The Land of Revi — IC

[BartNL]

100 silver pieces to pass. I am in the wrong career. Again.

Stopping because of misbehaving brats. tsss. Let's hope they hope they don't manage to get themselves lost.
"I'll take the third watch. Dravos replies confidently. No need to keep an eye on Hara or Imhe. And Stolos needs no extra watching either, with Hara taking the first.

[Scratcherclaw]

Lyseros feels immense relief as they pass by the suspicious toll takers without any further issue, half-expecting a last attack before they could go freely. I suppose we have won that war of attrition with sheer annoyance. Surely one for the books. He cracks a smirk.

The next leg of the journey goes quite easily for Lyseros. Head in the clouds, he lets his imagination and travel songs keep him occupied. He frowns when he hears word that they will stop for the night, even with their destination so close. But the soreness from days of travel soon catches up with him.

"I will take last," Lyseros says with a smile, stretching his limbs and letting out an exaggerated yawn. The morning's warm sun and Imhe's wit will do nicely to raise spirits. And who can turn down beauty rest? Following her lead, he makes his way to his bedroll and readies himself for much needed rest.

 

[Fialova]

Deimos and Polinos both choose to take the second watch, leaving Atropos to handle the third with Dravos. With the shifts decided, Hara takes a seat and prepares for his two hours of quiet while most of the rest of you head to bed for the evening.

OOC

Rat and I will be handling watch RPs with you, creating group threads to RP with each of the three shifts involving PCs. Once done, we will edit the full shifts into this post and continue from there.

[Fialova]

Dravos

The figure either does not understand, or does not care too heed, your words, instead continuing swiftly off into the distance. As they continue to gain distance from you, you find it harder and harder for you to pick them out among the many other dark silhouettes that make up the horizon.

Atropos

The man begins to back away, before you hear Dravos shout, "last warning, show yourself!" in the distance. The sound clearly rouses some of the others in your caravan, as some begin to awaken and look towards you and the vagrant you've been interacting with.

Everyone Else

You are awoken not by the person before you in the watch queue, but the sound of some shouting happening near the camp. When you come to, you see that Atropos is gripping his crossbow as he faces towards a stranger - a dirty, disheveled-looking man who seems to be in his 40s and his holding a burning piece of wood that looks like it had been in the campfire previously.

[BartNL]

Dravos

After Dravos warning is ignored he immediately fires a second arrow, this time intending to kill, into the dark into the direction of the sound.

Mechanics

Attack roll: [1d20-1]=14-1=13+1 (forgot bab) for 14 vs AC
For [1d8+3]=4+3=7 damage

[Scratcherclaw]

Lyseros stirs awake at the ruckus, squinting as his eyes adjust and focus on the sights before him. What is going on? It's much too early for this. He looks at the fire-wielding man, groggily closing his eyes and groaning. They shoot open a moment later as the sight processes. He keeps his eyes steady, not wanting to be caught off-guard, but waiting for a sign that aid is required.

 

[Namelessjake]

The commotion rouses Stolos from his sleep. The musician opens one eye to see what all the fuss is about. Looks like the local vagrant has wandered into the camp. Just give him a copper and send him on his way, he thinks before shutting his eye and rolling over, trying to get back to sleep.

[greysigil]

Atropos looks at the man, watching him back away. "With haste. The others are sure to wake from such a racket, and I cannot guarantee your safety." He says, his voice still calm, but with an edge of tension creeping in. What is going on over there??

[ratwizard]

Dravos

Your arrow sails through the air, undeterred by the brush separating you from your target. A short, shrill cry sounds out as the figure slumps forward into a bush and comes to a stop.

Atropos

The vagrant man pauses a moment, before you hear a short, shrill cry sound out from behind you, well past Dravos. The vagrant shouts a wordless exclamation, seemingly in response to the sound. With eyes wide he bursts into a run — attempting to move beside and past you, in the direction of Dravos and the sound.

Lyseros

The vagrant man pauses a moment, before you hear a short, shrill cry sound out from a different direction, somewhere off in the brush. Turning toward the sound, you notice Dravos, bow in hand, facing deeper into the dark brush. The vagrant shouts a wordless exclamation, seemingly in response to the sound. With eyes wide he bursts into a run — attempting to move beside and past Atropos toward Dravos and the sound.

Stolos

You close your eyes and roll over once more. Almost immediately, you hear a short, shrill cry sound out from a different direction, somewhere off in the brush.

Should you open your eyes again (I know, I know, why would anyone)

Turning toward the sound, you notice Dravos, bow in hand, facing deeper into the dark brush. The vagrant shouts a wordless exclamation, seemingly in response to the sound. With eyes wide he bursts into a run — attempting to move beside and past Atropos toward Dravos and the sound.

[BartNL]

Dravos

Let's check in on Atropos first, before pursuing this enemy. Dravos thinks as he circles back to the animals and then Atropos, his weapon still drawn, ready to shoot anyone or anything hostile.

[Namelessjake]

Can they keep it down? Some of us have only had a few hours sleep, Stolos thinks as he continues to try and ignore the happenings in camp in favour of getting more sleep.

 

[Scratcherclaw]

Lyseros watches, bewildered, as the scene unfolds. More than one assailant? But surely the others would try to fully rouse us if they were in need of assistance... Still, he remains alert and watches carefully.

[greysigil]

Atropos

As the man starts to move, Atropos fires his crossbow at the vagrant. The motion is not smooth or practiced, but rough and jerky, his inexperience evident to anyone with even a passing knowledge of weapons. The thoughts don't form as words, but Atropos wishes it didn't have to come to this.

Mechanics

[1d20]=2 to hit

[Fialova]

Dravos

Turning back towards Atropos, you notice that the vagrant who'd been speaking to you before is rushing your way, or towards the figure you were pursuing. Atropos pursues, releasing a bolt from his crossbow towards the man, though it goes wide. Undeterred, he continues past you towards the figure you'd shot.

Stolos

You continue to hear the sounds of shuffling from outside, but so far no words to give context to what is going on. It is clear, however, that several people are moving around.

Lyseros

You notice that Dravos turns back towards the camp as the man rushes his direction, before Atropos stands and fires his crossbow towards him. The shot goes wide, and the man continues running, past Dravos and towards the sound he'd heard in the distance.

Atropos

Dravos turns and begins to move towards you as the man rushes his way, burning branch still in hand. Your bolt goes wide, and he seems unfazed by it, continuing past Dravos towards the sound you'd heard in the distance.

[Namelessjake]

Someone will shout or say something if its important or dangerous, Stolos thinks as he tries to block out the noise of people moving around the camp.

[BartNL]

Dravos

Atropos is safe. Good. This beggar was part of a ploy, can't rule out there are only two. Better alert the others. And next watch I will be teaching Atropos target practice. Dravos says to himself as Atropos bolt flies wide. Dravos turns around again and follows the beggar, making sure to keep enough distance to answer any threat with an arrow.

Wake up people, secure the camp, two hostiles spotted, one injured! Dravos shouts loudly.

[Scratcherclaw]

Lyseros hops to his feet, stretching his limbs quickly to limber up. He scans the perimeter, looking for signs of the hostiles Dravos mentioned. He nudges the dozing Stolos with his foot. "You can finish your beauty rest later. Grab your blade."

[Namelessjake]

Of course that happens the moment I think it, Stolos thinks hearing Dravos' call to arms, rolling his eyes beneath his tightly closed eye lids. He considers remaining in his bedroll, but any choice he had in the matter is removed as Lyseros joins in summoning him to action.

"To arms then," he affirms, jumping up out of his bed. He grabs his sword from its place resting against his pack and unsheathes it, discarding the sheathe rather than worrying about putting his sword belt on. He scans the camp, trying to get a sense of what is going on, and looking for any potential escape routes should things go sideways.

[greysigil]

Useless thing of wood and rope! Atropos curses his crossbow as he drops it to turn to see where the man is running.

He draws a deep breath, taps into his well of arcane energy, and traces the theorem out in his head. I have given you every chance, you have made your choice. Center, a word, a gesture. He releases the breath, raises his arm with his hand splayed towards the man, and utters a single word: "Die."
Clenching his hand into a fist, Atropos releases the energy he had built up, and the man is wreathed in barely visible arcane energy.

Mechanics

Casting Spell: The Coruscating Coffin. One target within line of sight and 100 feet per caster level. Target takes 1d8 damage per caster level, halved on a successful Physical Save. NPC Targets with only 1 Hit Die are slain outright.
Damage roll:[1d8]=8

[Fialova]

Dravos' shouting rouses everyone in the camp, who awaken with a mixture of terror or determination. Ereden quickly removes himself from his spot sleeping beneath the cart, grabbing a weapon and preparing to fight if needed. Hara and Imhe both rise and grab their own weapons, though they've no time to properly don their armor. The servants and family remain in place, in or under the cart, as Deimos and Polinos begin to wake and rise as well.

"What's the situation?" Hara barks, as the rest of the cohort prepares for combat. "Who the hell was that?" he says, referencing a man you'd all just seen running past Dravos into the darkness, who now slumps lifelessly to the ground after Atropos' spell, the lit branch he'd been holding producing a small amount of ambient light near his corpse. "Bandits? Are we under attack? Do you see more of them?" he asks, as he frantically looks around.

"I do not see or hear anyone," Imhe says, as she looks towards the nearby Atropos. "What happened? Did the man attack you? Are you harmed?" she asks, as she steps closer to him. "Are there more out there?"

Dravos

The man ran past you, and from the light of the branch on the ground, you can see he nearly made it to the person you'd shot, both of whom now lay dead in the brush nearly adjacent to one another.

[Scratcherclaw]

Lyseros moves his eyes between Dravos and Atropos expectantly, eager for some level of explanation. If there are no more, then a return to rest could be welcome. Yet I suppose it is possible that more yet lurk. "Did these men attack you? Or simply skulk into camp?"

 

[Namelessjake]

Stolos looks around the camp, waiting to hear Dravos or Atropos' answers before relaxing.

Who would attack a cohort's camp? He wonders. Dead fools I suppose, he thinks as he glances at the fallen bodies.

[BartNL]

Both hostiles eliminated. Rustlers I believe. There might be more, so I'll suggest a quick search of our camp. Dravos replies curtly from his position near the bodies. He then approaches Hara and explains: "One of them approached us as a beggar while the other snuck around to the animals. I went to check on the animals when they started making noise and left this so-called beggar with Atropos. The sneak tried to flee as I approached, and disregarded my command to surrender and a warning shot both, so I shot true. When I shot them, the other came running over, proving they were working together. As this clearly was a set-up, I like to search the camp, make sure there are no more accomplices hiding in the shadows. "

[Scratcherclaw]

"A sound idea," Lyseros says with a nod. He gives Dravos and Atropos a cursory visual examination, adding, "Are you both unharmed after this fray?"

 

[greysigil]

Atropos' icy glare softens into a look of remorse, then a look of exhaustion, as the sudden expenditure of necromantic energy leave him faint and swaying gently in place. "O Death, welcome these wayward souls into your loving embrace, and guide them gently to the afterlife." he says, barely audibly, offering a prayer up for the fallen.

"I am.. unharmed. It is as Dravos says.. this man approached us with a story of woe, starving and cold, that did not match his actions or demeanor... I offered him a branch, so that he may have his own fire.. but he took no heed of my insistance he be on his way, and when his companion cried out, he rushed past me.. and fearing for the safety of the cohort and our charges, I took action." Atropos says, seeming to struggle with forming the thoughts and words. "Confirming that there are no others.. is the best course of action."

[Fialova]

The group of you take some time to check the perimeter, but after several minutes you find no signs that other people or currently lurking nearby, nor had been at any point prior. If anyone else had been with the two, they did not leave any trace. While the rest of you search, Polinos rises and takes it upon himself to check on the bodies. With your search yielding no new information, he calls out. 

"It's just a man and a girl," he responds, looking over the corpses lain strewn in the brush not far from camp. "She can't be more than fifteen," he continues, uncertainty clear in his voice. "And there's a fire spreading from a branch the man was holding."

"A girl?" Hara asks, as he walks towards Polinos with haste. "You guys killed a fucking girl?" he asks again, his voice raising as anger is clear in his tone. 

[Namelessjake]

Ervemnon's blessings Stolos thinks, the irreligious musician uttering a rare prayer at the realisation a young girl is among the dead. The fire! He thinks.

"The fire!" He says, worried it might spread further and become a bigger problem.

"Help me stomp it out," he says to Polinos and anyone else listening as he makes his way over to the flames, content to let Hara dress down the second watch.

[Scratcherclaw]

Lyseros stares with mouth agape as news of the fallen echoes through him. What, did they shoot first, think later? There is caution and there is recklessness. His shocked trace breaks as he hears Stolos' cries, rushing over to offer his aid. "Damn it all," he mutters, doing what he can to extinguish the flames before they're out of hand.

 

[BartNL]

"What'd you have me do, take a chance and run into an ambush or should we let any thief or worse walk into our camp as they please?" Dravos answers, clearly agitated at Hara raising his voice. "I gave two warnings." Dravos says, his voice breaking.

[greysigil]

As the news of the girl's age reaches him, Atropos gives in and collapses to the ground, exhaustion and grief overwhelming him. "Of course! You absolute fool, that was why he was so insistent on staying. Why could we not learn this before you killed her, Dravos? And now I have not just this man's blood on my hands, but any who depended on him as well." He mutters to himself, rambling as a ringing fills his ears, nearly drowning out the rest of the commotion around him. "We were both fools, we should have known better, we should have been better than this."

[Fialova]

"You could maybe not kill a child!" Hara responds, still clearly heated. He begins to stomp towards Dravos, but is stopped in his tracks by Imhe, who places her hand against his chest before stepping into his path.

"He didn't know," she says calmly, though a stern expression is clear in her face. "How could he have? It was dark, and he was one of only two awake." As she speaks, Ereden and the servants begin to stand and make their way towards Stolos, Lyseros, and Polinos to assist with the fire. The Jenore's family, meanwhile, has roused and begun to poke their heads out of their tent. A soft sobbing can be heard from Oradia within.

"Yeah, well he didn't make much of an effort to find out, either," Hara continues, now addressing Imhe instead of Dravos. His eyes remain glued on the man, anger and sadness clear in the redness of his face, though his voice is calmer than moments before. 

Stolos, Lyseros

Skill Challenge!

The fire is spreading, and so far you are the only two to have started to do something about it. You will each make one check from the below list per round, and cannot make the same check twice in a row:

* Bring buckets of water from a nearby pond: Work/Str
* Determine ideal spots to toss water: Survive/Wis
* Douse water in the appropriate location: Exert/Dex

There will be two rounds initially, and 3 successes in those two rounds will extinguish the fire completely. Failure will cause the fire to spread.

[Namelessjake]

As the fire starts to spread, Stolos tries to work out the best places to douse with water in order to stop it spreading quicker.

Mechanics

Survive/wis: [2d6]=6

[BartNL]

Dravos, clearly upset and agitated, walks off towards the fire to help Stolos and Lyseros.

[FinalTemplar]

Deimos wakes up slowly, grumbling. "What in the hells is going on here...?" He asks, rubbing his eyes.

[Scratcherclaw]

Grimacing, Lyseros rushes to douse the burgeoning flames before they grow out of control.

Mechanics

Exert/Dex: [2d6]=6

 

[Fialova]

Deimos

You awaken to a chaotic scene. Hara and Dravos are arguing, with Hara seeming quite heated towards the other man. Imhe steps in to cool tensions, though you get the sense her words do little. Atropos lies despondent on the ground, seemingly in grief. Stolos, Lyseros and Polinos - as well as Ereden and the servants - are off further from camp, attempting to put out a spreading fire growing in the dark distance. Dravos stomps away from Hara towards them to assist. The Moltove family, meanwhile, are watching in shock and horror as the scene unfolds.

As Dravos makes his way towards the others, Hara turns sharply and makes his way towards the cart where the Moltoves still watching in a mixture of confusion and fear. He begins to speak with them quietly, as not to awake the last sleeping Moltove child, but you can tell from Oradia's tone that she is unhappy with what is going on. Imhe, seeing the rousing Deimos, steps towards him to help him up.

"There were others who approached the camp... people died, apparently a young girl among them," she says solemnly, eyeing the ground as she does. Once the man is on his feet, she continues. "Please go help the others in stopping the spread of the fire, we don't want it to reach the camp. Hara and I will help calm the children and mother," she says, motioning her head towards the others working frantically in the distance.

Dravos

Skill Challenge!

The fire is spreading, and so far you are the only two to have started to do something about it. You will each make one check from the below list per round, and cannot make the same check twice in a row:

* Bring buckets of water from a nearby pond: Work/Str
* Determine ideal spots to toss water: Survive/Wis
* Douse water in the appropriate location: Exert/Dex

There will be two rounds initially, and 3 successes in those two rounds will extinguish the fire completely. Failure will cause the fire to spread. You are joining in the second round.

Stolos, Lyseros, Dravos

Round 1 Results: 0/3 successes

Please make your choices for which actions to perform this round and roll for them, keeping in mind that you cannot use the same action you used the last round.

Skill Challenge Rules

The fire is spreading, and so far you are the only two to have started to do something about it. You will each make one check from the below list per round, and cannot make the same check twice in a row:

* Bring buckets of water from a nearby pond: Work/Str
* Determine ideal spots to toss water: Survive/Wis
* Douse water in the appropriate location: Exert/Dex

There will be two rounds initially, and 3 successes in those two rounds will extinguish the fire completely. Failure will cause the fire to spread.

[Scratcherclaw]

Panic growing, Lyseros continues his efforts to extinguish the flames.

Mechanics

Survive/Wis: [2d6]=7