"I'll focus on the div! Help Filibus!" Melech shouts as he steps toward the div, studying the tiny little POS.
The div cackles as the falchion bounces off its horns, doing almost no damage.
"Tru'gat vxchk blorkrug," it says in a sneering voice. Once more, none of you understand it, but Ulysses does recognize it as Abyssal. It is not the same language it spoke in a moment ago. The creature scowls as it sees your lack of understanding and floats over to bite Ulysses again .
Once again it manages to sink its tiny needle teeth into the gnome's hardened skin , and the vile saliva seeps into the wound...
Once again, Ulysses fights off the effects.
[color=green]
Ulysses (20/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Melech (36/37 hp)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp)
Vargouille 2 (0 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (0 dmg)
Filibus (2 dmg, paralyzed 5 rounds)
[/color]
Nevai draws his khopesh and lashes out at the vargouille trying to lick him.
He then steps back, cautiously making his way back to his allies.
Vargouille number two licks Filibus with its horrid tongue, attaching to the nape of his neck, and something goes... inside the historian's skin. Whatever it was, however, immediately spills out of the tiny wound and doesn't seem to have taken hold. Filibus lets out a low, breathy noise that is probably meant to be a scream. He's sweating profusely and looks terribly pale, despite his sunburns.
The third vargouille flies right past its new baby-mama to bite at Melech. Once again, its filthy mouth, full of the same disgustingly bright green fluid it seems to use as blood, bites into Melech's arm and the slayer feels something crawl in the wound...
The wound pulses with his heartbeat in a disconcerting manner. It feels like it has some sort of infection in it...
Filibus continues to just stand there like a lazy bum, sweating profusely. He looks ready to vomit.
[color=green]
Ulysses (20/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Melech (34/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (0 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (0 dmg)
Filibus (2 dmg, paralyzed 4 rounds)
[/color]
Melech suddenly realizes that his holy water works against outsiders as well as undead. He draws a vial and applies it to his falchion , then studies the varg on him , and attacks.
Ulysses tries to take down the varg on Filibus before it can take down Filibus.
As Melech pours the holy water onto his blade, the vargouille takes advantage and bites him hard on the other arm.
Ulysses lands a solid hit on the vargouille licking Filibus, causing it to hiss in pain.
Imanish bites Ulysses again, seeming to pay no heed to the alchemist's hardened flesh. Once again, something vile enters the wound.
And once again, he manages to shake off the effects. The div howls in frustration.
[color=green]
Ulysses (17/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Melech (30/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (9 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (3 dmg)
Filibus (2 dmg, paralyzed 4 rounds)
[/color]
Nevai hustles into a flanking position with Melech and slashes at the vargouille that gave him some really awful non-consensual licks.
The second vargouille, angered by the charred bits scoring its flesh, flaps clumsily toward Ulysses and bites at him, but unlike the div, it can't get through the gnome's tough skin.
The third vargouille, now that it has a wider audience, lets out a piercing, ululating cry.
Ulysses feels his muscles begin to seize up, but he fights through it and shakes it off! Nevai and Melech barely even felt it.
Filibus continues to be frozen. He coughs, then gags, then coughs again, spraying a little bit of vomit into the air in front of him. It dribbles slowly down his chin. He looks awful.
[color=green]
Ulysses (17/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and stable)
Melech (30/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (9 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (13 dmg)
Filibus (2 dmg, paralyzed 4 rounds)
[/color]
Ulysses steps away from the div, pulls a holy water out of his bandolier, and tosses it at the div.
Melech studies the flanked varg, then swings at it with a frustrated shout.
Apparently yelling helps, because Melech lands true on the vargouille, carving a massive line down the front of the thing. Neon green "blood" sprays everywhere, and it shrieks as it falls to the ground twitching feebly.
Ulysses' holy water lands directly on the div's face, singeing its rough fur and partially melting its lower lip and one of its horns. It screams in agony as smoke rises from the wound. The vargouille behind flinches at the spatter of sizzling holy water on its face.
The div shrieks and dives once more at Ulysses, sinking its razor-sharp needle teeth into his flesh again.
[color=green]
Ulysses (16/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Melech (30/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (10 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (27 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Filibus (2 dmg, paralyzed 3 rounds)
[/color]
Assuming there's nothing he can really do against the div at the moment, Nevai steps up to the remaining vargouille and swings.
The remaining vargouille, sensing its end is near, bites at Filibus instead of trying to infect him, perhaps hoping to take the historian out with it. The historian almost looks like he's choking on his vomit, and remains frozen in place, unable to clear his own throat.
[color=green]
Ulysses (16/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Melech (30/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (10 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (27 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Filibus (4 dmg, paralyzed 2 rounds)
[/color]
Ulysses steps away from the div. "Sorry, Filibus," he says as he pulls an alchemist's fire from his bandolier and tosses it at the remaining varg.
Melech applies another holy water to his blade as he walks toward the div. "Die, fiend!"
Ulysses strikes the varg square on the face, but while the flames lick over it, they don't do nearly as much damage as one of his bombs. Flames lick across Filibus' face and chest but don't do too much to him.
Melech readies his blade with holy water and swings at the div, but it ducks at the last second and Melech's blade goes straight toward the solid sandstone floor at an odd angle.
Melech just barely manages to twist the falchion so the flat of it slaps the sandstone instead of hitting on the blade edge and fatally cracking the blade.
Imanish laughs cruelly and floats into Ulysses' space to bite him again, but this time he can't quite get through the gnome's tough leathery flesh. He howls in frustration once more.
[color=green]
Ulysses (16/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and stable)
Melech (30/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (12 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (28 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Filibus (5 dmg, paralyzed 2 rounds)
[/color]
Nevai continues swinging at the vargouille.
The vargouille takes another bite out of Filibus but thankfully it doesn't look too deep .
Filibus' fingers start to twitch.
[color=green]
Ulysses (16/24 hp)
Vargouille 1 (26 dmg, unconscious and stable)
Melech (30/37 hp, infected wound)
Imanish (?? dmg)
Nevai (24/27 hp, feelin real icky)
Vargouille 2 (12 dmg)
Vargouille 3 (27 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Filibus (6 dmg, paralyzed 1 round)
[/color]
Melech drinks his shield extract. Hit a 25, motherf+~!er.
Melech studies the remaining varg and swings at it.
After Melech's horrid miss, Imanish cackles cruelly and floats confidently toward Ulysses. "Vigo rohrbach v'gorturkklhhhh--"
Whatever it was saying in stupid demon words gets cut short as Melech's falchion rips through its DR 10 and damn near cuts the little shit in two. The div drops to the stone floor with a dull thud, eyes rolled up into its head, as some sort of fluid oozes out of it. It's not multicolored, exactly, but reminds you vaguely of oil spilled onto water, as if its very blood is a corruption of the elements it once represented.
Melech then twists in place and carves into the remaining vargouille, opening a horrid gash along its face... body... wing... along it. Burning alchemist's fire drips immediately into the wound and ignites spectacularly, sending the vargouille plummeting to the ground below for falling damage. It lands with a satisfying splat near its friend.
COMBAT OVER!
Nevai staggers over to the div and watches silently as it steadily bleeds lifeblood out of its... abdomen?... and finally spasms once and dies.
"Good riddance. I have never had my mind taken over before. I... do not recommend it."
The cleric looks particularly pallid.
Moments later, Filibus falls to the ground, shaking and bleeding. "Wow!" he says as he spits up vomit. "That was worse than that one night in Westcrown." He gags, then vomits again, before rising shakily to his feet. "I think I need a drink to wash this taste out."
"Everyone gather up. I will heal us."
He channels energy, but something in Melech's and Filibus' wounds is resisting...
Neither Filibus nor Melech receive any healing. Nevai and Ulysses regain .
Nevai frowns. "That is very, very bad. We need to see the healers at the temple, and soon. But first, I think this is the last of the house. I imagine any other dangerous creatures still here would have already joined the fight. Should we finish clearing the place before we leave?"
Melech sheathes his sword and inspects his infected wound. He flexes his hand and forearm and winces with the pain. He has been wounded many times, but something about this one feels ... different. Wrong.
He looks down at the grounded varg, then draws his sword again. Not taking any chances, he makes sure that the varg and the div are dead. Then he says, "Wait here," and heads downstairs to do the same to the other vargs. A few seconds later, he returns up the stairs, cleaning his blade of gore.
He nods at the others. "Okay, let's get this done and get to a temple."
He enters the southeast room and takes a look around.
The mutagen coursing through his veins dulls his senses slightly, but Ulysses still tries to help Melech clear out the house.
A large lacquered desk, now in poor condition, sits in the center of this room. Bookcases stand along the eastern and southwestern walls, sagging as if ready to collapse at any moment. Their shelves have fallen out, and the piles of dust at their bases are all that remains of books and scrolls that failed to survive the long years. The lacquered wooden frames of what might once have been divans stretch along the north and south walls, but their upholstery has disintegrated. There are no exits to this room save the one you entered from.
Melech finds a hidden compartment in a desk drawer. Popping it open reveals a tarnished bronze key.
Most of the contents of this room have fallen apart or otherwise been reduced to dust from the dry desert air. A foul, cloying smell fills the room.
Under the dilapidated remains of a wardrobe, Melech finds a ring that appears to have survived the years remarkably well. It seems to be a wedding band of some sort.
When Melech picks it up, something very strange happens. Melech touches Nevai's hand and speaks in a voice not his own. He speaks in Ancient Osiriani, but for some reason, everyone present can understand it.
Melech says, in a young man's voice, to Nevai, "I'm so sorry. I can't find the ring I bought you anywhere! I just had it!"
Nevai touches Melech's cheek tenderly, and says in a young woman's voice, "It's alright, my love. It's not the right time to tell my family anyway."
Melech grasps Nevai's shoulders, eyes smoldering with passion. "Come with me, Ariseti! Come across the river where we'll be safe!"
"Not just yet, my darling," Nevai replies, amusement and fondness thick in his falsetto voice. "My father says we'll be safe here. You go, wand when all this is over, you can come back for me, and we'll announce our engagement then." Nevai pauses, then puts the back of his palm to Melech's forehead. "My love, are you feeling alright? You're burning up!"
Melech feels warmth spread up his arm from the ring he's holding and settle somewhere in the back of his mind.
Suddenly the two men snap back to themselves.
Nevai, realizing his hand is still on Melech's forehead, quickly draws it back.
"Uh. What the Hells just happened?"
Ulysses stares at the pair, mouth agape. At Nevai's question, Ulysses bursts out laughing. He tries to explain what he just saw, but the more he talks about it, the harder he laughs, until words become absolutely impossible. Ulysses is doubled over with snorting laughter, struggling to breathe, tears streaming down his face. He sits in the corner, avoiding looking at Melech and Nevai.
After a few minutes, he (mostly) has himself under control. He stands, wiping tears from his eyes. "Oh. I needed that. Now, are you ready to move on, Mr. and Mrs. Kusafisha?" He tries to keep a straight face, but fails miserably. He walks out of the room and checks the room to the north.
Melech stands still, holding the ring, wondering what the hell just happened to him. The gnome's laughter doesn't even register with him.
He asks Nevai to examine the ring, then follows Ulysses.
Nevai grumbles under his breath, "Why do we have to take his last name?" before studying the ring.
He shrugs. "No idea. Definitely magical though."
Melech knows the ring is magical, and also haunted as shit. The haunt seems to be tied to the love the couple shared, so it's likely the only way to break the haunt is to freely give the ring as a token of true love.
It, uhm. Also seems to have given Melech the Plague of Madness.
Melech snatches the ring from Nevai and drops it on the ground. "We should not take this into the city. It's haunted. Leave it."
Then he continues to the next room with Ulysses.
Nevai scowls and picks up the ring. "And I will not leave a haunted trinket here for some other unlucky fool to find. We should give it to the Church of Pharasma. They will know what to do with it."
Nothing untoward happens to Nevai when he picks up the ring. Apparently the haunt doesn't reset right away. The party heads to the next room.
Dust blankets the room. The walls, opnce brightly painted to depict life in ancient Wati, are now faded. A smaller room or alcove takes up the northeast section of the room; it was once closed off by a wooden door that since has rotted away, leaving only its hinges in the doorframe. A strong, cloying odor of decay pervades the room.
Melech finds, buried within the debris, a large darkwood box that has withstood the test of time surprisingly well, though its contents not so much. Inside is a dress that likely was once of remarkable craftsmanship, but time has made it brittle. Melech is fairly certain that any attempt to move or even touch the dress would turn it to dust. Perhaps if someone had mending...?
Also in the chest, in a parallel compartment, are:
- 35gp
- A strand of freshwater pearls
- A small sealed tube with a magical unguent of some kind
- A long scroll tube containing a rolled-up papyrus painting in excellent shape
This strange goop is called a kohl of uncanny discernment. There are five applications inside.
The painting is likely worth 80gp to a collector. The darkwood box is worth 100gp . The wedding dress is worth 150gp to a collector if you can mend it. The string of pearls are worth 200gp.
Nevai growls in frustration at the magical tube. "Fine. Keep your secrets. Stupid tube."
"I can mend the dress with magic tomorrow. I do not have the spell prepared today."
Filibus chimes in. "Dress? What dress?"
He leans in to look. "Ooh, pretty." He reaches down a finger and touches the infinitely fragile garment. "Boop!"
Instead of turning to powder, as you expected, small threads of magic spread across the dress and return it to some of its former sturdiness.
"Been waiting a minute to do that." Filibus looks quite pleased with himself.
Ulysses laughs at Filibus's magical display. "HA! Well done, boy!" He claps Filibus on the back. At the historian's wince, Ulysses cringes. "Ooh, sorry. Forgot. Let's finish up here so we can get you fixed up."
Ulysses and Melech walk to the western door and check it.
Neither Melech nor Ulysses find anything untoward on the unlocked door, and swing it carefully open.
This spacious room has entrances in the southern and eastern walls. The aged remains of dressers, a large bed, and a divan lie in ruins. The husk of a large hornet's nest, gray, papery, and devoid of life, occupies one corner of the ceiling. The spaces in the northeast and northwest corners appear to be closets. Their wooden doors have all but fallen off their hinges, and heaps of disintegrated fabric mingle on the floor. Between the closets stands a single lacquered dresser covered in dust.
Melech asks for Ulysses's help checking the dresser.
Melech raps on the dresser and it's clearly hollow. It's a fake!
Sliding the false dresser aside, he finds a chest. It seems to have withstood the elements well, probably thanks to the layer of protection provided by the false dresser surrounding it.
INVESTIGATE!