This looks to be a werewolf in hybrid form
Castien waits until Eolowyn releases her arrow, after which all hell breaks loose. Her first arrow hits; Castien then follows up with a perfect hit between the eyes - the creature never knew what hit him. Taking aim again, Castien's second arrow is headed for the woman, but simply plinks off her armour ().
That's the cue for Narvik to unleash DOOM upon the closest brigand - unfortunately to little effect.
As Rysalius starts his inspiring song, the bandit camp stirs into motion.
-Surprise round-
--- (Surprised)
Brigand
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner (48)
Aldona
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvin
Rysalius
---
Brigand
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona
---
Rys:
Round 2 Maintain inspire courage, get shield up with wand in wrist sheath, then move towards the enemy into melee.
UMD DC 20: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Round 3 Maintain inspire courage, move and hit available target (flanking if possible) with Power Attack and Arcane Strike.
Mithral Longsword (2-handed, PA, AS): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 241d8 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Round 4+ Maintain inspire courage, continue to melee according to what happens. Can backup heal if someone's badly wounded (CLW wand in the other spring-loaded wrist sheath if necessary).
Eo:
Probable actions:
Round 2: Eolowyn fires a cold iron + silver (blanch) arrow at the woman
Attack, Bless, PBS, FE, DA, Inspire: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 25
Damage, PBS, FE, DA, Inspire: 2d6 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 5) + 3 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 2 = 20
Round 3: Eolowyn fires a cold iron + silver (blanch) arrow at the woman
Attack, Bless, PBS, FE, DA, Inspire: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 + 1 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 29
Damage, PBS, FE, DA, Inspire: 2d6 + 3 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 5) + 3 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 2 = 19
Tordic fires off a single missile before readying his shield. All is done in a bit too much of a hasty fashion, though, and the arrow flies wide.
Take cover and don't let them get closer! the female werewolf shout. Concentrate your fire!
The bandits move into cover positions, behind the tents and into the bushes, grab their bows and return fire, while the leader quaffs a potion. Three arrows whizz past, though none hit their mark.
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvin
Rysalius
---
Brigand
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona
---
Narvik bravely moves into plain sight and casts a bless spell
---
Inspire courage, bless active
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvik
Rysalius
---
Brigand
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona
---
Todric moves up, his intentions clear as he holds his rapier in hand.
---
Inspire courage, bless active
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvik
Rysalius
---
Brigand
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona
---
Two times the whizz of arrows can be heard, and two times the soft wet sound of metal and shaft hitting flesh. The bandit grabs his abdomen, and sags to the ground.
---
Inspire courage, bless active
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvik
Rysalius
---
Brigand - Dead
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona
---
Eolowyn's arrow hits the woman, who lets out a scream of unexpected anguish. Rysalius maintains his performance, and casts a protective spell.
The bandits start firing from their covered positions, and target the lone man Todric first. Though one of the bandits misses, the other scores a solid hit, nearly knocking Todric off his socks.
Move into battle with me! the werewolf commands her pack.[/b] Seeing Todric weakened, she run up with her longsword drawn
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvik
Rysalius
---
Brigand - Dead
Brigand
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona (20)
---
Eolowyn's arrow strike the werewolf just before Rysalius strikes true with his longsword, leaving the bandit leader in a heap on the floor.
Narvik quickly adjusts his aim for one of the remaining bandits, and hits him squarely in the knee.
Todric clearly hears a pounding sound, and even though he mistakes it at first for his heart beating in mortal fear, upon closer scrutiny it seems to come from within a chest in the encampment.
--
Eolowyn
Castien
Todric
Narvik
Rysalius
---
Brigand - Dead
Brigand (6)
Brigand
Grinner - Dead
Aldona - Down
---
Castien drops the western bandit with a well-aimed arrow. The remaining bandit decides that enough is enough, and makes a run for it.
|
Rysalius takes his time to sever the werewolf's head, just to make sure she won't come back. Wiping his blade clean on a bandit's cloak, he then turns his attention to the chest.
"Lander, are you in there? "
-Posted with Wayfinder
The chest contains a handsome, though very battered, tall young man. One of his eyes is swollen, and his unruly hair is mussed. He's wearing an expensive outfit, stained with mud and blood, which he calls his 'adventuring outfit'. Do you have a mirror for me he asks, I want to see what they did to me.
The large tent contains a pile of what must be Lander's equipment, and the body of Aldona contains a particular note that is of interest (). There's also a table that contains feather, splintered bones of small birds and the remnants of a cage. All of the bandit's weapons again contains the mark of the weapon smith. In one of the smaller tents, the adventurers find two Aldori duelling swords.
Curse these bandits! We must clear the woods of this fell infestation. I must finish my quest for the purge of evil from this land! he seems to care more for the glory than the results. Moreover, his attitude towards the adventurers is quite unfriendly - a mix of haughtiness and embarrassment at being rescued.
|
Eolowyn's fists tighten and you see her biceps bulging. She then takes a deep breath as she releases the tension and flexes her fingers together as she waits for the more diplomatic of the Pathfinders to take control.
It probably would do our assignment no good, but that boy deserves a spanking. Oh well, I can always do that if Rysalius' honeyed words have no effect
|
|
Rysalius grabs one of the Aldori blades, attempts to wield it for a moment or two, but can't wield it properly. He uses this opportunity to try and get to tame Lander's attitude.
"You there, are you familiar with these blades? I'm a decent swordsman but these appear to be a whole different thing. Would you show me a move or two? Your blacksmith friend said you had learned to wield those. Would you like to be healed first before you display your combat skills? We could even spar if you'd like. I'd be honored. "
-Posted with Wayfinder
The boy look severely hurt, and seeing the seniority of Rysalius, his stance mellows by quite a bit. Ah, it is good to see a swordsman in these woods. I see you're not experienced with these blades - though not completely unfamiliar like most foreigner, it seems.
Yes, I have been roughed up by that filthy scum. Nodding in approval at Narvik's help and Rysalius healing, his attitude seems to have become a whole lot friendlier.
That feels much better. Now, let's go hunt some bandits!
This boy still seems to have some kind of ideal of glory stuck in his head. He does not seem to have any lead to bandits other than 'in the forest somewhere'.
|
|
"Wouldn't you like to spar with me first? I wouldn't mind being shown how to properly use those. A friendly duel, perhaps? I was told this is the way of Aldori. There's more glory in defying decent swordsmen than to hunt more bandits."
Regardless of Lander's answer, Rysalius will grab the incriminating evidence (blades with the mark, letter) for later use.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Very well then. Let's set up camp and train here, but tomorrow we go hunting for scoundrels!
Lander eagerly shows off his moves, though it's hard to learn anything from it - the youth seems more bothered showing off his own prowess that actually instructing Rysalius how it's done.
|
|
The Chelish singer observes Lander thoroughly, and compliments him before suggesting a different, less reckless move in a sequence of blows Lander showed him. "Your swordsmanship is promising, Marek taught you well. How about finishing this sequence of moves in this way?" Rysalius suggests while showing him his idea. Little by little, he tries to establish a bind of confidence between the wayward noble and him.
At the end of the training session, he tries taking their relationship to a new level. "Let me introduce myself. I am Baron Rysalius Starnon of Westcrown, and I've studied the way of the blade for many years. However as you see I'm growing older and I'm looking for someone to train and bestow with my techniques. You have potential, Lander. Why don't you become my pupil? I could help you become a memorable swordsman, much like Aldori in his time. What say you?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
It seems my previous mentor is in trouble. Lander says with a frown, and your prowess in battle must be formidable. I accept! I need further training to best these bandits, and you, Rysalius of Westcrown, shall be my mentor!
|
|
"I am honored by your words, Lander. So be it! I will teach you from now on. Let us return to Silverhall for now, we'll need to speak with your previous mentor - his mark on these blades is something that worries me, truth be told. However, we shall stop two hours before sundown every day on our way there so that we may spar and train. I will train you to live through your steel and steel your soul."
Turning to his wounded companion, he gladly accepts to use the wand once again. "Of course Todric, here you are."
Aside to Lander: "Lander, this is a valuable lesson - we are nobles yet we are nothing if the people we rule don't recognize our authority. There's a time for the whip, and a time for a soothing, paternalistic touch."
Once the blades and letter have been grabbed, Rysalius is ready to go.
Very well! I shall teach these bandits to fear my soothing, paternalistic touch.. The irony is lost on Lander.
Narvik takes one of the branded blades, which draws a bit of attention from Lander, who raises an eyebrow, but says nothing of it.
The first day of travel is uneventful. True to his intentions, Lander takes the time on the first evening to spar with Rysalius.
On the second, the party backtracks the road they arrived over. The road narrows here, leading over a well-worn stone bridge that crosses a stream. Trees dot the landscape to both sides of the bridge, and the rushing of water and the croaking of frogs give the scene an air of tranquility.
A tranquility that is disturbed as the party crosses the bridge. Quaw! Quaw! two schrieking, huge walking birds rush out from the undergrowth. They safely charge in, one attacking Eolowyn with it's beak, the other Todric
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Rysalius
Narvik
Todric
---
Bird
Bird
---
|
|
By spending more time with Lander, he tries to establish a relationship of confidence between his pupil and him.
As the birds attack, Rysalius immediately starts encouraging his pupil with the sung account of Aldori's epic adventures and duels.
Then he moves forward while drawing his mithral longsword, drawing the attention of the birds upon him.
Let's hope they'll leave Lander alone for now...
Lander picks up the training quite well, and as the camp breaks up, Rysalius and the youth have a real bonding moment. Following the encouragement of Rysaius, Lander moves into battle.
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Rysalius
Narvik
Todric
---
Bird
Bird
Lander
---
Castien misses with his first arrow, but second almost slays the bird with one shot: the arrow strike the chest of the bird, and it is only by sheer resilience that it keeps standing.
Narvik manages to enchant the uninjured bird...
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Rysalius
Narvik
Todric
---
Bird - Murderous
Bird (33)
Lander
---
Just after Eolowyn's arrow misses, the bird enchanted by Narvik moves to attack its neighbour:
...and rends its companion apart on the first bite.
Lander moves up to just behind Eolowyn
---
Eolowyn
Castien
Rysalius
Narvik
Todric
---
Bird
Bird - Dead
Lander
---