COMBAT 1st Round
Syldran= moved and prepared a spell
Bracnos= missed w/ GA
Graz= missed with his pummels
Annak= Hexed Balin for 1 round
Wade= struck Balin
Razul= struck Balin
Lillith= delay
Balin=
The Knight takes a quick look at his surroundings and decides to attack the pummeling orc...
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and then using his Cleave feat he attacks Bracnos ...
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the knight then takes a 5 ft step away from Wade.
"Do not think I shall succumb to your foul deeds so easily...I remember chasing down some of your criminals. Your escape from prison will be wasted here once I cut you all down like I did your friend...HA!"
COMBAT 2nd Round
Syldran=
Bracnos=
Graz=
Annak=
Wade=
Razul=
Lillith= delay
Balin=
Balin=30/1 bleed
Graz=35
Bracnos=12
Seeing the knight grievously wound Graz, Annak takes out a slender wooden wand and moves to the orc.
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"you'll pay for all the evil you have brought to this world, bastard"
Bracnos said with a snarl
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Edit
Razul ducks around the knight's reach to flank him with Bracnos, then attacks.
damage
AC-19
hp-18/18
status-combat expertise
Syldran throws his newly conjured Thorn Javelin at the knight, hoping to skewer him.
And he will also move up to provide flanking.
Cleave (Combat)
You can strike two adjacent foes with a single swing.
Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a foe within reach. If you hit, you deal damage normally and can make an additional attack (using your full base attack bonus) against a foe that is adjacent to the first and also within reach. You can only make one additional attack per round with this feat. When you use this feat, you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class until your next turn.
Bracnos hits the knight and draws blood, but his bite attack misses. Razul maneuvers around the bleeding Knight and his strike finds flesh as more blood comes out of the Knight who stumbles and then Wade swings his sword and strikes dead the falling knight.
Syldran's snake slithers out of the collar of his cloak. It peers at the bodies on the floor and then looks back at it's master.
"Yes my sweetie, the man is dead! And so is that noisy one. Shame really, but he was too big and noticeable. Some people just need to learn to be more subtle..."
Annak asks Bracnos to get the mans teeth, Graz's teeth as well, if no one objects.
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"ah blood clan you were far too brash and out of control to live for much longer, his teeth you say...ok"
He takes the pommel of his axe to break out their teeth, and after a few hit he picks them up and hands them to Annak.
"there you go...and did he not do great evil by sending us to our death? no you like being there did you...now that's one more promise fulfilled whats next..."
bracnos ask the group
"Well, lets take the pendant to Thorn I suppose."
A small secret door opens up, much like the one Timeon was hiding in. Out steps a rather fetching girl, fair of skin and dark of hair. Her voice is at once innocent and seductive.
"Well, my thanks to you for dealing with that pious brute. He was dangerously close to breaching that door and I wasn't really in the mood to have my blood spilled."
She pulls out a holy symbol of Asmodeus and displays it to those assembled.
"Don't worry, I'm a part of the club."
She smiles sweetly as she tucks the symbol back into her robes.
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Wade looks to the newcomer, still rather miffed at the loss of one of the more competent fighters, although... This one is at least easier on the eyes... no! Bad, Wade, business before pleasure! "while it was jolly good fun dispatching the brute, I'm afraid I'm going to have to allow me to check you for disguise and mind controlling magics, simply a precaution, if you true in what you said, than I'm sure you'll understand he says, casting detect magic
The party grabs whatever loot they want and then make their way out of the trial compound. Adrastus sits in his study seeming almost as he has
moved not an inch from where he gave you your orders at dusk yesterday. “You’ve returned.”The high priest holds the trinket and pauses as if in deep contemplation. He watches the holy symbol glitter in the light. “A pretty enough thing, eh?” he muses. “This is a holy symbol of Mitra in particular the sort favored by the Knights of the Alerion. Perhaps you already knew that. Remember this symbol. This is the mark of those who destroyed our faith and sought to banish all trace of the worship of our Father from these shores. These, my friends, are your enemies.”
He tosses the holy symbol to whoever gave it to him. “Keep it. It may aid you in disguising yourself.”
He smiles. “You have done well. Escaping from Branderscar, slaughtering Sir Balin … yes, you are worthy. Now, let us complete your training…”
you are brought back to your rooms and there is food, wine, a hot bath drawn and fine new clothes. As you make your way to your rooms you see the poor squire being led in chains to Tiadora's room with a dejected look on his face. Later that night all manner of screams are heard and the next morning Tiadora looks rather content.
The next three months go by slowly and while you live in splendor and eat fine foods, your days are spent in constant training. Tiadora is your primary instructor and delights in causing you all pain during your training but does not push the pain too close to death, although you know she wants to. The Count oversees your training but does not directly involve himself in the team training. In addition to team focused training, the Count spends time with each of you one on one.
"Darling, if you want to know how I slept all you have to do is join me."
Delilah flashes a smile at Bracnos as she casually sips a glass of red wine. She stretches lazily and suppresses a yawn.
"Truth be told, this waiting around is killing me. I'm not allowed to..."harvest" the servants here."
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Bracnos looks over at Delilah with a razed eyebrow
"Delilah Vae...well if your offering i would not mind hehe..."
Bracnos takes a slow bite of the apple with a small grin on his face
"perhaps later...will see no"
Stretching himself he looks around the room
"i wounder how the rest are doing this day it been a long few month we have been here, still its a far cry better than the prison we were in before. Did you get sent there as well?"
Shaking his head
"still sad we lost one to the dead...at lest we all got our revenge on hehe "sir" Balin. when i make a promise i will see it through no mater how long it takes..
"never the less ill do what i can to not let you fall to our enemies as Garzul did. he was a funny one...you know when we made our escape he hit himself in the head with a shield until he passed out hahaha he was funny."
Bracnos said with a smile and offered a fresh apple to Delilah
"I might as well."
Delilah takes the apple and shines it on her robes before biting into it.
"It doesn't have the coppery tang that I'm used to, but I suppose it's good enough. "
While the two talked, Syldran enters the room, garbed in a long green cloak covered in a scale pattern. He looks at both of Bracnos and Delilah, flashes them a wry smile, and joins them. He plucks an apple from the bowl and takes out a very small dagger, and proceeds to peel the skin off of it. He listens to them chat, and when he is done his work, delicately consumes the red fruit.
"You should be more worried about yourself dear Bracnos, caring too much about others might just get you killed."
He gives him a wink.
"And how are we supposed to trust this new one?" he says, nodding his head in Delilah's direction. "I barely even trust you, and new people are showing up left and right."
"Oh, I wouldn't trust me either. But don't worry, dear. If I ever stab you in the back, I'll be sure to do it to your face."
Delilah smiles sweetly at Syldran and takes another bite of her apple.
"Not that a poor innocent girl like myself could cause much harm."
Razul enters the room and, upon hearing the conversation, says in a disapproving tone,
[b]"I would watch this talk of backstabbing and mistrust, or did you each already forget the terms of the agreement you signed in blood?"[\b]
Razul then seats himself at the table.
"Certainly, I'm under contract to play nice...for now. No contract lasts forever. Of course, I'll have have no desire to turn on you. You're proper gentlemen, right?"
Delilah smirks and stretches again.
Annak strolls in exhausted after a hard days training sporting a new and polished necklace with two nice silver in-laid orcish tusks in addition to the previous ones collected.
"Apologies for not greeting you earlier when we saved you from certain death during the trials. I am sure you did your best against the Knight Balin but you proved to be rather deficient for that particular task. Of course we welcome you as a replacement for old Graz. Feel free to figure out how you can best fit in this party. I warn you- do not attempt to betray us, we survived the prison escape together and have grown rather fond of each other. Even Razul here assisted us during the trials. If you need any brushes or combs for your hair, feel free to come over and I will help you.My my you have nice teeth."
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"Now now, play nice Annak at lest for now..."
Bracnos gets up with a drink un his hand and walks to the window looking out
"What do you think of our new life a damn sight better than were we we're heading before i must say and Annak i have been meaning to ask you about the teeth you collect. what pray tell are the requirements you have to add ones teeth to your collection. Is it only hated enemies and fallen comrades or...i ask to know if i were to fall would you be adding me to your beautiful neck."
Bracnos turns around and tells Syldran
"Trust you why why would i not trust you...i trust your Syldran only to act in the way i have seen so far, now don't you worry i won't be falling anytime soon. As i do hope the same for you all of you my we all live long and if we have to die my it be only after killing all our foes."
"My, my. Everyone's so defensive."
Delilah sighs and looks Annak over.
"Look, darling, I've signed the same contract you have. On top of that, none of you have given me any reason to betray you. In fact, you look...extra flexible. Maybe later we can test that out."
She grins at Annak and sips her wine.
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A tall aasimar walks around the corner, wearing long black and red robes, Asmodious's symbol on the left breast. He seems much paler than he did a few weeks ago, and his eyes glow faintly. he smirks, as allows one of his fangs to rest on the outside of his mouth, as he does so "ladies, gents, none of us have any intention of suffering the less than tender mercies of the great contract maker turned to ire against us, so let us dispense with the bickering and metaphorical cock waving contest, it is unbecoming,
"Everything will be fine as long as she pulls her weight and knows her place." Annak says. She then grabs some fruit, a pitcher of wine and retires to her room.
During your training it becomes clear that your party is not the only group spending time with Tiadora and the count. the White Ravens, whom you met earlier, are also receiving special attention from the two.
"the teeth are nothing more than my fetish. they help calm my nerves and focus my energies to cast spells and target hexes. And I like to wear them as jewelry."
After the training is finished, Adrastus pronounces you all ready and holds a great banquet in your honor. He awards you all the title of the Nessian Knot in an infernal ritual involving blood and fire. During the ritual he summons forth a barbed devil and offers to it the slave girl who took care of all your needs during the months of training, who prepared your food, washed your clothes, drew your baths etc. The devil gleeful rips the slave apart and feasts on the blood. Adrastus then draws forth some of the devil’s blood with a silver athame. Adrastus traces the unholy symbol of Asmodeus on the forehead of each of you in the mingled blood of devil and sacrifice.
"Behold!" he proclaims, “The Nessian Knot is forged. Just in time,” Cardinal Thorn remarks. “My ship has arrived.” On the river dock behind the manor under cover of darkness, a square-sailed longship sails into the slip. It sits heavily in the water, laden with a substantial cargo.
"I shall retire and meet with the White Ravens first. After the dinner party has concluded I shall meet with the Nessian Knot."
The White Ravens are in attendence at the dinner party and then get up to leave when Adrastus leaves. There are also other hardened folk at the dinner party, some with marks as criminals, some without.
Then Cardinal Thorn summons his ninth knot. “Welcome, my children,” he says in a deep resonant voice that has an almost inhuman quality to it.
“Training is at an end. You have proven yourself worthy. Now, it is time for you to use that training and take on your first mission.
“Your mission is war, my children. You will bring war to Talingarde. You have two objectives. First, you will see a shipment of munitions delivered to a bugbear chieftain named Sakkarot Fire-Axe. He makes his camp on the northern coast of Lake Tarik beyond the Watch Wall. With this shipment, the Fire-Axe will have resources enough to unite the barbarous humanoid tribes of the north and light the fire of war.
“Sitting on the dock as we speak is the longship Frosthamar captained by Kargeld Odenkirk. Tomorrow when the ship is resupplied it will be your transport. The captain is a ruthless mercenary and not to be trusted. He knows nothing of the specifics of our mission and you should keep it that way. He knows he is smuggling cargo to the north beyond the Watch Wall. That is all he need know.
“Once the cargo is safely delivered, he will take you just south across the lake under cover of darkness and land you near the town of Aldencross. There our contract with Captain Odenkirk will be concluded.
“It is shame how greedy he has proven. I had hoped to let the captain serve me again but it seems he is too much of a liability. Kill him. Kill his crew. Burn his ship and leave no survivors. It is crucial that no one suspects our involvement and that loose ends are taken care of. Be sure to reclaim the coin I gave him. Best not to be wasteful.
“That done, you will begin your second task. We will do more still to aid our ally the Fire-axe. The bugbears are mighty warriors but poor siege engineers. You will infiltrate the tower Balentyne, keystone of the Watch Wall, kill its commander and open the gate for Sakkarot’s horde.
“Once the shaggy monstrosities pierce the Watch Wall, the bugbears will pillage and lay waste to the townships of the north and the local garrisons will have no choice but to meet the Fire-Axe in the open field. Sakkarot is the most brilliant, gifted and murderous bugbear of his generation. I expect these battles will go poorly for the knights and yeoman of fair Talingarde.
“Do all of this and then when your task is done, break this clay seal.” He hands them a delicately carved clay seal adorned with a tangled knot of thorns surrounding the holy symbol of Asmodeus. “I will have more instructions then. Succeed and I will see you rewarded handsomely. Fail or betray me and you will pray for the comfort of Hell before I am done with you.
“The mission you start upon today is a holy mission. The people of Talingarde think they have seen the last of the mighty Asmodeus. Soon enough we will remind them that there is no escaping the grasp of Hell. Let us toast our success.”
He pours one glass of deep red wine for each of the PCs and then finally pours one for himself. He raises the glass and offers a toast.
“To war. Now go prepare yourselves...”
Delilah raises her glass and drinks deeply.
"For the glory of the Master of Contracts!"
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After dinner,
"well before we meet the soon to die captain we should plan, the best way to kill him..."
Bracnos drives his weapon into his sheath and put his shield on his back.
"I think ether Annak or Delilah could get him alone... and once he is asleep drain his life, we could all be close to one or more of the crew ready to attack. Hmm one of us should set fire to the ship if they have black powder it would make for a big explosion. that could be useful to get rid of the bodies and if anyone is close by and a good explanation as to why none on bored survived"
thinking out loud "what should we all make ourselves look like it should be a cohesive look...one that dose not make us look to imposing that would add to the surprise once it's time for their end.."
"yes about the tower Balentyne, it should not be to hard to get them to let us in if we look like people looking for safety after just escaping a band of marauding Bugbears and once inside in the dead of night, kill the few who stand in our way and open the gates...sounds simple enough...what do you think"
"The watch wall is heavily defended, dear. Likely more than 100 men and there's the rest of the town that could easily take up arms against us. No, this is going to require time and subtilty. We'll have to gauge the best course of action when we get there."
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"true that it will be but all we have to do is kill the guard captain, and then open the gates for the hoard of savage bubbears. I sure the towns people will and the guards will have there hands full with that. then all we will have to do is hold to gate controls until the marauders take the city"
bracnos replies to Delilah
Bracnos, darling, Talingarde trains their soldiers better than that. The standard "cut off the head and the snake will die" tactic isn't going to work. We'll need to find a way to weaken their defense before we strike. But before that, we need to get there. Let's take one thing at a time. Planning too far ahead is a sure way to invite disappointment and tragedy."
Delilah looks pointedly at him.
"Besides, this is the last night we have to ourselves before it becomes all work and no play. Who wants to join me upstairs? The more the merrier."
She smiles coyly at the entire group before heading upstairs.