Meanwhile, Along the Trail...

Posted on Sun Dec 31st, 2023 @ 12:52pm by Fighter (Level 2) Jaene of Saint Clair & Thief (Level 2) Alicea of Reneau

Mission: We're Forming A Party
Location: Trail in the woods near Fairfell
Timeline: Simultaneous with “The Party’s First Outing”

On the trail through the woods near quiet Fairfell, the shortcut from Pearlfall to Silkspell, two lovers journeyed together. The Ranger Jaene of Saint Clair walked side by side with the Bard Alicea of Reneau, where the latter had scheduled a performance in the town square five nights hence. The shortcut meant that they would get there in under three days, giving them both time to enjoy the shops and hot spring baths that their destination was famous for.

"How's the new piece coming?" Jaene asked as she listened to Alicea test new compositions with her flute as they walked.

Alicea drew her mouth away from the instrument, but the flighty tune constituted to sound from it. Control of the air was what her kind did, after all, and she had a way with keeping her instruments playing even in dire times. She smiled at Jaene as she did so, “Still working on ending, I’ve got the basic melody down and ready, but something this lighthearted can either only end on that upper note, or it has to have that sudden ending, like a bird caught in mid flight. I don’t want to set the tone to be too happy, or else people may think it inappropriate in these trying times.” The flute began to wind down as it came to the ending of the current composition.

"Just the right amount of happiness," Jaene said, nodding along to the rhythm of Alicea's music. "Enough to remind people that life can be good, without reminding them of when it's not." She had learned much from her time with Alicea, some of the happiest months of her life, even if the ethereal Bard kept to the air while her being belonged with the waves.

Jaene stopped suddenly, holding her hand up for Alicea to do the same. Something was out there. But where?

Alicea stopped at the raised hand, but didn’t know why. She looked around at what might be the cause, but nothing jumped out at her as out of normal. “What is it?” She whispered loud enough only for Jaene to hear, trusting the wind to do her will and carry it over to her lover.

There was rustling coming from the foliage. But from where? Jaene couldn’t tell, and Alicea couldn’t even hear it.

Until it was suddenly upon them. A frenzied and badly wounded Giant Lizard.

Jaene pushed Alicea aside and jumped out of the way herself. The Lizard missed both and ran into a tree, lightly dazing it. Jaene meanwhile landed face first in the dirt. She was safe, and more importantly so was Alicea, but her consistently wet skin plus the dirt made her face, chest, and arms all muddy.

The push was prodigious, shoving Alicea hard and well out of the way of the Giant Lizard. Through rapid foot movements, and her innate balance and grace, she managed to keep her feet, ending up leaning gracefully against a tree as if she'd intended to be there in the first place having snatched her flute out of midair and tucking it into her belt. Her heart melted again as she considered how Jaene had risked her life to save Alicea's own and her eyes locked onto the Lizard, "Thou Fool, thou shalt be committed to the darkest depths of the Seven Hells for the slight you have done us!" Magic flowed through her voice as she cast Vicious Mockery, psychic power stabbing deep into the Giant Lizard's brain.

The Giant Lizard, in truth, didn’t understand a word, but it reacted all the same, wincing hard as it took severe psychic damage. The creature held on to life by a thread.

“You got this!” shouted Jaene.

Licking her lips, Alicea drew her rapier from her hip and lunged in a strike with one smooth motion, "Ha!" She cried as she executed a quality strike and the tip of the blade sank deep into it's body, robbing the rest of the life from the creature, crumpling it to the ground. She withdrew the blade and stepped back, bringing it up in a salute to a fallen opponent before grabbing a scrap of cloth from one pouch and wiping the blood from her blade and returning it to the scabbard, "Thank you for the save, Jaene, I didn't hear or see that thing coming!"

“Any time, luv,” Jaene said, pulling herself out of her self-made mud.

She went to the recently skewered Giant Lizard and gave it a good look. “Poor thing. Look at these sores around the mouth.” She pointed to a few blisters in the scales near its lips. “It was poisoned, quite strongly. But also very recently. The poison wouldn’t have gotten into its system. Just made it angry and crazed.”

The Water Genasi Ranger made her way to the back and carved off the tail with her dagger. She then cut off pieces of meat off the tail bone, getting three good sized chunks. Enough to feed them both for three meals each. She bundled them up so they’d last a few days.

“Have you seen any running water?” Jaene asked. “I want to wash up.” She smirked. “I could use some help, of course.”

"There's a stream about twenty meters that way." Alicea pointed unerringly, a fey look in her eyes as her tongue flicked out to lick her lips. She offered her hand to the Ranger who took it and they rapidly walked to the water while Jaene started to take off her muddy clothes to give them a quick wash as well. They waded into the chilly stream, but neither of them noticed it as Alicea ran her hands all over the Water Genasi to start cleaning her, hands moving to places that didn't necessarily require the attention as she pressed her lips to Jaene's neck.

One thing led to another and soon the two of them were both without their clothing, splashing about, or more accurately, not making that much noise of the kind. Still, there was always an ear out for intruders even as Alicea murmured a single word, "Levitate." and the flute rose into the air with light music playing from it to cover other noises.


OOC: Check Results

Perception Check:
Jaene: 8 + 4 + 12
Alicea: 6 + 0 = 6

Wounded Giant Lizard Charging Attack vs DEX Saving Throws:
Attack: 9 + 4 = 13
Jaene Pushing Alicea Clear: Natural 20
Jaene Jumping Clear: 11 + 4 = 15
Both get clear, Alicea dramatically

Giant Lizard Wisdom Saving Throw vs Vicious Mockery(Disadvantage due to Daze effect)
16, 7: Final result 7, Fail.

Damage roll Alicea
1d4 = 4. Giant Lizard has Disadvantage on next attack roll this turn

Initiative:
Lizard: 7 (disadvantage, dropping a 9) +1 = 9
Jaene: 13 + 2 = 15
Alicea: 17 + 2 = 19

Alicea roll for lunge with rapier.
9+4= 13 vs 12 AC

Alicea Damage Roll with Rapier
5+2= 7 damage

Two Survival Checks for Jaene:
19 + 4 = 23
9 + 4 = 13

Persuasion Check (Jaene) vs Perception Check(Disadvantage) Alicea
20+1 = 21 (Crit) vs 11, 9 = 9

Perception Check for finding a stream, Alicea
15 = 15

Current HP:
Jaene: 10/10
Alicea: 10/10