"That is a lot worse. Uhh..." He furrows his brow as he thinks for a moment. "The ladder is a good idea, but we might just have to try and kill it. The poison I had probably isn't strong enough, if poison even would work."
"The ladder is a good idea, but we might just have to try and kill it. The poison I had probably isn't strong enough, if poison even would work."
"Alright, then there isn't anything else to prepare. Let's get in and out before we wake up the whole manor. Last one over, make sure you drop the ladder over to the inside so we can climb back out."
Vitalis starts to climb the ladder and will hop down inside the yard to engage the cerberi.
Vitalis climbs the ladder and is genuinely surprised to find that the cerberi is nowhere to be seen.
”Come on!”
Marquel stands at his windowsill, a small backpack slung over his shoulder, as he beckons for Vitalis.
The other PCs make their way over the wall and pull the ladder over. Marquel sees the last PC over pulling the ladder up and frantically motions for that person to bring the ladder over to his window, while also pointing at his atrophied arm.
It takes a bit of time, but Marquel manages to climb down the ladder. He smiles at the PCs. ”Alright, now let’s get going before—”
Marquel’s face pales as the garden is filled with the sound oof howling hounds. His eyes shift over and his eyes widen. ”Gorefang!”
The PCs quickly turn around and find the cerberi howling behind the large doghouse!
Marquel grits his teeth. ”Now Father’s guards will be here any moment. We need to take care of this fast!”
Round 1
==============
Edrakk
Chance
Vitalis
Gorefang
Marquel
Jisara
==============
"Oh, hell." Jisara mutters.
"Don't do anything threatening!"
Chance slowly picks up one end of the ladder and starts to sing, more quietly than usual but still trying to be sure the dog can hear him.
"Calm down, you hellish hound
You're much too malicious for us to be around
And if you're so tough, tell me
Why are you being so loud?
Mmmm-hmmmm-mmm..."
Success -> Crit Success (incapacitation)
Chance sings softly and quietly at the hound, but all three heads bark aggressively in unison as all that seemed to do was make it angrier.
Round 1
==============
Edrakk
Chance
Vitalis
Gorefang
Marquel
Jisara
==============
"Never mind - put that monster down!"
Vitalis approaches the cerberi and addresses it in Infernal. "Bad dog! You want to fight? Fight me!"
He slices his glaive at the hounds many heads.
I need to stop forgetting to poison Vitalis's glaive beforehand. And I should have drawn my crossbow, since I definitely don't want to get near that thing.
Oh, well. Hindsight is 20/20, I guess. Let's see what this thing can do, exactly.
Edrakk steps forward a bit and draws a vial of partially-crystalizing red gas in one hand, and in the other draws his hand crossbow.
Vitalis approaches the cerberi and swings, but misses.
Edrakk moves forward and draws some items.
Gorefang growls at Vitalis, but the heads look past the paladin as the hound pounces toward the greater concentration of people. It stops and its two side heads snap at Jisara and Marquel!
Marquel Steps away from the vicious hound and pulls out a vial whose contents he gulps down.
”You dumb dog, it’s me!” Marquel’s outburst causes two of the hound’s three heads to tilt their heads in confusion.
Round 1 —> 2
==============
Edrakk
Chance
Vitalis
Gorefang
Marquel (-1)
Jisara
==============
Vitalis chases after Gorefang and slashes at him again. Then he attempts to demoralize the hound to get its attention. "That's right, you are a dumb dog! And soon you'll be a dead dog! Back off the noble!"
Vitalis says to the group, "If anyone gets a chance, try to move that ladder over to the other wall so we can get Marquel to safety."
Chance holds onto his end of the ladder with one hand but doesn't attempt to move it. You'd think it would be lighter, considering it was transformed from a feather!
He starts to sing:
"Give it the old smash and slammy
Slice and dice the beast!
Back since the days of the Last Azlanti
Everyone hates canine tri-crani... als!"
Canine tri-cranials? Oh well.
"Flugantaj rokoj por ĵokeoj!" A stick or small rock from the lawn flies up towards one of the heads menacing Marquel.
I figured the answer about the reaction was no, but asked just in case since the rulebook says it's up to the GM as to whether you get a reaction before you've acted yet.
I always worry I'm coming across as combative, so I just try to be clear about my thinking.
Jisara lurches away from the cerberi's jaws and toward the relative safety on the far side of Vitalis and Edrakk.
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Edrakk lobs the vial of reddish gas at the three-headed beast. When it breaks , it explodes into a cloud that starts crystalizing into large red snowflakes, flying out and sticking into whatever they hit.
Seeing Jisara limp away, however, catches his attention. "Hold on, uhh..." He grabs some medicinal herbs from his pockets and starts trying to treat her wounds.
He then pulls out a bolt and loads his crossbow.
Jisara disengages from the hound and heals herself.
Edrakk lobs a bomb and hits the three-headed beast, surrounding it in glass shards! He then bandages up Jisara.
Vitalis advances on the hound and slices into it, but his angry words only seems to make the creature more angry!
Chance begins singing and a stick flies straight at Gorefang, but one of its heads chomps the stick mid-air into a million pieces!
Gorefang barks as it rushes over the glass shards.
Easily bounding over the shards, the cerberi goes toward the closest cluster of people—particularly Vitalis, since he made the hound angry —and lashes outwith two of its heads at Vitalis and Edrakk!
”Tsk!” Marquel pulls out a second vial and runs over to Vitalis. He pops the cork off the vial with his thumb. ”Open up!” He fairly haphazardly drains the vial’s contents down Vitalis’s throat.
”Only have one more of those; tonight’s not the night for Shelyn to abandon this city.”
Marquel glances nervously over his shoulder then back at the relatively unscathed Gorefang. "I wasn't kidding when I said we need to be fast! Enough simple cantrips; unload whatever you've got into this mutt!"
Round 2 —> 3
==============
Edrakk (-13)
Chance
Vitalis (-19)
Gorefang (-28)
Marquel (-1)
Jisara (-12) {Fast Healing 4: Round 1 of 4}
==============
Gonna move Vitalis to not be adjacent to Gorefang, just because Edrakk technically went first. In that case, I’ll resolve this block in turn order rather than post order.
Vitalis shivers as the evil energy seeps into his bones. "This is a foul beast of the highest order!"
"Unload whatever you've got into this mutt!"
"I'm trying!" Vitalis hacks at the hound again. He then takes a careful step back away from the animal.
Chances staggers backwards, dragging the ladder a step closer to the wall.
”I wasn't kidding when I said we need to be fast! Enough simple cantrips; unload whatever you've got into this mutt!”
“Hang on a minute, I am a scholar and an artist! My cantrips are far from...” The gnome looks up from the ladder. “... Oh, right. Hang on.”
Chance opens his mouth wide in an apparently silent scream, and a piercing yell erupts from empty space a few feet away from the hellish hound.
Jisara spares Marquel a withering look in place of an acidic retort. Her attention is primarily occupied by a scroll she pulls from her hip, which she quickly begins to cast from.
As the scroll begins to disintegrate in her hands, she points an outstretched finger at the cerberi. With great effort, visible distaste, and as much gravitas as she can put into her voice, she says "This whole operation has gotten entirely out of hound."
Success The target is plagued with uncontrollable laugher. It can't use reactions.
Failure The target is slowed 1 and can't use reactions.
Critical Failure The target falls prone and can't use actions or reactions for 1 round. It then suffers the failure effects.
Edrakk stands very still after the hound slashes him, and slowly, painfully, takes a step back. Once he's a good distance away, he grabs another vial, this time filled with a foul-smelling yellow-green fluid, and lobs it at the creature.
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Vitalis swings his glaive and manages to hit Gorefang once.
Chance drags the ladder and screeches at the hound.
Jisara pulls out a scroll and tells a very bad joke.
Edrakk throws a poison bomb that explodes at Gorefang’s feet.
Gorefang—or at least its middle head—forces the body forward as it bites at Jisara in understandable rage.
As the remaining head bites into her, Jisara uses the last of her breath to utter a curse at the hound.
Gorefang then bleeds profusely.
Marquel is absolutely bewildered by the laughing hound but comes back to attention as Jisara falls unconscious. He pulls out his final vial and runs over to the tiefling and force-feeds it to her.
The noble looks down at now-conscious Jisara and smiles. ”I don’t know what you’re doing, but keep doing it!”
Round 4
==============
Edrakk (-13)
Chance
Vitalis (-19)
Jisara (-15) {Fast Healing 4: Round 2 of 4; prone; wounded 1}
Gorefang (-53) {Slowed 1 and no reactions; 2d6 persistent bleed and weakness 1 to S & P}
Marquel (-1)
==============
Vitalis moves back in close to attack again.
Jisara snaps back to consciousness, somehow managing to hold onto the fraying spell, then bolts upright to get the hell away from that thing before it can truly kill her.
Chance chuckles and shakes his head when Jisara casts her spell. "Jokes? I'm going to be really worried if you start to sing!" He watches in worry, then relief, as she goes down then is healed up again by the target of their rescue.
The gnome drops the ladder with a sigh of relief. "Sorry, but I need to keep singing so we can finish this. That thing shrugged off my two best spells! You big guys can move the ladder when it’s down."
"Give it the old slash and slammy
Slash and slammy it
Give it a slice and put your back in it
And its reaction will be passionate
Give it the old hocus pocus
Tell a joke to it
How can it bite with laughter in its mouths?"
"Flugantaj rokoj por ĵokeoj!"
Edrakk takes another tentative step back, and draws another vial of yellow-greenish liquid. He throws it at the dog, releasing a cloud of foul-smelling gas.
Vitalis moves forward and slices twice at Gorefang!
Jisara disengages.
Chance begins singing and throws a glass shard that hits Gorefang.
Edrakk pulls out a bomb and throws it, missing the cerberi but splashing it.
Gorefang’s single un-laughing head growls angrily as it takes two quick bites at Vitalis!
Marquel grits his teeth and draws a rapier in his one good hand. ”Enough of this.” He moves into the flank given up by Edrakk and thrusts his sword at the three-headed hound.
+1 from weakness.
Round 5
==============
Chance
Vitalis (-40)
Edrakk (-13)
Jisara (-11) {Fast Healing 4: Round 3 of 4; wounded 1}
Gorefang (-105) {Slowed 1 and no reactions; 2d6 persistent bleed and weakness 1 to S & P}
Marquel (-1)
==============
Chance continues singing about the old slash-and-slammy, then shifts to his healing song, directed at Vitalis.
"I appreciate the help Marquel, but I'd also like to bring you back to Captain Sargaeta in one piece. Please be careful."
Vitalis slashes with his glaive again and then steps around towards the ladder. "Alright, I'll help with this ladder."
Feeling a little bit more like herself, Jisara manages to split her focus just enough to maintain her spell and still send a flurry of broken crystals whirling at the cerberi.
Chance heals Vitalis.
Vitalis slashes at Gorefang.
Jisara launches a shard and it embeds itself in Gorefang, causing the beast to fall unconscious!
Round 5
==============
Chance
Vitalis (-22)
Edrakk (-13)
Jisara (-11) {Fast Healing 4: Round 3 of 4; wounded 1}
Marquel (-1)
==============
Vitalis grabs the ladder and starts dragging it towards the wall. "Quickly! We don't want to be caught here."
Edrakk moves over to Vitalis and starts trying to patch up his wounds, using disinfectant herbs and improvised tourniquets to deal with gashes from the hound's bite. After a second, he starts to tend to his own as well.
Edrakk patches up both Vitalis and himself.
Marquel looks at the ladder and blinks. ”Wish I could help, but, uh…” He motions to his atrophied right arm.
Round 6
==============
Chance
Vitalis (-10)
Edrakk (-10)
Jisara (-9) {Wounded 1}
Marquel (-1)
==============
Chance picks up an end of the ladder and helps Vitalis move it towards the wall .
Jisara steps up next to the wall, waiting for Vitalis and Chance to bring her the ladder. Once they do so, she offers her assistance in propping it up for Marquel.
Edrakk puts away his crossbow and steps forward to help with the ladder to make sure it's in place.
Round 7
==============
Chance
Vitalis (-10)
Edrakk (-10)
Jisara (-9) {Wounded 1}
Marquel (-1)
==============
Vitalis moves the ladder the rest of the way and sets it up against the wall.
"At least one of us should go first. Then Marquel. Make sure the street is safe. I'll guard the rear, just in case."
Jisara, not needing to be told twice, scrambles up the ladder and over the wall. After dropping down to the far side, she looks up and down the street for any signs of trouble, then reports her findings to the others.
Edrakk nervously hops from one clawed foot to the other, waiting to hear from Jisara what's on the other side.
Chance waits until Jisara, Marquel, and Edrakk are safely over the wall before stepping onto the ladder. From the second or third rung, he claps Vitalis on the shoulder. "Don't worry about bringing this big thing along unless you're worried about someone using it to follow us. See you on the other side!"
He follows the others up and over the wall.
Vitalis sets the ladder in place.
Jisara and Edrakk go up the ladder and over the wall.
Marquel scrambles up the ladder, a difficult feat given his singular working arm.
He has difficulty getting situated, but he eventually gets up and over the ladder, with Chance following closely behind him.
”I’m telling you, I heard singing over here after the beast’s howl. What the?!”
Rounding the corner of the Aulorian estate are several silhouetted figures. One points to Vitalis and shouts ”Get them!” and the silhouettes advance. Unfortunately for them, though, they do not see the many shards of glass still littering the garden from Edrakk’s alchemical bomb.
Now off of the Aulorian property, the group all rush down the streets in an attempt to shake any pursuers, only to realize that there aren’t any pursuers.
Marquel pants as he takes some time to catch his breath. ”Alright…let’s go…then…” The group stands around awkwardly for a moment as it becomes clear that Marquel is waiting for the PCs to lead the way. ”The Scourge of Belial! Let’s go!”
*
The way back to The Scourge of Belial is uneventful, until the group makes it to the ship proper. Lieutenant Nones is waiting at the bottom of the gangplank. As soon as she sees the PCs and Marquel approaching, she moves swiftly into action, gathering up the group and dragging them along as she makes a beeline for the captain’s quarters.
Captain Sargaeta is sitting at his desk sipping tea and reading poetry by lamplight as a halfling—Hopgut—plays on the violin. As soon as the cabin’s door opens, Sargaeta sets down his teacup and saucer and turns his attention towards the newcomers. However, before Lieutenant Nones can even shut the door behind her, Marquel rushes forward.
”Here’s your answer, Cass!”
In the blink of an eye, Marquel starts to move around the captain’s desk, but apparently grows impatient and literally leaps over the last corner of the desk straight at Sargaeta. The captain catches him, but the sudden shift in center of gravity causes the chair he is sitting in to sharply lean back, causing the captain’s knees to loudly impact with the underside of the desk.
”GAH!”
Concern washes over Marquel’s face as he stands up from being in Sargaeta’s arms, letting the captain clutch at his sore knee. ”I’m so sorry! That was stupid of me! Are you—”
“I’m fine! I’m fine.” Sargaeta slowly stands up and rubs at his knee. Marquel and Sargaeta then lock eyes and the two smile warmly. ”So, Marquel, what is all this about a Poison Pen?”
Marquel’s face flushes crimson, clearly not anticipating the question. ”What? I, uh, I don’t know what—“
Marquel is cut short as Sargaeta raps his knuckles lightly on the taller man’s noggin. ”Do not lie to me Marquel. I of all people should know your prose. Provoking the Asmodean High Inquisitor could have gotten you disappeared.” Marquel fumbles over his words in an attempt to justify himself. Sargaeta smiles and rolls his eyes, shutting up the nobleman as he pulls him into an embrace. ”It doesn’t matter now. You are here with me, my darling.” Tears start to well up in Captain Sargaeta’s eyes as he pulls away from the hug to lock eyes with Marquel. The two men smile. ”Marquel, my sweet, impulsive boy.”
Sargaeta grabs Marquel’s chin and pulls him into a tender kiss.
The kiss starts as sweet, but it goes on for…longer than is necessary, or comfortable. The halflings look between the couple and each other in a silent conversation. Finally, it is Lieutenant Nones who speaks up. ”CoughCaptain!Cough”
Marquel and Sargaeta pull away from their kiss and look at Lieutenant Nones, as well as the PCs, clearly only just remembering that they aren’t the only ones in the room. They sharply pull away from each other’s embrace and look awkwardly askance, both clearly embarrassed at the public display of affection they had accidentally conducted.
"A happy ending for all! Huzzah!" Vitalis pumps his fist in the air. "Would you like some alone time? We could come back..."
Chance grins. "You could have just told us! That would have been a lot more convincing than vague threats and promises! Also, it looks like you need a smaller desk."
Edrakk smiles. "I had a suspicion that was what this was about. And I'm certainly glad we could be of some help!"
At first, Jisara struggles not to laugh at the slapstick nature of their embrace, then to hide her sudden realization, and finally settles on a self-satisfied smirk.
"I should have known," she says, sighing exasperatedly. "Honestly, men will try to blackmail seditious rebels in order to pass a note to their paramour, but won't just talk about their bloody feelings."
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Chance grins. "You could have just told us! That would have been a lot more convincing than vague threats and promises! Also, it looks like you need a smaller desk."
Marquel looks confused and turns to Captain Sargaeta. ”You didn’t tell—?”
“Don’t give me that look, Marquel; I couldn’t tell them! If our relationship had gotten out my position would be in jeopardy!”
“You wrote ‘My dearest Marquel’ in the letter. And you signed with your initials.”
“But did I say our relationship? No. I said nothing of the sort.”
“Except through the poetic, flowery language.”
“It would support the theory, but not prove it. Historians miscategorize such things all the time. Look, can we please discuss this later, Marquel?”
Marquel sighs. ”Fine.”
Sargaeta turns to address the PCs. ”I cannot express how grateful I am. I am in your debt for this. And I am a man who honors his debts.”
Captain Sargaeta picks up his teacup once more and drains it of its remaining contents. He stands up and walks to Vitalis and hands him the empty porcelain teacup.
”Champion of the Eternal Rose, drop it.”
There is confused hesitation in the room, to which the captain chuckles. ”You heard me: drop the teacup on the floor.”
Vitalis, thoroughly confused, complies as he releases the teacup from his grasp. It impacts onto the wooden floor and shatters into large pieces.
”Make-Way?”
At the captain’s call, one of the halflings immediately produces a brush and dustpan and scoops up the teacup shards. The halfling then hesitates and looks to the captain as he is unsure what to do next. Sargaeta motions to Vitalis and the halfling hands the paladin the dustpan and its contents.
“The fragments of this cup represent the number of favors I owe you. Anything—short of outright public treason to the Queen—I’ll do for you. Simply write your request on a scrap of paper and use it to wrap a shard of the teacup. Deliver it in person, or perhaps via one of your silver raven trinkets. Now, if you will excuse us, it is quite late.”
Sargaeta nods to Lieutenant Nones, who promptly escort the PCs off the Scourge of Belial.