She could feel the birthmark on her back itching so fiercely it felt like it was some many-legged arthropod trying to burrow into her flesh, trying to make her lose control.
They're not worth it, they're not worth it, they're not- "You mewling idiot! Do you have any concept of the Wrath you'd have brought upon your head if you succeeded in doing more than ruining this blouse?!"
Croq steps up next to the man who just stabbed Jaya, holding Drumstick overhead.
"You can see we treated your friend outside who surrendered fairly. Now's when you two choose between dropping your sword and kneeling, or having your skull smashed in."
Aurealia continues her step and stab routine.
"Or getting stabbed more! And having me drink your blood! Vlah!"
"N-Never!" says the bandit at the center of everyone's attention. "I'd rather-"
His impending rant is promptly cut short by a spear, a tiger's teeth, and a big Drumstick.
The last remaining Roadkeeper quickly drops his weapon and then slowly raises his hands in surrender.
Aurealia waggles her spear at him, making another "Vlah!" sound, and bearing her fangs - just for good measure. "Spill the beans before I spill your blood, Bozo."
”Krodha, Down!” Cai’nan calls out.
He steps up to the bandit and says ”Like she said, time to talk. What’s in this blocked off room here, and what can we expect up ahead? Anymore surprises?”
The newly captured bandit seems a little hesitant to start singing like a canary.
"Just tell them, Barry!" shouts your first captive.
The newly named Barry pauses... and then nods.
"There's... an invisible monster inside that room. When we first found this place, a couple of our guys went in... and were torn to pieces. We boarded up the area as result and sometimes toss the thing some bread so it won't try to break out. As for what's downstairs, probably the last third of the gang plus Dolland and Mother Nightthrush. As Larry over there probably told you, Lullaby and her boys are out in the woods. We're technically allied with some goblins, but only Chief Cheektooth and Nighteye are any threat to the likes of you."
"Cheektooth has a flaming sword!" shouts Larry.
...It sounds that like your casual slaughter of half the Roadkeepers has rattled Larry's sanity a bit!
"Who are Dolland and Mother Nightthrush? Why are you guys even going this? Just murder for gold, or is something bigger going on here?"
"The Roadkeepers aren't murderers!" Barry snaps. "Going by Larry's shaking over there, you're the only killers around here!"
He briefly stares at the bodies of his fallen friends and shudders.
"Along with Lullaby, Dolland and Mother Nightthrush are our leaders. I'm not sure what they're ultimately ambitions are, but Lullaby seems to be in it for the gold, and Mother Nightthrush just likes wielding power. Dolland... Don't know. He's difficult to read."
”Easy to point fingers, but your friend there was happily throwing murder threats around outside easy enough that he likely has had practice.”
"Whatever, punk. You chose to play the role of the two-bit thug. Now you get to pay the price. Luckily for you, you didn't end up dead. What kind of power does Nightthrush wield?"
Besides his choice in career, Barry seems to have a good head on his shoulders, so he just sighs and gets talking.
"She's some kind of cleric, though now that I think about it, I've never seen her use a holy symbol," he answers. "Besides her healing, I don't know specifics. She's pretty secretive."
"Alright, Berry, time to scram. We ever see you around these parts again, you're gonna end up in jail or dead. Capice?"
Somewhat surprised that his sentence is merely just exile, Barry nods in understanding and takes off. He doesn't seem particularly eager to tangle with you all again. The now former bandit just appears happy to be alive.
"...What about me?" asks Larry, the first Roadkeeper you captured.
"Stay put, bub. Aurealia said nothing about you," says Galatea. She turns to the rest of you. "So do you all want to keep pressing forward? Or bunker down for the day? Going by what Elandra said, we've culled about half the Roadkeepers, but their leadership is still intact, and they have those goblins backing them..."
"You, Larry, you have a much grander destiny. You get to be my servant for the next three years to make up for your wicked deeds. It is a great honor. What do you say?"
Cai’nan shrugged as he went past Aurealia. He had grown up around plenty of slaves in his life, there could definitely be worse fates.
He moved forward through this chamber, looking over the victims and the room for anything of use as the others deliberated their next move.
Kallie goes quiet when the bandit flips the script and calls them out for being responsible for the carnage. She gets introspective, concerned that she had gotten excited over the use of her magics and not thinking through the consequences. Granted, it was a brutal world, and there were many threats and evil things that needed to be fought with lethal force.
When it starts looking like the group has to decide whether to move forward or fall back, she shrugs. "I've got a few spells left, if that's what you're concerned about. I can go on," she says.
Cai’nan had been collecting the bandits trove into a proper pile when he comes across three books. His skin pales as he lifts them, looking at their covers almost as one does a mirror.
The second book was written by Cladissa and edited your father. Specifically, it's a collection of the former's notes from her time as the Freaks' healer. Meanwhile, your old man carefully organized them into their current form. It mainly focuses on Cladissa's study of plants and their medical properties.
The third book is a novelization of the Freaks' adventures titled Absalom Aberrations - A Pathfinder Society Tale. While meant for entertainment, it also offers a lot of insight on how they overcame the numerous challenges they faced. However, the tradeoff is that your father is the main protagonist.
Aurealia grabs one of the healing potions, just in case of emergency.
While Cai'nan searches the room, Galatea pulls out a wand. After getting permission, she starts tapping the group's injured. Over the course of about a minute, everyone's wounds are fully healed!
...Except for Larry!
Much like the fearless protagonist from The Gallant Garland (you all have seen Galatea reading those silly stories when she suspects no one is watching), the group boldly marches down the stairs to the second floor of the basement!
...However, before you do, you notice a familiar statue of the world's smuggest man.
"Xanderghul," remarks Galatea bitterly. "Looks like this place once belonged to him."
Once you arrive at your destination, Aurealia pulls out a map given to you by Charon Seascribe. It is a great recreation of the one he and Sir Roderic used back during their ill-fated trip to this place. It gives a general layout of the area.
Granted, the contents of each room has almost certainly changed over the course of a century!
Thankfully, no ambushes await your arrival. It seems that the remaining Roadkeepers and their goblin allies have set up shop elsewhere. For now, the floor is eerily quiet...
"...Have you all heard the story about how Mom killed Karzoug?" Galatea asks rather randomly.
Kallie rolls her eyes. "Yes!" she says with the tone of one who'd heard it numerous times, and less like a epic of grand adventure and more of a cautionary tale.
Aurealia slaps Larry after not receiving an answer to her offer of servitude. "Fine, Larry! Waste your life as nothing. Nothing." She huffs and turns to follow the others into the basement.
Cai’nan leads the way downstairs, then signals the ladies to wait as he steps on ahead. He checks the areas to their right first before returning and whispering ”Storage and a grave...”
He signals for them to come on out and then wait at the intersection as he moves to check the southern areas. He stops and turns back to them, making a “talking” gesture with his hands...
With a chuckle, Croc replies "I've heard the story of how Kallie's mom turned our mom into a dire crocodile."
"Mom was never a fan of the whole thing...but I say bravo!" Croc gives Kallie a big crocodile grin, with teeth jutting every-wich direction.
At Cai'nan's gesture, Croq says, "Yeah, we're talking! What's it to you?"
Kallie throws up her hands in exasperation, causing the whip in her hand to dance wildly. "Come on! Mama Ryli just reincarnated her. She doesn't control the Wheel, it just spins. Maybe the Wheel meant to make Auntie 'Lu a crocodile just so you can have croc powers!"
Cai’nan sighs and puts his face in his own palm. He then silently waves his hands signaling “No” and then throws a thumb over his shoulder back behind him down the corridor he was investigating and then repeats the talking gesture.
Kallie's eyes go wide. "Oh! I think he wants us to stop talking. But that gesture makes no sense. In the herd, we would put a finger against our lips to signal others to stop talking. Making your hands look like a mouth talking just sends the wrong--" Her cheeks redden. "Okay, I'll be quiet."
Jaya's eyebrows practically crawl up her forehead. "I thought that just meant he heard someone talking..."
Man, her b!%*! quotient grew with her ţâţe
Aurealia nods at Cai'nan, and then motions for Croq and he to lead the way towards the talking. She walks behind them, ready to stab over their shoulders with her spear.
"...What are you waiting for?! Get the longshanks!" shouts a shrill, feminine voice.
"Oh, uh, yes, Ms. Nighteye!"
Before anyone can react, goblins and Roadkeepers start pouring out from the next room and the nearby passageways!
...And they swiftly cutdown poor Larry!
The goblins continue to pour in, and two attempt to attack Croq and Cai'nan.
Luckily, the strike against the younger Andosana sister flatly misses, and the other attack is deflected by a certain set of secret full-plate armor!
Galatea drops her weapon and casts Bless on the group! With a whistle from her handler, Cheshire rushes into battle. Her teeth bite at the wounded Roadkeeper from before.
Aurealia waits for Croq to start singing, and then stabs one of the Roadkeepers.
Croq beats out a driving beat on her drum and begins to chant and wail.
As she does, fragmented spirits of the Roderick clan once again surround her and whatever allies let the Raging Song fill them.
Kallie pulls out a flask of alchemist's fire from her satchel and lobs it over everyone's head targeting the blue goblin towards the back to make sure only goblins are burned by the splash.
Cai’nan curses under his breath that the group couldn’t piece together his perfectly clear sign language, and turned to face the thugs approaching down the hall. He slices his blade at the front one’s throat!
__________
Krodha roars in challenge of the new monkeys attacking him. He turns away from his master and snaps at the closest one to him, his jaws latching down on the man’s arm!
___________
Jaya interlaces her fingers, gathering more and more flame between them until she can't contain it any more and it spills out across the fray!
All but one goblin promptly fall prone!
Meanwhile, the Roadkeepers press their attack. This time, they seem rather assured of their victory. Granted, their goblin allies aren't proving to be very effective!
"Gah! The treacherous longshank still breaths!" grumbles Nighteye as she loads her bow.
She puts another arrow into the still breathing Larry, who lurches and then falls completely still.
Despite taking some serious lumps, the goblins keep pressing their attack!
However, the burning goblin stops moving!
Meanwhile, Cheshire continues to bite and claw her enemies. She tries to take of the pressure of her body Krodha. Meanwhile, Galatea pulls her morningstar back into her hand.
Cai’nan continues slashing at the incoming goblins, his teeth clenched in magic induced fury.
Krodha also keeps chomping at the thugs and goblins!
Aurealia tries to help out the animal companions and Cai'nan by attacking one of the roadkeepers.
Moving in time with her own Raging Song, Croqelle beats her drum and then aims drumstick for the head of the prone goblin before her.
The spirit of Roderick's hangry daughter bites at a goblin as well.