Zaci shrugged. It has its perks, she said in reply as she glanced at the angelkin Eleanora and smiled at bit. She then took off her sandals and sat down cross legged on a nearby stump and began to mediate, her eyes closed.
Eleanora spends most of the journey shadow-duelling, going through elegant weapon drills and maneuvers, her Aldori-style blade flowing effortlessly in her hands. She isn't unapproachable, however, and gladly engages in conversation with anyone who asks for her time, often still with sweat on her brow. During meal-times, she makes a point of asking the others about their combat prowess - just in case of the worst, she explains, sparing most of the details of her own fighting style, but stressing her need for mobility.
After the long ride, as camp is set and she sheds her armour, she mulls over her response to Maldrek's question. "The gold," she says eventually. "It sounds shallow, but I've been leading my merc band for several years, and a long-term plan would be a good idea. With a big enough score, I could pass the mantle on to someone else and retire - or go where the wind takes me. Maybe I'd go back to Brevoy, maybe I'd head to Tian Xia and try my blade against the master swordsmen there. It's a big world, and I've seen only part of it." She doesn't see Zaci watching her; she's busy staring at her removed breastplate, at the way the firelight dances over the symbol on its gleaming silvery surface. "What of yourself?" she asks, glancing back up at the fetchling.
"Gold is never a bad reason. That's what makes the world go round." He says with a grin. Long term plans unrelated. Non-threat. Maldrek leans back as he gets asked the same question, an inevitable consequence he knew would be coming sooner or later. "Because I like to play the game." He pauses as the others take in what he said. "Money, power, titles, all just tools. Tools that get me to the next job, tools that are used to do the next job. I do it for the last moment. That moment when we're walking away and all of the pieces fell together perfectly, and I know that the authorities will again be baffled at how such a job was even pulled off. All they see is random destruction and meaningless chaos, but they will never know that it was all perfectly orchestrated down to the second. At that moment, I feel alive." His scarred eyes flicker in the fire. "And that is why I do this."
Zaci hissed as she listened to Maldrek's reasons as well as those of the angelkin's. I see. A game then? I don't know if you would call it a game, but it is not my place to question what motivates others, unless it interferes with my job...or harms those I care about. That is another reason why I do these jobs: to find the ones who murdered my brother. Of course killing them will not bring my brother back, but I do know of another...more satisfying way to punish them: money can sometimes be evil's enemy if used properly. It can easily cause one's enemies to turn upon one another. And for that is what I intend to do: cause a rift to form between my enemies until they are at each other's throats. If one of them survives the collapse, well they will be weakened and then I will move in and strike. Patience is indeed a virtue.
And Eleanora, money is important but what do you plan on doing in the terms of relations or love? Me, I plan in addition to setting up my own inn, finding a good looking wife and settling down with her...or even traveling with her to see the world. An inn can wait, but experiencing the world, now that is something else entirely. She quickly opens her eyes and smiles at the angelkin, hissing a bit.
Seeing the world...ah to experience that with someone as lovely as you my dear Eleanora would be worth more to me than all of the treasures of the world. But alas, can you see beauty and love in one like me? That was another reason why Zaci did these jobs: the hope finding one who would accept her and love her, to see past the tiefling and see the person inside of her.
Krayn responded Maldrek in his usual simple way.
- They're paying, we're hunting. - limited himself to say.
The Drow proceeded to sit on his tent, open door, still looking at the others. His way of participating of the discussion was to just be there. He couldn't avoid but to raise his eyebrow with the fetchling's "game" view of the hunt, but Zaci's "love" approach was a little too much for him, and he let the eyes roll.
And I'm the crazy one... - thought, unavoidably smiling when thinking about Cthulhu - [/i]... Ah, who am I kidding? I am a little mad.[/i]
- Glad to hear we all have our reasons. - said - It's good to see we're somehow aligned in our single goal, no matter what moves us.
Krayn crossed his fingers. Madness can bring you all of it. - thought, thinking about the power of his own touch - Love, the thrill, whatever moves you; you just have to let go.
The Drow was smiling with himself again, apparently with no reason, and moving his back sideways, slowly - almost hypnotically.
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The camp fire dances as the flames light your immediate surroundings, the cool air of the northern tundra moans sweetly as it rushes by, seeming to control the beat of the flames dance.
Spot Checks - DC 25
As the moaning wind continues, several of you hear a sudden whistling noise, at first you dismiss it as the wind, but then quickly realise your mistake as a sickening thud is heard accompined by the a screem of pain from the merchant. As you look towards him a spear is protruding from his shoulder as second spear strikes the ground at the feet of the wounded merchant.
You all turn following the trajectory of the spears and you see the dark forms of what appears to be 4 men on horses charging towards you only some 40ft away, as they get closer you notice that something is very different about these horsemen.
These are not men on horse back these are a melding of man and horse most commonly know as centaurs, these particular ones seem to be well armed and armored and more ferocious that any you have seen or heard of in the past.
Eleanora glances briefly at Zaci, her face unreadable, a lock of metallic black hair falling heavily over one eye. She brushes it back with an automatic gesture. "After years of this, I think I deserve some time to myself. I've never given thought to such things - I've been focused on my goals."
She can't help grinning at Maldrek's explanation, white teeth flashing in the firelight. "So you're the conductor of this little orchestra, then? The one who sets it up, puts everything in motion, and tells everyone what to do and when?" She chuckles, laying her duelling sword across her lap out of habit. "I like that. Hope you have a plan, because a job like this isn't usually my strong suit. Best guess is, they brought me in just in case everything goes south. I'm good at handling that."
She glances across at Krayn, before crossing over to him, crouching next to the drow. "You're getting the twitches again, friend," she murmurs. "Best you ease yourself in case of trouble."
As the night wears on and the wind continues, her ears twitch at the sound of a whistling noise. She flies to her feet at Morgrym's cry, her sword in hand. "Come on, men!" she barks, falling effortlessly into her 'mercenary commander' mode. "Four horsemen, coming at us! Look alive!"
Zaci nodded at the angelkin's words. She is puzzled by the drow's twitching. But just as she is about to say something, several strange attackers come galloping towards, malice in their eyes.
The tiefling monk is a bit puzzled by how well equipped and armed these particular centaurs to be. Be wary! These centaurs mean business! She is also a bit perplexed to the ferocity of their attacks. While centaurs were known to be aggressive, these were even more so.
Zaci quickly stood up from mediating and prepared herself by entering into the tiger style, hissing and growling at the centaur attackers!
"Centaurs! Ferocious ones at that!" Maldrek quickly downs one of his potions, then his eyes flick between each party member as the air around them grows hazy and their bodies speed up.
+1 on attack rolls
+1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves
+30 move speed (up to double original)
Zikamiri appears to be holding a walking stick, but pulls it back like a bow, firing at the horseman in spaces G-H/20-21.
Krayn sees the centaurs from distance, as we "wakes up" from his meditation after the surprise round, when most of his companions already acted. He immediately dislikes the fact one of his companions had been already hit by throwing weapons.
The Drow immediately starts murmuring divine words to Cthulhu - they all sound twisted, a mad interpretation of what the prayers would usually be - and finally casts a spell. The entire party seems surrounded by a cylinder of winds, courtesy of the Mad God himself.
He then proceeds to touch himself and the more bestial form reveals - he becomes pure shadow, looking something like a drider - but with big bat wings, which he immediately starts to move to fly.
The Centaurs roar as they charge into battle
ARRRRRR!
The light from the camp fire flickering in their eyes seeming to intensify the burning anger already strewn across their faces.
As the Centaurs close on you, a twang of a bow string is heard, followed by a pop and a thud as an arrow pierces the armor of the leading Centaur.
While you can tell this was a devastating blow, it does not seem to have slowed the Centaur in its battle lust.
As Krayn starts to chant and transform, the Centaur in front rears and strikes out with a viscous swing of his long sword
AoO
Cutting through one of the leathery bat wings for 12 points of damage.
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edit: i thought i would explain a bit more so its clear for everyone using the concept of time and rounds.
firstly no one had set up a guard rotation or was specificly looking for danger.
The centaurs saw your fire, started charging you and threw 2 spears.
some of you noticed the sound of the spear and the sound of the charging centaurs - those people got to act in the surprise round
a surprise round is roughly half the time of a full round so 3 secs, so with in 3 seconds after the centaurs threw the spear some of you collegues could act such as standing up and 1 even got a shot of with a bow, in that 3 seconds the centaurs closed on you.
Normal combat and initiative starts.
Sparing only a moment to glance at her hands, iridescent skin blurring before her eyes, Eleanora adopts a decisive, swift-footed stance and charges into the fray. Her boots thud across the plain as she meets one of the centaurs mid-stride, her Aldori blade slashing out at his equine ankles, thirsty for blood.
Current AC: 13; 17 vs. attacks of opportunity.
Even in his own madness of deciding to cast a spell non-defensively with a huge Centaur sharing the space with him, Krayn still managed to be able to concentrate and cast the spell with success. Right after that, he followed the very same course of action - touched himself to evolve, and flew over to the position he planned while drawing his hammer.
Morgrym feels the spear rip into his shoulder interrupting the campfire comraderie rather rudely and is caught off guard, finally shaking it off he will as a swift action create a mirror image of himself and move five feet behind Eleanora drawing his longspear preparing to use aid another and feat bodyguard for her and Zaci who he feels will move five feet forward next to Eleanora to attack, and since drawing the longspear is a bab move equivalent Morgrym will defensively cast Prayer activating divine ppower so Eleanora and Zaci and Morgrym until next round have +3 to hit and +1 damage and everyone else had +1 to hit and +1 damage, while the centaurs need to make a will save of 18 or suffer the consequences
The night is alive with the sound of battle, heavy thuds drum the earth and metal rings as the Centaurs are engaged.
Eleanora spurs on her companions as she charges into battle with the closest Centaur, only narrowly missing as she swipes at its legs with her dueling sword.
Morgrym's Concentration check to cast defensively DC 21
Will Saves
fail
fail
pass
pass
Centaur 1 - throws a spear at Zikamiri
Confirms
Centaur 2 - moves to flank Zikamiri - attacks with longsword
AoO from Krayn
/2 = 5 dmg
Centaur 3 - Full attack on Eleanora
AoO from Morgrym
Centaur 4 moves forward and throws a spear at Malderk
These battle hardened Centaurs all attack with blinding spead and furiousity, not at all phased by the fact they are out numbered
Centaur 1 continues his charge towards the ninja throwing a spear with deadly accuracy penetrating the ninja fully with his spear dealing a massive 24 points of damage from a critical hit. A sickening Pop can be heard as the spear head breaks through the back of the Zikamiri's armor.
Centaur 2 charges past the ninja trying to flank him, smiling as he is sprayed with blood as the spear burst out Zikamiri's back. Seeing his opportunity for a quick kill he strikes out with his longsword, but the Ninja stumbles awkwardly and the blow is only glancing, dealing 6 points of damage.
The hovering Spider drow sees an opening as Centaur 2 moves past him and he swings he Lucerne Hammer with tremendous force, however the hammer seems to be less effective and almost insubstantial as it deliver only a minor blow, hitting for 5 points of damage.
Centuar 3 snorts and stamps its front hoves as its strong arms easily swing the blade of his sword quicker than would be expected for a creature of this size. 1 deft strike rings home on the unarmored warlord dealing a total of 9 points of damage and opening a large wound across her collar.
Centaur 4 sees the lone fetchling standing by himself and targets him with a spear throw. the spear misses slicing the air past his head.
As Centaur 4 charges past Morgrym he attempts to stab at it with his spear but is unable to pierce the Centaurs armor.
Krayn approaches the Centaur more to the North, slightly flying in his direction, and attacks him with his hasted hammer. The wings seem to flap monotonously and absolutely out of sync. The drow is barely visible, but seems to be smiling somehow - and it's visible the dark blood dipping from his arm where the other Centaur hit him before. He seems to be in pain but still enjoying the whole thing!
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Krayn i'd prefer you not to skip 3 ppl in the initiative, we are still waiting on Zaci, Zikamiri and Madldrek to post their combat actions.
If i dont see a post from Zaci by 11pm (24 hours since last post) tonight my time i'll bot his actions so we can keep moving.
Also retcon reolls of fickle winds on the attacks on Zikamiria:
1-30 misses 31-100 hits
hits Zikamiri
Also im going to to take the discussion of rules to the discussion thread.
Maldrek steps away from the oncoming creatures and down another extract. I didn't sign up for this. He thinks as he vanishes from sight.
Zikamiri, feeling vulnerable in his current position, turns invisible and throws a smoke bomb down at his feet covering the 2 centaurs flanking him. He'll then run over behind the centaur next to Eleanora and draw his Wakizashi in preparation of his next attack.
Hissing with glee, the faultspawn monk quickly rushed at the closest centaur and unleashed a series of blows, slashing and clawing at her foes, delivering a barrage of attacks from her hands and feet.
You got 1 crit from attack 4. Natural weapons only crit on 20.
Roll 1d20+6 to confirm
Then roll and extra 1d10+3 damagefor me :)
You only get a crit when you roll a 20 the number you rolled is in brackets. Hit 3 you rolled a 19
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