The Firenewt doesn't understand a word of it, but seems to glean some context from tone and body language. They say something else in Draconic and raise thump the flat of their blade with a flick of their finger. It wobbles and hums for a moment. Their tone seems casual, for Draconic, which is to say it wasn't a roar or angry hiss. "Kasi not give it nothing. Kasi say it die now. Take skin for heat."

It's a bit of a standoff now. The Giant Strider looks to the magical swirling lights, then back to the horses, then to Sharn, uncertain what to attack first... or if to attack at all. The Firenewt shows no action to attack, but there's a tense readiness in them and their grip is tight on the hilt of the charred blade.

“Kasi, we need to know exactly what it’s saying. You owe us a life debt. If you truly honor it, speak truthfully and do no omit anything.” Hastos voice becoming much more commanding, less sympathetic. 

Sighing, Hastos shakes his head. 
“Yea, this is true Merkas. I was hoping that this could pave the way to a broader peace in this area, but as I said, all the risk is ours, it offers nothing we need. Let’s offer the Newt water, the jackal, and healing, with no need for anything in trade. They can take it, or move on.”

Quote from MrUncleTio >>

“Kasi, we need to know exactly what it’s saying. You owe us a life debt. If you truly honor it, speak truthfully and do no omit anything.” Hastos voice becoming much more commanding, less sympathetic. 

Sighing, Hastos shakes his head. 
“Yea, this is true Merkas. I was hoping that this could pave the way to a broader peace in this area, but as I said, all the risk is ours, it offers nothing we need. Let’s offer the Newt water, the jackal, and healing, with no need for anything in trade. They can take it, or move on.”

 Kasi struggles for a moment to come up with the words. Her tension on the bow lessens as her arm grows tired.

"Master learn three language, then master know much hard it is." She realizes she's being snappy at the wrong person and releases another calming breath. "How say... it not words. It em, em, emmm..." she rattles off a phrase in Yipyak, looking frustrated. "When say nice, but heart not nice. Words hide in words."

"Ok Kasi we believe you, sorry for making it so hard for you. Maybe you can teach me the dragon speech to that way you are not the only on that has to do that, but for now tell it was Haz said. We will give some water, food, and heal the chicken as long as it leaves us be."
Merkas says gently as he shifts over to the side picking a stone in line with the two intruders, chicken between it and the firenewt. "We will not give up more, and definitely not the horses, if he doesn't agree feel free to shoot him and that will give us the cue to attack as well"

Sharn tightened his grip around his staff and nodded lightly, as if finally making up his mind.

"I think our kobold companion is correct. I can't understand a lick of what the fire fellow is saying, but his eyes tell me that he hasn't spoken a single truth, aside perhaps from the injury of it's animal." He continued looking straight into the newt's eyes "You're shrewd in what you do. Maybe stop tapping your blade and your animal will stop frenzying. Rather well trained isn't it?"

Merkas and Sharn protested, unwilling to part with Glynnis' horse—and Sera couldn’t blame them. It was a bitter deal, and Hastos seemed to agree with her,  he, like her, saw the wisdom in it.

But the truth was, there were no good choices here. Only bad ones.

Sera pretended to lower her guard, keeping her stance relaxed. She nodded, keeping her voice light, almost cheerful. "Alright… but however we speak, let’s pretend we got a good deal. This Newt doesn’t understand us." saying it a bit loud and cheerful like she happy it be no trouble.

She glanced at Sharn and Merkas, with a happy smile "I understand your concerns—I share them. But we can't just leave this Newt and his hungry steed. If we do, he might attack us on the way back… or worse, go after some innocent traveler from Santekh. That beast is starving."

Slowly, she shifted her position, taking a step sideways—subtle, casual—until she and Hastos had quietly flanked the Strider. If it made a move for one of the horses, they’d be ready.

Her expression stayed easy, unreadable, even as her grip tightened.

"We bring down the giant chicken first… all in. That injured leg is its weak spot. Get that Jackal carcass and distract it"

Clearly seeing that this is going to be a fight, Hastos joins Sera. As he steps to Sera’s side, “I’ll keep the lizard busy. If I get a chance, I’ll take a shot at the chicken, but we don’t need that Newt flanking us or killing our horses” 

Staring the Newt down, Hastos takes his axe and bangs it against his pauldron, making sure the Newt sees the emblem of the dragon. His axe rings like a bell in the night.

“If that’s your plan, Haz, watch out for it’s breath, I remember reading somewhere that it can shoot fire like a dragon” Merkas says collecting whats left of the jackal. Without looking away from the strider he tosses it on the ground between himself, Sharn, and the strider “Here ya go, in good faith. You can eat this ok” The kenders mind is reeling as he tries to figure out a way to knock this thing unconscious before it gets to the horses. Unseen by all as the dancing lights keep it muted, a fruit on a nearby cactus starts to glow faintly.

Kasi's snarl is hard to hide, as she nods agreeably and forces her mouth into a crocadilic smile to appear happier in accordance with the bluff. She then translates, tipping her snout towards the jackal carcass and then back to the Firenewt, who considers the words. 

The Firenewt watches the group build a formation with growing interest and weighs their options. Hastos's shield-gong has causes them to flinch towards the dragon-emblem. Though they show no obvious recognition of the connection to a dragon-army, they do seem to know a dragon when they see one. The pause is long, but they lower their sword. They don't sheathe it, but they do take the jackal carcass and toss it towards the Giant Strider who tears into it ferociously, before swallowing whole chunks, about half of it at a time. The Giant Strider moves back, and the Firenewt points at a place in the sand with their shield and begins talking again.

Kasi nods, then says, "It want Kasi bring water." There's an edge to Kasi's voice as she lowers her bow and releases the tension completely on the bow. Trusting in the group to keep her safe, she puts the arrow back in its quiver and looks to you. "Much water. All water, Kasi think"

Retconning for battle... come back later for a new update.

"We can't predict the future. They may be just as likely to help us later. I think pretending to help only to attack doesn't do much to mend issues of trust."

Hastos replies.  "Can we just wait to see how this plays out?"

Getting the signal to attack, Kasi's snarl grows wider and she lines her shot as Merkas plops the carcass down in the dirt. The Firenewt's eyes grow wide at the obvious threat and they inhale deeply in response, but not before the Giant Strider bursts into action, snapping at Merkas as his hand goes out to drop the jackal meat! Merkas barely manages to retract his hand in time, but the deadly intent in the creatures eyes indicates it wanted kender-meat more than cold-dead jackal leftovers.

Giant Longstrider uses Readied Attack and misses.

Larskolstad, if Sera has a readied attack, go ahead. otherwise Hrothbert_Neruca, you're up with your readied attack. If you both have readied attacks, you may both go without waiting. I'll sort it out when I log back in.

Initiative Order:

Giant Strider
Sera
Merkas
Hastos
Firenewt Warrior
Kasi
Sharn
(Rocky and Knuckleface will abstain from combat unless they have no choice, or are ordered too, but they are still hitched to the carts)

 Merkas jumps at the sudden lunge and yells at the firenewt "You gotta get control of yer mount, or else something REAL BAD is going to hit you"
As he says this one cactus fruits goes flying through the air at the newt, passing through the space where the Giant Strider once was and sailing on course to smack the Firenewt.

(Catapult, 90ft in a straight line from the cactus on the right to the newt, 18 bludgeoning damage, DC 13 Dex save to avoid being hit. Was trying to line them both up but the stride lunged forward out of the path of travel) 

The Strider lunged, snapping its beak at Merkas, but the nimble kender twisted away just in time.

Sera surged forward, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword as she willed it to shine more. 

(move 10 feet east to the Strider and get the sword to shine 30 feet bright light and 30 feet dim light
)
The blade flared to life, a searing silver glow cutting through the desert night like a comet’s trail. The sudden burst of radiance sent wild, flickering shadows across the sand, casting the Firenewt’s greedy gaze into stark relief.

She moved with measured precision, pivoting on her heel and twisting her wrist mid-swing, the energy blade arcing through the air in a sweeping motion. At the last second, she adjusted, shifting her stance to drive the blade down in a deadly crescent slash.

The burning edge of the sword met flesh, sinking into the Strider’s side with a sizzling hiss, like hot iron plunged into water. Radiant energy surged through the wound, spreading in a network of crackling silver veins along its scaly hide. The beast let out a shrieking cry, its muscles spasming from the holy burn left in the blade’s wake.

(attack get 18 to hit and 11 radiant damage)

Not giving it time to recover, Sera twisted the sword free in one smooth motion, the glow of her weapon leaving a shimmering afterimage in the air. She dropped low, rolled forward, and surged up again. The Strider staggered, its limbs trembling violently, its talons scrambling for purchase in the loose desert sand.

Seizing the moment, Sera pressed forward, using her shoulder to slam into its underside, forcing the beast’s weight onto its weakened, injured leg. It bellowed in pain, the limb buckling beneath it as it struggled to hold itself upright.
(strenght +athletic 18 to make it use its injured leg )

"Now!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos, ready for the others to strike.

As Sera rushes the Strider, Hastos attacks the Fire Newt! “I have to keep this thing busy while the others take out the chicken” he says to himself. He runs straight 15ft, forcing the newt to have to make the decision of either turning his back on Hastos or the Strider.

 Hastos charges in, the coarse terrain making it difficult to be sure footed. Hastos skids to a stop and swings his axe at its torso but the Fire Newt had clearly anticipated his attack and easily dodged the swing.

The Firenewt arcs their shield just in time to deflect the cactus-flower bullet which ricochets off the shield with a resounding *PRAAANG* sound, still holding it's breath, never moving their eyes from Sera, the menacing glare fixated on her and that brilliant sword.

Firenewt Warrior rolls Dex (16) and avoids damage.

But that focus works to their disadvantage, when Sera's sword flashes radiant light! As searing illumination flashes throughout the wilderness, onlooking critters wince and scatter. Jackals, coyotes, and scorpions skitter towards the safety of shadow and darkness. The Firenewt blinks and opens its rubbery mouth in a silent scream, trying hard not to exhale. They hold their shield in front of them to black any attack, and hopefully avoid the searing light, but no attack comes. To their surprise, Sera has shifted directions and sends an arcing wave of silvery death towards their mount who roars in agony, and staggers on its wounded leg, as Sera slams into it. It shuffles painfully, but manages to stay upright, though its cries indicate it's lost the will to continue the fight. The gash left on its side by the mighty weapon hisses and the Giant Strider appears to be in crippling pain.

Giant Strider rolls STR (18) to resist being forced to use its injured leg and succeeds.
Giant Strider is Bloodied.

Dazzled temporarily by the light, the Firenewt still has enough sense to keep that shield high, and Hastos's axe scrapes against the blackened face of it. After a resounding gong of impact, the shield moves aside, revealing an enraged face, and puffed out cheeks. Leaning in to exhale at full strength, they bellow liquid flame that completely encompasses Hastos, lighting his cloak on fire and searing his cognac locks of hair!

Firenewt attacks Hastos with Spit Fire (DC 11 to reduce damage): 6 Damage (Fire) on Fail, 3 Damage (Fire) on Save

Blinded by the stinging combination of Sera's Flame Sword and Merkas's Dancing Lights, Kasi fires off a shot at the source of the spewing flame. *shhthkt!* The arrow grazes the Firenewt's belly and continues spinning off into the darkness, leaving and angry looking scratch wound.

Kasi attacks Firenewt Warrior with Shortbow: 5 Damage (piercing).
Readied Round is over.

ROUND 1: Begins!

The Giant Longstrider makes a desperate attempt, calling on its innate powers, it opens its massive beak and launches a spiraling burst of flame at its own feet! The flames spread out in every direction in a hot, stinging wave! In the hot light, you notice the creatures sword wound start to heal.

Giant Strider attacks with Fire Burst: DC 12 DEX Save (7 Fire Damage on Fail, 3 on Success)
Giant Strider recovers 4 HP.
Larskolstad. Hrothbert_Neruca, and cheapjoke123: roll a DEX save, please.

In a surprising burst of agility, Kasi dives away from the flame, crashing hard on the sand with a pained groan. Her sackcloth dress doesn't fair quite so well, an catches a spray of the embers that sting her thighs. She uses her free hand to cover the wounded areas with sand and snuffs the flame out, but not before receiving before receiving a few nasty blisters on her legs. Her singed dress is now more of a mini-dress. A mix of dread and hate fills her eyes.

Kasi Rolls Dex Save (22) and takes 3 Damage (Fire).

Knuckleface and Rocky buck hard when the flames come toward them, kicking themselves loose from the cart! In a frenzy, they rear up on their hind legs, jumping and kicking to avoid the painful assault, but bound as they are, they can do little to avoid the flames. The raging spiral courses up their legs, and the horses go wild, breaking free of their tethers.

Knuckleface fails his save and takes 7 Damage (Fire)
Rocky fails his save and takes 7 damage (Fire)
The horses are free and in a frenzy.

Larskolstad, Sera is up.

Having already been in a half roll, Merkas use the momentum to get away from the worst of the heat. His tassel would need some trimming later, and maybe getting Sera to dump that magic water onto his back would cool the blisters enough so he could sleep. 
(dirty 20 Dex save)

With his thoughts focused on the damage from the flames and avoiding the horses hooves the dancing lights go out, plunging the area into what seemed like a deeper darkness after all the flashes from Seras sword and the flames from their two attackers. 
(Concentration check due to taking damage - Con save 8, lost concentration)

”Ah! Can’t see! Go get him Haz, use that axe and chop that tree!”

With the fire burning itself out, the only remaining light is the Firenewt's flame attack against Hastos, and Sera's radiant energy from the Flame Sword.

The sword plunges deep into the Giant Strider, who kicks away from the blade, but with little effect. The sword sinks deep, grazing vital organs. It's a live, but looking very weakened. It's roars are more like pathetic cries at this point as it tries desperately to escape Sera's wrath.

Giant Strider is Bloodied.
Merkas delays initiative.
MrUncleTio Hastos is up, please remember your DEX Save.

Hastos, heeding the warning Merkas gave him just moments ago, falls to one knee and flips his cloak around, ducking his face inside his cloak and used the broad blade of his axe like a buckler. 
He felt the liquid fire hit him like a searing stream of water. Holding his breath to give the super heated air a chance to dissipate, he hopes that the others attacks were better than his. He can feel the heat dissipating.

With his eyes closed, he lunges forward, throwing his burning cloak outward and around with his left hand, his right bringing the axe around a second time. He feels the blade bite into… something. He hopes it’s the neck of that lizard.

Hastos's axe clangs against the shield, but the Firenewt underestimated Hastos's ferocious strength. The shield only deflects the attack well enough to prevent a lethal strike, and the axe rakes against their ribcage. The wound is gruesome, and will make a cool scar, but it's not deep enough to do crippling damage.

Hrothbert_Neruca Merkas is up.
No change to the Battle Map.