Aloysia's dagger sails past the imp's small frame, and Gamon's opponent narrowly dodges his axe. The imps begin to glower and hiss, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
Jolon growls at the imps.
"Where's a house drake when you need one?"
Cecil glares at the one who tried to get him grappled and sneers.
"Embrace this!" he calls out, flicking a finger at it.
The bolts of magic circle one another while honing in on their target. The imp tries to dive away but still ends up getting hit by them.
The imps all jeer and prepare to fight, one dropping to become a boar , one taking the fight to Ganon , one harassing Aloysia , and the final one disappearing entirely .
Gamon sidesteps the boar's tusks, swatting it with his axe.
Gamon shows off his mastery with his weapon of choice by again taking the head off an opponent in one swing. The boar quickly shrinks back down to an imp as the rest hiss at Gamon.
Jolon activates his life link with Aloysia and Gamon, grunting in pain as the imp stings Aloysia, though he can't do anything about the poison itself.
Aloysia winces as she feels something course through her. So this is what it feels like when I do it to others. I'm pretty awful! Her internal statement is very snide, but also a little fearful at what is coming.
She tries to push down the fear and swings back...
Aloysia's movements are slowed by the poison coursing through her now, allowing the imp to dodge away from her knife. Tiny screeches come from the rooftops and looking up you see the imps natural enemies, at least in this city, house drakes. Two of them charge down and begin tussling midair with the imps.
Despite their surprise the imps are able to avoid the fangs of the cat sized dragons. They screech back and try to poison their new foes.
Jolon raises his sword and lets out a cheerful "HA!" at the sight of the house drakes.
"I figured they wouldn't be far behind!"
He moves to the one that stung Aloysia.
;
EDIT:
Aloysia staggers at her discoordination slightly, but tries to collect herself and try for another attack.
Cecil steps back from the fight and fires a ray of frost.
-Posted with Wayfinder
The tussle in the "sky" continues as the Imps and Dragons fight, screeches and infernal speak filling the air around them. The until recently invisible Imp pops back into visibility to assist its comrade with the large fight in the east.
The imps superior numbers seem to get the upper hand in the fight as one of them lands a nasty cut with its stinger, nearly ripping the dragon's wing off.
Gamon steps towards the nearest of the visible imps and swings out twice, doing his best to avoid hurting the drake.
Jolon closes his eyes and when he opens them, the blue flame returns to them. It wraps around his hand and touches the injured house drake, causing its injured wing to repair itself.
Frustrated at her previous attacks, Aloysia lashes out again.
Cecil tries to come to the aid of the house drakes and fires a ray of frost at one of the imps.
Cecil's ray successfully hits one of the imps, but it shrugs off the cold as though it weren't there. The dragons roar their fury into the evening sky.
Despite this the Imps are successful in avoiding the silver-tinged teeth and claws.
Like the dragon before it Aloysia's strike nearly takes the Imp's wing off with her dagger, causing it to bleed profusely.
The imp curses and screeches at her before striking with its stinger. The other imps focus on their draconic opponents, trusting in their speed and size to keep them safe from your weapons.
Gamon takes advantage of the imp's preoccupation with the nearby drake to swing again for its head.
Aloysia feels like this time the poison isn't quite as strong, and she can shrug it off.
Feeling her life getting closer and closer to dangerous territory she strikes out again...
But the slowing of the poison the first time around is just too much for her to overcome.
Jolon runs across to the other house drake, whose injuries now are worse, and casts again to heal this one.
Cecil holds back, waiting to see where he can actually hurt them.
-Posted with Wayfinder
The dragon growls something like approval as it continues trying to tear apart its enemy.
The House Drakes seem to be gaining an edge with your assistance and have pushed the Imps to near a breaking point with everything you've done to take two of them out. The Imps screech and turn invisible, leaving themselves distracted enough to allow you a chance to attack.
Cecil steps up to one, swinging with the spiked gauntlet he keeps strapped on his left hand.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Jolon bears his sword down on the imp.
;
Jolon is the only one fast enough to hit an Imp as it is about to disappear. He manages to bat the Imp out of the sky with his longsword, wounding it in the process. It still maintains its invisibility as it drops into the dirt, but this gives the two House Drakes the opportunity to pounce. It is a little disconcerting to hear the infernal screaming and see blood spurting from empty looking space, but the Drakes are finished with their work and take to the sky to find their final foe once more.
Jolon raises his sword and whoops in triumph before reaching into his satchel and fishing out a strip of dried meat.
"Here!" he calls out as he tosses it up to one of the house drakes. "It's moose jerky!"
One of the drakes swoops down and snatches it before both trill, let out little jets of silver mist into the sky, catch an updraft and disappear.
Cecil sighs, rubbing his hands. "Everyone okay?"
Jolon sheathes his sword and cracks his neck.
"Nothing the spirits won't heal. I think Aloysia may still have some of the imps' venom in her system though," he says, a look of concern crossing his face.
Aloysia coughs, "Yes, I do...and I don't like it." She starts searching her pack for something to bandage her wounds.
You manage to make your way back to the Citadel with no more trouble. Cressida, still in her office working through reports of damages, absences, and more, sees your disheveled state and orders you off to get some rest in the barracks.
The Field Marshal greets you in her office the next day, "I have some more work for you if you're interested." The man sitting in a chair beside her desk stands and bows as you all enter. "Please forgive me, this is an old friend, Vencarlo Orisini."
With his introduction Vencarlo himself bows deeply as Cressida continues, "He has always been an outspoken critic of our government, but he has also been a valued friend and trusted advisor. I've been picking his brain this morning about the morale and temperament of the citizens here."
Vencarlo spots Aloysia blending in the back and reaches forward to proffer a kiss on her hand, as well as offering her his own seat. "Cressida has already told me much of your exploits to help the Guard. If Korvosa had more fine folk like you, we’d already be out of this mess. Excellent job on bringing in Vancaskerkin and his boys, it seems even under magical interrogation he had no idea what the men under his control were doing. Asking around that portion of town leads me to believe they were doing undercover merc work and disposing the bodies using the meat processing in that butcher shop." He shudders, "I'd hate to think of how many people were fed others. As well, it is good that you've taken care of Lamm, I know he's been a thorn in the good field marshal's side for some time now."
Cecil nods as he is greeted and tries his best to look at ease, though he still seems awkward.
"I had personal reasons for Lamm." he replies. "I needed to rescue my daughter. Ending that scum's life... was just an incidental benefit." His voice is grim, but his eyes flash with satisfaction.
Gamon nods a welcome to the silver-haired man, It's been our pleasure. I can't speak for the others, but I'm willing to do what more needs to be done.
Aloysia does her usual scout of the room for threats and marks, as always, and only half pays attention to the Field Marshal until she says the name Vencarlo. She places the man immediately, and knowing his reputation and demeanor tries to find a place to hide from him. In her distraction of scanning the room she missed seeing him fast enough before he could take her hand. She sneers at his "honorableness" but decides to take his seat because she's not getting away from his show now.
"Yes, well it's taken care of now. When do we get our next assignment?"
Cressida smiles, “As much as I would enjoy continuing the conversation," she says with a wry voice, "I fear we just don’t have time. Vencarlo has learned something that could degrade into sanctions, embargoes, or even war against Cheliax if we don’t act now. This problem is a man named Darvayne Gios Amprei, an ambassador from Cheliax whose disdain for Korvosa is well documented, though he’s taken great pleasure in what our city has to offer. Even before this recent unrest, this man was ready to recommend to his government a sanction on trade, or perhaps even an embargo. Vencarlo has learned through his own considerable sources that Ambassador Amprei’s actual goals are to undermine Korvosa’s economy to the point where he can buy up large portions of the city from desperate landholders. He plans to establish himself in a position of power here before advising the end of the sanctions with his allies in Cheliax. We can’t let his bias or personal plans hurt Korvosa. Yet neither can we take drastic action—not only would killing him be wrong, but it’d simply martyr him in Cheliax’s eyes.
“Fortunately, the ambassador has his foibles. Again, Vencarlo has learned that Ambassador Amprei has been making fairly regular visits to a place in Old Korvosa called Eel’s End. This den of vice is run by a dangerous man named Devargo Barvasi, better known in Korvosa’s alleys as the King of Spiders. I’d love to put Devargo out of business, but he pays his vice taxes regularly and never causes any problems—in fact, since he keeps his business constrained entirely within the five ships moored at Eel’s End, he’s actually one of the least of my worries. Truth be told, I can’t decide whether Devargo is a stirge or a kraken. He seems like a bloodsucking pest most days, but sometimes I fear just how far his tentacles have wormed their way into our great city. In this case though, his insidious web stretching across Korvosa’s underworld might be to our advantage.
“Devargo would never let someone he recognizes as an ally of the Guard into Eel’s End, but your group’s a different case. I’d like you to pay a visit to Eel’s End and secure an audience with Devargo. Find out what he knows about Amprei, get proof of any illicit goings-on the ambassador might be involved with, and bring that proof to me. I can use it to undermine any forthcoming attempts by him to get Cheliax to cut us off. Devargo might not be willing to part with his information easily. I’ll supply you with some gold to bribe him, and whatever’s left over you can keep for yourself. Remember: Devargo is dangerous, but so are you—if things get violent, I wouldn’t mourn his passing.”
Aloysia smiles, "This sounds like it is going to fun! When do we go?"
Cecil furrows his eyebrows, concerned. "I'm not sure what I can do about this situation, other than... maybe getting us in the door? I don't think they've got much business for a romance author... And my magic... well, I never really put a lot of money into researching new spells..."
He seems uncertain of his abilities, or at least his ability to contribute to convincing Devargo to aid them.
Jolon breathes a sigh of relief at Orsini's words. Vancaskerkin wasn't evil, just stupid. He extends his hand and shakes Orsini's hand.
"Thank you, Master Orsini."
He listens to Cressida's words and begins to glower, his tusks starting to show slightly.
"I will be the first to say I've no love for Cheliax. My people...both half-orcs AND Shoanti...have suffered at their hands. But this city is my home, and I would not see it subjected to war, with Cheliax or anyone else. Master Orsini, do you have any ideas as to what may help us in negotiating with this King of Spiders?"