<strong>Reliyian - Swift, Menacing and ... What Else?</strong><br/><br/>Chilling winds and the essence of the Glacier did relatively little to slow or deter the creature. It faltered for a moment, as Reliyian raised the glowing orb, but turned out to only be planning how to best avoid her attack. The blast of arcane cold didn't so much as touch its hide, instead striking a nearby bush. The unfortunate leaves withered and curled with frost-burn, but despite escaping the direct effect, the creature's hide became<em>Frosty</em>with the ambient chill, slowing it for just a moment.<br/><br/>And then, it was upon her, having once again closed the remaining distance between them in a break-neck dash. Despite the thing's speed, its first attack, a sluggish, blatantly-telegraphed bite at her abdomen was almost insultingly easy to avoid. But even as it lunged at her with its entire body to snap its jaws futilely shut around thin air, three of its fleshy tendrils grabbed at her at once. One coiled around the arm holding her orb tugging it away from her body, while the armored beak of another snapped at the orb and attempted to drag it from her grasp. A third tangled itself around her feet, claw-beak biting not into her soft flesh, but the fabric of her dress. The creature obviously wanted to eliminated her as a threat, but had an odd reluctance about actually doing her harm. It had at least the intelligence to recognize her magic and plan (somewhat obvious) feints, which raised the question of what other thoughts it might be capable of.<br/><br/>As though its caution were not strange enough alone, the creature didn't roar or threaten as attacked her. Its breathing, however, filled the place of other threatening cries well enough: its excited, breathy panting was loud enough to be heard over the scrabble of its clawed feet or the other noises of combat.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">A Fairly Serious Threat</div><div class="spoiler_body">First, a brief aside about this creature. This encounter is fairly tilted against Reliyian (and <em>only</em> her, at least for now), as the outcome is obviously not intended to be the standard PC victory. Appropriately, if concedes she out of the combat with at some sort of consequence (even a mild one), I'll offer an additional Fate Point for the inconvenience.<br/><br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Athletics (5) defense roll against the chilling attack: At 2013-06-13 20:25:10, Vuali Hound (uid: 13420) rolls: 4d3a-3 Result: 4 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=47244). Hound gains negative <em>Frosty</em> boost</li><li>Fighting (4) Create Advantage roll to establish <em>Disarmed and Flat-Footed</em> on Reliyian: At 2013-06-13 20:25:52, Vuali Hound (uid: 13420) rolls: 4d3a-4 Result: 6 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=47245).</li><ul class="bbc_list"><li>The Hound possesses a stunt, <em>Preternatural Coordination</em>: once per combat, when it invokes two or more aspects against a target, it gains an additional +2 on an offensive Fighting roll (so, two invokes become +6, and three become +8). I don't know if this'll actually come up (as merely stacking aspects while your opponent beats on you can be somewhat unwise), but I though I'd mention it.</li></ul></ul></div></div><br/><strong>Eshalu - Dialogue and Despair</strong><br/><br/>Eshalu managed to seize upon a few images before they slipped away, giving the odd sensation of remembering a memory that you had since lost. She remembered the face reflected in the water, the sharpness of its features accentuated by a fair deal of sun and weathering. A long, thin scar ran across her cheek just below her left eye, a memento of almost losing that eye, though to what, Eshalu couldn't recall.<br/><br/>Very little else about the girl remained as her memories retreated. The most easily grasped fragments had to do with the little strip of riverbank upon which she now sat, perhaps explaining why she had lingered here, rather than at her home or some other significant place. (If, of course, they had survived the ravages of time. Perhaps the little cave and its distinctive tree overhang was the last thing that still existed from her lifetime.)<br/><br/>The memories of the river were strange, indeed, though not necessarily contradictory. The river had, at times, been stained pink with blood, but the girl remembered the place fondly (and without the malice or glee that would suggest she was involved with the deaths of so many). Regardless of whatever, larger purpose it had served, the girl had used it as not just a place for relaxation, swimming, and cleaning, but also as a refuge when she needed to escape her other obligations (though, frustratingly, those didn't remain with Eshalu). Her enjoyment of the place, however, is slightly soured by the memory of something tiny and glimmering, a coin or a ring, perhaps slipping from her hand and becoming lost in the river during a swim.<br/><br/>As scattered and inconclusive as the memories were (or, at least, those which Eshalu retained), communication with the girl proved surprisingly easy. Her response came not in audible words, but in  memory of having said something. The remembered sounds didn't match any with which the elf was familiar, but the meaning, conveniently enough, came with the memory. "Yes, Your Excellency," she said, the words tremulous with both excitement and a touch of nervousness. "How may I serve you, Your Excellency?" The words were quite obviously not originally directed at her, but the girl, or at least her memory, was at least making an attempt at conveying her willingness to assist Eshalu.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Communicate, If You Can!</div><div class="spoiler_body">The girl rolled: At 2013-06-13 20:28:21, Echo of a Girl (uid: 13420) rolls: 4d3a-5 Result: 4 (http://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=47246) in an attempt to communicate with Eshalu. The total challenge for both you and her working together is +5/Superb (so a +2/Fair for just Eshalu's roll, to beat said difficulty). Will, Deceit, Rapport, or Empathy would all be suitable skills for this attempt.<br/><br/>Even a successful roll, however, won't eliminate the language barrier entirely. Merely allow a circumvention of it.</div></div>