Starfall [IC]

[UserClone]

"Yes, why not deal with the group in the forest first, and Loath, you could use that very spell. That does sound like a solid plan."

[Gorgondantess]

On the road:
Jaime listens to each person in turn, stoically and unemotionally. "Well, that may be, but I do believe that without some impeccable strategy at least one of us would die. But, I suppose I am outnumbered in this matter- we fight them anyways, eh?" If there is a positive answer to this, he grins widely, throwing back his head laughing, a somewhat sinister edge to it. He speaks eagerly. "I was hoping you'd say that. Yes... an ambush would work well. Psychological warfare, relentless assaults in the night, geurilla tactics... put the heads of the fallen on stakes and plant them about the camp. If done well, I can even cause them to think the other group did it- play them against one another, so to speak. You, mage," he points at Annie, "Can you make an illusion, a disguise? It doesn't matter. The mines will be perfect for setting traps and ambushes, and there are no doubt foraging parties in the forests. Get them scared- make sure those who leave the camp in numbers lesser than 5 will die. I will cause them sleepless nights, and by the time their numbers have dwindled enough that we can take them all on at once their conditions will have become unbearable. No, I cannot do this with open combat, even with magical aid- ambush, hit and run, yes. It will need to be refined, but I can kill them all without them even knowing my existence." It is obviously not out of bloodlust he speaks, as there is a harmless intonation in him, like that of some enthusiast scholar who has found a rare peice for his collection.

[Douglas]

Still in flashback, walking back to town

"And so we learn your specialty." Kael grins. "Yes, we fight them anyway, and the tactics you suggest are sound though perhaps slower than I might like. Also, while I may not be quite as good at it as you I am no slouch at stealth myself. True warfare is not all standing up and fighting. Scouting, surprise attacks, stealthy killing of sentries, raiding supplies, and so on are all part of it and I do not neglect these subjects in my studies and practice. We can discuss the details later, but we have at least two here who can engage in stealth based assaults."

[lostsole31]

On the Road

"Well, at least you boys'd got some sense on how to fight a larger force proper," says Mardak.

Despite this admission to the elf's (and Kael's) 'sound tactics' in fighting the hobgoblins, enough disturbs Mardak that he hollowly whispers to Kael:
[OOC: Imagine the OOTS comics when they are whispering asides to each other, with the funny lopsided shape of the mouth, and we have the picture.]
"He's barmy I tell ye' ... absolutely croc-mad. No wonder them elves' was hated and feared tyrants when they ruled the lands and people."

[lostsole31]

Father Bronson: "If you are what you say you might be, I don't know what you're going to find in the old church. But I will let you search all you need if you prove yourselves heroes worthy of Starkweather's sword should it be there ...

"Last night, Tonkin and Mariah Bloom reported to Daven Gaskell that their two boys, Jed and Callum, did not return home. They went to forage for edible mushrooms along the old road to the south at noon and have not been back since.

"I won't tell you what you need to do, as I expect that you have a hero's wisdom to figure out how to proceed. But find the children, and then you may search the church at your leisure, with the expectation that you do as promised and help with the rebuilding of the church."

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

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jeez you go see one rock opera and then watch goth kids dance at a club (HILARIOUS) and the whole scene changes :P

On the road
Ezekiul actually listens very carefully to Jaime's concerns and considers them for a few moments before bursting out cheerfully with "Perhaps, but I think you are forgetting the very important fact that we have Brith watching over us." Ezekiul then calls out loudly "A pint of the best ale in the house to which ever of us sends the most hobgoblins to their graves!"


At the . . . sheriff?
Ezekiul remembers the father's concerns and is very nice to the young man and tries to find subtle ways to compliment him.



At the fathers (ooc remember ezekiul has heard none of the rumors that he's not legit)

Ezekiul's normally joyfull face pales at the mention of the missing children.

"By the flaming **** of she! Not children!" he gasps. Ezekiul looks at his companions, clearly pained to not be rushing to the aid of the boys.

"I will not speak for the whole party, but I will be off immediately to help find the boys!" He turns to the others, "Sword or no, I cannot sit back if I might be able to help. Who is with me?"

diplomacy aid if still needed (1d20+4)[10]

[UserClone]

"I did not know how bad it had gotten, Father. Aranu's flame burn the villains who took those boys. Consider them found."

Grimly, he adds, "One way or the other."

Turning to the group, Zephram, his jaw set in determination, says, "I won't try to make any of you go, but if you are coming, I'm leaving now."

"Thank you Father," he says softly with his eyes briefly closed, apparently more to the air than to anyone present.

EDIT: Zephram then turns and heads South, grabbing his lance from its placing leaning against the doorway.

[lostsole31]

"I'll 'elp you boys look for 'em tykes," says Mardak. "With what looks like hobbos on two ends o' town, who knows what mighta' 'appened?"

[Douglas]

Kael

"Trouble's just popping up all over the place it seems. First the goblins yesterday, then Mardak thinking we're bandits, the hobgoblins, and now this."

"Two children missing since noon yesterday on the south road, you said? Anything else? We need to get going quickly, I just hope they aren't already dead with all the monsters apparently in the area. Could be they're just lost, but I don't like taking that chance."

[lostsole31]

"Lost? I doubt it, the Blooms send their children to the same area every week or so ... the boys would know it well, and they have had stories aplenty of monsters in the woods to keep them from straying too far afield," answers Father Tobias.

[OOC: Looks like 3-? votes (Mardak doesn't have the PC-Starborn glow, so doesn't count, but he would have made 4) to go search for the children immediately. Axe-Man and Jaime? At this point, it seems overwhelming ... but just in case you want to vote otherwise and have a 'compelling' argument.]

[Douglas]

Kael

"Didn't think it was very much of a chance they'd just be lost, but with children you never know. Where exactly is this spot? We should start our search there."

"Oh, in case we end up having to fight a significant group of enemies, I think we should have someone go fetch Loath. He's not far, and you can save some time going straight to the south road instead of through town." ((I'll do it if no one else volunteers. With the main party having to hold to Mardak's speed - he's the only tracker, so no leaving him behind - we shouldn't be very far along before rejoining.))

[srgonzo]

On the road

I'm not a mage, and I don't do illusions as such. My focus is on the direct application of energy to either defense or offense. Right now, my power is mostly defensive, but in time, much of my power will be offensive to those who would do us harm. Well, they can be offended if they survive, that is.

In town

Annie sighs

Well, if the front-line combatants are going to walk off after two children who have the slightest chance of being alive, then I can only go try to help them, since they're kind of key to my survival in dangerous situations. Don't get me wrong, saving the children and bringing the guilty to justice is important, but doesn't it seem a convenient distraction to anyone else?

[lostsole31]

On the road

I'm not a mage, and I don't do illusions as such. My focus is on the direct application of energy to either defense or offense. Right now, my power is mostly defensive, but in time, much of my power will be offensive to those who would do us harm. Well, they can be offended if they survive, that is.

"Well, then ... what are ye, Axeman?" asks Mardak.

Current Progress

Remember that the group headed west out of Bronce to go to Starkweather John's tomb, so you will have to go a whopping ten excruciating minutes of walking that way before doubling back to the south road.

You are lucky to have the services of a tracker, but Mardak backs up Kael's suggestion that the huminal friend of theirs that possesses druidic magic might be very helpful in locating the children. If he doesn't want to come, Mardak reasons, that is his decision ... but it doesn't hurt to try.

So the party, having given rather quick assurances of success (however that may be measured, as was so grimly intimated by Zephram), take their leave of Father Bronce and head back west out of town, having been given a workable description of the children in the first place.

Loath is actually not where you last saw him when you get back to Starkweather John's tomb. No matter, Mardak easily picks up the trail as the soft ground and Loath's prints were different from those of hobgoblins. So either of the following happen, based on Loath's actions:

Spoiler

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1) Loath will easily hear the party coming before they could notice him in the woods. (Rolled 'behind screen'.) He will evade and do so easily because of tracking times and Mardak's slower movement. As soon as he goes from foraging (which is a casual gait) to actively trying to evade, Mardak will only follow the tracks for another five minutes before he realizes that Loath increased speed and is vastly outpacing the party. He will note that its really up to Loath to stay in the forest since he seems "kinda' like a wild animal; so's 'e'd be more comf'table out 'ere, anyways." And with that, unless the party pressures him, he will not force a chase.

2) Loath easily hears the party coming, and is curious what they want and intercepts them, instead.

3) Loath attempts to hide in a stationary position.
Loath's Hide: (1d20+2)[16]

Axeman's Spot: (1d20+7)[18]
Zephram's Spot: (1d20-1)[19]
Zeke's Spot: (1d20)[19]
Kael's Spot: (1d20+3)[14]
Jaime's Spot: (1d20+6)[20] (unless, for some reason, he's not with the party)
Mardak's Spot: (1d20+5)[22]

Wow! Soooo, if this case was chosen, Loath goes to Hide and does very well, but some tell-tale thing gives him away to all but Kael - which works because while perceptive of people, many of you may have noticed that both he and Zeke seem rather inattentive of their surroundings at times.

Anyway, if this option, Loath recognizes being spotted, and it would be up to him what to do.

Soooo, what does Loath do? It is now Loath's turn (only) ... with other characters only posting to determine 'flashback' while we await slurpz' reaction.

[slurpz]

Loath

While initially in the the forest foraging for food, Loath hears the other people approaching and decides to intercept them.

[UserClone]

"Good, there you are. We're on our way to rescue two kidnapped boys. You're either coming or not, but I'm not waiting around for you. There's too much at stake."

With no more said than that, Zephram doubles back to the South road.

[Douglas]

Kael

Kael blinks. "That was rather terse. For a slightly more complete bit of information, two boys have been missing since yesterday afternoon from a spot on the south road where they are unlikely to have just gotten lost. While attempting to rescue them is a worthy goal in its own right, Father Bronson has also requested that we do so as a demonstration of our heroic nature before he gives us permission to search the old church. Your help in this task would be appreciated."

Regardless of Loath's reply, Kael sets off after Zephram shortly afterwards.

[srgonzo]

On the road

"Well, then ... what are ye, Axeman?" asks Mardak.

I'm a psion. We don't learn spells. We unlock the power of our minds. Many of the effects are similar, but the methods we use to produce those effects are different.

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

To loath - "We think that your talents would help us in finding the children. Please come with us."

[lostsole31]

On the road
"Wait, I don't follow you," says Mardak to Axeman. "'ow does being a (sigh-on) 'elp you do things like a finger-waggler? I mean, wizards use the power of their mind, right? And who is it, exactly, that you are a (sigh-on) of? Are you a (sigh-on) of some kinda' angel or demonspawn and yer daddy gave you what powers ye got? So, they were like a mighty warrior with an Axe and gave you magical powers?"

[Douglas]

Kael, on the road

"I don't much care how or why what you do works, just what it does. I've seen you shoot fire at those goblins and conjure up armor out of nothing when Mardak tried arresting us, what else can you do? And can that armor go on somebody else and how strong is it?"

Assuming Loath comes along:
"Oh, that reminds me, you never did answer my question about that snaring plants spell. I don't much like the idea of fighting a group as large as those two hobgoblin bands without something like that to keep them from swarming us."

[srgonzo]

On the road

Mardak, it's more like being a sorceror than a wizard, minus spells and spell components. My power is a natural part of who I am, like magical talent is a natural part of who a sorceror is. I can tell you my power relies on my intellect, rather than my force of personality or faith. I simply concentrate my thoughts in a particular way, and I can manifest my thoughts into reality. I don't know anything about my father being a mighty warrior with an axe. I woke up earlier today knowing that I am a psion, my name is Anaximander Shuul, and most of the basic things that allow a person to get by in the world. Kael, I wish I could help you with armor, but it's something I can only employ for myself. At this point, my defensive abilities are for my protection only. As my power increases, I will be able to use more and more power in an offensive capacity, but I doubt I'll be able to enhance anyone else's defensive abilities.

[jmbrown]

"A jawbone, a femur, and a bony left hand? That's it?!?" Says Brand to himself in the hole.

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

"A jawbone, a femur, and a bony left hand? That's it?!?" Says Brand to himself in the hole.

Ezekiul looks around in fear. "GHOSTS!!!!"

[lostsole31]

Having retrieved Loath to help search for the missing children, the heroes head east out of the woods to Starkweather John's tomb as a landmark before heading to the south of Bronce to pick up the kids' trail.

Mardak, who seems to take a natural position up front, yells a split-second before the rest of you see it ... "Oy you! What in the 'ell are you doin' with that tomb!"

[Thrakkanuur]

Straddling the tomb next to four carelessly laid slabs of stone, the immense man looks up startled, and as much to himself as not says,"Who the hell are you?"

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This half-ogre towers at just over eight and a half feet tall. His skin has a yellowish green tinge to it with warty patches, and his eyes are a golden yellow. The black hair covering his scalp is cropped close to the skull, with his jaws sporting heavy coarse "chops". His body is knotted with heavy, striated, and symmetrical slabs of muscle, shot through with many scars. He is wearing nicked hide armor, and rough stitched clothing, consisting of a large loincloth, boots and tunic sans arms. The haft of a massive two handed battleaxe juts from his back.

[Douglas]

Kael

"We're the local law enforcement. He is, anyway," Kael nods at Mardak, "and the rest of us are helping. Now what are you doing with Starkweather John's tomb?"

[Gorgondantess]

"Grave robbers." Jaime says bluntly with a smirk. "Let's detain them. No killing- that makes it too easy."
He draws 2 daggers, holding them by the blade.

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

Looks at Jaime confused for a moment and then bursts out laughing.

"Looks like we've changed roles!"

[Thrakkanuur]

Turning to face the newcomers, and keeping his hands from his weapon for the time being, he gives them the once over before speaking. "I'm looking for the sword of this Starkweather John, I'm not graverobbing or desecrating" he then taps the rose shaped birthmark on his left cheek. "Same as you I'd gather. Though I doubt you're the local law. Being as you started some commotion back in the town I just left. We're also looking for some lost children, thought we'd stop along the way and check this tomb out for ourselves...since it was on the way."

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Now that he's turned to face you, you will definitely notice the birthmark set just below his left eye to the bottom of his jawline in the shape of a rose.

[srgonzo]

Annie pokes Mardak in the ribs.

Now that's an axe-man! Or half-ogre.