"We need to warn the others, inspect everything, and post guards." Zec starts to put this plan into action, pulling further back and preparing to head out.
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Zec continues to hang back but studies the other group carefully, looking for any useful clues about their intent, their abilities, their condition, etc. Perception:
Zec and Ash immediately shrink back into the shadows. Zec watches the antics with trepidation. How can they be here. I thought we were rid of them. We must warn the others.
"I think the jagged runes on the holy symbols represent a cult dedicated only to the lightning and storm aspect of Gozreh."
"It seems a bit gruesome, but do you think the robes and weapons may come in handy if we want to try to sneak in?"
Zec walks beside Ash, ready to mount again as needed.
"Thank you for your help. It sounds like a truly frightful experience. Who are the Lindell brothers, or maybe, who were they?"
"My friends are right, Nemmia is in custody. What do you know of her plans and actions? Any details you can provide, no matter how small, may help us put things right and preserve life."
Zec also offers a water skin and gently approaches the girl. Murmuring soothing words, Zec sits down next to her and speaks of Nature's healing abilities present in every living being. As they feel positive energy infuse their hands, Zec reaches out to lay them gently upon Aima.
Zec follows Drake as backup. Upon seeing the family they address the mephits again, though in a firm enough voice that it is clearly also meant for the victims as instructions on what to do. "We are going to untie these creatures but they will remain here, so you are still following your instructions and no violence is needed."
Zec looks at the mephits, compassion clear upon their face, and quietly asks, "What would it take to release you from this duty and allow you to return home? If you can share Nemmia's goals, perhaps we can help?" I do not like to see any creature used so. Ash and I stay together by mutual choice. These creatures do not seem to choose this place.
Regarding healing
Zec looks at Drake and sighs, "I do wish we'd had a chance to fully heal everyone. Perhaps you should stand guard outside and be our backup?" They then nudge Ash with their knobbly knees and the drake surges forward as the hobgoblin begins chanting and weaving a pattern in the air before them. A frosty cold ray shoots toward one of the fire mephits.
Sorry - swamped with family and Emerald Con. Will try to catch up soon.
Zec stays back and asks quietly, "Do you want us to go to the other end? Just in case we need to stop escapees or want to trap them between us? That is, if we aren't going to back away."
Drake's player wanted me to pass on that he is incredibly stressed by work and life at the moment. We should make decisions and move the game on without him, botting Drake as needed. He will rejoin us as soon as he is able.
"I think we should close the door and keep our distance, we still have two wounded in our party." Zec is careful to remain out of sight and use no more than a whisper to communicate.
Once the plant is dealt with, Zec immediately casts Stabilize on Rhoxl, then approaches Drake, places a hand on the big cat's chest, and wills healing energy into their friend.
"Like we practised," Zec mutters as they leap onto Ash's back. The hobgoblin uses leg signals to guide the drake past the plant creature, away from it but closer to their fallen companion. As the drake moves, Zec concentrates on drawing in the power of life and sending it as positive energy toward Drake, hoping to provide a boost to their survival.
Zec is shocked by the vicious and efficient attack on Drake. They quietly gesture to Ash and continue to carefully back away from the plant. The druid then, once more, gathers fire into their hands and tries to carefully aim at the menacing flora.
Seeing the plant move and hearing Rhoxl's directions, Zec steps carefully back, keeping Ash by their side and forms a ball of fire between their hands before lobbing it toward the plant creature.
Posted for Drake as well as Zec. As far as I know, we are waiting for Naatalu and Rhoxl to creep around behind the creature? If we are meant to be doing something else, please let us know. Drake is ready to lob axes at the thing and make loud distracting noises while running (away) if necessary. Zec is ready to cast Produce Flame or if more appropriate because of range Ray of Frost
Zec, Ash, and Drake continue to hang out ready to distract the creature from the other's presence. Zec wonders if they shouldn't have arranged a signal for when the others were in place.
Zec and Ash hold back, out of sight, waiting for the stealthy to sneak into position.
Zec does their best to follow the directions of the others, watching carefully and preparing to cast Produce Flame
"I can try to either freeze it or burn it, if we don't think we can convince it to leave. I don't have the ability to talk with plants, does anyone else?"
"Send us a note letting us know which show, and I'll see if I can arrange a block of seats with the best view." Zec and Ash give a nod to the local pair and depart, without haste, to await the team outside so they can plan the next steps. What do we know about Lindel barn? The hobgoblin scratches the drake on the top of its head and fondly addresses it, "This is more adventure than we ever thought to see, isn't it. I hope we can solve this and leave the town in better shape than it is now."
Ash edges forward to sniff at the drink the goat is consuming.
"I think what my good friend here is trying to say, is that it does no one any good if you hold back. You may not like the sheriff but you probably like outside interference even less. We've removed one piece of that already, and while it is not for you directly, we are working on helping the town as a whole. We could go back to our day jobs and clear out, leaving you to deal with the incursion into your territory, or you could help us help everyone."
I wish I had one of those magic flasks I've heard about, the ones that always have the right drink in them, I'm sure it would help here. Zec addresses the goat first, "Looking good. It is grand to see the famed constitution of a goat in action. Mind, if when this is all over, you find that cast-iron stomach is suffering a little corrosion, do stop by, I think I have just the thing to help."
They then turn to the dwarf, "We know there has been some outside trouble in town, and we know the missing sheriff has spent some time here, we are hoping you can shed some light on what may have happened to them."
Zec looks at Rhoxl, pats Ash on the head, a sign for the drake to look fierce, growl a little and huff like they may shoot fire at any moment, and with a sideways glance at the ruffians, declares "Ah, my other scaley friend, these are just low-life thugs, they won't know anything. Now if they do, they should clearly tell you promptly, but if they don't, as I suspect, then they should introduce us to their boss. After a brief pause and a more fierce look directly at the creatures on the porch, the hobgoblin adds, "Right smartly, too!"
"Who's taking point? Sounds like we should be prepared for it to be rough from the get-go."
Yes, please speak up if you want healing. I fed Ash potions in part because I thought we were potentially headed straight into another encounter.
"What shopping do you have in mind? What do we know of the situation that can help us prepare?"
So what do players think? Off to the Mad Mug to try to track down the sherrif?
Edit to add: I'll try to carve out some time to do some back reading and find them later.
While Naatalu addresses the mayor, Zec takes a closer look at Ash's wounds and realise that the nastiest is likely to reopen unless fully healed. They pull out one of the remaining potions, "Come on Ash, you'd best drink this one too, we don't know what else we may face today."
When Naatalu pauses, Zec looks up and adds, "The priest indicated there were more of them but none were in evidence when we left. If you have guards or similar available, it probably wouldn't hurt to have some patrol." After a moments pause, "Do you have any updates for us? Any new information?"
Zec accepts a potion from Drake plus uses two of their own (stashing the other two) spending the time communing with Ash and feeding them potions to refocus on nature and healing, feeling their own resources recover. Both the hobgoblin and the drake look a little worse for their encounter in the church but are basically functional and ready to continue with the group. Being directly involved with others and working in a team like this is a new experience for the pair. It is also very different to life with other hobgoblins and so far more agreeable.
Zec accepts the scroll from Rhoxl, "I'll try to keep it safe and use it when you indicate or when I judge your need is great. Thank you for trusting me with it." To the priest, the hobgoblin adds, "If you have another couple of healing potions, my companion was sorely injured in the fight against the demon. I am pretty sure I can convince them to drink a potion." When Nellen declares the sacred texts missing, Zec reassures them as best they can, "We will keep an eye out for them. There seems to be a lot going on around here, though we don't know if any is related to the rest. If we haven't found them while dealing with the current crop of oddities, we can try a more thorough search then."
Sorry I was slow to post. I also know that Drake's player is still ensnarled in work crunch and craziness.
"Oh dear. I am glad you are still alive and that Naatalu's curiosity has led to your release. But I am concerned that there are more intruders to deal with. We only battled the demon and one of the flying creatures. Oh my!" As Zec looks at the state of the party, especially Ash, they turn back to the priest, "Do you have any healing potions or similar stashed in here? If we are to ensure your safety, it would be best we repair some of the damage first."
Zec after assessing that the demon has been stopped and that everyone is at least breathing, rushes to the side of Ash to examine their damage closely. The hobgoblin thanks Naatalu profusely when the sprite provides healing for all. They then turn to the group as a whole, hand still soothing Ash, to discuss options. "We got pretty beat up here. I can try a healing spell to help us all, or we could rest and let our bodies recover properly. I definitely want to tend to Ash more before I risk them in another battle."
Zec carefully steps away from the demon and once again tries to send a chilly message to stay away.
Ash's recover roll when time:
"Aaagh! Panic fills the hobgoblin's face as Zec carefully steps back and throws the other Holy Water. +1 splash
I have no idea if this will work but I bought them so I may as well try. Zec pulls out holy water and throws it at the winged creature. +1 splash A quick hand sign to Ash instructs the drake to keep attacking. Ash once again lashes out with their tail.
I hope the others can survive long enough for me to heal them. I hope I survive long enough for me to heal them.
Zec, once again, tries to give the winged creature an icy welcome ...
then gives a nod to Ash who lashes out with their tail.
Zec focuses on the life force all around them, sending healing power to Ash. The hobgoblin then moves toward their fallen companion, murmuring soothing words in Draconic, suggesting Ash lay still and quiet. Look at me you loathsome creature, leave Ash alone.
Do you have a statblock or tag line for Ash somewhere? I calculated +5 wills saves and 15 AC, but I'm not sure if that is correct. Sorry about that. When I updated to L2 I failed to pull in the new information for Ash. Zec's character sheet is now updated with Ash's stats too. You were correct on both counts. ◆◆ Cast (somatic, verbal) Sleep between BLUE/BLACK I believe the black you are referring to is Ash, who is already unconscious. Our opponents are red and blue.
After a quick assessment, Zec targets the flying creature with a ray of frost and directs Ash to attack.
Ash moves quickly to attempt to bite the winged creature.
Zec approaches cautiously, on high alert for traps or hazards, glancing at Ash regularly to see if the Drake has detected anything of concern. "Should we check around outside first?" the hobgoblin asks of the others.
When the group has completed their shopping and regathered, Zec looks to the others and asks, "Bopping Boar, or Detecting Decay, which is it to be?"
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