Masym quickly moves into the room, grabbing a vial as he goes as he eyes the incoming hoard of rats cautiously. As he comes around the corner, he will see the source of the whimpering, as there are a number of human prisoners hog tied in the far corner of the Inn.
Unfortunately, he is so focused on the swarm, and now the prisoners, he completely misses the much larger rat lurking under the table. As he goes to throw his alchemist's fire, the rat lunges out from its shadowy hiding place, sinking its sharp fangs into his calf!
Thrown off by the sudden attack, his throw ends up falling well short of the incoming hoard of rats, instead crashing onto the far end of the table. Although the flaming chemicals don't hit the swarm at all, the pained shriek from beneath the table seems to hint that it may have splashed the rat trying to chew off his foot!
The rat thrashes about beneath the table in response, its attacks coming nowhere near Masym a second time.
The swarm of rats though... they pour out of the rafters, and out from beneath the tables, and up through holes in the floor... ten quickly becoming dozens. Dozens quickly becoming hundreds! Hundreds of hungry, squealing rats race across the floor and drop out of the rafters, all of them leaping and clawing at Masym. Even his armor is not enough to keep every tooth at bay, and he feels the nicks and bites, and the warm flow of blood starting to seep from wounds newly opened!
"Yes! Yes!" Screams the portly human, as he lumbers forward himself, it is only then you notice another large rat scuttle out from under a nearby table, racing along beside him, to disappear under another table, keeping pace but out of sight.
"Devour this pestulance! Devour him as the Harbinger will devour us all in the End!" He cries, as he turns to to glare towards the rest of the Pathfinders still in the doorway.
- Round 1 ----------
<--- we are here!
- Round 2 ----------
Party is up!
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Midge raises an eyebrow at the man and his rats. "Wow... you are... psychotic." Midge remarks in surprise. "...Not what I expected!"
Midge -- who can't believe she forgot to cast a defensive spell for before getting herself into this situation -- quickly mutters a few strange words as she moves her hands around grandly. Her right hand draws a half-moon in the air and the other hand cuts through it from top to bottom. There's a sudden shimmer in the air before her, and then nothing.
Then she hurries into the room.
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Fifi sees the danger incoming, and decides it's best to leave the rats to Masym, who seems to be more prepared to deal with a number of foes at the same time (as opposed to her).
She sprints towards the man that seems to be the leader, taking out her scimitar through the sprint but giving everyone else time to react.
Hearing the leader's words, her flame seems to ignite brighter than ever before-"Devour us all in the end? Are you a follower of the Rough Beast?"-her blade seemingly heating up at the mere mention of The Unmaker.
In fact, the only Harbinger that immediately comes to mind is one of the lesser used names for Groetus, who has been called the Harbinger of Last Days.
But given that Groetus has almost no followers or any kind of formal religion or church, it would be rare indeed to come across one here and now.
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Whilst removing her leg from the splintered wood, Fifi recognizes the man's words and says-"A follower of Groetus? In this time and age? The Dawnflower's teachings told me the faithful of Groetus are nothing more than madmen, either believing the world is about to end, or trying to actively end it for that is the will of their precious deity."
Midge says a quick arcane spell of protection, then quickly moves into the tavern, staying well clear of the hoard of rats swarming over Masym, her attention on the fat man with the crazy look in his eyes. Unfortunately, once again, all the other action in the room only distracts from more hidden threats, as another larger than usual sized rat darts out from beneath a nearby table, and tries to sink its yellow teeth into her flesh. Despite not seeing it until it was too late, her magical protections easily keep its teeth at bay. It tries again to bite her, with renewed ferocity... but now that she knows its there, the second bite fares no better than the surprise attack.
Londo slowly and deliberately steps over the last of the rotting dock planks, and into the surer footing of the inn, moving up beside Midge, drawing his axe as he goes.
The wild-eyed human screams in anger, as more 'human waste' enters the building. He waves one hand towards Masym, and a bright flash of blinding light hits him clear in the eyes!
He's barely finished waving his hand, then he rushes forward, a knobby cudgel raised over his head, screaming, as he advances on Masym on the far side of the table. Even as he does so, the rat you saw disappear under the table where he was, appears again, racing in to attack Masym from the other side. This rat is far larger and sleeker than the others, and moves with unnatural speed. Luckily for Masym, the rat seems more concerned with approaching cautiously, and the crazy man far too wild, for either of them to mount any sort of accurate counterattack. Even the first dire rat, still lurking beneath the table, seems more concerned with staying undercover, than going on the offensive. He easily dodges all of their attacks.
But the swarm of rats is a different matter. There are far too many, and they are all far too riled up, for him to avoid every set of gnashing teeth. He feels the sting of a few more bites getting through, and the warmth of even more blood starting to seep from the wounds. He can't even manage to effect a serious offensive of his own as he tries to fend them all off.
Both Fifi and Marcus try to rush in to help, but both of them forget to take proper precautions on the rotting surface of the docks, and move far too quickly for the unsafe surface. First Fifi, then Marcus, get their feet snagged on the rotting planks and end up falling before they reach the door. It takes all their attention just to get unsnagged and back up to their feet, never mind managing to get in to help.
Kioshi is the only one who seems to have figured out where to step, the nimble sorcerer hoping across the wooden planks with relative ease, and into the tavern itself, a small flask of acid in hand by the time he gets there. He quickly hurls it towards the rats attacking Masym, but despite Baahuush's guidance, he rushes the throw. The flask ends up falling well short, hitting an shelf on the nearby wall and crashing open far too close! Some of it even splashes back on himself and his familiar ! None at all hits the swarm of rats.
- Round 2 ----------
- Round 3 ----------
Party is up!
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As Fifi gets out her leg from the rotten planks, she rushes in, the uncertainty of what the crazed man can do getting the best of her, deciding to wade through the rats to get to the man.
"Desist now, while you still have the chance to see your precious world's end!"-she says while doing her best to deflect any incoming blows from the rats, looking at the man with zeal.
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Rats....it had to be a problem like rats. They get everywhere. From Irrisen to the Worldwound to the Mwangi Expanse, Rats plagued humanity everywhere. But they actually served a purpose. Pity to have to kill so many.
You have grown soft old man
Sometimes, the old axe-arm remained the best solution to the problems at hands.
Londo drew his axe and made a powerful chop at the rat harassing Midge
Without you where would I get morning pastries?
Fifi rushes into the room, ignoring the two larger rats and skirting past the edge of the swarm to circle around behind... but the rats don't ignore her, one of them catching her on the calf as she goes by, opening up a long tear with its sharp teeth! A few small drops of blood follow her as she continues on past.
Kioshi ignores the small chemical burns on his exposed skin, and quickly digs out a second vial of acid. This time, he takes the time to aim carefully, lofting the flask over the closer rats, to splash across the farthest edge of them! Unlike the previous throw though, this time the vial breaks open and spreads its acid to devastating effect! Everywhere, rats start writhing and thrashing on the tavern floor, their flesh and skin burning off. Even Masym and the larger rats on and near the table get some splashed on them. The room is filled with the pained shrieks of rodents, almost drowning out everything else for a moment.
The wild-eyed human with the club starts yelling again, making strange sounds of his own, as if trying to direct the vermin, though many of them do not appear to be listening any more.
Those rats still alive quickly move away from the source of their pain. Even as Masym steps out of their midst, the remaining swarm runs in the opposite direction, quickly swarming over Midge, but continuing right past her to run over and around Londo as well. Their razor sharp teeth and tiny claws bite and claw almost randomly at anything, in pain-fueled terror, before they finally split up, some racing up into the rafters, while a few duck through holes in the walls and floor, or disappear down the hallway beyond... until finally there are not enough left to pose any serious threat.
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Marcus rushes in after Fifi, trying to cleave the rat that bit her in twain, but it quickly dodges out of the way as he brings his sword down. All he manages to do is create a large hole in the newly repaired floorboards. Midge too tries to club the rat, but it ducks under one of the chairs, avoiding her swing as well. But Londo is ready for it on the opposite side, and as it dodges away from the halfling's morning star, it ends up running right into the half-orc's great axe. It does not survive the blow, curling up on the floor as its squeals are quickly silenced. Pie deliveries seem secure for the near future.
Glad to be free of them, Masym turns his attention away from the rats, and instead thrusts his spear at the fat man with the club. The sharp point sinks deeply into the man's side. Though the wound is obviously grave, the man appears to fight through the pain, and screams in anger, though its hard to tell who he's yelling at anymore. One of the rats, the one larger than the rest, quickly moves in behind Masym, as the crazy man slides in to flank with it, one hand holding the hole in his side, but the other still swinging the cudgel with deadly force. Both of them proceed to savage the surrounded Pathfinder! The rat, nips painfully at his ankle, coming close to hamstringing him, though he manages to pull the leg away in time, only taking a small nick . But doing so throws him off balance enough that the club coming from the other side connects with his side. The sounds of bones cracking can be heard all the way across the room, and for a moment, Masym almost goes blind from the pain that lances up his side.
The last remaining giant rat, doesn't come out from its hiding place beneath the table, instead turning its focus on Fifi, though the young paladin's armor is able to keep its sharp fangs from reaching her flesh.
- Round 3 ----------
- Round 4 ----------
Party is up!
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Fifi comes up with a plan, deciding to stab the rat in front of her with her scimitar, shifting her stance so her shield is more centered on her person.
Then she yells-"Marcus! Road wide open!"-as she sidesteps, leaving her calf opened to the red rat to give the Taldan noble a chance to get to the leader.
Though leaving herself exposed, she will try her best to kick the rat before it gets the chance to nib at her flesh, whilst using her shield to deflect any blows from the green rat.
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”Chaldira be with us! This is horrible!!“ Kioshi says with fear in his voice when he sees his companions being bitten and hurt by this savage man and his rats.
Baahuush hears the name of the goddess that imbued him with his sentience and casts ‘guidance’ on Kioshi.
Kioshi starts walking forward and retrieves his crossbow.
The he loads it.
As Kioshi loads his crossbow, Fifi goes after the dire rat attacking her from under the table. She kicks a chair aside and easily smacks it across the side of the head. It collapses unconscious, off to dream little big rat dreams, no longer a threat to anyone.
Masym ducks away from the larger rat nearby, easily dodging its sharp teeth, and also ducks under the swing of the wild-eyed man's cudgel, coming around to the far side, as he waits for someone to move in on the other...
Midge tries to clear the way, smashing the larger rat across the flank with a surprisingly vicious blow. The giant rodent squeals in pain, and she's pretty sure she broke one of its legs, but it is still active enough to snap at Marcus as the Taldan man races past, to back up Masym. He agilely leaps over Midge, and easily avoids the rat's bite, moving in to flank with Masym. Both of them then gang up on the man who seems to be directing the vermin. First Masym's spear, than Marcus blade, quickly cut him down... his crazed words dying on his lips.
Londo then moves in beside Midge again, and puts the badly injured rat out of its pain, finishing it off with one mighty sweep of his axe.
There are six other people here, five of them are hog tied and gagged in the corner by Masym, all of them tied to each other by the neck, unable to move, though they appear to be awake, eyeing you with wide panicked eyes. The sixth prisoner is the one lashed to the bar. His shirt has been ripped open, exposing his chest and abdomen, which is bloody and bruised from severe beatings. He is unconscious and unresponsive when you check on him.
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Masym holsters his bloody spear, still breathing hard from the effects of the blows he took. Putting aside his own combat fatigue he moves over to the fat rat-man and tries to keep the man alive. Seeing Kioshi nearly kill the man with his clumsy efforts he waves off Kioshi.
"Let me handle this one. See to the prisoners." He grunts to the kitsune.
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Kioshi immediately leaves the bleeding man and apologetically looks at Masym.
"Sorry for spraying some acid on you Masym!"
He walks over to the prisoners and starts releasing them and in parallel starts to explain who they are.
"I am very sorry for everything you had to go through! We are here to help you as we are looking for someone that might have been held prisoner with you as well. Is anyone of you here a Pathfinder? Or an agent of the Aspis?"
You will realize that there is no need to stabilize him... he is well beyond that being of any help at all.
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Marcus, seeing the assembled group makes a half-hearted attempt to conceal his appearance. "Someone, go fetch the... er... I'll get him."
He hops out the door, shifts back to his human form, then rushes in. "I got the ones outside. Is everyone safe?"
He begins to work at removing the bonds from the captives as he attempts to calm them.
"My name is Marcus Vulpares Fantailler, son of Marcus Vultulus Fantailler, Baronet of Ridonport and heir to the Fantailler family estate. I will do all within my power to assure your safety from this moment forth."
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Fifi will approach the sixth prisoner and sheath her scimitar. With a deep breath, she whispers, "I hope this works" as she removes her Valkyrie helmet.
Fifi raises both hands above her head, letting them stand in the fire emanating from it. She utters a brief prayer-"Everlight, beacon of hope and joy. Grant me a part of your healing fire, for this man needs to feel your warmth to guide him to a better day." With that, the fire on her head seems to turn into a vibrant orange and yellow, visually glowing. She removes her hands, which seem to have catched on fire, and she touches the man with both of them, as the glowing fire envelops him.
Within seconds, the fire seems to first cauterize his wounds, and then start removing any scars and bruises, healing him of any injuries. After a moment, the healing fire extinguishes.
Of the five prisoners hog-tied in the corner, one of them is wearing the uniform of the Imperial Navy guard, while the rest wear clothing more suited to a fancy dinner party. The ordeal of their capture has done a number on all of them. They are all more than grateful to be rescued!
The unconscious man tied to the counter seems more conservatively dressed, but most of his clothes have been torn off to accommodate the severe beating he clearly received at the hands of his captors. His well trimmed black beard is covered in coughed up blood, and the exposed parts of his body already with dark bruises forming under the blood there. Fifi goes over to him, calling on the healing warmth of Sarenrae to heal the man's wounds... but though her touch does indeed cause some of the bruises to fade, and closes a few of the more egregious contusions, he does not regain consciousness.
"He fought back." One of the other five prisoners says, as Fifi works on the man at the bar. "They beat him mercilessly."
"They were going to sell us into slavery!" Another says with indignant shock. "Us!"
"Did you find the others?" The first asks, though his hopeful look sinks a little as your looks answer his question for him.
"We were having an auction." He continues, with a resigned sigh. "I was taking bids, it was all going smoothly... then these people broke in. It was chaos. People screaming. Everyone running every which way. Some got out, but most did not. They dragged some of us here, but there were more they lead off elsewhere!"
"They said they were going to a ship." The guardsman mutters.
None of the three well-to-do victims seem to have noticed anything helpful, though the guardsman and the auctioneer at least appear to have some useful information.
"One of 'em said the name." The guardsman adds, his brow furrowing as he tries to recall it. "Prancing something or other... Prince? Yes, that was it. The Prancing Prince." He nods slightly. "I think I saw it on patrol, a couple days back, on the far side of the Shipyards. Didn't think it'd be full of f%~@ing slavers!"
The auctioneer chimes in as well. "Did not hear a ship mentioned, but one of them did say a name." He too tries to recall what he heard. "They were talking about how much money they were going to make selling everyone in the Chelaxian markets..." He starts with a scowl. "How it was all going to help their 'cause'... whatever that was."
"Ismacco!" He finally spouts, as he finally remembers. "That was the name. They were waiting for someone named Ismacco, to help them sell everyone. It was awful."
"Did you say you were looking for someone in particular?" The guardsman adds. "A Pathfinder? Not sure if there was one with the other group they drug off, but one of the guards definitely had one of those compass things he took off someone."
The auctioneer jumps in. "Oh yes, I remember that fellow. They were paying close attention to that one, had a bunch of half-orcs standing guard over him. Big burly brutes. Don't get a lot of those kind around here, so I noticed..." He hesitates suddenly, as his eyes fall on Londo, clearly not sure whether to continue.
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Kioshi, as you look about, you will find that the dead man has nothing much of value. Even his weapons and armor seems rudimentary at best, like he made them himself. Just simple leather armor, a battered wooden shield, and the gnarled club. He did have fifty gold coins though... seeming out of place with the rest of his rustic gear.
You do find several buckets of white pain on the bar, next to the unconscious man.
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Londo grimaces. Should have known they would find more value in a pathfinder - education was something they looked for in slaves.
The Prancing Prince eh...well hopefully we can catch them and uhhh hinder their cause a bit before things get too far out of hand.
Londo sees no reason these people here can't take care of themselves from here and proceeds to head outside and begin asking around about the location of the Prancing Prince.
Fifi will find the man starts to come around after her third laying on of hands. He is still badly injured, all of her divine aid barely enough to bring him around, much less cure all of his wounds. Still, it is enough to bring him back to consciousness. He looks around, in pained confusion, suddenly finding himself no longer strapped down. He frantically tumbles off the side of the counter behind the bar, crashing into some empty buckets back there, as he tries to scramble away. It is only once you see his eyes open, that you realize his pupils are huge, and you get the impression he has been drugged in some fashion as well.
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Glad the man regains consciousness, Fifi tries to calm him down as best she can-"Mister, everything is alright. You're safe. No harm will come to you."
If able to inspect him, she will try to identify the drug used on the man, trying to identify any scents, habits and patterns.
"It seems we might find ourselves at an impasse. The boat docked on the other side of town, so if we decide to make haste, we are betting on the boat still being there, and might fall behind even more."-she says pondering what to do.
Trying her best to get her words through to the drugged man, Fifi asks him-"Mister, do you remember anything about your captor? Any information you have might lead us to the culprits."
Fifi is unable to determine what sort of drug might be running through the bearded man's system, though he does seem to calm down a little at her words, his eyes shifting rapidly around the room, as he takes in the situation.
Eventually, he will mention his name, and you realize that this is the missing Aspis agent, Kafar! He becomes immediately more guarded when he realizes you are Pathfinders.
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Midge helps get everyone out of the building. She looks to the guard. "I need you to help everyone get to the nearest guard station. Tell them everything that happened. Got it?"
Then she looks at her companions. "We need to get to the docks before the Prancing Prince leaves. Now." She stows her morningstar and gets ready to run there. "Hurry!"