Champions of Prophecy (IC Thread)

[only1doug]

A cave? It'll probably be occupied already, we should be ready to fight its current occupant...

Heilan follows the others to the cave, leading his horse, ready for an attack at any moment.

[ben-zayb]

While guiding the party towards the cavern, Anoush recounted how the scouting went.
"Marji (the owl) was the one who spotted the gnolls and wolves, while I managed to find this place. I haven't properly inspected inside it though, so be on your guard."

Mere moments later, a swarm of bats appeared behind them, as if pursuing the group.
"Don't worry, I control them. Well sort of, but these bats chasing us just means nobody else are."

[huyneo]

Following the others, Teene was wary of entering this cave. Although, it was their only option. Taking out her baton again and pulling back her hood, she led her horse into the cave along with everyone else.

"I can light up this cave for a time, but that will almost certainly alert the enemy to our presence. How should we proceed?"

Looking warily into the dark recesses of the cave, she prepares the words to the spell on the tip of her tongue.

[tigerusthegreat]

The cave you find set into the side of a ravine is large enough to shelter all of you and your mounts out of the sleet. The temperature is steadily dropping, but with everyone in the cave, you are in no danger of injury from the cold. The weather is unnatural, there can be no doubt about it. The wolf howls and horns continue to sound from the south of your position, but they are not coming directly for you anymore. The Owl's keen eyes report that they are following your former path, but have not reached where you left the road. If they are tracking you, it is likely they will have difficulty from the rain and sleet.

Even though you are warm enough, your wet clothing starts to chafe after a few minutes in the cave. A fire might be a good idea to dry the clothes, but it could also give away your position, and you definitely don't need it for survival, just comfort. There's also the matter of the delay in the cave. The longer you wait out your enemies here, the longer it will take to finish your mission.

Of final concern is the depth of the cave. From the entrance it opens into a gallery that is roughly an oval with a ceiling that varies from fifteen to twenty feet above your head, coming down to ten feet at the entrance. At its widest point, the cave stretches about thirty feet across, and it narrows at the entrance and towards the back of the gallery to about ten feet. The gallery is almost fifty feet long, studded with stalactites and stalagmites, though many are broken and eroded down to dull points in the ground. There is the constant dripping of water, especially coming from beyond the edge of the gallery that leads deeper into the cave (nobody has explored back there yet, if you want to, roll spot and listen checks, or search if you do it carefully)

[Simba]

Rado looks after his horse first. Then he takes a look at the cave, slowly walking towards the back, checking for air currents and other things that could give a clue about size and nature of the cave. He also looks for tracks and other things that might point to possible inhabitants.

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Spot: (1d20+9)[15]
Listen: (1d20+3)[10]
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): (1d20+9)[24]
Survival: (1d20+6)[8]
Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+9)[10]

[only1doug]

Heilan also tends his mount, then quietly speaks,
"I've got your Back Rado" he says softly, before moving carefully to follow 20' behind.

Move silently (take a 10) (11) (armour and weapon stored in his ring of Arming, standard action to change)

[tigerusthegreat]

Beyond the gallery that you are sitting in, Heilan's illuminated weapon reveals a sharp drop into a chasm below. Large drops of water drip from cracks in the ceiling here, into the chasm, which is about ten feet wide, and ten feet long. It extends down as far as you can see. While you don't see or hear anything, Rado knows that this would be a great lair for a flying subterranean or nocturnal creature.

[huyneo]

Teene steps forward to see the chasm that the others had found. Looking down, she bites her lip. "If only I read that book on 'Spelunking with Monsters' maybe I'd be a little bit more prepared." After a pause. "While I can fill this part of the cave for more than an hour, it will cut off our only escape if the enemy were to come through that entrance." Motioning towards the entrance.

Teene starts to shiver slightly from her damp clothes. "As I see it, our options are to wait out here and hope that the enemy leaves us alone or engage them now and then decide what to do." Leaving her opinion to herself, she casts Prestidigitation, cleaning and warming her clothes before doing the same to her companions.

[Techwarrior]

"Good work Annoush."

Vassikyn visibly relaxed upon entering the cave, releasing tension and twitching that before had been nearly imperceptible. As the others went about their business, Vassikyn familiarized himself with the layout of the cavern. When Teene mentioned the parties options, Vassikyn stepped over toward the group surveying the maw.

"We really can't do much out there with the storm. Here we have the possibility that they won't find us, and are sheltered from the weather. If they find us, I'd rather it was here, where I am most familiar with the terrain. Besides, we can do plenty to prepare ourselves for their arrival. I'm sure if we all think about it, we can come up with some great ideas."

OOC

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Yssa can spin webs, I dont recall, are there rules and such for making things like trip lines and such? Do any of the casters have spells that would help?

[only1doug]

"Thank you Teene, most kind"

"I have a spool of Endless rope, it will pay out to 500' but any that is cut off it will immeadiately disappear, we can either knot this and climb down or use it in another fashion."

Heilan pauses for a moment, "I'm not the best of climbers and I'd rather not leave the Horses unattended, so climbing down might not be the best option"

[Techwarrior]

"Yssa could take me down there if we need to find out what's down there."

Vassikyn pauses and then realizes nobody has met Yssa yet.
"Yssa is my divine companion. She could climb down there no problem. She could take all of us down one at a time if we wanted."

[ben-zayb]

"Well I sure don't mind that, since you are the one with the most experience in underground missions. Based on your confidence, I assume either you or Yssa's have senses beyond sight. Just tell me if you ever need some aid.

For the mean time, I'll just watch out for our enemies outside.["

Anoush then gets back to guarding the cavern's entrance, sending his bat swarms outside periodically to detect enemies, with as much vigilance as the obstruction of the sleet could permit.

[only1doug]

I'd rather not abandon the horses to go exploring although I will if that is your wish Vassikyn.

I know the divine steeds will be ok but our travels will be greatly slowed if the normal horses are stolen, injured or killed.

We could tie the rope across the chasm entrance many times, to form a sort of spiders web blocking the chasm, that should prevent anything coming up from suprising us while we wait out the rain and wait for the hunters to find us or pass on.

[Techwarrior]

Vassikyn smirks at the mention of a 'spider's web,' and waits patiently for Heilan to finish speaking.

"Keep your rope Heilan, I have a better idea. Though it would probably be best to keep the horses away from the whole for a few minutes."

After making sure that none of the horses are near, Vassikyn spends a few moments thinking about his companion Yssa. He reviews the time that they've spent together since he was first blessed with her. He thinks about the time she saved him from several drow priestesses. He thinks about the way her carapace looks, and its silvery sheen. When he has finished preparing himself, he calls to her with his mind, summoning her to him, at the top of the ceiling.

Yssa is a spider the size of a large horse. She has a silvery green carapace that reflects some of the light off of her. She has a strange saddle on her back, with straps designed to keep someone from falling off, possibly even when upside down. Though a spider, she has a generally feeling of goodness to her, you can tell easily that she is a paladin mount.

Vassikyn smiles a soft, glowing smile, the first he has smiled since meeting the others. "Hey girl," he whispers, patting her gently. Then he reached out to her telepathically.

"I need you to web up that hole their so that nothing can come get us and our new companions."

She slowly comes down from the ceiling on a thin strand of silk, then sets to work closing up the hole with a web.

[huyneo]

Teene is looks at the spectacle in muted horror. It wasn't long before she was next to Anoush at the entrance of the cave, looking at the back of the cave in shock. Turning around to look at the pouring weather outside, shivers run down her spine while attempting to calm herself.

After what seemed like a terrifying and creeping silence to Teene, she turned to Anoush. "S-so, do your bats detect anything? Hopefully we can move on without too much of a delay." Almost instinctively, she glances back at the deadly spider in the back of the room before quickly turning to face the outside.

[tigerusthegreat]

Yssa webs up the hole. It seems that nothing is going to be coming up that chasm for some time.

[ben-zayb]

" If there were anyone else outside, these bats would be able to sense and follow them. At least in this way, the damned sleet works to our advantage against our pursuers."

Anoush then starts ribbing Teene after seeing the latter being terrified at Yssa. He even briefly, jokingly recounted a near-death-experience with a "demonic spider the size of an elephant" while they waited for Yssa to finish, after which he showed Teene a long and deep scar in his left foreleg.

[only1doug]

"Ack!", Heilan steps back in startlement.

By the light, Give a man a word of warning...

Yes, I see my rope will be unnecessary here.

Well thats one front secured, so weonly have to worry about the hordes in the rain.

[Simba]

Rado looks at the spider, his eyes full of questions. After a few seconds he nods, apparently satisfied. He then moves to a spot in the cave that is both dry and relatively protected. Sitting down he closes his eyes and starts praying, quietly mouthing words that don't really make a sound. His body slumps as he relaxes in meditation.

[Techwarrior]

Let me know if anything happens with the web love, I'm going to go see what I can do for the others.

Vassikyn says to Yssa empathically before coming back to the front of the cave. On his way he speaks soft words of encouragement to Rado and Heilan then comes outside. He sits next to Teene for a few moments, and then speaks all the while staring into the forest.

"I never wanted to be a Paladin you know... I just wanted something to eat. I grew up in the capital in some of the meaner slums, never knew my parents. I was a guild rat. I had to steal and lie to eat. I had gotten chased out of the parts of town I knew and was unbearably hungry. I was trying to get back home and saw the bakery. I had to eat, I thought I was dying. I went into the alley and was going through the garbage when the baker caught me. I was sentenced to indentured servitude until I had payed off the court bill, the cost of the bread, and my room and board for the time of my indenture. All over an orphan with a loaf of bread... Anyway, after my indenture I was sent to the church for reform, and had the luck to be both skilled and unliked. When the Lightbringers needed soldiers for the war in the Underdark I was chosen, fresh into my Lightbringer status. I remember when I first met Yssa. First impressions and all y'know. I had been below for 2 years, and we were sent to escort a priest to another base. We were attacked by the drow, everyone other than me was killed. They captured me because I was a Lightbringer. The drow know how to torture someone effectively. I was just about to crack, when Yssa came out of the shadows and rescued me... Yssa has been with me since. She's a very dear friend to me."

[only1doug]

Heilan looks at Vassykn in shock, then thinks for awhile before choosing his words with care.

"My friend, I haven't had the experiences to truly understand your suffering I am sorry that your early life was such a struggle. Yet I am also grateful that it has brought you to the Man you are today, Leading the light's struggle against shadow.
Once we have overthrown the Shadows hold on the land we will be able to devote some efforts to assisting those in like condition."

"I pledge you now, from this moment forth 5% of my earnings will go to fund Orphanages, to attempt to limit the suffering of those in your former condition."

[huyneo]

Teene pays rapt attention to Vassikyn's story, as if to distract herself from the horror in the back of the room. At first questioning the point of the story, it quickly becomes visible that she starts getting calmer as opposed to her more panicked disposition. By the end, Teene looks back towards the end of the room, not at the spider, but more of a friend of a friend. Finally, Teene turns to look at her companion before looking back out into the rain.

"And here you are. Still following the path of the Paladin. With a... creature as your fellow, nonetheless. I'm sure that doesn't make you any more liked than it already does. And here you are. You hardly have anything in terms of family, but you still do..." Teene looks towards the floor while taking a short pause. "Take solace in that."

[Techwarrior]

"I do Teene, I do. I give thanks to Illum every time that Yssa and I are together. You are correct, Yssa is the only family I've ever had.
Vassikyn turns to Heilan with a warm smile.
"Thank you Heilan, I've only dreamed of being able to convince other people of the need for aiding the orphans of the world. I've been planning to do something like that when I finished in the Underdark. I have this to attend to now though."

[only1doug]

"Well, you can count on me..."

"....Once we have dealt with the business in hand."

Heilan moves toward the entrance of the cave, his armour and sword flicking into and out of existance, "For now though we must wait, for the rain to stop or for the hunters to find us", the flickering stops, Heilans armour is present and his sword in his hands, "I hate waiting."

[Techwarrior]

Vassikyn jumps up, excited, he starts pacing as he speaks quickly.

"That's it! Heilan, you're a genius. Heilan, you've lived above ground your whole life, as have the gnolls likely. Tell me, how many times have you looked at the ceiling while we were in here?"

[only1doug]

"I? Not once, but I would expect those checking for danger to do so", Heilan grins wryly, "Giant spiders are a staple of an adventurers life you know.

[Techwarrior]

"Ah, but lets say you were hot on the heels of the person you were chasing, and they ran into a cave. You'd be quite unlikely to look at the ceiling, or the forest around it. We might even be able to pin them in the cave. Now if only we could rig done kind of explosion to make it collapse...

[only1doug]

"no, as you say, in hot pursuit I'd not be looking above, or around as much."
Heilan's armour disappears, only to reappear a moment later, "It sounds like you have something you are planning, mind filling in the details?"

[tigerusthegreat]

The howls of the wolves sound again, very close. The howls echo through the cave. Through the sleet at the entrance of the cave, a shaggy white figure of a wolf larger than any you have seen is visible. The wolf stares into the cave, but makes no hostile move.

[only1doug]

Heilan moves to block the giant wolf's path through the cave mouth, "Ladies and Gents, our wait appears to be over"

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Initative (1d20+5)[24]


Currently Prepared Maneuvers

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Crusader

1. Mountain Hammer: Deal +2d6 damage, ignore DR and Hardness
2. Tactical strike: Deal +2d6 damage, adjacent allies may move 5'
3. Revitalising strike: Successful attack allows me to heal 3d6+9 damage
4. White Raven Tactics: Allies Initiative changes, he can act again.
5. Radiant Charge: gain +6d6 damage against evil foe, gain DR10/-
6. Elder Mountain Hammer: deal +6d6 damage, ignore DR and Hardness

Maneuvers Readied
(1d6)[1]
(1d5)[2]
(1d4)[3]

all listed numbers move up after each roll.

1,2,3= Mountain Hammer, Revitalizing strike, Radiant Charge

Warblade

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Action Before Thought: Use Concentration check instead of Ref save
Wall of Blades: Use Attack roll instead of AC vs 1 attack
Iron Heart Surge: Remove effect, gain +2 morale bonus

Stances:

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Martial Spirit: Heal 2 Hitpoints with each succesful strike
Leading the Charge: Allies within 60' gain +9 damage when charging
Blood in the Water: +1 to attack and damage for each critical hit

Current Stance: Leading the Charge: Allies gain +9 damage when charging

Allies

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Leading the Charge: Allies within 60' gain +9 damage when charging