She watches the exchange, listening to Octavia's translation, her expression darkening as the armored troll she assumes is their ruler abuses the more benevolent troll.
"We came to meet, and offer you a chance for your kingdom to exist in peace with those around you. Your warriors have been attacking the villages and homes of those I protect." she says solemnly, her tone a balance of respect for a potential equal, and the boldness of a leader showing no fear in an enemy stronghold.
"If you respect our lands, stop threatening or harming my people, we may yet co-exist in peace."
Ekundayo stands by, gripping the troll killing axe in both hands. He stares at the trolls, especially the armored one. However he says nothing as he does not want to disrupt Faerin negotiations.
"So be it!" Faerin says coldly, seeing the trolls close in to attack. Quicky chanting in druidic, the druidess calls forth a burst of light, drive by the divine power of the morning sun, as a flash of brilliant light erupts directly in Hargulka's face.
"Die beasts" Ekundayo roars and swings the acidic greataxe at the troll in front of him.
Octavia takes a step backward, casting as spell as she makes a gesture akin to firing an bow, as an arrow of pure acid coalesces, streaking through the air at the retreating troll king.
|
Faerin's spell just misses blinding Hargulka. He ducks through the central archway and smashes the keystone with his massive club, shattering it. Blocks of stone immediately fall as the archway collapses, blocking the exit with tons of stone.
You quickly dispatch the guards he left behind. With no way to directly follow Hargulka, you need to find another path. There are two doors, one to the left and one to the right, that lead out of this chamber. There is also the main door that leads back out to the courtyard (where you came in from).
Ekundayo looks around trying to determine which of the two door has the most tracks, and if he notices a difference he suggests going the most heavily traveled way.
"He is sure to send trolls to attack everything in the area and move on our lands as soon as possible. Let's move as quickly as we can." Faerin says, quickly moving to the path Ekun indicates.
As she des, she utters an incantation in druidic, crushing a piece of bark in her fist as a great groan emanates from her, almost like the creaking of a great oak. Bark emerges from the flesh of her hand, snaking up her arm, and fully enveloping her torso, a protective layer over her skin.
Moving up alongside Ekundayo, Octavia keeps a sharp eye out for secret passages or traps.
"Fury, fly ahead and take a look? Stay close to the wall, it will make you harder to see."
Reg moves over by Octavia as Fury flies forward.
"Looks like we head right. Ekun, Octavia, lead the way!"
Ekundayo nods to Faerin and says to Octavia, "lets go, but be careful. There is a lot of traffic this way."
With a silent nod, Octavia gives Reg's hand a squeeze before silently creeping forward, keen eyes alert for any sign of enemies or traps.
|
|
As you wind your way through the corridors of the keep, you occasionally run into a few kobolds or trolls. They attack you immediately, but since they are not coordinated, you easily defeat them.
You eventually end up in a broad corridor that leads deeper into the keep. Here you find Jazon , as well as several other trolls and kobolds. Jazon looks dejected and morose. He sees you and forestalls an immediate attack.
"King Hargulka say you are enemies. You said you came to talk, yet you now attack us, why?" He says in a decidely sad tone.
"We offered peace, and an opportunity to talk. Your king ordered his guards to kill us all, and declared war on all others in these lands." Faerin says, calmly, but cooly, fully aware of how easily it could all instantly devolve into a desperate battle to leave these caves alive.
"If there are those like you who do not want war, I believe we can co-exist...but not as long as Hargulka is your king. He will give you nothing but war...with everyone and everything around you."
"Perhaps if you had a new King...someone willing to work with others, things might be different." Octavia says, taking a chance that they could reach what truly appeared to be the first decent troll she'd ever met.
There was no doubt that Hargulka would have to die, and those who blindly followed him, but perhaps this didn't have to devolve into a complete war if it could be avoided.
She glances over at Ekun, checking to see how the ranger who had lost so much to trolls was dealing with the turn of events.
Ekundayo barely notices Octavia glance over at him. He grips the acidic axe tighter and his face looks like it is carved from stone. Not wanting to disrupt Faerin and her negotiating with a troll, he just mumbles, "not Kargadd, not Hargulka. They I will not accept."
Ekundayo grins savagely and readies his axe for more troll killing. "Lets get to it!"
Jazon sighs and looks down.
"You right, King Hargulka start fight instead of talk. I will not fight you. I must think about things."With that, Jazon turns and walks sulkingly away. The rest of the trolls begin to howl.
"Jazon is traitor!" you here a few shout.
Then they all turn on you.
"Leave Jazon alone!!! None of you idiots is immune to lightning!"
Turning 'TO' the Baroness ..."Your call chief, but let's show them that some food fights back."
Ekun moves up next to Anton. "Form a line and let them come to us" as he readies for an attack.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Setting her focus on the advancing enemies, Octavia begins to gesture, tracing arcane sigils in the air as she utters words of mystic power. An acrid odor accompanies the completion of this spell as the air ahead of their formning combat line becomes opaque, a cloud of yellow-green fog springing up amid the advancing kobolds, seemingly emanating from nothing.
As the cloying vapors begin to wreak havoc, the cloud slowly begins to roll forward.
"Yes, hold the line and stay out of the fog, focus on anything that makes it through!" she calls out in warning to her companions.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Electricity crackles all around Reg as he shifts into his minor form.
"My Octavia, always the brilliant one!" Pulling out the Wand of Magic Missles, "Babe, if I just describe how ugly that last one was, will these things still hit?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"You'll still need to see them, love." Octavia says with a laugh, "I'm sure the trolls will come charging through any moment now... if they're tough enough.
Octavia quickly surveys the emerging battlefield, taking Ekun's words into account before beginning a series of intricate arcane gestures, the words of her spell ringing out through the cave as a rain of dirt, gravel, and small pebbles come thundering down on most of the advancing enemies filling the area with debris.
"That should slow them down a bit!" she says drawing her bow.
Magic Missles, all at the closest target who might be in threat range of Octavia
Total Damage