Boris seems to be bored out of his mind and the party represents something new, which is a novelty anyone who hasn't spent a thousand years trapped in a place where time doesn't pass can't possibly understand. He seems to be completely sincere and curious about you. This is further emphasized by the look of utter disappointment on his face when Rupert refuses his question. "What a shame. How about this? I will be happy to point you in the direction of Nicasor, but he will be displeased with me if I send you to him without first telling him why you are here. I would rather not have him displeased with me; the last kayal that displeased him ended up downstairs for hundreds of years. How about a quick summary?"
Nightshade keeps his gun lowered, but doesn't put it away. He watches the kayal woman leave, taking note of her appearance, trying to suss out the purpose of her being dismissed. All he can think is that she is leaving to alert Nicasor. Why else would she leave?
But the prisoners have done nothing overtly violent yet, so he stays his hand. At Boris's question, he shrugs at Rupert. The paladin seems better equipped to answer the question than he.
"As my friend mentioned it is a long story, but the short of it is that we have been sent here by the Kayal of Karpad to free their imprisoned brethren. They are being harassed because of a tallowthroat outbreak that the locals blame them for and are ready to rebel. They know they can't do this alone and thought that maybe if we could sneak in here and free you all they could succeed. We are looking for Nicasor so we can discuss the details with him and work of freeing you all."
Unspeaking, Nightshade simply nods solemnly in agreement with Speck.
The kayal man's eyes narrow and he sits up a little straighter. The other kayal seem to sense his change in demeanor and also suddenly become more alert. He looks at Speck for several long moments before finally saying, "It was a long time ago but I remember being put in this mirror. There is no 'sneaking' into it. Why are you really here? There is no reason for you to lie; you are just as stuck here as Nicasor and all the rest of us."
Nightshade shrugs. He saw no reason to lie in the first place, and appears slightly relieved to tell the truth. [color=red]"Fine. We're here to kill Nicasor and destroy the Mirror. You may stand with us, but if you will not, stay out of our way or it will end poorly for you."[/color]
Rupert looks at Speck with curiosity. Why is he always lying? I suppose asking myself why Nightshade is so gruff is pointless, but he could have at least been convincing.
"Boris, if you'll ignore these two for a moment, we are, in fact, here to resolve a problem with Nicasor. We do believe that he has in some way been involved in the recent tallow throat outbreak. He has also been treating with the Baron, who we believe to have made some foolish promises that he cannot possibly be allowed to keep. The town is in danger and the Baron has been an idiot, and we are here to convey this to Nicasor. It is possible that he won't be happy with what he hears, but I, for one, am hopeful that we will be able to resolve these matters peacefully."
Boris's jaw tightens at Nightshade's threat, but he doesn't seem daunted (perhaps it is because he doesn't recognize Nightshade's gun as a weapon). He stands up, curtly says, "Wait here," and exits through the short corridor on the eastern wall. After several minutes, he returns, escorting a tall, masked figure. His white mask is polished to a mirror sheen and reflects the face of anyone he looks at. He is wearing a gray cloak over lacquered black armor.
He regards the party briefly, then utters in a smooth, deep voice, "Boris tells me you are here to kill me. You may wish to speak to me first. What I have to say may change your mind.". He turns without waiting to see if anyone in the party reacts and returns to what you assume is his chambers.
Rupert nods and follows. “Thank you, Boris. You’ve been most helpful.”
Speck follows Nicasor and as he passes boris he slaps him on the shoulder and says "Good work Boris" and winks at him.
Nightshade rolls his eyes at the whole affair. Would have been easier to just kill them all and destroy the mirror. They're all in here for a reason, after all.
You're all heart.
Quiet, coward. If I have my way, you'll never see the light of day again.
I'll never let that happen. You're psychotic.
And you're weak. Now let me do my job before you get us both killed.
Silence. Good.
Nightshade doesn't put away his pistol. He keeps Damocles loaded and in hand as he follows Nicasor into his chambers.
The party follows Nicasor down the short hallway and through a door to his chambers. This luxurious and urbane apartment would be at home in any lord’s palace, were everything not in shades of gray. He turns and faces the party, taking note of Nightshade's hand on his weapon. He has two sheathed swords on his hips but makes no threatening actions.
After several moments of sizing the party up, he finally speaks. "The fact that you have come here outfitted for a fight implies to me that you have come here voluntarily and are not prisoners of the baron as I and my family are. Further, I presume that the baron has told you of our deal. What I do not know is whether he has told you the full truth about the deal, and that he has failed to fulfill his end of the agreement. I have done everything I promised. I rid him of his brothers so he could be the heir to the barony. I needed a year in his body in the material plane so I could find a way out of this mirror for the rest of my family. I had every intention of returning him to his body when the year elapsed."
He pauses. When he begins speaking again, his voice has a more gravelly quality, as if teetering on the edge of untethered rage. "So now he has sent you here to kill me so that he will never need to fulfill his promise. Do I have it right? It all makes sense to me except for one thing. Tell me, how did you plan to escape the mirror once I am dead?"
Speck leans against the wall as Nicasor explains his side of the bargain. As he start to get angry, Speck stealthily moves his hand to rapier, preparing to draw it and says "The Baron has changed the deal because of some unforeseen circumstances, which is why I usually ask for my payment up front in these types of situations. But I am not entirely unsympathetic to your situation and perhaps we can alter our deal with the Baron to be benefit all parties. How about we all calm down before my friend with the itchy trigger finger gets tired of all of the talking."
“Nicasor, the Baron may have sent us here with the idea that we would kill you, but our objective is only to secure the safety of the town. The Baron has it in his head that the tallow throat spreading in Karpad is your doing. Is this true? If so, how can we stop it? We have no love for the Baron, and it does seem that he has his comeuppance coming to him.
What options are you presenting us to fulfill our objective that do not end in your death? That is not a threat, it is merely a question that we may be able to answer together.
As for the mirror, we’ve learned that leaving will be possible if we destroy its manifestation in this plane. Should we find some compromise, we may all be able to leave this place together.”
Whats’s under the mask, I wonder?
Speck cannot see Nicasor's face behind the mask, but he lets his gaze linger on Speck's sword hand long enough that it is obvious that he knows what Speck is doing. However, he still makes no hostile move.
And then Rupert begins speaking, and for the first time, Nicasor's aura of calm is disrupted. You don't need to see his face to discern that you gain his full attention at the mention of destroying the mirror. "How? The Heart lives at the center of this place, but I know of no way to destroy it. I killed it many times in my first hundred years of imprisonment, and it regenerated to full strength in hours. It seemed to be toying with me, torturing me with its invulnerability. Have you discovered a way? That would change everything. We must discuss this further, but first: I do not know what tallowthroat is. I have no way of affecting the material plane from here. Whatever is happening in Karpad, I assure you it is not my doing."
"Now. How will you destroy the Heart? I have much to offer you if you have a way. Riches, power, name your price."
“We believe we have found a way. Nicasor, will you take us to the Heart and help us destroy it? We will all be free to leave this place if we work together. And if you have beaten the Heart in the past, we would certainly benefit from your strength.
As for how, my friend here believes he has found a way to end its regeneration. We have all bet our lives on this. Join us, and free yourself and the kayal here with you. You’ve served your punishment, now is the time for your liberation!”
Speck listens to Nicasor's little speech and tries to determine if he talking truth or not.
Once Rupert is done offering his deal Speck follows up by saying "I think that is the best offer any of us are going to get to avoid bloodshed today. Like Rupert said lets work together and all get out of here."
Speck pauses for a minute as if recalling something he heard and then says: "By the way what ever happened to Stepan's brothers. Rumore has it you brought them up here after they were banished to the mirror."
He glances at Speck, then back to Nicasor. [color=red]"We found one of them downstairs... or what he had become, I should say. Seems awfully strange that the Borois came up here and then at least one of them is turned into an undead. But then again, he appeared to have hanged himself. Mayhap he couldn't stand the thought of spending centuries doing nothing at all. But what of the other brother?"[/color] It's hard to tell with Nightshade's dull eyes whether the question was geared at Nicasor or a self-reflective rumination.
He narrows his gaze at Nicasor for several moments, clearly weighing his options. Finally, he shakes his head at Speck to signal not to draw steel and holsters Damocles as he turns back to the shae. [color=red]"I don't trust you. But I trust the baron even less. I am willing to work together to leave this place. We can deal with the rest after that."[/color] He raises his eyebrows inquisitively at Rupert and Lefdam, as if to ask if they object. If they do not, he turns back to Nicasor. [color=red]"Very well. I think we can work together. Where is this 'Heart' you spoke of?"[/color]
As far as any of you can tell, Nicasor does not believe that he is responsible for tallowthroat.
"Iozif and Henric were my honored guests, but humans do not have the constitution to last long in this place. Iozif succumbed to the cold several years ago. Henric went mad with grief and hanged himself several months later. The allip you speak of is what remained."
"I accept your terms. Come."
Nicasor leads you down the stairs to the dining room. As you enter the room, the sense of dread assaults your senses again. Nicasor points at the western wall, which drips with ichor. "The Heart awaits in the courtyard at the center. The courtyard is accessible by no door, so you must break through this wall to reach the Heart."
He draws his swords. "This will be a difficult fight. Perform whatever preparation you need. When you are ready, break down the wall."
Rupert faces the wall and attempts to detect an evil presence on the other side. He closes his eyes and says a prayer to Sarenrae under his breath, then opens them and begins to smash at the wall with the pommel of his sword.
"Speck or Nightshade, maybe you'd better stand to the South of me to keep the wall covered."
Rupert senses a particularly strong malevolent aura directly on the other side of the wall.
Nightshade draws Damocles, loads it, and steps a few feet to the south before nodding to Rupert.
Legal, quiet through all of this mainly because Rupert and Speck are more skilled at this kind of thing, finally finds a time to useful and steps up next to Rupert to help with the wall. They are both better equipped at taking blows from whatever lies in the otherside.
Speck pulls out his rapier in one hand and the shard of the mirror in the other and attempts to blend in with the shadows around him.
Satisfied that you are as ready as you are going to be, Rupert breaks through the wall. It takes several blows with his sword, but eventually he opens a hole large enough for each of you to fit through one at a time. As the wall opens, your senses are assaulted with the stink of rotted plant life. It is so pervasive that it even burns your eyes. Once you are able to recover somewhat, you see what is on the other side of the wall.
Dark flagstones pave a twisted reflection of the courtyard in Boroi Manor. Walls of thick, writhing flesh fill the archways that would normally lead to adjoining rooms; a layer of seeping black ichor covers each wall. Above, only a black void exists where one would expect to see the sky. What appears to be an enormous, quivering black plant is growing in the central pool. Black tendrils are everywhere, pushing into the manor and running through it like veins into the rest of the house.
Round 1 mofos:
Rupert
Speck
Nicasor
Lefdam
Nightshade
The Heart
Bold may act.
Speck moves into the room and attacks the heart with the mirror shard.
Rupert calls out to the writhing mass of plant, "You will not stand between Sarenrae and her justice!" and runs into the room, his greatsword trailing behind him in preparation for a massive upward strike.
Speck isn't used to fighting with such a small weapon, and while he makes contact with the monster, the blow doesn't have enough force behind it to penetrate its tough exterior. Rupert, on the other hand, obliterates it, slicing a giant gash in its side and spraying black ichor everywhere.
Nicasor looks at Nightshade and Lefdam, nods, says "Good luck, gentlemen," and ascends back up the stairs.
Round 1:
Rupert
Speck
Nicasor (fled)
Lefdam
Nightshade
The Heart (20 damage)
Bold may act.
Somewhere, deep in the back of his mind, behind the Veil, a familiar voice screams in horror at the... thing before him, but Nightshade has no time for that voice. He is in control now, not that craven weasel. He cares nothing for fear. He strides in, takes aim at the massive beast, and fires.
Lefdam moves up 25 feet to stand next to Speck so that he is not in the way of Nightshade and his magic handbanger.
He takes a moment to calm his nerves and then throws a punch at the Heart.
PIN PRICK: You take 1 point of bleed.
Nightshade has had a string of bad luck in Karpad. Something has been affecting his aim. Maybe it's Rogan's constant nagging in his head. In any case, even in his current state, Nightshade couldn't possibly miss this barn-sized creature. His bullet strikes true and again sprays black ichor all over the melee combatants.
Lefdam, on the other hand, somehow made himself bleed? I dunno.
As the Heart prepares to attack, you all notice that the significant wounds inflicted by Nightshade and Rupert close up spontaneously. It doesn't appear to have healed all the damage, but it definitely was able to recover preternaturally fast.
The Heart turns its wrath on Rupert and Nightshade, who are the only ones who have damaged it.
Its gaping maw, fangs dripping with saliva that burns the ground where it drips, clamps on to Rupert's shoulder. Simultaneously, two tentacles shoot out, one missing Rupert, and the other hitting Nightshade from across the room.
The Heart attempts to grab Rupert and Nightshade.
Both Rupert and Nightshade are grabbed and it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's going to happen next.
Round 2:
Rupert (32 damage, grappled)
Speck
Lefdam (1 point bleed)
Nightshade (11 damage, grappled)
The Heart (30 damage, but it appears to have healed some of that)
Bold may act.
Speck attempts to move around the creature so he can get into a flanking position with lefdam.
Once in position, he attempts to attack it again with the dagger.
As Speck tries to navigate into a flank, the creature's free tentacle lashes out.
Speck deftly avoids the tentacle.
Lefdam, now bleeding for some reason, tries to calm himself once more after missing his target completetly. He lashes out with a flurry of attacks.
Rupert grunts as the monster lands a massive bite and he feels his flesh melting away under his armor. He grits his teeth and mumbles a prayer to Sarenrae. I don't want to go down like this! Let me bring your fire to this beast!
Rupert gathers his strength and struggles to free himself from the creature's mouth.
Let me go, damnit!
The shrieking voice in the back of his head doesn't cease. Massive tentacles wrap around his half-rotting form, sickly bluish-gray flesh sliding around on his bones as it squeezes him. He can barely move, he can barely do anything. The voice screams that it's over, it's over... but... he doesn't sound frightened anymore. Rogan sounds... relieved. Fool.
The idiot finally finds his spine and instead of fighting, uses it to embrace oblivion. Nightshade sighs. All he can do now is take a steadying breath and fire.
Speck was able to reposition himself for a flank, but missed again with the shard.
Lefdam attacks three times. One of the attacks manages to land, but his hand grazes some small filaments that cover its skin. Lefdam feels his arm start to seize up.
Lefdam tries to fight off the poison entering his bloodstream but it unable. He feels it course through his veins and his whole body goes rigid.
A flash of divine light comes from Rupert as she heals him at his request, but despite his struggles, the creature maintains its grip on the paladin.
Seeing his friends struggle against this terrifying creature, Nightshade steels himself and puts a bullet right into one of its eyes.
SHOULDER WOUND: Double damage and 1d2 STR and DEX damage.
The Heart attempts to maintain its hold on Rupert and Nightshade.
The party looks on in horror as the Heart's mouth opens wider than seemed possible, and, just like that, Rupert (and the wand of cure light wounds) is gone. The acid covers Rupert's body, entering his eyes, ears, nostrils, and when he opens his mouth to scream, his throat.
Rupert is barely clinging to life, but Sarenrae protects him from the Heart's paralyzing acid, granting him one more chance at survival.
The Heart's wounds heal up again and then its free tentacle lashes out at Lefdam.
Lefdam, even paralyzed, is somehow able to avoid the attack.
Round 3:
Rupert (41 damage (but healed 10), swallowed)
Speck
Lefdam (1 damage, 1 point bleed, paralyzed 2 rounds)
Nightshade (11 damage, grappled)
The Heart (68 damage, but it appears to have healed some of that)
Bold may act.
Nightshade sneers at the beast and fires again.
Rupert knows that he is in desperate need of divine intervention, and tries to steel himself against his despair. I have to hold on for as long as I can!
Speck takes a deep breath and attacks the creature once more, hoping to be able to pierce it this time.
Nightshade, seeing Rupert get swallowed and realizing that he is probably next, loses focus for just a split second, but long enough to fail to load his gun properly. The gun fires loudly, but nothing comes out of the barrel but smoke.
Rupert, knowing this action is probably his last, calls upon Sarenrae for healing again. He struggles but just doesn't have the strength left to free himself.
Speck finally manages to strike true with the shard! If the Heart had a voice, it would have screamed, but instead it wheels its attention around on Speck. The Heart is not very intelligent, but it instinctively knows that the weapon Speck holds is incredibly dangerous to it.
The tentacle that was pulling Nightshade closer to the Heart's mouth stops pulling. It attempts to keep hold of Nightshade, but its primary target is Speck now.
The Heart attempts to bite Speck, but the shock from the shard attack throws it off. It does manage to hit Speck with a tentacle, but Speck is able to wriggle out of its grasp.
The acid continues to eat away at poor Rupert.
Rupert lives, barely, but he has succumbed to paralysis and will die soon without the party's help.
Round 3:
Rupert (47 damage (but healed 15, currently at 4hp), swallowed, paralyzed 16 rounds)
Speck (8 damage)
Lefdam (2 damage, 1 point bleed, paralyzed 1 round)
Nightshade (11 damage, grappled)
The Heart (68 damage, but it appears to have healed some of that)
Bold may act.
Speck stabs at the creature again.
Gun broken, powder burns on the barrel and flintlock, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, Nightshade realizes it has stopped trying to eat him... for now. But they will all wind up in its gullet if they don't kill it, and its regeneration will resume if Speck doesn't gut that thing again. He takes aim and fires once more.
The Heart attempts to continue holding Nightshade, though Speck is still its focus. It bites and grabs at Speck.
The Heart is quite affected by the presence of the shard which it knows can kill it, but can't seem to find its wielder. However, some of its wounds do heal and its acid still eats away at Rupert.
Lefdam's extremities begin tingling, and he anticipates being able to move again. However, before the poison completely releases its grasp on him, it reaches his heart.
Lefdam avoids further damage from the poison and can move again.
Round 4:
Rupert (51 damage (but healed 15, currently at 0hp), disabled, swallowed, paralyzed 15 rounds)
Speck (8 damage)
Lefdam (3 damage, 1 point bleed)
Nightshade (11 damage, grappled)
The Heart (91 damage, but it appears to have healed some of that)
Bold may act.
Lefdam shakes off the temporary paralysis and attacks the damn thing again knowing full well that it may lead to another bout of paralysis.
Nightshade takes aim and fires again.
Speck knows that Rupert doesn't have much time, I mean he is tough, but tough enough to be swallowed whole?
Second verse, same as the first.
This time the Heart's bite strikes true.
Speck drops the mirror shard as the vicious bite from the Heart disembowels him. His limp body hangs from the Heart's jaws.
Rupert continues to take acid damage.
Round 5:
Rupert (57 damage (but healed 15, currently at -6hp), disabled, swallowed, paralyzed 14 rounds)
Speck (dead)
Lefdam (4 damage, 1 point bleed)
Nightshade (11 damage, grappled)
The Heart (101 damage, but it appears to have healed some of that)
Bold may act.