Anna rolls out of the chimney, a bit sooty but silent and ready for action. After a quick exploration determines there are no enemies lurking, Theopolis declares the place clear.
"I doubt there's nothing here," she says, pulling the hood of her cloak back. She begins searching the tavern for cubby holes and hidden compartments, knowing most drinking establishments usually attracted the seedy types. She goes behind the bar and tests the floorboards and the counter for the usual hiding spots.
Theopolis picks up the bag of food and gather the few personal items belonging to the cultist. As he is doing so, Anna does a more thorough inspection of the tavern. After a while, she finds what look like a secret cache. After a bit of persuasion, she gets the thing open. Inside, she finds some heavily rusted locksmith tools, a nicely decorated dagger showing some rust on the blade, papers that are too old and faded to be read and four bottles. The labels of the bottle are sadly missing.
Kimberly was with Theo gathering the supplies, you suppose any of this stuff is still edible? I am a little hungry. she asks looking to check out the food bag.
given the opportunity, she offers a short prayer to pharasma giving her the ability to see if the food is poisonous.
Anna pulls out the small trove of treasures and displays them on the bar. "Aha!" she triumphantly exclaims, but is soon disappointed. "Hmm. Not a whole lot. Tolvan, you see anything special about these items?"
The rusted tools she disregards, but she shows some interest in the dagger. She cautiously opens and sniffs at the contents of one of the bottles.
Tolvan will cast Detect Magic before examining the items.
If the bottles are not magical then he will use his alchemy skill to try to understand their content.
Kimberly inspects the food in the bag. As far as she can tell, the food is fresh and doesn't react to the detection spell she used. Anna opens one of the bottle and take a sniff. She is not entirely sure what it is, but her expert nose does tell her that it is some sort of alcoholic beverage. From the look of it, the other three bottles should have the same thing in it. Tolvan doesn't detect any magical aura from the items. Close inspection of the opened bottle reveals also that it's a liquor with very high level of alcohol.
Potent stuff. Best saved for a victory celebration. Tolvan declares as he re-corks the bottle.
So friends, where to we strike next?It might be best to continue securing these buildings one by one before we attempt the town square. That will surely draw unwanted attention.
the food is safe to eat. Kimberly notes as she takes a bite.
through a muffled voice as she answer's Tolvan with a mouth full of bread. I shay kill da Unded
Theopolis pulls out his crude map, "Well according to this, we have a candle shop, a glassblower's shop, a butcher's shop, an apothecary, and a house we can still clear. The town square, armory and tower are all over on this other side."
Anna sighs sadly when the alcohol is recorked, but nods in assent. When Theopolis pulls out the map, she looks over his shoulder.
"The apothecary isn't far from here. We could check it out, then head back to the butcher's and the other buildings next to it." She shudders a little when she suggests going to the butcher shop, worried that the bloody work has left a negative taint on the place.
All must be cleared. Apothecary first then. Tolvan says, ready to move out. He surveys his group, looking for wounds. Is anyone still hurt?
"I am no killer. If the cultist died during combat is one thing but ending her while she is unconscious is not my way. there is no honor in this path. Kimberly, once you head down this path you will be tainted as a killer and one such as yourself should never be faced with that."
Danica responds to Tolvan's question and nod in the direction of the group.
"I have a couple of scratches here and there but nothing of real concern."
Kimberly has a somber look, I understand that Dancia, but she also creates things that are an abomination to Pharasma. If Pharasma calls for her to be judged then she must be judged. I cannot go against her wishes.
after a pause, I will honor your wishes and wait for a sign from the lady of death to give me a sign. I don't want to kill her either, at least not like this, but I also want to honor Pharasma's wishes
Kimberly nods in agreement to go for the apothocary. I just want to be sure we don't leave any of these undead still standing.
Anna answers Tolvan's question about the health of everyone. "I got a little singed by the spells that lady was throwing around, but nothing I can't handle. If someone wants to patch me up, I won't mind. Anyway, I'll go ahead and scout out that apothecary, while you guys figure out what to do with that cleric lady."
Anna flips up the hood of her cloak which activates its magic, and suddenly the drab gray cloak begins to blend in with its surroundings. She steals out of the tavern and across the rubble-strewn ruins to the apothecary. She stops and listens closely to the sounds of the interior before reporting what she finds to the others through Tolvan's message spell.
Anna manages to get to the Apothecary without being detected. She also didn't see any patrol on her way there. She did, however, passed near the town center and wonder if the rest of the group could make the same trip without being seen. She walks against the wall of the shop and get to a window. She is able to peek inside and sees that the building is deserted.
Slipping in, she sees an elaborately carved oak desk faces the door to this building. Behind the desk, a glass case filled with shelves holds dozens of bottles, vials, jars, and other small containers, all labeled with odd names.
Anna whispers to the group through Tolvan's spell that nothing's here. She reads off a few of the labels to the others, and grabs a few bottles of anything that looks particularly valuable or useful. Then she stealthily returns to the group.
"All right. That was easy enough. Now, over to the butcher's?" she asks once she rejoins the others. "Let's do what we can to avoid the town center, since some of you might have a tough time trying to remain unseen."
Anna shows the interesting items to Tolvan and the others. "What do you think? Any of this useful?"
This substance counteracts a specific toxin. If you drink a vial of antitoxin, you gain a +5 alchemical bonus on Fortitude saving throws against poison for 1 hour.
A jar of this unguent is 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch deep, and contains five applications. Placed upon a poisoned wound or swallowed, the ointment detoxifies any poison (as neutralize poison with a +5 bonus on the check). Applied to a diseased area, it removes disease (as remove disease with a +5 bonus on the check). Rubbed on a wound, the ointment cures 1d8+5 points of damage (as cure light wounds).
This powder appears to be a very fine, very light metallic dust. A single handful of this substance flung into the air coats objects within a 10-foot radius, making them visible even if they are invisible. It likewise negates the effects of blur and displacement. In this, it works just like the faerie fire spell. The dust also reveals figments, mirror images, and projected images for what they are. A creature coated with the dust takes a –30 penalty on its Stealth checks. The dust's effect lasts for 5 minutes.
Anna nods as Tolvan explains the contents of the two jars. "Not bad. Except, keep that dust away from me when I'm being sneaky."
"What about the cultist? Should we leave her in the bushes or carry her along?"
Kimberly has been tending to the cultist. as the others talked.
I say leave her in the bushes. but we need to be sure she will not be any trouble later on.
looking to Dancia, If she tries to hurt us again or make any more undead things, then I will introduce her to Pharasma. agreed?
Anna checks the ropes one more time, giving them a cinch. "Works for me," she replies to Kimberly.
The group stays out of sight as best as they can. Using the ruined building as cover when they can. Avoiding any patrols, they reach the ruined remains of a big housing complex. From across the street, they can see the Butcher shop. After just a few second of observation is enough to notice that there is something big moving in there.
<<It would be good to know what that is in there.>> Tolvan Whispers. <<But I would rather not risk a scout to find out. Let us move together to engage.>>
Kimbery moves with the others, being as quiet and stealthy as she can.
she looks a little like a mini-anna
Kimberly has been tending to the cultist. as the others talked.
I say leave her in the bushes. but we need to be sure she will not be any trouble later on.
looking to Dancia, If she tries to hurt us again or make any more undead things, then I will introduce her to Pharasma. agreed?
Danica looks at Kimberly and offers a slight smirk."If she continues in her ways then I will not stand in your way."
<<I agree with Tolvan....we are stronger together to face whatever is that thing inside.>> Danica move along with Tolvan and the others.
Anna cranks her heavy crossbow and makes sure there are bolts loaded in it and her hand crossbow.
<<If they're big, it might be better to stay out here, open the doors and shoot them. They'll have to squeeze through the door to come to us. Whaddya say?>>
Kimberly tries to get everyone as close to as she can, << everyone try and get closer.>>
Once everyone is relatively close, <<Lady of Graves, Mother of Souls, bless our actions that we may face your foes and deliver them to you for judgement.>>
as he offers her prayer, all can feel Pharasma's blessing upon them.
Danica will crouch low to move up to the door to listen.
Danica moves up to the door, trying to get an idea of what is in the building. On her way there, she knocks some stones with her feet and freeze for a moment as the stones bounce on the paved street. For a moment she is sure that the entire village would descent on her, but after what seem like an eternity nothing happened. She starts moving again, reaching the door. Listening in for a moment, she hears at first only some weird noises that she would identify as something chewing. Then she hears more. Something walking in the room. From the noise, she would say two... no three others are walking in there.
Anna rolls her eyes as she flips up her hood and stealthily moves to the shop, taking position opposite the door. Then she creeps along the storefront, carefully peeking into the shop to get an idea of what's inside.
Danica clenches her muscles and her fists as she stupidly makes a ruckus. When she gets the idea that there are three inhabitants, she raise 3 fingers up indicating the number of occupants.
She also motions for Theo to stand by the door.
Kimberly keeps back, she pulls her small dagger just in case, but that thing has seen so little combat, she may have forgotten how to use it.
She tries to keep ready for something that might jump out a window at the group.
Tolvan stands ready to assist in the coming assault. <<Are we ready to go in? What is the hold up?.. he whispers.
At Tolvan's question, Anna shrugs her shoulders and acts. She moves to one of the broken-out windows and quickly fires off a shot at a vulnerable-looking spot on the biggest shape with her heavy crossbow.
Anna finds a small hole in one of the windows. She carefull aims at the big shape and send a bolt flying. A second later, the group can hear a load roar as the creature react to the shot.
Anna takes a shot with her hand crossbow at the nearest figure, a cultist by the looks of her. Then she sidesteps away from the window while she reloads it.
Kimblerly simply moves cautiously toward Dancia's location, tryong to stay out of line of a window.
Danica pulls open the door to allow the enemy to bottleneck the entrance. <<Time to dance.>>
With the fight under way Tolvan moves up far enough to casts an Extended Haste on everyone.