Circle of Life's Red Hand of Doom IC Thread

[Circle of Life]

Though it is yet early in the morning, the blazing heat of the summer sun beats down on you, bringing unbidden memories of the icy waters in the swiftly running stream you passed some days back. The heat of Elsir Vale in the summer is a beast that each man and woman must tame, or else succumb to, as you have often heard repeated through the numerous flyspeck villages you've passed through thus far. The dry heat of the Vale is not like that of the more populous southern Breland, which at least has the ever-present humidity to temper it to bearable levels.

The hard-packed dirt road you travel stretches to the east for some distance, occasional furrows and tiny ravines the only indication that rainwater has ever so much as touched this area of the Vale. The arid air around you seems to leech moisture from your body with every step, drying tongues and wringing every last drop of sweat out of you that it can. The forest of pines and maples to either side of the road looks inviting at first glance, with its promise of shade, but tales of unwary travelers snatched up in an instant have long since dissuaded you from taking advantage of that luxury.

Since entering the Vale, none of the rather unlikely group of travelers have seen sign of any of the more troubling rumors that seem to be on the lips of everyone you meet, though likely this is due to the fact that the largest gathering of people you have yet seen was a village containing all of ten families, half of them related to each other in some way or another.

Abruptly, a pony-led cart clears the rise in the road behind you, its short-statured driver sawing at the reins. The mere presence of the cart would be surprising enough - none of you recall seeing such a thing on the road recently, likely due to the fact that no sane merchant brings wares into the source of troubles - but the coloring of the thing is even more shocking. Cart and wheels alike are painted in the most garish hues of red and green imaginable, with each of the wheel spokes painted another, different shade of the ghastly combination. Though dusty, the canvas covering of the cart is dyed a yellow bright enough to make lemons envious. As the cart draws nearer, you notice that the driver - a gnome, obvious now that you can see his features - is wearing a voluminous hooded cloak of the single most eye-damaging shade of blue you have ever seen.

Instead of slowing as he approaches your group, the gnome instead lashes the reins across the pony's back again, steering the cart around you even as he shouts for you to make way. There is time only for the briefest impression of intense anxiety in the gnome's features, then he and his cart have passed and are rocketing forward with no sign of slowing.

Looking around, there seems to be no cause for the gnome's haste. Small clouds of dust rise from the cart's path, yet aside from that and yourselves, the road seems entirely empty. The cart zooms around a bend in the road, and then is gone from your sight. Perhaps the gnome is simply quite mad.

[Sallera]

Faien just barely manages to steer his horse to the side of the road in time, the swirling breeze stirred up by the cart's passing ruffling his messy brown hair. "Careful, man. What compels you to such haste?" he calls fruitlessly after the vanishing cart. Shading his eyes against the sun - his own mithril plate is dusty enough by now that it no longer gleams as it once did, but the light here needs no assistance to hamper one's sight - he watches the path behind for a minute, alert for any unwelcome pursuers.

"Hm. Well, if he required our assistance, no doubt he'd have stopped to ask," he comments dryly as no threat materializes along the dirt road. "I have half a hope that whatever troubles this vale will simply find us, that we may cease worrying over these people while you seek your fabled missing treasure. It may not be my country or my duty, but I mislike seeing such an atmosphere anywhere."

[TekHed]

In spite of the oppressive heat, the small party of travelers were quite comfortable...even Faien in his full plate armor, as Auran had attended to the issue with a bit of magic.

As the gnomish cart barreled past, Auran had to dodge out the way, leaping upwards with a sudden thrust of his wings normally kept tightly wrapped around his body and concealed beneath his voluminous cloak. Rather than descend, he flapped vigorously several times, ascending ever higher as the downdraft pummeled his companions on the ground, dispersing the cloud of dust trailing behind the cart. The paladin remained aloft for a good minute, as he watched the general direction of the hurried traveler's path.

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Spot: (1d20+5)[11]

Landing softly back upon the soil once more, Auran nodded. "Any good we can do must be done...though I fear our two troubles may be more related than the village folk realize. Our enemy's coils are closing in on this place...I can feel it."

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Endure Elements cast before bed the night before, 24 hour duration.

[Fireheart]

Vaeri gracefully sidesteps the cart as it comes flying up the hill. After it passes, she dusts herself off, shaking the debris of sand and dirt from her clothing.

As she watches the gnomish cart disappear over the hills, "What an interesting shade of blue...I wonder if it would go with my scales?" she muses.

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OOC: OMGPonies (et al) -I'm going ahead and switching to the closest color to iceblue I can get if that's okay. If you'd rather me stick to red, I can.

Edit:

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OOC: This work better colorwise?

[Sallera]

"Well, if that is so, no doubt we'll run into them sooner rather than later, and the better for us."

Faien hides a smile at Vaeri's comment, moving his horse into a walk again with a flick of the reins. "I suspect it was designed solely to grab the attention of anyone present; I would be surprised if it went well with anything at all."

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It's a bit hard on the eyes, actually; perhaps a shade or two darker?

Edit: Much, thanks.

[OMG PONIES]

Roni's eyes follow the cart as long as they can before it disappears down the road. "I don't know," he says with a shrug, "I kinda liked it. If you're going big, though, might as well go the whole length and paint the pony to match. Now that shows panache."

While the paladin's spell had kept the group moderately comfortable despite the dry heat, the young spellscale enjoys the dusty breeze stirred up by Auran's wings as he takes to the sky. "That's the ticket, Sol," he calls up to Auran, "you just keep on flapping. Say, I know you 'feel Tiamat's touch' and all that spooky spiritual stuff, but do you actually see anything out of place from up there? Even better, do you see anything vaguely rod-shaped laying within a stone's throw so we can collect? I feel like we've been searching for this thing longer than it took to craft it."

[TekHed]

"I do not." Auran replied with a dryness surpassing the air. "However that garishly garbed gnome had a look of worry upon his brow...no doubt for reasons related to the rumors we have been hearing. One family is already dead for having come into contact with the Key...let us make haste lest more innocents shed blood for our sloth."

The Paladin pushed onward, on foot, lest the strain of flying wear him out before a potential conflict.

[Fireheart]

Vaeri watches as Auran lands gracefully and trudges onward.

That is one determined dragonkin who trudges before us. [pause] To trudge: the slow, weary, depressing yet determined walk of someone who has nothing left in life except the impulse to simply soldier on.
She glances at Roni...Don't ever let me get that way. There is too much life to enjoy!

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OOC: Yes, I liked a knight's tale. :)

[Sallera]

"There is little slow about Sir Sol," Faien comments, allowing the spellscales to pass his weary horse as he falls back to the rear of the party, "but you may be otherwise accurate. Nonetheless, we should soldier on ourselves, lest my horse die of thirst ere we next find water. I suspect the summer weather troubles this vale near as much as whatever threats they face from this elusive band of thieves."

[TekHed]

Auran suddenly stopped and turned around, marching up to Vaeri with a determined purpose that suggested he had taken umbrage for her remarks. It was difficult to tell with his fully draconic face and stern demeanor. He stopped before her and gazed into her eyes with his deeply azure reptilian stare.

After a moment and a drawn breath he spoke. "You are very brave for one so young, to accompany me on my dangerous quest...and rest assured, we now walk into certain danger, or even death..."

He paused letting that sink in. "While I have pledged to give my life for my cause, I would not see the bright light of your young years extinguished for my quest. To that end, I have something for you..."

He opened his palm, and lying therein was a simple, yet stunning band of pure platinum. Before she could react, he caught one of her scaled hands and slipped the ring upon her finger, then held up his other hand where a matching band already rested.

"If the time comes that you are under assault, the connection between these rings will allow me to shield you from a portion of any wounds you may receive. Though I do not wish for this to occur, I would rather be as best prepared for the unthinkable..."

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Please mark down on your character sheet, 1 platinum ring, the focus necessary for Auran to use his Shield Other spell on Vaeri...

[Fireheart]

Vaeri starts to take a step back as Auran approaches fiercely.

"If the time comes that you are under assault, the connection between these rings will allow me to shield you from a portion of any wounds you may receive. Though I do not wish for this to occur, I would rather be as best prepared for the unthinkable..."

Vaeri looks at the ring and for the quite possibly the first time, you see a very serious look come over her face.

She bows her head, her white and blue braids covering her face.

"Thank you, Auran." She says softly.

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OOC: Will add.

[OMG PONIES]

Roni

The elder spellscale stands silently by, watching the poignant exchange between his sister and Auran. As it comes to a close, he stands in awkward silence with a cheesy grin affixed to his face. After a few seconds (that feel more like hours), he clears his throat, kips himself up on his tiptoes, and says "And my gift for you, Roni..." he says in his best imitation of the dragonborn. The boy arches his eyebrows and keeps his cheesy grin, expectant of a gift as well.

Disguise - (1d20+11)[31] to mimic Auran's voice

[Sallera]

"Platinum, hm? Of course it would be." Faien arches an eyebrow at Roni's surprisingly accurate imitation, watching the whole scene with faint amusement. "I fear you may be setting yourself up for disappointment, Roni."

[TekHed]

"Indeed...on both accounts." Auran answered Faien. "Platinum is the metal of Lord Bahamut, and, I have only the single pair of rings with which to focus the magic. I deliberated on which of you to offer this modicum of extra protection, and decided in the end that you would also wish to see your sister safeguarded. As a sorcerous she will be a prime target for our enemies who would weaken us, and even the gift of her wings will not protect her from the poisoned bolt of a crossbow. My gift to you, young spellscale, is to give my life if need be for your sister's or your own. Do you object to my decision Roni?"

[Circle of Life]

Auran does not see much of anything from his midair perch, though he tracks the rising cloud of dust from the pony-led cart's mad dash easily enough even when the cart itself has disappeared along the winding road, obscured by the trees on either side. Still, he does notice a town of perhaps fifty buildings some two miles distant, the first gathering of structures worthy of such a title that you've yet encountered in the Vale. The road you're on seems to lead directly to and through the town, making it likely the gnome is simply in a hurry to reach his apparent destination.

After another half-hour of trudging onwards through the oppressive heat, the memory of the gnome has nearly faded from your minds, replaced with the overwhelming desire to finally reach something approaching civilization. This heat isn't fit for man nor beast to travel in, and a nice cold drink (if something can actually be kept cold in this abominable weather) would go a long way to making the day more palatable. Even Auran's magic cannot completely remove the discomfort of unshaded travel in a Brelish summer, and while the sun poses no real threat to the warded party, it is hard not to imagine real shade and cool breezes of more temperate climes.

Thus, it is with great surprise that you crest a low hill in the road to catch a glimpse of red, green, and yellow through the trees nearest a small branch in the dirt path. A closer look reveals it to be the very same cart that very nearly flew by you earlier, though it seems to be missing the pony and gnome, now.

You share a few uneasy glances. An abandoned farmhouse is just barely visible through the trees, the thatch roof long since worn away by time and the seasons. While it's possible the gnome stopped there for a rest, it seems unlikely, given his earlier haste.

You quickly scan your surroundings, searching for any sign of trouble, but find nothing. Not entirely reassured, you advance carefully, Auran taking the lead, the rest falling in close behind. The air smells faintly... wrong, like a great fire was burned nearby recently, only... different. It smells off, like rotten eggs intermixed with charcoal.

And that's when Roni notices the glint of arrowheads from within the woods.

Before the spellscale can so much as shout a warning, two arrows whiz out of the forest, one from either side of the road. Oddly, they are not directed toward you, but rather launched high up through the canopy. At the apex of their arc, the arrowheads ignite with alchemical fire, the yellow-white of the magical flames obvious even to a casual observer.

Then you see them. Strange creatures, vaguely human but with brownish yellow skin, wide mouths full of serrated teeth, and patches of furry hair covering their skin seemingly at random. The two hold longbows, already reaching for new arrows, and are wearing suits of studded leather of obvious quality craftsmanship, even if the general designs are slightly barbaric. A startling array of knives and swords are strapped along the chest and belt of the two creatures.

The creatures grin wickedly as they set new arrows to their strings, these aimed at much more obvious targets: you.

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Creative license taken with the Endure Elements spell. You're all perfectly safe from heat exposure.

Roni manages to spot the ambush, preventing a surprise round. The ambushers win initiative, and spend the round firing an arcing volley high into the air. Party's turn.

Map:

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Note: The edges of the road are sloped upward and filled with loose scree. They and all forest squares are difficult terrain. The trees are roughly twenty feet tall, should it become relevant to those of you with flight.

[Sallera]

Faien frowns, muttering "Looks like the trouble's found us after all," and raises his hand to the sky, a pale blue blade shrouded in mist appearing between eyeblinks in his grasp. His voice rings out over the forest with his next words, far clearer than he has used before in your presence.

"Let it be known from the start that you will be spared if and only if you surrender. Drop your weapons or die." As both of the creatures nock arrows again, he nods sharply, kicking his horse into motion. "I'm sure you know a signal when you see one," he calls back to the others as his mount struggles up the slope. "Stay with Sir Sol until we flush out the rest of these fools."

Plunging into the forest, his toughened skin and armour allowing him to ignore its barbs and thorns, Faien raises the blade over his left shoulder, a crackle of electricity running through it as he slices down at the archer in a narrow arc.

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This is, of course, assuming they don't surrender when asked, which I figured was a safe bet.
Move: Draw sword.
Ride to D10/E11.
Standard: Attack, charging the blade using the Lightning Gauntlets.
Attack: (1d20+6)[19]
Damage: (1d8+5)[7] (Edit: +3, sorry, so 5) + (4d6)[17] electricity

[Fireheart]

Vaeri unfurls her wings in a snap of blue of white. She glides over to take Roni's back.

"Ooh, a fight. Do not mess up my robes!" she says, her eyes smiling.

She waves her hands quickly, speaks some mystic words and sends an orb of blue white ice comes flying toward the other creature.

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OOC: Can't see map at work, but she'll move/glide 30ft to stand behind Roni or as close as possible.

Her meditation for the Day will be Chonepsis. Gives her +2 listen & Silent Spell. No real effect in this battle, I don't think. I'll try to mention what her meditation is early in the day/posting from now on.

Aiming at the creature in A1, not the one Faien is running toward
Orb of Cold, lesser (no SR)
Ranged Touch: (1d20+5)[10]
Dmg: (3d8)[19]

[OMG PONIES]

Auran's Gifts

As Vaeri chides her brother, Roni maintains his wide smile. "Cheese it, sis," he grimaces through his teeth, "if the dragonborn's feeling charitable, I say we let 'im." As Auran responds, serious as ever, Roni's smile fades into a befuddled look. "A two for one deal?" he asks, "I'll take it! But you don't ask anything in return?" The spellscale is flummoxed by Auran's selflessness. He wishes such altruism for himself, but immediately chuckles at the irony of that thought. "Guess that's why you're the hero and I'm the businessman, eh Sol?" While he jokes with the dragonborn, his lips silently mouth a sincere thank you.

Conflict at the Farmhouse

As the group approaches the farmhouse, Roni gazes nervously over Faien's shoulder. "Anyone smell that?" he says with wrinkled nose, "it's almost as if someone is baking an outhouse." He laughs halfheartedly at his own joke, more to ease the tension than anything else. "I can barely stand it," he says as he turns his head and covers his face with the sleeve of his cloak. To his right, he sees the shine of metal poking through the trees. "Guys?" he says, nervousness creeping into his voice, "did anyone else see--"

He is interrupted by the two arrows sailing into the sky, both of which explode as they crest. Roni begins to mutter a profanity under his breath, but quickly reminds himself that he is in the presence of a lawman, a paladin, and his kid sister. The spellscale censors himself as the word comes out: "Fff...lares. Reinforcements are coming." The spellscale sighs deeply and squares his shoulders. "Well, at least it livens up the day!" he shouts. Roni clutches a pendant that hangs around his neck in one hand and gives it a kiss as he retrieves a mandolin from his pack. "Let's fight fire with fire," he says and arches his eyebrow impishly. He begins to strum a fierce melody on his instrument, and the others feel strangely emboldened by the song. As he plays, he maintains eye contact with the odd creatures. He had seen them before somewhere, but couldn't quite place his finger on it...

All allies' attacks now deal +3d6 fire damage.

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Swift action: activate Badge of Valor for +1 to Inspire Courage.
Move action: draw masterwork mandolin (+1 to Inspire Courage's attack bonus, -1 to damage bonus)
Standard action: spend one use of bardic music to activate Dragonfire Inspiration for +3d6 damage to all allies' attacks.
No action: activate Collector of Stories skill trick and Knowledge Devotion to learn information about these odd creatures. A result of 20 equals a +2 bonus to Roni's attacks and damage rolls for the duration of the encounter verses creatures of the same type.

Blood Quickening: Unless otherwise noted, it can be assumed that Roni meditates on Astilabor every day in order to gain a bonus on Appraise checks and unlimited use of Eschew Materials .

[TekHed]

"Stay behind us!" Auran shouted to the spellscale siblings. Speaking a word in some obscure dialect of ancient draconic-elvish, Auran's body swelled with divine power, the muscles of his exposed upper arms and thighs visibly growing in size and strength.

Even as he activated the magic, his massive warstar appeared suddenly in his hand. The paladin strode forward with purpose, readying his brilliant mithril shield as he moved to intercept the Hobgoblin. Still, he did not attack.

"Brandish not your weapons toward us, goblin. Lay them down and no harm shall come to you..."

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Swift action cast Bull's Strength (now 18).
Free action draw Warstar (from least crystal of returning)
Ready Shield as part of first move action. AC is now 19 (or 21 vs. ranged attacks).
Second move action to close the distance to O8.

Since combat has pretty much already started with everyone drawing weapons, I don't think Diplomacy will quite work. I will however make an Intimidate check to demoralize the Hobgoblin Auran is blocking.

(1d20+5)[25] Yeah...I'll say.

[Fireheart]

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Only because I can't resist

Stay behind them? What does he think I'm going to do? Run towards the thing that is shooting arrows at me? Vaeri says softly as she comes to a stop behind Roni.

[OMG PONIES]

Roni smiles and mutters under his breath, just loud enough that only his sister can hear. "Vaer, if you find someone willing to play pincushion for you...you quietly let them."

[Circle of Life]

Faien's blade shears through the armor of his quarry with supernatural ease, arcs of lightning and tongues of flame searing flesh in a long line down the hobgoblin's side. The archer lets out a strangled cry of agony, carefully stepping back through the thick undergrowth and firing an arrow at the leg of Faien's mount, apparently intending to cripple the beast, but his injury makes the archer's arm weak and his aim poor, and the arrow instead lodges in the trunk of a nearby tree.

In the ravine, Vaeri moves closer and hurls a sphere of cold toward Auran's chosen foe. The forest is thick and the spellscale's aim poor however, and the spell crashes into a tree some distance from its intended target, splattering white frost and ice shards across the bark. Above, the arcing arrows fall to earth with deadly speed, embedding themselves first in Vaeri's previous position, and then in Roni's arm, alchemical fire searing flesh even as the steel arrowhead pierces muscle and skin.

Auran's foe looks shaken by the dragonborn's surging advance, hands trembling as it steps back and fires. The archer's aim is as poor as his companion's however, and Auran does not even need to bring his shield to bear to deflect the poor shot.

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Archers 5-ft back and try to cripple Auran and Faien's mount, but both fail spectacularly. Note: the forest squares are difficult terrain. Unless you have the ability to move through it unhindered, 5-ft steps are not normally possible.

Vaeri's Orb of Cold spell has a range of Close, so she either had to move closer or not use it; I went with what I felt was the more sensible solution.

One of the arcing arrows comes down in Vaeri's previously occupied space at the start of the new round, while the other comes down on Roni, dealing 10 piercing damage and 2 fire damage.

Map:

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[Sallera]

Pushing his mount forward in pursuit of the archer, Faien reverses his swing and slices upward across the archer's chest, the long, light blade serving as an effective cavalry sword despite the dense undergrowth. "Waylaying travelers? Did you think there was no law in the Elsir Vale?"

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Ride, DC5: (1d20+1)[18] - on failure, use shield hand to control mount, lose 3 AC for the round.
Swift to reassign essentia from Gauntlets to Weapon.
Ride to C10/D11.
Attack: (1d20+8)[12]
Damage: (1d8+5)[13] + (2d6)[8] electricity + (3d6)[8] fire

[TekHed]

Auran's eyes flashed blue and his warstar seemed to gleam for a moment as the dragonborn called upon Bahamut to grant him favor in combat. Thus fortified, he stepped forward, though again did not swing upon the Hobgoblin.

"I said, stand down! This is your last warning. Surrender now or risk injury and death..."

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Swift cast Divine Favor (+1 luck bonus to his attack and damage rolls.

move action 5 feet forward to P8. Standard Action demoralize: (1d20+5)[24]

[OMG PONIES]

Roni grunts as one of the arrows tears into him just below the shoulder. "Snout of a hydra's head!" he grimaces as he pulls the projectile from his flesh. "I think they've been given fair warning, Auran; time to start laying down the law."

He returns his bloody hand to his mandolin, strumming a similar tune to the last. With a quick shout, he ups the tempo of the song; the rowdy cadence makes his allies' blood pump even faster through their veins. The rush of adrenaline causes things around them to slow down slightly, allowing them to place their blows more precisely.

All allies now have a +3 morale bonus to hit and a +1 morale bonus to weapon damage rolls, in addition to the +3d6 fire damage.

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Move action: remove arrow from arm
Swift action: cast Inspirational Boost
Standard action: activate Inspire Courage (traditional style) for +3 to hit (+1 IC + 1 masterwork mandolin + 1 Inspirational Boost) and +1 damage (+1 IC -1 masterwork mandolin + 1 Inspirational Boost)

Duration of ongoing effects:

• Dragonfire Inspiration: lingers for 4 more rounds
• Inspire Courage: currently performing

[Fireheart]

Vaeri backs up to stand beside Roni.

"By the Abyss," Vaeri curses as she pulls spell components from her pouch. Again murmuring words of magic, she casts again.

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OOC: Right, I'll cast something as soon as I can get myth-weavers to let me back in!

edited to add: Over in the die rolling thread, will cast magic missile at the hobgoblin who shot Rori

assuming not material change: her magic missiles will be in blue-white :)

[Circle of Life]

Faien's upswing is significantly less accurate than his previous attack, only forcing the archer to sidestep with a quick hop, but it is enough to clear a path for Vaeri to work her magic. A stream of blue-white missiles streak from the spellscale's outstretched fingers, twisting over and around the obstructions of the forest to strike the hobgoblin squarely in the chest. The force of the missiles is enough to stagger the archer; with what you take to be a final shouted curse, the hobgoblin turns tail and runs.

Across the road, Auran's quarry watches his ally flee. Apparently deciding that threat of death by flaming sword isn't worth whatever he was here for, the hobgoblin throws down his bow and flees, moving through the dense vegetation as easily as if it were not there at all.

There is a moment of silence, then rustling sounds from the forest to the south. Another pair of hobgoblins emerge, these much more heavily armed and armored. The two wear breastplates of similar make, but the resemblance ends there. One carries two long, broad swords, the ends curved up into vicious, ripping tips, while the other holds a mace and wears a shield strapped over his other arm. A belt of knives is cinched around the swordsman's waist, two vials of a pale blue liquid thrust through loops of the belt, while the other wears a simple leather belt from which dangle the skulls of two-dozen or more small animals, each cracked open to hold a precious gemstone of a different color. The two are surrounded by something like a dense shadow, a darkening to the air that seems to ripple whenever you focus on it.

The swordsman spits something in a foreign tongue, leveling one blade to point directly at Auran, while he flourishes the other in a series of elaborate, flashing swipes.

Roni:

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Faien's foe shouts an invective about the knight's questionable parentage in the goblin tongue, spitting toward him before turning and running.

The swordsman also speaks in the goblin tongue. "Weaklings! Their resolve held only through a single blow and the empty words of a krtagh!" he says, derisive mockery thick on his tongue. "We will find them when we finish here, and their entrails will remind any others with weak hearts of the price of dishonor!"

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H1 is the swordsman, H2 is his companion. There must be a better way to mark these things; I'll look into clarifying tokens with the next map.

Auran detects the presence of evil creatures to the southeast of himself (note that "up" is not "north" on this map).

Map:

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[Sallera]

"There you are. If you've more skill than those two fools, face me on even ground." Pushing the horse forward through the undergrowth, Faien slips off its back, shoving off a tree with his shield and landing on his good leg, his blade already flashing through a tight arc and rising into a forward guard as something prevents him from following through. Lightning crackles down its length once more, white arcs of energy attempting to escape the confines of the soul-forged sword.

"Well? Will you press this doomed attempt further, or stand down?"

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Ride, DC5: (1d20+1)[21] to control mount
Ride to G12/H13, dismount into I13.
Swift: Reassign essentia from Shirt to Gauntlets. SR is down to 9. *waits for a caster to show up*
Attack H1: (1d20+10)[25]
Damage: (1d8+6)[13] + (4d6)[12] electricity + (3d6)[6] fire

[Fireheart]

Roni - they've got a Sanctuary up...I don't think we can attack them. Vaeri whispers quickly as she reaches into her spell component pouch.

She readies her spell in case they attack Faien.

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OOC: Readied Action (or there abouts) Magic Missile whichever one attacks Faein if they do.

[TekHed]

"If it is a sanctuary...they will not be able to harm us either, not without risking their own protection." Auran said, appearing from the brush.

"So tell us...why are you here? What do you want?" Stalling, Auran focused his concentration, pinpointing the source of the malice that filled his senses. Should it belong to these goblinoids...not even their dark magics would save them.

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So I can only move so far, to get myself out of the trees...move action to O11. Standard action concentrate on Detecting Evil, and Free action speech...

The others are still out of range of Auran's aura.