Age of Ruin IC: When all your friends are dead

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Already invisible Lucci doubles up by taking cover and readies herself to cast a suggestion at the exit as soon as her allies are in the clear and her enemies in range.
<These people really don't know when to give up.> she thinks.

Spoiler

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Taking cover and ready action to cast suggestion.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima reaches one arm out toward Krashnix as she's running, lightly grabbing hold of his clothes.

I get hit, I'll reflexively grab onto him. He gets hit...guess at best I can use him as cover. Not much I can do about it, he's too heavy for me to even really drag up.

"Keep running, we'll have the advantage in the open space at close range."

[Ozzy_G]

Krashnix and Kizima break into glorious sunlight, another crossbow flying just over Kizima's head.

[Regwon]

Krashnix

Once out of the passage Krashnix waits to make sure Kizima is also out ans then moves around to the side of the doorway.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima breaks off in the opposite direction of Krashnix, using this chance to catch her breath before the fighting begins.

"If anyone has a way to keep them from casting anything else, it could be really useful this time around. Unless you're growing a fondness for that spell that every single damn one of their priests seems to know."

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina gives a friendly wave from atop the doorway and draws her thumb across her throat with a wink.

[Lycar]

Akim quirks an eyebrow at Kizima from his position.

"Oh ? I could try talking to them. Maybe that will distract them."

It doesn't sound as sarcastic as one might suspect.

Lycar

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Lucci decides that with her current spell selection she might have nothing better to do then get out of the firing lane till the line of effect clears up and she is offered a juicy target. Running over to Rego with the mule she pulls him away "Come on, it is dangerous so close to the fighting." another thirty feet to watch the show.

"Hey, westlender saviors, allow me to enchant one of them for future endeavors' sake!" the sorceress yells back at her new compatriots. Then she sits down for a spell.

[Ozzy_G]

Rego follows Lucci away, pulling the mule.

You carry on waiting for a minute or so, but no one seems to be coming up the passage.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Is there more than one exit? Or did they give up? Or are they waiting for nightfall...?
With these and other such doubts in her mind, Livina glances about the ruins. Finally, she waves again to attract everyone's attention, and then gestures off towards Rego and the mule with a shooing motion.
I can catch up later...and we'll see if they still try after them when they've left...
Assuming the others leave, Livina will try and make herself hidden amongst the rubble while keeping a view of the archway.
((take 10 on hide for a 19))

[Lycar]

Akim waits beside the entrance, half relieved and half worried that no cultists show up to attack.

Of course, it is highly unlikely that these ruins have only one exit and even someone dumb enough to worship a serpentine demon can have enough animalistic cunning to come up with a simple flanking manouver.

So he says out a bit louder then strictly neccessary "Oh isn't it clear ? They found the corpse of their leader and without someoen with a brain to lead them, they are simply incapable to make up their mind to attack us out here. Let's just go. They won't dare to follow us."

But he also shakes his head at his companions, hoping that they will get the meaning.

Lycar

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima looks agitated that the cultists are no longer following them.

"Akim, that's not going to work. They already have a plan, and your poor taunts certainly won't coax them out of implementing it. We should move out of the ruins, and probably have at least two people on watch at all times if we must go to sleep. They're going to ambush us. Gods know why anyone would build something with so many secret passages, but it's a safe bet that they're there. Unless you want to waste time here, hoping they'll get impatient and attack us?"

[Ozzy_G]

Rego holds onto his mule nervously. Um, he says quietly, pointing to the south-east, the Dwarven tomb is about ten miles that way, why don't we just go now? As Akim said, they probably won't follow us, not if we run away now, will they?

[Brickwall]

Kizima

"Like I said, we should get a move on. May even make it out of here before nightfall."

Kizima re-adjusts her backpack on her shoulder and begins walking in the direction Rego pointed.

[Lycar]

Akim looks over at Kizima and rolls his eyes.

(She didn't get it... oh well...)

So he just vacates his spot beside the tunnel and rejoins the party.

"Fine. Whatever."

Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Ensuring that her hiding place is a spot where no one can approach her from behind, Livina settles down to wait for a little while.

[Ozzy_G]

Akim, Krashnix, Rego and Kizima head off to the south-west with the mule. They soon pass out of the area scattered with bits of ruined architecture and onto the green prairie.

Meanwhile, Livina stays over the arch of the door.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

Talking a bit about how more blood will be spilt ere the forthnight is over unless the party heads for a city and avoids this area Lucci initially looks like she's leaving. But she had to be loyal to this Mokai woman. With some reluctance she approaches the hiding place where she took cover and lays a hand carefully on Livina's shoulder.
"I will port us out of here if you find it necessary, Senior." she whispers into her ears.

Spoiler

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I made the first half of this post earlier but it didn't post. I decided to stay behind, thanks for allowing me to do so. Casting Invisibility till I run out along with shield, as silently as possible.

[Ozzy_G]

After about ten minutes, Livina and the invisible Lucci hear something.
Can you see anyone?
No, I think they've gone, go and check.
I'm not checking, you do it!
No way, you do it!

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

While they're wracked with indecision and seemingly weak Lucci makes the foolhardy decision to attempt to sneak out in the open to get a line of sight to espy her enemies and potentially cast a spell against them. If nothing happens or appears to be threatening and LM can't get a target then she will eventually try to approach the tunnel.

Spoiler

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Move Silently: (1d20+3)[6] Ready action to cast fireball as soon as possible. Cast it unless one of them looks strong. If they all look weak then wait for one of them to make it out into the open and flambè the rest.

[Ozzy_G]

Invisible, Lucci starts to move around. She sees that there are two women in green-lined black robes standing about ten foot from the entrance, looking rather nervous. And then she steps on a twig. Crack!
Hey, what was that? says one.
And then Lucci throws a fireball at them.
They scream as they burn in terrible agony, running around on fire for a few seconds before they keel over, and your noses once again detect the stench of burning flesh.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

If only there had been more room for her feet. If only the great outdoors was a gigantic mansion with polished marble floors. She'd made a point of not stepping on any leaves or twigs but there were just too many of them for her clumsy steps.
Resisting an urge to throw an apologetic look in the Mokai Livina's direction Lucci casts invisibility again and zigzags back towards her compatriot.

"Sorry for spoiling your ambush, Livina." she whispers, but she doesn't sound like it as her voice is mellow with an underlying tone of peaceful contentment.
"Shall I teleport us to the others?"

Spoiler

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Cast Dimension Door and take Livina and her out of the area then catch up with the others by foot if she agrees. Otherwise just cast it up to twice herself then run up to the others.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina opens her mouth and closes closes it again as Lucci settles down nearby. The silence over the next ten minutes is decidedly an awkward one as the pair wait. Livina glances every now and again at the woman next to her.
She gives me the willies...I've never seen anyone fling magic around like it was cheap beer before. How do you even get to be so powerful?
Engrossed in thought, the Mokai woman quickly loses the initiative as Lucci takes handling the cultists into her own hands.
Livina winces at the sound of the screams and the scrabbling of the burning cultists, but slowly clambers out of her hiding place.
"Uh, right. Just a tic, though..." Livina jumps down and takes a cursory search of the cultists' belongings, holding a corner of her cloak over her mouth and nose as she does.

[Ozzy_G]

Both women are wearing the same cloaked robes as the rest of the cultists. One looks to be in her late 40s, the other is young, probably about 16. It is hard to tell exactly though, as they are so badly burnt.
They both have daggers, but no other equipment as far as Livina can tell.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina
Livina gathers up the two daggers quickly and drops them in her pack.
"Okay, Lucci....let's get going..."
Her expression is glum.

[Ozzy_G]

Lucci chants, and she and Livina vanish.

Krashnix, Kizima, Akim and Rego are walking down onto the wide grasslands with their mule. In the distance far ahead of them are the cloud-topped mountains, receding into the misty sky.
The air flickers and wavers, and then Livina and Lucci appear in front of them. The mule snorts and bucks at the shock, but Rego manages to calm it down.
What did you see? Is anyone chasing us? he asks nervously.

[Moechi_Vill]

Lucidae

"I spoiled the ambuscade for the lack of patience similiar to that which my senior held within her breast. There is no prisoner for your... expedition... to bring to the light. No knowledge of darkness to strengthen the light in which you all bath and which hath saved my soul. Please forgive me."
Lucci tilts in her senior's direction for her to give the details. She looks apologetic and thankful yet pretty happy about whatever events went down.

Once the group has set camp Lucci moves over to Akim and tugs on his sleeve, casting a glance at the edge of the camp to indicate she could use a word or two with him.

[Lycar]

Akim is a bit startled when Livina and Lucidae reappear so suddenly, but also feels a sense of relief to see them back.

Since he gathers from Lucidae's words, that there probably aren't any pursuers left to worry about, he can finally relax somewhat.

Still, he remains uncharacteristically silent as they move on.

When they finally stop to set up camp he speaks up again though.

"If it is reassuring for you, i could set up a ward to protect us from being ambushed during the night."

When Lucidae approaches him, he nods at her and prepares to head off from the main camp a bit to have a few words in private.

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Rego stops you after about an hour and a half, to rest. It's only about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, but Rego seems quite shaken up, probably from seeing all the violence.
The Dwarven tomb should be nearby, but we should probably have a rest before we go in, shouldn't we? he says.

Krashnix, Kizima, Livina and he sit down while he gets out some more bread and a ham wrapped in paper.

Meanwhile Lucci and Akim walk off a few hundred feet. Being on a wide plain of grass, there's no trees to go behind or anything like that, so they are in plain sight of the others, but out of earshot.
Rego scratches his head. What are they doing over there?

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina kicks at the turf idly with her feet.
"Making out? I dunno...she kinda gives me the creeps now. I mean, she just flings around that magic like it's nothing! How do you even get that powerful? And she seems kinda...off. I think we should, like, check up on them in five minutes if they aren't back. Make sure she isn't eating his soul or something... Hey Rego? What kindsa stuff are you hoping to find in this tomb? Any idea who's buried here?"