Toross’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+24 = 30 (Miss)

Toross’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+19 = 28 (Miss)

Toross’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+14 = 32 (Miss)

Toross’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+24 = 39 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+24 = 27 (Normal Hit)

Damage: 1d6+11 = 12 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 14d6 = 60 (DR 15/Cold Iron)

Flaming: 1d6 = 1 (Fire) (Fire Vulnerability)

Frost: 1d6 = 5 (Cold) (Cold Immunity)

Toross’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+19 = 38 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+19 = 25 (Normal Hit)

Damage: 1d6+11 = 17 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 14d6 = 55 (DR 15/Cold Iron)

Flaming: 1d6 = 4 (Fire) (Fire Vulnerability)

Frost: 1d6 = 5 (Cold) (Cold Immunity)

Toross’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+14 = 20 (Miss)

The lead ninja, or whatever these elves were, did not miss my revival. Her blades slashed out again and again, and I just barely managed to roll to the side. Even so, two of her strikes hit, and struck deep. This was not a foe I wanted to stay in melee with. Even with Vestele helping to heal me, I wasn’t sure that I could stand up to this rain or blows and the deceptively blurred blade for long.

Melinda’s Tumble Check: 1d20+28 = 34 (Success)

Melinda’s Concentration Check: 1d20+36 = 38 (Success)

Utterdark Doom: 14d6 = 51 (Negative Energy)

DB6’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 27 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB6’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 1 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB7’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 15 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB7’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 13 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB8’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 17 (Fail) (Full Damage) (Unconscious)

DB8’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 1 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB9’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 24 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB9’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 5 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

DB10’s Ref Save: 1d20+9 = 26 (Fail) (Full Damage)

DB10’s Fort Save: 1d20-5 = 13 (Fail) (2 Negative Levels)

Still, I was still better at defending myself than Siora or Vestele, which meant I really needed to relieve the pressure on them, somewhat. Of course, just popping up and walking around the enemy would be asking for trouble, so, instead, I rolled back from the head ninja, and then slid through the lines, coming to my feet behind the ninjas, who were all very surprised to see me. I unleashed another wave of blackness, and was pleased to see one of them fall over, unconscious. None of the lesser ninjas was looking particularly hale at the moment, though.

DB5’s Attack (Vestele): 1d20+28 = 40 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 15 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 35

DB6’s Attack (Vestele): 1d20+28 = 36 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 19 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 27

DB7’s Attack (Melinda): 1d20+28 = 44 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 16 (Slashing)

Iron Vulnerability: 1d6 = 1

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 34 (DR 15/Cold Iron) (Dying)

DB9’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+28 = 40 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+10 = 14 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 39

DB10’s Attack (Siora): 1d20+28 = 46 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+28 = 20 (Crit)

Damage: 2d10+20 = 35 (Slashing)

Sudden Strike: 10d6 = 49 (Dying)

A whistle sounded from the woods. It had to be some kind of signal, because the assassins all looked at each other, nodded, and struck as one. Again, I felt the blade bite deep, still gravely wounded from the head ninja’s attack, and I fell, and Siora fell with me. Just before everything turned to black, the ninjas vanished, into thin air.

Vestele’s Concentration check: 1d20+28 = 41 (Success)

Vestele’s Mass Heal: 190 HP

Once more, from the shadows, I heard Vestele’s voice calling out to me, bringing me back. I opened my eyes, and saw that, yes, the ninjas were gone. The only ones remaining were the sleeping and the dead. Even the leader was gone.

Your party has defeated Toross Miawraek and her Demon Blades!

Melinda gains 18400 xp.

Ebonheart gains 16727 xp.

Fartooth gains 18400 xp.

Siora gains 18400 xp.

Vestele gains 18400 xp.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw the notification. If that was showing, then it meant that the assassins who disappeared had fled. Normally, I would be upset that they’d run, and deprived us of their gear as spoils. But this time I was all too aware of how close to death we’d all just come. If things had landed just a bit differently, then we would not be here right now. Trying to give chase would only give them a chance to ambush us and finish the job.

“Stay alert!” Fartooth chastened us. “There was whistle. That signal. We did not drive them off. They ran because something else is here.”

I took a breath, and nodded. “You’re right, of course. Fartooth, if you, Siora, and Ebonheart would keep watch, while Vestele and I search the bodies, and see what clues there are to these assassins’ identities. It is not fair for them to try and kill us without us going and returning the favor.”

Vestele chuckled as she looked down on the sleeping ninjas. “I can tell you something of their identity already.” She pointed to a spot on each of the ninjas’ breasts. The black silk was emblazoned with a dark red crest, in the shape of a demon skull holding a dagger in its teeth. “This crest on their clothes? It is the sign of House Miawraek.”

I raised an eyebrow. “House Miawraek? I haven’t heard of them before.”

“I would have been surprised if you had. They are like House Faydark, one of the elven houses that were driven out of elven society for consorting with demons, and breeding with them. However, while we of Faydark chose the Succubus Queen as our patron, House Miawraek chose Graz’zt to pledge themselves to.”

I nodded slowly. “I see. So, these ‘Demon Blades’ are stealthy assassins used by this house?”

Siora chuckled. “Actually, they’re slightly different from the normal type of assassin. Before their exile, Miawraek had some trade with a land far to the east, and found many things they liked about that culture. They trained their warriors to be ‘shadow warriors’, or ‘ninjas’, as the other land called them.”

Vestele grinned as she looked at me. “Actually, Mel, legend had it that the country where they traded with was founded by a Twiceborn, bringing their culture with them from their old world. Did you notice the leader’s weapons?”

I considered it, thinking back on the fight. “I’ll admit that I was a little too intimately involved with them to really be paying attention, but, now that you mention it, there was something familiar about them. A katana, like Soul’s Violation, and the smaller weapon might have been a wakizashi.”

Vestele nodded again. “Indeed. Those are just some of the weapons that come out of the land of Shinhonshu. Very rare in these parts. Few outside House Miawraek possess such weapons.”

Melinda’s Search Check: 1d20+3 = 15

Vestele’s Search Check: 1d20+9 = 16

I began sorting through the weapons and gear the sleeping elves had. I held up one of the two-handed swords they carried. “Huh, these guys have different weapons. I haven’t seen a sword like this before.”

Siora nodded. “You haven’t spent time in elven lands. That’s an elven courtblade. In the hands of a trained wielder, it is as nimble as a rapier, despite its size. But it takes some specialized training to make that work.”

“Huh. Good to know.” I took a moment to sort through the gear, identifying things as I went. “Well, most of it is fairly simple. The blades are pretty interesting though. Probably be able to find someone willing to pay good money for them around here.”

Loot:

Shadowhunter's Blade x5

+5 Composite (+5) Shortbow x5

100 Arrows

Bracers of Armor +5 x5

Amulet of Natural Armor +4 x5

Gloves of Dexterity +6 x5

Periapt of Wisdom +6 x5

Belt of Strength +6 x5

Ring of Protection +5 x5

Ring of Invisibility x5

Potion of Cure Serious Wounds x5

Shadowhunter’s Blade

Type

Exotic 2-hand Weapon

Weight

6

Damage

1d10+5

Damage Type

Pierce/Slash

Critical

15-20 / x2

Thrown Range

An exotic weapon common to elven lands, the Elven Courtblade is capable of both slashing and piercing attacks. It can be used with the Weapon Finesse feat, but can be treated as a greatsword for the purpose of feats like Weapon Focus. This blade has been enchanted to be useful for anyone hunting dexterous foes, but is especially deadly in the hands of one who is able to strike with great precision and subtlety, such as rogues.

+5 Enhancement to Attack and Damage

**Distracting – Opponents facing this weapon are denied their DEX bonus to AC against this weapon unless they have blindsight, the Blind-Fight feat, true seeing, or similar effects.

**Keen – Critical hit range doubled.

Siora looked down at Zinlana’s body. “What about her?”

I sighed. “Unless I miss my guess, Vestele probably doesn’t have a great store of the materials needed to restore a person to life, even if she prepared the spell today.” The priestess met my eye, and shook her head. “Thought not. Now, normally, I would say that it is all loot, as she won’t be needing it much anymore, but we’re meeting with the Princess and the General before long, and it wouldn’t do to go messing with the body of one of their holy warriors.”

Siora nodded. “All right, then. I can at least arrange her better than how she fell. I didn’t much care for her, but she was not nearly as unbearable as most of her kind.” That said, she began laying the corpse out in state, with her weapons beside her. It wasn’t much, but it gave at least a little bit of dignity to the fallen warrior, and would make them look good to whoever came along after.

“That was a wise move.”

We all jerked as an unfamiliar voice came to us from the trees. Warily, we each brought our weapons to hand, and searched for the source of the voice. A moment later, an elf, clad in forest green, with a hooded cloak wrapped about his shoulders, stepped from the trees as suddenly as if he had dropped an invisibility spell. In his hand was a longbow with an arrow on the string, though it was not yet drawn.

Trying to recover my equilibrium, I said, “You are one of the rangers who protects this area, are you not?”

The elf nodded slowly. “Yes. And you would be the strangers from outside our borders that we were warned of. Traveling in a flying ship filled with souls of the damned, and bearing the marks of evil gods, yet also, if the tales are to be believed, escorting the princess home. You have caused a great deal of debate amongst our company, you know. Many are wondering why a soul tainted by evil would do the things you do.”

I sighed. “The answer to that would depend on just what, precisely, you were asking about. If it were simply asking why we travel together, then the answer is equally simple. Our patron gods each, in their own way, directed us to our path, so that we might walk it together.

“However, if you are asking about why we would try and bring the Crown Princess home, and work with her even after having delivered her as promised, well, that gets a bit more complicated. Part of it has to do with the prophecy told to all followers of the divine, and part of it is more mercenary, given the price we’ve been promised. I’ll admit that no small part of it is simply to watch the faces of zealots scrunch up in distaste at the sight of us, yet finding themselves unable to rebuke us. Spite can be a powerful motivator.”

“True enough. If it weren’t for the General’s warning, you would have found your back pierced by a dozen arrows, simply for looking the way you do, and the company you keep up in that ship. But what of these bodies? How did one of the Coronal Guard come to die here?”

“Assassins struck as we sought to make a foothold to ensure that the General would not walk into a trap. They nearly bested us, and might have, had they focused their attacks on our priestess, rather than the Coronal Guard and myself. By the time we could react, she was beyond the aid of any healing magic.”

The ranger nodded. “That fits with what our scouts saw. Forgive the test, but you are an unknown here, after all.” The ranger looked back to the woods, and whistled.

At the signal, there was a rustling of leaves. From the trees, twenty rangers, similarly clad, stepped out of the woods. As if they had each stepped out of invisibility, like their leader. Turning back to us, he said, “Well then, let us wait for the General. His summons sounded urgent.”