Arcilde moves up to the man, careful to stay out of Lily's line of fire. She steps behind him, hoping to dodge his attack as she does...
She braces against his attack, then retaliates with an attack of her own.
Gilstrom, 'awk, can one of ye step into flank 'im?
"Aye!"
"Gilstrom, if you flank with Arcilde, I can take your spot and Lily gets a clear shot."
Blood starts streaming from Gilstrom's nose as he looks around woozily. "Muh? Yes! Flanking. Good..."
Gilstrom quickly moves into place before eyeing up the man and striking out!
Gervase drops her trident, quick-draws the Levin longsword, steps 5’ closer and swings.
Arcilde steps up and dodges an attack, but doing so leaves her off-balance, and her own swing misses.
Gilstrom steps over the fallen woman to get an advantageous position. His stab hits air as he finds an image, which dissipates. Gervase presses the advantage as the true form is revealed, but her powerful blow slides off the man's shield.
Lily takes a deep breath...
Sorry about this!
Apparently, she closes her eyes in worry and her shot goes wide.
Lily, peaceful farmer that she is, still has difficulty hurting people with her gift, and her thorn flies wide.
The man takes a sidestep to put the tank between himself and Lily, and to get out from between Arcilde and Gilstrom. As he does so, his image fades back into view, once again leaving you unsure as to which is real and which is not.
He then attacks Arcilde.
Arqueros smiles upon the warpriest as none of the swordsman's blows land.
Lily runs along the wall, holding her arm out as she reacquires her target.
Sorry! She whispers as she fires, her eyes once again closed.
In a fluke of fate, she bumps into the wall, jerking her arm into a accurate firing position, straight at the man... or perhaps his illusion?
Lily manages to land a thorn directly into the swordsman's neck, drawing blood!
"Who are you?! Why are you doing this??" Gilstrom keeps tring to reason with the man he is also currently trying to stab.
Gilstrom's attacks are hindered somewhat by his short reach and his target's heavy armor and shield.
“Let’s keep the flanking going, Arcilde.”
Gervase waits for Arcilde to 5’ step with her and swings again.
Gervase also manages to connect with the real person.
Right, 'awk.
Arcilde matches Gervase and also hits the man, eliciting a howl of rage and pain.
The man attacks furiously, trying to stop your assault.
Gervase slips silently to the floor.
"GERVASE!" shouts Gilstrom, a little panicked. "You monster! She's trying to save the colony!"
Lily goes to take the shot when Gervase slumps down. Her eyes widen in shock and she drops her arm, the needle going wide as she runs to aid her friend, wordlessly moving to her.
'awk! Arcilde swings at the man again, hoping to end the fight before it's too late.
Everyone converges and attacks the man, but his armor and shield are effective at preventing your blows.
His own luck is not much better as he tries to take down Gilstrom.
Seeing that her friend isn't dying just yet, Lily's eyes glisten with tears.
YOU BASTARD. She screams as she holds her hand out.
Lily's attack goes wide.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" screams Gilstrom as he stabs at the man again and agian.
Gilstrom stabs the man, and it is clear he is slowing down.
Arcilde steps up to flank with Gilstrom.
At this pace, she mutters, 'awk is in more danger of dyin' from old age.
The man is clearly tiring, as he can barely swing his sword.
Gilstrom ably blocks the attacks. The little gnome is bathed in sweat and blood as he keeps stabbing out repeatedly.
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Lily pants as she holds out her arm again.
Her eyes widen as she takes the shot... perhaps a bit more accurately than she meant to...
At this pace, 'awk is in more danger of dyin' from old age.
Gervase's gray hair is tied in a bun at the nape of her neck, while her arthritic claws rest in the bunny-motif blanket thrown over her knees.
Why’d she have to give me THAT blanket today? She knows I hate it… OH! Perhaps that’s why!
<smile> ☺
“Morning, Madam President! And Madam President! Do you know what day it is?”
As Gervase’s carer steers the anti-grav buggy through the early morning shoppers and office workers hunting down a quick breakfast at the mobi-café, currently overlooking the busy intersection of Noblewater and Smith, a smiling Rayland shuffles to Gervase’s side as the cart slews to a halt.
The silver mustachioed warrior may have lost a few steps, but he is lightning fast to offer his hand to help Gervase rise from her comfy seat. “It’s our 80th anniversary! Can you believe it? Eighty years ago today, I took Gervase Goldhawk down. And in return got blasted by a hydraulic pulse from your other half!”
“Actually I hadn’t learnt to manipulate aqueous forces at that stage, Ray.”
The buggy’s operator alights from the vehicle and gives the old wardog a hug. “Oh and don’t fret if she doesn’t answer you. She’s decided to be difficult today …”
That voice … it’s got the same cheery bumpkin melody as …
As the two old friends disentangle, Gervase gets a clear view of the pilot. Despite the chubbier cheeks, glowing ocular implant and post-modern hairstyle (with its terrible color-job!) the woman that returns her smile is undoubtedly Lily.
Lily extends her arm, and with a small scream she lets loose a thorn that embeds itself directly into the man's throat. With a cry of pain and a choked gurgling sound, he drops to the ground.
The place grows quiet, with only the labored breathing of Gervase, the strange woman, and the skum breaking the silence.
Lily, Gilstrom, can ye check to see if there are any other threats?
Arcilde kneels next to Gervase and checks her friend's wounds, then begins to mutter prayers to Arqueros.
Gervase opens her eyes, rises groggily into a sitting position and clutches the warpriest in a tight hug. “They named a main street after you, Arcilde.”
After releasing her friend, Gervase shakes the floating clouds from her mind and gets to her feet slowly to embrace Gilstrom and Lily. “So we won? You three are my heroes.”
The dive ranger inspects the bodies and searches for loot. “Is the mind-flaying female still alive? Damn, she is probably too dangerous to bring to the community.”
“What should we do about that unsearched room on the second level? Rest here tonight and tackle it tomorrow or just leave it for now?”
You are able to determine that there seem to be no further threats in the area. The woman and the skum will remain unconscious for a while if you don't heal them, but are not in danger of dying on their own.
Looking over the three in this room, you determine that they have several magical items among them:
The woman carries
* two potions of cure light wounds
* an arcane wand wand
* four vials of alchemist’s fire
* a magical cloak
* a magical ring
The man has
* an elixir
* a healing potion more powerful than cure light
* a vial of silversheen
* a magical breastplate
* a mwk longsword
* a mwk spiked light steel shield
* a magical cloak
The skum has
* a healing potion similar to the man's
* a magical trident
* a ring with several keys
Returning to the second level, you see that the unopened doors enter into a chamber that contains the lower half of the water tank you saw above.
Examination of the library stacks is somewhat disappointing, as nearly all of the books have disintegrated with time. However, two books made of engraved metal plates survive, as well as three others that appear to be standard paper and ink. These “normal” books radiate a faint necromancy aura. These are all written in Azlanti, and are beyond Gervase's skill level at the moment. A sixth surviving book appears to be a wizard's spellbook.
The only other item of interest that has survived the passage of time on the desk is a blue gemstone.
Gilstrom collapses as the man goes down and he takes a moment before crawling over to Gervase's side, the little gnome slumping onto her for a moment. "You're gonna be okay..."
Leaning on his trident, he nods wearily over to Arcilde before he stumbles to his feet, smearing some blood from his head before he looks around the rest of the area.
Assuming there are no further threats, he returns and gives Gervase a hug, clinging to her leg for a second. "THAT WAS AWFUL!"
While the group organizes the gear from their foray, he takes a bit to bind the woman and look at the skum awkwardly. "Not sure what to do with this one."
* an arcane wand wand
Arcilde studies the different items, wondering what they might be.
Ariclde tends to the wounds skum and the woman. She may be our only way to find out what 'appened. Per'aps if we blindfold 'er?
Lily hugs hawk as well. As she looks over the woman and the Skum, she scratches her head for a moment.
I think... I think it'd be best if we tied them up and brought them back to the captain to interrogate. I have no problem putting down the skum, but the woman... I dunno, I already accidentally killed the other guy when I didn't want to, I'd rather not have another life that might have been saved on my conscience.
"Oh! I was talking about the fish-thing. Let's get out of this place and back to the village. WE can let them pass judgement, it's the right thing to do. Obviously we take her back."
Gilstrom finishes tying up the prisoners and he looks to the others. "Let's get their stuff but and figure out the best use for it."
"You're gonna be okay..."
Gervase ruffles the gnome’s hair. “I think so too … now.”
“OK. What do we still have to do before we head back?”
She nods in admiration at the others’ swift work. “Perhaps we should burn the dead bodies outside? That way the Ghouls that run this place won’t have any spare body-parts to make into things to come after us in the future. Yuk!”
Gervase looks uncertainly at the human female. “The blind fold is a good idea, Arcilde. Are you thinking if she can't see us, she won’t be able to target us?”
“Just to be sure, maybe we should keep her unconscious for the entire return journey?”
Lily nods.
Burn the bodies, and bury the ashes... I'll plant some seeds over them, should keep anything from standing back up when it's good and dead.
She sighs as she looks at the man she killed with a frown.
You know... I hear that some people have the power to bring the dead back to life. Properly, not like a skeleton. Wouldn't mind that power right now.... I feel bad about this whole thing... I was suppose to rescue him, not kill him...
Lily sighs as she looks at the woman.
We'll have to dump extra water on her to keep her hydrated.... let's get moving.
"We can soak some clothes in sea water to keep them hydrated... whatever happened to them is horrible!"
"We can soak some clothes in sea water to keep them hydrated... whatever happened to them is horrible!"
And blindfolded.
You blindfold and gag the woman, and carefully cart her back to Talmandor's Bounty. You are hailed as heroes for the danger you have endured and the work you have done.
You take the woman to the temple, where Fathers Eamon and Kurgis immediately cast spells to protect her (and all of you) from evil influence. Ramona identifies her as Eliza Hanver, one of the original colonists. The priests promise to tend to her and try to determine what has happened to her.
Ramona listens to your description of the armored man fighting alongside Eliza, and tells you that she is pretty sure that was Rayland Arkley, the leader of the first wave whom she was to replace. She expresses regret that he did not survive, and suggests that if none of you can use his gear, you plan to send it back to Andoran with the next ship.
The colony prepares a large meal and has a celebration honoring you. You go to bed enhausted from your efforts.
Early the next morning, there is a cry from the town square. You go to investigate, and discover that Eamon and Kurvis are both unconscious and nearly dead. You recognize their terrified expressions and bleeding ears as the result of Eliza's mental powers; the woman is nowhere to be found. You try to find tracks, but she apparently knows how to hide her trail. Where she could have gone and why are mysteries that will have to be considered in the future. Thankfully, both priests survive, though they are traumatized by the experience - something Gervase can relate to all too well.
For now, you return to the day-to-day life of helping the colony survive and thrive.
Damn. I knew we should have euthanized that cow.