Shadows of Anmer IC

[CockroachTeaParty]

<The gypsy elder is hidden in fog, and I cannot hear him; he is beyond my ability to help. I'm going to focus on the drow leader.>
Melchia quickly relays his thoughts through the mindlink, before firing a bolt from around the corner of the wagon, then reloading.

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Using the wagon as cover, if possible.
Attacking DS: (1d20+3)[6]
Damage: (1d8+1)[8]

[mucco]

Yet another bolt flies near the drow captain. He is amazed by your proficiency and your bad luck, and lets out a small laugh.

Initiative, map, notes

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20 Otrino <- UP NOW
19 Drow
16 Gypsy
15 Rubido
12 Selia
3 Melchia

Map

[zimmerwald1915]

From inside Otrino's collar, Prometeo pokes out his head. His nostils, and the pits on the sides of his face, seem to flare, and with a sudden uncoiling he springs onto the ground. Otrino makes a grab for him, but he vanishes into the fog. He can feel his heart quickening in fear for his familiar's safety, but a moment of thought reveals that's not the only reason. He's feeling Prometeo's fear too. What could he be so concerned about that he felt the need to hide in the fog?

Or maybe he wasn't hiding. Otrino could slap himself. He'd been so preoccupied with making a good impression on the adventurers he'd forgotten the mission. He reloads his crossbow for the next time he'll need to use it, then lets his own fury at himself infuse this next, and last summoning.

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Prometeo moves to R14. Otrino reloads and begins casting SMI to summon a Fiendlish Monstrous Spider.

Failure chance (1-20 fails): (1d100)[38]

[mucco]

The two drow by Rubido try to kill him - one manages to connect with his blow. His sword pierces the elf's body by the shoulder. Meanwhile, the sergeant looks at Melchia, points at him, and the silvery dart sprouts again from his finger, to land on the Telepath.

After hitting, the sorcerer looks a bit worried and gives a shout to retreat.

The combat seems to continue within the fog, with sword sounds and a final thump. Only Rubido, of course, hears this. One of the gypsy guards throws himself in the fog to try to help.

Initiative, map, notes

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20 Otrino
19 Drow
16 Gypsy
15 Rubido <- UP NOW 6 damage
12 Selia
3 Melchia 3 damage

Magic Missile, for those wondering.

Map

[Overlord Rion]

Impress the drow? Rubido's capability to give a damn was actually reaching negative levels. His desire to kill them all however, was rising exponentially.

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Sapphire Nightmare Blade on Drow 4. This whole missing every time thing is getting on my nerves.

(1d20+7)[24]

(1d8+4)[10] + (1d6)[3] + (1d6)[6]

[mucco]

Rubido hits the drow on the center of the head, chopping it in two parts down to the neck.

Initiative, map, notes

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20 Otrino
19 Drow
16 Gypsy
15 Rubido
12 Selia <- UP NOW
3 Melchia

Map

[PersonMan]

Selia once again fires her crossbow, continuing her inspiration as best she can while deaf.

Actions:

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Shoot the drow. Again.

Bardic Music failure: (1d100+20)[92] 1-20 fails. I wish.

BM failure: (1d100)[98] 1-20 fails.

Attack: (1d20+1)[15]
Damage: (1d10+1)[11]

[mucco]

Another bolt flies toward the drow. He sees the danger and manages to block it with his shield with a quick reaction.

Initiative, map, notes

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20 Otrino
19 Drow
16 Gypsy
15 Rubido
12 Selia
3 Melchia <- UP NOW

Map

[CockroachTeaParty]

Shrugging off the battering he took from the force spell, Melchia breaks cover and pursues the fleeing drow sergeant, but he has too much of a head start. However, he sees one of the drow warriors fighting Rubido, and stops for a moment to take a pot-shot at the foe.

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Move to S-24

Firing at d5.
Attack: (1d20-1)[5] (-4 firing into melee)
Damage: (1d8+1)[9]

Since going deaf, I believe Melchia only has 2 more rounds left to enjoy the bardic music bonus.

[mucco]

Yet another bolt flies past the drow without harm.

Initiative, map, notes

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20 Otrino <- UP NOW
19 Drow
16 Gypsy
15 Rubido
12 Selia
3 Melchia

Map

[mucco]

The drow captain and the last remaining drow flee the camp, seeing as they're badly outnumbered now. Fighting sounds stop inside the clouds, and you catch sight of one more drow running away from the fog. As you enter the mist to see what happened, you find the elder gypsy unconscious and bleeding to the ground, as well as a drow in the same condition. Prometeo is intently biting the drow.

Initiative, map, notes

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No more init, combat over.

[CockroachTeaParty]

Still deafened, Melchia makes his way back to the center of the camp slowly, unsteady on his feet.
<Selia, Rubido, has the enemy quit the field? I still cannot hear anything.>
He was uncertain how long the deafening would last; he could still establish telepathic contact with willing subjects, but he could not do so at will.

[zimmerwald1915]

Otrino, seeing Selia approach the cloud, abandons his plans to fire at the drow and makes his way into the cloud himself. He lets his feelings guide him to Prometeo, and the fallen bodies of the elder and a drow. Scenting Otrino's approach, Prometeo lifts his head and hisses loudly, jabbing his tail at the drow as if in reproach. Otrino drops to his knees and begins feeling for a pulse, calling out "Selia, come quick!"

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Heal: (1d20+2)[11]

[mucco]

You get a faint pulse, but you can't patch up the worst wounds.

[PersonMan]

Selia rushes to the elder, seeing Otrino turn and say...something. In another situation she might have been able to read his lips, but her concentration certainly wasn't there at the moment. Placing a hand on an uninjured area of the man's body, she calls upon the magic pulsing through her to flow into him.

If her magic is disrupted by her deafness, she simply tries again. Due to the, for once, pitiful amount of energy she is able to move, Selia concentrates for a moment and releases a further wave of cleansing power.

Actions:

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Failure Chance (Why does CLW have a V component? *sigh*): (1d100)[29] 1-20 fails, as usual.

(1d8+1)[2]

If that fails:

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(1d100)[95] 1-20 fails, as usual.

(1d8+1)[5]

[mucco]

You stabilize and cure the elder, who still does not regain consciousness. It happens about an hour later, as your ears recover from the shock. The drow don't come back.

As he lies on his bed, the elder congratulates you. "You have been vital... quite literally. I fear there is nothing we can do to thank you properly. I did not expect those drow to be so organized. Well, I'm going to hold my end of the bargain up." The elder clears his throat.

"Witchcraft is not unheard of, among our people. There are rumours that we descend from powerful creatures, and some of us are said to maintain enough of that heritage that they're able to alter reality and wield magic. Some others, instead, cannot; but they can send powerful curses to people they really hate. I know the woman burned in Galsaff was not ordinary, and she might indeed have had that power. Unfortunately, I do not possess this gift, so I can't help you lift any curse she might have cast. But I know someone, something, who can probably help you. Give me a map."

After he is handed out the map, he marks a location on your map on the other side of the Dark Wood, near Icmud. "I was born here, like many of my tribe. The Black Spirit lingers in this area, and it is the source of our people's power. The Black Guardian watches over this magical place. It is a pentagon made out of menhirs, as you can guess, the menhirs are made of obsidian so they're as black as the night. We have never seen the Black Guardian, but we have heard his voice speaking a language of old. You should interrogate that voice."

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Fastest way to the place is by going back to Galsaff which is almost on the way. Then you can take the road you saw near the Big Yew. You could also go through the Dark Wood, which is technically shorter, but you'd miss out on some shopping with the rewards Otrino is going to hand out any moment now.

[zimmerwald1915]

"Trouble not your mind with thoughts of thanking us properly," says Otrino to the elder, reaching into his bag. He pulls out a small, black wool pouch and holds it in his hands. "I was given these by a mutual friend with your best interests at heart, to speed my journey to you. I trust you know who I mean. But they were not necessary," he says as he turns to Melchia, Selia, and Rubido. "And the drow would have hurt more people, and worse, without you here. You deserve these more than I do."

Otrino pulls at the drawstring and empties the pouch into his open palm. Three large, flawless, cut rubies can be seen before he closes his hand around them. He then passes one each to Melchia, Selia, and Rubido. "Besides, I did promise," he says with a jovial wink to Melchia.

Business out of the way, Otrino turns back to the elder. "You've heard the voice of the Black Guardian, can you help us prepare to meet him? Has anyone he has spoken to ever had trouble understanding him? Should we approach following any particular protocol, or use any special form of address?" Otrino stays far away from the subject of the woman burned in Galstaff. He knew little of the incident, and didn't want to inject any fallacy into the discussion.

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The rubies are worth 500 gp each.

[mucco]

The elder's eyes sparkle. "I can understand what he says. I believe I am the only one among us, though. I don't know why I understand it, it's always been like that. The only other person I know that could understand was my father, but I never met him. He died before I was born. I'm not able to speak those words, the sounds are too strange for me to reproduce. We always talked to him in Common, and we brought offerings. Ah, yes. The offerings."

The elder coughs a bit, he seems really strained. "We found he was the most pleased when we brought him many seeds, from several plants. It might be for some secret fertility ritual? I do not know. We usually gather these seeds in city markets."

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Selia's Bardic Knowledge: (1d20+2)[6] nothing interesting

[Overlord Rion]

Rubido accepts the ruby without much ceremony, just tossing it into one of his pockets."While this is most certainly interesting, I don't quite understand how you something like that is possible, but at the same time, we need to head out as soon as possible."

[zimmerwald1915]

"Perhaps you should," says Otrino, the implication obvious. He won't come along unless you invite him. "But before you do, isn't there someone to whom you should say goodbye? Certainly there are still things you must know."

He turns to the elder. "First, can you name these merchants, and the types of seed? It would make gathering the offerings take less time. Second, and more importantly...Elder, you are the only one you know to have heard and understood the voice. How can you be sure any of these will hear and understand?"

[mucco]

"Everyone hears the voice. Only I understand it. As for the seeds, it's usually common seeds. We brought a cart full of them last time, and the Guardian was pleased. He did compliment us, though, on finding some peculiar acorns from the Dark Wood. He said they were a special gift for him. These were red acorns that are only found in the deepest parts of this forest. We stole some in Galsaff, because they're very rare and thus very expensive."

[CockroachTeaParty]

Melchia's typically stoic and passive face changes slightly as the discussion turns to the mysterious Dark Voice. His eyes glint with a hint of curiosity.
"This is certainly worthy of investigation. Whether it has anything to do with our current investigation or not, a supernatural phenomenon such as this is worthy of study on its own merits.
Otrino, you seem to have an academic bent yourself. I would welcome your company if you would like to experience this mysterious presence."

[PersonMan]

Selia listens intently to the elder's description of the voice and it's reaction to their offerings. What seems to interest her as much, potentially even more, is Melchia's reaction. At the unusual show of emotion her eyebrows twitch upwards for a moment. As Otrino brings up Rubido's wife, she grins and nudges him.

Yeah, I almost forgot, you're a married man now, Rubido. Selia says before turning back to Otrino.I'm with Melchia. You're... For a moment she searches for the right way to express what she wants to communicate before speaking further. you have strength. Selia's tone and body language make it clear that this is quite the complement.

[Overlord Rion]

"Ah, right, yes, that. I'll be right back." The whole marriage thing was still slowly being wrapped around Rubido's head. In a moment, Rubido was off looking for his wife.

Wife.

That was going to take some getting used to.

[mucco]

You find the woman in one caravan, dressing up and comforting some scared children. She smiles at you. When she's done with the children, she sends them off and remains alone with you.

"Now, is there something you have to tell me before you go?"

[Overlord Rion]

"I just wanted to see if you were alright before I headed for a glorious adventure full of death and other such exciting things." He gestures in the direction of his party. "Just know once everything is said and done, I'm coming back. I suspect it will be difficult for us to contact each other. So in the meantime, I want you to take this." Digging around in his pockets, Rubido pulls out several of the platinum coins he acquired so very recently. He carefully counts out the pieces and hands them to her. "For expenses until I come back."

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Giving her 4 of my platinum pieces, bringing me down to 30 PP.

[mucco]

The woman smiles broadly at the generosity of Rubido. She kisses him on the cheek as a goodbye. Meanwhile, Otrino agrees with joining you, for now. You prepare your things and walk out of the gypsy camp.

After about a half hour, Rubido realizes he doesn't even know the name of the girl.

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Very well guys, zimmerwald1915 is officially AFK from now on. If he doesn't show up in a bit I'll make his character go away.

I need you guys to tell me where you're going.

[zimmerwald1915]

"I see. Thank you," says Otrino to Selia. He wonders when she'd got that impression. Well, she hadn't heard him tell Melchia about his getting people out of the country during the war. Most humans, when they learned about that, or that he'd done it from Yalthien, thought him a traitor and a coward. Maybe it was a good thing she didn't know. No. They'd find out eventually, especially if the group was returning to Galstaff, and hiding things was a sign of weakness. Better they learn it before then. Perhaps on the road.

"Now that your lordship is safe," Otrino says to the elder, "I think I will take my leave. If you want me with you, Melchia, with you I shall go, though without your experience in this matter I don't know how helpful I'll be. Perhaps you can introduce me to the subject of the curse when we reach Galstaff?"

[mucco]

It's still early morning as you leave the gypsy village and make for Galsaff. It's about a two-day trip, now that you know the way. You don't find any problems until you're close to the town - about ten miles away, exactly.

While you're walking still along the outskirts of the Dark Wood, you find an old acquaintance running toward you. It's Zadsa, the little half-elf kid you rescued. He runs and runs desperately, and cries loudly.

"Help! Help! Father wants to punish me! Please help! Oh, I know you! Please help!" He runs into Rubido's arms and sobs loudly.

Melchia

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Every single time he screams the word 'help', you feel a strong and sudden pulse of pain in the forehead, and a glimpse of a vision of fiery death and destruction in the middle of a city you don't recognize.

[Overlord Rion]

What...is this? Rubido thought as the kid threw himself into his arms. First reaction was wondering why him, the second, more important one was where the visions kept coming from.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing that.