"Indeed not, mademoiselle. And it is a mission you may continue with ze utmost of haste. And one you will be much safer undertaking wissout 'is interference," he says. "I assure you 'e will be tried and judged fairly upon our return 'ome."
Zoli looks briefly at her dhampir companion. "What crimes?"
The man looks at Zoli flatly, his eyes unwavering, as he says, "Murder."
“Gray Gardeners” says Morythine, naming his accusers in the hopes that his companions may have heard of this nefarious group. With a sigh, he tips his tricorn at the bowman , but leaves the brim low over his face. “Look after Forli for me, he continues, passing the reins to Zoli, “He’s a good horse.” then slides carefully from his saddle as if in preparation to surrender himself.
As his feet hit the ground he begins to mutter strange words to himself as quietly as he can, whilst within the folds of his cloak, his fingers caress the unholy symbol of Zon-Kuthon. Leaning on his staff, he begins to walk slowly towards the Gray Gardeners.
The caster to the bowman's left immediately says "He is casting a spell!"
The bowman raises his weapon and draws it back, saying "Not another word, monsieur. You see! Even now zis criminal seeks bloodshed! Monsieur, I order you to surrender peacefully."
__________
"Mory?" she turns to look at him again. "Is any of this true?"
Grey Gardeners, huh? The way that one is talking, it sure sounds like he's telling the truth about Morythine murdering someone...or at least it sounds like that Gardener believes it is. I've never heard of any 'justice' coming out of the Red Revolution though, is Morythine really going to submit to--
--Whoa, that guy's right, Morythine did just cast a spell! What in Golarion is going on?
When the Gardener raises his bow Zoli draws her own scimitar, shouting "Stand down! I'm not sure I understand all of what's going on here, but I won't have you aiming a weapon at my friend, someone I know to be a good (if rather weird) man."
"And we cannot risk losing zis criminal once again. Nor are we going to let 'im 'arm anyone else ever again. 'E 'as already killed two of our Order, no more blood shall be spilled zis day unless it is 'is!" he exclaims, his bow never wavering from being aimed directly at Morythine.
"Besides, it was 'im who took ze first aggressive action, no? I give you one last chance! Ze rest of you stand down while we apprehend zis one, or else you will leave us with no choice but to consider you in trying to 'elp zis one escape justice!"
"This aint Galt. F~$! off," Eugeni growls, knocking an arrow and raising his own bow.
...I have no idea how to feel about this, Setsuna mentally muses with a sigh.
Part of her is also wondering why she hasn't packed her things and gone home yet.
Her eyes wander to Zoli and then Eugeni. She admittedly is a bit surprised of how protective they are of Morythine. From what she has seen thus far, he has always been something of the odd man out amongst their little trio.
That said...
They and Riley had helped Setsuna during her darkest hours. Also, as Eugeni pointed out, Varisia is a long way from Galt. These Gray Gardeners really do not have any authority this far out. Setsuna frowns at the name. She knows little about her homeland's eastern neighbor, but her mother has told her some horror stories about the place.
The Oracle sighs.
"Morythine saved my life," Setsuna declares. "If you attack him or any of my friends, then I'll stand by their side."
Riley circles around the scene, directing Olympus to bank in low. The cold air whistles past his ears which are thankfully warded along with the rest of him against the chill. He frowns at the exchange, not sure if diplomacy would avoid the conflict that was brewing. He wasn't all that good at persuading people anyway.
No, but perhaps a show of force might be more impactful. With a signal from Riley, Olympus lets loose a loud keening cry as they swoop along the road over the two in front of the group, but continues on to land directly before the two lurking behind.
"Ahem. Hello. You should stand down now, yes?"
Seeing the opposition continue to show no signs of backing down, the bowman calls out to his men in his native tongue, and they all move to engage!
__________
Fail
Eugeni leaps from the saddle, and darts quick as a mongoose across the path and behind a tree. Time to feather some frogs..
Seeing things going South quickly, Zoli tries to leap off the pony in one smooth motion. She's not as adept at leaping from ponyback as she is over railings though and it slows her down. She manages to make it over beside the caster, but with no time left to swing. Instead, she readies herself to parry if necessary.
"It's not too late for you thugs to turn around and head back to Galt!", she says.
On hearing his friends’ support, Morythine bears his fangs at his accusers and darts right into the trees with surprising speed, the closing syllables of his dark spell hanging in the air behind him.
Riley dismounts, commanding Olympus to attack as he weaves a spell. While the roc launches into a flurry of beak and claw, a bloom of fire erupts in Riley's hand. He then reaches out and tries to touch the foe in front of him.
With a single thought, using her new Meridian Belt, Setsuna quickly suppresses her Ring of Sustenance and awakens her Ring of Invisibility. She then activates the latter and fades from sight. As quietly as possible, the Oracle dismounts from her horse and then takes a quick hop away from it.
Eugeni leaps from the saddle, and darts quick as a mongoose across the path and behind a tree. Time to feather some frogs..
Seeing things going South quickly, Zoli tries to leap off the pony in one smooth motion. She's not as adept at leaping from ponyback as she is over railings though and it slows her down. She manages to make it over beside the caster, but with no time left to swing. Instead, she readies herself to parry if necessary.
"It's not too late for you thugs to turn around and head back to Galt!" she says.
On hearing his friends’ support, Morythine bears his fangs at his accusers and darts right into the trees with surprising speed, the closing syllables of his dark spell hanging in the air behind him.
With a single thought, using her new Meridian Belt, Setsuna quickly suppresses her Ring of Sustenance and awakens her Ring of Invisibility. She then activates the latter and fades from sight. As quietly as possible, the Oracle dismounts from her horse and then takes a quick hop away from it.
Riley dismounts, commanding Olympus to attack as he weaves a spell. While the roc launches into a flurry of beak and claw, a bloom of fire erupts in Riley's hand. He then reaches out and tries to touch the foe in front of him. Olympus deals some heavy wounds to the man in front of him, and takes a firm hold of him with his beak. Riley's spell causes the other to cry out between gritted teeth in pain as the flame burns his flesh.
The robed man takes a step away from Zoli and weaves a spell. Weeds, branches, roots, and even the grass itself begins to reach out and grasp at every creature within a wide area around the heroes. While Zoli is able to avoid the clutches of the plant life, Morythine and Eugeni do not prove as fortunate, and their movement becomes impeded by the writhing vegetation. He then calls out a command in their native tongue.
Stepping to get a clear line of sight, the bowman takes aim and lets loose a pair of arrows at Zoli. One hits her directly in the right side of her chest, while the other narrowly flies past her shoulder. The impact of the arrow is like an anvil crashing into her, far more powerful than she would have expected an arrow to feel like. The blood from the wound begins bubbling around the injury, a clear sign that her lung has been ruptured.
Bolting from behind a nearby tree, another Gardener rushes quickly into the fight, interposing himself between her and the caster. He throws a heavy handed punch Zoli's way, which despite her severe pain, she is able to avoid. He then, takes up a trained fighting stance. He is clearly more than able to take part in this fight despite being unarmed.
The grappled Gardener manages to slip free of Olympus' powerful beak, and hops off his horse, which immediately runs off. The other slashes out at Riley from atop his own horse, and manages only to make a small cut in Riley's extended arm holding the flame. However, the druid can instantly feel the muscles in his body begin to tighten up and spasm.
__________
Olympus presses the attack on the Gardener he was directed to attack, while Riley again attacks with the fire in his hand.
”Ghhaaaaaaahk!” Zoli gives a loud wheezing gasp as her lung is punctured. She looks left and right--seeing her allies grabbed by vines and roots.
”Eugeni, tomar este tipo fuera! A continuación, vaya para ese lanzador de conjuros.” the halfling calls out in Varisian, while she takes two swipes at the pugilist in front of her. She sacrifices some accuracy to keep herself in a more defensive posture, but still manages to make two solid swipes, slicing into his raised arms once and a second time into his side.
_________________
AC 25 (due to fighting defensively)
HP 28/51 +6 THP
Luck 6/7
Panache 2/3
Charmed Life 3/3
Buffs luck (round 1/3): +2 to hit, damage, skill rolls, saving throws;
false life: 6 THP
Eugeni struggles out of the grasping vines, and snaps off an arrow at the man Zoli is attacking. The arrow flies true, and strikes with surprising force between the man's hip and groin.
Morythine twists free of the clinging verdure and dances away from the area where the forest has sprung alive and turned on his companions. Seeing Zoli sorely wounded, he races forward. Using his quarterstaff as a pole-vault, he leaps at her new opponent with both feet leading, hoping to land a double kick powerful to knock the fellow down.
Olympus presses the attack on the Gardener he was directed to attack, while Riley again attacks with the fire in his hand. The roc is able to snatch up the Gardener once again, as the other one takes another nasty burn from Riley's spell.
”Ghhaaaaaaahk!” Zoli gives a loud wheezing gasp as her lung is punctured. She looks left and right--seeing her allies grabbed by vines and roots.
”Eugeni, tomar este tipo fuera! A continuación, vaya para ese lanzador de conjuros.” the halfling calls out in Varisian, while she takes two swipes at the pugilist in front of her. She sacrifices some accuracy to keep herself in a more defensive posture, but still manages to make two solid swipes, slicing into his raised arms once and a second time into his side.
Eugeni struggles out of the grasping vines, and snaps off an arrow at the man Zoli is attacking. The arrow flies true, and strikes with surprising force between the man's hip and groin.
Morythine twists free of the clinging verdure and dances away from the area where the forest has sprung alive and turned on his companions. Seeing Zoli sorely wounded, he races forward. Using his quarterstaff as a pole-vault, he leaps at her new opponent with both feet leading, hoping to land a double kick powerful to knock the fellow down, though the man is able to slap the kick aside.
Nearby, words of casting can be heard over the din of battle, soon followed by the robed Gardener's own incantations as he takes a step away from the front line.
The unarmed man lets loose a series of punches and kicks at Zoli, but she is able to avoid most of them. One manages to catch her on the chin, addling her but otherwise not causing much damage.
The bowman sends another pair of arrows her way as well, though both get deflected by the writhing plantlife attempting to wrap up the combatants, eliciting a Galtan curse from the man.
The Gardener in Olympus' clutches struggles desperately to free himself, and just barely manages to do so. The other dismounts his horse, removing a small tube from his belt as he does so. He then whirls around, puts it to his lips, and gives it a blast of air, sending a small dart soaring straight into Riley's throat. While painful, it doesn't seem to do much damage at first...but then things start to fade to black. At first Riley can't help but think he is passing out, but then soon realizes...the only thing he's lost...is his vision!
__________
"Ow! Most intolerable!" Riley exclaims as his vision fades. First the fatigue in his muscles, and then his sight.
Olympus keeps up his attacks on the Gardener while Riley touches his holly wreath at his neck.
While Olympus seems to sense his master's distress and attack even more viciously, Riley incants a spell to send purifying magic through him.
Morythine chuckles as Olympus snatches away one of the Gardeners, then turns his attention to aiding Zoli. His punishing kick having failed to miss the mark, he uses his speed to flank about the man she battles, dashing past both of them and then springing off a huge boulder to land between the monk and the spellcaster . His quarterstaff gripped in both hands, he aims a blow at the monk’s head.
Zoli--seeing the pugilist before her on his last legs--takes another swing, cutting deep into her fatigued foe’s abdomen and causing him to collapse into the snow. In one smooth motion she tumbles out of the writhing plants and over in front of the caster. ”You can surrender any time.” she smiles.
___________
AC 25 (due to fighting defensively)
HP 28/51 +2 THP (Note, Thron, I deducted the 4 hp from last round from my THP; if I understood your post I think you accidentally took them from my main HP.)
Luck 6/7
Panache 3/3 (back +1 from dropping Green)
Charmed Life 3/3
Buffs luck (round 2/3): +2 to hit, damage, skill rolls, saving throws;
false life: 62 THP
Eugeni continues to circle to Grey Gardeners, trying to keep his line of fire clear. He fires off another arrow at the robed caster.
Last Round
Recalling how much damage one did to Xanesha, Setsuna takes a quick hop away from the Entangle spell and begins calling in another celestial crocodile.
Current Round
The celestial crocodile appears right between the two goons fighting Riley and Olympus. It quickly lashes out at the ninja with its tails and teeth.
Meanwhile, Setsuna takes a moment to call her inky wings of darkness. She gives them a tentative flap before taking to the air and flying toward toward Zoli and the others to assist them.
"Ow! Most intolerable!" Riley exclaims as his vision fades. First the fatigue in his muscles, and then his sight.
Olympus keeps up his attacks on the Gardener while Riley touches his holly wreath at his neck. As the spell takes effect, Riley suddenly feels his muscles relax and his vision return in time to see Olympus savagely pin the Gardener to the ground and tear away large chunks of flesh with its talons and beak.
Zoli--seeing the pugilist before her on his last legs--takes another swing, cutting deep into her fatigued foe’s abdomen and causing him to collapse into the snow. In one smooth motion she tumbles out of the writhing plants and over in front of the caster. ”You can surrender any time.” she smiles.
Morythine chuckles as Olympus snatches away one of the Gardeners, then turns his attention to aiding Zoli. His punishing kick having failed to miss the mark, he uses his speed to flank about the man she battles, dashing past both of them and then springing off a huge boulder to land between the rock and the spellcaster. His quarterstaff gripped in both hands, he aims a blow at the Gardener's head.
Eugeni continues to circle to Grey Gardeners, trying to keep his line of fire clear. He fires off another arrow at the robed caster, lodging itself deep into his spine.
A crocodile manifests from a small portal near Riley and Olympus, and brutally attacks the remaining man facing them there. Its powerful jaws clamp down on the Gardeners leg and refuse to let go.
Meanwhile, a similar portal opens up near the robed man, and a long, powerful form lunges forth at Morythine! As the serpent begins to throw its powerful coils around the dhampir, he barely manages to writhe free of its jaws!
Seeing Morythine so quickly leap into their midst and deliver a powerful blow, the bowman frantically steps back and sends a volley towards him. Fortunately, his haste to attack causes his aim to be untrue, and the arrows go flying into the distance without posing a threat.
The robed figure, however, now heavily wounded and surrounded, gets a panicked look in his eyes above his grey mask. Suddenly, his body begins to change, and in a matter of moments, what was once a man is now a bat! It quickly flies up and away, heading south through the sky!
The Gardener that has been harassing Riley grasps both hands onto the jaws of the crocodile that has him in its clutches. He strains with all his strength, and just barely manages to open them enough so that he can slip his leg free.
__________
Morythine and his whirling staff turn upon the python.
"That's better!" Riley exclaims as his magic purges the poison from his body. Recognizing the conjured crocodile from the previous fight, he turns and watches the robed figure turn into a bat and fly away. Noting that he has many options at his disposal to attempt pursuit, he shouts, "Would you wish for me to follow that bat? I could try to catch it!"
Zoli nods to the druid. "If Eugeni can't shoot it down, I suspect he'll only cause us trouble if he gets away."
With that she presses on toward the archer--tumbling around the hissing constrictor and onto a log, bringing her face to face with the man who shot her in the lung. She returns the favor with a deep cut into his side. "Your fight is done. Your allies are fallen or fleeing. Are you ready to drop your bow and save your life? You can face justice in the courts of Magnimar."
___________
HP 28/51 +2 THP (Note, Thron, I deducted the 4 hp from last round from my THP; if I understood your post I think you accidentally took them from my main HP.)
Luck 6/7
Panache 3/3
Charmed Life 3/3
Buffs luck (round 3/3): +2 to hit, damage, skill rolls, saving throws;
false life: 62 THP
"I got it!" Setsuna calls out to the group. With a flap of her inky black wings, she quickly draws her sickle and gives chase to the bat. As she flies, she draws out her sickle and takes a swing. Her invisibility shatters as she does.
The crocodile continues to viciously attack the ninja. He bites down hard, trying to sink his teeth even further into its foe. He then takes a swing with his powerful tail.
Morythine and his whirling staff turn upon the python, connecting once but missing with the second thrust of his weapon.
"That's better!" Riley exclaims as his magic purges the poison from his body. Recognizing the conjured crocodile from the previous fight, he turns and watches the robed figure turn into a bat and fly away. Noting that he has many options at his disposal to attempt pursuit, he shouts, "Would you wish for me to follow that bat? I could try to catch it!"
Zoli nods to the druid. "If Eugeni can't shoot it down, I suspect he'll only cause us trouble if he gets away."
With that she presses on toward the archer--tumbling around the hissing constrictor and onto a log, bringing her face to face with the man who shot her in the lung. She returns the favor with a deep cut into his side. "Your fight is done. Your allies are fallen or fleeing. Are you ready to drop your bow and save your life? You can face justice in the courts of Magnimar."
Eugeni sends arrows at all the foes near him, striking each one with an arrow each, and sending the fleeing bat falling to the ground, shifting back to human form as it lands with a dull thud.
The crocodile continues to viciously attack the ninja. He bites down hard, trying to sink his teeth even further into its foe. He then takes a swing with his powerful tail, but misses. Setswana, seeing an opportunity against the snake, says "I got it," to herself before diving and slicing its head from its body with her sickle.
Olympus flies over and slices the man in the reptiles jaws with his talons. Riley throws a ball of fire at him as well, striking him directly in the face.
The remaining Gardeners continue to fight desperately as panic sets in. Two more arrows fly errantly into the distance, and the other writhes futilely in the crocodiles jaws.
__________
Setsuna quickly flies herself to a flanking position for Zoli; once there, she takes a hasty swing at the remaining Grey Gardner.
The crocodile once again bites down on the ninja and tries to crush his head with another mighty swing of his tail.
Riley whistles and Olympus stands down since the Gardener is having a lot of trouble with the crocodile. He assesses the situation with the archer, and throws one of his flames toward him.
Eugeni turns to the last foe standing, and unleashes a volley at them
Zoli advances to help finish the archer but the jump down from the log aggravates the arrow still lodged in her chest, and her swing is weak and slow.
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Morythine leaps in as the bowman begins to succumb to his wounds, receiving fresh injuries from both Eugeni and Zoli. He drives the end of his quarter staff into the mans throat, crushing his windpipe and causing him to collapse to the ground. In the distance beyond the writhing plant life, the dieting screams of the last Gardener can be heard between the crunching of bone between the crocodile's jaws.
"Well," Riley begins as he dusts himself off and extinguishes the flame in his hand. "Grisly business, I must say. So, who was that lot, and what exactly did they want with Morythine?"
"Grey Gardeners from Galt. They claimed that Morythine is wanted for murder. I think they were lying; I mean, I know little of the place personally, but what I've heard from some Kyoni Elves is rather disturbing," says Setsuna as her inky black fairy wings dissipate.
She looks at Morythine rather intently but says little else.
The battle won, Morythine lets his quarterstaff support his weight for a moment as he gathers his breath back.
After taking a moment to compose himself, he takes in the attention of his companions. “My thanks, friends, for taking up arms in my name.”
“In truth, the accusations of these scum are completely valid. I did kill two of their brethren in Galt ere I left the place, but only in defence of my own skin.”
For a moment, it seems like he might add more, but eventually he simply shrugs, gives the dead bowman a redundant kick in the ribs and asks Zoli “How sorely are you wounded?
Riley skirts the edge of the enchanted undergrowth and studies Morythine. He leans in and arches an eyebrow. "But who was it you killed?" he asks with a strange twinkle in his eye. "Since you had to have killed someone important to someone with the resources to send a group after you, right?"
He starts to head over to where the bat-cloaked one landed, keeping an ear out for Mory's answer. "Because we need to know if there will be more Gardeners looking to come reap, won't we?"
Setsuna begins healing Zoli.
"You did the same for me," she says to Morythine as her spell fades. "...And for the record, I believe you. I've never seen you fight without good cause. Like defense of yourself or another. Zoli and Eugeni vouched for you without hesitation, so I'm inclined to think that's been the case since they met you."
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"Mory is pretty creepy actually. I just don't like uppity frogs coming down here trying to tell us what's what. Got enough of that coming from Magnimar. Outsiders need to leave Sandpoint and Varisia alone."
Morythine glances at Riley in some mild annoyance. The druid has just stood up to defend him against his foes, but equally they don’t know each other well, and the searching question grates.
“They were probably Grey Gardeners,” he concedes “Though their skill at arms was not as these men.” he continues, gesturing at the bodies about them. With another shrug, he concludes “I was fleeing Galt. They got in my way,” and hopes his companions do not press him further.
Riley gets a hold of the leg of the fallen man with the brown cloak and drags him back to the group. With a casting of detect magic, he identifies the objects with magical auras and starts removing them.
"Well, word of their failure will reach Galt eventually, I would say. It will be up to the Gardeners if this will continue to compound your crimes, or make you more trouble than it's worth. In the meantime, we should deal with these corpses in a proper fashion."