Archambaud left them little option: his terms, or his death. And for Penny that was no choice at all. 'Yes, that is acceptable. It must be. You shall carry on as keeper of the scroll.' she confirmed. 'Maybe, and I can only guess at an angel's motives, Metatron set you to safeguard the Key of Solomon for a day such as this, and the rest we must take on faith... Now, do you need help standing and walking?' She offered an arm to lift him to his feet, taking care with his injured leg.

Alice took point, calling back to their friends. "EVERYONE! WE ARE COMING OUT. ALL IS GOOD! NO MORE FIGHTING PLEASE!"

Archambaud gives a half smile at Penny's offer, and gently waves off the offer. You really are a gentlewoman, he chuckles. And yes, you're right. I haven't needed faith for some time. Perhaps it's time I exercised it. That said, I'm sure you know if your little group disappoints me in any way, you will find yourself without me or the scroll so fast you won't know what happened. Now, let us go meet with the false Metatron. I have words for him.

As you head back, Alice's warning comes in handy, for the others are fast approaching, weapons raised. Peter looks disappointed by the sudden cease fire, but Ian looks relieved. The knight himself, limps towards Loki, his face a thundercloud. So, a shifter are you? Is that what you are? Answer man! he barks.

Loki laughs at the accusation, shaking his head. Oh that's adorable! Me, a shifter. Archambaud's eyes narrow, not amused in the least.
Ah. I see now. Your arrogance betrays you. Loki stops laughing, his face morphing into a scowl.
Stow it old man. What's the situation with the scroll? You gonna hand it over? He holds his hand out expectantly. Archambaud does not move, instead, to Loki's annoyance, he shakes his head. I think not. If you want the scroll, you must convince my counterpart of your worthiness first. Tell me, can you get us to Ethiopia? He folds his arms expectantly.

ooc: Roll listen checks please

Alice put her hands up, "Now let's all just keep calm. Sir Archambaud here has agreed to accompany us as the Scroll's keeper. Let's all try and get along, alright?"

Ethiopia?! Penny had expected this the moment Archambaud had mentioned other guardian knights, yet still it was despairing to hear how her quest yawned on ahead of her. How many more hunts, how many more fights, how many more ordeals must she face before this was done, before Belial was banished and she was safe? She was so weary, and so scared. She needed this to be done, and soon. She needed an end to be in sight. She caught herself and agreed with Alice 'Yes, indeed. I think it would be very helpful if you give Sir Archambaud, and the rest of us, a good reason to trust you, "Loki".' Penny announced, with pointed emphasis, encouraging him to confirm what she suspected and reveal something of his true identity.


OOC: I'm sorry, I rolled, but didn't know what to post, then forgot to make a post, then lost all track of time. I forgot and rolled twice, hence the extra roll in the dice roller.
Listen check 13

Uh, I friggin saved you all a couple days ago, or don't you recall? Loki says drily. Geez, you're welcome. You'd think that would entitle a guy to a little trust. Not to mention, if I did want anything bad to happen to you, I'd do it in such a spectacularly entertaining fashion, that even you would give me a round of applause.

Archambaud listens to this, unimpressed. He may act like the trickster Loki, but his arrogance marks him as something more, I should think. He looks at Loki then, eyes hard and unwavering. I've dealt with your people many times, angel. Metatron is not my only experience with your kind.

'Yes, we remember, and we are very grateful for it.' Penny placated Loki, speaking patiently and thinking Castiel was a much more humble and dependable sort of angel. She'd almost pray for him to come back, except that it would doubtless offend "Loki" or whatever his real name was.

She was about to try to persuade him further when Archambaud revealed he already knew. Well, that was quick. Penny turned to him, quickly trying to seize the opportunity. 'Then if you know him to angel, a servant of Heaven, and we have faith that he is, then can we accept that he is an ally and carry on? ...An ill-considered Metatron impersonation aside.' She looked to the alleged angel, adding '"Loki", can you take us to the next hiding place in Ethiopia?'

Alice went quiet then, letting Penny speak her mind. When she had finished Alice nodded and picked up, "Yea, that would be real nice of ya, takin us poor dumb mortals to the next test."

Archambaud does not seem quite as relieved at Loki's supposed true identity as you would wish. He makes a face at Penny's suggestion. Even Lucifer was an angel, once. Not all of them have the will of heaven in mind, milady. He very well may be trustworthy, but I will not abandon my vows simply because of what he is. I will accompany you to Ethiopia.

During all this, Loki rolls his eyes. You guys are crazy. I'm not an angel. I'm a trickster. And yes, I could take you to Ethiopia, but I'm not allowed to. I'm supposed to supervise only, remember? Make sure you don't screw this up. If I get directly involved there are some nasty consequences for me. I'm already in it for the little desert incident, he sighs with a sideways glance at Lily, who is watching him carefully. But you don't need me. You have a perfectly good witch with you, remember? Emma can figure out the Ethiopia thing. He shrugs.

As he makes his suggestion, both Penny and Alice hear the sounds of footsteps coming closer from down one of the corridors. Several footsteps, and the quiet murmur of voices trying to be hushed. They will be upon you within the next thirty seconds or so....

'Yes, of course you're not.' Penny humoured Loki gently. He really was curiously rule-bound for a trickster god of an unrelated pantheon, or so he claimed. And there was that telling bond with Lily, daughter of an angel. 'And tricksters never do what they're not allowed to, do they?'

But, regardless, she wasn't going to push her reluctant benefactor, not while other options existed. She didn't want to get greedy or take aid for granted. 'But, yes, we will see what Emma can do...'

She trailed off as she heard footsteps, and motioned the others to silence while she listened.


OOC: Is the whole party with us now, or should we expect this to be someone we haven't from recently, like Emma and Crimwall?
11:57, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 14 using 1d20+9. listen.

Alice kept a sharp eye and ear open. Her hands are near her weapon.

Crimwall and Emma are still waiting outside the entrance of the place, at least you hope. The fact that there are so many footsteps makes you wary, for as they grow closer you recognize it seems to be a group of them. By now, some of the others have noticed them too, and you ready your weapons.

Loki frowns, waiting, his eyes darting to Lily, who clutches her tomahawk. Everyone watches the entryway, tense and ready. At last a woman appears around the corner, several men and women walking stiffly behind her. They are all pale and thin and their eyes have no pupils or irises. The woman, however, is stunningly beautiful. She has long, black hair and ivory skin with piercing blue eyes. She wears all black and her shoulders and impressive décolletage can be seen. Lily, swears, recognizing her. Hecate. she growls. The woman smiles and the hair on your neck stands up. She reeks of evil, more so even than you're used to. You are all going to die. How quickly and painlessly that happens depends on how fast you give me the scroll. her voice is throaty and beautiful, and yet it makes you want to rip your ears out.

ooc: Ok, roll will saves DC 20 or become shaken...There are about fifteen zombie eyed soldiers with her btw. There is a tunnel out, and another behind her. Good luck!

God have mercy, Penny prayed, and the Mother too. Yet they weren't here. Hecate was. Of course she must show up at some point in this long drama, Penny had just hoped otherwise. And where was Emma Bently, the witch in her service? Cold claws of dread dug into her back, yet Penny girded herself, swallowed her fear and clenched her jaw, showing a stiff upper lip to the bitter end. She stepped forward. 'So are you.' she dared challenge the goddess. What else could make deity pause, but mortal defiance? 'And it will not be quick and it very definitely will not be painless. Belial shall see to that.' Now if only she could keep her talking too.


OOC: 14:56, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 23 using 1d20+11. Will save, inc. +2 vs fear.

Although afraid, Alice's hands do not shake so badly that she missed. She aimed at the blue eyed woman and both of her shots hit, the first in a very vital place.

12:34, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 14 using 2d8+3.  Standard damage (Magical BC/ Blessed Revolvers).

12:33, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 22 using 4d8+3.  Crit damage (Magical BC/ blessed revolvers).

12:27, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  #2.

12:27, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 29 using 1d20+9.  Shot #1.

Belial won't betray me, she purrs at Penny's words. I only ask that my rightful place as ruler of hell be returned to me. He cares only for your world, not mine. It is you who should fear him, not m- her words are interrupted by the sudden attack from Alice, the bullet going straight into her abdomen. Her blue eyes widen with surprise and there's a single, quiet moment of surprise as she looks down at her wound. Then, in pure fury, she turns around with a shriek of rage. Her soldiers immediately start flooding the room...

ooc: Ok, so Hecate's AC is 25. The soldiers' are 20. You'll know if you hit. There is a tunnel from where they arrived and another behind you. For time's sake, please roll a fortitude save along with your attack. The enemies are about fifteen feet away and closing, btw.

For a moment, Penny stared, shocked and scandalised. Then she turned to Alice, appalled. Again!? 'Will you please stop shooting everyone we're negotiating with?!'

She reached for her own pistol, fretted on the irony of her firing now, and then drew and fired anyway. She missed, yet doubted it would have done much good against the walking dead. She began backing away from the horde. 'Archambaud! Where does this tunnel lead? Is there another way out of here?' If it even still stood open after all these centuries, but all she had were long shots.


OOC: Initiative 10, Fortitude 15
Pistol attack 15, miss
Move back

Alice snarked back, "I don't negotiate with monsters." She then drew her second pistol and went "to work."


08:57, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 22 using 4d8+3.  Damage LH #1.

08:57, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 11 using 2d8+3.  Damage RH #2.

08:57, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 18 using 2d8+3.  Damage RH #1.

08:54, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 4 using 1d20+2.  LH #2.

08:54, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  RH #2 (actual).

08:54, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  RH #2. (I meant Left Hand #1, but typing and thought did not line up)

08:54, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 20 using 1d20+7.  Right Hand #1.

So three hits on flunkies, one of which is Critical

By now your companions have all followed suit, firing their own weapons against the coming horde. Alice has some good aim, one of her shots even grazing the skull of one, but it's not down yet.

Meanwhile, the rest of your group has mixed success. Peter is incredible, as always. His shots ring true like the sharpshooter he is. Ian gets a few shots, as does Lily, but they also take some wounds from the undead creatures. Alice also gets to be on the unpleasant end of things too, as one of the things rushes at her, burying its teeth in her arm like an animal. You can tell immediately that, although the wound is not especially awful, there is a taint within it that feels vile and weakening...

Archambaud, in the middle of all this, answers Penny's question with a grunt. It leads to more traps, I'm afraid. Meant to distract and destroy. But, if we follow it around, I can get us out eventually. If we can outrun these things!

Just as he's done speaking, Hecate makes her move. I don't think so dears. She smirks. With that she points at Penny, and a bar of black energy shoots out, hitting you squarely. Penny!! Ian shouts, fighting his way towards you. You nearly sink to the floor with pain and to your horror, blood seeps from your pores, eyes, nose and ears. The pain is unbearable. Still, you are upright, for the most part. You have a feeling if she wanted you dead, you'd be dead.

ooc: Ok, anytime you're hit by a zombie thingy, roll a constitution save. So Alice, you'll need to do that. DC 18. If you succeed you shake off the poison, otherwise you take 1d8 points of damage every round until you make the DC. Also, Alice, you take 6 points of bite damage plus whatever you may or may not take depending on how you roll your constitution.

Penny, you take 26 damage.

Both of you will need to keep me abreast of your hit points as we go along please.
Lastly, in order to save time, if you do decide to go through Archambaud's tunnel, you'll need to make a dexterity/intelligence check. Whichever is higher. I'll explain why later.
Also, sorry if I missed anything. I'm in a bit of a rush today!

13:33, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  Fort Save.

No poison damage. My HP on Bio Line 1 are correct.

Alice looked to the others for leadership. She fired at the one who had bitten her four times and missed all four.

13:37, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 14 using 1d20+3.  LH #2 + PB.

13:37, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 12 using 1d20+3.  RH #2 + PB.

13:36, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 11 using 1d20+8.  LH Shot #1 + PB.

13:36, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 13 using 1d20+8.  RH shot #1 + Point Blank

'Then we must—' Penny started, but didn't get to finish, surprised by the bolt of black energy in her breast. With her last coherent thought, she tried to turn toward Ian, but instead she could only drop to her knees in wracking pain and stare in horror as she found red blood seeping from the skin on her hands and felt it dripping down her face. Was this death? Was this the end?

No! She dared not die. With a savage snarl of her Celtic ancestors, Penny steeled herself against the shock and pain, raising her pistol and fired, right into the heart of one of the walking dead. Lifting herself to her feet, Penny cried 'Retreat! Through the tunnels. We'll lose them there.'


OOC: 39/98 hp
Intelligence check 22
Point Blank Shot +1/+1
Pistol attack 23, damage 8

Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Hecate

Penny will move through the tunnels away from Hecate and the zombies.

Fortunately, the soldiers are a bit slower than the rest of you. Not as slow as you'd like, of course, but slow enough you have a good chance of getting ahead of them. You head towards the tunnel, Archambaud leading the way. As you go, Hecate flicks her hand toward Penny, as though shaking off some water. To your surprise, a fist sized red ball of liquid that looks an awful lot like blood, goes careening towards you. Ian, though, manages to get in between you and he gives a snarl of pain as the ball starts to eat through his flesh like acid, his side blooming with blood of his own. He does scramble after you though, in spite of his obvious pain.
Step exactly where I step, you hear me? The knight bellows back to you all. Exactly! With that, he runs through the tunnels, zigzagging this way and that, leaping over cracks and ducking at other places. It's like a mad game of follow the leader. Peter and Lily are amazing, as are Penny and Alice. You're able to follow close behind and pay attention to his movements. Ian, however, is clumsier with his wound, and as he tries to jump over one portion of floor, he falls short and hits it squarely. A flat spinning blade bursts from the wall, slicing him deeply across the arm. Very deeply. It's a miracle he still has it, actually, and the amount of blood that comes gushing is alarming.
Loki, seeing this and knowing Hecate and her men are on your tail, sighs. I'm going to go tell your witch to ready us to leave. I think she can transport us if she's half as good as she thinks she is. Just, try to make it there in one piece please? With that he disappears.

Meanwhile, the only good thing about going through the tunnels, is that the undead are quite clumsy at avoiding the traps. Several are dispatched through this alone, and you would feel better if it weren't for the woman's voice trickling up the tunnels after you. You're not getting away my dears. If you give up now and give me the Englishwoman, I'll let the rest of you go. I don't care about your miserable lives. Only Belial's pet. she purrs. With that, you hear a fluttering sound from behind you. You turn to see several massive death's head moths flying at you...

ooc: Ok, you have a round before they get to you so you can do something ranged if you want, then you're in trouble. Please roll a constitution check, both of you. Right now your biggest worry is Hecate. She still has a few stragglers that will pose problems but they are a few rounds away at the moment. You can keep moving too, and just try to focus on getting out, but that puts you in danger of the moths, which is fine too, of course. It's just not going to be pleasant. Mwahahahahahahahaha!

Somehow, in spite of the searing agony, the chilling cold, the numbed limbs, and pounding of her heart, Penny followed in Archambaud's footsteps, avoiding triggering traps and evading others. The fight-or-flight instinct, and pure terror, seemed to speed her movements and sharpen her reflexes. Others were not so lucky. 'Ian!' Penny screamed, turning back to help him up as he fell victim to first spell then blade.



At that, Penny halted, hesitated, and half-turned and even took a tentative step back. If she could give herself up and save the others... And she was curious: Belial had let her go, so why did Hecate want her now? She fired her pistol hastily at the moths, then called out 'What do you want with me?'


OOC: Constitution check 17
Point Blank Shot +1/+1
Pistol attack 15, damage 9 @ a moth

Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Hecate
This message was last edited by the player at 23:57, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

13:21, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  Fort Save.

She stopped and took aim. She wasn't going to let Penny die like this.

Hold action until Hecate shows herself. Then Blam!

13:27, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 12 using 2d8+3.  Damage standard.

13:26, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 24 using 4d8+3.  Damage for Crit.

13:26, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 21 using 1d20+6.  Attack #2.

13:25, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 31 using 1d20+11.  attack #1.

"Penny I ain't leavin' you, for somebody so smart you are clueless."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:28, Mon 18 Jan 2021.

Alice's bullet goes straight through Hecate's chest and she gives a shriek of pain and annoyance. You! Vermin! I tire of this dance! She snarls. With a raise of her fingers, you both suddenly feel a weakening in your very bones, as though someone has sapped the marrow out of them!

Penny is able to shake off the worst of the effects, but Alice is feeling the effects significantly. It would seem your other companions are being affected too, though Lily stands remarkably strong through it all. Her nephilim blood no doubt.

Why do I want you? pants Hecate, still feeling irritated about the bullet in her chest. Her eyes flick to Penny, finally answering her question. Because Belial needs you. Needs your cursed bloodline. If he tries to betray me, I have ways of using you against him. Now, I swear no harm will come to you from me if you just come with me. Not unless I need to. Your friends will live too. I swear it.

Alice is right. We'll never let you! Ian barks at this, already looking at Penny with concern as he clutches his bloody arm.
You're not going to touch her. Lily nods in agreement, stepping between the dark goddess and Penny. Even Peter moves closer, protectively.

ooc: Ok, -5 to movement speed for Alice for the next 3 rounds. Plus, you take 19 damage and a -1 to attack and damage for the three rounds too.

For the next round, reminder that Hecate is 25 to hit. The moths are only 15 to hit and don't have many hit points. Penny already dispatched of one. There are twelve of them left.

Irritated at how many forces thought to decide her destiny for her, interested only in her bloodline and not her nature, Penny coolly shot another moth out of the air. 'How?! How can you use me against Belial? Tell me!' she demanded of Hecate, needing to know more. Half turning, she urged her companions to keep retreating behind her. 'Move, she won't kill me, at least.'


OOC:
Defensive Martial Arts: +1 dodge Defense vs melee attacks
Dodge: +1 dodge Defense vs Hecate
Point Blank Shot +1/+1
Pistol attack 23, damage 7 @ a moth