Without a word, the two tieflings push their way out of the door and into the meeting hall. They dodge or parry every attack made against them, and Uziel even manages a lucky slash to Tristan's side as he maneuvers around. Benedic's armor protects him from being gutted by Gosku.
Tristan looks at the tiefling with a wiry smile.
I see that your bite is more like a gentle caress. Junior! Soap time?
Massielo's morningstar clips the tiefling on the shoulder, eliciting a pained grunt.
Benedic focuses his attack on the second tiefling to step through the door, the enemy's attention distracted by Tristan opposite him.
Benedic's longsword splashes steaming blood across the ground. Uziel tries to play it off, but it was a powerful blow, and he clearly clings to consciousness.
Back through the door, Hosilla manages to pull off the casting of a spell despite the interference from Selann's magic.
[/s]
Ragathiel, your favor has not been with me ever since we started this distraction... but whether this was the right course or not, now I have a duty to protect my allies and wipe out these cultists... make me an instrument of your vengeance
As Junior’s music fades, Greta calls upon the power of her blood; her hair glows with golden warmth and light shimmers around the end of her hammer. Stepping back to Caliban’s left, she brings her hammer around to attack the guard nearest her.
Caliban, somewhat unsteady on his feet, withdraws a potion and drinks it, now that he's not on fire...
Feeling a little bit better, he focuses on the fight, and determines where he can help!
She's about to hit someone very hard, look out!
"Is it getting hot in here?"
With the enemy stepping in to the room, Selann drops his crossbow and moves over by the closest enemy to attack. Seeing an opportunity to get in a flanking position he tries to "wiggle" across and avoid danger.
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Greta's hammer impacts with a sickening crack as she scores a direct hit on Uziel's torso. Stunned, he offers up no defense to Junior's glaive as it slashes across him, leaving the tiefling bleeding out on the cave floor.
Selann wastes no time, moving over Uziel's body and finishing off the wavering Gosku and leaving Hosilla to fend for herself.
Tristan decides that information is key. He steps in front of the lady and grins.
And here I was thinking that you liked me?
Barely hearing Caliban's analysis over the rhythmic sound of blood pumping through his veins, Benedic cuts at the evil cultist with everything he has, hoping to end her before she can retaliate.
He gnashes his teeth in frustration as the woman uses the doorway to her advantage, his strike going wide and slow.
"It's not your turn yet," she replies, her resolve clearly shaken but not yet broken. Her glaive snaps out with impossible speed, not at Tristan but past him, and the blade once again bites into Massielo. She then takes a step back, smiles at Tristan, and pulls a potion.
Caliban, finally feeling somewhat better from his being on fire, crosses to behind Tristan and concentrates a moment, and coruscating energy springs from his hand in a line, he swiftly directs it at Hosilla, attempting to strike her with the beam
Greta rushes past Tristan into the small chamber and punches at the woman with her spiked gauntlet.
Tristan looks quite disappointed that his position didn't attract her ire!
My dear, it isn't healthy to redirect your emotions like that.
You can move through a square occupied by a friendly character, unless you are charging. When you move through a square occupied by a friendly character, that character doesn’t provide you with cover. Archives of Nethys
Selann steps in line to be able to see the enemy and launches a small blob of acid at her.
Junior stows his glaive like its a hammer, and draws his new masterwork longbow.
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Being unable to help in any other way, Massielo makes his way through his allies, not understanding what they are saying. He walks to Greta's side and says something to her, but it comes out in Celestial.
"Not going to leave you in the front line alone, sister."
He swings at the woman who seems keen on attacking him.
Despite his bravery, Massielo's swing gets caught in a chair.
Tristan skips, swirls, dances around his allies; winking at Her, as he passes.
I regretfully inform you that your books have come due!
Benedic joins the mad rush into the room, now that their enemy cannot threaten them with her reach weapon.
It's easy to spot the moment where Hosilla realizes she's trapped herself alone in a room of enemies. Her eyes widen, her smile vanishes, and she desperately tries to drink the potion held in her hand before it's too late.
Benedic's gaze is implacable as he stabs forward when she drops her guard.
Tristan attempts to Disarm the potion.
Greta leans in and throws an uppercut at the vile woman while she’s distracted.
Benedic's blade cuts through the air, past Hosilla's defenses, and across her back. With a surprised cry of pain, she falls to the ground, the potion rolling out of her hand and across the floor. The chamber, and the hall beyond, are quiet.
Benedic slowly exhales and looks around at the others. "The Inheritor be praised, the enemy is one loyal follower fewer," he says, frowning. He looks around the room and shakes his head. "I feel unclean," he grimaces. "Someday we will be able to bathe again. Perhaps that is why the Crusaders are always so grimy-- they get used to the dirt?"
”By the gods,” Greta exclaims in answer to Benedic, ”a hot bath would be amazing right now!”
The glow in her hair fades and she begins her breathing exercises, as she looks around for a moment. ”This seems like a good place to get some of that rest you were talking about,” she offers to nobody in particular, ”but we should probably make sure there’s nothing dangerous on the other side of that last door over there before we do?”
Junior opens the door from his position on top of the table. If nothing dangerous pops out he begins cataloging the enemy's gear. He suggest while his gaze drifts to Caliban, "Maybe a wizard could do that."
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Massielo looks at Benedic and Greta as they discuss bathing. He sighs, remembering old farmer Dan who refused to bathe to save his own life. The man, thinking about what he learned from his father about the organized military, says "If this is in any way organized, there is bound to have a document indicating how these people got their supplies and maybe even how many further traitors we can expect."
He goes on and starts poking the room, looking for any interesting documents. As he does so as if he is comfortable with the room, he says "Search this woman, she may have not only documents, but valuables too." He doesn't really think they need to rest, they could chug down some healing potions and keep going. But he doesn't say anything, being very tired himself.
Selann moves in to the room, casting Detect Magic and scanning for anything that might be dangerous. "Be careful about touching anything magical. If she was the leader she might have magical traps set up to punish and of the mongrelmen that touched her stuff."
Caliban will respond to Junior with, It did not seem prudent at the time to prepare for anything other than battle, alas I cannot today. It is wise to think we may need it in the future. The elf seems a little far off as he cleans the blood from his longsword. Shaking himself from his reverie, he casts Detect Magic in the room, seeing if anything jumps out at him as magical.
Greta is right, we should probably just check that door, and make sure nothing is behind it.
At Junior's command, the southern door flies open, revealing the space beyond. Old blood stains the floor of the small cavern. Barrels filled
with scraps of fur and fat sit against one wall, emitting a foul stench. The two long stone slab tables are covered with skinning tools and piles of freshly butchered meat. Two wooden racks hold drying animal skins. On one of the slabs, a masterwork dagger that had apparently seen use as a cleaver is wedged in between the ribs of a butchered dire rat.
A search of Hosilla's quarters turns up a number of interesting items. Most obvious is Hosilla's masterwork glaive and masterwork chain shirt, along the the studded leather armor and short sword wielded by her two minions (each of whom carried a potion on their belt, along with a total of 25 gp in coin).
Two wands
A pair of flasks of alchemists's fire
A tanglefoot bag
A vial of antitoxin
A bejeweled book of prayers to Baphomet, worth 50gp
A key
A set of ordered, signed "S.V."
32 gp
You will remain, for the time being, in Kenabres, but know this: the city’s days are numbered. Seek a place of safety—the underground den of your mongrel lackeys should suffice to keep you safe from the devastation to come. I shall assume command of Drezen shortly, and once Vorlesh has finished with the wardstone and Kenabres is no longer of interest to us, you are to return to my side. Excellent news regarding the salvage of Yaniel’s sword from the museum as well—bring it with you, for I believe this weapon could be quite useful once we corrupt it. Before you leave for Drezen, stop by the three safe houses (Nyserian Manor, Topaz Solutions, and the Tower of Estrod—the passphrase remains “I’ve new material for the archives,” for now) to ensure no evidence remains behind. May Lord Deskari and Lord Baphomet watch over you!
S. V.
Caliban will take a few minutes and review the magical inventory of the cultists, taking notes as he goes...
I cannot determine the qualities of the elixir in her hand, nor the second wand, but these are potions of feather step, and this one is Cure Moderate Wounds, and this is a wand of Divine Favor with 48 charges left on it. The elf indicates the wand, holding it toward the divine casters before returning it to the pile. Selann, do you mind looking at the other items here? What was located in the paperwork recovered?
The elf leans heavily on the furniture in the room, his exhaustion showing.
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At first, Massielo ignores the magical items and focuses on the letter. He says "Now this is a lot of information. This woman clearly knew that Kenabres would be attacked. She was also important enough that this... S. V. tried preventing her from dying. What is Yaniel's sword? It should be here, but seems to be an important artifact. I suspect there is a secret compartment here where it should be. And finally, we will find evidence at the three safe houses in Kenabres. I don't know what type of evidence, but we must definitively stop by there. From the content of this letter, it seems not much is left of Kenabres."
Massielo has a sudden realization that his parents might be hurt. Up until now, he has kept himself the feeling that they are resourceful, but if this letter is to be believed, the devastation must have been incredible. To keep his mind occupied, he starts searching for the mysterious Yaniel's sword.
Selann moves over by Caliban to examine the items he missed. After a short study he shrugs. "They elude me as well. Maybe something in the area?"
"Pass phrases for safe houses? That might be useful if they're still in use. We could get inside and positioned good before the fight started! And Yaniel's sword?"
[ooc]All single digit rolls again!?!
"What, and where is that? It sounds important."
Benedic helps consolidate their findings by moving everything into one room and sorting everything into piles while the others look over them for magic. Once this is done, he himself casts a spell to determine if any of the spoils are tainted with evil.
Tristan looks down in disgust as the evil cult leader falls. The Inquisitor cleans his sword on her garments without a word.
He then walks toward the southern door; as Junior's spell is cast. Looking into it though, he shakes his head in more disgust.
Finding the letter is of interest to the Inquisitor.
I shall hold on to this. We will need to root out these safe houses; once we top side.
Tristan looks at his fellow crusaders.
This fight is here. Brought to us through wickedness, treachery and greed! We have a duty to banish it from Kenabres!
You will remain, for the time being, in Kenabres, but know this: the city’s days are numbered. Seek a place of safety—the underground den of your mongrel lackeys should suffice to keep you safe from the devastation to come. I shall assume command of Drezen shortly, and once Vorlesh has finished with the wardstone and Kenabres is no longer of interest to us, you are to return to my side. Excellent news regarding the salvage of Yaniel’s sword from the museum as well—bring it with you, for I believe this weapon could be quite useful once we corrupt it. Before you leave for Drezen, stop by the three safe houses (Nyserian Manor, Topaz Solutions, and the Tower of Estrod—the passphrase remains “I’ve new material for the archives,” for now) to ensure no evidence remains behind. May Lord Deskari and Lord Baphomet watch over you!
S. V.
Tristan then considers the immediate area.
We should take rest here. It is defensible; and we may not get a better chance. I suggest watches of two. I can take the first watch. May I suggest that those with darkvision take the later watches.