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Cecily looks in alarm between the green cloud and Ahmose, not quite believing Ahmose's assertion. She charges into the cloud to rescue her companion...
And her delicate sensibilities are immediately overtaken by the truly heinous stench.
"By the hurk gods, what IS blrrggbglbl...!
The not-goblins surround Tandyn and shudder in a way that distracts from how menacing it might be. Both find ways around his armor and other defenses causing wounds as his flesh is torn from bone.
"Guh..." Bathed in a magical glow, a fog of filth, and now his own blood, Tandyn struggles to suppress the searing pain that shoots through his body.
He raises Radiance high, flips the blade around, and plunges it down into the disgusting goblin thing at his right.
And attempts to hurry back to his companions.
"I have... some notes... Thawm, would you mind?"
Ahmose frowns as the Alchemist barely views the bloody Paladin around the corner of the Green Maze.
So, I am guessing that an Expeditious Retreat Potion for you will be a good call.
Ahmose Strides over to the Paladin and dumps the Potion of Cure Light Wounds down his bloody throat!
Say ahhhhh...
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Cecily stumbles backward, making more room and trying to quell the rumbling in her guts.
"Bleehhhandyn...Tandyn...hereeuuugh!"
"Notes?" Thawm asks before tossing a ball of sparks in Tandyn's general direction.
Aroden delays.
Dorek stumbles back to stand alongside Thawm, still coughing. "T-tandyn, you can m-make it - it's not t-too far!"
Radiance cuts a wicked slash into the cudgel-less goblin, which would fell any normal humanoid. Leaving himself open, Tandyn is scratched by the goblin, leaving another jagged wound. In the cloud you head a body fall to the ground.
Say ahhhhh...
"Ahhhhh...." Tandyn crouches a bit to help him reach. "Many thanks!"
"Notes?"
"T-tandyn, you can m-make it - it's not t-too far!"
He steps out of the cloud. "Notes." Tandyn confirms. "One, these things are more feral or odious than any goblins I've met. Two, they can't see in this rancid stuff either - luckily it doesn't seem to be very strong. And three, Thawm was right to hold off on the bath." He smiles as the sparks hits him. "Much better... thank you."
So, now what? Wait here? Wait for it to clear up? Fallback if there's another cloud?"
"Well, if they don't come to us, I suppose we'll have to go in... but maybe they'll come out where we can gang up on them?" Thawm suggests, hopeful.
Not having anything hostile to blast, she lobs more healing fire Tandyn's way.
"I can try to Daze them when they exit the cloud, if they are goblins."
Aroden delays for now.
Tandyn notices Cecily's plight just long enough to realize she'd probably doesn't want anyone watching. He turns his attention back to the maze's entrance and braces himself for attack.
Dorek steps back as Tandyn escapes from the fog, holding one hand over his mouth as he readies his blade to strike at the next figure to emerge. "The d-demons used this gas on the s-scouting party I joined with when I was in the W-worldwound proper. You h-have to get out of it, then p-prepare to attack them when they f-follow - I s-should have said e-earlier." He glances apologetically at the paladin. I w-wasn't trying to abandon you - I t-thought you would follow. I'm s-sorry."
Cecily stays put and tries to compose herself, but utterly fails to regain a ladylike bearing while trying and failing to hold in the contents of her stomach.
Ahmose winks at the green paladin, as he Strides back to the Lost Baggage Claim Door.
Perhaps granting the blobs a bit of space to invade this much bigger area?
He takes out another Potion of Cure Light Wounds, looking at Sir Tandyn in expectantly....
EDIT!
Upon further consideration, the Alchemist decides to actually Stride as far South in the room as possible.
F&+$ that green gas trick! Not git'n me twice!
He glances apologetically at the paladin. I w-wasn't trying to abandon you - I t-thought you would follow. I'm s-sorry."
"It got dicey, but I lived. I also apologize. A crusader ought to know their company better. You're Dorek the Devious. You could always escape. I may have killed the one that attacked you. We'll see."
A claw reaches out from the noxious mist, scraping claw against Tandyn’s armor in a loud shriek and then retreats back into cover.
"Eep!" Thawm explains as the claw raking against armor makes a horrible noise.
She tosses acid into the mist, hoping that the roughly spherical silhouette was the monster.
...unfortunately, the sound of nails-on-a-chalkboard-breastplate throw Thawm's aim off.
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Cecily grabs Aroden's shoulder for support as she dry heaves a few final times and wipes off her chin and the corners of her mouth as much as she can with the rags adorning her.
"I think...I think that's..hurrr...yes, that's everything."
Aroden remains uncertain of the plan. He has his longsword in hand and prepares to strike any foe that presents itself - taking a 5' step as part of the readied action if necessary.
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Ahmose just stands as far from Green Day as possible.
"Thawm, when this is over, just douse me until the smell is gone.
Tandyn's eyes narrow and focus on movements in the lingering murky fetor. He takes aim and pierces into the vile miasma making it glow with Radiance's light.
"Gotcha!"
Ahmose (overhearing Sir Tandyn) laughs.
Only an Alchemist's fire or six will get that sink out!
Dorek steps up beside Tandyn, slashing at the foul fog with his cold-forged blade as best he can. "G-give me a moment - I'll s-see if I can help."
He scowls and shakes his head. "I c-can't hit anything with all this f-fog!"
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Only an Alchemist's fire or six will get that sink out!
"Are you even familiar with soap?"
Radiance swings true, cutting another deep gash into the rotund creature. It squeals in pain and fear, fixing its eyes on Tandyn, testing his resolve.
Tandyn quickly slashes at the squealing creature.
Having wiped the last dribble from her mouth with the last goblin still up, Cecily finishes composing herself (), steps up to the maze entrance (), then attacks ()!
Ahmose begins laughing even harder!
The Alchemist just stays in his safe zone.
You guys almost done playing around in that green crap? City overrun by demons and all that shit. Just saying.
Tandyn is too brave for Cause Fear.
Thawm thinks to herself.
"You can try helping, Ahmose." Thawm chides.
She lobs more acid into the cloud.
Dorek nods at Cecily as she steps up to the entrance to the maze, slashing at the beast in tandem with the other tiefling. "W-whatever this thing is, it c-can't live much l-longer - we'll r-reach the surface soon."
"You guys almost done playing around in that green crap? City overrun by demons and all that s@!%. Just saying."
Dorek glares at Ahmose. "If you w-want to go f-faster, you could help. You have e-explosives, yes? Use them."
As before, his strike goes wide, the blade wedging into the mortar between the bricks.
Ahmose (safely) observes the progress being performed by Dorek. The Blue-scaled Kobold only shakes his head in the negative.
You can swing until your arm falls off. I only have so many bombs.
"I do hope the smell doesn't live any longer than it does. It won't burst with such stench, will it?"
Cecily pummels the goblin until it is dead from it. You wait a moment but no other threats present themselves. After a few moments the cloud dissipates allowing you to navigate through the maze without molestation.
Waiting for the most opportune moment, the Blue-scaled Kobold snatches a dagger out of his boot, Strides with purpose to the green blob goblin(?), and sticks it in the eye!
Placing a furry boot on the corpse, the Thief...err... actually Alchemist, but who we kidding, looks around proudly...
Wait fer it....
With the threats vanquished, Dorek exhales a sigh of relief, sheathing his blade and dusting off his claws. "You k-know, I've never really been in a b-battle like that - w-with all that s-smoke and confusion, I m-mean." He grins, revealing an impressive pair of fangs, as he nods to Tandyn. "I've n-never seen a sword cut through b-bone like that - you and C-cecily, your goddess has b-blessed you with strength."
Moving over to the door separating the impromptu band of survivors from the less martially inclined, he knocks to let them know the room is safe, his talons gouging chips from the wood. "It's as s-safe as it's going to be - we're b-beneath the old sewers now. W-won't be long before we're b-back at the surface, I expect." He glances at Cecily. "We can have a b-bath then, when we know h-how much of the city is left."
"You k-know, I've never really been in a b-battle like that - w-with all that s-smoke and confusion, I m-mean." He grins, revealing an impressive pair of fangs, as he nods to Tandyn. "I've n-never seen a sword cut through b-bone like that - you and C-cecily, your goddess has b-blessed you with strength."
Tandyn smiles. "Years of training, a blessed blade, and more than a little good fortune... The Inheritor gets much of the credit." He begins cleaning Radiance. "I'm glad we got through safely, but that fog... We were lucky to have somewhere to go. Had they ambushed us while going down a dead end, it could have been much worse. There may be more of them, so we should have a way to handle it better." He sheathes Radiance and begins cleaning off his shield. He mutters a few words and small colorful wisps of magic envelop it cleaning off every detail then happily continuing on to his other belongings. "I just feel like I'm missing something obvious. I suppose we could try holding our breath as soon as we see one. Any better ideas?"
Cecily looks at the fresh blood on her hands and doesn't even bother to try to wipe it off. She heaves a heavy sigh and slumps against the wall, slowly sliding down to the ground.
She smiles faintly at Dorek's praise and nods along at Sir Tandyn's expounding on his own strengths and struggles. "You did well to stand against them alone, Sir Tandyn. Especially in that...whatever that was. Easily the worst thing I have ever smelled. No, tasted even. Blech!" She makes a face. "I do not think that holding my breath would be enough. Still, if I can endure hours of dancing in a corset, I suppose I can try to endure this," she claims with bile still fresh on her face.
Dorek's reminder of the now-mythical bath sends a wash of warmth over her and she visibly relaxes at the thought. "It cannot come too soon. But perhaps after a short rest." She closes her eyes and imagines it.
Then Dorek's wording filters through, and her face slowly turns as hot red as if she was already soaking in a steaming tub. Her eyes narrow and her face contorts in incredulous. "WE, Master Dorek?!"
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"WE, Master Dorek?!"
Tandyn tries so hard not to laugh...
and suddenly notices that he's been casually controlling a magical cleaning cantrip. Huh. I do recall some lessons on this... He makes a quick gesture with his hand and sics it on Cecily.
"Don't worry, Cecily. We'll all get a bath." Thawm explains, making a settle down gesture in the most reassuring way she knows of.
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"I just feel like I'm missing something obvious. I suppose we could try holding our breath as soon as we see one. Any better ideas?"
Dorek shrugs. "In the f-foundry, we wore m-masks of a sort when we worked with f-flux powder. You can get s-shearlung if you breathe it in t-too much." He pulls the bandanna around his neck up and over his mouth in demonstration. "I d-don't know how much it could h-help, but maybe s-someone has made something s-similar for such threats."
"WE, Master Dorek?!"
Dorek blinks, looking at Cecily as though she has grown a second tail. One with a head at the end. "Yes. In t-turns, like you said y-yourself. It was y-your idea, w-why are you upset at m-me?" He raises one eyebrow, reproach in his voice. "I had h-hoped you would not need Thawm to b-bathe you - there is an old t-tale I thought she might like, called 'M-memory-of-Rain.' I have h-heard similar tales of her g-goddess Sarn-" He quickly corrects himself, looking worriedly at Thawm. "S-sarenrae, and I t-thought she would l-like it."
"Hm! Well. Well good then." She rustles her shoulders. "If I must bathe myself, then..yes, of course I can."
She looks at the cleaning going on approvingly and gives one of her gloves an experimental sniff. "That is a good start. Perhaps this dress can be saved after all." With a rush of newfound optism, she gives a warm smile to Sir Tandyn.
The old sewer tunnel leads east for a hundred feet before connecting with the more recent sewers, and more importantly a series of ladders leading up to the surface.
You find Kenabres devastated from the tremors and demonic attacks, leaving a smoking apocalyptic ruin. The once-familiar skyline is forever changed, the tower of the Kite and the Cathedral of St. Clydwell are missing entirely. While elsewhere plumes of dark smoke still rise from the smoldering remains of burned-down buildings. Fat buzzards wheel above the skies scarred by red smoke and black clouds.
The Worldwound has expanded its borders and now the city of Kenabres is enveloped in it.
Your companions face the devastation with stoicism. But each turns to you with a request:
Anevia explains, "Beth and I shared a home in eastern Kenabres. Can you bring me there? I fear for her safety."
Aravashnial asks, "Can you lead me to Blackwing. It's a library, I'll be safe there."
Horgus demands, "Before you do anything else. I must be brought to my manor."
Ahmose trudges along with the weary survivors. The Blue-scaled Kobold's blue eyes expectantly roam about watching for any salvia spitting demons that seem hungry.
Finally finding the ladder to the city's streets, the Alchemist briefly wonders if it wouldn't be better staying down here for a bit longer...
Damn demons destroying and devastating decent dummies doom to be heroes!
Sighing, Ahmose, the Blue Whisper ascends the laughing ladder along with the other dummies....
Sighting the devastation from the tremors and demonic attacks, leaving a smoking apocalyptic ruins, the Blue-scaled Kobold stares incredulously at the Lost Baggage wailing about their selfish and personal needs.
F@~&ing Asshats.
The Alchemist decides to ignore them and he begins thinking about the safest place to be right now...
Probably back down that knowing ladder!
Tandyn stares at the destruction... his eyes darting between familiar places. "We lost... and everything's..." He looks at his companions. "This is the southern section of the Gate District. It won't be safe outside. We should stay together a bit longer while we figure out where we need to be."
Tandyn makes mental notes of his companions' requests. "From the sound of it, all of your destinations are from here to the eastern part of Gate District, did I get that right? It could make the most sense to go to the closest one and so on... travel may be dangerous, and this will keep it to a minimum. It may even give us places to take refuge if needed. Does that work for all of you?"
Dorek says little as his one-eyed gaze takes in the wreckage of the city he has known all his life, but his face conveys his thoughts well enough, his features slowly resolving into a mask of horror mixed with helplessness. "D-death has come to Kenabres. The s-stories my grandfather told... the tales of D-drezen in its last days... If it's n-not stopped, Kenabres will become another D-drezen. Or w-worse. I want to h-help, but what can we d-do against so many d-demons?" Tandyn's words snap him out of his reverie, and he blinks. "I r-recognize this area. My h-home's a ways to the n-northeast of here - this part's the r-rich quarter. For the b-betters."
He nods to Aravashnial. "The B-blackwing Library is n-near here, though. Just a f-few streets over. M-many of the relics saved from S-sarkoris are there. I've w-walked these streets a hundred t-times - my m-mother was a lore-speaker for the W-windstep clan, and I l-learned to read the Hallit on her l-lap, between that old library's dusty s-shelves." He scowls. "N-never stayed there too long. Too many b-book-casters there, all the t-time, profaning the r-relics..." The young locksmith blinks, glancing apologetically at Aravashnial as he realizes himself and clears his throat. "...I m-mean... there were religious d-differences. You know h-how it is."
"N-never stayed there too long. Too many b-book-casters there, all the t-time, profaning the r-relics..."
Aroden glares at Dorek but says nothing.
He addresses Horgus. "As Sir Tandyn says, it is tactically wisest to visit the closest locations first. That would be the Blackwing Library. Your home is not too far past that.
However, the Nyserian Manor is in between, and we now know it to be a cultist stronghold - one that may hold the Tirabade family's demon-bane sword. If you know the Nyserian Manor, you could be of valuable assistance in our infiltration of that place and recovering the sword. Whether that is simply knowing the layout, or developing a deception to outwit Kandro Nyserian and get him to lower his guard."
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Aravashnial's request being taken first has no reason to complain. Anevia nods her agreement, "Most wise. Thank you."
Horgus frowns but relents, "I suppose that's acceptable. So long as we don't tarry too long." When Aroden asks about the layout of the manor he adds, "I did have occasion to visit Kandro, I will draw you a map of what I know."