Nari's eyes glow bright and small objects in her general vicinity shake and rise slightly off the ground. She points at one of the lizard creatures and then waves her hand towards one of the walls.
"I suggest you all save yourselves a lot of trouble and give back what you stole. Or at the very least show us where it's been taken."
:
"Blasted lizards have bones-for-brains!" Justin grumbles as he steps back and points his finger at the rising lizard-kin. A tiny flaming bolt flies from his finger and strikes it in the face,...
Justin raises an eyebrow when Nari focuses her power and growls at the lizards in what he has silently dubbed her 'Anti-Nari' voice. He nods to the lizards.
"I'd listen to her if I were you. Don't make her angry, you wouldn't like her when she's angry,..."
:)
Merle throws a pair of magic missiles at one of the more injured looking lizards
Damage
2d4 + 2
The acid-struck lizard has regained his feet and is staring balefully at Merle through a face gone runny. Merle points and launches a bolt of arcane energy, blasting the khaasta slaver back down into the grey water and filth of the plaza's floor. It doesn't stir from its landing place.
Initiative Rd one AoO round!!
Khaasta: 17
Mr. Swire: 9 [bludgeon smack-hit-unconcious]
Merle: 5 [mag miss -kill]
Karrin: 4 [miss]
Justin: 4 [atk-miss]
Naridre: 4 [telekenisis]
Tiandra:4 [miss]
then ...
Initiative Rd one
Khaasta: 17 [failing the morale save ..]
Mr. Swire: 9 [pending]
Merle: 5 [pending]
Karrin: 4 [miss]
Justin: 4 [Mystic bolt]
Naridre: 4 [pending]
Tiandra:4 [pending]
Naridre's eyes glow an unearthly shade. Small globes of rainwater rise from the runoff, surrounding her slender form with a twirling planetary system. She raises her hand to the final unharmed Khaasta and flicks it contemptously as if swatting a fly. The lizard launches into the air hits the slimy bricks four stories above plaza with a crunch that can be felt by those below. The lizard's heavy armor dents and it lets out a choking hiss. It tumbles off the wall back down to the ground, landing with a muddy splash into the filthy torrent of rainwater sluicing towards the grate
"I suggest you all save yourselves a lot of trouble and give back what you stole. Or at the very least show us where it's been taken."
vs. Intimidate:
The final Khaasta standing that Karrin and Tiandra had been battering drops its scimitar and calls out in a hissing croaking voice, "Quarter! Warrior's truuuussssssse!"
The spiky reptilian wheezes in the rain as his three companions lay prone in the flowing garbage stream.
Isaac's Initiative: 1d20+7
Isaac hops onto the roof and runs for the albino orc, pulling out his frost-rimed greatsword.
Frost greatsword: 1d20+7;2d6+4;1d6
Unsheathing his icy weapon, Issac races along the mossy tiles of the slanted roof towards the batttle. As he runs he sees several roof dwellers peeping out from their kips nearby. No one approaches, as most roof folk know better than to inject themselves into the problems of others.
Traveling at top speed, Issac rapidly approaches the leather-clad arcanist. Issac's sword leaves a faint trail of frosty fog as the saturated air hits the ice-cold blade.
Issac leaps as he nears, slashing sideways with his sword. The albino's head is topped like a hard-boiled egg, the greatsword cutting through bone and brain like ripe cheese. Frozen shards of blood patter Bethany and Drazek as Issac vaults by the foe and lands beyond, whirling his icy weapon up to parry any blow.
Issac need not have bothered. His blow was true, and the warloack will not be invoking anything this side of the Abyss. The mutilated form crashes to the rooftop.
The final Khaasta standing that Karrin and Tiandra had been battering drops its scimitar and calls out in a hissing croaking voice, "Quarter! Warrior's truuuussssssse!"
Swire quickly picks up his throwing knife once he's certain combat is over for the time being, then turns his attention back to the khaasta. "Alright. We ask you questions. You gives us the real dark, you'll get out of this as good as the day you hatched. You don't answer or you try to peel us, and you're going to be taking a nice short trip to the lower planes. Got that?" The blade catches the light, as if to punctuate the threat.
Ekuur growls in frustration as he sees his companions in the battle on the rooftops, and he has no good way to join. His frustration turns to rage when he sees the stranger use blasphemous cold energy, and Ekuur grasps his holy symbol, intoning the Athasian word for "smite". A glowing, burning trikal made of force appears next to the warlock, and lashes out at him with surprising speed.
spiritual weapon 1d20+7
damage 1d8+1
Ekuur conjurs a trikal of golden flame next to the villian just as Issac runs past. The orc's fall makes Ekuur misjudge the swing, but it matters not. The foe has fallen.
The final Khaasta standing that Karrin and Tiandra had been battering drops its scimitar and calls out in a hissing croaking voice, "Quarter! Warrior's truuuussssssse!"Swire quickly picks up his throwing knife once he's certain combat is over for the time being, then turns his attention back to the khaasta. "Alright. We ask you questions. You gives us the real dark, you'll get out of this as good as the day you hatched. You don't answer or you try to peel us, and you're going to be taking a nice short trip to the lower planes. Got that?" The blade catches the light, as if to punctuate the threat.
1d20+10;1d20+8
Swire:
The battered lizard nods
"I am your prissssssoner." It hisses.
Swire frisks the armor-clad khaasta with a practiced hand. The berk has four large pouches arranged in a sling bandoleer fashion across its chest. Inside are five potions, 500 GP in various coins, many of them Outlands make, and a scatter of random odds and ends
Isaac sheathes his blade, awkwardly running his hand across the back of his neck.
"Uh. Sorry, cutters. Little somethin' I was workin' on. Got a little carried off, eh? Yeh bashed up, Drazek?"
He kicks the dead warlock's limp boot.
"Yeh know this berk? Hey! You guys must go to the same tailor!"
Isaac points to the dead man's black-leather threads.
"Got the whole "Leather Antihero" thing goin'."
Bethany looks at her new coat and gives Isaac a withering look. She runs her hands over herself and sings a short melody. The blood and brain fragments eem to vanish in smal wisps of smoke and she seems none the worse for Isaac's heavy handed actions.
She looks over at Drazek and, seeing that he is still injured, she wraps her arms around him and once more sings a soothing song. More of his wounds knit themselves back together and she lets her embrace linger just a little longer than it takes for the wounds to close.
Casts cure light wounds again:
Merle searches the other three lizards as the others interogate the prisoner. She will also check if any of the others are still alive. Also she avoids Nari as best she can mainly because the new brave confident version scares the hell out of her.
The only Khaasta actually dead is the acid-etched one Merle finished off with a Magic Missile. It will not be enslaving anyone anymore.
The one Swire sapped is unconcious but otherwise intact, a large purple swelling visible on it's reddish neck.
Nari's foe has managed to clamber to its feet. It follows suit with its comrade, tossing its weapon away. It attempts to shed its chest hauberk, as the dents in it seem to be restricting its breathing.
Merle searches the two quiet ones first, finding several coins and gemstones . The standing one unhinging its hauberk doesn't look amenable to searching right now.
Ekuur looks up at his companions, and calls out with a grin, "Excellent blow, Isaac! I do not guess that you could all come back down? I do not desire climbing up myself, and I can tend your wounds, Drazek."
Perception
"You took something from these folks," Karrin snarls, pointing with her axe, "we want it back."
The battered khaasta cringes and points at the potions that Swire is liberating.
"Sss ... Thosssse hold the esssssences."
The clear glass potion bottles swirl with a kaiedescope-colored fluid that shines dimly in the dark Hive fog.
"Wait. I think I just failed a Perception check ..."
Ekuur, intent on the rooftop battle, doesn't see the squad of red-armored Harmonium until they are almost upon him. A square-chinned sergeant yells out to Ekuur
"Oi! Halt in the name of the Harmonium!"
"How is the essence harvested? Will consuming a potion return to these what you stole from them? Do the potions have to be matched to a specific person? Where are you selling these?" She rapidly fired out questions in a commanding tone of voice.
"Also why exactly are you all doing this?" Merle adds to the line of questions
"You took something from these folks," Karrin snarls, pointing with her axe, "we want it back."The battered khaasta cringes and points at the potions that Swire is liberating.
"Sss ... Thosssse hold the esssssences."
The clear glass potion bottles swirl with a kaiedescope-colored fluid that shines dimly in the dark Hive fog.
Justin's eyes widen as he realizes that he thought were potion bottles are actually the stolen essences they are looking for! He reaches out to cautiously taker the vials from the good knight, leaving the rest of the belongings in his expert care. As the ladies rapid-fire questions at the captives, he squints and examines the vials with a practiced eye,...
"How is the essence harvested? Will consuming a potion return to these what you stole from them? Do the potions have to be matched to a specific person? Where are you selling these?" She rapidly fired out questions in a commanding tone of voice.
The khaasta hisses and replies
"The toilmassster havessts the esssences. He has an ancient devisssse called the Thief of Charmsss. You pour the esssssence on the thing you would make beautiful. The ssssspecific potion doesssssn't matter, any will resssssstore ssstolen beauty. We ssssell them to many people, for many beings covet beauty, but its effectsssss are fleeting."
"Also why exactly are you all doing this?" Merle adds to the line of questions.
"Ssss. Beauty ssssellsss at a good prissse."
Justin:
Justin knows one thing though: An item like this would be a golden ticket into any arcanist's club in Sigil. If he could get his hands on this item and donate it to the Society of Lumineferous Aether, he would be sipping fine brandy in a leather reclining chair perusing their library within a day. Wizards' societies LOVE unique items, even if that item's practicality is almost nil.
He looks down at the rod laying on the rooftop still smoking, "L..l.ooks l.l.like he l..left m.m.me a p.present."
The item looks like a cunningly-crafted mace with a spiky skull's head. The eyes have green ectoplasmic fog gently wisping from them, the pale strands curling around the iron spikes decorating the weapon/wand.
As Drazek, Bethany and Issac catch their breath they hear the Harmonium officer yell at Ekuur. Issac runs to the edge and peers down. The officer looks up and points,
"YOU LOT ON THE ROOF! COME DOWN WITH YOUR HANDS EMPTY IMMEDIATELY! BY ORDER OF HER SERENTITY AND FACTOL SARIN!"
"Well guess there is only one way to find out for sure if he is right or not" She then points to the bottles Swire is holding whike looking at the two Beauty drained members of the group. "Either of you want to give it a try?" she asks them
Tiandra eagerly grabs the potion and uncorks it. She opens her cloak, revealing a fine set of chainmail. She pours the fluid over her head. The glowing rainbow-hued gas/liquid seems to sink into her skin as it touches her. At the end she looks around.
"Did it work? It is too dark to trust a puddle."
Where before a homely warrior once stood, there is now a regal classically-beautiful maiden. Tiandra has been restored to full beauty.
Tiandra eagerly grabs the potion and uncorks it. She opens her cloak, revealing a fine set of chainmail.
Justin turns the vials over in his hands, obviously entranced by the mystic essences inside. His mind awhirl with possibilities.
"The composition of this, essence, is fascinating. I've never seen a magical substance with the properties of both a gas and a liquid befo,... Easy, Wait!" Justin says as Tiandra eagerly snatches the vial from his hand.
"He said that the effects are temporary! If we want to restore you to your original self permanently, we need to,..."
She pours the fluid over her head. The glowing rainbow-hued gas/liquid seems to sink into her skin as it touches her. At the end she looks around.
"Or, we could just give it a try and see what happens." Justin murmurs, watching for results with unabashed fascination.
"Did it work? It is too dark to trust a puddle."
Where before a homely warrior once stood, there is now a regal classically-beautiful maiden. Tiandra has been restored to full beauty.
"Oh, yeah. It worked." Justin murmurs in appreciation of the warrior's beauty. It is obvious why she was selected as a target of the mystical thieves. "Now we just need to wait and see if re-applying the stolen essence to a drained victim restores you permanently. If not, I'll have to see if I can reverse the device itself." Justin whirls and points to the talkative prisoner, his finger glowing with arcane energy from his suddenly angry thoughts.
"YOU! Who has the device now? Where does that portal lead too, and what is the key?" He demands.
Ekuur, intent on the rooftop battle, doesn't see the squad of red-armored Harmonium until they are almost upon him. A square-chinned sergeant yells out to Ekuur
"Oi! Halt in the name of the Harmonium!"
Ekuur turns to the man, at first startled, and then puts a complete look of innocence on his face. "Halt? Easy enough, I wasn't moving anyway. What is the problem?"
Ekuur turns to the man, at first startled, and then puts a complete look of innocence on his face. "Halt? Easy enough, I wasn't moving anyway. What is the problem?"
The squad leader scowls
"You are charged with consorting with personages of dubious character. You syay right there and no sudden moves while we round up your crew."
Several of the Harmonium enter the tenement whose roof Issac, Bethany and Drazek are perched upon.
As Drazek, Bethany and Issac catch their breath they hear the Harmonium officer yell at Ekuur. Issac runs to the edge and peers down. The officer looks up and points,"YOU LOT ON THE ROOF! COME DOWN WITH YOUR HANDS EMPTY IMMEDIATELY! BY ORDER OF HER SERENTITY AND FACTOL SARIN!"
Isaac sheathes his greatsword and cups his hands around his mouth to shout back down.
"AYE, WE'LL COME DOWN, OFFICER. MY COMRADE HERE IS INJURED, MAY TAKE US A MOMENT. WE ACTED IN SELF-DEFENSE; WE GOT NOTHIN' TO HIDE!"
The Harmonium sergeant yells back to Issac
"JUST STAY THERE!"
four Harmonium troops emerge after a few moments from a roof door. They advance, swords drawn, and take in the scene of the albino half-a-head warlock.
"'Cor that's Ghostface! They scragged Ghostface!", one young namer blurts.
"Shut yer gob Notary Burkin!" A slightly-older Harmonium snaps
They take in the three and the shivering Drazek
"All right, what's the screed, berks." The older Harmonium that snaped says.
Drazek is sure it is a Warlock's Scepter. He has heard of them, and the puissance they bring to an Eldritch Blast.
Bethany hugs Drazek in an attempt to halt his shivering but the attempt seems in vain.
They stand and wait for the harmonium to arrive, confident for the moment that Isaac knows what he's doing, but prepared for flight at a moment's notice.
The feathers around her ears perk up slightly at the young Hard Head's naming of their assailant, but she remains still and holding Drazek as Isaac tries to smooth things over.
"YOU! Who has the device now? Where does that portal lead too, and what is the key?" He demands.
The lizard hisses
"The toilmassster hass the devisse. The portal goessss to the Outlandsss. I know not the key, the toilmassster wouldn't tell ussss."
Tiandra looks grave.
"Friends, I must thank you for assisting me. I am going to head back and deliver some of these potions to the two unfortunates behind us."
She pauses.
"I have no right to ask you for any further assistance, but I am going to try and discover the workings of that portal. I cannot let an item such as this remain in the hands of such monsters. Perhaps you are amenable to a job? I have the means of payment, if you need money."
She extends her hand, with the large green emerald in it
"This is yours by right. Take it with my thanks."
The lead Hardhead gives Ekuur the peery eye.
"Mayhap yeh can lann me the chant of why yer crew were fighting all over the tops of the buildings in my district?" He asks in an acid tone.
Ekuur gives another of his big (disturbing) grins. "Hmmm. I do not think it was 'all over', just those particular buildings where they now are. Our friend was attacked first, and we were merely defending him and ourselves."
diplomacy
Ekuur looks the man up and down, still smiling. "Tell me, sir, have you allowed the warming fires of the Sacred Flame into your life?"
The Harmonium sergeant yells back to Issac
"JUST STAY THERE!"
four Harmonium troops emerge after a few moments from a roof door. They advance, swords drawn, and take in the scene of the albino half-a-head warlock.
"'Cor that's Ghostface! They scragged Ghostface!", one young namer blurts.
"Shut yer gob Notary Burkin!" A slightly-older Harmonium snaps
They take in the three and the shivering Drazek
"All right, what's the screed, berks." The older Harmonium that snaped says.
"This berk tried to pen my mate here in the sodding deadbook with some weird energy blast. Out o' nowhere, I might add. And we ain't about to let that happen. So we scragged 'im. Believe me, officer, we wasn't lookin' for a tussle."
Isaac crosses his arms and looks at the Notary."I take it this Ghostface weren't exactly a Cager o' fine repute?"
Diplomacy:
Knowledge (local):
The lizard hisses"The toilmassster hass the devisse. The portal goessss to the Outlandsss. I know not the key, the toilmassster wouldn't tell ussss."
"Hmph. Smart lizard." Justin mutters in grudging respect.
Tiandra looks grave."Friends, I must thank you for assisting me. I am going to head back and deliver some of these potions to the two unfortunates behind us."
She pauses."I have no right to ask you for any further assistance, but I am going to try and discover the workings of that portal. I cannot let an item such as this remain in the hands of such monsters. Perhaps you are amenable to a job? I have the means of payment, if you need money."
She extends her hand, with the large green emerald in it
"This is yours by right. Take it with my thanks."
Justin accepts the emerald with a small smile and nod of thanks, Then hands it to Swire. "I'll probably just get my pocket picked. You should hold onto it." The mage says with an almost embarrassed grin. He then looks at where the portal was with a pensive, thoughtful look before turning back to Tiandra. He pulls her aside so that what they discuss is not easily heard by the lizards.
"I'm, amenable, to the job Ms Tiandra. The others will have to speak for themselves, but I don't like bullies in general, and stealing something that is a part of you qualifies as the worst sort. Money is always nice too, of course, and knowledge of a portal is worth more than gold here, but for my payment,... I'll take the device." He smiles at Tiandra's suddenly suspicious look.
"Never fear my lady, I assure you in my care it will never see use in such a manner again. However, the enchantments needed to create such an item are difficult at best. It is an impressive bit of magic, and I would study its design and see what I can learn from it."
Justin looks at the others. "However, we were right in the,... middle of something, when we met you and the lad. And while I'm glad that we were able to help, we should probably be meeting back up with the rest of our group about now. Why don't we each find out what we can about this portal, and meet up later and compare notes? We can be found at the offices of the 'Silver Rose', , or we can meet up at a location of your choosing?" Justin suggests amiably.
The wizard glances at the surly lizards, and purses his lips.
"So,... What do we do with our new friends here, hmm?" He asks the group at large. His finger idly traces a pattern on his cheek as he looks at the surrenderees thoughtfully.
"This, 'Toilmasster',... where can I find him, when he's not in the Outlands?" Justin asks pleasantly.
Ekuur gives another of his big (disturbing) grins. "Hmmm. I do not think it was 'all over', just those particular buildings where they now are. Our friend was attacked first, and we were merely defending him and ourselves."
diplomacy 1d20+5
Ekuur looks the man up and down, still smiling. "Tell me, sir, have you allowed the warming fires of the Sacred Flame into your life?"
The Hardhead rolls his eyes.
"Roight. Yeh can jest keep yer digits off the scrap iron an' we'll get this all sorted out."
A drunk dwarf pipes up from the crowd
"Hit 'im onna head whydoncha!"
The Hardhead turns about
"Watch I don't hit YOU onna head, berk."
He swivels back to Ekuur.
"I'm going to ask yeh lace yer digits 'bove your head there, nice and slow."
Isaac crosses his arms and looks at the Notary.
"I take it this Ghostface weren't exactly a Cager o' fine repute?"
Diplomacy:1d20+5
Knowledge (local):1d20+6
The measure grunts
"Thas a good one. Naw he ain't no Cager of fine repute. He's one of Trell's men from the Sons of Anarchy."
Issac:
The grizzled Hardhead snorts, looking back at Issac with a very peery eye.
"And one of Trell's best wetworkers just happened to be in the neighborhood and fancied a scrap, eh?"
Justin accepts the emerald with a small smile and nod of thanks, Then hands it to Swire. "I'll probably just get my pocket picked. You should hold onto it." The mage says with an almost embarrassed grin. He then looks at where the portal was with a pensive, thoughtful look before turning back to Tiandra. He pulls her aside so that what they discuss is not easily heard by the lizards. NOT trying to be stealthy from our group, just not wanting to accidentally give anything away to the lizards!
"I'm, amenable, to the job Ms Tiandra. The others will have to speak for themselves, but I don't like bullies in general, and stealing something that is a part of you qualifies as the worst sort. Money is always nice too, of course, and knowledge of a portal is worth more than gold here, but for my payment,... I'll take the device." He smiles at Tiandra's suddenly suspicious look.
"Never fear my lady, I assure you in my care it will never see use in such a manner again. However, the enchantments needed to create such an item are difficult at best. It is an impressive bit of magic, and I would study its design and see what I can learn from it."
Tiandra is surprised, but nods reluctantly as Justin explains himself.
"I confess I know little of the arcane arts. If you feel that is best, I will defer to your experience."
Justin looks at the others. "However, we were right in the,... middle of something, when we met you and the lad. And while I'm glad that we were able to help, we should probably be meeting back up with the rest of our group about now. Why don't we each find out what we can about this portal, and meet up later and compare notes? We can be found at the offices of the 'Silver Rose', gives street location, or we can meet up at a location of your choosing?" Justin suggests amiably.
Tiandra nods
"I understand you have committments you must honor. I will ask around about the gate, and I will meet you at your office tomorrow? Perhaps at the hour of true Peak?"
The wizard glances at the surly lizards, and purses his lips.
"So,... What do we do with our new friends here, hmm?" He asks the group at large. His finger idly traces a pattern on his cheek as he looks at the surrenderees thoughtfully.
"This, 'Toilmasster',... where can I find him, when he's not in the Outlands?" Justin asks pleasantly.
The lizards stare at Justin, their nictitating eyebrows snickling back and forth, warding off the raindrops. Swire's sleeping beauty has finally stood up, and the reptile Nari tossed now stands free of his hauberk.
"He travelsssss the pathsss of the Outlandssss, ssselling esssencesss to thosse he meetssss. "
Isaac crosses his arms and looks at the Notary.
"I take it this Ghostface weren't exactly a Cager o' fine repute?"
Diplomacy:1d20+5
Knowledge (local):1d20+6The measure grunts
"Thas a good one. Naw he ain't no Cager of fine repute. He's one of Trell's men from the Sons of Anarchy."
Issac:
** spoiler omitted **
The grizzled Hardhead snorts, looking back at Issac with a very peery eye.
"And one of Trell's best wetworkers just happened to be in the neighborhood and fancied a scrap, eh?"
Isaac holds the Measure's eye.
"Seemed that way at the time: I weren't in the know this berk was a Son of Anarchy 'till you lanned me the Chant. So an old enemy's too yellow to come scrag us themselves, so's they hired some Anarchist hushman. Weren't like we was able to rattle our boneboxes with 'im while he ambushed us. "The half-elf keeps his hands in plain view, making no gestures toward his brace of weapons.
"Listen, Measure. We was just doin' some legwork in the district and this berk ambushed us. I reckon there's bound to be some witnesses about that'll give yeh the dark of it. I'll also point out that this sod's the only deader about: a little damage to property but no gawkers were injured. Yeh fixin' to clap us in irons fer defendin' ourselves or yeh reckon we can pay fer the damages an' leave yer district quiet-like an' we won't trouble yeh no more?"
Diplomacy:
"I understand you have commitments you must honor. I will ask around about the gate, and I will meet you at your office tomorrow? Perhaps at the hour of true Peak?"
Justin nods. "That sounds lovely!" He says with a smile. "Tomorrow at noon, er 'True Peak' it is then!"
-----------
"He travelsssss the pathsss of the Outlandssss, ssselling esssencesss to thosse he meetssss. "
Justin nods his head, a pleasant smile on his face. "And where does he call home, er, 'kip'? Or at least, where can I find him if I wanted to talk to him? I have some questions that he may be able to answer." The mage asks calmly. (A Little too calmly, considering his obvious anger from recently.)