[Game Thread] Chapter 1: The Light of Day

[Baxder]

Endland grimaces in disappointment at the ineffectiveness of his magic as Myla runs past him.

Originally Posted by Sofinho

"'nother one north east! The bushes! My bow!"

He briefly glances in the direction she indicated before looking back at the bow and quiver she had left behind. Well, the energy ain't workin'... He quickly picks up the weapon and arrows and dashes to the right, nocking an arrow and drawing a bead on the movement in the bushes. Fighting to hold the weapon steady through the pain in his side caused by the effort, he calls out Identify yourself or I'll shoot!

 

5' Step to H6
Pick up Bow & Quiver
Move to H10 (20')

Readied: Attack on villager four upon emergence from the bushes, provided s/he doesn't answer.

[Feldring]

As Wil stumbles back into a slender tree trunk, the dull ache from his wound begins to resolve into warm, wet pain. Before he has a chance to shake off his bemusement, his eyes are briefly dazzled by a colorful stream of light, like twisting sideways rainbows. No, not now – please, he thinks as the greataxe slips from his grasp. He steadies himself against the tree with both hands and waits for the space of one aching breath for the convulsion that never comes: the blaze of oddly focused sunlight that suddenly flashes across his sight has no scent; the world stays put and does not slide away.

Another breath and his fingers find the raised lenticels of the tree trunk, brushing the silvery bark almost tenderly for two heartbeats. Brother Redberry, the rowan. Heart's blood... Wil's awareness snaps back into the flow of time, and he is mindful of its perfect harmony with his motions. It had never been out of tune, he had just been asleep in his fear. At this moment he is awake – there is hurt puddling in his chest and dripping across his arm; there are cries and there is a crunch and there is bleating.

Wil pushes off from the rowan tree and sees Myla fly at the last villager standing, her swordpoint aimed truer than a shaft in flight. He marvels at her perfect little form. Vetnes, steel-clad and as solid as a hammer blow, charges the same woman, the woman who had struck Wil and is now the closest threat to his friends. He hears a commotion somewhere behind, feels it as a wave lapping the shore. They all seem to have pulled together at last into their own dire mob. Everything is beautiful, even his pain. Time to join the pack.

Wil lopes directly for his opponent (she is beautiful, too; he welcomes her hostility like a long-expected guest). His purpose is as gray and clear as his eyes. There are no more thoughts or fears, only running limbs and Wil's strong hand pulling a weapon free from his side. He reaches the woman just after Vetnes. He whirls the spiked, unspooling head of his flail toward her feet and wrenches back hard.

 

Mechanics Knight to E3: trip attempt with flail (melee touch attack = 12; strength check = 9).

[Tahlon]

Kalia winces visibly at Spunk's squeal of pain, and her fist tightens around her remaining magical stones. She has no clear shot at the attacker, though, and he appears to be down, anyway. "Hang in there, Spunk!" she calls encouragingly, hoping the injury is not too bad. There are enough bad injuries already- she will be extremely busy, provided they survive.

But she can think of nothing else to do for the closest injured, the feral girl at her feet. She is breathing, that is for sure, but the pain has overwhelmed her. At least she'll live.

As Kalia takes inventory of the battle, trying to see where she can be of most help, she spots movement off to her right. Myla evidently spots the newcomer, as well, though she is too busy to deal with him. So Kalia takes a few steps toward him and shouts, at the same time as Endland, "Who are you? Friend or foe?" She glances sideways at Endland, bow in hand, looking so serious, and gives him a tight lipped smile. Then she turns her attention back to the intruder, a stone in her hand and ready to throw.

 

Kalia moves to I11 and readies an attack against the newcomer. She'll attack if he comes within 20 feet of her without making very apparent that he is a friend. But, even if that happens, she'll miss, since she got an 8 attack roll.

[Wolesz]

What shame, thinks Niels as he sees his projectile miss awfully. He watches it go off into distance and dissipate rather absent-mindedly, his sense of security bolstered by the two massive fellows who seem clearly on their side. Only Myla's cry makes him return to reality, and he glances to the right to spy the newcomer. He throws a quick look to the other battlefield, and decides they'll do well without him. They can stab better than he does.

Instead, he follows Endland, outstretching his free arm, which grows increasingly pale, as if an intense white light was cast on it. As he moves to stand by Endland, he snaps his fingers and pats Stackik on the shoulder, the light immediately springing to Endland's body. "Looks like you'll need it."

OOC Free actions: Spot the newcomer, speak Move action: move to G11 Standard Action: Cast Cure Light Wounds on Endland Rolls here.

[Zealot]

As he sees the villager he threw the spell at fall to the floor writhing in pain a smile begins to tug at the corners of his mouth. His teeth shown in a smile that seems quite separate to the panic apparent in his eyes. Seeing the remaining villager stood before him, his hands flick through the book seemingly sure of their purpose while his eyes widen in surprise. Stopping suddenly his finger taps on the title of a spell and his mouth twists around the alien words. As they leave his lips he is sure that they will lead to some sort of horrific damage to the enemy villager and his voice wavers as he tries to force his way back into control of the situation.

"Tzartchk....yzam.....gzartchit....horzhak!"

As his words are completed a glowing ball seemingly filled with a small snow storm grows between his hands. Looking at the enemy his face returns to the odd mixture of amusement and horror as with a simple tossing motion the glowing ball of snow speeds towards its target.

[UrsprungDerLiebe]

Myla charges at the villager who remains standing, stabbing her wildly in the chest. The villager slumps to the ground, causing Wil and Vetnes to be off balanced for a moment as their swings towards her fly over her gasping body.

Endland shuffles over and grabs the bow, pointing it towards the newcomer, who throws
her hands up in the air in defense, shouting ”Don't hurt me!” Please!” You all recognize Meralda Hawkins, a vegetable farmer who fermented fruit drinks when she could get the materials. Before you can decide if you believe her innocence or not, a bolt of frost spouts out of Matthias and slams into her, and she slumps to the ground, unmoving. Before she falls flat, you notice an arrow sticking out of her shoulder.

Niels lets magic float through Endland's veins; not enough to finish healing him, though he can feel a giddiness at the sheer amount of power that's been used on him today.

Another villager darts out of the forest near the unconscious body of Meralda Hawkins, visible to Matthias, Niels, Endland, and Kalia. Matthias and Kalia also see over a dozen villagers stepping in perfect coordination, like the horde that trampled Endland the night before. All quickly become aware of their presence, as they hiss and murmur in a strange, unknown tongue that feels strangely outside of this world.

OOC Initiative: Myla, (Endland), Vetnes, Matthias, Niels, Wil, Kalia, Qaella, Villagers Kalia or Endland may decide to attack based on Matthias' actions; if Endland does so, he moves in initiative to just after Matthias, otherwise may resume action as normal this round.   Name Health Effects Myla 5/5   Endland 1/6 Chest Wound Vetnes 11/11   Wil 3/12 Minor Chest Wound Kalia 8/8   Qaella 1/8 Minor Head Wound (treated), Unconscious, Prone Matthias 5/6   Niels 6/6   Spunk 12/13

[Sofinho]

Vetnes and Wil flail at thin air as the axe-wielding woman drops to the floor.

Don't look good for 'er...

The villager is in a sorry state: not fit for the purpose that Myla has in mind. She turns her attentions to the prone figure on her left, the knife wielding man rendered more or less lifeless by Matthias' earlier attack...

He'll do. Jus' gets me rope out and-

The coarsness of goat hair brushes at her bare arm as Kalia's animal companion canters back towards his mistress. A cry rings out through the forest clearing:

”Don't hurt me! Please!”

The other one! Don't sound like them from last night...

Myla takes one of the twenty foot lengths of rope from her sack, and swiftly begins binding the man's feet and hands together in front of him...

trussed up like a dead boar... from the 'unt... drag 'im be'ind me...

There is an unearthly noise, like a sudden gust of wind... or a blizzard? The noise dissipates as swiftly as it it had appeared... and then... nothing?

..what's going on?

As she pulls the rope tight, leaving a ten foot length with which to drag him she tries to listen for what's going on... There is silence... and then that unsettling, ungodly murmuring that had provided the incidental music of the preceding evening. She cannot see them from her position, but Myla knows what it must mean:

The others... the others have found us!

She swallows hard. Her mouth is dry.

 

FULL ROUND ACTION: Use rope 28, in case he wakes up next round and attempts escape artist roll (opposed DC 28)

[Baxder]

Endland, shocked at the sight of what just happened to Meralda at Matthias' hands, quickly steps to his side. What are you doing?! He's about to call out to what he presumes to be Meralda's companion when the sound of the horde chills his blood and stops his breath. Oh, no...nononono.

Visions of swirling shadows cloud his mind, and he swears that the world goes red. Despite all the healing he has received, his side begins to throb as though he had just been struck. A small moan escapes his mouth as he takes a shrinking step backwards, now seeing them through the trees. His pulse races as he squeezes his eyes shut, terror threatening to consume him. All at once, he feels tingly all over as he unconciously concentrates the energy around him into an invisible barrier. OK, End. Keep it together. Think.

Opening his eyes, he darts a look at the cabin, then back to the newcoming villager, watching to see how he responds to Meralda's fate.

Guys...what do we do?

 

MOVE to G13
CAST Mage Armor (AC +4 for one hour)

[Lexkat]

Qaella

Qaella groans slightly as she Fortitude Save- 19 comes out of her near-death. Bow still in hand, she stands up to take in the situation. More Villagers. Evil. Hurt Qaella. These thoughts run through Qaella's mind, and she makes her decision.

Run! she shouts and runs over to grab Kalia's hand, but Grab- 6her hand slips over the Healer's.

She stops and waits for the Healer to follow, she wishes to save the one who saved her.

[Krazy]

Vetnes hears one utterance: Run!

And then he hears the coming sound, the crashing wave of murmuring that can only indicate one thing. A horde approaches.

They have some numbers here--he glances around, trying to see whether they have nearly enough numbers that they could fight them off. But in truth, that seems like a poor idea given the current, wounded state of so many of them.

He almost asks: Does anyone need help? But they are about to run, and he has no idea who he could help at a time like this other than in simply carrying people.

Looking to Endland, who seems to be asking what to do, only one thing can come to Vetnes's mind: "We should get out of here! Head to the next town over, see if we can get help!"

Unless it looks like someone cannot carry themselves or needs help, Vetnes begins running away, following the others who have already begun to flee.

[Tahlon]

Kalia is shocked by the sudden appearance of the townspeople. No! It's not over! Why, Silona? Against such a mass, her stone is a paltry weapon, indeed. The closer villager might be hurt by it, but that one didn't seem to be a threat- more likely fleeing the mob, like Meralda. She files away Matthias' actions in her memory, but thinks no more on them now. They have more pressing concerns.

She has to fight the rising tide of fear threatening to overwhelm her. No! I will not be controlled by anything, even fear, ever again! The fear is hard to shake- Kalia cannot shake it completely- but she forces herself to think through the situation.

Can we make it back inside the cabin? As tempting as that seems, Kalia thinks it would be folly. She is still frozen, unsure, when the girl she helped stands and cries out.

Run!

Will we forever be on the run? The girl tries to take her hand, but misses. Hearing Vetnes also advocating escape, she makes a snap decision.

Kalia grabs the girl's hand. "Come on, Spunk! With me! They're right- we need to get out of here, now! Endland, move!" She tries to take his hand, too, and then Kalia takes off with the new girl, letting her choose their path.

[Wolesz]

Niels looks at Matthias with a bit of disappointment on his face, but moves on the Meralda issue rather quickly, with the help of an choir of awfully familiar hissing and murmuring. He tries to contain the powerless rage and frustration in him, and tries to quickly work out a reasonable response to Endland's question as he follows him. Hearing a rather unanimous opinion of the rest, and remembering he already depleted his flashiest, Niels puts a hand on Endland's shoulder, and suggests fairly calmly for the circumstances, "let's scram."

OOC Move action to G12 Readied move action, move as far as possible to the west, on condition of being attacked.

[Feldring]

Myla's knifework was neat and sure, and the woman slumps to the ground before Wil or Vetnes can land a blow; Wil nearly falls backwards as the spiked head of his flail tumbles harmlessly along the ground.

The woman gasps like a landed carp. She may not have long, Wil thinks. Well, there's two bagged for us like a brace of pheasants. We can take them to the cabin and...

A woman's voice rings out in the clearing and then falls silent. Wil frowns, turning toward his happenstance companions who are gathered near the feral girl; he cannot immediately tell what they are looking at, but it seems the girl is waking up.

As Myla trusses up the male villager, Wil squats down beside her. He wipes away a fleck of spittle from the jagged slice of his lip. "Shall I carry him for us?" he asks simply. "We can lay him out inside."

More raised voices, crying out questions or importuning flight. It's hard to concentrate on them all and poor Wil has trouble making sense of the jumbled words, but it's clear that there's more trouble; indeed, a low humming like a nearing swarm of bees can be heard, and it is this bizarre, senseless drone that evokes the strongest sense of danger.

Ah! We should not linger here. Even as he thinks this, he's gradually aware of people running about in confusion, although he is still being carried along by a tide of unusual calm. He looks from the tied-up man to Myla. "Myla, we should go," he says. "I will stay with you, though – wherever you want to go right now, I'll be behind you."

 

OOC Wil will carry the villager unless Myla tries to, and he'll follow her into the cabin or wherever she directs.

[UrsprungDerLiebe]

As the party turns to flee, the horde of newcomers turns to watch, a dark shimmer passing between them as they stand in place. The lone villager darts forward, shouting "Please, take me with you!"

The trussed up man Myla has attended to looks stable for the moment, though he remains unconscious. His eyes flutter quickly behind his eyelids, and as Wil draws near his whole body tenses for a moment before relaxing again.

OOC I have forgone updating the map because my computer has been a little wonky, and because the party seems to be leaning towards fleeing. I will post an update with a map should any of you decide to stay behind or do anything that needs one. If Wil and Myla work together to carry the villager, everyone except Niels can outpace the villager horde; Niels and horde are about matched in speed, so if the party sticks together you won't outpace them if they give chase. The lone villager will catch up to the group in the next round. This judgment of speed is known to everyone who was at the church.

[Feldring]

As Wil turns the corner of the cabin, he squints at the still body of Meralda; recognition glints briefly in his mind, but fades before reaching his consciousness as he catches sight of the weird mob. "Oh," he says. "I think they see us."

"Please, take me with you!"

Gesturing away from the horde with a jerk of his head, Wil calls out to the villager, "Come on with you, man; hurry!"

 

OOC Pending the others' actions, I may post again for speech and/or more precise movement. Sofinho, I didn't mention Myla (god-moding is my aborrhence) but I assume Wil is helping her with the villager and following her directions, whether to go to the cabin for Kleb and shelter or to outrun the horde with the others. I think I've left room for you (and anyone else) to act/react as appropriate, and for me to come back and clarify or clean up if she does something different.