Danica leaves some deep cuts on the demon. From the doorway, Sonny cast a spell and bathe the room in holy energy, burning down the two demons to a crisp.
From the salefloor, the woman's mouth opens as a silent sceam, but nothing comes out. She grabs her head in both hands and seems to be in immense pain. This only last for a second of two before she collapse to the floor unconscious. Further in the shop, you hear two other thud that sound like people falling to the ground. A hesitant voice can be heard. "Miss? euh... Miss?"
Andjela moves to see what's going on...
will bend to see to the woman at his feet. It's like they were possessed and now perhaps released.
Tolvan inspects the woman and he is pretty sure she is unconscious.
Anna smirks as powers of pure Good incinerates the demons. She spits on the charred corpse, then heads out to check the sales floor.
"That's weird. What's going on with them?"
If there are any people left standing, she'll eye them suspiciously.
Danica approaches Sonny and looks at his handling of the situation. "Praise be the Dawnflower."
Danica approaches the fallen people and looks them over.
"Sonny, come on over. Let's see if we can awaken these folks."
Sonny moves over to the unconscious people begins looking them over. He looks up and says "Any way to tell what spell was used and any side effects it might have?"
Anna looks around the shop, but all she finds is two very confused customers.
Sonny and Danica inspects one of the employee. What they can deduce is that she is in a coma. It would seem that she was the recepient of multiple mind affecting spells, and that once the one pulling the string was killed, her brain could handle the trauma of the spells ending and her brain simply shut down. Hard to tell if she will recover and if she does, how would she behave.
"We need to decide what to do with these people. We can't just leave them like this. We can't take them with us in this condition. We would stand out carry their bodies."
While I do not know how to help them Danica, I do not think they are in immediate danger of getting worse. And I will put forward that they are now considerably better off than when they were controlled by those demons. The customers here will go for help. We should not be here when that help arrives.
Anna chews her lip in thought for a moment. "Shouldn't be hard to carry them with us. This is a clothing store. Wrap them up in some cloth and carry them out like you just made a purchase of a bunch of fabric."
She walks over and grabs the arm of one of the frightened customers and drags her into view of the room with the charred demon corpses. "Bad stuff has been happening in this store," she tells them, "and it's worse in the basement. You want to live? You stay quiet. And shop someplace else"
She turns back to her companions and gestures to the unconscious store workers. "We need to know what they know. We should take them with us."
Anna then starts combing through the store's ledgers for more information about the vampires' operation.
The customer nods at Anna's words and, grabbing the other woman's arm, makes their way quickly for the exit.
Anna is then able to inspect the entire place without fear of being seen. After a few minutes, Anna finds a few things. First, she finds a document mentionning another location that the whispering way are using. Using the map of the city that the old vampire gave you, you notice that this one isn't marked. Going through your notes, you do realise that this is the location that the illusion from the basement of the Esoteric Order of the
Palatine Eye gave you.
The second thing you find is a massive tapestry depicting shining Taldan
knights battling the undead legions of the Whispering Tyrant. This thing is of very quality and would pay a pretty penny if sold to a collectioner.
Lastly, you find three set of magical foot wear. After having Tolvan look at them, you see that they are a pair of boots of levitation, a pair of boots of the winterlands, and a pair of slippers of spider climbing.
Nice find Anna. I am still not sure if we should take the employees or not. Where would we take them?
Tolvan will look at the woman at his feet one more time to make sure she is breathing and has a normal heart beat. I really think it best that we leave them all here. We have removed the demonic threat but don't know what else we can do. What if we send a message with some coin to a temple in the city asking their healers to come and tend to these people?
Anna points to the unconscious people, shaking her head. "And if the temple is a front for vampires looking to keep their little operation secret? They're dead."
She scratches her chin in thought for a moment. "Can you teleport them to the old mansion we cleared out? That would be a good place to lay low and figure out our next move. Safer than Stenen's, for sure. At least, safer for Stenen."
Sonny shakes his head sadly, "I don't think there is anything that can be done for them at this point. If there is it will take magic more powerful than I can cast. Leaving them here and getting word to a temple may be the best option."
Anna, I know you don't like it but I can't move them all and if Sonny can't wake them then maybe it will just take time. Can you accept leaving them here if we send help? I suspect that even after they wake up that will remember little of what happened here.
Anna reluctantly nods, realizing that she's risking a lot on the chance that these people would know anything. She still hated taking the risk that the vamps would float in here and suck their blood, but she forces her imagination to stop running wild.
Sighing, she thinks about the document that gave them a secret Whispering Way location. A part of her wonders if she shouldn't keep that secret for just a little while longer, so they could go fight some of the "established" vamps as part of payback for not agreeing to her deal. Or kicking up her heels and letting the Way take out a few more for whatever stupid reason they have.
"All right, fine. But then we're taking that tapestry. And the magical footwear. I know I've already got my own, but come on. What girl doesn't need shoes for every occasion?"
I would not leave the vampires here any resource I could deny them. Of course we will take those things. Is everyone ready to go?
Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go. Andjela starts to guard the others, looking outward.
Since your target is across town and the sun is getting low, you rush through the streets to get there before the sun sets. Using Tolvan abilities, you make your way on the other side of the wall. You make it there with only minutes to spare. The Quarterfaux Archives is currently being used as a museum. The clue you had points to the basement of the place. The bad news is that the museum is about to close, the good news is that it is about to be empty of witnesses.
[b]"I can't believe I'm going to suggest this but let's wait until everyone is out. Then we can unleash Anna to do her thing."[b] Danica gives a slight wink in Anna's direction.
Anna smirks, then flips up the hood on her cloak. She steps into the long, deep shadows created by the last light of the day and moves up to the museum.
She then listens at one of the windows for signs of anyone being within nearby, and if she hears nothing, she'll check for traps, bypass any lock or hazard, and slip inside.
While Anna doesn't find any traps, she does see some good securities, but nothing she can't bypass. Once inside, she walks around the place. The museum is dead quiet at this hour and she doesn't have to worry about anyone seeing her. She does pass a few interesting display that would have made her take a closer inspection, but she remains focus on the task. According to the info she needs to reach the basement where there is a display about the history of the former county of Grodlych. Probably a very boring subject for her, but Tolvan might find it interesting.
Finally, after a few minutes, she locates the entrance to the secret hideout of the Ways. To get it open however, will require a bit more time to do it.
Anna studies the entrance for traps first, then makes an effort to bypass the lock if she spots none. Her first effort doesn't work, but she centers cracks her knuckles, and gives it another go.
Tolvan waits with obvious concern. Even though he and Anna have been clashing lately he has a hard time waiting for her when she is out ahead of the group and alone.
Danica waits as well. As the night approaches she allows her Dark Vision to adjust to the oncoming night. She stays alert and vigilant.
Anna successfully bypass the trap and is able to access the underground base of the way. From where she stand, she can see stairs going down into the darkness.
Anna stares into the darkness and curses mentally at her lack of an ability to see without light.
She slips back to the others.
"Found the way down. It's not lit, so I'll need a torch or something. So I might as well have the rest of you come along."
She guides them in through the same path she took, and stops at the stairs leading down. She brings up her magical shield and gets ready in case they're detected as soon as they start descending the steps.
You walk down the spiraling stairs. Tolvan's dancing lights guiding you. After a while, you arrive into an almost square room with only one other exit. It is an archway opening leading into a narrow corridor that makes a right turn after just a few feet.
Anna brings up her shield as she steps lightly down the corridor. She peeks around the corner deftly while listening for signs that the underground chambers are occupied.
Expecting a fight, Tolvan gathers powered silver and readies to cast Undeath Ward should the group be challenged by undead.
Andjela brings up the rear, watching over the others.
Danica closely follows Anna to provide any support.
Anna moves forward in the corridor. She sees two doors, one straight ahead and one on the northern side of the corridor. She hears nothing from the side door, but the one ahead give the impression of people arguing. The voices are loud, but she would need to get closer to make out what they are saying.
Voices arguing is too much for Anna's curiosity to ignore. She moves down the corridor so she can overhear the words being said.
Tolvan, still ready, holds his ground and allows Anna to be stealthy and gather information.
Anna listen to the voices. There seems to be four of them, two males and two females. From what you understand, they are talking about leaving the place, arguing about what to take and what to leave. There is also a discussion about what to do with the test subject. If you hadn't showed up this night, you would have found the place empty.
Anna checks her heavy crossbow and motions for the others to join her at the door.
Tolvan moves up, his feet inches above the floor. He looks ready to cast his Undeath Ward at the first sight of undead.
Andjela shrugs as if to say, Let's go.
Sonny nods to the group he is ready to go in.
Anna nods and checks the door quickly for traps. Assuming it's safe to open, she does so as her magical sandals activate.
She doesn't waste time, firing off a bolt at the nearest figure without hesitation.
Anna throws the door open and fire her crossbow at the nearest target. It is an intimatating man wearing armor. The bolt from the crossbow find a weak spot and hit the man, leaving him oozing a dark redish blood. He looks at the doorway and spot Anna. "Finaly, something to snack on."
Anna lets her crossbow clatter to the floor and she points at the vampire directly in front of her with a quick spell. An icy blue ray shoots the vamp before he can react.
Anna's ray of frost hits the target. While he resist some of the damage, he is still hurt by it.
The vampire that looks more like he is ready to go to ball than to fight cast a spell targeting Anna. Following that, he sides steps and starts reciting dark poetry.
Illusion spell.
A dark creature from your worst nightmare appears next to you. It becomes your primary target and you must fight it with everything you got or else all is doomed. You can save at the end of your round to disbelief, but if you fail you take 1 str damage. If you succeed, you are fatigue for 1 minute per round pass under the effect of the spell.
Andjela advances to the bottom of the stairs... Make way!