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Coldtree intends to manipulate waylines to increase his speed and charge the closest uninjured archer. He intends to strike and manipulate waylines to burn him the same instant his fist touches.
Terrendale's intentions have not changed. Now that he is blurred, he will remain on the left flank, at short sling range, hopefully gaining cover from nearby trees, and attack with an electrically-charged sling stone.
NOTE: Non-lethal attacks are best accompanied by magic that also causes non-lethal damage. Heat has the least effect on any master enemy.
Coldtree and Kite begin running forward, very quickly, despite running across sand. A ripple courses over the skin of both men as each mystically augments his speed, though both in a different manner. Before they can cover half of the distance to their chosen targets, Astarte fires her second arrow. The second arrow strikes as well as the first had done, but the heat seems to have had no effect. That archer is now injured. Terrendale slings his first stone, having moved closer to the enemy. With guided luck the stone strikes the archer in the head, knocking him out, the lightning that plays over his body afterward causing injury.
The O’ologist slings his second stone, having moved up from long to medium range, using the same mystical enhancement. A puff of greenish smoke erupts as the stone strikes and that archers falls backward, unconscious, but not really physically harmed. The enemy archers, who can, then release their first volley. Two of the archers are unable to fire because of the sand in their eyes, leaving only three to fire, one at Kite, one at Coldtree, and one at Terrendale. The first arrow strikes Coldtree, punching into his side and leaving a deep cut. Fortunately, the arrow was partially deflected by his tunic. Kite is struck with the second arrow, but it does not penetrate his tunic. With a considerable bit of luck on his side and the refraction of light around him, the third arrow completely misses Terrendale.
Having not yet been noticed, Gretda then fires her blowgun, aiming at the archer who shot at Terry. The tiny pebble has no effect in and of itself but sounds like a clap of thunder when it strikes. That archer is thrown backward 7 strides. Though they are very fast, the two physical fighters of the party had to cover quite a bit of ground before reaching the enemy. When they do, it ends things rather quickly. Despite having been shot with an arrow, Coldtree punches his opponent in the face, knocking him out. The accompanying heat dissipates as soon as it forms, having no effect. Kite cuts cleanly through one of his archer’s arms, almost killing him with the single stroke.
Has these archers some idea of the pending situation, they would have been far more dangerous to handle. The only one not unconscious or dead, has nowhere to run once back on his feet. He is quickly cut down by arrow or stone. It makes no difference. Four of the archers are unconscious but show little sign of physical injury. The other two are dying. Oddly enough, of the party, only Coldtree is hurt.
Coldtree: Body: 10 - 6 = 4, injured.
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57 Astarte: full wellness
stone arrows: 10 - 2 = 8. Kite: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57 Gretda: full wellness O’ologist: full wellness Terrendale: full wellness
Astarte will approach the one who seems to be the most weak-minded: "Why did you attempted to kill us? Who sent you? And what you were told about us?" she demands.
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Everyone should now have access to the Exceptional Character Development document. If there are any questions, message me.
Knowing his opponent is dying, Eitleog reaches down, retrieves his severed hand and unceremoniously throws it out into the water. He then cuts off the head of that archer before wiping his blade on his clothing and using some of his drinking water to wash any remaining blood from his blade before wiping it with a cloth. Sheathing his weapon, he then picks of the severed head by its hair and carries it down to the water’s edge.
“I have no idea exactly what I am doing; but if something out there has a special interest in this island or us, accept this sacrifice as a gift.” He then slings the head as far out into the ocean as he can before returning to make sure that the other archers are dead and searching them.
Gretda goes to the one who was the last to be taken down and strips the body of everything of value, except clothing, which is not needed. Being about twice the mass of the archers, she hefts the body and carries it toward the rocks, launching out onto them as they extend out in the ocean by manipulating a mass of air. “I am sure there are crabs in those rocks that will make use of that body.”
Coldtree intends to put any living archers to use and manipulate waylines to drain their lifeforce to heal his injury. He says to the fallen enemies, "Thanks for the extra gear. We will put it to good use." After that action, he will search the bodies, collect weapons and other useful gear. When that is secured he will turn his attention to their boat, going out to it and searching it for anything useful.
Terrendale will not interfere with Coldtree's plan to dispatch the fallen foes. He will help the other party members search for useful trinkets and gear, and when Astarte is finished questioning the lone survivor, he will allow Coldtree to siphon him, provided he isn't yet fully healed.
The O’ologist, who had not yet spoken, came out from the trees to search one of the bodies for himself. He casually said to the others, “Most people call me Forest. It seems appropriate.” After searching the archer he drags the body from the beach into the water. He then helps Coldtree to examine the newly acquired sailing vessel. In a matter of seconds, Coldtree siphons enough life back into himself to be fully recovered.
There is no such thing as a simple minded archer, especially one from The Zoo, but everyone reacts a bit differently to being questioned. This one, whose life is forfeit, sees no point in being reserved. “Of course we attacked you. You have never before drawn a short straw, but then most do not survive their exploration. You are considered a sacrifice, which is what we are now. We lost. Oshanti sent us. Who else? We were here to poach some game without paying the commission. I do not know anything about you, but you are obviously not some simple Short Straws.”
When Kite launches his severed head out into the ocean, a gigantic, all-white fin breaks the surface, then the entire beast rolls as it consumes the skull, disappearing without any further sign of itself. It is Forest who halts in his steps, recognizing the creature. He turns toward Kite, all the hair standing up on his body, and shouts, “Of the ocean far and wide, you summoned Hvithakarl, the Great White Shark! I have never before seen that. I have never heard of that. The fishermen are all terrified of it. Many think that it is a form of a God. I have no idea what it means, but it is certainly significant.”
The bows that the archers carry are the same quality as the one Astarte carries. Forest decides that he would like to trade in his sling for the greater range of a bow. The party can also recover 114 Halurin arrows and 60 stone arrows. Each archer is also well-equipped for travel, with utility belts, baldrics, waterskins, and satchels. The boat is stocked for travel, as well, having two mounted water barrels, salt, fruit, and sea rations. There is a front mounted ballista on the central pontoon, for shark fishing and a large fish trap secured at the rear. Since the archers use their bows to acquire fish, there is a lot of extra line on the boat, which can be tied to an arrow to reel in a shot fish. Each archer is adorned with two different feather talismans tied in their long hair, one is wearing a pair of sharkskin bracers, there are six curious stones deposited in various pouches, and a total of 24 ceramic discs. The ceramic discs, called clams, are a standard currency.
Coldtree: full wellness.
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57 Astarte: full wellness Kite: full wellness
tunic: 60 - 3 = 57 Gretda: full wellness Forest: full wellness Terrendale: full wellness
Coldtree will inspect the sharkskin bracers to see if their quality is better than the ones he is wearing. If no one objects, he will claim those as part of his share of the loot.
the Great White Shark . . . Many think that it is a form of a God
He says, "The ocean is even more vast that we realize. It has creatures we rightly call monsters, but they are not gods, just hungry beasts. It is significant, though. If that creature is this close to shore, then it has been here before and might consider this part of it's hunting grounds. If you are attacked by a shark, strike it on the snout as hard as you can. It worked for me once, when I was younger."
He says, "I doubt Oshanti will just give up. When we build a shelter, we should make sure it is obscured from the shoreline to keep us from having uninvited guests."