Kane shrugged. "Not a lot to tell, really. My family hunts monsters. There are quite a few hereditary curses and maladies running through the bloodline because of it. I think what happened to me is new though, and more extreme. I think it was intended to change me into a monster, body and mind, but my faith in my goddess must have protected me."
"That is my guess, at any rate."
"I have my parent's journals. I'm hoping they will give me some clue as to what happened to them, and to me."
He stopped, looking at something in the distance. "And I think they may have already done so. Those mountains look very familiar."
He angled their path toward them.
"Well, Sir Kane. I suggest shelter and water be our first priority. It feels like the sun is high so we have limited time. Have you ever had to survive on your own?"
"No ruder than I looking at you. Your hands are how you see." Kane said, taking her hands and putting them to his face.
It was mostly human, even handsome, but it was as though he were a statue of a person carved with a few strange and monstrous features. His lips were narrow and she could feel how the large teeth beneath them pushed them out. His ears were quite pointed, actually feeling a bit sharp because of the rigidity of the stone his flesh seemed comprised of. He was smooth, and cold, and completely hairless.
"I have never needed to survive in the wilderness before. We may be in for a harsh night."
"Well I have survived so I will tell you what we need and guide you. First look for cavern or overhangs in the rock."
.
Kane pointedly ignored the compliment, suddenly glad that this curse kept him from being able to blush. Instead he focused on Jazzai's directions, hoping to find a suitable place to spend the night.
Gm mentioned there was a place to shelter prievious post just it would take us to nightfall to get to
Kane spots the rocky outcropping easily enough, and identifies that as the best source of shelter within reach. The two pick their way through the harsh and rugged landscape as the sun sinks towards the horizon.
As the two near their destination and the shadows are long and deep, Jazzai picks up the unmistakable scent of roasted meat. It's faint, but grows stronger as they approach the overhanging rock.
Before they are able to debate the occupancy of the outcropping, pale blue and green orbs shed an unearthly light and faintly illuminate the hillside. A fair figure, illuminated by the glow, flits from the darkened shelter and dances in the air in the waning twilight, heedless of danger.
. Of course this doesn't include sight
While Kane is mesmerized by the flying figure and the glowing lights, Jazzai first hears three sets of footsteps that she estimates to be around 80 feet away, on another approach to the outcropping.
In a few moments after that, Kane hears it too.
Peacock hears something from the ground below as well.
Sphene, in her first fitful sleep in her new form, believes she hears the crunch of rocks underfoot, as if several creatures were moving towards her shelter.
Kane freezes in place, his outstretched arm guarding Jazzai with his polearm near the ground in a defensive posture, scanning for the source of the sound.
Her eyes just a bit, but she keeps very still wile making the sounds of sleeping.
Zzzzz Zzzzz
Sniffing the air towards the people feeling Kane move to protect her. "Three. Two legs. Towards the outcropping."
Attuning himself to the wind between the hills, Peacock glides down, looking to see who has approached without being seen.
Confident that he won't be seen, he approaches, slowly and carefully, to get a better look.
Idiot! I shouldn't have made myself so visible!
Sphene: Unfortunately, the sheltered area gives a poor vantage point unless she decides to move out into the night.
Jazzai can also hear the buzzing of the wings of the flying creature overhead. She gets a faint whiff of carrion in the direction of the three footsteps.
A low hiss comes from around the ridge blocking sight, and there is a brief scurrying and the sound of weapons being drawn.
She points in the direction of the scent and noises. "Somewhere over there." She whispers. Her ears twitching trying to pinpoint.
Now she knows something is wrong, She moves back into the cave, going deeper, where she can see who's coming in if they do.
Jazzai can now hear something moving in the recesses of the outcropping.
A few animalistic yips and barks are exchanged quietly, where it seems the creatures have come to a decision, and that is to charge!
They run up the last of the hill (running past Peacock completely obliviously) and finally tromp within Jazzai's ground sense, ending their quick run about 20 feet short of the small cave.
They have moved into both Sphene's and Kane's field of vision, and they reveal themselves to be dog-faced humanoids with mottled fur and longbows out. They snarl in challenge at Sphene (having heard her move within the cave), even though they seem to be unaware they actually close to being surrounded because of Kane's and Jazzai's location at about 55 feet down the hill.
Initiatives
What are /those/? Those aren't human, are they?
Before Peacock knows what he's done, he's worked his magical influence over the mind of one of the canid humanoids, attempting to lure it to sleep. It's mind fills with clouds, and relaxing, almost otherworldly birdsong gently coddles its mind....
Peacock begins casting. Sphene is up, then Jazzai, then Kane.
Everyone gets to go before the doglike humanoids.
Realising that his burst of magic most likely gave his position away, Peacock flies up and away from the canids, hiding behind a passing breeze.
She knows shes dead if she stays in the cave, they have bows, but they have not shot yet, they can't see her. Only one way out, like a street fight when your backed to a wall, you have to push back and push back hard.
She charges out,
She Bellowing at them
"DON'T YOU KNOW ITS RUDE TO DISTURB A LADY WHEN SHE SLEEPING YOU *#&#*#*@ERS!!"
then spits fire at the dog like things.
Catching On Fire
Characters exposed to burning oil, bonfires, and noninstantaneous magic fires might find their clothes, hair, or equipment on fire. Spells with an instantaneous duration don’t normally set a character on fire, since the heat and flame from these come and go in a flash.
Characters at risk of catching fire are allowed a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid this fate. If a character’s clothes or hair catch fire, he takes 1d6 points of damage immediately. In each subsequent round, the burning character must make another Reflex saving throw. Failure means he takes another 1d6 points of damage that round. Success means that the fire has gone out. (That is, once he succeeds on his saving throw, he’s no longer on fire.)
A character on fire may automatically extinguish the flames by jumping into enough water to douse himself. If no body of water is at hand, rolling on the ground or smothering the fire with cloaks or the like permits the character another save with a +4 bonus.
Those unlucky enough to have their clothes or equipment catch fire must make DC 15 Reflex saves for each item. Flammable items that fail take the same amount of damage as the character.
or be on fire, 1d6 more DMG + full round action to put out fire
Flame flashes out, she runs and stops in the center of it, spinning around, claws and teeth seeking dog-thing to bite, as the flames flick around her.
"Kane, there, they are there." She pointed knowing...somehow knowing where they were. Kneeling she felt around looking for a rock to be able to throw. "Go. Ill be fine. I can use a rock."
To find a throw-able rock. I figured it would take her a full round action. If it doesn't she will get up and will only move forward 15 feet if Kane moves forward.
"That... is a dragon." Kane says with dawning surprise. He pushed a club into Jazzai's hands. "No need for a rock, use this."
He didn't like leaving her there, but the danger seemed to be clustered around the small dragon.
Kane moved forward towards the fray.
The creatures all flinch at the gout of fire, and two successfully manage to avoid the worst of the flames, though one yelps painfully.
As the hooded, robed figure moves up from the other side of the hill, threatening, all three pull spears out and attack.
Two of the dog-men are ineffectual in their attacks, as they seem to be stabbing hard and recklessly. However, one manages to catch Sphene in the shoulder, and it's only thanks to her hardened scales that the wound is not mortal.
A cascade of soothing energies surround the humanoids, and two drop into a quiet slumber, leaving the last one looking rather panicked.
Just one more! Work your magic! Make him laugh! Peacock's instincts speak out to him, as though a second mind was doing the tactical thinking for him.
Barely conscious of his actions, Peacock takes flight, moving to hover right above the gnoll.
"Hey, puppy! Looking for me? Up here!"
Whirling upside down and sticking his tongue out at the gnoll, he flicks its muzzle playfully.
Peacock's touch sparks a fit of laughing -- high-pitched, hyena-like yips and yowls -- that still manages to be unnerving. The sleeping pair at its feet roll over and growl lightly at their laughing companion before settling back down and dozing.
Sphene is up.
The pain was sharp, she grunted as she was hurt.
you son of a!...bloody useless fire, what the...
Two of the dog things fell over, the other started yipping and youling
She went for him, teeth and claws.
She was less than a day out of the egg, still to weak, she tried her best but the pain from
Her left forearm meant that claw was near to useless. She could feel blood seeping down
Between her scales.
Just €£>%#%# great! get yourself killed again Sphene way don't you, hells balls the hurt, just about did forme the.."
She staggers a bit.
Jazzai picked her way through the rock and though she strangely knew where people were standing she heard the hissing, the strange cackling/shrieking laughter that sounded so strange to her ears as she tried to identify what could make a noise like that.
The club was loosely held in one hand as she moved foward up to where Kane was and then she moved just past him about 15 ft. 10 ft from the group fighting. (Double move for her is 30 ft since she is going half speed)
Two forms weren't moving but by the grumbles from the hideous laughter, weren't dead. The smell of blood filled her nostrils and she growled softly, part of her now thanking the fact she had already "ate" that day.
Vs DC 5
The small dragon launches into the remaining creature, managing to chomp down hard with her jaws and rake an equally vicious wound with one set of claws. The dog-thing reels, still yipping, but doesn't fall. However, it looks ready to turn tail and run.
Still laughing in its high-pitched style, the humanoid moves awkwardly toward safety. Unable to devote its full capabilities to defense, however, it opens itself up to attack as it flees.
Gos for a bite but its to weak to make it count
Sphene snaps at its heels, but doesn't hit. The gnoll is only able to move about 25 feet down the rocky rise. You guys are up.
Peacock flies up high to give himself a better vantage point and nocks an arrow into his longbow, shakily aiming at the gnoll and letting the arrow fly.
The arrow bounces off a rock at the gnoll's feet, spurring him on in his flight to safety.
As the gnoll turned tail and ran, Kane managed to catch the creature with a deft move. It stumbled down the hill enough that Peacock sent an arrow after it, but the thing was dead on its feet. It collapsed and rolled down the slope several more feet, ending lifelessly.
Sir Kane turned to the dragon but did not approach. "Do you understand me? Are you alright?"
The two remaining gnolls sleep fitfully. Their magically-induced slumber will not likely last long.
"Those two won't be down for long... We'd better get out of here!"
Peacock reappears, doing his best to appear friendly.
"Thank you for your help," he nods to Sir Kane.
The man in the robe looked down at the slumbering dog-creatures. There were things in the world that he would be willing to kill even if they were helpless. These creatures though, he couldn't. They would likely accost other creatures when they woke, but he couldn't know for sure. He took their weapons, bound their hands and held tight to the rope. Once they awakened he would decide their fate.
"You are welcome. I am glad no one was killed by these creatures. We were looking for some place to find shelter for the night. Do either of you know anywhere suitable?"
Jazzai listened to what was going on and would turn her head this way and that listening around them. By the sounds of the fall from the third and the smell that was greeting her the one was dead. Hearing the new male voice coming from the direction of the flapping noise.
"Actually running from here with the sun going down would be unwise, especially since your friend is injured." She could smell the blood and it didn't smell like the carrion people. "We can find out from the ones still alive if there are others. Raiders, generally send scouts first, speaking from experience." She said and knelt her hand touching the ground.
"I don't sense any others nearby." She said standing and would turn her face towards them.
"We should treat your friends wound before it becomes infected."