Aarnr does not notice that his blade does not harm the behemoth, nor does he notice the pain of his wounds, Arkan's cries or the various incantations that spring from lips well versed in the arts mystical.  Even the gathering storm around the three-pheasant-feathered-hatted man cannot penetrate his rage.

In fact, the only matter of which he has any cognisance at all is that the huge snake-like creature is not yet dead.

With threats and curses that are thankfully beyond coherence and understanding, the priest lays to with a vengeance, putting all his considerable strength into a powerful blow ...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:06, Sat 16 Feb 2019.

From somewhere nearby, Erista's voice calls out the words of a spell, barely heard above the growling thunder, and Aarnr seems to grow taller...

Lightning flares, not in the sky, but along Tursach's staff, and a dazzling bolt springs forth, striking out at the monstrous foe.  The hideous wyrm twists aside at the last instant, and suffers only a glancing blow from the bolt.

It is, perhaps, fortunate for Eilieen as she runs across the battlefield that the monster's attention is momentarily focussed elsewhere.  Otherwise it would surely have noticed the fast-moving white-robed target presented to it.  She utters a quick prayer to Zadastha, and the healing power of the Goddess flows into the man.  Sadly it does nothing to mend the damage to his clothing... 

Arkan and Eilieen are suddenly the centre of a small crowd, as several more Arkans appear around them, milling about.

The enormous dragon-serpent-thing roars a challenge and lunges past Aarnr (who is definitely much taller now).  It's jaws gape wide, seizing Tursach, and lifting him off the ground.

From cover, Colwyn launches an arrow at the brute.  He curses as the shot is deflected by the scales above the thing's eye.  Then he ducks back out of sight to ready another arrow.

Aarnr is now about nine feet tall (who knew he wasn't fully grown yet?), and it is perhaps the sudden change in height that causes him to miss the monster.  Confused as the man is by his sudden height change, he still manages to duck as his foe's barbed tail sweeps past his head and rips a large chunk out of a nearby tree.  Aarnr rises out of his crouch, and plunges Valkyria through the beasts scaled hide. 

OOC:Note to self.  Bigger dragon next time.

Combatant         Init
Erista             20
Tursach            20
Eilieen            18
Arkan              14
Dragon thing       14  AC=20
Colwyn Akbar        8
Aarnr Foultongue    6

Characters' Apparent Health
Aarnr Foultongue: Good
Arkan :           Good
Colwyn Akbar:     Good
Eilieen:          Good
Erista:           Good

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:21, Sat 23 Feb 2019.

"Zadastha's tears!" Eilieen sputters as Arkan multiplies.  She takes a moment to stare before realizing that SOMEONE -- likely Arkan himself -- must have done this, and it's a good thing.  Best leave him to it, and not worry about healing this problem.  Instead, she turns toward the wy...vorte?

Aarnr has achieved a size to almost match his voice, but this is nothing new -- it has happened once before, and Ersta is behind the transformation.  Thus, now Eilieen hesitates not at all.  "Zadastha," she intones.  "Your light of love stands against the ill-returned.  It holds against the darkness.  It disperses the shadows.  I call it here, now, to end this terrible night."

A flare of brilliance bursts forth, narrowing into a pearly bar that spears forth, striking at the dragon-creature.

OOC - Searing Light, rolls to follow.  Ranged Touch Attack: 25.  Damage:  11, poot.  A pity spells don't crit.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:27, Wed 20 Feb 2019.

Hoping that Aarnr and his Merry Band of Arkans will keep the creatures attention for a moment, Erista decides to risk briefly, if still cautiously, venturing out of her hiding spot.  She scurries into the clearing, coming up behind Eilieen, and reaches up to touch her briefly.  "魔術 鎧," she says, before trying to make it back out of the thick of things.  As she hurries away, she adds quietly, "Please don't die."

Aarnr does not notice that the dragon's tail misses its mark, nor little else, save, barely, that the creature becomes much smaller to his eyes as it turns it's back on him.  If conscious thought allowed the priest might perhaps ponder how it'd managed to get so far away so quickly, so distant does the change in his size makes it appear ... but with Bowbe's bloodthirst driving him on, as he hacks away with Valkyria at the snake-beast's unprotected rear.

"Well, I weren't bein' killed that time.  So I's reckonin' as 'ow I's goin' ter be 'avin' another go."

Still located (relatively) safely behind his tree, Colwyn nocks a second arrow, leans out of cover, raises his bow and... the sight of Tursach hanging in the creature's jaws almost unnerves the rogue.  He steadies himself though, and releases the shaft.

All of the Arkans move away from Eilieen, spreading out, and all of them start making  the complicated gestures which usually indicate spell casting, but only one of them seems to actually be uttering the words of a spell, though it's hard to tell which one.

Orbs of light spring forth from the hands of each man, looping through the air towards the dragon, though most of them fade into nothingness long before they reach their target.

Erista... does something... pointing a finger at Eilieen.  Then the halfling ducks into the undergrowth and almost seems to disappear completely, only to reappear behind the cart.

A beam of light, sun bright and golden, extends from Eilieen's hand towards the hideous wyrm, which shakes Tursach the way a terrier shakes a rat.  The beam strikes the creature, and its scales smoulder and split where the light touches it.

The beast hurls Tursach away into the forest, and roars in pain, swivelling its head to find the source of its agony.  Tursach, meanwhile, lands some fifty feet away, having struck at least two trees during his flight...

Most of the magical orbs from the pack of Arkans fade away, but a couple do strike the target, which retaliates with a slash of its barbed tail.  The tail sweeps through two of the illusory Arkans, which shatter like glass, and the fragments evaporate into mist.

Colwyn launches another arrow, aiming for the angry dragon's head.  The shot flies true, straight into the bellowing mouth, where it impales the creature's tongue.

Using the distraction provided by Colwyn to good effect, Aarnr sweeps Valkyria in a vicious arc which cleaves the monster's scaled skin, then follows up with a thrust which plunges the blade almost hilt deep into the thing's vitals.  With a shudder, and a crash like the toppling of a great tree, the creature falls... and lays still as the angry light fades from its eyes.

Colwyn steps out from behind his tree.  "Got yer, yer ugly bugger!"

No time to celebrate.  Letting out a distressed shriek, Eilieen bolts toward where Tursach has made his impromptu landing. "Zadastha," she gasps, dropping down next to the man.  "I pray you -- succor this poor soul and mend his injuries."

There follows a quick examination of said injuries -- very quick -- determine the man yet lives.  If it should be so, Eilieen hurriedly places her hands on the worst of the damage, and summons her deity's power.

OOC - am VERY curious as to what Erista did, but right now, Cure Light Wounds!  For 11.

That the creature has fallen ... well, that just makes it easier to hit, and with Bowbe riding him, Aarnr does not distinguish between live or dead, continuing to stab and slash at the dragon until his mortal frame can bear the god no more and Bowbe's spirit lifts from him, leaving the priest gasping, for the moment barely able to raise Valkyria aloft.

"The beast is slain," he announces with no little pride and satisfaction, once breath allows.

Eilieen rushes to find Tursach, her dress catching and snagging on the undergrowth as she runs. 

Stepping out into the open, Colwyn carefully avoids getting too close to Aarnr, as he crosses to take a closer look at the dragon, which was slain by an arrow in the mouth.  The rogue reaches out a hand, but stops just short of touching the scaled hide.  Then he muses, "I's 'opin' this weren't bein' a baby."

"Ye think there may be bigger ones we might froggin' slay ?" Aarnr asks Colwyn, perking up a little and taking the opportunity to look about him, not only for the hoped-for sudden appearance of one or more larger parents, but also to ascertain that his friends have come to no harm ...

"Has Eilieen spotted them ?" the priest inquires as he sees her disappear into the forest, ready to race off after her, but wary lest he does so and misses the arrival of the larger beasts from another direction.

"I hope there isn't another one of those about." Arkan says morosely, studying his tattered sleeves, which are still giving off faint wisps of acrid smoke.

He shakes his head and looks around, then starts to move after Eilieen.

"Should she be running about out there alone?  Should any of us?"

That Arkan is brave enough to suggest that Eilieen is not the equal, nay, better of a dragon of any size ... well it certainly does him no harm in Aarnr's eyes.  Such boldness, if not wise, is certainly to be encouraged.

But the young man is right - why should the priestess of Zadastha have all the froggin' fun?

"Ye keep the gleepin' beasts safe," the priest tells Colwyn and Erista,nodding towards the oxen before joining in the chase, slowly at first, then picking up the pace as his eagerness for a fight quickly overcomes his weariness from carrying his god for so long.

"Um.. sure," Erista agrees, joining Colwyn near the fallen draconid.  She looks down at it, and then up at Colwyn.  "Nice shot," she says, emphatically.

She glances over to the others running off.  "You know," she says, musingly, "We've lost four good friends - three forever.  And we've had some pretty close calls ourselves, and fought some awfully dangerous things, and worse to come.  And.. we kind of knew that from the start, even if maybe it wasn't as... real, then."  Looking up again, she reaches for Colwyn's hand.  "I know you don't think of yourself as a hero, but you're still here, and I'm glad.  You're a lot braver than you think."

"No, that's bein' right." Colwyn says quietly, in response to Erista. "I ain't bein' no bleedin' 'ero.  I's 'ere on account of greed.  An' the fact as 'ow some folks in Tsar wasn't bein' too 'appy with me.  My plan were bein' ter take a nice ride ter the Dungeon of Graves, let Aarnr, or else some bugger jus' like 'im, clear it out while I was waitin' at a safe distance, an' then I'd be takin' my share of the loot after it were all bein' over."

A grin, and then, "Only I weren't countin' on there bein' things like that on the road."  He gestures towards the dragon with his free hand.  "An' when somethin' like that comes runnin' at yer, well... yer can run an' lose yer chance at a bit of coin later, or yer can be stickin' it with somethin' sharp from a safe distance."

"So no 'ero.  My Mam'd say I were jus' pickin' twixt stupid an' poor."

The rogue nods towards the group gathering out among the trees.  "What d'yer reckon's 'appenin' over there?"

"Oh dear," Eilieen whispers, dropping to her knees beside Tursach.  She does a quick check to ensure some kind of miracle hasn't occurred -- a miracle of luck, rather than the magic bestowed by the gods -- then slumps slightly.  With a small, shuddering sigh, she closes the man's eyes and cups his cheek with a palm.  "Goddess grant you comfort and peace," the priestess whispers, "and guide you safely to your rest."

Then she quietly begins arranging his twisted body to lie in a more natural fashion.   Tears well, but do not spill, and that, in itself, is a sadness to her.  How many have now died, that she is becoming accustomed to it?

Hearing the others move through the undergrowth, she calls out softly.  "I am here, and require assistance to carry Tursach."

Someone else they've just met is suddenly dead.  Perhaps it's lucky that Bilfro is currently amusing himself hiding, as the old fool would have had plenty to say about that !  Incomprehensible things to say, perhaps, but that never stopped him.

Aarnr slows his approach, but takes a moment to peer into the darkness of the forest, in case there's anything lurking that needs a good stabbing, before sheathing the blade, turning back to acknowledge Eilieen's request, easily lifting the fallen man and carrying him hence in a manner respectful and befitting of someone who had slain no less than three pheasants in his lifetime.

"Oh.  Right.  Should've bleedin' known." Colwyn says, catching sight of Aarnr and his burden, "I's thinkin' as 'ow we's goin' ter be 'avin' another fun'ral."

Then, with a sudden startling realisation, he pulls his hand free of Erista's, hopefully before anybody can notice and think that he and the halfling are courting or something.  But he does at least give her a smile of gratitude for her kind words.

Looking around, he catches sight of something that causes him to grin broadly.

"At least we's 'avin a new 'orse an' cart, so we isn't 'avin' ter share a cart with ol' Tursach." he says, cheerfully.

Eiieen fires a glance of mild pique at Colwyn's pleasure, but nothing more.  She's used to it by now, though it still saddens her.  "Yes, a small funeral.  It will be short, Colwyn, for we know nothing of this man...save that he assisted us in surviving this battle, without question."

And better they take the cart than leave the horse here to be eaten by wolves, she expects.

"Over there, Aarnr.  In the middle of the clearing, I think; away from overhanging branches," the priestess directs.

As Aarnr transfers Tursach to the location of his soon-to-be grave, Colwyn is more interested in the new cart.

He avoids the horse, since he knows them to be vicious creatures, with a nasty bite, and instead focusses on the other end of the cart.  The rogue reaches in to the back and starts rummaging about.  After a moment he announces, "This 'ere cart's bein' filled with books an' things.  An' a chest."

Aarnr nods, as he bears the body to the spot Eilieen indicates.  Personally he'd rather have sited the grave beneath the tree as the roots would have made it much more challenging, but he'll dig the hole where the priestess of Zadastha wants it.

Seems a shame to put the pheasant feathers into the ground with the corpse, but he'd not deprive the man of his token of such a proud victory, nor take such that he has not earned himself by dint of fierce combat.

The priest looks around for a suitable implement to dig with, even a sharp-edged broken tree limb would do, but will use his blade if he must.

It seems appropriate to add the cart and horse to their collection, though the books interest him not and the chest is a surprise, though half a torso is scarcely a replacement for the severed head that got left behind two cities back.

"And he liked my mom," Erista adds to our accumulated knowledge about Tursach.  Colwyn's observation draws a worried glance, and she looks about to say something, but then she joins him by the wagon and climbs quickly up the side while Aarnr starts digging.  "Maybe they can tell us a little more," she observes, taking one of the books and flipping it open.

Aarnr easily locates a brokrn branch that he can use to gouge a grave in the rain softened ground, and sets to work with his usual gusto.  It's almost as if he were trying to use the branch to kill the world, so enthusiastic is he.

Erista opens one of the books, a large tome which seems even larger in her hands. 

Colwyn draws the chest out from under the driver's bench.  It is about a foot and a half long, by about a foot high and wide.  It is a light coloured wood, with intricately carved reliefs of mice all over it.  The hinges and lock are of polished copper engraved with floral designs, as is the trim around the edges of the chest itself.  In the centre of the lid, four cats sit gazing at an owl...

Colwyn laughs, "Bloody 'ell!  This is bein' right nice.  I'd be guessin' it were costin' a fair bit, so what's bein' inside is like as not bein' worth a lot."

Arkan stands near the cart, tugging pieces of rotting cloth from his cloak.  "I'd settle for it being full of clöthes!  Can you open it?"

Peering into the lock, Colwyn scowls, then smiles.  "Might not be needin' ter be doin' much."  He raises his voice and calls out to Eilieen, "Is 'e 'avin' a key on 'im?  Like as not a copper one?"

Eilieen makes a moue of distaste at Colwyn's request, but it's less annoyance at him than general disgust with the overall idea.  "I mislike searching through this man's goods, but..."  There's a vague sort of sense to it, she supposes.  Kneeling, the priestess begins carefully checking through the dead man's pouches, whispering a prayer in a request for forgiveness.

"We should have thought to bring a shovel," she muses.  "I will assist, Aarnr, when I am done with this."  It's only fitting that she gets her hands dirty, as well.