Callie maneuvers and readies herself to lunge at anyone passing by, while the Shinglesnipes continue to jockey for position near the ball!
Initiative
Jabbyr [grappling], Blue
Lantressa, Matoska [grappled]
Devargo
Callie
Purple
Teo<-----
Red
Korriban
Laori, Green, Yellow
Matoska, struggling to shake Jabbyr loose, lashes out at one of the thugs as he darts past.
Teodor holds for someone to get near.
The Shinglesnipe staggers as Matoska, still struggling with the gnome, lands a walloping blow to his ribs, but keeps going. As Teodor waits, one of the other thugs darts past Callie .
Initiative
Jabbyr [grappling], Blue
Lantressa, Matoska [grappled]
Devargo
Callie
Purple
Teo
Red
Korriban<------
Laori, Green, Yellow
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Callie juts out her crowbar and tries to trip Red with it.
Red topples to the ground!
Korriban sees the ball being carried by the Shinglesnipe. He decides to try and intercept him. He moves around the group to try and avoid getting attacked by multiple foes. He moves past Devargo and gets ready for him.
Korriban darts past a couple of the Shinglesnipes and gets in place to intercept the Shinglesnipe with the ball as Callie knocks the one passing her prone!
Laori leaps into action, lunging toward Devargo and getting a firm grip around his waist, much to his annoyance. The two Shinglesnipes nearest Korriban scatter, and the one with the ball throws it desperately toward one of the ones down the court...but Callie manages to GRAB IT FROM THE AIR!
Jabbyr, meanwhile, has accomplished the remarkable feat of kicking one of Matoska's legs out from under him, knocking the big man down to one leg. The shrieking gnome clambers up onto Matoska's torso, wrapping his arms and legs around the Shoanti!
Initiative
Jabbyr [grappling Mat], Blue
Lantressa, Matoska [pinned by J]<---------------
Devargo [grappled by Laori]
Callie
Purple
Teo
Red
Korriban
Laori [grappling Devargo], Green, Yellow
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Angered by the gnomes stubborn refusal to be put off, Matoska bellows directly into Jabbyr's face, muscles straining as he breaks even the gnome's shockingly strong grip.
Lantressa, seeing the ball on the ground after the flurry of activity, moved closer to it but did not try to pick it up. She knew the odds were against her managing it so she instead prepared to try and deal with whoever picked it up next. She particularly watched the thugs with yellow and green on their clothes and was prepared to try anddaze them with her voice should one or the other pick the ball up.
She looked at the man that picked up the ball and said, "Hey big boy, you should drop that and come group something more enjoyable with those hands." She left the exact meaning of her words vague but threaded her power into the words to try and daze the fool.
Matoska throws Jabbyr off of him with a violent shrug as Lantressa continues to watch the proceeding carefully. Devargo struggles to get free of Laori’s grip, but she just whistles a cheerful tune and hangs onto him tighter. ”Curse you, you bog-rotten elf!”
Initiative
Jabbyr, Blue
Lantressa, Matoska
Devargo [grappled by Laori]
Callie <———
Purple
Teo
Red
Korriban
Laori [grappling Devargo], Green, Yellow
Callie steps toward the ball, picks it up, and throws it as far as she can toward Korriban.
Callie scoops up the spiky ball and, whirling, hurls it across the field toward Korriban! Jabbyr leaps up, trying. To swat it from the air, but it’s just too high—and Korriban makes the catch!! One of the Shinglesnipes hurried over and begins helping to pry Devargo loose from Laori—but will your team be able to score even before then?!
Initiative
Jabbyr, Blue
Lantressa, Matoska
Devargo [grappled by Laori, aided by Purple]
Callie
Purple
Teo <———
Red
Korriban
Laori [grappling Devargo], Green, Yellow
Teodor stays where he is, playing defense just in case. "Yeah, good job, guys! Let's finish this!"
Teodor waits and watches, while the Shinglesnipe that Callie knocked to the ground scrambles to his feet and makes a desperate dash toward Korriban...
Initiative
Jabbyr, Blue
Lantressa, Matoska
Devargo [grappled by Laori, aided by Purple]
Callie
Purple
Teo
Red
Korriban<----
Laori [grappling Devargo], Green, Yellow
Korriban catches the ball and moves, moving away from the Shinglesnipe next to him. He runs to the pit and, looking at Devargo with a huge s**t eating grin, drops the ball into the pit.
-
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Korriban dodges the thug's grasping hands easily, darting across the field, and, pausing only to shoot a grin back at Devargo Barvasi...lobs the ball casually into the pit! The crowd, now won over to the "newcomers," erupts into hooting and hollering as the Shinglesnipes groan. The "Emperor," looking livid, bolts upright as Jabbyr hurls himself to the ground and begins to angrily thrash and beat his heels on the tiles, throwing an incredible tantrum.
Another game!" the Emperor demands, only to find a timid-looking gentleman tugging urgently on his elbow. "What?! What is it?!"
"It's uh...well, Jabbyr didn't make that many of those balls, your worshipfulness. And, uh, the wolverines have them all now..."
For a second the Emperor looks like he's going to throw the man into the Tall Knife himself, but then he takes a long, calming breath. As he exhales, he turns back toward the pitch, where you're all catching your breath. Devargo jerks himself free from Laori, who gives him a saucy wink before sashaying over to you all. "That was fun!" she comments brightly.
"Yes, yes, well done, victors!" the Emperor calls from the balcony. He gives you tepid, polite applause--it rings out fairly clearly across the rooftops, since the crowd that was watching has caught wind of his displeasure and is making themselves scarce. "We applaud you for your well-earned victories. And, as promised, we shall grant you access to our beloved friend and protectorate, renowned artist Salvator Scream! Ascend to the balcony, that we may converse more in private."
Once you've climbed the stairs and joined the Emperor--along with Jabbyr and a stony-faced Devargo Barvasi--the self-proclaimed ruler waves away the rest of the Shinglesnipes and leads you all into a narrow hallway in the building to the west of the "playing field." Turning into the first doorway, he ushers you into what's clearly meant to be a reception room--albeit a horrific one, designed by a madman.
The air in this room smells sickly sweet--a combination of flowers and vinegar. The unpleasant smell likely comes from the fourteen poorly preserved heads mounted on the walls of this grisly trophy hall. Most of the heads are human, although two are elves and one is a dwarf with a beard roughly sheared off to match the cut to the neck. To the north, a small, child-sized bed sits against the wall opposite a wooden table decorated with a magnificent set of silverware.
"Welcome to our humble abode," the Emperor says jovially, waving around grandly as though bringing you into a true palace. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. We shall be just a moment to, ah...invite our honored guest out to meet you." He and his two lieutenants disappear through a door to the north, through which you catch a quick glimpse of an extravagantly decorated bedroom before Devargo shuts the door firmly, with a scowl.
You have a few minutes to recover from your games of Blood Pig, if you need to, and confer before the Emperor produces Salvator.
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"You know, I have the funniest feeling they're not very fond of us," Callie observes.
She places herself so she does not have to look at the heads. She presumes the bed is not in fact "child-sized" but Jabbyr's. The thief in her ponders lifting the tableware while the young noble wonders if he really needs an oyster fork this time of year when oysters are out of season.
She looks around the room, mainly to keep herself occupied, but also curious if there is any hidden storage in the room.
Korriban smirks. "Well, it's not our fault we're so awesome. But, did you see Devargo's face and Jabbyr's tantrum? Priceless." He looks around the room with Callie.
He also places his ear to the door to see if he can hear anything.
He looks at the heads, trying to see if he can recognize any of them.
He becomes rather antsy. "I know that we can talk to Scream and that's mission accomplished. But, I'm still rather concerned about my family that's here. I have to get them home."
"Of course. But given they've sent us to wait in the executioner's room, who apparently collects his favorite products of his job and wants us to be well aware of that, we may not be out of the woods yet."
Callie, glancing over the table, notices that the silverware is in fact quite fine—and there’s a crystal and platinum decanter full of brandy, which has exquisite craftsmanship. Both would fetch a nice price on legitimate or black markets; beyond that, though, you don’t see anything unusual.
As you approach the door, you notice that the doorknob is etched with tiny, arcane runes. You’re fairly certain that nothing will happen unless you actually try to open the door, though, so you press your ear to it. You can faintly hear a shaky voice speaking, but the Emperor’s reply comes through clearly enough.
“C’mon, fool, on yer feet! That’s right...good, good. Lemme just...yeah, there we go. A little more presentable, eh? Now come on—got some people wanna look at you. Behave yerself!”
At that, you hear footsteps approaching the door!
Korriban darts away from the door and acts casual, just as it opens. Jabbyr holds the door for the Emperor, who sweeps regally through and stands to one side. Devargo muscles a shaken, sleep-deprived-looking man into the room, half-guiding and half-shoving him forward. The man collapses on the floor, visibly shaking. He’s wearing filthy, dirt-begrimed clothes, though you can also see splotches of paint on them.
“The man himself! Korvosa’s finest purveyor of brutalism, the master of malevolence, our friend of old, Salvator Scream!” the Emperor declares. He bows theatrically. “We provide him now for your entertainment and edification.”
“OooooooOOOOOoooh it’s really him! Do you guys wanna ask your questions first, or should I??” Laori looks back and forth between you and the artist excitedly.
"By all means, ladies first." Teodor is actively sniffing the brandy.
She shrugs at Laori, indicating she has no issue with her going first.
Callie does address the Emperor. "Begging your pardon, your Imperial Majesty, but would it be possible to have our audience with Mr. Scream without quite so many folks crowding him?" She waves to Jabbyr and Devargo. "We do want him to feel comfortable during this conversation."
Korriban nods at Callie’s assessment. ”Fair enough.” He looks at two of the heads. ”After all, I’ve seen two of these guys before. So there’s no telling what they would do to us.”
When Scream is brought in and Callie asks for privacy, Korriban looks to the Emperor. ”She says the truth, your Grace. If there is so many people here, we may not be able to get the information that we seek.”
“OooooooOOOOOoooh it’s really him! Do you guys wanna ask your questions first, or should I??” Laori looks back and forth between you and the artist excitedly.
Korriban smiles and nods. ”Go right ahead. Just don’t hurt him... or scare him... or give him a spiky hug.”
With the game over Lantressa felt a surge of relief. She was running out of tricks and it wasn't going to go well if they had to keep playing. The fact that the "Emperor" was pissed they'd won made her pleased and she hid a smile. When they were escorted along she followed closely and kept herself near Laori to both watch the crazy woman and to have some protection if trouble started.
When they entered the grizzly room Lantressa looked for the heads of Korriban's family and was relieve she didn't see them. She agreed, they needed to find them and get them out of here immediately or they wouldn't likely survive for long. As the questioning commenced she didn't comment on who would start and let Laori have her fun talking to her idol.
Matoksa opts for silence, confident in his new companions' silver tongues, and instead focuses his attentions of the Emperor and his lackeys, alert for any sign of treachery.
The Emperor tuts condescendingly. “Now, now. Think’st thou we were born just yesterday? We know well the value of a good artist and shall not part with him!” He tosses his head in what he probably imagines is a regal manner. ”Go on, say what you desire to say.”
Laori blinks. ”Huh. I was...actually not expecting that. Would’ve preferred to ask in private, but...ok!” She squats down next to Scream. ”Hey. Hey, man. Salvator, right? I’m Laori! Big fan of your work. I was wondering...could you tell me a little bit about...uh...” she glances around at the crowd, seemingly wary. ”Where you get your ideas from?”
The man on the floor lets out a low moan. Grabbing Laori’s hand, he pulls her closer, and murmurs something in her ear.
Laori straightens up, face neutral. ”Huh. Iiiiinteresting. Thanks! I’m gonna let my friends ask some questions now, mmkay?” She glances at you as she steps away from him.
Sparing barely a glance for Laori's antics, Matoska remains wary of the Emperor and his goons. Trying to make himself useful, he opts to be the distraction.
"It's Jabbyr, right?" the Shoanti remarks to the gnome. "You're remarkably strong, sir, and a considerably better player than this Devargo joker. What's your secret?"
Korriban almost hears what Salvator Scream whispers, but is distracted by Matoska's actions. Catching on (and seeing an opportunity to mess with Devargo), Korriban smiles and says, "Yeah, Jabbyr. You did one hell of a job in the game. A lot stronger than Devargo. But, then again, it is Devargo we're talking about here. Not really that much of a threat."
Callie leans to one side and steps just so if she needs to intervene between the Emperor and his goons and Scream, she can do so. "I don't know, folks. If the little anklebiter was all that, the Emperor wouldn't even need Devargo. And Devargo did up until recently run an empire of his own in Korvosa's underworld. Obviously the gnome may be here for the brawn, but the Spider-King's clearly the brains around here."
Lantressa was confused about Laori's sudden disinterest in asking questions. The woman had been very enthusiastic about this chance before and Tressa simply couldn't resolve this change with what she expected. Lantressa decided it was best to let that thought go for the moment and turned her gaze to the group before them. She decided to throw in behind Devargo at the moment, he was the devil she knew after all, and hoped that if he came out of this alive it would help buy some goodwill from him. "In the end Devargo is going to come out on top, he isn't called the king of spiders for nothing after all. He's probably already got a way to turn all of this to his advantage and come out on top."
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"Who is Devargo again?" Teodor has been at the brandy.
Jabbyr grins manically at Matoska. "Me guh bih strah ahm feh Unca Pit!" He flexes and begins cackling. You're pretty sure he doesn't actually have a tongue, which is a bit alarming.
The comment serves to attract the Emperor's attention, though. "Ah, you'll have to forgive our loyal follower. We discovered Jabbyr some years ago in...dire straits. He'd been horribly tortured, his tongue cut out. At least, that's what we assume. He was locked inside a torture device we'd received in shipment. We thought at first that his life had fled, but no, he lived! And now he serves us faithfully as our executioner. Don't you Jabbyr? Don't you serve us faithfully?" He chortles and ruffles the top of the gnome's executioner's hood affectionately while the gnome laughs like...well, like a loon.
Devargo Barvasi is less amused; in fact, he's clearly seething. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to," he growls quietly to Lantressa, crossing over to her. "You ain't gonna be the 'guests' of the Emperor forever, and when you an' your boy-toy are done with whatever trick you're trying to pull, I'll skin you both alive."
Laori, catching on to what's going on here, begins whistling innocently and moves casually to block the door.
Teodor flails about drunkenly "OK, so not the gnome and not the Emperor and not the artist ...this guy? This is Devargo? I'm sorry, it's just not ringing any bells."
Teo, clearly "drunk," is clearly getting on Devargo's nerves. The King of Spiders rounds on him. "Now, as for you, you old coot--" He seizes up with a startled choking noise as Teodor completes a gesture and a pale gray light settles on him, leaving his body rigid! Jabbyr and the Emperor are completely taken off-guard as the rest of you leap into action.
Teo completes casting his spell, and Lantressa begins to cast a spell of her own, as the rest of you leap forward!
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Teodor<---------
Emperor, Salvator, Devargo, Jabbyr, Laori
Callie, Matoska
Devargo: HP: 55 | AC/T/FF: 18/14/14 | F +4 R +9 W +1 | CMD: 20 | defensive traits: evasion, uncanny dodge | paralyzed until rd. 7
Emperor: HP: 97 | AC/T/FF: 18/13/18 | F +7 R +11 W +8 (+4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, sonic) | CMD: 20
Jabbyr: HP: 100 | AC/T/FF: 18/14/15 | F +9 R +5 W + 6 (+2 vs. illusions) | CMD: 22 | improved uncanny dodge (can't be flanked or flat-footed), DR 1/-
Laori: HP: 86
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Teodor swipes his scythe through Devargo's throat. "Wait, is THIS Devargo?"
Blinking in surprise as Theo's spell settles on Devargo, Matoska nods his head to indicate the King of Spiders. "What's with him?" the Shoanti asks, waiting for Jabbyr and the Emperor to turn their heads before kicking the gnome in the chest intended to knock the little executioner to the ground.
With the others bursting into action, Korriban makes his move. He settles into Crane Style and, seeing Teodor take care of Devargo, grumbles a bit while drawing Il Pungiglione del Bacio. "You could have least let me get my shot in." Stepping over Scream, he says, "Stay down! We'll get you out of here!"
He then smirks as he stabs at the false ruler with Il Pungiglione.
He smiles as the blade finds it's target. "Your reign is over, "Emperor". Long live Korvosa!"
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"Under the table!" Callie says to Scream, in hopes he'll avoid the crossfire.
She then turns and addresses the Emperor and his lackeys as her blade springs into her hand. "Well, you had your chance, your majesty to let us do this the easy way, but your insufferable egos have ruined it for good. Shame, your highness, you really could have ruled Old Korvosa with the might of its people behind you, but the way you treated your 'subjects', they will all cheer when they watch the Long Knife fall upon your own neck. And all will be laughing at you, when everything you strove to build BURNS!"
Seeing Teodor cast a spell, Lantressa casts one of her own, and the Emperor staggers as the spell settles on his limbs like lead; Jabbyr, though, seems unaffected. Matoska's kick catches the gnome off-guard, though, toppling him to the ground! Callie's speech to the villains, unfortunately, fall on deaf ears--perhaps because they're too busy being distracted by everything else going on! Devargo hears her, though, and a small fire starts on his armor...immediately before Teodor whirls his scythe around in an arc, and both the Emperor and Salvator scream--the first in rage, the second in fear--as the priest literally beheads Devargo.
Korriban leaps across the room and plunges his blade into the Emperor's chest, eliciting a groan of pain. Lantressa, eager to slow down your enemies' recovery, begins to sing a lullaby , but Jabbyr unfortunately seems to ignore her charms!
"Insolent...fools!" The Emperor groans, fighting against the spell slowing him. He raises his hands and seems to try to cast a spell of his own, but the gathering magical energy fizzles, as he can't complete the gestures quickly enough. "Blast it!" He staggers back into the corner, clearly terrified of Korriban's waving blade. Salvator clearly doesn't need Callie's encouragement; he's already crawling desperately across the room toward the table. Jabbyr shrieks in rage and yanks his ax from his belt; frothing at the mouth, he swings it at Korriban, missing but gouging a massive hole in the floor. "Get up, you fool!" the Emperor shrieks. "Protect me!!"
Laori, meanwhile, seizes her holy symbol and chuckles. "Alright, boyos," she says. "You want pain? Nah. I want pain!" Her black eyes seem to glow as she steps toward the fray.
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Teodor
Emperor, Salvator, Jabbyr, Laori
Callie, Matoska<------
Emperor: HP: 81 | AC/T/FF: 17/12/17 | F +7 R +10 W +8 (+4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, sonic) | CMD: 20 | slowed until rd. 9
Jabbyr: HP: 118 | AC/T/FF: 16/12/13 | F +11 R +5 W +8 (+2 vs. illusions) | CMD: 24 | improved uncanny dodge (can't be flanked or flat-footed), DR 1/- | PRONE
Laori: HP: 86 | sadomasochism
for
"Well, that was Devargo," Callie observes to Teodor. "On behalf of shiver addicts everywhere, I thank you."
Callie turns her attention to the still living tyrants and casts grease beneath the Emperor and Jabbyr, hoping to make it harder in particular for the gnome to stand.
She then moves forward to close in on the Emperor and Jabbyr.
Matoska rains blows down on the frothing gnome as Callie casts a spell and steps into the fray. The Emperor staggers as the area beneath him and Jabbyr is suddenly covered in grease, but he manages to maintain his feet. “GETUPGETUPGETUP!” he screams at Jabbyr.
Initiative
Korriban, Lantressa, Teodor<———
Emperor, Salvator, Jabbyr, Laori
Callie, Matoska
Emperor: HP: 81 | AC/T/FF: 17/12/17 | F +7 R +10 W +8 (+4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, sonic) | CMD: 20 | slowed until rd. 9
Jabbyr: HP: 84 | AC/T/FF: 16/12/13 | F +11 R +5 W +8 (+2 vs. illusions) | CMD: 24 | improved uncanny dodge (can't be flanked or flat-footed), DR 1/- | PRONE
Laori: HP: 86 | sadomasochism