Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

[paradoxa]

"Get out of here. " Vren is quick to respond. That is their usual tactics.

But something is different this time - Ellsbeth. Vren, looking at her, finds herself wondering if someone like her - with all that armor - is suited for their usual way of running, sneaking, laying false tracks and such, relying on cunning, speed and stealth instead of strength.
The girl narrows her eyes, putting aside those regards. Well, now that woman can show what she is made of. There is no way they're gonna stay here like rabbits in a trap.

"So much for resting. "

She turns away and begins to move about in the small hut like she has some experience with hastily breaking camp in the middle of the night, packing away the sewing material and the few other things lying about, tossing the trousers - still with a hole, but it will have to do- to Jak so he can put them back on.

[Vardaen]

Jak catches his pants on his nose withe a *umphg*. The little boy hurriedly dresses as Vren snatches up everything she's left around the camp. Gunner and Greit have already put the fire out, dumping a pile of drit and rocks on it to smother it without sending up a wave of steam and smoke. The small ruin is thrown into darkness as the fire dies out.

[MadVlat]

Ellsbeth finishes working on Jak, just as the howls ring out. She however paces her preparations with measured movements. "Vren, can you handle a bow? If not I would suggest we defend this position. Here at least they can only come at us one at a time". Ellsbeth looks back at the girl with a partial smile on her face, "Besides dog makes a good meal in lean times". The paladin noticing the thinness of the children...

[paradoxa]

Among Vren's belongings is a leather quiver with some twenty arrows and a short bow, the string lose, in it. The weapon, as far as it can be seen in near darkness, is very simple and is probably not the product of superior craftsmanship but self made. As the last preparation, Vren takes the bow and bends it to attach the string, making it ready to use. While doing so, she shakes her head violently and, in response to Ellsbeth's suggestion, points with her chin to the hole in the east wall of the hut, which forms a second entrance.

"Only one at a time? You think! " She has lowered her voice to a whisper.

"They'll be here soon - no time. I say we get going now! " Actually, it's more a hiss than a whisper.

OOC

Sent V a PM asking for some more details on Pit Hounds...

[MadVlat]

Display

Good idea para...

Ellsbeth turns at the newly equipped Vren with a concerned look on her face. "You and me could possibly outrun them, but there are the children to think of. Their stride is not as long as ours. At least here we can make a stand instead of being surrounded out in the open". The paladin truly concerned for her new wards...

[Vardaen]

Gunner makes a sour face, "First off lady, ain't no way we are eating nothing that comes out of the pit. That meat is bad. And another thing, Fernado died fighting these things, and he's a better fighter than you or us. We run, we always run." He takes Jak by the hand, and looks at Vren, "Are you coming?"

Nessa looks back and forth between her twin and Vren. The howls come again, they are closer this time, close enough that if you are going to run, you need to start now.

[paradoxa]

Vren has nothing to add to Gunner's words, she just acknowledges them with a nod. Patient explanations aren't exactly her strong point, anyway.
Time is running out, things are desperate, and if that woman wants to play the hero, well, bad luck for her, but no need to join her in death.
Leaving Ellsbeth to her own decision, she turns around sharply and motions Nessa to make sure Griet comes along.
Then she heads out of the door, taking the lead of the small group.

[MadVlat]

Ellsbeth knows that to argue now is pointless. She vows to Junil that she will do her best to save these children or give her life over to sacrifice in the effort. Then without a single word more she exits the old shack into the darkness. The whole time knowing that they will be in greater danger out in the open...

[Vardaen]

Vren leads her kids out of the roofless ruin, and into the greater destruction of the fringes of the Pit. The group is quickly on the move running away from the howling sounds of the Pit Hounds. THe kids move quickly, and even little Jak races along without much assitance. His knees feeling much better he is able to keep up for the most part.

The group races east, over the ruins of what was once a merchant district. Roadways are chewed up pieces of ruin, rivers of broken flagstone and busted cobble. Fences are twisted traps of iron and wood reaching out to grab you. From time to time you spot a pillar or a chimney that still stands like some tombstone of a lost age.

The hounds are wailing and barking in the background. Ellsbeth suggests turning south, so as to put you on the road to Peptine, but each time the wails of the hounds gets closer and comes from west and south. The dogs are herding you further and further away from your ultimate goal. Its an hour of racing, without a word spoken, on foot, of doubling back and trying to throw the Pit Hounds off your scent. Luckily, as Vren knows, Pit Hounds don't have a great nose, and you seem to be making progress. Moving in silence keeps you safe, and you haven't said more than a few words to one another the entire run.

That's when Greit steps into a sink hole. She goes down screaming, her ankle twisted, her face contorted in terrible pain. Gunner quickly claps his hand over Griet's screaming mouth, "Shut up! You'll bring the dogs to us."

Its too late, the baying of the hounds rings out, one calls to another, and another, and you realize that the dogs are coming. You'll have to make a stand here, Griet's ankle prevents her from going further without someone looking at it, but there is no time now. The Pit Hounds will be on you before you can get away.

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OOC

You have three rounds to set up. Go ahead and just post what you want to do, and where you want to be. The hounds will be coming from the southwest.

Hound

The Kids are going to be one large blue icon that act as one unit.

Map

The Pillars are three feet high and form barriers to movement, provide cover bonuses, etc. The one stone block behind the eastern pillar is 5 feet high, and provides higher ground bonus, etc. The ground around the area is broken and covered in rubble, small sink holes, etc, causing a penalty of +2 on all Acrobatic checks, but doesn't cause a movement penalty.

[paradoxa]

Vren doesn't waste time contemplating this stroke of bad luck. She looks around, then tells the kids to take cover behind the stone block.

Positioning herself on top of a fallen pillar, she notches the first arrow, gazing into the darkness southwest of them, where the hound's noises come from.
Rather breathlessly, she passes a few brief instructions on what she's planning to Ellsbeth, without turning away.
"I'll stick a few arrows into them. Until they're close enough for the sword. Try to get one between us. " She motions to the gap between her and Ellsbeth.

Action

Have the kids move E/N behind the stone block
Move on top of the pillar N
Start with ranged attacks as soon as the dogs are visible, and if they come to close, drop the bow and draw the sword