Well done in controlling that tiger. One less to worry about.
She stands beside Vinnick, watching Slid investigates the door as she rubs Ajikisshochraos' head.
Stanislav moves closer to the house, wary of windows and arrows. He wants to be ready to back up Slid but not spoil his stealth. Ideally he will move up against the house so someone inside cannot take a shot at him.
Vinnick calls the tiger over to him and directs it to stand on to his side opposite his skeletal guardian. So far, today had proven to be rather good. He was certainly fascinated at a chance to study even the residual power of the weapon they unleashed.
Cori drinks her potions of pass without trace and vanish, then enters the building with her sword drawn.
Come out, come out, wherever you are!
Seeing the tiger coming to beside Vinnick, she decides to move behind Vinnick with Ajikisshochraos at her side, while she looks behind them to see for any threats or disturbances.
The ranger has positioned himself in the staircase and is looking at the door bow drawn. He notices you gathering in from of the door and shouts.
"Who are you lot then? Scavengers? Bandits? Or did you have something to do with the blast that destroyed this town?"
He hasn't noticed Cori enter the building.
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Slid smiles when he realizes the man is either trying to buy time or actually talk his way out. He whispers to the others "Let me try to lower his guard. Put down your weapons if you want to come." He puts away his weapons, but still keeping them on his body.
Slid says loudly sounding offended and hurt "How dare you call me a bandit! I've lost everything today. Do you understand? Everything!" He walks into the house and looks at the ranger accusingly, then says "I was told that you were to blame for all this! They said you could have prevented it but didn't! What do you have to say for yourself?"
Cori waits for the ranger to shout back his reply.
As soon as he does so, she lunges forward, striking with her bastard sword.
Vinnick will keep out of sight, not wanting to spoil Slid's attempt. Though he had his doubts. He also kept the tiger and armored skeleton back.
Hearing the ranger shouting, Well he is still alive for sure.
When slid speaks of his plan, she responds, Have fun then. See how this goes.
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Stanislav smiles at how easily lies slide from Slid's lip. He tries to aid the boy but lacks the skill to do so. Careful there lad, if we heard right, that ranger is a killer.
Cori catches him off-guard and stabs him before he can respond to Slid.
He's at around half health on a respectable 50-ish hp
"You're crazy if you believe that! You think I murdered my best friend turned him into a zombie and then commanded him to kill me? If you want revenge look for the pale lady. I saw her go into the town center just moments before the explosions and not long after I saw her walk back out!"
He moves to the top of the stairs and shoots at Cori. (provoking an attack)
Your go again.
Cori catches the retreating ranger with a glancing blow, and presses her attack, following him up the stairs.
”Any time you fellas want to jump in and kill this hypocrite...” she calls out to her companions.
Hearing Cori shouting, she shrugs her shoulders, Guess we better go see what is happening in there.
She makes her way around the tiger with Ajikisshochraos falling in beside her.
[ooc]@Slid Didn't make a map since I didn't figure this encounter really needed one but flanking wouldn't be possible.
Here is a quick visual.
Map
You can move up trade place with cori and attack it just wont be a sneak attack. (it wont provoke since he has a bow)
Vinnick will send in his newfound minion alongside Reginald, his armored skeleton guardian. He enters as well, Assessing the situation. He will take a shot with his bow.
She and Ajikisshochraos follows the undead into the building, trying to see where the ranger has gone. Seeing there is food being prepared, quickly in draconic to Ajikisshochraos, I would not eat anything that was caught in the explosion, seeing how the plants withered badly outside.
Stan moves up behind Cori and tries to entangle the man's feet with his glaive. How did you manage to turn that cat to undead? he asks as he thrusts.
Stan trips the orc who spits out some blood and drops his bow.
"I don't know if your crazy or what but either way I surrender. If your gonna kill me go ahead." he says
Cori kicks the half-orc down the stairs. She looks to Vinnick, nodding towards the undead tiger.
Stanislav picks iup and shoulders the bow then moves to threaten the ranger again.
Vinnick merely gestures to the others, giving them the fun. Slaughter wasn't his particular vice.
Seeing that Vinnick will not command the zombie tiger to kill its former master, Cori sighs, descends the stairs, and brings her blade down on the half-orc.
The orc dies as Cori stabs him.
You are more an archer than I Cori and you did make the kill. Take this and see if it suits you. He offers her the bow.
Cori accepts the bow and examines it to see if it is of better quality than her current weapon.
The weapon is a +1 Composite longbow (+2 str)
He also has a MasterWork longsword, MasterWork handaxe, +1 studded leather, 2 potions of cure light wounds, and a cloak of resistance +1 as well as a pouch with 250 gold.
Does the man have anything else useful Slid?
She looks around the house for anything of interest lying about.
After comparing the two, Cori keeps the ranger's bow and adds her own to the loot pile. "We can sell it, if nothing else," he says.
She shows no particular interest in now-dead half-orc's other possessions, apart from topping off her quiver with some of his arrows.
"Well, now, shall we see what other interesting things have arisen from this little cataclysm?"
Looking up the road a little ways Slid spots a mostly intact-looking jewelry store.
Cori shrugs. "Perhaps we can do a bit of shopping on our way of town. It's unlikely the jewelry will be wandering off anytime soon. Let's get back to our scouting mission."
You decide to ignore the store for the moment and continue towards the center of town. The sound of voices attracts your attention and in a courtyard, on the edge of the blast zone, you spot a group of knights in crimson red cloaks surrounding a woman. She wears a green cloak and has a crown on her head.
You catch a little bit of the conversation as you come closer.
"Like I said I mean you no harm knights and I had nothing to do with the disaster that befell this town. I was caught up in these events by pure chance and now I intend to leave and you should do the same. Go to Lastwall and tell the knights of Ozem that the whispering tyrant is on the move. His seneschal is free once more and what happened here could very likely happen again in the capital soon."
The captain of the knight's spits on the ground
"And you expect us to believe you? Undead fiend! I can sense the evil coming from you! You were the one who caused this! Men Destroy the B.."
The woman having lost her patience raised her hand with a single motion disintegrated the knight captain turning him into a pile of ash.
"Bloody Fool. Well? Do the rest of you want to die as well?" She says.
The rest of the knights hesitate and finally decided to flee heading east.
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Slid smiles widely at the scene. He wonders if her turning up their patron will be overlooked by the others. Personally he doesn't care about it too much, and she might eventually be a powerful ally when he turns on the vampire who offended him in the prison.
Not letting the others think too much, Slid approaches the woman, weapons sheathed and his arms open showing no ill intent. He says "Well, well, that was an impressive display of power, m'lady! It makes me want to talk to you, if not a little envious. Pray tell me, what is your name? I am called Slidinom, but Slid is fine for brevity."
The woman turns and looks at Slid as if appraising him.
"I would have preferred to avoid violence but sometimes a show of force is necessary...My name...I won't give it. I recognize you as one of Tar Baphon's toys...I assume you were the one to set up this little weapon's test? I never imagined the shards could be used that way...It exploded just as I was investigating it and for a moment there I tough that even I wouldn't be able to regenerate after that, sadly it seems death is still denied to me..."
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Slid replies to her "Madam, it seems you are not entirely happy with your situation. Let me be a little more clear about mine, it might help. I am a Dhampir. You might have mistaken me for a human due to my make up, but I assure you, I am partially aware of the world of the dead. There is much you can live for and I am sure I don't have to tell you what."
Not wanting to overstep his boundaries, Slid says "Look, I am with the group that unleashed the weapon, yes, and I am certain that you have much to gain in talking to us. We have witnessed some things that might explain why you weren't killed in the blast, but whatever we have to say, I think we should do so in private. For now, we must find out the reaches of the weapon. But I think the biggest find is really a new friend." He extends her his hand, offering her help to stand up.
"I am curious..." Cori asks. "How did you spot the shard? How did you recognize it? Why did you examine it? How did you know it could be used as a weapon? Why were you so willing to tell the knights who was behind it? You may not be a friend of Lastwall and its arrogant lords, but there is plenty of evidence that you could be a hinderance to our cause in the future. What is your reason for being here?"
Cori's tone is suspicious and guarded.
Stanislav stands ready and tries not to draw attention to himself, in case he needs to act.
She laughs "Don't misunderstand I've been undead for centuries. Tar-Baphon was the one who killed me as a matter of fact. Even now I can hear his voice in my head. Constantly calling to me, trying to bend me to his will. However, I am too powerful now. I won't serve him or anyone else ever again. The link however works both ways. I get flashes, I can see his thoughts and glimpse his plans. For several days now his attention has been focused on this town and so I came here to discover why. It wasn't until I saw the shard that I understood what he was doing. Why his attention was so focused on that particular shard. The Radiant Fire. That's what he calls his new weapon. Almost poetic no? You're right of course that I have no love for the followers of Sarenrea or the knights of Ozem but I will do whatever it takes to ensure he is never released from his imprisonment...As for you lot, you are still an unknown factor. I've decided not to kill you just yet as I see the possibility that we might help each other in the future."
Believing that no further violence is likely Stanislav steps forward, bowing low and speaks boldly. I would introduce my self to you. I am Stanislav Greymist. And I appreciate your offer of future aid, and more importantly future options. As I suspect you are aware, we have found ourselves indebted to the cause of the Tyrant with little option to refuse. At the time our only option seemed execution at the hands of our captors or worse at, well, other hands. And while we are grateful for the chance to be free and to extract some measure of vengeance, none of us desire to be puppets.
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Slid grimaces as the lady says that she will try to stop his master's awakening, as it is a clear conflict of interests. However, he is grateful that she is willing to work together. Who knows, maybe she can prove useful. He decides it is time to get closer.
The dhampir says "Pardon my bluntness, m'lady, but if our master knows so much about you, what harm can come from telling us your name? It will make future negotiations... you know... easier."
"Just give her a nickname," Cori says to Slid, glancing in the Pale Lady's direction to see if her comment elicit's a reaction.