THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
Dom closes on the cleric and stabs him hard; there's not much life left in the man, and his handsome associate nearby knows it and orders the Asmodean to retreat. Instead, the cleric takes a step back from Dom and presents his unholy symbol, channeling negative energy that pulses throughout the area, affecting his ally as well as Dom, Arani, Falina, and Davina .
The handsome man hisses as the negative energy strikes him and then...transforms into an oversized red-and-black viper with a head on each end of its body! It slithers forward to a position where it will be able to bite at both Dom and Arani.
T'chazzar's Queensman foe makes a surprisingly capable attack, clipping the drow with his mace .
This creature is a hesperian or accomplice devil, a LE outsider and shapechanger, sometimes gifted to the favored of Asmodeus.
A hesperian has damage reduction 5/good and, in snake form, has all-around vision and a poisonous bite. It also has resistance or immunity to most energy attacks.
Specific defenses: Immune fire, poison; DR 10/acid, cold; SR 15.
for
for
Gritting her teeth as the oily feeling of utter wrongness washes over her, the widening of Arani's eyes are the only indication of the alarm she experiences as the man she's fighting transforms into a double-headed serpent.
Quickly taking a step back, she fires a pair of shots at the aberration before it can attack.
Confirm
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
Arani's first arrow misses the mark but her second flies perfectly, taking one head off the devil-snake's sinewy body. It writhes and coils in agony briefly before melting away before your eyes!
T'chazzar grits his teeth as he barely manages to avoid taking a shaking hit from the enemy's mace, and lashes out with his counterattacks.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
T'chazzar's first sword thrust fails to connect but pulls aside his foe's defenses: his second blade plunges deep into the Queensman's chest. With a gasp of disbelief, the man takes a staggering step back and then slumps to the floor.
The captive bard gives her rescuer a nod of thanks but continues her inspirational song. At a break in the lyrics, she stares at the fallen Queensman who wore the chain shirt and mouths the word "Key" at the drow.
As the man slides off your blade to the floor, there's just something...overly dramatic...about it. You think the fellow's not quite dead and is playing possum.
"Back away from the fight while you can," T'chazzar says to the singing bard.
His eyes narrow and one of his swords moves, point down, toward the man's throat and hovers there for the moment.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
The captive nods and drags the chair she's fettered to by one ankle to the south end of the stage. All the while she keeps singing and inspiring.
Davina's will isn't strong enough to stand against the negative energy and she slumps to the floor unconscious.
Falina choked back a cry of pain as the Asmodean's energy washed over and through her. It hurt, but not enough to take her down, and Falina glared at him as she spoke to her charmed thug, "He's trying to kill me! Please help us subdue him!" Falina chanted and gestured as she called up an arrow of acid and sent it flying at the Asmodean before she began to retreat out out the door after being so severely injured.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
The Asmodean's negative energy pulse drops Davina unconscious, and Falina's badly hurt by it as well. Another channel could spell doom....
The sorceress pleads for her charmed gull to get involved, even as she fires an acid arrow into the infernal priest. Alas, the magic isn't strong enough to drop the cleric...at least not yet.
Realizing that the cleric's ability to both device his allies and harm them all at once put them in danger of a quick and sudden death, especially seeing Davita fall, Arani redoubles her focus, firing arrow after arrow into the man.
she yells at Dom as she reaches for another arrow.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
Falina gets the charmed Queensman to agree to help subdue the Asmodean priest, but before the no-longer-loyal loyalist can move, Arani drops the cleric with a pair of arrows. At the archer's order, Dom moves to Davina and tries to put pressure on her worst wound. "I think she's stable," the half-orc reports a few moments later.
Danvina lies there unconscious on the floor.
Dashing over to where Dom works to keep Davina among the living, Arani drops to her knees, pulling out the healing wand. "Oh no you don't, you're not dying on my watch." she says determinedly
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
Two more charges from the healing wand not only bring Davina around, they heal all her wounds and bring her back to full strength. Dom seems relieved and offers a hand to pull Ms. Eradon back to her feet.
Meanwhile, in the main tavern area, the fettered bard drags her chair over to the fallen Queensman leader and begins fishing through his pockets until she finds a small set of keys. Looking up occasionally at T'chazzar as she tries to find the right key to free herself, the young lady introduces herself as Paulina Solstine. "Did my uncle send you folks to rescue me?"
With the sudden cessation of the fighting inside Falina hesitated in fleeing and, when she heard no yells to go after her turned back and re-entered the building. She saw the fighting over and Davina no longer unconscious and decided she should do something with her charmed thug. She went back inside and up to her temporary minion and lay a hand on his chest as she said, "You are my hero sir, you helped us subdue those who tried to hurt me and these others. for no apparent reason." She gave him a sweet smile and said, "Why don't you go upstairs and wait for me, I owe you a great reward for your heroics." She drug one finger up under his chin and her bosom heaved as she looked into his eyes, "and I do so want to show my thanks to you."
T'chazzar says to the bard, "Looking for a friend, but things went sideways. Glad to be of service." He helps her to remove her bonds. "You wouldn't happen to know the Fushi sisters, would you?"
Davina sits up, and then slowly stands. "That was nasty. Who is your uncle? We can help you get back to him. Anyone being held here has to be a friend of sorts."
She nods to Arina "Thank you. I appreciate the healing."
"Dom if you would please examine our dead enemies. Maybe they have information on them."
"Any time." Arani replies to Davina. Walking into the room the notes the introductions as Paulina frees herself.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
Falina's charmed friend nods at her and hustles upstairs to await his reward. Meanwhile, the bard does her best to answer the questions of Davina and T'chazzar.
"My uncle is Belford Solstine. He's one of the bigger movers and shakers in Redroof...as are some of his adult children. He asked me to keep my eyes and ears open while I performed around the city...mostly for news of Thrune and his underlings. I got caught eavesdropping on a Queensman officer and was taken prisoner. I hadn't overheard anything of great import--and I think my captors realized that, eventually--and they were planning on ransoming me back to my family. And then you folks showed up!"
"I've never heard of the Fushi Sisters. I know there's another prisoner downstairs, though--a tengu."
The Solstines are one of Kintargo's lesser noble families and one of the few to dwell outside the Greens. They have a small conclave of homes and businesses in Redroof just southwest of the Bleakbridge. Their matron is Raenna, a middle-aged half-elf. Many of the Solstines are bards or other entertainers, and it's rumored that the family owns or at least has an interest in many of the pubs and taverns in Redroof, plus a handful in Old Kintargo. Belford is said to run much of the family's day-to-day operations. Paulina's one of the more talented members of the family, but she's just starting her entertaining career.
Dom does Davina's bidding. He reports that the armor and some of the weapons the Queensmen bore is a step up (i.e.--masterwork) from the stuff you've already claimed as disguises from past battles with the loyalists. Dom also finds a note on the fallen priest, which he reads aloud.
"The Bastards stand ready to do your bidding, with the exception of Baelgar. He continues with his own plots, but I think he can be brought into line, or removed if necessary. It's signed with a letter K inside a pentagram."
"I never fully trusted that Baelgar creep when we fought the tooth faeries to end the murders in the Devil's Nursery."
Dom also holds up a large key. "The priest had this in his belt pouch."
"It sounds like downstairs is where we need to go. Our friend is a Tengu."
"We're happy that we saved your family the effort. You'd better get going. Unless you want to come along into the basement." Davina says to Paulina.
"Depending on how much activity there is in the streets tonight we might need a place to lay low until morning, once we're done. It's said that your family's roots run deep in Redroof." Arani notes.
"Before we head down, is anyone else hurt?" she says, focusing the healing wand on herself again.
Falina nodded in response to Arani and said, "Yes." It was obvious looking at her that she was in terrible shape and likely would survive another fight.
Wincing as she takes stock of the sorceress' injuries, the ranger once again activates the wand, restoring her to full health.
Falina sighed as the magic eased her wounds and said, "Thank you Arani."
"I'm ready to move forward." She raises her Rapier and grins.
Ginning as well Arani turns to Paulina. "You should get to safety while they're occupied, unless you want to come along for some payback. Your music is definitely a boost, and we can probably use every edge we can get." she says as they move towards the stairs.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
With wounds healed (for the most part), the group prepares to descend into the inn's basement to find Korva Fushi. Paulina decides to accompany you all, saying that her gear was taken from her when she was captured and that she'd like to recover it, if possible.
The stairs turn west and quickly deposit the party in an expansive basement with stone walls. The area you can see seems to be used mainly for storage--several crates, chests, and barrels fill much of the chamber. There's another passage across the room to the northwest and an open doorway in the south wall. Directly before you, a wooden lift platform lies on the floor directly beneath a vertical shaft in the ceiling. Though the contraption's obvious use is to transport heavy items from the cellar to the inn above, the knotted ropes attached to the makeshift elevator make for easy climbing to and from the upper floors.
Korva Fushi slumps against the north wall, her wrists held above her head by manacled chains connected to an iron base bolted high on the wall. It's clear she's been abused: One eye is swollen shut and there are bare patches on her bleeding torso where small patches of feathers have been torn out.
When she sees you, the brave bird-woman's beak twitches. "I held out--didn't squawk a word to those bastards! I think my gear's in that big chest there. Not sure what's in the smaller chest."
In a lower voice she adds, "The tiefling priest and someone else fled to the south a while ago; been quiet ever since."
Davina nods, and moves carefully twoard Korva. "Good to see you are still alive, and talking. I was worried." She studies the manacles, as she drops her bag on the floor, and tries to open them.
"If you want I can take a crack at it Davina." Arani says noting the manacles.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
Between them, Arani and Davina spring the locks of the chests and the manacles holding Korva. The large chest holds a collection of armor, weapons, and other gear (Korva and Paulina's confiscated gear), while the smaller one holds 4 bags of gold coins (500 gp in each), a wand (wand of alarm [40 charges]), and a quasi-envelope made from a folded piece of parchment. Written on it are two names: "Kellen? Eribeth?" Inside are a pair of goggles (goggles of minute seeing).
Kellen and Eribeth are members of the greater Sarini clan, a son and daughter of Sabrina's mad uncle Malpater (whose daughter, Mina, you killed when she tried to arrest Jessibel/Arani at the Silver Stein Inn).
Davinda helps Korva get into her armor. "I think we should leave while we can. Korva is hurt, and we've used up a lot of resources."
She tucks the note away for further study.
"I agree. At some point, someone's going to call for the watch, or worse, and we should be long gone by then." Arani concurs.
"We can load the stuff we want to take with us in the cart we used for our cover to get in here. Maybe set the place on fire to give everyone something else to focus on while we escape." she says, clearly feeling minimal sympathy for anyone that would make their establishment a stronghold for Thrune's forces.
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
"Please don't do that!" Paulina exclaims when Arani suggests burning the place down. "It was a nice place when it was just the Fork & Flagon...before Thrune's cronies took it over. Besides, the fire could spread to other buildings."
Dom quickly scouts the area to the south and reports that there's no sign of anyone in that direction.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Yes, uncontrolled fire in the city could be bad - I could see how that could be a problem," says T'chazzar with a furrowed brow after several moments' thought. (It probably takes a while for it to occur to people that if he grew up underground in caves and caverns with bio-luminescent fungi for light, the idea of a fire in a wooden city would be foreign to him.)
"Perhaps an illusion for a distraction instead?"
Davina nods. "What kind of illusion?" She starts to gather things they should put in the card. Everything that's not nailed down and looks like it belongs to Trune followers.
Falina shook her head and said, "No, I can't make any. It's not the kind of spell I had considered before. I'll see if I can't learn figure one out for future use though." After a moment she said, "I could change forms again and go try to point guards in the wrong direction, maybe claim 'rebels are attacking' such and such a place."
THE PITCHFORK & FLAGON (22 Gozran)
With the whole illusion distraction proving unfeasible, the group decides to gather what loot they can and make their escape. A detect magic spell reveals that the breastplate worn by the Asmodean priest and the chain shirt worn by the Queensman officer both radiate faint magic consistent with basic (+1) magic items. Davina steps behind the bar to snag the choicest bottles of booze there; everyone else gathers the light maces and bucklers of the fallen Queensmen.
Escaping the building, the group loads their wagon with loot. At present, there's no sound of any alarm being raised, so the party heads back toward the Tooth and Nail acting as innocent and unobtrusive as possible. Although an alarm is eventually raised, you're all a good distance from the Pitchfork and Flagon when it sounds, and your party makes it back to the tavern without further incident.
11 mwk light maces
1 mwk heavy mace
1 mwk hand crossbow
12 mwk bucklers
10 sets manacles
1 set mwk manacles
1 silver unholy symbol (Asmodeus)
11 bronze Thrune pendants (30 gp)
liquor (250 gp)
loose coinage from bad guys (175 gp)
4 bags of gold coins (500 gp in each)
wand of alarm (40 charges)
goggles of minute seeing
"I'll call that a victory and take it."
"Agreed! That should take Thrune's forces a little while to recover from, and weaken his grip on that part of the city." Arani says enthusiastically.
"And made a new friend in the process, not bad for an evening's work!"
Davina points to the wine. "Let's drink one or two of those tonight. We did good team." She smiles as the cart moves through the city.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
TOOTH AND NAIL TAVERN (26 Gozran)
It's been a dicey and trying few days for the Silver Ravens. Kiri and the Fushi Sisters still haven't fully recovered their form after their last disastrous mission, but on the bright side Octavio's armigers have agreed to form a team to help the rebels retake Kintargo. Octavio lends some advice as well...when he's not arguing politics with his cousin, Setrona.
Rumors of a brazen assault on a Chelish Citizens' Group headquarters has the Kintargo populace buzzing but on edge, and the day after sees an increase in Dottari, Queensman, and even Hellknight Order of the Rack patrols throughout the city. Then a couple of days of heavy rain put a damper on the patrols and, to some extent, on the embers of rebellion the raid ignited.
During this time, a letter comes from Leora. The priestess explains that she's not making a lot of progress in her investigation into the Hellknight who seemed to recognize her at the doghousing a few days back. She asks if Jessibel might be around to help, but word has come from the Aulamaxa family that Jessi's efforts to ship Laria and her halfling staff from the Long Roads Coffeehouse out of Ravounel is taking longer than hoped, and the young bard will be out of the city for another week. Dom says he'll meet with Leora while the others plan the next steps of the rebellion, and off the brave but headstrong half-orc goes.
Setrona and Octavio take a break from their near-constant light bickering to hold a brief meeting with the Silver Ravens' officers.
"Much as I like you folks--and my cousin's young armigers--your presence here is being noticed, I'm afraid," Setrona tells the group. "Now, most of my customers are good, hard-working folk and no friends to House Thrune, but...well, times are tough and not everyone has a job any more. If Thrune weren't such a tightwad and were to offer a reward for information on the Silver Ravens...." The proprietor lets the implications go unspoken.
"Point taken, cousin," Octavio growls before turning to the Ravens. "Sounds like it's time for you folks to explore the ruins of the Lucky Bones and see if the place will serve as a new headquarters or at least as a safe house for our venture of overthrowing Thrune and restoring order to Kintargo. Are you up to the task alone? I'd like to check in with some of my contacts in the city and see if there's a lot of support for our cause." Turning to Setrona, he adds, "And perhaps I can find temporary lodging for my loyal armigers and get them out of your hair and larder!"
Your group is able to do some planning--both in terms of exploring the Lucky Bones and planning missions for your teams--before Setrona again interrupts. This time, she's accompanied by a pair of men whose rain cloaks can't quite disguise that each is wearing armor beneath.
Looking around first to make sure no one else is within ear shot, Setrona says, "Allow me to introduce you all to Hetamon Haace, known in some circles as the Rose of Kintargo."
The fellow closest behind Setrona lowers his hood, revealing a fiendishly handsome tiefling face. His smile, while a bit toothy, is strangely friendly and reassuring. He produces a handful of roses from beneath his cloak. "Peace, love, health, and life," he says by way of greeting, making eye contact with Arani and bowing his head ever-so-slightly before handing her a rose. Next he presents a flower to Davina and Falina, pausing a moment to gaze curiously at the other tiefling. He turns to T'chazzar, holds out a final rose, and shrugs at the drow, wordlessly asking, "You want one, too?"
"Greetings, Silver Ravens! I have been watching and admiring you from afar. Now I emerge from the shadows to tell you that the faithful of Milani will help in your quest to rid Kintargo of Barzillai Thrune and his scourge of madness. Our strength, however, is not in armed conflict; yet we will move in the shadows to distract Thrune and his enablers and make your jobs a bit easier."
"That is not to say that I can offer you nothing in terms of firepower against the evil that besets this city. Through the grapevine, I learned of a holy warrior of Ragathiel operating in and around the city. As was the case with the new Silver Ravens, I had him watched carefully, and now feel certain his motives are true and his heart pure...well, pure enough to do what must be done to remove the stain of Thrune from our fair city. May I introduce you all to Viroleth Sastan, holy warrior of Ragathiel!"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
T'chazzar mutely accepts the rose, which he holds delicately. He lifts it beneath his nose and, with heavily-lidded eyes, inhales deeply of its scent several times.
There are no flowers like this in the world below.
Although not especially large, the man who approaches in a gleaming suit of stylized plate mail still strike an intimidating presence as he clanks forwards. The winged sword emblem is proudly on the breastplate, and a large bastard sword is strapped to his side. His voice booms out from the visored helmet.
"Hi!"
He takes a moment to work free his plumed helmet. Beneath is a thirty-something human of obvious Chelish descent with long black hair and sharp features. His smile is warm and a little goofy.
"I'm honoured to be here, I truly am. I have been working against the Chelish Citizens' Group and some of their 'patrols', but playing janitor for the dogs of Thrune is - ah - limited. I'd heard word the Silver Ravens were active again and soon enough I found the right contacts. Make what use of me what you can." His face hardens. "Barzillai Thrune took everything from my family."
He takes a moment to look over the room and take in the group, doing a double-take at T'chazzar but firmly deciding he's too polite to say anything.
Falina was relieved that things had gone as well as they had on their raid and that they had escaped safely. When they had been safely returned to their current place of residence she went upstairs and went to bed in exhaustion.
Over the next few days Falina found herself more than a bit bored. Jessibelle was gone and Sabrina wasn't around at the moment so she'd been left bereft of entertainment. As they discussed things a few days later and began to make their plans to go explore the Lucky Bones and get out of their current headquarters, a place that she fully agreed they'd stayed too long, Falina was rather looking forward to some something to do for a change.
When Setrona brought in a couple of new people to meet them, and possibly help, Falina was rather surprised at Hetamon Hace. the handsome tiefling was a bit of a dandy, and something about him made her think of devils, it was probably his fiendishly good looks. His giving her a rose was an acceptable peace offering for his potentially hellish heritage so she accepted the rose and said, "Hmmm, flattery will get you many things Hetamon, mayhap even great rewards later on." Her tone was quite suggestive when she spoke as was typical when someone attracted her attentions in such a way.
When Hetamon began his flamboyant introduction of the other man Falina listened to his words intently. She judged Hetamon a bard of some kind given the way he spoke as he waxed eloquently about the man that he'd brought to aid them. She gave him a wink before turning her gaze to the man introduced.
That the man spoke without removing his helmet first and then seemed to realize he should take it off boded ill for his intelligence in Falina's opinion. Something about him grated on her nerves and he'd barely said a word, she wasn't sure what it was exactly, but she had an instinctive dislike of the man. This didn't mean she couldn't work with him, she worked with the Lichtor after all and she despised hellknights on general principle, so she decided to play nice...for now.
Deciding to needle him a little as a test Falina giggled at Viroleth and said, "Oh I haven't gotten to mess with a paladin since the last rebellion occurred." Her grin was seductive, wicked, and promised no end of testing of the holy roller before her, "this is going to be fun."
Viro sketches a little bow towards Falina. "When we meet one, I'd be delighted to mess with them with you. I just look the part, but I don't follow any paladin's code, merely the guiding light of my angel of vengeance. Frankly I hope I'm less of a pain than some paladins I've met."
He looks over the room, nodding in turn to everyone. "I'm afraid I'm at a loss, I can make up some names for you if you so wish." He clanks his way into the room, babbling as he goes and introducing himself in turn to everyone. "Hello, yes I'm Viro. Please to meet you - why I should paint you! Anyways ah... how does it work here? I've never been a part of a rebellion before. Do we have battle plans or something? Is there a map with little figures on it we can move around and talk about striking at dawn?"
As he finishes his circuit he pauses by Falina and then nods a little over T'chazzar while stage-whispering to her. "Is that a drow? He's on our side?"
"There's already a paladin on the team," says T'chazzar dryly, folding his arms. "Not that I am opposed to more help, whether oathbound or otherwise."