The Glory that Was Greece -Ancient World 3.5 (IC)

[Esprit15]

Aegea scoffs. ”Ladies, we’re eating bird tonight. Shut those fowl cries out of your mind,” she says, emphasizing her own pun that totally exists in Greek as well don’t look it up just trust me. ”Draw your slings and arrows, before our quarry takes wing!”

Spoiler: All

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Reminder that inspire courage grants a +1 to your save against charm

Spoiler

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Move 40ft closer to the Harpy
Draw and release a shot from her bow
Attack: (1d20+5)[16] Crit on Natural 20
If crit: (1d20+5)[7]
Damage: (1d8+8)[13] + (1d6)[4] Cold
If crit: +(2d8+16)[24]

[wilphe]

Kleandridas moves up and challenges the new foes whilst Aegea sends an arrow towards the first, a discordant screech giving evidence that it found its mark.

Breetha has gone from backing up slowly to staring captivated at the second harpy and walking slowly towards it

Berenice stays where she is but is grabbing the bandages Philistion handed out and trying to wrap them in and around her ears

The first harpy moves off to your right, apparently trying to get a clear shot around those standing between itself and the soldier and also throws back its head and begins to sing

Spoiler: OOC

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Harpy 1 is now 15 feet off the ground 60 feet to the right of the main group

Another DC16 will save please for everyone

Philistion and Agoros are captivated by the second harpy

Philidokles and Mihail can go if they make their save

[DrK]

Kleandridas As he see's the second one flying into the air he eyes the low flying harpy and the length of the massive long spear he continues to race forwards and leaps upwards, seeking to pierce its chest. He cries out a great shout of "ARES!! BLOOD FOR THE LORD OF WAR..." trying to drown out the noise from the winged beasts Spoiler: OOC Show Move and jump, need DC20 jump check to get 5ft up to get the 10ft reach in range (1d20+17)[25] Attack (PA2) (1d20+9)[19] dam (1d8+11)[16] + (2d6)[7] skirmish EFfects Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC Kleandridas of Sparta M N Blooded One - Wood Elf Ranger 2 / Scout 4, Level 6, Init 6, HP / , DR 1/ S/P, Speed AC 25, Touch 16, Flat-footed 20, Fort 9, Ref 13, Will 3, Base Attack Bonus 5 MW Adamantine Longsword +11 (1d8+5, 19-20) MW Bludgeoning Shield +11 (1d8+5, x2) Reach Longspear +1 (-) +11 (1d8+6, x3) Mithral Breastplate , Heavy Shield (MW) (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Deflect, +2 Natural) Abilities Str 21, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9 Condition --- Trackless Step --- Favoured enemy +4 Human/+2 magical beast [Tracking, spotting, damage]

[Togo]

Peridokles starts pacing in a circle, talking to himself, even faster, as if trying convince himself of an unlikely proposition.

So consider then yon warrior, who stands by all accounts at an impressive, say, five cubits high. How do we know? Why, because we can measure him. That is we can stand five cubits, or something close to that, in his place and see that the heights are the same. Which is fine for practical estimation, but in fact the estimate is likely to be inaccurate. Why? Because the measuring stick can not be placed in his place. He is occupying it. It can only be placed near him.

So there is an error, we must correct for. But is this a strange error or a commonplace one? We must take the evidence our senses, and adjustment, if only a little, to get the result we logically know must be there. But is such an adjustment legitimate? We must consider it is, or else measurement itself becomes impossible. And there is, perhaps surprisingly, a chorus of agreement on this subject. From Hera****us, who complains that eyes are "bad witnesses" that must be interpreted to be understood, through to Epicharmus, and his claim that eyes are blind, and only the soul can see. We must follow the example of Empidokles, who cites the poems of Parmenides, where the goddess says that we must ignore the aimless eye and echoing ear, and judge by reason alone. Even Hippcrates chimes in on this point in On Art, that the cause of disease must be uncovered not by the sight of the eyes, but by the sight of the mind. Melissus... has more to say but we can leave his reasoning to one side, for that way shadows lie.

So we are agreed that our estimates may be out. Our warrior may be six cubits, or even seven. Too high? Perhaps, but perhaps not. We must go with logic in this case, and logic tells us that we are likely to underestimate his height. Our measurement must be made in front of the warrior, for if it was made behind then the result would be obscured. By placing the measurement in front we push our warrior further away from our sight, and by making it from below, for I am the witness, and not nearly seven cubits high, we push him further still, until we must take quite seriously the idea that our estimate of height is misjudged. And of course, we have not, in point of bare fact, made any such measurement, and thus we are relying on an initial estimate only. It thus logically most likely that our warrior is comfortably seven cubits high, based solely on the observation that he looks about five. Our situation is thus not as dangerous as it first appears, for he should be able to reach our enemies with ease.

Spoiler: Cubits

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One cubit is about 1.5 feet.

Spoiler: Knowledge Healing DC 10

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On Art is a recently published text by Hippocrates, the most famous doctor ever.

Spoiler: Knowledge arcane DC 10

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These are all fairly standard philosophers, most of them (apart from Hera****us and the poet Parmenides) still alive and well known. Peridokles is arguing that perception is a kind of thought, and thus thought is a form of perception, and thus reason must be held more accurate than perception. This is a popular and uncontroversial position supported by philosophers of the day. The argument does have a few flaws that Democritus will point out in about 25 years time. Peridokles' follow on from it, that if perception is inherently unreliable, then size must be mutable, is bit more unusual.

Spoiler: Knowledge arcane DC 15

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Melissus argued that perception and reason conflicted with each other, and that the only way to resolve this with through monism - to argue that both what we perceive to be the case and what we reason must be the case, are both aspects of a single reality, presumably quite a strange one.

Peridokles seems to dislike this idea.

Spoiler: Spellcraft DC 16

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Peridokles is casting enlarge person

[Aracor]

Mihail will say the same word again, beseeching Hermes for speed.

Spoiler: OoC

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Spoiler: Spellcraft DC 16

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Casts Swift Expeditious Retreat

With his speed enhanced once again, Mihail launches himself at the harpy whose song has transfixed Agoros and Philistion. His heritage allows him to leap more effectively than his size would suggest.
Jump check - (1d20+14)[33] vs DC 28 to get a high enough leap to strike at the harpy herself.

Knowledge: Nature roll for Monstrous Humanoids - Knowledge Devotion: (1d20+12)[19] to give bonuses to attack and damage.

Charge attack: (1d20+15)[26] + knowledge devotion
Critical Confirmation: (1d20+15)[32]

Damage: (3d6+7)[20] + (1d6)[5] Ice damage + knowledge devotion
Critical damage: (3d6+7)[17]

Shield Charge trip attempt: (1d20+10)[13]
Shield Slam DC 19 fortitude save vs Daze

Cool! Jump check successful, trip check sucked. But maybe between that and the daze I'll have a chance to drop her out of the sky, too.
Modified roll of 28 to hit, and 22 damage plus 5 cold damage.

[wilphe]

Peridokles spell dies in his throat as he becomes captivated by the harmonies of the first harpy's song. Mihail is however unaffected and slams the second harpy from the sky knocking it lifeless to the ground. Alkimos sends a slingstone at the remaining harpy glancing painfully off it's knee and Kleandridas sinks his spear through its abdomen.

It gives a terrifying gurgle and collapses to the ground.

The sudden silence is almost deafening. Those affected by the Harpy's song regain their composure.

[remetagross]

Agoros shakes his head off, his mind now clean of influence. He remains silent for a moment, ascertaining his surroundings and registering all that had just happened. He looks at the dead harpies, then at Mihail, Alkimos and Kleandrikas, then at the harpies again. He pokes at one corpse with his sarissa.
"...by the Lord of Titans, I must thank you all. I suppose these were the fascinating songs that were heard in night these days - weren't they?" He looks around for confirmation from the villager they have followed. Immediately after, though, he remembers how careless they all were after having defeated the Children of Thyestes and thinking the deed had been done. He snaps back in alert.
"All, maybe there is a third group ambushing us somewhere. This might not be over. Does anyone perceive something else?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Listen/spot checks: (1d20-3)[14], (1d20-3)[15]

[Esprit15]

Aegea shakes her head, the brief moment of bewitchment now gone. ”I would not call them fascinating,” she grumbles.

[DrK]

Kleandridas Kleandridas shouts a great "U-Rah" as the two harpies are swatted out the air by shield and spear. He jabs it once more to make sure it's dead. "Victory by the Gods, where did they come from." He looks around the party, "Is anyone injured? Do we all have our feet still attached?" Spoiler: OOC Show EFfects Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC Kleandridas of Sparta M N Blooded One - Wood Elf Ranger 2 / Scout 4, Level 6, Init 6, HP / , DR 1/ S/P, Speed AC 25, Touch 16, Flat-footed 20, Fort 9, Ref 13, Will 3, Base Attack Bonus 5 MW Adamantine Longsword +11 (1d8+5, 19-20) MW Bludgeoning Shield +11 (1d8+5, x2) Reach Longspear +1 (-) +11 (1d8+6, x3) Mithral Breastplate , Heavy Shield (MW) (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Deflect, +2 Natural) Abilities Str 21, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9 Condition --- Trackless Step --- Favoured enemy +4 Human/+2 magical beast [Tracking, spotting, damage]

[Toliudar]

Philistion

The doctor shakes his head as the strange compulsion dies with the harpy.

"That was...I was...huh."

There were huge implications regarding the future study of the effects of sound on the workings of the mind, and he had so many notes to take later.

"I'd, um, like to examine those winged creatures. Later."

Darting back to pick up his bow and slide it back into his bag, he jogs over to the soldier who had been engulfed by the hand/foot monstrosity.

"May I take a look? Where does it hurt?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Heal checks all around! (1d20+13)[29]

[wilphe]

There is neither sight nor sound apart from the rustling of some remnants of the Children of Thyestes in the grass. The soldier is unconscious and in bad shape, having suffered an arrow through the back of his right knee and the loss of his left foot which had been clawed off to join the Children.

There are similar marks at his wrists and other ankle where the monstrosity was trying to detach his hands and other foot and he also has a bunch of shallow scratches all over his exposed skin and face from where he was in the swarm.

He bears no footwear on his intact foot and the sole is cracked and bloody - indicating that he has walked a long distance barefoot when he is not used to doing so and maybe over rough ground.

Berenice plucks the bandage from her ears and tries to staunch his knee, The goddess's power stopped the bleeding from the wounds he already suffered, but the arrow is a new threat

She does speak the truth, the other wounds are nasty but not bleeding and Philistion is able to stabilise him. That doesn't mean he's going to be able to walk though and he is not even conscious right now.

Spoiler: Walking

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That his remaining foot is so badly damaged is another indication that he's high status. A peasant might go barefoot and not be worse for it if he avoids thorns, but this young man is well-born cavalry

Spoiler: Condtion

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He's at about -6 hp and not dying. However the rest of those injuries need dressing at some point and whether in the long term he'll be able to use either leg is up in the air right now

[remetagross]

Utterly unable to provide assistance in the healing department, Agoros offers to help carry the wounded soldier. He asks the stronger members of the squad for a hand. (members...hand...got it??)
"Aegea, Mihail, Kleandrikas? One of you to bear him with me, two others to patrol while we make our way back?"

[Togo]

Talk of wounded shakes Peridokles free of the maze of thought he was lost in, and he rushes to help Philistion.

Hmm? Yes, sorry, let me wrap his feet so he can at least travel.

It's obvious that Peridokles is nowhere near the doctor that Philistion is, but he's certainly tended to soldiers in the field before. He wraps and folds bandages around the soldiers feet and ankles, prepping him for transport, and perhaps for more dedicated medical attention than a hillside at night can provide.

Those creatures had... bows. Can anyone identify where they might have been made?

Spoiler: Action

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(Healing hands skill trick) Peridokles' first aid heals (d6)[4] damage on a heal check to stabalise of DC 15. Heal (1d20+9)[27] for (d6)[6]

[wilphe]

Under Peridokles ministrations the soldier jerks awake as if waking from a nightmare then settles down when realises he is amongst friendly faces, gripping Philistion's robe with possibly all the strength he has.

You have to go. Get out of here. Before they come for you. They're all gone,


He also upon a closer examination seems to have some resin or wax stuck in his ears that seems easy enough to remove

[DrK]

Kleandridas Kleandridas looks up as Agoros calls his name. He nods in the affirmative, "I'll keep watch, and scout ahead. We can take him back to the village and allow him to be tended." He stows the shield and spear on his back and draws the long recurved bow holding an arrow nocked and ready. Looking at Mikhail and Aegea he nods to the sky, "Keep an eye out for singing birds eh?" Spoiler: OOC Show Spot (1d20+12)[13] Listen (1d20+9)[18] +4 vs humans, +2 vs magical beasts EFfects Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC Kleandridas of Sparta M N Blooded One - Wood Elf Ranger 2 / Scout 4, Level 6, Init 6, HP / , DR 1/ S/P, Speed AC 25, Touch 16, Flat-footed 20, Fort 9, Ref 13, Will 3, Base Attack Bonus 5 MW Adamantine Longsword +11 (1d8+5, 19-20) MW Bludgeoning Shield +11 (1d8+5, x2) Reach Longspear +1 (-) +11 (1d8+6, x3) Mithral Breastplate , Heavy Shield (MW) (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Deflect, +2 Natural) Abilities Str 21, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9 Condition --- Trackless Step --- Favoured enemy +4 Human/+2 magical beast [Tracking, spotting, damage]

[remetagross]

While gently easing the soldier upright, Agoros frowns and answers.

"We have dispatched two singing bird-creatures, and one carpet of hands and feet. Are there more we should be aware of? What attacked you, exactly?"

[Esprit15]

Talk of wounded shakes Peridokles free of the maze of thought he was lost in, and he rushes to help Philistion.

Hmm? Yes, sorry, let me wrap his feet so he can at least travel.

It's obvious that Peridokles is nowhere near the doctor that Philistion is, but he's certainly tended to soldiers in the field before. He wraps and folds bandages around the soldiers feet and ankles, prepping him for transport, and perhaps for more dedicated medical attention than a hillside at night can provide.

Those creatures had... bows. Can anyone identify where they might have been made?

Spoiler: Action

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(Healing hands skill trick) Peridokles' first aid heals [roll0] damage on a heal check to stabalise of DC 15. Heal [roll1] for [roll2]

”Where? They were likely strung by the harpies themselves,” Aegea says. “Not everything in the world comes from the market.”

She, with permission, picks the wax from the man’s ear and helps him onto her back for carrying.

[Toliudar]

Philistion

The young doctor nods aprovingly as Peridokles works swiftly to staunch the bleeding. With a sudden motion, he manages to withdraw the harpy's arrow and staunch the bleeding. He then uses a mixture of science and magic to speed the body's natural rebalancing, and the bleeding begins to reverse itself.

"I'm afraid that there's nothing I can do for the lost foot, but the other wounds seem likely to heal with rest. We'll need to carry him back to to the village. We should bring those bows - the type and age of the wood may tell us something about whether those creatures were local."

Spoiler: OOC

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Cure Mpoderate Wounds: (1d20+7)[12], and then a healing check to bind the wounds and begin the healing process of the stump where his foot had been. (1d20+13)[33]

[Aracor]

Harpies. We're lucky they were stupid enough to be close to the ground, or this could have been a much harder fight. Filthy creatures. Obviously their most dangerous feature is their voice - it can draw the attention of people and sap their will to fight. Luckily there were enough of us here that they couldn't wear us down.

Mihail will continue keeping an eye out while he moves back to join everyone else.

Does anyone see anything else out there? We've already been burned once, so I don't want to drop my guard until we're sure. But once we're ready to go, I can certainly carry the poor guard back to the village. I'm sure Aegea could do it as well, but I'd rather have her watching and ready to use her bow. They might come back smarter.

[wilphe]

"We have dispatched two singing bird-creatures, and one carpet of hands and feet. Are there more we should be aware of? What attacked you, exactly?"

So many of them, they came in the night, we tried to fight them, but too many. Everyone just followed their song and left.

They separated out my comrades and I - I don't know what happened to the villagers. I stuffed my ears and was able to escape, they tried to sing but my ears were blocked. Then I ran into that - thing

His wounds have healed over to mere scar tissue from Philistion's spell but he is still missing his foot

Spoiler: OOC

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At full hit points

[DrK]

Kleandridas Kleandridas walks up to the soldier, "You said there were many. Do you know from which direction they attacked from? He glances around the others "If there is a nest we should seek them out and destroy them all." Motioning to the bows and the bodies he speaks to the casters. "Can you do some praying and seek guidance from their bows or their bowels and divine as to where their nest is." Still clutching the bow he keeps his good eye out on the horizon. Spoiler: OOC Show EFfects Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC Kleandridas of Sparta M N Blooded One - Wood Elf Ranger 2 / Scout 4, Level 6, Init 6, HP / , DR 1/ S/P, Speed AC 25, Touch 16, Flat-footed 20, Fort 9, Ref 13, Will 3, Base Attack Bonus 5 MW Adamantine Longsword +11 (1d8+5, 19-20) MW Bludgeoning Shield +11 (1d8+5, x2) Reach Longspear +1 (-) +11 (1d8+6, x3) Mithral Breastplate , Heavy Shield (MW) (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Deflect, +2 Natural) Abilities Str 21, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9 Condition --- Trackless Step --- Favoured enemy +4 Human/+2 magical beast [Tracking, spotting, damage]

[Toliudar]

Philistion

Once his patient has been taken care of, Philistion's scientific curiosity took hold. He rushed over and took up one of the harpies' bows for future examination, then went to look at one of the harpies' bodies.

"I was at a presentation on the operation of the vocal apparatus back at the academy. .

He pulls out a small knife and begins carefully, methodically cutting the throat out of the harpy.

"The mechanisms are actually quite remarkable. I'd always assumed that the voice operated on principles similar to that of a lyre, and so would have strings across the voice box, but the structures are quite different

"My assumption is that these harpies, because they have such extraordinary vocal capabilities, would have commensurately enhanced physical manifestations."

He pulls a small bag out of his belt and slides the throat in, and tucks it away again. He pulls out a strip of cloth and wipes the blood from his hands.

"Fascinating!"

Spoiler: OOC

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Making use of his Craft (vivisection) skill: (1d20+7)[16]

[Esprit15]

”That’s not where my skills lie, sadly.

Which direction did they flee to?”

[remetagross]

Agoros ponders. To do or not do it?
If assisting in this mission to the best of my ability is thy will, O Kronos...I shall have to display thy blessing.

"It seems you are able to stand upright. Good, that will be easier than carrying you fully. Do you know how to ride? And can you answer Aegea's question?"

[wilphe]

The trip back to the village is suspenseful but uneventful, Bellos welcomes you back apparently surprised but glad that you are still alive, and promptly adds some bandages and earplugs to the ready equipment. The village comes awake to hear what happened and then settles down as they agree to leave for Argos come dawn.

The escaped soldier, whose name is Nestor is greeted by Jaraxes and his comrades with considerable relief but concern for the other 3 of them. Nestor drinks deeply before he is able to say more.

Nestor:
They kept the three of us alive and well, I don't know about the villagers though so I fear what may have happened to them.

I saw no more than half a dozen harpies at one time, but I cannot tell them apart so there may be more. I heard other voices as well - not human nor harpy - but sounded big.

They are lairing in an old temple in the hills above the pass, a hard climb to get there but should be an easy enough trail to follow

[DrK]

Kleandridas The spartan nods. "A half dozen, well, 2 less now." he says with a grin, nodding to Mikhail. "Can you draw the path to their nest?" He scans about looking for the bard. "My friend, what do you know of these harpies. Are these winged spawns of the hel's nocturnal or would they sleep at night? I would rather catch them unawares if I could." Spoiler: OOC Show EFfects Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC Kleandridas of Sparta M N Blooded One - Wood Elf Ranger 2 / Scout 4, Level 6, Init 6, HP / , DR 1/ S/P, Speed AC 25, Touch 16, Flat-footed 20, Fort 9, Ref 13, Will 3, Base Attack Bonus 5 MW Adamantine Longsword +11 (1d8+5, 19-20) MW Bludgeoning Shield +11 (1d8+5, x2) Reach Longspear +1 (-) +11 (1d8+6, x3) Mithral Breastplate , Heavy Shield (MW) (+5 Armor, +2 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Deflect, +2 Natural) Abilities Str 21, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9 Condition --- Trackless Step --- Favoured enemy +4 Human/+2 magical beast [Tracking, spotting, damage]

[remetagross]

Not yet.

Back at the village, Agoros comes back to examine the mysterious foot/handprints near the rock, and convinces himself they match the creature they have faced. He then supports Kleandrikas in his effort.
"Aye, I don't know about their ways, but it would make the task easier for us. Besides, now that we know what we are facing, maybe Aegea's singing can protect us from their voice?"

[Toliudar]

Philistion listens with interest.

"Also, the singing was blocked by ear plugs, which would make it difficult for us to coordinate our actions but keep us safe.

Also, we've already seen that the harpies spotted us at night well before we saw them. I'd suggest that we travel to this temple during the day."

[remetagross]

That being said, Agoros find someplace not too rocky to lay down, and falls asleep, snoring quite loudly in the process.

[Togo]

Peridokles prepares to sleep.

First he finds a suitable spot, flat, slightly sloping ground. Then he cuts some leafy branches and grasses and lays them down on the spot. His satchel, suitably bullied into shape, becomes a pillow, although he inserts two smooth stones into it to make it firmer. He rams a few hastily cut sticks into the ground at the foot end to act as a foot board, and stop him sliding down hill. Then he settles down to sleep, head propped firmly between the stones, wrapped in that same large red cloth that was used to earlier to display his wares.