Mama Cookie stands near the back and encourages Yash, The Ancestors are with you!
Lady Sable rushes forward, that is until she notices the second bugbear around the corner. She halts and takes up a defensive stance while taunting the one who'd been sleeping. She makes a point of mentioning the other bugbear so everyone is forewarned.
"Caught you and your buddy sleeping eh? So lazy and slothful, it will be your undoing!"
Strengthened by Cookie, Yash’s bellow echoes off the wall and startles the bugbear .
Sable advances cautiously and prepares for the bugbears’ attack.
Alerted by Senna’s warning and seeing the visible bugbear all but pissing himself, Senna scampers forward behind Sable and puts an arrow into the sneaky bugbear.
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx
Blunts: xxxxx xx
Perfect Strike (3): x
Ki Pool (4): xxx
1st Spells (6): xx
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Mage Armor = +4 AC for 3 hours
Round 1
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bug
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 30/30
Yash: 30/30
Not willing to waste an opportunity, Xing rushes forward, her claws grabbing at the team's prey.
Xing rushes forward and grapples with one of the bugbears!
Xing’s opponent tries (without success) to break free from the battle-cat’s hold...
The sneaky bugbear yells something which echoes off the walls then moves warily through the goods littering the floor. It smashes its Morningstar into Xing’s back, hoping to liberate its ally for the fight with all the enemies they are facing.
Heeding the call for help, a third bugbear lumbers into the light from around the corner of the long corridor. Its fists bristle with a trio of javelins along with a morningstar in its belt. It assesses the scene for only a moment before sending a javelin hurtling at Lady Sable. Sable easily side-steps the blow. The force of the throw causes the javelin to shatter against the wall by Sable’s head spraying our heroes with a cloud of splinters.
Round 2
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 21/30
Yash: 30/30
Mama Glares at the bugbear ganging up on Xing.
Lady Sable moves in with the idea of assisting Xing. It goes poorly.
Cookie glares at the bugbear… who clearly had a tough mother because he manages to avoid the worst of her hex.
Sable stumbles through her attack. Her blade skitters from her hand. She ponders – briefly – if perhaps there is a splash component to Cookie’s hex because her luck has suddenly turned.
Round 2
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 21/30
Yash: 30/30
Yash stalked closer to the bugbears, and made to bury his greataxe in the face of one.
The bugbear turns his head at the last moment, avoiding Yash’s deathblow. Nevertheless, the half-orc’s axe buries itself in the monster’s chest. He coughs blood and staggers from the nearly fatal wound.
Round 2
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 21/30
Yash: 30/30
Senna switches her aim, from the javelin-wielding goblinoid to the one with Yash’s axe stuck in his chest. With the tangle of combatants, her first arrow misses but her second strikes true, finishing off the grievously injured bugbear.
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx
Blunts: xxxxx xxxx
Perfect Strike (3): x
Ki Pool (4): xxx
1st Spells (6): xx
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Mage Armor = +4 AC for 3 hours
Round 2
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing , Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 21/30
Yash: 30/30
The battle cat bears down on the thrashing bugbear, holding the monster with her powerful claws… then her teeth sink into his shoulder.
Xing’s opponent tries to break free from the battle-cat’s hold... but fails again.
The javelin-wielding bugbear debates which of the open targets to attack. He decides the tiger is the largest threat. His spear glances off Xing’s shoulder, leaving a bloody crease in her fur.
Round 3
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 16/30
Yash: 30/30
After throwing his javelin, the bugbear draws his morningstar, anticipating the fight to come.
Lady Sable quickly recovers her weapon from the floor, hoping nobody noticed anything so embarrassing, then loops around to cover Xing's right flank from the approaching bugbear.
Mama now has three people in melee range of a target, and she can't help all of them. So she fixes that. One spell later, the group finds themselves with a new ally! It's vaguely human looking with a short spear in one hand and a shield in the other. It lunges at the bugbear, but does no damage. It does accomplish a distraction, however!
Cookie then moves into Longspear range to start aiding as well!
Yash snarled at the bugbear as he picked his steps through the treasure scattered on the ground. The scene before him reminded him so much of home, his tribe, and the ill-gotten loot they would carry home as spoils. He didn't like it then, and he liked it less so knowing that his friends had been sent to retrieve the goods. He wondered how many more bugbears they would have to kill before it was done.
Sabelina retrieves her blade with no one being the wiser (or admitting to it) while Cookie summons supernatural aid for Yash and presses forward.
Yash slides past the whirling grapplers, looking for an opportunity to strike. By sheer luck and the press of bodies, as the bugbear spins about with Xing, his morningstar catches Yash across the knee. It's a mere flesh wound.
Yash draws substantially more blood with his axe blow.
Round 3
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 16/30
Yash: 26/30
It isn't sporting or fair... but war wasn't either of those things. Senna targets the wounded bugbear that is surrounded by her allies and weighed down by a couple hundred pounds of battle cat. It takes both arrows to bring the bugbear down.
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx
Blunts: xxxxx xxxxx x
Perfect Strike (3): x
Ki Pool (4): xxx
1st Spells (6): xx
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Mage Armor = +4 AC for 3 hours
Trying to ignore her throbbing knee, Xing lunges forward, grabbing at the final attacker.
Xing leaps on the remaining bugbear and locks her claws on him as he clubs her with his morningstar. The blow isn’t enough to force the cat to lose her grip.
Round 4
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 12/30
Yash: 26/30
Lady Sable steps forward and works in a rapier thrust around Xing.
Sable slides forward and deftly drives her blade between the monster's ribs. Sadly, the blow turns from 'devastating' to 'damaging' as the swirling struggle between cat and bugbear makes piercing his vital organs a difficult proposition.
Yash stepped over the fallen bugbear, taking up position directly behind Xing. He raised his axe and readied to push by her, but couldn't help noticing several wounds staining her fur.
"Grandfather, she has need of your energy."
Some part of her mind notices Yashnarz's healing energies relieving her pains, but Xing still struggles to maintain her grip on her prey.
"If I can hold him down," she grunts as she tries to wrench his arm sideways,
does anyone speak this creature's tongue? Information would be good."
Even as Xing’s wounds heal (courtesy of Grandfather), she maintains and even strengthens her grip on the bugbear.
Round 4
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bugs
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 18/30
Yash: 26/30
Senna slides forward and manages to put a single arrow into the bugbear - softening it up a bit - before responding to Xing reluctantly. "Yeah, I speak Goblin. My accent is crap, so don't judge me. What do you want me to say?"
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx
Blunts: xxxxx xxxxx x
Perfect Strike (3): x
Ki Pool (4): xxx
1st Spells (6): xx
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Mage Armor = +4 AC for 3 hours
Mama makes a small motion and her squire moves to provide support for the party. She follows, trying unsuccessfully to find a hole with her spear.
+2 attack for Sable!
The bugbear struggles (and fails) to free himself from Xing's vice-like grip.
Round 5
ORDER: Sable, Yash, Xing, Senna, Cookie, Bug
HPs
Cookie: 32/32
Sable: 36/36
Senna: 31/31
Xing: 18/30
Yash: 26/30
Lady Sable holds her position and strikes again.
Sable learns an important lesson... when you stab bugbears through the lung and leave them barely conscious, they are far more receptive to the idea of surrender.
Surrounded by enemies and coughing up blood, the bugbear stops resisting Xing and becomes compliant.
Ax in hand, Yash begins his interogation.
"Where others?"
"Why take?"
"Where go?"
Xing maintains her hold on the bugbear, "Tie him up while we question."
Once the bugbear is tightly bound she checks her wounds as she listens for the creature's responses. "And did the bugbears take items from the ship down on the beach?"
Senna nods at the team’s questions and translates as best she can into the guttural hissing language of goblins.
”ስጋ-መጋቢ፡ ቀቢላኻ ነቲ ጽዕነትን ሰባትን ካብታ ጃልባ ወሲድዎ ድዩ? ንምንታይ? ኣበይ ኣለዋ እታ ጃልባ-ፒኦፕ?”
The bugbear responds with only simmering resentment. The archer translates. ”He says they took the cargo and the ‘meat’ – the crew – because the leader of their warband told them to. Apparently, no one says ‘no’ to him. This one didn’t seem to mind the job. He said the crew were tasty. I don’t think any of them are alive.”
Well. That's unfortunate. Can he tell us where the cargo is now?
Senna poses the question. There is a bit of back-and-forth between her and the bugbear.
"Some of the goods are right here." She says, glancing around the room. "Others are on the highest level on this side of the 'lake'. But much more of the cargo is on the lowest and highest levels on the other side."
"What does he mean by 'the lake'?" Sabelina wants to know.
”I think he means the moat we saw.”
As the conversation continues, Xing takes a moment to lick her wounds. She eyes the rest of the group, and — seeing them all unharmed — invokes one of Iro-Shu's mantras to hasten her own healing.
Still working the residual pain in her knee, she begins pacing the area, looking for anything on their list or anything that appears valuable.
As her golden eyes scan the gloom, she adds her two cents. "If the crew is dead, I would not mind avoiding this warband's leader." She shrugs, "Though were I this leader, any valuable items I looted would remain near me, so avoidance may not be an option."
He looks over at Senna, a frown on her feline features, "Ask him how we can identify ... or better yet avoid ... this leader."
Xing quickly finds items value and interest which are easily identified . From the cargo manifest provided by Nine-Toes, you find one of the barrels of rum and the bolts of cloth.
Of more interest are a magical pair of boots, a magical shirt, and two scrolls.
Senna poses the questions to the bugbear and listens to his responses. ”Uh, he says the boss has fine banded armor and is the only one who uses a kukri. Avoiding him may be more luck than skill. He roams around keeping everyone in line. But it seems like he is mostly on this side of the moat. It sounds like the other side is more storage than living space.”
"Musimy je zakończyć. W przeciwnym razie będą nadal napadać."
"We must end them. Otherwise they will continue to raid."
"So why are we avoiding this leader? If we find him, we deal with him just like the rest."
Xing stalks back over, handing out the more interesting items , and momentarily sits to slip on the strange-looking footwear. Instead of traditional shoes, they more like blue ankle-wraps that she can pull up to her mid-calf. With a nod of satisfaction, she stands up, somehow seeming to loom a little taller than she normally does. She bounces a few times on the balls of her feet, a small grin spreading across her feline features.
”Ooh … *Wǒ xǐhuān zhèxiē,” she mutters. Yash’s words go uncomprehended, so she gives a quick questioning look to the team for translation.
”"So why are we avoiding this leader? If we find him, we deal with him just like the rest.”
”I have nearly died too many times to take any warrior lightly, especially if the fight is not necessary.” She shrugs with a considering look, ”Though I suppose much of what we face or do not face is as much up to coincidence and luck as any intentionality on our parts. We will meet them if we meet them.” She looks up at her friend-Sabelina, ”And I will have to trust your bravado and blade-skill to keep this skin intact, no?”
She looks around, clearly ready to continue their search for more of the listed items.
Lady Sable cracks a lopsided grin to go with her sarcasm.
"Well, I'll do what I can. But unlike you I'm not getting to within kissing distance of my foes. I have to work around you squirming around all over them."
"Oh, are we done asking questions? Can I go ahead and kill that bastard yet?"
"Musimy je zakończyć. W przeciwnym razie będą nadal napadać."
Senna nods, "Zgoda. A żeglarzy nazywali „pysznymi”..."
The archer nods her thanks for the scroll and tucks it in her belt. "I agree with Yash. This nest of vipers needs to be cleared. Anyone who calls sailors 'delicious' will view travelers and pilgrims as a banquet... As long as we don't miss Threshold's transit, I'm in favor of doing damage here."
Lady Sable nods along with Senna.
"That's the way I see it. If we're meat, they're our predators. No quarter. They won't observe a truce any longer than is useful to them, and they won't change their dining habits because we're going to enlighten them by considering them prisoners."
”I have to work around you squirming around all over them.”
Xing frowns, muttering, "I do not ... squirm."
Listening to everyone's suggestions — and realizing the group overwhelmingly wants to clear out these threats if possible — Xing nods her acceptance.
Xing steps forward, pressing her knee into its chest while holding its shoulders with one claw to pin it in place. "Violence only gives birth to violence, bugbear." Then, with her free claw, she tears its throat out.
Standing to her full height, she peers into the waiting gloom. "I am ready."
Lady Sable snorts at Xing's pedanticry.
Squirming is what it looks like when I'm trying to find a straight line of attack to something vital on whomever you're clasped on to."
She gives the magical shirt a stern visual appraisal and a couple of sniffs, trying to decide if it's something she wants to put on now, or after a thorough washing.
Mama nods her agreement as the group comes to a consensus. It would be best to not leave this kind of that behind to plague the area.