HP 30/30 AC 17, Touch 12, Flatfooted 15, CMD 18, Saves F +9, R +6, W +8 [+2 vs. enchantments]; Perception +7, Sense Motive +1; Init +2 | Status: Normal
As the others investigated the camp site, Yash set to taking care of the horses. He drew one of his bone daggers and cut away a corner of his own blanket. Then he used the bone dagger to dig a shallow hole in the ground. With the aid of grandfather's spirit, he summoned water to fill the hole. He lead one of the horses over to drink and began to wipe it down as it did. He repeated this process several times, talking to the horses one at a time in a quiet voice, patting them down and finally inspecting their hooves.
Handle Animal:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
For a minute his thoughts drifted to Xing. Her magics would have been helpful to have, able to heal the horses all at once. He shrugged, and used his own healing magics to help the horses along in their recovery.
Once finished, he pulled a small pieces of black bread out of his pack of rations and started breaking all small bits to feed to the horses, all the while nibbling on some hard sausage and keeping his ears open.
HP 30/30 AC 17, Touch 12, Flatfooted 15, CMD 18, Saves F +9, R +6, W +8 [+2 vs. enchantments]; Perception +7, Sense Motive +1; Init +2 | Status: Normal
Yash, not wanting to be outdone by Xing, grabs everything else he can carry and hauls it back to the others. Setting everything down as gently as he can muster, he presents the written note to Senna and asks "read?"
Pip should get a full share. I like for the people standing in front of me to be as equipped as possible. If they fall down too soon, then I have to run away and that is really inconsiderate.
The rain plinked against the stone street as Lina took shelter in the shadows of a covered doorway. The building was run down, broken windows, the door hanging loosely on one hinge, and holes in some of the walls that were still intact. Her hand squeezed the pouch repetitively, as if with a mind of its own.
She sighed. The rain wasn't likely to let up for while, she thought. No use in prolonging the inevitable. Still, rushing back wasn't the wisest course of action either, although it wasn't wisdom that guided her.
She tried to pull the hood farther over her head with her free hand, but it was like trying to tighten a belt already set in it's last hole. It just wasn't going to get any better. She set out into the rain with a single thought in her head, best not to keep the old man waiting. He was not known for his patience.
She navigated the city streets in the dark, sticking to the alleyways as much as possible. The gold she carried couldn't be traced back to it's owner, at least not by the watch, but the guards wouldn't care. They'd throw her into a cell regardless. One dressed as she was didn't carry that many coins.
It wasn't the watch she feared, but the old man. The delay would not sit well with him, and she would not be the one paying for her tardiness. She gritted her teeth as she remembered the last time she was forced to watch as his thugs had whipped the others in her stead. A lash for every minute she was late he had said, and she didn't doubt his word. He was vindictive if nothing else.
Before she realized it, she was standing underneath the overhang of a building, staring at the door she used every time. Her eyes drifted down to stare at the puddle at her feet, her vision drifting to another time, before she had met him, before he took her in. You knew what you were getting into but, but what choice did you have? Die poor and hungry in the dirt? At least she had a dry bed to sleep in. That's what she had kept telling herself.
She opened the door a crack, just enough to reach in and slip the wire of the hook before she pushed the door the rest of the way open and ducked inside. She heard the waling scream, slammed the door closed and darted for the main room. "I'm back" she called out as she entered the dank room.
"You're late" he said, "three minutes, to be precise. You know I get...bored, when kept waiting."
"I'm sorry, I had to avoid the watch." It wasn't a total lie.
"No excuses. You know the rules." He turned and looked at the burly man holding the belt. "Proceed."
Two more lashes and it was done. She handed the old man the pouch and rushed to the girl's side. She took her weight and started to help her to the cot when the old man held out his hand.
"You're payment, unless you don't want it" he said with a leer.
Lina tried her hardest to maintain a neutral expression, but a frown still found its way free as her eyes looked to what he was holding.
She adjusted the girl's weight to free her hand and moved to accept the small vial. She tucked it into her belt and carried the girl the rest of the way to her cot, laying her down on her stomach as gently as she could. After wiping her back with a wet rag, she finally took a seat on her own cot.
She didn't know how long she held the vial in hands, only that the night was getting later. Trying to hold the tears in, she popped the top off the vial and downed the contents before she laid down. Her eyes only stayed open for a few more minutes before she drifted off to sleep, the last image before she faded away of the burly man with his belt tossed casually over her shoulder and one hand holding up his pants as he smiled.
Lina looked at Nicolai. "He won't face the noose, and he won't come quietly. He is a sadistic old man, who relishes his power. He won't give it up without blood. I'm not saying we shouldn't try, but no one deals with Lamm and walks away with clean hands."
Lina continued to stare into her lap, refusing to make eye contact with Zellara even as she performed the harrowing. She's right. My own hands aren't clean in this.
She took a deep breath as her eyes darted to Audria and back towards her own hands. "I will go. I am no warrior, but I will do what I can. I have eyes and ears, better than most, and I'm often overlooked and unnoticed. I have quiet feet and fast hands, and I have personal experience with Lamm."
"I will also help with the children however I can, after, and for as long I can."
Alec had never seen anything like the troll hound before, but it was an animal and he a hunter. His spear stabbed forward, his shield ready to block the massive jaws of the beast, just like his father had taught him.
Vraxis: Hp 23/27 | AC: 20, T: 15, FF: 17, CMD: 18 | Saves F +7, R +6, W +8 (+2 vs. fear)| Init +3 | Perception +13, Sense Motive +2 | Status: Normal
Fang:
Fang: Hp 29/37 | AC: 20, T: 16, FF: 17, CMD: 17 | Saves F +5, R +5, W +2 | Init +3 | Perception +6, Sense Motive +1 | Status: Normal
"Oh sure, just use a bigger rock why don'ts ya. Stupid gobbo's, ruining my net. That's what you get" the little halfling shouted.
"You's gotta go. Get outta here. I can intercept what's coming and lead them away. Hide our tracks too. Take the gobbo bodies wit you. Braden's big deer should be able to carry 'em a ways. Drops em at different spots as you go. We can meet back at the caves, rest some, and then see about hitting the camp."
If the last hobgoblin doesn't fall to Team Braden, Vraxis will sling another stone.
Vraxis: Hp 23/27 | AC: 20, T: 15, FF: 17, CMD: 18 | Saves F +7, R +6, W +8 (+2 vs. fear)| Init +3 | Perception +13, Sense Motive +2 | Status: Normal
Fang:
Fang: Hp 29/37 | AC: 20, T: 16, FF: 17, CMD: 17 | Saves F +5, R +5, W +2 | Init +3 | Perception +6, Sense Motive +1 | Status: Normal
Well if I (Vraxis) was on patrol and I saw smoke, I would go investigate. I'm thinking they would to. I think I can use the smoke stick to draw them to a place of my choosing. Another ambush spot is perfectly fine, or a natural hazard of some kind. Quicksand, a cliff, a river, poisonous plants, animal cave, anything really would work just as well.
I was also thinking about taking the time to make a trap with the net.
"She just doesn't get it...I doubt she ever will."
"The black rider doesn't matter. Sure, it's power, but power without purpose is like Samuel's musket with no target. And she seems pretty irritated for being emotionless." Alec couldn't help but smile. "But she means well enough. She just sees things differently. That ain't bad...just different. We all see things different. We're different, but that doesn't change anything."
"Don't you get it? She's the key to all this" he said with a nod towards Letitia.
"She knows their ways, the way they think, likely what they'll do next. She knows more about the rest of this place than any of us do, even if she's forgotten most of it. She knows what they're capable of, how they'll respond, how they'll try to fight us, even how they may guard their holdings, and she knows their magic. She's the only chance we have at seeing this thing through."
Alec turned to head towards one of the private rooms, stopping long enough to put his hand on Letitia's shoulder.
"She's not your enemy. None of us are. I will stand with you until the end, whatever end that may be. And I will try to learn whatever language you can teach...although I am not a smart man."
"We should all get some rest. Sleep well my friends."
"YOU INSOLENT FOOLS! YOU WANT THE WOLF? YOU SHALL FEEL MY FANGS. I WILL SUCK THE MARROW FROM YOU BONES YOU WRETCH!" he shouted.
Alec stepped back as his fists clenched. His head snapped back and his muscles tensed as he unleashed a howl and activated the magic of the pelt to begin his transformation to a winter wolf.
With no weapons on his body, and not wanting to use the magic of the cloak too early, Alec hustles forward toward a foe and attempts to rip the weapon from it's hands.
"YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A B&#&#!" Alec's anger rose to the surface and exploded him into action. He stepped behind Ashling and forward to the blinded man, his falcata arced up into the air and came down, screaming through the air towards the man's shoulder.
Alec began to smile. "You're going to die here today. Even if you kill me, you won't get her. You've failed, and either way, you'll pay with your life." He spit into the snow and began to laugh. He stabbed forward with his falcata, but the wolf's bite had left his arm mangled and the attempt was feeble. His other arm, his shield hand still had strength and fight left and came around to smack the wolf in the snout.
Alec's mouth began to open but he quickly shut it, biting his tongue so as to remain silent. There was no point his remarks worthwhile so he remained silent as Letitia spoke. For a moment he even for the woman. He could not fathom someone asking his own father to kill him, or if his father would have even briefly considered it. No, he knew better.
"Too bad they didn't kill you...for this Queen I mean. I'm sure she will regret that decision."
"What would have happened to your family had your mother refused? Do they still live?"
Alec nodded as Letitia presented the bear trap. "I will do my best" he said as he accepted the trap and started looking around the camp. He eventually settled on a spot somewhat out of the way where no one would accidentally wander into it.
Survival:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Alec felt the hairs on his neck stand up as the wolves approached, as if he could sense the danger in the cold snow and surrounding trees. As the others turned to react, he simply bolted. He darted past the others, past the sleds and trees and everything else. In the blink of an eye, he stood before the boy, spear held in both hands, trying to keep the wolves at bay.
Double move
Cold-Honed:
Half-elves from arctic regions with this racial trait can move through natural snow and ice at their normal speed and gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves to avoid nonlethal damage from cold environments. This racial trait replaces the elven immunities racial trait.
"I confess. I am a simple man. From a simple village and a simple life. And yet I'm not sorry I don't enslave others. I'm not sorry that I don't kill children and curse their souls over petty slights. And I'm not sorry I don't know about your world or these other places you speak of. And if it is as you say, then Heldren suits me just fine."
"I can try... ...if you can keep your wife away from me."
If it's been more than an hour since setting off the last trap, I will take 20 with a +10 modifier. If it's been less than an hour, it's only a +9 modifier.
His eyes slowly fluttered open as he stared down at the cold floor. Every inch of his body ached, and his own blood still stained his clothes. He slowly picked himself up, reaching for his waterskin before his fallen weapon. He nodded simply as the others occasionally approached and watched silently as they went about their business. It may not have shown on his face, but he was happy to be alive. He was much less concerned with their great victory or the trophies they had seemingly won. In fact the more he looked around, taking in the scenery of cold carnage, the more he simply longed for home.
Eventually he stood up and collected his falcata. He slowly paced around the room and finally took up a defensive position to guard the doors as the others made their preparations.
The situation quickly became grim. The cold was almost supernatural. Alec couldn't remember the last time he had felt such biting frost. He gritted his teeth against the pain and swung his falcata at the elemental to his left. Using his momentum, he spun in place and brought his shield around at the same level to smack into the elemental. He then shifted to his right to block the other elementals from encroaching on the others.
Striding forward, Alec focused his anger and swung his falcata straight at the woman's humongous sword. Hoping the maneuver would catch her off guard, he aimed to send the woman's massive sword flying out of her hands.
Vraxis: Hp 23/27 | AC: 20, T: 15, FF: 17, CMD: 18 | Saves F +7, R +6, W +8 (+2 vs. fear)| Init +3 | Perception +13, Sense Motive +2 | Status: Normal
Fang:
Fang: Hp 29/37 | AC: 20, T: 16, FF: 17, CMD: 17 | Saves F +5, R +5, W +2 | Init +3 | Perception +6, Sense Motive +1 | Status: Normal
"Now don't you go presuming to give me orders missy. You ain't my momma. You listen now, and you listen good. Fang and I are getting up early and scoutin' ahead and I don't wanna hear no more words about it. You understand?"
"And I ain't got time to jibber-jabber with you no more. Fang and I's got to get some sleep. Lots to do tomorrow."
Vraxis glanced back towards the ravine where the bridge stood the day before.
With a hushed voice, he whispered "gods be with you Mal and Dominic."
The weasel's enormous claw opened a gash along Alec's forearm and left it very weak. He could barely hold onto his sword as he swung the blade feebly. With his healthy arm, he smashed the face of his shield into the weasel, hoping to send it running.
just to point out as im not certain what the ruling here specifically is, but when someone is healed while unconscious and dying is auto stabilizes and brings them to 0. i only say, cause it says minus 2
I've never heard of healing bringing someone to 0 and can find no rule that confirms this. Do you have a source?
Alec stalked forward, drawing his falcata out as he approached the doll. The anger welling up in him was suddenly released, but the rage clouded his vision and the blade evaded the tiny doll.
"I've seen these take off limbs before. It's a shame to leave them behind, especially if they are Kepp's. Anything caught in them will likely die slow and painfully, but they are tricky to disarm..."
Alec looked at Letitia. "...and we've wasted enough time already."
Survival:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
"This way" he said as he tried to continue leading the group forward.
Jeji rocked back and forth as Perrik's head laid in her lap. As the kobold's life force left his body, a single tear rolled down Jeji's face, soon followed by another and another. At first she brushed them away. But after the first, stopped, and simply let them fall. She could not hide it anymore. The toll this journey was taking on them was high indeed. She quietly began to sing, a quiet song she remembered from her rearing. She didn't know what else to do. She wasn't inspired by the divine, didn't have Kricker's gift of magic, or Perrik's, so she did the only thing she could think to do in such a situation. She sang, a woeful song to let the dead know that another was coming to join their warren.
As Letitia passed the cloak to Baradim, Alec looked to the lady. Knowing her tattered clothing would not protect her against the elements, he used the same trick he used on Baradim to protect her from the cold.
Survival:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
With the loss of Greadra and its effect on Baradim, Alec took point on the walk back to Heldren. It was slow going, partly because of the snow, but for Alec it was more do to the extra equipment he now carried. With everything they had found, he was loaded down like a pack mule. He didn't mind, he was used to it.
Once they arrived in town, he gathered with the others. "I know most of the vendors in town. They're used to me selling wares and supplies. Shouldn't take but a few hours, depending on how much they haggle" he said with a grin.
"Letitia, you might as well take some time to make whatever you can. I think we're going to need all the help we can get." He looked to the Lady Argentea and bowed.
As Samuel made his report to Ionnia, Alec was quiet and listened. The man certainly knew what he was doing. Alec wondered just how long he had been a soldier. It seemed to come naturally from Samuel. In the end, he placed his own hand on Samuel's shoulder. "I am with you. It would not do my father proud to abandon his home, my home, to whatever is coming."
"Cold weather gear, snow shoes, healing potions, maybe some of that bottled fire you used, more of that weapon coating you shared with Samuel. There are a lot of tools we could use to better arm ourselves with. We can escort the lady back to safety, turn in this scum to the local constable" he said as he nodded towards the unconscious man.
"It would seem we all have a shared hatred for those who are driving this, or a motive to end this...and them, but it would be folly to go rushing in emotionally."
He glanced out towards where Baradim had headed. "Haven't we already paid the price, in blood, to learn that lesson?" he asked solemnly.
As the healing energy washed over him, he nodded his thanks. "Much obliged ma'am. My name is Alec, a local hunter in these parts." He sheathed his sword and offered his empty hand to Callix.
Alec followed the necromancer, never more than a few feet between them. His falcata stayed in his hand, and it was never more than a few inches from the man. It would seem that losing one of their own had changed them. It was one thing to be fighting for their lives, but now with the man surrendered, could they kill an unarmed man? Would they? Would he? He longed for the man to try something...anything, give him any reason to slay the man. His thoughts began to drift to a darker place.
Kill him, and say he tried something. None of them would blame you...
Qina would never object to helping the group or the children. Btw, I don't know if you meant to say "snacking some sense" but that works so much better for Qina and Brezik.
Alec's eyes fluttered open as he laid on the floor. He rolled over onto his back, staring straight up at the ceiling of the lodge, not really sure where he was. He heard the shouts of those around him, heard the growl from the great cat, and the ring of steel on steel, and instantly recognized what was happening. He sat up quickly, his arm reaching blindly for his spear.
The pain made him unsteady and caused him to wince. As his eyes opened again, he saw Snowpaw and Baradim in melee with another, one he did not recognize. He gave up on searching for the spear and forced himself to get up, his body still adjusting to the pain. Once on his feet, he stumbled to his side, drawing his falcata as he moved. Luckily, his shield was still lashed to his arm.
move action to stand-up.
move action to draw weapon.
5-foot step to current map position.
Hustling through the door and past the closest bandits, Alec rushed the ones attempting to bring their bows to bear.
When fighting wolves, he knew they would try to surround him. He was counting on it. He hoped to draw their attention to himself so the others could choose their targets. In their diminished capacity, he had to afford his companions any advantage they could get, so he raised his shield high and focused more on protecting himself.
I'm enjoying it as well. These first few encounters/chapters are always interesting to see how groups come together. Major plots aren't always enough to keep individuals together since people see things differently, but this one has been pretty unique so far. Not just the typical 'must kill bad guy plot because he's bad' mentality. We all seem to have our unique reasons for being along and that's really entertaining to see it evolve and how it affects the group dynamics.
There will always be combat just around the corner. I like to take advantage of the opportunities to role play and have those character defining moments.
I was pretty sure you weren't going to shoot, but Alec isn't quite as sure.
Alec spit on the ground in contempt for the now still undead. He knelt down, one knee in the snow and scooped up a handful. First he cleaned the blade of his spear off. Then he grabbed another handful of snow and packed it on his arm, where the zombie claw had ripped into his flesh. He grimaced with the pain but it also served to keep him focused.
He stood up and began walking around slowly, eyes focused on the ground.
Taking 20 on Perception to look for tracks if possible, otherwise...
Standing quietly behind the others, Sarrissa had been pondering where to go first. While it would have been nice to relax at the inn and maybe speak to others about what had transpired, the potential to learn more about both what was occurring and her own clouded past was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. She followed behind the others as they headed to the library, deep in conversation in her own head.
The library, like the rest of Evereska, was awe inspiring, and overwhelming. She didn't know where to begin. Despite several scoldings from Jerr-Dann, she decided to approach a librarian to ask for assistance.
Diplomacy:1d20 ⇒ 14
"Uhm, excuse me. Could you help me locate some information?"
"So let's see what happens when we try to remove it from this place...and maybe we're not the first visitors..."
"If a person traveled back through time, their old version likely wouldn't know anything that had occurred in their future. Maybe someone hid it here in this time period. Assuming a person could travel the through time, there would be no safer place to hide something in their own time. Ugh. This is starting to make my head hurt" Sarrissa said as she began to rub her temples.
The children, still apprehensive, slowly approach the tree. One by one at first, but soon the rest follow. Mostly ignoring the apples themselves, they set about climbing and jumping all over the tree. A sensation Warden had not experienced before spreads throughout it's branches. While the children tickled almost like squirrels and chipmunks as they played, the sound of laughter was something new to Warden, ghostly as it was.
The longer the children played, the more excited and comfortable they got. Running around the tree, playing tag, even jumping out of the tree and into the bush named Fang resting at the base...
Without even a nod, Sloat simply turned and followed Ragnar outside. For the briefest of moments, the smallest of smiles may have even crept onto the decrepit priest's face but even if it was there, it was gone in an instant.
