Shadow of the Demon Lord for Itzi and Nik (Inactive)

Game Master Brainiac

Melissa narrows her eyes suspiciously and takes a grip on her long knife, feeling the the energy vibrating through the weapon. She reaches one foot out and slides open the shutter at the bottom.

"Who's in there?" she asks. "Speak your name."

"Help!"

"Gods, save us!"

The piteous wailing and discordant cries for help increase in volume and intensity, filling your minds with terror. Writhing tentacles reach out through the open shutter, snaking around Melissa's legs!

Everybody must make a Will challenge with 1 bane or gain 1 Insanity. On a failure, you are stunned for a number of rounds equal to your new Insanity total instead of being frightened. Everybody may act!

Will: 1d20 - 1d6 ⇒ (13) - (3) = 10

Saleh jumps but retains enough presence of mind to slash at the tentacles threatening Melissa!

Slash!: 1d20 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 3 + (5) = 18 Damage: 4d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2, 4, 1) + 2 = 10

Will: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 2 - (3) = 10

Kragga barely maintains her wits as she moves to help Saleh. "Melissa, get back!" the orc growls.

Sword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Kragga uses prayer to grant Melissa a boon on her Will challenge, which negates the bane. If Melissa also uses Trickery, that gives her a net of one boon on the roll.

Will Challenge: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 2 - (1) = 12

Elizabeth's eyes grow wide as she grabs Melissa by the shoulders and pulls her back.

Tricky Will Challenge: 1d20 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (6) = 9

Melissa claps her hands over her ears and squeezes her eyes shut, hoping to make the horrors go away.

Stunned for two rounds.

Elizabeth quickly drags Melissa away from the iron door. The strange voice cry out in pain as Saleh and Kragga slice into the tentacles. They slip back into the room. You can hear more sobs and wails coming from within, but nothing else emerges for the moment.

Melissa will recover from being stunned without further incident.

Once Melissa has recovered, Elizabeth nods at Saleh towards the partially open eastern door.

This small cave features a bunk bed filled with various lovely shells, a wide variety of good, and an assortment of rusty weapons.

Searching the room will take a few minutes, but doing so uncovers 33 ss as well as a magnificent obsidian dagger. The dagger deals 1d6+1 damage but if it is ever thrown, it will shatter upon impact.

Saleh sheathes the dagger on his belt without comment beyond an appreciative 'hmmm'.

"We'd best move on." He says. "Still no pearl."

You head through the north passage. This massive open cavern is filled with esoteric equipment and glass containers filled with odd liquids, some of which swirl and bubble of their own accord. One table is covered with scalpels, bone saws, and other grisly instruments of dismemberment. A churning vat of aquamarine eels stands in one corner. Suspended between several rolling frames is an octopus that appears to be alive, though its body has been split into multiple sections connected by silvery threads.

In the center of the room, a huge table holds a humanoid figure shaped from a grotesque array of di erent creatures’ body parts—mostly those of killer whales. Several open flaps in its chest cavity are held apart by metal clamps.

The strange dwarf like creature who took the Ocean's Tear stands here, crossbow drawn and aimed towards you. Standing behind the huge table is a human man. He has the doll-like eyes of a shark, with multiple rows of teeth to match. He clutches the massive pearl and glares at you.

"I have waited a long time for somebody to claim this treasure, that I might complete my masterpiece. With this pearl, Orcus shall rise! The first of my whale titans! Soon, the Demon Lord will rip his way into this world, and my Legions of the Sea will oppose him and claim victory. Then, all will praise the name of Mourngul! I will not let you stop me now."

Everybody may act! The dwarf is 4 yards away. Mourngul is 4 more yards behind him.

"Oh shut up!" Saleh growls, advancing on the dwarf and striking with both blades. He aims for the glass fish bowl top and lands a telling blow!

Slow.
Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (16) + 3 + (6) = 25 Damage: 4d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 6, 5, 4) + 2 = 18

Slow Turn

Melissa moves up to the dwarf as well, her long knife slashing at the diminutive figure.

Boons: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5
Tricky/Enchanted Long Knife Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 4 + 5 = 22
Tricky/Backstab Long Knife Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6) = 13

Long Knife Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 4 + (1) = 11
Long Knife Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Fast Turn

Elizabeth summons the energy around and focuses it on the shark-like man.

Taking a strain for a boon.

Fiery Volley Attack - Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 2 + (6) = 20
Fiery Volley Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d3 ⇒ (5) + 1 + (2) = 8

Fiery Volley Attack - Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 2 + (1) = 10
Fiery Volley Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Fiery Volley Attack - Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 2 + (6) = 14
Fiery Volley Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Earth Spike: 1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (19) + 2 + (6) = 27
Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Kragga stomps the ground and a stone spike impales the dwarf's legs, knocking him prone. Elizabeth blasts Mourngul with a trio of fiery missiles, causing him to howl in pain. The man casts a spell of his own, bolstering his defenses.

Before the dwarf can get up, Saleh and Melissa pounce upon him. They stab him and shatter the glass bowl at the back of his skull. The lamprey creature that was inside the bowl flops on the ground as it dies.

"You will rue this day! " Mourngul curses as he channels power into the pearl.

Nice round! Everybody is up! Attacks against Mourngul now take 1 bane.

Slow Turn

Melissa doesn't even pause as she redirects her blade to the large man.

Tricky/Enchanted Long Knife Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 4 + (5) = 17
Tricky/Backstab Long Knife Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 1) = 8

Sorcery Strain: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 - (3) = 0

Fast Turn

Thankful again that her companions are at a distance, Elizabeth loses control of the contained energy and feels it pulse outward malevolently.

She then reaches down into her self dredging up some of her weakest magic and sends it to attack the shark-like figure.

Magic Dart: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Saleh follows, circling the creature to catch it between his blades and Melissa's.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 Damage: 4d6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 4, 3, 2) + 2 = 13

Elizabeth hurls a magic dart into Mourngul's shoulder. As the rest of you move closer, he thrusts the Ocean's Tear into the construct's empty chest cavity and delivers a jolt of lightning from his fingertips. The construct begins to twitch as it flexes its flippers. "It's alive! It's alive! Arise, Orcus!" Mourngul cackles.

Earth Spike, Prayer: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Saleh Boon: 1d6 ⇒ 2

His triumph is short-lived, however, as Kragga knocks him down with an earth spike. Melissa and Saleh pounce upon him, stabbing him until he stops moving. His dolllike eyes stare blankly at the ceiling.

The construct lets out the high-pitched cry of a whale as it rises to its feet and looms over you. Its chest cavity gapes open, the pearl gleaming from within.

Characters attacking Orcus can choose to focus their attacks on the bony chest cavity that holds the Ocean’s Tear in place, but doing so imposes 3 banes on the attack roll. Dealing enough damage to cavity will dislodge the pearl and deactivate the construct.

Slow Turn

Melissa blows some of the red hair out of her face and takes a deep breath before attempting to slash at the bones supporting the huge pearl.

Tricky/Enchanted Long Knife Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 - (4) = 3

... and failing miserably.

Can Elizabeth target the chest cavity specifically with magic dart, which doesn't make a to-hit roll?

Yes she can.

Fast Turn

Elizabeth sends her last eldritch dart into the construct's chest.

Magic Dart: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Attack: 1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (6) = 12

Saleh slashes at the construct, trying to keep its attention as the women try to strike its power source.

Enrage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Elizabeth's dart burns a hole in the chest cavity. Melissa and Saleh both miss with their attacks. Orcus brings its fists down on Saleh, clobbering him.

Boons: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
Fist: 1d20 + 8 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 6 = 30
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 1) = 8

Kragga hurls a barrage of stone blades at the construct, only lightly damaging it despite its sluggish reflexes.

Stone Blades: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
Agility: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Enrage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

8 damage to Saleh. Everybody is up.

Fast Turn

Melissa slashes again at the creature's chest, attempting to free the pearl.

Tricky/Enchanted Long Knife Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1d6 ⇒ (17) + 4 - (2) = 19
Tricky/Backstab Long Knife Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 1) = 11

Sorcery Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (17) + 2 - (1) = 18

Fast Turn

The sorceress pulls in more energy and then sends most of it out as a beam of heat at the gaping hole.

Bane: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

Burning Beam - Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 2 - 6 ⇒ (5) + 2 - 6 = 1
Burning Beam Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Attack: 1d20 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (2) = 6

Saleh continues his largely futile efforts to distract the creature by waving a shiny sword in front of its various eyes!

Yeah, well Liz has only two more castings of her burning beam spell and then she'll be completely spent as far as any kind of attack goes. Then you'll have your chance. ;)

Elizabeth and Saleh both miss, but Melissa scores a good hit, slicing some of the tendrils of flesh holding the pearl in place. The construct retaliates, smashing Melissa into the floor!

Boons: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8
Fist: 1d20 + 8 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 5 = 30
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 1) = 12

Kragga moves to Melissa's side, invoking the World Mother to restore the rogue to consciousness.

Enrage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

12 damage to Melissa. Kragga heals her so that she regains her healing rate +2 and has 1 boon on her next attack. Note that healing from unconsciousness starts at 0 HP. Everybody is up.

Banes: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8

Attack vs. Pearl: 1d20 + 3 - 6 ⇒ (15) + 3 - 6 = 12

Saleh manages to land a blow this time, but not to any great effect as he steps up to block the beasts path to the rest of the ladies.

Slow Turn

Melissa shakes her head in an attempt to stop the ringing in her brain. She stumbles to her feet and attempts to free the pearl one last time.

Tricky/Enchanted Long Knife Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Trick/Backstab Long Knife Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) = 8

Elizabeth bites back a scream as Melissa drops to the ground. After Kragga's healing ensures that the woman is still alive, the sorceress grits her teeth in determination.

Banes: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

Sorcery Strain Roll: 1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 5 = 14

She continues to restrain the building power.

Fast Turn

Another beam of energy fires out at the construct's chest.

Another point of strain.

Banes: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Burning Beam - Will vs Agility: 1d20 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 3 = 17
Burning Beam Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Boons: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5
Fist: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4) = 11

Elizabeth's beam burns the construct's chest, but Saleh misses again. The thing pummels the fighter, but Melissa has the opening she needs. She gets to her feet and stabs its chest once more. At last, she severs the tendrils holding the pearl! It clatters to the floor, and the monstrous creation slumps over, unmoving!

11 damage to Saleh. Kragga heals Melissa for 10 more damage over the course of the next minute.

Melissa nimbly scoops up the huge sphere and looks it over.

"So watcha think?" she asks with a grin, holding the oversized pearl up to her ear. "A pair o' these? Wouldn't that be high styling?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Elizabeth says with a wave of her hand. She rolls her eyes.

A moment passes.

"You'd need at least a dozen of them to string around your neck," she says finally with a completely straight face. She can only stay serious for a moment before an actual smile appears on her lips.

"Shall we return to to the village above?" she asks.

"In due time," the red-head says as her eyes survey the rest of the room. "You never know what this bloke left behind here that he don't need no more."

One room off the main chamber leads to a library. Mourngul’s book collection consists of a wide assortment of discredited medical treatises and occult tomes. A necromancer would be willing to pay 5 gc for the small shelf of books that constitutes Mourngul’s works on that dark art. Two incantations are also found here, taking the form of scrimshawed ivory: bone splinters from the Necromancy tradition and regeneration from the Alteration tradition.

Another room holds a simple cot, which looks little used, and is otherwise filled with strange masks, curious glass sculptures, and other bric-a-brac. One enchanted object lies here within the jumble of oddities.

Aside from those, a number of small caves have been lined with iron bars, turning them into cages. All smell strongly of rotting fish. One cage has walls and floors covered in congealed blood, while another has several salt-preserved bodies stacked within. A strange but harmless creature resembling a cross between a chicken and a lobster rests in another cage, cluck-clacking as you pass by. The biggest cage has a floor grate that falls away when a lever is pulled. The water of the grotto below is visible through the grating.

Enchanted Object: 3d20 ⇒ (10, 18, 14) = 42

A pair of boots that allow you to move at full speed over difficult terrain.

Saleh takes a few moments at the creatures death to breathe deeply and recover his strength after having the wind knocked out of him by the creature. Then he does the man's duty and searches through all the disgusting bits so that the ladies don't have to.

Catch My Breath for 8 healing. Down 11.

With some instruction from Liz he locates some boots that the sorceress insists are enchanted and a couple of odd 'wizardy' things which might be useful in future. Melissa is left to carry the large rock.

"Best be careful." Saleh advises her. "With a stone that big on your hand you'll have high expectations for a wedding ring..." It seems he's trying to join in the joking...

"Well I couldn't very well dangle it from my ..." she begins, but then glances at Elizabeth before continuing. "... from somewhere else, now could I?"

Elizabeth develops a sudden coughing fit that takes her a moment or two to get under control. Once she does so, she turns to the conversing duo. "No, you certainly wouldn't want it dangling from your 'somewhere else'," she says in a stern voice. "Now let's get out of here. This place stinks."

You exit Mourngul's secret underground lair and emerge back into the canals of Bilgewater. Anja Gortz is overjoyed to see you return with the Ocean's Tear, and she gladly pays you the promised reward of 16 more gold crowns for ensuring the safety of the district. Another job well done!

Everybody may level up to 5 (4 for Melissa). You will have several weeks of downtime. I will roll for events when I have more time later.

Ok... so these events are interesting... :)

You wanna message me or shall I message you oh mighty one?

You can message me if you have an idea, otherwise I will come up with something and send you a message tomorrow.

Melissa sat off to the side in the tavern. The rest of the patrons left her in peace. She usually enjoyed being part of the crowd as they joked and laughed, but tonight - tonight of all nights - she'd rather not take the effort and they seemed to recognize that about her. The fact that there were still tear tracks down her face and that she was resting one hand in a bowl of ice-water may also have had something to do with it.

She sat for a while with her right hand in the ice and her left periodically lifting a mug of stout to her lips. She noticed a little bit of laughter coming from the tables near the door.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks. You can come sit on my lap if you want," came from one of the more obnoxious regulars - a man known by all as Slim Samual. He wasn't slim by any definable means and seemed to go out of his way to make anyone of the female persuasion uncomfortable.

A moment later she saw the target of Slim's attention; A girl, twelve or thirteen perhaps, making her way through the tables. Someone who really shouldn't be frequenting a place like this. For some reason she seemed familiar, but Melissa couldn't place her. The girl threaded through the tables as if looking for someone until, eventually, she stopped her search at Melissa's table.

"I thought that this is where you'd be. Care to tell me where you've been for the last week?" the girl asked with one hand on her hip. Melissa's eyes went wide as she recognized her. "Miss?" she managed to squeak out. "Who else would come looking for you here?" Elizabeth countered with a roll of her eyes. She looked around the room with distaste and Melissa immediate felt defensive; These were her friends after all.

"And that's when I told her, 'With an ass like that, you can have all the pears you want!'" Slim's voice echoed through the large room and raucous laughter followed.

Well, most of them were her friends.

"Could you order me a glass of wine," Elizabeth asked. "That woman behind the bar has been ignoring my attempt to get her attention."

"That's cause she don't want to get into no trouble serving kids," Melissa answered a grin appearing on her lips. "Speakin' o' which ..."

"So where have you been?" Elizabeth snapped, cutting off the woman's question.

Melissa sighed. "I got married."

"You WHAT?!"

The noise in the room died down as everyone turned to see what the young girl was shouting about. "You what?" she asked in a quieter voice as she took the stool across from the woman. Melissa rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "Remember that fella, Randolph?" she asked. "That was the one with the stupid mustache, right?" The redhead frowned. "I liked his mustache. I thought it made him look dashing." Elizabeth shook her head. "It made him look stupid."

Melissa gestured to Margarite behind the bar and a few moments later she waddled over to their table with a bottle of white wine and a single glass. She made a point of setting both down in front of Melissa and then, with a glare at Elizabeth, turned and made her way back behind the bar. Elizabeth reached across the table with a huff and pulled both items toward her. After filling the glass and taking a sip, she cringed at the quality and turned her attention to the woman at the table with her.

"So, Mustache?" Elizabeth prompted.

"We'd been seein' a lot of each other and ... well ... he asked me to marry him," Melissa explained, casually, as if it happened every day.

"So you just said 'yes' and got married?" the girl asked, incredulously. "You didn't think about it? You didn't talk to your fr... your employer? One of the most important decisions in your life and you didn't think to ...?" Elizabeth shook her head and refilled her glass with the contents of the bottle that purported to be wine.

"I might o' been kinda drunk," Melissa added, scrunching up her face.

Elizabeth looked away for a moment before wiping her face and then returning her attention to the table. "So, you're married now. I don't even know what your name is."

"Oh, it's still Daylenne," Melissa said with a shrug. "You didn't change your name?" Elizabeth asked, confused. "I did. But I changed it back as soon as I got the marriage nullified." Elizabeth seemed to perk up. "You got it nullified, why? Because you were drunk?"

"Hell no!" Melissa answered, heat rising to her cheeks. "When we went back to the inn after the ceremony, his other wife was waitin' in the room for us. He 'may have' neglected to mention that he were interested in startin' his own little harem." Elizabeth snorted and quickly put her hand over her mouth. "Really?" Melissa nodded. "What did you do?" Melissa looked toward the ceiling. "Let's just say that Mr. Cute Mustache may be missing a couple of teeth." She lifted her right hand out of the bowl of ice showing some swollen fingers and a couple of cuts along the knuckles that might coincidentally match the bite pattern of a certain man named 'Randolph'. "The stupid t+@+," she muttered under her breath. "You don't surprise someone with something like that."

The woman and the girl sat in silence for a while.

"So, why ...?" Melissa began. "I've been playing with time-based magic and there have been ... side-effects." Elizabeth answers, taking another drink of her wine. "Last night I got to experience what old age will be like." She raises a finger. "Let's just say that I've already purchased a new mattress and we'll discuss the matter no further. The effects should wear off within a day or so."

"Ok then."

Silence.

"I'd forgotten how cute you were at this age."

"Didn't I just say that we're not discussing the matter any further?"

"Sorry."

I'll have another post up in the next day or so as Melissa discusses her Mistress more with Saleh.

Saleh steps carefully into the dingy shop, trying to avoid the numerous taxidermied creatures which dominate the shop window. He stoops lower to avoid a particularly impressive species of bat, nearly three meters across in wingspan.

"Be careful young man! I'm a dwarf, we don't need your sort of headroom!" Indeed, the speaker, an elderly woman with white hair, is no more than four feet high. The low hanging bat would be no problem for her. "What does a strapping fellow like you want in my store young man? You look perfectly capable of creating your own specimen, and killing it too!"

She wheezes a laugh, doubling over and chuckling for a long time before she straightens again. Saleh merely smiles, slightly non-plussed, "I have killed some creatures." He agrees, "Never a bat like that though. Still, I do not want a creature. I want to... purchase a gift. I have a friend who can use magic. She has saved my life and I wish to say thank you. I would like something... unique."

The old woman pauses, and a considering look enters her eye. "Well young man. I do have something... something very unusual. A pretty gift for a fine lady. Come, come." She bustles to the front of the shop and flips the sign to 'closed'. In an even smaller and more crowded backroom she pulls a preserved frogskin aside to reveal a small safe. Inside are a collection of objects. A small dagger, a ring with a green stone and a pair of tiny horns, wrapped tightly in silver chains.

"Now this is a very pretty thing." The dwarven woman offers, pulling the ring from the safe. "Enchanted to protect the mind from magic - ancient work of the elves. I will part with it for a very reasonable"

A crash from the front of the shop sends Saleh's hand flying to his knife and the woman's head whipping towards the doorway.

"Come out, old hag!" A voice calls from the front of the shop. "Lachrymosa has had enough of your games. She's calling your debt due. If you won't ask your son nicely, then we'll be asking for you!"

The shopkeeper curses, "Barzukh! You, boy. Get out of here! There's another exit at the back." Unwilling to leave the woman alone Saleh doesn't turn away from the door until there's sudden flash and his vision goes dark.

When he wakes up, surrounded by a small but impressive pool of his own, still wet blood, the woman is gone and the shop is in disarray. A stuffed bear has been decapitated, and the bat lies on the floor - its two wings still suspended from thin ropes. The safe is empty, but on the floor beneath it Saleh finds the two small horns, still tightly bound with silver chain. Collecting the small item, and thankful that he left his sword behind Saleh makes his unsteady way out of the ruined shop - noting as he does the teardrop splashed across the door in black paint.

-----------------
Several hours later, after a rest, Saleh feels much better. Dressed in a fresh tunic and new boots he does his best to freshen up and then heads to Elizabeth's house, knocking on the front door and waiting patiently until it is opened by a middle aged woman.

"I am here to see your Mistress." He says quietly. "My name is Saleh el'Dinn. I hope she will see me."

He is beckoned in and asked politely to wait in the hallway as the woman retreats upstairs.

"A gentleman caller for you my lady." He hears from a few doors down the hallway where the maid hasn't closed the door properly. "Tall, scars. He says his name is Sally Eldun or something like that."

A gentleman caller, eh? His lips quirk upwards as the maid reappears in the hallway and beckons him in. I really have come a long way.

3d20 ⇒ (18, 17, 6) = 41 Oh christ!

Just because the timing on this one is just too good to pass up, There will be a slight retcon to the end of Saleh's post. ;)

He is beckoned in and asked politely to wait in the hallway as the woman retreats down the hall past the stairs.

"There's a gentleman caller for the Mistress," he hears from a few doors down the hallway where the maid hasn't closed the door properly. "Tall, scars. He says his name is Sally Eldun or something like that."

A familiar voice answers - Melissa's voice - but he's unable to make out what's said.

The maid returns a moment later to beckon him toward the hallway in which he stands. "Me mistress ain't available at the moment," she says. "But her maidservant, Melissa, will meet with you."

He's led down the hall into a comfortably furnished study. Creamy looking leather chairs sit around arranged to form perfect spots to read or converse and a cheery fire burns in the large fireplace.

He has just a moment to take in the room when he is enveloped by the scent of jasmine and slender arms wrap around him. A familiar face plants a quick kiss on his cheek accompanied by the pleasant smell of soap and citrus. "Afternoon, Mister Salah," Melissa says with a giggle as she steps back. "I know you're here to see me mistress, but she's away and won't be back for another day or so." She says the last part in an overly loud voice as if speaking for someone else's benefit.

She glances over his shoulder towards the door to the hall.

"In the meantime, I'd like ya to meet the Miss's niece, Jenny," she continues, still in an overly emotive voice and still watching the hall.

Saleh can see now that Melissa isn't the only occupant of the room. A girl sits with perfect posture in one of the large chairs. With long dark brown hair, her features are refined. She returns his look with a slight smirk as if laughing at a private joke. Melissa closes the door to the hall as the girl speaks. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mister el'Dinn," she says, holding out her hand. Her voice is clear and bright.

"Oh Miss, stop teasin' him," Melissa says in a lowered voice as she comes to sit on the arm of the chair next to the girl.

"I have to take my fun where I can find it," the girl says looking up at Melissa. She turns her attention back to Saleh. "It's me, Saleh, Elizabeth," she says with a sigh. At that point he can see the sorceress in the young girl's face. "I've been experimenting with chronomancy and there have been complications. However, from what I've read, the effects should fade by tomorrow or the next day." She closes her eyes. "I apologize for the subterfuge, but the servants gossip enough without adding this to the mix. So we've explained that the mistress has left for a day or so and her 'niece' is visiting."

Elizabeth looks back up at Melissa. "I still don't understand why you chose the name 'Jenny'. It's a commoner's name."

"I like that name," Melissa responds with a pout.

"So what did you need to see me about?" Elizabeth asks.

I wasn't sure whether to write the chronomancy in or not. :)

"Well..." Saleh begins and then carefully lays out the story of the past few hours. "And when I woke up the shop had been ransacked. It may have been vandalism or it might have been looking for something in particular. I'm afraid I did not get your gift, but I did find this." He holds up the small horns bound in thin silver chain. "The old woman kept them in the safe so I assume they are magical, but we were interrupted before she could tell me of their effects. I thought you might want to see it."

Just for mechanics sake: this thing contains a demon which will heal you 10HP when you go unconscious and you are immediately possessed by said demon, as according to the rules in Chapter 10. Hence my reaction when I rolled it :)

The young Elizabeth stands up and moves closer to get a better look at the artifact. She doesn't touch it, however. Her head moves around, examining it from different sides. Her eyes are intense and she reaches out as if to touch it a couple of times but refrains.

"There's something demonic about it," the small girl says. She reaches through a fold in the skirt of her dress and produces a small pouch. "If you'd like me to examine it further, put it in here and I'll look at it later tonight."