Chapter Eleven: The Troubled Temple of Tapio - Preparation

[Sherwood]

Luna nods. "I understand, and I promise that I will not use my magics here willy-nilly. I seriously doubt that there is going to be a threat to our lives here in this holy place, so its not like I'll have any cause for my more martial magic, and I will refrain from using even my simple cantrips just to make sure I don't disturb the good people here." With all the different wizards coming and going from Boccob's Library back home, its hard to imagine a place that is uneasy around arcane spellcasters. Not that I blame them, it just seems odd to me. Ah, well. To each their own.

Spoiler: Current Spell List

0 - Light, Mage Hand, Message, Read Magic
1 - Shield x2, Burning Hands, Floating Disk, Unseen Servant, Magic Missile x2
2 - Protection From Arrows x2, Blur x2, Web x2, Scorching Ray
3 - Haste, Fireball, Displacement, Fly, Lightning Bolt
4 - Ball Lightning x2, Empowered Scorching Ray x2, Remove Curse
5 - Cone of Cold, Empowered Fireball, Empowered Lightning Bolt

Force Missile x9, Extended Mage Armor II in effect, duration of 20 hours
Wall of Energy for 10 rounds

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth nods also, commenting, "My limited spell knowledge is focused on causing harm to those I wish to hurt, and I see no reason for any concern that I would need them here. Still, I promise to refrain from any castings in this holy place. Lets be on our way."

Spoiler: Current Spells

0 - Ray of Frost, Flare, Light, Mage Hand
1 - Shield x2, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands

 

[Purr]

(I'm calling this little scene, "Powerpaw meets his match." =) Enjoy, gang! )

Spoiler: Location, time, and weather

Location: Highwind - leaving EarthHome and traveling toward Ben & Misha's.
Date: Monday, September 22nd, 1118.
Time: 9:18 a.m.
Weather: Morning sunrays peeks out behind an incredible mass of clouds; the air is breezy, slightly cool.

(Image credit: renatures.com )

Spoiler: Mood Music

"Teleri" by The Lonely Mountain Band (as transcribed by Astleigh into Lord of the Rings Online ABC files and played by in-game instruments! Woo!). Pardon the sound quality. =)

Hearing all the arcane talk, a certain fighter waved his paw. "Aw, castin', smashtin'! Let's move our feets alreadies!"

Powerpaw of Shamballah was the first of the Wanderers to march out of the great and flowery EarthHome with Bria not far behind. His stride was impatient until he took notice of Bria of the Ko bowing and thanking all of the green-clad Mielikkians for their hospitality in the use of their holy ground. He paused and watched her. Soon, he found himself echoing the cute human's efforts at appreciation as they passed. Those wearing the bear symbol of the Maiden of the Forest replied in kind, for they acted honored and pleased to have had such strange and capable band of adventurers in their midst.

Melshaef of the Many Faces, known to some as Mamapaw, knelt in prayer facing where she believed Mielikki to be. When she rose, her whiskered face was solemn, but also very much at ease.

Bria handed off Oscar to Melshaef and Oscar, being the size of a red panda, found that Felane shoulders were much easier to perch on than human shoulders, however fair.

Oscar quietly made himself comfortable while Melshaef ended her prayer with glee, "And now I must join my friends in that timeless tradition performed by females of all the world over - shopping!" And with a parting bow to her fellow Mielikkians, the feline druidess of the evergreen half-scampered, half-skipped across EarthHome's grassy grounds to the streets outside.

* * *​

The Wayward Wanderers who had not before tread upon Highwind's mountainous heights learned several things in short time. Once one left the EarthHome, the cool, breezy air outside was rather thin compared to what most folk of other countries were used to. Indeed, one gathered quickly that going to a full run for any reason was a quick road to exhaustion.

And the roads! Wide with colorful cobblestones, some worn, some fresh made for enchanting pathways. Unlike the Golden City of the Valley, Summerset, these roads seemed to travel upward as much as they went downward! Yet, for the folk of the city, good footwear and strong legs were a commonplace thing to be had. Not so for horse-riders and those too-oft carried by the carriage.

The folk of Highwind appeared to vary more than the colors of the cobblestones. The Highwindian humans were a tall and hardy people with strong muscles above and below. Fair of skin with hair of nearly all natural colors with black hair being the rarest, the humans of Highwind walked and climbed with long strides befitting healthy people of the mountain.

The tales told of the multi-racial city were true. Swarthy, proud Highwind Minotaurs clopped along beside chatty, bright-eyed gnomes. There were round-bellied, neighborly hobbits and fierce-looking, four-legged wemics with their shamanistic tattoos and fur-weavings. These last regarded the Felane from a curious distance. Hardy dwarves marched together with matching armor and kilts and great beards that blew in the breeze like age-old banners. Above them all, small dragons and their riders swooped and swirled performing whatever duty that tasked them, for everywhere was the seriousness of war.

Well, almost everywhere...

Spoiler: Mood Music

"In the Hall of the Mountain King" by Grieg. I just love how this builds and builds... And you'll find out soon who the "mountain kings" are. =)

Bren, who had walked these very streets with adventuring bands before now, knew the Wayward Wanderers were not far from Ben & Misha's. He knew Highwind had four schools for her people and one of them was close by. Sometimes such schools promoted field trips and today was such a day. So it was nothing out of the ordinary to see a few teachers guiding their unruly horde of rugrats devoted class of schoolchildren from one monument or place of interest to the next. For this was Highwind and even for children, there was a great many things to see and learn.

Spoiler: Mob of kiddos with their tired teachers

(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons )

One such field trip of some twenty children and two lady teachers rounded the corner of a local bakery where they had just dined in sweet apple tarts. This crowd turned straight into the Wayward Wanderers, with who at the lead, but Powerpaw of Shamballah.

At this sudden and random combination of little curious children and seemingly-giant furry white-and-black cat, there could be only one outcome...

Complete and total chaos erupted.

Sugared up from the sweet tarts with their little heads filled with the teacher-given promise of new wonders to learn, nearly all of the little mob had the oblivious Powerpaw surrounded before he knew it. And what do such little children do when they encounter an eight-foot, six-inch, 450-pound natural born killer cat?

"Oooh!" the first eight-year-old exclaimed. "Can I touch him?" she said up to her armpits in his fur.

"Oh, oh! Lookit, lookit! He's so soooooft!" shrieked another who leapt upon him as if he were naught but a warm, walking pillow.

"Is that real armor?! I bet it's real armor!" A trio of young boys jumped up on him and began banging on his chain mail.

And for the fearless, indomitable gladiator of far-off lands? What great word of command did the Wayward Wanderer's largest warrior provide in this unexpected moment of complete confusion? Only one....

'HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALP!!"

When the tide of children stormed him, Powerpaw found that he had no time to escape. He could only roll onto his back so as not to accidentally step on any of them. Of course, now that he was just a big mountain of furry kitty, this only made things worse.

The two teachers, already weary by the morning's events, shrieked at the tops of their lungs and immediately and bravely waded into the ferocious melee. Their frantic apologies to all of the Wayward Wanderers and orders for the children to desist and behave followed.

Not that any of them, high on sugar and curiosity, listened...

Bria kept her hands behind her back and a little smile on her blushing face. "Fuzzy Goof? I think you've finally met your match!"

"Hay! Cut dat out, ya wittle wugwats!" Powerpaw had one child in each of his paws while he wriggled and squirmed. "Guyz!" he pleaded with you. "You gonna help me wif dis or what?! What da faaaaaaaaaace!!"

But upon looking over to see if Melshaef would be their next target, all you saw was the sudden disappearance of the party's second Felane and in her place stood a wide-eyed owl with pretty white and brown feathers.

The owl hen stood looking at Oscar the Red Panda. They were of equal height and equal worry. As one child raced toward the owl, she immediately took flight to the bakery's sign and perched there out of reach while admiring all.

"Moooooooom!" Powerpaw complained loudly at the owl. "Dat's not fair! Get backs down here!"

But the owl just shook her head...

..and made a laughing sound at him.

Spoiler: Melshaef in her current form

(Image credit: Daily Mail )

Meanwhile, the crowd of children played on Powerpaw as if it were recess incarnate.

What do they Wayward Wanderers do against this new, unpredictable, and determined foe?

 

[Psychie]

The innocence of youth. They only see the good in the large Feline, not the fact that he's fierce and powerful enough to use the bones of his enemies as a toothpick. Such scenes make me have faith that the future will be a better place. A sweet smile comes to Oreleth's face as she watches the mighty Powerpaw brought low and made helpless by a bunch of children. As he cries out for help, a chuckle comes out. "Ah, perhaps we should go and save him? It would be a bad thing to leave him here at the mercy of these youngsters."

Spoiler: Current Spells

0 - Ray of Frost, Flare, Light, Mage Hand
1 - Shield x2, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands

 

[Sherwood]

Luna's sparkling laugh joins the others as they watch The Mighty Powerpaw get turned into a piece of playground equipment. "You fuzzy goof! You can just stand up; you're much bigger and stronger than these little ones!" She walks forward to try and help remove the children from this helpless warrior. "Come now. Time to let my friend up off of the ground. We have important work to do."

Spoiler: Current Spell List

0 - Light, Mage Hand, Message, Read Magic
1 - Shield x2, Burning Hands, Floating Disk, Unseen Servant, Magic Missile x2
2 - Protection From Arrows x2, Blur x2, Web x2, Scorching Ray
3 - Haste, Fireball, Displacement, Fly, Lightning Bolt
4 - Ball Lightning x2, Empowered Scorching Ray x2, Remove Curse
5 - Cone of Cold, Empowered Fireball, Empowered Lightning Bolt

Force Missile x9, Extended Mage Armor II in effect, duration of 20 hours
Wall of Energy for 10 rounds

 

[Psychie]

Doing her best to sound stern, Oreleth walks over and clasps her hands together. "HEY! PLAYTIME IS OVER!" She grabs one of the kids and pulls him off of Powerpaw. In a slightly less angry tone of voice, she says, "We have to go. There is an important quest we are on, and we don't have time to deal with these games. So! Everyone get up and let us go."

 

[Kaerri]

Bren Sarabina

Spoiler

Standard AC: 23
Fort save: +13
Ref save: +8
Will save: +11
Current action points: 10
Current HP: 112
Status effects: none
Powerpaw's tower shield +1 (-2 to attack rolls)
Spells: 1st - Bless, Bless Weapon, Divine Favor, Lesser Restoration; 2nd - Bull's Strength, Delay Poison, Resist Energy; 3rd - Daylight, Prayer.
Speech color, for reference: #3399ff

Bren carefully waded into the sea of small children along with Luna and Oroleth. As he went, he tried gently tugging on each shoulder he passed, saying with a friendly smile, "Excuse us, please! We really do have places we need to be, and you know it's not nice to jump on strangers like that, don't you? Let him up so we can go our way, and you can go yours, for I'm sure you have places you need to be too. And maybe we can set up a time for a proper meeting later, when there will be time to ask all the questions you want, all right?"

 

[Purr]

Luna's sparkling laugh joins the others as they watch The Mighty Powerpaw get turned into a piece of playground equipment. "You fuzzy goof! You can just stand up; you're much bigger and stronger than these little ones!" She walks forward to try and help remove the children from this helpless warrior. "Come now. Time to let my friend up off of the ground. We have important work to do."

From Luna's left shoulder, Sparkle the old pseudo-dragon cackled with light-hearted glee. All of the Wayward Wanderers, and Oreleth, heard her aged voice in their minds. To a wood elf of the Forest Eternal, such "mind-speak" has certainly happened before at some point in Oreleth's life; unlike most of the other races in Sharseya, Corellon's woodland daughter was well aware such magical communication.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Sparkle's body trembled with laughter. Would that Dubble Trubble had known your weakness was children, you would have been in more trouble than you were, Powerpaw of Bastet!

Lying on his back and covered with mostly human children, the deadly Felane could only nod in agreement at the mention of his old gladiatorial foe. "Yah yah, good ting he didn't, huh?" The furry warrior glanced up to Luna; his expression showed appreciation in her attempts to help. With a score of squirming, exploring children either near or on his 450-pound armed and armored person, there is no way for the big cat to know where they all are at one time. "Get up? You kiddin'? I might squish somebuddy!! One wrong move an' a wittle kiddo or three iz pancake city!"

"Oh dear," Bria murmured softly to you, almost too softly to be heard in the commotion. "They're not listening to me either."

Luna, Bria, and Bren soon noticed their attempts to draw the curious, sugar-loaded children off were fruitless; the children were simply far too wrapped up in their new feline amusement park to be dissuaded. However, another in their company has chosen a different route of persuasion...

Doing her best to sound stern, Oreleth walks over and clasps her hands together. "HEY! PLAYTIME IS OVER!" She grabs one of the kids and pulls him off of Powerpaw. In a slightly less angry tone of voice, she says, "We have to go. There is an important quest we are on, and we don't have time to deal with these games. So! Everyone get up and let us go."

Oreleth's words came across as plenty stern, perhaps sterner than she meant, but it had the desired effect - about half of the children slowed in their armor-banging, fur-rubbing, whisker-pulling, and tail-yanking to see who this new voice of authority was. The other half slowed as if a spell had been cast. Even the two teachers looked up in wonder, for if anything, Oreleth's wood elven accent proved she was no native of Highwind.

Children began to climb off of Powerpaw and behave themselves, however reluctantly. Of course, the more vocal children provided their opinions of Oreleth and her call to order.

"Yes'm, ma'am! I sorry!"

"Okay, okay! Boy, are you are a meanie!"

Then a few of them paused and noticed Oreleth. Indeed, elvish creatures of any kind were a great rarity in the mountain city - pure-blooded elves most of all.

"OooOOOOOoooh!" One little boy with feathery brown hair pointed. "You're an elfie! Lookit, lookit! Ellllfiiiiiieeee!!"

The little heads turned. "Ellllffffieee?!"

At first, most of them looked to Nivirea. The stunning sorceress in her flowing green garb and exotic beauty might have passed for one of elf-blood in Highwind, where many did not know the difference between fey and elf, but when those little eyes looked where their fellow was pointing, it was Oreleth's otherworldly unusualness that caught their imaginations - and held some of them fast! For here was a true child of Corellon Larethian in the flesh!

A little red-haired girl with pigtails waved politely. "Hi, Miss Elfie!"

Several of their group followed suit and waved too. "Ooooh! Hiiiiii!!"

Some half of the children were now off of Powerpaw, who was remaining wisely quiet. The other half of the children were being gently, but firmly removed by their teachers. As things were going, it would take about a minute in time to return them all, and the furry gladiator, back to their proper places.

However, Highwind was a strange city. It had a reputation of being a realm of great adventures, magical opportunities, unusual creatures, and above all... odd circumstances.

A piping voice of a lady gnome from up the cobblestone-lined street yelled a frightened warning. ""Hey! Heeeeey, down there! Loooook oooout!!"

The street suddenly thundered terribly with the sounds of half-crazed, fear-filled neighing. Nearly every head turned. For up the road not two-hundred feet away, came running a pair of horses pulling a cart. Behind these, some awful commotion was going on involving a great, larger-than-minotaur-sized humanoid form and a lot of strange, earth-colored dust. The two horses were wild-eyed with stark panic, their hooves racing, their manes and tails blowing in the wind. The cart, you noticed, had no driver...

... and they were headed straight at prone Powerpaw, the two teachers, and the remaining children.

The children looked on in wonder and confusion and a little fear. That is, until the teachers saw the danger and began screaming. Hearing and feeling their instructors lose all control and composure, the street immediately filled with the sounds of the little children joining in the screaming, many of them rooted to their spots in soul-freezing fear.

The horses, too, were clutched by fear's awful grip... and they would run over anything... or anyone... to get to safety...

"Aw, crap!" Powerpaw's head spun. "Heads up, guys!"

"Oh no!" Bria cried.

"Bast's bones!" Mamapaw the owl hen said with her normal voice from her aerial perch.

Spoiler: Runaway horses and wagon

The wagon is just like it is in the picture - laden with goods and going full speed!

I just cannot get over the expressions on the horses's faces - they are exactly what this scene calls for! Hooray for talented artists! =)

(Image credit: Illustration History )

(Dungeon Master note: As we are not in combat time, there is no need just yet for initiative rolls. Do as your characters will.)

What do the Wayward Wanderers and Oreleth do?

 

[Sherwood]

Luna see the wagon being pulled by the terrified horses barreling down the road towards them. "We have to stop those horses before they kill anyone! Stand back!" She steps out to get a clear line of sight and raises up her hands, preparing to cast. So much for not using my magic here. Good thing I had these memorized. Hopefully this won't back fire on me!

Once the horses are within 150 feet, Luna fires off her spell. "Web!"

Spoiler: Spells

0 - Light, Mage Hand, Message, Read Magic
1 - Shield x2, Burning Hands, Floating Disk, Unseen Servant, Magic Missile x2
2 - Protection From Arrows x2, Blur x2, Web, Scorching Ray
3 - Haste, Fireball, Displacement, Fly, Lightning Bolt
4 - Ball Lightning x2, Empowered Scorching Ray x2, Remove Curse
5 - Cone of Cold, Empowered Fireball, Empowered Lightning Bolt

Force Missile x9, Extended Mage Armor II in effect, duration of 20 hours
Wall of Energy for 10 rounds

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth yells out, "Whatever spooked them, it's coming our way!" She takes her bow in hand and breaks into a light run, straining her eyes to try and identify what it is out there.

Spoiler: Current Spells

0 - Ray of Frost, Flare, Light, Mage Hand
1 - Shield x2, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands

 

[Purr]

The sounds of frantic hooves and driverless wagon wheels thunder across the cobblestones. People large and small scatter out of the path of the oncoming pair of horses. In their path, Powerpaw stared snarling at the danger, for he was flat on his back with three children frightened to the core and clutching at the closest thing - his fur. Their high screams and shrieks echoed those of their fellows safe on the sidelines, corralled by their teachers.

Luna flew into action first. With a mastery provided only by the combination of raw talent and untold hours of practice, the Wizard of the Callen line channeled her power and launched forth her Web spell. The silky strands glittered in the sunlight, firmly anchored to a nearby signpost in the middle of the street and a stout wooden column holding up a restaurant's rooftop, directly in the horses's path. Luna knew the tough part was not if the spell would catch the fleeing equines and wagon but if it would hold their mass and might.

All throughout the street, Highwindians pointed and gasped. "Sorcery in the fair city!!" "Beware! 'Tis witchcraft!"

The horses, unable to stop or steer around the sudden great mass of strands struck the enchanted webbing and, sure to good Callen lineage, the webbing held! The wagon plowed into the webbing too and was held fast. Powerpaw breathed a great sigh of relief. "Oooh, rite on time! Tanks, Luna-face!" the prone Felane shouted.

While the danger to the children was averted, the horses fear grew for now they were not only scared but trapped. Their terrified neighing produced even greater screams from the children.

* * *​

It was Oreleth who peered beyond the noise and the commotion. The wood elf's voice had been the voice of authority that had scolded the schoolchildren into behaving. Now half a dozen of them, none of them higher than her shoulder, ran to the blonde Arcane Archer. They shuddered and held their ears and in no way impeded Oreleth's use of a long-trained skill.

* * *​

It became Nivirea's turn to act. What does the Summerset Sorceress do?

 

[Psychie]

Oreleth calls out, "It's a super sized stone golem! Watch yourselves! Children! Run!" If this Luna is as good of a mage as she seems to think she is, she'll know her magic won't work on it. The elf warrior takes her bow in hand and draws a pair of arrows to knock as she runs.

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

.:| Nivirea - The Sorceress |:.

Nivirea had been watching from behind, glad not to have become an object of interest for the Highwind children. Indeed, she looked as if she would rather face the impending golem instead. But she took no action just yet.

"Hold on a second," she called out, moving up to stand next to Luna, to whom she briefly nodded her approval for the swift intervention. "It's coming this way, but it doesn't seem to be hostile... I think. But how did it even get here, in the middle of the city? Assuming it didn't materialize out of thin air. Any guesses?"

She turned to Bren in search of an answer.

 

[Purr]

Between the wild neighing of the spell-trapped horses, the frightened children and instructors, and the rest of the loud and chaotic scene between the Wayward Wanderers and the stone golem, it was difficult to be heard at all unless one called out or outright shouted. The growing panic was like an invisible fire, spreading and touching all who were near it. All people were affected in one way or another.

Powerpaw of Bastet snarled and glared hatefully at the golem from his prone position on the cobblestoned street. Carefully, he glanced around him, especially in front of him. Spying no human children there, he rolled to his feet with three hysterically-clingy tots attached to him like burrs in a forest. Their small bodies and clothes dangled about helplessly as he rose. Seeing this, Powerpaw's snarling stopped. The savage-hearted Felane did not know what it was to feel fear, but that did not mean he did not feel for those who did.
"Bria!" he shouted to his oldest human friend. "Get dese munchin-faces offa me!"

With one muscled paw and practiced finesse, the gladiator drew his maul from his back and dropped into fighting stance. Briefly, he nuzzled the nearest kiddo in an effort to calm her, but the brunette girl just cried harder. Powerpaw hated feeling helpless, but he knew he could not enter combat as he was. It was all he could do not to pluck the little ones screaming from his hide, but lacking any kind of experience with furless, bitty human children, he did not want to chance harming one. For once, his natural killing instincts and mighty body worked against him. It would be a lesson he would remember and meditate on at a later time.

For now, the ground trembled with approaching danger. Gripping his maul, Powerpaw gnashed his teeth and stared with blazing eyes at the golem.

* * *​

Bria of the Ko nodded at Nivirea's idea. The brown-eyed young woman loved the idea of a peaceful solution in all things. All the shrieking and shouting and quailing people were taking their toll on her empathic nerves, threatening to distract her with their emotional pain. The peaceful healer replied to Nivirea.

"Either way, it is loose! Please find a way to stop it?"

Her soft voice fell from their excited tones to a slower, easier pace. For those that knew of the Ko, the monks' ability to calm their hearts at a moment's notice was legendary. Bria drew upon this training and, with passive resolve like that of an oncoming spring shower washing away her worries, Bria of the Ko seemed to mediate right there in the street, a single vision of harmony in an otherwise lawless scene.

She clasped herself in her raiment, giving herself a hug. That hug made her smile. Then, her hands slowly began to whirl in graceful, dancing movements. Her body followed. Soon she was flowing like a leaf in the breeze, her inner feelings and spirit one. She intoned. When next her voice was heard, it was like a resonating wave of blessed peacefulness.

"Verris coo'sai kasallis!"

Suddenly, a force unseen by eye but certainly felt, flowed from her like a stone tossed in a placid pool with waves of peacefulness reaching out in every direction in a 20 foot radius spread centered upon her.

Instantly, the trapped horses relaxed and became silent. Almost all of he cries of children quieted as if a great, soft wind had blown out the fires of their panic. They too calmed. Even the instructors stopped shrieking. Then the one child who was crying turned to see his classmates looking at him as if to say, "Why are you acting like a baby?" This was enough to make him close his mouth for the next long while.

One of the instructors beckoned. "Here! Come here this instant!" The three children attached to Powerpaw instantly obeyed. They disengaged of their own free will and ran to her. Free to fight, Powerpaw breathed yet another sigh of relief. His savagery seemed to have been whisked away and replaced by cool focus, for his mind could not resist Bria's magic any better than the horses's could resist Luna's.

Still the massive stone golem lumbered along, apparently intent on the trapped horses.

* * *​

Mamapaw, still in owl hen form, perched high above and out of the range of Bria's spell, watched on. Uncertain what to do, she waited for Bren to act.

It is now Bren's turn to act. What does he do?

 

[Kaerri]

Bren Sarabina

Spoiler

Standard AC: 23
Fort save: +13
Ref save: +8
Will save: +11
Current action points: 10
Current HP: 112
Status effects: none
Powerpaw's tower shield +1 (-2 to attack rolls)
Spells: 1st - Bless, Bless Weapon, Divine Favor, Lesser Restoration; 2nd - Bull's Strength, Delay Poison, Resist Energy; 3rd - Daylight, Prayer.
Speech color, for reference: #3399ff

"Well done, Luna!" Bren called, seeing the horses and wagon stopped just moments before they would have trampled children, teachers, adventurers, and anyone else unfortunate enough to be in their path. He smiled at Bria as her spell also took effect, restoring calm to all it affected. He had planned to run up to the horses and try to calm them himself, but this was much faster and surer. "I don't know how it got here but Nivirea's right -- we don't know that the golem's intent is hostile, even to the horses that are its apparent object. Be prepared to defend yourselves and the innocents around us, but don't attack unless we know it's needful." He moved up to where the Web spell held horses and wagons immobile, and called upon the gift the Daughters of Summertime had given him -- the gift of speaking with equines. "We'll help you, horse friends," he told the horses. "Do you know why the giant rock creature is coming? Does it need something I can do instead, so that you can keep away from it?"

 

[Wolf Rawrrr]

.:| Nivirea - The Sorceress |:.

"It's under someone's orders, whatever they are," Nivirea said to no one in particular. "But where are the sentinels? I will sooner believe that this thing did materialize out of nowhere, than that it traveled any length of the city without being spotted!"

 

[Purr]

The shouts for the city watch are going up, but sometimes there is never a city guard around when you need one. At least not yet.

"We'll help you, horse friends," he told the horses. "Do you know why the giant rock creature is coming? Does it need something I can do instead, so that you can keep away from it?"

Upon hearing Bren address them in the language of beasts, both horses turn their heads and look down the street behind them. And they say to Bren (in horse language)...

Spoiler: OOC unless your character can speak with animals

The stallion replies to Bren the Paladin with unseemly calmness. "Because crazy human man coming. He commanded Big Walking Rock but Big Walking Rock did not listen. Big Walking Rock now coming to smush us. You should run for your life," he nods, his mane tossing in the wind.

"Is true," says the other horse, flipping his bushy tail about. "We are trapped in web. We are going to die. Flee while you can."

Then they look at each other and Bren with the most serene eyes and almost comically seem to wonder just why they are so awfully calm in what appear to be the last moments of their lives.

"Funny. I don't feel scared," the first horse says.

"Me neither," says the other.

"You seem calm too," the first horse says to Bren. "Should we not be scared?"

 

[Purr]

Melshaef paid close attention to the conversation between Bren and the webbed horses, her large owl-eyes darting back and forth from human to equines. She called down in the hoot of an owl and only the horses understood her call. Then, she spoke in the Common tongue - her cat-like voice ever so clear. Many people on the street heard her, but hardly anyone paid attention to it given the oncoming stony menace.

"Wanderers!" she called. "Look down the street! That human with the cane staggering after the stone golem - the horses say that is their master!"

Sure enough, about 60 feet behind the oncoming golem, a bent and crooked figure of a man about five and a half feet tall with thin muscles and draped in a fancy pearl and black robe came on. With his dark grey beard and accented words, it was easy enough for some in your party to mark him immediately as a man from Summerset. He came on after the stone golem, cane in hand, and moving about half as fast as the golem. It was clear to anyone paying attention that there was no way he would reach the horses in time. Still, he waved his cane and something else in his other hand and shouted angrily after the golem.

"Arcaza! Arcaza dai saathroon!" His words were not in the language of common mortals but that of the awesome power of arcane magic...

...except the stone golem seemed to be deaf to his words. It thundered on, glared at the horses, and raised its huge arms high.

It was Oreleth's turn to act. What does she do?

 

[Psychie]

Making sure to keep her distance from the giant golem, Oreleth keeps her bow half drawn, aimed at the lumbering giant. "My arrows won't do much against such a construct, but I can give it a shot. What is the plan? Are we going to try and destroy this thing?"

In order to try and protect herself against a possible counterattack, Oreleth decides to cast a defensive spell. "Shield!"

Spoiler: Current Spells

0 - Ray of Frost, Flare, Light, Mage Hand
1 - Shield, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands

Shield spell in effect for the next two minutes

Hit Points: 61
Action Points: 9

Armor Class: 24 / 28 with Shield Spell
CMD: 26
Fort Save: +8
Reflex Save: +9
Will Save: +4 (+9 vs Fear)
Perception: +13

 

[Purr]

Oreleth of the Wood Elves drew upon her spell stores and instantly an unseeable but certainly touchable barrier of force arose at her command to keep the arcane archer from harm. And yet, such simple spells can have more than simple consequences...

One of the two instructors exclaimed, her hand to her mouth. "By the Saint! Elf magic, for certain! But what did it do?"

"Fear not! Look you there!" said the other. She pointed at Bria, or rather, the Mielikkian amulet fastened about her pretty features. "She either follows the Maiden of the Forest or carries her name into combat! Now we must act as they or the children of Highwind will suffer!" They made barriers of themselves between the golem and the children under their charge, and though their knees trembled at the sight of the oncoming goliath, the two lady instructors did not falter in their duty.

It is now Luna's turn. What does she do?

Spoiler: Dungeon Master note for all

And I goofed again! =)
Luna was supposed to act before Oreleth as was Nivirea. *sigh* This one, I am blaming on my headache! Yeah, that's it! Sorry, Sherwood and Wolf! =)

 

[Sherwood]

Looking about, Luna tries to figure out just how she can be effective in this upcoming fight. I can't hurt the golem, but I can help the others keep from getting hurt and be effective against the thing! She sees Powerpaw rising up from the road and an idea springs into her mind. The mage calls out, "Powerpaw! Get ready! I'm going to cast a spell on you to help protect you from that thing! Here it comes!" She marshals her mystic energy, and draws it forth. "Displacement!"

Spoiler: Spells

OOC If the range of the spell is Touch only, I'll have Sparkle deliver it to him for me. Otherwise, Luna will just cast it on him as normal. The Displacement lasts for 10 rounds.

0 - Light, Mage Hand, Message, Read Magic
1 - Shield x2, Burning Hands, Floating Disk, Unseen Servant, Magic Missile x2
2 - Protection From Arrows x2, Blur x2, Web, Scorching Ray
3 - Haste, Fireball, Fly, Lightning Bolt
4 - Ball Lightning x2, Empowered Scorching Ray x2, Remove Curse
5 - Cone of Cold, Empowered Fireball, Empowered Lightning Bolt

Force Missile x9, Extended Mage Armor II in effect, duration of 20 hours
Wall of Energy for 10 rounds

Hit Points: 50

Armor Class: 24
Action Points: 10

Initiative Bonus: 2
Fortitude Save: +6
Reflex Save: +7
Will Save: +15

 

[Purr]

Oreleth's Shield spell is basically an invisible effect. Not so for Displacement.

Luna cast her spell. Sparkle hustled up and, as the spell required, touched her furry, ferocious companion in order to make him the target of her potent magic. As such, Powerpaw shimmered for a brief moment, then seemed to appear about two feet away from where he was. Highwindian commoners nearby exchanged a series of oaths to their beloved gods, uncertain what to make of it.

"The Thunderer protect us! More witchcraft!" one fingered the symbol of a hammer upon his quivering chest.

"From what source does this sorcery appear?" another cringed behind a corner.

About a dozen other people arrived, being curious as people often are. They pointed and gasped unable to make heads nor tail of the scene. Very soon, more cries for the watch erupted. One even pointed at Powerpaw. "Blast me! Is that thing the creation of some wizard, too?!"

"Iz you nutz?!" the Felane snapped at the gawker. "I'z'a creation of Bastet, da goddess of Kitty-faces!" The fellow recoiled, startled to be addressed by this creature. It was true. If Corellon's elves were a fond rarity in Highwind, then Bastet's children were a brand-new and unknown wonder.

Powerpaw gave a fanged grin at Luna, appreciative of her arcane protection. "Tanks, Luna-face!" He gripped his maul and readied himself to face their foe.

It became Nivirea's turn to act. What does she do?

 

[Purr]

Spoiler: Dungeon Master note for all

At this point, Bria's Calm Emotions spell takes its full effect on our roleplay. Powepaw is most certainly agitated and is most certainly affected as are the rest of you who failed their save against this spell, voluntarily or otherwise. =)

But then again, that is probably the least of your troubles. =)

(Image credit: Darksiders вики )

Nivirea took stock of the situation and waited. An invisible aura of peacefulness, definitely magical in nature, had enveloped everyone near Bria and the sorceress knew it. All around her was a perfectly normal Highwindian neighborhood in absolute chaos, except near Bria.

Outside of this area, some two dozen people thereabouts of all different races were pointing and shouting. On the balcony of a second story of one fine-looking home nearest the towering stone golem, a grizzled old lady gnome defiantly and with no small amount of outrage flung rotting vegetables at the mighty construct's head. Carrots and tomatoes bounced off the thing's nose. The stone golem ignored this indignation on its way to the horses.

* * *​

Powerpaw felt funny. He had felt that way ever since Bria had cast her spell. Unbeknownst to the fighting Felane, he was the only member of his party who had attempted to resist its effects - and he had failed. Now, he felt more placid and serene than he ever had in his life. This bothered him. Greatly.

"Bria," he turned toward her, maul in both paws. "I... can't get angries..."

Bria of the Ko, her mind focused on maintaining her spell, spoke as if distant. "Nope."

"Dis ain't permanents, iz it?"

"Nope."

"'Cause if it's permanents... an' I can't fights... I iz out of a job."

"It's not permanent, Fuzzy Goof. Don't worry..."

Powerpaw looked at the calmed pair of steeds trapped in Luna's Web spell. They were the calmest horses he had ever laid his blood-red eyes on. Then he saw the oncoming golem, its arms high and threatening. Finally, near his party, he stared at the score of children with their educators, calmly standing alongside the street. He trusted Bria very deeply. He knew she was a woman of honor, so he stuck with that and wondered.

"So... if I can't fights, what shoold I doez?"

"How about help me get all of the children off these streets?" Bria glanced around at her fellow Wanderers, especially Bren. She did not think any of her party would mind the removal of innocents from a possible battlefield.

Powerpaw looked around as the golem's oncoming steps continued to make the cobblestones tremble. "Uh, okies, but where?"

WIth a wave of her robes, Bria gestured. "How about back into the sweets shop? That's where I'd want to be if we weren't in danger."

"Ooh, good tinkin'." He tried to sound excited, but he just couldn't.

Bria waved her hands to the throng of little ones. "Okies... who wants to vote for their favorite sweets? If you all go inside right now and get off the street, there may be a reward."

Powerpaw aided the Ko monk. He held his heavy maul by the base of the handle and, as gently as the savage gladiator could manage, he pushed the children into the store. They went willingly.

Spoiler: Another Dungeon Master note for all

Bria used her Diplomacy skill and rolled successfully. Powerpaw has assisted her by using his great strength and size to move any of the pint-size lollygaggers and therefore aided her. The children and instructors are all off the street. Powerpaw and Bria are right outside the shoppe looking to their leader. =)

* * *​

Down the shuddering street came the stone golem and hot on its heels as it were came the arcanist his salt-and-pepper beard set into a deep frown as he smacked the golem with his cane. Then he spotted the Wayward Wanderers from behind the stony giant and his aged eyes grew wide. "Blast and befoulment! Youngsters, if you want those horses to live, you had best release them from that Web spell! The golem will follow them wherever you might lead them!" He snorted. "This damnable cane is supposed to control that walking battlement, but by Boccob's buns, I cannot get the thing to function! Here! One of you young magic-users give it a go!"

With that, the magician tossed the cane of black wood tipped with stone into the midst of your group. It clattered across the stones at your feet.

"What is wrong with you? Don't just stand there looking lackadaisical! Hurry!" he shouted. "One of you arcane-trained adventurers, pick it up, and try ordering the golem into standing still!"

It became Brendoran's turn to act. What does he do?

 

[Kaerri]

Bren Sarabina

Spoiler

Standard AC: 23
Fort save: +13
Ref save: +8
Will save: +11
Current action points: 10
Current HP: 112
Status effects: none
Powerpaw's tower shield +1 (-2 to attack rolls)
Spells: 1st - Bless, Bless Weapon, Divine Favor, Lesser Restoration; 2nd - Bull's Strength, Delay Poison, Resist Energy; 3rd - Daylight, Prayer.
Speech color, for reference: #3399ff

"You seem calm too," the first horse says to Bren. "Should we not be scared?"

Bren shook his head and replied in Equine-speech, "No, friends, there is no need for fear. I and mine will protect you."

He then raised his voice and spoke in Common to those staring at Wanderers, wizard, and giant stone golem. He knew of their distrust (not to say fear) of arcane magics, and hoped to reassure them out of panic. "Good people of Highwind! I am Count Brendoran Sarabina, and have by Mielikki's grace become her paladin. You need not fear my companions' magic," he waved his hand at Luna, Oroleth, and Nivirea, so that the people knew which arcanists he called companion, "for they seek to use it to aid and defend you. Do but remain out of harm's way, and we'll handle this!"

With that, the magician tossed the cane of black wood tipped with stone into the midst of your group. It clattered across the stones at your feet.

"What is wrong with you? Don't just stand there looking lackadaisical! Hurry!" he shouted. "One of you arcane-trained adventurers, pick it up, and try ordering the golem into standing still!"

Bren nodded. "Luna! Nivirea! One of you see if you can work it properly -- and if not, pass it to the other, quickly! And Luna, release the horses so we can keep them out of the way? Lady Saberfang, please speak to them and keep them out of range of the golem while the mages do their thing. Powerpaw, you and I get to try to slow it down to give them time. Oroleth, Bria, back us up and do what you can to assist where you see an opportunity." Readying his borrowed shield, the newly-made paladin placed himself between golem and horses-and-wagon, leaving as much space between himself and the horses as he had time for, as a safety margin.

 

[Purr]

Bren shook his head and replied in Equine-speech, "No, friends, there is no need for fear. I and mine will protect you."

The white horse looked to the brown horse. He seemed relieved. "See? Everything will be fine. The sword of the Earth Mother has said so."

The brown horse turned to his friend. "Oh, how dandy. And to think I was so scared we were going to get squooshed... How foolish of me."

Then they both turned to Bren looking completely relaxed and trusting in every word the Mielikkian had told them. The horses seemed to smile at Bren and forget their danger even as the oncoming goliath of a stone golem tromped ever closer. It had to have been an odd sight from the Wayfaring Wanderers' perspective.

* * *​

Some of the Highwindians in earshot of Bren's words recoiled in surprise, for some of them had not forgotten his name or the part his previous parties had played in Highwind's salvation. Then there was the added weight of his royal name, earned not by birthright but by deed. During the War for Highwind, the names of her heroes were not easily dismissed and never forgotten and now that they knew had one of their own among them, the people were eager to heed his words.

"Make away!" some yelled. "These heroes shall settle this menace!" Yet others yelled blessings to all the Wanderers. "May the Forest Mother guide you and the Good Saint steel your hearts!"

Powerpaw was unused to such things. "Boy, oh boy," he murmured with Bria at his side, "get a pawadin in da party an tings change quick, don't dey?"

* * *​

"Leave the horses to me!" Melshaef yelled back to Bren as she took to the air over the horses. "You will be free soon, wind-runners," she told the horses. "When you are, follow me!"

"Oh, we shall," they replied in their own tongue. "How we shall!"

It became Nivirea's turn. What does she do?