"Kaniki tells us about the house and all about that nasty mistress. We want to meet her. Tell us of guards, wards and her powers."
His eyes flicking around the kitchen, Tybalt attempts to spot anyone moving. Heart swelling that the bird-woman has given up, whilst also knowing that every second counts.
For a moment he considers casting a glittering rainbow of particles, just in case the rat-woman is about. However he leans against the door.
"Mistress will hurt Kaniki if Kaniki talks. Mistress will also hurt Kaniki if she does not bring her snack." The bird-creature's eyes flicker up to the corpse hanging from the meat hook. "Mistress is powerful witch who call Kaniki to her service. Intruders should leave now while they still can."
"How's about you go about your routine Kaniki, we'll follow you to make sure that everything is well." Tybalt says hopefully. 'Yes, if the mistress can track her then best do this quick. And Kaniki can ensure we bypass normal security precautions.'
From his position against the door he hisses low; [b][smaller]"Is Sir dwarf awake? Should we splash water on him?'[/i] Tybalt doesn't use Res' name purposefully.
The bird-creature regards all of you warily, looking to see if she will actually be allowed to go about her business.
Res continues to snore away undisturbed by anyone.
"Just a moment, Kaniki...." Tybalt adds getting ready to open the closed door, "If you'd care to prepare Mistresses meal?" He still awaits anyone trying to wake up Res'.
Kaniki looks around the room again before she goes about her business. She picks up a meat cleaver and approaches the rotting corpse. With casual efficiency, she grabs the forearm which is already missing a hand and, with one swift chop, severs it at the elbow. She returns the cleaver to its place and wraps the gristly fruit of her labor in a piece of butcher paper. Then she heads for the door.
Andrzej kneels down over the fallen priest and shakes one shoulder gently, becoming more vigorous if that does not work, always ready to step aside if the man wakes up grumpy and fightable.
The vistani studiously ignores the chopping of the corpse limb.
Tybalt will open the door for Kaniki, only once Res and the others are awake. But once he is, then like a gentleman Tybalt will open the door for the maid.
"What...?" Leandro stutters, then dashes to prevent the maid from wielding the cleaver, "Wait, no... you can't just chop up this poor fellow's corpse! We have to give him a decent burial! And your mistress already knows that we are here. She's not going to want to eat until after she's killed us. Now where would we find her? You can stay here out of the way. In fact, we can tie you up so you can tell her it was all our fault after we're dead."
Tybalt shakes his head softly; 'Doesn't he know nowhere is safe. A corpse can be reanimated, there's little sacred ground to prevent it. A burnt corpse's spirit can still be shackled. Even after death you are not safe from the denizens of the Land.' he thinks melancholy, knowing the horrors that can await the unwary.
Kaniki regards Leandro with some puzzlement. "He said get mistress her snack so Kaniki prepares snack." Her head bobs in a bird-like movement. "Kaniki can go to hidey-hole and wait. If intruders kill mistress, Kaniki will leave. If mistress kills intruders, Kaniki will get snack."
"Could you at least tell us where to find your Mistress then?" Tybalt inquires softly, trying to put the young maid at her ease.
"Mistress is in study. On top floor. Behind conservatory."
"Any precautions or keys that you use? Secret knocks? Other rooms?" Tybalt peacefully asks, trying to picture the layout. 'Could that be a trapped mystical room, all that glazing...' The bard prepares to move from the doorway.
"No," Kaniki says, "but there are three guards in the corridor on that level."
"She'll have had time to prepare, too, so there's probably more. The sooner we go up, the better. I think." Leandro looks to Res and Andrzej for confirmation.
Res wakes with a start, his hand immediately grasping for the hilt of his greatsword. He is surprised when it is not in its expected location.
Res catches the end of Leandro's intercession into the preparation of the mistress's snack.
Trying to catch up with what he has missed, he listens to Tybalt's questioning of Kaniki and Leandro's suggestion to proceed.
"I'm not sure what I've missed, but I trust your judgment Leandro. If it's time to take the fight forward, then let us proceed. Gorum will be pleased with this course of action."
He picks up his greatsword from the floor and prepares to leave the room.
Keeping one had upon his silver whip, he'll let the group and Kaniki out whilst trying to not let the door open too far.
Once everyone is out, Tybalt will swing around the door and jam it shut with a iron spike stuck minto the hinges. "Off you go, to your bolt hole..." he'll tell Kaniki urgently. Looking for the stairs to the top of the building.
Kaniki wanders down the hallway toward the stairwell. She gives a glance at all of you and then disappears directly into one of the walls.
The stairwell ascends multiple stories and seems like a promising route to higher levels.
"Up we go," Leandro says, "I do not suppose there is any point in silence." He starts up the stairway.
"Don't be so glum. I can make you feel like a hero?" Tybalt offers.
Andrzej casts magic on himself, the purr of spells firing mingle into his blood making the man quicker, lighter and faster.
Then he asks for a little healing from the wand he first produced.
As Tybalt softly walks up the stairs, he casts a bolstering spell on the brave paladin. Lightly he bounds up the stairs, watching out for the 3 guards.
Res pulls out Andrzej's wand and touches the magus with it. He also sees that Eliva was injured as well and uses the wand's healing power to help the inquisitor.
The stairway ascends three flights before it reaches the top. At each level, there is a closed door. You are able to reach the topmost door without incident.
Creeping towards the door he examines it carefully; "Any magic aura's?" he questions softly. Then he looks for sigils or magical runes, hinges, locks, loose floor boards, any items or buttons upon the lintel or architrave. Is the door push/pull/slide/rotate (if I can tell)?
With a practised ease he flips open a leather pouch at his waist and gets out long and pitted tools, he tries to avoid anyone's gaze - lest they ask where he learnt this trade. The thin metal items methodically work upon the door attempting to gain entrance through the portal.
Res prepares to cast two spells as he watches Tybalt attempt to open the door.
Andrzej's heels click together lightly in thanks to Res. He nods correctly at the same time.
"Kaniki made an illusion of that wererat. The magic was good enough to fool you but I could no speak out to warn everyone. Watch out for other such trickery here."
Once Tybalt starts to examine the door, he gently wait with his scimitar drawn and breathing under firm control.
Smoothly the bard pulls open the door, standing behind it but outside of it's swing. He waits letting the others through first, knowing not to get in anyone elses way. Deep within his chest he can feel the first rumblings of a cough, he supresses it as much as he can.
Before the bard opens the door, Leandro takes a moment to mutter a prayer to Shelyn, begging for her aid against the evil that waits within. He listens to Andrzej in surprise, then grins sheepishly. "I thought our devestating martial prowess had scared the creature away."
Tybalt pulls open the door to reveal a long, straight corridor, wide and well-appointed. Well-worn but ornate rugs decorate the wood floors, and paintings in gilt frames hang from the walls. About halfway down the hall, three men, armed and garbed in leather, talk among themselves. They turn and regard you as you open the door, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons.
Stood behind the door, with a quick glance to the faces of his companions - the nervousness evident upon his own, he nods. Deep within his chest, there feels a racking cough building up.
Andrzej instinctively reaches into his jacket and pulls out a cloud of dusty particles that he blows towards the guards. As the magical dust billows it glows and shines until the glittering cloud hits all of them, sticking to their clothes and gluing to their skin.
Then he moves up the corridor carefully until he is ten feet from the nearest warrior.
Looking from behind Leandro's shoulder, Tybalt thinks quickly 'Maybe if we are to find the trigger it's an excess of emotion. Well as a performer that should be easy.'
"Knock knock...." he says in a low range. Followed by "Who's there? you say..."
"Guardians of evil!" Leandro growls, dashing headlong down the corridor with his sword.
Tybalt watches the steel Knight fly forward, then lets out a repressed cough.
Res moves up behind Andrzej and holds his silver greatsword in one hand. With his other hand, he holds up Gorum's holy symbol and prays for a burst of sound to lay low their enemies.
Andrzej sends a shimmer of light which blinds one of the guards and outlines all of them in golden glitter. The nearest guard finds Tybalt's humor irresistable and falls to the ground laughing. Leandro charges the remaining guard and slices him deeply with a silver blade. With a crack of thunder, Res's spell stuns the guards.
Stunned, blinded, and laughing, the guards are unable to act against the intruders.
Eliva
Andrzej
Tybalt
Leandro
Res
Guards
Leandro attempts to put an end to Guard Three's misery.
Eliva moves forward, holding her bow in one hand as she draws her mace. She concentrates on the corridor, looking and listening for signs of anything lurking beyond.
But the sparkly giggling guards all dropping their weapons at once is too distracting for her to notice much else.