PRP: The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing

Log Info

• Title: The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing
• Emitter: Fazhad
• Characters: Alik 4, Hun'rar 3, MAC-B1G 6, Safiya 3, (NPC)Captain Kremma 5
• Place: Alexandros -- eastern reaches along the Devastation
• Time: August 9, 2016
• Summary: Kobolds are nasty, cowardly little things, easily killed and probably best exterminated - that's what they say, anyhow. But out on the edge of the Desolation, where the earth is blighted and life is a hardscrabble thing at best, a new tribe seems to be on the rise - and far from the meek and easily-dispersed creatures of common ridicule, these Kobolds are setting the land on fire all the way to the Vast. Who are they? What do they want? The PCs will form a fact-finding mission by the Alexandrian authorities and try to discover the truth.
• APL: 5
• Encounter 1: 8 Kobold Fighters, CR 4; 1 Kobold Sorceror (Aberrant), CR 4

Kobolds. Well, they're right terrors, but usually easily killed. Genocide would do them well, or so many would say. The Hungry Fangs, however, are different. According to reports, these little bastards have been tearing up the countryside along the Alexandrian border of the Devastation; farmsteads (such as they are) destroyed, people terrorized, horrible displays left of the dead. No survivors. The city government has arranged to dispatch a number of investigatory teams, many of them headed up by adventurers - which are, after all, Alexandria's number one import/export product - and led by an officer of the Guard. So are you, arranged and dispatched with one Guardsman Kremma, an investigator of the Watch. Kremma, a sandy-haired human with an oddly nondescript look, dresses the part of the adventurer himself in his nondescript leathers and the breastplate which he wears over them. Just a bunch of guys, out for a day of murderhoboing. That's what the guy driving the (very LARGE) carriage probably thinks.

Alik has mostly forgotten what the mission he signed up for even was, and is fascinated by MAC-B1G's body. He has thus far managed to restrain himself from even ASKING if he can disassemble the golem's mobile armature. Very polite.

Hun'rar is conflicted about this mission, kobolds are suppose to be related to dragons somehow right? Then again as an aspiring evil dragon slayer this might also be good practice. None the less the paladin is ready to take on the trouble with shield and sword.

MAC-B1G follows directive Fourteen Beta, given upon its arrival to Alexandria: Interact with local lifeforms. Primarily, this has involved receiving congregation locations and indeces, arriving at the culmination of both, and receiving new directives. Often, these directives dictate the extermination of other lifeforms. TSuch tasks are appropriate for a Multipurpose Assault Construct.

If there is sufficient volume and capacity, it utilizes the conveyance. If not, it is self-propelled.

Serrielites are often known to work happily with the Guard when the need arises, though most heavily-armored warriors of the Goddess of Civilization aren't... well, gnomes. Safiya does, at least, recognize the need for secrecy on this journey, and contents herself with doing some bit of paperwork or other, probably the sort of thing that gets left over until there's little else to be done anyhow.

Hey, if you're going to work with misfists, you get some REAL misfits. Guardsman Kremma, for his part, doesn't seem to mind the whole thing - if anything, getting out among people who aren't Guard seems to make him stretch, and he talks pleasantly with the lot of you. Getting stories, that kind of thing. Ultimately, though, the talk falls to the work of the kobolds, and that makes him grave indeed.

"We're going to Batus," he tells you. "It is - was - a village not far from the frontier. Batus was a small farming community, but it's gone now. Burnt to ashes by the Hungry Fangs, or so the people from the surrounding communities have told us. Batus is making people especially anxious because it had a walls, defenses, everything - the kobolds just rolled in somehow and killed everyone anyway. My understanding is that the tool marks on the bodies suggest very...vicious, but well-equipped combatants." He shakes his head. "When it rains it pours, I guess. Anyway, we're going to be investigating the area, getting what information we can, and then get back to Alexandria. If we find any of the little bastards we want to capture them, so the lads back a the Academy might be able to magick some truth out of their horrible little brains."

You reach a neighboring community as night falls, stay over at the local inn, and venture out on foot to the site of the disaster the following morning. As Guardsman Kremma said, Batus is a wasteland. The outlying fields are burned and mangled corpses erected as makeshift scarecrows. The wooden walls of the town have been breached on the eastern side, a large hole blasted through. The houses - what aren't stone, anyway - are a scorched ruin, and most horrible of all is the great pile of burnt corpses erected in the center of the village square. The well is also full of them, poisoning the water.

In short, it's a professional scorched-earth job. This is what you face as morning gives way to dawn, and you have time to investigate.

Hun'rar walks around with his shield on his arm, inspecting for signs of magic, should any have been involved. The whole thing has put him in a silent, pensive mood as his doubt about killing kobolds start to melt away.

ooc You casting spells or maing checks?

Alik scowls at the sight of destroyed livelihoods and ended lives. But he sets aside his emotional reactions as he engages in analysis, taking careful notes as he goes along. In addition to looking for general anomalies, he pays particular attention to what he can discern of the city's civil engineering, trying to discern what points of weakness might have existed in the defenses that the kobolds exploited.

ooc If so, let me know what you're doing.

GAME: Alik rolls knowledge/engineering: (19)+10: 29

GAME: Hun'rar rolls spellcraft: (19)+5: 24

MAC-B1G scans the pallisade and the breach therein, moving on to the charred ruins of structures within. After collating and processing, it vocalizes in basso, "Initial conclusion: Evidence indicates eighty-five point six three percent probability that the assault force utilized fire."

Safiya's writing, put away the moment the wagon rolled up to town. Behind her spectacles, the paladin's eyes widened at the carnage, mouth tightening into an angry line. Out comes a second, fresher folio of blank pages and a stub of charcoal, and the Serrielite makes her way to the pile of corpses, checking for significant wounds underneath the charred flesh, something more telling than 'they were weapons.'

GAME: Safiya rolls heal: (19)+7: 26

You paged Hun'rar with 'Magic all over the place, specifically acidic-based magic. They melted that wall, or at least weakened it to the point that it was easily blasted down with additional magic. There are greasy spots in the earth that once were people who were literally melted. Everything else burned, often thanks to magic as well.'

You paged Alik with 'Well the walls were stout, but in the end, whatever magic they used easily overcame the structure. Looks like some kind of acicid compound - alchemical? - combined with some kind of thermal and physical force. Acid and fire, basically.'

You paged Safiya with 'These people died horribly. Hacked to death while alive, melted with acid while they stood, or burned alive. There is also evidence of some corpses being roasted, eaten, and the refuse tossed onto the heap. Guess they don't call them Hungry Fangs for nothing. Men, women, children, animals. It didn't matter.'

You paged Safiya with 'Tool marks indicate steal weapons. Spears, or at the very least javelins. Heavy swords, cutlasses or falchions or the like. Crossbow bolts as well. Lots of unnatural wounds that suggest magic.'

You paged Safiya with 'Even if someone would have gotten away from their attackers when wounded, the chances are they wouldn't have survived anyway.'

Alik nods in response to the golem. "Fire, yes. And acid. Walls were solid, but overcome."

GAME: Alik rolls craft/alchemy: (3)+10: 13

Hun'rar runs his gauntleted hand along some of the damage "Heavy magic use, mostly acidic. Probably how they get through the wall. Really nasty." he notes with a grimace.

You paged Alik with 'No idea. Just...weird. Doesn't seem natural. Which might be the point.'

"Steel weapons too," the paladin calls from the pile of bodies. " Stepping back, she wipes her hands away on an old armor-polishing rag, pure outraged disgust on her face. "Can't tell if they're made or stolen without seeing them, but I don't blame the local folk for being nervous. Kobolds, organizing into an *army?*"

"I didn't realize it was quite like /this/. Gods above." Guardsman Kremma walks the border of the corpse pile with sword drawn, frowning at the carnage. "Fan out and investigate what's left of the houses. I want to see if there's any chance we can find out what's...well. If there are any bodies, for one. Of the kobolds."

Alik nods. "Steel. Acid. Fire," he counts off on stubby fingers. "Not just army, is. Alchemy. Magic. Complex."

"Spears, heavy swords, crossbows..." Safiya shakes her head, turning to the northernmost house as the order to fan out is given. "I'd almost feel better if it turns out someone was bringing them to heel. The *last* thing we need is a kobold Arendt..." And with that, she stumps off to her chosen house, to give it a thorough searching.

GAME: Safiya rolls perception: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Alik rolls perception: (6)+15: 21

GAME: Hun'rar rolls perception: (16)+0: 16

MAC-B1G moves to examine structural remains not otherwise currently scanned.

GAME: MAC-B1G rolls perception: (7)+10: 17

You paged Alik with 'You find something in one of the wreckages of the house - a kobold...maybe. Buried under timbers, its only very loosely a kobold; its limbs are long and horrible, its fingers like tendrils, and new eyes have opened up in its head at different angles. It has no armor, only a loose robe of black fabric, and a long, vaginal mouth is opened in its chest where its heart should be. It's a horror.'

Alik calls out as he explores a wrecked house. "Is kobold-like monster here... is anyone knowing about?"

MAC-B1G moves to examine structural remains not otherwise currently studied. After completing its scan, it announces, "No additional data acquired."

Alik tries to remember if he's heard of anything like this in his magical or historical studies.

GAME: Alik rolls knowledge/arcana: (18)+8: 26

GAME: Alik rolls knowledge/history: (18)+4: 22

Hun'rar comes when Alik calls, surely the gnome would not call out if it wasn't important right?

You paged Alik with 'This is a sorceror, specifically one of the Aberrant bloodline - that is to say, ages ago, this fellow's forebears made pacts with alien things from other dimensions, giving it strange powers that manifest over time. Mutations are common in older and more powerful such creatures. Probably pretty buff.'

Alik has found something truly awful in one of the wreckages of the house - a kobold...maybe. Buried under timbers, its only very loosely a kobold; its limbs are long and rubbery, its flesh weirdly translucent, its fingers like tendrils, and new eyes have opened up in its head at different angles. It has no armor, only a loose robe of black fabric, and a long, vaginal mouth is opened in its chest where its heart should be. It's a horror, absolutely so.

Alik looks up to Hun'rar as he approaches. "Aberrant sorceror kobold," he announces. "Powerful."

Hun'rar raises an eyebrow "Holy mother of Gilead, we need to purge these Kobolds yesterday. Thats foul." he says drawing his sword. "Anyone good at tracking? See where they went?"

"Gods above!" Guardsman Kremma stands in what used to be the doorway. "You - you say that's a sorceror? What's /wrong/ with it?"

Alik shrugs. "Ancestry. Alien. Eldritch. Not good."

"I don't even know," Safiya murmurs from under the Guardsman's arms, eyes wide. "But if it's powerful, then it could be there's more than one. They'd *never* leave their leader behind like this, if they've already burned down the town."

MAC-B1G's faceplate rotates 167 degrees towards the call. Its body rotates beneath as it begins to move with heavy steps. It stops to scan Alik's find while receiving data from the finder. "The raiding force possesses strong support systems. Arcane energy manipulators, manufactured or salvaged equipment, and alchemical weaponry."

The Guardsman shakes his head. "The things I do for king and country," he mutters, and undoes his cloak. "Let's wrap it up. We've got to get this back to the city."

Alik nods. Tactics aren't really his strength, but Safiya's and MAC's observations make sense, and he has no particular additional questions to investigate.

Safiya accepts the cloak, carefully wrapping it around the dead creature... and to her credit only dry-heaving a little, when it squishes where it really shouldn't, or a trapped pocket of gas burbles free. Finally she gets to get feet, motioning for one of the larger folk to actually carry the thing. "All right... so, now that we know, what's the next step, Guardsman?"

MAC-B1G is larger and unburdened. It also lacks the olfactory resolution to be overstimulated nor the diestive system to be offended by the decomposition. It collects the cloak-sacked corpse and lifts. "Query: Prioritize options: Search and destruction of raiding force; return of evidence for further analyses."

Alik observes "Hired to investigate, we were. To exterminate, costs extra."

Unfortunately, the corpse squishes /everywhere/ it shouldn't, so that's fun. It's also much heavier than you'd expect a child sized monster to be. And yet, hey, there it is, wrapped up like a cosmic horror-burrito. So there's that.

"He's right," says Kremma, who nods toward Alik. "Strong as you fellows are, if there's a sizable raiding force out there we're not equipped to handle it. Let's get back to town, and let the people know what's going on. I knew I should've gotten horses."

Hun'rar looks at Alik "Perhaps but this..." he gestures to the corpse. "This I do for free, Gilead demands we hunt these abominations."

Alik shrugs, turns to Kremma. "I take his share, then."

"Not. Equipped." Kremma shakes his head. "Trust me, we get back to Alexandria and I'm sure there will be lots of bounties on these things' heads, but we need to get back and inform the authorities. You're under my command, remember? That's what you agreed to. I'm commanding that we go back."

Alik nods in agreement.

"Directive received," the construct acknowledges receipt and pivots to transport its cargo back to the conveyance.

Of course, the conveyance is back in town. A few hours' walk away. So there's that.

MAC-B1G's heavy, plodding steps are now accompanied by wet squishing and sloshing sounds.

Hun'rar eyes Krema, hand gripping his sword tighly before returning it to his sheath. "I suppose we are not prepared to hut. Not yet."

"I'd like nothing more than to lay every last one of those horrible things into the dirt," Safiya says, "but the Guardsman does have a point. We're five. The force that leveled this town has to outnumber us more than three to one. It's simply *not smart* to go looking for them."

And so you march, leaving the burnt waste of the town behind. You trudge across the flinty hills leading back toward the neighboring community, but every now and again one can steal a glance over one's shoulder at the distant black hills of the apocalypse-land that is the Devastation, daring you to return.

The sun crawls slowly toward the horizon, threatening night before arrival. The corpse in the golem's arms stinks of death and oil and the scent of freshly-stricken lightning. Everything is unnerving. Everything promises death. It's as if the corpse itself radiates fear.

As the sun lowers, and the corpse begins to emit noxious emotions, Safiya seems to grow faintly tense. Her shield is unlimbered from her back, her heavy, silvered-steel flail unstrapped and held at the ready. Dark eyes search the road behind them,hunting for truer sign that they're being followed.

Hun'rar keeps an eye out for trouble, the whole affair making him uncomfortable. His helmet turns slowly as he scans the horizon with a hand on the hilt of his sword.

MAC-B1G could be oblivious to some or all of this. The squish of the evidence and its slow gait remain rhythmic regardless of the position of the sun, the surrounding terrain, nor any raiadting emissions from its cargo.

Alik sighs. "Cannot be springing for teleport, this mission?" To the party as night falls, he adds "Are we needing camping, then? Or travel thruogh night?" He mostly asks the vision-impaired humans.

The sun begins to wink out. Night is come.

ooc Perception checks.

GAME: Hun'rar rolls perception: (20)+0: 20

GAME: Safiya rolls perception: (14)+4: 18

GAME: Alik rolls perception: (20)+15: 35

ooc Christ, you people.

ooc Why do I always end up with the people who have electron microscopes for eyes?

You paged (Hun'rar, Alik) with 'You are definitely being stalked. Moving out there in the darkness, you can hear the slight crunch of metal, see shadows moving together. There are eight, maybe nine of them, and they keep pace.'

You paged (Hun'rar, Alik) with 'They're all moving on the right side of you, where the hills are higher.'

You paged Alik with 'Definitely wearing heavier armor than you'd expect. Metal.'

Alik says "<something you don't understand in gnomish>"

Alik says "<something you don't understand in gnomish>"

Hun'rar lowers the visor on his helmet and draws his sword "We are being hunted, prepare yourselves." he says looking up at the hills to the right of the direction the party is traveling.

Alik says ""MAC, if you understand me... we're being stalked. Nine figures, heavy armor, to our right. Spread the word quietly." <kulthian>

Safiya nods once, turning her head to murmur into Hun'Rar's ear. "Nine to our right, heavy armor. Pass it along, and be quiet about it."

Alik shrugs at Hun'rar's announcement. "Or, that, we are doing."

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+3: (14)+3: 17

MAC-B1G's plodding steps slow as its faceplate pans to Alik. The faceplate continues rotation in the same direction to the rear, then to its opposite side towards others. "Warning! Potential threats detected. Nine heavily armed units bearing 090." This is delivered at 50% volume; a mere 70 decibels, to ensure that those at the far flank can receive its vocalizations.

As Hun'rar flips his visor down, a susurrant hissing comes from the hills - a carnivorous, monstrous noise that is not quite reptilian, but something else. Something that makes some lizard-brain instinct in you all, some long forgotten prey instinct, shudder with a nameless fear. It's not good, what comes. But it's coming anyway.

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

GAME: MAC-B1G rolls initiative: 1 + 2 = 3

GAME: Safiya rolls initiative: 20 + 1 = 21

GAME: Alik rolls initiative: 3 + 3 = 6

GAME: You roll initiative for K_Leader: Roll: 20 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 21

GAME: You roll initiative for K_1: Roll: 19 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 21

GAME: You roll initiative for K_2: Roll: 8 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 10

GAME: You roll initiative for K_3: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 16

GAME: You roll initiative for K_4: Roll: 2 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 4

GAME: You roll initiative for K_5: Roll: 7 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 9

GAME: You roll initiative for K_6: Roll: 4 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 6

GAME: You roll initiative for K_7: Roll: 17 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 19

GAME: You roll initiative for K_8: Roll: 1 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 3

The not-quite-reptilian noise evokes not-quite-hatred in Alik.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 21.

It is now K Leader's turn! K 1 is next!

ooc Okay, so imagine the road on one side, you in a rough line, the hills to the right as a ridge, and the monsters beyond that.

ooc They have cover, and it's dark. If you don't have low-light vision or darksight/infravision you're going to be a disadvantage.

ooc If you've got light sources, tell me and we'll assume you've got 'em.

Whirlpool has reconnected.

ooc Got 'em out rather.

GAME: You roll initiative for Kremma: Roll: 7 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 8

ooc :laughs.

ooc About a hundred feet.

ooc Leader casts Magic Missile.

ooc At Hun-rar.

ooc SR?

GAME: Fazahd rolls 3d4+3: (5)+3: 8

GAME: You damaged Hun'rar for 8 points. 18 remaining.

ooc Kobold 1 hurls a javelin.

ooc At Safiya.

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23

ooc AC?

ooc Whoof.

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4

GAME: You damaged Safiya for 4 points. 22 remaining.

ooc Safiya go

You paged Whirlpool with 'How do I get ACs?'

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 21.

It is now K 1's turn! Safiya is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 21.

It is now Safiya's turn! Hun'rar is next!

GAME: Note Flat-footed on Safiya ended.

ooc You're not on a wagon. You're walking.

ooc And it's just a low ridge. If you don't have earthmoving spells, then you could charge, or trade ranged fire.

ooc I'm just saying.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 20.

It is now Hun'rar's turn! K 7 is next!

GAME: Note Flat-footed on Hun'rar ended.

ooc Noted. Pose it.

GAME: Hun'rar rolls 1d6: (4): 4

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 19.

It is now K 7's turn! K 3 is next!

GAME: Hun'rar casts True Strike. Caster Level: 1 DC: 14

GAME: You damaged Hun'rar for -4 points. 22 remaining.

ooc Javelin at Safiya

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (8)+6: 14

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 16.

It is now K 3's turn! K 2 is next!

Safiya jerks back as the javelin manages to pass through a joint in her shoulder armor, stabbing into her flesh. Looking back up, her face hardens as she secures her lantern onto the hook that held her flail, setting her shield in front of her. "Advance!" she roars, pointing the handle of her flail at the leader. "We've got a job to do!"

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 10.

It is now K 2's turn! K 5 is next!

GAME: You damaged Alik for -4 points. 41 remaining.

Hun'rar raises his shield and starts walking towards the Kobolds, he is all kins of ready to bring the pain down on these obiminations as his swords begins to glow with a red arcane light as he moves.

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (7)+6: 13

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 9.

It is now K 5's turn! Kremma is next!

ooc One at Kremma.

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (9)+6: 15

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 8.

It is now Kremma's turn! K 6 is next!

ooc Kremma crossbows.

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

ooc Welp

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 6.

It is now K 6's turn! Alik is next!

ooc Javelin at Alik

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4

GAME: You damaged Alik for 4 points. 37 remaining.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 6.

It is now Alik's turn! K 4 is next!

GAME: Note Flat-footed on Alik ended.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 4.

It is now K 4's turn! K 8 is next!

ooc Javelin at Kremma

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d4+1: (1)+1: 2

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 3.

It is now K 8's turn! MAC-B1G is next!

ooc Another at Kremma

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8

GAME: Alik casts Shield. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14

ooc MAC go

GAME: Alik activates his Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex

GAME: Hun'rar spends ONE use of LAY ON HANDS.

GAME: MAC-B1G activates its Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex

ooc Can you see in the dark?

ooc Or lowlight?

ooc Ha! Okay, then I'll page you what you see. Roll attack.

Alik pulls a long cable out of his armor, separates the end into several needle-tipped pieces, which he drives into nerve clusters in his body. The cables light up with a flourescent purple cast, and he becomes noticeably faster. He pulls a small contraption off of his armor that he tosses into the air, where it extrudes a small circular forcefield and hovers nearby.

GAME: MAC-B1G rolls ranged-4: (4)+8+-4: 8

GAME: MAC-B1G refreshes special ability pools.

You paged MAC-B1G with 'Welp there are definitely kobolds out there, eight in good scale armor, wearing scimitars and hurling javelins from positions along the ridge. A ninth is wearing robes not at all different from the corpse's, with the same weird, long limbs - taller than the rest - but without the horrorshow features.'

GAME: MAC-B1G spends ONE use of DEATH RAY.

You paged MAC-B1G with 'They are DEFINITELY kitted out like professional soldiers. Like skirmishers, really, but with heavier armor.'

ooc Miss. Pose it.

GAME: Alik refreshes special ability pools.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 3.

It is now MAC-B1G's turn! K Leader is next!

GAME: Note Flat-footed on MAC-B1G ended.

You charge into a wall of javelins. Smaller than that of human hands, the whistling shafts are no less harmful as the volley lances over the ridge, joined by a glowing shower of hideous greenish bolts that home in on the strident Hun'rar. All in all, it is a poor showing, with those spears that land doing only mild damage.

A voice rings out from the dark, twisted and hissing. << GIVE US THE ELDER, >> it booms. << GIVE US AND LEAVE. ELSE, DIE! >>

ooc Than that MADE by human hands, that is.

"Threats Located. Combat mode engaged," the construct announces as it drops the cargo like a sack of meat. The cyclindrical item on its scapular plate articulates over the plate, caught by one manipulator. The other manipulator attaches to the breech of the weapon as the former telescopes to its full length. The palm port from the manipulator provides power, causing the tip to glow cyan. Once acceptable nethercite-magicite intermix is reached, a bolt of charged matter is launched... to explode in a cloud past its intended target.

ooc This round all kobolds will draw back to further weaken your aim, but prepare to strike. They're giving you the chance to leave.

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 21.

It is now K Leader's turn! K 1 is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 21.

It is now K 1's turn! Safiya is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 21.

It is now Safiya's turn! Hun'rar is next!

ooc I'm giving you 60 seconds to decice.

ooc Decide.

ooc Roll it.

GAME: Safiya rolls intimidate: (6)+6: 12

ooc Next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 20.

It is now Hun'rar's turn! K 7 is next!

"You slaughtered an *entire town* of our people!" Safiya emphatically does not squeak. Squeaking is undignified, after all. "Quit the field, *now,* or lose more than one dead body this night!"

ooc If you don't have darkvision or low-light, you're just seeing shapes here. you know the vague idea. And you don't know which one spoke, unless you want to make a Perception check.

ooc That's what I said, yes.

ooc Because he's casting from over a ridge.

ooc Sorry, sorry. That sounded sharp and I didn't mean it to.

ooc But you have 60 seconds to decide.

ooc You don't know who the caster was, I just said.

ooc But you can aim at a kobold in that direction and I'll roll to see who you got.

ooc That's as well as you're going to get.

You paged Whirlpool with 'NNNN'

GAME: Hun'rar rolls ranged+20: (16)+3+20: 39

ooc Well, someone's getting it in the neck.

ooc All evil.

ooc You hit somebody. Roll damage.

GAME: Hun'rar rolls 1d8+4+2: (3)+4+2: 9

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d4: (1): 1

ooc Welp you hit somebody. Pose doing the dramatic hurling and lightshow.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 19.

It is now K 7's turn! K 3 is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 16.

It is now K 3's turn! K 2 is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 10.

It is now K 2's turn! K 5 is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 9.

It is now K 5's turn! Kremma is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 8.

It is now Kremma's turn! K 6 is next!

GAME: Fazahd rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26

ooc ....and Kremma is surprisingly scary.

Hun'rar is not intimidated by the kobolds, instead he is filled with a rightious wrath. "I am the Warden of the Great Hunting Dragon! Flee if you wish to live!" he calls out as he draws a javalin, burning with green flames and casts it at one of the dark figures.

GAME: Hun'rar spends ONE use of SMITE EVIL.

Latching back another bolt, Guardsman Kremma roars into the last fading shades of twilight. "By the Crown, the King, and the People of Alexandros," he thunders, "You will lay down your arms and withdraw, or we will kill you all on the field tonight! I don't know what horrible place you've come from, but we will send you back - and then we will take your fellows, your women, your pups, and we will burn them all. No mercy! No mercy for any who do not leave now!"

...so okay, Guardsman Kremma was more affected by events back in the town than he previously showed.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 6.

It is now K 6's turn! Alik is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 6.

It is now Alik's turn! K 4 is next!

ooc Roll it.

ooc They're a bit back.

ooc So yes, -4 to hit.

ooc And yes, you can make him out.

ooc Middle of the line.

GAME: Alik rolls 1d20+7+2-4: (17)+7+2+-4: 22

ooc Hit. Damage!

GAME: Alik rolls 1d12: (10): 10

ooc Well done. Pose firing.

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 4.

It is now K 4's turn! K 8 is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 3.

It is now K 8's turn! MAC-B1G is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 3.

It is now MAC-B1G's turn! K Leader is next!

ooc Mac, go.

You paged Whirlpool with 'So, uh, has a scenario ever been where the enemy is made to run by an NPC? Is that even a thing? c_c'

Alik pulls a long-bored rifle off of his back, sights carefully along the range of it, and blows a chunk of Kobold off the spellcaster.

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 21.

It is now K Leader's turn! K 1 is next!

The combination of holy strikes, bullets, beams, tiny screaming, and then much scarier oaths seem to be more than enough to convince the kobolds that this is not the group to strike without more numbers; the armored kobolds turn and run, taking off across the hills, while the remainder just...disappears. The field is being abandoned. What do you do?

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 21.

It is now K 1's turn! Safiya is next!

GAME: Fazahd advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 21.

It is now Safiya's turn! Hun'rar is next!

ooc Anyone else? Y'all going to try and tag the fleeing kobolds or let them go?

ooc Blast 'em.

GAME: Alik rolls 1d20+7+2-4: (6)+7+2+-4: 11

ooc Do'oh

ooc Anyone else?

"...Right," Safiya says, as the menacing kobolds melt away. Looking down to the javelin sticking out of her shoulder, she frowns, and tugs it free. With a touch, she closes the wound, and turns back to the Guardsman. "I'd say that means the evidence we have just became critical, if he was their Elder. And we have the weapons they used. That's evidence enough for me, what say you?"

GAME: MAC-B1G deactivates its Titan Armor.

GAME: Alik deactivates his Titan Armor.

GAME: Fazahd removes the timestop.

Timestop by Fazahd has left.

GAME: You remove the timestop.

Perhaps surprisingly, Alik fires his thunderbelcher again without pausing to reload. Very observant people who happen to be paying attention might notice magicky things. He still misses, though.

As for Guardsman Kremma...the man stands staring out into the dark, his face set into an angry mask. "I'll be back for you," he growls, and turns back to look at you all. Remembers himself. Calms. "Ah. I'm...sorry for that," he says, looking vaguely sheepish, if angrily so. "Lost my head a bit. Not used to seeing things like that, I guess."

ooc Take care buddy. We'll fold up here in just a sec.

"Task objective achieved. Threats in a state of withdrawl. Disengaging," the construct powers down and retracts its weapon. It turns to withdraw itself to retrieve the cargo.

"AND NOT TO BE RETURNING!!!" Alek shouts after the fleeing kobold, punctuated by Kulthian swear words. Then he puts away his weapon, disconnects his armor, and slumps noticeably.

And so you return to Alexandria. Kremma takes the corpse and the javelins and disappears into Guard headquarters, and never comes out - however, a friendly young corporal tells you that you will be paid for your work within a few days. Well done, everyone. Well done indeed. Something tells you, however, that it won't be the last time you meet the Hungry Fangs...

ooc Thank you all very much. I really hope you enjoyed yourselves.