Mazatl notes that only three of them went into the water, after all. That left the two canines, the weasel, and the bird. The bird was swooping around the lighthouse... was something dead?
"I'm not seeing most of our group. I don't think the fox and wolf could climb. And if they haven't jumped..." Mazatl shakes her head, moving towards the shore and away from the water. "Glad to see you're alright, Gorilla. I... think our escape didn't really have all the intended effects, though. They may need our help..."
She'd focus on conjuring an elemental once more... hopefully she wouldn't wind up making the ground angry next...
• Blast (1d8 damage if Close)
• 2 Piercing
• Barrier (+1 Armor until next Channel)
• Hazard (Environmental effect)
• Forceful
Alright, this will probably take a little bit. I fly to the base of the tower, release my hound corpse, then reanimate him.
Chaney: There's no sign of Tremblay anywhere. You haven't seen him since you saw him reach for a flask after ordering Guisarme to rescue Aifric.
This time you're more successful in your summons, Mazatl. You conjure up a Life Elemental that embodies the Barrier tag, an elemental standing 8 feet high and wider than your most muscled of dwarves. "I was the only Life elemental nearby," it apologizes in the language of Life elementals.
Feustus: Your unholy ritual to raise the dead succeeds, but the process is still difficult for you. The beast rises again, but disobediently! Before its eyes even open again, the dead dog's skinless maw snaps suddenly on your exposed hand! Take 1d6 damage, ignores armor, and start with 2 Power instead of 3.
Chaney: There's no sign of Tremblay anywhere. You haven't seen him since you saw him reach for a flask after ordering Guisarme to rescue Aifric.
"Don't worry. You're perfect. As a matter of fact, we need you to help us in the lighthouse... I've a feeling our friend could use your help!"
She sped up her movement towards the lighthouse, the contrail of green connecting her to her elemental as she went.
Svog gets out of the water after the barracudas leave,
"I think someone stayed behind in the tower, it was pointless to escape if we need to come back..." Svog sighs, and starts walking to the lighthouse turning himself human again.
"Nonsense. I learned not to dive straight into the water. I need to figure out how to swoop back up more effectively. Everything's a learning experience if you can figure out where you went wrong."
The small fox paddled it's way out of the water to join the others, then shook to dry her fur at least slightly before returning to her true elven form of a pale elf with dark hair.
Aifric looks confused as they head back to the tower. "I thought we were all coming," he says to Svog Kos. "I didn't know I'd fall, but I thought we were all coming." He readies spear and shield, hoping to make Svog Kos his Fulcrum in the upcoming battle. He doesn't want to even think about having to make Mazatl or her earth thing his Fulcrum. No, he won't even think about that. He is going to focus on Svog Kos and the bad guys they will defeat together. It will be be great! He says to Svog Kos, "Gorillas are apes. I'm not a gorilla, but I am an ape. Bonobos are better climbers than gorillas... usually. At least Mazatl didn't call me a monkey this time. Monkeys are not apes, but I am." He shifts into were form.
Mazatl grins at the lengthy explanation. She enjoyed mischief, at least to some degree. And either way, it certainly lightened the mood, as they moved back in to recover their ally.
In lifetongue?: "If you wouldn't mind terribly much, dear, would you help to guard Aifric? She motioned to the Skirmisher, as she spoke.
As the earth thing moves a bit closer to Aifric, Aifric tries to keep his distance. The earth thing keeps trying to get closer, and Aifric gives it the evil eye while moving to the other side of Svog Kos. "No touching!" he says to it. "It's not nice to touch people without permission. 'No' means no! You stay over there!"
Assuming it hadn't already gotten him... To the Elemental: "Alright... belay that, sorry. Go with Athena." She motioned to the fox-girl, instead.
Chaney, you watch as the brash young monk who had spoken so confidently brazenly attacks the three werewolves at once. The fight ends, to your estimation, predictably - the monk holds his own for a moment, then is quickly subdued. What surprises you is what happens next - the monk's throat is violently ripped out by the third werewolf while the first two hold his arms to keep him from struggling. Before you can do more than widen your eyes, the monk is bleeding out into the dirt, his head slumped forward.
The werewolves on the ground floor call up to the larger group up top.
Slightly down the hillslope nearby, Athena, Aifric, Svog Kos and Mazatl hide in some bushes and listen to the werewolf shouting. You can see the unmoving body of Kazuya from where you are, but not Feustus or Chaney.
The werewolf presumably named Wilson leans over the edge of the balcony - just below where Chaney hides, invisibly - and shouts down, In a quieter voice, he mutters, "Let's go," to the rest of his pack. One of the packmates whines and sniffs the air as he looks upward - without realizing it, staring right at where Chaney is hiding. "I smell someone..." he mutters, before being cuffed and dragged downstairs by one of the bigger werewolves. You can hear the receding voice of the werewolf going down the stairs, "You're always smelling someone..."
I swear a vow of vengeance then we join the others in their escape.
After they leave I fly up to the lighthouse and place the body in one of my jars.
The skulking werevulture creeps up on the corpse in the darkness and invokes his special hex. The body flows sickeningly into the jar and the necromancer seals it shut for later use. Your skinless hound is at your side, slavering in hunger.
All of you recall Chaney mentioning wanting to reconvene at the gilded hook in one hour's time. Your comrade's sudden death notwithstanding, that is your next destination. If there's something you want to do before meeting up with him there, just indicate it in your post.
Assuming you all go there...
The Gilded Hook is about a mile outside the city walls of Magna Gracia, on the Waterfront. It is within sight of the lonely lighthouse that Tremblay met you at. Some of you have history here, some do not.
The owner's name is Rudgard, but he's asleep at this hour - one of his sons, Max, is manning the kitchen and serving the sparse nighttime "crowd" of about 8 other people. The coffeehouse is of modest size, seating about 35 at max capacity, so it is easy to find one another there for a rendezvous. You notice that the windows have bars on them and the door is made of heavy oak with multiple deadbolts.
@Lighthouse
"Poor Kazuya, I'll sing a song about him...may he rest in peace"
Svog kneels and keeps silent for a minute,
"Has anybody seen Chaney?" he asks.
Max, good to see you again. How is everything? The usual please.
Mazatl growls low, something not at all what would be expected from a deer, when she discovers what they've done. She shifts into hybrid form, and seemingly doesn't even notice.
"Can one of you safely tail them..? I want to know who they are, so I can... repeat some old mistakes."
Mazatl has a fierce look on her face that's slowly ebbing away, as she shakes her head to Svog. "I have not."
She turns to the elemental. "I apologize for calling out to you when you were not needed. Perhaps soon we will have more need of you, Guardian of the Lighthouse." She attempts to sever the link, freeing the elemental. "Is there anything more that I can do in exchange for your aide this afternoon?"
Mazatl: The elemental bows to you in a gesture of respect. In its language, it rumbles, "I'll stay nearby. Call me at need."
Feustus: As you approach the Gilded Hook to meet up with your friends, your attention wanders to your skinless hound. It smells rather ripe, and is rather disturbing-looking overall. Its appearance might freak someone out if thWhat do you normally do with your animated companions when in "mixed company" i.e. among the living?
Normally there is no danger outside of my job. But you are right. I return him to his jar.
You retain some of the stored power of the flesh through special techniques in your jar. Take +1 forward to your next Raise Dead attempt.
Chaney takes care climbing back into the death room. It would be anticlimatic to avoid the killers only to die on the rocks below. He fades back into view as he reenters the room. The strain of the mis-cast magic was getting annoying.
Chaney silently contemplates the cooling body.
.
.
.
Before carefully scanning the room for any evidence that he was ever here. And evidence leading to the killers of course. Wolves are known to shed, especially when the fur is rubbing against armor and all Chaney needs is a few hairs for a ritual to identify their owners....
Chaney carefully stores what he has found as well as dipping the corner of a handkerchief into the thickening blood. {
When Festus alights.
"Good I was wondering how to remove the body. Do you know if he had family?"
"In any case hold where you are for a moment....I am looking for something..."
Once the search is done
To Festus: "I will meet you at the hook. I may be a little late there is a small errand I must attend to. Take care when you leave here. This place is likely watched.
Leaving the lighthouse
A stray night breeze tugs the shattered door.
[ooc] Accepting another -1 ongoing. I am going to give myself a headache.
Before the Hook
Cheney drops the spell once well clear of the lighthouse.
On the way to the hook Chaney stops at The Obscure a coffee house favored by the magical, or wannabe magical, community. There he takes the time needed to prepare spells and drink some coffee to cure the headache before hurrying to meet the group at the Hook.
"I suppose we'll see Chaney at the 'Hook. I'll go see about collecting the body and getting it to the graveyard for proper burial." She heads into the now-empty lighthouse, unaware that Feustus has already stolen the body... for something epic.
She takes the door opening on its own as a sign that the spirits agree with her choice to not simply leave him behind... then is surprised to find the body gone. With a weary sigh, she makes a vow to find Kazuya's killer.
You find several hairs and grab all of them in case one of the samples isn't suitable for some reason. That's your only solid clue to their identity so far, but it's enough to go on.
You can think of several places where you could "unofficially" trade the bank note for something on the black market, but the banks themselves won't open until tomorrow.
You'll arrive later than the others, but refreshed, and with a ready assortment of spells.
Mazatl would head for the 'Hook in animal form, where she'd take a moment to address her apparent ankle injury, if there was one, before heading inside.
You break the surface of the water and gulp air into your lungs, treading water a moment. From below, a sudden pain in your ankle when the barracuda rams your leg with its teeth exposed! As quickly as the strike happens, the barracuda disappears into the water again; you can't see it in the water below you as you begin to bleed. Take 1d6 damage.
The barracuda bite left you with painful lacerations that manifest on your deer leg when you transform.
You examine the cuts on your leg from a hiding spot not far from the Hook, looking over yourself. Fortunately, though the bite was painful, it didn't appear to inflict any real damage to you. Still, tonight has not been a good night for sea creatures.
Good, that would mean she hadn't left a bloodtrail... probably.
She resolved herself to get the leg checked out, then headed into the 'Hook.
When you pull open the door of the Gilded Hook you note the weight of it. Doors are made of much heavier, sturdier stuff since everyone got turned into a monster waiting to happen. Max nods in acknowledgment from the kitchen and find a seat - Feustus, Svog Kos, Aifric and Helena have already arrived. Still no sign of Chaney yet.
Chaney arrives.... eventually.
He appears comfortable and will all evidence of the lighthouse fight neatly brushed away.
He takes a chair with the group. "My apologies, the delay was necessary."
@Lighthouse
Athena would shake her head and try to avoid the elemental if it moved toward her but follow Mazatl in her quest to recover the body, when they return to the hook Athena would disappear for a while then met up with the others later.
At the bar Athena stays in her Elven form walking around without a real destination, although she has elven height the way she holds herself when she walks makes her seem much smaller.
Mazatl had taken the time to shift back into human, having had a chance to vent on the way over. She moved over to join her compatriots... not really meeting any of their eyes. Eventually she stretches. "That was... a unique evening. Thoughts?"
"I'm not a smart man, says Aifric to the table, "but I know what responsibility is. In the lighthouse, I wasn't paying attention because it was hard to understand all that political stuff. It made my head fuzzy, so I shut it out for a while. When I heard everybody talking about jumping or climbing down, I thought for sure that's what we were all going to do, but it wasn't for sure. I know that now, but I didn't know it then. And I guess I still wasn't paying attention when I started over the side. I didn't know I was going to fall, but I thought we were all going over the side. So when you had to come save me, we left Kazuya behind, and those bad werewolves killed him. I didn't kill him, but I am responsible. I promise to pay attention even if it makes my head fuzzy, because Kazuya could sense the opportunity to strike as well as I can. But now he can't sense anything, and he can't strike. And I'm responsible, so I will be responsible. I promise."
"Yes, an unique evening, with a loss. Glad we make it back alive." Svog looks lost in his thoughts,
"I'm not really sure about this job the governor is asking us...it's going to be dangerous and I like my life." He looks at everyone, trying not to demostrate fear, he know when he is in danger and fear kicks in...it gets nasty and sharky.
Mass to kept her voice low, Well, if there really is a ship full of banes and silver... the life we have now is fleeting already. When it comes to fate, we either push the cart, or we get dragged by it. I'd rather not lose my cozy new home so soon after making a new life.
Mazatl fidgets uncomfortably as she speaks.
I know, I know quoting yourself is crass but I asked this in the wrong thread.
I was thinking the light-house might qualify. Don't know about power but is is a good fit symbolically. Light in the darkness, warning of danger, etc. Also it is old which in a non Feng Shui world is important for places of power. The fact that there was a recent violent death there and that we have a half moon (time of choices, neither one thing or another) is just gravy.
Thoughts? It does discount the power part, and I must admit that if you look you can find decent symbolical connections to tie anything to anything. Human brains are wizards at pattern recognition, so much so that we frequently see patterns that are not really there. See Nostradamus and bible code.
If you want to go this way then the ritual move will probably see more use it also kind of downgrades the Self Powered wizard advanced move.
Thoughts?
What does the rest of the table think of this? Abusive? Hogging the limelight? The wizard over-thinking things again?
Seems reasonable. It also helps that the violent death is the one in question... though there are also likely some drawbacks to using a location that has recently seen violence.
Also, also... it -is- topped with a focusing crystal that was designed to make the lighthouse beam stretch for -miles-. That's pretty darn powerful, even if it isn't magical.
You know, as a wizard, that nothing has more of an appreciation for drama and flair than magic. Despite being a nonsentient elemental force it is nevertheless attracted to places of great significance to mortals. You aren't sure without carefully studying the lighthouse, but you think it would qualify for your scrying ritual, for all the reasons you listed. *nods*
Athena, mark an XP. On the way to the Gilded Hook, the only object that interests you is a small green bauble lying on the side of the road next to an unconscious beggar. Thinking to yourself how lucky you are for such an easy take, you pocket it quickly. It feels right, in your pocket.
Mazatl, there are only about 8 other people in the coffeehouse besides all of you; it's about 3:30 AM by now, and quiet. Max isn't the "walking around taking orders" kind of server; instead, he waits by the front counter, spinning a toy of some kind on the counter surface. You can hear the indistinct murmuring of other quiet conversations in other areas of the coffeehouse.
And back into the story....
"Yes, an unique evening, with a loss. Glad we make it back alive." Svog looks lost in his thoughts,
"I'm not really sure about this job the governor is asking us...it's going to be dangerous and I like my life." He looks at everyone, trying not to demonstrate fear, he know when he is in danger and fear kicks in...it gets nasty and sharky.
"Unfortunately backing out is not really an option. Our friends in the tower had descriptions of at least some of us. I suppose you could run. If you make it clear you are not helping Tremblay then they might let you live. Of course they would need to know what we were told so they do have a reason not to let you go. It's a gamble but play it as you like."
"The only way out I can see is forward."
"I do see two paths though. One if by sea and one if by land if you will allow the humor. We can complete the original job, though I recommend sending the ship to the bottom once we have evidence. Teach them that there is a price for killing, but that is a personal preference."
"The other path is drier, I think. We have enough information on our attackers to perhaps find some of them. They left enough residue to let me try to track them. Even if this fails we know a good bit about them and there cannot be that many trained killers in the city."
"Either path might work, both have their problems. The first is more direct, and comes with the promise of pay, but would be considered an open declaration of war. The second is subtler, perhaps safer, but more vulnerable to failure."
"Which path should we follow or do any of you see a third?"
"I don't really know anything about the second path. The first path is the one we've already received vouchers for... and if they're after Tremblay's friends, that means we need to get the money as soon as we can, before there's no money to get. I figure we'll need it. But on that same note, we shouldn't cash our checks, so to speak, before we've decided to help him or not."
She paused for a moment, "I think the first path is better. It's clear that while there are killers in the city, they're after us for what they expect we'll do. Chasing after Kazuya's killer, for now... She paused once more, then continued. "It's a distraction. They think we're dangerous, which means we're a target. We have to either do what they expect us to do... or leave. If we try to do anything distracting, for now... then we'll just be putting everyone in danger."
Aifric is struggling to keep up with the conversation and all the options being put forth. "I think we should help," he says. "It's sad that Kazuya died, but it would be even sadder if he just died. It would be a littler better if he died while we were all trying to do a good thing." His hand clenches as he continues, "I don't know if I would be any good on a ship, but I do know I'd like to stick my spear in the face of one of those bad werewolves. I'm good with my spear." He looks around sheepishly, hoping no one reminds him he also said he was good at climbing. He finishes by saying, "That's all I have to say about that."
We need to track them down, and make an example of them! We need to prove that we are NOT to be messed with! At this point Feustus realizes that he is starting to shout. He sits down looking as embarrassed as a vulture can.
"Your words encourage me, I'll do my best to help, they say my songs can inspire heroism in people." Svog feels better after the words of his companions,
"I could try check by water what's in the ship"
"You may wish to be careful on that front. You're not the only were-fish out there." Mazatl smiles at him. It's clearly a forced smile. Death is still obviously on her mind.
..."I could try check by water what's in the ship"
"There was something magical in the crows nest. Could be nothing could be something to detect things approaching the ship. It would be very useful to know more about that ship but if something goes wrong you would be alone. If you are good with that I could try the rite while you scout. Meet back at the lighthouse?"