Erin wakes the group up with breakfast, which they all enjoy, before getting back on the road. Top says they should be able to reach Crestfall by the next morning; making good time. El takes the reins this time as they climb into the cart and keep riding.

The group maintains their course, spotting dire boar in the woods, gigantic spider webs just off the trail at one point, and eventually come to a small stone bridge that passes over a stream. As they cross they see a lumber mill downstream. An older woman and a young man are working the mill, using water-powered machinery to saw logs.

Kib waves as they pass. The young man stares quizzically at the kobold. Probably never even seen one in his life. Kib’s kind wasn’t exactly commonplace in a civilized society.

The cart continues to roll through the forest for the remainder of the first six-hour period of riding. When they finally rest for lunch. El gathers firewood, Top gathers a few local herbs, and Erin gets to cooking. Kib, testing his luck, finds a cavern entrance in a nearby ridge.

Stay Hidden

Against Passive Perception

Darkness gives +5 to Stealth

Stealth

15(D20) + 10(skill)=25

30 total to stealth

The kobold quietly sneaks into the cave. He creeps down, hearing the crackling of a flame, and turns down a side tunnel. He finds a large cavern opening, a horse roasting over an open fire, and a large humanoid sitting nearby turning the spit. Gold, silver, and copper coins glint around the room.

A few torn apart corpses, skeletons of animals, monsters, and people are strewn about with a few items and weapons scattered among them. Kib quickly retreats back to the group and informs them of his finding.

“Well if he isn’t bothering us,” Top turns back towards the food.

“He could ambush you on the road during future trips,” Erin remarks while stirring her food.

“Then we have to deal with him. Cyclops are monsters, are they not?” El looks back to the group.

“Oh, the absolute worst,” Top replies, having changed his stance on the subject. “Killing it is for the greater good.”

“Adventurers are hired to kill them all the time,” Erin adds.

“It’s killed so many people. It’s worse than the Hobgoblin.” Kib thinks back to his goblin friends.

“The hob was a slaver.” El rubs his chin. “Give me a chance to talk to the cyclops. If he refuses to listen to reason then we will execute him.”

“Your funeral.” Top mutters.

The fire roars as the cyclops tears his teeth through the haunch of a well-cooked horse. There is a cough in the corner of the room. The large being recognizes the cough, processes it, and then jumps up reaching for a large crossbow by their side.

El stands at the other side of the cavern with his lantern on his hip. His arms at his sides, one on his hip, the other on the sheath of his sword.

“You come to die?” The cyclops asks as their eye darts around the room looking for others.

“I’ve come to talk,” El replies.

“Then why bring a midget and a pretty woman. Need help talking?” The cyclops eye focuses on El as they raise their large crossbow.

“Because I need to know if you plan on continuing to attack the people on the road. Now that we’ve discovered your cave your only options are to fight or leave.” El rolls an 18 for diplomacy.

“I don’t take kindly to threats. Leave my cave and you might live.” The cyclops fires back at the teen.

“I’ll live either way,” El says as the cyclops pulls the trigger of its heavy crossbow.

El draws his sword in a flash batting the bolt out of the air. He charges across the room at the cyclops, trying to close the gap between them as quickly as possible as Top and Erin charge from different sides.

The cyclops’ eye begins to glow purple with a magical aura before a rock slams into it, dealing eight damage. The cyclops drops their crossbow, reels back into a pile of coins and gear, and grasps out for any weapon.

The monster grabs the handle of an axe and swings it backward in a wide arc. El and Erin hop back away from the swing while Top ducks under it and punches his dagger into the calf of the cyclops, dealing six damage.

The three hop back as the cyclops opens its eye wide, and its red veins bulge. El, Erin, and Top all attack from different angles flanking the monster. Eight damage, three damage, six damage, and another four damage from Kib.

“Press the advantage!” El yells.

Top flashes a smile as he yanks his dagger out of the cyclops and hops back. Erin switches her knife to her other hand as she moves back alongside El. The two radiate a golden heroic aura as they nod to each other.

El steps to his right and swings low, dealing nine damage and bringing the cyclops down onto one knee. Top pushes himself off a rock and plunges his blade down into the back of the creature, dealing four damage, while Erin dances out of the reach of the cyclops rolling to one side, lunging forward with a strike to the cyclops’ knee, dealing five damage.

The cyclops’ eye glows bright purple again. A rock slings through the air, but the beast's arm comes up, blocking the blow. It only takes two damage from Kib.

The purple glow radiates outwards and the actions of the heroes start to reverse. Erin removes her dagger, stepping backward, rolling back to her position next to El who heaves his sword out of the cyclops’ leg. The wound closes as the monster stands. Top flies off the cyclops’ back and to the ground. All their damage is undone with the time magic of the cyclops.

Now six seconds earlier in the fight, twenty damage earlier as well, the cyclops fuels its energy into striking before the three can react.

The axe flies low, cutting upwards, easily hitting its target at a twenty-eight to hit against an armor class of twelve. The blade slashes through Erin’s midsection, dealing twenty-four damage. The massive attack rends her in half, but it’s not done. The attack cleaves through her and towards El.

El reacts quickly, moving his sword from mid-attack, preparing himself to face the cyclops' overwhelming strength. He blocks the axe with his blade, catching the top of his own sword with his gloved hand to stabilize himself. Erin’s blood flies off the axe onto El and into his face.

On the ground before El are two halves of his friend.

The teen cries out as he pushes the axe away from him.

“Oops.” The cyclops grins.

“Fuck you!” Top jumps on the cyclops’ back and stabs his dagger into its back, dealing five damage. Kib’s rock flies through the air, dealing two damage. And a golden aura shines out from El like blinding light.

Using Hero Points

Extra Action

Current Hero Points: Two

Standard Action

Longsword

AC= 19

Attack Roll

16(D20)+3(Skill)=19

9 Damage

Standard Action

Longsword

AC= 19

Attack Roll

13(D20)+3(Skill)+3(Stamina)=19

6 Damage

The cyclops kicks El backward, grabs Top from over their shoulder, and tosses him to the ground. It brings the greataxe up and slams the weapon down on Top, eighteen to hit, twenty-one damage, more than enough to kill the halfling.

El looks back towards the fight. His friend has a golden aura surrounding him, flickering like a dying light, as the cyclops presses their great axe down. Top pushes back with his dagger held flat against his chest. Part of the curved axe head slices into Top’s lower chest.

A rock from Kib slams into the cyclops’ head, dealing three damage. El charges the monster, raises his sword, and slashes down at their hands. Dealing seven damage; he chops the cyclops’ handoff.

The monster staggers back and falls into part of its hoard of coins. The cyclops is reduced to a crying creature as it holds its bleeding stump. El kneels next to Top and checks him over. His clothes need to be repaired, but his wound is only skin deep.

“Kill the bitch,” Top wheezes.

El stands and walks towards the cyclops. It coughs, looks up at El, and smiles.

“What? Was she your mate?” The cyclops coughs. “Oh, boohoo.”

El pulls his sword up to his shoulder and stabs it forward towards the cyclops. The beast grabs the blade with its good hand, pushing El back, but the sword slices through the hand of the monster. El slowly presses forward and pierces the sword through the monster's chest.

“Wait, wait, wait!” The cyclops starts to beg, screaming, as the sword plunges into its flesh.

With a final push, El feels the sword clang against the stone behind the one-eyed terror. El looks up, tears streaming down his face, barely able to even see the slumped-over corpse of the monster.

Kib ties a lock of hair with some twine around a moonstone retrieved from the cave. He walks up behind El who is crouching next to a freshly filled grave. Kib carefully scoops up one of El’s hands and places the moonstone in it. He gently closes El’s hand around it.

“Sometimes the best way to remember people is to write or draw about them. She is still with us as long as we honor her.” Kib says quietly.

El’s shoulders shake as he stares down at the churned soil.

“Top says we should leave in case there are more in the area. These things are rarely alone.” Kib says before he walks away.

El opens his mouth to say something but doesn’t. He just lets his friend leave.

Was this all his fault?

El’s eyes flicked around as he laid down in the back of the cart as it rolled along the trail. He looked between each item and bag. Wondering what in here was worth the life of a friend.

Gained EXP

El

15333/23000

1600/3

Kib

12933/14000

Commoner Party

Top

933/3000

Loot Table

Treasure

Equipment

Masterwork Greatsword

80 gp, 110 sp, 800 cp

Large Greataxe

Masterwork Small Bola

Black Pearl (500 gp)

Large Heavy Crossbow 4 Bolts

The group eventually makes camp for the night along the side of the trail. Top and Kib enjoy a meal and talk as night overtakes the forest. El bundles up in his sleeping roll on the back of the cart staring up at the night sky.