Drakora 3.5 IC

[Humble Master]

The birds chirp quietly and the leaves crunch beneath your boots as your party follows the farm boy deeper into the forest. There does not seem to be a path but your guide marches on undaunted as though he has made this trek many times before. Little light filters down through the canopy and patches of light shift upon the ground. The smells of sap and animals fill your nose as you trudge through the forest.
Your guide walks a little farther and then steps aside to reveal a clearing in the forest. A collection of small wooden huts are built in the clearing and a slightly larger stone and thatch structure sits in the center. Some torches are erected on poles around the camp but none are lit. The only source of artificial light seems to be a soft glow from one of the huts.
"This is where that wanderer lives" the farm boy says. "And were that old Grey Mage hideout is"
The boy looks down, double checks his payment and then bolts back down the path, leaving you in the clearing.

[The Dragon]

Yssul were about to ask the boy what he knew, but he vanished before he had time to do so. Oh well. He looked to his new companions. "Let us see if he's home, no?" Yssul walked forward towards the hut the light shone out of, making sure to make noise so he wouldn't startle the occupants. "Hello?"

[Talon15]

Why would someone live out here? Roo sniffs the air as he looks around, keeping an eye out for any dangers.

Spoiler

Show

Respective spot and listen checks.
spot: (1d20+4)[20]
listen: (1d20+4)[21]

[Humble Master]

You don't see any immediate danger though you notice some odd runes drawn on the side of the wall you can see through a small crack in the wall of the hut.
You hear some shuffling from inside the hut but nothing not to be expected. Other than that the chirps of birds fill the air. You also think you might have heard a howl in the distance...

[Waitingnomad]

Ahead of him Reise saw several figures milling around outside the old hut in which he had taken refuge. Thoughts passed through his mind; 'My resting place is disturbed. Why must I never have peace?' He approached them through the shadows, his vision and sharp senses allowing him to move with ease to stand by the dimly lit door. At last, standing behind these intruders, he spoke in a cold, quiet voice "Who are you that disturb my place of rest?"

OOC

Spoiler

Show

To clarify, I was never in the hut to begin with

[XianTheCoder]

Ri'Anthal looks around, Well he must be a good guide, it's not like he has much else to do way out here. Ri keeps a lookout as his frontline soldiers go in looking for the guide.

[Humble Master]

Ri, you notice what looks like a man walk out of the hut and skulk around the shadows for a bit. The then comes up behind your allies. He says something but you can't hear what.

The rest of you who went to investigate the hut, just hear "Who are you that disturb my place of rest?"

[XianTheCoder]

Ri'Anthal squares himself to the newcomer preparing to cast a magic missile, should it become necessary. As the newcomer speaks indicating he's the man they are looking for, Ri relaxes slightly, but is still prepared to defend the group.

[Waitingnomad]

One of the men has tensed, and there is now something about him that suggests an aura of danger. Reise focuses himself in preparation for attack, regarding the others who surround the dangerous man. Armed? Yes. But not displaying aggression. Odd. Nevertheless... "I asked who you were, but your demeanour suggests violence. Always, there is violence. Never peace. Oh, if but some day I may be so lucky as to find peace."

[The Dragon]

Yssul turned, and in the same motion, drew his scimitar halfways out of the scabbard. He managed to screw up the rather graceful move, as he caught his sleeve on the longspear strapped on his back, however. He panicked for a moment, until he realised that the man made no overly aggressive moves. Yssul fell back in a relaxed pose, sheated his scimitar completely, and smiled at the man. "Hello there, friend! I'm Yssul Celtisman, and we are an archaeologist team, of sorts. We heard about the old mage's hideout, and thouht we'd check it out." Yssul weighted his options for a moment. Should he ask the man to join them right away, or see if he could more to win the man over? He decided to wait untill this omnious "wanderer" seemed more at ease.

[Waitingnomad]

Reise found his brow arching in surprise at this new man, this Yssul. Surprise? That was not something he had felt in a long time. This man too had shown agression, but then... 'friend'? Was this a trick? Or was this, at last, a lapse in his torment? "Friend? You speak those words though you do not know me." Reise lets out a short, bitter laugh. "But how could you? I do not know me. Indeed, it seems this was once a place of knowledge. Old, though not as old as I. I am Reise."

[Talon15]

Roo snorts at the new comer but relaxes his guard, resting his glaive on his shoulder. His head tilts to the side as he watches the conversation.

[Humble Master]

Spoiler

Show

Listen Checks
Ri 20
Yussel 13
Roo 8
Folkk 4
Reise 19
Marrod 7

Ri you hear some wolves howling in the distance.
Reise you also hear some howling.

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Waitingnomad]

His head turned in the direction of the howling sound, and he let out a low sight. "It seems there will be no peace today after all. Yssul, you say? Tell your men to be ready. Nature will always hunt, but maybe she will not find you as her prey tonight." Reise paused to gather his psionic focus and a smoky mist began to coalesce about his arm in preparation for the impending attack.

OOC

Spoiler

Show

Gain focus and ready an Entangling Ectoplasm

[XianTheCoder]

Ri'Anthal hears the howling, Great, just what we need. He changes the spell he was preparing to cast to Mage Armor.

At the view of the mist enveloping the wanderers arm Ri is caught off guard, I wasn't expecting a magic practitioner.

Spoiler

Show

Spellcraft: (1d20+9)[13]

[Humble Master]

You don't recognize the spell this mysterious stranger is casting. The howling gets closer to the point were everyone can hear it. All of you peer into the forest, trying to see what has made the noise.
Wolves' Hide Check

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+2)[9]
(1d20+2)[16]
(1d20+2)[8]
(1d20+2)[10]

Spot Checks

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+9)[14] Ri
(1d20)[6] Yussel
(1d20+4)[19] Roo
(1d20+1)[4] Folkk
(1d20+4)[21] Reice
(1d20+3)[7]Marrod

Roo and Reice, you turn around and spot 4 wolves, crouching around the perimeter of the clearing, clearly ready for an attack.
Ri, you can spot 3 wolves, one is very close to you because you stayed back at the edge of the clearing.
Everyone else cannot see anything in the foliage and you grip your weapons as your companions look around.

[XianTheCoder]

When the howls get so close that attack is a concern, Ri'Anthal will cast Mage Armor.

[Waitingnomad]

Breathing out again in another deep sigh, Reise releases the ectoplasmic energy he has built up around his arm. The mist seems to lurch forward and solidify into tendrils of an unidentifiable viscous substance directed at the nearest of the wolves. "It always ends in violence."

Spoiler

Show

Edit: Hang on, as I'm making the first move does this count as a surprise attack? I've readied the action, so I go before the wolves, but if you need it heres my initiative:
[Roll]1d20+9[/Roll]
Ranged touch attack for: (1d20+3)[10]
If successful, its entangled for 5 rounds, no save.

[Humble Master]

OOC

Spoiler

Show

I will rule that because they saw the wolves Roo and Reise get the surprise round.

The ectoplasmic tendril spring from your hand and shoot towards your target. However the wolf nimbly sidesteps, snarls and lowers it's head, spittle bubbling in its mouth.
The wolf is only about 50ft away from you Ri so I assume that you think that that's too close for comfort.

[Waitingnomad]

Reise cast his eye across the two wolves. He must be careful to mind his power reserves, lest they overpower him before he can react. "Those of you with swords and armour, gather to the front. They have yet to reach us yet, but these things move nimbly, and strike with a beastly hunger." Reise began to move slowly backwards towards the hut and behind the line of armoured visitors, drawing a crossbow from beneath his amorphous cloak and concentrating on manifesting some additional resilience upon himself in case the wolves broke through the line of individuals more suited to absorbing damage than himself. Still wary of his new visitors he began to mutter incomprehensibly under his breath and make practised motions with his hands so as to simulate the gathering of arcane magics. "One can never be too wary", he thought. He doubted any would have the knowledge to understand his craft, but one amongst them appeared to have some knowledge of magic about him.

Spoiler

Show

Reise draws his crossbow and retreats 15ft whilst manifesting Vigor upon himself, gaining 5 temporary hit points.

[XianTheCoder]

Spoiler

Show

Initiative: (1d20+3)[23]

Yes, 50ft is Mage Armor time... That will be his first action.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Spoiler

Show

This will only take place once the surprise round is over, Initative is rolled and Marrod's turn has come up.

(1d20+2)[10]

As he makes two fists, Marrod shifts back to the hut. "Alright, magic man, what spells have you got? And don't lie or refuse to answer, or else what I'm gona do next will seriously screw up. Incidentaly, don't resist."

Marrod prepares a Standard action, to use Steal Spell when Reise tells him, or not.

[Humble Master]

OOC

Spoiler

Show

Roll Initiative everyone! The battle has started! Also Roo you get a surprise round

Wolf Initiative

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+2)[4] Wolf 1 (the one close to Ri)
(1d20+2)[8] Wolf 2 (the one Reise shot at)
(1d20+2)[16] Wolf 3 (Another wolf on the edge of the clearing)
(1d20+2)[22] Wolf 4 (with wolf 3) got a natural 20 so it goes first no matter what

[Lore232]

"By the gods lets just get this over with, its be a long a day and I want to sleep" Folkk grumbled "this is just like the time when I had to sleep in a wizards hayloft." He began to shift about and latched his buckler to his arm and drew his short sword and continued "and I swear it smelt of oranges." while looking about, seeing the man in robes muttering he siddled over and continued "I bet you at least would had warned me, hmmm?" he said with a chuckle.

Spoiler

Show

Standard action: Inspiring Courage to the party (+1 fear/+1 atk and dmg)
Move: Get it front of the wizard and perpare to defend him

Init: (1d20-1)[2]

[Waitingnomad]

Spoiler

Show

I've already attacked, so does that include me, or was that already covered in the surprise round? If not, here is initiative: (1d20+9)[17]
Also, I'm making a Knowledge (Arcana) check to see if I can figure out what he's Marrod is up to, and my response will depend on the result. Arcana check: (1d20+7)[22]

[Talon15]

For surprise round:
Roo moves to interpose himself between Ri and the wolves. He readies his glaive, snarling back at the wolves.

Spoiler

Show

Initiative for the battle:
(1d20+3)[23]

[Waitingnomad]

Spoiler

Show

Sense motive: (1d20+3)[13]

Reise looks at the strangely tattooed male, trying to place where he may have seen those markings before. 'Don't resist' implied ill will, yet his motive seemed benevolent, although... he could not quite place his finger on it. "Magic man? I will say only this. If what you are attempting to do relies on my magic then it will not come to fruition. Do not waste yourself."

[Talon15]

Not wanting to charge into a pack of wolves, Roo readies himself to strike any that close in on him.

Spoiler

Show

i.e. readied action to attack the first one that comes within range.

[Sgt. Cookie]

Shaking his head, Marrod begins to explain "I manipulate dust, external, god granted, even that weird "inner dust" that you sometimes hear about. It's not dangerous, just unpredictable, unless I know what I'm after."

[Waitingnomad]

"And you would seek to manipulate mine? Despite this peril, I suspect the time you would need to understand my words is greater than the time I have to use them, should I so elect. I do not. Go to your companion- you will find more use in his abilities than in mine. I will defend your passage."