CH 6: Solace

[JadedDM]

Tanis nods from underneath his cloak's hood. "We will continue to Qualinost. If what that draconian said was true...it may be the last free place in Abanansinia. Plus, we need to take Laurana home, before things grow even more dangerous."

While Tika is spooning potatoes, slowly from her large pan, the cloaked figure seated at the door rises and begins to approach the party. The robe still covers his head and most of his face, but as he passes by the draconians, one of them quickly gets to his feet and pulls the garment off to reveal a handsome elf with blond hair and hazel eyes.

"Well, well, what have we hear? A little dainty elf!" As one the draconians stand up and begin to surround the elf. "Just walking around here like he owns the place, too. Now what do you think an elf would be doing in a dump like this?"

"A spy, no doubt," adds another draconian, fingering his sword.

The elf frowns. "I do not want trouble," he says.

"Too bad, knife ears. Because you found it," replies a draconian, giving the elf a shove. The elf is forced backwards, but is stopped by the bulk of a draconian behind him. The kapaks start to chuckle, as they push the elf around like schoolyard bullies on the playground.

Tanis looks to the elf, and then to Laurana, in surprise. "Is...isn't that...?" he asks, hardly able to believe his eyes.

[Breila]

The only thing that comes to Goldmoon's mind to defuse the situation is this:

She casts a "Silence" spell, in the hope of distracting the draconians so that the elf can join their group, as he probably planned to do. The spell is centered at the place where the elf is now.

[Jenara]

"Gilthanas! My Brother!" Laurana pipe to her feet quickly her hand on her sword hilt, calling out her brothers name. Why was he here? Had her father sent him to find her?

"Leave him alone." she shouts at the dragonmen, she stands straight, almost regally.

Magpie takes the chance to shove some of the food in her bag for later.

"Tanis!" Sturm shouts, all cover they had was blown, "We have to leave this place."

[Nuke]

Riverwind acts quickly, moving along the edge of the room to the door, planning to prevent any exit of a Draconian.

[Breila]

"You fool" Goldmoon hisses to Laurana. She gets up and tries to find a spot where she would have a clear line of fire towards the draconians.

[HorizonsDream]

Tika walks out on the scene, her eyes wide with a steaming pot of potatoes in her hands. Looking as if she just can't stand it anymore, the fiery red head runs up to one of the draconians and smacks him over the head with her pan.

[Kafen]

Tas sighs dramatically and grabs one of the plates along with the bowls. He empties the contents and sets the bowl in his hoopak for a test of size as he stands. Moving back a few feet, he readies to fling the bowl at one of the dragon men.

[JadedDM]

Everything happens at once. Within moments, the tavern went from peaceful, to tense, to outright chaotic.

Feeling the tension in the air, Magpie began shoving hot spiced potatoes into her belt pouch, realizing she may not get to finish this meal now. Touching them with her bear hands hurts, though, so she has to take a moment between potatoes to blow at her fingers.

Riverwind quickly gets up from his seat and runs to the entrance. The kapaks ignore him, assuming he's running out of fear. The three old men jump from their seats, as well. They look ready to bolt themselves, but stop short when they see the intimidating plainsman blocking the way.

Gilthanas quickly throws his arms up to protect himself as the kapaks begin beating on him. They laugh as they do so, but the elf is able to fend off their blows for the most part. But then the kapak leader jabs the elf in the back of the head, and he goes down for the count.

Just as the elf falls to the ground, two things happen at once. One, Goldmoon finishes her prayer to Mishakal and a dome of silence falls over the draconians and the elf. The leader says something to the others, but it isn't heard. The others all grasp at their throats, wondering what is happening. They all look to the elf--was he somehow responsible for this? Two, Tika, unable to handle the stress anymore, flips. She grabs the still hot pan and slams it across the back of the head of the leader kapak, issuing out some karmic justice. The impact is completely silent, but the kapak sure felt it enough to stumble forward, nearly tripping over the elf prince's prone form.

As Goldmoon maneuvers herself to get a good line of sight with her sling, Tasslehoff loads his own hoopak up with a bowl, jumps up on the table, and lets it rip. The bowl sails through the air, smashes into the back of a kapak and shatters silently.

===============

Kapak's Surprise Roll (1d10): 4, not surprised

Initiative
Goldmoon (1d10+5): 11
Magpie (1d10): 1
Riverwind (1d10): 3
Tika (1d10+4): 11
Tasslehoff (1d10+11): 20
Gilthanas (1d10): 4
Kapak 01 (1d10+3): 10
Kapak 02 (1d10+3): 5
Kapak 03 (1d10+3): 8
Kapak 04 (1d10+3): 8
Kapak 05 (1d10+3): 8

Round 1!

Magpie packs away some food in her belt pouch.
Riverwind hurries to the doorway. He does not provoke any AoOs, because the kapaks think he is just running away.
Gilthanas goes into full defense (his AC improves by 3 points).
Kapak 02 punches Gilthanas (1d20-3): 5, miss.
Kapak 03 punches Gilthanas (1d20-3): 1, miss.
Kapak 04 punches Gilthanas (1d20-3): 6, miss.
Kapak 05 punches Gilthanas (1d20-3): 17, hit for 1 damage and a 5% chance of KO (1d100): 79
Kapak 01 punches Gilthanas from behind (1d20-1): 15, hit for 2 damage and a 6% chance of KO (1d100): 6, Gilthanas is knocked out.
Goldmoon casts Silence at Gilthanas. Gilthanas does not save, as he is unconscious. A bubble of silence spreads over the battle.
Tika slams her frying pan across Kapak 01's head (1d20): 20, critical hit! for (2d8+3): 11 damage.
Tasslehoff slings a bowl at Kapak 05 (1d20+5): 24, hit for (1d3): 1 damage.
Bowl makes a saving throw vs. crushing blow (1d20): 1, fail. Bowl shatters.

(OOC: Everyone within the purple circle is muted. They cannot speak, cast spells with verbal components, or make any noise whatsoever.

Also, guys, don't forget to name your targets!

Actions for Round 2?)

[Breila]

Goldmoon stands on the table and fires a bullet at Draconian No. 5

INIT 10, hits AC 4, 4 damage

(ooc: Does "Attacker on higher ground apply? Then she would hit AC 3)

[JadedDM]

(OOC: The books never specify how high the higher ground has to be. But in the past, I've allowed it, so yeah, it counts.)

[HorizonsDream]

Tika brings up her pan and brings it down again upon the leader of these kapaks. Tika yells out something, but nothing seems to come out due to the silence.

Init Roll (2)
Hit Roll (20)
Dmg Roll (10)

[Jenara]

Trying to speak Laurana goes to dive forward towards her fallen brother, but instead she copies Goldmoon jumps on the table drawing her bow as she does so and, lets loose two arrows at Kapak 4.

Init: 1d10=3
1d20+3, 1d8=[3, 3], [3], 1d20+3, 1d8=[9, 3], [6]
Miss, and Hit AC 5 for 6 damage.

[Jerrard]

Drawing Brightblade Sturm moves around the tables towards Tika, these things would harm her, the group already bore wounds from such treatment.

He swings at the creatures next to Tika, blocking her way, hopefully she will see why when it dies. Will attack 3, and follow on with 1 if 3 dies.

Init: 1d10=8
Hit Rolls: 1d20+5=21, 1d20+5=7 Hit AC -7 and 7.
Damage: 1d10+6=14, 1d10+6=12

[JadedDM]

"Wait, no! Stop!" Tanis cries, standing up. But it's too late.

Three of the five kapaks draw their swords and start to lick the blades with their long, lizard-like tongues. The leader, however, turns to Tika angrily, murderous intent in his eyes. The barmaid doesn't give him a chance. She slams her skillet into his head again, this time hitting so hard she's sure she would have heard the crack of bone had everything not been cast into an unsettling silence around her.

Rather than dropping dead, as one would expect, the kapak starts to melt before her eyes like a wax statue exposed to intense heat. The bubbling, sizzling liquid it transforms into pools around her feet, the feet of the other kapaks, and the unconscious elf--burning anything it touched.

Tanis grits his teeth at the sight. This was what he had feared--the death of any draconian would put both young Tika and the unconscious Gilthanas in great danger!

Another kapak, intent on avenging his leader, strikes Tika across the face with his sword's hilt. The room spins around her, and she tastes blood in her mouth, but she manages to hold on to consciousness nonetheless.

Goldmoon and Laurana both hop up onto a table and let loose stones and arrows at the kapaks while Sturm chargs forward to cut down the kapak leader, only to arrive seconds too late. He slips in the acid, but manages to keep his footing, despite the burning his feet take. Acting on instinct, he quickly whirls around and attacks the kapak that just struck Tika, but the creature is able to parry the blow with his blade.

The three old men decide now is a good time to get the hell out of here, before they get killed themselves. But they find their way blocked by Riverwind. They attempt to shove past him, unless he takes some measure to stop them.

==============

Initiative
Goldmoon (1d10-1 higher ground+5 masterwork sling): 8
Tika (1d10+4 club): 6
Laurana (1d10-1 higher ground+7 short bow): 9
Sturm (1d10+4 Brightblade): 12
Kapak 01 (1d10+3 short sword): 9
Kapak 02 (1d10): 7
Kapak 03 (1d10+3 short sword): 8
Kapak 04 (1d10): 4
Kapak 05 (1d10): 7

Round 2!

Kapak 04 draws his short sword and begins to lick it.
Tika attacks Kapak 01 with her hot skillet (1d20+2): 20, hit for (1d8+3): 10 damage. Kapak 01 melts into a puddle of acid. Tika, Gilthanas, Kapak 02, Kapak 03, Kapak 04 and Kapak 05 all take (1d8): 2 damage.
Kapak 02 draws his short sword and begins to lick it.
Kapak 05 draws his short sword and begins to lick it.
Goldmoon hops up on a table and slings a stone at Kapak 05 (1d20+2): 15, hit for (1d4+1): 4 damage.
Kapak 03 attacks Tika with the hilt of his sword (1d20-4): 16, critical hit! for (2d6): 8 damage (half of which is temporary).
Kapak 01 is dead.
Laurana hops up on a table and fires a sheaf arrow with her short bow at Kapak 04 (1d20+4): 7, miss.
Sturm moves north to attack Kapak 01, but he is already dead. Sturm takes (1d8): 8 damage from the acid.
Laurana fires a second sheaf arrow from her short bow at Kapak 04 (1d20+4): 13, hit for (1d8): 6 damage.
Sturm moves to attack Kapak 03 with Brightblade (1d20+5): 7, miss.

(OOC: Actions for Round 3?)

[HorizonsDream]

Tika's eyes widen in horror as the the kapak melts into acid. She tries to move away from it, but she isn't quick enough. Realizing how dangerous that this can be, she breaks from combat with the other kapaks, and moves to try and drag the unconscious elf away from the fighting.