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[h2][color=6ecff6][i][b]Hugh Caphazath[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=6ecff6]Half-Elf, Monk (Way of Shadow), Level 3[/color][/b][/i]
[color=6ecff6][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 24/24	[color=6ecff6][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 17	[color=6ecff6][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] NA
[color=6ecff6][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] P12 -> M9
[color=6ecff6][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] Pass Without Trace (whole party)
[color=6ecff6][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=6ecff6][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
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[right][img]https://i.imgur.com/4a0uP44.png[/img][/right]
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Luckily, Hugh’s almost hurried and emphatic assertion that the mule and cart should remain behind didn’t appear to come off as rude. In fact, the moment it was mentioned, the rest of the group seemed to accept and adjust for it without a second thought. Hugh couldn’t help letting out a quiet sigh of relief at the unanimous prevalence of common sense.


The tiefling seemed all too excited for what was to come, to be honest. Hugh watched with mixed trepidation and interest, as she cast her magic, a shimmering film of a barrier settling over her body. In his experience, such a barrier was not good at taking blows head on. In other words, it acted just like real armor, much more useful when angled against blows and tested sparingly, as the user did their best to dodge most blows instead. In response to her proposal, he hummed, [color=6ecff6]“Better still, why not see about trying to fire off all at once? If your attack doesn’t finish off the archer, then perhaps mine will.”[/color]

Marita proposed a revision to the initial plan that Hugh saw no reason to contest. He was out of practice working with groups, but in hindsight, making sure he only had to protect a single spellcaster seemed ideal. Although…

Victoria seemed somewhat put off by the idea of skulking around, claiming her abilities would best be used in the open. In that case, putting aside any personal dislike… and ignoring that utter nonsense about ‘heroes’... [color=6ecff6]“Why not just remove the middleman?”[/color] Hugh opined, frowning. [color=6ecff6]“I’ll take the tiefling, and Victoria can head straight for the frontlines from the get-go. Besides,”[/color] he nodded his head at the probable warlock, [color=6ecff6]“her magical barrier and demonstrated agility mean she’ll likely be less vulnerable if she and I get swarmed by stragglers.”[/color]

He shook his head at Kathryn’s naive suggestion. [color=6ecff6]“They are, at this very moment, [i]eating[/i] a sentient being. ‘Modern justice’...”[/color] He barely withheld a scoff, but the dismissiveness towards the idea was clear. [color=6ecff6]“What are we meant to do? Arrest them? They would face the noose or the block for their crimes regardless. Of that, there is no question.”[/color] He raised a single brow. [color=6ecff6]“Or are you perhaps suggesting we have them throw down their weapons and send them on their way with a promise of good behavior? No, there are some lines you simply do not tolerate being crossed, and we are long past them.”[/color]

[color=6ecff6]“Now then,”[/color] he brought up a final thought. [color=6ecff6]“As I mentioned before, I can use my Ki to give us an edge in getting the drop on them. In particular, It is my intent to infuse all of us with the essense of the world around us, in part causing us to become one with the natural Ki of the world. I will hear any objecters now and exclude them from the effect.”[/color] After a long moment, he hummed. It seemed none were opposed. In that case. [color=6ecff6]“Very well. Hold still, and don’t give what happens all that much thought. This may feel… [i]strange[/i].”[/color]

With his left hand still occupied by his bow, his right rose before his chest. Muttering under his breath, his hand cupped, then fisted, then knifed down, before slowly spreading out into a downwards-facing palm, helping him to shape his cultivated life force, as it began to seep out of his body.  As this occurred, the shade cast by the forest canopy and Hugh himself almost seemed to [i]writhe[/i], the air gaining a strange taste, like all who were breathing it could not seem to draw it in, yet still managed to [i]breath[/i] unhindered all the same.

The air almost seemed to grow hazy -yet not-, as it rippled outwards into a slowly growing radius around Hugh, the writhing of the shadows spreading to every new one they touched and then [i]deepening[/i] in a manner that somehow invited no attention. No, despite the fact that something strange was going on, all within and underneath the effect could see and feel clearly. But even so, allies or not, one could not help but find their gaze almost [i]accidentally[/i] passing over their own comrades uncomprehendingly, almost as if seeing through them and yet knowing implicitly that [i]they were there[/i].

[i][color=6ecff6][b]“Good, it seems to have worked,”[/b][/color][/i] Hugh’s warbled voice almost sounded like it was coming from underwater, like the very air was trying to swallow his words the moment they left his mouth. [color=6ecff6][i][b]“The technique is a bit indiscriminate, but I can at least control who it affects. Once you leave the radius, it will falter, but if you need to become concealed again, just return to me. The effect is constant so long as I can maintain it.”[/b][/i][/color]

With that, he nodded and hunched, beginning to slowly move north-westward, the grass leaving not a whisper in his wake and even springing back into place as though it had never been disturbed by his passage at all. He crept forward till he could sidle up behind the western of a pair of trees just up the road on either side of it. As he moved, the radius of reaching shadows and strangeness went with him and then halted in turn, just barely managing to keep the rest of the group within itself.