An Encounter in the Woods!!

The sloshing of marsh water filled Jon's ears, coming and going with every step that he and Kama took. It was impossible to escape now that they had gone so far into Faerie Woods, having already battled their way through pixies and wolves. Here their biggest enemy was a disease, or so they thought. With the day waning towards late afternoon and the sun beginning to vanish behind the tips of the trees, it would be yet another soggy night. Jon was in search of the perfect ingredient for his latest creation, and he had yet to discover it. Somehow, he knew it was hiding deep in the woods. Somewhere, it has to be somewhere! he thought to himself.

More than sloshing began to stir in the world around them, something unnoticeable at first. It grew louder and louder, a thumping that went from dirt to shallow water and back. It stirred the birds and caused the skittish critters to run off to a place only the likes of hunters would know. Suddenly, the bushes rustled and a man burst forth from their depths. He landed in the river, his armor tattered and his eyes bloodshot red. A sigil glowed on his forehead and he turned towards Jon and Kama, an unsightly thing. An incantation was whispered from his lips, a wisp of wind to a murmur and eventually a yell. He raised his spear in preparation for battle, yet the sight of it was odd. Upon further inspection, one could clearly see that this man was a Paladin. A warrior of Hadun, a man who pledged himself to the light. Why was he so far from home? And more importantly, what could have possibly plagued the mind of this fledgling?

Jon was taken aback by his presence, and immediately drew his sword while raising his other hand in defense.

"Damn, and I just ran out of potions!"

Deranged Paladin, Level 2.

You're kidding, right?

Kama, who couldn't contain himself in witnessing a mad Paladin thrash about, erupted into laughter.
"That has got to be the most eventful thing that's happened in the past few days Jondas."
After playfully slapping Jon on the back, Kama walked into a focal point for the Paladin and retrieved his pipe with a quarter gram of Buddha Grass and took a deep concentrated hit.

The fine glow of the grass grew ever brighter, until he released a cloud of smoke which was thick enough in radius to shroud the area and allow him to quietly get behind the Paladin. He threw the chain of his chain knife around his neck and called to Jondas in a singsong voice.
"Jondas! I do believe this fellow needs a drink!"

Jon couldn't help but look to his partner in crime as he heard his first reaction. Kama burst into laughter about as quickly as a trip-mine, and this enraged man was the poor sap receiving it. A smirk spread across Jon's face as Kama continued, taking due note of how this was the first exciting thing that had happened since the beginning of their trek through the marshes. A friendly smack found its way to Jon's back, and he returned his vision to the encroaching foe.

Just as Jon was about to join the fun with a retort, something even better happened. An audible exhale emerged from Kama, and soon the surrounding area was nothing but thick smoke. A warm, wonderful smoke that Jon, admittedly, knew a little too well. A smirk became a smile and Kama's presence shifted to behind the spear-wielding man. His tracks had stopped as a result of the smoke, and now he was only standing. Jon gripped his sword and pointed it forward, taking a step forward and aiming it at his foe.

As the smoke began to clear, Kama called out that the man needed a drink. Jon chuckled in return.

"Aye, I'd say he does! A really good mixed drink, huh?"

With Jon's sword at the man's chest and a chain tightened around his neck, the man remained still for only a moment. His reddened eyes glanced around almost rhythmically, looking over Jon as if he were some sort of book to be read. As if the little that his appearance was was some sort of passage that granted him knowledge of his whole being. And then his silence ended with the pulse of the sigil on his forehead.

"Kith ko lichdom!" he shrieked, startling Jon. (11/20)

The shriek was all he could do verbally with the chain around his throat, but it was enough to cause Jon to back up the few inches the Paladin needed for his next strike.

"Uhh... I don't think he's happy, Kama!"

With an agitated growl, the Paladin impaled the ground with his spear (15/20), leaving it standing upright before he reached back over his shoulders with both hands and latched on to Kama with a steady grip (10/20). Then, with all of his strength (8 vs 2), he threw Kama over his body while yelling angrily to the clouds. (18/20) Suggesting it all went through, Jon would attempt to jump to the side (1/20), but would instead take Kama's full body force against him and fly back into the marsh with Kama on top of him.

"Woah! Too stro-!"

Fortunately, he would only receive some scrapes (1 damage) and he would almost completely cushion Kama's fall. (10/20, 1 damage). The Paladin gripped his spear and ripped it from the ground, dropping into a sprinting stance with his spear forward in preparation for a real battle. All the while, the sigil continued to flare.

Jon
HP: 11/12 (-1)

Kama
HP: 14/15 (-1)