Ruven let out a sigh as she confirmed herself, and then letting out such a squeak as his ass was smacked lightly that one might think a squirrel was startled had they not known better. "W-what... No, nothing went wrong, j-just be careful not to cause any lights to go out! I-I can't give you energy if I'm dead! Okay?" Ruven said in a panic, curling his legs up and wrapping his arms around them and rocking back and forth while the sounds of the night made him quiver in fear.
Just like most nights, Ruven would probably get little to no sleep.
Carefully removing his cooked prize out of the fire, Toel admires the now well cooked fish with a look of delighted pride. Looking over towards Veera, Toel raises an eyebrow to her. Takes a moment before he shakes his head and chuckles, speaking afterwords. "Was more of a dip than a bath, in all honesty." He clarifies, lowering the catfish down a little. "But I did get a prize out of it." Looking between the two, Toel holds the skewered fish up in offering to Ruven and Veera. "Want some? I doubt I can eat this all by myself."
Either way, Toel was rather happy to partake in serving up the food as needed. He wasn't much of a cook, but with a rather large meal offered tonight, there was definitely enough to be filling without much sprucing up. Amidst his eating, he would stoke and prod at the fire once in a while to keep it alive. He has recently seen an example of one of the horrors that Ruven seems to deal with in the shadows that now begin to stir and surround their protective little circle of light. Best to keep them at a distance...
Ruven Zelphar: HP = 34, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Fine
Veera: Fine
Veera would sigh and nod in response to Ruven's startled warning to avoid putting out any lights, "yeah, I know... Still, that's gotta be old for you by now. I'll have to wait until your curse is gone to make love under the moonlight~" She gave the elf a pat on the head and then turned her smirk to Toel.
"Oh well... Maybe we can have a nice long bath later~" Veera replied playfully, "sure, I'll have some. Too bad we didn't pack anything spicy though!" She plopped down between the two, and if the two lacked dishware she would hand them a pair of small, mismatched ceramic plates that they could eat off of. Unless the other two opted to speak, however, the demonic guard would let their meal pass in silence and then shifted in place, looking away from the fire as the sun finally set in full and left the woods shrouded in darkness.
"Well, looks like it's time for bed. I should be good to stay up on my own tonight, I want to see just how bad it can get with that thing around. Either of you can stay up if you want, but you'd best get some rest. We'll have to move as soon as it's light out," she said lightly.
Ruven blushed at the demoness, before thinking. "If... If you could create enough light around us that your shadow wouldn't encompass me... It... Should be fine?" he wondered, despite his fear, he just realized that the inability to have sex during camp and thusly pay her would make things awkward.
As much as it was amusing to watch Ruven blush from the playfulness of Veera, Toel was rather keen on focusing on his still warm meal. Luckily, he is delightfully surprised as he is handed a plate by Veera, given a short word of eager thanks... Though she could probably spot the hint of a bit of blushing as well on his cheeks from her own playful words sent his way, him attempting to hide it as he begins to dig in. He is a bit of a big eater, though that may be since they have an excess of food for this meal!
With nothing said while he finishes his own cut of the meal, he leans back and lets out a satisfied sigh as he pats his stomach. Takes a minute or two before he snaps out of his food induced stupor from Veera's words, him looking over to her as she speaks. "Well, I could go for some sleep after that meal... Just be careful, yeah?" With a momentary glance towards the darkness that is around them, he lets out a light sigh before he lays back a tiny bit away from the fire. A camp fire, a lantern at the ready, and a lightstone just in case? They should be fine... Hopefully.
OOC:
I got hit hard by writer's block... I am going to try to get back into the rhythm of things, so sorry it took that long!
Ruven Zelphar: HP = 34, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Fine
Veera: Fine
"Bah, that's no fun~" Veera cooed playfully, "I'll just have to give you a few wakeup calls and let you dream about the day you can enjoy the stars again~" The demoness reached out and gently ruffled his hair, but then shot a smirk in Toel's direction. She hadn't missed the blush that her words had inspired, but neither would she press the issue now. It seemed like the demoness was having too much fun teasing both men to show favoritism to one or the other.
Both men would be able to start their rest as night approached, surrounded by numerous sources of light and with Veera as their nighttime guardian. Sleep would come, perhaps easily enough to Toel but barely for poor Ruven, but fortunately their night would pass without event. Both men would awaken to Veera sitting patiently in the center of camp, tending the fire and cooking something in a pot she was stirring, and in the first rays of dawn the only sounds were the occasional caws of crows and chirps of crickets besides the steady crackle of the fire.
Ruven's night, as per usual, was restless. Only when the sky started to turn the slightest tint of blue did he promptly and immediately pass out. Toel would wake up before him, and Ruven would sleep well throughout most of the day if no one woke him up due to his fear induced lack of sleep. When someone did wake him up though, he would move like a zombie, absolutely no mirth on his face. An expression drenched in pitiful misery. Still, he would try to say something positive. "Smells good..." he assumed. He couldn't actually smell it from where he was.
It wasn't long before Toel was out cold, soothed by the warm meal. Though Toel was a bit of a deep sleeper, the scent of food is a simple enough motivator to wake up the Anudorian. Slowly roused from his sleep, he lets out a faint grumble before he lets out a wide mouthed yawn, stretching his arms a bit before he attempts to sit up. Takes him a few tries, amusingly enough. Slept like a stone, and his limbs feel like they still want more rest.
Eyes half lidded, Toel glances around in a slight sleepy haze before he looks towards the direction of the scent of food, finding Veera next to it. "Mmm... G'morning." He resists letting out another yawn as he blinks the blurring out of his eyes. While it does take him a bit, soon enough Toel finally gets his sleepy thoughts coherent enough in order to lightly shake Ruven awake from his sleep before returning his attention to Veera. "Did you get any rest?" He asks her curiously, rubbing his eyes after a momentary pause to wake himself up the rest of the way. Slow to rise, it seems.
Ruven Zelphar: HP = 34, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Fine
Veera: Fine
"Hopefully it tastes that way," Veera agreed mirthfully, though when Ruven woke up the demoness couldn't suppress a dark frown. "You look horrible," she remarked after Toel, "are you going to be able to travel today like that? We can take another few hours for you to get some rest if you want." Her voice was even, making it unclear whether her words were from concern or simple pragmatism, and she continued stirring the pot regardless.
"A cursed man seldom looks fine." Ruven argued. "Nothing has changed, I'm still suffering. The sooner we get this curse removed, the sooner I can sleep my heart away." he said, before coming over to the pot, and looking for his own share. "If we wait on me, we'll make no progress. Ignore my condition and let us press on after we eat." he announced.
Despite how miserable he felt, thinking about how he might one day be rid of the book filled Ruven with Determination.
Rubbing away the last of the blurring from his eyes, the anudorian glances between the pair as the two speak. Toel sighs after Ruven insists himself, looking up towards Veera. "As much as he should sleep, it probably would be best if we got moving soon. He would need more than just a few hours of sleep..." Plus, Ruven was still rather capable despite being sleep deprived before. Why would that change now? Looking towards the pot, the anudorian slowly rises to his feet, arms raising above his head to stretch a bit.
A light grumble escapes his lips before he continues speaking. "So, guess breakfast is almost ready, yeah?" He asks Veera, stretching to wake himself up some more before he finally lets his arms rest at his sides, straightening his clothes and brushing off a few clingy blades of grass.
Ruven Zelphar: HP = 34, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Fine
Veera: Fine
"Suit yourself," Veera said, "we'll carry you if you collapse, but if you say you're used to it that's good enough for me." Glancing at Toel, Veera stirred the pot briefly before nodding, "looks about ready." She would dole out the stuff in equal portions between the two men before eating what was left directly from the pot much more quickly.
Midway through eating the warm stew, the demoness would glance around, eyes narrowing, and slowly rose from her seat on a fallen log. Her hand reached slowly for the short spear she always kept at her side, and under her breath she muttered; "Trouble. Something is coming toward us... A lot of somethings. Not moving fast, but they're already close."
"That's fine..." Ruven said, nearly passing out again as it was.
Still, sounds of danger made the elf man panic. "Must hide!" he whispered, trying to find shelter from eyesight. He didn't even care about what was coming by, he just wanted to hide.
"I can carry him if it comes down to that." Toel says to Veera, smiling to her as he is handed a bowl. "Thanks." The Anudorian was rather quick to chow down on the stew, though not as much as Veera it seems as the man pauses to sometimes prevent Ruven from tipping. Poor elf, maybe they could find a room covered all the way in lit candles for him. Probably would help him sleep!
Eatting his stew, it takes him a couple seconds longer before he notices Veera standing up and reaching for her spear, Toel blinking in light confusion before he tenses, then rises to his feet, bowl being set down a bit haphazardly as he rises to grasp the hilt of his Claymore. "At this early?" He mutters under his breath as he looks around and about. Though he does take a moment to look towards Ruven and speak. "Well, guess this is a good way to get the blood pumping in the morning, yeah?" He asks, chuckling softly afterwords as he listens and waits, steadily unsheathing his Claymore.
Ruven Zelphar: HP = 34, PP = 36, EP = 76, Status = Fine
Veera: Fine
Rolls
Ruven's stealth: 26 + circumstance bonuses maybe
Perception: Toel fails, Ruven does not.
"Better now then in the middle of the night," Veera replied under her breath, lifting her shield and moving to the opposite side of the fire, closer to the oncoming group. Toel drew his sword and waited, while Ruven moved to hide, either nearby just beside the camp or away from the other two so that he wouldn't get involved by proxy if things got messy. The woods were fairly thin, but he could at the very least take cover behind a rock or tree. Either way, it would be hard to remain fully hidden and keep out of the shadows at the same time, though if anyone could learn to do such it would be him.
With two of their number waiting out in the open and one trying to hide somewhere, they had to wait only a few minutes before someone broke through the brush and came into view. No less than ten goblins, most armed with cudgels but two holding short pronged spears and folded up nets, all clad in red and brown leather and with saved heads, emerged from the woods in a spaced out formation, weaving cautiously between the trees and keeping to cover. Behind them a taller figure emerged a few moments later, a woman clad in a finely tailored black suit with dark brown skin and a noticeable strut in her step. Ivory hair hung in a bob to just below her eyeline, with a single long ponytail trailing down her back. A pair of short curved swords hung at her hip, both with intricate brass hilts and inlay on the black leather scabbards.
Veera sighed at the sight of her but didn't drop her guard, waiting until the group paused with the closest members some twenty or so feet away before she said; "Neptunia... What are you doing out here?" Their demonic guide sounded exasperated, annoyed, but the woman she addressed responded in a perfectly mirthul tone; "Veera.... Good to see you as always!" Narrowing her eyes, Veera replied; "What. Do. You. Want?"
The figure giggled softly, tilting her head and folding her arms behind her back as she took a few steps forward, though she remained behind the wall of goblins. "Why, you of course~" she replied, giggling briefly before her eyes narrowed and her head tilted in the opposite direction, red eyes beginning to spark slightly. "You still owe a debt to us, and it's long past time you collected. The Collective is very unhappy with these delays, and I was allowed to... Acquire... A sizable portion of your debt at a premium on the condition that I bring you in. Imagine my pleasure when I managed to talk the senior leadership into that!"
Veera glared at her, and in a flat voice replied; "I paid off that debt months ago. What you're doing here is illegal, even in Acheron." The woman, Neptunia apparently, giggled with eyes shut, but when she opened them again her eyes were sparking harder than ever. "The original debt, yes.... But not the interest. You'll find that it's quite legal, I even have documentation to prove it~" Veera scowled darker than ever, her grip on her weapon tightening audibly. "This is ridiculous... I'll deal with this when I'm done with my contract, but I'm not going anywhere with you!"
Her refusal to cooperate only seemed to amplify the other woman's mirth, and she took another few strutting steps forward, until she was just behind the forefront of the line of goblins. "I was hoping you'd say that... If you had come in willingly I'd have had to be nice to you. Now, after I've slapped a collar on you and let these boys have their fill, I can do whatever I want before I turn you over," she said with an eerie grin, before glancing briefly a Toel. "You there.... You're her client, right? I can assure you she's not nearly as competent as she pretends to be. We can not only take up her contract, but offer a modest bounty if you help bring her in. Of course, if you don't..." she trailed off with a meaningful glare. Ruven, in the meantime, would spot movement from his hiding place, silhouettes moving among the trees. There was definitely something out there, at least four somethings, moving in towards the camp from the flank.
Ruven panicked. This was bad, very, very bad! They should have taken cover, let whoever this crazy bitch is pass! Why does no one listen!? Now they were about to lose their guide and this woman was dressed in leather! LEATHER! He still had his dignity as an elf, and he knew women dressed in black leather were NEVER trustworthy! Or anyone dressed in black besides at a funeral! She was clearly hiding something! Or something.
Either way, his mind was erratic. He was sweating, hiding as prone as he could be to take as much cover as possible in the vegetation and rocks about. He was not a fighter! He looked around, there had to be a solution. More things coming? Oh, please don't let it be goblins... Trying to call for help, Ruven put his fingers to his head, trying to use his newfound powers to beseech them and see who they were.
Choosing one of the approaching somethings, Ruven focuses on them...
"Please..." he whispered inside their mind. "Please, if you are not evil, please help my friends. We're being attacked by a woman and goblins. Please, I beg of you, have mercy!" he pleaded, hoping that they would not refuse his plea.
(Ruven uses telepathy to try and communicate with the approaching four things, paying 2ep)
Oh... Great. The Anudorian's grip on his claymore tenses as a rather large group of goblins come from the treeline, Toel taking a small step back. While Veera did say a lot of somethings were coming, he didn't expect... Well, a pack of goblins! Though his attention is momentarily drawn away from the goblins as a woman comes strutting out from the tree lines next, an eyebrow raising in brief surprise at her attire. Any chance that they were just here to offer fishing nets, judging by the two holding a net? Considering the tone the two talk to one another however, it seems unlikely.
And, while Veera and 'Neptunia' talked to one another, the Anudorian was more or less just anxiously looking between the two, sometimes looking towards the goblins the new lady was standing behind. "Is... The interest really that high to call for all of this?" Toel speaks up to the suit wearing woman as she regards him, waving a hand towards the goblins momentarily before he returns his hand to the claymore. He does seem a bit intimidated for a little bit, though looking between Veera and Neptunia, the man sighs beneath his breath before he shakes his head. "Thanks for the offer, but..." He briefly pauses to point a thumb towards Veera. "She got the contract first, so... Yeah, no thank you." He trails off, reaffirming his grip on his claymore. As much as he had that itty bitty voice in the back of his head just telling him to back off, he couldn't just leave Veera alone in this.
Though, ready as he is, Toel briefly mutters to Veera while he has the time to. "Mind explainin' after this?" While a guide was great, the possibility of getting hunted as a little 'bonus' might be good reason to negotiate terms.
(Toel, stubborn as he is, stands with Veera. Optimistic, isn't he? If they start to attack or approach, Toel will be swiping at the net bearer to start the fun.)
Toel gets to swing at a netguy.
Attack: Hit.
Damage: 2 + 9 + 37 = 48 damage. SLAIN.
The goblins divide their attacks randomly, all but 2 end up attacking Veera. Will do the attacks on Toel first.
Attacks: One hits.
Damage: 1 + 3 + 2 + 14 - 13 = 7 damage. 20/5 = 4 TP damage.
There are now.... Six club attacks and a net coming at Veera. She's using Defensive Stance and 10 defensive fighting for a total of 83 Dodge with her shield.
Attacks: 52 vs 83, 52 vs 78, 55 vs 73, 50 vs 68, 57 vs 63, 46 vs 58, all miss. She gets a defensive attack on all of them with shield and spear.
Attacks: Hers all hit.
Damage: 11 + 18 = 29 damage.
Damage: 7 + 17 = 24 damage.
Net guy's attack.
Attack: 43 vs 53, still a miss.
Then the other girl comes in.
Attacks: Hit, hit, hit.
Resistance: Veera actually wins the disarm check.
Damage: 12 + 24 - 14 - 24 = 0 damage. Lucky Veera. Though she is still weakened for a turn.
"This is bullshit," Veera said resolutely, glaring at Neptunia but directing her comment at Toel, "this is ALL bullshit! I don't owe them ANYTHING!" She seemed certain, but the other woman simply grinned. "Well, I'm really sorry you feel that way Veera... Not really." She glanced at Toel again briefly, smile widening, "well, I gave you a chance... I guess I'll be getting a pet human out of this too~"
She swept her gaze across the pair of them, eyes narrowing, and then simply said; "Get them."
And then the goblins rushed them as a hoard, eyes gleaming and clubs waving. Toel only had to worry about three of them, luckily, and the first went down with a single swing of his greatsword. The other two lunged, waving clubs at his legs, and one of them connected with a blow against his knee, though his greaves soaked some of the force from the blow.
Veera, in the meantime, was moving in a wild whirl. Goblins came at her from every direction, obviously confident of their victory. Their self assurance was misplaced. The demon moved in a blur even without magic, spinning her spear and hammering her shield into whoever came close, taking down one or two goblins at a time and using the momentum of bringing down each opponent to launch into the next. One by one the goblins were smacked aside, bashed upon her shield or jabbed or slashed or simply smashed down by her spear, and when she finished the whirling display against the ones with cudgels she completed it with a roll under a hastily thrown net, an uppercut with her shield, and an impalement of the goblin that had thrown it.
Neptunia watched the failure of her hired help with a confident smirk, never shifting stance, and the other woman waited until Veera was recovering before she lunged in. A long, narrow sword appeared in her grip, vanishing from its sheath so quickly that it might as well have been summoned as she hurled forward and aimed a slash at Veera's wrist. The demoness moved aside to avoid being skewered, but her opponent twisted and whirled the blade, forcing her to move with it as it pushed against the shaft of her spear. Only a hasty step back kept Veera's spear from being twisted right out of her grip, and even then Neptunia only narrowed her eyes and shifted, sword darting impossibly quickly. Already overtaxed, Veera couldn't keep up, and the tip jabbed harmlessly against her chest, stopped by her armor, only for a twist and shift of momentum to let Neptunia slam the guard into Veera's stomach, knocking the wind out of her and forcing her onto her back foot.
For Ruven, things weren't going too well. His mental contact with the invisible figure worked, at least, and the humanoid blur he had targeted directly stopped in place, the other three quickly following suit. [Where are you... Show yourself,] the other being replied, [we'll be glad to... Help. Just come out!] While the thoughts broadcast to him were simple, direct, and easy to understand, Ruven could feel a disingenuity about them... And a malice. A soft, sibilant grunt issued from the blur that had stopped first, and the rest began to spread out even as it continued to urge him to reveal himself. Luckily the psychic link didn't direct it to his location naturally, but if they kept looking long enough they would likely find him eventually regardless, and they were becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of as they got farther and farther apart.
"Oh." was Ruven's thought when he realized what was up. His eyes searched, before spotting the closest figure that was getting closer. He wasn't just hearing someone getting closer, he was hearing an INVISIBLE someone getting closer! "Oh..." was his thought.
Then, suddenly, "Oh!" he thought, before tightening his lips together. He targetted the one closest to him. "Surrender..." he whispered to the thing closest to him. But it wasn't good enough, he had to fill it with his own malice. Instead, in a world only seen in their mental minds...
The cloaked being would see with its third eye, or its mind, whichever you prefer, a phantom figure of an elf man lunging out at him with his hand, grasping its head, all while the physical Ruven was just concentrating, hiding in the grass. "SUFFER ME NOW!" Ruven's phantom shouted with as much malice as he could summon. For the first time in ever... "KILL THE LEADER OF THE GOBLINS!" Ruven commanded. Hopefully, no one psychic like him was detecting this violent takeover.
Ruven tried to dominate something's mind.
(Action, Use Telepathy to try and dominate the cloaked dude with the highest chance of finding Ruven. He pays 8 EP to cast it, and buffs his resistence by 10 using brain hulk for 4EP. Total Resistance = 1d20+27)
Toel scoffs as he points his claymore towards the group of goblins and Neptunia at her brief words to him. "Right, pet... I have someone to look for, and you are not her." And, as the goblins approach, the Anudorian lets out a yell as he takes his swing at the net bearer. The weight of the claymore carries through the swing, and the man finds little problem cleaving through the net carrying goblin.
A momentary grunt escapes the Anudorian's lips as his knee is bonked by a club, his scale armor rattling a little from the impact as some pieces fall off and into the dirt. "Hey, quit that!" Toel shouts in a frustrated tone, taking another wide swipe down at the goblins as he takes a few steps back to gain leg room.
As annoying as the two ankle-biters are, there are only two of them. With what Veera is dealing with, this is leaving her to quite a bit! Taking another few steps away from the goblins with his sword pointed at their heads, he seems to be glancing over at Veera, Neptunia, and larger group of goblins with something in mind.
(Toel takes another swing at one of the two goblins and attempts to get a bit of space.)
