The whirlwind starts to appear but fizzles out at the last moment, as it appears to be reaching for Samuel
The group, suffering from several maladies, makes a hasty retreat, covering their escape with a big sheet of ice. it is enough for them to regroup out in the hallway, and the party members with sight can lead the blind ones out.
How far do you go for now? where do you head?
Letitia backs away several paces from the wall of ice, watching it for signs of being attacked because she cannot listen for them.
She scowls deeply at the need for her and her companions to retreat, but the fey might not be willing to just let them go. That meant they would need to make themselves as ready as possible.
A quick assessment of her companions brings her to the conclusion that helping Samuel would be their best choice.
"Hold a moment, Samuel. It is me. I'm going to try something."
She tries to dispel the magical blindness over the gunman's eyes.
"If that worked, cover our retreat. Shoot her before she gets too close for her beauty to affect you again."
Llewellyn was stringing his bow as he said, "Lets not test our luck, I think we should put some distance between us and her."
Shaking his head he admitted, "I had thought that she was likely to charm myself or Mr Samuel, this blindness business is a rude surprise. I had thought I was prepared to deal with some the less glamorous consequences of adventuring. If you'd been sickened or stunned or staggered or nauseated or fatigued or even exhausted, I could have done something about it. Blindness and deafness not so much..."
Samuel barely makes it out, frowning and clearly frustrated. Happy Letitia cannot hear his words he breaths out "By all gods! This is first time I would just want to be back home, with a warm stew pot between my hands. No sight... now what?"
"Can't we get back to the hut?" this last sentence sounds almost like a plea.
When Letitia tries to dispel the magic, he halts, waiting patiently. And if successful, he thanks her and does as commanded, covering the groups further retreat to somewhere safe.
"You know I'm still deaf, right?" Letitia says after the two men's jaws keep flapping.
Callix mutters, "I'd say I need to buy a slate in case we're ever deafened again, but I couldn't bloody read or write anything in this state."
"On the meantime we shall fall back to the rooms where Anna is. It is less probably the nymph will follow us there" Samuel will point towards where he think that is.
If still blind, he will follow the others there, if he can now see, he will take the first position and look for dangers ahead.
Letitia stops everyone once they've reached the light room, well before they return to Anna's chambers.
"We should hold here and make our stand. If we are pursued, I'd rather battle on our terms rather than continue to flee throughout the complex. Anna's loyalties are still unknown to us, and even if she actually is a friend she professes to be unhelpful in combat."
She pulls out a potion from her belt. "I made this some time ago. I just now remembered it.It will dispel the blindness in whoever drinks it."
She hands it to Samuel if her dispel doesn't work, or Callix if it did. "It won't prevent it from happening again, but you may be able to resist. Ashling, we need you to stay close. I know your eyesight is already poor and no one wants to become blind, but you wear the mantle. Its cold aura will harm the fey so you must stay close. Llewellyn, Callix, we need your magic. I'll bring in some allies that will hopefully keep her at bay while Samuel uses his musket at a distance. His shot hurt her, so she's already wounded. We'll need to press our advantage."
Llewellyn nodded, "I have a haste spell prepared for when we do fight." He mimed moving really fast for the granddaughter's benefit. "Still... As welcome as that potion is, it would be too bad if we faced her only to be blinded once more en masse, we need some way to avoid it if possible. Presumably it requires line of sight."
He considered what he knew of Fey and if her blinding ability had any limitations to it.
Ashlihg nods, If anyone is to remain i am the logical choice. I am still a mage, with some aim assistance i can contribute
Callix says, "I would imagine we can avert our eyes. Would work best if we had mirrors, I think, to avoid looking directly at her."
Perhaps its a distance thing?
you know that this ability is both sight and distance based. it affects creatures that look directly at a nymph from within a close distance. which could explain why Llewellyn and Letitia were not blinded while they stood further back.
The group falls back to the room where they faced the Lurkers in Light. of course now without the lurkers or the light gem it is just a pretty plain cave room.
Letitia tries to dispel the blindness on Samuel, but finds that it is not an active spell affect that can be dispelled, but will need some more specific removal.
She then remembers she does have some more specific removal, and pulls out a potion that she made a very long time ago for just this type of issue.
At this point the nymph has not shown herself again. She is possibly still held at bay by the ice wall.
Is someone keeping watch for pursuit? how will you determine she is coming without looking at her? what precautions do you take?
As the group briefly discussed strategy, Llewellyn kept watch, with an arrow nooked and half drawn on his oversized orcish bow.
To the other he murmured, "I don't think we should stay here..."
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Letitia grits her teeth in frustration as she wastes a spell that could have made her hear again on Samuel's blindness that ends up having no effect. It was an unfortunate gamble, so now she remained deaf, Samuel had to use her potion, which left Callix still blind.
She keeps her eyes trained on the passage leading from the nymph's lair, making sure that she had plenty of time to slam her eyes shut if it approached quickly since her beauty would only be a problem if she got close. Yet, being blinded while also deaf would put her in a state she did not want to experience.
The movement of her companions' mouths in her peripheral vision lent to more frustration. She didn't know what they were saying and could only guess what they might be planning. Further retreat, more likely.
Panic at being deafened and possibly blinded as well threaten to claim her, but her upbringing as Jadwiga had taught her to resist fear at all costs. She channels that fear into a desperate plan. She runs through her available magics and realizes that she may have the key to victory if the fey pursues them.
"I have a plan in the event the fey pursues us. We should not retreat any further, because for my plan to be successful, it would require me to return to her lair," Letitia announces. "My wall of ice is only going to last a few more minutes before its magic expires. If she chooses to follow us, this chamber is large enough to allow Samuel a shot, maybe two, before she gets into range of her blinding power. Assuming you've noticed, Llewellyn and myself both looked at her but did not become blinded because we were too far away."
Letitia pulls out her cauldron. "Should she appear, I will first summon allies to help us out. Our best chance will be to overwhelm her. Callix, perhaps your god will bless you with luck as you swing at her blindly. The rest of you, do whatever you can to bolster yourselves against her powers. If all of you fall prey to her blindness, flee to her lair. That's where I will end the battle once and for all."
If... It comes to that... Point me in her direction. I will hold her off. Between the cloak and my spells i can last. The rest of you escape and live to fight another day she sounds quite serious. Unphased emotionally
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Llewellyn gave Ashling a concerned look, "Surely it won't come to that! No need for us to be reckless and despite what the songs say, discretion is the better part of Valor."
He glanced down at his bow, "I do have some misgivings... My bow is a good weapon but I don't have any cold iron arrows so I wonder how effective it will be."
The words being said remain lost on Letitia. If they were disputing her plan, they would need to do better to convey their objections, she decides.
However, Llewellyn's uncertain look down at his mighty bow was clue enough to his plan should the fey arrive. "Are your arrows cold iron? Then don't bother. Although..." she trails off as she realizes she could make another batch of weapon blanch if they had the time. Certainly not if the fey attacked immediately, but if they're given time to heal, restore their senses, and attack her again allowing the orc to fight from range would be an asset.
"This won't help unless the fey doesn't pursue us, but I'll be able to blanch your arrows with cold iron just as I've done for Samuel's bullets." Letitia pulls out her alchemical reagents and gets to work, with Lazlo watching the entrance to the cave closely.
Samuel drinks the offered potion and rubs his eyes as the light come back "Ah! Never been so happy to saw those pale faces of all yours" the Taldan smiles "You too orc foreigner!"
He does indeed check his musket and loads another cold iron bullet "I will be ready if the rotten nymph comes back too early"
Callix mutters, "Be making some more potions of this spell, I'm thinking," and then offers, "Who needs healing? I may as well use what's left of my magic in a useful way."
Llewellyn nodded when the granddaughter spoke about making a weapon blanche. This seemed like a good idea but how much time would it take? "I still think we shouldn't hang around here. It would be better if we can rest." Llewellyn mimed walking and then sleeping with his hands for her benefit.
"You had me worried there for a minute Mr Samuel." replied Llewellyn.
"I managed to get a small cut somewhere in all the excitement, not sure if anyone has worse." he replied to Callix.
"I am just scratched" Samuel shows the frozen skin to Callix.
"It was just a bit of hallucination for the seeing of such a thing" the Taldan answers Llewellyn "Can this creature sight blind again within the same day?"
Samuel points towards the door and takes aim there, protecting the entrance while Letitia works.
Callix chuckles, "I can't see the wounds, but if they're not too severe..."
"Thank you Callix" said Llewellyn as he worked the kinks out of his sword shoulder.
After a bit he asked, "So are we going to fall back and rest somewhere?"
Samuel breaths relieved as the healing flows through his body "Thanks Callix. I feel just perfect now."
The High Sentinel points Llewellyn towards Letitia "She seems determined to finish it here and now. You can trust on that witch's filler, she used it on some of my bullets and they are like poison to those fey now"
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Letitia keeps working on her alchemy with total focus. Her deafness prevents her from listening in on her companions' conversation and distracting her, she realizes. I might begin to miss this once I'm cured, she thinks with wry amusement.
Letitia starts working on a cold iron blanche for arrows, and sets out a cauldron.
Llewellyn stands by the southern door, listening for the nymph. He advocates for leaving and hiding somewhere to rest but the others seem to prefer to make a stand now instead of risking being tracked down somewhere else.
Callix heals her companions a bit. Her spiritual weapon hovers around her, with no target to pursue
shortly (well before the duration of the ice wall would end, but after about a minute), Llewellyn hears someone coming up the corridor he is watching. there weren't any other rooms down that hall so it must be the nymph!
What do you do?
please place yourselves where you want to be on the map. I have Lewellyn at the door, but everyone else is kind of randomly placed ATM.
You have one round until the nymph will be in sight.
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 47/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status: blind
Letitia: HP: 48/48 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: deaf
Llewellyn HP: 59/59 - AC: 23/21/13 Status:
Samuel HP: 67/67 - AC: 23/18/16 Status:
Ashling HP: 36/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: blindNPCs:
Debased Nymph HP:-23 | AC:23
Letitia had barely begun her alchemy before the alert that the nymph had pursued them. Lazlo's spike in alarm through their empathic link was all she needed, since she couldn't hear the shout of alarm.
She immediately begins casting a spell to summon help, keeping her eyes focused down on her magic cauldron.
Without any magic to improve the odds of the combat, Samuel's single preparation is to make sure the cold iron bullet is ready on his musket "Let her come. She will find us prepared this time."
And adjusts slightly his position for a clear shot.
Hearing something which logically must be the Nymph approaching, Llewellyn cries, "Incoming! Allegro! Allegro!"
Suddenly everyone is jolted by a huge wave of adrenalin as his haste spell takes hold. Knowing that being close to her means blindness, he scoots over to the other side of the cavern, bow drawn!
Samuel feels the sudden surge and quickly feels invisible "Ah! That tastes just great! Let her come, I have pretty cold one with her name in here"
Callix draws her axe and causes it to begin to glow with a silver-gold light, while calling on the Hero for aid before, stepping up to Llewellyn, "Can't see anyway. Let me hold the door."
Letitia uses the magic of the cauldron to summon forth additional creatures from the celestial realms, then slams her eyes shut. She doesn't want to risk losing her sight permanently, so she willingly gives it up trusting her minions to do the fighting.
When the spell completes, five celestial hyenas appear and fill the chamber with baying laughter.
Ash will cast Divine favor on herself as well and move to the door as well
the nymph approaches
she reaches Callix, who is blind but knows danger is coming.
the nymph slashes at Callix with a bloody taloned hand
5 hyenas appear, their yips and yelps sounding somehow melodic.
they use their powers to smite the nymph and immediately attack!
The pack of hyenas attack, but unfortunately do no visible damage to the nymph.
The party may act
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 44/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status: blind, 5 bleed, 2 CHA damage
Letitia: HP: 48/48 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: deaf
Llewellyn HP: 59/59 - AC: 23/21/13 Status:
Samuel HP: 67/67 - AC: 23/18/16 Status:
Ashling HP: 36/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: blindNPCs:
Debased Nymph HP:-36 | AC:23Hyenas: HP: 13 | AC 14
Llewellyn's eyes narrowed as summoned hyenas mobbed the nymph ineffectually, not the most promising start. "Lets show how this is really done, with the taste of cold iron!" he cried. His words somehow buoyed your spirit, perhaps it could be done.
With a thought, the arrow heads The Granddaughter had dipped into the weapon blanche started glowing. He selected one, nooked drew and missed by yards as he released too soon. Cursing inwardly he drew another arrow...
Letitia keeps a hand over her eyes, refusing to look at the nymph. She activates her Flight hex and begins to float into the air.
Callix accepts the wound, and uses it to locate her foe, striking out with her sacred axe, the Drunken Hero's blessings aiding her.
As she finishes her attacks, she calls on her faith to stop the bleeding.
Samuel takes aim patiently, keeping his position away from the blinding sight of the nymph but at touch range of his musket, until he sees the perfect window to shot the cold iron bullet on the barrel "Got you!"
The group is much more prepared for the nymph now that they had a moment to group up. The hyenas draw a little blood
Callix is already blind, but it doesn't seem to limit her much. she lands two good hits with her cold iron, causing the nymph to scream in pain with each hit!
Llewellyn prepares a cold iron arrow but is too excited and fires into the floor.
Samuel takes his time, aiming his cold iron bullet. As she reels from Callix's axes it opens up the perfect shot for Samuel. the bullet strikes true, dropping the nymph and cutting her screams short.
Llewellyn's ears were ringing after the report from Mr Samuel's musket and he could scarcely believe his eyes when the nymph lay dead at their feet.
"Wow!" he murmured, "I wasn't expecting it to go like that... Cracking shot by the way!"
He then cautiously checked her corpse unless there was anything useful left behind.
Letitia feels a surge of joy and relief from Lazlo, who had been her eyes and ears for the fight, telling her it was safe to look. She smiles in relief that their combined efforts had vanquished the debased nymph. She tucks away the scroll of animate objects that she had readied in case it was all left to her.
Her world was still annoyingly silent, but at least it wasn't dark as well. She sighs with relief and watches as the celestial hyenas look to her for any other foes to attack. She points in the direction of the nymph's tunnel, and they bound down that way looking for anything else to fight while their time on this plane remains.
Callix takes a minute, then asks, "Is she down, or is this a trick?" She spins the glowing axe, her head scanning as she listens for anything hostile...
"Unless that was another magical trick of hers, that looked very much as she falling" exclaims Samuel quickly reloading the musket with another cold iron bullet just in case while he approaches the corpse.
After checking the nymph is really dead, he let's Llewellyn identify whatever equipment she hand, and follows south through the tunnel after Lettitia's hienas.
At the other room, he will inspect the area very carefully.
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Letitia steps close to stand over the body of the nymph and to feel the swell of triumph displace her desperation. She saw mouths move, but she was still deafened. By her own choice, Letitia realizes with surprise. She had the potion in her possession and could have easily used it without anyone else knowing. She had been taught to value only herself and the other Jadwiga, so of course she should have been the one to remove her impairment.
Instead, she gave it to Samuel.
She didn't hear his gun fire, but she smelled its distinctive smoke and could conclude he brought down the nymph. And if she'd been selfish like she'd been taught, he wouldn't have been able to do it.
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The hyenas follow Letitia's order and go down the hallway. They bark and bray as normal for hyenas, but the group doesn't hear any sound of them getting into another fight. Of course Letitia doesn't hear anything else either.
The group examines the nymph and verifies that she is indeed dead. the shot that took her down was quite accurate, and the cold iron burned the skin where it hit, which still sizzles slightly.
Searching the body is quite fast, as the nymph was not wearing any clothing at all, and has no gear.
Samuel heads back to the room where they first found the nymph. There is a lot of blood, it looks like most of it was from the giants still strapped to the menhirs. Skulls with glowing eye sockets are hung from chains around the ring, giving a flickering dim light to the room.
there is one skull light that is giving off magical auras. The menhirs themselves give off a strong magical aura as well.
Llewellyn's nose wrinkled as he entered the nymph's blood bath room. He glanced at the dead giants and remarked with heavy sarcasm, "Well isn't this lovely..."
The gruesome scene didn't stop him from examining the magical auras.
Letitia stops mulling over her decision and follows the others into the nymph's chamber. Seeing Llewellyn studying the magical auras has her deciding to do the same. She couldn't hear his conclusions or discoveries, so she had to do her own research.