Lena looks horrified at causing Canacha further damage. What? I forgot that she said she had special healing potions. She scrambles around for the potion, and feeds her one of the Inflict potions.
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Jack's longsword finally hits true on the tiefling almost decapitates his enemy and toss a threat at the winged humanoid. Shooting from concealment Meliora hits the caster once again. "WERE ARE YOU HIDING LITLE PEST. DANMABLE HUMANS AND YOUR COWARDNESS." She targets Jack as he seems like a human who would be a dangerous enemy if she has to land to finish the fight.
Rounds: end 6, start 7; bold may act
Micheria, Lena, Meliora, Canacha
Winged humanoid (14 damage)
Jack
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"It's called strategy! Maybe you'd have heard of it if sorcerers weren't just s&@&ty wizards!"
Loading up and firing off another round at the enemy, she quickly moves to another location. By snatching at the bits of luck that felt good and trying to avoid the parts that felt bad, it seems like she's somehow managing to eke out a good rhythm here.
Mic maintains a defensive stance and yells to the caster.
"Cut the bull. Cowardness? You send others to fight for you without even knowing why we are here. Not going to work out for you.""
She gasped out loud as the potion took effect, the first thing she was able to focus on was Lena hovering over her with the potion bottle....Then she heard Meliora cursing and Mic chastinging someone. She hurt all over but she drew her pistol as she rose at the flying thing still talking to them.
Well, that worked...sort of Jack thinks as his singed hair and skin smokes. Got the sorceress to target me instead of one of the ladies. Now I just have to work on dodging the fiery ray part....
The ranger drops his longsword away from the edge of the rooftop, draws his longbow and nocks an arrow, and fires upon the flying flamethrower.
for
Lena drops her Morning star, and draws her longbow as she moves toward the mist. She fires at the flying creature.
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Waking up from near death Canacha takes revenge on the flying caster and sends her into the same state she has just been in. The spellcaster crashlands on the edge of the roof not moving anymore.
On the caster:
potion of cure light wounds, darts (5), mwk spiked gauntlet, amulet of natural armor +1, 45 gp
Tieflings
3 x studded leather armor, short sword, light crossbow with 20 bolts
"You guys check 'round the area for any other treasure." Meliora puts away her crossbow, and opens up the trapdoor. "I'm going to go take their stuff."
--and she climbs down before taking its stuff, dragging the body to toss into a corner inside the orphanage where the guard would be less likely to see it, and then stabbing it half a dozen more times with her dagger just to be sure..
Once the others get down, she summarizes things as best she can.
"Well. That completely sucked."
"I dont know about that.... your clothes arent covered in soot are they and besides... I guess that takes care of the Jills maybe? Those were the Jills right?
She said with a wince as she reloaded her pistol and took deep breaths. Despite being cut it was really all of her back that throbbed in pain. She took out another one of her potions and drank it, leaving her just the one left.
"Thanks for the assist Lena you are like an angel. You okay Jack? Mic?"
She asked more worried over everyone else than any things they found... though treasure was always good too.
"A little crusty and black on the outside but still pink and warm on the inside!" Jack quips in reply to Canacha's question, grimacing as he bends to retrieve his dropped longsword. "Nice shot. Nice work all around. I could use a drink."
"Come here Jack. Let me see if I can heal you. We might want to use our potions, and the one we found on the sorcerer."
"I dont know about that.... your clothes arent covered in soot are they and besides... I guess that takes care of the Jills maybe? Those were the Jills right?
"Of course they were the Jills, they were right where a thief group would be hiding and they acted like thieves would. Which means they won't be an issue now, I guess."
Then, to Lena.
"Maybe. We're dealing with the salt mines tomorrow, and you've only got so much healing... 'less you guys want to take a day off."
She thinks about it, tilting her head from side to side.
"Slow and free versus fast but not. It's the eternal struggle. I'm good with whatever, since I don't need any. Who's getting the amulet, by the way? It's one of those natural armor types."
Jack thanks Lena for the bit of healing, though he's still hurting from the caster's fiery attack. Looking at Lena, Mic, and Canacha's wounds, he tells Meliora, "Yeah--I think we'll need a day or two to recover from this mission."
As for the amulet, he shrugs and adds, "It seems Mic's always the first one into the fray; perhaps it should go to her."
"Give it to Mic. Can you use the gauntlet as well? I'm all for waiting a day or two to heal. We seem to get into scrapes even when we plan to just talk." She shrugs. "Not that talking works well for us either." she's remembering Meli's conversation in the shop.
"Still need to go rub that guy's nose in it..."
She also still remembers.
" Who? that dufas who tried to explode Jack? Im working on building something to blow his whole place up."
She grumbled slightly.
"Maybe we should you know talk to a few people in the area, let them know the Jills won't be an issue for folk anymore. Might win us some new friends. Let them know maybe if they have problems they should try and get in touch with us to help solve them... ooh maybe i can come up with some sort of alchemical solution they can paint on walls that will show up all silvery in the moonlight or something... hmm... maybe daylight so we dont have to be out after curfew..
Immediately she stopped everything she was doing and pulled out her abacus doing figures on some sort of secret paint of ink they could give folk to summon the ravens.
From the look on her face, an immediate solution wasnt comeing to mind at all.
"How about we just let them figure it out on their own. Us running around saying 'look what we did' seems like a bad idea, and the tiefling thing paid dividends even without us telling anyone but the stuffy old codger who we were with. We don't need ink, either. We just need to keep our ears to the ground, and the rumors will come. We can look into stuff based on what we hear, like we have been. Eventually, I'll be able to just see what we need to do."
"Eventually, I'll be able to just see what we need to do."
Although Jack's become accustomed to Meliora and Canacha saying strange, enigmatic, and mysterious things quite frequently, he decides to press a bit this time.
"What exactly does that mean?" he asks the wizard with genuine interest.
"You don't kn--" Meliora pauses mid-sentence, thinking back over the spells she's actually cast. Detect magic--anyone had it. Color Spray, Color Spray, Grease, Obscuring Mist.
She hadn't actually cast a single spell of her specialty school.
Huh. Go figure.
"You guys haven't actually seen me doing my specialty, yet. I'm a diviner by trade. It's why I react so fast... I get little flashes of insight that tell me when we're about to be fighting. As time goes on, between consulting the akashic record itself, contacting literal gods on other planes, scrying, legend lore, clairvoyance, using bugs as spies, and all the other ways I'll have to look around without ever even leaving the house..." She gives a shrug, not completing the implications herself.
"You've got a genius on your side. S'all."
Jack listens to Meliora's reply, nodding and looking impressed, though he picks out a rather strange choice of powers to comment on. "Using bugs as spies? Now that's a neat trick!"
Turning toward Lena, Jack says, "If I can get some more healing beforehand, I'll do some more reconnaissance around the salt works to learn what I can about the place and its defenses."
"You don't kn--" Meliora pauses mid-sentence, thinking back over the spells she's actually cast. Detect magic--anyone had it. Color Spray, Color Spray, Grease, Obscuring Mist.
She hadn't actually cast a single spell of her specialty school.
Huh. Go figure.
"You guys haven't actually seen me doing my specialty, yet. I'm a diviner by trade. It's why I react so fast... I get little flashes of insight that tell me when we're about to be fighting. As time goes on, between consulting the akashic record itself, contacting literal gods on other planes, scrying, legend lore, clairvoyance, using bugs as spies, and all the other ways I'll have to look around without ever even leaving the house..." She gives a shrug, not completing the implications herself.
"You've got a genius on your side. S'all."
"Two geniuses actually."
Canacha muttered while still tooling about on her abacus. She frowned and set it back into its leather holster.
"What if you are tired, or busy or we've had to split up or a myriad of other things that might happen?" "Your magic might not help us then... then the alchemical paint might help right?"
She finished somewhat lamely, a tinge of self doubt in her voice. It was quite different from her normal hyperactive cocksure self.
"I can go with you all sneaky like honest Jack jack."
"Mm... yeah, okay." Meliora relents, giving a small nod. "You come up with the stuff, I'm sure we can come up with a use for it. If nothing else, it'll help our spies do their thing."
Beat.
"When we have spies. I'll spend tomorrow scribing some scrolls, so I'll prep a bunch of stuff I don't usually use. You guys be careful scoping out the place, alright?"
"If you aren't back by curfew, I'm going to come find you both." Lena tells Jack and Canacha. "Once we get back to the Nest I'll use my remaining spells to heal you."
She'll spend the next day working on making some weapons while she waits to hear back.
In the morning, to further play up the role of someone of some import being escorted about with a guide she wore her best dress.. A big fluffy things with some lace and ruffles complete with a sun umbrella. She did her best to be both bored and yet interested in what he was talking about. Thankfully the fluff let her hid her pistol and a dagger.
"So tell me Jack... I bet you have a crush on one of us... is it Lena? I bet its Lena.. she's cool."
She began with a wicked grin that displayed far too much sharp teeth at one point in their investigations. Disguise in place she watched whatever she felt like as long as she felt like confident that her staring at anything of interest would be misconstrued as some dumb tourist not knowing any better than of somebody paying attention to anything specific.
"Do you like Mic? Shes one of my bestest friends, If you like Mic mister you better be careful I'll gun you down if you hurt her!"
She said seriously for a moment narrowing her eyes into a glare before she started laughing so hard she let our a few short snorts. She managed to finally control her giggles and then added with a grin.
"I kid, if you hurt Mic she would probably just break you in half or something.... man she's really strong and a good fighter... speaking of good fighters... you uh.. ever think of praticing with that sword? I could maybe whip up some magical potions that could help you, you know."
After the fight a rather bloodied Mic leans against anything she can find to lean on as the others talk. She smiles when Jack mentions her being the first one in.
"It's my nature to attack a problem head on. Not saying I love the amount of pain it causes me sometimes but I guess I am use to it. As far as the amulet goes, anything that gives you or I an edge so I am happy to wear it if you are not going to."
"I will say this for the Jill's, they were tough."
Once back at the base Mic accepts whatever healing is available that doesn't use physical supplies. With the blood stopped and natural healing working she returns to her normal routine of working out and making sure the base is secure.
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Jack and Canacha have learnt that there is at least 8 guards on duty during the day, people they talk with don't know if or how many night guards are at the salt works. The majority of the guards are humans from the Chellish citizens group and a dwarf seems to be the commander with a big old pentagam ingraved breastplate, he might be a member of the church or simply a fighter no one knows.
Jack lets Canacha talk, smiling a bit as she probes but not answering her questions. When she laughs after threatening to gun him down if he ever hurt Mic, Jack finally speaks up. "Well, with the age difference between us and her dependability and the ease with which she takes charge of everything, I look at Mic as more of a mother figure to be honest...and as our leader. Lena certainly has her attractions: She's pretty, fearless, and has a good head on her shoulders. Meliora's easy on the eyes, but she's kind of...well, ditzy is too strong of a word but I don't always understand where she's coming from, which sort of makes me nervous. I guess you're in the same boat, especially when you pull out that abacus of yours--I have no idea what you're doing."
Jack falls silent and becomes businesslike for a few moments, but then a slight smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. "I must confess, though, that I've always had a weakness for women who aren't afraid to laugh so hard that they snort."
When Canacha brings up his swordplay, Jack sighs and claims that he's had quite a bit of training but that the lessons haven't translated very well to his real-life battles...at least not so far.
Once he and Canacha get back to the Wasp Nest, he reports their findings.
Lena is muttering a list to herself when Jack returns to the Nes, "We need a forge, and a still room, and an armory, and a real shrine.
She looks up relieved that they have returned. "What did you learn?"
Jack lets Canacha talk, smiling a bit as she probes but not answering her questions. When she laughs after threatening to gun him down if he ever hurt Mic, Jack finally speaks up. "Well, with the age difference between us and her dependability and the ease with which she takes charge of everything, I look at Mic as more of a mother figure to be honest...and as our leader. Lena certainly has her attractions: She's pretty, fearless, and has a good head on her shoulders. Meliora's easy on the eyes, but she's kind of...well, ditzy is too strong of a word but I don't always understand where she's coming from, which sort of makes me nervous. I guess you're in the same boat, especially when you pull out that abacus of yours--I have no idea what you're doing."
Jack falls silent and becomes businesslike for a few moments, but then a slight smile tugs at the corners of his mouth. "I must confess, though, that I've always had a weakness for women who aren't afraid to laugh so hard that they snort."
When Canacha brings up his swordplay, Jack sighs and claims that he's had quite a bit of training but that the lessons haven't translated very well to his real-life battles...at least not so far.
Once he and Canacha get back to the Wasp Nest, he reports their findings.
"Do you not know what an abacus is for? I use it to help with math calculations. I mean im pretty good with numbers but do you know how much math is involved in calculating certain formula's for alchemical compounds?"
She began seemingly not catching his cute flirtations moments later.... though it was suddenly clear when she did catch up and do the math on what was said. At least her perfect pale skin suddenly became quite rosy for a few moments and she almost broke out into giggles again.
"We discovered lots of things, There are at least 8 guards during the day, no way to be sure at night since the curfew but I have an idea for that if it gets to that point, Most of the guards are from one of those stupid Chelish citizens groups, but they are led by some Big ol burly Dwarven fellow in a breastplate with a big ol pentagram on it. Maybe he's a cleric or something maybe he just likes the design heck he could be a hellknight."
She began reaching back to remove the laces on her dress then after a moment she stopped coloring again.
"A forge would be nice in here thats for sure, I could get so much work done if i didnt have to sneak back to my uncles to use his forge and then wait til his business with it subsides...I was thinking maybe we could find a spot to steal some of those chelish citizen group outfits or whatever and then say hide out til its just before dawn. I set off an explosion or two, we run up to the jail, claim we are a patrol and that some rebels have attacked point them in the direction of the 'attack'. If they go charging over to stop the rebels great less for us to deal with, if they dont oh well we still have the element of surprise on our side. either way we get in, rescue those folk, get out and by the time the day shift arrives they place is no empty."
She began excitedly her hands in motion making little charictures of her plan.
Mic nods as Canacha talks but a small frown can be seen.
"Well that may work, there is some risk with it clearly but may be worth the try. Sending them off to chase a phantom problem does have a certain appeal. Personally I have always been better at scaring folks then fooling them."
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That particular day, Meliora spends a solid eight hours scribing a quartet of scrolls at the makeshift desk she's using for her work.
By the time the others are back, she's got a few ink smudges on her face--and she takes a second to prestidigitate them off while she thinks about Canacha's plan. It seems, to be honest, insane. She can pick out at least three holes (Why would the guards leave their post in the event of an attack in their area? Why would the dottari ask random thugs to help them out in the defense of the town? What's stopping us from just running into the guards on the way out, or getting pincered in the middle of a fight with the ones inside? What good does it do to look for more trouble on the night they were going to be fighting probably eight guys? Wouldn't that deplete their resources, which history shows could only really deal with maybe one tough fight a night?) off the top of her head--and it kept adding more as she went. But then, she remembers the kicked puppy look Canacha made when she pointed out the impracticality of invisible ink.
...ugh.
"What the hells. Let's give it a shot. What's the worst that can happen, right?"
"Let's think about this for a moment. What about going at night? I know we'd take the chance on getting caught out after curfew, but there should be fewer guards awake at that time. At least I hope there would be less guards awake. Mel do you have spells that cause people to sleep or anything to make us quieter? Stealthy we are not."
"I do like the idea of getting some uniforms to keep us from being noticed right away."
"Sleep is enchantment magic. I don't do enchantment stuff." She thinks it over for another few moments. "As far as sneaky stuff goes, I have Obscuring Mist--which is great for melees but really shines against ranged fighters, Vanish, Silent Image, and Disguise Self. I got Color Spray to knock out a few guards, too, and mine have a heck of a kick... other than that I just have some stuff like Ray of Enfeeblement or Grease or a cool spell that can drop someone in a tiny pit and kick up a bunch of dust."
She pauses again, thinking of something.
"So you said the dwarf had heavy armor on..?"
"Well it was a breastplate... Heavy for you and I to be sure, but for a dwarf? I dont know if he'd even notice it was on.
She answered after a moment.
"He could be a cleric or a paladin. Either way we should watch for negative energy."
"The pentagram is all over Asmodean temples and holy symbols, so gold to breadrolls he's a cleric of some sort." She nods in agreement with Lena. "I see... That's more than enough information for now. Cana, let me teach you something good."
She gestures grandly. "As a shooter of particularly loud techbows, you have a favorite way to stop your opponents and you're very good at that one way. I have a vast variety of spells that let me mess up my opponents in countless multitudes of ways... but I'm not as good at any of them as you are with that bangy thing. So, I have to deal in figuring out weaknesses. When it comes to people wearing armor heavier than yours... in general, that means they're prone to losing their balance. So that means I get to prepare to target that weakness. So I'm thinking I'll bring along a new spell that'll drop him into a tiny pit so that everyone can beat him up en masse from higher up while he's fallen down, and a grease to target the pit with after so that he can't stand up and get out on us. And some color spray for the chaff."
She looks over at Lena, the only other person she's seen casting spells.
"Don't suppose you have anything available that could help us really swing things our way, do you?"
"I don't think I have ever fought a paladin. Having seen a few in battle though I would prefer not to if possible, better a cleric. Still can be tough but less smite-ey."
Listening to Meliora prepare she nods.
"Had a halfling drop me in a small pit once like that. He thought it was hilarious. Bit of advice though, don't stand right next to the pit. He did so I just pulled him in and knocked him off the side once or twice. He didn't think he was so funny any more."
"I have a feeling if this doesn't go well we may be able to move around less easily. Not sure why but just a hunch."
"Not to sound like a coward," Jacks drawls, "but I have some specialized training against human opponents. If you folks can hit the dwarf hard and fast, I should be able to hold back the Chelish Citizens Group thugs...theoretically, at least."
"I can do that. It's kind of required for me to go after the dwarf first. I have a spell or two that might help. I can bless us and bane them. As well as protect someone from evil."
"Ooh, yes. Protect Mic. We don't want her getting turned against us. Especially since she'll be standing by the pit? So that I won't have to?" She looks over at Mic with a smile that is at once apologetic and smarmy.
"That'll let Jack and Canacha focus on the extras--maybe hit the dwarf if there's an open shot, Canacchi--Mic and I can deal with the dwarf, and Lena can float after she's buffed us, dealing with whatever needs dealing with. We'll buff before we set off the bombs, and that'll give us a minute or two of effective godhood against the chaff that is our foes. And this time, we stay at the edges of the smokey cloud of protection if I wind up burning a scroll on one."
"Did I miss anything?"
"I think you have everything covered. I can't think of anything you missed." Lena looks impressed at her planning.