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Saki winces a little as the big-'n'-fuzzy Krunch wraps her up in a protective embrace and touches some of her still-fresh wounds, but she manages a smile and gently pats him on the arm (or whatever else she can reach - he being almost a foot taller than her and probably twice as wide!)
"Don't worry, Krunch. You didn't do anything wrong, I promise. It's all that demon's fault. I'm okay, don't worry!"
Saki giggles to herself. He's quite adorably likeable when you get to know him. Shelyn would no doubt approve of that offhand thought!
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Well, that was certainly quite a wedding. Hopefully, I have advanced the wayward daughter's plans sufficiently to receive the favor of Master Torch. In any event, I am sure that he will want to know of this Onyx Alliance.
Filios approaches Maps.
Well, my friend, another job well done, eh? Thanks for the weapon assistance, even though I did not get the chance to use it. I guess that our work here is done. I would prefer a more low key celebration when we return to the city. One with some fine women and wine, but none of the pomp, circumstance or bloodletting. Maybe you can join me?
That reminds me. I really need to get my sword enhanced permanently for further meetings with Arastrax. We have unfinished business...
In the course of the healing, Captain Blumwell, the mustachioed captain, is eventually brought to his feet. He looks severely disoriented.
"Commander!" he gasps as soon as he's conscious. "We-- we have intruders! There's these monsters made of shadows, they--"
He stares around, bemusedly. When he sees the injured and the dead, he looks sick.
Hamaria Blakros narrows her eyes at Kardak's words. "Perhaps the Onyx Alliance merely wishes to mock us with this blatant show of force," she muses. "But you are correct. In the past they have been more.... subtle."
The matriarch frowns, then shakes off the thoughts for now. There are more immediate concerns.
Lady Blakros begins giving orders to arrange for the departure of all the remaining guests in whatever vessels remain docked at the island. Tancred Desimire's ship is long gone, but Damien formerly-Kastner loans his yacht. A small rowboat is revealed to be missing-- it appears several of the kitchen staff ran to the docks and frantically piled into the little dinghy when the shadows first appeared. (The servants and the boat are eventually found on the way back to Absalom, trying to row the boat along with little knowledge of how to navigate the waters of the Inner Sea.)
People begin shuffling towards the boats, clutching their once-fine party clothes and any injuries they have sustained. Vroclaw of Brevoy, as Maps had suspected, lends his powers to the worst-injured as well.
Alexander Bedard throws a possibly-unwelcome arm around Alan's shoulders. "Don't fret, lad! I felt a bit of fear myself, and you're just a young man. Demons, pfah! There's no shame in runnin' from them, they get inside your head with magic and things."
Rubani Shafar looks very grave as she approaches Kardak and the others.
"My men and I... failed, in our primary purpose here. Without your aid, the people I was sworn to protect might have all died here. My honor demands that I present you with the pay that my men and I would have received for guarding the wedding."
The Pathfinders are able to return to Absalom, pockets made the richer by Shafar's shamed contribution to your coffers. While a few of the guests perished in the immediate assault, the Pathfinders bought considerable time for others to escape when they engaged in combat with the powerful shadow demon who claims responsibility for the event.
In the end, the Pathfinders can take solace in the fact that they saved lives and completed their assigned mission-- Hamaria Blakros and many others of the guests were very impressed with how the Pathfinder handled themselves.
Valsin listens to your report with a grave face, and congratulates you on a job well done. "It appears I sent the right people... I didn't expect anything like this, but I'm glad you were there to protect our interests. And the lives of the esteemed guests, of course.
"Go out and have a drink, Pathfinders, On me."