Shadows (3.5 Mythos IC)

[r2d2go]

Those who reside in the country of Ardom know to fear the forests. Every dark, twisting branch reminds those who reside that what little life within is twisted and dark - werewolves, aberrations, other monsters usually reserved for stories of horror. However, the influence of the forests are not limited to within. The entire country often finds children born suffering, marred to be monstrous, corrupted by dark magic or influenced by shadowy whispers. The different, the ugly, and the frightening are cast out, sent to the edges of the forests to try to carve a living out of the infertile ground.

Your group has come from these settlements of outcasts, with what could be called a noble goal in mind - ending the prejudice, and perhaps finding more suitable land to settle. With help from some of the longest-lived storytellers, and a few auguries from the local priestess (or witch, to some), you have found that there is potential for fertile lands and ancient treasures within the forests, perhaps even unknown seas and lost tunnels that could lead far, far from this cursed ground. Gathering the strongest, you have prepared to set off, in search of whatever you can to help your cause.

Now, you have gathered at the edge of the forest. A faint trail of less underbrush, from alleged days when there were more who were brave enough to enter this dark wild, marks the path that you are to take. With the hopes and wishes of luck from the village backing you, enter.

Time for introductions and such! You'll be moving down the path soon, once you're done.

[lilpuppy91]

The pristine, perfect silence of the great and shady forest was not interrupted by the first of the pair to approach it, for the great white elk bore her passengers with a silence and grace which was almost eerie. One of the passengers, the one actually steering the beast, was a female human, her skin ashen and lightened so much from her former dark shade of brown that it was almost grey. Pairing that with her pale lips and dark black hair, and she looked positively ill, as if she was on death's door, or perhaps died a few days ago and was still moving around by some miracle. Today was a beautiful day, the perfect kind of day to go on a grand adventure, and thus Camilla was in a cheerful mood indeed. If it had been raining today, she might have been worried about a dark omen, but with the weather so sublime, she was all but certain that this effort to secure new lands for their people would go off without a hitch. She wasn't surprised to find that they were the first to arrive to the planned meeting spot.

If Cameron wasn't always so insistent on showing up everywhere early, she probably would still be in bed herself. She needn't tug on the reigns, for she could communicate with Bellatrix telepathically to tell her to stop, but she did so anyway out of habit, and dismounted to face her brother and cross her arms, a wry grin on her face. "10 gold pieces says that no one else shows up, and we have to do this whole mission by ourselves." her hazel eyes glinted devilishly, as they often did when she was attempting to part someone from their money. Sure, they had gathered a good, strong group of volunteers that had pledged to go on this journey in front of many witnesses, so there was a good chance that the others would show up. However, this was a journey that there was no guarantee any of them would ever return from. Who was to say that after they had a night to contemplate this, they decided not to come? After all, if they decided not to show up, all they did was lose some face.

If they showed up and died, they lost everything. she was confident enough in she and her brother's abilities that she was sure that they could do the whole thing alone, but having company would certainly make their efforts a lot easier, so even though she was betting against everyone showing up, she sincerely hoped they did. But mostly she just enjoyed betting with her brother, no matter how ridiculous the bet. It was a fun way to pass the time, and the expression he made every time he had to part with even one coin, no matter the denomination, was absolutely priceless.

[Pallid]

Cameron knew how to ride, he had to have learned to run a successful business via the roads, and though he was amateur hour he could handle his own for simple matters. The problem however, was he hated the feeling of such a large creature bucking and rolling under his butt, and they smelled and they were messy and on top of all that they were expensive to keep. So when his sister offered to take him along on her mount, he was more than happy to mount up with her, there just simply wasn’t a downside. Though he wished it would have been raining, less of a chance for their scent to be picked up by hungry things in the forest to come looking for a bite to eat. With the sun out and shining like some sort of spot light, the forest was probably teeming with life, and subsequently teeming with predators eating that life.

They were early which was his doing, arriving late showed a lack of commitment to whatever under taking you were doing. And since they had been forced out to live with the outcast, and were taking a near suicide mission to improve the living conditions of said outcast village it was pretty paramount that they showed interest in what they were doing. Having people begrudgingly watching your back ended up with more injuries coming around. More so considering what little amount of people they had going with them. Though before he could spiral too deep in worries of ending up dead in a bush or in some creature’s gullet, his sister came to a stop, and he untangled himself from her and lowered himself to the ground too.

Then Camilla opened her mouth and his ire was raised. Not because she was potentially jinxing them, not because her comments might offend anyone that was within ear shot, not because she was still betting even though it had already cost her dearly once already, not because she was making a fool’s bet knowing full well other people had just as much interest in showing up as they did. No what drove Cameron over the edge was the amount. Ten freaking GOLD pieces. That was a month’s living for a middle wage family with liberal spending, a month and a half with careful. And she was just throwing it up in the air on a whim.

“Ten gold? Really Camilla? Ten copper, sure that’s fine. Ten silver? Alright, kind of pricey but being risky can be fun some times. But GOLD.” His eye was twitching and he knew it, but he was too annoyed to care. “If I wasn’t certain we’d have little other place to spend our savings these next few weeks I’d take your pouch from you. Again. We don’t have that kind of money to just be chucking around right now Camilla.” Stars above it was a good thing he had stashed away most of the family funds before he began his scorched earth policy. "You're on, of course, but when we get out of here we need to have another talk." Well, he was her twin.

[Tempestfury]

Luckily it seemed that the bet swiftly went over to the side of the brother, as the two siblings didn’t actually have to wait that long for another of their number to arrive... though as he walked alone, it would take some time for him to actually reach the meeting place... giving the siblings plenty of time to examine the oncoming the human, and make plenty of observations about him... some of which would be a lot easier to notice than others.

The first thing to note, was just how big the human was... he was a giant of a human, standing at an impressive 6 feet and 7 and a half inches in height. Yet he wasn’t lanky either... but broad too, a solid, powerful looking muscles could be seen, identifying that he was a fighter... and more than likely a damn good one if his weapons were anything to go by. The muscles of his chest was easily seen, as his strange, robe-liking clothing left a good portion of his upper chest visible to the naked eye.

As Kenpachi got closer even more details would slowly be able to to seen. Like his black, spiky hair that stood up from his crown as if trying to flee. The two rapiers tucked away by his side, indicating his chosen weaponry... and then came his face... set with two green eyes, and with a feral grin plastered across his mouth... it was soon obvious why exactly Kenpachi would be chosen for this task... not simply due to his strength and fighting ability... but so his madness would be put to use, and no longer directed at the others of the villages.

[dethkruzer]

"... And that is why you shouldn't eat dire wolves in the future, it's bad enough when I need to sew your skin back on, I don't want to have to cut you open because parts of your heart start calcifying." Could be heard from amidst the trees. The tone was stern, but not berating, rather like a parent reprimanding a misbehaved child. Further speech seized for the time, and after a while a pair of figures came into view. The two were quite a strange sight, the human-like man, covered in scars, and wrapped in mismatched rags, who quickly re-adjusted the piece of fabric covering his lower face as he saw the others. The creature accompanying him was however quite strange indeed. Just short of five feet tall, the creature had a vague resemblance to a centaur. It had a torso, sufficiently humanoid enough, although the creature did posses quite the gut, attached to one should was a clawed hand, while to the other was a tentacle covered in small hooks. A lump extended back from its pelvis, making room for the four legs it possessed, each leg was more or less just a column of meat, lacking any sort of toes, and having a only a slight hint as to where the knees were. For a head the creature had a shapeless lump of flesh, housing a single eye, and a mouth full of sharp teeth, both of which were slightly off-center. The creature was overall a fleshy pink color, except for it's tentacle arm, which was a pale grey.

The two appraoched, the rag-clad man seemingly unfettered by the presence of the strange creature following him. Approaching the group, he lifts of his right hand in something of a wave. "Greetings. Hopefully I did not keep you waiting." He spoke in a sophisticated tone, although close observations showed how the sections of clothing covering his jaw did not move in any way that would suggest that he was actually talking. The strange creature accompanying him looked at the others for a moment, before stepping behind the man, almost like a shy shild.

[THEChanger]

"I hope this as well."

The final member of the band emerges from the trees astride a bone white horse. Their skin still has the light scars of old burns, but is black as night. The smell of ash follows them as they enter the grove, and they dismount, their chain shirt clinking lightly. "I had to attend to a few burials before I left. I do hope I have not been keeping you. My name is Flame Flickers And Dies, but most people call me Flame." Their eyes, unblinking, slowly travel over the other four before coming to rest on Camilla. They tilt their head, and then smile. "You. You are like me, aren't you? I have never met anyone like me before."

[lilpuppy91]

Camilla rolled her eyes and grinned harder as Cameron began to lecture her about the value of money once again. She knew that 10 gold was enough to feed some peasants for a month or whatever. So what? Were they peasants? No. Besides, she'd lowballed him just because she loved him, and she wanted to get him softened up for a harder bet later. Of course it was highly likely at least ONE person was going to show up, maybe not all, but one, and then she would lose the bet. So what was he nagging her ear off of for? She refrained from making a groaning noise as he accepted her bet, instead turning expectantly to survey the horizon. "Good man." she announced proudly, before folding her arms over her chest. "I'm sure you won't argue if we wait until the sun is directly overhead." the sun was very nearly there, and probably would only take another half hour to mosey into position. "Although I'm sure that we could wait all day, and-" she choked on her words as a solitary figure began to make his way towards them.

Despite the fact that she'd made a bet that she was sure to lose, she still felt a bit of a sinking feeling in her gut as the loss settled onto her back. It was a familiar feeling for any gambler, for surely gamblers wouldn't gamble nearly as much if they won more than they lost. As she sighed grumpily and fished around in her coin purse, more companions crawled out of the woodwork, so that by the time she'd scooted over to Cameron, rolled her eyes at least twice to get her point across, and slapped the gold pieces into his waiting palm, they were almost all arrived. She turned away from her brother quickly to face the new voice, and took in first the raggedly dressed man, and then the little creature that shuffled behind him to hide. She immediately squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose in a combination of both fascination and disgust at the odd little creature. He looked like something a child would draw in the sand on the beach, something that could only come from a child's imagination before they become old enough to understand what was possible to exist and what wasn't. This thing wasn't natural, it wasn't made by any laws of nature. It should not be, and yet it was. It was an ugly, misshapen thing, but it was also proof that a person could perform acts most regard as being reserved for deities, and for that reason, it was also magnificent.

She didn't know whether to stab it with a sword to end it's misery, or marvel at it, so she decided simply to do neither, and nodded her head in greeting to the man it was hiding behind. "We weren't waiting for very long, you could surely have taken a bit longer, and we wouldn't have minded." bitterness crept into her voice as she reflected that if they had been just a little late to the meeting, she might have won her bet on technicality. Then the last of the party approached, and spoke to her in a way that was much too familiar. She turned and exchanged looks with her twin, their confused expressions mirroring one another perfectly as they spoke to each other without words. What did this guy (or... girl, was it? Hard to tell, whatever, she decided she would just label him a he, and if she was wrong, he'd correct her at some point and that'd be that) mean she was like him? They both liked to ride white animals, that was true, but otherwise they didn't appear to be very much alike. He wasn't likely hiding a twin anywhere, he wasn't a woman, she wasn't ridiculously badly burned, and their appearances otherwise couldn't be more different if they were in some sort of painting where half of the canvas was white, and the other half was black.

She decided to simply play it off however, because that was more or less her solution to everything. "That's just wishful thinking sweetheart, there's absolutely no one like me." she paused, and indicated her brother by approaching him and placing an arm on his shoulder, leaning her weight on him. "Well, I mean, he's closer than the rest of you, but he's really just a pale imitation. He prays every night before he goes to bed to wake up as me. There's only one Camilla White, always was, always will be. You could try for a million years, and still not be like me. But everyone needs a goal, I guess." she grinned haughtily, and then cast her gaze around the crowd. "I suppose formal introductions are in order before we continue. I've already stated my name, but I'll say it again since it's probably music to everyone's ears anyway. Camilla White, this is my brother Cameron. Yes, we're twins, it isn't just a trick of the light, no need to stare."

[Pallid]

Cameron looked on as other people showed up, in the middle of his sister attempting to push her time lines to end out in a technical victory. The bet was won, and his coin was in his hand and he was good with that. Like his sister he surveyed everyone that had made their appearance, though the creature did garner more attention than their strange owner/friend did. It was an odd sort of abomination with a seemingly innocent persona, hiding behind their traveling companion, but the opening like of eating dire wolves they had caught the tail end of made it clear that looks were deceiving.

Though he wasn’t following his sister’s life and creation philosophical debate about the creature, he was more interested in if that thing was viable commodity to put into the market. Something he would need to speak to the man about, after they had gotten to know each other better of course. Didn’t want to come off on the wrong foot. Something Camilla didn’t seem to mind at all, as she began down talking their future group members. He would have torn into her right then and there if first appearances weren’t already rapidly crashing and burning. Before she could continue on he stepped forward throwing out an arm in a vain attempt to stop her from continuing on their joint social suicide.

“What my sister is trying to say is, Hello we’re glad to have you coming along with us.” He looked over his shoulder at her and gave her a meaningful stare before turning back towards the others. “We understand you’re doing it for your own reasons, but still it’s nice to have other people to help with any potential dangers we might encounter.” He dropped his hand and looked around at the forest before turning back to face them again.

“Seems we’ve got a lot of grounds to cover, so more eyes also helps when dealing with all that.” He adjusted his clothing for a moment, the chain shirt was a bit on the itchy side. Something he would need to talk to the supplier about when he returned, if he returned, back at the village. He couldn’t go around passing around itchy gear, and having people complain about the quality of the stuff he was putting up on his shelves. “That’s an interesting creature you have there by the way, does it have a name?” He asked nodding towards the creature attempting it’s level best to appear part of the shadow of the person in front of it.

[r2d2go]

When you set off:

The group proceeds down the path, attempting to follow the rather faint trail. Crunching through the light underbrush for at least an hour, you meander through the forest, the sky darkening from both a more dense canopy and from the setting sun. At the same time, a chilling breeze blows through the trees, causing leaves to rustle and perhaps warmer cloaks to be donned.

At some point, you notice that Bellatrix's hooves have begun clacking - a quick glance downwards shows that you have found something that seems to be paved with purpose, flat rocks creating what almost looks like an overgrown road. Strangely enough, the "road" leads in the opposite direction of the path just as the path bends, creating a T. In fact, the path seems slightly clearer if anything, leading away from the rocky ground.

You hear a very faint rustle from in front of you (the direction with no path or road).

You notice a glint of yellow from ahead (where there is neither path nor road) - as if a ray of sunlight just glanced a reflective surface. Peering closer without going off the path, you can't see what caused this, but you're sure you saw something.

Moving on. If people had things they wanted to say before, just mark it as "before we set off" and add it in.


Abel: Spot [roll0], Listen [roll1]
Kenpachi: Spot [roll2], Listen [roll3]
Camilla: Spot [roll4], Listen [roll5]
Cameron: Spot [roll6], Listen [roll7]
Flame: Spot [roll8], Listen [roll9]



Nothing to be concerned about :smallwink:
[roll10]
[roll11]
[roll12]
[roll13]
[roll14]

[THEChanger]

Before Leaving

Flame tilted their head quizzically as Camilla replied. "Of course there is only one you. Though I would imagine there are others who have chosen the name Camilla White. I mean you are also reborn. Or do I mistake myself?"

Later

Flame gazed up at the thick leaves on the trees, a soft smile on their face. Here, away from towns and buildings and living folk, they felt rather at peace. Though, there were three living people traveling with them. But Flame judged these people to be different from the others. More like themself, and Camilla, than regular people. On Ash's back, Flame trotted up to the fork in the road, oblivious to any potential danger. They looked left, then right, trying to see as far down either path as possible. Then they turned back to their new companions. "This path looks worked. Perhaps there are others out here in the deep woods? We could ask them for assistance. See if they know of something useful. Or perhaps the path leads to something useful."

[dethkruzer]

Before leaving

Abel steps aside to give the man a look at the creature standing behind. It attempts to once again to hide behind his back, but Abel put a hand on it's shoulder, a firm but gentle squeeze stops the creature it's tracks. "Please do excuse him, he is a little shy. This is my assistant Eegor, and my name is Abel." He spoke, introducing the creature and himself to the group. His tone was polite, and generally neutral, but it hid a slight contempt for the pale woman's tone. "Hopefully our co-operation will prove fruitful"

After leaving

Drawing his attention to the ground, before dropping down to one knee, using his hand to crape aside some of the vegetation covering some of the stone. "worked stone, how peculiar. Were these woods not supposed to be mostly uninhabited? At least as far as actual civilization goes?" Abel asked the group. He then walked over to the T in the road, looking both way, before shrugging. "Would it perhaps help if we could get a view of the situation from the air?"

[Tempestfury]

Whilst the others talked, Kenpachi stayed silent, just listening to them talk... in fact as he did so, his crazy, feral grin faded away, and the human began listening rather intently... not to their words or anything. But the tremor in their voices. The rise and dips of their pitch... the music that they shared with the world without even knowing it... and it was this that Kenpachi focused on... and it was this that momentarily calmed the human...

But it would not to last. For as they walked, the voices fell silent, leaving Kenpachi with little to focus on, but himself... and thus the grin grew once more on his face. His body beginning to burn and his mouth watering in dark need... and when they reached the junction in the path, even the renewed talking was not enough to ease Kenpachi... and indeed it was the opposite, as Kenpachi let out a dark, mad crackle. “Stones are bloodless, useless things! They have no life, no blood, no song! The prey in front of us, that will be full with vigor and blood! Blood for us to shed and drink from! Song for us to tease out and make our own! And I shall claim my piece!” Without waiting for the other to react, Kenpachi drew his two blades, and stalked forwards into the bushes, intent on finding and slaying those that had caught his attention.

[lilpuppy91]

Before leaving

Camilla's eyes narrowed with irritation as her brother thrust his hand out in front of her to signal her to shut up, like he was her dog or something and could be silenced on command. If she was the petulant type, she might have immediately started up talking again, but she wasn't three years old. Instead of speaking up out loud and bickering with her brother (she was at least in agreement enough with his idea that they had to display a unified front until they knew who could be trusted), she locked her narrowed eyes with the back of his head and spoke mentally with him, expressing her displeasure at being told to shut up privately. If anyone else had told her to be quiet, she might very well have attempted to break their arm, but Cameron wasn't just anyone, so she stood quietly and allowed him to 'apologize' on her behalf, as if she'd said anything wrong. When the blackened and burned man spoke up in response to her monologue with a confused tone, it was her turn to be confused. For the second time after he spoke, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she locked eyes with her brother, before folding her arms and cocking her head to the side in the opposite direction than the burned man. Instead of directly answering his question, she answered him with a question of her own. "What makes you think that I'm reborn? You said that you've never met another person like you before, so what is it that makes you so certain that you're doing so now?"

After Leaving
Camilla approached the cobbled path upon Bellatrix's back, reaching up to stop her with a hand on her flank, before leaning to the left slightly to peer down with a look of confusion. "Hey, Abel's right, this is supposed to be undiscovered territory, that's half the reason why we're going in here in the first place! Someone got their information mixed up." her tone was both taken aback and whiny, as if someone had been intentionally cruel to them and was playing some kind of trick. She paused then and turned to look at Flame over her shoulder, and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Just because this road is here doesn't mean that there will be anybody friendly at the end of it. Maybe whoever built this road was killed and eaten by terrible things, and by following this road, we'll meet said terrible things. But I suppose Abel's suggestion of observing from the air could-" but she didn't have a chance to complete her sentence, because suddenly the weird, tall, spikey haired guy who had yet to introduce himself, suddenly went rushing forwards into the forest.

The first words out of the guy's mouth since he appeared sounded like absolute gibberish, all except something about prey. Had he spotted a rabbit or something? She hitched a thumb in his direction as he rushed off and rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure chasing after that guy is going to get us nothing but lost. I say we just let him frolic and die in the woods, and meanwhile, we head down the road less travelled."

[Pallid]

Before Leaving
Before his sister’s nagging began in his head he knew she would be irate about him taking the reins and silencing her in front of the new comers. This wasn’t his first rodeo with her after all. And yet, forewarned about the nagging coming, he still found it grated on his nerves as she popped into his head. He kept his smile on his face, and didn’t turn to acknowledge her, a skill brought about during his many dealings with irate customers. You wanted to send them packing with a few colorful words, but it would do more harm than good to your business so it was better to keep them placated while you hiked up their prices. However in this scenario his smile was for the others, as Camilla got the scratching reply he had cooking for her.

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you both. And I can understand, young ones are often shy.” He said kneeling and grinning at the creature. “Well hopefully, we’ll get to know each other better Eegor.” He smiled back up at Abel before rolling his shoulders and nodding towards the path. “Still, times for communications can come after we’ve put some trail behind us. Sitting around chatting here does our mission no good.” He getting back up on Bellatrix and waiting for his sister to get on and take them onwards.

Later on

He was going to comment on the odd worked road along with the others, but the glinting sunlight had caught his attention long before the nameless swordsman of the group teetered off into the underbrush. His posture was cold, as he slipped his hands to his weapons as quietly, only to abandon that idea after the swords man showed their hand way too early.

“No, there’s something there.” He alerted the others, his hands on his weapons now, and his over coat discarded to the back of Bellatrix so the twin tentacles could writhe in the air openly. It could very well have been nothing, but he had met not natural creatures that gleamed sunlight off them like metal. And with the worked stone next to them, it was becoming increasingly likely the tales they had heard about the woods had been outdated information. “Stay on guard.”

[r2d2go]

As if on cue, as Cameron says "stay on guard", footsteps come crunching through the underbrush behind you, accompanied by clinking metal. Those who look back see a man in rather nice full plate and with an even fancier sword jogging up, somewhat out of breath. Before he can introduce himself, or anyone else can welcome him, a raspy, restrained scream echoes from the area Cameron was speaking of. The warrior who charged ahead earlier can now be seen, armor bashed to pieces and skull indented. Two wispy, semihumanoid forms can be seen now, each with a gem in its "forehead", and they let Kenpachi's dead body drop.

The enemies are about 60 feet ahead. Enemies 30 feet or more away have Concealment.

Abel: [roll0]
Camilla: [roll1]
Cameron: [roll2]
Flame: [roll3]
Voltaran: [roll4]
Zenith: [roll5]



Abel, Camilla, Cameron and Flame
Enemies
Zenith, Voltaran

[dethkruzer]

"I wish this would not have been necessary..." Abel sighed as he tugged down on the cloth concealing his face, revealing his wicked jaw, and more importantly letting his tongue taste the air around him. He wiggled his shoulders a bit, letting his wings drape free and allowing his tail to unfurl. With an almost pained grunt, his wings extend outward and stiffen, and wicked spikes extend from along most of the tails length.

"Eegor, help protect the others as you see fit." He instructed his creation, before his tail swung over his shoulder, dislodging one of the larger spines on his tail, flingin it point-first toward one of these new threats. He then took a leaping step forward as he wings began flapping rapidly. He then ascended, rather clumisly.

use tongue-granted blindsight to detect anything with a scent within 30 ft.

Attacking one of the creatures with a ranged spine.
attack roll(threaten crit on roll of 20): [roll0]
critical confirmation: [roll1]
damage roll: [roll2]
critical damage: [roll3]
if hit, must make dc 13 reflex save or the quill becomes lodged, inflicting a stacking -1 penalty on attacks, saves and skill checks for each lodged quill.

Moving into the air, moving 5ft. forward and 15 ft. up.

EDIT: forgot Eegor's actions: Eegor stays with the group for now.

[THEChanger]

Flame directs their pale horse to take a few steps back, putting Flame at the maximum range of their favored attack. Then, eyes glowing with a green light, Flame mutters their name under their breath, conjuring a ball of pale green fire. Which is promptly flung through the air at one of the offending murderers, following the arc of the boney spine launched by Flame's companion.

Admittedly, Abel's true form was somewhat surprising, but Flame was dead. They had seen stranger things under the sun.

Ash moves back forty feet, placing Flame at the 100 foot maximum range of Witchfire. Then, ranged Witchfire attack on the same figure that Abel attacked, assuming they survived. Spending one Mote to bump the damage up to 2d6.

To Hit - [roll0]
Damage - [roll1]

If hit, target must make a DC 14 Will Save or ignite, being affected as though by Faerie Fire and taking 50% extra damage from Fire effects.

Motes: 19.

[r2d2go]

The creatures nimbly flit out of the projectiles' way, remaining unharmed. They seem to lock on to Abel's flying form, almost as if glaring at him.

[lilpuppy91]

Her eyes narrowed the second Cameron spoke up. He wasn't one to do things like warning everyone to get ready lightly. At first she thought the guy running up behind them might be the danger, so she reached down quickly to Bellatrix's side to where Heaven was strapped securely into place. However, as he grew closer, his body posture and expression quickly proved to be nonthreatening. That's when it dawned on her that the guy was not approaching from the same direction that Cameron had been looking and that the unnamed warrior had rushed off to. She whirled back around to face forward just in time to see two figured emerge with the unnamed warrior's crush and mauled body in their clutches. The sight of the strange, deranged man flopping lifelessly to the dirt was actually quite humorous, especially when she remembered her words just a few moments ago about him frolicking and dying in the woods. Perhaps her mother was wrong, and she actually had The Gift buried somewhere deep after all! But she was also a little nervous, because though she didn't know the guy very well, he was quite big, and looked like he could at least semi-take care of himself.

It was possible they just got lucky with the guy, but it also could mean these guys were tougher than they appeared. Of course, this is Camilla we're talking about here, so when I say a little nervous, I mean a little. As several of her comrades began to open fire without much ado, she decided she wouldn't let the others have all of the fun. Finishing her motion to reach down towards Heaven, she unstrapped the lance, and readied it, a massive grin on her face. "Sorry guys, your plans of killing one of our members to free up enough spots failed you, the new guy's in. Guess you'll have to take target practice spots as a consolation prize!" Bellatrix made an exasperated grunt and rolled her eyes, but Camilla was too busy being excited by the promise of battle to pay her any attention. "Hang on to something, we're about to haul ass!" she called out to her passenger before running a hand down Bellatrix's flank and urging her forward mentally. The great white elk bounded straight for one of the enemies, picking it at random (assuming you've got all of our tokens down somewhere, I'll just charge towards the enemy on the left). Whether or not she hit her tsrget, her plan was to keep moving so she could charge them again at the first opportunity.


Drawing Heaven, and charging the enemy on the left with my lance. Also using ride-by attack to move past and get into position for next charge.

Attack: [roll0]
DMG: [roll1] x3 because charging with lance

Incase of a critical hit:
Confirmation: [roll2]
Extra Damage: [roll3] x3 because charging with lance
[roll4] x3 because charging with lance

[Pallid]

Cameron closed his eyes when he heard the crunching knowing well enough what that meant, and sure enough the broken and tattered body of the swords man was left on the way side. Cursing under his breath, he held on with his tentacles when Bellatrix started charging them forward, he saw the attempts on the twin creatures by the others and noted their nibble dodging, so he had to be precise in his own striking. He could feel his sister's intentions on one particular one and zoned in on it, feeling where she intended to strike and began planning with it. Then as she began rearing back for her strike his, up until that point, folded wings spanned out and he took to the air, he had seen how the creatures dodged before and he knew where his sister was planning on striking so with a quick assessment, he aimed his morning star, and then stab with his spear to where he assumed the creature would dodge a second before it actually did.


Twin-Face archtype trigger to make the creature count as flanked.
Attacks
1d20+5 Morning Star
1d20+5 Morning Star Confirmation (If needed)
1d20+5 Spear
1d20+5 Spear Confirmation (If needed)

Damage
1d8+3 Morning star
1d8+3 Morning star (If Crit)
1d8+3 Spear
1d8+3 Spear (If Crit)

[r2d2go]

I assume Camilla was also using Twin-Faced Trickster?

The creature lets out unearthly shrieks as Camilla and Cameron pierces it with a lance and spear respectively, gem cracking with strain, but its amorphous forms allow them to shrink away from the weapons. A moment later, the two fly by Camilla, buffeting her with strikes of gale-force wind, before retreating far back, one to each side.

Only the first manages to impact through Camilla's armor, but the blow is quite powerful and leaves Camilla winded.

Camilla takes 13 damage. Enemies are 70 feet away, one on each side, and 10 feet into the air. You can tell the one Camilla and Cameron struck is close to dead, or destroyed, or whatever it does when you smack it enough.

[roll0], [roll1], [roll2], [roll3]
[roll4], [roll5]

[bcool999]

Voltaran
AC 20
HP 30/30

Voltaran had set out eagerly that morning, hoping to be the first to arrive at the meeting point of the expedition. Some might say, including one rather judgmental sword who shall not be named, that Voltaran was overeager considering he arrived as the sun was barely a brightening on the horizon. Undismayed, Voltaran took this as an opportunity to keep himself in shape and ensure he was ready for the trials ahead, and so he took a few hours to go jog a few miles before returning, only to find that the others had gone ahead without him.

When he caught up to them, he found them under attack with one of their number dead already. <It seems the forest is as hazardous as the rumors claimed if barely an hours walk into it such creatures await to rend folk to shreds...> Voltaran mentally says to his golden blade, which he brought to hand almost instinctively, <Let's finish off the wounded one. I will get us close and you do the rest. Ready Zenith?> Before even hearing her response, Voltaran is already sprinting towards the wounded one, blade out and moving at an impressive speed for one clad in full plate. He stops directly beneath the wounded one, waiting for Zenith to take control for the attack.

Free action: Draw Zenith.
Free action: telepathy with Zenith
Full round action: Run directly beneath the wounded one who I threaten thanks to reach.

[Saidoro]

Zenith

<If we'd set out a bit later we could have spent this time on something more interesting than running. All the woods here look the same, we should have just brought a book or something.>
Zenith kept up a stream of mild chatter throughout the run in order to have something to do. The woods were certainly better than the tomb, but they were far more consistent than Zenith would prefer. Not even any interesting animals or anything with the sound of Voltaran's heavy footfalls accompanying them. As they came into view of the rest of the group, Zenith continued.
<See, if we'd gotten here on time instead of early we wouldn't be late. Maybe->
The sound of screaming interrupted whatever Zenith was about to think, she abruptly fell into the psychic silence that more characterized their fights against evil.
<Let's finish off the wounded one. I will get us close and you do the rest. Ready Zenith?>
<Ready!>
As Voltaran ran forward, Zenith was already shifting his arms into a swing which send her slashing through the wispy creature, hopefully bringing a halt to its reign of terror.

[roll0]
[roll1]
If critical:
[roll2]
[roll3]

[r2d2go]

Zenith manages to nick the creature, which is enough to send it spiraling out of control and become a blast of stinging wind. Fortunately, it's not quite enough to do serious harm, and the rest of the group is primed to take out the remaining elemental, which appears to have turned to flee with its partner's destruction.

Congrats, first blood! It's now Camilla, Cameron, Flame, and Abel's turns. The elemental is still ~70 feet away.

[dethkruzer]

Abel cursed under his breath as he saw these strange creatures could not be finished off. He took a turn in the air,, heading toward the remaining beast. Taking a split second to brace, he then whipped his tail at it again, launching another spine.

Moving 5 ft forward and then turn 45 degrees toward the enemy, move forward diagonally 5 ft and turn 45 degrees toward the enemy, move 30 ft. toward enemy.

Attacking the creature with a ranged spine.
attack roll(threaten crit on roll of 20), assumes enemy is within 80 ft: [roll0]
critical confirmation: [roll1]
damage roll: [roll2]
critical damage: [roll3]
if hit, must make dc 13 reflex save or the quill becomes lodged, inflicting a stacking -1 penalty on attacks, saves and skill checks for each lodged quill.

have I mentioned how much I dislike the movement rules for flight?

[r2d2go]

The creature seems to have been weakened by the loss of its ally, and Abel just manages to strike its "shoulder" with a spine, prompting a shriek of pain.

[THEChanger]

Eyes still alight with green fire, Flame channels another blast of burning power towards the fleeing spirit. The witchfire crackles through the air, leaving the distinct stench of sulfur in its wake.



Won't be spending a Mote to boost the Witchfire's effectiveness this time. Flame directs Ash to maintain a 100 foot distance from the target.

To Hit - [roll0]
Damage - [roll1]

[r2d2go]

Flame's flame strikes the creature, burning away what seems to be a chunk of its body, leaving it slightly smaller and just as pained.

[lilpuppy91]

Camilla cried out reflexively as weaponized wind slammed into her from multiple angles. It was painful, sure, and it took a second for her to remember how to breathe, but it was a gentle caress compared to the pain of drowning to death in icy cold water, or nearly half of the tricks that the demons in hell played on her. So mainly it just irritated the crap out of her. "Cowards. Hit and scamper off like little rats will you?" she snarled with a rage that could only be quenched by one thing, and one thing only: death. One of the creatures was already dead, destroyed by the others in the group, but there was still one for her to exact her revenge upon. "Run all you like. I still see you." With one hand, she dropped her lance horizontally across Bellatrix's back, who stood obediently still as she reached around with the other and pulled her crossbow off of her back, taking aim at the flying, fleeing creature who was too high in the air to rundown with her lance, and pulling the trigger once she had her shot ready. All the while, her brother's voice constantly whispered in her subconscious, taking note of distance, angles, taking account of wind and humidity, all of that nerdy crap. She just wanted to kill the thing, but she'd take everything she could get.


Dropping Heaven, Drawing Oblivion, shooting fleeing enemy, using twinfaced trickster for that flanking bonus

Attack: [roll0]
DMG: [roll1]

Incase of a critical hit:
Confirmation: [roll2]
Extra Damage: [roll3]

[r2d2go]

Unfortunately, no number of considerations can account for truly awful luck, and as Camilla fires, a leaf disturbed by the wind creatures lands upon a stray branch. The branch, previously precariously balanced, tips ever so slightly, and just as Camilla pulls the trigger, it falls into her path. With the distance it fell, the sizeable chunk of wood stuns her briefly as it strikes her head, leaving her slightly more bruised and with no more kills.

Take 1 point if damage (mostly symbolic). Fumbles get more than auto-misses, but it's more flavor than anything :smalltongue:

[lilpuppy91]

Posting on Pallid's behalf:

Cameron:

While he wasn't physically struck by the blow he still hissed out in pain as he watched his sister take the blow from the creatures. While he for some unknown reason to himself had forgotten his throwing daggers at home, he still had his spear on him. And though chucking it into a forest aiming for a one shot kill from a creature seemingly made of wind itself was a pretty bold gamble, Camilla's emotions were pumping through him enough to think it was a pretty bang up idea. And if nothing else, there were two recently orphaned rapiers on the ground to pick up the slack. Dashing forward as much as he was able, he pulled his hand back and gave the spear in his hand a launch. Aiming at the back of the creatures head.


Throwing his spear at the elemental!

Attack: [roll0]
DMG: [roll1]

Incase of Critical Hit:
Attack: [roll2]
DMG: [roll3]

[dethkruzer]

"Such astounding resillience. Shame these creatures have no physical body left after death." Abel Utters to himself as he swings around, before tossing another spine from his tail.

Spend 20 ft of movement to turn around, move 20 ft. toward enemy.

Attacking the creature with a ranged spine.
attack roll(threaten crit on roll of 20): [roll0]
critical confirmation: [roll1]
damage roll: [roll2]
critical damage: [roll3]
if hit, must make dc 13 reflex save or the quill becomes lodged, inflicting a stacking -1 penalty on attacks, saves and skill checks for each lodged quill.

[r2d2go]

Pierced by Cameron's spear, the creature only focuses more on fleeing, moving astonishingly fast through the woods.

Cameron hit. The creature is now 200 feet further than before.

You can still see it, but ranged attacks will have a 20% miss chance.

[Saidoro]

<Aw, it's getting away. We should go after it, make sure it gets taken care of sooner rather than later.>
Zenith pauses to think for a moment before adding:
<Well, after we introduce ourselves, maybe.>

[r2d2go]

I'm just going to move on, anyone who wants to can make final attacks or the like.

The second creature weaves through the forest with astonishing speed, leaving the party behind - however, the crystal of the first remains, lying on the forest floor.