Undari explains the situation with the prisoners as well, stressing the opportunity for rescue and perhaps good intel from the spurned hobgoblin prisoner . He offers to take the group by air to assault the fortification and/or rescue the prisoners .
Gaius turns to Thorek for a decision.
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"We're outnumbered six to one," Esperanza observes. "Might actually be a fair fight." The white-knuckled grip she has on her weapon belies her true feelings on the matter.
Brushing the dirt from his hands and whispering a benediction over the buried fallen of Redburrow, Thorek turns at Undari's return and listens to the druid's report gravely. He is quiet for a time, thinking carefully.
"How bad did they look, Undari? If we could overcome the camp do you think they would be able to keep pace? Slag it all, I suppose it doesn't matter--Angradd would cast me from His sight if I were to abandon any in need of protection to their tormenters, and I'd deserve no less. We'll take down their camp." Thorek rolls his shoulders, already sore from gravedigging and gives the group a steady look and encouraging nod. "And as if it weren't the right thing to do, a mine is a valuable resource to slap out of the Ironfang's hands. And if the survivors were taken there someone might know the whereabouts of Esperanza's mentor."
Crouching down in the dirt, the dwarf asks Undari to draw a rough sketch of the camp, cliff, and surrounding area. "The harpies can fly, so kill them first if you can. If we have to break off or flee we don't need them harrying us or scouting us out for any pursuit. We'll march over afoot and attack with the setting sun in the foe's eyes. We'll take out the harpies first, and use whatever magic we can to set up a corridor between the hobgoblins and the prisoners. Esperanza and I will hold the line against their grunts--Lily, can you get the locks open? Your disguise magic might get you in close to the cages before the fighting starts. Gaius and Undari should pit their magic against the harpies, the snipers, and the wolf. Once the prisoners are free we'll mop up or fall back as necessary."
Sitting back on his heels, Thorek offers his companions a fierce grin. "Counter-suggestions welcome, of course."
Undari responds, "I can get us there by air much sooner if you like and drop you wherever you desire--perhaps at one of the watchtowers. When I was hoping to break the prisoners loose myself, I prepared a spell to warp the metal of their cages, which should spring them all at once if we have a way to get them down safely."
"With the right spells and potions and in my giant eagle form, I can get us there in half an hour and we can come in fast. I will be able to take the fight to the harpies and potentially pick off any snipers not under cover. I also have some entangling thorn magic, lightning calling, and fire sphere magic remaining. Perhaps entangling the ground troops with magic will allow us to focus our efforts on the archers and harpies first," he offers.
Harpies are an occasional threat in the Fangwood, yet they are all too common along the length of the Mindspin Mountains that shape the western borders of Nirmathas and Moltune. As a result, most of you have at least a passing familiarity with the monstrous bird women - especially the threat posed by their captivating songs.
"Let's bring the fight to them!" Gaius cheers with a fist raised. "Magic to bolster fighting arms and fire to singe theirs, they won't know what hit them!"
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Thanks to Undari's arsenal of spells, the party crosses the eight miles between Redburrow and the ridgeline camp in due time. In his giant avian form, the druid lands a ways south of the camp, though, to avoid encountering the harpies before the party is ready to engage.
Drawing closer, you find two tall towers - one to the north, one to the south - flanking a collection of drab tents along the uppermost ridge of this steep hill. Red banners flutter in the prairie winds, and the smell of animals and rotting meat tinges the air. A pair of hobgoblin sharpshooters stand at the ready atop the nearest watchtower.
On the eastern verge of the camp, overhanging the cliff side, you can see the suspended gibbets that Undari spoke of. You can also see the troop of Ironfang soldiers occupying the camp, drilling and tending to their gear.
Once everyone is ready and Undari has gotten someone to feed him his Bull's Strength and Ironskin potions (and anyone who wants one could have a potion of either if they want) and he has cast his spells, Undari lifts everyone up high in the air, circling up into the clouds.
Gliding down soundlessly through the cloud layer, his wings locked without a feather rippling. Breaking through the clouds as the other preparatory spells go off, Undari/Eagle maintains a gentle glide until the others jump off. He then peels off and locks in on the two snipers in the closest tower, preparing to cast his opening spell of the combat !
Before taking flight, Esperanza quaffs one of Undari's ironskin potions, (literally) steeling herself for the battle ahead. Once it's time, she leaps from his back, glaive held in both hands as she falls to earth with a mighty war cry.
Following Esperanza's example, Thorek drinks his own Ironskin potion and commends his soul to Angradd before tipping over off the eagle's back!
rounds
The party descends from the sky, launching its surprise assault on the Ironfang company, attacking from within the heart of their own camp. The soldiers scramble with loud military discipline, grabbing their weapons and forming ranks to respond to the threat.
Their commander calls forth a large wolf with a saddle slung upon its back. Near the gibbets, the harpies pause their torment of the prisoners to take notice of the arrival of new playthings.
Lily just stares at the large number of creatures that she can't use her magic on. Sighing deeply she fires an arrow at the troop hoping to damage the large formation before they act. "Esperanza your better at taking that large group out. Ill help you with the others after we take care of that mob," Lily exclaims.
Esperanza initially moves to duel with the commander, but nods her head in acknowledgement of Lily's instruction and reverses direction. She sprints to the front of the party, sweeping the field clear with a swing of her glaive.
Lily launches a hail of arrows into the assembling swarm of hobgoblin troops, wounding one of them so badly that he drops his weapon and flees from the incomplete formation. Esperanza then steps forward and cuts down a few more, leaving the packed earth of the camp stained with blood and littered with limbs.
The handful of Ironfang soldiers that have formed ranks begin their counterattack against Esperanza. Her skill at arms is superior, but the enemy's numbers make it impossible to parry or dodge every attack.
The company commander swings himself atop the saddle buckled onto the large wolf at his side. As he plants his boots into the stirrups, he bellows commands to the sharpshooters behind him - exhorting them to bring down the infamous "Phaendar fugitives."
The harpies eschew their captivating songs for now, lest they lure their hobgoblin allies off the cliffs. Thus, whilst releasing shrill cries that pierce the skies, they draw their shortbows and unleash a hail of arrows upon the party. Undari's thick feathers blunt the impact of the arrows, whilst Lily nimbly evades the few that strike the ground around her.
The Ironfang sharpshooters quickly send their own arrows whistling into the air. The ones in the northern tower draw upon their training to rapidly fire as many arrows as possible at the giant eagle supporting the Phaendar fugitives, although his ironskinned feathers endure every last arrow.
The sharpshooters in the southern watchtower focus upon Thorek, fueled by their particular hatred for dwarves. They seem to have particular experience in finding the vulnerabilities in thick armor, for several of their arrows manage to best Thorek's defenses.
"I'll keep those Harpies busy!" Gaius promises as he launches a red hot bead from the tip of a wand. Hurtling towards the winged menaces, it strikes the middle one with a soft *thmp* before erupting into a huge ball of flame.
He ducks between some tents before the bead's even struck.
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"Whoever smelt it, dealt it!" Flopsy squeals as she point a wand of her own at the Northeastern tower. A noxious, green gas oozes into being around the Hobgoblin archers within.
"Why are you hiding, Gaius? All the fun's out here!" she points out, following him between the tents.
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Having dropped off his passengers, Undari/Eagle squawks words of power at the snipers who shot at him, and a bright light of pure goodness envelops them, injuring them and threatening to blind them as well.
Burst of Radiance:
rounds and
if evil, DC 17 Reflex Save to convert blindness to dazzled instead.
He then flies over to the other sniper nest and circles them very quickly (normal movement rate 80, also hasted), trying to spoil their aim and close enough to lash out at them should they attempt to continue firing.
Thorek grits his teeth against the pain as several arrows strike home. Invoking the blessings of Angradd to safeguard him as he advances.
"Angrad, Lord of Iron and Flame! Give aid to these brave souls, and strike terror in the vile foe!" The dwarf roars, as a pulse divine energy rolls from his armored form.
Esperanza effortlessly falls into the rhythm of battle, transforming herself into a whirling storm of steel and color that tears into the disorganized troop of hobgoblins.
Thorek's prayer falls upon the battlefield from heaven, and the tide of battle soon turns.
Gaius' fireball erupts over the gibbets. One of the harpies is badly scorched. The other shields herself with her wings, suffering lesser burns upon them to protect the rest of her. The prisoners within the gibbets cry out in fright as they feel, though unharmed by it, the heat of the spell unleashed above them.
Flopsy's own wand consumes the northern watchtower in a foul cloud. One of the sharpshooters begins retching, and the other is barely keeping herself together.
A magical orb flies from Undari's talons and lands amidst the sharphooters, erupting into a burst of light. They are both dazzled by its brilliance as it burns them for their wickedness.
Esperanza transforms from mere warrior into a veritable whirlwind of steel. Every swing of her glaive hews limbs from bodies, cutting through Ironfangs as though their armor and bones were naught but paper. Watching too many of their fellows fall to Esperanza's graceful blade, the rank-and-file soldiers lose their nerve and break formation even before it is finalized. They scatter, fleeing for their lives.
Lily moves to Esperanza and pats her on the shoulder saying,"We're doing great. Keep on the good job. I'm worried about the harpies."
"You foul blade-wench!" the Ironfang commander bellows at Esperanza in a rasping Common. "I will deliver your flayed hide to Kosseruk!"
Issuing his challenge, the commander digs his heels into his mount to drive the wolf into a charge. The Ironfang commander whirls his flaming flail above his head, building momentum as he closes with his foe.
"You'll be flaying no one, cur. Today you answer to Thorek Ironspark of Kraggodan!" With the magical speed of Gaius' spell carrying him, Thorek rushes the Ironfang commander and swings his dorn-dergar in devastating arcs of golden fire.
rounds
Esperanza counters the Ironfang commander's onslaught in dramatic fashion. She plants the butt of her glaive upon the ground and uses it as leverage to turn aside the large wolf's snapping jaws with a kick. She uses the momentum to also turn aside the wildly swinging flail aimed at her and repay the gesture with a deep slash along his weapon arm.
This opens him up to Thorek's own storm of steel. Wreathed in divine fire, the head of his dorn-dergar strikes the commander like the impacts of three golden comet. Each blow shatters bones, until the third and final attack knocks the hobgoblin from his saddle and leave him a broken heap upon the dusty ground.
At the northern watchtower, the sharpshooters struggle to flee from the stinking cloud. The one who is dazzled nearly stumbles off the platform, while the nauseated one slides down the ladder and shambles away, clutching his mouth and stomach.
At the southern watchtower, the sharpshooters command their owl companions to intercept the avian Undari. The smaller birds harry Undari with their beaks and talons, but to no affect. The sharpshooters themselves hazard point blank shots at the encircling giant eagle, managing to land a couple shots.
The harpies realize that their hobgoblin allies are already doomed. One of them lowers her bow and loosen her vocal chords, unleashing her captivating song after her sisters release their next volley of arrows.
Esperanza shakes her head to clear her mind of the harpy's song, also taking a step back from the now riderless wolf. Trusting her companions to handle the flying monsters, she turns to finish off the enormous creature off.
Undari/Eagle's AOO:
Undari Will Save versus Harpy Song:
Undari unleashes a flurry of claw attacks against those foolish enough to shoot at him! Hasted Attacks versus Hobgoblin Snipers:
Esperanza leaves deep, bleeding gashes along the large wolf's flank. Despite the serious wounds, it remains captivated by the first harpy's song.
To the south, Undari eviscerates one of the sharpshooters with his talons. He nearly pecks out the liver of the other with his massive beak.
Lily fires a set of rapid fire shots at the dog hoping to bring it down. "Well this is going smoothly," she says landing a shot right into the wolf's hide.
Lily's third, well-placed arrow buries deeply in the wolf's neck. The beast collapses, beside its slain master.
Gaius' eyes glaze over a little and he cocks his head to better capture the most luxuriant sound waves that have graced his ears. "Good Heavens! Do you hear that? I must discover what marvelous creature is conducting this symphony! Perhaps it is an unique Fey variant!" he muses as he approaches the sound.
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Flopsy giggles as the Hobgoblin flees while clutching his mouth and stomach. "Look! Quick! He's trying not to poop himself!" The force of her laughter sends her spinning in a couple of lazy reverse somersaults.
"Ok, Gaius, which ones... next?" she asks, noticing that her favorite nerd has wandered off. How can he LIKE the noise that bird is making!?
"HEY! SHUT UP! SOME OF US ARE WORKING HERE!" she shouts at the singing Harpy. Leveling her wand at the creature, another bank of noxious fog enters existence.
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The incensed pooka, watching her addle-minded partner shuffling towards the singing harpy, conveys her displeasure through her wand. The stinking cloud spreads out from the singing harpy, engulfing her, her sisters, and the prisoners within the gibbets. The northernmost and southernmost harpies look about ready to fall right off their perches, the smell strong enough to knock a buzzard off a corpse cart. The hapless prisoners, too, begin to retch and leave miniature waterfalls of foulness falling down the cliffside.
The harpies fly out from the cloud to escape the smell. Two of them struggle to stay aloft, eventually landing on either side of Gaius. The other flies at full speed to charge at Gaius with her talons. Fortunately, the captivated arcanist stumbles over a stone, so the birdwoman's talons only graze his back.
The sharpshooter to the south assumes a defensive posture and snaps off another volley of point blank shots at Undari. One of them lands where his wing meets his avian body.
Of the sharpshooters to the north, one of them stumbles away from the battle, too sick to fight effectively at all. The other one takes a step away from the tower and fires a trio of arrows at Esperanza, all of which she deflects with twirls of her glaive.
"Go save Gaius," Esperanza growls to Thorek, swatting another arrow from the air. "I'll clean up the snipers." She locks her gaze onto the one that's still in fighting shape and charges, bringing her glaive down in a killing stroke.
Taking a shot from the sniper's bow, Undari rends into him with his claws and beak in response, moving towards the harpies with whatever time he has remaining.
Gaius stares up at the singing Harpy. "Wooooow..."
"AH! They're so much uglier up close, HEEELP!" Flopsy shouts at Esperanza and Thorek.
"Birdy Lady, maybe you could just shut up for once? Please?" she suggests.
________
"Gauis..... Snap out of it.....," Lily yells out.
Flopsy's magical suggestion falls on deaf ears. Fortunately, nauseated by her stinking cloud, the harpy is unable to continue her song anyhow.
Undari finds the last sharpshooter in the watchtower particularly nimble, as he is fueled by adrenaline. Only one of his talons finds the mark, but it leaves the hobgoblin with a wound that clearly brings him close to the brink.
Esperanza leaves her foe with a similar wound. Though this particular Ironfang is not as close to falling, the flair with which the swashbuckler deals the injury leaves him quite shaken.
Lily's arrow penetrates the harpy's back, perhaps even puncturing one of her lungs. If she hadn't stopped singing before, she has stopped now. In fact, the badly injured and nauseated bird woman has trouble even staying aloft.
"Gaius, you slag-brained galoot! Get back here!" Thorek bawls at the wizard as he moves as fast as his short (but ensorcelled!) feet can carry him. Realizing he isn't going to reach the mage before the harpies can get to him, the dwarf invokes a battle-prayer and an axe formed of golden fire appears in midair!
Gaius shakes off the song's effects just in time to find himself surrounded by dirt-encrusted bird women, drawing their maces to bludgeon the hapless arcanist. Whilst two of them wallop him painfully, he manages to evade the swing of the one whose song captivated him, perhaps ironically.
Thorek's summoned weapon, in its first battery of swings, only catches the edge of harpy feathers without drawing blood.
Ironfang discipline is on full display as the two sharpshooters still in the fight refuse to surrender. They make use of their combat archery training to send arrow after arrow at Esperanza and Undari, but every last shot comes to nothing.
The errant sharpshooter to the north, still nauseated from Flopsy's wand, attempts to hide until the sickness passes.
Undari continues his attack, flying over to engage the airborne harpies if the first strike takes down the sniper.
Swatting another arrow out of the air, Esperanza glowers at the stubborn Ironfang soldier and advances on him.