With Priyya's healing having closed the worst of her wounds, Yvonne looks over her shoulder ready to meet the attack of the minotaur she attempted to draw away from the slaves. When she finds that it is instead reveling in their massacre, she gives a terrible trilling scream and charges it with her scimitar.
Her quarry grins savagely attempting to spit her on its blade but she easily evades it. With the monster off-balance she attacks...
...dodging underneath its guard and taking its left leg off at the hip joint. The remaining slaves, intimidated by the grizzly deaths of two of their number are emboldened and turn to focus on the other one.
With the paler darkmane having killed her prey, Talvyra looks to the darker one and follows her lead.
, Priyya, (Talvyra), Felmor, Alis, Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes; Enemies, Yvonne
MAP: Round 5
Lureene sees Yvonne take care of the minotaur out on the beach. Hearing the cries of the freed slaves, she smiles when she thinks of who is responsible for that. She cautiously leaves the protection and looks for targets for her bowshot. Seeing an unengaged minotaur, she sights in on him...
Lureene plants and arrow firmly in the minotaur's hide. He looks away from the wagon and horses he was seeking to mangle and instead sets his sights upon the woman freeing her spear from the body of his slain comrade.
, (Talvyra), Felmor, Alis, Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes; Enemies, Yvonne, Lureene
Priyya snarls at the scene. We are too spread out and everyone needs help. The innocents on the beach are setting themselves up for slaughter. Mal and Fel are wounded... She looks at Talvyra. She points to Felmor and the nearest Minotaur. "Talvyra. Protect Felmor and kill that one."
Then she takes aims at the distant minotaur looking to charge the three gypsy horsemen and fires with care...
To Hit:
OR
To Hit:
Damage:
Arrow #2
To Hit:
Damage:
Hearing Priyya's instruction to Talvyra and knowing the cat doesn't understand, he translates to her, and the cat moves off to protect the sailor. She reacts by moving to help the man flank the remaining horned warrior.
Priyya's first shot puncture's the minotaur's lung penetrating so far that the fletching disappears inside the wound. The beast coughs blood and snarl as another arrow zips past opening a painful gash on its face. The Golden Drakes nod to the the Surya-ka-Vahaak in gratitude and whistle to call up their archers from the alley.
Talvyra comprehends Mal's instructions and slinks forward wary of what the minotaur's warhammer could do to her. Seeing the deadly hunting cat try to circle around him, the minotaur attempts to crush her...
Yet she ably leaps out of the way and the blow instead pulverizes a paving stone.
, (Felmor), Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes; Enemies, Yvonne, Lureene, Priyya, (Talvyra)
When she sees brains and blood stain the sails, Alis curses and hops to. Damn, thought they'd have a bit more time to assemble so I could help them out...
Without further hesitation, the woman runs up the side of the ship and leaps off the rails toward the closest minotaur. she shouts, hoping to attract its attention.
And attract its attention she does. The minotaur swings at her with its greataxe...
But Alis once again cheats death and brings her own blade to bear...
...sticking the brute thru the arm as she completes her diving attack.
Behind her, the slaves rush forward to aid their rescuer while the beast is off-balance.
Weary and sore though they are, at least one of them manages to reach their target in order to start exacting retribution for their enslavement.
, (Felmor), Golden Drakes; Enemies, Yvonne, Lureene, Priyya, Talvyra, Alis, Slaves
MAP: Round 5b
Mal, bleeding profusely, switches tactics, leaving the melee fighting to those still in fighting shape. Blood thundering in his ears, he drops his axe, takes a few steps towards the minotaur trying to slip around the west side, drawign his bow on the way, and sends an arrow flying.
Mal moves forward, taking a knee and steadying himself to place his shot. His powerful recurve easily buries the 3-foot shaft in the minotaur's side and it staggers, clearly on its last legs.
Behind him, the two archers from the alley run up and fire at the beast over Mal's shoulder.
The first shot leaves it staggering, barely able to stand...
And the second puts it down.
The same mounted Drake as before says, "The panther has him, distracted, let's go!"
Two of the three strike, but without room enough to charge, their attacks are not as telling as before.
Khaitan rears up again to kick...
His right hoof catching the minotaur alongside the jaw.
The scimitar-wielding gypsy attempts to leap over the corpse of the fallen raider to slash at it...
But he fouls his footing and is unable to reach.
; Enemies, Yvonne, Lureene, Priyya, Talvyra, Alis, Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes
MAP: Round 5c
Felmor sees his chance and moves in for the kill...
Felmor moves forward and rips the minotaur a new one, but it still has plenty of fight left in it. Focusing it's rage on the good Knight-Captain, it puts both hands on its weapon and attempts one final blow knowing its death is at hand...
Felmor's entire body aches as the devastating blow falls upon his shoulder. Somehow he remains standing, though just barely.
Over by the longship, Alis' opponents seeks to cleave her in twain with its greataxe...
...but it's attack strikes only sand instead.
, Lureene, Priyya, Talvyra, Alis, Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes, Felmor
Seeing that the princess and slaves are at risk, Yvonne charges the minotaur...
She easily evades its clumsy attack and retaliates with her own blade...
Her hit is devastating, but still it remains standing.
, Priyya, Talvyra, Alis, Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes, Felmor
Lureene turns her attention to the closest minotaur, drawing a bead on it, while approaching for a lethal shot.
Lureene aims carefully, but with having to aim past 3 horses in her direct path, she is unable to connect.
, Talvyra, Alis, Slaves, Mal, Golden Drakes, Felmor
Priyya climbs into Saija's saddle and reaches over to touch Felmor.
She angles Saija towards the battle on the beach. "Come, Saija. Show us your speed."
MAP: Round 6
Priyya will move beneath Saija and up to Fel , tumbling to avoid the minotaur's attack.
Then she touches Felmor (using spell results above).
Priyya ably tumbles beneath Saija to save time and rushes up to Felmor attempting to save him from meeting his end. In an attempt to not risk reprisal, she tries to cast her healing spell without provoking an attack, but she is unable to maintain her focus and the spell is lost .
Talvyra maintains her position on the creature's flank making certain she doesn't take any actions that will bring its warhammer raining down upon her.
Alis' eyes light up at the distraction Yvonne's attack affords her. She quickly dodges to the right and thrusts for the minotaur's heart with all her strength...
Her attack thrusts home leaving the monster reeling. It drops its axe and clutches at the needle-like blade penetrating from its chest.
With shouts of fury, the freed slaves swarm around it beating at it relentlessly with their broken oars...
...until all that is left is a battered, broken hulk staining the sand!
, Talvyra, Golden Drakes
MAP: Round 6b
Mal wills himself into a standing position and staggers forward until he finds himself with an unimpeded shot.
He sinks a shaft deep into its back and it staggers threatening to fall on Felmor. Sensing that it is on the very cusp of death, Talvyra pounces...
Her first claw very nearly spills its entrails as she tackles it to the side, away from Felmor. By the time her crushing jaws reach its throat, it is already dead.
XP: +900 each
Loot: See OoC thread
Felmor staggers over to his Beloved, and as she guides him back to the porch area, she also retrieves his heavy repeating crossbow, and hands it back to him. "I must take care of the hurts of the former slaves, Beloved, I will return. Have Lureene watch over you for now." She says to him, and departs after giving him a brief kiss.
Felmor does not protest but he moves slowly back to the porch area, nodding gratefully at Lureene's assistance, as she takes his arm in hers. She guides him over to the porch area, and as he sits down, he murmers quietly, "Aye, I t'ink I be gettin' too old fer this."
With Alis and Yvonne's help, Priyya should be able to gather everyone by the front of the inn for mass-healing.
As all of your help with coordinating that (or sit still trying to remind yourselves that pain means you are still alive), Alis comments to Yvonne, "It's a good thing that we happened to be here otherwise everyone within a mile of here would have probably been slaughtered!"
"More to the point, Yvonne says, "it is you who are lucky that the raiders lacked that organization which the Golden Drakes share. If they fought and used strategy, we would be the ones dead on the sand."
Alis pales slightly at the thought before tending to Mal's injuries with her healing spells.
Priyya's mass heal...
On MAL:
Alis' Heals:
28/35
Yvonne's Heals:
31/31
On Mal:
MAL HP: 34/35
After making sure all the people and animals are healed up, Priyya walks out alone onto the beach and makes a slow circle to survey the battlefield, hands on her hips. She runs through the whole sequence in her head.
Alis spends her time looking after the slaves using her inspiration abilities to help bolster their confidence in having had some part in their own liberation. Fellow Estorians themselves, they seem to take heart in the eulogy she gives for their two fallen members. "Better to die a freedom-fighter than to live as a coward," is the general sentiment shared by many of them. After the dead have been buried, she sets about ensuring they are fed by the owners of the inn. The innkeeper and his wife are more than happy to help admitting they would be dead and their home destroyed if not for your caravan.
As the freed men eat, rest, and regain their strength, Alis learns that most of them were captured about a week or two ago when their village in the Thar Domahni was sacked. At that time the minotaur's longship already had a crew of ragged and exhausted slaves from elsewhere, but upon enslaving fresh new victims, they slew and ate the former ones.
With the help of Mal and Lureene, she concludes her morning buying clothes from some of the scattered homesteads in the area in order that the men can dress with some dignity. By noontime, the men have recuperated and are eager to make plans to return to whatever might be left of their homes and start rebuilding their lives — to see if their children and wifes were able to flee to safety or not.
The princess approaches Yvonne and asks, "I know it was not part of our contract, but these are countrymen of mine. There is nothing for them here along this roadway. Can we transport them to Om'roton in the wagons and carriages if those of us with the strength for it walk? I can pay you more for the added time and expenses, of course."
"Princess, the Golden Drakes will have seen these men safely to the next city even if there was no asking. In your land we are guests, it would be a discourtesy if it was done otherwise..."
After the wash of rage, pain, and then healing, Mal feels surprisingly refreshed, if sore where the blades tore his skin and muscle. From where he toils in helping the horses move the hulking corpses of the horned reavers, he catches sight of Priyya Darkmane surveying the carnage on the beach. He drags his current load the final few feet to where they are preparing to dispose of the bodies, drops it with a sigh, and makes for the slight warrior.
On the way, he overhears the conversation between Alis and Yvonne, and agrees to help Alis purchase supplies for the former slaves.
When he gets within range of Darkmane, he slows and clears his throat, not wanting to surprise. When he sees her eyes, filled frustration and displeasure, eyes that match his own internal struggle, he speaks, in words soft enough to be lost to the waves to anyone beyond the range of Priyya. "This battle frustrates you, too, Priyya Darkmane?" His own anger is evident in his words.
Yvonne approaches Priyya on the beach, making certain to avoid any bloody patches and asks:
Lureene is more than happy to donate her share of the spoils to help the former slaves re equip themselves. She also takes the time to thank each one personally with either a hug or a kiss, allowing them to see an angel did come down to save them from a horrible fate.
Mal smells the fox before he hears her over the crashing of the waves, and bites off the follow-up question he had for his new battle-sister. He ignores the question posed to her in a language he cannot understand.
Once Felmor has been healed, he spends the rest of the morning assisting the Drakes in cleaning up the gruesome remains on the battlefield, and also gathering the spoils for distribution amongst those with a claim to the spoils.
He sees Priyya's change in mood, and gives her a wide berth for now, she will come to him for counsel, if she needs it.
Note: Before the minotaurs are disposed of, the Golden Drakes harvest their horns to fashion into drinking vessels, battle horns, or trophies. If any of you would want such an item, they are willing to create such for you. Such items would be masterwork quality for later enchantment if so desired.
The one who wielded the scimitar, you recognize him as Bajala, approaches Malandraenas and says, "You fight bravely and your courage is what made you prevail in spite of disarray on the field. We will fashion these horns into memories for you."
He looks in Alis' direction and speaks frankly, "We too would risk life and limb for our princess, but we also trust in her abilities. I sense that you do not place the same confidence in yours."
Mal smells the fox before he hears her over the crashing of the waves, and bites off the follow-up question he had for his new battle-sister.
"This battle frustrates you, too, Priyya Darkmane?" His own anger is evident in his words.
She tries to give Mal a smile but there is a sourness to the look. "This wasn't a battle. It was an ugly, poorly disciplined, brawl... and I think I'm as much to blame as anyone else. Thank Alita at least some of my arrows struck true."
Yvonne approaches Priyya on the beach, making certain to avoid any bloody patches and asks:
Priyya bows, "Thanks go to you, Yvonne." acknowledging how much of the battle hinged on the gypsy woman's skills, not her own.
Priyya tries her best attempt at a smile.
She shakes her head at her own folly and switches to common. "My position was 'untenable'."
The one who wielded the scimitar, you recognize him as Bajala, approaches Malandraenas and says, "You fight bravely and your courage is what made you prevail in spite of disarray on the field. We will fashion these horns into memories for you."
He looks in Alis' direction and speaks frankly, "We too would risk life and limb for our princess, but we also trust in her abilities. I sense that you do not place the same confidence in yours."
Mal nods at the semi-compliment. "You have fought with your brethren for a while, i'm guessing. This crew I fight with…" his gesture includes Alis, Priyya, Felmore, and Lureene, "are newly met. While each seems to have competent martial skill, this was our first time in combat together." He pauses for a moment, then continues on the second subject. "As for my lack of trust in 'our' princess. I'm not sure of the other members' faith in Alis, but faith and trust take time to form. My loyalty to the princess is based solely upon her relationship with my commanding officer. I don't really know her. And my experience so far is that, while she is not incapable of protecting herself, she makes fool-hardy decisions on half-thought-out plans. One solid sword swing from one of those monsters could have cut her in half, yet she chose her actions regardless of the fact that my tail is on the line if she does get cut in two. So, no, I don't have much trust in her yet; maybe time will change that."
"This wasn't a battle. It was an ugly, poorly disciplined, brawl... and I think I'm as much to blame as anyone else. Thank Alita at least some of my arrows struck true."
Mal cuts a green eye over, deciding what he should reveal, but decides upon transparency. "Battles often are reduced to such… some more needlessly than others. We all shared our portion of blame in it's unfolding." There is unspoken respect in his voice regarding her owning hers, though. "I'm sure we'll work better together as we learn more about each other... assuming we live long enough. Your bow was indeed useful, and it's good to know you can be depended on when the blood flows."
Yvonne nods in appreciation at Priyya's compliment, although it seems to bring her no joy. "Understandable is what your position was. For your friend you feared as I too did fear. For escorting my friend's niece is why we were tasked... not to be pall-bearers."
She thinks for a moment and muses aloud, "Her goal I can see: to bring reinforcements. Perhaps that did help. Perhaps better to regain life at risk of dying in battle. Perhaps better if those two lives had rather been spared."
"She did not look back," she says, "she called for you to take shelter and looked only forward. Why do you think that is? You have together traveled before now, yes?"
"You have fought with your brethren for a while, i'm guessing. This crew I fight with… are newly met. While each seems to have competent martial skill, this was our first time in combat together."
Bajala nods in understanding. "Thank you, warrior, yes we have fought and danced, loved and traveled together for many years. Individually... perhaps even two on one, each of you are stronger than we. It is because we know each other, our strengths and limits that we survive. If you travel with them for long, I think for you it will be the same."
"As for my lack of trust in 'our' princess. I'm not sure of the other members' faith in Alis, but faith and trust take time to form. My loyalty to the princess is based solely upon her relationship with my commanding officer. I don't really know her. And my experience so far is that, while she is not incapable of protecting herself, she makes fool-hardy decisions on half-thought-out plans. One solid sword swing from one of those monsters could have cut her in half, yet she chose her actions regardless of the fact that my tail is on the line if she does get cut in two. So, no, I don't have much trust in her yet; maybe time will change that."
"Hmm..." The man looks onward with Mal in silence for a moment. "I am not a young man, friend. In my days have I seen both bravery and bravado. Your charge has confidence, that much is clear. In herself certainly so, but in you and others also. What she lacks is understanding of weaknesses, hers and all of yours. She trusts too freely I think."
He waves his hands and amends, "Not to say you are not trustworthy, please forgive me. What I mean is that she is the kind who trust or distrusts immediately on intuition. Intuition is valuable to be sure. Yet one who relies only on intuition would build a house on sand without laying a foundation."
With that, the man bows respectfully and returns to his labors.
"I'm sure we'll work better together as we learn more about each other... and it's good to know you can be depended on when the blood flows."
Priyya nods. "I can tell you another lesson about myself, you can draw from the events today..." She glances pointedly at Alis then the boat and finally her own position at the 'pivot point'. Her look is implacable. "I don't leave people without support. If necessary, I will hold a line until death takes me. You can count on that."
Priyya kneels, putting herself at eye-level with the massive cat. In an odd display, she bows to the Talvyra. "You held the line to protect me. That is a debt I owe you. You have my thanks." She looks to Mal, "Please translate that if she doesn't understand."
After while, Alis comes up to Priyya and says, "It's the damnedest thing... ever since the fight, I just can't stop sneezing! I think I must be allergic to minotaur fur or something..."
Sense Motive Checks:
She looks at her friend's stony expression and asks, "Hey is everything alright? We won the battle, but it feels like there's a thundercloud about to burst..."
"I have no problem with her trusting or intuitive nature. My problem is that her decision split our forces. Improvisation can just as easily kill your teammates as save them." he pauses to re-order his thoughts, "I should really be airing this with Alis, but whatever. Let me put it this way. Alis is important enough to have a body-guard and warrior assigned to give his life if need be in order to accomplish her mission. Her life is important enough to hire on a company of recognized armed travelers," he dips his head towards the Drakes in general, "to make sure she she accomplishes her mission. When it was really crucial to make solid decisions, she did not think as a team, but only for herself. She went off on her own to save those men. I am far more expendable than she is. I am fairly certain I could have accomplished this as well. Instead, she risked herself, my mission, and yours, to do something that could be done by others. Were I not responsible for her well-being, I would not care. Her flighty, snap-decisions would only bear consequences for her. Unfortunately for many of us here, such is not the case." The heat in his voice has grown over the length of the conversation, and he must take a second to calm himself. "Pardon. Im a little frustrated about this. I know you only mean to help."
"I'm fairly sure she understands the sentiment, but.... " Mal translates the words to Talvyra, who gives a purr in answer (and for the rest of the day - unless Mal has need of her, the great cat follows Darkmane around with a protective attitude). Then the tall warrior returns his eyes to Priyya, "I hope it goes without saying, but my thought was to stand with you, though I was unable to complete the task." There is no shame in his words, "I am glad you were able to perform as you did."
When Alis walks up, jokingly, Mal turns his eyes on her… a look to melt stones.
When Alis walks up, jokingly, Mal turns his eyes on her… a look to melt stones.
"Mal...?" She gets a somewhat worried look on her face when she sees his expression. "Everything ok, you're not still injured are you?"
"No, I'm fine." He bows a belated 'thank you' to the women for their healing
"She did not look back," she says, "she called for you to take shelter and looked only forward. Why do you think that is? You have together traveled before now, yes?"
Priyya reads curiosity not implied criticism in Yvonne's question. She regards Alis soberly for awhile before answering. "We have traveled together for only a short time.... so I can't answer your question with certainty. She is headstrong and impulsive at times. I'm not sure what possessed her to charge the boat unless it is a particular hatred of slavery. I don't know her story well enough to know what moves her in this regard. As for calling for our retreat, I assume she was concerned for our safety. So she chose the wise tactic for us while opting to engage in a reckless one herself."
Priyya's mood brightens noticeably and her amused smile is genuine. "I can say she doesn't know we Surya-ka-Vahaak well enough if she thinks I would retreat on command when others rush into danger without support. Yes, indeed, she has some learning to do to understand my ways."