Iolana follow the lead of the others and backs out of the maze as well.
With the path behind him clear, Jens backs hastily away from the dretches, feeling his way out of the labyrinth.
Jens waits till everyone else has retreated and then backs away himself. The two Dretch rip at the air, but miss the cavalier as he takes his place with the rest of the party. The two Dretch move forward, their ponderous, corpulent bodies moving much more quickly than their size would belie.
The Dretch give pursuit.
*************round 4*************
Init: Party, Bad Guys
As he turns around and gets set, in time to swing at the first one that comes through the opening.
Begone back to the depths with you
He then swings hard at the dretch in front of him.
Tats's quick strike as the Dretch runs up is followed up by a second, this one from a rapier now glowing with a pale blue flame.
At the same time, her thoughts race. Roj? Roj, where are you? As she gets no response from her deceased spouse, she begins to confront the voice. I am not your cousin, and I don't know what sacrifice you think I've made, but these are my friends and I don't want to be betraying them. At the same time, though, her stomach growls loudly, and she realizes she hasn't eaten in quite a while...
As the Dretch comes after Jens, with little concern for anyone else, either through stupidity or arrogance, Tatyana skewers it with her rapier, and watches horrified as the deep thrust she gave closes till only a pinprick of ichor slips out of the wound. It starts to give a chuckle, only to have Heinrick's spear slam up through its jaw into its head. There is a sizzle as if the blade of the spear were a red hot poker, and the wound around the spear blackens and peels away from the weapon. The demon gives out a startled mew before it falls to the ground, where the body starts to bubble and flesh and bone melt away leaving only a smear on the floor where it fell.
Realizing that the beasts must have some sort of resistance, Tatyana calls upon her training and imbues the rapier with a magical aura. The second Dretch moves up taking the place of its brethren, and Tats wastes no time in slamming her blade into the blubbery mass of a body. The wound starts to close, but the magic from the blade briefly plays along the wound like witchfire and the confused Dretch roars in pain, and turns towards Tatyana.
************Round 4 still need a Jens and Iolana action before the Dretch***********
Round 4
With the dretch in her face now Iolana shifts her bow to one hand as she continues to sing and draws her mace out, spinning the weapon in her hand in a threatening display at the neareast dretch.
Jens holds his position as the first dretch is cut down, waiting for the second to shuffle forward. As it does, he strikes out like a predator, longsword flashing in the dim light.
The Dretch moves forward with a roar, an Iolana pulls out her mace with a dancer's flourish. The Dretch flinches away from the display, right into Jens' attack with his longsword. The sword bites deep into the demon's neck with a sizzle, and the abyssal creature drops to the ground, its body decomposing quickly. Strange mushrooms grow from the decomposition and burst into harmless bursts of spores.
********Victory!**************
As he puts his morning star away.
Well, that seemed to work much better. Shall we continue in pursuit?
As the party moves past his spear, he picks it up, and continues on.
"As long as everyone's alright, we should keep moving," Jens nods, cleaning his sword on his gambeson. Sheathing it, he holds the ancient warhammer instead, growing ever more used to the reassuring weight of the weapon. He takes the lead, making sure the others are ready to be done with this place.
Making the way through the labyrinth, it eventually opens up into a long tunnel which eventually leads to an old rusty ladder. Climbing up this ladder leads to a more recent sewer, which then leads to another series of ladders leading up to the surface.
As you emerge from the sewers, in what you believe to be the southeastern section of the city, or what's left of it. The demonic invasion has left a lasting handprint on the city, leaving it more a smoking apocalyptic ruin, than actual functioning city. Deep chasms riddle the city, and paths of destruction leave trails of rubble leading out from where just a short time ago the festival was taking place.
Looking up, the once welcoming, familiar skyline is marred. The Kite and Cathedral of St. Clydwell are completely missing, and plumes of dark smoke tell of fires still burning in the city, or smoldering amidst the ruins of burnt out husks. The chasms open to a hellish red glow below, and clouds of fat buzzards wheel lazily in the sky on the updrafts created by the fires. It appears the carrion birds have feasted well. The Worldwound has greedily moved in an attempt to swallow the city.
The once noisome bustle of the busy city is eerily quiet, occasionally interrupted by the distant scream of another victim, the low growl or laugh of something otherworldly, or the noisy sound of another carrion bird tearing into a corpse.
Each of the three companions travelling with the group are visibly horrified by the devastation, Anevia breaks down in tears, and even Horgus seems subdued and quiet, while Aravashnial takes the longest to recognize what's happened, even the blind can tell the city is in ruins.
Lann looks visibly terrified, and immediately walks over to ruined building and moves so there is something over his head. He seems a bit more relieved but still views the devastation with horror.
Horgus is the first to gather his wits about him, and turns to the group, "I will increase my offer to 2000 gold pieces if you take me to my home immediately. I MUST see that my staff and home are safe."
Aravashnial pulls Iolana aside.
Anevia wipes the tears from her eyes, holding them at bay for the moment, [b]"I can't match the offer that Horgus makes," She says almost spitting the words at him, "But I am concerned. My wife Irabeth and I share a small home in Eastern Kenabres. I just want to see if we still have a home, or if Irabeth has left some word about where she may be."
Horgus steps forward, "I agree we should look into these things, and we should stick together until we find a safe place. My home is a sturdy building and can offer protection, we should go there first, and then see about Anevia's house."
Looking a little pale from the devastation of what was a thriving city.
I agree, a safe place to rest and recoup before pushing on, might be for the best.
Horgus, where in the city is or was your home ?
"Not used to all that sky over your head, lad?" Jens asks with a wry smile as Lann bolts for the ruins. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it... eventually." He wraps his shield arm around Anevia's shoulders, steadying her and trying to provide comfort as a father would a distressed daughter.
"I would see Anevia taken home first. Her wife may be able to help us, and I wouldn't want to keep them apart any longer," he says quietly. A note of sorrow enters his voice as he speaks his piece, his eyes scanning the horizon as if looking for something.
Horgus looks at Heinrick, "In the housing district, it would be just to our right, if not for that chasm..." He then looks at Anevia with a look of sympathy which passes quickly, "My home is close to the Tirablade household, which is further north. We should stop by my house first."
Horgus, I cannot speak for the others, but I agree that we should look unto a place to stay and rest prior to venturing deeper into the city.
He looks at the others and then around the city as they try to hash out where we are going.
Iolana leads Aravashniel back to the others and says, "I've been informed of a safe haven that is much closer, one where we can find out more and maybe even find those you are worried about. The place is Blackwing Library and should be very close by, I've been told of a secret order that is based there and is likely to be well fortified against the demons that have attacked this place. Even if we don't wish to stay there, I think it would be best to check each location starting with the closest one and working our way farther out, to my knowledge the closest is Blackwing."
Heinrick, you do see features that were once familiar, but realize that with the devastation that's happened, navigating the city just isn't going to be the same any longer. Too many toppled buildings filling the streets with rubble, or fires openly burning blocking what were once normal thoroughfares. Either that or simply gaping chasms that lead down into the bowels of the earth. You do, however hear a faint call for help from a building to the west, not far away.
People, I hear a call for help from over there.
He points west, then hefts his spear and starts walking in that direction.
"We investigate this, then we head to the closest haven first," Jens agrees. With regret in his eyes, he adds to Anevia, "Sorry, lass. Your wife may have to wait."
He then draws his hammer and follows Heinrick.
"If someone needs help then let's find them and fast. Just be cautious, it could well be a trap."
Tats tags along, eyes shifting through the rubble and wreckage, looking for injured survivors or more enemies. As she goes, her tail twitches in time with her steps.
You come to the area that Stone heard the cry from and find a few people trapped beneath some rubble. While they don't appear to have been injured, despite others smashed in nearby rubble not being so lucky, they are completely trapped. You slowly and carefully remove enough of the debris so they can scrabble out. Two men and a woman come out of the rubble, both men brandishing broken wood beams and the woman holding a rock.
"Thank you for letting us free. Now you'll let us go? We just want to leave, we won't stop you from looting."
Looting He looks a little puzzled, we came because we heard a call for help. Nor will we stop you if you want to leave.
"How did you get yourselves stuck like that?" Jens asks, his thick eyebrows knitting together sternly. "You weren't looting yourselves, were you?"
"Looting? No, this is...was our home, we hid here when the monsters started coming, they destroyed everything. We hid here because there were horrific flies and giant bugs with human faces eating people! And we need to stay away from other people, the demons released a plague that will kill everyone within a week, that's why they're all leaving, but the building collapsed before we could leave."
If you were affected by a plague, the best thing would be for you to stay here, and not spread it.
Also this will be where you can go for help if you are infected, as the city will rise again.
"I think we should take them someplace that still stands," Jens says quietly to Heinrick. "In this state, ruins offer little protection."
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I agree, but first, we have to find a place that does stand.
One of the men scoffs Psssht...rise again? Take a look around, there's nofin' left. Wot dint get kilt when the demons mashed the place is gonna die from the plauge, mark me words."
The woman smacks him, "Shut yer gob, Geof. She looks at the party apologetically, " 'e made up that plague nonsense just ta scare folks. I ain't seen no one that's looked sick. Just tore up. We'd be right thankful if ye found us a place ta stay. Not much left standin' though. Them big'uns tore up the ground, and then them smaller ones started destroyin' everyfing wot was left. Right ugly beasties they is."
Tats looks at the newly-found people quizzically. "We've been down there for at leasssst a day, and you mussst have had ssssomeplace ssssomewhat sssafe to ssstay for that time. Or have you been sssstuck here for that long?"
The woman again answers "We was down there the day after the attacks, an thought we was okay. Most o' them big ones done left by then. We learnt that the smaller ones was just as bad, if not worse! Them big ones tore through earth, an anything wot was in the way was crushed, but they didn't go out of the way ta tear up nofin' else. Them littler ones they just tore everything apart, burnt thins and din't leave near nofin left standin'. We was hidin in the basement, an' one of them littler ones brought the place down around our ears. We was in there maybe a night an' a day?" Geof and the other man nod.
Geof chimes in, "Weren't much ta do, till we seen youins. Looters r not yer the first peoples we seen fer near 1/2 a day. No tellin when them little ones'll be back, so we took a chance."
Iolana shuddered at the thought of what these people had endured. She looked at them and said, "We may have a safe place for you, at the least you can come with us and find out. It would certainly be safer for you that way."
Geof nods as do the other two, "Any safe port in a storm, I suppose. We'll follow ya."
"Alright. We need to get moving. If there'sssss problem demonssss around, it will be sssafer to get to Horgussss's housssse sssooner rather than later. If it ssssstill sssstands." Tats looks at the growing number of walking wounded and people unable or unwilling to fight and shakes her head. "If we get caught out, I don't know if we can keep you ssssafe..."
After a second, she looks at Jens. "Are you sssstill wanting to lead the way?"
Heinrick will take up a position near the back of the group, to help keep people safe.
Lead on, as I would like to get to hard cover before the night falls.
Iolana's possible place of refuge turns out to be closeby, relatively speaking. Having to pick your way through the rubble strewn streets, and in some cases having to circle around impassible rubble, it takes nearly 45 minutes to travel to where The Librarium of the Broken Black Wing once stood tall. Having a reputation for containing the most complete record of research on demon hunting in the country, it would make sense that the place may have been warded. If it served as a lair for the Riftwardens, it gives even more hope.
Unfortunately as the group nears where the Library stood, it's clear that it now is in ruins. All that remains is the library's facade and its reinforced great hall. What's more curious though is that the buildings around the Blackwing seem to be far less damaged, almost as if Blackwing was singled out for destruction.
From within, through the front door, which hangs ajar, you hear a gruff voice shouting the command, "Pile the damned books faster!" Followed by a crack of hand hitting flesh and a moan of pain.
Motioning for silence, Jens creeps as close to the door as he dares, trying to steal a glance through the partly-open door.
Heinrick pauses until it is determined whether the voices are hostile or not.
He does not stop looking around though.
Tats readies her blade, preparing to fight whoever's hitting people inside.
Jens creeps forward and sees a man clad in banded mail that is battle worn and covered in blood. He appears to be bullying a woman dressed in robes, who is carrying a stack of books. In the center of the room are 4 other figures bound hand and foot surrounded by a growing pile of books. As Jens watches, the weeping woman stacks more books. The man in armor bellows at the woman "Find more, stack them higher, or you'll be in the group and the first to burn! Make the damned ring bigger!"
Looking at the ones following the group for safety, Heinrick wispers to them.
Wait here for a couple of minutes
He then moves up to join Tatyana and Iolana, and waits for Jens action.
Iolana had her bow in hand, ready to shoot the first enemy she could. When she heard the man threaten to burn the woman if she didn't start piling the books faster she felt her temper flare. With her bow in hand she lined up her shot and says quietly, "Let's stop them" With that she finalized her aim and fired her bow at the man threatening the woman.
The Ulfen are known for fiery temperaments, and Jens, normally calm and thoughtful, feels anger boil in his chest at the sight. With a roar, he kicks the door open with one enormous, heavy-booted foot, not even caring as Iolana's arrow flies past him an instant later. "This ends now!" he bellows, readying the charge.
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Jens slams open the door, knocking it off of the already weakened hinges, and it lands with a resounding crash. The man in armor, who Jens recognizes as another cavalier of the order of the Cockatrice, turns towards the group as Iolana's arrow flies true but pings off his armor. As the door is removed, the group also sees two tieflings that were in the corners of the room.
The cavalier sneers, "I suppose you're here to save them?" he sighs, "Typical. They are MY sacrifices. The new rulers of this place will recognize me, and lift me up. What do you think they'll do to you...heroes?"
************Combat Round 1**************
INIT: Lib 2, Lib 3, Lib 5, Jens, Tats, Female Lib, Heinrick, Cavalier, Tiefling 2, Lib 4, Iolanna, Tiefling 1.
The librarians tied and on their knees struggle against their bonds. The free librarian sees the combat about to start and darts to the other librarians, and starts to untie them. The Tieflings look as though they are also going to start for the prisoners, while the cavalier looks to square off against anyone that attacks him.