Ch 3: Part 1: The Path into Peril: Session 34

[15:48] <Kilarra> *****Second Darkness*****
[15:48] <Kilarra> ~~~Chapter 3: The Armageddon Echo~~~
[15:49] <Kilarra> -Session 34-
[15:52] <Kilarra> When last the party was together, Kilarra was notably upset about something, and broke off from the group to return to the House of the Silken Veil for a while to burn off her frustrations. Thankfully, she was able to do so with being particularly nasty, as there were plenty of more masochistic types for her to choose from.
[15:52] <Kilarra> *without
[15:53] * Kilarra doesn't return to the Gold Goblin for a couple of days, but when she does, she's picked up her improved whip and Kjell's sword from the cyphermages, knocking on the door of the Gold Goblin late in the morning.
[15:55] * Kilarra pushes the door open, remembering that the place of business would have been open by now.
[16:01] * Aluthyra raises an eyebrow as Kilarra enters. She is thankful that the cleric has returned, and is still confused about the cause of her absence. Aluthyra had been watching the coming and going of Goblin customers, having nothing else to do. She waves, making her way to Kilarra, thankful for a distraction to her otherwise uneventful day.
[16:01] <Kilarra> Kjell has also been sitting with Aluthyra. While a day or two of R&R was fine, there were big issues at stake here and he felt it was time to get moving.
[16:03] <@Aluthyra> Tognik is in his room. With the days of relaxation, he has made it a point to sleep well into the morning, and sometimes into early afternoon.
[16:03] * Kilarra comes up to the party and passes Kjell his freshly enchanted sword, "Picked these up on the way back," she also gestures to her whip. "Based on the map, it would take us three days to reach Crying Leaf by horseback. Last I checked, none of us has a horse."
[16:03] * Kilarra notes, "So we better get moving."
[16:05] * Aluthyra asks, "Before that. You were gone for several days... have you taken care of what was upsetting you?"
[16:06] * Kilarra looks at Aluthyra, "We've got bigger fish to fry and I've wasted enough time moping."
[16:06] <Kilarra> Kjell takes his new sword and adds it to his belt along with the Cold Iron one, keeping Tyrant's Bane on the opposite side by itself.
[16:08] * Aluthyra sighs. "Very well. I shall get Tognik, and then we shall leave." She turns, making haste to Tognik's room so that they can leave quickly.
[16:09] * Kilarra rolls her shoulder and curls and uncurls her whip, anxious to get going.
[16:09] <@Aluthyra> Tognik is none to happy about waking up this... early, but reluctantly gets up. After taking several minutes to ready his packs, Aluthyra and Tognik walk back into the main lobby.
[16:10] * Aluthyra nods to Kilarra. "Let us make haste, if we are all ready."
[16:13] * Kilarra nods, "I'm ready."
[16:13] <Kilarra> Kjell nods and leads the party out. Katarina and Daroskt wave them off before going back to their respective tasks at the Goblin.
[16:21] * Kilarra falls in next to Kjell, but seems to be keeping her distance from Aluthyra.
[16:22] * Aluthyra frowns, taking note that... perhaps this is her fault?
[16:23] <@Aluthyra> Tognik groans. "Are we walking there or are we buying horses?" He frowns, looking at his little legs. "These legs'll only take me so far..."
[16:24] * Kilarra looks back to Tognik, "We could probably find a Stable in town. You know how to ride a horse?"
[16:24] * Kilarra corrects herself in Tognik's case, "Or a pony."
[16:25] <@Aluthyra> Tognik admits, "Well... no. Not really." He shrugs. "How hard can it be?"
[16:27] * Kilarra rolls her eyes, "So long as we don't get into a fight -on- the horses, not very."
[16:28] <@Aluthyra> Tognik nods. "Then let's find a stable."
[16:33] <Kilarra> Riddleport is mainly a port city, so the only place to find a proper stable is in the Lubbertown on the north end of the city.
[16:35] <@Aluthyra> Tognik and Aluthyra follows to the stable, neither having much knowledge or experience in Lubbertown.
[16:36] <Kilarra> The Stablemaster's recommendation is as follows: a pony for Tognik, who is too small for a regular horse (unless he really wants a riding dog), a light horse for Kilarra, who isn't quite five feet tall, and heavy horses for Aluthyra and Kjell, who are taller and heavier respectively.
[16:39] <Kilarra> Kjell inquires about pricing. They had just spent a fair amount of gold upgrading their arsenals.
[16:39] * Aluthyra would also like to know pricing... being that she is saving up for upgrading her bow.
[16:48] <Kilarra> The Stable master nods, "Light Horses are 75, Ponies are 30, Heavy horses are two hundred."
[16:49] <Kilarra> *in gold pieces
[16:49] <@Aluthyra> Tognik opens his haversack to retrieve his gold, giving 30 pieces to the stable master.
[16:51] * Aluthyra sighs, giving the stable master 200 gold. She doesn't think that she actually needs a heavy horse, but perhaps it would be more useful.
[16:51] <Kilarra> Kjell is glad he sold his old armour after being gifted with the new set. He plucks out two-hundred gold pieces and pays the man.
[16:52] * Kilarra does the same, slightly amused that her horse will cost less. Being short had advantages sometimes. Of course, she would probably have to get padded styrrups so that she could grip them properly with her hooves.
[16:53] * Kilarra forks over a few extra gold for the quick bit of refitting and glares at the Stablemaster to keep him from snickering.
[16:55] <Kilarra> The Stablemaster takes his payment without saying anything about Kilarra's hooves. He then asks, "How far out are you travelling?"
[16:57] * Aluthyra looks to Kilarra, not knowing how far their destination actually is.
[16:59] * Kilarra nods, "Three days to our destination by horse."
[17:00] <Kilarra> The Stablemaster nods, "Alright, since you're doin' me some good business today, I'll throw in a week's feed for each."
[17:06] * Aluthyra smiles. "Thank you for your generosity."
[17:07] <Kilarra> The Stablemaster nods, "Eeyup. Just take good care of them."
[17:07] * Aluthyra bows her head in thanks. "We will be sure to."
[17:10] * Kilarra fiddles with the styrups to get them comfortable for a bit before heading out.
[17:11] <Kilarra> Kjell smiles at his new horse, "You're a fine, strapping stallion. Got a name?"
[17:12] <@Aluthyra> Tognik is already atop his pony. He named him Paco.
[17:13] <Kilarra> Kjell chuckles, "Guess you're not as talkative as Bane. Still, a name is a good thing for any stalwart companion to have. How about Gallant?"
[17:13] <Kilarra> The horse nickers
[17:13] <Kilarra> Kjell smirks, "Good enough for me. Let's get a move on."
[17:13] * Kilarra totally names her horse Precious and says nothing.
[17:14] * Aluthyra sets her saddle on top of her new horse, cinching the belt, then climbs up the stirrups. She pets her horse's mane. Perhaps she'd find a good name at a later time...
[17:14] <Kilarra> Kjell spurs Gallant on a bit and they get under way.
[17:18] * Kilarra notes as they get under way. "It's about ninety miles total distance, and we have to ride north to get around the mountains before we head west."
[17:29] * Aluthyra nods. "Then we should move, for such a long journey." She spurs her horse on, following beside Kjell.
[17:31] <Kilarra> Heading over the plains to the north leads the party along the main road out of Riddleport. However, after a couple hours of moderately paced travel, they come across an obstruction in the road.
[17:35] <Kilarra> That obstruction comes in the form of a  bull-like creature that seems to be made of interlocking metallic plates. Faint plumes of green smoke puff from its mouth.
[17:35] * Aluthyra raises an eyebrow, drawing her bow. "That does not seem friendly in the least..."
[17:36] <Kilarra> Aluthyra is able to see it from some distance away as the sun glints off its scales. However, between the open plains, the hoofbeats of the horses, and the lack of cover, it notices them right back
[17:46] <@Aluthyra> Tognik blinks, hopping off of his pony as quickly as possible. He calls. "Off of your mounts, and don't let it near you. It's breath can turn you to stone!"
[17:46] * Aluthyra complies, dismounting. She aims her bow at the beast, waiting for it to move closer.
[17:47] <Kilarra> Kjell dismounts as well, drawing his sword, but keeping his spell hand free, hoping not to have to get that close.
[17:48] * Kilarra groans and gets off her horse. Figures. She offered a quick Prayer to Calistria for some good luck to counter the bad of encountering this creature.
[17:52] <Kilarra> Authyra is up first, The Gorgon is 150ft away, enough for her to hit it with a bit of effort, but probably not quite as effectively as her normal combat range
[17:54] * Aluthyra sights down the beast, firing three shots, the last with extra precision.
[17:56] <Kilarra> The range hurts Aluthyra, as she doesn't manage to hit the beast.
[17:58] <Kilarra> The beast now charges towards the party, enraged by the attempted attack if it hadn't been already. It probably had been already, but at least it only manages to close in on them, without having enough left to attack after its charge.
[17:59] <Kilarra> Kjell moves to the side, intending to keep the group from being bunched together against that noxious, petrifying gas. He then raises his spell arm and unleashes a bolt of lightning straight at the creature.
[18:00] * Aluthyra frowns at her failed attack.
[18:02] <Kilarra> Kjell's lightning bolt works -very- well, the metallic plates of the creature's hide conducting the bolt and searing the side of the beast it struck. It howls angrily and rounds on Kjell, much angrier about taking a hit than the one who missed.
[18:04] * Kilarra figures this is no time for holding back, given the nature of this nasty beast and moves up to the bull, placing a hand on its side and pumping it full of a huge amount of negative energy
[18:06] <Kilarra> The Gorgon thrashes as Kilarra's negative energy exacerbates its wounds and opens a few fresh ones. It wasn't as damaging as Kjell initial attack, but the creature is now bloodied quite thoroughly.
[18:08] <@Aluthyra> Seeing the beast already quite bloody, Tognik tries to slow him down; casting a spell of grease beneath the gorgon.
[18:09] <Kilarra> The gorgon stays on its hooves, just barely for all its thrashing
[18:11] * Aluthyra tries once again, firing three arrows in quick succession; the third firing with extra precision. She plans to end this before the beast reaches Kjell, with luck.
[18:13] <Kilarra> only one of Aluthyra's arrows manages to penetrate the beast's hardened hide, and much like Kilarra's spell, seems to be a pinprick at least relative to Kjell's first impressive strike
[18:14] <Kilarra> The gorgon seems disappointed that it can't reach all of them at once, being situated at different locations around the creature. However, one of them had the gall to touch it, so it rounds on Kilarra and snorts out a noxious cloud of green smoke.
[18:15] * Kilarra is apparently granted that bit of luck from Calistria, as she manages to find the fortitude to resist becoming a lawn ornament.
[18:20] <Kilarra> Kjell steps in close, hoping a combination of blade and spell would finish the beast before it got to try that again.
[18:23] <Kilarra> Kjells blade glances off the creatures magical hide, but his spell manages to sear through with twin rays of searing heat.
[18:23] <Kilarra> The Gorgon is barely alive, but doesn't seem to be planning on giving up
[18:24] * Kilarra decides to finish it with another surge of negative energy
[18:25] <Kilarra> The creature moans fiercely and then collapses onto its side.
[18:25] * Kilarra stays clear of its face, not wanting to take another shower in that green smoke.
[18:27] * Aluthyra sighs, a bit disappointed in her poor shooting.
[18:27] * Aluthyra shakes her head, moving back to mount up. "It is best we continue, if there are more beasts such as that along the road."
[18:28] <@Aluthyra> Tognik checks the gorgon for valuables first.
[18:28] * Kilarra kicks the creatures sides, yelping as she stubs her hoof on its hard scales. "Okay, let's get away from this thing and set up camp. We've been riding most of the day, and after that, I want a break." She rubs her hoof gingerly.
[18:29] <Kilarra> Tognik figures he could get some money for the horns, which could be used as alternative spell components for a number of arcane abilities.
[18:29] <@Aluthyra> Tognik calls to Kjell, "Hey, think you can cut off these horns?"
[18:29] * Aluthyra nods, dismounting, seeing as they were going to set up camp.
[18:31] <Kilarra> The horses, thankfully, were trained well enough to not run off at the first sight of trouble, and are easily calmed, given how handily the party took care of that creature. They set up camp and have no further troubles for the day thankfully.
[18:31] <Kilarra> -End Session-
[18:31] <Kilarra> Rewards: 1 CR 8, 1200 Experience each