Stella looks to see if the book she had been reading through earlier was in the stack. If so she would grab that one.
"Why don't we all share the weight? A book or two won't hurt me to carry around."
Turning to Corrine she smiled brightly. "Its okay. If I don't want to answer a question I won't and tell you my limits. That was a straight forward question and didn't bother me."
Thinking real quick.
"Hey, I am going to grab something as a weapon real quick. I know those are mostly decretive but I am sure I can get a couple of swings out of one."
She would dash back downstairs heading into the weapon and armor room doing a quick glance around for something heavy she could use similar to a club or mace.
It took her a bit to realize her halo wasn't on as she stubbed her toe against some armor. Cursing, because no one could hear it, she would turn on her halo and look around again.
Asbques keeps eyeing the doll with mild interest and taps her foot, waiting for the other kids to get organized, as she does she sorts through the books and loads herself up with any of them that seem actually important, disregarding the rest.
Day 1, Saturday Early Evening, About to leave the building
Stella finds a short sword; it is heavy, but not made of strong steel. It functions as a normal Short Sword, until a natural 1 or a Natural 20 is rolled on an attack, and then it gains the “broken” condition. The Clubs Aureth made require two hands to use. Will you all carry a couple of books, or will you try to navigate the sled through the door once it is unloaded? Oscar will take one of the Clubs Aureth offers
The door is finally opened, and what you see beyond is disquieting. The street is dark, but it is not the darkness of night. It is a shadowy, pale darkness. It is the kind of darkness that can only be brought about by powerful magic. From your own sense of the passage of time, the sun should still be up, and yet outside of the building it is as if a perpetual twilight is being challenged by the light of the sun that is still in the sky causing everything you can see to appear in tones of sepia, grey, pale yellow, and charcoal. But it is not just the absence of light that you notice. Things seem distorted, bent, twisted. If you stare at the doors of the building across the street you can almost swear that you see them moving, swelling to one side slightly and then shrinking back again, and then all it takes is a slight movement of your head, a glance in another direction, and things seem to look normal again, though still bathed in the muted colors of a shroud of darkness.
There is no sign of any living thing up and down the street, and there is the smell of fires burning somewhere not too far away.
Once the group moves into the street, Oscar Corrine inches close to Asbques until the doll’s shoulder is touching her hip and the doll says
I don’t know what it is, but I feel safer when I am close to you or your sister
Aureth will move to the middle of the group, clutching the stack of books that he can carry as best he can. He struggles to keep up with the group, but thankfully he's not really carrying anything, otherwise he would really be in trouble.
Stella looks at them all the quiet of the street causing her to whisper. "I will lead. I won't turn on my halo because that will put a target on us. Aureth in the middle, keep watch as we go. Asbques, watch my back please." She said making sure her halo was turned off as she slowly started making her way to the south streets to head west to Shaker's Bridge.
The more she looked at the warping magic the more she shivered. 'Spirits above protect and guide us on our journey. We will need you help.'
As disquieting as this was the long cry in the crypt had helped get rid of some stress so all she had to worry about was keeping everyone save. Books in one arm. A sword in her right hand she would move forward keeping an eye out for danger.
Following her sister she strokes the dolls hair, "I always did like playing with dolls." she whispers with a grin.
The twisting and warping fascinates her and she feels a giddy thrill so much power. I want it!
She can feel the bead in her pocket and feels a rush as she scans the area looking for anything that might threaten her sister.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
When Asbques strokes Oscar’s hair, the doll smiles, leans her head into Asbques’ hand, and makes a contended purring like sound.
The three students and the Doll follow the streets they know well. These streets are south of the campus, and as such every student knows the shops, taverns, and hotels that dot this part of the city. Behind them, to the east, they know is the largest city park, Saint Banoor’s Green.
They stay close to the buildings and move westward. Soon they pass the main buildings of the City government, the courthouse, and the two large temples. Once they reach the temples, they know that it is time to turn toward the north, and toward the river, and the bridges that cross it.
The city has five scenic, well known, and elegantly designed bridges, each with a unique history and attraction to tourist. Shaker’s bridge, so named as it was designed by famous architect Nadine Shaker, is a narrow, but sturdy bridge with decorative metal railings along the sides.
When Stella spots the Tulip and Keg Bar, one of the best taverns in the city, she knows she cannot go any further west, or risk having to double back along the river, which does not seem like a good idea as travelling the boulevards that parallel the river on the north and south sides, will make them very easy to spot. She halts the group, and listens for sounds, but the city is eerily quiet.
Cautiously rounding the Bar, on her right, onto Michaels Quay road, she is stopped by the sudden scene before her.
Before her, not twenty feet away is a group of the most hideous creatures she has ever seen in her life, Littering the ground around these short ugly men are the bodies of several humans or humanoids, hacked into pieces, and the street is running with blood that in the strange twilight looks dark, brown, and surreal. The small men are green, have huge heads, with mouths full of sharp pointy teeth, their arms are long and gangly, and they carry oversized cleavers, and fat bladed scimitars. Some of the green men carry torches.
The strange green men are quiet, seem to be standing still, and all have their attention focused on the building to the east of them, just to the north and on the party’s right. On the front of this building the students see a sickening sight. It is Mistress Lucinda, she is obviously dead, her arms and legs broken and twisted into grotesque shapes, her head stretched but not separated from her body, and blood covers her clothing. She has been “nailed” to the door of a building. You all know the building as the “Mission of Delights” though that is not what its real name is. It is a building used as a half-way house for unfortunate individuals who have fallen out of the “trades” of entertaining clients, as well as some sort of religious mission and/or temple (those who run the mission keep their secrets close, but will share them with people who are tolerant of “different” lifestyles).
Above the door, above a small fabric like awning there is a small ledge, and above this a colored glass window.
On his hands and knees, on the ledge above the vicious little green men, is a man, or at least it looks like a man, and he is obviously in danger. If the Goblins set the building on fire, this man will either have to jump down into the street, and face the Goblins, or stay on the ledge and most like be burned alive.
Stella looked at the scene in horror. Her body shuddered as a feeling of revulsion and hatred filled her. How dare they do this?! These people were innocent!" Absques knew that shudder. It meant her sister was angry.
Part of her screamed it was to many and she shifted into a defensive stance as she tried to gauge the situation and then put down the books stealthily. Then cast acid splash.
Observing their work she snorts internally, Sloppy, messy, to no purpose.
Seeing her sister seethe she knows whats coming. The small head of a white bat sticks it's head out of her shirt and chirps. Stretching out a hand she sends a chill into one of the little beasts.
"Help! Help! I may not have always lived up to what I should be, but I don't deserve to burn alive!. Oh, yeah, and deal with the one closest to me last," the man on the balcony yells as he twists his body so that he can point his finger at the goblin closest to him.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Asbques – 14
Manny – 13
Aureth - 8
Stella – 2
Surprise Round…
Asbques reacts almost instinctively, and flings her hand toward the Goblins. A bolt of air frozen in the shape of an arrow shoots across the street and strikes one of the Goblin’s in the back.
Stella examines the scene before her, getting caught up in troubling thoughts of the senseless brutality. Her instincts tell her that the monsters she sees before her are beyond redemption, the vilest of things imaginable. She looks around the area, searching for something, or somewhere to hide, but realizes she is standing near a wall, and there is nothing to hide behind. Desperately she summons a congealed orb of caustic goo that floats above her open hand. She throws it toward the Goblin’s but it falls short of a target.
The strange man on the ledge shouts for help as the Goblins begin to realize they are not alone, while one of them is still taunting him, he smiles, speaks an arcane phrase, and hopes that he can capture this one’s attention, at least for a moment.
The Goblin, though angry, stands still for a moment, staring at the strange man on the ledge
Aureth takes a cautious step back, turns and gently sets the books he is carrying down on the ground next to the wall.
Round 1…
The Goblins, confused by the sudden appearance of the students howl with rage and charge toward them swinging small swords
Asbques
Stella
Aureth
Stella and Asbques manage to dodge the blades, but Aureth is hit on the arm, and his blood begins to flow
A Goblin - takes 2 damage
"Ow! Quit it you jerk!"
Stella hefted the sword and swung at the offending goblin that had tried to attack her hearing Aureth yell in pain.
"You foul beasts are nothing. I will punish you for your foul deeds."
The man on the ledge looks down at the newest member of his flock and begins to preach: "The Goddess commands us to love! Turn to your neighbor, say 'I love you, neighbor,' and give them a big bear hug!"
The charmed Goblin turns slowly, lowering his head, his mouth spreading into a lacivious grin. With one hand it reaches into its crude pants, and then it appears as if the hand is moving quickly as the Goblin begins walking slowly toward Asbquez
Stumbling back from the little creature's attack, Aureth will summon up a glob of acid and send it streaking toward the one who attacked him.
Going to wait until the end of today for Asbques to pst then I will roll for her if she doesn't and move on
Unaccustomed to solving her problems with violence Asbques grits her teeth as she dodges the blow.
Focusing on the one before her she focuses inward.
As the power wells up she reaches out and touches him.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Asbques – 14
Manny – 13
Aureth - 8
Stella – 2
Round 1, wrap up
Asbques dodges to the side, and then notices another Goblin acting peculiar, and coming her way. At first it seems that this other Goblin is grinning and touching itself in a inappropriate way, but as the thing comes closer it scrunches up its face and speaks in a foreign tongue
Something about the way the foul little creature cackles as he speaks, fills Asbques with and uneasy feeling. She doesn’t really understand what this second attacker has in mind, and so she shifts her focus back to the danger in front of her. Quickly remembering her lessons, Asbques speaks an incantation and she feels her hands tingle with magic. She lunges toward her attacker intending to just get a finger on him, but the small Goblin is too quick for her, this round.
Aureth stumbles, instinctively reaching to put his hand over the cut, he shakes off his pain, and then tries to summon a missile of acid. He has done this before, in the classroom, and his skill with the spell is perfect, it is only when he realizes that he has never had to try that hard to aim at a target, especially one that is moving, that he realizes he has not practiced enough. When he throws the missile it sails over the Goblin’s head
Stella has never practiced combat like this, but something about the weight and balance of the decorative sword reminds her of a lacrosse stick, and she swings with both hands in a wide low arc. The blade is not sharp, but it is still made of metal, and it is heavy, and the blow strikes the Goblin on the side of the head. She isn’t immediately sure what she has done, but the Goblin is knocked off his feet, and sent tumbling. Its weapon flies out of its hand as the Goblin tumbles over and comes to land on its face. When blood begins to flow onto the street from the Goblin’s head, and the thing is as still as the paved stones it lies on, Stella realizes she has killed for the first time.
Oscar isn’t sure what she should do. She looks away just as Stella strikes a Goblin with a sword, spinning around in place she desperately searches to find Asbques. When Oscar sees a foul minded Goblin lecherously rushing toward the dark haired girl, even as she spars with an attacker of her own, fear and anger swell up inside of her.
Stay away from her you bastards! Oscar screams as she charges the lecherous Goblin and tries to bash it with the leg of the table that Aureth had given her.
Her swing comes down too early, and the Goblin gets passed her
The remaining Goblins press their attack
Round 2, Goblin Attack, there are 6 of them. A Second Goblin rushes at Stella, While Aureth is attacked by another as well. The last Goblin puts its sword’s blade in its huge mouth, sideways, and starts climbing the wall trying to get to Manny!
versus Stella
Stella blocks the Goblin's attack with her sword
versus Aureth
Trying to avoid the Goblins at the same time, Aureth misteps and feels one of the Goblin swords cut his leg
versus Asbques
The lecherous Goblin leaps onto Asbques, but she manages to block his attempt to grap onto her leg by raising her knee at the last minute
As she avoids the Goblin trying to grab onto her, she feels the point of a sword as it bites into her side
Versus a CMD of 14
Asbques - takes 4 damage
Aureth – takes 6 damage
"OW!"
Aureth will attempt to incant acid splash again, knowing that it is his only defense against these creatures.
Stella, seeing her sister get jumped, growled and tried to cast defensively and strike it with an acid splash.
Manny waves his dagger around wildly in an attempt to ward off the goblin that's climbing towards him.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Asbques – 14
Manny – 13
Aureth - 8
Stella – 2
Round 2, wrap up
Aureth staggers back a step and throws out his hands again, this time in his pain and desperation, two globs of acid spring from his outstretched hands and both strike the Goblin in the chest, burning through armor and flesh killing the monster instantly
Struggling to keep the attacker in front of her at bay, Stella defends herself, and at the same time tries to throw a ball of magical acid at Asbques’ attacker, but the effort proves to complicated for the young girl.
Oscar continues to try and help Asbques as she is now being assaulted by two attackers, one determined to climb onto Asbques and mount her in the worst possible way.
The strange man on the ledge tries to shrink back away from the Goblin trying to climb the wall. He holds a dagger out in front of him, this strange man, more out of a defensive posture than any real purpose.
Asbques – takes 4 damage
Aureth – takes 6 damage
If Asbques cannot post today, I'll make an attack roll for her, then post the Goblins attacks for round 3
Reaching out she tries to grab him again.
As the power wells up she reaches out and touches him.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Asbques – 14
Manny – 13
Aureth - 8
Stella – 2
Round 3
The foul little creature shakes of the wave of negative energy and strikes back at Asbques, while the other little monster continues to try and climb her leg
versus Asbques
The small blade of the goblin slices Asbques' leg, but the attack thwarts the other Goblins nasty intentions
The other Goblins press their attacks
versus Stella
versus Aureth
Stella and Aureth seem to be getting the hang of dodging the clumsy goblin attacks!
One of Aureth’s Attackers, sees the small doll like woman trying to bash one of the other goblins, and he breaks off and rushes to attack Oscar
But when Oscar is attacked from behind she is unprepared. The small blade goes deep into her back and she screams in both pain and surprise.
meanwhile the last Goblin reaches the ledge, takes the small sword out of its teeth, and chuckling evilly starts walking toward many.
Asbques – takes 6 damage
Aureth – takes 6 damage
Oscar - takes 4 damage
Aureth will continue to lob acid at his attacker, taking the standard backstep to avoid being suckerpunched.
Stella growls angrily and seeing how hurt her sister is she steps back and calls on her magic again to try to hit the one grappling her sister with acid.
Shying away as the pain becomes too great Assbques steps back, loosing a bolt of ice at the one who just sliced her.
Manny yells in Goblin: "The godess would not be pleased with this behavior. You know what they say...pride goeth before the fall." Then he carefully stabs his dagger towards the goblin in front of him.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Asbques – 14
Manny – 13
Aureth - 8
Stella – 2
Round 3, wrap up
The brave young students are slowly being overwhelmed by the vicious Goblins. Asbques throws off a bolt of magically powered ice, but her aim is off, considerably. Aureth manages to land a blob of acid on his attacker, which only seems to enrage the thing. Stella ignores the goblin attacking her and tries desperately to help her sister, but she cannot control the missile she fires from her hand any better than Asbques can.
While on the ledge above the street the strange man lunges out with a knife toward the Goblin approaching him, only to stop his forward thrust short by at least a foot.
Round 4,
The goblin on the ledge laughs at the strange man’s lack of skill, and swings a large bladed knife in a wide arc as he leaps forward
versus Manny
But now it's Manny's turn to laugh as the goblin misses him and lands dangerously close. Maybe a simple shove is all it would take
While the other goblins begin to shout insults and press their attacks, each of them now facing a single member of the group
Versus Stella
Versus Asbques
Versus Aureth
Versus Oscar
The students, and Oscar, manage to fend off the attackers for a moment...
Asbques – takes 6 damage
Aureth – takes 6 damage
Oscar – takes 2 damage
Manny tries to shove the goblin off the ledge.
Reaching out with both hands, and eyes closed, Manny shoves first forward and then out, and the goblin is suddenly knocked off balance.
spinning his arms madly, the goblin is unable to stay balanced and tumbles off the ledge, strikes a small awning, and then plummets to the ground where he lands on his head.
In the quiet confusion of the standoff between the goblin attackers and the students there is a sudden sound, a soft crunching noise, and when the other goblins turn their heads to see what it was they see one of their comrades lying dead on the street with blood flowing from his fractured skull.
Stella cursed colorfully as she tried to step up and swing the sword down on that goblin going after her sister. Things were looking back and she looked around for something to help them and sees and hears the goblin fall her strike whiffing over the other goblin completely as she seemed distracted by it.
Aureth backpedals again and tries to hit the one that Stella swung her blade on with another glob of acid before shouting "We should focus on one until it's down; That's what my dad would say!"
Backpeddling again she tries to move closer to her sister. A shriek of anger following another bolt of ice at her attacker. The tiny bat launchs from the top of her blouse in fear flutters around her head protectively.
She draws her dagger and holds it in front of her, it's wicked toothed edge daring the goblin to approach.
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Asbques – 14
Manny – 13
Aureth - 8
Stella – 2
Round 4, wrap up
Stella swings the decorative sword down and strikes the pavement with a clang as the Goblin foe dodges at the last moment.
Aureth is feeling weak from the cuts on his legs and desperately tries to hurl another damaging acid attack at the Goblin tormenting him, but his aim is of.
Twisting and turning to avoid the lecherous groping of one goblin while another attacks here with a more deadly intent, Asbques bumps into her sister, and the two now stand back to back. Buoyed by her sister’s determined assault with the sword, Asbques hurls a bolt of magical frost at her attackers and strikes one of the goblins in the face causing it to howl in pain.
Oscar, tries to get behind the struck goblin as it is distracted by the icy attack and swings her club as hard as she can
The blow strikes the goblin in the back of the head. The goblin's howling from the ice in its eyes ceases and it falls forward onto its face, dead.
The two Goblins attacking Stella, and Aureth realize now that they are the only ones fighting, and pause. They look at each other, and fear overtakes them. The break off from their attacks and bolt for the bridge to the north.
Asbques – takes 6 damage
Aureth – takes 6 damage
Oscar – takes 2 damage
Manny pulls out his bow and takes a shot at one of the fleeing goblins.
Clasping her sisters hand she sends another bolt of ice after the fleeing goblins with a cackle of laughter. She turns after and looks at the others, "We prevail!"
"Oh, Starry Night, thank goodness that's overwith. I think I'm going to just sit here a mome..." he manages to get out before turning and promptly vomiting into the gutter.
Grabbing her sisters hand she aims with her opposite hand and their magics guide together, her sisters bolt leading her own.
Kissing her sisters cheek she looks over at Oscar. "Are you alright? You and Auruth need treatment."
She quickly looks over the goblins then the bodies of the dead for something to help.
"Absques help our new companion down. We must hurry. We don't have time to properly bur them but I will send prayers."
Day 1, Saturday Evening, the city south of the river
Manny stands, carefully, on the ledge and takes out a longbow, and slowly draws an arrow. He tracks the lagging goblin for a moment, and then lets the arrow fly. It strikes the fleeing goblin in the back of the neck and the little monster tumbles headlong in the street until it lies sprawled, dead at the end of the block
Asbques and Stella launch a pair of missiles, one of ice and the other of acid at the other goblin, and though both strike the fleeing goblin, the monster only stumbles, while he runs, but recovers his balance, and turns to the west, when he reaches the end of the block where the river runs through this part of the city.
Aureth can see that the dead goblins had been using scimitars, they are small, not the best quality, but definitely more real, and dangerous, than the museum piece she is carrying, other than that there is nothing in the street that looks useful
Asbques – takes 6 damage
Aureth – takes 6 damage
Oscar – takes 2 damage
Oscar runs to Asbques and leans her head against the girls hip, placing one hand softly on Asbques’ arm, Oscar takes a deep breath and sighs,
I’m glad you are safe. I didn’t, couldn’t stand to see what that thing was trying to do to you. It was awful.
When Stella inquires about Oscar’s wounds, Oscar smiles and says, I’d take a thousand and a thousand more wounds just like these if it could put me in the path of any harm meant for the two of you. Thank you, I think I’ll be alright if we can rest a moment.
Just then Oscar notices the body of the Lucinda hanging on the wall.
Oh, dear, dear, Gods and Angels from the bright planes, that poor man, look what they’ve done to him. It’s just horrible, no one should suffer that kind of indignity.
Even though there are others lying dead in the street, some mutilated, lying in pools of blood and things best left unmentioned. It is Lucinda that seems to have been subjected to the worst, and wait!
What did Oscar just say?
You all look to the woman you know as Mistress Lucinda, it is definitely her, her face, cut, and her head crushed, but there is no mistaking that it is her, but she has been stripped of clothing, and her genitals mutilated and it is clear that this person that you knew as a woman, was in some way not what she presented herself as. Mistress Lucinda was in the physical aspect a male.
Stroking Oscars hair she holds the doll for a moment. As she points out Lucinda's secret she raises an eyebrow. My, my, more than we seemed Mistress Lucinda. What a waste. She moves to free Lucinda from the wall and lays her down. Hmmph, at the very least that should keep Oscar happy. Then she turns to Manny. "How are we going to get you down?"
"And are you a student at the academy like the rest of us?" says Aureth, who recovers his books and moves around the dead goblins.