up with him most of the night, anyway."

"Could you prepare that slippery effect tomorrow? Then I can start inscribing it down."

"Also how do any of you feel about growing to twice your size? Or do you like being the way you are, in a fight."

Seema mercenaries are a particularly closed mouth bunch...

"But enough about me. What brings you all to the mercenary calling?"

Gaurm shrugs with one shoulder, a distant look in his eyes, and it takes him a while to respond, "My master was killed many years ago. I did not have anything else holding me to the town and I could not stay and take up his trade in his shop. I was big and strong, so I did caravan guard work. That led me to Katapesh, where I met Jayre. He taught me better ways to fight, and better reasons. I am here for a good cause."

Kashuya spots her Hottentotta Tamulus scuttling around the camp. "Ah there you are, my fine fellow,"and grabs him by the side in a long practiced gesture, deftly avoiding his stinger and pincers, drawing some angry chitters from him. After a short exchange of chitters, she grins and says, "He's just volunteered for nightwatch. Work that spell of yours. He can see better in the dark then any of us. I'll be up with him most of the night, anyway."

** spoiler omitted **

"Could you prepare that slippery effect tomorrow? Then I can start inscribing it down."

"Also how do any of you feel about growing to twice your size? Or do you like being the way you are, in a fight."

Gaurm looks at the exchange with interest, "Can you really speak with the scorpion?"

He perks up a bit at the mention of growing larger and grins, "I have fought like that a few times. I would not object to it again in the future."

"Ah, I see, " as she scribbles a few notes in her journal."Yes, but this partucular one only. Ohhh the backtalk I get."She smiles fondly at her Hottentotta Tamulus."He's pretty smart. Smarter then some people I've met, certainly."

He perks up a bit at the mention of growing larger and grins,"I have fought like that a few times. I would not object to it again in the future."

"Well. Then its time to set up shop." She snaps her fingers. "Gaurm, could you help me set up my crafting bench, over there, thanks," as she opens her bag of holding, exposing the portable artificers lab, points at a sheltered corner faciing the low side of the rock.

"That way I can see whats coming, while I work." she comments. "The rest of you, don't be shy, if there are some scrolls you'd like me to inscribe, just provide the source, add it to the list," in a brisk, businesslike manner.

She sets up her bedroll near where the portable artificers lab was to be placed. "I need only to sleep for the last watch."

Barrett will share his own spell book You can check it in my profile

Kashuya leafs over Barrett's spell book."So, that's what those magic practitioners spellbooks look like. Hmm. Never had one shown to me." She turns over a few pages, with an incredulous expression on her face, "So you mean you fling sand at people after saying some words and it comes up in rainbow colours? Doesn't make any sense."She turns a few more pages, stopping at the page for identify."This one at least does...maybe I could have a copy of that..."

Meanwhile a certain sneaky blue-banded scorpion begins to crawl up Kashuya's robes...to have a look. "Oh NO you DON"T!" as she grabs Hottentotta Tamulus. "Sorry."she apologizes,"He's got one bad habit I haven't broken him off. If there's an interesting looking manuscript, he'll try to eat it up." She gives a sigh. "You have no idea how many people I've had to apologise to for eaten documents."

Elo lies back a little and closes her eyes. "I'm a soldier. Irriseni. That part means I'll call you ma'am and bow at you occasionally." She jerks her head towards Kashuya. "Don't mistake it for respect earnt. Yet. Volunteered for duty here; heard that was work that needed to be done. A little glory to be won. That's all."

The night passes in clear peace. The stars are bright out here, and the air is very fresh. Animals small and large can be heard in the far distance. The wind dies down and the only sound is the crackling fire and the quiet scratching of quill to parchment as Kashuya scribes at her desk.

In the morning, the wind has picked up again. Howling across the open spaces and buffeting the tough shrubs and rock outcroppings. It gives the otherwise warm day a chill. Huge clouds roll through the big open sky of blue. There is a stark beauty to this territory, and if it wasn’t full of hostile creatures and beings it might be a nice isolated place to build a cabin and retire in peace.

After a sparse breakfast held in relative silence, you break camp and continue on your way in standard sneaking formation. About an hour into the trek, Joshua and Elo pick up a trail. At least a dozen sets of tracks, big and heavy, likely Orcs. One set of them is very heavy likely heavy armor, its tracks leave dark black splotches of dried blood as if the creature was bleeding or carrying something bleeding.

It seems likely that you’ve found a recent trail left by one of the war bands. It’s heading northwest and seems to fit the intelligence you had received from the Precentor. Deviating slightly, Elo leads after the band, tracking, while making sure the others and Joshua especially keep heads up and look for scouts or ambush.

After two hours of progress, Elo and Joshua come over a slight rise, not wanting to silhouette themselves against the skyline, and trained in such ways of thinking, Elo motions Joshua to the ground and they crawl prone to the edge and look over. Below the dune is a slight ravine that opens into a valley lowland, maybe ten acres in total of sunken sand and rock before it levels out again on the other side.

The rest of the group waits at the base of the rise. Toward the center of the miniature valley, six Orcs make a rough fire to roast a midday meal. Off to the side stands the armored one. Silver armor full plate, once burnished is now rough and unkempt, the tall man in it is not visible behind his helmet faceplate, funnels of blood continue to run down the sides of the his armor from nearly every opening where flesh should show, it pools around his ankles but he seems unphased. There is a stag imprint on the chest of his armor and he has multiple sets of antlers at his waist hung from a belt, a gruesome scene as they are dyed black from the blood flow.

"What do you think Elo? Think we can sneak closer or try to hide up here and have the others down there start a fire and see if we can ambush them? How far away do you think they are?", Joshua asks as he slides back down below the slope.

A small trickle of gravel makes a more rapid descent down the mountain than intended as Elo slips down the slop next to Joshua.

"I think... I need to think about our battle plan. Let's get back to everyone first." She doesn't speak until the group re-unites.

"Right, everyone. We've found six orcs, and one who has 'leader' written across his emblem and bleeding armor. But; we were sent to find scouts, and I don't see them or any building or tent. Chances are, this is a scouting or war band separated from their current base. We could follow them back, but this is too good an opportunity to reduce their forces. Hopefully, being a smaller band means they'll've skimped on their scouts."

"So, our plan. I suggest we position our archers high on the hills on the side of the valley, and split the rest of us between each end, pincering them in so they can't escape. We hope that our archers' positions make up for any problems from splitting our forces."

"Any other suggestions?"

Barrett raises his hand

"My pistol hasn't got much in the way of accuracy, I'd rather be in the thick of it if things have to come to a fight."

"Why would their leader be bleeding? Many commanders prefer to lead from the back. Afterall, you can't give orders if you're dead or incapacitated. Could he be a captured leader of the orcs enemies?" Kashuya muses out loud.

Take 10, total 21 for knowledge history for battles fought.

"In the battle for the Golden Oasis, General Hakeb underestimated the numbers and ferocity of the desert normads. He divided his forces into 2, intending to flank them. They saw through his ruse, and wiped the columns individually as they tries to move into flanking position, the other column being too far away to assist." She pauses a while, then continues. "The book of war states that only if you outnumber your enemies 2 is to 1, should you attempt a flanking maneuver and only if you outnumber your enemies 10 is to 1, should you attempt to surround and destroy them."

"Six orcs, you say? There are only 5 of us. We do not have a numerical advantage over our foes, rather the opposite. Should they decide to charge at the people at the end of the valley, we will not be able to get there in time." Kashuya shakes her head.

"Should you wish for the element of suprise, I, as I have earlier said, can bend the light around us, if we keep ourselves bunched together to render us invisible, at need. Most of my mental disciplines work best at close range. I have one that could blind everyone within a small area. Hidden by my mental discipline, we could creep next to them, taking them unawares. You will want to leave me some room to work that mental discipline, for it is indiscriminate. The moment I release it, we will all become visible, and you can take advantage of their confusion of being blinded to cut them all down."

"I doubt blinded orcs run very well, and I believe this plan will serve better then the one you earlier proposed."

"Alas for the land being sparse, or I could command vegetation to hold them in place."

"Call him the leader of this band at least, then. It's magical bleeding, nothing natural in that."

She shoots an odd glance at Kashuya. "I've read my own books. 'Analogy is for explanation, not for prediction.' Flawed analogy even more so; doubtless Hakeb's forces and battlefield were far larger than our own. On a small scale, with the advantage of surprise, we should be able to win our victory. We will close close enough to combine our numbers into a single unit should they charge us together. It hurts that Barrett cannot fire from long range, I will keep that in mind, but I believe this is still our best path forwards."

"Bending light will be useful in future... but for now, I think not. If we make half our force invisible, we risk the orcs charging straight at the other half together. Better to approach separately and appear together."

"Professor Kashuya of the Acadamae of Solthis, Department of History." She raises her eyebrows at Elo. "Sometimes, I feel people have been drifting from one conflict to the next,"she comments pensively.

"As you wish, Elo. Or is there another title you would prefer us to use? Set the deployment, so we may begin."Most commanders do no care for insubordination, nor backtalk. I've said my piece, lets leave it as that.

Gaurm rolls his shoulders to settle his armor more completely, then nods to Elo.

The white-haired woman shrugs. "Welcome to informal command positions. Call me Elo, to keep me reminded that you're not my men and women and aren't obliged to follow my suggestions. I'll try not to get that thought stuck about in my head."

Officially attack as a single group? With a definitive statement of intent to action I can get us rolling.

Officially attack. To summarize the plan OOC;
-Assume the valley runs north to south
-We put Joshua up on the Valley side, east or west, about 200-400ft from the orcs
-One half of the party (Me, Kashuya) approaches from the south, stealthing
-The other half (Gaurm, Barrett) simultaneously approaches from the north, also stealthing
-Ideally, when each group gets to about 50ft from the orcs, it's roll initiative time
-Naturally, walk slowly and make perception checks for scouts and traps as we move ourselves up

Does anyone have objections?

Not really, except that Gaurm and I aren't very stealthy. Barett is still passable, but we can just see how it goes and roll with it.

I can Vanish Garum

sounds good to me.

Quickly surveying the incline of the ravine, Joshua decides the easier climb and better vantage point would be the eastern rise. Staying low, he scales steep hillside, taking care not to dislodge rock or dirt in a loud manner.

Elo and Kashyua circle around the western edge of the valley, staying well out of sight and downwind as best as possible, it takes them a good fifteen minutes to get into position on the other side of the small valley.

After waiting the appropriate amount of time for everyone to get into position, both groups creep forward.

Stealthy as though you maybe, the knight dripping blood is not so easily snuck up upon. Unleashing a disgusting blood spewing roar he turns and begins walking towards Barret and Gaurm. 3 Orcs roar and join him pulling throwing axes from belts. The other three head towards Elo and Kashyua, searching.

Joshua acts in a surprise round. Elo and Kashyua, can act in a surprise round so long as they only act against the 3 Orcs that are searching for them. The Bleeder and his orcs are a bit out of range and the bleeder knows where you are.

After surprise it's

Round 1

Joshua
Gaurm
Barrett
Kashyua
The Bleeder
Elo
Orcs!

Seeing the larger group heading toward Barret and Gaurm, Joshua decides to assist them. He takes a fraction of a second and charges his bow with his psychic energy and fires at the bleeding man.

+1 Longbow+DA: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 12 - 2 = 25 Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 + (5, 2) = 17

He then takes his time and fires off two more arrows at him. Before he has a chance to dodge him.

Longbow+DA+RS 1: 1d20 + 12 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 12 - 2 - 2 = 17 Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13
Longbow+DA+RS 2: 1d20 + 12 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 12 - 2 - 2 = 14 Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 4 = 16

The first arrow strikes true. Piercing between the plating of the heavy armor, amidst the blood. The second volley clangs off the armor.

Map is correct and updated, Gaurm, Barrett, Kash are up.

Kashuya takes a step northeast, utters 4 words in an unknown tongue, "Kreh Hadrim Kotin Krasaar" while her right hand touches a point in the air, forming a diamond, as she intones each of the words.

5 ft Northeast, Spell target is Orc No. 6, DC 18 Will save or be nauseated for 5 rounds

Using the Message Spell to Elo,"Keep the others orcs off me, I will try to use another mental discipline to put them to sleep, and if it works, finish them."

Barrett steps forward with fire in his eyes. His gaze is locked on the armored figure, threatening to ignite the air between them with its intensity.

Without looking away he draws his iron and pumps a hunk of lead and lightning straight through an orcs chest cavity

"Aiden Shaw, you no-good low-life scum!" he shouts "If you're half a man you'll stand and answer."

Move action to map-point and to draw my pistol. Standard action to cast reach shocking grasp targeting Orc 2. Delivering with Ranged Spellstrike vs Touch AC.

Ranged Spellstrike: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Confirm: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Shocking Grasp Damage: 5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6, 1, 3) = 19

Elo takes a breath, then reinforces herself. With a barked syllable and practiced gesture, three more of her split off and stand identical in lockstep. Their ponytails take life and whip around themselves warningly as she locks eyes with the orc in front of her. She goes for a simple cry of battle to better engage the orcs.

Mirror Image, 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

My first round action is to delay until after the orcs.

Gaurm moves forward in good order, stopping next to Barrett. He has adopted a guarded stance and seems to be waiting for some kind of action from the orcs or the bleeding man. He speaks calmly to Barrett, "Watch for an opening, they will try to get us to separate."

Gaurm is entering the Stance of the Defending Shell; Shield bonus to AC increased by 2.
Using Warleader to share the feat Outflank with Barrett.
He has a couple of immediate actions that may come into play: