Irwen Bot
Irwen draws her shortbow and steps out to get a clear shot.
The arrow sails past the creature.
Round 1
The strange goblin wolf bounds across the cavern ignoring the arrow fire from Irwen. Reaching Nik'olo, it lunges headfirst snapping with it's toothy goblinoid mouth to bite the man.
Round 2
Barghest (bit nik'olo)
Nik'olo <<<<
Morrigan <<<<
Momo <<<<
Alfen <<<<
Irwen <<<<
As the barghest closes, Nik'olo stabs at it with his spear.
The spear aims true, but the barghest slips out of this reality a split second before, and Nik'olo catches nothing but air!
Bit badly, he shuffles back and wonders if they should retreat...
Morrigan hisses softly as she sees the creature tear into the human in front of her. She leans forward to touch him on the back. For the briefest of instants, her eyes seem to glow a deep green as healing energy pours from her fingertips into the man.
"Retreat back to the market and the guards."
Maybe it will be smart enough to know that it will be risky to attack us there.
So saying, Morrigan begins to step back the way they came.
Alfen nods at Morrigan's demand. "There's no way we can beat something we can't see!" And hopefully it doesn't try to rip the throat out of everyone there.
In an act of desperation, Alfen shouts another incantation as the creature appears again, causing a bright burst of light in front of what Alfen hoped were functioning eyes.
Standard Action: Momo is grateful for Alfen’s Dancing Lights. Momo takes out another arrow, aims, and shoots towards their enemy.
Move Action: Hearing Morrigan, Momo backs up, following Morrigan back towards the market.
Free Action: Momo's ears bend back, ”M-Morrigan?” Momo isn't sure if she should fight or run away.
Irwen Bot:
Irwen dexterously maneuvers into position behind the creature opposite Nik'olo, andtries to snap it's neck.
Irwen feels some sort of magical resistance absorbing part of her damage. This thing is tough.
"Morrigan is right. Retreat!"
Round 3:
The creature bites Nik'olo again, then it turns it's back on Nik'olo, whirling on Irwen ferociously. It lays into her with it's claws.
Already on her way back towards the Black Market, Morrigan sees the troop of off duty Kobold guards coming this way.
"Aargh! Right then! Move back! BACK!" shouts Nik'olo as he makes for the tunnel.
Round 3:
"Hurry!" Morrigan yells, though perhaps it is not immediately apparent whether she is yelling it to the oncoming Kobolds or to her companions. Probably both. "And be wary - that thing can teleport itself if it chooses!"
She turns briefly and glares malevolently at the beast. I hate dogs... She glares, and the air immediately about her seems to darken a tiny bit. If looks could kill...
Then she turns and, skirts bunched in one hand, trots towards the kobolds another 20 feet.
Momo winces, imagining the pain her companions must feel. She feels the need to take another shot at the creature causing her beloved friends harm.
Standard Action: Momo retrieves another arrow, aims, and shoots towards their enemy.
Move Action: Hearing Morrigan and Irwen, Momo continues to back, following Morrigan and towards the kobolds.
Free Action: Momo assures Morrigan: ”I'm following!”
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Morrigan reaches the kobolds. "We remember you. You helped when our kin was being beaten. We will drive this creature off with firebombs. Get your friends out of the way!"
Irwen stumbles back away from the creature, fists up in a defensive posture.
As she catches up with Momo, Irwen struggles to speak, coughing up blood as she wheezes. "Momo... I saw a necklace... around it's neck... same 9 pointed star as those thugs in the back alley... it must be... a cloven nine assassin..."
Alfen curses himself after the failed Flare and quickly runs after everyone else following the kobolds' command. He grimaces as Irwen begins coughing up blood. "Give me a moment to catch my breath, and I can heal you and Nik'olo," he says, panting.
As Alfen withdraws behind the line of kobolds, the brave little guards advance in unison and hurl alchemical flasks that burst into flames when they strike, engulfing the creature in flames. When the flames die down the creature is gone, vanished.
The kobolds turn to Morrigan, hopefully. "I guess we burned it up?"
Morrigan looks doubtful as she surveys the carnage - or rather, the lack thereof.
"No, I do not think so my friends. Keep on guard, watch one another's backs. It may have gone away, or it may be waiting. Those hounds are very tricksy. Thank you very much." She says, finishing with genuine gratitude and a rare smile for the group of would-be saviors.
She looks at her own companions to make sure they heard and understood her warning, and, seeing the state Irwin is in, moves over to her and repeats the odd little ritual she had used with Ni'kolo as she attempts to do something about the other woman's wounds.
[ooc]Healing Hex
Seeing that Irwen is being taken care of by Morrigan, Alfen rushes over to Nik'olo. "Here, hold still," he says as he places a paw on the injured man.
He turns to the kobolds, a relieved grin on his face. "Yes, thank you," he says. "We were dead meat out there." He glances at the others. "Anyone have any idea what that thing was?" Alfen shudders slightly, remembering how hopeless it felt trying to fight off the monster. "You say it was an assassin?" he asks Irwen.
"Perfect Alfen, thanks. And thanks for your help guys!" says Nik'olo first to His companion, then to the Kobold squad.
"Let's head back to where it is more crowded, better lighted, 'cause this thing can fight!" warns Nik'olo, his rasping voice giving his words added gravity.
The kobolds turn to Morrigan, hopefully. "I guess we burned it up?"
"No, I do not think so my friends. Keep on guard, watch one another's backs. It may have gone away, or it may be waiting. Those hounds are very tricksy. Thank you very much." She says, finishing with genuine gratitude and a rare smile for the group of would-be saviors.
Morrigan likes them and they saved us. They must be good. Momo turns large eyes to look at the kobolds, ”You all were so brave!” Momo approaches the kobolds for a sniff. Her nostrils flare as she smells the air around them. ”I am Momo. I will remember you.” Momo tilts her head. ”Remember us too?” She says it like she’s asking a question even though it’s a request.
-------
Alfen shudders slightly, remembering how hopeless it felt trying to fight off the monster. "You say it was an assassin?" he asks Irwen.
"Let's head back to where it is more crowded, better lighted, 'cause this thing can fight!" warns Nik'olo, his rasping voice giving his words added gravity.
Momo glances around as they walk.
Once the kobolds are out of earshot, Momo looks at her companions. ”Friends?” Momo’s ears twitch. ”That creature – goblin werewolf – smells like the Cloven Nine goblin. Was it the same creature?” Momo’s ear twitch again. ”He was the one talking to the tiefling. He sounded like he was their leader.”
Alfen's face falls. "So the Cloven Nine know where we are." So much for being secretive. I wonder if they have spies down here who heard us talking to Radu. Alfen shakes his head rubs his forehead in frustration.
"There must be another way out of here, right?" he asks no one in particular. With no sign of the beast after being doused in flames, Alfen doesn't feel safe trying to go back the same way.
Alfen's face falls. "So the Cloven Nine know where we are." So much for being secretive. I wonder if they have spies down here who heard us talking to Radu. Alfen shakes his head rubs his forehead in frustration.
"There must be another way out of here, right?" he asks no one in particular. With no sign of the beast after being doused in flames, Alfen doesn't feel safe trying to go back the same way.
"Wait. Alfen, what makes you think the Nine know where we are?" asks Nik'olo, suddenly worried.
"Well if that was the goblin that Momo saw, it either knew we were here and ambushed us or ran into us by chance." Alfen frowns. "And if it did manage to run off like Morrigan said, it definitely knows we're here now."
Nik'olo turns to Momo: "You think it was the Goblin? The same?"
"It could well be the same. The creature was a Barghest. It is related in some way to goblin kind, and can appear as one if it so chooses."
Momo nods vehemently at Morrigan's words. "It- He smelled the same! The same!" Momo seems excited at the realization. Her ears, perky again, twitch and her nose flares.
The kobolds go poking down the tunnels a little ways. "If that thing is still out there you should arm yourself with some of these firebombs if you can afford them. They seemed to work well. Otherwise if you have a tracker among you maybe you could take an alternate route through the tunnels to avoid the beast."
Momo looks startled and quickly turns to face the kobold who approached the group once more. Momo sniffs the kobold.
If the kobold smells like a kobold (or if Momo can't tell), Momo asks "Alternative route? Can you guide us to the Old Stross Bathhouse? We can pay you for safe passage through the tunnels," Momo offers. Momo starts to get out her coin purse, although she isn't sure how much a guide costs. She pulls out a gold coin. Is this a lot or a little? Momo looks like she’s thinking as she stares at the coin. The whole concept of money is rather unfamiliar to Momo.
If the kobold doesn't smell like the kobold, Momo asks "Who are you?" Momo tilts her head while asking the question.
The kobolds smell legit. "We are from the kobold city of Lillefor. We know these tunnels but we have not been up to Zobeck. We are on our way now to the guard barracks where we stay while we work here in the Black Market. Those tunnels over there go to Zobeck and there are multiple paths. If you knew which way the creature went you could choose a different path and avoid the creature. But for that you would need a skilled tracker. We can not go with you. We have to get back to the barracks and sleep before our next shift at the Black Market gate."
"Well, that's too bad. We thank you for your help! Without you, who knows where this would have gone... Could you however sell us some of your alchemical fire?"
Once the Kobolds have left, Nik'olo turns to his companions. With a voice like a fork on porcelain, he comments: "What a terrible foe! Surely he would have made short work of us. We were caught off guard and he was prepared. Perhaps now is our chance to turn the tables? Do we know what power such creature has? And how often it can make use of them? We must know if these powers are limited. Surely it spent itself! If so, we should perhaps track it before it can gather its strength. Momo, you think you could track it?"
But before Momo can slice a word in, he is back at it, eyes wide: "It must have heard where we were headed! By the low gods! How careless we were with our words! I fear the worst. We must hurry!"
If only I had more time to prepare!
"Give me a minute!" he blurts out and takes a few step back from the group and sits on the cold floor, getting his formula book out and mixing ingredients.
Alfen balks at Nik'olo's words. "You want to go back after it!?" he asks incredulously. "That thing almost killed us! Even with the fire the kobolds used, how can we be sure that'll give us the edge we need?"
Alfen looks to the others to get a sense as to how the others feel. "If it knows where we're going then we should hurry and try to beat it there."
Morrigan knows that the creature can blink at will... but the crushing despair only works once a day, as does the teleportation.
The kobolds do a quick count of their alchemist's fires. "We can sell five," they proclaim. "20 gold pieces each."
With a voice like a fork on porcelain, he comments: "What a terrible foe! Surely he would have made short work of us. We were caught off guard and he was prepared. Perhaps now is our chance to turn the tables? Do we know what power such creature has? And how often it can make use of them? We must know if these powers are limited. Surely it spent itself! If so, we should perhaps track it before it can gather its strength. Momo, you think you could track it?"
Momo winces, pulls back her ears, and sinks her head into her shoulders. His voice is so jagged sounding on my hearing. The longer Nik’olo talks, the more obvious Momo’s symptoms become. Momo opens her mouth to speak but is cut off by Nik’olo’s rough voice.
But before Momo can slice a word in, he is back at it, eyes wide: "It must have heard where we were headed! By the low gods! How careless we were with our words! I fear the worst. We must hurry!"
If only I had more time to prepare!
"Give me a minute!" he blurts out and takes a few step back from the group and sits on the cold floor, getting his formula book out and mixing ingredients.
While Alfen talks, Momo watches Nik’olo like the curious catfolk she is. Momo tilts her head and crouches next to Nik’olo, invading his personal space. She bends her head to sniff the ingredients Nik’olo is mixing but promptly stands back up and turns away to sneeze. Too close. Facing a wall Momo lets forth a ”choo” and doesn’t cover her face. Momo wipes her nose on her traveling cloak and lifts her nose to the air.
Where did the goblin werewolf go? Momo does a little circle from where she stands. Then, Momo moves to another part of the tunnel and flares her nostrils to sniff. Her sniffing makes a wet hiff hiff noise, her nose lubricated from the sneeze.
Momo also examines the ground, looking for traces of the werewolf goblins claws. "Do you mind shining a light on the ground for me?" Momo doesn't direct the question to anyone in particular but she tries to make eye contact with Alfen and Irwen.
Goblin werewolf, goblin werewolf, goblin werewolf, weregoblin... Momo looks up from her tracking for a brief moment, what do they call themselves anyway?
Morrigan knows that the creature can blink at will... but the crushing despair only works once a day, as does the teleportation.
Morrigan shares this information with the others, adding her opinion that "It will still be every bit as difficult for us to hit it."
Down one of the tunnel ways a bit Momo picks up the scent of the creature. This must be where he teleported to. From there she finds a tuft of burned fur, a stain of blood... she can see which way the creature headed. It is the same way the group came on their way down from Zobeck. The creature must be retreating to lick it's wounds and set another ambush.
Another tunnel forks off and goes a different way. Momo thinks she could navigate an alternate route back up to Zobeck using the second tunnel.
"Guys, I think I can get us to the surface of Zobeck. And I think he retreated to heal and plan another ambush." Momo tilts her head, "Are we ready to move to Zobeck's surface?"
Momo bounces around Morrigan and twitches her ears. "Let's go, let's go!" Momo bounds over to Nik'olo and circles around him next. "Ready? Ready? Come! This way! This way!" Momo is excited to have picked up on an alternate trail that leads to the surface.
-----
Momo spends her time sniffing the air curiously as she leads the group along the alternate route. She pretends that she's sneaking up on prey as she moves, occasionally pouncing or hopping to a wall and twitching her ears. Momo is practicing her hunting; trying to stay discreet. Momo sniffs, Is there a rabbit hole down here?
Nik'olo nods. His companions were right after all. The whole idea was foolish.
And yet... thinks the bravo, often biting the wrong fruit...
He rushes after Momo, hoping the surface is near.
Shoot! Now I've got little to nothing to buy the books!
"Hum, I wonder if I could borrow some money. I need to buy a few books, you see? Black. Books. Hm?"
"Hum, I wonder if I could borrow some money. I need to buy a few books, you see? Black. Books. Hm?"
Momo tilts her head, "Money?" Momo reaches into the place where she keeps her money and opens the pouch so Nik'olo can look inside. Inside the leather pouch, Nik'olo sees 16pp She holds the bag open for Nik'olo to stick his hand inside and take some coin. Momo watches Nik'olo's hand with her large green cat-eyes. Momo's ears twitch with interest. He seems to know a lot about money. I wonder why he doesn't have more of it.
After Nik'olo removes some coins, Momo tightens the leather strap and ties the pouch closed. Momo returns the pouch to her person, hidden under her traveling cloak. "Books then Bathhouse?" Momo takes a step back to look up at Nik'olo before flitting over to Morrigan, positioning herself loyally near Morrigan's side.
72gp spent = 17pp, 8gp
+14gp Gameplay Post#242 = 17pp, 22gp
-32gp Discussion Post#158 = 16pp, 0gp
______ Nik'olo borrowing =
Initial Buy:
10gp | Leather armor
30gp | Shortbow
01gp | Arrows
02gp | Dagger 1
02gp | Dagger 2
02gp | Backpack
01gp | Arrows
01gp | Waterskin
01gp | Flint and steel
08gp | Ink
08gp | Diary
05gp | Artisan’s Tools
01gp | Miscellaneous sp and cp items
Total: -72gp
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Nik'olo tries to keep his eyes from bulging as he takes in the wealth Momo carries with her: "Two pieces should be enough..." he says, controlling the impulse to take more, lots more...
"Books then Bathhouse. I'll make it quick. I know just the place to go."
Nik'olo gets three black handwritten books of different sizes that could pass for 'Dirty Secrets of the Blue House' types of books. If needed, he'll massage them best he can on their way there. He keeps them separate in his bag, with one easily in sight should a miscreant look inside the bag.
He hopes he can use those books to fool their many pursuers, should they become aggressive...
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Alfen breathes a sigh of relief as they head to the surface and not toward the monster. He knows he wouldn't have won that argument if Nik'olo decided to stand his ground on facing it again.
Thank the gods he saw reason.
Nik'olo tries to keep his eyes from bulging as he takes in the wealth Momo carries with her: "Two pieces should be enough..." he says, controlling the impulse to take more, lots more...
Alfen glances over curiously, wondering just how much money Momo brought with her to Zobeck. In another life, she could've been an easy mark for him and his friends. As the group stops for books, he quietly warns Momo, "Be careful not to advertise how much money you have when we're around others. There are plenty of thieves in Zobeck."
Alfen grins as Nik'olo purchases the three books. It was a wonderful plan. Hopefully it worked on anyone else who came after them.
Equipped with the fake books, the party heads on to the Old Stross Bathhouse.
The bathhouse has two floors. The street level houses the entrance, while the bulk of the structure lies belowground, sprawling out beneath the wide street before it. The underground space consists of several chambers containing mineral baths, plunge pools, a massage parlor, several lounging areas, and a gymnasium.
The clerk seated at the entry hall’s front desk notes that policy prohibits weapons and armor within the bathhouse. He points to lockers along the walls and says everyone needs to stow their gear or go away. Two large warriors wearing the city’s livery monitor the entrance.
"Didn't I tell you ti was marvelous? Look at that! The Stross sure knew how to spend their subjects' gold!" Nik'olo says, in particular to Momo, his arm unveiling the splendid building.
In the hall, he stows his equipment, trusting the city's policy to protect them from harm.
I wonder, the goblin thing can look like he's not armed...
Returning with scant nothing to the hall, he asks: "Say, have you seen a Goblin come in the last hour or so?"
"A goblin? Ho, ho, no we would remember that!"
Once all weapons and equipment are stored in the lockers it is possible to explore further into the bathhouse. You quickly realize there must be changing rooms inside somewhere because the patrons you encounter in the terrace are wearing nothing but towels. Spiral stairs descend to the great-bath below.
"Could you come and let me know if you see one trying to enter? Now, it is our first time here, and we're supposed to meet someone to give her a message. Her name is Ilyana and her friends Radu sent us. Is there a good way to find her? Perhaps you know her actually." asks Nik'olo, hoping to see a reaction.
Alfen reluctantly deposits his equipment into one of the lockers, not wanting to part with his instrument. He listens to Nik'olo's conversation with the clerk, not wholly convinced they can trust an eyewitness on something that blinks in and out of existence.
Not much point in worrying though, he thinks as he looks at the guards standing nearby. Hopefully they can handle anything that might come through.
As they walk through the entrance, Alfen looks around for anyone resembling the tiefling woman.
The receptionist winks. "I don't know her name but there has been a tiefling girl around. If a goblin comes in I will ring a bell."
Nik'olo feels the receptionist can be trusted, having been won over by his personality.
Beyond the entry hall is the covered portico of the terrace overlooking the great bath below. The pool itself is open to the night sky. Reclining chairs sit unoccupied, most likely used for sunbathing in the daylight hours. A few patrons in towels stand conversing but the air is brisk.
After putting her things away into the locker, Morrigan surveys their new surroundings with a raised eyebrow. The sight of so many people walking around half-naked was a little... different, but she takes it in stride.
Like Alfen, she keeps her eyes peeled for any tiefling women.