Sandulf

Davina falls into the fountain and her blood turns the once pristine waters a pinkish hue. She doesn’t move again except for the occasional death spasm.

“I suppose I can trust you, yellow eyes.” Yurian says from behind you. You turn to see him staring intently at you. Behind him, you hear the myrddraal shriek in an unearthly voice back at the patio. “You are good with that axe, and you didn’t turn it on me.” He finishes.

At that moment you hear another darkhound howl from somewhere inside the manor house, and you can still hear frantic cries for help from servants and angry cursing from some of the guards and soldiers. “Go save your people, Stonebow.” you tell him.

He nods and turns, preparing to head back to the manor house. At that moment, Elia and Iselle sprint around the hedge maze and run right into the two of you. Iselle looks at Davina’s body laying face down in the fountain, still spasming. “The fade escaped.” She says simply. “Are either of you hurt? Did either of you do battle with any darkhounds? If so, I must check you. Even a drop of spittle from a darkhound can be deadly.”

Yurian backs up, glaring at Iselle. “You will not touch me with the One Power, Iselle.” he growls. “You have leave to hold onto it for the time being, but I will hold you to your oaths not to turn it on me, woman. Touch me with it, and I will kill you. Just as surely as I killed your sisters when you tried to capture me.”

For a moment Iselle looks like his words gravely injured her, but she quickly regains her composure, returning to a mask of pure Aes Sedai serenity so quickly that you aren’t sure you didn’t imagine the pained expression on her face only a split second before. “As you wish, Yurian. What about you, yellow eyed one? Are you hurt? Even the spittle of a darkhound can kill. Are you sure you didn’t take any on your flesh?” She asks you. She doesn’t wait for a response…instead she grabs your arms and begins turning them over in her hands, looking for any signs of injury from a darkhound. Elia watches, knowing full well that you engaged a darkhound earlier.

You shake your head and mutter “No.” as she examines you. Finally, she looks you up and down one more time before turning back to Yurian. She releases your arm as she does so.

“What now?” She asks.

Yurian looks toward the manor house. “You and our friends here are going to finish off those darkhounds. I’m going to rally the soldiers outside the walls against this trolloc attack.” He says. “This…is called a Gateway. It was a weave taught to me by one of the very darkfriends we killed tonight. He called it a gift. A gift of knowledge, and a promise of more to come. If I would only serve him and his filthy master. I refused his offer, but I still learned. DIDN’T I, RENSHERE?” He yells, looking across the divide between the hedge mazes at Renshere’s destroyed body.

As he speaks, you suddenly become aware of Sochaia’s apprehension from earlier. You had been feeling it all through the fight, but had ignored it up until now because there was simply nothing you could do about it. But now, you’re aware again, and you know you need to return to your friends. Something else is happening back at the inn. And Sochaia has been badly injured. As you turn to tell Yurian that you can’t stay, you hear Iselle gasp as the air once again splits open, just as it did when the attack first began and Yurian disappeared, leaving you and Elia alone to deal with a darkhound in the library. From your vantage point, you can see it has opened back into the manor house somewhere.

“How? How is this possible? We’ve written histories documenting such weaves, but they’ve been lost to Aes Sedai since the Breaking. How did you do it?” She asks.

“Now isn’t the time for lessons, woman! Go. Find the darkhounds and destroy them. Take these two with you. Despite what they say, they are not simple, curious onlookers. They are capable warriors, possibly trained assassins, and you’ll need them.” Yurian says, pointing to you and Elia.

You shake your head. “I can’t help you with this problem, Yurian. I must go. My…lord and lady are in danger. We were staying at the River and the Rose, and if trollocs have made it inside the town, I need to be there to protect them.” You say, trying hard to watch your words and not reveal too much. Sticking to the original story each of you agreed upon, you reveal a bit more. "You’re right…we’re not simple “onlookers”, curious to see a man calling himself the Dragon Reborn. Mithren and I are in service to House Quintaros. We were sent here by Lord Etan himself, to assess your sanity. That is all. If it makes you feel any better, we were about to leave and report back that you seemed fine when you caught us. The Lady Quintaros wishes to meet with you in the morning. I hope you understand why I can’t stay."

Elia looks at you, stunned, but finally nods. “It’s true, though I don’t think he should have revealed as much…my Lord Dragon.” She says.

Yurian looks at the two of you for a long moment. Back in the manor house, you can still hear chaos in the form of screams and curses, along with breaking furniture and glass. He ignores it. “I believe you. The River and the Rose, you say?” His gateway shrinks to a thin, silvery point, extends again, rotates, then stretches, slashing the air horizontally before opening again. As it does so, he continues. “Then this is the least I can do. As much as I hate to admit it, if it weren’t for the two of you….and Iselle here…I might be in the hands of darkfriends or worse by now. Go. Protect your lord and lady. And if we still live in the morning, tell your lady Quintaros that I will meet with her.”

With that, he points at his gateway, and you can see the River and the Rose before you….burning. Kael is about 70 feet away from you on the other side, his back to you, frozen in mid air, Blightslayer raised fully over his head in both hands, poised to strike, yet he doesn’t move. In front of him, a man stares angrily up at Kael, weaving his hands. Directly in front of the gateway, you can see Sochaia come out of one of the dormers up on the roof of the inn. Behind her, the first two floors of the inn are ablaze. And to the right of the gateway, you see Ni’tareus battling with a darkhound. You can’t see Terith. Two myrddraal corpses kick and thrash, and the bodies of two draghkar, as well as that of a human, lie in crumpled heaps on the earth.

With the opening of the gateway come the sounds from around the inn, and in addition to the crackling of flames and the screams of people burning to death inside the inn, you can hear other people…villagers, on the other side of the gateway, shouting at the shadowspawn and darkfriends. “Leave our home, darkfriends!” they shout, or “Someone help them! They are fighting for us! We can’t let them die!”

You don’t wait. Seeing your friends in danger, you bolt through the gateway. Elia is right on your heels. You don’t even notice when the gateway winks out of existence behind you. The darkfriend in front of Kael sees your gateway and his eyes widen as you charge through it. Obviously, he was expecting someone else to step through that hole in the air. Perhaps one of his friends.

Things don’t look good for your friends. You finally spot Terith to the right of you, laying in a pool of his own blood. He isn’t moving. Ni’tareus appears okay, but he’s busy dealing with the darkhound in front of him. Kael cannot move, and he is actually suspended in air, as if he were jumping at the darkfriend in front of him, planning to plant his axe in the darkfriend’s skull. And Sochaia stands up on the roof of the inn, wind blowing through her hair. Through the bond, you can feel that she is badly hurt, though not quite near death. The inn itself is burning badly, with smoke billowing out of the first and second floor windows, and the entire northern wing, where the common room once stood, has collapsed.

Sochaia

You step out onto the roof of the inn. Smoke billows out of the raised window behind you. Somewhere inside, Laen is still trapped by your ward. You ignore him for the time being. Your warders are badly hurt, and you need to help them.

Below you, bathed in the flickering light of the burning inn, you can see the bodies of two myrddraal as they thrash about in their death throes, and two draghkar and the body of a man you do not know lie crumpled not far from the myrddraal. Your eyes lock on Kael, Ni’tareus, and Terith though. Terith has fallen, and isn’t moving. He lies in a pool of his own blood as a darkhound howls over his lifeless body and turns it’s slobbering head to look at something new…black ears perking up.

To his left, a shining, silvery streak illuminates an area not far away from where Terith and the others are. It extends, spinning, then slashes the air, and resolves into an opening of some sort. Your eyes widen as you see it. This is no weave you’ve ever seen before. And you cannot sense even a touch of Saidar in it, which can mean only one thing….another male channeler is near, and creating this weave.

But as the weave opens fully, you can see a garden of some sort beyond, and then Sandulf jumps through the hole, followed quickly by Elia, and a woman you do not know. She is wearing a red dress, and her dark brown hair is covered in dust. Her body glows in the white nimbus that indicates she is holding Saidar. Each one immediately darts off to engage the remaining darkhounds, with Sandulf raising his axe and Elia raising her bow. The woman behind them begins weaving her hands.

At that moment you become aware of two other things. Villagers from the surrounding homes are gathering in the streets around the alley, yelling at the darkhounds and raising torches, rakes and hoes, and some are even armed with weapons, like bows, short swords, and knives. And as those people begin moving toward the battle with your warders, you realize that it isn’t just darkhounds they are fighting, but darkfriend channelers as well.

Kael is frozen in mid-air, as if jumping. He holds Blightslayer above his head in both hands, as if he were preparing to cleave the man in front of him, who is weaving his hands frantically. And from your left, you see red filaments streak out of the darkness and realize another male channeler is over there. By the looks of it, he and the darkhound may have been the ones to drop Terith, as they are both nearest his body.

Kael

You are frozen in mid-air, helpless against this darkfriend. You are angry, and you attempt to roar in anger, but even your mouth is held in place by this weave the darkfriend placed around your body. All you can do is watch, and listen helplessly as your friends die around you. Terith grunted only moments ago, and you heard his huge body fall to the ground as a darkhound savagely mauled him, growling in anger as it attacked. Terith didn’t make another noise afterwards, and the darkhound followed up his mauling with a horrifying howl of triumph moments later.

Now you are frozen, and the darkfriend in front of you taunts you. “I liked burning you Ogier, but my original idea of trapping you with air was certainly the wiser decision. I should have done this from the start. Then I could burn you at my leisure. I think that’s what I will do after I finish off your remaining friend. He looks to be in bad shape, and if the darkhound doesn’t finish him first…”

The man trails off as his eyes widen. You can’t see what he’s looking at, but whatever it is, he isn’t pleased, as his expression darkens. Behind the darkfriend, armed villagers are gathering their courage. You think it may be only moments before they muster up the courage to attack the darkfriends, and may have already done so if it weren’t for the darkhounds and those dreadful howls breaking the night. Instead they continue to rattle torches and small weapons, crying out for someone to help you and your friends. At the moment the darkfriend trails off with his taunt to you, the villagers behind him quiet as well, each one staring at the same thing the darkfriend is. They too do not look pleased.

The darkfriend stares beyond you, and then his expression changes into a smirk. “Oh! I recognize that one. Master Laen was right…he does have yellow eyes! No longer hiding your eyes behind a blindfold, I see? And what’s this? Is that…is that an Aes Sedai? Good! More for the slaughter!” The man yells.

A woman’s voice responds from behind you. She is icy calmness, and you are sure she really is an Aes Sedai. “Not just an Aes Sedai, male. Red Ajah. A woman trained to hunt your kind down.”

The man’s expression changes from a smirk to pure fury in an instant. “Is that right? Then I will enjoy killing you, witch. I will enjoy it very much. You and your red friends had as much to do with my choice to serve the Great Lord as anything else. How does that make you feel, knowing that what you do drives men to become dreadlords rather than face being…gentled? Hey Fres! We’ve got ourselves one of those Red sisters from the White Tower over here!” The man yells. That last part, to his friend, was amplified with the One Power.

From behind you and much further back, you hear a man curse, then his voice becomes amplified by the One Power too. “Gentle her then. Let’s see how she likes never being able to touch the True Source again.” He responds calmly.

The man’s smirk returns. “I like that idea. Come on then, Red. Let’s see how you like being Gentled!”

He weaves his hands, and the battle resumes. From above you, and to your right, you can feel Sochaia. She’s survived whatever happened inside the inn, and she’s angry. But she’s free, and for that, you’re thankful.

Round 7.

Lanndon: Since this is a new combat more or less, everyone roll a new initiative please.
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: Initiative [1d20+2 = 21]
GM: Initiative ²¹
Conall Anon: Initiative [1d20+8 = 13]
GM: Initiative ¹³
Kael-Tevenar-: Initiative [1d20+4 = 10]
GM: Initiative ¹⁰
GM: [1d20+5 = 7]
GM: ⁷
GM: [1d20+1 = 5]
GM: ⁵
GM: [1d20+8 = 13]
GM: ¹³
GM: [1d20+1 = 19]
GM: ¹⁹
GM: [1d20+1 = 2]
GM: ²
GM: [1d20+2 = 7]
GM: ⁷
GM: [1d20+2 = 11]
GM: ¹¹
GM: [1d20+5 = 7]
GM: ⁷

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros

Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): Immolate the Darkhound.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [10d6 = 39]
GM: [1d20+4 = 23]
GM: ²³
GM: ³⁹

Sochaia channels from up on the roof, and the darkhound savaging Terith suddenly bursts into flame. It yelps, a horrible, unnatural yelp, and jumps backwards, away from Terith, as if he were the one responsible for the attack.

Frestin Devoria: I see you up there, Aes Sedai!

The darkfriend is staring up at Sochaia, having just witnessed the darkhound burst into flames.
He weaves his hands, channeling Saidin, and more red filaments come flying out of his hands as he points at Sochaia up on the roof. The streak through the night, racing for her.

Frestin Devoria: [10d20 = 128]
Frestin Devoria: [1d20 = 7]
Frestin Devoria: [7d4 = 15]
Frestin Devoria: ¹⁵

Sochaia is pelted with seven of the red filaments that riddle her body. She screams in pain as the arrows of fire pelt her over and over again.

Conall Anon

Conall Anon: Iselle please take out that one over there.
Conall Anon points towards Frestin

Iselle Mondravon: Will do.

Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe (Attack 1) [1d2016 = 30]
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: Immolate the Darkhound.
Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe damage [1d129 = 11]
Iselle Mondravon: *Power-wrought +2 Hafted Axe damage ¹¹

Kael-Tevenar- is surprised to see Sandulf. “Glad you could make it to the party, woodsman.”
Kael-Tevenar- grins.
Kael-Tevenar-: What took you?

Sandulf rushes out of the gateway and charges the darkfriend taunting Iselle. As he reaches the man, he swings and cuts him across his midsection, causing the smirking man to lose his smirk. Anger replaces it instantly.

Conall Anon: had some people to kill of my own first.

Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 1) [1d20+15 = 22]
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 2) [1d20+10 = 29]
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 1) ²²
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 2) ²⁹
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow damage [1d6+1 = 6]
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow damage [1d6+1 = 6]
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow damage ⁶
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow damage ⁶

Kael-Tevenar-: Ahh….too busy for the rest of us I see.

As Sandulf cuts the darkfriend in front of Kael, two arrows suddenly sprout from the darkhound attacking Ni’tareus, and the beast yelps in pain, then turns its head, snarling and staring death at Ni’tareus, as if he were somehow responsible.

DragonSypher (Kael-Tevenar-): hey lanndon, can i have one of those fox head medalions that Mat had? I could REALLY use one. :) Thanks
Iselle Mondravon: Bite [1d20+13 = 18]
Lanndon: lol, are you kidding? You’re only vulnerable to the One Power as it is!
Iselle Mondravon: Bite ¹⁸

The Darkhound snarls and lunges at Ni’tareus, but the warder is quick and manages to jump to the side, avoiding the bite.

DragonSypher (Kael-Tevenar-): thats exactly why I want one…so I can be the wheel of time equivaliant of the Hulk

Kael-Tevenar-

Iselle Mondravon: Concentration [1d20+13 = 22]
Iselle Mondravon: Concentration ²²

Suddenly Kael drops free as Sandulf’s attack is savage enough to force the channeler to lose concentration on his weave.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: Reflex save [1d20+7 = 19]
Iselle Mondravon: Reflex save ¹⁹
Kael-Tevenar-: Reflex save [1d20+7 = 12]
Iselle Mondravon: Reflex save ¹².

Kael, you weren’t expecting to be released and when you were, you fell. You stagger and trip, but regain your balance. You can only take a five foot step as your movement this turn.

Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork 1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) *single attack (Attack 1) [1d20+15 = 20]
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork 1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) *single attack damage [1d10+10 = 12]
Iselle Mondravon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork 1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) *single attack damage ¹²

Kael regains his balance and with a mighty roar, swings his axe and cuts the darkfriend’s right arm. The man spits in fury as he sputters for the words to a proper taunt.

The darkhound howls and charges Ni’tareus as he’s the closest to him. Terith doesn’t move.

Kael-Tevenar- grins darkly. “Oooh, that will leave a mark.”

Iselle Mondravon: Bite [1d20+13 = 17]
Iselle Mondravon: Bite ¹⁷

It lunges at Ni’tareus, but somehow the warder detects the creature’s arrival and manages to avoid it’s bite.

Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): throw salt water on it.
Iselle Mondravon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 1) [1d20+10 = 14]
Iselle Mondravon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 2) [1d20+5 = 13]
Iselle Mondravon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 1) ¹⁴
Iselle Mondravon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 2) ¹³

Ni’tareus, perhaps caught off guard by the addition of another darkhound attacking him, manages to swing and miss twice on the other darkhound.

Iselle walks out of the gate, then weaves her hands. Sochaia, you see a ward fall around her…a small one, just big enough to cover her and a bit further. If you don’t have Ward Against Shadowspawn already, make a Weavesight Check now.

Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): been there, so done with dat.

The ward is a 10’ radius placed around her.

Sandulf, make a Will save, DC 20.

Reamon Joromon smirks at Sandulf

Reamon Joromon: [10d6 = 46]
Reamon Joromon: ⁴⁶
Conall Anon: Will save 14, +1 [1d2015 = 31]
Reamon Joromon: Will save +14, +1 ³¹

The man smirks as he backs away from Sandulf. You can tell it’s taking all of his macho ability to maintain that smirk after the beating he’s taken this round. But he does it, and Sandulf suddenly bursts into flames.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros readies Immolate weave.

Reamon Joromon: I’ve been wanting a piece of you since I saw you anyway.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros interrupting Frestin’s weave with the Immolate.

Sochaia moves across the rooftops, and as she does, Frestin weaves his hands. Sochaia releases her readied weave first.

Reamon Joromon: Will save [1d20+11 = 16]
Reamon Joromon: Will save ¹⁶
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [1d6 = 6]
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [1d6 = 3]
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [1d6 = 5]
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [1d6 = 4]
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [10d6 = 29]
Reamon Joromon: ²⁹

Conall Anon

Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe (Attack 1) [1d2016 = 21]
Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe (Attack 2) [1d2011 = 16]
Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe damage [1d129 = 12]

As the darkfriend prepares to release his weave, Sochaia releases Immolate and he bursts into flames. I’ll make a Concentration check for him now, or his weave is wasted.

Reamon Joromon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe damage ¹²
Reamon Joromon: Concentration [1d2013 = 15]
Reamon Joromon: Concentration ¹⁵

Smirky Smirkyton taunts Sandulf and as he does, Sandulf’s axe bites the man, cutting him around his thigh deeply. Blood spurts from the new wound, and the man screams in pain.

Reamon Joromon: Burn you!

Reamon Joromon: Shortbow (attack 1) [1d20+15 = 22]
Reamon Joromon: Shortbow (attack 2) [1d20+10 = 12]
Reamon Joromon: Shortbow (attack 1) ²²
Reamon Joromon: Shortbow (attack 2) ¹²
Reamon Joromon: Shortbow damage [1d6+1 = 5]
Reamon Joromon: Shortbow damage ⁵

Conall Anon: you tried that already

Elia fires another pair of arrows, but only one hits. The darkhound it hits snarls at the pain of it.

Kael-Tevenar-

Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 1) [1d2015 = 21]
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 2) [1d2010 = 26]
Reamon Joromon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 1) ²¹
Reamon Joromon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 2) ²⁶
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage [1d1010 = 18]
Reamon Joromon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage ¹⁸
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage [1d1010 = 11]
Reamon Joromon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (+2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage ¹¹

As the darkfriend curses Sandulf and Sandulf responds, Kael brings Blightslayer down into the man’s shoulder and cleaves him open. He screams and looks up at the Ogier in disbelief. Eventually he slumps to his knees, still staring at Kael as he dies.

Reamon Joromon: Bite [1d20+13 = 19]
Reamon Joromon: Bite ¹⁹
Reamon Joromon: Bite damage [2d6+7 = 17]
Reamon Joromon: Bite damage ¹⁷
Reamon Joromon: Fortitude save [1d20+10 = 19]
Reamon Joromon: Fortitude save ¹⁹

The darkhound lunges at Ni’tareus and mauls him savagely. Ni’tareus screams as his flesh is torn open by silvery teeth.

Reamon Joromon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 1) [1d20+10 = 19]
Reamon Joromon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 2) [1d20+5 = 17]
Reamon Joromon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 1) ¹⁹
Reamon Joromon: Powerattack Heron Marked Blade (attack 2) ¹⁷

Ni’tareus, perhaps stunned by the visciousness of the darkhounds attack, swings and misses twice.

Reamon Joromon: Reflex save [1d20+8 = 14]
Reamon Joromon: Reflex save ¹⁴

Iselle weaves her hands and the darkhound on the far side suddenly freezes in mid-step. Sochaia, you see the air around him harden, including his head.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros weaves a ward against Shadowspawn around Ni’tareus.

Sochaia weaves, and Iselle looks up at the roof. She nods.

Conall Anon

Reamon Joromon: [1d20+4 = 23]
Reamon Joromon: ²³
Reamon Joromon: Listen [1d20+8 = 20]
Reamon Joromon: Listen ²⁰
Frestin Devoria: Will save [1d20+13 = 18]
Frestin Devoria: Will save ¹⁸
Frestin Devoria: [10d6 = 30]
Frestin Devoria: ³⁰

Iselle suddenly bursts into flame and she shrieks in pain.

Frestin Devoria: Concentration [1d20+13 = 22]
Frestin Devoria: Concentration ²²
Frestin Devoria: Concentration [1d20+15 = 31]
Frestin Devoria: Concentration ³¹

Frestin is suddenly free again.

Conall Anon

Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe (Attack 1) [1d2016 = 29]
Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe damage [1d129 = 17]
Frestin Devoria: *Power-wrought +2 Hafted Axe damage ¹⁷

Sandulf rushes forward, swinging his axe and hitting one of the darkhounds next to Ni’tareus. It howls in pain.

Iselle Mondravon: To me, girl. The darkhounds can’t touch you here.

Elia nods as she moves and raises her bow.

Elia: Shortbow (attack 1) [1d20+15 = 19]
Elia: Shortbow (attack 2) [1d20+10 = 14]
Elia: Shortbow (attack 1) ¹⁹

Elia fires an arrow and it flies wide..

The darkhound senses something about Ni’tareus…or around him. It turns, silvery fangs reflecting soft moonlight as it looks for different prey….and finds it in Kael. With a howl of fury, it turns and sprints at the Ogier.

Elia: Bite [1d20+13 = 16]
Elia: Bite ¹⁶

Kael-Tevenar-

The darkhound lunges at Kael, but misses.

Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 1) [1d2015 = 29]
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 2) [1d2010 = 22]
Elia: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 1) ²⁹
Elia: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 2) ²²
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage [1d1010 = 11]
Elia: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage ¹¹
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage [1d1010 = 20]
Elia: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (+2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) damage ²⁰

Kael swings twice, catching the darkhound as it lunges at him and cutting it hard across the chest before bringing the axe down again and cutting it hard on its spine. The darkhound whimpers and reels at the attack, but bones pop, and somehow the thing remains standing.

The other darkhound also senses something wrong with Ni’tareus and Sandulf, and he turns. His only option just happens to be the weakest. The gaggle of villagers that have managed enough courage to come this far suddenly break apart and flee in every direction as the darkhound lopes through the darkness. It’s silvery eyes shine, and the villagers shriek and flee. One of them isn’t lucky enough to get away though…an elderly man turns to flee and is instead knocked forward as the darkhound jumps on him from behind, mauling the old man savagely. Flesh rips and bones snap as the darkhound tears into the old man.

Ni’tareus: Heron Marked Blade (attack 1) [1d20+15 = 19]
Ni’tareus: Heron Marked Blade (attack 2) [1d20+10 = 16]
Ni’tareus: Heron Marked Blade (attack 1) ¹⁹
Ni’tareus: Heron Marked Blade damage [1d8+5 = 9]
Ni’tareus: Heron Marked Blade damage ⁹

Ni’tareus reacts quickly. He won’t allow innocents to be killed, if you know him. And true enough, he takes off after the darkhound mauling the old man and drives his sword through the beasts hindquarters. It howls and turns on Ni’tareus.

Iselle Mondravon: I see you are smarter than I gave you credit for, darkfriend. Still though, there is one thing you won’t break free from.

Iselle Mondravon smolders

Iselle Mondravon: Will save [1d20+11 = 17]
Iselle Mondravon: Will save ¹⁷

Iselle weaves a shield that only Sochaia can see. And then she slams it into place. Frestin’s eyes widen as he feels himself cut off from the male half of the One Power.

Frestin Devoria: NO! Curse you!

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros readies an Immolate weave for Frestin.
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros and throws it right away.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [10d6 = 35]
Iselle Mondravon: ³⁵
Iselle Mondravon: Will save [1d20+11 = 31]
Iselle Mondravon: Will save ³¹

As the shield falls into place on the darkfriend, he suddenly erupts in flame. He screams at the pain of it, then turns, and flees as fast as he can.

Conall Anon

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: Don’t run from ME!

Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): i’m going back inside. check on toastboy
Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe (Attack 1) [1d2016 = 26]
Conall Anon: *Power-wrought 2 Hafted Axe damage [1d129 = 12]
Iselle Mondravon: *Power-wrought +2 Hafted Axe damage ¹²

Sandulf charges the darkhound and stikes it once. It howls in pain.

Seeing Ni’tareus and Sandulf taking on the one darkhound, Elia turns on the one attacking Kael, and fires.

Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 1) [1d20+15 = 26]
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 2) [1d20+10 = 12]
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 1) ²⁶
Iselle Mondravon: Shortbow (attack 2) ¹²
Iselle Mondravon: [1d8+1 = 5]
Iselle Mondravon: ⁵

Kael-Tevenar-: As the shield falls into place on the darkfriend, he suddenly erupts in flame. He screams at the pain of it, then turns, and flees as fast as he can.

One of the arrows hits the creature from behind, spiking it in its hindquarters.

Iselle Mondravon: Bite [1d20+13 = 19]
Iselle Mondravon: Bite ¹⁹

Kael-Tevenar-

Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 1) [1d2015 = 19]
Kael-Tevenar-: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 2) [1d2010 = 12]
The darkhound lunges at Kael again, but misses.
Iselle Mondravon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *+1 to attack) (2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 1) ¹⁹
Iselle Mondravon: “Blightslayer” Ogier Waraxe (Masterwork *1 to attack) (+2 additional Attack and Damage vs Shadowspawn) (Attack 2) ¹²

Kael swings twice, but misses.

Iselle Mondravon: Bite [1d20+13 = 31]
Iselle Mondravon: Bite ³¹
Iselle Mondravon: Bite damage [2d6+7 = 15]
Iselle Mondravon: Bite damage ¹⁵
Iselle Mondravon: Fortitude save [1d20+10 = 27]
Iselle Mondravon: Fortitude save ²⁷

Ni’tareus is not so lucky as Kael. The darkhound facing him lunges and tears into the warder. Blood spills and flesh tears. Ni’tareus cries out in pain.

Iselle Mondravon: Will save [1d20+4 = 15]
Iselle Mondravon: Will save ¹⁵
Iselle Mondravon: [10d6 = 38]
Iselle Mondravon: ³⁸

The darkhound on Kael suddenly bursts into flame. It howls in pain and attempts to pull back, running in circles before it falls to the ground, still burning. Iselle turns around and looks toward the other darkhound, already preparing to kill it.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros throws a Ward against Shadowspawn on Ni’tareus.
Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): stay inside, dumbbutt!
Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): nvm
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros Immolate on the thing.
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: [10d6 = 35]
Iselle Mondravon: Will save [1d20+4 = 11]
Iselle Mondravon: Will save ¹¹
Iselle Mondravon: ³⁵

Moments after the first darkhound burst into flame, the second darkhound erupts in flame as well. It howls in pain and attempts to run in between Ni’tareus and Sandulf. As it does, both men cleave it with their weapons, splitting it in two. It falls, flaming legs still kicking in an attempt to run away, but in moments the kicks stop, and the darkhound is dead.

At that, the villagers that didn’t flee earlier erupt in cheers.

Sochaia

As the last darkhound erupts in flames, you feel the inn shudder, and you hear the wooden supports groan. The fire has spread into this part of the inn, and you hadn’t even noticed it until now. The battle below was far too important, but now that it is over, you realize you’re in imminent danger.

And just like that, the roof collapses. As you fall, the night grows dark around you. You hear more screaming from the villagers outside, and your last thought is “Well, at least the roof will fall on Laen too. If I die, so will he.” You find comfort in that thought as your body hits the earth hard, and you immediately fall unconscious.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros twitches.

Kael & Sandulf

As you gasp for breath, you hear the inn groan. You both turn your heads just in time to see the roof of the inn collapse. Sochaia, visible for only a second, maintains Aes Sedai serenity and never screams once as the inn collapses and falls around her.

You both rush toward the still collapsing inn, but you have to stop in your tracks as dust and debris fly from the still falling inn. There is nothing you can do for Sochaia, so you stop and shield your faces from the debris and wait for it to finish.

Sochaia (Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros): i forgot to mention i’m wearing death proof smallclothes.

When the collapse is done, you rush forward, intent on digging Sochaia out before the fires can consumer her. You can sense she is still alive, though very weak.

You hear Ni’tareus calling out to the villagers to gather water from their wells to put out the fire. Both of you storm into the debris and begin pulling wooden planks and supports apart and tossing them to the side. The first few minutes are chaotic, but eventually someone takes charge. Chains of people send buckets of water up and down a line, throwing the water on the inn. Villagers that aren’t assisting with putting out the fire on the Rose begin helping Kael, Sandulf, and Ni’tareus remove debris from the collapsed inn, and more than once, you find a survivor underneath it all. How could the inn have collapsed? Only a few minutes had passed since the first explosion rocked the inn. It doesn’t make sense, and it must have had something to do with one of the dreadlords. It’s the only explanation.

From outside the walls of Maredi, the sounds of battle continue. You can hear trollocs growling and howling in the distance. And you can hear men and Ogier calling out. Calling orders, screaming as they are driven through by a trolloc sword, cut down, or dying outright. You hear Ogier horns continue to sound battle calls. And then lightning strikes begin to streak from a point up on the walls of Maredi. Over the rooftops of Maredi’s buildings, a lone man can be seen standing on the walls, shining brightly as the One Power practically radiates from his body, streaking away from him in arcs that flash down beyond the walls and outside of your vision. A collective dark, guttural scream from trollocs begins to build in crescendo as the lightning flashes beyond your vision. To Sandulf, this is obviously Yurian Stonebow. He must have cleared out the darkhounds already, and now he’s turned his attention to rallying the ragtag army he had assembled outside the town walls.

As lightning strikes continue to pour from the tiny figure up on the walls, the two of you continue to pull debris away. It is then that you find Sochaia’s frail hand, covered in soot and dust.

Delicately removing the last of the debris, you are finally able to recover her. She is breathing shallowly, but she’s still alive. Iselle, who has been tending to Terith since the battle ended, moves in from behind.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros gurgles.

Iselle Mondravon: Put her down over there. Let the villagers continue to search for survivors. I will heal her.

The two of you gently remove Sochaia and move her to the side, out of the way of the collapsed in. Iselle immediately kneels next to her.

Iselle Mondravon: She is badly injured. It is good that I am here. She would not have survived the hour without Aes Sedai healing. Your Ogier friend wouldn’t have survived either.
Iselle Mondravon looks up at Sandulf as she works.
Iselle Mondravon: She is Aes Sedai, and you are her warder. Yet I have never met either of you? The White Tower is a big place, but I would think I would have heard of a warder with yellow eyes. Strange, no?
Iselle Mondravon eyes Sandulf quizzically.
Iselle Mondravon: So I will assume the story you gave to Yurian is untrue.
Conall Anon: until she is healed that is the story you will hear.
Iselle Mondravon returns to her work.
Conall Anon moves to find other survivors
Iselle Mondravon: Fair enough, I suppose. It helps to talk while I work though.

Iselle performs her healing, and the villagers continue to pull bodies and survivors from the wreckage of the inn, or fight the fire threatening to consume it. Time moves by in a blur.

Around the town, scattered buildings burn from the assault at the walls. The cries of the darkhounds have gone silent, and all that is left now is what remains of the battle outside. In time, that too ends.

Iselle finishes healing Sochaia and moves on to an injured patron of the inn that none of you know. There are survivors of the collapse, though not many. As she moves to heal the next victim, Sochaia comes awake for only a moment. Just long enough to smile at each of you, before falling into a deep slumber.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros: senses Sandulf whittling. “Must be avoiding a woman,” she thinks.

“She will need a lot of rest, and plenty of food. We’ll have to find her a bed when we get the chance.” Iselle says from her place next to the survivor. She is already moving her hands over the injured man’s body, doing it as she speaks to you. “And your Ogier friend needs the same.”

At that moment a flash of light announces a gateway opening in the exact same place it opened earlier when Sandulf and Elia arrived. You turn your heads in time to see Yurian Stonebow step through. The gateway is only big enough for one person to walk through, and Yurian has to duck his head slightly to make it through.

He looks around as he steps through, surveying the damage at the inn, then looking at the corpses of the still thrashing myrddraal and the crumpled draghkar. The villagers have been afraid to touch any of them until the myrddraal stop thrashing. But there’s already been discussion of burning their bodies where they lie once they’re done…dying. As Yurian steps through, several armored men wearing swords step follow him. To a man, they are covered in blood, and some of them look wounded, though none so seriously he can’t stand.

Kael-Tevenar- readies his axe.
Conall Anon moves towards Yurian
Yurian Stonebow eyes Sandulf and Kael

Yurian only looks slightly wounded. He’s taken burns and cuts, but probably just from his fight with Renshere earlier. None of the cuts look big enough to have been caused by a scythesword.

Yurian Stonebow gives Sandulf a slight nod
Conall Anon nods back
Yurian’s scent remains the same…as far as you can tell, he is still sane.
Yurian Stonebow turns to look at Iselle.

“Iselle, I need you.” Yurian says in a commanding tone, staring at the bodies of the dead and injured as he speaks.

Iselle doesn’t look up from her work. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” She asks. “These people are hurt, and they need healing. Or are you going to demand I allow you to shield me now, when I am still needed?”

A frustrated look passes over Yurian’s face for a moment, but he quickly lets it go. Finally, he sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “No. But I need you. I have injured up at the manor house dying of no visible wound…and I don’t know how to help them.” He says that last part hesitantly, as if struggling with showing such weakness.

Iselle continues to stare down at her charge, closing wounds and mending bones as she works. It all happens right before your eyes. “If you would remove Avana’s shield, I am sure she can assist your injured. She has the gift for Healing, as I do. Or you can wait until I am done here. I can’t stop once I have started.”

“No.” Yurian says, suddenly angry. “Avana remains sheilded. I should have killed her when I killed the others. I can see the hatred in her eyes when she looks at me, Iselle. That one will try to gentle me again the moment I release her shield. I know it.”

Iselle nods. “Perhaps. She has always been a little over zealous in her dealings with men who can channel. But then again, you overcame a circle of six, Yurian. You killed three of my friends. Good women that were doing nothing more than attempting to protect the world from another Breaking. Even if she tried…”

“Protect the world? You were attempting to kill the Lord Dragon! How is that protecting the world?” One of the armed men interrupts angrily. “You’re lucky we didn’t kill all of you, witch!” The man says. He is gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

Yurian calms him with a gesture. “None of that matters Iselle. I am not releasing your sisters. And as soon as you’re finished here, you’ll be shielded again too. End of story! Now hurry up. Those people back at the Estera estate won’t last much longer, if they aren’t already dead!”.

Conall Anon looks at the man and shakes his head

Iselle shakes her head as she works. “Very well. I am almost done here. Gather the other injured and take them back to the estates. I’ll have Avana and Norala sort those with life threatening injuries from those without. And these here…” She says, pointing at Sochaia and Terith “…need a place to rest. They were staying here at the inn. There are plenty of free bedrooms in the Estera house. Surely Lady Magdalia will allow us to house some of the woun…”

“Lady Magdalia is dead, as is her son. Killed by darkhounds. There is no steward in House Estera now.” Yurian says mildly, interrupting Iselle.

Iselle looks up at Yurian, then back down at her charge. “I am sorry to hear that. For nobility, they were good people. Regardless, there is space at House Estera. Take these injured and give them rooms there, Yurian. I can attend to the most severely wounded tonight. The others will have to wait until I am properly rested. Even with an angreal, I cannot heal everyone. Not after the night I’ve had. Your shield for me will have to wait.”

“I think not.” Yurian says. “When you are too tired to heal, you’ll be shielded until you’re rested. And your shield will come down only if we find injured that need you.”

Yurian gestures to his men and they move back through the still open gateway and begin barking orders on the other side to gather stretchers and people to carry them. In minutes, servants and guardsmen move through the gateway with stretchers and begin collecting the injured.

As Sochaia and the others are lifted onto stretchers, Yurian looks at Terith, then Kael. “You’re a big one.” He says, looking up at Kael. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen an Ogier quite as big as you.” He sounds impressed. “I’m afraid you and your injured brother there will have to make the long walk up to the manor house. You won’t fit through my gateway. I am sorry, Tree Brother. I cannot guarantee what would happen if your shoulders rubbed up against the edges of it. I still don’t know much about how these things work, but when I first attempted to create one, I cut a thin line through the stone floor where I was working. If it will cut through stone, well…I shudder to think what it might do to flesh. Don’t worry about your friend. I’ll have some of my guardsmen carry him for you.”

Kael-Tevenar- nods. “I will care for my Brother.”
Conall Anon: We can carry him
Yurian Stonebow: Surely you can use some help?
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros gently kicks a bucket. That bucket.
Iselle Mondravon: You will take help, friend Ogier. Your brother mustn’t be moved to violently. And it would be better if he were carried on a stretcher.
Kael-Tevenar- grins. “Very well.”
Iselle Mondravon nods in satisfaction
Yurian Stonebow begins calling out soldiers to help carry Terith up to the manor house.

Yurian even provides an escort of armed men to ensure the safety of both of you.

Over the next hour or so, injured are collected at the Estera manor house. Sochaia is placed in a room of her own, and each of you gathers inside to make sure she is safe while she rests. Terith is also placed in a room of his own, one with a bed sized for Ogier. Eventually, each of you drift off to sleep. It’s been a long night.

Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros circles the drain very slowly.
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros pushes up just one daisy.
Sochaia – Saviendha Quintaros thinks to herself with the barest bit of life left in her, “Ah, if only I listened to Sandy.”