The mangy mutt looks up at Dusk happily, scratching the floor twice and bobbing his head in a sign of thanks, before returning to the tracking task at hand.
"Estria. Scholar." the Taldan woman said, raising a hand and waving slightly. She wasn't trying to be rude or ignore anyone, despite her short introduction - it was just that putting salves together took a fair bit of concentration. She'd learned how to walk and do it, but she couldn't be the best conversationalist while still making a worthwhile healing kit.
"Rick. A pleasure", he bows. "Prior to going to the source, I think we should check that everyone in town is save. These creatures appeared as quite a threat for ordinary guardsmen."
"Brommyl Ironbeard of Clan Ironbeard. I agree with Rick."
You can't tell where they came from as far as your immediate surroundings go--the cobblestone streets here in town don't allow for much of a trail, and whatever there is became further confused by all the townsfolk, guards, and enemy creatures running every which way. Dog-Nerak's nose picks up a woodsy smell that seems to make sense given that they're bearing the token of a being said to reside in the Tickwood.
"Can you run along the outside walls real quick and see if you can pick up a trail?" Estria inquired of the canine sniffer. "I think it's a little too late to go running after monsters, but it would be good to get a direction."
The dog form melts away, and again the half-orc stands there, a grumpy look on his face. "No apparent trail from here. It wouldn't hurt to give it a go along the outside walls, but don't get yer hopes up. They've a distinctive enough scent, but there's been tons of traffic through this city recently mungin' everything up. Let's head that way, but keep on our guard; who knows if we'll see more of this crew." So saying, Nerak takes his own advice, and once more does a little ritual with his offhand while chanting, and his form grows once again to Large size.
"M'name is Nerak, by the way, Nerak Gajutar, of no clan to speak of." He says this as he begins to make his way to the nearest city gate, to give Estria's suggestion a go.
"We should start by trying to get everyone together in a central location, then deal with the attacks as they come. Perhaps the new church?"
"Seems the best way to make its premiere." Rick then tries to set up the situation quickly. "Should we split and gather the people? I, at least, want to make sure the people at the Rusty Dragon are ok."
Nerak stops, with an annoyed look on his face, as the others debate the best course of action. "You wanna wait for them to come to you? What if they don' oblige? Gatherin' at one spot leaves a whole city for them things to play in. If we head to a gate, we'll pass by a lot of city on the way, and screamin' tends to be rather loud; if we hear any, we can stop and say 'ello!"
He looks at Rick and says "Us checkin' on yer friends won't make a lick o' difference for 'em. Beating what sent them just might. Best defense is a good offense and all."
Dusk appears torn, but doesn't offer a vote. Anyone can tell that she itches to follow Nerak - action and adventure.
Rick understands Nerak's strategy, but even so, leaving these folks to their own fate seems... wrong.
"We must investigate, and it can take some time. First, we should be sure that no one's really in need. The town is not very big, just two of us could check and tell people to seek shelter at the Cathedral." He shrugs. "The rest could start tracking, and we will join you later."
Rick waits to see if someone else thinks as he does before deciding his move.
Kpu'Unde withholds his opinion on splitting up for now.
Seeing no one seems to approve, Rick agrees to go with the rest. "I'll check on Ameiko later."
Dusk still looks torn.
"So....do we go?" she asks, sadly not specifying where the "go" might be "to"...
Seeing the general consensus of the others, Nerak turns and starts once more toward the gate.
Brommyl follows the others toward the gate.
"For now, yeah. Besides, the people of Sandpoint are pretty tough - especially compared to back home!" Estria said, trying to be optimistic as she began heading toward the gates. "I don't think most of the town is in much danger, and the priests should be able to patch up most of the problems. And even if they're out of the powers of the faithful, I can mix up some salves that are almost as good." She was, notably, still working on one of them.
Having made up your minds about the best way to continue your defense of the people of Sandpoint, you make your way toward the town's north gate. Before long you hear the sound of a dog barking and growling, and then the scream of a man.
A few hurried moments more and you round the last turn in the street to arrive on the edge of the open space before the town's north gate. It's an area roughly 60 feet by 60 feet. There are no guards here in the immediate area--they must have pursued other creatures elsewhere before now. You see a gremlin here, like those you fought just a little while ago, but this one looks to be aged rather older than those others. Three flytrap leshies like those you first encountered are behind the gremlin, appearing to wait on its direction to act. The gremlin's gleeful attention is focused on a nobleman (the source of the scream you heard) and his hunting dog. As you look, you see the dog lifting its head after releasing its jaw from a bite it had just given to its apparent master, who lies on the ground, grasping at his leg and staring at his hound in shock.
Full party gets a standard or move action.
Rick
gremlin and leshies
nobleman
hound
rest of party (Kpu'Unde, Brommyl, Dusk, Estria, Nerak)
Well, she was probably going to have to finish making her salve after this. Without hesitation, she grabbed vials and began mixing them. Alas, they'd take a few moments to finish. "Please don't crowd that thing too closely - I need space for this poison." She told the others.
"Tricksy beastie, not this time ye don't!" Nerak grumbles as he sees the gremlin come into view.
Nerak charges at the gremlin, Large axe held high, and coming down sharply, followed closely by his snapping jaw. He keeps a little bit of space between him and the gremlin, because of Estria's request.
You all learned quickly from your experience with the three hobkins gremlins before, and Nerak's charge took this mesmerizing gremlin completely by surprise! After the axe struck, the thing teetered on its feet, clinging to life, and then Nerak's bite came and snuffed it out.
There are still three flytrap leshies before you, as well as the nobleman and a confused dog which has just bitten his master.
A grim smile washes over Dusk's face. She points her glaive at the recently fallen gremlin and speaks dark, low, guttural words that sound like a hollow soul being forced through a bone tube.
You may spend a spell point to make a ghost strike that, when it strikes a target with -1 or fewer hit points, kills it instantly (Will negates). If the target fails their saving throw, you gain temporary hit points equal to twice the target’s Hit Dice, as well as a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity, which increases to +4 if the target has 8 HD or more and +6 if the target has 16 HD or more. These effects last for 10 minutes per HD of the slain creature. Bonuses from multiple creature do not stack; only the highest bonuses apply.
The gremlin's spirit, though near death, is tenacious, and it denies Dusk Bloom the vital energy she seeks to take from it.
Rick reacts quickly and avoids hurling his energy at the gremlin, targeting one of the league's instead.
Rick's first blast disintegrates one of the leshies, but when he directs the next blast at another one, he misses.
Rick's next two blasts destroy a 2nd flytrap.
The one remaining looks at the dead gremlin, its commander, at the two dead flytraps, at the big hammer floating near it, and at the rest of you standing nearby--and it turns and flees for its life toward the open city gate.
Looking at the remaining traps, Estria considered for a moment, then shrugged. "I may have been too hasty." she said, dropping a bit of chemical nullifier into one of her bottles. It wasn't a universally-useful substance, but it sufficed for the chemicals she used. Most plants were quite resistant to her poisons, and there was no sense wasting her time on throwing some.
Rick
gremlin and leshies
nobleman
hound
rest of party (Kpu'Unde, Brommyl, Dusk, Estria, Nerak)
For a moment, the frightened nobleman looks like he might strike out at his hound, a panicked response to the bite he had received. But he comes to some realization, and holds back.
The hound ceases its snarling and seems to recognize its master again. It gives a soft whimper and lies down beside him, licking at the man's leg wound.
Rick
gremlin and leshies
nobleman
hound
rest of party (Kpu'Unde, Brommyl, Dusk, Estria, Nerak)
Brommyl's hammer strikes a blow on the plant as it flees, but it continues moving.
You all notice that the general noise level of screams and fighting has died down considerably--the guards and other fighting townsfolk are winning the day against their unnatural foes.
As none of his companions needed assistance getting into the fray, Kpu'Unde used his concentration to pull the downed man out of the battle, teleporting him to the opposite side of his area of control.
Dusk seems unconcerned by the fleeing flytrap, and turns her attention to the man rescued by Kpu'Unde. She walks to his side, calling the man's hound over with a whistle. Then, with a flash of her triple-nature across her features she places a healing hand upon the man's leg.
"There. That should feel better, no?"
Things were definitely settling down now. With a nod, Estria began working on her next salve. There was probably going to be a lot of need for them soon, and she wanted to be ready. That - for the moment - was the best way she could help others.
Nerak began to gather himself up for another charge, but then took the time to notice the lack of action around him, and the concern the others were showing for the injured nobleman. Couldn't even protect 'imself, the lazy git. Still, though, might be some money to be had for havin' saved him... He stared off after the retreating plant for another couple of heartbeats before spitting on the ground in frustration. "Run off then, mongrel. Can always track ye down later."
He turns back to the rest of the group, and in particular to the focus of their attention, the downed nobleman. "Ye alright now, sir?"
"We can't let it go, it might harm others..."
Rick feels sorry, but out of security he hurls a pair of bolts at the fleeing creature.
"We can't let it go, it might harm others..."
Rick feels sorry, but out of security he hurls a pair of bolts at the fleeing creature.
Rick's two blasts connect on the fleeing flytrap and tear it to pieces.
"There. That should feel better, no?"
The look of pain in the nobleman's face eases considerably as Dusk Bloom's healing magic washes over his leg.
"Yes, that feels much better, thank you."
He turns back to the rest of the group, and in particular to the focus of their
attention, the downed nobleman. "Ye alright now, sir?"
"Yes, thanks to all of you!" the man replies as he stands up. "My name is Aldern Foxglove." He extends his hand to shake each of yours, in turn. "I am visiting from Magnimar. I've been staying at the Rusty Dragon, and I do hope you'll visit me there so I can thank you properly for saving my life. And you saved Kipling here, as well!" he gestures at the dog beside him. "He is a well-trained hound and has always been very loyal--I think that creature you killed, sir, had worked some kind of magic over him....Anyway, I must get back to the inn for now. Please stop by soon!"
And with that, Aldern Foxglove leaves you, walking south through town to get to the Rusty Dragon. He looks around nervously as he goes, watching for any signs of more flytraps and gremlins.
This battle for Sandpoint has ended. As you move through town you see many dead flytraps and a few dead gremlins (besides those you killed yourselves, you only see two others; the rest of the enemy dead are flytraps).
"Alright friends, this seems clear for now. Weren't we going to check for the source?"
Nerak's eyes twinkle as the nobleman talks about proper rewards. Could tell this'n has money. Might be good to make nice. "Pleasure, Mr. Foxglove, jus' glad I could help. Glad yer alright."
After the man clears out, and Rick suggests going back to the trail, Nerak nods. "Aye, we can at least get a sense for where they came from. Not sure if we want to follow it back tonight, but good to get a lay of the land." The hulking half-orc once more shimmers and shifts and shrinks down, this time to a dirty looking black hound.
The mutt immediately heads for the open city gates, sniffing at the blasted body of the cowardly plant, before heading to the left around the city.
"I agree. No harm in at least checking near the walls. We might want to give a report to the Sheriff afterwards, though - I'd be happy to drop by if anyone needs to be elsewhere." As a pseudo-lady, she was comfortable dealing with local governments. Besides, she'd helped repel the threats. ...Kind of. You didn't have to be afraid of the guard in places like this unless you were a criminal.
Kpu'Unde clasps Dusk Bloom on the shoulder and says "Well handled."