[Game Thread] Chapter 1-01: And For A Second There We Were

[Naresh]

A glorious sunny day in the world. It is mid-June, the weather is hot without being awkwardly so, there is the gentlest of breezes and there is not a cloud in the sky, a perfect day for travelling. In the country of Seluna all is well, or at least it seems so, war has not troubled the land for at least a decade, its citizens are prosperous and happy. Tales of the recent decline in the kingdoms of Dwarf and Elf are almost ignored, the people care nothing for these stories of far away places.

RoChiva and Mr Haversham
-I'm leaving the details of your meeting sufficiently vague. Did you meet the week before in a local town, or have you been adventuring together for a year or so? - up to you.

You've been on the road for a little while, about a week to be exact. What started off as a main road leading out from a city soon turned into what seems to be little more than a country trail, perhaps you took a wrong turning somewhere? Though in weather like this its hardly a problem, there are no pressing matters at hand and its the kind of weather where one can kick of his shoes and enjoy the grass inbetween his toes. Glorious.

 

About three hours ago what started off as the odd tree and shrub slowly turned into a bona fide forest, the trees paint the sides of the sky green with their leaves blowing gently in the summer wind. You can hear the call of nature around you. It feels like the world is at peace, and you at peace with it, like time could stand an age and you would hardly recognise.

As you continue to walk, you see something green on the horizon, your first thought is that its just another tree albeit of a different hue, but as you approach you realise that your guess was quite wrong. It's a gazebo, the kind that the rich people use for their garden parties when they're in fashion. Odd in itself, you've never seen anything like it on the roads before, but its quaint, and somehow fits in the with aesthetic of the day. What is odd is the man so casually sitting on one of the benches...

Well, that would be the oddest thing here if it wasn't for the Dwarf that burst through the undergrowth...

 

Something like this

Mr Neidhart
- I don't know how you didn't manage to spot the other two (RoChiva and Haversham) travelling behind you, but you didn't
It's been a hard days travel for you, despite only being early afternoon the sun is having a deleterious effect on your motivation to keep walking. The trail has been long, the journey longer, and you feel you deserve a break. Carrying on through the lush countryside come forest you notice a small gazebo on the side of the road. Your first thought is about how odd the idea of having a gazebo here is, but you can't complain with a comfy place to rest your feet and have some food. After about an hour and a half of rest, when you're just about ready to leave you notice a couple of specks on the horizon. They grow before your eyes as they walk down the trail, a cat man and a human, quaint.

Your thoughts wander before they are sternly interrupted by a Dwarf collapsing out of the undergrowth.

Brokebone
-You tripped and fell. Irritating plant roots get a +23 on the CMB for that.
Forest... Nothing but forest for the past four days, trees here, leaves there, here there and everywhere. Nothing but damned trees. Lost would hardly describe your current circumstances adequately. Its been a while since you managed to leave the mountain, that white stag and blood moon. You find its been easier to keep track of things in terms of forests instead of days. It's been about 9 forests since you decided to leave home... There was the one with the badgers, the one with the snow, a couple with swampy bits in them... This is forest number 10, and its only defining feature has been trees...

You are lost in your thoughts when you suddenly find yourself tripping on a root or vine or something else similar and tumble onto a harder surface that you were expecting. A beaten path, dusty from use and travelling from one way to another. A defined path, with a defined destination! Lost no more it seems. You ponder this, before the penny drops. A cat... thing stands near you, another Dwarf is sitting on a bench inside a wooden house with no walls and a human is here too... Weird.


Introductions! Left suitably vague for your convenience!

[Alisard]

RoChiva walked along with his new-found traveling companion, who he liked to call "Havs". Whether or not the human also enjoyed the nickname, the catfolk never thought to ask.

The two had been deep in some frivolous conversation when Ro noticed the gazebo. His green eyes widened, the pupils narrowed to mere slits in the sun. The cat pointed a slightly clawed black hand towards the structure.

"Well, well, Havs, what do you make of that? A nice spot to sit and take a load off for a few minutes? Hey, what's that sitting there? A dwarf? Let's go talk to him, Havs!"

The druid hurried quickly towards the gazebo, excited to talk to someone new. When the second dwarf crashed out the woods, Ro was momentarily taken aback. He laughed heartily, then reached down to help the fellow.

"I say, dwarf, you must be more careful walking in the woods! You'll break your neck! Oh...my! You are only ugly cuss, aren't you? What happened to your face? It looked like the God of Ugly beat you to within an inch of your life! Here, let me help you up, and dust you off. My name is Ro Chiva of Tribe Treewalker. This here is Havs, my boon companion. And there is another dwarf sitting in that gazebo. Do you two know each other? Let's go and say hello, shall we?"

[Still_Pond]

The ugly dwarf doesn't take the offered paw-hand, instead standing up quite well on his own. He has thick muscular arms and they bulge a bit as he knots his hands into fists unconsciously as he studies the scene. His eyes dart to the dwarf, the first of his race that he has seen in many years. The armor bears dwarven markings that he doesn't recognize exactly, but they look noble in nature. Many of the symbols woven into the design are very similar to the ancient symbols of the old kings and their line, though clearly he is from a foreign clan. The noble dwarf himself looks odd though, clean like an elf and without the face markings, piercings, ritual scaring. His eyes seem angry. Dwarf eyes are bright, like a sunrise, unless they are in battle with a hated enemy. Yet, he is not in battle, but sits there with a tall folk. He glances at the cat person, perhaps a cat spirit who walks the world in flesh? The feline talks. And talks and talks and talks.

Slagorin smiles a mouth full of thick yellowing teeth (minus a few), at the cat person, and nods at the dwarf but not to the human, though his smile never dims. His eyes are bright and cheerful. Now that he's had a moment to size up those gathered he offers the Cat-man his hand in greeting, grabbing up the forearm in a strong grip if the cat responds in kind.

He speaks in Dwarven, his voice is deep and rough, nearly a growl. "Fred være denne kryssingen Tid-Drake titt . JEG er Slagorin Brokebone, bare sønn av Hanor Redblade, fjerde sønn av Marl Blackshale, andre sønn av Rulorin Ironeye, bare sønn av Dulin Goldeater." Peace be this crossing. I am Slagorin Brokebone of Drake's Peek (formerly),
only son of Hanor Redblade (deceased),
fourth son of Marl Blackshale (deceased),
second son of Rulorin Ironeye (deceased),
only son of Dulin Goldeater (deceased).
(The linage names are all prefixed indicating that they are all deceased).*(translation) He does the same to the other dwarf, and then after a brief pause, he offers his arm to the human. His skin is rough and warm, like a boot warming by the fire. He repeats his greeting for a third time.

[Alisard]

As the dwarf grabbed his arm, Ro did the same, quick to pick up on the cultures of other races. But when the dwarf spoke in his native tongue, the cat nodded and smiled, revealing tiny, white teeth.

"Aha. Fred vare den kryssignen...yes, yes, Slagorin Brokebone...Hanor...andre sonn av...Dulin Goldeater...sounds wonderful! I agree wholeheartedly! Couldn't be better!"

Ro rushed over to the sitting dwarf and stuck out a clawed paw. "Ro Chiva, of Tribe Treewalker. That is my boon companion Havs, and that dwarf is...well...I didn't stay to ask his name. Slagorin Brokebone, I think. He spoke a different language, probably Dwarven. I'll bet you'd be able to understand him. Are you two related? Not that you're ugly, per se, or at least not as hideous as he is. Mind if we sit down? We've been walking for quite a while, and I'm afraid we may have lost our bearings. But I don't mind. I'm a druid by trade, and I know this handly little spell that tells me where due north is. It works every time, or at least it has so far. What is your name, Mister Dwarf?"

[Felyx Zephyr]

Marulo stands to shake Slagorin's arm, simply replying Vel møtt på denne kryssing av veier. Jeg er Marulo Neidhart, eneste overlevende arving Skjold Warhart, kongen av Red Mountain i vest.Well met at this crossing of ways. I am Marulo Neidhart, sole surviving heir of Skjold Warhart, king of the Red Mountain of the west.translation Then he shakes the cat's- Ro's arm.

"Well met. My name is Maulo Neidhart, I am of the western mountains. You do well at picking out the important bits of our tongue, have you, perchance, travelled with our kind before? We are not related and you have as much a right to rest here as I, for this is not my land and I was to be on my way shortly."

His voice rings with confidence and with amusement at the catman. He turns towards the human, expecting a greeting.

[Still_Pond]

Although Slagorin does not owe allegiance to this king, he is still standing in the presence of a noble prince. He feels he should honor him somehow. Kneel? Bow? Butt heads? He tries to remember the proper way to greet one so noble, but can't. He hums a few bars of an old song, one about a king of legend who fell in love with a common whore. There is a line of the song, 'Eyes proud, voice calm as tall grain, Sang the lady of the red lane.'
She had, apparently regarded her king with calm authority and a song. Surely a song wasn't sung by everyone who approached a noble, so he simple spoke one verse that came to mind given this fine summer's day, also in dwarven. It is clearly a chant and he speaks it as such, never looking away from the eyes of the noble dwarf.
"En ære, sønn av Warhart.

'Fern skjolds
Skyer himmel klar som blå krysryl
Nimlb hurvast gratis bunnfestet førelds
Glem denne natt vinter er fareyl.'"

"An honor, Son of Warhart.

'The sun shields clouds
Sky bright as blue beryl
Noble harvest free of danger
This day forgive we winter's wrath.'"(Translation)

He continues to smile at the others for a moment. While other introductions are made, he moves to inspect the gazebo. He walks around it, shoving it some and testing the hardness of the wood with his boot. He chuckles to himself at something he finds amusing. He has never seen such a building before. The elves built with wood, but even their homes had walls.

[Moridain]

The would-be noble and the wandering catperson met quite by chance about a month ago in an Inn. Or at least they met in the bar area of the inn. And by 'Met' I mean RoChiva fell on his head.

To be fair the reason she fell was because the cieling beam he had been sleeping on had just become detatched from teh wall by a group of adventurers, none of which knew he was up there. But it was still quite a dramatic meeting. Especially since the act of falling on him knocked him out of the way of a blast of magical death thrown by the same groups Wizard.

Cries of "He has another ally!" "Get them!" and other rather unpleasant things had them both fleeing the scene, the nobleman laughing once the fear of grievous bodily harm had passed. They hid under a bush for a while, and once it was all over he introduced himself.

He was well dressed in a doublet of worn but well crafted cloth of a bright red color, big frilled cuffs and ruffle on his white linen shirt beneath it. The doublet had a hole in it from where he had been hit by an arrow, showing what looked to be a chain shirt of mithril beneath, so well crafted that you wouldn't have been able to tell it was there otherwise.

He has long blond hair and the fine white skin of nobleman who never go outside, burned only a little by recent travel. He carries a crossbow and a dagger, neither looking particularly impressive.

He introduced himself as Baron Haversham, but seemed a little bit shifty when asked 'baron of what country' or 'then where are your guards and retinue?'. Eventually you decided on a nickname, Havs, which he disliked intensely. But the catperson ignored the preference for his Full Name And Title, and after a week he stopped asking completely.

The day following the attack you awoke to find an angel in the camp! An angel in a butlers uniform... It was sitting at the center of the camp, having cooked up breakfast, and looked at you with perfect civility. It introduced itself as Galerel, and said it 'served Baron Haversham in all things, willingly and with a smile'. It gritted its teeth when saying so, suggesting this was scripted. The baron himself, still 'asleep' grinning a little at this. It has since shown itself to have formidable strength, claws and teeth that can extend into hideous weapons and arms that grow to strike like whips.

At the words from the Dwarf he approaches, letting the other person speak for now. He does make a quietly muttered "Does the fool not even speak Common..?"

"Do you speak common, Dwarf? It is rather rude to speak such a tongue when not all present can do so. Your verse sounds fine indeed, but perhaps in Common from now on..?"

And, remembering something he turns to the cat "Oh, and don't call me Havs. Baron Haversham, remember..?" he then shakes his mind "Nevermind. Its not worth it..."

The angelic being approaches, "Please excuse the Master's ill temper, he did not eat an adequite supply of vegetables last night and I believe it has left him rather grumpy."

Haversham glares at him, but says nothing.

Not his fault he hates his vegetables. Evil things.

[Naresh]

The jovial sunny sky puts everyone in a good mood, and even after such an awkward meeting everyone feels relaxed and friendly. Small talk is made, the odd discussion and question, culminating in the decision to carry on to the town of Greenbank some few miles away together and see what happens from there. You all shake hands and smile warmly. The joy of a party brought together, the thoughts of the adventures braved, the treasures shared! The awkward drunken moments that are hushed up and only revealed by divination. Ahh such is life... THUNK whoosh Thunk

The happy thoughts are interrupted as the bushes explode into life and small, weird green figures burst out KEYAAIIII! they scream as they rush forward, cackling with delight, as three javelins soar through the air, one sails over your heads and sets itself firmly in the wood of the gazebo while one impacts upon Marulo's arm, lodging itself there with a cry of pain. The final giant bolt of death sees its way into RoChiva's hunger cavity. Ouch.

Three small goblins charge towards you, the cackling glee on their faces apparent. Two with javelins cautious edge towards you, while the sixth and final goblin looks impressive and surveys the battlefield.

OOC-Combat Time Combat time! Nothing gets players together quicker than the old rough and tumble, especially against goblins a good CR below your level.   Marulo and RoChiva take 5 and 4 points of damage respectively. There are 6 goblins, three are closing quickly (roughly 10-15ft away) Two are holding back with javelins in hand, (20-30ft) One is slightly further back, (30-35ft) Roll for inits and write your turn in the same post. I'll sort out the order, but it usually ends up something like this:   Players 1 enemies 1 Players 2 enemies 2 And vice versa. enemy groups are usually divided into enemies of the same type (i.e: archers with archers, fighters with fighters) or by location, made on common sense judgement From now on can everyone include a vital statistics in their post, so I can quickly see stats: HP (current/max) AC (AC/touch/flat) Saves (fort/ref/will) Plus anything else that might be useful -Also Moridain, your Eidolon's sheet is invisible to me.

[Alisard]

"Holy Unicorns! Owwwwwieee!!" Ro Chiva cried, as a javelin pierced his leather cuirass and sank into gut. The cat tried to react to the sudden attack.

 

Dice Roll:

d20+4

(4)+4

Total = 8

"Fisheating Bigheads! Watch out!" He quickly grabbed an arrow from his quiver, nocked it to the string, and fired at the nearest goblin.

 

to hit:

Dice Roll:

d20+8

(9)+8

Total = 17

, damage:

Dice Roll:

d6

3

Hit Points: 25/21
AC: 17

Fort +4
Ref +6
Will +4

[Still_Pond]

Rude? Who is using the barbarian trader's tongue in the presence of dwarven nobility no less? It had been a long time sense that crude language had cracked across his lips. He thought in dwarven, sang in dwarven and, on rare occasions, spoke in dwarven. Slagorin smiles in amusement at the tall-folk's annoyance and just continues walk around the gazebo, kicking the last support just as an arrow strikes it.

So, this group was being hunted, by goblins no less. He had not encountered many goblins in his time. The drow would hunt them sometimes, and he'd find a few small bands in the deep caves, but he just avoided them. He'd killed a few who had attacked him, and he didn't remember it being particularly difficult. They were cowards without honor, this he knew. He had no issue with killing them for that alone, and when they attacked him they asked to be planted face down in the dirt and left there, heads pointed west.

The ugly dwarf reaches behind him and draws a massive cleaver that was strapped to his back. Tip looks like it was broken, but has sense been honed to have an angled edge, and the pommel has been filed down to re-balance the giant's weapon. He rushes the nearest goblin, attempting to break the creature's spine.

 

mechanics Slagorin - Dwarf Barbarian: AC17 TAC11 | HP 34/34 | Fort+3 Ref+1 Will+1. Dice Initiative: 1d20+3 (12)+3 Total = 15 Move action: Move in close to some nearby goblin. Standard Action: Attack said goblin with the Greatsword (power attack and furious focus) Dice Atk and Dmg: 1d20+7 (8)+7 Total = 15 2d6+7 (3, 6)+7 Total = 16

[Felyx Zephyr]

"Goblins?! Who brings this FILTH sniffing at their trail?!" In an instant any form of calm that may have been crossing Marulo's face was wiped away as his anger came to a full boil. Internally, he cursed himself for being caught off-guard.

Dice Initiative:

1d20+1

(3)+1

Total = 4

Gathering himself mentally and physically, he raises his shield arm to guard himself and rushes into the fray, swinging his hammer to smash it into the nearest goblin.

break their filthy ranks and they will scatter. That foolish scavenger in the back is probably readying something fishy...

Time to wipe this Filth off our trail.

mechanics Dice Warhammer: 1d20+8 (6)+8 Total = 14 Dice damage: 1d8+3 (7)+3 Total = 10 move: move to closest goblin std: attack HP 37/42 AC (22/11/21) Saves (+7/+2/+2)

[Moridain]

"Since when do Goblins 'track', and in such small numbers. These are opportunists, and stupid ones to attack a group as large as this with so few of their own."

Gesturing with his arm, he touches the angel "Gird yourself, Servent, and defend me. Keep them away, if you would be so kind, I have fewer outfits than I used to."

"Yes, Sir. As you wish." replies the angel, bowing low in classic butler fashion, only his eyes suggesting his disapproval.

Turning, the butler walks toward the goblins, his fingers elongating into sharp looking claws. He reaches up while still quite a way away from his foe and his arm extends and grows till they are a full seven feet long each. He slashes downward at one of the goblins, aiming to cut its chest apart!

ooc Mage Armor on Galerel and drawing his crossbow. Angel then steps forward and attacks with 10ft reach. Angel has Combat Reflexes, so can make 2 AoO, with 10ft reach. Dice attack: 1d20+6 (20)+6 Total = 26 1d6+4 (5)+4 Total = 9 Dice confirm: 1d20+6 (20)+6 Total = 26 Haversham: HP 20/20 AC 16/12/14 Saves +4/+4/+4 Galerel HP: 27/27 AC: 21/11/20 +4/+2/+3 Effects: Mage Armor 10ft Reach Evasion Combat Reflexes (2 total AoO)

[Naresh]

Battle is joined, and the heated fray becomes a fracas!

As the fiery feud commences Ro's arrow sails by, narrowly missing the oncoming goblins tender belly due to the slight wobble goblins have as they run, at the same time as Marulo's hammer comes crashing down, thunking into the earth narrowly short of some woefully unprotected toes. The goblin cackles maniacally as he retaliates, missing in his madness.

Slagorin moves towards the second goblin, but is beaten to the punch as it to raise its shield in a futile attempt at defence as the angel rends him in two with furious speed.

The two goblins with javelins nearer the back share worried looks and shuffle back. They weren't prepared for this.... Biting their lips they throw their javelins in unison. Managing to penetrate the magical barrier of Haversham. While the final goblin draws two scimitars and surveys the battlefield with a cold eye.

OOC Well that's one dead goblin by the butler o.O 2 damage to Haversham from the javelin

[Still_Pond]

The goblin before him is sliced in two by the tall one's servant, a fellow to whom Slagorin had yet to speak. The Dwarf's bright green eyes glance away from the dead goblin to briefly regard the servant. Slagorin's eyes widen at the sight of the fellow's long arms and wicked claws. This was no natural creature. He quickly grabs at his beard, twisting the braids together. The dwarf hears the singing of two blades being drawn in the distance and glances at the goblin in the rear, the one now holding two scimitars.

The goblins had attacked them, and the master of this servant, that tall human, had honored the peace greeting. As uncomfortable as he was fighting along side a creature that was no-doubt some servant of a Seither, for now, it was clear that the goblins were the common enemy. He turns back to the long armed spirit and makes a quick warning gesture. With his index and little fingers extended like horns he flicks his hand toward him. Evil spirits know the sign. To approach one so warded weakens them, or so believes the young dwarf.

With his spiritual defenses quickly tended to, he moves toward the next goblin in a measured and steady advance. The hair on his back tingles a the thought of a spell weaver in their midst. Such tingles in battle are bad omens and this fact is not lost on the dwarf. The only chance he had was to show absolutely no fear. He gives the servant creature no further attention, treating him as though he were no more a threat than a puff-seed in the wind. He instead turns his full attention to the goblins. The leader, the one with the scimitars, had showed himself to be a coward, hiding behind the line of archers and throwers. So be it. Let the wretched creature watch as his braver kin are cut down before him. He steps in and attacks, though he is clearly still unsettled to be sanding with his back to a changeling.

ooc Slagorin - Dwarf Barbarian: AC17 TAC11 | HP 34/34 | Fort+3 Ref+1 Will+1. Swift Action: Protection from Evil hand gesture and tightening of beard braids, for everyone knows that the knotted braids ward off evil as well. Right? Doesn't everyone know that? I'm sure I gave all the evil spirits a copy of the memo. Move action: Move in close to next goblin, probably one of the javelin throwers. Standard action: Attack the goblin with the Greatsword (power attack and furious focus). Dice Atk and Dmg: 1d20+7 (6)+7 Total = 13 2d6+7 (1, 1)+7 Total = 9

[Moridain]

ooc Haversham doesn't have a magical barrier, the Angel got Mage Armor on it. Did any of them move? Since Galarel has 10ft reach if they move out of it, or closer, with anything but a 5ft step they get an AoO.

Haversham curses "Ow! That really hurts. Damn it, Galerel, you are supposed to be protecting me!" cries the Baron, incensed. Fortunatly the Javelin didn't sink in, just glancing off his shoulder. Still he will feel that all day.

Raising his crossbow he takes a shot at the Javalin wielding goblin who dared to harm his perfect flesh "How dare you injure me?! Don't you know who I am?!" he cries, livid.

Meanwhile the angel steps forward, his huge arms pausing for a moment as it looks over its shoulder "Unfortunately I am unable to protect you from abject stupidity, My Lord. Perhaps next time you can seek to not be where the Javalin intends to hit?" he says sarcastically.

Slashing down with his long arm, he strikes at the last two goblins in short range, hopefully allowing the others to face the ones further away without needing to deal with them.

ooc Haversham fires a bolt at one of the long range goblins. I haven't completed his items yet, the rules about magical items and eidolons are a bit weird and I am still sorting that out, so just standard bow with no extra bonus for now. Dice attack: 1d20+4 (4)+4 Total = 8 1d8 1 Haversham takes a full attack with his claws. Tell me if there is one adjacent cos then he will bite one as well. Dice attack: 1d20+4 (1)+4 Total = 5 1d4+3 (1)+3 Total = 4 1d20+4 (11)+4 Total = 15 1d4+3 (4)+3 Total = 7 Haversham: HP 18/20 AC 16/12/14 Saves +4/+4/+4 Galerel HP: 27/27 AC: 21/11/20 +4/+2/+3 Effects: Mage Armor 10ft Reach Evasion Combat Reflexes (2 total AoO)