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"It seems hurt, and with a stab wound, but I don't know who did it. Oh, and somehow blood or ichor or something got in Cayden's Churchkey. Maybe those two things are related, but I don't know. Oh, and Karshaiga just shredded one of those things."
"Oh, and Lort, I need to be careful. As you probably know, if I channel the Drunken Hero's blessing, everyone and everything will be healed... not just us!"
Amaranti is able to persevere through the pain as he finally lets his special eyes see the invisible forces of nature that threaten him and Lort as the latter slams into the half-orc with its windy appendages.
As the creature lashes out through the glittery dust, it slams into Lort and nearly takes his head off as the other attacks Amaranti.
Initiative:
1st: ??? (I)
2nd: Gunari;
3rd: ??? (M)
4th: Cyrus; Ibid; Lort; Finarin; Amaranti; Kaisharga
Map Rules: Any square that is quarter to half full can be moved into, but is considered squeezing. Any square that is more than half full is impassible on the ground floor. Boxes are stacked 8-10' tall. Room is 20' tall. Anything with a light source on it is 3' tall.
Status:
Lort-Bleeding Out @ -5/81 HP
Ibid-Bleeding Out @ -5/55 [Bleed 2-Jagged Wound]
Finarin @ 32/57 HP
Gunari @ 69/75 HP
Cyrus-Confused (2/6) @ 41/43 HP
Amaranti @ 31/67 HP
IS-Red @ Visible (2/8)
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Muttering to himself... "When did I gain the favor of the Accidental Hero? No bother, but I should call upon the shield of my faith!"
Gunari moves up, intending to go until he sees something to hit. If that is the red smiley, he stops there and attacks. If the blue one, then he tries to continue through, but will be stopped by the red one, which he will attack.[/ooc]
"Lort! Get out of there. Heal yourself and Ibid! Why is Cyrus babbling?"
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"Good hit, Gunari!" cries Lort, genuinely happy with his friend's strike, "Looks like I'll have to do my own healing, eh?"
Blood streams out of his mouth as a broken rib continues to tear at his lung. Lort wonders why he'd even considered doing anything other than knitting his bones, soothing his bruises and sealing his wounds.
"Coming for you soon, Ibid! Hang in there!" he cries.
Gunari lashes out with his rapier as he rushes back to aid Lort, stabbing the amorphous creature with his rapier. He jams the blade deep, but it doesn't do nearly as much damage as he thinks it should.
Kaisharga, on the other hand, begins to feel weird, like something is trying to affect its beast-like mind. It didn't hear a spell being cast, nor did anyone.
Initiative:
1st: ??? (I)
2nd: Gunari;
3rd: ??? (M)
4th: Cyrus; Ibid; Lort; Finarin; Amaranti; Kaisharga
Map Rules: Any square that is quarter to half full can be moved into, but is considered squeezing. Any square that is more than half full is impassible on the ground floor. Boxes are stacked 8-10' tall. Room is 20' tall. Anything with a light source on it is 3' tall.
Status:
Lort-Bleeding Out @ -5/81 HP
Ibid-Bleeding Out @ -7/55 [Bleed 2-Jagged Wound]
Finarin @ 32/57 HP
Gunari @ 69/75 HP
Cyrus-Confused (3/6) @ 41/43 HP
Amaranti @ 31/67 HP
IS-Red @ Visible (2/8) @ 27 damage
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Lort twists his wrist so that his stored medlance pops out of his spring loaded wrist sheath . Lort stabs himself in the leg with it, injecting himself with the potion of cure serious wounds contained within its reservoir .
Reinvigorated, with ribs healing and wounds closing over, Lort steps back to better see his wounded comrades and prays to Kurgess to heal all those near him .
Lort puts all his effort into overcoming the jagged wound.
"Is he still breathing?" Lort calls over to his friends near Ibid, concern filling his voice.
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"Gunari, you are here to .... heal. I am here to .... kill."
Again the whirling ball of steel and magic springs forth in a marriage of death.
Swinging around the crates he sees an undefinable object outlined in shimmering golden dust.
Finarin grins a viscous grin. Calling upon his magical reserves, he recalls his shocking grasp spell and electricity once again permeates the air.
He steps forwards and attacks.
"Now go .. and save Ibid."
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The sound of Lort's voice seems to snap Cyrus from the fog that is clouding his mind. For what felt like forever he had been screaming for someone to help him, yet somehow felt out of control, unable to do anything, a prisoner in his own mind.
Cyrus looks down at his friend, his mentor. Amaranti is behind him yelling that the invisible enemy is standing over top of Ibid. The fear of losing his friend, mentor, possibly the closest thing he has had to a father as long as he can remember.
A thought flashes through Cyrus' mind. It only takes a split second, but he remembers stories, experiences, and one particular thing that could flip this fight in his companions favor.
"GET. OFF. MY. FRIEND!" he shouts, spittle flying from his mouth. Cyrus reaches for the hilt of his Wakizashi, drawing it as he leaps across Ibid's body. He stands among the barrels, hoping to still leave room for Lort to attack whatever is standing over Ibid.
Once over there, he yells at Amaranti to step to the side so they can flank this creature. He then slashes out, hoping to catch something besides thin air.
for and
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Cyrus fights the fog in his mind as he tries to dodge the opportunistic swings of the invisible creature. When Gunari complains about something that isn't his job, he nearly snaps.
"Who the $@&% says it's not my job to heal when their friends lay bleeding out on the ground!? I don't care how good you are or aren't! Do something!"
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Lort looks around at his bickering friends, "Don't forget we have other enemies to fight for now, and don't forget these battles are supposed to be fun! Just remember how bad all that bookwork was. This is far better!"
The big half-orc cannot help but add, "Once these things are dead and we're all healed up, I'll be first in line for a bit of training action, though!"
Lort sends out a pulse of healing as he invokes the use of his newfound technological items while Cyrus tries to rush to the other side of the invisible creature.
The creature tosses him back as an unseen fist of wind slams into the man's face.
In response, Cyrus tries to stab the wind with his wakizashi, but the blade only cuts still air.
Finarin decides to join Gunari in fighting the whirling glitter sends sends a righteous jolt through the creature's essence as he takes a brutal swipe.
Initiative:
1st: ??? (I)
2nd: Gunari;
3rd: ??? (M)
4th: Cyrus; Ibid; Lort; Finarin; Amaranti; Kaisharga
Map Rules: Any square that is quarter to half full can be moved into, but is considered squeezing. Any square that is more than half full is impassible on the ground floor. Boxes are stacked 8-10' tall. Room is 20' tall. Anything with a light source on it is 3' tall.
Status:
Lort @ 20/81 HP
Ibid-Staggered @ 0/55
Finarin @ 32/57 HP
Gunari @ 75/75 HP
Cyrus-Confused (3/6) @ 29/43 HP
Amaranti @ 39/67 HP
IS-Red @ Visible (2/8) @ 71 damage
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"Cyrus, I wasn't saying I wouldn't heal,must that it isn't my specialty! I will heal Ibid as soon as I can, but I cannot do it while engaged with the enemy, Additionally, as I said, I am not that good at it. Sorry, but it is true. I am more of a fighter than a healer. Rest assured you are not the first to berate me on that. Reminds me that I should get s breath of life scroll soon!"
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Kaisharga spreads it's wings and starts breaking it's speed to turn around. And impossible as it seems, it manages to loop its massive bulk and reverse the flying direction. It's master called for it, but the worm cannot see the Garundi fighting anyone. Instead, there is a sparkling creature between the elf and the beer-smelling man. And Kaisharga will rather try to eat an enemy it sees.
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His friends are gathering together now, and the situation looks much better already. The others are already taking care of the other enemy. Amaranti could tackle this one alone, since he is the only one who can see it. But this is all about teamwork, after all. So the Garundi steps back and casts Glitterdust to reveal the invisible one to the others.
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"So I rescue our investigator, only to have you blind him?" laughs Lort as the glitter spray coats Ibid, "Can you see, old man? Or are we to go without the benefit of your arrows?
"Don't worry, old friend, two more of these glitter balls to go, and we can go back to bookwork. Ha!" Lort screws his face up a little, "Two more enemies... yes... I get the feeling we're forgetting about someone or something..."
The glitter covers Ibid and the remaining creature, but it does seem to act as erratically as the other did once the glitter covered it, however you have little to compare it to as Kaisharga decides to rend the air creature with its maw, dispersing it permanently.
The remaining creature, angered by Amaranti's magic, steps forward and lashes out twice at the Garundi.
--Wrap-Up and Resolving Effects--
In two reeling blasts, the creature slams its fists into the man, nearly knocking him unconscious, however, now that it is visible, the creature is easily handled by the Drongos as Gunari, Lort, Amaranti and Kaisharga easily destroy the air-like creature while Cyrus deals with his Confusion next to the injured Ibid.
Status:
Lort @ 20/81 HP
Ibid-Staggered @ 0/55
Finarin @ 32/57 HP
Gunari @ 75/75 HP
Cyrus @ 29/43 HP
Amaranti @ 9/67 HP
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"Lort! Grab hold of Cyrus and keep him from hurting himself. Just wrestle him to the floor!"
Gunari will help everyone with cure wands, as needed, and will search around for the missing devils. "I suspect that any of the devils that we did not dispatch merely teleported away... unfortunately, I guess."
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Cyrus allows the red fog of confusion and anger to overcome his mind. In his fleeting moment of lucidity, his gamble paid off, with the airy creature recklessly attacking the magically confused ninja. Later he would admit that he remembers nothing from the fleeting, brutal fight except an anger that could not be quenched, no matter how hard he swung his blade.
After the battle is over, while Cyrus catches his breath, he lets the others in on his little trick.
"I was reading about the Aspis attack on the Grand Lodge to study up for this. The wizard leader of the band that killed Arem Zey attacked one of the giant constructs, or worms, or something that was guarding the halls. The beast was magically confused when the wizard foolishly attacked it, and because of that, the beast was relentless in trying to kill him. I thought maybe the same thing would work, and prevent me from hurting myself. Or one of you..."
After being attacked by Gunari, Lort, Finarin, Amaranti and Kaisharga, the invisible stalker finally is turned back into air, however the mnemor devil's confusion takes hold of Cyrus and causes him to jump onto Ibid just before the man can stand up, grab his wand and heal himself.
Cyrus, in his confusion, jumps on Ibid with his wakizashi, trying to stab him.
After the attack by the Drongo on his compatriot, the rest of the group swarms him, holding him down until the spell releases its hold on Cyrus.
Status:
Lort @ 20/81 HP
Ibid @ 7/55
Finarin @ 32/57 HP
Gunari @ 75/75 HP
Cyrus @ 29/43 HP
Amaranti @ 9/67 HP
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the creature is easily handled by the Drongos as Gunari, Lort, Amaranti and Kaisharga easily destroy the air-like creature while Cyrus deals with his Confusion next to the injured Ibid.
Calming himself after the short, but fierce battle, Finarin surveys the battlefield around him. He sheathes his scimitar with loud clatter.
After checking to make sure that Ibid and Lort are saved from death, he turns to group.
"First, what in the nine hells were those ... things? Additionally, I must apologize. Though it was our canny ninja friend that pried these crates open, I fear it was .... mine own suggestion to do so. Had I but know the danger we would face ... believe me, I would never have suggested it."
Embarrassed beyond belief, he silently hands his wand of Cure Light Wounds over to Gunari. "If you please."
"Someone should tell Nigel the ... threat is over. Back to the books?"
Before leafing through the endless tomes, Finarin recalls Shocking Grasp with his pearl of power.
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"Ha! Take that, creature of mist and air!" cries Lort, exulting in the afterglow of battle - literally glowing from Finarin's spell. He is happy right up until he looks over at Cyrus and notices the murderous look in Cyrus's eyes.
"No!" cries the half-orc, not managing to turn the confused ninja away from his friendly quarry, "Ibid is your friend!" Lort knows he cannot make it. He knows he cannot stop Cyrus. The thought of this young man killing his adoptive father is too much for him to take. Tears, real tears fly freely down Lort's face as not even Kurgess can provide his legs with enough strength or speed to get there in time.
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Lort pulls Cyrus off Ibid, but it is too late. The massive half-orc holds onto the Keleshite until the confusion passes. All the while, Lort sobs uncontrollably. When Cyrus finally comes to and realizes what he has done, Lort holds on all the tighter.
"It wasn't your fault," he tries to assure Cyrus, "There was nothing you could do. There is literally a devil to blame for this... and it has been dealt with. We'll go to the Lodge, we'll get him revived. Don't worry, don't worry..." a massive line of tears, blood and snot dangles from Lort's matted beard.
"Death isn't the handicap it used to be in the olden days. It doesn't screw your career up like it used to..." quoting a play called 'Tongue Soup' by the Crimson Midget theater troupe does little to buoy Lort's mood.
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Urgh this fog, it’s like a spider in my brain, chewing on my thoughts. I am shouting to heal Ibid! Why is no one listening? Why won’t my arms do it? Urggnnnn…. It’s like I’m outside my body, staring at it with no control. Confusion… Didn’t I read something about that recently? Something about Rataji, when the Aspis murdered Arem Zey…
Everything is happening so fast, I can’t see clearly. Maybe it’s more like a hundred spiders chewing on my thoughts. The buzzing. So blurry… Why is someone singing that loser song? Distracting… Did anyone heal Ibid yet?
A clear spot in the fog! I can feel my legs! I know what to do. This was the mistake Rataji made when he assaulted the grand lodge. He cast a spell at a confused enemy, and that enemy nearly tore him apart. All I need to do is get that thing standing over Ibid to attack me! It’s Genius!
Yes! It attacked! I’ve got you now you bastard. Yes, let the fog come. I submit, there is no way my plan doesn’t work now! This is how I will protect my friends. I can’t seem to do anything else, so I will dive deeper into the depths of this wicked magic that eats at my brain.
I see it. The assassin. The thing that is trying to kill my friends. Laying there on the ground. Take this you bastard…
I’ve done it. I’ve protected my friends. They will take care of the rest. I think I need to sleep… Maybe when I wake up these damn spiders in my head will go away…
The doors to the elevator open and Nigel comes out with three armed guards from the museum. The two men wield devilishly sharp pikes as the third appears to have raging flames in both of her hands.
"Where are they?! What happened?!" Nigel yells, leading the charge out of the iron box with a rapier in hand.
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"Not now, Nigel," Lort holds up a hand, "Still processing it all.
Lort carefully wraps up the body of Ibid, using Nigel's sheets if necessary. Tears continue to fall freely from his eyes as he performs the sombre task before him. All the while, a street urchin runs to a certain exotic stable with a message. Slowly, and with much respect, the half-orc carries Ibid up and out of this accursed museum.
The mammoth-pulled mobile shrine to Kurgess is waiting for Lort when he exits the building. He doesn't know who Ibid prays to. Probably Desna. Desnans seem to die so often, in the unluckiest ways. I guess that's as it should be, though... not may people who live risk-free lives pray to the goddess of luck.
Reverently, Lort lies Ibid's body down on his portable shrine. He does his best to respect Desna's rituals, what little he can remember of them - and places Ibid's iconic hat over his face. Lort mounts the mammoth and spurs it into ponderous action and leads the strange procession away from the Blakros Museum and towards the grand lodge.
"Don't worry, old man," Lort call's back to Ibid's corpse, "We'll get this fixed."
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"Where are they? "
Cyrus' face flushes a deep red as he springs across the room in what seems like one leap, and probably is. They don't call him the Flea for nothing.
The blade he wanted nothing to do with only moments ago, still stained with Ibid's blood is back in his hand in a flash, and pressed hard against Nigel's throat. Cyrus cares nothing for the armed figures at the elf's side.
Anger, it seems, is far more palatable than grief.
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The infernal threats taken care of, the Pathdinfers turn to see Cyrus stick his wazhaki into his oldest friend. Ibid falls into a pool of blood, motionless on the floor.
The Pathfinders rush in and disarm the young ninja, but too late to save their friend. As realization comes over Cyrus, tears, real tears, stream down his face as gut-wrenching sobs wrack his chest. He cradles the old man in his arms, rocking back and forth, whispering to himself, "No .... no ... stay with me."
Unsure of what to do next, Lort begins by moving to the opposite corner of the library and loud crashes can be heard along with loud exclamative curses.
Gunari, not quite knowing how to handle the situation, drinks steadily and deeply from his tankard, wondering when it would be a good time to offer a pull to Cyrus.
Amaranti stands uncomfortably by, looking at Kasingra. The extraplanar worm feels nothing and is no comfort to the large Guarndi.
Finarin stares on in disbelief. A look of sadness crosses his face. The younger races led such short, exciting lives, it was hard for him to truly morn the loss of one that had lived so long, and done so much in the life span of a human.
He walks away briefly before returning with a lit torch.
Addressing Cyrus, "We are going to .... burn him, right? That is what you humans do?"
The Pathfinders all emerge from the temple of Sarenrae, Ibid looking terrible, but able to move under his own accord. He stares once more at the sky that he never thought he would see again. Silent tears run down his face and he smiles a genuinely happy smile.
"So we are not ... in fact ... burning him. Right?" Finarin whispers to Gunari.
Finarin stands uncomfortably to the side while Lort carries Ibid out. Life and death meant different things to different races. Finarin knew that in this city, all the magical resources were there to be had.
He follows solemnly behind.
"There is not a price that we will not .... pay to restore our friend to life. A few more adventures, then you can hang your hat up, Ibid. But not .... now. Not quite .... yet."
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Gunari pulls his blade from the dying elemental, only to see his friend strike his mentor with a killing blow. He is stunned by this, and drops his weapon and shield. His only response is to pull out his tankard, and drink heavily.
He walks up to Cyrus, grabs the young Kelishite, not out of anger, but out of compassion. He looks to Nigel and says, "No, I know you didn't do this... not directly. However, I have to wonder, was this your fault due to the nature of these archives? Think deeply upon this, Curator, for it may well be your fault and not mine that a good man fell today, and fell by... by..." Gunari is overwhelmed with grief, and struggles to continue. "By the person that meant the most to him in the world. Cyrus, I am so sorry... had I but known, maybe I could have prevented this. Why didn't we buy a scroll that I could have used to save him?"
He breaks his embrace, which was as much for his own comfort as Cyrus's. "You need this more than I do, I would imagine," he says, offering the Tankard of the Drunken Hero to the ninja.
To Finarin, he then turns, and says, "No, my friend. We shall not burn him. We will find a priest, and see if we can pull him back from the Boneyard. He died too soon... hopefully, Desna willing, he will want to return." Gunari looks to Cyrus once more. "If only to comfort our young friend, to let him know it wasn't his fault, and he is forgiven."
Gunari has a look about him that makes it clear he doesn't forgive himself... a look that he is planning on a way to make amends.