Moonshae Tales (IC)

[only1doug]

The sky has been slowly darkening all day, and the smell of rain has been thick in the air. Now it has finally begun to fall, accompanied by loud peals of thunder that seem to roll across the landscape.

The sun is hidden behind massive stormclouds, and a cold wind blows from the north. As bolts of lightning begin to slam from cloud to ground and pieces of hail begin to strike the earth, the need for shelter becomes obvious.

Ahead in the distance, a cliff face rises from the ground, illuminated by the occasional lightning bolt. It seems rocky and solid, and though climbing it in this weather would be folly, it might have some outcropping that would provide safety from the storm. The only alternative is to endure the weather.

Run for cover!

[JanusJones]

Schakri shoulders his pack and picks up the pace as the rain begins to churn the remains of his fire into ashy mush. He walks with his shield slung and blade sheathed, leaning on his halberd like a staff.

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Forced march pace for shelter!

[only1doug]

A small stream of water run off leads you to a cavemouth, you can see that the right hand side of the cave seems to be higher and thus fairly dry, although you'll need to watch your footing on the rough cave floor.

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Looks dry in there.

[JanusJones]

Schakri unslings his shield and draws the blade at his belt, slinging his halberd across his broad back. Then, he takes a moment to listen outside the cave entrance.

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Perception: (1d20+6)[23]

[CryWolfCorrupt]

Hoping that his cloak hides him in the meld of cloud and rain, Tuka spots a small opening in the side of the cliff that could hide him better. No sense braving a storm only to make it to the next city a day early.

He's in no rush.

As he nears the entrance, he notices another outside with weapons drawn peering in. Leaving his falchion slung across his back, he slowly draws his shortsword and uses the cover of rain and darkness to get closer. As he nears, he attempts to note anything else that might pose a threat to him.

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Perception: (1d20+3)[14]

[only1doug]

Tuka Sneaks silently toward the back of the stationary figure.

Schakri hears nothing but the trickle of water from within the cave, but there is someone blundering around behind him.

(not very quiet)

[alanek2002]

Oloril arrives near the foot of the cave, soaking wet. He spots the two people near the entrance of the cave. Noticing them, he begins to cry silently, though the rain hides his tears. They are obviously not pirates, and they are less likely to be lost. He can Finally return to civilization. Still, he is discreet. He coughs loudly, to announce his presence.

[JanusJones]

Turning swiftly, Schakri presents his shield - a silver dragon rampant on a field of blue - and blade. He watches, cautiously, his mouth suddenly lit with curling flame.

"Friends or foes? I am of the Moonlit Seas, merchant out of Athkatla."

[alanek2002]

"Wet." Oloril says, Before frowning slightly, recognizing the Name. "Wait... You said Moonlit Seas! I thought I was the only one to survive the storm!" He exclaims!

[JanusJones]

Schakri peers through the gathering gloom and pounding rain. "Orolil? Well met." He smiles warmly, but keeps his blade handy, nodding at the cloaked figure. "We have company."

[Aldurin]

Ch'tik didn't enjoy the rain that much. While it did make him harder to notice when trying to pounce on prey, it made the ground slippery and not ideal for jumping, leading to some mishaps in the mud that fortunately only embarrassed him in front of some rabbits and an elk. The cold wasn't nice either, even though it wasn't the freezing temperatures he put up with back when he was a slave. It began to annoy him, as his arms with sleeves were being weighed down by the water, but the ones without sleeves were starting to get colder than the rest of him. But with the weather still raining strong he continues his search for shelter.

Noticing the cliff and the others approaching it, Ch'tik follows after them but remains unarmed. With any luck these people wouldn't be hostile, and if they were they would likely underestimate him if he wasn't holding any weapons.

[only1doug]

a sudden bright flash followed almost instantly by a loud crash of thunder reinforces the urgent need to seek shelter from the stotm.

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perhaps you should discuss this inside?

Edit: waving steel around during a thunderstorm may be even more dangerous than normal...

[JanusJones]

Schakri darts a glance at the heavens, then backs towards the cave, quickly. He nods to Orolil. "Let's get inside. If he wants to talk, he can follow."

[CryWolfCorrupt]

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Sorry about the delay, wife problems last night.

Tuka follows the men inside. "Well met. You see before you Tuka Roland, the exile by choice." He gave a small bow before reaching for Schakri's shield. "Interesting choice, a silver dragon. The "true friends," they're called. If you have a friend in them, you have a friend in me." Another bow and he sits on the ground, flipping a small stone between his fingers. "I hope this storm lets up, I need to arrive in the city tomorrow."

[JanusJones]

Schakri nods warily. He keeps his blade to hand as he shakes the water off.

"City? Where?"

[CryWolfCorrupt]

Tuka pulls the hood from his head and shakes the water from his shoulder-length hair. "I don't really know, to be honest." He admitted, pulling a book from his backpack and drying the cover with his shirt, which was protected from the water by his cloak. "My father told me of a nameless city that housed many corrupted spellkeepers. A place where magic was used to drive a wedge between the wealthy and poor. To take lives and destroy families. I intend to find that city someday and cleanse it." His voice trails off towards the end of the sentence and he remains quiet for a time. "My only goal is to find at least one city a week until I find the one I am looking for." He quiets and begins looking around the cave. "We need a fire or we'll freeze in here."

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Cast Dancing Lights around the cave.
Search: (1d20+8)[11]

[alanek2002]

"So we have three who have little idea where a city is... And a fourth" Oloril says, glancing towards the four armed stranger.

[JanusJones]

Schakri keeps his blade at the ready as the newcomer moves forward, and edges to put his back to a wall.

"We are ill-met by thunder and rain - it would seem fate is playing some sort of hand here."

"First, names. I am Schakri Ir. I was on the Moonlit Seas as guard against pirates. Should one of you two be one, I am your enemy and will fight you fairly."

"If not, and you bear me and my friend no ill will," he nods here to Orolil, "I can keep us all from the cold. Perhaps we can find some common goal, if only to last the night amicably."

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Diplomacy, even though it's of no use on PCs.

(1d20+5)[6]

[only1doug]

A slightly twisting path leads into the cave, a fast moving stream of rainwater run-off originates from a cascading waterfall on the left but the dry path twists right and widens into a larger space.

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Ch'tik notices that the path is well worn, looking closer he notices a few small fragments of chipped bone, widely separated (marked as a white b on map).

[CryWolfCorrupt]

"Provided you not try to harm me, I shan't try to harm thee." Tuka says with a small smile. Noticing the waterfall, he adventures a little bit deeper into the cave, wary as always.

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Perception: (1d20+8)[10]

[JanusJones]

Schakri nods to Orolil, and follows.

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Perception: (1d20+5)[17]

[alanek2002]

Oloril Follows, Also wary.

"My only concern is that we will not be the only things to seek shelter here..."

[only1doug]

Three figures have disappeared into the cave, leaving a four armed shape, waiting in the storm. Lightning strikes in the area suggest that getting into shelter soon is vital.

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Waiting on Aldurin to post.

[Aldurin]

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Sorry, didn't realize that we were still outside given the map saying we were inside and the DM giving the results of a hidden spot check of the stuff inside the cave.

Ch'tik remains silent, intently watching the other three so he can understand at the very least their potential for hostility. On the way in he does kick over some of the bone to make sure that the others are aware.

[only1doug]

A harsh grating noise fills the cave, of rock grinding on rock.

A line of 10 skeletons march out of the wall and into the rain, then the grating noise is repeated.

they came from L20

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they don't seem to have noticed you.

[CryWolfCorrupt]

Tuka ducks back as quickly as possible in the opposite direction, pulling his hood back up and stashing his things back into his pack. "Shh shh shhh..." as he points at the skeletons, he gets a little closer to the wall and draws his sword as quietly as possible.

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Stealth: (1d20+6)[8]

[Aldurin]

Ch'tik stays still, leaning against the wall and intently watching the others while waiting for the right moment, or the least wrong moment if the human's attempt at sneaking up on undead is going to go as well as he thinks it it.

[JanusJones]

Schakri shoulders his shield and charges forward!

When he rounds the corner, he heaves a great breath. When he lets it out, the cavern is bathed in an enormous gust of silvery flames, reaching all the way to the mouth of the cave!

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45 foot cone, DC 15 Ref save for 1/2 damage, minimum 1. Damage is fire: (1d3)[1]

Targets are entangled for (1d4)[3] rounds. Each round they take 1d6 fire damage at the start of my turn.

Entangling means 1/2 move, no run or charge, -4 Dex penalty, -2 to attack, and a DC 15 Concentration check to cast.

[only1doug]

A line of flame reaches out from the large Orc, clinging to the ground and the surface of the stream, all of the skeletons seem gripped in its fiery embrace.

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I moved you to L19, as that was the only spot that would get all the skeletons. I didn't bother rolling their reflex saves

[alanek2002]

"well... I wasn't expecting undead to shelter here. But I called it all the same!" Oloril Calls as he moves and Launches a Bolt of Silver Radiance at a Skeleton!

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Damage: (1d6)[3]
Reflex 15 for half
moves to F19, attacking L17