Barty's "Tyranny In Phlan" (DDEX1-10)

OOC: DM, does "Wearer of Purple" mean anything to Hildigrim?

"I couldn't care less who you are, purple-robed fanatic," Auriel replies, returning her dismissive tone in kind. "You have a fancy name and a fancy title, I'll grant you that. But if you think we are easy prey, then you are sorely mistaken."

His grip tightens around his halberd.

"We have come too far to make this easy for you."

The paladin casts a brief glance at Ector Brahms. He is not entirely pleased that the Lord Regent has chosen to stand and fight rather than retreating. Not that Auriel would deny him the right to fight for his own life—and the lives of his people—but ... what if something were to happen to him?

They cannot allow that. Not when freedom is so close at hand.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

OOC: DM, does "Wearer of Purple" mean anything to Hildigrim?

OOC: Not to Hildigrim, but perhaps to another favorite character of ours....

I'll (hopefully) update in full tomorrow, to give a chance for Carl or Hildigrim again in this back-and-forth. Love how epic Auriel can be!

OOC: I'm still holding out hope that these two campaigns will somehow encounter each other.

Hildigrim's eyes widen slightly behind his spectacles. The name, Ixusaxa Terrorsong, lands with uncomfortable weight.

So Spernik had not been boasting.

The halfling takes a step backward, positioning himself where he can keep both the wyvern and the refugees in view.

"A Wearer of Purple," he repeats, unsure what it means, but intuiting importance. "Not merely another cultist." His gaze flicks briefly to the others. "High-ranking," he ventures. "Dangerous." Then he looks back up at the rider. "Interesting."

The word leaves his mouth before caution can stop it.

"Spernik credited you with the fall of Phlan." He adjusts his spectacles. "I confess, I expected someone taller."

Despite the barb, his eyes are busy measuring distances, angles, and escape routes.

"Tell me, Ixusaxa Terrorsong," he calls, buying one more handful of seconds for the fleeing refugees, "if Phlan has already fallen, why are you here personally?" He tilts his head slightly. "Surely a victor has more important things to do than chase survivors through a drainage tunnel."

Carl moves to separate himself from the others, moving to the side, slowly, and considering his next steps toward this purpled robed fanatic.  He frantically searches his thoughts for prior history of the purple robed ones, putting together what Hildigrim has said and his prior knowledge to know who he is dealing with.  He doesn’t launch an attack, but he is considering his options, looking for any cover, but moving away from the others so that they are not grouped all together like easy targets.  He holds his tongue, listening to the banter and not wanting to draw attention to himself.

History : 13

Carl has never heard of this title, a Wearer of Purple, though her ranking within the cult seems to be quite high.

Ixusaxa responds to Hildigrim's taunts by kicking her heels into her wyvern mount. The creature flaps its heavy wings once, then twice, propelling it up ten feet into the air. "I am here because I want to watch the light fade from your Lord Regent's eyes myself!" she shouts. Her hands wave in a somatic pattern as she cackles.

Initiative:
Lord Regent: 15
Party: 14
Ixusaxa: 10

The Lord Regent rolls to the side, coming to a knee on the side of the spillway out of the water. He drops both of his swords to the ground, pulling the crossbow off of his back and aiming it toward the mage. "I dare you to try!" he shouts.

Round 1 Order:
Lord Regent
Players <====
Ixusaxa Terrorsong

Placement:
Ixusaxa and the wyvern mount are within movement range of the party, but 10 feet above the ground.

Health:
Auriel is lightly wounded.
Hex is lightly wounded.

OOC: I'll bot Hex through this combat, unless she arrives to heroically rejoin us (a boy can dream).