"Vosi! There's our target! Hit him with all you've got" Tiferet screams urgently.
Vosi grins savagely. "Nasty Rohkar. You'll pay for trying to double cross mistress!" The little fey launches an arrow at the bandit, but gets a bit overzealous and misses entirely. A storm of Sylvan erupts from the sprite. Though no one speaks Sylvan, it's fairly obvious that he's using every curse word he can think of.
Nathara is up!
Nathara is suddenly affected by visions of horror and nameless, cold burning terror. A small part of realizes that this must have been a spell, but unfortunately, that is not the part which is in control now.
She turns around and runs out through the window through which they came and turns towards the road, trying to flee not only from the undead and the werewolf, but primarily from the horror in her head.
Listening to Tiferet, Mouse slips into the position formerly occupied by Nathara as she digs the alchemist's fire out of her beltpouch. She turns it over in her hand for a moment, figuring out exactly how it works... then preps it, leans around the corner, and throws it towards the skeleton in the top left portion of the grease.
Seeing that the necromancer was too resistant to her spells she changes targets and tries again, whispering as she stares down the bandit.
Undead are monsters and have to be killed before they turn on me, the intruders can wait.
The bandit looks gaze with Evelyn and despite his desire to look away he simply can't. He finally manages to glance sideways and he shudders at the sight of the undead monstrosities. How could he ever work for someone that created such horrors?
Listening to Tiferet, Mouse slips into the position formerly occupied by Nathara as she digs the alchemist's fire out of her beltpouch. She turns it over in her hand for a moment, figuring out exactly how it works... then preps it, leans around the corner, and throws it towards the skeleton in the top left portion of the grease.
The vial arcs through the air and collides with the center skeleton, erupting in a burst of searing flame. A shrill chattering sound that might be the closest thing the creature has to a cry of pain escapes the monster as the flaming oil clings to its bones. The burst of flame spreads to the entire pack of enemies, eliciting more yelps and hisses as the flames lick at flesh. The flames travel to the patch of very flammable grease covering the floor and a wave of fire bursts around the skeletons' feet.
Eirikr is up!
"Thanks" Tiferet says as she feels Morgraine's power pervading her, soothing her, shielding her against the necromancer's malevolence.
"Don't worry sister" she whispers, hoping Nathara can still hear her. "We'll finish this for you." It's with a renewed sense of purpose that she launches herself once more into battle.
With the remaining bandit's attention now fixed on the undead, Ashen and Eirikr weave through the battlefield in an attempt to reach the now seemingly vulnerable necromancer. Both of them howl, their mouths open wide, as they attack him.
Ashen charges past his foes. The bandit seems focused on other things and doesn't make an attack, but the nearest skeleton is more than happy to lash out with its claws. However, the nimble wolf easily dodges around the claw swipe and attempts to bite Rohkar. Unfortunately, he is equally unsuccessful. Eirikr closes in, though maneuvering through the room makes it difficult to get close properly.
The other two skeletons stumble out of the burning mess of fiery grease and rapidly begin patting themselves down, trying to douse the flames. Unfortunately, they both are unable to stamp out the flames. They desperately try to hold themselves together as their frosty limbs lose strength and both frost skeletons outright fall apart as they die.
Bandit 4 keeps napping. Rohkar growls, clearly not expecting to lose his skeletal guards so quickly or so easily. He jumps into action, moving past Ashen and his remaining guard. Ashen is having none of it and snaps at him again as he tries to flee. Yet somehow the wolf misses once again. Rohkar reaches Eirikr, but rather than attacking the young man, his hand glows with dark energy and he reaches toward the bleeding man at Eirikr's feet. Eirikr makes a desperate swipe at him, but misses his hand as it lunges forward. The bandit shudders and goes still as Rohkar grins.
The remaining bandit looks at Rohkar executing his former comrade. He grimaces and charges the steps forward, swinging his short sword at the remaining skeleton. The blade catches one of the monster's ribs, but it hardly seems to bothered the creature. Rohkar growls. "Traitor! Kill him. Kill him now!" the skeleton is happy to oblige, laying into the man with both claws. It isn't actually very good at killing him though.
"Thanks," Tiferet says as she feels Morgraine's power pervading her, soothing her, shielding her against the necromancer's malevolence.
"Don't worry sister," she whispers, hoping Nathara can still hear her. "We'll finish this for you." It's with a renewed sense of purpose that she launches herself once more into battle.
Tiferet easily crosses the hearth with one mighty bound and lands hard at the spot where the bandit was standing only a moment before. Rohkar looks up just in time to see her greataxe slamming down on his chest, leaving a savage gash in his armor and drawing a crimson burst of blood.
The half-orc just looks on at the melee in front of her. "Bloody hell. You people don't do sh*t halfway."
Morgraine is up!
Morgraine moves nearer the fighting so that she can be within easy reach should someone need healing. She keeps one eye on the fighting and the other on the half-orc now beside her. "I'm glad you chose wisely," She says in a soft voice that nonetheless carried over the din to the woman beside her. "Where is the woman being held?"
"I just came out here tryin' ta get away from a couple a' burglary charges. I didn't want ta be part a' this. Rohkar's a madman." She thinks for a moment. "The noble lady's down in the basement. She's fine, just a little dirty."
Vosi takes aim at Rohkar again and opens fire. He just throws up his hands, muttering under his breath as he once again manages to miss horribly yet again. The little guy can't seem to make a good shot today.
Nathara is up!
Nathara continues running back to whence they came from and hides in the undergrowth there. She is still fighting the fear inside of her, but for now it's in control. Desperately she hisses back: "I am so... I just can't..." until the urge to run further becomes to great again.
Evelyn turns her stare back upon the Caster. "Necromancer you're outnumbered, your creatures have fallen, and your men turn against you for your crimes. Surrender now and we will show you mercy, we want the girl nothing more."
"You have useful skills, The Mistress could use you if you swear you alliance to her for more than coin. Stand down now and we can make sure you grow in power to serve her."
Eve smacks the sleeping bandit with the bottom of her cane to keep him down longer than the sleep spell.
Eve's cane slams against the bandit's temple and his breathing hitches momentarily as she knocks him out cold. Rohkar looks up at Eve, then at the piles of useless bones and the unconscious and dead bandits laying all over the floor. "F*ck." He grinds his teeth and his sword drops from his fingers. "Fine. I know when I'm on the losing side. But don't feed me that sh*t about working for the damned witch. Izoze would be with you if you were working for her and the cursed fey." He waves his hand and the remaining skeleton backs down, standing against the wall in eerie silence. The only conscious bandit still looks nervously at it, then seems to realize how massively outnumbered they still are. He drops his sword and stands against the opposite wall, staying well away from the skeleton.
Combat ends!
"We need the fire out." Mouse announces as she drops her sword and pulls the unconscious men away from it. Obvious Mouse then goes back to retrieve her weapon... and return to being quiet. Everything about this entire ordeal had been scary.
Evelyn took a deep breath happy to be back in control.
"She's right, Eirikr we need water."
"Mouse go get Nathara she shouldn't be far from the cabin but be careful in case she's still scared or other guests have shown up. Tiferet head down stairs and find the girl take Vosi with you, if anything happens send him back up here to get us."
Eve looks around at the scattered bodies and battle-torn room."Morgraine can you move the ones we knocked out into the bed room with the others?
Since the Bandit, Necromancer, and skeleton are against the wall she used the position to keep them from trying a sneak attack. "Ashen if they move from the wall let us know." She turned her attention to the half-orc. "So what's your roll in all this?"
Fires dealt with, Nathara and Mouse will be back soon and being outside will let them spot if we're being ambushed, getting the girl with a look out, Prisoners contained. She went over a mental check list.
"I'm just a pickpocket from Demgazi," the half-orc says quickly. "I got caught robbin' a house and split town before the guards could arrest me. I heard there were some bandits recruitin' 'round here. I figured I could hide out with them for a few weeks then move on once the heat died down. I didn't know Rohkar was a necromancer or nothin' like that and I didn't know anythin' about them workin' with these fey and witches and whatnot. But I couldn't leave once I found out."
Obedient Mouse nods and slips out the door without another word, going to look for Nathara... and hoping the blaze comes under control. Despite her job to find Nathara, she still remains Quiet Mouse.
"Aren't you the smart one" Tiferet says as Rohkar voices his surrender, while simultaneously dismissing any lingering pretences of them working with this 'Mistress'. "I'm glad you know where you stand, where we stand. It will make everything so much easier." In a way, she's happy that particular façade has been dropped – as effective as it was, she'd much rather fight bad guys than pretend to be their ally. Plus, as soon as they brought Lady Argentea back to Heldren, it was bound to crumble down anyway. Still, she casts a nervous look toward Vosi.
There being no stairs in sight (and even so, being highly unlikely such a precious prisoner would have been left with no lock to constrain her), she turns to face this necromancer once again. But first, there's something she has to do.
"Nathara? Where are you? We won. He surrendered. Mouse's coming to get you."
That being done, it is time to get some answers. "So. How do you access the cellar? Who has the keys to Lady Argentea's cell?"
The half-orc's honesty is written all across her face. She's too desperate to get away from Rohkar to come up with a good lie right now.
"I'd have been caught by now if I was as stupid as these louts," Rohkar mutters, glaring at the conscious bandit. "Bah, just take the woman. Everything about working with those fey has been more trouble than it's worth. Like I had a choice in the first place." He pulls a small iron key from his pocket and tosses it in Tif's general direction. "There's a trap door under the rug right there." He points to a large bearskin rug that Tiferet is actually standing on right now.
Outside, Nathara can hear Tiferet's whisper and the illogical panic clears from her mind. She can't even quite remember what had her frightened so badly.
Tiferet stomps on the floor, triggering a dull thud from the planks, the tell-tale sign a cavity underneath. With a death stare, she kneels to pick up the key and open the trap door hidden under the bearskin .
As she descends into the cellar, she spares one last look at their latest ally. "Hey. Sorry for trying to mess with your mind earlier. One can never be too sure. Still... you know..." she says, leaving the sentence hanging. Still a bit embarrassed, she's grateful when her figure disappears fully into the hatch, sparing her from having to articulate a full apology.
"Lady Argentea? You're safe now. Yuln Oerstag managed to flee the ambush and alert us of your fate."
Nathara walks pretty ashamed back when Mouse finds her. To run in the midst of battle. Sure she had been enchanted, but her will should be stronger than this. "Hello, Inire", she mumbles, "I suppose... I am fine again. I am not wounded. Is everyone else alright?"
Back in the cottage she looks around and asses the tactical situation, trying to reconstruct the curse of the battle. The necromancer surrendered, of course. Positive was that none of her mates was injured and the somewhat insecure half-orc woman had chosen the right side. She barely managed to look into Tiferet's eyes, though her calls had given the elf comfort and she was grateful for them.
Those which Inire had knocked out when they entered would sleep a while longer, but they had to figure out what to do with those eventually.
She looked a little worried to Vosi. He may not be the brightest, but he must have figured out that they were not working for his mistress by now. "Are you... alright, Vosi? You fought better than I did, I suppose." She put her sword away and tried to get eye contact with him. Freeing the captive was important, but she did not want to loose Vosi, if by any means avoidable.
The half-orc just nods. "It's alright. Ya' didn't know anythin' about what was goin' on. Just that Rohkar over there was causin' trouble." Rohkar just rolls his eyes.
The trapdoor opens to a ladder descending about ten feet straight down to a grey stone floor. As Tiferet lowers herself down, she finds herself in a small room with half a dozen boxes and barrels stacked around, likely holding basic supplies. A rough blanket is laid out at the end of the room. A somewhat dirty woman in a slightly damaged green dress stands as she sees the unfamiliar figure entering the room. "Oerstag? Someone actually survived the attack? You have no idea how grateful I am to see you. Please, just get me out of here. And perhaps grant me the names of my rescuers."
Vosi has been very quiet ever since the fight ended, hovering near the ceiling. He glares down at Nathara as she returns to the room. "Nasty humans. Lied to Vosi. Knew he couldn't trust sneaky humans."
"Please Milady. Take my hand. There will be time for introductions once we've gotten you out of this dark hole" Tiferet says as she helps the battered noblewoman up the stairs. As grateful as she might declare herself, the Ulfen woman has learned in her years in Oppara that a bit of deference never hurts when dealing with the nobility.
As they re-emerge in the common room, Tiferet points at her friends and allies gathered around, calling their names one by one. "The tall young man is Eirikr, and the wolf is his companion Ashen. We couldn't have reached this lodge if not for him, and never did he hesitate to plunge into peril when it came to fighting those bandits. This is Eve, a Varisian whose mere stare forced Rohkar into surrender. Her friend Inire, a chronicler and a Pathfinder, light of foot and swift of blade. It was she who snuck her way into the lodge and allowed us to catch your kidnappers unaware. Then, our unlikely and latest ally" she pauses for a moment as she addresses the young half-orc, realizing only now she hasn't shared her name yet, but at the same time giving her enough time to chime in if she so wishes.
"A victim of Rohkar's cruelty herself, who nonetheless found the strength to oppose him when it most counted." At first, she wasn't sure whether to include her in her round of introductions, but she eventually decides that making her first right choice in a long time is something that should be rewarded, and the gratitude of a Taldane noblewoman can be a tremendous boon toward setting a new course in her life. "Finally, Nathara, an elven swordmistress mighty in both spell and blade, and I, Tiferet Odinsdottir, mercenary and lore-keeper of my people, at your service." Her gaze lingers on the newly-arrived dusk-skinned elven maiden a little longer compared to the others, as if to try to read her feelings and give her a measure of reassurance at the same time. She notices how she's currently engaged in a conversation with Vosi, whose topic she can easily guess.
"Oh. And our diminutive flying friend is called Vosi; a proof that fey can do great things, good things, if properly encouraged and led by a kind heart" she adds almost as an afterthought, smiling at Nathara as she does so.
The noble woman takes Tiferet's hand, looking immensely grateful as she helps her up the ladder. She reflexively covers her eyes for a moment as the brighter lights of the main room hit her, then clamors out of the hole and does her best to brush herself off.
"Just Tacey is fine," the half-orc says when Tif gets to her. "I'm nobody important."
"All of you have my deepest thanks for saving my life from these... brigands. I'm not certain what they were planning, but it cannot have been good."
"Better not to dwell too long on it. Whatever it was, it won't come to pass now."
As soon as the fair-skinned shamaness enters the room, Tiferet turns to introduce her as well. "And of course, Morgraine and Kettu. A sorceress of no small power and her fox companion, I believe she'll be happy to help you regain any strength you might have lost during your captivity."
"Um... Vosi." Mouse speaks up, from well below the little one. "We were just trying to set things back to the way they should be... with as little blood spilled as possible. I'm sorry we deceived you."
The moment the necromancer surrendered Eirikr stopped in his tracks. Even though he could practically taste the man's lifeblood on his tongue he didn't ignore the fact that the battle had stopped. In the blink of an eye, where a moment ago had stood a monster now stood Eirikr again. He knew that his companions would probably have questions for him soon, so he kept his eye on the door while they talked.
"We should've finished him off," says Eirikr, standing behind the necromancer, eyeing him up and down. "Not to late to do that. If we need to. In the mean time, you should probably drop all of your gear. So we don't have to go through that again."
Eirikr glances at the lady then quickly looks away, trying not to show the look of contempt that had crossed his face.
Nathara curtseys lightly as Tiferet introduces her. She does manage to smile in response to Tiferet's look. It appears that they were victorious, their woman saved and none of them seriously hurt. While her own role may have been less than valorous, that would hardly be the way the skalds tell the story.
"I am indeed very sorry, Vosi. Could I persuade to reconsider your allegiance? You are in a difficult position now that you helped us and I do care about you. And we do not let our own down, nor lie to you again."
As soon as the fair-skinned shamaness enters the room, Tiferet turns to introduce her as well. "And of course, Morgraine and Kettu. A sorceress of no small power and her fox companion, I believe she'll be happy to help you regain any strength you might have lost during your captivity."
Morgraine offers a nod and a very faint smile to the noblewoman as she tucks a stray strand of her fair hair back over her ear. "Lady Argentea, are you in need of healing?"
"Even if we did let you go back to your mistress she'd likely kill you for helping us anyway, Yes we tricked you but I figured as a Fey you'd respect a good trick. Either way at this point you're only real options you have are to stay with us and live, maybe we can find you work with the town or go back to the mistress and surely pay for helping us get the girl."
Inire felt her cheeks grow hot as the others continually heaped the obvious threat of going back home at Vosi's feet. She leaned against the wall, until she was on the floor, and started to clean her sword. It hadn't been used to draw blood directly but... it was a good way to spend her time, and would allow her to focus her frustration on something productive. She definitely didn't have an answer for Vosi.
Vosi clenches his fists, his wings fluttering so fast that the group can hear them buzzing. "Stupid humans have already killed Vosi! Mistress has the shard of Vosi's heart. As soon as she learns Vosi was tricked, mistress will crush it and crush his heart!"
The lady shakes her head. "The necromancer treated my wounds actually. I overheard one of the fey that helped capture me say that they wanted me alive and unharmed. All I have left is a few small scrapes."
Rohkar recoils slightly from Eirikr. "Hold on a minute. Are you all just going to let him kill me? I know a lot more about what the witches and the fey are planning than anyone else. If you let him kill me, I take those secrets to the grave. But my life would be a fair price for what I know."
Evelyn stares at Vosi for a moment thinking."Alright what about another trick then? You go back to the lookout at the River tell him we betrayed you tell him the bandits beat us and ran off with the girl. We all leave and you become the Mistress best source of information so she'll keep you alive while you help her track the bandits." She turns to look at the those that are still conscious."They go free on the grounds that they should leave the north forever and if they every try to do anything that will get their name out in the open, like start a bandit group, Vosi will find you and lead the Mistress right to you."
"If you think that won't convenience her you can say we used a control spell to enslave you, it was against your will."
Eirikr mutters to himself and closes his eyes before speaking again.
"Jezelda's hairy t@$+, I didn't say I was going to kill you. Just that I thought that we should," says Eirikr, opening his mouth wide and licking the blood from his teeth as he talks. He remembers at that moment how bloody he must be from the battle and for a moment he blushes; he considers wiping the blood off of his mouth but decides to leave it for a moment. "I really doubt they'd care to stop me though. Haven't eaten all day. Your friends don't seem particularly loyal to you either. Maybe they could decide what to do with you. You make a good offer though. I can make a better one though. Your gear and everything you know. So start talking. And start taking off your gear."
Vosi looks pensive, thinking it through. "Mistress would find out that Vosi failed and let nasty bandits escape. She would crush his heart for failure anyway. Only way Vosi can escape is if mistress loses his ice shard."
Rohkar raises both his hands. "Reaper's bloody blade. Alright, alright." He pulls a dagger from his boot and tosses it over with his shortsword then pulls off a rather nice suit of studded leather armor and adds it to the pile. He adds a scroll case that seems to have something in it, a spellbook, a ring with two more keys on it, three vials of viscous liquid, and a set of thieves' tools that seem rather nice. Finally he pulls off his fur cloak. "It's magic," he says, tossing it on top of everything else. "Fine. What do you want to know?"
"What did the fey want with princess? And what's the cause of the snow, for start," says Eirikr, as he leans down to examine the bandit leader's pile of gear.
"I'm not entirely sure what they wanted with her," Rohkar admits. "We were either holding her for ransom or planning to use her to deter the authorities from coming after us too quick. Teb mentioned that he had a plan to use her for something, but he didn't give me all the details." He shrugs. "As for the snow, that I can answer. The witches have opened a portal in the heart of the woods. It's letting the eternal winter from up north spread here."
Eve's eye lit up with interest."Let's talk Vosi, you guys can handle the prisoners right? So does she keep your heart on her?"
"You mention a Teb. And an Izoze. Who are they? More fey?" continues Eirikr. He picks up the fur cloak that Rohkar said was magic and holds it up to the light. "And what does this do?"
Vosi looks over at Eve and flies down to her. "No. Mistress has many shards. Don't know where she keeps the shards, but probably in her tower. Safest place for them."
Rohkar shakes his head. "Izoze is something that works for Hommelstaub. He's a fey, but the thing he called up is an ice mephit. It's his messenger and spy. Teb Knotten is the fey's leader, but he's not a fey. Damned thing is a troll, near ten feet tall and mean to boot."
"Any idea how to close the portal?" asks Eirikr. "Or anything else you think that I should know that you're not telling me?"
"I have no idea how that thing works. I'm a necromancer, not a winter witch." He shrugs. "And I don't think I do. I know there are other defenses through the forest between here and the portal, but I don't really know what they are. Teb meets me here or sends messages. More fey and probably traps and monsters."
"Do you think you could get to the tower?"
"Mistress's tower is her stronghold in Irrisen. It would be hard to invade. Vosi couldn't possibly go alone."
"Alone no but what about with the other Fey? You could start the ones one lookout and spread the message to others, I'm not saying you full on attack her but with all of you working together I bet you could sneak in and get your hearts back."