This round, Arryn switches the blessing to grant him an extra attack. A dagger pops into his hand and solid purple force energy ripples along its blade and out as Arryn steps forward and slashes twice.
x 1.5 = 40
x 1.5 = 31
The torrent of force tears through Arryn. He channels some of it into his force ward.
AC is 21 for this round.
Brostic will move behind Violet and cast a healing spell, closing some of her wounds.
Dorrin quickly reloads and works to take a better aim at the dragon. "I've got ya in my sights now, beastie. Now yer goin' ta pay." And with that, the dwarf lets loose bolt after bolt, hoping to find flesh beneath that exterior plate of the dragon.
Vexras sighs softly to himself. ”This is not how all the great stories of dragon slayings are told.” Confident that Violet is in good hands and that Brostic will do all he can to help her, The blacksmith draws what power there is from the small pearl then darts up into the air and loops around behind the dragon. ”You dragons sure do like to make up terribly ostentatious names for yourselves don’t you? ‘Scar-maker?’ Pfah! Was that really your best? Be honest now.”
As the tiefling loops about and gets into position, he hopes that he proves needlesome enough to draw the dragon’s attention away from his companions.
HP: 39/45
AC: 24 (18 T / 16 FF)
Resist 5: cold, electricity, fire
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +7/+7/+6
Arcane Pool used: 3/7
Extend charges used: 1/3
PoP used: 1/2
|Prepared Spells|
Cantrips (4): acid splash, detect magic, mage hand, read magic
Lvl 1 (3): mage armor [X], magic missile [X], shocking grasp [X]
Lvl 2 (2): mirror image [X], scorching ray [X]
Lvl 3 (1): haste [X]
Ongoing Effects
mage armor, extended (12 hours): +4 AC
arcane pool: +1 keen (7/10)
piranha strike: -2/+4
prayer (7/7): +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks
bof (6/7): +2’s (to hit, AC, Ref saves)
"I think my life just flashed before my eyes. It was short and narratively unfulfilling."
As a swift action, Violet consumes a use of Martial Flexibility (7/9) to pick up Dedicated Adversary (Dragons) and attempts to perforate the Scar-Maker.
She will use the extra attack from Blessing of Fervor for a total of 4 stabs.
This dice roller is a hobbo.
Arryn: 9
Violet: 9
Dorrin: 21
Vexras: 14
Brostic: 13
Antagonist: 13
Arryn steps up and slashes at the dragon to no avail, as he's joined by Violet. Still, her near-death experience -- even with Brostic healing her wounds -- has left her shaken, and she's only able to pierce the dragon's scales once.
Dorrin's first bolt hits home, but the second bounces off the dragon's armored chest as Vexras loops around behind it, taking a vicious bite in the process .
Annoyed at Violet's cut, it bites at her again. She screams as the fangs sink into her, this time unable to avoid the blackness of unconsciousness. . He lets out a sibilant hiss of laughter -- "This is your last chance, little creatures. Flee now, and I will let you live" -- and wings back outside the tower, turning to prepare to attack again.
Ibzairiak: 88, 1 rounds
The dragon pinched between himself and Arryn, Vexras carefully casts a spell before lashing out with three rapid cuts of his enchanted sword. ”My teeth may not be as sharp as yours, but perhaps you now see that my sword more than makes up for it? Oooo. Oh, I am terribly sorry. I got you pretty well with that last one, didn’t I? In fact, you know, I think that one might leave a scar.”
HP: 25/45
AC: 24 (18 T / 16 FF)
Resist 5: cold, electricity, fire
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +7/+7/+6
Arcane Pool used: 3/7
Extend charges used: 1/3
PoP used: 2/2
|Prepared Spells|
Cantrips (4): acid splash, detect magic, mage hand, read magic
Lvl 1 (3): mage armor [X], magic missile [X], shocking grasp [X]
Lvl 2 (2): mirror image [X], scorching ray [X]
Lvl 3 (1): haste [X]
Ongoing Effects
mage armor, extended (12 hours): +4 AC
arcane pool: +1 keen (8/10)
piranha strike: -2/+4
bof (7/7): extra attack!
Spell Combat: -2 to hit
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Unfortunately, Arryn’s force blade disappears after his attack, but he slashes with the dagger.
”Sorry I don’t have a snappy comeback, so have this rock instead.”
As the dragon moves off, Arryn drops the dagger, switches the blessing to +2 to attack, gathers power, lifts one of the dragon’s stupid boulders, and hurls it at the flying reptile with a sickening crunch.
x 1.5 = 74
With the dragon out of range, Brostic will release another pulse of energy from Erastil.
Spells: Blessings of Fervor: 1 round remaining
Dorrin continues his assault upon the dragon.
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Arryn: 9
Violet: 9
Dorrin: 21
Vexras: 14
Brostic: 13
Antagonist: 13
Vexras cuts the dragon, drawing an angry hiss, but as it spins and opens its mouth to breath another gout of acid at the tiefling, Arryn's flung boulder slams right between its jaws. The impact snaps its neck back and it falls from the sky, falling into the gorge around the fort and never moving again.
Violet's head snaps up and she grabs for her waveblade, "Wherza dragon!" She looks around confused. She slowly stands up and peers outside. She spots the dragon's broken body in the gorge below.
"Oh!"
She sits down and holds her head.
"Sorry, I think I blacked out a couple times. Good job, everyone. Let's maybe take a nap." Violet is probably concussed.
As he watches the dragon fall, Dorrin lowers his crossbow and decides to resheathes it once the coast is officially clear. Making his way over to the others, "Nice work, lot," he compliments plainly. "That's at least one major problem we've taken care of. Let's search the place and see if they've left anythin' lyin' around that might give us a clue as ta what they're plannin' next. They're bad guys and they're pathetic. I fully expect them ta do somethin' dumb like that." Dorrin will proceed as planned.
”They kind of already did,” Arryn says, pulling the maps out. He taps the newest annotation. ”Longshadow. Either they’ve taken it, in which case we need to take it back, or they’re about to try to take it, in which case I feel very strongly about stopping them.”
Brostic looks over the room and adds "It looks like all the threats from this location have been taken care of. Any wounds that still need tending to?"
Vexras pats his hands all over his person at Brostic’s question, checking to see that all his parts are still attached. He takes his tail in hand and holds the end of it up on display, ”I am a little scratched up, no small miracle given the size of that dragon’s teeth, but I do still seem to have all my parts. Thank you for your ministrations, my friend.” The tiefling then zips over to the breach in the wall and looks down. ”Well, if Arryn didn’t kill the thing, I am sure that fall finished the job. Brostic, how much longer do I have this gift of flight of yours? Minutes or moments?”
If the remaining duration is sufficient, the weapon smith flies down into the gorge to ensure that the dragon is indeed dead. And, if time is a luxury in the endeavor, he brings back a scale and claw and tooth or six as trophies for the group.
”They kind of already did,” Arryn says, pulling the maps out. He taps the newest annotation. ”Longshadow. Either they’ve taken it, in which case we need to take it back, or they’re about to try to take it, in which case I feel very strongly about stopping them.”
Taking a glance at the maps, "Really? That's it? Sure was hopin' there would've been a bit more than that. Ah well. Take what you can get."
”I could use some healing, also.”
He’s about to roll up the maps when he pauses and flattens them again. He puts his finger at the woods near Phaendar. ”Our people are here. Hobgoblins are here, here, and all over here,” he says, pointing at lots of points near there, then points at their current location. ”We’re here. This place is far from hobbies and quite defensible. Anybody think we could get them all safely here?”
Arryn also looks around the pond area for the source of the water.
"It lasts several minutes, you should be good to scout around for a short time." Brostic replies to Vexras.
"I think Vexras is still wounded Arryn, once he returns from ensuring the dragon is indeed dead I will send out some healing energy."
Once Vexras returns, Brostic will channel positive energy.
As you collect yourself after being certain the dragon is dead, you take some moments to look around. You notice one little niche that you hadn't gotten into during the fight with a large table. The rubble has been cleared away from around the table. A collection of scales, stones, and other oddments are arrayed upon the table around a humanoid effigy made of rotten twigs. The collection includes several large black dragon scales -- larger than Ibzairiak’s scales -- coated with a thin sheen of mold, a few dead centipedes, and small, smooth rocks covered with black slime.
You think it's an approximation of the symbol of the demon lord of fungus Cyth-V’sug, though clearly crafted by someone who didn’t know what the symbol was.
You also discover Ibzairiak’s hoard scattered at the bottom of the shallow pool. It consists of 232 cp, 2,114 sp, 2,128 gp, a +1 shock bastard sword, a +1 light crossbow, a belt of incredible dexterity +2, a potion of hide from animals, two potions of fly, a wand of fireball (16 charges), a wand of summon monster II (22 charges), a massive black pearl (worth 650 gp), a golden manticore statue (worth 110 gp), a set of six silver dice (worth 75 gp), a gold holy symbol of Abadar (worth 100 gp), a silver scepter etched with eagles (worth 125 gp), a set of silver wind chimes embossed with writhing serpents (worth 60 gp), and a bent lance (broken and worthless).
The dragon had on him an amulet of mighty fists, while the hobgoblin had antiplague (2), troll oil, mwk lamellar armor, mwk scimitar, mwk sling, amulet of natural armor +2, beast-bond brand, druid’s vestment, gardening shears, holly, mistletoe and a spell component pouch.
--
With the threats neutralized, Arryn is quite happy to rest for a bit, but eventually gets restless and starts training with his powers, specifically on the dragon's stupid boulders, lifting them with his mind like weights. He also approaches Vexras and Violet.
"I've been working out some new tricks that might be useful in a fight, and I was wondering if you'd mind letting me practice on you. I promise it won't hurt you--not those kind of tricks. Dregg and I...well, it's helpful sometimes to have a moving target to practice on."
If they're willing, Arryn would like to practice his new telekinetic maneuvers ability, which lets him bullrush, disarm, grapple, trip, and steal combat maneuvers at range.
He’s about to roll up the maps when he pauses and flattens them again. He puts his finger at the woods near Phaendar. ”Our people are here. Hobgoblins are here, here, and all over here,” he says, pointing at lots of points near there, then points at their current location. ”We’re here. This place is far from hobbies and quite defensible. Anybody think we could get them all safely here?”
Looking at the map as he speaks, Dorrin looks up once he's finished and nods. "Absolutely. No doubt in me mind, lad. But this note here that leads towards Longshadow, we've got ta make sure they don't take that. That kind of setback would be difficult to overcome. Not impossible, mind you, but difficult."
”We have enough capable folks at the camp who could escort them here. I meant ‘we’ in a collective sense. ‘WE’,” he adds making a circling gesture to point at those present, ”Need to kick some hobby ass out of Longshadow.”
Still woozy, Violet nods clumsily to Arryn. "Sure thing, boss. See if you can keep up with me." She trips over some debris.
What Arryn does do that evening after the battle, while Violet recovers from her concussion, is ruminate out loud about how useful it would be to communicate the danger to Longshadow and all of southern Nirmathas to the officials in Tamran. Assuming Brostic rises to the bait, he suggests that they could assure that their warning is taken seriously by directing the spell to General Mitchum Woodhaver and beginning the message with the words, ”Your son Arryn lives.”
”Pops will either send in the military to save us, or to arrest me for treason. Either way, the people of Phaendar win.”
Perhaps something like:
Your son, Arryn, lives. Ironfang Legion has foothold in Phaendar. Mysterious black tower likely involved. Advancing on Longshadow. Settling refugees at Fort Trevalay. Send help.
With the danger from the tower removed and his freedom secured, Brostic breathes a sigh of relief. After asking how he could ever repay the kindness bestowed upon him, he heeds Arryn's request and prepares divine spells for communication on the morrow.
After much discussion and attention to detail, the exact phrasing of the message Brostic will send is agreed upon.
"Fortunately, I have met this General Woodhaver previously, so I am able to send him this message. I am ready to begin. This spell takes some time to complete, so I will need someone to ensure I am not interrupted."
Brostic begins casting the spell to inform the General of their current situation. He focuses on the individual while weaving his hands over a piece of fine copper wire. His mind reaches out and connects with the official in Tamran and conveys the exact message agreed upon:
"Your son, Arryn, lives. Ironfang Legion has foothold in Phaendar. Mysterious black tower likely involved. Advancing on Longshadow. Settling refugees at Fort Trevalay. Send help."
"The message has been sent. Waiting to see if he responds."
After a few moments, Brostic receives a response.
"My son? Who is this? They advance on Tamran as well, you are on your own for now until we are victorious."
”Oh, hell no. Border skirmishes—they happen. Raids on border settlements—they happen. Some uppity warlord gets greedy and grabs a town—okay, we deal. But full on invasion of a peaceful nation—hell no!! This is too far. There’s no time for heading back to camp. This stops now. Brostic, send a message to Aramis back at our camp that Fort Trevelay is clear and defensible, and they should strongly consider relocating away from Phaendar. There’s shelter here and if they absolutely had to, they could cut the bridges. We’re heading to Longshadow, right now. The line must be drawn here—this far, and no further!”
With his arms crossed as he listens to Brostic's report, and the outburst of Arryn, the dwarf chews on the inside of his lip in thought a moment. Eventually he simply shrugs. "Don't worry about it, lad, we got this. We go ta Longshadow and we clear that area of the disgusting hobbos and after that, we'll go from there. Get yer message out about Fort Trevelay - and get it out quickly for time is against us - and whatever they decide ta do with it, they do with it. We canno' force 'em ta listen ta reason. We've got ta take care of what we can take care of and that's really all we can do," he states practically.
"By the way, don't suppose we've come across any bolts, have we? I could use some more. I'm not out but it won't be long at this rate."
"I'm terribly sorry Arryn, but I don't think I've ever met Aramis before. I can try to send them a message, but I think the spell may fail. I need to be at least familiar with the person I am try to send the message to.
Is it possible to send the message to someone else at your camp that I might know?"
Well, if the create water spell is embedded in a specific ceiling stone, Arryn's quite happy to yank that sucker out of there and relocate it somewhere more useful.
And yes, I think heading to Longshadow ASAP is in order. Best case scenario, they get there before the hobbies and warn them. Worst case, the hobbies don't get to completely outfit their army with Nirmathas' own weapons before they annihilate them.
Around the fire that evening, Arryn turns to Brostic. ”So what’s your story? Both of your stories?” he adds, nodding to Dorrin. ”What steps along life’s path led you here? Come to think of it, I don’t believe I caught your story either, Violet. Aramis would chew me out for being a douche and being too self-absorbed to ask about other people, so please forgive me, but I would really like to know.”
"Oh, you know, grew up in Phaendar, got in a lot of fights with my folks because I kept getting in fights with other folks, eventually ran away and trained with a circle of druids in the Fangwood. Typical teenage rebellion stuff."
Her face softens.
"I do miss my parents, though. I hope they're okay."
Arryn tenses, then hesitantly asks, ”What are their names?”
Vexras listens as Arryn draws the group into conversation, and his face softens as it turns to the subject of family and separation.
"Born and raised on a farm just north of Phaendar. Family also hunted in the Chernasardo forest. When I was little, the sight of blood always bothered me - especially whenever a family member was hurt during a hunt. I met this old hermit in the forest who taught me about Erastil and the healing arts. When my father retired from the Chernasardo rangers, my brothers and I joined up. I've been patrolling the region for a few years. Also minister to those who need healing. I find that some of the plans and herbs can also help with diseases or other ailments. Fascinating stuff.
Oh, I also use this guy to help me hunt." Brostic adds as a hawk circles over his head. "I named him Blider - short for born to glide.
I was in town buying some supplies when I got ambushed by some hobgoblins. Knocked me out before I had a chance to even see them. Sneaky little buggers. But I doubt anyone dislikes them more than Dorrin."
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"Audrey and Seymour. They ran--run the flower and herb shop, Little Shop of Horticulture. I hadn't seen them in over a year."
Violet is clearly wrestling with some guilt.
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Arryn releases the breath he had been holding. ”Violet, I’m sorry. I know who they are but they aren’t in our refugee camp. That doesn’t mean go to the worst spot, though. We’ve scouted Phaendar after it fell and they clearly many have prisoners. I’m sure life isn’t that great for them, but there’s every reason to believe they’re alive and reachable. After we finish with Longshadow, I’m thinking we take this crack team we’ve assembled and take back our home, too. Whaddaya say?”
”Forts are very different from towns, my friend. I’ve no doubt that there’s enough heart just between the four of you to accomplish such a thing, but I do wonder if we might need more bodies. Especially if we mean to hold what we retake. Perhaps we might find the numbers we need in Longshadow, perhaps we might need to find allies elsewhere.”
Around the fire that evening, Arryn turns to Brostic. ”So what’s your story? Both of your stories?” he adds, nodding to Dorrin. ”What steps along life’s path led you here? Come to think of it, I don’t believe I caught your story either, Violet. Aramis would chew me out for being a douche and being too self-absorbed to ask about other people, so please forgive me, but I would really like to know.”
The dwarf simply stares at Arryn for a long moment with his arms crossed. Finally, after taking a deep breath, his features grow grim and quite serious as he looks off into the distance. "Well it's like this," he starts before turning his attention directly toward the Kineticist and staring him dead in the eye with all seriousness before replying with, "I. HATE. GOBBOS. Story enough for ya? I sure hope so because I DON'T DO BACKSTORY, LAD."
Relaxing - if there is such a thing with this dwarf - "Okay, now that that's out of the way, I'm thinkin' we need ta ready ourselves for Longshadow and head out asap. And I've no problem in attemptin' ta take back Phaendar at any time. And we'll find yer parents, Violet, and I'm bankin' on findin' them alive," he states with absolute confidence.
A thought then occurs to him. "I'm curious about somethin', lass. Did they ever give names to these plants? Because I've know some folk that use to do that. One actually named it after herself but just slapped a 'II' by it. Like if it was your mother it would've been called: 'Audrey II'. I always thought that was kind of odd. But I'm not much on raisin' plants, so, there ya go," he states matter of factly, shrugging.
Once you're finally sorted, and know the other refugees are on their way to the fort under Aramis' guidance, you begin making your way toward Longshadow, steadily heading north.
You haven't gone far -- a day or two, perhaps -- when you start seeing signs of a large group, probably about two dozen Dorrin figures based on the path they've left in the woods. He's easily able to track them back to their source should he desire.
”My grandfather enjoyed whittling as a hobby, but I never got into it. Maybe it’s time to start and reduce some numbers a bit.”
Narrowing his eyes, "Let's see where these tracks lead. They look dwarven so that would definitely help us out if that's the case." Dorrin then proceeds to lead the way, following the tracks.