The mayor nods and tells one of the town skirmishers, "Please get Acolyte Radan," then turning back to the assembled outsiders, "Honestly, he should be here anyway. Now that he's..." Proum looks back to the other room where the house staff has laid the fallen lord and his retinue, including the late priest. "Now that he is our eldest priest. I will have the staff bring you water as you wait. It shouldn't be long."
The mayor moves back to the larger room where the bodies have been laid and shuts the door. A servant arrives with cool, fresh water. The manor house is fairly quiet, other than the sounds of movement and doors softly opening and closing. The sense of grief and mourning permeate the very atmosphere.
After perhaps fifteen minutes, the door is opened again and Mayor Darrel Proum enters accompanied by three other people. One, the youngest, is wearing the pristine white clerical garmeents of the Church of Iomedae and immediately pushes past the chubby mayor and takes a knee in front of a slightly startled Vegazi. "It's alright, I'm here to help." He offers a quick prayer to his goddess and touches the half-orc's wounds.
The other two strangers are much older than the mayor. The first is woman dressed in colorful clothes that might have been fashionable a few decades ago in Ustalav. Perched on her shoulder is an owl that could be as old as she is. The other is a man with a perfectly trimmed beard wearing conservative clothing.
"This is Shovann Orda," the mayor nods towards the woman. He then holds a hand out towards the older man adding, "And this is Gallus Crevac. They are elders in this town, respected for their experience and wisdom."
The younger man finishes his prayer and stands to the side. "I am acolyte Ovir Radan. Thank you for bringing Sword Knight Phazia and Lord Wate Arwyll home."
"Indeed," the mayor says, trying to regain control of the conversation. "We are a people who typically welcome adventurers into our town. Out here on the frontier, some people need a place to disappear and live a quiet life. Others are called to join the struggles. Some, like me, were just born here. All of us felt strong loyalty for the Arwyll family. They've been here for us, so we have been here for them. To lose their last scion...well, we have questions, you see. Please, tell us who you are and what you know about our fallen community member's final moments."
Niccan looks around the room while waiting. The water was nice for washing the road dust down. Hopefully later there'd be a dinner somewhere....
When directly asked he wonders who should respond for the group. Since there was a short pause though.... He stands up on his chair to his full 3' 10: height. "I'm Niccan Tol, originally from Lepidstadt. We've been traveling around a bit though, trying to help folk out wherever we could. Heard there was trouble this way. But, I thought I heard Orc problems. As bad as they are at least they aren't devils!"
"You can call me Kit. And as my rodent companion said, we came to help, and happen on the combat field, my friend here was very valiant in trying to save them, but alas, their numbers were too great" she bows her head respectfully "If it wasn't for her prowess, I doubt we would have been able to even bring their bodies here at all" as she gently puts her paw on the Vegazi's shoulder
"I'm Jack Zaphaelson. Warrior and oracle of Iomedae. Out of Vigil. Happy to be of service."
"I Vegazi," the half-orc says, still staring at the floor. "Watch humans. Worried by monsters and orcs. What fear, happen. Orcs and monsters attack. I no know why."
A long period of silence follows her terse explanation. Gallus Crevac leans in. "My dear? Would you tell me about the ring you wear?" The man's voice is soft and velvety. Her hands twist in her lap, unconsciously touching a silver signet ring with a badger and the initials "A.A." inscribed on it.
Vegazi looks up, meeting his gaze eye to eye, then turns away quickly. "Is gift. Given when I very young and free humans from...orcs," she pauses and looks up at Kit. "Alone long time. Humans not perfect. Better than home."
Crevac asks her to describe the human, asking about hair and eye color, eye shape, facial hair and so on. As she answers, the three elders exchange glances. Ovir Radan looks at the trio quizzically, but says nothing. Finally Crevac announces, "I am satisfied, Mister Mayor. We should fetch Grev in the morning. He was there, he can verify."
The mayor nods in response to Gallus Crevac's statement. "I agree." He turns to the other adventurers. "I have no reason to assume you were involved in the killing of Lord Wate Arwyll. You say you came here to help us. If that is the case, then we would ask you in the morning to find Grev. He's a homesteader who lives a full day's walk or so from here. We will arrange for lodging and a hearty meal at The Blissful Badger, our town's inn."
The town elders stand and the Mayor asks a member of the estate staff to inform Isald Forgemore to prepare rooms and food for the town's guests. The older woman, Shovann Orda looks into the other room where Lord Wate Arwyll's body lies under a sheet. "Who wants to tell Terrin?"
The others shift uncomfortably. Acolyte Radan speaks up for the first time since his arrival. "It would probably be best for Deputy Volsson to tell him."
"Huh. Makes sense and gets me off the hook," chuckles Shovann as she leaves the meeting.
"Thank you for your time," the Mayor says as he also moves to depart. "And thank you again for bringing Wate and his ancestral weapons and armor home." He holds out a canvas sack that jingles.
Niccan stays quiet, listening. He’s happy to hear that there was a comfortable bed and meal in the morning. Seeing the payment was almost a shock. ”nice…”
"Thank you for your hospitality, Mayor", Jack bows, as he follows Cuthalian to the Blissful Badger.
Kit smiles as Vegazi relates the happenings in her own way, then nods as the proceedings end, she smirks at the reward
"I suggest we split the reward later, as food is much higher in what we need. Come on Vegazi, you're as part of this meal and reward as any of us. And if you don't want to share a room with the boys, you're welcome to share one with me?"
Vegazi smiles at Kit and nods eagerly at the offer. Soon the group is walking across the town toward the large tavern and inn known by as The Blissful Badger, a name which references the best of times when Arwyll Stead is enjoying peace within and without. The building has traces of dwarven architecture and has been obviously reinforced to withstand raids and even the occasional short siege.
One end of the building is dedicated to lodgings, and upon arrival feisty young dwarven woman named Isald Forgemore explains that any of the rooms on the second floor are available for her guests. "Reckon y'all wanna get warshed up," she says with a slight accent, "After, y'all can come by for vittles. We got some rabbit stew tonight, with an without meat. However you like it. Now I'm 'fraid you missed the normal dinner rush," she adds, showing the slowly emptying dining area. "So the bread ain't so warm, but it's still fresh, baked earlier today. I'll be up kinda late working on a slow-roast hog for tomorrow, so don't y'all hesitate to call me ifin I can help with anything, hear?"
The dining area is rather large and spacious, with high ceilings and a small stage at one end where the occasional bard can perform when passing through. The stage also serves the local government for town hall style meetings. A long bar provides ample access to liquor, wine, and beer. Behind it lies the kitchen.
"Some rabbit stew and fresh bread sound wonderful, Ms. Forgemore. Thank you." The oracle smiles.
Turning to Vegazi, Jack clears his throat with a cough.
Niccan agrees with Cuthalian and goes to pick a room. One of the corner rooms upstairs with 2 beds.... He cleans up, then returns to get food and drink. He sits in a chair by the larger table.
Kit patiently waits to see if Vegazi answers before she pulls her to their now shared room
"You can get more hunting tips when we have had rest and food. I'll take some rabbit too, much appreciated!" she does smile her cat smile at Jack, wanting him to know she means no harm or ill will, she was just tired
The oracle smiles and waves in defeat as he watches the two exotic ladies walk to their room.
Eh. Probably for the best, Jack thinks to himself.
"Hunt then gather," Vegazi answers in the common tongue. "Take what can get, when can get."
The dwarven host tells Cuthalian, "Fresh water in the basins in y'all's rooms. Clean towels and a bar of soap to boot. Don't worry darlin', we'll keep the stew warm and the beer cold!" She brings ample portions of food and drink. "Now, a lot of folks might tell y'all this o'er the next couple-few, but thank you for bringing Lord Arwyll home. The town owe all y'all a thanks."
|
"Anything we could do, it's just a shame we were not there earlier. I'm going to go get cleaned up now." Cuthalian says heads up to his room, washes the road dust off and heads back down for chow.
He orders a bowl or two of the meat version with bread and cheese and an ale to chase it down. He makes small talk with the others while they all eat.
Eventually the town's visitors finish their meals and retire to their rooms for the evening. Jack is awakened from a cold sleep by the sound of his room's window being smashed. A tiny red devil flies in, cackling with malicious glee. Another devil flaps it's bat wings just outside the window. Screams and the sounds of mayhem erupt inside the Blissful Badger, and across the town at large, causing the other travelers to wake up immediately as well.
Unsure of what they face Niccan grabs his sash with the weapons hanging from it (not the bow or arrows) and heads for the sound. "What was that sound?"
Kit is up with a gamble, but at least her weapons are on her the whole time " can't a girl enjoy her cat nap?"
"Arhhh! What the Hells?!" Jack yells as he reaches for his scabbard.
Theren jumps to his feet. Plenty used to midnight drills and ambushes, he grabs for his weapons.
Used to sleeping in the rough-and-tumble wilds, Vegazi wakes still wearing her armor. She glances around somewhat disoriented and locks eyes with Kit. A moment later and she's on her feet with her bow in hand sneaking a peak outside.
In Jack's room, the infernal invaders cackle and shriek. One looks at Jack and says in a shrill voice, "Hey, go take a walk, meatsack!" Jack feels strangely compelled to do just that.
The other imp fades from view, turning as transparent as air.
The aasimar's expression is blank as he takes his longsword for a walk.
Jack walks outside his room in only his undergarments.
With blade in hand, Theren strides out of his room.
"Crap! It's invisible! Hoping the thing isn't right on top of him he tries to summon an Aether Elemental again.
Kit, along with Vegazi, readies themselves as they exit the room, Kit has her claws out, her eyes like saucers as she takes in every bit of light the night has to offer
"Invisible? That's not good" she responds to Niccan's observation
Eventually the town's visitors finish their meals and retire to their rooms for the evening. Jack is awakened from a cold sleep by the sound of his room's window being smashed. A tiny red devil flies in, cackling with malicious glee. Another devil flaps it's bat wings just outside the window. Screams and the sounds of mayhem erupt inside the Blissful Badger, and across the town at large, causing the other travelers to wake up immediately as well.
When Jack gets to the bottom of the stairs he sees a foul blob-devil slinking across the hallway floor. Another is entering a room where the occupant screams in fright and confusion. Maybe now is not the best time for a stroll?
Niccan calls forth something unseen to attack the unseen. No one is quite sure what happens as a result, but he is aware that both beings are close. In fact, one fades back into view when it sinks it's sting into him!
Niccan knows immediately that these little devils are imps. Conniving trickster devils, capable of becoming invisible at will and manipulating minds with magic.
Vegazi readies her bow, waiting for one of the enemies to present itself. When the imp appears as it stabs the ratfolk, she has her chance, but the nimble little devil proves tough to hit and her arrow simply embeds itself into the wall.
Kit, now having a proper target, moved to help with Niccan, taking a strike at the imp, misjudging that the imp can fly
"Round Three
Seeing the imp when it attacks him Niccan yells. "Ouch! Imp. Sneaky, stupid little devils Usually familiars for magi but left on this plane when the master dies. Need a good or silver weapon to do full damage. Immune to fire and poison. Resistant to acid and cold. Uses invisibility at will and can mentally order a person to do something. And they have magical healing while they are alive so kill them fast and be sure they are dead."
He steps back to get room and casts Bless.
Round 3
Cuthalian steps past Jack, "Heck of a way to wake up, isn't it."
jack finds himself out of bed, in his underwear, holding his longsword.
Theren steps up to swing at one of the devils.
The hideous devil-blob making it's way across the inn's floor is punctured by an arrow from Cuthalian moments before Jack hacks into it with his sword. Neither blow seems to do as much damage as they should have, but still leaves serious looking Wounds on the lemure. It spins around and moans before lashing out with it's claws at Jack, failing to strike him. Attracted by the commotion and violence, the other lemure slinks over from the room it had forced it's way into and tries to claw Jack, but it too fails to hit the aasimar.
Chaos and confusion reign at the top of the stairs. The elemental continues to harass the imp, but fails to do much to affect it. It might just be the invisibility that even allows the being from the aether to make contact with the tiny nimble devil, given how easily it avoids both Kit and Theren's attacks. It throws it's head back and cackles for a moment.
"Silver, huh?" Vegazi says in response to Niccan. She draws a gleaming arrow and nocks it. The imp stops laughing when she does and sneers at the half-orc. Her arrow goes through it's wing and elicits a howl of pain.
The imp then cocks it's head, as though someone whispered an idea in it's ear and it grins at Vegazi before adjusting it's position some and stabbing out at Kit with it's venomous tail. Although just a scratch, Kit'Arr can feel the poison burning in her blood.
From behind the feline rogue appears the invisible imp. Like it's compatriot, it targets Kit with it's poison stringer, but it fails to penetrate her defenses.
Round 4
The oracle fights on desperately to keep the lemures1 at bay.
Theren steps up and swings at the imp behind Kit despite the awkward positioning.
Kit stumbles a bit from the attack, as she feels what ever was injected into her, do its work
"Not good..." she stutters
Niccan mutters something about wasting magic and carefully casts another summon spell. The current elemental disappears, replaced by another that looks like a dark storm cloud with long arms.
It attacks. The physical attack does nothing, but an electrical current also hits the devil.
An arrow strikes the floor behind the lemure from Cuthalian's first shot. The second shot embeds itself in the devil's folds of flesh. Despite the serious wounds from him and Jack, the lemure is still fighting back. Jack tries to finish it off, but fails to connect.
Both the wounded lemure wildly and it's more intact comrade swing their claws at Jack. Fortunately, the pair only manages to barely graze him.
The poison running through Kit'Arr's veins seems to hinder her efforts to fight the pesky little devil. Niccan finds a creature that is marginally more effective to harass the imp, but it is the holy warrior who really ruins the pair of infernal trickster's good mood by delivering a nasty wound to one of them. Vegazi catches the other one in the back with another silver arrow, but once again fails to strike anything too vital in the infernal being.
Neither imp looks to be in great shape, but they continue their fight, choosing new targets to inflict their poison on. The one still in Jack's room sinks it's stinger into Theren. Although it's a tiny blow, it is enough to potentially poison him.
Round 5
Jack curses at the infernal scratch. Sensing one of the devils are nearing extinction, the oracles continues to attack. (Green)