With Jetro retreating and everyone else invisible the troops have no one to target. They pull out shovels and start digging to provide themselves with fortifications.
Duardlara aims and strikes at 2 of the injured soldiers from the benefit of invisibility. With her obscured and she is able to drive the arrows deep in to the chests of the men that were loading the cannon. Both die as gouts of blood spurt forth from frothy lips.
Baub and Helgash move into better positions to assault the troops in the open. Helgash became visible for just a moment allowing the troops to try and lock on to his position with mortars.
Chaos erupts in the tank as 2 of the men die. The other 4 know something is outside the hatch and turn to face the new threat. Picking up their own weapons they fire blindly hoping to strike something unseen out the door.
pistol vs touch ac for miss chance 1-50
pistol vs touch ac for miss chance 1-50
pistol vs touch ac for miss chance 1-50
pistol vs touch ac for miss chance 1-50
Duardlara’s allies likely saw the hatch open atop the clockwork creature and a gout of flame come forth. They definitely should hear the small-arms fire and shouts of dismay as two of the crewmen were killed. Hopefully they see that the machine is not a threat at the moment.
Jetro is still trying to keep his insides in, rather freaked out.
Titan will double move this round aiming to enter near Jetro.
A large troll comes running through the trees gracefully and unimpeded by the forest and in a booming baritone says, "You look hurt and I can heal you."
AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!! TROLL!
"I'm trying to help you. I'm a druid that turns into a troll. Now stop with the tooth picks I have to fight after I heal you."
Cynehelm moves over and torches the squad with an intensified burning hands for
Meanwhile Jetro and a troll begin to fight as clearly every single troll ever encountered is evil and needs to be put down! Jetro fulfills this multiverse rule with extreme prejudice as he hits the troll hard once and maybe twice! The troll tries to reason with the fighter but that makes no sense. Trolls aren't kind helpful creatures. It must be a trick.
reflex
The troop avoids most of the damage and turns its attention to the invisible creature pouring fire upon it from the sky.
miss chance 1-50
The second troop sees nothing that it can target and readies an action to attack the nearest enemy it can see.
Reflex save
Reflex save
Both squads avoid the pit again forcing them to move away from their defensive position. Inside the tank Duardlara splatters 2 more soldiers to death leaving only one wounded soldier left. He moves to the hatch and slams it closed before any more invisible death can rain down upon him.
Cynehelm, Jetro and Titian up
Cynehelm casts Angelic Aspect and flies into the sky, his body glowing with the holy light of Sarenrae.
Titian will cast heal on Jetro for 140 HP.
"Now get back in the fight."
Titan regenerated 5 health.
Jetro suddenly realized that the troll was the perfect friend and gets up to move back to the battle.
The ports are closed Duardlara unless you try and open the hatch.
Titian heals Jetro and they both prepare to head back into the fray.
Cynehelm glows like an angel as he takes for he sky with both troops turning to track him.
The troops sight theirs weapon upon the glowing figure and unload with full barrage of rounds.
Reflex save half dc23
Reflex save half dc23
[ooc]Duardlara, and Baub up[ooc]
Reflex save save but take 50% more so 19 damage.
The troop takes some more fire from the invisible assailants and they start looking quite depleted. Another blast or 2 and they will run for the hills.
Duardlara sees something strange in the fire behind the troops but is too far away to determine what is located there. Seems to be a shadowy figure of some kind. She then readies to kill a trooper if he opens the door.
The trooper in the tank does something and his painful whimpering eases somewhat.
Jetro attacks the troops
"Excuse me friend I'm going to have to change my demeanour slightly."
Titan cast cheetah's sprint (swift), rages (free) then runs over to one of the troops and swings his furious falchion.
Even with a two a 34 might hit. I think troops can be crit. I don't see otherwise but I'm not super familiar.
Cynehelm casts enhanced diplomacy. With that and tongues, he speaks to the troops in their native language.
"Soldiers! Put down your arms and the battle can stop. We do not want to keep harming you! For the sake of your wives, your children, your mothers, put down your arms!"
Jetro finishes off the first troop with his first 2 shots. The death and dispersement of the troop allows the strange troll thing to move on to the second troop. With a critical hit he sends those troops fleeing for the hills as well. Cynehelm calls out to the remaining troops in the tank and they call out back. Go away and leave us alone. You let me go and I will not harm you!
A large pile of corpses burn in the center of the ruined village, sending a plume of greasy black smoke into the air. As the conversation plays out a man steps out of the fire below Cynehelm. He is a slim man with an unkempt beard and a long black cassock. He gazes wistfully at the flames of the burning bodies. He turns to you all and his piercing blue eyes look like chips of chiseled ice. Even those invisible he sees as he speaks to you in halting Taldane. You have come for my mother. But it is too late. Her Thrice-Tenth Kingdom will soon be mine. Look, he points in the direction of the Hut which is now pacing back and forth forlornly. even her little hut grows saddened at the loss of her.
Titan walks out from the woods and observes the parle. He puts his sword away and shows his empty hands. "Here to help, I will let you all talk."
Jetro shoots him! Kill him before he expositions gain!
Cynehelm is about to engage the man in a discussion about Baba Yaga when Jetro shoots him. "No, wait!" he shouts.
[Delay]
Duardlara doesn’t know what Cynehelm or the man in the golem said, but she’s still focused on the end of this threat. The man sounded desperate, not threatening, so she will try to open the hatch and let it stand open to see if he takes the offer.
Otherwise, she delays, curious about the new arrival.
Jetro fires off a set of arrows with the first streaking towards the man's chest. The arrow impacts him and flies right through him. The son of Baba Yaga doubles over briefly with his hand holding his chest. Straightening he removes his hand to reveal no damage dealt to him.
The figure before the fire is just that, a figment and not real. It responded to your attack to make it look real though.
The man looks at Jetro and shakes his head as if saying that the bow shots were a futile gesture. That wasunnecessary. I came here to see who would bother coming to visit and this is what I am greeted with. Pity, I expected better from what your shadows told me.
Duardlara the man flees the metal contraption. However when it gets tot he ground and sees the figure by the fire he shrieks and falls down dead.
Shadows?
Cynehelm flutters closer, still angelic in appearance. "You're the son of Baba Yaga? Excellent. Then you're likely intelligent. Which means you can carry on a reasonable conversation. Why don't we parley a bit? Perhaps our goals aren't completely at odds. Honestly, we're none of us too committed to working for the queen of witches and I don't care a whit for the Thrice-Tenth Kingdom, whatever that is. So why don't we sit down to some lunch and have a talk?"
The man points at the Hut behind you all. Yes the shadows that came from there and told me about you. Quite interesting. Apparently not only did you lose your shadow but your wits as well.
He looks scornfully at Cynehelm. Bah, you would not be here if you did not come seeking my mother and working to restore her. However you caught me in a good mood so I will banter with oyou before you die. We take turns asking questions and I start. Where did you hear of the Thrice-Tenth Kingdom?
"From you, just now. You said 'Her Thrice-Tenth Kingdom will soon be mine.' You forgot the villainous laugh, but perhaps that's a good sign."
"Our turn. The Thrice-Tenth Kingdom... Is it named Golarion? Or Irrisen?"
Cynehelm can't resist. He looks to see if he and his companions have shadows.
He does let out a wicked laugh at your question. Hahaha, if you even have to ask you know nothing about what you speak. Neither of those places concern me right now. My turn...if you say you are not my mothers pets then why are you here?
"At her behest, to be sure. But whether to release your mother or not remains to be seen. You clearly believe yourself to be unstoppable, and we're sort of in the stopping the unstoppable business. But I'm still not sure why all of this," he gestures at the battlefield "was necessary. We are each of us dangerous. I'm sure we'll all admit you're likely the most dangerous. I like a good dust-up as much as the next fellow, but I like to know why I'm doing it. Honestly, why are we fighting?"
”I am here because of familial obligations and a curse accepted. And to be fair, I’m not sure how long ago that one’s wits left him. It’s been a long and difficult journey.”
I guess it is to end the spreading blizzard from Irrison. The queen there has conquest on her mind so stopping the blizzard from freezing the world is a good idea.
The man ponders your answers thoughtfully. Curses can be lifted, magicks undone. That is a simple matter. Why not just over throw the queen and be done with it? No sense to meddle in my affairs here just to prove that I am the ‘most dangerous’ one here. It would save your life and spare me 10 minutes if my time if you just left now.
The way he says to leave now is no mere request. It is an order from a man who is used to being obeyed.
Well perhaps you can locate her for us and then we can shoot her full of arrows and be done with it. Jetro eyes his comrades. Being able to cut to the chase is better than runnin g all over reality.
I could but then I would have to kill you. Really it is better if you just leave now.
”I know of no one with the power to lift this curse. Turning away from the pursuit means it takes hold and compels my continued pursuit. I have no quarrel with you unless you choose it.”