Roland Aristocrat Campaign

Game Master Goldstool Shroomshine

She takes the smoked vial and removes one of the flasks from her bandolier, pouring about half a pint of the thick sky blue liquid into the smoked vial and carefully swirling the liquid around until it becomes noticeably darker in hue, albeit seeming to be filled with small motes of silver. She then extends her hands, offering both the vial and the flask back to Seth.

"Give this one to her," she says, inclining her head to indicate the burn victim on the bar she's just finished treating. "Pour the rest into the smoked vial and stir it until it becomes darker, like I just did, and then give it to anyone else that's still unconscious. There should be one over by the tables, at least." She nods her head to the left, indicating the tables where Sinclair and his assistant are standing. "Then bring the vial and empty flask back to me. I need to go check on my first patient." She glances over her shoulder at the spymaster and the archbishop on the stage, noticing Mirabelle's presence there for the first time.

Marcus sends his familiar one more time to try to find someone to heal

Once Halcyon has done all she can to help those injured, she heads back into the warehouse to check on the others she knows, including Vincent and the couple she just befriended. Then she will head onto the stage to see about Luc and talk to Mirabelle. She will also want to seek out Augustine for a pointed Q&A session about where that envelope and the wardrobe with the mirror came from. She'll also try to secure the envelope for study.

Could I belay that last post and try something else? I was going over my character and remembered something that might prove useful.

If so:

Halcyon stands near the spot above which Pascal had been standing on the building just south of the warehouse with the charity auction. She looks down at a ring on her little finger with a pretty gemstone glinting in the light of the diminishing flames that sprang up in Pascal's steps.

She makes a fist with her hand with the ring and holds it up in front of her forehead and closes her eyes. She concentrates on a mirror large enough for a person to move through, at least as big as the mirror through which Luc had tumbled. She says, "Reveal" and opens her eyes and looks around.

The doctor’s treatment doesn’t seem to have any noticeable effect on the unconscious, dying patient, but Guillaumine knows that they will live through this ordeal thanks to her treatment. Between the treatments of Guillaumine, Marcus, and Seth, all of those unconscious are in the very least halted from reaching a worse condition. With either time or magic, all those in the warehouse would be alive and healthy.

As Seth walks inside with the smoky-vial, two of the the blinded regain their vision: Gerard and the red-plumed mercenary. Seth administers the vial and returns it to Guillaumine as she heads toward the stage.

Gaston still seems afflicted, though in these last almost twenty seconds seems to have grown calm, hand grazing against his pony, eyes distant and blank.

As the purple flames disappear, Halcyon is quick to provide aid to those still alive. She approaches the Halfling officer, assuring him that he will be fine, and the blindness should be temporary.

Marcus, mark another CLW for todays casting. That rose W13 to consciousness.

As Guillaumine approaches the spymaster, she finds that both Mirabelle and the Bishop appear more grave than concerned as they hover over Luc Gardinier. Jean-Christophe rises to his feet, a great task for the older man. The sylph remains still, listening to spymaster’s babbling like a child to a bedtime story.

“-burned to ashes, spread in the wind until they land in distant soils, returned to the Green. All of us will return, mark my words, child of the wind, you among them.” The elf’s head twists, looking up the doctor. While the spymaster is not well by any means, he seems slightly more coherent and with a bit of color in his face.

When Luc bends his mouth into a smile, it even gives hope that he might get better. His words betray his improving health. “No burial, no cremation. Leave my body to decompose in the northern forests. That is how I wish to return.”

When Marcus sends his familiar out once more to deliver his magic, Beatrice catches on to what he was doing. “We, we’re alive. We can, um, help the others now.” Teary eyed, she begins to hum lightly, then louder, crying out a hopeful tune as she hops over the counter.

Inspire Competence, +2 to Heal Checks.

After the sorceress leaves, the situation calms. Everyone attempts to recover, most looking over themselves, though some assist in tending to the wounded.

There doesn't seem to be too many gifted with the ability to heal wounds magically. Romane displays an ability to heal herself with a mere touch, though doesn’t use her powers to assist with any of the wounded. She runs out of the warehouse, though seeing the trail of flames, begins to give up her quest for revenge. Romane’s expression calms.

Estelle Bellerose approaches one of the wounded soldiers, attempting to address the burns under her armor. The mercenary seems a bit confused by the lady’s action, though allows Estelle to attempt to help.

Sinclair Leblanc’s assistant only tends to his wounds, the older man trying to assure her that he was find and her healing was best given elsewhere. While she poured potions down the throats of the wounded, she would glance back at Sinclair, almost looking for confirmation that she was assisting them correctly.

Verrill attempts to help the wounded, scooping up his potions in his hand and bringing them to the nearest burn victim. He sorts through them, finding one to alleviate pain, before carting his potions to the next person.

With the combined help of the more kind guests, it doesn’t take even a minute to have all the living guests conscious in the very least. Were their clothing not burned away or blackened, some of the more treated to guests appear as if they weren't even effected by the woman's magics.

Gill looks to Jean-Christophe first. "Well, he seems better than he was. Thank you, Monseigneur." Looking at the spymaster, she ponders aloud, "Still rambling nonsense, though. I wonder if the poison has run its course, or if he's still in danger." She turns to Mirabelle, and adds, "And something about this whole situation seems wrong. His arrival here was not by accident. The timing is just too perfect. Don't you agree, Mademoiselle Zephirine?"

Without waiting for an answer, and despite practically already being eye-to-eye with the sitting elf, Gill lowers herself onto one knee, considering the spymaster. "It's a little early to be talking of such preparations, Monsieur Gardinier."

"Can you tell me about your captors, about what they did to you?" she asks. As she does so, she removes a vial from her multipouch that contains a fine chocolate brown powder. "This will help with the pain," she offers, handing the vial and a metal flask from her hip to the spymaster.

Halcyon hastens to the warehouse entry and begins calling out the names of Vincent, Seth, Marcus, and others she knows until several find their way over to her. With urgency in her voice, she tells the group, "I have divined the location of a large mirror. If we hurry, we may be able to locate the entry mirror that connected to the mirror on stage. That means we might be able to catch the ones responsible for the poisoning of our spymaster and perhaps clues to who is behind this. I will lead if I have some defenders who are prepared to fight what may be discovered."

She points to the northeast. "It is that way. That is also the way that murderous woman went, alas. We must be careful. Perhaps she is heading that way to make her escape."

Seth hears Halcyon call his name so he heads over. He listens to her idea before chiming in. "Will we get split up like last time? We lost Marcus and Nishara last time."

"I think that depends on what you do once you go in, assuming the mirror is open for movement."

Guillaumine’s words to the sylph fall on deaf ears until her name is spoken. Mirabelle hardly smiles as she responds with a joke, her attention still somewhat on the spymaster. “Zee men don't normally fall through zee mirrors here? Figured eet was to make eet easier to sneak zee boys in zee house”

Luc speaks to himself as the doctor speaks to the bishop and Mirabelle. When Guillaumine asks her question to him, it is lost in almost poetic rhetorical musings. “Does your wind still whistle through your knots and twisted branches? Is your soil still compact from my steps on the trails I walked for hundreds of years with you? In death will I still feel the touch of-”

Both his thoughts and speech is interrupted by Guillaume's medicine. The spymaster pauses, seeming to know well enough to take what he is being given. His voice turns somber, weaker than before. “He asked, asked questions, countless questions. But my answers were never right. Questions. Thousands. Meaningless. Answerless. Scattered questions.” Luc’s hand retracts to his stomach.

Vincent Durant appears as if he was already preparing to follow the woman. When Halcyon calls upon him, four labelled vials are already at his feet, drained of their contents. While it appears like he is to gag at first, he stomachs all the liquids.

The bodyguard listens to Seth and Halcyon, taking interest in their conversation. When Seth mentions “last time,” he shoots a cross look at Halcyon. “An attack on Council is an attack on Durendal.” Vincent draws two of his knives. One dagger is a wavy kris, the other slightly curved, mirroring his smirk. “No attack on my home goes without payback.”

Beatrice looks to Marcus as Halcyon calls the bartender over. “Um, sh-should you maybe, um,” she wavers, brow furrowed. Her hands move to the back of her neck, and she unclips her necklace.

“If she hurts you, I’ll kill her. ” Beatrice hands Marcus the balled coil of silver chain with a small, faceted silver medallion. “To keep you safe. If you don’t return alive and with it intact, I won’t forgive you.” Beatrice grins nervously, forcibly even.

Raphael tells his friends that he would like to ensure the safety of the spymaster. Symbol of Abadar in hand, he walks towards the stage to assist the doctor.

Evelynn states that she and the mercenaries can hold down to warehouse in preparation of a second assault. Despite Vincent urging her to come along, she remains, saying she is better when she isn’t mobile anyway.

"I cannot agree with you more Vincent, the only problem is we will likely be split up by these mirrors." Seth adjusts his armor a bit. "I will gladly come along, the only problem is I doubt I can keep up with you two in my armor.". Seth looks over his shoulder seeing Gaston. "And perhaps we should bring the Guard Commandant with us."

Halcyon waits just long enough for a posse to form, all the while concentrating on the direction of the mirror to keep it in her focus. She then places one hand on Vincent's back and holds onto Mako's guide harness. To Mako she makes some snarling and yipping noises, which Mako can understand through the effects of the speak with animals potion. Then she says to everyone else, "I'll direct Vincent. Just be careful. That woman or whatever she was--she is very powerful. This way," she adds as she pushes on Vincent's back toward the south entrance and then around the the North East.

As Halcyon directs Vincent, she interjects her directions with information on what they are potentially dealing with. "Marcus has been through these mirrors before. They are portals that open up somewhere within about 500 feet through another large mirror. We can only go through if someone has just cast the spell that allows the travel."

Beatrice looks to Marcus as Halcyon calls the bartender over. “Um, sh-should you maybe, um,” she wavers, brow furrowed. Her hands move to the back of her neck, and she unclips her necklace.

“If she hurts you, I’ll kill her. ” Beatrice hands Marcus the balled coil of silver chain with a small, faceted silver medallion. “To keep you safe. If you don’t return alive and with it intact, I won’t forgive you.” Beatrice grins nervously, forcibly even.

"she won't hurt me, I can assure you that much. And don't worry I'll be fine, and so will your jewelry," he turns to leave before quickly turning back and deeply kissing her. When he comes up from the kiss he winks and whispers to her "for luck" and then goes over to halicon to ask her how could he help.

As Halcyon takes off with Vincent, Seth starts following them. "Vincent when we get there, do you want point or should I?"

Beatrice stands stunned as the kitsune departs. What was just a forced smile appears now genuine.

After a brief moment of respite, those ready to pursue Pascal and those responsible for Luc’s arrival were on their way, following the scorched trail left behind by the sorceress. Halcyon and Vincent lead, the oracle pulled by her ring’s magic, the bodyguard insisting on taking point beside her. Seth and Marcus formed the middle of the pack, both with weapons drawn, prepared for the worst.

Gaston struggled to keep the pace on his feet. When he jumped on his pony, he then had difficulty not racing ahead of the party. He whispered to himself during this time. “In pursuit of magically inclined woman. Twenty, twenty-five. Red-yellow hair. Capable of flight. Heading North-North-east. Suggest an intercept from HQ, medical team and two troops to One-Four-Five Harbor Way.”

Pascal’s path bends through the alleys, her burnt-black trails bend and curve amidst the thin roads. Perhaps she aimed to stall the duration of her spell or properly block would be pursuers. As her charred path fades, the horrified workers she left within her wake formed a scattered trail that lead to what appears as a normal warehouse.

The warehouse stands like the hundreds exactly like it piled into this corner of the city. It appears to only have one entrance, the sides of the buildings forming the walls of other identical warehouses. A large, metal sliding door is slightly ajar, shining a thin sliver of light within.

Vincent places a hand on the door's handle, ready to yank it back.

New map shall be made likely Sunday late-afternoon, evening.

It doesn’t take long for Guillaumine to realize that despite the healing of Halcyon and Jean-Christophe, the spymaster was still afflicted with some type of pain. As Luc Gardinier recounts the questions he was asked his hand returns to his stomach.

With help from Raphael in removing the elf’s shirt to inspect for wounds, Guillaumine at first thinks it is a mere rash on Luc’s stomach, an irritation perhaps from scratching. There does seem to be a somewhat large bump in his gut however, likely unnoticeable if the elf wasn’t so visibly starved.

The skin seems to have the normal give to it when pressed against, it doesn’t appear to be a swollen spot or the result of inflammation. Rather, and curiously something the doctor has never seen, there appears to be a foreign entity under the skin of the spymaster.

Raphael puts a few disheveled strands of hair behind his ears as he looks down at the spymaster. His hand falls to his chin in thought as he looks at the doctor. “What is that, docteur?”

"I...don't know." She meets Luc's gaze, asking, "Monsieur Gardinier, do you know about this object in your stomach?"

Having seen lots of horror pictures, the discovery of something in someone's stomach is never a good sign.

Once at the warehouse door, Halcyon steps away from the entrance and says, "I'll provide what help I can," and begins to cast Summon Monster II.

The spymaster stops reciting questions he was asked by his torturers, senseless questions about mundane facts, historical figures, plants. His eyes are wide, voice melancholic. “Nature will reclaim their servant. It's roots have already taken ahold of me, grasping, calling for their son. In time I return. In time, in time. That's what he told me.”

Raphael is perplexed, leaning in to examine the elf’s abdomen for himself. With a quick utterance to cast a spell, the lawyer examines the spymaster deeper. After a dozen or two seconds, his brow rises. “It’s… faint, nearly not present, however...” He turns to the Gill, almost doubting what he is seeing. ”There’s magic in there.”

Second Warehouse - Mirror Location Map

Vincent tugs on the bulky door, dragging it slowly as to reduce the noise. He cracks it open enough the one could easily make their way in, and does so with minimal sound. What little light pierces through reveals hundreds of crates, containers, and labelled shipments stacked atop scaffolding, reaching around fifteen feet up, stopping a few feet before the ceiling.

Inside, there is a faint smell of smoke, perhaps of wood burning.

Daggers drawn, the bodyguard begins to sneak into the warehouse, cloaked in the shade as he peeks through the gaps in the storage containers. “Don’t see anyone,” he whispers.

Gaston dismounts his pony, checking his pistol for ammo and holstering it at his belt. He draws a thin sword from his saddlebags, and nods to the group that he is ready.

Act as if you are in combat, though initiative is not yet a concern. Seth + Marcus as you don’t have Darkvision, you will suffer the following penalties in areas of darkness (black on the map).

"I don't like this at all..." Gill mutters to no one in particular. She looks to Raphael and adds, "His appearance here was no accident. This wasn't an escape. Everything was too perfectly timed. And they made no real attempt to get him back. He was just a distraction, perhaps? But he knows things. There's no way whoever did this could afford to just give him back to us. Something is terribly wrong, and I think this foreign object within him is at the center of it." She turns and once again meets Luc's gaze through the lenses of her mask.

"Just because we all eventually return to Nature doesn't mean you have to today. And wouldn't you prefer to return in some natural way? Whatever is inside of you is magical - it does not belong, the pinnacle of unnatural. You say your demise has already taken root inside of you. Please, if you know anything about what is going on, what we are dealing with, please tell me."

“Druids like the spymaster shouldn’t be unable to cast such spells. His appearance lead the guests to panic, the panic lead them to Pascal, that sorceress. Indeed, this was planned, hopefully Seth and the others will catch the man behind this.” The lawyer paused, looking over his backpack for any tools that may help. “Or the murderess, should they find a way to contain her.”

"Damn it I can't see a blasted thing he says before casting a cantrip, creating tiny multicolored balls of light

Luc appears confused by Guillaumine, as though he understands her, but doesn’t grasp why she doesn’t understand. He acknowledges his stomach now with a point of his finger. “Taken. Root.” He shakes his head. “Know that I know nature. It's taken root, we wait for my time, waiting until nature decides I return.”

Gill remains perfectly still, addressing Mirabelle without turning to face her, "Mademoiselle Zephirine, what was Monsieur Gardinier saying when I returned? Something about...burning to ashes, scattering on the winds?"

Marcus, going to assume that is Dancing lights and the option to make up to four glowing spheres. Please places these balls of light somewhere on the map (icons already made for them), and I will adjust the lighting as needed. Keep in mind they must all be within a 10ft radius and can be moved as you desire.

After seeing your surroundings, you can take the move action you've yet to use if you'd like.

Once Halcyon's two celestial eagles arrive, she tells them (speak with animals still active, I think) to fly into the warehouse, search for anyone alive and fly toward them and circle them and cry out so allies can find them, attacking only if they attack either the eagles or the allies about to enter the warehouse. If they can't find anyone, they should locate any large mirror they see.

Seth puts his index finger over his mouth and turns to Marcus. He then takes a few steps forward into the warehouse, going to the side opposite Vincent.

Marcus’ glowing orbs float forward, providing light for the warehouse’s entrance. Though the cracks in crates and boxes, they providing a dim light past the scaffolding.

Halcyon’s eagles take towards the ceiling, soaring past the stored objects. Shortly after they fade into the darkness, each eagle lets out a loud screech.

A voice calls out from within the warehouse, piercing some of the whispering that may have been heard: “Gods-damned gulls. Toss a stone if ya see ‘em, Tuner, plague on wings they is.” They seem to not yet see Marcus’ light, oblivious at the moment that anything more than birds have entered.

Vincent nods at Seth. He walks into the darkness crouched low to the ground.

Gaston peeks the corner. He waits before moving, using his small size to slip through the crates below the scaffolding. He makes a bit of noise as he squeezes through, pushing the heavy boxes against the floor to make way.

Mirabelle looks towards the southern exit. “He, um, saw one of zee bodies, said zat eez how we’ll meet our end.” She pauses briefly. “But, um, he eez mad, no? He talks so much, yet says so little. Eet eez unwise to place confidence een such a man’s words.”

“And unwise to not consider them at all.” Jean-Christophe says, inviting a glance from Mirabelle. “ ’Run, run away, for all of you will return like those outside,’ that is what he said before.”

Gill steps over Luc's prone form, but sort of trips on him. Falling onto him, she grabs at his collar (and misses) and weakly demands, "How long do we have?"

The spymaster shakes his head. "Northern forests. Leave what remains of me there."

Releasing him, Gill stands and begins to pace, muttering to herself.

Mirabelle's face grows bleak as she listens to the doctor. She rises to her feet, backing away from Luc. "A-Absolutely not. I'll not risk my life for a man like zis."

Jean-Christophe burrows his hands into his furrowed brow. From his face, it looks as though he almost agrees. "What do you need me to do, docteur?"

Raphael examines the spymaster too intently, allowing the doctor to her own devices.

Without warning, Gill jumps upon Luc from behind, worming her thick arm around his throat and grasping it with her other hand to give further leverage. "I'm sorry," she mutters, "but you're not going to want to be awake for this next bit." Once Luc has stopped struggling, she releases him.

Rising to her feet once more, she turns to address everyone still here, her voice booming. "Excuse me, please. May I have your attention. I have reason to believe that there is a bomb inside of Monsieur Gardinier. I do not know how much longer we have before it goes off, but I am going to try and remove it. I urge anyone who can help to do so, while everyone else should probably leave." She pauses to address specific individuals, turning first out towards the crowd, spotting Verrill. "Monsieur Blightguard, it seems I will require a second opinion once more. I ask that you stay." She then turns to Jean-Christophe."Monseigneur Charpentier, I will likely need your assistance with this procedure as well. I ask that you stay." She then turns toward the bar, directing her gaze to Augustine. "Monsieur Langlais, I may also have a use for you. I ask that you stay." She returns to addressing the crowd as a whole. "Anyone else that thinks they can help with removing the bomb or turning it off, I invite to stay. Everyone else should probably seek shelter somewhere else."

Once others have gone in, Halcyon follows, keeping Vincent in view but staying far enough behind that she won't compromise his stealth. She can see 60' in the dark. She keeps a hold on Mako's harness to guide her through (person guiding a blind dog: there's a switch). She tells it to alert her if she detects anything with her nose that might be dangerous.

Stealth: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Seth continues to make his way up the and around the aisles of crates, trying to stay as quiet as he can. He stands with his sword at the ready, for anyone who would try to attack him.

The brief respite that the guests of the warehouse had enjoyed ends with Guillaumine’s address of the situation at hand. The injured are escorted out by the healthy, the mercenaries and Evelynn taking point. Rather than rushing out as they did earlier, everyone who leaves the warehouse is cautious, almost as if they expect another assailant. Those who leave exit to the west, avoiding the charred bodies still by the southern entrance.

Mirabelle leaves, though seems hesitant to. The sylph knows a good story when she sees one, though in this situation values her life more. “Good luck and good day, docteur.”

Raphael and Jean-Christophe stay by the doctor as she chokes out the councilman. The two of them share a grimace, perhaps having better ideas in mind for incapacitating Luc. Raphael takes off his jacket, rolling his sleeves to his elbows. He seems to have an idea for the operation to come.

Unlike most guests, the host does not leave his party. He doesn’t, however, draw too close to the scene, lingering by the chairs left out for the auction. “Gill, darling, the party is over, you needn’t try to impress any longer. The Guard will be here shortly.” Augustine forces a grin. “We don’t need more bodies like those outside, come along now.” Reyes stands at his side, standing straight and silent.

There are three other guests that stay that the doctor did not call upon. An elven man with shoulder length silver hair jots into a notepad as he gets on stage, leaning on the podium once used for the auction. He glances up on occasion, stopping his scrawling, to watch the scene or listen to something being said.

Silas Mortimer and Rosalie Fay also seem to stick around, hopping over the bar counter to fill plates full of whatever food they can scrounge up. The two of them whisper to each other smiling wide as they stack their plates higher and higher.

Halcyon’s eagles continue to cry out from the back of the warehouse. Louder now, the voice from before continues. “Oi, Tuner, spook 'em off with somethin' won't'cha? Boss’ll flip if his glass's covered in bird s+~+.”

The eagles distraction seems to drown the sounds of those entering the warehouse. Vincent slips deeper into the darkness until it seems like he is gone entirely.

Mako growled lightly as he followed Halcyon into the dim light.

Verrill crawls onto the stage, staring at the unconscious spymaster with wonder. He speaks rapidly, with more appreciation or awe than fear. "A bomb? Inside? Verrill has mused the principles of such things, delayed or triggered explosives, but to place them within another, and to use the spymaster as the test subject?" The alchemist shows his teeth as he smiles. "Verrill is most intigued, will Verrill get to see it?"

Gill sets her pack down, fishing out a black leather satchel. She carefully unfolds it, revealing an incredibly thin sheet of some kind of some textile, through which a host of sharp instruments are visible, ranging from scalpels and small scissors to a small handsaw. "Only if we're very lucky," she comments. "I'll need a table, or a bed perhaps. Nothing too high, I hope." She looks about, then walks over to the wardrobe with the smashed mirror. Taking hold of it, she carefully pivots it, then tips it over onto its front. "This is probably the best we can hope for on such short notice." She turns to the priest and the lawyer, and adds, "Help me get the body moved over." She selects a flask filled with a thin crimson liquid, setting it aside, then removes her bandolier and carefully sets it aside. She then unclasps her multi-pouch from her hip, handing it to Verrill. "In the first pouch, you'll find belladonna, flayleaf, and wolfsbane, all for pain relief, and the sixth has leechwort to help stop bleeding. You can probably ignore the rest."