[IC] Swords Beneath the Starlight

"Urgh... thanks again."

Logan is finding all of this incredibly unpleasant! Sure, the wounds are gone, but the memories of the wounds aren't. They're going to need a good rest after this. A good rest, and maybe to, like, go cry for a while or something. Yeah, that sounds good. Evening plans made.

For now, Logan flies 5 spaces north - well out of "getting fucked up" range, but close enough to swoop in and help if the situation calls for it.

Lyander rushed up towards the bandits through the trees, aiming to get closer.

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SpoilerLyander moves as many spaces up as possible.

Moves are made!





A bandit emerges from the woods and strikes at Sunny! Miss!!

Sunny counterattacks! Hit! 10 damage!!!

BANDIT: 12/22 HP

SUNNY: 15/18

+2 EXP

The boss stays in place!

89/100



The mysterious cleric moves! The fencer advances! The hunter advances!

Barnabas moves up to beside Saya and returned to his humanoid form as he did so, form fatigue beginning to overcome him and not wanting to be totally tapped out. It looks like the human group were descending on the town now, and he was curious about how they were going to act.

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SpoilerNorth 1 and west 2, then dropping out of beast form

Saya circles around overhead for a while, then comes in to land and transforms back into humanoid form.



"Are you all right? I'm sorry I was hasty and got knocked down..."

"Heh. Only to rescue me from my own rushing in. I'm fine, the beorc's magic patched me up well, though maybe you could use another spell?" He asked, concerned about Saya's momentary unconsciousness.

Milo keeps taking deep breaths. He's not in great shape, still nursing a (second) brutal axe wound on his side.


"I'm just... a little out of practice. As for being a magnet, I suppose it's better me than someone not made for the frontlines."

He rubs the back of his head, almost in embarrassment, then winces and returns the hand to his side.

"Thanks though. I think I'll be okay for now, just going to take a breather. for a second."

The laguz move about and transform...

Sunny hums to herself as she lets her magics guide her hand, dodging to the side as the bandit swung at her. She offers him a simple sideways glance, then continues moving. Her friends could deal with him. Instead, her sights lock onto the man who had slain their captain. Her tubes of shadow coil around her arm as she raises it from her tome, and Sunny smiles as they arc forward.

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SpoilerSunny moves one space to the right and attacks the boss with Worm

Mazelina will move two up and two to the right! Milo needs help, and she's just the person to help him! Time for a heal!


"You're going to be okay," she says, smiling, "but feel free to keep resting if you need."

Casey watches as Mazelina approaches, her staff glowing faintly with a mysterious energy. Whatever it is that she does, it seems to be a big help to Milo, though now hardly seems like the time to consider how exactly that works. No matter how she does it, Mazelina's ability to keep their band alive and healthy does a great deal to set Casey's mind at ease. A small smile creeps onto his face.


"You heard the lady," he tells Milo. "Take a breather, you've earned it." With that, Casey makes his move, charging forwards to take up a position next to Sunny. Every person in this group is fighting to keep each other alive, and Casey can't help but feel he hasn't pulled his weight. He aims to change that. As quickly as he can, he rushes towards the bandit in front of him, pulling his dagger and thrusting it towards his enemy!

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Spoiler Casey moves 2 spaces up and attacks the bandit!

Airitech, grim as ever, shoots the bandit that Casey is targeting.

TEAMWORK.

Lyander will charge the bandit boss and attempt to stab the heck out of him! Less talking, more fighting!

Okay! Okay this is going pretty well now! Logan's got two possible moves here:

If the non-leader bandit is still up after those attacks, they'll move up two spaces, attack, then continue two more spaces up and one right to hover over the village.

Otherwise, they'll move up three, right one, attack the bandit leader, then retreat left one.

"Thanks again Mazelina.  I think I should be good to get back to it now though."

Milo looks at how things are going however, and sees not only the rest of his group now rushing the leader of the bandits but these new strangers.  New, capable strangers, who very likely care about dealing with these bandits and whoever might have survived the massacre over anything else.  Meanwhile, Milo can't help but glance over at Captain Brenden's body even now, and knows the other members of his group are likely dealing with similar feelings.  Plus, wasn't that mysterious swordsman their leader?  What if they missed that and killed his underling before they could find him and stop him from doing this again?

He runs over to the fencer and archer to talk to them, and realizes that it is only now that he's taken a real look at them without the cover of the forest.  While he was initially running towards the archer, who he had already seen helping them with the bandits, but then catches the woman.  She had the bearing of someone important, a noble perhaps?  The archer seemed to be following her as well.

Milo, upon reaching her, immediately snapped to attention and crisply bowed to her - moving in a quick, precise way that might stand out from his typical more casual movements to anyone watching.


"M-Ma'am," he starts as he straightens back up.  "Thank you for your group's help.  Would it be - that is - if you would allow it, ma'am, our captain was... killed fighting that man's leader.  We were hoping to take care of him ourselves so we can maybe find who is actually behind this before he dies and avenge our captain.  If that is acceptable to you, ma'am."

He then spun quickly around to the archer and bowed again to him.  "Thank you as well sir, without you stepping in me and my companions would have been in real trouble."  He then turned back to the woman and waited for a response.

That... could have gone better, but Milo might be thinking that these people were clearly decent enough to help them they might be able to listen.  He might be thinking that, but honestly there was a part of him still expecting a lashing for daring to suggest anything to someone higher up.  Ah, Retrovia.

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SpoilerMilo moves up two and right one to speak to the strangers.

Sunny calls upon the might of Progress once more, engaging Bartok the Brawler in combat!!

 

"Grr... this was supposed to be an easy job!! Hell, the job was over! Then a bunch of misfit nobodies and their pets show up and start slaughtering my men!?"

He hefts his axe, glaring you dead in the eye.

"Well I ain't dying like this! Time to show you what Bartok the Brawler learned back in the army!"

--

Sunny strikes! Her magic slams into Bartok's chest!

Bartok is out of range, and thus incapable of counter-attacking.

BARTOK: 16/25 HP

+2 EXP

--

Mazelina rushes to catch up to the group, her heart thumping to the beat of war! She raises her staff and heals Milo back to full health!

Lucky!!! She saves a charge of her staff with WEAPONSAVER.

+2 EXP

--

Young Casey dives in with his blade, ready to fight to the death! He strikes at the bandit!

His knife finds its mark! 5 damage!!!

The bandit counter-attacks! He misses, his axe finding purchase only in the grass!

BANDIT: 7/22 HP

+2 EXP

--

Airitech delivers a follow up strike! His arrow whistles through the air as it seeks its prey!

It hits! The bandit takes 5 damage!

BANDIT: 2/22 HP

+2 EXP

--

Brave Lyander charges forward, raising his blade against Bartok!

He strikes! Bartok takes 8 damage!

Bartok counters! He misses!

BARTOK: 8/25 HP

+2 EXP

--

Logan dives upon the bandit, ready to finish him off! Their lance glistens in the sunlight as the wind flows through their hair!

Logan strikes, their blade finding the bastard's heart in no time at all! He falls dead!

+7 EXP!

--

The lady hears Milo's words. Her face flashes with conflicting messages of serenity and uncertainty. She closes her eyes, breathes.  When she opens them once more, all that is gone. There's nothing there but confidence and compassion.



"I understand. I'll leave the rest to you. We will speak once this battle is finished, if it pleases you. Until then, please be careful."

The archer seems ready to object, but she shakes her head and he is silenced before he begins, bowing instead.




106/100 EXP



You have leveled up!

GROWTH AND PROGRESS ARE YOURS, BRAVE HEROES!

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Spoiler
AIRITECH
+1 HP +1 SKL +1 DEF

20% STR
70% SKL
50% SPD
10% LUK
40% DEF
40% RES

BARNABAS
+1 SKL +1 SPD

60% HP
60% STR
70% SKL
50% SPD
30% LUK
50% DEF
10% RES

BAYLEE
+1 STR +2 HP

60% STR
30% SKL
50% SPD
10% LUK
50% DEF
30% RES

CASEY
+1 SPD +1 LUK

40% HP
40% STR
40% SKL
60% SPD
70% LUK
30% DEF
20% RES

LOGAN
+1 SKL +1 SPD

70% HP
50% STR
60% SKL
10% LUK
50% DEF
20% RES
70% SPD

LYANDER
+1 SPD +1 SKL

80% HP
45% STR
50% SKL
45% SPD
25% LUK
45% DEF
40% RES

MAZELINA
+1 RES +1 LUK

50% HP
70% MAG
10% SKL
50% SPD
70% LUK
30% DEF
50% RES

MILO
+1 DEF +1 HP

80% HP
45% STR
55% SKL
50% SPD
30% LUK
45% DEF
25% RES

SAYA
+1 SPD +1 STR

60% HP
70% STR
40% SKL
70% SPD
30% LUK
20% DEF
40% RES

SUNNY
+1 MAG +1 SKL

40% HP
25% STR
70% MAG
60% SKL
10% SPD
25% LUK
50% DEF
50% RES

"Thank you, it uh, looks like this should be over soon anyways."  Milo breathes a sigh of relief as he sees Bartok's remaining bandit fall and about to be overwhelmed himself.  Suddenly, he freezes up and his face goes pale.  "Oh right, I'm Milo.  My apologies.  That would be fine with me, er, us, as you wish."

"A pleasure to meet you, Milo, though the circumstances are grim. I'm... Lien. I look forward to continuing our conversation after the battle."

Baylee looks at the last man standing and sneers. She snaps the shaft in half in her shoulder and squares up.

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Spoilerwith two player phases, Baylee regens 8 hp, 24/24

"This is an end to you and your ways. Maybe if you curse your commander with your last breath you'll have a chance at escaping hell."

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Spoiler Baylee will move up two spaces and make a ranged attack on the last bandit.

Baylee hefts her axe in a mighty toss!!!

Bartok ducks under it, and it slams into the wood of a hut behind him!

+1 EXP

--

Bartok strikes at Lyander, screaming all the while!



"Ain't... Ain't no way no snot-nosed little shites're gonna beat me! D'ye know who I am!? I'm Bartok the Brawler! I've been swingin' an axe fer longer than yer ma's been jellyin' yer toast! I'm not done! I'm not done just yet!!!"

He dives; Lyander dodges, lifts his blade, and impales the Brawler upon what is, essentially, a wooden stake. Vampire or not, that's gonna be lethal.

+32 EXP

39/100 EXP



As Bartok falls, the fencer and her companions draw near. The healer draws the Laguz out of the woods with her. You're just now getting a good look at all of them. Along with the fencer - Lien, she said? - came a huntsman dressed in jaunty colors. Beside him stands a healer - her stance is quiet, guarded, nervous.



"It's good to see you all made it out alive. If... if there were other villagers who did not, I apologize. We came as fast as we could, but the most mobile member of our band was... occupied. The Revotrians approach from the north. It appears they managed a strike on Renault. If their army doesn't hold out..."

She shakes her head, shoving these thoughts away. "I am Lien. My bow-wielding companion is Carlyle; beside him is Philomel. We are refugees from out west. We fled when Achaim fell and left many behind. I know it brings little comfort, but... you are not alone in your suffering. We are here for you."

Philo nods, shaky but confident in this at least. Carlyle looks away.

"It is...very nice to meet all of you." Bowing her head, Mazelina pauses for only a moment to give the new folk recognition. Her eyes meet all of them, and she smiles- even if it looks a touch pained. "Your help was appreciated. Please, excuse me."

With that she steps past anyone in the way, moving towards Captain Brenden. Her mind told her that he was already gone, but she couldn't help but hope for better. Already, her heart was sinking, her stomach in knots and her mouth dry. She knew, but the man deserved confirmation, at least. That, and a proper goodbye. Who better to give that to him? Once she reaches him, Mazelina will kneel, one hand clenched firmly around her staff. She supports her team, and her staff supports her when it was all too much.

Like now. This? This was almost too much.

How is the old man?

He lies cold and dead. Captain Brenden is gone - far beyond what your powers can manage.

Oh, it was over.

Logan, for a moment, considered either flying back to meet the new friends(?) or just... finding some corner to have a good old panic in, but flying over the wreckage of the village, something else kicked in. There was no time to rest! The village was on fire! Or maybe smoldering and no longer on fire! But still! Someone had to do something.

Logan swoops into the village to search for survivors.

As Lyander finishes off their final foe, Sunny takes a moment to clasp her hands together and close her eyes. Her smile drops for a bit, face filled with a solemness that doesn't seem to fit her. She holds that cold expression for but a moment. Then, her eyes spring open, and a small smile blooms on her face again as she approaches the new group, full of interesting characters indeed.



"It is most pleasing to make your acquaintance. My name is Sunny." She offers a peppy wave, snapping her tome shut and stuffing it haphazardly back into her bag. "If you'll excuse me for a moment as well, I'd like to attend to something." And with that, Sunny fades back, hoping to let her companions deal with these newcomers for the moment. She'd love to get to know them, but she likes to think that goodbyes should be said first.

"Unfortunate, truly." Sunny said, drifting to Mazelina's side, hands clasped. "I shall say a prayer for him. Do you know any good funeral rights?"

Mm, yeah. This is a real feckin' bummer. Airitech is going to do a one-person putting out the fires of the village, so there can be less chance of people dying and also forests burning. Lives and the environment got to be saved.

He would also help Logan with finding any survivors among the ruins.