01/03/745 A.E. Continued . . . .
Badly hurt and low on spells, the injured party limps away from its latest encounter, hoping to put a little distance between the scene of the melee and themselves. Scouting ahead for a suitable location, Maarik finds another even smaller clearing in the woods, thick with dead, tangled branches and a few fallen trees ripe with moss and decorated with growths of fungi. Liska looked over the new clearing, knowing full well the pain that tree must have gone through when it was struck by lightning. Usually trees can survive such things, but this one had been hit so badly, it died, its corpse dominating the smallish clearing in which the party now began to relax. At least from this death came new life, and Liska was satisfied with that.
Maarik took up a usual watch position to guard over the group while the spell casters rested, studied, and prayed. Jarmain knelt before the fallen tree, a makeshift natural altar placed there by Zeus' very thunderbolt. "Oh father above, thank you for your deliverance and thank you for my strong arm to use in your service, without which we could not have smote the murderous beasts." Jarmain closed his eyes after openly giving his thanks and continued to pray silently.
Anne sat down and opened her spellbook. She knew she would have to wait at least 4 hours for her tired brain to relax to the point where it might become receptive to the imprinting of her spells, but she liked to look over her accomplishments while her brain chemistry righted itself. If she didn't exert herself, in a mere 4 hours she'd be ready to actually memorize a spell. That would only take a few minutes or so for the simple spells, but the actual waiting took a great deal of time. Her brain chemistry had to right itself each time after the minor, micro-electrical storms occurred in compartmentalized sections of it while she summoned and directed the mystical energies of her spells. The Magic Missile had come in handy with the Axe Beaks, but a Sleep spell would have been even more effective, she thought. And since there might be more of those creatures around here, she decided to memorize her spell to induce such magical slumber when the time came. Anne casually leafed through her spellbook, reexamining some of the cantrips she had first learned. After awhile, she closed the book and glanced up at Maarik and saw his confident figure standing watch, and she felt safe and secure, and so she decided she could afford to take a little nap. She turned on her side and saw Gillmesh across the way, guarding the other end of the camp. Yes, a nap would not be out of the order with this kind of protection.
"I can read a damn map as well as the next guy, but where the hell are they?" Tuall began to become very concerned he may have made a few erroneous assumptions about where the party could be found. A branch snapped under his foot and he grimaced. This place was lousy with sticks, and he knew he was making a lot of noise. "Hell, something's bound to find me at this rate," he whispered to himself. Perhaps he'd think better of going off into the night to pull a fast one, imagining he could always catch up later when it suited him; but knowing Tuall, probably not. Tuall just snapped the sixth dry stick in as many minutes, cursing himself yet again when he looked up and saw a man with a drawn bow and arrow pointing right at his heart. He froze. He didn't even blink. He called up thoughts to render the impression of his own invisibility. A thief he knew, who shall remain nameless, had once told him the art of not being seen could partially be willed to happen. Just think of not being there, concentrate, and share your non-existence with anyone who may look in your direction. Oh, hey, that's Maarik, not some stranger. Good thing too since the invisibility trick didn't seem to be working. Tuall began to breathe again, smiling at Maarik. "Hey guys, good morning." Maarik gave a passing thought to letting lose the arrow anyway. "Probably should shoot him anyway," he mumbled, but slowly relaxed his draw instead, the energy leaving the bow in a decidedly less than kinetic, and considerably friendlier manner. He instead smiled at Tuall, welcoming him into the camp under his guard.
"You have got to be the clumsiest person I've ever heard," said Drael, sheathing her dagger. "Good God!" thought Tuall, as he turned and saw Drael practically right on top oh him. He had been so fixated on the bow and arrow he would never have seen Drael's dagger in his back. Good thing they are on my side, he thought.
Anne, only becoming aware someone was approaching at the last instant, settled back down, almost disappointed it was only Tuall entering the camp. She looked at Liska who seemed to even take less notice of the newly come thief. She seemed intent upon her prayers, similar to Jarmain, just there, but somehow more serene looking, like she was part of nature herself. Anne again closed her eyes.
Drael finished munching on an early morning snack. Mmmmmm, dry rations. She took a pull from her waterskin. Drael, yes Drael, not really in the mood to rest; despite the early morning battle, she had just awakened less than an hour ago and she was not one for sitting around on her hands. She looked at them, her hands, her pride and her worth, in some places. Small, slender, strong fingers, sensitive to the touch, nimble in the extreme. Everything she needed for her work. "Hmmmmm. Now where in the world would a dead cow come from? It must have wondered far from home, or there might actually be a nearby farm around here." (The unseen hand of the DM touches Drael, awarding her extra xp.) Drael decided she might as well look for a farm since she had nothing better to do, and since her fellows were well guarded by those who prided themselves on being stalwart champions, ever vigilant in the face of danger, she would not be missed. Danger, yes. She would have to go and look for some. Drael slips out of the camp, not unnoticed, but little comment was made on it. She begins her long search.
The sun warmed the morning of the battle with the Axe Beaks, steadily increasing the temperature until it began to get uncomfortably warm even in the shade of these woods. Frustrated with her search efforts for the past 5 hours or so, Drael stomps back into camp having found nothing of what she was not looking for.
Anne closed her spellbook, having just finished memorizing the mighty Sleep spell. Jarmain was also engaged in rapid hand movements. Probably nothing more than a few religious signs, but one never knew too much about another's calling or profession; hard enough to learn all the intricacies of one's own profession without having to learn everyone else's, too.
Liska stood up and looked around. "Is everyone ready to continue?" Nothing but agreement came from all except Jarmain. "One moment, if you will." He began chanting a quick prayer, slowly, ever so slowly so as to not break his concentration, and then he carefully walked toward Anne. "Mighty Father, grant me then this boon of healing so we may continue to strive in your great service," he said, as he touched Anne's head where a field bandage still covered what remained of the near fatal wound. Anne felt light, tingly, almost euphoric. Not only was the slight throbbing completely gone from her head, she almost felt orgasmic. "Wow. Thank you," was all she could think to say, a little embarrassed at the almost sexual experience of the healing energy. She wondered if that was normal. One could almost become addicted to that sort of thing. Jarmain smiled at her. "Now we can move out."
Drael covers the small campfire with dirt, picks up her equipment and heads out, following after her recently acquired companions.
Liska leads the band of adventurers farther north, following the trail she had marked out at the sage's home. Less than an hour goes by when the wind shifts, again bringing an odor of decay to assault our heroes. They decided to check it out, and soon Jarmain spots a straight line in the woods. It turns out to be part of a fence boarding a largish clearing. Obviously this area had been stripped of timber and a small farm established. But something was not right here, and the stench of decay proved that. They split up and search the barn, the ragged shack of a house, and a bit of a tool shed, eventually finding what can only be described as an unfortunate and horrible fate for a man and a small boy of five years or so. Raked and pecked to death, the livestock and their owners shared the same fate. Old Axe Beak tracks in the dried mud could be seen even without the keen eye of a ranger. Maarik confirmed the old tracks were similar to the creatures they had fought earlier. "Those things looked so much like chickens, only larger. Maybe some evil magic turned them into those giant creatures? Yet they do not seem to eat what they kill. Perhaps they merely kill to defend their territory," he speculated aloud.
Already partially eaten away by other small scavengers, and infested with larva, the party gathers the remains of the man and the child and burns them along with their poor home, sending their souls heavenward in the form of smoke riding the wind. Naturally, Tuall made sure nothing of value remained behind to be burned, but the best even he found were some spiffy, shining new stainless steel buckets, probably used for milking the cows. He takes one. Why not? He could carry things in it, so apart from a little extra weight, it didn't really encumber him further. The rest of the party tends the fire until it is safe to leave, but night approaches and soon they make camp.
01/04/745 A.E.
Getting an early start, and with all members in tiptop shape, as well as decked out with full compliments of spells, the group makes good progress and arrives at the general area indicated on the map by Pierce and Liska. But they could be miles off, and the area will take many days to search. Having left the Axe Beaks far behind, and having seen little in the way of danger, the party decided to split up into two groups and cover twice the ground, both groups looking for a sand or gravel pit. Each group agrees not to do anything too risky without the other, and to meet back here in 2 days. Gillmesh leads Anne, Liska, and Drael to the west while Maarik takes Jarmain and Tuall to the east. Maarik's group finds nothing interesting for now, so we will leave them for a time.
A hard day's search also produces little for Gill's company. Settling in for the night, Drael spots a raccoon and Liska looks too, thinking to herself that raccoons only live near a source of fresh water. Drael thinks about killing the coon and eating it, but Liska is only concerned about washing the grime off her body. Abandoning the idea of skinning a raccoon, Drael sits down to munch on her lovely dry rations while Liska follows the raccoon to an odd outcropping of rock where she find a small, stone pond.
Liska watches the raccoon catch a fish or something, wash it, and scamper off to eat it, but she is really only interested in a bath, so she soon finds herself naked and immersed in the cool water. Only Drael is nearby, asking Liska questions about the treasure they are seeking while the druid bathes in the refreshing pond. And though action may be lurking below, that is not what happens next.
Growal liked the hot weather. It felt good against his scales and it meant the Rrroks would be out. He loved the taste of Rrroks and hoped he would find some before the day was out. Taking 7 others with him, the band of hunters went in search of prey. Tonight, thought Growal, I will return with meat and Errier will not ignore me then. He thought about her lovely shape, the way she swished her tail when he was near, and he dropped his sword. Clatterrriingggg, the steel against the stones rang out. By the lords of Kobold, Errier was hot! Oh yes, he'd have meat for her tonight.
Back at the camp, Anne again resting and Gillmesh looking, unfortunately, in completely the wrong direction this time, a small band of dog-like, lizard-like creatures (8 kobolds), probably a hunting party, finally finds some prey. Growal, the leader, holder of the mighty sword of steel (just a mundane shortsword really, but rather nice for a kobold, and a status symbol nonetheless), orders the attack. "Grrirel Rowelis Rooargrr!" he commands.
COMBAT BEGINS:
R1: Spears in hand (paws, claws?) they charge the camp taking Gillmesh by surprise. Growal and one of his underlings actually hit Gillmesh in the back, wounding him. The other half (4 kobolds) charge Anne, but just before they reach her soft flesh with hard, steel tipped spear points, Anne blankets the immediate area in front of her with the Sleep spell's area of affect. Four kobolds slump to the ground and Anne cheers as the kobolds start snoring in gruesome harmony, finally using her sleep spell for the first time, and quite effectively to boot.
R2: All will be lost if the kobolds wake up, and Anne knows they will soon (5 rounds). Them or me, she thinks, and begins to carefully walk amongst them, bashing their skulls in one-by-one with her staff, round-by-round, before they wake up in but a few moments. Gill, on the other hand, not taking kindly to being hit in the back with an unwarranted surprise attack, turns upon his adversaries and has at them. The sounds of open battle and melee reach the stone pond, and Liska and Drael hurry back to camp at breakneck speed, one of them hurriedly dressing along the way. Gillmesh instinctively cuts at the most dangerous looking kobold first. He was only holding a shortsword, sure, but he is the biggest. So ends the life of one Growal, leader of this band of hunters, actually cut in half by the horrible man creature. And with his strength, all Gill needs to do is get a piece of these little buggers and they're as good as dead! But he still has to hit them first, and so it goes.
R3: Gillmesh glares at the second of the four on him, "Ye made ah bad mistake here, fella!" His sword arm cuts another one down before the little bugger can bring his spear in line with Gill's massive form. Drael enters the camp, sling at the ready, and Liska is close behind, preparing an arrow.
R4: Some missiles fly from Liska and Drael, but miss the kobolds. "Stand still so I can kill you," mutters Drael. Gill, now completely on the bounce, eludes the kobolds easily, but they cannot say the same of him and he fells a third beast. Having killed one, Anne unfortunately doesn't connect well, glancing around nervously to make sure no one else is sneaking up on her, and she just ends up waking one of the kobolds up after delivering a mere, glancing blow to one of the magically sleeping beasts. It gets up and begins to attack her.
NOTE: Magically slept creatures can be killed automatically one/round, but only if there is no combat in the immediate area and one's attention is not divided. To ignore combat in the area would leave a person wide open with no combat bonuses and vulnerable to surprise attacks with potentially lethal consequences, so one's training is to NEVER do that. It's not worth the risk. As such, only one such magically sleeping creature can be hit per round, though no roll to hit is required. However, damage must be rolled. If not lethal, the creature will awaken and act accordingly. Alternatively, one can roll to hit at +4, and if they connect, do maximum damage.
R5: After missing the mage who had just awakened it, Anne connects with the advancing creature, staving in its skull. Drael hits one fighting Gill, and Liska misses yet again, but no matter as Gillmesh finishes the job. All are dead except the two that are still sleeping and whom Anne hadn't gotten to yet, but they would soon awaken as the spell's effects wore off.
COMBAT ENDS:
Quickly thinking, and with their lives out of serious jeopardy, Drael and Liska tie the two kobolds up as they begin to awaken, while Gill convinces the kobolds to stay still while the girls do this by using his foot on the kobold's throat as gentle persuasion. Drael tries to get the kobolds to speak in a language she can understand, but fails in the attempt. Frustrated at the attempt to communicate, she collects their valuables instead. All told, 48 CP, 23 SP, 8 EP, and 1 GP. Hmmmmm, on the back of the imperial gold piece they just obtained from the kobolds stands the figure of a woman, and on the front of the silver, the head of the same woman. These are the two places reserved for the image of the emperor or empress of the Alodarian Empire. Philippe Montrose (current emperor), this is not. A quick go around the group reveals that none of them know too much about local history, and though they know some of the empire's past leaders have been women, they do not know who or how long ago. The session ends with the party discussing what they should do with their captives, and what their next move should be.
SESSION ENDS.
© August of 1999
by
James L.R. Beach
Waterville, MN 56096