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Post by carnackiArdent on Sept 20, 2018 7:17:48 GMT
As the spider rushes past, Maela lashes out at the spider's legs with her flail! Maela's Attack of Opportunity! AC 5 vs fdn3MYCk1d20, Crit 18+ 2d6+16 Physical Normal damage 1d20·2d6+16
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Post by Zephias on Sept 22, 2018 6:08:13 GMT
Aderyn actually swung past and tanked the hammer blow for the spider, but a crack told you it hadn't been a nice hit as the hammer cracked a good couple of ribs. Egaphetes's shot also clearly dislocated her shoulder, and the remaining bandits disengaged and regrouped near their leader as the reaction force from the crossbow shot blew her off her ride and she hit the ground with a thud.
The spider hissed and hovered protectively over its fallen rider, who clung to her crossbow with her good arm and tried to climb back to her feet.
{Narrative time go!}
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Post by carnackiArdent on Sept 23, 2018 23:24:52 GMT
Maela is bleeding and clearly shaken from the spider's last attack, but when she sees the bandit leader go down and the gang pull back to cluster around her, her stance relaxes. She doesn't put her flail away, but she does lower it. She doesn't approach the bandits any closer - she's one of the nearest to them anyway.
She calls out to the leader. "Listen, we can end this here. No one else has to get hurt. If you surrender now and return the hostages, I promise we'll see that you're treated fairly." A little more quietly, she adds, "We weren't sent after you by the king, you know. We're only here because a father wants to see his daughters again."
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Post by birdy51 on Sept 24, 2018 10:01:33 GMT
The pause of battle brought no comfort to Morgan, who still had a bit of distrustful bloodlust in his eyes and a pained catch in his breath. Sure, the bandit was down now, but who was to say that she would rise again, break this little truce, and fire another bolt into their lines? His fellow squires seemed to have a temporary advantage here, but these unsavory sorts were full of nasty tricks. At any rate, if Maela could not convince their leader, perhaps her followers would be weaker willed. He turns to them, with a honeyed tongue, saying "Even if but one of you wanted to surrender, we would accept. There is no need to waste your lives so fruitlessly."
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Post by Zephias on Sept 25, 2018 3:51:02 GMT
One of the two bandits that was still standing, the mallet-wielding male, spat at the ground at Morgan's words and looked the group in disdain, while the spear-toting female braced for any sort of attack. The spider rider finally climbed back onto her feet, using her crossbow to support herself and looking significantly more injured that she should be, from what you remember. She was bleeding from multiple places in her body, from injuries none of you remember inflicting. "We give the girls back and they'll be worse off. They'll disappear the next time the baker leaves town, once you're gone, and that's if you aren't working with the hunters" she said, practically spitting out venom with the hate in her voice.
"So no, don't give us your pity. We're the trash of your society, the broken. We've done what we had to to survive, because the law-abiding are only so when the watchers are around, and no one watches you knights and soldiers either. Want the girls? You'll have to kill me to get them, because the mother asked me to take them away! I will not let anyone else end up like- AAAAAAAaaAAAAaaaaaaaaaAAAAaghhhh"
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The scream was punctuated by the woman's arm twisting over itself unnaturally, cracking and flailing as it snapped back into place almost akin to a stuffed doll. Dark lines like those that already patterned the spider rider's body popped up all over it. Black threads seem to sprout from her open injuries, stitching them closed and burying into her side where Maela's last strike had struck. The spider rider herself fell to the ground in pain, twitching and spasming as the two bandits took a step closer and readied their shields in case anyone attacked. Now that you have time to examine those that you were fighting, you notice they don't look quite right either. The mallet-wielder had a noticeable hunchback; the woman had horrible burn scars over her face and running down her neck.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Sept 25, 2018 4:30:29 GMT
"What in the--!" Maela doesn't let surprise show on her face often, or tries not to, but her expression drops into one of horrified shock when the woman and the spider start to convulse. She had already been trying to puzzle out whether anything the bandit was implying about Eoghan's family was true or whether this was just some sort of trick, out of spite or because there was something else up her sleeve. But this... She takes another helpless step or two forward but pulls up before she reaches the bandits with their shields. "What is going on here?"Intuition (Is the spider rider telling the truth about the baker's family?): 7 Occult Ed (is some sort of magic causing what's happening to the spider rider?): 7
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Post by birdy51 on Sept 25, 2018 13:58:26 GMT
Morgan's face only flinches a little when the bandit's face lights up in a portrait of pain, the abnormality of such a cursed form already being known to him. He had no love for this woman, or her attempts at 'diplomacy', but he wasn't heartless. Whatever the Spider Rider's reasons for separating a man from his precious daughters were her own. Whether there was a malicious intent behind that action however, was now being called into question. However he may have felt about being shot at, there was something more to this situation than met the eye, something that warranted investigation. Morgan rings his bow around his right shoulder, and allows Lezarda to take a perch upon his left. "I don't think you're in any condition to fight, and neither are most of us at this point." Morgan says coolly. "Let us lay down our arms and speak truthfully on this matter without resorting to threats."Intuition 12 to read and gauge this woman's truthfulness.
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Post by Zephias on Sept 28, 2018 2:48:03 GMT
The spider rider eventually stopped screaming and climbed back to a sitting position with the help of the burnt woman. She was still trembling from the aftershocks of the pain, however, but those observant enough noticed that her arm and other injuries appeared closed now. She spat at the ground and took a couple of deep breaths before unsteadily hefting up her crossbow. "I told you that all of us were broken. You don't get to come here and trample us again" she struggled to say between her heavy breathing, leaning back against her spider's body and attempting to at least lift her weapon.
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"If you fire that crossbow, Aderyn, you'll blow your arm off for sure" said the burned woman. "It'll attach again. I can endure it" the spider rider said, her tone mutinous and defiant. The burned woman gave her a sad look and with her hand, guided the nose of the crossbow back to the ground before turning towards the group, as if to speak.
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Before she could, however, a shrill cry was heard followed by an almost airy set of words. "What interesting entertainment the new moon has brought. She was told it was bad manners to hide her glow"
[Everyone, roll me perception!]
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Post by amillaiara on Sept 28, 2018 21:19:49 GMT
The glow surrounding Nimbus subsides as it flies to hide behind O. as there was very loud scary noises coming from the bandits. O., meanwhile had reached into his bag to get an antidote as another wrack of pain from both the electricity and poison went through him. Quickly drinking it he looks up right as the shrill words come out, but suddenly gets a face full of Nimbus as the cry scares him even more. Wrestling Nimbus away from his face, O. hopes that this doesn't break out into a fight with whoever's voice that is. No one seemed to be in any condition to fight. I GOT A 2 on perception. Also drank an antidote... why didn't i buy a paralyze heal as well *cries*
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Post by carnackiArdent on Sept 28, 2018 21:28:40 GMT
Maela makes an effort not to look intimidated despite the crossbow - even if, being out in front, she's probably the most likely target, and she knows she probably can't take another hit. "Then -" She was about to say Then let us help you, instead, but she was interrupted just as effectively as the burned woman by the shrill voice. She was reminded oddly of the cry of the black Swellow they'd seen that morning. She looked around cautiously, taking her eyes off the bandits to try and see who had spoken. Perception: 9 (including the bonus from having seen the Swellow)
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Post by birdy51 on Oct 1, 2018 20:59:53 GMT
Morgan had been relaxing just a little as things had been cooling off, but then... Well, let it be said Morgan was on guard. On hand on his quiver, and the other on his bow, he looks about anxiously to find the source of the sound. Perception: 15, including Bird Sense from the Swellow.
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Post by snark on Oct 2, 2018 7:54:16 GMT
It would be misleading to say that Elys stiffened at the airy voice; that would imply she had ever relaxed. Her shield remains raised before her, but for the first time she allows her attention to move away from the bandits, glancing around at their surroundings.
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Post by Zephias on Oct 3, 2018 11:10:19 GMT
The air suddenly got thicker, and you noticed the burned woman make a warding motion with her hand and take a step back. The group members, exept O. whose senses were still addled from the poison and paralyzing agent, noticed that the colour of the leaves in all the vegetation around them had turned slightly bluish.
Out of the corner of his Eye, Morgan catches glimpse of the same strange Swellow as before, landing on one of the branches of the big tree the group had been fighting around earlier. Then, in a blink, a figure appeared sitting there with the Swellow that was most definitely not there a second before. Elys and Maela do notice the newcomer, but not his arrival.
However, only Morgan seems to be able to look at the being directly. When Elys and Maela tried to look at it, their vision blurred and their head started hurting until they looked away. O. seems to not register the source of the voice at all.
"What do we have here? Ah, young cubs just fresh from the den. I must talk to the voice of Lornas, sending you here. It is most irresponsible. Don't you know that getting lost in the forests can change you?" the voice sang.
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Post by birdy51 on Oct 4, 2018 19:05:45 GMT
How could one's day be filled with so much ugliness, Morgan had to ask himself. Aderyn, kidnapping daughters from a loving father, hunters, also perhaps planning to kidnap daughters from that same, loving father. Now this? This took the cake. This was truly, truly horrifying.
The others could not be blamed for having to look away. Their eyes were not so ready as Morgan's, not so clear and piercing blue. Horror beyond imagining was present here in all ugliness plain. The mish-mash of limbs and features, the wretched refuse of a twisted existence. It was perhaps humanoid, yes, but Morgan was not so foolish as to call it human. Morgan studied it's form with an almost scholarly detachment, he understood beauty, but until now did not really understand what was actually ugly. The sickened quivering of his stomach gave sign that he would have to check his expectations in the future. Aderyn, the hunters; they were ugly, but this creature was hideous.
"D-don't try to look to closely at this one." Morgan whispers to his companions softly. "This is one is not human. If you can remember any lessons about how to conduct yourselves about wood-fae, now might be a good time to remember them..."
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Post by Zephias on Oct 5, 2018 2:52:38 GMT
The being's head twisted in almost owl-like fashion.
"Ah? Whispering while in public is most disrespectful. Although it does seem I have been improper myself. I must apologize. It seems I have been a mite too eager. It is, after all, not very often that I have visitors"
It dropped from the branch and twisted in a mockery of a bow.
"So, here we are. I am keen, and welcome you. What an eclectic bunch. Two mongrels, a pretty face, the remains of another. A sandpaper guardian, a bigger guardian. A mountain goat and of course, how could we forget our beautifully broken doll"
There was clear amusement in its voice.
"There's so much confusion. I can clear that. And even more, a message. From the wolf"
Its bony hand turned upward, open.
"For the right bargain, of course"
The burned woman stepped in front of Aderyn, causing the creature to wave her off.
"Do not worry, Anarawd. I have not come to take your little abomination. It is them, who interest me. Although I do ask, are you truly so cruel as to not put the poor soul out of her misery? Or what remains of her"
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Post by carnackiArdent on Oct 5, 2018 4:42:19 GMT
Maela came as close to facing the being as she could. Something about it made it hard to look at directly, even if she suspected this might be the little man she and Morgan had spotted in the morning. She was trusting - or maybe just hoping - that the bandits were under enough stress that they weren't going to take advantage of the shift in focus to stab them in the back and jeopardize their momentary reprieve. Morgan's sudden shift in attitude was worrying, since he was the only one who seemed to be able to look right at the probably-fey, and if it was enough to upset him...
She bowed deeply, running over the in-case-of-emergency rules in her head. Don't agree to deals, be careful what you say... and every fey had its own rules. Which was really not as helpful as she might have liked. It seemed like this one avoided proper names, but speaking in poetry and riddles wasn't exactly unusual so it was hard to say whether that was some key to what not to say. Though not giving it their real names was probably a good idea anyway.
"We are glad of your welcome." At least it seemed more interested in talking than offended about them walking into its territory... if this was its territory. Welcoming them made it sound that way. And it had a message, it said, "from the wolf". There was one obvious person that could mean - and if the message wasn't from Lady Gwenhael, then the reference to a 'wolf' was either to someone they hadn't been involved with before or was so purposefully obscure that there was little point in guessing at it right now. The offer to clear up confusion was awfully tempting, but blurting out questions was unlikely to achieve anything, except maybe trouble.
"A message could be what we need, certainly, but it would all depend on what the message was about. Did the wolf ask you to bring it to us? If it was meant for someone else, of course, we might not be able to make heads or tails of it."
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Post by Zephias on Oct 7, 2018 9:06:32 GMT
Maela sees the general blurred form of the creature move vaguely, (Morgan can see it raising an arm to scratch at its chin, almost as if in contemplation)
"I see that my curse remains. This makes speaking, ah, uncomfortable, yes? Most impolite of me. It needs fixed"
Saying that, it dug a finger into its shoulder, blood pooling into a goblet that suddenly appeared in its other hand. It then took two striding steps towards the two groups and laid the blood-filled goblet on the ground.
"This is freely given, for etiquette demands we be able to see as it truly is. I have you at a disadvantage at the moment and, for I am keen, this will not do. Wash your eyes, so that you may see"
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Post by birdy51 on Oct 7, 2018 13:27:27 GMT
"I think I will abstain, if that is alright." Morgan says as politely as he could manage. "You'll have to forgive me, but the stories do also tell warnings when regarding the fae, and I would hate to ignore them like I have those about the woods. That would never do."
He shifts uncomfortably. " To be truthful, We're only here so that we can resolve this issue between this bandit and the baker, so that we may continue on our journey. We have been given a mission by the ah... Voice of Lornas… That we must return to quickly before long."
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Post by amillaiara on Oct 10, 2018 0:37:06 GMT
O. looks around the clearing with care trying to identify where the voice was coming from. He notices that most of his fellow squires are staring in a general area, but he can't see anything. Seeing the goblet appear on the ground out of nowhere does surprise him just a little and he clenches his fist around his weapon just a bit.
Believing that he was one of the mongrel's the fae had mentioned, O. was a little cautious with asking in the general direction of the goblet. "Aside from letting us see you, will there be any other affects?"
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Post by Zephias on Oct 14, 2018 1:00:03 GMT
The being gave a curt nod at Morgan.
"Indeed, but I have come to learn that most chance encounters happen by design. Entertain me, even if just for a small while. It is not often that I get to come out and see the sights, and even more with such interesting fellows. I do believe I may be of aid in your quest. The dear old lady may get crass with me, otherwise"
It started playing with its fingers and almost felt like it was smiling.
"My offer carries no strings, young man. It is more for my benefit than yours, after all. I enjoy companionship, and get woefully little of it. Even Anarawd stopped coming for tea once she fished Aderyn out of the river"
At that, the spider rider hissed very audibly and Anarawd frowned.
"That is not your story to tell, Keen"
The being lifted a hand almost as if covering its mouth.
"Oh, my dear. If only you knew what I know, if only you could see what I see. All the threads are braided together. The first kidnapping, the second. Even the moon, hiding her light. It's all connected. Would you like to know?"
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