DM Stalwart |
Time to move this forward...
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Astrid and Acantha spare a moment to assist the search for a secret means down into the lower levels, and manage to point to a couple suspicious designs worked into the back of the throne. After further examination, Alenaya with the help of Kage and Lilith find a secret depression that allows the dais on which the throne is set to slide back. The seat reveals a staircase going down into the darkness.
Jon-Wyn |
Mantis Mask: Darkvision
Jon looks around at the others then goes down into the darkness.
Activate Mantis Mask's Darkvision.
He moves cautiously and purposefully.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Sa'Kage |
Kage still wracked with the aftereffects of the poison tries to ghost after Jon-Wyn. He does his best under the circumstances to be silent and check for traps or other signs of danger including any tracks.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Survival if applicable: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15
DM Stalwart |
With the power of their masks, the Mantises creep down the dust-and-cobweb covered spiral stairway. It is apparent no one has come this way for months, if not years.
At the base of the stairs roughly sixty or seventy feet down, a corridor leads off into the darkness. However, a wavering silvery light glints at a turn nearly a hundred feet from the base of the stairwell. Faint grunts and wheezes echo down the passage.
DM Stalwart |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Jon-Wyn peeks around the corner and sees the obese wizard Togomor claiming various objects off of the limp body of Ileosa. He looks up, his beady eyes noticing Jon instantly.
"Collecting my due," he wheezes. "She's dead. The poisons have killed her, so my enchantment has been completed. Tell your mind witch that I do not appreciate it, and she had best take great pains to avoid me in the future, or she may end up with a contract on her."
He pulls off a handful of large, ornate rings and the jewels from around her neck, then he unceremoniously lets the body drop back to the floor. He waddles down the hallway, swirling globes of light following him.
DM Stalwart |
Alenaya sees the tell-tale signs of the deathblade poisoning that was introduced through Kage's sabre strikes. What seemed to have finished her off, though, was the combination of the poisons and the stirge bites, leaving her in such a weakened state that when the tears of death finally struck, she succumbed almost instantly. Only a small trickle of blood dripped from her eyes to evince the tears of blood poisoning.
The ritual is complete.
Lilith Stark |
Still in her songbird disguise, Lilith promptly flies over to Alenaya and roosts on her friend's shoulder. After studying Ileosa's corpse, she puffs out her feathery chest in pride at her accomplishment. The sheer smugness emitting from the bird quickly mixes with Alenaya's excited, sadistic glee.
However, Togomor's threat brings her back to a professional pause, and Lilith carefully weighs her options as she waits to see what the others decide to do; she would rather not an unnecessary fight, but she also figures that Togomor probably wouldn't fare well against the collective might of all the Mantises present...
Eris Triguna |
Eris following Jon and Kage at a safe distance, chooses that moment to appear in front of Togomor, placing a placatory hand on Jon-Wyn's arm.
"Message Received", she remarks coolly, her dark eyes appraising the wizard evenly. "Its worth noting though, that had I not used my enchantments, my friends might not have left you breathing and I didn't bear you any ill will, you were not a target, but an obstacle, which I removed in a non lethal fashion. I don't expect you to be grateful but I would consider your position better off than it was previously and what it could have been."
I'm not threatening him, because he has a right to be angry and I'm not killing him because she always prefer keeping as close to the ritual as possible. I'm hoping that he eventually comes around because if Eris feels threatened, I'm all for eliminating him.
Sa'Kage |
Kage glanced back at Jon-Wyn, before turning to the mage. His crimson eyes glittered evilly, he could tell what Jon-Wyn was thinking, killing Togomor was tempting but he wasn't a sanctioned target... When Eris speaks, Kage nodded and said, "I suppose we remove the head to prevent resurrection." Suppressing a shudder he added sanguinely "Not something I relish in case anyone wondered."
Take 20 on perception check to make sure it's her.
Assuming there are no objections he studies her remains very carefully to check it really is her before he attends to his grizzly task. That done he suggests, "We should go now. Oh and Togomor if you ever find you need The Guild's services I'm sure you know where to ask..."
Mission's over I think?
Jon-Wyn |
Jon sheaths his miniature sawtooth blades. The mutlifaceted eyes of his mantis mask never leave the person of the obese mage. The emotionless mask promises death to Togomor if he ever crosses the mantis.
Intimidate: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
DM Stalwart |
If no one stops him, the bloatmage continues his labored walk down the corridor and eventually out of sight, the lingering threats of both sides hanging in the close air of the passage like a fog.
Soon Kage's grisly work is complete and he has severed the head from the body.
If they choose to return to the throne room, they find the remaining grey maidens dead except for the one who Togomor dominated, who is still standing at the ready. The adventurers and Vernai Acantha and her mantises are in a stalemate, both groups eyeing each other warily. Acantha had taken Kalepopolis's decree and pinned it to the Crimson Throne.
When the mantises arrive, Orisini and the Vernai are in a debate over the crown, still in the Red Mantis's hands.
"It's not for you to decide!" he shouts just as they return.
Calmly, Acantha asks, "Isn't it? Wasn't it my mantises that removed your pretender queen? Wasn't it one of my mantises that plucked this crown from her very head?" She turns to look at Kage bearing the head of Ileosa. "Ah, and here they come now."
She walks over to him and affixes the relic upon the decapitant's head. "No, Vencarlo, you may not have this trophy. This belongs to the Red Mantis."
Jon-Wyn |
Before returning to the throne room, Jon uses his Wand on Sa'Kage (2 charges, 20 hp).
Jon moves to stand next to the Vernai. "What's this I hear? The renowned Orisini Vencarlo is has become common thief. I'd thought better of you. How the mighty have fallen. Let it go swordsman and our partnership can end amiably."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Sa'Kage |
On the way Kage nodded his thanks to Jon-Wyn. I'm not actually sure what Kage's current HP is due to the drain, but I'm sure that helped.
Later when Acantha is debating with Vencarlo, Kage pointed out, "Besides Vencarlo surely you wouldn't want another monarch with this crown?! See what it did for Abrogail, turning her into a deranged killing machine."
DM Stalwart |
Acantha holds up a hand toward Jon-Wyn. "There is a hall of deposed false monarchs in the Crimson Citadel. Ileosa will have a place of honor there. Her head -- and her crown -- will 'work no evil' there." The Vernai's smile is hard and cruel.
"Now. If there are no further matters, we shall leave the aftermath to you."
She begins to stride out of the throne room, motioning for the other Mantises to follow.
Unless there's anything more you'd like to do (or to pick a fight), we can fast forward to the Mantis lair where we'll talk about what's next.
Sa'Kage |
Kage watches Orisini like a hawk for several moments, his eyes glittering as he fantasized about killing him. Noting the retracting figure of Acantha, Kage shrugged, Orisini's death clearly wasn't sanctioned. It was time to go, so he followed Acantha out.
Lilith Stark |
Still happily perched on Alenaya's shoulder, Lilith continues to be very smug.
DM Stalwart |
Astrid make a a slight detour to grab the ornately lacquered wooden case. She lets Kalepopolis's head roll unceremoniously out onto the floor, then hurries to the side of Kage. "It's such a pretty box, I think it would make a good home for her. Don't you think?"
The tension is high, and Orisini looks ready to throw the truce to the winds when his friend's head rolls onto the floor and Jagen strides past him, but the woman he called Janna back when Eris was impersonating her places a hand on his shoulder. "Uncle, let it go. Didn't we get what we came for? Save your strength."
The Mantises are unmolested as they return to their underground quarters in Korvosa, a city seeming to breathe again.
When they all reach the common room, Acantha instructs Kage to set the case on the altar to Achaekek. "Now is the time for reflection. I will have services to anoint you with the blood of our target at midnight. You have three hours." Without further word, she retires into her quarters.
Astrid winces as she pulls her blood-soaked armor up, revealing the wounds from the large scorpion. Jagen sits down in a chair in the corner after grabbing a flask of some sort of alcohol from a cabinet and begins taking long draughts.
Sa'Kage |
As the door to the common room slammed shut, Kage blinked in surprise, "Another target so soon? Or did she mean Abrogail's blood... I'm so tired I can't tell." He was about to say something else when he saw the livid wound Astrid was carrying and sucked his teeth, damn that had to hurt!
After standing dazed for a moment, he added, "Have to admit I'm shocked we pulled that off. Half a dozen times in the past few days where I thought we were going to die for sure."
Alenaya |
Alenaya is as jubilant as a girl coming home from a fine night on the town. "That was amazing! What a rush! Did you guys see how she looked after the poison got good and coursing through her veins! Just marvelous!"
She winces a bit at the sight of Astrid's wounds, but makes no comment on it. When Sa'Kage speaks, she giggles. "Shocked? Oh please, hun. We weren't ever in any danger. We could have fled in gas clouds anytime things turned bad. And Lilly and I have taken out tougher marks, right doll? Remember that orc warlord we were hired to kill up in Belkzen by that merchant lord in Lastwall? Took at least three or four waves of your overgrown mosquitoes to bring his strength down enough for my poison to do the trick. He kept smooshin' 'em almost as fast as you summoned 'em. Then he got a snout full of gassed up Deathblade, and that was that. Had to burn down half the camp to cover our escape...but when in doubt...light something on fire I've always heard!" she adds before laughing heartily.
Jon-Wyn |
Jon walks over to Astrid with his wand out (not as dirty as that sounds). "May I?" If allowed to, he'll use the Wand of Infernal Healing on her twice. "It will take the worst of it away and minimize any scarring." He says. "Though I can do nothing if there are any other effects of that thing's bite. Maybe Alenya or Lilith can help though."
DM Stalwart |
Astrid shakes her head. "No bite, thankfully. The sting and pincers were plenty. Thank you," she says as she bends over to watch her skin stitch together. "They would have been neat-looking scars, but it's better this way. Harder to infiltrate places if you have distinctive marks." She smiles and twirls a lock of her bright red hair, showing that the irony isn't lost on her.
Jagen growls a bit at Kage. "It'll be Ileosa's blood. You mean to say that Vespid never anointed you before?" He shakes his head incredulously.
Alenaya |
Alenaya shakes her head, "Not today. I used up my brews during the fight. I can whip up some tomorrow though."
She begins to slip out of the showy dress, seemingly not caring that she is in mixed company. "Well, it would seem we will continue to be working together. Ain't it about time you strong, silent types started opening up a bit? Lily and I have worked together for years. But you lot are new to us. Tell us a bit about yourselves."
Once out of her outer garments, she begins carefully retrieving vials of chemicals from the various hidden straps, garters, and bra and placing them in tube holders on her desk.
Sa'Kage |
Kage wasn't bothered by Alenaya's state of undress. She had an impressive figure for sure but though many painful lessons the guild had taught him never to mix business with pleasure. In theory he could say the same about Astrid, although in practice he liked her company too much...
Smiling at Alenaya with he told her, with his crimson eyes never once blinking, "Like Astrid the guild is the only thing I've ever known, it is mother and father to us. Of course you've heard of the Tith-Kali but do you know how they're made? I've never met her but my birth mother was a Mantis, I know that much at least. They wouldn't tell me or Astrid who our fathers where, not that it matters, they're both dead now. Killed you see during the act that conceived us."
Jon-Wyn |
Jon's sigh tells what he thinks of origin story round table idea, but he speaks anyway. "I was a gutter rat 'with potential'. Great Achecheck sent someone to mentor me and usher me into his family. I have no interesting anecdotes or cute stories of my missions, only deeds done in his name."
Eris Triguna |
Eris frowns, "I'm not exactly a strong and silent type but I expect you would want to learn more about me as well" she remarks the easily, also shifting and undressing out of her clothing in a detached way. It had served her well in city, but now there was no need to fake elegant slave wear, and Eris was looking forward to adopting her own more usual brand of clothing rather than wearing something given to her, as had previously been the case.
Idly selecting an outfit, Eris continues her mini background. "I was slightly fortunate in that my mother was Red Mantis, therefore I was able to receive advanced training before induction. Like Sa'Kage, I don't know who my father was, and I don't really care - I have exceeded him in whatever it was he did."
DM Stalwart |
Astrid looks a little guilty when Kage announces that he wasn't told about his father. She looks around, clearing her throat. "Actually, I know who my father was. He was a wealthy merchant in Thuvia, and could afford the best protection. His household was impossible to infiltrate, so the Mantises recruited one of his household slaves. My mother. Her success gained her membership in the Red Mantis."
Astrid goes to a cabinet and pours herself a glass of wine. "She died on her next assignment."
Jagen snorts and tosses aside his empty flask. "Mantises killed my brother. They did such a fine job of it, I sought them out and joined up." He looks at the eyes in the room. "I hated my brother."
Lilith Stark |
Lilith utters some nonsensical tweeting and chirping. After realizing what just happened, she flies off her perch and lands in a clear space in the room. A second later, she shifts back to her regular self.
"Seems that I got a little too in-character!" the redhead chuckles before stretching her arms and continuing. "From what I've gathered, probably before any of your parents were born, I was my folks' payment for services rendered. I was trained on and off by two generations of Mantises. For a while, I was basically magic support; I helped patch the people who actually carried out our contracts. With's Great Achaekek's blessing, in my free time, I taught myself the art of druidic shapeshifting to spruce up my options. That caught the attention of someone upstairs, so I was shifted to front line missions. It was a good fit."
Lilith tilts her head toward Alenaya.
"Alenaya here was partnered with me a few years back. As you can tell, we've got some great synergy. We've had a bunch of adventures since then, but axing Ileosa definitely takes the cake."
Alenaya |
Alenaya smirks at Lillith's comment. She rolls her eyes at Eris' tantrum, "Easy there, love. I only called them out because they are so quiet, in comparison."
She resumes getting dressed into her usual work clothes, the smell of formaldehyde, blood, and dirt hanging heavy on them. "Ah, that's better."
Sa'Kage |
Kage didn't quite know how to reply to Astrid's revelation, "They must have had a reason to keep me in the dark... Of course it could have been Master Brinn's doing, he wouldn't brook any distraction."
Sa'Kage |
Kage takes a sip and admits, "I suppose that's true..." Of course that line of conversation was dangerous, changing the subject, he echoed Jon-Wyn "He's right Jagen it does. I was impressed by the way you dispatched that Rakshaka, my best shot barely hurt it."
Eris Triguna |
"I agree, everyone did their part" Eros nods, amused at the signals Astrid was sending, as she sorted through her various outfits. Eventually she settles on a red dress, since she didn't know how the blood ritual would damage or affect clothing.
Sa'Kage |
Curious about what the ritual might entail, Kage risked Jagen's contempt (he decide he simply didn't care) by asking, "For whatever reason Vespid never deigned to anoint us. This ritual, is there anything we should know?"
DM Stalwart |
Jagen snorts at Jon-Wyn's comment, but then turns his attention fully to the interplay between the two Tith'Kali. The lines on his face seem to protest the amused smile that grows as he sees Kage sidestep Astrid's advances.
"The ritual is pretty straightforward. I'm sure you'll figure it out." He makes a pointed glance at Astrid's glower. "Then again, maybe picking up on the obvious isn't your strong suit."
Sa'Kage |
Kage resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. Of course he knew Astrid was interested, and she knew he was too. Everyone knew, which was a problem because the guild might require them to make new Tith'Kali. Considering how these are usually made... Yikes. That literally killed any thoughts of passion.
Eris Triguna |
Eris smirked. "Yeah, be more obvious like Jagen here" Eris responds slyly as she glances at the fellow Mantis. "He's been unable to hide his deep and everlasting affection for me, one wonders how he manages to keep his eye on the job" she finishes, happy to wind the man up after his comments on Sa'Kage.