The Defenders of Highgate, Chapter 2

[raspberrybadger]

Ziran Blueboots

Ziran replies "I don't have to be able to see, but I can't cast an illusion straight through a stone wall. I'll volunteer to go along, if it will get us going. I can use one of those scrolls I picked up to give myself some temporary armor, and I'll be as hard to hurt as our metal wearing folk. And, if orcs come near us, well, you saw what happened last time orcs tried to get near me. We'd have Alian along too, and he's a bat so he can see hidden things pretty well, if there is an ambush. I really don't know how he does it, but he can see better than I can, and if something is close he can even see right through bushes."

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Startled out of his happy place of warm sunshine and butterflies, Carter frowns visibly at Nalik.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Only one volunteer? Then I will appoint someone to accompany Ziran. Elis, you can move well. You and Ziran make your way through the pass and see what is on the other side. Try not to be seen, and by all means do not engage the enemy.

[oliana0]

Oliana

"I'll go."

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Ah yes, or course she volunteers to save her boyfriend, or to go along with him. Maybe if we all volunteer we can go as one large group.

Carter shrugs his shoulders, stands up and says, "Well, if you need volunteers you got them. Just let me know what you want me to do. um, ah, sir." Carter gets a little red in the face and smiles sheepishly.

Baah. After we get attacked I wonder if anyone will volunteer to come rescue us.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Two is what we will send. Ziran and Elis can move fast enough without being seen to get in there and get back out.

[oliana0]

Oliana

Oliana shrugs and sits down. She pulls out her spellbook and beins to study.

[WarBrute]

Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok had been staring up the pass for the majority of the conversation but is brought back when he says Ziran and Elis will be the two to scout a head. "I am sorry for not speaking sooner, Nalik but If there are any more traps... I think I would be the best suited to look for them."

[Velvet Elvis]

Kruhljak Wynde

Kruhljak swats away a botfly the size of his thumb from Cinnamon's neck, eliciting a snort and a scuffing of the ground from the animal.

The pair seem somehow impatient, though the rider says nothing, allowing the tasks to be delegated to the proper members without comment.

[raspberrybadger]

Ziran Blueboots

Ziran laughs "Well, if we have Ellis with us, I can take my warpony in and not decrease our stealth. That way my short legs won't slow us down. I won't engage unless I need to clear some running room because there are orcs right on top of me. Lets get this over with. We can have Ellis in front with a bow, and I'll cover him with magic if it comes to it."

With that, he takes Alian (his fruitbat) out and perches him on his shoulder, gets his wand in his hand, and moves his mount behind Ellis, ready to move.

[dauphinous]

Elis grins at Ziran, then pulls his bow and nocks an arrow. He jogs up nonchalantly to about 20 feet shy of the bend, then slows to a careful walk.

{Taken to PM. The rest of you may carry on.}

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Back to sitting, relaxing and enjoying the day, Carter realizes something. "Say, if this really is a pass through the mountains, should we report this to Highgate Command so they can send troops to secure it?"

After cracking his neck, Carter adds, "I thought Highgate was so significant, strategically, because it sat on the only pass through the mountains."

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Nalik looks at Carter for a moment.
I was hoping to have more information before I contacted Highgate command with this. But you are right, if things go badly for us, we need to make sure the city is aware that there is a easily passable route through the mountains.

Nalik then pulls out the comm device.

Bunnyslipperes

[dauphinous]

The voice that answers sounds like the same man as before. "Report."

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Yes Sir. We are now approcimately 4 hours march north of our base camp. We have found a pass through the mountains that appears to be easily passable. Two of our members are exploring the pass right now. We have found evidence of a trap or alert system in the pass. I just wanted to make command aware of this new situation, just in case things turn bad for us.

[dauphinous]

"'Easily passable'?" There are notes of both skepticism and alarm in the voice. "Four hours north of the base camp would put it..." he trails off, and his tone and tempo suggest he is stalling a little. "How big?"

About this time, Carter, Nalik, and Deladus can all hear fast moving hoofbeats coming from the pass, apparently echoing down it.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Just as Nalik is about to respond, he is distracted by the sounds of rushing hoofbeats.

Prepare, to arms. Something is coming through the pass. Get into formation.
Carter, Kruhljack, Deladus, to the front. Lets use this ass as a choke point. But be prepared to let Elis and Sarrok pass.

Nalik then takes a position behind the fighters. Initially he will have his hammer and shield prepared for a fight.

[oliana0]

Oliana

"Nalik, hand it to me." Oliana reaches for the device as Nalik takes charge of the situation.

If he hands it over and there is time, "This is Oliana Ligat, our scouts are returning quickly, which may show signs of an enemy approaching or other danger. The pass is between 5' and 10' wide at the base, but the sides open up as they get higher. It might be a passage of Orfelsk."

As Oliana speaks, she moves away from the pass, and draws the magic missle wand.

[Annalia]

Hertz

Not being ordered to front, Hertz stays five feet behind the three front-liners, placing himself between them and Oliana. If those were enemies coming, the more people between them, Oliana and the comm, the better.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Nalik will pass the comm to Oliana.
I know you are not that comfortable on horses, but if things start to fall apart, you get on one and get oot of here as fast as you can. I want to be able to get Command back to this spot.

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Carter stands up, readies his flail and steps to the left side of the pass so that he might attack anyone exiting.

Carter peeks around the corner to look into the pass so he can anticipate whatever is coming.

[raspberrybadger]

Ziran Blueboots

Before Ziran has even exited the pass, he calls ahead "Elis died, they have lots of hidden archers. They were waiting. Dunno if they come now."

Whenever Ziran arrives, he places himself in the front rank of whatever defensive formation is being drawn up by the defenders, but on the far left, ideally so that he is not directly in front of the pass. Externally, he uses his charisma to project confidence in his sorcerous power to drop rank after rank of whatever enemies come through the gap. Inwardly, he's still cringing at the kind of firepower that can put that many arrows in the air at once, and thats just the ones that were on target. And his most deadly magic is barely longer in range than a good pike. He came all too close to being a target for a volley like that, and he wants to come no closer.

[Velvet Elvis]

Kruhljak Wynde

Snapping into the moment, Kruhljak draws Cinnamon up, front and center. It was as he suspected: a trap.

A battery of archers in a narrow pass created an efficient killing field; they would have to be neutralized to avoid a stalemate, as bypassing them seemed unlikely at best.

He gritted his teeth at the news of Elis' death, and the realization of the brief life he'd predicted. Now it was time to receive the full accounting of the situation, and Kruhljak simply stood his ground upon Cinnamon and watched the mouth of the pass despite no expectation of pursuers.

[Holocron Coder]

Deladus

The warrior follow's Nalik's orders, quickly getting in position to block the pass. Upon news of Elis' demise, he frowns in momentary sadness, but otherwise starts to scan the top of the pass for any sign of the mentioned archers, holding up his shield.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Oliana, report that to command.

Nalik steps up behind Kruhljack to offer him some divine protection. He pulls a piece of parchment and offers a prayer to Thor. All 3 fighters (Kruljack, Deladus, and Carter) feel a slight tingle as they gain Thor's defenses.

Ziran, get back behind the fighters.

Spoiler

Show

Trading a turn undead to cause Shield of faith to cover up to 3 characters within 10 ft. +2 deflection bonus to AC

[dauphinous]

You all tense and wait for anyone that might have pursued Ziran. And wait. And wait. The pass is empty, and there seems to be no one and nothing coming charging out to catch him.

[raspberrybadger]

Ziran Blueboots

Ziran reluctantly obeys orders, getting behind the fighters, saying "If they come through the pass in any serious numbers, I'll need to be in front somehow, like I was with the orcs, and the rats. I'm using magic to give me temporary armor, and orcs with axes and the like I can scythe down with color magic before they get to me."

When nothing comes charging out of the pass, Ziran inwardly breathes a sigh of relief - he isn't as confident in his indestructability as he sounds. He likes even less the notion of being the ones trapped coming out of a narrow pass into arrow fire though.

[oliana0]

Oliana

The blood drains from Oliana's face as words lock up in her throat. Nalik's words snap her back to reality.

Oliana's voice is low when she speaks into the comm again, "Elisathalan has fallen. Archers in the pass."

I have a note to his mother somewhere, right?

[lawful_evil]

Carter

Looking around and not seeing many options, Carter voices his opinion, "If I were them, I'd send a small force of archers around to our flank to drive us into the 'pass' so the main force can destroy us. I suggest we get out of here before that happens. Maybe we can find another way up. Perhaps come back and take them by surprise instead of just pressing forward against an obviously superior force."

Carter looks around for support and then shrugs his shoulders and adds, "Just an idea, you know, the whole live to fight another day thing." With that he hefts his mighty flail and awaits further orders.

[anIceFan]

Nalik

Looks around at his dis-heartened crew.
It would be senseless for us to stay here. Lets retreat back to base so that we can lick our wounds, and morn Elis as he deserves.

he walks over to Oliana and placing a hand on her shoulder (gently) retrieves the comm device from her.

He speaks into the device with a somber tone.
One of our number has fallen. We are returning to our base of operations to regroup. We will contact you later with any more information we can provide. Stormbrow oot.

He then gathers Whiteboots and turning towards base gives his orders
Kruhljack and Carter take the rear, Deladus, you are on point. Ziran, you take a place in front of the rearguard so that you can help slow down any attackers. The rest of us will fill in between.

Lets move