[IC] Cayden's Cheerful Company; Chapter 1: Carnival of Tears

[Spore]

Kouran pierces the grig's heart and sees the locust fey falling into a pool of blood. The blood quickly forms a viscous bubble due to the low temperatures. The brownie dances happily in front of your blade. Come kid, get in there! he shouts. While Kouran did not break the illusion, the kid instinctively feels something is wrong and struggles against the tiny brownie, but to no avail. Drop the weapon or he will be torn apart by the machine! the brownie screams, holding the kid's head above the chains inside the machinery.

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The kid struggles helplessly against the much faster enemy. It even tries to punch it but the tiny fey is too quick. Both are grappled now, brownie having the upper hand.

A few feet west Clover has struck down his enemy though he twitches uncontrollably, seemingly almost shivering. It is still lying down for now but you could swear you saw more blood just a few moments ago.

In a moment of panic, Drastia struggles with all of her little force against the bindings instead of weasling herself out of that. She then continues to remove the vines by using her elfish grace to do so. Maybe still having the evil laser eyes also helped convince the roots.

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You can have two move actions if you sacrifice your standard action, making you ungrappled and I think you still do have a turn of laser eyes up though it is gone now. But hey, you are free! Well, until next round's reflex save that is.

You dirty cheating bastard! Jasell exclaims as you kick snow into his face, blinding him. In his anger, he does not remove the snow but rather tries to swing at Therin, missing wide. He removes the snow from his eyes, making him all the more angry. I'll rearrange your teeth, kid.

The confused brownie uses an opening Therin never thought off and hits Therin for 2 cold damage and 2 piercing damage. The other brownie also hits with its sword, dealing 2 cold damage and 1 piercing damage.

Caroline lifts her arm to summon the grease. After all only with that spell she could excuse her component pouch being filled with bakery goods. Struggling against the vines she tries to summon the mystical blubber but the struggle ruins the magical conduit. Meanwhile her fire elemental starts to hit the brownie. It misses but not by much.

[Triskavanski]

In a flurry of footwork as the one grig slides in for his attack, Therin moved around him, and then again afterwards. "You daft fool, they're gonna rip that kid apart with the machines" he shouts out sliding in behind the brownie that kepts stabbing him, and with swift strike to the back of its legs he tries to bring it down.

Spoiler: OOC

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Brownies's 5foot step triggers step up, moving therin to D9
Combat Stamina ignore the loss of 5 foot steps from step up due to more than 1 point of stamina
Five foot step to c10
(1d20+5)[21] vs cmd for trip attack.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

Drastia deftly weaves through the vines and climbs onto the Podium. I have doubts that I will be able to land another arrow into the Brownies' hides. Drastia thought to herself. They are quick, but they aren't very durable, aside from their immortality. She creates a flash of blinding light at a Brownie to distract to lessen its ability to harm Therin.

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Drastia moves to C2 and casts Flare at C9 Brownie

[Athaleon]

"Like hell," Kouran growled in response. "You'll murder him either way."

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Let's try again. Maybe I'll get a decent attack roll against this thing. Let's even use a Panache point on doubling Precise Strike damage to hopefully ensure that one hit will put the faerie down.

Attack: (1d20+11)[22]
Damage: (1d6+14)[19]

[Zhentarim]

Logan was a bit confused in the heat of battle, and so he swatted another grig.

Spoiler: Attack

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nonlethal damage: (1d4+3)[4]

Attack (1d20)[5]

[Chromascope3D]

"Alright, Cayden, let's see what you've blessed this town with, aye?" Clover mutters to himself as he roots through the tent. He seizes a bottle labeled, 'XXX,' and takes a brief second to look up, "That it?"

This town's been forsook too long, brother! he thinks to himself as he steps back out of the tent.

"Oi Therin!" Clover sings, handing the bottle off to his comrade, "Show them some Cailean hospitality, aye?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Clover steps to B11 and hands off the bottle of booze as a move action. He has Spark on his spell list so he can set fire to whomever Therin smashes the bottle on.

[Spore]

Caroline fails again to free herself from the grappling vines she struggled with before. The vanished grig shows up and pierces with its claws through Caroline's chest, pulling out her heart. As it freezes, the grig hurls it away and plays a mournful tone to mock the deceased wizard. With her death, the fire elemental roars in anguish and attacks the grig directly, killing the fiddle playing fey. Jasell knows better than to try and attack a living flame with his fists. He tries to hurl his fists at Kouran but misses pitifully.

Clover and Therin both get hit for 7 and 5 damage respectively. The brownie Clover cut down once stands back up and flees towards the east.

[Athaleon]

"You bastards!" Kouran growled as Caroline was killed just yards away. Just as he started towards her killer, she was avenged by her fire elemental. "Logan, watch the kid!" he called behind him in a faltering voice, as he stepped past Jasell to attack the brownie in front of Therin.

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Move to C8, attempting Acrobatics to avoid the attack of opportunity from Jasell: (1d20+6)[20]
Attack the Dark Ice Brownie at C9, with flanking: (1d20+13)[24]
Damage: (1d6+10)[12]

[Wind-Up Citrus]

Drastia on the stage paces in place, warming up her legs in this frosty weather, and casts Long Strider in preparation for a pursuit or a retreat.

[Chromascope3D]

Clover doesn't notice the pain in his gut, as he watched Caroline fall. He merely looks down at his foe, and lets out a bloodcurdling scream as he brings his blade to bear.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolled 16 in chat and missed. He continues his song.

Spoiler: Clover's Mini Stats

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Clover
Satyr Skald 4 (Urban/Totemic Skald)
HP 22 / 31 Speed 40 ft Init 3
AC 19{20} Fort 9* Ref 7* Will 7*
CMB +5 BAB 3
Edda's Gift (Longbow) +1 [DA] +9*[+8*] (1d8+3[+5], x3)

Arrows: 20/20

Masterwork Longsword [PA] +8*[+7*] (1d8+3(+4)[+4(+6)], 19-20)
Dagger +8* (1d4+2, 19-20)
Str 14 (2) {16 (3)} Dex 16 (3) {18 (4)} Con 14 (2) Wis 10 (0) Int 14 (2) Cha 16 (3)
Perception +9*

Spells Remaining:
Level 1: 1/4
Level 2: 1/2
Current Effects:
*Heroism (40 mins)
{Raging Song}

Used Items:


Used Abilities:
Raging Song: 5/16 rounds used[/B]

[Triskavanski]

Therin moved to flank with Clover bringing down his cane onto the brownie.

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(1d20+11)[20]
(1d6+3)[5]

[Spore]

As Therin moves inside the grappling vines again, he elegantly jumps above the foilage trying to get to him but his strike bounces off of an invisible force field, some sort of vile miasma. Their hatred for Good seems to push your weapon away. The fey's courage quickly slips away as it sees itself cornered by two heroes. As he charges away, he is hit by a blade in his front and a devastating blow of Therin's cane in the back.

Meanwhile Logan makes quick work of his enemy while calming the kid. Jasell slurs in a drunken stupor: I'll give up, you drunken maniacs. Just stop murdering everyone. He seems to be caught in the illusion but surrenders.

How do you deal with the brownies? What do you do with Jasell? How to proceed from here?

[Chromascope3D]

Clover shakes his head, adrenaline still coursing throughout, "Let's just tie them up for now, figure out what to do with them later."

[Wind-Up Citrus]

"Let's make a fire pit in the meanwhile. I'd rather not battle with the forces of winter until I'm too numb to feel my own limbs."

[Athaleon]

"There's no time to stop and huddle around a fire. Not unless we're tossing fey onto it. Is that necessary or will steel suffice?" Kouran asked in a low voice.

He turned to Jasell before awaiting a response. "It's an illusion, Jasell, you have to snap out of it," he urged the lumberjack, turning to look him in the eye. "They caught you in a spell, those creatures from the woods."

[Chromascope3D]

"Aye, these people are counting on us, I suppose," Clover responds. The satyr kneels over Caroline's body and closes her eyes, muttering, "Worry not, the time for a pyre will come later."

He gets up, takes out a length of rope and begins stringing up the brownies, "Unfortunately, Kouran, while steel may work, iron is better. Though, a thought has occurred to me: where do you suppose they are keeping their fireworks?"

[Triskavanski]

"We'll need to do something with them. I know not of what tricks they can do to allow them to escape ropes. Burning them may not kill them but it would keep them from being able to get back up for a while. I prefer to have actual people, not icey impy things.

[Spore]

As you deal with the brownies and tie them up, Logan is dealing with Caroline's corpse. Jasell is cursing at her: That witch probably summoned all these ice demons. When there are adventurers, there is mayhem. He spits on the ground. At the judging stare of all of you, he helps Logan carry Caroline. Gonna' bring her to Hab and Hatuk. Maybe Cayden can do bring her back. With that they wander off towards the burlesque tent.

As the last two brownies wake up from their supernatural healing in the cold, you can hear peculiar noises from several directions. You can:

1) Scout the tent of inventions. Only Torag knows what shenanigans the winter fey could experiment on with technology, that could crush, maim and dismember. The Titan's Wheel was just an appetizer.

2) Check the Ice Labyrinth. Rumors were that Namdrin engaged a real and living Minotaur inside his labyrinth, if a docile one. What could possibly happen wrong in there?

3) A pie eating contest was announced to be held shortly after the fireworks. But all you can hear is grunting from the food tents. What the fairies have prepared there can only be hinted at by the torn off faces at the entrance.

4) The last contest has already begun: An ice sculpture contest just north of the frozen lake. You can hear the manic laughing of tiny men over there.

where do you suppose they are keeping their fireworks?"

You remember the fireworks being installed pretty close to Namdrin's blade dancing grounds, north east of the frozen lake.

"It's an illusion, Jasell, you have to snap out of it,"

Talking to the unharmed lumberjack does not work. For whichever explanation you try, his mind seems to construct a reasonable response.
The dead bodies? Just a pile of loosers who didn't manage to turn the Titan's Wheel properly.
The screams of agony? Drunken happiness.
There is just one thing you see that works. You hear the occasional screams of dying people, a cacophony of joyous laughs that turn into agonizing screams of pain and terror.

"Let's make a fire pit in the meanwhile. I'd rather not battle with the forces of winter until I'm too numb to feel my own limbs."

Using the bit of moonshine as a fire starter Clover found, you are able to make a fire. Would you like to burn the Titan's Wheel and/or the corpses in the pit too?

[Athaleon]

Kouran sighed as his attempts to snap Jasell out of the illusion were unsuccessful. "Let him go. They've got him bad. Now considering what we just went through here, we've got to get our hands on some cold iron, or some kind of fire-weapon. Think they might have something at the Tent of Inventions?" he suggested.

[Chromascope3D]

"Aye, seems like as good a lead as any," Clover agrees, staring at the roaring flame. He takes a burning piece of lumber out of the pit, and looks at the colossal wheel.

Spoiler: OOC

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Yeah, Clover's thinking about burning the wheel. Honestly this whole place might need to be cleansed.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

"Aye, seems like as good a lead as any," Clover agrees, staring at the roaring flame. He takes a burning piece of lumber out of the pit, and looks at the colossal wheel.

Spoiler: OOC

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Yeah, Clover's thinking about burning the wheel. Honestly this whole place might need to be cleansed.

"You too Clover? If you wish I can help the process with some supernatural strength in disposing of that wheel. Not to mention honoring the remains of the innocent." Drastia said.

[Athaleon]

"With all respect to the dead, can that wait? There may still be live people out there." Kouran asked with an urgent edge creeping into his voice.

[Wind-Up Citrus]

"With all respect to the dead, can that wait? There may still be live people out there." Kouran asked with an urgent edge creeping into his voice.

Drastia ponders for a moment. "As much as I loathe to admit it, the living are more important. Be warned friend Kouran, for I am low on spells, none of which can harm, just bind and offer us a chance to run away. Should we find trouble in the form of more fae I fear I may not be capable of combating them effectively. Still a chance to save one more life from the wrath of winter is a chance worth taking. Where should we start looking?"

[Chromascope3D]

"Oh!" Clover perks up, "I almost forgot! The dryad gave us this from her branches."

He pulls the twig out from his cloak, inspecting the elaborate carvings that dance across the surface, and continues, "I do believe that one of us is intended to break it, and be invigorated."

He holds it out to the druid, "It's probably best if you take it then, though, I might advise spending whatever you have left before then."

[Wind-Up Citrus]

"Oh!" Clover perks up, "I almost forgot! The dryad gave us this from her branches."

He pulls the twig out from his cloak, inspecting the elaborate carvings that dance across the surface, and continues, "I do believe that one of us is intended to break it, and be invigorated."

He holds it out to the druid, "It's probably best if you take it then, though, I might advise spending whatever you have left before then."

Drastia gives the branch more attention. Her blue eyes widen. Hold on for just a moment, this branch can give us all a full night's rest. In which case we should keep this gift in reserve.

[Spore]

As Kouran approaches the Tent of Wonders, a large and impressive work of tailoring, made from several dozen different cloths and and crudely sewn together, a large shaved human male stands in front of the tent. Entry only if you stand in line. he almost growls at you. You see a large line of humans forming to see the inventions. You heard earlier that day, they display advanced woodworking technology inside. Automatic wood cutters, machines that peel the bark right off, even a press that can produce the finest parchment from the wood cuttings.

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Kouran
All you can see now is the huge bouncer taking 2-3 interested fair goers and pushes them inside. Shortly after you can hear blood-curdling screaming. A bit to the west, you can see two brownies shoveling what appears to be steaming fresh guts into a rivulet that runs down to the river, turning it a brownish red.

Drastia, Clover, Therin

If you follow close enough, you can see a line of people trying to get into the Tent of Wonders. They talk about how impressive this is and how easy lumbering will become once the gnome in charge has sealed his contract with the Lumber Consortium. They will tear into the very heart of the Darkmoon Vale woods, where the legendary Darkwood is supposed to grow.

[Athaleon]

Kouran didn't want to have to go through the bouncer, but he wondered if there would even be another way. He opted instead to approach the brownies, hoping to catch them outside the tent rather than have to fight them inside with the others, and he waved his companions over to follow.

[Chromascope3D]

Clover nods, and follows after the bravo, bow in hand and arrow nocked.

[Spore]

Not as entranced by magic or bloodlust, the disgruntled lumberjack eyes you carefully. He looks at your weapons and especially the drawn arrow and advances towards you. Put down your weapons and scram. You don't want to mess with me, duainidh gabhar*. We don't want your lot in there. He glares at Clover, and you feel yourself shaking. He knows, that you know. You are certain. His eyes are clear, unlike the haze you saw in other mortal's eyes.

He is loud enough so the brownies can hear him. They stop their grim busywork and slowly advance towards your position, giggling. One brownie is a bit more scared tho and whispers to his friends:

Spoiler: Perception DC = 15 and Halfling (language)

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That's the guys that stopped the wheel. We need to trick them.

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Clover is shaken for a considerable time. He also called you something very unpleasant in Sylvan.

[Triskavanski]

"I think he is working with them." the human says, "Or are you afraid of the fey?" Therin needles, taking a drink from his mug as he keeps his balance with the walking stick.