Ayaal's page

Thanks for running the game as long as you did!

Ayaal wipes her face and nods. She was tired but game, "We aren't winning this war on defense. I'm ready to go after the enemy."

Ayaal approaches Irabeth. ”Sorry, Commander, it’s been a long… I don’t know how long. We were underground since shortly after the attack.” Now, off the battlefield, she pushes her bird visor up onto the top of her head revealing a sweat-streaked face and equally damp head of hair. At first glance, she looks human. But the bones of her face are too angular, her nose is improbably sharp, and her eyes are an unnatural green.

She finds a map of the city and sets it on the table. ”We were underground and emerged… here.” She marks a spot on the map. ”There is a friendly mongrelman camp below the city. Something to keep in mind.” She begins tracing a path with her finger. ”From there, we went this way and…” She proceeds to describe the ruin of the city, the monsters they encountered, where there are breaches in the walls, that they dropped Gwerm off at his estate, who they rescued and the circumstances, and any other details she can recall. She concludes by pulling out the unholy symbol retrieved from Irabeth’s house. ”We stopped by your home. Some creature was summoned or born there and flew through your roof. It may be a demonic gargoyle. This is the symbol of Xoveren, a minor lord of ruins and gargoyles. It was found in your hallway.”

Ayaal – Inspiration

To the quartermaster…

”If you can spare any cold Iron arrows, I’d appreciate it.”

To Irabeth…

”Ayaal… in Shelyn’s service.”

"Food, I think. We were too busy dealing with demons to take inventory." She replies drily. Now that they are relatively safe, Ayaal shoulders her bow and moves to the back of the wagon to help push it.

Quick trip to the quartermaster to drop off the wagon (and wounded) and then to the Heart?

The bird-masked woman nods. "Thanks. Where are supplies being organized? We've got a wagon-load."

Ayaal understood caution, but this might be verging into paranoia. ”So, the demons have the passphrase I just gave you?” She motions Anevia forward, ”Irabeth’s wife is among our number. If you don’t recognize us, one of you should recognize her.”

The bird-helmed archer doesn't drop her guard, even when answering, "Ayaal, priestess of Shelyn... and several other 'silverstrong' friends of the crusade. We have a few injured and a wagon-load of supplies."

The priest takes the unholy symbol. "They are bringing every demon lord they have... even the small ones, like Xoveren. That's not good."

She looks to Anevia, "It seems like your wife made it to safety. Perhaps we should follow suit."

With the bedroom empty and 'whatever' having escaped... Ayaal searches the bedroom for any sign of Irabeth, hoping to find nothing.

Finally, she returns to the corpse and tries to identify the unholy symbol.

Knowledge: Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Ayaal continues forward with equal care, towards the bedroom.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Ayaal nods. Given the tight spaces ahead, she shoulders her bow and pulls out a three-section-staff which she holds in one hand as she proceeds quietly along the blood path.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

"I don't believe Irabeth would thank us for breaking her door. Let me try another way."

The priestess pulls a fine set of lockpicks from her bandolier, calls on Shelyn to bless her efforts with bit of luck... and works on picking the lock

Using SLA Bit o' Luck and then trying to Disable Device

Bit o' Luck let's me roll 2d20 for any activity this round and take the better result.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
OR
Disable Device: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 winner

Ayaal ghosts after Anevia, eyes alert for trouble while she tries to calm and quiet her a bit. ”Quietly, please. Remember we’re in hostile territory. Let’s take a look inside – carefully.”

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Ayaal walks beside the wagon, bow ready, eyes up... but maybe not as alert as she should be.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Ayaal will defer to the leader. I personally hate leaving a close target unexplored but I see the value in getting these supplies and people to safety as quick as possible. Since the Tirablade house is on the way and not a palace (requiring a lot of exploring) should we make a quick stop there on the way to the Defender's Heart?

She drags one of the unconscious civilians to the back of a wagon. "That makes sense. If our stop at Nyserian Manor is brief enough, we may catch up to them on the road toward the Tirablade house. I'd feel better about these supplies getting through if we shepherded the wagons."

A small smile appears below the bird mask on her helmet as the poppet in her hand turns to ash. She flicks the residue from her fingers and draws an arrow, planning to fire it into the demon’s fleeing back.

If the other guys’ AoOs fail to kill the demon, I’ll shoot.

FULL: FOB

With her arrows lacking ‘bite’, Ayaal switches tactics. ”Demons don’t play fair, neither do I."

She pulls a marionette from her pocket steeped in necromantic energy. With it, she weaves a dark spell while shaking the marionette. The oscillations she sets up threaten to rattle the demon’s bones from its flesh.

FREE: 5’ step
STAND: Cast Boneshaker @ RED Demon

Ayaal advances and sends two arrows streaking at the closer demon, testing its defenses.

FREE: 5’ step
FULL: FOB

Ayaal taps into her celestial heritage to enable her to see the invisible demons. She calls out where they are and what they are doing to her allies.

STAND: SLA See Invisibility

I vote for Nyserian Manor, it's closer.

Ayaal merely nods at Gwerm's largely self-congratulatory 'thanks' - happy to be free of the burden of his company.

To Ana's comment, Aya merely nods. "My thoughts exactly."

After the soldiers leave, the bird-masked woman comments, "Despair is a deadly disease."

"We don't know for certain, but we believe the Defender's Heart may be a good place to start."

"I serve Shelyn as her priestess. I can assure you, dipping your weapons in the blood of an innocent does nothing but damns your souls. Sheathe your weapons and step away from the girl."

I'm traveling through Monday, so I may be slow to post or absent.

"What madness is this, soldier? Sacrificing an innocent... is what demons do, not crusaders. Explain yourself."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"Sounds like a good plan." Ayaal moves quietly, ahead of the group, eyes looking for trouble.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Ayaal packs the spellbook and takes one of the flattened worms, in case they can glean more information from it later. "Ready to go."

The bird mask reveals little but the sudden cock of her head lets the team know that Ayaal thinks this is a questionable idea. Nevertheless, she isn't going to tell anyone how they should court death. "At least let us help you find a way to secure that front door."

Ayaal, peeks through the door to make sure no demons are around before closing and find a way to brace the door.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Ayaal is little vexed that her last arrows were so easily deflected. Her bow hums as she launches two more arrows at the warrior, taking deliberate aim at a gap in his armor on the first one.

FULL: FOB (Perfect Strike on first shot)
FREE: 5’ (on map)

Ayaal steps to one side, ensuring she has a clear line to the target. In the swirl of the melee, she tries to sink two arrows into the armored warrior.

FREE: 5’ step (on map)
FULL: FOB

I’m a little confused. Did our previous actions happen? What was the result?

I’ve put Ayaal in the room roughly where she’d be from my last action.

Ayaal halts as ordered - not that she planned on getting closer. ”Stop! I’ll come no further… but you should really use that mace on this tiefling’s skull. He’s going to betray you.”

STAND: Cast Murderous Command on the man in plate and compel him to attack BLUE

Ayaal knocks an arrow and draws her bowstring back to her cheek as she slides through gap in the doorway, trying to locate targets. She moves through the shelves/wreckage of the library, releasing an arrow towards the eye of the bastard threatening Fenna once she has a bead on him.

FREE: Perception to locate the baddy(ies)
MOVE: Up t0 40’ to get a clear shot on the baddy near the woman and leaving a lane for the melee-ers to charge if possible
STAND: Arrow @ baddy

The bird-helmed woman nods, understanding the impetus. She stalks forward quietly, scouting for threats.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Ayaal listens to the curious exchange. "We can't leave you here, Aravashnial, if that was your hope. Is there something we can get for you here, to take with you when we leave?"

I'm sorry to hear that. It's never easy losing a fur-person.

When the team is ready to proceed, Ayaal presses on quietly.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

I did, thanks!

Ayaal regards the demon’s corpse with some interest before joining the warriors. She glances at Angahaar’s wounds and weaves a spell of healing to seal his injuries.

Trading a 1st level spell for a spontaneous cast

Angahaar gets CLW Healing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 HP back.

Ayaal reacts before she thinks, sending two arrows down range at the nearer of the creatures. Only after her bowstring stops thrumming does she really evaluate the monsters. "What is that thing?"

I'm good with that.

Ayaal debates with herself. ”This may sound strange from a cleric and comrade you don’t know, but perhaps I should scout? I’m not the stealthiest but I don’t have armor to slow me down or give me away.”

I’ve got a 40’ move base, 20’ while in stealth (at no penalty), an OK stealth roll and pretty good perception. I can race back behind our tanks at the slightest hint of trouble.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Fair enough!

Do I want to ask what this course was?

Taking finals or are you a teacher/prof?

”The ruins below were bad. This is worse. I suggest we get moving – quietly.”

Oops, got that wrong. We look closest to:

I (Blackwing Library - Aravashnial's goal)
M (Nyserian Manor - Cults R Us) might be on the other side of a wall
J (Gwerm Manor - we can leave Horgus)
K (Tirablade Home - Anevia's goal)
O (Defender's Heart)
P (Grey Garrison Museum)

P is off on it's own.

It looks like we could go I to J to K to O without having to cross through any walls.