With a snarl, Garrosh draws his bastard sword, and tag teams one of their foes with their beautiful ghostly companion - "Be careful Ann!"
Garrosh manages to slice the shoulder of the clamshell amulet frogman.
The doppeldrek heals up a little, then turns on Kilarra with its bite and claws.
Piotr wills his sister into substance. Ann smiles as she's given weight again, "He stepped between us, Garrosh, such a sweet creature he is." she gives her thanks by stabbing him repeatedly.
The frog creature gurgles as both of Ann's spectral daggers pierce his side.
He turns onto Ann, then bites and claws at her, then moves out of flanking position.
Winter, seeing Piotr hurt, moves up and casts Cure Moderate wounds on Piotr.
"I'll need to get into the room if I am to be able to heal of you at once!" Winter announces.
Hanako yells, “You stink of rotten tomatoes! The kind people throw at you to boo you! BOO YOU OFF THE PLANET! …jerk,” directing her wrath at the frog nearest to the door.
She plays her viol and dances out of the room.
The frogman hearing the sound, turns to bite Hanako.
The sudden bite nearly throws Hanako's aim off but she manages to snipe him with her words, anyway.
Kilarra swiftly heals some of her wounds, then goes for a ruthless overhead chop over the doppelgoop.
Kilarra manages to cleave into the doppelgoop shoulder. She sees a greenish ooze where muscle and bone should be.
The frog mage moves up and tries to stab Ann with his now electrically charged trident, but she laughs as he hits the bed instead of her.
Garrosh steps closer to Ann - "Ann, stay safe!" - he urges their companion, even as a smile crosses his lips at the consideration - that a ghost walks among them as a companion.
The thought does not deter him from the task at hand, so he focuses on attacking the one now stuck between himself and Kilarra.
Garrosh cuts the clamshell wearing frog down as the frogmage gives a gurgle.
The doppelgoop continues to attack Kilarra after it heals slightly.
Winter, with the room now somewhat clear, enters and channels energy on everyone, except the enemies. "How did these things get here?"
Hanako re-enters the room wildly playing her viol.
In your battle stance
In your big-boy pants
Doing your battle dance
Do you fanc—
—y that you stand a chance?
You’ll be crushed like
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTS!!
Hanako screeches that last lyric with a voice as shrill as a chain-smoking banshee!
Baldhart flies through the hall, brandishing her sword.
Unfortunately, as impressive as her speed is, her strike leaves much to me desired.
"Excuse me, Winter" Piotr says as he makes it past her into the room to hack away at the doppeganger Kilarra is fighting. While Ann tries to take down the mage.
Kilarra can't answer at the moment. She's too busy in the heat of battle. Once again, and for the last time, she summons all her might into a single devastating swing to finally kill the doppelgoop.
The doppelgoop dodges out of the way of Hanako's words, and Baldhart's strike does not penetrate its leathery skin. Piotr manages to land a telling blow while Ann manages to stab it with one of her daggers, the other bouncing off a blue shield. Kilarra's reckless swing misses.
The frog mage attempts to stab Kilarra with his sparkling trident, but looks surprised as the electric charge does nothing.
"You are a fool - you should surrender" - Garrosh growls in anger at the frog mage, swinging his sword.
Garrosh manages to open a large gnash in the frog mage's ribs , while the doppelgoop continues its assault on Kilarra.
Winter, her mouth a thin line, quickly channels to heal just the party.
Hanako’s viol is inspiring!
Her lyrics are annoying!
Hate is an open WOOOOOOOUND!
She opens her mouth wide as she repeats the lyric for the third time, making the frog’s wound open wide!
Baldhart flutters her wings, swingingat the frog.
On the upside, the oversized fairy’s flight leaves room for Ann to step in.
Piotr hacks, Ann stabs.
Kilarra is clearly very tired, but she continues to fight anyways. She uses her powers to grant herself a bit more health.
It does not appear that the frogmage understands Hanako, but the wounds do get wider.
Piotr hacks at the doppelgoop wailing on Kilarra and Ann, knowing its healing powers, stabs it once more after it is down, where it reverts to a pile of greyish foam.
Kilarra uses the last of her strength to strike at the frog mage, cutting him but not hitting anything vital.
The frog mage tries to cast a spell defensively, which both Piotr and Garrosh realize it is magic missiles, as 3 blue missiles streak towards Kilarra.
Winter again channels to heal the party.
Hanako plays her viol and yells,
Your friends are trashed!
Their corpses quiver!
Now your cornered!
Quake and shiver!
Meet Lady Death!
What will you give her?
How about
Your punctured LIVERRRRRRRRR!!!!!?
The viol is inspiring (+2 IC), but the badly sung words are painful!
Baldhart flies closer (5ft step, flying) and strikes again!
Piotr's arms are burning from the brutal fight, but he continues turning toward the mage and thrusting his blade forward as hard as he can.
Ann isn't breathing hard at all, but in truth, she doesn't really feel nearly as much as she did before all this. As her brother thrusts, she ducks low and slices the same target in the gut.
Hanako uses biting words, with Baldhart managing a hack in, while Piotr and Ann finish off the frog mage.
Now Kilarra takes a nap. A power nap. While staying awake. All the veteran soldiers do this.
“Shall I play my samishen while you rest?” Hanako asks
On the clamshell wearing frog, the party finds a clamshell amulet, a chain shirt and a key ring, and a wand.
On the frog mage the party finds 2 red vials, a blue headband and a masterwork trident.
No one knows what the amulet is.
Garrosh realized the chain shirt is a +1 chain shirt.
Winter, while examining the wand exclaims, "This is a wand of cure light wounds and it has 33 charges left."
Winter picks up the vials announcing, "Both are potions of cure moderate wounds."
Garrosh and Piotr realize the headband is a headband of alluring charisma +2.
Winter shakes her head looking at the bodies, " I don't understand why they're here and how they got here in the first place. Fort Hailcourse is supposed to be run by Magistrate Padgett, not frogmen. He would never allow this to happen!"
Hanako says with a sorrowful expression, “The only logical conclusion is that he did not allow it.
“I am sorry, Winter. We may be here not to rescue, but to avenge.”
"Ah sh*t." Winter curses. "Accuser Omari was my mentor in the temple...at least I hope we can find the body so I can see that she goes to Pharasma in peace."Winter says grimly. "Then I'm going to get a couple of bottles and crash."
Hanako dons the Headband of Alluring Charisma, confident that no one else is interested in a beauty product.
She replies to Winter, “You have been good to us. If rescue is possible, we will fight for the lives of any captives. We do not have all of the facts yet, so let me play my samishen again. After Kilarra rests, we will move faster.”
Hanako again plays the one-minute masterpiece, Triple Time.
Hanako dons the Headband of Alluring Charisma, confident that no one else is interested in a beauty product.
Baldhart emits a quiet guttural moan as Hanako dons the pretty tiara.
"Look around to see if there are any clues to what happened." Piotr says as he starts looking, hoping the Magistrate kept a journal. "Then we'll go back room by room until we find her." Piotr promises Winter as well.
Hanako is too busy playing her minute-long tune to help Piotr search for clues…
…but Baldhart is not too busy!
The Warrior-Fairy searches thoroughly for anything that looks like a ‘clue.” If anyone gives her a more specific instruction, she’ll conduct her search accordingly.
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Baldhart finds Magistrate Padgett's journal under the bed, open on a page with a poem, then the other words on the page are translated to different languages that she does not understand.
Roses are red
I'm barely awake
Why did I get out of bed?
I want my pancake.
Turning a couple of pages past...more frivolous entries reveals that Magistrate Padgett's funds were running low, due to Count Lowls constantly drawing money from the county treasury to fund his scholarly pursuits. He remarks that he would soon be unable to pay the county dues to Caliphas, despite trying to scrimp and save by not paying the mercenaries defending the fort. He reasoned in his journal that the Fort being a fortified position - may deter supernatural attackers as peasants were easier prey. He also noted that it may not be too long before Caliphas sent someone to investigate if their dues were not paid soon.
Baldhart looks amused… then confused… then she emits a happy grunt and flashes very, very bright green!
She offers the journal to Piotr, saying “mrr mr-grrm” in a casually gentle tone.
"What... Oh you found something, good work." he gives an awkward pat to the little head and flips through "'Pancake'" his stomach makes a loud growl "Nothing that tells us why the fort is full of frogmen and undead. Lowls was pillaging the budget for his own ends, leading to little left to pay for guards. So that explains something." he hands the book to whoever else wants a gander.
Baldhart beams with pride as the object she hands over seems to be the thing she was supposed to find.
Kilarra continues sleeping with one eye open
Heavily weather-beaten, the open space on top of the fort and the walkways that connect the towers looks bare and bleak. Coming down the stairs, the party realizes there's a reception in the form of 3 juju zombies patrolling the battlements waiting for them!
With wand in hand, Hanako sings slowly and deliberately.
I’m running out of magical steam
But I’m no scream queen
So zombies ain’t the men of my dreams
Fun as you might seem
Well I… am the one
To bring the fun
When all…’s said and done
My fun comes at your expense
Hence…
Let the good times… roll!
Baldhart sheathes her sword and unshoulders her bow.
The zombies move onto Piotr trying to achieve a flanking position, then start hacking at him.
Winter, seeing the danger of these zombies, prays to Pharasma to put them to rest. "Begone abominations!"
All three zombies start smoking having be burnt by the grey wave emerging from Winter, yellow less then the others.
Hanako squeezes by Winter and Ann, leaps over the railing and heals Piotr.
You try in vain
To eat our brains
Only to feel… divine pain
Knowing you…’ll soon be slain
If you can’t hack
The hack-and-slashing
The only way
To avoid… a thrashing
Is for you to start packing
Start backing… slow…ly a…way…
Baldhart flies ten feet above ground and shoots!
Kilarra, now feeling a bit rested, draws her greatsword and hacks away at the red zombie.
Then she heals herself slightly.
Baldhart is trying not to hit Piotr, and the arrow goes wide.
Kilarra manages to hack at the zombies head over the railing, but it doesn't seem like her sword is fully effective.
After they had a chance to rest, Garrosh now returns to using his bow, aiming one shot at the closest zombie, after studying its movements for a few seconds.