Round 5, Init 11
Serra strikes with flank, then 5' steps to allow Cole a clean shot.
to hit; (flank)
damage.
Knights fight on.
Serra pushes himself to keep fighting.
Cole and Serra both attack the leader in gray, but Serra blocks Cole's shot, and Cole's arrow gets in Serra's way, forcing him to pull to the left.
Round 5, Init 12
HP: 10/29
AC: 18 (ff 16, t 13) {16 after charge}
CMD: 13
Init: +3
Fort: +4 | Ref: +2 | Will: +1
Per: +0 | Know nature: +6 | Know planes: +6
Equipped: Shield & Sword
Calistria's Presto-Changeo Trick: 1/1
Dancing Holy Flames: 1/1
Flare Holy Flames: 1/1
Big R's Holy Flameball:1/1
Call upon Big R to protect/rejuvenate mount/protect from evil: 3/3
Call upon Big R to send assistance: 6/6
Scale = 3/3
At will: Read Holy Writing, Detect Blessings, Guide the Faithful, Resist the Enemy, See the Faithful
Xanthos’ full stats
HP: 18/18
AC: 18 ( touch 12, flat-footed 16) (+2 Dex, +6 natural)
{17 due to heavy load}
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +0
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.
{-6 on Dex checks due to heavy load}
Acrobatics +7 (+11 jump), Climb +6, Knowledge Planes +6, Perception +5, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +5
Beagan begins to relax a bit when the man in yellow attempts to surrender. After all, he hadn't stabbed the woman. Perhaps it was time to let the local justice take over. "Ahh, that's better! Now drop your…"
Eli's strike cuts short his words.
Blinking, "I guess at the moment vengeance is the Big Guy's with the Hammer!" But it doesn't matter whether it comes from the Big R's fire or someone else. Vengeance has been served, right?
The Calistrians would have tormented him before exacting their vengeance. But I'm a Paladin of the Big R' now. Paladins are supposed to be swift, hard, true, just and merciful, all at the same time.
The anger in his eyes starts to fade into sorrow. "There is a time for vengeance, a time for mercy, and a time for justice. Don't always know how to figure out which one will liberate and protect the innocent the best." He looks up to Eli, wondering if the large man's thirst for vengeance has been quenched for now.
Grasker will continue the fight in round 5:
Grasker's strike ends the fight, sending the last of the crusaders to his end.
As Grasker lays low the final crusader, silence settles upon the ruined temple once again. The young woman, barely more than a girl, really, picks herself up from the ground. Grasker's divine healing has done it's job well. Though blood stains her dress, she seems healthy enough now.
"Th-thank you. I..." She tries to thank them, but can't bring herself to speak, or even to look them in the eye. She stumbles backwards away from them, and begins scrambling to pick up some questionable looking vegetables and a small bag of oats. "..I...my mother needs me..."
Serra looks at the fallen grey crusader for several moments, lost in thought. Blood trickles from the wound he was given, mingling with that of the fallen.
Serra looks at Kastor, thinking.
Seeing the pain and embarrassment of the young woman seals his resolve. He squats down and thoroughly cuts through the neck, ending his life of ignorance forever.
damage
"Let's check the bodies for things that might help us in our next fights, then we move on," Serra looks to Cole to lead once the girl has been dealt with.
Cole looks around the battlefield - and beyond for new threats. He gathers up the bodies of the dead crusaders and searches them for useful things (weapons, arrows, etc.) and for any wealth they may have carried.
"Wait a moment miss."
If he finds a pouch of gold on one of them, he tosses it to the young lady. "For your trouble."
The girl freezes as Cole calls her. In her fear, her pupils dilate, leaving only a sterling silver line around their dark depths. She shrinks back from the pouch Cole throws, then seems to steel herself. Her chin comes up, as she finally meets someone's gaze.
Picking up the pouch, she tosses it back and shakes her head. "I couldn't. I'm no Calistrian. I... I appreciate the lies to help me, though."
Cole takes the pouch back with a shrug, "As you wish."
"We're headed north, beyond the wall, if you want some company a ways. 'course that's the direction of the crusader camp too, so I dunno that it's a good direction for you. Up to you. Either way, safe travels."
Cole takes the pouch back with a shrug, "As you wish."
"We're headed north, beyond the wall, if you want some company a ways. 'course that's the direction of the crusader camp too, so I dunno that it's a good direction for you. Up to you. Either way, safe travels."
She shakes her head, "No, I have to get back to my mother. Thank you, though."
1 very very nice longsword.
3 nice longswords
4 sets of breastplate
12 good luck charms from various faiths and superstitions
3 pouches with 30 gold, 20 silver, and 15 copper
1 pouch(from yellow) with 300 gold, 200 silver, and 100 copper,
1 necklace
2 rings
Serra smiles at his very wise squire.
"No Kastor, they were ill knights at best, unlike brave Ser Beagan. That they would force themselves on a woman shows their lack of moral timbre. We knights are bound to protect the innocent, not use them towards our own ends."
"We shall certainly try to see her home. It is our duty."
* * *
Serra nods to the lady, picking up a longsword as he moves to speak with her.
"I meant nothing by saying those things. I just wanted them to think they would gain nothing from hurting you. I'm sorry that you had to go through this," Serra says. He offers her the longsword if she will not take the gold.
"Take this then...either to learn to defend yourself or your family, or to sell at a later time. It's a fine blade and will serve either purpose. You are no Calistrian. You have heart, lady...you'd make a fine knight someday. And Kenebres is going to need your strength to rebuild."
"We can walk you home if you'd like."
"Thank you." She does indeed take the sword. The act seems to calm her somewhat. After a moment or two, she accepts. "I'd like that...I'm afraid I didnt get your names? " She hesitates, then offers her own. "Mine is Laina."
"It isn't far. Just down this street. "
"Ahhh, Serra, we already have a plan." he turns to Laina, "It's close then? I guess if it's not far..." he looks to their path, to the north, and shrugs.
"OK. It's going to take us a while to get where we're going anyway. What's a short detour? Laina, tell me the address, maybe I know it."
Once he has the address he'll take up his point position and start to her house.
"Glad you survived Laina. Do you know anything about the people who attacked you, or hear anything about the demon they were off to fight?"
Once Cole gathers up the loots Grasker will cast detect magic.
"Any cold iron longswords there, Cole? I could use one in case we run into demon creatures."
The Gnome looks down at the deep slashes in his armor, the broad cuts to his flesh, and he mutters. "Calistrian pain. Demonic pain. Now Crusader pain. I guess the high priestess was right when she said life is pain..." But as his eyes raise to meet the young lady's, wincing on his face is washed away by a smile. "Thank the Big R' that sometimes it's worth it!"
"I appreciate the lies to help me, though."
"I'm sorry our lies weren't keener or our swords weren't quicker, lass. It's not a good day when lies have to be used to help the wronged, but an even worse day when those who claim to battle evil resort to it themselves."
"You are no Calistrian. You have heart, lady..."
"Some Calistrians have hearts. They just don't always use them..." He shrugs as he gestures at the fallen foes. "As I imagine some Crusaders have goodness, and others, well, not so much."
"What do we do about these corrupted, lost souls? We take their weapons so no one else can use them to threaten the likes of Lania and Nira and Belthis? What about their armor? Their possessions? If given back to the Crusade, will they arm more thugs like these?"
"Mine is Laina."
Serra nods and introduce himself and the others.
"I am Sir Serra Iondri Phaer. That noble gnome is Ser Beagan. Your true savior is a Servant of the Holy Light, Grasker. Our tracker, Cole, is your city kin. And lastly, our giant is Ely. Hail and well met," Serra extends a hand.
"Mayhaps we shall talk as we walk. We are new in town, have seen few citizens left from the attack. What can you tell us of the survivors? Is there any structure left?"
* * *
When Serra gets a chance to look at the longsword, Detect Magic and:
Spellcraft
Eli listens, nodding sometimes and shaking his head at other times. When he focuses on the yellow cloak, assuring himself that there is no movement, he grimaces. Eli turns his head towards the girl, and strides up to her. It appears as though he sees no one but the girl.
"What did your mother tell you about going out alone?!" He grabs her upper arm, and shakes it sternly. "You could have been killed, and for what?!" Eli looks at the girl's possessions, and snorts. "There are dangerous things about. Dangerous creatures, dangerous terrain, and dangerous men. You'll be the death of your mother if you ever forget that again!" Eli releases her arm only after he's said his peace, and not a moment before.
Laina calms somewhat as the group gathers, nodding as Serra introduces the others in even absentia. She even risks a smile at Beagan and Ely, only to be grasped roughly by the old man. Her pupils had almost returned to normal, but flare again at the treatment. The longsword drops from her shocked fingers as he shakes her.
She swings, wild and obviously untrained. Then she begins to run.
Initiative, Round 1
Elyanius Myoch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
Beagan Berelcar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Anevia: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Laina: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Serra Iondri Phaer: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Cole Zeff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Grasker: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
Round 1, Init 20
AC = 12
HP = 22/24
Weapon Equipped = Cold Iron Lucerne Hammer
Condition(s) = Enlarged 6/30
Eli pulls back, his forearm newly cut, and he clenches his fist, as if to strike out blindly. He only stares at the cut, then to the girl running off.
He unclenches, then clenches his fist, watching the tendons in his arm, and the blood that comes forth more vigorously. He says nothing in response to the girl's actions.
Ely clenches his fist, but seems mesmerized by the small wound on his arm.
"Ely! What do you think you're doing!!!!" Shocked by the man's actions, she begins to hobble over to intercede.
Serra delays.
Surprised by Eli's scolding, Beagan looks back and forth between the two, a little dumbfounded and frustrated.
Scowling at his friend, "Eli, you shouldn't..." Not to one who has just been tortured.
Looking after the girl running away, "Laina, wait, we'll get you back home safely..." Or else you'll be putting yourself in more danger.
He takes a few steps to follow the girl, and then glowers back in fear and uncertainly.
Ignoring the little gnome's gentle offer, Laina runs off as fast as she can, which is surprisingly fast.
Looking after the girl running away, "Laina, wait, we'll get you back home safely..." Or else you'll be putting yourself in more danger.
He takes a few steps to follow the girl, and then glowers back in fear and uncertainly.
"Beagan, wait. I think with her speed she'll be home sooner than we can catch her - she'll be home before long anyway."
He looks dourly at Eli.
"If we're done scaring little girls, shall we proceed? A few of us would see if our kin live this day."
Cole starts walking north, planning his route and watching for trouble.
His brother's legs fairly flew beneath him, but Klarah caught him easily. Pitr's family always seemed to be just a little bit faster than the rest of them. Their kick a little harder, a little smoother, it was no wonder that Pitr, and now Klarah following in his footsteps, always seemed to reach the finishline first.
"What was that all about Ely? You inherit the manners and intelligence of an ogre in addition to its size?" Serra asks crossly, inspecting his sword wound.
Grasker warily watches the giant Eli after he shakes the newly rescued girl. He readies to cast a spell if the giant turns on the party, though fortunately that is not how things ended up.
"Let her run... we are not on a mission to terrify this destroyed city. It is bad enough we ended up killing those warriors instead of recruiting them to our cause."
Grasker will consider the longsword weapons for one better than his own. Are any cold iron or masterwork, are they magic or the rings and necklace?
Detect Magic
Grasker will survey the group to see if anyone is particularly wounded. "Sir Beagan, it looks like you took a wound there. Do you need healing?"
"Home is where she should have been in the first place. Yes." Eli looks off at the girl, and back to his cut. A dagger's cut, nothing more.
"Yes. Let's proceed. Let's see who lives." Eli grimaces, and cleans off his hammer as best he can on one of the fallen crusaders.
Eli lets Serra examine the cut, but continues to look off every once and awhile.
HP: 16/22
Weapon Equipped = Long Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 30/30
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
Ranger Focus = 1/1 (+2 attack/damage)
Child of the Crusade = 1/1 (reroll failed save to be demonically possessed or incapacitated)
Silver Dragon Scale = 3/3
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +3, Dex +3, MW Bow +1, (Deadly Aim -1), (Rapid Shot -2)
Bow Damage Mods: (Deadly Aim +2)
Cole turns to Grasker, "I have a minor injury, but you should heal the front liners first. I'll take whatever is left over - or just try to be more careful of my positioning in combat."
Cole reloads his quiver as he moves off to the north when everyone is ready.
"Home is where she should have been in the first place. Yes."
Serra shakes his head at Ely.
"Let us continue on, Ely. It would be better if you did not attack those we are attempting to rescue."
Serra moves to follow Cole.
Without the additional person to see home, the group makes good time, over all. They are beset by dire rats at one point, but they handle them easily enough.
After a bit, Anevia points out a manor visible through a demolished section of town.
"That is Horgus' place. Mine is right there."
The space between the well appointed manor and Anevia's small home is not much, especially with all of the devastation in between. In the affluent area that Horgus called home, his estate alone stands as solemn and solid as it did on Armasse when he headed to the festivities.
To the North and west, through a break in a wall, Cole can see the street that he's called home for many years. His house as well, is not that far.
"We should get Anevia home first. The living have more pressing emotions than the dead. We can deal with Horgus soon after," Serra says, walking to Anevia's home.
"We should get Anevia home first. The living have more pressing emotions than the dead. We can deal with Horgus soon after," Serra says, walking to Anevia's home.
"I agree." Cole follow Serra bow at the ready for whatever lies ahead. He tries not to think of his father...
"It still stands!" Anevia turns to her companions, a true smile on her face. "I would never have made it without all of you. Thank you for seeing me home."
The modest home sits in a small yard. The door is closed, and it looks as if, like Horgus' manor, it was spared the worst of the destruction.
"Come in! I'll introduce you to Irabeth if she is home, and we can get an update on things."
Serra, mindful of the repeating what happened at the library, draws his starknife. He enters his soldier's stance waddle. He either leads or follows Anevia in, trying to guard her despite his wounds.
"Sir Beagan, it looks like you took a wound there. Do you need healing?"
"Grasker, I did take an exra-sharp swipe from that sword. I've had much worse before - anything that doesn't knock me unconscious can't be that bad, right?" Of course, being unconscious is usually less painful, until you wake up and see She wrought while one was out. "But yeah, I'm not in tip-top fighting shape at the moment, I'm afraid."
"I would never have made it without all of you. Thank you for seeing me home."
"As many as we can get home, we'll get home." Horgus didn't make it back intact, nor will those "Crusaders" we just encountered. "I'm glad you have a home to make it back to." And I hope your loved ones still stand as well.
Seeing the devastation around the city and the cruel, evil that remains, his fingers trace Desna's butterfly around his heart for luck, before tracing sliding the Big R's wing.
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Grasker will convert liberating command into cure light wounds for Beagan. "I'm glad to heal you, thanks to Iomadea. It is striking how different knightly traditions have their own fighting style. You seem swift and brave as a rabbit, while Sir Serra fights as defensively as a turtle."
Grasker will put away his sword and shield before heading inside.
"A fine home, Avenia."
"Irabeth?! Are you here?" Anevia bursts into the house, so intent is she on reaching her wife.
Serra Iondri Phaer: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Elyanius Myoch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
Grasker: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
Anevia: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Cole Zeff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Beagan Berelcar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
v: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
"It would be better if you did not attack those we are attempting to rescue.
Eli barely glances from his arm to identify Serra's confusion. Scolding and attacking aren't the same, knight. When I attack again, perhaps you'll recognize the difference.
...
Eli hardly notices when he's returned to normal size. He follows along, understanding when they've gained an endpoint in Anevia's home. At least she's made it safe home. A shame we couldn't say the same for Horgus. So close, too.
"So where is Irabeth?"
Round: Surprise, Initiative: 6
HP: 20/22
Weapon Equipped = Long Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 30/30
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
Ranger Focus = 1/1 (+2 attack/damage)
Child of the Crusade = 1/1 (reroll failed save to be demonically possessed or incapacitated)
Silver Dragon Scale = 3/3
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +3, Dex +3, MW Bow +1, (Deadly Aim -1), (Rapid Shot -2)
Bow Damage Mods: (Deadly Aim +2)
Cole listens for a moment before yelling, ”Wizard!”
He grabs Anevia and pulls her away from the open doorway.
If successful he pulls her 5’ closer to him along the wall away from the door. If she actively resists, she can take an AoO against Cole.
Cole snatches Anevia from in front of the door, pulling her to safety against the building.
"Wha-?"
Anevia, caught completely offguard, is against the building before she knows left from right.
Grasker charges inside, drawing his sword. Unfortunately his magic shield remains strapped to his back.
"Who has seized this home! Demon friend or demon foe?"
Grasker bravely enters the building, but sees no one. Suddenly, a beetle the size of a dire rat pops into being beside him. On the table behind it, a man, perhaps half orc? shows as well, before he mutters another spell and disappears. The beetle attacks Grasker immediately.
Round 1
Serra Iondri Phaer: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Elyanius Myoch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11
Grasker: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10
Anevia: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Cole Zeff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Beagan Berelcar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
v: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Round 1, Init 21
"Grasker! Look out!" Serra, already in his waddle, takes total defense and moves into the house.
His starknife is held low to ward off any attacks from the demonbeetle, his buckler near his face in case it attacks high.
Aoo
The beetle makes a feeble attempt at Serra as he moves past.
