Caladius watches from the back of the group as Ava slips into the open door. "Careful, Ava. Come back if you want a second pair of eyes up front with you."
The heat in this chamber is incredible. An immense stone and iron furnace looms in the southeast part of the room, the glow of it coming around the corner north and east of Ava as she enters. The ground is covered in a film of soft white ash. A table to the west holds numerous urns, brushes, hammers, and other tools for transporting and handling cremains. A bell with pulley sits directly north of Ava, attached almost 7 feet off the ground at a corner. There's a woman just turning from a the tool-laden table to the west, just as Ava appears from the short hallway leading from the door. The woman drops the rag she was holding, eyes flicking from Ava to the bell-pull, as if judging distances and reaction time. There's a crossbow sitting on the table behind the woman, within reach should she go for it.
INIT:
Lucon
Enko
Corneleous
Ava
Caladius
Sabinus
???
Ava's reflexes are sharper, and she moves first.
- The Group
- The Sister
Enko enters the room, leaving room for others, putting himself between the Sister and the alarm--the square right next to it, as a matter of fact. .
Ava quickly dashes towards the woman, her banner a silver streak as she thrusts Anvengen's Edge forward.
Caladius slips into the building as well and sends a thunderous arrow at the crazed sister.
Ava quickly dashes towards the woman, her banner a silver streak as she thrusts Anvengen's Edge forward, the sharp blade piercing deep into her chest. She stares down at the blade stuck in her body, eyes disbelieving.
After seeing Ava react to some apparent threat or hearing a whispered alert, Sabinus moves past Lucon just into the room, and, seeing the Sister, targets her with the slumber hex. She already looks to be on her way out of this life, but the hex seems to hit.
Enko enters the room, leaving room for others, putting himself between the Sister and the alarm--the square right next to it, as a matter of fact.
Lucon, spotting the bell, rushes to guard it, drawing his hammer and readying an attack.
Caladius slips into the building as well and sends a thunderous arrow at the crazed sister. It catches her in the throat and she topples backwards to the floor.
The Viscount started to create a spell, his ritual similar to other summoning he's done in the past, but stops it when he see's the woman go down.
On her person she has a potion of cure moderate wounds, and potion of lesser restoration. The crossbow next to her is of exceptional quality, the tips of the ten bolts glisten wetly.
The building remains quiet, the room warm from the furnace to the northeast. Looking at the furnace head on you see a ramp fitted with metal rollers protrudes from the northern face of the furnace, where a demonic face is carved so that the ramp evokes the image of a huge metal tongue, its mouth open wide to accommodate... coffin-shaped objects.
"Hmpf. Still quiet. Good."
Sabinus looks around as he approaches the crossbow on the table.
"Either you or I should make use of this fine looking crossbow, Viscount. And the bolts appears to be poisoned, which is nothing I'm adverse to. Don't know how you feel about that."
"Quiet means little here. I would expect danger from all possible places, including the incinerator over there. They probably put people in it while still alive," the monk says in a rare moment of darkness.
"I... I suppose a peaceful solution is out of the question now. Evil or no, I'm not sure how I feel about going about slaughtering nuns." he says, grimacing. Despite his misgivings, he stows his hammer and shield for a new weapon, a large, crescent-bladed bardiche. "I had Caladius give me a few pointers on how to swing one of these. A little gruesome, I think. But those sisters and whatever foul things that serve them shouldn't be able to get close."
He turns to Sabinus. "Well, I know fer sure I ain't much of a shot. Only fired one of those things once, a few Harvest Festivals ago, and the damned thing nearly took my finger clean off." he says, trailing off.
"I'll gladly take those potions though."
|
@Sabinus Well noted. I'm no expert in toxins- and I know that even the most deft of poisoners can sometimes fall prey to their own poisons. Perhaps we should leave them be, or stash them in the furnace where no one can turn them on us.
If no one wants them, the Viscount will mage hand them into the fire.
Lucon- don't let the wrapping convince you that the package contains beauty or good. These women were killers who venerate devils. Staying your hand may cost us lives. Only hesitate if you truly feel there's a chance for redemption.
"I don't fancy angering any gods, good or no." he shrugs, giving the weighty axe a few tentative swings and pacing into the northeast chamber, taking a position by one of the doors. "But if finding these old bones means no more shadow-creatures, than I'm willing to trust Enko's gut that this is the right thing to do. I only hope they haven't burnt the body." he says, wrinkling his nose. "Gods, do they really have to cook them? The smell makes my stomach turn..."
Ava pulls Anvengen's Edge free from the sister's flesh, allowing her to drop onto the floor. She takes a deep breath, shuddering as an unfamiliar feeling washes over her. A foreign, sadistic glee not her own - the faintest remnants of a wicked soul roused by violence: Anvengen's Edge.
First blood.
"Anger?" she says, staring down at the quickly-growing crimson pool. "No, I'm sure whatever fiend they worshipped will be glad for more fresh souls."
"Let's just find these bones. I have a feeling I'm not going to like these 'nuns' very much."
"Ava, do you mind checking this door? I will be at your side," says Enko, pointing to the northwards door.
"Lucon, it is possible for anyone to redeem themselves, it is true. However, do not hesitate. Redemption for the Sisters may only occur long past the Boneyard."
He flexes his fingers and raises to the front of his feet, a relatively innocuous maneuver that signals to the practiced eye that he is ready to attack anything that comes his way.
Sabinus looks a little crestfallen, but he defers to the Viscount's experience and authority. Speaking quietly, he says, "I don't think I'd poison myself, but I confess I don't have the best luck in fighting off ailments, so I guess you're right it's probably not a good idea. If you don't mind, I'll put this crossbow to use." With that, Sabinus picks up the crossbow, leaving the bolts on the table.
Sabinus also proceeds to listen at the door to the West.
"Will do." Ava quickly shuffles to the door just north of the group. She'll listen for a moment before opening it quietly.
Ava opens the door slowly and quietly after not hearing anything on the other side. The walls of this room are lined with shelves holding all manner of contents—books and clothes and tools and small casks of food and wine and other supplies. A few small tables and chairs sit to either side of a flight of spiral stairs leading down.
However, the door creaks as it opens and as it swings wide two more sisters, one praying and one reading one of the multitude of books, both turn their heads at the unexpected sound. Their eyes narrow as they take in the sight of Ava in the doorway and the rest of the group behind her.
INIT:
Lucon
Enko
Corneleous
Ava
Caladius
Sabinus
SoE
- The Sisters
- The Group
Lucon weaves his way into the room, bringing the weighty blade down toward the sister on the right.
Enko moves to engage the right-most of the sisters, giving her an almost imperceptible nod. He sweeps his leg beneath hers, then attempts to strike her with an open hand if she rises.
Ava quickly appraises the situation as the battle begins, planting her glaive in the ground as she rushes the left-most sister. She reaches back as she goes, pulling her hammer free of its sheath and bringing it down in a massive overhead swing.
As the group springs into sudden and violent action, Caladius' eyes narrow as he regards the stairs and the shout echoing down the shaft. He slips into the room with his bow at the ready, but his horns twist and stretch and split apart again as he draws magic into his bow.
The two sisters scramble to their feet in a rustling of robes, the one to the west grabbing up her loaded crossbow, the one to the east adopting a defensive stance, hands oddly tucked into her robes.
Lucon weaves his way through the others and into the room, bringing the weighty blade down toward the sister on the right. The long blade hisses through the air, gashing the twisting woman down one side, a signifigant injurty.
Enko moves to engage the right-most of the sisters, giving her an almost imperceptible nod. He suddenly sweeps his leg beneath hers, planning to strike her with an open hand if she rises. But the sister easily steps over the leg sweep, returning Enko's nod with a pained sneer of her own.
Ava quickly appraises the situation as the battle begins, planting her glaive in the ground as she rushes the left-most sister. She reaches back as she goes, pulling her hammer free of its sheath and bringing it down in a massive overhead swing. The sister did not anticipate the attack well enough, and ducks, which keeps her back right in line with the descending hammer, and it crunches loudly as it strikes her.
Having allowed the melee combatants to enter and attack Sabinus then moves to the square in the doorway. He targets the Sister to the east with the misfortune hex, as it hit her, she tries valiantly to resist, but is soon captivated by the hex and succumbs to it.
The Viscount steps through the door past Sabinus and quickly flings a bolt of acid at the one to the east.
As the group springs into sudden and violent action, Caladius' eyes narrow as he regards the stairs and the shout echoing down the shaft. He slips into the room with his bow at the ready, but his horns twist and stretch and split apart again as he draws magic into his bow.
- The Sisters
- The Group
Getting bashed and battered, the two sisters look to the still-quiet stairs, then at each other, and start backing slowly towards one another north of of the stairwell. The east-most sister tugs at something within her habit, coming out with a potion and quickly drinks it. She adopts a defensive posture and seems to center herself.
The one to the west backs away from Ava, firing her crossbow first. As she steps away she also tugs on her habit and forms a swirling pattern with a long scarf of blood-red color. She too seems to suddenly calm and center herself.
Ava presses the attack, swinging at the sister once more.
Gripping his weapon tightly, Lucon rushes at the sister, but instead of taking a swing Lucon, unexpectedly, barges into the woman with a vicious shoulder-tackle, sending her reeling.
Caladius snaps off a pair of arrows, a faint, flickering purple image twice the size of his bow shimmers in and out of view as he draws the string.
Enko takes a 5' step north and flurries at the sister.
2 R
SoE1
SoE1 aoo
Getting bashed and battered, the two sisters look to the still-quiet stairs, then at each other, and start backing slowly towards one another north of of the stairwell. The east-most sister tugs at something within her habit, coming out with a potion and quickly drinks it. Many cuts and scrapes heal before your eyes before she adopts a defensive posture and seems to center herself.
The one to the west backs away from Ava, firing her crossbow first. Ava was just a little too extended after her charging attack and is unable to get her balance fast enough to hit the firing Sister, or dodge the incoming bolt. It slams into her side, piercing through her armor. As the Sister steps away she also tugs on her habit and forms a swirling pattern with a long scarf of blood-red color.
With all possibility of a stealthy approach gone, Sabinus cackles to maintain the misfortune hex and targets that same Sister with the slumber hex. Though postured for potent defense, her eyes and ears fill with the sounds of Sabinus's cackle, and her eyes roll back in her head as she falls to the ground, asleep.
Ava seems to withdraw within herself for a moment, fighting off the spread of the poison, until she overcomes in completely. Then she presses the attack, stepping forward and swinging at the sister once more. As she draws closer, the sister suddenly lashes out with her bladed scarf, the blades coming with intense velocity. Ava bats them away before they can land, but misses her own hammer strike in turn.
Gripping his weapon tightly, Lucon rushes at the sleepign sister, but instead of taking a swing Lucon, unexpectedly, barges into the sleeping woman with a vicious shoulder-tackle, sending her inert form crashing into the wall.
Corneleous casts grease at the scarf if as notices the sister attacking Ava with it. The entire scarf becomes slick and dripping, and the sister concentrates hard to keep it whirling and in her hands... and just succeeds to hold onto the slicked weapon.
Caladius snaps off a pair of arrows, a faint, flickering purple image twice the size of his bow shimmers in and out of view as he draws the string. The lone standing sister ducks one arrows, then bats the other way with a flick of her scarf with incredible, Enko-like, agility.
Enko takes a 5' step north and flurries at the sleeping sister, knocking her completely out of the fight. Slumber hex or no, this sister isn't getting up for a long while.
- The Sisters
- The Group
SoE2 -
The lone sister glances back at her fallen companion, hissing a curse at Enko. Furious, she turns to Ava and lashes out in a flurry of her own, one strike punching her right in the cheeck, and the other glancing off her armor. With a snarl, the sister grabs the rail and hurdles over it, spinning away from a possible attack from Ava as she falls to the bottom of the stairs and rushes out of sight.
Enko steps towards the other sister, flanking with Ava and flurrying again. His fists are a blur; his face businesslike but marked with a thin line of disapproval around his mouth.
The metallic taste of blood fills Ava's mouth as the punch makes contact, but the dwarf refuses to yield for even a second, continuing her relentless assault. As the sister turns away from her she siezes her opportunity, bringing down her hammer squarely between the woman's shoulders with a devestating crunch. She grins maniacally, her teeth stained crimson, as the woman ragdolls with the force of the blow.
Ava winces as she pulls the crossbow bolt free from her flank, dropping it to the ground with a clatter. Pressing a hand to the wound she reaches into one of her many pouches, retrieving a steel flask and taking a sip of it.
The lone sister glances back at her fallen companion, hissing a curse at Enko. Furious, she turns to Ava and lashes out in a flurry of her own, one strike punching her right in the cheeck, and the other glancing off her armor. With a snarl, the sister grabs the rail and starts to hurdle over it, but Ava is the quicker still...
The metallic taste of blood fills Ava's mouth as the punch makes contact, but the dwarf refuses to yield for even a second, continuing her relentless assault. As the sister turns away from her she siezes her opportunity, bringing down her hammer squarely between the woman's shoulders with a devestating crunch. She grins maniacally, her teeth stained crimson, as the woman ragdolls with the force of the blow, flopping to the ground at the dwarfs feet.
The sounds of feet down below suddenly silence, and the entire complex seems to pause a moment as the furious combat comes to a abrupt halt.
Ava winces as she pulls the crossbow bolt free from her flank, dropping it to the ground with a clatter. Pressing a hand to the wound she reaches into one of her many pouches, retrieving a steel flask and taking a sip of it.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
"She got me pretty good." the dwarf says, glancing down at her bloodied side. "Looks like whatever poison they're using isn't a match for my dwarven blood. I could use a touch of healing, though."
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"Sadistic hormonal lady versions of Enko? You guys bring me to the nicest places," Caladius deadpans as he moves over to the stairs, looking to shoot any sisters who might be trying to rush up as reinforcements.