"Sara has it." Melodie agress. "Tactically I agree, it's not the way we should do it - but we haven't been building this much support in Meratt to sneak in the backdoor. If anything we should call him out, stand in front of the palace and demand that he face us. He won't exactly have many people to hide behind by now..."
She looks from one to the other, coming lastly to Zhi.
"I say front door. We are in the right and we know it!"
"The front door it is then," Zhi says with a sigh. "I don't believe for a moment that he's just going to walk away or even come out to face us."
She shakes her head.
"As arrogant as he is, we're going to have to go in and dig him out."
"We should make tonight special," Zhi says looking up at Melodie from where she rests against the changling's chest.
Her finger draws circles on Melodie's stomach.
"Once we kick the Count out of the palace, we might not be here much longer. I doubt there will be a lot of work for us do for the Princess here in Meratt. She'll probably send us back to Oppara. Hopefully we'll be able to stay with your parents for a time at least."
She rises up on her elbow.
"I don't have my flat anymore and even if I did, there's no way I'd take you there - it was a hole."
Her finger traces up and begins tracing its circles on Mel's breast.
"Would we have as nice a room there as here?" she continues with a smirk. "Hopefully far away from your parent's room so we can make a lot of noise?"
The circles spiral in to the rising nub and she playfully gives it a pinch.
"When my brother hit his teenage years it wasn't 'suitable' for him to have rooms right next door to Mother and Father. Only 'babies' needed that. So he moved across the house and onto a different floor."
Her eyes go far away for a moment. "I miss him, ever since he joined the army I haven't seen him. But anyway..." She grabs Zhi's wrists and wrestles her way on top of her fiancee.
"When it was my turn my parents moved me without even asking. They knew teens need their space." She say with a gentle smile, before the smile turns predatory.
"Which makes it a lot easier to do this!"
Her lips, and fingers, descend onto Zhi's body and she devotes herself to the task of seeing just how noise Zhi can make.
"Going in during the day would be best; it will give the Baron a chance to step down peacefully. I doubt he'll take it, but it will help with public image among the people afterwards."
At last, the day has come. You ride for Lotheedar, rolling through the town on your way to the Palace of Birdsong. Your agents have prepared the way, informing the populace of your intent, and the citizens of Meratt line the streets to cheer your passage. With all of the good deeds you have performed these past few months, you have become heroes in the eyes of the common folk, and they all stand behind you. "Down with the count! Down with the count!" they chant.
You approach the Palace of Birdsong, and while the myriad swans and peacocks still roam the grounds, there is no sign of any guards on duty. It would seem even Bartelby's own men have chosen to abandon him rather than stand in your way.
The Four Hoods lurk at the edge of the gardens. They offer terse greetings, eager to launch their assault. Shortly after you arrive, there is a theatrical puff of smoke, and suddenly the Night Swan is standing in your midst. She releases the edges of her cloak and regards you with steely eyes behind her mask.
"Lady d'Valois. Finally, we meet face-to-face. My stomach churns at the thought of working alongside you, but a little bird tells me that you are unlike the typical noble swine that consumes this nation from within." She glances at Sara with a knowing look. "So for her sake, and in pursuit of larger prey, I grant you a reprieve from justice--for now. This is your one chance to prove yourself worthy of my respect. Do not squander it."
At the Night Swan's sudden appearance, Zhi draws her weapons and immediately moves to stand between the masked woman and Melodie.
Her breathing has quickened, her hands clinch the hilts of her blades tightly, and her eyes remain fixed on the vigilante.
"Fine, then step back slowly and let us do what we came here to do," she says, her jaw rigid.
Zileska assents to the idea of the daytime incursion.
"We've done a lot of work to make people think that we're good for the community," she says. "We shouldn't squander it by doing some kind of night-time assassination and throwing everything into turmoil and rebellion. It'll just make Eutropia's perfectly legal ascension seem illegitimate."
~~~~~~~~~~
As the team rides into town the priestess stays near the rear of the train, letting Melodie take the accolades near the front. The only outward sign of nervousness is an occasional touch to her hair to make sure it stays in place.
"Lady d'Valois. Finally, we meet face-to-face. My stomach churns at the thought of working alongside you, but a little bird tells me that you are unlike the typical noble swine that consumes this nation from within." She glances at Sara with a knowing look. "So for her sake, and in pursuit of larger prey, I grant you a reprieve from justice--for now. This is your one chance to prove yourself worthy of my respect. Do not squander it."
"Night Swan, I would say it is a pleasure but we both know that I would be lying. My stomach churns with the thought of working alongside a woman who will condemn hundreds unheard because of her own prejudice, but I too have had council that tells me that you have the best intentions for the people and that is enough for me to work with you, this once. And remember, Night Swan, respect runs both ways, and we know who is the greater hero to the people." Melodie's face is hard and her voice drops its timbre, becoming much darker than is her normal want. It reminds Zhi unpleasantly of Kurana.
With the pleasantries out of the way Melodie looks left and right to check that her friends are ready, takes Zhi and Sara briefly by the hand and leads the way into the main foyer.
"Count Lotheed, come forth. We come for the return of this Palace to its rightful owner. We wish you no harm. Come forth that we may discuss this peacefully."
Night Swan glares at Zhi and Melodie but relents, stepping aside. "The Hoods and I will circle around back to ensure the slimy weasel doesn't try to skink away."
Predictably, there is no response once Melodie calls out within the foyer. However, the carved pillars representing Abadar, Aroden, Cayden Cailean, and Shelyn suddenly animate and step towards you menacingly. The very gods themselves are attacking!
"Bloody hell; caryatid columns. Ridiculous magical and weapon resistance and tough enough to break the weapons you're hitting them with."
Maria was kicking herself, standing so close to the statue of Cayden Cailean. With the Lotheed family's reputation as magisters, she should have known they'd have at least some sort of defensive measures here.
Hoping her weapon could take the strain, Maria focused her attention on the statue of the Drunken God and swung her sheathed weapon at it.
Melodie feels strongly tempted to copy Maria's cursing, but restrains herself, simply pulling her chakram and aiming at 'Shelyn'. She hums as she does so and the chakram reverberates in her hand.
The weapon strikes with a ringing noise like a gong.
Sara is ready to intersperse her body between Zhi and the Night Swan but it never comes to that. She looks painfully uncomfortable as Melodie speaks her part, but allows the Night Swan to fight her own battles. It just wasn't that simple, they were both mistaken.
But now was not the time.
She had barely walked in the door when the statue of Cayden Cailean turned towards her. Fearing the worst, she bites her lip and shoves, hoping to tip it over.
She then takes the table leg in her hand and slams it against the thing's head, shattering it.
Melodie's chakram severs one of Shelyn's arms, severely damaging the statue. Maria clobbers Cayden, but her weapon doesn't seem to damage him. Both their enchanted weapons avoid damage.
Sara trips the Drunken God, and as he stands back up, shatters her table leg against his head, leaving a massive dent. The leg explodes into splinters, completely destroyed!
Abadar and Aroden move in, slashing Sara and Zhi respectively with their swords. Both Cayden and Shelyn miss with their attacks.
Sara pushes Abadar over this time, stepping towards him after and grabbing a nearby vase, holding it at the ready.
Trusting to the material of her adamantine blade, Zhi stabs at the stone statue of Aroden with her rapier.
Zileska figures this is a great time to use one of those darts she picked up so long ago.
... but not really.
Cursing at how tough this damn thing is, Maria's tail disappeared into her potions pouch and retrieved one of her extracts. As her appendage secured her strength-enhancing extract, she swung once more at the Cayden statue before stepping clear for the moment.
The phantom flanker distracts the Aroden statue long enough for Zhi to land two precise strikes, chipping off chunks of stone.
While Zileska's dart sails wide, Sara topples Abadar onto the floor before grabbing a vase, poised to strike.
Maria's critical strike shatters more of Cayden's head. Though terribly damaged, the construct still remains standing--one more solid hit might take it down, though!
Melodie gathers the chakram easily and launches it again at 'Cayden' landing a shattering blow, the chakrams harmonics let out a loud peal as it strikes.
Melodie's chakram strikes Cayden in the chest, and the Drunken God shatters to pieces from the blast of destructive harmonics!
Abadar climbs to his feet and strikes at Sara, but she dodges his sword. Aroden and Shelyn focus on Zhi, both finding gaps in her defenses and slicing her up!
Sara pushes the vase perfectly into the rising statue's path, shattering it into its face. It swings its weapon and, ducking under the sword, Sara pushes her knee into the statue's stomach, hoping to tip it over, following up with a stunning kick from her magical heels.
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The vase shatters into fragments as Sara smashes it into Abadar's face. She knees the Master of the First Vault hard enough to knock him over, then drives her heel straight through the face of the god of law and order. The symbolism is strong as she destroys the construct, her magically reinforced heels only becoming barely scratched by her brutal stomp.
Staggering back from the striking blades, Zhi lunges forward again with her rapier.
She then takes the better part of valor and rolls away from the attacking statue, leaving smears of blood on the pristine floor.
Zhi scores another light strike against Aroden before rolling away. While focused on Aroden, she's not quite nimble enough to make it past Shelyn without providing the construct an opening. The goddess of love swings her sword, but the rogue manages to narrowly parry it with Koriana's Blade.
"Stop it!" Melodie yells, unleashing her chakram at the goddess of Love and Beauty again. "Leave my Zhi alone!"
From her position near Zhi, Zileska simply produces one of her wands and reaches out to tap the nimble woman.
"Thanks, Zil," Zhi says with a curt nod.
With the next statue threatening her, Maria had no window to down her extract without leaving herself exposed. Instead, she started concentrating on how the statue of Shelyn moved before striking again.
Maria bashes the statue of Shelyn, further damaging it, though it's still in fighting shape.
Aroden steps up to Sara and slashes her with his sword. Shelyn swings clumsily at Maria, and the tiefling easily sidesteps the attack.
I am so going to regret this.
Zhi activates her boots again and charges forward under the statue of Aroden. Once she slides past it she turns and stabs at it.
Shifting the extract to her hand, Maria kept up the pressure on the Shelyn statue.
Zil taps Zhi once more with the healing wand as the rogue is clicking her heels.
Sara turns around to face Aroden, and punches him multiple times with her gloved hands. Her knuckles bleed and stain the white lace.
[dice=To Hit, TWF, PA2, Flank]d20+9-2-2+2;d20+9-2-2+2;d20+4-2-2+2;d20+4-2-2+2[/dice]
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Zhi tumbles to flank Aroden, driving her sword into the statue's back. Sara's first punch finishes off the damaged construct, so she steps up to slug Shelyn. With a powerful uppercut, she knocks the goddess of love's head clean off! The decapitated construct collapses, and the gallery falls still once more.
Zhi rises from her combat stance and sheathes her blades.
"I knew we should have come through the servants entrance." she mutters under her breath.
Zhi steps over to look at Sara's hands.
"Are you ok? That was pretty thick-headed to go punching a stone statue with your bare hands."
Her words are harsh, but there's concern in her voice.
"So where do you think the Count is cowering?" she continues. "The map shows that his office is upstairs. Shall we try there first?"
Sara glowers at Zhi, pressing down on her knuckles and popping them one by one, not as a threat, but to prove she's fine. Blood drips from her fingertips and onto the floor. "Don't call me stupid," she whispers, clearly hurt by the statement.
"My vote is we go after the seneschal first. If we're trying to take Bartleby peaceably, we don't want Guisarne sneaking up on us and turning the whole thing into a fight before we even try our hands at the Count."
"Oh shush, both of you," says Zileska as she stows the wand and draws the simpler, less-powerful one. "Just let me fix you both up before we fly headlong into more guardians or traps."
"I didn't say you were stupid! I said that punching ... " Zhi says her ire rising and then falling.
"Fine then, the seneschal's office first," she says with a shake of her head.
She walks over to where Melodie carries the map of the palace. She glances quickly over the changling as if to reassure herself that didn't suffer any harm in the battle before consulting the map.
"So we should head west(?) down that hall and then up the stairs. His office should be that way."
"Yes, this way." Melodie says, pointing. She gives Zhi a smile when she notices the rogue checking her for injuries.
"I'm fine sweetheart." None-the-less she leans in for a quick kiss before peering around the corner.
"Let's go!"
The stairs lead up to the second floor, opening up on a long landing containing the upstairs parolor. The bay windows here overlook not only the Palace of Birdsong's exquisite gardens, but also much of the county's most beautiful scenery beyond.
Count Bartelby Lotheed is here, pacing back and forth angrily. Upon seeing you, he immediately draws his sword-cane from its sheath. "How dare you? I welcomed you into my home. I offered you the finest comforts in all of Meratt. I supported you in your rebuilding efforts, even talked Gul down when he began to grow suspicious of your intentions. I did all of these things, and this is how you repay me? With insurrection?!?" He levels his sword in your direction, but his hand wavers slightly. A pained expression crosses his face.
Melodie steps forward, hands out-stretched, she too has a pained expression on her face as she deliberately puts herself between Lotheed and the others, particularly Sara(!!)
(Bartelby: -- allegory (-5), - emotional appeal (-2), + presence (+2), ++ logic (+5). Determination 19)
Edges: Bluff x1 (+2 feat, +2 ring), Diplomacy x1 (+2 feat, +2 ring), Intimidate x1 (+2 feat, +2 ring), Perform Sing x0 (+2 ring – rounds down so no edge?), Knw Nob/Appraise x0 (+1 trait, but rounds down)
Determination: 6HD + 2 (+8 bonus divided by 3…): 8 total.
Allegory – Knw History (+8)
Baiting – Bluff (+18/23)
Emotional Appeal – Sense Motive (+10)
Flattery – Knowledge Nobility (+8)
Logic – Knowledge: Arcana + Local (+10/+7)
Mockery – xxx
Presence – Intimidate (+17)
Red Herring – Perform Oratory (+10)
Rhetoric – Diplomacy (+17)
Wit – xxx
"It is our duty Count Lotheed." Melodie says, opting to begin the conversation on stable ground. "We serve Princess Eutropia, rightful Empress and the true holder of these lands, which House Lotheed holds as Stewards for the Stavians. The Princess calls on you to relinquish your holding as is your duty as a steward and loyal servant of Taldor."
Ante: 1
Allegory – Knw History (+8)
Baiting – Bluff (+13) E1
Emotional Appeal – Sense Motive (+10)
Flattery – Knowledge Nobility (+8)
Logic – Knowledge: Arcana + Local (+10/+7)
Mockery – xxx
Presence – Intimidate (+13) E1
Red Herring – Perform Oratory (+10)
Rhetoric – Diplomacy (+13) E1
Wit – xxx
Determination: 8
"And where is the Princess now? If she were truly interested in claiming her rightful lands, she should have come and done it herself. Instead she sends lapdogs and flunkies to do her job for her," Bartelby sneers, attempting to bait Melodie into further discourse. But his words ring hollow, even to him.
He decides to take a different tack. "The Lotheed family has been the stewards of Meratt county for generations. I have learned how to govern from my father, and his father before him. Oust me from my position, and the county will fall to chaos."
Melodie glances behind her, the message clear in her eyes. I got him thinking, someone push it!
As Melodie's gaze falls on Zhi, the rogue's eyes widen like a deer caught in lantern light. Her eyes then close and she turns to the Count.
Zhi crosses her arms over her chest.
"Count, You know we're in the right here. We have the support of the entire county. We could have snuck in like thieves or assassins," her eye's flick to Melodie for just a moment with a twinkle of humor. "But we're in the right. The law is on the Princess's side and you are honor bound to uphold your family's obligation - all of it."
"I know that you're a man of honor; Demonstrate that here today."
Bartelby clucks his tongue. "I know I am a man of honor. You are the ones who used guile and deceit to plot behind my back."