Jillian's eyes pop open after the healing washes over her. She leaps to her feet as if ready to fight once more, but as she looks for the threat she takes in the devastation the dragon has wrought and sees the vile creature has been brought to its end. She falls to her knees as tears swell in her eyes at the loss their community has endured this day, but takes a deep breath as she pushes back the tears thinking to herself "Thank Erastil I stayed behind, it could have been much worse..."
Once people have mourned for a bit she goes to work helping Emil prepare the dead. Each of those that have died in defense of their little community she leans in close and whispers to them "Thank you for your sacrifice, may you rest in peace." She takes a moment longer as they deal with Herge who came to their defense even though the giant wasn't really one of them.
As conversation turns to the here and now and the groups future she chimes in "It is horrible what has happened here, but like Wren said everyone knew the risks and had we left them behind it is just as likely they would have all been caught and most likely killed by the hobgoblins. At least here, so many have still survived. For the short term, let's make sure the fort is secure. Get everyone inside, tend to the dead, and figure out our next steps."
Hey everyone. Shadowlord pinged me and mentioned you were getting ready to move on to the next book. I'm looking at starting to get back into my games since things have finally settled a bit in my life. I'm working on reading through things just to catch up a bit and then I hope to get back into posting again soon.
Sorry for the long silence a lot been going on and after getting pinged on Discord I wanted to drop a note in all my games. I'm actually doing a lot better now, pretty much fully recovered. However, my wife has been really sick, last month she was in the hospital for a week and I'm sitting in the surgery center now waiting to see how things turn out on a few hour procedure she is currently in. Depending on how invasive the surgery is I may be dealing with a lot for at least a month or so taking care of her and the kids and working. On top of that with the holidays coming and the normal delays that revolve around that I am going to say that it's going to be at least January before I look at picking things up again. Maybe if things get better sooner I will try jumping back in before that but I feel like early January is going to be more realistic.
If you need to move on without me I understand feel free to set my character aside or find a replacement if needed and when I check back we can go from there. Sorry for all the absent time, these last few months have just really kicked my butt first physically, then mentally and emotionally. Hope you all are keeping safe and have a good Thanksgiving and Christmas for those who celebrate.
Hey, I wanted to drop in and give all my games an update. I'm still alive, obviously, but I did have COVID. I've managed to stay out of the hospital and off a ventilator. However, I'm still not fully recovered. Even though I'm outside my two week symptomatic/infectious period by over a week there are some lingering issues that are still weighing on me (continued shortness of breath, getting light headed, overall fatigue). I doing my best to push through it but it is barely just enough to get me through work everyday and doesn't leave a lot of time for anything else. I would like to give a hard and fast "I'll be back and up to playing again by this time", but sadly at this point I can't. It could be a couple weeks or it could be a couple months for me to get used to this new (hopefully temporary) norm on top of a few other things going on.
All this to say, I'm ok, I'm trying my best to manage, but I can't give you a hard "this is when I will be back". I understand it has been awhile as it is, between this most recent struggle with COVID and my past slowness with finishing up my graduate stuff so if you need to move on without me I completely understand and I'm just sorry that right as I was getting back into things again this whole virus thing came along and knocked me back down again. I'll check in again once I feel I'm up to playing with everything else I am balancing.
Dropping a note in all my games. Finished up with school yesterday, just waiting on the audit for me to officially be done and graduate even though there are no commencements with the whole virus thing. Wife is doing better after brief stint in the hospital. Looking at starting to get back into my games and get posting again sometime this week. My work is really crazy as first kids were coming back on the 17th but now everything is going to be virtual for an indeterminate amount of time, but teachers are coming back still and there is a lot of questions floating out there so bare with me as I ease into catching up on things and getting back into a regular posting routine again over the next week or so.
Jillian considers there options and then notes "All things considered, perhaps I could use my magic to draw one of the sets of bridge guards away so we have one way to enter? I could try and get them to help me 'capture' you all. Run up to one of the bridge and call for their help. Say I escaped from you and that with their help we might be able to capture you all?"
She looks to everyone questioningly, wondering if anyone had a better idea.
Jillian nods to Wren's words "I fear this may be the case. However, with the enemy still here perhaps there will be more we can save this time as compared to the other fort."
Turning to Caspan and Thael she notes "I'm not looking to go in there and start a fight, but if I can get past the guards on the bridge and they don't suspect anything then perhaps I can scout out the place and report back with no one being the wiser and we will know whether it is worth us trying to take this fort back. Do we have any potions or anything to make me invisible if things went horribly wrong?"
She pauses and then looks to Selde before noting "Unless you think you could find a way to stealthily get in there?"
Jillian adds to the suggestions "I could also use my magic to approach and try and find out more of what is going on. It's risky as I'm not a great liar but if we can come up with a good story that doesn't involve lying I'm sure I can pass it off. Maybe something about surviving the fey at the first fort we visited, which isn't a lie because we did in fact survive our encounter with them."
Jillian is surprised at the cache they have found. She was expecting maybe a couple of things, but this was enough they could likely arm their entire group just in case. Either was she notes "Seems we have found what Cirieo had mentioned. Since it doesn't appear there are any further threats, maybe we go and get him, make sure we aren't missing anything and ask about the tombs? We will probably need the help of some of the survivors too to lug this stuff all out of here."
Jillian nods to Emil's words and asks Caspan to help seal the tombs once again for now "I agree, we should check with Cirieo on this and leave them be for now. Let's check this door and finish clearing the place so we can go and get him."
She moves to the door with the two keys ready to open it when the others are.
When Selde tells them about the hall Jillian just shakes her head and smiles "Well... I am glad we went down the other hall instead! Can you disable it so we can get the key safely?"
Jillian gives a nod to the others "Let's check the hall for traps, grab the other key, come check the crypt and then try the doors. Sound like a plan?"
Jillian helps Selde up after the thing goes down and puts her blade away for the time being. Looking at their options she notes "Looks like we will need to get the other key to open these doors. Just... let's go slow and make sure there aren't traps like the last one after I took the key. Do we want to check this crypt first though?" She looks to the others and then notes "I mean, are we all ok to continue? Emil's healing fixed up my injuries."
With little else to do than to try and put the construct down Jillian glares at it when it kicks Selde twice but puts all she has into attack it hoping to end it.
Dropping a note in all my games. I am hoping things won't change too much, but wanted to forewarn my games that there may be some delays in my posting. My work schedule is usually busiest over the summer months and while it is slow right now I know at some point it will get crazy busy when I start getting shipments in of hundreds of new computers for a rebuild of one of my schools I manage. On top of this I am finishing up my dual MBA/MSIS this summer with three classes in a condensed 8-week semester.
All of this to say, I will do my best to keep up and if I know of major delays I will try to notify people (like when it is finals week), but if I do end up disappearing for a few days here or there just know it won't be long term. All the craziness I have going on over the next couple months should primarily be wrapped up near the end of July.
As always, if you need something quick you can generally ping me on Discord.
Forgot to update Jillian's status she is at 27/51. @Emil, I don't think the arrow hit Caspan. Also, @GM is that damage right? 1d20+13 What weapon does D20 damage :P
Jillian is too caught up in her attack to dodge out of the way of the explosion of splinters this time, luckily it wasn't as big of an explosion as the last one.
Injured she presses the attack hoping to put this thing down before it can do more damage to anyone as she steps up and swings her blade.
With the one down Jillian moves up to see where the archer went and ends up getting an arrow in the shoulder for her trouble. She calls back to the others "It is way down the hall."
She moves back to giver herself some space and then runs toward the pit to jump over.
Jillian avoids most of the flying splinters, but between that and the spears from the trap she reaches down to heal her wounds before leveling her blade at the new foe.
Jillian thanks Emil after the healing. Once they start downstairs and they come to the corridor with the plaques she stops and gives them an odd look. "I wonder if these oddly placed plaques have any special meaning?"
She turns and looks to Selde "Possibly warnings of traps ahead or something?" She frowns and then purses her lips "I'm glad we didn't bring Cirieo any closer with the trolls being here, but he may have known more about what this was all about."
He said you didn't have to cast the spear as the troll was already dead. Caspan is at -1/64 as noted in his Quick Stats spoiler and Jillian is 18/51 as noted in her Status spoiler. I believe Thael may be at 25/44
When the vicious troll drops Jillian brings up her blade and slashes deeply at its throat hoping to keep it down until the others can stop its healing.
Jillian reaches down to heal some more of her wounds before she strikes out at the troll trying to lay it low before it can turn to attack her once again. She calls out to her god "Erastil help me end this vile creature before it can destroy other lives and communities!"
As Emil's healing washes over her, Jillian's eyes flutter open. The pain she is feeling is immense but she remembers what is happening. She's not a fool though and continues to lay their, touching some of the worst of the wounds to slowly heal them.
Jillian considers Wren's words and for a moment is about to try talking to the troll, but then she just shakes her head. If even half of what the troll says it has done is true, eating elves and killing other humans, she can't allow such a vile creature to continue to hurt others and destroy communities.
With the one troll down Jillian advances to within 10 feet of the next troll and takes up a defensive stance ready for them to attack. Hoping to draw their attention away from tossing rubble at the others in the back line.
Jillian takes a step back, her blade at the ready for when one of them tries to come into the hall to attack. She notes to the others "We should be able to hold them here, just take care if there is a way to get around us."
Jillian nods to Wrens words but shakes her head to Emil "We're already here and they are outnumbered, if they are anything like the hounds let's just strike them down and then burn them until they die."
Once everyone is ready Jillian will lead the way with her sword drawn, hoping to get the jump on the group of trolls. She will cast a spell on herself just as they are about to approach. Protection from Evil
Jillian indeed makes her way back "Seems like those hounds were pets for actual trolls. They seem to be playing a game or something. I can try talking to them if you want though not sure how well it will go..."
Even if we left him behind initially now that we found the place and at least cleared the entrance we should go back and get him assuming he knows where we should look for the cache of weapons.
Jillian senses the things aren't inherently evil, but assumes this is likely to end in a fight and as her companions spring to action with attacks she knows there is no other option than to rush forward and join the fight.
Jillian is about to pull her sword to defend the others when Selde starts tossing the bodies and it seems to appease the creatures. Jillian steps up to help her as best she can so they can continue on their way.
Maybe the dwarf can use the scimitar to fix Thael's father's sword at some point?
Once they gather anything of value Jillian hurries them on "Let's go before they change their mind."
