Keep on the Shadowfell IC

[Phantom Genius]

" Let's give Johuan and Brina another half-minute to get ahead, then march in ready for a fight."

'Very well!"

[Buufreak]

Without a word, Johuan makes his way forward along the prescribed stealthier trail, staying low and maintaining a sharp eye and ear out for anything going awry, blade at the ready.

Spoiler: Appropriate rolls

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Stealth: (1d20+8)[23]
Perception: (1d20+11)[14]

Making mention: Racial trait lets me also use perception in place of initiative roll, and anyone within 10sq that rolls lower than me gets a +2 to their roll. Mentioning it now, before all the bang and the boom happens!

[TurboGhast]

Johuan and Brina, make a stealth check.

EDIT: Buufreak ninja'd me so now we're just waiting on Ridai.

[TurboGhast]

Johuan and Brina are able to sneak ahead unnoticed by the kobolds. When the rest of the party marches in, the kobolds prepare for a fight with the four people they can see.

Spoiler: Game Actions

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A battle has begun! Link to the initiative rolls. The same modifier tie between Brina and the enemies was broken in Brina's favor.

Because of their stealthly advance movement, Johuan and Brina can start anywhere on the map within or northwest of the tree line cutting through the middle, except for locations marked off by red transparent squares. In addition, the kobolds don't know where they are.

Everybody else starts with their token somewhere inside in the trasparent blue box on the battle map.

Important features of the battle map are:

• The trees provide cover, but don't hamper movement.
• The circle of runes provides creatures standing on or within it +1 bonus to attack rolls.
• The river is shallow enough not to impede movement by itself.
• The vertical row of five water spaces on the easternmost edge of the map is the foot of the waterfall. The combination of water from above and turbulence below is enough to make them difficult terrain.

Drang, Johuan, and Brina will each get a turn, while Sarathi, Melhved, and Gagan will just place their tokens on the battle map. Once everyone's done, the kobolds will take their turns.

[Ridai]

Brina
HP 25/25, HS 8/8 (6), AP 1 | AC 17, F 12, R 16, W 16
Wild Shaped? no, Conditions -

Having, against all odds, managed to get into position undetected (!) and seeing her newfound allies coming up behind her, it appears to be time to kick things off. Shifting out of her wolf form as quietly as she can (only needing to shake the feeling off a little), she grasps onto her staff for support and feels her stomach roil, then tactically revolt as she draws on her questionable source of power, pleased by ruined meal yesterday and the earlier mushroomy "treat". The next moment, she suddenly spits out a large glob of green-brown-ish goop at startling velocities, the sphere bursting against one of the magic circle's runestones and covering everything in the vicinity with burning acid. And right after, a quite horizontal hail storm of large and very, very pointy glistening seeds bursts forth from poor Brina's mouth, hammering into earth, trees, water, and hopefully kobolds.

Brina really hopes this helped her friends a bit, shaking her head and leaning on her staff something fierce for a moment as she tries to get errant leftovers of sharp, goo-covered seeds out of her mouth.

Spoiler: Actions

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Brina (the doggo token) starts hidden on the map 6 from the left, 6 from the top. Since I wrote that Brina would sneak down in wolf form, I am assuming she starts the fight wild shaped, even though that is somewhat unoptimal for her right now (not sure if the map was visible before or not). Not sure if the enemies count as surprised against Brina on this turn. I'll assume that she gets CA on her first attack this turn, then is no longer hidden and doesn't get any further bonuses. Otherwise, please apply CA where appropriate.

Swift Wild Shape back into elven form

Swift Sudden Slime (area burst 1 in 10 squares) targeting D and M3
(1d20+7)[25] vs D's Fort 14 (includes CA)
(1d20+7)[17] vs M3's Fort 12 (includes CA)
Hit: 4 acid damage, and the target is slowed until the end of Brina's next turn.

Standard Thorn Spray (close burst 5), targeting D, M1, and M3
(1d20+5)[7] vs D's Fort 14
(1d20+5)[8] vs M1's Fort 12
(1d20+5)[7] vs M3's Fort 12
Hit: (1d6+4)[5] damage, and the target takes a -5 penalty to all defenses until the end of Brina's next turn. If the target was slowed or immobilized when this attack hit, it is knocked prone (World Serpent's Grasp).

edit: Wow. That is the saddest bunch of rolls on her thorn spray. I hoped to at least tag D to soften him up for the party.

[Phantom Genius]

I don't like the look of Kobold S. He needs a Sacred Flame. (Brina would get the 2 temp hp.)

Spoiler: Sacred Flame with CA (?)

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(1d20+2)[11]
(1d20+2)[20]
[roll]1d6+3[/roll]

Drang then hides behind the tree.

Edit Properly rolling damage
[roll]1d6+3[/roll]

[Buufreak]

Johuan gets into position, prepared to dash through the trees and seek out his target and strike with all his might at the word "go."

[WaffleLord]

Melhved Brombriar

At last, with her head focused on the task at hand, she draws her sword and watches the shape-changer do her work. While visibly startled by the discharge, its wafting smell is comparable to the younglings pens back home.

[Buufreak]

Can't edit in rolls, so new post!

Making a charge towards S, marking them with Oath of Enmity, using Whirlwind Charge in place of the melee basic.

Spoiler: rolls

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attack roll (1d20+8)[17] vs AC
bonus roll from oath (1d20+8)[22] vs AC
damage [/roll]2d12+4[/roll]

[Buufreak]

*is dumb, bad at rolls*
(2d12+4)[24]

[TurboGhast]

The dragonshield gives a command to two of the other kobolds as he steps towards the edge of the circle.

Spoiler: For those who know Draconic

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"Form up with me and prepare to meet a charge!"

Two other kobolds move next to him. Their feet lie just within the circle of runes as their eyes dart across the battlefield, awaiting another attack.

Three kobolds cross through the trees, then pull out javelins from their armor and throw them at Gagan. His scales deflect two of them, but the third leaves a mark. Two of the kobolds retreat into the cover the trees provide, but the third is too far away to follow suit.

The ones in immediate eyeshot of Johuan stare in shock that one of their strongest was taken down so easily. Two of them hurl javelins across the river at him, then take to the south, worried that they're next. Despite the damage Johuan took from those attacks, the kobolds closer to him visibly consider doing the same until they notice the kobold in darker armor glaring at them through the trees. They step forwards and strike at Johuan while the remaining kobold takes the opportunity to attack from behind, landing a blow that paints the tip of his spear red with blood. Johuan clearly can't take much more of these attacks.

Spoiler: Game Actions

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D's Turn
Move: Walk a space north.
Standard: Ready an action. Trigger: A creature that isn't a kobold becomes adjacent to him.

Spoiler: Readied Action

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Slashes at that creature with a shortsword.

Attack Roll: (1d20+8)[10] (+7 base, +1 terrain. Whether cover applies is unknown at the moment.) vs AC.
Hit: (1d6+3)[5], and the target is marked until the end of D's next turn.

M7's Turn
Move: Walk a space north, then a space northeast, two more spaces north, and finally a space northwest.
Standard: Ready an action. Trigger: A creature that isn't a kobold becomes adjacent to him.

Spoiler: Readied Action

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Pokes at that creature with a spear.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[15] (+5 base, +1 terrain. Whether cover applies is unknown at the moment.) vs AC.
Hit: 4 damage.

M6's Turn
Move: Walk four spaces north, then a space northwest.
Standard: Ready an action. Trigger: A creature that isn't a kobold becomes adjacent to him.

Spoiler: Readied Action

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Pokes at that creature with a spear.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[10] (+5 base, +1 terrain. Whether cover applies is unknown at the moment.) vs AC.
Hit: 4 damage.

M8's Turn
Move: Walk three spaces northwest, then two spaces north.
Standard: Hurls a javelin at Gagan.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[18] (base) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: 4 damage.

M9's Turn
Move: Walk three spaces northwest, then two spaces north.
Standard: Hurls a javelin at Gagan.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[15] (base) vs AC. Miss
Hit: 4 damage.
Minor: Shifts one space east.

M10's Turn
Move: Walk three four northwest, then two spaces north.
Standard: Hurls a javelin at Gagan. Miss.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[13] (base) vs AC.
Hit: 4 damage.
Minor: Shifts one space northeast.

M4's Turn
Standard: Hurls a javelin at Johuan.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[18] (base) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: 4 damage.
Move: Walks one space southwest, then five spaces south.
Minor: Shifts one space south.

M5's Turn
Standard: Hurls a javelin at Johuan. Hit.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[24] (base) vs AC.
Hit: 4 damage.
Move: Walks one space southeast, then five spaces south.

M2's Turn
Move: Shifts one space north.
Standard: Pokes at Johuan with a spear. Miss.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[14] (base) vs AC.
Hit: 4 damage.

M1's Turn
Move: Walks one space northwest.
Standard: Pokes at Johuan with a spear. Hit.

Attack Roll: (1d20+5)[23] (base) vs AC.
Hit: 4 damage.

R's Turn
Move: Walks a space southwest, then two spaces south.
Standard: Thrusts a spear at Johuan. Hit.

Attack Roll: (1d20+10)[24] (+6 base, +2 CA via flanking, +2 Mob Attack) vs AC.
Hit: (1d8)[6] + (1d6)[6] damage, for a total of 12 damage.

All of the party members will take their turn, then the kobolds will take their turns. Readied actions were pre-rolled so the player who triggered them could resolve them, speeding things up. For the same reason, please mark the damage and conditions your attacks deal to enemies in the textboxes to the right of the battle map. (It slipped my mind last turn that I hadn't told the new party members to do this, and that they wouldn't necessarily do so unprompted.)

[Dimers]

Stung, Gagan strides forward, sucking air into his bellows of a chest. He releases it in an air-shattering scream just as he launches a curling blast of fire at the kobolds in the runic circle. Then he backtracks to stand near Brina, wearing a broad draconic grin at the destruction. "Kobolds should know better than to mess with a dragon."

Spoiler: mechanics

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Move action: walk mostly south.

Minor action: dragonfear. A hit imposes combat advantage and a -2 attack penalty until the end of my next turn.

• Against D, (d20+7)[19] -- hit
• M6, (d20+7)[17] -- hit
• M7, (d20+7)[8]
• M8, (d20+7)[23] -- hit
• M9, (d20+7)[20] -- hit
• M10, (d20+7)[26] -- hit

Standard action: ignition with elemental escalation, centered southwest of D. That catches D, M7 and M10 in the initial burst and adds M6 thanks to the escalation. Damage (2d10+8)[10]; if I hit D, I'll add hellfire heart for 5 more damage.

• Against D, (d20+6)[13] (+2 if CA) -- hit with CA
• M6, (d20+6)[12] (+2 if CA) -- hit with CA
• M7, (d20+6)[24] (+2 if CA) -- hit
• M10, (d20+6)[22] (+2 if CA) -- hit

No action: elemental escalation also lets me shift 3 back to the north, to the point indicated on the map.

[Rakaydos]

With a ripping snarl, Sarathi awkwardly charged through the bushes, bringing her blade to bear on the closer of the creatures flanking Johuan.

Spoiler: ooc

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Move 6, than charge
Crushing surge with charge: (d20+7)[11] vs AC. Gain 8 temp HP on hit, 4 temp HP and a mark on miss

Edit, forgot flank+2

[Ridai]

Brina
HP 25/25, HS 8/8 (6), AP 1 | AC 17, F 12, R 16, W 16
Wild Shaped? yes, Conditions -

So her big attack was a big dud, the famed elven accuracy also failing her. If this wasn't deadly combat, she is unsure whether her stomach spirits would be cackling at her misfortune (or if they do regardless). With so very handsome Gagan walking up close to her, the lass first marvels at his confidence and power (and his sweet, sweet voice), before becoming very self-conscious about how gross and ineffectual her contributions have been so far, flushing red, turning away, and desperately trying to make sure there are no errant bits of what should normally stay on the inside.

But poor Johuan (who also showed the 'bolds what's what!) is taking a beating, she can't have that! Once again making sure to angle herself away from Gagan (and most of the team), Brina reaches into her mouth and pulls out what looks like a slimy, moving root of a plant. It wriggles an eager question as the lass it came from wipes her mouth, and Brina flushes a bit more still, whacking the root on... whatever amounts to its "head". "No, not Gagan! Those two kobolds!" and she points to the creatures menacing (and being menaced by?) Johuan. The root wiggles ecstatically and Brina pushes it into the ground. Barely a moment later, a burst of thick, grasping roots rumbles up from the earth behind the kobolds, kicking dirt up and going straight for the 'bolds. Crushing hugs are what the roots do best, and obsessed as they are, once they have have something in their grasp, trying to leave them will only make them pull their objects of obsession closer to them, straight to the ground. Brina really hopes this is not some reflection of herself in some fashion. But of course, only the small annoying 'bold is grasped, not the slightly less small and more dangerous one. Brina's shoulders sag as the smaller creature is grasped, entangled, muffled, and dragged down into the earth with disconcerting cracking noises, the ground closing above. This really doesn't get easier to watch for her either.

The lass herself, meanwhile, shifts back into wolf form, tongue hanging out to get rid of the taste, shifting a little away from Gagan into the treeline. To make them less vulnerable to any surprise area attacks or getting caught in the fangs of one of the beefier 'bolds. Surely, that must be the reason. No shame hiding here, no sir!

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard Grasping Tide, area burst 1 within 10 squares, aiming for the space between and behind R and M2
(1d20+5)[10] vs R's Fort Miss
(1d20+5)[6] vs M2's Fort (edit: Rerolled to 22, hits and kills)
Hit: (1d6+4)[8] damage, and until the end of Brina's next turn, if the target leaves the attack's burst area, Brina can use an OA to make a secondary attack against the target

Secondary Attack prerolls (use attacks when applicable, each attack only targets the triggering creature)
(1d20+5)[9] vs R's Ref Miss
(1d20+5)[24] vs M2's Ref Hit, but irrelevant, derp
Hit: Knocked prone

Move Shift one square to the right

Minor Wild Shape into beast form


Poor Brina's player forgot about her Elven Accuracy last turn. That would have really helped against the Dragonshield. Still need to learn playing an elf, and druid.

[Phantom Genius]

Drang double moves and gives Johuan a healing surge+1d6+3.

"You were a popular target! You should dodge more!"

(Ahhh...dwarves and elves...good times.)

[WaffleLord]

Melhved Brombriar

Seeing her companions in action makes her heart surge "Such variety! The blade may seem plain, but let's see how it sings." Trampling through the underbrush, she lines her attack with the well-armored dragonling. Swirling with Mother's love, she brings the blade to bear, turning aside a clumsy attack as she approaches. Her blade bites well into the dragonling. "A splendid tune, indeed!" She keeps her guard on her target as a growling grin plays about her face.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move 4 squares to adjacent D, triggering readied action.

Standard Action: Weight of Earth
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs AC
Hit:1[W] + Str mod and target slowed until end of my next turn
vs D AC w/CA - (1d20+10)[18] for (1d8+4)[7]

Free Action: Mark D with Nature's Wrath

[Buufreak]

First things first, the heal. (1d6+9)[13]

Johuan's dark mark fades from the still hot body he cut down, and engulfs his next target: the chap with the pointy stick that was gracious enough to engage him up close.

Using Bond of Pursuit
(1d20+8)[22] vs AC, on hit (1d12+4)[10] for damage, and should he move I shift 4 closer as a free action, and through censure of pursuit I get +5 to damage against him.

Should anyone burn an encounter and miss my oath target (R), I have the interrupt action to give them a reroll. I will gladly burn it.

[TurboGhast]

A kobold charges Melhved from behind, landing a hit. The dragonshield takes the opportunity to get a slash in themselves and escape the flames Gagan made. Another charges in with a seemingly perfect strike. Yet their combined assault doesn't inflict enough damage to draw blood.

The kobold on the other side signals the two who threw javelins at Johuan to come closer, but they run southwards instead. Undeterred, he tries to reopen the wounds Drang closed himself, but his attack falls short.

Spoiler: Game Actions

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M8's Turn
Move: Walk 5 spaces north.
Standard: Charge Melhved with a spear, moving three spaces east.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[18] (+5 base, +2 CA via flanking, +1 charging, -2 dragonfear) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: 4 damage.

D's Turn
Standard: Slash at Melhved with a shortsword.

Attack Roll: (1d20+9)[26] (+7 base, +2 CA via flanking, +1 mob attack, +1 terrain, -2 dragonfear) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: (1d6+3)[7] damage, and Melhved is marked until the end of D's next turn.

Move: Shift north one space.

M9's Turn
Move: Walk 2 spaces northwest, then 3 spaces north.
Standard: Charge Melhved with a spear, moving three spaces east.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[26] (+5 base, +2 CA via flanking, +1 charging, -2 dragonfear) vs AC. Critical hit!
Hit: 4 damage.

M4's Turn
Move: Runs southward, off the battle map, in retreat.

M5's Turn
Move: Runs southward, off the battle map, in retreat.

R's Turn
Standard: Thrusts a spear at Johuan.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[10] (base) vs AC. Miss.
Hit: (1d8)[2] damage.

Everyone will take a turn in the order of their choice, then the kobolds with take their turns in the order of their choice.

[Dimers]

Gagan points menacingly at the tougher kobold, then brings his staff around to launch a small white-hot missile of flame.

Spoiler: mechanics

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Minor action: tag D as my bravo's prey EOMNT.

Standard action: elemental bolt on D. I still have CA from dragonfear, so the attack roll is (d20+10)[17] vs Reflex, for (d12)[11] + (d6+10)[13] fire damage.

Move action: walk east a bit.

"Out of the frying pan ..." he quips as he stalks eastward.

[Ridai]

Brina, Elven Druid
HP 25/25 (2 THP), HS 8/8 (6), AP 1 | AC 17, F 12, R 16, W 16
Wild Shaped? yes -> no, Conditions -

As Gagan roasts the big, scary (well, for a 'bold) shielded kobold, wolf-Brina only gets to fawn over the fire light on his scales for a little moment before the root pops back out, waving a tiny, dirty, and still dripping piece of gore for her to see, in what she can only assume the root being at the same time excited to have its very own piece of its newest crush, but also sad that the rest of it is very much dead and buried. Vehemently refusing inner poking to scarf the bit of flesh down, Brina offers... I guess you could call it consolation (?) to the root, not knowing how else to react, "there there" pawing it twice on its general... well, the area that is kinda-sorta looking at her. And after a moment of thought, she pats it again. Better be sure.

But the battle is still ongoing, with the rest of the group being evidently much more capable than her, and she is quite desperate to save face at this point, already dreading getting booted out of the group post-haste. Thus, she points to the two 'bolds... menacing does not sound like the right word, given they reach approximately to Melhved's thighs (and said thighs probably also having more muscle on the bone than those two combined), but still being pokey little meanies, and telling the root to go get 'em. The root only curves into something that could considered a question mark after two or three ales in response. Realizing that her command didn't come out as words, but just as "bork bork", Brina hastily shifts back, shaking herself as she squats, does the pointing again (now with an actual finger) and says "W-why not try again with those kobolds?"

The root seems to be quite excited, its crush quickly replaced by two new ones, chunk carelessly tossed away (Brina swatting it away before it hits her in the face). Melhved sees the two 'bolds poking at her, and the next moment, Mother Nature comes calling, tons of roots bursting forth, grasping the creatures, and crushing them onto and into the ground.

That counts, right? Having taken out a few flunkies? Right?

Spoiler: Actions

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I am not sure what causes M8 and M9 to grant CA, I just go with what is written on the map. Also not sure where the 2 temporary HP for Brina came from.

Minor Wild Shape into elven form

Standard Grasping Tide, area burst 1 within 10 squares, centered 1 square behind M8 and M9
(1d20+7)[26] vs M8's Fort (includes CA) Hit
(1d20+7)[18] vs M9's Fort (includes CA) Hit
Hit: (1d6+4)[7] damage. Follow-up hit effect does not matter, as only minions are targeted.

[Phantom Genius]

"Oh! Melhved! That looked painful! How did you... oh it was Brina with the roots? She's full of tricks. Here, this will help those wounds..."

Move action, closer to Melhved.
Minor action: Healing surge+1d6+3
Standard action: Stop and look around

Spoiler: d6 healing for M and Perception for Drang

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(1d6+3)[7]
(1d20+3)[7]

[Rakaydos]

Sarathi approached the last kobold standing, blade held high.

Brash strike: (d20+8)[13] vs AC for (d8+9)[11] damage, and Sarathi grants combat advantage to R

[WaffleLord]

Melhved Brombriar

"By my blade!" Melhved gawks at Brina, "she walks with Mother as well!" Glad to have a Sister with her, she kicks aside the dragonlings at her feet and tromps through the trees to take up a flanking position with Sarathi. She does not attack but keeps her sword drawn, looking for an opening. She growls a chuckle to make sure the surrounded dragonling knows she is there and ready to dance

Spoiler: Actions

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Double move to swing wide, avoiding OA to flank behind R.
Free Action: Nature's Wrath to mark R.
If it moves to strike Sarathi without including Mel, Warden's Fury
Immediate Interrupt Melee weapon
Trigger: An enemy marked by you makes an attack that does not include you as a target
Target: the triggering enemy
Attack: Strength vs Fortitude
Hit: 1[W] + Str modifier (+4) damage, and target grants combat advantage to you and your allies until the end of your next turn.

Spoiler: Warden's Fury success?

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vs Fort - (1d20+8)[20] (add 2 if still flanked) for (1d8+4)[12] damage

[Buufreak]

Johuan simply raises his blade high. "No escape."

Spoiler: rolls

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Third verse, same as second.
Bond of Pursuit: (1d20+8)[17] vs AC, hits for (1d12+4)[12] damage, plus the pursuit stuff.
Backup roll for Oath: (1d20+8)[11]

He straightens up, lightly flicking the viscera from his blade. "I didn't know you all cared so much. Where were you in the war?"

[Dimers]

Gagan looks around at his allies and says, "Well done, team. We cleared the field in seconds. The pair of cowards that ran are unlikely to be back, if I know kobolds. Pardon ..." He walks away from the waterfall a bit to look at the trees near his first fireblast, to make sure they hadn't ignited.

[Ridai]

It counts! Brina is part of "team"! Everyone heard it!

Basking in sweet, sweet dragonborn praise, Brina happily asks "Anyone want to take a break before we go in there?"

She hardly even notices chewing on a choice thick, juicy root handed to her by her temporary root minion.

Spoiler: OOC

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Brina is still at full health and ready to go.

[Phantom Genius]

Brina happily asks "Anyone want to take a break before we go in there?"

"Not I. Are we entering the waterfall? Not chasing down the two that ran? I wager Brina could catch them..."

[Buufreak]

"I suppose we could hunt down the runners. What matters doing a job if not done right, eh?"

[Phantom Genius]

"I suppose we could hunt down the runners. What matters doing a job if not done right, eh?"

"Please do! I am slow, but can watch the entrance."

[Ridai]

"Ohh, if you insist," Brina says, still riding high on morale and thus wanting to do the group a solid, shapeshifts into a particularly fluffy alpaca (she met an alpaca once! It was a very good day), and boings off into the direction the 'bolds ran off into... with the speed normally reserved for sprinting wolves. To shower them in very angry bees.