I'm sorry to hear that, but IRL is the most important thing and the world's a busy, messy place right. Best of luck to you GM!
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Scowling as the shot goes wide, flying off into the darkness, Caolaidhe grits his teeth and nocks a new arrow. Forcing himself to move deliberately, he watches the crow carefully for an ideal moment to strike.
So OOC, what is Eshki looking for and/or trying to determine? @Obsilidan I hope your wife’s procedure went smoothly and her recovery is swift and easy.
"He's right--mages and fliers die first." Stepping back from the thawn and sticking his axe into the dirt handle-up, Caolaide draws his bow and nocks an arrow in one smooth motion. Narrowing his eyes at the crow's clearly supernatural nature, the scarred elf fires.
As the strange figures are discreetly pointed out, Caolaidhe marks the nearest well and finds a patch of shadow to sit in while he tries to puzzle out the details. He relays anything he recalls to his companions. When the phantom screams and clangor of battle rises the half-elf starts visibly, staring grimly at the ruined village all around him. ”We cannot stay here!” he hisses, his alarm clear even as he tries to be quiet.
"It's Eshki, right? I'm no expert on the dead but it seems like a zombie picket of sorts. Shouldn't be a problem."
Clambering slowly and quietly back up the barricade, Caolaide plants his feet in a braced, squatting position to free his hands for the bow. Nocking an arrow, the mercenary waits for the count-off so he and whomever else was ambushing could strike simultaneously.
Creeping along the ruined streets with the others, Caolaidhe tracks the strange bobbing lights. He nods at Obsidilan’s wanting about the shop—he doesn’t hear the sound, but he doesn’t doubt that dangers lurk everywhere in this accursed place. Slowly, quietly picking up a small piece of rubble, he tosses it into the butcher’s shop to clatter across the floor, watching and listening intently for any sort of reaxtion from unknown threats.
”I can take a look,” Caolaidhe steps into the stirrup to be boosted up for a better look.
"The destruction of the boat was no accident, but if ambush was the goal why didn't they--whoever 'they' are--hit us as we were dragging ourselves to shore like half-drowned rats? Mayhaps they just want to scavenge from the boat and consider our lives are irrelevant." Caolaidhe turns and scans the crumbling, ruined town. "If they can stop us I'd prefer to make them prove it instead of waiting here, inside their turf."
"As fascinating as the mysterious lockbox is, do we want to discuss," the half-elf gestures out towards the splintered gap in Heibarr's wall, "--getting the Hells out of here? We are losing daylight, and Heibarr at night has a particularly hellish reputation."
I think I have mentioned this previously, but just in case: I will be flying to Europe for vacation with my spouse this Friday, and won't be back until 9/16. Please feel free to bot me as necessary during that period :)
Turning at the sound of the spear thunking against the lockbox, Caolaidhe turns on the balls of his feet from his crouched position, elbow resting on his knee and chin on his fist as he watches. "It's the River Kingdoms, why wouldn't the taxes be in here? Maybe the lawkeeper did it as a power play, maybe they installed the box in the wrong room and never got around to correcting the error. Only the gods know now. Are you going to smash it open?"
"Hmm...something big came through the wall, there. Not too long ago, either." Scratching at the stubble on his jaw, the half-elf ponders the distance to the fallow fields. "Do we care to make a break for it? Whatever it is, I don't see it now."
I'll roll with whatever you decide, GM.
Turning to give Thragg a nod of agreement, Caolaidhe follows Obsidilan's gaze towards the lockbox and shrugs. "What good are coins in a place like this? That box has sat there for decades, if we need money we know where to find it."
With a disgusted look at the eye lolling on the floor, Caolaidhe stomps on it, then looks out over the area through the missing wall. He's careful not to get close to the edge--rotting, broken floorboards could easily give way--but scans for a possible escape route, or a least a way to the gatehouse's portcullis crank. "Swimming isn't going to happen, I don't know what those things in the water were but I'd just as soon not find out," he grumbles, half to himself.
"...Or perhaps the cunning," Caolaidhe suggests, slipping around Giradan and past the ooze before reversing direction to attack it from the other side.
Stalking past the leaking, perishing undead in pursuit the bizarre slime-creature, Caolaidhe's gaze sweeps over the room but he does not pause to investigate, remaining intent on his quarry. "It went this way," he says to the others without taking his eyes off the creature's trail. "And we intended to clear the gatehouse regardless, did we not?"
"Have it your way," Caolaidhe shrugs when the woman launches a mediocre attack and counter-charges, bringing his longaxe up in a devastating sweep.
@GM, I am fine with you rolling the AoOs if it's not too much work for you. It does make the combats go more quickly/smoothly, in my experience.
Not to pester while you're sick, GM, but are we theater of the mind right now? Your profile has a "Battle Map Here" line but it's not a link and I'm not sure what kind of space we're in.
Caolaidhe rises to his feet, long-handled axe in hand, as the warrior-woman blunders right through the ooze. "Who the devil are you, and what are you doing in the gatehouse?" the half-elf demands.
Oh no! I hope it's as mild as possible and that you're well soon.
"Wait." Caolaidhe pauses and kneels, shrugging off his pack and pretending to search for something inside it. He speaks just loudly enough to be heard and is carefully not to point or stare at the ooze. "There is a...slimy thing, with an eye floating inside, hanging off the door. It's alive, and I doubt it's friendly."
No problem, good luck! IRL stuff comes first
Gatehouse! partly to see if it could be cranked back up for us to possibly escape that way.
"You think it wasn't an accident Mr...?" "There's something in the gatehouse. Small, and quick. No accident." Caolaidhe turns and gives Eshki and both Thraggs a quick, assessing glances followed by a nod. "Caolaidhe." Turning back to the spot where he had emerged from the river, the half-elf cautiously creeps up to the water's edge and picks up a wet but well-wrapped oilcloth pack and a gleaming, long-handled axe with a broad curving blade. Bringing it back to the gathering survivors, he unties the top flap and inspects the contents, making a satisfied sound when he sees it's all still dry.
Kicking frantically at the length of--whatever that was--Caolaidhe swims desperately for the surface, breaking through with panicked gasps as he crawls into the piles of rubble and driftwood lining the river shore. With desperate energy the scarred half-elf pulls himself further ashore, trying to get away from the water. Then he lay there for several long minutes, sucking in breaths until his pounding heart calms, at least a little. Pushing to his feet with a groan, he gives the river a wary look before turning to survey the broken shoreline. When he sees that he's not alone a rush of relief floods through him, though his heart sinks at how few of them there were. "Blast...why would that portcullis fall like that?" "It didn't fall," Caolaidhe answers, picking his way over to the others. "It was dropped on us. I'm surprised we haven't been attacked already." The half-elf glares at the ruined gatehouse, straining to catch any signs of movement.
I can kick 150gp into the CLW wand fund. Ready!
I have plenty left over for a CLW wand, though Caolaidhe doesnt have the slightest idea how to activate it
Sorry for posting in late, my spouse and I went on a small excursion for her birthday so we didn't get back until late last night. Answer #1: a ghost-kid doesn't bother me, references to the fact that bad things sometimes happen to children don't bother me, but I really don't want any graphic depictions of ongoing torment regarding kids. I'm not sure what a Calling specifically entails but "rescue the kid" is a perfectly good plot hook. Just nothing graphic, please, but given what you've said already I don't anticipate any issues. Answer 1.5: I also don't mind romantic/sexual content in adventures, as long as it's done tastefully (e.g. descriptions of kissing & sweet talk is great, but an erotic scene is too far for this medium). In spoilers is probably best just for the sake of forum rules. Standard 'fade to black' type stuff works. Answer #2: Starting at 3rd level sounds great! Will you want us to be extra careful about tracking things like food, ammunition, etc as part of the adventure vibe? I'm okay either way. |