"Careful Torin, it would be so terrible if you had to buy better clothes. I might know a seamstress."
Shiyara turns her ire on the new newcomer.
Thonis can no longer see what's happening very well from her position in the doorway. Not knowing is worse so she scurries down the hallway to get behind Zahur. "Eeep!" She touches him, imparting divine Guidance for a moment. "Get 'em Zahur!"
Round 2
"Oh hello there, you want me to slip this blade in deeper?" He states mocking the undead.
Taking the AoO on the creature and yet he does the same! But he plays it off like he meant to do it.
Then he goes for another slice with both hands on the bastard sword.
"I was thinking of something in a lion motif." Torin remarks as he tried to focus on the banter rather than his wounds, "But then the person who awarded me lion champion went mad. Would it be a faux paus at this point?"
Round 2
Shiyara - moves, avoids AoO with Acrobatics
Walcofinde - attacks Ismene for 4 damage
Ismene - steps back, draws weapon
Torin - moves
Shiyara - hexes red walcofinde
Walcofinde(Red) - full attacks Arthur for 5 damage
Walcofinde(Yellow) - full attacks Arthur for 4 damage
Thonis - casts Bless
Ismene - throws dart at Yellow for 3 damage
Torin - charges Red for 16 damage
Zahur - full attacks Red for 7 damage, felling it
Arthur - attacks Yellow for 13 damage
Shiyara - hexes yellow walcofinde
Walcofinde(Yellow) - attacks Arthur
Walcofinde(Blue) - attacks Torin for 8 damage
Thonis - casts Guidance on Zahur
Ismene -
Torin - attacks and fells Blue with Flurry of Blows for 18 damage!
Zahur - attacks and fells Yellow
Arthur - stands there and looks pretty because we are OUT of COMBAT!
Thonis calls for divine guidance on Zahur's blade as Ismene hurls a dart at the undead in the wall. Torin unleashes a glut of heavy blows against his attacker and it jerks in final death before it's form fades from view. Zahur moves on the last creature with Thonis' guidance and stabs, draining the last vestiges of unlife from the tormented soul.
The hall falls eerily quiet after the echoes of your battle fade away, only the sounds of your labored breath can be heard. But then there is a soft click and a creak as a hand emerges from a nearby doorway, waving a handkerchief. "Hello? Is it safe now? Can we come out?" Says a frightened male voice which is soon followed by the worried face of a grey-haired nobleman as he peeks out of the door.
"If you're an assassin or another restless spirit from beyond the grave, please don't. If you're not, then by all means. Have we unintentionally rescued you, sir? Who might you be?"
Shiyara dusts off her dress perfunctorily and turns to the newcomer to barrage him with wit and questions.
Torin turns to the remaining foe, breath coming hard and his own pulse thundering in his ears, but thankfully it is Zahur again that finishes things. Torin marches over to Arthur and Zahur and claps them each on the shoulder. "Now that's how you do it." he exclaims with good cheer, "Protecting maidens and fighting all the harder with their blessings!"
He then leans back to look at Thonis, using Zahur and Arthur to help him keep his balance. "Look at you." he remarks, "So beautiful and so brave. Up here in the thick of things." Then, his hand slips from Arthur and he falls backwards without the anchor point. Despite his acrobatic skill the monk falls without ceremony onto his butt, then clutches his hip where he was clawed and still bled. "Ouch." he elaborates.
As the newcomer makes themslves known Torin can't find himself bothered to get up. "Have we unintentionally rescued him?" Torin repeats to Shiyara, "I like to think if I rescue someone it is deliberate... just by virtue of heroism. I'm sorry... I seem to talk a lot when in these situations. It's actually worrying."
He strikes a pose of accomplishment and gladly adds, "Well done team!" He ends his rage nodding with Torin catching his breath. Looking at Torin he asks, "Why are you on the floor? If someone is going to do that, it should be my job!" Then chuckles a bit offering him a hand.
Seeing the blood he offers, "Should I get my wand out and heal that or do we have a healer in the house?"
While she hadn't done much in the fight with the wall ghouls, Thonis had helped. So when the men pokes his head out of the room, she doesn't feel shy at all about claiming whatever credit is due.
She gives her little sword a couple of swishes in front of herself as if cooling off from the workout, and walks over to the man.
"Yes indeed my good Sir, you needn't worry anymore. We have have arrived and the forces of evil are vanquished and fleeing.
Thonis extends her hand for kissing.
My name is Thonis, who do I have the pleasure of addressing Sir?
With the others talking to the nobleman, Zahur worries himself about properly cleaning his cooking knives.
Tern accepts Arthur's offered hand and pulls himself back up to his feet. "Wand please." he asks with a smile before he pouts, "It would seem there is little sympathy among the group." He looks in the direction of the man they had rescued.
He pulls the wand from his belt and offers it to Torin. Should Torin look at it in amusement he would flip it around and with a somatic movement and the word "Talos" said, he would tap Torin with it as the healing expels out of the wand.
Then he turns it on himself, saying "Talos". Frowning that it didn't heal him fully he expends another charge moving the wand in exquisite fashion and saying "Talos" again. Then he slightly giggles, saying, "That did the trick anyone else need healing?"
"I think you've covered me at least." Torin admits to Arthur, "Thanks for the aid." Looking about at the others, Torin looks for anything amiss.
As the newcomer makes themslves known Torin can't find himself bothered to get up. "Have we unintentionally rescued him?" Torin repeats to Shiyara, "I like to think if I rescue someone it is deliberate... just by virtue of heroism. I'm sorry... I seem to talk a lot when in these situations. It's actually worrying."
The gentleman nods and sighs in relief. "Whether unintentional or deliberate, you have indeed rescued us and you have our gratitude. We arrived here magically somehow, I believe, after fighting broke out on the Senate Floor. But once we exited the room we were attacked by the very walls! My name is Wilfen Botoles and that poor soul there is... was an acquaintance of mine named Lord Develin Manshum." He shakes his head sadly looking down at the body. You note that he seems to be wearing a senate aide badge of his own, though with a different design.
He calls out and two others emerge from the same room, which he introduces as Sir Gryphus Plastion, and Lady Gael Urbaen. From another room further up the hall emerges a halfling fellow dressed in serving attire called Imistos Gulbend, and from am eastern room comes a pair of familiar faces. Dame Malphene Trant and one of her lackeys, emerge looking a bit disheveled and worse for wear. He supports her as she appears to have a partially healed wound.
Replacing his wand back into its holder he walks back to pick up his bag of loot. Walking back to the newcomers he offers, "Let us keep in front and we will surely find a way out of here. You would think it would have been more obvious to get back."
The dragon style monk smiles and nods to Wilfen as he clarifies who all these people are. The sudden rush of lords and ladies is a blur to him, but he does recognize Malphene Trant. Finding his bearings enough to put on formal airs he joins Arthur.
"Obvious enough now that we're out of that magical room." he boasts to Arthur, "We simply have to deal with any abominations or traitors to Taldor that get in our way!"
He subtly winks at the bardbarian and then raises his voice to the assembled gaggle of nobility and commoners. "My lords and ladies, fear not. We are aides to Lady Martella Lotheed. I swear by the title of lion champion..." he says with a bit of reluctance at the tarnish he felt on his title, "I will strike down any threat that threatens the safety of citizens of Taldor."
Zahur finishes cleaning his knives, but remains in silence in the back, letting the others speak.
Shiyara tut-tuts as she walks up to Arthur and puts a hand lightly on his chest. "Now now Mr. St-Arthur, let's not shirk our responsibilities too quickly." She waggles the fingers on her other hand and Arthur's cure wand twirls out from behind the fingers. She waves it playfully and boops him on the nose with it, giving him ample time to take it back if he feels so inclined, but otherwise she'll sashay over to Dame Malphene Trant with it. "Now let's get you fixed up right, you poor dear. Our valiant Lion Champion is right, we'll take care of you all and find our back to the Senate proper. Actually, is anyone here familiar with these catacombs? I haven't had a chance to learn them yet, I'm quite new in town," she says with a warm smile.
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Malphene mumbles a subdued "Thank you..." Her excess of bravado seems all but drained away after the shocking events of the Gala. It takes her a moment to realize it, but soon she recognizes your party as those who interfered with her intimidation tactics with the Junior Senator. "You?! I suppose you fancy yourselves some kind of heroes. Well, where were you when those black-hearted bastards cut my father down?!" She bursts into sobs, "I- I drew my sword and tried to protect him. But I couldn't stop them! And then I was hit and appeared here."
She leans into her friend as he comforts her tears. "There, there. Your father wouldn't want you to come to harm. Not even to save his own life. Why else would he have given us these badges?"
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Ismene has been quietly considering for some time. "I suspect we are still in the Senate Building." She declares, drawing some confused looks from the others. "Or more precisely, we are in the old Senate Building. The remains of older incarnations of the edifice that the newer structure was built atop. I've read about the safe-rooms that many noble families established nearly a century ago. That must be why the badges activated to teleport us here, once a threat to life was detected."
She notices the group staring at her and clears her throat. "Just thinking out loud. On the up side, I think we should be able to find our way back if we just keep travelling upwards, toward the surface."
With that said he moves forward past the group to the East and then North up the path, looking for stairs.
Torin smiles as Malphene directed her frustrations at them. "Well, take a guess where Arthur got that sword of his." he points out, "We fought those black armored men as well. With some success until one of us was struck. Doesn't seem it was a fight any of us could have finished."
Looking between Trant and Ismene a moment he jerked a thumb in her direction. "She did a real number on them." he pointed out, "Her bombs didn't give a fig to their armor. Put me to shame, and I'm a born and bred fighter. Remembering the earlier insult, he gave Ismene a look and a quick wink.
Then as she spoke up he considered her words. "Sounds about right. If we're walled in don't try and stop me from breaking the plaster though. he reasoned.
As Arthur steps out Torin quickly follows him, not wanting to let the noble brave the front alone.
Before moving forward and with Torin's call out he would raise the bastard sword. "No, thanks to these badges no true harm came to our group, likely like yours. Though I fear what has become of those without these badges."
Shiyara squeezes Miss Trant's shoulder. "I'm sorry about your father, dear. No one deserved to be corralled and attacked like that. That was a betrayal of all of us. Together we can try to make things right. Or at least make them pay. Now, please stay back and we'll try to make sure we all return to the land of the living safely."
"Niben amlug."
Looking between Trant and Ismene a moment he jerked a thumb in her direction. "She did a real number on them." he pointed out, "Her bombs didn't give a fig to their armor. Put me to shame, and I'm a born and bred fighter. Remembering the earlier insult, he gave Ismene a look and a quick wink.
Then as she spoke up he considered her words. "Sounds about right. If we're walled in don't try and stop me from breaking the plaster though. he reasoned.
Ismene smiles at this apparent praise of her skills. "Fortunately I have studied how to create bombs that release their explosives in a concentrated area, else I might have blown a crack in that thick skull of yours. I should not want to be caught between a rock and that hard place." She said while reaching up to knock on Torin's forehead, her smile turning to a smirk. "Just be sure to warn me before you go charging through walls like a Juggernaut." Though her tongue is sharp, as always, some genuine caring and concern leaks through. Long hard days make fast friends, it seems.
Malphene Trant seems surprised and humbled by your words of encouragement and sympathy. She and her companion agree to accompany the group and help keep the other nobles safe while you search for the exit. The halfling servant nods his agreement too.
Arthur and Torin lead the group to make a full circuit of the hall, checking into the side rooms for any more stray people or valuables. The northernmost door is locked, however.
The central area turns out to be a conference room. A long table, its surface covered in green felt, stands in the center of this rectangular chamber. Silver trays dot the table’s surface, each hosting a set of crystal glassware and a tall decanter of wine. Doors exit to the north and south.
The fine crystal glassware and silver diningsets are in good condition, though the wine has long since soured. A document box on the table includes several scrolls that detect as magical.
Shiyara attempts to decipher the scrolls while Lindy flies over to listen at the North door.
"Well, we have a Cure Light Wounds scroll, and...others."
Torin chuckles at the light rap on the noggin and his spirits seemed to be rising quickly as they made progress. When they find the northern door to be locked he considers putting his shoulder into it, obvious to everyone when he steps back and spaces his feet, but he quickly steps out of his stance in deference to the rest of the group.
In the central room he lifts one of the crystal glasses and wipes the dust from it with a loose portion of cloth hanging off his ruined tunic. After a quick once over, he wraps two of them in the clothing of his waist pouch and tucks them away. "Souvenirs." he explains, "In the future I will remember this day with fine company and wine."
As Shiyara examines the scrolls he pretends to be uninterested in them, but he kept casting sidelong glances in her direction as she poured over them.
Once they had poured over the room to the groups satisfaction he would return to the door barring their progress. "Any objections to breaking this down?" he asked aloud. While he knew there were other approaches to open the door he wasn't sure if he should point that out.
"Master Argentus, had I know how this evening would progress I would likely not have chosen such décolletage. Or were you staring at the scrolls? If you'd like to take a look, be my guest."
Once they had poured over the room to the groups satisfaction he would return to the door barring their progress. "Any objections to breaking this down?" he asked aloud. While he knew there were other approaches to open the door he wasn't sure if he should point that out.
"There are more subtle ways of opening a door and if there are more wall monsters ahead of us, I believe it is wise for us to make as little noise as possible... let me take a look." Zahur offers.
Torin averts his gaze and clears his throat at Shiyara's teasing. His cheeks darken almost imperceptibly in the lower light of their confined space. "I've had some training in the use of magic items..." he explains awkwardly, "Though I would need the scrolls explained to me to do so. I fear I would be of no use figuring their purpose." It was not the first time he was learning a new word around the comely elf.
The monk steps aside, offering a slight bow to Zahur as he approached the door. "By all means." he says.
As Shiyara attempts to identify the scrolls he would attempt to help her:
With his help she easily identifies three of the four scrolls:
There is a scroll of cure light wounds,
a scroll of invisibility,
and a scroll of breath of life.
First he would ask, "Anyone good at finding traps?" He would let them first have a look and possible check at the door while he looks around at the assortment of collected items. He would pull out the different keys that they had collected and try them first.
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Zahur and Ismene give the northern door a look and agree that there do not appear to be any traps. Arthur tries the black key to no avail, but Ismene hands him a gold key that she discovered in the bedchamber of the suite of safe rooms. There is a little resistance from long disuse but soon the key turns with a muted click and the door swings open into the next area, which looks much like an older version of the Arcade of Triumphs.
Pristine glass display cases stand along the walls and in the center of this immense rectangular display room. The area is more than sixty feet wide and forty feet long, with the outer walls covered in glass displays of armor, save near the two northern doors and along the southern wall. Two rusted and decayed suits of armor stand separate, protected in glass cases. Tarnished and discolored weaponry fills the cases in the center of the room. Circles of various sizes have been scratched into the glass and drawn on the walls with chalk and paint.
Your party moves into the darkened room, utilizing your light sources as you all look around at the various artifacts. Thonis and Torin immediately notice a crossbow that could be the twin of the one the curator spoke of as a reproduction of the long-lost and much famed artifact, Dignity's Barb.
With his halo alight above his head he turns to the group, "Likely trapped! Anyone good at finding traps? Also we might want to appraise as we go to see if any of these relics would be good in a fight?" He points out and waits to back up anyone that begins to slowly do as he said. With the bastard sword in one hand and his makeshift bag in the other he is ready to aid or act if a threat appears.
Torin walks about the room on edge, but as it's purpose becomes clear he relaxes. "No traps I think." he relates to Arthur, "This is a display. Maybe an alarm."
When he notices the crossbow he walks up to the case and stares in reverence. "Earlier this evening I was fantasizing about a warrior returning this weapon to the Arcade of Triumphs." he admits with no small amount of wonder. Then without warning he smashed his fist through the glass.
No sooner does the glass scatter than the warrior is gingerly plucking the ancient crossbow from the display and holding it up to one of the light sources, likely Arthur's halo. He also makes sure to not directly face Ismene. "Dibs on that particular honor." he notes with a smirk.
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"Perhaps I..." Zahur is about to answer Arthur when Torin smashes the glass.
He then looks around, fearful of being too late to look for traps.
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Zahur is relieved that he sees no sign of any traps as the crash of breaking glass shatters the omnipresent silence that hangs over this place like a shroud. The sound seems to echo on and on, the tinkling sounds of glass raining down causing some to cover their ears.
But wait, that wasn't just an echo, other glass cases are shattering on opposite sides of the room as the ancient suits of armor animate and break free of their displays and step out, drawing their swords!
Round 1
Armors - broke free, stepped out and drew swords
Zahur
Shiyara
Torin
Ismene
Thonis
Arthur
"Oh, well that one is on me." Torin notes after cringing at the armor crashing free of their cases, "I'm on it. He steps up to the nearest suit, and after planting his feat throws an arcane empowered haymaker at the animated armor.
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Not wishing to disagree, Zahur simply replies before he readies himself. "It certainly is..."
Wondering if his knives would be effective against these fleshless animated armors, Zahur advances bare handed, intending to disarm the armor.
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Shiyara tries to puzzle out what these creatures might be.
She'll report any findings, then she moves up to protect their charges, then reaches under her skirts in a most undignified fashion and pulls out her carefully crafted Net.
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Round 1
A bit upset at Torin's actions he blurts out, "I ask for those who can look for traps as you go out and just spring them!"
He drops his bag and walks the path of the arrows as he begins to inspire the group by orating, "One may step forward as others are more cautious. Yet all may pay the price!!!" Now holding the bastard sword in two hands ready to get into the battle next round.