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Gregoth fumbles with the sword at his belt as the hulking man pulls him closer, trying to put his shield out in front of him as well. And then the smell of the man's breath hits him.
Death. It's all around him. The air is no longer on fire, but his lungs still scream in pain. The screams of the dying. The not-yet dead, pleading and reaching with clawed hands and razor teeth and dead eyes that tear into his bubbled arms and hold him down...
He screams as brilliant fire ripples under his skin, rips itself free, explodes in a globe of radiant light that engulfs both himself and his captor. And when his companions can see him again, his eyes are white as bone.
The moment the door bursts open, Bellaluna instinctually grabs one of her crossbows from her hip and points it in that general direction.
Her feet start moving on their own, an instinct she’s become used to, as she moves to a safer position.
The elf smirks as she stares at the massive enforcer. She loosens her grip on her crossbow as she deftly spins the weapon around her finger by the trigger guard for a solid two seconds before re-tightening her grip and pointing it at the hulking enforcer!
Turrey's eyes go wide as the assailants get the jump on them, but he doesn't hesitate.
He stands, stepping forward boldly, though he stands barely up to the knees of the rough attackers. Turrey's hand sweeps through the air, his lips part, and from them pour a melody that pierces straight into the spirits of the three assailants, shaking them at their core.
"The glories of our blood and state are shadows,
- Not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
- Death lays his icy hand on kings:
- - Sceptre and Crown
- - Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade."
Bellaluna reacts quickest, darting into the corner of the room and drawing her second crossbow quick as a flash. She fires both bolts simultaneously into enforcer grabbing Gregoth.
They hit with incredible force, but the bulky enforcer grins at the pain, until he realises that one of the bolts went through his calf and is pinning him to the ground.
Turrey jumps off the sofa and right up to the towering mortic, and delivers a haunting melody that shakes them to their cores.
The unnatural enforces lean into the storm of Turrey's song as if walking into a storm. Flashes of dark and tormented spirits flicker around their bodies as their very souls are tormented by the magic. The two smaller ones scream in agony.
Kaldren draws his flail and summons his armour to protect him magically, while muttering a prayer to Pharasma to protect him.
Gregoth bursts into radiant fire, searing the flesh of his captor with the holy light. The huge monster staggers back, but holds on to Gregoth with the chain, managing only a growl of rage.
Félicité has seen enough now, and predicts the movement of the brute well enough to place a thunder arrow into his neck and tearing a chunk free, causing it to spurt dark blood.
The burned and bleeding enforcer roars, throwing the other end of his chain at Turrey.
The chain wraps around Turrey so that he has both Turrey and Gregoth wrapped securely, and he then pulls with all his strength, trying to crush the life out of both of them.
The spikes on the chain slices Turrey's flesh, and the force of the constriction prevents him from breathing and the halfling falls unconscious. The battered enforcer barks out a laugh, until he looks at Gregoth, barely fazed by the chain.
"Impossible!"
The smaller enforcers look shocked by Turrey's blast, but emboldened by his falling unconscious, move to target Félicité and Bellaluna.
The chain wraps around Bellaluna this time, wrapping her up with sharp spikes just as Gregoth and Turrey.
Félicité also gets grabbed, and the whole room is filled with the sounds of struggling against the serrated blades.
Active Effects:
Didatic Strike: Everyone (except Félicité's) first strike against Enforcer 1 is against his flat-footed AC and deals 2d6 extra precision damage.
Hulking Enforcer (1)
Enforcer (2)
Enforcer (3)
Bellaluna
Turrey
Kaldren
Gregoth
Félicité
"It seems," Félicité muses, "Your master has sent a slightly sturdier crew, albeit just as stupid."
↺
---
Félicité tries to hop out of the spiked chain's grasp.
◆
Félicité tries to think of some way to put an arrow in its face.
◇
◇ Recall Knowledge on Mortics (mods in tagline)
It is too close for a good shot. Without a good plan against #3, Félicité targets #1.
◆
plus
"Monsieur Butterhill, ce n'est pas possible, what is going on?" Félicité asks. Unsure whether he is unconscious from damage or magic, she reaches over and puts a bandage on his forehead.
◆
Bellaluna tries not to struggle too much against the chains wrapped around her out of fear of getting punctured further. She struggles with her crossbows in an attempt to reload them.
She fumbles in pain as she tries to load one of her crossbows and the chain around her digs deeper! Thankfully, though, she manages to load it the second time around and proceeds to press the weapon right under the chin of the enforcer grabbing her
”How ‘bout you buy me dinner first. Just a thought.”
"Ghaaack!" Turrey feels his head spin as he loses his breath and goes down...and then looks up moments later to see the face of an Angel applying a bandage to him.
He croaks out a weak "Thanks, you are a vision of Shelyn Herself!"
Turrey does his best to twist free of the chain, and then sings out.
"Swift things are beautiful:
Swallows and deer,
And lightening that falls
Bright-veined and clear,
Rivers and meteors,
Wind in the wheat,
The strong-withered horse,
The runner's sure feet."
Félicité guffaws at the mention of her being an angel.
Fire in the air. Fire on Quincy’s sword. Fire in his lungs. Fire under his skin.
Gregoth meets the hulking man’s uncertain gaze with bone-white eyes. Brilliant tears trickle down his face in much the same way blood trickles down his side. Wordlessly he raises his flaming sword and the shield beside it.
With no sign of repentance from the enforces Kaldren steps forward and raises his weapon. He lets out a quiet grunt of effort as he sets the ball on its chain swinging, as it moves though the air it vibrates with a low thrum. Having gathered some momentum Kaldren strikes out twice in quick succession at the nearest enforcer.
As the enforcer was heading for Bellaluna, Gregoth managed an awkward slice with his sword that nevertheless looks devastating as the blade roars into a fiery burst that ignites the almost-feral mortic.
Bellaluna gets one of her crossbows loaded despite the slicing chains digging into her, and unloads the bolt directly into the chin of her captor. The enforcer pulls his head back at the last second but still ends up with a nasty gash across his face.
Turrey bolts awake at the discordant sound of combat going on around him, still bound tightly by the chains that crushed him. He struggles mightily against the chain and almost frees himself, but at the last second his strength gives out and the mutilated bleeding monstrosity holding him snorts his derision.
The sound of his song is no less sweet for his being held though, and he imbues everyone with magical speed, which Kaldren uses immediately to attack Félicité's captor. His flail smashes the enforcer in the face and knocks him to the ground, though he still holds onto the chain. Again the weapon bursts into flame igniting the evil enforcer
The enforcer rolls away from his second strike, but with Turrey's speed he brings the flail down again and smashes the enforcer in the stomach.
The hulking enforcer looks terrified of Gregoth , so much so that he lets his guard down enough that Gregoth's awkward strike is a hit.
The blade sears the enforcer's flesh everywhere it touches, with magical fire and holy purity. The shocked enforcer brings up his guard and blocks the second strike, but looks gravely wounded, barely able to stand.
Félicité struggles in vain to escape much as Turrey, but she launches an arrow at the hulking enforcer that sticks into the small of his back. It looks almost enough to take him down, but not quite
The big enforcer draws in a deep breath and holds it, and the blood pumping from his neck slows and stops while his skin takes on the colour of dead flesh. He then squeezes for all his worth, trying to crush Turrey and Gregoth to death.
Once again Gregoth ignores the enforcers attempts, and this time Turrey manages to stay awake. The enforcer tries one last time...
In his haste the enforcer failed to keep up his grip on the chain, and both Gregoth and Turrey get free. Bellaluna's captor tries the same thing, only he makes sure to keep his hand on the chain.
The other enforcer tries to get Kaldren wrapped up as well.
The champion's defences are too firm however, and the enforcer settles for holding onto Félicité.
Active Effects:
Haste: Everyone is quickened 1
Hulking Enforcer (1)
Enforcer (2)
Enforcer (3)
Bellaluna
Turrey
Kaldren
Gregoth
Félicité
Félicité, once again, looks at her captor, and tries to find a good shot.
◇
◇
Aiming her arrow directly at its weak spot, she unloads a single arrow into it.
◆
plus plus
plus 1d6 bleed
Félicité glances at this group of strangers. Would I use my powers on people I barely know? She waves her hand at Bellaluna, and Bellaluna's wounds begin closing on their own.
◆
She uses a bandage on herself.
◆
Félicité speaks some cryptic words. The air around her shimmers.
◆
---
Gregoth looks down at the fallen enforcer, flaming tears still dripping from his pale eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispers before swinging his blade at the man.
”Jeez! How tough are these guys?!” Bellaluna struggles to try and escape the enforcer’s grasp.
The elf then reloads both of her crossbows then takes a shot against the enforcer that’s been harassing her.
You recall that mortics all have an ability to hold their breath and actually become undead, albeit only temporarily. Additionally gurgist mortics, which these ones appear to be, have rotting flesh that can disgust those that pierce it unless they have recently fed on fresh meat. That these ones are not currently disgusting means they likely recently finished a meal
Turrey gasps with relief as the chain slips off. He ducks between Gregoth's massive legs and scampers back against the far fall. As he does, he draws his bow, and then sings out.
"What we do, let's do with boldness;
What we know, let's speak for aye!
And respect naught for its oldness
If it be not right to-day."
Kaldren continues his assault on the enforcers sending a flurry of attacks at the nearest foe.
Bellaluna carefully slips out of the chain, then shoots her surprised captor at close range, sinking a small bolt deep into his side. Her cuts from the spiked chain start to close.
Turrey bounces up and draws his bow, singing a song of inspiration that lends strength to your arms (and trigger fingers)
Kaldren, inspired by Turrey's song, attempts to put an end to the unnatural enforcer, slamming the flail into his prone form. He gets two good hits in, but the enforcer rolls away from his subsequent blows.
Gregoth follows up Kaldren's attacks by striking fear into the heart of his prone foe. A powerful swing of Gregoth's sword seems destined to be fatal, only for it to get caught in a wicker trellis overhead. The enforcer starts to chuckle in a slightly manic way, but Gregoth turns the blade around and slices off his head in a clean blow. The smell of rotting meat wafts from the wound, leaving no doubt that these mortics are far from human.
Félicité can see the next few seconds playing out before her like a dream. The hulking enforcer has lost all reason and is about to try to feast on Gregoth. She leads his head movement by a hair and fires an arrow just so. It sinks into his eye up to the fletching and the huge man drops like an overturned wagon, his leg still pinned to the ground from Bellaluna's bolt.
The remaining enforcer looks rather concerned. They lash out at Gregoth before making a run for it. The chain slices a line across Gregoth's torso, but Kaldren once again channels his supernatural disapproval and the enforcer's hand wavers.
Trying to use that as cover, the enforcer then bolts for the door.
Active Effects:
Haste: Everyone is quickened 1
Hulking Enforcer (1)
Enforcer (2)
Enforcer (3)
Bellaluna
Turrey
Kaldren
Gregoth
Félicité
Gregoth lashes out without thinking as the last man flees, then raises his shield and follows him outside. His bloodstained boots spring lightly from cobblestone to cobblestone, bringing the survivor’s tearful face next to his attacker’s.
“I’m sorry… I…”
Turrey follows the fleeing enforcer, determined not to let him get back to his compatriots.
He sings out another song, this time generating an invisible wall of pure force, making the enforcer's exit more difficult.
Bellaluna smirks as she saunters toward the doorway to look out at the fleeing enforcer. She begins twirling her loaded crossbow as she speaks. ”You know, it really was a stupid idea to come at us. And then you run?! Wow! You know, though…” She ceases twirling her crossbow and levels it right toward the enforcer. ”Doesn’t matter how far you run; one pull of this trigger and it’s lights out for you.”
Fulfilling her promise, the elf pulls the trigger and lets loose the bolt!
She then watches as Turrey and Gregoth rush out of the building after her.
Stepping over the body of the fallen enforcer, Kaldren follows the fleeing creature. He stands shoulder to shoulder with Gregoth and raises his flail.
Gregoth's slash as the enforcer attempts to escape slices him open and he falls onto the bodies of the others.
Keznin returns as you are all breathing heavily and looking at the carnage.
"Oh my" he says as he inspects his damaged door. When he sees the pile of corpses, he can only let out a panicked "Squaawk!"
Each of the enforcers has a spiked chain that Turrey can confirm is magical, and mundane leather armor.
Félicité will drag the body back inside and clean up any mess to avoid suspicion, and then pull out her healer's kit for treating wounds.
Presumably, others will be identifying objects while this is going on. If things are still unidentified (and we're not in a hurry), she'll spend some time identifying.
While they drag the bodies back inside, Turrey again sings. This time, it's a simple melody to honor the dead.
He takes his time searching them for clues about the assault, and then sets about seeing what he can learn about the magical weapons.
Turrey looks up, reports whatever he learns, and asks, "What do we know of these men, and how they found us here. Did they track me us back, after our day of asking questions? Should we, perhaps, try to track them in return?"
Turrey examines the magical weapons of the enforcers, and discovers that they are enchanted with considerable power, though not more than your own.
Félicité patches everyone up with medical skills that can only be described as legendary, then meditates quietly for a few minutes before examining the bodies.
"Look here, flecks of a type of grout used in building renovations. I suggest we hurry to the mill, in case that was these enforcer's last stop."
Lowering his weapon to the ground an leaning on it for a few moments, Kaldren accepts Félicité's offer of medical assistance.
After everyone is patched up and the dead creatures have been examined, Kaldren says "Yes, the mill seems a good place to start.".
You hurry across town to the site of the old mill, nestled on the banks of the Stormflood River. It is a picturesque stone structure on the riverbank, supported over the water by several stone pillars. The waterwheel turns slowly in the lazy river, making a persistant groaning noise. Scaffolding clings to all sides of the building, bearing loads of lumber and brick. Directly beneath the heaviest-laden scaffolding, the mill's front door features a sign reading, "Sold.", and the sound of hammering comes from within.
Venturing inside, you find the interior crowded with assorted building materials. The renovations are clearly extensive, as the mill has no interior walls or partitions. The waterwheel's freely rotating axle juts into the room, and on the other side of it from the entrance, two sawhorses with a heavy beam bear dozens of nails.
There is a single handsome young man working in here currently, hammering nails into a piece of wood.
"Greetings!" he announces as you enter, a wide grin on his face. "Have you come to buy an invitation to the Gray Gardeners' masque?"
You can all plainly see that the man is terrified, and his cheery disposition a poor act.
Bellaluna notes the man’s disposition and briefly glances around, relaxing her eyes to take in the tiniest of movements.
She turns her attention to the overly-cheery man. ”Good sir! Mianna Cirix, representative of the one and only Turrey Butterhill—no, your eyes do not deceive you! We are indeed here inquiring about the invitation—dear Mr. Butterhill here wishes to attend the masque with his retinue!” The elf glances at the loaded crossbow in her hand as if she only just noticed it. ”Oh, please do not mind this; one must always be prepared for the worst to jump out at you. Between you and I, there have already been three separate attempts on Mr. Butterhill’s life since we crossed the border. So! How much will it be? Money is not an expense, my good sir!”
---
At the mill, Félicité tries her best not to be obvious about looking where the man keeps looking, but she does look for footprints, blood droplets, and other signs of an invisible being.
Félicité puts on her best accountant-like demeanor. "Let's not be hasty, Madame Cirix, money is an expense, and I am sure there is more than one vendor who would love to be the one who invited Monsieur Butterhill to the masque."
As soon as Bellaluna finishes saying "We are indeed here inquiring about the invitation..." there is a hiss from the corner of the room and a large person steps out of the shadows where they were expertly hidden.
Rising to their full height, you see another tall human dressed much as the enforcers you faced earlier were, except this one is a corpulent woman, still nearly seven feet tall and of absolutely enormous girth. Whereas the earlier enforcers had the blush of life about them, this one appears to not care about appearing human, and her pallid flesh is clearly starting to rot. Instead of a mask on her face she is wearing a living creature, a strange thing that looks like a flap of skin wrapped around her face, but with numerous small legs protruding like a grotesque beard.
Wasting no time for conversation, they move to attack.
Turrey
Bellaluna
Kaldren
Strange "Mask"
Félicité
Enforcer
Gregoth
Bellaluna notices the large enforcer step out from the shadows and mindlessly takes ten steps forward as she pulls out her other crossbow. She then twirls her crossbows in her hands as she stares at the corpulent woman. ”We already dealt with your friends, missy! Do you honestly think that you scare us?!”
Success Frightened 2.
She then levels one of her crossbows and shoots at the corpulent woman!
Turrey had just started to turn his body to conceal his hand gestures, in the hopes of pointing out the enforcer (and stop his allies from speaking)...when everything tumbled into motion.
Wasting no time, Turrey begins to sing a song of might, and haste.
"Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"
Then, as Bellaluna fires her crossbow, Turrey trills a note, causing an illusory second arrow to fly at the same target.
Turrey and Bellaluna burst into motion at almost the exact same moment. Turrey sings a song of defence and speed, and the powerful lyrics linger in everyone's minds.
Bellaluna gracefully steps and draws her second crossbow, and performs an intimidating feat of swaggering that appears to give the massive enforcer and her bizarre mask pause.
Her following shot is accompanied by Turrey summoning a shadowy duplicate to confound the target.
It seems to work somewhat, and the dazzled enforcer is unable to avoid the bolt which sinks deep into her shoulder with a thump of magical force. It doesn't seem to sink quite as deeply as she might have expected from its speed though, and the mask seems to develop a sympathetic injury at the exact same moment. The enforcer grimaces but doesn't scream as she seems to be holding her breath.
Active Effects: Inspire Defence, +1 status bonus to AC and saving throws, resistance 4 to physical damage
Turrey
Bellaluna
Kaldren
Strange "Mask"
Félicité
Enforcer
Gregoth
Kaldren draws his flail and moves slowly forward toward the strange semi undead creature. "There is no place for abominations such as you, I will see you destroyed and you soul will continue its journey.". Taking his left hand off of the haft of his flail, Kaldren draws a spiral in the air in front of him and as soon as he completes the gesture a blast of pure white light bursts forward engulfing the creature.
Kaldren's blast of divine energy burns and staggers the enforcer, and sympathetic burns appears on the mask as well.
Active Effects:
Haste: Everyone is quickened
Inspire Defence: Everyone has +1 status bonus to AC and saves, and resistance 4 to physical damage
Turrey
Bellaluna
Kaldren
Félicité
Enforcer
Strange "Mask"
Gregoth
Félicité draws her shortbow ◆ and studies the mask.
◇
◇
It's not a particularly good strategy, but she tries it anyway.
◆
plus plus
She moves up closer ◆ in case someone needs healing, and Shields herself ◆.
Félicité takes a moment to study the mask-creature before launching an arrow at it, but it chitters and moves slightly and the arrow misses by a hair.
The enforcer draws in a breath, and the colour of some semblance of life returns to her skin.
She marches toward Kaldren and attacks with her spiked chain.
◆ Stride
◆ Strike
◆ Grab
The force behind the chain is hard to believe, it whips around Kaldren like a rope in a storm and binds him with so much force his plate starts to bend. As he is pulled in close he can smell the horrendous stench of rotting flesh.
The mask seems to become animated, looking alert for danger , then concentrates and casts a spell as it screeches a terrifying hiss.
Gregoth and Turrey shake off the piercing noise, but Bellaluna, Félicité and Kaldren all feel it reaching into their minds and awakening irrational fears.
Kaldren is unaffected by the stench of the rotting enforcer.
Active Effects:
Haste: Everyone is quickened
Inspire Defence: Everyone has +1 status bonus to AC and saves, and resistance 4 to physical damage
...
Gregoth
Turrey
Bellaluna
Kaldren
Félicité
Enforcer
Strange "Mask"
◇ "That mask is a Chakanaj, a type of Sahkil - fiends that delight in spreading fear and unease among mortals. I have interacted with them before - a Chakanaj can detect spoken lies unerringly, and can whisper to its host at the same time as magically protecting them from damage."
With a different angle, Félicité sees if she can get a better shot.
◇
◆ vs cover
plus plus
◆◆
◆
Gregoth finally gets his head out of the shadows of the past as an unsettling wave of unnatural fear washes over him. Mouth twisted in a grimace, he draws the blade at his side. “Get yourself someplace safe!” he barks at the builder even as he raises his shield in front of him. “This could get messy if it’s like last time!”
Vaulting over the waterwheel axle with both hands full is a challenge, but the large man handles it gracefully enough. Long strides carry him behind the woman, but then the smell hits him again.
Death. Dirt. Dust. Smoke. Blood. Heat.
Gregoth’s scream fills the mill in the same way as the burst of light from beneath his skin fills the room.
Turrey shakes off the scream with ease, and replies with a new verse, attempting to confuse the senses of their foe.
"With Blue - uncertain - stumbling Buzz -
Between the light - and me -
And then the Windows failed - and then
I could not see to see - "
Then he draws his bow and fires off an arrow.
Bellaluna barely even listens to Félicité’s words, as all she can manage to say is ”The hell is on your face?!”
The elf is clearly taken aback by the “mask’s” presence, but she nevertheless shoots her crossbow at the enforcer’s face to try and deal with that mask.
She then reloads her crossbow and lets loose a volley at the mask once again.
Kaldren calls out in a calm voice "Fear not my friends, we shall survive.". Placing his hand back onto his flail he lashes out at the creature and tries to force his way free.