Khessa's Cabbage Patch Avenger Attack (with bless): 30 Damage: 23 (Slashing)

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Khessa's Cabbage Patch Avenger Attack (with bless): 19 Damage: 13 (Slashing)

"That's how it's done, Mr Thin-Air-Attacker!" (or "Miss I-Need-A-Bath", if she was attacking the spellsinger) the blonde arcane warrior rejoices, overcoming the other's defenses with ease.

If there is still a drow standing, Aster runs to them.

[OOC: Aster simply dashes, if needed. 4 steps north-west, 1 north to go to drow assassin (but I really hope he is quite dead by now). 3 steps north-west, 1 north to go to drow spellsinger (I'd like she also dead, but we shall see).]

[OOC: End of crew's turn! Feel free to go on with the eventual still standing drow!]

[End of combat! I am going to write something more prose-y and out of order of what happened, but I hope it is more fun than annoying!!]

Victory!

The heroes and refugees pressed forward through the treacherous tunnels of the Underdark, their eyes peeled for any sign of danger. Suddenly, a group of drow emerged from the shadows, attempting to corner the group. Without hesitation, Song and Khessa took up defensive positions, while Aster charged forward to engage the enemy.

As the drow sorceress and her male assassin guardian joined the fray, Clara knew that they needed to be kept at bay. She called upon the power of Chauntea to cast a spell of entanglement, ensnaring the drow and preventing them from getting too close to the refugees. With the drow held back, the heroes were able to fight on without fear of being overrun.

Song and Khessa worked together, their attacks coordinated and precise, while Aster fought with fierce determination. Despite the drow's best efforts, they found themselves slowly being pushed back. In the end, the sorceress and her guardian were surrounded, their escape routes cut off. Khessa and Song cornered and weakened the drow scum with deadly force.

With a flick of her wrist and a whispered incantation, Clara summoned a bright beam of moonlight that sliced through the darkness of the Underdark. The intense light was blinding, and the drow sorceress and her male assassin guardian struggled to shield their eyes from the searing pain. The moonbeam was like a beam of light, cutting through everything in its path with incredible precision. As it washed over the drow, their bodies began to convulse, their skin blistering and burning under the intense light. They were unable to withstand the blinding power of the druid.

Right at the end, as the drow Aster faced cried out seeing her mistress killed, he knocks her out with the hilt of his weapon. "It appears we should be in the clear. They underestimated us, but we shouldn't dally too long."

Khessa is elated at the victory, as she briefly reviews the wounded with Clara and still congratulates anyone she passes by: "Good! We've shown those worms that they can't afford to boss around at will! The other drow will take a while to realize their friends aren't coming back. And then they'll have to decide what to do. Long before they've completed these processes, we'll already be safe. Come on, let's strip them of everything. Then get out of here. Outside we can try to sell their equipment to buy what we will need to start a new life".

The first to be deprived of the equipment is the prisoner, whom the blonde arcane warrior hastens to tie up: "No one touches this worm! I left him alive not out of good heart, but to interrogate him and get information. I want to know more about how they found us, how they are organised, where they are headed. I will one day go back down there... because there are still so many more of us, still including my family. I want to squeeze this worm everything he knows. And I will! So, no one dares to kill him" a ruthless light lights up in the back of her blue eyes. "At least not until I'm done with him - and rest assured you are definitely not doing him a favor, by letting me interrogate him".

The tall adventuress will carry the prisoner herself, on her shoulder, until he comes to. Then, she will have him walk, but always keeping him close to 'the crew' and always with someone from 'the crew' holding the rope binding his hands.

The blue eyed woman tries to see if the elite group she and 'the crew' fought against have loot worth keeping - especially if the drow enchantress was carrying a spellbook!

After that, Khessa starts again without delay to lead the refugees to freedom, improvising a song:

"I want to break free, I want to break free!
I want to break free from your chains,
you're so self-satisfied, but I'll escape under your nose!
I've got to break free!
Gods know, Gods know we will all break free!"

<---Prologue END--->

/--- Day & Time Unknown, Surface, but location yet to be revealed --/

The wind sings to you as you step outside the cave mouth. The smell of natural earth, fallen leaves, and mushrooms fills your nostrils when you breathe in deeply. When you look up into the open blue sky, a feeling of serenity takes hold of you, even as your eyes struggle to adjust from the darkness of the Underdark.

You are lost in a lush forest and aren't quite sure what time of day it is... or what day it is at all. The light shining through the trees give some indication that it might be the late morning or early afternoon.

The villagers stand in awe at this mundane scene. They drop to their knees, overcome with gratitude that they have made it through the journey alive. Some openly weep long held secrets and tears of sadness, and many just breathe deeply, letting go of the burdens that they had been carrying. A few children cling to their parents for comfort and protection.

Song stands in front of you, her eyes sparkle with hope and a hesitant smile flickers on her lips. Aster shuffles beside her, squinting against the unfamiliar sunlight after so many years spent in the dark. Clara stays stoic at your other side, but through her unwavering gaze you can feel her determination to help these desperate people.

Seeby, meanwhile, cutely mewls at your legs as he rubs his sides against you, purring. He just seems happy in general.

After marching ahead for half an hour, you find yourself looking down into a vale where at the center there appears to be a town. Low buildings crowd together like anthills made of stone, sometimes disappearing entirely under tightly knit rooftops covered with gold and red tiles. A quick study of the place makes it apparent that if anyone lives in the town, they aren't outdoors, since every window is shuttered and no smoke curls up from any opening.

Everyone is quiet and the air is full of expectation. Aster leans towards you and whispers, "My lady, I suspect that a speech may be in order."

Khessa takes a moment to contemplate with satisfaction all the people she has managed to bring with her to the surface.

Tom the Builder, with his wife Agnes... Gunnar the Miller, with his eldest daughter who helps him raise her two younger brothers... Kendal and Torkar, the two farmers who live together, united by a relationship that is more of a friendship... And many, many others...

Hearing the Displacer Beast's puppy that cutely mewls and purrs at her feet, as she rubs her sides against her long legs (OOC: Seeby is female), the blonde arcane warrior bends down to scratch, caress and make her play: "I'm happy too, Seeby! You'll like here, the surface! We'll see a lot of things, together! And my family, then... you'll see my younger siblings! When we free them, they'll go crazy for you! You'll be the queen of the house!"

Yep, the siblings. And the parents. 'I couldn't free them. For now!' the tall adventuress has no uncertainties about it 'But I will free them. I will find accommodation for these people. But then I'll go back to the Underdark. No way I leave them there! My family will come back to see the sunlight too. Whether the drow slavers like it or not!'

A few later,  Khessa is quite happy to find a town! Maybe finally a place where the refugees will be able to start a new life! Surely the people of the town will be simple, hospitable people, as were the inhabitants of the tiny hamlet where she was born and raised...

'People?' the blonde arcane warrior's expression becomes perplexed 'And where are they, the people who live in the village? No clamors of children playing… no noises of activity… no talk in the air… no animal sounds… Have we found another abandoned town, like in the Underdark?!'

As Aster whispers to her, the tall adventuress speaks to the refugees: "Fellow escapees, friends, brothers, wait a moment here, please. The town before us looks abandoned... and everything we've endured so far must teach us at least caution. Towns aren't usually abandoned for no reason. There could be danger. Still, maybe in the town I could find indications of where we are - and where we could go to start life again in safety. I'll go check. You wait for me here, okay? This time too, as I did in the Underdark, I'll be back, I promise".

Khessa scans the faces of her most trusted adventure companions with her blue eyes, while summoning with a slow but meticulous magical ritual a servant who could be useful to her, during the unpredictable circumstances that will await in the silent town: "Clara, you could watch over the drow prisoner, in our absence? I'm sure he won't escape on your watch... And you, Aster and Song... would you come with me to explore this place? Of course, Clara, if anything happens here, yell at the top of your lungs... we'll come and help you right away".

The villagers are in no rush. It seems they are happy to simply bask in the sunlight and wait for sign that everything is safe. 

Clara nods at your request. "Yes, I'll keep guard here. Should the prisoner try to escape, I will knock him out again."

Song and Aster agree to come with you. Aster in particular says, "Is it usually so quiet during... the day?" He gestures above at the sunlight. "It's so bright.. are you all able to see well in this??"

"Aster, I'm sure your eyes will adjust... eventually, I hope." Song smiles.

"You're sure and you hope? How generous," Aster sighs. "I hope we can find a hat or hood or some such."

Khessa, glad and comforted by the support of two of her most trusted companions, heads towards the nearest house and tries to ask aloud: "Hey! Excuse me? Is anyone there?"

If no one answers, the blonde arcane warrior tries to peek through a window (there are some open ones, right?) and, if possible, to enter from there to examine the inside and see if it is possible to understand anything about the fate of the inhabitants (where did they go, for how long, for what reason...)

As Khessa asks her question, approaching the house and an open window, there is no reply. She climbs in through the window, with Aster questioning, "Should we enter uninvited?" 

Inside the home, Khessa first comes into a bedroom with a large bed and a few scattered toys, likely this room was shared by parents and kids both. However, pushing through the door of the room to the rest of the home, Khessa is met with a scene which shows signs of a raid. broken furniture, a busted door, and an area of what looks like old blood. The blood is faded and chipped as if months must have passed by. 

"It's abandoned." Song states. She stands near the window which faces the rest of the town. She gestures for Khessa to take a look for herself. All the homes show various signs of damage. All of it points to this town having been raided by someone and hopefully abandoned by the survivors.

"All of it points to this town having been raided by someone and hopefully abandoned by the survivors..." Khessa comments on the evidence "Let's walk around the perimeter of the village and look for tracks... we should certainly find those of the raiders. But also those of those who fled - hoping that someone made it".

If by chance there is a hat left, remembering Aster's difficulties, the tall adventuress takes it and hands it to him: "Try this... Is it a bit better this way?"

However, the blonde arcane warrior then dedicates herself carefully to the search and examination of any tracks along the perimeter of the village, while her tactical mind begins to think almost on its own ('Where would I have attacked from, if I wanted take this village by surprise... Perhaps there, from that patch of vegetation so dangerously close to the first houses... And where would I have sought refuge if I had been a helpless farmer? Through that field, to be able to run more quickly?')...

Khessa's Survival (for search and examination of any tracks - rolling with advantage since assuming either Aster or Song will help): 20

Your keen search yields nothing, which is telling in and of itself. Even when you look in places that would easily have been muddy and left lasting tracks, there's no sign of any movement besides the odd beast traveling through, if that. This town has been abandoned for months at least... if not years. 

For your trouble, you do find a farmer's old straw hat, which Aster gracefully places on his head. "Ahh, that is helpful. Still hard to see, but I will be able to use two hands when the need arises. How do I look?" He grins and Song giggles.

You hear the sounds of horses and turn to find three horses... just wandering the streets. They are fully geared up and trotting, as if they simply misplaced their riders. And then you hear a distant "mooo."

"No tracks" Khessa admits disconsolately. "This town has been abandoned for months at least...if not years".

But then the blonde arcane warrior sees... three horses? 'Just three? One for each of us?' she thinks 'What a strange coincidence... And I don't believe in coincidences... But, be that as it may, they will allow us to explore more easily... And maybe even more easily retrieve the animal bellowing nearby'.

The tall adventuress tries to approach slowly, speaking to the horses in a low voice and presenting them with handfuls of grass that she collects... If the animals don't get frightened and let her approach, she checks their condition, if they are injured or if they have traces of other people's blood (it could be that of their riders), if they have saddle bags and what they contain... In the meantime, he caresses them, calms them as best he can... Then try to mount one of these.

If he manages to mount without any problems, he brings the other two horses to Song and Aster: "You've just found new friends, it seems! And thanks to them, we'll explore faster. Come on, mount... there must be at least one lost cow nearby. Let's go save it, it could be useful for the refugees".

(make both a perception and animal handling check for me)

Perception: 7

Animal handling: 17

When Khessa approaches, she is able to calm the horses down. They seem skittish at first, as though they were afraid to see her. However, they calm down and allow her to approach when she showed them no harm. On their backside, she finds a brand, BAK. These letters as a name or acronym don't ring any bells for her.

Khessa is able to ride one of the horses over to Aster and Song, who look impressed by her ability. "New friends, indeed." Aster smiles as he helps Song climb up a steed, and he takes the last one. Khessa notices that Aster did this to let Song have a choice between the remaining horses, but Song didn't seem to notice.

"A cow! I hope it means we can get some milk for... oh, I guess we will need to find some hens for scrambled eggs."

You all ride off in the direction of the bellowing cow. You find her very quickly, she is somewhat off the road which leads northeast out of town. She has a cowbell around her neck, but there is no farmer or rancher in sight.

"Ahh.. is that a cow? It reminds me of a rothe." Aster closes his eyes. "Rothe are quite delicious when grilled, but I suppose we shouldn't butcher this poor creature. A single cow won't feed all the refugees."

"Indeed Aster..." Khessa confirms "If she has milk, this cow could be more useful when alive. And if we find a bull to make her reproduce, maybe one day we could have more cows..."

"Let's take her back to the abandoned village" decides the blonde arcane warrior. "It looks like it was looted a long time ago... so it might as well be safe now. A good base for refugees. Families could start picking houses and try to fix them... We could bring this village back to life. Maybe even build a stockade of defense, over time, to prevent anyone from raiding again!"

The tall adventuress then helps the refugees choose homes and come up with ideas to start a new life there… if they agree.

"Obviously, my people," adds Khessa, speaking to the crowd "no community thrives on its own. Aster, Song and I will explore the surroundings, looking for other villages that are still inhabited. So maybe we can introduce ourselves to the locals and help each other. But in the meantime , this place can offer a roof over our heads... and maybe even food, as we start farming and hunting - and trading, once we discover nearby villages. It can be a new beginning for everyone... What do you think?"

After that, if the villagers agree, after she has helped them settle down, the blonde arcane warrior carries out her purpose of exploring the surroundings, on horseback, with Aster and Song.

If she can get the horse used to not being frightened by Seeby's smell - and Seeby not to consider the horse as her next meal, the tall adventuress also takes Displacer Beast's puppy with her, since there could be unexpected events - maybe need to explore for days - and she wouldn't want to lose sight of Seeby for that long.

If Seeby and horse are not compatible, Khessa has her Unseen Servant transport the puppy, renewing it (as ritual) each time it expires.