Tentatively, Piestewek Peaks Eyrie... what does this mean?
Tentatively, Piestewek Peaks Eyrie... what does this mean?
The creature surveys Djack, as if forming a quick opinion of the questioner before answering. "These mountains," the bird gestures with its beak to either side, "were called by Piestewekdzil by humans, in olden times. Piestewek Peaks is a rough translation to your language. This is the place of our Eyrie (again, a rough translation), a word we Eagles use to refer both to an Eagle-home and the Eagles who live there."
"I hope you are right Wings-of-Thunder, I hope that the threat we are facing is just us landlings fighting amongst ourselves. But I am also worried that the threat we are seeking to thwart is infact a threat to all, to the seas and the land, and yes, even to the skies. You have my word that I will fight for your folk as strongly as I will fight for my own, but I would dearly like to be able to get a warning to you if you are in peril. Is there any way we can contact you again?"
"If you come into these mountains, or even near them, I shall certainly hear of it. And now, Elias Quince, I bid you safe journey." With that, Wings-of-Thunder spreads his wings to a majestic span longer than many of the dungeon rooms you've seen, and takes to the air.
The horses seem much relieved that the Eagle is gone; they were quite disturbed at the appearance of a bird big enough to fly off with them.
The rest of the evening passes without incident, the evening watches, too, are silent.
The morning of Novum 4th dawns as cold as the day before, to be expected at this height. But by mid-day, the chill has burned off the air, and some warmth returns to your limbs.
For a time, you can see down into the forested valley below, but there is no way down off the mountains at this point in order to reach it. This it is that you pass yet another evening in the mountains.
The next day, Novum 5th, is about the same as the day before, but at some point, you reach a bend in the mountains and the trail begins a steady decline toward the tree-line of pines below.
A heavy wind whips you about as you navigate the trail, and you are forced to take care to slow the cart down periodically, lest it go flying down the trail at uncontrollable speed.
...It's still strange to find a creature like that out in the world. The druids had companions of course, but I've never heard them speak." She muses that evening looking down to the Forrest below. "I wonder if we'll meet more of them some day."
As far as the eagle encounter was concerned, Rocko was trying his best to not say anything stupid that would get everyone in trouble. As long as the eagle couldn't read his thoughts, he avoided 'talking' even mentally.
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I'll try to check in more regularly, but this first week of the fall semester has been particularly hectic
Having descended from the mountains of what the Eagles called Piestewek Peaks, the party quickly finds a road that threads a narrow area between the hills to the north and the forest to the south. By noon, the hills are giving way to a series of mesas in the distance. Not the small buttes you were used to near Albarra, but full-blown mesas, some almost a mile long.
In the late afternoon, you see a small village in the distance, but something is wrong. Some of the buildings burn, no people are moving about. Finally you see a small group on the edge, but they do not appear to be humans, but rather a sickly looking gray humanoid unknown to you.
Djack squints into the distance.
I can mount up and go check it out.
If there's a place to hide, perhaps I can lead them into an ambush, if they're trouble.
The rest of the group hustles into the cover of the trees while Djack and Djill ride down the hill to check out the scene of destruction.
As he reaches the edge, of the village, he gets a better look at the humanoids. They are wearing crude cobbled armor and carry swords for battle. But the most startling thing about them is their anatomy. They have eyes in odd places about their bodies, and a tail that seems to have...fangs? And in their midsection, a set of cephalopod-like tentacles.
That is when two round the corner and aim bows at Djack.
humanoid initiative:
Djack initiative:
The creatures fire at a range of 80'.
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For reference, I whipped up a combat map. I realize Djack might well turn around and we won't use much of this, but I wanted to give you all an idea of where Djack and Djill were in relation to the archers and the other four.
Arrow catching him along his ribs, Djack sees he's clearly in a perilous situation.
He hopes that his blood sacrifice makes him a desirable quarry.
He turns to put distance and perhaps obstacle between himself and the greykin.
Elias starts forward but pauses, knives drawn.
He longs to charge over and help his new friend but knows that defeats the object of sending in Djack alone, he needs to trust now. Djack knows what the situation is. Give us a sign
Barely blinking, he watches Djack.
"Yoltzin, how close do you need to be to take out those things?"
Djack turns his horse and heads back toward the party's hiding place. All six creatures take the bait, eschewing ranged attacks in favor of drawing swords and taking full moves.
They do not appear to have seen any of the party except Djack yet.
"Wait.... Yoltzin, take the one at the back, make them think we're behind them. Spizz, soon as Yoltzin takes the shot can you give them a light show. That'll be our cue Rocko"
Elias looks around, somewhat surprised at his own taking charge...
She frowned, looking out from the trees. Somehow, she had her doubts that she'd be able to curve her arrow in such a way to make it appear to come from behind. But she was willing to make an effort.
The arrow hits a branch in the way and goes high, missing the target entirely.
Fortunately, they are so focused on Djack, and Yoltzin's shot was so off, that they seem not to have noticed at all. Rest of party still has surprise.
Rather than give away their position, Spizz opts to use one of his abilities to instead produce a 10' radius effect. Fire erupts among them.
Saves:
Opponents still Flat Footed, Quince, Rocko, and Djack/Djill may now act in surprise round.
Sirrah!
Djack wheels Djill around and into head long charge at the center of the greykin formation.
Djill manages to kick one down; with the damage it took from Spizz, that kills it.
However, Djack's Rapier misses, the creature ducking under the blade.
One down, 5 to go.
"In for a bite, in for the feast" Rocko thinks to himself
Rocko charges from his hiding place, all while giving his best blood-curdling scream. He proceeds to aim a mighty downward hack at the nearest still-standing whatever-these-things-are
"HRRICKAAAAA!!"
Rocko is unsuccessful in his attempt to take down a second creature. The count stands at 5.
Quince's Action, last in surprise round.
Moments behind Rocko, Quince Barrels in.
Quince's attack cuts the creature down, giving him no opportunity to tell if his fierce attack would have startled the creature or no.
Initiative:
Humanoids:
Djack:
Rocko:
Spizz:
Quince:
Yoltzin:
Entire Party except Quince acts before the creatures.
Combat map at top of page updated.
What are they?!
Repulsed by the strange beings, Djack urges Djill forward.
Hooves flail left as his rapier stabs right.
Djack reflects he needs more practice on his mounted combat. Djill seems to be in the swing though, having hit and dropped yet another beast.
3 of 6 down. There's no sign of any break in morale among your opponents, however.
Rocko and Yoltzin may act.
Rocko will dispense with any fancy tricks and just swing at the nearest opponent, moving closer if necessary.
Rocko's powerful axe swing chops down a fourth of the bizarre humanoids, leaving only two remaining. Still they show no sign of breaking; it's as if they're driven by some force beyond reason.
Combat map updated; Yoltzin's action.
Yoltzin moves upward, slinging her bow over her shoulder after her failed shot. It seemed apparent to her that she needed to do something to brush up on her archery, as hunting humanoids was a much different game than hunting for dinner.
Infusing her hands with the raw power of fate, she touched Quince's shoulder so that he might take it into his own hands.
Spizz shoots a jet of flame at one of the remaining creatures, but though he burns it severely, it manages to continue on.
The remaining creatures advance, heading for Djack/Djill and Rocko.
But rather than attacking with their blades, they instead whip their unnatural tails toward their chosen targets, horrid teeth gnashing at them.
On Djill:
Con Damage:
On Rocko:
Con Damage:
Quince's action, bottom of round.
Keeping alongside Djill, Elias bounds forward once again and strikes at the creature before him, aiming for limbs and extremities to try and disable the creature so that it can be 'talked' with later.
The creature falls to the ground, it's eyes slowly closing in a cascade that, Quince would guess, indicates unconsciousness for...whatever this is.
Top of round 2. One creature remains standing, this one in front of Rocko. Party except Quince may act.
Rocko blinks in surprise and admiration at Quince's amazing and effective blade skills.
"Huh, didn't think that'd work so well."
As much as Rocko would like to avoid killing sort-of-maybe-people even with their unsettling appearance and nasty behavior, it still seems simplest to just chop the last one down.
Such is the might of Rocko's swing that he loses his balance when he misses, and drops to one knee.
At this point, Spizz moves up alongside the last of the creatures and takes another shot with his flame jet.
The creature drops to the ground, its eyes exploding in the flame as it burns.
End of Combat
Now, you are left with four dead creatures and two unconscious. The village a few dozen yards away is still aflame. How would you like to proceed?
"Spizz you're the flames guy, can you do anything about this?"
Elias heads towards the village at a run.
"Anyone about?! We can help!"
Elias looks around the village for a source of water, finding a small lake near the edge of the building. The only creatures that responds to his cries are several sheep pasturing in a fenced off area near the lake. The bodies of two middle-aged farmers lie nearby, obviously quite dead.
Being mounted, Djack surveils town and lake quickly. Dismounting, to lend a hand with the fires.
Approaching the downed creatures, she tries to make sense of what she was seeing.