Eyes narrowing as his mouth flares into a dangerous grin Him'Wazir snatches the hilt of his scimitar and throws himself forward from his chair; shoulder hitting the table, he rolls across it's surface, leaps across to the next table and flips up onto his feet blade in hand. Satisfied he has placed himself between the enemy and Bascilia, and Lililinda he quickly slings his buckler.
"You are being very impolite, where I come from busting into a tavern with blue snot goblins and unwarranted violence is considered rude," the Keleshite declares, scimitar raised ready to meet any attack.
[B]"Fortuitously Nipple Taker, is made of such metal, come and test it blue goblins,"[b] Him replies, grin becoming even more crocdilian.
The cult priestess hurls the glass vial she held in her hand towards the middle of the room. You watch as the vial ricochets off the bar counter and hits ground near Basila and Him. On impact with the ground the vial immediately shatters releasing whatever contents it contained.
Innis casts a spell attempting to cloud her enemy's vision with nightmares. She also summons forth a deceitful mirage on pure reflex, her appearance is distorted and it almost seems like there are two of her.
Fearful of what sort of toxic material or contagion was thrown by the witch, Merelda targets the woman with an Ear-Piercing Scream spell before mving closer to engage the enemy.
Save: Fort DC 13 (Negate daze and only takes 1/2 damage)
(+1 to my AC for the battle; AC 18 currently)
Him feels weak as the vials contents work their fell magic, but feeling weak is hardly new to the much abused Keleshite,
"Pah, need to do better than that you crazy goat fondler!"
Innis presence dominates the ugly fey creature and as it cowers back from her Boros slithers unsuspectingly beneath the table and as he bites down on the fey you hear the creature's frail bones snap from the force of the snake's jaw.
At the same time the effects of Innis' spell create a living nightmare for the cultist and he runs past the Cult Priestess and the taller fey creature out onto the street.
The priestess is quick enough to turn away as Merelda sends a dazzling display of lights at her.
The other remaining fey creature turns to look at Merelda and you watch as the creature's eyes begin to bulge out.
Lililinda seems to have been taken by surprise by all the commotion. She sits in stunned silence until the glass vial shatters, scattering its contents across the room.
"ACK! My dress!" Galvanized into action, she stands up on her chair and points at the robed woman. "How dare you? STOP THIS AT ONCE!"
The priestess her focus on Merelda following the scream gets caught unaware as a thousand lights burst in her face from Lililinda's spell.
As Nicias' bomb falls short the contents still splash on the small group killing the small blue fey creature.
Vasaro calls out to his daughter, "Basila behind the bar..<cough> now." You watch as Basila struggles to find her footing but makes it behind the bar.
ROUND 2
The fey with the crossbow lets loose another bolt this one aimed at Him.
The bolt flies wide and eventually finds itself embedded on the back wall of the taproom. Watching his shot miss the creature retreats from the inn leaving the dazed priestess by herself.
Him dances forward atop the table sweeping his blade rather half heartedly at the Priestess, and finding it turned aside by her armor.
The priestess is almost unaware as her armor turns Him's blade. Unable to shake the effects of Lililinda's she stands there with a clouded mind.
"Boros, git behind 'er!" cries Kirzon!
At the dwarf's insruction, Boros slithers silently forward at the woman who threw the vile vial at him, and attempts to make her pay.
; ;
*Edit* - Forgot to add a Grapple attack.
Innis commands the group "Take her alive I want to know what this is about!
Merelda moves to aid Him and punches with her rapier's elaborate knuckle guard to for nonlethal damage, her teeth showing an animal-like snarl as she strikes.
As Merelda tries to knock out the priestess, whether through sheer luck or the effects of the spell waning off, the priestess moves out of the way before Merelda can connect.
Boros is able to slither behind the dazed priestess and strikes biting her. Even as the acid burns the priestess Boros begins to coil himself around the priestess' body.
"Where did that other one go?" Lililinda asks, taking a few steps forward, up onto the table. "The one with the crossbow. Oh, Nicias! You're hurt!"
From behind the bar you hear what sounds like Basila coughing. A few seconds later you hear her scream followed by Vasaro's plea for help, "Help me! Help me! Something is wrong with Basila. Oh sweet child it will be alright...everything will be alright. Help!"
ROUND 3
Him lashes out with the flat of his blade, connecting finally, with a stinging metallic slap in an attempt to knock the woman out.
With the elegance of dervish dancer Him steps forward and his blade slaps the priestess in the face knocking her out completely.
With the priestess unconscious and no signs of her allies the sounds of battle are replaced by the cries of the aftermath. From behind the bar you still hear Vasaro calling out for help.
Vaulting the bar Him kneels beside Basilica, gripping Vasaro's shoulder as he examines the girl.
With no visible injuries you are quite certain that her contact with the contents of the vial have afflicted her with some supernatural contagion. Very powerful magic would likely be required to cure it. Until then you surmise that it will take the skills of a highly knowledgeable healer to stave off the effects for a short period of time.
Merelda begins tying up the priestess but stops once she hears Vasaro's wail for help.
"Sister Innis! I need Basila alive! Kirzon please help her if you can! I will aid in a moment."
With gusto, Merelda pulls out rope and begins to tie the cultist up with her best knots, and also searches her for
anything that might help with the situation.
sickle, breastplate, a glass vial containing a red-hued liquid and a folded up sheet of parchment. Around her neck she wears a necklace with the symbol of a two-headed vulture.
"It is some form of supernatural contagion I think, we will need a better healer than I, Him, to stave it off... Hold fast Vasaro, we will find some remedy."
Looking to the others, he calls, "She has a high fever, more so than my own, blood in her spittle, and her eyes seem to be turning pink," seeking to aide anyone with better healing skills.
Looking around quickly, Merelda spots Nicias standing dumbfounded and looking sicker than the rest with a crossbow bolt sticking out of him.
"Hssssst. Nicias!" She waves him over.
After he approaches she holds out the vial.
"Can you identify this red-liquid substance? Ware! It could be more toxin or even possibly a cure! Quickly now! Grief and fear are for later!"
Merelda turns to the parchment to see what that is, while she thinks about the strange amulet.
As for the symbol on the amulet you have never seen anything like this before.
As Basila swallows the draught she slips into a deeper sleep. While she is still warm the fever has dropped and her coughing has subsided for now. Vasaro smiles at Kirzon tears streaming down face. "Thank you Kirzon thank...<cough>you<cough>." Even at the relief you might have felt in helping Basila it is short-lived as Vasaro's cough reveals tiny specks of blood as well.
Him steps back watching Kirzon work anxiously, all levity banished by the dire situation.
Looking at the emaciated warrior, Merelda attempts to summon his attention by waving the map like a flag almost.
"Him! You have traveled more extensively than my self. Take a look at this map and see if you can identify the area it covers at all.
Take care of it however, I fear this map may be very important!"
Grabbing the necklace carefully, Merelda pulls it free and tosses it to Innis.
"Do you recognize this symbol at all? I've never seen it like."
With each rise of the great fire who breathes her warmth upon the land so will your body begin to waste away until all that is left of you is rotted and foul.
Nothing can be undone as long as the malady remains.
"Mmmm,I shall look, but I was never a man that retained knowledge well, so do not raise your expectations," Him replies, giving Vasaro's shoulder a last squeeze, before vaulting the bar again and approaching Merelda to take the map.
"I fear this means little to me, do we have any budding geographers to hand?"
Looking at the map you both come to realize that this map does not describe a region outside. It appears to layout something underground with its maze-like directions and connections.
Merelda squints her eyes at the prisoner and growls softly and slowly.
"Looks like we will need to get her to talk. I swear by the Triple Sting she will!"
After her exclamation Merelda bends over, and her mouth bursts with a hacking cough. Raising her hand to the light it is speckled with blood.
"Curses on all cults and their stupid wanna-be gods! Should one of us go after the two that ran?
The small creature was a derro. An evil creature from the darklands. They kidnap and torture people
with twisted experiments for their own pleasure."
"Probably too late, but such things would not walk the streets freely... Little blue goblins cause comment, they would need to hide, so sewers perhaps? Would the map fit that?" Him says thoughtfully, squinting at the map again.