Yume, being a rather timid person when it comes to physical fights, decide to rather make herself smaller, so those nasty arrows would have a harder time finding her
Round 2:
Issi is staggered due to numbing cold
Liam ???
Donovan can target any of the three sprites this turn.
Kryas is also staggered, and can only take a move or standard action
Shor draws his short sword and attacks Henyan. Horvan, who attacked Shor last turn and missed, is close enough to move into flank with Henyan on his turn, FYI
Vosi blows a raspberry at Issi and turns his attention to a more threatening target: Raggnor
Pym aims to back up Shor and fires on Horvan
Raggnor moves to retrieve his spear, and will be ready to use it next turn.
Horvan ???
Henyan ???
Yume shifts into fox form
Horvan, seeing the chance, does flank with Henyan and attacks with cold iron. Take that you evil blue fey!
Donovan moves to Pym and swings his Flail.
Henyan moves to Issi to protect her.
Horvan's longsword slices through Shor, cleaving the sprite into two pieces that crystallize into ice and shatter when they hit the ground. Donovan's flail narrowly misses contact with Pym, who laughs and prepares to counter-attack Donovan in the next round. Meanwhile, Henyan moves up to protect Issi from Vosi and skewers the malicious Sprite with his spear. Like Shor, her body turns to ice and shatters.
Only Pym remains, and we now enter Round 3:
Issi
Liam
Donovan
Kryas
Enemies
Raggnor
Horvan
Henyan
Yume
"Damn small things, stay still" Henyan shouts at the small fey
Donovan is a little worried about swinging at the small creature surrounded by his friends.
Round 3 Summary so far:
Issi: Holding action behind Henyan
Liam: ???
Donovan: Attack misses Pym
Kryas: ???
Pym attempts evasive flying, provoking from Donovan
Donovan's blade slices Pym quite badly, but he is still alive. Pym draws back his bow and fires at Donovan
Raggnor: Attack misses Pym
Horvan: Waiting to post action
Henyan: Ditto
Yume: The same, I assume
Horvan charges the little fey, jumping if needed to get to him.
Horvan charges Pym and, with a graceful leap, cuts down the cackling Sprite. The forest falls silent in the absence of clashing weapons and hideous fey laughter, and you have a few moments of peace to compose yourselves. A cursory search of the area reveals a small cache of gold coins (14GP) likely gathered by the fairies. You recall that Yuln described being attacked by small fairies with freezing powers, who were helping out the bandits that kidnapped Lady Argentea. Perhaps these were part of that group?
They are all blue and icy and mean. I thought fey were suppose to be green or brightly colored and even if they like to play tricks, not evil. What is wrong with them?
"The Winter-Touched are not regular fey." explains Soinari. "They are servants of the White Witches, and have accepted a sliver of ice into their hearts. They are without pity, without mercy, and they delight in cruelty."
Horvan looks scared for a moment then stiffens and says Then we gotta kill um.
"I be ok, so these be some o' that Winter Fey that took the lass, seems we be on the right trail." Henyan says still standing guard around Issi. "Who be good with trackin'? We halfta be close now."
I am not so good with tracking, specially things that fly, but I think I can get us to that hunting lodge.
You continue down the trail for another hour or so, accompanied by the sound of boots crunching through the snow. You approach a narrow gametrail winding its way through the trees, with hoofprints moving in both directions. Please make Perception checks.
Henyan keeps an eye on the woods, looking for anymore of the blue skinned Fey. "Ye think we will be seein' more o' them?"
Horvan and Raggnor catch sight of a stag with magnificent antlers. It turns towards you and nods its head, slowly padding forward to approach the group.
Horvan sees it too and whispers in awe Nobody hurt it. I think its like an omen or somethin. Horvan puts away his weapon and takes a tentative step forward, hand out and trying to be non-threatening.
Raggnor recognizes the creature as a regular stag, reasonably mature, and in very good health. It's coat is nearly white, however, which is unusual for this part of the world (it is currently Summer, and the forest would normally be in bloom, so a white coat would be terrible camoflage)
The stag stops about ten feet away from the group and begins to speak:
"Good day, children. It's unusual to see you this deep in the forest; are you alright? What has brought you here?"
Meanwhile, Soinari (resting on Donovan's shoulder) whispers to him:
I don't trust that thing...it looks like a regular stag, it shouldn't be talking. Act natural, but don't tell it too much.
See? I told ya. Its an omen or somethin. Horvan confirms in a whisper to his friends. We are on a quest to save a lady. he proclaims. Some bad men or goblins or both have her and we just gotta get her back. Can you help us?
Henyan stays back, most non magical creatures don't talk and those that do talk aren't always friendly.
[b]"what do ye know about it?"{/b] Henyan says to Soniari
Donovan is feeling out of his element, overwhelmed, he struggles to hold his had away from his javelin.
Raggnor doesn't notice anything awry with the stag; it seems friendly enough, and while it's very odd that it is speaking, the differently colored coat suggests that it's from somewhere else, likely a cold, snow-covered climate.
The stag remains calm while Issi approaches, and eagerly nibbles at the crumbs.
"I speak because I speak, young half-orc. You may call me Fawfein, if you must. It has been nice to meet all of you, and I wish you well on your quest, though I must say it is odd that only small children have been sent to rescue this lady. Is there no one else with you? No adults brave enough to venture into these woods?"
Soinari leans over to Henyan and whispers
I can't put my finger on it, but there's something weird about that stag; something tricky.
"Aye I will keep an eye on it." Henyan whispers back
A stag just does not have the right vocal cords to speak like a person. Horvan notes out loud.
As impossible as it seems, this genuinely normal-looking stag is talking. Though the stag itself seems quite happy to remain eating crumbs, after a moment you hear it say:
"I have, indeed, come from quite far away, and I must be going now. Good day to you, children."
Donovan notices that the the stag's mouth, still chewing the last of Issi's crumbs, doesn't quite match up with his voice. It also seems odd that the talking stag doesn't really appear to be making eye contact with anyone directly...it's just looking at Issi's crumb-filled hands.
The stag quickly turns and walks away, walking towards the treeline, unless anyone attempts to stop it.
I don't think that the stag is talking at all
Rather suddenly, there is a shimmer in the air around the stag's back, and you see a tiny blue man with a pair of dragonfly wings, pointing his finger at Donovan.
"Pipe down boy!" says the man, a magical ray emanating from his finger.
The ray strikes Donovan and he begins to shrink, down to about the size of a gnome. Donovan gains a +2 size bonus to Dexterity, a -2 size penalty to Strength (to a minimum of 1), and a +1 bonus on attack rolls and AC due to its reduced size.
The stag begins to turn, preparing to charge. Combat begins!
Round One Order:
Raggnor
Fawfein
Kryas
Talking Stag
Donovan
Henyan
Yume
Liam
Issi
Soinari
Horvan