RolePlay onLine RPoL Logo

, welcome to Balefyre

11:16, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Chapter 5: Occupied.

Posted by RaellusFor group 0
Raellus
GM, 542 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Thu 23 Jun 2016
at 12:52
  • msg #72

Chapter 5: Occupied


Ulfgar-spider skitters across the ceiling, into the fog cloud, hunting for the mini-beholder from above. He reaches the T-junction at the end of the hallway without encountering the sassy monster- it appears to have removed itself from the magical miasma. Despite his prey's unexpected absence, Ulfgar's spider senses detect faint eddies in the fog extending into hallway branching off to the left.

Unable to see any of this, the others wait patiently for news from their arachnoid companion. Conveniently, using his telepathic abilities, Corros can communicate with sentient spiders, and, should he wish, he can connect his other friends to the conversation too.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:23, Thu 23 June 2016.
Ulfgar Frostbeard
Adventurer, 286 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Thu 23 Jun 2016
at 19:23
  • msg #73

Chapter 5: Occupied

Ulfgar walked back to the others and crawled from the ceiling to the floor.  He held up one leg, motioning it forward, then held it out and offered it to someone to hold.  He would lead them through the fog to the far side of the room.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 19:56, Thu 23 June 2016.
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 292 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Thu 23 Jun 2016
at 22:13
  • msg #74

Chapter 5: Occupied

Instead of focusing his mind on one connection, Corros takes a deep breath at the same time he closes his hand around Jenna's.  A surge of warmth at her touch flickers across his emotions, but instead of enjoying the sensation, he carefully puts it away.

Guard your thoughts, Jenna.  At least a little. He's not ready for the others to discover their secret, not yet.  I'm going to try something.  A mental thread connects Corros' thoughts to those of his lover, a thread that he holds to one side before drawing another and projecting it to Ulfgar where he can feel the strange duality of the dwarf's mind wrapped in a spider's shell.

Ulfgar, Jenna is here as well.  I'm going to draw the others in.

Each in turn, Corros pulls the thoughts of the Five into a mental construct, a web of thought with the warlock at the center.

Let us go hunting.  If you can sense the eye, Ulfgar, we should dispose of it.
Raellus
GM, 546 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Thu 23 Jun 2016
at 22:32
  • msg #75

Chapter 5: Occupied


Ulfgar-spider leads Jenna and the coterie through the fog by one of his eight legs. At the T-junction, having not yet encountered the spectator, the arachnid point-druid hangs a left. The chain of friends emerges from the fog into another straight hallway. Closed doors interrupt the walls on either side at irregular intervals and the walls are hung with exotic pieces of art. The spectator is floating at an L-junction about 20' ahead of the now-seeing party (the hall in which the scouts are in presently ends and a single passage branches off to the right).

"Oh, you're really gonna get it now!" the spectator taunts, breaking into a broad, mischievous grin.

Beams shoot out from two of the monster's four stalked eyes, one each at Jenna and Ulfgar-spider.

Suddenly, Jenna can't move. Try as she might, her limbs refuse to obey her will (Jenna is paralyzed!).

Ulfgar-spider experiences a fleeting moment of confusion, but it passes like a single brief gust of wind. Somehow, he resists the beam's effect and retains his wits, such as they are.

From the around the corner of the hallway to the spectator's left steps a large man, naked save for a simple breechcloth. Really, the "man" looks more like pieces of several men, mixed and matched and crudely stitched together. Some parts are better preserved than others. Its eyes aren't quite dead, but any trace of life they contain seems to belong to someone else. A flat, stupid grown escapes its broken lips, as it lumbers past the many-eye orb, towards the Five. Corros remembers reading about such creatures and similar ilk in his Library studies. It is a flesh golem.

OOC: Raellus, on behalf of Corros Graelor, rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  arcana check. This is a Flesh Gollum. It has some resistance to magic (i.e. advantage on saving throws vs. spell effects). Furthermore, it can't be charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, or poisoned. Lightening strengthens it, fire weakens it. It can only be harmed by magical or adamantine weapons. It is tough and strong but fairly slow and exceptionally stupid.


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:34, Fri 24 June 2016.
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 405 posts
Human Rogue
Tegyrius
Fri 24 Jun 2016
at 00:37
  • msg #76

Chapter 5: Occupied

As the group breaks out of the fog, Nicolai releases his hold on Jenna's shoulder.  Not a moment too soon - his hand tingles as the beam's corona brushes his fingers.  He senses Jenna's sudden rigidity but there's nothing he can do about it.

Actually, that's not entirely true.

He flicks a mental picture of his intent toward Corros, not bothering with words - just a vector writ in steel and annoyance.  Angling his small shield to deflect the crushing overhand blow he expects, he darts left, passing the construct on its right side.  He plants his foot in the juncture of floor and wall and pushes off, changing his trajectory to bring himself back into the center of the hallway, between the shambling meat-thing and the floating eye-thing.  He still doesn't know exactly what the creature is, but its retreat and deployment of - well, of a meat-shield - certainly suggests that, despite its toothy maw, it's not comfortable in knife-fighting range.

Nicolai intends to make it very uncomfortable.

Nicolai
AC 17; HP 26/45; superiority dice 2/4
Move: Into melee with the spectator
Bonus: Spending 1 superiority die for Feint
Attack: +1 rapier against spectator (+7+advantage attack; 2d8+2d6+4 damage)
Contingency/Reaction: If attacked by the spectator and missed, will expend 1 superiority die for Riposte

This message was last edited by the player at 00:37, Fri 24 June 2016.
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 295 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Fri 24 Jun 2016
at 01:50
  • msg #77

Chapter 5: Occupied

Corros can feel the magical attack of the spectator as it washes through the minds of his companions.  The sudden freezing of Jenna's muscles and the momentary glitch that attempts to derail Ulfgar's thoughts.  It occurs to him that maybe this creature is more powerful that he thought.  It's a dangerous thought and one that he forces down before it can contaminate the minds of his friends.

As the flesh golem emerges, Corros recognizes the creature for what it is and dumps his knowledge directly into the minds of the others.  Fire is the key, and while the animated collection of flesh could tear them apart given the chance, the floating eyeball is the greater threat.

Take out the eye, I'll hold off the golem as long as I can.  Corros steps around Jenna as he gathers the power necessary to craft missiles of flame.  "My turn to protect you," he whispers, and unleashes his attacks.

Corros
40/40 HP, AC 13
Casting Fire Bolt at the golem, two missiles, +7 to attack, d10 fire damage each

Ulfgar Frostbeard
Adventurer, 287 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Fri 24 Jun 2016
at 04:25
  • msg #78

Chapter 5: Occupied

Ulfgar climbed up the wall to avoid the golem, moving to join Nic in melee with the eye monster.

Ulfgar-Spider
AC: 14, HP: 26/26, +7 to Stealth, Blindsight 10', move 30', climb 30'
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Using Inspiration Point to optimize hit chance.

This message was last edited by the player at 09:07, Fri 24 June 2016.
Raellus
GM, 552 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Fri 24 Jun 2016
at 15:19
  • msg #79

Chapter 5: Occupied


The flesh golem takes a swipe at Nic as he dances past, missing the elusive rogue. Ulfgar and Gronk aren't so lucky. Both receive thumping blows from one of its meaty fists as they pass by on their way to attack the spectator (Ulfgar-spider -13HP; Gronk -13HP).

Nic arrives first, feinting before thrusting his rapier at the spectator's large central eye. The floating orb bobs and weaves, avoiding the attack. Ulfgar-spider appears on the ceiling above the creature, catching it with his venomous sting (S -20HP). Gronk is next to arrive. He swings Spike thrice but only manages to make solid contact once. The spectator is battered by the blow, but survives (S -14HP). Looking unhappy, the many-eyed orb flies down the hall and out of range of its trio of attackers (disengage).

Behind all of this, the flesh golem presses on towards the immobilized cleric. Jenna is helpless; Corros realizes this and steps in front of her, drawing the flesh golem's stupid ire. Knowing the monster's supposed vulnerabilities, the young warlock attempts to halt its advance with fire. Only one of the magical Firebolts hits the target; the stupid brute paws clumsily at the burning impact point and releases a delayed howl, before resuming its advance (FG -11HP).

Arriving within touching range, the golem raises both fists, hammer-like, above its head and drops them down on the unarmored warlock. Corros attempts to ward himself from the attacks but with decidedly less success than he'd hoped for. Only one of the blows lands, but it's a heavy one (Corros -13HP).

Nic, Ulfgar-spider, and Gronk are now at the L-junction. The badly-wounded spectator is now 30' down the adjoining hallway. Jenna breaks free from the paralysis and can take a full turn this round.


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:40, Fri 24 June 2016.
Jenna Drax
Adventurer, 348 posts
Human Cleric
Dave Ross
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 11:24
  • msg #80

Chapter 5: Occupied

The panic had welled up inside Jenna immediately when she had found herself frozen in place, unable to do so much as blink. She had been helpless, totally and utterly helpless as Corros had stepped in front of her, placing himself between her and the approaching thing...the Gollum. She had wanted to say no, to tell him that he would be hurt, maybe badly, but her lips would not form words, she could only stand, watch, as her lover took the blows that would otherwise have struck her.

Jenna Drax feels utterly helpless. If she could she would probably cry. And then she feels a salty tear run down her cheek.

The Priestess tries to blink. Her eyelids flicker. Corros is in front of her, reeling from the Gollum's attack. She blinks again, her eyes shifting from their normal blue to a pure obsidian, black as the darkest night. The fingers of her left hand clench into a first. Her legs are responding again, doing what she tells them to do. "Leave him be!" she shouts, trying to draw the thing's attention away from the Warlock, the fingers of her right hand tracing a pattern in the thin air. A heartbeat later divine fire erupts from above, a torrent of radiant flame that is intended to envelop the Gollum as she calls out to Corros. "Get behind me!"

Jenna
AC: 21, HP44/44
Casting Sacred Flame Cantrip (2d8 Damage)

Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 299 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 13:35
  • msg #81

Chapter 5: Occupied

Air explodes out of Corros' lungs with the impact of the flesh golem's fist. Bravery had a physical toll, and while he paid it willingly, it still fucking hurt.  Relief floods into replace the vacancy in his lungs with Jenna's words proof that she has managed to shake off the effects that had locked her into place moments ago.  The helplessness in her thoughts is replaced with something far more dangerous.  Corros smiles at that, and rolls behind her before coming up to let loose another pair of firey missiles.


Corros
27/40 HP, AC 13
Casting fire bolt, 2 missiles at FG. +7 to hit d10 fire damage each

Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 410 posts
Human Rogue
Tegyrius
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 14:11
  • msg #82

Chapter 5: Occupied

Nicolai presses his advance as the spectator pulls back, alternating jabs with his rapier and swings of his shield toward the creature's eyestalks, trying to overwhelm it before landing a decisive blow.

Nicolai
AC 17; HP 26/45; superiority dice 1/4
Move: Back into melee with the spectator
Bonus/Contingency: If Nicolai is soloing the spectator (i.e., neither Gronk nor Ulfgar presses it), expend last superiority die for Feint to gain advantage
Attack: +1 rapier against spectator (+7; 1d8+2d6+4 damage; advantage and +1d8 Feinting)

Ulfgar Frostbeard
Adventurer, 288 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 14:14
  • msg #83

Chapter 5: Occupied

Ulfgar-spider ignored the pain and scamped forward to attack five-eyes again, hoping that another onslaught of palps and poison might finally send this creature to it's demise.

Ulfgar-Spider
AC: 14, HP: 13/26, +7 to Stealth, Blindsight 10', move 30', climb 30'
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Gronk
Party NPC, 103 posts
Half-Orc Fighter
Raellus
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 15:56
  • msg #84

Chapter 5: Occupied


Gronk is torn. The spectator, looking to be in bad shape, is on the run. The gladiator wouldn't mind landing the killing blow. But, on the other hand, Gronk can somehow sense Corros' pain and trepidation in the face of the flesh golem. The young warlock can certainly handle himself, but he's not the most robust fellow and, when last Gronk saw Jenna, she was frozen stiff.

"You got this!" Gronk calls to Nic and Ulfgar, before turning around and heading back to take on the flesh golem.

He comes up behind the golem, shouting, "Hey, butt-wad, pick on someone yer own size!" as he lashes out with his morning star.

Gronk
AC 18; HP 52/65
Goading attack first, then second attack


-
Raellus
GM, 553 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 16:35
  • msg #85

Chapter 5: Occupied


Tactically abandoned by their half-orc comrade, Nic and Ulfgar-spider advance quickly to finish the mouthy spectator before it can cause any more trouble.

Running down the hallway in hot pursuit, Nic suddenly finds himself falling. One heartbeat he's planting his leading foot on an expensive-looking rug, the next it's giving away beneath his weight (Passive perception fail). With impressive agility, the rogue manages to use his forward momentum to dive over the gaping pit, scuffing his hands and knees as he lands heavily on the flagstone floor on the far side of the gap (Dex save success!). As he quickly regains his feet, the carpet rises up behind him menacingly, fully exposing the pitfall that it had been concealing.

Ulfgar-spider, walking across the ceiling, is untroubled by the pit trap. He continues his advance until he's within striking range of the floating eye orb. The creature absorbs another sting but this one proves too much for it. Central eye rolling into the back of its spherical head/body, the spectator coughs once and then drops to the floor with a fleshy thud (Spectator -8HP; Spectator is dead!).

Meanwhile, Corros and Jenna face off with the towering flesh golem. As the priestess of Arma calls down a holy fire on the brutish creature, Corros rolls behind her. The golem swipes at the retreating warlock (op attack) but misses. So too, unfortunately, does the Sacred Flame. It touches down harmlessly just behind the monster. Corros is quickly back on his feet and launching two more fire-bolts at the flesh golem; this time, both find the target (FG -22HP). Badly singed, the golem roars wheezily but single-mindedly continues its assault.

Gronk arrives behind the golem and bashes it between its mismatched shoulder blades with his morning star. A second blow from Spike crashes into the monster's ribs underneath its left arm (FG -30HP). The golem misses Jenna with one wildly swung fist, then turns on the half-orc, catching him with a heavy open-handed strike across the face (Gronk -13HP).


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:51, Sat 25 June 2016.
Jenna Drax
Adventurer, 349 posts
Human Cleric
Dave Ross
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 17:05
  • msg #86

Chapter 5: Occupied

Having managed to avoid the golem's swinging fist Jenna now lunges forward as Arma's fire sputters harmlessly on the carpet and the creature turns its attention to Gronk, the Priestess grasping Arma's Blessing firmly in her right hand, lashing out at the vile construct with the enchanted hammer, trying to channel the rage that is coursing through her into the blows, a rage fuelled by the thing's attack on Corros.

Jenna
AC: 21, HP44/44
Attacking golem with warhammer (1d8 +3)
Using War Priest for bonus attack
Casting Divine Favour for extra 1d4 radiant damage

Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 413 posts
Human Rogue
Tegyrius
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 18:05
  • msg #87

Chapter 5: Occupied

"You have got to be fucking joking," Nicolai growls, kicking the spectator's corpse in annoyance as he backs away from the menacing carpet.  He considers hurdling the pit again to engage the floor covering but, memories of his brief struggle in the sewers still fresh, he has a limited desire to close with something so obviously eager to suffocate him.  Instead, he shrugs off his shield, plucks a throwing spike from its hiding place, and flicks it out as a test of the thing's defenses.

Nicolai
AC 17 15; HP 26/45; superiority dice 1/4
Move: To within 20' of the animated carpet
Attack: Dart against carpet (+6; 1d4+3 damage; range 20'/60'; +2d6 damage if someone else is within 5' of target)

Ulfgar Frostbeard
Adventurer, 289 posts
Hill Dwarf Druid
Spartan-117
Sat 25 Jun 2016
at 20:33
  • msg #88

Chapter 5: Occupied

Stupid five-eyes! Ulfgar thought as the dead creature fell to the ground.  Now if only those Cosmic fuckers would leave me alone," he thought to himself.

In Spider form, he crawled down to the floor and watched for a second as Nicolai dealt with the attacking Carpet.  He sighed once, then suddenly appeared in his normal form.

"carped Evra yn ddigon i ddelio â diolch i chi! Ulfgar exclaimed with a mixture of resignation and perhaps slight resentment, as he cast a spell.  If only there were a Remove Bush spell in the Druidae repertoire.  But no, it was all about 'growth'.

In any event, this carpet would be taking the brunt of his frustrations with his betrothed's grooming standards.

Ulfgar Frostbeard
Moving to floor, wherever...
AC: 15 HP: 66/66
Casting Dispel Magic on the Carpet (Spell Save DC: 15)

This message was last edited by the player at 17:16, Sun 26 June 2016.
Raellus
GM, 555 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Sun 26 Jun 2016
at 04:16
  • msg #89

Chapter 5: Occupied


Gronk let the jarring slap fuel his inner fire. The former gladiator stood toe to toe with the big, dumb meat-bag, swinging Spike with purposeful abandon.

Gronk
AC 18; 39/65 HP
2x Rage attacks v. the flesh golem


-
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 302 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Sun 26 Jun 2016
at 15:21
  • msg #90

Chapter 5: Occupied

"This thing needs to just die," Corros says while he readies another flurry of magical energy to lash the golem.  "Or, you know, die again, yeah?".  Based on the amount of flesh welded together to create this walking horror, a lot of death had already been visited upon it.  Maybe between his magic and the rage coursing through his companions they could bring this thing down.

Corros
27/40 HP, AC 13
Two more fire bolts, +7, d10 each

Raellus
GM, 558 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Sun 26 Jun 2016
at 19:37
  • msg #91

Chapter 5: Occupied


The flesh golem is bracketed by Jenna and Gronk, facing the latter. Jenna thumps it twice in the back with Arma's Blessing (FG -15HP). As the stupid brute turns around to give answer, Gronk gives it two hard thumps of his own (FG -30HP). The combined attacks are too much for the sewn-together construct of mortified human flesh to take. The golem collapses, dead again, twice and for all this time (FG is dead!).

Meanwhile, Nic and Ulfgar, the latter now back in dwarf form, try to dispatch the animated carpet. Nic's thrown dagger hits the upright floating rug side on, bouncing off without having done any appreciable damage. Ulfgar's spell is just as ineffective- the carpet doesn't respond to the druid's follow-up Dispel Magic spell, having somehow resisted the anti-magic effect.

Undulating like a wave about to break on a stormy day, the rug leaps on Nic, enveloping the rogue in its folds and attempting to smother him. The Ardani rogue struggles to free himself but the rug of smothering maintains its hold (STR save failed; Nic -10HP).

A tall figure steps over the dead spectator, into the hallway. The figure is dressed in a hooded, damasked black cloak over pale yellow robes. Over all rests a glowing blue mantle, in appearance like translucent plate armor. The cowled figure speaks with a male voice, low but leaden with authority and power.

"That will be quite enough!"

As if in response to stranger's command, the rug of smothering eases its grip on Nic, allowing him to breath and speak again, but not completely relinquishing its hold. The man's voice is vaguely familiar.

"This nonsense has gone on far too long. Why are you wasting your time wandering the sewers and trespassing on private property? Do you not have a city to save? My master must insist that you cease this unlawful intrusion and leave the premises at once."

It's Thumek, Lovad Padin's mild-mannered majordomo.


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:35, Sun 26 June 2016.
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 305 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Tue 28 Jun 2016
at 16:29
  • msg #92

Chapter 5: Occupied


The appearance of the servant doesn't quite catch Corros by surprise, but it is still an intrusion.  He can considered on more than one occasion that the Five might be about to crash into Padin's private sanctuary in search of the missing sewer rat and Thumek's appearance confirms the suspicion.  A glance at the man doesn't reveal much other than total self control.  A more studied observation reveals a defensive posture multiple spell deep crisscrossing the servant who probably has more spells ready to go should the warlock and his companions press the attack.

He's covered in spells of protection, Corros sends to the others.  And I won't be able to turn back any attacks that he sends our way.  I don't think we should forget what has happened down here, Lovad certainly won't, but I don't know that it's worth our while to press forward.  We have too many enemies right now as it stands.
Jenna Drax
Adventurer, 352 posts
Human Cleric
Dave Ross
Tue 28 Jun 2016
at 21:35
  • msg #93

Chapter 5: Occupied

Jenna slowly lowers her hammer as Thumek shows himself, Corros' thoughts drifting through her mind as she looks at Padin's servant through eyes that remain black as night. There is an immediate temptation to say 'no, we will decide what is enough, and the young Warlock standing next to her would surely  be able to sense her urge to launch an attack with hammer and divine magic, for clearly something was being hidden here, some secret, for why else would Padin have put such defences in place?

Rationality must prevail however. Corros was right. They had too many enemies, and clearly there was an arcane power at play here that may be far in excess of their own strengths. And so Jenna nods. She would have normally left moments like this to Nicolai, but he still lay wrapped in the embrace of the rug that had entrapped him, so the blonde haired Priestess takes a step forward, inclines her head briefly, attempts to sound as contrite as she can. "My apologies, Sir. No offence was intended. With your permission we shall take our leave at once."
Nicolai Romanelli
Adventurer, 418 posts
Human Rogue
Tegyrius
Mon 4 Jul 2016
at 13:56
  • msg #94

Chapter 5: Occupied

There's a hollow along Nicolai's side, formed by the angle of his shield where the carpet pins it against his hip and forearm.  The Ardani works his wrist carefully.  The knife strapped to his forearm slides free.  He hooks a fingertip around the pommel, drags it closer, gets a full grip.  The carpet tenses in warning, then backs off as Nicolai presses the dagger's point against its embroidery.

Nicolai draws his first deep breath in what feels like a few minutes, rolls over to make eye contact with Thumek, and fixes the "majordomo" with a glare backed by all his frustration and anger.  "Your master does a poor job of keeping his minions informed, it seems."  He gives Thumek two heartbeats to process the implicit insult and draw breath to respond, then rolls over the incipient rebuke.  "He is well aware of our reasons for 'wandering' the sewers, which involve an investigation that has everything to do with salvaging," he puts a contemptuous twist into the word, "this city.  If any of the servants here had bothered to tell us this was his domain, especially that foul-mouthed one," he jerks his chin toward the spectator's corpse, "we'd have continued our work elsewhere.  But none could be bothered to invoke his name before attacking us.  We're not the aggressors here, Thumek.  Are you?"

His knuckles press against a rough seam in the carpet, an old repair, perhaps from the damage done by a previous adversary.  He angles his blade, ready to rip his way free if Thumek resumes hostilities.
Raellus
GM, 564 posts
Sage
Raconteur
Thu 7 Jul 2016
at 01:47
  • msg #95

Chapter 5: Occupied


Thumek is silent for a moment, cold fire smoldering in the dark eyes shadowed beneath his cowl. His countenance softens when again he speaks.

"Such audacity. A quality the master appreciates in you, I suppose."

He looks sidelong at the meatball corpse at his feet, then back at Nicolai.

"But you do have a point. Rest assured that security will be much improved going forward. Now- this is Lovad Padín's private property and you are here uninvited, trespassing. Again. There. You've been informed. Now, if you have further business with the master, please call at the front door, like respectable folk. Is that clear enough? Yes? Good. You know the way out."

Thumek makes a subtle gesture with his fore and middle fingers and the rug leaps from Nic's shoulders back atop the pit opening, stretching taught and spanning it. The major domo's gaze remains fixed on the party, protective wards still glimmering; his mind remains closed to Corros' perception.

On the way out, the Five again pass their most recently vanquished foes. The flesh golem, brutishly powerful undead construct, two sets of magically animated ceremonial armor, and a creature that looks like a cross between a werewolf and some nightmare ape from the Dark Lands south of the Great Dune Sea. It's a strange menagerie, not the typical warehouse security force of some run-of-the-mill coastal merchant. Furthermore, Thumek is clearly much more than a glorified butler.

The Five encounter no more surprises during the slog from the secret door back to the surface-level sewer entrance. It's been over a month since Tagger and the Drowned Rats sent to find him disappeared. Shim insists that the boys could have dodged the carrion crawlers that are sometimes encountered in the sewer system, but the giant albino crocodile and gelatinous cube recently dispatched by the Five proved to be more formidable hunters- ambush predators not likely to leave much, if any, evidence of their prey's passing. And the party saw clear signs that the apelike creature encountered in Padin's subterranean hallway also spent time in the sewers, doing what one can only imagine.

It's possible that Shim will accept the hypothesis that Tagger and others fell victim to the croc and/or the cube at face value, although the Five secured no evidence to substantiate that claim. Whether the boy and his gang-mates will lower the price of entry to Firewatch Keep in return for that information remains to be seen. That meeting will have to wait.




One by one, the Five emerge from the open sewer grate, squinting against the hazy afternoon sun that greets them. The pale white orb is partially obscured by high grey clouds, but compared to the darkness below, its diffuse light is initially painfully bright.

"Drop your weapons!" a harsh voice shouts from a side alley.

As the last of the Five climbs into the cobbled street, eight armed men emerge from various nearby approaches to stand in a rough circle around the open sewer entrance. Six of them wear the red-lacquered armor of the Bloodforged, two the orange-faced black cloaks of the city watch collaborators. The mercenaries display the confidence of men who've wet their weapons with the blood of other men. The two watchmen's apparent bravado, on the other hand, is barely skin deep.

"Drop 'em or we drop you!" the mercenary in charge reiterates, his voice tense with anticipation.


Your Turn.

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:07, Fri 08 July 2016.
Corros Graelor
Adventurer, 308 posts
Half-Elf Warlock
keys138
Thu 7 Jul 2016
at 18:22
  • msg #96

Chapter 5: Occupied


"Well spoken.  Maybe not persuasive..." Corros mutters from his position in the center of The Five.  His eyes are watering slightly at the sudden change in the intensity of the light and he is forced to blink a couple of tears away.  Maybe the Bloodforged got lucky.  Which would mean The Five just had their luck take a turn for the worse.  Or...or what?  A pathway of multiple suspicions, none of which were of any bearing in importance right now?  Seconds were going to start sliding by.

The warlock draws the minds of his companions together.  Fight or surrender?  I make it six on five, the guardsmen will hang back if we attack hard on the mercenaries.

Just another day trying to save the city of Balefyre.
Sign In