Yes, take the front spot, Graham says, pleased at the prospect of an armored dwarf between him and anything they approach. That seems prudent. And do let's check the rest of the rooms, to see if they are as dead an end as Teela suggests. He checks the southwestern room.
He points at one of the oil lamps, "Quintessa, can you do that trick to make light, or should we carry light with us?"
"I’m afraid I don’t have that particular trick, Fenric. But Teela did light our way once before on our trip here. I believe she’s more than capable of helping us in that regard."
She glances over at Teela with a knowing look and asks "Teela dear, would you mind lending us some of that magic of yours to guide the way?"
Without missing a beat, the seamstress puts her hand on the doll on her hip and draws a glyph in the air. The mote in their original sleeping area goes out and another appears in the hall, this time shining brightly as an azure torch and followong Teela as she moves.
"By all means..."
Alvis finishes his conversation with Teela with him saying, "Politics is the answer to both, a dangerous game and above my station currently. And to tame the Stolen Lands, some say that doing the same failing thing over and over is insanity. All attempts to do so have ended in bloody tragedy. Pray we do better with Abadar's civilizing benediction."
Ambling to Graham, Alvis replies, "Of course, Graham be right there." As he moves Alvis overhears the exchange between the Lady and her servant, thinking Rather polite to her servant - Oh she is an wielder of magic as well. Seem an interesting relationship, wonder how it began?
As Graham opens the door, Alvis will step in to look about the room, prepared for defense.
Selina is anxious about the Lady's safety and is glad when the party finally decides to move along. She clutches her dueling sword in her right hand and moves in front of the party, to search the western doors for traps and to pick the lock, if it is locked.
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Graham has been one step ahead of Fenric, already pocketing a few choice items. Oh, uh, yes! Yes, that would be rude. Of us. To do that.
The bedchamber Graham checks next shows signs of having been slept in - the bedclothes are all rumpled but there is no one inside currently, and unlike the other rooms, there is no sign of bloodshed or struggle. The light from Teela's spell lets you see quite clearly in this room.
At the double doors at the end of the hall, Selina checks for traps but finds none. It also appears the doors are unlocked, though they are closed tight. She does, however, spot a few small blood drop spatters on the floor near the door.
"Uh..." Teela raises a finger. "Hate to be that person, but an attack on this place probably means our host is in danger. Perhaps we should skip picking up scraps and try to resolve that problem?"
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"Our host is an Aldori Swordlord with her own retainer," Fenric counters. "If we handled the assassins while half-asleep, she'll be fine. We, on the other hand, could use any survival advantage. Especially, if they've come for us." He looks to the dwarf. "Alvari, is there anything worth taking among your fallen companions?
Teela raises an eyebrow at Fenric's retort. She gestures at... everything around them, but decides not to respond verbally. Instead, she remains near the door, waiting for others to finish up.
Quintessa is eager to move onward and is also waiting at the doors. She leans into her tailor and whispers "For what's it worth Teela, I agree with you. We know not what dangers lay beyond these doors. But, let our companions take what they will need. Better prepared and alive, hmm?"
Alvis replies to Fenric,"Alvis mi'lord, I did not know them well, just met the other day. I know little of them or their goods. All should take note of what and from whom it is taken so after we use them for our survival, they can be returned to their lawful heirs."
Clearly being unneeded in the room checks Alvis joins the ladies at the doors. "Best if I stand closest to this door should any more assailants choose to join us, milady.", Alvis says.
Teela's face does not change when Quintessa whispers. She put on a face of indifference ever since she posted herself to the door. But she does look at Quintessa and nods solemnly. "Are we keeping secrets? Is there a reason to whisper?" the seamstress asks as her gaze shifts to the looting hands once again. With a quick nod, the mote of light moves above the nearest currently plucked body. Then she turns her gaze to an approaching Alvis.
"Be my guest, Roadwarden." She shifts her weight, takes a few steps, leans against the stone wall just a few feet away and crosses her arms over her chest. "I must confess. I am not fond of titles. Perhaps we should shift this to a first name basis?"
"Teela Sedichi." the seamstress offers a smiling nod but keeps watching the holy man for his response.
Alvis responds to Teela's greeting, returning her nod with a smile as well, "Of course, in this dire situation, the formalities can be dropped. Call me Alvis, Teela. So you can cast spells as well, and from the spotless attire I gather we may share something in common in that regard?"
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"Many hands makes the work go faster, but if you all are just going to stand by the door in silent protest," Fenric says as he steps towards the door. "Alvis, right, apologies." He continues, "Maybe I'm salty and shy, being the only one of us stabbed. Repeatedly. But I don't need anything. Don't you work with scrolls and wands and potions, Tessa? We might find a bit of magic or an alchemist's draught. But fine, fine." He gestures with his dirk at the door.
"Don't misapprehend, mi,l- er Fenric it made me uneasy to take stuff from my late, if little known, companions. Use the items to survive but return them later. I fear I would not remember to what belonged to whom. Now items clearly part of the manor is easy to remember if only those are taken. But it is true that time is important there may be some here hard-pressed. Gettin our gear is only sensible, also checking each room for anyone inside also good, the rest is more debatable." Alvis stops talking seeming a bit uneasy.
His pockets stuffed with fine silk kerchiefs and shiny, if worthless, baubles, Graham joins the rest of the group at the door. He keeps the tip of his rapier toward the floor. Right! No one else alive but us, it seems. At least so far.
A look of confusion settles on Teela's face. She tilts her head to the side as she scans the dwarf head to toe. "A... pleasure." she adds with a slow cadence. Pausing for a moment, she seems to be processing something, then speeds up her delovery again. "I'm sorry, but you lost me there. What does clothing have to do with, um," she quickly glances at the mote of light moving about the room. "that?"
Alvis looks bit embarrassed, "Sorry Teela, didn't mean to presume. In prepping I cleaned my items up. I thought you did the same, my bad." Alvis demostrates my placing his morningstar in it loop, and touching his Key, a golden glow appears around his hand. He reaches toward one of the unfortunately many spots of blood and gore about and it vanishes like morining dew in sunlight. Then, rather bruskly, turns to the door, saysing a little too loudly, "We're all here, time to move forward yes?" Alvis reaches to open the door if no one stops him.
Quintessa’s eyes narrow as she crosses her arms, a frown forming on her face as she watches Fenric gesture with his dirk. She takes a breath, holding back the retort forming on her lips. Instead, she decides to address the more pressing concern-time.
“Yes, Fenric, I do work with scrolls, wands, and potions, and I appreciate you looking out for me .But every moment we delay here could be another moment someone else is getting stabbed in their beds. The longer we take, the more danger Lady Jamandi and the others might be in. They could have sent more advanced assassins for her while we stand here debating.”
She tilts her head slightly, focused on Fenric.
“I understand the need to be prepared, getting your wounds addressed and armor put on so you don’t continue to get stabbed so much are both very important, but we’re running out of time. If we keep waiting, we risk losing the chance to help the others. If there’s something useful along the way, we’ll pick it up. But we can’t afford to stand here any longer. Agreed?”
Quintessa’s lips press into a thin line as Fenric’s quip hits a nerve, but she forces herself to remain composed. This wasn’t the time for petty arguments, not with the danger looming ahead. She knows Fenric’s words are meant to provoke, but responding now would only slow them down further.
Instead, she takes a breath, unclenching her fists at her sides, and addresses him with a measured tone.
“Let’s focus on what matters, hmm? Getting to Lady Aldori and securing this manor. We can loot the Lady’s house to your delight once I know everyone is safe. Let us not further bicker after we’ve ensured no one else is lying dead in these halls.”
With that, she turns toward the door, her posture straight and determined, signaling that she’s ready to proceed.
Selina points at the door. "Doesn't appear to be trapped, but is closed tight, so Fenric might need to put his shoulder into it. Also, I noticed drops of blood on the floor, so we should be ready for anything." Selina grips her sword and steps aside 5' back and to the left to let the big, strong man open the door.
Alvis looks bit embarrassed, "Sorry Teela, didn't mean to presume. In prepping I cleaned my items up. I thought you did the same, my bad."
Teela shrugs. "Always. Not just for this occasion." Teela looks to Fenric, jokingly pushing his buttons in regards to conversation about clothing. Then turns to Alvis again. "And you've got red on you." she points out some spatter on his torso, probably from the assailant in his original room.
Once Selina confirms the door is not booby-trapped and everyone is moving towards the door, she attempts to nudge the group to move."We're done? Great. Let's go, please." She tries to push the door open.
As Alvis is reaching for the door, Selina seems to invite Fenric to take over. He stops waiting for Fenric to step forward when Teela swifty intercepts and pushes at the door. "If you wanted to go first, 'coulda just asked.", he says in a suddenly thickened Rostland accent. He'll fall back as other, less armored people want to go before him.
Teela pulls on the double doors, and they open with ease on well-oiled hinges into a large, indoor garden resembling a tropical paradise. Lush plants and flowering vines hang from the walls, while a slow-moving stream of water cuts through the center of the room, flowing languidly from north to south through stone drains. Planters filled with colorful flowers line the stream. Two narrow wooden bridges arch over the water, allowing passage from one side to the other. Partially submerged in the stream to the north stands a life-sized marble statue depicting an armored half-elf woman holding a rose and wielding a shield. the ceiling in this garden chamber is 15' high, and the room is well lit, almost as if sunlight is shining down from the ceiling.
A half-dozen or so cutthroats, dressed and armed like the ones you saw before, stand guard in the water garden. They shout out an alert as the door opens, and ready themselves for a fight.
Water Garden - Round 1
26 Teela
26 Alvis
24 Quintessa
23 Purple Cutthroat
22 Fenric
19 Red Cutthroat
18 Selina
14 Graham
13 Blue Cutthroat
10 Yellow Cutthroat
8 Green Cutthroat
5 Orange Cutthroat
Teela opens the door, and spends a very short time recognising the attires of the people spread throughout the garden, she starts drawing glyphs in the air while singing a tune softly.
"I heard you messed up again, dear bringands. One day you're up then you're down in this old town."
A nearby rock lifts from the floor, illuminated by azure light. It remains hovering in the air for a hot second before accelerating in the direction of the man on the southmost bridge.
◇ Lingering Composition, ◆ Courageous Anthem, ◆◆ Telekinetic Projectile
Critical Success The composition lasts 4 rounds.
Success The composition lasts 3 rounds.
Failure The composition lasts 1 round, but you don't spend the Focus Point for casting this spell.
Quintessa springs into action, her eyes locking onto the assassins scattered throughout the garden. She moves swiftly, dashing past Teela into the corner of the room. As she reaches her mark, her hands begin to crackle with electrical energy, arcs of lightning dancing between her fingertips. She extends her hands toward two of the would-be assassins, one dressed in purple and the other in red.
She presses her back against the wall, trying to remain small and whispers to her allies "Make them come to us, if you can."
Round 1
As the door swings open revealing a swarm of ruffins, Alvis mutters, "Shoulda' been in front, I'm the slowest."
Quintessa then moves forward hurtling lighting, instructing everyone to hold back. Sighing, missing his crossbow, he draws his morningstar out of its loop with the hand he was going to open the door with, he then raises his shield, and trying to recall anything about this particular group's tactical leadership, basically who in this group is in charge. Louder he says, "As you wish, mi'lady."
Recall Knowledge, Goal: identify local tactical leader.
Watching Alvis hesitate, she looks at him and whispers "Alvis. There's a crossbow in my pack. You're welcome to it, should it assist you."
Alvis's head snaps over to Quintessa as she unexpectedly whispers to him. He replies quietly, "Thanks for the offer mi'lady but the battle has started, best if we go over such after. Not the best shot anyway."
Water Garden - Round 1 - continued
Teela pulls the doors open and reacts first, starting a song about brigands to inspire and encourage her companions. Then more spell craft from the bard sends a rock spinning through the air into the skull of Blue Cutthroat. The criminal is fully brained, falling face first into the water, clearly dead.
Behind her, Quintessa sends a bolt of electrical energy streaking into the garden, it leaps from one target to another just at ends of its range. Both are able to see the arc coming and turn away enough to avoid the full blast. Each takes a bit of electrical damage, as flesh and leather armor start smoking faintly.
Alvis sees the bad guys live and fully awake for the first time, and thinks back to what he knows and has heard about the Black Tears. He also raises his shield hoping to knock down any missiles or melee attacks.
Stepping back a bit to get a better angle to fire, Purple Cutthroat, who is a bit singed, takes a shot at Teela. The first shot just nicks the bard, scratching her with more of an irritation than actual pain. The brigand then reloads his ranged weapon.
saves for half
saves for half
hit
Round 2
As one of the bandits move and Fenric attacks him Alvis sees an opening.
Alvis raises his Shield again and strides weaving his way to Fenric's side.
He strkes with his weapon on the lawless miscreant.
(Versatile P)
Alvis shouts,
Round 2
Water Garden - Round 1 - continued
26 Teela (1hp dmg)
26 Alvis (shield raised)
24 Quintessa
23 Purple Cutthroat (2hp dmg)
22 Fenric
19 Red Cutthroat (3hp dmg)
18 Selina
14 Graham
10 Yellow Cutthroat
8 Green Cutthroat
5 Orange Cutthroat
Fenric quickly moves in to engage the nearest Black Tear thug, skewering the man with his rapier. The blade strikes a mortal wound to Purple, so Fenric holds off a follow up with his off-hand, and instead, readies it to fend of subsequent blows.
Red Cutthroat fires once at Fenric, then drops his crossbow and moves up to engage the newcomers while drawing out his ebony-handled dagger. The shot from Red is a just enough off target from his still-smoldering wound that it only grazes Fenric, instead of piercing him.
hit
"Make them come to us, if you can."
Now where's the fun in that? Graham says with a broad smile, darting past and out the double doors to engage Red with his rapier.
But the foe easily doges out of the way, and Graham realizes his underestimation has been based on the hapless foes he and Alvin fought in their room. His easy grin morphs almost at once into a snarl,
Round 1: Selina
Selina advances into the courtyard, focusing on her breathing and the steps she learned at the Aldori Dueling Academy, letting the blade flow, striking the first enemy she can see: Red. "Time to die, Black Tear!"
Selina sees the number of assassins and she calmly invokes the arcane energy of her tattoo, raising a magical shield of force to protect herself.
Water Garden - Round 1 - concluded
26 Teela (1hp dmg)
26 Alvis (shield raised)
24 Quintessa
22 Fenric (1hp dmg)
18 Selina
14 Graham
10 Yellow Cutthroat
8 Green Cutthroat
5 Orange Cutthroat
After the nearest cutthroat scratches Fenric, both Graham and Selina step up to attack in melee. Graham's attack is a bit clumsy and awkward and misses, but Selina puts her magnificent sword skills to good use, slicing and stabbing the hapless villain in a flurry of steel and he falls to the ground dead. From there, Selina invokes magical energy and a force shield gives her added protection.
"Protect the door," Yellow calls to his remaining colleagues. "Don't let them through." He fires around the stone statue in the water, at Fenric, reloads, then fires again. Neither shot finds its mark, one hitting the wall above Fenric's head, while the other lands below his feet.
Green moves to the southern bridge and fires at Selina, but also misses. He spends a few seconds reloading his weapon.
Orange moves to hold the center bridge, and fires a straight shot at Graham. The bolt flies true, and Graham ducks out of the way, almost. The bolt just scratches him as well for minor damage.
End of Round 1
Water Garden - Round 2
26 Teela (1hp dmg)
26 Alvis (shield raised
24 Quintessa
22 Fenric (1hp dmg)
18 Selina
14 Graham (1hp dmg)
10 Yellow Cutthroat
8 Green Cutthroat
5 Orange Cutthroat
Teela continues with her gentle song as she lifts up yet another price of rock to hurl at the attackers. "So ring the bells and say farewells. It's time for you to leave us now, darling scoundrels."
Her face has an ominous look to it, seemingly enjoying the carnage. But feelings of pity bubble up now and then.
◆ Courageous Anthem, ◆◆ Telekinetic Projectile vs Yellow
,
Though she has some additional courage bestowed upon her from Teela, she trips as she tries to move forward to find a better vantage point. When she releases a burst of metal fragments towards an assassin, they splash harmlessly into the water in front of him and she curses under her breath.
Graham sees Selina dispatch his chosen foe with aplomb. Nicely done, he says with genuine admiration. But if you'd be so obliged, leave some for the rest of us. Also, a thousand pardons, this last as he darts past her and crosses the far bridge to engage Green.
Round 2 revised
The longlegs dash forward strong against the lawbreakers.
Alvis raises his shield. (As stated before)
Alvis advances, as he approaches Quintessa he says, "Please let me slip by, m'am. Pardon me Selina." With the bridges blocked but wishing to get to the bandit in the corner He heads mostly north.
8 squares movement Stride x2 - Path is Forward (1), Northwest diagonal Q(2), Forward S(3), Northwest diagonal(4,5)(cost 2), assess water, Northwest diagonal into the water(6,7,8)(cost 3)
Assess water- Alvis looks at the slow moving water assessing it depth. If it is not more 3 feet deep he will simply plow into it to get towards the otherside. Extra cost to move through difficult terrain. If the water is too deep he stops there just short.
If needed, He is wading not swimming unless something goes very wrong.
Round 2: Selina
Since Fenric and Graham blocked Selina's melee path, she draws a dagger and yells at Green, "If you don't surrender now, I will do to you what I just did to your friend." That was an attempt to demoralize Green, and then she launches the dagger at the assailant.