Caravan Woes
Serraphine can be heard stomping through the erected building near the communities center. The Arvek Paladin handles a lot of the asinine stuff when she's not doing her own things, and this is one of those moments. "Acleese!" She calls out, more crashing noises and thumping foot falls, then a fling of the door open. "You are not Acleese!" She says to the group, looking annoyed.... well, maybe. Serraphine always has a look of annoyance. "Felicia! Gregor! Well, small favors right." She looks over Lucy, Sylvi, and Kaelyn, a deeper frown... then a sigh and she glares, "You're not to tell Lady Sandiel anything in this room."
She clears her throat, stands up a little straighter and brushes off her surcoat for a moment before starting over toward one of the desks. A quick snick of the lock and and opens it and pulls out a map before starting over toward the table at an even pace. Measured steps. "Right, down to business. First things first, thank you all for coming. It's good to see that Alexandria's heroes respond to the call for help. Gregor, Felicia, as always I am in your debt for all your help.
She splays out the map on the table, her free hand reaching up and running along the smooth-shaved side of her head, flicking back the tail of hair over her shoulder to keep it out of the way. "This is the surrounding area. North gate here-" A stab at the map, "I'm pretty sure, based on reports, that they were stopped somewhere around here." She circles an area about a day north of Alexandria.
"Beyond that, I'm not sure." She turns her head back up, looking between each of you, "We need those supplies, they took a chunk of the communities money to have them shipped in. Good quality material. I'm in an absolute hell storm trying to find materials for the long house. I'm redistributing from other projects and that's making people none too happy. The refugees are thinking we're favoring Arvek. I'm just trying to make sure we have some place warm for them to weather out the rest of the winter months if the weather turns. So... Quick, if you please?"
Gregor says softly, "There is no debt. It is my pleasure to serve." He says it quietly, though, so as not to break Serraphine's flow. "Yes, ma'am," he replies about getting it done quickly. "We'll ride out right away."
Sylvi lays a hand on the head of her pet black jaguar. "No worries, Thunder is plenty fast. The Knights of Happy Valley are always glad to lend a helping hand. How many caravans by the way? Or just one?" she asks climbing into the saddle on Thunder. "Just in case we need help bringing it back."
Kae blinks and pers at Serraphene curiously... "Whatsa Acclese, and what are we going after? And ummm can I use rocket bobbers and flying fish on this mission? What about alchemical detergent? Or is it just guns and death rays?" She asks now... Kae then oooohs "Soo you need materials for some extra long house? Ya know, pentagons are much more interesting than long rectangles right? All kinds of nifty corners! OOoh and you could allways do a geodescic dome! That would be interesting, what with all the fittings for the timbers and all the pretty linkages and stuff!"
She then ummmms... "Sooo what iss it we're going after exactly? Caravans is what we're after?" Yes, she has lots of questions. "And do they have camels?"
Felicia tilts her head a little bit. "I'm guessing they're supposed to be here by now." She then holds up her campfire bead. "If we're not back before too long, I have a fire in my pocket." She then looks to Kaelyn. "Acleese is the Vardaman bookkeeper attached to Mourner Kerbasi...."
Serraphine gives a nod, a look toward Gregor, "I do appreciate your brevity." A brief quirk of her mouth into something more grimace like - but it probably passes as a smile for the Arvek. She nods her head again and pushes the map toward Gregor as Sylvi speaks up.
She stands up, stretches some, leaning over a table just isn't something she cares for and she nods, "Right. Right. It should be two, maybe three, wagons of supplies. I don't know personally - though if you really want to know you might be able to ask Acleese if you can find him." She reaches up, giving a little scratch of her chin, "Should be one wagon of non-lumber and one wagon of lumber... if not two."
Then Kaelyn is asking questions and she gestures to Felicia as she's the one who answered for her about Acleese, adding, "Except the Mourner also told him to help out if we need it. I fear he spends as much time out here as he does at the enclave these days. And, you're right, they are interesting shapes, but they are also harder on workers. We do not have many skilled in the way of building and so we make do with simpler shapes to reduce the material waste and cost."
She gives a shake of her head, "No camels, and you're trying to find the caravans - as you have surmised Felicia. They are a week passed due, I assumed weather had held them up for the first three, then I gave them one more for patience. It took one day to figure out where they might be, and another to get all the paperwork - Acleese insisted - in order for the Adventurer's guild notice. Today is day seven."
Gregor looks over the map critically when it's passed to him. As a scout, he's pleased whenever he can get a preview of the lay of the land before he gets there. "Day seven? So five full weeks they've been due? Then I doubt we'll find the original caravan drivers, either. If they were taken, they'd have escaped, been ransomed, or been killed by now."
Sylvi nods to Serra "Then we must get going! Who knows how far away potential bandits are now. At least it should slow them down." she nods to Gregor "Indeed, I think recovering the materials is our best outcome."
Serraphine gives a shake of her head, "No-no, I'm sorry, you misunderstand Gregor. Just six /days/ not weeks." She nods her head and looks toward Sylvi, "I would rather that you bring back the drivers, the caravans, and the goods, but I do not know their state." She gives a shrug, "That will be up to you five to work out."
Felicia says, "We'll do what we can, obviously."
Lucy stands on her toes briefly. She leand to one side and then the other. Finally she squats and stands a few times. She's anticipating a lot of walking. "I'm ready to go!" She announces.
GAME: Gregor rolls survival: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
Kae ooooohs "Too bad, no camels, though I guess I can't blame anyone. camels spit!" She adds and she beams happily "So lets go caravan hunting!" SHe has absolutely no clue what she's doing, but she makes up for her utter lack of knowledge with sheer exhuberance! That much can be said for the artificer....
"This is gonna be fun!" She calls out cheerfully and pulls out her compass, the woman looking at the thing curiously and beaming as she figures out at least which way magnetic north is! Of course she just got it cause the brass housed compass is nifty and she likes playing with the thing and watching it spin to point north all the time.... Other uses like being able to find your way out of a forest and such are just coincidental...
Gregor ohs, "Sorry, I thought you were counting out weeks past the week they were late. Yes, if it's just a week, we could absolutely find them alive." Looking over the map, he says, "Nothing that really looks like an ambush point. Or, rather, it all looks like ambush points. I think we should just backtrack their route and look for wagon ruts."
Felicia says, "If we're going to find them, lets get moving. They might need help.""
GAME: Sylvi rolls knowledge/local: (18)+6: 24
You all load up on your various mounts, sparkling or non, and set off. The day goes reasonably well, and you pass a couple other caravans on the road that looks heavily guarded. Bedding down for the night, you set watch, and it goes all as you might hope. Quietly and without much issue, the next day after a meal of rations that - thanks to Gregor's military days - have been made into a rather filling porridge of sorts you set out again. The beat of hooves and other animal feet go along with the casual gait. This is the area where the caravan was last seen.
A bridge is up ahead, the forest around you, and you hear something off in the distance.
GAME: Sylvi rolls perception: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Gregor rolls perception: (17)+5: 22
GAME: Felicia rolls perception: (18)+3: 21
GAME: Kaelyn rolls perception: (2)+9: 11
Gregor rides straight-backed and alert, his lance held casually in his hand, planted with the heel of the shaft in his stirrup. Which is how lancers ride, not scouts, but Gregor is a wannabe. No banner, though, as much as he would like one. He keeps his eye on the land around the road, alert for ambush, but also for signs of a cart being taken off the road.
Sylvi keeps a careful eye out on the terrain around her as she rides. "Look for choke points, like bridges and the like." she informs the others "Probably bandits considering the place."
Felicia keeps an eye out as well. However, she has no weapon. She usually doesn't have a need for one, as she relies upon her allies for defense.....
Felicia says, "I do believe a bridge counts as a choke point....." She says as she looks towards the bridge. "And....there's someone there.""
GAME: Lucy rolls perception: (11)+12: 23
Gregor murmurs, "Now that's curious." He will nudge his heels into Traveller's flanks, and hurry up to the bridge. "Hail," he calls out to the figure on the bridge. He looks into the forest on either side, wary of that rather than the huddled person. "Gregor Augustin, from Alexandria. Who are you, then?" he asks.
Lucy struggles a bit with guiding her pony, and spends as much time outside of the saddle leading the animal as riding it. So she's on foot when they come to the bridge. She peers at the figure on the bridge and then walks forward as well to talk.
Sylvi nods to Felicia "I see it too." she draws the axe from he saddle. "Porbably trouble." she notes to Gregor as he rides forward. "I don't think anyone friendly would be crouching like that."
Felicia says, "Especially scared crouching." She then makes a face. "he's upset.""
As you grow closer, the sound of the crying becomes more obvious. The woman crouched down and curls over, probably a dwarf from her shape as she continues to let out sound of being upset. She shivers and her hooded head moves up, her face shrouded. Her hands reach up in front of her face and she whimpers, "Please! Please don't hurt me. The bandits did enough to our caravan already." She's still huddled down low.
Just beyond her, on the other side of the bridge, it can now be seen there's something that looks akin to a caravan. The boards rotted and the crates broken. Torn sheets and ropes lay about and drape over the stone bridge.
Lucy hurries the rest of the way over, concern on her face. "You're from the caravan! We're here looking for you! We'll help!" She knees, although she's short enough as it is that it doesn't serve to lower her that much closer to the ground. "What happened. Where..." she hesitates. "Where are the rest of you?"
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Serraphine has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Serraphine to instruct you further.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Gregor nods gravely to the dwarf woman. "We're here to hunt those bandits, ma'am. We won't hurt you. But it'd help if you can tell us which way they went?" And then he may be able to track them.
Felicia says, "We won't let them hurt you, don't worry.""
Kae tilts her head and looks around the place, the dwarf lady huddled in the middle of the road kind of draws her eyes... But, she looks around outside there.. where's the wagons and stuff, what condition are they in... She is a goof, but having been a privateer for a while she's learned to think a little bit...
As Lucy closes in to help the woman, she moves with a speed that's very... un-civilian like. Her hands fly to cloak and before any of you even realize what's happening, she's bringing out two of them. The hood of the cloak flings back as she does and she has a very pleased look to them. "MORE FOR THE SLAUGHTER BOYS!" She yells out, trying to stick Lucy twice with those rather pointy weapons.
GAME: Kaelyn refreshes spells.
GAME: Felicia refreshes spells.
GAME: Serraphine rolls 9: (14)+9: 23
GAME: Serraphine rolls 6: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d4+5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Bandits is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Lucy ended.
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (19)+12: 31 (THREAT)
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (16)+12: 28 (THREAT)
GAME: Lucy rolls bluff: (20)+11: 31
GAME: Lucy rolls 2d4+19: (3)+19: 22
Lucy flinches back as she's stabbed. "Why you--" She straightens up, and then a gleam comes into her eye. Eager? Happy? Maybe even crazed? She draws her own rapier and in an instant runs the blade through the woman's abdomen, yanking it out just as quickly after surely perforating what must be a vital organ. "This should be...fun!"
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (3)+5: 8
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (9)+5: 14
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (20)+7: 27
GAME: Serraphine rolls 4: (10)+4: 14
GAME: Serraphine rolls 2d4+10: (6)+10: 16
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 17.
It is now Bandits' turn! Reevah is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 16.
It is now Reevah's turn! Gregor is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 13.
It is now Gregor's turn! Felicia is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Gregor ended.
The ropes grow taut off the side of the bridge and three people climb up and over before landing on the stone around the dwarf though far enough away that Lucy doesn't threaten them yet. Two of them look toward the party, the other turns to look at Lucy as if considering moving into that fight.
A moment later, two crossbowmen step from behind the broken caravan on the far side of the bridge. They raise their crossbows and loose quarrels. One at Gregor, the other at Felicia. Both miss, hissing by their targets and they begin to reload quickly. Being light crossbows they will not take long.
Reevah, the dwarf, cries out, the rapier running her through and she lets out a growl. Her own dagger returning a particularly vicious slash in return as she spits out, "You're right, it WILL be fun. More for the slaughter."
The party is mostly toward the middle of the bridge, with Reevah and Lucy squaring off a good thirty feet away. Lucy's back is to the party and the dwarf is on the other side. Twenty feet away from the party (sans-Lucy) are the three banits that just crawled up the ropes. And fifty feet from the party are the two crossbowmen.
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (19)+5: 24
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (17)+5: 22
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Serraphine rolls 2d8+6: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d8+3: (7)+3: 10
Gregor rides out to relieve Lucy, but is cut down as he tries to ride past the ones that came up on the bridge. But they're ready for him. More than ready for him, and he takes one blow to the side of the head, which dazes him, and the next one cleans his clock. He falls from the saddle with a thump.
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 12.
It is now Felicia's turn! Kaelyn is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Felicia ended.
GAME: Felicia rolls 2d6: (7): 7
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 11.
It is now Kaelyn's turn! Sylvi is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Kaelyn ended.
GAME: Kaelyn activates her Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex
GAME: Kaelyn casts Shield. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
Felicia shakes her head and moves her way forward She then channels healing energy into the pair up front. "Come on guys. Move up and support them."
Huh? (Type "help" for help.)
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 3.
It is now Sylvi's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed on Sylvi ended.
GAME: Sylvi rolls weapon1+2-1: (10)+7+2+-1: 18
GAME: Sylvi rolls 1d10+4+3: (7)+4+3: 14
Kae sees the charger go down, another take damage and she quickly slaps a gem on her wrist. There's a brief flash and she's suddenly covered head to toe in sleek artificed armor. Kae's not one that goes for that bulky look, instead this could almost be called form fitting. Save for that it is armor so it's slightly bulkier than well a skin suit... That and she has clothes underneath. Anyhow, Kae's now covered in sleek black and bronze armor made of fine overlapping plates with scales between the joints... There's crystals at her shoulder, elbows knees ankles and hip sand of course her chest just under her collar bone. And she's enshrouded in a fully head-enclosing helmet, this having a purple visor and a pair of metallic fin/wings coming up where ears might be? Who knows. She then tugs a small disk off her hip and holds the thing up as she opens it up and a tower shield that appears to be made of a forcefield snaps into existance over her left arm as she grabs for her ray gun with her right hand...
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Bandits is next!
Sylvi urges Thunder forward with axe in hand and pounces on the nearest bandit, the gnome sized woodcutters axe has no problem splitting the bandits skull like it would a log. "For Happy Valley!" she calls out as she attacks.
GAME: Lucy rolls acrobatics: (4)+10: 14
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d6: (6): 6
GAME: Lucy refreshes special ability pools.
GAME: Lucy spends ONE point of PANACHE.
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d6: (1): 1
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon8: (12)+10: 22
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d3+7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (13)+5: 18
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (4)+7: 11
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (18)+7: 25
GAME: Serraphine rolls 9: (4)+9: 13
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d8+1: (5)+1: 6
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 17.
It is now Bandits' turn! Reevah is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 16.
It is now Reevah's turn! Gregor is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 13.
It is now Gregor's turn! Felicia is next!
Lucy feints as if she's going to stab Reevah again, then instead hops backwards. She continues to backpedal until she's next to Gregor. She slings a dagger underhanded at the woman as she goes, then hisses to Gregor, "C'mon, n your feet! We'll keep them busy!"
The bandits don't notice that Gregor is back into consciousness as they advance on the rest of the party. Both crossbowmen reload and shift their aim, they see the now - suddenly - armored combatant and they call out, "MAGE!" because... well, it sure looks like magic to them. They loose two more quarrels at Kaelyn, one of them hitting but the other hisses by.
The bandits that advance on the party, one of them turns to the gnome that just slew one of their number and lashes out with their longsword. The other turns to Felicia and calls out, "Think she's a healer!" As they slice with their longsword as well.
Reevah growls and charge on in after Lucy who's stopped nearish to Gregor. The dagger having cut her. "Don't you run away! I'm not finished with you yet!" THe dwarf grins, maniacal in appearance.
GAME: Gregor rolls 1d20+9: (18)+9: 27
GAME: Gregor rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 12.
It is now Felicia's turn! Kaelyn is next!
GAME: Felicia rolls 2d6: (8): 8
Gregor has learned another important lesson. A cavalry scout is not a lancer, no matter how much he wishes he were. Feeling the magical energy reviving him, he gets to his feet, and finds the bandits attacking his friends. He nods to Lucy, "I'm ... I'll be OK." Forgoing the saddle since the battle is joined now, he'll rush up behind the bandits attacking his allies and swing his flail at one attacking Felicia. Got to cover the priest after she saved him. His flail slams into the bandit between the shoulder blades and he lurches forward with an effort.
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 11.
It is now Kaelyn's turn! Sylvi is next!
GAME: Kaelyn rolls ranged+1: (9)+7+1: 17
GAME: Kaelyn rolls 2d6+5: (8)+5: 13
With Gregor now providing a distraction, Felicia channels more energy to heal, and looks to Sylvi. "Come and help us, Sylvi. Then we'll be down one bandit, and can concentrate on the rest.
A flinch as one of the bolts nicks her side... "Erf..." Kae mutters and turns, bringing her deathray up... "Zap..." She says calmly and well an electric arc zips out from the end of her rather incredibly sleek-looking rifle. The thing appears to hae a number of bronze or brass rings surrounding the barrel and going down it. with a sleek stock and foregrip, honestly, it kind of resembles a longer magical version of an m-14 rifle... cept it has a purple gem sticking out of the end of a barrel and a funky sighting aparatus made up of a series of crystals that act kind of like a scope.. Oh and there's no trigger...
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 3.
It is now Sylvi's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Sylvi rolls weapon1+2-1: (7)+7+2+-1: 15
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3: (20)+3: 23
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3: (6)+3: 9
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3: (5)+3: 8
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Sylvi rolls 1d6+1: (1)+1: 2
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Bandits is next!
Sylvi swings her axe again but doesn't manage to land a hit, even Thunder gets into it and while his teeth wrap around an arm, it barely pierces the armor. Still, they make for a ferocious duo, Sylvi and her kitty cat.
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 17.
It is now Bandits' turn! Reevah is next!
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (19)+5: 24
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (13)+7: 20
GAME: Serraphine rolls 4: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
Lucy watches Reevah coming closer. She smiles sweetly at the expression on her face, then stabs again, but finds her blow knocked aside by one of the woman's weapons. The smile on Lucy's face falters only a little before she brings herself back on guard. "This is how bandits fight?" she complains aloud. "It's a wonder any caravans make it anywhere!"
The Bandits continue to move, the one looks back at Gregor for a moment but advances toward Felicia still to keep trying to go after the healer, it's only a short step away and he's able to avoid leaving an opening for Gregor. The one in front of Sylvie cuts in with another slashing longsword blow toward her, though thankfully it looks far less deadly than it could've been.
The Crossbowmen on the other side reload and line up, one shooting at Felicia and the other stickk sending hissing quarrels toward Kaelyn "Not a mage! Artificer!" Calls the one that shoots at her, and the reason why the other archer turned to Felicia instead.
Reevah continues toward Lucy and growls at her in response, "Was that supposed to be a biting jab or just a poor riposte? I can't tell!" And she slashes out ineffectively with her daggers.
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 16.
It is now Reevah's turn! Gregor is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 13.
It is now Gregor's turn! Felicia is next!
GAME: Gregor rolls ride: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Gregor rolls 1d20+10: (12)+10: 22
GAME: Gregor rolls 2d8+8: (5)+8: 13
GAME: Felicia casts Bless. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14
Gregor whistles for Traveller, his horse, and he leaps into the saddle, thanks to the second burst of healing. Grabbing back his lance, he levels it, wheels around, and charges. It's a short charge, just barely more than a leap, but the lance runs the bandit through, Traveller's hooves pulling the body free and making a horrible mess of him.
Felicia, as she watches Gregor thunder off, calls for a blessing from Serriel, but looks to SYlvi. "Keep it up....they're just bandits, not a knight of the valley...."
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 12.
It is now Felicia's turn! Kaelyn is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 11.
It is now Kaelyn's turn! Sylvi is next!
GAME: Kaelyn rolls ranged+1: (6)+7+1: 14
GAME: Kaelyn rolls 2d6+5: (2)+5: 7
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 3.
It is now Sylvi's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Sylvi rolls weapon1+3-1: (3)+7+3+-1: 12
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3+1: (11)+3+1: 15
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3+1: (2)+3+1: 6
GAME: Sylvi rolls 3+1: (2)+3+1: 6
Kae frowns and fires yet another shot at the other crosbowman, this one well, only just a light zot and well there's a big hole in the tree the person's behind? Kae frowns "Okie need to adjust sites!!!" She calls out and slides to the left, still handling her 'zappy' gun in two hands while keeping her shield facing toward the oncoming fire....
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Bandits is next!
Sylvi feroiciously swingsher axe against while Thunder tries to bite and scratch. Unfortunately neither land telling blows as they continue to duel with the bandit.
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (5)+12: 17
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+12: (2)+12: 14
GAME: Lucy rolls bluff: (20)+11: 31
GAME: Serraphine rolls 5: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Serraphine rolls 7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Serraphine rolls 4: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Serraphine rolls 4: (18)+4: 22
Lucy levels her rapier so that it's pointed at Reevah's chest and then lunges. The blow stabs Reevah through the side of her chest this time and then yanks the rapier out, ending in the exact same position from before her attack. "Oh wait, wait! The heart's on the other side isn't it?" She moves the rapier until it's point a few inches over at where Reevah's heart would be. "Let's try that again!"
GAME: Serraphine rolls 1d4+2: (4)+2: 6
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 17.
It is now Bandits' turn! Reevah is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 16.
It is now Reevah's turn! Gregor is next!
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 13.
It is now Gregor's turn! Felicia is next!
GAME: Gregor rolls 1d20+9: (13)+9: 22
GAME: Gregor rolls 2d8+8: (8)+8: 16
The last Bandit on the bridge continues to swing at Sylvi, laughing as the axe and cat can't seem to find any purchase. The cat's claws making a metallic clinking noise as they rake over metal rings. His own blow goes wide as the cat knocked him off balance.
The crossbowmen fire once more, but both of their shots are wide and way off target.
Reevah grins and continues to try and drive those daggers into Lucy though the stab makes her stumble backward. A look of annoyance tinged with fear starts to crest her gaze but she scowls and drives one of the daggers home. "You gnomes are all the same. Bad jokes and terrible taunts."
The last Bandit on the bridge continues to swing at Sylvi, laughing as the axe and cat can't seem to find any purchase. The cat's claws making a metallic clinking noise as they rake over metal rings. His own blow goes wide as the cat knocked him off balance.
The crossbowmen fire once more, but both of their shots are wide and way off target.
Reevah grins and continues to try and drive those daggers into Lucy though the stab makes her stumble backward. A look of annoyance tinged with fear starts to crest her gaze but she scowls and drives one of the daggers home. "You gnomes are all the same. Bad jokes and terrible taunts."
GAME: Felicia rolls 2d6: (5): 5
Gregor wheels Traveller around and looks for more targets. He can't charge through to relieve Kaelyn right now, but he can charge Reevah, who had been his original target before. The horses hooves turn up earth as he thunders down on the dwarf bandit, and he jabs her with his lance, wounding her.
Round Four - Init 12.
It is now Felicia's turn! Kaelyn is next!
"We're almost done here." FElicia says as she channels more positive energy. "You never should've ambushed us...."
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 11.
It is now Kaelyn's turn! Sylvi is next!
GAME: Kaelyn rolls ranged+2: (10)+7+2: 19
GAME: Kaelyn rolls 1d8: (7): 7
GAME: Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 3.
It is now Sylvi's turn! Lucy is next!
GAME: Sylvi rolls weapon1+3-1: (3)+7+3+-1: 12
GAME: Sylvi rolls 4: (20)+4: 24
GAME: Sylvi rolls 4: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Sylvi rolls 4: (13)+4: 17
GAME: Sylvi rolls 4: (12)+4: 16
GAME: Sylvi rolls 2d6+2: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Sylvi rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4
Kae peers and ahah's "I have a shot!" She reaches to her hip with her left hand and it comes up briefly. The woman now aiming down the barrel of what is definately a dragon-spitter... The hammer comes back and holds there with a click as she closes an eye, and then she squeezes said trigger... There's a loud Bam!
Suddenly her target is supporting a new hole in their head! "Buhbye!" she waves as they fall back and she glances to the other crossbowman while she tugs an arrow out of her hip... "Ya know this is getting painful." she mutters.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Serraphine advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 24.
It is now Lucy's turn! Bandits is next!
GAME: Lucy rolls weapon3: (5)+12: 17
GAME: Lucy rolls 1d4+12: (2)+12: 14
GAME: Lucy rolls bluff: (3)+11: 14
Thunder finaly finds his window and lunges at the bandits neck, large teeth biting deep while his claws find purchase on exposed skin as the foe drops. The Jaguar shakes his prey a few time, heading flopping back and forth, making sure its properly dead before roaring. Sylvi is just holding on.
"Bad jokes? Bad taunts? What would you know--" Lucy suddenly stabs again, her rapier puncturing Reevah's throat instead of her heart. The gnome yanks the blade out, then steps neatly aside at the fountain of blood before Reevah collapses. "--about jokes," she finishes in a low, almost melancholy voice.
With Reevah suddenly finding her throat thrust through, the other Crossbowmen rather holy, and the last bandit on the bridge just having its throat ripped out by a rather vicious cat. The final crossbowman's eyes go wide, and with a cry of panic, he goes running off into the woods on the other side of the bridge. It's only a matter of seconds before he's lost in the brush and there's still all the stuff on the bridge to clear away before they can more easily get across.
GAME: Kaelyn deactivates her Titan Armor.
GAME: Serraphine removes the timestop.
Timestop by Serraphine has left.
GAME: You remove the timestop.
GAME: Felicia rolls knowledge/military Theory: (7)+6: 13
GAME: Kaelyn rolls knowledge/engineer: (16)+knowledge/engineer: 16
GAME: Sylvi rolls knowledge/local: (6)+6: 12
Felicia watches the archer run off...then looks about. "We need to get off this bridge. That archer crapped his pants...."
After the last crossbowman runs off, Kae deactivates her armor, the woman taking a deep breath and sighing... "Ooooy that'll give you a workout!" she calls out. As she stretches her back, to what she's referring to might not necessarily be known...
Kae glances to the stuff that is supposed to be a caravan and ummms "Oooh, guys! We've like totally been duped! This stuff's all junk! no wagons here!!!"
Gregor says to the others, "You want I should ride him down?"
Sylvi rides across the brigde to see the bandit flee. "Probably it for bandits around here, if I had to guess. I wouldn't worry too much about him, we need to figure out where the proper good are."
Felicia says, "Too good of a chance he'll lead you into another ambush, Gregor. Plus you're very very hurt.""
Gregor nods to Felicia. It doesn't take much to argue him out of it. He just had to offer.
GAME: Kaelyn rolls disable device: (18)+6: 24
GAME: Lucy rolls disable device: (10)+7: 17
Kae peeers around now and offers "Ya know, if we could track worth a hoot we could follow that archer back to his base, get a location on it and mabe do something about it..." she suggests and smiles cheerfully... She then tugs her toolkit from her backpack and begins working on dismantling everything around here, not including the bridge, though that's tempting too....
GAME: Gregor rolls athletics: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Gregor rolls survival: (3)+5: 8
Lucy follows Kaerlyn and produces a small pick from her backback. She uses the weapon like a crowbar to jab into pieces and pry apart and away. "This is taking to long!" she yelps. "He's going to get away!"
Gregor will help get the rotten junk tossed aside and recovering what we can as much as he is able, though the injuries make him pause more often than he'd like. He is generally of the walk-it-off persuasion, but he's pretty hurt, and knows it. He does manage to rig a drag litter for the stuff we've recovered. It's ramshackle, but it'll do for the moment.
GAME: Gregor rolls survival: (20)+5: 25
The drag litter assembled and loaded with what Kaelyn and Lucy were able to salvage - Lucy seemed to have a better eye at picking out the stuff but Kaelyn, oh Gods Kaelyn, she just seemed to pull all of it apart without trying and ran through it like a kid in a candystore. You were able to salvage a good bit of it, and while it probably isn't the goods you were sent to find - it's still all useful items that can be put to work.
It takes a good twenty minutes to break it all down and another five or so to get squared away on the other side. But it's only moments after you mount that Gregor points off to the underbrush. "That way." He says and starts off at a slow trot with the drag litter pulling behind you.
Gregor continues to guide them, looking for the small details and picking them out with ease. Clearly his time with the Scouts taking over as he tracks down where the bandits normally stay.
It takes about an hour before you see what looks to be a clearing with a cave up ahead. Even from this distance you can see parts of carts and other items. From the distance it looks like a caravan graveyard of sorts. The particularly eagle-eyed among you also make out the sight of a man running away from the cave with a backpack that he's slinging over his shoulder. A stumble and then he's making a serious break for it. Kinda looks like the crossbowman, sans-crossbow.
GAME: Kaelyn rolls perception: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Sylvi rolls ride+4: (1)+2+4: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Gregor rolls ride: (12)+8: 20
Kaelyn takes her pony off to the side of the path, the litter dragging along with it. Then she hops off and stares toward the cave up ahead. A narrow of her eyes as she just tries to take it in and watch for any activity that's going on. Nothing really pops out of note.
Gregor and Sylvi both take off after the man on foot, the thundering of hooves starts to quickly close the distance. Sylvi on the other hand seems to be having difficult with her cat, it seems it's getting tired and that clearing up ahead looks like it might have warm and soft dirt.
WARM AND SOFT SYLVI! WARM. AND. SOFT.
Yus, Kae has found something to occupy her time while she's waiting... The girl is reloading her pistol as that must be done of course! She just loves gadgets... She then mutters "I should get a couple more..." Before glancing up and peering at the cave entrance while everyone chases after the archer....
Lucy leads her own pony, tugging at the reins over to where Kaeyln is. She keeps a short spear in her hound, ready to throw it. "I hope they catch him," she divides her attention between watching the direction they went, and back at the cave.
GAME: Gregor takes ten on ride: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Gregor takes ten on survival: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Gregor rolls ride: (16)+8: 24
GAME: Gregor rolls survival: (16)+5: 21
Gregor crouches low in the saddle, standing in the stirrups as he leans forward eagerly. With a practiced skill, he rides the bandit down. That one won't be getting away.
Kae grins "I do too..." She says and holsters her pistol before she pulls a tube from her backpack, it's about 3 feet long. Kae then pulls a bow from said tube and unfolds it, the girl setting a pin at its front then strings the weapon.... "Anyhow if we needs it, I can shoot silently." she says with a grin...
Sylvi goes to follow the bandit but hunder has something else on his mind, passing some wild catnip he instead starts rolling around on the plant and throws Sylvi from the saddle. "Thunder?!" she calls out as he she gathers herself. "COme on boy, we have a bad guy to chase!" No luck.
GAME: Lucy rolls perception: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)
Gregor rides the runner down, and clubs him in the back of the head with the heel of his lance. He falls to the ground, and Gregor reins in, hauls him back up, and drapes him across Traveller's rump. Holding him in place with one hand, he brings his prisoner back to the group.
The cave up ahead seems quiet, and the backpack that the ex-crossbowman is wearing jangles and clanks a lot as Gregor hauls him back on his horse. It's almost impossible for Gregor to make a quiet approach because of it.
Clang... CLATTER ShhhHHH. Tinkle, CLANG. Maybe he filled his backpack with a bunch of silverwear, pans, and ball bearings. Seriously.
Lucy peers at the prisoner. She draws her rapier and holds it ready. "Should we wake him up and question him? We could ask him something like 'What have you done with the drivers from the caravan'?" She puts on a stern voice as she says it. Then She looks back at the caravan graveyard. "Um, the last one."
Kae stands up now, the woman wielding a longbow? She peers at the others and looks into the cave now curiously... "Ummmmm.... Should we like go in and have a looksie?" she asks curiously....
Gregor says to the others, "I'd at least like to know how many are in there." He'll start slapping the fellow's cheeks to try and bring him back around."
With the slaps to his cheeks, he wakes with a start, looking around. He lets out a yelp and then falls off of Gregor's mount, landing heavily. He starts backing away, cautiously with his hands held up in front of him and his backpack still clattering about with every other step. "What.... What do you want?! Haven't you done enough? Reevah's dead! You even killed Guppy! What do you want now?! We were just trying to make a living!" Yep, he's rambling and scared.
Lucy nods in agreement. "Military Intelligence," she says knowingly. Even though she's likely never seen an army. Then she steps back to let Gregor do the talking. She puts her rapier away and readies her spear again to throw.
Felicia says, "You are thieves and bandits. Your idea of 'making a living' involved attacking people you didn't even know. You even attacked a cleric of the maiden of battle. How did you think it'd end up? So, now....you'll tell us who is in the cave....and what.""
Sylvi nearly drags Thunder back to the cave, the cat still looking a bit high but recovering. "Thunder wouldn't mind a bite, probably has the munchies." She ways with a grin.
Kae peers, she knows how to get the guy's attention "Heeey, I have a ton of potions and alchemical goodies that I haz no clue what they'll do!" She look at the bandit and gives a rather happy, if maniacle looking grin "Do I gets to experiment now?
"Hey! Not my fault I grew up on the streets and you grew up in some high and mighty enclave that they gave you food and books so you can do the learnin'!" He says as he continues to back away. Of ourse then he looks back and lets out a yelp as Sylvi is there on her rather large cat - the one that ripped the guy's throat out.
"You... You all didn't have to get in our way! You adventurers and your darn cat!" He's still looking at Thunder as he says this, finally back to the other side where Kae is having fun.
He lets out another cry and jumps away from her, then stumbles away from Thunder, he's quick pinned between this group.
GAME: Felicia rolls diplomacy: (9)+3: 12
Gregor says to the fellow, in a gravelly voice, "The penalty for bandits is hanging, but we saved the magistrate a bit of work. But you can help us. ANd then we'll take you in, and tell the magistrate you helped us. And then maybe you'll spend a few years in jail instead of an afternoon hanging from your neck. Now will you answer us some questions? You don't have to. But it'd help us, you know?"
GAME: Gregor rolls intimidate: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Kaelyn rolls bluff: (15)+2: 17
GAME: Sylvi rolls bluff: (10)+8: 18
The man moves between the group, looking about and then then thought of Sylvi's cat and Kaelyn's talks of wanting to experiment. He looks toward Felicia, makes a sort of whimpering noise... and his eyes roll up and he faints. Heart of a lion this one. A dandelion anyway.
GAME: Gregor rolls stealth: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Lucy rolls stealth: (19)+8: 27
Since the fellow's out cold, Gregor will scout ahead, since he's a scout, and try to see what's in the cave without giving himself away. Just at the entrance, his flail, tucked into a harness of his belt, drops off with a huge clatter. Mortified, he picks it back up, tucks it in his belt, and gives the others a helpless shrug.
GAME: Sylvi rolls diplomacy: (9)+8: 17
Lucy follows Gregor towards the cave. Or she start too. Once she realises how loud the scout is being she veers to the other side and tries to use him as a distraction for anyone that might be keeping a lookout. Hey, it's sort of like teamwork, right? Right. Lucy herself moves over the ground in a sort of glide that doesn't make a whisper and doesn't even seem to overturn dirt at her passage.
Felicia stays way back from the rest. Why? Stealthy, she isn't. So She stays way back. Did I mention she's not stealthy? Cuz she's not.
Isn't stealthy, nor is she trying to be! She's staring ahead and looking around the place as she tries to spot traps and the like, her eyes darting around while she stares... And now she begins whistling cheerfully while she hunts for well dangerous stuff!
The group move forward, slowly, and besides Gregor's faux pas, it's pretty straight forward. Lucy creeps along so quiet it would make a Rogue blush.
Eventually you all work your way into the cave and you branch off to check out various parts of it - albeit all within eyeshot of eachother. It's Sylvi that stumbles upon the hidden alcove near the back and finds the caravan drivers all huddled up near the back of a cell. They are /relieved/ to see the adventurers and start to tell stories of how they were treated. Not overly bad... unless word got back the ransom wouldn't be paid, then they were killed.
That's when Sylvi starts to speak up about why you all are here and, in relatively short order, the wagon drivers clamour forward to help the Gnome girl. THEY WILL ALL HELP! But Brian will help the most. NO! I will. He's not half the driver I am...
Either way, Sylvi's appeal aside, the people try to help out. Several are still wounded and need to be tended to on the way back. Thankfully between Felicia and Kaelyn, that's a relatively easy process.
The litter was disassembled and packed onto the back of a wagon where the supplies were all loaded, more than enough really. It seems that you'll be bringing back an excess of supplies, and of the five drivers there - only one will go their own way when they reach Alexandria city limits.
Thanks to the adventurers, the Arvek and Refugee community will have an abundance of supplies that will allow them to continue with their building efforts.
Plus, they all get free dinner and drinks at the pub for the evening - and a prisoner to give to the watch!