The Forbidden Land of Sundara: Insurgency IC

[Plushie Arz]

SHENRA

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Shenra could feel her spirits lighten as she made her prayer. Her faith grew stronger, her will surer. She felt a certain... conviction as fear was expunged from her spirit.

DM: Shenra is temporarily under the effects of an Aid spell.

[CryWolfCorrupt]

A wicked grin crossed her lips. She knew that Ona would not abandon her; help was coming. She knew what she was going to do.

Fire danced within her veins as she awaited her liberation.

[Star_In_a_Sky]

Feeona

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“Stay safe,” Feeona whispered after Khallis had already leapt upward.

It was then she knew she would never sew together half the courage needed to squeak out anything beyond pleasantries or plans to her, and there a sudden pang was in her chest. But worse than not having the will to speak was not knowing what words should be said at all. I had ten minutes! Why didn't I think of something then? Her feet were already marching forward, oblivious. Twenty-odd souls rode on the gambit, and every dear one of them deserved better than her doubt.

Feeona felt her hands shake, but she was running towards the trio then. Somehow, she was to be seen to take command, and somehow without being gravely quick, and somehow avoid being hopelessly tardy. Mornay help me. Her eyes flickered from the growing smoke to the glinting spears to the three soldiers themselves. She thought again of Arwell Wessing, the small soul that had presumed it his divine right to throw away thousands of lives for pageantry and pride. The horse-faced marshal that didn't deserve rank, but these soldiers still served.

A clod of an aristocrat that could save them all.

“Fire!” Feeona cried, by that time her every step a speedy clangour itself. Before she had managed to dig her heels into a full stop she was already shouting again, looking first to the trio and instantly to the Hall beyond.

“Everyone, out! Everyone that knows the name Field Marshal Arwell Wessing; out! Assemble! Form rank!”

Spoiler: Diplomacy

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(1d20+11)[22]

[Plushie Arz]

FEEONA

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The three guards standing at the door reached for their weapons when they heard Feeona approach but visably relaxed when they saw the insignia of the Morning Sun emblazoned on her shield. All three of them looked young, not much older than Feeona herself. Two of them were little more than boys who had the self-assured cockiness of youth. The middle one, a freckled girl in her late teens stood to attention. "But 'mam, we were left Orders to guard the prisoners! The sergeant told us not to leave under any circumstances!"

[sunwukong]

As he regains awareness of the world around him, Baku feels a stab of fear in his gut. What the Hell did she just do to me? An archer could've shot me down while I stood here! But she didn't, and now she's talking to us... Cautiously, Baku removes his right hand from his bowstring and spreads his arms in the cross-cultural gesture of non-hostility. He still grips the bow in his left hand, but he keeps it lowered.

In as respectful a tone as he can muster, Baku replies to the elf, "Not looking for slave. Looking for talk. We both enemies of Sun-Order, no?"

[Plushie Arz]

BAKU

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"But you still follow Horgarth yes? Horgarth the Base, Horgarth the Drunk, Horgarth the Depraved." She flitted from branch to branch without a sound but Baku had the eerie sensation that she was watching his every movement. "Well, you're talking now. What have you to say?"

[Star_In_a_Sky]

Feeona

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Feeona wanted to throttle the freckles off the teen's face, all too aware her diligence could be their downfall. But she was all adrenaline and nerves and her reply flowed hotly. “Let the fire spread and there won't be any prisoners left to guard! Look, the sergeant answers to the Field Marshal, and the Field Marshal will make you answer why all that remains is ash. You're not leaving the area, you're securing it. Now stop wasting time, start raising the alarm, and get the others out here!”

[Plushie Arz]

FEEONA

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The girl looked as if she was slapped in the face by Feeona's rebuke and she took a step back. "Y-yes 'mam. Phillips! Maddon, rally the men inside! Stop their dice games this instant!" The two boys kowtowed and rushed indoors to fetch the others. The small squad gathered remarkably quicky and Feeona soon had ten soldiers standing to attention in front of the building.

[sunwukong]

Baku hasn't fought with Horgarth long enough to defend his reputation, but he has no intention of criticizing his leader in front of an elf. "The Warlord is the Warlord," says Baku. "I'm not traitor. But we two thinking that working with elves, we kill more humans. Maybe fight together now, talk to Horgarth later." He glances at Gulbeck, hoping for some words of support from the orc.

[Plushie Arz]

BAKU

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"Horgarth not Avaraxus." Stated Gulbeck, keeping her eyes on the elf. She thumped her pitted breastplate with a mailed fist. "And we not Horgarth. We help elf smash metal men. Break enemy like puny bone under hammer.

The elf laughed, her throaty voice flowing like velvet. "And what if hobgoblin doesn't want to kill humans. What if hobgoblin and orc want to kill elf instead? Chaos is such a lovely mistress is it not?"

[Star_In_a_Sky]

Feeona

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Feeona's brow furrowed and eyes narrowed as though those that stood before her were lacking, when truly they lacked for nothing but numbers. Thirteen, she thought, pained. There's supposed to be thirteen. But she couldn't fathom up a further excuse to excavate the remaining three, and the disagreement had felt like an eternity while knowing the fire yet burned, and she had to ignore the unease in her stomach. Instead she pointed, first at the square and after at the shacks.

“I want a line running between the well and the fire. One person drawing up water, everyone else relaying it down the line. Move!”

[Alabenson]

Silently, Daelric watched the scene below and considered his next move. With ten soldiers out of the way, that would leave only three left to watch the prisoners. The issue then became how best to approach the remaining three. His initial plan, to climb in through the window and strike at the remaining guards from above, had fallen apart the moment he realized that the stained glass windows would have to be smashed to permit entry, which in turn would alert the guards to his presence. That left him with only the front door as an option.
On the other hand, Daelric mused, he had expected the guards to have at least been bloodied, but even from this distance he could tell these were green conscripts. He'd have to move fast once he was inside, but he felt increasingly certain that the plan would proceed just fine. For now, he would wait until Feeona and the bulk of the force were out of sight.

[sunwukong]

Baku doesn't have a better response than "Only two of us, many of you elves. You know we've been robbing Sun-lover supplies, freeing prisoners. Let us fight with you in one battle, see how well we fight humans."

[Plushie Arz]

BAKU
"Why not?" She seemed to consider Baku's words but the mocking amusement never left the elf's voice. "These are strange times after all. Perhaps you will be useful. Perhaps not. But Fharel will make good use of you. Go. Tell them the Nightbird sent you." She quietly chuckled, more to herself than anybody else and swung over the branches. When Baku looked back, she was gone.

"Elf witch." Grumbled Gulbeck, gritting her jaws. "Foul trickery.."
DM: +600XP to Baku.

BRANNA, KATRIA
Mabh's ears suddenly perked up and the panther lifted itself from its bowl of cured venison. Branna knew Mabh only did that when it sensed danger. "Oh, kitty's hungry!" Said Avalia, from behind the counter.

FEEONA
The soldiers formed into precise row and started following Feeona's orders. The fire was beginning to spread and the pungent odour of burnt sap filled Feeona's nostrils.

DM: +700XP to Feeona.

DAELRIC

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Initiative
Daelric: (1d20+7)[25]
Guard 1: (1d20+2)[7]
Guard 2: (1d20+2)[19]

Daelric opened the door and looked into the Hall. It was then he realised why they called it Redmaiden. At the centre of the chamber, was four metre tall redwood, formed in the striking resemblance of a woman with her leafy arms spread wide. Knots and rings in the bark gave the tree an eerie visage that cemented the resemblance. The spiral stairs to the basement were built around the tree and strewn on the floors, he could see the soldier's rucksacks and a bag of confiscated arms that presumably belonged to the prisoners.

Two soldiers in heavy plate armour stood guard. They looked considerably older than the recruits outside and they carried their shields and swords with the seasoned air of veterans who had already seen combat. One of them turned and noticed the man. "You are under arrest for trespass. Submit to the Order or die!"

[Plushie Arz]

SHENRA

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"You're a fat coward, an' a slug! An' your mother is an ooze!" The man opposite Shenra's cell called out to the guard. She hadn't had an opportunity to really notice him before. He looked like he may be in his thirties and he had a head of closely cropped auburn hair and a beard. He may have been attractive at some point but his face was beaten and covered in bruises. With his hands tied behind his back however, he also looked woefully underfed. "You're a limp dog man!"

It was obvious. The man was trying to rile the guard and Shenra could see the soldier's scowl growing as he tried to ignored the insults.

[WebTiefling]

"Druids serve nature like clerics serve the gods. I mentioned curing or removing sickness from nature, but with 'intelligent' creatures going around doing stuff, there are lots of times where the problems are much ...."

Branna cut off what was likely going to be a long, excited ramble. Mahb's senses were better than her own.

"Actually," she replied to Avalia, "she hears something out of the ordinary."

She is slightly nervous that somehow the Order might have already tracked her down, as unlikely as it seemed to her. Still, she knew there were lots of things about civilization she didn't know, and she didn't want to be caught unaware.

"Mahb, stay out of sight for a bit. Katria, care to help me see what caught her attention?" She hops down off the stool and begins moving toward the entrance.

[Plushie Arz]

BRANNA

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Branna's keen smell was able to pick up the bitter whiff of ashes and soot. Indeed, for the first two weeks since the occupation, the burnt smell was everywhere around Kiiska as riots gripped the Undercity and slowly spread like a wildfire. In the weeks since however, as the United Kiiskan Guard brought law and the Order soldiers imposed a curfew, the rampant burning and looting of property had largely stopped. Tonight was different.

DM: Spot checks from Branna, Mabh and Katria.

[Vertharrad]

Katria

"Yes. It would be my pleasure to help investigate." she says as she gets up and follows Branna.

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spot (1d20+3)[16]

[WebTiefling]

Branna pokes her head out the door before she heads out.

Spoiler: Spot check

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(1d20+6)[9]

[CryWolfCorrupt]

Shenra wondered what could have upset the man, but she smelled fire. She smelled smoke. Her warmth at Ona's touch grew to an incendiary revolt within her blood, and she joined the man, biding her time. "Say, only a coward would let another man call him such. You sit on your stool, sharpening a knife that probably hasn't tasted anything but veal for quite some time. You've put on weight too, I can tell it from here!" the guard's eyes grew darker. "Your steel will abandon you. The cold will overtake you and the warmth you once felt will be alien to your heart. The earth underfoot cries for your blood, and the forest thirsts for it. You have upset the balance of life and for that you will pay with your own." She stood up, adrenaline flowing through her and the other man was still calling out against the guard as well. Shenra was impressed at the will of the guard but could tell it was wavering under her barrage. She pleaded with Ona to let the guard come after her and not the other prisoner, who looked like malnutrition had removed most of his fight from his body.

"Wer ixen di ona geou sho'voth wux."*draconic, "The fire of Ona will cleanse you"

[Alabenson]

Daelric assessed the situation quickly; the guards were too far away for him to close before they could fully react, so he’d have to improvise. Adopting a slightly drunken stagger as he lazily twirled his chain, he moved forwards into the main room. Trespassin’? I pay mah tithes to the church, so I own thish buildin’ just as much as the rest of yah, Daelric slurred as he stumbled forwards. To a casual observer, Daelric may have looked like nothing more than a violent, drunken brute, but in fact his mind was totally focused, ready to strike the moment one of the guards came close enough to attack.

Spoiler: In Game Terms

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Daelric moves straight forwards 25 feet and readies an action to initiate Insightful Strike against the first guard to enter his threatened range.

Spoiler: Rolls for Insightful Strike

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Attack: (1d20+8)[10]
Damage: (1d20+11)[19]

Also, note that Daelric receives an attack of opportunity against the first 4 opponents who move through his threatened area each round.

[Star_In_a_Sky]

Feeona

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Feeona stood out of file, alone but plainly visible, standing in the direction opposite of the prison's door should anyone look to her. She hadn't done that intentionally, but saw it for the boon it was immediately after. Her eyes followed the bucket as it was hauled up with water, freed from its clasp, and relayed down the line to be dumped unto the fires that danced in dilapidated windows and on flimsy roofs. But on every face was writ different shades of stress. It was the same strained looks she had seen and worn when she camped with a host in the northern jungles after they were ambushed; right before they broke. No.

“Good,” she complimented when they completed their first circuit, and strained to keep all the doubt and fear from her voice; it instead proved projected and precise to a pitch. “A fair pace. Again!”

The second time Feeona's attention lingered on the shacks to gauge whether she needed to let them keep pace, or offer ways to be more efficient. Her pug nose wrinkled at the stink of burning sap.

[sunwukong]

Baku grumbles in assent, "Yeah, it was. We were lucky she let us through though..." *Orcish

Cautiously, he makes his way further into elf-controlled territory, looking about for the next sentry (presumably named Fharel).

Spoiler: Spot

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(1d20+7)[14]

[WebTiefling]

Spoiler: Spot Check for Mahb

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(1d20+7)[18]

OOC: totally forgot the spot check for her. Sorry.

[Plushie Arz]

BAKU

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Baku and Gulbeck continued along the linear trail. They could hear the rustling of the canopy above and felt the evening breeze against their skin. Around them, they saw the dim lights inside the windows of the treetop apartments but the streets were otherwise empty. Eventually, the trail led to a circular platform that rested on the boughs of a redwood. Orbs of pale light hung around the platform and the bushes rustled. Baku turned to see a group of elves pointing aiming their arrows at himself and Gulbeck. Their leader, a handsome-looking man with golden hair and magenta robes pointed a flaming shortsword at the two.
“Don’t move or we’ll fill you with more arrows than the hairs on your head.”

BRANNA, KATRIA

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Mabh and Katria could see the orange glow lighting a section of the Undercity a few hundred metres away. Columns of thick smoke rose from that area to the treetop canopies. It was a fire. From experience, Katria knew that fires rarely affected Kiiska despite the abundance of wooden buildings. The natural humidity of the jungle and the weekly downpours left little fuel to fan the flames and the enchanters were fast to respond to any potential blazes. In the Undercity however, it was a different story and an unattended blaze could burn for days with the intensity of a wildfire

.

DAELRIC

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One of the soldiers lowered his weapons. “Just a drunken lout, Jacobs. The cells will do ‘im good.”
“Who the hell is he? I want to know why he’s armed!”
They made a steady advance towards Daelric, imposing their steel shields between themselves and Daelric. His prepared attack failed to penetrate the soldier’s defences but he spotted an opening as they advanced towards him.

DM: I’m at work so I can’t edit the map. Daelric gets two attacks of opportunities against both the guards with his 10’ reach.

FEEONA

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It took precious minutes but the first buckets were poured on the growing fire, temporarily pausing its advance. Feeona could see the sweat and soot that clung to their brows as the soldiers followed her directions. She knew they were fighting their own fears as much as combatting the fire. The inferno rose and an overhanging floor collapsed, sending shards of ember out of the deformed windows. One of the soldiers, a young girl with cropped brown hair stared in horror at the inferno and stumbled as her comrades passed her the bucket, spilling the contents over the flagstones.

SHENRA

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The soldier gritted his teeth and sheathed his weapon. “You’ll get what’s coming to you. I bet.” He rolled up his sleeves and started walking towards the man’s cell, waddling slightly from having sat for too long. Shenra could hear the sound of bamboo bars being pulled aside as the soldier let himself into the cell and she could hear the wet sound of fists raining down on flesh.
The violent struggle lasted several seconds but with a heavy groan, the soldier was down on his face. The prisoner reached towards the soldier’s belt with his bound hands and cut his bonds. He then walked to the other cell and freed the other prisoner before breaking down Shenra’s bars and cutting the rope around her hands and feet. Closer up, Shenra could see the powerful muscles under the man’s drawn out skin and the flickering torchlight cast shadows around the bruises and scars of his broken face. He spat out a wad of phlegm and blood. “You mage?” He asked, offering her a hand up.

[Vertharrad]

Katria

Katrias face lights up in fear, and determination. "This isn't good." Not waiting for a word or acknowledgment she bolts for the area of the fire. Using her knowledge of the area she takes the most direct and quick path to the fire. She doesn't even look back to make sure Branna is there, time is important in case innocent people are in danger.

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She either uses double moves(100 ft.) or a flat out run if possible(200 ft.).

[sunwukong]

Baku comes to an abrupt halt, as ordered. The first words out of his mouth are "Nightbird sent us," followed closely by "We came for talk, not trouble."

[Alabenson]

Daelric silently cursed as his chain lashed out at the two advancing guards like an angry snake. Outnumbered two to one against well trained and competent guards; hardly the sort of odds he preferred. Thankfully, he thought as he glanced up towards the roof, it would be child’s play to shift the odds back to his favor.

Spoiler: Attacks of Opportunity

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Guard on Left, Attack: (1d20+8)[28]
Damage: (2d4+7)[14]
Guard on Right, Attack: (1d20+8)[22]
Damage: (2d4+7)[13]

[Alabenson]

Spoiler: Crit Confirmation for First Attack

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(1d20+8)[15]

[Plushie Arz]

BAKU

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The leader lowered his weapons and gestured the others to do the same. He swaggered towards Baku and Gulbeck. For a moment, he seemed to appraise them before offering his hand. "I am Fharel, of the Blood Hunters. Leader of the Resistance, Rightful Speaker of Kiiska. What may your names be?" Despite Fharel's apparent friendliness, Baku noticed the warmth never reached his ice-grey eyes. The elves standing in around the circle bore unreadable expressions as they waited their leader's commands.

DAELRIC

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Despite the soldier's raised shields, Daelric's chain whipped around and struck their bearers. The men flinched as the spikes tore through metal and leather to score against flesh.

DM: Daelric's turn again.

KATRIA

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The fire was burning in the Redmaiden District of the Undercity, an area filled with combustible shanty houses and shacks that generations of Kiiska's outcasts scraped together from scrap wood. It took Katria the better part of ten minutes to reach the scene, jumping over rope walkways and leaping from platform to platform. She leapt onto the roof of a building a hundred feet away from the blaze and surveyed the scene before her.

DM: Spot check from Katria.