Caldera Saute, part 1

Log Info

• Title: Caldera Saute, part 1
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Thorn, Vance, Shalethiste, Thurid, Merek
• Place: Bludgun - Sky Curtain Mountains - Caldera Saute
• Time: Sunday, December 13, 2020, 2:20 PM
• Summary: The Blar Airship flies from DEVA Station to Caldera Saute through Bludguni airspace. It is snowing heavily, and the party is asked to volunteer to clear snow from the gasbag. Thurid is the only one able to get on top, and does so. The airship descends, landing rough beside the volcano. Out on the slopes is the tree they're seeking. The tree is very tall, old, and shows lots of signs of enduring the volcano. Unexpectedly, the group is shot at by a sniper, dropping the whole area into silence. Merek and Thurid are shot next, while Vance takes flight on Sunflash and glides towards the distant foe. Shalethiste is occupied getting her armour on as the fight continues. The volcano slope is slippery from melted snow, and everyone falls frequently. Vance overfly the sniper, drawing fire, and he and his mount are heavily wounded. He moves up, demands surrender, and the prone foe takes out Sunflash, then starts attempting to escape. Even the enemy has trouble on the slopes, falling enough the others can almost catch up. Healing is applied, and the foe is pursued, until this is interrupted by a small bomb, which strikes Vance unconscious. Meanwhile, Shalethiste is armoured up but sees something happening at the tree. She discovers a giant dryad, pulling the arrow out, and feels compelled to hug her. This gets a return embrace, where the Dryad seems to recognize Shalethiste, as her great grandmother. The cedar dryad, Zanalilla, tells Shalethiste she knows what causes the disease, but is spooked by 'more squirrels' (the others) returning.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Merek        5'10"    215 Lb     Human             Male      A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes.
Thurid       7'1"     249 Lb     Giantborn         Female    Bright-eyed, muscular, blond Giantborn woman.
Thorn        5'5"     130 Lb     Half-Elf          Male      Wild-looking half-sil.
Vance        6'1"     175 Lb     Human             Male      A tall, green-eyed young human with dark hair.
Shalethiste  4'6"     96 Lb      Shadow Elf        Female    A copper maned elf maiden, hued in the night sky.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  As the GM  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

In the sky, on an airship, en route to Caldera Saute.

The Irons Hells hath no fury like a Woman scorned, so goes the saying. While the experience and the saying are not strictly applicable, an alteration might be: Nothing stops a determined Jotun woman from getting her way.

The resident Angoron healer wanted an airship, and lack of crew, quarantine and political differences be damned, it was going to be flying. Some of those differences were smoothed over by people left behind, such as the Silverguard, and some of those gaps were filled by volunteers from the DEVA All Faiths effort.

The Airship has been aloft for a couple days, flying high and through the night. Greenies have been assigned to various crew to help out, the Jotun finds herself taking over the role of the bugbear and doing all the 'large person' stuff. Just about everyone counts as a 'large person' compared with the all-gobbo crew. Only Captain Infalia, as a hobgoblin, is the exception. The ceiling boards are close for her too.

The full moon is up, snow flurries drift silently down from the pale sky. There is little wind.

Merek decides to come with the party upon the ship, though he seems to be taking a little bit of that time to himself, watching the skies. The man wears that dark attire along with the beltcape which he wears about the waist.

Thurid might not be bothered about snow and hail, chill fogs and scorching sands. But as it turns out, despite her natural height being higher than most, she doesn't like heights. And so she has mostly been helping out with any and all dumb labor she can find aboard the ship that doesn't take her too close to the edges- lugging things around, carrying coils of rope form place to place, hefting heavy things. Nothing that might require one to be an able airman- but how many bugbears are able airmen in the first place?

Thorn isn't completely sure HOW he wound up part of this crew - absorption by osmosis. But other than the blanket draped over his shoulders and broached like a cape and the noodly ferret draped across the back of his neck, he seems to be comfortable in just a breechclout and sandals - used to spending time outside, it seems. He leans on his spear with both hands as he takes in the view, and muses, "Did you ever think you'd be so high up, Bastard?"

Vance was sort of a last minute addition to the whole affair, though he's thrown himself into it with enthusiasm, if not very much skill. He does, at least, have some experience with flying, just not on an airship, so the heights aren't bothering him. He's relatively tall for a human, and strongly built, so at the very least he's been able to help out with the 'big person' tasks whenever those come up and generally been fairly chipper about it.

Shalethiste finds herself occupying a peculiar middle ground, being much taller than the goblins, yet significantly smaller than everyone else. Her natural gifts are leveraged to make up where experience is lacking, but she does what she can to play stopgap where needed, clad in ill-fitting clothes less likely to get caught up in the works, complete with a snug wimple to contain her otherwise hazardous hair, and glistening like ink for the skein of sweat the unfamiliar labors bring out in the Mul'iessa.

Captain Infalia is on deck. She's a proud hobgoblin woman who likes to stand tall. This is countered by frequently bashing her head, and her tri-corner captain's hat which tries to mitigate the impact. She does not have a pleasant, resting expression. She is rarely at rest. Now is not an exception.

Up ahead, through the fog and glowing behind the falling snow is a wide open, fiery maw. Caldera Saute, the volcano that is this trip's destination.

"This trip been too easy." The hob Captain grumbles. Not to be overheard, but anyone near her might. "Half expect some Cloaked Charn-ship to be followin' us the whole way."

Louder, she says, "Ahoy! Snow is buildin' on the bag. I needs some volunteers to clear it. Don't want to deal with a melt-weight shift when we's comin' in on the Caldera."

She looks for volunteers, the gobbo crew look for volunteers too. Greenie hazing, never goes out of style.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "It's DC15, you get caught up in the rigging."
GAME: Shalethiste rolls athletics: (11)+1: 12
GAME: Vance rolls athletics: (4)+-3: 1
GAME: Merek rolls athletics: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (15)+7: 22

Merek looks to the snow, while he nods a bit to the goblins, "I will assist," he notes, then he walks along to begin assisting in cleaning up the snow. He does not offer a lot in conversation while he takes the time to assist in that work as well.

Vance seems willing to try, but it really doesn't go well! He only manages to get a few feet up the rigging before he gets horribly tangled up in it somehow and manages to fall back to the deck, landing rather heavily on his rear end. He huffs a little and reaches up to scuff a hand through his hair. Luckily he's not managed to hurt himself, but he glowers at the rigging anyway.

Thurid is hesitant, at first, as she has already expressed her dislike for being so far above the ground. However, seeing as this was her idea, she can't very well refuse to help. "Fine... Fine!" she says. She oulls off her chainmail, leaves it along with her hammer on the decking of the ship, and then begins to scale the rigging. It's just like climbing a tree, just like climbing a tree, just like climbing a tree that is already very far from the ground. She makes swift work of ascending up the ropes, though they creak ominously at her weight, they hold her.

This part.... won't make it into the story when she tells Tae.

The Mul'iessa had gone up into the rigging with intent to help, but, due to some unforeseen frosting on the lines, Shelly ends up dangling from the crook of her knee, upside down and makes managing to hold onto her tools. There's a click of the tongue and a sort of irate, growl, like a cat suspiciously eyeing a thermometer, before she starts trying to work herself free.

The gobbo crew eagerly watches as the new members take to the rigging. Captain Infalia simply scowls, this is not a game. As several fumble and entangle themselves, and one falls, her impatience is growing with her sighs.

The jotun's performance however, brings some cheers. She's almost as good as their bugbear, who currently lies invalid at DEVA station. She'd make a good replacement, and in any case, they find the struggles of large people amusing, even when they don't struggle.

Infalia calls up instructions, "That's good. Get to the centerline and push the snow off to the sides, Alternate port, starboard. You lot on the deck, shovel whatever lands over the side."

GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (19)+7: 26

Thurid gets to the top in short order, but remains clinging to the rigging for a short while, before gritting her teeth and hauling herself upright. Focus on the snow. She looks at her hands- she has scribbled p and s on them to remind her whcih side Port is and which side is Aft, since they don't seem capable of saying left and right, so then she gets to work as instructed, port then star, port then star, shoveling mounds of snow off each side in turn. Shoveling snow is fine, she's used to this, just don't pay any mind to the face you're doing it in midair on a floating pile of goblin magitech.

Snow showers down, small avalanches that land on the deck in clumps as well as fall past the sides.

Merek seems to be a little bit tied up into that rigging, while he offers a light sigh, then he nods while he begins to shift to work his way along free. Eventually, he then looks to Shalethiste, and tries to assist the woman.

Well, he might not be a born rigging climber, but Vance has sure mucked out enough stables in his time to be an accomplished shoveller. Not necesarily of snow, but it works laterally. He waits near the railing (though not too near, lest he be bombed by snow from above) for the first mound of now to hit the deck. Once it does, he gets to work, scooping whatever lands on the deck over the sides with apparent enthusiasm to make up for his rigging-climbing debackle.

"Get to SHOVELIN'!" The captain orders as she moves to the wheel and elevation levers. She casts a glance behind the airship, staring in to the fog of swirling flurries. Nothing.

Up ahead, the glowing bowl of the Caldera. A yellow and orange eye, indeterminate distance and depth.

GAME: Shalethiste rolls perception: (11)+4: 15
GAME: Vance rolls perception: (14)+0: 14
GAME: Thurid rolls perception: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Merek rolls perception: (5)+25: 30

The gobbo crew jump at the order and get to assisting the others, the deck is cleared with minutes to spare.

Sailing ships have to deal with winds and ocean currents; Airships have to deal with winds and updrafts, which function much the same way but in four dimensions. The snow-flurries vanish as the Airship travels into the heated air funnel of the volcano. The ship is still a distance out, so the air spreads upwards in a cone, and immediately the ship lurches upwards when caught in it. Infalia throws the wheel to the side, also deflating the bag a little to slow ascent.

Amidships, the Arcana-engine hums, and out to the sides the four levitation stabilizers glow a bright yellow, leaning towards white. The airship turns, and then there's a sudden lurch downwards as it enters cold air again.

"Hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride!"

Paf! "Wha-umph!" goes the smallish paladin as she rights herself just in time for her whitewash from on high, this slows her extrication by some moments of sputtering and wiping wet snow out of her eyes. Gaze turned upward, she realizes Thurid has powered through most of the snow, and would likely clear it by the time she reaches the top, and so she instead starts to descend to help on deck.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "reflex saves all DC12"
GAME: Shalethiste rolls reflex: (9)+8: 17
GAME: Merek rolls reflex: (17)+11: 28
GAME: Vance rolls reflex: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Thurid rolls reflex: (18)+2: 20

Merek looks to the place that's along the back of the whole airship, while he nods to the party, "It looks like there's a void along the back of the ship. Well, there's no snow flurries as well."

Vance occasionally glances about while he shovels, but between the movement of the airship and the gobbets of snow falling from above he doesn't seem to spot anything out of the ordinary, so he just keeps right on working. The sudden lurch downward catches him completely off guard, and he goes staggering into the guard rail with a heavy thud. More by luck than anything else, the force of the impact isn't *quite* enough to fling him over the side and into the void, and so he just sinks to the deck, suddenly looking rather pale.

Shalethiste is not, by nature, a heavy person, but even so inertia is a thing fo her. With the sudden bucking of the ship, the Mul ends up several inches from the deck, though she manages to land with modest aplomb on each occurance and she ventures toward the human near the rail, her eyes concerned as she grips it with one hand to offer him the other, "You alright?" Because formality is an affectation best meant not amidships in a blow, she figures.

Thurid's death grip on the net that covers the bag serves her well, as when the ship lurches she already has something to hang onto, which she grips all the more. She lets out a very un-jotunlike shriek at the sudden drop of the ship, "Are we crashing!?" she bellows from her position atop the baloon.

"Well I can't do anything about that now." Captain Infalia shouts. She's busy shouting lots of things, like, "Par One, Fore' pitch one, yaw two, and Larb two, back pitch two."

She's got a lot in her hands two, the wheel-yoke, with two large levers on either side and another selector dial wheel in front of the yoke. Gross elevation, steering, pitch and yaw controls, with gobber crew down at secondary stations providing the fine control. In addition to the two gobbers on the engine, which primarily is thrust.

Infalia is guiding the desecent in a way to keep the ship on the outside of the thermal funnel, so it drops almost as much as it moves forward, feathering an invisible line that demarks two radically different air environments. She's decided it's easier to deal with unexpected lurches upwards over downwards.

The bowl grows bigger, and bigger, and bigger. Still impossible to see the ground or surrounding mountains, Caldera Saute grows larger, bigger than a small town. Finally features are coming into view. The slope of the mountain, a mountain pass. Fires, on the mountain side. The inner edge of the volcano cauldera and the strange lip-way ledge. Also, a tree, right at the entrance to one of the passes.

"No," growls Infalia, "We're not."

There's a lurch over the edge, then a wham. The airship is down. The gasbag is deflating into pillow with the Jotun in the depressed centre of it, and the levitators are inverted, holding the airship down against the sudden hot air. "We're down."

Vance glances up when Shalethiste makes her way over to offer him a hand up. "I...think so?" he answers to the question of being alright, rubbing experimentally at the back of his head, which hit the railing fairly hard on the way down, but he seems to be intact. He reaches out to take the offered hand and pulls himself to his feet, only for the entire airship to continue with it's sudden nosedive. He's still a little wobbly, but he's ready for it this time and holds on with much more determination than before. "Thanks," he offers to Shalethiste, along with as pleasant a sort of smile as he can manage as they go careening towards the ground. The final thud of impact knocks him into the railing once more, though he manages to keep his feet under him this time. He peers over the edge, and huffs a sigh of relief now they're safely back on the ground.

Thurid does not dare move from her spot as the airship descends, she hooks one ankle around the rigging, holds onto it with both hands, and then just hangs on until it lands. And continues hanging on as the airbag deflates around her. And continues hanging on for a few moments after that, befpre finally extracting herself from the mess. She stomps over to grab her chainmail, shrugging it on, and her hammer. She looks back towards the others, "We're here to visit that ancient Cedar our Blarite friend mentioned, to see if it can offer any hints on this disease." she says to the others, still markedly pale after her experience up on the rigging, but glad to be closer to the ground, now.

Shalethiste smiles reassuringly and helps the man to his feet, habitually looking him over for injury, "anyway. The have enough time to share the delight of both feet being flat on the deck before the ship ends up..... er... 'touching down'. She ends up in the 'morning after hangover' position against the rail and takes a moment to get her bearings before bothering to stand again, then, a wry, "You're welcome."

Merek walks along that gangplank, then looks to the tree, taking a moment to examine it. He doesn't talk about the whole airship, with that being a not wonderful flight. He does nod a little bit to the party.

"Ah'm stayin' with the ship." Infalia says, as expected. "We'll keep 'er ready to pop. You hear the ship's bell, somethin's a happenin' an we need you back here. Gonna lift of somethin'."

Her attention alternates, between the dials and controls in front of her, and the skies. Watching the Airship's status and watching for whatever might have been behind them. "Keep a looks out boys, the human Seer says something was behind us."

Although he doesn't seem too concerned, so she's wondering if she should be.

It's a little walk down trail, then along-slope to the tree. The ground is warm, not enough to burn but it's easily felt through the soles of boots. The tree is on the outside of the Volcano, a tall ceder that goes up several hundred feet. It's growing out of cracked volcanic rock, as if lava flow hit the tree, and stopped. This ancient flow rises like a small house upslope of the tree's trunk.

There are branches, coniferous leaves, way up there, fewer on the side closest to the cauldera. It's alive. It's an evergreen.

Vance rests lightly against the railing and takes a few moments to get his feet firmly back under him now they're back on terra firma, at least for now. He listens carefully as Thurid explains why they're here and nods in understanding. He had been a really last minute addition, so he hadn;t quite picked up on all the backstory of it all. "Right, visit a tree," he agrees with a nod of his head, eventually letting go of the railing once the owrld seems steady again. It's his turn to offer a look of concern to Shalethiste, though she makes it back to her feet just fine and manages to quip at him, so he assumes she's also fine! Merek seems to be taking the lead, so he follows him out along the gangplank and onto solid ground once more.

GAME: Merek rolls knowledge/nature: (19)+8: 27
GAME: Merek rolls will: (19)+19: 38

Merek walks forward while he takes a look to the tree. He doesn't touch it, but he does take a little bit to put up Arcane Sight, then he begins to examine it in thought.

Thurid is here as muscle, more than anything, so she slings her hammer over her shoulder and watches as Merek goes over to examine the tree- keeping her own eyes peeled incase the war that drove their patients to this place in the first place has followed them here. She doesn't seem to mind the heat of the caldera any more than she was bothered by the cold of the snow.

Shalethiste steps down from the gangplank once it's deployed a looks around, though her attention is....

She's drifting a little toward the tree, glancing about, but not overlong, idly rubbing at her arms. Forty feet. "So... should we...." Twenty-nine feet, "worry about setting up camp?"

Thurid glances back towards the Paladin, and she ponders for a moment, "We'll see what the sage has to say on it at a glance. We might not need to stay that long." she says to her. And watches her edge towards the tree. She heads on over and puts a- large- hand on the Paladin's shoulder. "We already healed your hand. There's no need for you to touch it." she says- kind, but stern.

"Well, it's magical, and it looks like it's trying to put a spell on people when you look at it that way," Merek notes, nodding a bit to the party. "I don't know, it's up to you all," he offers.

The war. There is a war going on. This is a warzone. There are lights further down the mountain-side. Those look like a camp. Too tiny and far away to make out any details.

Far enough away to miss an airship descending, silhouetted against the glow of Caldera Saute? Maybe... Time will tell.

The tree, is a tree, a very old and very magical one. The roots go deep. The side nearest the lava flow has ancient scarring, burns that have long since been healed and grown through, but left a strange sort of scoup out of the trunk's cylindrical shape.

Above, a small spark drifts down to one of the branches, landing on it. The spark goes out, the branch doesn't light.

Not long after they touch down on solid ground, there's the sound of heavy wingbeats, followed by an eagle-like cry as four heavy paws land upon the ground nearby. Vance's face lights up immediately, and he jogs over to give the Griffon a friendly pat on it's beak. "Hello friend," he greets the creature warmly, before hopping up onto his back. Riding sure beats walking, especially when the ground is so hot, and Vance seems particularly pleased to be rejoined with his winged buddy. It only takes a few seconds for them to catch back up with the party, and fall into an easy walk along with them. "So, what's this about a tree disease?" Vance asks, looking warily at the lihts a little further down the slope as they go.

Shalethiste starts slightly at the massy hand suddeny set to her shoulder and she half turns, blinking up to Thurid, "What?" Blink-blink and she looks back to the foliage and shrinks a little, looking uncertain, closing her eyes, "i... wasn't thinking."

Thurid turns to answer Vance, first, "There's a disease ravaging the Bludgun and Blar forces, which we are treating at a field hospital. They have a compulsion to seek out trees, believing it will cure them, and this seems to be where it started. One sufferer found this tree, which replaced his diseased limbs with ones of animated wood." she says. She looks back to merek, and calls out, "Is that all? We need to know how it trasnmuted that Hoboblin's limbs!" she calls back to him.

She glances back down towards the short Paladin, and nods her head, "It's fine. Just try not to focus on the tree. Focus on watching the area around us, looking to see if anyone comes to investigate the landing." she says, giving the shoulder a squeeze (not too hard) before releasing her.

It's not a quiet night, as much as the falling snow mutes sounds in the air. It melts when it hits the ground, resulting the quiet trickle of many tiny streams of water, all running downhill.

The Caldera Saute itself makes some noise, the boiling of rock comes with its own roar and pop. Travelling sparks make a small 'hssss' when they land on the wet slopes. Small rocks, sometimes slip and then slide.

The tree doesn't do much. It stands a silent sentinel like trees tend to do. There is an occasional creaking, that doesn't even come close to words.

GAME: Shalethiste rolls perception: (17)+4: 21
GAME: Vance rolls perception: (20)+0: 20
GAME: Vance rolls 1d20: (8): 8 (Sunflash percep)
GAME: Thurid rolls perception: (8)+5: 13

Vance listens as Thurid explains about the mysterious disease. It's enough to cause his nose to wrinkle just a little as the corners of his mouth pull downwards into a sudden frown. "How awful," he responds, simply enough, though honestly he hasn't got terribly much more to contribute. He listens as Merek chimes in with what he was able to discover, befoe glancing back to Shalethiste, as Thurid comforts her about he knows not what. Deciding the best thing he can do it to be vigilant and watchful, Vance brings Sunflash (the Griffon) to a halt relatively near the tree and does eactly that, keeping an eye out for any sort of threats.

Shalethiste takes a breath and nods, is still for a moment, then nods again before she reopens her eyes. There's a glimmer of something, sympathetic, lonely, in the Mul's expression before she reluctantly turrrrrrrrns.... from.. the... tree. Her hand lifts and flicks back to try and gently bat at her large chaperone, "There's something else, here." and her sweeps to try and pinpoint the -tree! -no! the- thing.... are sadly not more forthcoming. She closes her eyes again, "I need... the ship... if something is amiss I need...." leafy, lonely, "mmmy equipment.'

Thurid blinks at Shale's comment, and her fingers tighten around the haft of her weapon, "Something? Hostile?" she asks Shale then, and she looks about herself. "Go back to the ship, grab your gear. I'll keep an eye out." she says to her as she does just that, glancing in the direction that Shale indicated, and seeing is she has any more luck at spying what it might be.

"It might be a dryad," Merek notes, while he nods a bit to people, then he thinks about it, "Besides all that, I'm not sure," he admits.

Vance is watchful! He scans all around the somewhat desolate slope of the volcano, looking for anything that might count as a threat. Shale seems to realise that something is about, but, over there, Vance spots it! "There's someone over there..." he explains, nodding his head in the direction, but not raising his voice ir painting in a way thats likely to draw a whole lot of attention.

Shalethiste makes her way to the gangplank and begins her ascent, staring holes in the boards as she gets ever.... further... from the...tree... She gives a little shake of her head, calling to mind the burdens of will she's already had to overcome to attain the worthiness in Her eyes that lets her function as a Silver Guard, trying to spur herself deeper into the ship to get retrieve both chain and blade.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+13: (18)+13: 31 (Sniper Perception)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+11: (18)+11: 29 (Sniper attacking Tree)

It was a good effort, to avoid alerting the distant, skulking foe. Except it failed. The observer was too skilled, or had seen enough.

It's suddenly very quiet, unearthly quiet.

An arrow in the tree might have something to do with that. Or it could be a coincidence. It appeared without the usual 'thunk'.

GAME: Merek casts Blessing of Fervor. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18

Merek looks to that arrow which seems to come right into the tree. There's a shift while he begins to chant magic words which he can't, he then draws a knife upon his palm, then he draws a field of magic in the front of him with the blood, which is all he can do to use his angelic ability. Then he nods to the party, it's not like he can say anything to them, and he's doing magic anyway.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+22-20+2+15: (9)+22+-20+2+15: 28 (Sniper Stealth)
GAME: Shalethiste rolls perception: (12)+4: 16

Shalethiste, as likely due to her... empathy for certain of the flora population, turns her attention back to see the ground crew seemingly on edge, but, no one's shouting any alarms, so the Mul'iessa turns reluctantly back to resume her hasty jog inside to gear up before trouble arrives.

GAME: Thurid casts Obscuring Mist. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14

Thurid shouts something as the arrow lands, but who knows what it is. She lifts her icon into the air, and thick fog begins to flow out of it, cascading down her floor and rolling across the ground to spread a cloud of mist in a wide swathe around her, to hopefully make any further arrow shots- at least in her current vicinity- harder for their unseen (to, at the very least, her) assailant land. With that done, she allows her Icon to dangle and hefts her Hammer, holding it at the ready.

A lot seems to happen at once, with arrows suddenly appearing in trees and a deathly silence falling over the entire area. Sunflash rears up a little unsteadily and Vance's features grow heavy with concern, his features pulling downward into a severe frown as he casts his head this way and that, trying to figure out where the figure he had seen before has gotten to. The tick fog doesn't entirely help with that, and so Vance opts to stay close with the rest of the group, unslinging his shoeld from over his shoulder and strapping it to his forearm, hopefully to provide some kind of protection against any further shots that might come their way.

Obscuring mist fills the area, making it much harder to see. It's already silent, and somewhat dark, although the volcano provides a nice glow that throws some long shadows. It stinks of sulfur too, and is hot, so across the board the senses are suffering and impacted.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "50/50, 1 hit, 2 miss"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d2: (1): 1
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d2: (1): 1
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+11: (13)+11: 24
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+2: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Sniper damaged Merek for 7 points. 82 HP remaining.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Sniper damaged Thurid for 4 points. 32 HP remaining.

So it's a painful surprise when Merek and Thurid find themselves suddenly growing arrows. One each, matching the one in the tree.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+30-20+2+15: (4)+30+-20+2+15: 31
GAME: Merek rolls perception: (16)+25: 41
GAME: Merek rolls ranged-10: (12)+12+-10: 14
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "however roll an intimidate with a +2 as well."
GAME: Merek rolls intimidate+2: (17)+8+2: 27

Merek takes up the flintlock which he keeps with him, while he notices that there is an arrow in him. Well, that's not nice. The man takes a moment to shift through the blood while he would fire with that dragonspitter. There's a flash of the weapon though no sound, while he shifts away to try and avoid any counter in that.

GAME: Shalethiste rolls perception+8: (5)+4+8: 17

Shalethiste mostly ignores the look she gets from the captain as she makes her way to where she's been quartered, with it's hammock basted in goblin gas, asiding, "Thought I saw something, getting ready for trouble in case it shows up." Because it hasn't yet, right? Once inside, she buckles on her swordbelt and reaches for her armor.

GAME: Thurid casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

Thurid opens her mouth to let out a silent cry of pain as the arrow buries itself in her thigh. She snaps off the shaft, and then makes her way towards the edge of the mist she has just summoned, remaining just inside of it, but close enough to the edge so that she can- sort of- see out of it. It means the arrows might have an easier finding her again, since she is only partially concealed now, but it also means she has some chance of spotting who is firing them. She hefts her hammer up, and then slams it down, the haft hitting the ground underfoot, and her already impressive muscles swell further, bolstered by Angoron's might.

GAME: Vance rolls ride+9: (16)+-2+9: 23
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "Okay, roll a perception +18 trying to beat a DC31 stealth."
GAME: Vance rolls perception+18: (14)+0+18: 32

Vance looks conerned when he sees the arrows appear out of nowhere in his comrades. Never one (hopefully) to back down in the face of a challenge, the Cavalier spurs his loyal mount into action and sends Sunflash gliding over the rough terrain underfoot in the direction he beleives their foe lies. It all becomes a little clearer once they're a little way off the ground and free of the mist. Vance spots the sniper as Sunflash begins to descend, his mouth moving to the effect of some kind of jaunty taunt as he gestures as the fellow with his lance. Of course, it doesn't actually manage to make any sound, but it was a good one!

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "he has a couple options 1-10 Run&stealth/ 
                        11-15 Full attack /
                        16-20 Ready Action, Full attack when cav at 20'
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (6): 6
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+12+15-2: (17)+12+15+-2: 42

Sound returns as Vance and Sunflash glide away from the others. Speeding down the slope, a soldier is easy enough to see as he rose up to attack.

Spotting the approaching griffon and rider, he has a quick decision to make, it seems to be fleeing.

Perhaps the dragonspitter helped.

In any case the soldier swipes at a rock and sets it rolling, then ducks into a shadow. He was easy to spot with the caldera glow reflecting off his armour. Now, at a distance, with a rolling rock adding a distracting noise, he's a lot harder.

GAME: Merek rolls perform/dance: (4)+11: 15

Merek seems to be keeping to where he was at, while he looks to the person fleeing. There's a nod, while he seems to shimmy on and to look along at the tree, while he waits.

Shalethiste continues to slip into the basics of her work attire, trying to wiggle into her chainmail as fast as she can so she doesn't keep them waiting. Danger could be afoot for all anyone knows.

GAME: Thurid rolls acrobatics: (18)+-3: 15

Thurid comes rushing out of the mist as it seems that Vance and his Gryphon have caught the scent of their attacker, and she bounds down the slope in long, strangely silent steps. She sends cascades of small pebbles tumbling down towards the Caldera as she moves, but manages not to lose her footing. She blinks in surprise when sound comes back to the world, she hadn't quite been expecting it.

GAME: Vance rolls ride+9: (12)+-2+9: 19
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay, roll a perception with a +12 for getting closer, DC41"
GAME: Vance rolls perception+12: (18)+0+12: 30

Vance glances towards the noisy fall of rocks, with the result that when he glances back, he has competely lost sight of the crafty little sniper. He frowns once again and grumbles a quiet curse to himself. "On, Sunflash!" he encourages, and the griffon takes to the air once more, gliding forward at high speed with a few powerful beats of his wings. Even the addition of height doesn't do anything to reveal the villain's hiding spot, and by the time Sunflash touches down once more they feel like they have well and truly been given the slip!

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "1-17 keeps doing what he's doing, 18-20 breaks stealth to attack"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (18): 18
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "So Sunflash, you, then you again if he hit Sunflash, or Sunflash again if he didn't hit him."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+12: (7)+12: 19
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "Okay, roll ride against DC19 Vance."
GAME: Vance rolls ride+9: (5)+-2+9: 12
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+7: (14)+7: 21
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+12: (15)+12: 27
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+7: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Sniper damaged Vance's companion for 13 points. 6 HP remaining.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Sniper damaged Vance for 9 points. 12 HP remaining.

The sniper is practically invisible, even when Vance and Sunflash fly over him. Their brief touch-down is not far away, and sufficient enough to draw the soldier from hiding. He pops up, immediately firing three arrows at point blank range.

One misses, the other two strike cavalier and mount, drawing blood.

They could almost be considered warning shots. For a very dire warning.

Merek looks then when he notices the man Vance was with that mount fighting that sniper. He nods a bit while he begins to make a way along to him.

Shalethiste laments the circumstances that pressed her out of her usual gear. Safety, of course, being valid, but still.... Meanwhile, the paladin continues hurriedly trying to get her armor situated before something goes wrong.

GAME: Thurid rolls acrobatics: (11)+-3: 8
GAME: Thurid rolls acrobatics: (2)+-3: -1
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6: (6): 6

Thurid continues bounding after Vance- especially when she sees him take a serious wound from the archer, "Take cove-" she begins to bellow at him, but her foot lands on a particularly large but unfortunately loose lump of stone which rolls out from underneath her. She takes a tumble, landing hard on her side and begins to slide down the slope towards the caldera, the rough volcanic stone doing a- frankly excessive- job of exfoliating the skin on the side of her leg and her arm as it slides against it.

GAME: Vance rolls attack+2: (15)+0+2: 17

Vance does his very best not to cry out in pain when the arrow strikes him a really quite nasty hit, though Sunflash does not have his restraint, and lets out a pained shriek that causes Vance to reach forward and pet his beak in an attempt to comfort him. The Cavalier's eyes narrow as he watches the sniper retreating down the mountain and he levels his lance at him before spurring Sunflash into action once more. It's a wonderful charge! Sunflash does him proud! But Vance messes up at the last second (possibly due to having an arrow in him) and the tip of the lance flies far wide of the intended target as they race past it.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "same as before 1-17 one thing, 18-20 attack"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (2): 2
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8 (Acrobatics check vs DC10)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (1): 1

Ducking the cavalier's blade, the sniper chooses to go for a spell, casting on himself once the griffon has flown past. He turns and charges down the hill, and is unable to handle the additional speed of his expeditious retreat. He falls flat on his face after five feet.

Merek keeps on making a way along to get to the location that Vance will be, the shift of the dragonspitter sliding that back into the belt.

Shalethiste is sleeping in her armour for the rest of this trip. There's a growing level of frustration in the mul, as she's hoping she isn't going to be out of position when danger rears his head. Meanwhile, buckle this, adjust that....

GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6: (3): 3

Thurid continues sliding, with a grunt of effort- and pain- she manages to right herself but overbalances and tumbles once more, skidding uncomfortably against the rocks with a mighty growl of frustration- but still, better skinned knees than a dead comrade.

Vance reaches down to pet Sunflash, who is still whining in pain, in as comforting a way as he can manage. "Good boy," he murmurs to the creature, while keeping his eyes fixed on the blighter they're chasing, who starts to run and then promptly falls flat on his face without covering really any distance at all. He considers this very briefly, before spurring Sunflash into motion yet again. A short glide has the Griffon touching down next to the fallen sniper, and Vance levels the point of has lance at it. "Surrender now, and I swear we shall do you no harm," Vance offers, in his most commanding and knightly tone of voice.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "1-8 Grenade, 9-15 attack melee, 16-20 stand and go
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (11): 11
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (15)+8: 23
GAME: Vance rolls ride+9: (3)+-2+9: 10
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+2: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Sniper damaged Vance's companion for 9 points. -3 HP remaining. (DYING)

"Raaaaaffff!" The Sniper growls, dropping his bow and swinging upwards as the knight and mount stand over him. The warhammer connects with a solid, sickening crunch in Sunflash's chest. "And I like griffons!"

GAME: Vance rolls ride+9: (4)+-2+9: 11
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (2): 2
GAME: Ground damaged Vance for 2 points. 10 HP remaining.

Vance screams as he sees the warhammer arcing towards Sunflash's chest and pulls hard on the reins, trying to maneuveur the creature out of the way of the vicious strike. It's all for naught, and poor Sunflash goes down with a final shriek of pain. Vance cries out once again, as much in anger as fear this time. THe griffon does down partially on top of him, landing on his leg and causing him to wince in pain. Even so, Vance seems far more concerned for Sunflash than himself, and bursts into tears at the sight of his friend lying on the ground.

Merek keeps on with the walking to where the knight is dealing with the soldier which is striking along into the griffon.

Shalethiste manages to get her gear at least basically situated, though it's hastily cinched in place and isn't fully aligned. She's been pressed into ill fitting armour before, she knows it won't work quite as well, but she's ready...ish, now.

Vance and the Sniper are two hundred and five feet East of Thurd, and five feet upslope.

GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (20)+3: 23

"Hold fast! I'm coming!" Thurid bellows even as she skids down the hill, with another grunt of effort, she hauls herself to her feet and this time she stays there, long legs carrying her in great bounds across the unsteady soil, spurred on by the call of duty- seeing the gryphon lay there broken seems to inspire her, and she is like the wind, or like a thunderbolt, each step sending stones cascading down the caldera, unheeded by the jotun.

GAME: Vance rolls weapon2: (19)+6: 25 (THREAT)
GAME: Vance rolls weapon2: (2)+6: 8
GAME: Vance rolls damage2: aliased to 1d8+4: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Vance rolls attack: (9)+0: 9

Tugging his leg from where it was trapped beneath the fallen form of Sunflash, Vance casts his lance to one side and staggers to his feet. There are tears streaming down his face, but his expression is a mask of fury as he draws his longsword and strikes at the Sniper. Normally, striking at a foe on the groundwould give him pause, but he was offering him surrender a few seconds before and he took it as an opportunity to batter poor Sunflash, so Vance is not in an especially merciful state of mind. He swings his sword and lands a pretty solid hit on the sniper, yelling angrily as he does.

Vance Vance swings again as the sniper clambers to his feet, though that one ends up swinging wide.

The foe grunts as he feels the blade across his back. He's a soldier, it's very clear from his kit, although it has a lot of extra stealthy bits, such as a strange 'gilly suit' of sorts that seems to made to resemble volcanic rock. It doesn't rattle, so perhaps the 'rocks' are oddly sewn cloth balls and not something picked up off the slope.

Ducking the second attack he takes some long and careful strides downslope. He's getting way, although he hasn't gotten that far.

Thurid is eight five feet away when she picks up the pace, getting within twenty five feet. Merek is one hundred and eighty feet away.

Merek keeps on making a way along to Vance while he walks along. The man seems to think about it while he nods, "Alright, well. I will heal them when I come upon the party," he notes to himself as well. Mentally, he thinks that.

GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (14)+3: 17

Thurid's long strides bear her across the distance well, paying no heed to the blood running down her thigh where the arroehead is buried, or the red-raw grazes on her limbs from her earlier stumble, she continues bounding towards the downed Gryphon- she is still bellowing something, despite the fact she can't be heard. She begins to skid to a stop as she draws nearer, dropping her hammer into the ground though still clinging onto it to help her grind to a halt, her other hand moving to clutch her Icon.

Vance is still a little bit frantic, but the sight of at least one of his companions drawing appreciably closer to assist Sunflash gives him some prospect of hope. Looking after the retreating sniper, Vance decides to wait with his friend, though that doesn't stop him yelling abuse after the departing figure. "You better run!" he yells at the very top of his lungs. "Next time I see you I won't be so stupid as to offer you a surrender you...you..." he hesitates "nasty little..." he trails off and looks at the ground somewhat dejectedly, kicking at some nearby bit of loose rock to send it clattering on down the mountainside.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (3)+6: 9 (Sniper Acrobatics DC10)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (4): 4

Confident, the sniper picks up some speed and starts making large strides down the mountain. Immediately, he slips and falls face first into his favourite terrain. Again. Gives his armour a nice polishing too. He manages only another twenty feet or so.

And he gets bonked by some rolling loose rock, just to add to his woes.

Merek is halfway there, one hundred and fifty feet to go.

Merek keeps on while he tries to make a way along to Vance, taking the time to wave that way.

The Mul'iessa turns then and makes her way with all the haste she can manage moving through the contrivances of the airship, evading goblins and so on to try and get back before trouble comes a callin.

GAME: Thurid rolls 2d6: (5): 5
GAME: Thurid damaged Vance's companion for -5 points. 2 HP remaining.
GAME: Thurid damaged Vance for -5 points. 15 HP remaining.
GAME: Thurid damaged Thurid for -5 points. 36 HP remaining.

Thurid holds her Icon aloft as she drags herself to a halt, and a burst of light flashes forth from it, washing over the slope- over Vance and his Griffon, the ribs of the gryphon filling back out, its lungs filling with air again- still badly wounded, but it will survive for now.

With a silent nod of approval that she had arrived in time to save the beast, she drops her Icon, allowing it to dangle from the chain about her neck, hefts her hammer with both hands once more and then begins to stride purposefully towards the fallen Sniper.

Vance positively B*E*A*M*S when what wave of light rolls over Sunflash and he starts to come around. He finds he can't speak, but lets out a silent cheer all the same, along with a joyous pump of his fist, before turning his sights on the retreating enemy that has caused them all so much grief. He glances to the sword in his hand and then over to Thurid as she starts to make her way down the rocky hillside after it. Vance is a lot slower on his own two feet than on the bak of his winged friend. Even so, he gives chase, carrying on down the hillside in an attempt to catch up with the sniper.

The sniper stands carefully, catching sight of the pursuit behind him. Having tripped twice in a row in his favourite terrain and in danger of losing his ranger credentials if he does it again. He opts to carefully make his way down the trail.

Thus kicking off a slow-walk chase, with everyone hastened by the Blessing of Fervor or Expeditious Retreat, but slowed down by the Terrain.

There should be an Olympic sport of this, or something. Volcanic Power-Sliding.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Roll acrobatics DC10"
GAME: Merek rolls acrobatics: (9)+4: 13

Merek keeps on along until he seems like he's about to that place. He seems to be making for the griffon along with Vance also.

Trouble came a callin'. That Shale's distressed by the situation is plane on the paladin's face, but, there's something over by the.... what's going on at the tree? There might be something nefarious at work at that ancient giant, and, if it's a dryad, as was theorized, it could be a victim and the other happenings a distraction from the true wickedness.

Thurid moves forty five feet away from Sunflash.

<OOC> Thurid says, "Spiritual Weapon attacks immediately"

Thurid hefts her hammer high above her head and it begins to glow brightly, and then swings it towards the sniper as she strides towards him. A translucent, glowing copy of the hammer flioes out and hurtles towards the sniper, spinning through the air and crashing into the ground just infront of him. It lifts into the air, preparing to try again.

Vance keeps up his pursuit down the mountainside, moving as swiftly as he can to try and catch back up with the sniper, who remains tantalysingly out of reach. He's trying to balance speed with caution, so he doesn't become the latest to skin himself by taking a tumble down the steep and jagged slope.

There is movement at the tree. Something moving in the shadows of it, occasionally catching the light reflected in the falling snow from the volcano's mouth. As Shalethiste comes closer she can see it's a giant woman, one that seems nearly twelve feet tall with an ugly, wrinkled skin that has deep furrows. Her waist seems impossibly thin, a crescent scouped out of her back with a darkness there. She is bent down, pulls the arrow free of the trunk and throws it away down the slope.

Sound returns, a sound the Mul'niessa barely noticed was missing, and with it the words, "Damn Squirrels." <sylvan>

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23 (Ranged Touch, ground, his position, grenade)

The sniper swears, stepping around the spiritual hammer and flinging something at it that strikes the ground beneath it. He doesn't stay to see what happens, nor does he try fending it off with his own hammer. Instead he maintains the magic-walk down the slope.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "and perception for Thurid, Vance, DC20"
GAME: Vance rolls perception: (4)+0: 4
GAME: Thurid rolls perception: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Merek rolls acrobatics: (18)+4: 22

Merek manages to catch up to Sunflash, pass him, catch up to Thurid, pass her and are 5' in front. He is 10' behind Vance, 60' from the guy.

GAME: Shalethiste rolls diplomacy: (10)+1: 11

Shalethiste ventures closer to the looming figure, her pace slowing to look less like a charge, as she notes the arrow the tall female is dislodging. Her eyes follow the casting hand for a moment, when the giant's voice draws her eyes back to her and her hands come up to either side, palms open and empty, arms spread wide as she slowly steps closer to the lonely one, softly saying, "It's alright, you'll be alright, now...." in what is intended to be a placative, soothing tone. Given Mul'iessans 'gifts' with personal relation, the tree woman may punctuate her reply with a resounding, 'YEET!'. <sildanyari>

GAME: Thurid rolls bab+wisdom: (4)+3+3: 10
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "roll DC10 Acrobatics"
GAME: Thurid rolls athletics: (11)+3: 14
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6: (4): 4
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "you fall and slide 20'"

The flying hammer gives pursuit, flying up from the ground and spinning through the air, trying to slam into the fleeing sniper once more. Thurid tries to pick up the pace once again, but she catches a patch of loose gravel and- once more- falls over and begins sliding down the caldera again. She grunts, grasping at the ground to try and stop her slide.

Vance, used to being mounted, is already cursing this insane footchase down a steep mountainside of jagged rocks and wondering if it is all worth it. With sword in one hand and shield in the other, he moves realtively carefully, figuring steady progress is slower than taking a dive and tumbling halfway down the mountain. He winces as he spots Thurid take another nasty tumble, which seems to inspire him to go more carefully yet. He's cautious to skirt wide of whatever he saw the scout toss on the ground, wary of caltrops, or any other kind of nefarious trap it might choose to leave in it's wake.

Hearing a voice, the tall woman spins around, startled and with her hands and fingers outstretched. Her legs, oddly, tight together rather than a wide and low combat stance as one might expect. She stares down at Shalethiste.

"Oh Zharanvante! Has it been two summers yet?" Her voice is distant and whimsical. She brings one of her hands up to her mouth, contemplatively. She seems to be wearing gloves, an evergreen lace that has small patterns that resemble the spread, small buds of cedar leaves. She's wearing a dress that's a similar fashion, with a few dark swatches that more resemble bark. She sounds angry next, "You know I think it's been a lot more than two summers!"

The giant woman glares, and stares, then says with concern, "Did you hurt your paw?" <sildanyari>

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay. Some things happen. Reflex saves DC15 for Thurid and Vance."
GAME: Thurid rolls reflex: (12)+2: 14
GAME: Vance rolls reflex: (12)+2: 14
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 5d6: (18): 18
GAME: Electrical Grenade damaged Thurid for 18 points. 18 HP remaining.
GAME: Electrical Grenade damaged Vance for 18 points. -3 HP remaining. (DYING)
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Sniper will try to move away faster now."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (20)+6: 26

Unexpected there's a massive explosion, arcing a ball of electric plasma energy in a large radius. The tendrils strike the ground, as well as the cleric and the cavalier. The Jotun woman is tough, lying on the wet rocks probably didn't help. Nor the dampness on Vance, as the electricity sparks and sizzles around them.

The sniper takes this as his cue to run. Perhaps his earlier stumbles were pratfalls, designed to lure the others in. He hopes that's what they'll believe, although he'll always know the truth.

Still, a cartwheel downslope might have been a little excessively showing off, as the sniper puts some distance between his foes and his explosion.

GAME: Merek rolls 2d8+10: (7)+10: 17
GAME: Merek damaged Vance for -17 points. 14 HP remaining.

Merek walks up to Vance while he comes upon the man even as the sniper took him down. The timing upon that was nice, the man leans forward while he places a hand upon the man, then he begins to heal him, the wounds mending along while he nods a bit as well. There's a shift while he tries to assist that man to standing.

Shalethiste pauses as she seems to have spooked the large woman, though her next round of placation goes the way of Charnish innocence on the giant's query. A blink, "Zharanvante...?" a slight lowering of her hands, and, "I... know only of one Zharanvante, madame.... she was the grandmother of my own mother. I am Shalethiste and..." she looks at her hands on the question, parsing the meaning, then, "There is a sickness..." She edges closer, "It... started to affect my hand, but they used magic to reat it.... there are other victims, many more, whence I came... do you know of it?" A bit closer, the poor woman's been alone for -that- long? <sildanyari>

"Oh let me see your paw Zharanvante," the tall and woodsy woman says in a comforting way, holding out her gloved hand. She crouches down, so she only looms at 6' above the Mul'niessa. Her face and chest has a smooth attractiveness to it, while the rest of her skin seems very bark-like. Her hair is a wild, long coiffure of untrammeled tresses that reach down to her waist, seemingly both leaves, hair and ivy at the same time.

"You squirrels are always getting into trouble. You said you'd bring me flowers, Zharanvante. Gerfy said she would too. I suppose I shouldn't expect you to remember, such short lives." She sighs in a dramatic way that sounds like the creaking of trunks and the wind through boughs, "only interested in my pinecones." <sildanyari>

GAME: Thurid rolls bab+wisdom: (7)+3+3: 13
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "Sure. DC10 to remove arrow"
GAME: Thurid rolls heal: (8)+10: 18

Thurid grits her teeth so hard she fears she may split them as the electricity courses through her body. She is left steaming, the damp driven off her by the heat of the electricity. She does not move for a moment, but then rolls back over onto her back, she reaches down to pull the arrow head out of her leg and toss it down hill- still stunned, ears ringing from the explosion. The hammer of force lifts from the gravel once more, hurtling through the air towards the retreating sniper, and once more it fails to strike it's mark, skittering against the volcanic rock. It tries to give chase once more, but reaches the extent of it's ability to move, and so hurtles back towards Thurid, hovering in the air near her.

Vance gets well and truly zapped by the devious little bomb he had spotted, and even anticipaed, but sorely underestimated. By the time it's done he is a slightly burnt smelling, slightly smoking pile of very almost dead meat, save for the timely intervention of Merek, who heals him with magic. There's a sharp intake of breath as air rushes into his lungs, followed by several hoarse sounding coughs as the young cavalier sits groggily back upright, hands lifting to rub at his eyes. He sitsthere a few seconds as he tries to collect his thoughts, before looking around and spotting Merek, to whom he offers a truly grateful smile and a "Thank you, my friend, truly," along with as deep of a bow of his head as he can manage without sitting up any further.

Sometimes the enemy gets away, especially when they weren't planning to stand and fight. Not that there's been a lot of staying on one's feet this night. While cavalry and cavaliers are great for pursuing those fleeing, it doesn't always work out.

The Sniper has vanished from sight, distance and darkness giving him more places to hide. His destination is fairly easy to determine, the small cluster of lights further down the slope that look no closer than they did from the tree.

Downhill is easier than uphill. Presumably he'll reach his destination, and there will be some time before a response. The larger, the longer. As if the pressure on the side of a volcano wasn't high enough, things just got a little hotter.

<OOC> Thurid says, "I'll go pull his out and toss it away too."
GAME: Thurid rolls heal: (11)+10: 21

Once she gets her wits back about her, Thurid climbs to her feet. She scowls as she watches where the sniper has just recently left, and then trudges over towards Merek. She reaches for the arrow still sticking out of him, yanks it out, and lobs it much like she did her own down the hill- freeing them of the opressive silence. "We need to move, quickly." she says, "He was a scout, most like. We need to get what we need from the tree and get out of here as soon as possible, or we'll be fighting an army." she says. "Can you stand?" she asks the recently healed Cavalier.

GAME: Shalethiste rolls 1d6: (5): 5

The Mul'iessan cants her head a touch, looking up at the ancient, lonely figure. She makes a weak protest, "My name is Shalethiste." even as she holds up the hand that nearly met the chopping block. She looks into the eyes of the giant and, "You're hurt, let my touch heal your wounds." as a soft, warm glow suffuses her hand, awaiting the slightest touch, even a trade, of sorts. "Gerfy... was that Gerfried?" she asks. <sildanyari>

Vance needed a quick breather, but he understands as well as anyone what it means that the sccout was able to get away. When Thurid asks if he can stand, he nods his head and then -slowly- pushes to his feet. He seems a little wobbly on them at first, but honestly, Merek's healing magic was good enough that there isn't that much left wrong with him beyond the shock of it all. "I'll be fine," he reassures, casting a glance of concern back up the mountainsside toward where he had left Sunf;ash some time before. "Let's get going," he nods to Thurid and Merek.

"Of course it is. Silly squirrel." The woodsy woman says indulgingly, smiling at Shalethiste and rubbing her head. "There, there, don't be scared."

There's a rustling of the tree branches as the soothing glow suffuses through her. She's not a fan of warmth, but that was just the right kind. The woman gasps with a small smile, "Oh that's a new trick. I like it. Do it again."

Her sigh is a wistful rustling of leaves, "How is Gerfried doing? Her poor paw was much worse." <sildanyari>

Merek nods a little bit along to Vance, while he thinks about it, then he watches while the sniper escapes.

Thurid nods her head at him, and then she begins making her way up the hill, still steaming slightly from her own shock, and using the haft of her hammer like a walking stick to help her find purchase in the rocky slope and avoid slipping back down. She heads back towards the tree, and is startled to discover Shale talking to what appears to be a giant tree lady.

GAME: Shalethiste rolls 1d6: (2): 2

Shalethiste's eyes cross some as they peer up at the large hand gently encompassing the top of her head. It's been over a century and change since the last time someone's touched her like this... it's a warm, pleasant feeling. She gently touches the large wrist now, infusing another healing touch into the mix. "I'm very sorry... Gerfried was..." She stops and gives a rueful smile, sympathy for the enormouse gulf of isolated years she sees before her, a relative viewpoint she can finally draw with the shorter lived races. "Our lives are very short... I'm sorry. You've been alone for so... so long.... What is your name...?" <sildanyari>

Vance reunites with Sunflash on their way backup the mountainside. He spends as lon ashe can get away with fussing over the Griffon and checking he's okay, before trying to lead him on up the hill with the others. Sunflash is still a little battered and bruised, of course, but follows along dutifully as they trudge somewhat tiredly back up towards the tree...lady.

"It's a fungus. Nasty fungus. Gets into your nailbuds. Let me see." The cedar-elder woman says, taking a gentle hold of Shalethiste's formerly infected hand. She holds it close, inspecting with nut-brown eyes. This is followed by nibbling, as she trims Shale's fingernails down to her fingertips. "I first ran into it, oh, before this stupid mountain blew its top."

The news sinks in, her reply is full of lament. A nod which shakes her hair with a quiet rustle. "Such short lives. Oh? My name? My name is... My name is..."

The woman sounds genuinely surprised next, "You know, I haven't used it in such a time! What did my sisters call me?"

Her head turns with a creaking, she gazes in the direction of Thurid, and more distantly Merek and Vance. She sounds irritated next. "Fireballs! More squirrels. Come again next summer Zharanvante! Don't forget the flowers, though I'll be lucky if they grow in this damned soil!" Already the woman is standing, one foot vanishing into the tree. <sildanyari>

Merek would begin to assist with healing the Griffon, then he watches while the two are on the way. The man nods a bit, following along that path while he makes a way to the tree and listens a little, if he can, well he tries.

<OOC> Merek says, "Can I roll perception to listen in?"
GAME: Merek rolls perception: (13)+25: 38
<OOC> Merek says, "Also for healing Sunthing"
GAME: Merek rolls 3d6: (6): 6
GAME: Merek rolls linguistics: (7)+22: 29

Thurid pauses her walking, and simply regards the giant in the tree, and the paladin talking to her. Concern rushes through her, but at a distance it doesn't look like Shale has had any limbs woodified, or seems distressed in any way, so she doesn't rush in hammer swinging as she is often wont to. She will give the paladin and the dryad their space, and instead return to the airship to inform the captain about the scout- and that they'll need to be leaving sooner than later.

Shalethiste is somewhat befuddled as she's... nibbled, but, she takes in the Cedar woman's words, mulling them over, to commit to memory. There is a humble, "Thank you, madame." as her treatment abates. She winces some at the sorrow she's been forced to caause, but, as she notes the woman's agitated look toward her fellows, she steps closer with a plaintive, "Wait, please! They are friends, they don't need pinecones!" Because it seems to be important to her. She Steps even closer holding her hand up toward the dryad again, "I'll bring you some flowers, and some apple seeds. I promise!" there is another look back to the group and she reluctantly withdraws as she is torn between reassuring either side that everything is, or can be, okay. <sildanyari>

Vance's mouth falls open a little as they advance up the mountain and come into view of Shalethiste in conversation with a giant tree woman, who definitely had not seemed to be there on the way down the mountain. Deciding that he has probaby had his fill of adventure for today, Vance cuts wide and makes straight back toward the airship instead, making sure Sunflash is safely stowed below deck somewhere, well in advance of them needing to take off once more.

"Oh! Pinecones!" The woman halts, a moment of recognition crossing her face. She halts, half in the tree, up to her waist. She taps at her chin again. "No, that was their nickname, Pinecone, because I was so small. No, no... it was something else."

Tap-tap. Tap. "Something buggy. Not those annoying beetle kinds. Ha! I showed them! Poisonned them good. Wind... and buggy... and flappy... Yes! That's it." <sildanyari>

The wooden woman turns around and leans low, to kiss Shalethiste on the head. "Zanalilla. That's my name. Thanks for finding that nut for me, squirrel! I can't wait to see the apple seeds."

She stands, then falls backwards into the tree like someone falls into a pool. Except there is no splash, she simply vanishes.

OOC & Combaty Stuff

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay, you attempt to cast the spell and discover you're in silence, and it fails unless you've got feats for casting without the vocal component."
<OOC> Merek says, "I can sacrifice to temporarily gain the Silent Spell metamagic for one round as a Free Action."
<OOC> Merek says, "that work?"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "You didn't say you were doing that before you cast. A silence was part of the pose, and you didn't ask about or react to it. It's a free action so I guess it will be fine this time, but next time I'd like you to notice otherwise there's no point in me having NPCs do tactical things if everyone handwaves 'my char would have thought of that'"

 ==================== Current Initiative Order - Round 11 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
     23   Sniper           1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     21   Merek            1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     17   Shalethiste      1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     8    Thurid           1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  >> 7    Vance            1   <<
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ==============================================================================

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |     Name      |  CHP (T) |  HP  |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 | Merek.........|   82     |  89  |
 | Shalethiste...|   23     |  23  |
 | Thurid........|   18     |  36  |
 | Vance.........|   14     |  21  |
 | (C) Sunflash..|    2     |  19  |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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|   Name   |   Race   |   Class   | CHP | HP  | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Merek     |HUMAN     |Clr/MTh/Sor| 89  | 89  |19/15/18 | 26 | 12 | 11 | 19 |
|Shalethist|SHADOW_ELF|Pal/Swb    | 23  | 23  |13/10/13 | 18 | 7  | 8  | 8  |
|Thurid    |GIANTBORN |Clr        | 36  | 36  |19/18/12 | 18 | 7  | 2  | 7  |
|Vance     |HUMAN     |Cav        | 21  | 21  |18/18/10 | 18 | 6  | 2  | 0  |
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