Esteriande advances as far as 06.16 - standard action to activate divine bond, move action to move in.
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"Shelyn guide my blade," Esteriande intones, advancing as her blade begins to glow brightly.
"Ze Thassilonian ruins?" Esteriande suggests. "Zey are of a like I 'ave not seen before. We keep seeing zese sihedron runes everywhere, after all." Esteriande shakes herself: "Nonzeless we must search ze rest of zese caverns before we return. Come, we waste enough time!" If everyone is ready, Esteriande will lead the way back toward the other cavern we have not yet explored.
"Always, zese medallions. What do zey mean?" Esteriande assesses the gear. "Romon , you use a dagger more zan any of us," she nods as he sheaths it. "Naria, you cannot wear armour, per'aps ze shirt would be useful to you?" she suggests. "Ze spear is a good weapon, but Marak and I 'ave better ones. Ze mask, Zat is interesting." She eyes the headband, thoughtfully. "Useful, but only if I could combine it with what I already 'ave," she murmurs. At the revelations, she thinks hard. "Hmm. Kaven was used, we know zat, zis may not mean more zan we already know," Eseriande muses. "Sandpoint is many days travel away, and we 'ave unfinished business 'ere. Zere is one cavern still to search, at least. 'Ooever is going to attack is waiting to 'ere from this one before doing so, we 'ave time to travel and prepare."
"A giant 'oo casts spells and magic...not something I expected," Esteriande murmurs as she she approaches. "Something is going on, something deeper than just a few ogres. Xanesha, 'ere again. Ze seven-pointed rune...ogres attacking ze fort and mining for ores. Zere 'as to be more to zis." She searches the giant's body, looking for clues.
"Zen you leave no choice!"
Esteriande releases three more deadly shafts... Attack #1: Damage: Attack #2: Damage: Attack (haste): Damage: Shock Damage: electrical
Giant isn't getting away either. Elf has his card marked!
"Surrender, giant, or face ze wrath of ze gods!" Esteriande calls as she notches another arrow.
Esteriande unlimbers her bow and sends a shocking burst arrow at the levitating stone giant. Attack: Damage: + Electrical
Esteriande advances toward Lucretia, but stops short of reaching her and hurls a counter-spell at Xanetia to render her visible again. Dispel Magic caster-level check:
Esteriande quaffs a potion before backing up a step and sweeping out Shellyn's grace to her allies. Channel healing: Will effect Muchorak, Marak, Naria, and Ursas as well as Esteriande herself.
Esteriande's eyes' narrow at the Stone Giant's casual assumption. Knowing Muchorak is best suited to deal with the giants and that the raised platform gives them a distinct advantage, she darts to the right.
Once up on the platform she advances on Lucretia...
"If Zis is a mineworking, ze ogres 'ere will not be a major threat, remember ze ones on ze dam? Ze leaders will be elsewhere, let us try ze other side passages first - I do not want to be trapped 'ere as we trapped ze ogres a moment ago."
Esteriande maintains a ready stance, happy to let the ogres come to the party.
Esteriande races into the attack on the remaining lead ogre Attack: Damage:
Esteriande moves to follow Muchorak , holding a partial charge and strike ready after Inikai makes his move.
Esteriande firsts touches her bruises to let them heal, then pauses to listen for sounds of alarm or approach as she tugs out a scroll and casts divine favor on herself. Lay on Hands: Perception:
Esteriande aims for the giant, racing in to deliver a furious blow. Attack: Damage:
Esteriand races into the fray, double-moving.
Esteriande strikes a sunrod and hurls it down the passageway at the shouts of surprise. Throw:
Esteriande follows them closely. Stealth:
"Or another giant that big...who I hope is no longer around. Come, we must move on before ze guard is changed."
"Zat seven-pointed star again...always zat seven-pointed star," Esteriande mutters. "Is it magical?" she asks Marak.
Perception #1: Perception #2: Distracted, Esteriande shrugs and pockets the wand, thinking she must have confused the two she has. Taking out her other wand she uses a charge for a last touch of healing. CLW: CLW: "Time to advance...but let's be careful."
Esteriande presses her hand to her injury again, then uses her wand: Wand of CLW (3 charges): ...takes her to 74... Wand of CLW (2 charges): ...then discards the exhausted wand.
"Merci, mon amor," Esteriande grins at Romon.
Esteriande touches her wounds briefly and then retaliates with blinding speed and ferocity. Lay on Hands: Attack #1: Damage: Attack #2: Damage: Attack (haste): Damage:
Esteriande sidesteps her attacker's blow and launches a furious attack. Attack: Damage: Attack: Damage:
Esteriande steels herself, feeling sick in her guts. She should call on the ogres to yield, but she knows in her heart this will only give them time to sound an alarm; they are creatures fully committed to evil, and the horror of what was done to the nymph still galls her. She had not died a swift or easy death at their hands. They will not surrender unless they have reason too, and to give them that reason, she must attack. She surges forward at the nearest ogre, her blade sweeping into her hand as she struggles over the thick snow. The blade whistles as it sweeps through the air...
Attack: Damage: "Surrender, or the next will take your 'ead from your shoulders!"
"From here, it seems we walk," Esteriande murmurs. She murmurs a few words and gestures, and every member of the party feels a warmth flow through them, as if wrapped in loving arms. "Let us go."
"Then why did the ogres not manage destroying ze fort for decades, then all of a sudden zey do it - and with ze two serpent women? Zis is not a coincidence, and if ze serpent women are anywhere around here, zey are with ze ogres."
"We give zem a chance to surrender, of course, but I doubt zey will take it," Esteriande tries. "Nonetheless, we must try. But given ze option, we should concentrate on ze leaders. I suspect we will find ze two serpent women zere, and zey will need to be dealt with."
Then we shall set out, riding along the trail toward Hook Mountain...
Esteriande makes her own prayers for her spells, and readies herself for their expedition. She enquires if any of the surviving Black Arrows wish to accompany the expedition, and if they know the trail to Hook Mountain.
Esteriande suggests that the party return to Fort Rannick to heal Muchorak, then proceed from there to Hook Mountain after preparing the proper equipment for a mountain expedition.
"Let's go," Esteriande sighs, leading the way back toward the boat. "Ze ogres attack Fort Rannick, using intelligence gleaned about ze Fort. Zey attack ze dam, of all things, to weaken it. Zese are not strategies ogres alone normally use. So yes, Inikai, I zink zat zey do 'ave a master, or at least zat someone is controlling zem, using zem, in some way. But to what ends? Zat is why I say we would 'ave to go to 'Ook Mountain, sooner or later. Per'aps better to strike before zey recuperate from zeir losses."
"Well, we were going to 'ave to deal with ze ogres at some point anyway," Esteriande sighs. "Zere seems to be no end to the evils zey 'ave perpetrated." She takes Muchorak's arm. "My friend, I can heal your sight, but not until I have ze chance to make my prayer's to my Mistress. Until then, I shall guide you aright, if you permit me."
Esteriande gazes at the spectre for a long moment. "We will find him. I swear upon ze sword of my fathers that I will pursue ze ogres to zeir lair, and if 'is body is zeir zen in Shellyn's name I will return a part to you, Myriana. Be at peace, your suffering is nearly at an end, and zis place can return to be ze beauty it once was." She pauses. "I would be grateful, zough, if you could remove ze blindness from our friend Muchorak - 'ee is an expert at fighting ogres, and ze best tracker among us; we ill need 'is aid."
Esteriande listens, her face bleak. "You are right my friend," she murmurs to Marak. "Calmn your 'eart, mon petite loup-garou; she 'as given 'er all in love, and lost. Her 'eart is broken, and worse maybe. You see the ruin 'ere, but she sees nothing but darkness." Then she addresses the spirit: "Myriana, we have found no sign of Lamatar, leader of ze Black Arrows in Fort Rannick. Ze few survivors we found 'ad not seen 'im and were absent when ze attack by ze ogres took place. I feel your pain, Myriana, tell us what became of you and 'ow we may aid you."
"Ah, Myriana, what 'av you become?" Esteriande mourns as beholds what the nymph has become. "Tell me 'oo 'as done zis evil thing! Name to me ze 'eart of your loss and I shall bring ze wrath of Shelyn down upon zem! We came from Magnimar to find what 'ad 'appened to ze Black Arrows, and I see now zat driving zem from ze fort was not enough."
Drawing a deep breath, Esteriande calls out her message again, and waits.
"Ghosts? You think this nymph may be undead?" Esteriande asks, horrified. "Yet it may be, Iesha was drawn back from the grave by 'er rage for her lover...per'aps Myrena could be drawn back for similar reasons..." she pauses in thought for a moment, then draws herself up. "Myrena of Whitewillow, we 'ave come from Magnimar to take back Fort Rannick from ze ogres!" She shouts into the swampy wood. "We 'ave 'eard you suffer from ze loss of ze Black Arrows. I am Esteriande, servant of Shellyn, I would ease your 'eart if I may approach!"
"This is very bad...this is not a broken heart...or if it is, it is broken with far worse zan I have every seen...Something very bad 'as 'appened to Myrena, Yap."
"Very," Esteriande agrees. "Is a nymph not a spirit of the land? If she is unright, so the land may be I guess. Let's make our way as we can from here, and carefully. You had best lead the way, my friend, if you leave it to me I'll probably sink up to my neck and this much is hard to clean of armour!"
"Romon, can one of zese good folk hire us a boat to assay this swamp - I do not like ze idea of wading through muck half ze night."
"Then let us cross here, Yap. Will we need a boat? The ground is marshy beyond and we may be able to hire one here."
Not the place I would expect to find a nymph," Esteriande murmurs. "I take it, Yap, that your Mistress does not live here?"
"Zis is an affair of ze 'eart...of course we will 'elp as we can," Esteriande pledges, though her expression is troubled. "Zis story may not 'ave an 'appy ending," she murmurs to the others. "It is likely zat Commander Bayden is dead, or worse."
Looks like it's back to cleaning up the castle, then. We still need to sift through the wreckage, and re-consecrate the temple...
Perception: Esteriande takes note of Romon's actions but says nothing. Yet. Romon's not going to be sitting right tomorrow... "Gah! What was the pittance that we agreed to for this? Was it 300 golden sails? If we do anything for these people again we need to make certain that we demand more than that. Just walking into this place should fetch more than that, to say nothing of those filthy ogres." Esteriande looks up from the fascinating model and arches an eyebrow at Inikai, having completely forgotten that the party were being paid anything at all. "Zere are ozzer rewards than gold, mon amis. Today we 'ave per'aps saved ze lives of all in Turtleback Ferry, we 'ave discovered much of ze Thassilonian empire, we 'ave removed a threat from ze people of zis region as well. As for money, ze loot from our enemies amounts to far more zan a few 'undred gold coins and is ours by right of conquest. We 'ave tested ourselves and found zat we are strong. Indeed, Inikai, we 'ave gained far, far mnore zan a mere three 'undred gold coins," She laughs and claps Inikai on the shoulder. "Do not be so glum and bitter. We 'ave done much today. We may yet do more. Be on your guard, everyone, there may be more trolls about." |