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Nodding at the gesture for a moment, Morrin looks at the others for an agreement. "I don't know the planes too well, but that scream doesn't sound, welcoming. Maybe we should do what our traveling expert would do, and choose the safest course of action? I personally don't want to meet what made that noise myself." The man seemed quite shaken, as even a dragon's roar hadn't worried him as much as this event had.
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Kalendir reaches up and takes Calistan's hand. It takes several more minutes but eventually Kalendir gets the uneasy handle on navigating and traveling this Plane, though it still makes his stomach uneasy.
"I am not sure what Calistran is trying to say with the hand signals besides that we are where we need to be?"
"Seeing as we are here may as well get back to the real world."
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"Then let's go back," Morrin nods in agreement and turns towards the Trade Prince. "It may be a bit dangerous to stay here, and I really don't want to waste our supplies, nor have your caravan in danger, so perhaps the material plane is a good place to be, though it would take longer." Sighing slightly, the portly man then readies himself for another display of the caravan leader's display of the arcane.
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The caravan leader looks over your lips as you speak and his face sours. He shakes his head rapidly back and forth, clearly not accepting your choice. He points in the distance in the direction of the sound and holds that finger aloft.
He then takes his other pointer finger and points at the lot of you. He takes that finger and makes a wide circle around the first finger.
With that, he nods his head and sets off in a direction ninety degrees from their initial path. His aide quickly follows the Trade Prince, expecting you to follow.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Kalendir shrugs. "I still don't get what in the nine hell's he was talking about. Why did we even stop here?" He displays a short burst of agitation, much unlike an elf normally would and more like an irritated human.
Sighing he follows the deaf caravan along through the Astral Plane as he continues with the muted guided tour that it is.
"Guess you get what you pay for."
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"Guess I'm following him! We need to keep up, lest we get lost!" Pumping his legs, the man tries to keep up with Calistan, a bit to the point as that his feet seem to keep off the ground for moments longer than they should. Whatever that was, he doesn't want us caught up with it. Gonna follow his judgment on this one, though I wonder what it is.
The group quickly follows Calistan and finds that the sound seems to stay stationary, though you also hear the shrieks of other beings, likely being torn to shreds by whatever monstrosity lays in that direction.
After a few more hours, you find that you seem to have made a half circle around the creature and Calistan finally stops as you see a hazy town in the distance, maybe only a hundred yards from your position.
With a snap, you feel all of your bodies grow heavy as you are deposited back onto the Material Plane and you stand outside the great city of Bellis. In the distance, you see swarms of bees buzzing about and nearby men and women dressed in netting seem to be tending to them without problem.
You drag the carts into town as the guard does not find the hidden sword. After reaching the center-most square, a bunch of youthful men and women quickly approach you, silently greeting Calistan and his aide before taking the carts from you.
The mute Trade Prince looks to you and holds up a single finger and closes his eyes, which you determine to mean Wait.
As you do so, a brilliant light emanates from the man as a small orb of pure light rises from his head and dashes off into the distance to the northwest.
The sunlit scrying orb returns after ten minutes and Calistan quickly pulls out the map, making various markings on the parchment. After a few more minutes of this activity, he looks to Ali and hands her the map. You see that he has marked the most appropriate route to your destination and noted any potential problems both with his route and with any nearby choices.
With a nod and a wave, Calistan quickly begins to tend to his caravan.
Despite the worries of the Decemvirate, your voyage across the Inner Sea region and to the Galtan town of Woodsedge sees few dangers, and you reach your destination without ever having to draw your weapons. The whole nation of Galt remains in the thrall of a bloody revolution, and while signs of desperation, poverty, and even violence abound, none of it has prevented you from your mission. The Pale Maiden remains safe, and you have successfully completed your first direct task for the secretive inner circle of the Pathfinder Society.
Sooner than you had expected, you find yourselves standing on the outer stair of the Woodsedge Lodge. Situated on immense grounds just outside the town proper, the luxurious manor house is marred by cracked plaster, missing windows, and rotting shingles, but a well-groomed topiary hints at a building coming back from a near-death encounter with Revolution and abandonment.
The huge doors of the Woodsedge Lodge open with a slow creak. A tall, bulky figure takes form in the gloom within, emerging into the sunlight with a gap-toothed smile and a bushy blond beard. It’s your old venture-captain from Absalom, Adril Hestram!
The huge man chuckles with a belly laugh at the sight of you. “I was wondering who they would send! The Ten choose wisely, of course! You did receive your orders to come here from the Decemvirate themselves, didn’t you? The servants are clucking that you bear the Pale Maiden. Is it true? May I wield the blade?”
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Kalendir looks a bit surprise. "Venture-Captain Hestram! What are you doing clear out here?"
Kalendir holds the blade out for the huge Venture Captain to take. If a Venture Captain asks to see something, you don't question it. "We have been tasked with bringing it to Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro here in Woodsedge."
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Eyeing the man up and down, Morrin chuckles as the rest of the group offers the sword. "Aye, it was quite a pleasure to help deliver this blade for the Ten. First time I've met you good Hestram, and a pleasure! Most Venture-Captains I have met were usually through business, not on their own volition. As for the Pale Maiden, have a look! Isn't she a beauty? As old as she is, and in this condition, surely a master crafted tool." Morrin then pulls out a notebook from his haversack and starts to jot down notes and draw his surroundings.
The towering man with the infectious smile and prodigious beard takes the blade and swings it around several times, slashing through the air with ease. "Expected of the renown Blade of Luck." he says with a grin.
The man returns the blade and claps Wynn on the back. "Eliza is inside and waiting for you all. You have been summoned for something much more important!" he says with a wink as he leads you inside.
The filigreed front doors open into a spacious great room with an enormous fireplace against the opposite wall. Elegant upholstered chairs and couches scattered about the chamber present an inviting, luxurious atmosphere, as if the whole place had been designed for fashionable lounging. A sweeping stair beside the fireplace leads to the balconies of the mansion’s second floor, which look down upon the room as if it were a stage. A scuffed and oddly stained red carpet runs down the center of the stair, showing that work yet remains to restore the Woodsedge Lodge to
its former glory. Some elements, like the threadbare stuffed owlbear in one corner, hint more at the past than the future, but things are coming along.
Adril leads on to the west, through a fine wooden door and into a wood-paneled corridor rich with the smell of fresh onions and simmering meat stew. The passage continues several feet to the north, with doors leading to chambers beyond. Adril bounds through the southernmost doors across the hall, leading you into a richly appointed meeting room where two figures are seated at a huge oak table near several empty chairs obviously intended for you. Adril points to a male human garbed in crude leathers wearing a necklace of bird skulls.
“This here is Osprey,” he says. “Honorable fellow, a friend to all and a Society man, tall and true. His keen eyes see much among the Pathfinders that others miss, and his counsel is unparalleled in our order.”
Adril turns to the gorgeous red-haired woman sitting at the head of the table, her pale face a marble bust of confidence and control.
“And this,” he says, his cheeks taking on a touch of red and his mouth curving into a lecherous grin, “is Venture-Captain Eliza Petulengro, the Lady of the Lodge.”
The woman bows her head to you. "Welcome to the Woodsedge Lodge. It is relatively new, so that Decimivirate's blessing of having you hand deliver the Pale Maiden is quite the treat." she says as a servant brings a cart filled with various bottles of liquor and hard-to-find spirits.
"Please, have a drink and introduce yourself to me." she says as she takes a small glass of a light brown, iced drink and takes a modest sip.
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Wynn grabs a silver chalice and a bottle of wine off the cart and pours a half glass for himself, not wanting to over indulge, but refusing would be even more rude.
He raises his wine in a salute to the two captains. "I am Wynreyell of the tribe Moonsilver. I come from a small clan of Elven people who produce fine warriors and weapons. We are known for our ways of weaving magic and martial abilities as one. I have been to many places and planes in my travels. Most recently I have been doing busy work around the lodge, until you summoned us my lady, and I am grateful for that." Wynn sips on his wine while the rest introduce themselves.
After the formalities, he sets his cup down ask the question everyone is probably everyone wants to here. "My lady, we have not been told the details of our assignment, and I for one am anxious to know. Can you shed light on this?"
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Eyeing the wine, Morrin waits until Wynnreyell finishes and pours a chalice for himself. Wine was offered, and indeed it would look poor if he did not accept.
Clearing his throat with the salute he smiles, "Morrin Heartwell, also known as "The Stout" by some of my companions, at your service. Born in Maheto and living in Absalom, I make my living providing lodging in the Foreign Quarters as well as an agent of the Society. As of late, I have been renovating the Dancing Wings as to accommodate new arrivals to the city. As for my talents, if you need some sort of matter done silently, I am quite adept." Lifting his drink once more, the making lets go of the chalice and bows, the drink somehow not leaving where he had left it in midair, before grabbing it once more.
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Alie grabbed a mug with both hands, taking the offered wine. She takes a sip and squinches up her nose. "That's strong! Anyway, I'm Alie Saechel. I'm from Oppara originally. With the Society, I got the nickname 'The Stormtamer,' not too long ago. I've had quite a few missions. I hope we aren't going to the Ethereal plane for you, are we? I've had some ... challenges in that realm," she shivered, realizing the conversation was getting very dark. "But, I've had a bunch of great experiences with the Society as well."
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Kalendir takes a cup of wine from the nearby tray and takes a small sip.
"I am Kalendir, I spent little time with my Elven family as we lived in a small area just near the Worldwound. The Order of Knights in the region had it well in order for the most part so it was relatively safe. That is until, or so I am told as I was quite young, the entire city was over run with demons as the cities magical defenses fell. My family was killed during the onslaught, leaving me alone. I was taken in by the Knights and have fought against the Worldwound, that is until I joined the Pathfinders."
“You have my most sincere thanks for safely delivering the Pale Maiden to me,” Eliza says with a proud smile. “One of my servants will bring it to the lodge’s armory, where it will be kept safe to honor the responsibility granted to me by the Decemvirate.”
As she speaks, several human servants wearing elaborate dresses and fashionable suits bustle in and out of the kitchen through the north doors, delivering delicate flutes of bubbling wine, plates of fresh fruits, and platters of manicured finger foods.
Each of the servants wears a featureless white porcelain mask, obscuring his or her face completely. Each servant also wears a thin red ribbon around the neck. Eliza catches one of you looking at the ribbon, and her face takes on a serious cast.
“The ribbons represent the guillotine. The Final Blades that sing the song of Revolution and cut the heads from patriots. Each of my servants has lost a beloved one to the Mob. They wear the masks for their own protection. They are safe here in the Lodge. I know their identities, but it is critical that the rabble and the Mob do not identify them as servants of the Society. We are still not fully trusted here, after all, and although the people will not strike out against me, they may very well snatch one of my servants on their return home from a day’s work. I’m sure you understand."
“My homeland of Galt has lost much in this endless Revolution, and even the streets are dangerous. You are lucky to have arrived here safely, but I am sure you could have handled yourselves had you run into trouble."
“Of course,” Eliza says, “I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that delivering the Pale Maiden was merely a pretext to get you to the Woodsedge Lodge. You are here for something far more important than a courier mission. For tonight, the Lodge will be host to a Talespinning, one of the most important ceremonies known to the Pathfinder Society. And the guest of
honor is Adril Hestram!”
Eliza explains that the Seeker known as Osprey, standing next to her, will reveal the details of the ceremony when they all reconvene in the Great Room in about an hour.
After announcing the ceremony, Eliza asks her servants to show you to your rooms (in area L13), where you are welcome to spend the night before returning to Absalom tomorrow.
Masked servants lead you back through the Great Room, up the central stair, and to the bank of rooms along the west balcony.
You are shown to three well-appointed rooms, each with a large bed and austere wallpaper featuring a flower motif. In the likely event that there are more than three members of the party, some are clearly expected to “double up.” As you settle into your rooms, you spy Adril Hestram returning to his own (significantly nicer and more roomy) chamber (area L15).
After you are settled, they are more or less free to explore the Woodsedge Lodge interior. Eliza and Osprey retreat to Eliza’s chambers (area L14) to prepare for the ceremony, while the staff (at least a dozen richly garbed, masked men and women) bustle about their business, dusting statues, preparing food, shining brass, or engaging in numerous other menial tasks aimed at enhancing an atmosphere of decadent luxury.
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Sense motive
Alie appreciated the hospitality, but as an experienced agent, she knew trouble hid around every coroner. Before exploring the new lodge, she looked around her room and then cast False life in herself. She also pulled out a thin wand and used a charge, granting her mage armor for the next hour.
After she made her preparations, she went and knocked on the boys' room. "Are you boys ready to go take a look around? I bet they have more of that wine, and the food smells delicious!"
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Raising an eyebrow at the glancing between Osprey and Eliza, Morrin takes a mental note as to ask about their motivations at a later time. Entering his room, he notes as to how soft the bed looks as his eyes glance over the accommodations. His gut feeling was that there was something more going on that he did not feel comfortable with. Deciding that he should follow his instinct, Morrin willed an invisible barrier to surround his body. Focusing, he forcefully adds to the barrier for a couple of moments until he believes he is finished as his legs give slightly. Sweat dripping from his face, he chuckles as he floats around the room, lounging for a few moments before getting startled by the knock oh the door.
Laughing at Alie's mention of wine and food, Morrin agrees with the small woman. "More wine would be quite nice, but I am more interested in the food. As a side note, didn't it seem that Osprey and Eliza seemed to know more of what is going on than they are letting us know?" Bending down the man then whispers into Alie's ear, "I don't know what it is, but we may be in for a show. A seeker and two Venture-Captains involved with this one mission? First time for me on a mission this small."
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Wynn shakes aside the feelings of doubt as he looks between the two and makes his way to his room. He just sets down his bag when Alie comes to the door.
"Sounds like a good idea. Maybe get a bite to eat." Wynn snaps his spell book on to his hip with the lariat. And shoves a few small pearls into his spell component pouch attached to his thigh. He finally loops his bow around his head so the wooden part rest against back. "Let's go"
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"Osprey is just an odd fellow. I have dealt with him a small bit in the past but he seems to mean well enough. Perhaps the two just wanted a few private moments alone together before we all headed out in the morning."
A seeker and two Venture-Captains involved with this one mission?
Kalendir thinks for a moment about it but his better judgement of people gives in above all else.
"It is odd but we are in the middle of Galt, with a full-blown revolution well underhand. They probably just want to make sure everything is in order and the new Lodge isn't burned to the ground under cries of persecution and freedom."
Kalendir joins them in the main room for more of the delicious food as he hangs his bow on the back of the chair.
The group decides to wait for the Talespinning Ceremony in the main room of the Lodge, waiting comfortably near the large fireplace and receiving ample refreshments from the silent servants.
After an hour, Eliza, Osprey and Adril make their way down the stairs to join you and are served by the same masked servants as they bring out long flutes of bubbling white wine, selected Galtan cheeses, thin-cut venison, and poached axebeak eggs (which smell slightly of sulphur, but taste delicious).
As you all are gathered, Osprey nods to Eliza, downs his egg in a single gulp. He transforms into his namesake bird and flies up to the balcony before reverting to his previous form.
“Fellow agents of the Pathfinder Society,” says Osprey from the balcony overlooking the Great Room. “I deliver a message from the Decemvirate. Long have the Ten observed the exploits of Venture-Captain Adril Hestram. Time and again he has served the Society well, from his own adventures in the Mwangi Expanse to the many activities conducted by agents under his guidance.”
Osprey’s scratchy voice pauses for a moment and he leers out at you. His high brow casts his dark eyes in shadow, giving him an ominous visage. He gestures to you and your companions.
“That is where you come in. For tonight we celebrate the Talespinning Ceremony, and our ritual begins with each of you standing where I stand and regaling us with the story of your greatest victory as a field agent of the Pathfinder Society. We stand tonight to examine the achievements of Venture-Captain Adril Hestram, and your victories speak to his capabilities as a leader and his judgment in selecting the agents for his important missions for the Society. When we have heard from each of you, it will be Adril’s turn. After that, we shall know the way of things, and the way of the future for Adril Hestram, and perhaps also for all of you."
“Now,” he says, his mouth forming a crooked smile. “Who would like to go first?”
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Diplomacy
Alie went ahead and gave the story about how she received her nickname again.
"We were in the middle of a roiling sea. It was raining and the wind was blowing as hard as possible. Even seasoned sailors were struggling. Everyone thought we were going to sink for sure nI've barely even been in a boat before, to be honest, but someone's blessing were with me that day. I helped with the rigging, the sails, and even took the wheel and kept the ship upright through all of it. I didn't even get seasick one time, while a whole group were losing their lunch left and right! I surprised a bunch of agents and even myself a little bit. As I said, the Slckety even gave me an official nickname afterwards, Alie the Stormtamer. That's the neatest thing I've done, I think."
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"Well miss ELiza you should know my story, since it was you who I reported to. We were sent to another plane to retrieve the soul of our former master of spells, Aram Zey. But to do that, we add to barter with an ancient dragon named Yetakerinos The Obsure. And he wanted was very difficult to get. He wanted the essence of a creature I had never heard before, an Aether Elemental. So after defeating them in combat and giving the essence to the dragon. We had what we needed to barter with the dragon and then to barter again to get to the location of the soul." He stops there for everything to sink in.
"We arrived at a villa to find this hideous beat trying to contact the soul and extract information from him. We stopped it in time, needless to say, we succeeded and the former Master of Spells is back and safe once more."
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Kalendir stands and takes his place to tell his story. His mask slightly muffles his voice but he articulates and clears his throat to overcome the masks obscurity.
"In my earlier years as a Pathfinder I was sent on a mission by Venture-Captain Adril Hestram himself to meet with the late Targos Min-Katheer. A Venture-Captain within the Society himself had fallen and our mission was simple. We were to just escort his body along the Silken Way. As we arrived his body was being attended to by local priests that were preparing his body for travel, or so I thought.
Seems the Priest was a Cleric of Lamashtu and I failed to notice it in time. We returned to find his body was taken. On sheer luck alone we were able to retrieve his body and deliver it safely, even with a Murderer in our midst."
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Nodding towards the others, Morrin then takes his place as a story teller. Clearing his throat, and taking a sip of wine before speaking the man seems to take a somewhat somber tone.
"I would have to say, one of my most memorable tasks was involving two different factions of Naga in Tian Xia. The two groups were feuding as to who the rightful ruler of the town was, since the death of the previous leader had no letter or writ as to who would be the leader. Now, our mission was to find some sort of religious items, and hopefully copy them for the society, as the writings are supposedly quite rare, but we had to cater towards one to gain access to the scrolls. Myself, not being the most, umm, personable type, went to investigate as to where the scrolls would be held with two others." Taking another sip of wine, more so to help keep his hands from shaking too much, Morrin continues speaking.
"Upon our investigation, one of my companions woke something. It looked like a naga, but it was bigger and quite upset. We knocked it unconcious before the rest of our group managed to find us. The next day, wasn't as bad, as we had managed to place the rightful heir in her seat of power, after a slight struggle with an objector. Those who were not at the temple, umm, disagreement, from the previous night, went and managed to get copies made of the sacred scrolls before we had headed back to the Grand Lodge. Myself and the other two, we didn't want to anger the Guardian by showing our faces once more." Chuckling nervously and taking another sip of wine, Morrin bows and returns to his plush chair.
As Alie starts, Eliza looks onward at the woman leading the pack in the arcane arts amongst the Society. Pride shines in her eyes as Osprey looks a bit bored, though the mention of the ship and her adventures seems to catch his attention.
Wynn's story, however seems to fall flat as Eliza speaks softly to Alie, who takes a seat next to the Venture-Captain, while Osprey looks over a tray of Hors d'oeuvres.
Kalendir, a natural storyteller is able to instantly capture the waning attention of the elder Pathfinders, while Morrin seems to keep Eliza's eyes on him, though Osprey is clearly ready for this part of the ceremony to be over.
When the last of you has finished recounting your victories, Osprey arises from a comfortable chair in the back corner of the room and clears his throat. “Assembled fellow Pathfinders,” he says. “You have represented yourselves well, and your victories reflect upon the leadership of your venture-captain leaders. Which brings us to the man of honor, Adril Hestram. Adril, will you please take your place on the balcony? I wonder, after hearing all of this, what you consider your greatest victory.” Osprey flashes a quick glance at Eliza Petulengro, who furrows her brow and looks to the floor. “And how that victory serves the greater good of the Pathfinder Society.”
Adril Hestram, beaming with pride, smiles a wide grin beneath his bushy beard as he bounds up the central stair to the balcony. As he looks at each of you in turn for a moment, the hulking warrior of a man releases a mirthful chuckle, as if considering a private joke. His bearclaw hands grasp the balcony’s railing as he addresses the group.
“I have never stopped adventuring. From my year lost in the Mwangi Expanse a decade ago to my tenure as a venture-captain in Abaslom all the way through to today, I’ve kept looking for new challenges and opportunities in the face of danger that would melt the hearts of ordinary men. And in all that time, I’ve learned a simple lesson that I’d like to share with you today—” What at first seems like a tiny tremor soon erupts into a jerking and heaving cataclysm that shakes the entire room.
Adril falls silent, a look of dumb surprise erasing the arrogance and confidence in his weathered face. For a single moment he looks utterly lost. Then, two enormous shapes—writhing, living leviathans of bright red chitinous plates—burst through the floor in the back corners of the room. Eliza screams, and the chamber erupts into chaos.
As they erupt through the floor, the western worm slams into the balcony, dislodging the supports and causing it to tumble down and engulf Eliza, burying her under the falling rock. The crumbling balcony also threatens to engulf Alie and Wynn.
Initiative:
Always act in surprise.
Initiative:
1st: Wynn; Morrin; Kalendir
2nd: ??; ?; Worms (Red; Blue) [Kn. Arcana to identify]
3rd: Alie
4th: ???
Status
Alie @ 127/107 HP (20 Temp HP)
Wynn @ 74/74 HP
Kalendir @ 88/88 HP
Morrin @ 147/157 HP (26 Temp HP/36 Non-lethal)
Pending
Alie/Wynn - Reflex Saves (DC 18) against 18 damage
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Nodding, Morrin looks towards Osprey before looking towards Alie and shouting. "Run with the others I'll see what I can do from my end!" Breathing deep, the man leaps away and attempts to fly over the statue by the front entrance while pulling out a dagger. Turning at a quick pace he then swings an arm wide as a wall of crackling electricity twenty feet high is formed in the room Engaging the two worms! "Run, NOW!"
Wynn draws his bow and sends out an arrow that strikes into the skin of the giant worm, however it seems to do very little in the face of the great stamina of the giant creature.
The elementalist Morrin flies up into the air and conjures up a huge wall of electricity that bathes the worms in crackling energy and it harms them, but they still seem to have plenty of life force, as Kalendir blesses him just before he takes off, though the spell seems mostly wasted at this point.
As the worms surge out of the electricity, with the eastern one wriggling past Alie and the western moving directly under Morrin, Osprey disappears into a puff of smoke. "Hold them off while I get reinforcements!" he yells.
The worms roar as bile erupts from their mouths and two large stone statues, vomiting one near Kalendir and Wynn and the other one the other side of the wall of electricity.
Without regard for Morrin's wall, the far one moves through the crackling power without being harmed and takes a swing at Alie, while the other sends an attack at both Kalendir and Wynn.
Each finds their mark and deals out considerable damage as Alie recognizes the giant red worms as Scarlet Worms. They are a lesser variant of Purple Worms and have devastating teeth and stingers, able to inject brutal poison and swallow their prey whole.
Before Alie can identify the golems for Wynn, his armor reacts sending out a shock of power to harm the offending striker, but it fizzles when it meets the golem's magic resistance.
Initiative:
1st: Wynn; Morrin; Kalendir
2nd: Worms (Red @ 33; Blue @ 16); Stone Statues (Red; Blue) [Kn. Arcana]; Red Raven [Kn. Local]
3rd: Alie
4th: ???
Status
Alie @ 92/107 HP
Wynn @ 39/74 HP
Kalendir @ 68/88 HP
Morrin-Fly (20' high) @ 147/157 HP (26 Temp HP/36 Non-lethal)
Pending
