"I trust you've come up with the appropriate plan by now?" Mialee said, returning from having gotten some bread. Wrinkling her nose, she was thankful that she had been able to spare herself a few minutes in this hell by stopping by the baker first.

Whistler nodded... and then paled as he remembered something. He grabbed the shoulder of his human friend shook it vigorously, getting his attention.

Producing a piece of parchment, he scribbled something down and pressed it into the hands of his friend, before dashing off.

My friend, it read, I hate to bail on you like this, but I have very important duties I must attend too. They are of dire importance, and this mission pales in comparison. I hope you find a fourth to round out your party, but now I must go. I hope we meet again.''

Man, this always happens to me.

edited 29th Aug '17 6:03:09 PM by Cwest5538

Later, that same day

Gabatim, Mialee and Fyterion went back to Pedro's farm, and from there entered the nearby forest. The druid asked the resident animals for guidance.

In their own, limited way, the animals told him that there had been strangers in the forest for months now. But other than some kobolds, they did not recognize them, much less understood their motivations.

Though they did confirm that they were carrying away first goats, then humans.

Following the animals' instructions, the heroes ventured into the by-now dark forest. It wasn't long before they saw what looked like a campfire. And was someone sitting next to it?

Starting a fire had been easy. There was plenty of dry wood and kindling, and enough stones to make a firepit. Valykar had bashed down a small tree to serve as a seat, and suddenly he had a nice enough campsite.

The black dragonborn stoked the flames, watching them crackle and twist. He had considered going into the forest at night alone, but without allies, that would have been reckless and dangerous. He was very self-sufficient, but strolling right into a nest of vipers without any backup was foolish. Camping out on not-too far into the forest was still dangerous, but not suicidal.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a group of... creatures. One was larger than the other two, and appeared to be a quadraped; the others were much more humanoids.

As the got closer, Valykar stood up, grabbing the shield next to him. Although he would have liked to been more hospitable, he had no clue who these strangers were- and he was out in the forest to watch for signs of kidnappings and monsters. Greeting unknown individuals in circumstances like this would be folly.

"Greetings," the black dragonborn called out. In all but the happiest moods, his voice sounded deep and gruff. This occasionally led to annoying problems when he was actually happy. It was difficult to convince someone you were there to rescue them when you both looked and sounded like you were a couple of seconds away from eating them.

Valykar kept a hand on his mace, and quickly made sure his shield strapped to his arm. The strangers didn't seem overtly hostile, but it was better to err on the side of caution. Tail twitching, he examined the group.

"Pardon the interruption," Mialee said, eyeing the dragonborn and the surroundings with no small amount of suspicion. There were no obvious signs of cult business going on, but one could never know for sure. It wasn't exactly like a cult kidnapping people from the woods in the dead of night had banners and parades.

They would probably set a trap... such as having a single overly-friendly person who definitely wasn't a human or elf from the nearby town, sitting alone at night while your fellow cultists surrounded them....

"Just passing through. We'll be on our way," she nodded at the man and tried to walk away.

A random encounter in the forest exactly while people around are going missing. No, No. It's never this freakin easy. If prey just showed up like this, Gabatim's old herd would be fat and well, still around. Then again, if the people around were particularly stupid incautious, this fellow would only have to mug them at the point of something sharp and then run into the woods a short while to avoid pursuers. Rather ingenuous, except for the fire beckoning like a come slay me beacon.
Gabatim had debated even approaching with the others. Better to snipe this guy at a distance. Then again, this guy sitting out in the open like that by a big bright campfire was no proof of causing disappearances. And all the better to deal with surprises if the vaquero stayed by backup.

"Salutation," Gabatim called from some distance back, crossbow at the ready if not pointing at anyone just yet. "You and your friends picked a rather good site." From which to be sniped from leagues away, but the important part was seeing this fellow's response revealed his allies numbers or lack thereof. Perhaps even some clue as to why he was here.

Perhaps, it would be polite if Gabatim introduced himself, but the vaquero was already edgy. His most reliable ally and budding friend had left earlier, and he was used to going through wilderness with myriad bleating animals as both early warning and some comfort. Besides, the vaquero needn't give this fellow any clue as to his allies' number, intent, or readiness.

Forest

Fyterion bowed his head, trying to look friendly - as friendly as a half human half horse in the middle of the night could look anyway "Blessed be Mannad." He looked up "As my friend already said, we will be on our way." Eventhough he tried to look friendly the centaur still eyed the surroundings. "Say, what are you doing out here in this wilderness?"

Before the trio of adventurers could get to fully meet the newcomer, they were interrupted by sounds of something- or several somethings!- moving across the foliage around them.

Before they could react, eight figures came within sight of the campfire's light. They looked human, but their faces were hidden behind rags. Each carried a scimitar and a light crossbow.

"Nobody move!" one of them shouted, menacingly.

"Tis no interruption," the dragonborn said kindly. "I'm merely waiting for Bahamut's dawn to shine so I can find the villains kidnapping folk around here," he informed the elf. He didn't seem to particularly care about her suspions.

The human called out a greeting likewise laced with suspicion, which caused him to frown, although the centaur was much nicer. "I'm afraid I'm currently alone in my endeavor. It is nice to meet you," he told the both of them. He was much more sincere towards the centaur

Suddenly, a group of figures leapt out of the brush. Seeing as they were armed, it caused the cleric to act almost immediately.

He didn't know these strangers, but his heart told him they were good. "Back, villains!" He roared, and raised his mace. "Bahamut, grant these crusaders your blessing!"

A holy glow wreathed the three newcomers, glimmering with divine and magical power.

The cleric casts Bless! All of you, gain a extra d4 when attacking or making saving throws.

edited 3rd Sep '17 5:04:48 PM by Cwest5538

"Oh please..." Yet another group stumbling through the woods, making more noise than wild boar. Marauders. Well, they didn't run into some eldritch thing. The fires illuminated some of their faces for the briefest of instances. All the better, they'd obscured their noses, ears, mouths, and eyes. At night. In the woods.

"Parley?" The vaquero offered the speaker, albeit under the cover of his shield and ready to loose bolts at the strangers on either side of the speaker. For, killing the one who might be able to surrender for the whole group would not be terribly bright. "We're here for a reason, on behalf of the county even, and we all could say, metaphorically, sit around the campfire? If perhaps, you would lower those crossbows. Any other action has but one meaning. Do please decide now." Sure, an instant reaction might catch them off guard, but then there was the problem. Who was them?

Gabatim already felt good about their chances when—hello! A brief flash of light outlined him and a brief rush of strength. Well, that happened.

edited 30th Aug '17 7:20:04 PM by CenturyEye

Everything happened so quickly.

"Drop your weapons!" one of the men said. "We outnumber you two to one, so nobody try anything!"

"Just hand over your valuables, and we'll let you go. And don't pretend you don't have any, you are obviously adventurers!"

The man almost seemed like he was going to listen to Gabatim, but then the Dragonborn cleric cast a spell.

"AHH MAGIC!!" one of them shouted, and then all of them attacked.

Combat Turn One

The Bandits will split up, two attacking each hero. One will charge to stab with his scimitar, while another one fires a crossbow bolt at the same target.

The Bandits' stats are in the Discussion Thread.

edited 30th Aug '17 8:17:43 PM by Sijo

So it goes. Gabatim didn't charge. Rather awkward with a crossbow anyway. The vaquero just shifted, keeping the scimitar-wielder between himself and the enemy arbalist. Then just outside the marauder's striking range, Gabatim loosed a bolt straight into the center of the marauder's face, also shoving with the shield to keep the potentially still kicking swordsman off balance. Grisly, but those rags weren't armor.

Shield back at the ready, and slowly falling back as he switched from crossbow to longbow, the vaquero spared the swordsman a glance to make sure he wasn't moving and quickly glanced around to check for more company, before giving the arbalist a solitary gesture/command. On the ground.

edited 31st Aug '17 3:57:41 AM by CenturyEye

"Boys, boys, no need to be so rude," Mialee remarked, jumping out of the way when everything went to hell. "Still, you leave me no choice.... Embrace oblivion, you animals!"

At that, a group of large black shadowy tendrils of dark energy erupted from her skin, slamming towards the people around her.

Use movement to move to whatever place maximizes the number of enemies that will be within 10 feet of her(and hopefully not allies). Then use Arms of Hadar. Strength saving throw, target takes 2d6 necrotic damage and can't take reactions until its next turn, or takes half damage on a successful save and suffers no other effect.

edited 31st Aug '17 12:40:10 AM by nman

Valykar growled and raised his shield as two of the marauders charged him, holding his mace at the ready. He glanced at the human fighter, but he seemed to be holding his own as he shot one of the attackers in the face, before swapping to his longbow.

The elf, who Valykar had assumed was some sort of spellcaster- she had that aura of intelligence and magic about her- proved his theory almost immediately. She jumped out of the way of the charging marauders attacking her, and raised a hand. Tentacles of black energy erupted from her skin, battering the unfortunate attackers. Valykar’s eyes narrowed at the sight; he doubted that her power came from a divine source, but that didn’t mean she was evil. Hopefully.

As two of the attackers approached him, the dragonborn eyed them warily. Maneuvering, the heavily armored cleric lined them up; because one of them was more or less stationary and aiming a crossbow at him, it wasn’t much of a challenge. Taking a deep breath, his blue eyes burned with green light. The dragonborn stiffened, and opened his jaws wide. Exhaling, Valykar blasted a line of corrosive mist from his maw, coating both attackers with his deadly acid breath.

Valykar uses his Breath Weapon! 2d6 acid damage on a failed DC 11 Con save.

Woods

Seeing the charge Fyterion quickly got out his mace, directly charging back, if that thug really wanted to be at the dangerous end of what amounted to a cavalry charge then so be it. The Centaur aimed directly at the charging thug, for now ignoring the one with the crossbow.

Gabatim's tactic of positioning himself so that the bandit targeting him could not shoot without hitting his own partner worked, and while the latter did get to try a swing with his scimitar at the vaquero, it missed. He then got a bull's-eye on the face from the hero's crossbow. As he cried out in pain, he was then pushed off his feet. However, Gabatim could see he was still alive and struggling on the ground. The wounded bandit takes 4 points of damage, leaving him 7.

The other bandit's face, being covered, was not readable. But as he saw the vaquero switch to another weapon, obviously decided to ignore the warning as he shot a bolt of his own... that ended up glancing off the hero's armor.

Meanwhile, two bandits were caught in the dark tentacles Mialee summoned. "AIIEE!!" both screamed, as they felt the dark energy drain their very life-force. The one who had been charging at her felt a chill so intense, he could not move; the other one, however, managed to fire his crossbow: Twang! The elf was lucky, however, that the arms' constriction caused to shot to go wild- it barely missed her, whizzing by her hair. Both bandits take 6 points of damage, leaving them with 5; one is paralyzed.)

The Dragonborn, however, turned out to be slower than the bandits. Again, they employed their shoot-then-charge tactic; both attacks, however, were blocked by Valykar's powerful defenses. Than came the acid spray, which neither foe could avoid. Ayii!! they screamed as the substance began to burn through their armor and flesh. Both bandits take 6 points of damage, leaving them with 5 each.

Lastly, Fyterion was careless in ignoring the crossbowman- as his bolt found a target on his flank, (Thunk!) penetrating his armor. On top of that, the bandit charging him struck at the same time as Fyterion hit him, further wounding the centaur. To add insult to injury, his blow glanced off the bandit's leather armor, barely missing him... but then at the last second, it corrected itself and struck true as if guided by magic! Fyterion takes 9 hp of damage, leaving him with 2. One bandit takes 4 damage, leaving him with 7 hp.

Combat Round Over. Combat Round Two Begins.

edited 3rd Sep '17 5:45:31 PM by Sijo

One of the bandits charged at him, but Valakyr intercepted the scimitar swing with his shield, sending the bandit stumbling back with a curse. The other shot a crossbow bolt into this chest, but his heavy armor prevented it from piercing his scales.

Taking a moment to plan, Valakyr grimaced at the sight of his acid breath taking such a toll on the bandits. They were trying to harm him and the other adventurers, and the dragonborn would not hesitate to strike them down. But the damage caused by his acidic attack was still a painfully grim thing to witness.

The thunk of a crossbow bolt impacting flesh drew his attention, and he caught sight of a different set of bandits attacking the centaur; one indeed already seemed to have gotten a shot off on him. The cleric gestured towards him and spoke a word of power; almost immediately, the centaur's wounds closed, the crossbow bolt falling to the ground, his form filled with magical vim and vigor.

Turning his attention back to his own foes, Valakyr let out a roar of fury and charged, swinging his mace at the bandits, hoping their burning flesh would distract them enough for him to land a finishing blow.

Fyterion regains 7 hit points as Val casts Healing Word as a bonus action, before swinging at the scimitar wielding bandit in front of him. Non-lethal damage, of course!

edited 2nd Sep '17 8:15:37 PM by Cwest5538

Of course the marauder still tried his luck. It was interesting. The opportunistic predators around usually took off at the first signs of heavy resistance. Or the arbalist could just be upset. Watching a partner take a crossbow to the face would do that. Well, one on the ground, and one well out-ranged by the vaquero as long as Gabatim kept up the distance. Simple work, he'd put an arrow through the arbalist and tie up the guy on the ground. Then...bugger all!

The vaquero had been checking his surroundings for ambushes, but his eyes worked just as well for seeing Fyterion newly wearing a bolt and fresh sword wounds. Ok new plan, the arbalist always stays at a distance, and the swordsman isn't charging anyone at the moment. Gabatim was sure they wouldn't mind him leaving. Or at least, that's how it would've gone if he'd actually planned it.

On mostly instinctive reaction, the vaquero kept his distance from his own new pals, and loosed an arrow at the swordsman engaging Fyterion. Quickly after, Gabatim switched from his longbow to shield and warhammer again, as he moved to join the melee, shield in the lead to absorb pop shots.
"Geesh, you attack the druid—above material possessions and all that—and ignore the guy with the rich ivory horns on his mask," the vaquero flailed ineffectually but most importantly very noticeably and noisily at the soon-to-be-dead arbalist who'd landed the shot on Fyterion. "It's an exceptional marauder that's both cowardly and stupid."

Well, Gabatim had no idea how druids in general or Fyterion in particular handled wealth. He'd apologize later, the point being the druid was alive to receive it. And Gabatin's mask had no trace of ivory. And the exception went the other way in the vaquero's experience. Ok, so it was a big lie. Irrelevant, if the marauders responded to his taunts or, you know, him being an immediate approaching threat.

Specifically, invoking both Fighting style—protection and perception to keep Gabatim aware of threats around as he's charging through a battle.

Mialee jerked her head back as she heard the, sadly, all-too-familiar sound of a crossbow bolt zipping by her. Turning her head, she saw just the culprit.

"You'll pay for that!" she shouted at the man, firing an Eldritch Blast at the crossbowman who had nearly ruined her hair.

Eldritch Blast at the crossbowman.

Forest

Fyterion came to a crashing halt as he was wounded like that, coughing up blood shortly before many of his wounds were getting healed. He really would have to thank his new companions later. Seeing how his blow nearly missed the Centaur shook his head, instead deciding to straight up clobber his enemy.

Using my natural weapon: Hooves: You rear up and strike with your two front hooves. You are proficient with this attack Hit: 2d6 + your strength modifier (Minimum of one) bludgeoning damage.

The still-smoking bandits Valakyr had blasted screamed and turned away from the charging Dragonborn, running in different directions before he could try to hit them. Decide if you will pursue them, and if so which one.

The bandit Gabatim had wounded got up off the ground, and promptly began running away as well. His partner however, shot a crossbow bolt at the cowboy- however the latter spotted it in time to avoid it. In turn, the vaquero's arrow struck the bandit Fyterion had struck. Then the centaur himself reared up and struck it with his hooves, knocking him to the ground where he laid, unmoving. The arrow does 4 points of damage, the hooves do 6. This reduces him to -3 hp. He's unconscious.

Meanwhile, the dark tentacles fade just as Mialee blasts one of the freed bandits; he falls down, unmoving. The other one, recovering mobility, runs away, terror reflected in his face. One bandit takes 5 points of damage, reducing him to 0.

Combat Round Two Over. Combat Round Three Begins.

edited 3rd Sep '17 5:46:38 PM by Sijo

Valakyr growled and watched the humans flee, before turning his horned head just in time to see the masked man dodge a bolt from the crossbow of an angry bandit. The warhammer wielding warrior had rushed to his centuar friend’s aid, which Valakyr could respect, but in doing so he had left a ranged threat.

“Go help your friend!” Valakyr called to the elf, as he suddenly unfurling two large draconic wings on his back. “I’ll take care of that arbalist.”

Normally, revealing his wings was not something he would do in the presence of strangers, but this was a life or death situation. Snarling, the dragonborn eyed the crossbowman that had shot at the human in the mask, spreading his wings fully.

Spitting a bit of stray acid on the ground, the dragonborn weighed the merits of simply charging him. If the man stood his ground, the cleric would strike him normally. But the sight of a seven-foot two winged mountain of muscle and scales charging you was a terrifying sight, which was something he had taken advantage of before. While his wings would not not help him reach the bandit- Valakyr was faster on foot than when he was flying- they would no doubt aid in the intimidation factor.

Tail lashing, Valakyr roared a curse in draconic and charged him, blue eyes flashing with rage as he attempted to rout the human.

Val charges the remaining Bandit that just attacked Gabatim, and attempts to intimidate him. If he fails to scare him off, than the dragonborn just makes a Shove attack to try to knock him prone, presumably by shoulder-bashing him in the face.

edited 3rd Sep '17 2:49:48 PM by Cwest5538

"Who?!" Mialee asked/shouted at the dragon. Her friend? Whatever strange this the scaly man was saying would have to wait, there was another one of those degenerate highwaymen she had to take care of.

Eldritch Blast at the fleeing bandit.

edited 3rd Sep '17 4:35:54 PM by nman

Huh, right. He can do that... Gabatim observed Fyterion's wounds healing up and the druid regaining his stamina rather quickly. Predictably, the arbalist loosed at bolt at him, which just missed. He was still number three in the queue.

Lucky number one turned about to be the Fyterion's arbalist friend. Gabatim's own arrow had hit true on the swordsman, and the druid already seemed to have his own plans for the swordsman. Those hooves came down pretty hard, and the swordsman ceased moving.
Alright then... The vaquero returned to the longbow, lingering some ways away from the arbalist, and loosed an arrow at the marauder.

Gabatim attacks the arbalist who shot at Fyterion with the longbow.

edited 3rd Sep '17 5:42:05 PM by CenturyEye

The bandit arbalist running away from the dragonborn screamed in terror as he saw the creature had sprouted wings and was now chasing him like a demon from the abyss. He ran as fast as he could towards the forest, hoping to lose Valakyr amongst the trees.

The bandit fleeing Mialee was not so lucky: struck by the Eldritch Blast, he gasped in pain and fell face-first on the ground. 5 points of damage: reduced to 0.

The arbalist facing the centaur looked appalled as he watched his fellows either fall down or run away; clearly he was afraid of running and be struck on the back himself. By then Gabatim's arrow hit him. 4 points of damage, reducing him to 7.

edited 3rd Sep '17 5:57:12 PM by Sijo