Shugo seems perfectly satisfied with himself, and has clearly already put the situation behind them. Plus he seems completely fine with Renar seeming not to care about him being nobility. It's not a big deal, so no need to make it one.
He nearly stops in his tracks at Alex's proposal. Then he laughs, "You know, I just had a thought! Birdie Boy never specified that he wanted us to catch the People's Army. He just called them Bandits. If we go ahead and catch those three, then technically we completed the job. Hah! Meanwhile, we can see what our new friends would want from us in order to get a letter of recommendation from their leader."
I overheard the others discussing on what to do next. Honestly, if those kenku-kobold trio are just a straight-up nuisance instead of actual threats, I'd say we just leave them be for now and continue ahead. Besides, would those three be affiliated with the people's army guys as well? Or do we actually need to subdue them once they start causing trouble?
Venet in general seems a little confused at her spell being a tad wonky but shrugs, magic is weird like that. She is happy that things have worked out however.
"Wasn't Paulis at the end of route 702?"
"She's right."I softly speak once my fears have been temporarily banished. "Unless if our bandit allies have something else to do, we need to find route 702 if we want to see that antisocial tortoise. But..." *He unsteadily shifts his katana yet again before clearing his throat* Our deadline is the 16th April so we still have time to do so but not much. And yeah, that wolfie said there might be kenkus and kobolds trying to fulfill the role of what we thought the allies we currently have are doing, only more malicious. Stay on guard." Though, what Shugo said, he's got a point. Elmar didn't actually specify which bandits he tasked us to capture; My original plan was to convince our allies to play along by the time that bird brain returns and then we go undercover inide the jail cells whilst we free them and discover what lies underneath his facade; In way, rescuing them from a sentence all the while gathering info about possible lies and corruption seems like a win-win on paper for me, but, I have to remember that I'm doing this with four other warriors so it doesn't seem all the more practical as of right now.
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The Wildland Shifters Daisy Ethalena- Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer) Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade) Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer(Clockwork Soul); Lancea Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance) Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars) Yurime Hanasaki- Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
A while later, the five of you arrive at the other end of the bridge. You drive your cart for a little bit to really, really get out of the view, then you meet up with the People's Army, who's soaking wet with both water from the river and sweats from their sweat glances.
"Phew, I'll tell Zelta to build more bridges once she becomes the queen." Lavīze shakes herself like a wet dog, "So... what happened?"
After you tell the gang what happened at the bridge (assuming you do), they just stare at you wordlessly for a few minutes. Their jaws agape as if they are frozen in time.
Breaking the silence, Veno raises his hands and speaks first. "First of all... nice job negotiating with the guards, when I saw Cezars, I'm pretty sure you were screwed... and you are still screwed, since he's probably out there, flying around this area and looking for bandits—like, actual bandits."
Glorija sighs, "We have a history with him, as you can already tell, we spend a lot of time in and out of jail, and he's the main reason why we kept getting arrested. It's not that he's very strong, but he never gives up. If you make him angry—to be frank, he's angry at pretty much everyone out there—he will never stop chasing you until you're in his hands, and then he will beat you into submission."
Lavīze taps her elf friend on her shoulder, "Correction: he's already angry at you five. Even if you don't stop him from beating that wolf-eared guy, he'd be angry at you anyway. To him, there are only two types of people: enemies and victims." She shrugs, "I have no idea how Elmars didn't fire him yet, I guess he's afraid that he will burn his feather to ashes." She might be half-joking here since animal races do go above and beyond to ensure that their fur or feathers are clean.
"Both Cezars and the bandit trio won't get very far from here, there aren't a lot of settlements and the forest is thick. We can move on, but it's likely that we will run into him in the future or you could try to search for him right now and defeat him, it's your call." Says Elvīns, "Keep in mind that we will stay out of Cezars' sight in order to not aggravate him any further, but if things go south, we'll try to save you as best as we can."
"Hold on!" Veno calls out and everyone turns to look at him, "I just realised... he hit you with Hellish Rebuke last time, right, Helene?"
"Yeah..." The dwarf rubs her arm, "And it stings."
"I have a theory—he can cast spells while he's wearing heavy armour, not many spellcasters can do that... except a Paladin"And other subclasses too, but Paladin is the first thing that comes to Veno's mind. "I have no idea what order he's sworn in, though. What do you say, Alex?"
For Alex and anyone who passes a DC10 Arcana or DC10 Religion check:
Cezars isn't a Paladin, he was a Paladin.
You know it in your heart, you were taught to recite it when you were young, it's the most sacred thing, decreed and written by God Himself. Every Paladin is bonded by an oath of some kind, whether to protect innocent people, deliver justice, or simply be kind to others—it's all different for every order out there.
However, there are some who are led astray, some who went too far, and those are called Oathbreakers—traitors of the word of God, your brothers who have gone too far and stepped beyond the line. They are consumed with anger and sin, which perfectly matches the behaviour of Cezars, there might not be a dark aura radiating from him, but his behaviour says otherwise.
There are specific spells that can only be cast by an Oathbreaker, and Hellish Rebuke is one of them. He might act like someone who had sworn Oath of Vengeance or Oath of Conquest at first, but both orders can't cast Hellish Rebuke, and that leaves only one option.
Muphrid is still high in the sky, so you still have time to confront Cezars. You'll arrive in Dulaururu tomorrow evening anyway, that's where Route 702 starts, but you can keep following bandits to their base at the end of Route 700 and continue on Route 701, which is much faster than Route 702.
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
Alexander grins when their friends meet up with them. They didn't need help after all! Thats good. Otherwise he doesn't know what they would have done to help them in. There were too many close calls as it was.
However, as they talk about their history with the fiery genasi, his expression darkens. As soon as they mentioned paladin, his first thought was that Cezars could be of the oath of vengeance. His personality certainly would have fit, but then they mention the spell hellish rebuke... "Are... you sure? Are you sure he used hellish rebuke?" He shifts uncomfortably. "Paladin's shouldn't be able to use that spell. Not if they've held true to their oath. Which means that..." He trails off. If Cezars really is an Oathbreaker, then he really shouldn't be in the position he's in now. How can he be trusted with the power he has if he strayed from the path? Not to mention all the actions that he's heard about. He almost feels bad for Elmars, considering he Duke might not be able to remove Cezars even if he wanted to.
He lets out a shaky breath. Part of him is extremely thankful that they didn't have to fight the genasi at the checkpoint, but another part of him feels like he should have dealt with the Oathbreaker then and there. Either way, finding out about this situation clearly bothers him on a near personal degree. Really, he doesn't know if he should be angry at his once-brother, or just sorry for him. The question remains though... should he confront him? Would he be able to stand up to him if he did? There really is no telling how powerful the fallen paladin could be, or if Alex could match him. Likely, he's leagues ahead of Alexander in terms of skill and raw power, so would it really be smart to face him? Of course, the smart thing might not be the right thing to do.
He crosses his arms, brow farrowed as he considers his options, and his gaze is directed at the ground.
Breaking the silence, Veno raises his hands and speaks first. "First of all... nice job negotiating with the guards, when I saw Cezars, I'm pretty sure you were screwed... and you are still screwed, since he's probably out there, flying around this area and looking for bandits—like, actual bandits."
Glorija sighs, "We have a history with him, as you can already tell, we spend a lot of time in and out of jail, and he's the main reason why we kept getting arrested. It's not that he's very strong, but he never gives up. If you make him angry—to be frank, he's angry at pretty much everyone out there—he will never stop chasing you until you're in his hands, and then he will beat you into submission."
Lavīze taps her elf friend on her shoulder, "Correction: he's already angry at you five. Even if you don't stop him from beating that wolf-eared guy, he'd be angry at you anyway. To him, there are only two types of people: enemies and victims." She shrugs, "I have no idea how Elmars didn't fire him yet, I guess he's afraid that he will burn his feather to ashes." She might be half-joking here since animal races do go above and beyond to ensure that their fur or feathers are clean.
"Both Cezars and the bandit trio won't get very far from here, there aren't a lot of settlements and the forest is thick. We can move on, but it's likely that we will run into him in the future or you could try to search for him right now and defeat him, it's your call." Says Elvīns, "Keep in mind that we will stay out of Cezars' sight in order to not aggravate him any further, but if things go south, we'll try to save you as best as we can."
"Hold on!" Veno calls out and everyone turns to look at him, "I just realised... he hit you with Hellish Rebuke last time, right, Helene?"
"Yeah..." The dwarf rubs her arm, "And it stings."
"I have a theory—he can cast spells while he's wearing heavy armour, not many spellcasters can do that... except a Paladin"And other subclasses too, but Paladin is the first thing that comes to Veno's mind. "I have no idea what order he's sworn in, though. What do you say, Alex?"
It took me a while to digest what those weirdos were discussing about 'Stupid Rixi', but after some processing, I felt my heart sinking even faster than um... there was a boat that Rixi and Ethan mentioned that sank when it got struck by an iceberg in their world. What was it again? I can't remember... Anyways, my heart sank even faster than that so-called 'unsinkable' boat. He's a paladin like him and Alex? A fire genasi paladin... almost as if my great leader has... *Suffers from yet another existential crisis on the outside as a dark realisation strikes him in the face* Wait... Hellish... r-r-rebuke?! I know what that disgusting spell is. I know that warlocks of the evil kind (Not you Ethan promise) are able to use this awful spell. But... if 'Stupid Rixi' is a paladin just like the real one then... *GASP* no... he's an oathbreaker isn't he? I've seen those kind of dark warriors in the past and... I know how brutal they can become. I've seen countless of innocent victims falling under the hands of those heartless beasts. In fact... it almost seems that... Rixi... he couldn't have... he's still here but... even as we're fighting the Cult of the Dragons... he has broken his oath long ago before the war even started?! Was what he was hiding behind our backs ever since... Oh no... *His fox ear droop in fear, wondering what would have happened if he, Yuri and his mother actually came here only to realise that the only non-fox adventurer was also an oath broken paladin* NO! *He punches himself* He says he hasn't broken his oath yet! He on the verge of doing so but he hasn't lost faith. And...
However, as they talk about their history with the fiery genasi, his expression darkens. As soon as they mentioned paladin, his first thought was that Cezars could be of the oath of vengeance. His personality certainly would have fit, but then they mention the spell hellish rebuke... "Are... you sure? Are you sure he used hellish rebuke?" He shifts uncomfortably. "Paladin's shouldn't be able to use that spell. Not if they've held true to their oath. Which means that..." He trails off. If Cezars really is an Oathbreaker, then he really shouldn't be in the position he's in now. How can he be trusted with the power he has if he strayed from the path? Not to mention all the actions that he's heard about. He almost feels bad for Elmars, considering he Duke might not be able to remove Cezars even if he wanted to.
He lets out a shaky breath. Part of him is extremely thankful that they didn't have to fight the genasi at the checkpoint, but another part of him feels like he should have dealt with the Oathbreaker then and there. Either way, finding out about this situation clearly bothers him on a near personal degree. Really, he doesn't know if he should be angry at his once-brother, or just sorry for him. The question remains though... should he confront him? Would he be able to stand up to him if he did? There really is no telling how powerful the fallen paladin could be, or if Alex could match him. Likely, he's leagues ahead of Alexander in terms of skill and raw power, so would it really be smart to face him? Of course, the smart thing might not be the right thing to do.
I noticed Alex has become unstable at the thought of breaking his oath. Trust me pal, you're not the only one who fears about this transition; Rixi suffers from this thought everyday despite his steadfast refusal to tell me and the others about his issue. I'm honestly very thankful that he's still an Oath of Vengeance at most. I wish I could help, but even so my entire religious is lacking, despite being revered as a shrine spirit of some sort in Japan ironically... but then again... Alex... he reminds me of Rixi a lot. A paladin aspiring to be a leader despite being of a different race, I bet he's the same age as him right? *He slowly shuffles over to Alex upon noticing his uncomfortable posture* "I'm not sure what to say but... you are definitely not like the fire guy we just encountered. Your heart is a lot stronger than this, and we all wish that you don't end up following the same spiral that he took. Alex... don't lose hope. Not when the journey has begun. Please" I honestly had no idea why I blurted this stupid message, but hopefully he gets what I'm trying to assure, even if it's just for a brief moment.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The Wildland Shifters Daisy Ethalena- Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer) Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade) Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer(Clockwork Soul); Lancea Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance) Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars) Yurime Hanasaki- Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
The elf seems to give no notice to any odd looks Venet might give him with those thoughts of Princes and Princesses. In fact he looks utterly oblivious, maybe a little too oblivious. "Really? You think so?"
His attention shifts to the sopping wet bandits as they rejoin their merry little band. Great! They've made an enemy that they will likely never get rid of! Fantastic! It's not like he doesn't have enough of those already.
Shugo doesn't even try to figure out why the genasi can cast such a spell. Magic isn't his forte, so let the magic people think about it. For all he knows or cares, the guy could just be a warlock masquerading as a Paladin.
After Renar has his crisis, he might notice that Shugo is watching him with an odd expression. The elf has been watching him the entire time thinking, "Why the heck does this guy keep punching himself? That doesn't seem very smart..." The thought that the shifter might be thinking of another person never crosses his mind. "And why in the world did he just say that out of the blue message to Alexander?" Yeah the kid looks troubled, but that's probably just because he realized that not all knights are the kind that wear shining armor.
Venet glancesat Alexander as he speaks, coming to the same understanding.
"No, they shouldn't be able to," she affirms. "Are you alright, Xander?"
Alex blinks, pulling himself out of wherever his thoughts had gone. "Oh... yeah. I just..." He grips his forearms, looking away briefly, "I don't know. Its like... I've heard of Oathbreakers--it isn't like they are some sort of myth, it just always makes uncomfortable. How can you just turn your back on God and the oaths that you've sworn? I doubt that Cezars was of the same order as me, but... well..." He isn't exactly sure how to explain his feelings, considering that he's getting the idea he might be the only really religious one out of the group.
I noticed Alex has become unstable at the thought of breaking his oath. Trust me pal, you're not the only one who fears about this transition; Rixi suffers from this thought everyday despite his steadfast refusal to tell me and the others about his issue. I'm honestly very thankful that he's still an Oath of Vengeance at most. I wish I could help, but even so my entire religious is lacking, despite being revered as a shrine spirit of some sort in Japan ironically... but then again... Alex... he reminds me of Rixi a lot. A paladin aspiring to be a leader despite being of a different race, I bet he's the same age as him right? *He slowly shuffles over to Alex upon noticing his uncomfortable posture* "I'm not sure what to say but... you are definitely not like the fire guy we just encountered. Your heart is a lot stronger than this, and we all wish that you don't end up following the same spiral that he took. Alex... don't lose hope. Not when the journey has begun. Please" I honestly had no idea why I blurted this stupid message, but hopefully he gets what I'm trying to assure, even if it's just for a brief moment.
Then Renar speaks up... causing Alex to give pause for a moment... Does Renar think he's wondering what would happen if he were to break his own oath? In truth, Alex always considered himself too steadfast to even think about stepping off the path. The idea frightens him far too much to even consider a reason to do so. But, Renar is just trying to cheer him up, so he offers a smile and says, "Oh... thanks." He shifts a little, clearly still not over his feelings, "Really I... well I'm wondering if I should confront Cezars. I don't know if there is a way to lead him back to the right path... and well, as far as I know the Church where I swore my oath hasn't dealt with an Oathbreaker before, so I'm not sure if there is any way for... well a prodigal son to return home- so to speak. I also don't know if Cezars has been confronted by anyone from his Church, or if he's just running rampant. So... well I don't know if it would be right for me to confront him, or if it is really my place to do so. But, part of me feels duty bound to do something." He lets out a long breath, "But I don't want to get you all involved in something like that. I guess you could say it's a 'Paladin problem' and just leave it to me. I just have to make up my mind." As he speaks, his eyes drift upward, as if expecting the fallen paladin to appear somewhere on his black griffon.
Quickly, he realizes that his tone shifted back to... depression? Really? Could he call it that? No, more grief than depression. Grief for a brother who's gone off the path. But regardless, his comrades don't realize or understand that feeling... well, he's assuming they don't but he could be wrong. Right now all he knows is that he's dampening everyone's spirits and he doesn't like that. He's supposed to keep a smile on his face and be the light where there isn't a light. So he clasps his hands together and says, "Don't worry though! Everything will work out, I'm sure of it!" He gives Renar a sidelong glance saying, "I'll keep a steady hold on hope. And not just for myself either." His smile is shakier then normal, but aside from that he's back to his usual demeanor.
The elf seems to give no notice to any odd looks Venet might give him with those thoughts of Princes and Princesses. In fact he looks utterly oblivious, maybe a little too oblivious. "Really? You think so?"
"I do, it gets around the issues we've been facing, gets a few actual bad guys off the road, and we still get a letter of recommendation."
"Don't worry though! Everything will work out, I'm sure of it!" He gives Renar a sidelong glance saying, "I'll keep a steady hold on hope. And not just for myself either." His smile is shakier then normal, but aside from that he's back to his usual demeanor.
"It'll be alright Xander," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When you do decide something let us know, okay? I'm sure a few of us would like to help settle things." She then pulls him into a hug for a few moments before releasing him.
Then Renar speaks up... causing Alex to give pause for a moment... Does Renar think he's wondering what would happen if he were to break his own oath? In truth, Alex always considered himself too steadfast to even think about stepping off the path. The idea frightens him far too much to even consider a reason to do so. But, Renar is just trying to cheer him up, so he offers a smile and says, "Oh... thanks." He shifts a little, clearly still not over his feelings, "Really I... well I'm wondering if I should confront Cezars. I don't know if there is a way to lead him back to the right path... and well, as far as I know the Church where I swore my oath hasn't dealt with an Oathbreaker before, so I'm not sure if there is any way for... well a prodigal son to return home- so to speak. I also don't know if Cezars has been confronted by anyone from his Church, or if he's just running rampant. So... well I don't know if it would be right for me to confront him, or if it is really my place to do so. But, part of me feels duty bound to do something." He lets out a long breath, "But I don't want to get you all involved in something like that. I guess you could say it's a 'Paladin problem' and just leave it to me. I just have to make up my mind." As he speaks, his eyes drift upward, as if expecting the fallen paladin to appear somewhere on his black griffon.
There is one place that might be able to help with that: Sarkanais Church, located inside Madura Fortress, the place where Elmars and Olga will marry each other, and also a place that might have overseen Cezars' process of becoming a Paladin.
The church works in a hierarchical way, just like duchies and kingdoms, except it applies to a global scale. Smaller town churches listen to Provincial Churches (with Sarkanais Church being one of them), Provincial Churches listen to Kingdom Churches (in the case of Kerwos, it's Vējš Cathredal in Vārti), Kingdom Churches listen to Regional or Superregional Church (in the case of Perkwunos, it's Pääkau Cathedral in the Kingdom of Arusa, which is a country north from here), and Regional or Superregional Church listens to Order of the Shepherd, the council of the most powerful Clerics and Paladins in all of Lancea, located in Asima, Lower Sehul, a subregion far, far from Perkwunos.
There is no need to contact Order of the Shepherd, though, it's like calling the president because your neighbour stole from your porch, just having a talk with Sarkanais Church would be enough. Besides, Madura Fortress is open to the public, so you might have a chance to scout the area before the inevitable confrontation between The People's Army and Elmars—literally hitting two birds with one stone.
Madura is the military capital of Kerwos, a lot of guards are trained there, even ones outside of the Duchy of Rauna, you might be able to meet your wolf friend again there, but that also means you might bump into Cezars... if you decide not to defeat him right now, that is. Picking a fight with guards (or a guard picking a fight with you) in the middle of Elmars' capital isn't exactly a good idea.
Speaking of which, as you idly walk along the cart, the road in front of you makes a sharp hairpin turn, and you hear noises from your right.
"I'll ask this once again: WHERE ARE THE BANDITS!?" That's the voice of Cezars, who's shouting at the top of his lungs. Maybe being an Oathbreaker gives you resistance to throat damage too.
"W-what are you talking about, mister? I'm just a pelmeni seller, j-just trying to deliver my order!" You immediately recognise that voice, it's the halfling pelmeni lady who sold you food when you arrived here for the first time.
"Õver á el o rahar de me garras é võ!"You hear a screech, that's his gryphon.
"Listen to me or my gryphon will rake you with her claws! Have you seen two Kenkus and a kobold around here!?" Cezars shouts again.
"I-I-I don't know... may I offer you a barrel of kvass in these tiring times?" A few seconds later, you hear a sound of slapping, "Ow! That hurts!"
"If you don't answer me now, I'm going to cast your stupid food into the fire and destroy it, and then your body will be next. Do you think I'm playing around, HUH?"
"How am I supposed to know that? I literally came here a few minutes and you—" The pelmeni lady's dialogue is interrupted by more sounds of punching, kicking, and shouting.
Your People's Army companion gulps, they quickly park the cart on the side of the road. Radions (who is the only one completely unfazed by all of this) summons a vine from the tip of his staff and hooks it on the branch of a large oak tree, that's an improvised rope, strong enough to carry the weight of everyone.
"So... guys?"Lavīzelooks at the rest of the protagonist, "Do you want to book it or do you want to book that guy's face?"
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
"It'll be alright Xander," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When you do decide something let us know, okay? I'm sure a few of us would like to help settle things." She then pulls him into a hug for a few moments before releasing him.
"Thanks Venet," Alex gives a small and genuine smile.
As they make their way down the road, Alex considers heading to the Church once they reach the capitol. It would be best if he could get to the bottom of this without violence after all, and for all he knows the church might already be fully aware of Cezars. Still, he has to do something...
And then they hear the Oathbreaker up ahead, causing Alex to stop in his tracks. His eyes go wide at the sound of the pelmeni seller being assaulted. He won't stand for this.
Without a word, he leaps into action. Gritting his teeth, he jumps forward--that glowing pair of wings bursting from his shoulders and carrying him quickly down the road to where the sounds and voices are coming from. Once the Oathbreaker is in sight, he will land beside the halfling saleswoman and push her gently behind him (or do whatever is necessary to get her away from the genasi). "That's enough," he growls, eyes alight with an anger that seems extremely out of place on his usually pleasant face. "You have no right to treat citizens like this. I don't care what rank you are, or who put you there. This is not okay."
His sword is already drawn, he drew it before landing without really thinking about it. Holding his sword to where it is between the halfling and the genasi, the holy emblem emblazoned on the front of his tabard shows up starkly, he wants Cezars to know he is dealing with another paladin.
"Don't worry though! Everything will work out, I'm sure of it!" He gives Renar a sidelong glance saying, "I'll keep a steady hold on hope. And not just for myself either." His smile is shakier then normal, but aside from that he's back to his usual demeanor.
"It'll be alright Xander," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When you do decide something let us know, okay? I'm sure a few of us would like to help settle things." She then pulls him into a hug for a few moments before releasing him.
*He smirks back at Alex but then Inadvertently looks away from Venet's affection* UGH... don't just act lovey dovey on Alex; i know he's a popular guy and but I'm either gonna puke or wish that Yuri was the one hugging and kissing me with her tails wrapped around my... *His fox ears twitch when he hears a familiar shouting voice* Huh?
Speaking of which, as you idly walk along the cart, the road in front of you makes a sharp hairpin turn, and you hear noises from your right.
"I'll ask this once again: WHERE ARE THE BANDITS!?" That's the voice of Cezars, who's shouting at the top of his lungs. Maybe being an Oathbreaker gives you resistance to throat damage too.
"W-what are you talking about, mister? I'm just a pelmeni seller, j-just trying to deliver my order!" You immediately recognise that voice, it's the halfling pelmeni lady who sold you food when you arrived here for the first time.
"Õver á el o rahar de me garras é võ!"You hear a screech, that's his gryphon.
"Listen to me or my gryphon will rake you with her claws! Have you seen two Kenkus and a kobold around here!?" Cezars shouts again.
"I-I-I don't know... may I offer you a barrel of kvass in these tiring times?" A few seconds later, you hear a sound of slapping, "Ow! That hurts!"
"If you don't answer me now, I'm going to cast your stupid food into the fire and destroy it, and then your body will be next. Do you think I'm playing around, HUH?"
"How am I supposed to know that? I literally came here a few minutes and you—" The pelmeni lady's dialogue is interrupted by more sounds of punching, kicking, and shouting.
You... piece of... Stupid... Rixi?! *And once again, he starts growling like a hungry fox; His tail that has remained hidden also sticks upward in anger* This... stupid baka (Idiot in Japanese)... Wait... isn't that... isn't that the gyoza lady?! What did she even do you huh? You... absolute! *His left hand grips his katana sheath so tightly that if anyone were standing on his left, they immediately notice that his arm is vibrating violtently* Thankfully at least I have some plan of attack as I open my shaky voice... "Alright... I'd say we stealth behind him and ambush-"
And then they hear the Oathbreaker up ahead, causing Alex to stop in his tracks. His eyes go wide at the sound of the pelmeni seller being assaulted. He won't stand for this.
Without a word, he leaps into action. Gritting his teeth, he jumps forward--that glowing pair of wings bursting from his shoulders and carrying him quickly down the road to where the sounds and voices are coming from. Once the Oathbreaker is in sight, he will land beside the halfling saleswoman and push her gently behind him (or do whatever is necessary to get her away from the genasi). "That's enough," he growls, eyes alight with an anger that seems extremely out of place on his usually pleasant face. "You have no right to treat citizens like this. I don't care what rank you are, or who put you there. This is not okay."
His sword is already drawn, he drew it before landing without really thinking about it. Holding his sword to where it is between the halfling and the genasi, the holy emblem emblazoned on the front of his tabard shows up starkly, he wants Cezars to know he is dealing with another paladin.
...Or not. *Gasps at Alex's bold approach* Alex what are you doing?! You're not strong like the real Rixi! You're gonna get yourself killed like that if you jump in recklessly! Sigh... so much for a stealth mission. *He was about to approach after him slowly when Lavize speaks up and unintentionally ticks him off*
Your People's Army companion gulps, they quickly park the cart on the side of the road. Radions (who is the only one completely unfazed by all of this) summons a vine from the tip of his staff and hooks it on the branch of a large oak tree, that's an improvised rope, strong enough to carry the weight of everyone.
"So... guys?"Lavīzelooks at the rest of the protagonist, "Do you want to book it or do you want to book that guy's face?"
*Furious that the People's Army bandits are choosing to run rather than hone their skills and fight, he aggressively shoves Lavize aside if she's standing next to him and gives each of them a death glare as his yellow eyes glow* "Unless if you guys are willing to book yourselves into jail, either hone your skills and join the fight or get out of my way and out of our sight. And I mean it!" I snarl in my most hostile tone ever as I stride towards 'Stupid Rixi' whilst I imagine the real one plus my other comrades striding beside me. In fact, what Alex did... he reminds me of the real Rixi too... always jumping in to save others whenever trouble stirs, even if it puts his own life in danger. That's what I admire about both paladins... Anyway...
"HEY! I THOUGHT ALEX SAID TO COOL IT OFF, BAKA! WHAT HAS SHE DONE WRONG TO YOU?! YOU WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE HOW YOU ALWAYS TREAT OTHERS ESPECAILLY WITH WOLFIE?! THEN WHO'S GONNA SERVE THOSE TASTY DUMPLINGS IN THE FUTURE?! YOU?!"I yell. If he tries to attack I will active bladesong before I will swiftly unsheathe my katana and draw first blood on him. *He glances at the griffin whilst his katana crackles yellow and he steps beside Alex and the Pelmeni halfling in case* That poor beast though... I don't know if she's really following and believing his orders blindly but... maybe she could be convinced to see the other side of the same coin so that we might have another friend...
"Looks like we've decided!" she says, running off after Alex and Ren. She pulls her lyre free as she runs, her fingers strumming the cords.Casting Faerie Fire: Dex Save 14
Shugo cringes at hearing the voice of that blasted Fire genasi. Of course they couldn't just lose him on the trail. He was perfectly prepared to simply ignore the situation until...he heard the woman's voice. That woman had given him free food, and he was certainly not going to stand around and let that jerk bully such a pure soul!!! Just as fast as the others, he dashes to the innocent food-seller's side with Alex and Renar on his left, and Venet close by, the four of them effectively formed a wall. The elf has his dragon hilted blade in his hand in a flash, he himself standing ready, the tension in his body coiled like a serpent ready to strike. A completely different demeanor than the others are used to seeing from Shugo. "And You call yourself a Paladin." He says, in a low menacing tone, with hard, amber eyes fixed on the genasi. "If anyone should be thrown in jail here, it should be you! You say your hunting for bandits, you are supposed to be protecting these people, and yet you go around causing your own kind of trouble, taking out your anger on innocent bystanders! DO YOU HAVE NO HONOR?!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Janina (Pelmeni lady)
Cezars and his mount turn their head towards the rest of the party... except Bloom, this might be a bit too much for her and she's probably hiding with the bandits right now. Behind him is a field with a farmhouse, it's still in pristine condition, but it looks like it was abandoned some time ago. He has the halfling merchant in a chokehold, and upon seeing you, he throws her to the side—she has some bruises here and there, but nothing too major to worry about.
"And You call yourself a Paladin." He says, in a low menacing tone, with hard, amber eyes fixed on the genasi. "If anyone should be thrown in jail here, it should be you! You say your hunting for bandits, you are supposed to be protecting these people, and yet you go around causing your own kind of trouble, taking out your anger on innocent bystanders! DO YOU HAVE NO HONOR?!"
"And what are you going to do about it, knife-ear?"Cezars point his sabre at Shugo. "First, you refuse to comply at the border checkpoint, and now you're threatening an officer of the law!? The only honour in this world is the word of the law, not from God or anything else!" Maybe that's why he got his Paladin privileges revoked, he's so obsessed with law and order that he 'accidentally' broke his oath.
His gryphon goes into a battle stance, even though animals here can speak they're still wild at heart. Gryphons live in a pack system similar to wolves, they will protect who they consider their kind until their last breath, which is why they're popular among flying cavaliers, their undying loyalty and bravery make them an excellent mount.
"She helps those criminals, I saw a black feather in her cart, she's helping those three bandits to safety, and anyone who helps a criminal DESERVES TO BE PUNISH!" His sabre glows with a black flame-like aura, when Paladins like him channel their energy, it usually glows with warm, yellow light, the colour of holy energy. Even without sensing it, you all know what's glowing in that blade is a necrotic one.
"What are you talking about—"The halfling merchant interrupts, still lying on the ground, but her words are quickly countered by Cezars'
"SILENCE, WOMAN!" Cezars screams. Before he can charge at the group, though, that's when the hooded boy starts to speak.
"HEY! I THOUGHT ALEX SAID TO COOL IT OFF, BAKA! WHAT HAS SHE DONE WRONG TO YOU?! YOU WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE HOW YOU ALWAYS TREAT OTHERS ESPECAILLY WITH WOLFIE?! THEN WHO'S GONNA SERVE THOSE TASTY GYOZAS IN THE FUTURE?! YOU?!"I yell. If he tries to attack I will active bladesong before I will swiftly unsheathe my katana and draw first blood on him. *He glances at the griffin whilst his katana crackles yellow and he steps beside Alex and the Pelmeni halfling in case* That poor beast though... I don't know if she's really following and believing his orders blindly but... maybe she could be convinced to see the other side of the same coin so that we might have another friend...
"Pfft... BWAHAHAHAHA!" Cezars laughs, slapping Felića's neck because it's just so funny. The gryphon awkwardly stares back at him, "Baka? Are you so afraid of me that you started speaking gibberish?" He stops laughing and back to his serious self, which isn't that serious anyway, since he's grinning like a clown right now, "The thing is... I know what you are, baka. You don't want anyone to see your face or your skin, almost as if you're afraid of your identity. It could only mean one thing, and that is you're a Changeling!" He points at Renar(s), "I guess thereis only one way for me to find out!" His mount rears, it's time to duel.
Being a Changeling in Lancea isn't that big of a deal, people might act surprised, but they never prosecute anyone because of their race after the Second Planetary War ended. It'd be nearly impossible to find out, anyway. Changelings reveal their true form when they die (or when they're about to die), and people don't make a big deal out of it. After all, they're still people, they just don't have their own form, that's all.
OOC Note:
Mounted combat works a bit like Pathfinder 2e here: riders can order their mounts to attack using a Bonus Action and the mount acts on the same turn as the rider's initiative. If you have access to Find Steed, then you can do something like Cezars and other mounted enemies do. I'll roll initiative for Felića anyway in case Cezars got knocked out of his mount.
By the way, place yourselves in a green box in Owlbear Rodeo.
Initiative:
Since Venet had already casted Faerie Fire, I'll consider her turn done for Round 1.
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
"FYI, baka means idiot in my "gibberish", which how you're behaving like now, Stupid Rixi!" I snarl back as I detach my katana sheath without pulling my katana out of it just yet, causing it to glow bright yellow in accordance with my own eyes. Oh well... this is the second time he's got my actual race wrong, and I'm super relieved to hear that. But even so, that doesn't mean I let my guard down again; Guess it's time to quote loveless with a hint of hostility this time. "My friend... All that awaits you is a somber morrow, no matter where the winds may blow... Now get lost!" *Bladesong activates upon saying now get lost; Renar's AC increases to 18, his walking speed increases by 10ft and he has an extra +4 to concentration checks*
But... as always, since I'm glassy, I'll have to play defensive first, meaning that I need to make myself harder to hit for sure. Maybe I should whack him out of his mount... or not.
"Genei no katachi... Kaihi! (幻影の形: 回避!)"*Disadvantage on all attacks against him*
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
The Wildland Shifters Daisy Ethalena- Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer) Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade) Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer(Clockwork Soul); Lancea Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance) Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars) Yurime Hanasaki- Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
Alex lets out a breath, composing himself. "The law means nothing if the one enforcing it is lawless." His blade lights up, the golden glow creeping down its length--ready to combat the necrotic darkness of the once-paladin's saber. "And you, Cezars, clearly need to take a look in the mirror. What is the purpose of keeping your precious law if all you use it for is to hurt others? Who are you protecting here?"
He lifts his wings, stepping forward and placing both hands on his sword, one on the hilt and the other on the pommel to guide the blade. "God decides what is good, and without him then what defines the law?" For a moment, his anger fades to pity, "I am sorry you lost your way, but I cannot allow you to take out your unwarranted anger on the innocent." Then his expression hardens again, the light from his sword blazes brightly, and he braces himself for whatever is yet to come.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Round 1
Cezars flies his gryphon 15 ft to the group. His mount slides on an angle as they come to a stop in front of the group, the fire Genasi stares at Alex. "Well, lookie here, looks like we have ourselves a man of God."The smirk on his face turns into a scowl, "I will find out where your Church is and I will burn it to the ground, Felića, attack!"
The gryphon spins around and strikes Alex with her claws, Cezars touches his chest, and a burst of dark energy surrounds the area.
But behind them, the halfling merchant that was on the ground is back up on her feet, she makes a running jump and attempts to dropkick Cezars off his mount.
Without looking, the man backhands the halfling lady away, she flies off the target, and her head hits a rock on the ground with a sickening crunch, and blood pools out from her body.
He and his mount zips behind Alex, Cezars thrust his sword through the Aasimar's armour, piercing his heart and beyond. Alex slowly slides off the sabre into the ground, his holy symbol broken.
Renar tries to strike him from behind with his katana, but again, Cezars blocks it without looking. His gryphon turns around and grabs Renar by his tail, hanging him upside down, then she proceeds to slash him in his chest, over, over, and over, until his consciousness is no more and throws him to the ground.
Cezars rides toward Venet, his mount grabs her by the shoulder and flies into the sky. A few seconds later, the Triton's body plummets to the earth below, again, with a sickening crunch. That leaves Shugo alone, completely unscratched, with all of his teammates barely alive. At least, there must be someone who lives to tell the tale. But in a split second, your journey to the artefact ends.
Or... is it?
Your 'vision' ends and everything returns to normal. You find yourself standing in a line at the same spot earlier, your body is unscratched with not a single bit of injury... for now. It's... strange, you swear all those hits were real yet it isn't. You might be physically fine, but mentally? That's to be decided.
Cezars flies his gryphon 15 ft to the group. His mount slides on an angle as they come to a stop in front of the group, the fire Genasi stares at Alex. "Well, lookie here, looks like we have ourselves a man of God." The smirk on his face turns into a scowl, "I will find out where your Church is and I will burn it to the ground, Felića, attack!"
The gryphon spins around and strikes Alex horizontally across his chest, but this time, the hit is actually real. Welcome back to reality, my protagonists.
Cezars
Action: Dreadful Aspect. As an action, each creature within 30 feet of this creature must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If a frightened target ends its turn more than 30 feet away from the creature, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Bonus Action: Telling his gryphon mount to attack Alex with Claws: 10 to hit, 5 slashing damage.
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
—Richard Dawkins
DM—Stories From The End of The World: Episode I
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Shugo seems perfectly satisfied with himself, and has clearly already put the situation behind them. Plus he seems completely fine with Renar seeming not to care about him being nobility. It's not a big deal, so no need to make it one.
He nearly stops in his tracks at Alex's proposal. Then he laughs, "You know, I just had a thought! Birdie Boy never specified that he wanted us to catch the People's Army. He just called them Bandits. If we go ahead and catch those three, then technically we completed the job. Hah! Meanwhile, we can see what our new friends would want from us in order to get a letter of recommendation from their leader."
Venet wonders, if you marry a prince, does that make you a princess?
"That is a very clever idea, I think it might work."
I overheard the others discussing on what to do next. Honestly, if those kenku-kobold trio are just a straight-up nuisance instead of actual threats, I'd say we just leave them be for now and continue ahead. Besides, would those three be affiliated with the people's army guys as well? Or do we actually need to subdue them once they start causing trouble?
"She's right." I softly speak once my fears have been temporarily banished. "Unless if our bandit allies have something else to do, we need to find route 702 if we want to see that antisocial tortoise. But..." *He unsteadily shifts his katana yet again before clearing his throat* Our deadline is the 16th April so we still have time to do so but not much. And yeah, that wolfie said there might be kenkus and kobolds trying to fulfill the role of what we thought the allies we currently have are doing, only more malicious. Stay on guard." Though, what Shugo said, he's got a point. Elmar didn't actually specify which bandits he tasked us to capture; My original plan was to convince our allies to play along by the time that bird brain returns and then we go undercover inide the jail cells whilst we free them and discover what lies underneath his facade; In way, rescuing them from a sentence all the while gathering info about possible lies and corruption seems like a win-win on paper for me, but, I have to remember that I'm doing this with four other warriors so it doesn't seem all the more practical as of right now.
The Wildland Shifters
Daisy Ethalena - Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer)
Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade)
Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer (Clockwork Soul); Lancea
Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea
Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance)
Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars)
Yurime Hanasaki - Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
A while later, the five of you arrive at the other end of the bridge. You drive your cart for a little bit to really, really get out of the view, then you meet up with the People's Army, who's soaking wet with both water from the river and sweats from their sweat glances.
"Phew, I'll tell Zelta to build more bridges once she becomes the queen." Lavīze shakes herself like a wet dog, "So... what happened?"
After you tell the gang what happened at the bridge (assuming you do), they just stare at you wordlessly for a few minutes. Their jaws agape as if they are frozen in time.
Breaking the silence, Veno raises his hands and speaks first. "First of all... nice job negotiating with the guards, when I saw Cezars, I'm pretty sure you were screwed... and you are still screwed, since he's probably out there, flying around this area and looking for bandits—like, actual bandits."
Glorija sighs, "We have a history with him, as you can already tell, we spend a lot of time in and out of jail, and he's the main reason why we kept getting arrested. It's not that he's very strong, but he never gives up. If you make him angry—to be frank, he's angry at pretty much everyone out there—he will never stop chasing you until you're in his hands, and then he will beat you into submission."
Lavīze taps her elf friend on her shoulder, "Correction: he's already angry at you five. Even if you don't stop him from beating that wolf-eared guy, he'd be angry at you anyway. To him, there are only two types of people: enemies and victims." She shrugs, "I have no idea how Elmars didn't fire him yet, I guess he's afraid that he will burn his feather to ashes." She might be half-joking here since animal races do go above and beyond to ensure that their fur or feathers are clean.
"Both Cezars and the bandit trio won't get very far from here, there aren't a lot of settlements and the forest is thick. We can move on, but it's likely that we will run into him in the future or you could try to search for him right now and defeat him, it's your call." Says Elvīns, "Keep in mind that we will stay out of Cezars' sight in order to not aggravate him any further, but if things go south, we'll try to save you as best as we can."
"Hold on!" Veno calls out and everyone turns to look at him, "I just realised... he hit you with Hellish Rebuke last time, right, Helene?"
"Yeah..." The dwarf rubs her arm, "And it stings."
"I have a theory—he can cast spells while he's wearing heavy armour, not many spellcasters can do that... except a Paladin" And other subclasses too, but Paladin is the first thing that comes to Veno's mind. "I have no idea what order he's sworn in, though. What do you say, Alex?"
For Alex and anyone who passes a DC10 Arcana or DC10 Religion check:
Cezars isn't a Paladin, he was a Paladin.
You know it in your heart, you were taught to recite it when you were young, it's the most sacred thing, decreed and written by God Himself. Every Paladin is bonded by an oath of some kind, whether to protect innocent people, deliver justice, or simply be kind to others—it's all different for every order out there.
However, there are some who are led astray, some who went too far, and those are called Oathbreakers—traitors of the word of God, your brothers who have gone too far and stepped beyond the line. They are consumed with anger and sin, which perfectly matches the behaviour of Cezars, there might not be a dark aura radiating from him, but his behaviour says otherwise.
There are specific spells that can only be cast by an Oathbreaker, and Hellish Rebuke is one of them. He might act like someone who had sworn Oath of Vengeance or Oath of Conquest at first, but both orders can't cast Hellish Rebuke, and that leaves only one option.
Muphrid is still high in the sky, so you still have time to confront Cezars. You'll arrive in Dulaururu tomorrow evening anyway, that's where Route 702 starts, but you can keep following bandits to their base at the end of Route 700 and continue on Route 701, which is much faster than Route 702.
(A map in case anyone forgets about it:)
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
—Richard Dawkins
DM—Stories From The End of The World: Episode I
Alexander grins when their friends meet up with them. They didn't need help after all! Thats good. Otherwise he doesn't know what they would have done to help them in. There were too many close calls as it was.
However, as they talk about their history with the fiery genasi, his expression darkens. As soon as they mentioned paladin, his first thought was that Cezars could be of the oath of vengeance. His personality certainly would have fit, but then they mention the spell hellish rebuke... "Are... you sure? Are you sure he used hellish rebuke?" He shifts uncomfortably. "Paladin's shouldn't be able to use that spell. Not if they've held true to their oath. Which means that..." He trails off. If Cezars really is an Oathbreaker, then he really shouldn't be in the position he's in now. How can he be trusted with the power he has if he strayed from the path? Not to mention all the actions that he's heard about. He almost feels bad for Elmars, considering he Duke might not be able to remove Cezars even if he wanted to.
He lets out a shaky breath. Part of him is extremely thankful that they didn't have to fight the genasi at the checkpoint, but another part of him feels like he should have dealt with the Oathbreaker then and there. Either way, finding out about this situation clearly bothers him on a near personal degree. Really, he doesn't know if he should be angry at his once-brother, or just sorry for him. The question remains though... should he confront him? Would he be able to stand up to him if he did? There really is no telling how powerful the fallen paladin could be, or if Alex could match him. Likely, he's leagues ahead of Alexander in terms of skill and raw power, so would it really be smart to face him? Of course, the smart thing might not be the right thing to do.
He crosses his arms, brow farrowed as he considers his options, and his gaze is directed at the ground.
Venet glancesat Alexander as he speaks, coming to the same understanding.
"No, they shouldn't be able to," she affirms. "Are you alright, Xander?"
It took me a while to digest what those weirdos were discussing about 'Stupid Rixi', but after some processing, I felt my heart sinking even faster than um... there was a boat that Rixi and Ethan mentioned that sank when it got struck by an iceberg in their world. What was it again? I can't remember... Anyways, my heart sank even faster than that so-called 'unsinkable' boat. He's a paladin like him and Alex? A fire genasi paladin... almost as if my great leader has... *Suffers from yet another existential crisis on the outside as a dark realisation strikes him in the face* Wait... Hellish... r-r-rebuke?! I know what that disgusting spell is. I know that warlocks of the evil kind (Not you Ethan promise) are able to use this awful spell. But... if 'Stupid Rixi' is a paladin just like the real one then... *GASP* no... he's an oathbreaker isn't he? I've seen those kind of dark warriors in the past and... I know how brutal they can become. I've seen countless of innocent victims falling under the hands of those heartless beasts. In fact... it almost seems that... Rixi... he couldn't have... he's still here but... even as we're fighting the Cult of the Dragons... he has broken his oath long ago before the war even started?! Was what he was hiding behind our backs ever since... Oh no... *His fox ear droop in fear, wondering what would have happened if he, Yuri and his mother actually came here only to realise that the only non-fox adventurer was also an oath broken paladin* NO! *He punches himself* He says he hasn't broken his oath yet! He on the verge of doing so but he hasn't lost faith. And...
I noticed Alex has become unstable at the thought of breaking his oath. Trust me pal, you're not the only one who fears about this transition; Rixi suffers from this thought everyday despite his steadfast refusal to tell me and the others about his issue. I'm honestly very thankful that he's still an Oath of Vengeance at most. I wish I could help, but even so my entire religious is lacking, despite being revered as a shrine spirit of some sort in Japan ironically... but then again... Alex... he reminds me of Rixi a lot. A paladin aspiring to be a leader despite being of a different race, I bet he's the same age as him right? *He slowly shuffles over to Alex upon noticing his uncomfortable posture* "I'm not sure what to say but... you are definitely not like the fire guy we just encountered. Your heart is a lot stronger than this, and we all wish that you don't end up following the same spiral that he took. Alex... don't lose hope. Not when the journey has begun. Please" I honestly had no idea why I blurted this stupid message, but hopefully he gets what I'm trying to assure, even if it's just for a brief moment.
The Wildland Shifters
Daisy Ethalena - Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer)
Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade)
Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer (Clockwork Soul); Lancea
Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea
Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance)
Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars)
Yurime Hanasaki - Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
The elf seems to give no notice to any odd looks Venet might give him with those thoughts of Princes and Princesses. In fact he looks utterly oblivious, maybe a little too oblivious. "Really? You think so?"
His attention shifts to the sopping wet bandits as they rejoin their merry little band. Great! They've made an enemy that they will likely never get rid of! Fantastic! It's not like he doesn't have enough of those already.
Shugo doesn't even try to figure out why the genasi can cast such a spell. Magic isn't his forte, so let the magic people think about it. For all he knows or cares, the guy could just be a warlock masquerading as a Paladin.
After Renar has his crisis, he might notice that Shugo is watching him with an odd expression. The elf has been watching him the entire time thinking, "Why the heck does this guy keep punching himself? That doesn't seem very smart..." The thought that the shifter might be thinking of another person never crosses his mind. "And why in the world did he just say that out of the blue message to Alexander?" Yeah the kid looks troubled, but that's probably just because he realized that not all knights are the kind that wear shining armor.
Alex blinks, pulling himself out of wherever his thoughts had gone. "Oh... yeah. I just..." He grips his forearms, looking away briefly, "I don't know. Its like... I've heard of Oathbreakers--it isn't like they are some sort of myth, it just always makes uncomfortable. How can you just turn your back on God and the oaths that you've sworn? I doubt that Cezars was of the same order as me, but... well..." He isn't exactly sure how to explain his feelings, considering that he's getting the idea he might be the only really religious one out of the group.
Then Renar speaks up... causing Alex to give pause for a moment... Does Renar think he's wondering what would happen if he were to break his own oath? In truth, Alex always considered himself too steadfast to even think about stepping off the path. The idea frightens him far too much to even consider a reason to do so. But, Renar is just trying to cheer him up, so he offers a smile and says, "Oh... thanks." He shifts a little, clearly still not over his feelings, "Really I... well I'm wondering if I should confront Cezars. I don't know if there is a way to lead him back to the right path... and well, as far as I know the Church where I swore my oath hasn't dealt with an Oathbreaker before, so I'm not sure if there is any way for... well a prodigal son to return home- so to speak. I also don't know if Cezars has been confronted by anyone from his Church, or if he's just running rampant. So... well I don't know if it would be right for me to confront him, or if it is really my place to do so. But, part of me feels duty bound to do something." He lets out a long breath, "But I don't want to get you all involved in something like that. I guess you could say it's a 'Paladin problem' and just leave it to me. I just have to make up my mind." As he speaks, his eyes drift upward, as if expecting the fallen paladin to appear somewhere on his black griffon.
Quickly, he realizes that his tone shifted back to... depression? Really? Could he call it that? No, more grief than depression. Grief for a brother who's gone off the path. But regardless, his comrades don't realize or understand that feeling... well, he's assuming they don't but he could be wrong. Right now all he knows is that he's dampening everyone's spirits and he doesn't like that. He's supposed to keep a smile on his face and be the light where there isn't a light. So he clasps his hands together and says, "Don't worry though! Everything will work out, I'm sure of it!" He gives Renar a sidelong glance saying, "I'll keep a steady hold on hope. And not just for myself either." His smile is shakier then normal, but aside from that he's back to his usual demeanor.
"I do, it gets around the issues we've been facing, gets a few actual bad guys off the road, and we still get a letter of recommendation."
"It'll be alright Xander," she says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When you do decide something let us know, okay? I'm sure a few of us would like to help settle things." She then pulls him into a hug for a few moments before releasing him.
There is one place that might be able to help with that: Sarkanais Church, located inside Madura Fortress, the place where Elmars and Olga will marry each other, and also a place that might have overseen Cezars' process of becoming a Paladin.
The church works in a hierarchical way, just like duchies and kingdoms, except it applies to a global scale. Smaller town churches listen to Provincial Churches (with Sarkanais Church being one of them), Provincial Churches listen to Kingdom Churches (in the case of Kerwos, it's Vējš Cathredal in Vārti), Kingdom Churches listen to Regional or Superregional Church (in the case of Perkwunos, it's Pääkau Cathedral in the Kingdom of Arusa, which is a country north from here), and Regional or Superregional Church listens to Order of the Shepherd, the council of the most powerful Clerics and Paladins in all of Lancea, located in Asima, Lower Sehul, a subregion far, far from Perkwunos.
There is no need to contact Order of the Shepherd, though, it's like calling the president because your neighbour stole from your porch, just having a talk with Sarkanais Church would be enough. Besides, Madura Fortress is open to the public, so you might have a chance to scout the area before the inevitable confrontation between The People's Army and Elmars—literally hitting two birds with one stone.
Madura is the military capital of Kerwos, a lot of guards are trained there, even ones outside of the Duchy of Rauna, you might be able to meet your wolf friend again there, but that also means you might bump into Cezars... if you decide not to defeat him right now, that is. Picking a fight with guards (or a guard picking a fight with you) in the middle of Elmars' capital isn't exactly a good idea.
Speaking of which, as you idly walk along the cart, the road in front of you makes a sharp hairpin turn, and you hear noises from your right.
"I'll ask this once again: WHERE ARE THE BANDITS!?" That's the voice of Cezars, who's shouting at the top of his lungs. Maybe being an Oathbreaker gives you resistance to throat damage too.
"W-what are you talking about, mister? I'm just a pelmeni seller, j-just trying to deliver my order!" You immediately recognise that voice, it's the halfling pelmeni lady who sold you food when you arrived here for the first time.
"Õver á el o rahar de me garras é võ!" You hear a screech, that's his gryphon.
"Listen to me or my gryphon will rake you with her claws! Have you seen two Kenkus and a kobold around here!?" Cezars shouts again.
"I-I-I don't know... may I offer you a barrel of kvass in these tiring times?" A few seconds later, you hear a sound of slapping, "Ow! That hurts!"
"If you don't answer me now, I'm going to cast your stupid food into the fire and destroy it, and then your body will be next. Do you think I'm playing around, HUH?"
"How am I supposed to know that? I literally came here a few minutes and you—" The pelmeni lady's dialogue is interrupted by more sounds of punching, kicking, and shouting.
Your People's Army companion gulps, they quickly park the cart on the side of the road. Radions (who is the only one completely unfazed by all of this) summons a vine from the tip of his staff and hooks it on the branch of a large oak tree, that's an improvised rope, strong enough to carry the weight of everyone.
"So... guys?" Lavīze looks at the rest of the protagonist, "Do you want to book it or do you want to book that guy's face?"
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
—Richard Dawkins
DM—Stories From The End of The World: Episode I
"Thanks Venet," Alex gives a small and genuine smile.
As they make their way down the road, Alex considers heading to the Church once they reach the capitol. It would be best if he could get to the bottom of this without violence after all, and for all he knows the church might already be fully aware of Cezars. Still, he has to do something...
And then they hear the Oathbreaker up ahead, causing Alex to stop in his tracks. His eyes go wide at the sound of the pelmeni seller being assaulted. He won't stand for this.
Without a word, he leaps into action. Gritting his teeth, he jumps forward--that glowing pair of wings bursting from his shoulders and carrying him quickly down the road to where the sounds and voices are coming from. Once the Oathbreaker is in sight, he will land beside the halfling saleswoman and push her gently behind him (or do whatever is necessary to get her away from the genasi). "That's enough," he growls, eyes alight with an anger that seems extremely out of place on his usually pleasant face. "You have no right to treat citizens like this. I don't care what rank you are, or who put you there. This is not okay."
His sword is already drawn, he drew it before landing without really thinking about it. Holding his sword to where it is between the halfling and the genasi, the holy emblem emblazoned on the front of his tabard shows up starkly, he wants Cezars to know he is dealing with another paladin.
*He smirks back at Alex but then Inadvertently looks away from Venet's affection* UGH... don't just act lovey dovey on Alex; i know he's a popular guy and but I'm either gonna puke or wish that Yuri was the one hugging and kissing me with her tails wrapped around my... *His fox ears twitch when he hears a familiar shouting voice* Huh?
You... piece of... Stupid... Rixi?! *And once again, he starts growling like a hungry fox; His tail that has remained hidden also sticks upward in anger* This... stupid baka (Idiot in Japanese)... Wait... isn't that... isn't that the gyoza lady?! What did she even do you huh? You... absolute! *His left hand grips his katana sheath so tightly that if anyone were standing on his left, they immediately notice that his arm is vibrating violtently* Thankfully at least I have some plan of attack as I open my shaky voice... "Alright... I'd say we stealth behind him and ambush-"
...Or not. *Gasps at Alex's bold approach* Alex what are you doing?! You're not strong like the real Rixi! You're gonna get yourself killed like that if you jump in recklessly! Sigh... so much for a stealth mission. *He was about to approach after him slowly when Lavize speaks up and unintentionally ticks him off*
*Furious that the People's Army bandits are choosing to run rather than hone their skills and fight, he aggressively shoves Lavize aside if she's standing next to him and gives each of them a death glare as his yellow eyes glow* "Unless if you guys are willing to book yourselves into jail, either hone your skills and join the fight or get out of my way and out of our sight. And I mean it!" I snarl in my most hostile tone ever as I stride towards 'Stupid Rixi' whilst I imagine the real one plus my other comrades striding beside me. In fact, what Alex did... he reminds me of the real Rixi too... always jumping in to save others whenever trouble stirs, even if it puts his own life in danger. That's what I admire about both paladins... Anyway...
"HEY! I THOUGHT ALEX SAID TO COOL IT OFF, BAKA! WHAT HAS SHE DONE WRONG TO YOU?! YOU WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE HOW YOU ALWAYS TREAT OTHERS ESPECAILLY WITH WOLFIE?! THEN WHO'S GONNA SERVE THOSE TASTY DUMPLINGS IN THE FUTURE?! YOU?!" I yell. If he tries to attack I will active bladesong before I will swiftly unsheathe my katana and draw first blood on him. *He glances at the griffin whilst his katana crackles yellow and he steps beside Alex and the Pelmeni halfling in case* That poor beast though... I don't know if she's really following and believing his orders blindly but... maybe she could be convinced to see the other side of the same coin so that we might have another friend...
The Wildland Shifters
Daisy Ethalena - Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer)
Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade)
Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer (Clockwork Soul); Lancea
Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea
Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance)
Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars)
Yurime Hanasaki - Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
"Looks like we've decided!" she says, running off after Alex and Ren. She pulls her lyre free as she runs, her fingers strumming the cords. Casting Faerie Fire: Dex Save 14
Shugo cringes at hearing the voice of that blasted Fire genasi. Of course they couldn't just lose him on the trail. He was perfectly prepared to simply ignore the situation until...he heard the woman's voice. That woman had given him free food, and he was certainly not going to stand around and let that jerk bully such a pure soul!!! Just as fast as the others, he dashes to the innocent food-seller's side with Alex and Renar on his left, and Venet close by, the four of them effectively formed a wall. The elf has his dragon hilted blade in his hand in a flash, he himself standing ready, the tension in his body coiled like a serpent ready to strike. A completely different demeanor than the others are used to seeing from Shugo. "And You call yourself a Paladin." He says, in a low menacing tone, with hard, amber eyes fixed on the genasi. "If anyone should be thrown in jail here, it should be you! You say your hunting for bandits, you are supposed to be protecting these people, and yet you go around causing your own kind of trouble, taking out your anger on innocent bystanders! DO YOU HAVE NO HONOR?!"
Janina (Pelmeni lady)
Cezars and his mount turn their head towards the rest of the party... except Bloom, this might be a bit too much for her and she's probably hiding with the bandits right now. Behind him is a field with a farmhouse, it's still in pristine condition, but it looks like it was abandoned some time ago. He has the halfling merchant in a chokehold, and upon seeing you, he throws her to the side—she has some bruises here and there, but nothing too major to worry about.
"And what are you going to do about it, knife-ear?" Cezars point his sabre at Shugo. "First, you refuse to comply at the border checkpoint, and now you're threatening an officer of the law!? The only honour in this world is the word of the law, not from God or anything else!" Maybe that's why he got his Paladin privileges revoked, he's so obsessed with law and order that he 'accidentally' broke his oath.
His gryphon goes into a battle stance, even though animals here can speak they're still wild at heart. Gryphons live in a pack system similar to wolves, they will protect who they consider their kind until their last breath, which is why they're popular among flying cavaliers, their undying loyalty and bravery make them an excellent mount.
"She helps those criminals, I saw a black feather in her cart, she's helping those three bandits to safety, and anyone who helps a criminal DESERVES TO BE PUNISH!" His sabre glows with a black flame-like aura, when Paladins like him channel their energy, it usually glows with warm, yellow light, the colour of holy energy. Even without sensing it, you all know what's glowing in that blade is a necrotic one.
"What are you talking about—" The halfling merchant interrupts, still lying on the ground, but her words are quickly countered by Cezars'
"SILENCE, WOMAN!" Cezars screams. Before he can charge at the group, though, that's when the hooded boy starts to speak.
"Pfft... BWAHAHAHAHA!" Cezars laughs, slapping Felića's neck because it's just so funny. The gryphon awkwardly stares back at him, "Baka? Are you so afraid of me that you started speaking gibberish?" He stops laughing and back to his serious self, which isn't that serious anyway, since he's grinning like a clown right now, "The thing is... I know what you are, baka. You don't want anyone to see your face or your skin, almost as if you're afraid of your identity. It could only mean one thing, and that is you're a Changeling!" He points at Renar(s), "I guess there is only one way for me to find out!" His mount rears, it's time to duel.
Being a Changeling in Lancea isn't that big of a deal, people might act surprised, but they never prosecute anyone because of their race after the Second Planetary War ended. It'd be nearly impossible to find out, anyway. Changelings reveal their true form when they die (or when they're about to die), and people don't make a big deal out of it. After all, they're still people, they just don't have their own form, that's all.
OOC Note:
Mounted combat works a bit like Pathfinder 2e here: riders can order their mounts to attack using a Bonus Action and the mount acts on the same turn as the rider's initiative. If you have access to Find Steed, then you can do something like Cezars and other mounted enemies do. I'll roll initiative for Felića anyway in case Cezars got knocked out of his mount.
By the way, place yourselves in a green box in Owlbear Rodeo.
Initiative:
Since Venet had already casted Faerie Fire, I'll consider her turn done for Round 1.
Cezars: 14
Felića: 17
Janina: 17
Alex: 18
Renar: 21
Shugo: 21
Venet: 9
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
—Richard Dawkins
DM—Stories From The End of The World: Episode I
Initiative:
1. Cezars
2. Alex
3. Venet
4. Shugo
5. Janina
6. Renar
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
—Richard Dawkins
DM—Stories From The End of The World: Episode I
"FYI, baka means idiot in my "gibberish", which how you're behaving like now, Stupid Rixi!" I snarl back as I detach my katana sheath without pulling my katana out of it just yet, causing it to glow bright yellow in accordance with my own eyes. Oh well... this is the second time he's got my actual race wrong, and I'm super relieved to hear that. But even so, that doesn't mean I let my guard down again; Guess it's time to quote loveless with a hint of hostility this time. "My friend... All that awaits you is a somber morrow, no matter where the winds may blow... Now get lost!" *Bladesong activates upon saying now get lost; Renar's AC increases to 18, his walking speed increases by 10ft and he has an extra +4 to concentration checks*
But... as always, since I'm glassy, I'll have to play defensive first, meaning that I need to make myself harder to hit for sure. Maybe I should whack him out of his mount... or not.
"Genei no katachi... Kaihi! (幻影の形: 回避!)" *Disadvantage on all attacks against him*
The Wildland Shifters
Daisy Ethalena - Female Wood Elf Ranger (Monster Slayer)
Ethan Wolftree - Male Simic Hybrid Warlock (The Hexblade)
Mira Laurits - Female Harengon Sorcerer (Clockwork Soul); Lancea
Raiden Kurosaki - Male Kitsune Wizard (Bladesinger); Lancea
Rixian Nishinoya - Male Fire Genasi Paladin (Oath of Vengeance)
Tenebris Amaro - Male Dark Elf Druid (Circle of Stars)
Yurime Hanasaki - Female Kumiho Bard (College Of Creation)
Alex lets out a breath, composing himself. "The law means nothing if the one enforcing it is lawless." His blade lights up, the golden glow creeping down its length--ready to combat the necrotic darkness of the once-paladin's saber. "And you, Cezars, clearly need to take a look in the mirror. What is the purpose of keeping your precious law if all you use it for is to hurt others? Who are you protecting here?"
He lifts his wings, stepping forward and placing both hands on his sword, one on the hilt and the other on the pommel to guide the blade. "God decides what is good, and without him then what defines the law?" For a moment, his anger fades to pity, "I am sorry you lost your way, but I cannot allow you to take out your unwarranted anger on the innocent." Then his expression hardens again, the light from his sword blazes brightly, and he braces himself for whatever is yet to come.
(Action= Channel Divinity: Sacred Weapon)
Round 1
Cezars flies his gryphon 15 ft to the group. His mount slides on an angle as they come to a stop in front of the group, the fire Genasi stares at Alex. "Well, lookie here, looks like we have ourselves a man of God." The smirk on his face turns into a scowl, "I will find out where your Church is and I will burn it to the ground, Felića, attack!"
The gryphon spins around and strikes Alex with her claws, Cezars touches his chest, and a burst of dark energy surrounds the area.
But behind them, the halfling merchant that was on the ground is back up on her feet, she makes a running jump and attempts to dropkick Cezars off his mount.
Without looking, the man backhands the halfling lady away, she flies off the target, and her head hits a rock on the ground with a sickening crunch, and blood pools out from her body.
He and his mount zips behind Alex, Cezars thrust his sword through the Aasimar's armour, piercing his heart and beyond. Alex slowly slides off the sabre into the ground, his holy symbol broken.
Renar tries to strike him from behind with his katana, but again, Cezars blocks it without looking. His gryphon turns around and grabs Renar by his tail, hanging him upside down, then she proceeds to slash him in his chest, over, over, and over, until his consciousness is no more and throws him to the ground.
Cezars rides toward Venet, his mount grabs her by the shoulder and flies into the sky. A few seconds later, the Triton's body plummets to the earth below, again, with a sickening crunch. That leaves Shugo alone, completely unscratched, with all of his teammates barely alive. At least, there must be someone who lives to tell the tale. But in a split second, your journey to the artefact ends.
Or... is it?
Your 'vision' ends and everything returns to normal. You find yourself standing in a line at the same spot earlier, your body is unscratched with not a single bit of injury... for now. It's... strange, you swear all those hits were real yet it isn't. You might be physically fine, but mentally? That's to be decided.
Cezars flies his gryphon 15 ft to the group. His mount slides on an angle as they come to a stop in front of the group, the fire Genasi stares at Alex. "Well, lookie here, looks like we have ourselves a man of God." The smirk on his face turns into a scowl, "I will find out where your Church is and I will burn it to the ground, Felića, attack!"
The gryphon spins around and strikes Alex horizontally across his chest, but this time, the hit is actually real. Welcome back to reality, my protagonists.
Cezars
Action: Dreadful Aspect. As an action, each creature within 30 feet of this creature must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If a frightened target ends its turn more than 30 feet away from the creature, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Bonus Action: Telling his gryphon mount to attack Alex with Claws: 10 to hit, 5 slashing damage.
Wisdom saves
Alex: 22
Renar: 3
Venet: 10
Shugo: 10
Janina: 10
Dexterity save for Faerie Fire
Cezars: 13
Felića: 22
"The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference."
—Richard Dawkins
DM—Stories From The End of The World: Episode I