Lacking any practical skills, Corvus rushes to the Baron but stops short of actually doing anything.
Seeing Navorn, she whispers to him, "Is it serious? I mean, is he well, you know...dead?"
Untrained heal check
Shugging his shoulders he whispers "I have no ideal. If his singing was good I would know, if he is alive" he shrugs again " Your guess is as good as mine, Hince the yelling for the healer"
There is a crush of folks about the stricken baron, so neither Navorn or Corvus are able to get close. Navorn can see his face: blue as a berry with a hugely swollen tongue sticking out. A cry arises from the crowd and the folks nearest the baron scramble back. Hundreds of small maggots begin to erupt from his bluish skin. In moments he is covered in a writhing yellow-white blanket.
Another cry goes up
"Witchery! The baron has been assasinated by witchery!"
"OK not poison then"
Know arcana
Know religion
Know anything useful
"OK not poison then"
Know arcana 1d20+3
Know religion 1d20+3
Know anything useful 1d20+3
Navorn:
Looking to Corvus and regretting not bring a weapon besides his dagger he says" Get the others. I hope some of you came armed because if I am right, we'll be dealing with a very undead baron ,very, very soon"
Raising his voice to a shout he calls 'Away from the baron! away now! The witchry is not yet done! Every one is in danger!"
Trying diplomacy to see if they will listen
As quickly as she can, Corvus scouts the festival hall for familiar faces, encouraging them to congregate next to Navorn.
As she moves through the crowd, Corvus instinctively reaches for her scimitar, before realising she is in her clerical vestments and therefore unarmed.
Borondon spits out his wine and stands up.
At the Barons collapse Sondergang becomes instantly alert..he has not indulged as much as Borondon..he makes his way towards tthe Baron ignoring the crowd around him..one look at Navorns face however tells him it is too late.."Do you know what it is" he asks hurridly.
At the Baron's actions Crystal rises and begins to move towards the commotion. At Navorn's words Crystal's face grows grim and her course changes towards that of Lady Arriana. Once there she tries to help the other woman in this time of trouble with bolstering words and a calm voice and demeanor,
At Navorn's exclamation of "Witchery" Crystal takes Ariana's hand and begins to lead her away from the scene, all the while looking around and trying her best to observe the crowd. Some one here might be looking smug at their evil handy work.
Keeping both Arriana and Mellie close, Crystal tries to move towards the nearest exit.
|
Merzhan begins to surge forward but at Navorn's shout he stops. Looking to Cinda he starts to offer her comfort but as his companions take up the warning, he turns back to the scene.
Quickly he allow his vision to shift, showing him deowmers and other such effects. As his eyes scan the scene he speaks quietlt to the priestess.
"You need to maintain order before the panic sets in, they will trust you."
Kolo's eyes go wide at the shout of "POISON!", thinking of the great quantity of food and drink he's had, then narrow dangerously at the second cry of "Witchery!". He allows his eyes to unfocus and looks beyond sight to spot anything out of the ordinary even as he makes his way towards the same exit Crystal and her companions are headed towards.
Keeping his hand near his dagger , thank gods it was stylish he thinks. He looks to Sondergang, a bit enviously at his weapons " There is a necromantic poison called death maggots that has this effect. It also has a tendency to bring it's victims back from the dead, in a very unliving manner" He says looking at the dead baron with worry
Daris is dressed in a gown of green silk, with gold and silver brocade in the interlaced right angles of her deity, with nary a weapon in sight. As a diplomatic guest, she's at the same table as the Baron.
Unarmed, and unarmored, she strides over to the stricken Baron. Her right hand is bathed in a pattern of interlocking silver and gold squares, her palm glowing with the blood red light of the Lawgiver's Will.
She touches the Baron's throat delicately with two fingers, as if taking the man's pulse. She is very much aware that she should not be seen grabbing his throat, lest it be misinterpreted.
She looks to anyone with clerical vestments. "Are you going to sit there and let this man die?" She also looks over the Garonan contingent for one face in particular.
...even so, her LEFT hand is on the hilt of the Baron's sword, ready to pull it from the scabbard and be armed. She's eyeing one of the lids over a serving dish on the banquet table, in case she has to pull the sword, leap back and grab an improvised shield.
Daris attempts to get close to the baron as he falls to the ground, but one of his vassals blocks her way, his sword unsheathed.
"Back off feyling!"
A ring of the Baron's men are surroounding their stricken leader. The Sarenrae priest who officiated is moving forward to his side as the maggots break free. He rears back, then starts praying.
Daris attempts to get close to the baron as he falls to the ground, but one of his vassals blocks her way, his sword unsheathed.
"Back off feyling!"
A ring of the Baron's men are surrounding their stricken leader. The Sarenrae priest who officiated is moving forward to his side as the maggots break free. He rears back, then starts praying.
At hearing the Housecarl's snarled words to Daris Crystal's eyes narrow, turning to Mellie she asks with quiet confidence.
"Mellie? Can you guide Lady Arianna to our rooms? Be sure to change into the other clothes." To the Lady she spares a quick hug and,
"I will do the most I can for your betrothed." She looks Arianna squarely in the eye, "But there are more complicated politics afoot." She urges the pair away, then turns to the milling crowd
And surges forwards, stepping boldly and directly to the crude fellow who has cast such aspersions at an honored guest.
"You there, my good man!" She calls to gain the churls attention, "Why do you turn away any help for the Baron in this time of need?"
She brooks no 'stick' from these men at arms, daring any of them to strike at her proud, low cut gown wrapped, figure,
"All should be allowed to do their part!" She decries, even while searching these mens faces to try and get a better understanding of their motivations. Are they pawns or conspirators within this play of events.
Using herself as a shield,she tries to forge a path for Daris to get closer and help.
Kolo passes a banquet table on his way through the frightened crowd and a sudden thought strikes him. How can I be unarmed in a feast hall? There's knives for the meat, aren't there?
So thinking, he stops his progress towards Crystal and her wards -- well enough, since Crystal just reversed direction anyway -- and tries to find a nearby sharp knife, pig spit, or other suitably sharp improvised weapon.
Crystal goes to argue with the housecarl, fighting her way through the screaming guests. As she accosts him she sees the baron's maggot-wrapped form shake. His skeleton emerges from his liquifying flesh with a horrid *splorch* sound. The housecarl is looking at Crystal and doesn't see the looming maggotty skeleton. The Sarenrae priest holds his holy symbol high and a pulse of light rips into the horrid undead. Crystal can hear the screams of Mellie and Arianna in the background.
Kolo grabs both a carving dagger and a kabob spit . He turns to the commotion
All Crystal can do is point behind the man, even as her gaze is torn away by the cry from Mellie and Lady Arianna.
With definite un-lady like action, Crystal simply leans down and tears the hem of her gown from ankle to waist, the better to facilitate her motions.
Daris looks over the shoulder at the huscarl at the rising corpse of the Baron. (Detect Evil on the corpse)
Her tone loses any semblance of reasonableness. "Your lord has risen. See what he has become."
By luck and timing, this is just before the bolt from the priest causes the newly risen corpse to crackle.
She also shifts closer to the table, looking for a carving knife and a serving dish lid. (Improvised dagger and buckler, basically).
Navron seeing the threat and armed only with his dagger calls upon his arcane powers to slicken the floor around the undead foe, hoping to slow him down and give the others more time to act and the guests more time to flee
All Crystal can do is point behind the man, even as her gaze is torn away by the cry from Mellie and Lady Arianna.
With definite un-lady like action, Crystal simply leans down and tears the hem of her gown from ankle to waist, the better to facilitate her motions.
Daris looks over the shoulder at the huscarl at the rising corpse of the Baron. (Detect Evil on the corpse)
Her tone loses any semblance of reasonableness. "Your lord has risen. See what he has become."
By luck and timing, this is just before the bolt from the priest causes the newly risen corpse to crackle.
She also shifts closer to the table, looking for a carving knife and a serving dish lid. (Improvised dagger and buckler, basically).
** spoiler omitted **
Daris:
The baron's housecarl turns and shrieks, backpedaling away from the gooey maggot mess his lord has become
perception
Mellie and Arianna are frozen at the rear hallway entrance. They are staring wide-eyed at the maggot-covered skeleton rising from the floor
Navorn casts his slippery spell. The mound of maggots is covered in oil, stopping their inching, humping advance across the floor. The skeleton totters and falls prone.
Seeing the mound acting independently of the skeletal undead has Crystal worried, but she is too professional to let such emotions show. Taking a five foot step around Daris to'Evaryth (Moving from f-19 to g-20) She simply uses a chair to step up onto the nearest table (A direct line from g-20 to h-20) from her elevated position she calls for people to be calm and tries to instill some order and propriety into the proceedings.
"People! Calm! The heroes of the pass, the great slayers of the Demon Ogre shall protect you! What needs you fear from some simple pile of lowly bugs?"
Realising she is farthest from the action and seeing her comrades scavenge for improvides weapons, Corvus makes some quick decisions.
Firstly she looks for anything that could be used as a sword or dagger.
Then she raises her voice, remaining calm and imposing at the same time.
"Could everyone please leave by the nearest exit. Move quickly but don't run."
A spell! Hmm, that gesture combined with the stick of butter he just swiped off the table means...
Kolo fumbles through his pockets for a tindertwig, a plan starting to form in his mind.
Daris steps closer to the skeletal remains of the Baron.
(5' step to an adjacent area)
"By the laws of nature recorded by the Law-weaver, as life abhors unlife, I condemn the spirit that profanes the memory of the Baron."
(Invoke "Smite Evil" a a free action)
Her entire body shimmers with faint gold and silver overlapping squares, something that the undead corpse cannot abide.
Her hand, still glowing with the ruby light of the Law-weaver's will, reaches out to touch the skeleton (using the Lay On Hands ability for a touch attack).
(Double damage if I hit.)
===
Second round:
Repeat touch attack on skeleton with Lay On Hands and Smite Evil.
(Double damage if I hit.)
"Argh, now what?" Borondon moves up to the risen corpse and takes a swing.
And another swing.
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Standing almost majestically in the midst of the chaos, Merzhan raises an outstretched hand. A glow spreads along his arm as a ray of pure sunlight lances out toward the maggot riddled abomination.
"Let the glory of the Dawnflower's light banish this defiler's form from her sacred place."
Ranged touch
Damage
Round 2
Ranged touch
Damage
Crit Confirmation
Ranged touch
Damage
Sondergang growls low in his throat as the maggoty skeleton rises..
"Torag aid me" he cries "back..back to the foul pit you came fromfell spirit" as he draws his hammer and calls down the fires of Torags forge on the creature.
channel energy against the undead
The party turns on the prone skeleton and blasts it to bits, with a little assistance from the few housecarls that managed not to flee in terror.
The swarm of necrotic maggots seems to have been suffocated by the infusion of oil . The channeled energies of the priests and Merzhan crisp the few that managed to escape the oil bath. The weapon blows shatter the prone skeleton before it can rgain its feet.
The party is left standing in an almost deserted festival hall. Most of the guests escaped unharmed, thanks to Crystal and a few other level-headed folks. The smell of corruption and oil fills the air.
The few baronial guard left look about wildeyed. At this moment a horn sounds distantly three times. The baron's men jerk their heads up.
"That's the wall horn!" One exclaims "Three blasts means enemies at the gate!"
With a sour expression on his face Navorn says "Sigh a siege, I found myself under dressed for such an occasion." Looking around at the others "Shall we get properly dressed and see who has come uninvited?"
Borondon sighs "Can't a dwarf enjoy a proper night of revelry in this town?"
Eitri rushes to the outer wall to see what is happening.
Sondergang looks at his comrades.."It would seem that my jest wasn't so much of a jest...arm yourselves my friends the enemy is at the gates and we have a job to do"
With that he dashes after Eitri
Crystal smiles at the parties efforts as she steps lightly down off the table. Gathering Mellie and Arianna up she pauses long enough to say,
"I shall meet you all in the thick of things, but first I must help my friends here to safety."
Nodding her goodbyes to the other party members she escorts the pair to the Ladies chambers.
There is a tumult outside the castle keep as soldiers in the baronial guard man the wall. The bailey is full of action as the guards prepare for whatever faces them outside the walls.