Venali nocks another arrow and takes aim at the cultist that is surprisingly still up and able to fight. "One would think self preservation would trump orders."
As the arrow misses its mark he curses under his breath, "Noy jitat."
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Sophie shifts targets and launches at the kobold trying to sneak around to Hutch's side...just like a dirty, dirty kobold would do!
The Hex demon discerns her intent and wafts over to the chosen dragon-folk, hungering for it's essence.
The blast itself makes a large laceration in the thing's lifeforce. Into this crack the demon pours itself and begins eating mightily from within.
"I like my soul where it is, thank you very much!", she answers, taking a momento to feel the wind and trying to once again adjust her shot at the cultist.
Hutch spins his Halberd toward another Kobold, taking advantage of the blades reach.
He laughs as he scores a hit, seeing the reptiles blood glint off the blade and switches his grip as it continues his spin, the butt end of the Halbred smashing into the Kobolds Jaw.
He gives a look to the remaining Kobolds. This is your last chance to join me! He Bellows, not caring that they do not under stand him.
Venali's arrow goes wide but is quickly followed by Zillyanna's shot, which nails the cultist in the head. With as much length of the projectile sticking out one side of his skull as out the other, the man collapses.
Sophie's bolt sends the kobold behind him stumbling back on the impact, and with a miserable squawk the reptilian too goes to ground.
With a vicious cut across its chest and the halberd's shaft almost collapsng its muzzle, Hutch's target slams to the floor lifeless.
With no more enemies in reach, thanks to the ladies, Evendur hustles up.
The remaining two kobolds look at the mill and then at their enemies who've quickly overpowered their group and turn tail, scurrying off with panicked yapping.
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"NO NO NO NO NO NO!" Payn screams as two kobolds AGAIN turn tail and try to escape. "This is WAR! You just get to...leave! You threw the dice in burning and pillaging and you put your life on the table for the chance and you LOST! You just get to pick up your ball and call it a day. There... there are...there are PENALTIES for being WRONG! Your life isn't your own! You...you have to do what other people SAY you SHOULD do! You just get to...to have your life! You need to toe the LINE!"
Her words, possibly directed at the kobolds, possibly to someone else, even herself, are followed by a familiar blast, and a pair of demons hunt down the nearest kobold.
Hutch watches as Sophie blasts another of the Kobolds, then runs towards her
Sophie, nice shot, but one should get away. Let it spread fear among our enemies, let them send more, and let some simply escape. The more they fear us the more enemies we get to kill. Maybe if they are smart they will all simply choose to run away. Either way we win. Let them run, and we will chase them down in the end. The kills will be even sweeter knowing they fear us. Hutch says with a dark smile.
Besides, I am sure this is a trap. We should take the mill and be prepared for another wave of dead men, and women, though I don't know if these cultists are either. They die way to quickly.
Zillyanna walks up to the mill and tries to check if there is anyone inside by peeking at the windows and listening at the door.
"I have a bad feeling about this, it was...a little too easy?"
Sacred Flame the fleeing Kobold...
DC13 save or take
Sophie sends a magical bolt after one of the fleeing kobolds, cathing the creature in the back, sending it face first to the ground as the magic consumes parts of its flesh.
Upon Grim's word, divine light descends upon the other reptilian.
The kobold springs out of the way just in time however.
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Sophie stares at Hutch like his hair is on fire. "WHAT? No! That's...that's NOT how...how fear works! You...you torch a town and leave a cook as the lone survivor, or you swoop down an enemy company and leave the cook alive, or you destroy a supply convoy and leave a cook alive..." Sophie's obsession with sparing those that serve victuals might not be immediately apparent, "but killing a handful of kobolds when an ENTIRE TOWN is besieged by an ARMY and letting one go to tell high command who you are??!? NO!
That's...that's just asking for them to send MORE soldiers to go and kill you. That's not spreading fear...it's spreading intelligence of how many we are and what our capabilities are and if they saw any weaknesses....
If a kobold gets away, then he'll just tell them to concentrate all fire on our cleric! And to send scouts around the flank to attack the archer and spellcasters! That's not FEAR! It's carelessness!"
Payn takes a moment to pace back and forth a bit to control herself. "Honey, I know you're good with your...big stick. That's not in question." She winks. "But dancing with the powers that haunt dreams...let me handle that.
If we ever kill so many that I'm like 'whoa, don't you think we should ease up a bit?' -then- we can let some go to spread word of our terrible wrought.
But in war? The lives are already on the table. Fear holds little coin. Effectiveness is, O, much more dear."
I want them to send more. Divert more of their army to us. We take this location and kill everyone who comes. Besides this is already a trap. I won't be suprised if that fleeing Kobold ends up ruining their plans. The more of them we kill here, the less that will be around after they leave. Hutch replies.
I may not understand your magic, but I have been using fear since I left the temple of Helm. That fleeing Kobold is more likely to ruin any traps they set up. Besides, we have one of our own that Frilly here got to join us. This army sends more cultists the more fodder we can have in our ranks. My Infernal Lady, fear is not just magic based. It is in almost every living being. We can rob these cultists of some of their allies. They spent money on mercenaries who would flee with their pay rather than fight a battle they would die in. Hutch goes on.
Frilly and I even met a group of such men. Sure there are plenty of cultists, but I would guess the number of mercenaries and kobolds is far larger. We take that away, and they feel fear. You are right, one man cannot take on an army, and that is my plan, to gather one.
We don't need to keep the cooks alive, I can still cook better than most. I guess my time in the church of Helm May have taught me some useful leassons. It is a shame the altar was set on fire as I left. Hutch chuckles.
We haven't gone over why this attack happened, but I would guess they are simply raiding for money. Sophie if we kill more of them now, we can track them on their retreat, with more than our current group and hit them hard. Return most of what we get and keep the rest. I think you may need a few more things after all.
You have a point about Grim. We should secure the mill and get into a better possion as Grim and I are correct about an ambush on its way. Hutch says quietly so only Sophie can here. The more people who die here the more money we can take from them. The closer we will be to killing the Chill.
Venali lowers his bow as the last kobold turns tail and flees. "Well, I for one will not be shooting him in the back." He slings the bow over his shoulder and unsheathes his thinblade. "If there is to be some sort of ambush or trap as you seem to expect, I would suggest we at least get this mill secure."
Thank you Ven- frilly Hutch says in a strained, though highly respectful tone.
If he hadnt made that call, my plans for vengance would have failed. But I cant show weakness
Sophie, you and I steper into the battlefield wanting blood. Letting this kobold love could give us enough blood to draw up a bath. He whislers.
The last remaining kobold scampers of stumbling and yapping as the party gathers in front of the Mill.
The building consists of a simple barn with a small exterior office attached on the east wall. along the south wall there is a double door for personell use at the protruding section as well as a large barn door on the broader wall. The eastern and western walls have shuttered windows.
Zillyanna presses her ear against one of the doors, but inside she can hear nothing but the ponderous grinding of stone against stone.
"It appears to be empty.", she says, "I'm starting to feel this is more a diversion than a trap..."
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"Ugh. Fine! But canst we at least agree that this is to be the last one? We've let far and away enough escape. Letting an entire squad collectively go is a bit excessive. For now can we make pact that all are to die that we come across?
Alright, wellll, can we at least open the doors and investigate the inside before we come to any conclusions?"
"Sure, maybie there is someone trapped inside or something."
Zillyanna checks the door for traps before carefully opening it.
That entire squad was to spread disinformation. If it weren't for Frilly wishing to save some villagers, I would have just attacked. But yes, from now on anything that comes at us will die. Hutch replied softly.
Frilly! Hutch called out. Lets be on the lookout for this Cyanwrath fellow. He sounds important, so I want to kill him!
Hutch checks the body of the man with the weird mask for loot. This mask looks nice
The door appears to be free of traps. Zillyanna pushes it open, revealing the spacious interior which is dominated by a massive grinding wheel, idly rotating in the middle of the room. To the right, a ladder leads up to a loft, which is further accessible to the ground floor by a rope and pulley system near the grinding wheel, made to hoist heavy objects between the two floors. You can make out a few sacks, probably flour, at the edge of the opening above, confirming this.
As you step inside, small figures pop up from behind the sacks above, one flings a spear at Evendur, the second draws knocks an arrow and releases it at Zillyanna and the last one speaks an incantation, loosing firey rays from its hand one heading for Hutch, one for Sophie and one for Venali.
at Evendur
The spear clangs against Grim's shield, as he brings it between himself and the assailant at the last moment.
at Zillyanna
Zillyanna sees the shot coming and ducks to the side, the arrow getting stuck in the dirt floor behind her.
at Hutch
Hutch too sidesteps the attack meant for him, and the energy ray scroches a small mark into the floor
at Sophie
Sophie gets hit in the thigh by scroching fire.
at Venali
Venali also fails to dodge and his shoulder is burnt badly.
As you take a second look at your assailants, you realize they are all Kobolds, one, brandishing a shield made of large, green reptilian scales, is currently drawing another spear from a quiver on its back. The second is covered in a black hooded cloak, in its hand is a shortbow, but it too is reaching for another weapon, a shortsword, which in the Kobold's hands appears more like a broad-bladed longsword. The third one is almost naked save for a loincloth and a pair of crudely made wings fashioned from leather and wood on its back, this one is only wielding a dagger but its empty hand is still smoldering from the fire magic it just cast.
Initiatives:
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Sophie gets hit in the thigh by scroching fire.
Payn smiles hard with pain as something -finally- burns through her infernal shield and corrupts her corporeal body. She wipes a single finger down the bleeding wound, then licks that finger, relishing the coppery taste of blood spilled in anger.
"Well I can see that I need not worry that this -isn't- a trap!
And you've been good enough to hit us at the door, so really you've been quite sporting.
Alas, I must tell you that our Catch-and-Release program has only just expired, so you'll all need to die painful deaths now."
With that she sends a bolt of black malice and purple hate at the winged kobold, the demon of pain-and-opportunity clinging to the lizard-folk spell-thrower and entering it's body through the hole opened by the blast.
"It seems that killing your particular kind has become an involuntary hobby of mine!"
Initiative Order
- Kobold Warrior
- Sophie
- Kobold Mage and Kobold Rogue
- Zillyanna, Venali, Hutch, Evendur
The shieldbearing Kobold leaps through the opening with its spear pointed downward aiming at Sophie.
The tiefling takes a step backward and the kobolds spear jams into the ground, but the creature pulls it free and jabs at her a second time, only to again be foiled by her reflexes.
Even with one kobold now threatening her, sophie still strikes true. The blast slams into the kobold mage's shoulder and it reels in pain as a chunk of flesh is disintegrated by infernal forces.
The kobold squawks in response and waves its dagger toward Payn:
It then incants another spell, stretching out a hand, and searing beams of fire streak toward the group.
At Hutch
At Evendur
At Zillyanna
Two beams burn more scorchmarks into the dirt, the third singes across Hutch's neck, leaving a nasty burn.
The archer drops its bow and draws a second shortsword from under its black cloak. Leaping down, it jabs both blades at Sophie in quick succession.
Again sophie narrowly dodges one blade, the other glancing off her leather armor, leaving just a superficial cut in the material.
The kobold is surrounded by a burst of flame, singing it badly.
After the initial moment of surprise and dodging an arrow, Zillyana readies an arrow and shoots it at the kobold that wields shortswords.
With Sophie and Hutch dodging attacks in front of her, Zillyanna finds it difficult to get a good shot, and her arrow misses itsmark narrowly.
DC13
Venali clutches at his shoulder as he climbs the stairs to the loft. Turning the corner and facing the winged kobold he brandishes his thinblade before speaking to it.
Hutch glares at the Kobolds. Listen to Frilly, you horrible tasting lizards he says, moving towards one.
Spinning his Halberd blade first, Hutch strikes at the closest kobold to him, his anger leading his strike to new heights.
Initiative Order
- Kobold Warrior
- Sophie
- Kobold Mage, Kobold Rogue and ???
- Zillyanna, Venali, Hutch, Evendur
Evendur calls upon Kelemvor's light, and blazing radiance bathes the kobold spellcaster. The creature is scorched badly by the divine flame. Barely hanging on to its life.
Hutch's halberd comes down in a wicked arc and cuts across the hooded kobold's back, but it manages to wind out of the brunt of the hit, to survive the brutal strike with a gash on its back.
As Venali tries to reason with the kobold, the burnt creature cocks its head, and with a cough and a hiss raises its finger toward him.
The shieldbearing kobold sets its spear and thrusts the weapon at sophie.
She evades the first attack but the second finds its mark, leaving a superficial, but painful wound between her ribs on her left side.
Initiative Order
- Kobold Warrior
- Sophie
- Kobold Mage, Kobold Rogue and Drake
- Zillyanna, Venali, Hutch, Evendur
Wounded, Sophie recoils and prepares her magic for a decisive attack.
The kobold in the loft retreats a few steps and chants an incantation. A small color-shifting orb of energy springs from its hand and hurtles toward Venali.
The orb shifts orange and flares up in fire, just as it approaches Venali, but he dodges and the orb burns a scorch mark into the wall behind him.
The kobold then retreats to the back of the loft.
That moment a green-scaled beast bursts from between a stack of flour sacks and lunges at the moon elf.
Venali steps back, just as the drake's jaws snap shut.
The hooded kobold swings its shortswords at Sophie.
The first blade finds purchase in her stomach, burying its blade deep. Sophie coughs, and her eyes go wide as drops to one knee and the strength leaves her. She collapses to the floor a moment late, unconscious.
Without losing a beat, the kobold swings around and thrusts the other blade at Hutch.
Passing under his guarding halberd, the creature's blade jabs into his right leg.
"Sophie!", Zillyanna drops her bow and dashes close to the Hooded Kobold, drawing her shortsword in the process and trying to stab the creature.
The kobold's head turns toward Zillyanna, as she lunges forward, and its eyes go wide as the sword's tip heads straight for them, and through the kobold's right eyesocket digs deep into its head. With a forceful pull, Zillyanna rips the blade free and with a splash of blood flying off the blade, the kobold stumbles against the churning millstone, its hood getting caught between the grinding stones. Its lifeless body is pulled along with the ponderous rotation of the mechanism.
Seeing the Kobold stab Sophie, Hutch lets out an unearthly cry. He swings at the Kobold in rage, calling upon unholy might. . Cursing as he misses, he spins to jab the Kobold with the but end of the Halberd.