I'm just going to stop putting questions in the discussion thread
"Iomedae open my eyes"
Luc will say a prayer asking for his goddess to bless him with the gift of detecting magic. He then concentrates on Aldo waiting for the others to respond to the constable.
Finished investigating the upstairs, Nicu returns down the steps while still focusing his detect magic on the people and items in the home.
At the bang of the opening door, Ylva's head whips towards the stairs, and she bares her teeth. Rannveig's expression never changes, but she growls loudly enough that the others upstairs can hear, and begins to prowl downwards to investigate.
Olivia raises her hands in a placating gesture, she looks very worried indeed now, "Alright Aldo, we'll get out of your way. We just came to help. Maria, why don't you bring Giselle down to the tavern and we'll let Aldo do his work?" she moves to help the woman to her feet, but Aldo steps in front of her and blocks her path.
The Constable's eye turns to the group coming down the stairs and speaks to them "Now you fine helpful folks haven't been tampering with a murder scene, now have you? Why how would I know you hadn't committed this foul deed yourselves, if you'd gone and done something like that?" He grins again, more a display of teeth than a smile.
The dwarf is unable to hold his tongue, "So how'd ya git here so quick Constable, it's almost as if you had a sense that something was gonna happen tonight. I mean not a hour ago you were three sheets to the wind puking during a rain storm, now your johnny-on-the-spot right after a rainstorm, all ready to thoroughly investigate the scene."
Clearly unable to contain the contempt that is oozing from his pores.
I move in front of Luc, hold my halberd in both hands in front of me, and focus my concentration on the Constable, trying to detect evil (remember that in one Move Action I should know as much as anyone else casting Detect Evil for a full three rounds). When I have noted what I can detect about the man, I will address his comments.
”Sir, I do not, lightly, take the position of opposing authority, but I demand that you disarm yourself immediately, or if your intention is violence, you at least allow these innocents to leave the room under guard. Now, hear me clearly, and answer swiftly, for there will be no patience for lies. What makes you believe that there has been a murder here? Master Rockburn and I will not tollerate this facade much longer. You will satisfy his concerns and answer my question, or there will be trouble."
Luc begins to clench his cigar between his teeth, staring sternly at the Constable and his guards.
Looking for any signs of aggression, agitation or uncertainty on the their part.
The Constable chuckles to himself at the Dwarf's words. "Mayhap that was what I wanted you to believe, Master Fivefingers. This is a small town and news travels quickly. Basil here alerted me that Maria was wailing about a murder, so of course, I came at once. I see no body here, so it must be upstairs. Or has this all been pointless prank?"
Aldo turns to Artegal next, "Now who said anything about violence, my little friend? I've simply brought some deputies to assist me. Lower the weapons, boys. You're making the little fella nervous." The men snicker at Aldo's teasing, but do as he commands. They stand oddly still, eyes moving around the room as if looking for a threatening movement.
Olivia has paled considerably, her eyes large and frightened. She catches Artegal's eye and shakes her head with a small movement. She cocks her head and motions toward the door. Aldo seems to consider pushing point, but then moves aside, allowing Olivia to move to help Maria again.
"Very well, go! And take them with you if you wish. We know where to find you if we need to. It's not like you'll be going anywhere anytime soon!" Aldo and his deputies laugh and move aside, waiting for the party to leave the home.
Luc senses the man is being mostly truthful about how he knew about the murder, but something is definitely off about him. He seemed to crave conflict, but decided against it after realizing how many people he would have to deal with.
Artegal senses evil intentions from Aldo and his three deputies but no evil auras.
Aldo-Bluff:
I think I understand what Olivia is suggesting and I will try to move toward her. I will lower my weapon, hold it in just one hand, and help her in any way she needs. If we make it out the door, past Aldo, I will try tell Olivia what I think is dangerous about the doll and ask her to help me take it away from Giselle as quickly as possible.
”Sir, well enough, and thank you. We will be just down the street if you need us to answer any question or to make reports.”
Luc looks at the officer, "We'll be goin' I'm sure you'll spend the evening investigating and searching for the culprit." Luc lets Boote move out of the way then he walks straight towards the door. Time to see if we can pick up that track out of the window.
Following on cue, Nicu strides down the stairs and out the building after Artegal and Luc as they exit the abode.
A grateful look comes over Olivia's face at Artegal's words. She moves quickly to open the door and help Maria to her feet. The woman has not missed the tension in the room and clings to her daughter, holding her upright the way mothers tend to carry toddlers and older children when need be. Giselle wraps her arms around her mother's neck and rests her head on her shoulder, releasing her hold on the doll. As Olivia leads Maria and Giselle Sertino into the foggy night, Artegal watches Knuckles closely, tensed to react if the thing moves.
This will count as a surprise round. Artegal is the only one close enough to react who is "aware" of Knuckles, so I'm only rolling initiative for the two of them.
Initiative:
Knuckles:
Artegal:
Knuckles eyes come alive again a split second after Maria carries her burden over the threshold. The creature regains it's feet and crouches to spring.
_____O_____
_____K_____
_____A_____
xxxxxDxxxxx
[inside house]
If I am allowed a grapple attempt
Artegal's vigilance pays off, for as the doll springs to escape into the fog, he is impacted by a sweeping blow from the halfling's halberd. But the blow is not enough to stop the creature as it speeds off into the night on it's wooden legs. Giselle cries out, "No! Knuckles don't go!"
Knuckles-Acrobatics:
Damage:
Rannveig, coming cautiously down the stairs, is just clearing the second floor as the doll springs to life. She freezes for just an instant, confused, then springs forward when Artegal lashes out, growling. If her friends were ready to battle, that was good enough for her. Ylva, too, began to run, moving like a pale ghost through the little room and out the door.
Already suspecting the doll was a tool of murder, Nicu springs down the stairs and drives through the crowd and out the door after it, unleashing a force missile at the wooden foe.
Artegal
Knuckles
Donovan
Rannveig
Dimitrio
Nicu
Ninefingers
Dimitrio
Donovan
Ninefingers
Rannveig
Nicu
Knuckles (next action):
When the constable had arrived, Donovan had waited, still at the top of the stairs keeping an eye on the gristly scene. He could have confronted the man, but he'd found that sometimes it was best to let people show their colors when they think they have authority before he flipped the table on them.
He'd heard enough by the time Luc was getting ready to leave. He was just beginning to fish his Writ of Action out of his vest when the doll sprang to life.
His sword was halfway out of it's sheath before he was even aware of it.
I will run after the doll, doing my best to keep it in sight
Artegal speeds after the doll-thing and witnesses as it extends ethereal silvery cords from it's hands and wields them like whips to grip a wooden peg on a nearby awning and swings and climbs up the side of the building with uncanny swiftness. From the safety of the roof Knuckles takes a moment to regard his pursuer with a wicked grin of triumph and then disappears from view over the rooftops.
Olivia calls out, "Wait! I think I know where it's going. The toymaker, Giuseppe! He makes those marionettes for his Puppet Show! Oh no! Mama and Marco went to the puppet show tonight!" She covers her mouth as she remembers, and grasps Maria by the hand and urges her forward. She guides her as quickly as she will move to the tavern and takes off without another word. Running toward the town square and the Secolo Theatre again.
"I ain't climber built fer endurance. Now where's the toymak'r place hurry." Shouting out to Olivia.
As Olivia nears the Secolo Theatre, the sounds of crying children can be heard. Moving through the fog you can only see about 10' ahead of you. Olivia stops her sprinting as she comes upon a group of children clinging to each other. Marco is at the head of them with his toy sword drawn. He looks to have been putting on a brave face for the smaller ones, but as he lays eyes on his cousin they well with tears as he reaches out to her.
"Livi! Livi, we don't know what happened! We woke up or something after the puppet show and all the grown-ups were gone! Aunt Azura and all the others too! We came outside and s-someone shut the doors behind us! We couldn't get back in and I..." He drops into a whisper, "I think I heard someone screaming!" His eyes are wide with fear as are all the other children's. They shiver, even though the night is not cold.
Olivia turns to the party, terror plain on her face. "What do we do?"
"Split up, groups of two! Let's see if we can get these doors open! Anyone makes it inside, signal the rest of us."
Rannveig doesn't hesitate. Shooting Ylva a glance, she takes off running. As one, the woman and the wolf run through the fog-shrouded night, scanning the building for a possible entrance.
Rannveig and Ylva charge through the narrow winding alleyway that surrounds the odd-shaped Theatre. They find only second story windows and one door on the East side that is indeed locked.
Futilely slamming her shoulder against the doorframe once, Rannveig shakes her head and continues loping down the alley.
The rogue follows the druid and wolf, Wait. This is no place for a girl to be alone."
Once Dimitrio determines that the doors were not locked but rather jammed, he shakes his head and smirks at the same time. "Not good. Probably here knew about Dimitrio's skill in getting into unwanted places and blocked theses doors. This is very difficult for Dimitrio to break open."
The lithe rogue looks around to find some other place of entry.
Nicu runs after the others to the theatre. Seeing the others struggle with the door, he realizes that not even the strongest man could open that portal. After Dimitrio tries the doors, Nicu joins him in the search for another entrance.
If they find an unshuttered window, Nicu gets a running start and launches through the window, unconcerned with the cost of replacement or the mess left behind.
As they look for an entrance, Nicu will also look for a way to climb the building, If no entrance is found at the ground level, then he'll attempt to climb the building.
Olivia quickly gathers up the children and secures them in the houses that will answer their doors, bidding them to lock up and hide until she comes back to tell people it is safe.
Dimitrio kicks the door in frustration and realizes from the give that whatever was barring the door before must have shifted. He believes he can open the door now.
Dimitio-Disable Device:
Luc short legs try to keep up but he pulls up the rear of the group. He pounces inside the alley door once Dimitrio gets the door unlocked. Heavy mace in hand.
As Dimitrio snaps the lock, Nicu leers in anticipation. "That's it, a finer touch Piazza's never known." Ready to rush the interior, Nicu tenses with the rest of the party members that moved around the building.
"Good work." Donovan says drawing his odd wavy rapier, moving to take point as they entered the building. He was moving quickly, not bothering with subtly. Every moment counted and after the banging on the doors, there was little point in staying quiet.
"Olivia!" Nathaniel shouts through the fog.
Torn between the feeling that he should stay out in the street and ensure Olivia is not alone and following the others into the theater, Nathaniel hesitates, turning to one way and then the other
"Olivia, where are you? We've found a way into the theater, but I can't leave you alone out here in the street. with that monster on the loose."
Olivia returns from combing the fog, looking for more wayward children. She is shivering now as she gathers with the party to enter through the back alley entrance of the Secolo Theatre. She grasps Artegal by the collar with shaking hands. Though pain and fear are etched across her face, her voice does not quaver."I came here after my father disappeared. That's when I found this." She indicates her father's pendant that she wears, the blue star-shaped blade her mother performed with. "Aldo laughed it off, but I know my father was killed here. If we lose Mama too..." She cuts off, unable to finish the sentence, or at least, unwilling.
The alley door opens into a narrow hallway, only about 4 feet wide which opens out to the backstage areas. There are 3 small rooms with doors closed, a quick glance reveals them to be prop-storage (5) and Dressing Rooms (6). The staging area (4) is an empty area is where actors wait until they are cued to enter the stage. The door exits at stage height, which is 3 feet above this floor. A small wooden stair has been shoved up to the doorway. Another stair leads down 3 feet to a landing. A 5-foot-high door leads from this landing to the crawlspace under the stage. The door has no lock.
In the back of this room is a narrow set of stairs leading to the second floor.
Her is the map with a larger grid.
Donovan rushes through the darkened theatre, his wavy rapier erupting in silvery light as they enter the dim halls.
Luc will follow Donovan.
Donovan charges ahead, up the small set of stairs and through the back curtain, onto the stage. The inside of the theater is dark. Rows of empty benches face the stage at different angles. Illuminated in lantern light on the stage is a white-haired man wearing well-worn finery, standing next to an 8 foot tall puppet theater that has been erected on the stage. A wooden puppet stands motionless in the puppet theater, strings stretched taut.
The old man wrings his hands fretfully and startles as he notices the party of intrepid adventurers pour onto the stage, one by one. Fear sweeps over his face as he raises his hands and cries out, "No! Please don't hurt my little boy. He was only playing!" The man looks uncertain and confused, and very frightened.
On the floor in front of the stage lies the body of a man, surrounded by his own blood. His throat is slit and his face carved in the same manner of Frank Sertino.
A lone puppet stands motionless in the alcove in the puppet theatre. The craftsmanship and detail on this marionette is superior to those you have seen so far. He stands one foot tall and is painted and carved to look like a happy little boy. He wears green lederhosen and a white short-sleeved shirt, a long-sleeved jacket, and a cap with a single white feather stuck in it. His head snaps up, facing the audience and swivels around 180 degrees to glare at the party like a strange wooden owl. But these are not the eyes of a happy little boy. They are the tormented eyes of a terrible intelligence.
A high, shrill voice rings out from puppet as he shrieks, "Carrionettes, attack the trespassers!"
Suddenly, six small shapes swarm out from the puppet theatre. Each is a puppet, with strings trailing behind on the floor. The lantern light glints off of the vicious little blades and sharp needles that they carry as they advance toward the party.
1)Dimitrio
2)Artegal
3)Donovan
4)Ninefingers
5)Rannveig
6)Ylva
7)Nicu
8)Olivia
9)Giuseppe
10)Maligno & Carrionettes
Initiative Order:
Olivia -acted
Dimitrio
Donovan
Artegal
Giuseppe
Rannveig
Nicu
Carrionettes
Ninefingers
Ylva
Olivia steps forward and launches into a scathing speech, the anger and disgust plain on her face. Her voice resonates throughout the theatre, rising and falling in cadence, almost like music.
"What have you done to us, Giuseppe? What have you done to the good people of this town? How many have been killed? And for what? What have you done with Azura and the others? Damn you for a fool, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THEM?" She directs her tirade at Giuseppe, and he quavers before her.
