Kick-lick screws up his nose in distaste for the the rooms. "I sleep outside." He grumbles. He wanders outside, and climbs the building.
The girl picks up your money, frowns at the design of the gold pieces, shrugs, and places them behind the counter.
"You got the rooms for the night. Try not to break anything. Be out by noon tomorrow."
She never looks up from her reading as she tells you all this.
Kick-Lick leaves and begins to climb the building. He's not in any particular hurry so he takes his time to enjoy the climb. He finds a nice nook that looks secure, and begins to settle in for the night. Its odd though. Outside he may be, but the comforts of civilization are as far as the eye can see.
When everyone (other than Kick-Lick) gets to the rooms, you're disappointed to find one lumpy mattress on the floor, one shuttered window with no glass, and a simple wooden stool next to a hole in the wall that appears to be shut.
Kala chips in half with Tes, grumbling. Maybe tomorrow she'll make some friends in the city to couch surf with.
Once she sees the squalor of the room, she considers the possibility of setting a guard. At least the door locks.
Tes grimaces at the room, "Kala, we have been cheated! Well, its better than sleeping outside I suppose. At this rate I'll be flat broke in a few days, we'll need to spend some time tomorrow figuring out a more permanent solution as I have no idea on how to get home, do you?"
Vitrius surveys the room they were assigned and looks at Phaerlin. "This is hardly what I would call lodgings, but better than the barracks I suppose."
He sinks down to the ground, more tired than he realized and meditates upon the hard floor before allowing himself much needed rest.
"Definitely expected better, Tes. If I weren't so tired, I'd have haggled on the price, but I slipped up today." The merfolk yawns.
"Tomorrow we need to make friends or get jobs. Maybe join a guild? They might cover our living expenses at the least. Not much space in the city for roughing it, or I'd be glad to set up camp somewhere."
Kala rolls out her sleeping bag to have half of the mattress, so at least she can rest her head on something soft.
"For getting home, I was hoping you or Vitrius would find something in those books. For now, all we can do is put our wills to trying to figure out the magic that brought us here, and using it again."
Kick-lick sleeps the night through. It doesn't even cross his mind to keep watch.
"I can take first watch if you want to get some sleep Vitrius."
Vitrius nods as Phaerlin takes the first watch. "Of course, wake me when you are ready. "
Tes shakes her head in agreement, "Those sound like good ideas Kala. You want to split a watch or do you think this place is secure enough?"
"Any thief that thinks there's money to be found in this dump is welcome to take what he wants, if he treads lightly enough to not wake me." Kala settles into her bedroll.
I plan to just let him sleep the entire night.
The night is quiet, save for the small amount of noise of the streets below. It seems like this part of Ravnica is not one for night life.
Kala sleeps well for the entirety of the night as does Vitrius since Phaerlin decides if they were going to be tired, it might as well be one instead of two.
Kick-Lick, you're enjoying a cool night breeze out in the heights of the building. It would have been a wonderful sleep too, until you feel a shocking prodding on your nose.
You bolt up awake, rubbing your sore schnozz and find another goblin standing next to you. Odd for a goblin though, as she is dressed in relatively in-pice and clean clothing consisting of a short sleeve shirt, a long frock skirt that may be a bit too long, and a black apron that seems sturdy enough for iron work. Also, one of the lenses in her glasses is cracked, the other is missing.
She looks excited, almost hopping in place.
"I found's it! I found's it!" she cries as she makes to grab for you.
In her haste and excitement, she falls off the roof in rush to grab you, and is now out of sight. A few moments later, you small plop and a moan.
Kick-lick manages to keep his cool, climbing down the roof after the other goblin. He inspects the probably injured female, puts on her glasses, and says, in goblin, "You hurt. Why trying to grab me?" As he talks, he ties her up with his rope, and hammers the ends of the rope into the ground with his pitons.
Vitrius wakes to the cruel sun in his face. He looks quickly for Phaerlin. "You should not have allowed me to sleep so long. Your lack of rest will hinder your ability to fight, should we need it."
If Kala does not wake Tes up for a shift she will assume all is well and sleep the night through as well.
The goblin seems unconscious as you begin to secure her in the middle of the street. A few moments after you're done, you hear a buzzing noise and see that she sparks of electricity, which knocks her back awake.
She looks at you and squints, not being able to see well without her cracked glasses. Her eyes light up when she does see you and she hops closer to you.
"I founds it!" she cries again, and attempts to bite you.
And she lands on the cobble street and grunts in pain.
Kick-lick hops back, taking out a stick from his pot (obviously meant to be walking stick, but failing miserably), and attempts to wack the female goblin on the head with it. "Stoopid gobbo! Found what!?"
"You!"
There's a storm brewing overhead, and the tiny goblin still bound begins to look around in a panic.
"Quick! Quick! Untie Zapley! We go now!"
Anyone who's keeping watch (and Kick-Lick) make a perception check.
"As opposed to both of us having a lack of rest? It is my obligation to take care of others. One that I do not back down from."
"We run! Not good now!" Kick-lick says, untying most of the rope (he still leaves a little bit wound around her so he can hold on).
You notice that there seems to be rumbling in the ground that passes under you and moves towards the inn. At the same time you can see a few individuals climb into a room that might be where one of your fellows is staying in. And you also notice that a small gizmo on Zapley's back begins humming, whirring, and sparking wildly.
There is loud crack of thunderous noise as a lighting bolt shoots down from the sky and hits Kick-Lick and Zapley. Everyone in a mile radius snaps awake from the thunderous noise. Where the two Goblins were, only ash remain.
The two Vampires are alarmed by the sudden gigantic streak of lighting that appeared without notice. However, what happens next catches them even more off guard. The side of their room is split open as what can only be described as a demonic being rips the wooden wall to splinters. Its skin is a dark purple hue and his head is adorned with two, large spiked horns. The size of his form could wrap around a tree from the towertree forest, and it looks at you with glowing green eyes.
Kala and Tes, also awake, can feeel a rumbling under them and can hear the screams of patrons and the bursts of floorboards. With every moment you struggle to stay standing as you wonder what the hell is going on. This thought is interrupted as seven slime-like tentacles burst from the floorboards and begin to move towards you both.
Dexterity Save
The floor buckles so badly beneath Tes that she falls prone immediately.
"Hwuh? Roilquake?!" Kala's gaze snaps to the intruding appendages. "Are those eldrazi?!"
She goes sprawling after Tes.
Vitrius snaps out of his rest, quickly leaping to his feet. The tearing apart of the wall captures his full attention.
The green eyes on the beast seem to stare through him, but Vitrius stares back, a feral growl beginning to rise in his throat as he brings his full discipline to bear. "Phaerlin! We need to get to the girls and find that goblin!"
Drawing his blade, Phaerlin will move to interpose himself between the demon and Vitrius. "Go, get our companions." Phaerlin will then focus all of his attention on the Demon and shout "Beast! Leave now or be smote from the face of this earth!"
Tes and Kala find themselves on the floor and in the next instant it collapses throwing them into the maw of a beast that would be hard to describe in one phrase. It had feathers and scales, its tentacles coiled around the buildings supports. It was large, but shaped its body to pass through narrow gaps. And its breath smelled like a mix of strawberries and mint.
Darkness envelopes the two girls as the beast makes a hasty escape back down the tunnel it created.
Vitrius and Phaerlin stand their ground against what looks like to be a foe of imaginable might. At Phaerlin's threat, it merely chuckles sending shivers down both your spines.
"A contract, is a contract." it bellows as it reaches for both of you. Its grasp is so large that it surrounds you whole. And though you may stab and strike at it, the demon takes no notice, letting its caustic blood burn you for your attempts. With one flap of its mighty wings, it takes flight and soars away from the hotel you were staying at.
In the city of Ravnica, a lowly hotel owner sits at his home a few blocks away. He hears muffled screams and panic about as he makes his way outside in the night in his nightgown. Moments later, his hotel collapses before him, many of its residents dead wondering who could have brought this calamity on them.
And possibly, what calamities are to come?
Vitrius struggles helplessly in the demon's foul grip. As he is taken away, he puts away for later the idea of some contract being out on him and his thoughts immediately go to Tes, then Kala and then Kick-Lick. What happened to them? Did he not move fast enough? Where was this beast taking him and Phaerlin? At least he had one friend to help work this out... "Phaerlin? Are you still with me?"
"I am not dead, so clearly there is something going on. We will have to bide our time until we can escape."
Between the jostling of the fall and the grip of the creature, not to mention its smell, Tes simply cannot catch her breath to cast a spell. Darkness envelops her and she knows no more...
You both come to consciousness, though in a most bizarre situation. To Kala, she feels almost like she's back in the ocean, and Tes feels that weightlessness that happens when you jump from cliff to cliff.
On faces is a see-through bulbous mask which seems to be supplying you air. Without much motion, you begin to discreetly look around and find you are both being kept in the same vat, suspended in some sort of slime liquid. Through the hazy glass before you, you can see what appear to be humanoids in lab coats. Humans, elves, and other walk and talk around you, taking notes.
In chains. That's how you wake up. And to cheering.
Both of you snap awake and get to your feet to find yourselves in some sort of Colosseum. Around you, there are hundreds of humanoids. Demons, humans, goblins, all cheering, shouting, jumping in excitement.
And then there is a lull as before you stands a woman dressed in red and black. One hand forward and all the yelling stops.
"Welcome to tonight's events!" she calls out, her voice magically resonating through the huge building. She extends both arms in your direction.
"May your glory be won with the blood of others."
The smile she wears is reassuring, but flawed. She puts one hand to her side and raises the other in the air.
SNAP!
Three gates are opening slowly, old rusted chains groaning as they lift their heavy gates. And as you prepare for battle you see before you chained and ragged humans.
They look worn from malnourishment, and they feebly shuffle their way towards you. Some have clubs. Others have knives. One even carries what appears to be a spoon. The crowd jeers and laughs, throwing stones, food, and rot at the feeble prisoners before you.
Both your manacles fall to the floor. You have all your weapons and items on you. There are about 15 humans moving to attack you.
You come to consciousness, to find a familiar smell in the air. Somehow its so familiar....oh right! It reminds you of that time you got hit by lighting in one of Zendikar's wild lightning storms. Wait...right the lighting goblin!
You open your eyes and find yourself restrained on what appears to be a thin slab of steel. You hear Zapley humming somewhere out of sight in what appears to be a laboratory of some kind?
"Huh." He tests his bonds experimentally, and feels to see if he has any of his stuff.
He giggles at a thought. "You gettin real friendly with me!" He calls out to Zapley in goblin, chuckling, "But I no into this stuff!" He starts laughing so hard he almost chokes. He tests his bonds again. "So, let me out. Please? Promise no-more jokes!"
Phaerlin shouts up at the woman "The knightly arts are not for the murdering of those who can not defend themselves." Other than rubbing his wrists, he does not draw his weapon nor does he advance towards the desperate men.
Kala is confused and startled by the sudden change of scenery. She feels a sudden urge to get this mysterious slime off her, to put on a powerful totem armor and crash through the glass, since none of these people seem interested in getting them out. Don't they see that we need help? Why are they taking notes instead...surely this is the enemy.
She tries to calm down, unsure if Tes is still out of it. She would need to carry Tes if so, and search the other vats for her other allies. It would be best to wait until night, but there's no way to tell what hour it is. She tries to get a count of her foes, and waits, hoping to see the number reduce as time passes.
Her eyes flutter up to see if there is a top to this vat.
The room is actually not that large, having 5 more goblins in the space would make it a bit uncomfortable. Then again that's true for most situations. Kick-Lick is still clothed, and he can spot his possessions in a tidy pile in the far corner of the room he faces. Instead of doors, the entrance/exitways are just large holes in the wall you can walk through.
Zapley pops into the room a big smile on her face and a wad of paper she seemed to be writing on.
"No do!" she cries joyfully. "Breakthrough soon! Need more time! Then you go if you survive."
She starts to push on the table you're secured to and you slowly begin to slide backwards where you can't see. In front, you can see that Zapley's puny arms are being supplemented by robotic arm supports of some kind.
Then you begin to fall. It takes you a split second to realize she has pushed you off a ledge of what now appears to be a very large estate/laboratory. The table breaks as you land on a pile of dozen more broken tables like your own. You look around to see that the walls are glass and have some electric looking diodes that you feel will do something very nasty if you touch them.
"You stay and have fun in sand pool!" Zapley shouts. "I be back in hour. Need supplies for next experiment!"
Tes can feel her vocal chords move, but she begins to realize that speaking to Kala in these conditions would be quite difficult indeed. It also becomes apparent that both of you are completely naked in these floating tanks. However, it seems that there are large, old scratches and heavily congealed masses of slime that censor the private bits.
More researchers pass by, some stopping to examine you, others reading the machines you're hooked up to. From the large dome ceiling-window over the entirety of the building, you can see the sun is setting soon.
You both hesitate at the beginning of battle as the mob of weakened rushes you. It doesn't seem like they're much of threat. After all, even with proper weapons, you both doubt that could use them to their full potential. However, minimum damage is still damage. And through a flurry of desperate blows they crowd maanges to deal 4 damage to each of you.
The crowd screams their pleasure at your beating. You both hear jeers about piss-drinkers, blunt teeth, and bottom feeders.
-
-
Two hours must have passed if Kick-Lick could count that long. And only one word can describe the goblin's condition.
Bored.
During that time, you've taken in the odd laboratory of Zapley. No strange plants or beakers, but lots of technical looking contraptions. From these, you note the most interesting are: a strange metallic gauntlet that would fit a goblin's arm and an oversized metallic helmet that is very unwieldy and would make you extremely top heavy.
Phaerlin will draw upon his inner predator as the desperate men advance and attempt to make them rethink their consequences of their actions.
Kala's on the same wavelength as Tes, trying to count their foes and hoping the number goes down over time.
You put on the gauntlet and....nothing happens.
The top is closed. You could move around by pushing against each other or the sides, but it seems your container is made of heavy glass and steel.
You do have an opportunity to pick out a few details. There is a guard patrol. A few researchers stayed late for more work. One researcher is particulary interested in your tank, a younger man. And a few others based on possible outcomes.
======For Tes and Kala=======
A couple of guards make rounds in what seem to be erratic times. However, you are able to discern the most probable time they would be too far to intervene.
One researcher who stayed behind on the pretense of studying is actually sketching both your forms. More artistically than vulgar, its an odd detail.
You can tell the young man appreciates both your forms and beauty, and also may feel guilty about the current situation.
=========================
There are screams as four of the enemy back away quickly, cleared scared out of their wits. They end up running back to the barred gates, begging to be let back in. They are answered with spears to the face, body, and appendages. As the weapons withdraw, the four cowards fall to the floor, dead.
Vitirus also drops four more, sending out three attacks, having two connect, and sending those struck flying away and hitting another.
There are 7 enemies left. Each tries desperately to bring you down.
It isn't much, but they do manage some decent hits on you. Each of you take 2 more damage.
Both of you are up!
-
Phaerlin will focus on destroying their weapons.