Variel runs the siren through its throat with his rapier.
"There!" Jazz exclaims, pointing to where he saw the mist fiend. "In the east wing of the house. I don't see the other one. Shall we route them out, or wait for them to come here?" he hesitates, looking to his companions for their preference, obviously drawn between hunting down the mist fiend and staying to protect Brice.
Rikaku hisses at Jazz's exclamation, grabbing up his spear and hurrying for the exit of this grotesque and nightmarish room. "We kill now. Kill before it kill us."
He switches to Draconic, knowing a couple of the party can understand that now. "I think this Brice man is beyond saving. Probably better to put him out of his misery. Chara girl should come with us for now, though."
"Should we take them with us?" asks Trogg as he pokes around amongst the dead, trying to see if there are any there who still have a spark of life left in them.
Chara has taken a sword and dagger from some of the dead bodies. Trogg comes over to inspect the rest to see if any are even remotely alive. None are by the looks of things, though he finds some of the ex-adventurers have some potions.
The wounds that you see the adventurers have taken are mostly large sword gashes or blunt force trauma, a few have large dog like bite marks. There are no talon scraps to speak of. You suspect the Siren might not have been the ones to kill these, use their bodies definitely though something else killed them.
Hunting the mist fiend?... it will be a hard hunt. Mayhap we can fight them on this ground rather than in mist shrouded woods would be better,
In his beginner Draconic, Jazz says softly...
"I agree. I will do it, but it probably be better if Chara is not here. Do we agree?"
His sword is still at the ready, his eyes scanning around them keeping a watch for the mist fiends.
"It wasn't the siren that killed these people. Perhaps it was a mistfiend?"
To Brice: "Part of what afflicts you is beyond my ability to repair. I may be able to relieve some of your symptoms with magic tomorrow, but I'm not certain."
To Rikaku and Jazz: "What are you going on about?"
Jazz shakes his head... a truly ugly business. Switching to Dwarven, he translates what Rikaku and he had been discussing. Then he asks, "Do you really think you have the ability to save him? I've not researched much in healing magic to know, but if you're confident or determined to try and save him, then that's your call. I would make it painless and peaceful for him, though. I don't think he'd even see it coming."
His eyes shift to Brice and Chara both, to see if they might be understanding them.
Neither Brice or Chara seems to understand what the group is saying.
"I leave this decision to you, Trogg, as you know most of the healing arts. It's an ugly business to put him down, especially if we don't have to, but remember that we have a greater mission before us." He lets the matter rest and waits for the dwarf's decision.
The stress of the decision he has been called on to make carves deep lines into the dwarf's face. My heart tells me to make every effort, but my head tells me even that may not be enough.
While his master wrestles with questions of life and death, Clarance picks the wax out of his ears, sniffs it, then eats it.
To Jazz in Dwarven: "I shall tell him the truth, but not the whole truth. Watch how he takes it. If he desires death, he shall have it. Either way, I would like your assistance sewing him up."
To Brice in common: "I'm going to be perfectly frank. The siren gutted you like a fish, removed some of your insides and messed with the rest. I think Jazz and I can sew you back together, but it will almost certainly hurt like hell tomorrow and for several weeks to come. The siren may have removed something vital, I can't tell. There's a decent chance you will slowly die an agonizing death. Even if you do survive, I strongly doubt you will ever be completely healed."
If need be I can... handle... the sewing... I am trained as a healer, Variel says, wiping vomit from his lips and looking wan and drawn out.
Brice chuckles. "Ah so I am screwed. Give sewing me up a shot a shot. If I die, I die. If it's getting too painful I'll off myself, I should've died back there with my friends anyway, I might get a new chance at life who knows. Don't know until I try."
Trogg can sense that he is being sincere though is hiding his obvious worry, although there is a sense of defeat in his voice as if he has resigned to the worse already.
Jazz is still keeping an eye on the door, rapier out and pointed to the ground. "You really think you can handle it, Variel? You don't look too good."
He nods wordlessly and gets his kit out.
Variel begins to work, with his knowledge in healing he knows where to thread the needle better than most, guiding his hand he tries to sew up poor Brice.
With diligent effort and precise strokes Variel sews Brice back up. Although Brice is quite numb he is able to stand. He slowly dresses himself in some gear, some of the party help out the man so that he might walk again.
"Thank.. Thank you my elven friend. I will treasure what little life I have left in my body. I think I can walk back to town when you are ready to leave."
Chara nods happily seeing her friend is alright though ailing. "I will up here with him feeding him and tending to him. I still will be joining you but for the moment I will help my friend until we get back to town."
The party hears clashing of weapons downstairs and screams of agony. Chara says worriedly. "What in the world is that? Have the mistfiends come back already?"
Jazz is still a little edgy at the situation but as he hears the sounds of battle he spurs the group into action to hunt down the mistfiend that he saw. Variel makes sure that Brice will be stable then joins his group, the rest of the group all gather together and hustle down the to the eastern wing of the house. When they arrive they see two half orcs and a human, weapons drawn fighting a fearsome Mistfiend. This one is much bigger than the group fought before.
The Mistfiend still has a doglike head with brown mist flowing off cloak features on its shoulders. The creature is holding a large axe that is crackling with lightning. The axe is currently lodged in the ground having just split open the head of a msle elf. Two other bodies are seen around him, one male human twitching on the ground with sparks of electricity still seeping from him. Lastly a half orc woman with the head spike of the axe buried into her chest impaling her to the wall. The spike having been broken off, leaving her there.
You came to the town of Chamarel to get some of this wonderfully Juicy reward. After having a good day in the Rum Runner with loads of other adventurers you gathered clues about the disappearances all seemingly heading towards a cave somewhere in the mountain but no-one you talk to has more information about it. You gathered up a rumour or two from the bartender Beltzer that there might be some clues in the old mansions around town. So you've come to this mansion, as you enter you see the door has been unlocked and there are fresh tracks outside. Some people and a two legged hoof creature.
You decide to be cautious in exploring the house, once entering the Antechamber you saw 3 routes, one to the west wing of the house, one to the east and one upstairs. You ventured down the East wing.
As you followed the corridor down you were ambushed by this large beast.
In a moments notice your friend Agatha was impaled to the wall and the top bit of this large creature's axe broke off inside her body.
The party regrouped trying to fight it but this creature was much too fast. A lightning bolt shot forth from the creature's body zapping your friend Dael, leaving him a twitching heap on the ground.
Your group finally had a chance to counter attack, you try to reach him in this narrow corridor but Elroein takes a hit to the gut and falls over. Your attacks didn't seem to do anything to the creature, finally the creatures axe comes down again, cleaving your friend's head in two. Immediately afterwards you hear footsteps come from behind you, now what?
Variel
Drak
Jazz
Clarence
Rikaku
Trogg & Rybal
Malthu
No! Elroein!
Rybal lets out a howl of fury as the axe falls. You bloody, dog-faced cur! I'll kill you for that! Rrragghh!! . He keeps his massive shield leveled towards the fiend, trying to keep it at bay with his blade and looking for an opening, but overextendig himself in his rage.
Round 1
Jazz rounds the corner, and taking in the scene with a swift, practiced eye, launches himself into the battle. A new, magical shimmer glosses the blade of his rapier as it swishes toward the mistfiend's chest.
Charge Attack
Damage (Arcane Pool + Arcane Strike)
Rikaku is relatively shell-shocked upon walking into yet another corridor filled with death. "Ugyah! Who these?!" The kobold shakes his head. "No, neverminds! Kill mistfiend!" Skittering further down the corridor, the kobold shouts and gestures wildly at the dog-headed creature's crackling lightning weapon. The shaft freezes in an instant, a thick coating of cold ice making it difficult to keep a grasp of.
The Mistfiend rears up and slashes in front of him trying to cleave through the two half orcs in his swinging arc.
The Mistfiend misses Malthu with his axe but it manages to just about breach Rybal's tough as nails armour damaging the other half orc. Bolts of electricity continue to build up on the Mistfiend's axe though it doesn't seem to have as much before it shot out that bolt of lightning earlier yet.
Drak furious about his comrades getting killed turns uses that anger and focuses his ki, bending the light around him then he moves to the other side of the creature trying to aim at a vital spot and flanking for his allies.
You will find justice today my friends
Jazz springs into action, moving toward the mistfiend and the newcomers briskly, sword-in-hand. He runs forward thirty feet, then promptly -- after a quick muttered word and subtle hand movement -- disappears. "I'll be flanking it," he says, loud enough for the newcomers to hear him.
Hexing while I move up and drawing my rapier.
Variel moves up and hexes the creature to make it easier for his allies to hit. Jazz moves up and renders himself invisible while Drak tries to tumble through the enemy. He manages to do so as the Mistfiend can't see him. Then lands a damaging blow to it's back, it shrieks out in pain but is still ready and willing to fight.
Out of the cracks in the structure more mist seeps into the corridor, behind the party just behind Trogg and Clarence another Mistfiend forms. This one just as large as the one in front of them. Though this one is holding a sword instead of an axe. It then tries to cleave through the two at the back.
Thankfully it swings too high to hit either the dwarf or badger but the threat of him being there is no less real.
When Rikaku casts grease the weapon stays firmly in the Mistfiend's hands however the grease is still there and may yet fly out of the creature's grasp.
Clarence leaps forward and unleashes his full fury on the mistfiend.
Trogg retreats out of reach of the mistfiend, keeping his shield between him and danger.
Clarence tries to ravage the Mistfiend only scratching it a little with his bite and one of his claws. Trogg tries to move back but doesn't dodge the incoming blow from the Mistfiend.
Rikaku casts his grease spell, then the Half-orc brothers in arms go to town trying to take vengeance for their slain comrades. The smite that Malthu cast seems to being doing it's job well. The mistfiend to the East of the corridor now fully battered and bruised has a large amount of lightning charged up in its weapon.
Both the creatures are still standing, each of them is snarling menacingly at the party. Mist around their muzzles condensing and then going up in sparks, loud crackling noises fill the corridor. The one to the East seems ready to unleash a blast of lightning again. The Mistfiend stares down at Malthu and Drak, a low growl building up in his throat. The pair of friends could swear that if they could see a smile in a creature's muzzle they are seeing it now.
Variel begins to cackle and laugh sinisterly keeping the hex on the first mist fiend going while hexing the 2nd mist fiend, hampering its combat effectiveness.
The other Mistfiend gets hexed as well, though Variel is intending to keep them hexed for a long while with his cackling.
The mistfiend next to Malthu and Drak growls even louder then a thunderclap rings out. Lightning spews forth adjacent to the creature attacking both friends.
Despite the continued use of the large greased up weapon the Mistfiend manages to keep a grasp on it. The group can hear the creature panting wearily, it might be on its last legs.
Variel is intending to keep them hexed for a long while with his cackling