Seeing no reason to hide the truth, Chyresia tells the gnome about fleeing her home to avoid an arranged marriage with an old man. She describes the raft her friend built for her, and her journey down the river. She acts out the part with the bear climbing the tree, making it sound funny where in fact it had been terrifying. And she ends up waving her hand at the broad sweep of the river.

"And so my fate has brought me to your garden, Baylor. And I thank you for your generosity and the gift of salt," she concludes with a smile.

"The spice of life."

She watches Chy as she prepares the meal. The gnome is soft spoken but confident. She smiles easily and seems to revel in the presence of a guest, yet she does not bombard the guest with questions.

" That was very brave, leaving your home. Very brave."

The puma stirs. It looks as if perhaps he senses danger elsewhere in the garden. Soundless, Benedict walks off to patrol the area.

Seeing a look of concern cross Chy's face, the druid assure her.

"Probably just racoons. I assure you that we are safe here. So, if I may pry, you are under no obligation to say, but, where are you heading friend?"

"For now, I'm going where the river takes me, which right now is here," Chy smiles. "Your garden is very peaceful, but I can't just live here, can I? I'll float on a while and see if I can find a place to call my own or some other folks who need a huntress.

"I just know I don't need a man to run my life for me."

Despite Baylor's reassurances, Chy is concerned about the puma's reaction and investigation. She stands and holds her spear ready. Not in an aggressive way, but just to be set if something happens. Her woodland lore has taught her it is better to be prepared.

"Look at me. No man, doing very well. You will find your way."

She shifts her position before making a proposal.

"Perhaps you would be receptive to a task? I dont have much coin, but I could pay you in healing. That bruising on your cheek, I could mend that for you. I have a potion I would barter for a ride downstream a ways."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:56, Tue 02 Apr.

"I'm already indebted to you for the vegetables and the salt," smiles Chy. "The very least I can do is let you float down the river with me. The healing would be nice.

"What is the task you have in mind?"

Another thought occurs to her and she shoots a glance in the direction she last saw the puma retreating.

"Is Benedict coming with us?"

"No, Benedict needs to stay and protect the garden. As for the task, it is simply to escort me to town. Glitterhovel is about a days float east and a short walk north from there. Several miles. Its entirely subterranean and very well hidden. You might like it. Its one of the few villages in the forest that has accommodations for large folk."

She stands and walks over to Chy. She mutters a few strange words then caresses Chy's bruised cheek. Her touch is warm and filled with a comforting energy. The bruise fades completely from view. The soreness immediately subsides.

"There now, so pretty."

Chy is fully healed
This message was last edited by the player at 15:04, Tue 02 Apr.

At Baylor's caress, Chy looked up into the diminutive woman's face.

"That's nice," she spoke softly, wondering what the gnome had in mind. And then, as the wonder of the divine healing washed over her, restoring her health and easing her pains, she laughed in joy.

"That was . . . wonderful!" she cried, hugging Baylor closely.

"Of course, I will go with you, and I will protect you. You're . . . beautiful!"

The two enjoy some food together and are continuing to get to know each other when the peace of the moment is cut by the low throaty growl of Benedict coming from somewhere in the garden. Baylor is immediately concerned as she stands and tries to determine where the trouble is. It has gotten dark since the two first met.

" Follow me. Probably kobolds. Benedict sounds scared. Could be several. They are nortb of the apple tree. Once there take cover and get ready. I will put some light on the subject."

Chyresia is on alert in an instant. At Baylor's suggestion, she takes cover where indicated and strings an arrow to her longbow.

"I know you cant see well. There are several kobold attacking Benedict. We must help him. This will help."

Again she speaks strange words before touching Chy on the arm. The touch is warm and filled with energy. Chy's skin tingles as it takes on a firmness she is not used to.

"Use your bow, but be prepared for them to close. I will be watching, helping."

Suddenly, Baylor transforms into a small white owl. The transformation is fluid, but takes only a couple seconds. She flys off leaving Chy in the dark. She can hear the yipping and yapping of kobolds in a frenzy and a big cat who is not happy about it. It sounds like the combat is taking place less than 100 feet away but bits hard to be certain. The forest is very dark.


Chy has Barkskin +2 Nat AC.


This message was last edited by the player at 23:07, Thu 04 Apr.

Chy is uncertain what to do. She will not shoot blindly at the noise in case she hits Benedict. Baylor had said something about helping with the darkness, but she's not sure what. So she moves forward slowly, using all of her senses to build a picture of what is happening in front of her. The bow is ready, arrow knocked, but not drawn.

Baylor flies out above the frey that has erupted. The entire glade is draped with strategicly placed cords that have bones tied to them. These small bones are spaced out and are hanging about twelve feet above the ground. They look like odd decorative features. But they have a greater purpose. Light.

She flies to a bone almost directly above the Frey. She had cast a light spell just prior to shape shifting. With a touch of her beak to the bone it lights up the scene below it. She immediately flies to a second bone and touches it as well. It also lights up.

The entire melee is illuminated. There are eight snarling reptilian warriors. They are armed with spears and have Benedict backed up against a large rock outcropping. One of the kobolds look mortally wounded as it writhes on the ground, missing a hand. The others are all startled by the sudden illumination.

Chy, who was prepared for it, is currently undetected, not startled and is ready to act immediately upon seeing the scene. There are 40 feet between her and the action.

Chy gets to act, then we roll initiative for round 1.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:55, Sat 06 Apr.

The sudden blossoming of lights over the glade is bewitching, but it also reveals the savage creatures attacking Benedict.

Chy draws and releases her bow, but the twinkling lights are distracting enough that she fires wide.

10:35, Today: Chyresia Swift rolled 8 using 1d20+3 ((5)).

Baylor the owl Silently lands in the central tree of the garden with a clear view of the melee. She transforms back into a gnome. She begins to chant an incantation. She waves her hands in front of her in an almost seductive manner. She concentrates on an area of the glade ground under the spear wielding kobolds who have formed a semi circle around the big cat, who is backed up against a rock. The ground begins tremble then animated roots and vines errupt from the dirt, clutching, grabbing and entangling the kobolds in the area. The attackers are all enveloped except for two of them which are at the back of the group. They each step back out of the area and avoid entanglement.

Benedict who is not entangled jumps across the vines and escapes to the tree Baylor is in. The big cat is wounded. As the kobolds turn toward the tree they spot Chy. The two untangled charge at her cautiously and close to within 20 feet of her.


Initiative Kobolds
1d20 + 1
Rolled: 11 + 1 = 12

Initiative Baylor
1d20 + 2
Rolled: 1 + 2 = 3

Initiative Chy
1d20 + 2
Rolled: 11 + 2 = 13

AC charging Kobolds 15
AC Entangled Ks 14

This message was last edited by the player at 12:17, Wed 10 Apr.

Amazed by the beautiful gnome's magic, Chy still has the sense to raise her bow and fire a steel-tipped shaft at the closest kobold as they charge her.

08:17, Today: Chyresia Swift rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Fire longbow at closest kobold. – 15
08:18, Today: Chyresia Swift rolled 8 using 1d8.  Longbow damage. – 8
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:49, Thu 11 Apr.

Two spear wielding Kobolds break for the human archer. They are running toward her defensively yet one of them failed to dodge the ranger's arrow. The shaft burries itself into the center of the kobold's face. The kobold drops dead without a sound. The second flinches in fear but continues to attack. It rushes foward and thrusts decisively, or so he thought. His spearhead is turned away despite a solid connection to abdomen. It's as if the target's skin were made of wood.


Kobold Attack AC 16 with Barkskin
1d20 + 1
Rolled: 13 + 1 = 14

This message was last edited by the player at 03:07, Thu 11 Apr.

Three Kobolds are mired and struggling to break free. Two kobolds are making headway and manage to escape the vines. They each charge toward the tree and the wounded cat.


Reflex Save
1d20 + 1
Rolled: 19 + 1 = 20
Rolled: 16 + 1 = 17
Rolled: 12 + 1 = 13
Rolled: 13 + 1 = 14
Rolled: 19 + 1 = 20

This message was last edited by the player at 03:33, Thu 11 Apr.

Baylor deftly drops down to the ground and lays her hand upon the wounded big cat. She mutters a prayer and the open spear wound closes and stops bleeding. Benedict snarls at the approaching kobolds.



Initiative Kobolds
1d20 + 1
Rolled: 5 + 1 = 6

Initiative Baylor
1d20 + 2
Rolled: 10 + 2 = 12

Initiative Chy
1d20 + 2
Rolled: 7 + 2 = 9


This message was last edited by the player at 03:40, Thu 11 Apr.

Baylor sees the kobolds coming. She puts Benedict between herself and the charging lizards. She again prays for protection as she touches the cat, his skin toughens much like Chyresia's had.


Casts Barkskin on cat.

As the second kobold stabs at her guts, the ranger is surprised that the blow did not slice into her, but it is not the time to wonder. She drops her bow and stabs down at the hateful creature with her short spear.

The wide blade bites into the creature's flesh and blood spurts.

08:14, Today: Chyresia Swift rolled 18 using 1d20+1.  Stab kobold with short spear.
08:14, Today: Chyresia Swift rolled 4 using 1d6.  Short spear damage.

The kobold charging Chy flinches when it sees her draw out the spear. It tries to dodge her thrust but the spear slips between ribs and into its lung. It's pained howl is punctuated by gurgling death as it slumps to the ground gasping for a last breath.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:55, Thu 11 Apr.

The two kobolds that escaped the vines each charge the big cat with spear tips leading the way. One cowers at the big cats ferocity and misses wide. The other however is nails. He must be the leader. He rushes the cat, training the spear head at the cats chest. His aim is true, but the barkskin toughened skin turns the spear away unsatisfied.  The kobold gulps as he sees the big cat fall upon him.

Benedict pounces with enraged ferocity. He falls upon the ill prepared and off balance Kobold leader. His teeth sink into the kobolds neck crunching bone and letting profuse quantities of red blood. He holds on and shakes for much longer than necessary.

The kobold's comrade has clearly had enough as he turns to flee.

Kobold Charge attacks AC 17
1d20 + 1 + 2 charge
Rolled: 13 + 3 = 16
Rolled: 8 + 3 = 11

Cat attack AC 13  (-2 from charge)
1d20 + 6
Rolled: 16 + 6 = 22

Damage and further claw attacks are academic. He is ripped apart

This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Thu 11 Apr.

Benedict is immediately drawn to the fleeing kobold, like a cat to a mouse. He pounces on the frightened creature and quickly tears it's throat out.

Benedict attack AC 14 (FF)
1d20 + 6
Rolled: 16 + 6 = 22

Again academic damage. Very dead.

Initiatives:
Cat     17
Kobolds 13
Baylor   7
Chy      4

This message was last edited by the player at 16:45, Thu 11 Apr.