Ruben finally succeeds at striking the floating cloths, although his blade barely manages to scratch a bit half of the trouser. The shirt and the sock undamaged keep attempting his grab on the party.
"ના! જેજે, ત્યાં બહાર વિચાર!" Marigold shrieks as the controlled skulk deals JJ a blow that leaves him barely standing. Without even thinking, she shuffles to the side and ducks under the flying clothing as she reaches out to her friend.
"આ કામ નથી! અમે અહીં બહાર વિચાર કરવાની જરૂર છે!"
"NO! JJ, get out of there!"
"This isn't working! We need to get out of here!"
Round 3
As the group's scrap with the raggamofyns degenerates into a grand melee, Maxim curses the close quarter restrictions it places.
The gun-mage shifts to stand beside the black-beard and he wracks his knowledge digging for inherent weakness of these creatures...
:
... but naught springs to mind.
He shouts to his fellow dwarf;
"Kikinnin use your alchemical fire on the skulker! Burn it brother!"
Ryan steps towards the wall to give him a bit of space, "Abadar, heal and protect those here fighting the chaos that has affected this fell room"
selective channel to heal hp and give the party +1 AC for one round.
Marigold touches JJ healing partially some of his wounds. Meanwhile Ryan rises his Abadar key symbol channeling a way of healing through your bodies, excluding the skulk while the raggamoffyn constructs seem immune to the healing.
The raggamoffyn shirt and trousers slam over Ruben, but a divine wave of protective energy interposes within stopping the hit in the last moment.
Similarly, when the skulk closes by and attacks with his shortsword, the divine protection energy stops the blade just one inch from Ruben's face.
"Stay back!" calls out JJ as the raga-Skulk approaches.
He prods at it with his sword, feeling reinvigorated by Ryan and Marigold.
AC = Shield on
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin gives a robust nod of his head, as Maxim calls him to attempt a throw. "Let's hope I have more luck trying to perfume them with burn, than slash them with my axe."
The axe-man holds a swipe, and throws a flask at the skulker-in-the-skivvies.
Kikinnin almost fails to act, he's so pleased with the result of the toss. "Great idea, Brother! Looks like we'll have them yet!"
Kikinnin retrieves his axe, and swings into the ragga-nothin'.
Kikinnin steps back to avoid the raggamoffyn attacks while he throws a flask of fire profiting he is alone in the tunnel. The flask breaks over the creature's rags putting them at fire, burning also its host.
JJ stabs at the rags over the skulk, which also causes injuries on the host that falls unconscious. As the body slams the lab's floor, the rags start untying from the skulk, looking for a new target.
Stepping back at his flanking position, Kikinnin attempts a wide strike over the floating clothing, but not enough powerful to damage it.
Round 4
As the Skulker drops, and its ragged parasite flaps for a new host, Maxim attempts to pour on the misery and damage.
Taking a step he too throws his flask of alchemical fire at where skulk and rags lie entwinded as he shouts a warning to the others:
"Heads up! Fire in the sky!"
:
:
Round 5
:
As the creature continues to burn, Maxim draws his heavy pick and moves to engage the flame kissed construct
"Reckon its time to get hands dirty!"
:
:
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Reckon it's time to get hands dirty!"
"HA-HAH! Dirty hands only if dirty clothes! Don't suppose the clothes bleed, do you!"
The black-beard still seems thrilled with his recent alchy toss, and a little at a loss for fighting that which likely doesn't bleed.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ryan steps back forward into the fight, swinging his mace at the animated clothing. [quick glance at the map show with Maxim stepping up into melee we should be flanking at this point[/i]
"Give me an orc anyday! Than this infernal magicked threadwear"
Upon seeing that both Kikinnin and Maxim's use of the bottled fire actually did some damage to the skulks, Marigold follows suit and pulls out her own flask that she'd bought earlier. Although the matter of some collateral damage does occur to her, she realizes that it's a chance she'll have to take since her other companion's weapons are still proving largely ineffective.
She watches for a moment and takes careful aim before lobbing the vial at the clothes that disengaged from the downed skulk...
Maxim throws another flask of alchemist fire to the raggamoffyn at the floor, the cloths taking fire as the liquid splashes also over Ruben, JJ and the first raggamoffyn.
Ryan waves his mace over the enemy as he flanks it with Maxim. Both mace and heavy pick fail to find the clothing as it quickly changes place on the air.
Seeing the ill effect of the fire on the clothing, Marigold throws another flask that makes short splashing in the middle of the group damaging both raggamoffyns, Ruben, Ryan, Kikinnin and Maxim.
The raggamoffyn in the floor finishes untying from the skulk body and starts floating by its own over the unconscious body.
Despite the flammable nature of the clothing, the raggamoffyn in the floor is able to put off the flames.
The violet rags keep trying to engulf Ryan slamming all over his arms as he tries to defend himself. The slam leaves Ryan half-unconscious and staggered, while the damaged shirt and the trousers grab him from his limbs.
"Try the acid" suggests JJ, although to be fair the fire seems to be doing a good job.
Darting in, he plys his short sword once again against the shirt that is not currently wearing one of his friends.
"Take That You Fiend!"
However the late hour and exertion of the day are taking their toll, and JJ seems unable to land the blow.
Ruben, with little other option, continues hacking at the thing before him.
"માફ કરશો! માફ કરશો!" Marigold squeaks in horror as her throw falls short, dousing nearly everyone and everything with fire. However it seems much less effective than Kikinnin or Maxim's were, the flames sputtering and quickly dying.
નાના તરફેણ માટે દેવતા આભાર! she thinks to herself as she digs out the wand, realizing that with the others seemingly bound and determined to fight it out, the best she can do is to try and keep them alive and maybe aid them with their strikes if she can. She quickly taps Ryan with the wand, hoping the healing energy will rejuvenate him enough to fight free again.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
Thank goodness for small favors!
JJ continues attacking with his companions, but the injuries of the battle make it difficult for him and fails to reach the flying clothes.
Ruben though turns delivering another perfect strike to the creature as it starts floating over. The magic on his blade sparkles for a second slashing through the cloth with ease. The rags covering the fallen skulk are torn into pieces by the combination of blade and magic.
Marigold juggles with the healing wand with ease, zapping Ryan before the remaining construct can further constrict him. Most of the cleric injuries magically disappear!
Round 6
As Ryan grapples with the fell clothing, Maxim steps in to assist the priest in breaking free, tearing at the rags;
"Get this damned rag-basterd off him!"
Surprised when the errant throw splashes the group, Ryan drops his guard momentarily allowing the raggamoffyn to once again slip through and wrap him up. "Arghh!umph!"
Ripping the strange clothing away from him once more, he is sinking towards the floor when Marigolds touch comes over him and he is refreshed. "Thank you Doc." He says with a grim smile, using the moniker Ruben had given the girl.
Maxim effectively adds to the grapple pushing the shirt away from Ryan whom successfully frees from the raggamoffyn grapple.
Under the pressure of both human and dwarf, the clothing construct gets tied in the air failing to defend himself against the party around him.
AC = 18, Shield on
HP = 15/16
Weapon Equipped = Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
As the raggamuffin frees up, Kikinnin takes another swipe at the thing, imagining his axe suddenly gift-wrapped in men's attire. He nods and smiles at Ruben, thankful for the man's threatening presence on the other side of the critter.
If he can get another swing in quickly, he does so. His eyes spin a moment, trying to keep track of the swirling hamperfull.
Skirting the outside of the melee, JJ circles the set of clothes that is now all but surrounded by the adventurers.
His blade darts in for a quick stab..
Though whether one more hole in those ragged clothes will really make a difference.. only time will tell.
Round 7
As the construct flaps and flails, the doughty wizard brings his pick to bear as axe and rapier also stab and slash at the creature.
Grim set, Maxim swings hard in attempt to pin one of the ragged "limbs";
-
:
Ruben continues to hack away, dimly wondering somewhere in the back of his mind how in this entire sprawling, ancient complex, the thing that has given them a more deadly fight than any other, is a pair of animated trousers.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Profiting the creature is grappled Kikinnin cuts through the rags with his axe, helping Ryan to free himself. His attack later, when the creature is not grappling any longer, is dodged.
JJ steps to the side joining the fray and causing a deep hole in the trousers with his shortsword, followed by another small whole from Maxim's heavy pick.
Ruben's attack hits the shirt but the way it blends in the air deflects somehow his blade, only for Marigold to touch him with guidance on his back, just enough for the blade to strike true tearing down the shirt.
The remaining trouser turns towards Kikinnin, but mauled from all sides, it is unable to keep fighting efficiently. Instead, the combined attack of the whole group makes it fall to the floor, where axe, mace, sword and pick reduces the remaining hateful clothing to small rags.
Finally returning to calm the group is able to pick the alchemy items from the lab, the U rod and the shortsword the skulk was using.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Resting a moment as combat come to an end, Ryan studies the remains of the magicked clothing before reaching up and grasping the key at his neck in a now familiar fashion, "Our thanks" Everyone is healed hp, refreshing them from the fight.
Turning to the other, seriousness upon his face...
"Abadar has granted his blessing on us, but we have pushed our day long into the night down here. We should find somewhere defensible and rest. My gifts are few in supply now.
Apologies to all though, in the heat of things I did not ask for Abadar's blessing at the fight's start, perhaps it would have made things easier. Who would have thought an empty shirt and trousers to be such trouble.
I must praise the washer women above when we return, true fighters they must be!" He end with a more characteristic smile...
Consulting the map.."We could return to this room, the skulks have not dug into it yet."
JJ consults his map.
He then approaches the south wall and looks to see if there is a secret door there.
"We are close to the surface here. Why not just rest in Ghelves locks. I think that would be much safer than this place...."
Memories of the fearsome Grick, the empty armor and the animated trousers are obviously front of mind with the young man.
"I do confess to being tired though, I really need a sleep."
A careful check in the southern wall of the lab reveals a secret stone door behind the table.
It heads into the corridor.
"See..a quick way back up!"
Ryan shrugs "Works for me, since a doorway is there", comfortable with returning to the surface just not wanting to make a circuitous trek through the ruins to get back to the exit, with the shortcut, that made things altogether different.
"R-rest...sounds like a g-great idea right n-now!" Marigold wheezes, out of breath more from the stresses of combat than actual exertion on her part. "We've m-made so much progress, it'd be horrible to let it all g-go to waste b-because we overextended ourselves..."
"A warm b-bed would b-be nice though..." she continues, looking a bit dubious at Ryan's mention of sleeping in one of the rooms they'd already explored but she doesn't seem inclined to really press the issue. "B-but we can't always have everything we want, right? It would save t-travel time if we slept d-down here," she admits. "Whichever you all think would be b-best."
With the way clear it is not difficult to return to the surface. This time night has already fallen and it is dark outside. Ghelve opens the exit door at your signal.
"Have you finished all those horrible creatures? Am I safe now?" he asks expectant.
After your full night rest, you feel fully refreshed and ready. The day is bright outside, the city unaware of the dangers laying below.
You have some free time, so you can rest at your homes, or talk with your people. What is sure is you feel different than when you got into Jzadirune, this exploration has changed you, made more confident in the group and in yourselves.
"We have finished many of them, but not fully explored the ruins." explains JJ.
"But we need rest. We will be back tomorrow. Rest assured we'll find your rat for you, and keep Cauldron save while we do so."
Then, tired and sore JJ walks through the streets of Cauldron.
First order of business is making sure Marigold gets home okay.
"I'll just see you home Marigold. After the last couple of nights, I'd hate for the Laugh to try something... What time are we meeting on the morrow? Mid morning?"
Maxim shoots Ghelve a grim smile as the group trudge wearily back inside;
"As Surabar says we've still unfinished business in the depths... Those taken will be returned... All of them..."
The gun-mage pats the locksmith on the shoulder reassuringly as JJ plans his exit and escorting of Marigold.
"I for my part will heading to my Uncle's. Pick over our loot and anything catches your eye keep. Those mundane items left will be offered up in trade, but I can't guarantee my Uncle will keep fencing this stuff... We may have to cast our nets wider when we have more time?"
Ghelve takes the news with a bit of resignation. He gives you some water to drink and waves you as you leave for your homes.
Outside is dark, but the street lamps and the moon provides enough light for you to walk feeling secure.
You again have the feeling of being observed as you walk out of Ghelve's locks.
You are casually talking about the meeting time and place tomorrow as you turn a corner in the street. In the darkness, you stumble with a group coming in the opposite direction. One of its members hits with her shoulder at Ryan’s shoulder.
You all stop and look at each other. The woman that just hit Ryan in the shoulder has short red hair, numerous scars, mostly on her hands and forearms, and a swaggering gait, she looks defiantly at the cleric.
Next to her is a tall woman, with smooth dusky skin, long black hair braided into numerous comrows, sharp features, and an apparent great sense of fashion. She also looks at Ryan ignoring all the rest of you as she speaks “Wow wow, look who's here. Little cousin Ryan.” she looks at you from top to bottom appreciating the dust and rags in your clothing and the scratches and bruises in your skin “Interesting”.
Behind her, there is a man a little too thin for his frame, with a weak chin and long face that make him look a bit like a weasel. The man, whom has watery eyes and hair short and brown taunts at Ryan then “So you now have decided to not only walk with the rabble of this city but become one of them Taskerhill?” producing the laugh of the rest of the group.
The group is completed by a tall and ruggedly handsome man with a well-trimmed beard and curly dark brown hair, and another short bald man with a blue hand tattoo on his front and severe dark eyes.
The red haired woman is Cora Lathenmire. Her parents are well-known weapons traders, and employ a number of smiths in town.
The dusky woman is Annah Taskerhill. Her parents are some of Cauldron's most important nobles, and her father Ankhin is reportedly a close personal friend of the lord mayor.
The weasel face one is Todd Vanderboren. His parents are among Cauldron's newest nobles and raised their fortune demonstrating a keen eye for business.
The handsome bearded man is Zachary Aslaxin II. His parents are amongst Cauldron's nobility, and run a high-class inn named "The Coy Nixie" near the eastern gate of Cauldron.
The last one, the bald, seems familiar to you, but he does not seem from Cauldron. You cannot recall his name and origin at the time.
Except the bald man, they all are armored and armed with fine weapons and armors. They are carrying backpacks and all but the red haired woman have potions and scrolls ready to use.
As the group begin to first settle in Ghelve’s, then disperse back into Cauldron to sleep, dally or rendezvous as is their want.
Maxim pulls together the items he plans to offer to his Uncle for sell-on. He invites those who remain to confirm these items are to be sold…
3 Doses of Medium Spider Venom (75 Gold per dose) - 225GP total
1 Skulk Shortsword - 5GP value
1 Silver Bracelet - 25GP value
1 MW Dagger (c/w Poison Compartment - 1 dose of Spider Venom) - 151 Gold in value.
1 Dose of Poison (unidentified - from Dark Stalker dagger) - value ???
3 Silver Rings - 5GP value each - 15GP total
2 Gold Rings - 25GP value each - 50GP total
Total trade value: 461 Gold
The gun-mage nods his head toward some of the items he has passed on;
”Those might be better suited being hocked to Tygot Maspis. Halfling sells antiques to Cauldron’s nobility. Might offer us a decent price for ‘em? Someone else fancy doing the legwork I’ll be a taken up dealing with with my Uncle Adrick and preparing my magicks and such…”
Mother of pearl inlayed gaming board and wooden pieces of gnomish design - worth 250GP
1 Gold Comb set with citrine gems - 160GP value
Total sale value: 410 Gold
Maxim steps out with those making tracks into the cobbled streets of the city. As they leave the gun-mage eyes the skyline and shadows...
:
...but his weary gaze notices nothing untoward:
A gaze that hardens as the other group approaches:
:
The dwarf curses under his breath and looks to Kikinnin, speaking low in Dwaven:
"Blodige adelige. Det er alt, vi har brug for. Hold din økse bror ... At rødme sin skæg på disse dyrebare podekviste ville bringe os dårligt formue ..."
Bloody nobles. That is all we need. Hold your axe brother... To redden its beard on these precious scions would bring us ill-fortune...
The gun-mage eyes the newcomers, but stays his hand and tongue save to identify those before them to his companions;
"Lords Vanderboren... Aslaxin and the Ladies Taskerhill and Lathenmire... The most noble scions of Cauldron... To what do we owe the honour?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
At Ghelves
"I'll take the items to Master Maspis, father has stopped in an met with him before while hunting one odd artifact or another. Of course, that by no means, means I'll get a better deal than yourself Master Snaphånce, merchant extraordinaire." Ryan finishes laughing to the resident quartermaster's request for a delivery to Tygot's Old Things.
Later on the road
Ignoring Vanderboren's jab Ryan addresses Annah, "Evening cousin, appears your group is on it's way to a 'party', must be for I fear Cora's eyesight used to be much better, else why would she have run into me except to be close enough to dance?" Ryan ask with a twinkle in his eye, reaching out to Cora as if to start a waltz... shrugging when she turns him down.
-- On the road --
"There are eyes on us.." warns JJ - his own eyes sweeping the rooftops.
It is with a degree of surprise that they bump into the nobles out on the town rather than the last laugh.
JJ is about to start forward but then pauses.
Won't be doing Ryan any favors if I speak for him
Still, he notes the five. "I'm not sure I've seen you here before..." he says to the bald man.
"I'm JJ. JJ Surabar." He tries to avoid putting any emphasis on his family name, but really, he is proud of it and maybe there is just a little bit of stress.
The group ignores all the others questions, although they give a look at JJ as he presents himself "Surabar? I thought that surname had disappeared years ago after the last siege of Redgorge" says Zachary.
Cora looks despised at Ryan "I have better things to do than playing the prissy princesses. We are gonna kill the kobold's tribe that has been harassing the city"
"There is no need to be blunt Cora. I am sure my cousin here did not want to offend you" says Annah with a wide smile towards Ryan as the group start to walk away following their direction "I have heard you are almost to pass your tonsure. Ikkyu, the Lucky Monkey's heir has joined us recently but we would have a good place for an Abadar's cleric if you are getting bored of the Church life."
Annah is the only one to hold a bit as the others walk away. Cora though stops a moment in front of Ruben to look at him up and down very intense.
Feeling the weight of the day getting heavier with each passing minute, Marigold doesn't have much input to offer as Maxim discusses what to do with all of their finds. "I d-don't know much about all that," she admits. "I'll leave the money and b-bartering and haggling to you and anyone else that's g-got an eye for these things."
As they leave Ghelve's in a group, the halfling nods as JJ offers to see her home. "Thanks JJ, I ap-p-preciate it," she smiles tiredly. "And m-meeting up midmorning sounds good to m-me." She starts with alarm as her friend mentions being watched and looks around nervously, but can see nothing.
"M-more skulks? The L-Last Laugh?" she whispers, trying to hide her uneasiness.
During the exchange with the group of strangers, she remains silent as she studies them curiously. They didn't seem like they wanted to actually cause trouble, but she could easily recognize the tone and posture of a bully when she saw it.
They know Ryan, or at least some of them do. Old friends or schoolmates maybe?
She glances at Maxim as he speaks and her frown deepens.
Nobles? Of course. Better to stay clear then.
Ruben stays silent through the conversation. He doesn't know these people and his mind is elsewhere, still down in the halls beneath the city.
His attention snaps back when the woman approaches him. Caught a little off guard he reverts to his usual tacit tone
My lady. he says in greeting. I saw a street artist some ways back. If you'd like I can have him paint a portrait of me, it'll last longer than that look you're giving me.
"Thanks for the offer Annah, but each of us have a time and a place and right now I am in my place, perhaps another time. Fare thee well on your quest with the kobolds." Ryan thanks Annah for her offer warmly, wishing the others well on their current quest.
Cora springs in surprise as Ruben talk to her like if she did not realize she was looking "Do not get excited cocky. If you step closer not even your mommy will recognize that face!" The red haired then turns and leaves with a defiant smile, her face same color as hair, whether from blushing or just angriness.
Annah smile back to Ryan adding "That is what I think, that you know your place. Remember the offer when you get tired of toying with the disadvantaged" before leaving with the rest of her group.
"Your thought wrong." are the words that spill, unthoughtfully, from the mouth of JJ.
This won't be the last time you hear it either. - the words stay trapped in his mouth, luckily, but the expression on his face is hardly one of a meek commoner.
The paladin opens a chest and brings a wooden case with old engravings on it. From the case he produces a long rigid object folded in silk. "Your father would have liked you to have this, and you have demonstrated it to deserve it" he says as he place it on your hands.
As you unfold the silk, the morning light reflects over a dark metallic surface. As you hold the blade you find it is perfectly balanced and sharpened. The masterwork cold iron shortsword has fine art engraved on the hilt "The Surabar coat of arms" appoints Aleck "It belonged to my granfather, your great-grandfather JJ. It is yours now"
"Uncle Alek!"
JJ admires the sword, and then carefully puts it away.
"Thank you so much... but surely... don't you need it?"
His hands can hardly stop from running down the sheath.
"We will find the other orphans. I just know it. I never realized there were so many other ..things.. living under Cauldron. "
He shakes his head in wonder. "I..
He almost looks embarrassed.
"I had an odd dream last night. An angel came to me, and sat by my bed. Singing me a song. It had the strangest words but.."
He pauses for a moment.
"நான் பேசும் போது இன்று காலை ... யாரும் நான் என்ன சொல்கிறேன் என்பது தெரிந்தது. அது மேரிகோல்டு போன்ற வகையான ... ஆனால் வித்தியாசமாக இருந்தது."
"This morning when I was speaking... nobody knew what I was saying. It was kind of like Marigold... but different."
And for those keeping track, it is Tamil. Nice curves I thought would suit Celestial
"Then, when I realized.. I was worried, but when I concentrate I can speak normally again."
"Take it, I have my own sword" you can see that as certain, a fine Abadar's longsword to his side "I have seen it, you will need this to fight the darkness surrounding Cauldron"
Aleck seems surprised as you talk but he seems then accepting the idea fast enough "That you talk is Celestial. The language of azatas, archorns and angels JJ. Interesting..."
He suddenly turns and starts packing clothes "I hope you have success with your friends on finding the children. I have things to do, I might be absent a couple of days if Jenya concedes me. Do not talk about this until my return" he looks at you pushing the sword towards your chest "Do not stand there looking at me like a stick. You are doing late and your friends need you."
"Thanks Uncle Alex. Is it anything I can help with?"
But JJ knew the answer was likely to be a no.
Taking the sword he attached it to his belt and then bid the paladin farewell.
"Good luck. Abadar be with you."
Weird, that just felt weird saying that.
The young warrior almost skipped down the road towards Ghelve's locks.