Paradigm Shift

[hydingjekyll]

The early sunlight filters through the branches, lightening the shadows on the forest floor. The brisk chill of an unkind spring makes the skin prickle uncomfortably and the hair stand on end. The click of a loaded crossbow breaks the calm of the morning as quickly and irrevocably as a snapped twig.

Once of Slow River Bend, Shielton feels his eyes abruptly open as sleep flees from him for what will likely be a very long time. As he squirms on the forest floor, trying to free himself from his bed of evergreen needles and rags, his first sight is the gleaming head of a crossbow bolt, aimed perfectly at his throat.

Nathaniel Roc Pritchard stands calmly, his arm and his aim not wavering the slightest bit. He has to admit, the dirty halfling before him—the sorcerer—doesn’t look quite as dangerous as he’d been led to believe, but he’s far from foolish enough to think that means anything. All that it means is that half of his job has been completed. Now comes the tricky part.

Mathias Denaud stands behind the halfling, as yet unnoticed, ready in case the fugitive decides to try anything on his temporary partner. His huge sword rests in his hands with an easy, familiar weight, and he thinks about the inconvenience and inefficiency of having to escort the sorcerer back for trial instead of handing out the sentence here and now.

Garm awakes without moving, then adjusts his grip on his club and slowly stands. He can see two human men with weapons drawn on his newfound friend, but not immediately threatening. They must be the pursuers that Shielton has been fearing since they met. He watches quietly, wondering what he should do, and considers taking a lick of the Forest’s Dream for guidance.

[Duncfoo]

OOC: Hello guys, Gonna take Sienna as a color.

Shielton is wrapped in the remains of old clothes and a cloak poorly covered in forest limbs. His red hair stands on end matted with twigs and forest decay sticking out. Wide blue eyes blood shot like wine on cracked glass gum themselves awake. Shielton is gaunt, his hands like a skeletal childs as he slowly pulls them from the thicket. A shiver courses up and down his arm.

They are finally here Shielton thinks to himself. "What more could you want; you've taken everything I had once once..." Shielton says slowly. "Let me with in these woods alone. I'll never come out... Its too much out there for me. Please just leave me in peace with my dead out here so alone." In the woods a Raven will start to caw laughingly. He knows they have been talking to the voice of the woods about, Garm, the edges of reality changing.

Shielton moves slowly to a sitting position meeing the eyes holding the gleaming bolt, afraid.

[Phil_Colons]

OOCI'll take blue

Garm hefts the club over his shoulder. Perhaps it would be best to see how this plays out on its own. He had found the halfling to be an interesting fellow, but these human headhunters have the look of men who had seen many foes fall before them. He looks to his right and sees that Kuba, his faithful bear, is watching the scene unfold. Kuba sniffs the air and looks expectantly at Garm. Garm considershis options carefully. As the 137th Keeper of the Forest's Dream, he has a duty to stay alive, at least until he sires the 138th Keeper. Perhaps the sorcerer is dangerous. He could easily have burned down the very forest that Garm is sworn to protect. However, the sorcerer's power could be just what Garm needs to ensure that the components of the Forest's Dream are never threatened again. As he does when faced with any hard decision, Garm again lets his gaze fall to the pouch of purple powder he wears on his belt. Perhaps the Forest's Dream will supply the guidance he needs.

[bitter_howls]

*OCC I choose"DarkOrchid".:smallcool:

Nathaniel narrows his eyes. His clothes, typical finery of his country - fine slacks, shirt, vest and leather boots and gloves - are all dusty and worn with the weeks past travel. His face is slightly hidden from the shadow of his wide brimmed hat. He speaks, and his voice is low; his tone cold.

"By order of his lordship, Prince-Bishop Augustus, consecrated by the Merciless Lady - The Gentle One - , I order you to throw down all objects malicious and sorcerous."

Nathaniel removes a small red leather bound book from his breast pocket and holds it, unopened, just above the brim of his hat. The holy symbol of Ashaa, the Goddess of Death, is burned into the cover.

"You are accused of crimes against the state and sacred mortal races of this world. By authority granted, you are found guilty and to be judged in the hereafter."

[Mintaka]

(OOC: I'll take Dark Red)

Mathias clenches his hand around the handle of his sword as he crouches. It would be preferable to just take care of this now... he thinks. He has little patience for trials and procedures. Justice rarely comes trials or courts. Anyone with enough money can buy themselves a not-guilty verdict. True justice is enacted by the victim, or if the victim is not able, someone whom the victim chooses...and true justice includes vengeance.

He watches Nathaniel lift the book and waits. Perhaps an opportunity for justice will present itself after all.

[Duncfoo]

"You feel a threat Dark Man of my blasphemy? What I have is of the Gods as much as the beat of your heart. Wave no book at the suffering you have yet to understand." Shielton says standing, hands up.

"We need nothing for changing reality, Dark Man. Malice, ha! I will come, if only to spit at your prince bishop then. You and your ilk killed... my children. My wife, oh she was pretty..." Shielton trails off before thrusting his arms up towards the sword wielding human, wrist crossed.

"Tie me up tie me up oh their axe will pity me less than my own hands. I am... am failed." Shielton pleads, his eyes wide and unfocused."I am sorcerer, what so I do but run... " Shielton glances into the woods, "Join us woodman Garm, see what the woods fear. The justice of man, faithful to its own endurance..." Shielton will keep a low inconsistent rambling as he waits to be bound, occasionally lapsing into Draconic.

OOC: Hmm.... Maybe a bit too drama... still trying to keep it in correct style too

[bitter_howls]

Nathaniel sneers at the halfling. He returns the book to his pocket, and reaches into his travel-purse. He pulls out a tightly bound bundle of rope, keeping a steady aim with his cross-bow.

"Mathias, bind his hands." He tosses the bundle of rope to Mathias's feet, "I will search his packs and pockets for magical objects."

Nathaniel begins to step towards the halfling slowly, and turns his gaze towards Garm. "As for you, sir, I suggest you explain quickly your motives."

[Phil_Colons]

OOC: Apologies for the silence, group. I've been having connection problems at home and am swamped at work.

Garm, sensing that his position has been compromised, emerges from the group of trees where he was sleeping. Standing at a full 6'5", the half orc is an impressive and imposing figure. Clad in leather armor and with a club strapped to his back, he adopts a posture that is neither passive nor threatening.

My motives are my own, and not likely to be understood by one such as you, city dweller. Kuba, rearing up on his hind legs, lets out a threatening growl. Garm turns his head and holds out a hand to silence the perturbed bear. Perhaps against my better judgment, I call this halfling a friend. By what rights do you accuse him?

[Duncfoo]

A search of Shielton will produce only crudely made tools, a near rusty knife and a set of three books in excellent condition. A spear with a fire hardened point, some poorly balanced javelins and a crude sling wrapped around his wrist would be the only items of danger. The books are bound in different hides and are of varying thickness. Arcane Symbols decorate the fronts and spines.

Inside the books are filled out in random portions with unidentifiable scripts seeming to change for each filled portion.

There will be nothing else on Shielton.

[Mintaka]

Mathias gives Shielton a glare. No one orders him around. At the moment, however, the half-orc is of more concern to him than putting his partner in his proper place. He binds Shielton quickly and expertly, keeping his gaze on the half-orc at all times.

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias ties Shielton's hands securely behind the halfling's back, and Nathaniel wastes no time in patting the suspect down. The witch hunter eyes the books suspiciously, then confiscates them and the old knife with practiced grace. Mathias and Garm eye each other without moving while Nathaniel finishes up. Shielton doesn't resist, his shoulders and heart hanging heavily at this latest shot of depressingness.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton shakes his bound hands testing the knots. "These feel solid... The weight of bonds is something new, Dark Man, but something I should become used to..."

To Mathias "... How does it feel, hunting the hopeless? Lead me away Big One. Where ever I go ruin will follow. Ruin. Its our curse by your cause..." Shielton says heaving a large sigh and looking towards his feet. "Lead us away to doom Dark Man. Lead us away to what ever squalor you call justice."

Everyone will notice Shielton trying to not watch the set of books as they are stowed by Nathaniel.

[Mintaka]

Mathias says "Let's go." He turns to the orc "I advise you not to interfere." He needs no words, his expression alone implies what will happen should his "advice" be disobeyed. (Roll intimidation check)

[hydingjekyll]

Garm scoffs internally at Mathias' attempt to intimidate him. Then he catches the look in the human's eyes, and feels his spine go cold and his stomach drop down to his balls. The human means it, with the certainty of someone who has clearly dealt with interference before, in ways that no one would ever wish to experience. Garm takes an involuntary step back, and feels relief wash over him when Mathias finally looks back at the others. [Intimidate check: Mathias = 22 vs. Garm = 18]

[bitter_howls]

Satisfied that the situation is under control, Nathaniel tucks his book back into his pocket, then holsters his crossbow. Shielton's prattling stirs another sneer from Nathaniel. He grabs Shielton's ropes and roughly shoves him down the trail.

"If you co-operate, orc, we won't have to bind you, but you're to come with us back to the monastery of Saeon for questioning. I suggest you secure your beast, as well." Nathaniel turns and faces the orc, "The Saeon clerics may be judgmental of a half-breeds with trained bears."

Nathaniel looks to his traveling companion Matheis and motions toward Garm. "Let's be on our way. The day is still young, and the quicker we put this business to rest the better."

[Phil_Colons]

Garm looks from the humans, to the halfling, and back again. Regaining his composure, he speaks to the headhunters. Very well. I will accompany you. If for no other reason, then to make sure Shielton receives a fair trial. He glances warily at Matias's sword. Or a trial at the very least.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton

The rough shove nearly takes the halfling off his feet. "No need to drag Dark Man, leading is an option. Garm my friend you offer solace to a condemed man. I'm sure Beryk will smile on you ..." Shielton will follow not even looking over his shoulder at his old hole in the ground.

A Raven will loudly caw and start following the party from to tree as they leave the area.

[hydingjekyll]

Nathaniel leads the way, pulling Shielton along with no gentleness to spare; Garm and his bear follow behind them, quietly keeping an eye on Nathaniel for any more overt hostility; and Mathias brings up the rear, keeping his eyes on Garm and Shielton both, and his hand on the hilt of his blade.

Shileton winces, almost audibly, as he realizes that the group's path out of the woods leads them right through the town of Slow River Bend. The community of halflings and elves quickly takes notice of the strangers marching their lost neighbor through the streets, and word travels fast among the citizens. It's mere moments before crowds form around the group, and few are slow to speak.

"Hey, it's Shielton! He looks awful."
"String him up! He murdered his family!"
"He did not! It was marauders! I saw 'em! He's a decent fellow."
"I heard he was a sorcerer!"
"What, Shielton? Wow, it's always the one you least suspect."
One balding elf makes his way through the crowd and comes right up to the halfling as he's tugged along by Nathaniel -- Shielton's neighbor and friend Riger. "Shielton! What's going on? I thought you'd died when your house burned down. Who are these guys?" he asks frantically, pointedly ignoring the irate looks from Shielton's captors.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton

As soon as Slow River Bend is clear Shielton hides his face and tries to round his shoulders hunching behind the slight human, hissing "This is innapropriate. You curr. I curse your entire Order. Oh humilitation. Ashaa quit your smiling and take me now..." Shielton's body will begin to visibly tremor as his agitation increases.

When the first villager talks to Shielton he jumps and quickly looks away. With the approach of Riger an old friend and trusted confidant Shielton finally unravels and begins to lie to Riger as convincingly as he can.

"Back away dear friend! The one with the large sword is positively unhinged. I saw the fire at the cottage start and I lost my mind dear friend. I fled into the woods and got lost... So lost! Fortunately I was rescued by the man with the bear. And... They are bringing me in for some questioning on just... questions to see if I can help them figure out who caused the fire. Its a sad business but they don't trust me!! Soon I'll be back. Yes back in the village and we can share stories, oh such sad stories..." Shielton trails off before finishing, "Move away quickly before the meriless remember their nature Riger!"

Bluff [roll0]

OOC: Woot first roll! I'm ok with either high or low though.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm looks about nervously. Civilization, even a village as small as Slow River Bend, has always been a bit much for him. He looks to Kuba, who shares his discomfort. The bear snarls at a halfling child who swiftly runs off screaming. "Easy, my friend," Garm mutters to the growling bear. "We will return to our woods once Shelton has been given a fair trial. If we abandon him, these men just may decide to administer their own form of justice."

[Mintaka]

Mathias silently follows behind the group, simultaneously watching both the processing and scanning the crowd for any sign of potential trouble (spot check?)

[hydingjekyll]

Riger nods enthusiastically. "Oh! Oh, all right, yeah, I get that." He steps back, glad of the excuse to move away from the dangerous-looking humans. "I hope you get back soon, my friend. We'll keep a beer ready for you at the tavern. You human guys treat him good! He's a good man!" [Bluff check = successful] [50 XP to Shielton for getting Riger away from a potentiall dangerous situation] {OOC: For future reference, everyone please just leave any rolling to me; it keeps things simpler.}

Other people are backing away from Kuba without having to talk to anyone. The nervous bear bristles, and the townspeople give it a wide berth. This is fine with Mathias, who accepts the extra space between himself and the citizens as a buffer zone for anyone who might try to charge in and attack. The added security doesn't stop him from scanning the crowd for signs of aggression -- lucky for them, he doesn't see any. [Spot check = secret]

So it's a mystery when a rock comes flying out of the crowd and beans Shielton in the shoulder. [attack roll = 13, damage = 1] "You family-killing sorcerer scum!" screams out a male voice. "I hope your burn just like your children did!"

The crowd's individual voices rise from one to dozens to apparently the entire village in only a few short seconds. Above the indistinct roar, a few snatches are overheard.

"- dare you! He's innocent!"
"Sorcerers are a curse from the gods for your wickedness!"
"Kill all the sorcerers! Get rid of -"
"Augh! Ow! Aaaugh! Aaaaaaaaaugh!"

The crowd transforms instantly into an ugly mob, with rocks whistling through the air at Shielton and his captors while others target individuals in the crowd. Several people are dragged down, kicked and beaten; accusations are flung at Shielton and the others, as well as people in the crowd; Riger is thrown to the ground and set upon; invisible amid the rabble, children scream in terror, or maybe pain.

Amid the chaos, the group is not immune to the flying stones. Nathaniel deftly evades any rocks that come his way, and several glance off Mathias' glamered armor. Kuba another stone hits Kuba in the head [3 damage]; Garm ducks one stone and barely has time to restrain the snarling Kuba before another hits him in the stomach [2 damage]. Bound, Shielton is barely able to duck his head away from the salvo, and takes a rock directly to the face [critical hit - 3 damage]. [various attack and probability rolls]

[Phil_Colons]

Garm clenches his teeth. Civilization, huh? At least animals kill eachother for food. These people just seem to want to kill eachother for the hell of it. He turns to Mathias and Nathaniel. "I can only hold Kuba back for so long. Let us leave this place and perhaps the violence will die down. If we stay, needless blood will be spilled." (Full Defense)

[Duncfoo]

Shielton whimpers as blood pours down his face from a gash on his forhead. He will attempt to hide behind Nathaniel (Full Defense). "NO RIGER!! Garm is right. Show me the length of your stride Dark Man. Your disciples have scared them so often the barest whisper of magi, witch or sorceror sends them to fury," yells Shielton over the din of the mob, starting to push the Mage Hunter foward. (Possibly in the wrong direction, probably ineffectively)

[Mintaka]

Mathias draws his massive sword and snarls at the crowd. "Stay back!"(Intimidation check). He pulls Shielton toward him and holds the sword in front of him. Justice does not come at the hands of mobs. He yanks Shielton in the direction of the town prison, knowing the others in the party can defend themselves.

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias' drawn sword does little to dissuade the crowd - if anything, the threat makes those who see even less friendly toward him. [Intimidate: Mathias = 13, crowd = 19] They're not stupid enough to charge a huge guy with a huge sword, but rocks continue to hail down from the crowd, even more of them at Mathias than before. [various attack rolls, no hits]

Shielton freezes in place the instant the blade is sheathed, no longer pushing Nathaniel, but with Mathias guiding him and Nathaniel leading the way, the entire group quickly moves away from the mob. Mathias keeps a sharp eye and a sharper sword out for trouble, but no one seems willing to physically follow them.

Mathias takes a cursory look around as they retreat, but can't remember having seen any prisons on their way through town [Kowledge: Local check = 9]. Instead, Nathaniel leads them out of town as quickly as possible, and into the open plains beyond. It's not long before the screams of the crowd are dead in the distance, leaving the group to nurse their bruises and grudges in peace.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm scans the horizon (Spot Check), and wracks his brain to remember what he knows of these plains (Knowledge Nature, Local, Geography, Whatever).

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will sit on the ground despondent and bleeding with occasional grumbling over this poor plan and his aching wrists.

[hydingjekyll]

Garm adjusts the Eyes of the Eagle on the bridge of his wide nose and looks ahead: there's a long, well-worn road ahead, though it doesn't have much traffic on it at the moment. It seems that there isn't much to make people come and go from Slow River Bend. On this side of the river, the road passes through some expanse of open, uneven plains before being devoured by the waiting gullet of another forest. [Spot = 21] Although Garm hasn't paid much attention to the names and customs of the folk outside of his own forest, he does know that the large road probably leads into one of the larger cities in this part of the ... what are they called? ... country. He thinks this one might be called Brevvelak. [Knowledge: Geography = 12]

Shielton sinks to the ground, tired and bleeding, and the others stand there and assess the road ahead. For Nathaniel and Mathias, they're looking back the way they came -- away from Slow River Bend, and back toward their employer, Magnus Caliazo.

[Mintaka]

Mathias says to Nathanial "Bandage the fool." and points to the blubbering, bleeding Shielton. "Our client wants him alive."

He turns to Garm. "You know this area, do you not?"

[bitter_howls]

Nathaniel, even though he has not spoken a word since the attack in Slow River, is clearly mad. His neck is tensed; his jaw is clinched;his eyes are hidden under the brim of his wide hat.

"Alive," Nathaniel finally says, "were are lucky to be after that fiasco." Nathaniel tosses a small glass bottle encased in a worn leather wrapping bearing a faded holy symbol. (1 x cure light wounds potion)

"It is clear that the populace will be a hindrance in our travels back. The path may be longer, but we cannot afford another fanatical outbreak of peasant-fairies." Nathanial's curls his upper lip, and grits his teeth. The light will not last, and traveling through these parts after dark will create even more of a delay.

"You, orc... are you familiar at all with this area?"

[Duncfoo]

OOC: Did you throw the potion to Shielton? He is hand bound and on the ground...

Shielton laughs weakly. "Afraid of the dark, Dark Man? Afraid of the populace? Perhaps for the night we should seek a gully or maybe a hole to hide in. You've forced me to develop such a skill if you need it..." Roll : (Know: Local +3, Nature +5)

Pausing for a moment he continues, "Pardon me Large Man, but your client? Do we not speak of the Clerics of Saeon? The faithless and clueless have captured me... Doro drags me through the mud for amusement it seems..." Shielton sighs as he lays his head back down on he ground.

Above everyone sees a black bird will wheel a few times cawing. (Spot check for Uis - +10, Emphatic Link or Speak w/ Master to deliver info if needed)

[Phil_Colons]

Garm walks over to where the potion lies infront of Shielton. "Not well." He uncorks the bottle and pours the contents down Shielton's throat. "The road ahead looks clear. No movement. I think this road leads to what you pinkskins call Brevvelak." He tosses the empty bottle back to Nathaniel. "Is that where this... trial will be?"
Kubo craps a rabbit.

[Mintaka]

"No. The trial will be in Clayne. We need to get there, avoiding the general pockets of civilization. If you assist us in getting there, whatever way you see fit, I will ensure that you are justly compensated."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton chuckles, "Clayne it is. I've always wanted to get out of the Bend... Becoming an Outcast, see the sights. I didn't know it would be like this. In the morning Big Man. You've dragged us far enough for a day. Let me rest, please."

[hydingjekyll]

The rest of the party has no objections -- although it is still late morning, the mercenaries have already traveled plenty for one day, and getting hit with rocks does tend to wear on one's stamina. With no more-specific plans, the group seeks out the nearest patch of ground that's suitable for camping: a mostly-even patch of plains that's actually pretty close to where they were standing, and not far from the road.

No watch is decided on, since there seems to be little traffic and little trouble in these parts. Garm and Kuba make their bed under the stars with ease and comfort and old habit; Mathias and Nathaniel somewhat reluctantly make a bad out of spare blankets for their prisoner before rolling out their own bedrolls. Conversation is minimal as they rest up for the afternoon and go to sleep shortly after nightfall, everyone eyeing almost everyone else suspiciously.

[Mintaka]

Mathias wakes first, just as night is beginning to recede into dawn. He exhales, his breath making a mist in the cold air. He stands and gazes around the campsite.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm awakens and passes Mathias wordlessly. He sits crosslegged on the ground next to Kuma. Taking a small pinch of the purple powder to his nose, he inhales sharply. Almost instantly, the world around Garm seems to come into greater focus. Garm opens his mind to the spirits of the world around him, and they whisper to him their knowledge with voices others will never hear.

(OOC- This is Garm's ritual for spell selection)

[Duncfoo]

When the morning arrives Shielton will stretch his arms above his head and let loose a jaw cracking yawn. The rope that had bound his arms lies coiled not to far from where Mathias bedded for the evening. "I don't know about you fellows but I slept barely a wink. Next time we should find a roof, walking to Clayne won't be anything but tiring... and no more bonds. I go for justice to be served. I am witch."

Shielton will dust off his rags sighing loudly before trying to find a walking stick and continuing down the road... Possibly in the wrong direction.

[Mintaka]

Mathias picks up the rope and squeezes it tight, almost as if he were imagining it to be Shielton's neck.

"How did you escape your bonds?"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton looks up from his stick search and a short mad laugh bubbles out of his lips."Magic. The same reason I was in bonds Big Man. My curse."

[hydingjekyll]

[FYI: Even with the Grease spell, Shielton's Escape Artist check wasn't high enough to escape ... the first time. But it only makes sense that he would have taken 20. From now on, I'm doing all the rolls at work so I can post the results immediately.

Oh, and the Cure Light Wounds potion restored 9 HP to Shielton. He's in good shape. Everyone else should be at full HP after a solid night's sleep, too.]

[Duncfoo]

OOC: Yep, I have enough casting even stilled to need a 32 use rope check to bind with rope. If left alone that is...

[Phil_Colons]

The effects of the small dose of Forest's Dream begin to fade rapidly. The sounds of the birds chirping in the morning sun take on a more mundane aspect and Garm begins to stop feeling the grass growing. Soon the dream is over; replaced with the reality of his travel companions having a heated exchange.

[hydingjekyll]

With nothing else to say, the group quickly breaks their meager camp and sets off again. The uneven plains are barely lit, and the road is entirely empty for now. Little is said as the road leads them all into the waiting forest.

The dim light of barely-morning becomes even darker as the broad path delves into the forest. With the thick canopy overhead barricading what little sunlight there is, any sight at all becomes nearly impossible. Mathias squints hard, his scowl almost audible as he strains his eyes; Nathaniel walks along the path with his body taut as a twisted bowstring, instinctively distrusting the shadows and their inevitable secrets; Shielton stumbles along, avoiding bumping into his captors through by sounds of their footsteps alone; only Garm and Kuma can see well enough to make any consistent sense of the darkness around them.

Where sight has been removed, the smell of the forest takes its place. Instead of the clean, grassy air of the plains, the forest breathes with the scents of chlorophyll, decaying foliage and unseem wildlife. Once again, Garm and his bear companion feel perfectly as ease, while the civilization-dwellers take several moments to overcome the threat of dry heaving against the relentless smell that forces itself down their throats. Even when their senses have gotten used to the smell, it still isn't pleasant.

[Duncfoo]

"What a dark and dingy place! Where are all the lights and animals? I mean ... Wait whats that? I hear a noise in the forest. Garm what is it? It sounds like someone sneaking." Shielton will pause mid stumble and attempt to better locate the sound.

[Mintaka]

Mathias' body tenses as he scans about, searching for the source of the noise.

[hydingjekyll]

The words are barely out of Shielton's mouth when the sneaking figures stop sneaking and sprint the last few strides toward the road. In the dim light, two hulking humanoid figures burst into the open, gutteral roars tearing through the once-still morning. The unpleasant stink grows stronger, with the added tang of badly-neglected body odor.

[surprise round -- initiative: Shielton, Ogre #1, Mathias (thanks to Shielton's warning) Ogre #2, Garm] OOC: It's totally welcome to post what your character's actions will be, complete with contingency plans, even before it's your turn. It'll help to speed things up.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton's eyes will open to tea saucer size as he yells "O O OOgres!". A series of clashing series of phrases and jerky hand gestures pour from the little man. A tang of bacon and syrup fills the air. Shielton then quickly scrambles behind Garm.

Standard: Cast Grease at Ogre 1, both if they are 10' or less apart.
Move: Move 20' or less behind Garm
Free: Cower and Panic

[Mintaka]

With a roar of rage, Mathias draws his great sword and swings at the nearest ogre.

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton waves his hands barely long enough to finish the spell, then turns and ducks behind Garm. In the dim light, the ogres don't notice the sudden sheen on the path in front of them, until their feet fly out from under them and they both eat dirt in a scramble of flailing weapons. [Reflex saves = 14 and 2]

The foremost ogre snarls bloody murder as he shoves himself to his feet, using his iron-banded club like a cane and leaving himself open as Mathias steps in and draws his sword. [5-foot step, drawing weapon in place of an attack of opportunity] The off-balance ogre almost manages a two-handed swing, but slips and drops back to one knee; the badly angled attack takes Mathias off guard, and the huge club smashes his hip so hard it rattles the joint. [Balance check = 9, can't move this turn; attack = 20, damage = 18]. Unfortunately for the ogre, it mostly makes Mathias angry. The ogre pulls back just enough to save his life -- the greatsword shears through the ogre's face, splitting his nose and the skull behind it, less than an inch from the brain [attack = 20, damage = 17].

As his brother gurgles and chokes, the second ogre stumbles on the slick earth and fails to gain his footing [Balance check = less than 1]; in frustration, he rolls onto his back and makes an awkward swing with his own club at Shielton, who has taken refuge behind Garm's broad-shouldered body. The club crashes into Garm's chest, the nails and broken pieces of wood that stud its surface tearing through the half-orc's skin and muscles. [attack = 18, damage = 14]


[Garm's turn, then Shielton's, unless I misunderstood something about surprise rounds Corrections are appreciated.]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will again squeak out a series of swear words as Garm staggers under the blow. After his druid friend recovers and reacts Shielton steps forward and whispers a series of words that sear the air as they leave his lips. Quickly fanning his hands thumb to thumb a cone of heat springs into existence amid the swirling melee. Shielton will shout "Be wary Big Man! The split face's eyes still gleam murder!"

Move: 5' to a position where I can hit both Ogres or just Split Face w/o Roasting a party member with... (Probably stepping forward)
Standard: Defensively Cast Burning Hands (Roasted Orge coming up?)

[hydingjekyll]

Garm shouts out in pain, clutching his ripped flesh, and his bear companion protectively tries to lick the wounds. Shielton dodges out from behind the druid and crosses his hands, whispering words that burn with energy -- and soon, so do the ogres. Despite their efforts to roll away from the oncoming fire, both are left screaming as the flames peel their blistering skin away from their muscles and set their hair ablaze. [15, 9 damage; Ref. saves = 18, 16 to halve damage successfully to 8, 5] The wide patch of grease that they both lie in bursts into flames, leaping up around their hands and knees as they struggle to their feet.

The ogre that Mathias wounded shrieks, this time out of rage more than pain, and forces himself upright. Shielton's eyes widen in dread as the behemoth, fully on fire, draws himself to his full eight-foot height and swings his flaming club. The halfling's fear overcomes his reflexes -- the club smashes into his body and head with a sickening thud, and at least one crack. [Ref. save to move = 10, successful, attack = 19, damage = 14]

Next up:
Mathias
Ogre #2
Garm
Nathaniel
Shielton
Ogre #1

[Mintaka]

Mathias swings his great sword at the flaming ogre who just wounded Shielton. "Die, you beast!"

[hydingjekyll]

The beast does. Mathias steps forward to finish the job he started, his bloody blade gleaming wickedly in the light of the fire, and swings for the neck. His sword cuts through the ogre as if flesh and bone aren't there at all, sending the burning, already-split head spinning through the air and face-first into the nearest tree -- where the split faceplate bursts apart completely, making an especially messy reminder of the kind of justice that Mathias exacts. [attack = 26, damage = 21 on a monster that had 4 hit points left. Happy Overkill Day, you murderer.]

The remaining ogre screams -- in fear, grief, rage, or pain can only be guessed -- from his prone place in the burning grease, fumbles to his feet, and immediately falls again. [Reflex = 4, fails, takes another 3 points of damage from the fire] He does manage a swipe with his club at Shielton, however, and catches the halfling -- hard --on the opposite side of the body from where the other ogre hit him. Shielton barely has time to cry out before he collapses in a heap of broken bones and barely-breathing flesh. [attack = 19, damage = 12. Shielton is now at -5 hit points]

[unless Walker decides otherwise and says so in a post before anyone else acts ...] Garm takes a bloody hand off his own wound and places it over Shielton's, drawing strength from the forest and forcing the halfling's bones to knit. Shielton's eyes flutter, and he regains consciousness. [Cure Light Wounds (going out on a limb here and assuming he had at least one prepared) = 8 hit points restored. Shielton is now at +3 hit points]

Nathaniel witnesses Shielton's brush with disaster with horror -- the captive is to be delivered alive, and failing to carry out orders is not acceptable. He quickly steps to the ogre's side opposite Mathias, drawing his hand crossbow and firing into the prone, flaming ogre's neck. [attack = 22, damage = 3 + 14 from sneak attacks] The ogre lets out a choked scream and thrashes, trying to ward off his prey-turned-attackers.

Next up:
Shielton
Mathias
Ogre #2
Garm
Nathaniel

[Duncfoo]

"Oh my god the forest is on fire what have I done!!" Shielton yells as he opens his eyes again. Without standing up Shielton chokes out words tinted with the unknown and passes his hands down his body flutterings his fingers and leaving behind nothing. A slight rustling comes from where Shielton lay.


Standard: Defensive Cast Invsibility
Move: Stand up (If invisible, Avoiding AOO)

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton lies still except for his hands, carefully faking his continued death and avoiding the ogre's notice until he abruptly vanishes. There's a rustle of movement in the dim forest, but no one can tell where it's going, or that it's just Shielton standing up.

Next up:Mathias
Ogre #2
Garm

[Mintaka]

Mathias, for the moment, ignores Shielton's disappearance and gives his sword a quick shake to get off some of the blood. He then swings, hard, at Ogre #2.
(Yay! Overkill day!)

[hydingjekyll]

With a flick of his wrists, Mathias wicks a sheet of blood off his blade and pulls back for another attack. The remaining ogre doesn't even have time to scream before the huge sword cuts clean through its torso, splitting its heart, lungs and spine neatly as it passes through the ribs in a terrifying combination of technique and brutal force. [attack = 17, damage = 20 on a monster with 4 hit points remaining. Good heavens.] Mathias' sword sinks a good four inches into the soft earth beneath the ogre's almost completely bisected body, and the ogre expires without even a death rattle.

Beneath and behind the ogres' corpses, the fire clings to the ground and the trunks of several trees, and the smoke is starting to rise dangerously fast.

[Combat over. 1,000 HP to Mathias and Shielton for participating in combat, with an extra 100 to Mathias for delivering both kills.]

[Duncfoo]

"Foolish foolish witch! Help me quench this Big Man!" Shielton's voice will seem shrill in the once again quiet woods. The thrashing of shrubs and stomping of fires mark Shielton's location until a varying lilting sound of magic breaks his invisibility as spurts of fires on the trees snuff out.

FULL round action to extinguish nearest fire. After this Shielton will move to a close fire and use presidigitation to extinguish any fires spurts higher up.. he can continue to repeat as needed. Grease should run out soon!

OOC: Garm's computer died on his trip so he won't have one until wed.

[Mintaka]

Mathias stomps out any fires on the forest floor near him. He then searches the ogre's bodies (or what remains of them).

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton and Mathias hastily start stomping out the fire on the forest floor, frantically trying to keep any of it from spreading to the trees -- any more than already has, that is. The fire climbs up the hissing trunks of several nearby trees and into the branches, belching clouds of steam and smoke that scorch the humanoids' eyes and sear their lungs. The fire is getting out of their control ... and then it disappears. The human and halfling look around and find Garm holding out a faintly purple finger. "I thought that might be needed with you around, Shielton," he says shortly.

Mathias does his best to conceal his surprise and relief, and goes about searching the mauled corpses with uncanny ease. Carefully lifting the ogres' pouches and belt pockets out of the pools of gore, he rifles through for anything of value and comes up with an egg-shaped lapis lazuli the size of man's eyeball, a multifaceted topaz, and fifty gold pieces between the two of them. There are also the ogres' oversized clubs, but he would hardly degrade himself by taking those, even if they weren't too large even for him to reasonably wield.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will turn around in a slow circle looking up in wonder, covered in soot and blood. "Garm I am so sorry I almost did it again seriously I don't know how all of this works! Please forgive me..." As he finishes the circle he will point down the Ogre shaped hole through the forest Shielton stops and blurts, "Something down that way glints like metal... Why would that be?"

[Mintaka]

Mathias pockets the pickings from the ogres. "I don't know, but I intend to find out." He moves toward the glint of metal.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton's eyes will go wide, "WE WERE JUST ATTACKED BY OGRES! I've only ever heard stories of these beasts. Now you want to walk right into their den? What if... what if they have BABY Orgres and the mom ogres is there waiting.... for... her husbands to bring back food?"

Shielton, pale from blood loss, becomes even more so. "I don't want to be eaten. WAIT don't leave me alone!" Shielton will continue to whisper his worries as he slowly follows behind Mathias.

OOC:HP Check - I am at 4 hp currently. I will try and stay back, away, and in the rear as we go forward. If you want I can hit Mathias with some defensive spells.

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias ignores Shielton's protests and walks in the direction that Shielton indicated, sword at the ready. The stink of the ogres -- he'd nearly gotten used to it -- gets stronger with each step, until something catches his foot and almost trips him. The big mercenary looks down; it's just a stinking, badly-cured animal fur lying tangled on the ground. The dim light of the forest is slowly growing, and as Shielton joins him, Mathias can make out the crumpled shapes of other furs and blankets arranged on the ground as rough bedding.

A few burlap and leather sacks lie close to the smelly blankets, likewise stinking. One of them lies half-open, with a dirty eating knife hastily shoved into it -- probably the source of the glint. Mathias kicks the bag open and looks inside; along with a few other grimy, ogre-sized tools, he finds a few days' worth of trail rations; a raw, half-eaten side of meat (what kind, he can't tell); and a foul-smelling waterskin. Some of the other bags prove more rewarding, though: he finds a few worthless trinkets and a little bag of tiles inscribed with crudely-drawn illustrations, but also another 167 gold pieces.

[Mintaka]

Mathias tosses the bag of inscribed tiles at Shielton. "Do these mean anything to you, sorcerer?"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will almost miss catching the bag. After a moment of investigating Shielton will sarcastically reply. "It seems one of these brutes was an aspiring painter. Will you be throwing any trash you don't understand so my detestable eyes can see one more thing before death?" Shielton will heave a theatric sized sigh.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm falls in behind his companions and examines the items left by the ogres. He squats before the furs and takes a slow measured glance at the forest around him.

OOC: Garm is looking for tracks or other signs that might indicate that there were more ogres than just these two. Tracks, broken branches, extra supplies, etc. I think that's a survival check. Am I correct?

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: This would count as a Survival check if Garm had the Track feat. Since he doesn't, it counts as a Spot check.]

Garm takes note of the two piles of bedding, and sees that the number of sacks could easily be carried by only two ogres. He looks around, counts tracks, and looks for disturbances in the foliage, and makes an educated guess that there were only the two ogres. [Spot check = not tellin']

[Phil_Colons]

"It looks like they were alone. Maybe a mated pair, but I don't care to check under their furs to make sure." Garm surveys the surrounding forest again. They posted up here for a reason. They were well hidden. We should stay. We're all hurt. I can heal us tomorrow."

[Duncfoo]

"Wait, you want us to sleep here? Here in their filth? Oh how I miss a real bed. Would the smoke from the... fire... cause of any problems?" Shielton will start kicking together a pile of needles for himself, away from the stink. He will cough weakly as he does so.

[Mintaka]

Mathias kicks the bedding and can't help wrinkling his nose slightly. Still, it will do for a night. "Let's get some rest. The morning, and a night's mending, will bring more answers. Who will take first watch?"

[Phil_Colons]

"Kuba and I will take first watch, but sleep lightly human." A slight smirk crosses his face. "The spirits of this wood sometimes hunger for pink flesh"
OOC: How many HP is everyone down? Just wanna know what to prepare.

[Duncfoo]

"Watch? You want me to make sure I won't escape? I can offer the services of a woodland animal I have charmed to assist. My raven will wake me if he detects anything amiss." At this a caw will echo from a nearby tree.

Healing Info
OOC: I am at 4 / 26 hp.Shielton will be at 8 hp when he wakes from rest. May I recommend "Lesser Vigor" from the Complete Divine? Easy level 1 spell that heals 10 hp over 10 rounds. I think "Good Berry" can also be a very good out of combat healing method.

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: According to my calculations (by which I mean looking through the posts with combat in them), Mathias is down by 18 HP, Garm is down by 14, and Shielton is down by 18 (was in negative HP but immediately got a Cure Light that brought him to +3), and Nathaniel wasn't hurt at all. It's also worth noting that Garm has only cast a couple spells today, and might have more healing spells still prepped. It's still early morning, after all.]

[Mintaka]

Mathias sneers at Shielton. "I didn't mean you, fool. I would not trust your watch were I resting in the guarded castle of a friendly king." He turns to Garm "I haven't slept lightly for ten years. If anything should hunger for my flesh, let them try." Mathias flicks a piece of ogre flesh off his armor and begins bedding down for the night.

[hydingjekyll]

[+10 XP to Mathias for that last sentence. Evocative character detail FTW.]

Hearing no other opinions, everyone but Garm and Kuba settles down for a well-earned nap amid the stinky ogre camp. As they rest, the forest begins to grown lighter and louder with the onset of full daylight, but having the crap beaten out of you in combat tends to help one sleep through these things. Garm keeps a careful watch out, the Eyes of the Eagle glinting over his face, and Kuba continually sniffs the air for potential threats. A clutch of dire weasels comes close at one point, one brisk growl is enough to send it scurrying away.

Afternoon is well on its way when Kuba sniffs again, then plaintively turns to Garm with an unsure expression on his ursine face. The half-orc druid wrinkles his low brow and waits, readying his club and his command of magic in case the unknown element is dangerous. A moment later, two large grey wolves lope into view, quickly survey the group, then turn and run back the way they came. Not long after, five elves wearing well-tooled leather armor slowly approach. The wolves come with them, along with a long snake, and an owl and a hawk riding on two elves' shoulders. Although the elves' hands are empty, they are unmistakeably well-armed.

One of the elves steps forward, his skin darker than the others, and raises his hands in a show of non-hostility. "Good day to you all," he says neutrally. "I'm sorry to intrude here, but this is one of the stranger campsites I've seen in the last few decades."

By the time he starts talking, no one in the party is still asleep.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will sit up after a very brief nap, covered in blood and bruised in visually interesting ways, gaping like a fish at the elves. "We were killing Ogres?", Shielton stammers in a voice rising in pitch.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm nods a greeting. He assumes a less defensive stance, lowering his club but not stowing it. He quickly glances over the group of strangers trying to gauge their intentions [Sense motive =4] while wracking his brain to remember what he may know about elves in this wood [Knowledge check ? +4 if Nature, +0 for anything else]

[Mintaka]

Mathias rests his hand on the handle of his sword, not drawing it but ready to at any moment. "What interest is it to you?"

[hydingjekyll]

The lead elf glances down at the wolf next to him and nods, and it darts off around the camp. Then he looks over to Mathias and answers, "We've been tracking a pair of ogres for just over a day now, and their trail led them here. It sure smells like ogres." The wolf comes running back to him and barks once. The elf half frowns, half smiles, and turns to the other elves. "Looks like the halfling is right. Hars, Lendewen, check the corpses, would you? Still, be careful."

It's only a moment before the two indicated elves come back; one shakes his head. "Yeah, they're dead all right, but they don't ..." He looks over at Mathias.

"I see." The lead elf looks back to the impromptu ogre slayers. "We were after the ogres because they'd robbed a carriage carrying a significant tribute to a lord who lives about a day's travel from here. They don't have it now -- do you have any idea what happened to it?"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton thinks to himself Now what would be a suitable tribute to a Elven Lord?

[OOC: Which knowledge roll would cover this? +3 Nobility, +5 Nature, +3 Local]

[Phil_Colons]

Satisfied that the elves mean the party no harm, Garm holsters his club and speaks to the leader"Perhaps if you were more specific, we could help you more."

[hydingjekyll]

The dark elf nods. "Two hundred and seventeen gold pieces, and two gemstones. Have you seen anything like that?" His tone makes it clear that he's nearly certain that the group has.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton does his best to look small, beat up and not threatening. "Well the Ogres had about them some of those things. Do you demand these items?"

[Mintaka]

Mathias resists the urge to smack Shielton upside the head. "We were attacked by two ogres. They had fifty gold between them." He intentionally neither confirms nor denies the two gemstones. He would rather keep that to himself until he understands the intent of these elves, but he know better than to trust Shielton not to say something stupid.

[Phil_Colons]

OOC: Since Garm hung back after the ogres attacked, this is the first that he's heard anything of the gold or gems

Garm looks over to his companions, hoping that they aren't willing to throw their lives away for a few shiny baubles. The greed of civilized men has cast down greater men than these, he thinks.

[hydingjekyll]

The elves collectively look disappointed and a bit worried. Again, the dark-skinned elf takes the lead. "Only fifty? Well, we were hired to retrieve the gold and gems and return them to their rightful owner. May we have them returned, please?" His use of the word "them" makes it clear that he's still suspicious, and the elves' hands drift defensively toward their weapons, just in case. [Spot checks generally made]

[Mintaka]

"And who would the rightful owner be?"

[hydingjekyll]

"Lord Reniyus Araymus, of Koriad," the elf answers without hesitating. Mathias recognizes the name of the province and maybe the lord himself. [Int. check = 15]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton squeaks when the lord's name is said. "This is some serious business..." Shielton sighs loudly before continuing, "For you it was just simple Ogre baiting, for us it was a serious injury done. We are on our way to Clayne, despondently in my case, would our roads coincide for a moment and if they do could we deliver what pitiful trinkets the Ogre's had? This would keep our pride from being injured and accomplish your tasks as well."

[OOC: Give me a Diplomacy roll + a Bluff roll (for the pitiful trinkets)]

[Mintaka]

Mathias digs in his pocket and hands over the gold pieces. "I'm curious about those gems. Can you describe them, so I'll know if I come across them?"

[Bluff check?]

[hydingjekyll]

The elves politely accept the coins from Mathias. "The gemstones were a topaz and a lapis lazuli." The leader gives Mathias a dry look. "Given that you had the coins that the ogres were carrying, I'm sure you've seen them." [Bluff check = 16 vs. 22]

He looks over at Shielton. "You do have a point. Whether you meant to or not, you saved us a considerable amount of trouble. Clayne isn't anywhere near where we need to go, but we could possibly help you with your injuries -- if everything is returned."

A slight grimace moves over his face. "You said Clayne? Hm." He turns to one of the other elves who has the hawk on her shoulder. "Lendewyn, send Hrekk up to get a quick look at the north. I think we owe them that, too."

[Phil_Colons]

Garm looks to the bounty hunter. Unable to tell if Mathias is lying to the elves or not, he makes an educated guess. "Mathias, if you have what they desire, hand it over. They mean to help us."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will nod his agreement with Garm. "They offer us help Big Man. Don't lose the forest for the trees."

[Mintaka]

Mathias waits just a second, and decides that justice is better served by returning the gems to their rightful owner. He pull the gems out of his pocket hands them over to the elves "I wanted to ensure you were not serving the same master as the ogres which attacked us."

[hydingjekyll]

The lead elf accepts the gemstones graciously. "I appreciate it, and I can understand your caution. I'd kind of assumed the ogres were freelance, but if they do have a boss somewhere ... well, maybe it'll mean for jobs for us." The other elves chuckle.

"... speaking of which, we promised you what help we could give." He turns to the other hunters, then takes a small vial out of one of his many pockets. "All right, you four, let them have yours. They saved us a lot of trouble, and they deserve them." The elves join him in handing Mathias and the others a total of five of the vials, which the party recognizes as similar to the one Nathaniel gave Shielton after they were chased from Slow River Bend.

"And one more thing. Elewyn, is Hrekk back?"

The female elf looks up and makes a precise clicking sound. A mater of seconds later, a familiar-looking hawk dives into the clearing, swoops through the air and lands gracefully on her shoulder. The bird and the elf look at each other and click back and forth for a moment before she finally looks over at the party. "You're headed to Clayne, right? We heard yesterday that the highway between here and there got hit by a dragon -- red, I think it was. Hrekk went out for a look and the whole thing is still on fire. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there's no way you'll get through there for only-Iy-knows how long."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will let out a long held breath in a slow exhale. The Big Man is hard to predict... Shielton will think to himself.

When he hears the news of Clayne a lethargy settles over the Halfling. He will thank the trio of elves in Elven and summon down his Raven and have him fly up to confirm if the burning road if possible. Shielton will then mutter. "Delivering myself to justice was supposed to solve problems..." before issuing another loud sigh.

Shielton will throw back the potion he is handed and groan as he feels some of his wounds knit together. He had been through something a farmer shouldn't experience, an Orgre Ambush and boy was it painful.

[hydingjekyll]

[Shielton regains 9 HP.]

Uis flies upward and disappears through the canopy and into the brightening day. The hawk watches him go, but stays on its elf's shoulder.

The elf leader grimaces, then looks at the party again. "In that case, your best chance of getting to Clayne as soon as possible would be to follow this road you're already on through the forest and to the main highway, but take the eastern fork instead of going straight. It'll take you through the Myndlorn Mountains foothills and around the burned-out section; you'll lose several days, but that's better than if you walked through the wreckage. The dragon is probably still scouring that section of the highway, anyway."

He shrugs. "I'm sorry for your delay. If you'd like to travel with us as far as we go through the forest, you'd be welcome."

[Phil_Colons]

Garm nods his thanks to the elf that hands him the potions. He gulps one down and stows the other in his pack. "You have our thanks, and I believe that I speak for my comrades when I say your company would be much appreciated. What else do you know of this dragon?" He makes a mental note that some fire protection spells may be a good idea.

[OOC: That's three potions spoken for and two still available]

[Mintaka]

Mathias swallows a potion in one gulp. "Perhaps you could tell us about the dragon on the way?" No use in wasting time, particularly when the journey had already stretched several more days.

[hydingjekyll]

[Garm and Mathias both regain 11 HP.]

The elf nods turns to his company. "Move out!" he calls, and they fall into a loosely organized formation and leave along the path that Shielton and his captors were traveling in the first place; their entourage of animals follows, on foot or riding on the elves' shoulders. As they do, two more elves, similarly dressed and accompanied by a fox and a rattlesnake, fall into formation with them.

"I'm Randrin, by the way," the elf leader says, hanging back to walk with the non-elves. "As for the dragon, I haven't heard. The reports from the burning of the highway -- and these are from eyewitnesses who survived the incident, so take that for what it's worth -- were just that a dragon, probably red, swooped in over a group of travelers and scorched everything, then flew away to the northwest. There haven't been reports of a lot of dragon activity around here for years, so my guess is that it's a young one looking to establish its territory." He gives a chuckle without much humor in it. "As much as I wish otherwise, that's one bounty we'd never take on."

[Phil_Colons]

Kuba sniffs at a wolf.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will keep up light conversation with the elves in elven as the party moves through the woods. He will not mention or discuss the end results of Clayne or his captivity and is generally a little moody.

[hydingjekyll]

The groups travel together for several miles, taking up most of the day. Conversation comes easily between Garm and the elves, when Garm cares for it; they seem suspicious of him at first, but his connection to the wild and his wisdom win their respect quickly. Kuba and the other animals exchange experimental sniffs, and coexist peacefully afterward. Mathias maintains stony, watchful silence as the group trudges through the daylit forest, and Nathaniel does the same, more Mathias' shadow in austerity than his twin. The elves talk easily with each other and with Shielton, apparently making an overt choice to gloss over the impending trial that he mentioned. The closest thing to excitement comes in the form of wild animals that come too close for comfort, which the elven corps warn away without risking actual violence.

The forest path ends as the sun nears the horizon, making it unnecessary to shield their eyes as they all step into the day's remaining light. Up ahead, the path splits into three. Randrin turns to the four non-elves. "It's been fun, but this is where we go our separate ways. Again, thanks for your help. If you ever want something hunted down while you're in Koriad or anywhere in that area, ask for us by name." He points toward the eastern fork in the road. "That road will take you through the Myndlorn Mountains. There's some rough terrain and dangerous areas, but at least it'll get you to Clayne." He makes a respectful gesture. "May the Many bless your path."

With that, he and the rest of the elven bounty hunters hoof it down the western branch of the road; most of the other elves make similar gestures, or at least wave. Before long, Shielton, Garm, Mathias and Nathaniel are alone on the four-way intersection in the quickly-approaching night.

[Duncfoo]

"They were better company than you Big Man. Drag me on to my doom." Shielton says as he fake lurches behind Garm. Shielton tries to remember any way through the mountains as he teases the human.

Roll
Know Local: + 3
Know History: + 3 (famous info)
Know Nature: +4 (passes)

[Mintaka]

Mintaka suppresses an urge to smack Shielton on the head, instead shooting him a glare (Intimidation roll?). "Let's go."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will brush aside the Big Man's glare. "I have bigger things to fear right now. These mountains, the Myndlorn Mountains, we have to cross, do you know anything about them? I've lived in their shadows my whole life. People don't just cross. They die. Only a select few ever make it through. Garm, do you know anything about these ranges?"

[Phil_Colons]

Garm looks to the sinking sun and gives Kuba a playful cuff. The bear responds by showing his teeth. "Don't know much about these mountains, just mountains in general. Plenty here to make a meal of anyone foolish enough to try to cross." He glances at the bounty hunters. "You're sure that bringing this man to justice is worth throwing your lives away? That just may be what you're doing."

[hydingjekyll]

The lowest edge of the sun dips behind the horizon.

[Phil_Colons]

"Perhaps while you ponder on that, we should set up camp." Garm scouts the area for a good spot to post up for the night.

[hydingjekyll]

Within minutes, Garm has located a cluster of trees that will provide proper shelter and a good deal of protection if he sleeps among them. Just a few feet away, he recognizes a bed to reeds with especially nutritious tubers and the tell-tale signs an inhabited rabbit warren. Kuba quickly digs up and beats the crap out of several rabbits, eats two, and leaves the others for Garm. [Survival check = 21]

[Mintaka]

"I fear no mountain creature." Mathias begins bedding down for the night. "We will continue in the morning."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton heaves a big sigh and starts to best assemble a bed for himself. He uses a simple spell at some point and his rags go from being dirt soot stained rags to clean laundered rags in an instant. Curiosity starts to get the best of the Halfling as he starts to question Mathias. "Big Man, what leads you to such a profession?"

[Phil_Colons]

Garm sits aside from his companions and begins cooking the rabbits. He glances around at the forboding terrain surrounding the camp. The spirits of the mountains are not as forgiving as those of the forest he's used to. He fingers the pouch of Forest's Dream at his belt. Perhaps a good sized pinch would help him commune with the trecherous mountain spirits. Perhaps they would give him a vision of their path or things to come. The pinch he takes out is bigger than he means it to be. Garm isn't concerned. The pouch is still full to the point of almost bursting. As he licks the last of the purple powder from his fingers, he reflects that the pinch he's just taken was probably his biggest since the day that stranger came into his woods....

[hydingjekyll]

Garm sighs contentedly as he lies back and spreads his arms and legs out, feeling the earth and the grass beneath him. He can feel every blade of the grass, actually, and every grain of dirt. The reddening sunset light spreads over his vision, then blurs together with many stripes of yellow, orange, blue, green, indigo and purple. He sees Kuba prancing around on his hind legs -- no, several Kubas prancing around on their hind legs, in single file, in all the colors of the rainbow. They all smile raise a paw and wave at him, perfectly synchronized, now dancing in a circle; in the middle of the circle there rises a skull, the top of its cranium gone and revealing a while lightning bolt flanked by red and blue.

As the many Kubas dance gaily around the skull, Garm realizes someone is approaching him. It's an aged human bard with a full grey beard and glasses, dressed in sweat pants and a stylish necktie. He brings out his guitar and strums a few notes, then begins singing to Garm about a dark star and a sage named Johnny B. Goode. Eventually, he and the many-colored Kubas all dance off into the darkening night, leaving Garm to ponder the meaning of what he has just seen and experienced.

... wait, what are sweat pants?


Back on the physical plane, Nathaniel rolls out his bedroll and asks, "Should we post a watch?"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will shrug. "I'll let Uis take the watch for me near dawn. It can see in the dark, while I can't." Uis will caw from a tree, almost sounding like someone laughing.

Shielton will watch Garm as he communes with the forest, jealous of his powders. After watching for a while Shielton closes his eyes and starts to focus on the magics. They surround him like a series of keyholes into things not like doors, but like puzzles. Shielton studies the puzzles in his mind for a long moment. Then he open's his eyes and the puzzles are there still waiting to be puzzled with. My studies must continue. I can't let them slow me down. Were the books the clue or the keys... Shielton begins manipulating shapes and images among the fire light. Shapes that defy geometry, colors that hurt the eyes, impossible architecture all flow between his hands.


Casting: Silent Image, maintaining concentration for as long as possible, or until interrupted
Roll me a Spell Craft and a Know Arcana. May my light show be awesome!

[Mintaka]

Mathias watches Shielton's actions with mild interest. He may serve as a fiery force for justice, but every once in awhile something will spark his old sense of curiousity. As soon as he is aware of it, though, he crushes it down somewhere deep within him, in a place he keeps non-useful emotions like humor, happiness, and above all love. He turns away and stares into the dark, calling from within and savoring his ever simmering anger, feeling it burn away the old emotions. At least for now. "I'll take first watch."

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton is able to hold the image and continue shaping it for a very long time. [Silent Image is actually limited only by the caster's imagination -- no checks for anything besides Concentration required.]

Garm lies on the ground, smelling the texture of the earth beneath him and listening to the light, while Kuba waits patiently beside him. Shielton focuses his entire, tired attention on his spell, trusting in Uis and Mathias to keep vigilant. Nathaniel watches the light show for a moment before reminding himself that Shielton is a criminal awaiting trial, that the halfling's actions are just a further usurpation of the gods' power, that he will be justly punished in due time ... He eventually goes to bed to wait for his turn at watch.

Mathias keeps his eyes wide and his ears piqued, but hears and sees nothing throughout the hours assigned to himself. Afterward, he calmly wakes Nathaniel, who then keeps an alert watch until Garm's turn. Garm, waking from his Dream and still seeing streaks of supernatural color, sits watch until dawn. Aside from the skittering of natural critters, none of them sees or hears anything unusual. [Spot and Listen checks = various, secret]

At last, the sun rises on all of them once again, and they rise to the forest behind them, the mountains ahead, and the branching paths to both sides.

[Mintaka]

Mathias straps his armor back on, his body feels unnaturally (an unnervingly) light without it. He turns to Garm. "We have a long journey ahead of us, we're going to need food to survive it. What do you know of game in this area of the forest?"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will offer what he knows of nature and survival, trying to add his magic abilities if he can. The Big Man was right, they may need to take a few days to lay in supplies.

please roll: know nature & survival to aid Garm
Spellcraft to come up with creative spell use to aid us. Greased pits, invisible hunting

[Phil_Colons]

"We'll have no trouble finding food here," Garm says as he scans the horizon. He tries to get a sense of how the weather will hold out as they try to cross the mountains [survival +16]. He realizes with minimal frustration that he isn't prepared for inclement weather. The bounty hunters would doubtless insist they continue on anyway. He looks to his companions to study their injuries.

{OOC: How many HP is everyone down?}

[hydingjekyll]

Garm is quite right; they'll be able to forage just fine in the mountains. [Survival check = 18] He looks up at the sky, tastes the wind, sniffs the Forest's Dream (without actually inhaling any), and examines the ground for signs of weather patterns; the weather should be sunny for at least today, and may cloud over in the couple days after that, but any rain should be negligible and there won't be any particularly strong wind. [Survival check = 25]

Then he looks over at his oddly-chosen companions: Nathaniel doesn't have so much as a hole in his clothes; Mathias' limp, compliments of the ogre's club, is minimal; and Shielton's bruises are blooming, but he's able to keep his head attached without help. Garm himself is still feeling a little stiffness where the other ogre's spiked club raked him, but the muscles have knitted together just fine, and other than minor discomfort, he's no longer feeling any ill effects. Kuba's fine, too. [Garm, Kuba, and Nathaniel are at full HP; Mathias is down by only 2, and Shielton is down by 4. Garm has not yet prepared spells for the day.]

[OOC: I couldn't find Garm's HP total on his character sheet, and I can't open the Google document with Mathias' character sheet on it at all. If Walker can tell me Garm's max HP and if Nell could re-send me Mathias' entire sheet, that would be much appreciated.]


[OOC: By the way, 1,500 XP to everyone who participated in peaceful negotiations with the band of rangers.]


Everybody stands there for a while, feeling their hair grow. After an hour, Nathaniel says, "Maybe we should get going."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton has neither a pack to hoist or blanket to roll. He simply stands up and follows after Nathaniel silent in the early morning.

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias, Nathaniel and Garm all poop themselves.

[Mintaka]

"Damnit." Mathias looks around for a creek, river, or something where he can wash up.

[hydingjekyll]

As Mathias walks around (a bit uncomfortably), searching for a places to de-foul his armor, he steps on a randomly placed rock of cleaning. It is permanently enchanted with an aura of prestidigitation, and instantly his entire person is a clean as the falling rain.

Although relieved (twice over), Mathias realizes that he might not be so lucky the next time -- he and everyone else had better get a move on.

[Mintaka]

Mathias, now feeling much lighter and cleaner, sheaths his sword and hoists his crossbow. "I'll hunt for game." He sneers at Shielton "The fool can forage for berries."

[hydingjekyll]

Hearing no protests, Mathias walks off, looking for worthwhile game. Larger animals are nowhere in sight, though, and the rabbits and birds he spots run off before he can even aim his crossbow properly. After a while, he realizes that it would be best to just get going; it makes him glad that he's got nearly three weeks' worth of trail rations in his backpack. [Survival check = 5]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton makes a series of rude gestures at the Human's back before stalking into the woods. He attempts his best to trap small animals and gather a small amount of food before they treck into the mountains.

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton is used to cultivating a living off the land, rather than just going out and finding one, but he does find a cluster of bushes with berries that look edible and don't smell particularly toxic. [Survivial check = 13]

With the food situation pretty much settled, the group sets off along the path that heads into the foothills of the mountains.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm shakes the cobwebs out of his skull and follows along with his companions. Being a half-orc, he isn't bothered by a little poop in his drawers.

[hydingjekyll]

The path through the foothills is broad and well-worn, but there aren't a lot of signs or rails or anything. It's as if whoever is responsible for upkeep has been failing in the responsibility for years. The ground is travel-able, but the cracked earth makes for rough going. Mathias and Nathaniel try not to think of what it would be like trying to walk the path in the rain and mud.

The grass of the forest becomes sparse as the path gradually inclines and leads to higher elevation. The terrain becomes rocky and the mountains gradually climb on either side of the road, sandstone showing through in the surrounding natural walls that threaten to close in on the travelers. Pebbles rattle off the upper reaches of the higher ground, making them look around suspiciously, nervously, eyes and ears alert for ambush or rockslides, but nothing comes. [Spot and Listen checks = various] The sun climbs higher, beating down mercilessly; idle clouds stand by and ignore the sweltering mortals below. At one point, a clear stream is heard running not far from the path, and the companions eagerly refill their waterskins.

As the sun begins its descent, two columns as wide as caravan wagons and twice as tall loom ahead on the path, and the road narrows to fit between them. The travelers look at each other warily, then continue toward the columns without another option.

Just as they reach the choke point, a shadow flashes across the sun-baked ground with the sound of swooping wings. They look up, just as the shadow comes to rest directly on the path. Straddling the two columns proudly above them stands a creature that almost makes every jaw drop. A feline body bigger than a warhorse lashes its tail, huge batlike wings spread in preparation to take to the air again. A pair of full human-like breasts hangs between the powerful, clawed front legs, and the monster's head looks like that of a human woman -- or it would, if not for the exaggerated slant to the eyes, the flattened nose, the feline lips pulled back from the mouthful of dagger-like teeth. The thing's limbs and torso ripple with predator's muscles, every one of them tensed to attack.

"This is my road." The monster's voice is like the love child of a hiss and a roar. "Anyone who even thinks to get past this point has to pay the price that I've set." She flexes her forepaws, extending her hooked claws and raking deep fissures into the rocks she stands on, as if to dissuade anyone who might think to steal passage from her.

[Mintaka]

Out of instinct, Mathias' hand goes to the handle of his sword. "And what price is that?"

[hydingjekyll]

A fierce, self-satisfied smile spreads across the monster's face as she folds her wings in and sits back a little bit. "One compliment." Then her eyes turn irate and her fangs show again as she amends, "A good one."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will pause a moment before saying, "I have never seen you as lovely as I have today..." Shielton will sniff for a moment, "I... I would say that to my wife every morning." Shielton will look down away from the winged woman once more depressed.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm furrows his brow and thinks back to numerous legends his mother told him, trying to grasp at what this strange creature could possibly be [Knowledge WTF?]

[Mintaka]

Mathias also searches his memory for legends of this creature.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm grits his teeth in frustration. He knows the party faces some sort of sphinx, but has precious little information of use. He nervously stares at the strange creature, hoping that Shielton's compliment will earn safe passage. Garm has no desire to feel exactly how sharp those wicked looking claws are.

[Mintaka]

Mathias waits for the beast's reaction to Shielton's compliment. He wracks his brain, compliments are most definitely not his area of expertise. He studies the tensed muscles and breasts, reaching for back for memories of courtship long ago.

[hydingjekyll]

The monster's face crinkles in mild puzzlement at Shielton's words. "You've never seen me before today at all," she points out skeptically. Her leonid shoulders sort of bob up and down once, making an oddly shrug-like motion. "Still, that's pretty sweet. You go on." She turns to the other three, her expression changing back to demandingly expectant. "And what about you lot?"

Mathias gets a partial erection that he's not entirely comfortable with.

[Mintaka]

"Your hard, firm muscles ripple like the sea. You breasts are wonderous, I wish I could nest my head between them all night."

[hydingjekyll]

The sphinx's feline jaw slackens at Mathias' unexpected poetic turn and bold choice of flattery. She's far from the only one with this reaction.

For a brief moment of universal silence, Mathias fights to keep his expression steady, watching the sphinx's claws intently for signs of sudden movement. Finally, the sphinx sits back, flushing a bit; if anything, she's flaunting a little now. "Well, then, strapping warrior," she says in tones of deep delight, "maybe you can."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will shrug his acceptance."Thank you madam Sphinx, may your journeys be safe. You may have to pardon our orc friend, his kind rarely know compliments."

[Mintaka]

Mathias nods at the creature. "Perhaps another time. My party and I have urgent business to attend to."

[hydingjekyll]

The sphinx says nothing for a second, then turns to Garm and Nathaniel. "You two still haven't paid your due respects," she snarls.

"You're pretty," says Nathaniel.

"Uh-huh," says Garm.

The sphinx stares blankly at them for a second, then extends her claws. "Uh-uh," she growls. "Not even. You two -" She looks over at Shielton and Mathias. "- go. These two -" She looks back to the witch hunter and the druid. "-you stay. You stay until you learn. And you will."

Mathias hesitates to break up the party, while Shielton shrugs and sighs. Garm and Nathaniel look pained as well, and immediately begin wracking their brains for proper ways to verbally sweep a lady off her feet. Nathaniel's repressed, monastery-raised brain has nothing to draw from, while Garm is barely used to talking to other people at all. Mathias and Shielton realize that they can't afford to wait, and get going.

[OOC: Walker and Sean, just start posting whenever you're able again. That's when your characters will catch up.]

Still casting untrusting glances at each other, Mathias and Shielton pass under the sphinx and along the road. The sun hasn't gotten any cooler, and Mathias perspires heavily inside his armor. Both watch warily as the road un-narrows, spreading into an open plateau, though the mountain continues to rise in the distance; although they're no longer walking through a choke point, the plateau is littered with huge boulders that make Mathias' eyes twitch with suspicion. High mountain walls continue to loom far off to either side of the beaten path. The sound of another stream burbles off ahead. Here and there, prey birds and scavenger birds swoop through the blinding sky.

It's not long before both the burdened warrior and the malnourished farmer are in need of a rest.


[1,000 XP to Shielton and Mathias -- to Shielton for character play and Mathias for making me laugh out loud.]

[Mintaka]

"We should get some rest." Mathias looks around for a somewhat protected spot, perhaps surrounded by 3 boulders.

[Phil_Colons]

Garm watches in horror as his friend and Mathias disappear around the bend. He'd hoped that Mathias's flowery words would earn passage for the entire party. As it is, he's never paid anyone a compliment before in his life, and he isn't quite sure how to do it. He curls his lip and tries to think what he would want someone to say to him.

"You seem like you could...defend...a vast stretch of forest...if that would be something...you'd ever want to do."

It comes out broken and uncertain. Perhaps he'd have been better off letting Kuba speak for him.

[hydingjekyll]

The sphinx blinks a couple more times, then smiles and sits back proudly. "Why yes, yes I could," she purrs. "Nice of you to notice. Now go catch up with your friends."

Garm hurries after Shielton and Mathias, Kuba at his heels. It's not hard to keep their trail, and the sweaty, puffing Garm catches up with them just as they search for a place to rest.

[750 XP for Garm -- a little late, but very much in character and quite entertaining.]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will nod to Mathias. "Do you have a pot or something to gather water? I'll head to that brook and refill what ever is needed and look around..." He will glance down the pass. "Garm! What ever did you say to her to allow you to pass?" Shielton seems excited to see the dour green man back.

Shielton will ask Uiz to help look for a good place to rest calling the Raven down to a shrub near him. "Uiz, wonderful bird, we need a flat spot with some cover, a boulder to put our backs to our a tree. Assist us and I'll give you a show later."

[hydingjekyll]

Uis flies high, looking for a suitable resting place as Shielton hunts around on land; Mathias turns his keen interest into defensibility to the boulders, looking for an enclosed space with natural barriers to attack; Garm casts about for somewhere that will stay dry and provide nearby food. It takes a little while, but soon everyone is satisfied, finding shelter next to two enormous boulders that provide cover for more than 180 degrees, with a babbling brook a couple hundred feet behind them and the occasional mountain hare running around. [Survival checks: Shielton =16 (including bonus for enlisting Uis), Mathias = 18, Garm = 20]


--> What do the characters do while they rest? How long are they resting? Are they setting up camp, or just taking a breather? Answer with your character, of course.

[Mintaka]

"We best setup camp. This is probably the safest place we'll have to rest in a long time, and as our numbers are lower until Nathanial figures out how to flatter that creature, we should take advantage."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will shrug."At this point if he can't figure it out he is dead weight anyways. But I am in no hurry but the less time we send in this pass the better."

[hydingjekyll]

Without further discussion, the group sets up camp. It's a simple matter for Garm to forage for the group, even in the rocky surroundings. Mathias keeps a close eye on Shielton, but the halfling doesn't try to slip away.

[OOC: All right, what next? What does everyone do for the night? Does everyone just go to sleep? Play some cards? Paint each other's toenails and talk about boys?]

[Phil_Colons]

As Garm divies out the meager collection of berries, nuts, and squirrel poop he's found for the group, he asks Mathias a question that has been burning in his mind the past few days.
"What fate do you believe awaits Sheilton when we reach our destination? Will he be put to death?"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will interject. "What happens to witches is rarely discussed. I've always assumed they have all been killed but who knows really. But I would rather try to meet which fate it is with my head up... Everything I loved is gone anyways."

With his usual dejected manner Shielton will best gather something to keep him from freezing to death and spend his moments meditating on is magical abilities.

[Mintaka]

"That's not for me to decide. A court will decide Shielton's fate." Mathias begins preparing bedding, but this time decides to leave his armor on. "Who will take first watch?"

[hydingjekyll]

The question is answered by the sound of a clump of gravel being kicked accidentally. All three turn around and move just beyond the outcropping of the sheltering boulders, and see four armed hulks approaching from the left in the light of the setting sun, maybe twenty feet away; three of them are looking irately at the fourth. [Move Silently check = 12, 16, 24, and Natural 1]

One of them takes a couple steps forward and raises a javelin with one hand; the weapon is stained in blood, but not darkly enough to suggest that the blood is more than a day or two old. The monstrosity himself is like a walking battering ram, smaller than the ogres but just as muscled. His feral features are streaked with blood, either incidental or decorative, and he's dressed in torn, ill-fitting clothes of considerable quality. His bear-like ears twitch with anticipation of violence, his eyes dilated and bared teeth quivering with aggression that surprsies the companions with his ability to control it. "We got Raymon Gleibring!" he shouts, his voice a gutteral mockery of proper speech. "You give us hundred-hundred gold coins, we give him back. You don't, we kill him, and you too!"

As he speaks, the other three step up behind him, raising javelins of their own and grinning in anticipation.

[Mintaka]

Mathias stands, glad he left his armor on, and draws his sword. "Of who do you speak?"

[hydingjekyll]

The leader hesitates for a second, but the brutish humanoids react aggressively to Mathias' brandished sword, stepping forward and raising their weapons before the leader orders them back. "Raymon Gleibring!" he shouts. "He said other humans coming, said they give lot of gold coins if we not kill him. If is a lie, fine! We kill him for lying, and we kill you for being dumb humans!" The others again start to move forward, obviously eager to kill.

[Duncfoo]

"Wait, Raymond Gliebring. No! No it can't be..." Shielton puts his hand to his chest and makes incoherent noises before falling prone to his back his head turned towards Garm. With a wink the halfling dissipates into the ground.

Bluff +8 Check to hide casting
Free: Fall Prone
Standard Action: Invisibility
Move: Stand up!

[hydingjekyll]

The bugbears' eyes widen in surprise, and they collectively falter. Then, "Hey!" shouts the leader. "Hey, what he do? How he do that? Make him come back! Make him get us money for Raymon Gleibring!" It's clear that he suspects some trickery, but doesn't know exactly what happened. [Bluff = 14 vs. Spot = 18]

[+15 XP to Shielton for a clever ploy, even if it wasn't 100% efective]

[Phil_Colons]

Garm, despite being one of the least clever liars in the land, is inspired by Shielton's trickery and decides to play along for a spell.
"Fools!" he cries. "Your greed has angered the spirits of the mountain! The swallowed him whole, and they will soon come for us! We must leave this place, quickly!"
[Bluff -1]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will quirk an invisible eyebrow and think to himself I can work with that...

The Halfling quickly moves off to the side of the group towards the cliff face dragging his feet and trying to kick as many rocks as possible. As he moves the words of magic spill from his lips. Between Shielton and the cliff face a shape will appear, a face in the rocks pushing itself slowly out of the stone passage. It will lift one large hand very slowly from the cliff face pointing towards the group of bandits. A set of stoney jaws will start to chew up through where the Halfling was a moment before. "Uuhhhh Aunnnggggrrryyy.... Hunngggrrryyy!!!" Shielton will growl trying to give his illusion some extra life. The rocks around the creatures will start to swell just a slight amount showing the mountains anger.

Move: Off towards the side of the group
Standard: Silent Image (4 10' cubes of illusion available, Using 2 for Cliff face, 1 moved to Below the creautes, 1 for where Shielton was)
Free: Make Noises! (Bluff +8, Intimidate +4, Perform (Moster) +4)

[hydingjekyll]

The leader grimaces at Garm. "Makes no sense. We steal humans' money all the time. Make him come back!" Two of his compatriots nod assent, but the third is visibly disturbed. "Is probably the problem!" he protests. "We steal all the time, so now it eats us!" [Bluff = 4 vs. Sense Motive = 5, 7, 10, Natural 1; convinces one of the monsters]

"Got crap for brains! Why earth care about money?" snaps the leader, smacking the frightened underling in the face with his free hand. Then the dust starts rising, the gravel tossing through the air, and the horrible moans emerge from Shielton's invisible throat. The chastised monster becomes less visibly disturbed and more visibly wearing soiled trousers. "Who got crap for brains now?" he wails, and sprints like crazy away from the scene. Another of the monsters follows suit, his muscular back and soggy breeches showing smaller and smaller as he retreats away and up a hillside a hundred yards or so away.

"You got crap for brains!" bellows the leader after them. "Is probably little guy playing trick again! I beat you up good when I get back! I kick you teddy bear in his nuts!" The remaining henchmonster looks around, then squares her shoulders. "Yeah, voice sound like little guy! Earth sound different!" she shouts after them. [Bluff = 20 vs. Sense Motive/Will save to disbelieve the illusion = Natural 20, Natural 20, 2, 14; tricks two of the monsters, and you PCs are lucky this wasn't combat]

"Crap for brains," mutters the leader, turning back to the remaining human and half-orc, and swatting gravel out of the air. "You! Make little guy knock it off and give us hundred-hundred gold coins, or we kill you and Raymon Gleibring!"


[+15 XP to both Garm and Shielton for clever idea and using it effectively]


[OOC: This link is hilarious. http://www.dndadventure.com/html/articles/gaming_stories.html ]

[Mintaka]

Mathias raises his sword "By the power of the mountain gods, I shall strike you down!" He lunges at the leader.

[OOC: Mathias is looking to wound severely, but not necessarily kill]

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias covers the distance between himself and the monsters faster than they can prepare for it and attacks, his gleaming sword shearing through the male's chest and splitting the sternum horizontally. [20 feet of tactical movement per page 147 in the PHB; attack = 21, damage = 16]

The hulking monster screams in pain and alarm as its blood splashes onto the dry earth; it drops its javelin and grabs a large mace from its belt, swinging for Mathias' head with what's left of its strength, but it glances off the fluting on Mathias' shoulder plate. [attack = 14, failure] The female drops the longspear she's been brandishing and pulls a dagger for close-quarters combat, but fumbles on the draw and just manages to avoid stabbing her own leg. [attack = Natural 1, 23 to avoid critical miss]


Initiative:
Shielton
Garm
Mathias
Bugbear leader
Bugbear A

[Duncfoo]

Shielton sighs as the warrior charges in, illusions are fun until someone gets all hostile. As the illusion begins to fade a large ball of roiling fire appears by the injured creature igniting it. Shileton appears not far from where he fell over with his hands cupped and his strange words flowing from his mouth.

Free: End Concentration on Silent Image
Move: None
Standard: Flaming Sphere on Injured Thing

[hydingjekyll]

The burning sphere rolls into the bleeding bugbear, rolling up his front and down his back, scorching deep blisters into his flesh, cauterizing his gaping chest would and reducing his clothes to cinders. He screams in agony, but manages to keep his feet. [Reflex = 11, failure; damage = 5]


[OOC: It has been two days without a response for Garm so we'll assume that Garm is holding his actions. Next in line is Mathias, and Shielton is free to specify his upcoming actions, as well.]

[Mintaka]

Mathias wrinkles his nose at the smell of burning flesh, leaves the leader and turns to the other. He flicks the blood from his sword, then lunges.

[hydingjekyll]

The female bugbear shrieks in panic and shies away, barely managing to deflect the sword with her dagger and a well-timed parry. [attack = 15, failure]


[next up is Garm or Shielton]

[Phil_Colons]

Garm feels no need to waste his magic on these lowly specks of filth. He and Kuba lay into the injured bugbear leader with basic attacks.

[hydingjekyll]

Garm unslings his club as he moves in on the bugbear, lunging with his full momentum as he comes in next to Mathias. His cudgel whistles through the air and smashes into the side of the monster's skull, staggering the burning bugbear as he fights to maintain his balance through the pain. [attack = 21, damage = 4] Kuba is not far behind, running in an arc to get to the bugbear's vulnerable side before attacking; the bear's claws catch in the brute's leather armor, tearing long gashes into it without penetrating. [attack = 12, failure]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton stands in position murmuring and rolls his open hand causing the ball of fire to crawl up the leaders bugbears leg and with his other hand points a finger at the second bug bear projecting a ray of polar frigid air at it.


Move: Direct Ball of Flame (5 rounds left)
Standard: Ray of Frost @ non leader

[hydingjekyll]

The burning orb rolls mercilessly over the wounded bugbear, his wobbling legs giving out out beneath him and the skin peeling off his face as he passes out. Either the shock hits him so fast that he doesn't have time to scream, or his vocal cords have simply been burned out. [Reflex = 8, failure; damage = 9] Shielton lets loose the blue ray of lethal cold at the same time that the remaining bugbear realizes she doesn't have a chance and runs; in her mad scramble to get away, she inadvertently ducks the frigid blast. [attack = 8, failure]

As she turns to flee, she plants one foot to sprint and pushes off it, leaving it within Mathias' reach for one frantic heartbeat too long. She shrieks in sudden agony; instead of propelling her toward freedom, the leg collapses beneath her. [attack of opportunity = 16 (including penalty to keep from actually killing the target), damage = 16] The crippled bugbear falls heavily to the ground, her leg attached by mere inches; the femur is cut clean through. She tries to roll onto her back, cries out again in fear and anguish, then finally succeeds in turning to face her attackers. Her jaw trembles with dread and wrenching pain, her clenched eyes watering visibly as her consciousness threatens to leave her. A few feet away, her leader lies and burns, unmoving.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton dismisses the flaming orb with a sigh and walks up to the fallen Bug Bear."Tell us where this hostage is and we may try to fix your leg or make sure you dont suffer."

[Mintaka]

Mathias follows Shielton to the fallen Bug Bear and holds his sword, this time not bothering to flick away the blood, to the Bug Bear's throat. "Tell us what we want, you deal with him." He jerks his head toward Shielton. "Don't tell us what we want, you deal with me." Mathias lets the blade just touch the Bug Bear's throat, not deep enough to cut, but enough for her to feel it's sharpness. "Clear enough?"

[hydingjekyll]

The bubgear's leathery skin pales, and not just because of blood loss. "Yes! Clear! Clear!" she blubbers, shuddering in pain from her wound. She gingerly reaches down to her leg to try to staunch the bleeding without provoking Mathias, then winces and points after her fled compatriots. "They go that way! Up that hill, past real twiggy tree, go right at really big boulder. We got cave. We got Raymon Gleibring there. We got gold coins there. You have gold coins if you not kill me." [Intimidate: Mathias = 26 vs. bugbear = 3]

[Phil_Colons]

"How many friends do you have up there, not counting the ones that ran off just now?" asks Garm, wiping a streak of blood off of his club.

[hydingjekyll]

The bugbear grunts in pain, sweat running down her face. "One more. Grikgrak say he a pain lately -- and he right -- so Grikgrak make him stay and watch Raymon Gleibring and not fun part."

[Duncfoo]

"Ah, the fun part," Shielton murmurs as he tears a long strip of fabric from the dead leaders attire. He wads up the strip and throws it to the bleeding bugbear. "Wrap that around your leg as tight as you can get it. It will stop the bleeding. Garm do you have some very minor magic that might knit some of the muscles back together? Do you trap the path at all, I think we may be going to take Raymon Gleibring back."

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton scorches his hands a little, but he manages to tear a pants-cuff that isn't yet on fire off the leader's burning body. The bugbear tries desperately to staunch the bloodflow, and the cloth is soon soaked. She shakes her head, not looking up from her efforts to not bleed out. "No, no traps. (Ow!) Cave hidden real good, and (ow!) dumb poops who run probably fall in if they there."

[Mintaka]

Mathias stands. "Heal her up, if you can. She's going to take us there."

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: By the way, 1,500 XP all around, +200 for Garm and Shielton's neutralizing two bugbears before combat even started. This puts Shielton and Mathias at 6th level; Garm is close. Duncan and Nell, please e-mail me your updated character sheets when you get the chance.]

[Phil_Colons]

Garm slings his club and pulls a tiny pinch of purple powder out of his purple powder pouch (ha). Glaring at the wounded bugbear, he kicks her weapon over to Kuma's feet, then sprinkles the powder into the gaping wound on her leg, speaking a brief chant to the mountain spirits (OoC: spontaneously casts the smallest heal spell that will get her up and around)
Understand this, you wretch. I just saved your life. Make me regret it, and my bear will gnaw your bones tonight."

[hydingjekyll]

Garm pulls the blood-soaked cloth out of her wound and sticks his finger in; her cry of pain cuts off abruptly as the severed bone he touches suddenly knits. She still has a terrible wound, but at least the bone is in as many pieces as it's supposed to be. She hesitates, then slowly climbs to her feet, wobbling and limping on her injured leg, as though it could snap again if she's not careful. [Druids can't cast cure spells spontaneously, but Garm did have a Cure Minor spell left.]

"Not kill me, right? Okay, this way." The bugbear hobbles off slowly, glancing nervously over her shoulder several times at the people following her. She follows the same path taken by the bugbears who ran away, across a stretch of the flat, rocky land before coming to a steep rise up the side of one of the many hills. She winces again, as if unsure that her leg is up to the climb.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton follows the bug bear of the hill with a small smile. "Big Man, I have something to help you when we get closer. Bugbear, warn us when we approach the camp." A brief play of sparks plays across Shieltons hand.

I want to cast Shield on Matthias when we are a little closer.

Updated Sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=244906
I'll take Explosive spell next feat chance.

[hydingjekyll]

The bugbear reluctantly nods and gingerly starts climbing up the hill on all fours, wincing every time she puts any weight on her injured leg. Everyone follows, some more quickly than others [everyone effectively takes 10 if at all necessary] The hill levels out into a plateau; maybe thirty feet off, if rises again into another hill and eventually the actual mountainside.

The limping bugbear slowly leads the party to the right, moving along the plateau past several scraggly bushes and cracks in the stone ground. "There," she says, pointing. "Real twiggy tree." She speaks the truth: a scraggly, stunted-looking tree with no leaves but plenty of twigs stands ahead, just off the half-beaten path the group is on. She leads on past it. Off in the distance is an enormous rock that could easily crush a full covered wagon or a platoon of charioteers; to the right of it, the hill drops down, so steeply it could almost be called a cliff. "Right at really big boulder," she reiterates tiredly, and turns left.

Moving on from the boulder, she points up at another, more modest slope. In the waning daylight, she points up to a big hole in the rock. "Cave," she pants. "Raymon Gleibring there. You can have him."

[Mintaka]

"Is anyone guarding him?" Mathias asks the Bugbear. "I'll let you imagine the consequences if you lie to me."

[hydingjekyll]

The bugbear shakes her head forcefully, then nods. "Yeah, one who didn't come, and two who ran. And Grohr. Big doggie."

[Duncfoo]

"Doggie? Great. Want me to scout ahead or do we just walk up and demand him?" Either way Shielton murmur some words of magic, drawing a round disk shape in the air that briefly shimmers and causes the light to wave very slightly when passing through. He does the same for Mathias

Casting Shield twice, 6min duration

[Mintaka]

Mathias puts his hand up briefly as the air shimmers. "How do you control the dog?" he asks the bugbear.

[hydingjekyll]

She shrugs. "Same way Grikgrak control everyone else - kick 'em if they mouth off. Feed him, too. Let him eat people who don't get paid for. He like eating people, so he not mouth off as much as dumb poops who ran." She shrugs, and points up at the cave again. "Anyway, Raymon Gleibring up there. All yours. Not want him no more."

[Phil_Colons]

Garm squints toward the cave. "I can hear them talking up there, but can't hear what they're saying. I think I hear the dog, too. It sounds big. If we can lure the dog out here, I may be able to convince it to abandon the bugbears."

[Duncfoo]

"How do we lure the dog out? I mean... I forgot my steaks back on the farm..." Shielton says in a sarcastic manner. "I could make an illusion but I haven't yet figure out how to make them smell."

[Mintaka]

"If we lure the dog out, the other guards will probably come out too. If we ambush them in the cave, they have no place to run."

[hydingjekyll]

[+50 XP to everyone for playing their characters so demonstratively.]

The wounded bugbear cringes, raises her head to say something, then thinks better of it. Then she meekly raises her head again and says, almost as if she's afraid the companions might hear, "Um ... not kill them."

[Mintaka]

Mathias turns to the bugbear "Care to propose an alternative?"

[hydingjekyll]

She shies away from Mathias' glare. "N-no ... no," she says, so softly it can barely be heard through her shaking.


[OOC: All right folks, do what you gonna do.]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton turns to the bug bear lady, "We are not heartless but they are holding hostages and did you not attend to rob and kill us but five minutes ago?" Shielton pauses, "After hostilities commence you can attempt to get them to lay down arms and free the hostages. Life is hard bugbear. Death is always only a moment away." He then turns to his compatriots and whispers his plan, "If you want I can make it seem to those in the cave that no one approaches but the sound and smell will still be there. Either way a barking dog that rushes out will cause confusion. Then we strike. Uis, go scout the cave entrance and return ASAP..." Shielton smiles as a plan comes together.

As a player I am ok with the running in and burninating. Plan is to use Illusion to mask the front of the cave in a view of the normal outside. Then we try and move all quite up. If this is out of the ken for Silent Image then I will burn 3 invisibilities...

[Mintaka]

"The fool actually proposes a decent plan. Let's do it."

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton quickly murmurs the necessary words, gesturing over himself, Mathias and Garm; one by one, they all disappear from each other's sight. Meanwhile Uis flies off, returns and croaks into Shielton's ear what he has seen; Shielton quickly relays that Uis has seen nothing at the cave entrance, so the bugbears and their dog must be deeper inside the cave. In the last remnants of the day's light, the cave appears to be completely dark inside, the raven says.

As the three of them and Kuba approach the cave, they see that Uis is correct -- there's no light at all coming from the cave. They can hear, however, several somethings moving around farther back in the cave, trying not to make noise. The wounded bugbear hangs back, her hands around the cut through her leg, whimpering in misery.

[Silent image creates an illusion of a single object or living thing, rather than a full scene, so Shielton casts invisibility instead.]

[Phil_Colons]

Though he doesn't suspect treachery from the wounded bugbear, Garm has always found that caution is always a good idea in these situations. He pulls his Eyes of the Eagle down in front of his face. His keen eyesight working as well in the dark cave as outside, he scans the area for traps, alarms, or anything else which might ruin his day. [Spot +13, Listen +8]

[hydingjekyll]

Garm stares hard into the mouth of the cave, the darkness hindering his sight less than a breeze hinders a flying bird (except that he's seeing in black and white). He sees several signs that the area is occupied -- rocks placed for sitting, meat bones, something that looks like a children's toy -- but there's no sign of anything left for unwary invaders. [Spot roll secret; a closer look would require a Search check. Listen check result in PM.]

[Mintaka]

Mathias draws his sword. "Let's go in."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will whisper, "Big Man, its pitch dark. I think they see in the dark. Should I make light?"

[Mintaka]

Mathias whispers back "Yes, actually, if their eyes are accustomed to the darkness the light may take them by shock"

[Duncfoo]

Shielton whispers, "Be prepared then," and picks up a rock, cast lighf on in and pitches it into the cave.

[hydingjekyll]

The first large chamber of the cave lights up briefly as the rock hurtles over it, before finally landing deeper inside the cave; the antechamber remains lit well enough for the companions to make out the crude furniture and the walls therein. A handful of surprised grunts squeeze through the cave, and deeper inside, several humanoid (and one large canine) shadows are seen on the walls, frantically retreating even farther back. A plaintive male voice weakly calls, "Hey, what's going on?", then falls quiet.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton again whispers, "Go quickly while they are suprised." He then moves (invisibly) farther into the room ready to cast an illusion to cloak the hostage if needed.

[hydingjekyll]

Shielton moves into the room, easily making out a large, roundish chamber that's clearly used as a sort of living room. Straight ahead, the far end of the room closes down into a roughly circular opening in what would otherwise have been a wall; through the gap, the light of the brightly-shining stone pours in. He can see the glowing rock on the ground, untouched, with no signs of anyone around in the next crude cave chamber.

[Mintaka]

Mathias moves forward into the first cavern and makes his way to the entrance to the second, peering around the side of the entrance.

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias moves to the entrance with a sound like the rustling of steel leaves. He listens carefully, then looks into the second chamber: the room is smaller than the first, maybe big enough for twenty or twenty-five feet across each way, and empty except for the lighted rock on the ground. To the left-ish side of the cavern, another opening beckons him and his sword into still another cavity.

[Duncfoo]

Shielton picks up the rock and clenches his fist around it snuffing out the light. He waits a beat before slowly rolling the rock into the next room and using a slight magic to whisper "Release the tasty tasty man..."in evil tones into the next room.


Ghost Sounds for threatening, I vote Mathias goes charging in and begins the cull to make this threat more, scary.

If I get one extra round I'll make some horrible aberation stroll into the room with Silent Image.

If I get the chance I'll fireball too. You watch.

[hydingjekyll]

A few grunts of surprise come from the third chamber as the light is muffled in Shielton's hand, and they echo as he tosses the rock into the next room. The comes the rasping voice, whispering from the walls, and several cries of fear arise. "Shut up, stupids!" one voice barks. "Look! Light come from rock. Is trick! So voice is trick!" The other voices quiet down. [Will checks, Intimidation checks = various]

[Mintaka]

Mathias draws his crossbow and moves into the second chamber.

[hydingjekyll]

Mathias steps into the second chamber, crossbow at the ready. By the light of the glowing stone in the next room, he can see that the third chamber is pretty large, and there's something shiny off to the side where he can't see through the "doorway." He can hear the nervous breathing and shifting of the bugbears inside. [Listen = 14 vs. various]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton continues into the next room behind the rustle of metal he assumes is Mathias and cast a spell to bring light into the next doorway.

[Mintaka]

As Shielton's light illuminates the doorway, Mathias looks around sharply, ready to identify potential targets.

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: I'm sorry it took me so long to update -- I haven't had internet at my home for a few days. Hopefully my wondrous object of restoration (or "modem") will get to me by tomorrow.]

Shielton follow Mathias' clanking into the second chamber; light from his enchanted rock already pours from the third chamber and passes through the invisible companions in the second, lighting both chambers completely as far as they can see. There are no sounds nor signs of movement from the third chamber; the entrance to it shows them a bare rock wall a considerable distance back - the room must be quite large - and light is reflected off of something inside, casting spots of even brighter light against that wall.

A weak voice calls out, "Hello? Is somebody coming? Help m- ah, mmm (sorry)."

[Mintaka]

Mathias whispers "Shielton, beyond my belief, you're doing well at the moment. Is there anything else you can do to help us see them?"

[Duncfoo]

"Say that again when the judges hold the ax. I can make light a few more times before I exhaust that... warp in reality. Want me to light that room up?" Shielton whispers in reply.

[Mintaka]

"Yes, please do."

[Duncfoo]

With a wave of his invisible hand another ball of light appears on the ceiling of the cavern Shielton is looking into.

[Mintaka]

Mathias, his crossbow still raised, looks into the cavern Shielton just lit.

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: I'm guessing that was dancing lights.]

A glowing orb suddenly coalesces high above inside the room, pouring light down into that already cast by the enchanted rock. Again, several surprised grunts ring out, and one surprised "Wah!"

This time, however, Mathias can see shadows from both sides of the entrance. Well-muscled shadows, holding pointy shadows. They shift and fidget nervously.

[Mintaka]

[OOC: Are the shadows on the ground or the walls?]

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: The shadows are on the ground, since the light is coming from up above.]

[Mintaka]

Mathias steps into the doorway and shoots the first target he sees, hoping the monsters will still be slightly blinded from the light.

[hydingjekyll]

Crossbow held close to his body, Mathias enters the third chamber. By the light of the glowing rock and the shining orb overhead, he sees an enormous wolf, hackles raised and teeth bared, about fifteen feet away and a little off to the left to stay out of sight from the second room. In his peripheral vision, Mathias can see that he's flanked -- a bugbear lurks on each side of the choke point he just passed through. A third bugbear stands across the room from the wolf and equally far off, also out of sight of anyone outside the room. In a far-off corner of the lighted-up room, a human male in fine clothes (man and clothes both a bit worse for the wear) sits against a large rock with his hands tied behind him. [all monsters fail Listen checks to locate Mathias by sound]

With a malicious smile, Mathias raises the crossbow, aims, and makes the wolf howl in pain. The bugbears cry out in surprise at the crossbow bolt that has suddenly materialized in the wolf's shoulder, then again as Mathias becomes visible right before their eyes. [Attack = 17, damage = 8; attacking cancels Mathias' invisibility. Surprise round over; initiative rolled]

The bugbear farthest into the room barely takes time to blink at Mathias' sudden appearance before raising a longsword with both hands and rushing in for the attack. Caught off guard by his own sudden lapse into visibility, Mathias raises his sword to parry -- too late. With a ringing sound, a translucent rectangular plate briefly shimmers into visibility, stopping the bugbear's weapon an inch short of the human's face. [attack = 21]

Initiative:
Mathias
Shielton
Bb#1
Bb#2
Worg
Garm and Kuba
Bb#3


[OOC: It's totally okay to post what your actions will be ahead of your turn, including what might change depending on others' actions. In fact, that would help to speed up the combat quite a bit, so it's heartily encouraged.

If your turn comes up and you don't post, I'll assume you're holding your action until you state otherwise. Also, I just checked the Monster Manual; it says that bugbears are so fierce that they even attack enemies who just stand there, so you may want to keep up with the combat.]

[Mintaka]

Mathias drops his crossbow and draws his sword. He then lunges at the bug bear attacking him (OOC: If this needs to be two turns, that's fine)

[Duncfoo]

Shielton attempts to take advantage of being invisible and dashes past Mathias farther into the room heading for the prisoners but avoiding the wolf. Let the jailer take the shots and gather them up...Shielton thinks to himself as he waves an invisible hand causing a roiling ball of fire to appear near the warrior.

Move 20' into the room towards the prisoners
Standard: Flaming Sphere near Mathias, attacking no one with it.

[hydingjekyll]

The bugbear doesn't even hear the crossbow hit the ground, and barely hears the greatsword being drawn before it rips through his lung. The monster doesn't cry out so much as gurgle loudly, dropping to its knees and clutching the wound futilely as blood streams from its nose and mouth. [attack = 30, damage = 16; dropping the crossbow is a free action and drawing a weapon is a move action, so it's all one turn]

Shielton winces at the sight, but dodges past Mathias, over the wounded bugbear, and into the open. Light from the magical sources seems to pull together close to Mathias, until it suddenly erupts and expands like a miniscule red giant star, the heat of it searing Shielton and Mathias' faces.

"It mountain spirit! It totally mountain spirit!" shrieks one of the remaining bugbears.

"Rocks not care if they get stabbed! Is guy who knows a trick! Kill him!"

In panic and fury respectively, the bugbears strike in unison, but this time Mathias is prepared. In one movement, he parries the shaft of the spear coming from his left, then swings his blade around to swat away the morningstar coming in from his right. [attacks = 13, 12 = both fail]

The wolf shrinks back from the fire for a second, then lunges past it for Mathias. "There's another one in here!" the wolf bellows, then dives for Mathias' ankle. The ringing sound echoes through the cavern again and the wolf backs up from the shimmering disc that guards Mathias, shaking its face. "Ah hen fnell ib!" the wolf grunts through its aching nose. [attack = 23]

The wounded bugbear keels over, but manages to drag himself away from the fray.

Initiative:
Mathias
Shielton
Bb#1
Bb#2
Worg
Garm and Kuba
Bb#3 (disabled)

[OOC: Again, it's totally okay to post what your actions will be ahead of your turn, including what might change depending on others' actions. In fact, that would help to speed up the combat quite a bit, so it's heartily encouraged.

If your turn comes up and you don't post, I'll assume you're holding your action until you state otherwise. Also, I just checked the Monster Manual; it says that bugbears are so fierce that they even attack enemies who just stand there, so you may want to keep up with the combat.]

[Mintaka]

Mathias stabs, hard, at the wolf's head.

[OOC: For a moment there I thought the wolf was speaking German)

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: Nell can change that post at her leisure to reflect that she didn't actually get hit or tripped, thanks to the shield spell that I'd forgotten about at first.]

Mathias' blade stabs directly through the wolf's face, almost pinning its head to the ground, then pulls out and slices through the wolf's neck on the backswing. The wolf drops where it stands. [attack = 14, 25; damage = 17, 14]

Initiative:
Shielton
Bb#1
Bb#2
Garm and Kuba
Bb#3 (disabled)
Mathias


[OOC: Ja! Eeven einen obereenan du hast Volkswagen.]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton waves his hand and a sheen of stinking grease appears under the bugbear and the rolling ball of fire plough into their midst."You've kidnapped for the last time marauders!" Shielton says as he appears.

Standard: Grease under the bugbears avoiding placing a square under Mathias. If I can only catch one or one and the wolf let me know
Move: Attack with Flaming Sphere

[hydingjekyll]

[OOC: Grease only covers a 10-foot cube, so it will only reach one bugbear.]

"Who say th- wah!" The bugbear with the spear to Mathias' left suddenly finds his feet higher than his head, and crashes to the ground. [reflex save = 7, failure]

"Vormf say he sm- Aaaaaugh!" screams the other bugbear as the ball of fire abruptly begins moving, right into him. He manages to turn sideways so that the sphere glances off him instead of rolling right over him, but still gets his skin scorched. [reflex = 18, damage = 3]

The fallen bugbear struggles desperately back to his feet, trying to use his spear like a walking stick to stabilize himself. Mathias isn't fool enough to pass up so easy a target, and slashes through the bugbear's side as the monster struggles for balance. [attack of opportunity = 27, damage = 14] The bugbear cries out and drives the spear's head at Mathias, but the thrust is borne of panic and pain, not focus, and Mathias parries with ease. [attack = 12]

At the same time, the unwounded bugbear wheels on the now-visible Shielton, but the halfling is too far away to make a viable target. Instead, the bandit raises his morningstar for Mathias again, but the fighter sidesteps as an afterthought to his parry. [attack = 12]

Farther away, the third bugbear coughs more blood and continues dragging himself painfully away from the fight, leaving a red trail to the far wall where he drags himself into a sitting position and cradles his head in his arms.

Initiative:
Mathias
Shielton
Bb#1
Bb#2
Garm and Kuba
Bb#3 (disabled)

[Mintaka]

Mathias swings his sword over his head and slices at the Bugbear's arm carrying the Morning Star.

[hydingjekyll]

The bugbear doesn't have time to bring his arm back into his body before Mathias separates the two permanently. The bugbear lets out the first syllable of a shriek before the shock overcomes him and he collapses, twitching. The one with the spear is still struggling to stay standing when Mathias spins back on him, bloodied blade flashing; the bugbear's head spins around on its stump a few times before finally rolling off with a wet "thump." [attack = 22, damage = 21; attack = 25, damage = 22]

There's a wretched splattering sound away from the combat. Mathias and Shielton look over and see that the well-dressed prisoner has just lost his last meal. The remaining bugbear huddles against the far wall, straight ahead from the entrance in a growing puddle of his own blood. It sounds like he might be crying.

With the luxury of safely examining their surroundings, Mathias and Shielton see that the cavern is wider than it is deep, spreading out dozens of yards to the right and left from the entrance. The left wall is about thirty feet off from the battle site, and ends with the shadowy corner where the nauseated fop sits bound. To the right, the light from Shielton's spells ends before the cavern does.


[Combat over; post freely. Also, 2,000 XP each for a well-executed combat.]

[Duncfoo]

Shielton stops and stares at the pile of gore surrounding the tacturn warrior. "Mathias... Say what you want about what I do... thats disgusting and effective." Shielton shivers all over his body and turns away. He walks over and picks up the light emiting rock and starts to slowly walk towards the tied up fop. "Shielton of Slowriver Bend at your services. We heard you've had some problems with kidnapping and decided to help. Shall we untie you?" Shielton keeps back from the couple, wary of ambushes himself.

[hydingjekyll]

The human looks up at Shielton a little weakly. "Yes, please." His voice matches his expression at first, but he quickly takes on a lighter tone. "Thank you for rescuing me, and, ah, sorry about the mess here. Raymon Gleibring, at your service. Did Town Trek send you?"

Shielton hasn't heard the name before, but Mathias has heard of and traveled with Town Trek, a transportation company with centers throughout the nation and into many others. It enjoys a good reputation of making its deliveries in very timely fashion; as a result, Town Trek is highly successful. There are rumors that it is involved in smuggling, but most people dismiss it as the kind of simple rumor that springs up around any well-to-do business. [Knowledge: local check = Shielton: 16, Mathias: natural 20]

Shielton neither sees nor hears any sign of ambush. [Spot and Listen checks = secret]


[OOC: How do you feel combat is going? Was it easy enough to follow and picture the positions, or would it help if I started posting some kind of map?]

[Mintaka]

"No, your kidnappers found us and demanded ransom. We...encouraged one of them to lead us here." As he recalls the smuggling rumors, he grows a little suspicious. "Why did they kidnap you, anyway?"

[OOC: I thought the combat went well]

[hydingjekyll]

Gleibring smiles a little shamefacedly. "Well, it was either that or kill me. I was riding up front with the rider on one of our cargo carriages -- when those brutes ambushed us. Killed one of the guards and a horse and knocked me off the driver's stand. The driver knew what was what and took off before they could do more damage, and I can't really say that I blame him, so there I was with those things about to stab me, when I told them that my employers could pay them for my safe return. It took a little effort to convince them that it required them to not kill me, but eventually they agreed to hold me here until they could pass the message on to Town Trek that they were holding me for ransom." He looks doubtful. "So, uh, you're not from my employers? Would you mind taking me home anyway? You'd be well rewarded for it, I'll see to it."

[Mintaka]

"Where is your home?

[hydingjekyll]

"Brevvelak. It's the first city out of these mountains, on the other side of Slow River Bend." Mathias recognizes it as one of the cities he passed through on his way to apprehend Shielton.

"Oh, and, uh ..." Gleibring tries to smile, but looks more scared just then. "... I won't tell anyone you're a sorcerer. Promise."

[Duncfoo]

Shielton will shrug, "I am Witch. The Big Man is taking me to trial... But why run? My family is dead. My home is gone. My town in turmoil..." Shielton will look at his feet. "I know little of Brevvelak. I believe we head for Clayne. Are those in the same direction?"

[hydingjekyll]

"Hi, Witch." Gleibring offers a newly-untied hand for Shielton to shake. "Unusual name, but I've - oh. Oh, I see. Ah, well, yes, I won't tell anyone about you, either. Or ask any questions. But you asked me a question! Yes, it's right along the road to Clayne, first city out of these mountains, opposite Slow River Bend. And thank you very much for the help, sirs. Truly appreciated. Do you, ah, have anything to eat?"

[Mintaka]

"Will you compensate us upon your safe arrival to Brevvelak?"

[hydingjekyll]

"Of course!" Gleibring nods emphatically, as if hurt by the very notion he might not.