"I have brought the children safely to your care lady, I will not play nursemaid for your temple. The children are strong and willing. I have no doubt that after a good night's sleep they will be more than capable of earning their own keep. I am of course willing to help in whatever way I can if the trouble outside knocks on your door while I am here, but as soon as my companions are ready I have business elsewhere." Maria says
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-Past-
"We're sorry to bother you at so late an hour, ma'am," Ernhild says upon her arrival. "But these children have not slept in a proper bed for months, and they need urgent care."
She lets Tawni and Riren explain the situation, and spends the rest of the evening trying to be as useful as possible -whether to keep an eye on the children, making the beds, clearing away the tables, or clearing her throat in a not-so-subtle way when she notices that Juliet is drifting away from the task at hand.
-Current-
When everything has calmed down a little, Ernhild sits on the nearest chair, drained of all energy. She frowns a bit at Maria's words:
"If you still need help," she tells Lessilyn. "One or two of us can stay behind."
Dennvyn and Grigori have just finished putting beds together and have just gone to the dining hall, meeting Tawni and Lessilyn with the children. The children are eating quietly and they are almost afraid, despite the kindness. It shows the abuses that Lamm put them through.
As if on cue, a knock on the door the group entered the Orphanage from has indicates the first sign of danger. The second sign is the masked group of masked men and women in green hats bashing in the door to the orphanage.
Gorum comes for ye! Shouts a masked half-orc.
There are two hands men and two human women and the half-orc leading them. They are all wielding flails.
The players may go in any order then the green hats may go. You are in a 15 by 40 entry hall.
In the entry hall is Sister Sicara, Riren, Maria, Ernhild, and Juliet.
In the central hall is Grigori, ostensibly heading to bed after eating. Finally, in the dining hall is Lessilyn, the 28 other children, Dennvyn, and Tawni. This room will not act on round one.
Riren steps forward. "Gorum is the god of battle and strength, you dare use that power in a orpanage. Where the children can't defend themselves. I do not wish to deny you battle, but go find others willing to fight. There is where the real challenge will be, the real test of your strength"
Riren would like to have stepped in front of the innocents without blade drawn. Attempting to look more like clergy than a warpriest.
"Gorum needs recruits!" is all Riren hears the half-orc scream.
"These children have been through enough. I will defend them from you. Leave, or risk a fight someone your own size."
Juliet cringes up as Ernhild coughs at her, and sighs. Folding a sheet over a cot, the singer frowns. Helping people was boring. Wiping her hands as if from a job well done, Juliet turns to Ernhild and shrugs. "Think they need some help in the main hall. I'm gonna see what I can do..."
Gorumites. Generally the dumbest pack of fanatics you can find, and cruel in nature to boot. Cruel enough to terrorize a house full of orphans first chance a little chaos throws at them. Good thing she was here then - turns out her help was needed in the front hall after all!
Standing next to Riren, Juliet puffs herself up as much as she can, a full five and half feet in height. "Beat feet, flunky, before you get a different beating!"
As Riren issues a challenge based on his size, Maria summons a handful of tacky energy with the consistency of putty and throws it at him. For a moment it sticks and then it begins to flow across his body, washing over him in expanding waves that layer on top of him slowly building his form to twice it's original size.
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If these brutes didn't listen to Riren, then nothing would deter them. Ernhild grumbles, drawing her weapon and taking her place by the fighters.
"Breaking into a civilian's home in the middle of the night -you cannot call that a fair fight. Leave those children alone, they're not old enough to be interested in your pamphlets."
It seems like Ernhild is doing something else while talking.
The four Gorumites try to charge in, listening to their leader. Who is smiling a sinister grin.
Two thugs charge Ernhild and two Thugs charge Juliet. Juliet is waiting, impaling one of the thugs in her rapier as soon as he charges. Ernhild is struck by the club of one very weakly, but the charge is ineffective, as the shortswords of the others seem to miss their marks, in no small part to Ernhild's quick defensive thinking. Sister Sicara, on the other hand, Casts Bless. It is a good thing, as the Half orc very quickly responds by casting Bane, neutralizing the spell.
In the hall, Grigori hears the sound of combat, and rushes to the dining hall, yelling that there's trouble at the entry hall. Someone's trying to break in and attack!
DM Rolls
Riren 1
Ernhild 2
Maria 3
Juliet 4
Grigori get help 30% or more
"Stay here and out of sight, if you can!" Tawni orders the children, as he moves towards the conflict, pulling his blade for the second time tonight.
As the thugs seem to ignore him, the strange energy absorbs into his body, as his body and weapon increase in size, filling the room.
"Through Sarenrae's light, I will smite you!"
Riren steps forward to the Half Orc leader and swings his blade.
"Leave this place, take your fight elsewhere. These children are not for you or your god, back off now!"
"You have chosen the wrong orphanage to target tonight" Maria says, unleashing an acidic dart at the closest thug and then retreating towards the corridor
Dennvyn's head pokes up as he hears a strange sound in the other room, his expression curious as if he's trying to place it... but the uncertainty vanishes when he hears the scream of alarm. His eyes narrow, Who in the Hells would attack an orphanage -- and one you know to be run by clerics of the Dawnflower? The only thing more stupid would be attacking the Calistrians -- because then, you'd need to sleep with an eye open for the rest of your life... He shakes his head, then says reassuringly, "Don't worry, kids. We can easily take anyone dumb enough to attack an orphanage. But lock the door behind us, just to keep the looters out." With that, he draws his blade and spins on his heel, rushing toward the sounds of combat.
Round 2
Stepping aside, Juliet watches as the thug's blade sweeps the air where Juliet's face just was. Then, just as quickly, Juliet lashes out again with Spite putting more power than accuracy behind her thrust.
Riren hops through the other attackers, who will get a single attack of opportunity on him, missing horribly. Sadly, Riren's blows miss the half-orc, who grins at the surprise on Riren's face. "Not yer' typical thug, Chel Scum."
Maria's acidic dart hits a thug with acid, melting his face as he falls to the ground, dropping his light mace as he goes down screaming (0 hp), at the same moment, Ernhild successfully gets past the thug with the Shortsword's defenses. She slams into his chest, hearing quite a bit of cracking, forcing the thug to step back (yes, a 5' step). The thug then takes out a vial and drinks it, looking quite a bit healthier than he did before.
The half-orc then sees the quick progress that the party has made on their group. "Groetus has found worthy opponents! We shall meet again! Kill the failures!"
To which the remaining clubber looks down at the one that Maria sprayed with Acid and successfully performs a coup de grace, splattering brains all over the floor.
The half-orc then steps back and begins chanting.
A ray of blackened, but blinding energy shoots from his fingers and slams into the body on the floor of the first dropped thug, and the thug breathes its last.
Zone 1: Entry Room:
Enemies: 2 Thugs, 1/2 Orc Cleric/thug? (All wearing masks and green hats).
Allies: Juliet, Ernhild, and Riren
Zone 2: Central Hall
Allies: Grigori (near the Dining hall now), Maria just out of the Entry Room, with Tawni and Dennvyn moving towards the dining hall (and able to enter combat next round.
Zone 3: Dining Hall: Now locked with Lessilyn and 28 of the children inside. Lessilyn is armed with a kitchen knife and butcher's cleaver if need be.
Zone 3 and beyond (upstairs there are more children, there are other playrooms and teaching rooms in the place).
Not willing to let any go alive if she can help it, Juliet steps into the nearest fleeing thug, using the thug's motion to try and run him through with Spite.
Juliette's strike hits home, bringing down the shortsword-wielding thug. Only the clubber and the cleric remain!
Riren stands back, trying to place himself in front of all innocents. Looking to the ones left behind, "Leave now. My friends here might not be able to resist an easy kill. Leave and try to live a better life!"
---Readied Attack---
Scrambling through the building, the sailor makes it into the room with the fight and works his way across it to the enemies.
The Orc and his lone ally begin filing out of the building doing the "I'll be back" idea, defensively retreating and closing the door. The bloody mess at the party's feet leaves three bodies, all wearing green hats and green masks. One with a club, one with a mace, and one with a shortsword. All are wearing studded leather and chokers bearing a wooden symbol painted green, the symbol of Groetus.
Further information would require a perception check.
The group breathes a sigh of relief, and Sister Sicara bars the front door closed. "I'll get a mop. No use in having the children see this mess."
Riren looks around the room, at the various bodies.
His body shrinking down in size as he looks.
"That was an interesting sensation. Have to say, in battle I could get used to that."
"You are welcome. "
Maria emerges from the doorway and looks at the corpses in disgust. "who would attack an orphanage? I mean what could they possibly want to gain here? Children? "
Dennvyn nods, "Aye, probably. Kids are easily to manipulate and turn into cultists, criminals, or even footsoldiers. And, at least in Korvosa, they're disposable... Lamm might have been the worst, but certainly not the only one."
maybe that's what I do now to fill the void now that Lamm is dead
I got my revenge but there are so many who can't... So maybe then I handle the job for them... Replace living for revenge to seeking to avenge those that can't or couldn't fight back...
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"Followers, probably," Ernhild shrugs. "God of Brawl. Not God of Brains."
Speaking of brains, there is quite a mess on the floor. The cleric grimaces; no matter how good of a healer she is, there's no way anyone might succeed to stuff the whole thing back in.
"Let's check on the children first, and help cleaning after."
"Yes, try to calm the children and keep them out of here until we've cleaned this up. Please." He starts trying to contain the mess as he talks.
Dennvyn looks at the mess and shakes his head, The City's gone mad, and in a little nervous about who is going to be restoring what kind of order... and, for that matter, how we're going to navigate out there to bring Zellara her head... which is still the strangest thing I've ever agreed to do. .
He sighs, "I'll go back to talk to the kids, I told them to lock the door until we got to them.". He smiles slightly as he adds, " Besides, I didn't prepare a prestidigitation today, and I've got lousy reach with a mop."
"suddenly prestidigitation looks a lot more useful than either of us assumed."Maria says, "We might as well get this cleared. The night is far from over and much as I want to conclude our business with our mysterious benefactor, I am uncomfortable leaving the children here until we can be sure they are safe.
"Agreed. This is definitely unsanitary. Plus we can clean this area and keep it guarded. Who checked on the children, are they ok?"
Riren would work on cleaning up while also trying to stay alert to any more intrusions.
Sister Sicara requests some ammonia water, and goes about scrubbing the floor with it, taking any help she can get. Lessilyn is still with the children, who, outside of Grigori, are very frightened. Grigori seems angry that the green-hatted men have come here.
The bodies are disposed of quickly, and the children are placed into their beds and the evening is otherwise quiet.
The morning comes to Korvosa. The initial riots have subsided, but, if anything, you all know that they will continue later. The streets will be unsafe alone, for sure, but it would likely be safest to get to Zellara's home at this point.
Dennvyn shakes his head with a slight chuckle, "..and thanks to Lamm, I did end up in an orphanage after all... if only for a night."
He stretches and splashes water on his face to ensure that he's fully awake, and then says, "Looks like we have a safe window in which we can get to Zellara's... and, besides, if we don't leave soon, we'll likely get roped into morning chores."
"Yes, she's probably assumed we failed and are dead by now."
On cue, Sister Sicara peeks in on Deevyn and says Chores! Are you volunteering?
She sees the look of horror at the timing and can't hold her laughter any longer. A little humor. Poor kids are terrified of me walking around the corner if they are shirking their duties. All that time in the Cinderlands mad me disciplined. It was that or dead, so I try to instill the former on the children.. She Pat's him on the shoulder.
Lessilyn appreciated everything you have done for the orphanage, especially last night. I am grateful for that, too. Be careful out there. There are moving rioters and masked men about.
"Discipline is valuable sister. I am glad you are instilling it in these children." Maria says, gathering her things, "Well lets get this over with. Our mysterious benefactor needs to know justice has been served."
Dennvyn laughs, once the startle passes, a smile on his face, "What?! Are the rumours true? Do you have clairaudience in all the rooms to hear what the children are plotting?!"
He then nods more soberly, "Appreciate the praise, and the warning. I plan to hide behind all these people like I'm one of the children," he finishes with a wink.
He then takes a breath a sighs, And now to deal with the ghost in the room... literally..., and says, "Don't think we need to worry about that, Tawni, given that she's already dead and has been following our progress anyway."
With that, the group begins s to gather, and a very sleepy Grigori comes rushing out to Tawni. Wait fer me! We had a Deal!
Sister Sicara was just about to un-bar the door, and turns and shakes her head.
You said you'd train me. I wanna get that trainin' an' help stop people like those crazies with the green hats. You good to yer word?. Grigori stands there looking at Tawni.
After a long night, keeping himself as on guard as he can, while still getting the rest his body needed. Riren dreams of a safer place, with less evil in it.
Waking up to the sun raising, At least the sun is here to guide us in this new day
Watching Grigori talk to Tawni about being trained, Riren waits for the answer. Knowing he too could train this child, though his mission is always at hand. Will need to pray on it, and see if it is in the plan.
"Well, we are off to Zellara's... Need to learn more about what last night meant.."
Tawni looks at the young man with an expression of, well, fear. "I did NOT! I said I knew someone who would teach you things Lamm never would." He points at Sister Sicara. "Now, I could, I suppose, teach you a few things. But if the Sisters don't think you're pulling your weight and doing what you should here, you're not getting ANYTHING ELSE from me. Understand that?"
Grigori looks down. Almost sobbing, but wanting to look stronger.
Yessir. I can get the work done here. But you hafta promise to visit. Just like you said when I helped you take away that mean old goat Lamm.
He spits on his hand and holds it out to seal the deal.
The sailor looks down at the pitiful boy and tries to guess how much of this display is real and how much is calculated. After all, working the streets for several years should have taught him to calculate this kind of interaction by now. He spits in his own hand and reaches for the boy's, looking him in the eye. "I promise to visit. I hope you'll still be here when I do and not have run off back into the streets." He gives the child a little more attention before turning his own to the Chelaxian.
"Hunh?"
"very touching." Maria says dryly
Grigori looks at Maria. Miss, I don't know your name, but I know you saved us all from Lamm. I think you might just be a bit too hurt on the insides to let it out, y'know. But I think, sometimes soon, you will find the strength to let that bitter out. But I'm just a kid of fourteen winters.
At that point, Sister Sicara half drags the smart-mourhed teenager out of the room, wishing you all well.
Dennvyn shakes his head, and rubs the tattoo over his left eye, What the kid doesn't get is that the bitterness was been driving us for years --it's what's kept us going... so much so that I don't know how I'll replace it.
Watching the exchange of the boy, not knowing if he should chime in, offer assistance. [i]No, the boy will find his own way. The freedom to choose, and to hopefully choose right. There is enough happening in this city for him to get involved in. May the light of the Dawn shine his path.[/b]
Not even sure if a simple prayer will really do much. Riren shakes his head out of whatever trance he was in.
"Well, shall we be off today? Not sure what to do after last night. My training, my life.. Almost feels lost" Riren rambles on for a second. Letting his voice fall.
"Anyway, let us go to the woman's house."
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Heavy-hearted, Ernhild pats Grigori on the shoulder:
"Do not worry. We'll keep our promise. You won't be left behind."
She's so deep in her thoughts, mentally praying Abadar to keep the children safe, and already making plans to visit them, that Grigori's comment about Maria catches her completely off-guard. For a few seconds, Ernhild lets out a brief laughter like the chime of a bell, before biting the inside of her cheeks to keep her mouth shut. Although she seems to have gotten back her composure, repressed chuckles occasionally make her shiver.
She calms down when she hears Riren's distress, akin to her own, and goes after him to talk to him privately.
"Do you believe you have angered your God?"
Looking to Ernhild, "I do not believe she is angry with me, I do believe one of my main reasons for training how I did was to finish what we just did. Now that it is done, I have to look within myself, and to Sarenrae for the next step to take. There is more evil in this world, other than Lamm."
Gripping the hilt of his blade, "I have had the same mission since I was a child. Didn't realize that lifting that burden would actually bring distress. I got used to the weight on my shoulders."
Looking down on the other cleric, "What of your god. What is asked of you?"
Maria responds to Grigory with a tight smile, "Not bitterness youngster, pragmatism."
And a little bit of bitterness, she privately admits to herself, but Gaedrin is gone now and that is all behind her.