”A little warning next time would be nice.” Marcus says still trying to clear his eyes.
ugghh
Xanther continues to stand around.
HP: 26/31
Str: 11/14
AC: 21 (T: 12, FF: 19)
Saves: F +4 (+4 competence vs disease), R +4, W +5 (+2 vs Enchantment, +3 vs Charms and Compulsions, both stack)
Effects: -
Channel Energy: 4/4
Spells Per Day:
L1 3/7
L2: 0/4
With the fey dead, Jassminder has no other targets she can shoot at because she doesn't know where they are. Stowing her bow, she calmly draws her greatsword and waits for any opponent to come within reach.
She throws a reproving glance in the direction of Ussaile's manic laughter. "Win first, then gloat. If you do it in the wrong order, you end up like Ilquis."
HP: 36/36
AC vs Ilquis: 24 (T: 17, FF: 21)
AC vs Others: 20 (T: 13, FF: 17)
Saves: F +6, R +6, W +8
Effects: Blinded, Bless
Lay on Hands: 4/4
Smite Evil: 0/2
Spells Prepared: Divine Favour
Ussaile's face twists into a terrifying form as she starts to crush the golem. She glances quickly at the dying woman but doesn't care, there's nothing she could do anyway, this moment was too sweet.
"Noctifer track that woman down! Don't let her escape! I'll clean up here." The last words crescendo into a manic laugh.
[Dice=Maintain]1d20+11+1+5
[Dice=Constrict]1d4+6
The white strands thicken and an unnatural crunch can be heard.
"Judy needs to live, who will heal her if I leave?"
Ussaile barely hears Noctifer but nods while her eyes are hyperfocused on her prey.
Either one will be a good lead.
Noctifer goes to chase after the runaway.
Ussaile tightens her grip on the golem, constricting its limbs into unnatural positions. Noctifer moves forward but can't see the other woman within the range of his vision. Continuing until he's just outside the building he can see the daylight spell Ilquis cast brightening the night for another 60 feet or so. However he still can't see the woman. She's either hiding or has run too far away.
The golem twists again and manages to free itself from Ussaile's grasp. Completely ignoring the witch it obeys Ilquis' last command and moves towards Jassminder. Ussaile's hair lashes out in response but misses.
Judy's breathing evens out. While she's still bleeding, she no longer appears to be dying.
Meanwhile Noctifer sees a sudden flash approximately 140 feet to the east. Blinking, he can now see the other woman standing on the bank of the river next to a small patch of bright light.
"We aren't done!"
The white hair almost regenerates around the golem with how quick it is; moving with a grace that would be unnatural. The Stain lets out a single empathetic pulse.
Kill.
Marcus works on clearing his eyes until the combination of tears and the waning magic allows him to see. "Ahh, I can see again." Marcus proclaims as he looks about him to take in the situation.
With a final crunch the wax golem stops moving. Outside the building Noctifer can see that the other woman isn’t running any further away. Instead she stands next to the light as though waiting for something.
Noctifer channels arcane energy and then moves after the woman at a faster speed.
With the aid of his spell Noctifer catches up to the woman in seconds. She calmly watches him approach, making no attempt to either flee or grab a weapon. On the ground next to her is the small vial she grabbed earlier. A small radius of bright light emanates from it.
With the aid of his spell Noctifer catches up to the woman in seconds. She calmly watches him approach, making no attempt to either flee or grab a weapon. On the ground next to her is the small vial she grabbed earlier. A small radius of bright light emanates from it.
** spoiler omitted **
"No worries I'm not casting anything that will harm you."
"Very nice Bottled Sunlight. However if you're waiting for Ilquis, well, you'll be waiting a very long time for him. Now let's be civilized and come with me back to Judy's; I'd rather not resort to a public spectacle that will no doubt end with the townfolk literally tearing you to pieces. I helped stop one such attempt earlier today so I'm sure they'd love the chance to grab someone else."
Not raising it to threaten the woman but Noctifer shifts his cold iron rapier into view.
Xanther finally recovers from being stunned. "What happened? Where is Noctifer? He went after a runner? Some of us should go help him!"
The woman blinks and you can see the struggle in her face. ”I was instructed to wait here. But if he can’t come…” She wrings her hands together as she thinks. ”I’m not supposed to fight anyone. I don’t want to fight anyone. I’ll…I’ll go with you.”
Jassminder may be blinded but that doesn't stop her rolling her eyes. "Some of us can't go anywhere right now unaided. Whatever curse he put on me hasn't lifted with his death."
Ussaile's breathing settles down and her accursed hair slinks back into her.
"Noctifer will be fine. He went to chase that woman in the back." She let's out a deflating sigh, "I won't leave you until our ally returns. Stay near me, I can see most ambushes quite clearly right now." The statement hung in air, but if Jassminder expected humour from the witch, it would probably sound something like that.
The woman blinks and you can see the struggle in her face. ”I was instructed to wait here. But if he can’t come…” She wrings her hands together as she thinks. ”I’m not supposed to fight anyone. I don’t want to fight anyone. I’ll…I’ll go with you.”
Noctifer will walk the woman (her in front) back to Judy's. On the way he'll ask for her name since it's rude to keep calling her 'Her' or 'Hey you.'
He'll listen for sounds of combat as they get closer to Judy's and, not hearing any, has the woman lead the way into the secret area.
"I have found our wayward person of interest. I'm glad to see everyone alive if not in good condition. had this nifty item on her person - Bottled Sunshine. She was told to wait not far away from here after activating this item. Once she was told Ilquis wasn't coming for her, she wisely gave up. Now has anyone checked on the children in the vats? I don't suppose we'll be lucky enough to have interrupted that portion of this 'ceremony'...
The idea didn't even dawn on Ussaile, "No I haven't looked. It seemed prudent to wait for you to return. If they're dead they're already dead."
The idea didn't even dawn on Ussaile, "No I haven't looked. It seemed prudent to wait for you to return. If they're dead they're already dead."
"Worried about me? I cannot help but be touched. Indeed if they're dead that won't change but I'm hoping they are not."
Marcus, in all of the excitement, had forgotten about the little rapscallions. At Noctifer's mention he rushes into the room to check on them and to pull them from the vats. Marcus is not trained in healing either so he will look for obvious harm, signs of life, and then try to make them comfortable.
"If they need magical healing, I can still channel positive energy for today." Xanther says. "Judy probably also needs some, but she should be tied up first, least she resume fighting once conscious."
While Marcus and Noctifer checked in on the children, Xanther looks around the rest of the room.
On the way back the woman tells Noctifer, ”My name is Neliana.” She’s otherwise quiet and compliant with any orders.
Looking around the chandlery basement Xanther sees three closed doors to the south. Two of the doors lead to unremarkable storerooms, but the scent of decay wafts from the westernmost room. Opening that door he sees a literal pile of corpses thrown carelessly into the middle of the room.
If you also search Ilquis’ body you find a scroll of continual flame, a wand of dominate person with 3 charges left, a +1 dagger, and 348 gp.
Meanwhile Marcus heads towards the vats. Inside each one he finds a child: a young boy in the northern one and an even younger girl in the southern one. Both are alive but have been gagged and submerged up to their necks into (now hardened) wax. If the gags are removed the girl begins wailing incoherently while the boy is slightly more composed. ”Please get us out of here! They’re going to kill us!”
On the way back the woman tells Noctifer, ”My name is Neliana.” She’s otherwise quiet and compliant with any orders.
"Ah the missing Neliana! Gavril is absolutely beside himself with grief thinking the worst had happened to you."
In a foul mood with everything going on (and wrong) Noctifer is in a mood to twist the emotional knife.
Looking around the chandlery basement Xanther sees three closed doors to the south. Two of the doors lead to unremarkable storerooms, but the scent of decay wafts from the westernmost room. Opening that door he sees a literal pile of corpses thrown carelessly into the middle of the room.
Meanwhile Marcus heads towards the vats. Inside each one he finds a child: a young boy in the northern one and an even younger girl in the southern one. Both are alive but have been gagged and submerged up to their necks into (now hardened) wax. If the gags are removed the girl begins wailing incoherently while the boy is slightly more composed. ”Please get us out of here! They’re going to kill us!”
Looking at Ussaile as he sighs Noctifer says, "And that, my dear, is why we check on the little ones."
"Don't worry you're safe."
Talking to the boy, "You wouldn't happen to be Delian would you?"
And to the girl he says, "And you must be Olya! Your father is quite worried about you."
”A little warning next time would be nice.” Marcus says still trying to clear his eyes.
[dice=Will]1d20+4 ugghh
"Marcus, I apologize for not giving warning for the Glitterdust but time seemed to be of the essence. Plus I knew you were tough enough to shake it off."
"Great. It sounds like we have everyone accounted for." Jassminder stows her longbow, an action she has done so many times she doesn't need to be able to see in order to do it. "Get the children out of there and let's go and make our report. And I suppose I'm going to have to let Miklos torture me for a bit in order to get my eyesight back." She makes it sound like the task of having tea with a particularly elderly and tedious relative: an annoying inconvenience.
Xanther loots the Lurkers body, and takes note of the mass grave in the western storeroom, but does not search it yet. He joins his team in the main room to discuss their next steps.
None of the dominated humans protest as they are securely tied up. With Ilquis dead and unable to give them new orders both Fane and Neliana appear to be in a state of mild shock. (Judy remains unconscious but stable.)
Inside the vats Delian nods in response to Noctifer’s question. ”Yes, I’m Delian. Catalina asked me if I would help her load some crates, then when I came down here that monster did something to me. I thought he was my friend, so when he told me to jump into the wax I did!” He shudders. ”I heard fighting. Is the monster dead?”
Meanwhile Olya looks up with wide eyes. ”You know my daddy?” She sniffles. ”I wanna go home. Can you take me home?”
”We’ll get you home but next time you shouldn’t accept candy from strangers.” Marcus says as he uses his waveblade to cut the kids loose. With both out he offers the food (a ration) and water. ”Eat something while we finish up here.”
When Marcus looks in on the bodies, ”They’ll need to get someone down her to identify these people. Can one of you detect magic in here?
Ussaile rolls her eyes, "But accept candy from him." She moves through the room and sweeps it with Detect Magic.
None of the dominated humans protest as they are securely tied up. With Ilquis dead and unable to give them new orders both Fane and Neliana appear to be in a state of mild shock. (Judy remains unconscious but stable.)
Inside the vats Delian nods in response to Noctifer’s question. ”Yes, I’m Delian. Catalina asked me if I would help her load some crates, then when I came down here that monster did something to me. I thought he was my friend, so when he told me to jump into the wax I did!” He shudders. ”I heard fighting. Is the monster dead?”
"Yes the monster is quite dead. That brave woman over there killed the monster. But the monster used magic on her too and she can't see. Could you go take her hand and help her around? It's an important job..."
While talking to the children Noctifer takes more notes in his journal, gathering information and evidence to be used against the guilty.
Meanwhile Olya looks up with wide eyes. ”You know my daddy?” She sniffles. ”I wanna go home. Can you take me home?”
"We'll be taking you home as soon as we get you out of that wax and we make sure these bad people don't have anyone else trapped, okay? Your dad will be proud of how brave you are."
"It made other children smile to hear such platitudes, what does it hurt to repeat what I've heard to these children?"
Marcus is able to cut the children free with a little times effort. When he offers the ration both kids ignore the contradictory advice and gobble down the food. With his mouth full Delian explains, ”The monster didn’t feed us. Sometimes they’d give us water.” His face goes pale as he remembers. ”He said he needed us to stay alive until the time came for the ritual. Catalina said that we needed water but a few days without food wouldn’t kill anyone.”
Out of the wax and fed both children are much calmer. Delian takes his role as guide for Jassminder very seriously, (and also likely finds it comforting to stay near the person who killed the monster). Meanwhile Olya shadows Marcus.
The rest of the party have time to thoroughly search the room while Marcus is freeing the children. Scanning the corpse pile with detect magic reveals only a potion of cure moderate wounds, while several items on Ilquis’ body radiate magic. All together the party recovers two sets of studded leather armor, a masterwork chain shirt, 4 daggers, a masterwork short sword, a composite shortbow (+1 Strength bonus) with 15 arrows, a potion of cure moderate wounds, a scroll of continual flame, a wand of dominate person with 3 charges left, a +1 dagger, and 348 gp.
Once the kids are moving about Marcus decides to play with his wand. "Alright, I'm going to see if I can get this to work." After getting the wand to work twice he feels much better and then turns to the others. "Anyone else hurt or am I the only one who cared enough to shed some blood in this endeavor?"
"Say, is that a magic dagger? Anyone else use daggers?" asks the man with four daggers on his person along with a waveblade which is just a big curved dagger. "I'm more than willing to play with that wand as well if no one else can use it. What does it do?"
Ussaile is focused on looking at the magical gear, trying to judge the power of it all. She gave a glance to Marcus as he was moving the wand around, "I really enjoy watching you struggle, but I need you in good shape." She extends he hand out, "If you need help. I myself am fine, thank you."
"That wand is a wand of dominate person. Fairly high level magic. My guess is that it can control someone for five whole days at the very least." She eyes it then closes her eyes. It only takes a moment for her to shudder, "I can use it. My patron can teach me with no problems." The witch says it loud enough for Noctifer to hear her, Lets see what he says....
"It can only work humanoids... So no fetchlings." The white-haired witch taps her chin thoughtfully, "That means that no fetchlings could have been controlled by the fey. That may be important."
Her hair snaps around the dagger in Marcus' hand, "It's magical. Someone should use it because we will need it if we encounter more shadows." Ussaile taps the fetchling's shoulder with it, "Not me though."
"Say, is that a magic dagger? Anyone else use daggers?" asks the man with four daggers on his person along with a waveblade which is just a big curved dagger. "I'm more than willing to play with that wand as well if no one else can use it. What does it do?"
"Please don't 'play' with that wand; it's very powerful magic and should be handled carefully. I'm not sure we should use it in Karpad but one never knows what can come in handy. I can also use it but if it makes Ussaile feel safer to hold onto it far be it for me to stand in the way of her comfort. I also use a dagger but if you wish to keep it Marcus, I have no objection. We'll need to have money and possibly the items on hand to barter spellcasting from Master Miklos to remove Jassminder's blindness."
"I'm curious who she intends to use it on..."
Xanther also searches the next room, and the store area in the level above.
Once the children are dug out, and before Marcus starts using the wand, Xanther first channels positive energy for everyone, including the dominated trio.
"Should we question the dominated trio? They might know something we haven't discovered yet."
HP: 26/31 > 31/31
Str: 11/14
AC: 21 (T: 12, FF: 19)
Saves: F +4 (+4 competence vs disease), R +4, W +5 (+2 vs Enchantment, +3 vs Charms and Compulsions, both stack)
Effects: -
Channel Energy: 4/4 > 3/4
Spells Per Day:
L1 3/7
L2: 0/4
*Wand of CLW (50 charges)
*2x sets of studded leather armor
*masterwork chain shirt
*daggers
*masterwork short sword
*composite shortbow (+1 Strength bonus) with 15 arrows
*potion of cure moderate wounds
*scroll of continual flame
*Wand of dominate person (3 charges
*+1 dagger
*348 gp.
Xanther also searches the next room, and the store area in the level above.
Once the children are dug out, and before Marcus starts using the wand, Xanther first channels positive energy for everyone, including the dominated trio.
"Should we question the dominated trio? They might know something we haven't discovered yet."
[dice="Channel Positive Energy"]2d6
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
"That's the conundrum. If we leave to get help we risk them getting lose and disappearing on us."
"Let's just bring them with us if we can't come to a happy conclusion."
I'm happy with either.
When Xanther channels energy the wounds on the man disappear entirely. Judy still appears very hurt but her eyes do blink open. "Master Ilquis? What happened?" She catches sight of the party (not to mention the dead corpse of the fey behind them) and pales. "I won't fight you, so please don't hurt me anymore!"
Searching the rooms upstairs reveals only one item of any interest: Catalina's diary.
The golem makes candles faster than I can. Certainly faster than Judy. (She tries but doesn't have enough experience to really help. Mostly I have her running the shop.) I don't care how efficient it is though, I'm never letting it out of the basement. Uncle Piero's old traps are still functional, so at least if the blasted thing does go crazy it won't be able to escape.
That was the last entry.
"That's the conundrum. If we leave to get help we risk them getting lose and disappearing on us."
"In that case, it seems it would be best to question them here and now, before we try to escort them back to the town watch." Xanther asks each of the dominated trio some general questions to get a rough idea of what has been happening.
"What is your name?"
"How long ago did you meet Ilqus?"
"How long have you been working for Ilqus?"
"What was your life before working Ilqus? What did you work as? Where did you live? Did you live with anybody? What has happened to your house mates?"
"What do you know of Ilqus plans?"
"What did Ilqus command you to do?"
"Aside from those who are currently here, has Ilqus ever met with anyone else? Regardless of whether the interaction was friendly or otherwise."
"Where is Catalina?"
"I'm surprised the fey didn't disappear but that makes it easier. I know we don't want to split up but we don't want the bodies to be removed from the other room. Splitting is the only way to get it done. I can stay here and keep an eye on the store while you guys get Jassminder's vision back and notify the Captain probably in the reverse order so I can get backup sooner than later. I can even slip back into the shadows and watch so if there is a crazy mob or some thing I feel I can't handle that comes for the bodies, we'll at least know what happened."
Out of the wax and fed both children are much calmer. Delian takes his role as guide for Jassminder very seriously, (and also likely finds it comforting to stay near the person who killed the monster). Meanwhile Olya shadows Marcus.
Jassminder feels a small hand grasp hers, tentatively at first and then with more confidence as she doesn't flinch or react. "Remember that I can't see so you will have to warn me of anything in my way, as well as leading me in the right direction. In return, when I get my eyesight back I will teach you how to kill monsters. So, where are we going?"
Out of the wax and fed both children are much calmer. Delian takes his role as guide for Jassminder very seriously, (and also likely finds it comforting to stay near the person who killed the monster). Meanwhile Olya shadows Marcus.Jassminder feels a small hand grasp hers, tentatively at first and then with more confidence as she doesn't flinch or react. "Remember that I can't see so you will have to warn me of anything in my way, as well as leading me in the right direction. In return, when I get my eyesight back I will teach you how to kill monsters. So, where are we going?"
Addressing Jassminder and Marcus, "I agree with Marcus. We'll take Olya home and hopefully the Captain can arrange for an escort for Delian back to his home. Groy can send guards to assist Marcus in protecting the shop while we get Jassminder's blindness remedied."
Ussaile flips through the journal with intent.
She only barely listens in to the others, "Right. Yes." There was a mystery here, and it excited her.
I think at some point we need to see that Baron. Overhearing the plan she gives a half hearted acknowledgement. Once we get more support from this backwater hamlet at least.
"Very good." When the team departs, Marcus will step behind the oven/boiler and find the deepest shadow he can.
"Very good." When the team departs, Marcus will step behind the oven/boiler and find the deepest shadow he can.
[dice=Stealth]1d20+9