Auriel grunts as the first dagger pierces into his thigh, staggering slightly under the sudden jolt of pain. He clenches his jaw, trying to remain composed even as the second kobold tears into his shoulder, the blow deeper and more vicious than he expected from such a creature.
But it's the stone that truly breaks his restraint. It cracks against his nose, and the paladin instinctively raises a hand to his face, blood already seeping between his fingers. For a heartbeat, he stands frozen in place, eyes wide with pain and disbelief. Then something shifts.
Slowly, he lifts his head, bloodied fingers still pressed to his nose, and his gaze locks onto the nearest kobold with a fire in his golden eyes that burns hotter than the desert sun. No longer in the quiet Autumn, Summer surges through him, and he slams his halberd with fiery wrath at the unfortunate creature.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hex watches with horror as the kobolds move with swift coordination and beat Auriel within an inch of his life in barely a few seconds. She breathes a sigh of relief as he manages to stay standing and reaches out a hand towards the paladin when he suddenly slams his halberd down on whichever unfortunate kobold happens to stand closest to him. The sudden movement causes her to almost slap him on his back as she attempts to heal his wounds before he can be brought down.
Hildigrim moves 10 feet away from the kobolds, turns, and fires at one of the kobolds engaged with Auriel that is still standing/the one furthest away if the other two are downed first.
Attack: 14; damage: 5; sneak attack if applicable: 6
Then, making eye contact with Carl, the halfling says quickly, "Hit the one furthest away. Hit it in the shoulder if you can."
Bonus: help action to Carl on his next turn if he targets the furthest kobold.
Auriel's halberd cleaves through the kobold in front of him, and while Hex provides him some healing, its companion falls away from Carl's arcane blast. Hildigrim finishes it with an arrow before it can take another step.
The last kobold standing does not hesitate, tossing aside its sling and rushing at Hildigrim with its dagger, screaming all the while.
Round 3 Order: Kobold Players <=====
Placement: One kobold remains, engaged in melee combat with Hildigrim.
Health: Auriel is severely wounded. Hex is lightly wounded.
Auriel barely registers the healing magic from Hex, his senses drowned in a mix of rage and pain. He watches the kobold before him fall beneath his halberd, then raises the weapon again—mechanically, almost thoughtlessly—to strike at the last one still standing: the one who shot him in the face.
Hex internally cringes as she messes up the spell. "Better than nothing I suppose..." she mutters to herself as she pulls an arrow from her quiver. She does a quick scan of the battlefield, identifying the last remaining kobold and letting the arrow fly.
The kobold snarls and ducks the swing from Auriel, but before it can strike back out, Hex's arrow takes it in the head and fells it. The sounds of battle give way to crackling firelight and exerted breaths.
Area Description:
A campfire crackles in the center of this misshapen cavern. Four bedraggled humans, a half-elf, and a pair of dwarves are tied nearby, sprawled over a pile of stinking furs. Wicker cages containing oversized centipedes and cockroaches are stacked against the back wall near a leather sack.
To the south, a slanting cave mouth curls outside.
OOC: Each character has earned 31 XP for defeating the kobolds.
As the last kobold falls, Auriel loosens his grip on the halberd, letting its haft rest against the ground as he holds it with one hand. The other, he lifts it to his face once more, lingering there for a moment in silence, as if coming to terms with the pain while he wipes away the blood.
He mutters a quiet curse for having to expend so much of his healing power in a single use, but then takes a few deep breaths and allows the warm light to envelop him. The glow is soft at first, like the first light of dawn, but quickly intensifies, illuminating his hand and face as it mends the worst of the wounds. Auriel exhales in relief, his shoulders relaxing as the pain fades. (ooc: he recovers 14HP with Lay on Hands)
Feeling better, the Eladrin takes in the scene. Seeing the oversized bugs contained, he strides over to the prisoners to begin untying them. As he passes near Hex, he pauses, offering a brief but genuine smile. "Thank you," he says, his voice quieter now. "I appreciated that."
Hex shakes her head at the paladin. "I absolutely messed up the spell. Let's never talk about it ever again," she says half jokingly before following him to untie the prisoners.
She speaks to prisoners as she kneels down to untie them. "Hey, what happened to you guys? Do you need some water, food?"
Hildigrim ducks the kobold's clumsy swing, already considering whether to jab it with his bow when Hex’s arrow flies past and drops the creature in its tracks. He blinks at the corpse for a moment before looking up with a grateful smile.
“Thank you,” he says, genuinely.
He moves to recover his spent arrows, inspecting both for damage, but pauses when he notices Auriel and Hex moving to untie the prisoners.
“Ah … I wouldn’t do that just yet,” he calls over, voice calm but firm. “Might want to ask who they are and why they were tied up first.”
As they glance back at him, he lifts one shoulder in a casual shrug.
“Could be we end up in another fight if your assumptions are off.”
Carl breathes a sigh of relief, walking over to the two dwarves he kneels down, hearing Hildigrim behind him, he assesses the dwarves and why they might be here, tries to get a better look at them. In dwarvish, “How did ya end up here? Where are you from? What is going on here?…”. And he assesses their response for truthfulness, seeing if they being straight with him as he kneels down to examine the scene.
Auriel would be surprised if these people were anything more than prisoners in need of rescue, but he heeds Hildigrim's warning nonetheless and waits to cut their bindings until after they've spoken. A little caution never hurt anyone.
Like Carl, he tries to gauge the truth in their answers paying attention to their body language now that he is so close to them.
"Hey, what happened to you guys? Do you need some water, food?"
“How did ya end up here? Where are you from? What is going on here?…”
"Just want to get out of here, to be honest," one of the human women answers. One of the dwarves adds, "Thank ye. Ye came at the right time. We're all caravan guards, I think. The kobolds took our caravans on the road. There were a lot more of us, but they've been slaughtering us one by one."
"Sacrifices to Tiamat," the half-elf says dourly. The half-elf wears a cloak with a large pin of a familiar symbol; a harp and crescent moon, that of the Harpers. "I speak some Draconic," he explains.
Hex pauses at Hildigrims suggestion as well and waits for the prisoners answers. As they reveal themselves to all be caravan guards, she heads to the half elf to untie him first. "Are you just a caravan guard as well? Or on a mission for the Harpers? If you're going after the Cult of the Dragon as well, any information you can tell us could be helpful."
Hildigrim steps up behind the others as they tend to the freed prisoners, eyes sweeping the area in practiced caution. Satisfied — at least for the moment — that the danger has passed, he reaches into his pocket and withdraws a similar harp and crescent moon pin. He holds it in his open palm, raised slightly toward the half-elf.
"Watcher Hildigrim Goodbody," he says, with crisp formality.
Tucking the pin away again, he continues, "My associates and I sailed from Phlan along the coast and infiltrated this camp today to prevent an alliance between Sahnd Krulek’s Grey Patriots and Jeralla’s cult. If we can disrupt their union, we may weaken them both — enough to halt their influence along the Iron Route."
He shifts his footing slightly but keeps his gaze fixed on the other Harper.
"We also understand Jeralla possesses a magical book. We intend to liberate it."
His eyes move to the surrounding captives, but then return to rest on the half-elf, clearly waiting for their input.
Auriel cuts the bindings of the remaining captives, checking on each of them and offering water in case they're thirsty. He also reminds them to be patient and not to wander off, warning that they could end up being captured again.
The Eladrin listens curiously to the conversation between the half-elf and Hildigrim. Of course he had heard of the Harpers before, but until now, he hadn't met anyone who actually belonged to them, to his knowledge.
As the conversation unfolds, he occasionally glances toward the mouth of the cave, alert in case any of the kobolds outside might come in to check on their fallen companions.
"Sirge Wintermelt," the half-elf introduces himself as he and the other freed captives stretch and test their muscles after being restrained for so long. While Auriel provides water and instruction to the others, he responds to Hex's question and Hildigrim's explanation.
"I was scouting the area for the Harpers when I was captured. We have learned that the Cult of the Dragon is mustering orcs in the wilds of Thar. I was specifically sent to hunt down the agent behind these deals, but they took me before I was able to make my move." He shakes his head in disappointment. "But it sounds like you all are here for a similar reason."
“Orcs in Thar?” Hildigrim echoes, mentally filing that away alongside their growing list of threats. He gestures toward Hex, Auriel, and Carl. “This group’s crossed paths with more than a few cult trails over the past couple of months. I was asked to join them — to help uncover where those trails lead. That investigation brought us here.”
He pauses a moment, scanning the faces around him, before adding, “We were told these caves would let us circle behind the camp — to reach the book Jeralla holds.”
Seeing as Hildigrim was definitely the better choice to speak with Sirge, Hex steps away after untying the half-elf and goes to join Auriel to help aid with the other prisoners.
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Auriel grunts as the first dagger pierces into his thigh, staggering slightly under the sudden jolt of pain. He clenches his jaw, trying to remain composed even as the second kobold tears into his shoulder, the blow deeper and more vicious than he expected from such a creature.
But it's the stone that truly breaks his restraint. It cracks against his nose, and the paladin instinctively raises a hand to his face, blood already seeping between his fingers. For a heartbeat, he stands frozen in place, eyes wide with pain and disbelief. Then something shifts.
Slowly, he lifts his head, bloodied fingers still pressed to his nose, and his gaze locks onto the nearest kobold with a fire in his golden eyes that burns hotter than the desert sun. No longer in the quiet Autumn, Summer surges through him, and he slams his halberd with fiery wrath at the unfortunate creature.
Halberd to Hit: 15 / Damage: 9
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Carl peeks around the corner and fires off another blast at one of the kobolds engaging Auriel, then hunkers down back around the corner as before.
Eldritch blast : 11 to hit, for 9 points of force damage.
Hex watches with horror as the kobolds move with swift coordination and beat Auriel within an inch of his life in barely a few seconds. She breathes a sigh of relief as he manages to stay standing and reaches out a hand towards the paladin when he suddenly slams his halberd down on whichever unfortunate kobold happens to stand closest to him. The sudden movement causes her to almost slap him on his back as she attempts to heal his wounds before he can be brought down.
Cure Wounds - 8
Hildigrim moves 10 feet away from the kobolds, turns, and fires at one of the kobolds engaged with Auriel that is still standing/the one furthest away if the other two are downed first.
Attack: 14; damage: 5; sneak attack if applicable: 6
Then, making eye contact with Carl, the halfling says quickly, "Hit the one furthest away. Hit it in the shoulder if you can."
Bonus: help action to Carl on his next turn if he targets the furthest kobold.
Auriel's halberd cleaves through the kobold in front of him, and while Hex provides him some healing, its companion falls away from Carl's arcane blast. Hildigrim finishes it with an arrow before it can take another step.
The last kobold standing does not hesitate, tossing aside its sling and rushing at Hildigrim with its dagger, screaming all the while.
Round 3 Order:
Kobold
Players <=====
Placement:
One kobold remains, engaged in melee combat with Hildigrim.
Health:
Auriel is severely wounded.
Hex is lightly wounded.
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Auriel barely registers the healing magic from Hex, his senses drowned in a mix of rage and pain. He watches the kobold before him fall beneath his halberd, then raises the weapon again—mechanically, almost thoughtlessly—to strike at the last one still standing: the one who shot him in the face.
Attack: 10 / Damage: 10
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Hex internally cringes as she messes up the spell. "Better than nothing I suppose..." she mutters to herself as she pulls an arrow from her quiver. She does a quick scan of the battlefield, identifying the last remaining kobold and letting the arrow fly.
Action: Longbow Attack - 24 Damage - 11 Colossus Slayer - 8
The kobold snarls and ducks the swing from Auriel, but before it can strike back out, Hex's arrow takes it in the head and fells it. The sounds of battle give way to crackling firelight and exerted breaths.
Area Description:
OOC: Each character has earned 31 XP for defeating the kobolds.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
As the last kobold falls, Auriel loosens his grip on the halberd, letting its haft rest against the ground as he holds it with one hand. The other, he lifts it to his face once more, lingering there for a moment in silence, as if coming to terms with the pain while he wipes away the blood.
He mutters a quiet curse for having to expend so much of his healing power in a single use, but then takes a few deep breaths and allows the warm light to envelop him. The glow is soft at first, like the first light of dawn, but quickly intensifies, illuminating his hand and face as it mends the worst of the wounds. Auriel exhales in relief, his shoulders relaxing as the pain fades. (ooc: he recovers 14 HP with Lay on Hands)
Feeling better, the Eladrin takes in the scene. Seeing the oversized bugs contained, he strides over to the prisoners to begin untying them. As he passes near Hex, he pauses, offering a brief but genuine smile. "Thank you," he says, his voice quieter now. "I appreciated that."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Hex shakes her head at the paladin. "I absolutely messed up the spell. Let's never talk about it ever again," she says half jokingly before following him to untie the prisoners.
She speaks to prisoners as she kneels down to untie them. "Hey, what happened to you guys? Do you need some water, food?"
Hildigrim ducks the kobold's clumsy swing, already considering whether to jab it with his bow when Hex’s arrow flies past and drops the creature in its tracks. He blinks at the corpse for a moment before looking up with a grateful smile.
“Thank you,” he says, genuinely.
He moves to recover his spent arrows, inspecting both for damage, but pauses when he notices Auriel and Hex moving to untie the prisoners.
“Ah … I wouldn’t do that just yet,” he calls over, voice calm but firm. “Might want to ask who they are and why they were tied up first.”
As they glance back at him, he lifts one shoulder in a casual shrug.
“Could be we end up in another fight if your assumptions are off.”
Carl breathes a sigh of relief, walking over to the two dwarves he kneels down, hearing Hildigrim behind him, he assesses the dwarves and why they might be here, tries to get a better look at them. In dwarvish, “How did ya end up here? Where are you from? What is going on here?…”. And he assesses their response for truthfulness, seeing if they being straight with him as he kneels down to examine the scene.
Auriel would be surprised if these people were anything more than prisoners in need of rescue, but he heeds Hildigrim's warning nonetheless and waits to cut their bindings until after they've spoken. A little caution never hurt anyone.
Like Carl, he tries to gauge the truth in their answers paying attention to their body language now that he is so close to them.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"Just want to get out of here, to be honest," one of the human women answers. One of the dwarves adds, "Thank ye. Ye came at the right time. We're all caravan guards, I think. The kobolds took our caravans on the road. There were a lot more of us, but they've been slaughtering us one by one."
"Sacrifices to Tiamat," the half-elf says dourly. The half-elf wears a cloak with a large pin of a familiar symbol; a harp and crescent moon, that of the Harpers. "I speak some Draconic," he explains.
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Hex pauses at Hildigrims suggestion as well and waits for the prisoners answers. As they reveal themselves to all be caravan guards, she heads to the half elf to untie him first. "Are you just a caravan guard as well? Or on a mission for the Harpers? If you're going after the Cult of the Dragon as well, any information you can tell us could be helpful."
Hildigrim steps up behind the others as they tend to the freed prisoners, eyes sweeping the area in practiced caution. Satisfied — at least for the moment — that the danger has passed, he reaches into his pocket and withdraws a similar harp and crescent moon pin. He holds it in his open palm, raised slightly toward the half-elf.
"Watcher Hildigrim Goodbody," he says, with crisp formality.
Tucking the pin away again, he continues, "My associates and I sailed from Phlan along the coast and infiltrated this camp today to prevent an alliance between Sahnd Krulek’s Grey Patriots and Jeralla’s cult. If we can disrupt their union, we may weaken them both — enough to halt their influence along the Iron Route."
He shifts his footing slightly but keeps his gaze fixed on the other Harper.
"We also understand Jeralla possesses a magical book. We intend to liberate it."
His eyes move to the surrounding captives, but then return to rest on the half-elf, clearly waiting for their input.
Auriel cuts the bindings of the remaining captives, checking on each of them and offering water in case they're thirsty. He also reminds them to be patient and not to wander off, warning that they could end up being captured again.
The Eladrin listens curiously to the conversation between the half-elf and Hildigrim. Of course he had heard of the Harpers before, but until now, he hadn't met anyone who actually belonged to them, to his knowledge.
As the conversation unfolds, he occasionally glances toward the mouth of the cave, alert in case any of the kobolds outside might come in to check on their fallen companions.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"Sirge Wintermelt," the half-elf introduces himself as he and the other freed captives stretch and test their muscles after being restrained for so long. While Auriel provides water and instruction to the others, he responds to Hex's question and Hildigrim's explanation.
"I was scouting the area for the Harpers when I was captured. We have learned that the Cult of the Dragon is mustering orcs in the wilds of Thar. I was specifically sent to hunt down the agent behind these deals, but they took me before I was able to make my move." He shakes his head in disappointment. "But it sounds like you all are here for a similar reason."
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
“Orcs in Thar?” Hildigrim echoes, mentally filing that away alongside their growing list of threats. He gestures toward Hex, Auriel, and Carl. “This group’s crossed paths with more than a few cult trails over the past couple of months. I was asked to join them — to help uncover where those trails lead. That investigation brought us here.”
He pauses a moment, scanning the faces around him, before adding, “We were told these caves would let us circle behind the camp — to reach the book Jeralla holds.”
Seeing as Hildigrim was definitely the better choice to speak with Sirge, Hex steps away after untying the half-elf and goes to join Auriel to help aid with the other prisoners.