Kellan mills about innefectually.
The party is surprisingly ineffective against the rotting creature, but Ukufa manages to score a few shallow cuts.
Fortunately, its return strike also goes wide.
29/42
Round 3
Finally getting a flank solution, Spinnaker Jon lashed out.
for a possible slashing damage, and if it's vulnerable to precision damage it takes an extra damage.
Kellan slides into the opening drawing a dagger as he does and clumsily slashes at the decaying monstrosity.
Phineas takes another swing:
Bhru looks for solid footing and attempts to press the beast again,
But slips on the slick surface.
Jon and Phineas land mighty blows, sending rotted flesh flying. Unperturbed by its deteriorating state, the creature continues to attack,
With a last darting slash, Ukufa severs that last remaining magics that hold the zombie together and it collapses in a tumble.
The other door in the room is unlocked and leads to a short hallway that ends in a pair of doors, one to the north and one to the south. A quick listen at each, doesn't reveal anything of note.
Spinnaker Jon will go the the south door, wait until everyone is in position, then open the south door.
If it's locked, he'll try to unlock it.
Bhru heads in behind Jon,
'Ready when ya are lad.'
Kellan brings up a rear guard, crossbow locked and loaded.
Phineas shuffles up behind Jon and Bhru, longsword ready.
Pushing the door open reveals a feast for the senses. The opulence of the chamber's decor is nothing if not a bit jarring. The smooth plaster walls are painted violet, lit by delicately crafted silver lanterns flickering softly on the wall. A shelf to the north holds several books, statuettes, stuffed animals, a crystal ball with a smoky red light at its core, and two coffers; one of darkwood and one of iron decorated with tiny jade bats. A five-foot-wide landscape of the city of Sasserine hangs on the eastern wall, yet all of the ships in the harbour fly flags depicting a serpentine dragon coiled around a lotus. A pair of overstuffed chairs sits beside a low table heaped with fruit and bottles of wine. The floor itself is adorned with a thick, deep purple carpet and an open door to the south leads to what appears to be a bedroom.
Relaxing in one of the chairs is a beautiful human woman with long red hair tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes sparkle like chips of green jade and on one shoulder she wears a tattoo of a lotus, while on the other is an intricate dragon tattoo, its tail coiling down around her arm.
At her side is a bright-eyed and hungry-looking monster, a dinosaur- like dragon with green scales and a bright yellow crest on its head.
When you enter, she rises to her feet with an unsettling grace and begins to clap her hands. "Well done," she says. "I wasn't expecting much from a bunch of Lavinia's flunkies, but you're obviously resourceful folk with strong skills in a fight. I could use some more good men, as you've arranged for several openings in the guild. How about coming to work for me instead?"
"Ahh, you must be the Lady of the Lotus, I am Kellan as you surely know, might we have your name?" Kellan moves forward as he introduces himself and offers a shallow bow which he also uses to pluck a cluster of grapes off the table, popping one into his mouth as he straightens. "While you apparently can pay well," he gestures vaguely at the surrounding opulence, "we do have a bit of a, errr, dispute with a member of yours that we may need to settle before we can genuinely consider your offer. Is Vanthus about?" Kellan intentionally avoids looking at the lap monster and while he talks moves to admire the tapestry of Sasserine.
Do I recognize the creature?
Bhru waits anxiously as Kellan engages in verbal warfare. The old dwarf thumbs the stopper off his potion of barksin.
Ukufa hard stare, becomes harder when woman describes them as "flunkies".
Her eyes shift to the primordial reptile lurking at their foe's heel as her hands move to the hilts of her blades:
Phineas feigns interest in the room’s opulence while subtly positioning himself to charge.
"I am Rowyn Kellani and this handsome fellow is Gut Tugger. As for Vanthus, I'm afraid he is out at the moment on Guild business."
Ukufa remains stoic, eyes narrowing at the mention of Vanthus.
She slowly draws and raises one of her blades to present it before speaking;
"This is the blade of a dead man named Penkus. Killed by Vanthus. His will was vengeance upon his murderer."
The Jasdian huntress shifts, her voice becoming harder, staring through their red-haired host;
"I honour the dead. Vanthus' reckoning is sealed. Tell us where he is or share his fate."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Phineas gives quiet thanks to the gods that Ukufa is on their side. He awaits Lady Kellani’s response, ready for the dusts of intimidation to settle, ready for a fight.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Sooo, now that our intentions are clear it would seem you are the one left with a choice. The loss of one more member against a potential five capable replacements. That is of course assuming you and Tut Gutter here aren't opting to add to your membership vacancies." Kellan pops another red grape in his mouth and the mirthless grin he offers Rowyn leaves his teeth stained without softening his stare. Out of habit he offers a slow wink as he turns away from the map.
"Vanthus turned a purely professional interaction into a personal one, assist us in finding him and perhaps we come to an agreement. I promise, you do not wish to test Ukufa here with any... drastic options." Kellan casually unslings his crossbow to rest over one shoulder.
Rowyn shifts backwards, suddenly less sure of herself. "I didn't realize that Vanthus killed Penkus, he reported that the zombies got him, but regardless, he isn't even in the city, so there's no point in flashing steel."
"Besides, he's proven too lucrative an asset to let you have him, so why don't we consider all the other deaths you've caused the guild fair trade for the Vanthus' debt."
"Let's face it, you're betting on the wrong Vanderboran here folks. Besides I have my own connections that could see you go far in this city. It ripe for the taking and if you play your cards right, who knows, you might end up each having your own manors to lord over."
Kellan resists the urge in his ever hungry gut to jump at the chance of rejoining the aristocracy. He pops his last grape in his mouth as a stalling tactic, tossing the stem aside with as little thought as only one raised of privilege could.
"Your offer intrigues me, although I do not speak for my companions. Perhaps the balancing Vanthus has incurred could be delayed for the right price. However, my pious companion here with bared blade, would most surely require an offer to the Arcane Well in exchange. Perhaps you know of such a willing, or unwilling, sacrifice that would suffice in the eyes of her God? Perhaps too, that may even cement our path towards a manor... or five..." Kellan wanders past the table again as he speaks and grabs a slice of melon with which he gestures broadly as he turns away from the table at the end of his diatribe; hoping to distract as he winks at Ukufa once his back is turned as he paces away. He gestures surreptitiously towards her to continue her current actions.
Ukufa keeps her blade drawn but lowers it slowly at Kellan's words, before uttering her own in a hushed voice;
"Those we felled did not balance the ledger. Blood or wealth, but a toll must be paid."
Bhru waits patiently as Ukufa replies,
'Aye, a toll...'
The old dwarf pops the stopper off the potion he has been thumbing and drinks it.
'No better toll than blood.'
"I'm not sure that you understand the position you're in and I don't like your tone. If you demand a sacrifice, take that one." She points to Bhru. "He smells, and it would would show that your offer is sincere. Besides," she smiles, "then the split would only be four ways."
"I'm not sure our position has changed at all. Surely you didn't think I meant someone in the room? We've waltzed in an' kicked a hornets nest demonstrating how proficient we are." Kellan sees the dwarf pop his potion and gives his head a single shake, staring directly at him with both eyes firmly open, he quickly casts guidance on himself before turning back to Rowyn. "Name a sacrifice outside this place and we shall leave, perform said sacrifice, and return to collect the rest of our fee. Orrrr, we can find out how many petals the Lotus can afford to lose in a single day."
Bhru, agitated, taps his foot anxiously.
Spinnaker Jon tensely waited for the woman's reply to Kellan's proposal.
Phineas hides his offense to the Lady’s words. Sure, Bhru may be odorous, but no amount of odour—no matter how foul—warranted such disdainful neglect of customary niceties.
Phineas tries to cast a glance to his allies, attempting to conceal his signal behind the tension of their current discourse:
Ukufa cocks her head for a second, but maintains her cold stare;
"The dwur is not here for his hygiene."
She looks to Bhru, then back to the woman and her drake;
"Final chance. Blood or coin. A debt paid."
"Well if you're so attached to the dwarf, I guess to you could take care of Lavinia for us. With her gone, Vanthus would inherit it all. As for coin, I'm sure there are plenty of valuables in the estate that you could plunder. I hear her usual lackeys are away, so really couldn't ask for a better time to strike."
The grizzled dwarf spits in the direction of the viper who would call herself a lotus.
" 'nuff of the pretty words, a toll o' blood to be paid and it won' be Miss 'Vinias.'
Bhru sets his single minded focus to work and charges the leader of the lotus.
In his usual fashion Bhru lowers his shoulder to introduce his shoulder spikes,
Kellan puts up a finger to object as he hears the approaching footsteps, mouth hanging slightly agape, an objection nearly escaping. Welp, that cinches it.
He moves towards the door/hallway drawing his morningstar as he does, hoping to block entrance of those coming at their rear, "More coming behind!"
Phineas spurs to action, charging in after Bhru–
“Do consider this our final offer, M’Lady!”
Distracting Charge (Combat, Teamwork)
Your ally’s charge exposes an opening you can exploit.
When your ally with this feat uses the charge action and hits, you gain a +2 bonus on your next attack roll against the target of that charge. This bonus must be used before your ally’s next turn, or it is lost.
Ukufa too hears the footsteps as dwur and hobniz charge their host.
The Jasdian turns, draws her other blade and heads toward the noise;
"I will welcome them."
The guild mistress is hardly surprised by your shift towards violence:
Combat
18 Bhru
11 Kellen
9 Baddies
8 Jon
5 Phineas
4 Ukufa
In baffling turn of events, Bhru gets a jump on everyone and barrels past the shocked Gut Tugger, to slam into his mistress, messing her up mightily.
Kellan finds his move to the door has put him behind two capable members leaving Bhru in an uneven fight. He steps back in the room and swings his mace clumsily at the strange pet in front of him.
Rowyn pulls out and drinks a potion.
The lizard attacks Bhru:
It looks like the beastie is going to tear a chunk out of the fearsome dwarf, but the winds of fate tip the balance in his favour.
Hoping to take advantage of the distracted potion drinker Bhru reels back and strikes her with a spiked fist,
Using his momentum Bhru continues his assault on the lotus prime,
Trying to ignore the activity on the other side of the room and smells emanating from previously covered portions of Bhrus armor, Kellan swings once more with his mace before stepping aside to make room.
Blocked from the woman, Spinnaker Jon lunges for the big lizard. Cautiously. With Combat Expertise (-1 to hit, +1AC)
for a possible piercing damage.
for a possible extra piercing damage.
Bhru strike sends blood flying and the woman reels, but manages to cling to consciousness enough to down her potion. Her body dissipates into a green fog.
The guild mistress beyond their grasp the party turn their attention the the dangerous drake in their midst.
Phineas dives in and Ukufa swings round to join the fray.
The critter takes a beating, but still stands, lashing out at the nasty dwarf that so hurt his mistress.
The final bite finally does Bhru in and he collapses from his efforts and combined trauma.
As Bhru goes down, Ukufa frowns...
It is not his time.
... then slashes again at the drake with her twin knives;
Kellan sees the dwarf go down directly in front of him, hoping to keep the dwarf from expiring conpletely he casts Stabilize. There's a few more scales for you to balance yet, ughh and hopefully some baths!
"Your fangs beckon the fury of Angraad himself, beastie! We shall send you to meet him."
Incensed, Phineas strikes again at Gut Tugger: