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Xenia is surprised and confused by the sudden attack. This is something that she often thought about, but not something she expected to be thrown into two minutes after meeting these people. Knowing that she has two options, run and fight, and that this insane mage likely will track her down due to her apparent connection to the rest of the group, Xenia takes a deep breath and moves forward to use one of her few offensive spells.
You will pay for that. The tattooed woman says through gritted teeth, grimacing at the pain of the blast.
Action 1: Move 30' to the square 3 west of the tiefling.
Action 2-3: Cast Color Spray - directed to the NE, should just catch her.
--> Color Spray - DC12 (pretty sure that is right with limited magic - she has Spell Focus)
Juliet ducks behind a table, quick, but not quick enough, she realizes as she springs to her feet and circles around the other side of the imp, her hair singed and smoking. Spite in hand, Juliet stabs twice at the devil, tossing a threat as she twists her blade.
"Surrounded, sucker. You'll pay for sins of your master!"
Fireball, Fly, Fly, Invisibility, Invisibility, Magic Missile
4/2/0
Imp - 8
Evelyn - 8
Juliet - 8
Lorick - 0
Tyenar - 20
Xenia - 8
The imp doesn't take nearly as much damage as it should from Juliet's attack, but it does flinch at her words.
The tiefling glares at Tyenar, stepping back out of his immediate reach. "Out of my way, FOOL!" A jet of pure force strikes the sylph in the chest.
Magic missile on Tyenar, damage
Evelyn stands up from her table, caught awkwardly exposed in the middle of the room. She guessed that the tiefling woman would probably make a move against her next. She decided to preempt her.
She makes a dive across the room towards a fireplace. As she puts her shoulder against the wall she draws her sword. Just in case
"You know, I have had just about all I can take of grieving family members." she says as she draws a onyx bone from her belt pouch "In my family we have a hard time grieving, so you'll just have to bear with me."
She quickly peaks out from the cover and locks her gaze on the tiefling. "Come on dearie, let's take a look inside your precious head."
1 act to move and draw my sword, heading 3 squares up and 1 left. 2 acts and a point of mental focus to use Mind Fear on the tiefling. She'll need to make a DC 14 Will save or be frightened for 1d4 rounds. If she has more than 3 HD she is instead shakened on a save.
The golden-haired tiefling sneers. "Look at you, silly little street-brat, trying your silly little tricks. I am a WIZARD of the ACADEMAE - what in the Hells are you? You're NOTHING - And you took my Gehenna away from me! DIE!!!!!"
After the energy slams into him, the Sylph stands immobile for a moment.
Wha-what should I do? I had never been in a fight and now I'm...Gods, I feel dizzy, my head spins...Am I going to die here, like this, attacked by a random stranger? I could try to run off the door...but she'll just try to attack me in the back if I try to run.
Swallowing, Tyenar focuses, and the wind around him starts blowing harder and harder, until it concentrates into a gust that attempts to knock down
the insane tiefling. Regardless if it is effective or not, Tyenar steps forward and lunges with his rapier, even if it not as effective as he hoped to be.
Now with a flanker Lorick focuses on dropping the imp. Just like last time it's his second swing that connects.
Same as before but with added flank bonus
Any left over action will go to moving towards the tiefling
The imp reels under the impact of Lorick's attacks, but is still there. Jezebel shrieks again in rage and surprise as the air around her becomes heavy, weighing her down as she falls to the floor.
The imp's sting again lashes at Lorick, although he again manages to resist the poison as it courses through his veins.
Lunging with three quick strikes, Juliet admires the ease with which Spite penetrates the deviling's hide. The twist and flourish at the end of her third thrust was probably too much - the strike goes a little high of the imp - but damage was done none-the-less.
"Drove her away? We fed that stumpy-winged freak to Lamm's pit. Also, I killed your imp, b#*#@! "
Juliet curses as the lie comes off her lips. Of course their little group wouldn't have that kind of influence with Lamm, and the wizard probably knows it. Hopefully, the horngirl was too blinded by grief and rage...
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Not having many spells designed for combat, Xenia steps back and prepares to fire a simple cantrip at the tiefling witch as soon as she attempted to cast another spell.
Keep her boxed in. Hard to cast if someone is beating you over the head with a weapon.
5-foot step back
Ready Action: Cast Ray of Frost
- Attack(ranged touch):
- Damage:
- Confirm Crit:
- Crit Damage:
Fireball, Fly, Fly, Invisibility, Invisibility, Spontaneous Immolation, Magic Missile
4/1/0
Imp - dead
Evelyn - 8
Juliet - 12
Lorick - 7
Tyenar - 20
Xenia - 8
Juliet's blade finishes off the imp, which vanishes with a puff of foul smoke and a surprised squeak.
Xenia's attack hits the prone tiefling, but it's Juliet's words that do the damage - the lie isn't believable, but the insult is effective in drawing Jezebel's full attention "Killyoukillyoukillyoukillyou!!!!!"
From her prone position, she points a finger at the fencer, who suddenly bursts into flame. Fortunately, the wizard's anger seems to have negated her effectiveness as a spellcaster and the flames do little damage. More alarmingly, though, they don't disappear - Juliet is on fire.
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The Imp was dealt with, leaving only the raving tiefling. As the girl is pushed to the floor Evelyn starts to feel some pity for her. After all, hadn't she slipped into the same mind-set after Vaen had died? Maybe they were in the wrong here...
Just as she finished the thought Juliet bursts into flames across the room and Evelyn is forced back to the task at hand. She rolls her eyes and summons a ball of water over her friend lest she end up looking like beef jerky. "What? Are we doing parlor tricks now? Lighting Juliet on fire is hardly an accomplishment."
Alright enough of this Lorick growls and moves to the prone girl to stomp on her a bit. It's not a comfortable situation and he subconsciously fails to connect with the writhing, twitching madwoman after the first solid hit.
First Act Move
Second Act Flurry
Using 5 stamina to add 10 non lethal damage for 18 total non lethal
Third Act Continue stomp if not koed
Juliet gasps and throws her cloak to the ground, flaming side down. Shaking her sleeve, the last bit of fire on Juliet turns to a wisp of smoke trailing up into the hazy air. The singer grasps Spite's hilt, whiteknuckled, and raises the pointy end towards Jezebel. "That was my favorite cloak, hornbrow."
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Seeing Juliet suddenly burst into flame, Xenia is about to rush over to help her douse the flames when the lithe swordswoman agilely pats out the fire. Not having many options for this fight, Xenia once more prepares to toss a small ball of ice at the crazed woman, hoping to distract her from casting another spell.
Ready Action: Cast Ray of Frost
Attack-ray:
Damage:
Juliet's got Jezebel's throat lined up, ripe for the skewering, when Lorick rushes in with the cold-cock to the wizard's jaw. Sighing as Jezebel's eyes roll up into the back of her head and she collapses to the floor, Juliet gives Evelyn a quick tap on the girl's backside with Spite. "I know it seems impossible, but that's actually the first time I've ever been on fire. Thanks for the save, kid."
Turning to the newfish, Juliet nods. "Tyenar. Xenia. Thanks for the help. First time on fire, not the first time anyone has tried to murder us, unfortunately. Consider that an initiation."
Turning to Lorick, Juliet sheathes her fencing blade and scowls. "That hornbrow just wrecked a bar, turned its patrons to cinders, and tried to do the same to us. Tell me, tall, broad, and steel-jawed, why's the wizard still breathing?"
Tyenar stands until the wizard is knocked out, then slumps down to the floor as the adrenaline rushes out, pulling himself away from the unconscious wizard and to the remains of a barely still intact chair.
"S-so...you want to tell us why she wanted to kill you? It had to do something with a 'Gehenna' or someone like that, and the lie you told was barely..." the Sylph trails off, realizing blood was swelling on his mouth the more he talked. Pulling the chair closer to himself, instead of sitting on it Tyenar puts his backpack down and starts searching it for alchemical reagents and a retort, putting it on the chair and starting to mix an extract.
"If you have any other mortal enemies, I'd like to know them if I have to follow you around." he continues, downing the extract he just prepared and causing some of his wounds to stitch "And I'm guessing we're bringing her to the guards: they'll deal with her.".
Having said that, the Sylph searches again around in his backpack, and throws a silk rope to Lorick before he tries, fruitlessly, to stand up before falling back on the floor.
With Jezebel subdued Evelyn emerges from her cover, brushing soot from her clothes with a dissatisfied frown. "It is things like this" she says "that make me seriously reconsider the benefits of being an orphan."
With Juliet already giving Lorick a hard time Evelyn does a quick rundown of the former patrons, checking if any are still clinging to the world of the living. When she gets to the bones tables she stops only long enough to collect the remnants of the pot. The way she figured her fellow players had forfeited by way of technicality - "playing the long game" they called it.
"We seem to have that effect on people" she says in reply to Tyenar "Though I assure you that any claims against our innocence is little more than lies and slander. That being said I'm sure the Guard will be here shortly. A body count like this is probably going to cut deep into our 'good guy' points, but I am sure it will be fine. Collateral damage while subduing the suspect, or something to that effect."
Evelyn checks on Juliet last, feigning greater concern than she actually had. "Oh my, Juliet. You're all burned up. Come dear let use get to a healer before you scar up. Leave Lorick to deal with the half-breed."
She whispers "I'd like a word with you if you could be bothered."
Lorick easily subdues the tiefling wizard, who discovers that being prone while next to an expert in unarmed combat is every bit as painful as it sounds. She blacks out fast.
"Tell me, tall, broad, and steel-jawed, why's the wizard still breathing?"
"Because killing her now would be murder. And we're somewhat against that."
Turning, you see the familiar form of former Sergeant (and now acting-Captain) Grau Soldado. He nods at you, unsurprised. "Got here quick as we could. Reports of magical violence spread quickly. Good work taking her down alive, I'll see Kroft hears of this." He gestures and several of the Guardsmen with him bustle forward to take Jezebel into custody.
The new arrivals are clad in black full-plate: Hellknights. Their leader points imperiously at Soldado. "By law, the rioters fall within our jurisdiction, since you Guard were so miserably incapable of keeping the peace."
Soldado bristles at that, flushing red (possibly at the memory of his own - temporary - desertion). "You've no proof she's a rioter - this looks completely unrelated - just a wizard trying to settle scores."
"Indeed. A wizard, just as you say, Captain. A wizard of the Acadamae. WE shall take care of this... incident."
The three new arrivals have just popped out of the air, surrounded by imps chattering to one another - news travels fast.
As an extremely heated three-way argument develops between the groups, it's a relatively simple matter for you to leave. Nobody stops you; nobody even seems to be paying attention to you.
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As the tiefling is taken down, Xenia stands in shock at the mayhem and destruction that is spread about the tavern. As the confusion wears off, she realizes that these new people?, companions?, associates? are discussing what just happened.
When Lorick references killing the tiefling once she is down as murder, Xenia numbly nods. She is about to speak up when the guard arrives. Once more she begins to open her mouth when the Hellknights arrive. Deciding that sometimes silence is the best offense, she quickly makes her way out of the room, helping the still smoldering Juliet as she does.
When the group is out of the mostly destroyed tavern, and away from prying eyes and guard ears, she looks to the rest of the group.
What in Shelyn's name was that? Do you just get attacked by powerful mages daily? I have seen spells like that at the Acadamae, it is not an easy spell. A fireball like that is something well beyond my capabilities. She must have spent years in the school.
After her outburst, she turns to Lorick, her tone softening.
Your restraint in that fight was noble. Although she seemed insane enough that I have no doubt she will somehow free herself from whatever constraint she is put in and return to seek her revenge.
Xenia pauses and licks her lips while rubbing the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder, which suddenly flits its wings and a second later is a rather large and colorful butterfly sitting on her shoulder.
What did you all do to her? And who is this Gehanna?
"We didn't do anything. Gehenna was one of our old running mates but after our last errand she just kind of wandered off. I don't know, it doesn't matter. The whole thing is the Hellknights problem now."
Don't want anyone tagging this on us. Lorick says to Juliet We're the only ones left alive in a bloodbath it might look like we're responsible.
He then agrees with Evelyn Gehenna was the one I said took off. Took her share of the earnings and just vanished. Probably the smartest one of all of us as she managed to escape this piss hole of a city I think. Looks like the crazy woman thinks we're responsible for it. Hell Gehenna probably wanted to get away from her more than Lamm even. No hard feelings from me. Better way to get out than poor Vaen.
Tyenar follows after the other, limping, but not before retrieving his rope that apparently no one was going to use.
"Uh, I see. I have my thoughts that she cold have managed to get away from Lamm." Tyenar nods as he pulls out his notebook and starts scribbling, flipping trough the pages "This Gehenna...was she a Tiefling, elbow lenght black straight hair, high cheekbones-Wait, poor Vaen?."
He stops, and looks at Lorick straight into the eyes, then Evelyn, then Juliet.
"Better way to get out than Vaen?". I know they knew him, and Juliet's reaction yesterday was strange...Maybe they're hiding something.
"Do you mean Vaenathis Konnal? Do you know what happened to him, precisely?."
Juliet frowns, taking Lorick's arm and whispering into his ear, the singer not trusting the newfish with what she's got to say. "What has Gehenna told the wizard, though? What if the hellknights find out about our, uh, escapade the night we met? Where we met that guy from overseas?"
Then Tyenar starts asking questions about Vaen, and Juliet raises an eyebrow, before answering the slyph as coolly as she can. "Vaen got killed doing Kroft's work: rescuing a h-" Casting a sideways glance at Xenia, who obviously's got some horser in her, Juliet decides to be a little more diplomatic. "Rescuing the body of a Shoanti shaman's son. Vaen died a hero, Tyenar. I know 'cause I was there. He helped stop a war."
Turning to Xenia, Juliet shrugs. "Just some fortune teller, named Zellara. She's had good advice for us in the past."
Leaving the Creaky Hammock behind you, you make your journey back to Zellara's. You only travelled the route once, but you have a fairly clear memory of the address.
You stop, dead, outside the shop. The awning is still there, although considerably mouldier than you remember. The collection of ribbons and beads that was wound through the doorknocker is also still there, although mouldering and dull; it's as though time has accelerated somehow from the last time you were here.
Inside, things are even weirder: her home is abandoned, and it has been so for weeks, if not months. No sign of food, the wall hangings, the rugs, or Zellara herself can be found — the furniture is in pieces scattered throughout the room.
The only thing standing is the table you sat around last time.
Following the others - who seem to know where they're going - you end up in a side street just off the docks. They stop dead, right outside a shop front that's clearly been abandoned for some time.
Going inside, it's evident that the place has not been lived in for weeks, if not longer - the place is scattered with debris and wrecked furniture.
The only thing standing in the room is a small wooden table.
On the table is an antique-looking Harrow deck.
We'll deal with it if that comes. Right now Lamm wants us in good with Kroft and we are. Don't think HellKnights got the time to look into anything right now and they don't get along with the guards anyhow. Seems to me that Gehenna was keeping her crazy girlfriend out of the loop and had no qualms leavin' her behind when she could. Lorick whispers back.
At the fortune teller's shop Lorick slaps his head with his palm, making a surprisingly loud smack. Magic. Never makes any sense. he complains and gives Juliet a look. You know how to work those cards?
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Unsure what it is, but figuring that her new companions would help her if needed, Xenia walks over and picks up the Harrow deck.
I have seen these used by Harrowers in other caravans. It is a tool to foretell the fates. This one on the other hand appears to be something more. It has magical auras about it. I cannot discern what the magic is exactly, but with more study I can probably determine what it is.
She then looks to the others.
So, where is this fortune teller? It appears that she was never here. But, a deck like this is not something I would expect thieves and ruffians in this city to have left in this home. So, something unusual is afoot.
It doesn't happen often, but for once, Juliet's got nothing to say. No quip, insult, or excuse can make sense of what her eyes are now taking in. Her mouth opens, closes, opens, closes again. Frowning, she murmers an answer to Lorick's question. "Yeah, I know how the Harrow works. Basically. But magic? Not touching it." As to Xenia's question? Juliet shrugs. "Got me."
Leaving the main room, Juliet draws her sword and begins searching the house, looking for clues as to what (and when) happened here.
Evelyn only manages to sigh and shake her head "Of course it would end up like this."
She goes to take the harrow deck while the others are talking.
Scribbling in his notebook, TYenar tries to make sense of the situation: the others seemed as surprised as he was that there was no one here, and apparently magic was involved.
Back in the fortune teller's Harrow reading room, Juliet sheaths Spite. "Been a long time since anyone's been here. Besides us, of course. Someone's playing us for suckers. Who benefits if Lamm goes down? Ladzlo? The cook? Maybe he was trying to get us to take out Lamm before Lamm got to him?"
"But then why go through all the effort of arranging a meeting with the queen?"
"Yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Ladzlo and the cook certainly wouldn't have that kind of influence. You think the queen's getting played? Who'd want her played? Kroft? Sabrina Merrin, her, ah, bodyguard? Maybe it was something the king set in motion before his death?"
Looking at her companions, Juliet shrugs, unable to make much sense of anything. She was a doer, not a planner. Trying to guess the motivations of those that obviously were steps ahead of her, and hidden in the shadows... it hurt, and was enraging, but the singer knew one thing. Whoever was setting them up, they'd make themselves known at some point. And then Juliet would get to the doing.
"If Lamm goes down? Meeting with the queen?" Tyenar asks, not getting at all what was going on "And what would Kroft, the queen's bodyguard, and that Pesh-headed pathetic excuse of a human being have to do with this?"
What did I got myself into? Though, I can't deny that I want to know what they're talking about...
Juliet runs her hand through her hair, agitated. "Circles within circles, man."
Unsure what it is, but figuring that her new companions would help her if needed, Xenia walks over and picks up the Harrow deck.
"Hello, dear. Nice to finally see you." You hear her voice - calm, amused - before you see her; a ghostly apparition which seems to rise, smoke-like, directly out of the Harrow deck - a female human of medium height, late middle age, her iron-grey hair partially covered by a red checkered headscarf, shot through with gold and silver thread and with triangles of green and blue intersecting one another. Her other clothing is more threadbare, the original gaudy colours now faded with much time. Her jewellery is ostentatious, in the Varisian style: silver bangles at her throat and her wrists gleam in the faint light of the room.
It's the slight transparency that's the giveaway. Well, that and the fact that she just appeared from the deck of cards.
She looks at you all, momentarily fussing over an imaginary speck of dust on her sleeves. "So. I imagine you have some questions, my dears?"
Evelyn furrows her brow, confused. "You seem unwell..." she starts, but doesn't have anything more to say.
Lorick steps back, startled, but then holds his ground and focuses on the immediate matter These two moles for Lamm?
"Uh, a ghost.." Tyenar comments, slightly surprised but not really startled at the apparition: on the other hand, the Sylph is much more interested in the reaction of the party.
They seem surprised that she looks like this, and they've said the place looks different than the last time they were here. Probably an illusion created by this ghost, then, but I still don't understand why we're-
These two moles for Lamm?
"What!?" Tyenar jumps, taking a step away from Juliet, Lorick, and Juliet, talking as loud as a normal person would while amiably discussing the weather: it's the investigator's way of shouting, apparently.
Gods, did they were tasked by Lamm to root out people that didn't want to work for him? Is that why we're in this building this far from the main streets? Am I going to get killed and tossed in the sea?...No, no, this doesn't make sense: I still haven't [i]done anything to oppose him, and it's not like he doesn't know that more than one person isn't enthusiastic about working for him?[/i]He looks worriedly at the others.
Or maybe they are really working for Kroft, and the whole things about Lamm was just something to see if I worked for him...but that doesn't make any sense, either? I know for sure the girl over there works for him, and tricking someone into walking into an abandoned shack to be tested by a ghost isn't something the Marshall would approve of: not to mention, it doesn't have to do anything with me potentially being Blackjack.
Tyenar relaxes a little, but is still on the defensive, unsure of what was going to happen.
What is going on?
Juliet's jaw drops, her voice and octave higher than usual, her hand going reflexively to Spite's hilt. "What tha?" The singer wasn't used to being dumbstruck, but the feeling was beginning to get uncomfortably familiar. Brain turning, Juliet can only come up with one explanation. Played. We've been played. Like a damn ocarina.
Scowling, she steps forward, hand still on her blade's hilt. She figured it probably wouldn't matter, but if need be, she'd figure out if ghosts could get hurt. "Better spill the milk, pussycat. I don't like being taken advantage of. First question I got is, why? Why set us up for a fight likely gonna get us in Pharasma's Ledger, just the same as you?"
"And yeah, what Lorick said. These two gonna put our names on the page?"
The wispy, insubstantial figure chuckles wryly at your questions. "Not merely unwell, dear, but dead."
She looks at Lorick. "And these two are - as you - merely two more flies caught in Lamm's web. But, like I told you the other week, dear, I am weaving the threads now and Lamm will answer."
"And it wasn't I who ... 'set you up' dear. (Such a colourful turn of phrase you have.) Fate has chosen you to do great things. But there is always risk in the doing. I am sorry for your friend, Vaenathis. I could not alter his fate and telling him would have been unkind."
"But believe me. I am on your side. Now. The magic that holds me here is limited, but I will come to you as you have need. Take this Harrow deck-" the cards rise from Xenia's hands and hover in the air in front of Zellara - "And I shall manifest as I may."
She gives you all a smile - and vanishes.
Good enough for me. Lorick nods at Juliet and Evelyn before turning to Tyenar and Xenia. Right before the city went to the Abyss in a handbasket us three and Vaen and Gehenna found these cards that led us to this shop. It weren't as abandoned as it is right now though. The lady there seemed flesh and blood enough and she promised that if we did what she said, we'd be able to get out from under the Spider King's thumb. She hasn't steered us wrong yet so... you two aren't willingly working for Lamm either?