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The dagger goes flying through the air where it shatters into tiny unusable shards causing flayed flesh and clothing up the right side of the creature. Meanwhile, Thorval continues to lay into the jumpsuit clad man with both fists. It sounds like he's punching a slab of meat at a butcher shop.
He angrily flails his fist at the only thing in reach that has been a threat, plowing his forearm with Idris' face. Both Idris and the creature let out a loud "uuurng," when the two connect.
Kn: Religion to identify
X Deris [] - At landing X
X Thorval [] - In front of Workman (0/3 spots available)
X Yahn [] - Just outside the doorway
X Workman []
O Echo [] - In front of Workman (0/3 spots available)
O Idris [] - Behind the workman (0/1 spot available - flanking with Myani)
O Myani [] - In front of Workman (0/3 spots available)
O Ti-Ti [] - Next to Workman (no flank)
Conditions:
Echo : 22/22
Idris: 15/24
Myani: 21/21
Thorval: 22/22
Yahn: 12/12
Workman: -29
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Electricity charges through Echo's weapon as she slices through the hulking beast. It shudders a little, but continues its slow assault forward. Myani, not missing the opening left by Thorval's twin fists catches it between its shoulder blades slicing it from stem to stern. It falls down...dead.
Searching the body of the workman you find nothing. The body of the small child is another story though. His dead corpse stares upwards at the ceiling, silently judging you as you pick through his belongings. Searching a small school satchel you find an ornate ring that radiates unknown magic (not of a salamander) and a small diary.
Thumbing through the diary you find the name "Property of Grishan Maldris" written in the front cover in a fine script. Inside, the writings outline secrets of students and their families of the rich and famous of Absalom. While the information is quite old at this point and likely worth little, one passage stands out, "My brother, Colson, should be proud I was able to dig this up for him."
One door lies to the south.
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As you push on to the west you come to a passageway to the south. It appears clearly flooded, as if there is nothing of value inside. You press on to the next chamber. Water drips from the double-vaulted ceiling and trickles down the walls to pool on the floor. Bone shards of a hundred skulls litter the room like shattered seashells. Wide stairs dive to the west. Narrow stairs climb to the north. On the south wall, an open doorway gapes, a carved relief depicting a massive battle filling the archway over the door. The rest of the walls are filled floor to ceiling with nooks that house ancient, but drenched, skeletal remains. In the center of the room sit twelve school children in a circle on the floor. One child seems to be silently telling a story, her arms moving rapidly as she makes scary faces.
Deris screams, "See! Alive! I knew it!" He points at her, and runs to the doorway on the south side of the room. He begins to cry gently as he caresses the hair of one of the children in the circle. The child ignores his presence and continues listening intently to the story.
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Thorval moves up to Deris. He reaches out and gently grasps the man by the shoulder. "I am sorry, my friend, but something seems to be wrong here. Your daughter does not appear to be completely here." He looks back, hoping beyond hope, that someone in the group is a better talker than he is.
"Um, can I ask a silly question? How long ago did this place drown?"
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After the conclusion of the last battle Yahn shuffles his feet uncomfortably.
"Heyyy...uh...I d-don't suppose any of you have any spare weapons you don't mind uhm...not getting back? That dagger was the only weapon I was carrying and er...I guess I don't know m-my own strength."
Presently; Yahn will try to stay within 25' of Deris.
"L-like these kids are giving me the creeps.", Yahn says, apparently to Ti-Ti.
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The young girl continues to interact only with her friends, laughing silently and making a scary face to the young boy that seems to be telling the story. Myani tries to reach out, but her hand passes right through the girl. Deris seems completely unfazed by this, "Cassiel, oh Cassiel, it is so good to see you." He responds to passively to Thorval, not looking in his direction, "You are wrong, my daughter is right here. The school never drown, they've been here all along."
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Thorval stands there, dumbfounded, for a moment, not knowing how to react. While he realizes he is often not the most... observant... of people, this man exceeds all expectations.
He waits to see what happens as Myani walks forward, reaching out. As he sees her hand pass through the girl, he realizes that Deris is seeing what he wants to see.
"My friend, I wish that were true. But, sadly, it is as me Pappy always said, 'You gotta play the hand you were dealt.' You and your Cassiel were dealt a crappy hand, and she paid the price. I don't think she's really here... I think she's just a shadow of what she used to be, and that she's been locked in here like this for some time. While she don't understand what she is, you need to." He turns the man to look him in the eye. "I am sorry."
He looks to the rest of the group for support. "We need to move on." he says somberly. "Deris, the children don't look hostile, but they also don't appear to be interacting with us. You can stay here, if you'd like, but we need to keep moving. Myani, do you think that Ti-Ti can help protect Deris?"
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Echo touches the wand to the child. With face twisted in a silent scream you see the young boy lose his form and begin to fade out of existence. The child disappears with a crackle. The rest of the children seem unfazed.
As suddenly as that happens you see Deris snap into attention while he glares at Echo and screams at the top of his lungs, "MURDERER! I shouldn't have trusted you! I thought you would help, but you just killed them. You'll not take my Castiel away from me!"
Deris looks at the group and with a look of a father whose child is in danger. He quickly throws hands forward palm down. He steps back five feet and a spray of color flies out across as much of the group as he can hit. As it hits the three nearest him, his eyes grow furious and wide; fear and hatred has suddenly become mixed with panic.
Myani falls to the ground unconscious.
It takes you a second to see why Deris looks terrified as a group of three humanoid creatures with sharp claws and teeth silently bound down the stairs from the north into the room. They fill the room attacking anything that moves; fortunately their bites tear at nothing more than loose clothing and the ghostly children that fill the room.
=> Deris []
=> From the North! []
O Echo []
O Myani [Unconscious, Blinded, Stunned (5 rnds) + Blinded Stunned (4 rnds) + Stunned (1 rnd) ]
O Ti-Ti
O Idris []
O Yahn []
O Thorval []
Conditions:
Echo : 22/22
Idris: 24/24
Myani: 21/21
Thorval: 22/22
Ti-Ti: 16/16
Yahn: 12/12
Deris: 0 Taken
Critter: 0 Taken
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"Oh, Echo, I don't think you should have ought to have done that. No take care of those creatures, and I will make sure no harm comes to Deris. "
The rambunctious Ulfen steps toward Deris and says, "No, no, no! This is not what we wanted!" He steps up next to Deris, activates martial versatility to gain improved grapple, and tries to give the frighten man an Ulfen hug.
"Just calm down, my friend. It will be just fine."
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"Um!"
Yahn will move if needed to get within 30 of one of the monsters doing his best to find a position that won't provide cover on one who isn't in melee if such a situation exists and then drops the arrows in his right hand and...
an arrow flies out and almost certainly misses.
The upshot is that a missed attack doesn't apply damage to the projectile.
e: Oh hey map! Well in that case Yahn stays put and fires at yellow. Absolutely missing his target.
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Echo's singing blade lets out a sour note as it misses its target. Myani continues to lie on the ground like a lump, with Ti-Ti licking her face comfortingly. Idris steps forward and lands a solid blow onto the undead monstrosity, which staggers backwards slightly from the blow but does not fall. Yahn, not moving, and only just barely able to see the opponents through the cover fires a projectile that goes wide. Thorval moves forward and brings Deris to the ground. Deris seems particularly upset now screaming repeatedly, "CHILD KILLERS! CHILD KILLERS!"
Deris struggles and wriggles against Thorval, trying to escape the grip of the Ulfen. He makes no progress.
The ghoul continues to assault his target with a voracious hunger. Thorval, only just having grappled Deris, howls as the bite rips off a portion of his forearm. He sees yellow puss begin to pour out the wound. He tries to fight back, but at the second claw hits him, his muscles begin to tense. Thorval closes his eyes and centers himself, and before he lets go of Deris he pushes through the paralysis and continues to fight on.
The ghoul flails about, catching Idris with one of his claws in the process. Idris staggers back slightly, seems to stiffen, but in disregard to all probability seems to fight through, joints limbering again as he stands tall.
The last ghoul swings madly at Edris with claw and bites, again not hitting anything other than is pride in the process.
X Ghoulies []
O Echo []
O Myani [Unconscious, Blinded, Stunned (4 rnds) + Blinded Stunned (4 rnds) + Stunned (1 rnd) ]
O Ti-Ti
O Idris []
O Yahn []
O Thorval [Diseased]
Conditions:
Echo : 22/22
Idris: 20/24
Myani: 21/21
Thorval: 2/22
Ti-Ti: 16/16
Yahn: 12/12
Deris: 0 Taken
Critter Blue: 0 Taken
Critter Orange: -12
Critter Red: 0 Taken
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"By the Strong Man that hurts!" Thorval yells out, as he lets go of Deris. "Deris, I am not trying to hurt you, but please don't do anything crazy! You'll kill us all! Yourself included!"
Hoping the crazy man understands this, Thorval turns to attack the ghoul that just shredded him.
"Guys! I ain't doin' so well. I could really use some help!" says the Ulfen, for perhaps the first time fearing for his life. He then shrugs, "Pappy always said, if you're gonna die, go down swinging!"
Thorval uses Step Up to move 5' closer as an immediate action.
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Echo and Torval, working together cut down the ghoul, who falls in a heap on the ground. Echo moves in a little closer to Torval. Ti-Ti looks up from licking Myani, but after nudging her awake, getting no further reaction she continues to slobber over her master. Idris and Yahn try to coordinate efforts on the ghoul nearest them, but but miss handily.
Deris, free from the Ulfen continues to howl in rage and confusion. He draws his dagger in one hand, and continues to try to cast another spell while defending himself against Thorval. Echo ascertains that the failed spell was another color spray from the little spittles of color she sees, but Deris must have failed to concentrate hard enough to get it off.
The ghoul continues to gnash at Idris, doing significant damage as his bite nearly takes out his carotid artery. Idris again stiffens up, but moments later seems to fight through it and continue his assault.
Echo takes a bite to the shoulder and a claw to the chest from the ghoul, but continues to stand firm against the onslaught resisting the fear that nearly grips her. She seems to struggle a little from the bite, first thinking she may be okay, but suddenly feeling flush with fresh ghoul drool that is now coursing through her veins.
X Ghoulies []
O Echo [Diseased]
O Myani [Blinded, Stunned (3 rnds) + Blinded Stunned (4 rnds) + Stunned (1 rnd) ]
O Ti-Ti
O Idris []
O Yahn []
O Thorval [Diseased]
Conditions:
Echo : 9/22
Idris: 8/24
Myani: 21/21
Thorval: 2/22
Ti-Ti: 16/16
Yahn: 12/12
Deris: 0 Taken
Critter Blue: Dead
Critter Orange: -12
Critter Red: 0 Taken
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The remaining two ghouls go down with a 'thud'.
Thorval grabs the kicking and screaming Deris, who continues to shout, "YOU - WOMAN! You murderer! I'LL KILL YOU! You hear me? I'll kill you! Kill an innocent child, you deserve to die!" He struggles wildly, Thorval just barely keeping him in check.
O Echo [Diseased]
O Myani [Blinded, Stunned (6 rnds) + Stunned (1 rnd)]
O Ti-Ti
O Idris []
D Yahn []
O Thorval [Diseased]
Conditions:
Echo : 9/22
Idris: 8/24
Myani: 21/21
Thorval: 2/22
Ti-Ti: 16/16
Yahn: 12/12
Deris: 0 Taken
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"Calm down, man! She didn't kill anyone. They weren't really there. Or alive. Or something. Anyway, they weren't really kids any more!!" Throval puts his weight into his wrestling, and pushes the man to the ground. "Please calm down! I really don't want to hurt you! Echo, get out of his sight!"
'Now what do I do?'
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Deris' previously happy demeanor and kind eyes have been replaced with those of a raving lunatic whose only clear goal is to see Echo dead. Thorval, realizing he has no choice, puts Deris into a neck lock and starts squeezing in an attempt to knock the screaming man unconscious. Deris eventually passes out.
You're still in the same room. The children (sans one) are still talking in a circle. Skeletal remains still line the alcoves in the wall.
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"'Nice' isn't exactly how I'd describe it," Myani says, rubbing at her eyes. She still felt those swimming colors...
At least Ti-Ti stayed at her side. Myani knows this because she is covered in her favorite little dinosaur's slobber. She gives Ti-Ti some chin scratches as she uses the wand.
"Did Deris do this?" indicating Idris' wounds.
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Thorval, once he has subdued Deris, has Myani use his wand to heal himself.
"The man went all bat-s*$&-crazy when Echo used the wand on the kid that I could see through. Couldn't get him to calm down, so I had to knock him out. I'm gonna tie him up, just in case."
He takes his rope and ties up the old man.