Kingmaker in the Forgotten Realms [IC thread]

[jdizzlean]

Having clearly been seen by those she had been attempting to spy upon herself, Akara stops at the edge of the clearing, up in the branches of the tree providing the biggest trunk to hide behind, and peeks out to address the orcling that is yelling at her.

"Spirit? Greenbelt? WOLFTOOTH?, what by all that the Lady of Silverstream Halls holds dear are you blathering on about?"

And put down that lance before I show you the proper way to wield it!"

Spoiler: ooc

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opposed cha check, diplo/intim whatever

(1d20+8)[11]

Akara readies an action to cast Charm Person should Dergosh or another approach to close to her position (35 ft, WILL DC 16) at CL 6 to overcome any SR

[Mercurion 2]

“Don’t know any Lady Sliversteam,” Dergosh mangled the name in reply. “But Wolftooth Company settling all of Greenbelt,” he said, emphasizing the woods in general with a wave of his mace. “We let you keep tree if you behave, otherwise we cut it down to make home for new orcs. You choose.”

He continued to advance, making flicking motions with his wrists as if shooing away a cat.

[Zombulian]

“What in Tiamat’s name...”
Ruk squinted at the approaching flying figure. It had features reminiscent of the Fey the group had already encountered in the wood, but something was... different.
“Wait, Dergosh let’s not be hasty.”

Spoiler: OOC

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Ruk is nervous. Considering how many of the party’s daily resources have already been spent, he’d rather try to talk to this creature since it didn’t outright attack them like most things they’ve chanced on in the belt.
Also Know (Local) to recognize Illumian traits
(1d20+6)[23]

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Ruk

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Not only does Ruk identify those sigils orbiting Akara's head as Illumian in origin, but he also recognises the term 'Lady of Silverstream Halls' -- that's the formal name of Soarara "Longtresses" Phondipar, one of the seven principal lords who rule over Emmerock; Silverstream Hall is the seat of house Phondipar and stands in Boldo's Vale, in the southeast of Emmerock. Ruk listens to things.

[bcool999]

Kuros makes no overtly hostile moves to the new arrival, though he does draw a couple javelins and his bow in exchange for having his hammer and gladius at hand. Upon seeing Dergosh being his normal diplomatic self, Kuros decides to step in with his simple wisdom.

"Greetings stranger," Kuros begins, "Let's start with names if you come in peace. I am Kuros, and I am curious who you are and what brings you to this corrupted corner of the Greenbelt."

[BluesEclipse]

Korlann tenses as the lights flare from the unknown figure, hiding his weariness under a stern expression as he prepares for the possibility of another battle. However, as the figure speaks, he frowns for a moment. The Lady of Silverstream Halls... why do I feel like I've heard that name before? He keeps his gaze fixed on the newcomer as he considers this.

Spoiler: Knowledge (Local) from Korlann

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(1d20+5)[22]

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Korlann

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Korlann remembers that the term 'Lady of Silverstream Halls' is the formal name of Soarara "Longtresses" Phondipar, one of the seven principal lords who rule over Emmerock; Silverstream Hall is the seat of house Phondipar and stands in Boldo's Vale, in the southeast of Emmerock. The traders on Xin Jubei had some dealings with that part of the realm, but Korlann himself obviously hasn't.

[jdizzlean]

"Kuros, that is a strange name for a 5,6,7,8 limbed being, what are you some kind of spider-man-giant? Call your pet orcling off before he gets hurt and maybe we could have a civil discussion by your fire. I'll put down my weapons, such as they are, and you'll all put down yours, and we'll promise not to kill each other for the next half hour or so at least.

As to how I came to be here, that is a tale best told another time perhaps, suffice it to say that last night I was walking down the streets of The Eaglesroost with some dwarven friends of mine consuming a rather large amount of Dwarf Lite, and today I've awoken in this strange place, with naught but a bad dream and a worse hangover to show for it. As to the hangover, if you could ask your friend there to stop yelling at the top of his stupid lungs, that would be a good first sign of good faith betwixt us.

Now, what say you all!?!"

[Mercurion 2]

*Dergosh looks around for the source of the yelling*

[almondsAndRain]

Three muttered to herself, “Enough people have died today,” and lowered her new crossbow away from her face. She refused to disarm herself though, still keeping a firm grasp on the weapon with her right hand- at least until the stranger showed less aggression. Especially since she may very well be a spellcaster, who have no need to be armed, like those hapless gnomes pretended to be. The situations ring similarly enough, anyway, and she'd be damned before she encouraged her allies to make themselves vulnerable in front of an unknown threat.

The warforged looked up to the shining, flying, humanoid threat and spoke: “We don’t have a fire. What we do have is more evidence of the dangers of this forest, by way of our newly slain companion,” Three gestured at Gakan’s still-fresh corpse with her free hand, “Land and speak with us. Prove that you are not another danger, here to kill another of us or steal more of our animals. We’re tired, we’re injured, and we’re still accounting our losses- but I guarantee you we are not the type to put you down without reason.”

[jdizzlean]

No fire? in a camp? IN THE WOODS?

First making sure her ring shows the unknown glyph, Akara slowly lowers herself to the ground, there finding a suitable armload of deadfall, she walks slowly into the camp proper and throws it down in pile. Scuffing the ground to make a dirt clearing for the fire, she makes a show of setting her crossbow to the side, in fact offering it to the many armed man who seems the most reasonable of those who have spoken so far. With a meaningful glance to the construct, and a smirking wink to the kobold she mutters a few words in draconic

Spoiler: ooc

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cast burning hands, ignite wood, release spell



Akara is a young but fetching Illumain maiden. She appears as just a normal traveler, other than the wings protruding from her back. All her armor is worn under her tunic. Her gear is worn, but tailor made to fit, allowing her to still have style despite the utilitarian nature of it. She holds the gaze and attention of all who would look her way with the power of her presence.

There, now there be fire, come, sit, and talk. Perhaps tell me how you've come to be in these woods, just where in all creation we are, and maybe share a tale about your fallen comrade there. I regret that I have neither the ability to offer you drink, nor the inclination to join you in it just yet. I don't have much, but i'm willing to share it nonetheless.

Akara pulls a trail ration from her pack, breaks it in a few pieces, and sets it on a cloth to her side, she takes a bite, and awaits some response.

Spoiler: 00c

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having released the readied action to cast charm person, she'll ready an action to cast glitterdust, as soon as she's able in case things go south

[bcool999]

Seeing that they are losing the light, Kuros sighs and sheathes his weapons (his trusty shield staying at the ready for defence) before sitting at the fire made by their newest visitor. "We may as well camp here for the night. I know we had wanted to escape the corruption field before that but we would be bumbling around for half the night to make it to the edge from here." Kuros says with resignation before turning to their fey guest, "I notice you still refuse to give your name stranger. If you fear reprisal for past actions I can almost assure you your caution is unnecessary. Hells, we have even taken in a werewolf before, and we are as motley a crew as you are like to find in all of Emmerock."

Moving on to her questions, Kuros says, "As to where we are, this is the Greenbelt, also known as the Southernmost border of Emmerock, or the Stolen Lands, though no one could say who stole it or even who holds it if anyone. A writ of Charter issued by the Lance Lords of High Emmerock under the authority of the Regent of the Dragonmount Throne brings this band of misfits out here to explore these lands, clearing them of bandits and other hazards as we go, likely in preparation of future settlement of this vast wilderness. As for out companion Gakan... he was a very private man who preferred to be out of the way and out of sight. Even if the rest of us were fighting for our lives."

[jdizzlean]

I haven't refused, I simply haven't been asked yet, at least not without the threat of harm from many a weapon being used to do the asking...

My name is Akara, and I have no past crimes to answer for, in fact until recently making those who do was part of my duties. You say you have a writ from the Lance Lords? May I see it, for I wish to verify the signatures.

If these others won't join us at the fire, perhaps you could introduce them in absentia to me?

As for myself, I attended the Collegium Magicae where i graduated ut Sublimis before returning home to serve my Lord for a time. i was granted leave to pursue... other things. For a time, I have wandered the Realm. Yesterday I was celebrating my name-day with friends, and today I've awoken here, in this accursed place with naught but a fleeting memory of a dream and the words "stag lord" in my mind.

Spoiler: OOC

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Collegium Magicae is latin for magic college, ut Sublimis is latin for Magestic Order. These are just made up things to make me sound cooler :p a knowledge (arcana) check, maybe even local, might reveal this based on what Saint wants to do, if anyone even cares :)

[Mercurion 2]

Dergosh scratched at his burned ear as he listened to the newcomer. He hated the sense of the corrupted ground here, but fire was always good. He crouched down on the far side of the crackling blaze, weapons still at the ready should this “dryad” prove untrustworthy. He called Pig over to him, inducing him with another small chunk of dried food.

“Stag Lord,” the cleric grunted. “Wolftooth company killed bunch of Stag Lord’s goblins.” He scratched Pig absently as he expounded. “We on way to kill Stag Lord, drive him out of Greenbelt, only had to take care of tree goblins first, and plant deer, and werewolf, and wolves, and birdbear, and Muckmuck, and tomorrow another bear.” He shook his head. “Been busy.”

[Zombulian]

Ruk let loose an exhausted sigh, eyes wide, as Dergosh recalled the company’s recent escapades.
“We *have* been through a lot.”
Ruk looked at Akara and then started rooting through his backpack, pulling out his copy of the contract.
“Here, we’ve all be given identical copies. Judging by your sigils I’d wager you’re an Illumian, but I can’t say I’ve ever heard of an Illumian with wings. Also I noticed one of them references Lady Phondipar, is she the Lord you mentioned?”
Ruk looked around the wood for a moment.
“As Dergosh already mentioned, the name Stag Lord does indeed hold meaning for us. He seems to be the biggest bandit warlord of these parts, and we’ve already dealt with some of his cronies. You say you don’t know how you ended up here, which I might call suspicious... if I hadn’t been traveling through the belt myself. This is a queer place.”

[jdizzlean]

*uninteligible mumbling, mumble, mumble, that does mumble mumble signature matches, mumble*


Handing the parchment back to Ruk, Akara straightens up just a tad. It appears that your papers are in order. As such, I request to join you in your endeavor, it appears that for the time being at least our goals are aligned. Perhaps you could fill me in on this Stag Lord, and what your next steps are so I might be better prepared for them.

[Mercurion 2]

Dergosh for one was not the least bit surprised whatsoever by the newcomer’s sudden desire to join the Wolftooth Company. Of course everyone want to be Wolftooth, march behind snarling wolf banner, kill all goblins who stand in way. Only fools not as smart as Dergosh would think otherwise. Sooner, rather than later, he expected a vast army to rally behind their cause as they tamed the Greenbelt. Only, it was very important that this Akara understand her place in the Company; it was very important she understood who was in charge.

“Three in charge,” the cleric said, pointing a thumb at the warforged. “If she say it OK, you can become Wolftooth.”

[almondsAndRain]

Three had been standing a distance away from Akara’s fire for two reasons, one tactical and one personal. The personal reason was simple- one of the Company died in combat. While she could not honestly say that she liked Gakan, in the days leading to his death he had shown at least a small level of courage. If his neck had not been snapped by the monsters of this forest, if he had not been murdered, then perhaps he would have grown into a brave warrior and a decent man. And after he saved her and the others’ lives from the band of adventurers that infiltrated their camp at night, she felt that he had paid back some of what he owed the party for all the times they saved his life. So, out of respect for the man that could have been, Three had placed Gakan’s corpse in the center of her wagon and was preparing it for its eventual burial- her time with Reda had not been spent dealing with only the undead, after all.

The tactical reason was that while combat here was not likely, it was still possible. And with the stranger confirmed to be a spellcaster- and seemingly an arcane one, no less!- it was best for the Company to remain scattered in the field, in case area spells such as Fireball or Entangle begin getting lobbed. But as the conversation went on and became more amicable, Three had begun considering putting an early stop to the funeral preparations so she could join everyone around the fire.

Then Dergosh mentioned her being the leader of the Company, and the decision to join the conversation was made for her. The warforged did not consider herself in charge at all, in fact if she had to nominate anyone to be the leader it would probably be Korlann. She stepped off her wagon and walked to the fire, and spoke to the winged humanoid. “Well… the Company operates off of consensus.” Three looked at the woman, taking in what she brought to the table- if th woman wanted to join the colony, then Three wouldn’t care at all. That was fine. As far as Three was concerned, all are welcome there until they cause trouble. Joining the Company was a different matter.

But the woman was a caster, which appealed to the artificer on both a personal and tactical level. The last female arcanist Three met was Reda, and the two of them got on very well. And the Company was in desperate need for on demand, arcane hellfire- something every battle they fought in reminded her of. And the stranger can fly, without magic! That had a myriad of combat applications, including forward scouting (something else the Company desperately needed, that she was again reminded of every time they fight). But if this was a trap, and the woman was sent by the Stag Lord, then the Company would be in deep trouble. All it would take would be for her to turn her magic on the Company at a critical moment in battle, and then Arkara could fly away laughing.

After a moment, Three shrugged her shoulders at Arkara. She would not decide for the Company whether this woman should join them, but she could certainly put a vote down on it. “As a spellcaster and a creature capable of flight without the need of a spell, you bring a lot to the table. We’ve recently become short-staffed as well. I… don’t believe the Company ever decided on a leader, but I vote for you to join us.”

[BluesEclipse]

Korlann assists Three with moving Gakan's body, as well as with any needed preparations to lay their comrade to rest, though he does keep a wary eye on the newcomer. When Dergosh mentions Three as the leader of the group, he pauses, considering the matter as he follows the warforged over to the fire, sitting near Ruk and taking a closer look at the newcomer before nodding at Three's comment. "We may not have elected a specific leader, but you have been taking it upon yourself to handle the company's coffers, equipment and the like. I have no qualms about you being considered the leader of our little band here. Likewise, I agree that Akara here could certainly offer quite a bit to our efforts." Turning his attention fully to the Illumian, he says, "Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner, by the way - it's been a rather difficult day. I am Korlann Zehk, warrior of Leshinnik Dalthor and student of Thessaris Valenti. I can't speak for all of my friends here, but I'd be happy to have you join us."

[Saintheart]

The Temple of the Rose
Deep Woods, the Greenbelt
Morning, Eighteenth of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

The morning sun rose blood-red.

Nobody got a full night’s sleep. Nightmares had stampeded through the Company’s rest, powerful visions of blood, blades, screams, teeth shoving them out of rest across the night. Three had watched as one after another a Company member (even Ser Pig) jerked in their sleep, blinked a moment, and then turned over and tried to rest once more. In some ways, even that rest was perhaps preferable; Three hadn’t had to enter shutdown mode, but her sensors continued to register something on the air, something like a burned smell of metal, like a misfiring component.

Jhod seemed to be getting the worst of it. All the Company were showing signs of the nightmares, but Jhod’s momentary wakenings from the dreams were accompanied – or preferenced – by moans and even tears streaming down his sleeping face before he woke up. But the middleaged cleric said nothing of whatever he was being visited with. The only testament to the night he allowed was a sheen of sweat on his balding forehead, which he wiped aside from time to time as he prayed to the Earthmother for his spells in the dawn light.

Gakan’s body was the only one that hadn’t moved during the course of the night.
Or at least Three couldn’t tell whether it had.

They quietly packed, and it only took Jhod’s trembling hand to point further west by southwest to indicate their direction.

It didn’t take long before the mules started to get nervous. The woods had gone quieter and quieter, their wagon’s creaking the only noise in the stillness. Even the wind was dying down. The undergrowth became thicker and thicker, the brush deep enough that it was difficult even to keep the wagon moving.

Boss, said Eral. The gen had been subdued this morning; this was the first time he’d spoken. There’s something up ahead. Major league. I’ll be able to give you spells if it comes to it, but I’d really prefer to keep a low profile on this one.
“We’re almost there,” said Jhod, suddenly. He’d gone pale, and pointed ahead once more, to a thick, tangled mass of brambles like a wall of brush. He blinked, looking back at them, eyes glassy. “Through here.”

The mules would go no further. No matter how Three cajoled them, they dug in, whining and groaning, and wouldn’t take another step further. Ser Pig was grunting, pacing back and forth, but also refused to take another step deeper into the woods.

Such reticence was not shared by Jhod. The cleric combed his hair over his brow again, fingers coming away wet with the sweat there. With one more glassy look at the Company, he turned and pushed into the brambles and the undergrowth. There seemed little the Company could do but leave the wagon and Ser Pig to guard it, and follow Jhod.

The thick tangle of brambles gave way shortly into a large clearing in the woods, its border partially defined by ruined stone pillars. They came in from the east. The western face of the clearing was just on two hundred feet from them. It was dominated by a looming, upthrust ridge of rock, nearly three hundred feet across and rising to a moss-topped height of a hundred feet at the center. The side of that towering boulder facing the clearing had been carved in the likeness of an immense rose, leaves drooping from the weathered stone flower to frame a fifty-foot wide cave entrance.

A flight of stone steps led up to this cave entrance from the forest clearing. The steps and the great stone rose felt old – ancient – and were thickly encrusted with layers of moss. A fifty foot long oval pool lay in the middle of the clearing, its waters thick with algae. A momentary eddy in the air stirred a patch of dead, fallen leaves. They rustled, danced, rolled, tumbled, and finally, came to rest at the water’s edge.

The cave entrance was shrouded in shadow, the sun not yet fully over the clearing and obscured by trees and masses of brambles on the east side. As the last members of the Company emerged into the clearing, they were met with a rumbling growl, echoing from the cave. No normal bear had ever made such a low, primitive sound. They couldn’t see it yet, but it was immediately apparent that there was something strange about all of this.

Spoiler: OOC

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What do you do?

[Mercurion 2]

A nagging concern with leaving Warrior Pig back in the wagon troubled Dergosh as he plodded towards the brambles. Despite the sickness of the land here, wolves or some other corrupted threat might show up again to trouble Pig, but moreso he was concerned that they were forced to leave a proven fighter behind. Nonetheless, any wolves or aggressive plants would be in for a surprise with Ser Pig on guard.

Hearing the weird rumbling noise, Dergosh briefly halted and cocked his head, trying to listen with his maimed ear. Not cave bear…must be Poison Bear like said.

The half-orc began slipping forward, sliding the big Gruumsh-spear from the sheaf on his back, until he reached the nearest pillar. He craned his neck to try to get a look at the pool and judge its depth, though it seemed unlikely given the algae crusting the surface. With the reverberations of the rumbling growl still echoing, Dergosh muttered a short invocation and a rusty haze cloaked his upper body in the approximation of a shirt of orcish mail.

Spoiler: Actions

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Draw harpoon while taking move action to move to behind the pillar directly east of the mid-point of the pool. Then use standard action to cast shield of faith.

[jdizzlean]

Feeling increasingly ill at ease the closer they've gotten to this place, Akara wastes no time. Quickly moving to the south along the tree line, she stops at the second pillar back from the stairs.

Spoiler: ooc

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ready an action to cast hail of stones in case the bear steps outside.
ranged attack: +5 attack bonus, +5 CL's, +5 CHA (1d20+15)[26] for (5d4+3)[19] damage
no save, SR yes

[Mercurion 2]

Spoiler

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I think you only get your CL + CHA bonus to the attack roll (not BAB as well). Although, that spell is confusing because there are different versions in different sources.

[Saintheart]

Spoiler

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On that one at least I think it'd have to be the Complete Arcane version, because it's the only source that actually puts Hail of Stone on the Warmage spell list. Spell Compendium, Underdark only grant it to Sorcerer/Wizard, and Oriental Adventures only gives it to Wu Jen or the Stone domain. Of course, the C-Arc version removes any ranged attack roll at all, so I doubt that'll cause dizz any grief!

[Saintheart]

The Temple of the Rose
Deep Woods, the Greenbelt
Morning, Eighteenth of Kythorn, Year of Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

Dergosh and Akara acted first, moving quickly into the clearing, Dergosh sliding the weapon from its resting place across his shoulder while Akara gathered the powers of the universe inward, readying herself for…

The creature emerged.
Akara waited until it had fully emerged into the morning light, but even then, sheer shock might have compelled her to do so anyway. The creature was titanic. A good ten to twenty feet long, hugely muscled. Its fur was thick and black, but patchy in places, like it was … unfinished. Where the fur was bare, the creature’s skin was iron-grey, as though it had been burned long ago somehow. Great paws thudded on the rock of the cave it stood in, crested by thick, twisted claws. The great head turned to survey the intruders. Yellow eyes burned with hatred …
… and intelligence.

The power crested in Akara, and she loosed the spell, calling a hail of stones into existence that poured out of the sky in a column of rock, right down on the beast.

A purple aura swam into existence around the beast. Though the hail of stones continued to pour down all around the creature, where they would have otherwise made contact, the stones disappeared, consumed by the ethereal purple haze surmounting it. Akara and the other spellcasters in the party knew that sign well enough, or had heard of it well enough: it was the marker that a creature had an inherent resistance to spells.

The beast swung its head to regard the puny things before it.

It growled again. And the growl became a snarl, and the snarl became a roar, a roar that reverberated off the stones and broken pillars all around them, bouncing all around, as the beast defending the Temple of the Rose screamed its challenge at them.

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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So yes, it’s got Spell Resistance. I rolled a Caster Level check; roll of 3 for a total of 8, unfortunately...

We’re into normal tactical time. As is my normal practice, I’ve rolled initiative for everyone to save us some time:

Three: +9 – 27
Dergosh: +10 – 21
Kuros: +4 – 20
Korlann: +3 – 15
The Beast: +4 – 15
Jhod: -1 - 14
Akara: +8 - 10
Ruk: +0 - 1

Over to you.

[Mercurion 2]

Dergosh studied the immense bear as it emerged at the top of the broken staircase. Poison bear even bigger than Bearclaw swamp bear. Will have to dig *big* pit to bake this one.

“Ruk,” the cleric hissed at significantly less than his normal shouting volume, “you ready to take drop of Gruumsh power?” He went to one knee as he spoke and began to tie the trailing end of the harpoon around the pillar. Then, grabbing a handful of dirt he hastily sketched the orcish rune for a cave entrance on his forehead, saying, “Cave Mother guide me.”

Spoiler: Action

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Use Rope to tie off the harpoon. (1d20+2)[15]. Standard action to cast guidance on himself.

[bcool999]

Before they depart for the temple, Kuros exchanges his longsword for the magical one the party found near the battle with the Assassin Vine. Though Three was unable to identify it's enchantment, Kuros hopes that it would cut through the defences of the Corrupted better than his old one.

When they reach the temple and see the bear, Kuros prepares himself for a fight. He draws his hammer, new longsword, and his bow while keeping his shield up to defend against tooth and claw.

"Let it come to us!" Kuros calls to his companions, glancing briefly towards the newcomer before refocusing, "We can use the pool to control it's movements somewhat assuming that the pool is deep, or slows it down at all. Me and Korlann will engage it in melee when it reaches us. Jhod, Dergosh, and Ruk be in the back with your spells, and Three take the middle and attack at your discretion."

A rough plan belted out as quick as it was thought, Kuros nocks arrow to bowstring and lets fly at the beast.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move Action: Draw weaponry, Hammer, Magic Longsword, and Bow (Shield should have already been out)
Standard Action: Fire Bow, Bear is Approximately 165ft from Kuros position so 2nd range increment.
(92 Arrows Left)
Attack: (1d20+5)[21] (+3 Bab, +4 Dex, -2 Range penalty)
Damage: (1d8+2)[6] Piercing

[jdizzlean]

Spoiler: ooc

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spellcraft check (1d20+11)[17] if i don't need to wait til my turn to shout out whatever i may figure out, then let the shouting commence

[Saintheart]

Spoiler: Akara

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There's something odd about the bear beyond the fact it's resisting Akara's spells, but she just can't put her finger on exactly what.

[almondsAndRain]

Three had never actually seen a bear before. She knew what they were, of course- Eron installed knowledge of them, same as he had installed knowledge of many of the world’s other beasts- but this creature made the description she’d received of them seem profoundly inadequate. It was to them what ogres were to gnomes. It was strong, it was angry, and like every other monster in this part of the world, it was something perfectly capable of killing the Company.

Something seemed off in its mannerisms and its eyes, but not so off that Three couldn’t believe that it was a side-effect of whatever horror mutated it so. But then her new party member’s spell failed due to the bear-things resistance to magic, and electromagical signals pulsed through the warforged’s mind, warning her of an uncomfortable truth: that is not a bear. That is a person pretending to be a bear.

Her hand that was resting over her new scroll lunged for her crossbow, and she considered infusing it with something, anything to help her hurt the target. But until she knew what, exactly, she was dealing with, she would not infuse anything. Instead, she drew her weapon and spoke quickly to the Company, “It’s a shapeshifter! Watch for magic!”

Three didn’t speak again until after launching a bolt at the shapeshifter, when she snapped her head to Jhod and asked, “Did your visions hint at what this might be? A druid? Werebear? Something else?”

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Move Action: Draw her new crossbow.

Standard Action: Launch a bolt at the shapeshifter.

Attack Roll: (1d20+2)[14]. Threatens a critical on a 19 or 20, so a rolled 21 or 22.
Critical Confirmation: (1d20+2)[15].

+1 from the magical crossbow, +3 from her Dexterity modifier, +2 from her base attack bonus, -4 from 185 feet away.

Damage Roll: (1d8+1)[6]
Critical Damage Roll: (1d8+1)[3]

+1 from the magical crossbow.

Three has 43 bolts remaining.