Residue of Sorrow

((Non-lethal damage is possible on all non-spell melee attacks, as long as you remember to call it out before I reveal the outcome. I imagine it won't be relevant, but in case you have something in mind, melee spell attacks will depend on the spell. Ranged attacks are never non-lethal unless you're throwing some blunt object... and even then, I'll probably roll to decide.

Also, for the future, know that the Goading Attack's damage is added on hit, and as such, should be counted for both the crit (meaning you roll an extra d8, which I rolled for you and got an 8), and for the savage attacker (which I also rolled for you, remembering to do it through your sheet that time, and got an 11 which is lower than the 12 of the previous result).

There's also a d6 there, but that's Bryn's.

You guys really do deal a lot more damage than I intended.))

Arren quickly closes the distance and, with two swift strikes, nearly kills the Elf, whose smile ran away from his face. His eyes frantically bolt towards the tied Gnome. Realising that his foes are far superior, he figures he should use his hostage to keep them at a distance. He reaches for his dice again, hoping to use them as a distraction, but before he can make even a step, an arrow he could not expect from hidden Bryn pierces his neck, passing all the way through and striking the wall. The Elf falls into the shallow pool. The dice, which he was going to throw, landed on the pool's bottom. A 1 and a 6, if Arren bothers to look. They burst, one last time, into electrical arcs which are drawn to Arren's armour.

Arren, please roll a final DC14 Dexterity save, at a disadvantage again, or take 12 lightning damage, half on success.

Bryn, you find that the arrow flew more accurately than you intended, towards a lethal spot. Yes, an arrow to the neck is usually a lethal hit, but the small area is hard to hit, and an arrow to the chest usually achieves the same result. Every archer knows that, even if Bryn didn't actually need to use this knowledge before coming to Katto. As such, like always, Bryn aimed for the centre of the chest. Large area, easier to hit, still lethal, and unlikely to be blocked by armour made of mere leather. Some would think Bryn's more accurate hit would be a novice's luck - missing his mark to hit a better one - but Bryn knows better. He took careful aim, and he saw the arrow's path. It bent upwards. Only slightly, perhaps, but it definitely corrected itself to a more lethal hit. And beyond that, the arrow's hit was more powerful than he'd expect it to be, even if it had gone in his desired path.

Bryn dealt 2 force damage more than he should have.

The battle is over, his foe slayed, yet Bryn's feeling of excitement remains. Longer than it should. It will linger for a while more, even though Bryn has no enemy in sight. Even once he's sure the adrenaline in his body has subsided, he can still feel the thrill.

Bryn stands frozen, his fingers still ghosting over the string of the bow. He watches the Bogie fall, his mind replaying the arc of the arrow as it adjusted its flight, seemingly hunting the exposed throat of the strange elf. He is snapped out of his stupor as the last of the dice cause the arc of lightning to conduct towards Arren's armour.

"Are you ok, Arren?", he asks as he steps forward, still feeling his elevated pulse but trying to ignore the feeling like adrenaline coursing through him. "I didn't mean to...", he starts, then stops, his brow furrowing as he looks at the pool. "Well, I did. He was too dangerous, but still...".

He stows the bow, hoping that removing the physical connection might help calm him.

He fixes his eyes on the small, bound figure of Mukan. The relief he feels is genuine, a tether to the person he was before he fired the bow.

"And you, Mukan. Are you hurt?" he asks, his voice softening. He begins to wade toward the gnome, his movements deliberate. He's grateful for the angle of the cavern; the boy shouldn't have seen the gruesome precision of that final shot.

As he moves through the water, his eyes dart back to the Bogie's corpse. He’s looking for the source of those lethal "games". A leather pouch, perhaps, that held the dice. The magic of them has certainly piqued his curiosity, despite the danger.

DEX Save: (19,8)+2 = 10

There is always a silent conversation between opponents fighting at close range. One that tells you when the fight is over or, on the contrary, when your opponent is far from defeated. Or even when they are simply better, and there is nothing one can do about it. It is a conversation Arren has known many times, and in this case, he sees clearly that the Elf has lost the moment fear flashes in his eyes.

Arren opens his mouth to order him to stand down ... but the reply comes in the shape of an arrow that pierces the man's throat.

"No! We could have—" he begins, but is cut short as the madman's dice roll once more, and he is again engulfed in crackling arcs of lightning, stronger than before.

He stumbles back a couple of steps, grunting, breath coming heavy, until the magic finally dissipates and it becomes clear that no more harm will come from this Bogie Man.

When Bryn approaches, he says, "He did a number on me. But I'm alright." He pauses. "I would have preferred to subdue him and take him into custody. He could have answered questions. Like long he's been hiding here. The legend of this cave has been around for ages, but I doubt he's been here that long."

He exhales slowly, "Nothing we can do about it now. I just hope they don't ask too many questions when I report back."

Turning to more pressing matters, Arren moves to check on Mukan as well. As Bryn works to untie him, he asks, "Are you able to walk? Your friend Eva is waiting for you outside." His expression hardens when he adds, "I do hope you've both learned your lesson and won't come back here again. Even without this Bogie Man, the cave itself is dangerous enough."

He lets the boy answer, then adds, "Did the Elf say anything about how long he's been operating here? Or mention any other victims?"

As Bryn searches the body, Arren glances over and asks, "Find anything useful? Anything that might tell us who the hell this madman was?"

Arren is ready to leave whenever Bryn and Mukan are. If Mukan is able to walk on his own, he tells them to make their way out of the cave first. He will follow shortly after, taking a moment to move the Elf's body to a safer spot closer to the entrance, so whoever comes from the garrison won't have to venture too deep inside. He'll also pick up Bryn's backpack.

Bryn feels slightly frustrated for a moment, but stowing the bow away makes all of it disappear, as well as the lingering excitement.

"Yes! I am fine! Just immobilised, nothing more." Mukan was tied with a long rope that spun around the entire stalagmite several times. The ties themselves are strong enough to make escaping difficult, but not hard to undo for anyone who can get to the right position.

"I was doing fine traversing this place when suddenly I heard laughter followed by these dice. Next thing I knew, I was tied here, and this mad Elf started singing and dancing around me, then you showed up." He talks fast but keeps a stoic front. "But don't worry, sir, I won't go in here again. I'm sorry we troubled you."

When Arren asks for more about the Elf, the young Gnome only shakes his head. "A madman, I don't know. Didn't see anybody else, though." When they pass by the Elf's body, Mukan stares for a few moments but keeps silent and soon follows after Arren out of the cave.

Bryn finds a small pouch, but it doesn't contain any dice, and too small to hold so many anyway. It does contain some coins, though, about ten in total, a collection of coins from each nation in Dite. These are standard coins, though, and regardless of their origin, will be accepted by pretty much anyone. They're worth a total of 2GP and 7SP. Besides that, all the Elf carries are his clothes, a studded leather armour and two daggers.

On their way out, the moment Mukan sees the large stalactite, he immediately knows where he is, and from there, leads the way out, through the left path that Arren previously considered, claiming that it's the easiest path to the exit. It's still a little challenging, and one must be careful not to slip, but the three make it out eventually, all the while hearing more of the reflected sounds that seem to form words.

"Cheese... well... east... done... bird... and... wasp... thank... mind... you..."

Eventually, they make it back to the entrance, with Bryn's pack retrieved as well. Eva, who patiently waited where she was left, is relieved to see Mukan returning with both Bryn and Arren.

"You're back!" She exclaims, rising on her feet and pulling Mukan, to his great embarrassment, into a long hug. "I'm so sorry. So, so sorry. I never should have dared you to go in." Mukan's ears turn from the normal ashen grey to slightly purple, and he tries to say something, but the words are swallowed by Eva's clothes and body as she, still not releasing him, raises her eyes to look at Arren and Bryn. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I hope you didn't get hurt because of us." 

At this point, Mukan breaks free of Eva's hug and walks a few steps out of the cave so that none will see the colour of his face - though the tips of his ears betray him. "I'm fine! There was some mad Elf there with some weird magical dice, but the soldiers kicked his ass!"

Eva, finding Mukan's short, undetailed story more than simply strange, looks at Bryn and Arren a little puzzled for just a moment.

Bryn and Arren also both notice that the fog has cleared outside, by now, and the sun's bright light is even a little blinding after just leaving a dark cave. The air is very pleasant outside. To their feet, on the other hand, they notice the water level has risen considerably, and some water flows into the cave almost constantly. 

Arren nods at Mukan's answers regarding the dead Elf, who will unfortunately remain a mystery. Who he was, how long he had been operating in the caves, or how he even summoned those magical dice.

Not wishing to remain in the cave any longer than necessary, they follow the Gnome toward the exit, welcoming the sight of the clear sky once they step outside. Whatever appeal the caves might have held in the Sergeant's youth has completely vanished after this unexpected visit.

Arren can't help but smile a little when Eva hugs Mukan, the smile widening as he notices the Gnome's blush. Once the hug ends, he leans slightly closer and murmurs, just loud enough for Mukan to hear, "Ah. I see who you were trying to impress by going in there." If this deepens the boy's embarrassment even a bit Arren lets out a chuckle, but doesn't press him further.

At Eva's concern, Arren doesn't answer directly, though it's clear he's left the cave visibly more battered than when he entered. Instead, he gestures toward the water level, now considerably higher, and says, "Things would have been worse if we'd taken any longer. So, no more dares, alright?" He pauses, then adds, "Do you want us to escort you both home?"

He suspects they'll decline; their parents will likely be upset enough as it is without them arriving escorted by two unknown adults, one of them in uniform. Despite that—and the fact that they still need to check the carriage—he feels obliged to ask.

Bryn feels the weight of Arren’s words like a physical pressure. The Sergeant’s preference for subduing the elf is the correct, disciplined path, and he is having trouble separating the feelings Emil's bow transmitted to him whilst holding it and his own desire to protect them all from the Bogie. He did after all aim for the strange elf's chest, which might well have done the same job anyway. He catches Arren’s eye as they move, offering a sharp, meaningful nod before flicking his gaze toward Mukan.

Not here, the look said. Not in front of the boy.

As the group move out, he intentionally lingers by the body. He allows the echoes of Arren’s heavy boots and the gnome’s quick, nervous chatter to drift a little further away and then summons the innate power within him that allows him to see magical auras. Was the elf magical, did he summon the dice, or is there an item here that he drew power from?

Once he finishes scanning the body and the cave around him, he focusses on Emil's Bow. Is there any more I can glean that I haven't noticed before? Could it be dangerous? It felt like it had a sentience, but was that amplifying my own nature, or exerting its? Perhaps it wasn't by accident it came to be broken.

He then moves to catch up to the others, remaining cautious but knowing he is faster than the pair in front. He emerges from the cave mouth alongside them, squinting and raising a hand against the sudden, blinding brilliance of the sun. The pleasant air is a shock after the damp of the cave, but the sight of the water level catches his attention immediately.

He watches Eva rush to Mukan, observing the girl’s relief and the boy’s deepening purple blush. While the Sergeant gently teases the boy, he remains silent, offering Eva a respectful, formal bow when she thanks them. He sees the shift in her, the fact she now addresses him as well.

"You stayed where you were told, Eva", he says, his voice quiet and validating. "That showed more wisdom than the dare that brought you here. See that you both hold onto that wisdom from now on".

"The Sergeant is right about the tide", he agrees, his tone shifting back to the pragmatic. "Let’s get to the safety of higher ground".

There are matters to discuss once they are alone, but not whilst the children are with them. For instance, who the Bogie might be, and the influence of Emil's Bow. And they still have an urgent rendezvous at the carriage. But for now, the priority was getting the children clear of this cave.

With Bryn's magically-aided sight, he sees small traces of Conjuration magic that slowly fade away on the Elf's fingers. Since it's been a minute or two past the Elf's death and the last casting of the magic, to still see these traces means the spell was quite strong, if the effects Bryn saw weren't evidence enough. The Elf himself and all that he carries, however, seem nonmagical. Even the arrow that Bryn fired, by now, holds no traces of magic - if it was affected by one.

Emil's bow, meanwhile, seems to contain the same Divination magic as ever. The intensity doesn't seem to have changed, and Bryn doesn't feel nor see any response as it is taken out again.

"What?!" Mukan calls in response to Arren's teasing, the pitch of his voice suddenly rising significantly as often happens to boys at this age. "N-no idea what you're talking about!" He turns away flustered.

When Arren suggests escorting the teens to their parents, they seem to become a little paler. "Oh, that wouldn't be necessary!" Eva answers, in a plea more than anything. "We've learned our lesson and will head back home immediately!"

The children won't resist if Arren chooses to escort them anyway, though, and will show the way if asked, dread from their parents' responses as they'll learn what the children did written all over their faces.

Once the four climb back up to the road, far from the river's rising water, they can immediately return to Pyorre. If Arren insists on escorting him, they show the way, and both Arren and Bryn can hear Mukan tell Eva of his short adventure in the Bogie Burrow, and how he exaggerates the dangerous Elf's power a little - though it might just be how the young Gnome perceived it. If Arren allows them to return alone, the two quickly scurry away towards the city, hoping to lose Arren before he changes his mind.

"But we can't have you returning home alone after everything you've been through, can we?" Arren asks, his tone completely serious as he looks at the teens.

The Sergeant pauses and crosses his arms, noticing Eva and Mukan pale slightly. In truth, he's enjoying himself a little at their expense, but he knows he can't extend the joke for long. Bryn and he still have somewhere to be.

After a moment, Arren relaxes, waving a hand dismissively. "Oh, alright. Off you go. And take care, okay?"

He watches them scurry away, a smile tugging at his lips, before turning to Bryn. "I couldn't resist a bit of teasing. It feels good, after what's happened."

His expression settles again as he draws a steady breath. "To the carriage, then. Let's see what's waiting for us there."

Bryn waits until the children are well out of earshot before he speaks, his voice low and steady, not really in the mood to be jovial right now. "I took a moment before we left the chamber", he begins, not looking at Arren just yet, but focusing on the path ahead.

He pauses, recalling the fading glow on the dead man's fingers. "He was the source. There was no charm, no cursed dice. The magic was woven into him, and it was powerful. Conjuration, Arren. He wasn't just playing games; he seemed to be pulling that lightning out of thin air. Whatever he was, he wasn't just a 'madman' who wandered into a cave".

"And then there is Emil's Bow", he says, his hand instinctively ghosting over his shoulder to where it is stowed, but not touching it. "When I drew it... it didn't feel like just a weapon. It felt like excitement...eagerness. I aimed for his chest, Arren. He was dangerous, and I wanted to stop him for sure. But the bow added its own influence. It adjusted the arrow's flight, I am certain. It directed the shot to hit the throat".

He finally turns his head to look at the Sergeant. "I’ve seen Divination magic before, which is what I see in the bow. But today it felt different. It felt almost sentient. I’m starting to wonder if it was broken by accident, or if someone snapped it in half to stop it from deciding who lives and who dies".

He sighs, "But then, I guess if you aim a bow at a living creature, why else would you want to fire it but to kill them. The truth is, I am sorry I killed him. Life and death situations like this are new to me, and you moved so fast, I didn't expect you to be in the position to take him down. I was just trying to protect you and Mukan, and myself".