The gnome is moving along with Valtyra, Telias, & Gemariah looking irritated, "Then why did you not report it?"
Gemariah remains calm and explains, "We had no time and deemed ourselves capable enough to pursue the matter personally. Had we not gone after the suspect immediately, he would have killed Mister Vittanis—there was not a moment to spare. The same applies to Miss Gertwright."
In truth, the elf cares little for institutionalised law-enforcement, but as the saying goes, 'When in Absalom...'
Sooooo, crisis averted? Sithe thnks to herself as she creeps over to the bundled up painting.
Gabrielle will try to gallop Gear up past the man and grab the painting.
"Better to avoid disaster, then explain ourselves later than have people die while taking care of getting clearances." Valtyra adds.
As things this evening seem to be going, it all escalates rather quickly. You hear the sound of hooves and a creaking wagon rushing towards you all. Easy enough to avoid but it cuts off anything the gnome might have been planning to say. Pulling their crossbow and keeping aimed forwards.
Sithe has the painting in hand and you can see Gabrielle and his metal mount barreling towards you. Gabrielle it is easy to see something has lifted the painting into the air, about 8 ft from the Gentleman. As the painting is lifted to hover something slams into Mr. Finch. Once and he whimpers in pain. Curling into a ball on the ground and shielding his face, The second blow cuts off his cry for help.
Gabrielle urges Gear forward next to Finch and slides off Gear's saddle, pulling his pistol as he does so and lands kneeling next to the fallen man. He reaches out a hand and channels healing magic into Finch.
He looks around, pistol at the ready, immediately pointing it towards the floating painting after seeing no other threats. If Finch comes to, he will shout at the man.
Is it the painting?!
"Gemariah, do you have any way to render an invisible creature visible? Or what we might be facing at all for that matter" Valtyra asks as she draws her weapon from across her back, striding toward the conflict as she bestows her goddess' blessing on her weapon.
Know planes.
Move: Activate Naturalist +2 insight bonus to Attack, AC and Saving Throws against it for all allies who can hear me.
move.
"It's a being of living air, invisibility and formlessness is it's default, an invisible stalker. Should've known our would be killer has an insurance policy in place. Until we can pinpoint it do your best to sense the change of pressure and swing for the middle. It's not like there's anything vital in it so just try to make contact with as much force as possible."
"Uh, what should I do now? I kinda just grabbed it on reflex." Sithe asks nonchalantly to no one in particular.
Gemariah moves with Telias and Valtyra, listening intently to the bard's description. "I have nothing that would aid us against invisible opponents, unfortunately. This is not quite what I had in mind when I said my rogations this morning..."
As the group nears the site of the attack, the elf recites a quick prayer to bolster his allies.
"Whatever you do," he shouts at the floating painting, where Sithe's voice is coming from, "do not reveal the painting!"
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"But it's sooooooo tempting!" Sithe calls back in a lout yet flat tone.
The gnome runs towards the gate as fast as their short legs will let them with the crossbow raise.
Spitting up blood and staring up at Gabrielle, "Help please."
He gasps as something pushes down on his back forcing the air out of him again. Two very solid feeling blows slam into Gabrielle. The first hitting in the middle of his chest, the armor absorbing some of the damage. The second blow hits him on the side of his face.
Naturalist still in effect.
Move and cast glitterdust.
Keeping words to a minimum Telias stepped forward and finished his spell filling the area around Darius with a cloud of revealing golden dust, "Close your eyes Darius and think of the twenty gold you owe me!"
The air shimmers with flecks of gold and leaves a fine dust coating Gabrielle, Darius, and the invisible stalker. It is standing on Dariu's barely moving ribs.
Ignoring the glittering dust around him, Gabrelle steps back and raises his firearm to fire off two shots in rapid succession, his arm glowing as it had before. As he fires, the glow seems to begin healing the wounds.
The swirling golden mass is hit at the best Gabrielle can assume is center mass. Gold dust makes whatever makes up the Invisible Stalker's body is made of visible as it flies away from its body from the two explosive shots.
Darius does his best to curl into a ball and defend his vital organs. And the paladin of Abadar lets a bolt fly that also rips though the golden creature.
Gemariah keeps his distance from the extraplanar assassin. He draws from his satchel a ceremonial rod—a length of fancifully carved darkwood with a jewelled silver grip—using as a part of his following series of supplications.
"Is it a bad time to mention I forgot my crossbow at the doorman?!" Telias calls before disappearing from sight, the lessons still freah in everyones mind about the nature of their foe. From there he crept up to darius and grabbed hold of him preparing to remove him from the melee.
Naturalist is still going for the buffs mentioned above plz dont forget.
Valtyra races forward, bringing her glaive in a downward slash at one of the glittering outlines.
With practiced movements a bolt is reloaded and fired.
Darius remains curled around himself and the glittery Invisible Stalker is still standing on his back. The gold shimmers around before encompassing Darius and moving straight up in the air.
seeing the stalker attempt to flee, Gabrielle raises his pistol again. Again his arm glows with the bronze and golden hue.
Nope, we need you ta' stay around for a while friend.
Valtyra swiftly brings her blade up in a beautifully executed strike through the heart of the glittering winds.
Golden glitter wraps around Darius and begins to lift upwards. Valtyra's glaive finds flesh but it continues upwards though the flight is staggered. Two more loud shots ring out in the night.
Golden dust drifts away in the air and Darius hits the ground with a loud thud.
The still invisible telias sighs as he kneels down to check on Darius to make sure hes still alive.
cure light wounds
"Lessons learned I hope Darius but I need you to stay conscious and answer some questions before the next assassin arrives to silence you."
Gabrielle reloads and keeps his gun pointed skyward, just in case.
Is he alright after that fall? he asks Telias
With a touch of curative magic Darius Finch groans into the gravel. Glancing up at Telias and offering a bloody grin, "Sure thing angel."
The paladin noisily jpgs up. Looking around at the bloody man on the ground, the floating canvas, and then at each of the visible group, "Someone needs to explain. It's late and this is a massive disruption."
"So is it...dead?....dissipated?" Valtyra asks as she walks over to the fallen man.
"Technically no, but it would take magic of some doing to bring it back again assuming it wants to. That's fine the sass hasn't quite been beat out of Darius yet and we need quick answers. Perhaps we'll just wait for the one who gave him these murderous paintings to realize hes still alive but very easy to kill and hire some Abadarian priest to ask his corpse since we've been a bit of a bother to sir gnome here."
Turning back to Darius he smiled not particularly nicely. "Afterall you've left quite the trail of blood behind you. And since you know my bloodline so well you'll understand my celestial ancestors weren't really the merciful type."
Blinking slowly, "Guess you ain't my guardian angel."
Looking around and then quickly looking back to Telias, "What do you mean a trail of blood?"
"Well it seems you've killed quite a few people tonight. Coming into their homes leaving behind magical murder paintings" Telias shook his head in mock disappointment, "Good thing you've been positively identified by three different survivors and we witnessed first hand the destructive potential behind that innocent veneer. What motive was there Darius? Greed? Power? LUST!?! Or did you just take pleasure in the chaos you sowed in your wake?"
At this point Telias was clearly hamming it up like some copper theater a detective in a poorly written murder drama. But he seemed to be having a grand old time making Darius out to be the wretched villain.
From Finch's perspective, the wan light of street lanterns is blocked out by the silhouette of what must be some avenging angel, as Valtyra steps up, the blade of her glaive pointed toward the still prone, criminal. "We just saved you from a mess of your own making, now you have to answer for the paintings you've been delivering, and the death they've been leaving in their wake."
Looking uncomfortable, "I, I didn't kill anybody. It was a delivery job. I don't kill people."
Turning to stare back at the Church with a scowl. The gnome joins the conversation, "Seems to be a busy night. Darius shouls be taken into custody. And since you five are already dealing with this I expect you to finish it. I'll see you compensated though, for going above and beyond."
Pulling manacles of of their waist, "But you can finish with him, and bring him to the Church." He offers the manacles out, metal clad foot tapping.
Darius had kind of curled into himself but glares up at the paladin.
"I believe you, Darius." Gemariah steps up. "Anything you could tell us about your employer would go a long way in clearing your name. They did attempt to have you killed, as well, so I would not spend too much time defending them."
The elf glances at the paladin with a conciliatory nod. "You might well be the safest in custody, while we clear up this mess."
As the group assembles and talks with the constable and the captive a painting floats slowly over to the group while still keeping its distance. And cover.
Gabrielle sheathes his pistol. Waiting for Darius's response before asking his own questions.
Looking around and his eyes linger on Gemariah longest. With a loud groan he pushes himself up. Standing slowly, fearful of attack. But once his spine is straightened again his confidence seems to be back.
Dusting off his coat, "There is a scroll case in my right jacket pocket. You will want that."
He is now holding his wrist up in a mockery of being bound. And not one to miss their que the paladin starts affixing the the manacles..
Once the gnome has finished shackling Darius—and with the diminutive lawkeeper's assent—Gemariah goes through his pocket for the scroll case.
The scroll case is thin tube with on sheet of paper inside. There is a map of the Ivy district. There are four houses marked one through four. The first is 11 Vermillion Way. Number two is a house on Peacock Court. The third is 3 Blue Sapphire Avenue. And number four is 14 Burgundy Wine Terrace, where you all currently are.
When Gemariah lifts the map up to look anyone standing opposite of him sees a hand written note on the back that says "Sandalwood Lane".
"Who provided you with this map?" Valytra asks.
"Whoever paid me to deliver four paintings. The map was the addresses I was to deliver them to."
Shrugging but continuing, "Lots of deals can be made with no contact. And this one paid really well. I was able to narrow it down to Sandalwood Lane but not sure on the house cause I'm a curious man. Don't know who. Deep voice though." Darius is staring at the ground by the time he is done talking.
Shifting on his feet, "Oh, number three. This was the last painting."