"Mary gave us some supplies to help fight these shades."
Dom hesitated for a moment and then finally said, "Her daughter is missing. She's about eleven years old. Did your folk take her?"
Never thought, I'd be rooting for a werewolf kidnapping, but considering the other option is sure death by vampire...
Xannder steps out of the car and goes to his trunk to get his m16 ready when he is sure they are not being observed. Then he pulls out a standard issue military flashlight and attaches it to his hip. Finally he inspects his pen light and makes sure it is all in working order.
Alright, lets make sure we are all good to go I guess. You know we forgot to make the trip to wally world to pick up the Super Soakers right?
The thought brings a smile to his face, as he falls in behind the rest keeping an eye out for trouble.
"We wanted warriors not children, we took mainly men and a few women. None were younger than twenty winters." answers Hurrn
He leads into the forest towards the fane.
"The fane is a few miles out, we will arrive only a few hours before dark. I can quicken the pace but I do not know if you can keep up." he says
Probably a good idea to just pace ourselves. Don't want to be tired when chasing our shadows.
"Mm," Roy agrees with a grunt. Course, I'm a fast walker, fast runner... could probably almost keep up with the elf.
Alisha says, "Shadows generally like to avoid the light of the sun so fighting them during the day would be more effective. Then again, I would not be surprised that the vampire thought of this and made sure the area was well shaded or within some cave or other structure. As for keeping up, I am afraid I am not well known for being an athlete. I never was into sports back in my school days."
The elf continues at his normal fast but not so fast you cant keep up pace.
He eventually stops "The Fane is right ahead, any further than this you are likely be attacked. I will wait here to see if you return, I'm sad to admit I wouldn't be of any help in this battle."
The forest is very thick here and sun is low. Beams of light can be seen entering the forest here and there, in 2 or 3 hours it will be dark.
Anyone bring something to clear out these trees?
Roy reaches down and grabs his survival knife. "This'll work on small foliage, but we're going to move slow."
Alisha likewise takes out her pocket knife and pulls out the blade and says, "We might as well get to it then. If we lose the daylight, the Shadows will have the advantage."
"Alisha, here. I want you to take these two Sun Flasks. Pick your moment, but don't be shy about throwing them. This here Ghost Touch Oil will need to wait a bit -- only lasts an hour."
Dom handed the flasks to Alisha, and then pulled out his combat knife. "Should have picked up a Machete," he said to himself.
Alisha takes the flask and says, "I'll do my best to use the flask when it counts. Definitely something I will end up using if we end up in a dark place with a bunch of shadows. Whatever you do, don't let them touch you as they will suck the strength from your body."
"Yeah, no kidding," Dom agreed wholeheartedly, as he fished out his compass.
"You know, I got to say, Alisha, you and Xannder have been really impressing me. Most folks freak out beyond the telling. But you two have kept your cool despite what isn't even a normal case by Hunter standards. I'm glad you two are here."
Alisha says to Domingo's comment "Why thank you for the kind comment. As for keeping my cool I have often been called a "Stoic Scholar" by my peers."
When Domingo goes off course. Alisha tries to use her own "Women's Intuition" when it comes to Navigation to hopefully correct Domingo's mistake.
Navigate
Seeing that Domingo is going the wrong way she taps him on the shoulder and says, "Er..em, I believe it is that way." and points in the right direction.
"Uh, thanks," Dom said, while chuckling sheepishly. "Maybe you should keep this."
He then handed her the compass.
I keep telling myself it's not real and only a dream. It is only more plausible because I haven't gotten shot down enough in this dream to wake up.Just curious where I met you folks. Xannder gives a small faked chuckle.
Maybe we should stop and ask for directions to?
You proceed forward towards the Fane and keep an eye out for the shadows but so many dark places for them to hide how does one spot them? your only chance is to notice a shadow that is out of place or one that is moving while at the same time finding the Fane and figuring out a way to destroy it.
Perception checks.
"It's, real, norm. All too real sometimes." Roy keeps working with the knife, and pulls the flashlight out with his other hand, ready to turn the beam on and investigate the slightest movement.
Alisha is on guard and looks around for shadows. Her eyes are better tuned to the darkness having been diagnosed at a young age to having a rare 20/10 vision spectrum (She has Low Light vision from her Shadow Heritage)
Perception:
She prepares to use her Sun Flask as soon a she spots real signs of the shadows getting close.
Xannder moves forward with his flashlight at the ready.
"Alright, let's prep our ammo. I think one flask of Ghost Touch Oil ought to be enough, if we conserve ammo. That's enough for twenty bullets. Alisha's got the Sun Flasks, so she'll be our big gun, so to speak, in case the Shades get too close."
"Roy? Xannd? Pick out seven bullets and I'll coat them. I suggest the rifles. Xannder? Semi-auto only. We need to pick our shots here. I'll coat six bullets, but with my Beretta. Someone will need to take out stragglers, that'll be me. Let's get this done, people. A lot of good folks are counting on us."
Xannder loads the bullets into the clip and attaches his flashlight to the front of the barrel.
Roger.
Alisha nods and says "I have the sun flask covered Domingo. Now would be the time to offer prayers to whatever faith you chose, because we're in for the fight of our lives."
She holds a flashlight in one hand and the flask in the other.
Dom is leading the way and you arrive at what appears to be a smaller recreation of Stonehenge that is completely overgrown by plant life. You are examining this strange ruin and nobody sees the first shadow coming.
The creature a man-shaped shadow sneaks up and comes out of the shade trying to grab Dom.
Dom jumps back avoiding the creatures icy touch just in time.
Init
Alisha looks to the sudden movement in the darkness, seeing the silhouette of darkness in the shape of a man lash out at Dom. She turns a look and prepares to throw the flask at the creature.
Initiative:
On her turn she tosses the sun flask at the creature.
. I'll put an Action Point in it for good measure. . So an 18 to hit the square the creature is in.
Roy enchanted the bullets in his Python, which he drew, so that he can continue to have the flashlight out in the other hand. He also enchanted the first shot in his Remington.
Roy spins to face the first shadow, but seeing Alisha begin to pull out a sun flask, he holds his shot for the next creature that shows itself.
"Jesus!" Dom yelled, as the shade's claws nearly gutted him.
Dom searched frantically for another target.
Seeing the shade come up Xannder turns his focus on it and squeezes the trigger.
Roy holds his shot and waits
Xannder shoots the shadow and it howls in pain.
Alisha trows the flask and it shatters and a bright flash of light cause the nearby shadow to vanish it also exposes two additional shadows hiding near the stone pillars 40 feet away, these are stunned for the moment.
Domingo takes a shot and hits one of the stunned shadows.
Shadow 1 = taken 11 damage and gone for now
Shadow 2 = taken 5 damage and stunned
shadow 3 = stunned
You can all post again.
Alisha as a move action pulls out another flash. She then uses Aid Another using her Tactics Knowledge to attempt to give Domingo a +2 bonus to his attack roll.
Knowledge Tactics
She says to Domingo, "Move over to that position there (Jesturing to a good position) and aim for the center mass of the shadow. This should maximize your target area and give you a better chance to hit. Make your shots count as I do not know how long those shadows will stunned for."
Xannder moves into position and takes a shot at the shadow Dom hit.
"We got incoming!"
Dom moved closer to one of the shadows and fired off another round.
Dom smirked.
"You mean like that?"
Roy quickly moves to get a clear shot and fires at the shadow Dom didn't hit already .
Round 2
Xannder misses
Dom shoots shadow 2 and it fades away with a blood chilling howl.
Roy shoots shadow 3 dealing it 7
The remaining shadow moves up getting right up to Roy but it's movement is sluggish. (moves to be adjacent to Roy but doesn't attack)
Go ahead and post next round actions.
Roy takes a step backward and shoots again...
...Although he misses, again losing concentration as he focuses on getting out of the enemy's reach.
Dom angled in closer to Roy and fired on the shadow beast.
"Stupid, slippery son of a..."
Alisha yells at Roy, "Duck and weave Roy, make yourself an elusive target for that shadow."
Aid another with tactics to give Roy a +2 defence against the next attack he gets.
Tactics
Xannder curses at himself and takes aim at the shadow on Roy.
The shadow moves up (5 foot step) and tries to touch Roy but it's still moving slow and he avoids it.
Dom fired again.
Alisha keeps her distance from the shadows and continues using tactical tidbits to help her allies out. As most of her allies have acted this turn she decides to give an aid to Xannder to improve his accuracy.
Knowledge Tactics
"Xannder get around the creature's flank and aim for the center mass. With the shadow's attention on Roy you should be able get a clean shot."
Xannder does a cool roll into position and fires at the shadow again.
Dom shoots the shadow and Xannder lands a direct hit finishing it off.
For the moment you are clear
Alisha smirks at Xannder and says, "Masterful shot there Xannder. And well done everyone. Now let me take a look at that Fane to see if there is a way to disable it safely"
Alisha approaches the Fane cautiously and examines it with her skill in Arcane Lore to figure out some way to dispel it safely. (Spending an Action point as this is important)
Arcane Lore
Action Point
A total of 21 with the Action Point.
Inside the circle of stone you find a pillar covered in magical glowing rune. A woman emerges from behind the pillar she appears to be incredibly old and is horrendously ugly, she has sickly yellow skin covered in warts and oozing sores and a mad tangle of greenish-brown and gray hair.(in fact dc 16 fort save not to trow up at the sight of her (become nauseous for 1 round)
Her gaze seems to send forth a wave of evil intent you can sense that at her heart this woman is pure evil and means to kill you without a doubt.
(will save dc 16 if you fail you are shaken for 24 hours)
Dom doubled over in painful heaves at the sight of the wretched hag.
"Honey, you got reeeal ugly," he managed to sputter between coughing and retching.
Roy drops his gun and nods to the others as the shadow assaulting him is dissipated, and he moves toward the fane behind Alisha. At the sight of the woman, he feels some bile raise in the back of his throat--After everything else, this?--but he fights it back. Her glare unnerves him, however, and he holds up the Python in a shaking hand, hoping to identify this creature before putting a bullet in her head.