Moving closer to the shaman as she lines up the shot, Aynsley looses another shaft that strikes true, scoring a direct hit in the center of the orc's chest. It gurgles and staggers, taking a wild swing with it's spear before toppling over in a rasp of blood.
Speaking quickly as he moves rapidly to his prone comrade's side Thelen says, "Aynesly, please keep a watch to see if there may be others. Anain, please check the bodies for any useful information we may gain. I'll tend to Riann."
Thelen attempts to minister to/stabilize Riann.
If he is unable to wake her with his own skills, he will pull out his potion of cure light wounds and help her to drink it hoping that will solve the problem.
Anain looks solemnly over at Riann's limp body and nods at the paladin's request of him. He walks over the bloody orc warriors, scanning the immediate area around them for anything they may have dropped. After a quick search of their bodies, he makes his way over to the piggish looking shaman, wondering to himself what the runes imprinted on their bodies meant. After rolling up the sleeves of his robes, he performs a thorough search of the dead spellcaster, hoping to find some clues or at the very least, see if "it" (did it really matter if the beast was male or female? After all, it was an orc) carried any interesting possessions. After concluding his search of the orc spellcaster, Anain makes his way back over to the fallen warriors again, this time searching them thoroughly as well. Taking care not to stain his hands with orc blood, Anain rustles through the fallen bodies, wishing the sun would rise and the night were over.
Nodding with a lingering glance to Riann, Aynsley takes to the grasses, sweeping wide circles around their copse-oriented camp and keeping her eyes to the distance as best as she can manage in the pitch of night.
Quickly moving to Riann's side, Thelen administers his healing arts. After a moment of bandaging wounds and peeling back her damaged armor, the half-drow's eyes flutter open. She is in great pain, but she will survive.
Anain searches the orcs' bodies for anything that may be of value. In his search, he discovers a scroll in the shaman's pack and notices that, while rugged and primitive, the orc's spear is of remarkably good craftsmanship . He also finds a few random spell components , a handful of coins , and the two battleaxes wielded by the warriors. The warriors are also both wearing leather armor and the shaman is wearing a fur-lined robe.
Upon examining the runes carved into the orcs' flesh, Anain is unable to determine their origin or their purpose, but they are clearly arcane in nature. The runes do not resemble the orcish language in any way, which leaves him wondering as to where the runes came from.
Meanwhile, Aynsley's scan of the surrounding environs reveals nothing unusal. All is calm once again.
"Riann, I am glad to see you awake once more. Is there more I can do or are you able to help yourself at this point? I have this potion if it is necessary."
After receiving the answer and taking the appropriate action (giving the potion or putting it away), Thelen stands and says, "All of acted most bravely and performed well in our first real trial together. Now that these beasts have been dispatched, maybe we can get some real rest. What are your opinions?"
Thelen surveys the situation as he speaks and walks over to the bodies himself to get a closer look at the runes. "Do any of you know anything about these runes that may be helpful?"
At an appropriate point assuming we do rest, Thelen will ask Riann if there is anything she can do to help him recover his sapped strength.
After a good many minutes at her task, Aynsley wanders back with a happy shrug. "I'd not wish to jinx us, but it does seem like we're alone once again. Riann, you are well. I am glad to see it... Gods' know how long this scouting party will take to be missed, however. I for one do not think I'll find myself too very relaxed." She frowns, glancing again into the distance.
Riann peels her eyes open and winces up at Thelen. It feels as though she has merely blinked, like no time has passed at all, but she knows it’s not so. Her entire midriff screams in agony and she catches the metallic-scent of her own blood. For a moment she concentrates simply on breathing until the shock of waking to a world of pain recedes.
“Thank you, Thelen,” she finally whispers in response to his query. She swallows. “Save your potion for when the time is truly dire; I will take comfort in Eilistraee’s hands now.”
Closing her eyes, she reaches to the power of her goddess, a silent prayer filling her mind. “Dark Maiden, hear me; heal your hurting child in my desperate hour.”
Anain pulls all the equipment and items (including the robe, excluding the orcs armor) he finds on the orc bodies and places them close together in a line. He rustles around in his soft leather back pack and pulls out his Everburning Torch, laying it on the ground at his feet. Hearing Riann speak, he looks her direction and smiles. "Glad to see you're awake. Quite the battle, eh?" Turning back to the items on the ground, he mutters a strange arcane phrase and begins studying the items in hopes of learning more about them.
After a few moments, he hails the rest of his companions: "Anyone have any need of this stuff? Come take a look when you have a moment." After figuring out all he can about the items with his simple arcane spell, he turns to the bodies of the fallen orcs, seemingly using the same spell on their battle torn bodies.
Riann's deity answers her pleas and bestows the life-giving energy to her hands, allowing her to all but erase the grievous wounds she's suffered.
Anain frowns a bit and says "Nothing magical here, sans this scroll. The runes on the orcs seem to be magical in nature, perhaps placed on them for added combat zeal or protection. Obviously, someone or something is behind these markings as I doubt the shaman had the ability to do this. More questions than answers it seems." With this, he mutters another arcane phrase and unrolls the scroll, trying to discern its spell.
Aynsley curls her nose slightly, but points to the robe the Shaman had been wearing. "Does it reek of Orc? If not, I will take it. Might be prudent, should it become chill, or the ground is damp."
A tentative touch of the new flesh beneath the jagged edges of her rent armor assures Riann that she is well again even moreso than the sudden lack of pain. Thank you, Eilistraee, she offers, then rises slowly from the ground.
"Everyone is well?" she asks, her eyes raking over each of her companions in turn. They appear mostly unharmed, and so she examines her armor critically for a moment and sighs in dismay... before laughing silently to herself.
Worried about the wellbeing of your posessions? she chides herself silently. You should be thankful for the wellbeing of your person and not waste time lamenting the less important things in life!
Still chuckling, she steps over to the tree in which she'd so recently been resting and glances up into its branches for a moment to find her backpack still resting against a limb. Standing on her tiptoes, she grabs a stray strap and tugs the backpack down.
Her crossbow lies in the grass at the base of the tree and she picks it up, dusts it off and carefully removes the arrow. That done, she glances toward the others and rejoins them a moment later. "If you have need, I can provide what remaining magics I have left at my disposal. I'm afraid I cannot call on Eilistraee's aid again until tomorrow night in the healing of anything more severe than minor wounds, but if you are harmed in any way..."
Turning to face the priestess, Thelen says, "I am glad to see you are well. And, limited or no m'lady, I would suggest saving what blessings remain for times more dire than those we currently face." Turning to rhe rest of the group he continues, "What then, shall we rest or forage on? I am certainly up for either though a bit of rest may prevent us from becoming too exhausted in our journeys. 'Slow reflexes lead to a quick death,' my father often said."
I suggest she save the cure minor for emergency stabilizing if necessary. Thelen wouldn't mind the rest and some long term care to recover his strength, but also understands there may be reason to move forward--or at least away from here.
Mr. DM sir, at what point would be become fatigued if we continued on as if nothing were amiss? Thanks.
Anain tucks away the scroll into his backpack and nods at Ansley. "I'm sure it does reek, but it can surely be cleaned and can serve in a pinch as warmth." Looking at Thelen and Riann, he offers "I'd like to find a place to rest before we forage onward. I've got a feeling we're going to face much worse than what we have tonight. I, for one, would like to be prepared as possible for what lies ahead."
Mr. DM sir, at what point would be become fatigued if we continued on as if nothing were amiss? Thanks.
"Well," Riann begins, "I think I have the strength to continue travelling, at least for a few more hours. However, I am not particularly fond of the idea of continuing without the benefit of your magics. We should rest for the remainder of the night... away from this place."
I'm for resting then.
I'm for resting then.
I'm for resting then.
The group gathers themselves and moves back in the direction they came from, eventually camping on top of a gentle rise in the plain that affords them a slightly better view of the surrounding area. The night passes swiftly and dawn comes, bringing Lathander's light upon the world once again.
A few hours later, the rest of the party awakens.
Riann stretches in the mid-morning sunlight and surveys her drowsy companions. "A little more rest would have done us all well, but I think we'll fare well enough now that we've had some sleep. When Anain's had time to prepare his magics, shall we see to discovering from whence these orcs came?"
Knowing she'll have to rely upon them and little else in the case of a confrontation, the half-drow carefully dons her armor and tests her bastard sword in a few practice swings. Her magics are mostly exhausted but her muscles feel supple and strong.
Anain stretches his hands above his head, surveys his surroundings and pulls himself out of his sleeping posture. With a nod, he greets Riann and gets his belongings together. Happy to see the night's rest served him well, he begins thumbing through his spellbook.
1- Mage Armor, Ray of Enfeeblement, Kelgore’s Fire Bolt (PHBII), * Color Spray, * Silent Image, Lesser Orb of Fire
2- *Phantasmal Assailants (x2), *Invisibility, *Mirror Image, *Shadow Spray
The morning passes without event. Anain finishes reviewing his spellbook and fills his mind with the arcane incantations that will serve as his arsenal for the coming conflict. The plains, now lit by daylight, are vast and greenish-yellow, dotted occassionally by trees and shrubs that break the monotony of the horizon. Several miles to the southeast, the party notices faint puffs of grey smoke rising into the brilliant blue sky. It appears that someone is sending smoke signals and, by the position of the signals relative to the party's current location, it was likely that the orc camp was the origin.
Shielding her eyes from the glare of the mid-morning sun, Aysley focuses on the horizon. "These are warriors. I shouldn't hope they're calling their troops off." She mumbles with a dry sarcasm. She turns a slight sneer to the robe that is rolled and lashed to her traveling pack. Its stink, much like that of wet dog or horse, comes and goes in wafts as she moves. "I'll bet they track us by smell."
"It's amazing that they are able to get past their own overpowering stench to do so, but you are likely correct. Can any of you discern the message in those smoke signals?"
Thelen prepares for travel feeling much refreshed. He reflects back for a moment to his morning prayers and feels the warmth of the Morninglord wash over him. He smiles a bit and says, "Blessings are on us. This shall be a day of valor and victory for us. Let us make haste to put an end to the evil flowing in this land."
"It's amazing that they are able to get past their own overpowering stench to do so, but you are likely correct. Can any of you discern the message in those smoke signals?"
Riann scrutinizes the rising tendrils of smoke for a moment, then sighs heavily. "I am afraid the barbarian tongue of the orcs is not one I have ever thought to learn, and even if I did, I am in no way versed in communication by smoke." Her lips twitch slightly toward a smile at the very idea, but she looks more concerned than amused. "Perhaps we should venture closer and see what we might learn of our enemy?" Frowning, she regards Thelen's armor and amends, "Well, perhaps one or two of us should go and those not fit for stealth--forgive me Thelen--should remain behind."
"Well, perhaps one or two of us should go and those not fit for stealth--forgive me Thelen--should remain behind."
Finishing his perusing of his spellbook, he closes it with a snap and looks at the others. "If it is being seen you are concerned with, I can assist in that matter, but only for one of us. I think this a much better idea than a full frontal assault. I think the daylight hours would be much preferable as well; I believe the orcs shun the daylight." Anain says. "I am ready to venture forth, whatever the decision is."
"With, at most, one of us invisible, considering that we are not the stealthiest bunch, and that the light of Lathandar blesses us I believe we should make haste towards the camp of the bloodthirsty wretches. In any case, it is just as well the circumstances be what they are--I prefer an open fight. Maybe they will give in to their nature and run from the might of our fair country as the cowardly scum they are. Unless anyone else has a better suggestion, I move that we progress onward with all due speed."
Thelen can perceive of no sneaky way to approach (and frankly probably wouldn't work real hard to do so) so unless someone can persuade him otherwise he will lead on toward the orc encampment ready to invoke divine vigor at a moments notice as necessary.
Remember he has military training, so tactical battle logic would be persuasive.
Riann frowns, remembering the shocking agony of axes slamming into her abdomen. "I too am eager to enter the dark embrace of Eilistraee, but... I'd much prefer to work Her will for a few more years yet! And I'm sure there is much Lathander would have you do before you come to rest in His arms. Perhaps it would be better to lure them out in smaller, more manageable groups than rush headlong into the camp. And perhaps we could wait until nightfall to meet them in battle, so that we might have the aid of Eilistraee's power and the cover of darkness? Also, it would be immensely helpful to know what we face before we face it..."
Anain shakes his head at Thelen's comments. "We're not going to see what we're up against first? I think not. Who knows how many orcs are there and how many more are coming thanks to their infernal smoke signals? Let's send Aynsley to scout out the camp and report back. I can turn her invisible to assist. I say we move closer as a group and then send her to sneak ahead. Wading in with no idea of what we're up against seems like a HORRIBLE idea."
Anain then turns to Riann. "Riann. I know you and your kind prefer the darkness, but I believe the orcs are weaker in the daylight. With the rest of us not having your keen vision, the daylight hours of the Morninglord would be preferable. I hope you can see the advantage of that." With that, Anain turns casually to the red headed scout. "What say you?"
"The cover of darkness would provide as much, if not more, of a hindrance as a help for us, yes," Riann agrees. "However, know that if any of us should become injured, we will be without Eilistraee's grace until this evening. Perhaps we can lie low today and tonight as well, and meet the enemy in battle tomorrow, so that we might have the benefit of both sunlight and Eilistraee's healing?"
"You won't have me disagree." Aynsley replied, rocking back on her heels. "My only concern is numbers."