Helio's page

The sorceress regards Tyanos with piercing eyes. She tilts her head, as though trying to measure the merchant's game, the corner of her lips upturned into the slightest of smirks. Amused by some joke only she could hear, a quiet laugh like a soft breeze escapes her.

"Judgement? How banal." She shrugs, a gesture muted by her bondage. "I'll admit I underestimated you. To put down Sneeg without breaking so much as a sweat. Impressive. Perhaps the Stag is not the man destined for greatness in the Greenbelt." She pauses, her smile fading. "I am Sae. For generations this land has lain unclaimed. My blood demands I pledge myself to he that wishes to change that fact, the Iron Stag of the Greenbelt." She meets Tyanos's eyes. "Or so I thought."

The descent to the shore goes remarkably well, despite the foreboding bay and its layers of fog. Suny disappears into the bank with a skillful leap before taking a look through the dark waters of the bay. Light filters poorly through the fog, scattering fish where it touches. The sea fades to darkness, the depths of the ocean as vast as ever.

Back on land, the greatest craftspeople (or perhaps the greatest MacGyvers) cobble together a raft and others prepare a small beachfront camp on the stony shore. Nhati and Reijo survey the bay for signs of trouble. The waters of the bay are surprisingly calm, given the prior day's tenacious rain and the tumultuous waters around the island itself.

And yet, the eerie calm leaves a bad feeling in your gut... Was accessing the Holy Isle truly this simple?

It takes a few hours to assemble a raft big enough for the group (plus or minus Suny), and it certainly looks like a fairly easy trip. Oars or sails, skilled sailors like yourselves should have no problem guiding the raft--as simple as it may be--to the Holy Isle, even with the fog. It wouldn't hold up in open water, but there's nothing any of you can see that would indicate any particular problems.

The group makes haste back to Happston, eager to leave the events of the temple behind them. The journey takes only a few hours, thankfully dull after the bloodbath on Erastil's doorstep.

The ramshackle gates of the settlement open with a nod from Happs to the sentry on duty. Sighs of relief run through the camp as news of Sneeg's band being gone for good quickly spreads. More than a few of Happston's nod a silent thank-you--though whether it was for dealing with Sneeg's band or helping Happs himself is unclear.

Your captive keeps silent as he is brought to join the others, currently tied to a post at the center of the camp. They look in roughly the same condition they were when you left--alive, if only.

Happs grunts, spitting at their feet as the survivors is tied alongside them. He looks at Tyanos, then inclines his head towards the lot. "Bundled up for a picnic, just like ya wanted 'em. Judge 'em or don't. But if'n I see one of them again, I figure that'll be the last time anyone sees 'em."

Apologies, Comcast has been doing a number on my internet for the better part of a week now...

@Suny--There's a tree that is probably far enough out to do a leap off into water that's deep enough to not break your neck and/or legs, if you so desire.

Reijo wastes no time making a good display of his skills as a mariner, descending down the slope and hammering pitons in wherever he could find purchase for them. Still slick from the rain, his climb turns into more of a practiced slide about halfway down... but the pirate has no trouble keeping hold of the rope as he finishes his work and stands safely on the rocky shores of the bay.

Thanks to Reijo's efforts, descending the slope should be fairly easy (read: DC 10), if slow through the slippery terrain.

From the shore, the thick fog across the bay almost hides the top of Besmara's grand temple. The good news is that you'll at least know which way to go while crossing the water. The bad news is you'll need a way to cross all that water. (Well, most of you.) It looks relatively close--maybe a half-mile at most?

Tried to get a post in earlier today while the forums were borked, so better late than never.

Between Ol' Salty's magic, Nhati's knowledge of the region, and Reijo's nose for treasure, you set off within a few minutes with a fairly clear sense of direction.

Unfortunately, the going proves even more difficult today. Though the rain has relented, the isle's mists seem more aggressive than ever. More than once you find yourselves mired in a thick puddle of mud hidden below the fog, neither of which is affected by Ol' Salty's magic.

Somehow, despite the mists and the mud, you eventually break through the jungle and stand on a small rise above a narrow, rocky beach below. Thick fog obscures the waters of the bay, but it cannot hide the sight of the great Besmaran temple rising from the Holy Isle at its center.

Now it was just a matter of getting down the 60-something foot rise you stood atop and finding a way to navigate the foggy waters of the bay to reach the Isle. So business as usual, really.

The rise is fairly steep at 60-70 degrees in most places, but you could clamber down it. There are a number of gnarled trees and jutting rocks to provide purchase while climbing down. Alternatively, you could always just head further up or down the coastline to find a way down, but it looks like you came out on a ridge that runs a good distance in either direction.

With the rain finally relenting, you should make fairly decent time heading inland to the central lagoon of Besmara's Throne. Couldn't be any more than a half-day's travel through the jungle--though there's still the matter of a Gozren lunatic wandering about and the rest of the countless hazards between you and your goal.

Last time you got your bearings, it was a straight hike westward. But since then you've taken a detour to chase a couple of oversized badger-beasts back to their lair, then backtracked to find some shelter to nurse your wounds.

Survival or Knowledge(geography), anyone? Possibly both?

The bandit looks at Tyanos, as though unsure if he should be answering questions from others, then slowly answers Thomas. "Most of us walked. Only the boss and his crew got to ride the horses. On loan from his boss, I think."

Happs shrugs, heading back to where you'd tied up the horses before the bloodbath began. "Don't matter, ain't that far'a hike. I'll walk alongside y'all as we head back. Then you can take all yer bandits and put 'em up for whatever justice ya think they deserve. So long as it ain't gonna waste any'a my time with that nonsense."

The dense foliage and encroaching darkness hide more and more of the surrounding jungle until you are at last left with just whatever small fires you can nurse to life in the damp air (plus or minus any magical lights).

Fortunately, despite cautious watch on the dark throughout the night, nothing emerges from the jungle with ill intent. Your camp attracts little more than a few oversized moths that quickly depart after singing their wings on the fire.

As morning dawns, the rain at last relents. Though the canopy still blocks most of the sky, pockmarks of sunshine pierce through the clouds. This does little, however, to make traversing Besmara's Throne any easier. The ground is as muddied as ever and the omnipresent mist that seems to rise from the ground flourishes anew in the humid day. Where before it was barely above your ankles, now it reaches to the knees in most places, and the waist in the most dense parts.

Still, there was a long way to go to reach the Holy Isle--and meet up with Captain Lanteri and the Magpie Princess before she got tired of waiting for her hired help.

Your group's manifestation of enthusiasm skips through the puddles and mud towards the (relative) shelter that Tai spotted, leading the way without incident. In a matter of minutes you have a camp assembled beneath the thick boughs of a tree, further sheltered from the rain by the layers of canopy woven overhead.

The camp is far from comfortable, but it's an acceptable shelter given the nature of the island. Besmara's Throne was not a kind place on a good day, let alone one where a mad storm prophet lurks in the mist to make the long trek through a jungle in the gods-forsaken rain as long and as miserable as possible.

Camping for the night, or just a few hours? Setting watches, etc?

Stretching off the holiday madness and the post-holiday madness to get things rolling again! Hope everyone enjoyed their respective seasonal celebrations!

"I- I mean- I don't-" The bandit looks defeated, unsure of what he could say that could allow him to escape his fate. He looks down at his defeated comrades, their blood pooling in the dirt beside Erastil's forgotten temple... and then his eyes settle on the Erastite's mangled hand. Without a word, the bandit turns his eyes downward and seems to settle with his presumed fate.

Happs Bydon shakes his head, a grim smile on his face. "Now I know I told you that you'd be running the show, Tyanos, but I don't see any reason to go about pretending the laws of Brevoy extend all the way down here. Never have, never will. Don't get me wrong, now, I respect your desire to do right by the law or whatever it is you all are following, but as far as I'm concerned there's only six big laws around here that matter worth a damn. And most'a us here came out here for that sorts of freedom, one way or another." He looks at Illana, who simply nods, leaving whatever freedoms they each sought in the River Kingdoms unsaid between them.

"Put to death before the sword or put to death at the rope... What a terrible choice to have to make," Jhod mutters. "In any case... perhaps it would be best not to linger here, lest we attract scavengers or worse."

Stretching off the holiday madness and the post-holiday madness to get things rolling again! Hope everyone enjoyed their respective seasonal celebrations!

@Thomas - I have no idea what that potion may be, but I'll just assume it was ID'd and was a CLW so that it can get taken care of.

I've got a pair of submissions just about finished for Hell's Rebels and the workings of a third brewing. Hopefully I find the time to actually finish them properly.

Unfortunately I'm not super familiar with Shattered Star or Giantslayer so I won't be doing a whole lot of filling in the gaps there.

Jhod heaves a heavy (and apparently at least somewhat pained) sigh. "I know, I know. I appreciate the concern, but I figure it's just something I'll have to deal with. No different than trimming a blighted sprig away from the rest or the sad mercy of putting down an old dog. One of those little--or not so little--burdens we are challenged with. But who would I be to give up now?"

He turns to Kareta, nodding a greeting. "I don't believe we've met... but yes, I believe this was once a great temple to Erastil. Your companions were kind enough to lay to rest the uneasy soul that stood guardian and the man Wetscale brought me out here to have a look... A look that, unfortunately, has cost us all greatly..." He closes his eyes, muttering a quiet prayer to the departed, then grows quieter still as he stands off to the side of the group. "Such a cost of atonement..."

You are currently at the Temple of Erastil, where you once slayed a cursed druid-bear-thing. Map update soon(tm)

Meanwhile, the bandit gulps down a lump in his throat, then struggles to find the right words Tyanos seeks. "I- I don't know what you want me to tell you? I've never met the Stag Lord, and you just killed my boss and by the way you're talking I think you killed the boss's boss and his partner, so I can't- I don't- Please don't kill me, just let me go, I won't hurt nothing no more."

Tai swoops up through the canopy to get a rather wet look around, the rain still coming down around the jungle in unrelenting fashion. The parrot spots a few well-sheltered locations not too far away, including one that was back in the direction of the very isle you sought--the Holy Isle of Besmara hidden away at the center of the Throne.

They might not provide a whole lot of shelter, but you'd be drier than staying in the open and safer than staying in a lio-- er, badger's den.

"Let the halfling run, Tyanos," Happs chuckles, a rare and earnest smile on his face. "He did his part, and he's bound to come around when he realizes there ain't nowhere out there to go. The Stag Lord'll see him dead for what we--or you, anyways--did here, and the beasties out there aren't gonna think twice about making a meal'a some short folk."

Illana looks better after a little blessing from both Erastil and Iomedae, but Jhod's face is grim even as his wounds stitch themselves back together. Most of them, at least. He raises a mutilated hand, its index and forefingers missing. A dirty, bloody rag wraps tightly over where they used to be. The priest is deathly silent, staring daggers at the surviving bandit but saying nothing

"Uh, I didn't have nothing to do with that... that was all Sneeg's idea! The priest-"

"Jhod did nothing but defend me!" interjects Illana, her voice firm and unflinching. She glares for a few seconds before continuing, slowly. "Sneeg was a barbarian, but you were all complicit in the matter. You could have spoken up. Done something..." She grows quiet, turning her eyes down and away from both Jhod and the surviving bandit. "...It should have been me to be punished, not an innocent man."

Jhod shrugs, though its clear the gesture is more out of habit than any real resolution. "Who but a child is truly innocent in this world, who truly undeserving of a test of spirit? We cannot know the wills of the gods, but simply believe that unknowable path will lead us where we wish to go." He looks down at his hand and winces, though it's unclear if its from pain or memory. "I'd say this is a hell of a test of faith, though."

The bandit grimaces as though expecting some kind of frontier justice, but looks ready to answer any questions you might have...

Hope everyone's having a good holiday!

Between Tyanos and Thomas, you successfully identify the magical bits among the collected treasure. Unfortunately, only the potions are magical... but the greataxe and chainmail, bloody as they may be, are of masterwork quality.

1 potion of lesser restoration
1 potion of protection from good
3 potions of CLW

Before I forget, stuff:

From the orc:
1 damn nice, damn bloody greataxe
A potion of a thing
A potion of a different thing
Some nice chainmail
A small sack of gemstones and other valuables worth 250gp total

From the mooks (including the one that isn't dead, for simplicity):
3 potions of a thing
10 masterwork arrows
1 longbow
4 javelins
2 tanglefoot bags
5 suits of leather
5 longswords
230 gp in various coinage

With the rescue of Illana and Jhod plus a pair of big ol' combats, you guys are EXTREMELY close to leveling up. A couple of exploration hexes or another good fight will pretty much do it. After that you guys probably won't level again until you clear out the big bad of this book (or possibly just before, if you save it for the very last thing).

The bandit wastes no time in dropping his sword and though he looks a little uncomfortable submitting himself to being tied up, he makes no effort to resist.

Happs emerges from the treeline and bounds up the stairs two at a time, shouldering open the ramshackle door of the temple. He returns a few minutes later with Illana draped over his shoulder. A few tattered rags cover her form but do little to hide the signs of abuse. She hobbles forward, barely conscious. Jhod follows close behind, though he looks in even worse shape.

Miko, however, offers absolutely no response to Tyanos's call. In fact, a quick glance into the bushes reveals that he's gone.

Ooh, right, I forgot those little buggers were venomous. Doesn't matter though...

The orc takes a bolt through his shoulder, grimacing as more blood sputters from his lips. He tries to lift his blade, but a swift swing from Hadin's flail knocks all remaining strength from him. The orc staggers down to a knee, staring hate into the eyes of his killers. "To eternal, bloody glory..." He collapses into a heap, a river of blood spilling down to join that of Hadin and Dmitri.

The sole surviving bandit glances around the battlefield, then gulps as he takes a few steps backward. "Perhaps we can, uh, talk about this?"

I don't think this one fellow is going to pose much problem, so you're out of Initiative and may act as normal.

The orc staggers as yet another bolt of arcane energy pierces through him. He spits blood, but will not fall. He stares at the sorcerer across the battlefield, hate in his eyes. "Death is glory! But you will die beneath the Stag's heel like the coward you are!"

Oh he is so very full-blooded orc. =)

Round 7 Kareta et. al. are up again.
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Suny skips through the field of bones to the pile with the shiny, scooping it up to examine it. It is an earring. And an ear. A moderately chewed ear. The earring, to its credit, looks perfectly fine and at least somewhat valuable.

The footprints between the animal tracks are heavy, but not from armor or weight--they are the steps of someone with purpose and no desire to hide their trail... which is strange, since you didn't see any human bootprints leading into the oversized stump-lair. But it looks like whoever came through here had nothing to hide or no one to hide from as it turned down into this tunnel. The bootprint itself is larger than Suny's foot, but not inhumanly so--no larger than any of the other brutish sailors that sail the Shackles.

The orc gets caught between a springing centipede and a furious ferret, swinging his blade in a desperate attempt to fend off one--and succeeding only halfway as the centipede's fangs sink it his leg. He growls even as a arrow flies past him to stick in the shoulder of his companion. The bandit shrugs off the attack to swing his blade at Eshie, scoring yet another hit!

Eshie takes 3 damage!

Not to be deterred by the bloody battle, Tyanos hefts his blade with telekinetic energy and throws it back across the battlefield, narrowly missing the orc... but putting him right in the path of Hadin's flail! The rough brute takes a good clunk on the head, but spits blood between his tusks as he returns the attack in full force!

The brutal blow strikes hard, rending through Hadin's mail to spill a river of blood from the paladin's side...

Hadin takes 14(!) damage.

Round 7 Kareta et. al. are up again and Tyanos has yet to declare his delayed or R6 actions.
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Suny, too, spots the shiny thing among the pile of bones... but strangely, nothing else. The interior of the trunk is as dead as the tree that once stood there.

What is interesting, however, are the tracks leading down into the tunnel. Among the badger-critter tracks are what appear to be humanoid tracks. No larger than your own, and reasonably fresh--even if they have been trampled down into the mud by the bloody trail of a badger-thing.

The interior of the massive trunk seems strangely empty, save for the piles of bones and the motionless pinata. There's hardly a noise to be heard, and there's nothing of note... except for a small, shiny object that Reijo's pirate-sense spots in the piles of bones.

Still, it was just one shiny thing, and just as he was about to turn back to the jungle and give up the search, Reijo spots a line of tracks--and fresh blood laying in the muddied furrows--leading down into the small tunnel at the rear of the trunk.

The tunnel was probably large enough to accommodate an average-sized humanoid single file, but it would be a tight fit for the beastly badger-thing. Stranger still, it ran down at an odd angle--probably enough to put it beneath the earth on the far side of the trunk.

Tyanos mocks the brute of an orc just enough to distract him away from the flying blade thrown his way. End-over-end Tyanos's longsword carves a path through the orc's arm before returning to his hand. Hadin rushes across the field, using the opportunity to end the fight with a final blow--but has to halt his charge as the orc swing Dmitri around as a shield.

With a furious howl, he drops the bloody Rostlander and heaves his axe up in one smooth motion. The motion back down, however, is far less smooth--perhaps his wounds were finally getting to him! The grim orc glares at Hadin through blackened eyes, his intent to end the paladin unmistakable.

Round 6 Kareta, etc., are up!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

You can definitely close and attack in one move.

With another resounding crack of his flail against his foe, the bandit before Hadin collapses into the dirt. The big orc grimaces at the sight of yet another of his men falling, but this doesn't prevent him from sidestepping a flying sword thrown in his direction...

Right into the path of Kareta's arrow. Threading the needle and missing the human shield hefted in front of him, the arrow plants itself firm in the orc's gut. Eshie, meanwhile, leaps off his meal and charges at the orc. A firm boot to the ferret's face knocks him away, doing little more than hurting the beast's pride. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to notice the big ol' bug crawling up the side of the stairs...

Not wanting to break formation with his boss, the sole standing [generic] bandit raises his blade against said ferret, slicing across Eshie's flank as he draws back for another stike.

Eshie take 5 points of damage!

Round 5 Tyanos is up again, followed by the top of the order! Can I go a round without mucking something up? Only time will tell!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

This is what I get for being too lazy to make maps for things, I completely missed your backing up. Clearly what the orc meant was Hadin, who is totally within 30 feet of our not-so-friendly and not-so-smart orc. Hadin is shaken for 2 rounds (but not this past action since it came before the orc acted).

The fire of Reijo's torch crackles as raindrops maneuver their way through the thick boughs of the jungle to sizzle away against the stubborn pitch. The rain grows harder as he steps towards the fractured trunk, the canopy giving way to a clear view of grey skies. Charred bark and jagged, blackened remnants of the great tree lay scattered around the base of the trunk like dead upon a battlefield. A strange quiet falls over the land as Reijo prowls closer to peer into the cavernous trunk, Suny close behind.

The flickering torchlight illuminates the chamber beyond, a burrow a good thirty feet in diameter littered with the bones of the dead. Water runs down through gaps in the trunk, all draining into a trough dug around the outside of the circle. The water runs towards the rear-right corner, disappearing into a much smaller tunnel, perhaps barely large enough to accommodate one of the badger-beasts.

The human pinata you'd sought to rescue lays near the rear of the trunk, face-down in the muddied soil. Several bites have been taken out of the man, but there is no sign of the badger-beast that likely did so. He is not moving.

@Dmitri-Yep, stable. For now.

The orc continues to plod down to the base of stairs, growling his disapproval at Tyanos as another arcane bolt strikes him--ignoring his meaty shield entirely. As the orc takes up arm beside his sole standing ally (aside from the man being mauled by the ferret, of course), he stares Tyanos down to make a throat-cutting motion... across Dmitri's neck. As bold as he may be, even Tyanos must admit that something about it unnerves him...

Tyanos is demoralized and becomes shaken for 2 rounds!

Round 5 Brycen, Thomas, and Hadin all still have their actions! Kareta and Eshie are up!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Anything is a weapon if you try hard enough! (Seriously though, I always forget that it's not actually free to pull something of your belt that isn't a weapon. All my other games ignore that nonsense. I mean, sure, a backpack... I digress.) In any case, too late now. Just pretend he's Hulk levels of angry so he got a free move action in there and I don't have to revise anything.

The bandit squirms away from Eshie, but only manages to get half-clunked over the head with a freshly-enchanted flail and get bitten again. Worse, he seems unable to shake the stubborn ferret. He staggers on his feet, barely conscious.

The other one picks himself up off the ground, but remains at the base of the temple stairs to wait for the orc.

Round 4 Dmitri needs to make a stabilization check, and Tyanos is up!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

I figured a standard to drink, move to pick up a helpless creature, and a 5-footer as he trucks forward. As for mechanically, he's now carrying a squishy tower shield to block pesty magic missiles. He is unaware that this is entirely pointless. He is not bright.

Travelling now, real post tonight.

Hope everyone had a good holiday! (Be it the great day of turkey or the day of infinite sales that you choose to celebrate.)

A blast of Tyanos's magic strikes the orc, leaving a scorch mark across his chest. The brute howls in disapproval--then doubles in volume as Brycen shares a bit of dwarven wisdom.

The big orc grabs a flask off his belt--a container you're fairly sure is made from bone--and chugs the contents down before tossing it aside. He grunts, grabs the mostly-lifeless body of Dmitri off the floor, and starts plodding down the temple's stairs with a human shield in front of him...

Round 4 Thomas and Hadin still have actions, Kareta and Eshie are up!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Onward!

The trail of the badger-thing is not hard to follow, given the disturbed brush, muddied ground, and decidedly unsubtle drag-marks of the man it dragged away.

You continue to follow its trail for a little less than half an hour, when it turns suddenly off a game trail and into a dense thicket. The ground slopes gently down a few feet towards a massive tree stump, though the great tree above appears to have broken away long ago. New growths have taken root in the splintered bark, but the leafy growths cannot hide the man-sized opening broken into its side.

The trail leads straight inside, though it's too far away, too dark inside, and too obscured with vines and other foliage to really get a good look in.

Between the rat gnawing on its leg, a swift punt from Suny, and a quick kip-up and slash from Reijo, the big badger goes down in a bloody heap. As quickly as the strange tranquility of the jungle was shattered, it returns... nothing but the wind and rain beat down, as the brush around you lies silent.

And that's that!

Unfortunately, one of the smaller (well, relative smaller, since it was still quite large) badger-beasts got off into the forest with his meat pinata. You could certainly track it but, by your estimates, it seems to be headed off in the wrong direction from the center of the Isle...

Tyanos strikes the bandit with a handful of arcane magic, sending the recovering bandit staggering backward. He shoots a glance at the big orc, grimaces, and turns back to face the fight.

Meanwhile, Thomas continues to have a spot of bad luck with his bow and the wind. Perhaps he'd somehow offended Gozreh, or maybe Desna was busy spreading luck elsewhere, but the results of either were evident... Hadin, too, has similar problems as he raises his flail for another strike and his target scoots out of the path of his attack.

The Big Orc takes a great step to the side, trapping Dmitri between himself and his compatriot as he raises his axe high and returns the nigh-deadly blow with vicious precision. Blood flies from Dmitri's shoulder as the staggering blow nearly decapitates him... The orc howls a brutish war cry of victory as he turns to face the next target of his bestial fury--Hadin.

Dmitri takes 22(!) damage
I believe this drops you unless you have some crazy trick up your sleeve ;.;

With the bandits rallying behind the sucess, Kareta wastes no time putting down the healing bandit with an arrow between the eyes. Eshie scurries back across the battlefield, coming up behind the other bandit engaging Hadin and leaping into a grapple with the man.

The grappled bandit frantically slaps at his arm with his blade, trying to remove the ferret by force. The blow grazes Eshie's snout, but does little to detach the ferocious little (giant) ferret.

Eshie takes 4 damage!

The sole other bandit standing (aside from Big Orc) leaps down from the temple stairs and starts running, but slips on the vast quantity of blood pouring over the steps. He lands facefirst, cracking his jaw hard against a rock.

Bandit takes 4 points of self-esteem damage and is now prone!

Round 3 Tyanos is up!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Suny prowls across the rain-soaked jungle with such expertise she hardly leaves a bootprint behind as she creeps up behind the big badger critter--who's now talking, apparently. Unfortunately, the poor, muddy footing hardly lets her get any force behind her blows. While she strikes the beast, it turns its head at a wonky, impossible angle to sneer at her through too-large teeth.

Finishing botting Nhati for this fight. Nhati, bloody and barely standing, conjures another handful of magical missiles to stop the biggest of the beasties.

MagicMissile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3, 2) + 3 = 10

Bloody from Reijo's counterattack but frenzied on the taste of blood, the big badger-thing ducks low and goes for the leg--a maneuver that looks doubly strange with its strange gait. It scores not only a deadly bite, but drags Reijo to the ground!

Reijo takes 8 damage and is tripped!

The other creature continues its flight, taking the meat pinata with it as it disappears into the thick undergrowth.

A large (and rather ornery) rat falls from the aether as Bellamy finishes his summoning incantations, while Ol' Salty graces the party with the blessing of Gozreh--between the rain and wind falling on the jungle, you might just be getting double the blessing. The rat leaps for the nearest of the baddies, scrambling to gnaw on the biggest badger's leg. It does not seem to notice.

Rat: 1d20 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 1 + 2 = 14

Round 3 Starts Here:

Viktorra lunges at the badger, keeping clear of its teeth as she battle back with the fury of Besmara...

Rapier: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 1 = 27
AwYeahKeen: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 1 = 30
Crit: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (6, 4) + 10 = 20

...which is no small amount of fury. The beast staggers back from the blow, but only looks more angry (if that's possible?).

Reijo, flat on his back between a pair of badgers, shrugs off his condition and figures the only thing to do when your back's to the proverbial (or horizontal, in this case) wall is to fight yer way out. He puts his cutlass through the bottom of the jaw that bit him, spraying blood across his already rain-soaked clothing, then swings an axe up into the big-boss-badger beside him, bringing bloody benediction for Besmara's band. (Please stop me.)

The moderately sized badger-thing does down, and the big 'un has taken a hell of a beating!

Wounded, bloody, and barely standing, the big badger glares unflinchingly into Viktorra's eyes. "This cursed Isle may take me, but it will take all of Besmara's foolish faithful first!"

Its massive jaws close around Viktorra's arm, tearing a huge gash up her sleeve!

Viktorra takes 12 points of damage!

Round 3:Whew. Lots of catchup. Suny, Nhati, Bellamy, and Ol' Salty are up (followed by Vik and Reijo back at the top of the order)!
Ini Order: Viktorra, Reijo, BigBeastie, Suny, Nhati, Bellamy, Ol' Salty

A flare of flame erupts from the unstoppered flask as Tyanos lobs it high over the campsite. It strikes true, shattering as that flare erupts across the bow-wielding bandit.

Skipping Brycen

Thomas nocks an arrow, but an unexpected gust of wind knocks him aim well off target, hitting nothing but the dirt. Hadin raises his flail and brings it down atop the foe before him, who staggers backward from the force of the blow. Though not quite down, the blood runs thick from a gash above his brow and he breathes heavy... aka, staggered at 0

The big orc fellow bellows a rather rude comment about your collective mothers, then leaps down half the steps of the temple to greet Dmitri with the head of his greataxe. Dmitri stops short, ducking left just in time to avoid being cloven in twain. The blow of the axe shears off flecks of stone where it impacts, but this does little to deter Dmitri. He ducks around the rear of the orc and offers his own deadly blow, to much greater effect.

Big orc takes a big beating!

Meanwhile, Kareta and Eshie team up on the longbowman. Kareta's arrow flies true, piercing her target with perfect precision. Eshie, the fury of a ferret undeterred by a touch of alchemical fire, leaps, chomps, and drags the flaming (and screaming) bowman to the ground. The alchemical flames quickly finish having their way with his clothes, and as the flames burn away their accelerant, so too does it burn away the bandit's resistance... Another down!

The bloody bandit before Hadin staggers back on his feet, barely able to see through the growing wound on his forehead. He uncorks a flask that smells vaguely of bad whiskey and quickly chugs it down. The wound patches itself up, at least partially, and he looks a little stronger on his feet.

The javelin-men draw their blades and finish charging into the melee, leaving their longbow-bearing ally to his fate. But as their morale falters, their blows fall with half the strength they should and neither Dmitri nor Hadin have any trouble shrugging off their strikes... though Dmitri is now isolated on the stairs of the temple!

Round 2 Whew. Catchup. Tyanos is up!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Hey everyone! It's been... quite a few months on my end of things. I wish I could say I'd managed my time better and held onto these PbP games properly, but life just has a way of kicking you right in the... well, you know. Repeatedly, sometimes. Things have been complicated but they've at least stabilized enough for me to get back to all the things that got left behind.

I cannot apologize enough to you all for leaving you hanging for this long, but I'm going to be getting caught up on my games this weekend and reading through to get my brain back in the game. I will get a post up this coming weekend and will attempt to return to the normal rate of posting after that.

I also wish I could promise that I won't suddenly go MIA again, but given the current state of real life stuff going down (details REDACTED), I really don't know what's going to come down the pipe these coming months. I will at least give proper notice if I have to go off the grid for extended period again, and apologize for failing to do so.

It's also a busy season for lots of people, so I fully understand that between leaving you hanging, potentially leaving you hanging again, and a general slowdown from normal things anyway, if anyone would like to just take their chips and go.

All that being said... I'm going to attempt to find places to streamline things on my end and keep the game going even despite all the random real-life things going down. At the very least, I think I'm going to leave off botting missing characters. Just too many numbers and spells and powers and stuff to take care of on top of everything else going on.

So yeah. Good to be back. Sorry ;.;

Hey everyone! It's been... quite a few months on my end of things. I wish I could say I'd managed my time better and held onto these PbP games properly, but life just has a way of kicking you right in the... well, you know. Repeatedly, sometimes. Things have been complicated but they've at least stabilized enough for me to get back to all the things that got left behind.

I cannot apologize enough to you all for leaving you hanging for this long, but I'm going to be getting caught up on my games this weekend and reading through to get my brain back in the game. I will get a post up this coming weekend and will attempt to return to the normal rate of posting after that.

I also wish I could promise that I won't suddenly go MIA again, but given the current state of real life stuff going down (details REDACTED), I really don't know what's going to come down the pipe these coming months. I will at least give proper notice if I have to go off the grid for extended period again, and apologize for failing to do so.

It's also a busy season for lots of people, so I fully understand that between leaving you hanging, potentially leaving you hanging again, and a general slowdown from normal things anyway, if anyone would like to just take their chips and go.

All that being said... I'm going to attempt to find places to streamline things on my end and keep the game going even despite all the random real-life things going down. At the very least, I think I'm going to leave off botting missing characters. Just too many numbers and spells and powers and stuff to take care of on top of everything else going on.

So yeah. Good to be back. Sorry ;.;

While Ol' Salty and Bellamy prepare their magical response to the battle, Reijo lays into the beast before him with his cutlass and an insult it (probably) didn't understand in the slightest. Whether it did or didn't, though, doesn't stop Reijo's blade from striking true and drawing blood as the creature gasps a mouthful of blood from its oddly proportioned jaws.

Viktorra turns as she sees something come crashing down from the treetops and onto Nhati, just a few paces behind her. Stuffing her pistol back into her belt, she leaps over the brush towards the creature as she pulls her rapier free. Gleaming through the wet and dreary jungle with a shining blade blessed by Besmara herself, she takes up position behind the beast and strikes!
Move-Move/Swift-SacredWeapon-Keen/Standard-Attack
RapierAtk: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 1 = 15

Eerily quick for its size, the lanky creature ducks away from Viktorra's blow with a wicked, toothy grin. Her eyes go wide as it speaks with the voice of the panicked man you'd heard moments earlier.

"More of Besmara's faithful? How delicious!"

It wastes no time with Nhati, going straight for the clearest devotee of the island's titular goddess--Viktorra. She manages to avoid the gnashing, bony teeth... but takes a direct hit in the chest from the beast's massive and too-long legs. Hoof cracks against armor, knocking the wind out of her.

Viktorra takes 5 damage!

Round 2: Suny and Nhati are up (will wait a bit before botting Nhati)
Ini Order: Viktorra, Reijo, BigBeastie, Suny, Nhati, LittleBeasties, Bellamy, Ol' Salty

Dmitri and Eshie break the treeline as one, the ranger headed for the stairs to the temple while Eshie moves to close on Kareta's target. With a leaping takedown, the giant ferret rolls to the dirt with a bandit in his jaws. The man is frantic and conscious--but only just, as blood pours from the wound in his neck.

He pulls away from Eshie, but only succeeds in tearing a larger hole in his skin. Blood pools as his consciousness fades.

One down!

The bandit in melee with Hadin raises his blade, even as his ears ring from the heavy blow he'd suffered. With a quick, slow slash he manages to get just beneath Hadin's guard. The cut is shallow, but the wetted blade proves that even a paladin is mortal.

Hadin takes 2 points of damage!

The remaining 3 bandits split, even as the halfling turncoat disappears back into the brush. While one splits to head around either side of the meditation pool before the temple, the remaining one pulls a longbow from the ground and levels an arrow at Kareta. The other two draw javelins, hurling them into the fray as they close range on Hadin and Dmitri, respectively. While the arrow goes wide--very, very wide--the two javelins pierce both air and their targets. Though neither javelin strikes perfectly true, both manage to catch an exposed flank and draw blood.

Dmitri and Hadin both take 3 points of damage!

Round 1 Tyanos can finally go!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

@Dmitri - unfortunately, due to the angle and stairs, you won't be able to charge (or close range at all unless you double move). What would you prefer to do?

Kareta puts an arrow through the nearest bandit (who wasn't already taking a flail to the face), knocking him off balance even as he turns on the charging heroes.

Round 1 Eshie is actually up as well, then the baddies, then Tyanos can finally go!
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, Bandits, Tyanos

Brycen is correct, waiting on Dmitri to post his actions. Life stuff has been kicking my ass this week (buddy of mine is getting married this weekend, so I've been helping with all the last minute madness), so I'll wait another day or two for him to post before resorting to botting.

Sorry for the delay, should be back to normal daily posting soon(tm).

Hadin bounds through the brush, raising his shield high as he enters the clearing. He hefts his flail high, rushing at the closest of the brigands and striking with the might of Erastil before he can raise a proper defense.

Atk: 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 22
Dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

The heavy head of his flail cracks against the unsuspecting bandit, the sound of the impact quickly drawing the attention of the others from the opposite side of the clearing back towards you. A few frantic shouts and a whole lot of pointing does little to stop them from being too far to aid their ally.

The flimsy door built over the temple's entrance flies open as a brutish green hulk stomps out from within. "What the hell's the meaning of this racket?" His eyes go wide as he spots Hadin (et. al.), and he shouts to the heavens with a roar of both anger and frustration. He holds in his hand an axe. A very, very large axe. And he looks like the sort that doesn't have a whole lot of trouble swinging it around.

Round 1
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, Big Orc, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, ???, Tyanos

Nhati staggers back, critically wounded by the beast landing just beside her. Blood pours from her wound even as she struggles to weave a bit of magical retaliation. She pulls back just far enough to finish conjuring a few magic missiles.

MagicMissile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4, 3) + 3 = 11

Meanwhile, Suny appears out of nowhere to plant a pair of swift strikes from her blade into the flank of the healthy-looking beast out in the clearing. The first strikes true, drawing blood and a yelp of pain, but the second glances just awry as the creature twists away from the blow.

The other pair of critters break off in the different directions. The wounded one takes a leaping chomp at the hanging man, tearing him down from the tree (the body, strangely, makes no sound, nor effort to move or react to the attack) and drags it off towards the jungle. The other snarls at Suny, but ignores her in favor of the one tossing steel across the field--sprinting full-speed at Reijo, who had helped lead the charge through the brush.

This does provoke an AoO from Suny as he departs your threatened area.

The two clash with a combination of tooth and steel, the creature's jaws managing to close around Reijo's forearm as he beat the beast back.

Reijo takes 17 points of damage!
Round 1 Bellamy and Salty are up
Ini Order: Viktorra, Reijo, BigBeastie, Suny, Nhati, LittleBeasties, Bellamy, Ol' Salty

Viktorra strides through the brush with all the fury of the Pirate Queen's favored, leveling her pistol at the same critter Reijo stuck with his dagger. "I'm no bosun, but Besmara sends her regards all the same." The thunderclap of her pistol's report resounds across the jungle, scattering what few animals had stuck close to the fight.

Atk/DeadlyAim: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 1 - 2 = 18
Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

The bullet nearly takes the creature's head off, but instead finds its shoulder. It careens sideways, bleeding terribly from the pair of projectiles put through its flank. It turns on the group, teeth gnashing in equal parts anger and hunger.

There's a flash of motion through the canopy as something scampers across into the trees above you, and then another blur of soggy fur as it half-climbs, half-falls down the tree behind your group. The creature looks up at you, towering as tall as a man at the shoulder and offering Nhati a toothy grin of bony fangs before lunging to take a rather serious chomp out of her.

Nhati takes 16 points of damage!

Round 1 Suny&Nhati are up; will wait a day or two for Nhati to post before botting
Ini Order: Viktorra, Reijo, BigBeastie, Suny, Nhati, ???, Bellamy, Ol' Salty

They walk on four legs most of the time, but stand up really awkwardly on two legs sometimes... they're really weird looking critters, basically.

I'll give Vik another day to chime in before botting and continuing.

Dmitri: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
Tyanos: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Hadin: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Thomas: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Brycen: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Kareta: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Eshie: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

After a few moments lying in wait, you hear the frantic footfalls of your conspirator running into the campsite. A few shouted words are exchanged, though you can make out the vague semblance of a few directions and see a few panicked hand gestures through the thick undergrowth.

As instructed, the halfling thief points their attention straight east--away from where you've positioned yourselves. Showtime, part two!

Round 1
Ini Order: Brycen, Thomas, Hadin, ???, Kareta, Dmitri, Eshie, ???, Tyanos