Balancing the Scales, part 3

Log Info

• Title: Balancing the Scales, Part 3
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Glasha, Locien, Aimarra, Elyanna, Tawyse, Joro
• Place: PRoom One: Eldwyn Road and Bendywine River
• Time: Thursday, August 06, 2020, 6:16 PM
• Summary: The party surprises the kobolds at their bridge, although at great distance. The kobolds look at the force arrayed against them, and flee up the road and out of sight. The party gives chase, Elyanna, Locien and Tawyse mounted, with Joro and Aimarra following on foot. Glasha stays behind with the wagon to menace their prisoner kobolds. Elyanna and Locien are first around the corner, where their horses slow down unexpectedly. Tawyse manages to catch up on her flying beetle, and Joro almost over-runs the curve. The party and the kobolds shout at each other, both ordering each other to surrender and drop weapons. The party saying they only want the weapon, while the kobolds counter it's clear they're here solely to kill them because of their numbers. Joro interrupts negotiation, roaring "Thieves!" and charges the kobolds, who let their gun speak and shoot her in the head. It staggers the giantborn, Locien closes the distance to heal her, while Elyanna begs the kobolds to not make things worse. Meanwhile, Glasha can hear the shot, and Aimarra moves through the woods towards it.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Glasha       5'8"     100 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    Green-skinned, young lady with bleached hair.
Locien       5'4"     140 Lb     Dawn Elf          Male      A handsome Sil male wearing the trappings of Vardama.
Aimarra      5'1"     128 Lb     Half-Elf          Female    Brown hair and eyes, breastplate, leathers, pointed ears.
Elyanna      5'11"    153 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    An oddly complected woman in a raven feather cloak
Tawyse       3'0"     33 Lb      Gnome             Female    An orange-haired Gnome in green leather armor.
Joro         8'10"    532 Lb     Giantborn         Female    A towering female Jotun in kilted armor.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  As the GM  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     267 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

All is quiet at the Eldwyn bridge over the Bendywine river. A light breeze ruffles the bushes and through the trees, butterflies and other insects are active, at work in the light and shade. Birds dart between trees, and there is the occasional high-pitched buzz of a cicada. Three V-shaped wakes appear in the water, heading towards the bridge with three kobolds emerging when they reach the shore. Red, blue, and green, each one wears shiny, well fitting mail, goggles on the head, and have an assortment of tools and items on their belt. They take a quick look around, then return the downstream of the bridge and spend some time diving. They salavage their possessions which were thrown over and sank, specificially their boat, as well as some minor items. The boat is brought ashore, overturned, and repairs are made.

This does not go smoothly. The red kobold is easily agitated and seems to be named 'Reki', as the other two say it frequently while trying to calm the red down. It yells, throws and kicks things, and at least one argument seemed to be about wearing the goggles. Even in a foreign language, it seems like a frequent one. The blue is often subservient, doing its best to calm the red. The green meanwhile, watches more than participates, and delivers either comments or orders. Everything seems to set the red off, and what should be a simple repair takes much longer. Eventualy it is done, and the boat left in the sun to dry.

In the bushes, a gnome observes and waits for reinforcements.

And waits, and waits. Some time passes. The kobolds get up to other things.

At the far end of the northern stretch of this part of the road, it's not exactly a Sunday afternoon stroll, but it also sort of is. The three kobolds are walking along the road, the red is holding the parasol and occasionally spinning it. The blue carries the thunderbelcher that has sparked all the commotion, holding it at port arms, the barrel point off to the side but still angled in such a way it would blow a hole in the parasol if it went off. The green kobold is picking up rocks. It stoops, grabs a stone from the road, examines it, then tosses it back down. It's not clear exactly what the green one is doing, although it carries a small shield and is making marks on the inside of it. Picking out good spots for traps, perhaps.

So occupied, they are still keeping an eye on their surroundings. The blue watches the bend up ahead, tilts its head to listen. The red seems easily distracted, but the sides of the road are what it is looking at. The green is checking the back trail, usually after it finishes with a rock, snaking it's head around the parasol to see, as the umbrella blocks that direction with the current placement of the sun. Thus, it doesn't immediately notice the party's cart and outriders when they emerge from the forested section of the road. They are rather far away.

Glasha's shout is what gets all their attention. The parasol spins, and they stare. The green shades its eyes to peer past the bridge. The red shoves the parasol at the blue and grabs the thunderbelcher before the bluescale has a chance to react, and it ends up hugging the umbrella handle.

"Ssscalesss! They coming kill uss." The red's hands are a blur as it loads the weapon. <draconic>

"There giant!" The blue one adds. "That one big'gun." <draconic>

The green gives a simple order, "Run! Jussst Run!" <draconic>

All three turn and bolt up the road, the parasol bobbing behind them as light shade and inadequate cover. As they flee, one calls out.

'Free Toll Today! Enjoy Bridge.'

Glasha brandishes her greataxe. 'They've been told to run! I don't know who has what!' She looks intensely at Trak, glaring at him. "You say one more word that isn't an answer to my question and I swear to every god in every pantheon, your blood will fertilize the grass right here!" <draconic>

Locien mutters something in Lyrtongue, hard to pick up at any distance but sounding very much like an epithet. He lookds down the road, then over to Glasha. "We need to stop them from disappearing again. Do you know how to handle a horse?"

Aimarra's comment, from where she's watching next to the wagon's driver, bow and nocked arrow still between her hands, is largely confined to a snort, and a smirk. "Cowards," she mutters. "Careful, though, they might have more friends that we don't see." Her eyes are narrowed as she watches the fleeing group - that thunderbelcher is not lost on her.

The ride is not a fond one, and, after her initial delay, her pace has kind of struggled to gain ground. With some grace, maybe from the Mother, or at least, still somewhat beneath the False Hope's notice, Elyanna has yet to be thrown from her horse. She's still hanging on tightly to the reins and barking short bursts of goblin at the creature as she tries to catch up, tries to bring her cohorts news that may be of some import. Perhaps save some lives.... and thwart a sniveling opportunist. She spies a wagon in the distance and increases her pace until she notes them getting ready and she slows to a more quiet pace for the final leg, drawing rein a bit from the wagon and slipping down to lead the beast the final distance with a soft, "What is happening?" she asks softly.

The buzzing sound comes from the party's south. A giant rhinoceros beetle comes into view, lazily weaving between the tree trunks, a wee, orange-haired Gnome upon its back. It comes to rest upon the road, and Tawyse jumps from the saddle. She moves to Aimarra's side. "So. A few things.", she says crouching. "The red one seems to be the leader. Name's Reki, or some such, the other two call them that. They have these smoked goggles... I think it lets them see better during the day. The blue one will run, I think. If we smack the red one hard, the blue one will run, the green one might too. They both follow the leader."

Up the road, the tri-colour kobolds have scooted around the bend, where the forest and the distance hides sight of them. The trees are closest to the road at the bends, both the north and south one. As the road approaches the bridge, the treeline retreats. There is also a distance on either side of the riverbanks. As if the trees were harvested at one point, but only if they were easy to get to. The intervening space has filled up with scrub and underbrush.

Making everywhere excellent for ambushes. The only good-luck, is the treeline is typically 40' away from the road on the vertical, closer to 20' on the east and west sections.

Trak stares up at Glasha with true fear, nodding, unable to tear his eyes away from the axe.

Beside him, Jak laughs quietly then asks, "Jak still talk?" <draconic>

'Currently in the middle of a threat, here, thanks. I'm not great with non-summoned horses, anyway,' she calls back to Locien. "Don't you push me," Glasha says, glaring at Jak. "I summon demons and hold the Dragon Cleaver. I could end your whole clan in seconds." Her patience was either over, or the kobolds' stupidity needed a blunter approach. <draconic>

GAME: Locien rolls ride: (20)+-3: 17

The Mourner sighs, shaking his head. "Two kobolds in the hand are /not/ worth three in the bush." Locien leans forward, placing a hand soothingly on his horse's neck and speaking quietly to it. "I know I'm not your match, friend, but I need you to show me what you're capable off." Sitting up straight, he gives the horse a soft nudge with his stirrups and a shake of the reins; an awkward act that would leave a less accommodating horse irritated and unmoving. This one, however, is clever and forgiving. The meagre encouragement sends the warhorse into a full gallup, shrinking the distance to the bridge and beyond in seconds, leaving Locien not so much riding as holding on.

Aimarra brightens visibly at the sight of the beetle and its rider, and hops down from where she'd been riding on the wagon to listen, bow and arrow now held together in one hand. She listens, her smirk growing into a grin. "I tried to tell them that," she tells Tawyse. "That's how bandits work. The one with the big boom is the leader, and if someone else can best him, they get the big boom. Careful, though, the one you name Reki is a good shot with that thing." She reaches up with her free hand to rub at her right shoulder, wincing.

The group discussing the situation with the kobolds gets a glance back, but she seems disinclined to interfere, instead watching Locien ride off to greet them - and that smirk drains away. "He's going to get himself killed."

GAME: Tawyse rolls ride: (16)+8: 24

"Then right out with him! Meet them head on!" The Gnome runs back to her beetle, and climbs aboard. "Ya! Chaucy, fly!", she calls out. Giant wings pop forth once more, and the beetle lumbers to the air, and turns to follow in Locien's wake. "Charge! Run!"

GAME: Elyanna rolls ride: (14)+2: 16

Ever with the impeccable timing, Elyanna arrives just in time for the Mourner and a gnome to tear off into a loaded belcher. She shakes head with a sulphurous goblin curse and scrambles to get up in the saddle once more, shouting, "There is more to this, we want prisoners!" Feet in the stirrups and snaps the reins with a fierce, 'Yah!' and tries to lead her rented beaast into the fray.

GAME: Joro rolls perception: (17)+8: 25

The Jotun girl perks up from her otherwise lazy clopping along when the excitement picks up! The arrival of the beetle rider and Elyanna is a distracting occasion, for the lumbering girl. That beetle has her full attention! When Tawyse dismounts, she loses all interest in whatever else might be occurring, and heads over to inspect the mount. She keeps her distance, of course, so as not to spook the creature, showing she at least has some basic understanding of how to handle creatures at large. "Oooooh, flappy horse." The wings are definitely worth a good once-over, as she leans this way and that to peer at the beetle. And then suddenly, the beetle is gone! As Tawyse rides off with the others, Joro single-mindedly rushes off after them, at full speed!

Seeming a bit surprised with herself, Joro peers at the beetle and it's rider as she goes rushing by. Something in her demeanor changes, and she gets a lot more serious, for no obvious reason. "Joro race horsies!" It would appear she has completely forgotten about the kobolds, and is under the impression that the troupe is now having some sort of competition! Spotting Locien on horseback ahead, she continues her chase at full speed ahead. The beetle has been defeated, and thus Joro continues her sprinting in efforts to catch up to the other rider.

The little kobolds in the cart are lying back, staring up at the wizard of death and destruction, and her great, great axe.

"Jax be quiet." The recently surrendered one says. <draconic>

"Shut up Jax, she kill both." The other one says, unable to really nudge the other one, although it looks like he clearly wants to.

They aren't loud. The kobolds up the road definitely can't hear them, any hiding at the sides of the road are unlikely too either, with all the noise as the various racers take off.

They stare up at Glasha.

GAME: Elyanna rolls ride: (12)+2: 14

After her initial canter went off so- what the hell?? With the large one gleefully barreling past her horse, Elyanna loses a second trying to maintain her balance on the creature, but she buckles down and snaps the reins again with another firm, "Hyah!" which gets her rental going at a full gallop to try and catch up to her comrades.

GAME: Locien rolls ride: (20)+-3: 17

"We were ALWAYS taking prisoners! That was the POINT!" Locien calls back, exasperation carrying the words when force fails. Seeing that they are approaching the bend quickly, he tugs back a little, keeping the horse at a run but letting it bring its head up and conserve its stamina as he makes to navigate the sharp turn.

Glasha says nothing, looking between the two kobolds, lifting and dropping the haft of the axe into her hand, just making sure they remember exactly what she'll do to them if they keep talking.

Aaaaand, the beetle takes off, and so does everyone else. Aimarra only takes the time to shout to the driver and to Glasha, "Stay here, I'm going after them!" Bow and arrow in one hand, arrow held against the bow, the half-sil takes off at a dead run, following the others, although it will take her significant time to catch up.

The beetle carries on, slowly catching up to the others as they begin to get to.. where ever it is the kobolds have buggered off too. She sways from side to side in the saddle, peering into the forest, and the waters that run under the bridge. "Come out and surrender, little pests!"

If it's one thing Joro enjoys, it's a good competition! As Elyanna passes her on horseback, the giantborn laughs and continues her sprinting. Given that she's not even starting to show signs of being winded, she hunkers down and turns on her afterburners, gaining on and passing Elyanna! She tears off towards Locien, shooting by him in a full sprint with a smile aimed at him, without any regard for the upcoming curve. "Hahaaaaa! Joro win!" Thankfully, she looks back in time to see that she's running out of road, and slams on the brakes, turning sideways. Kicking up dirt and rocks, she skids impressively to a stop at the edge of the road, mid-way through the curve itself, her head poking up out of the dust-cloud she's summoned up with her full-stop.

The cart kobolds fall silent. They're very cooperative. Glasha is in charge, yes. She's in charge.

Up the road and around the bend, a keen ear might hear a conversation. Or perhaps, and argument. Locien has moved into sight, he can see the kobolds, they can see him, with quick checks over their shoulder. They are far down the road, but the distance has been closed. Then, Joro lumbers into sight at full tilt, stops and turns. They squeal as they catch sight of her.

"Ssssshssss! That going catch! Take down now! Stop, got shoot!" The red one orders. <draconic>

"Reki! No takedown! No kill. Got get away." The blue one says. <draconic>

"Run bush, backup plan. Off road, they too fast. Road not helping." The green one says, "Going talk. Maybe slow." <draconic>

The green kobold switches to Tradespeak, "You surrender! Big Pests! You stay there! It go bad for you you come after us."

GAME: Elyanna rolls ride: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Elyanna rolls perception: (3)+2: 5

The red woman bears down on the horse as things continue out-at-joint and she bares her teeth in a sneer of irritation. To be fair, it's more the horse than the party, as Elyanna did get here late, but, the halfbreed struggles visibly managing the animal around the first bend, losing valuable speed.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25 (Locien's Horse Perception)
GAME: Locien rolls perception: (3)+7: 10

Locien leans into the turn, trying to help his horse lose as little speed as possible. He is confused a bit then, when the horse slows of its own accord as they exit the turn, pulling up to match Elyanna's pace. "I'm guessing I missed something, so I'll defer to your judgement..." he offers the horse, then raises his voice in response to the kobolds. "We aren't here to hurt you! People in Alex made plans against you! We want to know why!"

Glasha menaces the kobolds, glancing back and forth between Trak and Jax, ready to trounce them if they so much as move.

"No, it will go poorly for you!", the Gnome calls down. "Drop your weapons!" The beetle lumbers on, though conveniently cut across over the corner, saving a little bit of distance and time. "Make your time!"

GAME: Joro rolls perception: (16)+8: 24

Letting out a soft gasp as Joro finally spots what cause all the sudden horse racing, she exclaims, "Kolbolties! Joro catch kolbolties!" At least she remembers what her last directive regarding kobolds was. With that said, she takes off on a direct line towards the kobolds. After only a few meters, the Jotun skids to a halt yet again, and grumpily calls out, "Footy ouchies! Cheaty kolbolties!" The giantborn is looking down at the road in front of her when she says that, and immediately heads off the side of the road into the underbrush, before she starts plowing throw the bushes and smaller fledgling trees to get around whatever caused her to stop her direct approach towards the kobolds.

GAME: Locien rolls diplomacy: (4)+8: 12
GAME: Elyanna rolls intimidate: (15)+11: 26
GAME: Tawyse rolls intimidate: (10)+1: 11
GAME: Joro rolls Intimidate: (16)+7: 23
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "1 Locien, 2-5 Elyanna, 6-7 Tawyse, 8 Chaucy, 9-13 Joro"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d13: (2): 2

"You stop! You stop there! One come talk! Eight come kill! You not stopping same trick last time!" The green one shouts. "You throw down weapons!"

The kobolds have turned off the road, heading into the brush on the south side. It's slowing them down. It's not helped that the red kobold raises the thunderbelcher and takes aim. Right at Elyanna. She can see the arcane artifice building in the gun. Then the green and blue intervene, the blue one grabbing the barrel and pulling on it, the green one grabbing at the red.

"Reki! We have to get out of here." The green one says. <draconic>

"Idiots! They coming, they not stopping. They wants Matilda. Let go! I had shot." The red shouts back angrily. <draconic>

The two drag the third, further into the underbrush, ruining any shot this round. "No kill Reki. Too many, get better spot, get away. C'mon." <draconic>

"You want talk you stay there. Shout just fine!"

GAME: Elyanna rolls diplomacy: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Elyanna rolls ride: (11)+2: 13

The haldbreed, glancing puzzledly at the large woman at 'foot ouchies', stops fighting her horse's inclination to slow, and brings the beast to rein. Doing so, she returns her gaze to the kobolds in time to see stare down death's barrel, and she does so with some trepidation, as she knows her ledger is too red to go anywhere but Taara's hobby cupboard. She stands firm, though, and calls out in slow trade, "We do not want your lives! Alex tells lies. Sends many to take shiney boom from you! Give us boom, we spare you, and no more come to hunt you!" hoping she's keeping it simple enough for them, though she feels like an idiot.

GAME: Locien casts Comprehend Languages. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14

Locien lets his horse pull to a stop beside Elyanna, Joro's display finally bringing understanding for the beast's actions. He looks across to the kobolds, assessing their intent, then reaches to his holy symbol around his neck and speaks. "Dread Lady, give me understanding, let no word escape my comprehension." The symbol glows for a moment, the light travelling up his body to surround his head in a wan nimbus, then fades.

The giant beetle slowly descends from the air, alighting the ground near where Locien pulls up their horse. "So I guess they will bargain after all. Your charge had an effect.", she says to the horseman. "So what are our choices?", she asks of those nearby. "Are we empowered to make binding agreements with these kobolds?"

The shouting and warnings up ahead are chaotic and indistinct, but one meaning is clear enough - trouble up ahead. Remembering the kobolds' previous tactics, Aimarra turns aside and melts into the underbrush, bow and arrow still in hand, choosing the shorter route to reach her quarry. Let the others talk, she decides, and if they draw the kobolds' attention, so much the better.

GAME: Joro rolls intelligence: (14)+-2: 12

The Jotun continues her now much-slower advance towards the kobolds that are shouting at the others. She jogs along at what is obviously a slowed pace for her, having to take extra time to maneuver around dense brush, and some more bulky saplings. "Stoopid kolbolties. Stoopid plants. Stoopid footy ouchies!" It would seem that her patience with this situation is thinning. After Elyanna tries to parley with the kobolds that nearly just blasted her, Joro's had enough. She suddenly belts out, "GIVE JORO BOOMSTICK, THIEFY KOLBOLTIES!" as she continues to crunch through the terrain towards the creatures. Perhaps it was the way Elyanna stated it, or simply the Jotun has had enough time to piece together what's going on, but at least now it's clear that she understands their purpose is to retrieve the thunderbelcher. That, coupled with her obvious displeasure of thieves, has boiled up to the resulting outburst.

The red one attempts to wrestle the thunderbelcher away from the blue and green. "Still coming. Let shoot, take down!" <draconic>

"Reki stop fighting! Have to get trees." The blue one struggles, "Give me, good close." <draconic>

Despite their struggles, they are still moving through the underbrush, slowly. In-fighting has given way to fleeing, although their arguments continue.

"Can't take biggie Blubs." Red replies, Then the kobolds all shudder when Joro bellows at them, understanding enough, even if they don't know the words. 'Thieves', they probably know what that means. <draconic>

"Ok. Take shot." The blue one releases, "keep move." <draconic>

"Making harder, much harder. But take shot, after speak." <draconic> The green one growls, then switches to Tradespeak, 'Alex lies! You lie! You take shiny boom. Next come, take shiny armour. Next take shiny tools. Next take lives! You Biggie still run up. Say stop, no stop! Shoot, you stop! Better idea, you give us boom, we go. Even broke fine!'

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+11: (15)+11: 26
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d10+2: (10)+2: 12
GAME: Reki damaged Joro for 12 points. 9 HP remaining.

The red one raises the Thunderbelcher, takes aim at the approaching giantess. The gun glows, swirling with energy. There's an explosion. PAIN! It feels like a second explosion on the jotun's head as she's struck on the side of the skull.

GAME: Elyanna rolls diplomacy: (5)+8: 13

Still, there is no sign of Aimarra, from the road. Quietly, hopefully without being detected, Aimarra works her way closer to these kobolds' backsides, intent on cutting off escape.

"What-?" Elyanna exclaims in surprise as the great one bellows hotly at the kobolds she was just... trying... to... She bares interlocking, predatory teeth in a snarl before she barks out, "Blunderer!" snap, "IDIOT!" and growls, "What the hell are you doing??" then switches back to Trade 'Stop, you fool, no one needs-!' She beaks off as the shot rings out and she spreads her hands, 'Do not force us! We want others! We want source!' back to the kobolds... and all the while her palms itch, whips and falchion whispering to her once again, and she tries to ignore it all for the higher path. <goblin-talk>

The kobolds are still moving towards the tree line, they are 25' away. At their speed they will get there in two more rounds. Roughly measuring along the road, they are 120' from Joro, 150' from Locien, Tawyse and Elyanna, with a little extra for the triangle for the distance they've moved off the road.

GAME: Locien rolls 2d6: (5): 5
GAME: Locien damaged Joro for -5 points. 14 HP remaining.

Locien turns his mount to ride behind Elyanna, over to the side of the road Joro is currently crashing along, commenting to the Ely as he passes. "Keep trying...though hope surely wanes. Let us exhaust our peaceful options." The horse gingerly steps into the underbrush and follows Joro at a careful pace. Once he is nearly to the mountainous woman he bows his head in prayer, and a wave of color-starved light passes outward, passing over the jotunkin.

At the cart, the shot can be heard distantly. The two kobolds lying in the bottom, don't react, no flinching. They've heard that before. Trak looks over at Jak. He stares silently. They both stare back up at Glasha. Waiting.

And in the woods, an elf draws closer to the loud kobolds.

Combatty Stuff

 ===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 4 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
     20   Tawyse           1  
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     20   Joro             1  
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     19   Kobolds          1  
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     18   Elyanna          1  
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  >> 18   Locien           1   <<
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     7    Glasha           1  
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     6    Aimarra          1  
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 ==============================================================================

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|   Name   |   Race   |   Class   | CHP | HP  | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Aimarra   |HALF-ELF  |Rgr        | 22  | 22  |20/17/14 | 18 | 5  | 6  | 2  |
|Elyanna   |HALF-ORC  |Bard/Swb   | 27  | 27  |18/15/13 | 18 | 1  | 9  | 5  |
|Glasha    |HALF-ORC  |Wiz        | 13  | 13  |11/10/11 | 14 | 2  | 1  | 4  |
|Joro      |GIANTBORN |Bbn        | 21  | 21  |17/15/12 | 19 | 6  | 2  | 2  |
|Locien    |DAWN_ELF  |Clr        | 16  | 16  |17/16/11 | 15 | 3  | 2  | 6  |
|Tawyse    |GNOME     |Dru        | 22  | 22  |15/13/13 | 13 | 5  | 3  | 7  |
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