Well, that could have ended worse for us. How is the lady Iolana?
Heinrick walks over and places his hand on the shoulder of Tatyana.
With a sigh, Jens stows his weapon and removes his helmet, kneeling to check the fallen knight for signs of life. "Shame it had to end like this," he mutters, shaking his head. "Iolana, Heinrick, see to the lass. Tats, help me search the fallen." That spoken, he begins going over the bodies, looking for anything of use.
Iolana finally freed the young woman and sat on the ground next to her, though she gave the woman some space so she could choose whether she wanted to be touched or not, as she said, "Are you alright miss, You're safe now and they won't be hurting you anymore? I'm Iolana Torlinni and you are?"
She looks around Iolana at the knights and promptly slips to sit on the ground, a bit wild-eyed at what happened. After a moment she shakes her head and takes a deep, shuddering breath. "I..I'm Klarah. My god, those Knights...they've gone mad. I was out trying to scavenge some food for my parents. They were hurt during the demon attack. Those knights found me and said that they had need of my help. When I came to help them, they tried to...tried to... She chokes off a bit of a sob, "Thank you so much. They would have....It wouldn't have even done them any good, even if the old wive's tale is true. I don't know how to repay you. We don't have much of anything, not after all this. She throws an arm up to indicate the wreckage around you. "There's not much hope left in this city now. Not if the knights have gone mad too. You would think if they really wanted to do some good, they'd stop the cultists and demonic pets from roaming around.
Girl, they may have said they follow the inheritor, but they do not follow the teachings.
As he is checking over her for injuries
There is always hope. Even if it is not a lot, the city was not built in a day, nor will it be rebuilt in a day.
Anyone mind if I take these symbols, as they will be returned to the church, and given to those who will be deserve them
Tats grasps one of the daggers, touching the blade against her palm and hearing a voice in her head hissing in pain or annoyance. "I'll take one of thessssse, and maybe ssssome of the potionsss. Maybe a curative one, and one of thossssse firessss." She turns to the girl. "I hope I don't sssscare you more than thosssse knightssss. I don't want to hurt you." She grins, and her stomach rumbles.
"The whole cities gone mad Klarah, maybe the whole world." At Klarah's choked off sob Iolana put her arms around the woman in a hug for a moment as she said, "I'm sorry that happened to you, as for repayment you don't owe us a thing." She released her hold and continued, "We're escorting a group of refugees to safety, why don't you take us to your parents and we'll bring all of you with us." She rose and then turned with a graceful spin to offer her hand to Klarah, "Come with us, please, after all, if we can't help each other in this time of need then why are we even bothering."
"We should each take one of the daggers. You never know when you'll need one." Following his own advice, Jens tucks one of the daggers into his belt. "Four of us and four potions, which works. Heinrick, see how many of the healing aids you can fit in one case. Take as much of the holy water as you like; you're probably best-equipped to use it. Someone with a good aim, take the fire." He takes a whetstone from the small pile of gear gathered, and holds up the largest breastplate with a scowl. "Damned tiny things," he mutters, dropping it again. "What's a man got to do to find a good, heavy bit of chain?" Glancing at Heinrick, he adds, "Good idea, taking the symbols. Give them to someone who'll uphold the Inheritor's teachings."
Jens, can you help me swap the armour, and then I will sort out the healing kit.
I also suggest that everyone carries a holy water, but Iolana and myself carry 2.
As for the good aim, that is not me, so I will pass on the fires. He grins ruefully,
He will also take one of the daggers, and a healing potion.
Klarah wipes her eyes on her sleeve, which really serves to only smudge the dirt around on her face. She nods to Iolana and takes her hand, "Our place isn't far off. Where are you taking everyone? Hopefully not near Topaz Solutions? I heard some of the cultists talking about the place as a safe house while I was hiding, and scavenging what I could." I think the best place to look is Defender's Heart, the Eagle Watch and a few of the crusading groups have set up a camp there." She looks down, at the ground, clearly ashamed, "I was too scared to try and get there myself."
Lady, there is nothing for you to be ashamed of, if you are not armed, there is no shame in hiding. We are armed, and it would not be just to pass by a helpless person, if we can help them. As for where we are going, that was up to the others.
With that, Heinrick takes up his usual post at the rear of the non combatants.
"If ssssafety isss in Defender'ssss Heart, we should go there. Preferably quickly." Tats looks over her shoulder. "Jussst in casse ssssssomeone heard that fight. We can come back for whatever issss near Topaz Ssssolutionssss if there'ssss sssome sssort of effort to take the city back." Tats moves to her usual place just behind Jens.
Jens is silent as he helps Heinrick with the clasps and buckles of his armour. As the young man finishes adjusting the breastplate, he claps him on the shoulder. "You wear it well. May it keep you safe from our enemies."
Replacing his helmet and rolling his shield-arm, he squints into the distance. "We have two other homes to visit still," he reminds the others. "I doubt Horgus and Anevia will want to remain at Defender's Heart while we seek their loved ones and belongings." He glances at the two for confirmation or denial. "We can leave Klarah there, though. With any luck, she'll be there as well..." he adds, his voice little more than a mutter as he takes the lead.
When the young woman reached her feet Iolana pulled her in for a hug and said, "Fear is a good thing, it helps keep you alive, just be careful not to let it paralyze you into not acting." She released the girl and said, "You did the right thing and I promise we'll do all we can to get you and your parents to safety." At the suggestion of going Defender's heart directly Iolana said, "I don't know, it depends on where it is, if we have to pass by any of our other destinations I think we should check them out on the way, even if it's a short distance away from our line of travel, otherwise I agree with you Tats. I also agree with Jens, I guarantee they won't want to stay there, at least not until they've been to their homes too."
Horgus waves the question away with a nonchalant move, not really caring one way or the other anymore. "It doesn't matter, you get paid if you get me to my home though."
Anevia nods, "Irabeth would wait for me at home, if it still stands, or she would be with the watch at Defender's Heart." She tries hard to hide the anxiety in her voice, but fails doing so.
"Look, we have a great number of noncombatantsssss, and if we keep pushing, ssssssomone isss going to get hurt, or maybe killed. Let'ssss get the majority to ssssafety, then worry about our ssspecial deliveriessss."
That is where my thoughts lie as well. Let us push on though
"Defender's Heart it is, then." Leading the way, Jens keeps his eyes peeled for any signs of movement or trouble as the group goes.
Heinrick follows along behind the group, to try and keep the non combatants safe.
Iolana considered and finally said, "I suppose you're right, I guess we head to Defender's Heart."
The group travels a bit back south, and then west, skirting around the fallen wall, and looking to the east they notice the land they were headed down before has become an island between rifts open to the abyss. Cutting North again, they enter another area by moving through and open gate in the wall, following the road, when they come upon a very odd sight.
In the middle of the road are the remains of several destroyed carts pushed together to form a makeshift stage. On the stage are four very frightened looking men and women all dressed in ill fitting dented armor and carrying jagged, broken weapons. Two small batwinged, red skinned humanoid figure flap among the 'combatants' after which some of them attack each other, halfheartedly with the weapons. The small creatures hiss with glee as this goes on, and you can see they don't have a care for the people as already several people like dead from wounds. The creatures look up in alarm as the party approaches and hiss something at the terrified, cowed humans who form a phalanx of sorts in front of you.
"It sssseeemssss to me that they don't really want to fight ussss. I don't have a ssssolution that endssss nonviolently, though..." Tats speaks to the party before raising her voice a bit. "Are you sssssure thisss isss ssssomething you want to be doing?"
Quickly to one of the non combatants.
Stay here, we will be back.
Moving up slightly to join up with the others.
Hey, run over here, we will protect you
Deselde had always said he sounded heavier when he was angry. Not that he'd been a particularly angry man, but there were times, such as when some upstart tried to make off with a horse, or when he'd made a mistake and couldn't cope with his own failure. You hold more weight, she'd said, as if your anger drags you down. Perhaps there'd been some truth to that, he thinks, striding boldly to the phalanx of terrified humans, shield held out to his side, sword-hand empty. He certainly seems larger, and his footsteps heavier, slamming into the cobblestones as he strides forward with fury burning in eyes barely visible behind his helm.
"People of Kenabres!" he calls, eyes sweeping across the group. "Our quarrel is not with you. We survived the devastation of this great city! We were spared by Terendelev herself!" He bashes his gauntleted fist against his shield for emphasis, drawing attention to the silver dragon engraved on the boss. "And we have used our strength to fight our way here. These demons will trouble you no more, if you will only stand aside for us!"
Iolana saw what was happening and realized that this just wasn't right, she had a suspicion that these people weren't willing participants but began to dig through the knowledge she had stored way in her mind for any clue as to the veracity of her suspicions. As she didn't want to hurt these people she pulled free and shook out her whip but otherwise held it at rest.
Jens thunders forth like a hero of old and the commoners all peel away, turning harried glances from him to the two creatures, not sure who they're more initimidated by. The two winged beings hiss in frustration and anger.
Normally after a quasit's master dies, the greedy demon captures that soul to take to the abyss to use as currency to achieve a promotion to a higher form. It is a rare quasit that stays behind to torment more souls on the Prime Material Plane.
They are resistant to all weapons other than cold iron or those aligned with good, immune to electricity and poison and highly resistant to acid, cold, and fire. Their claws are poisonous to the touch, resulting in a deadening of the limbs (Dex damage). Trickery is their usual method of attack, and the ability to turn invisible at will aids them in this.
(I think that's about everything there is to know about the critter, but if you can think of any other question, let me know...nat 20...:) )
************Round 1*************
Init: Tatyana, Jens, Creature 1, Heinrick, Creature 2, Iolana
These people seems off to Iolana, almost reluctant, and if that was the case they weren't enemies but victims. The young woman began to sing a hymn to Desna, one about freedom and the ability to travel as one was wont to travel. As she did her magic began to flow through the song, threading it's way through the control these quasits may have over the people in an attempt to break them free.
Heinrick steps up behind Jens, and taps his Warhammer. He then prepares to defend himself with his spear.
Tats moves, drawing her rapier and trying to get into a flanking position against one of the creatures so that Jens, clearly empowered by Heinrick, can do his thing.
"Good. Now if you could all just stay like that..." Jens growls, moving past the uncertain civilians and towards the closest demon. Hefting the hammer, he takes a swing at the tiny creature, landing a solid blow in its chest.
Tatyana slips past the defenders, but as she does one of the men in the group calls to the rest "No, wait, we can't let them through, those things will kill us"
Jens moves forward and brings his hammer around on one of the diminutive creatures with a loud *splang*. The creature is smacked to the side, but even as it is, some of the damage appears to be healing itself.
The little creature disappears with a soft popping sound.
Heinrick moves forward a bit and touches Jens' hammer which starts to glow with a soft white light.
The second creature also disappears with a soft popping sound.
Iolana sings, which does appear to have some calming effect on the people, but they still look like they intend to defend against the group again.
************Round 2*************
Init: Tatyana, Jens, Creature 1, Heinrick, Creature 2, Iolana
Tats calls up a spell, holding it in her mind as she waits for her real foes to reappear.
"It's never that easy," Jens mutters,mostly to himself, as he looks around for he creatures. "Gotta be here somewhere."
Heinrick moves slightly behind Jens, and waits for something to pop back into visibility.
As soon as he sees one of the little things, he will attempt to spear it.
The first creature pops back into visibility scratching at Jens' face.
The tiny claws dig nasty furrows into the big man's cheek and jaw, and he feels the burn of some sort of toxin in the wounds. Immediately after the scratch, Tatyana's snowball blasts the creature away from Jens, slamming it into the side of a cart, where it slumps to the ground, and rapidly turns to ash.
Heinrick's spear comes moments behind Tatyana's snowball, striking through the vacant space where the creature was, moments before.
The second creature becomes visible with a screech of rage, claws extended for Tatyana.
The nimble Tiefling jerks her face to the side, and the creature flies by spitting curses.
Iolana dropped her whip and drew her bow as she ceased singing. She pulled an arrow back and aimed at the flying creature.
Iolana swiftly pulls an arrow from her quiver as she drops the whip and pulls the bow around to nock and fire. The arrow flies true striking the small animal in the side. Where the cold iron hits, a black line forms in its skin, burnt edges peeling away from each other.
The claw marks on Jens face burn, and then he feels a cold numbness start to spread from the wound through his limbs.
**********Round 2 End************
creature 1 dead
creature 2 4 damage
Tats 25/25
Jens 28/32
Heinrick 19/19
Iolana 21/21
************Round 2*************
Init: Tatyana, Jens, Creature 1, Heinrick, Creature 2, Iolana
The crowd seems to be gathering its courage at this point, but not acting yet.
Heinrick spins around to see where the last critter is, he then moves to where he can support the others.
Tats hisses in annoyance, readying her sword for when the next of her foes chooses to show itself...not that she's going to do much damage, but she'll try.
The second of the beasts shows itself near Tatyana, and she skewers it with her blade, but the wound seals itself as she withdraws the rapier's point. The vile creature laughs and again swipes at the Magus with its claws extended, but again the nimble Tiefling manages to dodge out of the way. Heinrick startled by the little creature makes a lunge but the thing is too quick.