Chapter Three: Vardadraug and the Cosmic Ore

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Wolf had been pondering what to do when Luna came up behind him. Luna... He had mixed feelings about her being here, but was mostly glad. It was likely visible as much from his expression when he turned to look at her.


"Luna!" he called her name just before she unleashed hell. Made sense. It wasn't like her to let words like the minotaur's slide. Unlike him.


Hm.


Maybe he was her bitch.


No. Definitely not.


After the sound of fire subsided he said: "I hope you didn't come alone?"

 

[killfire]

Bronze waves at the Hobbits, and asks "Is there anything I can make you? Since I'm firing up the forge anyway?" Adds simple wood, this is going to be a cold fire, so why waist the coal, "Mr Stewart, please be careful around the fire." Since he's very careful with fire, Bronze also gathers a silly amount of fire quenchers just in case, then sets up a bellows, and starts the heat.

 

[Purr]

Bronze stands before his portable forge, tools in hand. The fire rises to a fine orange color as the hobbits gather round, Whittle with a basket of marshmallows at the ready.


She ponders as she places the marshmallows on sharp kabob-sticks. "Oh, I don't know, love. Are you good at making cooking utensils? Any hobbit could make use of those. All except Old Mister Brownberry. He's balder than a river stone and more likely to start a fire than start a breakfast!"


Stewart remains nearby, perfectly aware. "Well, we all lose a little as we grow older."


Whittle hands him a stick of marshmallows. "It's not what ye think - poor fellow lost his hair over the stove trying to cook." Whittle giggles.


Stewart grimaces as he takes the stick. "Oh. That's one poor hobbit."


Otiorin continues to race through the forest following the easy-to-follow tracks of a bounding Powerpaw. In the distance, circling over a hilltop, the half-elven rogue/sorcerer discovers something else that is easy to see - a small falcon drifting unusually low over the crisp, green trees. Otiorin has thus far only spied one falcon in these parts - Pecker.


Bria stays low and quiet in the brush, the evergreen color of her clothing helps her blend into the woodland surroundings. Eyes alert, heart pounding, she focuses on Luna and her multiple images and prays, prepared to cast at the first sign of damage to the true Luna.


With mind and spirit as one, Luna calls forth the delicate yet destructive power of fire into the form of her Scorching Ray spell and lets loose its fury at the leader of the Bloodland minotaurs. Two bright searing rays launch from her fingertips at the minotaur whose eyes grow wide. With a dodge both born of expertise and wishful thinking, the hulk twists and moves to one side. The fiery beams barely miss him. Upon his hide armor, there is now a telltale scorch mark and the smell of burnt hide armor in the air. He sniffs. Then he slowly rights himself, tapping one finger on his left hand. Those large red eyes narrow upon Luna as he grips his dwarf-headed flail. He nods respectfully to Luna, his countenance now more dangerous than before. Mirthlessly, he grunts.


"Missed me, bitch."


His fellows laugh, but their laughs are not without relief. The leader then points at Luna as he calls out several quick orders in what can only be the minotaur language, so close are his words to those shared by giants. Instantly, his fellows reply with focused action. All three of the melee minotaurs charge at Luna. While the earth trembles beneath their swiftly-moving hooves, the fourth minotaur turns and aims his massive longbow at Wolf and looses.


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[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin ran on, still unaware of the fight that had erupted. His swift feet treating the rough ground, rocks and even tree branches as pretty much the same thing, thanks to his magical boots. The bundle in his arms clinked and moved with each step and bound and his curiosity burned to see what was within, but he knew that he had to reach the others before something bad happened. Bad things tended to happen to the Wanderers, especially when they were split up. It was almost a certainty. In fact, someone was probably experiencing bad things right now.

 

[Sherwood]

With her eyes locked onto the leader of the band of minotaurs, Luna twists violently away from the sharp blades of the battle axes in the hands of the monsters. "I may have missed once; it won't happen again!"

Spoiler

Armor Class is 24, so all the axe swings miss the true Luna, but take out two images.


EDIT: And a 20 to hit! Damn! Talk about reaching out and touching someone! Damage is a little low, unless you have a rule about critical strikes doing extra damage with a spell attack (crosses fingers)?


Cantrips: Read Magic, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Detect Magic


Level 1: Burning Hands x2, Shocking Grasp


Level 2: Scorching Ray


Level 3: Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Displacement


Force Missile x8


Mage Armor, Shield, and Mirror Image spells (4 duplicates) are all active

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[Purr]

The stampede of three oncoming minotaurs is enough to make a normal person faint with fear, but Luna is no such person. With her powerful magic to defend her, all of the attacks of the first round fail to harm her, though two of her six mirror images vanish. This seems to be the tactic of the lead minotaur - to keep on attacking until no images remain while their archer takes on Wolf. Their melee upon Luna is ugly to watch as she is nearly surrounded by three large, ferocious creatures intent on her death. On her shoulder, Sparkle stays on, hissing and spitting.


Two arrows fly at Wolf but neither strike him.

 

[Kaerri]

Kitrin and Powerpaw are (depending on my die rolls at my computer desk) are either a combat round or two away from this fight, or farther (not likely).

Kitrin gleefully clings to Powerpaw as the big cat-person races through the forest. "Thanks for the ride, Powerpaw! I couldn't go this fast on my own!" Her voice is almost normal in volume (unusually quiet for her) because she doesn't know what's up ahead. If Wolf and the puppy are doing some kind of woodsy communing, she doesn't want to interrupt. And if they've found bad guys, she doesn't want the bad guys to know they're coming!

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Witnessing the relentless charge of the enemy, Wolf ignores the danger to himself and fires two arrows at the leader of the minotaurs considering breaking the chain of command to be the most effective move available. Also, there is the hope that simply attacking will be enough to take pressure off Luna.


She may rely on her illusions, but I can't.


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[Sherwood]

Luna watches with no small level of anxiety at the sight of two of her duplicate images getting dissipated. We have to hold out long enough to let everyone else get here. In the meantime, lets do some damage! With her upraised hands, she casts her second Scorching Ray spell of the day, watching the twin beams of burning flame lance out at the lead minotaur. Between her spells and Wolf's arrows, they should be able to drop the first opponent with little trouble.

Spoiler

Since Luna is now up in the order, I'll go ahead and stick with the hit roll and damage I posted before. So, is there any house rule about natural 20's and magic? If not, she does her 21 points of fire damage to the leader.


Cantrips: Read Magic, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Detect Magic


Level 1: Burning Hands x2, Shocking Grasp


Level 2: Scorching Ray


Level 3: Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Displacement


Force Missile x8


Mage Armor, Shield, and Mirror Image spells (1 duplicate) are all active

 

[Purr]

Luna expertly weaves her fiery magic while in a maelstrom of steel fury. All three minotaurs hack and flail in coordinated efforts to find the real Luna. She gives them an opportunity by casting a ranged touch attack in melee. Each minotaur takes advantage of the opening and swings freely in an attempt to score on the real Luna and stop her spell before it is cast.


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A combination of skill and good fortune favor the fire mage as she looses her Scorching Ray spell. She loses another figment, but escapes damage. The minotaur with the greataxe stumbles but recovers. Luna completes her spell and both rays strike the lead minotaur perfectly, and with the damage inflicted by Wolf's arrow, the lead minotaur grunts in great pain and falls to his knees, eyes closed.


He mutters, "Good shot, bitch," as he strikes the earth with two smoking burns on his heaving chest. The smell of burned hide armor and muscle fill the air. He is down and dying.


His three cohorts yell and curse in surprise and their practiced teamwork comes into play. Instead of attacking Luna, the greataxe-wielding minotaur spits at her in disgust and yanks out one of two large bottles on his hip. He pops the cork and kneels down, feeding its contents to his fallen fellow, bellowing something encouraging in his own language.


In response, the lead minotaur's eyes open. He looks up to his cohort, then at Luna. He nods, having possibly underestimated the fire mage. It is a mistake you don't think he will make again as he rises, wounded but very alive, to his hooves. His cohorts cheer and renew their attacks, the minotaur with his twin battle axes sets himself into a reckless-looking combat stance and swings rapidly and viciously. The minotaur archer aims carefully at Wolf and looses again.


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The savage melee continues, leaving Luna with one figment left, yet she remains untouched and still within the 10-foot reach of all three minotaurs. The leader is heavily wounded and glaring at Luna, snorting in rage and determination. The minotaur archer's great arrows fly like launched javelins at Wolf, but the Ranger knows the forest better than these creatures, and the arrows fail to find their mark.


As Kitrin, Powerpaw, and Otiorin head up the slope to the hilltop (the former two unaware that they are being followed by the latter), they see Wolf's loyal falcon, Pecker, quietly and calmly circling above the trees. It appears the little fellow is attempting to help guide you. Just then two fiery rays of light come lancing out, crackling into the air, threatening to ignite the wood. The roar of mighty, probably large-sized creatures is heard. A moment later, there is the sound of thundering across the earth and the loud thrashing of battle! To the three Wanderers, it is clear that Wolf, Luna, and Bria have made contact at the top of the hilltop!


The three distantly hear Luna casting a second spell. There is a bright sudden flash obscured by the trees and the hilltop you have yet to reach. A great grunt follows and the battle rages on!

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

What devilry is this? Wolf thinks to himself as he watches the downed beast spring back to life. He opened his mouth to shout something to Luna, but realized he didn't know what to say. Best not to distract the girl for nothing, then. She had enough to worry about.


Instead, the ranger stands firm and loosens two more arrows, this time aiming for the minotaur that poured the healing drink into his leader.


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[Captain Hesperus]

At the sound of sudden and violent actions ahead, Otiorin's free left hand flashes to the bow strapped over his shoulder. His mouth works swiftly, intoning the words of his favored spell and he feels the magic coil around the bow's limbs, granting it the potency of a far larger weapon. Thus enhanced, he raced on, cutting out to the left of where the noises were coming from. With luck, he can come upon his allies and their opponents from a different angle and get the drop on them.

 

[Purr]

Wolf switches targets and lets fly into the greataxe-carrying beast. So intent is he on following his leader's orders that he hardly flinches when Wolf's arrow lands in his right shoulder. The second shot glances off of the fighter's armor and tumbles away into the forest. He snorts at Luna and readies his two-handed axe, eager to stain it with mage blood.


Bria remains in her cover. Despite her mounting worry, she sticks to discipline and stays put, culling the desire to jump out to get the Bloodland minotaurs' attention away from the embattled Luna. The stories of ferocity and evil performed the Bloodland Minotaurs is known well and wide to all people who live anywhere nearby, and Bria is no exception; she is certain of what fate will befall Luna, Wolf, Sparkle, and herself should they lose. Every time one of the Luna-figments is struck, Bria lets out a tiny shriek, yet the Ko healer knows Luna has not yet been harmed. Ready to heal, Bria stays low and focuses on the inevitable, her presence still undiscovered by the muscled menace.


Just then, Powerpaw with Kitrin on his back rumbles up to the scene with all the quiet and stealth he can muster. The feline monstrosity moves like a hunter through the woods, prowling like his smaller feral cousins. Kitrin and Powerpaw skulk over the rise of the hilltop and immediately spot Bria. She turns to them and her eyes widen with awful discovery.


"Bria!"


"Oh, no!" she whispers. "Neither of you are wearing your armor!" Then she summarizes the situation as best she can. "Big trouble! Luna engaged this team of Bloodland Minotaurs that Wolf had just encountered. They are here for the prismalcum. Something about another mage. Their human guide captured Vardadraug, but the guide was killed and Vardadraug escaped to who-knows-where. The guide carried a horn. His corpse is over there upon that wide runed rock. This might be a holy area to forest-lovers or something, but now that team is about to chop Luna and Wolf to pieces!"


"Uh, what's a Bloodface minotaur?"


Bria points and keeps her eyes on Luna. "Those are. Um, they're like you, but evil and less friendly."


"Hoo hoo!" Powerpaw follows Bria indication and starts to rise in anticipation, his long fangs grinning at the thought of battle, but then caution takes hold as he realizes he and Kitrin are both at a serious fighting disadvantage. "Grrrr...."


"Is Otiorin with you?"


"No. He's nommin' pancakes an' keepin' guard."


Bria's reply is a cute-sounding squeak of serious worry.


Powerpaw places his pack on the forest floor and looks Kitrin in the eye, gripping his enchanted maul. "Kitrin-face! You haz no armor. Mine's in my bag. Dey don't see us yet." His ears raise and his blood-red eyes flare, ready to perform the deadly business of battle. "Your call. How you wanna work dis?"

 

[Sherwood]

Luna can feel her heart pounding in her chest as she bobs and weaves around the minotaurs. Where are the others? Without some backup, Wolf and I are in trouble! Doing her best to keep her distance from the business end of those weapons, Luna decides to take some defensive action. Hoping that her next spell won't get her killed, she begins to cast once more. "Displacement!"

Spoiler

Cantrips: Read Magic, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Detect Magic


Level 1: Burning Hands x2, Shocking Grasp


Level 2: Scorching Ray


Level 3: Fireball, Lightning Bolt


Force Missile x8


Mage Armor, Shield, and Displacement (6 rounds left) are all active

 

[Kaerri]

"Oh, no!" Bria whispers. "Neither of you are wearing your armor!"

"Didn't have time!" Kitrin whispers as she slides down.

"Uh, what's a Bloodface minotaur?"
Bria points and keeps her eyes on Luna. "Those are. Um, they're like you, but evil and less friendly."

"What she said! Bad news, strong, tough, an' fast, an' can reach 'bout as far as you. Mind the horns, don't let them charge you. Looks like they know their business, too. Got to be careful."

Powerpaw places his pack on the forest floor and looks Kitrin in the eye, gripping his enchanted maul. "Kitrin-face! You haz no armor. Mine's in my bag. Dey don't see us yet." His ears raise and his blood-red eyes flare, ready to perform the deadly business of battle. "Your call. How you wanna work dis?"

Kitrin shakes her head at the mention of armor. "Still ain't got time - Luna especially ain't got time, looks like. Oughta look into some light armor later, for hasty donning. Though if Luna's gonna keep getting in melee, we won't have time even for light armor. Shields an' footwork'll have to do." Raising her own shield and shaking out her flail, she continues, "Bettin' I'm better at that than you, big kitty-face. That leader's a piece of work, best he go down quickest. With luck, Wolf an' Luna'll take care of that for us an' you an' me'll mop up the rest. I'll go in first, get their attention off Luna. Follow up behind an' take out any you can."

Spoiler

I'm not quite sure how far away Luna's attackers are from Kitrin, Powerpaw, and Bria. The distance affects Kitrin's plans thusly:


If the melee around Luna is within a move action (speed 30'), Kitrin is going to move in and attack. She'll be invoking Combat Expertise to gain a +2 dodge bonus (at the cost of a -2 penalty to attack), giving her a total of 19 AC once her attack starts (but not, unfortunately, in time for the opportunity attacks she'll be provoking, unless the minotaurs have used them up on Luna).


If the melee around Luna is not within a move action, but is within a double-move, Kitrin is going to charge. That will give her the Combat Expertise bonus from the start, which is good because they'll cancel out the penalty for charging, leaving her AC at 17.

 

[Purr]

Luna does her best to avoid the vicious swings of the great minotaurs. Their weapons cleave the earth and tear through the air as the trio attempts to surround her, but with a single illusory figment remaining, she dashes out of their reach, but in the doing, she opens herself yet again to attacks of opportunity. It is a sacrifice to cast her Displacement spell safely; time will tell if it is worth it.


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Success! At the cost of her last figment and with a resounding hit upon her magical defenses, Luna flees to momentary safety carried by her enchanted footwear. There, her magical training takes over as she calls forth the power of her Displacement spell. For 6 rounds, that potent magic will be with her.


The minotaurs curse in their own language, but roar at her in her own. "Don't let her run off! Take her down! Hard!" They thunder after her, their horrible horns low, their wicked weapons held high. As Luna is fleeing, an opportunity makes itself open to the bright young woman: If she runs as fast as she can next round, the enhanced speed of her boots might enable her to completely outrun her opponents (not on this upcoming round, but perhaps the next), if she does nothing but run as fast as she can in roughly one direction.


But for the moment, the charging minotaurs come at her, the greataxe-carrying monster first attempting to gore her while the leader and his dual-wielding fellow come alongside him and hack with their large-sized axes in cruel, curving arcs.


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Two out of the three minotaurs fail to strike her, but the charging minotaur hits dead on and the Displacement spell fails to hide her from this attack. Luna is struck from behind by the monster's signature gore attack. The impact knocks her into the air a short distance, yet she lands on her feet, a terrific pain lancing up her back...


"Aurielu alai ris!"


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...until, suddenly, both the pain and the wound are gone! Luna runs unhindered with the Bloodland warriors exchanging bewildered glances. They look to where the sound of the hidden voice comes from and discover something entirely new to them.


Kitrin "Killer" Kittenpaw comes racing at the leader in a full charge, her flail spinning in the air, ready to do damage! The minotaurs see this and the axe-wielders start laughing, waving dismissively at her. "Get your little hobbit self back in the kitchen and off this battlefield! You don't belong!" "Little fool! I'll kick your skinny ass after we skin this boastful mage..." Kitrin enters their combat range, and though she passes through their reach, the minotaurs seemingly have but one attack of opportunity each round, and for this round, it has been used up.


Pecker the hunting falcon lets out a long, piercing cry to Wolf and the ranger hears and understands with little difficulty. "Friends here!" he says. But from behind the massive stone, the minotaur archer's mounting frustration finally gets the better of him. "Can't hit you with four damned arrows? Fine!" He throws down his massive composite bow. "Let's see how you like this, little ranger man!" With that, the Bloodland minotaur stands up to his full height and rushes at Wolf, drawing a cruel-looking large-sized longsword from its sheath. His violent roar shakes the leaves and branches all around as he powerfully rushes Wolf with all of the speed he can muster. As he bears down on the ranger, Wolf sees those horns jut low, ready to plow through anything, or anyone, in their way.


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As the large warrior passes over the rock, his cloven hoof slips ever-so-slightly in the red pool of the dead man's blood. It is enough to cause his charge to miss Wolf. However, now the hulking brute is but five feet away from Wolf.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Suddenly faced with a lack of options and abundance of immediate danger, the ranger's first reaction is to simply draw his bow once again and hope for the best.


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[Kaerri]

Kitrin ignores the taunts as she makes her charge at the leader. Minotaurs are Large-size creatures, which makes them two sizes larger than she is, so her tripping technique won't work. Therefore, she goes for a straight-out damaging attack, whirling her flail and swinging it on the minotaur leader.


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Spoiler

AC is 17 (+2 Combat Expertise, -2 charge).

 

[Purr]

With quick reflexes, Wolf launches an arrow straight at the angry minotaur's chest. The shot strikes it but fails to penetrate the minotaur's armor. Firing, however, leaves Wolf open for an attack of opportunity - an attack the minotaur chooses to take using his horns. His entire upper body comes crashing down on Wolf in an attempt to pummel him.


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Wolf times his sidestep perfectly as hundreds of pound of mighty minotaur miss the ranger. When the warrior rights himself, his face is red with anger. "Damn you! Stand still, little woodsy-man, and I'll end you as quickly as you ended our guide!"


Kitrin races in and strikes with all of her considerable power but the leader swings his spiked shield up in time to block her strike. The resounding crash of her flail against his shield echoes across the green of the trembling forest. The leader's eyes narrow on the skilled adventurer before returning their focus on Luna.


"Don't underestimate her!" he yells.


"But boss, it's just a skinny little hobbit!"


"That is more than a hobbit - that is a fighter."


His two cohorts regard Kitrin with a new look - one of dangerous respect - and their wisecracks at her stop, replaced by caution-filled glares. Still, they keep with their leader in an attempt to overwhelm and end Luna's life.


Maul in his teeth, Powerpaw bounds across the crunching forest floor, his four massive paws kicking up leaves with each springy stride. His eyes focus on the three warriors, noting their behavior, their gear, the way they move, and more. He sees them clearly now and knows Bria's words to be as truthful as the sun is bright. Inside, his mind races with thoughts.


Hooo! So dose are minotaurs! Bull-faces an' warriors both! An' dere's three of 'em on Luna! Moar!





As he races, the Bloodland Minotaurs hack and swing on Luna's swiftly-moving legs. Powerpaw pours on the speed as best he can. Oooh, I'd better think of somethin' good or dey is gonna make mage-burgers outta Luna!





His mind reaches back to Kitrin's words.

"I'll go in first, get their attention off Luna. Follow up behind an' take out any you can."

Time ta show dese guys what a kitty-face can do. The logical, civilized part of his mind fully quiets to give his hard-earned skills and instincts total control of his fighting brain. He snarls out of the side of his mouth, once. Then again, louder and more savagely. By the time he catches up to Luna's enemies, he is hissing. He spits out his maul, leaps high into the air, catching his maul in both paws, before he comes crashing down.


"MOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!"


"Oh shit! Boss, what in hell is that?!"


Their leader turns his head long enough to look. His eyes grow wide with wonder. "I don't know," he grunts, "but it's a killer."


The minotaurs are then set upon by a hissing, spitting rage-filled force of purest violence - a force you call Powerpaw.


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Powerpaw comes toward the greataxe-wielding minotaur's head. The warrior raises his weapon to block him, and at the last moment in a practiced feint, Powerpaw's downward smash turns into a sideways blow, using all of the power of his twisting hips. This first strike on the minotaur lands on the same arm Wolf put an arrow into, and the combination of arrow and maul is a pain this monster cannot simply shrug off. He lurches forward with a painful cry, yet he stays on course.


"Motherfucker!" the minotaur roars, "Your ass is mine!"


Powerpaw growls in reply. "Dinner shouldn't talk; dinner should just die."


 
Otiorin comes around brush and bramble in an attempt to take an opponent by surprise but the masses of dry, crunching leaves seem to be teaming up to spoil his chance at stealth. Still, he moves lightly as a man can encumbered by his load through the beautiful evergreen forest. As he rounds the hilltop, he comes to stand upon a massive stone as tall as he is and many times wider. Ancient-looking runes have been painstakingly etched in its leaf-covered surface. The elf-blood in then suddenly calls out to him in its powerful, quiet fashion and he knows without a doubt - this stone is a place of magic.


In Otiorin's experience, his elven blood has only risen thusly when in the presence of strong, sometimes old, undoubtedly great magic. The last time it did was when he beheld the cosmic ore. This stone, while not as powerful or potent as that rock-from-the-stars, is still very much in possession of its own magical majesty, but what secrets it holds, he cannot yet tell.


At that moment, Otiorin's stealth pays off - there is a Bloodland Minotaur, a bestial and evil creature that needs no introduction to the traveled half-elf. The warrior is swinging and headbutting Wolf who is wielding his longbow in sword-range of his opponent. Beyond these two is a mighty ruckus and the half-elf hears many feet and hooves crashing through the forest followed by "MOOOOOOOOAAAAAR!"


In but one more round, Otiorin can get within 30 feet and attempt to Sneak Attack the Bloodland Minotaur either with his bow, or because he is using his fantastic Boots of Striding and Springing, a melee weapon - the choice is his.

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin simultaneously felt deep reverence from being at the place of deep mystical importance to his mothers' people and revulsion at the presence of the disgusting Minotaurs that defiled the place with their very presence. He gritted his teeth and placed the bundle down on the ground, next to a small shrub and reached into his pack. The hilt of Moonlit Edge came instantly to his hand, almost as if the short sword insisted on being used. He tugged it free of its scabbard and shouldered his bow. With a muttered word, he summoned up his second spell, Shield, then ghosted out of cover behind the Minotaurs, his cloud-colored eyes narrow slits of suppressed rage.

 

[Purr]

As Otiorin takes his first steps across the stone, he cannot help but again note the many inscribed runes below his treading feet. The shapes of the runes, now that he is this close to them, begin to take some meaning - these runes, Otiorin believes, are Druidic in nature, and the stone itself, now that he is on top of it and can see it more fully, is 20 by 20 feet in size and about 7 feet in height. On the eastern slope of the stone, a fresh, gory human-like corpse can be seen, though it is no one Otiorin recognizes, at least from his current vantage point.


As for the stone, Otiorin knows that the followers of Ehlonna, the goddess of the forest (or Mielikki, as the humans call her) are known for keeping sacred places just that. What these symbols mean or why they were put here is not known to the rogue/sorcerer, but one thing is crystal-clear - this land must considered holy to druids and rangers alike, be they human or elven, to possess this much magic. Perhaps this is why Wolf is here. Yet as for little furry Vardadraug who likely led him here, there is no sign.


Still hidden in her evergreen battle robes, Bria watches in great worry as the last of Luna's figments vanishes under a minotaur's hate. As Luna moves off and casts again, Bria follows with her eyes, coming out of her cover as her new friend gets farther away. Then her eyes turn back to Wolf who is engaged alone.


Who to choose? Luna, their leader, being chased by three, though supported now by Kitrin and Powerpaw? What of Wolf who, while appearing to be in his element of nature, is fighting in melee where he is least comfortable and unsupported?


As always, she falls to her roots as a Ko monk. Three, not one, of her team are in danger against the larger force of Bloodland Minotaurs, for Kitrin and Powerpaw have no armor to defend themselves against the fury of those heavy axes, cruel horns, and dwarf-headed flail. The healer's heart is torn as she runs away from Wolf to follow Luna. She whispers a quick and heartfelt prayer for the ranger for his safety. As she races along between the trees, she calls out to him, hoping not to attract the attention of any opponents as she does so. Still, her call out to him is shriek-like in its worry. "Wolf! Be careful! I have to..."


She is unable to complete here sentence. Bria runs swiftly eastward with Luna, parallel to the mage's route, leaving Wolf, however canny and forest-trained, to seemingly deal with the minotaur alone.


Little does the peaceful monk know that her prayer has already been answered in the form of a silently-skulking rogue/sorcerer wielding a powerful elven blade.

 

[Sherwood]

Scrambling through the underbrush, Luna can feel her breath come in ragged gasps. Three of these bastards! My spell on the leader must have really pissed them off! What to do? Attack and help my team, or keep running and save my skin? With a grim determination, she makes her decision to fight. Between gasps, she plants her foot, spins around and targets the minotaur leader now in battle with Kitrin. "Hey ugly! I forgot to tell you; I memorized three of those Scorching Ray spells today! Here ya go! Scorching Ray!"

Spoiler

Game crunch. Making a move action to keep some distance between me and the minotaurs before casting. Armor Class is 24.


Cantrips: Read Magic, Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Detect Magic


Level 1: Burning Hands x2, Shocking Grasp


Level 2:


Level 3: Fireball, Lightning Bolt


Force Missile x8


Mage Armor, Shield, and Displacement (5 rounds left) are all active

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[Purr]

Luna races for all she is worth, her enchanted Boots of Striding and Springing carrying her along at a terrific speed through the leaf-strewn woods. She bursts forth out of the reach of her opponents to cast safely and doing so leaves her open for three attacks of opportunity. The rage of the Bloodland Minotaurs crashes all around her in a haze of deadly steel.


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All three attacks miss her! She escapes and creates enough distance to turn and fight. Calling upon some of her most powerful single-target fire magic, she unleashes her deadly, and last, Scorching Ray spell against the minotaur leader. The two bolts strike perfectly. They burn into his chest upon the very wounds of her first spell upon him. His two cohorts almost dodge out of the way as not to be struck by the fiery blasts. They strike the leader's armor, burning through it, and him, to plow out of his back and beyond. Kitrin and Powerpaw see the two bolts pass between them and smell the charred flesh of the leader as he falls to his knees one final time.


He glares at Luna with the fiercest and most hate-filled face she has ever seen. "I'll see you... in hell... bitch."





With that, their leader expires, his eyes closing one final time as his massively-muscled frame strikes the earth, his momentum causing him to skid across the earth. His two cohorts immediately point at him.


"His flail is mine! You hear me?"


"Fuck his flail! I want his ring and all his money!"


Then, with a quick look around, they realize just what kind of situation they are in. They keep racing in on Luna, yet one of them turns and cries out, the rising desperation in his voice carrying far.


"Darkus!"


The longsword-swinging minotaur upon Wolf pauses just long enough to see the scene and the sight of his leader's smoking corpse on the forest floor.


"Do it!!" his cohort cries.


The minotaur glares at Wolf with a look that says, "Damn you, you are one lucky son of a bitch!" Then he turns and runs back the way he came. Unbeknownst to him, the minotaur is running straight at Otiorin.

Spoiler

The minotaur gets a chance to spot Otoirin. I am rolling this against the stealth roll previously provided for Otiorin. I am rolling it here at my table. The results follow.


Charging along, hardly taking his eyes off of Wolf, the minotaur archer proceeds right past Otiorin without seeing him. He stoops at the bloody human corpse, or more specifically, the stained horn beside it. This, he lifts to his lips to blow with all of his might.


Back at the larger melee, the other two minotaurs see that Luna has the power, alone, to destroy their leader. But these are Bloodland Minotaurs and they will fight to the death, if only to avenge their leader and divide his loot, and yours, if they have the opportunity.


 
The two minotaurs bear down on Luna with all they have and charge her, horns low. The earth trembles as they rush across the forest in an attempt to be Luna's doom.


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The first minotaur's charge barely misses Luna, but the second minotaur's attack is dead-on perfect. He runs Luna down and hits her with everything he has - or what he thinks is Luna...


The howling minotaur passes clean through the Displaced illusion of Luna, who is actually but two feet away from him. Luna's long hours of spell practice pay off as his perfect strike misses her.

 

[Kaerri]

Kitrin shrieks with glee as the minotaur leader falls, then squeals in annoyance when his fellows chase after Luna. Fiercely she swings her flail at the departing minotaur. "Come back here! I'm not done with you yet!"


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Now for her actual turn...


As the flail swings 'round, the little fighter charges forth once more. "Don't you make me chase you, you cowards! You'll just die tired!"

Spoiler

Invoking Combat Expertise once more, and making a charge attack at the greataxe-wielding minotaur.


(Mistyped, this first is just the attack...)[dice]3797[/dice]


[dice]3798[/dice]

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

Wolf doesn't believe it at first when the beast turns around and abandons the fight it would have - well, could have won. Not that the ranger doubted his abilities. On the contrary, he liked to think that he knew his own limits well enough, but with face-to-face with a bloodthirsty minotaur without at least fifty feet of difficult terrain in between them, well... Let's just say that a couple times back there he thought he felt himself skirt those limits of his. Now he waited until he was sure the move wasn't a bluff and allowed himself to take in the rest of the world around him.


Admittedly, he was distracted with the death of the minotaur leader, but so was his opponent so that safely canceled each other out. Luna could really hold her own, despite everything thrown at her... He was impressed, but beyond that glad; his fears gave way to hope and happiness, but at the same time he reminded himself it wasn't over yet. The others were helping the sorceress, so his eyes returned to the minotaur he had been facing before. The ranger's jaw clenched when he realized that the beast was undoubtedly about to call for reinforcements.


Centering his vision on the horn-wielder, Wolf embraced speed over focus for once, bent on dropping the minotaur before he could summon something that would drop them, in the best way he knew how - by shooting him full of arrows.

Spoiler

Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim





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