"Thank you, Father Renaud." Alphonse says in Celestial, and gives a short bow to the priest.
"We should go. The Necromancer yet lurks beneath the catacombs." he says, and strides off.
He drinks a potion as he walks along, seeking to be at full strength for the trials ahead.
1d8+3
May Our Lady guide your path, brave squire!
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Eventually, yes.
Does the party rest at the inn mentioned by Tevaga first? Or return immediately to exploring the catacombs?
As much as I want to go down and skewer that necromancer, we should go down with all our abilities at full. I know some of you magic and holy types cast some spells. We might need all the help we can get. And, I need a drink or twelve. The inn calls.....and fair Bettina as well....*sigh*....
After returning the infant to the upper world, it is 10:00 at night.
Minutes after the rescued infant is given into the care of the priests of Notre Dame, our heroes slake their thirst at The Cave, on the river isle not far from the great cathedral....
Seeing her favorite customer (Paddy) return to the dark, smoky tavern, the lovely young wench Bettina smiles charmingly and hurries to fill a flagon with ale for the handsome Irishman and his motley crew of new friends....
Bonjour, Monsieur Paddy! Welcome back, handsome! And you brought with you new friends, non?
At her lair on the Sun, the Lady Aurelianthalantas reclines upon a broad, flat, bed of pyroclastic stone floating on a molten sea of brightly blazing flames and gas.... The music of a quartet of lantern archons singing a chorale lulls her into a torpor.....
When the Archangel Michael arrives in her blazing court with a courteous bow, she stirs languidly and smiles a toothsome smile....
My dear Mikey! What brings you to my court at this hour? Come to hear my excellent choristers sing the latest motet by Guillaume De Marchaut? Or perhaps you wish to warm your wings by the fires of the Sun?
In Draconic to Aurelianthalantas: My Lady, I come as my favorite puppet, the wealthy farmer Mercutio De Napoli, who supplies your board with terrestrial delicacies raised with kindness on his estate outside Naples.... To request a favor in return....
Back at the familiar inn Hisao yawns as he eats his simple broth and regards the shiny ring on his finger. It had been a profitable day but, really, he hadn't done well in actually hitting anything since he acquired the wiondrous ring. Truly a gift from Sun Wukong then.
All in the tavern make Perception checks, please....
Sleight of hand
Hisao notices as a young man in ratty, tattered garb attempts to cut the purse from a gendarme wearing a breastplate and helm, longsword sheathed in a leather scabbard at his hip....
Perception
The gendarme notices the cutpurse's clumsy attempt as well, and slaps the rogue's hands away from his purse!
In French:
Cutpurse! You'll spend a few nights in the oubliette for that, you rotten scoundrel!
Initiative
In French:
'Twas a spider on your hip, Monsieur! I swear! I was just trying to brush it away!
The young Cutpurse holds a dagger in hand....
With your knife? Your PURSE CUTTING KNIFE!?
Initiative
Oui! I mean non!
Seeing trouble brewing near the hearth between two of her regular customers (Gendarme Phoebus and Pick-Pocket Charles), Bettina purses her pretty lips and scurries behind the bar....
Mon Dieu! A fight....
Alphonse wearily steps in to break up the fight.
"Gentlemen, please. I don't know what's going on, but you're disturbing the patrons and distressing the owners. Can you table your uarrel for another time, perhaps?"
While to his knowledge neither of the men can understand him, he hopes taht the soothing sound of his voice will calm them down.
Hisao nudges Paddy
Paddy leans toward Hisao
Paddy calmly palms one of his daggers, in case there is a scuffle or if someone threatens Bettina.
He then motions at the cutpurse.
I wouldn't be doing that, me boyo. That would be a fight you would not win.
Hrm! This little thief should kiss your feet for saving his scruffy hide, Monsieur....
The gendarme sits back down in his chair, eyeing the Cutpurse warily....
I'll just go back to my....uh....yeah....
The Cutpurse glances gratefully at Alphonse and scurries out of the tavern.....
Alphonse nods happily at both of them and heads back to his chair.
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson sits quietly in the back, looking at some texts written in Celestial, as well as some other documents, studying -- oblivious to the mundane goings on of scruffy looking nerf herders.
Hisao shrugs and flips the coin back into his purse.
Paddy calmly puts the blade back into its sheath.
To Hisao
Bettina, ma chere, could you bring my friends and I a round, please? We are somewhat thirsty after the day we had. And some soup or stew and bread, too.
Paddy engages in conversation with his colleagues, but watches the cutpurse out of the corner of his eye.
I trust that man as far as I can throw a wagon...which isn't very far.
Paddy calmly puts the blade back into its sheath.
To Hisao** spoiler omitted **
Bettina, ma chere, could you bring my friends and I a round, please? We are somewhat thirsty after the day we had. And some soup or stew and bread, too.
Paddy engages in conversation with his colleagues, but watches the cutpurse out of the corner of his eye.
I trust that man as far as I can throw a wagon...which isn't very far.
Fast track, and you needn't worry much about it, as I am keeping track and will tell you when to level. I will, however, occasionally inform you of non-combat XP earned for RP, accomplishing bonus quests, etc....
Paddy calmly puts the blade back into its sheath.
To Hisao** spoiler omitted **
Bettina, ma chere, could you bring my friends and I a round, please? We are somewhat thirsty after the day we had. And some soup or stew and bread, too.
Paddy engages in conversation with his colleagues, but watches the cutpurse out of the corner of his eye.
I trust that man as far as I can throw a wagon...which isn't very far.
Of course, mon cherie! On my way!
Bettina smiles appreciatively at Paddy and his diplomatic friend Alphonse, and hurries to fill their order....
Diplomacy
Bettina loses no opportunity to flirt with Paddy, attempting to milk more and more of his coppers....
The dawn rises on the second day of our tale....
A fog hangs over the river canals that cut through the cobbled streets of Paris.....
Shadows of gargoyles on rooftops, spires, arches, and domes waltz slowly across the cityscape....
The clucking of chickens, the yapping of hounds, the trot of hoofs, and the rumble of cart wheels awaken the great sleeping city of a thousand lights....
The great bells of Notre Dame ring in the new dawn with lusty voices that echo over the rooftops....
In the divine forge of Hachiman, a bar of the most flawless steel is heated by the raging fires of a dragon's breath, and fire oni turn the glowing bar on the great anvil and hammer it into a deadly, elegant shape....
Paddy gladly hands the comely barmaid his (somewhat) hard earned coins.
A toast my friends...to us coming back here to celebrate our success!
"To success!" Alphonse agrees, and downs his drink with gusto.
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson and the others go back down to end the reign of evil, traitorous Cleric.
After a warm breakfast of porridge, red cheddar, fresh loaves of bread and fried rashers of bacon, washed down with goat milk or ale, the Lusty Fools depart the inn and return to Notre Dame Cathedral, where Father Renaud and two acolytes are presiding over morning mass, attended by a crowd of Paresians....
Father Renaud finishes the services with a benediction....
In nomine Deus, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus, amen! Go in peace and serve Our Lord!
The dismissed parishioners mill and shuffle out of the nave and out into the streets of Paris to continue their day....
As parishioners pass the Lusty Fools in the nave, some cast obvious glances of curiosity or awe at the armed and armored adventurers, and a few excited murmurs reach their ears....
A young boy of around ten: Sacre Couer! There are the adventurers who tussled with the gargoyles and gremlins of the cathedral last night! My pa is a lamplighter, and he saw the whole thing from across the plaza! Mon Dieu, they look fierce! I'll bet any one of them could best a dozen city guards!
His mother, eyeing Alphonse, Paddy, and Iommi-Tyr: My, some of them are quite dashing....uh, I mean, come boy, pa awaits us at home!
An old codger: Harumph! Nonsense! The gargoyles defend the church and those of good intent! They must be thieves who tried to loot the cathedral!
A gendarme: Nay, graybeard, they are not thieves, but good men that uphold the law! One of them narrowly stopped a brawl from occurring between my companion-at-arms and a pick-pocket last night at The Cave--after saving the life of Father Renaud, who was nearly crushed to death by yonder bell! See it lying there under the belfry? Gremlins cut it free to fall on the poor father after causing them to sound last night, a few hours early of midnight! I heard it all from the father himself! He says they also killed some of the gremlins, and some ghouls and devil worshippers down in the crypts below!
A blushing maiden: Is that handsome squire married, I wonder?, glancing demurely at Alphonse as she passes near him....