Shiro was relieves when the otherworldly light he called forth brought Kyarra back from the brink - he had been worried the archer had already passed beyond the veil. But just as one sibling opened her eyes, another arrow hit her brother. The elf collapsed on the ground, although still clinging to consciousness.
The monk conjured another bolt of energy, sending it towards the pair of sentries still standing, hitting the wounded enemy squarely between the eyes. Ever as the mongrelman collapsed, Shiro turned his attention to the magus, calling forth another cloud of brightly glowing sparks that converged around his wound, mending the elf's flesh.
As an arrow flew in to Kyarel, Sophie's sense of danger was not lessened. At this point, the fire was flying out of her almost rhythmically and she wasn't entirely sure she was controlling it any more.
Staggering to her feet, Kyarra couldn't stop herself from gasping in pain as the two arrows jostled about within her flesh. This was going horribly wrong, and they were only facing three archers. One had gone down, but the other two were picking them off much too easily. And now her brother was sporting an arrow, and his face was too pale.
Taking aim at the healthiest of the remaining archers, Kyarra drew, knocked and released in one smooth action, as she'd been trained, despite her pain.
OCC:
Yes, using a ranged 'something' (weapon or spell) within reach of an enemy does NOT provoke attacks of opportunity BUT the 'shooter' does so at a disadvantage (rolls twice and takes lower roll).
These scouts shoot twice per round thus the four rolls each made. One of them hit Kyarel because I rolled 18 and 22 and 18 hits even with the shield spell.
Questions?
Game on!
BTW, moving out of reach DOES provoke so the shooters could have taken their chances and moving away before attacking (now without disadvantage).
The half-orc bared her tusks, relishing the fight involving hand-to-hand combat rather than ranged weapons. As soon as the guards started yelling, Eliora struck with her sword with the intent on cutting them down.
"Butternut!"
Kyarel realises, suddenly and especially painfully, that remarkable as the protective spell shared with him by the mongrelman was, he should ALSO be wearing some sort of mundane protection. 'Even stiff cloth! Something!'
Now worried for his own existence he does what he can to follow his sister's lead - another arrow flew straight, this time, as he takes the time to aim more carefully.
Even as the arrow left the bow, brother Shiros' healing light bathed him. Feeling much better he held off turning to say thanks while the enemy still stood, but resolved to make his appreciation to the cleric very well known when the last guard fell.
"Kyarel." The word was soft, almost a prayer. Kyarra moved to her brother's side, inspecting the damage. Sighing in relief, she said, "You were lucky. A little higher and that would have pierced your lung."
She turned to Shiro and clasped his hand in both of hers. "My thanks to you and your patron. You give of yourself without thought of your own safety." She turned so that she was taking in Eliora and Sophie as well. "All of you. My brother and I are blessed to be travelling with such companions."
Moving back to where Gwerm was cowering, she held out her hand. "I need the two potions of healing, or my brother and I will no longer be fit to protect your life."
Eliora moved up between the two elves and placed her hands on each of their shoulders, "No time. Iomedae will mend your wounds."
The half-orc closed her eyes and channeled healing into the siblings. Her hands vibrated slightly as the healing power transferred between them.
"Better? Good. Now let's deal with whatever is making noise behind that door."
Taking a run at the door, Eliora shoulder-checked the flimsy wooden door.
Kyarel smiled wanly. "I was overconfident. They fought well! I think the one that got us was better than you, sis."
Sputtering sparks fanned from his hand as he doubled his wards, and reminded of Shiro's magic he turned to face the monk. "Thank you for keeping my sister among the living - and myself as well, perhaps." He nods "This I will not forget."
When healed also by Eliora he turns to bow in thanks again "Thank you as well, Iomedaean."
"As the kami wills it," Shiro said, bowing profusely to answer the gratitude of the elven siblings. "This humble monk, merely a channel for the great spirit to wield its will. Besides," he murmured, expression shifting to sadness, "the lying light... illusion. Badly chosen for the occasion. Forgot to think of our light, and how it did not dim. So, responsible for being seen, for being shot. For the mistake, many apologies."
Shiro's eyes widened when the half-blooded guard charged at the door, behind of which they had already heard sounds of more mongrelfolk mobilizing. There was no time to plan or prepare, so Shiro settled stepping away from direct line of sight, just in case bows were already pointed at the door, awaiting only it being opened.
Even after the fight had ended a few more firebolts flew from Sophie's palms hitting cave walls. "Woah! Ahem..." She blushed as she tried to regain control, eventually slowing down the flow of fire until it stopped entirely. Quickly wanting to put that behind her, she rushed to the elven siblings. "Are...are you guys okay!?!" The concern in her eyes was very genuine.
"Oh um... right..." she replied as she followed Eliora.
Turn 040 – The Direct Approach
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
Shiro swallowed a startled whimper before it had a chance to leave his lips. In the dim light of the cooking fires, a large armor-scaled lizard moved, rushing at the intruders. He had no idea what the thing was, but to him it seemed much more frightening than the mongrelmen, corrupted by chaotic forces as they might be.
Reacting instinctively, Shiro dropped into a low guard stance, the initial position for most of the martial katas his elders had guided the monastery’s initiates through each day, both to clear and focus the mind as well as to hone their bodies, the temples of the souls the monks taught their young wards to master. But when the monk punched the air before him, a ray of blinding light shot from his open palm towards the charging lizard, searing its scales and surrounding it in a brief aura of sparks that illuminated it perfectly in the darkness of the cavern.
Maybe, I think it will be lucky if it gets to attack. :)
This game plays a little differently than PF and we all need to get used to, none more so than myself so I can start presenting 'appropriate' challenges.
Questions?
Game on!
After nearly losing control before, Sophie felt tempted to pull out her crossbow again. However, she talked herself out of it. She had put herself in situations like this to learn and it wasn't going to help to stop trying. So she aimed a firebolt at the lizard, focusing as hard as she could on keeping it straight and controlled.
Much like her first attempt, the bolt sparked and fizzled like a wet firework, petering out long before reaching their enemies. Sophie felt like crying and stomping her feet in frustration. Why can I only achieve power when I feel like I'm an inch from losing control!?!
Even as Kyarra's arrow left the bow Kyarel's arrow sped through the air only a moment behind. Not quite twin shots, but close siblings, just like the two Niälien born less than a century apart.
You know I always root for you guys. I'll make sure it gets 'used' if no one claims it.
Questions?
Game on!
Kyarra took the scene in with a quick eye. The nasty lizard seemed the most threatening, but even as she realized that, her sorcerous companions were lighting it up. Turning to the nearest mongrelman, she nocked, drew and released, wanting to take it down before it was able to get in close to her brother with its weapon.
The arrow flew true, sticking the unarmoured mongrel in the stomach. Half a hearbeat later, her brother's arrow joined her own, dropping the creature to the ground.
Actually one of the nice perks of the warlock is that they regain their spell slots (albeit limited in number) after a short or a long rest.
Eliora...
recapping tomorrow...
Eliora used her momentum from breaking down the door to propel her towards the mongrelmen. She raised her longsword and brought it down on their arm that now grasped a weapon.
Read the OOC.
Questions, comments, and/or suggestions?
Game on!
shooting with disadvantage at Eliora
everybody misses! :(
Not wanting the only healthy opponent to escape, Kyarra drew again and let an arrow fly at him. She trusted that whatever Shiro and Sophie had done to the lizard, they'd do it again and take the beast out.
Her arrow flew low, nearly missing, but connected solidly with the mongrel's leg. He howled in pain, but was far from incapacitated.
Eliora finished off the mongrel before her by plunging her blade deep into its gut so that she could focus on the new threat that was snapping at her leg.
Shiro didn't like the look in the lizard's cold eyes as it survived his most powerful attack and just kept coming. Luckily for him, Eliora put her armored self between Shiro and the scary-looking beast, holding it at bay.
Feeling drained by the amount of power he had just channeled, the monk decided he had to settle for more moderate attacks from now on. Thus, another smoke-and-embers bolt launched towards the lizard, striking the creature a painful blow right between its eyes.
Kyarel wasn't esctatic at ignoring the lizard-dile threatening Eliora, but he followed his sisters lead. Another arrow winged its way across the room... and into the wall.
"C'mooon...focus Sophie..." Sophie whined at herself and she tried to pump herself up by shaking her arms, then throwing them forward in another attempt.
The firebolt came out blazing and strong, but was not well aimed. It crashed hard into the ground in front of the lizard, leaving the ground glowing with embers for a few moments. "Darnit!" she exclaimed, as her fear and frustration grew.
The horrid lizard was weakening, much to Shiro's relief, although it did manage to show the strength of its jaws as it bit into Eliora's leg. Further proof that the creature had to go, and quickly. Murmuring a prayer to his patron, wishing for martial success, the monk cast another bolt of power at the beast, blasting a hole in its coat of steel-touch scales.
Ok. Come on. You can do this. Just breathe. Sophie closed her eyes and took three deep breaths. Just feel it. This was the moment. This was going to be the one. She he opened her eyes and summoned up the fire, pushing her hands out towards the lizard and...
Boom. It was like fireworks went off in Sophie's face. She stood there for a moment, soot on her face, too aghast to even move. Then the embers started to fall around her, bringing her back to her senses. "Ow...ouch...ow..." she exclaimed as she danced backwards, moving out of the path of their descent. Gods! What do you want from me!
Able to finally focus his attention on the giant reptile Kyarel's aim improves markedly. A shaft embeds itself in the head of the monster, finding a spot not amply armored by thick skull.
Kyarel looks to his sister, to see if she saw...
Eliora growled as pain shot up her leg from the lizard's bite. She brought she sword down on its shoulder in retaliation, blood for blood.
I'll move this along today. We'll just assume that our elven archer is looking for some spent arrows. :)
Kyarra flashed an approving smile at her brother, then gathered up their salvagable arrows, both from in this room and outside. Looking at the few belongings, she asked, "Any chance there's a stash of healing in here? We could use it before moving on."
Eliora kicked the body of the lizard away from her and wiped off her sword.
Any chance there's a stash of healing in here? We could use it before moving on.
The half-orc prodded her wound to see if it was still bleeding or if it had stopped. "We still have a couple of healing potions on hand but I guess it couldn't hurt to look around."
Kyarel does his best not to shake as the rush of combat starts to fade and the realisation of how close to disaster they came starts to settle in.
"Should we? Or should we press on while we have the element of surprise?" genuine puzzlement is evident in Kyarel's voice.
"Should we? Or should we press on while we have the element of surprise?" genuine puzzlement is evident in Kyarel's voice.
"That element, will not last long. One of them made escape," Shiro murmured, nudging the dead lizard with the tip of his sandal, just to make sure it wasn't playing possum. "Move quickly, needed."
"This humble monk, one last healing spell left. You, need it most," he said, moving to lay a hand on Eliora's shoulder, calling for the might of his distant patron.
Sophie tried to wipe off her face. "I don't know if I want to stay here any longer than we have to. I say we check 'em quick, but then get moving..."
Kyarra moved quickly through the room, kicking over blankets, dumping out bags, whatever she could find. She didn't let the sweep of the room take more than half a hundred heartbeats.
"If we follow the runner, we may be running into reinforcements." Nodding to the southeast door, she said, "Eliora, want to do the honours?"
She took aim over the half-orc's shoulder, ready to fire should something come running at them.
Sophie trotted along behind the party. "Why'd we stop? Do you see something?"
The half-orc growled her answer in response to the mongrel's question and pointed her sword at her. "I am Eliora, true servant of Iomedae. Your clan will pay for your desecration of her name. Surrender now and you may still live."
"I am Eliora, true servant of Iomedae. Your clan will pay for your desecration of her name. Surrender now and you may still live."
”Please, no further bloodshed needed,” Shiro added his words to Eliora’s rather more threatening declaration. ”Your guards, already overcome. Lay down your arms and no-one else needs hurt.” He did, however, harbor some doubts of his own whether the other mongrelfolks would honor a surrender of their apparent enemies, considering how quick they had been to set the strangers who arrived on a path to war.
The blue woman's skin crawled, "Surrender? To whom?"
She looked intently at the half-orc, "Are with them, with the demon-lovers?"