Darkwood--Darkness Rising

[Annalysei]

Anna jogs North, the gray and red slaad coming into view. Feeling the weakness permeating her body from her recent wounds, she rummages around in her belt pouch for her last remaining Cure Moderate Wounds, and swallows it quickly. She sees that her newfound allies are taking places around the gray, and she decides to take a position within melee range near the red slaad.

[Led Pighp]

Led thinks to himself, I knew this thing could shrug off my blows. I'll just have to keep slicing at it until it falls.

He backs up and charges again.

• Fifth turn shifted
  First turn Fast Healing 3
  Declare dodge vs. the grey slaad
  Move 2 squares northwest (AoO from both slaadi)
  Charge 2 squares west (setting up for flanking, if Anna is on the east of the slaadi)
  Claw / Claw / Charge
  (+3 to attack and damage)

[Laurel]

Rubbing the fletching of her last magically enhanced against evil arrow, the bard takes note of the injuries among her friends and allies. As she assesses the damage among them, she leaves the arrow nocked and chooses to modulate her tune from the bracing one of courage to a soothing one of healing, leaving the song of courage to linger along with her spell that boosted it with the intent to return to it shortly.

[ooc]Inspire Courage with Inspirational Boost first round of five lingers
swift action to begin singing Healing Hymn (+11 sacred bonus to conjuration (healing) spells cast while singing and five rounds thereafter)
full round action for a heal check of entire party to determine who may need healing most direly[/ooc]

[Seven Words]

Led moves away, then rushes back in, claws outstretched! He somehow manages to avoid the attacks of both slaadi! Only one of his claws lands, however, and once again half his power is absorbed! (11 points)

Sigrid triggers her power!

Skyseeker moves south, then east, and lofts her javelin at the grey slaad! She misses, however.

The furious grey slaad now shows utter disdain..it moves north, then northwest...Led's opportuneattack missing completely. The slaad casts a Lightning Bolt, angled so as to catch Led, Kalindriel, Skyseeker, Marrik, and Sigrid within the path!

Led is unable to get out of the way! (39 points!)
Kalindriel sidesteps the worst of the strike sizzling past! (19 points)
Skyseeker drops flat under the bolt screaming overhead (Evasion, zero damage)
Marrik is unable to get out of the way, and is struck down, body smoking and crackling! (39 points
Sigrid ducks, only partially catching the stream of electricity! (19 points)

Laurel scans the companions, assessing who needs aid most direly, while switching her song from inspirational to a hymn of healing!

Annelysei quaffs her potion, and moves close to the red slaad.

The red slaad attacks CrushSpike, but fails utterly with it's full attack!

Kalindriel's glaive again slashes out into the red slaad! (7 points)

Vynarkus blasts the grey slaad one final time, leaving a smoking hole through the center of it's chest! (14 points) The fearsome slaad is dead!

CrushSpike swings his hammer in a full attack, backhand to forehand, and both connect! (7 points and 9 points) It falls, jaw knocked completely off, along with half of its face, by that final impact!

The Death Slaad, far to the south, is drawing all the slaadi around to itself..and they are summoningreinforcements.....suddenly, a shadow passes overhead! A majestic shining form swoops down, and in one pass incinerates all the slaadi save the death and two blues! The Death slaad casts a Finger of Death..which the scaled form shrugs off, before wheeling in midair and casting a Fireball spell, but twisted...an Acidball! The slaadi are utterly consumed. Your resucer lands before you in all its' gilded glory.




An Old Gold Dragon.

[Laurel]

Jaw dropping, the bard quickly places her nocked arrow in to her quiver and mentally reviews all welcoming songs and lays she knows by heart. As the others gaze in wonder at the arrival, the bard takes a few seconds to translate the one she chooses from Darelline into Draconian. Daring not to approach without a sign of permission to do so, the bard bows fully before the dragon then sings as she rises to full height.

There's nothing complicated about the way we live
We're here for each other, happy to give
Thoughtful we are
Humble beneath the stars
We've everything we need
The moon, the sun
Oh there is more than enough for you, for everyone
All we have we share, and all of us we care

So come on, welcome to our family time
Welcome to our brotherly time
We're happy giving and taking
To the friends we're making
There's nothing we won't do
Welcome to our family time
Welcome to our happy to be time
This is a festival, you know, and best of all
We're here to share it all

There is a bond between us
Nobody can explain
It's a celebration of life
In seeing friends again
I'll be there for you
I know you'll be there for me too

So come on, welcome to our family time
Welcome to our brotherly time
We're happy giving and taking
To the friends we're making
There's nothing we won't do
Welcome to our family time
Welcome to our happy to be time
This is a festival, you know, and best of all
We're here to share it all

Remembering loved ones departed
Someone dear to your heart
Finding love, and planning a future
Telling stories and laughing with friends
Precious moments you'll never forget

This has to be the most beautiful
The most peaceful place
I've ever been to
It's nothing like I've ever seen before
When I think of how far I've come
I can't believe it...and yet I see it
In them I see family
I see the way we used to be

So come on, welcome to our family time
Welcome to our brotherly time
We're happy giving and taking
To the friends we're making
There's nothing we won't do
Welcome to our family time
Welcome to our happy to be time
This is a festival, you know, and best of all
We're here to share it all

We're here to share it all

Her song of welcome finished, the bard continues to marvel at the sight of a creature she has dreamed to one day catch a mere glimpse of and calls out, again bowing low and continuing in Draconian, "Welcome gold one. We thank you for your aid. It could not have been more timely. We are honored to be in your presence."

[ooc]Diplomacy check, please[/ooc]

[Vynarkus]

Vynarkus stares in awe at the massive dragon in front of them, then visibly gathers his courage, and heads away from the horses and towards it.

As soon as he begins to speak, he seems to calm down, and says, in Draconic, "We humbly thank you for your assistance, Mighty One. I beg you permit me to ask you for the honor of your name, and to express my interest in knowing why one so powerful bothered to help those as weak as ourselves."

As he contiues to talk with the dragon (assuming it responds), he continues in the same vien. [ooc]Diplomacy check.

~~edit~~
Also, the time spent walking over from the horses means that he missed hearing Laurel speak.

Please note that, if we have leveled up between the battle and this discussion, Vynarkus will have a Diplomacy bonus of +24, not +23.[/ooc]

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Although not shouting it out, Kalindriel isn't concerned with the dragon's presence when she says in Draconic, "Oh marvelous, the cavalry. Incredible timing, what with everyone being dead. Well done."

[Seven Words]

Skyseeker looks upon the majestic being, face suffused with joy. "Those who traded far to the south would often speak of noble dragons of silver and gold, but few people dared the southern trip, fraught with orcs and lizardfolk. And some of the highest World Walkers spoke of in the far desert meeting dragons of Brass hue. The oldest tales and lore recount a great friendship between the elves and metallic dragons, ere the Darkness fell. So much was lost, consumed on the altar of our pride..."

[Led Pighp]

Led moves over to Marrik's body, and kneels by it. There is far too much damage to be healed. Perhaps Missyari has need of him still, and one of her priests will raise him again. But that's outside of Led's control.

Looking up at the arriving dragon, he thinks to himself, Now I see why you and the elves got along so well: you're both full of yourselves, while ignoring those around you. Show up late to the battle, kill all the enemies but fail to save most of your so-called allies, then expect accolades for your trouble.

Led calls to Crushspike, asking if he can help carrying Marrik's body back to the stage.

"Let's start the process of tending the dead."

[Sigrid]

I move south to help the elves who were injured. Then I head north to help the others. I try to ignore the dragon for now. There will be time for being a groupie later, when the injured are healed.

[Laurel]

Her song of welcome to the gold dragon finished, the bard picks up her lingering hymn of healing to help make their location more conducive to healing while waiting for the dragon to respond.

[ooc]Inspire Courage along with Inspirational Boost continues to linger, though I am unsure how to count "rounds" when not in battle
Pick up Healing Hymn (+11 to all conjuration spells among those who can hear me)[/ooc]

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Kalindriel says to Led in Heshic, while ignoring the dragon, "Bring all the bodies to the stage. They need to be burned before more Slaadi are spawned. Sigrid's little friend can have a feast."

[Annalysei]

Anna gazes in wonder at the gold dragon, but her eyes are drawn away to the bodies strewn over the the field and she sighs sadly and says a quick prayer for their souls. Since the living party doesn't seem to want to kill her and instead aided her with killing the slaadi, she decides to introduce herself to the shifter that greeted her earlier. "I'm Annalysei. My thanks for not attacking me earlier. Is there anything I can do to help? None of my spells are healing spells, but I can help burn the bodies. Although, we do need to check that gray one for objects."

[Led Pighp]

Led looks up from Marrik's remains, quickly brushing away tears.

To Kalindriel he says, "Those monsters what... leave eggs in their kills? Then yes, we will burn them quickly." He glances at the distant dragon. "Perhaps our savior would do us the honor of disposing of those he was too slow to save? It seems the least he could do for having shown up too late."

Listening to Annalysei, he nods, then quickly turns back to Kalindriel to say, "On the other hand, I think he doesn't deserve the honor of being present at these pyres. We'll do this ourselves."

Turning back to Annalysei, he finally speaks, "Thank you for your assistence against these... things. We have a friendly fire elemental for the burning. Sadly, this is the second group funeral pyre we've had to arrange this week."

"Still, where are my manners? I am Led Pighp, of the Heshic Plains; Lorekeeper of Serloth. This is Kalindriel. Over by the dragon are Laurel and Vynarkus. And somewhere around here is... ah. Also by the dragon is our foreign elf, Skyseeker. I do not see Sigrid of the FrusVolk, but she and the elemental are around. Sigrid can likely assist with our healing needs. Vynarkus is a warlock, he will likely discover any secrets the slaadi have, once he's done sucking up to the late arrival."

"We have taken it upon ourselves to help the local elvish community see the lies spread by its Lord Protector, and to cast him down. In the process, we would like to halt the pending conflict that one has arranged between his own people and the local human tribes."

Led eyes Annalysei briefly, "I take it that you are of both the local elves and the local Volk? Then perhaps you will be an ally to us in saving both of your peoples."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Replying to Led, still in his tongue, while starting to pull one of the elves towards the stone, "Yes, let the elemental do it."

[Since we have a new addition, a character description of Kali:

Her features mix those of an elf and a human. Her height must favor the latter parentage as she stands over half of five and six feet. Her hair is near black, in a bob cut, although the extra light reflected from the snow shows it has a strong violet sheen. It is held out of her eyes by a silver tiara, with guards framing her face, and two decorative horns along her forehead. Her complexion is dark, however the hue is wrong -- gray and not the tan one would expect of the local elves. It is completely unblemished. Excepting for a few stray marks of dirt, which somehow enhance rather than detract, it is in fact flawless.

Her outfit is a thin leather not meant for protection in battle. It has a high neckline which nearly reaches the jaw, long sleeves, and the breeches go down to her ankles, with a chevron covering part of the foot. Horizontal arcing slashes are randomly placed about its length, which gives it both an alluring and menacing quality. She wears no shoes though she does not seemed bothered by the snow-covered ground, and a single fingerless glove on her left hand, which favors holding her glaive when relaxed, and several rings on her right hand. The glaive is a high quality weapon, made from a strange metal which is reddish-purple at the blade and inlays, and a darker nearly black antiqued look for the flat. The grains of the wooden haft are chaotic swirls with no set pattern.]

[Sigrid]

I help the two injured elves back to the stage. I'm out of healing spells, but I can still do Sacred Healing.

"Put the bodies downwind of us on the ground, and Aednat will burn them. Who will speak for the dead?"

I tell Aednat to do what they tell her, and then go looking for injured.

[Led Pighp]

[Good idea on the description.]

Led is a young man, barely an adult, fresh from his apprenticeship as a Lorekeeper. He is shorter, as is normal among the Heshic tribes, though not short enough to warrant notice for that fact. He wears the long white robes of the Lorekeepers, with a vertical blue stripe from each shoulder down to the hem. He wears his robes open, and beneath them he wears the loose fitting robes of a monk (also in white), with a chainmail shirt over the top.

He has no weapons. Nor does he have clothing which would normally be sufficient for the extreme cold in the area.

Close inspection of his face and hands would reveal that his human appearance is slightly marred by a more animalistic taint. Recently, he snarls a lot, so it's easier to tell this. He wears his black hair long, tied in a ponytail with a few Heshic charms tied into it.

[Sorchat]

I walk over to Kali. "Why am I always burning bodies?"

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Switching to Ignan for Aednat, "You've done this before? We could find you a live one if you want something a little different..." She chuckles to herself. "The Slaadi may have infested them."

"I did not have a chance to ask you before things got a little hectic. What should I call you?"

[Laurel]

The bard sees the bodies being collected, and notes Sigrid's fire elemental. Glancing around at the remaining elven gathering, she calls out, "Is there not a cleric among you capable of cleansing and returning some of those slain to us?"

[ooc]my understanding is there is at least one level 14 cleric among the NPCs, but how to convince him to possibly cast Raise Dead on Marrik is unknown to me at the moment[/ooc]