As Gailen's opponent falls, Evarice looses an arc of lighting at the Keymaster. The bolt barely misses as the wyvaran unexpectedly dodges an attack from the giant frog.
Wyatt hurries forward to join the kerfuffle, nearly outpaced by Prisim, who is also intent on getting closer to the scrum.
Pau lashes out at his opponent, pushing his fist through the unlucky inquisitor's face before introducing the dragon-thing's skull to his left knee. The wyvaran falls in a slump, blood and grey fluid oozing from his ears.
+1 TH (all)
red: -3
Apollyanna bullrushes the poor fool who unlocked the cage. He attempts to stab his short spear at her, but is quickly overwhelmed by her charge. The wyvaran is pushed back into the giant frog, and both are pushed back further. The frog winds up back in the cage, and the wyvaran is in the cage doorway.
The Aspis with a green badge steps back and shoots an arc of electricity at Pau. In his fear, he misses.
The Aspis with a red badge steps away from Apollyanna (as any sane enemy would) also attempts to shoot an arc of electricity. In his fear, he misses.
The giant frog flicks his tongue at Apollyanna, binding her fast with its tongue. It pulls her toward its oversized mouth, and she sees teeth the look like they'd be pretty uncomfortable.
+1 TH (all)
red: -3
Gailen doesn't attack red so much as *splatter* him. He falls in a bloody pile of armor, rags, and eviscerated flesh.
Pau kicks and spins, connecting an elbow in the face of the last remaining wyvaran.
+1 TH (all)
green: -6
It's a difficult strike to make angling around Apollyanna, the cage walls, and the step up to the cage, but Evarice does it with grace, neatly cutting the frog's think hide.
Apollyanna manages to (barely) free herself from the frog's tongue before it would have swallowed her whole.
Wyatt hefts his bow and fires, but the shot deflects off the wyvaran's armor.
Prisim manages to scare Apollyanna with her targeting ability.
The remaining wyvaran steps back again, and looses another arc of lightning at Pau. He curses at his ill luck as the electricity grounds out short of hitting the monk.
The frog withdraws, backing up in his cage in fear at the monsters with the huge weapons.
+1 TH (all)
green: -6
frog-8
Evarice closes the cage door, and Pau strikes the remaining Wyvaran with enough force to knock him unconscious.
As the last enemy falls, there is a muffled cheer from behind a couple of boxes. A male half-elf and a female halfling step out and approach. "Thank you for your help! They were going to kill us! Even worse, they were going to kill the animals! The let some fire beetles loose earlier. If you run into them, I'm afraid the easiest thing to do would be to just put them down. We can find more fire beetles."
The halfling pipes up, "And thanks for not killing my frog. He's almost eaten me twice, but he doesn't deserve to die."
An elderly man approaches, leaning on what looks to be a battered wooden sword (he's using it as a cane). The other two lower their eyes in respect as he draws near. "It's dangerous to go alone! Take this" He offers you some supplies that you may find useful. And some you definitely will not.
The party hurries out of the now safe menagerie, seeking additional ways to help quash the insurgents. The Grand Lodge’s campus is overrun with marauders and monsters, while support staff, initiates, and visitors run in peril for their lives.
You see several nearby groups of Pathfinders cluster together and argue about what to do about the attack, which team should stand back and support the other, and who has the best idea of what is happening. In the midst of the chaos, a venture-captain approaches from the direction of Skyreach.
The VC is Jani Ivulxtin, the former head administrator for the Grand Lodge.
"Pathfinders!" he calls, beckoning your party. "Give heed to my words. Most of the other Captains and officers of the Society are busy investigating the potential source of the attack or defending Society artifacts. We can't be everywhere we need to be, and need your help to coordinate the many agents here for the Conclave."
"I need dependable agents to remind their fellows that the Society's motto includes the words 'cooperate'. I have some tasks that need doing. Find idle Pathfinders," (and here he pauses to glare at some of the groups nearby) "and put them to work. You have temporary authority to act on my behalf." The Venture Captain tells you of four tasks that need doing.
(1) The Repository and (2) the Center House both have wards and defenses, but should still be cordoned off and protected from the outside.
(3) Escort Detail: The Society also has a number of visitors and guests who should be escorted safely off grounds and reassured that everything is under control.
(4) Absalom’s district guards needs to be stalled at the front gates before they overrun the campus and make a mess of everything.
"I'm sure you'll bring credit to the society. Now, I have other tasks to attend. Be expeditious." With that, the VC hurries off, and you realize he never introduced himself.
As you approach the Repository, you find a band of four Pathinders standing over the corpses of Aspis agents. There are nearly a dozen enemy corpses, and no apparent Pathfinder casualties. A female aasimar in flowing robes appears to be in charge of the group. The remaining three are nondescript men who seem to have some martial expertise.
The idle team looks to their female sorcerer, and seeing her scowl at you, they turn and do the same.
"I'm Dara Immlin! Have you not heard of our great deeds before today? Do you not see the corpses at our feet? There are far better uses for our considerable talents. Why don’t you guard the stone building with no doors and windows? We’ll capture that giant two-headed vulture! None of you are brave enough to do it, that's for sure." She nods to the sky above you, where you see such a monster circling, beyond your reach.
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"My dear friend, you do not understand. We are asking you to protect this building BECAUSE we see your prowess in combat. There are important relics in there, and you are obviously capable of defending them to the death. I myself have shed Aspis blood today, and though I do not revel in their deaths, I see its necessity. You must see how important it is to have someone of your prowess guard such an important place!"
Dara looks to Gailen. "Hah! If you valued our strength you'd put us in the field. You Shelyn-ites are all the same. You beat an oversized dung beetle and you think you're hot stuff. You can't go through life on good looks, sister. You need action, and we're the ones for it."
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Prisim grins at the men and Dara.
"That is such a relief!" she looks around in awe at the Aspis bodies.
"We just fought a whole load of Wyvaran's. They let slip the main attack is here. Ivulxtin said to seek out the famous Immlin..." she looks concerned for a moment.
"That is you, not your sister, right?" and then without missing a beat continues
"Of course it is. Anyway, He said that we needed our strongest here where the main attack was supposed to come. We'll try and chip away at stragglers if you can handle the main lot."
She leans closer
"I know the paladin thinks she can do it all herself, but lets be honest, you're the best one for the job, arn't you?"
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Evarice smiles at Prisim. "Ah yes. 'The Angel of Light evil fears!' 'The Silky Scourge of Aspis!' 'The Daring Dara Immlin!' You know us Shelynites - we're on errand duty, led by the great Pau. Venture Captain Ivulxtin knew he could rely on the great Dara Immlin! Wimps like us would just get in the way of your great deeds."
Pfft. Glory hounds.
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"I know the paladin thinks she can do it all herself, but lets be honest, you're the best one for the job, arn't you?"
[dice=sense motive ("huh?")]1d20-2[/dice]
"You're darn right I can!" Apoolyanna rolls up her jerkin's sleeves. "Show me were this 'book suppository' is!"
"Ah yes. 'The Angel of Light evil fears!' 'The Silky Scourge of Aspis!' 'The Daring Dara Immlin!' You know us Shelynites - we're on errand duty, led by the great Pau. Venture Captain Ivulxtin knew he could rely on the great Dara Immlin! Wimps like us would just get in the way of your great deeds."
"'Wimps?!'" She rounds angrily upon the cleric. "Whose side are you on?!"
"Clearly you've heard of us, and know we're not as fit for guard duty as someone such as yourselves. You should guard the Repository while we go slay Aspis."
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"Clearly you've heard of us...."
"Well, I haven't." Apollyanna says flatly. "Have you gone through your confirmation trials yet?"
And then before things heat up again. "You guys can all stand here and fight among yourselves all you want, but I take my duty to the Pathfinder Society seriously. Where do you think their agents will be making for anyhow your rooms in the commons? Their here to take what they can under cover of all of this" She waves her hands in the air at all the commotion. "I'm going!"
Why is everyone being so dumb? Still with Shelyn to guide me, I have nothing to fear--except groady rats.
Dara looks huffy and unconvinced, but she does acquiesce, and that's the important part. Well, fine. It's not glorious, but it does sound important. Just make sure the Venture Captain knows that when now attack focuses here it was because the Aspis were scared of our strength. She turns and waves to her team to follow, then starts giving them orders staging around the Repository.
——
You approach The Center House and find a group of Pathfinders huddled on the path leading toward the building, yet still some distance away. Their weapons are drawn, and their backs are to each other, as if expecting an attack at any time.
As you approach, a male half-elf with two short swords and dark clothing catches your eye, and calls challenge. "Are you here to protect us?"
Another in the group turns his head. "Nah, Jayson, they're just Pathfinders like us." The man continues, mumbling, "Although after this maybe a different line of work would suit me better."
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Sense Motive
"We have been deputized by the Venture Captain to help defend these buildings. We need brave Pathfinders like yourselves to help us carry out this task. I know things are looking bleak, but the Society isn't about to be routed by a group of thugs like the Apsis nerds. The Center House needs you to protect it, while we go take the fight to the scoundrels. Can you help us?"
Pau couldn't tell the others, but he saw this group was simply terrified.
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Prism adds in "The famous Dara Immlin is at this moment leading a brave group of pathfinders to help drive them from the grounds. This looks like a really good defensive position. " she adds.
"I think if you have chosen a good place to make a stand, Dara would be able to see if you were attached here and come to your rescue quickly."
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"Stand tall! We're Pathfinders, dammit! Defend the Central House here- we're counting on your strength and bravery to prove these Aspis fools that they messed with the wrong organization!"
Evarice walks up to the other group and maintains her military-trained posture. So this is how it feels from the superior side. No wonder my commanding officer enjoyed this so much!
Evarice's speech is enough to convince them. With two other beautiful women inspiring their confidence, Jayson and his crew buck up and give it a shot. "We had a bad experience in the past, ma'am, but if you think we can do it, we'll certainly try. Maybe it will help with the dreams." His men nod in agreement, their confidence buoyed.
"Maybe one of you can come back and visit when this is all over?" one of them asks, hesitantly. It's pretty clear he's not addressing Wyatt.
—
As you make your rounds of the south campus, you find a group of Pathfinders you think well suited to one of the tasks assigned for you to delegate. A halfling warrior leads five well-armed companions. They looking competent and intimidating. Just the crew to stall the guards at the front gate.
The halfling waves as you approach.