The kobold begins to squawk some curse in draconic as the giantbears down on it. Though it never gets to finish, as the greatsword cuts through the arm it raises up in defense and its torso.
A muted crack echoes between the buildings as a red beam of energy cuts through the air, punching a hole straight through the chest of the last kobold.
To the east you can see the keep, the sanctuary you covet within bow shot. The path is clear for now...But it won't be for very long. In the field at the bottom of the hill (just north of where the road bends towards the keep), you catch sight of a chaotic fight between two mixed forces.
Robed cultists, kobolds, and chain-shirt clad raiders clash with a pitiful force of Greenest's defenders. You note a few well equipped individuals that must be a part of the town's official guard, but many just appear to be regular townfolk wielding whatever weapon they could get their hands on. Their line looks like it could break at any moment.
"If we're going to go, it has to be now," Aimon says urgently, his vibrant green eyes trained on the town's defensive line, concerned with how thin it seemed to be wearing.
"Quickly, let's get everyone inside."
Pangs of pity—and even guilt—for the meagre force of defenders prickle in Aimon's mind, but what can he do for them now? He is just a merchant who drank from the wrong goblet.
Hadrian rubs his arm absent-mindedly, flexing his tingling fingers.
"You'll have no disagreements from me."He says to Aimon's assessment. As they gather the townsfolk they've rescued so far he says to them: "stay on our right. If that line breaks, we'll shield you from whatever comes through."
Elk-elyn tilts her head towards the conversation as Hadrian gives instruction to the two families. As they begin to move up the street, she'll try to position herself such that the large elk form acts as a wall between the civilians and the fighting, prioritizing Andy and the Rathwyn girl.
Having learned from the previous battle where the apparent purple-robed cult leader found the corpses of the kobolds and the cultist, Xari throws the corpses into the burning building this time after a cursory search and retrieving his thrown javelin.
The big man renews Blade Ward if it seems like that won't attract enemies, then brings up the rear, guarding against any attackers who break through.
Greenest burns around you as your hurry down the round, urging those you're protecting forward. As you pass through the crossroad you organize into a line, forming a protective barrier between the two families and the chaos you intend to skirt along the edge of. Smoke fills your lungs. You see the gates of the keep ahead, open with but a few guards urging fleeing townfolk inside. The thin line of defenders in the field to your north are horribly outnumbered. Even with the support of archers firing from the keep's walls you can tell they'll break at any moment. You can see their wounds, hear the pain in their battle cries.
You drive forward.
HadrianPerception: 18 XarianPerception: 20 Through the chaos of the fight the two of you spot a familiar flash of color - a young man dressed in bright purples and reds, blue-pendant rattling about his spearhead as he dances around an opponent. Kite, the young Tumari man, fellow guard from the caravan, who fearlessly followed you into the night and fog to rescue the travelers who had been kidnapped. His face is drawn into an expression of grim focus - gone are the carefree smiles and laughs you're used to when seeing him fight. A semicircle of kobolds cordons him off from the rest of the battle. The body of a stocky hill dwarf lays still within the circle: Roga.
His opponent is a creature unlike any you've seen before, though you've no doubt heard of. A half-dragon. It's shaped human enough - though it is taller than even Xarian, at least eight feet tall. Its skin is covered in blue scales, and its face bears the muzzle and reptilian eyes of a dragon. The armor it wears looks almost ceremonial -- layered metal strips chased with intricate golden patterns, and a long purple tabard trimmed with gold thread hangs from its shoulders. Spiked pauldrons guard its upper arms, and heavy bracers shield its forearms. It wears a spear on its back, but in its hands it grasps a massive greatsword.
They fight as if in a duel, as the kobolds formed around them do not intervene despite having every chance to do so. The both of you have seen many fights in your time. You don't have to watch this one for very long to know Kite is outmatched - and that his opponent is toying with him. His spear flashes forward, and the half-dragon tilts its head to dodge, grabbing the staff of the spear. Almost leisurely, it snaps the spearhead from the haft...
All of you hear desperate cries as the end of the line closest to you buckles under the weight of a charge from the raiders. A knot of defenders are cut down, and a group of 4 scimitar wielding raiders break through the line, momentum carrying them forward as they charge towards you.
OoC: Only enemies outlined in red will be tracked in initiative for now. That's not to say you can't target others - but the red circles denote the immediate threats.
Aimon stays back to make sure the Rathwyns, Mary and Andy make it inside, though he spares a moment to hurl another ball of lightning at the closest raider. His eyes are wide with worry at just how many of the invaders there are.
Action: Sorcerous Burst at (D). Attack: 22. Damage: 5 Lightning.
The air crackles with energy as Aimon'sball of blue lightning zips in front of you, sending the nearest raider into a shaking fit as they're electrocuted. From the back, one of their companions looses a throaty cry and charges the red-haired elf, bringing their scimitar upon him in a downwards arc.
Hadrian is only vaguely aware of the raiders breaking through the rag-tag line of defenders as he watches Kite's desperate fight against the half-dragon. In his heart, he knew that even if they didn't have Mary, her son, and this other family to look after, they still probably couldn't make it to the young caravan guard in time. Too much distance, too much steel ready to stab them in the back as they ran past.
He could see the raiders charging towards them now, scimitars raised to strike them. They should be the priority. And yet, at that moment he recalls how Kite had followed them into that cave without a word as Xarian called for action.
Sir Toban had always said he was too emotional.
Even as the man's spear is broken by the blue draconic, Hadrian is raising a hand aglow with red light. He releases the spell, sending a hissing lance of red energy through the fray towards Kite's opponent. He knew it wouldn't be enough. Not nearly enough.
"Get to the keep, we'll cover you from here."He says over his shoulder to Mary and the others.
Action:Eldritch Blast (22 to hit), (9 force) - (blue half-dragon)
The beam of eldritch energy threads the needle through chaos of the battle between the raiders and guards, striking the half-dragon across the temple with enough force to make its head whip to the side. You can see it snarl as it momentarily forgets about Kite, eyes searching the battle.
Two of the raiders rush towards Hadrian, timing their attacks to strike nearly simultaneously. (B)Melee attack:7 to hit (D)Melee attack:14 to hit, 2 slashing damage
The sight of the massive blue half-dragon toying with Kite while kobolds surround them and watch turns Xari's vision red with anger. Teeth bared in an subconscious snarl, the big man methodically turns his attention to the Raider (A) who had charged Aimon, hoping to free up the mage.
"Bad choice, dead man." It is exactly the kind of situation in which Xari would ordinarily stutter, but the speech impediment seems to be gone for now. To the civilians, he echoes Hadrian. "Run for the keep gates! Double-time. NOW!"
Xari means Mary, Andy and the Rathwyns (not sure whether he means Rox, who can't understand him anyway).
Movement: Xari steps N - NE so he is just north of Raider A.
Action: Xari attacks Raider A with his greatsword. Greatsword to hit Raider A: 22 Greatsword damage: 9 (slashing) Greatsword Graze Weapon Mastery: on a miss, the target (Raider A) still takes damage: 4 (slashing)
Bonus Action: (none)
Xarian is concentrating on Blade Ward for up to 8 more rounds.
Elk-elyn lets out a low bugle from the beast's throat before turning on scimitar-wielding vagrant to her left, angling her head low to ram them. Regardless of whether they go down or not she stays where she is, continuing to shield the civilians with her body.
The greatswordtears a gash open across the man's chest, though he still holds the scimitar loosely in his hand. Then the large elk next to him bashes her head into his, and with a sharp crack his eyes roll into the back of his head as he collapses to the ground.
Another raider steps forward to Xarian, slashing upward diagonally at the large man. (C)Melee attack:22 to hit, 6slashing damage
As he searches the battlefield for what lashed out at him, the half-dragon doesn't notice as Kite pulls what remains of his spear's haft back, swinging it at the things head like a club. It breaks across the crown of its head, and with a look of annoyance its gaze snaps back to the caravan guard. With a half-heartedly flick of its wrist it catches the Tumari man in the torso, slashing open the front of his chest. With a deftness and agility frightening for its size, the half-dragon smoothly carries the momentum of the weapon into a new grip, thrusting the tip of the greatsword through Kite's breastbone.
The blue half-dragon pushes the dead man off of its blade, resuming its search only briefly before it locks onto the commotion happening on the road. It takes note of the two young men watching it. Its lips curl back, revealing its sharp teeth in what you assume is what passes for a smile among its kind.
The two families make a mad dash for the open gate of the keep, while Rox swings around to Hadrian's far side. His own curved blade arcs upward, slicing open the belly of the raider(D) Aimonelectrocuted earlier. But some frayed strand of fortitude, they just barely hang on to life.
Aimon steps around Elk-elyn slightly to get a better sight of the same raider and threads another bolt of energy through his party to strike at the foe. He starts to wonder how much longer he can keep this up, his spare hand clutching a wound.
Action: Sorcerous Burst at (D). Attack: 19. Damage: 4 Lightning.
Still focused on the duel between Kite and the half-dragon, Hadrian sidesteps the first scimitar to swing down on him. The second slips past his notice, slicing through the leather around his torso and grazing his ribs. He winces, reluctantly focusing on the threats directly in front of him.
Somewhere between Rox slicing open the man next to him and Aimon blasting him with more lightning, he becomes of aware of Kite impaled on blue draconic's blade.
His arms are already moving in the long arc upwards as the longsword forms in his hands, blade aiming towards the neck of the raider in front of him.
Vaguely aware that Xarian has stepped forward, Hadrian moves up to match him, stepping into Evelyn and around the raider in front of him. He locks eyes with the sneering blue monster across the field, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Come on then! Vhir ternsesj! Warui amid wux sio!"You're lower than dirt. I'll kill you myself. Nearly unconsciously the young noble slips into the language he'd worked so hard to learn under tutelage. He'd always thought he would use it to speak to a being of real majesty: a gold dragon or some other denizen of the metallic flight. He never imagined it would be for this.
The kobold begins to squawk some curse in draconic as the giant bears down on it. Though it never gets to finish, as the greatsword cuts through the arm it raises up in defense and its torso.
A muted crack echoes between the buildings as a red beam of energy cuts through the air, punching a hole straight through the chest of the last kobold.
To the east you can see the keep, the sanctuary you covet within bow shot. The path is clear for now...But it won't be for very long. In the field at the bottom of the hill (just north of where the road bends towards the keep), you catch sight of a chaotic fight between two mixed forces.
Robed cultists, kobolds, and chain-shirt clad raiders clash with a pitiful force of Greenest's defenders. You note a few well equipped individuals that must be a part of the town's official guard, but many just appear to be regular townfolk wielding whatever weapon they could get their hands on. Their line looks like it could break at any moment.
"If we're going to go, it has to be now," Aimon says urgently, his vibrant green eyes trained on the town's defensive line, concerned with how thin it seemed to be wearing.
"Quickly, let's get everyone inside."
Pangs of pity—and even guilt—for the meagre force of defenders prickle in Aimon's mind, but what can he do for them now? He is just a merchant who drank from the wrong goblet.
Hadrian rubs his arm absent-mindedly, flexing his tingling fingers.
"You'll have no disagreements from me." He says to Aimon's assessment. As they gather the townsfolk they've rescued so far he says to them: "stay on our right. If that line breaks, we'll shield you from whatever comes through."
Elk-elyn tilts her head towards the conversation as Hadrian gives instruction to the two families. As they begin to move up the street, she'll try to position herself such that the large elk form acts as a wall between the civilians and the fighting, prioritizing Andy and the Rathwyn girl.
Having learned from the previous battle where the apparent purple-robed cult leader found the corpses of the kobolds and the cultist, Xari throws the corpses into the burning building this time after a cursory search and retrieving his thrown javelin.
The big man renews Blade Ward if it seems like that won't attract enemies, then brings up the rear, guarding against any attackers who break through.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Xarian's Initiative: 8
Xarian's Perception: 20 (dirty)
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Aimon Initiative: 21 (what a time for a crit)
Greenest burns around you as your hurry down the round, urging those you're protecting forward. As you pass through the crossroad you organize into a line, forming a protective barrier between the two families and the chaos you intend to skirt along the edge of. Smoke fills your lungs. You see the gates of the keep ahead, open with but a few guards urging fleeing townfolk inside. The thin line of defenders in the field to your north are horribly outnumbered. Even with the support of archers firing from the keep's walls you can tell they'll break at any moment. You can see their wounds, hear the pain in their battle cries.
You drive forward.
Hadrian Perception: 18
Xarian Perception: 20
Through the chaos of the fight the two of you spot a familiar flash of color - a young man dressed in bright purples and reds, blue-pendant rattling about his spearhead as he dances around an opponent. Kite, the young Tumari man, fellow guard from the caravan, who fearlessly followed you into the night and fog to rescue the travelers who had been kidnapped. His face is drawn into an expression of grim focus - gone are the carefree smiles and laughs you're used to when seeing him fight. A semicircle of kobolds cordons him off from the rest of the battle. The body of a stocky hill dwarf lays still within the circle: Roga.
His opponent is a creature unlike any you've seen before, though you've no doubt heard of. A half-dragon. It's shaped human enough - though it is taller than even Xarian, at least eight feet tall. Its skin is covered in blue scales, and its face bears the muzzle and reptilian eyes of a dragon. The armor it wears looks almost ceremonial -- layered metal strips chased with intricate golden patterns, and a long purple tabard trimmed with gold thread hangs from its shoulders. Spiked pauldrons guard its upper arms, and heavy bracers shield its forearms. It wears a spear on its back, but in its hands it grasps a massive greatsword.
They fight as if in a duel, as the kobolds formed around them do not intervene despite having every chance to do so. The both of you have seen many fights in your time. You don't have to watch this one for very long to know Kite is outmatched - and that his opponent is toying with him. His spear flashes forward, and the half-dragon tilts its head to dodge, grabbing the staff of the spear. Almost leisurely, it snaps the spearhead from the haft...
All of you hear desperate cries as the end of the line closest to you buckles under the weight of a charge from the raiders. A knot of defenders are cut down, and a group of 4 scimitar wielding raiders break through the line, momentum carrying them forward as they charge towards you.
OoC: Only enemies outlined in red will be tracked in initiative for now. That's not to say you can't target others - but the red circles denote the immediate threats.
Initiative: 17
[Initiative]: 9
As the raiders begin to pour through the freshly created gap, Aimon is the first to act!
Xari: 9 rounds left on Blade Ward
Aimon stays back to make sure the Rathwyns, Mary and Andy make it inside, though he spares a moment to hurl another ball of lightning at the closest raider. His eyes are wide with worry at just how many of the invaders there are.
Action: Sorcerous Burst at (D). Attack: 22. Damage: 5 Lightning.
The air crackles with energy as Aimon's ball of blue lightning zips in front of you, sending the nearest raider into a shaking fit as they're electrocuted. From the back, one of their companions looses a throaty cry and charges the red-haired elf, bringing their scimitar upon him in a downwards arc.
Melee attack: 17 to hit, 5 slashing damage
Hadrian, you're up!
Hadrian is only vaguely aware of the raiders breaking through the rag-tag line of defenders as he watches Kite's desperate fight against the half-dragon. In his heart, he knew that even if they didn't have Mary, her son, and this other family to look after, they still probably couldn't make it to the young caravan guard in time. Too much distance, too much steel ready to stab them in the back as they ran past.
He could see the raiders charging towards them now, scimitars raised to strike them. They should be the priority. And yet, at that moment he recalls how Kite had followed them into that cave without a word as Xarian called for action.
Sir Toban had always said he was too emotional.
Even as the man's spear is broken by the blue draconic, Hadrian is raising a hand aglow with red light. He releases the spell, sending a hissing lance of red energy through the fray towards Kite's opponent. He knew it wouldn't be enough. Not nearly enough.
"Get to the keep, we'll cover you from here." He says over his shoulder to Mary and the others.
Action: Eldritch Blast (22 to hit), (9 force) - (blue half-dragon)
The beam of eldritch energy threads the needle through chaos of the battle between the raiders and guards, striking the half-dragon across the temple with enough force to make its head whip to the side. You can see it snarl as it momentarily forgets about Kite, eyes searching the battle.
Two of the raiders rush towards Hadrian, timing their attacks to strike nearly simultaneously.
(B)Melee attack: 7 to hit
(D)Melee attack: 14 to hit, 2 slashing damage
Evelyn and Xarian!
The sight of the massive blue half-dragon toying with Kite while kobolds surround them and watch turns Xari's vision red with anger. Teeth bared in an subconscious snarl, the big man methodically turns his attention to the Raider (A) who had charged Aimon, hoping to free up the mage.
"Bad choice, dead man." It is exactly the kind of situation in which Xari would ordinarily stutter, but the speech impediment seems to be gone for now. To the civilians, he echoes Hadrian. "Run for the keep gates! Double-time. NOW!"
Xari means Mary, Andy and the Rathwyns (not sure whether he means Rox, who can't understand him anyway).
Movement: Xari steps N - NE so he is just north of Raider A.
Action: Xari attacks Raider A with his greatsword.
Greatsword to hit Raider A: 22
Greatsword damage: 9 (slashing)
Greatsword Graze Weapon Mastery: on a miss, the target (Raider A) still takes damage: 4 (slashing)
Bonus Action: (none)
Xarian is concentrating on Blade Ward for up to 8 more rounds.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Elk-elyn lets out a low bugle from the beast's throat before turning on scimitar-wielding vagrant to her left, angling her head low to ram them. Regardless of whether they go down or not she stays where she is, continuing to shield the civilians with her body.
[Action]: Ram raider (A) to hit: 12, damage: 6.
The greatsword tears a gash open across the man's chest, though he still holds the scimitar loosely in his hand. Then the large elk next to him bashes her head into his, and with a sharp crack his eyes roll into the back of his head as he collapses to the ground.
Another raider steps forward to Xarian, slashing upward diagonally at the large man.
(C)Melee attack: 22 to hit, 6 slashing damage
As he searches the battlefield for what lashed out at him, the half-dragon doesn't notice as Kite pulls what remains of his spear's haft back, swinging it at the things head like a club. It breaks across the crown of its head, and with a look of annoyance its gaze snaps back to the caravan guard. With a half-heartedly flick of its wrist it catches the Tumari man in the torso, slashing open the front of his chest. With a deftness and agility frightening for its size, the half-dragon smoothly carries the momentum of the weapon into a new grip, thrusting the tip of the greatsword through Kite's breastbone.
The blue half-dragon pushes the dead man off of its blade, resuming its search only briefly before it locks onto the commotion happening on the road. It takes note of the two young men watching it. Its lips curl back, revealing its sharp teeth in what you assume is what passes for a smile among its kind.
The two families make a mad dash for the open gate of the keep, while Rox swings around to Hadrian's far side. His own curved blade arcs upward, slicing open the belly of the raider(D) Aimon electrocuted earlier. But some frayed strand of fortitude, they just barely hang on to life.
Aimon and Hadrian, you're up!
Aimon steps around Elk-elyn slightly to get a better sight of the same raider and threads another bolt of energy through his party to strike at the foe. He starts to wonder how much longer he can keep this up, his spare hand clutching a wound.
Action: Sorcerous Burst at (D). Attack: 19. Damage: 4 Lightning.
Still focused on the duel between Kite and the half-dragon, Hadrian sidesteps the first scimitar to swing down on him. The second slips past his notice, slicing through the leather around his torso and grazing his ribs. He winces, reluctantly focusing on the threats directly in front of him.
Somewhere between Rox slicing open the man next to him and Aimon blasting him with more lightning, he becomes of aware of Kite impaled on blue draconic's blade.
His arms are already moving in the long arc upwards as the longsword forms in his hands, blade aiming towards the neck of the raider in front of him.
Vaguely aware that Xarian has stepped forward, Hadrian moves up to match him, stepping into Evelyn and around the raider in front of him. He locks eyes with the sneering blue monster across the field, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Come on then! Vhir ternsesj! Warui amid wux sio!" You're lower than dirt. I'll kill you myself. Nearly unconsciously the young noble slips into the language he'd worked so hard to learn under tutelage. He'd always thought he would use it to speak to a being of real majesty: a gold dragon or some other denizen of the metallic flight. He never imagined it would be for this.
Movement: 5NW -> 5NE
Action: Longsword(16 to hit), (12 slashing) - (B)