Search Posts
Cladissa gestures to her cat while popping the stone out of her cat's eye crown. "That's right. You're going scouting," she tells her familiar. She drops the stone into a little pouch that she ties around Cole's neck. "Now shoo. Do your thing." Cole slinks on ahead, keeping to the shadows and beneath the hedges to scout the garden without being seen, hopefully, and if so he'll be mistaken for a simple cat. Meanwhile, Cladissa's crown allows her to see what he sees.
Cladissa returns to her feet and her arachnoid legs fold up behind her as she closes her eyes. Within seconds her image shimmers and is replaced by that of a noblewoman. "There. Just in case. I will be the Lady Hildegard Anestrix," she says with a light twirl.
Champs du Lange had become something out of a nightmare. The Red Revolution had swept through the small town and what had been a beautiful center of art and learning was now a gutted wasteland. The renowned statuary had been toppled or defaced, the little storefronts full of pastries, flowers, or art were gutted and empty, and the beautiful courthouse Cladissa remembers sneaking into to see her father was despoiled. Worse, a massive guillotine was now set out before the steps ominously. Cladissa grows sullen and silent as she and Gianluca walk through the streets. "Let's go," is all she says, and solemnly puts her childhood home behind her.
Cladissa smiles. "That's stylish of you. Come on. Let's see what it's like these days." The trail ends at a high stone wall that borders the back of the estate grounds. Cladissa frowns as she sees the small crack she used to use to slip out has been sealed up with bricks and mortar. She shrugs, ultimately realizing that she and Gianluca would likely have been too big for it anyway. Her spider legs carry her effortlessly up and over the stone wall, putting her in the back of the well-tended garden. The manor house similarly seems in good repair and coated with a bright layer of paint different from what she remembered. A sharp gasp from a small sitting area draws Cladissa's attention. A woman who had been gathering a selection of tomatoes and peppers from some vines stands wide-eyed at her sudden appearance in the garden. "Oh, hello! Please, don't--" Cladissa starts, then preemptively charms her to keep her from raising an alarm.
"How are you?" Cladissa smiles when she sees that her spell has taken hold. "My name's Classie Evermond. Who's estate is this?" Smiling like she was a long-lost friend, the woman answers, "Zis is the home of Lord Citizen Robair Lambreth. I am 'is daughter, Elise Lambreth. Nice to meet you." "Lovely to meet you, too," Cladissa agrees, then turns to see if Gianluca is with her. "And this is Gianluca, um, Honeyhand. We're passing through. That's all. Don't mind us." She surreptitiously puts her hand in her pocket and uses her pearl of power to recharge her charm person spell just in case. "Oh, but mademoiselle, I wouldn't dream of just letting you go so soon, you just got here!" Elise says, beckoning them toward the house. Cladissa follows politely. "We really need to be going, though thank you for your offer of hospitality. So, 'Lord Citizen,' huh? What's that title mean?" Elise looks shocked. "You don't know? Truly? Zhat means he is on ze Revolutionary Council." Cladissa blinks. "Oh. Where is he now?" "He should be back any time. He left for his monthly trip to Isarn a week ago. Would you like to meet him?" "Definitely. But later, like I said. We're on a tight schedule. But thank you for the information! Do me a favor and don't mention we were here, okay? I know our manner of arriving was a little unorthodox," Cladissa says after they've worked their way around to the front of the estate. Before leaving, she pauses and stares at the house for a moment, memories of her carefree youth bubbling to the surface. Then she turns and heads to the road taking them to Champs du Lange and beyond. Once they're a short ways down the road, Cole appears trotting along beside her. He mews pointedly. "Well, I didn't have a much better option. It got me some good information, and I didn't do any harm. Who knows, she might not even realize she was charmed once it wears off," she explains. She glances over to Gianluca. "What do you think?"
In Galt, a short walk from the old Velorryan estate, Cladissa pauses and allows an illusion to flow over her of a youthful half-elf. ::There. No sense in drawing additional scrutiny by having spider limbs:: she sends to Gianluca. She leads the way, wending up the small trail to the estate grounds.
Cladissa stirs after uncounted hours of fitful dreams. As consciousness returns, she becomes aware of the dim light creeping through the curtains and the strong coppery scent of blood hanging in the air. That scares her for a moment, and she checks herself for injury. Finding nothing, she blinks away her grogginess and catches a whiff of a familiar animal scent. She locates Cole quickly, lounging on a bookshelf and regarding her silently. It hits her that she could smell him from where she lay in the middle of the floor. She breathes in deeply, and her room comes alive with scents -- the plaster of the walls, the wood frames, the linen, the stale sweat and dirt of her adventuring gear -- she could detect it all. Memory surges, and she remembers where that blood smell was coming from. She had bled quite a bit through her nose before she passed out. Must have been the formula giving me an acute sense of smell, she thinks clinically before remembering the awful tingling throughout her face. My face, she thinks in a panic. She brings her hands up to her cheeks and feels velvet-soft fur all over. Heart thudding, she races over to her mirror and looks.
I'm around; waiting on the orcs and our gnome. I'm actually very eager to post, but I'm holding back until Grom, Nyug and Hrim chime in with their new mutations.
Cladissa smiles at Nyugusk's interest in helping her learn orcish. Later that day, despite her continued weariness and the pressure in her sinuses, she heads to the Absalom Library and checks out a few books on conversational orcish. She alternates between studying intently and working with Cole on a few new tricks. While Argor busies himself with crafting scrolls and arcane theory, Cladissa engages in a wordless communion with her familiar to expand her witchcraft. It would be faster, however, if she didn't need to take frequent breaks because of her throbbing sinuses. On the other hand, the congestion does help some of the orcish pronunciation. Several days after the night at the museum, Nyugusk proudly displays a further mutation. She tries to share his enthusiasm for the rather deformed limb, but the pressure in her head had only increased in those days. So instead she smiles weakly, though Cole unashamedly hisses at Nyugusk's demonstration of his reach and retreats to a safer observation spot. Then the alchemist's question hits her: Have any of you noticed any new changes? She hadn't; but her general fatigue and sinus headaches that she had merely chalked up to infection and for which she had self-prescribed rest and plenty of fluids, could that be the signs of a further change? She grows pale as she considers the possibility and looks to the others. Then, as if the formula had been waiting for a suitably dramatic moment, it strikes her with sudden ferocity. A tingling sensation across her body is only faintly registered through the staggering pain in her sinus cavity. Oh, gods, no. Not my face, no, not my face, she mutters after she buries her face in her hands. She stands shakily and retreats to her room, shutting the door behind her. She feels like her face is about to explode, the pressure is so great. Despite the pain -- or maybe because of it -- she leans over her chamber pot and exhales hard through her nose. It feels like bones are cracking under the effort, but finally she expels a great mass of blood and mucus that relieves the pressure. Then the almost familiar tingling, which had been diffused throughout her body, concentrates at her face and head. She is unable to stay conscious, and passes out.
Cladissa wishes fervently to go to sleep upon return to the manor, but she forestalls that near overriding need to clean herself in the washroom first. Though she finds herself dozing in the tub, she completes her task and wearily crawls into her bedroom before passing out from exhaustion. The smell of Mr. Goodpies' morning meal draws her out of her room early, although she remains tired and achey. Her hips again hurt, and her head feels stuffy as if she were coming down with a cold. Despite not feeling well, she fills herself with the meats and fish prepared by their hired cook. Looking at the others through bleary eyes, she addresses the two orcs. I was thinking of borrowing a few books on the orcish language. Would it be all right if I practiced and got some pronunciation tips from you?
Jelani, Are you running the Fame rules for the purchasing of magic items? If so, it appears we can't buy anything over 500 gp until we get 9 fame.
And another thing: Does the gold total from the scenario include that 200 platinum the trapped scribe gave us?
I wasn't planning on being coy about it... I figured on asking Nyug to teach me.
Witch 3
New feat: Accursed Hex
Cladissa takes Argor's arm and allows herself to be escorted from the Lodge. She glances over her shoulder to see Auronee smile sweetly and wave. She turns back to face the front with a sigh. Not long enough. Or at all, really. She looks up at him. Thanks for trying, anyway. I just-- She makes me-- Ugh! her words fail her again, as this time frustration builds. She sinks into sullen silence as they make their way back to the manor.
Cladissa frowns in disappointment when her flame spell fails to damage the idols, then winces as she observes the collateral damage in the burning hut. She looks in the direction of Nyugusk to lend him Fortune, but the orc rips apart the idol without assistance. She helps the other victims of the Tik Taan get out of the museum. She seems a bit reflective in the aftermath; the bestial savagery of the scribes and scholars casting a pall over any allure of giving over to her animal side entirely. She mutely follows Argor to the Grand Lodge for the report and to turn over the prize. As she collects her reward, Cladissa looks up and gasps. A group of Pathfinders are unloading what looks like a metal man, with several Venture Captains ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the treasure. She spins and tries to slink away before she's seen. But she's not so lucky. Cladissa? I'd recognize that tail anywhere! comes a lilting voice from one of the Pathfinders. Cheeks burning hotly, Cladissa turns slowly to face her step-sister, Auronee. Despite coming from some adventure, she looked good. A little roughed up, but she made it look attractive. Her eyes glittered as she looked Cladissa over, noting the dust and blood covering her fur. In contrast, Cladissa looked disheveled. Did you just come back from a mission? I hope that's not your blood..? Auronee asks, her voice filled with sarcastic amusement. No. And yes. I mean, no, I'm not hurt. Yes, we just came back. We saved a cursed museum. From monkeys. Cladissa winced hard, she was flustered, and couldn't stop her mouth from turning on her. The amusement was evident in Auronee's eyes, but she just smiled politely. Monkeys. She glanced over at the metal man being wrangled by her companions. We explored a few levels of the Red Redoubt. We discovered and thwarted a countdown that would have activated a small army of those machine-men you see there. She turned back to face her step-sister, but her silence twisted the knife. She didn't need to elaborate. Before Cladissa managed to work up the words and nerve to respond, Auronee had stepped over to Argor and extended her hand in greeting. With genuine sincerity, she smiles. Argor Constantine! I don't think I would have recognized you but for Arctyryx there! I read your report on the Silent Tide. Great work, and so thorough in detail. I wish half of this Society could write as well as you! Cladissa just seethes and glares at Auronee behind her back.
Cladissa steps up beside Nyugusk and with a gesture and arcane word, sends a blast of flame at the two wooden idols threatening them.
Cladissa gapes at the amount of damage delivered to the gorilla in the span of a few seconds. While the beast reels, she issues forth another hex, this time stripping away whatever good fortune is left to the gorilla. ___________________
Although it fights it off. She cackles nonetheless, to keep Grommuk's fortune active.
Cladissa hustles forward and bends probability in Grommuk's favor.
Cladissa surveys the bathroom, wondering to herself why she didn't feel as revulsed at the grisly scene as she knew she should. It's just meat now, a thought trickles through her puzzlement, and she scowls in response. Nonetheless, she doesn't linger, and steps lightly into the storage room to help explore. She scales the crates and pounces from stack to stack, sneezing a couple times in the dust as she surveys the area. Once convinced that room is empty of threats, she clambers down and falls in behind the warriors as they approach the final room.
Cladissa gulps when the croc locks eyes on her and starts to push forward. Then thankfully Grommuk is there with a massive blow that draws its ire. Not sure how much more this thing can take but out of directly effective hexes, she brings up her crossbow and sends a bolt at it. __________________________
Cladissa keeps hexing the croc, this time making it easier to hit.
Cladissa winces when the crocodile throws off her hex and then chomps down on Nyugusk. She presses the magical assault, making eye contact with the massive beast as she assails its will to fight. She punctuates her attack with a fit of laughter.
Though she would like to back up even further away from the monstrous crocodile, Cladissa moves forward to bring her within hex range. She tries to warp its fortune against it to her comrades' favor.
Cladissa gulps and looks rather uncomfortable when she hears about Grommuk's ailment. Well, even if we have some time, we shouldn't waste it. Nyuguk, your concoction will run out soon, right? Let's see who's behind this door now, in case he means to do violence.
Cladissa stretches a bit, even dropping to all fours to arch her back, to work out the stiffness in her muscles. Standing back up, she smiles somewhat sheepishly at Argor. Nice spell. Very nice spell, she offers, but turns her attention quickly toward the door with the laughter behind it.
The creature's scream had froze Cladissa in place, leaving nothing but terror and her heart beating loudly in her chest as the others descended upon Grommuk. But after Nyugusk's claws rent one apart, she finds herself moving again, with one directly in front of her. She lets her crossbow clatter on the ground while reaching for her dagger. She uses her weapon to hold it at bay, but she still relies on her hexes.
Nervously, Cladissa moves into the space the enlarged Nyugusk vacated, peering into the room. Grommuk! On your left! Get that one! she shouts, while giving it the Evil Eye, lowering its defenses.
Fail. -2 to AC for 7 rounds.
Thank you! she thinks to call out after Saldek. She juggles the scrolls a bit as she looks them over after a quick casting of read magic. I'm pretty sure I can unlock the magics in these. This one is a much more powerful healing spell than I can cast. These two grant a greater vitality that are better used before combat on Grommuk. This one is dispel magic, which should, um, be self-explanatory. Something Saldek said comes back to her, and she brightens, looking to Argor. He said that cloth can bring Nigel back! That's good! Can you use it on this fellow here? she gestures to the unconscious Yannis.
Cladissa looks up from her examination as Grommuk rips off the cabinet door. Oh! Be careful and don't breathe the mist! It doesn't seem good for you, she warns as she looks around for some cloth to put around the former captive's mouth. If she can't, she rips a scrap from her own clothing to offer the person. Can you tell us what's happened here? She gives a stern look to Argor, a glance that conveys that yes-she's-perfectly-aware-of-what-was-happening-but-she's-hoping-to-hear-it -from-this-person-thank-you-very-much. She turns back and smiles sweetly to the captive.
Cladissa steps back to allow the orcs to work at the cabinet door. When Argor finds the cloth and begins his work deciphering the writings, she looks around and notices Hrimnagel limping a bit. She pulls out the wand from Argor's distracted hands and expends a charge -- even though it makes her shudder -- then puts it back in the wizard's possession. She suppresses a scowl when Argos mutters to himself over his breakthrough and doesn't share his findings, then turns to examine the scribe.
Cladissa realizes too late after the first scribe falls that they should try to spare their lives, if they're just the victims of a curse. She tries to get through Grommuk's battle rage. Grommuk! The humans just think they're apes! It's not their fault! Please don't kill them, just knock them out! She tries hexing the remaining scribe with her Evil Eye, lowering his ability to hit accurately, then cackles to extend her other hex. ___________________________ Fail, -2 to attacks for 7+1 rounds.
Argor, make sure the light is in here! Cladissa shouts as she moves into the office hallway, staying behind Grommuk. She blinks several times as the big orc swings his fists in a devastating arc. She then focuses her attention on the enemies past him, trying to hex the far ape to stymie their attacks on Hrimnagel, who appears to be hurt.
Cladissa looks up at Grommuk. The legends say it will be useful against our enemies. But don't worry. You're always useful against our enemies, she says ending with a genuine smile at the enlarged orc. She goes over to the entrance to the office and waits, listening for any sound of disturbance.
Cladissa's ears perk up -- literally -- when Argor mutters to himself. Did you say--? She moves over and looks at the exhibit. Is that one of the bone knives? That's great! Do you think Hrimnagel or Nyugusk would be the best one to use it?
Cladissa tries to ignore the sickly crawling sensation of her wound slowly stitching together. She pads lightly over to the door and refreshes her dancing lights. I'm out of spells that can heal, though I have a potion in case it gets bad. Let's try to keep it from getting bad again, huh? she smiles weakly, eyeing Grommuk who again took a brutal series of wounds.
I'm hurt, Cladissa offers. She grimaces as her hips ache briefly, but the pain subsides, though her wound still burns fiercely.
Yeah, I'm just going to keep cackling right now, since Evil Eye won't work on undead and Fortune would be a waste on my allies since it's once per day. So, go get 'em!
Cladissa continues to keep the misfortune against the undead, this time targeting the animated remains of the Qadiran warrior, and then bursting into a maddened cackle to extend the effects.
FAIL
Cladissa focuses on the proto-kellid, since it seems to be hitting hard and reliably. She bends probability against it, and succumbs to a fit of mad laughter.
Seeing -- or possibly only hearing -- the huge crack to the skull that Grommuk received, Cladissa slips away from her attacker and moves to assist him. While the pain from her wound burned fiercely, she knew she had to keep the hulking orc up and fighting if they were to prevail. _____________________________
Taking a last look at her familiar's yellow eyes glinting in the darkness outside, she turns and follows the others into the mists.
Cladissa moves into the first room, hanging behind the large form of Grommuk. She casts her eyes in all directions, peering through the mists.
|
