"Ouch." Ellie suddenly realises she's more badly hurt than she thought. But at least she recognises her foe. "They're lurkers in light! They resist weapons not made from cold iron. But I see you now."
She fixes the one standing next to Allie with a cold stare.
"You hurt me and you hurt my friend. That's two mistakes. You won't get another one."
The lurker that was attacking Ulrich breaks off and moves to flank Elly. Both fey stab her with their daggers, driving into vital points on the fighter's body!
Now that their targets are visible, Gabbi moves to her sister's prone form and drops down to her side. "I'm sorry about this, Love," she whispers as she puts her hands on the still form and speaks a guttural prayer and steadies the woman as her body shudders.
White with blood loss, and vision slowly blurring, Ellie is grimly aware that she has seconds to go before losing consciousness. She's determined to make them count.
Raising her flail in shaking hands, she lashes out at the foe that attacked Alessandra.
Seeing the fey tag-teaming Ellie, Elká decides it's only fair if she gets to play the same game. With tooth and nail, she dives on top of one of the first world bastards and channels her Mother's gift.
Allie lets out a shuddering moan as her sister pours pain and life into her. She clutches convulsively at her sister's hand as silver light floods out of her across the room.
Cuddles leaps on one of the fey, mauling at it ferociously.
Ellie smashes the lurker that stabbed her, then Elka slips in behind it and rips its chest cavity open with a powerful slice of her claws! It collapses, luminous blood pouring out onto the floor of the schoolhouse. Cuddels the tiger scores two hits with its claws, though neither one gets through the remaining fey's resistance.
Ulrich steps over to the fey and Ellie and tries to protect her by smacking the fey away. "Shoo or die you damned fey!"
The lurker in light ignores Ulrich's efforts. It concentrates on its defenses as it uses a spell-like ability, attempting to sear away Elka's eyes with a burning flash of light!
"I think we've had about enough of you," Gabriella snarls as she loads her weapon and fires at the glowing fey.
Ellie nods wordlessly in agreement with Gabbi, too weary from her injuries to say anything. She steps into a better tactical position and strikes at the remaining enemy.
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Elká rolls into position and strikes once more. She does all this with a sadistic grin on her face. After all, the wicked fey deserve what they are getting - being sliced up, torn into pieces, like a doll that doesn't deserve to be played with.
Elka and Ellie both land solid hits, slicing and bashing the fey. It staggers, badly hurt, and lets out a high-pitched shriek as it eyes the door!
From her position on the floor Allie kicks out, attempting to force the fey creature's knee in a direction that even a fey's limbs shouldn't go.
Cuddles too, is unwilling to let the fey go...
Allie's strike is just enough to push the lurker in light past the limit of punishment it can take. It groans and falls to the floor.
With the fey's defeat, the rest of the ghostly children calm down and take their seats. They look expectantly up at you. "What are we going to learn today, teachers?" one says.
Ellie looks momentarily puzzled, and then understanding dawns. "Ah. I think, uh, that the day’s lessons are a piece of unfinished business tethering these spirits to this location. We will need to, uh, complete the lessons to return this fragment to the loci spirit in the cemetery."
She looks at the children. "Alright, class, today we're going to learn about..." She walks confidently over to the chalkboard.
The children are initially interested in Elly's arcana lessons, but they start to get distracted as the lore warden shifts topics. The local and nature lessons bring them back into the fold, though, and as Elly starts to consider her other areas of expertise, the faint echo of a bell rings in the distance. The children stand from their desks and begin walking toward the schoolhouse door, dissipating into wisps of light as they move.
One child remains behind briefly, smiling at Elly. "Thanks for takin’ the time to teach us. I don’t think there’s going to be many more classes. Some of us wanted to say you should be careful of the yelly purple lady with the pointed ears. She’s mean! She smashed up all the spiral god’s signs in town, and the spiral god must make her so mad she can’t think straight." The child points to the holy symbol of Pharasma around Gabby's neck. "Okay, bye!" She waves vigorously before running off after her classmates, dissipating as well.
Thanks to Eldarel's nerdy side showing up, Elká can kick back and join the kids for a lesson or two. She hadn't exactly been the type of child who would pay attention in class - this is boring! I want to go out and play! - and even now, she's more of a distraction for the other kids than an assistant for Ellie.
"A purple lady with pointed ears - what could that be? A gnarly ghoulish elf? Wait, aren't elves immune to the ghoul curse? Or is that just make-believe, a myth from ages long gone by?"
Not caring much for children, Gabriella stands back as Ellie waxes academically.
"Here, hold still," she says to her sister as they wait for the Lore Warden to finish her instructions. "You still don't look well." She takes a breath and places her hands on her twin's neck. "Brace yourself."
She can feel the dark energy flowing through her hands. The prickly, burning sensation is nothing to what she knows Allie is feeling and it's almost nough to cause her to abort the spell - almost. Once she's finished, she pulls her sister in for an embrace. "I'm sorry," she whispers.
~~~~
Gabbi looks down at her holy symbol and then back at the child as it leaves. "It could be a ghoul," she says, her eyes growing suspicious. "But there are other creatures that hate the Lady of Graves just as much." She slips the symbol inside her tunic. "Some of us even serve her."
Ellie nods at the child's story, unsure whether to take it at face value or not. Purple lady with pointed ears? The clear hatred of Pharasma suggests an undead, but she's not sure which one.
She wonders whether any of her reading makes mention of such features.
She cries out and almost staggers as the adrenaline wears off and the full extent of her wounds becomes clear. "OK, learning can wait a bit longer - can one of you help me?"
Elly is almost certain the child was referring to either a ghoul or a ghast. Some of them have purplish skin and pointed ears.
Allie shudders under her sister's touch, and not in the good way. Still the energy works its healing effect and as her strength she squeezes her sisters hand and slowly straightens up to walk across the room and take Ellie's hand, giving Cuddles a scratch behind the ears on the way.
"Aww, has my little pet been bitten?" She whispers in Ellie's ear, "Don't worry. I can kiss it better." She proceeds to do just that, placing her lips gently over the puncture wounds.
With the damage repaired Allie reaches up to the taller woman and pulls her head down gently.
"I don't blame you for what happened. Those little creeps were dangerous, but you still owe me later! I might have to spank my pet to teach her good behaviour." She breathes against the blonde's lips, before pressing a quick kiss onto them. "Oh, and Teacher Ellie was hot!"
She winks at her sister as she pulls away.
"So... where next? I'm not out of magic yet..."
Gabbi rolls her eyes at her sister's playfulness, but just barely conceals a smile.
"How about we try the jewelry store?" she suggests. "It shouldn't be too far from here."
"Sounds like a plan." Allie agrees. "Hopefully no more of those creepy little fey things hanging around. Although this purple Pharasma hating thing sounds worrying. We'd best be on the look out for her - I can't channel at it if you're too close sis."
"Don't worry about me if it comes down to it," Gabbi says with a wave of her hand. "I'm pretty sure I can handle anything you can dish out."
Ellie pulls Alessandra into a firm kiss, squeezing her hard. "oh no you don't! You're the one that scared me this time, falling down like that." Her hands travel down the dhampir's back, down to her hips, pulling Alessandra firmly into her. It's fair to say that her strength has been fully restored. "Besides, Teacher Ellie does the spanking around here."
"Hmm... feisty." Allie whispers back, biting her lip before forcing her tongue back into Ellie's with its payload of blood and magic.
"Save it for tonight, you two," Gabbi comments as her eyes search the streets for any more threats.
Cuddles steps up next to Gabriella, his tail flicking gently against her calves as he too scans the street.
When you approach the jeweler’s shop on the west side of Roslar’s Coffer, you can see the faint glow of a translucent humanoid figure inside through the shop’s main window. The front door issues a loud squeal as it is opened, though the ghostly occupant doesn’t react to the noise.
This once-elegant small shop is in ruins. Broken display cases line the far wall, their shattered glass littering the floor. Several velvet cushions, fabric torn and stuffing pulled out, lie scattered everywhere. A small table, standing behind a counter, is covered in a mess of broken jewelry-making tools, bits of tarnished silver, and slivers of gemstones.
The fragment of the loci spirit found here takes the form of a young man in fine clothes. He is running his hands through his wavy hair as he stands over one of the shop’s counters, muttering to himself, “No, that isn’t it. Which one, which one?” You can see that he is staring at five hazy pieces of jewelry, their exact forms impossible to determine.
"Hello!" Alessandra offers, opting to open with charm. "Are you having trouble? Some jewellery for your... wife? We can help if you like?"
Without looking and without even a thought, Gabriella reaches down with one hand and begins scratching the big cat behind the ears.
~~~~
"What are you looking for?" the inquisitor asks guardedly as the group enters the small shop. Her eyes moves across the ruins quickly, watching for traps or ambushes.
The man turns towards you. "Oh, hello! I was in the shop quite late to purchase a last-minute gift for my beloved when there was a white flash of light outside that did something to my memory. I'm certain that I had made a decision as to which piece of jewelry to buy, but now I can only remember scattered facts. Maybe you can help me?
"I remember that there were five different pieces of jewelry here in a single row." The ghostly young man gestures at the five shimmering forms on the counter. "Each piece of jewelry contains a different gemstone, and I had decided on the emerald piece—it will bring out the green in my beloved’s eyes—but now I can’t remember which one that is! I’m sure the necklace and the ring are on the two ends. I remember that the bracelet is to the immediate right of the ruby piece of jewelry (which isn’t the necklace) and to the immediate left of the earrings. And I know the brooch (which doesn’t contain an amethyst or ruby) is to the immediate right of the diamond piece of jewelry and to the immediate left of the sapphire piece of jewelry."
"So the broach is the one you picked, because it has the emerald." Allie says, trying to keep all the details in order. "The ring has to be the ruby, because you've said that none of the others can be." She paces back and forth, pointing at the hazy shapes.
"You want the emerald broach!" She finally decides, pointing at the fourth piece of jewellery. "It was the ruby ring, the amethyst braclet, the diamond earrings, the emerald broach and the sapphire necklace. I'd have gone for the ruby personally." She adds, offhand. "Or maybe the sapphire. I know a girl with lovely blue eyes..."
"I told you you weren't bad at puzzles," Gabbi says with a nudge at Allie's shoulder. "And the sapphire would be the wrong shade for her eyes. You'd need something more ..." She reaches over where the scraps lie on the other counter. "... like this." She holds up a small scrap of stone that seems to echo Allie's eyes. "Too bad there's not a full piece with this in it." She shrugs and tosses the fragment onto the counter.
As Allie names each piece in order, they come into focus, confirming her assertions. The young man is delighted to see the brooch. He grabs it up with his ghostly hand and moves toward the shop’s front door, but stops and points to a floorboard. "Thank you for your help. I believe you'll find some treasure under there. I wish I could reward you with more than this." Then he leaves the shop, fading away as he goes. The other phantom pieces of jewelry also disappear as the ghostly young man fades away.
Under the loose floorboard, you find a silk pouch with a dozen finely cut emeralds worth 150 gp each.
A few moments after you recover the gems, the door to the shop opens as four men in skull-adorned armor enter. "The glow was coming from in here..." one begins, but they stop short when they see you. After a moment's hesitation, the man snarls, "Get them!" and all four draw knives!
"Let me guess," Gabbi responds with a toothsome smile. "You're Whispering Way, aren't you? " The smile vanishes. "I pronounce you an anathema to the Lady of Graves. Your doom and judgement be upon you."
The inquisitor pulls her holy symbol from within her tunic and whips up her crossbow and unleashes a bolt on the one that spoke.
Ulrich follows the others to the Jewelry store, watching Gabriella with unintentional focus as he debates in his head what his worth is to her.
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"Well done, Alessandra. You rival your sister, as it would seem."
"Not really. She's much better at these, but I like jewellery." Allie replies with a self-depreciating smile.
When the skull people enter Alessandras smile is nearly as toothy as her sisters. She doesn't say anything but reaches out to ruffle her tigers fur, and grins as a menacing red glow surrounds him.
Said tiger steps proactively in front of the dhampir sisters and lashes out, his bulk taking up much of the room in the shop.
Who are these edgy fellas? The question was answered by Gabriella before Elká could ask it out loud - followers of the Whispering Way. Whatever room there was for dialogue was then cut short by the drawing of blades. It definitely is one of those days.
Cuddles falls upon the first cultist with terrible fury, ripping into him with tooth and claw. Elka steps up and eviscerates the wounded man with one claw while raking the next one in line with her other hand. Gabby dispatches that cultist with a crossbow bolt straight to the chest!
Despite half their number being brought down in seconds, the other two spring into action. One rolls over a broken jewelry counter to get behind Elka while the other steps forward, and both stab at the changeling with their daggers, striking her in vital spots!
Ulrich follows the others to the Jewelry store, watching Gabriella with unintentional focus as he debates in his head what his worth is to her.
Seemingly sensing the doctor's eyes on her, Gabbi glances back at him for just a moment before turning back to her sister with a slight frown.
Kamosh delivers a touch of fatigue to the northmost cultist.
Holding her position, Gabbi reloads her crossbow and fires at the closer of the cultists.
No time to think: Ellie moves forward immediately, striking at one of the cultists threatening Elka.
Cuddles continues to lash out, while Alessandra pummels the one trying to flank Elka.
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