Chapter Twelve: Loviatar's Icy Laughter! (Pathfinder 2.0 Playtest)

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"Goblins" by Jerry Goldsmith for the Legend Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

The Gully Gulch Goblin warg rider had just put out the flame when Otiorin sailed two arrows into his riding beast. Two shots and two surprised and painful yelps later, the young warg was running as quickly as he could to get out of danger.

And who could blame him? He had Otiorin Taletreader after him!

Spoiler: Goblins!

And yes, one indeed is whirling spiked chains!

(Image credit: FlipSide Gaming )

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Encounter!
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Sherwood]

Luna moves away from the pair of goblins, and with the power of the magic cracking in her hands, she unleashes a gout of flame at the one goblin next to her and to the one warg and its rider.

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"Goblins" by Jerry Goldsmith for the Legend Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

Luna the Fey-blooded Sorceress may have had the casting abilities of a novice Sorcerer, but she had the adventuring experience of someone with far more time under her belt. Calling upon her now-spontaneous magic, she spoke an incantation and wove a Burning Hands spell that was as potent as it was beautiful.

A great blast of orange flame that put the campfire to shame roared forth from her in a great cone. The conflagration partially engulfed the warg rider, young warg and fully roasted the dogslicer-wielding goblin. The vile creature screamed briefly and fell upon the tunnel floor, his corpse smoking and stinking. The blackened young warg and his rider hauled paws as fast as they could.

* * *​

Bria the Paladin had never taken her eyes and ears far from the pack of captive foxes. They were in two raggedy boxes atop the young warg in the rear Luna had just flamed. "Mieilkki!" she called out her war cry and charged forth. Twice her enchanted battle axe sliced through the air and twice it struck true, but it harmed neither goblin nor warg.

Instead, the sliced boxes opened and about a dozen foxes scrambled out in every direction! Little balls of fuzzy red and white canines were now running rampant all over the place!

Seeing this, Paladin Bria gave a soft sigh of relief and smiled, looking very pleased with her work.

It was now Oreleth's turn to act.

Spoiler: Goblins!

And yes, one indeed is whirling spiked chains!

(Image credit: FlipSide Gaming )

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Encounter!
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth moves quickly to get herself into position to be flanking the Goblin with Spiked Chains as she wields the normal short sword, trying to get a quick kill on the goblin. With supreme quickness, she will attempt to make two separate strikes to make sure that she finishes off the creature;

Spoiler

From my read of my character sheet, I get an additional 1d6 damage due to the Flanking, making the goblin Flat Footed for a total of 2d6 +1 on each hit, assuming I do connect.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

.:| Nivirea - The Sorceress |:.

It was good that she had some time to react, because the crossbow fire from the two goblins left Nivirea more surprised than she would have liked or expected. Bren's intervention helped in more ways than just physical; it served to bolster her morale a little, reminding her that she wasn't left to her own devices in the melee. So it was that, despite her bad start, the girl pulled herself together and isolated what she believed to be the most critical target - the warg rider nearest to her, who seemed to be trying to escape deeper into the cave.

Taking a quick breath of concentration, she willed herself to draw upon this foreign-feeling wizarding sorcery, and cast Magic Missile at her target.

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"Goblins" by Jerry Goldsmith for the Legend Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

Paladin Bria's smile quickly faded as she watched the goblin and warg burned by Luna race past her. She realized her axe-cuts had freed some one dozen foxes, and in doing so, she had very much done rightly by her Mistress of the Forest, but then it dawned on her that the goblin and warg were still free to run down the tunnel and summon their reinforcements. They were doing everything in their power to do just that.

"Oh no!" she gasped.

Then she saw the foxes! The foxes were panicked and all around her and her enemy! They were all over the place, yipping and snipping, snarling and barking at everything as their tiny fangs sought the softest flesh they could reach. While Paladin Bria, protected by her armor and shield, realized calmly that she was in little distress. However, goblins and wargs, are not made of such stern stuff... They panicked right along with the foxes, delaying their retreat!

Spoiler: Foxes

(Image credit: Roaring Earth)

* * *​

Oreleth moved in with elf-like alacrity, but fortune passed her by as she slashed the Goblin with Spiked Chains twice and only succeeded in cutting the air. "Ha haaaa," the little goblin stuck his tongue out at her. "Yew suuuuuck!"

* * *​

Nivirea pulled magic from within her conscious in a neat, orderly, and logical fashion. The Magic Missile spell sprung up in her mind in its entirety. Deciding to use its full force, Nivirea found herself murmuring the incantation, weaving her hand and body, while pulling from her spell component pouch a small bit of crushed bat dung. It was all as it should be in a wizardly fashion - and utterly foreign to her in all her time as an adventuring sorceress! Three little daggers in the shape of speeding flames launched from her fingers and into the young warg. The shaggy, cruel creature yelped frightfully, crashed hard to the tunnel floor, and moved no more.

"Yow!" shrieked his goblin rider. With agility that goblins are known for, the pointy-eared bandit landed on his feet, his shield and spear at the ready, snarling something awful at Nivirea. The wizard could see the hatred for her in his black eyes. "Yeeew! Yew killed me warg! Ugh, when I get da Big Boss, he's gunna first eat da Big Fat Foxie, den he's gunna eat yeeeew!" Not taking his eyes off of her, the goblin began to bolt down the tunnel and into the all-encompassing darkness beyond the campfire.

It was then that Nivirea's wizardly mind again engaged itself. That goblin, her vast book-learned education told her, possessed darkvision! Like the dwarves of old, goblins could move freely with no light source whatsoever, and were at home in the deepest and darkest of caves and tunnels. Once he got out of the light of the campfire, the little devil may as well be a ghost! The Wayward Wanderers chance of capturing a fleeing goblin in territory he knew was slim - all this Nivirea's educated mind told her at once...

* * *
​

Meanwhile, the icy elven blade in Oreleth's free hand shone with a coldness, a loneliness, like the warmthless light from the moon. Radiantly, the Moonlit Edge shone. As if in reply, a red-orange hue glowed forth from the fallen warg's pack, showing equally bright. The lights were as one, so close, and yet so terribly distant. The spear-wielding goblin who once rode the warg was but a short distance from it. Though he was looking to bolt down the tunnel, it would be child's play for him to pluck the treasure and make off with it and down the tunnel...

It was now Bren's turn to act.

Spoiler: Goblins!

And yes, one indeed is whirling spiked chains!

(Image credit: FlipSide Gaming )

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Encounter!
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Kaerri]

Brendoran the Healer

Bren studied Nivirea's wounds as best he could from afar and in a few seconds, which wasn't very well despite the much-increased knowledge borrowed from Bria. That part of him also advised that he could, if he chose, drop the protective aura in favor of another that would let him know immediately just how injured everyone was, but under the circumstances that didn't seem like a good idea. Guessing would just have to do. Balanced against Nivirea's need of healing was the fact that the ex-rider goblin was clearly about to run off and summon reinforcements, and that, Bren thought, would not do. "Don't let any of them run for help!" he called. Again he called upon his Healer's Channel Energy power to heal Nivirea, then used his third action to Stride to Warg Rider 1 and twirl his escrima stick threateningly. ((Bren knows that this will probably provoke a Reaction from Goblin With Spiked Chains, but he's forgotten he's not in medium or heavy armor to defend against it.))

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"Goblins" by Jerry Goldsmith for the Legend Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

Brendoran called upon his holy magical powers to aid Nivirea and for a second time, a warm beam of sunshine radiated over the wizard's wounds. When the radiance was gone, it took with them the pain and harm that had been inflicted upon her.

Unlike Healer Bria before the curse, Paladin Lord Brendoran knew very well what it was to menace an opponent; it was making that opponent believe wholeheartedly that you were a threat to their survival (even if, under these odd circumstances, Bren wasn't in the physical sense). Still, when he came running at Warg Rider 1 with his Ko fighting stick, the Gully Gulch Goblin thought something altogether different!

"Aieee!" he cringed. "You'se is gonna put bad magic on me wit yer big magic wand!"

So, the goblin felt very threatened indeed. =)

However, as any gnome or dwarf could tell you, goblins were very much a cowardly lot, and when rushed by the big, tall human with the "magic rod," the goblin turned - as cowards are wont to do - to run for his very life and bring help!

* * *​

Suddenly, a great male voice boomed throughout the cave! It was violently angry and attention-getting as the shout echoed off of the tunnel walls and into your ears. "WRETCHES!! WHEEEERE IS MYYY TREEEASUUUUURE?!" Ugly coughing and hacking sounds immediately followed, making this entire vocal display fall from threatening and mighty to something that instead sounded unfortunate and quite pitiful.

Hearing this, the Gully Gulch Goblins shrieked and pivoted, looking this way and that, and as their gazed flicked upward, they seemed very much to be looking for something bigger than human-sized. "Da Big Boss!" one shrieked. "He's gunna smush us all if we don't bring him hiz treasure! Aaaaaah!"

"Saaave us!" another cowered.

"No, wait!" yet another pointed, his little green finger aimed toward the pack of bounding, pouncing foxes and the coughing sound. "Look!"

Spoiler: What the goblin is pointing at

One among the foxes' number was larger than the rest and not pouncing at all. Instead, he seemed to be holding his throat and trying to get his wind back.
"What a disastrous moment to fall into a coughing fit." Oscar the Wise coughed and wheezed, "Well, the attempt was worth the effort."

(Image credit: Tumblr)

This discovery angered the goblins into cursing and shouting! They had been fooled big time and they hated being fooled!

"Whaaaat?!"

"You dare try and make fools of us, Big Fat Foxy?!"

"Uhhh? He can talk?!"

"Who cares? Kill him! Kill him and roast him on a spit! Yeeeesss!!"

Instead of running for reinforcements, the goblin's pride and anger grew so great, they spent the round attacking anyone and everyone near them to get back at the Big Fat Foxy. Paladin Bria, axe and readied shield in hands, looked down and found him just behind her armored feet. "Oh! Hi there!"

Then the goblins attacked!

The Warg Rider (1) turned on Healer Brendoran and stabbed at him viciously. "Stuff yer magic stick up where da sun don't shine!" Bren felt his arm come up into a defensive technique he had never practiced; his Ko fighting stick whirled in his hand, deflecting the attack with a loud clacking sound.

The spiked chain, pick, and axe-wielding goblins attacked as one, all three charging forward in a fury. Seeing Paladin Bria was standing over their target, the three attacked her in an effort to get to him. Bria met them without fear.

Spiked chains whirled and clanged off of her spiked shield, a pick whooshed at her knee which was lifted at the right time to avoid the blow, and the axe came biting down only to be blocked by her own axe. Paladin Bria pushed them all off. "Come at me!" she shouted fiercely at them. "I fear you not, for Mielikki is my light!"

"Buggers and boogers!" the axe-wielder shivered. "She's a paladin!!"

They redoubled their efforts and attacked again and again, Paladin Bria held without injury. She stared down at them with a righteous fervor none of you had ever before seen in her. It was enough to make the goblins tremble.

The Young Warg and Warg Rider (2) Stepped up behind her, flanking her. Twice the Warg Rider slashed and twice the Young Warg bit at her. Each time, her armor and careful positioning saved her from harm. Meanwhile, the foxes yipped and bit all around them, distracting goblins and warg alike.

The bow and crossbow-wielding goblins glanced at each other.

"Uhh, should we shoots her? If we hit ours, dey'll skin us!"

"No..." the bow-wielder's chuckle was low and wicked. He pointed his curved nose at Luna. "See? Poor girl is all alone! Let's give her some company! Haaah haaah haaa!"

Two dirty crossbow bolts and arrows sailed across the battlefield at Luna. The bolts missed, but both of the arrows landed painfully.

Spoiler: Sherwood

The little bastard with the longbow is a good shot. Luna takes a total of 6 points of damage. Because Luna and Brendoran are far apart, Luna does not benefit from Healer Bren's Aura of Protection.

* * *​

All this while, the Moonlit Edge shined its cold light as if beckoning, and in response, the fiery haze from the fallen young warg's back radiated back, both as if in deepest longing for the other's company.

It was once again Otiorin's turn. What did he do?

Spoiler: Goblins!

For my buddy, Wolf! =)

(Image credit: imgur.com)


(Image credit: Imgrum • Instagram viewer )

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Encounter!
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin Taletreader

With the immediate threat of the Goblins fleeing to get reinforcements resolved, Otiorin turned his attention back to the original focus of his plan. His keen eyes sought out and found the Goblin wielding the crude crossbow and singled him out for his attention. Twice his lithe Elven hands flashed bwtwixt quiver and bow and twice did elegant Elf-crafted arrows hiss from the bow in his hands, seeking the heart of the lumpen and unlovely creature.
"Oreleth, seek you the Sunfire Blade in the Warg's saddlebags! 'Tis the mate of the Moonlit Edge and a weapon of legend amongst the Elf-kin of Waterwind. Claim thy birthright and put these mongrel scum to the swords that defied a legion!", he called out in Elven over the din of battle.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna feels the punch of the arrows from the Goblin with the longbow and struggles to keep the pain from overwhelming her. Time for some payback, you sonofabitch! Her first instinct is to hit him with a Scorching Ray, but then she remembers that is not her power any more. Instead, the (now) Sorceress reaches into her wellspring of power and casts a different spell; Faerie Dust.

She releases the glittering spray with a cute little puff of air from her lips, then hightails it away from there and closer to her allies, most notably, Otiorin.

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Instrumental Mood Music

"Goblins" by Jerry Goldsmith for the Legend Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

Otiorin's first flight struck true and bit the crossbow-wielding goblin terribly. The cruel creature cursed him and kept on. "Blasted elf! Darkness take all your ugly kind!" The bright radiance from his beloved sword and the item in the dead warg's pack threatened to pull him from his attacks, but Otiorin, regardless of the body he dwelled in, was a man of purpose. That served him well in this moment.

Spoiler: Cap'n

Oti's first shot hit him for 4 points. The second missed.

Luna reached deeply inside of her new being to ask of her bloodline magic. As she did, an enchanting mischievous giggle erupted from her lips, but she had not beckoned it forth. Plus, she found herself sweating which, despite the danger, was odd. Still, she launched forth an enchantment she knew nothing about as a wizard, but was fully comfortable now that she was no longer a book-loving study hound, but instead a spirit free to do as she would in the universe! Luna loosed her magic at the longbow-wielding goblin. Glittering, pretty dust appeared all around him. "Ack! Ack!" he screamed and hopped about rather comically. "Get it off! Get it off!!" He seemed to drowse a bit, but otherwise he remained in the fight.

Paladin Bria gritted her teeth against the mad onslaught of the four goblins and young warg. This Big Fat Foxy had to survive, for he too, seemed to be a creature of the forest and therefore under Mieilikkian protection - her protection! "You shall not have him!" she shouted, her shining axe weaving deadly arcs all about her. Twice, she swung. Once on the warg rider and once on the warg. Both times, her cleaving arcs missed though it was not from lack of skill. Paladin Bria frowned. She tapped Oscar with her boot. He seemed ready to follow her being the uncannily intelligent person Oscar was. So when she Stepped out of the goblins' Flank, he moved with her and out of their flanking position.

Oreleth flew across the tunnel ground with less grace than she was used to, but no less ferocity. Her short sword arced down on the Goblin with Spiked Chains. He spun those chains in an effort to ward away her attempt. Their blades rang as he deflected the blow. "Lousy half-thing!" he spat something green at her. Oreleth then reached down to the pack on the dead warg's side. It shone with a fiery light. Like sunlight, it was almost too bright to look at even for a surface-dwelling creature like herself. So too was the Moonlit Edge on her hip! There was great magic working here - it did not take one of elven blood to figure that out!

Spoiler: Psychie

I rolled a 7 on the white d20. If you want to change color dice, take a look in Shop Talk and give me another color, but don't let that distract you from what's happening with this magic!

It became Nivirea's turn to act. How did she use it?

Spoiler: Goblins!

For my buddy, Wolf! =)

(Image credit: imgur.com)


(Image credit: Imgrum • Instagram viewer )

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Encounter!
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Purr]

The goblin's yellow teeth formed into an ugly sneer as he nocked his longbow once more. His twisted arrow lined up once again with the fey sorceress, Luna. He focused and grinned, but not for long.

Nivirea proved quicker on the draw. Calling upon her evocation-school wizardry, Nivirea launched a chilling beam of ice, freezing him instantly.

His last words were, "Foul witch! Ye've turned poor me inta a gobbie-sicle!" With that, he toppled over and died.

It was now Healer Brendoran's turn. What action would he take?

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Brendoran the Healer

Channel Energy uses remaining: 4/7
Spells remaining : 2/2 of 1st-level
Color code: 3399ff

"Well done, Nivirea!" Bren cheered. Turning his attention to Luna, he once more called upon the familiar/unfamiliar powers granted by the healer's spirit. There was a peaceful kind of impressiveness about it, he thought; bringing life instead of injury or death was wondrous indeed! He glanced around, assessing the battlefield, but he seemed in as good a position as any for the moment. Something in his experienced adventurer's brain twitched at having all the spellcasters clumped up the way they were, but these goblins were unlikely to have, say, Fireball or something similar that would take advantage of that, so it was probably best to have them all within his protective aura.

 

[Purr]

Brendoran drew forth from the magical wellspring of goodness known to all Healers. He made Luna his target and with an effortless gesture and a loud shout in Celestial, an aura of sunlight appeared briefly and unobtrusively upon Luna's two arrow wounds. The wicked arrows fell from her body, landing at her feet. The pain in her body vanished. The two bloody tears in her garment from the arrows were all that remained of her injuries.

The goblin cocked his crossbow and gnashed his teeth at Otiorin. "You like trees, don't you? Here! Have a couple of very sharp branches, elf!" Two bolts flew at Otiorin. The first landed short but the second one struck dead-on. Everyone in the party heard a resounding "ting!" as the bolt landed not in his ribs, but instead deflected and shattered off of Oreleth's magical breastplate. "Curse you, tree-hugger!" The goblin shook his fist.

* * *​

"Ballad of the Sunfire Blade"

Spoiler: Mood Music

"The Flame" by Cheap Trick


Full lyrics

Another night slowly closes in
And I feel so lonely
Touching heat freezing on my skin
I pretend you still hold me
I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep
I'm in too far, I'm in way too deep over you
I can't believe you're gone
You were the first, you'll be the last

Wherever you go, I'll be with you
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember, after the fire, after all the rain
I will be the flame
I will be the flame

Watching shadows move across the wall
I feel so frightened
I wanna run to you, I wanna call
But I've been hit by lightning
Just can't stand up for fallin' apart
Can't see through this veil across my heart, over you
You'll always be the one
You were the first, you'll be the last

Wherever you go, I'll be with you
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember, after the fire, after all the rain
I will be the flame
I will be the flame

I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep
I'm in too far, I'm in way too deep over you
You'll always be the one
You were the first, you'll be the last

Wherever you go, I'll be with you
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember, after the fire, after all the rain
I will be the flame
I will be the flame

Whatever you want, I'll give it to you
Wherever you go, I'll be with you
And whatever you want, I'll give it to you

Inside the pack, inside the steel, there was a spirit inside. A raging, lonesome spirit, lost and blazing like a star in space knocked out of its orbit and headlong into the endless night. Alone. Alone for so very long.

How he remembered the glorious times, the peaceful times, under the sun and moon, against endless odds, in holy lands, in elven hands. He remembered how they fought in their great master's battles! Her ice, his fire, their master's sole passion! They had brought so many tremendous evils to utter ruin. Together.

Until the day their master fell. Until the day they were torn apart, wrenched away by diabolic hands, their shine fading. Fading in despair. Like two stars pulled apart.

He may as well have been the only light in all the skies. Without her, his universe scathed with loss and stung daily with defeat. As the months and years of separateness passed, all was replaced by a void of aching nothingness. Nothingness with only a future of dread to greet him whenever night's cold veil fell.

And now. To have to endure the touch of this evil, leeching winter, the greedy goblins, and worse still - the lack of the touch of a master who loved him and her. Beyond all this was a fiery longing, a desire that he strained against, every day, every hour - the deepest longing for her.

The Moonlit Edge.

There was no force in any kingdom, any land, any realm of the universe that cooled his fires like she did. No spirit anywhere brought him such happiness and peace. To know all these years that she was without him. Alone in parts unknown. Uncertain. Unsafe. Perhaps broken. It was enough to engulf him into one endless searing rage. Pain and aching longing had teamed together against both of them. It was an enemy he could not cut, could not blind, could not burn. Here in this land of ancient, wicked winters where pain fell with every snowfall, he was a sun without a moon, a dawn without a dusk. A half without a whole.

And now, what could this be? The strange half-elf's hip held a short sword scabbard. Though the blade there was sheathed, he knew it! Oh, how he knew it! For the first time in what felt like an old elf's age, he again felt the one light of his desires. The only light. All this here in the loud, bloody chaos of the cave. While creatures fought and lived and died, there deep inside of him, something once again dared to dream. Dared to hope again! That light! That lovely, cold light!

It was her! She was near!

Could he take being separated again? Could she? What would become the two of them this hour?

* * *​

While the battle and chaos rang and blasted all about her, Oreleth the Half-elven Rogue held the scorch-marked, rotting pack of goblin-make in her free hand. In it, something long and flaring with burning light seemed to fight inside the blackness of the pack. She smelled a strange stench. One glance and she saw it - the bag was getting hot and quickly!

Suddenly, the bag was weightless. She glanced again and let it go, for the pack had transformed into one sudden conflagration. Something struck the tunnel floor and clattered. Something else landed and rang. That proud, steely ring echoed. A new brightness burned forth like a small sun there in the Cave of Red Light.

The goblins saw this and shrieked in surprise and horror, for they knew something the Wayward Wanderers did not.

Oscar peered keenly from between Paladin Bria's armored booth. The bodiless thing inside Oreleth's form and mind paid heed. For there upon the tunnel floor, a new light shone against the goblins, against the darkness, against all evil.

It lay there, a flaming bastard sword, free beside its undamaged scabbard. It burned with a vengeance.

Spoiler: The Sunfire Blade

(Image credit: Pinterest)

It was now Otiorin's turn to move. How did he make use of it?

 

[Captain Hesperus]

Otiorin Taletreader

Spoiler: Mood music

Otiorin's sensitive Elven nose wrinkled at the scent of poorly tanned leather burning, before his finely-attuned ears heard the clash of metal upon stone. Only as the reverberations of the Sunfire Blade's impact with the unyielding ground struck a chord within his mind did he take his eyes from the crossbow-wielding goblin. The sword he beheld laid upon the rocky floor, it's blade radiant as the sun, took his breath away. He recognised it instantly.

He remembered sitting in his mother's temple back in Waterwind, seated before the immense and intricate stained-glass window that depicted the Hero bearing the Sunfire Blade and the Moonlit Edge. He remembered his mother stroking his forehead as she quietly murmured the legends of the Hero to him. He knew this blade, as if he had wielded it personally. He wanted it, desired it, wished to sweep it up in his own hands and use it to lay waste to the filthy, wretched goblins who attacked him and his friends.
But he knew, far better than that, there was one who desired the Sunfire Blade more than he.

Tears welled unbidden from his eyes and he called out, "Moonlit Edge, your long-lost love is before you! Oreleth, reunite them, please. In the name of Corellion Larethian, Meilikki and all the Gods who know and cherish love, honor and duty, reunite them!"
So saying, he moved to place himself between Oreleth and any goblins who sought to impede her, prepared to use himself as a shield to protect her. His hands worked the bow again, launching yet another arrow at the crossbow-user, even as his heart quietly broke within him.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna looks on as Otiorin fires off a deadly bolt and reduces the number of their foes by one. If it were not for the angry foxes and Bria in the middle of them, Luna would turn to her Burning Hands spell to try and wipe them all out in one fell swoop. Instead, she turns her attention to keeping herself out of melee combat, looking for an opportunity to use her last offensive spell.

 

[Purr]

As Luna took a moment to reevaluate the battlefield, Otiorin called to his beloved blade and he put his body as best he could between Oreleth and the advancing goblins. Otiorin loosed his deadly bow and caught the crossbow-wielding goblin right between the eyes. "Ulp!" The Gully Gulch Goblin fell dead without so much as a wisecrack.

Still, the Sunfire Blade lay at Oreleth's feet, the Moonlit Edge on her hip. The goblins, having shrieked at the sight of the loosed sun-sword, now dashed half-madly at the thing!

"Da boss's treasure! Don't let the tree-hugger gets it!"

"Take off her knees!"

"Boil her face!"

"Yeah, an' anyone else who gets in our way! Die, ya stupid flower-kissers!"

Turning away from Paladin Bria and onto their new goal, the small mob of melee-armed goblins came on, hacking and swinging on Oreleth. But they had Otiorin to contend with too, for he had placed himself in harm's path for what he loved. In no small way, this was a battle between those who understood love and those who had known only cruelty, chaos, and mischievousness their whole lives. Who would prevail was a roll of the dice.

The melee for the Sunfire Blade was on!

The Goblin with the Spiked Chains twirled them menacingly and loosed at Oreleth not once but twice. Otiorin's borrowed magical amulet, ring, and shirt combined to ward her from those poisoned blades. He cursed her. "Drat ya, ya foul half-thing! Yer momma wuz a paladin!" he cursed her.

The Warg Rider and the Young Warg leaped nimbly around the roaring campfire and at Oreleth. Together, they chomped and stabbed at Oreleth the Rogue. "Get away from dat sword! We found it! It iz ours by right!" Again and again, spear and fang sought her soft parts, but Oreleth's Rogue-given grace and the magic of her possessions saved her from ugly wounds. She was, for the moment, a shadow against their teeth.

The Goblin with the Axe made for Oreleth but found Otiorin in his way. "Gid oudda da way, stoopid! I'll cleave ya down ta our size!" Twice, his rust-laden axe sliced eagerly for Otiorin's body, but both times, Otiorin was simply not there. His new-found Fighter skills told him right when to move.

Spitting at Otiorin, the Goblin with the Pick snarled viciously. With goblin-cunning, he moved to Flank Otiorin and Oreleth both. However, with goblin-stupidity, he failed to move first and grant his fellows the advantage. It would have to wait until their next turn. He hacked two times against Otiorin, once missing wildly. The second Strike was too sure a thing, but Otiorin's Fighter training moved him in at the right moment to take the most advantage from his amor and the goblin's swing was nulled. "Maglubiyet take you!" he invoked the name of the god of all goblinkind.

Paladin Bria saw what was afoot. "Hang on!" she told Oscar. Unwilling to be an easy target without her, Oscar the Red Panda jumped onto her backpack and hung onto her for all he was worth. Paladin Bria roared, "Maglubiyet has no power here - nor do you!" Paladin Bria's shining axe sang through the air and down upon the goblins as she moved fearlessly into the melee. While the power of her Strikes could not be denied, they both missed their mark. It was not from goblin doing - she simply missed both times.

Meanwhile, at Oreleth's feet and upon her hip, two blades shone with the brightness of sun and moon. She had her hands only upon the mundane short sword of Otiorin's that had served her thus far. This wild melee all about her was a battle to separate those blades or to keep them. Winner take all.

What did Oreleth do?

 

[Psychie]

With a smooth sweep of her hand, Oreleth drops the sword she had in hand in order to be able to reach down and take up the flaming sword and make her attacks with it. "You vile little creatures! Suffer my wrath!" With a pair of lightning strikes, she strikes out at the Goblin with Spiked Chains that has Bria on his flank. Hopefully he will be at enough of a disadvantage from that to successfully hit the annoying little beast.

 

[Purr]

(Post 1 of 2)

Spoiler: Dungeon Master note for all

I'm going to try something new here, dividing up big scenes by posts. So instead of you guys reading one really long post, the story and action are instead made into more "bite-sized" pieces to chew if you understand my meaning.

Just another experiment on my part. Let me know what you think about it in Adventurers' Table?

As Luna took a moment to think, reason, and evaluate, as she did so well as a Wizard, she became acutely aware of that strange, ever-present power inside of her. Ever since she had made use of the Faerie Dust bloodline power, something was off in her. Unhinged. Definitely unbalanced. Spells and cantrips were tools and wonders Lady Luna Callen of Summerset had known all of her life. But what did she know personally of the hidden secrets belonging to every Sorcerer?

Curious sensations of wild-mindedness and great passion welled up within Luna. To that part of her, the chaotic melee was not something so much to be feared as to be enjoyed! Relished! To make one feel free and alive!

It was true that Luna could attempt to ignore these feelings and sensations as she did before, but now that she had called upon their very wellspring of power, Luna realized she had unlocked something - something every bit as special and dangerous as Sparkle, her sharp and loyal pseudo-dragon familiar. But for once, like a lid opened on some ancient, cosmic container, Luna had opened the door to something in her she had absolutely no personal experience with - her new-found Fey bloodline!

Nor was this lost on the former owner of that blessed curse (or cursed blessing depending on one's perspective). Lady Nivirea of Summerset could not help but sense it too. It was a power it was very, very odd to be without. While logic and understanding had replaced wildness and pure passion, Nivirea knew exactly what was going on inside of Luna with but a glance. But not Luna. Nivirea knew this too.

What the former Sorceress chose to do with that knowledge, if anything, was up to her. And what Luna chose to do about these powerful sensations running through her was also a thing that required action. But what? Like a little girl lost in a very wide forest, Luna found very quickly that she was not entirely in control of herself anymore. She would need help to see herself under control once more.

Spoiler: Dungeon Master note for Sherwood and Wolf

Sherwood, Luna is under the effects of her Fey-bloodline power which she recently used. This will affect her behavior from here on out. Until it is locked down, consider Luna Charmed in a very small way.

Wolf? Nivirea probably mastered her Fey blood when she was yet in her teens (puberty being a powerful thing in humans and doubly-so for Fey-blooded). I imagine Nivirea either sought help from the wise or (as many Sorcerers are apt to do) sat down and took the long, hard road to master it herself without help. Whatever the case, Nivirea, having the life experience of 10 levels of Sorcerer, knows all too well what is happening to Luna and that Luna is probably at its mercy if she does not face it head-on.

This is not something that will just go away... Enjoy it as a roleplaying experience! Maybe chat with each other about it? =)

(The next post is dedicated to Otiorin and Oreleth. =) )

 

[Purr]

(Post 2 of 2)

Spoiler: Mood Music

"Loved By the Sun" by Jon Anderson (lead singer of Yes) and Tangerine Dream for the Legend Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. This song really takes me away!

Many, many years ago on a cold and rocky mountainside so very distant from where the Wayward Wanderers fought now, there was a legend.

There was one elf who fought against many. He was a gray elf. Loving of all life, filled with honor and justice, and provided the power of sun and moon to fulfill Corellon Larethian's will. The shining God of the Elves had blessed this elf countless times and in return, this elf did the nigh-impossible, lighting the dark in the deepest pits under Sharseya, bringing hope in where some had known only despair in realms all over the continent of Averlund, righting wrongs and giving goodness to those creatures, large and small, who so desperately needed it. He was a hero both in name and being.

He wielded the Sunfire Blade and the Moonlit Edge to great glories. And, in a hopeless battle against foes beyond number, he lost them to the blackest darkness.

The swords were separated. Like lovers torn apart, a small and beautiful universe, a magical trinity of sorts belonging only to two swords and an elf, came to a tragic end.

For sometimes the darkness wins.

* * *​

Now, in the loud and crazed melee between the Wayward Wanderers and this group of Gully Gulch Goblins in some land of poisonous winter brought on apparently by some of the Wayward Wanderers worst foes, a battle of a very different kind took place!

Otiorin loosed shaft after shaft at your foes while crying out his heart's long desire for another, Oreleth, to see to reality. Oreleth, with her newfound powers as a Rogue and the experience as a Fighter, brought all to bay against these cavern-dwelling, cowardly goblins. Together, along with their friends, elf and half-elf pitched a battle not only for their very lives, but for something else too.

Something very special.

Tears welled unbidden from his eyes and he called out, "Moonlit Edge, your long-lost love is before you! Oreleth, reunite them, please. In the name of Corellion Larethian, Meilikki and all the Gods who know and cherish love, honor and duty, reunite them!"
So saying, he moved to place himself between Oreleth and any goblins who sought to impede her, prepared to use himself as a shield to protect her. His hands worked the bow again, launching yet another arrow at the crossbow-user, even as his heart quietly broke within him.

With a smooth sweep of her hand, Oreleth drops the sword she had in hand in order to be able to reach down and take up the flaming sword and make her attacks with it. "You vile little creatures! Suffer my wrath!" With a pair of lightning strikes, she strikes out at the Goblin with Spiked Chains that has Bria on his flank. Hopefully he will be at enough of a disadvantage from that to successfully hit the annoying little beast.

It was in this moment that everything changed for them.

As tears poured freely down Otiorin's cheeks and as Oreleth's hand reached toward the Sunfire Blade with the Moonlit Edge upon her hip, a great and magical event took place!

Though Oreleth lunged with all of her considerable will, Oreleth's hands never touched the Sunfire Blade.

As her fingers neared the flaming edge there on the cavern floor, a great radiance suddenly took the entire cave, illuminating and blinding all, as the fury of cold moon and blazing sun gathered together for the first time in what seemed an eternity. This radiance changed and altered, freed and blessed. A frightening roar, like that of an iceberg cracking and blasting apart, sounded through the Red Cave. And as the radiance faded, it was not Oreleth's mighty fingers that finally clasped the Sunfire Blade and the Moonlit Edge...

... but Otiorin the dashing half-elf Rogue's! Beside him was Oreleth the Wood Elf Fighter, her bow in hand, her blond locks and elven eyes flashing!

Spoiler: Otiorin and Oreleth

(Image credit: Pinterest)

Oreleth the Wood Elf Fighter

(Image credit: Cell Code)

Oreleth felt her trueness return. Gone was the strange being that had lurked inside her blood and perhaps her very soul. She was hers again. All was right again in terms of nature and being. Oreleth felt her inner nature more stalwart and fearless than ever. The feeling of her own breastplate protecting her and her composite bow in her ever-capable fingers were hers once again.

Along with the return of a proud and ancient blood he had always known, Otiorin felt his own hands filled with not one but two bright blessings. One was the ever-familiar return of the female blade, The Moonlit Edge, and in the other, the long searing edge that was the male Sunfire Blade. Otiorin had not the proficiency to wield a bastard sword in two hands, but now he wielded it in one as if it were a short sword. Together, the swords shone as one, every bit as beautiful as the holiest dawn and quietest midnight! The legend was finally his!

It was then that Otiorin felt himself slip into a dream where he stood upon ancient crags, beset at all sides by dark, orcish forms - a darkness overwhelming. Both of these very swords shining and singing. He swung and danced and slashed and gave his all until the brutal, terrible end...

...except this time had a different outcome.

* * *​

When the radiance finally dissipated, the Wayward Wanderers stood in the cavern surrounded by a shocking thing - silence except for the crackling fire of the campfire! All around Otiorin and Oreleth especially, five goblins and a young warg lie dead at their feet. Arrows stuck out from their bodies along with cauterized cuts and freezing sword-slices. The corpses of these Gully Gulch Goblins wore expressions of shock, dismay, and ultimate failure.

And in Otiorin's hands? All of the Wayward Wanderers beheld the once-luckless fellow's hands now held these. Paladin Bria lowered her axe and beamed in heartfelt delight. Oscar smiled a rare smile of great contentment and appreciation to be present for such a historic moment.

Spoiler: The Two Together Again

The Moonlit Edge

(Image credit: njpoulin at arcadia quest)

The Sunfire Blade

(Image credit: Pinterest)

Otiorin had fulfilled his prophecy of his youth and found before him a new challenge. Reuniting the blades was not enough - he had leave this vile realm alive!

But one look at the two naked blades shining finally together - their one shared holy light - was enough to make anyone's heart sing!

* * *​

Inside the Moonlit Edge came the return of a hope she never thought she would feel again. Deep within the Sunfire Blade came a relief to what was thought a dying hope in a lightless existence. Together, the two joined once again with their master, Otiorin, in the return of a feeling more powerful than victory, more beautiful than blades, more true than all legends.

They Felt Love!

* * *​

Spoiler: Dungeon Master Note for all

Combat is over. We now leave Encounter Mode and return to Exploration Mode. Hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it! =)

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Exploration
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth stands still for a moment just trying to focus on what just happened. I am back to myself again! Well, almost back to normal. I still lack my spellcasting ability, so I cannot enchant my arrows the way I am used to. She smiles, though, feeling the comforting sensation of her bow in her grip once more. Looking around, Oreleth says, "Well, at least the the curse on two of us is getting broken. I am still unable to cast spells, but it is a step in the right direction. There is the old saying of don't judge a person until you have walked a mile in their boots. I now have a new appreciation for that." She gives off a slight chuckle, then looks to the rest of the party. "Now, we just need to do the same for the rest of you, and reclaim the true measure of our powers and skills."

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Brendoran the Healer

Channel Energy uses remaining: 4/7
Spells remaining : 2/2 of 1st-level
Color code: 3399ff

Bren's smile was a wide as the joy that flooded his heart upon seeing the swords reunited. Though he knew little of their story, anyone who had seen Otiorin's face and heard the emotion in his voice as he besought Oreleth's aid in bringing the two together knew how much it meant to him. And for Bren, what brought joy to his friends brought joy to him. He cheered at the sight of Otiorin bearing the two blades in his hands. "Well done, my friend!" His eyes widened as he realized more had happened than just the ending of goblins and combat -- Otiorin and Oreleth were themselves again! "Oh, very well done!" he cried. "Perhaps that is the key to our reversing this part of the curse: to help each other. That would make sense; I've no doubt Loviatar would be very pleased to see us all divided and separate, and to work against that is surely to work against her." He clasped Otiorin on the shoulder and nodded to Oreleth, then went to kneel beside Oscar the red panda. "And what are you doing here, Oscar? How came you to this...well, wherever we are? What do you know of this place?" If any of the foxes came near, he would make soothing sounds and try to get it calmer, hopefully sticking close to him or to Bria.

 

[Sherwood]

Luna can feel the level of adrenaline in her system fade away as it becomes clear that combat is now over. This fight would have been so much easier if I only had all of my spells. I feel so . . . incomplete. Then, she is able to take in the remarkable change taking place between Otiorin and Oreleth. "Goodness! You are back to your own bodies! I wonder how it was able to happen? Is it as a result of the magic of the swords being brought together? Too bad that there is no time for me to be able to investigate this further. It might result in the rest of us getting back to ourselves faster."

 

[Purr]

"Too bad that there is no time for me to be able to investigate this further."

"'Time'?" Oscar shook his fuzzy tail. His rich, deep voice carried through the tunnel over the crackling flames of the campfire. "Time, miss Luna, is one of the few elements that is on our side."

Oscar of Highwind dropped from Paladin Bria's pack and onto the tunnel floor. For one long moment, he gazed upon Oreleth and Otiorin and then the Moonlit Edge and the Sunfire Blade. He gazed with relief at the two blades shined as one. "The reunion is done. Orcish treachery has, at long last, been undone. How I wish their previous owner could be here to see this moment; I think it would meet with his approval."

He clasped Otiorin on the shoulder and nodded to Oreleth, then went to kneel beside Oscar the red panda. "And what are you doing here, Oscar? How came you to this...well, wherever we are? What do you know of this place?" If any of the foxes came near, he would make soothing sounds and try to get it calmer, hopefully sticking close to him or to Bria.

The foxes, trusting no one, scattered and retreated to the only corner in the cave. There, the pack huddled together and yipped excitedly, confusedly, and fearfully. Without a word, Paladin Bria of Mielikki dug into her backpack, walked briefly over to them, and tossed them about a day's worth of her rations. Then she moved away as if to remove herself and give them less reason to be afraid. She glanced at Otiorin as if she wanted to say something, but seemed to think better of it like someone not wishing to disturb another in a moment of great victory. Meanwhile, the foxes munched and became quiet and very watchful of their surroundings.

Paladin Bria returned to your group. She lowered her spiked shield and glanced at her axe with a frown. The latter, she put away. Then she placed her hands on her knees and bent down to address Oscar. "Sweet wind through your branches, little sir! How is it that you speak Common?"

Oscar studied Paladin Bria. He did not reply at first, but for the span of three heartbeats, he looked her up and down, especially her gear and her face. Then, after coming to some inward conclusion, Oscar put his paw to his chest and bowed in a courtly fashion to Paladin Bria. When he spoke again, it was at first to Paladin Bria, then to all of the Wayward Wanderers.

"Do pardon me, holy servant of the Forest Goddess. To properly provide you answer, I must first receive some answers of my own." He turned to the rest of the party. "Wayward Wanderers? How long has she been like this and has she shown any signs of her true self since this change?"

Hearing Oscar's question, Paladin Bria straightened in surprise, her face filled with sudden concern.

(Image credit: Hunaner)

GAME DETAILS

Location: In the Red Cave.
Mode: Exploration
Click Blue Box for Ambiance =)

Spoiler

"Snow Blizzard Cave Ambiance" by Ye Olde Ambiance

 

[Kaerri]

Spoiler: Brendoran the Healer

Channel Energy uses remaining: 4/7
Spells remaining : 2/2 of 1st-level
Color code: 3399ff

Bren looked away from the foxes to meet Oscar's red-panda eyes, his expression sobering. "From the time she awoke in this place, I'm afraid. When we were ambushed in Ben and Misha's, she took the fullest part of the curse upon herself to save us, and I believe it is that which caused her to lose her old self so fully, while the rest of us retained our own memories. As you see, each of us exchanged race, profession, and gear with another, though Otiorin and Oreleth have now been restored to themselves in that respect. In addition, our skills have been decreased to that of one just starting the adventurer's path, which, by Oreleth's words, has not been restored yet." He shook his head sadly. "We five who remember, awoke in the snow outside the cave. We were able to get Bria mobile, but she didn't truly awaken until the snow had melted from her, and then she was as you see her now, in form and memory both." He offered the now-paladin a friendly smile. "She doesn't remember us, either, although I think we've managed to convince her that we remember her, and that we are her friends. Bria, this is Oscar, who also knew you before. By your doing and Mielikki's blessing, you returned him from the dead into his current form."