.
Your respective contacts in the Kortos Consortium hastily arranged for you to meet in the Pickapell market in the low end Bristles District. There, you meet a middle-aged woman wearing a Kortos Consortium badge, as arranged. She nods to each of you gruffly and launches straight into business "I'm Madge Barrow. Monsters have been attacking citizens here under the Bristles. A representative of the Golden Cartel says they can defend this city better than the Kortos Consortium ever has. So we've decided to form a team of you lot. Your job is to outdo the Cartel's teams in protecting this city and make the Consortium look good. Your compensation will be ample. You will need to find a way to get on the scene, either asking around, investigating a recent scene, or whatever you come up with."
She turns to the gillwoman, whose gills barely show under her hair and collar. "I need you to check out the supports of the Underdocks. Some of the monsters have done serious damage. Figure out which areas need repairs."
The gillwoman nods. "I can do that." She eyes the rest of you and taps her chest. "Maxy. I guess we'll be working together." The gillwoman doesn't make a lot of eye contact and is clearly reticent to make new friends. Her tall frame and broad shoulders indicate a life of labor and the sprig of holly hanging from a leather strap around her neck indicates she may have some special affinity for animals and plants.
Ghorza worked at her forge, hammering away at a breastplate that she had been commissioned to make. Wiping sweat from her brow, she continued at her work. It was in the early stages of making it, and she had just cut the steel sheet and now had to hammer it into shape. Humans went about this all wrong, in her eyes. They divided the work, with one man cutting the sheet, and another would hammer it into shape. Then a third would polish it, and a locksmith would install the buckles and loops. Sometimes there would even be a fifth, who would specialize in engraving, incrustation, and gilding. These teams would work on individual pieces, getting the job done quickly and efficiently. But when it came time to put all the pieces together into a full suit? It would never fit as right as a single artisan who had worked on each part herself. When she made armor it was done with perfection in mind. It took much longer, and it cost much more. A breastplate could go for up to two hundred gold. But hers? Five hundred. Easy. And it could go even higher. She had one that she had made for herself. Well, for Stonesoul. It was made to fit herself perfectly, allowing for extra maneuverability. It was practical, in the sense that there was nothing visually different about it. It was just made to a higher standard. But for others? There was much more that she could do. She could make armor that, when polished, would reflect light so well that it would be blinding. She could make a suit of plate armor, with edges that were rounded so as to deflect blows away. It was a favorite for wealthy knights. And for adventurers? Downy internal padding could be added to a suit of armor, allowing for it to be slept in with comfort. She was a true artisan.
At length, she put away her hammer, reached into a pocket, and pulled out a small stone. She had picked it up by the docks, in the usual place. It was how the Kortos Consortium told Stoneheart that there was a job for her. Knowing that the meeting was coming up, she put her tools away and went to retrieve Stoneheart's breastplate and axe. The axe was temporary, for she was working on getting around needing it. She just needed more control over her powers. Once gathered, she got changed. Her smithing apron was replaced for dark traveler's clothing, with a hood to hide her features from passerbys, with her breastplate worn over it and the axe hanging from her side. Once donned she closed her eyes, mentally willing herself to 'get into the role.' Her skin changed color, hardening was it took on the texture of stone. When she opened her eyes again, she was no longer Ghorza. She was Stoneheart. And she was ready to find what the job would be.
-----------------
She looked around the room and those present. She didn't recognize them. But the gillwoman looked sturdy enough, even though with the tall collar she couldn't tell the woman's race. "Aye." Stoneheart said, looking Maxy in the eyes. Her voice sounded like she looked, as if though two stones were being rubbed together. "I suppose we will." Turning to Made, she asked "What can ye tell us of the most recent scene. Where be it, and what do we know of what happened there? Have these beasties been seen before?"
Madge shrugs and speaks quickly "These kinds of monsters have been seen before. I've heard of some kind of demon and a giant ant. The latest scene was right here under the market. The ladder down is right there." She points to her left. "This crisis just broke yesterday so we don't know much about what's happening."
Madge shakes her head. "I heard that it was a giant ant and a demon. Two different creatures." Then she shrugs. "But the reports are just in and quite panicked. I have no idea what's going on. Apparently, they've been destroying property rather indiscriminately and killed a few people."
Aygavan wakes somewhat late, the habits of a layabout noble die hard, after all. As fast as he can, he rushes over to the spot his contact indicated, buying some coffee and a sort of unidentifiable meat wrapped in barely more identifiable pasty from a halfling outside the boarding house he’d been staying in.
Putting himself together as he walks, he makes it just in time to hear the Kortos Consortium agent finish her spiel.
”Well, good day!” He gives a short, flourishing bow, ”Aygavan Salmain, pleased to meet you all. I hope that this partnership proves to be long and fruitful.“
”And moreso than that, profitable.”
Ghorza followed suit after the Nagaji. She had seen him once or twice in town, and every time she couldn't help but have her gaze follow the rare sight. But her skin was as stone and so was her heart, and right now her mind was focused on the task at hand. With a feeling of excitement building in her chest, she followed him down.
After a few minutes of meeting and greeting, you all climb down the ladder. Maxy nods farewell and dives into the water, swimming down out of sight in the muddied harbor pursuant to her mission.
Tocash’s keen senses pick up on a couple of things. First, he spots scratch marks in the boards of the Underdocks. Second, he just barely hears shouting coming from the opposite side of a distant building. The most direct path along the boardwalk goes pretty far out of the way… But waters of the harbor are calm and there are boats and small docks scattered here and there…
You notice bits of debris from damaged builds, their walls deeply gouged, near the scratch marks on the boardwalk.
Though not as effortlessly graceful as Tocash, Aygavan still makes the jump without much difficulty.
Seeing the others make the jump, she steeled herself to attempt the same. Taking a running start she leapt through the air...and was betrayed by her short legs, armor, and stone skin, all of which conspired to bring her back down to the earth. Reaching out desperately, she caught the edge, holding onto it as if though her life depended on it. With a grunt, she pulled herself up over the edge, and away from the water's embrace.
Maeve glances at the scratches but doesn't ponder them.
"Oh good. Jumping."
"Not so hard, really."
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Zaborjca takes a quick look at the scratches, scratching his beard thoughtfully.
The powerfully built, plate-clad monster slayer looks at the other party members leaping across the harbor and decides that's not the best route for him. He checks his bandolier to make sure one of his many potions are secure, then he starts running along the more circuitous route, keeping one hand near the handle of a longsword protruding from his scabbard. The sword has a fiercely utilitarian look to it - the man wears it as easily and naturally as a carpenter wears his hammer, and the color of the leather wrapped handle attests to how much time it's spent in his hand.
Zaborjca recognizes the scratches as those that would be made by the tarsal claws of a giant ant roughly the size of a pony.
As you arrive on the scene, you see a massive bat flapping leathery wings over the water, a wild furry animal on the planking, and a horribly ugly creature of some sort on the stone foundation where some hawkers would normally try to sell their goods. The bat and the ugly monster seem to be pursuing civilians while the boar is ripping holes in the boardwalk.
: Furry Animal
: Bat
: Ugly Creature
Movement to end of Broken Pier, Draw Harrow deck from case.(Not Spelldeck)
Throwing a card at the furry animal
The Desert
Throwing another card, then stepping back out of the way.
The Peacock
Aygavan walks briskly to next to Maeve, uncoiling his whip. He grins at the womans and says, "Cards? How fancy, now watch this!" He lashes out at the furred beastie, trying to cut into it with the razor barbs along the end of his whip.
He takes a moment to study the movements of the creature before attacking once again.
Pulling herself up, she gawked at what was before them. Monstrous animals, and some sort of hideous creature, were running amuck. Standing up, she gathered her power, willing to the ground beneath her to rise up into her hands. Unfortunately, being on a dock meant there there was precious little to work with, and all she could do was create a pair of stone arrows. Both were sent flying at the nearest bat, so that she wouldn't risk hitting any of her companions that were between her and the boar.
Maeve identifies a boar, a dire bat, and a vile demonic creature known as a dretch! Boars can keep fighting even while bleeding to death (). Dire bats can see invisible creatures with their echolocation (). Dretches can cast some basic spells.
Maeve and Aygavan wound the boar a few times but the creature bellows and appears ready to charge! Ghorza's blast misses.
Initiative:
"Monsters? Already? We've barely had a chance to investigate yet!"
Tocash lands a punch on the boar and the creature seems like it should fall. But it is too angry!
It tries to gore Tocash with its tusks but the wily Nagaji was ready for this counterblow and dodges easily. The great bat flaps its wings southwards and rips half of a shoulder off of a bystander! The man slumps to the ground, bleeding and unconscious. Far to the northeast, the demon tears down another bystander. The citizens scream in fear and pain and try to flee in all directions!
Once more Ghorza reached out with her mind into the elemental plane of earth. Holding out her hand, an arrow formed out of stone as she drew material from that plane of existence and formed it into a form of her choosing. She wasn't able to create much, but it was enough. Thrusting her hand out, the arrow flew towards the oversized bat, striking it in the side. It hit with the same power as if though it had been fired from a regular bow. Which was another way of saying that much had been done to do what any mundane archer could have accomplished with a fraction of the effort. Still, she smiled. Because it was getting easier, and she was confident that in time her powers would only continue to grow.
Zaborjca strikes out at the boar with his longsword, expertly keeping the shield between himself and the rampaging tusks.
Aygavan gives the boar another strike with his whip, ”Take that, ya beastie!”
The ferocious boar is barely still standing!
Maeve runs forward 30 feet and throws a card at the bat.
The card flies from her hand and into a wide arc over the bats head as the wind carries the card off course.
"Not quite what I had planned."
Tocash punches the boar and finishes it off! The body disappears into nothingness. Maeve throws a card but misses the bat. The bat flies closer to her and tries to bite in retaliation but Maeve dodges the large snapping fangs! The dretch moves south and sees the lot of you fighting the bat. It waves its hand and a horrible, stinking cloud covers Aygavan and Ghorza!
Then things get even worse! Purple sparks appear and form circles, out of which fall four horrible monsters that seem to be made of sludge! They rush right under the flapping dire bat and attack Zaborjca and Maeve! Most of their attacks miss but one manages to claw Maeve ().
Those citizens which can flee do while three others are hemmed in and huddle together. Then a loud, clear voice proclaims "Never fear, good people of Diobel! The Golden Cartel extends its protection!" To the northeast, five women with swords drawn, wearing Golden Cartel badges, rush towards the dretch.
They certainly are members of the Golden Cartel. In case you are wondering, fighting them (openly and/or directly) would be illegal as they have a legal right to be present in Diobel.
Struggling to form large enough stone, she didn’t manage to make more than a small clump of rocks. She sent them flying at the bat once more, this time as a hail of shrapnel.
Ghorza hits the bat again, almost, but not quite, directly in the eye!
"Looks like it's time to dip into the sauce here..." Zaborjca murmers. He drops his sword (carefully avoiding it going into the water), pulls a vial from his belt, pops the cork with his thumb, and downs it.
Zaborjca swells in size and his eyes and skin take on a distinctly animal aspect as the mutagen takes effect!
Zaborjca takes a quick glance over at the Cartel badges.
"Hey everyone, hands off the Cartel folk! They're legit. If you hit 'em the guards will book ya for assault."
Maeve hums a lullaby as she targets the Giant Bat with her Slumber Hex.
"Na-na-na N-na-na Na-na Na Na Na Na Na"
The bat slumps to the dock, falling a few feet but not quite enough to hurt it and wake it up.
Tocash's ferocity lands two blows on the sludge-like creature but the blows do not damage it as much as he might have hoped.
The dwarf didn’t even register the cloud that enveloped her.
Aygavan does his best to move out of the stinking cloud, leaping a small gap, but it is crowded!
Ghorza resists the cloud and rushes to the prow of the moored boat she's standing on so she can see the enemies to blast them.
The great bat continues sleeping while the sludgy monsters claw at the Kortos Consortium's crack team. Maeve and Zaborjca are struck twice each (). To the northeast, the dretch rushes the Golden Cartel's members and is quickly dispatched.
Zaborjca winces slightly as the blows connect, but doesn't interrupt his movement to fluidly scoop up his sword and lash out at the adjacent sludgy creature.
Aygavan sees the Golden Cartel thugs come in and chuckles. "Pah, amateurs."
He easily powers through the cloud, his exposure to poisons and toxins of all kinds in his business with the Aspis Consortium seeing him through. He runs out on a mast overhanging the water before taking a moment to study the sludgy creature nearest to him.
"THE KORTOS CONSORTIUM BANISHES YE!" Stonesoul yelled, as she stood upon the prow and raised her hands over her head. Gathering her power, stone and rock rose up around her, filling her hands with shrapnel. She then made a motion as if though throwing with both of her hands towards the demon upon the docks, causing the gathered elements to fly towards it.
"Augh, they've got me surrounded. I need a path free."
Maeve prepares for the next attacks as best she can.