Since there is a common language, Taylar tries communication first and adopts a defensive stance with his bludgeons. He replies in Markidian loud enough for his comrades to hear, "I am here looking for some children. Tell me where they are and I will leave here in peace."
Astarte shapes her head in disappointment at Taylar's recklessness. While she agrees that his brave action will in deed give the three of them advantage, it is still not worthy to risk so much. At the first sign of him being attacked, she's gonna shoot the apparent leader of the adversary group, leaving his woman to be handled by the Maldrog. Aware that she'll be the next target of the rest of the bandits, Astarte will immediately hide behind the tree (still keeping her camo) and draw the 2nd arrow to shoot another toughest guy/wench just when the Nishurins are busy with drawing their next arrows or for some other reasons are more off-guard.
Upon hearing the words spoken in Markidian, Plumeir is a bit taken aback. He does not know what to make of the knowledge, but will not reveal his position. He will continue to creep toward the encampment, ready for trouble.
The man waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. “No children. You go, now.”
To emphasize his point he and his partner drew their arrows and took aim at Taylar. Despite the use of Markidian, the man was evidently not proficient. As Markidian is the dominant language of the region, perhaps these people had acquired a limited knowledge in their former travels. Not only was the group uncommonly equipped, they appeared rather experienced, being somewhat the same age as the party members.
Taylar]: full wellness Astarte: full wellness Plumeir: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Previous random rolls provided for Taylar and Plumeir have not yet been used.
Taylar utilizes what in modern times would be a 'silent close'. He maintains his defensive posture and waits in silence. He manipulates waylines to increase his hearing and observes the Nishurins, waiting for them to give something away or attack. If either of the Nishurins fires their arrows, he intends to dodge and charge the lead attacker.
Two full seconds pass in a staring match until the speaker and his partner both fire arrows. Being in her line of sight and ready, as soon as the two arrows of the enemy fly, Astarte releases her own. Plumeir is out of position and does not realize that conflict has ensued, but in about two more seconds it will be unmistakable.
Taylar is far faster than his size would indicate, especially with his augmented motility, but the NIshurins would not recognize such. He does not completely avoid being struck with the arrows; but at such close distance, his death should have been assured not just injury. The right thigh and left side of the abdomen of Taylar were both cut with arrows that both passed through
The movement of Astarte is noticed just before she releases her arrow, but it still finds her target. The arrow drags along the left side of the rib cage, drawing a line of blood. Plumeir hears the sounds and sees the two Nishurins in front of him react and turn their attention to Taylar.
Taylar, for his part, is almost at full speed and poised to strike a blow at the lead Nishurin.
Taylar]: full wellness Astarte: full wellness Plumeir: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State combat actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.
As soon as he realizes that combat has ensued, Plumeir has no qualms about ambushing the two near him. He will throw one of his knives at the male while attempting to ionize the internal fluids of both Nishurins.
Astarte curses loudly. Now that she's spotted, there's no point in hiding, so she takes off her camo and angrily marches closer toward her pair of opponents, while drawing the second arrow and readying her bow as fast as she can. When she's ready to shoot, she'll stop and fire at the one of them that poses the greater threat, this time not necceccary to kill, but even incapacitate will be enought. She'll concentrate as best she can, as she cannot afford to miss this time. Right after shooting to her adversary, she'll hide behind a tree and fire again when she think she can do it without being hit.
roll:23
Even slowing himself to coordinate his mystical assault with his physical one only requires fractions of a second. Before anything else can happen, Taylar hits the speaker twice with his bludgeons. Each resounding like thunder when they strike, masking the sound of the skull cracking and the sternum breaking. Even though he was struck with blunt instruments, the man dies before his body even hits the ground. As the enemy’s body falls back away from Taylar, an arrow from his partner punches through the bearskin tunic, causing almost as much damage as the first two. Taylar is injured.
Still having the advantage of surprise, the throwing knife from Plumeir flies true, but the blade is halted by the tunic of the male Nishurin, but the projectile assault is not the main course of action for the former clerk. As the knife falls to the ground, having done no damage, the pair of Nishurins begin to cough and stagger, their lungs burning to draw breath. Having thrown his knife, Plumeir gives away his position but his camouflaged skin still makes him rather difficult to target.
Just before Astarte can release her own arrow, one from an enemy pierces her vest and buries to the fletching in her gut. As she releases her already aimed arrow, she falls back to the ground, no longer able to physically move. Her own arrow sticks into the tunic of the female accompanying the leader, but falls free without having cut flesh. The innate talent to generate heat does not require physical movement, only consciousness, and Astarte is able to slightly burn the woman who shot her.
One of the six Nishurins is dead and two more are significantly injured, but the very dangerous archers are still a significant threat to the Investigators. The two affected by Plumeir motion for the two who were unengaged to join them, one of which moves to do so. The female who was shot by Astarte turns her attention away from Taylar, but the remaining archer takes aim at the big Maldrog. Astarte may not be able to move, but she can still mystically assault an enemy.
