Pai attempts to carefully cast, but the jostle of combat undoes her best efforts! Meanwhile her mob shrinks to two images!
Thrak tears tooth and claw into the thugs around him, gore splattering the walls and floor! Suddenly the eastern half of the room is filled with bodies as the thugs to the west are all that remains!
Slumper wails upon the stout little gnome, who is foaming at the mouth! Blood flies and bruises form, but the gnome refuses to be moved, setting his feet and screaming a wordless, animal cry of rage at Slumper!
Reflex save Evaded!
Corbyn will tumble through his comrades to get to the Emperor.
Acrobatics
Attack
Damage
Corbyn tumbles through the crowd, avoiding the legs of his friends and foes alike! He appears next to the Emperor and stabs him swiftly. Blood rushes from his wound, but the Emperor's mad eyes just seem to go wider. The Emperor cries out loudly "Do you see, my subjects? Do you not see the oppression from which I hope to deliver you? These miscreants oppose my royal rule, just as they oppose your rights! Off with their heads! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"
He thumbs the rod once again, pointing it at Ruperta!
A lightning bolt erupts from the rod, arcing straight out and dealing electrical damage! It strikes Jabbyr a glancing blow and arcs through Ruperta to terminate at the wall near the ceiling!
Round 4:
26 Laori
23 Ruperta
19 Jabbyr and Thugs
14 Pai
12 Slumper
10 Corbyn
9 Paxs
7 Emperor
Laori cries out as the lightning bolt arcs past her, hitting Ruperta. She casts defensively vs DC 27! But loses the spell amidst the tussle of the crowd!
Ruperta looks worriedly at Slumper's injuries, and decides to show all of Desna's power out.
"Desna's might be upon you, evildoers!"
She casts Holy Smite, causing damage to all evil creatures in a 20' radius burst, trying to get as many enemies as possible (but making sure the emperor and the mad gnome are get in the burst - sorry, I can't see the map right now to be more precise, and as far as she is concerned all her allies, including Laori, are good - or should be - so she doesn't try to avoid hitting them). A successful Will DC 17 saving throw reduces damage to half and negates the blinded effect. Neutral creatures suffer only half damage and are not blinded.
The she flies out to get right behind the mad emperor, smiling... (she will take the AoO if needed).
"It's time to win the game... Wolverine time!"
If she need the 30' speed burst from the Blessing of favor to get there, she takes it, if not she will get the +2 to Attacks, Reflex saves and AC.
Will save vs holy smite if necessary.
Looks like Corbyn will 3 damage if he is caught in the smite.
Ruperta calls upon Desna's holy power, smiting the mob!
Laori cries out and Jabbyr seems to go suddenly blind, but the Emperor, bleeding and steaming from the attack, still stands! The thugs seem less affected, but still cringe!
Jabbyr swipes blindly at Slumper! for damage! for damage!
One thug attacks Laori, while two move to attack Corbyn! The last two step back and throw axes at Ruperta and Pai!
for damage!
for damage!
for damage!
for damage!
for damage!
Thrak nudges toward Pai in attempt to trade places to attack the emperor directly.
Pair takes a 5' step to the northwest, and uses her arcane bond ability to fire two rays of fire at the Emporer.
Scorching Ray One Ranged Touch into Melee
Damage
Scorching Ray Two
Damage
Attack of Opportunity
Damage
Corbyn will focus all of his attacks on the Emperor.
Attack 1
Damage
Attack 2
Damage
Attack 3
Damage
Pai steps back, allowing a space in front of her. She casts quickly, her first ray going astray but her second hitting the Emperor. For a moment he simply stands there, his mad eyes wide. Then he falls, crumpling to the ground. As he looks up at Corbyn, his eyes seem to clear. He whispers, "It was just an act, at first. I just wanted to give them hope..." Then the light dies.
Corbyn turns his attacks on the adjacent thugs! His first attack kills one, then his next two kill the other!
Thrak moves up and attacks Jabbyr! His teeth and claws find purchase and he pulls down the raging gnome, killing him. As he falls the gnome reaches out toward the Emperor, their hands barely touching, looking for all the world like lovers asleep.
The three remaining thugs throw down their axes and plead loudly for mercy!
"That's what he gets for wanting us to harm those innocent animals. The rest of you need to learn a lesson. We are all members of the same group. The Queen is the only evil one here!". Pai was almost ready to fall down from the damage she had taken, but she tried to not show weakness in front of the others.
She cast Detect Magic and looked closely at the staff that the Emperor had been using. It clearly had much power contained therein.
Corbyn will begin searching the Emperor's corpse.
On the Emperor you find the ornate rod he was wielding, a magical chain shirt that appeared when he fell as the robes disappeared, a masterwork light crossbow, masterwork war razor and magical crown (headband). You also find a ring of keys and a pouch containing 27 gold.
Pai, the rod appears to be a rod of wonders, an unstable magic rod that produces various effects when it is activated!
On Jabbyr's corpse, you find magical leather armor, a magical greataxe, magical belt and magical amulet. You also find a tarnished locket that when opened, holds a portrait of a younger looking Emperor, with the notation, 'Pilts Swastel, famed actor!'
After some seconds you all realize Ruperta has not shown off. Behind the emperor's body, burned and bloodied, lies her still body, blood pouring from an axe cut in her forehead...
Paxs digs through Ruperta's backpack for her wand.
Knowledge (local)
Aid Another Knowledge Local
Spellcraft rolls
Spellcraft ornate rod
Spellcraft Chain Shirt
Spellcraft Crown (headband)
Spellcraft leather armor
Spellcraft greataxe
Spellcraft amulet
Ruperta wakes up, and smiles while looking at her friends...
"Did we won?"
She incorporates, thanks Paxs and Pai, and looks for Slumper...
The magic items are a rod of wonder, a +1 glamered chain shirt, headband of charisma +2 (crown), small +1 leather armor, small +1 greataxe and amulet of natural armor +1.
Corbyn, you recall Pilts Swastel was the owner and manager of the Exemplary Excretebles, the Old Dock playhouse. In his youth he was famed as an actor and leading man.
Laori glares at the men who surrendered and they slink off. The man who helped you here slides out from the shadows where he was hiding. "Beggin' yer pardon, ma'ams and sers, but the painter, 'e was kept in the Emperor's quarters. Through yonder door." He points toward the door to the north, looking with some sadness on the dead Emperor. "'E wasn't a bad guy, ye know. 'E cleaned up the neighborhood and kept the crime down. 'E was jes' touched, in 'is head."
Corbyn will take the keys and head toward the Emperor's room.
Before letting the thugs go Ruperta will Channel Energy to heal them, and her friends, of course, a few times.
"Maybe he wasn't bad at the start, but power can easily corrupt anyone. "
Then she gets the wand back from Paxs and cures herself once more.
Ruperta uses the wand on Slumper twice... but seeing he is still hurt she heals him one more...
"I want you fully healed, love."
hp.
She then uses her vanity mirror to check her new scar in her forehead. She smiles at Slumper.
"See? Now I have one of my own."
She reaches at Slumper scarred face, tiptoeing to gently caressing it, while looking at his eyes.
Corbyn opens the door to find a hall way that leads straight, then turns right. There are three doors, one on either side, and one at the end, where the hallway turns. Through the right hand door, Corbyn can hear muffled sounds of sobbing. Laori steps in behind you, looking curious and excited.
Pai shakes her head at the nasty cleric being happy to hear sobs. "Really Laori, how can you take pleasure from hearing something like that? Behave!"
Laori grins. "Sobs mean they're alive! I was worried Scream would be dead after I saw how mad the Emperor was!"
Corbyn will open the door, using the keys if necessary.
Ruperta uses her perl of Power to recast blessing of the Watch on her companions.
Slumper smiles at Ruperta before hastily covering himself by checking his gear and putting on the amulet from the corpse.
Headband of charisma +2 (crown)
+1 glamered chain shirt
small +1 leather armor
small +1 greataxe
Corbyn opens the door using the third key he tries. The air in this room smells sickly sweet—a combination of flowers and vinegar. The unpleasant smell likely comes from the fourteen poorly preserved heads mounted on the walls of this grisly trophy hall. Most of the heads are human, although two are elves and one is from a dwarf. To the north, a small, child-size bed sits against the wall opposite a wooden table decorated with a magnificent set of silverware.
An open door straight ahead shows an opulent bedroom. This extravagantly decorated bedroom would feel at home in the richest of noble villas or monarchs’ castles—at least, until one looks a little more closely at the sheets on the four-poster bed and notes how stained and frayed they are, or examines the tapestries and curtains and sees the patches of mold and threadbare edges. A tall, well-stocked bookcase to the south turns out to be leaning against the wall for support; the contents of its sagging shelves are poorly produced books with violent or erotic names on their mildewed spines. Everything is slightly musty, stained with age and well-beyond its prime. Only three paintings hanging on the wall hold up to closer examination, but their grisly subject matter might make them difficult to show in most public venues. To the north, a simple wooden door is secured with a lock and a heavy wooden bar.
Laori heads for the bedroom and enters, making a sound of delight at the paintings. The sobbing, meanwhile, has stopped, but seemed to be coming from the heavily locked door.
"What kind of horrible city do we live in," Pai asked, thinking of all the horrors she had seen over the last few weeks. "Has everyone here lost their minds?"
Corbyn will proceed to the heavily locked door and try the keys.
"Desperate people sometimes lose their path. But we will help them to get back, and dream for a better future. We will need to dispose of the heads. None deserves to end like a trophy"
Corbyn has to undo multiple locks before the door opens into a small room. The air in this room is an unpleasant mix of body odor and paint. A lumpy straw mattress lies on the floor in one corner of the room, partially covered by a few blankets, while in the other stands a large easel on which rests a nearly completed painting of immense fiends attacking a village.
A thin, pale man in torn painters' clothes huddles in the corner. As soon as he sees who is coming in, he cries out in relief and joy and nearly tackles Corbyn, alternately crying and thanking him for rescuing him. He breaks down as he realizes the Emperor isn't with you, and seems genuinely relieved.
"Are you the painter Scream? We are here to rescue you!"
And find out where Vencarlo is!
Ruperta will check if he needs healing.
"You are safe now, we are friends."
Scream is malnourished, clearly has been abused and is so grateful that he's going to need some time before he can respond coherently. Laori is still admiring the paintings in the other room, ooing and ahhhing over them.
Ruperta gives him something to eat, and tries to confort him.
Corbyn will begin searching the rooms.
Pai scans the room with her enhanced vision, looking for anything else magical in the surrounding area of the room. She follows Corbyn, helping him, as the others were dealing with Scream.
It takes Scream a few minutes to calm down, but eventually he begins to talk. "Orsini came to see me, yes. He was furious. Yelling and screaming and fuming. You see, Neolandus Kalepopolis, the Seneschal of Korvosa, is a friend and patron. We met at an exhibit opening and stayed in touch. Neolandus has very few people he can confide in, and we became close. On the night the King was killed, he showed up on my doorstep, feverish and bloodied. He claimed "they" were after him and he needed a place to hide. I tended his wounds as best I could, then I contacted my patrons, the Arkona family. I took Neolandus to their compound, because I figured they could heal him and keep him safe. That was the last I heard from him. Then, suddenly a few nights ago, Orsini shows up, asking for Neolandus. I told him where I'd taken him and he went ape-sh!t! Screaming and yelling and telling me I was a fool. I told him to get out and he left, still screaming. Then the thugs came in that night, knocked me out and dragged me here! That madman, Swastel kept raving about building an artist's colony and he wouldn't let me leave. His thug gnome would beat me if I even suggested he was mad! But thank the muses you're here! And I can finally go free!"
Laori pops in, the three paintings under her arm. She coos at seeing a new painting, but within seconds, she frowns. "What happened? Why is this one so uninspired?" Scream bows his head. "I've lost my muse. I cannot paint as I did. It's gone!" He begins to wail with grief and buries his head in his hands. Laori frowns and makes a tsk tsk noise.
"So, do you think Orsini went looking for Neolandus? To the Arkona family? Can you give us directions to get there?"