Asta chants in the midst of all the chaos, and pumps more life energy into Arctorus' body.
Arctorus grits his teeth and tightens his grip on his axe before bellowing out a challenging and defiant roar at the dragon flying near him, before ripping free of its teeth and heaving his axe towards it once more!
__________
Seraph, with her large blade drawn staggers her way towards the sounds of battle. She was exhausted. Her limbs felt like lead weights but she struggled on with one thought on her mind. Fight and protect her Witch Queen...
|
Arabeth heals most of the wounds she absorbed from Arcorus.
Torod continues to fire arrows at the drake, the first comes close to hitting as it bounces off the drakes thick hide. The second arrow miss completely.
Asta uses her magic to pour more healing into Arctours.
The fully healed Arctours puts his back into his axe and roars as he swings. The blade hits and slips along the scaly hide before catching and digging into the flesh of the drake’s neck. The beast bellows in pain before collapsing to the ground.
The Exhausted Seraph moves up to protect her queen.
With the drake down, Croft comes flying out of the big hollow tree looking no worse for his experience. ”About time! Any longer and I would have likely ended up like that other fellow stuffed in the that tree!”
Drake: (B 1-1=0) 26+11+9 = 46+22=68 damage ** dying **
Torod: Exhausted
Chuffy: 12 NL, Exhausted
Arcorus: Exhausted, 11-18 = 0 dam
Asta: 12 NL, Exhausted, +10 dam, 6 False life
Arabeth: Exhausted, (life-link to Torod, shield other Arctorus ) 10 -9 =1 dam
Seraph: 12 NL, Exhausted
Horse Torod: Fatigued, 17 dam Unconscious, Stable
Horse Asta: Fatigued, 5 dam
Horse Arabeth: Fatigued 10 dam
outrider 4: Fatigued, 10 dam
Horse outrider 4: Fatigued, horse 10 dam
"What fellow?" Asta asks of her raven.
Even before the answer comes, she beckons the others closer. "Any who bear injuries, to me. I can heal you."
Glancing at Arctorus... the Witch Queen inclines her head. "Squire Arctorus, I must confess that I did cast spells on you without asking your permission beforehand. As such, you are free to make complaint against me and demand recompense. Under the law of my own kingdom, you have that right, and I have an obligation to make redress. Do you wish to exercize that right?"
Arctorus, still fuming with frustration at the fight that just concluded, simply growls as he drops another axefall across the creatures neck, then pulls the drake’s head away.
”Healing is different. And I dunno what reconspense is, but if you wanna repay me, an actual nights rest is what I demand. Right now,” he says as he drags his trophy over to the side of the tree and flops down beside it.
With combat over Arabeth ags under the weight of her fatigue as well. She moves to chck every ones condition.
Putting her blade away made movement no less as easy. Seraph comes up alongside Asta as the dust started to settle. "I agree with Arctorus, rest is needed, my Queen. I fear we won't be able to fight like this again."
She looks for anyone in need of healing and uses her lay on hands on those who are not overly injured. Focusing on the most injured first...
Torod makes sure that the drake is dead.
|
|
The group heals up and Torod makes sure the drake is dead.
Croft shows Asta what's left of the skeletal remains of the forest drake’s most recent victim, an unfortunate elf scout who appears to have tried to hide unsuccessfully from the drake within the tree.
Strewn about the underbrush are the discarded possessions. Most of the gear is ruined, but the following items can still be salvaged: a ripped and broken masterwork chain shirt, a masterwork darkwood longbow, and a tattered, bloodstained cloak of elvenkind.
Since the drake was the top predator in this area, nothing is likely to bother you if you camp here for the rest of the night.
Even so, drakes are lesser dragons their hide is still prised for making dragon armor. This one is large enough to make a suit of hide armor and shield for a man-sized creature.
The beleagured Torod sees to his horse. He casts . "I'm pushing you to hard. We'll rest here."
At those words, Chuffy falls where he's at and goes to sleep.
As they go about setting camp, Torod comments, "That boy is resourceful and skilled. He knows this land that's for sure. I want him for my outriders."
"If we can even catch up to him. Why didn't he just run home?" Asta grumbles as she brings the loot to her party, then sits down heavily next to Torod.
"We should skin that drake. The hide would make fine armour. Maybe the meat and bones could be of value, too. Jaded nobles might buy drake-steak... The bones might make fine components for my research, too. Drake-tooth daggers..."
Torod considers "Scared he'd get into trouble. The boy was probably skipping out on chores to go fishing. He was more afraid of his pa's reaction than he was of an angry ogre." Torod seems very pleased at his about what happened.
Arabeth tries to find some where comfortable to settle for the night's rest.
Too fatigued to do much else she heals though she can before moving back to recover the fatigued outriders and the scattered horses. Giving commands to set up camp and volunteering herself for the first watch if no one else was awake enough to do it.
|
|
The group camps the remaining of the night, having pushed themselfs for the last two days. No creature bothers the group during the night.
After 8 hours everyone is fully rested and the the sky to the east is just beginning to lighten with the promise of morning, giving the group enough time to recover spells before full daylight.
Relocating Tig’s trail is not a problem for the master tracker Torod.
Tig’s path seems to take him deeper into the forest giving the lizard folk a large berth.
After about 4 hours of tracking well into area (I3) area west of the lizard folk , Torod locates where Tig make camp made a small fire and cooked rabbit. All in all it looks like he spent about six hours before setting off again.
Continuing on the group enters the area north of the lizard Folk and cross the Murque River. With Tig’s trail heading east.
After 8 hours of travel the group enters the area (H6) that hey know the Mad Hermit lives.
Tig’s tracks are meet by two other tracks a man-size humanoid and a Puma. All three tracks change direction leading towards the southeast. Following them for another hour leads to a clearing with a large hollow oak tree that looks like it is being lived in.
From the tracks Torod is very sure Tig was here 8 hours ago. It is currently 4pm, and the group has been tracking about 10hr, the leaders are not tired, though the horses and outriders are just starting to show signs of fatigue.
The large oak tree has a rough plank door covering the entrance.
"The hell?" Asta mutters. "If that boy wound up handing himself over to a cannibal or something, I'm going to have a few words to say about it. Alright; somebody'd better knock on the door. Torod, from what you told us about the tracks, this might be a Ranger or a Druid or... something. Would you care to do the honours?"
Arabeth sits her horse awaiting developments. (Or stands beside her mount if people are in a walking/greeting kind of mood.)
Torod approaches the tree and announces himself.
|
|
Torod goes up the unusual house and calls out.
After a moment, he hears an old man reply in a snippy voice, ”Yes I’m here, this is my house who wants to know?” after a moment you hear him mutter to himself ”No, I didn’t invite anyone over. Now be quiet. What why should I invite him in, I don’t know him. Hush now!” Torod doesn't hear anyone else speaking.
After a moment the door opens and a wild looking man dressed in animal skins looks out at Torod, ”What do you want?” Torod can see inside the single room shack, a puma moves about inside, but there doesn't appear to be anyone else. The man turns looking inside for a moment, ”Yes I just asked what he wants! Now shut up let me think.” The man turns back to Torod "Yes?"
"I'm Torod. I'm looking for a boy who may have come by here within the last day. He's led me and my companions on quite the chase."
Chuffy is there with him sniffing at the air towards the puma.
|
|
The wild man looks at Torod, ”Boy? There is no boy here.”
He turns to his left muttering ”What? No I didn’t kill him. Be quite!” Then turning to his right he whispers, ”Yes, I will invite him in if it will silence you.”
Looking again at Torod he old man smiles ”Where are my manners please step in side.” steps back letting Torod enter.
The Man shakes his head as he mutters ”No only the elf not the others. Stop talking, I can’t think with all the voices.”
The puma is sitting on a simple bed in the back of the one room.
At the man's comment that noe of the vopices he's talking tooare the person that they seek Arabeth wilts a little...
"There was a boy here." Torod says angrily. "What have you done with him? We'll find out and, if you've hurt him, you will be brought to justice."
|
|
Asta growls and the Puma growls back.
The man looks confused for a moment, "No boy here. Come in, I show you!" The man speaks over his shoulder, "Quite, I'll show him there is no boy, he doesn't know I traded him."
Looking back at Torod, "Come in and look, I insist! You will find no boy here!"
"Indeed not," Asta says out loud, her voice lowering dangerously. "The lizardmen have him. Speak truly; how long ago did you give them the child, you old codger? And where did you hand him over?"
"Torod, can you and Chuffy find lizardman tracks? Croft..."
"On it!" the raven replies, and he flies up from his Witch's shoulder, circling up higher and higher to get a good view of the surrounding land -- and hopefully, of a group of lizardmen and their captive. If he doesn't see something within five minutes, he rejoins the group.
Torod gets into the hermit's face. "Bokken is still looking for you kinslayer. He wants vengeance for your mother. Now that we know where you are, he'll be coming for a visit. And if that boy is hurt, he'll have to get in line for your blood."
Arabeth is startled by the strange, sudden escalation of events.
She sits up strighter and watches the developments with more acuity.
|
|
Croft takes off to circle around for a good view, but doesn't see anything. The Lizard folk village is several hours to the south.
Torod gets into the hermit’s face telling him off.
The Mad Hermit responds by drawing a shortsword and attacking Torod, and yelling ”The voices will be quite!” The shortsword deadly thrust is deflected by Torod’s breastplate. Quicker than he looks, the Hermit shifts back calling out ”Cat! attack!”
The Puma pounces from where it was perched leaping for Torod’s throat! It bites, Claws and rakes Torod with it’s hind claws twice, but fails to grapple the Hunter.
to hit
to hit
to grapple.
to hit
to hit
to hit
to hit
Arabeth:
Torod: +9+5+6+4 = 24 dam
Asta:
Seraph:
Arctorus:
Mad Hermit:
Cat:
Asta dismounts -- and vomits a stream of squirming, black bodies.
The spider swarm makes a beeline for the hermit and starts marching up his legs, biting for all it's worth!
Straightening up, Asta snarls at Chuffy:
Arctorus sighs. ”Does everyone have to settle things with blood?” he asks the others before taking off with his axe in hand towards Torod.
The hermit's attack was expected, but the puma's attack came as a surprise. It's times like these that Torod carries Wyandare. Torod strikes out at the puma.
Wyandare (Scimitar +2 feybane):
Chuffy attacks.
Chuffy Bite:
|
|
Asta cast dark magic that causes her stomach to start pulsating with movement and a moment later she vomits out a stream of squirming black spiders in what seems like an unending wave, but in reality is merely a few seconds. The spiders form a group as they swarm forward towards the Hermit double move.
Arctorus trots forward readying his axe.
Torod looking bloody from the Puma’s attacks strikes back with Wyandare cutting deeply into the cat. Followed by Chuffy moving up and biting the cat even harder.
The Mad Hermit, moves more nimbly that his looks as he tumbles past Torod into a flanking position, just before he stabs again with his shortsword, ”I shall add you to my voices and they will be quite!”. His blade is again deflected by Torod’s breastplate.
The cat swaying bites fiercely at Torod as his attention is diverted by the Hermit, it’s teeth bite deeply nearly hitting an artery. Following the attack the cat collapse from it’s injuries.
Torod vs cmd 17+5+4=26
Chuffy cmd 20+2=22
Arctorus cmd 22+2=24
to hit
to hit
Possible Critical
to hit
Arabeth:
Torod: 24+5 = 29 dam
Asta:
Seraph:
Arctorus:
Mad Hermit:
Cat: +7+12 = 19 +1 *** Dying ***
Startled by the sudden violence Arabeth is slow to react.
The spiders continue to move on the mad hermit at Asta's mental urging.
For her part, the Witch Queen fixes the Hermit with a baleful glare...
Arctorus lifts his axe from his shoulder and cleaves it towards the man, trying to tend either his body or his will to fight in half. As he swings, his roar echoes through the woods with a fury!
”Are you done now!? Do you want to keep fighting? Either way is fine with me!”
__________
Torod was glad that the puma had fallen. He knew he couldn't take much of the two of them going after him. Torod adjusted his position and strikes back.
Wyandare (Scimitar +2 feybane): flank
|
|
Arabeth creates a life link to Torod, and absorbs a wound from him.
Asta’s spiders move forward engulfing the Hermit and Arctorus, as Aata Evil eyes the Mad Hermit. The Hermit shakes off both the spiders’ poison and the queen’s evil eye.
Arctorus smashes the Hermit with his axe.
Torod strikes back hitting the Mad Hermit with Wyandare.
The Hermit dances out of the spiders and laughs as he attacks Torod again, ”I die, you die, we all fall down!” Again his shortsword bounces off of Torod’s armor.
to hit
Arabeth: +5 dam
Torod: 29-5 = 24 dam
Asta:
Seraph:
Arctorus:
Mad Hermit: +2+33+6 = 41 dam
Cat: 20 +1 dam *** Dying ***
”FINE!” Arctorus bellows as he moves to put the man between himself and Torod before bringing his axe blade down vertically at his chest where the neck meets the shoulder!
__________
The spiders advance on the hermit, stinging and biting.
Asta again fixes the hermit with her Evil eye.
Torod looks upon the dead man with contempt. 'Kinslaying is the greatest evil in Erastil's eyes." He looks for something to bring back to Bokken to prove his brother's demise.
He also checks the puma over to see if she is dead. If not, he'll say to Asta, "This one is not Strawberry, but she could make a fine companion once fully trained. he waits for Asta's response before healing the great cat.
Self
Puma
|
|
Torod looks upon the dead man with contempt as he heals his own wounds. Then out of respect for the Puma, Torod heals it.
The Puma regains consciousness, calmly it sniffs the dead Hermit. Looks at Torod for a moment in nether fear or anger then sits and begins to lick its reaming wounds.
Arabeth: 5 dam
Puma: 10 dam
Arabeth sighs in releif that this latest bout of violence has resolved. She closes her eyes and whispers quitly to heself, healing her wounds, before approaching the still injured animal slowly and carefully (Looking to Torod for guidance as she does so).