Chapter 2: Rites of Passage

[Jeff]

Pel nods at Goran and moves back to the north dock.

Kal steps over to Amal just as Ralsor begins to question the warforged about what's happened, and the two proceed back toward the airship. At Streko's words, Tangat looks instinctively over to Kal, as if for approval. He moves as Streko points, but he doesn't move particularly fast. He gets as far as Grafth and woofs at the shifter.

The Aundairian nobleman crosses the open threshold of the north dock. "I don't like this, Raumok," he says openly. "Why is another ship here now?"

"Arven!" he calls out, and the blond scholar turns at what must be his name. "Do it now. Summon him. Let's not wait." Then he turns and catches the eye of one of stevedores. "Whoever these people are, let none of them interfere," Grafth and Goran hear him say, and both shifter and ranger sense the rise in tension. The half-elf stevedore nods.

Then the Aundairian noble lifts his hand from a pocket—a pale-shafted wand grasped there—and looses a spray of white-blue light from its tip...

A rush of cold air falls over Goran, Grafth, and Tangat, and before their very eyes a wall of gleaming ice forms in the span of three seconds, fully sealing off the threshold to the north dock, sequestering it. The irregular surface of the ice distorts the figures of the noble, the scholar, and Pel as they convene near the center of the dock.

Tangat barks loudly...as the two stevedores steadily close in on Goran and Grafth. It seems odd, watching men in Lyrandar livery obey orders from the nobleman as if in a military unit.

"A fight is inevitable," Mist says from where she stands at the bottom of the gangplank.

[Darren]

Kalarian looks at the wall of ice. "I don't like this at all," he says to Streko in a low voice, his eyes remaining on the frozen wall. "Not at all. Those stevedores are not what they appear, and your gnome friend seems to know it. See if she can break their illusions, and then we'll at least know what we're fighting." Turning his eyes down towards the halfling, he realizes the cleric is not yet moving. "Now, Master Streko! Time is of the essence!"

[Joe]

Streko pauses...."I don't even know her name...."

He turns back to the ship. "Ms...ummm....gnome....can you dispel the illusions? We need to know what we're up against?"

He looks at the Warforged. "A fight is ALWAYS inevitable where we are concerned."

He turns back toward the stevedore. "Will it ever be different?"

A thought comes to him...and he begins a prayer to Olladra.
______________________________________________

If Streko is in range, he will cast a DOOM spell upon the stevedore nearest Tangat.

[Josh]

I'm unclear... is Grafth being attacked? Should I be asking "in character" to know more about the posture the stevedores are taking against Grafth and Goran?

[Jeff]

The gnome woman curses a very unladylike gnomish curse and fishes into her pockets, searching for something...

The two stevedores—lean half-elves with a strange, almost stiff posture—have been slowly encircling Goran and Grafth's positions. Their expressions are utterly slack, but they seem sure-footed about their movements and unafraid of violence.

Streko calls out to Olladra, invoking a condemning spell. As he does, one of the stevedores (the one nearest Goran) falters, his body seeming unsure. Yet his expression remains utterly still. The other looks to his fellow, reaches one arm over his shoulder and produces a small knife from somewhere on his back, as if it were strapped there.

_______________________

Streko's spell causes one of the stevedore's to become shaken (a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks). Due to Streko's action, we're going into Initiative counts now (turn-based mode). This will be the order:

18 = Tangat
15 = Goran / Kal
14 = Mist / gnome / Ralsor
12 = Lyrandar stevedores
11 = Aundairian nobleman / scholar / Pel
10 = Amal
7 = Grafth
4 = Streko
3 = Lyrandar artificer

So post your action!

[Josh]

Grafth takes up a defensive position where he stands, looking quickly around him to get a handle on his surroundings. He holds his short spear across is body with both hands, ready to parry an attack by the stevedore.

[Darren]

Kalarian mutters a curse. Pushing past Amal, he says, "Go help Goran." His language then changes to the arcane as he points his fingers at the stevedore closest to Grafth.

________
Kal is moving forwards two squares (the one next to Amal) and casting Magic Missle on the stevedore closest to Grafth. (assuming that movement is allowed. If not, he'll move as far forward as is allowed.)

Also, also, it's so strange for Kal to be so high in the initiative order. That never seems to happen.

[Jeremy]

Goran says just loud enough to be heard...

"Grafth, stay where you are..."

...without taking his eyes off the stevedores. He backs up slowly towards Grafth's position.

Oh yea...and he pulls off his bow and yanks an arrow onto the string, pulling the bow back but, in a last act to avoid bloodshed, keep the arrow pointed more towards the ground than his opponents. The light of battle in his eyes, however, cannot be misunderstood.

He will shoot to kill the first thing that makes an attacking gesture towards any of his companions.

[Joe]

"We need to break that wall of ice!" Streko yells out.

He moves toward the stevedore he "doomed" and stops at Goran's side.

"This is becoming quite the routine, us fighting for our lives, wouldn't you say?"

As with his helf-elf friend, Streko will wait to see what happens before making taking a more aggressive stance.

"Pel has been cut off. We need to end things on this side quickly if we have any hope of assisting her."

[Jeremy]

Goran leans over a bit to Streko, muttering barely audibly.

"You got any magic that can break that ice? 'Cause I don't. If you do, let's have it soon, but not yet. We'll try and keep an eye on these others."

Goran calls out to the one who just cast the ice spell.

"What is the meaning of this? What do you fear?"

[Jeff]

ROUND 1

18 = Tangat
15 = Goran / Kal
14 = Mist / gnome / Ralsor
12 = Lyrandar stevedores
11 = Aundairian nobleman / scholar / Pel
10 = Amal
7 = Grafth
4 = Streko
3 = Lyrandar artificer
_______________________

Tangat stands his ground, snarling and effectively making himself seem suddenly rabid. Goran loads an arrow, point down, ready to loose upon the first true aggressor...

Kal steps past Amal and launches a glowing dart into the air...which strikes the stevedore (#2) near Goran and forces him back a step. He makes a hollow grunt, but his face doesn't change. It doesn't seem natural.

The warforged, Mist, looks left and right, searching for a reason not to advance and engage the enemy. Then she decides, and springs nimbly past the others until she reaches Goran. Her scimitar is in hand, and she looks poised to fight.

The gnome woman, standing upon the gangplank, produces a wand and points it where the fight is beginning. A flicker of light at the wand's tip precedes the briefest flash in the center of the waiting area....as the magic strips away illusions...

The shapes of the half-elf stevedore shimmers then melts away, leaving two burly warforged in their place. Tall, metal-plated constructs with simmering green stone eyes. The stevedore that carried a dagger now carries a heavy war pick, while the other still has his pick slung over his back. Both warforged resemble the same ones you fought in Fairhaven; clearly of the same design.

The gnome's dispelling effect doesn't stop there, however. The simple gray and silvery shine of her armor plating darkens until it is a solid black; the metal seems covered by a matte enamel that prevents light from reflecting off it. She also wears a hooded, dark gray cloak. Beyond that, she looks very much the same, and still grasps her scimitar in defense of your side. She looks down at her sudden appearance, but doesn't let it distract her.

With a loud ring of metal, Ralsor yanks his rapier free of its scabbard and turns. "What in Khyber is going on?!" With his left hand, he loosens the collar of his coat and exposes a tiny portion of the Mark of Storm upon his collarbone. There is no panic—only irritation—in his movements.

Both stevedores-turned-warforged, revealed for what they are, quicken their pace to attack. Goran sees their intent and looses his arrow at the one nearest him (#1). He nearly misses, but the warforged's faltering steps (from Streko's spell) makes it an easier target. The arrows breaks apart, but it slices through several woody sinews at the construct's shoulder. Yet it is not enough to slow the warforged down. It reaches over its shoulder, produces the military pick, then swipes it down at the smaller figure of Goran. The dexterous ranger dances out of the way.

The second warforged (#2) ignores Tangat, steps in front of him, and brings its weapon to bear against Grafth. Despite the shifter's anticipation and braced for defense, it isn't enough; the warforged is clearly a living instrument of battle. The sharp edge of the military pick shears through the wooden shaft of Grafth's shortspear, splitting it in two, then catches on the shifter's coat and tears both cloth and skin away in a line of blood. Grafth smells his own blood in the air and he can't help but hiss from the pain.

Behind the wall of ice, there is little movement. The distortion of the frozen wall makes it impossible to see what's happening there, much less hear it. Goran's words elicited no response.

Amal runs to Grafth's aid, stepping in and slashing his longsword along the warforged's plating. The wound is real, but not as efficient as needed to finish it.

Streko runs into the fray with his sickle ready, but isn't able to engage any enemies yet. As he closes in, the warforged seem to loom taller and taller from his vantage.

The Lyrandar artificer, an older half-elf, gasps from the sudden conflict and the revealing of the warforged. Though he seems no veteran of battle, it is well known that artificers can both heal or harm warforged. Goran and Streko see the man cautiously approaching the warforged (#1) from behind...

_______________________

• Kal's magic missile = 4 damage to stevedore
  
• Goran's attack = 7 + 7 = 14 (success) / damager is 6 + 2 = 8
  
• Warforged #1's attack: 9 (miss)
  
• Warforged #2's attack: 22 (7 damage to Grafth)
  
• Amal's attack: 18 (3 damage to warforged #2)

[Darren]

As has happened in the past, Kalarian smiles as the fighting begins. He truly seems to enjoy the idea of combat. Hefting his sharrash, he moves quickly behind the warforged, standing opposite of Amal in order to flank the construct. He swings his war-scythe around in a deadly arc at the warforged.

__________
Assuming that's a legal move, Kal is heading opposite of Amal and striking with the sharrash.

[Josh]

Grafth shouts something incomprehensible and throws the remnants of his spear down angrily. In the same movement, he smoothly draws his handaxe from his side. Taking as much aim as time will allow, the shifter makes a heavy strike upward at the warforged's neck, then steps to the west, out of the immediate range of the warforged.

_____________
Grafth's attack roll = 13, damage roll (1d6 + 2) = 7
Also, if Kal or Amal's preceding moves makes makes a neck attack less than optimal, Grafth will pick a secondary target where he sees a weak area on its body.

[Jeremy]

Goran will shoulder his bow and draw his sword, in an effort to attract the Warforged's attention, while Lyrander makes his move.

At his next chance he will attack with his sword. He bellows at Streko:

"Get behind me!"

[Joe]

Streko moves behind Goran, sickle in hand, and awaits an opportunity to assist.

[Jeff]

ROUND 2

18 = Tangat
15 = Kal
14 = Mist / gnome / Ralsor
13 = Goran
12 = enemy warforged
11 = Aundairian nobleman / scholar / Pel
10 = Amal
7 = Grafth
4 = Streko
3 = Lyrandar artificer
_______________________

With the warforged (#2) nearly surrounded, Tangat slips around it, drawing its attention. The construct swings its military pick down in a deadly arc, but the wolfdog leaps away, coming to a stop at the opposite side of Grafth's position, flanking the warforged. If Grafth had ever wondered at Tangat's smarter-than-the-average-dog manners, they're confirmed now; he seems downright tactical. Then the dog snaps at the construct's ankle and actually manages to tear some of the wood away, weakening its footing.

Kal steps into an optimal position, requiring some distance with the reach of his weapon, then brings his sharash down in a deadly sweep...and the tip catches the warforged on the shoulder, loosing his entire arm. The construct issues an irritated grunt, but it's still got a lot of fight left.

Mist weaves about in place, ready to feint with her scimitar, then leads it into a graceful slash across the other warforged's stomach. Metal rents and wood splinters, and the enemy construct begins to slump even as it fights.

With a curse, Ralsor dashes to the spot beside Grafth, his rapier raised to join the fight. "Who in Khyber are we fighting!?" he demands to no one in particular.

Goran lets his bow hang loose from his shoulder as he rips out his sword and renews his attack. His angle isn't good enough, and the blade skitters off the warforged's armor.

"Betrayer," the warforged (#1) utters as it turns its head upon Mist, bringing its pick against the feminine construct. The thick tip of the weapon punctures the other warforged's chest, driving her back several steps. Splinters of wood fall from the injury and Goran and Streko can hear her issuing a low moan.

The other warforged (#2) looks to Kal as the source of its pain. It closes the distance between the two, then slashes angrily with its pick....which catches the straps of his armored leg right near the knee...sheering away leather, buckles, skin, and scraping the bone. Kal bellows in sudden agony. Half of the armor on his leg falls away completely. Tangat issues a high-pitch bark at the scene.

Amal takes the opportunity and stabs his longsword clear through the warforged's stomach and pulls it back out again. The construct rumbles its discomfort and nearly stumbles...even as Grafth joins in with a sweep of his hand axe, tearing away more wood and even dislodging a sizable plate of metal. Yet still the warforged stands to fight.

As Streko falls back into a defensive posture, he sees indistinct movement behind the wall of ice, and what appears to be a thin line of fire reaching up into the darkness above the north dock; possibly a fire spell discharged into the sky.

Seeming afraid but determined, the Lyrandar artificer steps behind the warforged (#1) and reaches out with his hand as if to lightly punch it with his bare hands. Yet when his fingers make contact to the unsuspecting construct, white electricity plays out to encompass the warforged. The warforged emits a metallic scream, though you cannot see what actual injury he has sustained. It turns...to see the older half-elf scurrying away to get clear. Taking the opportunity, the warforged heaves its military pick on a backswing...

...the sharpened point stabs through the artificer's neck, until the shaft slams into his face. He drops, twitching lightly, to the ground like a broken puppet.

"The breather breathes no more," the warforged says impassively, but it is clear to Goran and Streko that its strength has been mostly sapped away.

_______________________

• Warforged #2's attack of opportunity: 3 (miss)
  
• Tangat's attack = 19 +2 +2 (flanking) = 23 / damage is 1 + 3 = 4 to warforged #2
  
• Kal's attack = 17 +2 +2 (flanking = 21 / damage is 4 + 1 = 5 to warforged #2
  
• Mist's attack = 23 (7 damage to warforged #1)
  
• Goran's attack = 7 + 4 = 11 (miss)
  
• Warforged #1's attack = 18 (8 damage to Mist)
  
• Warforged #2's attack = 23 (10 damage to Kal)
  
• Amal's attack = 20 (6 damage to warforged #2)
  
• Grafth's attack = 9 + 4 +2 (flanking) = 15 / damage is 5 + 2 = 7 to warforged #2
  
• Lyrandar artificer's infusion = 9 damage to warforged #1
  
• Warforged #1's attack of opportunity = 24 (critical hit; 27 damage to artificer)
  

[Josh]

Who in Khyber are we fighting!?" Ralsor demands to no one in particular.

"That's what we're here to find out," Grafth says quickly to the half-elf. "Whoever is behind that wall of ice has been after us for days; we mean to end this!"

Glancing toward Goran, he sees that their enemy seems to be on its way out, and only briefly catches a glimpse of the fallen artificer.

"Ralsor, we need to finish off these warforged, and it's likely we'll need a quick escape soon after. There won't be time to debate this later, so I ask you now, will you help us?"

He waits only briefly for an answer before turning back to face the warforged. With is free hand he removes a dagger from his belt and moves toward his enemy, staying wide. If a clear opportunity presents itself, he throws the dagger at the 'forged, hoping to distract it from its assault on Kalarian.

______________________
Grafth's attack roll = 13, damage roll (1d4+2) =6

[Darren]

Kalarian eyes burn with ferocity and he lets out a growl as he glances briefly down at his seemingly shattered knee. "That hasn't slowed me down, yet," he snarls at the warforged. Stepping back a few paces, Kalarian whirls the sharrash around and heaves it into the construct with all his strength.

___________
5 ft. step back and attack again.

[Jeff]

ROUND 3

18 = Tangat
15 = Kal
14 = Mist / gnome / Ralsor
13 = Goran
12 = enemy warforged
11 = Aundairian nobleman / scholar / Pel
10 = Amal
7 = Grafth
4 = Streko

_______________________


Tangat changes his tactic, nipping aggressively at the warforged's (#2) heel to district it from Kal's next attack. The Deneith heir steps back again, watching his step carefully, bringing his sharash down again to finish the job. Driven by pain and anger, Kal sinks the scythe blade into the warforged's torso in an angle, dropping the construct heavily to the ground. His sharash is still buried in its body, and the warforged lies still.

Mist, seeming reluctant to attack face to face again, spins a dagger out from her cloak, then hefts it at the warforged. The blade spins end over end, but it clatters harmlessly off its plating.

"Well done," Ralsor says to Kal, then glances to Grafth as he sprints over to the remaining warforged. "The only way I'm leaving this tower is on my ship. Something tells me you need to stick with me for a while." When he sees the dead or dying Lyrandar artificer, he curses, then stabs his rapier at the living construct. The slender metal shaft sinks into the fibrous wood of its neck...he twists and grinds, then withdraws his rapier with a flourish as the warforged drops to the ground, as inert as its fellow.

"Any healers here?" he says loudly, looking grimly at the blood pooling beneath the older half-elf.

The thin stream of fire that Streko spotted through the wall of ice now draws everyone else's attention. There is some shouting on the other side of that ice, and you can see the distorted images of the three men—the Aundairian noble, the blond scholar, and the Emerald Claw commander (Pel).

The fire suddenly stops and all is calm for a moment...

_______________________

• Tangat's assistance to Kal provides him a +2 on his attack roll.
  
• Kal's attack = 16 +2 +2 (Tangat) = 20 / damage is 9 +1 = 10
  
• Mist's attack = 10 (miss)
  
• Ralsor's attack = 19 / damage is 6

The two warforged are defeated, so there is no need to play out the rest of this round. Grafth has no need to throw is dagger just now. And we're out of turn-based mode for the time being.

What do you do next?

[Darren]

Kalarian stumbles slightly as he moves to the fallen warforged. He grunts with the exertion of removing his weapon from his fallen foe. "These models are nothing like the ones we faced on the Plains during the war," he says to Ralsor.

Leaning on his sharrash, Kalarian makes his way over to Streko. "Master Streko, if you please, this wound will serve to slow me down and we can't have that right now." Looking down at his knee, Kalarian seems more concerned about the ruined straps around his leg than the wound itself.

Turning his head to Ralsor, Kalarian says, "We need to get on the other side of that wall, and I don't think we're going to be able to get straight through. Any chance of moving your ship around so we can get there from the other side?"

[Joe]

Streko doesn't hesistate. Slipping his sickle back into his haversack, he moves quickly to Kalarian's side, grasps his holy symbol and prays to Olladra for the gift of a powerful healing spell.

He places his hands over Kal's knee and feels the energy of his Goddess flowing through him and into his friend.

"Whatever we mean to do, we must do it quickly. And bring one of those warforged with us if possible. Perhaps my gnome friend who helped us realize that the warforged were illusions might be able to get some information from them."
__________________________________________

Streko uses the last of his spells to provide the healing that Kal needs.

[Darren]

As Streko ministers Kalarian's wounds, the man has a seemingly uncommon moment of selflessness. "Please, Master Streko, save some healing for our shifter friend, as well. He may not have been as successful as I was in felling these machines, but he fought bravely and deserves to have his wounds tended, too."

[Jeremy]

Goran runs over to the artificier, to assess if there seems any chance of him still being alive. If so, Goran will attempt his heal skill to try and keep him alive.

[Jeff]

Goran kneels to the dying artificer's side, pressing his hands to the gushing wound at the old half-elf's neck. But even as the ranger fumbles for some sort of bandage, he feels the last pulse of the man's heartflow. Goran's left kneeling at his side, both hands warm with blood. The artificer is dead.

Conjuration magic flows from Streko's fingertips, but it is only a small amount. Kal feels the sharp sting of his injury fade away, but the severity of the wound remains.

Ralsor seems to consider Kal's request for a moment. "Fine. Maybe. But as we go tell me exactly who you suspect those men are. I don't want Thunderhead blasted out of the sky, you know?"

He begins to job back toward his airship. Mist follows. Ralsor looks over at her as he moves. "Are you still looking for passage, or work?"

"I am," she says.

"You're hired. Keep defending my ship and"—he glances over his shoulder at the rest of the group—"my spontaneous crew, as it were." He looks her up and down, regarding the sudden blackness of her metal plating, and the fluid dark gray cloak she wears. "Then later we can talk about your secrets."

Mist says nothing to that.

Seeing everyone approaching the ship, the gnome climbs back down to the deck of the ship. She looks like she's wrestling with a decision.

Grafth and Streko hear the sudden clamoring of booted feet racing up toward this level from the stairwell. They hear barked orders, and feel certain that Lyrandar guards are coming to investigate the commotion.

Much to his dismay, Goran still detects the unseen presence he felt earlier. The illusion-disguised warforged were not what he was sensing. There is still something nearby that remains invisible...watching.

_______________________

Streko casts Cure Minor Wounds, healing Kal 1 hit point. However, he cannot turn his last remaining spell (Entropic Shield) into a cure spell because it is a domain spell.

[Darren]

"Everyone," Kalarian raises his voice to shout, "let's move. Get on that airship and get it moving before those guards come up here. We have no time to be detained!" As he moves quickly towards the airship, he addresses Ralsor. "We don't know exactly who they are. We had been attacked by agents of The Emerald Claw. Once we interrogated them, we found out there was to be a meeting here tonight at midnight between their commander and the man who hired them. Our friend is pretending to be the commander and is on the other side of that wall now waiting for this mystery employer to show up. We don't know much more than that, but I suspect that our friend is in danger right now. I also suspect that there are answers to many of our questions over there, which is why I think we should get moving."

[Josh]

Grafth catches up with Kalarian. "He's right, we need to move, quickly. Pel needs us." He strides toward Ralsor's ship and notices the gnome, perhaps for the first time.

"I don't know who you are, but your choice is to come with us right now, or stay behind with the Lyrander guards. I cannot promise that either option will provide safety."

[Joe]

Streko frowns at the poor showing his healing spell made, but moves ahead to the boat.

Climbing on board, he goes straight to the gnome and takes her hand. He kisses it briefly.

"Thank you for your timely assistance, dear lady. Without it, the end result may have been much more grim than it was. I must, however, beg you to remain and continue helping us, at least for a short time. And if there is anything within my power to assist you, you have but to ask."

He then goes to the "female" warforged. "My name is Streko Tavven and you have my gratitude. In the meantime, I must counsel with my friends and find out what exactly just happened and prepare for what is about to occur."

[Jeff]

Ralsor stops suddenly after Kal speaks, seeming to consider just waiting for the Lyrandar guards to enlist their help. But he glances at the two fallen warforged and the slain artificer and shakes his head. "To Khyber with all of this, let's go." He climbs the gangplank in three quick strides and leaps to the deck of Thunderhead. "I'm not waiting for anyone, so get aboard!"

When Grafth speaks to the gnome woman, he gets the very strong impression that he's seen her before. But he can't place it, not right now. If he could have a moment to think...

She nods timidly at Grafth's words and turns quickly away, choosing to stay aboard. When Streko speaks to her, she squeaks, "It's no problem, Master Streko." Even Kal, Streko, and Goran felt they've seen her before. But it's hard to be sure in this chaos.

Mist climbs aboard the ship as well, saying nothing to Streko in return. She looks down at the gaping hole in her chest; clearly it's bothering her, though there can be no expression on her face. She doesn't otherwise seem affected.

Ralsor runs toward the back of the ship, heading for a short stair up to the pilothouse. "Unwind or break those lines!" he calls out to your group, who have already all come aboard. "We're not going anywhere if we're still attached."

Mist walks over to the west-most rope that's lashed to one of the dock's capstans. She begins to saw at the rope as fast as she can. There's two more lines that need to be cut or untied.

[Darren]

Kalarian motions for Amal to cut one of the lines as he walks over the final one. Removing a dagger that miraculously was not cut free from the straps around his leg when he was hit, Kalarian begins to cut the line. He frees up one hand to motion for Grafth to come over to where he is. When the shifter does, he speaks in a low voice. "Where have we seen that gnome woman before? It tickles at my mind, but I cannot place her. Was she aboard the rail with us?"

[Jeff]

"My lord," Amal says to Kal, "I know really know what's going on, but I don't think it's wise to run away from the Lyrandar guards. If enemies are presenting themselves, we should be witnessed on the side of the law." He looks back toward the waiting area. "But leaving bodies in our wake...well, this isn't the battlefield."

Nevertheless, the Blademark heads over to the next rope line and begins to saw away with his longsword.