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[ThLunarian]

Tarkus's blind swings manage to connect three out of four times, causing his target to perish. The masked ninja abruptly becomes visible and crumples to the ground.

The remaining invisible foe hurls a shuriken at his barely-alive ally, finishing him off and giving an opportunity for Tarkus to strike at him. Whether or not it hits, though, the transparent man moves away quickly and silently, clearly retreating, and once he's out of the immediate vicinity you are not sure where he went.

The psi crystal makes a valiant effort to spot the originally-demounted ninja, but to no avail. He's either hiding very well despite his lack of invisibility, or has relocated.

Avalyra feels terrible, and the nausea does not seem to be going away. Similarly and more disconcertingly, Quintus does not seem to be recovering from his handicapped state, either.

((We are out of combat now. Here's a list of what you guys can pick up from the fallen bad guys:

-Rod of Maximize (6th level spells and below)
-50 Shuriken +1
-Two Katana +2
-Four Ring of Protection +3
-Two Headband of Intellect +6
-Three vials of nausea-inducing poison, DC 24 fortitude save to resist
-Two sets of Boots of Stealth (+4 bonus to Stealth checks)
-Two Periapt of Health +4 (neck slot; +4 Constitution)

 

[KittenMaster]

Muun kneels over on the ground towards Lucille and Quintis to make sure the two are alright, and also eases Quintis away from further pulling at her unnecessarily now, especially with that gauntlet of his and sets him down. "Quintis, what did they do to you?" Turning behind him towards the princess, he says to her, "Princess, are you okay? We just stopped whoever it was that was following us." He isn't aware of Avalrya's condition just yet, being far away from the other part of the group.

((Pretty much everyone would benefit from the Periapt. I was considering buying some kind of boots so maybe Stealth? Ring of Protectrion would be decent since there's so many of them.))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Seeing as the danger appears to be over, Quintus has no problem letting go of Lucille... though the Arm seems much more reluctant. In response to Muun's question, he just gives him a look that says 'I have no idea what you just said.'

 

[ThLunarian]

When Muun reaches Lucille and Quintus, the poor girl is a stammering mess. Looking up into the ranger's eyes seems to calm her down somewhat, though. "I'm alright. That was... Um.... I'm sorry I froze like that. I've just never been in the middle of a battle before. I feel kind of... Useless." She suddenly turns red, and looks down in embarrassment. "I don't know. Maybe I'm not cut out for this life. I don't want to get in anyone's way. I want to keep going with you guys, but I'd understand if you wanted me to go back to Ruby Keep."

 

[KittenMaster]

Muun's face shakes for a moment as he says back to her, accepting her gaze. "Don't worry about about getting in our way. They likely would have been able to attack us like this regardless."

He tries to explain, "Now's probably not the best time to talk about it, but I'll say it anyway. Adventure is a kind of life that takes time to get accustomed to, and I'm sure the rest feel the same way. Maybe once this mess we're in is over it'll become much easier to enjoy freedom."

After having said that, he looks back to Quintis and tries to shake him to bring him back to himself, "If there was anybody that was made useless, it's him. I have no idea what we're going to do..."

 

[Mike M]

((Write up coming when I get home, but Val's wish list of that loot would be in order of priority Headband, Ring, Periapt, and Boots. Jack could use Val's current equipment hand-me-downs.

Incidentally, we've still got Rubio's cloak of resistance +3, ring of deflection +2, and vest of Armor +4 that I don't recall us ever divvying up. Thinking Quintus is the only one who would benefit from the vest (Jack may be a corner case since he's not "wearing" armor, but it doesn't count as natural), provided we can enchant it with the protect from evil attribute? Presuming he can even wear it, since we got it off a gnome.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((I can't find the rules entry on Warforged. If their bonus is an Armor-typed bonus then it won't stack with the vest. If not, then it will stack.

The gnome thing doesn't matter. Magic items adjust to fit the size of the wearer))

 

[Mike M]

Val awaits a return blow from his and Jack’s assault on the invisible ninja, only for the stealthy adversary to finish off his fellow assassin that Tarkus had thus far spared with a whirring star crafted of razor-edged metal. The half-orc swings at the spot where the projectile originated, but accomplishes nothing but carving a deep furrow into the earth and grass.

There is an unnatural quiet, as Val stares intently at the undulating waves of windswept grass, trying to pick out the position of the invisible ninja, but to no avail. The conflict has, for the moment, concluded. Jack retrieves his greatbow from where he dropped it, and takes the opportunity to mount a small knoll in the field, his luminous blue optics sweeping across his field of vision with clockwork precision. Val, meanwhile, attends to the unpleasant duty of collecting the spoils of war from the fallen agents of the Arm of Vecna. There’s no need for delicacy and finesse when they’re dead, he notes to himself, eschewing the light fingered approach of lifting and pick-pocketing for simply tugging sharply.

Rejoining the rest of the group with an armload of loot that he deposits at the ground at their feet. “Much as I would love to indulge in the opportunity to gloat over our victory and all the trinkets and goodies we have won, we need to get moving. By my count, we are short at least two corpses. They’re either on the way back to the Keep to summon reinforcements, or they’re waiting for us to drop our guard and attack. Neither sentiment is particularly appealing, so Quintus if you would be so kind—“

For the first time, Val notices the stupefied expression on Quintus’ face, having been removed from him during the course of the battle. “Quintus? Are you feeling alright?” he asks, even though it’s readily apparent that he is not.

Without waiting for an answer, he turns to Avalyra, “What about you? You’re not looking the greatest either, do you have any tricks up your sleeves that might get us on the move again? Something that could send for help or something? Jack, what about you, can you do one of those… sending… things and alert Valerie as to our predicament?”

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((Gotta get one of those that headband... is lyra Int based or Cha based? I'm just gonna assume not Wis based. As for the vest, it is no good for me, i already have bracers of armor +4. the ring however would be an improvement, though of course i'd rather go for one fo the +3s we just got... but i can live with the +2 if i can get one of those con necklaces so my hit points(d4 hit dice...clearly i should just become undead again) are slightly less horrible(same for my fort bonus).
And I guess I'm the only one who even cares about the rod at this point? I get the feeling Muun won't be casting a lot of spells that could use it.

Of course this is all kinda a moot point for me until I have an Int score again. Speaking of I wouldn't mind that cloak of resist +3... i got a +2 to give if anyone wants.))

 

[ThLunarian]

Jack tilts his head. "I am not currently capable of transmitting messages over long distances. With the information currently at my disposal, my recommendation would be to proceed with caution toward Alydar; however, if my calculations are correct, and given the current physical status of Avalyra, the journey to the city will require multiple days' travel. Given the potential presence of at least two highly-skilled assassins in the area, this would make any attempts to rest highly dangerous."

When Jack mentions the danger of resting, suddenly the party (with the possible exception of Muun, who grew up without knowing the sun) becomes uncomfortably aware of just how little daylight they have left.

 

[Mike M]

((Alright, Val's character sheet has been updated at long last, which will just have to be updated again after the division of loot. Here's a rough proposal, but I have no idea what Avalyra's loadout is, so it may not be particularly optimized...

Vest of Armor +4 - Avalyra (She's like... literally the only person who could make use of it)

Rings of Protection + 3 - Val, Tarkus, Muun, and Quintus (Alternately Jack can replace Muun and Muun can have Val's current +1 since Jack is more of a front line guy)

Boots of Stealth +4 - Val, Muun (Anyone could replace Val, but it seems to be a good fit in theory since he's supposed to be sneaky, though he's not particularly stealthy)

Cloak of Resistance +3 - Quintus, unless someone wants to fight DeadPhoenix over it

Rod of Maximize Spell - Quintus, because there's no alternative.

Periapt of Health +4 - Our two lowest HP scores? Val has a base of 92 without his current periapt of +2 (Which he can pass on to third lowest, if he's one of the two), Jack has 88.

Headbands of Intellect +6 - Quintus and Val (Val benefits hugely from Int, he's got feats that apply his Int modifier to rolls that it doesn't normally apply to, like his ridiculously OP Bluff modifier. If Avalyra's an Int-dependent build, she can have Val's current Headband+2, this is one thing I'm gonna fight about : P)

Ring of Deflection +2 - I wanna be greedy and give it to Val since I feel like he's only good in melee combat but is always one attack away from death, and this combined with the Ring of Protection would up his AC to 25 since they stack.

Tarkus kind of gets left out in the cold with this, but he's already rocking two relics and has the highest HP and AC, I think.))

 

[Zynx]

Avalyra collapses to her knees, physically and mentally exhausted. As the ephemeral fighting spirit that she had briefly possessed leaves her, only a disoriented girl remains, entirely unaware of her surroundings. Staring blankly ahead of her, she says out loud, to no one in particular. "It happened again...I helped kill people...What am I doing?"

She's still in her own little world when Val approaches her. It takes a bit of effort for her to look at him and reply. "I...I can't focus well enough to do anything. I feel awful. Someone needs to go get help..."

((Avalyra is int-based but bought a +6 headband with her starting stuff. She'll take a +3 ring and one pair of the stealth boots. With no weapon in hand, she can carry a katana too, but it'd come with a nonproficiency penalty, I think? She would never even consider using one, so someone would have to convince her that holding onto it would be a good idea. The poison is good stuff, not usually available in stores - I was going to suggest that Muun could coat his arrows with the stuff to disable casters, but since he just full-attacks them to death in one round anyways...

AFAICT, the phantom steeds remaining are Muun's, Jack's, Avalyra's, and Quintus's.))

 

[Mike M]

((Well she is wielding the Rod of Pelor, so there is that. Also, does she already have something that takes up the slot of the +4 Vest? I thought giving her that while everyone else took the rings was a good split since none of the other guys can get much use out of it, but if it's no use to Avalyra either, then we'll just sell it when we get to town.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Zynx is right about which horses remain.

Also, the Rod can only be used as a +5 Heavy Mace by a follower of Pelor.

To my surprise, katanas actually aren't in the SRD, and different people seem to have different opinions on how they should work. My ruling (after researching it) is that they can be used 1-handed as an Exotic weapon, or 2-handed as a Martial weapon. They use a d10 for their damage.))

 

[KittenMaster]

((Muun's base HP is 67, but his armor makes his effective HP higher (depending on how hard something hits him), so even just the +2 would be beneficial for him.

I do want to have a +3 Ring, since I can't always be at a safe distance. Plus it adds a bonus to deflection, which helps against touch & grapple attacks.

I will use the vials to coat the arrows anyway, since that would just improve efficiency even further. One arrow to disable a foe > an entire turn's worth of attacks.))

 

[Zynx]

((I don't think she's going to take the rod out to smack anyone with it...it's a protective charm, to her, and she's bought into the whole "we have to keep it secret" idea. And she doesn't worship Pelor, so she can't make use of it as a weapon anyways.

The vest takes the body slot, right? She's got a dress/robe of steady spellcasting there for +5 concentration and relies on inertial armor which doesn't stack with armor, but if "of steady spellcasting" can be enchanted into the vest (for 1.8k?) it would keep her somewhat armored if her inertial armor is dispelled.

Btw, Avalyra is an item crafter, and ThLunarian has agreed that she can craft one item every time the party shops, so keep that in mind. She'll probably turn out something for Tarkus first, unless the situation changes and someone else manages to become her best friend.

Avalyra's base hp is 53 (lol) but has +13 from a +2 con item and several ways to buff, if she isn't caught off guard. And her neck slot is occupied. It's also kind of good to keep her up (and manifesting), since she can revivify.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Muun: Just keep in mind that each vial is one dose of poison, so you'd only be able to coat 3 arrows total. There's also a 5% chance of poisoning yourself accidentally as you try to apply the poison according to the rules, and I'm going to enforce that rule here. If you want to do that, roll a d100 three times. If you get 5 or less, you accidentally poison yourself, and lose the dose))

 

[KittenMaster]

((I should wait until I have a method of curing the poison just in case or find some kind of safety gear later on then.))

 

[Mike M]

((I just figured without being a follower of Pelor, the Rod was a standard heavy mace or something, but whatevs. Avalyra not wanting to beat people senseless with her totem of protection makes perfect sense anyway. Looks like the vest isn't of use to anyone at the moment, but if it can be modified as per Zynx's comments, I think we've at least got the division of the Rings of Protection and the Vest settled. Looking like Muun and Quintus for the Periapts then.))

Val looks at the orb as the sun as it kisses the horizon and paints the sky with colors from the side of the spectrum favoring red. It's aesthetically pleasing enough, but already he feels colder and it's not entirely from the dwindling amount of sunlight.

Kneeling before the sickened form of Avalyra, he thrusts one of the exotic swords he liberated from their fallen foes into her hands. "Here, you should take this. I'm not familiar with the fighting style they were using, but an unfamiliar sword is still better than being unarmed. Especially if you don't have access to your ability to do those... Things that you do. Which I'm guessing at this moment you do not."

Taking the other katana, he tosses it underhand to Lucille. "Same goes for you, the time may come where you need to defend yourself. You of course have the advantage of being invulnerable, so you should have an easier time of it than the rest of us, I would expect." Val walks past the shell-shocked princess, placing a hand on her shoulder as he does son. "Welcome to the adventuring life, apologies if it doesn't quite meet expectations."

The swords dispensed thusly, he huddles up with Jack, Tarkus, and Muun to discuss options. "Alright then, we are several days walk from Alydar, we've invisible assassins on our tail, it's getting dark, and Quintus and Avalyra are out of commission. We do have four of Quintus' horses remaining, but I have no idea how long they will continue to last, or if they can bear the weight of more than one rider. Jack, you're the closest thing we've got to a magic user at the moment, what do you think?"

 

[KittenMaster]

Muun tries to recall what he remembers studying the maps given to him, relative to the city they were at shortly before and if there are any particular markings that might be useful to them in their current situation such as a forest or location. Better yet if he still has the map on him he will use that.

Knowledge: Geography: 1d20+10=18 (obviously he's not going to be that familiar with the lands here despite his best efforts)

Failing that, he tries to see if he can pinpoint any useful area they can head to just from sight.

Perception: 1d20+15=21

 

[ThLunarian]

Various extraneous-looking doodads and sprockets twist and turn as Jack processes Val's question. "Phantom Steeds are designed to carry precisely one specific rider of their summoner's designation, and will not obey any commands unless those requirements are satisfied. Unless Quintus substantially altered the spell's parameters while casting it ((DM note: he didn't)), it would appear that neither yourself, Tarkus, nor Lucille are capable of riding any of our available mounts in any form or fashion."

Muun looks around the area to take stock of the party's surroundings. The nearest thing he can find to civilization is, in the distance, a very loose cluster of... houses? It's hard to say. He estimates that the party may be able to at least make it there before the daylight disappears entirely. It doesn't look particularly secure, though.

 

[KittenMaster]

It isn't what he was hoping for. "I see some sort of place over there.. but it looks like the first area they would check if they retraced the steps. I hate to say this but we need to expect another fight before we find a solution."

 

[Jackben]

((Tarkus ring slots are both spoken for. I've also no current plans for him in the meta-game, so I'm fine without share of the loot.))

A look of bitter aggravation is spread across the half-orc's furrowed brow as he looks upon the suddenly calm field of battle. He waves off Val's approach to parlay for a share of the spoils, uninterested in the equipment of their cunning fallen foes.

"No need for Assassin trinket, take whatever you wish." Taking a breather, he wipes his bloodied axe clean hastily, his frustration clear. Reaching into his pack, he uncorks another potion with his teeth and spits the stopper onto the ground. "Those black masks must be train to kill own ally...disgusting. Bad blood is warrior who steal hard-won kill and retreat into shadows of setting sun."

Tarkus chugs the concoction, shutting his eyes as the strong chemicals surge through his body. ((Cure Serious, full HP = 118))

Standing, he saunters over to the others to plan their next move. Upon seeing Quintus and Avalyra, his petty qualms about honourable combat quickly evaporate. "What Jack say true, can at least mount both injured for easier ride to campsite." His eyes wide with concern, he nonetheless turns to nod agreement to Muun's counsel.

"Ranger eye sharp as always, Muun. Houses best target as long as remain vigilant." He turns to Avalyra. "Injure? Need potion?" If it is clear what ails her cannot be helped by his injury or cure disease potions, he asks if she is well enough to ride. "Easier journey with magick steed...otherwise I will carry." Tarkus raises an eyebrow at Quintus and speaks a question aloud. "And what wrong with Quin? Can he ride in such state?"

Clearing his throat, the fighter outlines his plan. "Best idea is use steed still left as much as can, to scout ahead and make easy journey for injured. Rest march for as close to homes as can before set up camp."

 

[Zynx]

Avalyra looks up at the others, trying to follow the conversation despite the queasiness in her stomach. When Val comes over and presses a katana into her hands, she accepts it numbly, staring at the drying blood still on the blade. There isn't much for her to say as the others work on a plan to get out of here. She feels touched by Tarkus's kindness as he offers her assistance in the way he knows, and accepts a healing potion, pausing to quaff the magical liquid. Her stomach growls and she hopes that she can keep it down, as she slowly heads over towards her steed, hoping that she can ride in her distressed state.

((Rings of protection also provide deflection bonuses, which don't stack. We've got 5 deflection bonus rings available, so I still want a +3 ring. In case I didn't emphasize it enough the first time, if anyone but Avalyra dies, she can revive them (well, if she doesn't get nauseated like this), but if she dies, then the party has to detour again while the dead players write fanfics...I guess some of you enjoy that, though.))

 

[Mike M]

((Alright, final distribution of loot looks to be as follows:

Avalyra: Vest+4 when/if we can get it altered, Katana+2, Ring+3, Boots+4
Quintus: Rod, Cloak+3, Headband+6, Periapt+4, Ring +3
Muun: Poison x3, Boots+4, Periapt+4, Ring +3
Val: Headband +6, Ring+3
Jack: Ring+2, Shurikens, maybe? He’s already got a bow and arrow, but if he can throw those when he’s got his sword out, that might be sorta useful.
Tarkus: Tarkus is OP, nerfs only please.
Lucille: Katana+2))

Val’s heart sinks upon hearing Jack’s analysis of the capabilities of the phantom steeds. He had dared hope that the mounts might be interchangeable between riders, or that they could at least double up on them as though they were flesh and blood horses, but the android’s calculations have dashed those hopes on the jagged rocks of cold facts. In fact, by Val’s estimation it’s even worse than Jack’s assessment; While Quintus and Avalyra have mounts still available to them, Val doubts Quintus would be able to make any use of it whatsoever in his current state, and Avalyra probably wouldn’t be able to withstand the speed for very long either.

Muun’s youthful eyes that don’t share Val’s need for corrective lenses detecting some sort of settlement kindles a flicker of hope in Val’s heart, but it’s weighed against an abundance of caution. “Those buildings will be the very first targets they seek out when they return,” he says evenly, his eyes cast towards the west horizon’s gradual consumption of the sun. “However, they remain our best hope of either finding help, or a defensible position. Almost anything would be better than being taken by surprise in the wilderness. We might even be able to play on their expectations and set some sort of trap, we’ll have to assess our options when we arrive.

“We should also give consideration to dispatching one of our able riders to Alydar before the steeds vanish, assuming they even have enough juice left in them to carry someone the rest of the way. It’d be a risk since we’d be losing another able body, which are in precious short supply right now, but getting word to Valerie to arrange our extraction is of paramount importance.”

((And yes, I do like writing the fanfic stuff : P))

 

[Jackben]

but if she dies, then the party has to detour again while the dead players write fanfics...I guess some of you enjoy that, though.))

((That bad, eh? Yeah, yeah it was...I actually did like KM's Iliad-esque story.))

((By the way, it is a potion of cure serious wounds, since we are out of combat it will heal the maximum 37 HP, unless you were just miming drinking one for role-play purposes))

 

[KittenMaster]

((Imagine the fanfiction the our lurkers might be writing.

Before I have dibs on the stealth boots, what's everyone's stealth bonus? I get +16 currently.

Also, since my max HP is now higher, do I need to heal up to get to my new max or is it automatic?))

After Val discusses their options, Muun responds with another issue that could arise if they traveled there, "If the buildings really are a populated village, then we would be putting them in danger too if we are attacked once more."

 

[Mike M]

((Jack and Val haven't invested much in Stealth at all, sitting at +4 and 7 respectively

Is it worth Val rolling a perception check with his telescope to check out the settlement?))

 

[Zynx]

Avalyra struggles to think despite being constantly distracted by the turmoil in her stomach. It's a struggle to form her thoughts into words as she makes her suggestions. "If one of you were to ride ahead, it should be someone who can journey stealthily. As for putting others in danger, if what you've told me about our quest is true, what greater danger will result if we fail and lose the relics?" She pauses momentarily, reaching for a fleeting thought. "Muun, you know how to magically cure poison, don't you? I could use some help, even if I have to wait until tomorrow..."

((+16 stealth here as well. Since I've been informed that the vials contain contact poison, they can be used effectively as thrown weapons. Nauseated is a superb condition to inflict, especially when it has a duration longer than a few rounds, and the Fort 24 DC save makes it even better. Three of us should carry one vial each, for use in truly dangerous situations.

As for the shurikens, I think they do 2-4 damage...so maybe it'd be best just to sell them for what gold they can bring.))

 

[KittenMaster]

((Let's just give the boots to whoever will be using it at that time.

Also mundane stuff that aren't magically enchanted don't sell for crap.))

Muun turns to look over at Avalrya, "Not at the moment... I'll have to prepare it as a spell tonight.." He soon realizes that at least one of his spells is useless at the moment with Coriolis gone, so the change is necessary either way. The fairy soon suddenly appears again, having up to that point given up trying to intervene in serious matters that are currently going on, "But.. I thought the first time you met the goddess was in the grove? How do you prepare spells of the goddess if you do not pray to her?" Muun then explains, "Not to criticize the goddess, but I come from a land were the good dieties have forsaken us, so we learned how to cast spells with our own power." Val and the others would find this to be the same explanation Ith used.

Celia clasps her little hands, "Oh! That doesn't mean you don't have to ask her for her power, I'm sure!"

((Hey, will a vial of antitoxin have any positive effect on her condition? I forgot I had these.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Antitoxin only gives bonuses to future Fort saves against poison. Wouldn't do anything here.

Neutralize Poison (the spell) would do the trick though.))

With few alternatives, the party has no choice but to make their way towards the tiny hamlet as they discuss the possibility for someone to ride ahead and get help. Muun is able to track his way to a very small road that seems to be the main avenue leading to it, and just as the sun is ready to dip down under the horizon, they come upon a group of ten small houses. One of them has been repurposed into a general store of sorts; when the party arrives, many of the residents (all human) are outside, performing their final chores for the day. The party is eyed very warily, and no one offers greetings, preferring to go about their business and occasionally flash a stink-eye at the intruders.

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Quintus waves happily to everyone in the town like an idiot.

 

[Mike M]

As the sun creeps closer to disappearing below the horizon, the nervous flutter of butterflies in Val's stomach metamorphoses into the hammering drum of a swarm of locusts. One invisible opponent threatened to bring an end to him in broad daylight, he would prefer not to think about what sort of harm two of them might be able to inflict in the dark of night.

Furthermore, there is the matter of Avalyra and Quintus' current states. Val isn't certain that he's ever been so tactically disadvantaged as this, to not only have two members of the group out of the comission, but to also be active liabilities in need or protection. Add Lucille to the equation as well, and those that need protection almost equals the number or protectors. Unfavorable odds, no matter how you look at it, which is especially upsetting to a man who has endeavoured his entire life to carefully manage every scenario he enters to maximize his advantage.

The resentful gaze of the villagers as the party approaches does nothing to quell the turbulence in his belly. In retrospect, Val's not entirely sure what he expected to find here; it's not as though there would be a helpful fortress lying about to sequester themselves in for the night. There might yet be relief to be found here, but it would be wise to measure his expectations.

"Jack," Val addresses the android, "would you be so kind as to visit what passes as their shop here and take inventory of anything that might prove useful? Especially anything that might help Avalyra here so that we're not waiting for morning for Muun to be able to help her. I'd say look for something that could help Quintus, but I suspect whatever they've done to him is beyond the sort of items a settlement like this would have on hand."

Sighing deeply, Val mutters, "Let's get this over with then..." Striding up to a well at what passes for the center of town, Val mounts the top of a barrel and speaks as warmly and loudly as he can manage.

"Your attention please! Please pardon our intrusion, but I'm afraid we have found ourselves in a situation most dire! Is there one amongst you that I might address as the head of this village?"

 

[Zynx]

Avalyra leans against a wall for support, still not feeling well. Only half aware of the things going on around her, she hopes her companions can find some aid for her soon.

((KM: We've got 2 pairs of boots. And the shuriken are magic, since they're +1. Still, I guess it's only 1k for selling them? A potion or two is better than 50 rocks, though.

ThLunarian don't read this:

Spoiler

We're totally getting ambushed and captured before dawn. I wonder what our GM would do if Muun tried to ninja his 2 hours of sleep right away.

))

 

[KittenMaster]

Muun would presumably help Avalrya keep up with the party until she finally finds something to rest against. Once he's freed of that task, he steps forward gazes over the tiny village. He doesn't like it, and it shows in his face. It looks very vulnerable and lacking in any sort of protection. "I can't blame them for being unwelcoming." He says, "We're a danger to these people."

When Val says that they may have to wait until morning to help her, Muun responds, "If I can meditate right away, I should have the spell before the sky becomes completely black."

((From what it looks like I just need an hour to prepare spells.

To Zynx:

Spoiler

I don't think it matters too much, Tarkus and Muun stay on watch when the other is 'asleep' since they both have Rings of Slow Digestion (calling it that so I don't have to spell the actual word). Obviously Muun needs to rest immediately anyway to get the spell.

))

Quintus waves happily to everyone in the town like an idiot.

Celia, looking at this gesture of politeness, looks at the villagers as well and smiles and waves. Muun notices this and quickly steps in front of the fairy to hide her from view.

 

[Jackben]

Tarkus brings up the flank of the group, watching carefully as they walk into the town. Mindful of the stares as Val sets up his soapbox, the half-orc continues unperturbed. He is used to such from his past. He approaches the general store to take a look inside. If approached he offers a simple explanation.

"Have injured in tow. Would barter with gold if you take it. Otherwise would be on our way to find shelter for sunset."

 

[ThLunarian]

The general store clerk is a middle-aged, lean man with a layer of stubble coating his face. He is plainly afraid of both Tarkus and Jack as they enter his establishment. He looks as though he was just getting ready to close up shop as they enter.

Jack acts oblivious to the man's discomfort. "Excuse me," he intones with an awkwardly artificial pleasantness, "We are in need of assistance. A member of our party has been afflicted with an unknown poison. We lack the expertise necessary to analyze its properties and create an anti-venom. Are you capable of such an analysis?"

The clerk stammers a bit. He is as polite as he can muster through his fear. "I... I don't have too many medical supplies. Only the basics - bandages, salves, that sorta thing. Got nothin' for poison. Someone gets sick, they either ride it out or try n' make the trip to Ruby Keep 'fore it's too late. We... ah..." He gulps. "If you's gonna buy anything, better get to it. It's closin' time 'round these parts."

All that can really be seen for sale are foodstuffs with a long shelf-life (such as jerky and dehydrated fruits), and various household and farming supplies. It's a barebones establishment, oddly reminiscent of the suspicious shop that Tarkus visited in Sigil - except this time it actually makes sense that it's so poorly stocked.

Outside, the people outside watch Val as he tries to build a rapport with the town. When he asks for the man in charge, there is a long moment of silence as they continue to just look at him.

Finally, a big, burly man who looks to be somewhere in his thirties puts down a crowbar that he'd been using to fiddle with a barrel outside and stands up as tall as he can. "You got business here, reckon you better make it clear. We don't take kindly to you adventurin' types 'round here. Nothin' but trouble, more often n' not."

((Wow it's incredibly tempting to highlight whatever it is that Zynx said, and I sort of know how you guys feel now when I do it to you. Can I at least highlight it after this arc is finished? It's going to eat away at me otherwise.

Also, Muun has to wait until the next day to prepare his spells because they have to be prepared at the same time each day, which thus far has been in the morning. See http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/divineSpells.htm for reference))

 

[Mike M]

Val's mind quickly enumerates a list of possible responses and cover stories he might concoct to sell the townspeople. The one that strikes him as the easiest would be to out Lucille's identity, weaving a tale of how they had just rescued the princess from hostile captors, pinning hopes of cooperation to loyalty to the crown. Such an angle had the added benefit of being mostly true, so it would require only the slightest of embellishments. Not that the complexity of a lie had much bearing on Val's ability to sell it, but something simple would hopefully keep anyone else from becoming entangled in his web of lies.

But, being analytical by nature, Val follows that approach through and fails to reach a happy conclusion for the townspeople. If he were to reveal the princess's identity to coerce the assistance of these townspeople under the ruse that they were helping rescue the princess from hostile captors when in fact they were aiding and abetting her technical kidnappers, the repercussions to them would not be anything but dire. He has seen the fury of the Arm when roused to action, and Val has no doubt that the vengeance visited upon the sleepy hamlet for their knowing assistance in the abduction of the princess would leave nothing but ashes in its wake.

No, they will have to take the more difficult approach of trying to solicit assistance without trading on Lucille's identity. This was bound to be unpleasant...

Adopting a tone that he hopes strikes the appropriate balance between being conciliatory and stern, Val lays out he situation for the burly spokesperson and the rest of the assembled villagers. "Yes, we have had our fair share of trouble today, and I regret to inform you that we fully expect there to be more in the very near future. I cannot stress enough the importance that we lend each other mutual aid; your village is the nearest landmark to a battle we waged against formidable opponents, a battle that was left unresolved. Even had we not decided to approach you in search of assistance, make no mistake that the remainder of the enemy forces would not have passed you by in their search for us. Take my word for it, these are the take-no-prisoner variety of assailants, they would have taken you all by surprise and put every last man, woman, and child to the blade.

"It is nothing but a cruel twist of fate that you have been inadvertently drawn into a fight that you are no part of, but any recriminations will have to wait until morning. At least now you have warning and our experience in your favor, so we may yet all survive this coming night. It is imperative that we organize immediately, getting everyone into defensible positions or evacuated. If they strike in the night, hopefully we can conclude what we began in that field over yonder. If they stay their hand, we'll depart come the dawn, trouble you no more, and the danger should pass you by."

Diplomacy check: 1d20+22=23

((FUCK))

 

[ThLunarian]

The impromptu spokesperson for the town appears to grind his teeth as he processes a response. He rubs his thick, red beard with one hand, and bends down to pick up the crowbar with the other. "Sounds to me like our best bet is capturin' y'all and deliverin' you to these a-sailors ourselves," he says angrily. "You folk made a blunder somethin' fierce comin' here and exposin' us to danger."

The man puts two fingers to his mouth and lets out a loud, practiced whistle, and within a few seconds, men armed with various implements (such as pitchforks, shovels, and a few rusty shortswords here and there) emerge from the front doors of some of the houses.

"If'n y'all surrender peacefully, it'll be a might easier on you, I reckon."

By now, Jack and Tarkus can be out with everyone else (if they like). It's abundantly clear to the entire party that if an actual combat were to take place, these villagers would be completely annihilated and wouldn't even stand a small chance, barring an act of the gods, even with Quintus and Avalyra out of commission.

However.... the villagers don't seem to know that.

 

[Mike M]

((Have a feeling I'm going to be glad I invested in Intimidate ranks with Jack. What's Tarkus got on tap for that?))

 

[KittenMaster]

Muun simply looks at the oncoming mob and their modest tools for working, and the rusted weaponry which must have been thrown away by legitimate military.

He takes a breath. If they fought, this is another massacre by his hands waiting to happen like in Half-moon's hidden base at future Emerald Bay, except these people didn't sign up to die worthlessly like the soldiers did. He asks the party in general, "Anybody have any proof that we've fought monsters and adversaries that would level these houses with ease?"

 

[Zynx]

((Don't have anything to post for Avalyra...there's only so many variations of "She feels sick and can't do shit" one can post, but hey, 3.5e allows everyone to deal nonlethal damage with even the sharpest weapons for just a mere penalty of -4 to hit! If we have a couple blunt weapons, it wouldn't even be that unrealistic.))

 

[Jackben]

((Mr. Tarkus intimidate rank is very high and I don't expect these villagers have magical artifacts or training to resist. We'll see.))

Nodding towards the door, the half-orc ushers Jack out of the store, conscious that the storekeeper's nervous behavior is unnoticed by the metal man. Pausing at the doorway, he turns back to barter for some plain foodstuffs in an attempt to be polite. "Many thanks." Having traded a few gold pieces for a canteen of water and a loaf of bread, he places the latter into a paper bag before exiting the store.

Stepping back out onto the dusty road, Tarkus squints against the glare of the setting sun as several groups of townspeople step out of the shadows carrying makeshift weapons. Sensing the hostility in the air, he realizes the village has not reacted well to Val's words. His mind rushing quickly Tarkus drops the paper bag he was carrying and pulls the gleaming greataxe from his back. Holding it by his side with one arm to reflect the light of the setting sun, he bellows out a warning.

"NOT. ANOTHER. STEP."

Each word is punctuated by a jab of his finger at the bearded man who appears to be in charge.

"Secure your homes and WE GO ON OUR WAY. Danger comes, but you MAY YET SURVIVE. SURVIVAL NOT POSSIBLE with crushed bone and bruised flesh you get by attacking us."

((Intimidate attempt on red beard crowbar guy.))

The natural combat adrenaline surging through his head is tinged with a steady amount of guilt and worry for the village's saftey. The physical response is somewhat of a headache pounding upon the half-orc's temple as he is uncertain of what the village will do or if the party may yet protect them from harm.

 

[ThLunarian]

The villagers look uneasily between one another, and the bearded man, who despite his size is still somewhat dwarfed by Tarkus, suddenly doesn't look so sure of himself.

After a tense moment, during which the zeal of the villagers becomes utterly deflated, the bearded man glares at the half-orc. "Anythin' happens to us and ours, it'll be on yer heads fer bringin' trouble our way," he huffs, backing down and standing by, allowing the party to get out of dodge.

((Unless anyone wanted to do anything else while in the village, just assume that you're some distance away, back in the wilderness and/or on a path. Also, the phantom steeds are still walking along with you, which I forgot to mention earlier.

Also, it's completely dark out now, and anyone without at least low-light vision is having some difficulty seeing where they're going.

Muun can give me a Survival roll to set up camp and set up defenses and that sort of thing. I'm assuming he'll be the one to do it because he's a ranger and probably has the highest bonus; if anyone else would like to help, roll your own Survival check, and if you get a 10 or higher, then Muun gets a +2 bonus on his check Also feel free to describe how you go about this process))

 

[KittenMaster]

Survival Check (1d20+19=22)

((People of Earth, I need your power. I'm gonna cry for awhile before actually making a write up.))

 

[KittenMaster]

((Bump.

I'm not in the RP state of mind right now and I need to level up a character (and it actually has to be error free), but I can lay out a bunch of objectives that I can have Muun try for and depending on how well he gets aid from the others and the resources available we can see what we fail out based on my crappy roll. I am assuming a basic campfire is made at least.

- A campfire is mandatory to keep the injured warm, we would want to make the light harder to see, so a location where they would be obscured well by the terrain (and not just trees which tend to have gaps between, but thickets and being on a lower ground level.) The fire should be just good enough to keep Avalrya warm, and most of us can see via Darkvision.

- Leaves and other things that make sound to alert to the presence of invisible or darkly dressed individuals. If any traps would be made, they would have to be made before the actual camp is made so that they're not indicative of our location. Muun does have a rope and the vials of poison might be useful for traps.

- Those that are on watch positioned to ambush oncoming people, possibly combined with some sort of distraction.

- A decoy camp that would slow down their search and possibly make them think that we have already left and passed through the forest (probably don't have time to properly do this).

Best case scenario for this whole mess: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1FoOWceJmE))

 

[Mike M]

A shadow falls over Val’s face as the villagers mount their short lived challenge against him and the rest of the party before being cowed into submission by the ever-formidable Tarkus. His hope had been to find shelter within the borders of the village from which they could mount a defense against the attack that was sure to befall them before the morning, but clearly they were not open to his overtures of cooperation.

Out in the woods, his attitude towards their predicament only darkens further, matching the dwindling light that was already scarce to begin with when they had left the village. Subsumed by the darkness, they cannot possibly progress any further and decide to set up camp. Hoping to be of slightly more use than the sickened Avalyra and the addled Quintus, Val sees if he can’t bring some of his academic book learning to bare in a practical application. He’s reasonably sure he read some sort of botany book that discussed the identification and properties of various sorts of local flora at some point. He at least looked at the pictures, which is half the effort of identification anyway, right?

Right?

Val Survival Check:  1d20+1=14

((Rolling Jack, even though he has no modifier&#8230)

Jack Survival Check:  1d20+0=5

((Jack, you are a machine designed only for disappointment.))

Eventually Val stops trying to be useful and sits cross-legged on the ground. Pulling out the contents of the handy haversack, he stares at them in quiet contemplation as he tries to devise a means by which they might be put to use in protecting them or thwarting the approach of an invisible opponent. Turning the exotic throwing blades they claimed earlier over in his fingers, he wonders if he can’t tie two together somehow to make crude caltrops, perhaps. Maybe grind up some of his chalk to spread on the ground around them to detect footsteps?

((Alright, time to get all Odyssey of the Mind on this and come up with some Rube Goldberg contraption shit. Here’s an accounting of Val’s inventory, how can we use it?))

• Traveler's Outfit
• Backpack
• Chalk (10)
• Crowbar
• Grappling hook
• Signal whistle
• Signet ring
• Spyglass
• Whetstone
• Disguise Kit (10)
• Magnifying Glass
• Thieves' Tools (Masterwork)
• Chest
• Rope (50 ft)
• Canvas (10sq yd)
• Ink/Ink pen
• Paper x9
• Parchment x9
• Sealing wax
• Merchant Scale
• Artisan's Tools (Masterwork)
• Artisan's outfit
• Cleric's vestments
• Coutier's outfit + Jewelry
• Entertainer's outfit
• Explorer's outfit
• Monk's outfit
• Noble's outfit + Jewelry
• Peasant's outfit
• Scholar's outfit
• Royal outfit

((Also, Jack has Greater Invisibility prepped, but he's only got the one casting. He's also got Shield, Mage Armor, and True Shot))

 

[KittenMaster]

((We could use your clothes for:

- Extra warmth to reduce the lightness of the campfire
- Somehow find a way to improve our obscurity
- Val can disguise as a hermit or an artist with the canvas sketching trees or whatever else and partake in the risky task of convincing them that the party has already passed by
- Use them as a sort of trap

Crowbar can probably used with Muun's rope since he doesn't carry a grappling hook.

Spyglass for one of our darkvision guys.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((All of you go ahead and make Perception checks in your posts, so we don't have to go through two rounds of posting for this. These checks will count for the entire night. Val and Muun can just edit them into the posts they already made if they want))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Perception: (1d20+11=24)

((not that bad. To bad its probably no where near good enough for finding a ninja... and if it was Quintus probably couldn't do much good with the information anyways.))