Shadow War campaign In-Game: Chapter 71- Fash and Tren

[Navarre]

Serena cocks an eyebrow and makes a disgusted face at Fash.

"It looks bloated. I'm sure it swallowed anything it found."

"Just gut it and we'll sort the coppers out from the dead skunks."

Fash shakes as it hovers, black bile dripping from it wounds.

"Wait, wait!"

"I am the master of the hobgoblin tribes. I'm a high priest of Damrogann!"

"Surely if you came so far into our holdings there must be a reason? Tell me what you seek and I will help you in exchange for my life. I swear on my mother's eye."

[Strifeter]

Tren begins to yell.

"I am Tren Moonstride. I came here to befriend you and your followers and up until now I have been met only by opposition. Your attempts on my life and those I surround myself with are not to be taken lightly and as you have put them in danger I feel no need to spare you.

Hell If I kill you maybe I will get your Gods attention. Maybe he will need a stronger high priest."

Tren motions again to everyone.

[Navarre]

Aphra barks and leaps toward the beholder.

Aphra moves SE, S, S, S, SW (30ft) to AC23


As she does, Fash releases three more rays from its eye stalks. One is a rosy color, the second is jet black, and the third a pale grey.

{Ranged Touch vs AC26: 1d20+7=19, 1d20+7=8, 1d20+7=16. All Miss.}

Aphra yelps in her zeal as she slices toward the eye tyrant.

{Attack vs AC20: 1d20+25=41. Hit.}
{Damage: 1d10+10=14}

Fash shudders as his eye stalks go limp. His large central eye closes and his giant orb of a body falls to the ground with a sickening squishy sound.

Fash is still alive but unconscious and bleeding out.

Vinnrog saunters up.

"Not so tough. Want me to deliver the coop-duh-gracie?"

Serena starts to correct the Barbarian but Inoke politely waves her off.

[Strifeter]

Tren quickly bolts into action.

"Aphra, Vinrog we are going to chase down Munir before he gets to far. Serena, you and inoke and that hill giant make sure that this thing doesn't go anywhere until we are back."

With that Tren moves to dash in the last known direction of Munir.

[Navarre]

{I'll let you make your own Search check.}

[Strifeter]

{Search check 1d20+17=26.}

[Navarre]

You and Vinnrog both pick up the broken tendrils of branches and the heavy footprints that mark Munir's passing. He has turned due south, in the direction you were originally traveling.

"He's running for home, uh-huh," says Vinnrog.

Aphra looks to you.

"He's not too far ahead of us but he knows these woods better than he let on. Do we follow him now or get the rest of the group?"

[Strifeter]

Tren thinks for a moment.

"No him getting to his village first may work in our favor. Lets see if this beholder will wake up."

[Navarre]

Turning back, you return to where Fash lies on the ground. Inoke is next to him as Serena looks at you.

"Inoke's stabilized the beholder. I think you can either bring him around with a swift kick or kill it with a swift strike. Your choice."

[Strifeter]

Tren looks around.

"I want everyone to make sure the perimeter is secure. If this thing truly is a high priest of Damrogan he could be incredibly useful in our mission."

Tren smacks the beholder in an attempt to wake him up and then moves to sit in front of him a few feet away.

[Navarre]

Your team moves to guard the perimeter as you smack Fash between his mouth and central eye. The beholder shudders and that eye now opens.

It blinks, turning in all directions as his eye stalks wiggle.

"I am on the ground. How undignified."

"Why did you not slay me, Elf? I would have slayed you."

"You travel from the north. Who do you represent?"

[Strifeter]

Tren waits a few moments before answering.

"My name is Tren, not elf. I did not slay you because I have no need to. I travel from somewhere much farther than the north and I was heading to a hobgoblin village.

I represent myself and no one else. My traveling companions like me are strangers in this world and no alliances to anyone but ourselves.

I suppose in turn that may be why I didn't kill you. You see I am interested in learning about this world and all of it's peoples. How else could I make a name for myself otherwise."

Tren smiles at the last comment.

"Are you truly a high priest of Damrogan because I seek to learn of his side of this war as I believe that there may be more than anyone is aware. I am willing to discuss with you what I have learned until now in exchange for your help."

[Navarre]

Fash chuckles, seemingly to himself.

"Yes, I am a high priests of Damgrogann. Forgive me if I do not wear a cassock. I am difficult to fit."

"It does seem that I am at a distinct disadvantage. Permit me the dignity to remove myself from the ground and I will answer your questions in exchange for your information and the promise that we will part ways with no further quarrel between us until at least the sun rises tomorrow."

[Strifeter]

Tren motions for him to get off the ground

"I am searching for a place for myself Fash. I do not particularlly like Illumian and what he represents which is why I was on my way to the Hobgoblin village. I am in search of an elven woman you see, she visited these goblins and gave them wealth and magic beyond anything the would have seen and told them to attack a village not far from here. I was caught in the crossfire and protected myself.

Munir, the hobgoblin leading me told me it was this elven woman who hired them but tell me. Damrogan, from what I understand never openly wars against villages under Illumians care so why would this elven woman want to start. If not to start a war?"

[Navarre]

Fash shifts and levitates himself from the ground. He hovers at just above your eye level, looking in every direction with his eye stalks at your party as they guard all sides. He looks back to you thoughtfully and nods.

"Yes. You know the right of it, it seems."

"Damrogann teaches that war is not the goal but the way. Even the way is regrettable, for what use is there is ruling something if it is dead?"

"War tests us as individuals and unites us into armies. It is what that army does that matters."

"I would not insult you to say that our army seeks to protect, no. We are no servants of Ferraki or even Fjod. But neither do we war needlessly."

"This war has been brought upon us by the very nature of ambition; that of Damrogann as well as Illumian, I admit. The coup over the Primordial has left the land scarred with strife and bloodshed."

"Our attacks have been to protect our own holdings, so vicious even Illumian's Luminators think twice before crossing us. But someone stirs the simmering cauldron to its boiling point of late."

"I rule this forest and I rule the hobgoblins within it. Imagine then my displeasure to find my servants swayed with promises of ending the war so soon with them as the ruling kings."

"This Elf girl has come with offerings of magic and wealth I cannot match from so deep in this arboreal den. Hobgoblins and giants and perhaps more fall from Damrogann's side to stand at hers."

"The question may be then: on whose side does she herself stand?"