Elements of Power IC

[Kelvin360]

Your journey south has proven, so far, to be uneventful at best. The endless roads (forming into largely incomplete pathways as you veer into the less populated areas of Staspindor) hold no traces of banditry or strange occurrences, and without an escort, all you have are each other and the steeds provided by Isolar.

This mission, in contrast to others your group has experienced before, has left you with little to go on, but appears simple because of that fact. Your first (and, so far, only) objective is to meet a contact in Virron Caz, who will fill you in on the details of your task.

The ancestral home of the gnomish people is not an easy thing to find, but your directions are almost unnecessarily specific. The handwritten note given to your group tells of a specific place, at a specific time of day, and a specific phrase to speak. The lot of you are no strangers to cloak and dagger business, so whether this degree of preparation is irksome is largely down to individual preference.

After days and miles, you've finally arrived at the small valley within which your goal awaits. The mountain winds whistle softly around you, and based on the ambient temperature and the cloud cover above, it may begin to snow in earnest soon enough. There is no sign of any life but your own.


It reads:

"When you arrive at the valley with the dead end, which you will know by the single gouge stretching from ground to top on that end, look to the east wall. On the ground will be a circle composed of four stones, the size of a human's hand, of equal distance from each other. Stand in the center of this circle, wait for five seconds, and repeat the phrase 'Stake upon thy life thine desires and temperance, for the quest demands.'"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris looks at the circle of stones. "Well this appears to be the place. Let's head on over." He walks over to the circle, but before stepping in, he examines them to see if anything about them seems familiar.

Knowledge Checks (all trained):
Arcana: [roll0]
History: [roll1]
The Planes: [roll2]
Religion: [roll3]

[Kelvin360]

It doesn't hold any mystical significance, but it looks like it could be a gnomish 'Welcome Mat'. They're particularly rare, and designed generally to provide a place for gnome guardians to keep a close eye on anyone who desires access to their city. They usually take the forms of random objects that 'just so happen' to form circles or (rarely) runic designs, and are exclusively placed in locations where a hostile intruder can be killed without much effort if they attempt to gain access to anywhere the gnomes prefer their privacy.

Basically, it's a trap. Fortunately, you're friendly. Hopefully.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris turns to the rest of the party and excitedly tells them what he knows, "The circle doesn't hold any mystical significance, but it looks like it could be a gnomish 'Welcome Mat'. They're particularly rare, and designed generally to provide a place for gnome guardians to keep a close eye on anyone who desires access to their city. They usually take the forms of random objects that 'just so happen' to form circles or (rarely) runic designs, and are exclusively placed in locations where a hostile intruder can be killed without much effort if they attempt to gain access to anywhere the gnomes prefer their privacy." He pauses for a moment to catch his breath, "Any concerns? Or shall we get to it?"

[Hexalan]

""'Killed without much effort', you say?"

Nodra pulls out his spyglass and scans the cliff face for signs of an ambush.
Spot:[roll0]
Knowledge (Warfare)?:[roll1]
"Gnomes don't want to kill any of us do they?"

[Everynone]

Kyrios looks at Nodra and says, with melodic and carefully-controlled inflictions, "Almost certainly not. Otherwise, why would we be sent here? If what Etoris says is true, then we shall be perfectly safe, as we do not even come close to matching the definition of 'hostile intruders'. Even so, it would not do to be overly trusting. Does anyone want to step into the circle and recite the phrase, or shall I?"

Spot (at the circle of stones): [roll0]
Spot (at the surrounding valley): [roll1]
Listen: [roll2]

[Kelvin360]

From the cliff-face above the circle down, it looks as though this location may have been specifically chosen to launch an ambush from the cliffside above. However, there are no constructions you can see in any of the locations where an attack would come from.

That being said, there is something very odd about the top of the valley. Something off, though you can't quite place it.

The valley and circle themselves don't appear to have any out-of-place or distinguishing features aside from those previously noted.

However, the old cliche of 'it's quiet...too quiet' strikes you as particularly noteworthy now. You could have sworn you heard more than the whistling wind as you stepped into the valley, but now, aside from the breaths of you, your companions, and your mounts, all is almost unnaturally silent.

[esorscher]

Tzahika stands mute, as you have accustomed her to unless she is directly asked a question. She is tall, brawny and unrelenting. "Can't think of a reason gnomes would want me dead," she says finally. "Of course, this looks like a good spot to do it." She looks around the valley, but of course lacking a spyglass waits for Nodra's report. "Something about this place, just gives me an eerie feeling, you know?" She has a grappling hook and rope in her bag, and trusts her muscles as much as anything. As she looks at the same cliff face Nodra is peering at, she tries to estimate how high up the cliff rises.

[Hexalan]

Nodra collapses his spyglass and stows it back in his pack, then notices Tzadhika peering at him.

"No structures, or encampments up there, but it's a prime spot for an ambush. And something else, too...the sky...and the top of the cliff...somethins seems wrong here."

[Everynone]

Kyrios looks back at Nodra from inspecting the area, and says "I must agree. This valley seems more quiet than when first we arrived, and I cannot help but feel ill at ease. Should we wait and see what might be causing this, or should we just recite the phrase in the circle?"

She can't help but feel a sense of trepidation as she reminds herself of the phrase: 'Stake upon thy life thine desires and temperance, for the quest demands.' It's so ominous, and it could imply so many things, especially in a place like this...

[Hexalan]

"I am...uncertain, about this place. Perhaps someone has destroyed the gnomes, taken control of their waypoints, and seek to capture their allies? Or maybe it is a trap laid by the gnomes, to ensnare those to close, and the incantation that they sent their allies would mark us as friends?

A nice dilemma we have here."

Nodra readies an Aura of Intuition against any sort of attack (be it a giant rat jumping out or a boulder thrown for the top of the valley) or strange happenstance (the stone ring turns into a shouting tree)

[Kelvin360]

The cliff face looks to be about 100 meters to the top and naturally rough. Climbable, but relatively harrowing.

[Everynone]

Still looking unblinkingly at Nodra, Kyrios says, "As you well know, it would take a great army to destroy the gnomes. I suspect that a force that large would not need to lie in wait just to capture or ambush a few adventurers. Besides, if anyone is here, my intuition tells me they have already detected us. The gnome's magic is almost always reliable, and I believe this 'welcome mat' is safe enough, however oppressive the surrounding valley may seem."

She thinks to herself, Reciting the phrase is the only way to advance on this quest, but if it is a trap, then the only way to find out would be to trigger it. In that case, the right thing to do might be to sacrifice myself, to alert the others of any danger. She eyes the circle of stones thoughtfully, keeping her ears attuned to any changes in the valley.

[Hexalan]

"Could it be a simple trick, then? A small force, knowing what a gnomish, 'welcome mat', as you say, looks like, or even intercepted our lines of communication, could have set this up as a trap to capture us, assume our identities, and infiltrate the gnomes as a trusted emissaries of Rovard." Nodra shrugs. "Or, it could just be nothing."

[Everynone]

"That could be the case...it seems elaborate, but not impossible. On the flip side, we have our orders, we must follow them, and there is only one way to find out what effect the circle may have."

Kyrios walks over to the circle, steps inside, mentally counts off 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and says aloud "Stake upon thy life thine desires and temperance, for the quest demands." She braces herself, makes a plea to Rao asking for good fortune and a peaceful turn of events, and allows her ears to perk up and eyes to take in even in minutest details around the circle of stones.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

For a moment, nothing happens.

Then a small, bearded head pops out of the wall in front of Kyrios, at waist level to most of you. The gnome examines the lot of you with a furrow of his brow and a mild frown on his lips.

He sniffs, then barks: "Well then, come on in, I s'pose. Don't be overlong about it." He beckons all of you forward to the valley wall.

[Hexalan]

As the gnome pops out of the valley wall, Nodra leaps back and swears profusely. "stupid damn gnome illusionists" he mumbles.
Nodra relaxes his grip on his sword, and follows the gnome up to the cliff face. "This is an illusion, isn't? It's not going to fling me into the sky if I get to close?"

[Kelvin360]

"Goodness, no. That's what the circle does if you repeat the password incorrectly or wait too long." He flashes one of those gnomish smiles that's unreasonably hard to determine as facetious or reassuring.

[Everynone]

At this smile, Kyrios becomes even more wary than before, when the gnome appeared from the rock face. She silently berates herself for not spotting the illusion. I have to be more aware than that in the future, otherwise my enemies will have the advantage in a fight. She tries to judge the gnome's disposition, and as she does, says "I trust you know who we are, and why we are here?"

Sense Motive (does the gnome mean us harm?): [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

"Vaguely. I would like to stress the importance of us all getting out of sight before anything much less friendly than myself shows up, and note that we can exchange life stories over cider later."

Decidedly not, at least for now.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods to the full gnome. "Quite a sensible prospect." He moves in the direction indicated.

[Everynone]

Kyrios also moves in the direction the gnome suggested, quickly scanning the surrounding rock with new eyes. "So what is your name, kind friend? Why all the secrecy and illusions?" she asks, looking at the gnome with her intense gray eyes.

[Everynone]

Spot (at the surrounding rock): [roll0]
Sense Motive (why was the gnome concealing himself?): [roll1]; apparently her Sense Motive is +17, not +13...I think I was confusing it with Heal on the first roll.

[esorscher]

Tzadhika puts all thought of climbing the cliff face with her rope and grappling hook out of her mind and follows the rest of the party toward the gnome.

[Kelvin360]

The gnome eyes Kyrios suspiciously before responding. "You can call me Crawl for the time being. While I can't deny that our relations with outsiders have near always generally been like this, especially here, need I remind you that we are at war?"

He ducks his head back inside while the rest of the group follows.

The section of the cliff face that he came from is decidedly not solid. In fact, once you pass through, the logistics of his watch become clearer. From this side, the entire section of the valley that the circle inhabits is visible. The cavern you now stand in seems too tall to have been made for gnomes alone, rising a good 10 meters upwards before flattening out at the ceiling.

As Crawl leads you deeper into the cavern, he mutters something into his sleeve. You pass several stone statues positioned to watch over those who come this way. The silence of this area, much like that of the valley, is vaguely haunting, and here, echoes of your breaths and voice are that much more haunting because of it.

Spot: It's an elegant illusion at the least; you doubt you would've been able to make out that something was different about his section of the wall unless it was revealed to you.

Sense Motive: Unknown

[Hexalan]

As they move through the hidden passageway, Nodra observes the stone statues. Interesting. I think I've seen something like this before. Was it under D'amorr? Gnomish Sentry Golems? Or maybe just passive observation...

So, Crawl, how are you? Anything interesting going on with you? How is the missus?"
Knowledge (Warfare)[roll0] on the Gnomish Sentry Golem Stature Spies, which perfectly fall under the jurisdiction of warfare.
Diplomacy [roll1] with "Crawl".

[Everynone]

Kyrios scans the cavern, while attempting to listen to the gnome's speech into his sleeve. His suspicion is not lost on her. "So where are we headed?" she asks in a more polite tone. "Sorry about all the questions. I just like to know what's going on in a given situation; I'm sure you understand," she says placatingly.

Listen (to his sleeve-talk): [roll0]
Diplomacy (to make him less suspicious): [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

His back is turned, so all you can really make out of him is his tone, which seems a tad stony. He answers Nodra first, then Kyrios. "She's just as dead as she was yesterday. I'm not the best one to ask most of what you want to know. I just pulled guard duty today. When we get to Dassit Point, General Padrol will fill you in. Just don't do anything too strange. We're not...fans of outsiders up here. Not since this all started."

It's highly unlikely they're mere decoration, given that this is supposedly a secret entrance, but what they actually do isn't as clear.

"Put it back up."

[esorscher]

"Since what all started?" Tzadhika says, taking the bait.

[Kelvin360]

"Redwash may have no clue what happens under his own feet, but Tyrannus is better at what he does. The gnomish camps and villages were obliterated before we decided to crack down on security, and that was while he was distracted. Virron Caz is all we have left. I don't know what to think of you, myself, but to the others, you're decidedly not allies - you're necessary evils. If it were up to the masses, we'd have disappeared for a solid century by now."

[Hexalan]

"Oh, delightful," Nordra whines, "Rovard doesn't want to hire us, Isolar barely pays us on purpose, the gnomes just want to get out, those scoundrels don't even know what's going on...and yet we are the only ones keeping Tyrannus from running this whole forsaken continent.

Nodra sighs. "Does the General, at least, look favorable upon our selfless, moral-bound aid?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris tilts his head to one side, "Hmm. While one might suggest that allies and necessary evils aren't mutually exclusive, I think it's somewhat beside the point."

Diplomacy: [roll0]
Knowledge (History) (to see what I know if something specific happened a century ago): [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

Crawl turns first to Nodra and, with as straight a face as he can manage, says: "Goodness, where did you get that idea? Not to decry any of you for your undoubtedly-fantastic service, but if you four were the only ones working for our side in this war in an active capacity, I'd fairly be sobbing already.

From what I know of the General, which isn't much, he'll take what he can get without much regard for exactly how much it is. How you lot are considered isn't even up to me, frankly.

But association and personal interests are funny things. You're not just outsiders, you're living representations of a war we despise. We never wanted to get involved in this. Allies, yes. But don't expect any respect just over sides, as a warning. As for me...well, you've given me reason to smirk at something for the first time in months, I'll give you that."

Records, to say the very least, are sketchy about virtually anything to do with gnomes in recent years. However, while they've always been mildly secretive, that would coincide with a timeframe in which the common theory was that gnomish civilization had simply vanished off the face of the world. They re-established open communication a few decades after, but no one is really sure what was wrong. Everything from an experiment with time to an interplanar catastrophe has been considered.

If Crawl is telling the truth, this story is certainly quite a bit more embarrassing for them than either of those.

[Everynone]

"It's certainly a good thing the gnomes haven't disappeared entirely," says Kyrios, looking at Crawl.

"And Nodra, the situation isn't nearly as terrible as you make it out to be. Rovard has hired us, under the best circumstances they can manage, and it's a very good thing that both the gnomes and scoundrels are still around to resist in the first place. Without the latter, the continent would most likely already have been taken by Tyrannus. The situation would be even worse without the gnomes. We should be grateful for the help and connections we have, including, as Crawl has pointed out, the others hired by Rovard," she says to Nodra.

"Considering this, I'm sure the General will be more than happy we are here to help, at very least in a utilitarian sense. And since we're both pursuing the same goal - ending this war - we should have no problem working together."

Again looking at Crawl, she says, "Will the General be able to answer any questions we may have? I'm sure I'm not alone when I say there are many I wish to ask."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris chimes in in response to Kyrios' comment, "Besides, I'd look silly if half of me had vanished."

[Kelvin360]

"Most likely, yes. He knows just as much as the ringleaders at Rovard, and probably a good deal more." As the group advances, the lighting of the tunnel becomes brighter, more noticeable, at the edge of your forward vision. Good money is on the outside world becoming visible again, and soon.

[Everynone]

"Are we nearing Dassit Point?" Kyrios asks. She looks ahead to see if she can detect any defining details beyond the tunnel.

Trepidation fills her as she considers the possible population of the gnomish stronghold. Dealing with them in their heightened state of emergency might be difficult. I hope I can continue to keep the peace, she thinks.

I worry about Tzadhika. She seems perceptive and intelligent enough, at least to get by, but I'm afraid people won't take a liking to her...she's ferocious in battle though. Her mind flicks back to memories of battles won by a blow from the half-orc's greatsword.

Her thoughts move towards Etoris. I believe he will be more than capable of holding his own in interactions down here. He's very likable, and being part gnome should help.

She allows her thoughts to go silent as she considers Nodra. He seems diplomatic enough...and more skilled than I in many areas of speechcraft. More than that, he's inspiring. He could make a good leader.

Spot: [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

"If I know my depths right (and I do), it should be just up ahead." He seems to be developing a more pronounced nervous twitch in his right hand the further into the tunnels you go. "Don't do anything too strange." He mutters distractedly. "Wait, I already said that, didn't I?"

Even your suddenly-terrible eyesight can make out sunlight when you see it. An exit from the tunnels should be just around the corner.

[esorscher]

"You're not coming with us?" Tzadhika asks, her hand flying immediately to the hilt of her sword. Trap! she screams instinctively in her head.

[Kelvin360]

This comment seems to jolt Crawl back to reality, as it were. "Hn? Don't I wish. I rather have to, now. I'm the one that found you, I'm the one that needs to take you through. Of course, that means anything you do falls on my shoulders."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika nods and returns to her silence.

[Kelvin360]

The brightness of the tunnel exit seems out of place, somehow. The sunlight reflects off of the snowcapped peaks, yes, but it was not so extreme beforehand. It takes a moment before you realize that not only are you stepping through the mouth of a cavern, you are also passing some kind of reflective magical veil. Crawl is the first through, and the spell appears to have no effect on any of you directly.

Instantly, you are besieged with sights and sounds from all around you. To your right, a small squadron of gnomes (some of them half-breeds, like Etoris) practice a mock battle against frighteningly realistic illusions of undead pirates in flawless formation. Spells from the mages soar over the heads of the engaging warriors, while barely-visible scouts take up the rear flank of their foes, hoisting their crossbows and waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Nearby, a decidedly grizzled commander oversees the fight, shouting out orders when he sees a weakness in the squad's tactics.

To your left, an entire complex seems to have sprung up at the edge of the cliff that you saw before. Given its size, all of you surely would have noticed it before now, but only on this side of the looking glass does it become apparent. It appears to be a stone watchtower, a circular flat stairway leading from the ground to the ramparts, then forming a bridge that leads to another tower. Light from within a doorway at the bottom of the building suggests it has more to it than even that. Three gnomes, two engaged in some kind of recreational activity and another watching the ground below, occupy it.

Across the valley, another such tower covers what this one cannot. At first, it isn't apparent how they get across - there is no bridge, and there doesn't seem to be an encampment for them to stay on the other side. However, almost as soon as you make note of this, a nearby gnome steps atop a sigil inlaid on the ground next to the tower on your side, and reappears instantly across the valley.

Houses, though they resemble little more than temporary shacks, lie clustered around almost haphazardly. They are all open, which makes up for the lack of signs telling of what it is they are for. At least two of them appear to be forges, and another looks like a small temple dedicated to Garl Glittergold. Two gnomes emerge from a mess hall across from the temple, one of them scolding the other, who carries an armful of closed tankards. "Don't you drink that cider, Asp. You know what happened last time, and I don't reckon Opal will think much of putting you back together again!" In point of fact, it doesn't look like any wood or straw has been used in any part of the gnomish construction.

However, it is directly in front of you that is the most noticeable. Two men - one a gnome, one a human man - appear to be engaged in a mild argument, which halts when they see your group. They put on almost identical scowls and approach.

The gnome, dressed in what may be the finest plate mail you've ever seen, and you've been to Rovard, takes a moment to consider all five of you, drumming his fingers against the hilt of an odd device that could be a weapon past all the buttons. Old scars line his face, including one across his left eye that seems to have left it blind. He isn't bald, but could be mistaken for it, as he seems to prefer shaving his hairline down as close to his scalp as he can while still leaving some stubble. His chestplate is emblazoned with a depiction of a circle of nondescript gemstones surrounding what might be mistaken for a lump of coal.

Beside him, the human, who appears to be middle-aged, with free flowing black hair, a goatee of similar color, and a gem-encrusted rapier brushes some dust off of his blue finery. He looks distinctly unprepared for combat in comparison to those around him, but his unconscious ease despite the circumstances suggests otherwise.

"General Padrol. Admiral Marshald." Crawl snaps to a salute, though it falters somewhat when it turns to the human. "The team from Rovard."

"So I see." Padrol remarks. He looks the four of you up and down, then grunts. "I'll have to reserve judgment."

"Isolar speaks highly of you; no mean feat." The human, who you recognize as one of your contacts, Noric, says. "Before we go any further, I'd like to hear what you've been told about your task. More importantly, what you think it is aside from all of that."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris takes a moment to look at the veil as they pass through it.

Spellcraft to identify the effect: [roll0]

Etoris takes a moment to admire the surrounding area, architecture, and magic. When Noric addresses the group, Etoris makes a gesture of respect, and replies, "We haven't been told much. Just to go to Virron Caz, and that we would receive more information when we arrived."

If Etoris knows a proper gesture of respect from working with the group, he'll make it. Otherwise, just ignore that clause. I'm guessing diplomacy isn't necessary to convince Noric to tell us more about our job, but just in case: [roll1]

[Hexalan]

Nodra looks around them as Crawl takes them through the canyon. Admirable, that they have the dedication to invent their own enemies when there is nothing else to train on. He smiles when he hears what "Asp" is up to. Soldiers. Same everywhere.

"Like Etoris said, all we know is that once we arrived here, a contact would tell us what we need to know."

[Everynone]

Upon crossing through the veil, Kyrios almost experiences sensory overload as she tries to absorb all the information that she is receiving about her surroundings. I would never have suspected...so much, she thinks.

Upon first seeing the General and Noric and noticing their argument, she tries to listen to what they are saying. "It's good to finally meet you, sir," she says to General Padrol. She also says "This stronghold is amazing. I hope we can be of use here," in an attempt to wipe the scowl off his face, or at least make him a little more at ease, while simultaneously trying to divine his intentions.

To Noric, she says "Besides what my friends have said, which is true, I believe there might've been a detail about being an escort to a dignitary or somesuch? Though I might be mistaken," also trying to guess his intentions.

Listen (to the argument): [roll0]
Sense Motive (Padrol; does he mean us harm?): [roll1]
Sense Motive (Padrol; would he mislead us?): [roll2]
Sense Motived (Padrol; his desired goal for us being here): [roll3]
Sense Motive (Noric; does he mean us harm?): [roll4]
Sense Motive (Noric; would he mislead us?): [roll5]
Sense Motive (Noric; his desired goal for us being here): [roll6]
Diplomacy (Padrol; general disposition): [roll7]

[Kelvin360]

Noric lets out a small breath, returning Etoris' gesture. "Mm. That is good to hear. It wouldn't do for you to know everything before the right time came along."

Padrol's nostrils flare and he looks up at Noric accusingly. "Virron Caz? Virron Caz? It's particularly unpleasant to have any of you spring this on me so suddenly. This wasn't part of the agreement!"

"They need to be there for the attunement. Or would you prefer to bring it out into the open?" Noric's counter is calm, with the ease of someone used to either this type of situation or the General specifically.

A reddish tinge has begun to creep up steadily towards Padrol's scar. "You keep implying that River is liable to fail. I don't imagine she would be any less incensed at the suggestion than I am."

Noric raises a hand, forestalling his counterpart. "We can hold off our argument for a time, I think. It would be best to tell them of their part in all this before they become irritated by our secrecy."

"Not before we take steps." Padrol points towards the temple. "Go, the four of you. Ask for Opal - tell her you are messengers. An enchantment will be placed on you: in the event of your capture, you will be stripped of memories that might prove detrimental to this alliance. It isn't negotiable; now that you know of this place, I won't risk its sanctity for yours."

"Despite his...way of phrasing, he's correct about its necessity, especially given our line of work. If it makes you feel any better, I had to go in for it as well."

It looks to be a slightly altered version of the 'Screen' spell, made to block sounds and smells in addition to sight and divination.

"The stone doesn't matter, Padrol. At the very least, we can't use it against Tyrannus until you figure out what the hell it does."

"It does matter. Just not in the way you think. If we can unlock it, we could sink his island and be done-"

No.

He doesn't seem like he even knows what 'mislead' means.

Unknown.

No.

In a heartbeat. He's the type who is used to lying precisely and often.

It doesn't seem like any of you being here is his choice. It's likely he's on as much of a need-to-know basis as you.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods understandingly, "That seems entirely reasonable, but if you don't mind me saying so, why not give us more information? If you can strip us of our memories, there's little enough risk, and the more we know the more we can help you."

Diplomacy to get more info: [roll0]
Knowledge (Arcana) to see if I know anything about this sort of enchantment: [roll1]. When it's actually cast, I'll use spellcraft, but if I know something now, it might conceivably help.

[Hexalan]

"Er, how exactly does this enchantment work? If I wake up tomorrow too close to Lavost, is it going to decide I've defected and wipe 10 years of memories from my mind?"


Diplomacy: [roll0] For information about the enchantment

[Everynone]

"Sir, I am wondering the same thing as Nodra. Also, if I may ask...well, I have many questions," Kyrios says.

Where is Opal? What agreement was made? What is the attunement? Who is River? she thinks compulsively. Not knowing things in a situation with stakes this high puts her on edge. The team could easily be mislead and taken advantage of...we need to learn more. Although I do trust Padrol. I'm not so sure about Noric though...

She continues after a pause, in her melodic voice, "I would ask these questions, of course, under the assumption that the enchantment will cover their answers as well as anything we learn after it is cast."

[Kelvin360]

"If we're attacked before it can be placed on you..." Padrol growls.

"That's neither here nor there. Frankly, if we can still come under assault with all the precautions you've taken, security just isn't worth it anymore and we should tell them anyway."

"Fine. We will be in the temple." He points at Crawl. "Crawl! With me. You need to be debriefed."

Noric nods to the cave entrance while the other pair stride off. "Nevertheless, let's speak somewhere mildly secluded, shall we? Then I will answers your questions to the best of my ability."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods. "As you say." He begins to move towards the cave.

[esorscher]

Tzadhika, observing silently until now, continues to say nothing as she follows the group into the cave.

[Hexalan]

"Of course. If you promise not to kill us, we promise not to beat you up and steal your gold."

[Everynone]

"Nodra!" says Kyrios, under her breath. "You mustn't say things like that!"

To Noric, she says at regular volume, "That sounds like a great idea," while silently inspecting the cave he nodded towards.

Spot (at the cave): [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

Noric laughs aloud in response to Nodra's statement. "Well spotted, if I may say so - if there were ever a place to do so, in here would be it. The ward against sight and sound works both ways, you see. That said, I don't really like my chances. The first thing one learns about combat after a few years of fighting pirates is that a fair fight is the worst kind, and this might even be a further disadvantage."

When all five people stand within the cave, he spins on his heel and examines the party with a new look in his eye - trepidation. "Now...questions. I can't truly fault you for them, but mind that I may not be able to answer them all, as I said. But I will do my best. Now, the enchantment. It only focuses on memories vital to the war effort. What you named your childhood pet isn't included. This conversation, where Dassit Point is, and what little you know of your task will be eliminated. I am unsure whether your previous missions together will remain untouched, though I assume so. Having been completed, they aren't as important.

I imagine there was more. Speak up; we've the time."

Before you cross through the screen, you can't see the interior of the cave at all. Afterwards, there doesn't appear to be anything off about the area.

[Everynone]

"My foremost question is what the next step for our team is," says Kyrios, being more open than she normally would be. "But I also wonder other things, such as...well, what is so special about Virron Caz? What agreement were you and General Padrol talking about? What is the attunement? What is 'it', that you and General Padrol mentioned? Why don't you get along with the General? Who is River? Where is Opal? And also, will you be working with us in the future?"

She seems embarrassed by this outpouring of questions, as after a pause, she apologizes for it, but in reality, she is observing Noric for his reaction to her questions, verbal or not. Let us see how he responds to all those inquiries, she thinks grimly, somewhat disappointed by her inclination towards underhandedness with Noric. "My first question is the most important though. I believe we were told something about being escorts to a dignitary, though I might be wrong."

Sense Motive (to see if Noric lies to her on any of his answers): [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

"Diving right into the top of the wave, then." Noric sighs. "I'll put this in order so as to not lose track. Your mission is to escort a dignitary, as you said. At the heart of it, that's really all. But...the importance lies more in what she carries. You see, this war has dragged on for more or less one specific reason. We can't do any lasting damage to Tyrannus' forces. Lavost is protected by a powerful magic shield that prevents us from breaching its borders, nevermind the blockades he has out and waiting for someone to try. The gnome have come up with a solution - a device to be set on the shield and then activated at a later time. It will dissolve the magical protections and leave Lavost open for the pickings.

River is the designer of this weapon, and who you are to escort. She's also known as The Architect. The major problem with the device is that in order to work, it has to feed off the energy of an individual. Distance isn't a factor, but among other things, the bound someone can't use magic. Of any kind. The Architect has volunteered to attune herself ritually to the device, but your task is twofold. The main objective here is to get her and the device to Lavost unharmed, but if she dies, one of you will need to take her place.

Your other questions, now. Virron Caz is the final bastion of the gnomes. Most know it exists, but that is all. They've done everything they can to make it secure, which is a fair bit. If it falls, most of their might will be effectively dissolved. We won't be able to rely on them for any part of the war. Because of their paranoia, which is understandable, the gnomes weren't overly willing to ally with Rovard's forces. It took a lot of badgering to get them to open up, and they have some harsh restrictions, like the enchantment. One of those restrictions was a no-sights policy regarding Virron Caz. Letting outsiders into the city could result in a diplomatic meltdown. That said, this is only a small misunderstanding. You were to come towards Virron Caz, yes, but only close enough to accomplish what was necessary. Dassit Point is essentially the first defense of the city, a gateway if you will.

Padrol's...vehement. He doesn't like outsiders, I can't say I blame him, and he finds my indolence to be little more than treason. Not that I can really do much. He holds everyone to hit standards, but that's not the way an alliance works. I respect his accomplishments, but I'd rather someone else were in my place. Opal, his lieutenant, runs the temple of Garl. Actually, she's his high priestess. I've heard a few elves mention that they miss the times when the gnomes were a barrel of laughs, but I didn't quite understand until I met her. She's just purely cheerful, and it's alien compared to the dour soldiers she tends to.

As for me...I wish they'd just retire me already. I can't fight, the pirates we're 'allied with' would recognize me right away. I'm no great shakes at being an envoy, especially with those predisposed to mistrust me. And I'm not powerful enough to act as a diviner, even if that were among the sort of powers Kord grants me. I'd love nothing more than to sail with you into battle, but I'm stuck here. As an 'adviser'. To you four specifically, yet. That reminds me..." He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a wand. "I may not be of much use, but I may as well do my job. This was created by Opal, on my request. It can be used by anyone to send a message of twenty-five words or less per use to someone you know. In this case, myself. It's got fifty charges on it, but it doesn't take five minutes like the spell does. Fortunately, Kord grants me the actual spell, so if the need calls for it, I can reply with novels to your messages."

He's telling the truth, but it strikes you that his words are satin. If he decided to lie, you're not quite sure if you'd be able to tell.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris listens raptly and nods as Noric speaks. When he finishes, Etoris asks, "Fascinating. How exactly does this attuning work? Do you mean that the attuned person can't use magic while they are attuned, or that a person capable of casting spells can't be attuned? How precisely does the attuning process work? Can anyone do it?"

[Kelvin360]

"This is where my details fade out a bit. I don't know as much about this as I really should, and they certainly aren't willing to tell me too much. As far as I'm aware, the process simply establishes a connection between the device and the passive magical connections most beings have. Someone who doesn't use magic could attune themselves, they just wouldn't notice it as much as, say, an arcanist. As for how it works, search me. They won't let me near the thing."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods his head, disappointed at Noric's lack of information, and waits to see if any of his companions have further questions.

[Everynone]

"When would we leave?" asks Kyrios, the most obvious question on her mind. Should I take the wand, or should Etoris?

[Kelvin360]

"Immediately, with any luck. Unfortunately, Padrol has that look in his eye. I think you'll have to stay at least long enough to prove yourselves to him, whatever that may entail."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris tilts his head slightly, "One might suggest that he should show more faith in his allies." Etoris shrugs. "Not that it makes any difference to me, but there does seem to be a tactical advantage to us departing as quickly as possible. I suppose we should go speak to him, unless there's anything further we need to discuss".

[esorscher]

Finally, Tzadhika speaks. "Are you trained as a fighter? A cleric?" she asks. It is too much to hope that the well-mannered man is a barbarian like herself. "Also, why would the pirates recognize you? What battles were you in? Who have you killed?" She is more interested in their adviser than their task, and her questioning bears no trace of gentility. Once Noric answers, she is ready to go.

[Kelvin360]

"I"m a priest, yes, though I don't have to work at it like my fellows in the church do. Hm. My accomplishments, let's see...there was the engagement of the Red Coast on the shores of Poralac. Half a dozen ships against my cruiser. I learned the pirates don't really guard their vessels that well when they're out at sea. I jumped immediately to the skirmish at Highborn Ridge. It was with one of the stolen vessels, and I put a dent in Tyrannus' navy. Fortunately, they'd already declared war at that point.

Before all of that, even, I took up a hobby torching anything larger than a frigate that made an attempt to set out of the harbor. Between those, Mistwhisper Island, and a few other minor engagements, I'd say a few hundred men, some twenty ships?

There was the one duel, as well, with Redwash's predecessor. I still have the scars from that one. Shame's to him, really. If he hadn't taught me so well, I couldn't have beat him.

The point being, if I set sail, Lavost and Poralac will both want my hide, and the last thing we want to hand them is a common enemy."

[esorscher]

"Makes sense. Let's get going," Tzadhika says, her fingers tightening around the grip of her weapon. "I'm ready to hit something." She smiles.

[Hexalan]

"Heh...all of Valtorik is after your blood. I remember, a few-ah-people I knew once, were hired to fight at sea. One of the idiots managed to set his own ship on fire trying to load a cannon. You killed the last prince in Poralac? Was that at sea as well, or were you in city on business? Do you know Redwash as well?


Knowledge (Warfare) [roll0] about naval battles around Poralac, specifically ones that Noric described

[Kelvin360]

"Poor sod. Probably forgot to close the powderkeg in between shots. Our fight was on land, which was a terrible idea at the time. I was all sea legs back then. My business was strictly to eliminate Denstrom, since I knew he was the only reason the pirates were focusing on me and not Lavost. 'Course, Redwash hadn't been in the books. 'Strom wasn't one to pick apprentices lightly, so I thought he'd gone down heirless. He owes me for all the power he's got now, but I doubt he'd agree."

In Poralac, a naval engagement that begins and ends with bloodshed is also known more commonly as 'Tuesday'. Usually this is only between two individual ships whose captains have a vendetta against each other, though this activity has cut down since the war began.

The battle of the Red Coast is so named because it is said that so many men were killed and thrown overboard, the water immediately around the southern portion of Poralac's island ran crimson for six days and nights. The tale goes that six ships surrounded and fired upon one smaller vessel, which was entirely unmanned. Under cover of the engagement, a single individual snuck aboard each ship, one by one, and eliminated the crews of each, except those who surrendered. This latter group numbered enough to steal one of the ships and pilot it to Lavost.

This led immediately to Highborn Ridge, wherein that ship fought to a standstill with most of what composed Lavost's navy then. In this case, that standstill equated to one of Poralac's boats leaving behind a battle that cost Tyrannus roughly half of his available naval crews.

Mistwhisper Island lies between Poralac and Lavost, and was disputed territory for some time. However, for one entire year, the island was shrouded in thick mists. Investigators disappeared without a trace when they approached. After attempting almost everything short of simply razing the place, both cities elected to leave the island alone, and while the mist has since dissipated, the ghost stories have not, and it remains uninhabited.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris smiles amiably, "Well it seems you're quite well traveled then. Assuming my companion meant 'the road', I too would like to hit something. Lead on."

Out of character, I'm guessing "not having to work at it" means he's a Favored Soul, or maybe a Paladin or spontaneous caster variant cleric. Knowledge (Religion) to see if not having to work at it has any special meaning for his standing in the church: [roll0]

[Everynone]

"Let's," says Kyrios, flashing a pleasant smile. I'm not sure what exactly to make of this Noric, she thinks, but delaying much longer will not solve any problems.

[Hexalan]

"We all down here, then? I'm sure Padrol would be much happier once we get our memory charms."

[Kelvin360]

Soon enough, the sounds of the camp are back in their full process of pounding against your ears. Despite this, the area seems more subdued, somehow. The training ring is empty, the small team from earlier having been dismissed, though they are unseen for the moment.

Noric leads you to the temple construction, where Padrol and a cheery gnomish woman bearing what looks like a robe spun from gold and studded with various gemstones. "These are our new guests, yes?" She inquires of Padrol, who nods. She smiles broadly and opens her arms wide to you in a welcoming gesture. "Welcome to Dassit Point, and Garl's little slice of it. I'm Opal, the ranking priestess around these parts, and I'll be placing the enchantment on you. It's a nifty little thing our researchers cooked up - but I'm sure you know all the details already."

She claps her hands. "So then! Who's first?"

[Everynone]

If there's something wrong here, there might be a chance for me to alert the others by going first, Kyrios thinks for a moment. "I suppose I will," she says. But I really do hope this isn't necessary.

[Hexalan]

Nodra raises an eyebrow at Kyrios's willingness. "Go ahead, then." He then turns to Opal. "This is safe, is it not? Do you have records of people it's been triggered on? And how did your people make the spell, anyway?"
Diplomacy: [roll0] for information on the enchantment

[GameSpawn]

Etoris waited patiently for a response to Nodra's questions. He didn't think there was anything wrong with Kyrios's decision, but it never hurt to learn more.

[Kelvin360]

Opal stands on her tiptoes and reaches up a few times, tongue between her teeth in concentration. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, dear, but you'll have to kneel for me, I can't quite reach your head." She tells Kyrios.

"Whatever records we have aren't for your eyes." Padrol snaps at Nodra.

In between murmuring a few lines of prayer, which proceed to light her hands a dull blue, Opal reaches over and gives Padrol a light smack across the back of the head. "Honestly, Dinny, you'd think they had set fire to the camp, the way you talk to them." She gives Nodra an apologetic look before continuing. "It's quite a stroke of genius for our Spellweavers, really. It's based off the formula for a Geas or Quest, but the parameters are more specific, there's no wasting away, and in only targets a select few memories in common. Bit of a pain to set up, though - I'm giving up a few earthquakes and anti-teleportation wards to go through the motions. Not that I mind."

She chuckles at a sudden thought. "'Is it safe'. You're just adorable, dear. Us gnomes don't so much as put a spell on our morning porridge if it hasn't been checked, tested, re-tested, altered, tested again, and then restarted from scratch anyway because of an infinitesimal detail. That stereotype about the crazed mages who always cause accidental explosions was a nice trick though, mm?"

[esorscher]

"Good enough for me," Tzadhika says. No use arguing, they weren't doing anything for the gnomes without this spell. She kneels down before the gnome to receive the enchantment.

[Everynone]

As Kyrios kneels, she feels a pang of trepidation, and quickly tries to subdue it. It would not do to have an unnecessarily peaceless emotion lose in her mind. No matter, she thinks, though I do wonder if our priestess here is as trustworthy as she would seem.

Sense Motive: [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

"Right, then. You might feel a slight pinch behind your left ear. That's just where the spell locks into place, generally." Surely enough, she places one hand on the left side of Kyrios' upper jaw and reaches out toward the same spot on Tzadhika.

After a few moments of chanting, the glow in her hands fades, and she takes a step back.

You do indeed feel an odd sensation in the area where her hand just was, but it was more of a slight brushing, like the wing of a sparrow, than a pinch.

Her concern for your safety, in addition to her words, seems genuine.

You do indeed feel an odd sensation in the area where her hand just was, but it was more of a slight brushing, like the wing of a sparrow, than a pinch.

[Hexalan]

"Feeling good?" Nodra steps forward and crouches in front of Opal, ready for his enchantment.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris watches Opal cast the spell, seeing what he can learn.

Spellcraft: [roll0] I assume it's a custom spell, but I'm presuming I can still get some information with a successful check. Unless he picks up something alarming, he'll do the following:

Once his companions have received the spell, Etoris steps forward for his own casting.

[esorscher]

"I feel fine," Tzadhika blusters. "A bit bored, maybe, but that pinch hurt no more than a fly."

[Kelvin360]

For her part, Opal subsides into silence for the rest of the procedure, instead focusing on channeling Garl's powers into the group. No sooner has her hand left Etoris' head than Padrol steps forward. "Right then. One last thing. I've heard about your...exploits...from Rovard's correspondents. But this mission is dangerous. I want to know you're up to snuff."

"What next, then?" Noric asks, annoyed. "Pit full of flaming scorpions?"

Padrol waves his hand. "We used that one already. I need to see how you work at full capacity, not just under pressure."

It appears to be based off of Geas, with some evocation magic (likely from Contingency) thrown into the mix, not to mention a significant reduction in casting time. The basics look fairly arcane, but this version has been specifically redesigned to possess a divine source. Either way, it's an eighth-circle Enchantment spell that could possibly be reset to certain conditions or losses, so long as they have to do with memories, possibly as decided by the caster.

In fact, you're fairly confident that you've observed enough about the spell's basic structure from Opal's castings such that you may well be able to warp specific energies that will grant your own version, once you're experienced enough.

[Hexalan]

"I feel like a pit a flaming scorpions would only work once, anyway. So, what does 'maximum capacity' mean? Do you want us to sneak onto Lavost and kill as many soldiers as we can before escaping?"

[Kelvin360]

"That would be suicide for our best soldiers, and I'm not even certain whether you rank among the worst." Behind him, Opal rolls her eyes. "No, you're going to fight, certainly, but under controlled circumstances. You'll face a scout quartet. No fatal injuries and no permanent damage. I'd rather Opal not have to heal more than she has to.

Your task is twofold. Show me you can deal with a hostile force, a trained one. But show me that you can hold back to accomplish an objective when the mission calls for it."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods, "Quite understandable, certainly. There's nothing quite like a demonstration to promote personal understanding of something, I've found. When do we begin?"

[Everynone]

Kyrios remains silent, and attempts to keep her mind at ease. Oh no... she starts, but then quickly subdues the thought. "Make your thoughts like a clear, like a reflective pool of water," she thinks, echoing advice from her past master. It would not help to worry now, she thinks, but rather to keep calm and be observant, so as to be better prepared for the situation.

Her thoughts calm once again, she transitions into monitoring her surroundings. She also pulls out her quarterstaff, and starts twirling it in an attempt to readjust her limbs to the quick and precise motions of battle, and to attune herself with her surroundings and battle-instincts.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[Hexalan]

"Ah, a bit simpler, and close to home. When will this be happening?" Nodra remembers what he saw of the drilling soldier earlier, and tries to recall any special gnome battle tactics.
Knowledge (Warfare) [roll0] about how Gnome "Scout Quartet"s fight

[Kelvin360]

"In about thirty seconds." Padrol puts his fingers up to his lips and whistles a long note that shifts drastically in tone no less than four times.

Nothing's happening yet, though footsteps are approaching. About four sets.

Gnomish battle squads can be composed of anywhere from 3 to 7 members, and are traditionally used more akin to infiltration specialists than shock troopers. Each member has some sort of magical capability, which is of course usually tied to illusion. Whether this manifest as the divine, arcane, or just a few choice magic items, fighting or capturing them tends to be problematic at best.

Traditional engagements begin and end with some form of magical glamor. They come into the fight invisible, identify the greatest threat, engage, and fade away. Fortunately for you, it looks as though this particular scenario will leave them unable to retreat, meaning that the battle may quickly become how long they can play keep-away until one side falls.

It's unlikely they will have had time to prepare for a real strike mission, though, which means they will be ready for a test just like this, albeit against less composed opponents.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods. "Ah. Most expedient. You may wish to get out of the way." He steps behind his companions, reading from his Ofuda and drawing on his connection to the earth. He reaches out and touches his companions.

Casting sanctuary (DC 19). If I have time, I will cast Shield of Faith on Nodra first, followed by Kyrios. (+2 Deflection bonus to AC - lasts for 5 minutes), followed by Virtue on Tzadhika (1 temp hp, lasts 1 minute), followed by readying Glitterdust to cast if the scouts show up or someone is attacked from apparently nowhere, which I will hold readied while we wait for them. (If the scouts show up before I finish all the spells, I won't finish casting the rest of them; just let me know how many I get off).

[esorscher]

Tzadhika draws her greatsword from its sheath on her back. "Let's do this."

Readying an action to charge at the first enemy she sees.

[Kelvin360]

Padrol squeezes the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "I'm not setting a fight in the temple of Garl. Go to the training ground, then prepare to break something."

[esorscher]

"Hey, man, I'm not a mind reader." Tzadhika carries her sword in hand as she walks to the training grounds. "Clear directions never hurt anyone."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris silently agrees with Tzadhika, but says nothing, following her to the training ground, finishing up his spellcasting as they walk.

[Kelvin360]

En route to the ground, you spot four figures making their way toward the same location. Most of them look mildly frazzled, as though they didn't expect to be called on at this hour. All of them appear to be gnomes or at least half-gnomes. One holds a shimmering violet scimitar that appears somewhat insubstantial, his hairless face expressionless. Next to him, a gnome with a wild grin and flaming red hair who you recognize as Asp, the one who was warned about the cider earlier, is tossing what looks like some sort of explosive into the air and catching it as he walks. The other two are women, one blond with a calculating look in her eyes as she sizes you up and fiddles with a few various contraptions on her belt, the other a gray-haired warrior bearing mail, a gnomish hooked hammer in one hand and a small shield in the other.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris waves to the group, "No hard feelings, I hope, but it seems we're supposed to defeat you in combat. Not our decision, but there you have it." He smiles cheerfully, and prepares to draw upon the power of the earth should any of them attack.

Readying casting glitterdust if they attack or cast a spell or something like that (Save DC 20).

[Everynone]

Assuming this fight is entirely necessary, Kyrios thinks, I guess attempting to reason with them would be unreasonable. Looking at the group of four, she wonders if they actually mean her harm.

"Padrol," she asks, "if we hurt them, would they be healed afterwards?" She holds her quarterstaff more firmly now.

Sense Motive: [roll0]
She also readies an action to run at whoever attacks first, or obviously attempts to attack first.

[Kelvin360]

Padrol inclines his head towards Kyrios. "You've seen well enough what Opal is capable of in her spare time. Just don't kill them - it'll make you look like marauders and diamonds aren't cheap even around these parts."

Meanwhile, the quartet doesn't seem in any rush to begin hostilities. "Perish the thought." The blond one says kindly, waving a hand. "This is actually more common than you'd think. Just ask Mr. Marshald over there. It'll keep the old skillset sharp though, I reckon."

"It doesn't do to fight on namelessly so close to supper." The other gnome female adds in. "Name's Caryn. These here are Krisdiana, Asp, and Ozolo." She indicates her blond counterpart, the firehair, and the bald swordsman, respectively.

Ozolo blinks once at your group, betraying no emotion.

"Oz don't talk much, mind." Asp grins.

None of them want to hurt you so much as they possess inordinate amounts of dedication. To them, your summary beating is simply another order, if a mildly unfortunate one. They seem largely regretful about it (assuming they win).

Except Ozolo. He appears to genuinely not care what happens.

[Hexalan]

"Oh, I'm sure Padrol loves us all. I'm called Nodra. Our happy gnome friend is Etoris, the nice girl is Kyrios, and the one who looks like she could throw a greatsword at Lavost and hit Tyrannus in the eye is Tzadhika." Nodra smiles and gestures at his friends as he names them. He then glances at Ozolo, and turns to Caryn. "That's a nice sword he has there. Mind if I ask where he got it?"
Activate Aura of Intuition, the Diplomacy [roll0] for information about the Ozo's scimitar.
Nodra then whispers to the group."I don't like the look of that scimitar, but I think we'll have to watch out for whatever Kristania's got there."

Nodra draws his rapier and shrugs his shield into place.

[Kelvin360]

"We actually have no idea." Caryn states. "He's mumbled about the 'great beyond' a few times, but it's probably just a trick he picked up at the Sandstorm Academy. Nothing it can't do what good gnomish steel won't either, anyhow."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika flexes her muscles. "We gonna talk, or we gonna fight?"

Initiative: [roll0]

[Everynone]

Hearing this, Kyrios, with eyes and ears alert, tenses for battle.

Initiative: [roll0]

[Hexalan]

Nodra dismisses his friendly demeanor, and emits an aura of might instead.
Initiative: [roll0]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika charges Krisdiana with her greatsword, letting out an impassioned grunt as she does so.

[roll0], [roll1]

[Everynone]

Kyrios makes a quick sprint towards Ozolo, and attacks with her quarterstaff.

Moves from P21 to P14.
Quarterstaff: [roll0] [roll1]

[GameSpawn]

Etoris pulls out his Ofuda. He reaches into the earth beneath him with his mind, feeling its strength and bending it to his will. A cloud of shimmering dust appears above their opponents, engulfing them.

Glitterdust, centered on the top left corner of P12. By my calculations, that should hit all of them and none of us, since Kyrios has reach. DC 20 will save, or their blind for 5 rounds, and we can still see them if they turn invisible (even if they make their save).

[Kelvin360]

The staff glances off of Ozolo's right side, making its mark only with the whistling of air. The gnome rolls with the strike, spinning in a complete circle, leaning forward. His blade flashes as it cuts through the air, bringing with it a haunting bass chord. It finds Tzadhika's leg, ripping through her defenses at the speed of thought.

Caryn begins murmuring some form of incantation, but when the blindness sets in, she's forced to default to her other skillset. Taking a careful step forward, she mutters a prayer to Garl and takes a swing. Apparently, she should apply for the clergy, because her hammer bites Kyrios' flesh with unerring accuracy.

Asp had no inclination to aim particularly well even before he went blind. He unclasps the top of a device in his back pocket and tosses it into the fray right in front of him. Everyone except Krisdiana is caught in the ensuing explosion, though it's considerably less dire than a direct hit. Ozolo spots it coming, and takes appropriate measures, escaping unharmed. Asp simply takes cover behind everyone else. Caryn is not so lucky, and takes the full brunt of it. Fortunately, the explosive seems to be based purely on concussive energy - it is disorienting and painful, but not deadly.

Krisdiana's frown only deepens when she stops being able to see. She takes a cautious step back and pulls what appears to be a feather from her coat. She tosses it up...

And a boat comes back down.


Combat Report:
Ozolo: Uninjured
Asp: Uninjured
Krisdiana: Badly Wounded
Caryn: Injured

Kyrios has taken 4 damage.
Tzadhika has taken 11 damage.



Kyrios, make a reflex save. Tzadhika, roll two.

It is Nodra's turn, then Tzadhika's, then Kryios', then Etoris'

[Hexalan]

Nodra sees the battle's progression, and curses. He runs forward and strikes at Ozolo from the rear.
Move from P20 to O14.
[roll0] [roll1]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika touches a hand to the wound in her leg and finds no blood. She frowns, saddened. She charges Ozolo, flanking with Nodra.

Assuming she is 10' away after avoiding the boat. No power attack, and nonlethal damage (unaccounted for in roll).

Attack: [roll0], [roll1]

[Everynone]

Kyrios drops the quarterstaff and quickly punches towards Ozolo multiple times with a soft and disciplined "Uh!"

Flurry of Blows: [roll0] [roll1], [roll2] [roll3], [roll4] [roll5]

[GameSpawn]

Etoris frowns slightly at his companions position, and decides even if he's been injured, Ozolo is still the biggest threat. He pulls more power from the earth, feeling it flow through him for a moment before bending it to his will. He pushes with all his strength against Ozolo.

Hold Person: DC 20

[Kelvin360]

Nodra's rapier comes in swiftly from the side, the speed of his attack causing the blade of the weapon to bend with the air currents and then rebound right back through them, accompanying the strike with a sharp crack. Whether from moving faster than sound or simply a byproduct of that sudden bruise across Ozolo's face, it did its work.

Kyrios' fist lands almost as hard, putting a dent in the gnome's right arm, causing him to drop his blade. This seems less unintentional when it dissipates and he draws an identical sword from nowhere into his left side, using it to sidestep and parry the other two blows.

Tzadhika's greatsword, though, as usual, has finished the job. Its broad side hits him so hard that he flies backward, head over heels. He lands on his feet, if a mite unsteadily, and adopts another fighting stance. Then a certain spell freezes him in place. Perhaps unnecessarily, a red glow then envelops him, rooting him to the spot even more completely.

From the sidelines, General Padrol slides away a wand. "He's finished. Proceed."

Perhaps mildly annoyed at being largely ignored, Caryn steps between what she thinks is Kyrios' guard and turns, loosing a spell. A myriad colors bursts from her fingertips and washes over the majority of the group.

Asp glances at where Padrol's voice came from, shrugs, and tosses another device into the fray.

Krisdiana rolls out from behind her new cover and throws a sort of disc-like object at the main battle. It explodes in a nimbus of blinding light, accompanied by a haunting dull note, not unlike a battle horn. Of course, the remaining gnomes don't need to avert their gaze, being blinded. The rest of you...not as much.


Combat Report:
Ozolo: Defeated
Asp: Uninjured
Krisdiana: Badly Wounded
Caryn: Badly Wounded


Kyrios: Make a Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save.
Nodra: Make a Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save, as well as an attack of opportunity against Caryn.
Tzadhika: Make a Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save.
Etoris: Make a Fortitude save.

It is Nodra's turn, then Tzadhika's, then Kyrios', then Etoris'

[Hexalan]

"Caryn! I didn't know you wanted to play too!" Nodra spins away from Ozolo and strikes twice quickly at the gnome.
"Twice", meaning, opportunity and regular attack. [roll0] [roll1]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika charges Krisdiana. "You should stay down," she warns.

Nonlethal attack: [roll0], [roll1]

[GameSpawn]

Assuming I should post now, since Kyrios is stunned. Also, as far as I can remember, being blind doesn't inhibit my spellcasting, beyond not knowing where people are; let me know if I'm forgetting something.

Etoris felt the world vanish around him. He cringed, not liking using so much of his power for one fight, but feeling he they needed to end this fast, he drew fourth more power, attempting to bind asp just as he had Ozolo.

Hold Person on Asp; DC 20

[Kelvin360]

Two blows are leveled at Caryn as she finishes her spell, engulfing Kyrios in a shimmering and disorienting array of colors. One bounces off of her armor, which is apparently enough to throw off the second as well, which whistles harmlessly by. The gnome hefts her hammer and hits air, albeit air only inches from Nodra's thigh. "'S what I'm here for."

Noting an assault from behind, Asp grabs at his belt and pirouettes, tossing a bomb behind him, and quickly dancing away from the blast. Somehow, Krisdiana manages to dodge Tzadhika's blind strike in a manner perfectly conducive to also escaping without a scratch from the device's effects. Once more, she backs away, desperately tossing some kind of powder in front of her.

Combat Report:
Ozolo: Defeated
Asp: Uninjured
Krisdiana: Badly Wounded
Caryn: Badly Wounded


Tzadhika: Make a Fortitude save and a Reflex Save.

It is Nodra's turn, then Tzadhika's, then Kyrios', then Etoris'

[Hexalan]

Nodra hops back as the hammer whistles past his leg, then forward again as he brings his rapier up. "Oh, a close one! But not close enough."
[roll0][roll1]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika charges straight ahead, through the cloud of powder, and attempts to strike Krisdiana once more, yelling as she does so.

Attack (nonlethal): [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Miss chance (1=hit): [roll2]

[Everynone]

...What...? I can't see anything! What just happened? Oh, wait...I must've been stunned. I need to help! Kyrios attempts to move in the direction of where she last saw Asp, and then strikes quickly several times where she believes he should be.

Flurry of Blows: [roll0] [roll1] [roll2], [roll3] [roll4] [roll5], [roll6] [roll7] [roll8]
Note: Each attack had three rolls. The first was Miss Chance, which confirms a hit on a roll of 2, and the next two are Attack and Damage, as usual.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris sighs, drawing upon the power of the earth to protect him. He then walks forward toward the rest of the combatants.

Cast resistance on myself (woo...). Walk forward(-ish) 20 ft. to P17.

[Kelvin360]

Nodra's strike bounces off the gnomish shield, eliciting a friendly chuckle from Caryn. "Well I'm a bit blind right now. What's your excuse?" Then she proceeds to miss so badly that her hammer actually winds up attacking behind her. "I'll give you that one," She says sheepishly. "Blind or not, that was terrible."

Asp hears the whooshing sound of a good number of appendages flying past and around his head, and stands still, looking around. "You, uh, need some help with that?" He asks. "Here, hold this a mo'."

He tosses a bomb out in front of him, which clips Kyrios' shoulder, exploding right in front of her. He ducks and covers almost immediately, avoiding the worst of it. Nearby, Caryn and Krisdiana aren't so lucky. The latter, in fact, while she had leaned backwards to dodge Tzadhika's blade, appears on her last legs.

She pulls out a crossbow with three loaded arrow slots, leaping back into a prone position and firing. One bounces off Tzadhika's shoulder, leaving a minor bruise. The others fly away harmlessly.

Combat Report:
Ozolo: Defeated
Asp: Uninjured
Krisdiana: Near Death
Caryn: Near Death

Tzadhika took 2 damage.


Everyone except Etoris: Make a Reflex save, DC 15.

It is Nodra's turn, then Tzadhika's, then Kyrios', then Etoris'

[esorscher]

Tzadhika yells "SURRENDER" at Krisdiana and Caryn and charges Asp.

The usual nonlethal charge attack:

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2] (1 = hit)

I should start saying 2 = hit.

[Hexalan]

"Well, I'd hate for you to feel bad for losing too soon." Nodra darts in and attacks, taking advantage of Caryn's failure of a swing.
[roll0][roll1]

[Everynone]

Kyrios again strikes where she believes Asp should be. "Please," she says in his general direction, "don't make us fight you any longer than we must."

See OOC thread.

[GameSpawn]

If I can treat this like a normal touch spell (i.e. cast, move, attack, I'll do so. Otherwise, I'll try to cast once I've touched my opponent. Also, I'm assuming I can tell the difference between Nodra and Caryn by touch. If not, I'll do the readied action as I described out of character.

Etoris moves toward the sounds of combat between Nodra and Caryn, reaching out to where Nodra and Caryn are fighting and reaches out to touch Caryn.

Save DC for hold person is still 20. Melee touch attack: [roll0] Miss Chance (hit on 2): [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

Tzadhika's axe cuts a swath over Asp's head, causing the gnome to duck right into a closed fist. "Ouch! Boy, that smarts! Y'know, for a trial run, you guys are taking this awful serious." He tosses a bomb right at his feet, chuckling. "'Surrender', heh. Sure."

Nodra's next blow fully knocks Caryn off of her feet, leaving her scrambling for purchase shortly before a familiar red glow envelops her. "She's done, move on."

Though she still can't see, she gets to her feet and levels a respectful nod at Nodra's general direction.

Sure enough, Etoris makes contact with the gnome, but a bit too late.

When Asp's explosion clears, Krisdiana is also covered in red, glaring with mild reproach at her companion.

Combat Report:
Battle Map:
{table=head]!|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X| Y|Z|@|#|$|%
1|
2|
3|
4|
5|
6|
7|
8|
9|
10|
11|||||||||||||||As||
12|||||||||||||||K|T|XX
13|||||||||||||||||
14|||||||||||||||N||
15||||||||||||||E|||
16|
17||||||||||||||||
18|
19|||||||||||||||||
20|||||||||||||||||
21|||||||||||||||||
22|||||||||||||||||
23|
24|
25|
26|
27|
28|
29|
30|
[/table]
As = Asp
K = Kyrios
T = Tzadhika
XX = Boat
N = Nodra
E = Etoris



{TABLE]Initiative|Health|Buffs|Debuffs|Ability/Effect
Tzadhika|31/49|Aura of Might (+3 Attack/Damage)|Blind (1)|-
Kyrios|14/30|Shield of Faith (+2 AC), Aura of Might (+3 Attack/Damage)| Blind (1)|-
Etoris|23/23|Aura of Might (+3 Attack/Damage), Resistance (+1 All Saves)|Blind (1)|-
Ozolo|Defeated|-|-|-
Caryn|Defeated|-|Blind (1)|-
Asp|Injured|-|Blind (1)|-
Krisdiana|Defeated|-|Blind (1)|-
Nodra|27/33|Shield of Faith (+2 AC), Aura of Might (+3 Attack/Damage)|-|-
[/table]



Tzadhika and Kyrios: Make a Reflex save, DC 15, or take 6 damage

It is Nodra's turn, then Tzadhika's, then Kyrios', then Etoris'

[Hexalan]

Nodra gives a jaunty salute to Caryn as she walks off, then maneuvers in behind Asp. "We're always super serious, Asp." Nodra says, shortly before thwacking Asp with his pointy metal stick.
Move to N10, then attack Asp.
[roll0][roll1]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika simply grunts as she sidesteps around aft and swings blindly where she believes him to be.

Move to O10

Attack: [roll0] (+2 for flanking, so 18)
Damage: [roll1]
Miss Chance (2= hit): [roll2]

[Everynone]

Kyrios, feeling her strength ebb from the wounds she received, makes another a desperate attempt to hit Asp, even in her still-blinded state.

Flurry of Blows: [roll0] [roll1] [roll2], [roll3] [roll4] [roll5], [roll6] [roll7] [roll8]

[GameSpawn]

Etoris tilts his head slightly at Asp's comment, having been surprised at their opponents willingness to use expensive resources for a practice battle. Still, he supposes he can't be quite sure what his allies were doing. Rather than attempting to find asp among the rest of his companions, Etoris elects to move forward, towards his unarmored ally. He reaches out and touches Kyrios, drawing water this time, instead of earth, and letting it flow into her.

Cure light wounds on Kyrios (let me know if I need to roll something to find her). [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

Three weapons soar into the fray, each an inch from their mark.

And three weapons bounce off a glowing red aura. Nearby, Padrol slides away his wand for the final time and shakes his head. "That's all."

"Aw, c'mon, I can take 'em!"

"I don't care how tough you think you are, at least two of those would have knocked you into the infirmary."

Padrol regards the four of you dispassionately for a moment, Kyrios' wounds subsiding in the process. It is in these few moments that most of you recover your vision to see that almost the entire camp has stopped by to watch the melee. The red auras fade from your opponents, and they slide away their weapons with as little hostility as they can, aside from Ozolo, who seems to have made his blade disappear. Asp offers you a wily grin, Ozolo tilts his head slightly, and Krisdiana and Caryn bow.

All of the spectators, including Opal and Noric but barring Padrol, break into applause. Small gold coins are passed about, bets being cashed. Padrol grunts, his voice still audible over the din. "Not bad." Behind him, Noric gives your quartet the thumbs-up.


The Battle Is Over!

XP Earned: 1,150


As the various gnomes disperse, Padrol and Noric walk up to the four of you. Krisdiana also stays behind, even after turning her boat back into a feather with a touch in the right spot and a murmured command word.

"Color me convinced." Padrol states. "I didn't think those four could be beaten in a fair fight. Not that we fight fair around here, but you take my meaning. River will meet us in the mess hall. Was there anything you lot needed before we go?"

"A little cleaning up, I should think." Opal says, right behind him. She holds up a hand, glowing a soft blue, and looks inquiringly at your group. "D'you mind if Garl and I fix those bruises before you head off?"

[esorscher]

Tzadhika lets out a triumphant "Hoo hah!" at the completion of the fight. Happy to have her sight restored, she then shakes the hands of her four opponents in line with good sportsmanship. "Well fought," she says to each in turn.

"Healing?" she asks. "Sure. And if you have any potions of remove blindness, or anything like that, I'd like that, too." One blind fight is enough for her.

[Hexalan]

"Of course not, thank you, Opal." Nodra nods at Opal, then turns to General Padrol. "I'm glad you approve of us. It would be a terrible shock, after all this time, to find that we've only been pretending to be able to hit things."

[Everynone]

"I agree with Nodra," says Kyrios, gesturing that healing would be welcome. "I'm glad we had the chance to show you and the rest of the gnomes our level of competence. I just hope there are no hard feelings," she says with a wry smile. "Would you like me to take a look at your own wounds? I am a not incompetent healer myself."

[Kelvin360]

"I hope you don't mind my saying so, but I'm pleased to have a few allies with us that can do something." Krisdiana remarks, the last of the quartet to return Tzadhika's gesture.

Opal speaks and heals in unison, moving around the circle of the injured. "Sorry, dear. Any magic items we make are under orders of requisition. I can put your sight back in order on the spot, but I've not got any of me that can fit in a spare bottle."

Padrol snorts, eying Nodra. "For you, maybe. To say nothing of what I'd have to do to Tidebearer."

"He'll walk himself to Rovard just to have a nice row." Noric says.

"That's ridiculous. I'm busy. I have sergeants reserved for that purpose."

"I'd rather you stay fresh, dear." Opal pats Kyrios on the belt. "You've a long day ahead, if Padrol and River have any say."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika flexes. "Are we ready to go, then?" As they are leaving, she whispers to Nodra and Kyrios, "I wonder if Opal ever has unspent magical energies at the end of the day that she wouldn't mind turning into potions and whatnot. I'd be happy to pay her, on the side, with none the wiser. Not that I would ever suggest such a thing, I'd probably fumble it so badly she'd start charging me just to cast spells."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris smiles, "Not too long, I hope. Is River ready to go?"

[Hexalan]

Nodra smiles at the banter, and whispers to Tzadhika. "She probably already spends her spells on items. She probably has to keep them all for the army anyway. I'm sure if we looked around hard enough, we could find someone willing to sell, though."

[esorscher]

"Let's do, then. I don't relish the prospect of fighting blind again." Tzadhika says, setting off in search of a potions store.

[Kelvin360]

After a few minutes of posing the right questions to the right ears, you manage to find an off-duty mage with a sympathetic ear. "That problem's been going about lately, yeah. See, thing is, all our excess battle gear is standardized, so we have a lot of the same stuff floating around. This one raid, I had a couple potions of spider climb and a potion of bull's strength. Bull's strength! I'm an illusionist! What am I gonna do with that? Anyway, Asp and Krisdiana keep a stock open. Padrol knows about it, but they've got too much pull for him to knock them down, and the special requests do help. 'Diana's over there by your buddies and Asp is probably in the mess hall trying to tap Ma Green's explosive cider by now.

Nice round, by the way! Nice to see Ozolo get taken down a peg. Guy creeps me right out." At that particular moment, Ozolo, who is fifteen meters away, snaps his head to the side and makes eye contact with the gnome. "Uhh...I should go..."

---

Meanwhile...

"Knowing her, she hasn't even packed." Padrol sighs. "Poor lass got on a bit of a groggy mind for the smaller things in her age. Shame. She used to be a great general. Did I ever tell you how I became a general?"

"Well, we forgot the first few dozen times, but I reckon we have it memorized by now. Sir."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika thanks the gnome and heads off to the mess in search of Asp, after letting her party members know what she has learned and where to find her.

When she finds Asp, she sits down next to him and orders (or brings, if they are expected to serve themselves) a drink for herself and him. "That was a good bout earlier. That blindness was a real bear to handle, tell you what. Wish I could get my hands on some potions for that." She winks, showing the gnome a toothy grin.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods, "I'm quite sure you've never mentioned it to me; do you have something you wish us to do while we wait for her?"

[Kelvin360]

"Relax." Padrol says ominously. "It may be your last chance."

"Right. The mess hall is appealing." Krisdiana takes Etoris' arm in hers and moves towards that area. "It's better than it sounds - you won't believe what they can do with iron rations here. Have you been to Dassit Point before?"

---

Asp alternately stares and blinks at his drink, then moves his gaze up to Tzadhika. "Wow, you're blunter than a flaming anvil at terminal-V, aintcha? Y'know, our side got blinded before it was cool." He takes a sip casually and then bursts out laughing. "Know what - I kinda like you. Usually I get the stuttermouths what've never so much as cut from KP before. Little tonic for when your eyes are wide shut, huh? Yeah, Boltfalcon's flares are nasty buggers, but I seen worse out there. I can set you up soon as I finish this here tankard. Ma Green won't let me outta her sight with liquids. Thinks I'll make a bomb out of it. Pfft. Ale's no good for bombs - that's vodka."

[Hexalan]

"Well, Caryn, it seems they are abandoning us. Shall I take the General up on his offer, or should we follow the trail of food to our friends?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris accepts Krisdiana's arm, allowing her to lead him. "You might be surprised what I'll believe. I must confess, however, I've never been to Dassit Point".

Knowledge (Local) to see if I know what that place is: [roll0]

[Everynone]

Kyrios turns to Nodra and says "I will be in the mess hall, I think. If I am needed elsewhere, please inform me." As she walks off, she turns to thinking. I wonder what gnomish food is like...

[Kelvin360]

Caryn shakes her head. "You don't want to be in spitting distance when Padrol goes on a tale, trust me." This earns her an aside glance from the gnome in question.

"I can still hear-"

"I know. C'mon then, I'll show you the mushroom special. Few know of it, but it's worth the investigation."


"Well, you have now." Krisdiana states. "Think of this as a staging area. Connects right to Virron Caz. It's a marvel, our city, but unfortunately, no one's allowed in, what with the war. You'll have to make the trip when this is all over - it's definitely worth seeing."

You're standing in it. Dassit Point is a relatively new creation, and isn't technically a part of the gnomish nation because it isn't technically a city.


If the gnomish food-making process is any indication, their armies must be unbeatable.

While the cooks only have a few types of material to work with, they are each able to cater to many varieties of palate, and it's soon clear why. It appears that each cook is placed in a specific position according to their field of mastery. One woman chops vegetables with practiced grace, flipping them to a heating chef across from her who has a near-psychic ability to tell when a given portion has been cooked perfectly. Barmaids deliver flagons of hearty drink within moments of having taken an order, criss-crossing the mess hall's mass of tables without hesitation or loss of balance.

The aroma coming from the kitchens is almost overwhelming, accentuated by the clatter of plates and the sounds of roaring laughter. Here, it seems, the goal is to forget the war for a precious few minutes, and it's working fabulously. There is no worry here, no looming sense of despair. Only camaraderie and the comforts of home.

Unfortunately, even paradise has its flaws. It soon becomes apparent that despite tasting as such - some sort of honey-wheat concoction with a hint of spices - the drinks being delivered have not a speck of alcohol to their names.

[Hexalan]

"Your cooks look good. I'd swear, they must all be wizards." Nodra takes a sip of his ambiguous fluid. "I like the drink, but it seems a bit dry. Which makes me wonder, is Asp just always..." Nodra trails off, waving his hands.

[esorscher]

Tzadhika's smile widens at the compliment from Asp, and her rare fortune. "Thank you," she says. She raises her glass and, assuming he joins in the gesture, drains her glass. "Vodka this time," she says. Potato alcohol is nothing new to her--her clan brewed a unique and potent variety, in her esteem. "Unless, you're not interested?" Her smile is more relaxed, but ever present. At her size and constitution, it takes more than one drink to have an effect.

[Kelvin360]

Caryn smirks. "Of course they're wizards. Every gnome has some magic to their name, and we have to take combat training besides for any military position." She holds up two fingers to one of the chefs, who nods. "Except for Chef Dale, there. He's a druid."

She scratches her nose. "Asp's good at what he does. Making that many potions and bombs means you have to get a few cogs loose to concentrate on so much at the same time. He's not good enough, though - word is Padrol is a few steps from relieving him of duty. He's...not a model gnome, let's say."


"Naaah, they don't have anything like that here." Even as he says it, he draws a hip flask from his belt. "I don't just brew potions, though. This here is a blend that's 350-proof and makes you forget your name after sixteen ounces. Flask only holds fifteen though, so we're good. Fun fact - it also makes a great supplement to explosives." He takes a swig and passes it forward.

[GameSpawn]

After Etoris finishes his first bite, he tells Krisdiana, "This is quite good. I have to say, I hadn't expected this amount of preparation in what is, unless I've been misinformed, primarily a military installation".

[esorscher]

Tzadhika snorts. "Milk drinkers," she says, taking the offered flask and imbibing deeply. The warmth of the alcohol spreads through her, and despite her fortitude, she lets herself be affected by the bubbly sensation. "If they haven't got the good stuff, what are we doing here?" she says jocularly, though in truth she would just as soon leave as stay, once Asp was ready to depart. She is keen to see his selection of potions.

[Kelvin360]

Krisdiana nods. "I felt the same, once upon a time. But we don't skimp on anything, even the 'trivial' matters. It'll look different on a front line - cooking duties will be given to those with secondary training, as no one will be focused on the art. But even then, at least in the wilds they have more to work with."


"Well getting blitsched. I thought that wush the point." Asp points out slyly, taking another gulp.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods thoughtfully, "Have you been on the front lines often then? I'd gotten the impression that your leaders were reluctant to get too close to the fighting."

[Hexalan]

"Yeah, I've seen the things Asp can make..." Nodra glances at Asp, specifically at his flask of liquid which contains more alcohol than physically possible. "He's not the best at focus during battle though, a bit careless with his bombs. They're very good bombs, but if you're dead drunk and can't throw them, it'll end up worse for you."

[Kelvin360]

"Mm." Krisdiana grimaces. "Just two major excursions. With River before she 'retired' and then with the Algar brothers. I had to raise hell with command after I got reassigned to the quartet. You see, the army pulls its valued assets from a pool based on combat survivability and relative experience. The problem is, after you're reassigned, you can forget about being put into any battlefield that isn't highly regulated. Which means that to become a better asset, you need to engage in real battles, but you can't engage in real battles if you're an asset. So Caryn, Asp, Ozolo and I have been sitting in Dassit Point for roughly six months, watching our skills deteriorate. You're lucky; most of us would take on a solid decade of Chamberpot Patrol for a mission."


"I hasten to bring up our unified state of blindness again. And...you actually haven't seen what he can do. Minimal resources go into a mock pitfight, even an impromptu one. He's got a haversack with many nastier concoctions lying around. Remember you're dealing with gnomes. Nothing is as it seems."

[Everynone]

Seeing the cooks at work, Kyrios gets a plate of simple foods, and goes and finds a spot by herself. Sitting down, she listens to the conversations around her, and she thinks, I commend their lack of alcohol, she thinks, for, often, that has disrupted the peace among friends. There will be no drunken fights tonight, unless someone has some hidden away. Her mind immediately goes to Asp, but she shakes the thought off. That might very well be possible...but I'll assume the best about him until I have a reason not to.

Looking down at the plate on her lap, she starts to eat slowly and gracefully, reflecting on the events of the day. The gnomish scouts are not-inept combatants, even if not better than us. They could've very well overwhelmed us with sheer numbers if they had introduced more of them into the fight. Unless those four are the best they have, in which case they are more vulnerable than I thought. Her minds moves to Opal and Padrol. They cannot be helpless...I would't want to have to fight them as well.

She then transitions into thoughts on the upcoming ordeal of transporting River, as her hands find a roll on her plate, which she starts to dismantle with thin, precise fingers, and bring to her mouth. Upon reaching this topic, her mind fills with so many disconnected and unorganized thoughts, she eventually resorts to closing her eyes and clearing her consciousness. After waiting, she lets a single, clear thought ring through her mind: There is no use worrying. I will always do the best I can to do what I must, and that is that.

Listen: See OOC

[esorscher]

Tzadhika shrugs and continues drinking, until finally she says, "So, shall we get going, then? I've got to be off, soon, and I'd like to do our... thing before I do."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris smiles, "Too much of that kind of luck could get me killed." He shrugs. "It does seem to me to be a sub-optimal use of resources, though I'm hardly a commander. What kind of excursions did they send you on?"

[Kelvin360]

If you're trying to clear your mind, the chaotic mess of disjointed words and emotions definitely isn't helping. Everything from the flavor of pebbles to inclement weather is being discussed, and it doesn't look like it's about to stop.

"Another couple of those and I..."

"Just about. I didn't think she..."

"But his halberd is so well-kept!"

"Think any of you will survive?"

"No. I really don't."

Woah, what was that?


"Field-testing experimental devices." Krisdiana says. "Then they figured out I could just make my own. If it were up to me, I'd love to get my hands on something the pirates use and reverse engineer it. It's not nearly so mind numbing as what I have to deal with."


"Ehn, fair enough." Asp slides the flask back into his belt and stands up. Surprisingly, he appears quite steady on his feet. "'S just behind the mess, here..."

All things considered, it's not a long trip. When he says 'just behind', he means just behind. It can't be more than fifty paces past the back wall of the building you just left. He turns behind an outcropping of rocks, to reveal...nothing at all.

His fingers move over thin air, and he grips it...throwing away an invisible tapestry. Where once there was nothing is now a veritable gold mine of dozens and dozens of flasks containing liquids of all types of color. "Welcome to Stone Corner. What can I getcha?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods and asks, "Do you mean something specific that the pirates have? Or just generally?"

[Kelvin360]

"Long-ranged ballistae, advanced propulsion devices, underwater survival gear...the smart coins are on the theory that they steal most of this from Tyrannus' goons, so I'd as soon steal it back just to see what we're really up against."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris gives Krisdiana a friendly smile, "Well then, I suppose I'll need to keep a eye out for such things. I'm sure we could work out an amiable arrangement." Pushing aside his finished meal, Etoris rises, "I don't know whether I'll have time to ready my mind again before we leave, but I intend to try. Do you happen to know of a quiet place I could relax?"

[Kelvin360]

"I appreciate the thought. If you want to catch your breath, I'd wait just a mite longer. It'll be easier to plan a campsite if you don't have to worry about River waiting on you."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika looks over the wares. She can't read, so even if they are labelled it is of no value to her. "How much for a potion of Remove Blindness, and one of Bull's Strength?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shrugs, "Very well." He settles back down in his seat.

[Kelvin360]

Without missing a beat, Asp reaches into the collection and pulls two vials. One is a poisonous green, the other a bright red. "2,100 pieces of gold, total."

---

Soon enough, Etoris and Krisdiana are joined by Padrol and an older gnome woman who is recognizable as the same one who was scolding Asp about cider earlier. She brushes long gray hair away from her eyes and smiles kindly. "Afternoon...Etoris, was it? I hear you'll be my escort for the foreseeable future."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika can not help but laugh. When the laughter finally subsides, she says, "I can't afford that. Thanks for going to all this trouble, but I don't have anything close to that amount on me. Maybe when I come back, I'll have more gold." She heads off to find the others, unless stopped by Asp.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods politely, "Just so. Though we shall have other escorts as well. Tell me, when do you plan to leave?"

[Kelvin360]

Tzadhika arrives on the tail end of Etoris' inquiry, and thus catches all of River's response. "Well, the sooner we get going, the sooner all's said and done. I shan't tear you away from your meals, but I'd rather leave shortly thereafter."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shrugs. "I have finished this meal. However, I must ask, how long will our journey take? It may be necessary for us to gather more provisions."

Unless you don't care about tracking this sort of thing.

[Kelvin360]

"I suspect we shan't be more than three days at most from the edge of the forest. After that, all needs except comfort will be seen to by our guide."

[GameSpawn]

"Very well then. I shall fetch my companions." Etoris hops off his chair and heads off to make good on his words.

(To Nodra, Kyrios): "River is ready. As soon as you've finished your meal, it's time to depart."

[esorscher]

Tzadhika smiles "Let's get this show on the road, then."

[Hexalan]

"Eh, River ready?" Nodra drains the rest of his mug and stands up.

[Everynone]

Kyrios, also having finished her meal, stands up and says, "Let's depart as soon as possible. I hate to waste the gnome's resources waiting here, and I think we're all eager to help."

[Kelvin360]

"Let's not dilly-dally, I suppose."

"Behave yourselves."

Soon enough, the five of you are back outside Dassit Point, loading up your mounts for the journey ahead. The Architect seems to have come stocked with a wide variety of gnomish implements, half of which are bearing largely unknown functions. Based on the number of magic bags on her person, she has more goods squirreled away, as well.

While the gnomes don't provide an extra beast for your departure, River pulls a gem as you set out, which summons a large, smoky mist that quickly forms into the shape of a small horse. She climbs atop, and the pair lead the way. Her steed is clearly faster than any of yours, but she pulls back so as to stay in the middle of the pack.

After a few miles, River glances up from a map and addresses the group. "I don't think it'll do to remain strangers, necessarily. Is there anything I should know, traveling with you all?"

[esorscher]

Tzadhika moves to the front of the party, next to whoever is responsible for spotting. "I want nothing more than to smash my enemies, to see their children weep, and to hear the laments of their women." She listens but does not contribute much to the conversation.

[Hexalan]

"Well, essentially...Tzadhika is good at hitting things. Etoris helps people hit things. Kyrios doesn't like hitting things. I tell people to hit things. We're a very well rounded group."

[Everynone]

"That true, I prefer not to 'hit things'," says Kyrios, "but I am also honing my skills in negotiating peace, and in healing. What skills do you have?" she asks, addressing River.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris raises his eyebrows slightly at Nodra's not quite accurate description of his abilities but says nothing about it, waiting for River to speak.

[Kelvin360]

"Hmm. Not dissimilar from a Quartet, then, barring a bit of stealth. I may as well be honest when I say I can't do much. Most of my focus is best served in a laboratory, and I never made for a particularly inspiring General, if I have any say about it. I've picked up some bits and pieces here and there for the journey ahead. I got Krisdiana and Asp to lend their hands to the particulars. I don't exactly cart around artifacts, but the bits and bobs should serve us well."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shrugs, "We all have different strengths. Supplies are important; if it's no trouble, could you tell us what you've brought?"

[Hexalan]

"Who rules a soldier - the one who leads him or the one who feeds him?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris laughs, "The leader. By definition. If they're not determining the soldier's actions, they're not leading. Of course, that does lend itself to the question of how long a leader who doesn't feed their soldiers will remain a leader. The answer, I suppose, would depend on the soldier."

[Kelvin360]

"I think that answer assumes the soldier, is, well, a soldier. Combatants aren't always interested in following orders, so much as a cause. Their cause, to be specific. As to what I've packed, two things. I have a set of potions, wands, and alchemical ingredients. They're mostly healing, minor enhancements, and a few offensive options for either single targets or groups." She pulls a few vials of fluids both magical and mundane from her belt, as well as a few wands, deliberately replacing them afterwards.

"Then there's...the other bag. It's rather like a rod of wonder. Except it's only attuned to beneficial effects. Items, actually. I don't know what's in it, but I do know that it will choose what to give me based on what I need at the moment. Usually. So, needless to say, best not to rely on it too much."

[Everynone]

"I suspect we will be extremely welcome you brought those supplies at some point," says Kyrios.

"As for who rules a soldier...the soldier does. All else is what he allows. If he finds a commander so inspiring that he will fight for him to the death, food or otherwise, then the soldier has allowed that. If he decides that he wants for food more than ideals, then he will allow himself to ruled by he who feeds him, though it is still his choice. Then there is the soldier who fights independent of anyone, and does not give up his freedom to any ideal or need, though it is still his to give. The commonality here is that any soldier, no matter how loyal or free or dependent, always rules himself." A moment after she says this, she smiles shyly towards the group, and looks away, out towards the horizon, apparently embarrassed by her outpouring.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shrugs, assuming a soldier is a soldier seems like an obvious choice to him, but he decides not to press the point.

Etoris smiles warmly at Kyrios's statement, reminded for a moment of his students. "Seems to me if he chooses not to worry about food he won't be making any choices." he says lightly. He hesitates for a moment, then decides he might as well share. It isn't like he has anything left to protect, "As someone who was in the business of information, though, I can tell you, someone's choices are never really their own. The world shapes us all, and we shape the world in turn; just as what we do determines the nature of the world around us, so too does the world around us determine what we do."

[Hexalan]

"Reminds me of a riddle someone told me once. A mercenary sits in a room with his king, a priest, and a wealthy merchant. The king says 'Kill them, for I am your rightful ruler!' The priest says 'Kill them, for it is your duty to the gods!' The merchant says 'Kill them, and all this gold shall be yours.' Who does the mercenary follow?'

Kyrios knows. It really depends on the mercenary, doesn't it? Power lies where men believe power lies."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shrugs, "You're not wrong about who lives, though one might question the title of 'mercenary' if they don't listen to the rich man. There're different kinds of power though. Rulers, riches, perhaps even gods, derive their power from belief. The earth has its own power, though, and it doesn't care what you believe."

[Kelvin360]

"Hnh." River peers at Etoris strangely. "Personally, I think you've the right of it. There are bigger things amok than gods and men to deal with. When it comes down to it, what we want isn't the biggest issue of the day."

[Hexalan]

"Gods have power, the Abyss has power, the Earth and Sea and Sky have power. But if you were not here, if there were no shugenja, no druids and wizards and shamans, those who believe in that power, would that power mean anything?"

[Everynone]

Kyrios nods approvingly at River and Nodra. "You are both right, I believe. Personal desires are easily superseded in the pursuit of greater aspirations. And Nodra, the power you speak of is different from the power Etoris and River speak of. You speak of the power you know and command, the power that man has come to master: that of influence and perception. In this sense, I agree with you. That is a potent form to have control over, and it affects men's lives constantly."

She pauses. "But there is another power, the power to influence things and events separate from a consciousness. This is the power they speak of. And they are also right in that it is a force to be reckoned with. I suspect we will encounter it on this quest of ours. And when we do, we should not rail against its indifference towards us. Peace and harmony with our circumstances, even those out of our control, is the only wise course of action." She seems genuinely interested in the conversation at this point, no longer shy, as philosophy was something she studied in-depth at the Monastery.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris smiles slightly, cocking his head to the side, "Do not become too caught up on meaning, Nodra. You can ask what power means, or what it means to have power, or what it means to mean something, but at the end of the day, the world, and the power it encompasses, exists, whether it means anything or not. Philosophy is like wine, the right vintage can be fine, but too much will make you an idiot, no matter how fine the vintage". He pauses, smiling more broadly at Kyrios, "I would make only one change to your statement. You say you suspect that we will encounter this power, but in truth it surrounds us constantly. Even if most have not learned to connect to it."

[Hexalan]

Nodra is quiet for a moment before speaking. "Yes, we aren't arguing quite the same idea. There are those powers, that were, are, and will be. Before Gods, and after this world crumbles and is forgotten. Certain...beings, of other worlds, beyond our reach, that imbued that power. Powers from the beginning, forgotten. Powers that last, and, probably remembered again.

Who knows? Might be time for the world to wake."

[Kelvin360]

"Let's not get carried away, now." River chides. "Danger there may be, but the odds of a real apocalypse are astronomical."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris smiles, "Truly, the only way to know what's beyond our reach is to reach for it. Perhaps the world will reach back? Or maybe some things will forever lie beyond us." He shrugs, "An experiment for another day, one might say."

[esorscher]

"Agreed," Tzadhika says, struggling to keep up with the other party members rhetoric. "We should keep an eye out for danger."

[Kelvin360]

"We've only just left, now." River shakes her head at Tzadhika. "I doubt we have cause for worry for at least a few-"

Whether due to incredible timing or simply Olidamarra's Law, a bolt from the East flies cleanly through her steed, which dissipates immediately, leaving her sprawling on the ground.

Spitting some dirt from her mouth, she grabs a wand and groans. "I could be wrong, though."

Roll Spot Checks

[Hexalan]

"Of course, you had to say that..." Nodra grumbles, drawing his rapier. He rides back and forth, looking up the cliff face and over the rim of the valley.
Spot: [roll0]

[Everynone]

Kyrios immediately looks in the direction the bolt came from, as she dismounts. She gets ready to run at the attacker, wherever they may be. Maybe they are bandits. Maybe I can talk them out of a fight. I'm the fastest runner here. Maybe if I could get there fast enough... She continues to analyze the situation, gathering information from her surroundings, as she moves.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]
Sense Motive (if I can Spot the attacker): [roll2]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika draws her greatsword. Spot: [roll0]

[GameSpawn]

Etoris taps their charge on the shoulder, channeling a small amount of his power to protect her. He searches about in the direction of the arrow.

Casting Virtue on River. Spot check: [roll0]

[Kelvin360]

You alone of the group notice a single insubstantial outline standing at the bottom of a cliff face some 100 feet away from you.

The rest of the group can't make out anything. That would be when another arrow strikes Tzadhika in the back of the shoulder...from the West.

River brings out a wand and slips a gemstone from her sleeve. She taps Etoris with the former and tosses the latter to Tzadhika. "Put it over your eye!"

You can now see a shimmering outline of a bow-bearing assassin 25 feet north and 40 feet west of you, as well as a bowman to the East (see Kyrios' spoiler)

Tzadhika has taken 6 damage.

NOW You Can Roll For Initiative

[esorscher]

Tzadhika puts the gemstone over her eye, and her further actions depend on what she sees. The arrow does not faze her. Init: [roll0]

[GameSpawn]

Initiative: [roll0]; where are the opponents relative to each other?

[Kelvin360]

Your awareness of your surroundings is now thus (the gemstone has allowed Tzadhika to see things as they truly are through the eye behind the gemstone):

Battle Map:
{table=head]!|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X| Y|Z|@|#|$|%
1|
2|
3|
4|
5|A
6|
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9|||||||||R|T
10|||||||||E||K||||||||||||||||||B
11||||||||||N
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[/table]
K = Kyrios
T = Tzadhika
N = Nodra
E = Etoris
R = River
A = Assassin
B = Bowman


Depending on where you check, both of you might also catch sight of a man bearing two small blades at 17D.

[esorscher]

"Invisible! Cowards!" Tzadhika flies into a rage and charges the assassin and strikes him with her greatsword. [roll0], [roll1]

[Hexalan]

"You see them? Try hitting them next!"
Init:[roll0]

[Everynone]

Kyrios, upon seeing the insubstantial outline in the distance, immediately starts running towards it, and yells, "Wait! Stay your hand! We are not your enemy!"

Initiative: [roll0]
Diplomacy: [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

Tzadhika's charge is met with little in the way of resistance - possibly the assassin did not expect her to be able to see him. Her sword rushes past his arm, taking flesh with it.

The man, in turn, takes a step back and tosses some form of white powder at her, dropping his bow in the process.

Tzadhika, make a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 2 CON damage

"I need a weapon..." River mutters, digging around in her bag. To her surprise, she draws a curved blade suited to her size. She hefts it and takes a firm grip on her wand, imbuing herself with its magic.

"Lovely to hear." The bowman murmurs in a daze. "Nice to see recruits. We'll see you a position when the mission's over, what say."

Nearby, River takes a flung sword to the gut from a Catcher in a position opposite his comrades. Etoris is capable of seeing his outline, but Nodra only perceives the weapon itself.

Combat Report:
Battle Map:
{table=head]!|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X| Y|Z|@|#|$|%
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25|
26|
27|
28|
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[/table]
K = Kyrios
T = Tzadhika
N = Nodra
E = Etoris
R = River
A = Assassin
B = Bowman
C = Catcher



{TABLE]Initiative|Health|Buffs|Debuffs|Ability/Effect
Tzadhika|44/54|True Seeing||-
Assassin|Barely Injured|Invisible||-
River|Barely Injured|See Invisibility|-|-
Bowman|Uninjured|Invisible||-
Kyrios|30/30|||-
Catcher|Uninjured|Invisible||-
Etoris|23/23|See Invisibility||-
Nodra|33/33||-|-
[/table]


It is Etoris' turn, then Nodra's, then Tzadhika's

[GameSpawn]

"Nice trick," Etoris murmurs offhandedly at River. He smiles slightly as he channels the earth's power through his body. He conjures forth a cloud of glittering dust covering the catcher.

Glitterdust centered so the catcher is in the square closest to us. DC 20 Will Save, and is visible-ish regardless of the result.

[Hexalan]

"Stupid invisible assassins." Nodra charges into the depths of the cloud of dust Etoris conjured. He swings into the space he imagines an angry man would lurk.

Hit:[roll0]
Dam:[roll1]
Invisibleness? Did Etoris make him not invisible now? (2=hit) [roll2]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika lifts her greatsword and tries to sink it into the assassin's flesh once more, her muscles coursing with orcish rage. [roll0], [roll1]

(I forgot Orc/ classes bonuses to raging, HP 49/59, AC 22)

[Kelvin360]

Tzadhika impales the would-be assassin with extreme prejudice, leaving only a corpse one hole richer in her wake.

While Etoris succeeds in lighting up the catcher like a fire elemental, that just means Nodra has no one to blame but himself when his attack misses by a hair's breadth.

Shortly thereafter, a twirling scimitar arcs through the air and lops off a bit of the glowing man, swiftly returning to River's outstretched hand. She looks about to say something witty, but cuts herself off with a yelp as two arrows pierce her torso.

"Could you move, newbie?" The bowman grumbles. "It's hard to shoot with you in the way, or the rest of your lot."

Kyrios: You are eligible for an attack of opportunity, should you choose to take it.

Combat Report:
Battle Map:
{table=head]!|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X| Y|Z|@|#|$|%
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[/table]
K = Kyrios
T = Tzadhika
N = Nodra
E = Etoris
R = River
B = Bowman
C = Catcher



{TABLE]Initiative|Health|Buffs|Debuffs|Ability/Effect
Tzadhika|53/59|True Seeing, Raging (+6 STR/CON, +2 AC)||-
Assassin|Defeated|Invisible||-
River| Injured|See Invisibility|-|-
Bowman|Uninjured|Invisible||-
Kyrios|30/30|||-
Catcher|Uninjured|Lit Up|Blinded|-
Etoris|23/23|See Invisibility||-
Nodra|33/33||-|-[/table]


It is Kyrios' turn

[Everynone]

"Please, don't attack! There's no reason, and it might needlessly injure my comrades," says Kyrios. "Wait, here, I'll be right back." She then runs towards the dual-wielding man, preparing to strike or talk him down, depending on what she sees happen next.

Diplomacy ("Don't shoot!"): [roll0]
Sense Motive (bowman; his disposition to Kyrios and the rest of the party): [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

"Stupidity of that statement aside, you'd better have a damned good offer!" The bowman shouts after Kyrios.

Said dual-wielding man seems to have just found an unorthodox method of solving his problem. There is a loud, sickening noise much like a large puncture wound, and he comes into view, a tall elven man with dark clothing covering his every inch, and deep red eyes glaring behind his hood.

What's more, not only has the invisibility worn off, so has the magical glowing dust. He removes the arrow he just stuck into his thigh and smashes a boot heel into the ground. There is a sound like glass shattering, and he disappears.

...And reappears right next to Etoris and River.

Towards you: Interested, but unfriendly
Towards the party: Unfriendly
Towards River: Makes Tiamat and Bahamut look like lovers

Combat Report:
Battle Map:
{table=head]!|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X| Y|Z|@|#|$|%
1|
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6||
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[/table]
K = Kyrios
T = Tzadhika
N = Nodra
E = Etoris
R = River
B = Bowman
C = Catcher



{TABLE]Initiative|Health|Buffs|Debuffs|Ability/Effect
Tzadhika|53/59|True Seeing, Raging (+6 STR/CON, +2 AC)||-
Assassin|Defeated|Invisible||-
River| Injured|See Invisibility|-|-
Bowman|Uninjured|Invisible||-
Kyrios|30/30|||-
Catcher|Uninjured|||-
Etoris|23/23|See Invisibility||-
Nodra|33/33||-|-[/table]


It is Etoris' turn, then Nodra's, then Tzadhika's

[GameSpawn]

Etoris glances at the catcher. "Oh my." He begins to gather his power, but waits for his companions before unleashing it.

I'm guessing I can't identify anything, but just in case, spellcraft: [roll0]. Etoris will delay until after Kyrios acts and take a 5-ft step back and use hold person on the guy if he's still standing (DC 20)

[Hexalan]

"Hells." Nodra turns and charges back down to the center, behind the catcher.

Charge to G10, attack C.
Hit:[roll0]
Dam:[roll1]

[esorscher]

Tzadhika charges the Catcher as well, flanking with Etoris. (Flanking bonus converted to power attack) [roll0], [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

To say Nodra and Tzadhika's combined efforts have reduced their target to little more than mist would be grossly overstating the physical properties of mist. The catcher, while apparently entirely inept at catching people, it an expert at catching blades, and the corpse that falls is barely recognizable as humanoid.

Spotting this, River turns on her heel, drawing another wand, this one with a head molded to appear as a gout of flame. She releases the magical energy contained within before she's acquired a full view of her target, but either she did it incorrectly or the wand fails, because nothing happens.

As for her target, the bowman, evisceration does little for morale, and it appears he has fled. No opponents remain on the battlefield.

Combat is over!

700 XP awarded

[esorscher]

"Let's search these bodies for magic items--I mean, evidence of who sent them after us." Tzadhika begins searching, the True Seeing Gem still on her eye.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods. "Both would certainly be quite valuable. But first things first; does anyone require healing?"

Seeing no immediate response, Etoris turns to the body before, searching it for anything of interest before drawing on his connection to the earth to find anything magical.

Casting detect magic, naturally

[Kelvin360]

River pulls the arrows from her gut with a soft grunt and examines them discerningly. She points her wand far away and again, nothing happens.

Elsewhere, Tzadhika is making the discovery that if these are the best Tyrannus' empire has, he must be severely underfunded. All the two goons have on them is normal, standard gear. The major armor pieces of the pair have been summarily ruined by taking several mighty blows, naturally.

You don't just detect no magic - you detect an absence of magic, especially from the catcher. Like all of it was purged somehow.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris walks over to the second body, still focusing on his spell. If he doesn't find anything magic there, he walks over to the arrow the catcher had stabbed himself with earlier, using detect magic on that, then picking up the arrow (while still focusing on detect magic) and turning detect magic on his own items (which he already knows are magical).

[Kelvin360]

Your gear is still as magical as ever, but the arrow disappears under your scrutiny. You can feel its weight in your hand, but you can no longer visually perceive it.

If you like, you can make a Spellcraft check.

[esorscher]

Tzadhika does her best to relay all she perceives through the gem to the party, trusting in their superior intelligence to make sense of it. She has done her job--they don't get much deader than this. She smiles proudly.

Tzadhika walks over to River and, if she is still hurt, uses a charge on her healing belt to heal their ally. Then (or otherwise) she uses a charge or herself. [roll0], [roll1]

[Kelvin360]

Not only do you recognize the effect, you recognize the arrow. Several theses about them have come to light in the past few decades. They are known as 'Magical Disintegration Projectiles'. The arrowhead, if it strikes with enough force, releases a contained blast that projects something akin to a combination between a Disjunction and an antimagic field. Essentially, they act like magical black holes, disrupting magic in progress and preventing it from being used for a certain period of time.

These arrows are arguably the sole reason that Amystria has not joined the war against Lavost. Any of their magical defenses or offenses would be useless once employed against the enemy.

The assassin, incidentally, has five more of these in his satchel.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris frowns, and removes the arrows from the body, then turns his magic back on it, seeing if the arrows were hiding anything else, then physically searches the body in case the effect is still going on.

Turning to the rest of the party, Etoris starts explaining about the arrows, "I recognize these arrows. They are called 'Magical Disintegration Projectiles'. They disrupt magic in progress and prevent it from being used for a certain period of time. They're only used by Lavost, to my knowledge, so I think that answers the question of who sent these fellows; there seems to be something that stops them from working to full effect against Tyrannus' battlemages, although obviously it dispelled this man's invisibility." He inclines his head towards the catcher's corpse.

[esorscher]

"Interesting," Tzadhika says. "So Lavost knows where we are and wants us dead."

[Kelvin360]

"I thought I recognized these." River sighs. "And not to sound egotistical, but it's me they're after. I didn't think they would attack so soon, though. We're barely outside the borders of Virron Caz. I'll leave it to the group whether we should keep the arrows. They won't do us much good against the enemy's magical forces, but you saw what that one used it for - they rid us of debilitating magic as much as helpful enchantments. Could be useful to our warriors. You'll, ah, have to stab yourself in order for it to work, however. I might even be able to make more, if time allows.

For now, I move to make camp, at least until my ordinance starts working again. If we're, all of us, going to be guarding it, I should also tell you more about The Device."

[esorscher]

"Won't simply moving out of the area of the spell's effect rid us of it?" Tzadhika asks ignorantly. "What I mean is, shouldn't we keep moving rather than make camp?"

[Kelvin360]

River shakes her head. "I'm afraid not, dear. We could keep moving if that's the consensus, but as of now, the area of the spell's effect is me."

[Everynone]

"I say we keep moving. We can't abandon River, and we need to keep moving, so we don't have much of a choice. We should also keep the arrows, I think." She scans the horizon for potential threats. "River, Etoris, how long will the effect last? Does it disrupt our magical items? Does this mean you two can't create magical effects? Would it effect any of my own abilities?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shakes his head, "There's no way moving will hasten the end of the effect. Anyways, my connection to the earth is as strong as ever, so I'd assume none of your power would be affected. Only River was the target. I suggest we move on another half mile or so, just so we won't be in the same place if anyone comes back, but then we can stop and make camp".

[Kelvin360]

"To answer your questions, the extent of my knowledge is mostly 'search me'. It shouldn't last more than a few hours, and it'll definitely play havoc with any items I have on me, but it might not affect all of them and the containment is certainly only applied to me. Me and my new blade are right behind you, though someone may need to share a horse with me."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris glances about the group. "Well, I suspect I'm the lightest, so I suppose I'd be the best person to share with."

[Hexalan]

Nodra grimaces. "We don't know what's out there. Lavost has people this close, there's no saying what he has waiting for us. I think we'll need every advantage we can muster, even if it means losing a few hours. We can hope for the rest of Tyrannus's invisible assassins will think we've already been taking care of, and we'll be on the move again by the time the survivors get back to their friends.

As for the arrows, I'd say to hold on to them, at least. There might be other dangers out there."

[GameSpawn]

Etoris nods. "Certainly. We should only move far enough away so as not to be in the same place, should anyone come looking for us. If anyone is close enough that we run into them immediately, than they'll have been close enough for our runner to find, and we won't have lost anything, and may even have gained the advantage of surprise." Etoris smiles, and hands one arrow to each of his allies.

[Kelvin360]

"Sensible." River says, gripping the offered device like one would handle a live bomb. Testing her first wand one more time just to see if her equipment is still disintegrated. Recognizing that it is, she sighs and mounts Etoris' ride.

The next leg of the party's journey leaves the realm of mountains and valleys fairly quickly. Eventually, the surrounds turn into a landscape more akin to low, rocky crags, like the area around an old volcano. Particularly resilient weeds and some patches of moss survive among the rock and gravel, casting a dull splash of rotting green on to the otherwise monochromatic scenery.

With the mountains out of the way, it's much easier to make out the enormous mass of vibrant forest that makes up the approaching border of Valtorik. To the North and East, trees form a solid, verdant barrier, fading somewhat the closer the edge towards what the party knows is Amystria, far to the North.

However, at a certain point, all life simply disappears, replaced by a still, everpresent mist that marks The Barrens. Even from so far away, the sight makes your horses nervous, and those with keen eyes can almost make out the sight of glowing pupils of a myriad colors emerging from all corners of the interior, interested in these strange creatures. Fortunately, nothing emerges, and your path is thus far unhindered.

Despite the view, it appears as though Valtorik is roughly a day's journey still away, and the sun has begun to set in earnest. While being out in the open may not be tactically advisable, it's helpful to your ability to spot threats, and none reveal themselves to you. Amongst miles and miles of open rock and moss, it appears that you are alone.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris examines the sunset briefly, then inclines his head toward the rest of the group. "Perhaps we should rest now?", he inquires.

If/when the group stops, Etoris will begin to sense elements (water, I suppose; living creatures are stated to be usually made of all 4). I'll extend it out to 40 ft. (my maximum range) and focus on anything I find to try to identify it.

[Hexalan]

Nodra takes a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of death from within The Barrens. "It's as safe as we can be, I suppose. As long as we keep a proper watch to the east, we should be safe from anymore assassins. Invisible assassins." Nodra pulls out his spyglass and starts scanning the horizon.

"As for the interior...we can only hope whatever is out there doesn't care about us, and try not to offend anyone."

Spot [roll0] to see if anything is out there
Knowledge (Geography) [roll1] to see if I know about any nearby landmarks, safe places, exactly where we are, etc.
Knowledge (History) [roll2] to see if anyone has died horribly from being around this place and/or avoided offending watching beasts.

[esorscher]

"I'll take first watch," Tzadhika says, adjusting the gem in her eye. She does not need to sleep to prepare spells, and in her childhood went for more than one night without rest, whether it be on the hunt, or as part of her efforts to prove her toughness to the tribe. Still, if she can catch an hour at the tail end of the night, after the casters have gotten their eight, she'll be well readied for the next day's efforts.

[Kelvin360]

"I may as well go second." River hops off Etoris' horse and reaches into a presumably nonmagical pack to pull out parts of a tent. "Hopefully I'll be able to do something again by that point."

Aside from the aforementioned moss, nothing strike you within a large distance. You are alone.

This isn't exactly an auspicious location to camp.

The reason the land is like this so close to the mountain ranges is because this is the site of the 'Barrens Campaign'. About a thousand years ago, the Glade and the gnomes joined forces in an attempt to force their way into the Barrens. They were summarily pushed back so far that they ended up back inside their own borders. In a desperate attempt to end the battle, the gnomes detonated what amount to an enormous magical bomb in the middle of all three armies. It succeeded in ending the conflict, but to give you an idea as to the scale of this measure, there used to be a mountain where you're now standing.

Needless to say, the Glade and the gnomes haven't exactly been chummy ever since.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris perks up, "I think it's easiest if I take the last watch."

[Kelvin360]

The majority of the night goes smoothly, and halfway through, there comes a small crack from within River's tent, and a mutter of "Finally!"

In the early light of dawn, however, Etoris notices something strange. To the east, among brambles and forest covering, there seems to be a great deal more hustle and bustle than one would expect from its denizens. You can make out that there is a group of large animals occasionally peeking their bodies out from behind the lower levels, looking at your group, and then diving back behind, causing a ruckus all the while.

[GameSpawn]

Etoris pulls out one of his wands, and, keeping an eye on the creatures, goes about waking his allies.

Drawing the wand of Speak with Animals.

[esorscher]

Tzadhika draws her greatsword and shakes the sleep from her eyes and shoulders. "Friend or foe?"

[Hexalan]

"quit rustling, jimmy's gonna get a baby-Eh? Mmmmm...morning in the barrens. I trust you didn't offend any timorous beasties in the night." Nodra yawns and stretches his neck. "See anything?"

[GameSpawn]

Etoris shrugs in response to Tzadhika's question. "Don't know yet. "Neither" seems most likely right now."

When Nodra questions him, he nods "Some creature's down there. I haven't gotten a good look at them."