With a great whoop, Prazil and Spike take to the air and charge toward the gigantic tentacled frog! "HEY! You am for dropping Kat lady! NOW!"
--Prazil--
HP: 70/89
Resist Fire 5
AC: 33 (16 T / 30 FF)
CMD: 31
F/R/W: +9/+9/+8 (+2 vs arcane or divine)
Cavalier's Challenge uses remaining: 0/3
Tactician uses remaining: 2/2
Knight's Pennon uses remaining: 1/1
+1 arrows remaining: 19/20
-Ongoing Effects-
Colossus Hunter: +1/+1 vs Large/Huge
challenge: +9 damage vs froghemoth, allies receive a +3 to hit when Prazil is in melee with target
--Spike--
HP: 97/97
AC: 37 (11T / 35 FF)
CMB: +19
CMD: 32 (36 vs trip)
F/R/W: +10/+8(evasion)/+4
Fly Skill: +18 (+5 skill points, +1 dex, +3 trained, +3 feat, +6 spell (1/2 kereek's CL), +4 maneuverability, -4 size)
Katerina sees the last tentacle coming and she knows the water is slowing her down too much to get out of the way. Instead she seizes on the idea of riding it up to get onto the monstrosity.
Dropping from the tentacle's grasp, Kat lands on the froghemoth and grabs onto one of the eyestalks. She brings her brilliant blade down on the thing tearing it's thick hide again.
for
for
for
The barrage of blows proves too much for the froghemoth and it falls with a plaintive below, body sinking into the water.
With it gone, you're able to make quick work of the remaining two boggards and now -- finally -- you seem to have done away with the tribe's threat. Some escaped, but surely not enough to cause problems for a good long time if ever again.
Katerina pulls herself out of the muck, blood and filth of the swamp. Her pale hair plastered to her scalp and clinging in bunches to her face and clothes she looks like a wet kitten. An angry wet kitten with a bloody sword in her hand. "Let's never fight that again. Especially not in a place like this" she motions to the swamp in general before moving to clean her sword.
As the other search the corpses, she wonders what other things the froghemoth has eaten. "Prazil, can we put a harness on Spike and have him drag that beast out of the muck? We should see what else is in it's gizzard or gullet or gut or whatever it is that frogs have."
Agnar helped gather all the wounded together and applied healing magic.
Marcelline uses prestidigitation to clean everybody off, humming as she does so. When she is done, she looks at everyone expectantly. "So.... party?"
"Yes of course. But now we have another story of you risking everything for the people of Hartsland." The sarcasm is almost imperceptible under Katerina's earnestness. "But before we go, I still think opening the giant frog-thing would be a good idea." She tosses her now dry hair off of her shoulder and adds, "Thanks for this, too."
Prazil and Spike come back to the group after doing a few passes over the area, Spike arriving with a happy and delighted bellow. "Well, Prazil am not for seeing any more big frogs so Prazil am for thinking fighting am for being done. But what about bad sword? Am we for leaving it in tunnels?" The knightly kobold shoots a worried look to each of the big feets before his eyes widen in alarm. "Oh! We am almost forgetting Ka-kekt!" Without waiting for a response regarding Ovinrbaane, Prazil and Spike leap to the air once more to rush toward the hut they'd found the bogstrider captive in earlier.
You free Ka-Kekt, who thanks you profusely and lets you know that you will be always welcome at the bog strider village, Tok-Nikrat.
Cutting open the froghemoth is a disgusting task, but does provide you some rewards that appear not to have been fully digested: a pair of adamantine bracers and a now-tarnished bronze rod.
Kereek watches Kat cut open the dead froghemoth. "It am sad that Devil Frog am dead. It am big foe! Kereek am for liking watching such big things."
Agnar felt a mild disgust as the creature was cut open, but it soon turned to interest in the elaborate digestive system.
"That's five, no, SIX gall bladders. Each one the size of an Taldan wine jug. Incredible. This thing could digest a whale's worth of blubber in an afternoon. But no wonder it's so ill-tempered."
"Pfff. I want people to know that I'll be risking my life for cash. That way, I actually get paid when I end up nearly dying." she says, flipping her hair and rolling her eyes.
"Let's not leave the cursed sword laying in these tunnels. It has caused too much trouble already. Let's bring it, carefully, to Pitax, and see if we can find a way to destroy it."
"Could we be for collapsing tunnels? Then sword would be buried and bad frog-people would not have tunnels to be for moving back into! It am like killing one bird with two stones!" Prazil's face lightens up at his growing mastery of his taller companions' language.
Kereek will collect the sword, careful to only touch the scabbard and glare at Prazil while he does...
They both radiate magic .
The bracers are adamantine quickmetal bracers .
[ooc]Worth 5,000 gp.
It's a lesser rod of metamagic, widen.
Using two shots from his wand of identify, Kereek examines them!
Kereek can identify one of the items (read the first spoiler!) and will check the other in 24 hours again.
Marcelline attempts to identify the second item, which Keerek could not.
Your work completely, you continue your trip, coming in time to the city of Pitax, which sits on the Pitax River, stretching into it along two peninsulas.
The city is clearly divided into three districts: Large wooden warehouses standing amid smaller wooden buildings line the docks; while large buildings made of dark limestone, some several stories in height, rise throughout this heart of the city. A large wall made from limestone of a lighter hue runs along the western border of the area, separating it from the city's third section, where small stone building stand amid older ruins. Statues, many of them of gargoyles, seem to be everywhere.
Agnar moved a practice eye across the buildings, streets and citizens of Pitax, trying to discern, through their habits of decoration, demeanor, and upkeep whether this was a community joined by love, fear, or some other emotion.
Prazil, from his saddle astride mighty Spike, ooo's at the stone work as the group advances. "Wow! Those gargoyles am for looking scary!" His tone, despite his words, is rather cheery though. He glances at the bigfeets, "Am we for going straight to tournament or am we for being here first?" Unsure of what would be proper etiquette, the rust-scaled kobold shrugs in his ignorance.
Being in a strange and crowded place puts Katerina in a pensive mood. She keeps her own counsel and watches everyone, registering whether they are a threat to her survival or not. She notes groups of young men, dark alley entries, and most especially the desperately poor. This is not Hartsland. I have to help where I can, not just upset this apple cart.
Kereek looks around, impressed despite himself. "Maybe we am for being polite and presenting us to the leaders, right?"
Nodding, Katerina agrees with Kereek. "We are representing Baron Jon, so we need to be on our best behavior."
In general, people seem to be happy as far as you can tell, Agnar. Oddly, though, there's a sense they're trying too hard. Not necessarily to be happy in the face of some deeper misery but as if all of life were a show and they were each on center stage.
Kereek looks around with interest. "We am for presenting us tomorrow, so maybe today we am looking around, seeing what town is like? Maybe they am for having moon radishes, Prazil!"
Prazil's eyes go impossibly wide at Kereek's suggestion, and the kobold slips down from Spike's saddle looking ready to dash off into the city with all haste. "We should be for asking! Now! Moonradishes am not to be missed!!"
Then, without waiting, the armored kobold shoots off into the throngs of Pitax, looking for merchants and markets and stalls.
When he finds himself repeatedly directed back to the same stinky latrine for the third time, his face falls and his spirit breaks. Sniffling, he returns to Spike after his fruitless hours, and, upon seeing his faithful steed lazing contentedly in the field, he brushes a large tear from one eye before slumping down in the grass next to him.
As soon as Marcelline arrives in town, she goes straightaway to the nearest cafe. She orders the largest, most sugary, most delicious baked good and a cup of hot chocolate. She sits at a little round table, contentedly sighing while she enjoys the fruits of modern civilization. "So, what do we know about this tournament? We're competing, right?"
As the party moves on, Kat stays with Marcelline. She's safe, at least. While passing through the market Katerina's defenses start to settle down, the rolling in her stomach stops and she doesn't feel like every person in the crowd is ready to turn on her. The petite duelist even fetches a vibrant blue and red vinok wreath. At Marcy's raised eyebrow Kat blushes some, but says, "It's a...Well, I am a maid and I want one." The old woman selling the vinok grins at her and says, "Iz no a problem. I can do the fasten if you likie, too." Katerina nods to the woman and takes a seat on a worn old wooden stool and sits still as the woman pins the hoop into Kat's long hair. Finally she's done and the stara zhinka kisses the maiden on her brow, "Pretty to marry any prince you like!" The moment is only spoiled by the exchange of coin and Marcy's not too quiet disdain.
In the cafe Kat scans the crowd one last time and looks back to Marcy, "The tournament? Wits and blades, was part of it. I was thinking you could do the witty part, but I am not sure how much acid is allowed. I was thinking I could handle the blades part, but the task is chopping a post and any oaf with an axe can do that."
Marcelline's wry smile at Katerina's fear quickly gained a fixed position on her face. What a strange girl - strong enough to take on huge monsters and ancient legends, but afraid of being seen in public. Katerina's explanation of the first two tasks reminds Marcelline of the third - a jousting competition, and the fourth - an archery competition. She laughs. "I'm happy to do a bit of boasting, and I can't imagine that any of us would be any better at chopping a log than you would. I doubt they'll let you use your aldori sword, though."
"Are we here to try and win?" she says, slurping on espresso.
Eventually, Prazil stops pouting beside Spike, nodding when Kereek comes by asking for help in carrying things into Pitax to be sold. It helps to be helping Kereek, and the heavily armored kobold makes the task of lugging weighty and unwieldy items seem easy.
Once the items and everything are sold, he claps Kereek on the shoulder for doing such a good job dealing with bigfeets. "Let's be for finding Marcy and Kat and Agnar now, Kereek! They am probably not even for knowing what to be doing without us!"
"To win?" Katerina mulls the question over. "Maybe. I can't see competing without trying to win, and winning would lend some weight to our names when it comes time to see the lords of this town." She shrugs and a smile creeps up on her. "Besides, can you imagine some oaf with an axe losing the chop-task to me?"
"Kereek am thinking that we am for trying to win, but not for looking too much like we am trying to win, yes yes? We am for impressing, but not am seeming too impressive. We am not for bragging." Kereek ponders, looking thoughtful.
Having managed to sell your items -- and procure a new cloak for Prazil -- you head northeast, to where the Rushlight Tournament is held at a massive festival ground erected by King Irovetti, about a half-mile from the southern shore of the Rushlight River itself on the banks of a minor
waterway called Cutter’s Creek.
The festival grounds are crowded with people, essentially a town in its own right. Wandering merchants jockey for space, crying their wares, whether hot from a basket or cool from a cask. Stages with jugglers, minstrels, mummers’ troupes, and trained animals dancing and leaping all vie for the attention (and the coin) of the reveling throngs. Guards patrol, most in Pitax's standard uniform, but others in full plate.
With some glee and excitement, Marcelline laughs and spins, her arms outstretched. They had finally made it to the party! She goes immediately to wherever there is alcohol, and then immediately from there to wherever there is entertainment, favoring the most ridiculous acts she can find, especially jugglers who would juggle things that are on fire.
She tips liberally when entertainers impress her, and often does acrobatic acts which are more impressive than the acts of the ones which disappoint. Anyone who wishes to spend a few hours purely partying, she drags along with her.
Kereek watches the festivities with an interested eye, but doesn't join in. Something about those creepy folks in full armor make him very nervous.
Everyone is having fun. Except those guys... Katerina gives the creepy armored men a wide berth.
Agnar lets Marcelline's enthusiasm draw him into the festivities. He does his best to keep up with her, but keeps his drinking moderate. He tips generously as well, especially when the performers can draw a laugh from the crowd.
Prazil's eyes go wide at the festival, his child-like sense of wonder stoked by the new sights and outlandish armors so unlike what he's seen in Thronehold. He cheerfully greets anyone whom he might, his voice bright and his smile broad. Catching view of the managerie, he shakes Kereek's shoulder, inadvertently causing his counterpart to be jolted and to drop a frozen treat on the ground.
"Oooo! Kereek! Look at that! You am for liking birds! We should be for going!"
Kereek snarls at Prazil for dislodging his treat! "Hmmm, maybe birds am for telling Kereek what am really going on around here?" Kereek nods and heads toward the menagerie, casting elemental speech on himself as he goes. He'll see if the local birds are anything as chatty as their Thronehold cousins!
Prazil follows along behind Kereek, eager to see all the birds before he and the others get too busy with formal duties and such. "Yeah! This am for being fun!"
Kereek greets the birds with many birdish words. He asks the birds what they have seen of the local rulers: are the crops doing well? Do the birds have plenty to eat?
The tournament grounds are absolutely filled with revelers, stands selling various kinds of food, entertainers, and other modes of entertainment. As much as you want to celebrate, after a couple of hours you are intercepted by a young man wearing heraldry which represents Pitax.
No matter where you are, he or one of his footmen find you, and inform you that you are expected to greet the King of Pitax, Castruccio Irovetti, face-to-face. The group of Pitax heralds gathers you all together and marches you right over to the King's pavilion tent. Ushering you inside, you are treated to the scents of delicious food, expensive incense, and wine. King Castruccio Irovetti is seated on an ornate chair. Behind him stands a gorgeous woman, massaging his shoulders, and at his feet sits another gorgeous young woman, massaging his feet. He smiles broadly as you enter, gesturing for you to come forward. "My friends! Speakers for the newest Riverlords, I welcome you," he says, his voice full and friendly. "I trust you're enjoying the festival grounds? And I certainly hope that you're going to enter in the competitions!"
Katerina offers King Irovetti a deep bow as she recalls all she knows of the man. Does anyone know much of him? He seems to think highly of himself... She keeps her initial distaste to herself and she introduces her compatriots. "Your Grace, we are the emissaries from Hartsland, sent by Baron Jon Sartova." Motioning with a sweep of her arm she indicates her party. "Agnar, Servant of Erastil and the people of Hartsland. Kereek, a proud Sootscale Sorcerer and his broodmate, Sir Prazil of the Sootscales. And I am Katerina, known as the Maid, a Swordlord of Restov, servant of Baron Jon."
She tries to keep an even mask as she decides she does not like this flowery speaking. But we do what we must, not what we like...