"Is it a good thing to know that we're not the only ones here?" Lollia observes, waiting for one of the more martial of her companions to move forward and examine the body.
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Before moving forward, Robert says sharply "Wait a moment for me." He rushes back to the bar and grabs the best quality spirits or wine in there. It may as well end up being life saving. If not, it's just good spirit and should not be wasted.
After, he comes back to the group and grabs one of the darts they found. He says "Well, I'm not going first." It is an attempt at a joke, albeit a nervous one.
When it becomes clear that no one is going to check the body, Lollia rolls her eyes and slowly creeps forward, her dagger held at the ready. When she reaches the bloody corpse, she checks the face to see if it's someone she's met at the gala.
The group splits into three!
Since nothing bad has ever happened to the individual who sets off alone, Shula heads rightwards, although in her defense she is walking away from the obvious bait body. Approaching the corner she looks around it to see the passageway continue to her left, with two more doors in the right-hand wall.
Lollia and Robert head leftwards to investigate the body. While neither of them can place the man's name his clothing shows he was definitely a fellow guest at the gala and the large claw marks that have laid his back open to the spine suggest how he must have died...
Lucretia and Victor, who are acting as the rearguard , are the only ones to see the figure that comes oozing out from the wall behind Shula. Almost the exact same colour as the stone the torso emerges with one huge taloned hand ready to strike!
Oblivious to the threat to the slayer, Lollia quickly checks the dead man's pockets for loose change and creeps a bit farther forward to peek around the corner.
Sensing movement behind her, Shula whirls around and instinctively slashes at the creature with both kukris. The best defense is a good offense after all.
The second-best defense is running away, but she doesn't want to turn her back on anything with claws. "Victor?" Her voice is strained. "A little help here?" His sword would look very nice buried in this thing's back. If it has a back.
Lucretia follows Victor to swiftly aid Shula, pulling her uncle's own ornate dagger and trying to pierce the attacker's back.
Victor hurries to Shula's aid, pulling out his longsword and striking at the creature from behind.
He lands a powerful blow and Shula follows up with a stab of her own. Lucretia misses but her psychic powers amplify the damage Victor deals. Robert's dart falls short and Lollia notices that the nobleman has a rather excellent looking ring just before the noise of battle breaks out.
The creature swivels oddly, its torso still protruding from the wall and slashes at Victor. The noblemans flesh and clothing parts beneath its claws and he lets out a growl of pain even though Leona helps him avoid one of the blows.
Better him than me. Since the creature has helpfully turned away from her to slash at Victor, Shula continues attacking its back. "Anyone have any idea what this thing is?"
No-one does, but Shula's blows cause the strange torso thing to slump limply out of the wall for a few seconds before it slowly melds back into the wall...
Shula backs away from the wall, eying it suspiciously. "Guess that solves the mystery of whether that guy died upstairs or not. Think there's anyone else around here? People, I mean. Not...whatever that was."
She holds her kukris at the ready just in case something else emerges from the wall.
Lucretia moves back with Shula, knowing that they were much too loud just now.
Taking a moment to retrieve the nobleman's ring, Lollia rises and returns to the others. "If we're here and he's here," she says gesturing towards the body on the floor, "Odds are that there are others." She holds out the ring. "Anyone recognize this?"
Lucretia looks closely at the ring Lollia holds up, her hand still firm on her dagger.
With a slight frown, Lollia hums a small melody and tips her head, gazing at the piece of jewelry.
The crest is not notable, suggesting a minor house at best but Lucretia does detect standard magical protections woven into the fabric of the ring.
Victor keeps his blade out and takes a long stride back from the central wall where the creature emerged.
"If he was dropped here in a group like we were, they were probably all running in that direction and he was just the slowest." Shula moves towards Robert, kukris in hand and eyes darting about for more monsters. "We should check the rooms on this side first."
They haven't exactly been quiet, so one would think nearby survivors would have revealed themselves by now. But then most people aren't particularly rational in a crisis. Shula is extremely pleased that her group is; she'd half-expected them all to run away screaming. Instead they'd come together and fought. She gives Victor in particular a nod of recognition silently thanking him for his help.
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Robert relaxes a little and tries to retrieve the darts he threw to see if they are still usable.
The one he threw into his shoe is still usable and he gets it, ready to throw it again. He follows Shula's lead and says "Yes, but I'm not going to open the door. Maybe we should shout to see if anyone will answer?"
Slipping the magical ring onto her finger, Lollia calls out down the hall, "Hello? Is there anyone here still alive?!"
Lucretia and Victor wait on tenterhooks with the rest of you and the vigilance is rewarded(?!?) when another torso emerges from the wall, it's clawed hands reaching out with malice, scoring a blow across Lollia's unarmored torso that leaves red blood running behind it!
With blood running down her thin dress, Lollia stifles a scream and pulls back away from the rending claws.
With clinched teeth, she hums a quick melody and sings the words to a child's lullaby.
"Another one? Or is this the same one..." The appearing and disappearing acts have Shula confused. That's not a question she needs an answer to right now though, so she steps forward to take some attention away from Lollia. "Hey! I've got claws too you know! So leave her alone!"
Lucretia glares at the new creation as she stands in place as she watches Lollia take the brunt of the assault.
"What the hell are these things and how do we stop them coming?"
The thing seems unperturbed by Lucretia's magic, but Shula leaves a gash in its strange, stone patterned body and then Victor cleaves it in two!
The bottom part of the torso falls back into the wall. The top half remains on the floor for a few seconds before melting into the floor...
Shula eyes Lollia with concern, although fortunately Robert is able to heal her injuries. (As well as Victor's.) "Neat trick. Praise be to The Lady in the Room." She isn't religious herself, but believes in giving credit where credit is due. "Maybe Victor and I should stand between you and the wall though? In case any more of these things pop out."
Speaking of giving credit where credit is due..."Nice swing by the way. That sword must be sharp."
Lollia's face relaxes as her wound closes. "Yes, thanks to the Savored Sting," she says with a nod.
At Shulamit's offer of protection, the woman moves up next to the slayer. "I would be indebted to you for such protection," she replies. If she's standing just a little close, it could be that the woman is cold seeing how the middle of her thin gown has been slashed open. Not that it could have provided much warmth in the first place.
The battle is over swiftly. Victor breathes heavily as he scans the wall to ensure no more monsters will be popping out to attack. He nods his thanks to Robert for the healing, and to Shula for the praise.
Once it is clear that the immediate threat has passed, Victor touches the rent in his clothes where the thing clawed him. Leona stands on her hind legs and puts her front paws on Victor's leg. The cat looks up at him and meows insistently. "No, not here," Victor says quietly. "Not in front of them." Leona bats at his side and continues to meow. He can feel the strong urging through the empathic link. Victor sighs. "Fine."
He looks up at his companions. "I would not be doing this if our situation weren't so dire. But if we are going to survive this place, we are going to need a fierce warrior. This is my deepest secret, and I would urge you not to divulge it to anybody. The personal cost to me would be great, indeed." He takes another deep breath. "Here we go."
The nobleman removes his jacket and hands it to Lollia to keep her warm. Then he reaches under his shirt and pulls forth an amulet that hangs about his neck. The necklace bears a design of a triquetra, or trinity knot. He holds it and chants some words in the Skald tongue: "Komdu með skjaldmeyjuna!"
A golden glow suffuses Victor's body, and he begins to float a few inches off the ground. The same glow surrounds Leona as the cat levitates as well. From seemingly nowhere, a stirring song begins to fill the air.
As the music continues, Victor's body begins to change. His lean frame begins to fill out with muscles as he gains a couple inches of height. His hair pales from brown to golden blonde, while his skin tone lightens as well. His facial hair vanishes as his features soften, his eyes turning an icy shade of blue. His shoulders narrow while his hips widen, and a distinct swelling of his chest indicates that his entire body is changing into a woman's! Leona is changing as well, bulking up as her fur darkens to black.
The music approaches its crescendo, and both Victor and Leona spin around in the air. Victor's armor changes into something more suited for her new feminine form, and as she holds out her free hand, a large shield flies in from thin air. She grabs it, brandishing it to display the fearsome linnorm painting on its face. An Ulfen-style helmet manifests on Leona's head.
Then, with a crash, the music ends. The transformed noble and familiar land lightly on their feet, and the Ulfen woman flashes a fierce grin. "Do not fear. The Shield Maiden is here!"
The helmeted cat meows in agreement!
Lollia slips her arms through the jacket, but for some reason remains close to Shulamit.
Her mouth falls open at Victor's transformation. She looks him ... her ... up and down but words fail the normally eloquent bard.
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Robert nods in recognition of his channeling of his goddess power. The group doesn't really know about his agreement with her. Robert holds his breath over Victor's transformation. Then The Shield Maiden announces her arrival and Robert is too confused to ask any one of the many questions he has. Finally, he says "Well, then... That's convenient."
About halfway through Victor's transformation Shula's jaw drops in sudden recognition. No...it can't be...
The Shield Maiden stands in front of her, grinning. Minor concerns like 'How the f*#% did Victor just turn into a woman' are thrown to the wayside as one thought takes over Shula's brain.
You owe me a rope! It was a good rope, I'd had it for years, and you chased me away from it and when I went back it was gone because of course it was and I had to get a new one! I liked that rope!"
The Shield Maiden regards Shulamit with a bemused look as she rages at her about, of all things, a rope. When the redhead has expended her fury, the burly blonde chuckles. ”We shall discuss your rope, as well as all the other grievances we have with one another, at length. For now, we should focus on getting out of here alive.”
Shula glares at the Shield Maiden for a few more seconds, then nods curtly. "Fine."
As quick to move on as she is with everything else, she immediately turns her attention to the nearby doors. "I think we can safely assume any survivors know we're here, after that whole...thing." She waves a hand in the Shield Maiden's general direction. "If they're around they're probably too scared to come out. So we'll have to come in." Raising her voice, she calls through the door, "If anyone's in there we don't want to hurt you so please don't attack us." She pauses for a second to give any inhabitants time to process her message, then twists the door handle.
Lucretia is at a total loss for words at the sudden and unexpected turn of events, especially with Shula's apparent, unhappy, recognition of him.
She watches the situation carefully, not wanting to interrupt the exchange, watching for information; for anything that might come in useful in the coming hours, after this ordeal is over.
In the aftermath of Victor's rather spectacular transformation noises can be heard from two of the other doors around the edges of the room. One opens to reveal a cautious looking halfling with red hair and large whiskers. "Master Zubari, it seems we have been saved!" He says over his shoulder and emerges. He is dressed in the uniform of the serving staff and is followed by a tall, thin man in the formal robes of the clergy of Abadar.
"My name is Jowuan Zubari." He says in accented common. "And who are you?" Once the introductions are made he nods gracefully. "I will travel with you if I may. For a suitable donation I can offer you the Lawgiver's blessings to aid us all in exiting this place."
"Oh yes!" The halfling pipes up. "Imistos Gulbend, at your service my lords, my ladies. I... don't know how I ended up here but I'd like to help!" He looks Shula and the Shield Maiden up and down, clearly quite intimidated. "I could... carry the latern perhaps? I'm afraid I'm not much use in a fight..."
A second door opens and a huge man proceeds out of it with a large scimitar leading the way. He scrutinizes each of you carefully and then says something back into the room in a flowing tongue.
"Taldane, Jabir. We are guests afterall!" A cultured voice replies and then the gorgeously bejeweled figure of Prince Ali emerges from the room. "Ahh, fellow gala members I see." He says, his taldane superbly precise. "I trust you will have no objections to us joining forces since we all seem to be equally trapped. My guide for the evening lost his head completely and then..." He makes a graceful gesture towards the body on the floor. "Most unfortunate. Now, come along my dear." At the prince's command a young woman covered by a diaphanous veil emerges cautiously before speaking to the prince in what must be their native language.
"I do not know, dear one." The prince replies, still in Taldane, "But we must be polite. A thousand apologies worthy friends." He continues. "My niece has only recently left the Jewel of the West for the first time, she is shy. Still, since we seem to be quite the group shall we proceed? We will of course trust in your skills and direction." He adds with a courtly bow. "It is no trouble to directions from such beautiful and capable ladies."
A little further exploration reveals a set of double doors that seem to lead further onwards and another set that lead into the central area that you have skirted. This seems to be a long neglected conference room of some sort and is dominated by a long table, its surface covered in green baize. Silver trays dot the tables surface, each hosting a set of crystal glassware and a decanter of wine. More usefully is a folder left abandoned on a side table which contains a scroll of Breath of Life, three scrolls of Cure Light Wounds, a scroll of Invisibility and a scroll of Summon Monster II.
The large ornate key from the rooms you escaped open the doors onwards...
"Greetings, we all seem to have found ourselves in the same predicament." Lucretia begins, her voice coming up from behind Shula and the Shield Maiden.
She takes a few steps forwards and sends a small smile to the Prince's niece, getting as good a look at the girl as she can.
As everyone continues to look through the items for clues, Lucretia comes to the conclusion that they need to keep moving. "Come all, let's keep going, I don't think we will find many clues to our position here." Taking out the ornate key, she examines it and then inserts it to the door and turns the key.
Nothing has gone too badly so far Lucretia, come on. Put on a brave face. Show them that you're not just some impetuous girl.
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Robert looks at the priest of Abadar and suppresses his feeling that this priest is probably only going to set them back. If he were in that crystal ball room, he'd still be discussing the legality of all this., Robert thinks to himself. However, he smiles politely without feeling the need to reveal his nature, although he doesn't really hide his holy symbol.
After all the fellow kidnapped people become acquainted, Robert feels like this predicament makes for a good political opportunity. He tells Prince Ali "I'm sure this will all be over soon, your Grace. You and your niece will be back to safety in a condition as pristine as your use of the Taldan tongue."
The Shield Maiden studies each of the newcomers to ensure that none of them will be threats. She lets the others handle the niceties of conversation as she leads the group onward, shield held high. When Lucretia unlocks the door, the Maiden steps up to open it.
"Hello, friends." Shula gives her best Taldane curtsey. "I'm Shula. Unfortunately none of us know where we are or how we got here, but we're doing our best to get out." She gives Jabir an appraising look; someone else skilled with a sword would be a welcome addition.
(Another cleric would also be a welcome addition, if he weren't already talking of 'donations.')
"Imistos and...the prince's niece...should probably stay towards the middle of the group. Along with anyone else who doesn't know how to fight. While I hope those creatures are the only threats we'll find here, it's best to be cautious." Stepping up next to the Shield Maiden, she drops her voice to little more than a whisper. "It would probably be best to allow me to go first, to check for traps." Left unsaid, We both know I'm good with them.
”Fair enough. That will allow me to keep an eye on you better,” the Shield Maiden responds with a sidelong glance at Shulamit.
With the marching order decided Lucretia takes the initiative by unlocking the next door before allowing the Shield Maiden to lead the way!
You enter what appears to be a museum. 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 out walls covered in glass displays of armor, save near the two northern doors and along the southern wall where you entered. Two rusted and decayed suits of armor stand separate, protected in glass cases. Tarnished and discoloured weaponry fills the cases in the center of the room. Circles of various sizes have been scratched in to the glass and drawn on the walls with chalk and paint.
Jabir is a very large man and in trying to avoid walking into the women directly in front of him, and watching the Prince behind, he nudges one of the display cases, which immediately shatters. The two armor sets immediately jerk into unsteady life, shattering their own display cases!
"To battle! Come, Hilde!" declares the Shield Maiden. The black cat meows in acknowledgement as the pair rushes to engage the armor on the left!
Shula runs through the display cases to get to the same suit of armor that the Shield Maiden is fighting. Best to take down one quickly before worrying about the other. Kukris in hand, she slashes at whatever weak spots she can see. Which aren't many, give that the creature is literally made of armor.