Growler grabs onto a limb, but has difficulty biting down before slipping and falling back to the ground.
Seeing Growler struggling with the fey, Yagello redoubles his efforts to assist. He trudges through the snow as fast as possible, cursing at his lack of snowshoes!
Aishe will move back down the trail a little, trying to get an angle from which she can see the fey which Growler is trying to bite. If the creature shows itself, she'll try to feed it a faceful of acid.
Continuing to sing, Igmar looses another arrow, but it sails off the mark once more. Cursing, he trudges forward in the snow.
Zev runs around the tree, scrambling up the bark again.
The wolf continues barking from below, keeping the fey in sight at all times.
Seeing Zev going one way around the tree, Sarya trudges through the snow to get a better angle to let another stone fly at the creature.
The stone hits the tree instead, bouncing off to one side.
Caelia, with no major healing, holds her ground, trying to stay in the middle of the group and be ready for healing any wounds.
"Damnation, these things are hard to land a blow on, eh?"
Arkady tries to line up a shot on the fairie by Growler. "Desna, fortune has not been with us so far ... please guide my hand."
[dice=Attack on fairie "Y", -4 for shooting into melee, not sure if the tree provides cover]1d20+1-4[/dice]
As he reloads, the Varisian shakes his head. "What sort of enchantment do these things have to cause our shots to go so far wide?"
[occ]Arkady, no worries, I got caught up and didn't have a chance to post for the sprites.[/ooc]
The sprite Yagello is closing on laughs in a high voice, taunting in common as it flies above Growler and Yagellos. "Silly, oafish people! Come and get me - if you can!" It mumbles something foreign-sounding, and another image appears next to it.
Sarya's target is a bit more quiet, and attempts to hide behind another tree.
Aishe loses sight of her target behind a large trunk, as it is obviously hiding.
Closing on the fey, Yagello calls out to Arkady, "I'm on my way!"
These opponents are hard to hit, but who needs the help of some unknown deity? Cold hard steel is the only protection in life, and I'm going to prove it to my comrades...
;
;
Yagello's blade feels the satisfying crunch of connecting with flesh and bone, as the cold iron sword cuts deep into the sprite. The sprite cries out "Vosi!" as the full weight of the blade drags the sprite downwards.
As Yagello completes his downward swing, the sprite slides off the blade, limply falling into the snow on the ground. Above, the copy image still floating in the air winks out.
"Well done, Yagello! Thank the gods, maybe our fortune can change."
Arkady watches with satisfaction as the Taldan's blade strikes true. He turns to see how the others are faring...
Being a wolf, Growler probably will leap on the tiny corpse as it slides of Yagello's blade, tearing the remains apart and making sure that her tormentor is dead.
Seeing that sprite Growler was chasing has fallen to the ranger's blade, Aishe steps to the other side of the trail, searching for the other fey. Realizing that it must be hiding, or possibly using it's illusions to hide, she concentrates and uses detect magic to scan the area near where she thinks it may be hiding.
Zev continues to follow the remaining sprite, jumping up once again to try and get into the branches.
The wolf manages to scramble up the bark, and bares his teeth at the sprite.
Sarya moves deeper off the path, and takes another shot at the Fey, using Zev at a guide on where to look.
Sarya curses as her shot goes wide. She continues to head towards the sprite.
Caelia decides to follow the action in case she is needed, and moves off the path as well.
The sprite is surprised at the sudden appearance of the wolf. He takes a quick look around to look for any allies, before deciding to attack Zev. "Come here little puppy!" he shouts in Common, before storing his bow and pulling out a small blade, as he jumps towards the wolf.
Yagello peers through the falling snow as best he can trying to reacquire the fey Aishe was fighting earlier. He sighs in frustration at these poor conditions for tracking. Regardless of success or failure, he worries about Aishe being left alone on an island and begins moving in her direction. As he exits the area, he gives the creature Growler is attacking one final pitiful glance.
Seeing that Zev still has one visible, Arkady moves to try to get a clear shot.
Arkady mutters a stream of invective that mixes Varisian, Skald, and Hallit, and might even have a word or two from the Giant tongue as he calls down quiet curses on whatever is protecting the fairies.
Satisfied that the annoying little blue creature is dead, Growler drops it's remains in the snow and dashes back towards Aishe, ready to defend the sorceress against any more attacks.
Knowing that there are other sprites still creeping around the lower branches of the trees, but unable to spot any of them from where she is, Aishe keeps a careful watch in the area around her as she reloads her crossbow.
As Igmar continues trudging forward, stops singing, though his booming voice can still be heard echoing around the battlefield. He moves around the trees, looking for the hiding sprite.
Despite the party spreading out, the third fey appears to have vanished.
Uncomfortably standing on a thick branch, Zev lunges out to try and bite the sprite.
Zev's discomfort from being up so high leads him to snap short, as the sprite easily jumps out of Zev's reach.
Sarya moves in a bit closer, takes another stone and flings it towards the Fey. She aims a little wide to avoid hitting Zev accidentally, squinting through the snow.
Sarya's stone goes far wider than she intended, it's eventual landing muffled by the snow.
Caelia takes a look around her, and noticing Yagello and Igmar remain quite a distance away, stands her ground.
The sprite in the branches takes a swing at Zev, whirling the tiny icy blade in a large arc, laughing manically.
The blade leaves a superficial wound, and a lingering spot of frost on Zev's fur.
An icicle shoots out from somewhere above, heading towards Caelia.
Caelia takes a quick look as she feels a small sting on her arm. The arrow left a glancing blow, nothing serious.
Arkday and Aishe do not see anything, but most of the group notice movement in the trees near Caelia.
Frustrated by the difficulty moving, Igmar swears in Dwarven. He moves out from behind the tree and looks around, spotting the shifty sprite. He wades through the snow toward it and swings his pick.
Igmar swings wildly, missing well underneath the sprite, his pick slamming into the tree trunk.
Arkady scans the area while reloading his crossbow. He watches as Igmar swings and hits the tree.
Glancing around to assure herself that Aishe is relatively safe, Growler turns and dashes towards Igmar and the other sprite, launching herself in a flying leap in an effort to snap the detestable blue fey out of the branches.
Despite the danger of hitting Igmar and Growler, Aishe mutters a cantrip under her breath, and gestures with her free hand (the other is still holding the now loaded crossbow). A small orb of acid goes flying into the branches towards the fey.
Seeing the fey reappear energizes Yagello, but he is dismayed as to how far away he still remains. He reaches for his bow but then reconsiders seeing the difficulty Arkady and Aishe had with ranged weapons.
Zev makes another lunge at the sprite, as Sarya hurls another stone towards the pale blue light.
The sprite dances in the branches, avoiding the assault. Caelia, seeing the action move off the trail, moves in a bit closer, her blade still drawn should an opportunity to use it arise.
The sprite that had done most of the talking so far takes another stab at Zev. Meanwhile, the other sprite is starting to notice the tall creatures converging on him, and steps back to draw his blade as well.
The sprite is fighting defensively.
The blade lands another glancing blow, with a trail of frost. Although not very painful, Zev is annoyed by the occasional stings.
Relieved everyone still appears uninjured, Yagello continues his trek to close to melee distance. Seeing an opening on the right, he calls out to Igmar, "Igmar, form a perimeter there to your right! Let's not let them escape! I'm closing from the other side!"
Hearing Yagello call for surrounding them, Arkady moves down the trail as fast as he can.
Attempting to move around the sprite, Igmar shuffles left, swinging his pick down mightily.
Being the uncomplicated soul that she is, Growler keeps trying to leap high enough to snap at the sprite, running out and back from the tree in order to build up enough speed for the jump if necessary.
While Growler leaps high enough, she just misses the sprite at the apex of her jump. Igmar's pick hits the sprite, though, and while he is not able to pull the full weight down onto the sprite, they fey cries out in obvious pain.
Caelia circles around behind the tree, trying to remain close at hand.
Zev and Sarya each take another try and their target. Now within range, Sarya drops her sling and draws her scimitar instead.
The Fey is able to easily dodge the assault, as Sarya's relative inexperience with martial combat shows.
The sprite engaged with Igmar and Growler says something before attacking the wolf. Meanwhile, the other sprite continues to try and hurt Zev. Both appear to be moving cautiously to avoid getting hurt.
The sprites flail widely about, neither really getting close to the wolves.
Sarya, knowing a bit of Sylvan, shouts out a warning to the group. "Watch out!" she says, "They're planning some sort of trick!"
Hearing Sarya's warning, Yagello continues his deliberate approach to the scene of the battle. As he passes Aishe, he gives her a tight smile and squeezes her gently on the right shoulder.
"A trick, eh? Let's see if we can't catch them at it ..."
Arkady loads his crossbow, then holds it in one hand while forming a ring with the thumb and forefinger of the other. Peering through it, he speaks a few words of archaic Varisian and watches intently.
Aishes struggles through the snow to stay next to Yagello, and once she has the sprite in sight, she raises her crossbow and looses a cold-iron tipped bolt at the creature.
Growler keeps trying to leap up and snap at the sprite with her jaws.
As one sprite is being surrounded by Igmar, Growler and Caelia, he shouts out something in Sylvan to his companion dealing with Aishe and Zev. The two sprites continue to take quick stabs at the wolves, flying about to avoid getting hit.
Now within melee, Sarya and Zev each take turns trying to hit the pale blue orb of light.
While Sarya is not able to connect, Zev manages to get a bite in, and while he manages to throw the sprite down, the orb is able to quickly recover. However, the movement pattern seems a bit off, as if perhaps the sprite is beginning to feel the effects of battle.
Igmar, exhausted from the fighting and ready to end the combat, swings twice fiercely at the sprite.
Igmar takes a pair of swings at the sprite, but with it moving about so much, he finds it difficult to pin the fey down, finding only empty air. Aishe's acid splash also goes wide, hitting a branch above instead.
Growler, though, is able to whirl around and catch the sprite briefly in her jaws, clamping down on the creature hard. The creature shouts out as it quickly wriggles free, clearly distressed.
As the sprites have not apparently done anything magical, Arkady raises his crossbow and makes one more attempt at a shot.
Yagello's eyes narrow to thin slits as his quarry is finally in range. He kicks some snow out of his way and swings his sword in a wide arc.
;
;
Snarling now with frustration at her inability to hit the tiny, blue-skinned sprites flitting about the lower branches of the trees, Aishe abandons her attempts to hit it with spells. Seeing that Growler, Igmar and Yagello are now clustered around the tree trying to kill the thing, Aishe instead wades through the snow closer to Caelia, and looses her crossbow at the other sprite which Zev and Sarya are attempt to hit.