[IC] The Rise from the Ashes

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

"...Change is coming, Little Lordling..."

A whisper in the darkness teases at Cadmus's ears. He cannot see anything, but he can feel a presence, looming over him. His instincts scream at him to either run or fight, for the presence whispering to him is a greater force and much more powerful than he is alone. There is no weapon in hand, and he cannot see where he can run to.

"You are the last. Will you bring about Resurrection?

Or will you bring about Destruction?"

The voice doesn't seem to see fit to explain itself or its words to Cadmus. Instead it hisses once more in finality,

"We shall find out.

Let the games begin.

Now...Wake.

Wake...

Wake...

Wake up, Cadmus....Rise and Shining!"

A familiar, bright voice breaks through the darkness along with the ray of sunshine that pierces through Cadmus's eyelids. Upon waking up, Cadmus immediately sees Meli of the Moonpetal looming from above, her face very close to his. Apparently she had been standing beside his bed trying to wake him up. The curtains in front of the window leading into his bedroom have already been pulled open to let the sunlight in.

Of all people to try and wake him up today, it was Meli! Well, there are worse ways she could have woken him up. Upon seeing him open his eyes, she bursts out laughing and she greets him, "'Bout time, sleepyhead! I thought you were just gonna sleep in!"

She then hops away from him, and she tells him, "Elena sent me to wake you up! She made pancakes today! You better hurry up, or I'll eat your plate of pancakes after I finish mine!" She then bounds out of the room, calling to his retainers, "He's up! He's up! Make way, The Lord of the House is up!"

Cadmus is able to have a moment to dust the sleepy cobwebs out of his mind in silence. It's been three months since Ser Adam Stonehelm passed away, most likely to meet what afterlife the Judge has decided for him. Since then, those at the seat of the Dragonspire Throne saw fit to claim more resources and push their plans for the grove further.

This includes attempting to get their hands on the very orchard Cadmus grew up on.

Looking out of the window, he can see one road was constructed to be brazenly close to the orchard, while cutting into the grove. It's hard to tell whether this was a taunt or an intimidation attempt, if not both.

Regardless, after Ser Adam passed away, letters offering a hefty pay for the orchard came in. When those were either answered negatively or just ignored, official demand letters for the property started flying in. Soldiers have even come by, trying to intimidate Cadmus and his retainers. Thankfully, the Moonpetal Clan was there with the family. With the backing of the satyrs, the soldiers' intimidation tactics fell flat, and they had to simply leave empty-handed.

This seems to be just another peaceful day on the orchard, and the day awaits Cadmus.

None could imagine how this would be the final peaceful day on the Orchard...

[LiLNasY]

I woke up fast, my heart beating hard in my chest. The dream still felt real, like something was still watching me. That voice in the darkness wouldn't leave my head, even with Meli's happy laugh filling my room. Resurrection or Destruction. The words felt important, but I didn't know why.

I sat up slow and ran my normal hand through my hair. My draconic hand opened and closed by itself. Was the voice familiar? I couldn't tell. It felt more like a feeling than a sound, like it went straight into some deep part of me. Maybe it was something about dragons. Or something older.

"Don't repeat your father's madness," Adam's voice came into my head. It happened a lot these past three months. "Be what they should have been."

I got out of bed and went through my morning routine. In the washroom, cold water waited in a basin. No one heated it because they knew I didn't usually take baths in the morning. I liked that they knew my habits. Elena, Garrick, and Isolde had done so much for me over the years. I tried not to make extra work for them.

The cold water felt like a shock on my skin, but it helped wake me up. I washed quick, still thinking about that voice. The last. What did that mean? The last Solarian? The last hope for dragons? Both?

I dried off and put on simple clothes good for working in the orchard. Long sleeves and my usual glove hid my golden arm. As I walked to the dining area, I heard Meli's voice again. "Make way, the Lord of the House is up!"

"Don't," I said when I came in. My voice came out too sharp. The title felt like a joke, even if it was true. Lord of what? An orchard? Three old retainers and a cold egg that might never hatch? I felt a little bad when I saw Meli's face. "Just don't call me that."

I sat down at the table. Elena's pancakes smelled amazing and made the room feel warm and safe. It was so different from the cold dream and the trouble outside. I looked at the window, at that road cutting so close to our land. It was like a wound through the grove.

"Isolde," I said, looking at the seamstress. She was probably already working on something with her needle and thread. "Another letter came yesterday, didn't it? About selling the orchard?"

This was the third one this month. Maybe the fourth? The first letters were polite and offered good money. Now they were more like orders, with threats hidden in official words. Soldiers came twice already. They didn't need to say what would happen if we kept saying no.

Things in Ophidia were complicated. News from the north told different stories. The big cities in the middle were doing well. The madness that took over my father's last years was gone. People weren't scared anymore. Trade was good. The capital had been rebuilt. For a lot of people, the revolution gave them what they wanted.

But the edges were different. Small villages that used to get help from the crown, even when that help was strange and random, were now forgotten. Everything went to the middle, to help the new rulers stay strong. And Edenvale, wild and sacred Edenvale, was being cut apart bit by bit.

"I still have contacts," Adam told me once, back before he got really sick. The old knight sat in his corner, cleaning his sword like he always did. "In the capital. All over Ophidia. People who remember what House Solarian was before the madness. People who would help you if you tried to take back the throne."

I asked him why. Why would anyone help the son of a mad king? Why support what was left of a family that destroyed itself?

"Because they remember your mother," Adam said. "And because they want to see if you're like Edric or like Liliveth."

I picked up my fork and cut into Elena's pancakes. They were perfect like always. Light and soft with a little sweetness. My small family sat around the table for breakfast, the same thing we'd done for twenty-four years.

But outside, the road got closer. More letters kept coming. And in my room, hidden away, a dragon egg got warmer every day.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Meli looked shocked by how her happy announcement had been silent. After Cadmus clarified that he didn't want to be called the Lord of the House. She pouted a bit, and answered him, her attitude not quite diminished, but definitely affected, "Geez! Okay, fine. Who put thorns in your bed this morning?" She then moved to a seat generously provided for her with a plate of pancakes.

The pancakes were set for everyone. Cadmus would easily notice that each individual plate is topped with the specific person's favorite berries. Knowing Elena now, while this is a kind gesture meant to be a nice start to the day, it's a sure sign that today is going to be a difficult day.

Isolde was indeed knitting to repair a hole in a shirt when Cadmus asks his question. She looks up at him, and she answers him forlornly, "I'm afraid so, M'Lord," She then hands the letter in question to him for him to read. She tells him, "This came in at midnight,"

The letter's contents read as follows

We will triple the pay in the last letter for the Orchard.
Please bring the letters to Ophidia to officially make this agreement.
This is the last reminder.

Open if you succeed on an Insight DC 13 Check

The last line of this brief letter catches Cadmus's attention the most. It is definitely a threat. While the threat isn't clear on what will happen if he doesn't agree to their offers, it's definitely there.

The Crown may be planning to do something drastic...

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

I felt bad as soon as I saw Meli's face change. The happiness drained out of it, replaced by hurt and confusion. I shouldn't have snapped at her like that.

"I'm sorry, Meli," I said, my voice softer now. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just... I had a bad dream. That's all."

I turned to Isolde as she handed me the letter. My eyes scanned the words quickly, then read them again more slowly. Triple the pay. Come to Ophidia. Last reminder.

That last line made my stomach twist. It wasn't just an offer anymore. It was a warning.

I set the letter down on the table and looked at the three faces around me. Elena, Garrick, Isolde. And Meli, still pouting slightly but watching me with those bright eyes.

"We should take it," I said.

The words came out before anyone could interrupt. I needed to say this all at once, needed them to understand.

"Listen to me, please. This is twenty-five thousand gold. That's enough to buy land somewhere else, somewhere far from Ophidian interests. Somewhere safe." My voice got stronger as I talked, more urgent. "I need to keep you safe. All of you. You've given everything for me. Your whole lives. And now they're threatening us. You saw those soldiers. You read this letter."

I looked at Elena, at the silver in her hair. At Garrick's hands that weren't as steady as they used to be. At Isolde's tired eyes.

"Adam spent twenty-four years keeping me alive. I won't let his work be for nothing by getting you all hurt or worse.

We can leave. Start over. They get their orchard, and we get to live in peace somewhere else."

My heart was beating fast. The words felt right and wrong at the same time. This was the smart choice. The safe choice. Adam had taught me to think strategically, to know when to fight and when to retreat.

But then my eyes landed on Meli.

The Moonpetal Gathering. Her home. Her family. The satyrs who had stood with us when the soldiers came, who had made this orchard more than just a hiding place. They lived so close to here, just into the grove.

If we sold and left, what would happen to them? The road already cut close to their sacred spaces. How long before Ophidia pushed further? How long before the Moonpetal had nowhere left to go?

"Fuck," I whispered.

The word slipped out before I could stop it. My hand, the draconic one, clenched into a fist on the table.

@LiLNasY

Upon hearing Cadmus's apology, Meli's expression softened into one of understanding, and she states softly, "Oh..." She then reassures him, her voice going back to its normal brightness, "It's okay. Nightmares suck, but maybe The Wild was trying to tell you something?"

Everyone is silent as Cadmus reads the letter and voices his decision. All eyes are on him in shock as he makes the argument to sell the Orchard.

When his eyes land on Meli after making his decision, her happiness has been replaced by a different expression: Unreadable, and yet it's clear what she's feeling the moment she speaks up.

"What. The Fuck?!"

Anger and betrayal can be heard in her voice. She stands up, slamming her hands on the table as she asks Cadmus, "And what happens after that, huh?! Do you even realize that your Orchard is the reason why our home and the sacred groves are still standing at all?! Despite those assholes going around it?! What do you expect us to do after they take the orchard and our home?! Just lay down and die?!"

"Meli--" Elena starts to speak, but Meli doesn't stop,

"No! No. You know what?! Fine! If you want to roll over and show your belly to those greedy, gluttonous bastards, that's your prerogative!"

She then looks at Cadmus teary-eyed, "I thought we were friends! I thought we wouldn't abandon each other in our time of need..."

She weeps as she hurries out of the house, out of the backdoor, and into the wilderness. Elena, Isolde, and Garrick are all silent. Isolde speaks up, "We appreciate your consideration of our efforts. But...are you sure?"

Elena sighs and speaks up, "I'm afraid Meli has a point. There are consequences to giving up the Orchard. Because some of the groves are on our personal property, we were protecting them this entire time,"

Garrick simply remains silent and watches Cadmus intently. It feels like a moment of truth for Cadmus and for his retainers.

[LiLNasY]

I didn't hear what the retainers said after Meli ran out. Their voices became background noise as I pushed back from the table and went after her.

"Meli!" I called out as I rushed through the backdoor.

"Meli, wait. Please."

My voice was desperate, urgent. I needed her to hear me. But she was already too far ahead, moving fast through the trees.

I wanted to tell her I was sorry. That what I said back there was stupid, just me trying to hold onto something, anything. Trying to keep control when everything felt like it was falling apart.

I wanted to explain that I wanted to protect my family. Elena, Garrick, Isolde. They'd given up everything for me. But she was right. She was family too. She'd always been family. And the Moonpetal, they stood with us when those soldiers came. They'd been our friends for years.

I wouldn't leave her. I wouldn't leave the gathering to face this alone. That wasn't who I wanted to be. That wasn't who my mother would have wanted me to be.

We'd figure this out. Together. I didn't know how yet, but we would. I needed to promise her that.

I looked around, trying to find any sign of which way she went. The forest was thick here, and Meli knew these paths better than anyone. I searched for broken branches, disturbed leaves, anything that might show her trail.

If I couldn't track her, I'd go straight to the Moonpetal Gathering. She used go home when she was upset. That's where I needed to be.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

In his pursuit after Meli, his weeping childhood friend, Cadmus races across the Orchard and finds himself in the wilderness. He quickly loses her and he finds himself in the massive expanse of trees. It seems like all of them are looming down on him in judgment. All of the broken branches and scattered leaves look the same to Cadmus; It's hard to tell which ones are path made, and which ones were just natural foliage.

Looking around, he also notes that he's having trouble figuring out where he is, and which way leads back to the house where his retainers are. He is also having trouble figuring out which way leads to the Moonpetal Gathering's home.

In his wanderings, Cadmus does stumble upon something different; Something he's never seen before. In a clearing, he spots a statue of an elderly man in robes. Instead of being hunched and tired, like most statues would depict elderly men, this one stands tall and his expression remains stoic. Despite his age, he maintains an air of regality. Cadmus would even notice that there is a crown of thorns resting upon his brow. Rays of sunlight shine down upon this clearing as though to illuminate the statue.

Religion DC 13

There is no doubt in Cadmus's mind. This is a religious effigy of someone's interpretation of The Monarch. But...every single depiction of him that Cadmus has seen before always has the God as younger men and women, and always with a crown of fine metals and jewels upon their heads. He's never seen a depiction with a crown of thorns on their head.

Not to mention, the Moonpetal Gathering are more likely to worship The Fool and the Wild Face more so than the Monarch. So it is unusual to find this statue here.

Cadmus is about thirty feet from this clearing and the statue.

[LiLNasY]

I stood there catching my breath, my heart pounding in my chest. Lost. I was actually lost in these woods. Woods I'd walked through since I was a child, and now they felt like a maze closing in around me.

The panic started to rise in my throat. Meli was out there somewhere, crying, thinking I'd betrayed her. And I couldn't even find my way through the forest to tell her I was wrong.

Then I saw the clearing ahead, and that statue bathed in sunlight.

I walked closer, maybe fifteen feet from it now. The old man's face was so calm, so certain. That crown of thorns should have made him look like he was suffering, but instead he just looked... determined. Strong. Like he knew exactly who he was and what he had to do, even if it hurt.

I felt small standing there. Small and stupid and lost in more ways than one.

Who was this supposed to be? Some old god from before my family came to power? Some forgotten king? The forest had swallowed so many temples and shrines over the centuries. This was probably just another piece of history that didn't matter anymore.

But right now, staring up at that stone face, I felt like it knew I'd just tried to run away. To sell the orchard and pretend that was the same as keeping people safe.

Adam's words came back to me. "Be what they should have been."

I clenched my draconic hand into a fist. The statue didn't have any answers for me. It was just stone. And Meli was out there, real and hurt and needing to know I wasn't going to abandon her.

I turned away from the clearing and kept moving. The Moonpetal Gathering had to be around here somewhere. I'd find it. I had to.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

As Cadmus stares at this statue, he can't help but feel as though something within the statue was looking back at him. It felt like that statue was alive, but he doesn't know how that could be possible! Could this figure have actually been a victim of petrification? No, the platformed base suggests otherwise: That it was always stone, and was simply carved to look like that.

When Cadmus turns around, he sees another inexplicable sight in the Orchard. It's something he's heard children of the Moonpetal Gathering talk about, but was always dismissed as just their imaginations.

A stag with impossibly golden fur! It looks like it had been grazing, but now it is staring at Cadmus. As their eyes meet, the stag chews on the bits of grass in its mouth.

What does Cadmus do?

[LiLNasY]

I stared at the statue, and for a moment, I could swear it was staring back. My skin prickled with the feeling of being watched, really watched, not just looked at. But that was impossible. It was stone. Just carved stone on a platform. It had always been stone.

I shook my head and turned away, trying to focus on finding the path to the Gathering.

Then I froze.

Standing there, not twenty feet from me, was a stag. But not just any stag. Its fur was golden. Actually golden, like someone had poured liquid sunlight over it and let it set. The kind of thing the satyr children talked about in their stories, the kind of thing adults smiled at and dismissed as imagination.

"What the..."

The word came out barely louder than a whisper. The stag kept chewing on grass, watching me with dark, calm eyes. It didn't run. Didn't even tense up like normal deer did when they spotted people.

My heart was beating fast, but different than before. Not panic now. Something else. Wonder, maybe. Or recognition of something I didn't understand.

I looked down at my draconic arm, at the golden scales that caught the light filtering through the trees. The same color as the stag's impossible fur.

Slowly, carefully, I started moving toward it. I kept my movements small, non-threatening. I raised my draconic arm slightly, letting the sun catch the scales. Showing it we were the same, somehow. That we matched.

"Easy," I said softly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Animal Handling

roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29590
Total: 14 (rolled 13 + 1 modifier)

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

The stag simply looks at Cadmus's arm at first, and shakes its head with a huff. Well, at the very least, Cadmus can tell that he has successfully ensured that he isn't scaring off the stag. That said though, it seems like the stag is not willing to let the Lord of the Orchard touch him. It turns away calmly and starts to trot away.

But it doesn't completely disappear from Cadmus's view. Instead, Cadmus sees that the stag does stop, and turns back to look at Cadmus. It feels like the stag is waiting for Cadmus to follow him!

But...unless Cadmus had been paying attention to the children's words from the Moonpetal Gathering, this is a completely unknown creature! Who knows what he would be led to if he's careless?

OOC

Cadmus can roll a History check to try and recall the stories from the Moonpetal Gathering about this stag.

[LiLNasY]

The stag looked at my arm and huffed, shaking its head. At least it wasn't running away. But when I got closer, it turned and started walking off. Not fleeing exactly. Just moving away at a calm trot.

Then it stopped and looked back at me. Waiting.

My breath caught. It wanted me to follow it.

I tried to remember what the satyr children used to say about golden stags. There were stories, I knew that much. I could picture them running around the orchard, laughing and shrieking about something. The golden stag, they'd call out. But what did the stories actually say? What happened to people who followed it?

Nothing came to mind. Just the image of kids playing and Meli laughing at their games.

History Check

roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29591
Total: 4 (rolled 2 + 2 modifier)
Apparently the Guild's dice roller has decided it hates me today.

I shouldn't, I thought. This was stupid. I was lost, Meli was upset, and now I was thinking about following some impossible creature deeper into the woods.

But then the dream came back to me. That voice in the darkness. Resurrection or Destruction. The feeling of something watching me, something bigger than I understood.

And now this. A golden stag with fur the same color as my draconic arm, appearing right after I'd gotten lost trying to do the right thing.

I made a decision.

"Alright," I said quietly to the stag. "I'll follow. But just for an hour. If I'm just walking in circles, I'm heading back toward the Gathering."

It was still morning. I had time. And maybe, just maybe, this meant something.

I started walking after the golden stag.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

The golden stag doesn't seem to answer his words, but instead just keeps leading Cadmus through the forest. He doesn't know how long he's followed this stag; It's hard to tell how long is an hour in the forest without the use of any time-keeping devices. To Cadmus, it feels like the stag is moving as fast as it can without leaving Cadmus's line of sight.

Evidently, the stag does reach an edge of a hill that drops downward. The stag stops and looks to Cadmus, before looking towards that edge. Could it be that it...wants you to look that way or go that way? Either way, after leading Cadmus there and that moment of silence, it flees and bounds off into the forest away from that precipice!

Should Cadmus move to look over that precipice, he would see a concerning sight. Four bandits surround Meli, two of them are holding her still and restrained!

"Alright boys! We got her! Gag her and let's get outta here!"

Meli is struggling as best as she can against their grips, but they're too strong for her. It doesn't help that there is a net over her, entangling her and making escape that much more difficult!

Cadmus can see the bandits are already moving away with Meli, but with her struggles, they are moving slower than they normally would. The bandits don't seem to notice Cadmus's presence, and one of them simply moves with the other two. It seems he's preparing for Meli's attempts at escape.

OOC

EDIT: Initiative has been rolled!

Bandits 3 and 1 are the ones holding Meli, so they spend their turn dragging her away by 15 feet.

Bandit 4 had a Perception of 10 so he doesn't notice Cadmus. He moves 15 feet, staying with the other bandits, ending his turn.

Cadmus's Turn!

Initiative

Bandit 3: 18
Bandit 1: 17
Bandit 4: 11
Cadmus: 10
Meli: 8
Bandit 2: 2

[LiLNasY]

I followed the stag through the forest, losing track of time completely. Every few seconds I glanced around, trying to figure out how long I'd been walking, but the trees all looked the same. The stag moved just fast enough to stay in sight, leading me deeper into the woods.

Then it stopped at the edge of a hill and looked at me. Then down. Then back at me.

Before I could figure out what it wanted, the stag bounded away, disappearing into the trees.

I moved to the edge and looked down.

My blood went cold.

Meli. Four bandits surrounding her. Two of them holding her while she struggled against their grip. A net tangled around her, making it impossible for her to break free.

Everything else disappeared. The forest, the statue, the dream, all of it. There was only Meli struggling, and the bastards who had their hands on her.

I didn't think. I just moved.

I hit the slope at a run, using the curve to slide down in a controlled fall. My boots found purchase on roots and rocks, my draconic arm gripping at branches to control my speed. Twenty feet felt like nothing. I landed hard but steady, already reaching for my sword as my feet hit the ground.

The blade sang as I drew it. The bandits were moving slow, dragging Meli along. They hadn't seen me yet.

Good.

I followed, closing the distance as fast as I could. My boots pounded against the forest floor. Getting closer. Almost there.

OOC

I'm using my action to Dash, getting as close to the bandits as possible. Should put me about 10 feet away from them. More 5 feet and I'd be in close range.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Meli doesn't seem to notice Cadmus either as she screams at the bandits, "Get away from me!!!" She manages to flatten her palm for a familiar spell, despite the net's entanglement, and with an arcane word, a beam of verdant green energy fires at the bandit. He simply side steps to let the beam hit the earth instead. He laughs, "Oh give it up, girlie! You're gonna go to a nicer place than this dump,"

The bandit in question then turned to see Cadmus approach quickly, and with a sinister grin he laughs, "Oh? Well, this just got interesting!" He unsheathes his blade, and he moves to strike at Cadmus. But, his blade simply bounces off of Cadmus's shield! He calls to them, "Get going! I got this boy!"

The bandits heed him and they proceed to continue dragging Meli away, and she screams in desperation as they pull her away, "CAD!"

OOC

Meli's Turn
Meli tries to cast Eldritch Blast on Bandit 2, but misses with a 6

Bandit 2
As the closest bandit to Cadmus, being 5 feet from him, he is going to attack him with his scimitar. He misses with a 5

Bandits 1 & 4 Turn
They keep dragging Meli away, moving 15 feet.

Cadmus's Turn!

Initiative

Bandit 3: 18
Bandit 1: 17
Bandit 4: 11
Cadmus: 10
Meli: 8
Bandit 2: 2

[LiLNasY]

Meli's scream cut through everything. "CAD!"

The bandit in front of me was grinning, thinking he could hold me here while his friends dragged her away. Thinking this was some kind of game.

He was wrong.

His blade bounced off my shield. My turn.

I brought my longsword around in a hard arc, putting all my weight and the strength of my draconic arm behind it. The blade sang through the air, aimed right at him.

Attack Rolls

To Hit: roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29604 (16)
Damage: roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29605 (9)

If this bandit goes down, I'm moving toward Meli and the other bandits.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

The longsword strikes true, and lands right into his side. The bandit lets out a cry of pain, "Augh! Damn it! That really hurt!" He then growls, "So this pup has some bite to him, eh?!"

Cadmus can hear another yell from Meli and another cry from a bandit, as her spell strikes true, but the damage was not as devastating as his. The bandit cried irritated, "Gah! You little! Why don't you just stay still?!"

The bandit Cadmus is facing, speaks as he twirls his Scimitar in an attempt to be intimidating, and he boastfully speaks, "Fear me, for I know the secret technique of the Greatest King's sword fighting skills! Behold!" He moves to charge and attack Cadmus again. But, in a comedy of errors, the pommel of the sword hits him on his face, while he trips over a rock. He face plants into the earth in front of Cadmus, and is resoundly knocked unconscious.

The other bandits are still dragging Meli away, while the third bandit with his hands freed sighs, "Ugh...Idiot! Looks like I gotta take care of this myself..."

He lifts his loaded crossbow and takes aim at Cadmus. He fires, and the bolt pierces through what armor Cadmus is wearing! It's clear that this bandit is much more dangerous because he just tried aiming for Cadmus's heart!

OOC

The attack lands! But the bandit is still up.

Meli's Turn
She is going to cast Eldritch Blast on Bandit 1. She hits with a 14 and deals 2 Force Damage to him.

Bandit 2's Turn
He tries to attack Cadmus again with his Scimitar, but he knocks himself unconscious with a Natural 1.

Bandit 3's Turn
Bandit 3 keeps his position and will fire a crossbow at Cadmus.
He hits Cadmus with a 21 to hit and deals 9 Piercing Damage.

Bandit 1 and & 4's Turn
They will continue dragging Meli away another 15 feet.

Cadmus's Turn!

Initiative

Bandit 3: 18
Bandit 1 (-2/??) : 17
Bandit 4: 11
Cadmus: 10
Meli: 8
Bandit 2 : 2

[LiLNasY]

The bandit I hit staggered but stayed on his feet, yelling about bites and pups. Behind him, I heard Meli cry out again, heard another bandit curse as her magic found its mark.

Then the idiot in front of me started twirling his scimitar, going on about some "Greatest King's sword fighting technique."

He charged. His own sword's pommel smacked him in the face. He tripped over a rock. And then he was down, face first in the dirt, not moving.

I almost would have laughed if the situation wasn't so desperate.

Then pain exploded in my chest. A crossbow bolt punched through my armor, right where my heart should be. The impact drove the air from my lungs. For a second, everything went white.

But I was still standing. Still breathing. The draconic blood in my veins surged hot, pushing back against the pain, knitting flesh and stopping the bleeding almost as fast as it started.

I pulled in a deep breath and ran. The crossbowman was already reloading, but I wasn't giving him the chance. My boots pounded against the earth as I closed the distance.

"Meli! Get away from them if you can!" I shouted.

My longsword came down hard, aimed right at the bastard who'd just tried to put a bolt through my heart.

Combat Actions

Bonus Action - Second Wind: Recovered 10 HP (roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29615)
Movement - Rush the crossbowman
Action - Longsword Attack
To Hit: 17 (roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29612)
Damage: 12 (roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29614)

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

The bandit's eyes widen as Cadmus bum rushes him and all he can say is "Oh shi-!" before Cadmus's blow lands and effectively knocks him out cold!

Meli calls back at him desperately and somewhat irritated, while she struggles in their grips and the net again, "What do you think I'm trying to do?!"

The two bandits look to Cadmus as he stands closer, and one urges the other, "Oh shit. Go go go! The cart isn't far now!"

The two keep dragging Meli away. They are clearly trying to hurry, but Meli is making their escape much slower and difficult than it could have been.

OOC

Cadmus successfully defeats Bandit 3!

Meli's Turn
Meli tries to use Athletics to break out of the net, but fails on a 5

Bandit 1's & 4's Turn
They move away with Meli again for another 15 feet.

Cadmus's Turn

Initiative

Bandit 3: 18
Bandit 1 (-2/??) : 17
Bandit 4: 11
Cadmus: 10
Meli: 8
Bandit 2 : 2

[LiLNasY]

"Hey, I'm just trying to help here!" I shot back, already moving.

My legs burned as I pushed forward, eating up the ground between us. The two bandits were struggling with Meli, her thrashing making every step a fight for them. Good. Keep fighting, Meli.

I closed in on the one she'd hit with her spell before, the one already hurt. My sword came around fast, aimed to finish what she'd started.

Combat Actions

Movement - 30 ft toward the bandits
Action - Longsword Attack on the wounded bandit
To Hit: 19 (roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29621)
Damage: 7 (roleplayerguild.com/rolls/29622)

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

The kidnapper lets out a cry of "Ow! Sonuva-!" after being hit by Cadmus's longsword, the blade cutting deep into his flesh where Meli's spell hit him before. But, he remains standing and glares at Cadmus.

Meli retorts back to Cadmus, "Oh good! That makes two of us!" as she fires another blast of verdant green energy at the two kidnappers through the net. Unfortunately, while she had aimed for the bandit that Cadmus was facing, he simply ducks and the blast flies over his head.

Said bandit speaks, "Alright, fine! You're facing me then," He then tries to swing his blade at Cadmus, only for the blade to bounce off of Cadmus's golden scaled arm again. The blade rings after metal meets metal. The bandit hisses in realization, "That's not an ordinary arm! What are you?!"

The second bandit, is still wresting to hold onto Meli and the net she's in. He angrily snarls at Meli, "Hold still, ya runt!" before he brings down the pommel of his blade towards her head. She lets out a cry of pain, as the pommel hits hard on the back of her head.

There is a serious bump on her head, but she's still conscious. She spits at him defiantly, "You hit like a little girl!"

OOC

Cadmus successfully lands the hit on Bandit 1, but he’s still up.

Meli's Turn
Meli tries to fire an Eldritch Blast on Bandit 1 but misses with a 6.

Bandit 1's Turn
They try to hit Cadmus with a scimitar but misses with a 15.

Bandit 4’s Turn
They strike at Mel with a scimitar and got a Natural 20 to deal 10 slashing damage.

Cadmus's Turn

Initiative

Bandit 3: 18
Bandit 1 (-9/??) : 17
Bandit 4: 11
Cadmus: 10
Meli: 8
Bandit 2 : 2