Valley of the Dead: Chapter 2 "Home of the sleepless"

[Dragonwriter]

Herriman rolls his eyes as the Dawnbringer speaks. Oh, yes, of course. Like Thok and the mage will listen? The halfling trots his pony away, his form becoming quickly hazy and indistinct, even in the short distance between him and the others.

[sblock=OOC]
2 Essentia in Embrace of Shadow - 20% miss chance and Hide In Plain Sight.
3 Essentia in Crystal Helm - +3 Deflection bonus to AC.
3 Essentia in Armguards of Disruption - melee touch to deal 3d6 damage to undead.
[/sblock]

 

[Malachei]

Lórquelië had kept slightly apart from the main body, taking a path aside. Carefully, she avoided the proximity of human bodies. Mustering the military procession and its members had alienated her even more. Men seem so strange. Impulsive, yet disciplined. Childlike. She shuddered.

She cannot help but roll her eyes at the Dawnbringer's bluntness and lack of etiquette. What grace is given to me, let it pass to him, she recalls a famous elven poem. As her mouth forms the slightest hint of sarcasm, her eyes meet the halfling's.

Instantly, the elf's countenance becomes expressionless again. Seemingly wearied, she closes her eyes, and she feels the cold, and inside the cold, an even deeper, darker chill. Shivering, her mind probes, and soon embraces the familiar warmth of the arcane power. Her voice is but a whisper. "Anga collo."

[sblock=OOC]
Cast mage armor. Then extend.
[/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

"Thok feels chilly." The half orc mutters, lost in his own thoughts. He pats his horse in the back. "Thok likes horses, noble beasts."
Of course he compltly ignored the warnings and advices from the leader of the scouting company. Thok was Thok, he made things his own way. Of course these "not so dead" things were dangerous; everything in this damn world was dangerous, even a drunk dwarf in a tavern. But Thok was also dangerous. In his mind, the barbarian thought that as long as his "dangerousness" was greater than that of his foes, he'll be alright.

 

[Myth and Legend]

Adelaide rides silently alongside the boy Alevyth, the Elven Wizardress, the now barely visible Halfling and Half-Orc warrior of simple methods, while eying the lead and steel clouds above with contempt and wrapping a green shoal around her neck with abrupt movement.

"Too bad Ferviel had other tasks for the Helmite and that Wizard. And that Aasimar, who's ancestor is famous enough for Lazarus to have heard of him, I am loathe to lose men so easily."

Her voice is stern but also a hint of disappointment seeps trough it. It seems she is talking mostly to herself, not expecting an answer. The group is silent for the most part - unlikely allies in a time of danger. The hooves of the horses echo on the old cobblestone path, as the last birds who are yet to fly south for the winter sing from the nearby bushes and scrawny trees. The grass here has specks of yellow sprinkled across the green, and some of the leaves have began falling, although still most of the landscape was painted in shades of green.

It doesn't take long for the scouting party to loose sight of the army behind them, the Chirche's forces moving slowly but steadily like a methodical avalanche of steel. And gold.

The road curves alongside the fields and in and out of small glens, with nothing but birds and small wildlife keeping the adventurers company. Some two miles down, the group spots a rather large farmhouse in the distance. The chimney is smoking but no people can be seen on the outside, however the corral door is swinging open and a heard of cows have spread out, most running away from the building.

 

[Dragonwriter]

"Yes. Too bad," Herriman agrees, though for other reasons. I'll have to find that wizard again. Quite the inconvenience.

As the group spots the smoking farmhouse, Herriman sighs. "That is never a good sign. Miss Coranarya, can you signal the army from here? They should be alerted forthwith."

 

[Malachei]

Wind in my hair, runs through the valley, a laughter so fair, a kick in my belly... Lórquelië had been riding quietly, lost in thought.

As Herriman speaks to her, the elf blinks, as if waking from a dream, or a memory long gone. She gives a cold smile, as she sternly remarks "I am not a carrier pigeon, young man."

As she notices the smoking chimney, she wonders aloud "Either they fell asleep with the fire burning, or something must have caught them by surprise." Then she pauses, looks at the halfling, and suggests "Will you lead the way, please?"

 

[Dragonwriter]

Herriman raises an eyebrow slightly, though he doesn't turn around. "Not even a cantrip? A light-based signal would do. Our orders were to signal if any trouble is spotted, and I believe that situation below qualifies. And if you really don't have such a simple spell ready, it may be a good idea to prepare one in the future, as long as we are acting as scouts."

The halfling urges his pony forward a few more steps, trying to make out any more details.

"Otherwise, I believe one of the paladins should report back."

 

[Malachei]

The white silk gently falls, as Lórquelië dismounts. "The horses need to be leashed" she states. Looking in the direction of the farmhouse, she says "I will send a signal to the army, but we should have more than farm animals running wild."

Then she closes her eyes, delving deeply inside, her spirit focusing and forming. "Macil lumbo," she utters, as she holds two small blades in her hand. An instant later, a whirling mass of blades appears, each the same silvery grey, circling the elf and pointing in the direction she faces.

[sblock=OOC]

Cloud of Knives. Then persist.

Leashing the horses assumes we have closed in a bit. We'd might know the right distance by the reaction of our horses. I assume what causes the cows tp panic, might affect the horses, as well -- and at least Lórquelië would probably not be able to make her ride check if the horse shies. We'd also not want the horses to be far away when we enter the farmhouse, so appr. 60 ft. would be a good distance, I guess -- but Lórquelië will leave that for the scout or the more martial characters to decide.

[sblock=Current Status]

With persisted and active spells.

Active Spells:
* = Persisted
(X) = Extended
Mage Armor (X), Detect Magic*, Shield*, Nightshield*, Detect Undead*, See Invisibility*, Dragonskin*, Reverse Arrows*, Cloud of Knives*

Abilities (used/daily uses)
Metamagic Effect: 9/11
Abjupt Jaunt: 0/8

[sblock=Spells Prepared (Current Status)]

_ = Conjuration (DC +3)
* = Persistable
Spells in Yellow are persisted daily. Cloud of Knives is persisted as soon as it is feasible.
Normally active spells (in addition to persisted spells): Mage Armor, Heart of Earth

– 0 – (4+1 – DC 18)
Acid Splash, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic*, Light, Message

– 1 – (6+1 – DC 19)
Mage Armor, Shield*, Protection from Evil, Grease, Nightshield* (SC), Detect Undead*, Lesser Orb of Sound (SC)

– 2 – (6+1 – DC 20)
Glitterdust (3), Cloud of Knives* (PHB2), See Invisibility*, Rope Trick, Greater Alarm (SC)

– 3 – (5+1 – DC 21)
Phantom Steed, Dispel Magic, Blacklight (SC), Dragonskin* (SC), Unluck (SC), Reverse Arrows* (SC)

– 4 – (4+1 – DC 22)
Black Tentacles, Ray Deflection* (SC), Heart of Earth* (CM), Defenestrating Sphere (SC), Orb of Force (SC)

[/sblock]

Speed: 30 feet

Armor Class: 22 = 10 + 0 [dexterity] + 4 [shield/spell] + 4 [armor/spell] + 4 [natural/spell]
Touch AC: 14
Flat-footed: 22

Hit Points (current/max): 48/48

Character Level: 9 (including LA +1)
Caster Level: 8

Initiative modifier: + 4 = 0 [dexterity] + 4 [feat]
Fortitude save: + 5 = 2 [base] + 2 [constitution] + 0 [item] + 2 [spell] -1 [flaw]
Reflex save: + 4 = 2 [base] + 0 [dexterity] + 0 [item] + 2 [spell]
Will save: + 12 = 9 [base] -1 [wisdom] + 0 [item] + 2 [spell] +2 [feat]

[sblock=Special]
Out of bright light:
o Charisma +2
o Speed +5 ft.
o +1 Deflection AC
o +1 Luck bonus to saves
o Hide/MS +2
o Listen/Spot +1
o Shadesight (Sp): Darkvision 60 ft. Can see normally through any darkness effect, but not through fog, invisibility, obscurement, and so on.
o Shadow Image (Sp) 3/day, as mirror image, 1d4 images, plus one image per three levels
[/sblock]

[/sblock]

[/sblock]

 

[Myth and Legend]

As the metallic blades appear out of thin air around the Elf, Adelaide dismounts and pets her mare across the muzzle.

"You don't seem to be taking chances." she remarks, nodding at the blades who eerily follow Lorqulie's stare.

Thok jumps off his own mount, almost tipping the beast over with the weight of his muscular body. The animal patiently waits, only moving it's ears and sniffing around a patch of sweetgrass below.

"You make butter knives. Good for when there is butter to put on bread." the Half Orc Barbarian states plainly as he extends his finger, poking one of the floating blades. He then unsheathes a viscous looking black blade and swings it around as if to feel the weight and balance. "This is Thok sword. It be good for killing. Not so much for butter."

Adelaide regards the blade with curiosity but refrains from commenting. The group ties the horses on a nearby fence which encircles a large field of what used to be wheat, but is now only stumps and straws, waiting to vanish beneath the advancing winter snow. There is a dirt road, still muddy from the overnight rain, which leads towards the farmhouse. The cattle are already scattered and the farm is desolate as far as the group can tell.

Herriman doesn't see anything interesting or suspicious.

The farm is a two story building, with a stone foundation and brick walls. It has several large windows and a front door that seems to be closed. The group is some two hundred feet from the building.

[sblock]Everyone Listen checks. What actions do you take?[/sblock]

 

[Dragonwriter]

Herriman rolls his eyes as Thok speaks. The halfling quickly dismounts, form still hazy as he takes a few steps toward the farmhouse. "We have a few options... I'd much prefer to know the situation, rather than an out-and-out frontal assault. If you can manage a few minutes of self-control, I can investigate a bit. Of course, there's also the possibility we have already been seen, if what is out here is not mindless."

Herriman cracks his knuckles casually and light blue sparks dance along his forearms.

[sblock=EDIT OOC]
Move 10 feet closer to the buildings. Keep essentia as-is.
[/sblock]