Once Upon a Time in Golarion (Inactive)

Game Master vayelan

The Vixen ignores the not-cracked brick's question, and looks at the archer beside her. "Me plan's to pull out a blade o' me own, drop it, and then tell 'em to do as I done with me weapon. They will." The Vixen opens her purse, revealing a pair of fabric shears. "That's the blade I'll drop. It ain't a real weapon, but it'll do the trick for the do-as-I-do bit."

Sorry for the delay. My holiday chaos should be done now.

For how much sway the Vixen claims to hold over the party, her ruse has just as much efficacy on the mercenaries. They lower the aim on their weapons by barely perceptible inches, and they no longer insist upon seeing the party's weapons surrendered. Nevertheless, they remain keen to see the adventurers dead so they can, presumably, collect the rest of their pay.

With even less cause to suspect her, the archer and his comrades offer no objection as the Vixen draws dangerously close.

The Vixen nods to the man beside her, then removes the shears from her purse and does as promised. Dangling the blade by her fingertips, she raises it for the bricks and the gnome to see.

"I see we've all our guards up, but since ye trust me—or rather, ye trust the magic that tells ye to—I've full confidence ye'll follow me example. I'm gonna drop me blade. Then ye're to do same as I do with me weapon."

5 ft step...
The Vixen takes a step back and lets the blade slip from her fingertips. Then she reveals her true weapon—

Power Attack:
Kick: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

—by kicking the archer beside her!

Ahto raises his crossbow and fires it at the man who spoke, presuming him to be the leader of the group.

Ranged Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Wonky realises the precarious nature of the ruse despite the fact that - with the fire-kissed newcomer - they outnumber the assassins. Her reasoning probably has something to do with the remainder of the Stag King's mercenary forces camped all around them as well.

It would be best to make the most of this shot, she thinks briefly.

I will use a combat Inspiration (2 slots) for this shot.

Wonky lets fly her alchemist's fire from the newly-modified stone bow; her target - the apparent spellcaster - represents the most dangerous target to her arcane-centric reasoning.

Ranged Attack, Projectile + Splash Weapon: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 6 + (1) = 171d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (3) = 6

Here's hoping that flat-footed AC counts for something!

On her move, Sprocket, already coiled for a strike, darts forward at the spellcaster as well!

Melee Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 61d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Sprocket's bite misses the mark.

"Oh, we's fightings now?"

Sams will oblige by charging the nearest enemy!
Charge, Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 - 1 = 18; Damage (nonlethal): 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10

The sharp heel of the Vixen's shoe catches the archer utterly by surprise, bearing all the sting of any stiletto blade. His growling pain turns into a full howl as Sams rushes up, swinging a thick fist and cracking him across the jaw.

Ahto's bolt grazes the archer who seems to lead this detachment of mercenaries, eliciting snarled curses.

The flask launched by Wonky's modified stonebow flies true and strikes its target, dousing the mercenary spellcaster with flaming oil. Unexpectedly shrill shrieks of pain chorus his chaotic, impromptu dance as he desperately tries to stamp out the flames. Sprocket barrels forth, but his teeth find no purchase upon the quickly moving legs of the now-flaming spellcaster.

I've updated the encounter map. The Vermillion Vixen and Wonky are at the top of the initiative order.

"Yes," the Vixen replies to the not-cracked brick. To her flat-footed foe, she adds, "To the death!"

Her thick thigh rises and explodes with another mighty kick—
Kick: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

—then wheels around attempting a third strike!
2nd Kick: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Ahto drops his crossbow and moves towards the assassins, drawing his sword as he moves.

Once he closes the distance, he brings his blade down to strike the nearest foe.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Wonky blinks in utter shock at how well her initial attack went. She stares at the caster to determine what, if anything, she gleans from his appearance that directs her what type of casting to expect.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Oh my sweet secrets.

She then snaps back to the present. Spying her foes engaging well one other member of the assassin band, she directs Sprocket to charge the nearest unengaged hireling.

"Sprocket! Attack!!" She points at 'Healer'.

The small dog pivots, circles around the flame-wreathed summoner, and races at the hooded figure.

Sprocket Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 221d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Wonky herself downs the other extract in her hand (True Strike) and readies her stonebow at the last unattacked member of the crew ('Sniper'). As an afterthought, she steps behind Ahto's form, remembering Vixen's words.

Forgive me, dear Ahto, for using you as a shield.

Five foot step to be in line - and behind - Ahto.

The Vixen's next kick introduces her foe to even more pain, though the follow up is not as accurate.

Wonky recognizes from the arcane trinkets the spellcaster carries that he likely focuses on the conjuration school of magic.
Meanwhile, Sprocket latches onto the mercenary healer's calf from behind.

Baldar Reflex Save to Extinguish Flames: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Baldar, the conjurer, dedicates the moment to dousing the flames clinging to his trunk and arms. Using his gloved hands and his robes, me manages to extinguish the fire before suffering more burns.

The conjurer uses a full-round action to extinguish the alchemist's fire.
Sams is up next.

Sams launches his own strikes at the (flat-footed?) archer in front of him.

Flurry, Power Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4; Nonlethal Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Flurry, Power Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17; Nonlethal Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

The first one misses wildly but the second? . . .

Sams' left hook connects, landing heavily just above the man's solar plexus, knocking the wind from his lungs a moment before sending him tumbling, unconscious, to the ground.

The hound-harried healer shakes Sprocket loose from his leg and steps away from the dog. He drops his crossbow, and as he struggles to unhook his mace, he invokes a divine spell that Ahto recognizes as a simple blessing.

The other archer raises his bow and snaps off a shot at Ahto while edging away from the fight. With precision earned from much experience as a manhunter, the foe's arrow plunges into Ahto's stomach.

The pain from the wound seems to slow the inquisitor's skill at arms, for his blade goes wide as he steps forward to confront the mercenary healer - an affront to his own dutiful vocation.

The red archer is knocked out. The enemy healer casts Bless. Ahto takes 12 damage, and his previously posted attack misses.
The Vixen and Wonky are up again.

The Vixen dashes toward Baldar.

Eyes on his smoldering robe, she quips, "Love the smokin' jacket."

She twists her hip and drives her boot into her target!

Kick: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

"Ye'll go to Hell in style, won't ye then?"

~25' move + standard attack. Normal movement, not a charge.

The arrow sinks deep into Ahto's stomach.

That arrow was meant for me, the gnome thinks, then takes a deep breath, gives a shrill whistle to her beloved pet, and fires her stonebow at the mace-wielding mercenary.

Ranged Attack, True Strike, penalty for firing into melee: 1d20 + 6 + 20 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 20 - 4 = 231d4 ⇒ 1

Her magically-enhanced shot grazes the healer. Wonky turns her attention to directing Sprocket's jaws.

"Sprocket! לוחם חץ!!"

The dog turns from the retreating healer and charges the sniper.

Melee Attack, Charge: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 141d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Sprocket's quick, scampering relocation seems to compromise his ferocity, for the sniper manages to evade his bite.

Baldar is unamused by the Vixen's quip, and even less so by her stinging kick.
He reels from the blow, stepping away from her and begins to work his magic.

"You treacherous harpy," he hisses as he finishes his summoning incantation.

Plumes of smoke rise from the ground around the Vermilion Vixen and vanish just as quickly, revealing a trio of summoned hounds in their place. They quickly lunge for the Vixen, and one manages to seize its jaws painfully upon her leg.

Baldar takes a 5 foot step and casts Summon Monster II, using it to summon 3 (Augmented) Celestial Dogs and directing them to attack the Vermilion Vixen. One of the dogs hits with its bite attack and deals 6 damage to the Vixen.
Sams is up next, and Ahto can also post his next action.

Sams steps up continues his reckless series of attacks against the next-nearest enemy, which happens to be the healer.

Flurry: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18; Nonlethal Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Flurry: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17; Nonlethal Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Though he's worried about the newly-arrived dogs. "Hey, bad, bad doggies!"

(Swift Action: Activate Judgment: Healing, 1 hp/round)

Ahto takes another swing with his great sword at his opponent.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Sams' flurry of pummeling fists knocks out the healer, who drops his mace just like he himself drops to the grassy hillside. Perhaps fortunately for the fallen foe, this saves him from the bite of Ahto's blade.

The remaining archer turns tail and tries to escape, running from Sprocket and the rest of the party. However, even if he escapes you, his flight will likely take him dangerously close to the lurking Paval and Hexa.

The Healer is down and the Sniper takes a Withdraw action.
The Vixen and Wonky are up again.

"Sams, it is time to GET BIG!" Wonky yells out at the brawler, reminding him to drink the extract that she gave him much earlier.

She then moves to Ahto's side, pulling a similar vial from her bandolier as she goes.

"I did not want you to feel left out as well, if you are feeling up to it, Ahto."

The gnome offers another infusion of enlarge person to the inquisitor.

And if you don't want it, Ahto, then Wonky will use the rest of her move to offer you the potion of cure light wounds in her bandolier instead.

Sprocket remains within 30 feet of Wonky, allowing the sniper to escape unmolested.

The Vixen responds to the term harpy,

"Then ye know cowering behind a wall o' dogs won't keep ye from me talons."

She jumps past the dogs—

5 ft step to melee range vs Baldar + Acro Check to avoid AoO + Full Atk

Acro: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

—and landing her harpy's flight with a sweep kick from her masterwork boots!

Trip: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Dirty Fighting, so since I'm not flanking Baldar, my trip provokes AoO from him, but not the dogs.

As for the gnome's talk o' big men, the Vixen says to Baldar, "Dismiss yer hell-hounds, Coward, or those big men and I'll finish ye."

Ahto takes the vial of growth potion from Wonky and swallows its contents.

He then moves towards the summoner and his hounds as the magic takes effect.

The Vixen nimbly flits past the dogs' snapping jaws, evading even the tiniest scratch. When she lands back on her feet, she crouches down and spins like a wheel, her leg outstretched like a long spoke. Baldar stumbles back a step in a futile attempt to evade, but his dominant leg is caught be the Vixen's sweep and he tumbles to the ground.

Wonky darts between her comrades, distributing her vials to seal the party's growing edge in the skirmish. Meanwhile, Sprocket woofs threateningly at the fleeing sniper, daring the man to return.

Baldar tries to rise, but his efforts are stymied by an axe heel kick from the Vixen. Staggering onto his feet, he draws a wand from his belt and orders his summoned hounds to continue tearing apart the traitor. One of the beasts seizes hold of the Vixen's arm in its maw, nearly dragging her down as its teeth grind against bone.

Baldar is tripped and takes the AoO when he stands. One of the dogs bites the Vixen for 7 damage.
The party may act now.

Ahto swings his massive blade at the nearest hound, trying to cleave the beast in two.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 = 23

Damage: 3d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2, 5) + 3 + 1 = 13

(Healing Judgement, 1 hp/round)

♥️10/23

If allowed without acro, 5ft step to right of Baldar. Full attack in any case.

The Vixen counts on her allies to keep the mutts off her. Even the sharp pain in her arm doesn't break her laser-focus on the man who called the damned dogs.

Kick: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Kick Again: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

If Baldar's still alive, she says, "Me allies're bigger than yers. Best ye send yer hounds back to hell before the giants toss ye there in pieces."

"GET BIGGER!" cries Sams, echoing one of his favorite phrases. Sams charges into the melee and drinks the potion that Wonky has made for him. He looms menacingly over the summoner. "Yous! Makes the bad doggies STOP!"

Move and drink Enlarge Potion.

Ahto's strike cleaves the summoned hound in twain. The two halves dissipate into wispy white smoke as the creature returns home.

The Vixen's last kick barely connects, but her foot lands heavily just below Baldar's sternum. The impact is the last that he can take, and he slumps unconscious to the ground.

Although the man who summoned them has fallen, the dogs remain. However, with the connection to him severed, they seem to revert to instinctual behavior - and they appear on the verge of fleeing from the towering figures of Sams and Ahto.

Wonky can still act this round, then the remaining dogs will flee until the summoning expires and they return to their home plane.

The Vixen smirks triumphantly as Baldar falls under her heel. A part of her is glad to see her new allies have witnessed her prowess in battle. Another part of her is glad their lumbering forms scared off the dogs. Parts o' me're stuck in the dogs' f*+#ing teeth, she thinks as she masks her pain with a victorious grin.

Bluff ('Tis But a Scratch): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Wonky calls Sprocket to her side, reloads a stone in her gnome-made weapon, and pulls a potion of curing from her belt to offer her colleagues.

"Shoo! Bad doggies!" Big Sams gives a warning kick to the fleeing dogs before watching them scatter.

"Wow, yous is a strong lady!" he says, after watching her triumph over the pack of dogs. "Yous should try some Make Bigger juices too!"

The Vixen looks up—way, way up!—at a man she really didn't think could be any bigger.

"Thanks. I might be up for a strong drink, but not one that makes me gain nine hundred pounds in an instant."

She looks at her own felled opponent, bloodied from her piercing kicks, then at the two that the Not-Cracked Brick dropped.

"We took down the first together. Can't help but notice yer style. Ye aim to knock out, not kill, even knowing these assassins meant to kill ye." Guess it'd be weird to acknowledge this, then stomp out Baldar's eyeballs. I suppose Baldar the Braggart's spared for now then, if that's how the lawmen prefer.

"Shall I call ye Gentle Giant, or have ye a real name I can use?"

Ahto sheaths his sword and moves to restrain any of the men who are not dead. If any are bleeding, he calls upon the power of Abadar to staunch the bloodflow, so that he can bring the men to justice in this world before they face Pharasma's in the next.

(Casting stabilize)

In the distance, you see the fleeing hounds fade into smoke as they, too, return to their home plane once the pact of their summoning is expired.

From the other direction, Hexa and Paval rejoin the party - dragging with them the corpse of the fleeing sniper, who they kept from alerting the rest of the bandits and mercenaries. He is the only member of the scout party that was slain. The other three, including Baldar, yet live thanks to Ahto's dutiful ministrations.

The Vixen sees the Cracked Brick restraining the fallen. She decides to help by taking her fabric shears and (after wiping the dirt off and quietly cursing herself for using a masterwork artisan tool as a prop) she makes some quick cuts along the edges of the summoner's robe.

"Blindfold and gag," she explains as she expertly makes cuts, flawlessly rectangular and just the right lengths and widths for their purposes. "Don't want this loudmouth making more dogs with his magic." She then looks imploringly at the brick, then turns her head to face each so her emerald eyes show through the battle-mask. "Speaking o' magic, I don't suppose there's any healers among ye who'll do something about me arm, me leg, and... oh, a Mending spell'd save me some stitches, if ye know that one."

Ahto places a hand upon the Key around his neck, and rests the other upon the fiery woman’s shoulder. ”May Abadar’s grace bind your wounds and ease your pain.”

Cure Light Wounds, on Vixen: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Noting her wounds weren’t completely closed, he touches her again.

Cure Light Wounds again: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Ahto then moves over to the corpse of the bandit archer, reaches for the Iron Key of Abadar around his own neck, and intones a prayer.

"Be it Abadar's will that the sins you committed in life, the same sins that condemned you to death, be consumed in the fires of justice. May that same fire give me strength, and light my way through the darkness of anarchy and chaos."

As he speaks, a small white flame appears; hovering in the air mere inches before his face. An inky black, almost liquid smoke rises from the mouths of the corpse and slithers upwards, drawn as if through a hollow reed towards the flame.

As the smoke is consumed, the candle-like flame becomes a torch-sized ball of fire. Ahto reaches out with his free hand and grasps the fire, cradling it in his hand. He brings it to his mouth, and inexplicably, swallows it; the licking flames flowing into his mouth as if from a drinking horn.

Ahto shudders as he swallows, the light of the fire slowly diffusing across his skin. The cut in his side closes, leaving a pink line of new skin.

Eat Sin: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

♥️♥️23/23

The Vixen thanks the Cracked Brick, and is relieved to see that not only is she healed, but the sniper who she thought got away instead got what's coming to him! Though, when it does come... Holy s@%#. Glad I'm on this Abadar's good side.

"Well, uh... I ain't got yer name, Abadarian. But then, to be fair, I never did give mine. Miss Vix, regrettably's, how I introduced meself. I think I prefer VV as the short form. The whole of it's The Vermilion Vixen. Take yer pick then.

"There's more to tell, but... this ain't exactly the place to stand around and chat. I take it ye mean to bring the live ones with us?"

The Vixen dutifully squats down and scoops Baldar's belly under her now-healed arm. It takes a bit of effort to pull the unconscious man into a fireman's carry, but the Vixen's legs straighten with ease as she rises with Baldar propped over a shoulder—despite the summoner outweighing the Vixen by a few stone.

Medium Load = 134-266 lbs.; Carrying Cap. as if 20 STR; +2 from Muscle of Society trait and +1 from trendy MW backpack

She carries her victim to where the Gentle Giant dropped the others and says, "Milani gives me strength, but I can only lug a man so far. Shall we rope the dopes, with casters blindfolded and gagged? The spotter's got eyes good enough for three men, so he can be the bound leading the blind."

She casually drops Baldar between the other unconscious men.

"Well met, Miss Vixen," Ahto replies. giving a curt nod of his head. "My name of Ahto Ulrych, of the Church of Abadar, Master of the First Vault. You may simply call 'Ahto' for the sake of the urgency of our situation."

He turns to the group. "We have live prisoners who doubtlessly have valuable information, but we have no time for lengthy interrogation. We also have a small army on the move towards the Post. I suggest we make haste back there, now that we have confirmed their approach. We will have time to marshal the garrison, and in the interim, glean what we can from this would-be assassins before they stand trial."

He looks to the group, including he newcomer, to offer their opinions and recommendations.

The Vixen sees her opinion is welcome, but it probably would be anyway since she's in complete agreement.

"Works for me, Ahto. Oh, but speaking of information, no point beating stuff out of 'em that I can tell ye meself."

She points southwest. On map, the green hex SW of Area #8.

"The bandits' fort's over there." Um... it's one hex far. I suppose VV knows the rough distance in miles.

The Vixen then starts cutting more cloth to make blindfolds and gags as she speaks—

"I suppose ye might already know that, but I'm pretty sure ye don't know the hillside's built on shallow graves o' zombies. Some o' the mercs didn't know, and were almost torn to shreds by undead. Basically, they're guard-beasts for the bandits, but seems the bandits don't control 'em. Just convenient neighbors is all."

—lips flapping, shears clipping, her monologue relentless as a gossiping hairstylist—

"Oh, and maybe ye know this bit. The bandits're pissed about some guy called the Stag Lord. Don't know what became o' him, just that the old boss is preferred o'er the new boss, Dovan o' Nisroch. Ain't met him meself, but ain't heard a kind words on his behalf either. Lot o' dissent among the men. Only think keeping 'em together's a promise of a big payday."

—and for a girl who spoke of stomping out men's eyeballs, she is a meticulous professional, ever-so-careful not to let her shears even scratch the felled enemy as she makes quick, accurate cuts.

With the blindfolds and gags ready (and if the men are to be tied together, as VV suggested, she presumes the Gentle Giant would handle that), the Vixen asks,

"Sooo... how do we wake these guys up? I never let an opponent live before."

Wonky makes certain that Sprocket is unhurt before rejoining the group.

"We should get these scoundrels out of here without waking them so as to avoid alerting the bandits," the gnome suggests, then turns to VV. "And I am Wonky Prong, Jr. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You will need to excuse me; I have never been the subject of an assassination attempt before. This is all so exciting!" She seems almost happy.

"Regardless of my emotional state, I would think for our safety and that of our dear Oleg, we should make haste and exit this bloody field with our prisoners."

She briefly regards the torn and broken corpse of the one called 'Sniper' while the small furry dog following her heel cocks its head and sniffs the air around the Vermilion Vixen.

Perception (to see if there's loot): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"Me first time thwarting one," she says of Wonky's reaction to the assassination attempt. "Glad ye find our experience exciting."

Regarding Wonky's suggestion... "Best let sleeping pricks lie. Makes sense. Just one thing, Wonky. Ye got a cart for haulin' unconscious men about?"

As Wonky loots the corpse of the sniper, the Vixen picks up an item that caught her attention during the fight: Baldar's wand.

"I think Baldar the Braggart meant to make me disappear or saw me in half or pull a rabbit out o' me ass." She shows the wand to Wonky. "I booted his chest so as not to find out the hard way." The Vixen doesn't know what to do with the wand, but she did catch the dog's name, so...

"Sprocket? Fetch!"

The Vixen tosses the wand so it will land within ten feet of the dog.

Sprocket does not respond to the stranger's command and instead moves behind Wonky. The gnome straightens from picking over the sniper's body.

Wonky eyes the newcomer. "Yes, I would be interested in looking at that." Here the gnome moves stiffly to the wand and picks it up from the ground.

She continues, not looking at the red-haired lady. "I sense the sarcastic tone in the question you asked about my possession of cart - it is either sarcasm or a distinct lack of visual acuity and I sincerely doubt the latter hypothesis. I do not have a cart, but we do have a Sams."

The gnome examines the wand.

Knowledge Arcana, Free Inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 9 + (1) = 14

These mercenaries, who turned out to be even worse assassins than they were scouts, carry an assortment of arms and trinkets with them. In addition to their armor and weapons, Wonky and the rest of the party finds four potions and a total of 71 gold coins, their mintage ranging from Taldor, Brevoy, Absalom, and cruder stamps likely from the River Kingdoms.

Baldar also wears a very fine cloak of red and gold, and he carries an unusually large pearl and a scroll.

Wonky has difficulty making a field identification of Baldar's wand at the moment, but she suspects the spell entwined with the pewter wand is of the illusion school.

The healer carries another two wands of his own, in addition to the one taken from Baldar. Much to Ahto's consternation, the process of binding this mercenary healer reveals a very tarnished silver holy symbol of Abadar hanging from his neck on a piece of twine.

The Vixen replies, "I was actually serious. Thought maybe ye had one not far from where we'd met. Anyway, Sams can't haul all three unless the Bigness Drink'll last the full walk."

She demonstrates her ability to carry her weight, and then some, by squatting down and picking up Baldar again.

See info spoiler for carrying capacicity. An adult human male is a medium load for VV.

"Ye've a Sams. Ye've an Ahto. Ye've a me." She lifts the man overhead, long enough to show she can. "If I'm to be deputized, I mean to earn me keep. So if it's settled, I best stop dragging me ass and start dragging Baldar's."

She drops him to the ground, then contemplates dragging him a yet-to-be-specified distance. She asks Wonky, Sams and/or Ahto, "Any particularly efficient way to move a body? Last time I moved a body, it was someone I cared about."

Sams seems to be distant and sad for some reason. It's only when he sees the Vixen picking up Baldar and figures it's time he carry someone. He picks up the healer he knocked out without much difficulty. "Is no problems, strong ladys. We's has horses! Er, don't wes?" He looks around, trying to remember where they had left them.

He finally answers the Vixen's question from much earlier. "Ma says I's not supposeds to hurt people. But Li'l Henry taught me is okay to fight to protect yousselfs. I's never kills no one before, though. Except one guy. The guy who kills Li'l Henry . . ."

The Vixen is relieved she won't have to manhandle a man terribly long. She says in an apologetic tone, "Best I let the lot o' ye handle the horses, given how me first attempt in life at Fetch went."

The Vixen is sympathetic when Sams mentions Li'l Henry. For a moment, it's hard for her to speak.

Sleep, Child, she tells her gentler self. She shuts her eyes, feels her hair start to frizz a little...

The Vixen breathes deeply and instinctively brushes her hair with her fingertips.

"Sams, after we load the horses, will ye tell me about yer friend Li'l Henry? I won't think less o' ye if ye say 'no.' But he's important, and since he's passed on, a story about him's the only way I get to meet him."

Ahto's face goes scarlet with anger when he sees the symbol in the healer's possession. He takes a moment to compose himself before speaking.

"This man is either an Oathbreaker or a gullible rube. He can be forgiven for being deceived, but not for betraying his faith."

He grabs the unconscious priest by his shirt and heaves him up across his shoulder.

"Take them to the horses. Make sure they remain bound and gagged. We will return to the Post, unless there are any objections."

He gives the others an opportunity to speak their objections. If there are none, he carries the man to the horses and lays him across one of the saddles.

”Oh,” Wonky replies when she realises the Vixen’s authenticity. ”Well then, no, I do not have a cart. I think the three of you carrying them until we find a different solution would be acceptable.”

The gnome seems irritated, frowning at the new unknown wands, pearl, and cloak as the group leave the scene.

Knowledge Arcana, Wand #1, Free Inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (20) + 9 + (3) = 32
Knowledge Arcana, Wand #2, Free Inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (14) + 9 + (1) = 24
Knowledge Arcana, Pearl, Free Inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 9 + (3) = 25
Knowledge Arcana, Cloak, Free Inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (16) + 9 + (6) = 31

"Carrying 'em to the horses'll do," she replies to Wonky.

The Vixen carries Baldar and follows Ahto & co. to the horses.

"Speaking of," she goes on, speaking in a casually conversational tone while lifting a man, "I suppose it's glaringly apparent that I lack yer rapport with dogs. And maybe ye hypothesized that extends to other quadrupeds? Such as horses? Especially horses?

"I'm asking if ye can ride, Wonky."

"I think that the construction of your question is flawed, VV," Wonky begins as the group walks back towards the horses. "You stated that possibly I had hypothesised that you lacked rapport with horses because of your lack of rapport with dogs. I would reply that I have not made the assumption that you lack rapport with dogs based on your encounter with the summoned dogs that were directed to attack, nor have I done so based on your inability to attract Sprocket with a command given in the Common tongue. Sprocket does not respond to command words in Common. I can ride a mount, though I find a horse somewhat more of a challenge to drive with my small frame; I prefer ponies. I have been riding with Sams as we have come out to this section of the wilderness."

She smiles at the Vixen then returns to fiddling with one of the wands.