Dragonbane Pretty Cure [IC]

[Powgow]

Episode 1: 'Grass is Always Greener...'


On an open plain of once-idyllic green grasses, a curious figure of a great beast currently roams the wide clearings, the gaze of the native lesser beasts of the area following its every move. Thanks to the figure’s insistence on staying outside the light of the moon, its true face remains obscured by the darkness of the night. Not one of said watching native beasts dare to challenge this figure’s apparent dominion amidst the bleak background, and the figure rewards their obedience with a place off its warpath. At a distant corner of the horizon, the lights of civilization are visible, perhaps marking the figure’s next destination.

After the great beast’s jet-black eyes caught the sight of those lights, it then lets out a mighty roar. The remaining spectators scamper off to the safety of their own lairs. Even the patrolling guards of the distant settlement will be able to hear the roar. The mysterious sound will serve as the talking point for those brave men of the watch, even as their sleep will be disturbed by the thought of what kind of being can produce such a sound. The patrols will double in intensity for the next few days as the guards nervously try to search for answers.

Yet, the days passed by without so much a change in the grass paths, and the sound quickly entered the realm of rumors…well, perhaps until now.

-----

The sun shines on as the town of Siebheln greets a new, sunny day. While it might have been a perfectly fine day for the majority of the town’s residents, the students of Matron Millia’s Adventure Guild knows exactly what day it is today: the Dreaded Field Examination Day. It’s the day where the Matron hands out tasks for predetermined groups of students to do. While it sounds inconspicuous enough, those tasks are usually deceptively tricky, deceptively challenging, or both. Moreover, those who cannot complete the tasks in time are given a veritable mountain of extra work on top of their usual school work.

If you’re thinking of skipping school at that day, go right ahead. At least you’d be less stressed when the extra coursework eventually somehow makes their way to the front of your room’s doorstep.

That’s not to say that the tasks don’t serve some kind of purpose. While no one outside the teaching staffs of the Guild would know for sure, the tasks seem to be ways for the Matron and her teaching associates to gauge the competency levels of the students. It’s said that those who repeatedly fail the test are better off not becoming an adventurer, bluntly speaking. Oh sure, there are others who think that they got what it takes to be an adventurer without the basics, but those people usually don’t last long…one way or the other.

That’s why, if you make your way to the Guild’s courtyard, you can see that multiple groups of literal student bodies have been assembled. You can already see from their faces who has an idea how to complete theirs or who has been completely lost. Some, in their confidence, have already took off to parts unknown for their task, while others have formed little circles of discussion in hopes to crack the puzzle of their own task. Some have even begun to form cross-group alliances in hopes of pooling their information. It’s still no guarantee to succeed, but at least they’re thinking outside the box.

If you try to search your name amongst the students, you’ll soon come across a pristine white parchment with your name and a couple of others’, your companions for the day. In the parchment was written as such:



Aster Starnja, Erin Mallory, Cleo Skysdottur, Hitomi Gerste, Jeanne D’eaux
Your task is as follows:

“A plant which grows in a place where the sun shines brightest,
wounds and maladies are amongst its effects,
A potent tool though it can be,
but handle with care lest it turns on you.”

You have until nightfall to return with a sample of the item.

By now, the majority of the other students have broken up into their own assigned groups, seemingly having a better idea on how to tackle their tasks or at least going down with a blaze of glory while trying. The sun’s slowly but surely creeping up onto the apex of the noon. You may still have plenty of time, but time waits for no one.

Feel free to not start at the Guild’s courtyard. This is just what happens if you’re not late to school like a good girl should. :p

[jamieth]

Today, unlike oftentimes, Erin wasn't actually late to school; a mile and a half run from her home to the Guild - across several farms's fences and one small river - was just what she needed for a warmup before what she, again, unlike many, really looked forward to. Sure, the chance of getting assigned a mountain of homework wasn't exactly a thing to look forward to, but a day away from classes? Sure!

And, as Erin thought, standing in front of the parchment, she actually got lucky this time - Stjarna was, as far as she knew, a well-known bookworm, and Gerste was really a prodigy who skipped classes - surely the two of them would be able to figure clues out. And Sky... Skys... the transfer student, she knew tons of cool stories to pass time on their way; and, of course, once they find the plant, it would be Erin's time to shine in getting whereever it might grow - and then getting back... see? Piece of cake. Oh, and D'eaux, of course... Erin didn't know what to make of her, honestly, but her grades were good, right? If she only was a bit easier to talk to...

"He-ey! Stjarna-san, Gershe-san!" she yelled, looking around, "We're in a group! Sky... Skys... Cleo-san! And D'eaux-san! Come here and look! Let's not waste time!"

Following her own advice, she stepped aside so as not hinder other students wanting to look at the scroll and started doing stretches.

[Kymme]

Cleo's voice proceeded her. It was well known that the foreigner always sang as she walked to school, but nobody seemed to mind. The song she sang sounded like a merry one, but its lyrics held a mote of sadness (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-HXfMvU85g).

"~Waylay, the din of the day
Boats bobbing in the blue of the bay
In deep far beneath
All the dead sailors slowly slipping to sleep~

~Oh woah, oh oh oh... la de da de da~

~My girl, linen and curls
Lips parting like a flag all unfurled
She's grand, the bend of her hand
Digging deep into the sweep of the san--"

Her song is cut short when she hears Erin's cry. "Mallory-san?" The girl spins around in circles, trying to pick out her classmate's face from the rest of the students milling about. The crowd threatens to overwhelm her, but she manages to dart past a group of students and make her way to Erin's side.

"Good morning, Mallory-san! How are you?" The two of them shared a handful of classes, but they hadn't talked much outside of school. Cleo had heard rumors about the shorter girl's athletic prowess and daredevil attitude, and they never failed to impress her. "Today is Field Inspection Day, yes? We don't have anything quite like this where I'm from. What's our challenge?"

[Smeggedoff]

"Some sort of medicinal plant" States Jeanne from behind the singing girl "Or poison"
She reads the clue again
"Something that grows in the desert perhaps?"

[Zaydos]

Aster approached the courtyard with a knot in her stomach. The bookwork she could do, if it was a quiz, or a test of knowledge she was fine, but when it came to practical examinations. She gave a silent sigh as she walked towards the others, head low. Seeing her group she was somewhat torn. It was nice to be paired with someone like Mallory who brought brawn to the table, but that just made Aster feel guilt for being liable to drag everyone down with her.

She waited quietly till she could approach the paper reading over it. "My first guess would be poison, but it lists wounds as well. Maybe some sort of poisonous cacti?" She suggests trying to wrack her mind for where the brightest place they could reach and return from by nightfall was, and what plants grew there.

[bekeleven]

"It's-" comes a voice from the crowd surging around them.

"It's obviously-" there it is. A girl, rushing to join them, was struck by a bag as someone much taller turned around; the tall girl didn't seem to notice. The smaller one spins in place from the impact, but this obviously isn't a new experience for her.

"All right then!" Tomi clears the crowd and takes shelter in the center of the group. "So, as I was saying, the clue is obviously..."

She reads it. "I... I have absolutely no idea what it is."

She'd expected something more magic. She's good at the magic, even if she can't cast too many spells. But the reading and writing about magic, that's Tomi's specialty.

Plants? What can she do with those?

[Powgow]

While the girls has been pondering the clue among themselves, others who are still hanging around the Guild’s courtyard had begun to do the same. In fact, some of them are beginning to get too comfortable on the ground, perhaps realizing they’re pretty much going nowhere fast…

“HEY! WHAT ARE YOU KIDS DOIN’ TO MY LAWN!?”

The voice belonged to one Reid Alisroch, gardener-slash-janitor-slash-general handyman of the building. Everyone around here pretty much knew that he has more love for his yard than for the students. Sure enough, one of the boys had done the grave sin of trespassing onto the carefully-tended field with little care, pretty much earning the man’s wrath immediately. The boy – and his group – wisely bailed before they have to dodge a literal flying broom, leaving the fuming gardener muttering barely-formed words while shaking his broom at them.

The other groups of students – again, wisely realizing that their safe haven had been all but compromised – uniformly and quietly skedaddles away, following the perpetrator’s example. The once-noisy courtyard have now suddenly become much quieter, only the sounds of the chirping bird and the faint sweeping sound of the now-working gardener’s broom are audible.

[Zaydos]

Aster let out a little cough. "I think we should get going ourselves. I think it's probably a 'Dancing Topaz' from..." She paused for a moment concentrating, "Page 48 of Madame Peachbaum's Big Book of Plants. They grow high in the wind, and can be used to knock creatures out, but can be medicinal as well. I... I don't know where nearby it would be growing, but there's a shop on the edge of town that might know where we could get some. Nightshade I think it's called."

She looked at the ground as she spoke, one foot idly, and nervously, up the toe of her shoe dragging back and forth across the ground.

[Kymme]

The groundskeeper's cry barely frazzles Cleo, though it does make her turn her head in curiosity.

"High and windy?" Cleo muses, watching the fuming man out of the corner of her eye. Her mind hearkens back to her Homeland, a world that lays beneath the shadows of colossal wings and shining scales. She remembers the times when she and her old friends would hitch rides on Wyverns and fly over the horizon in search of new places to explore. The horizon... that's it!

"It would grow on a mountainside, wouldn't it? Or on tall hills? I'm sure there must be some of those around."

[jamieth]

"We'll get a better view from the clock tower" Erin mentions, "still... it's not like we can hope to check all the hills around before nighttime. Let's check that Nightshade place... or we can split; I... think I damaged the shop's roof once... accidentally... and the owner probably won't be that happy to see me. So, who's with me to the clock tower? Mind you, there's a locked trapdoor, so we'll have to take a detour via the outer wall... plenty of handholds there, though."

[bekeleven]

"I'll head to the shopkeeper. I'm sure he'll be very helpful."

Tomi takes a beat-up stuffed pig from her bag and squeezes it, looking for strength.

"We don't know the way. Aster, could you please be our guide?"

[Zaydos]

Aster bit her lip lightly for a moment, before saying, "I, I ought to be able to. Let's get going before Mr. Alisroch gets any angrier."

She started off in the direction of the store, staying on the actual path to the best of her ability. "This way." Then she stopped, half turning, "Wait do we have a way to actually find each other or get a message through?"

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne shakes her head
"I don't. However if nightshade is on the end of town, we could meet up there after checking the clock tower."
She pauses, pondering
"Though that would assume that's the correct direction. I suppose meeting in the town square would be the best choice"

[jamieth]

"Communication... afraid not", Eri grinned, "Never could make heads freom tails on any of the magic classes - so, unless you've got something... meet at the square in an hour? Should be plenty of time."

Should no one have anything to add, she'll head to the clock tower to seek out the most interesting-looking mountain in the vicinity... and, hopefully, not get lost in thought while she's at it.

[roll0]

[Kymme]

"I'll climb the tower with you, Erin!" Cleo smiles, thinking of a song that might be appropriate for a climb up a tower.

"Meeting at the town square works for me. I know a bit of communication magic, but it isn't that powerful."

Then she follows after Erin, waving goodbye to the other girls.

[jamieth]

"See", Erin announced as the two reached the top of the spiral stairs, "when people talk about looking from the tower, they usually mean these windows, and, well, I suppose that's good enough to see most of the town. BUT! See the trapdoor up in the ceiling? It's the mechanism room up there; 'course, it's locked, so only the people who take care of the clocks itself can enter... and there's another door up there that leads to the catwalk around the tower, for cleaniong the clocks, I suppose. Now, if we want a really good look..." Erin produced a length of a rope with a grappling hook attacked out of her school bag, "we have to do this."

Leaning out of the window, she spun the hook and launched it upwards.
Use Rope is supposed to be rolled by the GM; Erin's modifier is +5; +7 since silk rope is considered masterwork

[Powgow]

The Clock Tower

Siebheln’s clock tower is the tallest building of the town, by a significantly large margin. Unlike big cities such as Arc’s Cross, there are less citizens of the town who can afford large housings, and the first town officials preferred to have their buildings wider, not taller. Why? Hey, I’m a narrator, not a historian. The fact of the matter is, the clock tower now stands out like a sore thumb, especially with its rather strategic location in the middle of the town. Serves its purpose all the same really, now what everyone in the town can do to tell the time is to turn to the middle of the town, and then look up.

Speaking of looking up, as Erin launches the grappling hook upwards into the ceiling, it manages to hook itself into an opening of the structure. The result isn’t exactly the most confidence-inducing rope in the world, but at least it looks sturdy enough to support you two…one body at a time anyway.

Have I told you girls that you’re all pretty dedicated? No? Well, now you know.

Once you Tarzan yourselves into the clock tower catwalk, you two are welcomed with the rather impressive sight of the town and its surroundings from the skyline. With the two of you there, looking for the place shouldn’t be that tough, especially when you two can split the burden.

Erin can choose to accept the 14 earlier or roll again, while Cleo can Aid Another to add to the 14 or roll for yourself, it’s your choice.


-0-

The Nightshade

The Nightshade – like any place of trade in town not the central trading post – is a small building, located at the town’s western fringe. It’s a conscious decision by its perpetrator, Mr. Holger, to avoid direct comparison with its main rival shop The Elixir, which is located at the town’s eastern fringe. While both are alchemical supply shops, each shops have their own niche market down pat. Elixir prefers to target the market of the town’s healing supplies, assisting the healers of town’s clinic. Nightshade, meanwhile, tries to target the hunters’ community, especially herbs to neutralize wild animals.

Once you enter the shop, you’re immediately greeted with the sight multiple racks filled with vials of various liquids and preserved plants. Mr. Holger – a middle-aged looking dwarf with glasses – is standing behind the counter as always, tending to a freshly-supplied batch of herbs. He raises an eyebrow in confusion at you all at first, but his expression quickly turns into the usual smile he normally uses to greet all his customers.

”Welcome, welcome~! Now correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t you all supposed to be at school at this hour?”

The only other customer in the store is a girl with pink hair looking at one of the far racks. She looks a bit older than you all, perhaps around 19 to early 20s. As you all make your presences known, the girl stops examining the vials before looking at your direction with an inquisitive look.

[bekeleven]

Seeing the older girl, Tomi's left hand drops inconspicuously to her waist, leaving Cola mostly out of view. She strides purposefully to the counter.

"Excuse me, Mr. Holgar, Sir, we were looking for some dancing topaz. For class. Do you know where around town it can be found?"

She keeps the older girl out of her field of view.

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne moves around the shop, peering at displays and trying to look interested.
Mainly she's keeping tabs on the conversation and the shops other customer.

[Zaydos]

Aster stood at the entrance to the shop. It was a simple question that needed to be asked, so Tomi shouldn't need any help. The girl's look at them piqued Aster's interest, but she didn't approach the older woman instead loitering a bit at the entrance as she wondered idly why the girl was interested in them.

Gonna try to make a Sense Motive check to determine anything I can about the girl's intentions towards us. Almost certainly won't learn anything but might as well.

[roll0]

[Kymme]

Cleo grins when Erin shows her the grappling hook. She'd heard rumors of the girl's daredevil nature, but this was another beast entirely. Cleo climbed up the rope with reckless abandon, smiling all the way.

"It's... a lovely view, I suppose." Cleo leaned out against the catwalk's railing, her hair tussled by the wind. "A little bit closer to the earth than I imagined, but a lovely view." She drifts off, humming a reprise of the song she'd been singing on her way into school. And then she spotted it.

"Oh oh oh! Erin-sama! Look over there!" Cleo points to a small plateau on the southeast side of town. "That spot would be perfect, no? A flat plain, high above the fields! We should tell the others!"

[Powgow]

The Clock Tower

Thanks to having a first class seat to the view of clock tower’s machinations, after you two are finished with searching the town’s surroundings it’s only a turn of the head away to notice that it’s already almost 9 o’clock. The clock tower’s caretakers still hasn’t noticed you two yet, but if you two take things in a more leisurely pace they’ll most likely notice the silk rope and grappling hook if nothing is done to conceal it.


-0-

The Nightshade

”Dancing Topaz? For classwork? I’m not sure what Millia’s thinking, but those things aren’t for kids…Though I suppose that’s the whole point, isn’t it? Are you sure you don’t want to just buy one from me?”

Holger then makes his way to one of the rightmost herb shelves, surveying the jars there one by one. After a few seconds of search, his expressions sours a bit before turning back to you all.

”Sorry girls, seems like we’re still out of stock for that one. Elphin still hasn’t returned from one of his usual trips to supply me with them. I believe he told me he’s going to be back tomorrow at the very least. Guess you’re stuck gathering them yourselves.” He then taps one of the empty herb jars absent-mindedly, his expression makes it obvious that he tries to recall a bit of detail. ”Hmm…if I’m not mistaken the closest place where those herbs grow is only an hour’s walk from here. As long as you all try to avoid the wild beasts around there it should be fine. Where was it again…North-East? South-East? West from here?”

”North-East, isn’t it? On one of the hills.” The voice came from the pink-haired girl, who by now has abandoned her search of the far racks.

”Ah, you were listening missy? Yes, I think that’s right. It’s a bit out of the way from Amauseral, so you all shouldn’t find anything unusual there.”

”Be careful though, I heard the animals there have been a bit restless lately.” She grins playfully.

[jamieth]

"E-eh", Erin suddenly mentions, looking at the clock for the first time - for, indeed, they were designed to be observed from a greater distance, "it's that time already... we need to get down, quickly - you go first, Cleo, I'll take the rope away... if they catch me here, well, won't be the first time, but for you, it might be trouble... eh, if i'm not down in fifteen, go to the meeing place and tell the others."

Taking 10 on Athletics to help Cleo with climbing down (result 16), taking 10 on Survival to retrieve the rope (result 15), taking a risk to get down without a rope [roll0]

[Kymme]

"it's that time already... we need to get down, quickly - you go first, Cleo, I'll take the rope away... if they catch me here, well, won't be the first time, but for you, it might be trouble... eh, if i'm not down in fifteen, go to the meeting place and tell the others."

Cleo interrupts Erin by extending her hand. "If we need to get down quickly, then grab on. We can just hop off and I can use my magic to help us land safely." She winks playfully. "I am part dragon, no?"

Cleo can use Feather Fall as a Spell-Like Ability once per day. That makes it kind of trivial to escape from high places.

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne frowns at the girls idea of banter
"Well that's not ominous or suspicious at ALL" she thinks, trying to get a better look to see if she recognises the girl


Spot check I guess? Or knowledge local? have both.

spot
[roll0]

Know: Local (capped at 10 as it's untrained)
[roll1]

[Zaydos]

Aster didn't like that grin one bit, nor did she like the words that went along with it. If the animals were restless then... She thought, biting her lower lip lightly. It was away from Amauseral which ought to mean it would be relatively calm and safe, but if what the pink haired girl said was accurate... Aster walked up to Tomi, extending a hand to grab her sleeve. "Let's go meet up with the others," She said, "We've got what we needed here and the sooner we meet up again the more time we'll have to get the Dancing Topaz." Mentally she added with dread, her face showing her fright, And hopefully not have to deal with complications. We're going to have to deal with complications, I just know it.

[jamieth]

"Wow", Erin grabbed Cleo-s hand wiothout hesitation, "isn't that convenient... never done something like that - should be fun!"

[Kymme]

"Don't worry," Cleo says. "I've done this many times before." And then she steps off the catwalk into space, with Erin beside her.

The fall lasts only a few seconds before bluish light clouds the air around them and the pair are caught in the shadow of immense wings. Then their feet touch the ground and all the high-budget effects vanish... except for Cleo's horns. They now extend a full inch-and-a-half from her brow, swept back and sleek like polished steel. The foreign girl doesn't seem to notice.

[bekeleven]

"All right then, yes." Things went as well as could be expected.

Tomi nods to the man and older girl. "Thank you, sir, ma'am. Yes, let's go meet them."

Tomi leaves the shop, trying to casually watch what the pink-haired girl does.

[jamieth]

"Oh, that's so cool!" Erin exclaims as they touch the ground, "OK, let's go see the others - if they managed to learn something, that's good, if not... I'll say going east seems a smart choice - and then we'll just wing it..."

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne inclines her head to the shopkeeper and the girl as she follows Tomi.

[Powgow]

The Clock Tower…’s Vicinity

While the citizens of Siebheln are no strangers to magic, most of them still aren’t really used to casual uses of it. They certainly aren’t used to girls jumping off the tallest building of the town casually like it’s nothing. Once you two touches the ground, you can definitely hear the murmurs of the eyewitnesses around you discussing what just transpired. While the impromptu crowds disperse just as quickly as they formed, there’s still a couple of ‘Must be some crazy school test’ and ‘Kids these days’ comments abound, perhaps proof that you two managed to rocket yourselves into the talk of the town for the day.

”Uh…little missy, you might want to do something about those things on your head first.” A passer-by courteously informs Cleo before continuing to go on his own business. Just like any other day of the week really…


---

The Nightshade

As you exits the store to the shopkeeper’s polite waves and the pink girl’s more energetic waves, you can see right ahead that it’s nearing the time for the promised meet-up. There’s still the matter of discussing and comparing your founding and your companions’.

Though as you all make your way into the center of the town, you’ll start hearing more and more passer-by gossiping about ‘rowdy teenagers’ or something to that effect. Wonder why that is…

[Powgow]

Town Square

The clock tower's needles indicate that the time is now 9.15. There's still plenty of time from your deadline, but then again there are no certainties in this task just yet with the exception of the answer of the riddle itself. The two separate groups has managed to find one another without much trouble, albeit with a few curious glances from passerby. Nothing really serious though, they soon leave you all to your own devices, and the Town Square has plenty of corners to make for a convenient place for private conversation.

[Zaydos]

Aster naturally gravitates towards the most secluded corner, waiting a few moments for someone else to speak. "It seems that Dancing Topaz grows on one of the hills to the north-east," She said barely above a whisper, "Did you see one in that direction?"

[jamieth]

"North-east?" Erin tries to keep quiet... tries being the operative word, "there was one! A nice place to start for sure!"

[bekeleven]

"I'm not from around here, could someone else lead the way?"

Tomi looks up at the other girls.

"I'm a very good follower."

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne nods
"We were warned of unusual animal behaviour though. And a girl I didn't recognise took unusual interest in our task" she says as the group prepares to leave "So be on guard"

[Kymme]

"Things on my hea-- OH!" She reaches up and pokes at one of them. "Whenever I use dragon-magic, they appear." Cleo sounds sheepish, even though she's speaking to nobody in particular.

Over the course of the next few minutes the horns fade away, going back to their usual size.

-----------------

"Erin and I saw those hills when we were on the clocktower! We could lead you there!" Still a bit off-put by the fact that they're not going to the plateau, Cleo's eager to put her enthusiasm behind another plan.

[jamieth]

"Oh well, so we'll have to deal with the animals if we meet them!" Erin exclaims, "No big deal! Let's go, everyone!"

[Powgow]

Eastern Gate

As you all approach the Eastern gate of the city, you all see two guards chatting with each other. At first they don’t notice you all approaching, but eventually as you all get closer one of them finally notices you all and motions for his partner to turn around. They try (and failing…) to look as ever-ready as usual to greet you all. The one who noticed you first, looking like the more senior of the two, opens his mouth to speak the usual guard-greetings and warnings for every citizens traveling outside…though his earlier gaffe pretty much dented his image of authority.

”…and make sure to be back before dark, girls!”

Meanwhile, if you look outside the gate, you’ll immediately notice that the wilderness outside lacks any sort of landmark except for the road…which goes straight east. Need to recall all those navigation tricks you learned from those Wilderness classes to not get lost!

Give me either a Knowledge: Nature or a Survival check from one of you to take point. One person may aid that check.

[jamieth]

"We have to, otherwise Matron Millia would kill us herself - or, worse, assign us more homework!" Erin grins, "OK girls, looks we'll have to make our own way here... let me think... from what we saw from the clock tower, I suppose the hill should be more or less... this way!" she pointed to the left of the road.

Aid Another on Survival: [roll0]

[Zaydos]

Aster looks around nervously, her blue eyes casting about the wilderness. It's alright, you can do this She thinks to herself, as her braid swishes with her turning head. "We're at the east gate, north should be to our left, we want to go north-east, what angle off of east do you think the hill you saw was?" As she walked the girl took note of the surrounding environment, biting her lip with worry about the animals they might encounter. "The shortest path would be to cut off at an angle and go into the woods straight towards the hill, but it's faster going on the road than in the woods, so we probably want to get closer to the hill and then cut off to reach it."

Knowledge (Nature); spending an inspiration point via Cunning Knowledge for +3: [roll0]

[jamieth]

"Ah, if you say so", Erin nods, heading forward along the road, "Tell me when it's the time to turn, OK?

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne takes up the rear, ready to keep a lookout ocne they get far enough away from town for it to be an issue

[Kymme]

"Staying on the path would get us there faster, no? Less walking through the forest."

Cleo follows in the middle of the group, head on a swivel. She begins to hum, cycling through about a half-a-dozen songs before settling on one she feels is appropriate her and her team-mate's current situation. It was a song that a great dragon prince had composed to woo an elven maiden - the story had a sad ending, but the song was cheerful enough. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5mfVD5kiCA)

"~I soared above an empty land.
I knew the pathways like the back of my hand.
I watched the earth beneath my feet.
Laid by the river and it made me complete.
take it to the chorus
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old, and I need something to rely on.
So tell me when you're gonna let me in.
I'm getting tired, and I need somewhere to begin.~"

As the five girls walked past a fallen tree, Cleo allowed her mind to wander. It never crossed her mind that they might be in danger.

[bekeleven]

Tomi finds herself humming along, Cola swinging carefree in one hand. She isn't good at music, or geography, but she knew enough to yield to those that did. Silent delegation. A measured response.

The chords are simple enough. She'd sung harder songs in chorus.

Not well, but she'd sung them.

[Zaydos]

"Alright then," Aster said, walking down the path, "Keep your eyes peeled for the hill."

She kept her gaze primarily to the left, watching for the hill top to the north as she walked.

[Powgow]

The Woods Outside

After some time of walking along the road, the hill’s rather impressive structure is visible on the distance, surrounded by what appears to be lots of overgrown bushes around it. The bushes seems to be the ideal place for smaller animals to hide, as it’s thick enough to obscure them but not tall enough to obscure bigger predators.

Once you all walk closer to the hill’s vicinity, you all would notice that there’s a path made out of shorter grasses that leads to higher ground. It’s not hard to guess that it’s there to facilitate the journey of Siebheln’s herbalists as they endeavor to gather ingredients at the top.

Aside from that, the base of the hill looks to be an idyllic place. The breeze that pass by every now and then gives the place that relaxing quality as well. No animal has announced its presence.

[jamieth]

"Look, seems we're on the right way!" Erin, who was still keeping in front, exclaimed, "looks like people are coming here all the time - must be safe..." was that a hint of disappointment in her voice? Most likely not, but still. "A nice place, too - let's find that flower quickly, then we'll have the rest of the day free! What do you think?"

[bekeleven]

"So Aster," asks Tomi. "You do know what Dancing Topaz looks like, right?"

[Zaydos]

"It's a distinctively yellow grass-like herb. Hopefully there won't be many other topaz yellow grasses on the hilltop."

[Smeggedoff]

"Well, we certainly won't find any chatting down here" Jeanne interjects "Let's keep moving"

[bekeleven]

"Er, right!" Tomi nods quickly, embarrassed. "Onwards, yes." She scampers up the path.

[Kymme]

Cleo has stopped singing by now. She hums a faint tune as she and her teammates ascend the hill.

[Powgow]

Goldenstone Hill

‘Goldenstone Hill’, called like that by the locals due to the abundance of materials that can reflect sunlight that can be found on its summit, has always been one of the locations outside of the Siebheln’s city walls that are considered quite safe for even civilians. It’s off the beaten path, not the usual place for predators to prowl, and perhaps most important of all: the scenery’s actually quite good. There’s a reason why this place is one of the Siebheln’s herbalists’ favorite place to gather ingredients, and not because it has one of the most diverse of ecosystems around.

As you all ascends to the top of the hill, you still don’t notice anything out of the ordinary at first. Just as you all continue walking however, the more perceptive of you will notice that something seems…off. For starters, it’s pretty unnatural to have no sign animals in a patch of wilderness like this. Even the bugs seems to prefer holing up in their holes and refuse to show their face.

Y’all can make an Awareness check to notice more things.

[Smeggedoff]

Hearing the rustling, Jeanne pulls one of her sickles from it's resting place and loosens the chain. Better safe than sorry, and one can search for a plant with a weapon in hand just as easily as without.

[bekeleven]

"I think I hear one of those animals that girl mentioned... Maybe we'd better speed up?"

Tomi cradles Cola, holding him gently, but ready to throw.

[Zaydos]

Aster nods, cradling her own weapon. "Sounds like one, we'll want someone to watch the rear and people on the sides so we don't get surrounded without knowing it," She said trying to remember tactical combat classes as best as she could.

[jamieth]

"Of course! It won't do if it leaves without us seeing it! Ok, I'll go first; Cleo, do you have any combat magic? Tomi, Aster, do you? Me and Jeanne would cover you if needed!"

[bekeleven]

"Mostly I rely on Cola to protect me," Tomi answers. "But, a little."

While they're talking, Tomi uses Detect Magic (Magical Insight) on her surroundings.

[Kymme]

"Combat?!" Cleo does a surprisingly good impression of a deer in the headlights. She thinks back to the scores she'd gotten in various combat evaluations before and after coming to Matron Millia's.

She hadn't passed a single one.

"Oh no no no no!" She tilts her head and extends her arms, palms out, obviously flustered. "I don't know how to fight! My only magic even remotely combat related is my dragonfire song! And that's not much, at all!"

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne hmms
"well we'll have to make do. Try to be useful where you can, hopefully we should be able to fight off a few wild animals even if we're not all amazing fighters"

[Powgow]

Goldenstone Hill

As you all chat among yourselves before trying your best to prepare for the apparent incoming wild beast, the rustling of the grass grows closer and closer until it abruptly stops. The respite seems short-lived however, as you all can see the outline of a significantly-sized quadruped in the distance. The figure moves quickly, as expected from a beast with a purpose, and before long its form is clear.

It appears to be a Dire Wolf, much larger than your average wolf. Once it notices your forms, it immediately stops its stride, eyeing your movements silently. It seems to be lacking in its predatory behavior however, no ferocious growl or even a menacing stare.

[jamieth]

"Oops..." Erin instinctively places herself between Cleo and the beast, "g-good... doggy..." the creature's sight, apparently, being enough even for her to reconsider being too hasty, "nice doggy... just... Go your way, would you... We mean no harm..."

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne tries to move slowly enough to not attract the attention of the wolf while putting herself close to the members of the party who have admitted they're not great in a fight.
While she does so she attempts to discern if any one member of their group has drawn the beasts attention


awareness?
[roll0]

[Zaydos]

Aster practically froze as the wolf emerged. She wasn't ready for this, she wasn't ready. She couldn't do this. She tried to calm herself, to hold her breath steady, and think coolly about the situation taking note of anything odd about the wolf's behavior.

[roll0]

[roll1]

[bekeleven]

"Everything will be all right. Just back away slowly, and, uh... try..."

Tomi's face flushes. "Try to look big," she mutters.

The girl stands still.

Ready an action to throw Cola (as a Giant Queen Ant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/giantAnt.htm)) in the 10 feet in front of the party if the wolf starts running any closer. The throw (include) is a move action. The include will last 6 rounds (or until expended) before Cola returns to regular stuffed pig status.

[Zaydos]

Aster swallows, her eyes going wide, as she turns away from the wolf looking back towards the hill. "Something is coming," She said fearfully, "Something big, something really big." She bites her lip as she scans towards the hill, the wolf forgotten in her concern over a possible larger threat.

Going to look to the hill this time... I hope turning my back on the wolf doesn't come back to bite me... literally.
[roll0]

[Powgow]

Since it's been quite some time, I'm going to skip Cleo's turn in order to move things on. She'll get plenty of time for reaction anyway.

Seemingly out of nowhere, those of you who turns your attention to the summit can spy another shape on the top of one of the plateaus above you. It's another quadruped shade of a creature judging from the distant shape. The answer will soon be provided to you however, as without warning the creature takes a great leap from its resting place to land at the road's clearing just ahead of you all, creating a veritable explosion of dust.

Once the dust settles, the creature's true form would little-by-little be revealed to all. At first glance it seems to be a canine, a wolf just like the Dire Wolf, but seeing the creature's posture upright paints the whole picture: It's standing almost twice as big as the Dire Wolf, and when it turns to acknowledge you all you can see that it possesses two identical heads. Both heads the turns skyward and let out a deafening howl, before again turning to face you all, snarling all the while. Amid the snarls, you all can make up a faint word that sounds a bit like...

"...Draaaake."

Meanwhile, the Dire Wolf on the other side of your flank seems to back down at the arrival of the beast at first, before snarling in deviance of the beast's intimidation. Her attention seems to be fixated on the two-headed monstrosity, not you all.

[Smeggedoff]

"Ah" declares Jeanne "that's unfortunate"

[jamieth]

"U-u-unfortunate?" no one ever called Erin Mallory a coward - in fact, it was usually considered she'd do well to be just a tad less brave, but now she was stuttering. "Y-you know... I think we should forget the test and head back tothe school... I'm sure they'll forgive us if it was because of something like this... more importantly, the adventurers need to know about this!"

[bekeleven]

They can barely be damaged. Without preparation, they can't be killed. The others are clearly in no shape to fight.

And it's faster than us.

"Everyone should go for help. I'll stop it here."

Bluff check: [roll0]

Change readied action: Faerie Dust the drake when it moves closer. (as the spell Glitterdust, DC 14)

[jamieth]

OK, so maybe Erin succumbed to a moment's weakness a moment ago. But, no matter what the threat was, Erin Mallory didn't leave her friends behind. "Can't do, Tomi - if you're staying, so am I. Tell me what to do - any weaknesses it has?"

[Kymme]

This is bad. Very, very bad. Cleo takes a few steps back from both monsters, her whole body shaking. "So, um... I should use my song now, no?"

[Zaydos]

Aster looked at the newly arrived creature, her body trembling a little with fright. Think, think, think. To defeat something you must understand it. What do I know? She practically screamed within her head. She wasn't calm, she needed to be calm. What did she know?

Not sure which it should be, theoretically it should only be one of these. Will be using Collector of Stories for +5 (included).

Knowledge (Arcana): [roll0]
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): [roll1]
Knowledge (the Planes): [roll2]
Knowledge (Religion): [roll3]
Knowledge (Nature, I highly doubt it): [roll4]
Knowledge (Local, for completeness): [roll5]

[Smeggedoff]

"Well if we can't kill it then maybe we can slow it down? Trip it up and then either run or have the fastest of us get back to town and inform the guards" Jeanne adds in a low tone of voice

Not that anyone will come to save us, we'll have to get out of this ourselves, as usual

[Powgow]

The two-headed beast growls one last time before crouching low to prepare to strike. Before it can do that however, the Dire Wolf behind you nimbly maneuvers around the group and intercepts the beast. Before the beast can react, the Wolf bites on its right leg, probably attempting to subdue it. However, the beast barely reacts before biting the Wolf in its neck and throws it by its jaw to the natural stone wall of the Hill to the left, the Wolf hitting the wall pretty hard.

Satisfied with disposing a nuisance, its eyes turn to you all with a hungry glint...


Alright, this is initiative time ladies. Thanks to the intervention, the two-third Cerberus' initiative is only 7.
The foremost girl of the group (Erin) is standing 50ft in front of it, just in range for it to run and bite you. The others are standing 5-10ft behind her, with Jeanne at the rear. Since this is a relatively narrow road, the road only have at most 20ft width at the right and left before natural wall (at your left) and pretty much a steep cliff (at your right).
The Dire Wolf is at around 20ft diagonally to Erin's left, injured but not out.

[Zaydos]

Aster Stjarna

"It's not of this world, or at least it's influenced by something from outside of it," She said, face blanched with fear. She leveled her crossbow at it, her hands trembling with fright as she did so. Focus. You have to focus. She thought to herself, letting her adrenaline flow through her, letting it fill her, steadying her hands as she pulled the firing mechanism launching the bolt towards the creature between its heads. The bolt in flight she fell back, moving 30-ft back to keep the battlefield clear.

Light Crossbow: Ranged attack (with precise shot if that's important) spending an inspiration point [roll0]

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne springs to the side of the creature, attempting to themove the easy cluster of targets, inky shadows coiling around her as she does. She concentrates for a moment, wreathing her sickle in white light which slips of in a different trajectory as she hurls it at the beast.


Alright wow, trying to trip would be a bad idea.

So, actions
Move - 30ft move to the side of the party and within range of the creature (using a reach weapon), triggering child of shadow stance

Standard - Shadow blade technique
[roll0]
[roll1]
both vs touch AC

[roll2] damage
[roll3] plus this much cold damage if both attack rolls would hit.

[bekeleven]

All right then, drake. You can't hurt us if...

Tomi gathers a ball of sparkles and light in her hand, and throws it past Jeanne, where it explodes on the creature.

Faerie dust, centering it past the drake so that it doesn't hit Jeanne. The invocation duplicates Glitterdust with a DC of 14 to avoid blindness, and the Drake will shed light as a torch.

[jamieth]

Erin Mallory

As her allies spread to divide creature's attention, Erin can't help but notice that, with the beast's two heads following Jeanne and the wolf, the Cerberus leaves the spot right between then open... well, relatively open, of course, but still, it might be the best time to act... no, it is the only time to act!

"Let's do it girls! That's what we were training for!" Erin dashes forward, crossing the distance between her and the beast in meer seconds, and launches a flying kick aiming right between the beast's heads.


Swift action: activate Brave Gambit
Full-round action: Charge attack: +2 for charge, +3 for luck bonus from gambit
Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

On a hit, all allies do +3 damage on their first attack until my next turn.

Status:
HP 30/30
AC 13 FF 8 touch 13

Initiative:
?? Wolf
24 Aster
18 Jeanne
16 Tomi
13 Erin
10 Cleo
7 Cerberus

[Kymme]

"Uh, okay... okay! Yeah! Training!" Cleo's mind searches in vain for the right words to string together into a sound of power. She backpedals down the path, attempting to put as much space between her and the two beasts as possible whilst still keeping all the girls within the aura of her song.

As soon as the first syllable leaves her lips there is a noise like thunder, and the weapons of all of her friends are engulfed in bluish lightning.

Move Action: AWAY.
Standard Action: Activate Inspire Courage, augmented with Dragonfire Inspiration. Thus forth, everybody's attacks deal an extra 2d6 electricity damage.

[Powgow]

First, the crossbow bolt struck the creature square right in between the curious gap among its necks. Then illusionary sickles sliced through the creature’s necks, creating trails of freezing air behind them. That’s before magical sparkles stopped the creature on its track and an overzealous girl basically used that opening to launch a very unladylike kick to the same spot the crossbow bolt struck earlier. All of those attacks basically hit their targets square and without resistance whatsoever, so you’d think the monster would be incapacitated or at least wounded, right?

Well, then you would be wrong.

After the dust settled, the quasi-Cerberus looks none the worse for wear, except for the momentary magical dust still clinging on to its eyes. With a loud growl, it just disperses the dust with sheer willpower, following its instinct on who to attack next. At the corner of its eyes, it spies the girl who threw the enchanted looking sickle earlier. Sprawling its body, the monster prepares to leap for its target…

…And that is when the four of you realized that time seems to stop and you would hear the voices inside your head.

You hear voices inside your head, it sounds like a boy’s. ”Hey! Uh…this might seem a bit weird and all, but you won’t be able to win with just attacks like that. Soon there’s going to be something glowing with magical power in your possession. Go take it into your hand and shout ‘Dragonbane! Pretty Cure Now Descends!’”

Now, you know what people say about voices inside your head, but this one sounds strangely trustworthy.

Your voice sounds like an enthusiastic and energetic girl, a bit like Erin I suppose. ”Hey you! Yeah you! Take the trinket I just gave you and shout ‘Dragonbane! Pretty Cure Now Descends!’ Just do it! Gogogo!”

Bossy as she is, she doesn’t seem to mean harm…

The one talking inside your head sounds a bit condescending, definitely a boy as well. ”You know, I bet the kick hurt you more than it hurt that thing. Why not just take the glowy trinket in your possession and shouts ‘Dragonbane! Pretty Cure Now Descends!’ immediately? It’ll do you more good than just flailing around aimlessly.”

…As smug as he is, glowy trinkets tend to be a sign of power, so he might have a point there.

Now your voice is a bit of a soft-spoken girl, a far cry from…well, basically everyone else’s. ”Oh, you’re…well, it works too. To obtain the power to defeat that beast, you must become a Pretty Cure! Take the magically-infused trinket in your possession and shout these words: ‘Dragonbane! Pretty Cure Now Descends!’"

Hey, now this one sounds like one of them proper mascots. Who would have thought of that?

As the voice fades and time seems to flow normally once again, you notice something in your possession glowing with power. Jeanne, meanwhile, only noticed the split-second difference of the creature in its sprawling position before it’s going to leap at her…


- The creature got 17 on its Will Save roll, but it doesn't seem to be immune to magic-dusting.

- As Transformation Is A Free Action, you can transform immediately before the creature acts. It restores you to full health and clear your nonlethal wounds (not that you all need it, I’d imagine).

- Don’t forget to describe your personalized trinkets and your transformation~. Remember that the trinket has somehow acquired a dragon motif post-magical infusion.

- Also don't forget that bonuses carry over post-transformation, they don't reset.

[Zaydos]

Aster

Aster wasn't normally one for listening to strange telepathic voices in her head, they could be fey or demons and those never had your best interest in mind. Even so it was that or run away, and she wasn't about to run away from the two-headed beast. She reached into her satchel and pulled out a small pocket journal, once plain but now with a dragon's eye and side of its face emblazoned on its cover, even rising up from it. She held it out in both hands in front of her and breathing deeply screamed, "Dragonbane! Pretty Cure Now Descends!"

(Do you want to describe the first transformation or should I?)

A swirl of stars seem to surround Aster, the light blocking her from sight. When the stars fade out her uniform has been replaced with a stylized suit of armor. On her head there is a tiara of navy blue, her hair braid split into a pair of pigtails, one side of her hair blue the other red. The armor which consists of a deep night blue breastplate, cape, and skirt, with knee high boot-like greaves. The cape, breastplate, and skirt are covered in a starscape, nebula designs on her pauldrons, and a Milky Way like pattern runs from just below her right pauldron to her waist like a sash. Her boots show a gradient from dark blue at top, to lighter blues, and finally violet, pale pink, and orange like the last dying lights of the sunset.

Cure Aether looks at the creature and swallows hard. She doesn't know it well, and she doesn't know what she can do either. This is a tight position. Still holding the book in one hand she looked at the beast. Words seemed to be forming in her mind, but she bit her lip hesitating for a moment. She moved forward getting within 50-ft of the creature.

Didn't quite have the range on my summon and it's not worth loading the crossbow instead of getting within range.

[Smeggedoff]

Jeanne swallows heavily, sending another sickle slashing fruitlessly (she imagines) at the beast, she hops backwards, igniting the whirling shadows one more before setting herself to be ready for the inevitable charge, and likely crushing blow


Fighting defensively, standard attack
[roll0]
damage
[roll1]

+2 ac

Move backwards 15 feet, igniting child of shadow and gaining concealment.

Planning to use counter charge manuever when/if the monster charges.

[bekeleven]

In her pocket, Tomi feels the unmistakable impression of...

She pulls a small stuffed tiger from the folds of her skirt. "Dragonbane! Pretty cure now de- descends!"

Thousands of tiny glowing objects surround her, resolving into caricatures and impressions of animal toys. Tomi rises into the air, arms at her sides, as her hair unclasps and flows behind her. The animals fall into her, her clothing dissolving into light, then shifting and popping into a white dress with green highlights.

One by one stuffed animals appear on her waist, starting with Cola, but the Pig looks different... a little more alive, despite the cloth and stuffing. A jewel on the girl's forehead grows a setting, which grows around her head into a tiara.

"I..."

The tiger is gone now, maybe into a pocket of her new dress. Perhaps it's for the best - it was never hers to own anyway. But in its place come feelings, and powers.

"I will save them."

Tomi prepares herself.

Ready Benign Transposition (Standard action cast) when the Drake attacks a classmate.

Once she swaps positions with said classmate, activate her Anklet of Translocation (Swift) to teleport 10 feet directly away from it.

[Kymme]

Cleo is beyond fear now. She rifles through her pockets searching for something glowing. Her fingers find a golden coin, emblazoned with a dragon's roaring visage. She holds it up to her face. Please... help me.

"D-D-Dragonbane! Pretty Cure now descends!"

A roll of thunder splits the calm summer air. Cleo is engulfed by a nimbus of swirling storm clouds, each one crackling with lightning. Each time the bolts strike her one of her garments changes. Her jacket becomes a poofy-sleeved, open-chested white longcoat, golden and blue highlights practically glowing with power. Her stockings change to become blue with vertical stripes and white cuffs. Her skirt becomes striped blue to match. She extends her hands outwardly and lifts off the ground as the lighting strikes her hands and feet. Fingerless white gloves form as do a matching pair of stiletto heels. Finally, and with much fanfare, her braid unravels and her hair spills out in all directions, turning from brown to gold. Her horns extend from her brow into magnificent spikes.

With a quick flourish she catches the last of the lightning bolts, weaving them together into a massive blue and gold spear.

When the stormclouds clear, another girl stands in Cleo's place. Gone is the frightened, sheepish storyteller. The only things writ upon Cure Tempest's face now are grim determination and righteous fury.

And then she beings to sing. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5koepEEiYU&feature=youtu.be&t=1m7s)

Cleo's first action after the completion of her transformation is activate her Include. Then she casts Inspirational Boost. Everybody's attacks will now deal an extra 3d6 electricity damage.

Then she spends her move action to get closer to the Drake.

[jamieth]

Erin barely has time to question the wisdom of her decision that currently landed her right unded the noses of a misterious creature. A condescending voice distracts her from that thought - and the next moment a small flask she always holds in her pocket starts glowing. Confused, Erin decides just to roll with it and shouts, unscrewing the flask, "Dragonbane Pretty Cure now descends!"


A stream of multi-colored wind bursts from the flask, enveloping Erin, and then, finding herself in the middle of the swirling emptiness...
Erin jumps and does a back somersault as her clothes dissolve and her hair lengthen and turn fiery red...
[B]“The wind of change…”
...as she lands, bike shorts are the first item of her outfit to materialize, soon followed by the shirt; immediately, she does a handstand;
“...filling the hearts with hope...”
boots begin to form around her feet raised straight up, and at the moment they fully materialize, she spreads her legs into a perfect split and starts spinning on her hands; at this moments, fingerless gloves appear and she flips back to her feet.
“...and tearing apart the wicked…”
Jumping again, she tucks and spins forward, doing a triple somersault before sticking the landing; the moment she does, a golden-and-blue tiara appears in her hair and Erin strikes a pose, pointing at the enemy,
“... you who disturbs the peace of our city…”
Lastly, almost as an afterthought, the skirt appears and Erin pauses for a moment to look at it and shake her head with curiosity mixed with a bit of disbelief, as if saying, [I]again? but then she looks up again and grins,
“...prepare to be blown away by the gales of Cure Hurricane!”

Erin now stands, looking remarkably different and clad in an outfit that many would consider garish, but Erin herself finds quite striking - and, unfortunately, she's still all to close to the monster. Well, time to do something about it, right? Cure Hurricane does a handstand, bends both her arms and legs... and then, ust as small whirlwinds form around her book, she yells, "Hurricane... charge... kick!" and straightens like a spring, bringing both boots in contact with the beast with a thunderstrike sound, the force of impact rebounding her away from the drake as she nimbly lands nearby after a somersault and ahndsprings further away to rejoin the others.

Swift action to activate Hurricane Charge
Standart action: Initiate Cartwheel Axe Kick. Dc 15 Acrobatics: auto-pass;
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Extra damage from maneuver: [roll2]
Extra damage from Ilumination: [roll3]
Extra damage from Cleo's Inspirational Boost: [roll4] electricity

Move: Tumble away; not sure of the exact distance, but ending up nearby the other girls, if possible. [roll5]

[Powgow]

In a split second, lots of things are happening. The double-headed wolf tries to close in on Jeanne, who respond in kind with her chain sickle. However, in a flash, the girl’s location’s distorted in a veritable magical dust. Once the dust settled, the black-haired girl has now been replaced by her younger classmate…or rather her younger classmate in a frillier dress. Due to Jeanne’s technique and said frilly girl’s…flashiness, the black-haired girl’s presence is almost completely obscured by the blinding light. Blinding lights, even.

However, the creature managed to at least make contact with something of Jeanne.

Before the creature could adjust to the new perceived threat, the sound of an attack being called fill the area, before two boots make contact with the left head’s jaw. The blow connects with a veritable thunderclap, leaving the creature actually reeling. The wolf’s both heads howl in pain, an expression that’s surely alien to it given that it hasn’t been threatened by almost anything in this plane in its rather short existence.

Enraged, the creature settles down to another pouncing stance. Identifying Cleo as the one who managed to wound him, the creature pounces again, teeth bared as it tries to return the favor to the girl.



• The wolf rolled a 22 on its first attack at Jeanne, with an 11 on damage roll. Go ahead and roll a 1d5 for a concealment effect of Child of Shadows. On a 1 it’ll only graze your cloak or something like that.
• The wolf rolls a 25 on its second attack at Cleo, with a 12 on damage roll. FYI and reference.
• I’m going to rule that Cleo’s tumbling to Tomi’s position, since she’s the closest to the wolf. Cleo’s now standing only 5ft besides Tomi.

[Zaydos]

Cure Aether

The transformation was odd, clothes, hair, and this feeling of power. Holding the altered book, she swallowed, and began to move forward, words shaping on her lips. "The forces of evil abound, so, Asteroid, I call you now! Crash to the ground!" A dark blue shape forms before her solidifying as it passes till it lands near the creature, rising to its feet, looking like a humanoid lamprey, three eyes ringing its mouth. Opening its mouth it releases a beam of energy first a powerful beam then a second smaller but more focused blast.

Move 30 ft closer (should put me within 20 ft), standard action to summon companion within 30 ft of me where it has a clean line of fire with its 45 ft line.

Companion gets to act immediately. Free action greater attack (due to Eager Companions feat) is a 45 ft beam which deals [roll0] Reflex DC 15 halves. It then can move, but should have no reason to, then makes its standard attack (as a standard action) which is a 50 ft ranged attack [roll1] dealing [roll2] damage.