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"They're fetchlings! I was just mentioning how the Society has some as members. As such, I know that they're somewhat resistant to cold and electricity, so--you know--attack wisely! Should we invite them to join?" He drops his bow, deciding the doorway is too crowded--and he's not that good with it anyway. As he enters the room, drawing his longsword, he calls out to the fetchlings. "You should join up with the Pathfinder Society when we're done here; it's a blast! If you survive, of course!"
He joins Apollyanna in battle against the nearest fetchling.
Ahmande strikes at one of the Fetchlings, but his blade can't penetrate the thick leather the creature is wearing (miss).
Wrigsolar darts into the room. The fetchling (as ID'd by Ahmande later) tries to prevent a foe from getting behind her and slashes as he goes by.
She doesn't even come close to him. Ahmande follows, thinking that there couldn't possibly be any way she could react quickly to hit him too!
And then frantically ducks a clumsy strike as she swings a second time! He is so flustered that his own longsword strike only finds air, waving at whispy shadows (miss).
Hootie moves up around the corer and concurs with Ahmande about the type of creature they are facing. She also recalls that these beings can see very well in the dark and have a once per day spell-like ability to disguise themselves as another humanoid. Obviously they aren't using this now, but still maybe it could be useful information later? Or not. Hard to say.
Apollyanna doesn't care about any of this. There is a danger to the sanctity of the light and innocence, and these creatures are in her way! She steps in and slashes HARD at the Fetchling, opening up a wide gash across her chest (hit).
She reaches down to cover up the gaping wound and then an arrow from Eveline buries itself into her neck (miss and hit). Gurgling blood and gasping for air, she collapses to the ground.
The two remaining enemies nod to each other and hatch a plan. Both drop their slings and draw longswords as they move. The first one tries to get to the other side of Fromagalli, carefully attempting to avoid his attacks.
He barely does, then waits for his ally to move into flanking before striking.
for
The distraction of two enemies is enough to get one blade past the elf's defenses, striking deep and nicking his liver. Dark blood begins leaking out of the wound and down his leg.
(IC is up)
Red (-25 HP, Unconscious & Bleeding Out)
Fromagalli (-11 HP)
Wrigsolar
Ahmande
Hootie
Apollyanna
Eveline
Blue (-10 HP)
Green
Only Bold may act.
Any Squares with any furniture or boxes in them are considered difficult terrain and provide cover.
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"AHMANDE! I MEAN FROMAGALLI! OH NO! I'LL SAVE YOU!"
Leaving her companions in the doorway in the dark, Apollyanna races across the room to help Ahmande Fromagalli.
"Paramour Assault Piercer!" she cries as she attacks.
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Ahmande wheels to face the combat in the center of the room, he tries to disarm the man in the middle with a spell. "See, one of the reasons Pathfinders do so well is we've learned how to keep weapons in our hands. We'll teach you how if you sign up! I hear the Grand Lodge is offering a signing bonus right now; you could be rich!"
Fromagalli waits for Apollyanna to move into flanking. But he waits just a bit too long as her strike slices right through the Fetchling's puny flesh, rendering him a pile of bloody pulp on the floor.
The elf wizard fighter turns to the other opponent, but finds his leather is still as thick as the others, just barely missing his strike.
Ahmande attempts to remove the last enemy's weapon from his hands with some slick spellwork.
It isn't very effective. But while he was attempting to avoid the spell, he wasn't dodging the two arrows flying at him (one miss, one hit). It strikes true burying itself into his shoulder but doesn't fell the last threat.
(IC is up)
Red (-25 HP, Unconscious & Bleeding Out)
Apollyanna
Fromagalli (-11 HP)
Ahmande
Eveline
Wrigsolar
Hootie
Blue (-24 HP, Unconscious & Bleeding Out)
Green (-6 HP)
Only Bold may act.
Hootie decides to not contribute to the fight.
Wrigsolar, on the other hand, manages to land a glob of acid on the last threat. It sizzles a bit of flesh and hair.
The last Fetchling doubles down on courage and strikes at the injured Fromagalli, cursing that he has no flanking partner. "Dammit, it was just a guard job and now I'm probably going to die. This is stupid. All of you are stupid!"
for
"HAH! TAKE THAT!!!" He steps back and waves at the group to 'bring it on'.
(IC is up)
Red (-25 HP, Unconscious & Bleeding Out)
Apollyanna
Fromagalli (-16 HP)
Ahmande
Eveline
Wrigsolar
Hootie (delayed)
Blue (-24 HP, Unconscious & Bleeding Out)
Green (-8 HP)
Only Bold may act.
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"HAH! TAKE THAT!!!" He steps back and waves at the group to 'bring it on'.
"CONSIDER IT BRANGED!" shouts Apollyanna as this charges to execute her "Cleaving Love Beam!"
"Bringded? Brung? Brought? BROUGHT! CONSIDER IT BROUGHT!"
Apollyanna's weapon cleaves the Fetchling's in half, cutting deep into his chest. He stumbles back and drops to the ground throwing his weapon to the side, "Oh f%%~, f%$#! I give. Jeezus on a cracker, I ain't really wantin to die like this. I just thought my CR was appropriate for your APL I could take ya."
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Fromagalli takes out his cure wand and applies it to himself
He then tries again and squints at it suspiciously and then making a gesture
As I understood it the museum was to be vacated what are you doing here
Whoops one formerly magic healing but now plain stick I really should have got a fully charged one He takes out another wand and taps himself with that
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They have some really weird lingo on the Shadow plane, Eveline ponders, hearing the fetchling speak. Considering herself to be one of the few level-headed members of the Society, she places her bow on her back, and approaches the remaining fetchling with her scimitar drawn.
"You might want to explain why you attacked on sight," she says calmly, staring him down, "and I'm not in the mood for vague responses. I'll show you mercy if I deem you worthy of it."
The Fetchling raises an eyebrow at the hard-nosed halfling threatening him, "In a different situation, this would be hot. But uh, I'll assume you aren't into that kind of thing so... yeah, we were hired to guard this room and well, that's really it. We heard a big commotion from the entry room and didn't recognize any of you, plus you had light. Ain't nobody friendly that carries light. So anyway, the Onyx Alliance pays well and like most guard jobs, usually they don't require much effort. Obviously I won't be rating this one as appropriate for the pay though."
The dutiful pathfinder agents disarm and search the three Fetchlings, finding a few items that might be useful.
3x MW Longswords, 3x slings w/ 27 bullets, 3x MW Studded Leather Armor, 3x MW Light Wooden Shields, 6x Alchemist's Fire, 3x Liquid Ice, 3x Manacles, 126 gold and one key.
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"I wasn't just blustering there," Ahmande begins as he retrieves his bow. "You should consider the Pathfinder Society. The ethics are sometimes a little oofy--if you know what I mean--but there's generally a small amount of moral high ground over orgs like the Aspis Consortium. I'm still learning about your Onyx Alliance, so we'll see how that compares. But, the pay is great! The Decemvirite shows little concern at all over how much loot agents take home with them. You should give it a thought." He begins searching the room, answering any questions about details of being a Pathfinder with backhanded praise should the fetchling ask any.
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Eveline shivers as the fetchling so casually talks about something that should never be mixed with business, at least in her worldview. Instinctively she adjusts her armor, thinking the slick goon saw something he was not supposed to. Eveline does take a glance at Hootie, who then again never got into the room to be seen. That makes Eveline just more conscious about herself.
But she's a paladin, she must be resolute. "Since you don't fear death," she starts over, trying to recompose herself, pointing her scimitar at the fetchling, "you must be sure we're not seeking your death. How? Apollyanna here doesn't really put much effort to not hit as hard as she can, so in another world you would be minced meat."
Hearing Wrigsolar's objection to disrobing them completely, Eveline nods. "While it feels like it's customary to abandon both your belongings and profession once you lose a fight, we have little to no use for their armor. Plus, I have no intention to touch them..." It is as if the halfling paladin grew a disdain towards these certain individuals, which doesn't bode well for her view of the whole race based on this first encounter.
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"OOoohhh. Interesting things oyu got here." Hootie exclaims as she pops into the room and searches the body very thoroughly and divests them of their items.
"You the only ones here?" she questions as she begins searching the room as well.
"Anyone else or things in here that you could tell us? I mean the job's short but like my companions informed you, we have openings and definitely better prospects then what you have here."
Hootie has no compunctions stripping the three Fetchlings down to their unders. She takes their gear and then looks around for more, even locating a real magical elixir among displays of dragon hid flasks.
Two doors lead further into the shadow museum, the guard sighs, "We were told to guard this room, guard the slaves in that back room (points at red door) and stay out of that room (points at blue door), nothing else. Now, I'd be up for going back with y'all, but I ain't from your plane so..."
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Fromagalli takes out his cure wand and applies it to himself
He then tries again and squints at it suspiciously and then making a gesture
Whoops one formerly magic healing but now plain stick I really should have got a fully charged one
"No worries," says Apollyanna. She produces her crescent-shaped wand, twirls it with a flourish like a baton, and cries
Two doors lead further into the shadow museum, the guard sighs, "We were told to guard this room, guard the slaves in that back room (points at red door) and stay out of that room (points at blue door), nothing else. Now, I'd be up for going back with y'all, but I ain't from your plane so..."
"Through that door? LET'S GO!"
Apollyanna heads to the door!
Fromagalli feels better. A little odd, but better. He might wonder where all the sparkles came from though. Or where they went.
The powerful personality heads towards the northeast door. It resists her charm though and does not easily open (locked).
No traps or dangers appear present upon the door. Hooties deft fingers do not find the right combination to unlock it though.
Wrigsolar checks, then points out that the other door (blue) is unlocked, though he doesn't open it.
Hootie remembers the key, eventually. It fits! The door unlocks with a click and is easily pushed open.
Several stalls stand against the east wall of this dank, stone room. A large grate in the floor collects a steady stream of water coming from one of the stalls. The rattle of chains echoes through the chamber and the stench of frightened, unwashed bodies fills the air.
There are five individuals in the room, all are chained to the wall with manacles. The door key does not fit the manacles. Two of the chained individuals have strange runes on their foreheads.
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While the elf looks in, Apollyanna looks down at her other companions, and whispers "Psst! Hey, could a couple of you grab hold of his trouser legs for a second?"
Then with exaggerated sneaking movements no doubt learned in a preschool stage play, Apollyanna moves behind the pale man, and smartly clocks him with her mithril sword's hilt.
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"I can see that. How does it feel?"
"Well how should I know!?" complains Apollyanna. "I'm out here knocking someone senseless."
Holding her nose, Apollyanna stomps into the room and over to one of the prisoners. Cautiously she reaches a hand out to touch one of the runes.
"Probably feels like a stupid, normal forehead." grumbles the taller paladin. Then she smiles. "Not that Eveline is tall enough to have ever felt one."
Apollyanna leaves a wicked bruise on the back of the Fetchling's head. He collapses like a bag of wet tubers. How she knows what that looks like will probably give a lot of insight into her life.
The group seem quite wary of everything, only Ahmande going so far to even say something about freeing them. He isn't sure what the rune does, but can easily speculate that it would be tied to the shadowplane somehow.
The slaves are quite scared, shying away from the touch of the pathfinders, but one seems to get a tiny bit of hope and squeaks out, "You said free us? Does that mean kill us?"
The slave looks up, hope brimming in her eyes, "Free? Like out of here? Back to the Blackros Estate? They aren't going to sell us anymore?"
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"So it seems you are slaves sold to the Onyx Alliance," Eveline ponders aloud, "do you remember how you got here or who you saw? We'll try to get you out of there... Apo, can you use your senseless knocking on those manacles? They seem awfully uncooperative to me."
Her dry humor will surely win her prizes.
The one who was talkative seems to retain her role as mouthpiece, at least for some of the slaves, "The three of us were brought in this afternoon with two other really well dressed ladies. They must work directly with the family or something. Anyway, the three of us were locked in this bathroom, which didn't look like this, by the way. Anyway, we were locked in here for about an hour, waiting and suddenly the lights went out. Well, sorta. It got a lot darker, but we could see the lights were still on. But then we also saw those two chained up to the wall. About ten minutes later, some shadow guy came in and chained us up to the wall as well, said we'd be 'marked' later."
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Eveline nods, and looks at the two rune-marked slaves. She tries to see if they are reacting to the outside world just like the rest of them, or are they somehow drugged in the process.
"In case you didn't know, this whole museum has 'shifted' into the Shadow realm. Some idiotic deal the Blakros made so long ago they don't remember themselves," Eveline has some hard time containing her frustration towards the noble family, "and you seem very calm about all this, how come?"