"A boy," Shalelu replies.
Mel smiles, "What is he doing now?" She thinks for a second before speaking, probably not long enough really, "You really don't seem old enough to have a child. Well... I guess you are the same age, kinda, as Mom and she has me and Davor, so I guess you are..." She blinks, looking at the two elven women, "I should stop shouldn't I?"
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"Can't wait." Myri adds. "If we're able to find stuff that others have overlooked, I think that'll feel real good."
Then she frowns, "How many people travel the path when it's not winter?"
Ulf thinks about this; it's clearly a calculation he's never made before.
"Let's see ... figure a Caravan goes off about once a week over the course of about three months ... you really don't want to leave any earlier than Desnus and any later than Erastus ... going in both directions ... I'd figure it at around 500 people a year."
He works with you, the two of you brushing down the horses together, checking their hooves, filing the back teeth of one of them a bit. When the task is done, he nods to you.
"Thank you," he says.
Lio shrugs, a very small smile. She enjoys this sort of work. "Aime b'tt'r weth anemals." A pause. "Well, moare comfortable."
"Oh, lemme get the ring right to ya." She passes you the enchanted item.
"Now, what's this?" she asks, smiling, carefully unwrapping the gift you have brought.
Lio smiles. "Aye saw thes, an' thought ye might laike et. Koulde be us'ful." She adds.
You unwrap a fine china tea cup and saucer. The porcelain is delicate, there are interesting florals depicted on the outside of the cup and the edge of the saucer. On one side, a small detailed butterfly sits upon one of the flowers. The inside of the cut is also decorated, as if this was the underside of the leaves and flowers and butterfly.
"'erd ye could read tealeaves. Thought this way ye could 'ave both tea, and fortune." She places a small bag of Jasmin tea in front of you on a convenient perch.
Mel smiles, "What is he doing now?" She thinks for a second before speaking, probably not long enough really, "You really don't seem old enough to have a child. Well... I guess you are the same age, kinda, as Mom and she has me and Davor, so I guess you are..." She blinks, looking at the two elven women, "I should stop shouldn't I?"
"Shae's ten years older 'an me." Lio says quietly.
The nervousness disappears from Myriana's face replaced with an excitement to match her sister's. "Oh, Shelyn's Holy Blessings, of course." She steps forward into Shalelu and squeezes her tightly. "I'm so happy for you." She pauses, drawing back and looking up into Shalelu's face, eyes still managing to shine in the pale light. "So..when did you guys decide to make it official?"
"Not long ago," Shalelu replies, returning your embrace. She is rather glowing. "During the Aurora. We haven't told anyone else yet, so I would prefer that you hold off on mentioning it to anyone else until we make the announcement."
<Being curious and finding out why? Yes. Asking? No.>
<Probably true, but if she does find out, I also can't see her casually mentioning it to anyone.>
She smiles at the seemingly random (to Mel) notes Zaiobe is making, <Is there anything I can do other than come up with very cheesy dialogue?>
<Well, we'll need to decorate the place, too ... what do you think - royal boudoir or lowly prisoner's cell?>
"And I was of childbearing age when I first met your mom ... when she was six years old."
Ranged Longbow, +8/+3 Masterwork Composite +3 Strength Rated (1d8+3/20x3)
Ranged Modifier: Point Blank Shot +1 hit/damage w/i 30']
Ranged Modifier: Precise Shot no penalty for shooting into melee
Aspect of the Falcon: +1 competence bonus on ranged attacks, and the critical multiplier for your bows and crossbows becomes 19–20/×3
Lio turns her attention to the thing behind her, Shalelu, Ameiko, and Alaric.
1st flaming arrow: (-4 for wind included)
(+1 point blank shot)
fire
2nd flaming arrow: (-4 for wind included)
(+1 point blank shot included)
fire
Knowledge What is the Plant thing Nature:
Lio continues to direct the Flaming Sphere at the plant creature that has captured Melinda. "Let her go." She quietly insists.
bad guys reflex save:
Fire Damage
Lio shrugs, a very small smile. She enjoys this sort of work. "Aime b'tt'r weth anemals." A pause. "Well, moare comfortable."
He nods. "You know where you stand, with them."
"I would like you to tell me what flying is like," Shalelu says, leading Liothonae towards the Women's Wagon. "Over warm drinks. And possibly soup. Wrapped in blankets. Which possibly are on fire."
Zaiobe gives the two women a friendly tap with her wings before seeking the warmth of the indoors herself.
Lio gives Zaiobe a friendly little wave, before wrapping her arm back around Shalelu as they walk towards the women's wagon.
She tries to straighten with the same care, but the feel of him in her, the feel of her around him, ecstasy. Somewhere in the haze of bliss, there is a promise, a vow, a life-time, and only an instant. As Melinda comes back to the world of words, she blushes.
Lio shrugs, a very small smile. She enjoys this sort of work. "Aime b'tt'r weth anemals." A pause. "Well, moare comfortable."
He nods. "You know where you stand, with them."
Lio nods, agreeing. "Thought it would be easier, to unnerstand ott'rs, aft'r dying. Turns out, it isn't." She says, seemingly out of the blue. "People are... confusing. Animals, make sense."
<Well, we'll need to decorate the place, too ... what do you think - royal boudoir or lowly prisoner's cell?>
Mel looks around the small wagon, "Space-wise prisoner's cell would be more realistic. Royal boudoir might be more fun, but I think we need more space for it... And I've seen holding cells, but the closest I've seen to a royal boudoir were the rooms in Kalsgard.> Mel finishes with a smile.
After long moments spent regaining his breath, he traces the blush on her cheeks. "What is it, love?"
Rhost kneels near Attatoq. "Aitäh."
** spoiler omitted **
As he brushes Attatoq, Rhost says to Liothonae, "Ers i mi ladd y dyn i chi ddod yn ôl yn fyw, byddwn yn rhoi arian i chi yn lle eich eitemau a ddefnyddir."
** spoiler omitted **
"Rydych yn ei ladd ef eto?" She asks. "Pryd wnaethoch chi ddod o hyd i'r amser ... a beth wnaeth e? Mae'n ... yn ymddangos mor braf." Her question is phrased seriously.
"Shae's ten years older 'an me." Lio says quietly.
"He is with his father and stepmother, in Varisia. I visited him not long ago. He is growing rapidly, as half-elves do," Shalelu answers.
"And I was of childbearing age when I first met your mom ... when she was six years old."
Mel winces slightly at the age reminder, "It just sounds worse when I say, but I don't think of you as that much older than me..."
"Ummm... Mom said that I will probably feel stronger and more... prone to rash violent action." She smiles at both women, "But I've never been pregnant before, so I'm willing to listen to any advice."
"As long as you don't try to keep them in anything enclosed which gets hit my direct sunlight." Myri sighs, perhaps a little sadly, "it's pretty easy to give them heat stroke."
Lio hesitates a moment, but then speaks what she was thinking.
"Then ye kann eat 'em wethout haven ta chase em. Don't sound too terrible."
Mel pulls a wand from her belt, activating it in the twisting tendrils. Maybe she screwed up, because she only manages to cover herself with grease.
Lio turns her attention to the thing behind her, Shalelu, Ameiko, and Alaric, firing two flaming arrows at it. The wind carries them aside, however. But Lio also continues to direct the Flaming Sphere at the plant creature that has captured Melinda. "Let her go." She quietly insists. Once again, the sphere badly burns the enormous plant.
And as if on cue, Melinda slips from the plant’s grasp. Thanks to her greasy coating, Melinda is just able to escape from the webbing of sticky cocoon material the plant attempted to spray over her.
As you watch, however, a bit of the plant that had been burned by Lio’s fire regrows.
Alaric advances toward the undead and channels. Unnaturally active flesh melts and cracks under the wave of positive energy. All of them are damaged, three of them quite badly, but none yet fall.
Ameiko climbs back onto the bridge. Her first attempt fails, but she manages to get her feet back on solid stone with a second. Even from the depths of the black slush, she continued her bardic performance, and does so still.
Two of the undead foes continue to try to beat down Rhost under their onslaught.
The four-armed horror unleashes a full attack on Ameiko, biting her with its sharp-toothed jaw, and slashing at her with each of its four claws. Luck is on the creature’s side, and all five attacks strike home.
Zaiobe had readied a healing spell in case one of the those already damaged took further damage still. Seeing Ameiko fall, she flies forward and casts it upon her.
Rhost is incredibly pleased as his newest target steps up to him and takes out his pleasure appropriately. He beats on the fungus with his beating hammer, pulping it completely with two mighty blows.
Shalelu casts Resistance to Cold upon Liothonae, protecting her from the harsh environment and monster vomit.
Seeing the giant plant creature wither under Liothonae's flaming sphere, Hrunndalf feels the sudden impulse to shout "رایت!" at it. Suddenly, and quite to Hrunndalf's surprise, a roaring curtain of flame springs up from the tower floor, charring a wide swath right through the middle of the plant's hulk. And indeed, the fire damages the plant considerably. Then Hrunndalf moves towards the remaining four-armed creature.
Myriana arrows continue to fly towards that same multi-limbed monster, as she carefully keeps her enemy within 30' of her bow. Once again only a single shot hits, but it is a mighty blow into the monster’s chest. Nonetheless, it remains standing.
Feeling the swoosh of air as the tentacle misses him, Kalimac redoubles his attacks. The plant is obviously right there! Twice he stabs at the giant plant with his lance. Both times, however, he cannot land his blow.
The remaining two undead, continue to bash at Rhost.
Xandergul -2/-3 nonlethal, fatigued
Hrunndalf -3 (black slush)
Liothonae -12
Melinda -21
Zaiobe -6
Rhost -40, -5 from temporary negative level
Alaric -7
Shalelu -6
Myriana -1
Ameiko (black slush)
Attatoq (blind, will have sight by his next action)
Kalimac (blind)
Ameiko -17
Rear Charda -67
Moonflower -44 (fast healing)
Wight 1 -19
Wight 2 -9
Wight 3 -19
Wight 4 -19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XXXXXX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X......X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X.X....X.X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X...X..X..#X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~X...X@...X#..X~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~X.........#....X~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~X.......PP#......X~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~X......P#P.K...X~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~X.....#EP....X~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X...#......X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X.#......X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X...MW.X~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XXWRXX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.A~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.Y~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~S~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ZHL~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.C~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
. = 5’ square, stone
X = Wall
~ = Black slush
@ = Crystalline control panel
E = Flaming Sphere
# = Wall of Fire
PPP
PPP
PPP = Huge Plant
C = Four-armed drooling creature
W = Undead (four of them, two not visible on map - one below Melinda, one beneath Rhost)
M = Melinda (15’ up)
R = Rhost (5’ up)
H = Hrunndalf
A = Alaric
L = Liothonae
K = Kalimac (on Attatoq) (20’ up)
Y = Myriana
I = Ameiko (prone)
S = Shalelu
Z = Zaiobe (5’ up)
Mel winces slightly at the age reminder, "It just sounds worse when I say, but I don't think of you as that much older than me..."
"Ummm... Mom said that I will probably feel stronger and more... prone to rash violent action." She smiles at both women, "But I've never been pregnant before, so I'm willing to listen to any advice."
"Yer granmott'r was very violent when she was carrying yer mom. Bought ets 'ard ta tell weth somma Orcs. They're pretteh violent ta begin weth." Lio offers a small smile.
"Et well be easier fer ye." She adds. "'e Orc blood makes ye stronger, so yer taime shuddna be as deffecult. Jus' try naught ta jump en 'e front when we get en a fight."
Lio smiles. "Aye saw thes, an' thought ye might laike et. Koulde be us'ful." She adds.
You unwrap a fine china tea cup and saucer. The porcelain is delicate, there are interesting florals depicted on the outside of the cup and the edge of the saucer. On one side, a small detailed butterfly sits upon one of the flowers. The inside of the cut is also decorated, as if this was the underside of the leaves and flowers and butterfly.
"'erd ye could read tealeaves. Thought this way ye could 'ave both tea, and fortune." She places a small bag of Jasmin tea in front of you on a convenient perch.
"Why, that's lovely, Liothonae. And very thoughtful of ya. Thank you."
"Why, that's lovely, Liothonae. And very thoughtful of ya. Thank you."
"wasnna sure ef ye laiked tea, bought, Jasmin is good wethout milk and sugar, an' i ken, we're a bit of a distance away frum anethen that gives milk." She smiles.
"wasnna sure ef ye laiked tea, bought, Jasmin is good wethout milk and sugar, an' i ken, we're a bit of a distance away frum anethen that gives milk." She smiles.
"I do like tea," Koya replies. "An' any warm drink is welcome out here."
Koya smile back. "I'd surely like to see someone try t' milk the rhinos, though."
The flaming sphere continues to burn.
bad guys reflex save:
Fire Damage
Lio shoots at the multi armed thing again.
1st flaming arrow: (-4 for wind included)
(+1 point blank shot included)
fire
2nd flaming arrow: (-4 for wind included)
(+1 point blank shot included)
fire
"Yer granmott'r was very violent when she was carrying yer mom. Bought ets 'ard ta tell weth somma Orcs. They're pretteh violent ta begin weth." Lio offers a small smile.
"Et well be easier fer ye." She adds. "'e Orc blood makes ye stronger, so yer taime shuddna be as deffecult. Jus' try naught ta jump en 'e front when we get en a fight."
"My advice would be to listen to your body," Shalelu says. "It will tell you what she needs."
"Sometimes it will tell you ... very loudly," she adds.
"I do like tea," Koya replies. "An' any warm drink is welcome out here."
Koya smile back. "I'd surely like to see someone try t' milk the rhinos, though."
Lio ponders, mischievously. "Koulde ask Rhost to. He might try."
Lio hesitates a moment, but then speaks what she was thinking.
"Then ye kann eat 'em wethout haven ta chase em. Don't sound too terrible."
Ameiko struggles to repress laughter at the conversation, a welcome change from her earlier moodiness.
"My advice would be to listen to your body," Shalelu says. "It will tell you what she needs."
"Sometimes it will tell you ... very loudly," she adds.
Lio gives Shae a curious and questioning look. She clearly expects more of an explanation.
Mel looks around the small wagon, "Space-wise prisoner's cell would be more realistic. Royal boudoir might be more fun, but I think we need more space for it... And I've seen holding cells, but the closest I've seen to a royal boudoir were the rooms in Kalsgard.> Mel finishes with a smile.
Zaiobe finishes up the measurements, and returns the smile. <I'm not particularly familiar with royal boudoirs, myself. A cell it shall be, then. Shall we decorate it together, on the day?>
"My advice would be to listen to your body," Shalelu says. "It will tell you what she needs."
"Sometimes it will tell you ... very loudly," she adds.
"Mom said that I'd probably start to crave raw fish," and because Mel is most definitely curious, "What did your body need?" Directing the question to both women.
Lio nods, agreeing. "Thought it would be easier, to unnerstand ott'rs, aft'r dying. Turns out, it isn't." She says, seemingly out of the blue. "People are... confusing. Animals, make sense."
A slight sigh. "Ain't that the truth."
5-ft away and down. Fireball the monster, target high enough to not catch Kalimac/Attatoq but still get the 15-ft tall monster plant.
Plant Reflex save DC 17
fire damage
Lio, shivering, enters the wagon with Shalelu. "That was amazing! I'm so cold." Lio says both statements with joy in her voice. Like she has never been this happy to be in pain before, like it was worth it. "I can't feel my fingers." She notes, curiously. Looks up at Shae, smiles. "Can you help me out of this jacket? I Can't work the ties, and I don't want to get under the blanket with it on."
Shae's own icy fingers fumble at the ties, but slowly they come undone. "Amazing is the proper word for it. I did not expect the ... colors."
"I think this is the most difficulty I have ever had getting your clothes off."
Zaiobe finishes up the measurements, and returns the smile. <I'm not particularly familiar with royal boudoirs, myself. A cell it shall be, then. Shall we decorate it together, on the day?>
Mel grins. <Looking forward to it... but we will need to keep Alaric out of the wagon until> she blushes. <Thank you.>
She hugs the smaller woman, <Not just for this, but for loving us. And for being part of our family.>
"And as for the loudness I was referring to ... there is nothing quite like awaking one morning in the middle of the Darklands with a completely insatiable and equally completely unsatisfiable craving for a tuna, curry, and bacon sandwich."
Lio ponders, mischievously. "Koulde ask Rhost to. He might try."
"Hmm ... should we ask him t' milk th' female one or th' male one?"
"Mom said that I'd probably start to crave raw fish," and because Mel is most definitely curious, "What did your body need?" Directing the question to both women.
Not wanting to ruin the very happy mood of this conversation, Lio makes a special effort to sound happy. "Mostly minerals, salt, and loud music." She says, "didn't really have... room for cravings." Bluff: As she thinks back to that time, you can see right through her false bravado, being pregnant at such a young age, while a slave, was one of the hardest and most terrifying things she ever lived though. However, she's not lying, those things helped her get through the pregnancy. "Your grandfather liked to be rocked. He liked movement. He was calmest when I walked around. I did so, right until I gave birth." Her voice gets softer, quiet, almost nostalgic. It is quite possible, even with all that happened, that she cares about her son a great deal.
"Sour food. Spicy foods. Pickles. Dairy. Chocolate," Shalelu answers.
"And as for the loudness I was referring to ... there is nothing quite like awaking one morning in the middle of the Darklands with a completely insatiable and equally completely unsatisfiable craving for a tuna, curry, and bacon sandwich."
Lio smiles, her mood quickly dissipates, as she thinks about Shae craving such a strange combination of foods.
Mel grins. <Looking forward to it... but we will need to keep Alaric out of the wagon until> she blushes. <Thank you.>
She hugs the smaller woman, <Not just for this, but for loving us. And for being part of our family.>
She holds you close, and seems unable to put her reply into words. But a wash of love spills over from her mind.
"Hmm ... should we ask him t' milk th' female one or th' male one?"
A small pearl of laughter. "Both maybe, see ef 'e kann tell 'e diff'rence." She grins.
A slight sigh. "Ain't that the truth."
"Druids... wise." Lio says, sagely and cryptically, in a small attempt to lighten the mood just a little.
Shae's own icy fingers fumble at the ties, but slowly they come undone. "Amazing is the proper word for it. I did not expect the ... colors."
"I think this is the most difficulty I have ever had getting your clothes off."
Heat rises to Lio's face instantly, as she blushes a deep, bright red.
"The greens and the blue, and turquoise." Lio says quietly.
Þrumublað, two-handed, Power Attack, Bull's Strength, no Bard Song (?), Ameiko threatened (?), Bless:
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric.
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric.
Possible AoO:
To hit: (crit )
Damage: (crit )
. . . plus electric.
Ameiko
Tumble up
Stab
Damage
Shalelu
Arrows
Damage
Add +1 if within 30’
Zaiobe
Fly, Cure light
NOTE UNHALLOW – MAGIC CIRCLE AGAINST GOOD, +4 TO RESIST POSITIVE ENERGY
Note +1 attack/damage for Chardas
Charda
Attack
Damage
Advanced Frost Wights (+2 to everything, +8 hp, 34)
D6 is cold
Energy drain fort DC 14
D6 is cold
Energy drain fort DC 14
D6 is cold
Energy drain fort DC 14
D6 is cold
Energy drain fort DC 14
Moonflower
Fast heal 5
Move
Bite
Damage
Grab
Note DR and immunities, fast healing
Heat rises to Lio's face instantly, as she blushes a deep, bright red.
"The greens and the blue, and turquoise." Lio says quietly.
"Yes," Shalelu says as she finally manages to get your jacket off. "Glowing."
"Druids... wise." Lio says, sagely and cryptically, in a small attempt to lighten the mood just a little.
He smiles at that. "And mysterious, so they say."