"Oh, that, no I...I was not communing with the forest as I should have this morning. I had other things on my mind." Elyria answers with a shy smile. "I would of course like to know more about what the spirits said, but first I must ask you. Why do you care so much what Aurelius thinks? When you kissed me like that it felt like you were not kissing me as much as you tried to show him something, and I don't want to be a part of that game." Elyria says, irritation building in her voice at the end, almost making it possible for Aurelius and Bryant to make out what she is saying. "I do want you to kiss me Rahkeshi, but I want it to be about you and me, and not anyone else." She says, now a little calmer again.

"Um... I..." Rahskeshi is clearly at a loss for words. She turns away from Elyria and looks over at Aurelius for a moment, silent. 

She swiftly turns back to Elyria, her face not really readable in her mix of emotions. "I DON'T care what that pompous Aurelius thinks!"  There is hostility in her voice, but it isn't exactly as though she is angry. "But I have clearly upset you.  I am very sorry." 

Just as swiftly she turns away and walks across the campsite clearing.  Pausing at the campfire she says in Druidic, "Extinguish," and waves her staff over the embers, causing the fire to extinguish.  She then heads out of the clearing, appearing to be immediately leaving to continue the trek northward. 

Elyria looks as Rahkeshi walks off. She glances quickly over at Aurelius and Bryant before picking up her backpack and hurrying to catch up with Rahkeshi.
"Listen, I'm not angry,... well maybe I was for a moment but I have a temper much as you. Let's forget about that. Tell me please all of what the spirits told you Rahkeshi. We're still on a mission after all." Elyria pleads, smiling warmly again to the half-orc.

"I will just say a pair of flower spirits were near last night. A talkative pair..." Rahkeshi does not smile back, nor even look at Elyria. "But that is not important to our mission.  As I just said, one air spirit said something seemed off.  The cold today was... strange I think was the word." 

Elyria walks silent by Rahkeshis side for a while.
"I'm sorry Rahkeshi, I can see that I made you angry with me and I don't wish for you to be, but my feelings for you does not change that we are still on this mission, and like you said, people's lives depend on us doing our job. But hopefully that job will soon be done." She says, trying calm the half-orc, cautiously laying a soft hand on her shoulder.

Rahkeshi turns to look at Elyria. "I'm not angry. Just making sure I focus on the mission," she says with a cool flatness. She gently brushes Elyria's hand away. "I'm fine. Probably best to just keep our hands to ourselves lest we reveal anything to other people.  I have no interest in games either." 

(OOC - For rob88scps2 and Alsdad, I posted in our OOC thread a couple of days ago about ideas to keep this going.  Let me know.  I'm not even sure if Alsdad is with us at this point really.)  

Elyria walks at Rahkeshi's side in awkward silence for a while, looking more and more troubled. "I...I will scout ahead now." She says quickly, seemingly on the verge of crying, and then she rushes off ahead, like trying to hide her feelings, her battling emotions.

As she gets some way ahead, Aelric swoops down and lands on her shoulder. "What, no I'm fine........no I'm not....oh Aelric, I'm so stupid, I don't know how to do this." She says to the owl, tears now streaming down her cheeks.

Aurelius rides on in silence, wondering if he should try to lighten the mood with his typical antics, or if this is one of those times he should fade into the background.  For now, he chooses the latter.  Instead, he daydreams about the Fey Queen and her realm.

(OOC - Well, I presume Alsdad has dropped. I will go ahead and try to continue things slowly here as DM. Fritz, feel free to jump in if you come back! Alsdad too for that matter.)

Rahkeshi walks along, though her pace is slow and she drops to the back of the group. She stays quiet, very quiet.  Her expression is blank, and any looks in her direction are met with a glare. 

Over the next few hours, the group continues to follow the path northward. Aelric had not spotted anything when setting out, and rested much of the morning after keeping watch all night. 

The journey is quiet and the day remains a bit cold.  It is now a bit before midday and about time for a brief rest and lunch.  You are probably still several hours from the ruined town you were headed to.

As the group stops, Rahkeshi finds a nice large tree just off the path.  Without a word she walks around to the far side of the tree, away from the rest of the group. She drops her gear, pulls out a small bit of rations, and sits down with her back against the trunk.

Aelric giving her a hoot about the others stopping Elyria doubles back and finds the others just off the path. "I guess we're taking a rest." She says, no smile to be seen. She sits down by a tree in silence for a while, eating slowly, trying to smile at Aurelius, but she is really still fighting the tears.

Aurelius dismounts, and retrieves some jerky from his bag.  He chews on this while unloading all equipment off of Lady, and allowing her to graze a bit unburdened.  He is still at a loss as to anything he can do to mend the fractured party, and is uncharacteristically silent.  He takes a slow walk around the perimeter, stretching his legs as he has been riding, looking for anything unusual.

Perception: 8

After a bit, perhaps unconsciously, he begins to hum a melody, while practicing his minor illusion cantrip, causing his name to appear in giant glowing letters above his head, alternating with the phrase "the Magnificent".

Aurelius doesn't notice anything unusual at first.  But after everyone has had a chance to rest a bit, there is a rustling sound as if something large is moving through the brush.  It's coming from back the direction you came, although off from your exact path.

Rahkeshi quickly stands, coming from behind the tree.  Her eyes seem wet with tears, but they suddenly grow wide in surprise.  However, she is actually looking in almost the opposite direction of where the noise came from.

(Rahkeshi Perception: 10)

Elyria quickly reacts to the rustling sound and swiftly gets to her feet, her elven longbow ready, scanning the woods. When she sees Rahkeshi emerge from behind the tree she has a strong urge to comfort her, somehow, but the adrenaline keeps her alert of danger, a bit longer. Perception:8 She is clearly distracted by the distress of Rahkeshi though. 

Meanwhile Aelric takes off scanning the woods from above. Perception:16

The paladin will turn his gaze to see what Rakheshi is looking at.  He silently advises Lady to be ready for danger.  He may possibly have forgotten to turn off the cantrip.

There is nothing visible where Rahkeshi is looking. But, she raises her staff,  makes a motion, and yells out, "Lightning!" in Druidic. Pointing her staff in the direction she is looking she casts Lightning Bolt.

She then yells out, "It's a troll!"

(Damage: 29, Save: 6)

A bolt of lightning streaks out from Rahkeshi and seems to strike something about 50 ft. away from Elyria and Aurelius. For just a moment the lightning appears to silhouette a very large clawed creature.  Just as quickly the image is gone,  almost making you think you just imagined the image. 

(Roll for initiative!)

(Rahkeshi initiative: 19)

(Troll? Initiative: 17)

Elyria initiative: 8

Aurelius initiative 8

Round 1

Aurelius will run 30 feet towards the location where he saw the brief silhouette, and then cast his javelin of lightning at where he last saw the creature.

Attack (disadvantage): 11 Damage: 5 magical piercing + 20 lightning damage

(Oops, crit fail)

Aurelius misses with the javelin (obviously,  due to the crit fail).  He feels like he just threw the thing at nothing. 

(Elyria is up next.)

Elyria utters a few sylvan words and green light blankets the large clawed creature. (Faerie fire dex 14) She then tries to position herself between the creature and Rahkeshi, longbow ready to fire.

(Dex Save: 4)

The green light outlines all the leaves and plants in the area in addition to the very large shape of a troll. 

It rushes forward, meeting with Aurelius first.  It swings one claw at him as it snaps at him with sharp teeth. The creature becomes fully visible as it attacks.

(Claw Attack: 13, Damage: 9 slash)

(Bite Attack: 10, Damage: 5 pierce)

It then continues past,  closing on Elyria (about 20 ft distance, 10 ft. past Aurelius) though it seems to be focused on Rahkeshi. 

(Aurelius would get an Attack of Opportunity)