# Forum > Play-by-Post Games > Ongoing Games (In-Character) >  Madness at Brightmore Abbey IC

## Amnestic

Some 35 years ago, Duskwood was afflicted by a terrible curse and has since been blanketed in darkness, apparently never to see the light of the sun again. The once verdant forests and bright farms are now gnarled and twisted, with ash-black bark and twisted thorny plants. It is a dangerous land, where monsters lurk in the darkened woods  enormous spiders the size of a man, worgen packs can tear through an armoured regiment in moments, and the restless undead eternally hungering for the living. It is a perilous place, but one in which the people continue to live.

Despite your group's eclectic mix, the relative peace between the Alliance and Horde has allowed groups of adventurers that pull from across the world to come together and travel in search of fame, fortune, and fun. You're traveling down the northern route towards Darkshire, the only remaining settlement in the area. The roads are well worn, but noticeably more dilapidated than the roads you passed before entering the nocturnal land. 

It is, thankfully, a short journey between the northern edge of night and the safety of the town - at least in comparison to the alternative route. No lanterns exist to light the way, though the flickering light of your own torches helps to keep the darkness at bay. In the distance you hear the rustling of trees and the occasional lupine howl, but they're far off, and you are mercifully unimpeded on your travel. Judging time is difficult in Duskwood  there is no sun in the sky with which to track your progress, but considering how many meals you've had and the requirements for sleep, it's likely been roughly two or three days since you crossed the border.

It's the first other source of light and life you've seen since entering the cursed land, and doubtless a welcome one. In total the town is large enough to host perhaps a few thousand, though they are not all in the town itself, with some scattered to nearby farms in an attempt to grow food suitable for maintaining their homes  difficult though that may be. It's a well known truth that Duskwood has essentially been abandoned by Stormwind for years, even now, and mostly is forced to fend for themselves. It's made them hard, but also created a deeply tight-knit community. 

Two figures flank the gate to the town, each highlighted by torches set in sconces that burn with flickering flames. They're dressed in entirely practical scale mail with blades at their belts and crossbows slung across their back. Horns hang round the necks of both and their only notable decoration is a small brooch on each of their breasts  an eye set into the flame of a blazing torch, the symbol of the Night Watch Militia. To no great surprise, the gate is shut.

The pair are notable opposites in their tenure. One, a grizzled man of perhaps 50 years with dark skin, a shaved head and a trimmed white beard. A network of scars crisscross his scalp. The other looks barely old enough to hold a sword, perhaps a scant 15 years at most, but he's clearly seen some combat; his right eye is missing, with three massive claw marks raking across his otherwise youthful features. He can't even grow stubble yet, nevermind a beard to match his fellow gate-guard. A one-eyed watchman might not be ideal, but clearly the militia can't be choosers.

When they see your torchlight approaching, the old man raises a directional lantern to highlight you each in turn, which gives a brief moment of blindness as the bright light hinders your vision, though he sets it aside just as quickly and beckons you forwards. His eyes are stern, but not unkind. 5 years ago, you'd likely receive an order to leave at the end of a sword; times have changed, albeit perhaps not so much for Duskwood itself. Adventurers, are you? He calls out in a hoarse voice. It's a fair guess, given your party. Staying or just passing through? 
Sure you can trust 'em Dodds? The youth interjects, apparently not caring that you could hear him. He eyes Jok'lek and Kha'draz with notably more suspicion than the others of your group. A hand rests threateningly on the blade in its scabbard.
No." He pauses, to let the word sink in - for you and his companion both. But we're not in a position to turn away helping hands. The young man gives a quiet _"hmph"_ in response but doesn't say more, leaving Dodds free to continue addressing you directly. I'm sure the Commander has some funds stashed away, if you are looking for work. And if you're looking to spend or stay, I can give directions.

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

A bit further back in the group, Emilia pulls her cowl into her face even harder. She does prepare for a somewhat hostile welcoming with her own magic. Shadows envelop her skeletal features, making her suddenly look lively and almost welcoming. Yet, she did not approach the guard for closer inspection, enjoying the cover of darkness and bad human eyesight in this dark wood.

Shadows aid me in this negotiation. she puts her hand on her ornate dagger sheathed on her hips stylized with an eye and a tentacle shaped finger guard. We are mercenaries, and work for coin, not for a faction. If you can pay us well, or show us to treasure, we will aid you regardless of our race. Emilia includes herself in the claim readily, even though on a surface level she seems as human as the others. The dark magic of the Guardian has left this area in ruin, and Stormwind did not help, but abandon you. You are right to be wary, but listen to your superior.

If we are allowed to stay, we will gladly use the abode you command us to use.

*Spoiler*
Show

Persuasion(1d20+4)[*24*] + (1d4)[*3*]


*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

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## Xihirli

"Oooh, I love these trees!" Jade said as they went through the gnarled forest. "Think we'll get attacked by a giant spider? I've always wanted a giant spider's venom sacs... well, I want them _now_, anyway! Ooh! Jok'lek! Did you ever fight a giant spider? How big was it? I want to carve my way through the middle of the biggest thing anyone's ever fought!"

As the lantern shone, Jade covered her eyes. "Ah! My eyes!" She shook her head and stepped up to Dodds. "Hi, I am Jade. This is Kha'draz, he's exploring! That's Emilia, she likes to be nice in terrifying ways. That big guy is Jok'lek, watch out for him, he's almost as strong as me. This is Skipsy, from the explorer's league. She knows how to use a gun! Like, almost as well as a goblin! And I'm just happy to be here."
Jade flashed them her winning smile. 

"I will pay you THIS MUCH money," Jade reached into her coin purse and pulled out a handful of gold coins, "If you can tell us where the Deck of Many Things is. Half as much money for information on the Deck of a Few Things, and I'm not interested in the Deck of One Thing. We already have that one. Oh! Oh! Oh!" Jade jumped just to make sure everyone knew she was excited. "You said mister Commander would hire us? What for? I'm _really_ good at killing things! Ask any of the things I've killed!"

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## Kushina43

"I've killed my fair share of giant spiders, but mostly ones that be living in caves instead of the trees." Jok'lek shares with Jade before the approach.  "Though venom sacs are hard to come by, fragile things that take time to carve out.  Ah, looks like there's a human village."  He shields his eyes from their lantern briefly, his anger flaring up in a balled fist before immediately calming down to join the conversation.

"Indeed, we are adventurers.  I am Jok'lek, Darkspear warrior.  Hir'eek's guidance upon you."  He puts a hand to his chest, then raises his fist in a respectful salute. Jade and Emilia make their introductions and offers, and the troll follows up.  "We are indeed looking for a magical item last heard was here, to make sure no one terrible gets their hands on it.  As my friends have expressed so far, we are more than willing to stay where you decide, and to help around town while we're here, so long as we can get that information."

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## Khosan

Skipsy and Ox, her mechanical battle chicken, travel at a brisk jog/waddle to keep up with the others.  "Duskwood's spiders - huff - are pretty notorious - hoo - for their size, - huh - temperament, and high reproductive rate!"  She wheezes. trying to maintain her pace, "You can see - hnng - their webs and eggs just - hah - about everywhere.  Some very brave people - gulp - make trips out here to - cough - gather things like silk, - eugh - meat, and, yes Jade, - eugh - poison glands."  She takes one last deep breath as she finishes her explanation, "For clothes, bandages and antivenom!"

Skipsy waves excitedly at the guards, and starts positively _beaming_ at their suggestion that she, grouped with the others, is an adventurer, "Sure are!"  The notion seems to have given her a second wind, "Skipsy, Skipsy Turncrank, archaeologist in good standing with the Explorer's League!"  She salutes alongside Jok'lek, barely taller than the troll's knee.

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Emilia's eyes glare daggers in the backsides of her friends. With a smile, she then continues. I am sure these fine men are not interested in our alchemical and culinary expeditions.

Against all odds, the guards were pretty open, and her new group would test their chances by rambling about spiders for a solid three minutes. Like the Horde's finest assortment weren't looking dangerous enough, they were already talking about poison, spider meat and _sacs_. She sighs, though through her ruined lungs the raspy sigh sounds more like wind chilling through an abandoned house.

We would be delighted to get some directions.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

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## Amnestic

Though the youth briefly looks interested in the offer of gold, Dodds waves it away before any can change hands, his face remaining impassively stoic as he does so. Militia pays us well enough, can't take extra." He's not quite quoting a regulation at you, but his tone isn't far off. Don't know about this 'Deck' you talked about." He casts an eye to his partner in stopping crime, but the youth shakes his head too. But could be someone else in town does." He thumbs a hand to the gate behind him, still shut. Keep following this road straight, it'll take you to the town square, can't miss it. Most people pass through there every day, could be a good place to start asking around. Scarlet Raven Tavern's there too if you need a place to stay, and the Town Hall's nearby - it's got a big clocktower. Chances are you'll find the Commander there, if she's not on patrol." Whether used to adventurer quirks or simply too professional, he doesn't engage with the talk of spiders.

He pauses and gives your group one more look over, scrutinising you each in turn. One last thing then. Everyone gets the same warning: Cause trouble, and you leave town. Cause a lot of trouble, we'll hang you - if you're lucky. Duskwood has enough problems, we aren't looking to add more. Keep your weapons stowed. Welcome to Darkshire. Light guard you." It's delivered in the same stoic tone as before, there's no malice in the 'threat', merely making you aware of the facts. Dodds reaches back a hand and knocks twice on the gate, the dull thump of gauntlet on wood reverberating through it. A moment passes and then it squeaks open on its wooden hinges. Two more guards stand on the other side, and you're waved through into the town proper.

*Spoiler: OOC*
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Giving a chance for any more questions/destinations you're concerned with before moving along.

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## Xihirli

"Weapons! I have a really cool one!" Jade almost reached for her battle-ax, then frowned and gripped her hands together. 
"No weapons," she repeated to herself like a mantra. "No weapons." She started running into the gates, but stopped in her tracks and pulled from the bag at her waist a journal and ink pen. The journal was titled _List of Friends_. Jade scrawled down 
_Dodds
Grumpy kid_
Then she stuffed the journal away and resumed heading inside.

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## Kushina43

"Scarlet Raven Tavern, and the commander may be at the town hall which got the clock tower," Jok'lek repeats aloud to be certain he heard right, then nods his head affirmatively.  "And of course, no trouble.  Not a problem.  We appreciate your help."  He makes sure his weapons are secure and glances at everyone but Jade, who's already gone ahead as expected, to make sure any questions or concerns are addressed before they head in.

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Emilia approaches the older guard. Are there any unsavory types we should avoid? I don't want to be pulled into a fight, and then reprimanded for defending myself. she says with an almost sincere smile. I don't care about your underworld here. We need a base of operations, we are not here to start something. She looks around.

There are far more lucrative townships around. she says with a weak smile.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

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## Amnestic

Dodds' frown deepens, the furrow in his brow creasing at the question. "Darkshire's a good village. 'Unsavoury types' don't stick around. We make sure of that." A look of curiosity crosses his face and he leans in towards Emilia, his gaze scrutinising her further as he inhales through his nose. "So make sure you don't become one, if you want to stay."

*Spoiler: OOC*
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I'll move along to town centre later today, last chance for questions but seems like you're good for now.

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## Amnestic

Darkshire's buildings are mostly wooden, though they're interspersed with some of stone. While certainly more well lit than the woods at large and the path you took here, pockets of darkness are regular and the flickering of lantern and torch make shadows leap and twist in the corners of your eyes. It would be easy to hide in this place, in the darkened gaps between lights, but the cobblestone road you walk to the centre of town is at least generally well lit, and you can abandon own lighting. Those you pass on the road give you a wide berth, eyeing you with suspicion, curiosity and - in the case of Kha'draz - barely concealed disdain. Orcish history in the area is one of cooperation with humans.

The town centre is only a short walk away and it's immediately clear when you enter it. A wider space, its core is dominated by an ornate stone fountain, a far cry from the otherwise practical town that heralds back to a time before the curse wreathed the land in shadow. The clocktower spoken of is here, of course, attached to the largest building in sight. Its entryway is guarded, but the door is open, with light streaming out into the square. A glance up at the clocktower tells you it's late afternoon, or perhaps early morning. More likely the former, in your case. The timing would explain the number of people. Even the quiet, gloom-swept town needs to function and there's a number of vendors selling goods from small carts or stalls. 

Perhaps most visually notable is a Night Elf, her age indeterminate as all elves are, selling flowers. A stark contrast to the rest of the town, their colours are bright and vibrant, catching the flickering torchlight in reds, yellows, purples and greens that seem to defy the decay that otherwise defines the area. Her wares seem relatively popular, and there's a steady stream of people who greet her warmly, buying a flower here, a bouquet there while sharing a pleasant conversation. Other stalls have more expected fare - clothing, tools, trinkets carved of wood and forged from metal. Some are in the shapes of protective talismans, though chances are that faith is the shield that offer, rather than tangible magic if the craftsmanship and price tags are any indication. 

The majority of those you see are human, to no great surprise, but there are a few dwarves and gnomes among them. 

Not far off is another building from which you can hear carousing and good cheer, as well as smell roasted meats. The hanging sign outside its door bears the faded image of a blood-red bird, and the worn letters of _Scarlet Raven Tavern_. Further away, just outside of the square, you can hear the rythmic hammering of metal on metal, and a plume of smoke steadily rising tells you they're probably the local smith. A larger building (though not quite the size of the town hall), they are probably the only one that services the entire town. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
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Feel free to split up if you want to cover more ground in a shorter time period for searching out information, I'm happy to run multiple scenes at once.

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## Xihirli

Jade was intrigued by the idea of a guy paying her to kill things, and ran off to the town hall to find Mr. Commander. 
She pushed on the doors of the Town Hall with her powerful goblin muscles. 

"Hello, I'm Jade!" She introduced herself. "I'm looking for Mr. Commander, I'm really good at killing things!"

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## Kushina43

The place was quite nice for its location, at least as far as human towns go.  Peaceful, though the number of guards was not lost on Jok'lek, and neither were the wary eyes they and some townsfolk gave him, and the sheer number started raising his temper.  He shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath to let his anger flow out, like he was taught during the Pandaria expeditions, and opens his eyes to find Jade has run off to the town hall, likely to talk about killing things, and he facepalms.  He'd grown to love the little goblin, as he did most of the group, but he'd gotten careless and should've expected this from the get-go.

"For the love of-  I'm goin' ahead to the town hall to make sure she doesn't accidentally get us kicked out.  Get us situated in the tavern, while I try and sort this out-" he starts explaining his idea as he starts for the town hall, rushing while shouting the final suggestion.  "But if anyone wants to help, please feel free!"

He makes it to the Town Hall, the doors already pushed open by the eager goblin, and steps behind her to stay close - whatever Jade said a moment ago, it didn't seem to be winning over anyone in here at a glance.

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Oh, for Light's sake. Jade, get back here! Emilia does not sound but exclaim as loud as a worried mother would. Putting her hand onto the head of the goblin, Jade can feel the bony claw. Emilia tries to pull the head of the strong goblin to her face, but her weak undead frame would be too weak to really force her. One: The commander is a woman. Two: We don't go around bragging how good we are at murdering. I can tell you are excited to get your fighting on, but we have to behave a bit. That being said, Emilia rises once again.

As my little friend said, we would like to meet the Nightwatch commander. We are mercenaries in search of work.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

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## Amnestic

The people pushed past by Jade, and in pursuit of her, are a mix of clerks dressed in neat finery and more Night Watch militia in the same scale mail you'd seen before. A few put their hands to their blades, though none draw them. The expression on their faces say they're quite willing to do so, however, should the need come to it, but you're not blocked from your passage. A short journey through a winding passage brings you to the main room of the town hall proper, a long chamber dotted with tables, chairs, desks, a lectern for speeches and rows upon rows of books upon shelves that line the walls. To your left, a group of militia stood clustered around a drafting table with a map of Darkshire, quietly talking. To your right, a small group of officials clustered in hushed words while a scribe took notes to their side. "Commander." A militiawoman  who had quietly, and almost invisibly, slipped into step behind you makes herself known, calling to the group at the maptable. "These...mercenaries wish to speak with you."

A black-haired woman stands back from the table, before nodding to the others with her, who disperse immediately leaving you free to approach. She bears no markings or signifiers that she holds rank over any of the other militia, no medals pinned to a chest, no ornate cloak or fancy armour. She wears the same that the rest do, complete with dents from battle. This is no noble who leads from the safety of the keep, that is certian. Perhaps in her mid-30s at most, her stance and presence are that of a veteran soldier. Even if she's not the oldest member of the Watch, she holds herself as a leader, and the air of authority about her is clear. *"Thank you, Paige."* The soft-stepped soldier salutes, before moving away. *"Commander Althea Ebonlocke, Night's Watch Militia."* She has the same crisp professionalism that Dodds has - if anything she's more abrupt and to the point. *"Looking for work? There's plenty to go around. Can you scout?"*

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## Xihirli

"Mercenaries? We're not mercenaries. We're just a band of travelers with no particular loyalty to any one place willing to fight in exchange for compensation."
Jade frowned. "Wait."

But her existential crisis could wait. She pulled out her _List of Friends_ and added _Commander Althea Ebonlocke_.
"Can I scout? Absolutely! The wilderness is where I thrive! Why, every winter my mother would put me in the snow pile to guard the house. 'Now don't come back in,' she'd say. And there I'd stay, living off the land! I learned how to make a warmish place to live! Out of ICE and SNOW! It was great! Question though: When you say 'scout,' do you want us to go out, find danger, come back and warn you about it? Or go out, find danger, and eliminate it before it has a chance to bother you? I confess I have more experience with the other one!"

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Of course we can scout. And we are capable to keep ourselves alive even if we would be caught- Emilia says. Her smile becomes overwide, almost as if she was waiting for this. _And we can interrogate as well, if you need us to. Pry information from loose minds._ the priest sends telepathically to the commander. Do not be distressed. I will not use the powers granted to me on anyone here. She pauses for a second, and then adds. There is something private I would want only you to 'hear' so to speak. Do you accept? She offers a hand to grab for the commander.

*Spoiler: If she accepts*
Show

The commander feels not a warm human hand but a skeletal hand in her own. It reverberates in her mind.I am a dead woman, Commander Ebonlocke. I died during the Scourge, and this is but a phantasm to calm your men and townsfolk. I want to help you, because just as Stormwind and Dalaran abandoned us, they also left you.

And I do not want to start our work relation with a lie.

The priest then bows as courteously as she can.


*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

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## Khosan

Skipsy waves to everyone running off to meet the commander, "Let me know if we're getting kicked out of town!  I'll get us a spot at the tavern!"  She strolls over to the tavern, thankful for the chance to walk instead of jog, with Ox jerkily waddling behind.  The smithy was of some interest to her, poor guy was probably overworked and could use a pair of helping gnomish hands, but there'd be time for that later.  For now, rooms.

Dodging through legs both human and chair, Skipsy approaches the bar and, using Ox as a temporary footstool, clambers up on to a barstool.  She waves to get the barkeep's attention (then for a few seconds after as an excessively friendly 'hello'), "Heya!  My friends and I just got in, they'll be here soon."  Taking a deep breath, she prepares to order for the group, "Could I get a glass of wine, a mug of spiced apple cider, two mugs of ale, a loaf of bread, a wedge of whatever cheese you have on offer, and a few cuts of that delicious smelling creature over the fire?"  She smiles broadly, before a thought occurs and she claps her hands excitedly, "Oh!  If you have it, can we get two spider sausages?  I think Jade'd like those."

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## Amnestic

*Town Hall*

Commander Ebonlocke takes a step back from Emilia's hand with martial precision. *"Anything you have to say can be said aloud. Enter my mind again unbidden and you will be arrested."* You might have expected a raised voice or anger in her response, but it's in the same measured tone as her previous statements. Flat and punctual, a simple statement of boundaries - nothing more or less. She moves past it swiftly, letting no awkwardness hang in the air as she shifts to explaining the task. *"Travelers moving along the central road in Duskwood have been coming under more attacks than usual as of late. Some who survived report gnolls, perhaps moved south from Elwynn. Lord Ebonlocke believes these to be a nuisance, but ultimately no great concern. I disagree."* She gestures to a point on the map east of the Twilight Grove, on the close side of the mountains. At a guess, it's likely two or three days hike away if you travel there as the crow flies. *"Brightmore Abbey has been abandoned by humanity for generations and all manner of creature has taken up residence over the years. While they kept to themselves this wasn't an issue, but if the gnolls are raiding I can't leave it alone. Find out how many there are, what defenses they have, and then report back. 600 gold coins in payment."* She pauses to allow the information to sink in, then adds: *"Questions?"*

*Tavern*

The inside of the tavern is warm as expected, with one wall dominated by an enormous fireplace and its roaring hearth. They clearly have no fear of the fire spreading though, as much of the building and furniture are carved from wood. The smell of meat, beer and sweat permeate the air, though thankfully more the former than the latter. Ambient chatter punctuated with laughs and cheers surrounds you, and no one gives Skipsy any particular notice. 

There's only one person at the bar at the moment, a woman perhaps in her mid 20s, with brown skin and shining amber eyes. There's no sense of melancholy or sadness within, though that could just be how she is while she works - a perfectly sculpted mask of hospitality. Or maybe she's just as positive as she seems. She listens to Skipsy's order, carefully scribing a note into a wax tablet as she nods along, with no objections raised to any of the requests. "Aye, can do love, can do. I'll start a tab for you and yours, yeah? Grab a table that's free, we'll bring it to you when it's ready." The slight twang to her accent indicates she's spent time in dwarven lands, though not much more. The inn is alive with activity around you as the barkeep slides one of the tablets behind her to the kitchen at her back. Most of those clustered around the spacious tavern floor look to be labourers, wearing the heavy duty clothing of those who till the fields or move goods. Most seem local, and likely of little import to you.

There's a few that catch the eye scattered around however - a draenei woman wearing pristine white robes is sat alone, cradling a goblet of wine in one hand as reads a thin book clasped in the other, a man whose build is that of a labourer, but his age and clothing mark him as one retired from that life though his aged eyes still hold a keen and discerning gaze, and a young woman in traveling gear sat alone in the darkest corner in the room, nursing an ale as her eyes flicker between those who enter with a manic energy.

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## Kushina43

"Jok'lek, of the Darkspear," the troll introduces himself to Commander Ebonlocke, stepping aside from Jade and a step toward her to converse properly.  "Straight to the point, I like that...  Aye, scouting's within our skillset.  There anything in particular you lookin' for?  Duskwood clearly be a dangerous place, but you ask rather quickly for someone so experienced in the matter."  He tries to clarify their task, almost certain this has something to do with their goal of the Deck, even if she wasn't aware or it's something tangential as new bandit camps.

He listens as the Commander explains the reports of gnoll attacks on travelers and nods along.  "Gnoll attacks..  Alright, we can look into that.  Gnolls be quite nasty, don't need more in a place already dangerous.  Not sure they'd..." his last sentence much quieter and trails off into silent thought, studying the map.  "Two day trip.. perhaps three, and back.  May need some time to rest after our travel, but we'll go the moment we're ready.  One question, though- have there been any notable details about these gnoll attacks, aside from the frequency?"

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## Amnestic

Her answer is as prim and precise as always, with no hesitation on recalling details. *"Make whatever preparations you need. Herble Baubbletump runs a general store nearby if you need additional supplies and Morg is the head smith if you need weapons or armour fitting. Information from the attacks are scattered and unclear, but two reports said the gnolls stopped chasing after the people dumped what they were carrying. Their pack leader might be more interested in coin than killing. Make no mistake though - they're still killers. This job is just to scout, but no one in Darkshire will complain if you put some down along the way."*

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## Xihirli

Automatically, Jade divided 600 by 5. "Hey, a nice even one-twenty for each of us. Isn't that great, Jok'lek?" Jade jumped up on his shoulder and climbed until she could sit down pretty comfortably. 
"My question, related to this task, is if there happens to be a bounty out on gnolls. 'Cuz if we're going to where they are anyway, and I could bring back like four gnoll heads, do you think I could turn that in for _additional_ money? You know, I'm already making a trip, hoping to get in some hunting, right?"
Jade flashed her new friend her winning smile.

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## Amnestic

*"Until I know what I'm dealing with, I can't authorise any bounties. Discretionary funds are limited."* She doesn't shy away from this fact, there's no embarrassment in her bluntness that they simply might not be able to pay if you arrived with too many gnolls killed. *"For now, you're being paid to scout and report, that's all. The situation might change depending on what you find out."*

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## Xihirli

"Got it!" Jade said. "I have no more questions, then! Into the wilderness! After sleeping!"
Jade leaned next to Jok'lek's ear and whispered, which for her was quite a lot like yelling. "Hey, we should buy a lot of salt. That way we can bring a bunch of gnoll meat back and the town can have a _biiiiiig_ feast! But shh! It's a surprise!"

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Emilia lowers her hand clutching it in her own feeling the bony structure underneath. She was a fraud, a thin veil of humanity between her and being a monster. She pauses for a few moments before responding. Maybe we exchange more information once we trust each other more.

Yes, I have an easy question for you. We are new to these parts. Aside from gnolls and our group's extensive encounters with spiders, what are other threats of the area? I have heard of feral worgen, of undead and even demons. What of it is true?


*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

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## Amnestic

*"Not counting the gnolls the primary threats in Duskwood are the restless undead, feral worgen packs, roaming beasts such as wolves or giant spiders, and ogres - in that order."* She gestures again to the map for your attention. *"Undead tend to congregate around Raven Hill and Tranquil Garden, you're unlikely to face many if you travel only between Brightmore and back. Likewise, the ogres stick mostly to their mound unless provoked. Worgen and beast packs lurk in the woods; they'll likely be most of what you find on the route west. Demons are a rarity. For a time the Twilight Grove spawned creatures of nightmare, but it has been dormant for a number of years, I wouldn't expect to face any such creatures, though Brightmore's proximity may have had unusual effects."* It didn't seem in her nature to shrug, and she doesn't, but if she were someone else, they might have done at this point. *"Hopefully the scouting will tell you more."*

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek was plenty used to the goblin perching on occasion at this point, but it didn't make it less comfortable long term.  "You got it, Commander Ebonlocke.  We'll reconvene at the tavern and we'll go once we're prepared"  He walks out, Jade still perched on his shoulder, and when her offer comes in he gives it some thought, replying quietly in kind. "Gnoll meat or not, salt is definitely worth getting..  But I am tempted by the idea.  Ya don't think they'd find it weird to eat gnoll?"  Once the pair arrive at the tavern, he's getting sore and lets Jade back down, opening the door for the both of them and looking for the Skipsy and Kha'draz.

----------


## Khosan

"Excellent!  Thank you, we'll be right over there," Skipsy hops off the stool, bouncing off Ox, and quickly making her way over to an empty table near the entrance.  Climbing up on to a chair (again with Ox's help), she places her bag on the table, picks up her oh-so-helpful mechanical friend and places him neatly in her lap.  Retrieving her tinker's tools, she places a few coins on the table and, with a little arcane fiddling, quickly enchants them, creating a tune familiar to some, though much tinnier.

Content with the ambience the music provides, Skipsy (humming along with the tune) takes a look around the tavern.  She squints at the draenei, trying to identify the book in her hand, but makes no move to draw the woman's attention away from her reading.  After Skipsy shares a brief glance with the woman in the corner, she waves enthusiastically to her.

----------


## Amnestic

A 4lb bag of salt is quickly acquired for the low price of two silver coins from the general store that the Commander directs you to - the balding gnome shopkeep seems only mildly interested in what adventurers would need with such vast quantities of salts, but doesn't press the issue, and soon enough the party rejoins to its full strength of four inside the tavern. You do get some curious looks, but most of the patrons stick to themselves - there's no need to sour the ale by causing trouble, after all.

A glance at the book in the draenei's hands tells Skipsy the title is likely _"Gilnean Nights."_

*Spoiler: History DC7*
Show


_Gilnean Nights_ is the third book in the so-called 'Romance of the Seven Kingdoms' series (a sequel to the first '_Red Mask Rebellion_' and the second '_Kul Tyranny_'), a collection of adventure-romance novels centred around a young Dalaranian mage pushed into a position far beyond her talents (or so she thinks) due to a twist of fate, as she is forced to navigate a twisting maze of sinister plots and romantic interest in both her childhood friend - an archer from Southshore with not a drop of magic in his body -  and an exceedingly charming elven noble whose power entices and scares the protagonist in equal measure. Its ease of reading has made it a popular series sold the world over, and though some scenes can be steamy they never cross the line into full adult content. 

The goblin author insists that it's based on dramatised true stories, and its popularity eventually forced Dalaran's Kirin Tor to denounce that as a falsehood, though whether they're telling the truth remains a hot button issue among fans, with most believing that at least _some_ of what is written is true.



When Skipsy waves to the other young woman in the darkened corner, she gives a slight jump and looks away swiftly, pointedly keeping her eyes averted. Not long afterwards, a waitress arrives at the table and lays out the requested food and drinks. "If you need anythin', just holler." She says, before moving on to others, and you're left to talk over your next steps in peace.

----------


## Xihirli

"Could I have some milk?" Jade requested, leaving the alcoholic drinks alone.

"Right. So we got this crazy good job. Six hundred gold coins, one-fifty apiece. We go scout out how many gnolls are in this place, come back with information. Then a SURPRISE GNOLL FEAST!" Jade grinned at Jok'lek.
"I think they'll like gnoll meat! I assume it's like a mix between dog meat and cat meat? Since gnolls are like hyenas, which are like... cats who look like dogs. So everyone will love it!" Jade took a long drink of milk. 

"Like, of course we keep looking for the deck, but I don't think we should ask around for it just yet. Well, more than we have. I don't mean to surprise you all, but I don't think the people around here trust us. I say we do the gnoll thing, everyone likes us, and _then_ start asking around. Asking about it now only increases the chance that some other group hears we're after it, then they get to it first."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy blushes, realizing what the draenei is reading, whispering, "Oh my," to herself before shaking her head and moving on.  And following the other woman's response to her wave, Skipsy shrugs, thanks the waitress, and sips her cider, waiting for the others to arrive.

With an enthusiastic wave, Skipsy directs everyone over to the table, "Hey guys!  I got dinner.  Emilia, wine for you, Jok'lek, an ale, cider for me.  Jade!  I got you some spider sausage, give it a try.  It's like crab meat, but...tangier."  The gnome merrily munches away on a slice of bread with a bit of Stormwind brie.  "What's the word from the commander?  Any leads?"

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek accepts the ale, taking a hearty swig and nearly slamming it into the table.  "Ooh, thanks, I needed that..  "  He gestures to Jade as she explains their basic job description and pay, then tacks on "As for the deck, no leads I can tell.  The gnolls seem to be after coin and belongings more than life, which seems a bit unusual, but nothing unheard of.  Could be a band of mercs instead of a proper pack from the north like she thinks, and if they're mercs, could be a boss." 

He takes another sip of his ale, more gentle about putting it down this time, and speaks a bit more quietly.  "Still not 100% on if the alliance like gnoll meat, but I know tauren occasionally eat it, so it can't be too unusual, no?"

----------


## Xihirli

Jade happily chowed down on spider sausage. "Ah, delicious! Really brings out the spidery crunch!"
She sat back and hummed along to a tune exclusively in her head. 
"Alright, let's get a room or seven, then go gnoll-hunting in the morning!" Jade said happily. "And we'll come back a hundred fifty gold richer apiece!"

----------


## Khosan

"Shame about no leads, but we'll pick something up."  Skipsy jabs a cut of meat with her fork, "Gnoll meat?  Can't say I know any recipes," she waves the piece of boar in front of her nose, hoping to jog her memory, "They have recipes for us, I'm certain.  All meat is meat to a gnoll.  The Alliance doesn't share that view.  A lot of Night Elves especially - vegetarians."  She takes a bite, "There's a couple reasons, but the big one: sentience.  Eating anything with strong opinions about the world generally doesn't go over well."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Not trying her luck further, Emilia leaves the town hall and reapplies the magic in a corner anew. This town was weird, but they were weirder. As she entered the inn for the social gathering she was met with an entirely useless glass of wine. A nice gesture for sure, but more or less pointless. Listening to the ramblings about meat, Emilia finds a slower point in the discussion and interjects. Remember to leave some body alive for my mind magic. We want to know why they do it, not hunt them all ourselves.

Sitting at the corner position, Emilia then falls silent and watches the inn until her magic almost fails. She then excuses herself to join their room as her illusion falls and her forsaken self is revealed.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/rgNk5Cu.png

----------


## Amnestic

After feasting and drinking to your heart's content (to a total cost  including the stay  for 2 gold each, or eight gold total) you retire to bed, keen in the knowledge that there will be no sunrise to greet you in the morning, just more dark. The rooms are, at least, comfortable and their beds soft. There's a few others staying, but they give you a wide berth as necessary.

Sure enough, the morning is dark. You're awoken by the clocktower bell chiming, at the early hour of 6AM, calling both yourselves  and those others in town  to stir. After a brief breakfast washed down with a moderate amount of alcohol, you pack your gear, make any final purchases for traveling supplies, and leave the same way you came, before abruptly turning west. There are no roads to Brightmore Abbey, not anymore, and it didn't appear on any maps of note. Having been long-abandoned, detailing its location would only draw fool treasure hunters; or adventurers.

It's slow going through the dense forest, moving by torchlight. Every flicker of the torch, every shifting motion, sends shadows dancing around you, ones that seem to creep ever closer before jumping away again, pushed back by the light that you cluster towards.  

A few hours outside of town, your nose is assaulted by the permeating smell of rot and blood, of death unburied and uncared for. It seems to surround you, but as you continue forward on your path you spot the source  two bodies, eviscerated by claw and tooth. They've been dead for days at least, and no doubt they are no longer suitable as a meal for the animals, just the trees. They're dressed in traveling clothes, though they're torn apart by this point, and it looks like they might have died holding hands. Beneath one of the bodies is a traveling pack that still bulges with secrets, untouched by whatever monsters tore their lives asunder.

*Spoiler: DC14 Medicine*
Show


It's not just rot  there's something else wrong with the bodies beneath the stench, and it's likely disease. Being near to and/or moving the bodies could risk infection.

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek is among the first prepared to leave - waking early was required of him while in Pandaria and it just became a habit.    He took the lead walking through the forest, and once he got one too many shudders from these moving shadows, he calls for a quick stop.  Pulling out a hooded lantern engraved with bat-shaped markings and filling it with oil, he raises it high and says a prayer aloud.  "Hir'eek guide me through this land - with this blessed tool, grant me clarity of sight, that it may come close to how your great sound so clearly perceives all of this world.  I beseech you for your divine protection from the dark!"  He opens the hood and ignites the lantern, dispelling the darkness immediately around them.

When they get to the bodies, he places the lantern on the ground.  Even if Ebonlocke said they didn't frequent this area, he wasn't going to mess with bodies directly when undead were a potential threat.  Instead, he pulls out his greataxe, debating whether to prod the bodies away to get to the traveling pack, turning to the group for sugestions.  "Think this is worth checking out?  I'm unsure when the undead be roamin' these forests."

----------


## Xihirli

"You babies!" Jade hopped over to the corpses. "You're acting like you've never seen a dead body  one of us IS one! Look, we're scouts. Note down that a couple here needs a proper burial and Missus Commander will pick them up later."
Jade hopped over and opened up the pack. "Let's take a look  I promise, no stealing money from the dead!" She acknowledged. "Unless we killed them for any of the various reasons we kill people." She looked inside to see what was in there, but was serious about not looting them for money  Missus Commander had a better chance of finding their family than any of them did.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy is one of the last to rise.  Gnomish arms and armor need far more maintenance, as one might expect.  With most of her time taken up with that surprisingly intricate task, her breakfast is especially brief, barely more than a slice of toast with jam mashed into her mouth on the way out the door.

The sight of the bodies gives Skipsy a jump, eliciting an audible gasp from the gnome.  Taking a moment to compose herself with a deep, focusing breath, she approaches them (plugging her nose all the while) and inspects them.  Their clothing calls to mind the woman in the corner from the night before, "I wonder if she knew them..."

----------


## Amnestic

It takes a few tugs for Jade to pull out the pack from beneath the body. Blood has soaked into it from above, which has ruined some of the contents - the rations especially are no good anymore and there looks to have been at least two letters or scrolls that disintegrate when you touch them, making their contents a mystery forever. Coins hold up better however, and you find loose coinage totaling 18 gold pieces, alongside a sealed potion of healing (helpfully labelled!). With a bit of cleaning they'll be just as usable as ever.

Now closer to the bodies, Skipsy can see that though they were both humans (given their size and builds), their bodies are both subtly different from each other and from humans in general. The fingers of one of them end in razor sharp claws, while in the other's case a small, hairy tail like that of a monkey protrudes from their lower back. Around the wrist of the clawed one is a small bracelet marked with a stylised flower carved from a gemstone. Such pendants were usually used as gifts for loved ones and contain a minor magical enchantment.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Skipsy and Jade both need to roll a DC12 constitution save; the effects of a success/failure will not become clear immediately so continue on regardless!

----------


## Xihirli

Jade left the money in the pouch but pulled out the healing potion.
"Ta da!" She shouted, and hopped back to the others. "And that's five hundred times I've hopped instead of stepping today!" She said, resuming normal walking. "Come on, we are losing daylight!"

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

(1d20+6)[*11*]
I cannot fail this CON save. I literally just have to roll a 6 or higher on a d20. What are the chances of rolling a 1-5? Zero, it must be. Impossible.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy tilts her head, lifting up the clawed hand, "Are they Worgen?  No.  That tail should be...fluffier."  She respectfully places a hand on each of the bodies' heads and bows her head, "I'm not much of a priest, but this'll have to do.  Light keep you."  Her attention turns to the ring, which she, with as much respect as she can muster looting the recently deceased, plucks from the corpse, "Hopefully someone in town will be able to identify this."

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

*Con Save* - (1d20+6)[*14*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Emilia hated her undead appearance, but in a way it was relieving to be accepted and not needing to hide behind phantasms outside of towns. Food did not give her any satisfaction though the ritual itself of sitting down with friends was still a thing for her. Her thoughts kept her distracted while the very much alive members of the party prodded and tugged at the very much bloated and diseased corpse. I would get away from that if I were you. You...you looted it already, did you? Then just burn the corpses, will you? A burial is too dangerous.

Now that locket however might be a small boon for us. Ironic that something meant to protect them is now protecting their grave robbers. With little regard to the health of her comrades - after all they didn't get themselves killed on their own, and she recently started enjoying having more undead minions around - Emilia presses on towards the Abbey.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/hTFgRHd.png

----------


## Amnestic

However you deal with the bodies - whether you leave them to rot, burn, or bury them, you continue on through the dense woods. At one point you notice a pack of wolves, 4 in total - one for each of you - is keeping pace at your back. Too far away to strike through the trees, but neither do they approach. After another hour they drop away and seem to give up the 'chase' in favour of prey that perhaps wields a bit less fire and steel. Eventually you reach the end of your first day of travel and are unable to push forwards any more without putting yourselves at risk, and after a delightful supper of trail rations you retire to sleep between watches.

When Jade awakens, the effect of her reckless approach of the bodies makes itself clear, as her fingers have elongated and spaghettified themselves. Though they can still grip objects (and more importantly weapons) well enough, the unusual feeling means her dexterity with matters requiring a fine hand are far more limited. Otherwise she feels...surprisingly fine. No fever, no coughing. Just awkwardly long and unwieldy fingers,

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Jade has disadvantage on all sleight of hand checks until her disease is cured.



*Spoiler: Flower Pendant - Identified*
Show


_Wondrous Item (Amulet), Common_
These pendants are often sold to couples to commemorate an engagement or major anniversary milestones. As an action you can use the amulet's power to cast Protection from Good and Evil on yourself. Once the amulet's power has been used, it cannot be used again for 1d4 days.



*Spoiler: DC14 Medicine*
Show


With the incubation period established along with seeing a third symptom, you can deduce the disease as "Farr'do'Arcana", or 'Magic Flux', to take its more Common translation from the original elvish.

Caused by a magical anomaly that bonds with a more common disease (frequently the common cold) it can cause rapid mutations in the subject. Some can be beneficial (such as growing functional gills), some harmful (like the aforementioned spaghetti fingers - or in some cases losing your eyes entirely), and some useless (such as a skin colour change). When exposed to the disease, you make a DC12 Constitution save. On a fail, you gain a mutation at the end of your next long rest. 

At the end of each subsequent long rest, you roll another saving throw, with the save DC increasing by +1 each time, to a maximum of DC20. On each fail, you gain another mutation. You continue to make saving throws even after maxing out the save DC. This disease cannot be overpowered by the body alone, and a successful save merely delays the worst. It must be purged with magic such as Lesser Restoration or Dispel Magic.

Without proper precautions, by traveling with Jade you risk the disease spreading to the rest of the group.

----------


## Xihirli

"Ha!" Jade guffawed. She wiggled her hands and smacked them into each other to make the spaghetti appendages bounce off of each other.
"Thats hilarious! Hey Joklek! Look at this! Ive got octopus hands! But with ten fingers! Ive got decapus hands!" Jade whipped her hands around some more.
"This is great! Lets keep going without putting even a little thought into this!"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

The forsaken priest sighs a raspy sigh. If she could roll her eyes to any visual effect, they would probably do a proper turn now. Jade. You stay away from the others. I have not planned for any stupid little infections today. Your cure will have to wait for tomorrow. Until then, everyone else avoid her like the scourge. There is a certain sharpness in her voice, almost akin to hostility. Diseases, magical or mundane were a delicate point for the human killed by the magical disease introduced to this world by the agents of the Burning Legion.

This thing however she raises the pendant between her spindly fingers. protects from all kinds of otherworldly threats. Any takers? If not, I shall take it.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/hTFgRHd.png

----------


## Xihirli

Jade sulked, but walked a distance from the others."Fine, fine. Let's finish this and get back to town!"
She pulled out her axe, and practiced swinging it with her weird fingers.

----------


## Amnestic

With Jade sequestered off to one side - within sight distance but not coming close enough to risk infection - you continue on your path westwards, towards what you hope is the Abbey. The flames from your torches and lanterns keep wandering monsters at bay, and perhaps the wolves can smell the disease on Jade, as even they keep a wide berth from her. After a long day of travel through the dense woods, you eventually spot pinpricks of light on the horizon, casting the world around them into silhouette. Unless there's a second abbey complex that happened to be 2-3 days journey west of Darkshire, it seems likely you're now observing Brightmore, as much as you can in the dark of Duskwood.

A few bonfires inside the raised grounds give you some idea of what you're looking at though, even at this distance, but more than that the area seems bathed in a sickly purple glow - likely not enough to affect your sight in close proximity, but when layered at a distance it clearly stands out. The abbey grounds cover most of a hillside, sequestered in the shadow of the mountain range that surrounds the Twilight Grove. There was likely a path to it, once, but if so it's overgrown through decades of neglect and cursed plantgrowth. You can vaguely make out the shape of a gate in your path, and to either side stretches a curtain wall supported by occasional towers and buttresses. Far above the wall, at the peak of the hill, is a caved-in temple that somehow still stands proudly.

Turning towards the south, the wall extends towards a tall watch tower, though if your eyes are not mistaken there may be a gap in the stonework in which the overgrown nature has filled with twisted plantlife. To the north, the wall stretches around the northern side of the hill out of sight, but it could be scalable with some effort. From what you can tell at this far off distance the walls are unmanned - certainly there's no lights atop them - but whether that means you're invisible is another matter.

From behind the walls, the hill rises up, and a village stretches around a road that curves up and around the hill, nestled in the shadow of the shattered temple atop the hilltop. It is among the silhouettes of sagging roofs and toppled wrecks of houses that rest the bonfires - the first and only real sign (at this distance, at least) of occupation. Dominating the village's horizon is a squat, square tower that appears to still be intact, and on the south side of the keep - near the gate - is what is likely the stone keep that housed the defensive forces, once upon a time. Further south is a tangled expansse of forest sprawling over the hillside, with a few crumbling structures such as a belltower poking through the treetops. 

Observing from afar only does so much for you, however, and the distance towards the abbey still stretches before you - in addition to deciding on how you plan to bypass the outer perimiter, there is the matter of when to do so - you could push on today, but could risk being forced to make camp inside the Abbey's walls, or rest in the 'safety' outside of it, and spend an extra day (and long rest) with Jade's infection.

----------


## Kushina43

After some consideration, Jok'lek decides to take a torch from his pack and light it up, using some of his oil to burn the bodies.  As they trek on, he lets his lantern die out over the next few hours, content to go on with just the torch as nothing unnatural happened.  The wolves were a concern, but the open flames the group's torches probably helped keep them at bay more easily than Hir'eek's lantern.

Upon waking the next day and seeing Jade's condition for himself, he initially laughs with her at how silly the noodle fingers look, but is quite concerned that she caught an unnatural disease from the corpses - he's very glad he burned them now.  Emilia's advice to keep away from the goblin is taken, though he moves to the back of the group for the rest of the trip, constantly looking back to make sure she's still with them. When they look upon what is presumably Brightmore, he finds himself blinking as if to clear the purple away, until it becomes clear that's just.. there, for some reason.  The visible temple at the hill's peak does not help matters. 
"Spooky." he states plainly.

He moves back towards the front to investigate and identifies the possible entry points on the north and south parts of the wall.  He gives it some thought personally, then turns to the group, speaking more loudly to include the further Jade.  "I see two places we can get in, but I think we should rest first.  Emilia, you said you could cure Jade tomorrow, yes?  An extra day to make sure we're all prepared and healthy shouldn't be a problem for Ebonlocke, long as we stay far enough out of sight."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade waved at the others and chuckled at what her fingers looked like. She couldn't hear them, but through a series of jumps, kicks, and dance moves that none of them had been unfortunate enough to see before, she tried to convey that she would maintain this distance and follow their lead. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

I don't think Jade can get a vote here without either yelling I got a four! or going closer, so she'll follow.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy removes her gloves to inspect her own fingers once Jade's issue becomes apparent.  She wiggles her digits, all four of them, and nods, satisfied.  It seems to escape her attention that she has tools to potentially deal with the goblin's predicament.

Later that evening, as they're scouting the abbey itself, Jok'lek jogs her memory, "Oh yeah!  Don't worry, Emilia, I got this one!  Probably!  I stock a loooot of healing stuff and I got something that might do the trick."  With an oft-seen enthusiasm, Skipsy reaches into her bag and removes her Gnomish army knife, flipping out one of the more inscrutable tools and rushing over to poke Jade in the back of the neck with it.  A light on the omni-tool flashes and produces a loud *BZZZT* when contact is made.  

"I say we go in.  Fortune favors the bold!"

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Skipsy casts _Lesser Restoration_ on Jade, kind of just hoping it'll work, despite not knowing the exact cause.

----------


## Xihirli

"Ah!" Jade brought up her shield and raised her ax as she stared down Skipsy. 
"You stabbed me! Does that mean you're a traitor? Are we fighting now?"
And as her little green fingies settled back into their proper shape, Jade understood. 
"Aw, thanks Skipsy!" She stepped up and gave the gnome a big hug. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier... you're just as good with a gun as a goblin!" 
Now able to approach the campsite, Jade pulled out of her bag of holding ten hunting traps. 
"If we want to make camp, I can make it SAFE!" She showed off one of her ten hunting traps. 
"But I agree with Skipsy, and not just because she stabbed me with her healing shiv. If we go in now, we can go back to the town sooner, so they'll have more time to plan their next move."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Disguise Self
Concentration: -

Emilia tries to smile but her warped visage only appears to show more jagged teeth. Gnomish ingenuity excited me as a kid. There was this gyrocopter that crashed in our town. The rider saved itself with a failsafe mechanism made of a large cloth. Thought to be perfectly honest, I thought healing was more a thing for elves and devout humans. There was no concealed racism in her voice. Just an old woman reminiscing about old days. 

Staring at the "Abbey town" and the outliers, she finally says: Even I do need rest, and some of you wear armor they need to remove to sleep, so I think the smarter way would be to slow down to make this in two trips. I can maybe try to scout out the perimeter tomorrow evening. Emilia refers to her ability to hide well, and even meld with the shadows akin to a night elf.

*Spoiler*
Show

Rest, here, travel down there next day, scout the next day, rest at the outskirts, then start dungeonabbeycrawling.


*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/hTFgRHd.png

----------


## Khosan

"It used to be!"  With a twirling flourish, Skipsy slides the army knife into a belt pouch, "The cataclysm changed more than just the landscape, you know!  After us gnomes reclaimed Gnomeregan (or at least part of it) and the subsequent cataclysm, we realized we couldn't rely on our allies for everything.  We've invested more in frontline mechano-tanks, medics and medical technology in the years since, to shore up our already impressive ranged fire support and reconnaissance teams.  You'll even see some real deal gnomish priests of the Light sometimes!  Skipsy is absolutely beaming with gnomish pride, but her tone quickly becomes hushed and conspiratorial, leaning in towards Emilia, "Shadow too, but you don't hear from those guys too much."

----------


## Xihirli

Seeing that the party wasn't starting to move, Jade shrugged and set up a perimeter of hunting traps.
"I guess it's better to wait until morning after all," she admitted. "Just wake me up before you leave this ring, I'm gonna hide these."
And with loose earth, a few brambles, and the odd weed, Jade hid the hunting traps to spring if ever anyone wanted to sneak up on the party.

----------


## Amnestic

With a disease cured, traps laid, and another watch order set, you settle in for another night of huddling around a campfire for warmth, light, and protection from the beasts that howl. Time passes slowly in Duskwood. It's a dripfeed of steady cloud movement against an unlit sky, with naught to mark the passing but the wind in the trees and the beat of your own hearts - except in Emilia's case. Those on watch see no real changes in the lighting in the abbey. The fires may dim, but others spring up to replace them, and it seems unlikely that the occupants that you can 'see' ever really sleep. With no day/night cycle to track, there doesn't seem much point.

Eventually your hearts have beaten enough times to mark your resting as completed, and you collect your things together to face the Abbey proper. It can't be put off any longer, you need to decide how you're going to approach.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade rolled over to the traps and started gathering them up. 
"Alright, hoping to have caught a few gnolls in the night but we can't always get what we want."
Jade looked at their entrances and pointed to the climbing one. "We're all pretty strong. I think the climbing one's good because it gives us the high ground to look at them from. That way we can see the whole camp and if they come at us we'll be able to shoot at them before they get to us. Plus after we're done we can race to the bottom!"

----------


## Kushina43

> "I think the climbing one's good because it gives us the high ground to look at them from. That way we can see the whole camp and if they come at us we'll be able to shoot at them before they get to us. Plus after we're done we can race to the bottom!"


"Hmm, tempting, but the high ground isn't worth as much without cover - we can only fall back behind the wall or forward toward the enemy, or else stand there exposed if they got any bows or stones."  Jok'lek considers. "Also, I only got me two axes to throw, after that I'd have to charge 'em." He looks at the other entrance he saw, the overgrown hole in the wall.  "But the other option I can see is even less stealthy than that, whether burning away the brush or hacking it with blades over and over.  So I suppose I'd rather take my chances climbing the wall."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy pulls at her armor, forcing a number of cogs and gizmos into their correct positions, "First things first!"  She extends another, different attachment from her army knife, this one looking like a 3-pronged fork with a tiny plasma ball at the tip of each prong.  Pressing a button, the attachment spins up, one by one she points the device at Emilia, Jok'lek, and finally Jade, each time pressing the button again and firing a bolt of blue light, leaving each with a 'healthy' blue glow.  "Right!  I also routed power back to the cloaking device, so if we wanna sneak someone in first, I can make that happen!"

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Skipsy casts _Aid_ on Emilia, Jok'lek and Jade.  Each of you gain 5 max HP and 5 temp HP for the next 8 hours.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Aid (5tHP, 8 hours)
Concentration: -

*To Tipsy:*
Oh please. The World Tree's ashes weren't even cold yet and your people added demonology as an official research topic to your portfolio. Curiosity should know some bounds. I would know, I tread them daily. The end of every shadow priest is the same. You either die, or you are consumed by the Void. May I remind you of Master Summoner Fizzlebang's fate?



*The next day:*
Your efforts are welcome, but I think I have the best chances to scout myself. If you want to go straight ahead, be my guest. Just don't be alarmed when I leave your idiot corpses to die. This was idle chatter of course. Emilia wanted to keep some air of stereotypical evil, not showing how much she already cared for this bunch of absolute numbskulls.

*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/hTFgRHd.png

----------


## Xihirli

Jade's eyes got wide and sad. "That hurts my feelings," she said. "My corpse is a genius!"
She huffed. "Anyway, we should all go. That way if something goes wrong we're all together. And if we're high up and the gnolls come after us, we should have an easy escape just by jumping down! Look, I'll just follow whoever goes anyway, so let's quit wasting time and climb up there. Maybe we'll need someone to scout closer after we get up there, and that's where your invisible-ness can help."
Since no one else had offered and alternate route, Jade went for the tower to the south. "We'll be able to see more from up here, then we can make an informed decision!" Grabbing a vine, she got to work climbing.

----------


## Amnestic

It takes the better part of a day's travel to curve around the hill at range and enter into the thicker overgrowth of the forest that leads up to the broken walls. It wasn't visible in the dark at a distance, but as you pick through the clump of trees, you see greenery for the first time since entering Duskwood. Greenery that by all rights should not be able to survive in this land stripped of light, and yet somehow it only grows denser and thicker as you pick your way through. You see flowers in bloom, trees with a full complement of leaves, and vibrant grass. It is still all of it cast in the flickering shadows of your torchlight, its colours muted by the darkness that crowds down from above, but somehow life has found a way to blossom in this place.

Not far from the walls you note that the trees are lined with the thick interwoven webs of spiders, webs larger enough that you expect the spiders are 'giant' rather than 'not-giant'. Eyes glancing all around, you pick your way through step by step, avoiding touching any of the webs lest they trap you in their sticky hold. Just as Jade is passing one web though, an enormous 8 legged beast appears seemingly from nowhere, its carapace shimmering with blue light as it phases into your eyeline. It leaps to strike down on Jade, but her reactions are just marginally faster.

The moment the spider appears, the Comet card, nestled safely in Skipsy's possession, begins to glow. The light spills out from her belongings and a facsimile of the card's shape appears before her, glimmering with ethereal light. The magic radiating off it tingles the skin, beckoning people to make use of it.

*Spoiler: Comet Card - DC13 Intelligence (Arcana) (No Action Required)*
Show


When you are stood in the card's location you can use your bonus action to 'Mark' a target you can see. The next time you hit the marked target with an attack roll, you gain 10 temporary HP. The Comet token then moves underneath the Marked target. You may only Mark one target at a time, and using your bonus action to mark a new target removes the previous mark.



*Spoiler: Map/OOC*
Show




I didn't see a portrait on Jok'lek's sheet so I found one that seemed vaguely correct, but let me know if you have one you'd prefer to use instead.

In case it's not clear, the Comet card's square is the one south-west of Skipsy. Rather than using a unique token for each card, I'm using a 'generic' one using the Deck of Many Things symbol instead.

Moving onto any squares that have a webby appearance on the map provokes a DC10 strength save or be enwebbed, setting your speed to 0, can break out by using your action on a DC10 athletics check. An ally can make the check for you with their action instead.

Initiative Order:
Jade->Enemies->Everyone

Any questions let me know.

----------


## Xihirli

"YAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHH!" Jade screamed, and pulled out her battleaxe. She charged the spider, swinging her ax with reckless abandon, not thinking of _where_ to hit the spider as she simply chopped as powerfully as she could, basically in heaven. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Normal rage, not going to frenzy against only one opponent.

Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK!
(1d20+4)[*7*]/(1d20+4)[*14*]; (1d8+15)[*23*]
(1d20+4)[*18*]/(1d20+4)[*10*]; (1d8+15)[*23*]

And I make a 21 strength save to avoid getting snatched up by the web.

----------


## Amnestic

Jade's battleaxe slams down on the spider, halting its advance in a moment as she cleaves off two legs and then buries the blade in the creature's face. It flops limp into the web it emerged from, but before you can catch your breath two more spiders phase into your vision and leap at Jade and Jok'lek, but their venomous fangs are deflected and blocked from sinking into flesh, finding nought but air and metal instead.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show





Jade kills off one spider; was kind of expecting it to last a little longer than that but it is what it is :P

Two more appear! They then miss Jade and Jok'lek with their bites.

Everyone's up.

----------


## Khosan

"Ah!  Spider!  Ah!  Glowing!  Why's it glowing!  Is that the card?  Why's it projecting!  Ah!  More spiders!"  Skipsy jumps at each new thing happening, but does at least seem more focused on the card in her possession.  She pulls it out, lowers her goggles, and inspects the card more closely.

Ox, meanwhile, designed for combat, clucks and immediately maneuvers around the spiders to stand between them, beating its metal wings as it runs.  Skipsy looks up long enough from the card to point and shout, "Get 'em, Oxy!"  The chicken clucks aggressively and sends a mighty mechanical peck to the arachnid's face.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*HP: 42/42
AC: 19*

*Action:* Skipsy attempts to identify the effects of the card again, *Arcana* - (1d20+8)[*12*]
*Bonus Action:* Skipsy commands Ox to use his Force-Empowered Rend on the spider closest to her, *Attack* - (1d20+7)[*19*] for *Force Damage* - (1d8+3)[*4*]

Additionally, as a *Reaction*, if one of the spiders that Ox is adjacent to attacks a target that isn't him, he'll use his Deflect Attack reaction so they do it at disadvantage.

----------


## Xihirli

When another spider magically appeared in her face, Jade didnt ask any questions, because she already knew everything important about these teleporting spiders:
If you hit them hard enough with an axe, they died.
Jade moved a little further away from the web, then jumped at the spiders face, hacking and slashing with her battleaxe. 
So everything was going pretty well.

*Spoiler: ATTACK!*
Show



Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK!
(1d20+4)[*11*]/(1d20+4)[*20*]; (1d8+15)[*20*]
(1d20+4)[*5*]/(1d20+4)[*7*]; (1d8+15)[*20*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  37/37 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Aid (5tHP, 8 hours)
Concentration: -

Emilia sees any sense of strategy go out of the window, and her motivation to protect her protectors with it. She interrupts her prayer to the Forces Beyond and instead invokes a simple necromancy to pull the life from the injured spider. The eye in her dagger's hilt opens and blood slowly oozes from it.

*Spoiler*
Show

Wisdom Save Toll the Dead(1d20)[*18*] (plus whatever bonus the spider might have) or take (2d12)[*19*] damage. This damage ignores resistance to necrotic but not immunity.


*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/hTFgRHd.png

----------


## Amnestic

Jade slams her axe into her second assailant, but this one seems a touch more resilient than the first as her second blow skitters across its chitinous exterior. It gives as good as it gets though, its lengthy limbs grabbing at the goblin before it sinks its venomous fangs down into her shoulder. There's a surge of fiery pain as the poison seeps into Jade's blood, but it could definitely be worse.

Almost unusually quiet, Jok'lek seems to suss out the magic of the floating ephemeral card vision and circles around to grab at at it, the image flowing into their arm when they reach out for it. Enhancement in hand, they add their own blows to Ox's peck, slamming their maul down into the spider twice with particular vigor, almost downing it as swiftly as Jade did with their first strike. As quickly as the card seemed to empower Jok'lek the magic is gone, moved on to hover above the spider. Still, they hold a measure of the power still.

Whether it be ambient magic in the air or a particularly hardy spider, they manage to shrug off the necrotic energy of Emilia that tugs around them, instead trying to bite down on the tiny bird-like "creature" in front of them. Ox's armoured plating guards itself against the piercing fangs though, and the spider finds no purchase. Though they too tried to take advantage of the card's power, perhaps out of instinct, when their fangs fail to deal any damage the card likewise does not respond to them, and they do not receive the same boon that Jok'lek did.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jade hits once for *20*, misses with the other attack.
Spider makes their save vs. Emilia's Toll the Dead.
Ox hits for *4* force damage.
Auto-piloted Jok'lek makes their arcana check (untrained, even) and judges the card's worth. They grab it and then proceed to smash the spider for a total of *26* damage over one hit and one crit. They gain 10 temporary hit points as a result.

North spider crits Jade with a bite for a total of *9* piercing damage and *14* poison damage (after save, before resistances).
South spider marks Ox with the card but misses, so they gain no temp HP, and the card remains underneath them for now.

Everyone's up again. Spider's almost dead, but who knows, maybe they'll roll another crit or two :P

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  37/37 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Aid (5tHP, 8 hours), Surrender to Madness (DC 10 Wis save or take 18 damage)
Concentration: -

Flabbergasted and annoyed by the spider's mental resistance, Emilia shifts into darkness. Her form is enveloped by a shroud of black vapor, and she steps in between the spiders. She raises her blade and explodes in light.

*Spoiler*
Show

Using Surrender to Madness to maximize my damage Casting Holy Nova Word of Radiance (2d20)[*3*][*16*](19) or each creature takes 12 radiant damage.
Wis save to resist ending Surrender to Madness early with damage: [roll]1d20+8[/roll ] vs DC 10.


*Spoiler: unused portrait stash*
Show

https://i.imgur.com/hTFgRHd.png

----------


## Kushina43

Spiders this big need to be squashed, and Jok'lek's maul found purchase in one thanks to the help of the magical comet card and he became further empowered as a result.  He briefly wondered just how strong the other cards were, only for the spider to remain alive and strike at Ox, even attempting to access the comet's power to strike but failing.  Not wanting to give it another opportunity, Jok'lek strikes with his mighty weapon twice again at the offending arachnid.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Edit:  Really, forum?  Rolling in OOC

----------


## Xihirli

"Do you think Im afraid of venom? Half my blood is made of the stuff!" Jade shouted in the spiders face and leapt at it, ax coming down at its face.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Still fighting the northern spider, unless it dies in which case, next down the line!

Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK!
(1d20+4)[*23*]/(1d20+4)[*5*]; (1d8+15)[*20*]
(1d20+4)[*15*]/(1d20+4)[*19*]; (1d8+15)[*20*]

----------


## Khosan

"What?!  How'd you-Whatsit-" Skipsy stares in shock as Jok'lek nabs the card from her.  Before she really has time to process that she still doesn't know what's going on, she's distracted by the spider _daring_ to bite at her baby, her tone becoming suddenly sinister as her eyes narrow and she purposefully draws her pistol, "Later!  The gnome levels her gun, aiming right between its dozen or so eyes and gives the command to Ox to attack, then takes fire herself.  _BANG!_

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*HP:* 42/42
*AC:* 19

*Ox's HP:* 36/36
*Ox's AC:* 15

*Action:* Skipsy attacks the southern spider, taking -3 to hit for +6 to damage, *Attack* - (1d20+4)[*9*] for *Pierce* - (1d10+10)[*16*]
*Bonus Action:* Force-Empowered Peck to the same spider, *Attack* - (1d20+7)[*14*] for *Force* - (1d8+3)[*8*]

----------


## Amnestic

The spiders were already weakened and the party gives them no quarter as they unleash magical and martial might against them. Before they can raise their dripping mandibles to take another bite, you cut them down into chunks, leaving scattered spider parts dripping with lightly glowing green ichor oozing out. Quiet falls back over the grove, punctuated with the sound of birdsong and squirrel chirps; sounds that seem utterly alien to Duskwood usually, especially since the sky is still dark. At the very least however, three spiders seems to be all the threat that they posed to you.

With the danger passed you get a moment to look around, and find the remains of another individual covered in webs. The body is ancient, with what few bones remain being little more than dusty fragments locked inside ruined plate armour decades of elemental exposure past any use. Clutched in the remains of a steel gauntlet is a longsword that, somehow, has managed to stand the test of time and shirked off any rust, dirt, or grime, and its blade remains as sharp as ever. Along the blade are old runes in Common, spelling out _Hrom, Fourth Hope of Gardmore_. Should one of you pick it up, it immediately begins to shed the Light of a paladin, helping to dispel the darkness that clings around you, adding to the torches and lanterns.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Decide if you want to short rest or not, share notes on the card magic, tomorrow I'll move along.

The blade is a slight variation of a Moon-Touched Sword:

*Hrom's Sword*
_Weapon (longsword), common_
In darkness, the unsheathed blade of this sword sheds warm Holy Light, creating bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional 15 feet.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade chopped off the heads of the spider corpses and stuffed them in her bag if holding.
"Nice job, everyone! Lets keep going!" She looked at the decayed body for a spell.
"Hes so old, he couldnt have died in these webs webs dont last that long. So what did kill him?"

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Jades the only one who was injured, right? I say no short rest, we can do that later on.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy stuffs her pistol back in its holster, takes a deep breath in...and out.  She kneels down to check Ox, pulling his wings out one at a time to inspect both them and the area beneath, then flips open a panel to inspect a small diagnostic screen.  "Hmm, little bit of paint scratched, but all major systems functioning optimally."  She gives the mechanical chicken a quick pat on the head, stands up and turns her attention to Jade, "Jade, are you alright?  I saw that spider get you, and I got some juice for a healing injector at the ready if you need it."

With their goblin friend taken care of (or not), the gnome turns to Jok'lek, "Jok'lek...what'd the card do there?  I couldn't make heads or tails of it."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade dismissed that with a wave of her hand. "I'm still harder to put down than you or Emilia right now. Maybe later, though."

----------


## Kushina43

> With their goblin friend taken care of (or not), the gnome turns to Jok'lek, "Jok'lek...what'd the card do there?  I couldn't make heads or tails of it."


"Hard to describe, but it let me choose one of the spiders, and then bolstered me when I struck it, almost like a magical shield.  Then the card moved to the spider, as ya saw, which tried to do the same thing and missed, and the card didn't move that time."  He looks at his arm, still feeling it tingling as it had with the glow of the comet card's empowerment.  "Would be bad news if a foe used it successfully, too."

Looking at the condition of the party, with Skipsy being the only one injured and willing to press on, he agrees.  But not before inspecting the body found wrapped in these webs.  Nothing of note, mainly due to age, except for the oddly pristine sword.  Such an ancient corpse would have lost much any malady afflicting it, and so he was more comfortable reaching in and pulling out the sword in its hand. He was caught by surprise when the Light began emanating from it, shielding his eyes with his free hand.  "Well, now, this is a find! 
 A sword of Light in the land of dark.  I trust Hir'eek's blessing more than the Light, but I think I'll take this if no one else wishes."  He puts the weapon on his back with the others.

----------


## Amnestic

With Jade as your only injured happy to continue pressing on, you continue without rest through the dense greenery, eventually breaking past the pervasive webs until you arrive at the shattered stone wall that once served as a defense of Brightmore.

Climbing the wall itself would have proven a challenge even with climbing gear, but ruined gap provides you an adequate incline that you can pick your way over the stones wrapped in vibrant vines without fear of falling. The watchtower itself is only a short walk away along the wall but what is immediately obvious is how untouched it is by time and the pervasive greenery that surrounds you. It stands clean, as if recently cleaned, and with no indication of disrepair or damage. A wooden door banded with wrought iron bands serves as an entryway but when you reach for one of the metal bands that serve as handles you find they are frozen in place, as if made of diamond. No matter how much you push or pull, they react not a whit, and the door doesn't shake or squeak at all. Though it appears to be made of wood and iron, the feel of it beneath your fingers is like a fixed feature of space - more immutable than stone, with an absence of texture or temperature that would mark it as a natural material. 

*Spoiler: Int (Arcana) DC15 - I believe in you!*
Show


The exterior features of the tower are only a magical echo. They no longer exist physically, as if the interior has been offset from reality by some warping magic.



From a higher vantage point, the remains of other structures are visible amid the trees, though they seem in danger of submerging beneath the vibrant green sea that swamps the southern side of the hill. A bell tower lifts its head above the canopy a short distance down the slope from the temple. The remains of a small cottage lie near the outer wall toward the northern edge of the grove. And a small stone building - a shrine or tomb, perhaps - stands in a small clearing near the south end of the forest.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show



From your vantage point on the south side you've got a few more points of interest to be aware of, so probably about time I fill in a map:



The gnoll fires were definitely centred around the village, on the more north-eastern side of the hill. You are currently outside the Watchtower on the south side. I'm not saying you have to leave the watchtower mind you, just making you aware of your options.

----------


## Xihirli

"Ive got it!" Jade announced. "The door is an illusion! If we dont believe it, we can go right through!"
Jade charged the door face-first, disbelieving with all her might.
_CRACK_
She hit the ground.
"I might need more of a running start."
She sat up and shook her head.

"Now that were closer, I think its a good time for the invisible-scouting plan," Jade said.
"Since now we could be close enough to help."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy scratches her head, pushing on the door that Jade ran headlong into, "Huh.  Weird!  Not sure what's causing that!"  She gives the surface a tap with a knuckle, unsatisfied with that answer but unable to come up with anything more thorough.  "Welp, we could stand here for a couple while I power up the ol' ultra-spectropic detection goggles, she suggests, tugging at the goggles holding her hair back, "We could get some more answers from them.  Or we could check out that shrine.  We're not getting in here anyway."

----------


## Amnestic

To no great surprise, there's a certain amount of ambient magic all around you, seemingly of every School in a chaotic swirl of arcane. The tower itself lights up as a beacon of magic, swaddled in the stuff. It isn't illusion, as Jade 'hypothesised', but rather appears to be primarily Conjuration and Transmutation (more the former than the latter).

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek winced upon Jade ramming the door at full speed, while Skipsy attempts to analyze it.  He instead decides to survey from their position upon the wall, less useful than a watchtower but still a better vantage point than before.  He considers their words, deep in thought.  "The smoke was about northeast..  The shrine is on the way, followed by..  a cottage then keep, by the gate.  Perhaps we hit each location to sneak up on them, avoid open ground as much as possible.  The less chances they have to see us, the better."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade shook it off and stood. 
"Yeah, securing one location at a time is probably the best. That way we can all stay together. This weird door is odd, but it doesnt really change anything about our mission. Lets go deeper in, try to see if we can get eyes on the gnoll camp." She strapped her shield on and took out her battle axe. 
"And if any of them want to surprise us, Ive got a bag of salt with their name on it!"

----------


## Khosan

"Ooh!  A little bit of everything, everywhere, all at once!"  Skipsy looks around, watching patterns and currents of magic in the air, only visible through her technomagical eyewear.  She turns back to the tower, and adjusts some dials as she speaks "But this is...very bright, just gotta adjust the sensitivity...Aaaand, there! _Very_ potent magic, I had to set the minimums real high before it registered as anything other than 'blindingly white.'  Anyway!  Predominantly conjuration.  Some transmutation.  The transmutation is probably what's making this so hard," she elbows the door, "The conjuration, I don't know!  Could be portals, could be filled with magic fogs!  Who knows."

"Let's get on to the little shrine thing.  We should be able to get there without drawing too much attention."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade nodded and, weapons in hand, led the way to the shrine.

----------


## Amnestic

Leaving the Watchtower, for now at least, you head back along the wall before making your descent back into the sea of green, picking your way up the hill that slopes upwards. At times, lightly. At times, forcing you to your hands and knees to scramble up the roots of a tree or over a patch of ground rather than searching for a path around. After a scant hour or so, the ground levels out and you enter into the clearing on which the shrine rests. A font bubbles in the centre, its water sparkling with a silvery light. Encircling its broad base is a mosaic depicting a human, perhaps, in battle against dragons and monsters bristling with tentacles and claws. Along the mosaic's perimeter, toppled walls form a broken stone shell bounding what once must have been some manner of shrine. A host of elves - those of Silvermoon, rather than Kalimdor - camp amid the fallen walls, their clothes and weapons marking them as no mere scholars. 

One who may be their leader - tall, with a single green-eye and a mane of red hair braided tightly - scowls as you approach. One hand rests on the longsword on his belt, and some of the others stand and move to have weapons at the ready, though none knock arrows or draw steel. "A goblin, a troll, a gnome, and an undead." He remarks, in a lilting voice of distrust. "Are you here to plunder, like so many others?"

*Spoiler: Int (History) on the Mosaic*
Show


*Spoiler: DC1*
Show


Humans do love killing dragons, don't they?



*Spoiler: DC7*
Show


The art doesn't depict a human at all, but rather a Titan or one of their keepers. The dragon they're fighting is not a true dragon, but rather one of the protodragons of old. The tentacled creatures are servants of the Old Gods; the battle depicted predates humanity's very existence.


*Spoiler: DC14*
Show


The Titan keeper is Tyr, and the mosaic depicts his life (battling the great protodragon Galakrond) and death (at the hands of the Old Gods). Tyr's sacrifice inspired what would become humanity in a myriad of ways, not least being the Silver Hand paladins, who derive their name from his famous weapon.

Tirisfal Glades, where the Forsaken reside, likewise derives its name from his legacy as an evolution of the title _Tyr's Fall_, the name originally given to the land.

This shrine is clearly dedicated to him specifically. 





*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


You guys really did just go ahead and pick the route that has the most talking and least fighting to start with, I promise there'll be more smashing going forwards.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  37/37 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Aid (5tHP, 8 hours), Surrender to Madness (DC 10 Wis save or take 18 damage)
Concentration: -

We are kindred spirits, you and I. Our great nations destroyed by the swathe of the Scourge, driven to madness, our heritages destroyed. We do not seek a fight, but we would pick up artifacts if we found any. My friends are exotic, but mostly harmless unless you provoke them. As am I.

Emilia gets closer, though she feels uneasy at the calm levelheadedness that they were approached with. These people are either powerful, of desperate. What brings you here? Many of your kin travelled through the Portal following the Prince, and most others try to rebuild Silvermoon. You seem to be neither. Emilia omits the moniker of "traitor" prince, not wanting to spark a debate.

*Spoiler*
Show

Persuasion to convince them they are harmless. (1d20+5)[*22*] If anyone wants to help my action, you are very welcome.

*Spoiler: Help Action*
Show

(1d20+5)[*14*]

----------


## Amnestic

The elf 'hmphs' and drops the hand from his sword, though you note his companions do not. "Berrian Velfarren, of Quel'thalas. Our business is our own, for now. I won't share it with those here just to rob graves." It's perhaps a trick of the light, but you might think he turns up his nose, ever so slightly, at you. There's a rustle of the leaves around you, despite no wind blowing, and Berrian's eye darts towards the darkened tree line. "But...perhaps we can help each other. This land is a danger. Gnolls, ogres, and worse infest the grounds, and our own searches have been...hindered of late. My sister, Analastra, has vanished and so far my scouts haven't found her. Her penchant for roaming on her own has may have gone too far this time." He sniffs with frustration. "If you find her and send her back here, I would be willing to share what we know of the Abbey, perhaps let you rest with us." He speaks methodically, ruminating over the words as he gives each of them lightly, without committing too hard to any one course - yet.

----------


## Xihirli

"Hey, nice!" Jade said. "Thats exactly what were after. Especially if you have the gnoll numbers! I was worried about you for a second there, Barry, but youre alright! Im adding you right to my list of friends!" She put her weapon away and took out her book. 
"What does your sister look like?"

----------


## Amnestic

The look on Berrian's face says he quite clearly does not view you as 'friends' just yet, but he also seems to want to avoid the headache of correcting Jade. Discretion being the better part of valour, he moves on.  "About so-tall," he gestures - about five feet, maybe slightly more. "long blonde hair, turquoise eyes, wearing the same gear as us." That being leathers and dark traveling clothes marked with elven flair. "We always travel in groups of two at minimum...except Analastra." He concedes with a sigh. "So she'll be the only lone-elf you find. So far as I know we're the only elves in the Abbey right now."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy gasps dramatically at the scenes on the walls of the shrine, barely taking notice of the elves already there.  Face full of wonder, she practically squeals with delight at each of the mosaics, "Ooooh!  Depictions of Tyr, the Titanic Keeper!  Fighting Galakrond, the betrayal of Loken, and his death at the tentacles of the Old Gods!  You know, there's a theory that the protodrakes he fought with here were actually the original Dragon Aspects!"

Oh!  I should copy these down.  The League will be thrilled to have some !  Skipsy reaches into her bag and pulls out a fistful of parchment, quills and a bottle of ink.  She backs up towards the central fountain, only to bump into one of the aforementioned elves, "Whoop!  Sorr-Whoa!  How long have they been here?  Elves sure can be sneaky sometimes.  I'm Skipsy, Skipsy Turncrank, archaeologist in good standing with the Explorer's League!"  She salutes, slapping herself in the face with her parchment by accident, "Well - phth - I can assure you we're not here to rob graves.  I mean, aside from archaeology technically being a field of research that frequently revolves around stealing from the dead.  But I'm not on a mission from the League!  I am keeping an eye out for dangerous artifacts though, those I am obligated to try and recover."

----------


## Xihirli

"Thats a good point. Your sister doesnt know who we are. How can we convince her to not hide from us, or let her know were with you after we find her? She might refuse to come with us!"
Though the thought was really unthinkable.

----------


## Amnestic

"My name should be sufficient," Berrian ruminates, "But if she still seems suspicious, tell her _Hope is a Phoenix._ That should be sufficient." From his expression, he doesn't seem to want to explain that saying any further.

----------


## Xihirli

"Got it!" Jade said. "We should follow the elf-xample..." she chuckled for a second, "and split into two teams of two to cover more ground. One frontliner and one whatever-you-two-do per team." She pointed to herself and Skipsy. "We'll be 'Team Fun-Size.'" And she pointed to Emilia and Jok'lek. "And you can be 'Team Not-as-Cool-as-Team-Fun-Size.' Me and Skipsy will check the belltower and then those buildings in the middle, Jok'lek and Emilia, you check the cottage then the big gate near it. Then we can meet up at that faraway tower," Jade gave as a suggested search pattern. 
"Sound good, everyone?"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  37/37 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Aid (5tHP, 8 hours), Surrender to Madness (DC 10 Wis save or take 18 damage)
Concentration: -

Spreading up in a foreign area seems like a bad idea, when an experienced elven tracker got lost on her own. Emilia states the obvious. I appreciate your plan to speed up this errand, but we just walked beside a warped magic tower and are not familiar with the area. The best we can do is to sacrifice a bit mana to send out a scout into an uncertain situation. She locks eyes with Jade._Preferrably one that can talk to your mind._

I am terribly sorry to hound you with more questions but what are Analastra's particular skills? I wouldn't want to try and find her and step into a trap set up by your friend.

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek studied the mosaic with interest - most of the history he knew immediately was wrapped up in troll wars, but he recognized the tale as that of the Titan Keeper Tyr, mostly by all the dragons.  Life that was native to Azeroth was something he was once keen to learn about prior to becoming a warrior, more than once running into ancient dragon lore theories making connections he didn't have context for, and this matched one of the stories near perfectly.  _Makes sense for a human settlement to have.._ he thinks to himself as they approach the broken walls, with camps made by elves.

With history on the brain, he immediately thought back to the Troll Wars, but shook his head briefly - the gripes of Amani weren't relevant to him or the situation, these were potential allies.  Taking in the conversation, he finally speaks up.  "That sounds agreeable to me, Velfarren - we're looking for information on the gnolls especially, and I for one would be happy to help locate Analastra - I too have a sibling who roams too much for their own good.  Which way was she last known to be, or be headed towards?"  He then realizes he forgot to introduce himself and takes a small bow.  "Whoop, sorry, my name be Jok'lek, of the Darkspear tribe."

*Spoiler: OOC*
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Edited for name introduction, we both forgot lmao

----------


## Amnestic

"She knows how to set traps - we all do - but moves around too much to bother with them usually. She's a Farstrider through and through, favours the bow over the blade." Berrian offers to Emilia. "Unfortunately," He adds to Jok'lek, a slight bite to his tone - though it seems more directed as his sister than you. "She didn't say when she slipped away, and left no trail. I'm not expecting you to track her - if we could do that, my scouts would have already found her - just to keep your eyes open for any sign of her as you...explore, and if you do stumble over her, send her back here."

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show



Seems the conversation with Berrian is either closed or soon to be closed, depending on if any more questions. Gotta choose your next destination. You are currently at the Font of Tyr, so the closest destinations are the "?" unknown, the belltower(?) and the cottage(?).



I've also added the Abbey Map to the first post in the OOC thread.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade shifted from one foot to the other, getting antsy. "Fine, we'll stick together, let's just go!" She insisted. She nodded to the cottage. "There first, come on!" And she started towards it.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy finishes sketching the mosaics into her notes, "Aw, I like Team Fun Size.  Last time we did it, I got to pilot a goblin shredder!  Good times."  The gnome stares wistfully into the distance, remembering better times.  She shakes herself out of it, "Cottage!  Right.  We should go there.  We'll keep an eye out for your sister, mister Elf.  But also!"  Skipsy takes out her army knife once more, extending a ball made of some kind of hard foam on a long stick, and holding it up to Berrian's waist (about as high as she can reach), "Could you say 'Hope is a Phoenix' again?  Just for some extra insurance.  If she _really_ doesn't trust us we'll have a recording of your voice!"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia is glad they see reason for once. Need I remind you it blew up because goblins do not lightly to stealing their equipment? She rises her eyebrows. You know her face was unable to smile but people more familiar with Emilia could sense her amusement. 

Emilia pauses. Don't you blood elves have a magical aura? I mean you have the sunwell to drink from. You should have a magical aura. Skipsy? Adjust your goggles. Emilia prepares her magical sight as well.

----------


## Amnestic

Berrian looks for a moment like he might swat the tool from Skipsy's hand, but with remarkable restraint holds himself back, once again uttering "Hope is a phoenix." into the item before turning away. "We do not _drink_ from the Sunwell," he replies to Emilia, his voice scornful. "Its magic surrounds and empowers us, our connection unbreakable no matter how far we step from its shores." Pride, or arrogance, wells in his voice. "Do not expect any such aura, the Sunwell's magic is ambient, not directed."

With any final words exchanged, your group moves on towards the cottage. It's further than you'd have thought from the watchtower, and by the time the overgrown cobblestone path reveals the shell of an old fieldstone cottage it's starting to feel like it's time to rest. The dilapidated roof of the building is punctured by an oak tree which grows up through the middle of the structure and spreads its broad branches like a canopy over the frame. Shutters and a door hang open, forced from their hinges by the wild growth. Beyond the cottage, strangely lifelike hedge-animals have grown up from where they were originally trimmed, all while remarkably retaining their shape.

As you approach the dim entrance to the cottage you spot a massive feathered beast the size and shape of a bear, though possessing the head of a bird with antlers; a wildkin. A creature not native to this part of the world. Its short curved beak rests upon another of its kind, and you see that one of the two is opening its great golden eyes and sniffing the air in curiosity. There is no sign of any elf, or any blood or scraps that you can see to indicate she was here and now no longer is.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Combat not started yet, but may do if you stick around.



*Spoiler: Int (Nature)*
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*Spoiler: DC5*
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Believed by many to be the creation of Elune, Wildkin (also called moonkin) are often found protecting Elune's sacred places, such as moonwells. Due to this they are found almost exclusively on Kalimdor.


*Spoiler: DC10*
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Though not naturally hostile originally, as Wildkin spread across the world some fell away from Elune's light and became more bestial as a result. Though they retain enough intelligence to perform tool usage and have their own cultures, many become violent when approached, ruthlessly using their bear strength to keep interlopers away, their original purpose of protection perverted.



*Spoiler: DC15*
Show


Some wildkin can make use of magic, invoking Elune's power to sear their enemies. Their feathers often hold magical energy, and are often prized by arrow fletchers.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade looked around for a moonwell. She gripped her battleax, eager to use it, but sighed. 
"I say we keep our distance and find a campsite on the way to that belltower. If the gnolls come around here maybe it'll kill one or two."

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek nodded his agreement with his goblin friend and searched for a moonwell as well, so that they may avoid disturbing the two wildkin's area any further, and replied quietly.  "Agreed, could be useful and we have no reason to fight them.  Get behind me."  Whether he's found the well or not, he attempts to lead the group a short way back and circle around, avoiding the wildkin and especially the moonwell if sighted.  He quietly cursed for not bringing quieter armor, but also knew if anyone were to be spotted, he hoped it'd be himself - tough as she was and long as she could still go on fighting, Jade was still hurt, and while Ox was decently tough, he trusted his own steel to protect his less durable comrades more than a construct.  He muttered a soft prayer to Hir'eek and pressed on.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy stifles a gasp, just gobsmacked that she gets to see not one but _two_ wildkin, possibly even a mated pair!  She squeezes her bag, desperately wanting to take notes but not wanting to tempt the magical might of the two, she speaks in an urgent but hushed whisper, "Oh, I wish we could stay here!  Look at how cute they are!  But Jade's right, we should go.  Wildkin can be magical, via their connection to Elune, and it'd be safer for us to just pass them by."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade took one last tempted look at the wildkin, but shook her head and followed Jok'lek toward the bell tower. 
"Team Fun Size would have been cool," she "whispered" to Skipsy. "Hey, I still have a Rocket Jump left over. Maybe we can launch off the bell tower and see how far we get."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

I am NOT healing you if you drop from a bell tower. Emilia says with an equally loud whisper. Sightseeing is over, we can take these two, but I don't want to pull their ire, or that of the elves. The cleric has a basic understanding that blood elves have little to do with night elves and Elune. But there are enough people who claim to be wildkeepers, and she was not sure the blood elves weren't rangers on their own.

The bell tower should make a good place to rest. she agrees.

----------


## Amnestic

You back away from the cottage and the wildkin, leaving them to their shelter in peace, and the stirring one doesn't seem to follow - either it fell back to slumber or considered you not worth the effort of following. Either way, you skirt away from the ruined building no worse for wear, a mental note of its 'occupants' now lodged in your minds. There's no moonwell to be spotted in the area, no telltale silver-blue glow of its enchanted waters bubbling up at-or-beyond the treeline. It seems they truly are creatures out of place.

The path continues to wind and wend up the hill towards the belltower you've chosen as your next destination, and as you get closer you can see that the building is in a similar state of disrepair to the cottage - the walls crumbling (though still standing) and the eponymous bell has fallen from the tower, now half-buried in overgrown grass.

A pale, slender figure with long blonde hair breaks through the trees ahead of you, her desperate footfalls barely making a whisper. Behind her, two large reptilian monsters pursue her in eerie silence, their purple-and-green scales thoroughly alien to you, but hard to focus on. One lashes out with a claw, raking the woman across the back who drops with an agonized shriek. A buzzing at the top of the belltower emerges the moment blood hits the air and you see a nest of insects begin to stir.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show






Initiative order:
Jok'lek/Jade->Enemies->Everyone.

Please note that the warp stalkers have a Displacement trait; attacks against them have disadvantage until they take damage, at which point they're attacked normally until their next turn. As such please roll _all_ attacks with disadvantage to save me doing it, and I will adjust based off of when they get hit.

The *Comet* card is once again in play.
When you are stood in the card's location you can use your bonus action to 'Mark' a target you can see. The next time you hit the marked target with an attack roll, you gain 10 temporary HP. The Comet token then moves underneath the Marked target. You may only Mark one target at a time, and using your bonus action to mark a new target removes the previous mark.




*Spoiler: Int (Nature) on the Warp Stalkers*
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*Spoiler: DC5*
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These reptilian predators are alien to Azeroth. Beyond that, you don't know much.



*Spoiler: DC10*
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They were originally native to Draenor, the orcish homeworld. Originally their abilities were more akin to chameleons, granting them camouflage to strike stealthily. Since the magical destruction of Draenor turning it into Outland, their abilities have evolved, and their shifting skin patterns now safeguard against attacks.



*Spoiler: DC15*
Show


Some warp stalkers can phase into and out of dimensions entirely, and when they return to reality their strikes seem especially devastating against spellcasters, causing their spells to fizzle.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade knew those things!
And hey, that elf was probably who they were looking for! What luck!
Well, they had to kill some things but that was like the _main_ thing Jade did, so no big deal. 
*"YAAAAAAAAAAAA!"* She declared as she sprinted into place, swinging her ax and trying to make herself the target of the beast. "Go! Now! Run!" Jade shouted to the elf as she swung again, showing a _slight_ variance in tactics as she seemed less interested in hitting _hard_ than just hitting it at all, aiming right for the middle of the thing and swinging fast. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

40 feet of movement lets me get in the nearest monster's face.

Frenzy Rage.

I will reckless my attacks to negate the disadvantage, so I'll only roll the advantage on the later one. I've Frenzied, so on the next few rounds I'll have three attacks. 

Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*15*]; *14* slashing damage rolled ooc
(1d20+7)[*16*]/(1d20+7)[*21*]; (1d8+9)[*10*]

----------


## Kushina43

_Warp Stalkers!?_  Jok'lek immediately knew the threats ahead as the alien lizards, for they matched the description some of the Outland veterans gave..  as well as some who were deployed to Vash'jir during the Cataclysm, strangely enough.  Jade charged forward first despite his misgivings, as expected, but she took care to strike the shifting beasts true more than hard, and he thought to do the same - trusting Jade to distract that stalker, he focused on the second.  He then stomped the ground and let his blood boil, letting his rage quickly suffuse his body before exploding outward with a dash, and with that same movement he planned to cleave into the second further warp stalker with his greataxe before it caused Jade or anyone else problems.  In his rage, he failed to notice the buzzing from the tower.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Hoping I can reach the second stalker with a Dash, but if not I'll rewrite attacking the same as Jade.  The ruling also says I can make an attack if I move 20ft in a line, assuming I'm reading it correctly.  Not an attack action, though, so just the one strike.  No action surging just yet
Bonus Action:  Warrior Rage: 3 RP
Action:  Spend 2 RP for Charge:  Dash and subsequent attack w/adv, which is cancelled out.
Attack:  (1d20+6)[*24*]
Damage:  (1d12+3)[*6*] slashing

Current Warrior Rage:  1 RP
Edit:  Misread rage reserve, fixed

----------


## Amnestic

Jade and Jok'lek both leap forwards, bringing their respective weapons down upon the shifting scaled creatures. Despite their shifting scales that seem to dart in and out of sight, both the stalwart fighters manage to take chunks out of their beastial foes. They hiss in response, lashing back with tooth and claw. Though both Jade and Jok'lek manage to deflect some of the blows, some of them still cut through, and draw blood, light as it may be.

At the same time, the blood raised finally attracts the attention of the hive. Two large insects descend from the hive to and attach themselves to Analastra, going to suck her blood and move the elven woman yet closer to death. The hive bristles with more to come, yet for now only two have emerged. 

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jade hits on both attacks for *24* total.
Jok'lek hits for *6* on their target.

Jade gets hit once twice, once for *5* slashing and once for *8* piercing.
Jok'lek gets hit once for *8* slashing damage. 

Damage numbers are given without including resistances.

Two bugboys attach themselves to Analastra. I forgot to mark the hive on the map, but it's inside the belltower, too high to reach from melee range.


Everyone's up!

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy gasps, pointing at the warpstalkers and shouting, "Oh no!  Weird dogs!"  The shame of uttering something like that as a scholar hits her a full second later, she winces as if she's been punched in the gut, "Uh, well, painting targets!"  She aims her army knife into the air, launching a small firework that explodes over the warpstalkers, coating them (and much of the surrounding area) in a shiny, pink powder.  Skipsy starts closing towards the elf, but her stubby little legs can only carry her so far.  Ox scrambles over to the elf woman, flapping his metal wings to gain just a little bit more speed.  Once at her feet, the battle chicken hops up, pecking at the bugs trying to latch on to her.

*Spoiler: Actions*
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*Skipsy's HP:* 42/42
*Ox's HP:* 36/36

*Actions:*
_Action_ - Skipsy casts Faerie Fire, targeting an area near the warpstalkers so both of them get hit.
_Move_ - Skipsy moves towards the elf, as far as she can.
_Bonus Action_ - Force-Empowered Peck *Attack* - (1d20+7)[*8*] for *Force Damage* - (1d8+3)[*11*] against one of the bugs attacking the elf lady.

_Reaction_ - Ox will use his reaction to Deflect Attacks made against the elf.

----------


## Xihirli

"Gah! I like it!" Jade shouted as she was clawed. "This one's mine!" She announced, pointing her ax at the monster in her face. "Leave it be!" And she jumped at the monster, ax swinging rapidly as she let loose a wicked cackle. 
"Gahaahaha! Wahaahahg! Ha!"

*Spoiler: FIGHT!*
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Longsword/Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*15*]; (1d8+9)[*13*]
(1d20+7)[*24*]/(1d20+7)[*13*]; (1d8+9)[*16*]
(1d20+7)[*12*]/(1d20+7)[*16*]; (1d8+9)[*17*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

A quick light shines upon Analastra and then a barrier around her person appears. Can you walk? THEN RUN! Warpstalkers disrupt my magic. I cannot do more! Emilia shouts.

*Spoiler*
Show

Power Word: Shield for 11 temporary HP, Flash Heal (Healing Word) for (1d4+5)[*8*] HP.
Since Words of Power are technically no spells, both should be possible in the same turn. Emilia stays put, unwilling to let her magic be disrupted.

----------


## Kushina43

His charging strike hits true, but it's on the shallow end, and the lizard swipes back with its claws.  That wound is equally shallow thanks to his armor - His rage makes him unable to see that he received no true damage through the card's vigor - and he redoubles his efforts and strikes out with his weapon in retaliation.  The pink powder that now coats the creature thanks to Skipsy's firework serves to help him aim for lethal strikes.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Takes 5 damage due to HAM, unless the strikes are magical
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*20*]  Faerie Adv:  (1d20+6)[*21*] 
Damage:  (1d12+3)[*10*]
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*23*]  Faerie Adv:  (1d20+6)[*14*] 
Damage:  (1d12+3)[*15*]



The buzzing still escapes his notice, this foe's life the only thing he sees through his rage, and Jade's target blocking his direct view regardless.

*Spoiler: OOC 2*
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Current Warrior Rage:  3 RP?  Misread the displacement trait, +1 per hit

----------


## Amnestic

Jade and Jok'lek continue their melee assault on the large reptiles, smashing into them with their strikes. Jade's target especially seems to suffer greatly, and is bleeding heavily, though it seems possessed by a bloodlust that refuses to allow it to flee. It does at least manage to dodge away from the pink powder, though its companion is less lucky.

Emilia's spell restores some light and life to the bleeding elf's visage, though she doesn't awaken, and you may wonder if the warp stalker's wound may itself be inhibiting the healing magic. Nevertheless, it has certainly moved her a step away from the death that the bloodsuckers have been edging her towards, and the defensive shield likewise protects her from further harm. 

Ox's peck skitters wide of the target bug, but it gets it attention. Threatened,  it detaches from the elf and makes to pierce Ox's defences, though its prong skitters across the metallic shell. Ox's master is less lucky; the  Warp Stalker that Jade has laid into sniffs the magic on the air and retaliates, phasing past Jade to attack the small gnome in her place. It lashes out with its maw and claws. Skipsy manages to avoid becoming a fresh meal, but the razorshap claws draw blood, and she feels the magic disruption surge up through her trying to end her attention on the coat of powder she unleashed.

Another bloodsucker descends from the hive and moves straight towards the bleeding elf, though Ox's disruptive force keeps it from attaching to her, and the remaining bug deals no additional damage to the elf due to Emilia's glowing shield.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show





Top left failed their save vs. Faerie Fire, bottom one made it.
Emilia healed Analastra and shielded her.
Jade hit thrice (46 total).
Jok'lek hits twice (25 total)

Top one phases behind Jok'lek, hits them for *7* and *7* slashing damage over two different hits.
Bottom one (the more injured of the two) phases behind Skipsy, crits her for *8* slashing and hits for *7* slashing over two hits, so two different concentration checks on Faerie Fire. I didn't roll them, and these are made with disadvantage as a result of the Warp Stalker's magicfizzlepowers. 

One of the bugs detach from Analastra and tries to hit Ox, misses.
Another bug flies down, is prevented from attaching to Analastra by Ox.
The remaining attached bug is unable to move her closer to death due to Power Word Shield...for now.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade turns on her heel as the monster phases through her. "Hey! No fair! Just when I was going one on one with you!"
She leaps to the defense of the other member of Team Fun-Size, ax swinging at the creature's spine. "I'm bringing it down! RIGHT NOW! Nobody breaks up Team Fun-Size!"

*Spoiler: KILL!*
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Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*16*]; (1d8+9)[*13*]
(1d20+7)[*25*]/(1d20+7)[*27*]; (1d8+9)[*14*]
(1d20+7)[*22*]/(1d20+7)[*21*]; (1d8+9)[*16*]

----------


## Khosan

For the briefest of moments, Skipsy looks very pleased with her handiwork, smugly smiling at the pinkened warpstalkers.  Then one turns to face her, "Oh, scrap." The little gnome tries to put her shield up to stop the beast, but only manages to just deflect its mouth, leaving herself open to its claws in the process, "Oh, fiddleglitch!"  As charming as Gnomish swears can be, the raking scratches along her shield arm are quite serious, and the pink powder, though still pink, loses its luminous magical glow.  Skipsy groans, but nods in thanks to Jade for smashing up the offending stalker, "Thanks Jadey-oooh, bits, that smarts."  Safe, she grabs her gun, aiming at the remaining warpstalker and unloading on it, shouting to the others, "Anyone have any magic to take care of that bug nest?"

Ox continues pecking at the bug now attacking him.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 27 / 42
*Ox's HP:* 36 / 36

*Action:* Skipsy attacks the remaining warpstalker, remembering that I have Extra Attack this time:
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*25*] / *Attack* - (1d20+7)[*23*], for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+4)[*14*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*8*] / *Attack* - (1d20+7)[*10*], for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+4)[*5*]
*Bonus Action:* Ox force-empowered pecks the bug attacking him
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*20*], for *Force Damage* - (1d8+3)[*7*]

----------


## Kushina43

Jade brings down the other warp stalker in his periphery, and Jok'lek finally sees the scout being attacked by the swarm.  This distraction allows the beast to phase right through him and get off two slashes on his back.  He feels the scrape of the claws on his armor, all but certain he was injured, and turns around to strike in furious retaliation.  With a mighty roar, his axe arcs from his left to right in a powerful swing, then he carries that momentum via spin into a second sweeping strike.  Not satisfied with just those two attacks, he spins into a third diagonal upwards sweep, then stomps the ground hard to end with a downward cleave directly for its skull.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

 Disregard damage numbers, rolling in OOC to fix

Using Rampage!  With FF off the stalkers, this should negate the disadvantage for the turn anyway.  And +5 temp hp afterwards
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*22*]
Damage:  (1d13+3)[*14*] slashing
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*10*]
Damage:  (1d13+3)[*15*] slashing

Action Surge!
Attack 3:  (1d20+6)[*17*]
Damage:  (1d13+3)[*5*] slashing
Attack 4:  (1d20+6)[*23*]
Damage:  (1d13+3)[*13*] slashing

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Surrender to Madness
Concentration: -

Panic and fear pushes Emilia into a shadow induced frenzy, but this time she tries to retain control.

*Spoiler*
Show

bonus action: Surrender to Madness (1d20+8)[*12*] save vs damage
Using Human Resolve to give myself advantage on the attack roll (2d20)[*8*][*12*](20)+9 on the closer Warpstalker
Casting Void Strike as 2nd level spell for maximized 36 necrotic damage.

----------


## Amnestic

Before the warp stalkers can bring any more of their clawed strikes to bear, the party collapses them with vengeance. Jade's blows rain down on the injured one, extinguishing the last of its life and halting its assault on Skipsy, meanwhile Jok'lek and Skipsy slice and cut at its sides to keep it in one place, allowing Emilia a chance to crash down her shadowy spell upon the creature, ending its life. Ox's peck finds its mark this time, ending the life of its target, but its attempt to stop the others from harming the elf falls short. The magic shield that had wrapped around Analastra is now gone, its light dimmed and diminished into nothingness as the three attached bloodbugs continue to drain the life out of their dying victim.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jade finishes off the south Warpstalker, Jok'lek, Skipsy and Emilia finish off the other. Ox kills one bloodbug.

Also I reread Surrender to Madness and its self-damage isn't dodged by combat ending; make sure you're making the saves post-fight with scaling DCs. 

Analastra is a hair's breadth from death.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Surrender to Madness [Turn 2, DC 12]
Concentration: -

In her shadowy frenzy, Emilia approaches the bugs carefully. Her left hand shines in a holy light as she summons a well made of pure light next to Analastra, while her right is infused with shadow attempting to deal with two bugs.

*Spoiler*
Show

Casting maximized Holy Nova to remove the Blood Bugs (excluding Analastra from the effect), then casting Healing Spirit for her, then for me. 2 heals for thee, 2 heals for me. (4d6)[*2*][*5*][*2*][*4*](13)

----------


## Xihirli

Jade springs at the last bug, shifting her ax in her hand to swing it like a flyswatter instead of like an ax. She swats the bug away and buries her ax in its body twice to make sure.
"Jok'lek, get her away from the hive!" Jade yells at her troll friend. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Alright I'm gonna reckless three attacks. One of them should hit.

Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*9*]/(1d20+7)[*11*]; (1d8+9)[*16*]
(1d20+7)[*14*]/(1d20+7)[*9*]; (1d8+9)[*12*]
(1d20+7)[*14*]/(1d20+7)[*26*]; (1d8+9)[*15*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy holsters her pistol with a flourish, spinning it across her palm and nearly sliding it back into its place at her side.  She glances back at the elf, a look of worry crossing her face, then turns her attention to the source of the problem: the hive.  It was never a smart move to use tools in unintended ways, but sometimes (like when your G.L.O.O.P. module is unpowered, a choice she would rectify at the next opportunity) you gotta whack a beehive with a hammer.  Or at least get your mechanical battle chicken to do it for you.  The gnome points at the hive, shouting, "Ox!  Priority target!  Draw their attention!" Ox buh-gawks electronically, acknowledging the command and fluttering over to the nest, pecking at it.  Skipsy hustles over to the elf, sticking her with a needle loaded with a low grade healing serum, "Sorry, this'll pinch a bit, but I swear I'm here to help!"

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 27/42
*Ox's HP:* 36/36

*Action:* Skipsy casts a 1st level Cure Wounds on Analastra for *Healing* - (1d8+4)[*11*]
*Bonus Action:* Ox attacks the hive with another Force Empowered Peck *Attack* - (1d20+7)[*21*], for *Force Damage* - (1d8+3)[*11*]

----------


## Kushina43

With the warp stalkers dead, everyone starts toward the fallen scout and attacks the bugs, trying to clear them away.  Jade swats two and Skipsy commands Ox to attack the hive itself to stop any more.  Jok'lek holsters his weapon and reaches for one of his handaxes, only for Jade to yell that he get Analastra away from the hive.  With a quick nod, he darts in toward her and grabs her, lifting her of the ground and then trying to back away from the combat.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Rolling athletics in case its necessary to carry her as explained
Athletics:  (1d20+6)[*15*]
Warrior Rage is still active for the moment since I attacked last turn
I'll probably trigger an AoO for retreating, since I doubt picking her up would be less than an action, but I can take some of those

6 RP, assuming 3 of my attacks hit last turn

----------


## Amnestic

Emilia's spell wraps around two of the bugs and dessicates their bodies as the shadow drains the life from them, leaving Jade open to cleave the last one with remarkable precision from the elf's skin. Skipsy and Jok'lek follow up, the former adding some extra light and life to her the elf's features once more, while the troll lugs her up onto his shoulder and carries her away from the hive. Following his master's orders, Ox waddles into the tower, squawking at the bloodbug's hive, but unable to reach it from the ground. Despite the racket, the two that emerge ignore the metallic construct and instead once again seek only food - specifically from the wounded Skipsy. In tandem, they both fly down and attempt to drain her of her delicious lifeblood. One is deflected by the gnome's shield, but the other one manages to latch in with its barbed proboscis and begins draining yet more from her. 

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jade and Emilia forcibly remove the three bugs from Analastra, who is healed by Skipsy, and then picked up and carried a short distance by Jok'lek.

Ox attempts to hit the hive, but can't reach because it's above melee range. It menaces the hive, but the bugs ignore the entirely metallic beast in favour of blood, specifically seeking out the injured Skipsy instead. One hits for *4* damage and latches on to her, the other misses.

----------


## Kushina43

Once Analastra is a little out of the way, Jok'lek gently puts her down in order to rejoin the fray.  Looking to the hive, where Ox is unable to reach, he wants to get there before anything else..  Until Skipsy gets attacked, one of the bugs latching onto her.  His eyes widen and his rage renews, pulling out his pair of handaxes and running to Skipsy, slashing at the fleeing bug twice, then once to the attached bloodsucker.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Moving to attack the bugs
First the one still flying, attack and extra attack
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*23*]
Damage:  (1d6+3)[*8*] slashing
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*18*]
Damage:  (1d6+3)[*6*] slashing

Then bonus action to attack the latched one with offhand via TWF
Attack 3:  (1d20+6)[*22*]
Damage:  (1d6+3)[*5*] slashing

Now at AC 17 with DW feat, 6 RP

----------


## Xihirli

"Whys everybody hating on Team Fun-Size today?!" Jade steps up to Skipsy and holds up her axe.
"Ill swat em if they come close! You magic people hit the hive!"

*Spoiler: Action*
Show

 Jade will simply step up to be the nearest one to the hive and Ready an Attack.
She has also been wounded and is coated in Warp Monster Blood.
(1d20+7)[*22*]; (1d8+6)[*14*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Surrender to Madness [Turn 3, DC 13]
Concentration: -

Emilia defends her immortal mind from the assaults beyond the veil while her Lightwell heals Analastra. She rummages in her pockets and throws an acid vial at the hive, missing entirely.

*Spoiler*
Show

Madness Save (1d20+3)[*19*]
Lightwell (1d6)[*1*]
"Reaper" style Toll the Dead for 12 damage each (uninjured) vs Wis DC 17

----------


## Khosan

"Aack!  Bugs!"  Skipsy swats at them, deflecting one but once more leaving herself vulnerable to the other.  She looks as though she's about to swat them herself until Jok'lek comes and does it for her, "Thanks!"  Her attention returns to Ox, uselessly hopping around beneath the hive, "Why did I think that would work. 
 Ox, come!"  Ox flutters back to her side, "Defend.  Momma's got another dumb plan."  Skipsy switches back to her pistol, quickly checking that the chamber's clean, aims at the hive and takes two quick shots.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 23/42
*Ox's HP:* 36/36

*Action:* Skipsy takes a sharpshooter penalty to hit and fires twice at the hive:
*Attack* - (1d20+4)[*11*] for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+10)[*14*]
*Attack* - (1d20+4)[*6*] for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+10)[*14*]

----------


## Kushina43

With the bugs swatted, all that remains is the hive.  Jade sets up to kill any wasps attracted to her blood-soaked body, while Skipsy and Emilia shoot it and throw acid - the latter Jok'lek winced at her missing, until it thankfully sailed past where it could harm Jade.  He moves a few feet over, the entrance directly in front of him, and uses the last of his rage lingering from the encounter to sprint forward.  Once he's inside, he stops himself short and puts the momentum into a spin with which he hurls his handaxe, the weapon inheriting his momentum and closing in on the hive, a miniature whirlwind of steel death. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Spending 2 RP on Charge and attack with advantage.  
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*25*] Adv:  (1d20+6)[*19*]
Damage:  (1d6+3)[*4*] slashing

----------


## Amnestic

Jok'lek dispatches the two remaining insects in your face, and Jade braces for the next that emerges, taking it down in a single strike. Perhaps it's Skipsy's loss of blood that causes her strikes to veer away from the hive, and Emilia's inexperience with tossing not-terribly-aerodynamic acid vials that makes it shatter and sizzle against stone instead of the bug's home, but neither of them find their mark. It's Jok'lek's throwing axe that strikes true, cleaving the residence in twain...and causing all of its remaining occupants to emerge at once, the buzzing growing far louder as it resonates around the ruined belltower.

Analastra still has not awoken, though her wounds have at least knit shut thanks to the consistent healing, but given her distance from the now-ruined hive, you can be assured that she is safe. The rest of you...not so much. 

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jok'lek killed the two in your face.
Jade killed the one that emerged.
Skipsy and Emilia both missed the hive.

Jok'lek then took a turn out of order (naughty) but thankfully it kinda works out. The hive splits open and is destroyed, and out of it emerge eight more bugs.

Everyone _except_ Jok'lek gets a turn before the bugs get another round.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade lifts her ax. "YAAAAAAAAAARHGGGG!" She announces, and dove into the crowd of bugs, swinging her ax around to use the wide blade as a swatter. 

*Spoiler: KILL!*
Show


Alright, you know how it go. 

Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*9*]/(1d20+7)[*26*]; (1d8+9)[*13*]
(1d20+7)[*15*]/(1d20+7)[*11*]; (1d8+9)[*15*]
(1d20+7)[*12*]/(1d20+7)[*9*]; (1d8+9)[*16*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy shakes her arm, trying to get feeling back in it.  She takes a breath, squeezes one eye shut, fires two more shots at the bugs and shouts to her chicken, "Get 'em, Ox!"

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 23/42
*Ox's HP:* 36/36

*Action:* Skipsy attacks the surviving bugs:
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*15*] for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+4)[*8*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*15*] for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+4)[*9*]
*Bonus Action:* Skipsy directs Ox to attack the bugs too
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*14*] for *Force Damage* - (1d8+3)[*7*]

----------


## Amnestic

As the party begins whittling down the emerging bugs that swarm about you, Emilia conjures forth a mass of shadows which spews into the tower and slams into it at a high point. The void energies tumble down from above, engulfing the insects but stopping short of hitting Jade or Jok'lek. Once the darkness recedes, all the bugs drop dead, their forms shrivelled and dessicated as if all the moisture had been drained from their already thin and ephemeral forms.

Analastra's breathing is light but steady and stable. An inspection of the wound shows that the blood has stopped flowing and the skin has knitted back together nicely, though it seems to twitch and twist as you observe it, occasionally rumbling as if something lurks beneath the surface.

*Spoiler: Medicine DC14*
Show


The injury she sustained bears similarities to magical poisons or curses, clinging to her despite the superficial damage being cured. She doesn't appear to be worsening, but neither is she improving; presumably if noting is done she would eventually die from dehydration or starvation.

This can be likely cured with a Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, or a Lesser Restoration spell. If cast from a 2nd level spellslot, a successful spellcasting ability check (DC14) is required to successfully purge the magic. No ability check is required if cast from a 3rd level or higher spell slot.

----------


## Xihirli

"Looks like she needs some rest!" Jade says sagely, and turns to the two warpstalker corpses. 
"Meanwhile, I have some meat to get... and I'll also take their hides!" Jade draws her shortswords and begins skinning the warpstalkers and making meat strips to salt. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Survival? (1d20+4)[*19*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy sighs, shoving her pistol back in its holster and collapsing backwards into a sitting position as she catches her breath, "Hoo...Anyone else remember Silithus?  I remember Silithus.  Bugs are the worst."  She glances over at the dead warpstalkers, cradling her bloodied shield arm, "And those were just rude."  Ox scuttles over and sits next to his master, miraculously unscathed.

Having caught her breath, Skipsy makes her way over to the elf woman, pulling down her goggles and engaging some specific lenses, "Hmm, magical poison?  No, curse?  Maybe. 
 Well, in either case, she's not in danger.  It's a tough one, so I can't guarantee this'll work, but if it doesn't she'll be fine until we can get her somewhere safe."  The gnome pulls out her army knife and, with a little less gusto than when she fixed Jade's fingers the day before, jabs one of its prongs into Analastra's neck _*BZZZT*_ and whispers a little prayer, "Come on, work for me, baby."

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Skipsy casts _Lesser Restoration_ with her last 2nd level spell slot to cure Analastra.  *Intelligence* - (1d20+4)[*13*]

----------


## Amnestic

The shocking magic surges into the unconscious elf, running up and down her body and those observing the warping skin around the now-healed wounds on the back see it steadily slow, calm, and normalise until it's smooth and 'pure' once more. With the magic now purged, the elf's eyes flicker open, revealing irises of emerald surrounded by the pools of green light gently emanating from them that is typical of Thalassians from Silvermoon. She groans as she sits up, rubbing at her back and the damaged armour that had been cleaven through. "Oooh, that one really hurt." She mutters to herself, before she finally takes in the image of you all stood around her, and the corpses of the two warpstalkers. Her features flicker between hope and trepidation as she asks you all, "Did...did you save me? Who are you people?" She's not in any particular state to fight back - even ignoring her near death experience whatever weapons she had carried previously (and she had, given the knife sheath and empty quiver on her belt) have been lost; probably when she was running.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade, still carving up Warp Stalker for dinner, turns her bloody grin toward the elf. 
"Oh, you're up! Hoy hoy! That gnome who healed you is Skipsy! She's fun! And might be a medic! The zombie over there is Emilia, she prays so hard that things explode. The troll is Jok'lek, he's really big! And I'm Jade. I'm just happy to be here! You must be Barry's sister. He sent us out to look for you, and now you're found! So once we return you to your people and pack up this warp stalker we'll be good to go!"
Jade glances at Jok'lek apologetically. "I know we planned a gnoll feast, but since the elves are willing to share their maps without us even fighting a gnoll I figure warp stalker will do. Hey, elf! Ya like white meat or dark meat?"

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek immediately regretted his rash tossing of the axe when the swarm began descending, only for relief to wash over him as Emilia's shadows engulf and desiccate them all almost immediately.  His rage abates and he waves to Emilia, both in gratitude and apology, and climbs up to get his handaxe before making his way over to the rest.  Analastra's condition is worse than he realized, but Skipsy's gadget thankfully gets her cured and sitting upright.  Realizing his retrieved axe is still in hand, he puts it away and bolsters Jade's reassurance.

"Ah, yes, I be Jok'lek of the Darkspear, along with my mentioned companions.  We ran across Berrian Velfarren who asked us to find you while we were out here.  Your brother, yes?  You are safe with us - well, safe as one can be guarded in Duskwood - and he wanted us to say _Hope is a Phoenix_ and send you back his way."

With that said, he turns to Jade and nods in understanding.  "Eh, warp stalker's probably better than gnoll, I'd wager.  And if you're makin' cuts for us all anyway, I prefer dark meat myself."

----------


## Amnestic

Relief washes over her face when she hear's Berrian's name, along with a little bit of sisterly worry. She even flinches a little. "He's going to be so mad at me. Analastra Velfarren, it's nice to meet you all." She sighs, but the way she carries herself says that she's still very eager to be going back. "I wouldn't want to...to ask anything more, after all you did save my life, but could you guard me back to my brother? I dropped all my weapons when I was running and...I'll be honest, I'm not really sure where I am now. It was a pretty hectic flight. Great story, but only if I actually get to tell it."

----------


## Xihirli

"Yes, we'd be happy to! But there's no way we'll be finding an elf camp in the night, and we've worn ourselves out. So as soon as we eat, we should set up for the night. We'll look for Barry at first light."
Jade gathers wood for a fire and sticks the cuts of meat she's planning to use on her longsword, holding them over the fire like marshmallows. 
"Oh, and I have a few extra weapons. What do you prefer? You can borrow my shortswords or bow or longsword until we find your brother, if you like!"

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy falls backwards, taking a deep breath.  She raises a hand when Jade introduces her, offering up a tired but relieved, "Skipsy, Skipsy Turncrank.  Member in good standing with the - hoo boy - Explorer's League."  Almost absent-mindedly, still pulling herself together, she retracts the restorative attachment of her army knife and extends a small trumpet which, upon tapping a button on the side, plays the recording of Berrian's irritated repetition of 'Hope is a phoenix.'

"I could do dinner.  Just gimme a second, I'll get that going once I get my arm wrapped up,"  She struggles up to a sitting position, loosening the mechanical armor on her left arm.  Reaching into her bag, she pulls out a few strips of cloth, some are used to wipe her arm clean, most are used simply as bandages and the last especially long one as a makeshift sling.  The entire time she's doing this, she keeps talking, "I dunno if we need to sleep here though.  I mean, yes, I'm nearly dry on magic and I'm scratched to the Nether and back, but Ox is perfectly fine!  And ol' shooty here is plenty effective!"  Her wounds treated well enough for non-magical field medicine, she pulls a strange box from her bag that, upon the press of another strange button, clunkily expands into a miniature grill, "Alright, bring 'em over.  Let's see what we can do."

*Spoiler: Cook's Utensils*
Show

With her Cook's Utensils, Skipsy attempts to make dinner, *Survival* - (1d20+8)[*11*] with *Guidance* - (1d4)[*2*] because Skipsy is hoping to make a good impression.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

As the quaint little introduction happens in the foreground, Emilia is battling her inner demons, or rather shadows. Clutching her head, she kneels down, praying to the Light of all entities to shield her. The darkness envelops her, but a glowing orb appears around her. It breaks almost instantly but her undead form is not marred too badly. She even takes a few deep breaths she doesn't need before shakily coming to her feet again.

She does come closer a few steps, then stops and adresses Analastra's concern. I expected this request, and I for one would feel bad sending you out unarmed and disoriented. At least to collect the reward. She pauses and smiles her freakish smile. Your brother seemt exasperated, but concerned. I would not worry too much.

I am Emilia Shadowburn, formerly Emilia of Brill. I hope you can excuse my mangled form, but I did suffer under the Scourge as much as your kin did. If you feel safe enough with us, I would do half the night watches. The living death comes with its advantages though I need to meditate to sort my thoughts as well. With these words, rather than partaking in the social gathering of the eatery, Emilia scans the area for a lookout. Eating and socializing reminded her too much of what she had lost.

----------


## Amnestic

"I'm eager to get back...but I do think a rest might help. I'd happily take a bow, though hopefully we won't need it again." Analastra agrees with a weary, and a slightly embarassed, smile. Still, despite her ordeal and former injuries she acquits herself well in helping out with moving the bug bodies outside of the tower so you can all take refuge inside of it. She even offers to help out with dinner, though in truth Skipsy's unusual utensils leave her lost. The gnome turns out a relatively successful dinner considering the environment you find yourself making it in - tasty, even if not delicious, and filling.

"I can take a watch too, at least if it's not the first one." Analastra offers. She doesn't shy away from Emilia, nor seem perturbed by the undead form. "I stayed in Tranquillien for a time, I know the Forsaken can be...misunderstood." It's said with a smile, but the smile is tinged with the same cloying pity that many offer. Still, she lets Emilia have her distance, and makes no move to engage first, only to respond.

After sitting for dinner, she launches into a short explanation on her story. "I don't know how much my brother told you about why we're here, and I don't want to say more without his approval, but we're searching for someone, or the trace of someone. With the gnolls occupying much of the lower level and monstrosities around the abbey, we had little choice but to make our base at the Font and send out ranging parties from there. We encountered the warp stalkers a few times, but kept our distance since they seemed to have a taste for gnoll meat." She gives a light shrug of shame. "I was out hunting some gnolls myself when they got the drop on me and had to run." 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


I'm still on holiday (officially) and won't be back on my home PC while Wednesday for my actual notes, so I'm gonna hold off rolling for encounters during the night (if any) til then. Post as much or as little as you like making small talk, but chances are this'll be my last post until back home.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade passes out cuts of meat to go with Skipsy's food. Dark for her and Jok'lek, white for everyone else. 
She starts chowing down. 
"I'll take first watch. Gives me time to salt the rest of these warpstalkers. Why don't you take it with me, Emilia?" Jade offers with a grin. "Two pairs of eyes are better than one, and I feel like we never hang out anymore. It's all 'the light has betrayed me' this and 'I hate fun' that. Come onnnn, it'll be fun!"

Jade takes her shortbow and quiver out of the bag of holding and hands them over to Analastra. "I'd have a longbow, but I can't reach the top of it to string it!" the small goblin explains. "But it'll do in a pinch, right? I know all you elves are into the longbows and the double-bladed scimitars nowadays."

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek picks up the neglected Comet Card after the battle, putting it in his bag, then gets back to the group replying "Rest'll do us all good, then we get ya back, no objection here."  As he sat down to rest, wiping down his axes of warp stalker blood and bug, he wondered if Ebonlocke might not like the group taking any longer than was specified.. But ultimately, he was more satisfied with doing the good deed in front of him first.  Plus, knowing the gnolls infested the lower levels _was_ relevant information.  He kept the line about searching for someone in the back of his mind, and instead pressed for the former and the monsters.  "While on the topic, you got any idea what a bunch of gnolls might be doin' here in the first place?  Warp stalkers are also a little odd for the region, from what I've been told."  He puts down his blades as Jade passes him the dark cut of stalker meat, his hunger arriving all at once and taking large bites.

----------


## Amnestic

The elf takes hold of the bow and gives it a few test pulls, feeling the weight of the string. Experienced archers note that the draw length is a little bit less than her arm can handle but she still nods, apparently choosing not to mention it and instead graciously accepting the borrowed-gift without complaint. Jok'lek's questions make her purse her lips, not out of unwillingness to speak but rather concern. "The warp stalkers I can explain, at least a bit: it's the magic here. I don't know the full story of what happened but over a century or so ago, _something_ happened here which sent the magic all wild. You've probably seen the glow?" She points further up the hill towards the Abbey. "I think the magic 'pulled' them in but it's had other weird effects too. Chaotic. It's why Berrian doesn't like straying too far from the Font for now - it seems to be a bit of a sanctuary against the wild magic."

"The gnolls...I don't really know. They don't talk much in between the laughter and screaming. I thought they just wanted it as a place to live - squatting in an abandoned village with big walls isn't the worst idea, but since they're gathering mercenaries..." She trails off, then shrugs with a sigh. Your guess is as good as hers.

With a watch order decided on, more or less, you settle in for turns of sleep.

*The 'Night'*

The first few watches pass without bother, just the silence of the forest punctuated with the whistle of wind through the trees, its dark tones heralding the corruption that stalks the Abbey's grounds. During the final watch, with Analastra and Jok'lek, they both feel - and then hear - a shaking. Heavy footfalls of an individual far heavier than any gnoll or warp stalker, no matter how large. The creaking of trees suddenly uprooting and falling reaches your ears but peering through the gloom reveals nothing at first. It's enough notice to give you time to wake the others, however.

Finally the great being comes into a view - a treant. A living tree powered normally by natural magic but, like so much else in this place...different. Its bark is blackened, its 'face' and claws glimmering with a magic that's azure colour sets your teeth on edge. It stomps following your own trail, and as you hold your breath in silence it seems that it might move past and go on its way, but it was too much to hope for, and it turns with a roar towards the tower, bounding towards you directly on earth-shaking feet. Analastra strikes first from her hiding place, loosing an arrow at the monster. Her inexperience with the goblin-sized shortbow seems to make the arrow a little less powerful than hoped though, and it skitters against the thick bark. The monster's response is swift, as it scoops up a great chunk of rock and dirt with one hand without breaking stride and tosses it overarm at the elf. Some of it was deflected by the tower wall she hid behind,  but a scattering of stone still strikes at her promising yet more bruises to come.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show


I'm back home! Joy of joys.

You gain the benefits of a short rest, spend any HD as needed.



Initiative only had Analastra going first, then the enemy, so everyone's got a turn now. I'll do Analstra's second turn at the start of the next turn. 

Analastra missed (despite advantage) and the treant responded by tossing a rock at her for *18* damage.

Comet card is in effect again.
*Comet*
When you are stood in the card's location you can use your bonus action to 'Mark' a target you can see. The next time you hit the marked target with an attack roll, you gain 10 temporary HP. The Comet token then moves underneath the Marked target. You may only Mark one target at a time, and using your bonus action to mark a new target removes the previous mark.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade, who luckily doesn't have armor to put on, rolls to her feet upon hearing the fighting and unsheathes her longsword in two hands, not having the time to strap on her shield. She springs forward, lifting the sword over her head and going in to chop into the tree menace. 
"What kind of a tree even are you? _I'M_ greener than you!"

*Spoiler: ATTACK!*
Show


Hey, that's Rotten Applebaum from Hearthstone!

With 40 feet I believe I just barely make it into melee.

Let's be safe and Frenzy, though that won't kick in until next round because bonus action. 
Longsword (two-handed) RAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK!
(1d20+4)[*11*]/(1d20+4)[*19*]; (1d10+15)[*22*]
(1d20+4)[*15*]/(1d20+4)[*9*]; (1d10+15)[*23*]

----------


## Khosan

"Huh-wha-?" Skipsy grunts groggily, lurching up from her slumber, hair even more of a mess than usual.  She dons her armor, half awake and seemingly only half aware of the stomping.  At first sight of the treant, she lights right up, almost vibrating with excitement that such a wonderous creature had wandered their way and that she might have an opportunity to explain what they are and their relationship to Night Elven society at length.  Until it throws a rock.

The gnome looks as if she's been slapped in the face, utterly shocked and betrayed that the treant would do such a thing, "What!  How dare!  It takes a moment to sink in that, "...Dangit," this thing means them harm and her gun would be needed.  She reluctantly takes aim and fires, "I swear these guys are normally so nice!  Ox, get in there!"  Ox scrambles into pecking range, diving forward to meet the tree creature's shin.

"'Lastra!  Touch this thing here, then shoot the tree!"  She jerks her head toward the floating symbol of the Comet card just next to her, "It's a little protective glyph!"

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 42 / 42
*Ox's HP:* 36 / 36

*Action:* Skipsy attacks the treant, firing twice with her pistol
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*24*] for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+4)[*8*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*10*] for *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+4)[*11*]
*Bonus Action:* Ox likewise runs into melee and attacks the treant
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*25*] for *Force Damage* - (1d8+3)[*5*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia interrupted her night shifts with occasional thoughts about the Light. It forsake her, yes. But did she really try to reach for it? Maybe the Scarlet Crusade's teachings were right? Maybe she was an abomination that deserved to die? But he also read about a Alonsus Faol, a great priest in the Second War, now forsaken as her. And he still believes in the light, though he uses the darkness within as well. Maybe that was better than hiding, away from life, and bask in (un)death.

As her shift came to an end the rural priestess laid herself into an indention in the ground, akin to a grave or sarcophagus. Closing her eyes, she crossed her arms like a corpse from Uldum, meditating on her state of unlife between life and death. The darkness beckoned, and yet she resisted. The Lich King beckoned, and yet she resisted.

Creaking bark and unsettling energies awoke her. Rising from the grave, she saw an arrow fly at a tree, no treant, and the Farstrider immediately getting almost killed by an arm full of mud and dirt. By the Light, you are the world's worst elven ranger, you know that? 

She steps aside and near the card. Snapping her fingers, she sets the tree aflame in dark energies.

*Spoiler*
Show

Void Strike: (1d20+9)[*29*] Bonus Action card activation.
(6d6)[*18*] necrotic

----------


## Amnestic

Rather than waiting for the treant to reach you in melee, the party leaps out to meet it - still covered in the scattered dirt and rocks from the treant's first volley. Taking their blades to it, Jade and Jok'lek hack at its legs while Ox pokes at one of its feet with a magically-enhanced beak. The weapon choice was well made, as the bladed weapons cut into the bark, and though there might have been concern that Skipsy's bullets wouldn't pierce through, the magic behind them seems to push the bullets through to strike the inner tree. Great glowing blue sap 'bleeds' from its wounds, though the glow is quickly obscured when Emilia wreathes the monster in shadowy magic. She's buoyed by the card's magic, but it vanishes after she moves to it and appears amidst the treant's feet.

Analastra frowns at the frankly needlessly rude comment from the forsaken, but doesn't respond and instead focuses on loosing another two arrows at the monster. Once again, the arrowheads skitter against its thick bark and scatter again. 

Rearing back, the black-barked treant - whether due to a natural affiliation to the magic, luck, or keen understanding of it (arcanists would probably judge the former as most likely) - also channels the card into itself as it brings its hulking clawed arms down against those who engaged it in close combat. It slams down first on Jade, the card immediately appearing once more next to the goblin, before the tree moves onto Jok'lek, who leaps aside, and Ox, who does not and instead receives the full force of the hefty magic plant. 

*Spoiler: Map*
Show



Jade hits once, misses once.
Skipsy hit once, missed once. Ox hit.
Emilia hit.
I rolled Jok'lek's two attacks - missed once, hit once for *4*.

Analastra continued to roll poorly, I'm blaming the goblin-sized shortbow as she missed twice though really it's just swingy dice.

The treant splits its attacks - hit Jade (*9*) bludgeoning, missed Jok'lek (Ox used its reaction on this, though it wasn't needed), and hit Ox (*13* bludgeoning). It also made use of the card, and the effect is now under Jade, since she got hit first.

Everyone's up.

----------


## Kushina43

Most of the night _had_ been going uneventfully, up until this point on final watch with Analastra.  He was thankful to already be armored up for his post, once he heard the massive footfalls, and his eyes widen in shock as the treant comes into full view.  Its bark is a dark color with sickening azure magic that makes his hair stand on end, and the feeling only kicks into high gear when it charges forward with intent to kill.  Analastra shoots it but misses, and it retaliates with a large thrown rock that Jok'lek has to dive away from to avoid also getting blasted by shrapnel.  Analastra isn't as lucky, pelted with chunks of rock, and along with the group he meets the treant and strikes at it.  Some damage is dealt, and Emilia hits it with a gout of shadow magic with the Comet card's power backing her, but the treant also uses the card and hits Jade under its effects, its mighty frame bolstered further by the card's magic.  It lashes out at him and Ox next, but Jok'lek is able to leap out of the way.  He lets loose a battle cry and goes for the attack, a veritable whirlwind of steel as his axe swings for its legs multiple times.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Bonus Action:  Warrior Rage, 3 Rage Points
Action:  2 Attacks (see below, apparently)
Rage Points:  3+number of hits


* post roll count doesn't match database

----------


## Xihirli

Three of Jades fangs hit the dirt with a good-sized glob of spittle and blood.
"Im sure those are going to grow back." Jade spares a glance at Emilia. "Hey, theres no reason for that. She was beaten into unconsciousness earlier today, after all! We cant expect her to oh right Im fighting."
With both hands, Jade swings at the mark shed left in the wood, hoping to split the monster in twain.
*Spoiler: KILL IT!*
Show



LongswordRAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK!
(1d20+4)[*18*]/(1d20+4)[*8*]; (1d10+15)[*22*]
(1d20+4)[*17*]/(1d20+4)[*17*]; (1d10+15)[*16*]
(1d20+4)[*17*]/(1d20+4)[*22*]; (1d10+15)[*21*]

----------


## Kushina43

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*9*]
Damage 1:  (1d12+3)[*12*]
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*21*]
Damage 2:  (1d12+3)[*14*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy gasps as Ox gets smashed, crying out, "Oxy!"  The gnome steels herself, firing another two shots, and directs her partially crumpled mechanical pet once more, "Activate self-repair protocol!  Keep running interference for the others!"  Ox shudders, and momentarily lurches into a kind of T-pose, his head, buried halfway into his neck, pops back out with a metallic clank.  Repairs complete, Ox adopts his usual stance, squawking and flapping his wings to distract the treant when it moves to attack.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 42 / 42
*Ox's HP:* 23 / 36 (plus his pending repair)

*Action:* Skipsy attacks, taking a gamble to deal some extra damage.
*Attack* - (1d20+4)[*14*], *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+10)[*13*]
*Attack* - (1d20+4)[*13*], *Piercing Damage* - (1d10+10)[*13*]
*Bonus Action:* Skipsy directs Ox to repair himself (2/3 daily uses remaining) for *Healing* - (2d8+3)[*10*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

In its weakened state, Emilia prefers to channel her mind into the brain of the aberration. 

*Spoiler*
Show

Mind Flay/Toll the Dead (1d20)[*20*] Wis save vs DC 17
or take (2d12)[*6*] necrotic.

----------


## Amnestic

Skipsy's rage may have channeled itself into her bullets, but she is no warrior, and all her frustration doesn't curve the bullets any better as they skitter past the monster, barely scraping the surface of the bark. Emilia has no better luck, as the great creature's mind resists her spell. It brings its arm up once more to slam down against the party, but Jok'lek and Jade's quick slashes against its legs finally cut through entirely, slicing through and causing it to collapse with a reverberating crash.

Now on its back, it struggles for a moment, trying to right itself and continue its assault, but its turns avail it naught and it falls back as the glowing blue magic sap leaks from where its legs used to be in great spurts and oozes. Finally, it falls still, the glow in its eyes fading and the creature falls still dead. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Was expecting it to stay up another round or so, but it didn't. Combat over!

One more short rest will get you to your requisite sleeptime completed, then presumably back to Berrian?

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia glances at Analastra digging herself out of the dirt with a creepy smile. I hope your elven emotions are not too hurt by nature not only almost knocking you out, but also us destroying a precious treant. Emilia approaches the blue sap and takes a sample. She dumps out a bit of smelling salt from her healing kit and tries to get a clear sample of the sap.

*Spoiler*
Show

I don't know how many uses of  the healing kit you would remove for me dumping a container. But I want a bit of a sample.

----------


## Amnestic

Even with the threat of combat gone, the young(?) elf purses her lips and poorly hides that she's not exactly thrilled with Emilia's phrasing, but won't or can't say much in return, given her position. "Farstriders do what we have to, we always have and always will." She turns away from the conversation, and instead busies herself trying to get the hang of the goblin bow that perplexed her so during the fight. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


One charge for one sample of sap seems reasonable as an exchange rate.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade, coated in blue magic sap from the spray of the Treant, hops up to Analastra. 
"Don't mind her. She's just cranky because everyone she knew and loved died horribly including her. Also you elves like... use wood for things, right? You cut down trees. Anyway I think that one was weird anyway. I bet it planted itself too close to a crazy river that flows with crazy water. My mother always said to me 'Gialtea, you're a failure to goblinkind! Go read a book and stop beating rats to death and eating them! You'll become half-rat if you keep doing that!' So I think this tree drank something crazy and went half-crazy, then drank it again and went full-crazy."
Jade nods sagely. "That's what I think."

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek wipes off his axe's blade of the glowing sap with spare cloth, though he was already splashed by some when the thing fell.  "Rat story aside, I think you may be close.  A treant being corrupted by dark magic sounds.. plausible, I guess.  I know some gnolls use magic, perhaps they're harming the land, and this is a symptom meaning they need to be dealt with."  He makes his way back to the tower where they were camped, getting ready to rest again.  "I'd say that's my watch done after that scare.  A bit longer and we'll head back to your camp, Analastra.  Sound good, everyone?"

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy jogs over to Ox as soon as the treant tumbles, pulling out her army knife, she extends something that looks like a combination screwdriver-microscope and tends to her chicken's injuries, "Poor guy, he really did a number on you, Oxy."

Occupied with her repairs, Skipsy does take a moment to engage with the conversation, "Yeah, I'm with Jade.  Likely corrupted."  Something sparks in Ox's back, making Skipsy jump, "Yeek!  Okay, that's fine, I can fix that!  Anyway, yes, corruption.  A lot of treants, especially ones more closely associated with the Night Elves, are friendly!  Or at least, docile.  There's one in Dalaran, Applebough?  He sells apples.  Lovely guy.  Great apples!  But in the wild, treants are susceptible to corruption from a variety of sources.  They're very sensitive to ambient magical energies in the environment, like in Felwood demonically corrupted treants are the norm.  Dunno what got our friend here, but I'll take a look once I finish with Ox."

A few minutes later, after mending Ox, Skipsy kneels next to the treant, pulling her goggles down over her eyes to get a better look, "Did it seem to anyone else like this one was...following us?  It came up the same way we did and charged right at the tower before we'd done anything.  That could just be bad luck, but I have to put the theory out there that he was after us specifically."  She pointedly pats the pocket where she's been keeping the card.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Skipsy casts Mending on Ox for *Healing* - (2d6)[*12*], if I managed to roll a 2 total she'll cast it again.

Then she'll ritual cast Detect Magic as she looks at the Treant, *Investigation* - (1d20+8)[*23*]

----------


## Amnestic

Given the treant's speed, your roundabout path, and most importantly your long hours of sleep Skipsy can judge that it's relatively unlikely that the treant was tracking you specifically; but following your own path back should prove or disprove that hypothesis more than guesswork. However, more notable is that the treant's magic _does_ seem to resonate with or be related to the card you carry. The corruption that seeped into this treant isn't _just_ the duskwood curse that blankets the land. It's something specific to the Abbey, it seems...and connected to the Deck?

Analastra nods along with Jade's...encouragement. It's clear from her expression (Except, perhaps, to the goblin) that she doesn't really understand but that the sentiment is nevertheless appreciated. "I wouldn't mind a bit more time to practice but...well if we're back to my brother then hopefully won't need to use this one again." She agrees with Jok'lek. She doesn't have much in the way of gear to carry, so aside from the slung quiver and too-small bow, she's good to go.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


I'm in the office right now so I don't have all my notes, but I'll get another post up later today with a move back to the Font, whether or not there's any posts in the meantime.

----------


## Amnestic

With your investigations concluded, you proceed back towards the Font, picking your way through the dense tree foliage. Time becomes difficult to track, absent any celestial objects by which to track its passage, and instead you're forced to rely on the pace of your feet and the beats of your heart to tick away the minutes and hours.

Thankfully, your return to the Font is uneventful, and you're not hindered by any more wandering treants, owlbears, or warp stalkers. Analastra breaks the treeline first, and when Berrian spots her he rushes to meet her, embracing her with the relief of a family member rescued. Admonishment, it seems, can wait in favour of joy at their safety. When they separate, he looks to you bringing up the rear, and a quick glance at Analastra confirms that it was you who helped her.  "You have done a great kindness by returning Analastra to us," While Berrian's demeanour isn't exactly soft, the edges of his eyes are a certainly less harsh than they were on your first meeting. "And a deed of heroism will doubtless see the Font reward you in turn." He beckons you further into the camp, to sit by the Font's side and bask in the gentle glow given by the enchanted waters.

"We are not keepers of the Font, but our time here has allowed us to understand its magic. For those worthy, drinking from it grants you visions of the past, of moments trapped in time, and they serve as..." He seems to struggle to properly describe it. "divine inspiration, almost, though it must be taken in moderation - drinking it too greedily has the opposite effect." He gestures to a stone cup, humble and crude in its making, that rests in the Font's waters. "It's waters can cleanse as well - one of ours was afflicted by a curse, and bathing them in the Font's water shattered the curse most assuredly as any spellbreaker."

"Finally, I'd offer my own knowledge - that of the Abbey, such as it is, and our cause, though I understand if you'd rather claim the Font's visions first." Analastra, who had disappeared, returns with a fresh elf-sized longbow and elven arrows, along with two blades at her waist. With a nod of thanks, she hands Jade's equipment back. "I didn't give a great showing, but I _have_ been further out than the rest of our rangers; I can give some insight as well."

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Anyone and everyone can take a drink from the Font. If you choose to do so, roll a d6.

----------


## Xihirli

"Surviving by yourself out there is impressive enough!" Jade assures her, tucking her bow and arrows back into place. She then picks up the stone cup and chugs down the water. 
"Alright, vision time!"

*Spoiler: VISION TIME*
Show

(1d6)[*3*] let's goooooo

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia fell silent on the way back. She had things to think about, and her abrasive nature was not able to deflect her own sorrow. She once played under such an oak tree. Her parent's farm had an apple tree with juicy red apples. The treant just reminded her of home and reflected her own person. Once pure and life giving, now a twisted and warped reflection of herself. Once at the ranger camp, she listens intently to the much more cautious ranger Berrian. She nods to his words of guidance and says: I wish to feel the Light again. I have drowned myself in shadows long enough. I do not fear it, but I truly feel the touch of the Light is missing. She pauses, then feels her warped undead form. Her body was mostly intact since the plague itself killed her, not some violent fight with the Scourge. She had not eaten since, not even thought about quaffing potions. I just hope I can keep it down. she adds in a defeated but somewhat ironic tone.

Approaching the font, she drinks a cup, then patiently waits for the others to drink before dousing herself in the waters.

*Spoiler*
Show

(1d6)[*6*]
If the font is not arcane but divine, I am going for some sort of "second baptism" RP to have an IC reason to switch priest schools.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy stares at the water for a solid minute, her face screwed up, "Someone bathed in this, huh."  She continues staring for a long moment after, then finally throws caution to the wind, takes the cup from Emilia and takes a sip herself.

*Spoiler: Divine Inspiration*
Show

(1d6)[*1*]

----------


## Kushina43

At Berrian's thanks, Jok'lek offers a short bow, happy to have assisted.  At the offer of the Font, the troll ponders for a minute longer, even after the others have had some to drink.  "Visions and inspiration, eh..?"  He takes the cup from Skipsy and mulls it over a minute longer, then says aloud "Great Hir'eek, grant me the insight through which to understand what I see from the Font with your clarity." and drinks the cup fully.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Font Vision:  (1d6)[*4*]

----------


## Amnestic

"We took the water from the Font, we didn't bathe them in it directly." Berrian hastens to add to Skipsy before she takes a drink.

*Spoiler: Jade*
Show


*Vision of Purpose*
Your vision brightens as the world falls away and suddenly you're at the top of a tall hill. Looking down, you see the land that would become Duskwood splayed out around you, bathed in sunlight. Behind you, the the shell of a building to be is being constructed from stone around a wooden skeleton. Human labourers sing as they hustle and bustle around you, not seeing you, and time seems to blend together as the Abbey's central temple building takes form before your eyes, impossibly fast.

One use: At no action cost, you gain the ability to not provoke opportunity attacks and increase your movement speed by 30ft. This lasts until the end of the current encounter.



*Spoiler: Emilia*
Show


*Vision of Enlightenment*

The Font and the people around you slowly fade away, replaced by images from what looks like the inside of a church. Humans dressed in robes and other religious vestments sit and pray, then a moment later they are doing gentle woodwork, and a moment later they are sat in a circle engaged in a vigorous philosophical discussion. You don't hear the words, exactly, but intuitively you understand the notions being expressed.

Two uses: At no action cost, you have advantage on an ability check of your choice.



*Spoiler: Skipsy*
Show


*Vision of Heroism*

Your eyesight swirls as your surroundings vanish. No longer by the Font, you find yourself in a building you do not recognise, yet one that seems close by. A human knight, bearing symbols of the Light and Tyr's hand, holds aloft a hammer. In front of his, a demon - grey skinned, clad in crimson armour and wielding a wicked blade the size of the man that stands before him. "I may not be able to slay you hear today demon," the knight calls out. "But by my sacrifice I bind you to this place, and ensure you can do no more harm." Light engulfs your vision, and you hear the demon's scream of fury, and even though you do not see him any more, you know, intuitively, that the knight's sacrifice indeed bound the demon.

One use: At no action cost, you gain an additional bonus action on your current and your next turns.



*Spoiler: Jok'lek*
Show


*Vision of Past Valour*

The Font falls away from you, though your feet remain planted on stone. The next thing you notice is your nose filled with the stench of flame and smoke. Turning, you see you are now on the Abbey walls, not far from where you clambered through the breach before, though the hole in the walls is no longer there - or perhaps, is not there _yet_. All around you are warriors and priests of Stormwind, mustering to defend the walls, and beyond the stone fortifications, bathing in the sunlight of a land yet to be cursed, is a sea of fury; an army of gnolls clutching crude weaponry, their raucous laughter a cacophony to your ears as they assault the Abbey from all sides in an army you didn't think possible. The defenders stand fast, despite the fear that you taste on the air, and as the vision fades you're left with the melancholic knowledge that they failed.

One use: At no action cost, you gain an additional Action this turn.



Berrian and Analastra remain seated, waiting as you slowly emerge from the visions your saw. How much time has passed? Not a great deal, and yet you feel like you were perhaps in the throes of history for longer than it seemed. Finally, the fairer of the two speaks, unable to contain her eagerness: "Well? What did you see?"

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

What're the odds that you all roll something on 4d6? 50/50, because it either happened or it didn't.

----------


## Xihirli

I watched people build a temple and now I can go fast! But only for a little!" Jade explains. "Normally to go fast what I do is I go very high and jump. That makes me go really quick. I also really wish I'd paid more attention in history class."
Jade furrows her eyes. "The Duskwood was founded after... a big fish flopped onto the ocean and they made it out of the fishbones. No? Yes?"

----------


## Khosan

"A binding ritual?"  Skipsy blinks repeatedly as her eyes readjust to the light, "A knight, probably a paladin of some description, maybe Silver Hand?  Anyway, he was fighting a demon. Well, specifically, he was losing to the demon.  The binding was a last ditch effort to stop...whatever the demon wanted to do.  Which, as usual, was probably something bad."  She scratches her chin, continuing to think out loud, "Assuming this isn't just a hallucinogen, and we're actually seeing visions of the past, I'd guess mine comes from around the time of the Second War?  Silver Hand was formed around then and the Burning Legion would have been active in this area at the time."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

The Abbey was once consecrated towards the Light. It would make sense to place a building of worship where a demon was felled. Or bound. Still, I feel something must have went wrong with the binding if the darkness can seep into the lands. I know little of the shadow I serve, but I know I am not in league with demons. So there might be something else that corrupts the lands. 

Despite the dark words coming from her undead lips, Emilia's mood brightens considerably. If the Light can be blotted out in Darkshire, but still produce visions this clearly, then there is a spark of hope. For this land, and for us.

*Spoiler*
Show

This whole thing makes me wonder whether or not Emilia counts as undead for the purposes of holy water.

----------


## Amnestic

Berrian and Analastra look at each other when Jade reports her 'vision'. "You...might have had too much, but no, I don't believe Duskwood was formed from a giant fish." Berrian offers, while his sister merely shakes her head. "The abbey's been mostly abandoned for over a hundred years, humans have kept their distance from it for a while, but it's not out of the question that there might have been one here during the Second War, perhaps on a quest of some sort."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Excuse my friend, Berrian. She is an idiot, but she means well. We were told to investigate the Abbey and gnolls as travellers and merchants have been going missing along these lands. Do you know anything more of that? Past revelations is good and all, but our main concern is in the now.

Alas, I am surprised the holy water did not burn me. This font might be arcane, or it might be not as pure as you thought.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade lights up. "Awww! You're my friend too, Emilia!"
She refocuses. "Anyway yeah, if you've scouted this place out we're really looking mostly for location and number of gnolls."

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek staggers back a bit, the vision unexpected in scale, and when he's back in his own time he takes a moment to compose himself.  Listening to the others mention bulding the place up and the Light around it's creation, Jok'lek's vision seemed almost counter.  "..What I saw was not any of those.  Not creation, not Light.. Instead I saw the Abbey fall.  Soldiers and priests of Stormwind defended this place, valiantly to the bitter end, falling to an uncountable army of gnolls.  So, so many gnolls..  But this also happened before the land was cursed, so perhaps that curse drove those numbers out, and they're only now coming back...  if they amass like that again, we stand no chance."

----------


## Amnestic

"What you saw was probably the fall of the Abbey," Berrian nods at Jok'lek, his face grim. "It happened some 150 years ago, the Abbey came under attack by a massive force of gnolls, aided by giants, trolls and some reports even suggested demons. The defenders might have been able to exhaust the defenders, except one of them lost their faith. They instead turned to a bound artifact they'd recovered - a magical deck of cards - and tried to use it to save themself, but the wards they'd placed on the artifact caused the magic to react...poorly. Instead it summoned up great monsters that began attacking both sides, leaving the Abbey in ruins." He casts a hand out to the forests around you, though clearly he's gesturing much further than you can see.

"Our father was there, during the fall of the Abbey, fighting alongside the humans, but then he vanished. It took us years to find out he was still alive, and longer still to track him to here, but the mages we hired couldn't figure out anything more so we're doing this the old fashioned way." Analastra sighs. If Analastra drew a connection between the magic card you held and the deck mentioned, she doesn't show it - she might simply not have noticed. 

"I wouldn't concern yourself overmuch with the holiness of the water - if you were unworthy it would burn you, of this I have no doubt. You earned the right to partake of the Font, and so it did you no harm." You can't tell, exactly, if Berrian _knows_ this or simply _believes_ it. Regardless, his conviction is clearly palpable. 

Analastra pulls out a map of the abbey she's sketched and slowly goes over what she knows, and what she doesn't know. "The gnoll leadership are in the Keep, with guards. There's an ettin out front, where at least one of its heads is always awake while the other sleeps. That actual abbey village itself...it must have at least a hundred and fifty gnolls and mercenaries, possibly up to double that if they're using the houses, that's just what we saw on the outside."

"There are some dryads in the forest but we kept our distance from them - they seemed more playful than malicious but the way Duskwood is we didn't want to take any chances. We did some scouting at the top of the hill but didn't go in any of the buildings - the southern building looked like some barracks or living quarters for monks, and it had some...creatures inside I didn't recognise. They looked dangerous though, like worms on legs that could burrow through the ground. The west building had some giant spiders inside, and the north building - a gatehouse down to the rest of the village - had some earth elementals that seemed to be eating metal."

"We left the Abbey's main temple building untouched. I didn't see any creatures there which made me steer well clear. Things I can see I can fight or run from, but for _nothing_ to be in the biggest building?" She shakes her head, her blonde hair waving about. "Definitely not going there alone."

*Spoiler: Updated Abbey Map*
Show

----------


## Xihirli

Jade tilts her head and thinks about their mission. 

_Brightmore Abbey has been abandoned by humanity for generations and all manner of creature has taken up residence over the years. While they kept to themselves this wasn't an issue, but if the gnolls are raiding I can't leave it alone. Find out how many there are, what defenses they have, and then report back. 600 gold coins in payment._

"Alright, we've found out their numbers, now we just need to find out their defenses. So the gnolls are in this keep and this village... Emilia, if you want to do your invisibility thing, I think it's best done in those two locations. The rest of us could stay at the belltower so you have a secure-ish location to retreat to?" Jade suggests. "Or maybe better to be within sprinting distance of the keep."
She then turns to Skipsy.
"If things are invisible or in a different layer of the world like those popping spiders, do you think you could rig up a way to see them?"

Jade points to the garrison. "You haven't been here yet?" She asks the elves.

----------


## Amnestic

Analastra humms and hahs a little. "Yes and no, but mostly no. I took a look but couldn't get too close due to how many gnolls were around, but even if I wanted to it seemed sealed up, the gnolls kept their distance and it didn't seem like anyone ever came or went from it. I'm guessing it's some sort of magic lock, since I can't imagine any metal would keep them out for long if they really wanted inside."

----------


## Khosan

"A hundred years?!"  Skipsy's jaw drops, "That means they predated the founding of the Silver Hand by at least seventy years!  Ooh, the League'll like this one.  We don't have records of any orders of human paladins from before the Silver Hand, so if there's relics of one here?  With very similar foundations?  That's the good stuff!"

Skipsy keeps her mouth firmly shut as their new elven friends discuss magical cards, but watches with great interest as Analastra goes over her map, "If you haven't been by the watchtower, just south of here, it's pretty neat!  Tons of magical energy just floating around!  Nothing dangerous - at least as far as we could tell, we couldn't even get the door to budge even a little - but very neat!"  She pauses as the gnoll numbers are discussed, "A hundred and fifty to three hundred gnolls, plus their leaders and an ettin, huh?  Think that could be enough for the Commander?  I'd like to stay for archaeological reasons, that entire plateau sounds _very_ interesting, but I dunno if we can risk it with that many gnolls within spitting distance."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia ruminates on the discoveries. It WAS disconcerting to hear, and she noticed Jade mentioning her job. As much as my nature screams against it, we have not found out their defenses. We have a second-hand account of what was their defenses. I do trust Berrian's account, but if anything changed we are to blame for Darkshire's losses. Additionally we do not know fully what they have in store. The worms are not categorized, and for all we know there could be a pit fiend hiding in the desecrated church.

The priest shrugs. No, I feel we have to take the cover of darkness and do some exploration still. And I may be able to cover myself in shadows and communicate my findings with you via your minds if you are allowing me to take point, as silly as it is to have the priest do that.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade gives her a hug. "We'll stay close. Don't die, okay?"
Then a thought occurs to her. "Might want to disguise your scent if you can manage it. Those big ol' snoots aren't just cosmetic, like they are on humans."

----------


## Kushina43

_'The Deck was here!'_ Jok'lek thinks, eyes widening in immediate realization.  His thoughts race as the conversation continues, considering bringing up their own card, but ultimately decides against it for the moment - the gnolls probably had the rest, if it even was here, and he agreed that they need more information before doing anything further, even just returning to Darkshire.

"The belltower, yes..  That is sensible.  The dryads will be in our path, but I'm not worried.  The rest of their forces make other paths less doable or slower than we want."  Emilia's suggestion of taking point through melding shadows and mind communication makes sense, but he's still visibly concerned.  "That sounds fine to me, but please take caution - I'd take your place if my armor weren't a hindrance.  In fact, before I forget."  He reaches into his pack and takes out two smaller bags of differing items, handing them both to Emilia.   "Caltrops and ball bearings.  In case you're found or need to hinder foes for any reason where we can't reach ya."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia takes the doodads, but she somehow doubts she will draw attention to her position by dropping traps. Thanks. But I feel if I am discovered I will have to rely on my innate spells. With that she makes off through the dryad area towards the belltower. If the coast is clear, her heart is set on investigating the cathedral however. She will cast her cloak of invisibility sooner rather than later to avoid suspicion. 

*Spoiler: Stealth checks*
Show


*Spoiler: Dryads*
Show

(1d20+6)[*21*]

*Spoiler: Belltower*
Show

(1d20+6)[*26*]

*Spoiler: Advantage from Invis*
Show

(1d20+6)[*8*] (1d20+6)[*14*]

----------


## Amnestic

Berrian and Analastra see you off with agreeable nods, and Emilia strikes ahead to scout first, heading towards where the dryads were supposedly located. After a few hours, soft music drifts over the air, its strains combining happiness and melancholy. Beautiful and otherworldly voices accompany the melody, singing of golden summers passed and the bitter loss of winter. The music seems to light the boughs above with the golden fire of autumn, though upon blinking it's clear that's not the case. Ahead, five women dressed in gowns of autumn leaves sing beside a clear pond, their hair a cascade of vines, their upper torsos appearing similar to night elves, while their lower half is equine. They giggle and whisper to one another between songs, quietly enjoying their own company and that of the "day".

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Not revealing her position, Emilia intrudes the mind of one of the dryads. _I whisper from the shadows. Are you friend or foe to the gnolls?_ Simultaneously she probes her victim's mind.

*Spoiler*
Show

Detect Thoughts (1d20)[*14*] wisdom save to learn surface thoughts. Emilia will use the second turn to probe deeper into the mind. Contested Int check (why the heck that?) (1d20-1)[*8*]

----------


## Xihirli

Jade tries not to let Emilia get too far ahead, though of course can't actually see her. She walks next to Skipsy and smiles with her fang-filled grin to the gnome. 
"Sorry about Ox getting hurt. Does he uh... feel pain?"

----------


## Khosan

"You know, I'm not sure!  I sure hope not!" Skipsy pats Ox on the head, who clucks contentedly, "He's been fully smashed to bits a few times now, and I rebuild him every time.  That'd be pretty traumatic for the little guy!"  Ox locks eyes with Jade, his beady black pupils briefly flash red and his comb transforms into its sharpened combat form, all of which escapes Skipsy's notice and vanish as quickly as they appeared.

Skipsy maintains a respectful distance from the dryads, but does have her notebook out and a pen in hand to take notes regarding their behavior.

----------


## Amnestic

One of the dryads holds their song when Emilia speaks to them, raising a hand to her ear and seeking the sound, before continuing to sing.

"Sisters, sisters, a voice in my head,
Raspy and cold, and filled with dread." 
The other dryads quiet themselves, looking around, before the first sings again, louder,

"Not friend, not foe,
The laughing ones bring us no woe, 
And in return we leave them to their jokes,
their japes, their freedom sought from yokes.
Now it's your turn to answer true,
Are you one or are you few?"

----------


## Xihirli

Jade grips her sword as Ox looks ready to throw down, but keeps it sheathed. She checks the strap on her shield, though.
_I think he feels pain and anger._
She just nods to the gnome, though. "Got it. Uh, Joklek, what was your favorite thing we've fought so far? I think mine was the warp stalkers. They tasted good and fought good, too!"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Their carelessness was disconcerting to Emilia. Singing songs and prancing about was dryads thing but she expected Darkshire's fey to be more...dark.

We are half a dozen, and we would like to pass your trees without a fight. Are you game?

----------


## Amnestic

The dryad sings in return to Emilia's continued telepathy.

"Leave us in peace and we'll leave you in turn,
But stay a while, if you wish to learn.
A secret for a secret is the game that we play.
Your heart's deepest past to keep the darkness at bay.
Only a true secret, never shared, can satisfy.
No use have we for second hand truths, or those that lie."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

I shall accept your game then. Let me fetch the others. she says as she slinks back to get the rest. So the dryads let us past, if we dont fight them. If we tell them a secret, we might even get more information. And I might just have the thing they want. An evil smirk covers Emilia's broken jaw, and she beckons the others forth.

*Spoiler*
Show

I was planning on passing the dryads to check the abbey on my invisbility spell, but I want to give you a chance to interact.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade shrugs. "I don't know any secrets, but I want to meet some Dryads! If we get along well maybe we can call this a place to retreat to."
Jade meets Emilia's evil smile with her own feral one. "Let's go!" And she hops up to Emilia.

----------


## Amnestic

As the party approaches from the bushes the dryads hop and giggle, their be-worded melody turning to a light hum.

"A secret for a secret, this is the game.
Knowledge you might need if this land is to be tame.
But nothing comes for free, everything has a price.
Speak clear, speak true, for we will not speak twice."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia steps forth, her hands behind her back. She is not only not ready to cast a spell, in fact she faces the dryads like a convict would face a judge. After I died, after the scourge rolled over the lands, the Lich King resonated in my head. His incredible power urged me to submit. Until the Battle of Icecrown weakened his grip on us slowly. I was among one of the first ones to break free, yet I followed his command for far longer. Truth be told, I wanted the living to die. To suffer how I had suffered. To be left by their own like I have been left alone. On this power, the shadows I serve have been nourished.

She steps a bit closer to her group, now with a shining face. I thought the dark was giving me unholy strength, but it was weakness to cower in the shade. You, you lot gave me the strength to realize that. The elves just sealed the deal. Yet I will not fully renounce the evil. It has bored itself into my conscious, into my very self. As such I want to bask in the light, fully knowing there will be shadows close by.

For I am Emilia of Brill; born in the Light, commanding the Void. I will see through that this scarred land will regain its former glory. Maybe it will never see the Light again. But it will seize its destiny.

*Spoiler*
Show

I hope that suffices.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade blushes hard.
"Awwww!" She steps up and gives Emilia a hug. "Come here, ya big softie! I love you, too!"
She glances at the Dryads. "No one has ever told me a secret, and I have never kept one." She strokes her chin. "Maybe theyre connected somehow."

----------


## Kushina43

The group keeps back at first when they approach the dryads, Emilia probing first in stealth, and Jok'lek tries to banter with the remaining party.




> "Got it. Uh, Joklek, what was your favorite thing we've fought so far? I think mine was the warp stalkers. They tasted good and fought good, too!"


"While we've been together?  Definitely the warp stalkers, for the same reason.  Though nothing can quite match getting into a scuffle with a swarm of mantids, that was a.. messy time." 
 Soon, the group emerge to interact with the dryads, unexpected to him, but the prospect of more information they really needed was enticing.  They only needed bear themselves true, something the troll was only recently coming to terms with.  And Emilia was the first to offer, speaking of her relation with the ways of the holy Light and its opposite shadow, how being with the group helped her out of the shadows entire and welcome back the Light as part of herself once more.  Jok'lek clapped his hands once out as a show of support.  "I am happy for ya, Emilia, for being open about that.  I, too, have something to share."

He steps forth afterwards and kneels in respect, for both his new friends and the dryads.  "Garrosh's reign as Warchief was not pleasant.  Yet when the military came looking for troops, I answered the call.  Eventually I turned and joined Warchief Vol'jin's rebellion, but I used Pandaria as an outlet for my rage before that point."  He pulls out his magical lantern, blessed by the loa Hir'eek, and places it in front of himself. "I used to think I did not know myself, but in truth I relished in the power I was given, ignoring the atrocities being committed.  I killed to further Garrosh's reign, was given the honor of joining his Kor'kron, and stuck there for longer than most of my peers expected for a non-orc.  Ultimately I helped the madman, fought the Shado-Pan and the Alliance, all the way through the Vale.  It was only that far in, when the heart of an Old God was dumped into its pools and the land utterly blighted by the Sha, that I realized his depravity... and my own, for getting that far so unthinkingly."

He stares into the lantern, into the eyes of the carved bat loa.  "That's when I left the Kor'kron.  I joined Vol'jin's rebellion, and we know how that went.  But I was still lost for a long time, unable to come to terms with how I'd let myself go so far down.  I was lucky enough to have a helpful, forgiving sister, and with her aid I found clarity starting with worship of Hir'eek.  Despite my rage, I try to adopt his outlook as protector."  He stands up and picks up the lantern, turning to the party while feeling renewed after letting this out.  "That is my secret, my story up until now, and it's one that I will keep writing with the loa's guidance behind me.  And, I hope, with all your help as well."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy stumbles into the glade with the dryads, a big smile plastered across her face, "Hello!  Uh, I hope we don't have to rhyme.  I don't think I have the time!"  She pumps her fist and whispers, "Nailed it!"

Her jaw drops at at Emilia's, then further at Jok'lek's secrets, "You guys!  You didn't have to tell us!  You coulda just whispered them.  I'm proud of you guys though!  And glad you trust us."  The gnome steeples her fingers and thinks for a good minute.  She frowns, sighs, and shrugs, "I don't think I have any secrets you'd accept!  I've got some doozies that these guys haven't heard.  I did some, uh...clandestine work, but I had bosses who knew what I was up to and worked with other agents all the time."  Skipsy turns to face the others, offering up an explanation before one is even asked for, "This was about twenty to thirty years ago?  Just before the Third War, before Mekkatorque was elected High Tinker.  There were concerns about the dangers a new Horde posed, so teams were formed and deployed to observe, report, and sometimes respond to potential rising threats.  Then the War started, the Burning Legion showed up, Thermaplugg irradiated Gnomeregan, and things got _messy_.  We were on our own for a while, I think some other cells joined up with the Venture Company, but we stuck as close to the mission as we could.  I don't wanna get into too many specifics, it's not...not a proud time in my life.  Especially now, knowing all of you."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade laughs at Skipsy's little rhyme, but mostly listens close. 
"Aw, I love _all_ of you! Come on, group hug! Right now!"
She smiles apologetically at the dryads. "Like I said though, I don't have any secrets. I say everything that comes to my mind! And this is my inside voice!" She shouts. 
"What you see is what you get, a goblin who likes to kill things and hang out with her friends."

----------


## Amnestic

"A woman of death, for death,
Bereft not of hope, but solely of breath.

Here is the secret you have earned:
The Abbey holds the Light, turned.
Guardians corrupted in ages passed.
Only their deaths will see you past.
Seek not their redemption, for it will not be found.
Not above, or below, this once sacred mound.

"To the warrior of rage, 
Seeking not to rewrite, but a new page.

Here is the secret you have earned,
to see the darkness overturned.
A card of power, a card of void.
Guarded still by a mage destroyed.
Sought he to safeguard this place.
Yet all he found was himself debased.
Free him from his tower of torment if you seek the reward,
Of yet another card to add to your hoard."

"To the gnome of spycraft, of deception, deceit
Who nevertheless sought honesty and not to cheat.

Here is the secret you have earned,
And know that you shall not be spurned.
You are not alone in your quest, 
This much you have have guessed.
Others yet seek the cards.
And their own do they jealously guard.
Mayhap they be friend, mayhap they be foes.
But as sure as you hear us now: You will come to blows."

"Alas to the goblin whose honesty is true,
We traffic only in secrets, only they may earn a clue.
Yet hold fast to that truth in your heart and mind.
For many others will repay it in kind."

Their trade completed, the dryads giggle to themselves, their song complete. Impromptu and a bit a-lyrical though it may have been, but the message has nevertheless been delivered and the transaction - such as it was - completed. They spring to their cloven hooves and dart away, laughing as they vanish into the treeline beyond your light, leaving you to digest the information you received.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


I will never rhyme again.  Gonna give time for the party to chat before moving further up the hill.

----------


## Khosan

"That counted?!" Skipsy whips around to look at the dryads, dumbfounded, "Uh, alright then!  Bye!"  She gives a little wave to the dryads as they leave, nervously kicks a rock, then turns back to the others, "So...I know I just outed myself as a former spy, but I hope you guys still trust me!  As long as I've been with you guys, I've been exactly who I said I was: an archaeologist in good standing with the Explorer's League."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade has a few "witticisms" to add to some of the Dryads' poems.
_to see the darkness overturned.
A card of power, a card of void.
_"Ah yes, darkness's only weakness... void!"

_You are not alone in your quest,
This much you have have guessed._

"Yeah, she's part of team fun-sized. Also whatever our team is called."

_Yet hold fast to that truth in your heart and mind.
For many others will repay it in kind._

"Aw, you're all so sweet! Wanna join our party?" She asks the Dryads, flashing her best winning smile. 

When Skipsy tries to explain herself, Jade hugs her right away. "Don't worry, Skipsy, I'm not worried you're a spy. As has been established, I know no secrets for a spy to take! Now let's keep going, and keep a stiff upper lip and a song in our hearts."

----------


## Kushina43

> "To the warrior of rage, 
> Seeking not to rewrite, but a new page.
> 
> Here is the secret you have earned,
> to see the darkness overturned.
> A card of power, a card of void.
> Guarded still by a mage destroyed.
> Sought he to safeguard this place.
> Yet all he found was himself debased.
> ...


"Tower of torment..  Would that be the weird watchtower we saw earlier?  Perhaps that illusion or whatever got erected to protect them from the monsters he accidentally summoned.  I'd wonder how the mage could still be around, but I'd guess magic, as with anything weird going on here."  When Skipsy expresses doubt about their ability to trust her, Jok'lek is just as quick to assure her as Jade.  "In my eyes, spy work doesn't detract from you being worth trusting.  You've shown to be sincere far as I can tell, and that's good enough for me."

The secrets exchanged for Skipsy and Emilia gives him a little pause for different reasons. Emilia's seems a bit simple, though absolutely useful - "Guess we got some corrupted guardians that need slaying at some point." While Skipsy's sounds like outside betrayal waiting to happen.  "If the dryads speak true as we expect, maybe we should avoid telling Berrian's group any more about the cards - they're the only other group we know is here.  Analastra must have seen ours during the battle with the treant, so if they're looking for the deck too, they already know we have one.  Best avoid telling them anything about the mage's card for the time being."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

She pretends to be cold and unfeeling, but the hug, a thing of lives past, still tickles something inside Emilia's soul. Of course she feels the touch of the goblin and her warmth, but the undeath makes it hard to concentrate and keep positive emotions going. But she knew, that is what the Light was. The hope and fervor inside every living thing. She smiled warmly, not the crooked visage she normally uses to portray a smile.

Emilia shrugs at Skipsy. As far as the Alliance and Horde thing goes, I don't really care. You have helped blood elves, you are a gnome, and you wander with a Forsaken, a Troll and a Goblin. Your allegiance is your own. Neither do I care about the conflict nor does it truly hurt me. Alive or dead, it does not matter on the cosmic scale. Your intent is what matters, where your soul is judged once you take your last breath.

Finally she turns to the analytic troll. We know dark energies twisted this place. My guess is either void or fel though I am by far no scholar. It is somehow linked to a world beyond. If that is the Burning Nether or the Void, it is up to us to find out. Mages are about pocket dimensions and otherworldly summons, even if the Kirin Tor just permitted water elementals and smaller pets, other mages have summoned far greater things. The Blood Elf Prince himself summoned a phoenix born of fire.

And your analysis of Berrian may be true, but why should they gives us access to the holy well then? Maybe their goal is for us to remove the dangers inside the abbey and then weakened as we would be, to backstab us and take our prize. We have to be careful.

----------


## Amnestic

With the dryads having taken their leave, and without any strong cause to change your goal, you continue up the hill, eventually cresting the summit after a few more hours of travel.

The ruined shell of the abbey's glorious template stands forlorn at the top of the hill, a monument to its former majesty. Hints of silver and golden ornamentation still gleam and there through a coat of black soot and dust that covers the entire structure. The archved roof of the temple is half collapsed and its windows shattered, but it still manages to convey something  of its original purpose - to remind the viewer of the power and grace of the Light.

The other structures on the hilltop have fared worse than the temple with the passage of years and the devastation of wra. West of the temple is a squat stone building ringed by crumbling columns that must have once suggested grandeur and elegance, but now seems tawdry. To your left stands the ruin of a long, low structure, now little more than heaps of rubble and debris scattered among barely standing walls. Only the gatehouse, guarding the road that runs up from the village to the north, stands more or less intact, though its doors hang from their hinges, open. 

Circling the hilltop to the north gives you a better eye on the village, but the eternal darkness of Duskwood makes picking out numbers of gnolls as hard as ever  from this distance, forcing you to rely on shadows dancing among flickering bonfires scattered across the village roads. You do see the shadow of a (or 'the') tower to the north, down the hill, though you'd need to pass through the gatehouse and at least part of village to reach it, unless you wished to risk the sheer and steep edges of the hill. Though the tower is in the village, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of fires nearby, perhaps indicating the gnolls are giving it a wide berth. 

*Spoiler: Abbey Map/OOC*
Show



Reporting the map as you decide on next place to visit. You're near the Abbey building at the top. Heading down to the village from this angle requires either passing through the gatehouse or sliding down a scary steep hill, probably in the dark, which would require ability checks to not faceplant into fall damage.

----------


## Xihirli

"The elves say there was nothing in the temple. I say that's our first place to check out. If they're wrong, then we need to know, and if they're right, we can maybe establish a place of safety inside."
Jade tries to think back to the construction of the temple she saw in her visions. "I might be able to remember the layout. I did watch this place get built... though I suppose it could have been a vision of the _future_ when it's rebuilt..."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy, quickly disappointed by their inability to really see the gnolls, turns her attention to the abbey.  She cracks open her journal to review the dryad's rhymes, then turns from the abbey to the surrounding buildings, "I think there might be a card here!"

The gnome presses a finger to one of the passages in her journal, reading aloud but not bothering to mimic the dryad's delivery, "The abbey holds the Light turned - I'm guessing that means a card - corrupted guardians, whose deaths will see us past.  I don't know how the last two lines are relevant, but no redemption for them, and something about that not being above or below this hill."  Skipsy flips a few pages back and continues, "Analastra identified these buildings as containing earth elementals, spiders and some leggy, burrowing worms, but didn't see anything in the abbey itself."

She finally closes her notes and neatly places it in her bag of holding, "I have two theories.  One, the abbey contains the corrupted guardians, and if we defeat them the card will be revealed to us somehow.  Two, the guardians are one of the creatures in these buildings.  Or all of them.  So I guess I have three theories!"  Skipsy giggles, "I'm with Jade, we should check out the abbey first."

----------


## Amnestic

Deciding to tackle what is near instead of far, you head to the ruined Abbey building. Though the roof is half collapsed and the building is blackened by soot and decay, some hints of its ancient granduer still shines through in the abbey's great temple. Might columns rise toward the heavens. Smaller pillars of graceful shape and eelegant decoration hint at the template's lost beauty. Alters to several different figures - saints or revered figures, perhaps - surround a towering statue of what is most likely Tyr, depicted as a humanoid figure wearing knightly armour.

As Analastra indicated, all seems quiet as you stand on the threshold, but there is a cold sense of foreboding and otherness that emanates from within. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Giving a brief moment in case you want to make any preparation/buffs before heading inside.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade takes the lead, her battleaxe and shield ready. 
"Everyone stay close," she said in her quieted whisper  which is to say, she shouted. 
"We don't want to get separated in here if we're handling scary ghost stuff."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy cracks open her pistol, staring down the open pistol through the breech.  She nods, satisfied with what she saw, flips the barrel back into place, raises her shield and takes her position as the rearguard.

----------


## Amnestic

With your loins girded and preparations prepared, you move further into the abbey and approach the massive statue of Tyr. Two shafts of Light, though tinged with an off-colouring, suddenly burst down through the shattered ceiling and from the beams of light materialise two golden winged figures clad in gleaming platemail, radiating energy. An acidic scent fills the air, acrid on your tongues and nose. Both winged creatures wield massive greatswords wreathed in golden fire. Though they appear mostly similar, there are minor differences - the one to your left also bears a spear in their offhand, apparently having no issues hefting their massive greatsword with a single limb. The one to your right appears bound in chains of blackened energy that rattle with the bones of the dead. Though the chains ensnare their torso and limbs, they don't do so in a way that would hold them back from moving.

*"JUSTICE,"* the feminine voice booms from the one to your left.
*"VENGEANCE,"* heralds the deep voiced angel on the right.

The angels move to attack.

*Spoiler: Map/OOC*
Show




Fairly side-initiative this time, despite rolling the two enemies separately.

*Initiative:*
Jok'lek: [23]

GoAQ: [19]
GoAK: [15]

Jade: [8]
Skipsy: [5]
Emilia: [2]

Jok'lek is up first.

----------


## Kushina43

The gnoll's numbers weren't quite visible even from the top of the hill, which was disappointing but somewhat expected.  That they visibly kept a wide berth from the tower within the village was interesting - that tower must be part of the secret the dryads gave him, then, rather than the first watchtower he initially believed.  Getting there would be a task, however, due to either facing the elementals said to be within the gatehouse and/or sheer hill edges.  And that's before the potential discovery by gnolls.  Before he can think it over, Jade and Skipsy decide it best to check out the Abbey instead - no information was given about it, but Skipsy's secret was about corrupted guardians within, and she surmises a card could lie there as well.  With no current plan for the village, he goes along with them into the Abbey.

The Guardians make themselves known surprisingly quickly, falling from the ceiling via beams of radiant light.  The large angelic figures wield equally massive weaponry, reeking of what Jok'lek could only think was corruption itself.  The troll looks at their massive foes, then at the card right next to himself, and decides to make use of it - he marks the right Guardian, then charges with maul in hand and slams his weapon into it.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Bonus Action:  Comet Card Mark- GoAK
Move: 5ft right to use card, 25ft into GoAK melee range
Action:  Attack + Extra Attack with Maul
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*7*]
Damage 1:  (2d6+3)[*10*] bludgeoning
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*23*]
Damage 2:  (2d6+3)[*12*] bludgeoning

----------


## Amnestic

The troll warrior's first strike is pulled away from the angel's form by one of the dark chains, but the follow up swing drags the chains with it before slamming into the golden defender of the Light's side. The fire around its blade seems to glow ever more viciously as it swings its own blade down upon Jok'lek. He leaps aside from the first strike, but the shrapnel of stone thrown up blinds him for just long enough that the second strike catches his arm. The blade's tip draws blood, but the radiant light sears the wound shut and cauterizes it just as quickly.

With one occupied, the other angel moves upon the rest of the group, swinging their own blade down at Jade and catching her with it before she can truly prepare for battle. The angel spins its golden spear and stabs it directly into Emilia's chest. She feels no pain, not from the blade nor from the Light, but instead there's a quiet _pop_ and the Forsaken priestess vanishes as the angel banishes her from the battlefield - albeit temporarily. 


*Spoiler: Map/OOC*
Show




Jok'lek misses once, hits on his second attack.

GoAQ misses Jade with one attack, hits with the other for *15* slashing and *7* radiant damage. They then spear Emilia who fails her (DC13) charisma saving throw and is Banished. She can make a new save at the end of each of her turns to end the banishment.
GoaK misses Jok'lek once, hits with the other for *7* slashing and *17* radiant. They notably don't use the card's power, but neither do they move off of it.


Everyone's up, though Emilia's banished.

*Initiative:*
Jok'lek: [23]

GoAQ: [19]
GoAK: [15]

Jade: [8]
Skipsy: [5]
Emilia: [2]

----------


## Xihirli

Jade jerks back at the slash. "Hey! Rude!" She shouts, getting mad. "Isn't there supposed to be a grace period before you attack trespassers?" She leaps at the queen angel with her battleaxe, taking note of their armor and deciding not to swing blindly as she is wont to do. 
"Hey Skipsy, can you make a teleporter to bring Emilia back real quick? Thanks!"

*Spoiler: ATTACK!*
Show


FRENZIED RAGE! 
Battleaxe! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*8*]/(1d20+7)[*17*]; (1d8+9)[*14*]
(1d20+7)[*16*]/(1d20+7)[*15*]; (1d8+9)[*11*]

And maybe I can disrupt its concentration on banishing smite?

----------


## Khosan

"A teleporter?!  Right now?!"  Skipsy looks baffled, most of her attention on the guardian nearest them but temporarily distracted by Jade's suggestion, "No, I don't think I can swing that one!"  She fires off two rounds at the spear-wielding guardian and whistles for Ox to attack as well, backing away a few steps to keep some comfortable distance.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 42/42
*Skipsy's AC:* 19
*Ox's HP:* 36/36
*Ox's AC:* 15

*Action:* Skipsy attacks the Guardian of Ancient Queens twice
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*9*], for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*7*] damage
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*11*], for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*5*] damage
*Bonus Action:* Skipsy directs Ox to attack as well
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*26*], for *Force* - (1d8+3)[*11*] damage
*Move:* Skipsy moves 10' east

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

You dare banish a priest of the Light? Emilia screams, first muted by her banishment, then shrieking at a volume making a banshee blush as her corporeal self is back again.

----------


## Xihirli

Noticing that Emilia is back, Jade beams at Skipsy. 
"You had me worried for a second there... you jokester, you!"

----------


## Amnestic

Jade's wicked blows strike true against the angel, tearing through the radiant flames and slamming into the golden plate, causing massive dents in it. The fiery winged creature retaliates, swinging their blade in turn and cutting deep against the goblin. It twirls its spear around, deflecting the bullets from Skipsy's gun, but the motion leaves Ox open to strike it in the side. The creature tips its spear just as Emilia re-appears with a scream, and for a moment points it back at the Forsaken but at the last moment turns and taps Ox with the tip. The mechanical chicken vanishes, just as Emilia had a moment before, with a quiet _pop._

Jok'lek to the north focuses on evading the brutal strikes from his opponent. Though the first one goes wide, the second strikes true for severe damage. 

*Spoiler: Map/OOC*
Show





No post from Jok'lek, so they'll just take the dodge action.
Jade hits for 25.
Skipsy misses, Ox hits for 11.

Reckless works against Jade - she gets hit for *13* and *8* slashing over two hits, along with *7* and *7* radiant over two hits.
One hit misses Jok'lek, the other hits for *8* slashing and *12* radiant.

Ox is banished! They failed the cha-save. They can try again at the end of their turn.

Everyone's up again.

*Initiative:*
Jok'lek: [23]

GoAQ: [19]
GoAK: [15]

Jade: [8]
Skipsy: [5]
Emilia: [2]

----------


## Xihirli

Jade hits the ground for a second, her skin a scalded green-brown around the cuts in her skin. Shaking her head, her long ears flopping with each motion, she stands back up. 
"Ya know, itd be pretty kick-ass to be killed by angels." 
Once again she leaps, axe a blur as she strikes thrice without a thought to her own defenses.

*Spoiler: ATTACK! NO FEAR!*
Show



Battleaxe RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*25*]/(1d20+7)[*24*]; (1d8+9)[*13*]
(1d20+7)[*22*]/(1d20+7)[*9*]; (1d8+9)[*16*]
(1d20+7)[*17*]/(1d20+7)[*25*]; (1d8+9)[*12*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  29/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia sees her friend almost cut down, though the goblin somewhat bounces over the floor and swiftly back into action. Wait, friend? Did she actually consider this one more than an ally? Yes. YES. _YES!_ The darkness within her swells. If Skipsy was killed in her patronage, her travel towards the light was pointless. If the darkness could not protect her.

Bring the idiots together! she shouts as tendrils of darkness grasp at the female angel.

*Spoiler*
Show

Arms of Hadar plus Surrender to Madness: Take 12 necrotic damage; (1d20)[*17*] Str save vs DC 17 or cannot take reactions. If successful, damage is also halved to 6. Will move north of the statue if possible then.

----------


## Kushina43

The searing blade of the King guardian hits the troll and he staggers back, the pain finally getting through his magical buffers.  Rather than shock, however, the troll feels invigorated by the real threat, letting his rage boil over.  Yet before he can strike back, Emilia calls out to bring "the idiots" together.  'The guardians?' he wonders, then sees the other one fighting and severely damaging Jade while Ox is nowhere to be found.  Eyes wide, the troll wants nothing but to go and help, but his own fight would inevitably get dragged over.   In an effort to do both, he spins his maul as startup for focusing one of his heavy strikes on the King's legs to hopefully keep it from following, then with a burst of energy flowing from his rage, he moves away from the King and toward the Queen everyone else is fighting.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Bonus Action:  Rage
Action:  Attack with Maul, spending 3 RP on Hamstring (on hit, Con save DC 14, 0 speed on failure, half on success until start of Jok'lek's next turn)
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*12*]
Damage 1:  (2d6+3)[*10*] bludgeoning
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*21*]
Damage 2:  (2d6+3)[*9*] bludgeoning

Action Surge:  Disengage, moving towards the Queen guardian


Current RP:  0

----------


## Khosan

"Welcome back!" Skipsy shouts with a smile as Emilia reappears, though her good mood vanishes as quickly as Ox does, "Was it bad?  You don't look hurt, but they just took Ox, so I wanna be sure!"  She fires another two rounds off at the female guardian.

Ox wonders at this new environment he's arrived in, clucking pensively as he floats through an empty void.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 42/42
*Skipsy's AC:* 19
*Ox's HP:* 36/36
*Ox's AC:* 15

*Action:* Skipsy attacks the Queen guardian twice
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*24*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*9*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*15*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*10*]

Ox makes a *Cha Save* - (1d20-2)[*10*], little guy might be stuck for a while.

----------


## Amnestic

The shadowy tendrils that burst up from beneath the Guardian of Ancient Queens ensnare the creature, holding it back from striking Emilia as she makes her move out of the melee. It also, helpfully, opens the creature up to receiving massive blows from Jade, and one of Skipsy's pistol shots that rings true against the creature's celestial armour. Though clearly damaged, with gaps in its 'essence', the creature nevertheless maintains their assault, slashing at Jade twice more, though holding its spear back from use - perhaps because Ox is still held by the banishing magic. 

Jok'lek's maul tears at the legs and wings of the spirit, but though it deals damage it doesn't leave a lasting impression the way the troll warrior had hoped it would, and the restriction on their movement seems only partially effective.

With Jok'lek no longer within range, and their comrade in radiant arms injured, the Guardian of Ancient Kings floats up on spectral wings to take  central position against the room's altar. It thrusts its arms downwards, the chains wrapped around its bracers unravelling to the ground, piercing through it. Rivulets of light snake every which way along the floor, before bursting up beneath the party, seeking to ensnare them and drag them to the ground, in a forced position of kneeling in deference. The party finds themselves drawn down by the searing chains that tear at their bodies, their bodies burning with the corrupted light that they now kneel to. But the chains recede, returning back to their owner. They do not bind you permanently, as they do the ruined spirit of Light.


*Spoiler: Map/OOC*
Show





Jade hits for 41 total.
Skipsy misses once, hits once for 9. Ox fails his save to reappear.
GOAQ fails their save vs. Arms of Hadar, letting Emilia reposition.
GOAK makes their save vs. Hamstring after the second attack hits for 9.

GOAQ hits Jade twice more for *16* slashing and *2* radiant, and then *15* slashing and *7* radiant.
GOAK moves slightly and uses their Fallen Glory ability. Jade makes their strength save, so takes *13* radiant, though I think they're unconscious at this point. Jok'lek, Skipsy and Emilia all fail their strength save. They all take *26* radiant and are knocked prone (though they can stand up again on their upcoming turn, of course).

Everyone's up again.

*Initiative:*
Jok'lek: [23]

GoAQ: [19]
GoAK: [15]

Jade: [8]
Skipsy: [5]
Emilia: [2]

----------


## Xihirli

The tiny goblin, her chest hit by a sword with searing light, falls back and hits the hard ground.
She doesnt move to get up, though from ragged breaths (and one howling scream when the other angel explodes), all can tell that she is alive.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  3/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Searing holy energy envelops the undead and as expected it burns even brighter on her. Jade! her magic shout echoes with radiant energy. Another wave of energy forms a translucent shield around the goblin. The undead woman rises with remarkable cracking of her bones.

*Spoiler*
Show

Healing Word on Jade. (1d4+5)[*8*], plus 11tHP from Power Word Shield.

----------


## Kushina43

Dragged to the ground by searing chains of light, gasping for air as he struggles for consciousness, Jok'lek figures out pretty quickly he made a tactical error.  Unfortunately, being prone right next to the other enemy didn't leave much room for improvement, so he immediately forced himself to his feet.  Breathing ragged and on the verge of passing out, he stomps the ground _hard_ to shock his body back into somewhat working order.  With the Guardian in front of him noticeably injured where his own opponent had been too resilient for the troll alone, focusing on the target in front of him was the best option he could consider.  Seeing Jade's unconscious body on the ground only reinforced that notion - these things were dead meat, and the guardian in front of him well within reach.  *"You will pay in blood for that, ya damned flying lanterns!!  Hir'eek give me strength!!"*  He spins his maul and charges forward, swinging the blunt instrument at the Guardian Queen with great anger and intensity never seen before.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Bonus Action:  Second Wind - Gain (1d10+6)[*13*] HP
Action:  Attacks on GoAQ
Attack 1:  (1d20+6)[*14*]
Damage 1:  (2d6+3)[*12*] bludgeoning
Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[*25*]
Damage 2:  (2d6+3)[*11*] bludgeoning

----------


## Xihirli

Jade, the bits of her flesh that were fried off replaced with spectral light in roughly the same shape, shakily stands up.
She breathes heavily, then stares up at the angel with her deep, red eyes. 
"Got another one in ya?" she croaks, and jumps for her throat, ax swinging.
*Spoiler: ATTACK*
Show

No rage, but Reckless. NO FEAR!

Longsword/Battleaxe RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*11*]/(1d20+7)[*10*]; (1d8+6)[*12*]
(1d20+7)[*16*]/(1d20+7)[*17*]; (1d8+6)[*11*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy yelps as the chains pull her down, buckling to a kneel almost instantly.  With some effort, she stands back up, shakes off the pain and levels her pistol at the Queen again.

Ox, still trapped, contemplates his existence.  Buh-gawk.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 16/42
*Skipsy's AC:* 19
*Ox's HP:* 36/36
*Ox's AC:* 15

*Move Action:* Skipsy stands back up from prone
*Action:* Skipsy attacks the Queen twice more.
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*15*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*7*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*17*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*8*]

Ox makes another *Cha Save* - (1d20-2)[*0*]

----------


## Amnestic

Ganging up on the angelic figure from all sides, and with Emilia's quick heal to bring Jade back to the fore, you manage to tear at her essence and crack her armour. With a scream, the Guardian of Ancient Queens vanishes.

The remaining angelic figure's light is no less diminished for her loss and it presses on, following up with the "fleeing" troll and delivering a massive two handed slash across the warrior's back that splits flesh and armour in a shower of blood across the stone floor. So swift and absolute was the attack that the natural troll regeneration struggles to stem the crimson flow. The follow up slash at Emilia soars over her head, but on barely, and the lingering flames catch on some of her hair, singing the ends. 

*Spoiler: Map/OOC*
Show




You finish off the Queen. Ox reappears.

GOAK crits Jok'lek for *48* total. They are unconscious and bleeding out. Near massive damage kill but not quite. 
They miss their follow up attack on Emilia.  

Everyone's up again. I would note that GOAK has taken very little damage thus far. I'm not going to say you _should_ flee, it's your choice, but given his damage output and your health totals it's something to consider.

*Initiative:*
Jok'lek: [23]

GoAQ: [19]
GoAK: [15]

Jade: [8]
Skipsy: [5]
Emilia: [2]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  3/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: Surrender to Madness (+5 AC, reaction for disadv. to 1 attack vs. Emilia)
Concentration: -

Visions of her death, betrayal and general misery wash over Emilia, but she resists the urge to succumb; for now. Another time healing light washes over a group member, this time the Go and retreat, tell the elves you lived. Emilia tolls the bell of the chapel infused with necrotic energy aimed at the holy defender.

*Spoiler*
Show

Healing Word for (3d4+5)[*16*], Toll the Dead for 24 damage, (1d20)[*2*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy scans over her friends, those chains had taken their toll and the only one in fighting condition was, surprisingly, Ox, while their new friend the King barely had a scratch on him.  If there was a time to run that time was now.  Skipsy turns to Jade, shouting, "We gotta go!  Help Jok'lek get away!"  The gnome sprints up to Emilia, grabbing her bag of holding from her belt and widening the mouth.  She shoulder checks the back of her forsaken friend's knee, forcing her to fall backwards into the bag, "Sorry, no sacrifices today!"  With the King now towering over her, Skipsy peaks her head above the base of the statue, sparing a wave at Jade, "Also, I forgot!  I _do_ have a teleporter!"  She clicks her heels together, instantly disappearing and reappearing near the door.  She cackles gleefully and runs outside.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Skipsy's HP:* 16/42
*Skipsy's AC:* 19
*Ox's HP:* 36/36
*Ox's AC:* 15

*Move Action:* Skipsy moves northwest once, then north twice to get within melee range of Emilia.
*Action:* Skipsy puts Emilia in her Bag of Holding.
*Bonus Action:* Skipsy uses her once a day free Misty Step from Fey-Touched to teleport 30 feet south.
*Move Action:* With 10 feet of movement remaining, Skipsy moves outside.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade nods. "Right!" She takes out her bag of holding and stuffs Jok'lek in it, elbowing the Troll's limbs and tusks down in there. 
"Don't bleed on my stuff!" She orders, and then gapes at Skipsy. "No fair! Come back here and we'll start the race over!" With a burst of speed, Jade follows after the gnome, even gaining on her fellow, but teleporting, friend. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

I will use my action to stuff Jok'lek into my bag of holding, and the burst of speed I got from my vision to run 80 feet without provoking opportunity attacks, should end 70 away from the King's Angel.

----------


## Amnestic

Though awakened by Emilia's spell, Jok'lek is roughly shoved into Jade's bag before the goblin makes their escape alongside Skipsy, the dying Emilia, and Ox. Surprisingly, the Guardian moves to chase only briefly. Though it seems much faster on its wings than you, it does not leave its bound place without good reason, and the retreating party apparently does not suffice, though if they posed an ongoing threat that might change.

As Jade and Skipsy round the corner of the door to leave line of sight and exit the abbey proper, they look back, and see the Guardian of Ancient Kings has given up the chase from the fleeing party. Instead its hand is held outstretched over where its counterpart fell. Wisps of radiant light fall from its hand like golden nectar, pooling to the ground, and though its difficult to tell, it certainly appears as if the light is forming into a pair of greaves that looks suspiciously like those worn by the fallen Guardian, reconstituting it bit by bit after it fell.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Think it's pretty reasonable that between the three of you, you could stabilise Emilia before she dies. 

However without any healing she'll take (1d4)[*1*] hours to wake up and regain 1 hit point naturally.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade high-fives Skipsy. "Team Fun-sized! Ahhhhh but what a disaster!" She cackles. "They just regenerate each other. We're gonna need to hire some guys if we want to try again!" Jade opens up her bag of holding and sticks her arm in. 
"Alright, Jok'lek, come on out!" She hoists out a portable battering ram. "Whoops!" She reaches both arms in and pulls out an armload of shortswords. 
"Darn! He's in there somewhere!" A sack of hunting traps, a shovel, and ten books come out as Jade haphazardly throws them over her shoulder. 
"Probably under this!" She unwinds 50 feet of rope from her bag and tosses it, then finds two signal whistles. "Ah! I've been looking for these!"
Pitons, a pair of manacles, and a lantern come out. "Wait! I see his tusk!" Jade pulls Jok'lek out at last. 
"Hey Jok'lek! Happy to see you! Uh..... can you help me fill this in?"

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy falls against the wall of the abbey after the high five, taking a deep breath, "Hoo, that was too close."  Skipsy, exhausted, opens up her own bag, turns it upside down and gently slides Emilia out with gravity's help.  She reaches for her army knife, extends the healing implement once more and jams it into the priest's neck, shocking her back to...not life, but whatever Emilia's approximation of it is.

"Alright!  So, good news!  I think I'm right on there being a card here!  Bad news, my zapper's outta juice, the lady's getting reformed, and we're probably going to have to run back to Darkshire before we can come back in here.  Also, we gotta hunker down somewhere and get some rest or we might still die."

*Spoiler*
Show

Skipsy casts Cure Wounds on Emilia for *Healing* - (1d8+4)[*6*]

----------


## Kushina43

Between being enraged, falling unconscious from a massive wound, being magically resuscitated, and then being shoved into a magic bag before he could stand, Jok'lek is still groggy when Jade pulls him out, hand to his head and vision blurred for a minute.  Even so, he gives a smile seeing Jade and Skipsy still up and agrees to help the goblin put everything back in the bag.  Once that's done and Emilia has been animated by Skipsy's army knife, he responds.  "Too close, much too close..  Agreed on Darkshire, especially if one's getting back up after all we did to it.  Need a bit more prep or hands before we get that card."  He sits down, leaning back against the wall, which he would regret.  "Though I suppose some good news is that the elves or whoever else would not so easily retrieve the card, should the secret come to pass. We come back here stronger later.  For now.."  he winces and leans forward, the large gash on his back still freshly mending itself.  "Rrgh..! L-Let's find a place to rest before we make any big moves."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  6/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

The inky black void covers all. Whispers seem too far. She hears her friends cry out in pain and distress, yet is unable to react. The tendrils, the darkness holds her down. A lightning rips through the dark, jolting and giving life again. Emilia opens her eyes. She takes a bit to know where she is, in the arms of Skipsy. She falls silent, intently listening to the group's musings on the future. I could ... we could take it. After a break. she agrees.

These light spawn are too powerful. We should ambush, divide them. Darkshire seems right. I need to attune myself to the proper magicks. Shaky, but steadily she rises. For now, bring a few miles between us and this chapel.

----------


## Xihirli

"Alright, back to the font, quickly," Jade says, taking the lead. "Everyone stay close... heh, I really thought we were a bunch of badasses before just now... heck, we got _beat_ bad."

----------


## Amnestic

After taking a short breather to recover, you slowly pick your way back down the hill towards the Font - thankfully an easier journey than climbing up the steep hill, whether or not you take a real path in the dark. No dryad music catches your ear, nor any wandering treants block your path, and you mercifully make it back to the clearing with the calming glow of magical water without incident. Some of the elves still regard you cautiously or with outright distrust, but Analastra is there, and she breaks any ice with a sincere, yet not particularly concerned, queston: "You look rough. What happened?" The curiosity in her overpowers worry, and you are all alive (or undead, in Emilia's case) so she tells at a glance that none of you perished.

----------


## Xihirli

"Skipsy invented a teleporter!" Jade answers. 
"Oh, and we got beat up by angels! Like _real_ bad. We're hoping to find a nice place to lie down for the night. Y'know, sleep off our internal bleeding."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy pats Jade on the shoulder sympathetically, "We sure did, Jade, we sure did."  She offers a sagely nod, then looks contemplatively skyward, "I'd classify them as a kind of spectral undead though.  Though I guess they could've been constructs..."  Skipsy realizes her attention is slipping, shakes herself out of it and continues, "We didn't have time to really investigate as they beat the bits out of us.  We're heading back to town to report, rest, and resupply."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  6/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

The light is still strong in the chapel. But I don't know if these guardians were corrupted or not. They did not wait for us to talk, but then again I am undead, we have a troll and goblin with us. I can understand their hostility. Emilia pauses. This "beating" as Jade put it genuinely put her faith back into the Light. Maybe solitude in Darkness was not as powerful as unity in the Light. We would like to rest with you, that much is true. And if you allow it, I would like to pray next to the well. I was going for the chapel, but it is too heavily guarded.

----------


## Xihirli

"What you're saying is, they can't be evil, they're also _racist_," Jade remarks. 
"But yeah, we seem to have underestimated the danger here. We should report what we have before we all die and no one ever learns about this place. Thank you so much for sharing your maps with us."

----------


## Amnestic

Analastra tries in vain to suppress the look of relief that says quite clearly "Glad _I_ didn't go up there", but she's clearly still happy to see you all. When the question comes if you can rest here she glances back to Berrian, who nods to the requests. "It won't be safe, but it'll at least be saf_er_ than out there. Hopefully no more wandering treants stamping through." It's an attempt to be reassuring, but clumsily delivered. 

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Time for a bit of party chat if you want it, otherwise I'll shift along to the return to town...probably tomorrow.

----------


## Xihirli

"That treant was fun," Jade recalls. 
"Hey, Skipsy! How many of those teleporters do you have? Can I have one? If not that's cool, I still have my rocket jump." Jade pulls a tiny, very unsafe looking rocket with a handle on it out of her bag of holding. 
"Hey, think there's still time to climb on top of a tower and see how far I can go?"

----------


## Amnestic

Alas, the question of tower jumping goes unanswered as you settle in for sleep under the watchful eyes of the elves. Though they seem more amenable with Analastra's return the unease that is felt keeps you from ever feeling truly safe. At the very least though it does let you rest without having to set a watch - the elves have that covered, and the night at the Font passes blissfully without interruption.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Take a short rest, burn any hit dice you still have as desired.



The area when you awaken is similar to that as when you slept - some of the faces are different as elven patrols go back and forth, but ultimately you slept in darkness, and woke in darkness. After you say your farewells, temporary though they may be, you continue back down the hill towards the gap in the walls that gave you access in the first place, and out beyond the Abbey's defenses. Thankfully the spiders do not seem to have repopulated in the few days you've been exploring, and you're able to break into the woods without interference.

A few hours from the Abbey walls you hear the link of bone and the clank of metal, and through the underbrush you spot a group of skeletons stood over the unmoving bodies of other skeletons. The movers are working to pick at the fallen's gear - arms and armour - and as you observe they appear to finish their task of equipping themselves. They stand in formation for a moment, before falling to the ground. The now unburdened skeletons then rise, and begin to pick at the equipment of their now-fallen brethren, a grim cycle repeating on itself.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy peeks through the bushes, sighs sadly and whispers, "Poor guys.  Wonder how long they've been stuck that way."  She looks over to her friends, "I dunno if we should, but we could try to put them out of their misery?  Or just...leave them to it.  They're not hurting anyone."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade examines them to see if they have ranged weapons. 
"If we're going to fight them, we should stay at a distance. I don't think they can do much to us if we're far away."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Old defenders with a need to reiterate their military history. I feel for them, but I am at the brink of my capabilities. If you engage I have but orisons left.

----------


## Xihirli

"Agreed," Jade says.
"My tank isnt empty, but Ill need a real break before I can go into fights the way I want. I hate to pass up a fight, you all know it I love to kill! But we should keep going and maybe loop back on the return trip."

----------


## Amnestic

Choosing discretion as the better part of valour, the party circumvents the odd skeleton looters who, uninterrupted, continue their macabre cycle.

Two more days of quiet tension pass as you pick your way back across the forest of Duskwood, choosing to evade conflict when the restless dead, feral worgen, or wild beasts come close to your path. It's a struggle, and more than once you are forced to hunker down in place and conceal yourselves to avoid conflict until it passes, but eventually, finally, you reach Darkshire. It's a beacon of light against the darkness you've been forced to trudge through the past three days of travel, and from a distance it looks no different. Thankfully no one seems to have instigated a cultist uprising or undead invasion in your absence.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


All going to report to da boss? Splitting up to hit multiple event triggers at once?

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

I will want to see the priest of the town for some guidance, and a bit of info about the Abbey. We can use a bit of spiritual leadership.; well, and something to kill those annoying defenders.

----------


## Xihirli

"Ill talk to Miss Commander with the elvish maps," Jade says. "I think she likes me best, anyway! Will you come with, Joklek? Just us muscle-people? Itll be fun! We can throw stuff at random passersby!"

----------


## Khosan

"Do you think the priest carries unholy water?" Skipsy wearily rubs her chin, musing at the possibilities, "Probably not, that'd be weird!  I think I'll head by the general store.  I'll grab some healing potions, some more trail rations, and some other stuff.  I've got a list!"  She waves her journal around, "If any of you need anything, just lemme know and I'll be back with an itemized bill for you."

----------


## Xihirli

"Oooh! Yeah, could I get a Climbers Kit, an abacus, ten javelins, a meat pie, some new arrows to replace the ones the elf used, a crowbar, some ball bearings, a hat with a real big feather, a flail, a war pick, and a bell?" Jade passes Skipsy one hundred gold coins in two big, two-handed scoops out of her bag.
"I noticed that I wasnt nearly prepared enough last time and I wont be caught with my pants down again in fact, get me a belt."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

I doubt a human priest carries anything void-infused against the holy powers of the guardians. But I make a mental mark to ask them anyway. I might be able to douse something in the dark powers of beyond, but I don't think we are making any friends here if they realize we are after these powers. I am glad they did not see through my disguise. Speaking of which, Emilia moves a hand over her face and her humanoid self from a day prior is to be seen. Easier on the eyes. I will hurry towards the chaplain and then quickly pick up a room and stay there when the illusion is not active.

----------


## Amnestic

While not exactly warmly welcomed into town, you nevertheless pass through the gates with minimal fanfare - they've seen you once, and with the knowledge you have a job from Althea Ebonlocke, there's no reason to delay you.

*Town Hall*

Jade, and any who went with her, find the Town Hall much as it was before, with a steady stream of petitioners. Commander Ebonlocke doesn't appear to have moved at all since last you saw her, as if she always stands in that exact same spot, though surely this cannot be the case - even the Commander must sleep at some point, right? She regards your approach with mild interest and summons you forward after finishing a brief conversation with a subordinate. *"Report."* She orders, with the same brisk tone of one used to being followed.

*Chapel*

Wandering town blindly in search of the local clergy seems ill-advised, but a quick query with a local points you towards a small chapel located up a hill. The building looks far more recently constructed than most of Darkshire, and despite the Light worship of the town it almost seems out of place, appearing to be squeezed between two existing buildings that both have clearly stood for far longer. The exterior bears symbology recognisable as both that of the human's Church of the Holy Light and that of the Draenei's Light worship.

The door is open, allowing the light within to spill out onto the streets and beat back against the darkness. Emilia's skin twitches at its touch beneath her illusion, though any who followed her find no such discomfort. The interior of the small chapel is sparse, with only two pews before the lectern and altar. There is little in the way of decoration or ornamentation, save for a gilded silver symbol standing on the altar for all to see. Dressed in the simple roughspun robes of a clergyman is a male draenei, whose height and bulk seems to almost dwarf the room. He regards those who enter with a warm and welcoming expression, beckoning them forward. "Come in out of the darkness there. All are welcome in the Light. I am Anchorite Delan, and have the honour of ministering to this place. Is there ought you seek?"

*General Store*

The General Store for Duskwood is easy to find, adjacent to the main town square, with a helpful sign out front advertising 'Baubbletump's Emporium!' - exclamation mark included. Inside is a brightly lit, and excessively decorated shop flush with all manner of items - far too many to list in any reasonable period of time, but with row upon row of shelves, boxes, barrels, and what looks like stairs to a second floor of even more, it might take a while but you can be fairly assured you'll find what you need.

A black cat sits on a small podium by the door, alertly watching those who come in with keen eyes that hint at an intelligence beyond that of a normal feline, or perhaps that's just the way the lighting catches them. Behind a counter at the rear of the store is a bald gnome with an enormous moustache and beard that falls beyond their feet while they're sat down, and likely only just avoiding scraping the ground while he stands. No doubt from his dress and expression this is the aforementioned Herble Baubbletump.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


The general store has all non-magical adventuring gear. Morg the smith has non-magical weapons/armour that you might want/need.
If you want anything magical, he'll only have common or uncommon magic items (inc. weapons/armour): Roll a d6 for the item in question. If it's uncommon, it's available on a 6. If it's common, it's available on a 5 or 6. Otherwise, not available.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade takes out the map, with the elvish additions, and passes it over to Ebonlocke
"Oh, there are SO MANY GNOLLS. They have an Ettin guard, with at least one head always awake. The village has a divided force of one hundred and fifty gnolls and mercenaries... so the gnolls aren't alone. Over here, there's dryads, neutral. We scouted out the big abbey in the middle here, ran into some tomb guardian spirits and got the everloving **** kicked out of us. We wanted to get some more info, but... I used to have a lot more blood, you know? I'm pretty sure we're all planning on going back, so this is just what we've got so far."
Jade answers any questions about the map, pointing them out and echoing her elf friends from earlier.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

As Emilia enters the chapel, she feels the familiar burn of holy energy. She knows she cannot dwell here for long, and she cannot trick a holy man. Archenon poros, anchorite. she imitates a traditional Draenei greeting she heard once. My name is Emilia, and I seek the Light. I seek help, and personal guidance. We are trying to see what we can do about the abandoned chapel in the area, and its main halls are protected by powerful creatures of light. They cannot be reasoned with, and they attack me if I show my true form.

The forsaken slumps together in a pew, her illusion suddenly adjusting her practical leather outfit to kind of make sense of her new posture. You Draenei are holy star children, and beyond blessed. I however am cursed by the shadows. I fear if I reveal more you will chase me out. Even coming here hurts my very essence. She pulls out her ritual dagger as it emits a miasma of smog, an inanimate item, but visibly disturbed by the presence of the light. I serve the Void as it was the only thing that gave me comfort in my time of need. After the fall of Lordaeron, after the Scourge and the Lich King. She hoped her vague hints were enough for the pater to understand. I want to find my path to the Light once more. Even if it destroys me. She stands up, with conviction, her dagger in hand and approaches Delan, then hands him her weapon in devotion. The Light may consume me for this, but I want unity with my fellow adventurers, not solitude in darkness. Even though she seemed to be crying, her veiled face stayed dry. Instead she just shivered in anticipation.

----------


## Amnestic

*Town Hall*

Althea listens quietly to Jade's explanations and information, before retrieving a sack of coin from below her desk and sliding it across the table. *"600, as agreed. If drunken boasting is to be believed the ettin has already been slain by another group. I believe they are still in the tavern if you wish to speak to them about it."* She looks down at the map again, her eyes wandering across it with a calculating expression. *"Any other information of note?"*

*Chapel*

Unwilling to take the blade without adequate protection, Delan first places a pair of thick gloves over both hands. He examines it briefly, before swiftly handing it back. When he speaks, the patient tone is one of understanding, though how much he still knows isn't clear. "Light and shadow are two sides of the same coin. What was once darkened can be turned back to the Light. It requires no great sacrifice, no clear act before the eyes of gods, kings, or men. All we are is our choices. You say you chose shadow, once. Now you have come here hoping for the Light." He shakes his head, though it's not out of cold denial, but rather correction. "It was already with you." The anchorite taps his broad chest where you can guess the heart is. "Each step is your choice to make. I will pray that you _continue_ to walk always in the Light." The word stress is clear, but it is clearly one of hope, rather than one of warning.

----------


## Khosan

"Ooh!  A Baubbletump!"  Skipsy claps excitedly as she enters, thrilled at the opportunity to meet another gnome, "Hi, Cat!"  Before she does any shopping, Skipsy makes her way up to the counter, "Morning, Mr. Baubbletump!  Or evening?  I don't really know, Duskwood's weird.  Anyway!  I'm Skipsy, Skipsy Turncrank, and it's always so nice to meet another gnome out here!"  She shakes his hand, if offered, "I've got a couple questions for you before I start shopping!"  Skipsy flips open her journal, skimming through pages until she finds her list.

"Ah, here we go!  Do you have any healing potions in stock?  I understand demand's gotta be pretty high here, but I could use...basically however many you've got!  Also, do you have any carts?  Humans and their long arms, they sometimes don't appreciate how hard it is for us small folk just to carry stuff!  I got a box in here," she shakes her bag of holding, "just to stand on, cause their counters are too high!  Also also," closing her journal, mindful to keep a finger on the page to mark her place, she narrows her eyes critically as she looks the fully-bearded gnome up and down.  After a moment, a wry smile creeps its way on to her face, a pointed finger starts wagging and she continues, "Do you have a son or nephew back in Gnomeregan?  I think my cousin, K.T., said something about dating a Baubbletump back home and, wouldn't you know it, you look a lot like how she described him!"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Holy? Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

The undead ruminates a few minutes over the words. Her friends saw past her ugly exterior, the woman and friend beyond it. They were the true reason she was here. The years of darkness, of loneliness and isolation before where horrific. There was no pain but no happiness, no life anymore. Her unlife was just a long stretch of subdued suffering. No, if her existence ended, it would be as a member of a group. 

I think I understand. she finally goes. I expect my un-life to be short, but filled with Light, devoted to my friends. But I prefer to live life to its fullest rather than hiding from death in the darkness. She bows and leaves towards the tavern looking to get a room before her illusion expires. She enjoyed the Light, but part of her was glad to leave the sacred grounds. This also reminded her the abandoned chapel was desecrated and showing her the divine guardians were indeed crazed.

*Spoiler*
Show

If feasible Emilia would stay a few minutes in the tavern's drinking hall to hear a few rumors before retreating upstairs.

----------


## Xihirli

A string of swears pour out of Jade's mouth. "I wanted to fight an Ettin!" She complains. 
"Ah, damn it. Uh, yes. We ran into some wood elves also scouting the area. Friendly enough, as long as you're respectful. There were also some bizarre creatures about that had some Void connection if I recall correctly  Warm Stalkers. Giant purple wolf things that were in multiple places at once and were drawn to magic. Even the giant spiders, which I've learned are normal in this region, phase in and out of existence."
Jade takes the sack and briefly weighs it, nodding satisfied that it was in fact 600 gold coins. 
"Aaaaand I had a question on if you had any bounties on giant spiders, or if you wanted other jobs done in the Abbey Area, since me and mine have our hearts set on returning anyhow. Maybe that bounty on gnoll heads I asked about before, eh?"

----------


## Amnestic

*Town Hall*

It's brief, but there's a flicker of concern that flashes over Althea's expression when the number of gnolls is mentioned. *"I don't have any bounties on animals at the moment. These elves - were they passing through or did they seem to be staying? Could they be made into allies?"*

*Town Streets*

Shortly after leaving the small chapel, before she can reach the tarvern, a figure raises their voice to Emilia, calling upon her to stop. "Pardon miss, but did I hear correctly that you visited a chapel in the area?" Owner of the gruff voice reveals himself as a human in perhaps his 40s or 50s, with a clean cut hair and neatly trimmed beard. He wears full plate emblazoned with the light's symbol, and a vast libram hangs at his waist - typical symbols of a paladin.  "You are part of the group that went to Brightmore, are you not? I am Sir Oakley, and I wonder if we might share a common goal." 

*General Store*

The gnome perks up at Skipsy's introduction. "Well hello there Miss Turncrank, and a pleasure it is to meet you this fine day. I do believe we've got three potions in the back - as you say, demand is quite high! The Night's Watch buys up most of them that come through Darkshire, and a good job it is too. God to keep our boys and girls of the Watch in tip-top shape, that's what I say, yes I do. Afraid I don't keep in touch with the family back north these days, not ever since Auntie Hubble's Chicken Incident." Herble shivers. "I'm sure I could source a cart if'n you're in need of one, but they don't do well off roads, and Duskwood's trails aren't as well maintained as they used to be!"

----------


## Xihirli

"The elves didn't tell us, but I got the impression they were there as part of a larger campaign. My friend Barry called the creatures in the Abbey a 'blight,' so I think your goals might align. Want me to go talk to them? I'm sure I can win them over!" Jade looks sullen for a second as she recalls something. 
"Ah... also... we found and burned the bodies of a couple that must have ventured out of town on their own. I don't know who they were, but... they had this." Jade pulls a potion of healing from her bag of holding. 
"So I imagine they were quite well-off to afford it. Do you know who they might have been?"

----------


## Kushina43

While Jade pours out expletives, Jok'lek sighs with some relief hearing the ettin has been dealt with.  He shares a want to test himself on such a thing, but the close call with the guardians still weighed on him, both in how he could have done better and the brush with death itself.  He also corrects Jade immediately after she says the wrong terms - ""Blood elves.  Warp Stalkers." but lets her do the brunt of the talking.  After she's done and Ebonlocke responds, he adds "Their encampment seemed to be investigating the place too, though their reasons are unknown.  It sounds like they're looking to deal with them, same as us, and I'm sure you could use the numbers and resources.  As for character, they seemed alright, and they were more than willing to cooperate and give us their information, though obviously that's your call, Commander."

----------


## Amnestic

*Town Hall*

Althea glances at the potion, but it's clearly writ on her face she doesn't know the people. *"We advise any travelers to stay on the roads, and locals know better than to leave them. You might have more luck asking in the tavern."*

She ponders her map some more, before continuing. *"I would like to evict the gnolls, but with those numbers it will be a marathon, not a sprint, and proper groundwork needs be laid. I will prepare a letter of introduction and request these elves join forces with us. I would hire your group to see that they agree to the alliance - 1000 gold, for their agreement."*

----------


## Xihirli

Jade nudges Jok'lek. 
"Heyyyy, we're moving up in the world, aren't we? Awesome, I'll talk to the rest of the team about it and I expect we'll be back to pick up the letter in the morning. Then it's WAR with the gnolls!"

----------


## Khosan

Ox, who'd been keeping to himself as per usual, suddenly comes to attention at the mention of a 'chicken incident.'  His legs telescopically extend until he's able to peer over the counter and make eye contact with the storekeep.  He clucks.  Skipsy giggles and pats Ox on the head, "Don't be silly, Ox, that's nothing to do with you!"  Ox narrows his eyes, clucks once more, and slowly, very slowly, retracts his legs.

"You should try to get back some time!  The cleaning crews have done a miraculous job cleaning up all the fallout, it's really something else.  And don't worry about the cart, I don't want to be too much trouble!"  Skipsy pulls Ox's wings and tail upwards, shaping him into an impromptu shopping cart, "And those potions are perfect, I'll be back for them in a bit!"  Skipsy scampers off with Ox, to browse Baubbletump's baubles.

Roughly halfway through her list, the gnome finds herself staring down an abacus, muttering, "Does Jade know how to use one of these?  I mean...she asked for one, so maybe she does?  But even if she does, she doesn't need one, I'm always gonna be right there.  But...she asked, so I guess...boop," she places the abacus on Ox's back, next to a stack of hunting traps.  She rounds a corner with Ox, and, as she absent-mindedly browses, she shouts to Baubbletump, "Any interesting rumors around town recently?  My friends and I are adventurers, so weird stuff is kind of our business."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

A common goal? Emilia laughs in her raspy voice. Your lot would smite my kind. But I am trying to be more open from this day on. We are mercenaries. What do you want? The priest can't help but feel uncomfortable in the presence of a paladin. Her whole body language is defensive, and she keeps her distance for now. Surely you can see what I am?

----------


## Amnestic

*Town Hall*

Althea gives you a nod, indicating you are dismissed, absent any further points you wish to bring.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


I'm assuming you're heading to the tavern next, but I'll just wait to see if Jok'lek has anything else they want to say first.


*Town Streets*

"You are someone I could cut down and the townsfolk would name me hero for doing so." Ser Oakly replies calmly, without making any move towards the large warhammer across his back. He stands passive, but the tension in his body tells Emilia that he could leap into battle at a heartbeat's breadth. "But to what end? I have a higher purpose, one that I would hire you and your group to fulfill, if you are amenable to it. The chapel in Brightmore Abbey has been corrupted, and I would see it cleansed. The Light brought me here to do so, of this I know in my heart and soul. Yet...I am a man of no few years and know well my limitations. I would hire your group to safeguard me and assist in the cleansing." He pats a sack of gold at his hip. "Though I would hope that doing a good deed is its own reward, I know not all share my faith and devotion. I would offer 2000 gold for seeing this task to fruition."

*General Store*

"Looking for work are you? Well there's definitely some to go around. Madam Eva, she's a local seer of sorts, knows all about weird things. Couldn't hurt to check in with her." The friendly shopkeep jots down a few directions on a piece of spare parchment. "Other then that, there's this old paladin type who's been knocking around town for a while doing odd jobs putting down undead where he can, but seems to have bigger plans. Keeps trying to hire adventuring groups but every one who passes through seems to turn him down." Baubbletump sighs. "Can't help but wonder if he'd be better off going back home and recruiting in Stormwind, but Light knows that Duskwood has never seen much help from those to the north."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

The old Emilia would act hostile and defensive, but the forsaken priestess forced herself not to spew abrasive comments. I have not shared your faith in a decade, but I am trying to walk in the Light again. Her thoughts instantly move to her group. We would gladly accept, if you mentored me. I was raised as a priest during the Second War, and died there; turned to the dark and now I am trying to get back. But I am by far not the only monstrous thing in our group. I travel with a gnome, a troll and a goblin. she finally goes.

After a brief pause gauging the paladin's response the undead continues: How do you intend on paying us? And are you prepared to fight royal guardians? Because I am unsure if they are even corrupted or just defend the halls against the Horde and undead intruders such as me. Spelling out her 'condition' was something she kept to see the response of Oakley.

*Spoiler*
Show

(1d20+8)[*22*] Insight if he will pay us, and if he means harm to the Horde and undead.

----------


## Khosan

"Aw, he sounds nice!  I'll keep an eye out for him!"  Skipsy, finishing up her run, examines a suspiciously magical hat, a Hat of Vermin.  No feather, so not exactly what Jade asked for, but the idea of some small furry (or slippery) friends was very appealing. Skipsy places it on Ox's head and gently guides her ferrous fowl back to the counter, "Alright, if I've done the math right that should be three hundred and thirty three gold, a very nice round number!  But I'll let you count everything up to double check, Mr. Baubbletump!"  After arranging her haul neatly on the counter, Skipsy begins counting out the gold.

----------


## Amnestic

*Town Streets*

"I'm too old to be taking on students, and our paths will diverge once the chapel is purified." Ser Oakley waves off the suggestion of mentor, a bit of his age showing in the process. "If you've had a priest's training you will know as much philosophy as I do, everything else is practical experience, and there's no substitute for that." He scratches one of his many facial scars absentmindedly. "You'll be paid in coin in full, minted in Stormwind, on completion of the job. Rest assured I have saved for some time to afford assistance. I'm prepared to do what I must. Little else matters." His expression gives off the impression of one who is set on their goal to the exception of all else. "I understand you may need some time to discuss it with the others of your group. You will most likely find me in the chapel, but if I'm not there Delan will know where I am."

*General Store*

Baubbletump potters around gathering what's required for Skipsy and dutifully collects the counted coin, handing over the goods with a smile and invitation to come spend more gold whenever you want.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Again, guessing you're done here and ready to go back to the tavern?

----------


## Xihirli

Jade hops on Jokleks shoulder.
"Lets get everyone a room for the night, eh? Maybe order them all something hot to eat when we meet up."

Once at the tavern, Jade orders a round for the table (mili for herself) and the meatiest thing on the menu for Joklek, with a stew for Skipsy.
"Nothing for me, thanks. My friend Skipsy is going to get me a meat pie while shes out."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

There was little time or reason to negotiate without her friends, so Emilia indeed returned to the booked rooms in the inn before her glamer fell off. Her emotions were not stirred up like that since the day she died. She needed a bit of a break now. Emotions could be a bad thing for the undead, she knew quite a few forsaken who went mad in an instant, or slowly over months over their emotions. 

The others find her staring at a wall or out the window when they return.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy spends a little time trying to find the paladin Baubbletump mentioned, but nothing more than peering down side streets on her way to the tavern.  Before she joins her friends, she puts in an order for the meat pie, a whole meat pie, Jade wanted.  She finally joins them, "Hey guys!  We gotta stop by the smithy first thing tomorrow, general store doesn't have any weapons in stock.  But!  Here's everything else and some extra goodies!"  She hands Jade her new hat, complete with a raven feather she found on the ground and carefully attached, "Your hat!  It's magic!  Not _very_ magic, but it's still good fun, you can pull tiny animals out!"  Skipsy then moves on to the rest of the haul, neatly placing them on the table in front of the goblin, "And your pie is on the way!  I dunno if Baubbletump sells any fresh ones, and if he did...no offense to him, he's a very nice man!  But gnomish cooks can be a bit...odd.  I should know!  I am one!"

----------


## Xihirli

"Skipsy!" Jade hugs her. 
"Emilia went inside the room, so once the meals arrive we should bring them in to talk. Althea says if we can convince the elves to join in a war on the Alley we can make a full thousand gold coins. And since were going there anyway to get uh"
Jade winks.
"The thing, I figured we should take the job!" Once the meat pie arrives, Jade shoves her face into it.
"Glurm mmmtonp. Lts gaaaaw." And not pausing her eating, she leads the way into the room.
"Hmmp gmlga."

----------


## Amnestic

The interior of the tarvern is a little bit more boisterous than your last visit, and with slightly more colourful patrons. As Althea said, another group of what look to be adventurers are gathered around a table. There are five in all - a human woman with silvered hair, that nevertheless appears quite youthful, a gnome in robes bearing a Kirin Tor sigil with a line through it with impeccably coiffed hair and moustache, a golden-eyed thalassian elf, a white-furred tauren woman whose belt rattles with small totems, and a grim looking dark-skinned dwarf with a massive black beard. They are loudly toasting their victory over the ettin, and even a cursory moment of listening in indicates they fully intend to return to Brightmore to plunder its treasures.

The only other individual that catches the attention is the manic looking woman in traveling gear from before. It's hard to tell if she even left her spot since last you saw her.

----------


## Kushina43

Satisfied with the report, Jok'lek arrives at the tavern with Jade upon his shoulder and they order food for the rest sans Emilia, already being in the room.  He notes the items Skipsy has bought, regarding the hat with some interest - "A magic hat containing critters..?  Hah, that'll be a laugh." - and when Jade urges everyone up to the room, Jok'lek interjects  "Actually, before that, I got a question or two for those guys over there first - seems like they're the ones that killed the ettin.  Which means, if I recall the map right, they either went in our entry point ahead of us on a different route, or busted through the main gate.  Want to make sure they didn't go loud enough to bring the war here early." 

With that, he excuses himself and gets up from the table with anyone else willing, walking over to the celebrating party hoping to strike casual conversation.  "You are the ones who killed the ettin in Brightmore, you say?  That's quite the feat, ettin are no pushovers in combat."

----------


## Khosan

After finishing her meal, Skipsy excuses herself and makes her way to the woman in the corner.  "Excuse me, miss?"  Skipsy peaks over the table, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I remember seeing you here when I was last in here.  If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?"

----------


## Amnestic

The assembled adventurers quieten down when Jok'lek - an unusual figure to see in Duskwood to say the least - makes his approach. There's a set of shared glances as they silently decide on a response, but ultimately settle on continuing their boast rather than ejecting the warrior from the circle. "That's right." The silver haired human says.  "Any other group might've struggled, but we ran circles around it!" The others murmur their support and cheer.  "Tam and me," she juts her chin affectionately at the tauren,  "we split up and each went for a head. Didn't know what it was doing, couldn't make up its mind, and the rest of us swept in to take it down. Fought one ettin you fought 'em all!" Another cheer.  "But we've got more than ettins on our plate - once we've finished selling off its treasure hoard we'll be heading back to Brightmore for more claim. Gonna be hitting one of the towers next and-" Her eyes narrow as she suddenly sobers up.  "You ain't planning on stepping in our way, are you?"

The young manic woman practically leaps out of her skin, having somehow missed Skipsy's approach. She very nearly dunks her tankard (accidentally) over the short gnome, but manages to save it at the last second. "Oh! I didn't...didn't see you. I'm just waiting for my friends, I don't want any trouble. They should've been here by now, but I'm sure they're just taking the long way round." She gives a nervous titter, to fill the quiet, more than anything else.

----------


## Khosan

"Oh, uh, hmm," Skipsy casts her mind back a few days, recalling the diseased bodies they came across, "Does...does this mean something to you then?"  She pulls the flower pendant out of her bag and holds it high for the woman to see, and tries to jump ahead to explain, "We came across some bodies on our way to the abbey.  I recovered this.  Hoping-...no, not really hoping.  I didn't want to find someone who this meant something to.  Cause that meant having this conversation."  Skipsy looks away and rubs her nose, "I'm sorry.  I wish I didn't have to tell you this."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade takes her face out of the pie and sits next to Emilia.
"The other two are carousing. How was your day? Look at all this cool stuff Skipsy gave me! I got a hat full of rats!" Jade shakes the hat.
Nothing comes out.
"Maybe not! Anyway, pretty cool right?"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

After an hour of "meditation" which honestly was just secret contemplation of her (un-)life choices, the priest expects her friends to arrive. By the clattering of plates and cutlery she is reminded that mortals need to eat, and as she can finally hear her friends downstairs, Emilia does elect to use her disguise once more, especially since she hears other prominent voices and does not want her group to overshare too much info. Just as Jade bursts into the room. I was just about to ... finish here and join you. There seems to be a commotion.

Black vapor envelops the clergywoman as she steps out of the door and down the stairs, catching the tail end of the convo about Ettins. She decides to sit next to the manic woman and at a slight distance to others but does not elect to push Jade away. You seem nervous, child. Emilia says with a motherly tone despite visibly resembling a young 20-something year old. I am priestess and adventurer Emilia. But if you need a patient ear to hear out your troubles I am there for you. She smiles warmly though the undead hopes she does not overdo it. Do not worry about my associate, she is harmful only to the enemy.

----------


## Amnestic

The woman looks at the flower pendant and takes a long, deep, shuddering breath to still herself. Tears bead into the corners of her eyes, and the colour drains from her already pallid cheeks. "Ah." She sinks back a bit in her chair. "Dead then. I...I knew that really, but I didn't want to..." A long exhale. "Did...did they have anything else with them? A silver dagger with an amethyst in the pommel, a rod or scepter of adamantite?" There's a tremor of hope in her voice, but it's miniscule, ready to be dashed away by the truth of the matter.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade smiles to the woman going through mourning and actually stays respectful. 
"I think this is yours." She passes her the healing potion. "I didn't find much on them, didn't want to dishonor the dead. Neither of the things you said."
"If you're looking for a group, you could join our party."

----------


## Kushina43

> "That's right." The silver haired human says.  "Any other group might've struggled, but we ran circles around it!" The others murmur their support and cheer.  "Tam and me," she juts her chin affectionately at the tauren,  "we split up and each went for a head. Didn't know what it was doing, couldn't make up its mind, and the rest of us swept in to take it down. Fought one ettin you fought 'em all!" Another cheer.  "But we've got more than ettins on our plate - once we've finished selling off its treasure hoard we'll be heading back to Brightmore for more claim. Gonna be hitting one of the towers next and-" Her eyes narrow as she suddenly sobers up.  "You ain't planning on stepping in our way, are you?"


"Ha!  Guess I'll keep that in mind next time I'm up against an ettin!" Jok'lek replies first, buying him a bit of time to think over his response, quickly adding "But no, we shouldn't pose a problem for ya.  We decided on helpin' with the gnoll problem there, ya see - that ettin coulda been a bit of an issue.  Speaking of which, how'd they react to the big thing going down?  Even if the ettin was simple, I doubt ya left them unscathed."  While the tower could be an issue, through offering some truth and his original question, he hoped to make himself appear unconcerned about that detail.

----------


## Amnestic

*"Hah, gnolls."* The darkskinned dwarf scoffs. *"Barely worth our time. We cut through their 'guards' to get to the ettin. Them and their ogres. Tried to raise the alarm but my axe sorted that out."* He pats the battleaxe at his side. *"There's no profit to be had in killing those laughing beastmen, so you can have at it, but they were in our way, so we killed them."* The heated edge of his deep voice cuts his meaning very clearly.

Across with Jade and co., the woman looks at the potion before sliding it back across the table to you. "I'm no fighter, I think it would help you more than me. But...if you see the dagger or the rod, I would pay you for them. They were..._are_ family heirlooms that I would like to have back."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy meekly hands over the flower pendant, "I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry.  We-...we'll see what we can do about the rest of their belongings."  She takes a seat at the table, taking a moment to write down the information in her notebook, sniffling but managing to hold back tears.  Gently closing her notes, she returns the book to her bag and looks up at the woman again, smiling weakly, "Do you...wanna tell me about them?  I've got time."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade decides not to crowd the woman.
"Come on, let's get back to the room. Don't really want to divvy up the gold in front of them." Jade points right at the other adventurers talking to Jok'lek. 
"Skipsy, is it okay if I fill you in after we've decided our next move? I promise to represent your interests, and have this rat save your seat." Jade pulls a rat out of her hat. It immediately wriggles free of her and runs away. 
"Aw."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy nods, "I trust you guys."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

In her calm human form, Emilia shakes her head. We can see what we can find, but more than those trinkets, you need closure. An expensive dagger or scepter like that is either from nobility or rich folk. But I will not press you who you are. She turns to Jade. I do agree, Jade. These adventurers are good at what they do. They surely don't want us to bother them.

Emilia rises and walks over to the brutish dwarf. Confusing an ettin is easy enough, if you use the right tools. Magic breaks through dimly lit minds just as easily as a sharp dagger breaks through a wizard's robe. Always stay creative and work together. Without waiting for a response she leaves for upstairs once more.

----------


## Amnestic

The dwarf makes a distinct motion with his hand to show Emilia what he thinks of her as she leaves. *"Was she with you?"* He points a stubby finger at Jok'lek. *"Should keep her on a leash. Liable to get herself into trouble."*

The young woman nurses her ale before downing the tankard in one large gulp.  "That's...very kind of you, but I think I'd like to be alone for a while. Thank you though. I hope you have better luck than...than my friends did."

----------


## Xihirli

Jade guffaws at the dwarf.
"Kinky!" And she follows Emilia upstairs.
She sits on her bed and picks her meat pie back up.
"So we kill them in their sleep, right?" she suggests, and takes a bite.
"The back to the abbey. Althea says if we form an alliance with Barry we get a thousand gold coins. Oh! Speaking of!" Jade gets the coins out of the sack from the Commander and distributed 150 to each member of the team, laying the small piles on their individual beds.
"Anyone else find jobs? People buying monster parts? Someone who left their keys in the Abbey and wants them back?"

----------


## Kushina43

Jok'lek leans slightly on the table with his hand casually, a sigh of relief as the dwarf mentions no alarms were set off.  "Good, good, was afraid they'd be expecting us, would make our job harder.  I'll let ya get back to celebrating, good luck with your treasure hunting." he replies, distinctly unbothered by the threat, and about to walk away when he says further,




> The dwarf makes a distinct motion with his hand to show Emilia what he thinks of her as she leaves. *"Was she with you?"* He points a stubby finger at Jok'lek. *"Should keep her on a leash. Liable to get herself into trouble."*


The small section of the table in his grip splinters, and he immediately pulls back surprised - "Whoops, apologies, don't know me own strength sometimes.  Hir'eek guide you."  He waves with the other hand and turns to head back upstairs - the table was accidental, the _anger_ was very real, almost forgetting the splinters in his still clutched fist.




> "So we kill them in their sleep, right?" she suggests, and takes a bite.


"_Very_ tempting proposition." he mutters while struggling to pick the splinters out of his hand with the other.

----------


## Khosan

"Alright, but one more thing," Skipsy tears a page out of her notebook, scribbles something down on it, folds it in half and slides it over to the bereaved woman, "Next time you're in Stormwind, see if you can find this person. Last I heard he was working out of the Dwarven District, but he could've moved back to Ironforge.  He's a grief counselor, helped a lot of people in the aftermath of the Third War, the Scourge, the Cataclysm and the Pandaria campaign.". The gnome wipes a tear from her eye hops down and starts to walk away, "I'm so sorry.  Again."

Catching up with her friends, Skipsy looks more than a little gray in the face and much less enthusiastic, "So what's going on with those guys?" She thumbs back towards the other adventuring party.

----------


## Xihirli

"Eh, nothing much. Were just gonna kill them." Jade shrugs.
"The jobs I am aware we can take: get that lady the objects of her departed friends. Get the elves to agree to an alliance. Find out what that one groups jobs are and do them first just to spite them. Anything I dont know about? Any preference on them? Obviously the stuff we can for sure do in Brightmore, where were going anyways to try our luck against those angels again, takes precedence. Thats why I vote elves. Everyone cool with talking Barry into becoming friends with Althea?"

Jade slurps up the last of her meat pie.
"The other item on the agenda is WHEN we go. I dont think Ill feel 100% again until Ive slept two full nights, but I can manage with just one I think. How do you all feel on it?"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Before departing upstairs finally, Emilia answers Jade. A night of rest and a day of reorientation was exactly why we returned to town. We should sleep well and learn what we can about the defenders of the chapel before we return.

----------


## Kushina43

"We're not gonna kill 'em, not unless they get in the way.  They did say they were after one of the towers next, which could be a pain later, but in dealing with the ettin they've lightened our load enough for me to give them a temporary pass despite their... attitude." Jok'lek responds to Jade, uncertain whether she's joking but wanting to nip that bud regardless.

"Any more than a day feels excessive to me - not that we couldn't use it, but that we don't know if or when the gnolls might strike.  Even if that other group's truthful and they avoided alarm, they'll soon notice their ettin's dead.  Better to do our thing before that point."  Finishing with the splinters, he thinks on the proposal to join up with the elf encampment again for support.  "The only reason I hesitate is because of that one secret we got about potential betrayal.  But..  they seem like good enough people, so I'm willing to try if you guys are.  And it's not just us, but this town could use the additional support against the gnolls."

----------


## Xihirli

"No, see, the elves aren't going to betray us because you expect it. You only get betrayed when you least expect it. So you just gotta always expect it. Then you'll never get betrayed. Then you never expect it. And you get betrayed. It's a pretty good system, I think we can trust the elves."
"So is that the only job we have on the table? Meet up with the elves, then retry the angel tower with no increase in numbers or power and hope that works? Because I like that plan."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

*Assuming a private discussion upstairs in the room:*
The elves might not plan on betrayal, but even I hesitated fighting protectors of the light, misguided or otherwise. Ser Oakley provided us with payment AND aid, so it is safe to assume his help is genuine. If the elves see him helping us, they will see our cause is just, or they will turn at the sight, which means they were never thinking about the best interest. In any case, they are dangerous. We should probably see to defend ourselves from their ambushes. I would expect arcane magic, secrecy and blades.

I might prepare counter magic, revealing divinations, but the blades and secrecy part is better suited for you all.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy, upon their return to their room, changes out of her armor, "I think the best we could do-nyeh!" she heaves a glove off that had been catching on some other part of her plate, "is some kind of caper.  A shenanigan!  Some real low-class tomfoolery!"  Skipsy cackles, untying the straps holding her pauldrons in place, "I was a mischievous youth once, but I still got some tricks up my sleeves."

Down to her work clothes, the thoughts of some classic hijinks still on her mind, she begins the lengthy process of redressing hers and everyone else's wounds with a smile on her face.  Starting with the bite on her left arm, she'd only started unwrapping her last set of bandages when she pipes up, "We'll need at least a day, for sure.  Jok'lek, you'll probably be good by tomorrow morning - troll regeneration really is something!  But I think the rest of us will probably need another night to be safe."  She pulls a rag and a bottle out of her bag, the latter of which is emblazoned with red frowny faces and the words *DO NOT DRINK* in the unfriendliest letters possible.  Dousing the rag in the fluid contained within the bottle, she cleans the bite marks with a grimace, but somehow maintains her cheery tone, "But!  We don't have to decide right now, we can make that decision tomorrow.  In the mean time, the shopkeep gave me a couple leads!  There's a local seer, Madam Eva, who might be able to tell us something!  He also said there was a paladin type looking to hire some adventurers?  He sounds nice!  Maybe we try to talk to him too.  Oh!  And I still gotta stop by the smithy for those weapons Jade asked for."

----------


## Xihirli

> Ser Oakley provided us with payment AND aid, so it is safe to assume his help is genuine.


"I don't know if I want to involve the elves in angel-killing," Jade confesses. "But tell me more about Acorn-Man."

Jade happily takes off her bloody clothes to let Skipsy clean her wounds. 
"You know what, I think I need some new clothes as well. These ones are all soaked in my b... well, maybe _half_ is my blood?"

At the mention of her weapons, Jade gets excited to share something she noticed at Brightmore.
"So could you guys tell that the big tree we fought barely noticed getting shot, and it took cutty-weapons to kill it? That got me thinking.... I pretty much just own cutty weapons. But other things we fight, like... birds, for instance, I should have a whacky weapon to crunch their bones with! And to fight... uh... other things, I should have a stabby weapon! Sometimes at a distance! Pretty smart, right?"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Shadow Priest
AC: 13 HP:  30/32 
PP: 18 PIv: 9 PIs: 18
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Getting the right tools is something you do beforehand, Jade. But injure it and its wounds will help me pull it into the void no matter how resilient they are to punches.

Emilia diverts Skipsy's efforts to wound-dressing. The gnome of course knew Emilia needs to be mended rather than healed, but maybe that changed when she doused herself in the holy arts once more. There had been tales of forsaken regaining even some senses and regrow some flesh from it. A seer's words are intriguing, but it can be manipulative and deceiving. We should heed her words with care. And not only because many are secretly in league with the Old Gods.

----------


## Amnestic

In the 'morning' (judged not by light but rather by activity and the large clocktower), a member of the Watch briefly delivers Althea's letter of introduction, though notes that the Commander stressed to "only go when you're ready". 

Descending into the tavern proper shows no signs of the 'rival' adventuring party, who are either still sleeping off their frivolities or have already left to return to Brightmore. The tavern is mercifully quieter for their absence.

Skipsy finds the blacksmith about as expected for a single blacksmith serving the entire town - endlessly busy, but otherwise unremarkable with their wares which are built solid and practical, with little flourish or flare. 

It's in the Chapel, sat in quiet contemplation, that you find Sir Oakley. He still wears the armour, even in this 'secure' setting, apparently ever ready to take up arms. He nods to you with a warm, if somewhat reserved, smile. "That you have returned is encouraging. Have you made a decision regarding my quest?"

----------


## Xihirli

"Yes, we want to help you clear the church! How do you feel about us taking something we find there, by the way? As a random question that occurs to me for... no particular reason." Jade keeps ahold of the letter, since she negotiated the contract with Althea. 
"Also, Oakley. Is that a Knight's name? Sounds more like a forest wanderer than a noble."

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy's trip to the smith is a quick one, made early in the morning to get a head start on the day.   She stops in to pick up Jade's weapons, taking a moment to eye a particularly fancy-looking rifle longingly, but shies away after seeing the attached price tag.

A quick jog later,, Skipsy arrives just after the others. The little gnome pushes the door open with her shoulder and waves excitedly to her friends, her left arm in a sling in an effort to aid its recovery, "Mornin' guys! Jade, I got your weapons!" She pats her bag, but drops her voice to a whisper noting the somber mood in the building, "We can handle that later."

"Good morning, Mr. Oakley! I'm Skipsy, Skipsy Turncrank, archaeologist in good standing with the Explorers' League!" She stands at attention and salutes, "We'd be delighted to help you clear out the church, but I do have some questions!  We've even been there already, but...it was more than we expected."  Skipsy rolls up the sling to show a burn on her wrist from the guardians' chains, "How much do you know about the church and what's inside it?"

----------


## Amnestic

"The Light has revealed to me some truths of the matter - regrettably I have no direct experience with the Abbey; it fell long before I was Called." Somehow, you can hear that 'called' is capitalised. "The abbey held a number of sacred vessels that will aid in its purification. If we are lucky they will in the church itself. Once we have the vessels, I will need to conduct a ritual of purification in order to fully cleanse the temple. Our first task must be to secure the chapel though, and of that I fear you know more than I." 

He seems somewhat uncomfortable with the prospect of the holy place being looted, but perhaps the long time of waiting for viable hireling wins over his trepidation. "I would ask that you not desecrate the place further, but...certainly any items kept there would be better returned to circulation among the people than lost to ruin." He says, by way of compromise.  

"I come from a small village to the north, earning my knighthood through effort and dedication. Please be assured I know my way around the battlefield, even if age is catching up to me. You need not slow yourselves on my account." He says, to explain his noble-ness - or lack thereof, as the case may be.

----------


## Xihirli

"Skipsy!" Jade hugs the gnome. 
"How much do I owe you? Other than the hundred I gave you already?"
Jade then registers the things the Knight said.
"Hey, that's pretty cool, guy! I'm really good at killing things, too! Just since I got here, I've killed giant spiders, some of which could teleport, warp stalkers, a crazy tree, all sorts of things! And I don't plan to loot the place, promise! There might be like, _one_ thing in there that we're after, which is why we went in there before, but I'm cool leaving everything else there if you all are!" Jade smiles to everyone else.
"So, Acorn-Man, what's the BIGGEST thing you've ever killed?"

----------


## Amnestic

A grim frown creases Oakley's age-wrinkled face. "I fought in the three great wars, I have a tale to match every scar on my body, and more besides. I could talk for days of those I have fought against and those we lost." He hesitates, his eyes glazing over as he stares into the middle distance, memories coming back to him.  "During the Second War I was stationed upon a Kul Tirasian vessel, just one of many. Faith tells me that the Light was responsible for my safety, but when the Horde's dragons swept down upon is, we lost countless believers as righteous as I. Luck, not faith, kept me safe when the fires washed over the decks and tore the ships asunder." His hand moves to his forearm, gently squeezing it, and the unseen damage beneath.  "I saw dragonfire boil men's flesh, strip them to the bone, and scorch skeletons to ash. I heard people screaming as they burned, leaping from the decks to the _safety_ of an endless cold ocean, the laughter of the dragonriders as we burned. Decades of life and light snuffed out in an instant. Men and women I had known, with dreams, ambitions, hopes. Friends. Families."

"I did not do so alone, but with others at my side we did bring down and slay a red dragon. It was only later I discovered they had been enslaved into doing the Horde's bidding. There was no glory or celebration in the kill, only the mourning of what we had lost to do so. That is the largest 'creature' I have...defeated." Bitter regret and quiet buried anger seep into his tone.  

His gaze tears away from his memories to look at Jade, and then the rest of the party, and then casts his eyes downwards with fatigue. "Old hatreds are hard to let go of, and when you reach my age they pile up, but times have changed, and I have a higher Calling than the grudges of the past."

----------


## Kushina43

Seeing this man fully armored in the Chapel wasn't entirely surprising to him - He's seen some paladins throughout Orgrimmar, especially visiting Blood Elves from Silvermoon, that seemingly refused casual wear no matter the length of stay - but what was is his justification for allowing the group to take what is found while clearing the church.

His retelling of the events during the Second War were certainly harrowing, enough that he hoped it tempered Jade talking about killing things around the older man.  The Second War, while older than the troll and before his peoples' joining the Horde, was well within the living memory of orc veterans around Orgrimmar.  Of the few who talked about it, some talked about the glory of conquering Khaz Modan and cornering the dwarves and gnomes, others the desperation after failing to siege Quel'thalas and losing Lordaeron's Capital City, and a good number regret - the only Dragonmaw he'd met had become depressed upon later realizing how he was not only harming children, but intelligent beings in his dealings with dragons, thinking of them as mere beasts no matter the contrary evidence.  He saw a similar regret in Oakley's retelling of slaying the red dragon - opposing sides and situations, certainly, but both now haunted by the reality of what they had done thinking it the best option.  

"Apologies for bringing up such troubling memories.  We would be mighty grateful for your aid with the church, Sir Oakley." Jok'lek gives him a short bow in respect.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade opens her mouth.
Closes it.
Opens it again.
Closes it, hums.
"If its all the same to everybody I think Ill shut up now. Ready to go when you all are."

----------


## Amnestic

Oakley seems almost surprised at himself as he blinks away the thoughts. Though age has taken away any hint of shyness in him, he nevertheless looks apologetic. "No, I spoke out of turn. I should not be sharing such things so readily. The Light teaches us to act honestly in our dealings but...there is a time and a place." He gives a slight inclined bow as concession, hand clasped against his chest.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Left my notes at home, I'll do a further post later today to shift along, assuming no one has any sudden objections.

----------


## Amnestic

With your initial introductions concluded and the agreement reached, Ser Oakley agrees to wait a further day for you to have fully recovered, and you are able to enjoy a further day and night in as much comfort as Darkshire offers. It's a rustic, hardy sort of comfort, but it's pleasant enough.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


If you haven't already updated it - long rest completed.



On the next morning, Ser Oakley accompanies you to the edge of town, whereupon he summons up a magical steed upon which to ride, adorned in thick plate armour much as he is. Such summonings are not unheard of for paladins of the Light, though they're not exactly common either, and mark him as either being exceptional among the Silver Hand, or at least very lucky. With some amount of goodnaturedness - perhaps to sooth the awkwardness he caused earlier - he notes "I'm not sure my feet could cover the journey at my age, but Saviour here will carry me just fine."

The next two days of travel are spent much in the same way as your first expedition: conserving your energies, evading wandering worgen, undead, and beasts, and proceeding back towards Brightmore Abbey. Not long into the third day of travel you crest a small hill and are once more given a slight oversight of the sparsely fire-lit village that curves around the mountain. 

"In case you are unaware, there is a path up the far side of the hill that takes us from the base all the way up to the apex." Oakley offers. "Though I will follow your lead."

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Mostly a last minute check if you want to hit up Berrian+elves first, with Oakley in tow, or head straight for the chapel.

----------


## Xihirli

"I think we should talk to the elves first. Ib case uh in case we die before our next chance," Jade suggests, somewhat dourely.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 6/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 4/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia listened to the old bear of a knight drone on and on about holiness. Something she had sworn to find again, but her approach was one of focus and sheer will, not of aimless prayer and trust. So before we venture off properly, you are sure you accept two Horde warriors, a Forsaken priest and a scientist amongst your paid mercenaries? No harm will come to my friends. The word seemt wrong in Emilia's mouth, but it was exactly what she meant. She had chosen to keep her true form revealed now, both for practicality and sincerity. 

We are also on good terms with a group of blood elven farstriders. You will not harm them either unless they attack us. They might have followed a traitor prince, but not all fallen high elves followed him, and even though they are also allied with the Horde, you have no quarrel with them. Stating her opinion as fact, Emilia does not recognize any answer but sheer protest.



*Two days later*:
We went a more direct route through an area with slightly confused dryads. They let you pass if you allow them to share in a personal secret. There are enough answers which satisfy them while not being an open invitation for betrayal.

----------


## Khosan

Just before leaving Darkshire, Skipsy takes a moment to speak to Emilia, "Emilia!  I got something for you!"  Skipsy digs into her bag and pulls out a little project she'd been tinkering with throughout the day: an iron ring, wrapped in copper wire with a small, red button on one side, "Here.  It's a magical accumulator.  It eats up little bits of magical energy - stuff you naturally radiate, dissipation from regular spellcasting, ambient energy, the kind of stuff that just _is_ but isn't _doing_ anything - and when you hit that button there, it discharges everything it's accumulated.  Into you.  Safely!  I should stress that, it is _perfectly safe_."  It's very clear that Skipsy is excited to explain even more details, but takes her leave to not impose on Emilia's privacy.

On the road, Skipsy spends much of her time hovering around Ser Oakley, asking probing questions like "Are you _summoning_ Savior from somewhere or _conjuring_ him directly via the Light?  Does the Light make _literal_ demands for action or is it more a metaphorical, religious kind of thing?" accompanied by enthusiastic (but very long), academic explanations of her original interpretations of what the answer might be.  It's...a conversation, but definitely not everyone's favorite.

Skipsy pats Jade on the back, trying to cheer her up after a very depressing , "That's no kind of attitude to have!  But you have a point!  I think we should take Oakley to see the elves, not because we're doomed, but because I think they might let him drink from the fountain and he might find that interesting!"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 6/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 4/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

The priestess was unsure what to make of the gnomish contraption. She knew goblin items were prone to explode or cost money, while gnomish inventions were more insidious but more often than not more advanced, but with insidious drawbacks. If Skipsy insisted it was safe it probably was. Most of her items just happened to have cosmetic or aesthetic drawbacks. Neither of which Emilia cared much about now that she was undead. Thank you. What are the limits of it? I better not have to wind up a crank.

----------


## Khosan

"It's almost entirely passive!  You don't have to wind it or anything, but if the copper coil starts to unwind, let me know and I'll fix it. 
 It shouldn't, but the first lesson I learned in the field was to never take your equipment for granted!  Anything and everything can break."  Skipsy backpedals, "Again, _perfectly safe_.  The only thing you need to do is hit that button about once a day and it'll supply you with a little boost of magical energy."

----------


## Xihirli

"Bah, you gnomes and your perfectly safe engineering. Give me something that has a one-in-ten chance of exploding every time you use it, I say! If you want consistency, you use a weapon!" Jade holds up her flail. 
"I'm gonna mostly use the flail for awhile I think, get used to it," she says to the team. "Oh! Jok'lek! Mister Oak! Do either of you want some javelins? I got ten thinking I'd keep three strapped in at all times, three in my bag of bagging, and share the other four! Want some?"

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 6/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 4/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

You could swear the dead flesh on Emilia's forehead crumpled in doubt now. You said how many times now this is safe? Thrice? Not a good look, Skipsy, but I trust your maintenance. Just warn me before it goes south. 

She turns to Jade. Last time a dark apothecary made something that exploded it killed hundreds, forsaken and living alike.* So be careful what you wish for. I am quite fond of my flesh not being melted from my bones.


* referencing the Wrathgate incident

----------


## Amnestic

"Just as when some people linger after death, so too may spirits of animals. In life, Saviour was a dedicated warsteed; by the Light's grace they continue to serve. Faith empowers them, and there is no trace of necromancy in its calling. Beyond that, I know as much as you do. I am a warrior, not a scholar." 

He politely declines the offer of javelins from Jade. "I am best served in the thick of things, and holding such things may tempt me to draw back. _'Carry only what you need, lest distractions lead you astray'._ Strictly, it's advice for leading an ascetic life free of the burdens of reckless consumption, but I've found it applies quite well for battle as well."

You head back into the breach, climbing up the steep hill and picking through the brush to reach the elf camp. At one point, Oakely is forced to dismount Saviour and proceed on foot with the rest of you. He lags a little - youth trumps age in this case, and his hefty armour doesn't help any. Even knowing the direction you want to head to the elves, it takes longer than last time.

The Font of Tyr hasn't changed much in your week's absence. Some of the faces are a little more weary, some are absent and some are new as patrols and scouting parties rotate in and out, there's a few fortifications made with insufficient tools for anything aside from lean-to's, but ultimately it's still just a scouting camp that's ready to be picked up and moved at a moment's notice. Berrian is absent, with Analastra there to welcome you instead. 

"Hey! Good to see you again and..." She hesitates when she sees Oakley behind you - though he hardly paints the picture of a threat at the moment. Sweat beads his scalp and his short cut hair glistens with it, his breathing comes in long gasps. Though Analastra doesn't draw a weapon, she is noticeably less relaxed.  "Berrian's out on patrol at the moment. Who's this?" She looks to you, not Oakley, to conduct introductions, and perhaps sensing the tension through his physical exertion, the paladin keeps his mouth figuratively shut - it's still literally open as he gets his breath back.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Not me picking the same text colour for Analastra and Oakley like a fool - oh well, it is what it is.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 6/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 4/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

You allowed me in your presence, an undead priest serving unknown powers, and you get nervous with a Paladin of the Silver Hand? Emilia straight up laughs at her blood elven allies. This is Ser Oakley, he has come to purify the Abbey with our assistance. Something he would tell you once he has gathered enough air in his lungs to do so. Emilia's voice sounds calm, it had its advantages not needing any air to begin with. Though a good listener could hear a tinge of sarcasm towards the old paladin, something so subtle Emilia was not even aware of it. We wanted you to meet him, and maybe if you allow it, he could gain insight from the Font.

----------


## Xihirli

"Hes fun!" Jade adds. "Oh!" she takes out Commander Ebonlockes letter and waves it in a dramatic reveal.
"I know you elves like to be all aloof and independent and _mysterious_ with your longbows and your apricots, but we picked up from context that Barry wants to clear out the monsters here. The commander of the Militia? Over at townville" Jade glances at her friends for help with the name.
"Was wondering if youd like an alliance to purge these hills. Could be fun!"

----------


## Amnestic

"We've got our reasons to be...wary of humans." She glances at Oakley. "Nothing personal." Thankfully he _doesn't_ seem to take it personally, and remains stoically silent. "Berrian let you guys drink from the font because you helped me. Sorry, but we can't trust a stranger with it - even if you vouch for them. Ditto for the letter." Analastra nods at Jade's procured scroll. "He'd have to make the decision, not me. You can leave it here and I'll bring it up with him when he gets back though." She lowers her voice slightly, leaning in conspiratorially. "It might be better to let him stew on it for a little anyway - the offer might make him sour at first but he'll probably warm up to it after a bit."

----------


## Khosan

"Darkshire," Skipsy helpfully offers when Jade can't remember.  Her eyes widen when Analastra brings up their collective distaste for humans, realization dawning, "Oh right!  Sorry, I should've remembered."  Skipsy sheepishly smiles back at Ser Oakley and mouths a "Sorry" to him.

"While we're here, I have a couple more questions, if you don't mind!"  Skipsy flips open her journal once more and clears her throat, "Did you see another party of adventurers around?  Human woman, Gnomish man in Kirin Tor colors, a High Elf who I didn't get a good look at, Tauren woman and a Dark Iron Dwarven man.  They're jerks, so keep your eyes peeled!  Also, did you see another group of three travelers out here before then, say...a week or so before we arrived?  All human, not adventurers!  Just a family."

"And for what it's worth," Skipsy puts her journal away, "I don't know what your plans are here but whatever they are, you'll have an easier time with the Gnolls gone and a good relationship with the local militia.  You help them, they'll help you!"

----------


## Xihirli

"I'll leave it with you," Jade says. "We'll come back here after we cleanse the church to receive your answer."
She smiles at Analastra. "Stay alive, alright? I'd feel bummed if you died."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 6/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 4/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Come to think of it, who made YOU the arbiters of who can and cannot drink from the Font of Tyr? Emilia asks, this time a bit more aggressively. It is his order who founded this whole thing. It is named after the first paladin. And you are to deny him? On what grounds? Suddenly Emilia had found her human pride again despite travelling with several Horde members.

She holds a bony claw out to cut through any interruptions. No, no, I really want to hear your reasoning. You can hear a deep (and entirely unnecessary) breath before she continues. I do not want to jeopardize this alliance between us, but why? For one, it would be an honor for an old paladin to gain its insights, for another it would really aid his powers in the upcoming struggle.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade looks confused at Emilia.
"You have an interesting way of asking people for help, you know that?"

----------


## Amnestic

"There was some movement a few days ago at that watchtower to the south - the one by the hole in the wall." She points back the way you came, towards the tower that was magically abjured against entry you had inspected on your first entry into the Abbey's grounds. "Our patrol didn't get close enough to see any details but that might have been the party you mentioned? They vanished though, and we didn't see where they went. They might be in the tower? But we couldn't find a way in when we tried. No sign of the others you mentioned though, sorry."

An uneasy stirring flutters through the camp at Emilia's accusatory questions. While before the elves on guard were content to leave you to your conversation in peace, they've now turned their gazes central, weapons not yet bared, but bodies tensed. "I...I..." Analastra stutters for a moment, taking a half-step back before taking a deep breath and steadying herself. "Berrian was clear that it wasn't to be shared with outsiders. We're the ones who secured it when everyone else had left it to ruin. Again, nothing personal, but we don't now if this guy's a 'paladin', or just some wandering knight who tricked you all into listening to him. I'm sorry," She sounds sincere in her apology, if somewhat flustered. "but Berrian's say is final. I'm not gonna go over his head on this; I'm in enough trouble as it is. You can take it up with him when he's back if you really want to."

----------


## Xihirli

_"Thank you_ for holding onto the letter for us. Well be back to talk to Berrian after our business in the Temple is complete."
Unless told to do otherwise, Jade starts heading that-a-way. And once theyre safely out of earshot, she takes up an odd role reversal: she starts scolding Emilia.
"Is your problem with Analastra in particular, or elves in general? Its not just this, you were mocking her way back with the tree! Like my mother always said to me whenever I insulted someone: Gialtea, you make me ashamed to have the same blood as you! If you dont have anything nice to say, get out of my life! She was a real jokester. But Emilia, seriously. Whats your problem with Analastra?"

----------


## Khosan

Once separated from the Elves, Skipsy hops into the discussion, speaking in a hushed tone just to be safe, "I don't think Emilia's wrong to be suspicious of them and their motives. Even Analastra. It's weird that they're this far south, this far from home, within Alliance borders."  Skipsy steeples her fingers in front of her face as she thinks out loud, "If we take the dryads at their word, they're probably after the cards.  They could also be after whatever demon was imprisoned here, and that's got...worrying potential.  So, if they're here to kill it?  That's good.  If there's anything we learned from the War of the Shifting Sands, the Ulduar campaign, Pandaria, it's that imprisoning powerful beings is, at best, a temporary solution!  But Blood Elves have some worrying history with enslaving magical entities.  There's _extra_ potential that the demon some of us saw in our visions?  That could just be another representation of a card."

Skipsy scratches her head, "Artifacts like these are weird.  Like reality warps around them!  Literally and figuratively!"  She sighs, gesturing vaguely towards the twisted watchtower to the south, "Anyway!  All that said!  They trust us, for now.  I don't think we should antagonize them while they're still willing to help us."

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 6/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 4/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia went silent. No, no, you have valid points here. I guess I got defensive over a sense of belonging. We truly do not know this man's intentions. I believe them pure, but you have but an undead's intuition for it. And many of us went mad. she finally accepts. We will take our journey towards the chapel yet again protecting him. Do not interfere; and we mean no harm.

*Private tête-à-tête:*
I guess some things are easier left unsaid, but I want an honest dialogue between our three factions here. We do not know the blood elves' goals, and neither Oakley's. What does he have to gain from sanctifying a chapel in the middle of nowhere? Truly, why does humanity not abandon this dark place at all? The reason like always is power. Maybe even power in service for good, but it is power.

----------


## Xihirli

Jade shrugs. "They don't really know why we're here, either. Well, actually I think we've mentioned the card near Oakley enough for him to guess, and I don't think we've actually checked to see if elves were hiding nearby _any_ of the times we've talked about the Deck, so maybe they do. Still, it's a fair point. It could just be they're scared of the Abbey the same reason Althea is, cuz the gnolls are getting stronger and might move to attack whenever."
She points her flail (well, the handle anyway) toward the church. 
"Up this way! Let's cleanse a church!"

----------


## Amnestic

Tempered by age and experience, and perhaps aware of how he might sound, Oakley doesn't seem offended or concerned at the questions - either outright stated or with furtive glances - as to his motivation. Perhaps such is the power of faith. At Jade's urging, you continue up the hill, leaving the elves behind.

Whether they moved on or are simply keeping a watch from a distance, you don't meet the dryads again on your ascent. Flighty as they are, they don't seem the type to stay in just one place. 

It's still another few hours before you reach the apex, and Oakley is thrilled when you hit an actual path (overgrown though it might be) and he can take mount on Saviour once more. The flat hilltop doesn't appear to have gone through any changes since you were last here, and if the rival party - or indeed any others - did pass through they've not left a mark that you can see in the dark.

The doors to the chapel are still loosely open, as before.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


Opportunity for prebuffs/summons/etc. before you move to the fight.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
Lightwell: 2/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 3/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 3/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Emilia incants a small prayer and gives Joklek, Skipsy and Jade a glowing dove feather each. Use this for a quick retreat or change of position. Another two prayers follow to put a shield around Jade and Jok'lek.

*Spoiler*
Show

Casting Angelic Feather: use the feather as a bonus action to disengage, dash or dodge.
Power Word Shield for 11 tHP for Jade and Jok'lek.

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy holds up her army knife, inspecting the extended tools.  She nods, satisfied, and jabs Jok'lek and Emilia in the thigh, Jade in the shoulder with a small *Bzzt!*  There's noticeable sensations of muscles tightening up and a persistent electrical buzz, not unpleasant but strange.  Skipsy spends a moment reading over a small display on her multitool, smiles, and slips it back on to her belt, "Good to go!"

----------


## Xihirli

"Ah!" Jade yelps. She lifts her flail. "You stabbed me again! Are we fighting, or... oh, I understand! Alright! Full force!" Jade charges in.

----------


## Amnestic

Your footsteps echo on the dusty floor as you make your way back into the chapel. Saviour's horse shoes add a sharp metallic _clop_ to your otherwise familiar pacing feet, with Oakley mounted atop his steed, warhammer drawn and at the ready. Darkness fills the chapel, but it it soon dispelled as you seem to cross an invisible threshold.

Radiant, gleaming energy once again coalesces together into the form of two shining angels clad in metal and wielding the same massive weapons as before. Once more you are treated to the same *"JUSTICE"* and *"VENGEANCE"* as the pair move to attack. The only major difference is that you now have Oakley, whose grip tightens on his hammer as he quietly mutters a prayer to the Light under his breath and urges Saviour forward. Whether he can sense the corruption or merely takes your word for it, there is no doubt in his eyes that he will aid you in bringing these twisted guardians low.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Oakley provides an aura of protection (+4 to saves while within 10ft of his token).

*Initiative Order:*

Despite having the only positive bonus and bless, Jok'lek came last :( Still, it's a promising start.

Jade, Skipsy, Emilia, and Oakley are up.
*
Jade (22)
Skipsy (17)
Emilia (17)
Oakley (16)*

GoAK (12)

Jok'lek (10)

GoAQ (5)

----------


## Khosan

"Ox, go left!" Ox bolts forward, flapping his wings and clucking as angrily as any robot can, "Everyone else, focus right!"  Skipsy fires two shots at the king, while Ox pecks the queen's shins.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Stats*
*HP*
*AC*

*Skipsy*
42 / 42
19

*Ox*
36 / 36
15



*Actions:*
*Action:* Skipsy takes two shots at the Guardian of Ancient Kings
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*16*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*9*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*20*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*14*]*Movement:* Ox charges up to face off against the Queen. Skipsy moves northwest as far as she can.
*Bonus Action:* Skipsy directs Ox to peck the Guardian of Ancient Queens.
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*20*] for *Force* - (1d8+3)[*10*]

----------


## Xihirli

Jade's pretty sure that Ox can't hold the Queen for long, but it sure seems like Skipsy has a plan. 
"Alright! Gangpile on King Vengeance!" the goblin rushes up to the upper-right of the angel, her flail moving wildly to burst through the King's defenses. Letting Skipsy's steroids guide her aim, she focuses on putting as much force as possible into the blows. 

*Spoiler: ATTACK!*
Show


Bonus Action! FRENZIED Rage!
Flail RAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK! BLESS!
(1d20+4)[*18*]/(1d20+4)[*20*] + *2 rolled OOC*; (1d8+15)[*18*]
(1d20+4)[*21*]/(1d20+4)[*18*] + *1 rolled OOC*; (1d8+15)[*18*]

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  32/32 
Lightwell: 2/6 Channels: 2/2 Spells: 1st: 3/4 2nd: 3/3 3rd 2/3
Conditions: -
Concentration: -

Despite renouncing the darkness, Emilia throws a cloy orb of shadowy energy behind the frontline. 

*Spoiler*
Show

Shadow Crash (6d6)[*20*] necrotic damage Con 17 to take half.

----------


## Amnestic

The party rushes forwards, with all but Jok'lek taking the initiative against the once-again risen Light-spirits. Together, Skipsy and Jade work to flank the Guardian of Ancient Kings, simultaneous peppering it with bullets while striking at its sides and legs, while at the same time Ox and Oakley team together to strike at the Queen. Oakley invokes the Light to wreathe his hammer in magic as he does so, striking true with the first blow, though the Queen deflects the second with her spear. This combined rush of an assault forces the pair back, making them an easy target for Emilia's shadowy magic to tear at them, with neither showing any resistance to it.

Pressed as they are, the King's chains unravel once more, snaking through the ground as if through air or water, before rising up to entangle all of its foes. Most of you shatter the bonds before they can pull you to the floor, but Skipsy and Emilia find them too strong and are pulled to the ground as the radiant flames lick at their bodies in the worst ways.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Skipsy, Ox and Jade hit with all their attacks.
Both angels fail their saves vs. Shadow Crash.
Oakley moves forwards, casts Magic Weapon on his hammer, and then hits for *10* damage. Misses with the second hit.

GoAK uses their Fallen Glory (aka Fiery Chains) ability to hit everyone. Emilia and Skipsy fail their saves, taking *31* radiant damage and falling prone. Everyone else made their saves (including Saviour, thanks to paladin aura) so they stay standing and take *15* radiant damage instead. I didn't remember Bless, but it wouldn't have changed things. I haven't rolled Concentration for any active spells.

Jok'lek is now up.

*Initiative Order:*

Jade (22)
Skipsy (17)
Emilia (17)
Oakley (16)

GoAK (12)

*Jok'lek (10)*

GoAQ (5)

----------


## Kushina43

With the rest of the group attacking full force, Jok'lek assesses the situation while pulling out his maul.  Recalling the King's ability to potentially disable them all at once, his first step is around the statue to get a straight dash in, when he hears its chains dig into and soon erupt from the ground around them.  They wrap around his body, searing heat coursing through them and marking his skin, but with an angered flex he breaks the chains before they can drag him to the floor.  With Jade to his right, he has a straight shot at the King, and takes it.  He stomps the ground to signal the buildup of his anger, and makes a mad dash for the King, maul dragging along and cracking the chapel floor leading up to the King before swinging the weapon in a massive, shrapnel-laden upward arc.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Warrior Rage, then Charge (2 RP) with Maul attack on GoAK
Critical hit for *12* bludgeoning damage

*Jok'lek*
HP:  51/55
AC: 16
Condition: -
Warrior Rage:  Active (3/4)
Rage Points:  1 (max 6)
Other Resources:  Second Wind (1/1), Rampage (3/3), Action Surge (1/1)

----------


## Amnestic

Crossing the room with a potent charge, Jok'lek's maul strikes a crippling blow against the King spirit as they're still recovering from deploying their chains. The Queen, boxed in by both Oakley and Ox, lashes out with her weapons to try to remove the _bothersome_ gnats from her path. Ox takes a heavy blow from her strike, but despite his age the Paladin manages to deflect her strike and shrug off the effects of her banishing spear, his faith proving more potent than her dismissive magics.


*Spoiler: Map*
Show




GoAQ hits Ox for *13* slashing and *6* radiant.
They then miss Oakley, and Oakley makes their cha-save vs. banishment - he'd only fail on a 1, but the Queen doesn't know that.

Jade, Skipsy, and Emilia are now up.

Also I remembered to add the card, which I definitely didn't forget despite having the token on the battlemap off to one side >_>

*Initiative Order:*

*Jade (22)
Skipsy (17)
Emilia (17)
Oakley (16)*

GoAK (12)

Jok'lek (10)

GoAQ (5)

----------


## Xihirli

"YAAAAAAARGH!" Jade shouts, and feeling Skipsy's steroids wearing off, decides to strike slightly more carefully.
But NOT more cautiously as her flail sails for the angel trying to break its legs.
"I've eaten bigger angels than you!"

*Spoiler: ATTACK!*
Show


Flail RAGE! RECKLESS!
(1d20+7)[*16*]/(1d20+7)[*14*]; (1d8+9)[*11*]
(1d20+7)[*13*]/(1d20+7)[*10*]; (1d8+9)[*11*]
(1d20+7)[*11*]/(1d20+7)[*24*]; (1d8+9)[*13*]

----------


## Khosan

Skipsy crumples under the pull of the chains, falling to her knees immediately as the cogs and mechanisms in her armor groan under the strain.  One chain manages to catch her army knife, sending out a shower of electrical sparks as the magic is disrupted, "Eugh, bits!  Not again!"  She staggers to her feet and knocks the misaligned gizmos back into place as best she can.

Ox doesn't fare much better.  He manages to scrape through the chains, a screech of metal on metal accompanying his bare success, though he's much less lucky with the queen.  His head spins in circles with the force of her blow and while it looks like he might collapse into a heap, he manages to hang on and re-orient himself.

Skipsy fires another two rounds off at the king, hoping to take him down quickly, moves up behind Oakley, and shouts more orders to Ox, "Ox, repair!"

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Stats*
*HP*
*AC*

*Skipsy*
11 / 42
19

*Ox*
13 / 36
15



*Actions:*
*Action:* Skipsy takes two more attacks on the King:
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*18*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*14*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*19*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*11*]*Bonus Action:* Skipsy directs Ox to repair himself
*Self-Repair* - (2d8+3)[*11*]*Movement:* Skipsy uses half her movement to stand from prone, then uses what's left to move to the square 10' south of Oakley, so just within his aura.

----------


## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 2/6 Channels: 1/2 Spells: 1st: 3/4 2nd: 2/3 3rd 2/3
Conditions: Standing up from prone, Spiritual Weapon: 1/10
Concentration: -

White clearing light fills the priestess as she rises from pure agony. Her face is frozen in a silent scream of pain and more pain, but she lives, infused with the wrath and mercy of the Holy Light. She had to atone for her previous contempt and crimes, and she took the punishment almost stoically. She sends a glowing orb at the king roughly in the shape of the crest of Lordaeron, but enveloped in blinding light. It pulses with an almost arcane force.

*Spoiler*
Show

Move: Standing up from prone
Action: Channel Divinity: Penance on self for (1d10+12)[*19*] healing
Bonus: Spiritual Weapon west of King. (1d20+9)[*19*] for (1d8+5)[*9*] force damage.

----------


## Amnestic

The three-pronged assault from your party tears rents in the magic that maintains the Kingly spirit, pulling chunks from its limbs, and piercing holes in its body. Though clearly severely damaged the magic animating it maintains its presence and it lashes out in retalation against the reckless Jade, cutting deep with its radiant blade into the small goblin. 

Your paladin companion continues his time occupying the Queen, slamming his warhammer down upon it in rapid succession with two massive blows that send her practically reeling, though she still maintains her form.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jade misses with one attack, everyone else hits.

GoAK hits Jade twice - once for *11* slashing and *13* radiant, then again for *16* slashing and *16* radiant. No resistances included.
Oakley hits and then crits the Queen for a total of 32. Earning his place.

Jok'lek's up

*Initiative Order:*

Jade (22)
Skipsy (17)
Emilia (17)
Oakley (16)

GoAK (12)

*Jok'lek (10)*

GoAQ (5)

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## Kushina43

Despite all their great blows, the Kingly guardian still stands, and repels Jade, Jok'lek, and Emilia's Spirit Weapon with its magically animated brawn before bringing its weapon onto Jade, its radiant blade cutting into her and the Light suffusing it shocking her just as badly.  While she remained standing, tough as ever, the rage Jok'lek already thought he'd been letting out full force exploded in a wild yell, a high-pitched shriek fit for a monster of the jungle night over a sane person - perhaps channeling the fury of Hir'eek himself, known guardian Loa.  He stows his maul and pulls out two handaxes, then proceeds to slash at the guardian in front of him like a troll possessed, dancing around its legs with each blow regardless whether it lands properly and ending the barrage with a crossing chop aimed at the neck.


*Spoiler: OOC*
Show

Dropping and/or Swapping weapons, all out barrage of handaxe attacks on GoAK, including spending Font bonus for +1 action.
Rolled in OOC.  Assuming AC 16 as mentioned in OOC, hit GoAK 3 times for *22* slashing (*9,7,6*).  If killed before the final attack, the remaining strike(s) are for GoAQ, but first version will assume the King may remain standing.

*Jok'lek*
HP:  51/55
AC: 17
Condition: -
Warrior Rage:  Active (3/4)
Rage Points:  4 (max 6)
Other Resources:  Second Wind (1/1), Rampage (3/3), Action Surge (1/1)

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## Amnestic

The troll warrior's wicked sharp axe cuts through the remaining threads of magic that keeps the Kingly spirit animated. Its form clatters to the ground, dissolving slightly as its armour fades, leaving only the Queen remaining. Two more strikes against her, but she still remains, regardless of her fallen Kingly companion. She strikes out with her blade at Ox and Jok'lek, the radiant edge cutting through flesh and metal, though she's showing clear signs of damage and is decidedly surrounded at this point.

*Spoiler: Map*
Show




Jok'lek finishes off the King and then hits the Queen twice.

GoAQ hits Jok'lek once for 10 slashing and 5 radiant, then Ox once for 12 slashing and 8 radiant.

Jade, Skipsy, and Emilia are up.

Chances are you'll take her out this next turn, unless you roll real poorly. Which is certainly possible. 

*Initiative Order:*

Jade (22)
Skipsy (17)
Emilia (17)
Oakley (16)

GoAK (12)

*Jok'lek (10)*

GoAQ (5)

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## Xihirli

Jade jumps over the fading shape of the King, bringing her weapons to bear against Queen Justice.

"Hey Queenie! Remember when we killed you, and your boyfriend brought you back? I dont think thatll happen this time!"
And she swings her flail as hard as she can.

*Spoiler: DEATH!*
Show



Flail RAGE! RECKLESS! POWER ATTACK! BLESS!
(1d20+4)[*21*]/(1d20+4)[*10*] + (1d4)[*3*]; (1d8+15)[*16*]
(1d20+4)[*20*]/(1d20+4)[*17*] + (1d4)[*1*]; (1d8+15)[*19*]
(1d20+4)[*10*]/(1d20+4)[*22*] + (1d4)[*4*]; (1d8+15)[*17*]


EDIT: whoops, disregard bless.

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## Khosan

Ox squares up to the Queen's attack, confident in his repairs, and takes it square to the chest.  Unfortunately, confidence can't deal with the force of a corrupted divine weapon.  He staggers around for a few seconds, electrical sparks flying out of every joint, before he coughs up a plume of blue smoke and suddenly collapses into a heap.

Skipsy sniffles, holding back a tear, "Mission accomplished, soldier!"  She fires off another salvo at the Queen.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

*Stats*
*HP*
*AC*

*Skipsy*
11 / 42
19

*Ox*
0 / 36
15



*Actions:*
*Action:* Skipsy shoots at the Queen twice
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*15*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*11*]
*Attack* - (1d20+7)[*22*] for *Piercing* - (1d10+4)[*10*]

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## Spore

*Emilia Shadowburn*
Forsaken Discipline Priest
AC: 13 HP:  20/32 
Lightwell: 2/6 Channels: 1/2 Spells: 1st: 3/4 2nd: 2/3 3rd 2/3
Conditions:Spiritual Weapon: 2/10
Concentration: -

Seeing her _friends_ - the word still felt weird - tear through the holy spectre and ganging up on the queenly spirit lifted Emilia's spirits. They all equally suffered for this, but a clear mind now made her decide the spirit had to fall rather than her allies needing another boost. As such she kneels down in a slight prayer position, and far the abbey bell tolls for the death of the crazed defender.

*Spoiler*
Show


Action: Toll the Dead (1d20)[*9*] wis save vs (2d12)[*19*] necrotic damage.
Bonus: Spiritual Weapon moves to Queen. (1d20+9)[*12*] for (1d8+5)[*11*] force damage.
I forgot to assign Atonement healing to Jade last turn. She heals for 4 health.

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## Amnestic

Jade and Skipsy tear more chunks from the Queen, and when Emilia wraps it in shadowy magic it proves too much for the corrupted spirit who collapses to their knees. They reach out a hand in desperation as their form dissipates into tendrils of rapidly vanishing magic. Their armour and weapon clatter to the ground, but those too vanish in short order, leaving the chapel quiet save for your own breathing and movement. Oakley, warhammer still in hand, dismounts from Saviour and presses a hand to where the Queen fell, muttering a quiet prayer to the Light as he does so. 

"There is still a sense of darkness around this place. I would hold here a moment while we catch our breath, then we should see if we can find the Vessels." He pauses, still pensive as his eyes linger over where the spirits used to be. "A part of me had hoped that defeating these would be enough to dispel the foul magics, but that does not seem to be the case."

*Spoiler: OOC*
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Battle concluded, and with that you've attained a level up! So short break for...well, short resting and leveling up before item hunting, I assume?

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## Xihirli

"Can't we... what's the word... concentrate... CONSECRATE! Can't we consecrate the place?" Jade asks, scowling as the weapons fade away. 
"I'd have liked to have swung their swords, whether or not I can actually keep them."
Jade paces a bit over the rest, and settles for posing in front of Skipsy with all her weapons. 
"What makes me look more like a hero? Swinging the ax?" Jade strikes a few poses with her battleaxe. 
"Flailing the flail?" Jade spins the flail over her head, having become quite fond of it over the angel battle. 
"Cutting... the air.... with the sword?" she repeats a few poses with her longsword. 
"Or picking with the war pick? Ah, it's not that one this one definitely looks the least cool." Jade half-heartedly poses with the war pick last. 

"Emilia, what do you know about making places no longer evil?"

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## Khosan

Skipsy breathes a sigh of relief, letting her shoulders droop, "Still close, still close.  Hoooo..."  She swaps her pistol for her army knife and strolls over to Ox's remains, picking up a few of his scattered components along the way.  She kneels down and gently hugs his cold body, patting his mangled head, "You did good, buddy.  Now let's get you back in fighting shape!"

The repair process certainly looks haphazardous.  Most minor repairs - bent wings, scratches, dents, and dings - are handled with her omni-tool, hammered back into place or reinforced with tape, sometimes both.  The harder repairs, namely Ox's entire head and the massive hole in his torso, take a little bit extra.  Skipsy lowers her goggles, "Bright light warning!  Don't look if you value your eyes!"  True to her words, the light is blindingly white and accompanied by the hiss of melting metal.  When the light fades, Ox stands, worse for wear, but very much whole.  His eyes light up and, with a squawk, he begins strutting around once more.

Skipsy packs up her tools and goes to sit against a wall and catch her breath, "Definitely go with the axe, Jade.  It's a much better look!"  She rubs her arms, mumbling, "Man, those chains smart."

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## Amnestic

"I believe I can keep the worst of the darkness suppressed, prevent the corrupted spirits from arising once more, but it will require my presence to do so." Oakley has removed a bundle of scented candles from his pack along with some chalk. He places the candles upon the ground, around where the gleaming spirits fell. "But actually dispelling...I think the Light's vision means it will require the sacred vessels I spoke of before. If I am to be occupied here, then it would fall to you to recover them in the meantime."

While Oakley busies himself with his rituals, you have the opportunity to look around the area. Much of the chapel has fallen into ruin and disrepair from being abandoned save for the angelic spirits guarding it. There are a number of side rooms that may have been used for ritual preparations, sleeping, or other mundane activities of the caretakers but whatever they were once for isn't clear - the interiors are too far gone by the years and the elements.

An investigation of the altar in the main room reveals a small nook that, after some jimmying away of dust, opens to reveal another card of the Deck of Many Things - the Rogue card, if its depiction of a black-clad figure is any indication. There's also a curious rune tablet, that investigation reveals to be magical, and a coinbag containing a total of 223 gold pieces.

*Spoiler: OOC*
Show


You can make a DC23 arcana check to reveal the rogue card's secrets - they will be easier to reveal once it's magic activates though.

*Rune of Lifestealing*
You can spend a short rest combining this tablet with any non-magical weapon to turn it into a Lifestealing weapon:
When you Attack a creature with this Magic Weapon and roll a 20 on the Attack roll, that target takes an extra 3d6 necrotic damage, provided that the target isnt a Construct or an Undead. You gain temporary Hit Points equal to the extra damage dealt. 

The rune's use is permanent and cannot be transferred or used again once used once.

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## Khosan

"Come oooon, honey..." Skipsy very gently jimmies her screwdriver into the nook, careful to not cause too much damage.  Sufficiently jimmied, the panel pops off and Skips jumps to catch it before it breaks, "Ah!  No you don't!  Ha HA!"  The gnome excitedly holds up the little stone square, "I told you I could get it open!  It just took some elbow grease is all."  She spots the card a second after the others, "Ooooh!  That's probably a bigger deal!  And a rune?  Nifty!"

Skipsy pulls her goggles down, dialing in the dials as she takes a very close look.

*Spoiler: Actions*
Show

Skipsy casts Guidance on herself for the Arcana check:

*Arcana* - (1d20+8)[*24*] plus *Guidance* - (1d4)[*2*]

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## Xihirli

Jade takes the card and shakes her head at the other things. 
"We came here for the card, right? Don't you think the rest of this stuff... belongs here?" She looks to the rune, but honestly isn't interested. 
"We'll find better stuff, I'll bet."

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## Amnestic

*Spoiler: Rogue's Secret Revealed*
Show


*Rogue*
When you are stood at the card's location you can use your action to cast *Dominate Monster* with a DC of 13. This has a duration of "until the end of your next turn". After using this effect, you deal an additional 1d6 damage on all attacks that have advantage until the end of the encounter. A creature can use the Rogue card once per encounter.

Card repository in OOC thread also updated.

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## Kushina43

After the combat, Jok'lek sits against a wall panting yet again.  He didn't get all that banged up this time compared to last- if anything, he feels stronger than before, seemingly left over from a surge he felt during the fight.  He tosses a handaxe in the air idly and it goes much higher than he anticipated, though he still catches it by the handle.  Surprised how light it feels, he puts a hand on his maul - he doesn't draw it, but he feels lightness and understands the blessing he's received.  _Ironic,_ he thinks, _that I would earn Hir'eek's favor in a chapel dedicated to Light._  He was definitely grateful, though, knowing he could use this to keep everyone safer.  

Watching Jade pose with various weapons by Skipsy, he laughs with the half-hearted pose of the war pick.  Skipsy offers her input and he follows "Agreed on the axe looking best, but don't knock war picks, just need a better lookin' one."  Following this, while Oakley performs his rituals to keep the place from corrupting again, Skipsy opens the altar to reveal some gold and two items - one of which is a card they seek. "Another card, as expected..  Whatever this rune be, it pales in comparison, and I wouldn't feel right taking the gold of another's holy place.  With the card, we should be good to go ahead after we've recovered some."

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## Khosan

Skipsy holds up the runic tablet, "Y'know what this reminds me of? One of those Death Knight runes!  Ooh, I don't remember my runic scripts very well, let's see...is it 'weakening?' No, the stroke is going the other way, so not negating, it's...taking? Taking what...Oh! Life-stealing!  Right! I wonder what one of these is doing here..." She strokes her chin thoughtfully, "I wonder if this might be a relic of the Second War, when Teron Gorefiend and his own brand of Death Knights terrorized this area. Maybe one was in the area, took refuge here, and got slapped silly by the guardians. We're not _that_ far from Karazhan, so it's possible!"

Responding to Jade's suggestion of giving all but the card to Oakley, Skipsy turns the rune over in her hand again, "He earned the gold, for sure, but I dunno if this really belongs here.  We can ask him about it, but if I'm right about the origin, he might just want it gone. If I'm wrong, then I have a lot of questions about what this is doing hidden in a church!"

"Also, since I'm sure you're wondering," Skipsy holds up the Rogue card, careful only to hold it by the edges and not touch the face, "This tricky little guy does two things! One, we can use him to briefly control an enemy. Two, after using the first effect, he empowers your strikes when you've got the upper hand.  Slippery little fella should be pretty handy."

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## Xihirli

Jade gathers up all the money on a torn-up tapestry and pulls it up to Oakley. 
"We found this stuff in the church... I think it belongs to you. We also found a death knight rune that KILLS PEOPLE!" Jade shouts. 
"Know anything about it? Should it be here?"

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