Papillon moves up, and throws her starknife at the creature!
Not liking the idea of getting chomped on again, and seeing that a 4 to 1 ranged match is probably in their favor, he will throw two javelins, and then take cover behind the pew.
The combat continues, as Derrikk and Madame P score ranged hits, and Orm harries the demon with javelins.
The demon grunts in pain and mutters, a dark halo surrounding him. He points at Derrikk, who feels the grip of fear upon him!
Will Save Derrikk, Please
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target is frightened 1.
Failure The target is frightened 2.
Critical Failure The target is frightened 3 and fleeing for 1 round.
The monster then trundles forward.
~+~Combat Round 5~+~
Blue (-59)
Orm (-20, Wounded 1)
Papillion
Red
Derrickk (-13, Will save)
--Celery (-8, Wounded 1)
Junebug
Papillon seems frustrated, as she was not ready for the creature to come back into melee range, but holds her tongue. "I need to get a second starknife when we are finished here. I can't keep throwing mine away like that." Instead she focuses and brings her arm forward. "Moonbeam."
Orm steps up to the demon, and the flurries, attacking a total of three times.
Flurry of blows, Falling Stone & Inspire Courage
extra dmg due to forceful property
extra dmg due to forceful property
Working together, the team takes the demon down!
When you recover enough to examine the demons, you find a necklace with a small angel statue on it around the quasit's neck, and a religious symbol of Gozreh around the brutish demon's neck. Derrikk, Junebug, and Madame P also recognize the grey hoodless cloak it is wearing as the formal vestments of a priest of Gozreh.
There are two doors on the western side of the room. The door on the northern side is blocked by a fallen font.
While his compatriots examine the demons and their possible loot and investigation implications, Orm heads over to the blocked door and knocks.
"Demons are dead. Any normal individuals in there?" Orm hopes the local priest might still be alive.
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If there appears to be a moment or ten, Derrikk will attempt to treat some of his wounds, knowing that he needs to wait a little longer before trying to help Celery.
but too much adrenaline is in his system. After fumbling with his medical pouch, he gives up and moves to see where they should be searching next.
A muffled voice responds from the other side of the door, "Praise the Master! The door seems to be stuck. Could you help me?"
...
"There is someone alive in there! Quickly, Orm - Derrikk, can you help move the door out of place?"
"Thanks, Theolonius. I should have realized how hurt I am. Once we find out more here, perhaps someone can bandage me up more. Now, Derrick, you are only making things worse. Have a seat in the pews and catch your breath and stauch that wound."
Orm tries to move the font.
After a few heaves, Orm gets the font removed from in front of the door. The heavy door swings out, and a bruised and battered man emerges. There are several deep and ugly-looking cuts on his face, and he looks exhausted.
"Oh, thank Abadar. I knew He would send someone to rescue me. Have you dealt with those terrible demons? And their accomplices? I'm Nellyn Drend, the priest-banker who maintains this chapel."
He barely waits for a nod from you, and then continues, "I was performing some record keeping when they burst in the door: a hunchbacked demon, two flying fiends, and two masked men charged into the church. I tried to fight, but the hunchbacked demon overpowered
me and I was forced to flee. I took shelter in the one place I knew Abadar would never permit to be violated: the church’s vault."
He looks back into the vault, which you can see is filled with hundreds of lockboxes stored on shelves lining the walls. "Sure enough, the demon couldn't follow me inside, but it jammed the door shut. I've been trapped in there for hours."
Orm returns to his fellows, expecting that the priest will follow.
"What of this symbol on the brute? And the necklace on the little one? Anything magical?"
Turning to the priest, "We encountered two masked demons outside and two in here, but you mentioned five creatures. That means another is around here or fled. Stay alert everyone."
The priest follows Orm back out into the church, but stumbles to a stop with a gasp. For a moment, he chokes up with tears. Then, he stands tall, straightens his shoulders, and says, "Order will prevail and Abadar’s worship will be restored."
He looks out over the devistantion, and notes, with ire, "By the Twin Eagle! The church’s two most holy books, The Manual of City-Building and The Order of Numbers, are both missing. They were on the altar when the demons arrived."
"But how selfish of me. I am in your debt for saving me, and that is not somewhere any follower of Abadar likes to be. Let me help you."
The priest sets the golden scales right on the altar, carefully stacks the mess of papers made by the quasit, and closes his eyes as he lays one hand on the key that hangs from his neck. A sunbeam slanting through one of the broken stained-glass windows hits the altar and priest, bathing them in a golden glow, and healing energy channels out onto all of you.
The priest opens his eyes with a look of resolution. "I would like those books back, and the remaining demon responsible for this destruction brought to justice. I am prepared to reward your labor."
At this, he presses a hidden release on the altar, and a panel swings open. He takes out two objects and places the on the altar. One is a small statue of a dog carved from a black gemstone, the other is a plain golden ring engraved with a set of trader's scales.
"Bring me the books, and I will give you these."
"Thank you for the healing. We are but humble circus performers and riggers, not heroes. We would like to help Abberton as best we can, but I do not know if we are properly equipped to fight demons. How can these trinkets help? Can Abadar in all his power and wisdom provide any other assistance?"
As if just realizing there is another door in the chapel, Orm also asks "What is in there?! The other demon could be hiding. Are there any other exits to that room? Like a window?"
The priest creeps over to the door..."Be ready."
He flings it open.
Inside is a storeroom whose shelves are in good order. Nothing looks broken or out of place.
"Ah, it appears that the demons did not reach the storeroom. Let me see what we have here."
The priest rummages around and brings out a mahogany case and a tarnished bracelet. He sets these on the altar and says, "These should be helpful." Tapping on the box, he explains, "A flask of holy water for each of you, and these bracelets of dashing should be useful for you whether you are demon hunters or circus performers."
"You see, you should not be so quick to write off Abadar's payments as trinkets. It merely shows you have little eye for value. The statuette there transforms into a loyal guard animal, and this ring is a relic of our order which has guided priests of Abadar for years."'
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"Thank you for the healing. We are but humble circus performers and riggers, not heroes. We would like to help Abberton as best we can, but I do not know if we are properly equipped to fight demons. How can these trinkets help? Can Abadar in all his power and wisdom provide any other assistance?"
As if just realizing there is another door in the chapel, Orm also asks "What is in there?! The other demon could be hiding. Are there any other exits to that room? Like a window?"
After receiving the healing, she goes over and picks up her starknife off the ground where it landed. She holds her holy symbol closely. "Thank you Nellyn, Abadar is most gracious."
She listens to the men converse about demons, and books and rewards, and speaks up at the very end, speaking with her friend, "Orm, you are correct - we are a mere troop of circus performers, but even you cannot deny the fact that somehow, or by someone's will, we have ended up being roped into ...well, something. I can't yet put a finger on it." She pauses for a moment and thinks, "If we can find your books, prior, we will get them for you. But we make no promises, we are still quite new to all this."
"As a side question, other than the demon attack, can you tell us of anything else strange that has happened in town? How have your sermans been, are people still attending? Have you heard any whispers in confession?"
She gets ready to set off. "Weren't we going to the orchard next?"
The priest puts a hand on the dog statue. "This payment will be delivered if you are able to return my books. You are welcome to the rewards I have already given you, and anything you find while you are searching for the culprits; I have the major treasure of the church secured."
The priest will also tell you that he recognizes the quasit's necklace as a crying angel pendant.
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"Sorry to be presumptuous about that puppy dog, padre. Would you mind if I take a look at the ring?"
"I have a few more questions if you don't mind. First, what is in these books that would interest a pair of demons? And second, what is going on out there at the Gozrehan temple? Can you think of any reason why a pair of demons would be wearing the vestments of a priest and carrying his holy symbol?"
Understanding the priest's explanation, takes the pendant and offers it to Madame Papillon.
Once the priest answers Theolonius' questions, Orm suggests they head to the crypt in the cemetery. "Surely the dead rest peacefully there, but I do not want our dear new friend threatened after we just saved him."
"That Gozrehan temple is a wild place--I've always said so! Who knows what uncivilized things they get up to there. Summoning demons? I'm not surprised in the least!" He seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder where Gozrehans are concerned.
"As for those demons, they probably stole the books to spite me and disrespect our temple. Look what a mess they have made of this place."
Cautious of the priest's safety, the group heads back outside into the cemetery. You make your way past the open graves without incident, passing the floppy skin-suits that the vermlek demons used as disguises.
The small northern building of the graveyard is merely a gravekeeper's shed, and nothing looks out of place there.
The southern building has the name "Moulder" carved above it. Its entrance is a wooden door, and as you near, you can see that a broken lock hangs from the handle.
Orm, trying to stay quiet, points at the door and mimes opening it. His floral face is hard to read, but you imagine he is proposing a course of action and wants a nod or two to move forward.
Orm opens the door and sees two small dog-faced creatures arguing with each other over a small pile of coins and jewlery.
Orm: Make a Will save. Roll twice and take the worse.
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Junebug
Derrickk
Papillon
Orm
Red
Blue[
Orm takes Mountain Stance, enters the crypt (hesitating only a moment before crossing the threshold), and flurries.
Flurry of blows, Falling Stone
extra dmg due to forceful property
Papillon walks over the strikes with her starknife.
You find that the crypt interior is in disarray, as the gremlins have opened all of the coffins in the crypt and pulled out the “treasures” into a heap on the floor. This pile includes several tarnished buttons, loose teeth, and buckles from disintegrating clothing. The fey were arguing over 30 silver pieces, and a gold ring that looks like it is worth about 10 gold pieces.
Derrikk and Madame P: You spot a glint of metal under one of the discarded coffin lids. It's a low-grade cold iron pick.
Orm will gather the cold iron pick and the valuables, and suggest returning to the priest to inform him of the damage.
"I do not think these are the demon we are looking for. Perhaps it has gone on to make mischief elsewhere."
The priest, Nellyn,meets you at the front door of the church, with a broom in his hand. "One more thing to refurbish. Well, Abadar will provide. Perhaps I can secure a low-interest loan from the church in Escodar." He frowns. "It concerns me that the books have been taken off our property. They may be more difficult to track down. I have confidence in you, however, and hope to see you return them successfully."
"We will do our best." Turning to the group, "To the orchard?"