Ozz is unable to land a blow on Lord Charles of Amberglow. However, his axe easily cuts through the raven, dropping it's body to the ground.
As the dead raven hits the ground, the body immediately changes. A pelt of black feathers dissolves and loses its form, becoming a hide of red scales. The avian head dissolves into a melting, fiendish face. Within moments, the entire create has melted into a formless, red sludge.
Arcana or religion 8:
This is an Imp, the weakest kind of devil. They are known for enticing mortals toward acts of evil as a way of claiming the souls after they die. They are known to be able to turn invisible, change their form, and have a venomous sting. They have also been known to put themselves in service of wizards as familiars to further corrupt the wizard.
The ice elemental lashes out at Grellik, but is unable to get through the knight's defenses.
Saying a prayer, Trissae readies her blade. Amberglow's hand crackles with electricity as he faces the fury of invisible blades.
"You will not survive again!" Amberglow hisses, the energy sheathing his hand doubling in size as he burns a greater spell-slot than required.
He points his finger to target the adjacent wizard. Trissae's sword responds, pulling toward the energy being cast out of Amberglow. With an overhead yank, the lightning is pulled upward to arc over the bogshark swordsman, diverting its path toward stone wall.
... hands wraps around Trissae from behind, closing over Trissae's hands, gripping the sword with her as one. Delicate, feminine hands mirroring Trissae's own in shade. A body presses against her back in an embrace, and with a dancer's grace Trissae's body is twisted into a sudden, dramatic twirl.
The lightning is pulled further off its course, and avoids colliding with the wall by inches. It crackles across the right side of the room in an erratic curl toward the bottom wall. But the dancing duet continues its twirl, two pairs of hands gripping tightly the enchanted sword, pulling the lightning along a tighter and tighter path.
Trissae finds herself released from this form, a laughter melting through the air, and facing the Vessel of Chaos. The lightning just avoids hitting another wall, curls inward and heads on its new path down the line directed by the blessed blade.
The lightning bolt, once meant for Adrien instead collides with Bowl, transferring 47 points of lightning damage, of an elemental energy differing from the fire already growing within, to the Bowl.
The fire inside diminishes, the energy being drawn to the runes as well. The ethereal flames igniting the ghastly, skeletal being reduce, and Amberglow curses in a language native to the 9 hells.
Adrien:
The lightning energy added to the Bowl drinking in souls touched by Fire halts the flow of souls into the bowl. At least for now, the spirits being drawn in have halted. However it will only be for a matter of time.
ROUND 6 - The ice on the ground has melted into slush. No terrain penalties.
Adrien <-----
Trissae <-----
Ozz <-----
Grellik <-----
Ice Elemental
Frostheight (FROZEN)
Amberglow
Familiar (Dead)
The quarentine and lay-off has gotten my schedule all messed up. You'd think having more time would make it easier for me to post, and not harder, but here we are.
I'll try to set aside my projects to find time to do a worthy post in the near future. Sorry again for the delay, this one is totally on me!
Huzzah!
I'll try to get a post up soon, guys :)
I'm not sure if I'm interpreting your post correctly, though, Triss. First of all, awesome timing to bring back the Divine Plea mechanic! I am excited to work with that roll.
However, I'm not sure what you mean by neutralizing Earth/Acid, as Fire is the current growing element within the Vessel of Chaos. I think Adrien's post may have misled you a bit, as he was speaking on how, eventually, Acid will be the next element on the chopping block to be used for Amberglow's purposes.
However however, You've bit into the elemental polarity inversion mechanic, and I really want to work with this. Also, using your sword is a bit perfect, because I had actually prepared Amberglow to Throw out a Lightning Bolt in the very near future.
I can see a couple of options here. 1, desperation lightning bolt. Amberglow picks his favorite offensive spell, Lightning Bolt, in a moment of desperation even if the line-up isn't as perfect as he'd like. The draws the bolt to the bowl in a fluke 1-in-a-hundred (Divine plea) to affect the bowl in... SOME positive manner, though not as effective as if his by a properly powerful Cold spell.
Or, you could switch your action to invoke some frosty spell or effect, though I'm not sure what that would be. It'll likely be successful (because divine plea) and more effective for the Points of Damage it could cause than the lightning's equivalent.
Or we could do the lightning-bolt thing! I totally have an idea for this, so don't let me dissuade you if you'd like to lean into this clutch, imperfect, last-moment Hail-Mary! I just want to make sure that you know all of the details, regarding the Vessel being on Fire currently, before committing to the bit. I wouldn't want to play something out different how you have it in your head on this one.
HMM! Yeah, the target validity is a little bit messy, as the entity exists in the Ethereal plain. Normally they aren't targetable. However, since I'm having the magic burning off of Amberglow's body reveal the thing, I'm going to rule Wishy Washy Magicy precedent and say that there is some connection usable via this exceptional, artifact induced medium.
Lightning lashes out of Grellik's hand, wrapping around the deathly specter's shadowy and skeletal form. It's head snaps around to face Grellik as its hands cling inside of Amberglow's body, the wizard grinning up at it hatefully with clenched teeth while Grellik intercedes.
In a deep, woman's voice carried in the air from the ethereal plain by along with a shrill, feminine scream, the specter speaks.
"MEAT! INTERLOPER! THIS SOUL IS OWED TO US!!" It's skeletal mouth falls open, revealing a shrunken head with sewn shut eyes within. IT is the source of the specter's voice. It's shirveled lips move in a macabre croak as one hand releases the wizard and points to the bugbear. "GIVE. US. YOUR. NAME." it demands, its grip remaining on Amberglow, though weakened.
OH! The investiture stone you got from Trissae. Tis FIRE, correct? Grimgar had the Stone stone. LINK TO THE SPELL FOR REFERENCE
It's been a while, so I'm checking in, folks!
For clarity's sake, it is currently the turn of Ozz, Adrien, Grellik and Trissae. I figured you could all go, basically at once, as nothing separates you from the monsters' turn. I know this is different from how I have been running things, but it seems like a good time saver, considering play by post can be slow :)
We'll still consider things working roughly out in terms of init orders, but I see no reason why we can't all just post, and then I'll post the monster's turn.
I'll wait for a bit with Ozz still, but Grellik and Trissae's turn are both up, Adrien having already acted at the top.
Sorry for the lateness, y'all! I hope you're having fun :) I am, there's just a lot of moving parts. This scene is a bit ambitious O u O
Grellik chops into the ice elemental with his great sword, the chiming notes weak and tilted as the magic blade fails to find purchase and skims off of the hard bodied creature.
It then lays forward with its icy fists, straight toward the center of the bugbear knight. Grellik gestures and incantates and his magical armed arm appears over him and before the blows, but the crushing strength pushes Grellik's defenses back, overwhelming him.
Crit on its first attack, just matches Grellik's Shield AC with the second attack. ... But he is bloodied, so his sword is active, giving him +1 more AC
The first punch cracks into Grellik's ribs with a crunch, cracking ribs. Grellik, Take 19 bludgeoning CRIT damage
A second fist comes in straight afterward while he's off balance, but right before it can impact with his body, Grellik's sword hand comes around and parry's the fist's path away from Grellik's exposed chest, deflecting harmlessly off of Grellik's armored shoulder.
I rolled the damage just to see, it would have downed Grellik. Glad the sword is coming in useful! I always love it when a +1 bonus suddenly comes in perfectly clutch. xD
Amberglow appears seriously injured, but still stands.
ROUND 4 - The ground is now Icy, and is difficult terrain. You can make a DC 14 acrobatics check as part of movement to negate this effect.
Adrien
Trissae
Ozz
Grellik <-----
Ice Elemental
Frostheight
Amberglow
Familiar
Grellik's sword let's out a gentle hum in the same tone as the pain of his injuries. The sword's weight begins to shift in Grellik's hands, weighing itself toward the nearest threat, to help intercept blows.
Frostheight, Adrien and Grellik are able to muscle their way out of the realm of the sphere, preventing themselves from getting drawn into the orb. Adrien and Grellik do so easily, though Frostheight just barely escapes his fate.
"Of COURSE I'm worried about AMBERGLOW." Frostheight groans, ripping his eyes away from Ozz to stare down his master.
Suddenly, the bird appears snapping at the back of Frostheight's head, Grellik's swing just barely missing the invisible creature.
"Hells-b#++&!" Frostheight yelps, one hand falling back to his bloodied neck.
"It's... It's got some VENOM in its bite! My neck burns!" He grits his teeth, drawn between his master and familiar."This is no ordinary-.."
He's cut off as the room suddenly flash freezes from the energy pouring out of the Bowl. Everything except those drawing power from It, that is.
Around Amberglow and the Raven, the room turns bright. WHITE and then BLUE bleeds out like a brilliant beacon from It. Ozz and the Elemental are likewise unaffected, though their colors match the light.
Adrien:
The first wave of souls have been drawn into the Bowl. Everyone imbued with Ice in the city above, used as fuel. No more come, and the furnace of power flares.
---------------
The runes on the ground before the Bowl BRIM with energy, and the white/blue blind from the bowl suddenly ends to leave the room frozen in sheets of ice. All is coated by heavy sheets of ice, except for those who stood apart from its sudden burn. And Trissae, concealed with in the ball of water, who is now simply encased within a ball of water with a frozen exterior.
Frostheight, Grellik, Adrien are flash frozen.
39 POINTS OF COLD DAMAGE (If this reduces you to 0 HP, you are petrified) howls out of the bowl, Incapacitating everyone in its Icy path, the walls and floor coated in ice. (wait for it, boys...)
Lord Charles of Amerglow cracks his neck, doing a small circle with his head in the moment of sudden silence. The runes shine before him, filled with great power, just feet away from him. He only stood outside of the runes to get a clear shot with his water-orb line up. He chuckles briefly.
And... notices that the orc hasn't stopped moving. He tilts his head, looking at him with sudden surprise, noticing that he's shifting his weight easily in his stance off with the ice elemental. Heck, even within the orb of ice, the Drow within cast a shadow moving easily within.
... And ice sheets begin to slough off of two more of the figures, their body temperature not dropping fast enough to give good purchase for the ice.
Grellik and Adrien are NOT incapacitated, and take only half damage. However, the touch of frost has been placed within them. They are now vulnerable to fire damage until they take a long rest (as well as having colder than normal bodies).
Adrien bursts out of a frozen shape of himself hanging in the air, invisible to all as the nothing within the ice suddenly begins slicing into Lord Charles of Amberglow.
Lord Frostheight stands nearby as blood flies, totally encased in ice. Immobile, his hand frozen at the back of his neck, the large, black (apparently venom beaked) bird landing on his head and looking at the cracking sculptures of Bogsharks.
Embers begin to glow within the Bowl, the next cycle beginning already. Warm light shimmers out of the glow of the glass as new fuel begins to power the Bowl, the Vessel of Chaos. Fire light flickers within the frozen room.
The frozen orb, sits on the ground, no longer hovering above.
Trissae, locked in the icy sphere is a slightly different beast than before. Instead of having to make the usual save to get out, either enough damage or a successful acrobatics check can crack the orb and spill you out.
Amberglow is crisscrossed with nearly fatal wounds, his unnatural vigor giving him keen, bright eyes even as he grimaces in pain, wounds oozing blood. His raven lets out a horrific shrieking KEEEEEEEAWWW!!!
ROUND 4 - The ground is now Icy, and is difficult terrain. You can make a DC 14 acrobatics check as part of movement to negate this effect.
Adrien
Trissae <-----
Ozz
Grellik
Ice Elemental
Frostheight
Amberglow
Familiar
DM Notes:
Ice elemental: -23 HP
Amberglow - Down 114 life.
Spells used:
1 level 6
1 level 4
1 level 3
1 level 1
Reaction spent on held action (To time his orb with his bird)
Frostheight=Hella Petrified, he took like 62 damage in one round.
Bolstered by Trissae, Grellik slams his sword into the ice elemental again and again, his greatsword chiming in irregular notes as it connects. The first blow cracks the elemental's icy body somewhat, but the next is less effective.
The elemental half turns away from Ozz to send an icy fist at Grellik. Despite being a heavy blow, the impact is absorbed by the bugbear knight's heavy armor and only succeeds in pushing him back slightly while jarring his bones. A second fist comes around to join the first in trying to crack Grellik's shell, and amounts to the same, insignificant effect.
It glowers, frost wafting off of its body in thin mist as the light from the Bowl increases.
Woah, check out the formatting of Adrien's dice rolls.
Is there some auto-advantage feature? The final number at the end of each line appears, on first glance, to be the highest total of both rolls on that line.
Suddenly, the black raven appears out of nowhere from out of magical invisibility, biting at Grellik. However, his magical Shield intercedes and protects him from the creature.
Grellik, the spell is technically countered before you have a chance to spend your bardic inspiration die, so you still have that.
The ice element grows into it's finishes state, large, and build from shards of ice. Looming in the room, its head scraping gently at the ceiling, the elemental turns toward Grellik as he faces off with Amberglow, and begins swinging large fists.
Attack 1 of 2, HIT. Going to assume a SHIELD spell from Grellik here, as you've been hit by the first of two big-ass ice attacks.
The first blow is suddenly stopped by the materialization of a magical shield, conjured by Grellik, and sticks around to stop the second blow as well. Icy fists crunch and thump against the magical shield, but are unable to reach their bugbeary target.
Trissae gets inside of the ice wall, alone with the old man within as he stands within the runework, drawing power from the bowl with his eyes closed as his wounds begin to close.
Then, she casts, a spell, and the ice wall enclosing the old man dematerializes back into its base arcane components, and vanishes. However, cold air still blows from the Bowl, chilling the room as it feeds into the still-forming ice elemental.
Trissae: You're taking cover from Amberglow behind the bowl? As you get near it, you can tell that close proximity to the bowl in its current state will require a con save to prevent some Cold damage on the start of your next turn. Proceed, or change your positioning?
Borked your own eyes indeed. You reach into your curse and black ink bleeds over your eyes. As it does so, shadow and light vanish as that is no longer the medium by which your vision is painted. You look at the world, removed from the reflections of torch light, and peer into the ethereal.
Hundreds of swirling spirits, stretched like wire, pull into the burning bright bowl within the ice wall from all directions above. Throughout the city, countless writhing souls of those affected by the Bowl's curse are being drawn and sucked into the Chaos Vessel like ore and coal to a furnace.
And out of the Bowl... Out of the Bowl blows cold from another world, gusting out and into the world through the ethereal plane. The energy burning in the Bowl within the ethereal is all the brighter than on the matereal. It's captivating, just on the edge of blinding, and the power can be see clearly drawn through the elaborate runes drawn by the old man within the ice, and into his body.
... A body wreathed by a looming, black form. This form appeared like no other that Adrien has seen in Yartar during the fiasco, no elemental look to it, nothing like a dazer or even like the picture drawn by Feng of the creature with many eyes.
No, this looming form is more like artistic representations of spirits of death, skeletal and wreathed in necrotic blackness... And its cracked bone form has its skeletal hands wrapped around the old man's form, sucking energy from him even as the old man drinks from the energy of the bowl.
It is clear by watching the flow of blinding energy that the old man at the center of the ice wall is using the power of the Souls of Yartar, smelted by the furnace of the Bowl and processed by his arcane runes, to affect this grim form clinging to him.... And it seems to be working. The heat of the energy of the Bowl is burning at the hands of the Cursed Wraith, ebbing and sizzling at its dark mantel.
You can feel tears welling in your eyes from the near blinding sight of the energies swirling through this room, and black tar seeps slowly from your tear ducts and down your cheeks.
Trissae: Please roll me a spellcasting check:
"For each spell of 4th level or higher on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 10 + the spell’s level. On a successful check, the spell ends."
The spell is higher than 4th level, so you'll have to make a check to attempt to dispel it.
Trissae enters the room just in time to not see Adrien loose an arrow and then Teleport (because of invisibility...), and then the sounds of battle comes from the other side of the wall.
Trissae hits Adrien with an invisibility spell and he descends first down the staircase and then into the room past some barrels. Seeing the old man (Described above. Anyone who sees the old man can make the history and arcana checks above, including but not limited to Adrien)
Adrien- Let's call it... 2 rounds to first get into place and have the left over actions to do your full attack. you have 8 rounds left on your Greater invis. Please track this time remaining on your future posts.
He unlooses a teleportation arrow taken from Sapphire's supplies and fires it at her betrayer and delayed murderer. The arrow nears the man before the glass Bowl, and ripples as if passing through protective energies. Despite deflecting just a little, the arrow strikes the old man and Adrien teleports invisibly to his side.
Drawing blades, Adrien unleashes a tide of slashes. The old man begins trying to defend himself, but his movements are slowed, surprised. Still, Adrien can tell that the man is swift, nimble, and magically protected. In the end, Adrien scores many blows on him. Despite his aged stature and clearly non-athletic build, Adrien is surprised to find that the man still looks full of fight. Clearly he has some training behind his frame.
DM notes:
Amberglow: -50 HP
Amberglow Init:1d20 ⇒ 4+bonuses
The other sharks are not far behind.
Trissae, Let's say you can act in the surprise round with Adrien, but Grellik, Ozz, and Frostheight will be delayed one round.
Distance wise, let's say that the first square at the base of the stairs (bottom of the map) will take 20 feet to get to, with further distance possibly used for positioning. Trissae, since you had another round to prepare with Adrien, you could have moved before you acted in the surprise round.
Hmmm... I think I need clarification. I think I misread it the first time.
Trissae and Adrien plan to sneak on ahead once Frostheight points to the correct door, and Trissae will cast invis on Adrien before sneaking on ahead (Oh, and after giving Ozz 1 or 2 healing pots?).
During this time, Grellik is hanging back with Ozz and having a last few words with Frostheight before they follow. This is will likely to a situation where Adrien will physically begin combat before the lingering 3 are down the stairway?
Does that sound good to everyone? If so, Trissae, please declare your first round of actions after Adrien opens fire (From invisibility) on the following person:
Standing before a glass bowl the size of a table which glows with energy, is an old man. He stands tall, his eyes lit with supernatural energy as he gestures at the bowl. He is richly dressed, like a nobleman. The fabric he wears appear of finer quality than even Frostheight's, and the hand opposite of his walking stick bears several rings on wrinkled fingers.
Runes melt off of his walking stick's tip, flowing with his arcane words toward the bowl. Suddenly the bowl turns blue, and the temperature in the room drops dramatically. The heat of the man's breath curls from his lips like clouds as he chants, and energy begins to flow from the bowl, down a series of runes and to the mage's feet.
Arcana 12:
It appears as if he is drinking power from the bowl through his elaborate rune work. Though for what end is still mysterious, this person appears to be converting the power gathered up by the bowl for his own ends.
History 10:
The old man is Lord Charles of Amberglow, the aging aide to Yartar's Waterbaron. The 2nd most powerful person in the city, just beneath Keldorna, the Waterbaron herself. It is common gossip that he has been growing unwell for over a year, now.
"SIR! There are too many coming over the walls!" Silvers shouts, trotting her horse to the other side of the walled yard to knock out a ice-frosted dazer before it could reach the injured Burke, who swung feebly with one of his short spears. His side bleedsfrom wound made by a burst of lightning.
"F&#!!" Wen shouts, pushing a dazer back with his shield to gain enough time to crane his neck around and seeing the problem. "This isn't working!They'll just overwhelm us from this position, we need to push them away from the walls or else the building is compromised!"
"Could we take cover inside of the mansion, Sir?"
"No way! Those elementals will tear right through it!" Rast objects. "That fire one lit that little house up! If we take shelter inside of the mansion and they reach the building, the fire ones will burn it down, and the walls will get knocked down by ice and acid!"
"Could we just let them, then? If the mansion gets brought down, maybe whoever is working this storm will die to."
"Gods damn it." Wen shouts at the sky, standing shoulder to shoulder with Farlyse and Braga and trying to hold the mouth."Can't let them die. Our mission isn't the kill the bad guy, it's to turn this blasted bowl off!"
"S#!@." Swears Torea. "We're going to have to push them out of our bottle neck, aren't w-"
"ALRIGHT MEN!" Wen roars over the rain, wind and lightning. "We push out into the streets! Silvers, Farlyse, Braga, Rast and Caira! Push out into the street at the right. Everyone else that isn't injured or dead, we take the left. MARVIN! WITH ME!"
Together they begin to make an effort to push out, knocking out dazers left and right. A few errant bolts and spells kill who could have been saved, but no opportunity was allowed to do otherwise. The cost for being too gentle was too high. As they started sweeping into the streets to clear the wall, Wen's shouts could be heard over the melee.
"F&%+ THE GODS!" "F~$! THE GODS!" his team shouts back in response, smiles momentarily touching their lips as the push through on grim gallows humor.
Heh, Just to clarify Adrien, are your intentions to go on ahead an shoot the limping man before Frostheight can engage him? Gotta see how accurate Grellik's prediction was xD
Trissae, I believe that is correct. I don't think anyone has used those potions. If I remember right, those were standard healing potions in disguise as greater healing potions (Counterwit work). roll 2d4+2 for each potion you'd like to feed him before venturing on
Resolve any preparations still hanging, such as the Trissae enchantment, and any potential healing for Ozz, as well as participating below
AFTER PREPARATIONS
Frostheight leads Grellik, Adrien, Trissae and Ozz to a doorway in the next room, and opens the door with a key he has. It swings open revealing a dark, stone staircase descending for 15 feet before light can be seen at the landing from the room beyond.
Frostheight leads the way down, with the sharks sneaking in tow. As they descend, the sounds of murmuring can be heard in the air, and a pink and white glow from beyond mixes with torchlight.
The landing at the end of the staircase is a fairly large opening filled with a couple of desks (one covered in papers and the other in a make-shift arcane lab), and a bunch of barrels and crates. Two torches burn in a wall segment between two openings into a far room, the segment all of the barrels and crates are pushed up against. The murmuring, and pink and white glowing is emerging from the far room, which appears much bigger than this portion through the two doorways arches looking into it.
In the left doorway stands a wooden rack with coat, hat, and curious raven upon it. With its black eyes on Lord Frostheight, the nobleman gives the group a look and appears to be planning on walking forward toward one of the openings to go speak with Lord Amberglow, were no one else to take advantage of the initiative and beat him to it.
Consider yourselves at the bottom of the staircase for the purpose of moving. There is sufficient cover here to move forward into the room, or to examine details, without having to roll an additional stealth check.
I roll for HP all the time now, basically every character. I'm below by a few points from the average for one character, and above for another. Both feel more unique to me though, and I like the adventure of rolling and all the little newnesses that can bring to gaming :)
Leveling up looks good, y'all. Trissae, unsure if you're asking me a straight question or not, but I have no issues with you learning Raise Dead.
Farlyse enters into the room to try and lay eyes on her lord, but is unable to see him. From the doorway, a single lyre note reverberates out to join the piano.
Adrien can tell what square Frostheight is standing in now, the man is no longer hidden. However, with his form invisible to eye, he has the benefit of full concealment.
Adrien looks down at his wounds, and while they pain him, he notices little blood. A shallow slash on his forearm, about 5 inches long looks more like a wound in dead flesh than in a living arm.
Frostheight didn't get through the Temp HP granted by Sapphires possession xD. He was not rolling so hot. You're good.
Adrien, you are of course able to function again, Sapphire has retreated back within. Your curse is now lying dormant, and you not be at risk of it until you have finished a long rest.
I think I'm going to drop initiative order, with the condition that I'll jerk it right back into place if there is any additional combat occurring.
Grellik calls out to Marr for information, and approaches the piano.
There are a few sheets of paper resting above the keys, containing the glyphs which, for those proficient, can be deciphered into how to play music with the piano's keys. Edges of silver inlay can be seen in the wood of the piano behind the pages, mostly obscured.
Beneath, the keys play on their own, drifting music melodiously through the building without a single errant note.
Adrien touches Grellik, his mother floating across the floor, both hands outstretched, mouth open in an impossibly wide scream.
"NOO!! HE MUST DIE! HEEEEE MUUUUUUUUUST DIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-" Her voice rips through the air as Sapphire's spirit tries to prevent it from happening.
But she isn't fast enough, and the boy touches Grellik and the dream fades. Grellik and Adrien reorient into their bodies as Sapphire's wraith slowly fades from around the human.
Adrien's muscles are sore, as if from overuse. As are Grellik's, his hands gripping Adrien and preventing his body from moving even while in a dream. His unconscious form had exerted itself to prevent Adrien's from getting away, driven by a ghost.
Sounds re-enter their senses dully, audio booming in the backgrounds of their heads, Ozz's barks at Dolson slowly sinking into their consciousnesses.
Trissae- Percept/Insight check, 14 or higher:
The ghostly apparition around Adrien is slowly starting to fade.
Grellik can act in the real world after Trissae responds to the scene!
ROUND 3, continued!
Adrien and Grellik get to take their action this round still, and Trissae can react to what she's observed inside of the mansion before round 4 begins.
Trissae and Farlyse enter the mansion, heading deeper in to their mutual companions.
Lets say it takes 1 full round of movement to return to the dining room/piano room to observe what transpires here. You won't be able to take actions, but please speak freely. You'll be able to resume taking actions for round 4. consider yourselves anywhere in the mansion UP to the threshhold to the piano room where you can see in but aren't technically in it yet.
Adrien stands in the center of the room, a wraith-like shadow enveloping his body, a sword in each hand. Long tendrils of smoke float upward from his head like hair floating in a sea of blood, and a ghastly, woman's face (Sapphire's rictus glare the Drow observed when the assassin died in the alleyway) is turned around unnaturally to face directly at Grellik who stands behind Adrien, while holding the swordsman in place. Both Adrien and Grellik look to be in a trance as they face away from the doorway.
No worries! It happens. Speaking of which, sorry for the week delay. It was a burnout week for me, but I'm just entering the summer season so I should have more time/energy to get in some DMin'! Sorry for my own delays, when they happen!
Seeing confused familiarity, young Adrien rushes to the aide of the hulking goblin in his family's home as his mother rushes the monstrous humanoid with a wraith-like wrath.
Together, the two are able to wrestle and push Adrien's mother back, who glides backward across the floor on feet sliding inches above the floor, bare feet dripping dark-red pitch beneath the end of her dress.
Grellik implores Adrien to leave with him, and in his physical being is the path out of this place, out of this bad dream.
"Adrien! You are no longer a Mareschal! For what you have done, there's no other option. Be banished, child, and never curse this family with your arrogance again!"
Adrien's father points an outstretched arm at finger at the exit to the mansion, toward Adrien's eventual future. His arm is outstretched toward a nearby door, which swings open casting in twisting shadows and pouring, blood-red rain.
------
