~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The air surges fierce and sweet, carrying
the clear musk smell of the woodlands.
The soft murmur of stirring leaves, of
insects, and of small animals fills the
landscape. The clear highland sky blushes with
the end of day and fades into starry sleep.
This is home.

From this rock outcropping the valley
below seems peaceful, untouched. Dense
forests of pine carpet the mountainsides,
varied only by thick aspen woods. The
mountains, deep blue in the distance,
circle the valley floor and form a soft
highland bowl.

It is a wonder that any beautiful
places are left in the world. Before the
Cataclysm, the days were calm and ordered;
nothing was unexpected. Now the world is
changed: its change has taught two great
lessons.

First, no beauty - not even that in
this valley - is safe. All the riches of the
past could not protect the ancient peoples.

Gold has no value in the world now: it is
too soft for swords or armor. Steel is the
most valued metal of all, though each
small kingdom has its own currency and
exchange.

Secondly, no magic lasts forever: true
clerics cannot be found, nor have clerics
with miraculous powers been known to
exist since the time of the Cataclysm -
nearly 300 years ago.

Five years ago, you and your friends
parted to search for a true cleric. Tonight,
you meet on the road to Solace Town.

~~ THE MAP ~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

... at this point, feel free to introduce yourself,
and describe yourself somewhat.

The adventurers all know each other.
You were a party years ago. You all went your
separate ways for five years, and are now
meeting up again.

It's a pleasant thing to meet up again,
even with the rumours of war-drums to the north ...

Sir Bartholomeu Ignatius Greenshrike (Sir BIGs):

BIGs walked the lonely road to a place named Solace, a place they five years ago had agreed to meet. When they had parted ways to find a true cleric he had been a barefaced lad of no more than 20. Now he was a grizzled veteran with the eyes of a man much older. It had been his duty to seek clerics among human, to look in higher societies and take audiences with every two bit charlatan for a thousand miles. He had become far less involved in politics, but out of necessity had been involved in some skirmishes which have been conflated into great battles. BIGs himself would not recognize these stories or his role in them.

All he had to report was failure. It is this failure that weighs heavily on him and makes him seem older than his years. He had to show his face now to his friends, whom he yearned to see again, without ever having glimpsed true cleric magic. He had learned to emulate some of that magic, he could heal with words from a distance, for instance.

BIGs now has a closely trimmed beard, and closely cropped brown hair. He wears halfplate armor and carries a shield with an eye symbolized in it's center. His weapons were a spear, a light crossbow, a pair of daggers, and his prized possession, a rod which amplified his magic. The rod was a three foot long piece of iron inlaid with interlocking spears made into it's surface. Leather wrapped around the end he held. His clothes are normal traveler's attire which are well cared for but obviously several years old. He has more muscle than he did when he left them, and beyond a heir of mystical power. He has spent his time wisely.

It had been a long five years since Anubis seen his friends, even heard from them, though their quest had been important. The search for a holy man had been one of great importance, and with the group deciding to separate to search wide, the arracokra had left and flown far north, deciding to search his former home.

The Aaracokra left idealistic and young, barely what his kind called a hatchling, coming into his powers. The five years had earnt him some wisdom and skill with age. Gone was the lanky avian humanoid, who was a clumsy flier. He was now in adulthood and sure of his own skills and powers.

Even his look had changed - back then he was shy and withdrawn, his magic hidden by most. He wore the common garb of his kind, and had a bow back then.

Now he knew his strengths.....gone were the downy feathers, replaced by feathers of light and dark brown and light tan. His hawk-like visage had filled out, making him look like a falcon. His shoulders, though looked broad, still had the lean physique he was known for. He now wore simple brown linen breeches, with a grey undershirt and a open robe-like tunic. His only visible weapon was a dagger at his hip.

---

Anubis couldn't help but smile as he approached solace - despite the disappointment of not finding anyone of clerical nature, he was eager to see his old friends again. He saw a lone traveler on the road - could this be one of his old friends? It was hard to tell - they had been apart for so long, and humans could change so much - even he had changed a little (though his friends would recognize him as few of his kind came this far south)

He decided he would chance it, and swooped down, seeing a rock ahead of the lone figure and landing near it, he stepped over and sat down on it, crossed-legged.....waiting

Satish was walking, but not seeing what was in front of him. Twice he almost stumbled on the pitch and roll of the path, but managed to avoid shame and dirt by some deep instinct unknown to him. The five years apart from his friends did nothing to quell this daydreaming behavior when it was left unchecked.

Puffing on his short ebony pipe, Satish looked odd coming to a Solace with splint armour, a shield, and a pack. No visible weapon can be seen on his person. His beard had grown too. With grey and white now growing at the roots. He sported a new small scar over his right eye, but as a whole, did not change much in appearance over the time searching. It was a product of being born in the mountains, where physical ageing came slow, until it hit like a boulder.

He was not looking forward to admitting failure to his friends. Satish had searched amongst the quiet places of the land to hopefully find a Cleric that may have taken to hiding. He had no such luck. His searching in solitude, however, had allowed him to become proficient at his own magical abilities. Which he was sure would surprise his friends. He had left merely a fighter, but proficient with his favoured flail.

So lost in his thoughts of failure at not having found a Cleric, Satish nearly walked past the Aaracokra that was waiting on a rock, speaking to another figure standing by it. It was only the faint scrape of talon on stone that brought Satish from his reverie.

He stopped suddenly, glazed eyes looking at this cross-legged figure. Until he blinked, and said rather loudly and abruptly, "Anubis, is that you?! BIGs?!"

Feel free to acknowledge this post after you two have your initial greetings.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Wed 14 Dec 2022.

Anubis watched as the two figures approached. One he didn't recognize, but the swager of Satish was not mistakable. He had grown a little older, his beard greyer and a new scar, but it was him. The aaracokra shifted from his half-crouch, half-sitting position and stepped off the rock. The beak made it difficult for none of his kind to know his emotions - to most he had the look of a bird of prey, but his friends knew his expressions were in his wing movements and his eyes.

....and they were ones of excitement and happiness.

"Satish...are you still puffing on that pipe - you blow more smoke than a irritated dragon" He folded his wings on his back and stepped forward, his hands grasping Satish's shoulders and placing his forehead on his - something the group knew as a aaracokra greeting. He stood back and looked at him. "A little grey in your beard now....suits you, my friend." he frowned as he looked at the scar. "...you were lucky with that from the look of it - you could have lost the eye."

He let go and looked at the other human. BIG had changed more than Satish, though (Like Anubis) was younger when they parted ways. But it was not only age that had changed him....something mystical had touched him.

"You look stong now BIG - gone is the lean friend i knew."

Satish took in both of his old friends with a warm smile on his lips. He hadnt expected this much change from them.

Anubis filling out and losing the down. BIGs gaining muscle that could rival a bear.

Satish said humorously "I may puff like a dragon but at least I don't smell like one! By the Gods its been a while. You both look more matured! How happy I am to see you two. Once we see to the business of the day we will have to find time to spar again. I wager I've picked up some new tricks you wouldn't have thought possible of this old dog!"

BIGs could only give a hint of a smile as he realized he had nearly walked into two of his friends. "Yes, it is I, BIGs. I've learned a thing or two as well Satish and I'm sure Anubis has picked up some as well." His smile was lost then, "I am afraid I have failed. I can only hope one of you has met with success."

As the adventurers talk and walk ...

--- make a perception check, if you
believe you are being actively perceptive,
otherwise we'll use your passive perception.

( Most of the time adventurers
  are not being actively perceptive. )

If you get 15 - 19, you'll notice evidence of
other recent travel on the road (not unusual).
With 20+, you'll notice more ...

Satish is being Passively Perceptive at the moment, focusing on his friends.

He replied in kind to BIGs.

"I too, have failed. But let us discuss this more away from open areas and prying ears."

The Aaracokra nodded at the two men, his arms still crossed as he stood there. "It seems the three of us had similar luck as each other, but Satish is right - not a thing to discuss here. We should wait until we rest, and the others have arrived.... maybe they had more luck"

He walked over to the two and held a hand out. He smiled as an image appeared of a glass sphere, floating above his hand. "I have learnt to control my magic a bit better over the years - i have a few surprising tricks. and a tale to tell"

Part of BIGs training was in keeping others as safe as possible. As such he was always alert when others were in his charge, doubly so since there were among those he counted as true friends. As such his attention is more on what is around them than in what is being said.

08:06, Today: BIGs rolled 22 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  Perception w/ advantage because of shield.

A glint of metal catches BIGs' eye.

Laying in the dirt,
at the side of the road,
amongst twigs and leaves,
are a few very-small pieces of
interlocking chain.

BIGs only needs to lean a bit closer
to clearly see these small pieces of
metal fell from a piece of chain armor.

The eye on BIGs shield, did it move or was it some kind of trick of the light? Whichever hardly mattered as BIGs stopped and knelt allowing his spear to touch the glinting chainmail.

Satish marveled at the new magic his friend could produce, not seeing BIGs lean for the chain.

"What is this? What is your tale?"

... and knelt allowing his spear to touch the glinting chainmail ...

Kneeling, BIGs glances around at the ground,
and notices some evidence of an animal having
passed by recently.

( the evidence is a poo )

BIGs, make a nature check, or any animal-related skill check
you think is appropriate, to know more about the poo.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:38, Fri 16 Dec 2022.

03:49, Today: BIGs rolled 21 using 1d20+4.  Nature.

03:49, Today: BIGs rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  Medicine.

03:49, Today: BIGs rolled 18 using 1d20+6.  Survival

It's worg poo.

( worg : big wolf with an int of 7, friends with goblins and hobgoblins )

BIGs spoke quietly, "Goblins." He stood and looked around for more sign of Goblin or Worg. "Circle up. We may not be alone."

The aaracokra's feathers ruffled as he looked around. "Goblins.....great." Anubis muttered. He looked at the two. "I saw none when i flew over, but in my defense i wasn't actively looking for them"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:15, Sat 17 Dec 2022.

BIGs pointed out the signs, "A piece of chainmail and worg droppings."

The aaracokra shook his head and looked at the others. "I have little time, friends. I have come to say goodbye....my brood leader died and I have been chosen as the next leader. As much as the mission is important, my people need me. I came to tell you that the far North had no clerics."

He shook both their hands. "My friends....I wish you luck - we all need it."

With a smile and final farewell, he took to the sky

Even as the aaracokra flew off, you heard whistling behind you, and turn to see a figure skipping up the road.  At first glance you'd almost swear it was a young girl skipping along holding a stick, but you knew exactly who this was.

Easily one of the wilder and more annoying of the group, Cassity looked up with a smile. "Was that bird boy? Where's he goin?" The small woman looked the size of a child, standing about three and a half foot tall, she was slender enough to pass for a human child. Her blonde hair flowed with a streak of it bright green. Her eyes, a dark blue in color held the common mischievous look that kender's had, though her's was more subdued.

She wore simple brown pants and leather boots, straps of leather tied around them of dark green. over the breeches were a dark linen skirt that was mid thigh. Her leather armor was cut short, showing a little of her mid riff, with the leather having a short sleve just past the shoulder. Her only weapons were her staff and a silver-bladed sickle.

she stopped short and looked at the men with a smile. "Wow....you boys look old!" she lost her smile as she looked at the ground, with a frown. "Why you looking at dog poo?"

"Now who did you find to bug this time, Cass? Leave those poor souls alone and let's keep on the track."

The sultry voice came from nowhere on the ground, until the flying shadow betrayed the origin, a bat-winged woman sporting small horns and a whipping pointy tail. The long haired blonde had the face of an angel,  lightly rouged lips smiling a knowing smile, her skin seemingly able to rival silk for smoothness, flowing white robes partially hiding the armor she wore underneath. The only visible weapons were a pair of daggers and a neatly coiled whip at her belt, the woman touching ground beside the apparent kid. "My apologies, Cass really likes to put her nose where it doesn't belong."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 04:41, Sat 17 Dec 2022.

The kender woman rolled her eyes and groaned. "Shar.....you think I annoy everyone I meet." she paused, thinking then shrugged. "Well - yeah, I guess I do. But these two I know. I ran with them 5 years ago when I was a bit younger and a lot more annoying. Remember the group I told you about - the whole 'cleric' search thing."

She placed her hands on her hips and smiled. "Have to admit after the first year I got a bit sidetracked"

She indicated Sharissa. "This beautiful creature is Shar....who has an annoying habit of thinking she's my mother!"

She then indicated the two men. "The scrawny one ironically is called BIG's. The big guy with the grey is Satish....hey, you were wrong - I wasn't the cause to turn you grey after all!"

She had a huge smile on her face

BIGs spoke calmly, he was never one to take such bait. Cassidy used such antics to get attention, something he knew and for the moment he refused to give. Sharissa appeared and he turned his face to her. His eyes narrowed at the wings but he said nothing, until there was a pause between the two young ladies. First he addressed Cassidy, "It's Worg droppings. Worgs mean goblins or worse yet hobgoblins. There is a piece of chainmail as well, evidence of a battle. If there are Goblins or hobgoblins about we need to be ready."

Then he turned to Sharissa, "Sir Bartholomeu Ignatius Greenshrike, Knight of the Rose. BIGs is an acronym of my name, something I've explained to Cassidy ad nauseum. If I were you I would hide those wings in Human areas, they make you look demonic."

The winged woman curtied to the men, spreading both robes and wings while doing so. She then folded the wings as small as they could be and put a voluminous cloak over them. "A real pleasure to meet both of you gentlemen. I am Sharissa, entertainer by trade, adventurer when forced to. Sir Greenshrike, that is unfortunately the story of my life. I was born as I am and was sold by my parents to a travelling freak show before I could walk or fly... anyway that is what my previous "owner" told me, I don't remember my parents. That old pervert thought I looked just like a succubus and paraded me as such, making me do tricks and play music to entertain and charm his high paying customers."

She paused as she took some balls from a small belt pouch and started juggling them, before continuing. "Fortunately, I escaped before they could force me to serve the patrons in... I think you can imagine the rest. I've been helping to free slaves since, that is how I met Cass. So you see, despite my demonic appearance, I'm not such a bad person."

With a final flourish, she tried to have the balls back in the belt pouch by extending her hip so they could go in by themselves but missed, a couple of balls dropping on the ground. Doing a sorry smile, she crouched to pick up her props. "It has been a while since I practiced this trick, I can't do it indoors. So Cass, you dragged me out here for "an important reason", we met your friends, can we now continue towards where you wanted to bring me? "

---

Today: Sharissa rolled 20 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 13. Performance.

14:37, Today: Sharissa rolled 7 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 2.  acrobatics.

When BIGs spoke, she smiled. "You'd rather I started calling you 'Barty' again? C'mon man....loosen up" she sighed. "Your still not holding a grudge from last time are ya? That was over five years ago - I was a lot younger then. I've grown up a bit since then..."

She allowed a cheeky smile. "....mostly" she muttered as she walked over to the worg pool she crouched and looked at it, the first time you have seen her quiet or so serious.

---

<OOC: Cassidy will inspect the worg poo

Cassidy rolled 23 using 1d20+3 - Nature check>

"These greys are the result of me imagining this meeting, Cass. So yes, you were the cause of them!" Satish roared with laughter. "It is good to see you again friend! Yes we have become older. Stronger in BIGs' case. Wiser in mine!"

Seeing the flying woman curtsy, Satish responds with a poor attempt at a bow. After she introduces herself, he says "Any friend of Cassidy's is a friend. Wonderful to meet you Sharissa. I am Satish. Head-Smasher by trade."

As Cassidy leans to inspect the worg poo, Satish will begin to clen his ebony pipe and stow it in his pack. He will use the cleaning actions and blowing noises to hopefully cast prestidigitation without any notice, causing Cassidy to smell a fresh squeezed orange as she gets close to the poo.

Let me know if I need to roll anything to hide the spellcasting

Cassidy looked at the human with a frown, then cracked into a smile and ran up and hugged the man. "Damn, i missed ya, you stubborn ass fool. I was afraid you'd get that pretty face of yours beat in."

She went to the poo and crouched down and frowned. "Wait....since when do Worg's eat oranges?"

BIGs sighed in acceptance of Cassidy, "I don't hold grudges, Cassidy. It is against my code." Then to Sharissa, "BIGs, please. Sir BIGs if you insist."

He smirked at Satish, "The muscle is more from activity than than anything else."

Then back to Cassidy, "Oranges?"

Sharissa smiled sweetly to the trio and when Cass said that the poop smelled of oranges, she started giggling, a delicate sound. "I've never heard of poop smelling of oranges, I think someone is playing a trick on you." Turning serious without losing her smile, she shrugged off her cloak and spread her wings. "If there are worgs around, I should be able to spot them from my natural element." She looked towards Cass for a few seconds and then took flight straight up.

Today: Sharissa rolled 21 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 20.  perception. that is as high as she'll ever get that roll! lol

The steady clop, clop, clop of hooves on the road interrupted you all for a moment, drawing the eye.  A medium-sized humanoid figure sat upon a black horse, covered in a heavy cloak.  It was hard to pick out any specifics the rider's appearance, whether male or female, tall or short, hefty or slim, because any time you started to focus on it, something would happen to draw the eye away momentarily.  A long spear could be seen stowed near the saddle, but it was the small crossbow designed to fit in the hand that was the first clue to the rider's identity.

After a heartbeat, the rider reached up and lowered the hood, revealing a somewhat familiar face.  You would recognise the features of Gevī, the inventive young girl from five years earlier, but she looked... wan and tired.  Her red hair hung flat and her cheeks were just a little too sunken in to match the vibrant girl you all remembered.

One thing remained the same: the storm that brewed behind her grey eyes.  You all remember Gevī as a serious girl.  When she laughed, she could light up a room -- but she seldom did.

"I thought the plan was to meet at the inn," she said quietly, not yet dismounting.  She looked from each of you to the other one at a time.  "Bartholomeu.  Cassidy.  Satish."  She looked up briefly, tracking the form of Sharissa with her eye.  "Are the others here as well?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:31, Mon 19 Dec 2022.

"Gevī! Good to see you again!" Satish held a smile that barely hid his worried frown at his friends new tired countenance. "The plan to meet at the Inn has not been altered. But it seems we all took the same road in. Then the chin wagging started, as usual. Anubis was here, but had to leave due to becoming the next Leader for his Brood. He reported failure."

Seeing Gevī's eyes go skyward, Satish said "Sharissa is a friend of Cassidy's. Always good to have eyes in the sky. BIGs found a Worg poo."

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence," Gevī replied, the ghost of a smile touching her lips.  She pulled her cloak's hood up, taking refuge in the shadows within.

"Worgs are not uncommon in these parts, are they?  Or is it simply proximity to the town which concerns us?"

Cassidy, hands on her hips, frowned and poked her tougne out as Sharissa took flight, the face dissolving into a smile. "Never gets old seeing her take flight." she muttered, a small shake of her head.

Then she heard the sound of hooves and turned to see Gevi. "Gevi.....good to see your smiling face."

She turned to Satish, slapping his leg. "HEY! it does smell like oranges - don't you pick on my or by natures wrath I'll bring an annoyance more than fleas on a camel!"

She looked at Gevi. "The concern isnt the poo...it's if their eating oranges - they may be raiding towns or people!"

BIGs took stock of Gevī. He had not known her to be gaunt or haggard and wondered what she had been through. Picking up on her question he added, "I'd hoped for a warmer reunion, Gevī. There is this bit of chainmail as well, remnants of a fight of some kind." He continued to scan the horizon for signes of worgs and riders.

"If I had 1 copper piece for every time you threated that poor camel with fleas, why I'd be rich by now Cass!" Satish grinned while rubbing his leg where Cass' hand struck. She seems to have gotten stronger over the past 5 years!

The journey from the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin to the small town of Solace, was just over one hundred miles as the crow flies, but nearly half-again as many miles as the dwarf hikes. Beargus made the long trek by himself, hoping that one of his companions had found success where he had not. What stories had survived the Dwarfgate wars offered little aid beyond apparent confirmation that clerics had actually been real. From the Cataclysm onward, there had been not a single confirmed record.

His path took him from the halls of Thorbardin to Northgate, along the Skywall Peaks to Pax Tharkas, across the Good River and up to New Ports. The bridge crossing the White Rage River was the moment he dreaded, and it was no more enjoyable this time around than it was when he'd made the original journey five years earlier. Even though the bridge was sturdy, even the slightest sign of wear or disrepair put him on edge. Dwarves were not known for being passionate about water, and a dwarf in full body armor even less so.

At one point, he thought he'd felt a shifting in the stones beneath him, and he stood perfectly still for the better part of an hour as he waited for the bridge to collapse beneath him. When it did not, and his breathing had finally become steady once more, he gingerly stepped forward another forty yards before he stopped and removed the bulky armor. It might not have made any logical sense that he would weigh less carrying the armor in his pack rather than wearing it on his body, but it had seemed like a right idea at the time. The bridge was made of stone, providing the one shred of confidence he had in making it across alive. Still, the bridge was over one mile in length, and his hands ached from the white-knuckled grip he'd held on his spear for the entirety of his crossing.

When he finally planted his feet on solid ground again, he was finally able to relax; which he did with the aid of skin half full of whiskey. He hadn't remembered drinking the other half, which he lamented, but he had survived crossing the most dangerous river in Abinasinia, he'd be damned if he wasn't going to celebrate it.

With the Dire Wood peaking out in the distance to the east, Beargus knew that the road would fork in just a few short miles, putting him on the last leg of his journey before being reunited with his companions of years past. Assuming they had all remembered. And were still alive. And hadn't already found the cleric themselves and run off on some other quest without him. Or if they had...

---

Beargus caught sight of a small gathering on the road ahead, and considered cutting through the woods to avoid them, and save himself an extra mile or two of walking as well. The blade on top of Shatterspike's tip caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, and he dismissed the idea. If he were to traverse a forest with the shaft of the pike jutting out of his pack, he was likely to burn down the entire forest in frustration at all the limbs it would catch on. He didn't care about the forest enough for that to dissuade him, but he didn't want his reunion with his friends to be painted red.

If the crowd of people down the road were bandits, or even worse - merchants - he would deal with them when he was forced to.

When he got near enough that the forms he'd known were people became clear enough to see that they became people that he knew, Beargus stopped in his tracks and planted the butt of his spear into the ground as he called out, "Was five years on the road not enough for you lot, or what?"

Beargus looks nearly identical to the way he had five years earlier. He still carried his tower shield, spear and glaive. He still wore the wooden amulet that smelled like it had once been part of an ale barrel, and his black hair and beard both bore the same braids and adornment. His armor was actually stowed in a pack instead of being worn, and perhaps he'd gained some small amount of weight, but the blocky dwarf of today was still the same blocky dwarf of old. "Unless there's ale hiding in those bushes, we've more marching yet to do." Lifting the spear back up to rest on his shoulder, Beargus went to greet his old friends with a large smile on his face.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:14, Tue 20 Dec 2022.

From her high vantage point, Sharissa saw the person on horseback join the group and then the dwarf. There didn't seem to have conflict brewing so she concentrated on the potential worgs.

If those new arrivals were trouble, she would know soon enough.

Gevī's cloaked head turned slightly in the direction of the dwarf's voice, but no more than a fraction.  Instead, she turned and sidled the horse sideways at the same time, creating a gap to welcome the dwarf into the loosely formed circle.

"We would have gone on ahead, but we figured you'd need help getting into the ferry for the last mile."  Gevī's voice was deadpan flat, without a hint of jocularity to spoil the lie.

---

OOC: 16:15, Today: Gevī rolled 15 using 1d20+3 ((12)).  Deception.

Cassidy looked up to the sky, the circling form of Sharissa high up.  She looked at Satish with a grin. "Careful....i'd introduce you to them, but he may die from your stench old man."

She then looked at Beargus with hands on her hips.  He was the last one that Cassidy saw on her travels five years ago, and he hadn't changed....much.  "Just thought we'd give your short ass legs a chance to catch up."

She then looked at Gevi, a look of shock on her face. "Wait....was that a joke?"

"No."  The word was delivered in the same flat tone.

"But Beargus is right.  We should make our way into town.  It is where we said we'd meet.  We can dine and drink, and discuss plans there."

Gevī turned her horse's head towards town, prepared to start moving.

Cassidy knelt at the poo again and frowned, looking at it with a discerned eye. "in all seriousness, we best be wary - the animal who made this is close by....it's not even an hour old."

Cassidy stood up, grasping her staff with a serious look....It's the most serious you have ever seen her. "Stay on your toes - it wouldn't surprise me if it was close"  She looked up to the sky.

 She then looked at Beargus. "Come Bear - your the first round." She pats his shoulder leading the way, though the sharp eyes of the party noticed she was looking all around.

....she knew something was nearby

---

<OOC: Cassidy rolled 23 using 1d20+6.  perception check.>

Sharissa widened her circle flying over the now quintet of old companions, and had a smile, both from the joy of flying free and from her gladness that her little, and annoying, kender friend had rejoined with them. How she would integrate would need to be seen, but Satish had seem like a lot more accepting of her than BIGs. She hoped to be valued for being herself one day, to belong to a family, maybe this group would fulfill this deep seated desire. Or maybe they would try to exploit her like everybody else she had ever been with.

Story of her life.

At least she could always fly away anytime she wanted.

But for now, she had to prove herself and concentrated, again, on finding worgs and their riders.

Insight 10

"Ferry!?" Beargus exclaimed, then looked down at the ground, his eyes jumping this way and that as he searched through all of his memories of Solace in search of a Ferry. "I wasn't drunk enough to forget a ferry! I... Or was I too drunk to even remember a ferry..." He didn't even hear Cassidy asking if it was a joke, his cheeks started to turn red as they did when his blood was pumping, "I've already drank the last of my whiskey, I'm not crossing a ferry. I'm turning around right now. I did my part, found no clerics. Nothing more to report. Ok? Ok. You lot have fun, then."

Beargus turned to leave, stopping only because of the seriousness in Cassidy's voice. "What is it? A pile of dung on the side of the road has your braids in a twist? Give me a moment with that bush over there, and I'll show you another pile. I've had nothing but trail rations for six days, so you'll be able to smell the danger, too."

The kender looked at the dwarf as she stood up. "Damnit Bear....how many times have I told you to share a little less!"

She crinkled her nose as she frowned. "Aww.....now I've got the image of your hairy ass squatting on the side if the road. Now I need whiskey!"

She crossed her arms. "...and I bet yours won't smell like oranges." she muttered

"Whether it smells like oranges or rotting corpses, it's shite either way. Why is that cause for concern?"

"I am sure a ferry is nothing to you now Beargus! Didn't you mention you were going to learn how to swim during our search? Ah it is good to see you again!"

Satish clapped Beargus' back to bring him out of his panic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

None of you have found any sign of
true clerics through all your travels.

The bushes to your left rustle.
Suddenly, dark shapes scurry from the woods
on both sides of the road. Their yellow-green
skin pales against their heavy black armor;
their twisted faces glare from the evening
darkness. They crouch in a large circle
about you, well beyond sword range.

( hobgoblins )

A stout pony struggles up onto the
road, sagging beneath a flabby figure
much the same, although larger, than
those who surround you.

The pony rider suddenly turns his head
toward you and yells, "Onyx demands
the blue crystal staff ! Forfeit the staff
now or die !"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At this point, the adventurers can reply,
but regard this moment as a cutscene you can't skip ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roughly turning his swaybacked pony,
he shouts, "Destroy them and bring the
staff to me !", then gallops into the woods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~ THE MAP ~~

The map above shows the direction the larger
hobgoblin travels to leave the map.

The adventurers have been surrounded
by the twelve remaining hobgoblins !

Combat will now begin.

Please :
- make a single post, and edit it as needed, detailing :
 - your initiative roll
 - your movement, if any
 - your action, reaction, bonus, etc, if any
 - anything else needed ...

It is very helpful to include information such as :
I'll do this, but if this-other-thing happens, I'll do that.
I'll wait to see if someone needs healing. I'll edit this post once I know.
etc, etc ...

Once there appears to be a semi-coherent order-of-events forming,
I'll make a big post detailing how Round 1 goes down.

The adventurers will all act in initiative order,
then the hobgoblins will all act, one-by-one.

I understand this isn't perfect, and there would definitely be
better ways to go about making combat on rpol as-smooth-as-possible,
so it's totally fine to wait and see what other characters are doing,
and to use the other thread (out-of-character) to discuss strategy,
and also discuss good ways to run combat on rpol.

~~~ Merry Christmas ! ~~~

"Shite with legs? Just like old times, ladies! Now somebody dismount that barking dog!" Beargus didn't waste any time, he waded right into the midst of the enemy ranks and called for them to come, "You want my staff, do ye? Come here, and let me give it to ye!"

HP: 69/69 (resistant to all non-psychic damage)
AC: 15 (18 after my action)
Initiative: 13
Bonus Action: Rage (+2 damage, Adv on Str checks/saves)

Beargus made a target of himself, pulling his shield around off of his back and fixing it into a firm grip as he prepared to welcome their charge -
Condition: If the map is as it is by my turn in initiative
- Action: don Shield (increasing AC to 18 instead of 15)
- Move: down 1, down/left 2, down 4 (down 3, left 2 from CA on the map, right 4 from a hobgoblin)
- Reaction: Polearm Master attack on any enemy that enters melee range, Hits AC 21,13 magical Piercing damage
Blood Spear: +8 Temp HP if I bring a target down to 0 HP

With the hobgoblins already closing in, Beargus ignored his shield and focused on a full assault -
Condition: If a hobgoblin closes into melee before I can move
- Reaction: Polearm Master attack on any enemy that enters melee range, Hits AC 21,13 magical Piercing damage
- Action: Reckless attack (enemies get Advantage on attack rolls against me)
 - Attack 1: Hits AC 14 for 11 magical Piercing (11,14,11)
 - Attack 2: Hits AC 25 for 12 magical Piercing (25,20,12)
Blood Spear: +8 Temp HP if I bring a target to 0 HP

17:50, Today: Beargus rolled 8 using 2d6.  Blood Spear.
17:47, Today: Beargus rolled 25,20,12 using d20+6,d20+6,1d6+7.  Reckless Raging Blood Spear.
17:45, Today: Beargus rolled 11,14,11 using d20+6,d20+6,1d6+7.  Reckless Raging Blood Spear.
17:44, Today: Beargus rolled 21,13 using d20+6,1d6+7.  Raging Blood Spear.
17:20, Today: Beargus rolled 13 using 1d20.  Initiative.


Extra damage for Enlarge, if applicable before my turn comes up
16:33, Today: Beargus rolled 3,2 using d4,d4.  Enlarge Dmg. – 3,2
This message was last edited by the player at 22:37, Mon 26 Dec 2022.

Cassidy looks at the enemies and allows a wry grin.  She looks at the leader and shrugs. "What...you can't find your own staff....and Why can't granite come and get it himself?"

She looked at the closest one in sight and smiled. "Want to meet my friend?" She slammed her staff against the ground, and at the closest enemy, a burst of flame erupted like a mini explosion.

Beside the enemy stood an unusual sight. A creature stood where none was a moment ago, a orange fox, but his tail and the ends of his fur seemed to have a flicker to them, like the orange was set aflame.

Cassidy smiled and let out a whistle...the fox looked around at her and she smiled and nodded.
The creature crouched and disappeared in a haze of fire, appearing mere feet from the halfling and lopping up to her. "Hey Rohan.....good boy! You wanna play with these morons? Yeah, i'm sure you do!"

She looked at the leader. "You wanna leave while you still have your face>?"

---

<OOC: Cassidy rolled 6 using 1d20+2.  iniative.

Action - Summon Wildfire spirit within 10 feet of closest enemy that is not in combat with ally

Cassidy rolled 7 using 2d6.  Wildfire spirit summon damage.
Dex save DC 15 or take 7 fire damage

Bonus Action - Command Rohan (Fire spirit) to Fiery teleportation from enemy towards myself them movement to my side.

Cassidy rolled 9 using 2d6+3.  fiery teleportation fire damage.
Dex save dc 15 or take 9 fire damage.>

20:56, Today: Gevi rolled 5 using 1d20+3 ((2)).  Perception.

Gevī blinked in a surprise as the hobgoblins emerged around them.  "Staff?  I have no staff.  Does anyone have a staff?"  She started to ask around to see if anyone else knew what these hobgoblins were asking about, when the fat leader called for their deaths.

"Well, that makes matters simple, don't they?" she muttered under her breath.  Reaching into the bag hanging from her hip, she withrew several pieces of armour, letting them drop to the ground: boots, greaves, gauntlets, bracers, and an armoured chestpiece all came immediately to hand.

Speaking firmly, Gevī addressed the remaining hobgoblins.  "Turn!  Leave now and leave us be!  You want no part of this.  It is not worth your lives!"

---

21:15, Today: Gevi rolled 22 using 1d20+3 ((19)).  Initiative.

Active Effects	War Caster (feat)
Action	Reach into the Bag of Holding and withdraw my armour (Splint Mail).
Move	--none--
Bonus Action	21:20, Today: Gevi rolled 13 using 1d20+3 ((10)). Intimidation.
Reaction	Sapping Sting (see below) cantrip if I have an Attack of Opportunity

Sapping Sting
Casting Time:   1 action
Range/Area:     30ft.
Components:     V, S
Duration:       Instantaneous
Notes:          EGtW, p.189

You sap the vitality of one creature you can see in range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC:16) or take 2d4 necrotic damage and fall prone.
Gevī's Artificer's effect: A needle-like "stinger" blasts from a wrist-mounted bracelet, striking the target and delivering a shock to the system.



This message was last edited by the player at 23:20, Sun 25 Dec 2022.

Sharissa saw the hobgoblins arrive and sent a telepathic warning to Cass . Then she was busy looking at the little horde to determine where to best use her powers. Her sight went to the donkey mounted flabby leader, and with a predatory smile, prepared to take it on, while not forgetting the mass.

With the advanced warning of having detected the goblinoids, she got her small shield on her arm in a practiced manner, the tiefling obviously knowing how to use it and cast spells with it.

---

Initiative 3... yeah I rolled a 1... :P

Condition : none of the hobgoblin attacks my allies (yeah like that is going to happen)
Hold to defend

Condition : At my initiative, at least 3, ideally more, hobgoblins are within a 20 radius sphere of each other with none of my allies in the middle of them. It can be casted with an ally right outside of the range.
Action : Cast Hunger of Hadar on the hobgoblins

Casting Time:
1 action
Range/Area:
150ft./20ft.
Components:
V, S, M(a pickled octopus tentacle)
Duration:
Concentration, up to 1 minute
Attack/Save:
DEX 16
Source:
PHB, pg. 251

You open a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears, centered on a point with range and lasting for the duration. This void is filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises that can be heard up to 30 feet away. No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded.

The void creates a warp in the fabric of space, and the area is difficult terrain. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 cold damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage as milky, otherworldly tentacles rub against it.

Move : Fly towards the flabby leader to make sure he's in range of my eldritch blast

Use 2 Sorcery points to Quicken Spell Eldritch Blast

Bonus Action : Cast twin bolts of Eldritch blast on the flabby leader, 23 to hit for 5 force damage, 19 to hit for 7 force damage.

Reaction : If I get hit, cast Shield, +5 to my AC, raising it to 23

Condition : No good mass of hobgoblin to cast hunger of hagar on them, or my allies would be affected by it.

Move : to have the flabby leader in range of my Hex (90 feet)

Bonus action : Cast Hex on the flabby leader, Str is the stat affected. If the leader is between 91-120 feet of me after my movement, forgo the hex for only EB.

Action : Twin eldritch blast on the leader, 23 to hit for 5 force and 9 necrotic damage, 19 to hit for 7 force and 9 necrotic damage

Reaction : If I get hit, cast Shield, +5 to my AC, raising it to 23

Today: Sharissa rolled 3,5 using 2d6,2d6 with rolls of 1,2,3,2.  hunger of hadar cold and acid damage.
Today: Sharissa rolled 9 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,4.  hex damage
Today: Sharissa rolled 23,19,5,7 using 1d20+8,1d20+8,1d10,1d10 with rolls of 15,11,5,7.  eldritch blastX2 plus damage. – 23,19,5,7
08:17, Yesterday: Sharissa rolled 3 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 1.  initiative.

14:20, Today: BIGs rolled 12 using 2d20+3, dropping the lowest dice only.  Initiative
Place Hold please.

Initiative: Satish rolled 9 using 1d20

Seeing the reunion so rudely interrupted by the hobgoblins, Satish will let out a small sigh. "Well I was hoping to not have to reveal myself this early. Oh well."

If anyone is watching Satish concentrates briefly, and in his right hand his trusty flail appears from nothing. He grips it comfortably, and walks straight North 20 feet to give himself some distance from the group.

"Come, fight! see if you have the skills to take me on!" Satish challenges the nearest enemies.

Satish also pulls his shield from his back, and takes the Dodge Action.

Bonus Action: Weapon Bond, Flail
Action: Dodge
Movement: 20 feet North.

Speaking up from the back of the group you each hear a familiar, but almost unrecognizable voice. "I would listen to my friend here if I were you." The owner of this voice spoke confidently as she stepped forward in between the group. She looked familiar to each of you, but the way she spoke threw you until she lifted her chin and you could plainly see her face revealed from above her collar. The air and look she had about her almost made you believe she couldn't possibly be the girl you knew five years ago, but the fire behind her sapphire blue eyes made you know better than to question her. Her name was Nyx and she had been just a shy young girl with a fiery passion for music. Her long white hair was free flowing save for the braids that kept the strands from the front of her face and stood out easily against her dark grey skin. As for her voice it was smooth, gentle yet firm and as it came from her black lips one could swear it could melt them into submission. That's if her magnificently curvy body wasn't enough to do that already. Only time could tell just how much she had changed beyond just appearance though.

---

Initiative: 17

21:52, Today: Secret Roll: Nyx rolled 17 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.

Action: Persuading the enemies to leave.

22:34, Today: Secret Roll: Nyx rolled 28 using 1d20+10.  Persuasion.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:33, Mon 26 Dec 2022.

Prior to initiative:
BIGs touched Beargus shoulder, "Grow my friend, and be your best self."

Cast Enlarge on Beargus

At initiative 12

BIGs looked up into a tree and vanished.

B/A free use of Misty Step

Appearing 30' up on a sturdy brach of a tree with his back to the trunk. He pointed his rod at the fleeing Hobgoblin and unleashed hell.

action cast E blast @ fleeing Hobgoblin
10:57, Today: BIGs rolled 19 using 2d10+10.  Damage.

10:56, Today: BIGs rolled 20 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  #2.

10:56, Today: BIGs rolled 26 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  E blast with advantage
End Turn
This message was last edited by the player at 15:58, Mon 26 Dec 2022.

----------------

BIGs touched Beargus shoulder, "Grow my friend, and be your best self."
BIGs casts enlarge on Beargus.

----------------
COMBAT : ROUND 1
----------------
22 Gevi
17 Nyx
13 Beargus
12 BIGs
9 Satish
6 Cassidy
3 Sharissa
----------------

The intimidating Gevi casts sapping sting upon the nearest hobgoblin.
A needle-like "stinger" blasts from a wrist-mounted bracelet,
striking the target and delivering a shock to the system.
DM rolled 14 using 1d20+1 fail con save
The hobgoblin, injured and intimidated, falls prone.
Gevi, please roll damage for the sapping sting.

Speaking up from the back of the group you each hear
a familiar, but almost unrecognizable voice.
"I would listen to my friend here if I were you."
Nyx steps forward, speaking very persuasively.
Several hobgoblins at the rear of the group look
at each other and exchange a few shrugs and quiet
words in their hobgoblin-grunting language.
Nyx's high persuasion roll has had an effect.

The enlarged Beargus wades right into the midst of the enemy ranks
and calls for them to come. "You want my staff, do ye?
Come here, and let me give it to ye!"
Enlarged, Beargus moves into position and taunts the hobgoblins.
( reaction: Polearm Master attack on any enemy that enters melee range )

BIGs looks up into a tree and vanishes.
BIGs appears 30' up on a sturdy brach of a tree with his back to the trunk.
He points his rod at the fleeing hobgoblin and unleashed hell.
BIGs casts eldritch blast at the fleeing hobgoblin,
( the 'boss' hobgoblin on the pony )
who is hit by the blast and injured, but also manages to escape.
( don't worry, he felt it )

"Come, fight! see if you have the skills to take me on!"
Satish challenges the nearest enemies.
Satish pulls his shield from his back,
preparing for the oncoming hobgoblins.
Satish moves north a few steps and takes the dodge action.

Cassidy looks at the closest hobgoblin, saying "Want to meet my friend?"
She slams her staff against the ground, and at the closest enemy.
A burst of flame erupts like a mini explosion.
( summon wildfire spirit within 10 feet of closest enemy )
DM rolled 17 using 1d20+1 pass dex save
The creature disappears in a haze of fire,
appearing mere feet from Cassidy.
DM rolled 8 using 1d20+1 fail dex save
"You wanna leave while you still have your face?"
The hobgoblin yelps as the flames lick up
around them, scorching their legs.

Sharissa ...

( None of the conditions are met. The hobgoblins haven't moved
  to attack yet, and the flabby leader has escaped. )

( Please let him go. It may be frustrating,
  but it's one of those things. Like Sturm dying
  in the novels. We can cross our fingers, but
  it still happens. *sniff* )

----------------

--> THE MAP <--

pink lines = movement
green lines = spell target

----------------

Gevi, please roll damage for the sapping sting.

Sharissa, please let us know what you'd like to do.
My apologies for this, especially considering your post was very detailed.

If you re-target your spell, we will use the same rolls
you already rolled, if it makes sense to do so.

Everyone, check that I haven't missed anything,
and we can change anything now,
before the hobgoblins move in and take their round 1 actions ...

So, we're effectively only half-way through round 1 ...
... and checking everything is correct, or near-enough.

OOC: 21:15, Today: Gevi rolled 7 using 2d4 ((4,3)).  Sapping Sting damage.

BIGs cursed under his breath as the hobgoblin leader escaped. He had to let that leader escape, there were too many surrounding his friends. He looked around and found a couple hiding in the trees. Can't hide from me. he thought as he drew a bead.

Action - cast E blast. Aiming for the one that is in the green furthest south and west of BIGs.

16:41, Today: BIGs rolled 20 using 2d10+5.  Crit damage rolled properly.

16:40, Today: BIGs rolled 13 using 2d10+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  Crit damage attack 2.

16:40, Today: BIGs rolled 29 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  Attack 2 w/ advatage rolled properly.

16:39, Today: BIGs rolled 20 using 2d20+9.  Attack 2 w/ advantage.

16:38, Today: BIGs rolled 10 using 2d10+5.  Crit damage for attack 1.

16:37, Today: BIGs rolled 29 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  E blast attack 1 w/ advantage

Total 30 force damage


Looking at his friend, he called to Cassidy "Cassidy, remember that time we fought those rotten pigs? Do that now."

B/A Grant Cassidy inspiration. d6 and includes magical inspiration.
No movement
End Turn.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:55, Mon 02 Jan 2023.

Round 1 : hobgoblins attack

Three hobgoblins near the rear of the group
move closer to each other. They watch their
comrades move to attack the adventurers,
while they themselves share gestures and
hobgoblin grunt-talk.

Meanwhile, three other hobgoblins move
in closer to the adventurers. Of these
three, one is the prone hobgoblin, who
gets to its feet and moves only a few
steps closer. Therefore, two hobgoblins
have come in close, with their longswords.

( I don't believe any hobgoblins entered Beargus' melee range,
  for his polearm master reaction, unless his spear has more
  than 5 feet range ? )

One hobgoblin attempts to hack open Sharissa's back ...
DM rolled 10 using 1d20+3
... and misses.

One hobgoblin attempts to hack off Cassidy's leg ...
DM rolled 4 using 1d20+3
... and misses, badly.

Three hobgoblins shoot arrows from their longbows,
towards Satish ...
DM rolled 18 using 1d20+3
... one arrow thunks! into Satish's shield ...
DM rolled 17 using 1d20+3
... another arrow is deflected by Satish's armor ...
DM rolled 4 using 1d20+3
... and a third arrow flies in entirely the wrong direction !

One hobgoblin shoots an arrow at Nyx ...
DM rolled 7 using 1d20+3
... but the arrow finds a tree instead.

Two hobgoblins shoot arrows at Beargus.
DM rolled 14 using 1d20+3
DM rolled 4 using 1d20+3
Both hobgoblins display their lack of prowess with the longbow.

~~~

--> THE MAP <--

green lines = attack !
pink lines = movement or miscellaneous

~~~

The three hobgoblins who bunched up together are
not looking very enthusiastic about this ambush.

One hobgoblin (south-east of Gevi) has been injured by sapping sting.
One hobgoblin (next-to and fighting Cassidy) has been scorched by fiery teleportation fire.

~~~

If I missed any reactions or anything like that,
we can do that now, before round 2. I did try to
notice and remember things like that, but I will
miss these little things from time to time.
( Sharissa and Beargus had un-triggered reactions, for example )

If there's no alterations that need to be made,
we'll move onto Round 2 !

BIGs, we can use those eldritch blasts for Round 2.
Feel free to edit that post or change it completely.

Everyone, please put your AC in your BIO.

@ DM - Beargus is now a Large creature, which extends the amount of space he takes up. While this does not directly affect reach (still 5') it is 5' from his Large status. The effect is to increase his reach by 5' because his dimendions have increased. From his current map position he has a 10' reach, meaning that hobgoblin that zipped by him gets to potentially taste that spear point. I hope this makes sense.

Cassidy couldn't help but smile at BIG's words. "Rotten pigs?" She said almost surprised he remembered the incident from all those years ago.  Even then, her education in nature was low, but her skill with the nature magic proved useful.

She went to attack the hobgoblin who attacked her, but saw him dead at her feet. She smiled at the warrior. “Still haven’t lost your touch.”. She turned, her fiery friend at her side and saw the enemy trying to attack sharissa. She sighed muttering. “Idiots.” She opened her hand and tilted her head. "Hey, mirin….Crackling time!" she muttered as she threw the fire, hitting the beast. Even as she did, she placed a hand on the fiery fox. "Hey BIG....This is new." She muttered a word, and the fox, wreathed in fire looked like it was going to pounce, but instead flicked its tail.

A red ember flew from it hitting the same hobgoblin.

---

<OOC: Action - Cast Produce flame

Cassidy rolled 26 using 1d20+7.  attack - produce flame.

Cassidy rolled 13 using 2d8.  damage - produce flame.

Hobgoblin takes 13 fire damage

Bonus action - command wildfire spirit to use fire seed.

Cassidy rolled 25 using 1d20+7.  Attack - flame seed.

Cassidy rolled 3 using 1d6+2.  Damage - flame seed.  >

This message was last edited by the player at 22:15, Wed 04 Jan 2023.

As she pulled out the last of the bits of her armour from the bag at her waist, Gevī slipped her hand into one of the gauntlets, where her carved wristbands fit into place with a soft metallic click.  Within seconds, the remainder of the armour, thick leather with strips of metal rivetted into place, floated for a brief moment, then flew through the air, strapping into place by themselves until the redhead was covered from head to toe.  Arcane power rippled over the armour in a wave, and suddenly the banded leathers seemed quieter, the fading sunlight seeming to melt into the blackened colour.

She gripped her spear in one hand, her other held out in a warning gesture in front of her.

"Stop!  Come no further!" she said firmly, addressing the hobgoblin in front of her directly, even as she manoeuvred her horse to take up a position between it and the group.  Her voice sounded hollow beneath the mask she now wore, covering her mouth and nose.

"No blood has been spilled yet today.  Walk away, and live to see another."

02:59, Today: Gevi rolled 15 using 1d20+3 ((12)).  Intimidation.

---

Active Effects	War Caster (feat)
Action	Don my armour (Splint Mail).  Brings my AC to 17.
Move	move 10 feet to the west, interposing between the hobgoblin and the rest of the group
Bonus Action	--none--
Reaction	If there is an Attack of Opportunity...
	Sapping Sting (see below) cantrip: Constitution saving throw vs DC:16 or suffer 2d4 necrotic damage and fall prone.
	02:48, Today: Gevi rolled 3 using 2d4 ((1,2)).

Sapping Sting
Casting Time:   1 action
Range/Area:     30ft.
Components:     V, S
Duration:       Instantaneous
Notes:          EGtW, p.189

You sap the vitality of one creature you can see in range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC:16) or take 2d4 necrotic damage and fall prone.
Gevī's Artificer's effect: A needle-like "stinger" blasts from a wrist-mounted bracelet, striking the target and delivering a shock to the system.

Only change to my post is to switch target of e blast to hobgoblin north and east of BIGs.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:25, Sun 08 Jan 2023.

Satish will take the Dodge Action again to see what happens with the situation.

Temp HP gained from killing the hobgoblin: 7

Archers? Beargus hated dealing with archers. They were effective, he'd give them that, but it was one of the least honorable methods of fighting that existed, trying to kill from afar rather than face to face. He wanted to throw down his shield and ram a pike through these bastards, but his years of fighting had told him that was a right stupid idea.

Dimissing that urge, Beargus ran toward the nearest archer, sinking spear into flesh as he taunted the other hobgoblins to come and try to lay their hands on his staff.


If the hobgoblin south of me is alive -
Move: down 2, down-left 1, to the hobgoblin (15 feet)
Action: Reckless Attack with Spear, hits AC 23,24,9 (+2, didn't add my rage) 11 Piercing damage
- If the hobgoblin is still alive after that -
- Bonus: Polearm Master Attack the same one, hits AC 27,27,11 Bludgeoning damage
- Special: Crusher feat lets me move the target 5 feet, so I'll bring him up beside me on the east, closer to the party
- Move: 25 ft west, toward the other hobgoblin, imposing myself between him and the party, so I'm the target

If that southern hobgoblin is dead before my turn -
Move: 30 feet southwest to engage the other hobgob archer
Action: Reckless Attack with Spear, hits AC 23,24,9 (+2, didn't add my rage) 11 Piercing damage
- Bonus (if it lived): Polearm Master Attack the same one, hits AC 27,27,11 Bludgeoning damage

If both of those that shot me are dead before my turn -
Move: 25 feet southwest to engage the hobgob who just came up east of me
Action: Reckless Attack with Spear, hits AC 23,24,9 (+2, didn't add my rage) 11 Piercing damage
- Bonus (if it lived): Polearm Master Attack the same one, hits AC 27,27,11 Bludgeoning damage

At the end of my turn, use any remaining movement to go toward the next nearest hobgoblin

09:40, Today: Beargus rolled 27,27,11 using d20+8,d20+8,1d4+9.  Reckless Raging Butt-end.
09:39, Today: Beargus rolled 23,24,9 using d20+6,d20+6,1d6+7.  Reckless Raging Blood Spear.

Round 2

Seeing the huddle of 3 hobgoblins, Sharissa tssked and, after looking disdainfully at the hobgoblin foolishly trying to attack her with his sword, she flew westward, the words of her spell already on her lips. "Conspiring against us are you? Well we can't have that, feel the darkness of insanity!". With a little laugh, an maniacal glint of madness in her eye and a clap of her hands, she unleashed her spell.

---

Move 30' westward, flying 40 feet over the battle.

Action Cast hunger of Hadar, centered on the 3 hobgoblins huddled together.

Reaction if needed, cast Shield.


Casting Time:
1 action
Range/Area:
150ft./20ft.
Components:
V, S, M(a pickled octopus tentacle)
Duration:
Concentration, up to 1 minute
Attack/Save:
DEX 16
Source:
PHB, pg. 251

You open a gateway to the dark between the stars, a region infested with unknown horrors. A 20-foot-radius sphere of blackness and bitter cold appears, centered on a point with range and lasting for the duration. This void is filled with a cacophony of soft whispers and slurping noises that can be heard up to 30 feet away. No light, magical or otherwise, can illuminate the area, and creatures fully within the area are blinded.

The void creates a warp in the fabric of space, and the area is difficult terrain. Any creature that starts its turn in the area takes 2d6 cold damage. Any creature that ends its turn in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage as milky, otherworldly tentacles rub against it.

Today: Sharissa rolled 5,7 using 2d6,2d6 with rolls of 4,1,3,4.  cold, acid damage.

Gevī's head whipped around as the gateway opened, and she instinctively pulled her horse a step away from it.  "Close it!" she screamed.  "You know not what you unleash!"

----------------
COMBAT : ROUND 2
----------------
22 Gevi
17 Nyx
13 Beargus
12 BIGs
9 Satish
6 Cassidy
3 Sharissa
----------------

Gevi moves into position and attempts to intimidate the oncoming hobgoblins.
"Stop!  Come no further!", she said firmly, addressing the hobgoblin in front of
her directly, even as she manoeuvred her horse to take up a position between it
and the group.

Nyx took aimed at the nearest hobgoblin.
"Fly swiftly.", she whispered to her arrow as she drew it back and released.
The arrow flew swiftly ... into a nearby tree !

Beargus moved south and west.
On the way, he sinked his spear into hobgoblin flesh (killing one hobgoblin),
and taunted the other hobgoblins to come and try to lay their hands on his staff.

BIGs called to his friend Cassidy as he unleashed an eldritch blast
at an archer hobgoblin, blasting a hole through its chest, killing it.
( BIGs kills the furthest-most-east archer hobgoblin )
"Cassidy, remember that time we fought those rotten pigs? Do that now."

Satish stood his ground.
( dodge action )

Cassidy couldn't help but smile at BIGs' words. "Rotten pigs?",
she said, almost surprised he remembered the incident from all those years ago.

Cassidy also casts produce flame, killing the hobgoblin fighting Sharissa.

Cassidy's fiery fox flicks an ember at the hobgoblin previously
injured by Gevi's sapping sting. This hobgoblin, feeling the
sting and the scorch, drops to the ground ... almost dead.
( this hobgoblin is circled on the map )

Sharissa flies west and up, and casts the horrifying
hunger of Hadar, centered on the three hobgoblins huddled together.

----------------

--> THE MAP at this moment <--

----------------

The three hobgoblins in the central-north part of the battlefield move towards Satish.
Two of these hobgoblins reach Satish and attack with their longswords.
( Satish has taken the dodge action )
DM rolled 7 using 2d20+3, dropping the highest dice only.  hobgoblin longsword vs Satish, disadvantage
DM rolled 4 using 2d20+3, dropping the highest dice only.  hobgoblin longsword vs Satish, disadvantage
Both hobgoblins swish their weapons through the air. SWISH !!

One hobgoblin meets the enlarged Beargus on the south side of the road.
The hobgoblin attacks with it's longsword ...
DM rolled 14 using 1d20+3
... SWISH !!!

The three hobgoblins within the hunger of Hadar scream in terror !
Terrified and freezing ( cold damage ), they flee forward,
out of the spell radius and onto the open battlefield.
( That's all they feel like doing right now ! )

----------------

--> THE MAP at this moment <--

- one hobgoblin, in the south-east part of the battlefield, is barely alive and no threat.
- three hobgoblins have taken damage from the hunger of Hadar coldness,
  and are gathering their wits. These three don't look too enthusiastic
  about continuing to fight.
- the remaining four living hobgoblins are healthy, and fighting.
  Of these four, three are near Satish, and one is near Beargus.

--> THE MAP without all the lines, etc <--

----------------

- there's probably reactions or other things I missed,
  so we can do those things now, before moving onto ROUND 3 !
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:20, Fri 20 Jan 2023.

Round 2 ~ Sorry its late.

Nyx sighed, "Must we always fight..." seeing the aggression Nyx drew her +1 bow and a regular arrow and took aim at the nearest hobgoblin that wasn't under a spell already. "Fly swiftly." She whispered to her arrow as she drew it back and released.


20:07, Today: Nyx rolled 8 using 1d20+7.  Attack roll +1 bow.

As her arrow flew wild she remarked, "Well, it's not like I wanted to fight in the first place."

Gevī pressed a small depression on her palm, and a small black bead short through the air before landing next to the downed hobgoblin.  As the bead struck the ground, it exploded into an exponentially expanding mass of thin black fibres which built up on themselves as they spread out.  The poor hobgoblin was rapidly almost buried in the webs.

"Stay down," she snapped, her voice ominous and hollow behind her mask.  "We'll have questions for you after.  Answer them and you might live!"

Wheeling her horse around, she drew her spear, dug in her heels and circled around in front of her companions, moving to intercept the hobgoblins on that flank before they could regroup themselves.

---

Action	Cast Web at the hobgoblin which was burned/stung earlier.
Move	Move 40 feet in a circle to the west and north.  On your map (1_4b), this should put Gevī two squares west of Sharissa and one square south of a hobgoblin
Bonus Action	--none--
Reaction	Attack of Opportunity (Sapping Sting) if presented.

The flying thiefling made a pout when she saw all three hobgoblins come out of the zone of whispering madness. Having no way of moving the portal, she let it be for now, and shook her head "Ahhh you're no fun! Take that instead!" With a word and a gesture, twin bolts of black purplish light shot from her hand, targeting the first hobgoblin that had come out of the darkness.

---

Twin Eldritch blast on one of the hobs that came out of the darkness, the highest initiative one, 26 to hit for 9 damage, 13 to hit for 6 damage

Today: Sharissa rolled 26,13,9,6 using 1d20+8,1d20+8,1d10,1d10.  eldritch blast plus damage.

BIGs turned his attention to the hobgoblin behind him. He fired twice, hitting both times.

Action - E.Blast

13:30, Today: BIGs rolled 13 using 2d10+5, dropping the lowest dice only.  Damage.

13:30, Today: BIGs rolled 27 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  Attack 2 w/ advantage.

13:30, Today: BIGs rolled 22 using 2d20+9, dropping the lowest dice only.  attack w/ advantage.

He sneered at the situation and called down, "Satish! Forward to victory!"

B/A - Inspire Satish
No Movement
End of Turn
This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Sat 21 Jan 2023.

Killing with the bloodspear gives me 5 THP, overridden by the existing 7
Reaction: Hobgob moving into my threatened range Hits AC 20 for 8 magical Piercing damage

09:05, Today: Beargus rolled 5 using 2d6.  Blood Spear. – 5
09:06, Today: Beargus rolled 20,8 using d20+6,1d6+7.  Raging Blood Spear. – 20,8

Beargus fought on against the hobgoblin who'd had the fury bits to come at him, stabbing in quick succession.


Move: as needed to reach targets
Special: Reckless Attack
Action: Attack 1 hits AC 12 for 12 Piercing, Attack 2 hits AC 23 for 10 piercing
Bonus: PAM Attack htis AC 14 for 12 Bludgeon damage and pushes the target 5 ft
Special: if the spear kills a target, my 7 THP is overwritten by 8 THP
Reaction: if one moves into or out of my threatened range, OA hits AC 19 for 9 Piercing

If at any point the attacks kill the hobgoblin that's on me, move West to put the others in my threatened range

09:30, Today: Beargus rolled 19,9 using d20+6,1d6+7.  Raging Blood Spear. – 19,9
09:29, Today: Beargus rolled 8 using 2d6.  Blood Spear. – 8
09:24, Today: Beargus rolled 14,11,12 using d20+8,d20+8,1d4+9.  Reckless Raging Butt-end. – 14,11,12
09:24, Today: Beargus rolled 12,23,10 using d20+6,d20+6,1d6+9.  Reckless Raging Blood Spear. – 12,23,10
09:24, Today: Beargus rolled 12,8,12 using d20+6,d20+6,1d6+9.  Reckless Raging Blood Spear. – 12,8,12

Class, with the fire fox by her side, smiled as the tide turned in their favour. Turning, she looked at the hobgoblin closest to her opening up her hand. “So….you want some heat?” the female kender through the fire, hitting the hobgoblin even as the fox flicked its tail again, sending a fire ember towards the same enemy.

---

<OOC: Action - cast produce flame and throw towards the hobgoblin southeast of her

Cassidy rolled 17 using 1d20+7.  Attack - produce flame.
Cassidy rolled 11 using 2d8.  Damage - produce flame.

Bonus Action - Command elemental spirit to flame seed

Cassidy rolled 15 using 1d20+7.  Attack - flame seed.
Cassidy rolled 9 using 1d6+3.  Damage - flame seed.>
 

Round 3:

After dodging the Hobgoblins, Satish mutters to himself "Well, if you insist."

Satish will begin his beat-down of the Hobgoblin directly North of him with his trusty flail.

In the midst of the din of fighting, Satish hears his friend urge him to victory, and rallies strength from it.

Attack 1:
To Hit: Satish rolled 14 (10 roll, +4 from inspiration)
Damage: Satish rolled 10

Attack 2:
To Hit: Satish rolled 7 (Nat 1! Oh no!)
Damage: Satish rolled 7

After the attacks, Satish begins to rethink his plan of using the flail. He thinks to himself "I did not plan on showing these tricks too early, but maybe it is time."

Movement: None
Action: Attack
Bonus Action: None

This may not be to everyone's liking.

I'm going to fast-forward this battle to the conclusion of it,
resulting in :

- many slain hobgoblins
- one captured hobgoblin (injured by multiple attacks, and webbed by Gevi)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The adventurers now stand on the road,
an hour-or-so travel from the town of Solace.

Listening and looking, the adventurers
do not see any sign of more hobgoblins
hiding in the lightly-forested areas
either side of the road.

Now able to catch their breathe,
the adventurers remember the words
of the larger hobgoblin who fled.

He had mentioned a blue crystal staff,
and seemed very intent upon finding it.
So intent that he sent his troops into
a very dangerous confrontation (with you !)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

XP :

I will be rewarding XP as percentages of a level.
All adventurers are now level 6.25.

When another checkpoint is reached,
you may find yourself at level 6.5 or more !

There may be bonus XP for extra cool things,
but that will be rare, as I'd like to keep
things fairly balanced within the party.

Another interesting thing is that, through my
limited research, I believe the new 5th ed
Dragonlance book from Wizards is set slightly
before the time of this module !

That's interesting. I thought it might be
a new era that Wizards was exploring, but no.
They've returned to the time of The War of the
Lance, which is the module series you guys are
playing now.

So, if you're playing the new 5th ed book
in another group, you could maybe imagine
both that group, and this group running around
Krynn, almost parallel to each other, in a way.

OOC: I've no issue with concluding a battle early when the outcome is obvious.  :)

The battle concluded, Gevī whirled her horse around and trotted back to her captive.  Dismounting, the slender girl drew a spear, and tipped up the bound hobgoblin's chin with the tip.  "Talk," she said, "What's this about a staff, and why is your master intent on harassing innocent travellers?"

Beargus kicked the hobgoblin corpse off the tip of his spear, and stomped his large self over to where the captive was being questioned by Gevi. There, he slammed the bottom of his shield into the earth, causing it to stand firm on its own, then rested an elbow on it as he stood and stared at the hobgoblin, spear still held in his right hand as he watched on.

If intimidation is needed, Beargus will Assist to provide advantage.

The hobgoblin spits blood from its mouth onto the ground.

PTUI !

It grunts, "Toade had orders from the Highlords.",
then grins and continues, "The staff is just one of
many items the Highlords are collecting. You can hear
it, can't you, %$@$. The drums or war. Ahahaha !"

"The highlords -- never heard of them." Gevī feigned nonchalance, but the hobgoblin's words bothered her more than she'd care to admit.  "I'm not sure I believe you.  I think you're just trying to save your own skin.  Come on!  Give me a something real -- reason to let you keep breathing..."

"Or a reason to end it quickly rather than painfully."

Sharissa closed the portal with the whispering voices dying away, and landed, flicking her wings before folding them in place on her back. Not wanting to interrupt in the ongoing interrogation, she yawned and then got her colored balls out, idly starting to juggle them while watching the prisoner.

"Come now, surely a quick death would be easier on all of us, including you, Toade or are you saying you are an underling of this Toade?" Nyx looked to the hobgoblin for an answer if he indicated one, but if not she did not waste much time waiting. She continued, "Either way if you leave here alive when most of the others did not then you are likely to be thought of as a traitor. Something tells me that you would have rather died fighting for your cause. Give us the information we seek and we will grant you a swift death. If not then I'm afraid I cannot stop what they are likely to do to you." Nyx gestured toward the others standing around threatening the hobgoblin.

---

The hobgoblin, bleeding out and almost dead,
coughs, spits and replies.

"I'm already dead. Soon I'll awaken in another place and be reunited with my kin.
You should know that the armies of the Dark Queen already march across the land.
There's no hope for you. It barely matters if the staff is found or not !"

The hobgoblin, growing weaker by the second,
lays back on the ground, breathing deeply ...

The small kender woman almost skipped up, the orange fox at her side was almost the opisite as she pushed her way through. "Come now....you can't get answers from a dead person - well, actually, you can but it's unrelyable." She smiled as she whispered something under her breath, her hand glowing green as she placed it on him.

His wounds began to close a little and she smiled. "There....you will live for the moment - such a sook." she shrugged, then looked at him. "Now, bare in mind my hot friend here..." Indicating the elemental "...can use fire that REALLY hurts, as well as miss stick-in-the-mud there...." Indicating Gevi. "...but it's not them you should worry about - it's me.  They can hurt you and when your close to death, i can heal you and we do it all again."

She shrugged with a innocent smile that seemed out of place. "...or you can tell us who the dark queen is, Where we can find your friend Toade and what you know about this staff."

"... you already know the Dark Queen, or you will soon ..."

The hobgoblin rests its head on the ground and fixes their eyes
upon a very specific part of the sky.

Adventurers looking up see the regular, somewhat-cloudy, blue sky.

Adventurer looking down see the hobgoblin take their last breath ...
... and die, their eyes wide, staring skyward.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:34, Mon 30 Jan 2023.

Dispassionately, Gevī lowered her spear and turned away -- another departure in temperament from whose who knew her.  Five years ago, she had been a passionate firebrand; now, she was cold.

Walking back to her horse, she swung up into the saddle, stowed the spear in its saddle-sheath, and opened the bag at her waist.  Her armour began detaching itself from her, disappearing into the bag at remarkable speed, leaving only the bracelets at her wrists.

Raising her hood to shield her face from the afternoon sun, she turned toward Solace.  "I suggest we make haste.  The one who got away may return with others."

BIGs found that getting down the tree was much tougher than getting up. As he finally shimmied the last few feet he sighed. Looking over at Sharissa then down a bit sheepishly, "I would have inspired you, but you were too far. However your flight has given me some food for thought. If I could fly I could rain down blasts from above. Thank you." Putting his rod away he looked around at the others, "Agreed, we need to go with all speed. We also need to find out what sort of staff they were looking for and why it is so important. We have a lot to mull over."

We have a lot to mull over.

Things to possibly mull over :

- at the time of the Cataclysm, the gods threw mountains down upon Krynn, and 'left'.
- there's been no clerics since, and worship of 'new' gods has grown over the years.
- mention of the Dark Queen is not good. She's one of the old gods who apparently
  'left', but she's terribly evil. A real nasty piece of work.
- there's hobgoblins running around, working for the Highlords.
- who are the Highlords ? What are these armies marching for war ?

Places to go ?

--> THE MAP <--

The adventurers are near Solace. (zoom in a bit on the map, you'll see it)

Do you continue onto Solace,
or attempt to track down any remaining hobgoblins,
or go somewhere completely different ?

Cassidy sighed as she looked up unto the darkness, only to return her gaze down to the now-dead hobgoblin. “Dang it!” she cursed, which sounded like a kindly old lady cursing. She put her hand son her hips. “Way I see it we can keep going….or we could track down the hobgoblin who ran, get some answers. Maybe even track them to this Toade and get some answers”

Gevī turned in her saddle to look back.  "If they harassed us looking for a staff we didn't have, then they almost certainly harassed others.  If we really want to pursue this, we could learn as much at the inn as we could attempting to follow a trail in the woods.  Plus there's food and drink."

---

17:43, Today: Gevi rolled 25 using 1d20+5 ((natural 20)).  History / Religion check (same modifier).
This message was last edited by the player at 06:45, Tue 31 Jan 2023.

The tiefling stopped juggling and deliberately put her balls away in her belt pouch, smiling. "It is an advantage to have been born with functional wings, Sir BIG. It is also a curse, as you well pointed out, I do look demonic. But I can't hide who I am, and isn't it much more liberating to be who you are? For that Dark Queen, I do not know who he was referring too, nor with the staff. But I think we might be able to track that fat hobgoblin that fled... Cas, how would you feel to have your first flying lesson? You are the only one I could fly with, and two pairs of eyes of better than one." Flicking her wings to unfold, she extended her hand to the kender.

"The only Dark Queen I know about is the ancient god of evil.  Takhisis, she was called, but she abandoned the world along with the other gods after the Cataclysm,"  Gevī shrugged.  "I read about it an old children's tale as a girl.  I can tell you about it if you have trouble sleeping one night."

BIGs gave Sharissa a half bow, indicating she was accepted as friend but still given respect. He motioned to the town, "I agree with Gevi. We need to regroup and give this thought not go dashing into the wilds."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:55, Tue 31 Jan 2023.

"We need to worry about the hobgoblins' leader, but if there's an army on the move, we need to make sure the people in the village know about it and are prepared to flee or defend themselves, as they choose."

Satish returned to his friends after making sure the hobgoblins were truly dead. Scratching his beard, Satish remarks "ancient evil goddess or not, I would much rather not be caught at the site of a battle with corpses littering the ground. I think an inn is a good place to head to. Good fight everyone. I am truly impressed with how everyone has improved over our time apart."

Cassidy shrugged at the decision the others made, knowing full well they'd probably do that.  Cassidy was a being of nature, and had no issues with the wilds so sleeping under the stars wasn't something she disliked.

...but she admitted to herself, a warm meal would do well.

She nodded. "To solaice then, to find an inn, warm meal and some answers."

A warm autumn breeze rustles the great
Vallenwood trees of Solace. The great road
that wanders through the trees blazes in
the bright colors of autumn. The richly
stained buildings of Solace rest cradled
overhead in the boughs of the trees.

Around 500 people live in Solace, not counting
the farmers of the outlying fields.
The town is built entirely in the huge boughs of
mature Vallenwood trees. These trees grow to
their full size very quickly.

Solace is primarily a farming community.
It has no local government but is ruled by the
Theocracy of Seekers from their central city of
Haven, some three days journey to the west.

The Inn of the Last Home rests cradled
high in the boughs of a Vallenwood tree,
as do all the buildings here, for Solace is a
treetop town. Warm laughter tumbles
from the Inn. The worn steps wind around
the heavy trunk up to the familiar, carved door.

The Inn of the Last Home never changes.
The polished wooden bar weaves about
several living branches. An old man weaves
stories in the corner and delights the crowd
gathered about him. The delicate windows
of stained glass behind the bar are being
polished by Otik Sandath, the barkeeper.
He turns and waves, smiling at you, and
motions the barmaid in your direction.

The low murmur of voices fills the
inn. The bartender turns thoughtfully to
polish the glasses. At a far table, near the
storyteller, a man and a woman sit together
and speak quietly. Another man stands
beside the now-silent storyteller while a
small boy stares thoughtfully into the fire.

The barmaid steps toward you, smiles, and
shows you to a table. Something about her
seems familiar. The hair? The intelligent
glint of her eyes? Could this be Tika, the
little girl who swept the tavern floors a
short five years ago? The Inn never
changes, but surely its people do.

BIGS was quiet for the walk to Solace. He is quiet still as they are now at the Inn he is still quiet. He is always quiet when he is thinking.

Sharissa had flown over the group for as long as she could, relishing the freedom of being in what she considered her natural element. With a sigh, she touched ground when she started to see settlements, and covered her wings with her heavy cloak walking with the group the rest of the way. Arriving at the inn, she looked around, absorbing the atmosphere of the place, and smiled to the group. "This looks like a good place, maybe I could earn us some free room and board... at least save some coins by entertaining the crowd this evening." When the young woman, totally a stranger to the tiefling, approached she smiled almost seductively to her "Hello my dear, we will take drinks and the meal on the menu. Tell me, do you have an appointed bard or entertainer? I myself am somewhat versed in those arts and it would be my pleasure to deploy my talents for your clientele, with proper compensation, of course."

Gevī was silent throughout the ride into Solace, her hood up, shielding her face from the sun.  She let another take the lead, and her horse was simply happy to follow the rest.  She wondered what the animal thought of the mighty vallenwoods, having never seen them before.  It was probably simply grateful for the shade they offered.

As they approached the Inn of the Last Home, Gevī swung down out of her saddle, retrieved her spear from its resting place in her tack, and handed the horse to a stableboy, tossing two copper pieces at him.  She didn't have a chance of recognising the stableboy, who was perhaps at most twelve summers.  Kids changed too fast.

Tika, on the other hand, was a familiar face.  Gevi had thought she'd be happy to see her old friend, but as the barmaid approached, Gevi found herself shrinking back and letting Sharissa take the lead.  Suddenly, there was too much of a gap between Tika and herself.  Too much had happened in the intervening time, and it was if they now stood on opposite sides of a chasm -- a gulf of misfortune that she had no desire to revisit.

"Hot water," she added to Sharissa's order, and then headed towards the large table in the corner, taking a seat in the small patch of shadow cast by one of the branches of the tree.

While most were quiet through the journey to solace, Cassidy (as always) was one of talkative mirth and joy talking of old times with the group, what she had done since leaving, her meeting with Sharissa....even how she came about the power to summon the fire elemental in the shape of a fox.

Many probably didn't listen, but she still talked.

When they arrived at town, and the inn, she clapped her hands and smiled. "Lets see.....hmmm An ale, glass of milk, a plate of fruit, cheese, bread with honey.....do you have any smoked fish? Nevermind. " She shook her head and looked around.

"What....your not eating?" She sighed with hands on her hips. "Always the downers." She looked at Beargus. "I know you'll at least have an ale Bear - probably some meat too!"

Nyx eyed the girl there to take their order, "You should take my friend up on her offer of entertainment. She can be quite amusing from time to time." Nyx seemed to close her eyes for only a moment and grin, then her gaze returned to Tika, "You have grown up quite well haven't you? Blossomed into quite the beauty." It was then that a certain glint could be caught in Nyx's eye. Not once throughout this conversation had Nyx's sharp wit eluded her. "Though, I doubt you remember much of me, after all not many recall those girls who do their best to be invisible, even without magic." Nyx made a quick hum of a laugh then continued, "There is little doubt I've come quite a ways since then. Always tucking myself away into the background no longer suits me, especially when there are such lovely opportunities there yet to be had." She didn't miss a beat as she continued to smile at Tika, "Perhaps, if you are up for it, I could persuade Otik to let you join us. As I'm sure my companions would agree your company is plenty welcome."

---

To Persuade Tika:

19:49, Today: Nyx rolled 24 using 1d20+10.  Persuasion.

"What are you doing?" Gevī asked from the corner.  "She has a job to do, and if someone's not taking orders and delivering drinks, there'll be a riot in here."  She spared a glanced from under her hood at Tika.

"Not that we wouldn't enjoy your company, Tika," she gave an apologetic shrug.  "But we also have matters of our own to discuss."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:50, Mon 06 Feb 2023.

Beargus walked toward Solace, staying close to Satish. As they walked, he mostly stayed silent, though he did bring up one question to the old warrior. "It seems you've gone and learned some new tricks, Satish. You'll have to tell us how you stumbled onto those when we're sat down with a warm meal and a cold pint before us." It seemed distracted by other thoughts, and kept silent for most of the rest of the journey.

His attitude shifted when they arrived at the Last Home, when the smell of good food and drink wafted toward his nose. Cassidy knew what she was talking about. Smart girl, "I'll have whatever they've got, and start with a double of both. And as sure as the road is long, we'll see where the day takes us from there."

BIGs spoke up, "We need to speak about the things that brought us together, and split us apart. How we have changed along the way is relevant as well. We need to get reacquainted with each other."

The newcomer tiefling smiled sweetly and put her elbows on the table, propping her horned head on her cupped hands. "I'll start, it should be quick. Hi everyone, I'm Sharissa, former slave. My parents apparently sold me the moment they saw me, I never knew them. I've never seen a succubus but according to some, including my former master, I look like one and was presented as such in the freaks show I grew up in. I worked as an entertainer, singing, juggling and doing acrobatics. I developed magical powers and used them to escape once some patrons wanted to... get closer, if you know what I mean.

That is when I met Cass and we have been together since, freeing slaves whenever we find some. That's my story."

She backed out of the table and brought her pointed tail to her hands, examining it for dirt.

BIGs smiled at Sharissa and nodded along with her. "We welcome you, Sharissa, to our circle. You will always have a place among us, you can count on us to watch your back, and we will count on you to watch ours as you already have. I need to ask you, though, how much has Cass told you about us and about the mission we all undertook?"

Cassidy lost her usual smile as Sharissa spoke, remembering the day when she found the woman. When BIG asked how much she knew, she looked at him. "almost everything.  Told her how we met over 6 years ago, all of us green adventurers - young and idealistic. Went out and kicked some asses and saved people. Then the mission that led us to seperate - the search for a cleric."

She picked at something on the table. "When we parted, i was barely even getting my powers, and even then i was unsure what they were - remember when i grew flowers off that table and i laughed so hard, well that was as much an accident than anything." She looked off into the distance. "I travelled looking for the clerics, you know i loved to walk and the outdoors, but i also searched for what i was becoming. Thats when i met Bear, a human druid who helped explain things."

She looked at them all, no humor in her voice and as serious as you'd ever seen her. "Bear helped me realise that i was on nature's path, that of the druids, but even then my path was not fully realised. I was with him a little over a year when he, his cousin and i were ambushed - a necromancer. He sent undead and swarmed us. Bear and i watched as his cousin was killed, then raised again to fight us."

She paused as she took a few breaths, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. "Bear snapped, and living up to his name, changed into a bear - damn biggest i had seen and rampaged through the dead and tore the wizard apart."

She held her hand out and a flame came from her palm. "Seeing the dead swarm him, i felt a fire, and called for help - thats when my true path came and Sparky came to me - the elemental spirit you saw. We used fire and turned them to ash. Bear, dying, wished to be consumed and his ashes scattered in the place we met."

She cleared her throat as she adjusted her seat. "I took them, and shortly after i came upon an injured woman....shar. She can confirm back then i was a little more serious and distracted. In truth, helping her brought back my spark, and renewed my passion for the search."

She closed her hand, the flame winking out. "Shar and i have been a team since, and my power has grown....but our search has led to nothing."

Silent for once, the tiefling put her hand on the kender's shoulder and lightly squeezed, showing her solidarity in a moment she knew to be painful for her friend.

Gevī paused for a minute as the food arrived, and she took a plate of Otik's famous spiced potatoes.  When her hot water arrived, she withdrew a thumb-sized purplish root from her pouch and sliced it open, exposing a bright red flesh.  Those who were proficient in such things would recognise bloodroot -- toxic in high enough doses.  She squeezed the root over her water, until several fat red drops well in, staining the water a pale red colour.

Gevī took a deep breath.  She really didn't want to talk about this, but it was what they had agreed upon five years ago.  She could feel the weight of their eyes, the unspoken question, and they had been patient long enough.  They deserved answers; they deserved to know what had happened to the bright-yet-serious -- but most importantly human girl they had known.

"Most of you know me," she began.  "Some of you do not."  Her eyes -- once a light shade of blue, now flecked with silver -- flicked to Sharissa.

"For those who do not know me, my name is Gevī Līri Azantssy-Vaokses," she said, giving her name the full Solamnic pronunciation ("Jhevee Leery Azanteesy-Vowkses" -- it sounds just like High Valyrian in Game of Thrones).  "I was born in Viranesh Keep, Northern Solamnia.  My family was a good family -- we looked after lands in the Hinterlung province -- and the Nightlund Province.  I had brothers, sisters, cousins, and a fine education."

She took a sip of her tea.  This next part would be hard to tell -- even her friends only knew some of it, but it was important for the next part.  "My father had enemies -- of course he did -- all lords and powerful people have enemies.  We thought we were prepared for them.  We thought we knew from where they would strike, and we have measures in place to safeguard us if they did.  We didn't count on a fucking death knight -- we didn't plan for Lord Soth.  He came in the dead of night -- and he killed everyone.  I was away, studying at the great library at Palanthas."

"So.  When we left five years ago, searching for evidence of the divine, I declared my intention to go north, back to Solamnia.  And I did, but I did not stop there.  I headed further north into the wastelands, to the ruins of the City of Lost Names, as my research had indicated the presence of a powerful magical artefact in the city.  It was my hope to find this artefact, learn to use it, and either save my family, or enact my revenge on Lord Soth."

"I have not anticipated the undead.  I did not anticipate Lady Malvora.  Malvora is a vampire -- a foul creature that feeds on the blood of the living to sustain her unnatural existence.  More, she enjoys inflicting pain on her victims -- she says the fear makes their blood spicier.  She captured me, and fed on me for... for a long time.  She never took enough to kill me -- just to leave me too weak to escape.  She would allow me to heal, then feed again.  Again and again and again."  Some of Gevi's anger filled her voice, and she slammed a fist down on the table, drawing looks from nearby patrons.  With visible effort, she controlled herself, then continued.

"She grew careless as time went on.  Confident that she had me -- a helpless bloodbag -- where she wanted me for eternity.  But while she was feeding on me, I was studying her.  When she feeds, she is overwhelmed by pleasure.  She did not notice when I began stealing blood from her using a needle and thread.  I could not get much -- and it look a long time, but I got enough.  There is power in vampiric blood.  Enough to vitalise me.  Enough to help me make my escape."

"It did not come without its cost.  I am now as you see me: between life and undeath.  I... know now what it is to hunger.  I can hear your hearts beating here at this table.  I have not -- will not -- indulge in that hunger, but the temptation is ever-present.  The gods have left us -- or they are dead.  We are on our own."

Her tale apparently finished, Gevī sat back, her eyes closed under her hood.