The Mantis takes 2 points of fire damage from Issi's flames, and deftly dodges Donovan's attack.
ROUND 4
Issi quickly withdraws from the mantis...
...who then turns it's attention to Raggnor, and full attacks!
The Mantis flails wildly as Raggnor easily dodges between its strikes!
Raggnor then plunges his spear into the beast again, dealing 12 points of damage! The Mantis wobbles unsteadily on its feet, but doesn't fall yet.
Horvan TBA
Henyan TBA
Donovan TBA
Donovan starts to move around the great beast, "Lets surround this thing."
Growling at himself for a sloppy charge, Henyan wheels his pony around again and charges.
Henyan charges the Mantis, driving his lance through the creature's thorax and sending it crashing into the snow, dead!
The surviving travelers raise a cheer of relief as the beast dies. One of them is cradling the wounded man, while another, a red haired woman with a furry cap, approaches.
"Hello! My name is Nadya Petska. Are you...children? What on earth are you doing out here? Where did you come from?"
"People need to stop calling us children, we came through a portal back there." he points back the way they came.
"We can help your wounded, but we seek a tower we are headed there to put an end to this." He tries to stand taller, not to show his fear.
A crow flies forward and lands on his shoulder glaring at the travelers.
|
After turning back to normal Raggnor walks up to the slayed mantis and snaps off one of its antenna and sucks out its contents as he walks up to the Nadya. "That's the biggest bug I've ever seen are all the bugs around here that big and delicious?" He says now using the outer
shell of antenna as a toothpick.
Henyan shakes the innards from his lance, patting his pony on the neck he moves over to his friends. "Aye it was a big bug, where did it come from?" Henyan directs his question to the traders.
"I didn't mean to offend you, I was just surprised to see chi--err, people so young out here like this. We're grateful for your help." Nadya replies. She and the others gasp in awe as Issi heales the man's injuries. He's still in need of considerable medical attention, but wounds that would have killed him now look survivable.
Looking over the dead mantis, Nadya shakes her head. "I've never seen such a creature in my life." she says, and the other travelers agree that it doesn't look like anything they've seen before.
Those of you who have spent time in the woods around Heldren have, of course, seen a praying mantis before, and have heard tales of giant varieties like this, but they're known for hunting other animals, and do not typically go looking for human prey.
"Aye we can help ye move ta more defensible spot fer sure. Just be tellin' us where." Henyan gets off his Shaggy Pony. "I be Henyan Bridleback who be ye?"
"This may sound like an odd question, where are we? This is a Mantis, have you never seen one? We are looking for a tower.
We are young. Horvan agrees, but adds But we're 'venturers. Everyone's gotta start sometime.
"I have no idea what a 'mantis' is, but I do know where the Pale Tower lies. There is much danger there, and you ought to be more cautious about who you tell of your purpose here; the witches of Irrisen are cruel and cunning, and they hate children most of all. They took my own daughter, Thora for a minor slight, and I am headed to the tower to buy her freedom with this food."
"Aye they do, I don't be lookin' quite a child but ta me own kind I be one. The Mantis be that big ol' bug that I killed." Henyan says
Nadya looks to the sky for a moment and frowns. "There's a storm coming; no chance we'll make it to Waldsby in time. Lets get a move on and find a place to camp and sit out the storm. I can keep us away from the roads, which ought to prevent the witches finding you all."
More than one witch Issi, by the sounds of it. Horvan adds with a worried look. And Miss Petska, I think we mighta met your daughter, or somethin that she was speaking from, There was this doll in a tiny house on stilts. And it told us its name was Thora Petska. She was scared, but very brave to. It was like the doll was suppose to hurt us but somehow she would not let it. Seemed like she was fighting its control. But that was hard for her and she told us to get away. I know that is hard ta hear but I just couldn't keep it from you.
Donovan is all but stunned that Horvan remembers the dolls name. "She was real brave, and went out of her way to keep us safe. If, this is not the bad weather we would really like some help finding a safe place."
Nadya turns pale at Horvan's words, but says nothing more.
She and the other travelers quickly repack their sleds and lead you away from the mantis' body. You can see the village in the distance, but it's clear that in this weather you won't make it there tonight, and there is indeed a storm heading your way. Nadya finds a small area protected from the wind by large stones, and builds a small fire. They have enough meat from an earlier hunt to feed everyone for the night, so there is no need to use your rations tonight.
"Where have you all come from? And what makes you think this haunted doll you saw was my daughter?" she asks.
"We be from a town in Taldor, we got hit bad by a change in weather and went ta investigate a crash we heard about. Heldren be the name o' the town." Henyan lets those who are better at talking say more about the daughter.
She said she was, for one thing. She certainly knew her name. It was almost like the girl's spirit was trapped in the doll and needs to be let out. I'd like to help her if I could. if them witches can pull a spirit out of a body maybe we can put it back in. Horvan offers unexpertly. Its hard ta 'splain, but I got this feelin 'bout spirits.
Nadya clenches her fist tightly. "She killed her. She killed my little Thora..." she says softly to herself.
"Excuse me for a moment." she says, and walks away from the fire to be alone for a few minutes, leaving the rest of you to talk to each other.
"she seemed a bit sad but I can be understandin' why, me mum would be killin' me if I wound up dead." Henyan smiles at his own bad joke "Maybe we can clear this tower then head back ta rescue her daughter."
Nadya returns to the fire in time, looking a little more composed than she was before.
"Most folk would call me a fool for believing strange kids I met in a snowstorm, but I do. If that witch has taken my poor Thora's soul and trapped it in one of her infernal dolls, there's no life left for the poor girl. We may yet free her soul, but she'll not return to this life. I would have that witch answer for what she has done. I'll do whatever I can to help you." she says, her eyes burning with new purpose.
. . .
It is a few hours later, after you've all finished your evening meal, when you hear footsteps approaching the camp. A woman with smooth blue skin, horns, and goat-like legs dressed in a winter cloak walks up to the camp, holding a lantern in front of her.
"Good evening, fellow travelers. Might I join you for the night? I am tired from my travels and it is quite chilly tonight. I am called Mierul, I am a traveling performer." she says.
Nadya eyes the blue woman with suspicion, but gestures to an open space by the fire.
"Of course you may join us. Travelers must look out for one another. I am Nadya, and these are my nieces and nephews. And their dwarven friend. They've come to visit me while their mother recovers from an illness."
Donovan had stepped away from the fire after the meal, seemingly unaware of the cold or the dark, until the stranger arrived he and the strange Raven that follows him are talking, Donovan working to remember the words the Raven is teaching him.
Paladin Code
Andoletta’s paladins serve courts and other authorities. They seek to protect innocence and dispel foolishness. Their tenets include the following affirmations.
-- Children must be nurtured lest their innocence become callousness or ignorance. I will never be cold or negligent to a child.
-- Virtue relies upon wisdom, and wisdom relies upon true awareness. I will never leave a falsehood unchallenged.
-- I will be firm with the ignorant, but not cruel. Ignorance can be corrected.
-- I will respect my elders’ knowledge and wisdom, but won’t abide the spreading of complacency or ignorance.
Nadya returns to the fire in time, looking a little more composed than she was before.
"Most folk would call me a fool for believing strange kids I met in a snowstorm, but I do. If that witch has taken my poor Thora's soul and trapped it in one of her infernal dolls, there's no life left for the poor girl. We may yet free her soul, but she'll not return to this life. I would have that witch answer for what she has done. I'll do whatever I can to help you." she says, her eyes burning with new purpose.
Horvan's visage is grim as well. I am sooo sorry. If its within my power ta help free her soul I will do it.
When Mierul enters the camp introduces herself and sits by the fire Horvan moves over to sit by her. Well met Mierul. I am Horvan. I hope you can forgive a boys curiosity but I ain't traveled much and I recon I have never see someone what looks like you. Your skin is, well its blue. And ya got horns. And your legs, well, they ain't like my legs, and that's for sure. He looks in wonder at the woman.
Aunt Nadya have you ever seen such a woman as this before? I never new in all the world that such a person could be.
"Aye sit down, what be ye doin' out in the cold all alone?" Henyan asks the new comer.
Raggnor recognizes Mierul as a Forlarren, a rare type of fey that is the result of a nymph and a fiend of some type. They are generally loathe to take a life unless absolutely necessary, but are not to be trusted regardless. They do not usually have blue skin.
Mierul's appearance: https://imgur.com/a/wHFatfR
Mierul takes a seat by the fire and smiles.
"I'm from all over the place. I travel these lands as a performer, meeting new people and bringing them a bit of happiness, even in this endless cold. And to be honest, I've never met someone who looks quite like me either. Where might you all be visiting from?"
Donovan enters the light of the fire as Mierul sits.
"Welcome Ma'am, Pardon my rudeness, but you are a stranger to us in this strange land. What brings you out on this night? What sort of performance do you do?"
And I can't help but notice you are as blue as some of the little fey that were, well, working for the winter witches. Horvan says too bluntly.
"I am a musician. I sing, and I play a few instruments. Perhaps you would like to hear a song?" she replies to Donovan. Waving one hand with practiced ease, she conjures a lyre from thin air and begins to lightly pluck the strings. She doesn't miss a beat after Horvan's question, and favors him with a serene smile.
"The Winter Witches rule all of Irrisen; all who live in their lands must serve them when they ask, or face terrible consequences. Listen to my song..."
She then begins to play a song on her lyre, with lyrics describing the terrible fate of the Linnorm King who once ruled Irrisen before Baba Yaga deposed him.
"A great song, We Dwarves don't have many singers but we do have lots o' tales about great heroes doin' things like ye sung about." Henyan remarks after she is finished.
You are wrong Mierul. You do not have to serve such evil beings. They are hurting the people at our village and other places too. I am never gonnna ever serve them.
"You are quite kind, my dwarven friend. I could never hope to match the great dwarven bards of your homeland, but I do my best."
"I think you misunderstand me, Horvan. One does not have to agree to serve the witches; if they want something of you, they will have it. But perhaps such a brave young man as yourself might stand up to them. As for me, I am a humble entertainer, and I survive on the kindness of people like your aunt, offering me a fire for the night."
Mierul chuckles at Raggnor's story, clapping her hands with delight. "It's always encouraging to see the next generation of storytellers polishing their work. I think you've got a real talent, my green friend."
After a few hours of music and conversation, Mierul excuses herself from the fire and prepares her bedding for the night, about 5 feet or so from the fire.
Donovan heads over to Henyan and kneels close to his dwarf friend, "Would you like the first watch or should I take it?"
[b\"Lass ye must no o' heard some o' them minstrels sing, they were terrible but they did be tryin'"[/b] Henyan says taking first watch.
Donovan lays out his bed roll, struggles out of his breast plate and falls quickly to sleep under his heavy blanket.
The night passes without incident, and in the morning Mierul takes her leave and heads on her way, away from the village. Nadya keeps her distance from Mierul until she leaves, then quickly has everyone pack up their things and head back on the road.
"I don't trust that...bard any further than I could throw her. Let's be on our way, we should be able to reach the village in a couple of hours.
The caravan moves at an accelerated, but still quiet, pace through the snow, until Nadya suddenly stops and begins barking orders at the other travelers in Skald. In the distance, you can see a swarm of black specks moving closer...before long, it's clear that they are ravens. You have little time to process the information before Nadya and the other travelers throw a white tarp over the entire caravan.
"Quickly, get under the tarp and hide! The witches' eyes are upon us!" she says in a harsh whisper.
Please make Stealth checks with a +5 bonus due to the tarp.