The Officer considers the tricky question. Betraying a goddess comes with consequences. But there's no way Takhisis can pay attention to every possible conversation an officer has.
"It is difficult to say. Dragon Army troops are combing this desert. Dragonnel riders too. We are merely an advanced troop. More scouts than an actual patrol. The worst case scenario for you is if a dragon rider saw it. Even as strong as you are, I doubt you'll fare well against that force."
“I want to know how long till they get here, cuz if I was tryin’ to kill time I would ask the same things”Merkas looks over to Barkly and back at the officer. “Answer quick or she takes your head off” The kender starts fiddling with the ring of Amity on his finger. (Next attack from Barkly will be converted to a crit with the rings rune) He casts Create Bonfire under Barkly to heal her wounds (2d8 for a total 13 healing to Barkly) “And you know she’s up to the challenge”
Sera see his consern and hear his words...the bravado gone and she can respect his care for his men. Sera go up towards him " Even we are enemies showing mercy...even it might be tactical to not.." Sera sigh and pause "we risk our lives every time we do battle with the forces of Thakisis...and we risk it when we not fight. I will not kill men who surrenders. They will tell on us since that is their duty as soldiers. So be it...but I think borrovwing your uniforms. And sending your back without the best weapons is fair. Not defensless if you meet other monsters around you should be able to defend yourself some.." Sera look at her friends and know she is the most lawful of the group...she is but one vote.
"I say show mercy even we do not get the same respect or mercy back...we should have higher standards..because that is what we fight for in the end..." she give the officer a look " something better.. and we betray ourself if we acted withour mercy"
Sera turns.." I go and see if I can help some of the injured ones" She cast Hastos a long look and gebntly caress his wound to see how deep it is and see it is only a flesh wound " for all I know..one of these dragon soldiers might mean something dear to someone...and I cannot take that away from them"
She then with no delay rush back to heal the solduers ghey just defeated.
( will use cure light wounds on the most severe injured if it is needed)
Hastos nods in agreement and after Sera passes to tend to the wounded soldiers, Hastos turns to the Officer and stares at him with cold hatred and raises the flaming great axe. The flames extinguish and he returns it to its sheath without breaking eye contact.
He then points to the soldiers. “Go. Treachery will be expensive.”
Sera look at the battlefield. Soldier black she pierced lungs with her sunblade. Dead. Solder blue got cremated...dead. soldier greens head exploded. Very dead. Only soldier Teal is bleeding from severe stabwounds. With the loss of blood and critical condition he is in Sera takes a deep breath " please Paladine...no more deaths..." and her hands glow with a warm orange light as she caress his wounds and restore his health...
She look at Hastos sheating his weapon , turnibg and she give him a smile. She know some of his past and kbow this is hard on him.Her mouth forms words not spoken loud
“I want to know how long till they get here, cuz if I was tryin’ to kill time I would ask the same things”Merkas looks over to Barkly and back at the officer. “Answer quick or she takes your head off” The kender starts fiddling with the ring of Amity on his finger. (Next attack from Barkly will be converted to a crit with the rings rune) He casts Create Bonfire under Barkly to heal her wounds (2d8 for a total 13 healing to Barkly) “And you know she’s up to the challenge”
The officer watches with interest as fire heals Barkly's wounds. In a less dire situation, he might've laughed at the sight. All their issued weapons did some kind of flame damage. His troop couldn't have been more poorly matched. He knew, up close, that whatever this creature was, it wasn't draconic. But his troops might not have seen it that way. They were taught to fear and revere dragons. And would have never intentionally slain the beast. He looked at Merkas's flame scarred flesh, and wondered what kind of challenges he experiences training the strange creature. Logically, a mage such as Merkas would have some magic on them by now that protected against fire damage. And his troops were poorly equipped to defend against casters unless they can burn. In spite of himself, the Officer sighs. Only in death, and sometimes not even then, can a Dragon Army soldier retire from this war. Though Merkas's words were intended to be a threat, the Officer faced his fate unafraid.
Sera see his consern and hear his words...the bravado gone and she can respect his care for his men. Sera go up towards him " Even we are enemies showing mercy...even it might be tactical to not.." Sera sigh and pause "we risk our lives every time we do battle with the forces of Thakisis...and we risk it when we not fight. I will not kill men who surrenders. They will tell on us since that is their duty as soldiers. So be it...but I think borrovwing your uniforms. And sending your back without the best weapons is fair. Not defensless if you meet other monsters around you should be able to defend yourself some.." Sera look at her friends and know she is the most lawful of the group...she is but one vote.
"I say show mercy even we do not get the same respect or mercy back...we should have higher standards..because that is what we fight for in the end..." she give the officer a look " something better.. and we betray ourself if we acted withour mercy"
Sera turns.." I go and see if I can help some of the injured ones" She cast Hastos a long look and gebntly caress his wound to see how deep it is and see it is only a flesh wound " for all I know..one of these dragon soldiers might mean something dear to someone...and I cannot take that away from them"
She then with no delay rush back to heal the solduers ghey just defeated.
( will use cure light wounds on the most severe injured if it is needed)
As you comb over the bodies, you find that most are beyond saving. Soldier Black, even though his lung is pierced, you can tell that a spark of life still clings to his form. He will be beyond the grasp of magical healing in moments. But if you act quickly, he can be restored with strong healing.
I rolled Medicine checks for Sera. DAS Black has -6 HP. For all intense and purposes, he is dead. But in the final moments, when his soul is departing, you can revive him.
Though badly crisped, Soldier Blue might be revivable. The thin remaining thread of his soul is tattered though, and the scars on his will run deep.
DAS Blue has -2 HP. He can be stabilized with a low level healing spell.
Cast your healing spells as desired, but the Officer has enough potions to stabilize those two. Or you can claim those potions for yourself, and use you spell slots.
Soldier Black begins to take a shallow, pained breath through ragged, tender lungs. Blood stops oozing from the sword wound and the cut seals itself, leaving a scorched scar where the blade was buried. His eyes don't open yet, but he is stable, and will live to march again.
Soldier Blue's face and arm crackle with magical energy. The skin stitches itself together and fresh, glistening blood seeps through the blackened cracks. His lips return, and his formerly melted eyes brighten with life. But the pain of tugging his soul back into his body is visible as he shakes and convulses. When the spell is done, his arm and face are covered in scars, and his face is void of hair and stubble. He coughs out a bit of ash, mucus, and blood. "Am... am I dead? Is this a place of honor or punishment?" He asks, bewildered.
The Officer watches the unexpectedly kind care Sera is placing on his troops with more than a little intrigue and confusion. There is honor amongst soldiers... even between enemies. Even if his own grave was the last one he was allowed to dig, he expected to be able to bury his troops with honor and dignity. But he was not expecting this mercy. It went against everything he knew. And he still wasn't sure if they were being spared just to be tortured and interrogated. A cleric who could restore them from the brink of death only to torture them again could be a problem. He was accustomed to torture, having underwent a fair share of it himself to know how to torture prisoners of war or traitors to the empire. But he wasn't sure if his troops could endure the agony of multiple deaths. He wondered, silently to himself, how long their suffering would drag out before this band of desert wanderers finally got bored with their playtime. His jaw tightened and stiffened. Whatever his fate, he would die... however many times it took... with dignity, that he may face the Ancient Dragons with honor in his heart.
Merkas climbs back up on Barkly who nudges the commander towards the shallow valley with his soldiers. The dunes creating a least a small amount of shade for them to shelter in. Noticing how he’s watching Sera “You’re darn lucky, y’know, she’s kinda our conscience, only ever saw her loose it on a guy once, and it wa’nt pretty. About letting you live, since we’re healing up your crew I guess that’s your answer there, about how you survive I think is up to you. Since the spoils go to the victor, I figure we leave you with the crossbow and the single bolt in it, a sword, and the a full skin of water. You got people coming, I gather, and likely a short trip back towards camp being as you’re on foot, so that should get you there.” Pointing towards the fallen ones and the personal trinkets. “Anything that is identifiers to give to their family you can take too, I’m taking the maps, compass, and I’ll store the other weapons for now.” Pointing towards the main road away from Santekh. “If returning to your company for punishment doesn’t seem like a good idea then maybe heading that way would serve you better, though I would drop all the insignia and armour before I got close, I hear theres bounties for you peoples heads outside the areas you control” (Insight=16 looking to see if the thought of deserting and running appeals to any of them)
The Officer marches in line with Barkly's coaxing dutifully, and listens quietly as Merkas speaks. The idea of not returning to his duties never occured to him before Merkas mentions it. He understood why soldiers might go AWOL, but the cost of getting caught kept most soldiers in line. An Officer's sense of duty is never in question though. He squints his eyes as he thinks.
"To the trade outpost? That's probably not the safest place to go. The Empire only tolerates them because they remain unarmed. If the Green Dragon Army had any reason to suspect they were housing even a single deserter, the old ruin would be cinder and ash before the setting of the sun. Since you've shown us mercy, I will extend the courtesy of honesty. We will likely meet in battle again. And though I do not look forward to that day, I will extend you the same courtesy you've shown us should we be the victors in the next fray. You will be allowed to heal your dying and bury your dead. And you will be provisioned while we take you to justice. You've shown honor. And it will be returned."
He hands you the supplies you demand, and puts the rest in his pack, then stores what doesn't fit into the remaining packs. He then goes to his revived comrades and hands them shovels. Though they are still weak and shaky, he commands them to dig with him hastily. As he digs, he looks up at Hastos. "If you wish to avoid your punishment, and you want your friends to survive the day, you should leave with haste. When I am found, I'll be obligated to tell them which way your party fled. Keep your eyes to the sky, and be keen to the presence of ruins. Our armies are excavating them."
Insight 16: He most likely won't desert. But you get the idea that he's weary of war. The Officer probably fights for something he either can't, or won't, run from. And he definitely won't leave until his fallen soldiers are safely in the ground and prayed over. The most likely reason for this is the magic poisoning affecting the land. In places of chaotic magical decay, strange things happen to corpses left unattended.
Hastos follows Merkas and the officer down to the his men, who are already stirring from Sera’s healing. As they get to the scene of the battle, Hastos says to the officer, “Leave your potions here.” He gestures to a spot just behind the officer.
Hastos finds a position somewhere central to the position of the soldiers, far enough to give the others room, but close enough to act if anyone tries anything. As he walks past Orr he says in a low voice. “If any of those idiots try anything. Make an example of one of them.”
The Officer dutifully surrenders three Potions of Healing (Common).
Orr nods silently as Hastos passes by with the message. They reach into their pouch and pull out a smudge of bat guano, smearing it onto a nugget of sulphur between their finger and thumb. The smell is intensely unpleasant as it begins to heat up and smoke until their fingertips blacken, then glow with a reddish hue. He mutters an encantation in Orcish, and stops abruptly without saying the final words.
The Officer considers the tricky question. Betraying a goddess comes with consequences. But there's no way Takhisis can pay attention to every possible conversation an officer has.
"It is difficult to say. Dragon Army troops are combing this desert. Dragonnel riders too. We are merely an advanced troop. More scouts than an actual patrol. The worst case scenario for you is if a dragon rider saw it. Even as strong as you are, I doubt you'll fare well against that force."
She/her, DM and Player.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk
“I want to know how long till they get here, cuz if I was tryin’ to kill time I would ask the same things” Merkas looks over to Barkly and back at the officer. “Answer quick or she takes your head off” The kender starts fiddling with the ring of Amity on his finger. (Next attack from Barkly will be converted to a crit with the rings rune) He casts Create Bonfire under Barkly to heal her wounds (2d8 for a total 13 healing to Barkly) “And you know she’s up to the challenge”
Loyalty Begets Honour
Sera see his consern and hear his words...the bravado gone and she can respect his care for his men. Sera go up towards him " Even we are enemies showing mercy...even it might be tactical to not.." Sera sigh and pause "we risk our lives every time we do battle with the forces of Thakisis...and we risk it when we not fight. I will not kill men who surrenders. They will tell on us since that is their duty as soldiers. So be it...but I think borrovwing your uniforms. And sending your back without the best weapons is fair. Not defensless if you meet other monsters around you should be able to defend yourself some.." Sera look at her friends and know she is the most lawful of the group...she is but one vote.
"I say show mercy even we do not get the same respect or mercy back...we should have higher standards..because that is what we fight for in the end..." she give the officer a look " something better.. and we betray ourself if we acted withour mercy"
Sera turns.." I go and see if I can help some of the injured ones" She cast Hastos a long look and gebntly caress his wound to see how deep it is and see it is only a flesh wound " for all I know..one of these dragon soldiers might mean something dear to someone...and I cannot take that away from them"
She then with no delay rush back to heal the solduers ghey just defeated.
( will use cure light wounds on the most severe injured if it is needed)
Hastos nods in agreement and after Sera passes to tend to the wounded soldiers, Hastos turns to the Officer and stares at him with cold hatred and raises the flaming great axe. The flames extinguish and he returns it to its sheath without breaking eye contact.
He then points to the soldiers. “Go. Treachery will be expensive.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sera look at the battlefield. Soldier black she pierced lungs with her sunblade. Dead. Solder blue got cremated...dead. soldier greens head exploded. Very dead. Only soldier Teal is bleeding from severe stabwounds. With the loss of blood and critical condition he is in Sera takes a deep breath " please Paladine...no more deaths..." and her hands glow with a warm orange light as she caress his wounds and restore his health...
She look at Hastos sheating his weapon , turnibg and she give him a smile. She know some of his past and kbow this is hard on him.Her mouth forms words not spoken loud
-...I...love...you...-
The officer watches with interest as fire heals Barkly's wounds. In a less dire situation, he might've laughed at the sight. All their issued weapons did some kind of flame damage. His troop couldn't have been more poorly matched. He knew, up close, that whatever this creature was, it wasn't draconic. But his troops might not have seen it that way. They were taught to fear and revere dragons. And would have never intentionally slain the beast. He looked at Merkas's flame scarred flesh, and wondered what kind of challenges he experiences training the strange creature. Logically, a mage such as Merkas would have some magic on them by now that protected against fire damage. And his troops were poorly equipped to defend against casters unless they can burn. In spite of himself, the Officer sighs. Only in death, and sometimes not even then, can a Dragon Army soldier retire from this war. Though Merkas's words were intended to be a threat, the Officer faced his fate unafraid.
As you comb over the bodies, you find that most are beyond saving. Soldier Black, even though his lung is pierced, you can tell that a spark of life still clings to his form. He will be beyond the grasp of magical healing in moments. But if you act quickly, he can be restored with strong healing.
I rolled Medicine checks for Sera. DAS Black has -6 HP. For all intense and purposes, he is dead. But in the final moments, when his soul is departing, you can revive him.
Though badly crisped, Soldier Blue might be revivable. The thin remaining thread of his soul is tattered though, and the scars on his will run deep.
DAS Blue has -2 HP. He can be stabilized with a low level healing spell.
Cast your healing spells as desired, but the Officer has enough potions to stabilize those two. Or you can claim those potions for yourself, and use you spell slots.
Soldier Black begins to take a shallow, pained breath through ragged, tender lungs. Blood stops oozing from the sword wound and the cut seals itself, leaving a scorched scar where the blade was buried. His eyes don't open yet, but he is stable, and will live to march again.
Soldier Blue's face and arm crackle with magical energy. The skin stitches itself together and fresh, glistening blood seeps through the blackened cracks. His lips return, and his formerly melted eyes brighten with life. But the pain of tugging his soul back into his body is visible as he shakes and convulses. When the spell is done, his arm and face are covered in scars, and his face is void of hair and stubble. He coughs out a bit of ash, mucus, and blood. "Am... am I dead? Is this a place of honor or punishment?" He asks, bewildered.
The Officer watches the unexpectedly kind care Sera is placing on his troops with more than a little intrigue and confusion. There is honor amongst soldiers... even between enemies. Even if his own grave was the last one he was allowed to dig, he expected to be able to bury his troops with honor and dignity. But he was not expecting this mercy. It went against everything he knew. And he still wasn't sure if they were being spared just to be tortured and interrogated. A cleric who could restore them from the brink of death only to torture them again could be a problem. He was accustomed to torture, having underwent a fair share of it himself to know how to torture prisoners of war or traitors to the empire. But he wasn't sure if his troops could endure the agony of multiple deaths. He wondered, silently to himself, how long their suffering would drag out before this band of desert wanderers finally got bored with their playtime. His jaw tightened and stiffened. Whatever his fate, he would die... however many times it took... with dignity, that he may face the Ancient Dragons with honor in his heart.
She/her, DM and Player.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk
Merkas climbs back up on Barkly who nudges the commander towards the shallow valley with his soldiers. The dunes creating a least a small amount of shade for them to shelter in. Noticing how he’s watching Sera “You’re darn lucky, y’know, she’s kinda our conscience, only ever saw her loose it on a guy once, and it wa’nt pretty. About letting you live, since we’re healing up your crew I guess that’s your answer there, about how you survive I think is up to you. Since the spoils go to the victor, I figure we leave you with the crossbow and the single bolt in it, a sword, and the a full skin of water. You got people coming, I gather, and likely a short trip back towards camp being as you’re on foot, so that should get you there.” Pointing towards the fallen ones and the personal trinkets. “Anything that is identifiers to give to their family you can take too, I’m taking the maps, compass, and I’ll store the other weapons for now.”
Pointing towards the main road away from Santekh. “If returning to your company for punishment doesn’t seem like a good idea then maybe heading that way would serve you better, though I would drop all the insignia and armour before I got close, I hear theres bounties for you peoples heads outside the areas you control” (Insight=16 looking to see if the thought of deserting and running appeals to any of them)
Loyalty Begets Honour
The Officer marches in line with Barkly's coaxing dutifully, and listens quietly as Merkas speaks. The idea of not returning to his duties never occured to him before Merkas mentions it. He understood why soldiers might go AWOL, but the cost of getting caught kept most soldiers in line. An Officer's sense of duty is never in question though. He squints his eyes as he thinks.
"To the trade outpost? That's probably not the safest place to go. The Empire only tolerates them because they remain unarmed. If the Green Dragon Army had any reason to suspect they were housing even a single deserter, the old ruin would be cinder and ash before the setting of the sun. Since you've shown us mercy, I will extend the courtesy of honesty. We will likely meet in battle again. And though I do not look forward to that day, I will extend you the same courtesy you've shown us should we be the victors in the next fray. You will be allowed to heal your dying and bury your dead. And you will be provisioned while we take you to justice. You've shown honor. And it will be returned."
He hands you the supplies you demand, and puts the rest in his pack, then stores what doesn't fit into the remaining packs. He then goes to his revived comrades and hands them shovels. Though they are still weak and shaky, he commands them to dig with him hastily. As he digs, he looks up at Hastos. "If you wish to avoid your punishment, and you want your friends to survive the day, you should leave with haste. When I am found, I'll be obligated to tell them which way your party fled. Keep your eyes to the sky, and be keen to the presence of ruins. Our armies are excavating them."
Insight 16: He most likely won't desert. But you get the idea that he's weary of war. The Officer probably fights for something he either can't, or won't, run from. And he definitely won't leave until his fallen soldiers are safely in the ground and prayed over. The most likely reason for this is the magic poisoning affecting the land. In places of chaotic magical decay, strange things happen to corpses left unattended.
She/her, DM and Player.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk
Hastos follows Merkas and the officer down to the his men, who are already stirring from Sera’s healing. As they get to the scene of the battle, Hastos says to the officer, “Leave your potions here.” He gestures to a spot just behind the officer.
Hastos finds a position somewhere central to the position of the soldiers, far enough to give the others room, but close enough to act if anyone tries anything. As he walks past Orr he says in a low voice. “If any of those idiots try anything. Make an example of one of them.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
The Officer dutifully surrenders three Potions of Healing (Common).
Orr nods silently as Hastos passes by with the message. They reach into their pouch and pull out a smudge of bat guano, smearing it onto a nugget of sulphur between their finger and thumb. The smell is intensely unpleasant as it begins to heat up and smoke until their fingertips blacken, then glow with a reddish hue. He mutters an encantation in Orcish, and stops abruptly without saying the final words.
Orr readies Fireball.
The soldiers glance at Orr nervously and return to their digging.
She/her, DM and Player.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk