"Not quite what I expected. At least we have allies now."
"Good day, house drakes! We welcome you beautiful little dragons as allies!"
"Gonna need to get a one handed weapon, to help out more in the future."
He triggers his wand against the red devil.
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Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, see invisibility
Best Save Will
Weakest Save Ref
Defensive Abilities ferocious will; Immune paralysis, sleep
Special Attacks breath weapon, silver strike
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
Constant—see invisibility
3/day—cure light wounds
1/day—alarm (CL 12th), obscuring mist
The Korvosan house drake is not a true drake, but rather an unusual local variant of the more common pseudodragon—an example of how a creature placed under extreme conditions might adapt and evolve to grow stronger. In this case, house drakes are the result of brutal and violent predations upon their pseudodragon ancestors by Korvosa’s imps, who began to become a true infestation in the early years after the Acadamae was founded and its students began accidently releasing the little devils into the urban wilds after failing to claim them as familiars. These imps found Korvosa’s indigenous pseudodragons to be a delightful (and delicious) population to torment, for there was little that the pseudodragons could do against an imp’s defenses.
It wasn’t long before the most able, wise, and stubborn of the city’s pseudodragons began fighting back, chewing on silver coins to build up traces of the metal in their teeth and stings to be able to penetrate their enemy’s supernatural skin, focusing their studies on magic to see through impish invisibility and recover from the constant fights, and gorging on fat dream spiders to develop a befuddling breath weapon.
Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: Bless
Active Penalties: None
Kipp, Devotee to Azathoth(-0,Fine)
Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle(-0,Fine)
Red Imp(-0,Fine)
One Imp (Gray)(-0,Fine)
Lady Vulpina Korada(-0,Fine)
House Drakes (Yellow)(-0,Fine)
Giacomo Isidore(-2,Fine)
House Drakes (Green)(-0,Fine)
Andreas Isidore(-4,Fine)
Two Imp (Black)(-0,Fine)
Blue Imp(-7,Fine)
The imps now find themselves locked in a fight with the house drakes and wizards, the battle able to swiftly turn against them. The infernal bird continues its own attack but to no avail.
The imps stop casting spells and resort to more violent tactics of stinging the house drakes.
Red Imp and One Imp (Gray) turn to attack the house drakes attacking their backs.
"You know, I am tired, but it is a lovely day for a stroll."
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The House Drakes continue their relentless assault against the imps, stinging and biting at the infernal freaks!
Light Condition: Normal
Active Buffs: Bless
Active Penalties: None
Kipp, Devotee to Azathoth(-0,Fine)
Sylvan Alexandra Loiselle(-0,Fine)
Red Imp(-3,Fine)
One Imp (Gray)(-3,Fine)
Lady Vulpina Korada(-0,Fine)
House Drakes (Yellow)(-3,0,Poisoned, Fine)
Giacomo Isidore(-2,Fine)
House Drakes (Green)(-3,0,Fine)
Andreas Isidore(-4,Fine)
Two Imp (Black)(-6,Fine)
Blue Imp(-10,Fine)
The Celestial Eagle continues to attempt to hurt the imp.
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Imps and drakes continue their brawl, but quickly the drakes are showing signs of overcoming the devilish creatures. They realize the fight is not the one they wanted to have, so they begin to scatter and break off. The drakes give chase against the imps, and before long the two wizards are alone in the street and wondering where the rest of their team started to wander off to.
You two make your way back to Zellara's home, as you have little else for choice to return to. You notice Sylvan is following you both.
You are uncertain where home even is in this city, Kipp and Vulpina seem to know where they are going. Probably just best to follow them.
Vulpina allows Kipp to enter first, and very nearly bowls into him when the foxfolk stops a step or two past the threshold. Still, it's far enough inside that she, too, has the suggestion broken over her.
"...Do we run back, do you think?" she ponders. There hardly seems to be a way to come out of this looking dignified.
"'Tis not the most valid claim I have interest in pressing," Lady Vulpina admits, "but if nothing else, I do not think their most pressing concerns include removing squatters from a fortune teller's house."
"So, brother, where do you think they ran off to? Guess we'll have to start accounting for weaker minds in our planning."
Andreas turns to the house drakes, saying in draconic, "Thank you, friends. You have done us a great favor on this day. I hope that I will be able to return the favor, soon!"
He then starts collecting imp carcasses to bring back for their bounty.
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Andreas and Giacomo collect the imps that did not manage to escape the drakes. They begin to head the direction of the guard post...
... Along their way they notice bands of mobs and rioting laborers batting anyone dressed in finery with snarling yowls.
"Die, dandy!"
"Death to the false queen!"
They appear to be tormenting a young nobleman of blonde hair and a recently shaved beard. One laborer, a burly woman with greasy strings of her hair framing her rotund face, jeers and addresses the young man in a booming voice.
"Bet’cha never worked an honest day’s wage in your life, eh, Queen’s Man? M’brother had his arm crushed by a barrel on the docks when he was younger than you. Never raised a mug of ale with that wrist again. Wanna know what it feels like?”
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Sylvan, Kip, and Vulpina step outside of their former benefactor's home. Nearby, a guard sits outside the abode. He wreaks of sweat and body odor, and looks up at you all as you exit. "Ahhh, if it ain' *hiccup* me ol' mate Neffi!" He stumbles to his feet, clearly drunk as a skunk, and stumbles over to you three.
"Y'know, iss been a long time sinz'we ad a drink. Come on, les' go and get plastered!" The closer he is now, the more he smells of alcohol too. He reaches his arm around...
Vulpina. "Commmon, Neffi! Les'go get an ale or two and casshhh up on ol times! Like back in Sandpoint!"
The young noblewoman stiffens, blinking at the guard as he approaches-- and wincing as he reaches around her.
Given the current political climate, one hand finds the hilt of her blade fairly quickly.
"It would appear you are already 'plastered,' good sir!" she says, ducking out of his embrace. "...Are you meant to be attending your duties?" she asks, eyes narrowing. A certain BAC wasn't entirely outside the norm for on-duty guards, of course... but this was beyond what Vulpina was used to.
Andreas turns to his brother, with a look.
"You think should help the idiot noble out here? Might do us some good, and get us in some good graces with the Queens people."
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Giacomo looks back at Andreas with a frown.
Giacomo takes the lead and pushes into the crowd, holding a dead imp in each hand. As he gets nearer to the nobleman Giacomo calls out loudly. "There he is Andreas! Johnny! That nobleman getup worked! We got those bastard Imps!" Giacomo emphasizes his statement by holding high a bloody imp.
”Watch out, Giacomo! Those little devils hate him so much that just him being here could attract another swarm of them! You remember what happened last week!!”
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The brothers Andreas gamble to make the noble look like a sting member brings about looks of confusion from the crowd.
"What?"
"He was hunting imps?"
The recently shaven noble starts to play it up. "Ah, yes. That's right. We were looking... To secure some.. Of the imps.. And try t-t-to earn a few coins. Yes. My word, the disguise paid off a bit too well, didn't it, A-A-Andreas?"
"Well, Oi'll be!"
The mob, buying it, starts to clear up, looking for someone else to burn at the stake. The noble offers you a deep thanks. "I say, if you hadn't shown up when you did, I'd be missing my teeth and have broken arms, or worse. I am Amin Jalento, and you must be some brave sort of people?" He shakes your hands, and then offers you a ring. "It may not be much, but I would like to thank you with this. It is just a simple ring, but it can fetch about 250 gold."
*****************************************************
"Ohhhhh, me duties are h-*Hiccup!*-hopeless, for Korvosa will fall! Oh woe, the worsssss of days is upon us, Neffi!" He then looks at Kipp. "Oi, issat you, Sabina? Why don't you-you-you shove it up your a**?!" The drunk guard looks like he wants to draw his sword on Kipp.
You are able to recognizes him as the well-liked watch sergeant he was
before the king’s death. The right thing to do for Grau is to escort him to Citadel Volshyenek, where his fellow guards can restore his sobriety and clean him up.
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Alex gestures to Kip & Vulpina to fan out as she gets an idea. She approaches the drunken sergeant smiling.
"Hey there sergeant, was going to ask you to join me in a flagon of ale, but it seems you started without me. What say we take a walk and see if we can find some more folks to have a drink with us?"
Vulpina moves into position to cut off the captain's retreat, if he ends up spooking.
"Yes, of course, old friend!" says Vulpina, picking up on Alex's idea... more-or-less. The specifics aren't there quite yet.
"The more, the merrier, as I always say."
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Alex sighs with relief that Vulpina has picked up on her plan. She tosses her arm around Grau and starts to head toward the citadel.
"Quite right, the more the merrier. In fact, I believe it is just about shift change at the citadel, lets see if we can round up some of those getting off shift to join us."
"Well, it was the least we could do, and thank you for the bauble. I am sure we can put it to good use." says Andreas. "My name is Andreas Isodore, and this is my brother Giacomo. We're adventurers, currently... so if you know of any work that we could do for you, or your house, we'd appreciate it. We're just trying to clean up the streets a little right now."
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"Make a few coins best we can. You and your friends need to be more careful. An armed bodyguard would do you well. We are headed to the guardhouse to turn in the bounty on these if you want to follow."
"Sometimes you have to do what is right. Something I think we've both forgotten. Hard to remember that when you have a bastard like Lamm stomping you down every time you want to do something right.
He would probably be dead by now if we didn't do this. I didn't do it for the reward. I did it because it was right."
Andreas just shrugs
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"Yes, perhaps going to the guardhouse would be best." He gladly but still cautiously follows you two to the guard house, still looking around his shoulder with caution.
*************************************************
"Oi yuss.. Les' get the goin with the mates to drink!" You start to take him towards the citadel... And then realize that getting there may be damn near impossible. Best just get him back to Kayson for now, maybe he can solve the issue.
*************************************************
The brothers Giacomo and the Vulpina's Venture Vixens meet up at the guard house. The brothers already bringing the imp head in to collect on some bounty. Kayson is pulling out more paperwork to find what the fetch price on one dead imp and location on possible others can get. He looks up to see the rest of the group come in, along with drunk old Grau. "As if today couldn't get any better, or worse." He shakes his head in disappointment at the inebriated soldier.
"Who in heaven's name is that?" ask Andreas, pointing at the drunk
"I've no idea," admits Vulpina, "but he dresses like a guard with finer trimmings, so I imagine he is a captain or something of the like."
"...although I believe him to be Watch Sergeant Grau, if we are getting particular. I have heard he is well-liked."
"Speaking of fights. Why did you all abandon Giacomo and me? It was a good thing that the house drakes helped out!"
"A bewitchment, I believe," sighs Vulpina, shaking her head as if to clear a lingering strand of stupor. "I suddenly felt a complete lack of urgency to do anything but return to the house."
"It is good to know that you can hold your own without my aid; I will make note of this for the future."
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"Yes that was the same with me, returning to the house seemed the thing to do. It did make me realize there is one small thing I forgot to mention before" Alex stares at the ground looking quite sheepish as she realizes that her new friends may feel they were denied critical, need-to-know information."When I'm under extreme stress I can only speak and understand the infernal language do to a minor curse on my person."
”I am afraid my schooling in languages was quite long ago, and I have had little reason to use it conversationally since then,” chuckles Vulpina, ”but should I be seeing more of you, I may just brush up on it that we might still converse.”
"We are lucky that the drakes showed up, else I am sure that my brother and I would be quite dead." explains Andreas. "Ensorcelment or not, we need to know that we can trust you all not to abandon us at a critical time."
To Alex, he says, in infernal, "Tu dicis quia haec lingua quod vos es illustraverat ex quo locutus es? Ideo non videatur a forsit."
Are you saying that this is the language that you speak when you are stressed out? If so, I do not see a problem.
"We are working with amateurs."
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"You all fell under the influence of a Suggestion spell. A spell of the Enchantment school designed to influence the target into a reasonable course of activity. Unfortunately the effects can last for hours or until the activity is concluded."
Vulpina sniffs. "Fortunate for the drakes to have found you, indeed, then! I shall endeavor to shore my defenses against such things in the future, of course."
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"Trust me abandoning you at a critical time was the last thing I planned on doing. Too bad imps speak infernal or I wouldn't have understood what they were suggesting."
Alex looks at Andreas: "Ita, prorsus ipsius linguae translitterandi. Gaudeo certe scire quis dicat quod in coetus, sicut bene."
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"Haec docere possunt alios nosse certus sum enim ut bene. Participant fragilitatem tibi nobiscum tam opportuna Commendo"
Turning his attention to the others "We should all invest in a variety of weapons. Silver blunt weapons for any further imps, cold iron should we meet any demons or Fey in the future."
And to Kayson: "I assume you can see to this noble's safety? He had a nasty run in with some angry locals. Any other work you can commission us for?"
”That should be simple enough; even if I can only acquire scraps of these materials, I can render them easily into bullets.”
"Well, that one is easy. Buy yourself a bow." scoffs Andreas.