<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Given that the party's off a hundred yards in the distance still, this shouldn't conflict with Kotoko's post whenever it's put up, I think. The finer details of battle not being very noticeable through all them trees and all.</div></div></div><br/><br/>Rafe had thought the trip would be rather uneventful - especially in comparision to having been transported across the world and nearly digested by a kitsune. He soon found that he was quite wrong, however, as within half of an hour of being on the move it became apparent that they were being shadowed by a scout who vanished from now and then but always seemed to reappear. It'd put him on edge - keeping his blade in one hand and the verbal components to an attack spell on the tip of his tongue at all times.<br/><br/>Fortunately, the attack never came and the gnoll vanished entirely after they'd reached the edge of the Falteen forest. Rafe relaxed some then, glad to be clear of the threat of ending up in a stomach for the second time in one day. The disappearance of the threat of being preyed upon by a gnollish hunting party also allowed him to take in the sights and sounds more appreciately rather than simply scanning for threats. The Falteen forest was something he was almost entirely unfamiliar with - Alnura was a land of jungles and rainforests, not more temperate forests. The trees were so different, as was the underbrush, though the babbling brooks weren't all that different from the various streams and small rivers he'd seen in Alnuran jungles. It was all, however, significantly cooler and crisper, entirely unlike the muggy, wet heat that was so often felt in jungles. After his earlier stay in a similarly hot, wet environment, the cool crisp air was a very welcome and refreshing change.<br/><br/>Eventually, though, the novelty began to wear off and Rafe gradually stopped gazing around in wide-eyed amazement like some overcurious pup. Luckily Rak ended up saving the serene surroundings from becoming boring by providing constant entertainment with his attempts and failures at catching something on his own. He'd not paid much attention to the big fox before - having been busy trying not to end up as breakfast and then busy with introductions and getting something to wear.<br/><br/>Now though, he noticed that the fox clearly must have be a familiar of some sort - he clearly lacked the skills to have been recently out of the wilds, seemed more clever than average and he certainly was far too large to be natural. It'd be obvious earlier that Rak had been Lilium's - the way the fox had been watching him made that quite clear, but it wasn't until he'd gotten some time to think rather than act did it become clear he was more than a mere pet...<br/><br/>Rafe pondered familiars - something he could have, but never had taken the time or effort to acquire - as he watched Rak's latest attempt at hunting, snickering as it ended with the oversized vulpine seemingly wedged inside a hole. He was about to say something when..<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Kitts wrote:</cite><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">*KAAATHOOOOM!*</span></span></div></blockquote><br/><br/>"What the-" Rafe started to say, only to stop as he watched a flaming wagon wheel roll past, blinking in surprise as he heard a voice rise out above the din of the explosion.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div> "Thor be praised! BANDITS IN THE FOREST!"</div></blockquote><br/><br/>"Sounds like there's trouble," Rafe remarked, looking to the others. His mind was already shifting gears, defensive and offensive spells alike coming to the forefront. "We have to help them! We can't just leave them to be preyed upon by bandits! To say nothing of the fact that we've got an opportune chance to attack the bandits who are apparently out there," he paused to gesture in the direction of the explosion and voice. "While they're focused on their victims. We can drive our blades into their exposed flanks and save ourselves the worry of them attacking<span style="font-style: italic">us</span>later. They'll never see it coming!"<br/><br/>He brought his free hand up and made a fist, grinning. "Plus bandits totally equals free food that tastes a<span style="font-style: italic">lot</span>better than travel rations."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">And we can surely acquire enough prey to easily to pay off Ureck's debt to Lilium, and thusly save my savior</span>, he thought to himself.<span style="font-style: italic">I can't let this chance be passed up. Lives are at stake!</span><br/><br/>Without waiting for a positive response, Rafe went through the motions of one his spells, muttering something softly under his breath and feeling something simply<span style="font-style: italic">poof</span>into existence just above his free hand, an invisible wall of force, vaguely shield-shaped.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Initiative! (1d20 + 1): 11 + 1 = 12<br/>Rafe had MA up before (IIRC), giving him an AC 15. He casts Shield and now has an AC 19 and is down one of his 6 1st level spells today, leaving him with 5.</div></div></div>