Ruby Blades of Wee Jas: IC

[Shazek]

The Ruby Blades, Chapter 1:
A Home of Warriors


You have received a summons.

Some would call it an invitation, and, indeed, it is written as one would be, but you know it for what it is. The High Blade does not generally invite his men to his private dining room on social calls, after all.

It reads thusly:

"You are hereby cordially invited to a breakfast with High Blade Bartholomew Warfield and the Lady Sirena Warfield. You are advised to come prepared for a journey of no more than two week's length. Please arrive before the eighth hour tomorrow morning at the private dining room in the west wing of the chapterhouse.

The bottom of the letter is emblazoned with a ruby skull, the sigil of Wee Jas.
You arrive at the appointed place at the appointed hour, and are ushered in by one of the High Blade's guard detail.

The private dining room is large and luxuriously appointed. It is also very, very red. Along the walls hang tapestries displaying the works of great magi. Hanging from the ceiling is a great crystal chandelier, which glows with a soft, magical light. Dominating the area is a table, large enough to fit a dozen or so, if need be. Sitting at the end, side by side, are Bartholomew and Sirena, the ranking members of the church lodged in the chapterhouse. On the whole, it seems a much better place to eat than the mess hall.

As you enter, Bartholomew looks up from the papers he has in front of him. ""Ah, welcome. Please, take a seat. We'll wait for everyone to arrive before we handle introductions."

Having finished his welcome, he turns to a man at the far door. "Joseph, see what's keeping the kitchens, would you?"

Go ahead, make your first post describing your arrival at the dining room. You all may or may not know each other IC, but you should at least have a passing awareness of your comrades.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander feels himself fidgeting in his armor as he is led to join Lord Bartholomew for breakfast. Part of his mind ponders why they have been summoned, but the majority of his thought process is devoted to considering the upcoming meeting with his superior, who also happened to be his reason for joining the Ruby Blades. Hell, if it hadn't been for Lord Bartholomew, he wouldn't even be breathing now. He owed the man his life, in all ways but the literal.

But how best to tell him? Should he even tell him? Alexander is just some rube from a no-name village who can swing a sword hard and won't back down no matter what. Lord Bartholomew probably wouldn't even remember him. Alexander was just one more face in the crowd from Lord Bartholomew's past, undoubtedly seen and forgotten as it was seen.

Regardless, it seems like his time for thought is over, as he is led into the room. Lord Bartholomew and his wife look awe-inspiring to Alexander's mind, despite the homely setting.

As the head of his order addresses him, Alexander bows, maybe a bit too hastily. It is an honor to be dining with you, my Lord, he said, glad that his voice stayed clear and firm despite his nervousness. As quickly as he dared, he made his way to the seat closest to Lord Bartholomew and sat down. He kept his hands on his lap, forcing himself not to fidget as he waited for the others to arrive.

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar makes his way into the dining hall as unobtrusively as possible...not out of deception or disrespect, but because it's how he's been created. I'm really not a fan of this level of pomp and circumstance, but as my Lord commands, I obey...

As a sign of respect for the commander of his order...or at least his commander's commander, Darkstar attempts to enter the dining hall without making so much as a whisper. The shadows cast by the bright lights bend to lend aid to his display of his stealth prowess, again not a show of arrogance or ill-will, but more akin to a soldier demonstrating his abilities with his weapon when his General inspects the field.

[roll0] [roll1]

His feet padly near-soundlessly across the well-made floor as he casts an unavoidable shadow over the room at his entrance. He slips quietly into his seat, and makes not a sound, nodding acknowledgement to his host, as is the habit of every one of "The Bootknives" of the Ruby Blades.

[bcool999]

Loric was surprised when he returned from night patrol just to be handed a summons to breakfast with the High Blade and his wife. Seeing as the hour was already drawing near he did his best to wipe the dirt and dust from himself before stepping into the room.

As he enters he takes off his hat at least here I don't need to hide my eyes and gives a bow to his host that his faithful companion Sparky mimics by lowering itself and dimming before raising back to Loric's shoulder and his usual glow. As he takes a seat at the table, he hangs his hat on the back of the chair and lowers his crystal mask from his face. "Good morning. I hope everyone slept well last night?"

Now that he gets a chance to look around the table he recognizes Alexander from the practice yard. The other man sitting at the table is a bit of a mystery to Loric though he assumes he is a part of the order in some form or fashion.

[MuttonBasher]

Adrian arrives in the same way he does most things: quietly, and with a great deal of consideration. Before taking a seat he sizes up everyone in the room with a brief but intense glance, and none could be to blame if the feeling that he has just seen every wicked thought you've ever had enters your head. It is enough to - however briefly - distract most from the myriad scars crisscrossing his face, if only by drawing attention to his blinded left eye. A heavy cloak of what seems solid shadow obscures whatever he wears beneath it, the cloak floating perfectly still around his body despite movements, as though not touched by wind or gravity.

Taking his seat at the table, Adrian rests black-gloved hands on the table, fingers laced together in a pose of thoughtful attentiveness as he inclines his head toward his host, murmuring a polite "My thanks for the invitation to your table, my Lord," before turning his attention back to the study of the room at large.

Adrian has his Skeletal Claws aspect active, not that I expect anything to go awry here, but you know how it is. The cloak is a heavily refluffed Evard's Menacing Tentacles spell, which Adrian keeps persisted. He also has his Ice Axe persisted too, but that doesn't show up unless he needs it.

[Silver Night]

Tapper plods in, his helmet under his arm, and his traveling pack over a shoulder. Heavy armor hangs on him the way a finely tailored suit hangs on a dandy, fitting like the steel gauntlet over the proverbial mailed fist. His face is a map of creases and lines above a precisely tri-forked and braided beard. His black hair is cut to a short bristle on his head. His eyes are deep-set, and peer suspiciously around the room. Anyone who has met him, or seen him around the compound, will know that that is simply his default expression.

He gives the High Blade a respectful bow, "Reporting as... invited, High Blade."

He gives everyone else a brusque nod and takes his seat, setting his helmet and pack down beside him.

[Failed Phantasm]

Aidan had been awake since daybreak, and he had been fighting to keep himself calm and composed from the moment he woke. It could be difficult to prepare one's spells even with a mind that was clear and fresh from a good night's rest, but the whirl of excitement, anxiety, and curiosity he had been feeling since receiving the Chaptermaster's invitation had been steadily increasing as the day drew ever nearer, which had not made it easy to concentrate on his spellbook that morning. However, concentrate he did, as he had dealt with more immediately demanding distractions than a gnawing sense of nervous excitement — for example, bandits trying to run him through as arrows flew past his head — so his first hour awake passed quickly enough and without incident. Of course, memorizing his spells for the day was but the first preparation he had to make before joining the other Blades for breakfast, but Aidan had been readying his things since the night before: his haversack had been lying open on his footlocker, his freshly-oiled and repaired armor had been hanging on its stand, and his hammer had been propped within arm's reach against the wall next to his bed.

As he stood up from his chair, spellbook in hand, Aidan spared a glance out of the lone window in his small quarters, trying to judge the time by the rising of the sun. 'Hmm. It would take too long to fire the forge,' he decided, rubbing his chin, 'and I wouldn't have the time to clean myself enough to be presentable at breakfast even if I did try to get some work done.' Aidan uttered something that was half-scoff, half-laugh as he imagined himself showing up for breakfast in his apron, covered in sweat and soot and with his hair disheveled and wild from the effort. And why not put his boots up on the table while he was at it? 'Warfield would have my head. And her husband would have me kicked out the door before I could say "conduct unbecoming".' Shaking his head, he walked over to his haversack and gently placed his spellbook within it, before turning to his armor stand and taking his chainmail down so he could don it. Even though it was quite light and not at all cumbersome to actually wear, the armor had not exactly been fitted for a man of Aidan's size, and the extra padding of his clothes did not do much to help matters; it took him several minutes to put it on by himself and to ensure that he had done everything properly.

"I really need to adjust this thing," he grunted as he got the hauberk over his head. 'If I only had the material, I'd forge myself a good, sturdy suit of plate armor instead. I wouldn't have to worry about my armor being made for someone almost half a foot shorter than I am if I make it myself.' His armor finally donned after a few moments of struggling with it, Aidan slung his haversack over his shoulder and straightened the strap so it hung comfortably. He stopped for a moment to ponder his greathammer, wondering whether or not to take it with him, but then shrugged and picked it up anyway, hefting it onto his shoulder where it was easier and more comfortable for him to carry. It's not as though he were concealing the thing, and would gladly leave it at the door if Lord or Lady Warfield asked it of him. With a final glance in the direction the window — he guessed that there was roughly a quarter of an hour until it would be eight — Aidan decided that he had everything he needed and walked over the door, opened it and then shut it behind him, and strode off down the hallway towards the Chaptermaster's private dining room.

Aidan was, to his relief, quite on time when he arrived, and was promptly ushered into the grand room by one of Lord Warfield's guards. As he entered, he was struck by the lavish adornment and luxurious appearance of the chamber, being much more impressive than the mess hall — in fact, it was easily the most grandiose thing Aidan had ever seen. When he turned his attention to the dining table itself, he quickly scanned the faces of those seated there: he found that he couldn't assign a name to all of them, even though he did recognize a few. Alexander was a familiar face, though they weren't particularly well-acquainted; Loric was one of the few Blades younger than Aidan; and he knew of Adrian by reputation, and also because new arrivals to the order had an unfortunate tendency to confuse their names. The others were at least passingly familiar, since Aidan was the one who had to keep everyone's armor in good shape in spite of all the mishaps in the training yard and all the punishment that was endured while the Blades were off on missions.

Feeling much less anxious than he did just an hour earlier, and feeling his good humor returning, Aidan boomed, "Salutations, my Lord and Lady Warfield," greeting the Chaptermaster with a crisp salute and inclining his head deferentially towards Lady Sirena. "And 'Good morning' to the rest of you," he added heartily, with a bit of a grin playing about his face. Aidan walked over to the table and seated himself a few chairs to the right of Lady Sirena, slinging his hammer down from his shoulder as he did, propping the handle against the edge of the table. His curiosity was starting to rear its head again, though he expected that Lord Warfield would wait until they had all finished breakfast before he would start discussing the "two week journey" that had been mentioned in the invitation.

[Shazek]

While those invited to the breakfast arrive, the High Blade seems to be lost in thought. As Aidan enters, though, he breaks out of his reverie. "Ah, it seems we're all here. Excellent! With luck, our food will be arriving momentarily."

As if in response to those words, the back door to the room opens, and in file several serving girls bearing covered dishes, and, most unusually, the Head Chef himself. "I apologize for the delay, my Lord. It seems the rats managed to get into the pantry again, accursed beasts. We had to, ah, improvise."

Warfield chuckles, then replies, "Well, I am certain the food will be good. You have never failed us before, after all. Now, let us eat!" During the exchange between Warfield and the Chef, the dishes had been placed on the table and revealed. The largest, placed dead center of the table, is a whole wild boar. While apparently well cooked, it seems rather more seared than you would expect. It appears to have been cooked hastily. Around it, on the other dishes, are a variety of fish and several loaves of obviously freshly baked bread. Several bottles of wine sit off to either side, along with a large flagon of pale ale. Glasses sit beside each of you.

Warfield grabs an immense carving knife off of a serving dish, and cuts himself a huge slice of the boar. Sirena contents herself with the fish. "Go on, eat! We'll talk after our meal. Take some time to get to know one another. You'll be seeing a fair bit of each other for the immediate future."

[Silver Night]

"As you say, sir." Tapper cuts himself off a slice of boar, and gets some bread, "I am Tapper, a cleric and inquisitor of our holy Ruby Sorceress. I am honored by the opportunity to serve in whatever way I might."

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Indecision stays Darkstar's hand for a few moments. Being the Lord High Blade's table, the chances of foul play seem low, however, if someone wished to get to him...and factor in the oddity of rats getting into the planned meal...

An unadorned hand swaddled in simple blacks darts out and slices off a piece of boar, bringing the meat straight-away to Darkstar's mouth. He rolls the morsel about for a moment in his mouth, waiting for the taste of something askew, or for his final breath to pass his lips, fully expecting the worst.

His eyes dart around the table, taking in every face, every name, every quirk. A man's last moment should be... "Quite savory." It comes out barely above a whisper.

"I don't believe I'm formally aquainted with any present, however I am called Darkstar. As for what I do...I was always taught that if anyone knew what I did, I had failed."

Belatedly he remembers his manners and swallows the chunk of roast.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander nods somewhat hastily at the High Blade's instruction. The boar looks leagues better than what he was used to eating on the road, and he'd had worse than rats near his food before. First, however, he pours himself a glassful of that pale ale; it looks delicious. Drawing a mouthful, he finds it is even better than it looks.

Ah, that's good stuff, he says as he carves out a generous slice of boar. My allies call me Alexander, and my enemies have taken to titling me The Indomitable. I admit, I find it amusing, he says, slapping his boar between two slices of bread. I look forward to working with you all for the betterment of our Goddess. With that, he takes a bite out of the sandwich and begins to chew with relish.

[bcool999]

Loric is famished after another night on patrol and takes a generous portion of the boar and a little bit of the fish. He takes a bit of the bread and butters it before pouring himself a little bit of the ale. Before eating he bows his head quickly and says a prayer to Wee Jas.

After taking a few bites of the bread and boar and listening to the other introductions Loric decides that it is his turn. "My name is Loric. Some of you may know me since I grew up in this Chapterhouse, others from seeing me on guard duty or on patrol. This here," I point to Sparky who is floating above my right shoulder, "is Sparky who helps keep me company on patrol and helps me see where I am stepping." At this Sparky glows a little brighter in pride of being of service. "I am looking forward to traveling with each of you." After his introduction he tries the fish and is happy to note that it was not as rushed as the boar. Dry fish is far less appetizing than dry boar.

[Shazek]

The High Blade seems to enjoy his breakfast as much as or more than the rest of you. In no time at all he has finished the immense cut of boar and several glasses of wine, and even gone back for seconds. "Wonderful, isn't it? The chefs give themselves too little credit. Though I wonder where they got the boar..."

Before long, most of the food placed on the table is gone, and the High Blade seems to be lost in thought. A polite cough from Lady Sirena seems to bring his attention back to his guests.

He shifts forward in his large chair, and calls for the dishes to be taken away. With that done, Bartholomew motions for the guards to leave."There are certain things most of the members of our order are not aware of. I have a mission which requires knowledge of these things. That is why I have asked you here. You all are, of course, familiar with the Forests of Ruin to the north and east? They are called such because of the ruins of great elvish cities that once were housed within their branches. The founder of the Imperium, the first of the Redstars, brought war to them, long, long ago and destroyed their cities and much of their magics. But not all of them. There remain buried, trapped by wards or water, certain powerful artifacts of that great kingdom. Recently, one of those wards has failed. Seriously failed, in fact. My lady wife detected a powerful release of magic within the forest a few days ago, signifying that an old artifact is available for retrieval. Most do not know it, but beneath this old keep is a vault, kept magically sealed, of ancient artifacts and magical knowledge we have collected. I need you to retrieve this artifact and safely return it to the Chapterhouse."

Sirena chimes in as her husband falls silent. "There are, of course, complications, which is why we chose you for this mission rather than some of those more familiar with the area and the subject matter. Yesterday, one of the patrols in the fringes of the forest was ambushed by an orc. They fought him off, but he escaped deeper into the woods. We believe him to be part of a larger scouting party, possibly one searching for the same artifact as you will be. Your skillsets have led us to believe that this group would be best suited to dealing with the orcs and the potential magical protections and guardians left by the elves."

Warfield continues, "Our scouts managed to retrieve one thing from the orc, before he escaped." He pulls forth a large scroll from beneath his seat, and unrolls it on the table. It is a map of Labarus, the Chapterhouse, and the forest to the north. It is crudely drawn, but accurate, and marked in a strange language. Deep into the forest are two red markings of some sort, one of which is shaped vaguely like a tent. The other is a mere splotch.

"The map, we believe, shows the locations of the orc camp and where they think the artifact is located. They likely are correct as to the place of the artifact- a ruined tower, once a defensive outpost, is located at that spot."

"Time is of the essence, of course. Should the artifact be as powerful as I suspect, the orcs must not be allowed to have it."

"How you deal with the orcs is up to you. Just ensure they are no threat to Labarus or the Chapterhouse. The artifact will need to be brought back here, where we will store it in the vault. Horses will be provided for you. Now, did you have any questions?"

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar rises without ceremony or pomp. "We should be getting started now, then. By your leave. If the orcs get in our way, they shall meet Our Lady post-haste. Are there any special handling requirements for the artifact or the wards? Is there a way to positively identify the artifact?"

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander nods in agreement with Darkstar. Those orcs will rue the day their parents chose to spawn them, he said confidently. With Our Lady's guidance and your blessing, we will surely retrieve this artifact successfully.

Do you have any intel that groups beyond the orcs are after the artifact? You say that your honorable wife detected the magical outburst; could bounty hunters and their ilk have detected it as well? Not that I fear misfit bounty hunters, of course, but it is best to know all of one's enemies.

[bcool999]

Loric was excited to finally be given a mission that didn't involve watching roads. What's more, he has been handed a chance to fight orcs! The Lady has surely blessed me this day. Not only do I get to be the hand that strikes down the Lady's foes, but also the hand that guards the secrets of magic from the unprepared. Seeing the others begin to stand, Loric dons his hat and puts his mask back on. "So I should take it that we have your blessing to assault the orc camp if we feel that we can do so without suffering serious injury?" Loric says hoping that he doesn't sound too eager for battle.

[Shazek]

Sirena laughs slightly and turns to Bartholomew."I like them! Thinking that far ahead already." She returns her attention to the group at large, saying, "We do not know what sort of artifact it is, nor how well warded it is, unfortunately. The tower in which we suspect it is held has been known to kill those who ventured into the upper floors, though, so I would advise caution. Transporting the artifact is likely best done in some sort of extradimensional space. If you have one - something like a magical haversack or a Bag of Holding - I would advise you to use that. If not, I can provide something. Of course, this is not certain. The elves could have placed any number of enchantments upon it, given the power I felt, which could react badly with any form of storage. I strongly advise magical examination before handling it at all."

The High Blade nods in agreement, before addressing Alexander. "Any number of mages in the area, including those in the city of Labarus or the towns north of the forest might have detected it, were they Scrying at the time or had instruments to detect such a shift. On the other hand, none might have. I would be prepared for the worst, but your status as Blades of Our Lady should offer you some protection from any respectable magi who take an interest."

Bartholomew's expression darkens slightly at Loric's question. "You may do so, if you feel they pose a danger to the city, the mission, or yourselves, but I urge caution. I'd prefer if the Blades were not drawn too far into this war."

"Now, was there anything else?"

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander considers the High Blade's words carefully before nodding. I do not believe that I have anymore questions about our mission. By your leave, I will go to the stables and see to my horse. May the eyes of our Goddess watch over you, My Lord, he finishes, putting a fist over his chest and bowing deeply. He turns, and walks away, stride purposeful and long.

I thought about putting in a line about "I'll make y-Our Goddess proud" as a slipup, but couldn't quite fit it in. Ah, well, another day.

[Silver Night]

"I have no other questions. I hope to justify your confidence in us."

[Failed Phantasm]

Aidan settled back into his chair after breakfast concluded. He had wanted to introduce himself properly after the others had done so, but he became preoccupied with the food and drink, and the wine did little to help him decide how best to word what he had wanted to say. It would have been quite the task to explain all of his duties briefly: he still performed weapon drills and training in the practice yard, as well as working the forges almost every day, and he was naturally obligated to attend prayers and rituals to Wee Jas, to say nothing of how much time he devoted to the study of magic. 'In retrospect, it's a miracle that I find the time to get enough sleep every night,' he thought, brow furrowed as he wondered how he managed to do everything he did in a day. He was so lost in his thoughts that, before he knew it, the tables were being cleared and the Lord and Lady Warfield were beginning to explain the mission that he and the others had been summoned to perform, and so he set his thoughts aside and leaned back in his chair, listening attentively.

Much of what was being said was new to Aidan, since it was only about two years ago that he had traveled the length of Antea to reach the Imperium, and he had been so occupied with his work, training, and magical studies that he had time to learn only the most cursory information regarding the country's history. Of the elves, he knew even less, since he had not ever heard or known of any of their people to live in his homeland; the role of "mysterious elder race who left even more mysterious magical ruined cities in their wake" fell to the giants and their ilk in the cold north, though Aidan had never been so lucky as to visit one of the safer ones himself. When Lady Sirena began to speak of the orcs, he frowned, as their involvement was indeed cause for concern; when Lord Bartholomew revealed the map that had been recovered, he leaned forward to see if he could make sense of it. As he scanned the unfamiliar markings, he thought to himself, 'If this were just simple Orcish, I imagine there are any number of Blades, including Lord Warfield himself, who have learned their language well enough to read it. It doesn't look familiar to me — I don't recognize the alphabet and script they're using — so I can't even begin to guess at its meaning. Has Lady Sirena already attempted to use magic to decipher this? I know a spell that could do it, but I didn't think to prepare it and there'd be no point trying again if she couldn't make sense of it, either.'

Aidan sat quietly and quiescently as the others asked their questions, the nature of which he found brash and perhaps a tad overconfident, and he used the time to think about how to word what he was wanting to ask, which would hopefully be much more astute. He listened to Lady Sirena's elucidation, which preempted some, but not all, of his own questions, and he quietly shared Lord Warfield's sentiment about utilizing caution and good judgement when dealing with the orcs. 'Certainly, it would be ideal if we can avoid provoking them unnecessarily, but the nature of their mission and our own, as well as the temptation of the artifact itself, suggest that things won't be quite so easy. We'll have to handle this carefully,' he mentally concurred, 'especially if we're bringing the thing back here. If this artifact is important enough for them to brave dangerous elven ruins to acquire it in the first place, it might be important enough for them to risk attacking the Chapterhouse directly to recover it from us.'

When the others had finished speaking and seemed all too eager to be on their way, Aidan cleared his throat for attention and then leaned forward onto the table, setting his elbows on the table and folding his hands at the level of his chest. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to indulge this foreigner and his ignorant questions," he began softly, "but, 'forewarned is forearmed,' as the proverb goes." As she was the resident master of the arcane, and as he would likely be the "magical expert" in the team that Lord Warfield had assembled, Aidan turned to Lady Sirena and began, "My lady, I appreciate that you don't know precisely what we are going to encounter in the elven tower, but their analogue in my homeland are the giants, and even though the giants' history is not the same as the elves', their ruins are hardly unprotected and open for anyone to explore. I do not imagine that the elves would have been any different. Perhaps you know what sort of defenses the elves typically used to protect their cities or outposts, such as the one we are being sent to?" He began to tick off his questions with his fingers as he asked them, "Are there any specific kinds of warding magic that they favored? Did they breed creatures or animate or summon any manner of magical creations to patrol and guard vulnerable or dangerous areas? Were they known to use illusions or similar magic to misdirect intruders, conceal dangers such as traps, or protect themselves from being scried? However many centuries it may have been since their war with the Imperium, you and I are both aware that there are ways of making magic last far longer than that, perhaps even indefinitely."

Turning to Lord Warfield, he continued his questioning, "Have we attempted to translate or decrypt the map that was recovered, perhaps with magic? I imagine that if it were written in Orcish, we would already know what it says. Will the orcs have any spellcasters of their own examining the city? We would have a very important tactical advantage if not. Do you expect that the orcs we could encounter will know the Elven language? If not, we might be at a strategic advantage if we are able to read and translate anything the elves may have left behind, to say nothing of anything we might find that explains the nature or power of this artifact we're seeking. And," he began, "perhaps most importantly," he said, before stopping abruptly. 'Well, it's important that I ask this now, but how do I want to say it? I don't want to sound insulting.' "If this artifact is as important to them as you are suggesting," he began again, very obviously being careful as he chose his words, "and if we are bringing it here for safekeeping in spite of having evidence that the orcs already know where the Chapterhouse is," he gestured at the still-open map laid out on the table to emphasize his point, "then I imagine you do not want the orcs to know that the Ruby Blades are involved at all. They may not be the most intelligent of Antea's people, but if they discover any explicit link between the Blades and this mission, it is not hard to imagine what they will do. Provoking them unnecessarily runs the risk of revealing our affiliation, and only gives them further motive — revenge — to attack us here, making it more likely they will attack, and attack in force, to recover the artifact if they know we have it. Is that assessment correct?" he concluded, an eyebrow arched as he finished. Unable to refine the other thoughts he had into coherent questions, he settled back into a more relaxed posture and waited patiently for the Lord and Lady Warfield to reply.

[Shazek]

Sirena pauses a moment, apparently wondering how Aidan could say so much without the need for breath. "There were three schools of ancient elven magic, each of which warded in different fashions. While the greatest of their cities and vaults were completed by the three schools working in concert, the lesser ones were completed by a single school.

The first of the schools was focused on force and illusion. They would mask doors and such with false walls, and trap the false doors with magical traps of fire and the like. They further made use of Walls of Force keyed to elvish blood that would be nigh-impossible to pass through for any invader.

The second was focused on constructs, conjurations, and transmutations. They would craft huge golems, and then fuse them into the walls to be used as needed. Many a thief entering where he should not have would die crushed by an apparently inert wall. They further would have traps meant to summon and empower creatures to fight for them, and on occasion were capable of calling reinforcements from the capital- though such things would be worthless now.

The third school was almost as druidic as arcane. They trained the beasts of the forest and empowered them artificially with abjurations to serve as guardians, and further used enchantments to befuddle and weaken invaders.

Had the three schools worked in concert on this outpost, I would doubt that you could retrieve the artifact, simply because of how well they synergized. Fortunately, I believe that this outpost was solely defended by the second school. That ought to give you some idea of what you may face."

Bartholomew picks up where his wife falls silent. "As to translating the map, we have indeed done so. The language is... unfortunate, to say the least. It is marked in Undercommon, of all languages. This may mean the orcs have the aid of dark elves seeking the power of their ancient kin's kingdom. Or perhaps they hope to confuse us, bluff us. We do not know. Should they have such aid, I imagine they will have spellcasters with them, and certainly the capacity to read the language. If not, the orcs may or may not. We don't have much intelligence on those in the forest.

As to the threat of the orcs.... If they have penetrated so deeply into the forest without drawing attention from the Imperial Army, they are unlikely to be more than a scouting party. They would not be so foolish as to attack the chapterhouse, and even if they were, I imagine I would be sufficient to fend off their attack, even alone. This artifact may be important to them, yes, but it is more likely that this is a reconnaissance group who learned of the artifact by happenstance. As to provoking them, I have already said to do what you must. Your first priority ought to be your survival as a team. Your second, the safe retrieval of the artifact, and your third, dealing with the orcs as you see fit. Their knowledge of our involvement would be unfortunate, but not unacceptable. Use your judgement.

Now, assuming you have no further questions, you all may go. Hull will be expecting you at the stables, if you have need of a mount."

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar nods, absorbing the information, and sets a quick pace for the stables without another word. Wards keyed to elven blood...that alone could be why they're sending me. Very interesting...and a possible alliance between the orcs and the drow, even more curious. I should step up my training, the technique Rolf was working on could hold quite a surprise for the dark elves and their penchant for Darkness...

The man's feet seem to find their path without his aid as he sorts his thoughts between the dining hall and the stables.

[Silver Night]

Tapper nods and grabs his gear, leaving at the clear dismissal unless there is more to be heard and heading for the stables.

[bcool999]

Slightly embarrassed that his eagerness came across as recklessness, Loric bows and departs without a word. Personally if the orcs and possibly even dark elves now are after the artifact, Loric would prefer to take them out before heading into the ruins lest they survive the traps and grab the artifact only to be greeted by the orcs as they leave. I will see what the others think on this later, but I would at least like to get a good estimate on the orc party's size and composition before getting stuck between them and elven constructs... or getting chased by them on the way back to the chapterhouse. Thinking on this, Loric heads to the stable. As he draws near, he recalls that he never took the time to learn how to ride. Sure he has ridden a horse once or twice but he never really took the time to be comfortable with it. Please don't let me fall off a horse today Lady that would be too much in one morning.

[Fates]

Trebonius Wotherspoon

In the distance, a small figure can be seen atop a small pony galloping towards the house, cloaked in red with dark clothes underneath. He reigns in before the rest, and pulls back his hood. His hair is a greasy grey mop and his chin is marred with tiny slashes from his hasty and desperate attempt to shave. His eyes are sallow and bagged, his lips bruised purple from wine. He dismounts, speaking in angry, slurred tones. Bloody inkeep waited 'till today to give me the letter. Hope I haven't missed anything important. He looks up at the rest of the party impatiently, hands at his hips, silently demanding an explanation.

[Postmodernist]

A flurry of feathers and a cacophony of corvid croaks announce the arrival of a large raven, which perches on a crosspiece beneath the stable's roof. It tilts its head, eyeing the group with surprising intelligence. It fusses a moment, preening its wing for a moment with its beak, and caws twice more before fluttering away and gliding toward the ebon-haired youth who approached. It perches on his right shoulder, the left occupied by the bow slung across the lad's body.

"Sorry I'm late," the boy says flatly, "that bugger Joseph ordered me to hunt something for the High Blade's breakfast. I had to wash up afterward, and then he told me everyone had already left and come here. I haven't missed anything, have I?" Grey eyes take in the group, and his comrades detect that he is quickly sizing each of them up. His eyes linger a moment longer on Darkstar as they attempt to puzzle out the mongrel's background. He seems to recognize most of the others from life around the Chapterhouse, though the gnome seems foreign to him.

"I'm Arryk, by the way. I imagine I'll be scouting for whatever it is we're doing. This is Bertram," he says, his head indicating the crow at his shoulder. He strokes the bird's chin with his forefinger, and the raven extends its throat, reveling in the attention. "Bertie's a bit of a loud mouth, but he's better conversation than most folks I know." The raven caws again, almost haughtily. The lad looks at the horses, before selecting a handsome varnish roan mare, and extracting a well-crafted saddle from the bag at his side. Clearly the satchel is magical, as it cannot possibly have contained such a large item, hinting at extradimensional space within. Arryk saddles the horse and looks back at the group before continuing, "So what is it we're to be doing?"

[Medic!]

Darkstar

The man called Darkstar finishes checking the saddle on the Arabian he's chosen from the stables to carry him as he looks up to greet the new arrival. With the most congenial tone he's used yet he welcomes the new addition, "Why well met, Bertie!" One of the Lady's favored creatures, a good sign indeed!

As he admires the Raven he offhandedly recounts for Arryk, "Orcs, possibly in league with the Underdark, seek an artifact who's wards have recently faltered. We are to recover the artifact and return it to Chapterhouse. We have leave to send any who stand in our way to dance with Wee Jas on the spot." He leaps into the saddle as gracefully as a cat, but sits astride the beast with obvious lack of surety. "We can expect Elvish wards of three types:" He takes the reins in hand. "Those restrictive to any not possessing Elven blood," his thighs tighten on the saddle, "those which may animate some sort of golem or to artificially give life to the very walls," he pulls back on the reigns, causing his mount to rear, "and those which empower the natural denizens of the area, coupled with enchantments to ensnare the weak-willed."

His horse's front hooves touch down as the back hooves kick up, propelling him from the stables at a fast trot.

Just to test the waters, and see what the dice are gonna think of this dude being on a horse... [roll0]

[Silver Night]

Tapper

"It is believed there may only be a single school of elven ward active - those focused on Conjuration, Transmutation, and Constructs." The dwarf eyes a horse with an even more suspicious scowl than normal, "Constructs built into the surroundings, summoned creatures, that sort of thing."

[bcool999]

Loric

After getting Hull's help with picking and saddling a mare that Hull swears is quite tame, Loric adds his two copper pieces to the discussion. "Is anyone else concerned that, since the orcs are after the same thing as us, we may beat them to the artifact and defeat it's guardians only to be set upon by orcs in our weakened state? That is why I would like to scout out the orc camp if possible and get an idea of their strength. There is no telling what exactly the ruins will hold (though Lady Sirena at least gave us an inkling), but at least we can be better informed about the orcs right?" With that said, Loric climbs up into the saddle and follows as a rear guard to the group partially because he is the youngest of the group but mostly because he doesn't want his horrible horsemanship witnessed.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander

Alexander spends a few minutes walking amongst the horses, petting and stroking each one in turn. Finally he settles on a handsome, brown and white-speckled mare whose mane seems to shimmer in the light. He asks Hull for an apple as the man saddles her up. Alexander says inanities to make her more comfortable around him before hauling himself up onto the saddle. Directing her by the reins, he sees the young boy and the raven.

Hello there, Arryk, he says congenially. We have been called upon by Our Lady and the High Blade himself to recover an Elvish artifact of great power, and--

He stops as he realizes that the boy's question has already been answered. He laughs a bit at his delay and goes back to speaking, Having a raven as a companion is quite lucky indeed for us. Are you perhaps a magici--er, sorry, a wizard? I've heard tell that they tend to enlist the help of familiars in their travels. Oh, and the name's Alexander; pleased to meet you, he finishes as he extends a gloved hand to shake.

[Fates]

Trebonius scowls upon hearing of their task. If I may...what proof do we have of foul play on the part of the orcs? There's nothing immoral or illegal about archaeology. I say we simply grab the artifact as swiftly as possible and avoid the orcs altogether.

[Shazek]

Hull sees you off after you make your introductions to Arryk, and soon enough you're travelling northward, around the walls of Labarus. Not long after, you find the trail in the hills that leads from the north gate to the Forests, and are making excellent time.

It is about midday, and all of your horses seem to doing well. As you crest the crown of yet another hill, you get the feeling something is amiss. Looking eastwards, you notice an even higher crest, about 40 feet away. To the north and south, your hill slopes downward gently. Westward, there is a somewhat steeper slope.

Loric Ghostblade and Arryk Greywind:
You faintly hear a chittering, like that of a spider. You believe it to be coming from the east. You may act in the surprise round, after rolling initiative. Spot checks do not avail you.

Roll Initiative.

I'll save you all some time with further Spot and Listen checks: You cannot detect anything.

[roll0]

I'll be handling all monsters with the same bonus to Initiative at the same time, with one roll. Makes things go faster. I rolled the listen and move silently checks with an online roller. You guys just had poor luck, generally speaking. No spot checks - you don't have LOS.

[Silver Night]

Initiative: [roll0]




Tapper rides, the occasional curse muttered under his breath involving horses, and possibly all horsely forebearers back through time. The horse doesn't seem thrilled about the roughly 300lbs of dwarf is has to carry around either.

[Thokk_Smash]

Initiative: [roll0]

Alexander enjoys the beautiful day and the peaceful ride on his mare. It seems as though their mission is getting off to a good start.

[bcool999]

Loric was trying to improve his ability in the saddle but couldn't seem to get the hang of it. Most of the others made it look so easy Loric was sure it was some trick he was missing. As it was, he wasn't so much directing his mount as letting it follow the other horses wherever they were going.

That being said, he wasn't neglecting his duty as rear guard. As they crested the hill they had been climbing, he spotted no danger, but what was that noise he was hearing...?

Initiative 14 btw. Roll in OOC.

[Postmodernist]

As they ride along, Arryk replies to Alexander's query. "I'm not a wizard per se, more of a dabbler. I know a trick or two, but I haven't studied the arcane extensively. Know thy enemy, and all that." Suddenly, a puzzled look passed over Arryk's face. Blast, he thought, I should have sent Bertie above us to scout. I'm an arrogant, incautious fool.

The ranger stops his horse short, mutters, "Did anyone hear that?" indicating eastward with a nod of his head. His nerves suddenly overwhelmed, he touches the collar at his throat and mutters a word in a strange language. As he does, the material appears to merge with his flesh, and he takes on a darker aspect.

Arryk's action in the surprise round is to activate his Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis. Anyone who speaks Sylvan hears him say the word "fade" as he activates it.

Initiative: [roll0]

[bcool999]

Loric

Feeling that something is wrong, Loric dismounts from his horse and fashions a large shortspear out of the same blue energy that Sparky is made of. "Something is here be on guard!"

Surprise round actions
Standard: Dismount horse
Free action: Form a Large shortspear using Soul Weapon soulmeld
Free action: Speak.

[Shazek]

As the party is thrown out of their easy rhythm, they cannot detect anything around them, not even the barest whisper of a sound. The wind seems to still. Suddenly, in a great, chittering cacophony, four immense spiders seem to blur into existence around the party. Each is an electric blue-white color, with fangs like daggers dripping with venom. They are easily as large as your horses. They lunge at the various members of the party who are still unreactive, having not heard the sound of their approach. Immediately after their savage attack, they fade away, becoming invisible to you all.

Spider 1 attacks Aidan.
Bite Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
If it deals damage, roll a DC 17 Fort Save. Failure means you take [roll2] Con Damage.
- Miss
Spider 2 attacks Alexander.
Bite Attack: [roll3]
Damage: [roll4]
If it deals damage, roll a DC 17 Fort Save. Failure means you take [roll5] Con Damage.
-Miss
Spider 3 attacks Tapper.
Bite Attack: [roll6]
Damage: [roll7]
If it deals damage, roll a DC 17 Fort Save. Failure means you take [roll8] Con Damage.
-Hit
Spider 4 attacks Darkstar.
Bite Attack: [roll9]
Damage: [roll10]
If it deals damage, roll a DC 17 Fort Save. Failure means you take [roll11] Con Damage.
-Hit
All of these are against Flat-footed AC, of course.

The spiders were on either side of the group when they phased in. Assume any 2 of them would have been in your range to attack, 1 of which was the one which went after you, if you were attacked. Maps will be provided in the event of more complex terrain.

Roll a Knowledge: Arcana check to determine what you know about these creatures.

[Shazek]

Hey! A nat-20, waddya know?
To Confirm: [roll0]
Extra Damage [roll1]

Fails to Confirm.

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Caught unawares due to being deep in thought about their mission, Darkstar's eyes widen momentarily as a spider bites him seemingly from nowhere. He slides down off his horse as the muscles in his wounded arm begin to reflexively tense and relax, his body trying to prevent a venomous intrusion. He keeps an eye sharp and a fist clenched, waiting for one of the creatures to strike again.

Did Darkstar get his 20% concealment/miss chance for Child of Shadows? Move action to dismount, standard action to ready a Touch of Shadow Sun against the next creature that attacks him. He has no ranks in Knowledge Arcana to attempt to identify the creatures with.

[roll0] <--- This...this I like. Very Much Like.
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Silver Night]

Tapper nearly falls off his horse as the creatures attack, as one bites deep, its fangs finding a seam in his armor.



Fort: [roll0] (The extra +2 is poison resistance)



He shouts, more of a roar with few discernible words, holding up his holy symbol.

Conviction, Mass using DMM Quicken - +3 Morale bonus to saves for everyone!

He slides from his horse and readies his mace for their next attack.



Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Crit (As needed): [roll3]
Damage: [roll4]

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander is interrupted from his observation of the scenery by four hulking spiders appearing out of thin air. One attempts to latch onto his arm with its mouth, but fails to penetrate his plate mail's folds. The beast blinks back out of view, but Alexander can tell that it is still here, lurking.

Dismounting from his mare, not wanting her to get hurt, he takes out his sword and readies himself to strike when the creature rears its ugly head once more.

Move action to dismount, standard readied action to attack when it next appears.
Power attack: -3 attack, +3 damage
Attack: [roll0]
Potential Damage: [roll1]
Crit Confirmation: [roll2]
Potential crit damage: [roll3]

Also, the crit damage was adding 2 too many points, but it didn't hit anyway so I hope you don't mind.

Double edit: Augh, I forgot Divine Might.

[bcool999]

Loric

Seeing the spiders appear then suddenly disappear, Loric is a bit unnerved. Are beasts such as this common to these parts? Loric wonders as he drops his weapon and forms his preferred weapon, a greatsword large enough for an ogre.

Seeing Darkstar get struck nearby, Loric moves to his aid. Once he is beside Darkstar, Loric concentrates and attempts to strike when next a spider appears. "What in the Lady's name are these things?" Loric shouts to the group.

(Going to assume that Darkstar is the closest ally to me)
Free action: Drop weapon (will disappear at end of round)
Free action: Form a Large Greatsword
Move action: Move to Darkstar
Standard action: Attack (will use power attack for -5 attack +10 damage)

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]
Crit Confirm [roll2]
Damage [roll3]

Also if Loric is attacked and the attack hits he will take an immediate action to use his soul weapon to deflect the attack (since it is bound to the hands chakra). What this means is I make an attack roll and if it is higher than the spider's attack roll the attack was negated. Also if my attack roll result is 5 or more higher than the spider's attack roll the spider's attack is deflected back and resolved as though the spider attacked itself.
Attack to Block/Deflect [roll4]
EDIT: Wow those were some bad attack rolls :smallannoyed:

[MuttonBasher]

Apparently having been lost in thought for the better part of the dining experience and the travel thereafter, Adrian makes no special exception to his bout of silence as the sudden attack begins. He calmly dismounts, placing his back to his horse's flank and raising one gloved hand before him defensively, fingers spread wide. Condensation forms around his other hand, swirls of dark mist curling around his fingertips and wrist. His cloak of shadows hangs as preternaturally still as ever, though the hem occasionally twitches of its own volition.

Dismount horse. Ready action to cast Fell Draining Splinterbolt on the first spider to appear with clear line of sight. If two spiders appear simultaneously, launch one bolt at each instead.

Attack 1: [roll0] (touch)
Crit confirm: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2] magical piercing.
Critical damage: [roll3]

Attack 2: [roll4] (touch) Crit threat
Crit confirm: [roll5]
Damage: [roll6] magical piercing.
Critical damage: [roll7]

The spider (or both, if two appear at the same time) gains a negative level if it takes damage from the spell.

[Postmodernist]

"Phase spiders," Arryk shouts, "beware their poison. They shift from the Material to the Ethereal Plane, so don't let your guard down if they disappear." He calls out in a hoarse croak to Bertram, who takes flight from his shoulder. With that, the ranger unshoulders his bow, draws an arrow and readies to loose the missile at the first spider that materializes with a clean shot.


Move action: draw bow and arrow. Swift: Order Bertram to Harry. Standard: Ready to fire.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

When Harried, the target must make a DC 14 Will Save or take -2 to its AC as Bertie distracts them.

[Failed Phantasm]

Aidan spent the first stretch of the journey in silence, jostling along on the back of the sturdy Clydesdale that had the misfortune of carrying him and his gear, sitting in his saddle as he mentally reviewed every spell and every scrap of knowledge he might have that would help the party recover the artifact safely. 'Knowing that the elves' constructs can meld into the stonework is a good start, and it should be simple enough to detect active magic in the masonry,' he thought, 'so we're not likely to be ambushed by one, so long as we stay vigilant. On the other hand, I doubt the tower is going to be particularly spacious. All of us should be more than proficient at close-quarters combat, but if they were designed to employ hit-and-run tactics, then we might just be worn down through sheer attrition. Maybe...' Aidan glanced upward, checking whether he was still in formation and the appearance of the road ahead. After a moment, he looked back down towards the ground and resumed his planning, 'Maybe one of us could dispel the magic that's empowering the golems. If we do it preemptively, maybe we could force one out of its hiding place in the walls. There'd still be the issue of maneuvering around one on a cramped battlefield, but we'd be on more even footing. Unless it's strong enough to pound one of us flat, which would be quite problematic.' He uttered a soft, though audible "Hmm" as he finished that unpleasant thought, the mental image of a bloody pulp smeared across a stone floor quickly flashing through his mind. Aidan shook his head and dismissed the idea. 'Stay focused, Aidan,' he chastised himself, 'the High Blade wouldn't have chosen us if he didn't think we were capable of this.'

"Did anyone hear that?"

Aidan snapped out of his contemplation and looked up at the speaker: it was Arryk, nodding towards something off to the east. Turning to get a better look at whatever Arryk had noticed, he found himself looking at the crest of a hill that appeared quite devoid of danger. 'I don't see anything,' he concluded after a moment, 'but that doesn't mean nothing's there...'

"Something is here! Be on guard!" came a shout from behind him.

'Damn. I don't think that both of them could possibly just be hearing things.' Aidan muttered a few words and quickly gestured towards Arryk, who seemed the logical target for a spell that aided one's reaction time. Before he had time to dismount, there was a sudden cacophony of arachnid chittering in the air, as four very large, very blue spiders coalesced into existence, seemingly from nowhere. "Phase spiders?!" he murmured incredulously, recognizing them on sight, having seen illustrations and read descriptions of them in some of the books he'd studied that covered unusual animals with seemingly-magical powers. He didn't recall much else about them beyond the name and their ability to appear and disappear. "Of all the things to run into on the road..." One of them began to skitter towards Aidan, fangs dripping with a nasty-looking liquid that was quite clearly venom; he remained still until the spider gathered its legs beneath itself and lunged recklessly, at which point he leaned back and twisted himself out the way as best he could, causing the spider to find purchase only on the empty air. Uttering what sounded unusually like a frustrated set of clicks, his assailant quickly discorporated back into nothingness.

Not wasting a single moment, Aidan had been reaching for his hammer from the moment he'd dodged the spider, and it was in his right hand as he straightened himself and quickly dismounted from his horse. "Would any of you believe I was just thinking about getting ambushed?" he asked aloud, as he turned to face the open terrain and settled into a combat stance. It seemed as though he had a window of opportunity between the spider appearing and before it was collected enough to attack, so he gripped his hammer and made ready to strike when the creature was exposed enough to allow it.


----------
Actions taken:

During the surprise round:
Immediate action to cast nerveskitter on Arryk. (+5 initiative)

During 1st combat round:
Free action to draw his greathammer (least crystal of return allows free action weapon draw)
Move action to dismount his horse
Standard action to ready an attack against the next spider to attack him:

Attack: (1d20+9)[14](23)
Critical confirmation (if necessary): (1d20+9)[9](18)
Damage: (1d12+5)[3](8) x4 if critical hit is made and confirmed


Condition — mass conviction: +3 morale bonus to saves, 7 minutes (70 rounds) remaining

[Shazek]

As you stand ready for the reappearance of the spiders, everything seems totally calm. This, of course, doesn't last. Mere moments later, they each begin to phase in in turn. The first fares badly. While it manages to ignore the raven that comes down to peck at it, Arryk's arrow hits it nonetheless. It is then absolutely shredded by the dark magic that bursts forth from Adrian's hand. It falls to the ground, quite obviously dead. The second is little better off. Alexander, Tapper, Aidan and Darkstar all strike it as it appears. While it survives (barely), it is no longer conscious, and doesn't threaten you anymore.

The other two spiders attack Tapper and fade away as Loric whiffs his swing.


Spider 1
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

If it deals damage, roll a DC 17 Fort Save or take [roll2] Con damage.

Spider 2
Attack: [roll3]
Damage: [roll4]

If it deals damage, roll a DC 17 Fort Save or take [roll5] Con damage.

2 misses.

Your turn.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander shouts in triumph as his blade bites into the spider's hide. Together with his comrades, he sees the spider fall to their combined might.

Looking around he sees two of the beasts disappear from sight next to Tapper, Alexander calls upon the powers of Law to defend himself as he moves to his side. At your back, Tapper, he says as he takes up a stance, readying himself to strike.

Law Devotion swift action, +3 sacred bonus to AC; my AC is now 28.
Standard action ready action to attack a spider that appears in range.

Power attack: -2 attack, +2 damage
Attack: [roll0]
Potential damage: [roll1]

Potential crit confirmation: [roll2]
Potential crit damage: [roll]1d8+8[roll]

[Postmodernist]

Arryk silently dismounts and reloads his bow, his eyes furiously scanning the horizon for a target to present itself, while Bertram circles above, ready to distract the first materializing spider.


Second verse, same as the first.

Swift action: Harry with Bertie. DC 14 Will save or -2 AC.
Move: Dismount.
Standard: Ready to fire. [roll0] for [roll1] damage.

[bcool999]

Loric

Feeling slightly embarrassed to have swung wide at the spider, Loric calms himself and focuses intently on hitting the next spider that appears. He also moves close to Tapper since the spiders seem to be converging there.

Actions:
Move: Move next to Tapper
Standard: Ready attack at next spider to appear.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Crit Confirm: [roll2]
Crit Damage: [roll3]

Again if a spider hits me I will take an immediate action to try to deflect the attack. (If this roll is greater than attack that hits me attack negated, if 5 higher than attack that hits me resolve attack as though enemy attacked itself)
Attack roll to deflect: [roll4]

[Medic!]

Darkstar

The assassin quickly determines the nature of the spiders' attack-pattern, and moves quickly to take advantage of it. He repositions himself, lightly grazing Tapper's shoulder with his hand as he passes by, sealing shut his bite-wound.

Darkstar moves to flank from one of the spiders' last seen positions, and readies another shadow-cloaked burst from his fist.


Swift action to heal Tapper for up to 15 damage, move action to move to flanking position based on where the spider was last seen, and a standard to ready another touch attack on the spider when it re-appears. This should move him at least 10ft, so he will have 20% concealment miss-chance until his next turn starts.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
And for good measure [roll4]

[MuttonBasher]

Lowering a hand still wreathed in the smoky vestiges of the fell energies, Adrian's lips thin into something almost like a pleased smile. Almost.

Ignoring the mangled remains of the target of his spell, he crosses to the still living spider and kneels beside it, assuring himself that it will live long enough for his purposes before murmuring softly. His voice has the reverent sound of fervent prayer, but the words themselves are dry, rasping things native to no mortal tongue. As he speaks, his shadow seems to stretch, as though grasped by unseen hands and pulled forcefully while still tethered to the ground around him. With the last words his shadow snaps in two, rebounding back to its original position while leaving a misty, insubstantial copy floating in midair nearby.

"Adduc morte placida," Adrian intones, glancing first to the shadow, then to the fallen spider. The shadow falls onto the spider with a will, sinking insubstantial hands and arms deep into the body of the helpless spider, which instantly begins to wither at the touch.

"Be easy," Adrian adds, turning his attention back to his allies as grey mist rapidly congeals into an insubstantial axe of ice shards and crackling black energy in his left hand. "This creature's future was only certain death if left alone. I will bring it new life, and we will gain a new ally in the process."

Adrian's shadow companion steps over to the fallen-but-not-dead phase spider and touches it it. [roll0] vs flatfooted unconscious prone touch AC (which is like, zero, or so?) for [roll1] strength damage. Note that Adrian's shadow can create but not control spawn, so Adrian will have to try Command Undead when it rises (which is not exactly a given).

If the spider is on the brink of death, Adrian touches it with a cure minor wounds to stabilize it. If not, he readies an action to 5-ft step and ice axe the first phase spider to appear within range: [roll2] (touch) for [roll3] cold damage and a negative level if the spider takes damage.

[Silver Night]

Topper growls and watches the area, mace held ready, "Sneaky bastards."




Attacking next time they appear:

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Crit: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

[Failed Phantasm]

Aidan smiled with grim satisfaction as his hammer drove home into the creature, hitting it with enough force to send it staggering towards the ground. Looking up to scan the battlefield, he noticed that Alexander was at Tapper's side and Darkstar was moving into what appeared to be a flanking position, so Aidan strode over to guard their flank as well. 'Not doing too badly so far,' he thought to himself. 'Stay alert and we'll get through this.'

----------
Actions taken:

Move action to maneuver into a better position to assist Tapper
Standard action to ready an attack against the next spider to be within range:

Attack: [roll0] Miss
Critical confirmation: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2] x4 if critical hit is threatened and confirmed


Condition — mass conviction: +3 morale bonus to saves, 70 minutes remaining

[Shazek]

As one of the last two spiders appears, the onslaught of the knights quickly kills it quite, quite dead. The other appears out of the ethereal, takes a blow or two, and quickly seems to decide it would be better off fleeing. It turns to run and fades away without allowing you to attack it.

You are victorious!

You each earn 600 experience. I'm never going to hit you with an encounter that easy again, so enjoy it.

[bcool999]

Loric

Loric stabs through the corpse of one spider with his greatsword and allows it to dissipate. That wasn't too bad I guess... "Is everyone alright?" After getting assurances of good health from the rest of the party, Loric heads over to his horse and remounts ready to continue on.

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar scrapes some spider venom-drool off his shoulder wound, which seals up on contact. He takes a quick look about before re-mounting his Arabian. "We should make haste."

[Postmodernist]

Arryk's skin fades, returning to its natural color. He takes a moment, calling upon arcane energies to hone his senses, then gives a sharp hand signal to Bertram. The raven flies off, and the ranger begins to inspect the bodies and track from whence they came.

Deactivate Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis. Cast Primal Instinct and Primal Hunter for the following benefits for 24 hours:

+5 competence bonus on Climb, Jump, Swim, Survival, and Initiative checks
Uncanny Dodge

Survival [roll0] to track these suckers. Bertram is going to fly up and scout a bit. Spot [roll1] Also, does Arryk know if phase spiders are common/native to this area?

[Silver Night]

Tapper looks around with a frown, perhaps expecting more spiders to spontaneously appear, "Seems a bit of a coincidence. Being ambushed like that. I'm well enough."

He remounts, "We best keep an eye for any more ambushes."

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander wipes his blade on the grass and firmly sheathes it. Glad to see that our teamwork is good, he says triumphantly. Now, let us be back on our way; unless you would like to continue your business, Adrian. His tone is not judgmental of the man's actions; after all, extra allies, however gotten, are always welcome.

Nonetheless, he mounts onto his horse and awaits his companions' next actions.

[Postmodernist]

Arryk heaves a slight sigh, recognizing the futility of tracking quarry which no longer inhabits the same plane. He remounts his horse, and calls out to Bertram. The raven descends to his outstretched arm, and the two commiserate in an avian tongue for a moment before the bird flies off again. The bird keeps pace with the group, scouting from on high.

[Silver Night]

"Onward, then. We might pray that all our enemies fall so easily."

[Shazek]

Your journey continues without further interruptions for several more hours as you continue north towards the Forests. The hills gradually grow shorter and shallower, as the shadows grow longer, until eventually the tree line is in sight. You see that the road continues a short ways into the woods, but cannot see where it leads. As you gaze at the trees, you get the sense that something, though you have no idea what, is wrong. Suddenly, Bertram lets out a loud caw from above your heads. Looking up, you see a small plume of smoke rising from a short ways into the woods.

Sorry this took so long. I was waiting to see if Adrian was going to finish undeadifying the spider. I'll strive to post much more often from now on, even if there seems to be some minor unfinished business.

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar pulls his mount to a stop and slides down. "Shall I go investigate?"

If nobody objects, Darkstar creeps off into the woods ahead to discern the origin of the smoke.


[roll0]
[roll1]

If he needs any spot/listen checks I trust you! He makes each check at a +5 (with an additional +4 to each for detecting incorporeal creatures, and he can see and communicate with anything that's died within the last 4 minutes)

[bcool999]

Loric hangs back as some of the more stealthy members of the party scout ahead. He forms a Composite Longbow made to his strength and keeps himself on alert for ambush.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Just in case you are curious he will remain mounted for the moment.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander dismounts and edges as close to the treeline as he can without making too much noise. He does not trust his skill at stealth, especially not in full plate armor, but he keeps a sharp eye out for anything out of the ordinary. He draws his sword and and shield and prepares for anything.

I don't follow Darkstar into the forest, but I make a Spot check as he does so:

[roll0]

[Shazek]

Darkstar sneaks into the forest without any obvious disturbance. A couple hundred feet in, he sees the source of the smoke: A cluster of three huts at the very end of the road. They're all charred hulks, smoldering lightly and giving off smoke; there are no obvious signs of life.

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar returns to the party, reporting the destruction he found.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander sheaths his sword, mouth an angry grimace. Terrible, he declares, striding back to his mount. He pulls himself back into the saddle and spurs it forward. If it is on the path to begin with, let us investigate a bit. And if nothing else, it is about time to make camp as well. We can continue travel in earnest come the morn.

Although he says this confidently, he stops at the beginning of the path and turns to face his companions, waiting for their input.

[bcool999]

Loric

Letting the bow he created dissipate, Loric follows after the rest of the party should they decide to press on still acting as rear guard.

[Silver Night]

"Do we know how close we are to our target?"

[Postmodernist]

Arryk moves toward the huts, and investigates the are around them without a word.

Track. Take 20, for a total of 36. If that isn't possible and a roll is necessary: [roll0]

[Shazek]

Upon the group's arrival at the circle of huts, you see no signs of current habitation. There is a slight smell of burned flesh or hair, and you see a few spatters of blood on the packed ground at the end of the road - not much, altogether, but enough to suggest that it was more than a simple accident.

Quickly enough, Arryk finds traces of whoever was here most recently. He finds a single trail, obvious to one with his skills, which was taken within the last few hours by several creatures. It leads northeast, deeper into the woods.

Do you search the huts or follow the trail?

[bcool999]

Loric

"Do you think it was the orcs that did this?" Loric asks as he takes a quick look around the camp. He says a quick prayer to the Lady for the departed. "Why would they take the bodies, and who was out here to begin with?" Loric continues to look around while he talks, hoping to find answers in the debris.

Search: [roll0]

[Silver Night]

"Perhaps there are survivors we can question about what happened here." Tapper arrives at the huts and dismounts, "We should look around the area."

Search: [roll0]

[Shazek]

Searching the huts, you find no bodies and little additional blood. It appears that whatever occurred here, no one died. There is nothing of value left in the huts, and anything that might be useful is charred and burnt.

[Thokk_Smash]

I pray that there are survivors, but I fear there will be none, Alexander says, voice a mixture of sadness and anger. I've seen bandits raze thrice over thrice these number of houses within an hour; the men on the black side of life tend to be rather good at it. He feels the scar on his face tighten at the thought.

As his companions' search turns up nothing, he says, I would like to hunt down and make those who did this pay. And while that would please me greatly, it would run the risk of making us lose time on the mission Lord Warfield gave us. And we do not want to disappoint Lord Warfield.

And I do so wish to make a good impression on Lord Warfield, he thinks privately to himself.

Out loud, he says, What say the rest of you? Take a detour to bring justice to those who wrought this horror, or continue on our appointed mission?

[Silver Night]

"Were you able to find their trail, Arryk? No bodies, so perhaps they were taken as prisoners or slaves."

[bcool999]

Loric

"I am of a mind to teach whoever did this a lesson. However, Lord Warfield did make it clear that he wanted us to put the mission first. So I say if the tracks lead in the general direction of the ruins it would be harmless to follow them. Also, if it was the orcs who did this we might be able to gain an advantage by knowing where they are, but them remaining oblivious of us and our purpose."

[Silver Night]

"We shouldn't leave enemies at our backs."

[Postmodernist]

"I fear we're making a lot of assumptions. The trail leads this way." Arryk gestures toward the tracks on the ground.

Any indication on numbers before and after the attack, horses or heavy equipment, direction of the attack, creature type, etc?

[Medic!]

Darkstar

Darkstar chastises his companions openly, coldly, and with no emotion in his voice at all, "We are on a mission. The Lady comes for each of us as she will. If some foulness intends to pervert the bodies of Her domain, we can deal with that when we come to it. Having our enemies know we are in the area would cause uncounted complications. We should proceed to the ruins with all haste."

[Silver Night]

Tapper

"I would think that you, of all of us, would be aware of the danger of an enemy stabbing you in the back, Darkstar." The dwarf peers out of his perpetual scowl, "Ignoring a possible enemy does not make them go away. Does the trail go in the direction of the ruins, or no?"

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander listens carefully as Arryk explains where the tracks lead. So, depending on how far away they are, we could end up quite a distance away from our final goal, he mutters. He mulls it over in his mind, and grits his teeth in frustration. Punching his mailed fist into his open palm angrily, he says, Every moment spent sidetracked is another second the enemies we know of gain in their pursuit of our target. The artifact we have been tasked with recovering, if it falls into the wrong hands, could lead to terrible consequences that dwarf what occurred here. I am loath to allow these bastards to go unpunished, but with what we know they are small potatoes compared to the other enemies we are squared against.

He shrugs. That's my opinion. Anyone else?

[Postmodernist]

Arryk whispered something to the raven at his shoulder, which took to the air noisily. "Bertram will scout the trail for us from the sky, and will report back if there are any signs. I strongly feel we should investigate these brigands; I suspect their sortie here is related to our larger concern. Still, if you all believe pursuit of our mission is the greater good, I will abide by that decision."

[Medic!]

Darkstar

"Then it is settled. We go after the artifact while Bertie keeps an eye on our backs. Death comes for us all one day, a miserable death isn't necessarily an unjust one. This is a lesson these marauders shall learn if they seek to hinder our mission."

[Silver Night]

Aye, I agree, one to our target.

[bcool999]

Loric

Loric is angered briefly when many of his fellows express that they will not be following the tracks and serving swift and righteous punishment on those who attacked this camp. He takes a breath to calm himself before merely saying, "Very well then. Mission first." and follows the others towards the ruins tight lipped.

[Shazek]

Your trek through the forest towards where you have been told the ruins are continues for some hours, until night has all but fallen. In the twilight, you hear an eerie, high-pitched cackling from all around you, but you cannot see the source.

[Silver Night]

Tapper scowls and draws his mace.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander growls in frustration as he draws his weapon as well. Show yourself, he demands. Stop hiding in the shadows and face us.

[Silver Night]

Tapper growls out a few words, and gestures around at the party. Then a few more grunts that may be words and a gesture to himself.

Shield of Faith, Mass. 7 minutes, +3 deflection to armor for everyone! (doesn't stack if you have like, a ring of protection or something)

Divine Favor on himself, +2 damage/attack

[bcool999]

Loric

"Sparky, light it up." Upon hearing those words from his master, Sparky brightens to shed light and pierce nearby shadows. Loric also forms a Javelin ready to throw at any threat he sees.

Sparky my soulspark familiar is shedding light equivalent to a sunrod (30ft. bright illumination 60ft. shadowy) centered on me.
Spot: [roll0] to see if I can find the source of the cackling

[Shazek]

At the sight of your weapons and preparations, the laughter seems to become more giggling than anything else, until it stops abruptly. A high voice seems to call from all around you, "Now, now, are you scared of us? We just want to know what you're doing in our forest. And then maybe eat you, but we're not sure yet. Depends on how chewy you seem to be. And how hungry we are."

I rolled reactive spot checks when the voices started; none of them beat the Hide check(s). This one didn't either, but feel free to keep making active spot checks if you like.

[Thokk_Smash]

Alexander lowers his sword, although he does not sheathe it. Not scared, no he says, a disarming smile coming to his face. Judging from the creature's words, their group is more than likely outnumbered; it is time for diplomacy, not swords. Merely cautious, as any traveler should be. Our business in your forest is of a religious nature: we seek out what our goddess has directed us to. We seek to do you and your forest no harm, and I humbly ask that you allow us to pass unharmed.

He hefts his sword slightly; not in a threatening manner, just to draw attention to it. I should warn you, however, that we are experienced combatants. We would not make for an easy meal, I can assure you of that.

Spot check: [roll0]

And this probably won't tell me anything I don't know, but Sense Motive: [roll1]

I had a feeling the Sense Motive would roll higher than the spot...

[Shazek]

"Hmmm... sounds nice enough. But we're sooo hungry... Nope. Gonna have to eat you, sorry."

"Wait a moment, Talia," a new voice says. "We don't need to eat them yet. We can let them do their job, then eat them."

"Nay," a third voice chimes in. "I'm hungry now, not later."

"I guess you can decide, then. Should we eat you now, or later?"

Sense Motive Result: They seem playful but uncaring of your fate. Anything they do, you imagine, will be based more on whim than anything else.

You can't see them.

[Silver Night]

"Show yourselves or leave us to our journey!"

[Postmodernist]

Arryk cautiously draws his bow and nocks an arrow, trying to pinpoint the source of the voices.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Knowledge: Nature: [roll2]

If these creatures use magic, +2 applies to all rolls. Further, Nemesis will let me discern their location.

[Shazek]

Arryk:
You got nothing.

[Postmodernist]

Arryk whistles, signaling Bertram to come close. "Talia," Arryk says calmly, "now there's a pretty name. As pretty as your forest has been to travel through. As my friend said, we are in the humble service of our goddess. Sadly, I fear that we've seen some travelers less kind to your forest. They burned some huts and headed northeast. I can't say for certain how chewy they looked, but they seemed bent on despoiling this lovely forest."

[Shazek]

"Oh, the orcs, you mean? They're fine by us! They paid the shaman tribute in flesh for their passage. Got us those humans from the huts at the forest's edge. We wanted them for so long, but that darn barrier of theirs kept us out."

[Thokk_Smash]

The creature's words send ice through Alexander's blood. It is thawed quickly by the blazing fire of rage that follows, and he grinds his teeth. He is so far beyond diplomacy that the thought that he tried to reason with these things sickens him.

He slides off of his mount and slips on his shield. He hefts his sword higher, the light from the everburning torch on the saddle glinting off the burnished steel. You want some food? I got a foot of steel, right here; I'll even shove it down your throat for you, you sorry sack of sh*t. Come and get it!

Yeah, I figured might as well get this thing going again, and what better way than combat? Wish I'd rolled better than average on that intimidate, but that's the dice.

Spot check: [roll0]
Intimidate check: [roll1]

[Shazek]

Six arrows come whizzing out of the trees at Alexander.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack:[roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Attack:[roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

Attack:[roll6]
Damage: [roll7]

Attack:[roll8]
Damage: [roll9]

Attack:[roll10]
Damage: [roll11]

[Shazek]

Roll for Initiative.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Silver Night]

Init: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[Thokk_Smash]

Initiative: [roll0]

Do we say what we do in the first round, or wait?

Alexander grunts as two arrows pierce his armor, but he holds his ground.

Waiting for the enemies to show themselves, he tightens his guard and moves in the direction of the arrows.

Total defense, +4 dodge bonus to AC; my AC is now 31. I move as close to the source of the arrows as I can without leaving the light of the torch on my horse's saddle.

[bcool999]

Initiative: [roll0]

Loric dismounts and moves toward the threat in the forest bringing sparky with him to light the way. He abandons his Javelin in favor of his preferred weapon the greatsword.

Current AC 23 (21 flat-footed)
Move action dismount
Free action(s) to drop javelin and form a greatsword
Move up to 30ft. looking for enemies.

Bright illumination to 30ft. shadowy to 60ft.

Loric will attempt to deflect any one blow that hits using a modified attack roll to oppose the opponent's attack roll (rolled OOC). A modified attack roll higher than the opponents attack roll negates the attack and if my modified roll result is at least 5 higher than the enemy's then instead of being negated, the attack is treated as being directed against the opponent.

[Silver Night]

Tapper searches for an opponent, and should he find one, he casts Blindness on them (DC 18 Fort)

[Postmodernist]

Initiative: [roll0]

Arryk's eyes dart about from whence the arrows came, hoping to catch a glimpse of their assailants. When he sees the strange creatures, he whistles sharply to Bertram, directing the bird to harry them. He then draws strange pouch of something out of his haversack, making ready to throw it at the enemy archers.

Standard:Spot check: [roll1] Basically, Arryk should automatically spot these, since he cannot roll lower than a 13.
Swift: Harry with the raven.
Move: Draw torchbug paste from haversack.

[Postmodernist]

Arryk hurls the bladder of torchbug paste at the goblinoids, so as to ensure that his allies will find the beasts with ease.

Ranged touch: (+7 BAB, +4 Dex, -2 range) [roll0]. 5' splash radius. Any enemy affected is treated as if under a Faerie Fire effect.

[Shazek]

One of the creatures in the trees draws two arrows back on its pair of bows, then fires at Alexander. The rapid projectiles whiz through the air.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Loric reaches the base of one of the trees the creatures are hiding in.

Arryk's Torchbug Paste strikes the first of the goblinoid creatures to act, on the north side of the clearing.

From the creature in the southeast, two arrows fly at Arryk.


Attack: [roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

Attack: [roll6]
Damage: [roll7]

Alexander reaches the base of the north tree, where Loric awaits him.

Two arrows fly from the southwest creature at Alexander.

Attack: [roll8]
Damage: [roll9]

Attack: [roll10]
Damage: [roll11]

Tapper's spell targets the southeast monster, which clutches at its eyes momentarily, but seems fine after a mere moment.

Round Over.

[bcool999]

Loric

Upon seeing his target out of reach, Loric drops his greatsword once more in favor of a large javelin that he hurls at the beast above him and immediately forms and throws another hoping to knock the beast into range of Alexander's hungry blade.

Free action: Drop Greatsword and form a large Javelin
Full Attack with Javelin (taking a free action between throws to make another one to throw):
Attack1: [roll0] Damage1: [roll1]
Confirm1: [roll2] Crit Damage1: [roll3]

Attack2: [roll4] Damage2: [roll5]
Confirm2: [roll6] Crit Damage2: [roll7]

[Silver Night]

Tapper yells at the nearest creature, "Fall!"

Command DC 16 on the nearest creature.

[Postmodernist]

Arryk muffles his cry as an arrow sinks into his thigh nearly up to the fletching. He draws his bow, takes aim, and looses three missiles in quick succession at the scampering beasts.

Full attack with Rapid Shot.
[roll0] for [roll1] damage.
[roll2] for [roll3] damage.
[roll4] for [roll5] damage.

[Thokk_Smash]

Four arrows fly toward him, but they bounce off of Alexander's shield and armor. Reaching the bottom of the tree, he continues to hold his shield and sword close to his body, prepared to block or swat more arrows away.

With a sneer, he calls out, Is that the best you can do? I've fought acolytes with more bite than you! He hopes to concentrate at least this one's fire on him.

Standard action: Total defense.

Free action: Taunt. Not an actual Intimidate check, so it might not work as well, but I like having an AC of 31.

[Shazek]

The Northernmost creature takes aim at Tapper, firing two arrows at him simultaneously.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Loric's javelins both strike that very same creature, injuring it but certainly not taking it down.

They are quickly followed by Arryk's arrows, the first two of which land easily enough. The third misses by a mile.

The southeastern creature seems to see Loric as the biggest threat, now, and takes aim at him.
Attack: [roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

Attack: [roll6]
Damage: [roll7]

Alexander's taunting seems to have some affect on the one in the north.

The last of the creatures, in the southwest, takes aim at Alexander.
Attack: [roll8]
Damage: [roll9]

Attack: [roll10]
Damage: [roll11]
Tapper's spell causes the creature in the north to fall down, out of the tree. It lands prone near Loric and Alexander.

[Thokk_Smash]

The arrows plink against Alexander's armor ineffectually, but the first one bounces off of his helmet right next to his eye. Nonetheless, he stands firm as he sees one of the beasts fall to the ground. Expending part of his daily allotment of divine power, he feels his blade begin to...solidify, become more real. He walks quickly over to the beast, expending more of his divine power to feel his muscles bunch up beneath his armor.

Standing next to his enemy, he pauses for hardly a moment to call upon the power of law and good, feeling it lightly wrap around him. Have at you! he cries as he swings his sword down.

Swift action: Law Devotion, +3 Sacred bonus to-hit (-3 turn attempts)
Free action: Divine Might, +3 to damage (-1 turn attempt, 2 left)
Standard action: Revitalizing Strike

To-hit: [roll0] (Extra to-hit from him being prone not included)

Potential damage: [roll1]
Potential healing: [roll2]

[Postmodernist]

Arryk grimaced through the pain in his leg and loosed another trio of arrows at his quarry.

[roll0] for [roll1] damage.
[roll2] for [roll3] damage.
[roll4] for [roll5] damage.

[Silver Night]

Tapper directs his next words to the northernmost creature, "You must come down and help your comrade!"

He then moves closer to the fallen creature.

Suggestion DC 18 Will

[bcool999]

Loric

Loric gasped as the arrows penetrated deeply into his flesh. Gritting his teeth, he calls upon his righteous fury at these despicable creatures and unleashes it, in all it's Greatsword shaped glory, on the one at his feet with a inarticulate cry.

Free: Form Soul Weapon (Large Greatsword)
Move: Imbue weapon with destructive energy (Soul Strike class feature)
Standard: Attack: [roll0] (+4 for prone -4 for power attack) Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] (If CN or NE) or + [roll3] (If CE)

EDIT: If it is too far away from me to attack, I will instead move close enough to it to attack. If I am close enough to hit it either eats 49 damage, or it eats 52 damage and makes a fort save or dies from massive damage. :smallcool: