Turn, On the move again
Subject: Turn
I've not gotten any messages since this - what's going on? :)
From: Josh
Subject: turn
How many days would a DM ditch if a DM could ditch days?
From: Mark
Subject: Turn
I know and I apologize. Friday was spent at Origins and playing my RL game. It went till midnight. Saturday was spent sleeping. I slept a total of 18 hours getting caught up on all the sleep I missed this past week. I am all set to go today. Turn will be out around noon.
From: Bryan
Subject: Turn
No apology needed here - I just wanted to make sure my spam filter hadnot decided to go on a rampage...
From: Mark
Subject: Turn
No I have been remiss in my duties. However, I plead extreme exhaustion from corps sitting.
From: Josh
Subject: Turn
We'll have to have a trial. Someone call up the three head DMS.
From: Kevin
Subject: Turn
It's 1:30, and no turn. The pressure is mounting.
From: Mark
Subject: Turn
Writing as we write.
From: Mark
Subject: On the move again
During the quick break the party discusses whether to try and rest long enough for Allistair and Kal to regain their arcane power or to keep moving towards the Great North Woods. "I would love to rest and regain my spells, but the rope trick spell I have used before only lasts for 7 hours and only holds 8 people, including me. That leaves us two people and one hour short. Maybe Mund can hide our trail?" Mund nods "I can do that. In fact it is an old orc tribe trick. You guys would move ahead, I mess up your trail and then lay down a false trail. Take a bit more time in the dark though. Them orc's have got it good, seein in the dark an all." Salix nods "That is the one reason I hesitate to ask you to do this. I can move with out leaving a trace and there is a grace I can ask for, but not until I have rested. Never really thought we'd get this far" he says with a rueful laugh.
In the distance a long drawn out howl wafts over the night sky. "Wolves" Salix says, "long ways off. Nothing to worry about. That reminds me, if we meet any animals that do not clear off at our approach, let me know. At worst I can probably get them to leave us alone. At best they may be messengers from the druids. Wouldn't be good to be killing a creature sent to help us. If they attack, you can defend yourself, but other wise don't hurt them." The others nod agreement. "Alright, let's keep moving. Harp, you lead again, Mund you bring up the rear, doing what you can to hide our trail. Ragnar, if you don't mind, continue to carry Acer. I used my grace to neutralize any poison in his system but it did not seem to help any. I wish I knew what was wrong with him. Kal, you and Ran stay with Ragnar and Surin and Ally in the middle of the group. I am going to be up front with Harp."
The party heads off again south over the rolling fields. The ground is on the soft side and the vegetation makes it hard to hide the trail. Usually Mund has no problem running circles around the party when Ragnar and Surin are in it but now he finds it all he can do to do what he can to hide the trail and still keep up. Only his years of living in the wilds keeps him from falling behind. As he moves behind the party he starts to get a strange feeling like he is being watched. However, every time he stops to check around him, he sees and hears nothing. There should be the noises of the night, but the passing of the party would account for those being quiet. After a few minutes he moves on, catching up with the party. He catches up with them after several minutes. Salix has stopped them, letting them rest a while. The barbarian approaches Salix and motions him over.
"Do you feel anything funny?" he asks the druid. Salix looks sharply at Mund "Did you see something? Hear something?" The human shakes his head "No, nothin. Just an itch on the back of my neck." From out of the darkness ahead of them comes a rough, guttural voice "You should listen to your neck more often, human. Not that your head will be attached to it much longer. You led us on a merry chase and I thought Faldor was insane when he told us you were heading this direction. But his magics prove his power once again. Hand over the old man and I will be merciful to you and your companions." Mund strains to see who is speaking, but he, Ally and Surin can not see that far in the dark. The others though see a figure in a chain shirt standing roughly 50 feet away. He has an ax in one hand, a mace in the other. Next to him is a large, mean looking dog, some type of large pit bull.
OODM: I will get a map out in a bit.
From: Mark
Subject: Map
Here is the map.
The "F" is the figure, the "D" is the dog. I have marked North on the map. The green circles are small tree/bushes. They are large enough to block line of site.
Since there are no torches out th humans will fight with the rules for fighting blind. Until light is made. The people with low light and darkvision are fine. There is enough starlight/moonlight that they can see 120 feet, which is the max for lowlight. Since the party was at rest, I need to know what weapons they would have out, if any.
As of now combat has not started so no initiave rolls yet. If you want to attack I will roll a sense motive for your opponent, with a DC of 20, if he makes it he will sense you are going to attack and you will not have surprise. If he decides to attack, I will roll a sense motive versus a DC20 for all of the characters. If any of them succede they will be able to warn that he is attacking and he will loose surprise.
I need actions.
From: Josh
Subject: On the move again
Kal's body tenses for the battle. His sword is in his hand before the man's first word is finished. He begins to chant an elven war song quietly to the group. A tense, slow melody fills the silence and becomes one with the wind. Beating like a war drum the hymn continues, everyone's blood grows hot and ready for battle.
In the moments between thought Kal smiles to himself. He had resented running away from the fight. 'This is our mission. Not just saving old men; it is ours to be the blade of the Gods.'
When the man finishes speaking Kal's hymn mutates; the rhythm still beats and the melody lingers, but instead of ancient Sylvan the words have turned to Draconic, the language of magic. Kal's dance begins with a single motion. His sword weaves upward to point at the evil man.
OOC: Kal casts Scorching Ray at the man in the chain shirt.
From: Kevin
Subject: On the move again
Harp will wait forSalix to answer, however, he will cast Bless on the group as they stand there. He is guessing that Salix will not give the Stormfather back.
Otherwise, Harp will prepare to fight with his longsword.
From: Josh
Subject: On the move again
I just looked at the map. It looks like Kal is 70 feet away. He needs to be within 55 feet to cast this spell, so he'll move forward some.
From: Kevin
Subject: On the move again
OOC: Just a reminder of the potions we have and who has them. Ran, Salix and Surin each have a potion of Shield of Faith +2. I think we have used all of the Invisibility potions, though Ally may still have a spell or two left (he mentioned an improved invisibility spell at some point in the discussion). I think most of the non cleric folk also got a CMW potion when they were divided up. When I divvied up potions, I think I went into each characters sheets and put them in the equipment section, though at the very end. Please check your sheets to see what you have. It will probably become important in 15 second or so.
Mark, after Harp does the bless for the group, he will then cast Protection from Evil on himself. It gives his a +2 to A/C and +2 to saves, along with some other benefits that will probably not apply here.
From: Mark
Subject: On the move again
Don't you guys have any sense of the dramatic?
I mean let the bad guy get his soliloquy. :)
From: Karl
Subject: On the move again
Hand over the old man, indeed, Salix thinks to himself. In reply he quietly chants the prayer to call upon the forces of lightening. By the grace of Obad Hai, he thinks, this one will not stand in our way!
(OOC - Salix will cast "Call Lightening" and call a bolt down onto this mysterious figure.)
From: Karl
Subject: On the move again
Incidentally, I just noticed that Salix *does* have Pass Without Trace readied for "today". I don't know why I thought he didn't. It's too late now, of course, but maybe he can cast it after the battle and lose anyone else who might be following.
From: Kevin
Subject: On the move again
Karl, sorry about not remembering that. I set up his spells so long ago (before we entered the estate - while you were travelling out west) that I forgot I had put that on, assuming it was me who did it. If you did it, then forget this message.
From: Mark
Subject: On the move again
Ok I want all of you who are casting to realize that doing so will have me roll a sense motive. If he beats a DC20 then I will do initiative. If it goes to that and he gets the first move, there may be actions that will spoil your spell.
From: Karl
Subject: On the move again
Yeah, I realize that. However, in character, I can't see Salix waiting. He knows this guy works for Faldor and that they are going to have to fight him. I can't believe he wouldn't at least *try* to get the jump on him. And maybe he'll go for Kal. ;)
From: Kevin
Subject: On the move again
Mark is just mad that we ruined his grand speech.
Harp was sort of hoping Salix would talk to the guy so he could try and cast his spells without much notice, but as it is, Harp is still going to try and cast bless first (standard action), then, in the next round, Protection from Evil. After actions start, he will pull his sword as a move action when it is appropriate.
From: Bryan
Subject: On the move again
While the short delay Mund creates while hiding the party's trail tests Surin's patience, it does allow him to keep up with the rest of the party without issue. As a figure speaks from the trees ahead of the party, Surin pulls his cloak further over himself and steps into the shadows at the side of the party. Readying an axe, he quietly moves forward, thinking that he may be able to get the drop on this new evildoer.