The broad shouldered Rus quickly mounts his horse. He starts to ride out in front of the herd but stops and looks to both Sir Jean and A'kos for instruction.

As he waits, he too sees the sparks coming from the hooves of the mares..."Hopefully that is just the shoes interacting with the flint on the ground....but i doubt it."

Dyanna considers for a moment casting a spell of fencing to keep the horses contained, but says instead, "I can cast a phantasm of horse herders to assist us in keeping the mounts at bay."

"By the way, did any of us ask how long we must keep watch?"

"The terms of the deal are three days... We care for her beasts for three days. I'm uncertain how useful illusory herders will be, though, arguably an wall to high for them to jump might be just the thing to keep them corralled, Dyanna."

Miroslav nods at Dyanna..."Whatever magic you can weave that helps keep these mare in our protection will be most helpful. We would be sore pressed to stop the Baba Yaga from taking a head if she truly was bent on taking one."

Jean also mounted quickly riding Donnerhuf around the small herd of mares.

"I will treat them as I would treat horses until else is called for. When that happens we may have need of your magics moreso than now."

The Knight then proceeded to care for the horses just as he would the horses he raised at his own home.

OOC: Note that while Jean is an expert horse master I am not and therefore I am not going to try to describe his actions in detail. According to the Unearthed Arcana a Cavalier can judge the quality of a horse just by looking at them and horses selected and cared for by them actually get +2 hp per die.   

"Dyanna and Balthazar, we shall be on duty for 3 days, so if you have the capacity to create an effective 'coral', that is, large wall, that would also keep out others, please do so. Maintaining that would be less costly than other things in the near term, I suspect."

With his naturally enhanced movement, Loukas is assuming that he'll be as effective unmounted for now. Particularly if they are able to keep the horses contained in a smaller area.

A'kos also retrieves his mount, climbing atop Storm's Wind and approaching the mares.  He notes Storm's Wind actions and attitude as he approaches as much as what the mares do, relying on his horse to note anything 'special' about their charges that he cannot see.

Balthazar's plan:
1. Put a unique identifying leather strap tied around each horse's neck (wizard mark spell perhaps?).  If any get away, he can use locate object to find it.
2. Cast charm monster once per day on a horse so that it obeys him.
3. He'll keep a monster summoning I spell ready to bring in extra horse handlers when we need them.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:46, Wed 19 Jan 2011.

The mares were amazingly well behaved the first day. As the sun began to set they let themselves be corralled into the stable once again.

Baba Yaga was no where in sight. As soon as the doors to the stable shut behind the mares, it seemed like the whole world shifts and goes dark. A second later you find yourself on your horses, fully refreshed with the stable doors open and the mares pouring out into the pasture.

It seems as if you were fast forwarded to the next day without remembering it.

As the horses head for pasture, it is clear they are a bit more spirited, more sparks fly from their hooves as they begin to run.

His rope tied into a lasoo in hand, Loukas dashes after the horses shouting to Dyanna, "That great wall would be useful right now!!!"

In succession Dyanna casts 'spectral force' to form a large barrier around the horses pasture.  It goes up in a sort of reverse domino, with rock spilling away from grooves from which the wall is raised.  The sound of thunder also accompanies the odd construction, and dust and dry dirt cloud the air around where the wall appears.  When complete, as the dust settles the group can see before them a ten foot high stone wall.

Following close behind that casting Dyanna then casts change self upon herself to appear in the form of Baba Yaga.

"Come, come, my pretties," she cries.  "Let us not set a pretty chase for your horse-herds!"

To the others she says, "It seems we'll need to be ready for the quick changeover from day to night and back...thus, I'll need to study today before the mares return to their barn."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:02, Thu 20 Jan 2011.

Jean spurs Donnerhuf forward intending to get ahead of the mares and turn them before they flee the area.

Seeing Loukas waving a lariat he shouts. "Hold that rope Loukas! You don't weigh enough and I doubt these beasts have been broken to the rope. If you try that you'll only be dragged."

"Mayhap if you catch one by the mane she will turn."

ooc:If/when Dyanna's spell happens Jean will react as necessary.

Dyanna's illusion fools the mares just long enough that Jean can get in front of them with his horse. A'kos soon follows and with these two in the lead, the party breaks the spirited romp of the mares and they settle down for grazing.

For the rest of the day, the mares act up now and then but for the most part they are kept in check by the orders and superior horsemanship of the Magyar and Frank.

As sun sets the mares are easily herded back to the stables.

Once again night turns into day without warning and the party finds themselves fully refreshed and in charge of the mares as they exit the stable.

Once again the sparks kick up and the mares begin to run...

Once again the Frankish Knight's horse bounds forward moving to try and turn the mares before they make good their escape.

The Greco-Rus Monk springs forward staying afoot attempting to put himself in position to respond to the herd should Sir Jean and A'kos get ahead of them and they turn back to escape in the opposite direction of the master horsemen. The lasso remains in his hands, he knows that the beasts may well be too strong to be easily roped, but he also knows that with the lariat in his hands he's a bigger figure and it might help him get their attention, if nothing else, should they elude the Frank and Magyar.

"Tis the third day, my friends! Be wary as things are likely to be more difficult in the coming hours than they have been so far! Dyanna, Bathazar, if you may work your magics again, do not forget that the beasts may be able to move faster and be stronger today than they were yesterday!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Sat 22 Jan 2011.

A'kos rides hard with a wary eye toward the herd, again with his senses attuned to Wind's.

Cuivi riding along with the herd approaches the two horse men.
"Could you say which beast leads this herd, I have the skill to talk for a time with these animals and may be able to tell what they are expecting to happen later."

Miroslav wheels his horse around and attempts tog et in front of the charge as well. He shouts back to the shaman..."By all means, if you can speak with these beasts...do so!"

As the horsemen close in in on the front of the small stampede, the sparks begin to fly more intensely from the mares hooves...in a few more beats the lead horses begin to lift off the ground with their hooves aflame. in a matter of seconds two or three have completely left the ground and fly over the heads of their mounted caretakers.

Dyanna casts overhead the spectral force of a whirlwind with all incumbant thunderous noises and debris flying about at the head of the mares as they lift off the ground.  It is of strong enough force to sway any instinctual creature from trying to fly through or around it, persuading most to find shelter against the storm.

Dyanna's spell has the desired results but only for a time. Roughly an hour after the illusion has passed, the mares act up again and begin to take to the air.

Cuivi does his best to talk to the herd and calm them using Speak with animals. The raggedy old man makes an amusing sight riding round shouting at the beasts in his desperate attempt.

The 20 mares calm down and stand before the older man as he talks at them...

When the horses began to fly again, Loukas felt a bit panic, but Cuivi's efforts to communicate with them seem to have worked. With relief he moves into position for their next "explosion" in case his efforts failed... Maybe he'll attempt to lasso one and that might discourage its flight? Or could that harm its leg? Glancing down at the rope in his hands he hopes Cuivi's efforts are fruitful, because the options that come to mind are limited!
This message was last edited by the player at 18:14, Mon 24 Jan 2011.

Noting the flying beasts in wonder A'kos slaps the hard neck of his horse and guffaws.

"Oy, that you could do such a thing, Storm's Wind!  We'd conquer the world together!"

His laughter is resounding, and pushes forward, joining his horse into the midst of the others to gain a better look at the beasts.  Reaching out he tries to touch the neck of one of the others.