The three women look at the picture and one of them asks in Ignan, so Blaze likely only knows what she says, "Who is this woman? Why should we be looking for her?"
The three women would turn in together as they were not asked to watch.
Blaze's eyes narrowed and the flames that burned within them flared brighter as she looked on the wicked crone's face. Her words in Ignan hissed with the intensity of her hatred. "She is a witch. My black-hearted enemy. Kept me a prisoner before I escaped." She gestured to the knife scars that decorated her skin, hoping they understood. "She is evil, wants to use me, sacrifice in dark ritual." She hoped it was enough to explain.
---
She nodded to Aukan, "You can watch, of course. My watch in 6 hours, with Aramyros. You are making sense of that thing?" She asked, gesturing to the automaton. "He will be glad to hear that."
---
Later, on watch, she put the finishing touches on the Requisition List for Ethos. Thinking again of Andrei and Lili, Aukan and his new friends, she added a certain tea she had heard of that she suspected would be of use to them out here in the middle of no-bloody-where. Cursed, witch-blighted, bloody Irrisen. She still could hardly believe it.
Alchemical Weapons, (Acid, Alchemist’s Fire, Alkali)
Chirurgeon's Kit
Clothes, including Cold Weather gear
Fireward Gel
Fireproofing for cloth and wood
Night Tea
Water Pump for Spring
Water Purification Sponge
weapon oils (blanch?)
Whetstones
-Help with identifying magic items
-Advice on breaking wards
Before going to sleep, Aramyros addresses Aukan. "Aukan, do you have any clue on how to properly operate the automation? We're all hopelessly illiterate in this field?"
Aramyros eyed the small dragon warily. He didn't trust it, no matter its size. It probably knew very strong magic.
"Welcome to our glorious camp, Shar. I have a taste for metal, too, but probably a different one. Haha."
"It is a good thing, even if we do not know where he goes. A ritual flame can help keep away those that would turn spirits and bones to dark magic. Plus, it helps the living move on as well." he says as those from the pyre return to the group.
He is torn between watching the sweet lovers spat and the vision of Blaze leaving.
"A cursed item is no match for love, it seems. Goodnight, I will see you on the early morning shift Andrei." he nods as he turns in as well, following Blaze a few minutes later.
---
Crawling inside the tent, he smiles to Blaze.
"It seems you are quick to get comfortable. Hopefully I can get this gear off without creating a ruckus." he says as he wraps the scimitar in his scarf before moving to struggle with the belts that fasten his chain-shirt.
"I-uh...please let me know if I am taking up too much room?" he says laying back after taking off only his upper garments.
Thorn is glad to have a respite form his studying of the book and despite the presence of the faerie dragon, he retires for the night. His time addled sense assured of meeting the faerie dragon again in another time further along this future.
Of the lover's quarrel he pays it no heed, somehow it seems that he's either insensitive or the unnerving feeling that he's seen it far too often.
She will flash a wildly playful grin to Andrei as she heads up to the tower. That night, it seems, goes by again without a hitch, and she can't wait to get back to her tent for obvious reasons.
As she brushes out the wildness of her hair that morning, the portal opens. While on guard quickly, she rapidly lowers said guard as it is just Shar. In answer to him, she lets Aukan and others finish and then gives report.
"Yes, we have made contact with Aria in the woods, recovered Aukan and some cursed items. We are planning on heading down and finishing off that area later this morning. Then we'll probably set our eyes on hunting the goblins when we get back."
Crawling inside the tent, he smiles to Blaze.
"It seems you are quick to get comfortable. Hopefully I can get this gear off without creating a ruckus." he says as he wraps the scimitar in his scarf before moving to struggle with the belts that fasten his chain-shirt.
"I-uh...please let me know if I am taking up too much room?" he says laying back after taking off only his upper garments.
Blaze reclined on her side on the bedroll with her head propped up on her elbow. Her tail swished gently through the air as she watched Baahir undress. Her eyes glowed in the dimly lit interior and there was no denying her gaze was fixed on him. "I do not need much room... to sleep. Do you?" She said playfully, with her lopsided smile.
----
She greeted the little dragon, "Hello again. I have your list here. What word from Ethos?"
The three women agreed and Sasha stated, "We would be willing to help you. We have our own scars from being slaves. If we see her we will let you know."
He looks at Aramyros and clocks his head to the side and asks intrigued, "What do you eat?"
At Lilianne 's report it nods and then smiles, saying, "We had planned for you to investigate the dungeon after the goblins were dealt with but do as you wish. It is good you have found allies."
He collects the list and tucks it into a pouch that is on his back.
---
About 10 minutes pass before another portal opens and he flies to it.
He nods to Blaze at her question. He puts his hand into its back and twists... then it activates after he twists it about 20 times. Then happily he states, "The automaton runs on a gear system. You twist the hand hold and it lets it function for an hour or more before you have to do it again. There is a magical component to it as well but I don't understand that."
"Word from Ethos... well not much he has been very busy. We will get your list and presents will drop in each morning." The little dragon says.
"We can always shift priorities" she nods to the pseudodragon. "The goblins will be our first concern then. I think we need to do some reconnaissance while they are sleeping off their drunkenness. Get the lay of the land, and then maybe plan a way to draw some of them off to that we can take small groups out at a time. If your lady-friends want to stay here and help secure, and keep secure, this base camp, I'll really be pleased, Aukan."
Looking to Andrei, she asks him:
"Did you go down to cast your mending spell on those clothes for the women?"
"Of courşe, my deâr", Andrei said, giving his beloved a dutiful bow. "Âye would lîke ăn exțră șeț of eyeș, țhough. Wîll you help?"
Nodding, she will accompany him downstairs into the secondary room where the old rotten clothes were on the shelf.
Andrei casts mending as many times as he needs to get the old clothing into wearable shape.
Most of the clothing you find has literally turned to dust. Though you do recover three pieces of clothing, two silk pants, and a silk cloak. They seem to be made of special materials.
The three women nod to Blaze and then to the others after she translates. Offering to stay behind and watch the camp.
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"I will work on getting this clockwork automaton fully functional. What did you want it to do? Or should I have it work with me making parts of the camp?" He asks taking a moment from the journal.
Moving into the woods you find that the vine like trees are really only around your area. You find game trails easily enough and with a close look prints of goblins in mud.
Most animals run away from your approach. After two hours of travel nothing has threatened you.
Heading into the forest, she will voice to the others, "I will take point. You all should still keep your eyes open."
Blending into the nearby foliage, Lilianne will also cast Blend as she goes. She'll remain about 100feet in front of the party to give enough time for her to spy out threats in advance, as well as return with news of these threats.
Another two hours of travel and Alia finds the main group. She stalks for a bit and then joins your ranks as she walks out with bow in hand.
As you travel in the day time, you can see pretty far in the forest, at least until a tree blocks your view. As you continue to head North West, towards the goblin camp that was indicated by the eyeglass, you begin to see many more instances of goblin activity. Crude traps that are easily seen, graffiti, torn up patches of vegetation and more.
Now with the goblin towers in view, likely about 300 feet away, you wonder where are all the goblins?
Holding Lilianne in a warm embrace, Andrei breathed, "Once dîș dâmn 'goblîn' bușîneșș îz over, we mușț convînce Ețhoș țo gîve uș ă week ăwăy în ă excluşîve hoţel în Âbşâlom. Â full week of noțhîng țo do buț eâţ, drînk, mâke love, ănd şleep! Cloșeșț țhîng țo Elyşîum țo me."
Andrei does his best to keep up with the knowledgeable half-elf.
"I will work on getting this clockwork automaton fully functional. What did you want it to do? Or should I have it work with me making parts of the camp?" He asks taking a moment from the journal.
Blaze smiled, "That is what we hope it can do. I thought it might be able to show plans, then we can pick the design for outpost buildings." She said with approval.
_______________________________________________________________________
Noting their dwindling supply of fresh food, Blaze suggested they hunt and gather today as well. She attuned herself to her shield again before they journeyed out, accepting burn to more easily gather power. Stealth did not come naturally to Blaze, what ability she had was handicapped by her armor. Instead she kept well back from the scouting party and kept an eye out for food. When they came upon dead goblins, her first thoughts were of their new spider friends, so she looked for signs of their handiwork.
Thorn did not remember piles of goblin bodies and he was sure that they hadn't being killing any lately too. What was going on here?
Seeing as the party seems to be cautious at their find, Thorn inspects one of the bodies.
Careful to keep himself as hidden as possible to avoid alarming anybody else as he notices that even the animals in the forest seems to have disappeared.
She draws his hands up to cup her jawline like had long ago. There, she nestles into his hands with a quiet pleasure as memories swim between them. It had to be the will of the gods that he was in that room; that he is there now. For a few moments, she will linger there before pulling away and taking hold of a pair of the clothes--allowing him to carry the rest.
After seeing what she has seen, she will return to tell them that the goblins have been killed. At least it seems that way. She will head out once more, being careful to be silent and careful. She will let the trackers search for clues, but primarily she will ensure that dangers have passed and that nothing living or undead linger in the area. She also begins to detect for magics.
Blaze trails behind the group likely making two groups. If no one else hunts with her, she would find Alia, or more precisely Alia finds her. Though you are about an hour or two behind the group you do hunt down a deer and have plenty of food when you get a chance to butcher it.
------
Looking at all the goblin corpses you see they have been taken down by claws and teeth. Terribly large teeth and mouths to go with it you would think, as large chunks have been eaten and torn from all parts of the goblins.
"I'm neither a scout nor am I particularly silent. I'll stay behind and will carve a trail for horses to ride through if necessary." Aramyros was on his beloved steed which seemed comfortable navigating through a dense forest. In his shiny and heavy armor he was not suited for ranger work and prefered a more direct approach if necessary.
After Lilianne's report, Aramyros sayed with a smile. "So our work is done then. Let's return to a more friendly environment."
"Something that slays so many goblins with tooth and claws may not be a good thing. I see hooves and clawed feet. This new foe may be a force we need to look out for." Thorn relays his thoughts to his companions.
Blaze trails behind the group likely making two groups. If no one else hunts with her, she would find Alia, or more precisely Alia finds her. Though you are about an hour or two behind the group you do hunt down a deer and have plenty of food when you get a chance to butcher it.
Blaze worked with Alia to transport the deer back to camp. The venison would be a welcome addition to their meals. She greeted Aukan, Sasha, Nima and Pharos in Ignan and asked if they knew how to butcher a deer. It was better done sooner, rather than later and so she began the process while the others watched and waited for her friends to return from their scouting mission.
To Aramyros, she shakes her head "No way, the job isn't done yet. We need to confirm they are ALL dead, as well as probably gain some understanding of the WHY they are dead so it doesn't happen to us."
With that, she will slink off and scout ahead one more time.
Upon seeing the creature, she will pause in her hiding behind a horrible made leather tent. Lingering there, Lilianne will watch to see what this lanky creature does with his friends. Little demon goblins. Why not? She will let her companions move closer while she watches what they do.
Lilianne
Scaley Lanky one
twisted goblins
Round 1
The lanky scaled demon walks toward you casually and with its clawed hands uses the come hither sign with its fingers. Speaking into your mind in Abyssal.
In the moment she is spotted, Lilianne will duck back behind the tent so that she cannot be seen. Now in full cover, and without being a target for their sight, she swiftly moves back a few tents towards the group with her blade out.
Before her foes arrive and discern her location, she sends a whispered message to each of her party members, "There is some sort of demonic-looking creatures here. Need help. Come quick. Bring all."
She then goes silent and tries to rehide herself.
Upon receiving the message, Thorn unlimbers his weapon. The light mace now freed and ready for combat.
"Demons." he snarls.
Aramyros follows suit and also draws his weapon, while simultaneously dismounting.
It is not as stylish as he wanted it to look like.
"I have a special place for demons. At my trophy wall." he answers to Thorn. While silently moving a few feet forward, he casts a spell that a trained eye can easily identify as a Protection from Evil upon himself.
His scythe ready and his gestures make it clear for the others that he'll confront the enemy directly. Together with Thorn, Andrei and Blaze he moves towards the enemy, possibly into a flanking position with Lilianne.
While the heavily armored Aasimar tries to move as silently as possible, his outfit restricts him and he can only hope for the thick cover of the undergrowth to shield their approach.
Before her foes arrive and discern her location, she sends a whispered message to each of her party members, "There is some sort of demonic-looking creatures here. Need help. Come quick. Bring all."
When she received the message she dropped what she was doing. "Lili is in trouble. I must go."
Before her foes arrive and discern her location, she sends a whispered message to each of her party members, "There is some sort of demonic-looking creatures here. Need help. Come quick. Bring all."
"Demonş! Âre you şure! Âye em comîng!!"
Rapier in hand, and his heart in this throat, Andrei rushes to aid his love.
Round 1
Baahir moves with the group...
Round 1
The demon only moved 30 feet forward and looked for you.
Round 2
It follows you and its demon goblins follow in its wake. It snarls at you, moving along trying to find you and does, now beside you breathing down your neck. It begins to salivate on you. Talking to you in your mind, "What will you taste like half elf? More elf or more human, I wonder?"
Surprise Round
Round 1
She moves and hides.
Round 2
With the demon now breathing down her neck, it is clear there is no escape.
She leaps up into action. While silence was her preferred course of action before, now she is verbal; mouthy even.
"Shut your leprous, slime-covered maggoty hole"
With that, she pops up and takes a full slash his way.
She stares at him to weaken him before she unleashes her blade upon her foe. She then seeks to feint him in a quick spin to the right and then a slash from the left.
Worried about his companion, Thorn too joins his other companions in a run. A run that might prevent him from seeing yet another death.....
26 Scaly Lanky demon
17 Thorn
11+ Baahir
6 Lilianne, Aramyros, Andrei
4 twisted demon goblins
Round 1
Andrei runs towards the camp eating up as much space between him and the camp. As Baahir and Thorn react and follow with a move action.
Round 2
The demon stands next to a tent. Some of you see him standing over Lilianne. He physically speaks over Lilianne growling out the words, you think he has two mouths as he speaks in crude common and abyssal at the same time, "this mouth will soon taste your flesh."
Baahir now in the clear field runs to catch up to Andrei and pass him a bit stopping near the closest tent in his straight run.
The demon does not take Lilianne's feint but the strike is still solid leaving behind a bloody chip in its scaled flesh.
Round 3
True to the demon's word he does his best to taste your flesh clawing and biting Lilianne's delicate flesh. Even with a mouth full of your blood it tastes its claw to get more in its mouth.
You see the demon goblins with the twitsted charred flesh, burning holes where their eyes used to be, and a burning hole where their heart likely was stand around giving the larger demon his room.
Round 3
Andrei, upon seeing his Callie's flesh torn by a demon, charged the evil outsider, helping his beloved flank the monstrosity.
Blaze curses herself for wandering too far from the others as she realizes she is too far away to be of any aid. But then the strange sound that preempts one of Ethos' strange portals attracted her attention and she sized on a sudden inspiration that could only be the Holy Flame speaking to her.
"Ethos, hear me, please! Lilianne needs help, she went scouting and found demons! I am too far away to help! " She yelled, the panic coloring her voice.
Ethos and his pseudodragon walk through the portal after the crate. "Time we don't have then! All allies come we fight demons!" He states with urgency. He focuses on the space before him and Blaze's black dagger pulls from her toward Ethos, just enough to know he is using it and the other one's that your group holds as loadstones.
He grunts under the pressure of making another portal so soon and urges you, "Quickly go through once it is open! Shar too!"
As Round 4 begins a portal opens before Ethos and another opens 15 feet behind Andrei.
Thorn needed speed and thus he asked his patron to give it to him.
Sparkles of illusionary flames spurts from his heels and the fat man suddenly takes on a sudden burst of speed that shouldn't be possible on such a large man.
Round 3
Aramyros follows suit. Next to Andrej he rushes towards the demon. But while Andrej looks civil and calculated, Aramyros has blood frency in face.
Shouting, he charges at the demon.
The portal opens on the battlefield and Blaze emerges, quickly sizing up the situation. Lilianne looked to be injured, but not terribly so. Blaze moves laterally until she sees an opening and activates her Blade Rush ability. With no time to spare to gather power, she accepts the burn gladly, clenching her teeth against the pain as smoke rises from body and she seems to burst into flames as her Overflow erupts forth. She seems buoyed up by her flames as her feet float up above the ground and she flows forward in a rush, manifesting her Flame Blade as she nears the demon and striking.
Round 4
Round 3
Lilianne cries out in pain at the horrendous gnashing and bite taken out of her shoulder. Perhaps dislocated and perhaps worse, she can hardly hold her blade, but still, the elf persists and tries to drive it into her foe.
"You didn't get enough of a taste...Here, you bastard!" she screams.
Demon goblin
second d6 fire
Round 4
Demon goblin
second d6 fire
Round 5
Demon goblin
second d6 fire
Round 6
Demon goblin
second d6 fire
Lilianne hits again and possibly blinds the demon... nope. But it gets a good swipe in on her again, dealing 6 damage and leaving bloody claw marks behind.
Her strike leaves a bloody line and one of the scales breaks off. The demon continues its attacks after ordering its minions to the unwelcomed guests with a wave. Andrei's rapier seems to tap into a solid wall of flesh and scales connecting but doing no damage. Aramyros comes in swinging his scythe slamming it upon the demon's hide opening a good sized wound.
The goblins come after your attacks and try biting each of you but Lilianne. They swarm over Andrei, biting and burning him severely, 18 damage. As the others get to Baahir biting deep into his arm doing 7 damage.
Round 4
The demon turns its attention to Aramyros. Slashing him twice cutting through armor leaving gushing wounds of 9 damage behind.
Round 3
Baahir waits until the horrifically twisted goblins have attacked, then stepping back he screams, "Help! Sarenrae heal my comrades and burn the demons!
Round 4
Defending the best he can he continues to heal.