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The two unmounted warriors fall back, and take another shot.
ROUND 2
Sudra/Kami, Rufus, & Torean (-2)
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Thug 1 (-5) & Thug 2 (-9)
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Wyran, Gunner, Vrockwing
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Mounted Thug 1 (Demoralized) & Mounted Thug 2 (-4, -2 AC)
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Wyran and Gunner move up to engage, but fail to land any blows, while Vrock unleashes a small flurry of tooth(less) and claws ineffectively. The first mounted warrior 5ft steps back then readies to strike at those that come near him, while the second one charges at Kami, continuing on to Rufus,
ROUND 3
Sudra & Kami (-6), Rufus, and Torean (-2)
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Thug 1 (-5) & Thug 2 (-9)
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Wyran, Gunner, Vrockwing
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Mounted Thug 1 & Mounted Thug 2 (-4, -2 AC)
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Soft Cover: Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft cover allow you to make a Stealth check.
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Big Creatures and Cover: Any creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has cover against you.
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Partial Cover: If a creature has cover, but more than half the creature is visible, its cover bonus is reduced to a +2 to AC and a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws. This partial cover is subject to the GM's discretion.
When you attack a creature smaller than your mount that is on foot, you get the +1 bonus on melee attacks for being on higher ground.
YEOWCH!
Roaring, the draconic eidolon snakes forward, biting at thug 2.
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The two archers shift away from danger and again each take a shot, hoping against hope to take some of you down as they hadn't anticipated you would put up so much of a fight.
ROUND 3
Sudra & Kami, Rufus, and Torean (-2)
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Thug 1 (-5) & Thug 2 (-8)
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Wyran, Gunner, Vrockwing
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Mounted Thug 1
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Wyran drops the mounted warrior to the ground, causing the spooked horse to trample him as it flees while Vrock outright murders the archer he was after.
ROUND 3
Sudra & Kami, Rufus, and Torean (-2)
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Thug 2 (-8)
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Wyran, Gunner, Vrockwing
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Gunner moves up past the others, and tries to swing at the last archer.
Dropping him, and ending the combat. Once the combat is over, the old man step up with his family, and thanks you, first in Tien, then in Taldan (Common).
"You are travelling to Nesting Swallow, I think, yes? There is little else around here, should you follow this path, so it must be so. I take it then that you are a sign. We can not flee. Our mule is dead, so even if we could, they would track us down and ride us down on the street. No, your presence is a sign ordained from the heavens. I am Xien Wun Lao, and this is my family, that you have just saved."
Placing an odd amount of faith in you for having just met, "Come. I will take you there myself, and announce you to the Village Council. They will see you and know that hope is not lost."
Taking a moment to clean your weapons, you also inspect the bandits, finding little of value, but a small purse of coin, until you stumble upon a few horses hidden in the forest. Upon inspection, you also find that all four bandits are actually Tengu under their armor.
Finding little choice but to agree, you travel with the man and his family to the village of Nesting Swallow. From atop one final hill, the object of your quest comes into view. From this height, the village of Nesting Swallow is laid out almost like a map. The small town consists of little more than a few dozen huts encircling an open common area. Rolling hills surround the village to the north and west, while the east is bordered by a light forest. South of the village, the brush has been cleared, and a long string of paddy fields stretches out into the distance, webbed with irrigation ditches branching off from a stream that separates the village from the farmlands.
As you enter the village, you are greeted with curious stares and speculative whispers. Xien places you in his own home while he goes to gather the Council, and his family offers you some basic <exotic> food.
After a sort while, Xien returns, happily announcing "The Council has agreed to assemble and meet you, my friends. They are eager to hear of what jut happened from your own mouths as well as to see why you have come." He leads you to another hut, but stops at th entrance, motioning you to enter.
This hut differs from every other one in the village only in size, easily twice as large as most of the other dwellings. Otherwise, it is identical, being another slightly elevated circle of bamboo and wicker walls surrounding a packed earthen floor. The interior has some rooms partitioned off the main one, and the collection of furniture and possessions indicates that this is another family home when not in use for official purposes. Against one wall stands a simple shrine with a collection of clay tiles hung from it, each bearing a different name. The lowest hanging tiles look quite new, a few months old, maybe. The highest and oldest tile on the shrine, however, bears the name “Li Yao.”
The center of the room is cleared, and an assortment of cushions has been laid out in a semicircle. A dozen or so old men and women sit on the cushions, Xien Wun Lao among them. A woman standing in front of the shrine finishes a prayer and turns to join the seated elders; she is clearly the youngest among them, not even middle-aged, in spite of a face beset by worry and a hard life. Her youth is attested by the fact that she is greatly pregnant; six or more months along. After settling down into an empty place among the council, she motions to several empty seats opposite her.
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We came here to talk to her pointing to the pregnant woman. We believe she is the last living descendant of Li Yao. On our way in we saw some of the villagers being robbed by some Tengue on horse back. We were able to intervene and save them.
Vrock will use sense motive to see their reactions as the story is being told.
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Torean sits and takes one of the delicate tea cups as he tries not to burn his fingers. "We were sent by Amara Li, the head of the Pathfinder Lodge here. Are you the descendant of Li Yao, who was the last Master of the Clouded Mind Monastery? We've been there and killed the damned monster who took over the place."
He grunts as Vrockwing tells of the battle on the road. "They were hassling some of your people, demanding gold from them. You ought to take better care on the roads. Arm yourselves when you travel."
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“With that in mind, permit me to introduce myself. I am Je Tsun, and the last of Li Yao’s descendants.” She rubs a hand across her swollen belly as she says this and smiles slightly. “At least for now. So, perhaps you look upon me and see the end of a quest. I look upon you, and I see hope. Hope for my village, my family, and our future. You have become familiar with the troubles facing us?”
“We have told ourselves that same thing every harvest for years now. We give them all we have and make do on their leavings. And we do it again, and again. Every soul in Nesting Swallow knows what it is like to go to sleep hungry. Sooner or later, we will be starved off the map.
It may very well be this harvest. The simple fact of the matter is, if we continue to appease, eventually we will be no more.”
“Perhaps some aid would be sent our way, but the provincial magistrate resides several weeks from here. By the time we could get word to him and receive a response, we would already be destroyed.”
“Whether you are here in answer to the prayers of our people or simply here at this time by happenstance is beside the point; you are here. And it is within your power to help us. I tell you now, we have little to offer as incentive. This is a poor village even when not beset by misfortunes, and this year has been less fortunate than most. If you can save us from these tengus, we can offer you food, shelter, and whatever other aid we may give you. But as for a reward, the only thing I can offer is that which you came here for in the first place. Defeat our enemies, and I will bring this relic of my ancestor’s to life for you. I am sorry we do not have more to offer than hospitality,
but our need remains: will you help us?”
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“ In past seasons, they always arrive soon after a harvest. After all, there is no point in milking a cow before she calves. The barley crop is ripe; we need to bring it in this week or lose it. Soon after, the crows will descend upon us. From where, we do not know.”
“We are not warriors, but we will fight. Every able-bodied farmer will stand beside you. We have few true weapons but our farm tools: sickles, pitchforks, and simple spears of sharpened bamboo. If you take charge of our defense, we will be your army. Additionally, we have been preparing defenses for the village; barricades, pits, anything to disable their riders. We will confer with you in detail on this later.”
"As for the Braid. No. I mean no offense. This is not a matter of not trusting you to do your part; it simply is not expedient. Every hand, mine included, is needed to finish the harvest and our defenses. Activating the Braid will take time; time I do not have until after this crisis is past. If it were something that would aid in our defense, then yes, but all the stories passed down through my family that speak of the Braid describe it as a relic of great wisdom and contemplation. Not something that would help us in battle. If you help us, (and I survive), you have my word that it will be done. We will also require a variety of sacred items. They are expensive, and not here.”
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Once you have finished discussing with the Village Council, you all step outside and gather the village. Summoning all able-bodied individuals, you find that you have (not including yourselves) a total of 50 people. A cursory examination of the small village also finds a few deficits. . .