The nearest Grass Golem rushed Kavi with astounding speed, covering a few yards in seconds. With his arms trapped by coils of vines, he couldn’t defend himself with his sword. But that wasn’t his only option.
Before the golem reached him with it’s pair of troll riders, Kavi dropped to a crouch at the last moment. Unable to stop, the golem charged forward until it’s grassy knees collided with the ranger’s thick shoulders. On impact, Kavi shoved up.
The Golem sailed over his head to crash into the dirt road behind him. Tiny troll riders were pitched sideways, one to his right and the other to his left right in front of Sulini, who was ready with her hammer.
Sulini, for that matter, had been ready with her daggers. Moving like a bladed whirlwind, she cut down and across. Weedy vines fall away in chunks, littering the ground around Sulini like a summoning circle for a bladed dervish.
Once she came a stop, the errant tiny troll crashed to the ground in front of her. It gave a gargled snort then bared woody fangs at her. More accurately, at her kneecaps.
Close by, Challiimriia finished casting her spell from on top of the upended half-barrel. A bright red-gold shaft of light flashed down from above, then exploded outward in all directions. The magical wave passed over anything and everyone within 10 feet of the priestess, such as all of Sulini and Kavi’s left arm.
The tiny troll of terror that had hissed at Sulini, screamed then waved its tiny murder arms around its head. Almost as if it swatted at invisible bees. With another shriek in its wake the magic shoved the minuscule monster out of the circle past Sulini. At the same time, the vine that had trapped Kavi’s left arm shuddered then instantly shriveled. The mummified plant crumbled away to the ground.
Closer to Chaliimriia, the second Grass Golem along with its drooling tiny troll riders slammed into the protection magic like a runaway wagon. All three hit face first, then were thrown back to the ground. The tiny trolls recovered first, both a bundle of bloody bestial rage. They raced forward again, until the magic stopped them, leaving them to claw at the glowing barrier in the air. Meanwhile, the Grass Golem they had been riding slowly lumbered to its feet, like a bugbear recovering from a night out at the tavern.
At the nearest house, Nahbi suffered his own thorny dilemma. Rosemary branches with sharp leaves whipped and slapped at the monk. But, true to form, Nahbi dropped to the ground in a blur, avoiding the more painful slices. Only the first few left a stinging reminder of their bloody intent.
Nahbi quickly rolled to his right, away from the house and bush. The last two whips from branches slapped dust and ground in his wake. Before he could stand, the Rosemary Bush yanks itself out by the roots. Standing on two crow-like claws, the bestial bush shook itself while it grew two long thorn-covered vines.
From the tall grass, the two remaining coyotes rush in, snarling. One leaps to attack Sulini, the other Kavi. The first misjudges the leap, so a sharp bite misses. But the coyote’s stubby claws rake long gashes along Sulini’s thigh between the lamellar horn plates. The beast hits the ground and circles past Sulini, obviously able to cross Chaliimriia barrier but suffering some effect as it’s shaking while it did so.
Kavi manages to deflect the coyote attacking him, batting it aside with his free hand. It yelps, failing through the air before it hits the ground with a thud. It jumps to its feet, snarling.
Just then, in the distance from the direction Lia had taken, Derf soars through the air in your direction. A distant screaming accompanies him like a dramatic herald, along with two young human children, a boy and a girl in dirt-stained, tattered clothes.
The trio are racing toward the group in a panic. Derf is announcing something but sadly no one but Lia speaks ‘Panic-Striken Raven’ much less ‘Raven’.
In their wake, coming from the direction of the town four more coyotes are racing right for Derf and the children.
Storyteller Instructions
Whew! Well, that was fun!
Ok! So… Nahbi! This is a Killer Rosemary Bush that is all stepping into your zone. Attack of opportunity there if you’re interested!
Sulini! You also get an attack of opportunity on the Tiny Troll of Terror as it tumbles by if you want to take it! Sadly, you also have taken 2 points of damage.
Kavi is very keen to get his right side free of the vine.
Other than that, how do ya’ll want to handle this? There’s screaming people incoming with a babbling Derf! More coyotes and some REALLY frustrated golems and trolls who are apparently blocked by Chaliimriia’s spell!
Act fast!
