Garland moves in and advances, hoping that the men agree to her aid. However, they do not. Garland can see immediately that these men most definitely mean her harm. One of the sick ones shouts out. Right, healer...ya' came to the wrong place! Or, maybe not...we been lookin' for some entertainment!
Garland feels like she could care for them, given time. They show the symptoms of chillbane shakes - an affliction you thought you'd never see in this area of the world.
Ana
Arsiel
Sickened men
Ques
You test your arms, and find them manacled in front of you. The manacles are connected by chain to a hook in the floor. The cellar is dark, but you can of course see around you. a half-dozen boxes and barrels take up the majority of this underground cellar. A rough blanket lies spread on the floor in the southeast corner next to a bowl of half-eaten food. On the blanket sits a quite attractive human woman, her clothing noble but worn with dirt and lack of care. Her green eyes watch you with quite a bit of fear as she sits, her knees hugged up to her chest.
Grimacing at the words of the brigands Arsiel advances grimly. I tried to warn you, but this is how it’s going to be huh?!? Fine have it your way...
[b]Arsiel closes to the nearest one and attacks![/ooc]
Grimacing at the words of the brigands Arsiel advances grimly. I tried to warn you, but this is how it’s going to be huh?!? Fine have it your way...
Ana saunters in and moves to the right of the doorway. Summoning a ball of kinetic chaos she hurls it at the closest “chiller”. With a woosh! of dust, dirt and grit the ball of energy completely misses the target.
[+2 Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; +1 Physical blast, +3 Con]
Ana moves in and looses a blast, but it flies wide. Arsiel moves in along with her, and stops to survey the scene before him.
The sickened men move, sluggishly, into action. The one to the far west moves through a door into a different room. The one to the south moves up the stairs, calling up to someone above. We got company!
The two others standard guard, taking a slight step back to the fireplace. They heft short swords from where they were leaning against the bricks next to them, and hold them, wavering, in front of them.
The man to the north shouts in surprise as the eagle appears by its head. The avian immediately sets into the man, ripping and tearing. He drops his sword as he falls, bleeding out onto the floor.
Ana
Arsiel
Sickened men
Ques
As the men scatter, Garland steps up to the nearest sickened man and stabs with her drawn spear. "You had your chance."
Sighing heavily, Arsiel crosses the room next to Garland, laying into the sickened man with his weapon. She's right you know, we did offer to let you surrender
Garland and Arsiel move in, stabbing and slashing. Together, they force through the man's defenses, and cut him down.
Only a second of silence passes before more of these fellows burst out of their rooms. Out come more of them men, similarly equipped but not seeming sickened, and one half orc woman.
Garland
Not so sick men
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
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The eagle rushes the first man and flails wildly at him, unable to repeat it's first lethal performance.
Ques moves into the best position he can and takes a shot with his crossbow at the man (not the orc) that he can get the best angle on.
"Say, guys, bfore we go on to the next room, can I summon Grey."
Anna moves up by the eagle and shoots a burst of wood shavings, kindling and fireplace detritus and remnants at the man next to the orcess...
[+2 Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; +1 Physical Blast, +3 Con]
Ana's blast slams into one of the men just as he rushes out of the room. The blast of particles flays his skin and pushes him back into the orc, who pushes back against him to knock him to the ground. The man stands still, seemingly woozy on his feet.
As the eagle dives in to distract one of the men, Ques's bolt flies out, coming close enough to the fireplace that it wobbles slightly as it skims the stone. It skims the man's arm, and he looks up and across the room. Ow, hey!
The half orc woman looks out at the invaders, and calls out to the others. Who in the hells is this? She draws a short sword, and fixes Ana with a stern gaze around her disabled ally. You should all leave, and quick! This lodge is closed for business!
Garland
Not so sick men
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
Standing her ground, Garland calls out to the woman, "We were brought here by Brinder. That is before we had to end his sad existence. In case you are wiser then the fools we met earlier, I will tell you once, lay down your weapons and surrender. We can care for the sick and injured. You are not our quarry." She plants the weighted end of her spear on the hard wood and stares down the woman from across the room. As she leans against the weapon, however, the end kicks out, causing her to stumble forward a few feet. Although she keeps her feet, she is sure by the general laughter, that her stern and serious words were met with deaf ears. Knowing her gambit did not pay off, she steps behind the fireplace and awaits the worst.
The man, as expected, chuckle at Garland's attempt, though one does look around once Brinder is mentioned, as if he was looking for the man. Instead of surrendering, they move to attack!
One slashes at the eagle in front of him, hoping to get the avian out of the way so he can attack some two legged foes.
Another moves around the other side of the fireplace to slash at Garland. She is just able to position herself so that the fireplace partially blocks the attack!
The third turns to stare, wide eyed, at the female half-orc, then motions towards you. C'mon, get it together, Tacey. I know you're just the cook, but these are the type that the boss said ta' take out! Then, exhausted, the man steps forward towards the eagle, appearing quite uneasy on his feet.
The half-orc, Tacey, grunts and her eyebrows furrow. That lady says she can help the boys...what gives, Lem? Just let her help! She keeps her guard up, but does not move to attack.
You hear footsteps, as something or someone is coming down the stairs.
Not so sick men
Half orc woman
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
”Siddown chump and lissen to the cook!” Ana cries, her blood rising from all the chaos. She blasts the man not being gouged by Ques’ eagle. The resultant flying detritus is huge, and powerful, but completely misses the target.
[+2 Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; +1 Physical Blast, +3 Con]
"Wrong move." Garland thrusts her spear at the thug. She then takes a step back.
Arsiel pivots to the man near him, focusing his fury on him and attacking with all his might!
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|
Ques's eagle continues it's assault on the one that attacked it, brutally savaging the man (and potentially the other man too).
Ques reloads his crossbow and moves to a better location.
"You are running out of men and are forcing us to harm you instead of help you. Those of you who want aid throw down your weapons and you will be helped after we deal with those who don't."
Ana fires away, but this time the blast goes wild. The man jumps back from the blast and looks around in confusion. What the...
Arsiel, from his position behind the stairs, spins out into the open area and swips across, impaling the man who had just moved up to challenge Garland. The man's eyes go wide, then drift close as he slips to the floor, dying.
Ques's eagle tears into the man before it, who was still marveling at the magnificent shot by Ques that skimmed him. Unfortunately for him, the eagle doesn't care about it and it makes a bloody mess of the man with two talons. Before that man hits the floor, the eagle pecks out at the nearly disabled man, and pecks out his eye. Both men tumble to the ground.
Hearing the sounds of fighting settle, Garland stabs her spear into the thug that fell (for good measure) and steps back. "I heard you say something about others. If you want to avoid any more blood shed, I suggest you call them off. We can continue doing this all day, but can you?"
The half orc woman looks shocked as her supposed allies all fall. Even though Garland stumbles over her words, the weight of the immediate violence lies on her shoulders as she looks around the room. I...I... She puts her short sword back into its sheath, and nods. I don't want trouble...I was just hired on as the cook. But...
She's interrupted by an odd sound - clacking, like sharp digits on hard wood, with the echo of something stomping down the stairs. Mixed with it is a dry wheezing, as if something was trying to breath, but no longer had the facilities to do so. A second later, one creature, then another climb down from the stairs. Their bodies are devoid of skin, with white and gray bones coated with a slick sheen of ice, even as they stand in the warm room. One turns with an odd, jerking speed to point at Garland, while the other opens its blue-fringed mouth to wheeze out an unheard command, its breath long gone.
The half-orc woman begins to retreat into her kitchen, whispering to herself. It's too late...too late.
Skeletons
Half orc woman
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
Garland looks around the fireplace, "What in all things good are those things!"
Arsiel focuses his attention on the nearest skeleton, lightly attacking the newer and closer creature.
Ana swallows hard, then ducking under the eagle, rushes to the west wall to stand under the antlers/stuffed head. Her countenance becomes, if possible, even more set and grim. She screams as she hurls all her anger, pain and fear into a ball of chaotic force at the western skeleton...
[+2 Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; [bludgeoning] +1 Physical Blast, +3 Con]
Anyone who gets within range of the strange skeletons feels the intense cold from them wash over their bodies. The icy cold is enough to turn skin blue as it falls off of them in a wave.
The skeletons seem more agile than one would assume given their structure, and they dash from side to side, dodging the attacks of Ana, Arsiel, and the eagle. Ques's splash of acid, though, hits one center mass, melting out part of its ribcage.
Skeletons
Half orc woman
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
Garland drops her spear and grabs the sling at her side, loading it with a sling bullet. "Stay back from those things, if you can."
The skeletons leap into action with uncanny speed. One slashes twice with claws at the eagle near it.
The skeleton hits with a claw, but the nature of the shadow eagle allows it to resist much of the damage from the frigid claw, and it still stands...err, flies.
The other skeleton attacks it as well.
As the skeletons launch into their attacks, you see a form come into shape, kneeling by one of the dead bandits. The man is holding a scroll over the body, and it crumbles to ash as he finishes the incantation on it. The man smiles as the previously dead bandit's body begins to rise. He rushes over to another, then another, touching them in turn. The others also begin to rise, as slavering undead beasts, their eyes wide in hunger!
Skeletons
Half orc woman
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
Garland moves back along the table and lets loose her sling bullet at the foremost skeleton.
Ana near jumps out of her skin as the shadowstealth man appears. She fires off a quick blast before realising the peril of her position...
[+2Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; +1 Physical blast, +3 Con]
Then she blasts him again for good measure...
[+2Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; +1 Physical blast, +3 Con]
Focusing on the closest skeleton, Arsiel redoubles his efforts.
Ana lets loose with a blast of power at the newcomer, and it slams into him, taking the man by suprise and causing him to stagger a bit. He must have bit his lip when hit, as blood trails from his mouth as he grins in response.
Arsiel swats at a skeleton with a mighty slash, but unfortunately the creature is too quick and dodges aside.
The eagle flies in to slash at the skeleton, but its claws seem nearly ineffectual on its bones. It squawks in frustration as Ques's next splash of acid whizzes by harmlessly.
Garland hurls a bullet at the skeleton, but it sails by as well.
The man and his undead force go into motion. The rearmost skeleton looses its attacks upon the eagle. It slashes twice and the eagle disappears, back to its home plan.
The other skeleton wordlessly falls upon Arsiel with its attacks.
Meanwhile, one of the zombies rushes at Ques, attempting to slam Ques into the wall with its torso in an odd, undead form of a tackle.
The other two zombies focus on Ana, attacking with their pale, dead arms.
The man smiles even wider as he sees his minions performing their tasks. He takes a step back, drawing a sword that drips with green oil, and kicks in the kitchen door. Cook! What are you doing hiding in there? We have intruders to kill!
Skeletons
Zombies
Man
Half orc woman
Ana
Arsiel
Ques
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Unfortunately, that puts Quest down to 0 HP due to the 2 damage taken here. So he steps back and casts infernal healing on himself.
Rather convincingly too, if I do say so myself.
Stepping around the table and putting herself between her fallen comrade and the nearest skeleton, Garland tries to tear at it with her claws. However, the near futility of this situation gets the best of her and she is unable to make contact with the lurching undead.
Arsiel takes a half step back before urging the half orc to help in the fight, “Join us! These monster cannot be allowed to exist!
He desperately attacks the skeleton facing him, hopeful that this attack connects. Missing wildly, desperation begins to take hold.
Ana grabs matter and threshes it forward with curled fingers at the skeleton immediately east of her...
[+2 Dex, +1 Weapon Focus; +1 Physical Blast, +3 Con]
Ana lashes out at the nearest zombie with her power, and she nearly takes the entirety of the man's skin from his bones. It makes him far more hideous as he turns to Ana with a hideous bloody grin formed by a now lack of lips. It still stands!
Garland swipes at a zombie, but her claw doesn't seem to be able to get through the undead man's armor. The skeleton to the southeast moves quickly in order to allow Arsiel's blade to whistle by, harmlessly.
After being missed by Arsiel, the skeletons move in and launch an all out assault on him with slashing claws.
One of the zombies swings mightily at Garland with a clublike arm, seeming to forget the weapon it had dropped on the floor in death.
The other two unleash their attacks on Ana!
The man sneers at the kitchen door, when he sees the half orc woman not coming out. Fine, I'll do it myself! He steps back and points a finger at Arsiel. You! Kill your friend!
Skeletons
Zombies
Man
Ana
Arsiel
Ques