"Yes, starting NE and staying in the clear and heading straight for the cave is better."
He laughs,
"The mammoths that can't fit in any boats can probably find better forage that way."
Since there is general agreement, the scouts follow Hurik's plan. They leave the encampment bright and early, watching the following sadly packing up before they wish to, from the shores of Gleaming Sun Lake. Heading north east along the river's course, the scouts look for a safe place to cross but don't find a good ford on the first day.
They follow back up with the others, and make camp on the western side of the current, with the Burning Mammoths still at their backs.
The next day the scouts set out along the river again. Most the day passes, but by mid-afternoon, they find a good fording spot to move the following and the herd across the river. As the scouts are exploring the river crossing, they see, coming down the river towards the lake, a small flat-bottomed barge which is poled along by five ragged figures. A small supply shed sits as the only enclosed space atop the barge. , but crates are stacked around it.
It is unclear if the bargemen have spotted you so far, but they are all intent on moving the craft safely through the water so far.
"Can anyone make out who the barge is with? It can't be the Burning Mammoth, can it?"
"I may want to see if they know anything. Maybe approach alone? You can see if you need to come later, but they may find one lone shepherd less threatening."
Diurn and Wolf approach the shore with a friendly wave and smile, eager to talk to people after herding mammoths.
"Ho the river. Travelers should exchange information! Let us parlay."
As Diurn calls out to the travelers, they notice you on the bank, and begin navigating the craft from the current towards the western bank. As they get closer, one of the deckhands tosses a rope towards Diurn, hoping that he will help pull them to the shore. A different man calls out in reply, "Ho yourself, friend! We are happy to speak with you and your friends. Give us a hand with the line and help us secure this craft, if you please." You can see that three of the men don't appear to be armed at all, while the man who spoke and one other have rather large cudgels on a strap behind their backs.
Diurn reflexively catches the rope, then finds a tough bush to secure the rope to. He begins to play a jaunty tune on his flute as they land. For him it is an average performance, but the notes still come together well and crisp and hang in the air.
I think traveling musicians get beat up less than the average traveler, and music is the universal delight.
Hurik arches a brow at Diurn's actions, but it is not his place to deny anyone their freedom. He just hopes it works out. Still, these people appear to be foreigners, and they are not always to be trusted.
"Mmph. We'll see how this goes." And he steps into view to aid as well
Miriani will come aboard, asking, "So what brings you all up here? Are you traders or are you looking to stay?"
One of the bargemen nods as Diurn secures the line. They push a narrow plank out that allows one to board the ship without getting their feet wet. "Come aboard," says the obvious leader. "Let us catch up on news from the lands. You can play us a song while we set out some lunch, yes?"
To Miriani another answers, "We are traders, looking for a base camp to set up and trade with the nomadic people here. Are you alone, or part of a larger group?"
”Wolf doesn’t like boats. You’ve been traveling, good to get outside.”
Diurn gets a little suspicious after being asked on the boat.
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"Suit yourself," says the man aboard the flat-bottomed boat. "What news to share then, friend?"
Another man answers Khejyi's query. "We are not Kellid people, and not of any following. We are merely traders trying to make a few coins. Come aboard, if you want, and take a look at our wares. Some fine items, and you could have first rights" The man sweeps a welcoming arm to motion you aboard.
Diurn speaks: "We are not travelers as you are. You probably have the more interesting stories. I can tell you about herding animals."
Wolf cautiously smells the boat and leads the way.
Hurik ponders this, unsure if there is treachery here or honest tradesmen or something in between, "There are few merchants that dare these lands." A nod to the others ,and he dares to get on the boat
Miriani comes onto the boat and begins to look through the wares.
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Another man answers Khejyi's query. "We are not Kellid people, and not of any following. We are merely traders trying to make a few coins. Come aboard, if you want, and take a look at our wares. Some fine items, and you could have first rights" The man sweeps a welcoming arm to motion you aboard.
”How do you come to speak our language so well? I have not met any outsiders with such control of the tongue.”
Miriani scrambles over the rocks and the planks onto the barge. Two of the cloaked men take her to the center part of the barge, which appears to be a supply shed built right atop the flat deck. "Our best wares are inside here. Come on in, and let us show you!" One of the man leans into unlock the small door.
Two others move towards the plank to shore, while the leader continues to treat with the rest. "We are happy to provide a meal for you travelers. Come aboard and break bread with us, eh? Or at the very least, tell us what people you are from? And where are the others?"
Hurik takes out his weapon , trusting the godsmouth, now ready for a fight
She jumps back, fur rising. Her hands get ready to throw the storm at them.
As Kheyji shouts a warning and Miriani jumps back from the two bargemen, the amicable discussion turns into a fight with Hurik and Miriani aboard the watercraft.
Barge Battle - Round 1
22 Diurn
21 Kheyji
21 Blue Dulasi Leader
20 Hurik
19 Miriani
12 Red Dulasi Leader
10 Purple Dulasi deckhand
6 Green Dulasi deckhand
5 Yellow Dulasi deckhand
Diurn curses under his breath.
Dee, you naive shepherd rube!! Now you gotta save en!! Way too trusting.
Diurn starts to inspire his friends with a song.
He urges wolf to get on the boat.
The wolfhound bounds up the ramp his teeth bared to engage instinctively going to back to back with the barbarian.
Wolf noticed there was a wall in the way and decided to attack the nearest enemy in easy reach and engaged a deckhand (pink)
Barge Battle - Round 1 - continued
The flute song starts creating a melody that inspires all the scouts and seems to continue in their heads, even after Diurn lowers the instrument. He commands Wolf to board the barge and attack.
Wolf leaps on the plank to shore and takes a big chunk out of the behind of one of the bargemen. The man yelps in pain and turns to face the canine attacker.
Kheyji launches a fiery bolt at the barge leader. She is strangely directed by the flute playing of Diurn, and what would've been a miss with the flames, actually catches the target instead, dealing a bit more damage than expected. She then spins up a warding spell to protect herself.
As the fire cools around him, Blue Leader draws a sap from under his robes, and makes to smack Miriani in the head. The blow lands especially hard and Mirani sees stars for a few moments as pain fills her skull. She is somehow able to avoid his second blow, twisting her head away just in time.
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She yowls in pain and reacts.
First she leaps with a power and grace that has to be magical. She flips in the air and comes down on the cliff above the bow of the boat. "It's over Icehole! I have the high ground."
Blue lightning reaches from her claws at the one who hurt her and the one torn up by the dog.
"Well then," Hurik... smiles? His teeth flash in a grin like a predator who kills as much for pleasure as need, "Let's get to the killing."
Seeing the one before him is already overwhelmed, Hurik lets his draconic instincts guide him... and moves to finish him off. When the Dragon is upon him, there is something that detests the weak. It is not pretty, but this cold rage serves him well.
+4 more (Cold Damage)
+4 more (Cold Damage)
Barge Battle - Round 1 - continued
Miriani casts a spell catapulting herself over the barge and onto the bluff overlooking the moored boat. She then blasts electrical energy down on the robed attackers, scoring damaging hits on both.
At the fore of the small craft, Hurik spins up into a furious rage, and the temperature around him drops precipitously. He savagely strikes out at the nearest foe, who was already wounded from Wolf and the electrical spell. The man could perhaps have withstood the weapon blow, but the icy blast that accompanies it is just too much, and he falls dead on the deck. Hurik then steps over to the next nearest foe, smiling bestially at the fear in the man's eyes.
Red Leader barks a word and then delays a moment for Green to get into position. Once Hurik is flanked by the two men, they both attack him with sap and bare fist. With his rage out of control, Hurik gets hit by all 4 strikes. The barbarian is left with battered and bloody, but still standing.
Blue Leader steps forward with a growing grin on his face. Rather than attacking Hurik, he merely pulls out a set of iron manacles and dangles them from his hands menacingly. "Can't wait to add you to our haul, fierce one. Someone will pay handsomely for you!" He motions to the other bargeman, who advances on his order to the edge of the boat, gathering and throwing the rest of the mooring rope overboard.
End of Round 1
Barge Battle - Round 2
22 Diurn
21 Kheyji
21 Blue Dulasi Leader (15hp dmg)
20 Hurik (12/38hp remaining, raging 1 round)
19 Miriani
12 Red Dulasi Leader
9 Green Dulasi deckhand
5 Yellow Dulasi deckhand
Diurns’s song lingers {2 remaining} as he steps south and illuminates the three attackers on the side of the boat in a wash of bright colors.
Dee knows his new barbarian friend may not know how to best take advantage of the magic spray and shouts advice then a curse to the slavers. ”Hit and move!!! You bastages, this is fargin’ war.!!”
Wolf looks at the human for instructions and sees him doing some magic stuff. Not directly threatened he just turns to the boat and growls.
Barge Battle - Round 2 -continued
Keeping his morale-raising performance resonating, Diurn sees the slavers have lined up perfectly for one of his incapacitating spells. He steps up and unleashes a cone of flashing lights and swirling colors at the port side of the boat. The dazzling display leaves most of the crew blinded, stunned, and dazzled to varying degrees.
Wolf just stands at the plank board waiting.
critical fail
fail
fail
Barge Battle - Round 2 continued
Stepping a bit closer, the cleric seeing the blows that Hurik had already taken, casts a healing spell that covers the distance and renews some of his hurts. Hurik feels the slightly pleasant sensation of the healing fire cover him, and much of his damage is restored.
While the dazzling display of magic covers him, the Blue Leader is rendered completely stunned, and cannot act for a moment. After recovers he is blind, and only staggers along the gunwale of the barge, trying to get away from the combatants.
Miriani doesn't seem amused at first, "Sparkly lights?! What the heck is that going... Oh!" She ends up impressed.
Still, one of them seems unaffected and he's next to Hurik, so she hurls a blast of water at him.
Hurik is hungry for another kill, so badly that he neglects to thank those who are making the kills, and his continued freedom, possible, "You think you can abduct us? ENSLAVE us? I hope you die slow as your broken ribs slowly claw at your hearts."
Seeing the blast of water shoot by him, he steps away and north and west so he can focus on the other foe before him. The one that seems weakest, most affected!
Barge Battle - Round 2 - concluded
Safe at distance now, Miriani unleashes her hydraulic spell which blasts the Red Leader knocking him back along the deck of the barge and into the center tent.
Hurik steps out of the way of the flanking attack by the slavers, and then uses his heavy weapon to first break the jaw of Green Slaver, and then crush its skull. The poor target falls lifeless to the deck, not really seeing what hit him.
Seeing the odds stacked against them, Red Leader moves to grab a barge-pole and begins to try to shove off the beached boat. The line has already been cut, so his pushes amount to little this turn, but the barge slowly starts to point out towards the current.
Yellow Slaver is still too stunned this turn to act.
End of Round 2
Barge Battle - Round 3
Inspire Courage active - 1 more round
22 Diurn/Wolf
21 Kheyji
21 Blue Dulasi Leader (15hp dmg, dazzled 9 rds)
20 Hurik (26/38hp remaining, raging 2 round)
19 Miriani
12 Red Dulasi Leader (15hp dmg)
5 Yellow Dulasi deckhand (dazzled 9 rds)
Diurn plays a harsh set of notes on his flute and flings the sonic burst to the dazzled leader (blue). His inspiration still continues as the pleasing notes still hang on the wind above the din.
He commands his loyal companion to protect the barbarian on the boat.
The hound moves up the ramp to a protecting stance in front of the barbarian before the ramp falls into the water, nimbly leaping to prove he didn't need human contraptions.
Barge Battle - Round 3 - continued
Diurn continues using his melodic magic to good effect. This time he shouts words that blast the eardrums of the already dazzled Blue Leader, causing him sonic damage and making the man hold his ears in pain. Then Wolf leaps all the way aboard the raft, even as it starts to unmoor from the gravelly shore.
Barge Battle - Round 2 - concluded
Safe at distance now, Miriani unleashes her hydraulic spell which blasts the Red Leader knocking him back along the deck of the barge and into the center tent.
Barge Battle - Round 3 - continued
Kheyji casts a spell on Hurik, giving him divine Guidance for a single action over the next few seconds. Then she lights up the Red Leader with a divine good spell. The spell hurts the slaver captain, but does not drop him.
Blue Slaver leader still blinks his eyes from the dazzling spell effect, and no his ears ring as well. But he knows its now a life or death struggle, and advances trying ot attack Wolf with his sap. He is able to see the dog, but cannot connect with his attack.
Success
Miriani focuses on the ones closest to her friends. While the dog was an annoying companion, she still didn't want to see it hurt.
Hurik longs to hurt more foes, and thanks ot his allies he has the opportunity to do so. If he were not so lost in the dragon fury, he might worry about the unmooring, but his focus is on the hunt.
He strides forward to the main post, joining against the canine's foe who appears to be already wounded to finish the task.