A Thorn In The Hand IC

[Wordplay]

'Ah, erm...'

Raif takes in the large groggy tiger and the tiny bag in Drayner's hands...

'Just hold the bag open, stand in front of the tiger, and tell the tiger to go back in the bag, and er...hopefully that should suffice...'

Raif stands next to the tiger and points towards Drayner and the bag.

'Go on boy'.

[Malak'ai]

The Tiger struggles uneasily back to it's feet, it's head lulling, growling pitifully, trying to regain it's senses.

[D_Man_7733]

Drayner closes his eyes thinking, while holding the bag open, "ummm... Tiger, RETURN!"

Spoiler

Show

UMD?:(1d20+8)[20]

[Malak'ai]

The Tiger starts to quiver, it's body starting to contort and shrink until it's nothing more than a fuzzy little ball that then seems to levitate back into the bag.

[Wordplay]

'That seemed to go well...but perhaps I was a little hasty. I'll be more careful in future'.

'Well, the mage is dead. Well done Drayner, Minserien, Carayan. Does anyone need any more healing?'

Raif peers around to check the distant orcs and goblins again.

Spot [roll]1d20+4[roll]

'Well, what is the plan. Escape away towards the Blossemwoods, or turn and crush our pursuers?'

[Wordplay]

Blow. Spot (1d20+4)[15]

[Malak'ai]

Raif:

Spoiler

Show

You see the Orc's and Hobgoblins still trying to catch their breath in the distance.

[D_Man_7733]

"I believe escape is the best course of action, don't want them thinking we are too much of a threat yet, play your hand close to your chest and all that. Drayner begins mounting back up onto shadow surveying the scene. Looking down to Halabur, Drayner casually tosses the bag that the tiger was sucked into to Halabur. "Here you go, hope it helps in the event anything happens... unless anyone else has something to say about it?"

Drayner will casually look over the surrounding area, "It's up to you guys, but I see no reason fight an unnecesary battle that will only draw attention to us"

[Machuchang]

Eleanora nodded.

"Agreed. I would rather see everyone to safety than dally any further with the enemy."

[Simba]

'Does anyone need any more healing?'

"I could use some more, I am still a little tender." Maiali says, wincing a little.

[Wordplay]

Raif touches the wand to Mailali.

Heal (1d8+3)[6]

'Well, that's two for escape. Personally I would also favour avoiding an unnecessary battle at the moment, though I can see tactical sense in attack as well'.

'Is it alright if I keep your wand for the moment Drayner?'

[Arranis Thelmos]

Halabur inspects the bag with a smile on his face. A summoning bag could be very useful. Briefly he wonders if it summons other animals, or any other properties.

Spoiler

Show

Knowledge Arcana (1d20+10)[28]

[D_Man_7733]

"Go ahead Raif, I'm sure you'll put it to better use, you seem to have the hang of it, I may need it later but for now, consider it yours"

Drayner helps one of the elves up onto shadow if they wish to ride with him.

"Do you think we should notify Tahlrumy after we lose our tired persuers, or should we try to put alot more distance between us and the front lines?" Drayner asks to no-one in particular, but jumping between the different faces of his comrades as he speaks.

[Malak'ai]

Halabur:

Spoiler

Show

You've heard of these Bags of Tricks before. You know they come in three different types.
From the evidence of the Tiger being pulled from this on, you can safely guess it's one of the most powerful ones, and that, including the Tiger, five different animals can be summoned. A Brown Bear, a Lion, a Heavy Warhorse, a Rhinoceros and of course a Tiger.

[Arranis Thelmos]

Halabur grins and pockets the bag. "We'll, I certainly have a nasty surprise for the next group of villains to engage us." He turns to Drayner, "We should definitely inform Tahlrumy, this is a surprising development he may not have here'd of yet."

[Wordplay]

Raif smiles, then nods.

'Thank you, Drayner. I'll see that I put it to good use, preserving life'.

'As for notifying Talhruamy, I think we should wait until we're well clear from any of the enemy's formations'.

'We searched the Orc didn't we? Well, unless we have any further business I suggest we continue this discussion on horseback...'

Raif, riding Filofax, helps Rochenion back up into the saddle, then prepares to ride.

'Shall we head for the caves our friends mentioned?'

[D_Man_7733]

"I'm all for it Raif, assuming everyone else is in agreeance" Drayner looking back over the horizon, he seems edgy at best, we were fooled once by a simple illusion... we must be prepared for this, or our mission may end before it is completed

[Simba]

Maiali nods and takes his place, somewhat subdued due to his lack of success against the tiger.

[Machuchang]

Eleanora sat solemnly in the saddle, nodding occasionally as she took in Raif's words, though evidently distracted by the prospect of the Orcish horde's proximity. Once he had finished, she spoke.

"To the caves it is then," She said, rather bluntly. "I will take point."

[Arranis Thelmos]

"To the caves!" Halabur says with a grin while fingering the newfound bag.

[Wordplay]

Raif rides at a good pace, and draws up next to Mailali.

'Are you all right my friend? I'm sorry I could not do more against the beast'.

Raif Clearsight looks slightly doleful.

'I'm afraid I'm not much of a fighter'.

[Malak'ai]

As you start riding in the directions of the caves, you hear the sounds of the horns again from where your exhausted pursuers are still laying on the ground.
When you look back though, you can make out that they have not picked up the chase again.

[Wordplay]

'Hmm...we heard horns just before the mage ambushed us, did we not? I wonder if the illusions he sent at us corresponded to a real life asset in the area?'

'In any case, perhaps we should pick up the pace a little?'

[Simba]

'Are you all right my friend? I'm sorry I could not do more against the beast'.

"I'm alright, thank you. Just a little depressed. That beast almost killed me. I am only alive thanks to you and your friends here. I am deeply in your debt."

[Arranis Thelmos]

Halabur visibly pales at Raif's words. "I hadn't thought of that. We should run!"

[Wordplay]

'Well, perhaps a quick trot for now, at least Halabur...After all, we also need to take care that we do not run straight into the Covenant patrols either'.

Raif looks back at Mailali.

'Take heart. I have failed too this day, but my comrades have helped me to succeed in my duty. Together we have endured. All of us have come through battle alive. If you had not been there, the beast would likely have attacked someone else, perhaps someone less able to fend it off'.

[Malak'ai]

You start moving at a slightly quicker pace. The land around you is still the same; mostly flat scorched grass land, a few tufts of unburnt greenery scattered here and there, rifts and craters of torn earth where spells and war machines have impacted.

You travel for almost half an hour (all spells have worn off and your disguises will need re-doing) before coming to a small rise. Once you get to the top you see that the land now becomes small, rolling hills, covered in dry grass and bushes.

[Machuchang]

The dame managed to spare a smile at the sight of new terrain.

"Ahh... It reminds me of home," She sighed happily as she glanced around the new location. "I would much rather fight here than in the woods. At least we could see the enemy coming.

Finished with talking to no one in particular, she returned her attention to the elves, specifically.

"Are we close?"

[Malak'ai]

Rochenion, Caranyan and Minserien look at each other for a moment, then Minserien speaks up, "I know nothing about the landscape around here. I got stuck in Blossomwood just before the seige." Turning to Mailali he asks, "Do you know where these caves are?"

[Wordplay]

'On that note, how exactly did you all come to be captured? Were you all fighting together, or were you captured separately?'

It appears no-one knows the way...

'Well, our first priority should be to find a safe place to camp, so that we may replenish our li - spells I mean. After that, do we know in which direction the Blossemwood is? Personally I would be all for circumventing it, since it is besieged, and infiltrating the nearest town, but it would be good to see our companions to their home'.