Alexite looks at the corpulent nearly naked people as they pass. A sour look upon his face, he tells the party, 'Bloatmages. They truly are disgusting creatures. Let's find those ghouls so I can get this image out of my head.'
Nox looks towards the disgustingly bloated individuals and turns her head in disgust. in her mind, no sane individual would ever dare intend to perform that level of mutiliation upon themselves, for any reason. she shudders for a bit as she is reminded a slight bit about some Grotesquely Detailed Ustalavian horror novel she read on her 8th birthday that she forced herself to forget because it was too disgusting and too horrifiying. she can't remember what the villain of the novel reffered to himself as, just that he gave her childhood nightmares. she didn't even want to know what those guys were at the moment.
1d20+8
Nox looks towards the disgusting individuals who violate the unwritten laws of the arcane. and turns her head away in disgust. how could someone perform such grotesque rituals and call themselves a true arcanist. as far as Nox was concerned, Hemothuergy was merely a grotesque gimmick that a proper arcanist doesn't need to achieve true power. Nox didn't know much about them, but what little she read about them, she found a heavy disgust for and quickly moved to a different topic. Nox didn't really have much interest in the gimmick of hemothuergy.
Esfana knew nothing of those almost naked people covered in leeches, but she is happy this way after seeing them.
Trying hard not to stare at them so not to draw attention, after walking away she asks Alexite:
"What were those abominations ? This city scares me to death the more with every passing day"
Esfana knew nothing of those almost naked people covered in leeches, but she is happy this way after seeing them.
Trying hard not to stare at them so not to draw attention, after walking away she asks Alexite:
"What were those abominations ? This city scares me to death the more with every passing day"
Nox replies to Esfana, i do not know what they were, but they remind me of something from an extremely detailed Ustalavian horror novel that greatly frightened me during my childhood. i am lucky to have suppressed the details deep within the back of my subconscious thoughts. trying to consciously remember them may potentially place me in a multiple day long temporary coma from the great deal of trauma caused to me by the book's elaborate descriptions.
Nox barely maintains a level head with thoughts of the novel among her mind.
As the party reconvenes, Alcheringa peers curiously at the new addition to the party.
"Welcome half elven, it is so strange to see a cousin in this human territory...I am Alcheringa, and this is my companion, Blaze"
The tall elf bows gently.
*****
Alcheringa remains silent, just studying the strange people as they walk by, as if trying to work out what they are what blood sickness they might have that is turning them so grey and whether their treatment with leeches might actually work.
"The strangeness of the human species continues to surprise me Blaze, these humans are clearly ill, and are treating themselves with leeches, yet instead of having the sense to seek bed rest they wander around! I wonder though, if the malady is long lasting, and possibly contagious, so they mark themselves with crimson tattoos to warn others of their condition? Fascinating...
He appears to have an appearance of deep appreciation, as if he is satisfied at unravelling a mystery. This is rapidly removed upon him noting the fearful conversation between Esfana and Nox, he starts to look rather concerned. Blaze rapidly picks up the tension in the elf and immediately bristles up, looking for the threat.
"I agree this city is disgusting, and is an insult and an affront to the earth it stands upon, however we need show no fear. In its own ways it has its own rules and laws, as does the jungle, and if we remain mindful of them we should come to little harm. I admit I regret stepping foot within the city walls, and long for the starlit night and the full moon across the plains, but for now fate has sent me here and I need to see what lesson I am being taught"
"Loremistress, I hardly know you, but with such a sharp mind and towering intellect I can't understand how such rationalism is so easily cowed and afraid of the dark. You travel in good company, and this is your chance to be brave"
Once again he returns to trailing the party, watching the shadows for signs of movement or ambush, the twilight darkness seems to be his very element as his eyes seem to somewhat accustomed to the light. The twilight darkness also seems to favour Blaze his black fur and and near silent padding feet make him hard to track in the darkness, and he trails like an ominous shadow.
As the party nears the wall, and gets close to the gate, there is a burst of movement as Blaze shoots towards a shadowy section of wall and leaps.
Landing neatly on top of the tall wall and then sits motionless peering into the yard on the far side.
"Shall we try the gate?"
Alexite actually does look disgusted. 'They are hemotheurges. They use blood magic. The constant use of blood causes them to eventually swell up. That's why many call them bloatmages. Truly disgusting creatures.'
Nox looks towards Alcheringa as she walks with the group. my fear of those abominations came from a childhood trauma i have yet to overcome. but back when i read that novel, i was still young enough for the fears to leave a permanant imprint upon my subconscious, and because i have an extreme case of Bibliophilia, my imagination really gets the better of me. having an overly active imagination can be like utilizing a double edged sword. she then adjusts her spectacles out of anxiety and tries to huddle between Esfana and Elsbeth.
"I can understand your fears Nox, though mine are different, i have my share nonetheless."
"I always thought my life was perfect and safe, and all of a sudden i'm cast out of my home,my parents, my fiancè, all i loved. I feel lost here."
Blaze flatly lays down on the wall growling quietly...you can be 100& sure that the cat spotted something in the centre of the cemetary.
Now, close to the graveyard's wall you hear a low moaning from inside, obviously at least one of the ghouls is "awake".
Now, close to the graveyard's wall you hear a low moaning from inside, you can make out at least three different ghouls inside the walls.
"Blaze signals there is prey on the foot, and I hear them in the breeze"
Alcheringa signals the cat silently and moves rapidly to the gate, blaze, low on her haunches slinks along the top of the wall like a cat along a tree branch hoping to surprise a nest of birds.
As he reaches the gateway, he draws his sword and casts an incantation.
Sotto voce (Whispering)
"We have company already"
Esfana too will cast Resistance, but upon Torald
Wispering I can't hear anything, but I belief you. My helmet dampens every sound
Torald readies his weapon and shield. Whispering Lets go cautiously to the gate.
"Torald, maybe you and I can stand at the gate and draw them to us, it might choke them so they can only come through one at a time?"
"I'll be right behind, ready to assist and heal"
That was my plan, Alcheringa
That was my plan, Alcheringa
A predatory gleam comes to his eyes, almost bestial, he smiles a wicked grin and falls into step beside Torald...
"Then to arms eh?
Esfana readies sword and shield
Elsbeth frowned in response to the greeting, but bowed anyway. "Are all elves so formal? I'm Elsbeth." She said, nodding to both the elf and his pet cat.
Her sharp ears catching the sound, there was a low ring as the rapier at her hip was drawn, and a metal ring sppeared in her hand as if by magic. She could hear the noises from within the cemetary walls. "We've company. At least three, if my hearing is right."
Creeping close to the wall, Elsbeth made an effort to scale the wall quietly, so as to have the opportunity to flank the ghouls once the others got inside.
whispering "I'll flank when you're ready. I do my best when my enemies don't know I'm coming."
whispering "I'll flank when you're ready. I do my best when my enemies don't know I'm coming."
'Why are we whispering? Well, obviously I am not playing your little game, but seriously why so suddenly secretive?'
Watching Elsbeth's backside as she begins climbing the wall, Alexite says none too quietly, 'Well, we will need to become friends because I'd rather like to know when you're coming'
right before the party closes in with the ghouls, Nox will cast mage armor upon herself.
she will also try to whisper the verbal components of the spell as to be less likely to give herself away.
As you enter the cemetary you can already see them: Between quite alot of opened graves lumber three hideous creatures, obviously ghouls.
One of them shrieks grotesquely as he spots Alcheringa and Torald and all three of them crawl on all fours in the direction of the cemetary gate.
I'm where I want to be. I believe Torald and Alcheringa wanted to be one square further back, but that's best left to them to tell you.
Alcheringa stands his ground readies his sword to intercept the incoming ghouls, hoping to cut one down as it closes in.
Blaze patiently waits, ready to pounce in behind them once the prey has been drawn in, classic great cat co-operative hunting...
Torald readies himself to make a Attack against arriving Ghouls
Could anyone whith a bow or anything else let the ghouls know, that we are here?
Assuming Nox already had time to cast mage armor before the combat.
Nox on her Ininitiative will verbally solve a series of complex mathematical formulae in the thassilonian tongue and Tap Esfana's Longsword. a series of pale glowing symbols appears of the blade. the symbols appear to be thassilonian in design and provide a candle's illumination.
Nox will not move this round
Magic Weapon.
the glowing symbols translate into a complex thassilonian numerical cypher. for those who solve the cypher, it translates into the following written passage.
this weapon touched by the arcane, cast by a member of the government of Alkenstar, shall end the lives of those who oppose the order of the enlightened black rabbit.
Seeing that the others were preparing themselves, Elsbeth decided to kick off the proceedings by hurling the disk-like blade she had been holding, sending it winging out towards the nearest ghoul from her perch on the wall.
The ghouls move into your direction, most of the time on all fours, shrieking menacingly and throwing their arms in the air. One of them picks up a great bone and waves it over its head.
Alcheringa maintains his posture, waiting to strike the incoming ghouls as they arrive; Blaze continues to wait in place, his gaze fixed upon the incoming prey.
The discus-like weapon leaves Elsbeth's hand, swirls through the air and cuts deep into the thigh of the nearest undead, who shrieks in pain and surprise.
As the slavering ghoul rushes in, Alcheringa counts its paces, getting a good grasp of its timing... followig its rhythm he times his blow as the ghoul arrives, trying to catch it on the half step.
Attack
Damage
Alexite draws his scorpion whip then takes out a copper coin. With a simple effort of will, he causes the coin to shine with light. Holding it above his head, he sheds light on the scene before him.
Acting in unison and exactly waiting until the right moment Torald and Alcheringa cut two of the ghouls down as they are about to reach them.
The third creature runs back to the crypt-like building shrieking in pure horror and agony.
After him. Let's block the entrance of the crypt if he escapes.
New Initiative count after resolving the readied actions:
Ghoul's Initiative 18 (rd 2 resolved)
Torald's Initiative 18 (rd 2 resolved)
Alcheringa's Initiative 18 (rd 2 resolved)
Elsbeth's Initiative 16
Nox' Initiative 15
Alexite's Initiative 10
Esfana's Initiative 7