Inanah was growing more anxious by the moment. She hadn't seen Talik for a while although she had been keeping an eye to the direction she knew he should be in. The others were out in the open, talking.

While she was becoming more impatient, she was accustomed to laying in waiting seeing things unfold, so Inanah didn't reveal herself yet. But slowly crept closer to the others, right to the edge of the nearest building they were standing by.

Hasan, done with the hunter, starts walking toward the cave at the back of the camp. "Leave him be. We've got other matters to attend to."

"Burn him. Burn him so he cannot backstab us, the last thing we need is an enemy in our back!" the crackling voice in her head hissed, sounding very much like an angry bonfire.

Aisha gritted her teeth and stayed behind, watching the hunter. She was unable to figure out his spiel, but ignoring him was a risk she was not willing to take. "Go ahead, I shall keep the man company."

Inanah stayed where she was, nearby Aisha and the hunter. She didn't think anyone should be left alone in an enemy camp.

Isolde glared. None of this she liked. Giving Aisha a reluctant nod, she moved with Hasan toward the cave.

The entrance to the cave is about 400 feet back from where the hunter sits. The entrance is broad and tall. There does not appear to be anyone guarding it.

Finally she could not take it anymore. After observing Aisha and the hunter in a silent stalemate for few moments, Inanah finally decided to come out of her hiding.

When the decision was made, she moved swiftly. Holding her bow at the ready, arrow nocked but aimed to the groud, she was not being actively threatening, but still ready to launch an arrow within an instant.

"Everything alright in here?" She nodded towards Aisha and then to the hunter. "Handsome catch."

Hasan glances at Isolde to see if she is ready to enter the cave, but then notices Inanah approaching the hunter. What is she doing? he thinks. Why can't she ever stick to the plan?

He motions to Isolde to draw her attention to the interaction taking place behind them, then asks her, "What do you think, Shieldmaiden? Should we press on or wait for the others?"

Isolde growled something inarticulate before answering. "Press on," she said without enthusiasm. And she kept moving toward and into the cave.

"What the hell?" the hunter sighs as Inanah approaches. "More of you?"

Meanwhile, Isolde (with Hasan and Fleur) approaches the cave entrance. The mouth is about 30 feet wide and unguarded. Daylight pours into the entrance, illuminating the cave. From the mouth, the party can see a drop-off into a darker area about 100 feet back.

Talik stepped out of the shadows near Isolde, Hasan and Fleur having moved up there while the others had been talking to the hunts man

Arrow notched he nodded at them and made to enter the cave with them

"Thank you." Aisha answered, "He asked us to stay for lunch." she told Inanah, grinning like a chesshire cat on steriods.

Despite the casual talk the sha'ir was ready to rain in fire if anything appeared hostile.

With Isolde ready to move in and Talik now at his side, Hasan draws his sword and enters the cave.

"I wouldn't mind some fresh meat," Inanah said slightly perplexed to Aisha.

"So did you just take up the opportunity to use the camp after the army left or were you with them from the start?" She directed the question to the hunter. "And do you know what is in the cave?" She hoped they were not far enough away yet to catch up to the others to warn them. It didn't seem like the man was talkative, but she couldn't see any harm in asking either, there was two of them after all, he was alone.

Rolling her shoulders a bit as she enters, Fleur looks at Hasan, Isolde and Talik, and steps in. She was ready for a battle if need be - not really knowing what she might expect to meet.

"Anyone need any light to guide the way?" She moves her left hand to her mace, ready to cast a simple spell to aid their way.

"I just bring them food," the hunter scowls at Inanah. "They pay well." He looks over his shoulder toward the cave Hasan, Isolde, Talik, and Fleur are entering. "Those who stayed behind are in there."

The cave entrance is well-lit.

As soon as the quartet is completely inside, about 40 feet into the cavern, two cultists in leather armor leap out from around a corner and attack them with their scimitars. The first cultist slashes Hasan with two fierce swipes of his sword, leaving two deep gashes across his torso. The second one attacks Isolde, who manages to get her shield up and deflect the cultist's scimitar at the last second.

Roll initiative and post your actions for the next round.

Cultist 1 (Hasan): uninjured
Cultist 2 (Isolde): uninjured

"It's a trap!" Aisha said to Inanah, drawing a pattern into the air with her index finger. A small ball of fire appeared in her hand but she did not attack outright. "Hanimeffendi, he's working for the Cult, we should deal with him accordingly!" she stated, ready to burn the hunter.

"Burn him! - What are you waiting for, he deserves to suffer if he supports their cause. It doesn't matter if it's for fame or gain!" the crackling voice hissed in her mind.

The sha'ir's fingers twitched, eager to release the energies that were coursing through her veins.

ooc: Ready 'Create Bonfire', release if the hunter reaches for a weapon or makes a hostile move with the skinning knife.

Inanah held her hand up to sign to Aisha to stay her spell little longer, "As you see my friend doesn't trust you. I don't blame her when you admit working for the Cult. Answer my questions and maybe she'll be convinced to leave you live. How many of them are there in the cave and is the dragon there?" Inanah still held her bow and arrow turned towards the ground but that could change in an instant. The threat to the hunter's life was obvious from both of them.

---

OOC
23:15, Today: Inanah Nightbreeze rolled 3 using 1d20+1.  Intimidation at the hunter.
Lol, I guess Inanah doesn't look very scary. Advantage from the flame wielding companion? :-)
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:17, Tue 10 Dec 2019.

As the assailants leaps in, Fleur quickly moves in to smash the one attacking Hasan. The mace comes from above, aiming to strike at center mass or the enemy's head to make short work of them.

---

Initiative: 16
Movement to get into range if need be.
Attack Action with Mace, Roll to Hit with 18, 7 Damage.


---
23:32, Today: Fleur Beaumont rolled 16 using 1d20.  Initiative.
23:33, Today: Fleur Beaumont rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Attack: Mace.
23:35, Today: Fleur Beaumont rolled 7 using 1d6+2.  Damage: Mace.

"Talk!" Aisha barked, barely holding on to control, the flames inside her threating to overwhelm her.

ooc: Intimidation 21.

Hasan is caught off guard by the sudden attack and is slow to react. When he does, he swings his longsword two-handed at the cultist who hit him.

Initiative 5. Attack vs. Cultist 1 hits AC 14 for 9 slashing damage.

18:20, Today: Hasan Saqri rolled 9 using 1d10+2.  Damage.
18:20, Today: Hasan Saqri rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
18:20, Today: Hasan Saqri rolled 5 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

Even as the cultist's blade clipped Isolde's shield, she shoved her hammer into his face. Then, settling into a fighting stance, she took another swing, but it was clumsy and found only air.


Initiative: 5.
Reaction triggered by cultist missing: use superiority die to riposte, hitting AC19 for 13 bludgeoning damage.
Action: attack with hammer, missing with a 9. (I mis-rolled the damage on that one, but it's not a hit anyway.)


18:24, Today: Isolde Glibhammer rolled 9,14 using 1d20+5,2d8+5.  attack with hammer.

18:24, Today: Isolde Glibhammer rolled 19,13 using 1d20+5,2d8+5.  riposte.

18:22, Today: Isolde Glibhammer rolled 5 using 1d20-1.  initiative.

Ooc
20:57, Today: Talik rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Initiative.

Talik stepped to the side and took aim passed his friend letting off his arrow at the cultist attacking Hasan

Orange>Ooc
20:59, Today: Talik rolled 22 using 1d20+6.  Range attack.

21:00, Today: Talik rolled 9 using 1d8+4.  Damage.</orange>

"Jeesh!" the hunter jumps. "I don't know how many there are... The Wearer of Purple, the dragon-man, several of the better warriors, and a bunch of dragon-dogs stayed behind... And there's no actual dragon I've seen... Haven't been in there, though. It's off-limits to us hunters."

Meanwhile, Isolde's hammer connects with the cultist who attacked her, leaving her bloodied and barely standing. Even so, the cultist manages to bypass Isolde's defenses, cutting her with her sword. Fleur rushes forward and smashes her mace into the chest of the cultist who hit Hasan. He retaliates, slashing her with his scimitar. Talik then looses an arrow into the cultist, dropping him. Hasan, his opponent fallen, moves to help Isolde, and takes down the other cultist with a swipe of his longsword, ending the fight.

End combat.

Talik notched another arrow and stepped in front of his companion to cover the cave ahead

"Assess your wounds, I suggest we retire back to the camp attend any serious injuries then as a group move forward now we know there could be an ambush round every corner. It will also give us time to chat with the hunter a little more" his eyes flashed flame red and he said the last