It is a cool spring day on the road to Shadowdale. The skies are clear with a few wispy clouds gracefully floating across the midday sun. The green rolling hills echo the sounds of distant hoofbeats.
As the combination of the absence of woods and nearing hoofbeats make Alyna nervous, she walks a way away from the road to either climb up a tree, or otherwise squat down in some bushes. She makes sure that her longsword is loose in its sheath and calmly waits to see what will come her way.
Davin stumbles down the road, banging a pair of coconuts rhythmically.
A simple job: Deliver a small satchel to a scribe in Shadowdale. Twenty gold and a free stay at the Old Skull Inn. A lot of pay for three days on the road. The first two were incredibly dull. This morning appeared boring from the start, but shortly after turning a corner the seven couriers see something to break the tedium.
A hundred or so yards ahead are close to a dozen armed and armored men and women standing around and staring at a wagon with a broken wheel. The contents of the wagon are concealed beneath a canvas covering, but appears to be nearly as large as the draft horse pulling the wagon. The cargo suddenly shifts and jerks, causing the assembled men and women to flinch. A few nearly draw weapons.
Since you stopped eating they have beaten you to keep you in line. They forced a muzzle over your jaws and a hood on your head. All day you have been moving. Bouncing up and down. The smell of horse and human flesh makes your stomach growl.
Then a cracking sound. The movement stopped. Something was happening.
One of the men spots the couriers approaching and shouts out. "Halt! Do not approach! Dangerous animals!"
CG female sylvan elf fighter (Wilderness Warrior) 1 | HP 10/10 | AC 2 | DA 0 MDA 0 | PPD 14 RSW 16 PP 15 BW 17 S 17 | Reaction Adj +0 | Vision 60’ infravision | [spoiler=Status]None.[/ spoiler]
Alyna comments in heavily accented voice: "This humans is Zhentharim. Bewary, they trust gold alone". And walks up forward, hand on pommel, next to whomever of the party is going to talk to the skum. She isn't planning on doing the talking, but is definitely curious to see what animals are being transported. "We should be know who are the dangerous animals, for cage is the danger great", she adds, clearly assuming that she makes sense. Alyna tries to catch a glimpse of the dangerous animals.
in high elf language "oh, did the human filth mean us?" using an emotional vibration in the language to indicate utter disgust, especially at the word 'humans'.
Suddenly Alyna seems a whole different elf: her movements graceful and sure, because in her head, she's already dancing to a deadly tune. She seems a lot more at ease, perhaps even relieved.
Davin took note of the insignias, and subtly loosened the mace hanging from his belt, and gripped it firmly. He had no love for Zhents, but his duty was to the disparate party of mercenaries he travelled with. And the safest course of action was to avoid a fight altogether.
"We're just passing through," he called out. "Leave us to our business, and we'll leave you to yours. "
Beau looks up from his slow rolling on the road, as now there was plenty of people ahead of him.
Rumbling under his breath, he states" There be some humans, some of them longears, and some kind o cart. Best be they move. Important business to care of, ale needs drinkin somewheres don't they know." It seems the dwarf was in a hurry to get somewhere, but by his movements and smoking pipe you would almost say he was on a stroll through a peaceful park. The smell of the tobacco was sharp, but not a bad smell, as if it fit his personage.
One of the Zhents, clearly the one in charge given that he is wearing banded mail armor and the others are in studded leather, says something and points to four of his men. The group begins to head towards the couriers with their hands on their swords. The one in heavy armor shouts as they move forward. "You are hearby ordered to leave the area immediately! Failure to do so will be met with force!"
"We're merely travelers on our way to do Shadowdale, friend. All we wish is to walk down this road in peace. Perhaps even help you to pick up your things before an orc war party descends on you. But if you would rather do that alone, so be it. Just allows us to walk past."
The “animal carrying” cart starts to rock back and forth and a combination growl and whine, like a large, unhappy dog.
Alyna laughs mirthfully, like the Zenth had actually meant to make a joke. And says calmly to the party.
in high elven language, spoken to the party elves
"They order us, without accepted juristiction. Such order could only be made valid by force of arms. This means they mean to attack, but they're too weak to say it. I say we should play their game, and walk closer while keeping dumb. My combat skills are most useful up close, so I'd like to be with the forward group. Let's keep ranged combatants in the back, shall we? I feel that we should fight this fight. It sounds like they've captured a dragon of some kind. And I cannot abide slavery like that."
in the human tongue she adds, also soft spoken
"They do not have location to order. We kill them, ok? Release dragon"
Alyna walks with the front group, but doesn't walk ahead of the party, alone.
The commander of the Zhentarim band considers Davin's words, and almost looks to be ready to allow the group to pass before the commotion at the cart draws his attention and forces him to act.
"Two of you secure that beast for the Captain! The rest of you, fire at will!" he shouts to the men and women behind him. "You lot, weapons out and form a line! We are going to push them back!"
"Damn!"
Davin takes off towards the Zhents, hoping he can close the distance before they draw ranged weapons.
CG female sylvan elf fighter (Wilderness Warrior) 1 | HP 10/10 | AC 2 | DA 0 MDA 0 | PPD 14 RSW 16 PP 15 BW 17 S 17 | Reaction Adj +0 | Vision 60’ infravision |
Alyna draws a longsword and spurts off towards the first Zhenth.
bladesong choice: +1 AC (so AC 1 for this round)
Alyna starts off at a slow trot, staying behind Davin for a while. Then, when they're almost at the Zenth, she makes a sidestep and twirls very low to the ground. Getting up again, she rakes an outreached longsword backhanded across the inner thigh of the closest Zhenth, not ever missing a step in her dance.
She grins dangerously at the Zhenth leader when she says a sentence in sylvan elf.
The other elf stood out for more than just being 'the male one.' He wore a small gem prominently on his forehead over the spot mystics called the third eye, for one. For another, his black studded leather had the look of a uniform, with his left pauldron worked into the snarling face of a great cat and his right adorned with a silver crescent moon.
Third, while he wore a longsword, it was not the weapon one saw in a typical soldier's hands. The darkwood scabbard was ornately decorated, the grip covered in well worn silk cord, and the extra long hilt capped in a large moonstone. He had yet to draw the blade where anyone could see, but the guard was decorated with a beautiful pattern of cranes in flight. The young elf never let the blade stray far from his hand, even sleeping with it at night.
He drew the blade now, though, as he charged forward with Devin and Alyna. There was no time for inspection, but the sunlight gleamed silver on its blade and rippled like water across runes etched into its flat sides.
Beau grumbles under his breath " O course the longears go rushin in. Can't people just leave us to our drinkin? And now me pipe gonna have to be placed down...." He moves closer to the enemy line as the group goes in, placing his pipe away as he does so, making it seem like it was just the biggest problem in the world to help this Zhenth leave this life
The green and black armored elf rushed in beside the others, sword out to ward off attacks. He moved with a grace similar to the blonde elf's, but where she was water he was a cat. She was fluid and beautiful to watch, art in motion, while he was efficient- poised, precise, with no wasted motion, not moving an inch when he only needed to move half that distance.
His blade was a veritable shield, warding off blows while he made only the most cursory attempt to strike back. From his considering expression it almost seemed like he was taking this time to take stock of his enemy instead of going for a killing blow.
Two of the Zhentarim begin to try and beat the dragon into submission, one managing to land a solid blow from behind.
The five nearest the heroes draw their weapons and form into a battle line. One of them is cut down moments later by Alyna's flashing sword.
Three of the guards by the cart ready their bows and fire shots at Davin as he cautiously approaches them before the elves charge past.
Davin positions himself by Alyna and attacks her opponent with his mace.
Sid continues his cautious, measured opening, using his sword to defend more than attack, only striking an obvious opening when the man in front of him dropped his guard for a moment.
The "small" dragon scrabbles at its bindings and tries to undo the ones on its hind legs.
Alyna continues to make her swaying, dancing attacks.
+5 again makes 16 for the second attack
Alyna moves and twirls between her opponents, now targeting the leader. Her blade deflecting attacks left and right until suddenly she makes a thrusting attack, slicing the sharp of her blade forward, so that is cuts deeper and deeper into the leader's head, blood spurting. As he tries to react she steps back to deflect a blow behind her, without looking. Then, while her foe stumbles along, trying to remove the blood from her eyes, she jumps straight up for over 3 feet, and brings down her sword full force on the man's shoulder, close to the neck, right before she touches ground again.
Without a second look to even check if the man is actually dead, she lithely walks on towards the people beating the dragon.
She speaks out vehemently in common: "Face me, cowards of slavery!"
BTW, I moved my purple dot ;)
Beau rolls forward into the battle, muttering about long ears as he brings his axe into play. He doesnt do anything fancy, using the broadsword to swing at one of the humans.
Beau doesn't seem to be able to keep up with the humans movements, cursing more.
Back at the cart the dragon snaps at the bindings, tearing the leather apart and freeing it's hind legs. The two humans hardly notice as they continue their assault. Once again the one flanking the dragon is the one who manages to get the most solid blow, very nearly causing Xenotime to lose consciousness.
The archers hold their fire as the lines ahead clash, not wanting to risk accidentally hitting their own compatriots.
Sid's perfectly efficient movement is countered by a panicked guard's shield at the last moment.
The lieutenant steps forward to meet the lethal Alyna head on. He swings his own longsword in a wide arc before pulling the weapon down in an attempt to hack the elf's arm off, but she counters the move with ease.
One of the Zhent swordsmen moves forward to take advantage of his commander's attack, but his clumsy attack is unable to find it's mark. The other two swing wildly at Sid. One of them manages to hit Sid by sheer luck.
Shocked at being wounded by the elf, the swordsman focuses his efforts and presses his attack.
Alyna is clearly taken aback. She has never been hit in real combat before. And now she is... by a human, no less. Granted, said human lies on the ground with a gash that goes through shoulder and spine, but still... Such an inferior creature managed to wound her... quite badly.
Alyna starts dancing a different dance, reversing her blade so it is alongside her arm, and starts luring away the blades of the Zhentharim within reach. Then, she tries to break them with an ingenious technique.
Defensive dance: AC is 1 again.
Martial Arts technique: weapon breaker
The martial arts often include training in a number of standard and unusual weapons.
The maneuvers described below can be applied only when using weapons. They are
exclusive to practitioners of the martial arts.
Weapon Breaker: Just as martial arts weapons are designed to catch and deflect the
weapons of others, they are also capable of breaking them. The breaking action is a swift
blow or twist with the weapon. The martial artist must be wielding a martial arts weapon
and can use this maneuver only against melee weapons, not against unarmed fighters.
The character must make a normal attack roll. If the roll is successful, the opponent's
weapon is broken (magical weapons are unharmed). This maneuver does no damage to
living creatures or monsters.
When the Attack Roll Fails: The weapon is unharmed.
Weapons Allowed: Any melee weapon.
+3 = 16 for the second attack.
Sid continues his cautious, precise movements, leaning only an inch here, shifting his feet only a step there, using his blade to knock his opponent's thrusts just far enough to one side that they miss. He answers the scratch the Zhent had given him with a much more solid blow.
Beau spits a bit on the ground and then growls " YE MOTHER WAS A GOBLIN ORE!" as he swings his sword again at the opponent facing him, trying to kill the pesky human. Always getting in the way. He was just wishing for a nice ale and a smoke.
Davin begins chanting to his god, Helm. His hands radiate with healing light, and he places his hand on Alyna's shoulder.
"Helm, I beseech you to bind the wounds of this noble guardian."
The pony-sized "little" dragon comes bursting out of the wagon, snarling as ferociously as it can muster. It lashes out at one of the Zhents with an angry claw.
During the fighting, Alyna gets healed by the human priest, and... can't really find fault with him doing so, so during combat she graces him with a look to the eye and a short, curt nod of appreciation.
When the dragon bursts out she dances a few paces backwards, exclaiming
Then she adds to the party: "We help Rock Dragon to know our friend! Take careful approach."
Seeing the dragon free itself, the two Zhentilars trying to beat it into submission decide it is better to run. Xenotime rakes a claw across one of them before he can get very far. The human drops to the ground bleeding to death.
The melee line crumples quickly. With their leader killed by the flashy elf, and another elf circling to the rear of the lines, they are unable to put up much resistance and quickly begin looking for an exit.
Beau drops one of the swordsmen with a heavy cut across it's chest as it tries to turn and flee.
Seeing the rear running off and the front line about to dissolve, the archers throw down their bows and try to flee into the forest.
Sid slides his sword into a guard's heart as simply and smoothly as resheathing the sword. A sort of matter-of-fact blow that drops him instantly. The entire thing would have seemed less than violent except that Xune was already launching an attack. Overkill, but effective.
The last swordsman seems stunned by the rapid destruction of his fellow mercenaries and stands mouth agape for a moment as Alyna executes a maneuver that shatters his sword. He screams in a panic and turns to run.
Alyna comes to a halt in her dance, looks at the retreating back of the humans, and states:
Then she turns to Xenotime and makes a friendly bow (as a noble elf would make to someone who's an equal, but of younger age).
She seems quite excited to actually meet a dragon, even a hatchling. Then she looks about and is suddenly reminded that she is not with fellow sylvan elves, but instead in the presence of two sun elves, a human, and a dwarf, and her mood sours ever so little, although a polite smile remains in expectation of Xenotime's answer.