St. John moves to flank the Earl with Triphylla.
When St John moved, the sword of the nearest animate armours shot out with unerring accuracy. It would have hit if St John was an inch closer.
Diana, hesitates.
Empowered by the earl's spell, the Animate armours attack! The first one attacks St John. He manages to parry two of its attacks but so much force was behind the middle attack that there was no parrying that! It's blade left a nasty gash in his shoulder which bled freely.
<--- MISS
<--- CRIT?
<--- NO
<--- MISS
The other one lowers it's shield and tries to batter Triphylla away again!
<--- TBD
<--- TBD
Environment: Normal.
Buffs and Debuffs:
Lope Satire
Triphylla Haste, Satire, Various other buffs
Estini Satire
Valeria Satire
Earl Yander Haste
Diana Haste, Satire
St John Haste, Satire
Animate Armour Haste
Lope Satire
Triphylla Haste, Satire, Various other buffs
Estini Satire
Valeria Satire
Earl Yander Haste
Diana Haste, Satire
St John Haste, Satire
Animate Armour Haste
Damage Log:Round: 1
Earl Yander was hit by Triphylla for 14 (total damage taken 14)
Green was hit by St John for 18 (total damage taken 18)
Triphylla was hit by Red for 6 (total damage taken 6)Round: 2
St John was hit by Red for 12 (total damage taken 12)Totals:
Earl Yander: 14 damage
Green: 18 damage
Triphylla: 6 damage
St John: 12 damage
COMBAT ORDER:
Lope <----- WE ARE HERE
Triphylla
Estini
Valeria
Earl Yander
Diana
St John
Animate Armour
Lope, Triphylla, Estini and Valeria are up.
"We are here friends! Sure you were missing our scenic entrance!" Lope jumps out of the cab with a turn in the air, firmly landing near the closest metal thingy while he enhances Gloria's magical power.
5' Step, activates Crowd Control: +1 atk, +1 AC.
Deftly dodging the animated armor's shield bash, the halfling seizes her opportunity to eat some Earl. She leaps at the sinister spellcaster with horns, teeth, and fangs!
Their transportation across the moonlight bridges was quite exciting, she hadn't been able to do something like that before and it was definitely different. She kind of wished she could have done it at night but maybe she would have the chance in the future.
Eventually they reached the fighting ahead and Valeria saw their target plus an animated suit of armor fighting her companions. She cast a quick prayer before casting a second one that wreathed her hand in dark energy. With that done she quickly moved, puling her dagger as she went and touched the noble in an attempt to curse him.
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I know well enough that magic can turn the tide of a fight. The best thing I can do is try and hinder the Earl's casting.
Doing her best to appear hesitant and unsure, Diana focuses on studying the Earl's movements, as she readies her mind. Then, as she spots the familiar gestures and arcane words, she releases her own spell, trying to disrupt the other spellcaster's concentration.
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Lope manages to get his blade past the Animate Armour's guard, to score a solid hit, a considerable feat and one he wasn't sure he could repeat reliably...
With Earl Yander surrounded, he was more or less at Triphylla's mercy and in an act of unbridled savagery she used her knife like claws to climb up his body (stabbing a kidney and his spleen on the way) only to viciously gore his shoulders and to rip a large chunk of his neck out with her teeth! Serenaded by the earl's panicked cries, and with the now familiar coppery gall of blood tantalising her tongue, she faced a momentous decision: to spit or to swallow? In the background various members of the public who had been milling around, started screaming and running away.
Estinti pauses, shocked by the savagery.
Valeria summoned a crawling purplish darkness that made your skin crawl and with one deft flick, she splashed it over the Earl's face. He tried valiantly to buck away, but it sank into him and the color of his skin leached away leaving him ashen. Massive blood loss, likely contributed to this too.
<--- FAIL
Clearly in terribly pain and in mortal terror, Earl Yander tried desperately to concentrate on another spell but being literally eaten alive.
<--- PASS
You felt him gathering power as his spell took form but before he could speak Diana opened her mouth wide as if to make a bloodcurdling scream, yet there was no noise at all! Horribly the Earl's face seemed to vibrate violently and specks of blood spall off his skin and one eye suddenly darkens with blood from an internal hemorrhage. Dazed he lost the spell.
<--- FAIL
Environment: Normal.
Buffs and Debuffs:
Lope Satire
Triphylla Haste, Satire, Various other buffs
Estini Satire
Valeria Satire
Earl Yander Haste, Cursed
Diana Haste, Satire
St John Haste, Satire
Animate Armour Haste
Lope Satire
Triphylla Haste, Satire, Various other buffs
Estini Satire
Valeria Satire
Earl Yander Haste, Cursed
Diana Haste, Satire
St John Haste, Satire
Animate Armour Haste
Damage Log:Round: 1
Earl Yander was hit by Triphylla for 14 (total damage taken 14)
Green was hit by St John for 18 (total damage taken 18)
Triphylla was hit by Red for 6 (total damage taken 6)Round: 2
St John was hit by Red for 12 (total damage taken 12)Round: 3
Red was hit by Lope for 17 (total damage taken 17)
Earl Yander was hit by Triphylla for 74 (total damage taken 88)
Earl Yander was hit by Diana for 12 (total damage taken 100)Totals:
Earl Yander: 100 damage
Green: 18 damage
Triphylla: 6 damage
St John: 12 damage
Red: 17 damage
COMBAT ORDER:
Lope
Triphylla
Estini
Valeria
Earl Yander
Diana <----- WE ARE HERE
St John
Animate Armour
Diana and St John are up (and Estinti can also post an action).
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St. John sees the blood flowing and knows the Earl can't stand long. He yells at him "Yield and live!" As he presses him.
St John's falcata slices the Earl's side and his buckler smacks him in the side of his head. Neither of these were the hardest of hits but together they where the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Earl Yander's eyes rotate up into their sockets and he falls in heap on the floor.
With their master unconscious and dying, the pair of Animate Armours attempt to stand protectively over his body. One of them attacks St John, he manages to parry several attacks, but he gets cut by a particularly powerful blow that was impossible to fully deflect.
<--- MISS
<--- HIT
<--- MISS
The other one attacks Triphylla, yet despite it's remarkable martial prowess it fails to land a blow on her. It's uncanny how she stood exactly wherever it's blade was not!
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
<--- MISS
Lope steps into a flanking position and says words of power that load his blade with electricity.
He follows up with a second thrust showing his spell combat prowess "Surrender your owner, we must bring him to justice!"
"With the Earl unconscious, I do believe those armours will not move to attack if you choose to back down. They have been ordered to defend him, and that is what they will do until they vanish. As paradoxical as it might sound, though, they might fight back against any attempt to restrain and heal him, however."
Seeing Lope still moving in to bring the armours down, Diana follows along with a spell of her own to hopefully help the others end the fight quickly.
St. John steps away from the armor by five feet. If they don't follow he holds there.
Triphylla spits. There is nothing more distasteful than Taldan aristocrat.
The halfling turns on the nearest animated armor.
Lope holds himself a bit after his attack "Damn. We need any proof he might be holding about his dealings. We need to connect him with his patron. Which I am certain is Pythareus himself" the Aldori spits after pronouncing the name "But the Council should know without doubt"
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Lope's lightning empowered attack hits like a thunderclap and spalls off fragments of armour which hit the ground like metallic rain. But despite having a gaping hole in the breastplate, the animated armour remains active.
Triphylla attacks the other animated armour, hitting it like a freight train and she exchanges the coppery gall of blood for a mouth full of metal shavings! Again the armour she was fighting looks battered, the sheet metal broken in places yet it too is still active.
Diana's spell floods the area with slippery grease. The suit of armour fighting Lope and St John stand indomitably, but the other on battered by Triphylla nearly looses its footing!
<--- PASS
<--- PASS
The earl is unconscious but still breathing, and heeding Diana's words, St John steps away from the armor without any counter attack.
<--- STABILIZED
shield (30 charges); Other Gear mithral shirt, mwk light crossbow, mwk rapier, cloak of resistance +1, ring of mind shielding, noble’s outfit, 150 gp.
Lope makes sure for the group to stabilize the earl. Then, he registers his things "Maybe we will have to check on his manor anyway for the last remaining proofs, bus I say we bring him to prison just right now. Let's make sure loyal people custody him, because I fear some people might still be under his influence"
After checking the items, Lope claims the cloak of resistance for himself, as well as one of the potions and the wand of shield "Ha, a ring of mind shielding, seems someone did not want for others to find out about his evil plot"
He also takes the crossbow, as it is strictly better than his non masterwork one.
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Triphylla spits, of course. She picks at the shreds of human flesh and hair which bespeckle her crimson stained armor. As always, the wash of fatigue puts her in her butt for a minute while the automatons dissipate for lack of fighting targets.
"We should sack it, at the very least,' Triphylla follows. "In the name of the Empress, of course."
"Seems like there's only one remaining loose end. Did I tell you there's a construct in the basement of the theater? A clay golem or the like. Whatever the cult is hiding down there will take either stealth or a full assault to uncover. I'm for either approach."
"But before any of that, I could go for a bath and lunch, not necessarily in that order."
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The city watch turn up shortly after, responding to reports of violence in the streets. For a brief moment it looked like they were going to attempt to arrest you, but a runner from the Mercantile Council arrived with a warrant for Earl Yanders arrest, alive or dead.
Several more members of the watch arrived, they spoke to the watch captain briefly before he spoke to you, "Sorry for the confusion, it turns out you've done us a big favor here. Some more of Yander's correspondence has been found, partially burnt in his hurry to leave. It's clear he was working under instructions from Pytharus. We'll have to see what happens at Yanders trial but if he's convicted he'll hang for sure."
A while later a man you recognize as one of the acolytes from the temple of Abadar arrives with a message, "Chief Enumerator Abrun Palliettor extends his congratulations for Yander's capture! He cordially invites you for dinner this evening at his residence."
"Then justice begins to take shape" Lope answers to the watch captain "One thread of Pythareus's tapestry cut... many more remain"
At the acolyte's announcement, Lope presses a hand to his chest with theatrical sincerity "Chief Enumerator Palliettor honors us. Tell him the heroes of Songbird shall attend his table with gratitude... and with appetites sharpened by battle and bureaucracy alike"
He casts a glance to his companions "I am as well interested in that bath Triphylla, and sounds we got an invite to a dinner, so we could as well attend in proper condition. You can explain us about that passage and the construct as we go to the dinner, sounds like we could have a visit there"
The Aldory nods then resolutely "Shall we?"
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St. John lets out a long sigh and then moves to Yander's things. He picks up a potion and the ring. He says to the group "Unless anyone objects I'll take these. You are welcome to the cape, Triphylla. Let us retire and clean up for the dinner tonight."
With the fighting over and everyone on their side still standing, if battered, Valeria listened as they discussed things with each other and the authorities when they arrived. The invitation to dinner was welcome and the bath even more so. "I look forward to dinner, almost as much as the bath right now. Later I am sure that will be the other way around but for now I agree, let us leave and get to baths immediately."
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Heeding Valeria's advice, you make your way back to the Gilded Baldachin where hot scented baths are run and masseuses expertly ease away the aches and pains of pulled muscles and other minor consequences of battle. Suitably pampered, several hours later and dressed to the nines your carriage takes you the short way to the official residence of the Enumerator.
Located in an impeccable neighborhood, the townhouse exudes the understated confidence and solidity of old money in juxtaposition to the extravagant and oversized mansions you saw earlier today along the river bank. The door opens before you have a chance to knock and you are welcomed in by another one of the temple acolytes. The residence itself is warm and airy, decorated in a minimalist style by Taylor's standards with a unifying motif of Abadar's symbolism. Likely not to everyone's taste, but it was undeniably well executed.
Dinner was served in a cozy dining room with a roaring fire, spiced cuts of prime beef in a spiced Quadrian inspired sauce, with an unusual frozen and very tasty dessert that hailed from far off Jalmerry. Over the course of the meal Enumerator Abrun Palliettor engaged with small talk, sharing various anecdotes of life in Yanmaas interspersed with listening to your story. With the remains of dinner taken away glasses of port, whiskey, and other drinks served Abrun says, "On behalf of the council I'd like to tank you for everything you've done. It's clear to almost everyone that Maxillar has been stirring up much of the recent trouble. I think it's fair to say with the way things have gone he's burnt his bridges. I wish we could now draw a line under things, but the cult of the twilight child troubles me still. It's popularity grows but I'm increasingly convinced it's a sham. You attended one of their ceremonies, tell me what did you make of it?"
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Lope swirls the amber liquor in his glass, admiring the firelight caught in the crystal as though it were a scene on a stage "My lord Enumerator, if ever a spectacle promised revelation yet delivered only smoke and shadows, it was that ceremony"
He gestures with two fingers, as if conducting invisible actors "Their prophet spoke much, oh... much, yet said nothing. Their rites bore the cadence of faith, but not its heartbeat. And the people..." he sighs.
Lope leans forward slightly, lowering his voice with an earnest gravity that contrasts his earlier flourish "What we witnessed was not devotion. It was choreography. A playwright directing a crowd toward an ending of his choosing. And that, my lord, speaks of manipulation, not miracles"
He glances at his companions, then back to Abrun "Their leader, he used some kind of euphoric effect to influence the audience. And there is the flying child... all disguise... They give hope, but it smells there is something hidden behind their leader preaches..."
The Aldori sets the glass down gently "So ask us, Enumerator, how may we help you unravel the rest of this plot? For we stand ready, on Princess Eutropia's behalf, to cut through the veil they cast over your city. I won't be surprised Maxillar Pythareus is also behind this..."
Abrun replied, "Pythareus is many things, a demagog, a general, a would be dictator, but above all he is an opportunist. I'm not convinced he's behind this cult, but if the rumours about this twilight child are true and it really is Prince Carrius returned to life then you can bet your last copper that Pythareus will take full advantage unless someone acts first. For the good of Taldor the truth must come out, but I must warn you this will be dangerous. The cult will not respond kindly to interference, the council has tried to send a number of agents to keep an eye on them but last night their bloodless corpses were found stacked at the back entrance to the council building. Clearly somebody wanted to send a message."
Abrun frowned as this evoked unsavory thought before nodding to one of the acolytes. They then brought forwards what turned out to be a plain white-ash staff with inlaid with small silver runes, and with a wrought iron cap. "I think this might give you an edge. It was owned by one of my forebears and has sat unused in the reliquary for several generations. It's supposed to have great healing potential."
Lope appreciates the staff while he thinks on Abrun's words "That sounds like a task for us. If this cult is that dangerous that dares menacing the Council with dead agents, then it means the work is special enough to request our action"
The Aldori knocks a couple times the table "Good, seems we have a task to do. I wonder if we should try to infiltrate at night while we are less likely to be seen or during one of the performances they do in their theater"
The chief Enumerator nodded, "That would certainly reduce the risk of civilians getting hurt, and if you're lucky many of the cultists will be asleep."
"With the Cape of the Mountebank I move inside and unlock any doors in our way, or get behind that golem. Whichever. It seems our final destination is clear but before that I need a few hours rest. This meal has been exemplary but it's best not to slay spirits when tired. Thye mind can play tricks."
St. John listens to the details during dinner and as things are wrapping up he asks "Does anyone know anything about fighting golems or whatever that is? I'd hate to run into something hard to kill with other enemies to deal with."
"Fighting golems sounds like something to avoid, although brute force is suppose to be effective in a pinch." remarked the Enumerator.
"Indeed. Well, seems we'll have the better part of the day tomorrow to explore the town. As much as I enjoy the cuisine at the Inn, I wouldn't mind finding a pub and a simple stew to go with a couple pints. Can you recommend something for lunch tomorrow, Enumerator? Preferably some place that would have a lot of traveling clientele. I can't speak for the rest of the group but I'm feeling isolated in Yanmass."
Triphylla would love to hear some news of the wider goings on, even if it's rumor and speculation.
"I've not been for a while but as a young man I always enjoyed the Whistling Wyvern, it draws a diverse crowd." suggested the enumerator.
Not long after, the evening drew to a close and your carriage took you back to the Gilded Baldachin where you spent the rest of the evening, no doubt being pampered by the many skilled servants.
Next evening you venture once more of the city walls towards the encircling bower. Of course there was another evening service, and you needed to decide whether you would use that as means to gain entry to the compound or wait until much later.
"Yeah, let's have a rest. I will hang out a bit over the place to find out what are the defenses at night" Lope explains and takes note about the golem, which might be a tough one for his magic to overcome.
During the night, he will hang out near the place and try to find out information.
---
The next day, Lope is happy to wait for the night to fall in order to avoid the danger on other civilians that might get trapped in a cross fire otherwise.
"Oh yes, that one with the enormous fluted weather vane resembling a wyvern atop the building’s highest spire. Hard to miss from any vantage point. Thank you, sir."
Once an imposing circular edifice, the brick arches and stone ornaments of this large theater are now scarcely visible beneath climbing rose, grapevines, and ivy and this jumbled mass of foliage may be the only thing preventing the venerable theater from simply collapsing. The stone marquee set between the two entrances bears the nearly illegible text: “The Encircling Bower Welcomes You into Its Embrace.”
As the group approaches the Encircling Bower for the second time, Triphylla quips softly, "Ruin and religion make a proper pairing, no?"
The halfling tugs the Cape of the Mountebank around her, having cinched it to keep it from swallowing her whole. She moves briskly ahead, sneaky in her approach, looking for guards or anyone wary of unwelcome visitors.