"Got a few nicks, but I'll survive," Antona replies.
Victrix lets Antona go and looks at the burning building. "...I don't suppose there's any buckets around here? Or that maybe Kip can handle this?"
Ema was relieved to see that the stalkers had been taken down but was still worried for her apprentice Medrinnah. She said to the others, "I need to go check on Medrinnah, I imagine she is with our strix guests. " She looked to Antona and asked, "Do you know where they would be?"
Kip conjures water several times in quick succession. Fortunately, the building is small, and he is able to douse the flames in a minute or two. Though some of the structure has been damaged, it seems you acted quickly enough to save the food.
"I think I saw Medrinnah and the strix when all of the craziness started happening," Antona says. "They were with Carver Hastings, headed towards the government building."
Sighra's face shows her obvious concern for her daughter's safety.
"Soldiers, with me," Ramona says. "We need to link up with Eamon and Kurvis to fight off these monsters and tend to the wounded. You guys, head to the government building and make sure the people there are safe."
Victrix nods and readies her machete before downing a potion...
...and hurrying off to the government building.
Hearing where her apprentice could be found Ema began to move quickly towards the government building sending the archon ahead of her. She knew it wouldn't likely last much longer as it went so she consumed another spell with a flash of her eyes as she went.
When they arrived Ema looked around and waited for the lantern to come back to her and listened to what it had to report on the situation as everyone arrived.
You head towards the government building but don't make it far. Riotous voices rise from two groups of colonists that are standing on opposite sides of the street. Harcourt Carrolby leads the first group, accompanied by farmer Faedwyr Trundlebrook and soldiers Antona Sedgewick and Sighra Harleau. Blacksmith Luetin Calewick leads the second group, joined by carpenter Gaege Murani, farmer Saymor Landis, and weaver Eskelda Teredein.
"Surrender, vile shapechangers!" Harcourt shouts, brandishing his longsword. "I'll not let you defile our home any further!"
"Yeah, right! We ain't falling for your tricks no more!" Luetin sneers, hefting his warhammer. "You're the shapechangers! The second we let our guard down, you guys go all prune-faced and try to drink our blood! Put down your weapons or we'll smash your heads in!"
The tension in the air is palpable, and it looks like this altercation could devolve into a fight at any moment.
Victrix stops cold when she sees the confrontation.
...Antona? Wait--that can't be her. She was fighting those shapeshifters only a minute ago with me.
...although, I wonder if I could convince that one to--NO. NOT NOW. THE COLONY'S BEING ATTACKED.
"Hold up, everyone!" She calls out. "No need for this to devolve to a fight just yet. I believe I know which side is the enemy here."
"I know, too. It's his side!" Harcourt says accusingly.
"No way, it's your side, pretty boy!" Leutin shouts back.
Both sides devolve into arguing again, ignoring Victrix's attempts to defuse the situation. Simon is unable to get a good sense of who might be telling the truth or not.
Ema didn't want to deal with this mess right now, she wanted to make sure her apprentice was alright and then check on Perrell and Carver. Deciding that she had to calm this down first Ema said, "Enough!" She reached into her pack and took out a trail ration, "Here, one at a time, step forward and take a bite of the ration."
Ema looked to the blacksmith, "Would you step forward first please Luetin? Show them all that you are the man I know you to be." She stepped forward, the bit of ration held out for him to try. As she did the Lantern archon continued towards the government building to check on the people there and come back to her with any information it could glean.
...right. I should've been more specific.
"Form a line, folks. No pushing, no fighting--this'll sort everything out in a jiffy."
"Yeah, I ain't afraid. Give me a bite, sugar," Luetin says. He wolfs down the ration with no ill effects.
"Hmph. Now to prove my own identity," Harcourt says. He, too, eats the food.
The others quickly follow their lead, and soon it is clear that none of them are faceless aberrations. The colonists on both sides mutter apologies.
"Very well," Harcourt says. "How can we assist you?"
"Yeah, point us to the real monsters and we'll smash 'em good," Luetin says.
Meanwhile, the lantern archon returns to report to Ema. "There are several people in the building. Some look like they are tied up with rope. Others are waiting around them holding swords. I sensed that those people are evil!"
"...they've taken hostages?" Victrix glares in the direction of the government building before slinging back another healing potion.
"Wait just a moment. Ema, can you ask your friend if all of the people are evil inside, or just the ones that are holding the swords? Also, we just left Ramona with Antona and Sighra. If you two are here and not shapeshifty beasties, then who's with Ramona right now???"
While they discussed, Kip also took a moment to heal and cast some protective wards.
"If we want to go in through the window, I can make someone fly. Maybe Vicki, and she can carry up Simon?"
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Simon will take his extract of Heightened Awareness.
Then, after the archon responds about whether the tied up people are evil, he will ask the party to wait outside the next building while he sneaks up to a side window to get a better tactical layout of what is occurring inside.
Lady Luck, stay with me
Emma was greatly relieved that her plan worked but it was brought down by the knowledge that someone had taken hostages. She questioned the lantern-like being and asked if it could clarify for her which were evil and which were not. She knew it couldn't identify people who leaned towards good or were more balanced between the two but every bit of information would help.
The archon clarifies that the people holding the swords are evil, not the hostages. They are on the first floor of the building.
Simon sneaks up to the side window of the government building and looks inside. He can see Medrinnah, Tesswyn, Oorka and Kalikk are tied up in the middle of the main hall. Four other colonists stand around the edge of the room, holding longswords in one hand and flasks of alchemist's fire in the other. Carver Hastings crouches behind the podium at the head of the room, crossbow drawn and narrowed eyes fixed on the open front doors. Nobody in the room notices Simon peeking in.
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Returning to the group, Simon quietly relays what he has seen.
"Since Carver has a different weapon, I suspect that he is the real Carver, but we can't tell. Try not to turn your back on him until we have proof.
They are all standing around waiting, and the front door is wide open. That means that there is likely some kind of trap set, though I can't determine that without probably alerting them.
Going in through the second floor is probably a good plan. Kitt, I think your flying spell is a good idea. Definitely use it on Victrix unless she simply wants to change form into something with wings.
If so, then use it on me. I can carry you up, and Victrix can carry Ema. Once upstairs, we are going to need to engage them quickly.
Kip, you'll need to be ready to douse the fires they are planning to set.
I will try to free Kalikk as fast as possible.
Ema, I trust your judgement to figure out best to help as the situation dictates."
Simon look at each person.
"OK, tell me how my plan is flawed, because this sounds crazy."
Seeing a need for something different to deal with this Ema said, "You said there was alchemist fire right? I think I can deal with at least some of it but I will need to remain down here to better direct my creatures. I will wait until you have them distracted before peaking in to place any additional summons I need to make."
Ema opened a small gate and said, "Thanks, Lumos, you've been a big help. I have need of some different creatures for now but I'll see you again." The lantern bobbed in understanding and slipped through the gate as Ema's eyes flashed once again consuming a spell. Then Ema focused her mind and prepared to tear open another.
small aether elemental
Ema ripped open a gate and out came...nothing?! She looked at where the gate had been and began speaking to the three invisible presences explaining what she wanted them to do for her and then watched as best as she could while they infiltrated the position and got into place.
Turning to her friends Ema said, "There, they are getting into position to catch as many of the fire flasks as they can. they will focus on the ones furthest from the stairs so if you can drop the one closest to them we may be able to stop all the fires. If not they will bring the fire outside and I'll call up a water elemental to deal with any remaining fires."
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Simon nods appreciatively to Ema. "That sounds like an excellent plan. Just stay away from the doorway until we have a chance to examine it."
Gripping Kip's shoulder, Simon replans his own involvement. "So, Victrix and I rush in and engage the beasts by the stairs and Ema and her summons try to block the fire damage.
Kip, you are going to need to free Kalikk first and deliver a weapon to her. Here, give her my magical spear."
With a smile to Victrix, he grips Kip's waist and waits to try out his first ever flight.
Victrix prepares to take flight up to the second floor of the building.
As you reach the government house, Ema waits out of line of sight from the open doors. Kip casts a spell on Victrix, who lifts Simon up and flies up to the second floor window. Kip clambers up the side of the wall and pushes the shutters open, then all three step onto the balcony overlooking the first floor below.
The four sword-wielding colonists look up as they arrive, emitting hideous shrieks as their faces peel back to reveal them for the faceless stalkers they are!
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Taking advantage of the momentary surprise, Simon darts through the room to get close to the nearest stalker.
Seeing only four stalkers, and remembering that Ema summonned three elementals makes him hopeful that taking this one down quickly might help eliminate any fire risk.
Quickly he tries to coordinate with Carver, hoping he speaks Azlanti.
Drawing his sword as he moves, he studies the nearest Stalker and slashes at it.
Ema, hearing what was happening, knew what that sound meant. Still she kept quiet and waited until she needed to act. Her invisible allies, meanwhile, prepared to snatch at any thrown alchemist fire.
As Simon moves past the stalkers, they react swiftly, arms stretching out to slash at him with their swords. His shield spell barely deflects their attacks! He tries to retaliate, but his own sword scrapes off his foe's rugose skin.
All four stalkers turn towards the corners of the government building to hurl their flasks of alchemist's fire. Ema's elementals manage to catch two of them with their telekinesis, but the other two shatter against the walls, setting the building ablaze!
Carver nods at Simon, dropping his crossbow and drawing his sword as he leaps over the podium. But then he turns on the half-orc, trying to stab him in the back! Once more Simon's shield keeps him safe from harm. "This all would have been easier if I'd just killed you first. Live and learn," Carver laments. The flesh of his face peels back as the faceless stalker that was impersonating the bard reveals its true form!
Medrinnah and the strix scream against the gags in their mouths and struggle to try to escape the ropes binding them!
Ema was annoyed at the fact two vials shattered but she decided that two out of three was pretty good. Her invisible companions , flask or no, suddenly flung loose objects at the faceless stalker furthest from the stairs before leaving the building with the flasks.
Their mission accomplished Ema took the flasks from the two and then tore open a portal to let them return home. She needed something different to take care of the fires.
Simon's sword strikes leave the stalker near him badly bloodied, though it still stands.
Ema's elementals batter the far stalker with flying chairs, though the bludgeoning attacks are blunted somewhat by the monster's rubbery body.
The stalker Simon is attacking falters as the half-orc's sword slices deep into its body. It still manages to release its flask of alchemist's fire, collapsing to the floor even as the liquid sets the building ablaze.
Smelling the telltale scent of burning wood, Victrix throws herself into a battle frenzy and comes swooping down the stairs, above the growing fire in the building's corner. She alights behind the stalker leader and starts swinging like a madwoman.
The stalker leader dodges Victrix's wild swing. Simon manages to cut Kalikk free. The strix nods in thanks, then grabs the dagger and stabs at the stalker near her with a shriek, though she doesn't hit. Kip conjures a torrent of water to extinguish one of the fires.
The remaining fire begins to spread, growing to the west.
Unfortunately, Ema seems to have recalled her elementals too soon. The three remaining stalkers grab more alchemist's fire from their belts and shatter the flasks against the walls and floor, seemingly intent on burning down the government house even if they burn with it!
Not!Carver growls angrily as he attacks Simon again. "Do you know how nauseating it was to have to remain in that human form for so long? I don't care what my master's orders are any more. I just want to see you all dead!" His sword slices deep into the half-orc's side, leaving a deep, bleeding wound!
Victrix chops twice again!
Ema realized her mistake quickly and wished she'd thought of them having more than one flask. With desperation she focused and tore open a new gate. It must have been Not-Carver's statement that threw her off and her gate snapped shut after only one being could come through. What appeared was nothing less than a living wave, a very unhappy living wave that found itself in a suddenly wet scorched area...on dry land! It burbled an agitated sounding comment at Ema who responded in the same language apologetically and asked it to start dousing the fires. With one patch already out the elemental began to make it's way towards the next one.
Not!Carver turns back to Victrix and parries both of her swings, knocking her axe aside with his longsword. The distraction gives Simon the opportunity to slice Oorka free of her bonds. The young strix quickly casts a spell defensively and touches the half-orc's wounds before he steps away, stopping the bleeding. "Stay strong! Fight bravely!" she encourages. Kip douses another patch of flames even as Ema's summoned elemental does likewise. Kalikk slashes at the stalker near her again, just missing her foe.
The flames continue to crackle and burn, but the fire fortunately does not spread any further at the moment.
"With me!" the false Carver states as he steps up against the wall. The nearby faceless stalker moves to flank Victrix and both slash out at her. Not!Stalker scores a powerful slice across Victrix's belly. The other two attack Kalikk, bringing down the strix ranger with a brutal assault!
The elemental, continuing is slow movement, headed towards the second patch of fire as fast as it could while Ema stepped in to see what she could do to help. It was then that she truly registered the horror of what Not-Carver had said. She stood there, staring at the thing she had entrusted her apprentice to, that she slept with, and felt her whole body convulse in sudden nausea.
Ema couldn't hold herself back though and moved to the wall, leaning against it, as she began to lose the contents of her stomach. She felt something else, another wave of something come across her mind as something tugged at her lost memories making this familiar to her. Ema could feel herself begin to get pulled into one again and knew she couldn't afford it.
Unfortunately it wasn't to be as she leaned against the wall in distress and remembered.
Emalliandra stared on as her lover, the woman she'd fallen for this time and who should have been fleeing with her freedom and life intact, was approaching her in a seductive gate. Emmie just couldn't understand was had happening as Anna reached her and leaned down as she began to gloat, "Oh so gullible my love." She leaned forward to put her face next to Ema's ear as she whispered, "Didn't it ever strike you as odd that I never ate anything Emmie?"
The figure that was Anna moved her head once more as she pressed her lips firmly against Emmie's and began to kiss her passionately while squeezing one of Emmie's breasts firmly. Normally this would have led to other things but the creatures holding her down and the surrealness of it all kept Emmie from feeling any arousal. Even worse was that Anna began to change as they kissed, her face changing to the faceless orb of a stalker and it's tongue continued to press into her mouth in a monstrous imitation of a kiss as it cut her and began drinking the blood from inside of her mouth.
Emmie tried to scream in horror at the violation but it only egged the creatures on. Finally it withdrew it's tongue from her mouth and said, "Time to have some fun with this one, as much as I loathe human copulation she's a tiger in the bed." It's voice took on sadistic glee as it said, "We should all experience her before we return her to the Master, just remember, she leaves here alive or you don't!" Emmie could only scream as the things converged on her and the memory mercifully ended.
Victrix takes the blows, and heedless of her bleeding body, steps to the side and resumes her wild assault!
Kip casts a healing spell before hopping down from the balcony behind Victrix. His tongue touches her back, infusing her with positive energy that mends her wounds and stops her bleeding.
Ema's elemental douses another bit of flames as the arcanist is momentarily overcome with crippling nausea.
Oorka quickly flies out of the building, dodging an attack of opportunity from the nearby faceless stalker.
Simon and Victrix focus their attacks on Not!Carver. The powerful shapechanger parries some of their attacks, but the barbarian finally manages a good hit, drawing blood from her foe!
The fire spreads along the east wall of the building, setting a large portion of the structure ablaze.
"Kill that woman!" Not!Carver commands. All of the stalkers converge on Victrix, one flanking her with their leader. That one slashes the aasimar with its sword, and while she fends off most of the others' attacks, the leader grabs her by the throat, crushing her windpipe. Pulling Victrix into a grapple, he jams his tongues into her neck, draining her blood!
Ema's elemenetal, another patch of fire down, continued to make it's way towards the next patch. It seemed almost happy, even though it was on dry land, as it got to destroy it's hated enemy fire.
Ema, meanwhile, snapped back from her memory and stood up straight. She turned to face the cursed stalkers and there was a look of hatred like none that ahd been seen on her face before. She wanted very much to kill the stalkers in the most brutal way possible, especially Not-Carver, but she had her priorities. She reached Medrinah's sighed, took hold of the young woman, and began to pull her towards the door.