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How much more can this thing take?, Larachelle wonders silently as the enemy recovers from her spell and proceeds to land a serious blow on Arabella. She reels from the sight of the attack, but is comforted by the sight of Orchid already there to help bring the Chelaxian back to her feet. With that, Larachelle casts another fire spell before retreating away from the undead's reach. ,
Larachelle smiles triumphantly when her spells fades and leaves behind a stunned enemy. Following up from the color spray she casts another fire projectile, hoping that the party's combined assault will be enough to finish off the undead knight before it can snap back to its senses. ,
"Now is not the time for my spells to fail me! Well, if fire doesn't cut it... here goes nothing!" Larachelle darts deeper into the hallway, stopping just short of the skeletal champion's reach. She takes a deep breath and light begins to coalesce around the tip of her staff, before bursting forward in a prismatic flash of colours. "Be dazzled by my light!"
Moving to the corner of the room to get a better view of the battlefield, Larachelle quickly conjures up a bolt of fire and sends it at the skeleton flanked by Bunnit. ,
"I appreciate the advice, but letting loose a hungry, untamed bear, sound rather... risky." Beyond the secret door, Larachelle peers into the corridors on each side, shining torchlight into the dark hallways. "Maybe we should've asked what we can expect to find in each of the chambers here. Should we check these branches out, or go straight for those," Larachelle asks, pointing at the three doors on the other end of the wide hallway.
"Never got around to studying Goblin, no," Larachelle replies, growing slightly red at the face. "There's surprisingly few books on the subject, for such a common and useful language. You bet there was no shortage of Draconic learning material though."
...oh my, never heard anyone pronounce Norgorber with a soft "g" before... "Oh, I get it now, Calmont." Larachelle smiles with relief as the captive goblin escapes the halfling's grip, realizing that the poor shopkeper's assistant is now mostly harmless. "You took some, shall I say, unnecessarily inconsiderate steps about it, but what you're really looking to do is become an adventurer!" The wizard places her hands on her hips, and her green-and-white robes seem to flutter gently in the wind all of a sudden. "There's plenty of hidden treasures waiting to be found and mysteries waiting to be solved around the world; and when you've got the right mindset for it, it can provide you both with material wealth and a trove of stories to tell, too! But there's really no need to hurt innocents or steal or commit arson to get there. Enough treasure for everyone, you just have to know where to look!"
Larachelle has a few moments to take in the mesmerizing view from her advantageous position before recognizing the hostage situation unfolding before her. Though she is prepared to draw her staff and blast the bookseller's apprentice if need rises, she manages to catch on to Arabella's line. "Why, Mr. Calmont, how incredulously rude! To say that I, Larachelle the Dazzling, your favorite and most adoring customer, should deserve to burn in a fire; that truly is nigh unforgivable, even to a gentle, kind, and loving lady such as I! I know you didn't mean it, so I'll gracefully give you one chance to reconsider your words, should you wish to." Larachelle turns up her nose, keeping her eyes on the halfling, before adding, "though you may call me a do-gooder once again. That was nice to hear."
"Ugh... Mr. Twiddleton, please be careful! I, Larach--ah, no time for this. Here I go!" From her safe vantage point by the wall, Larachelle attempts to burn out the monster once again. ,
"What do you mean, 'whatever this thing is'? It's a Grauladon! Don't you trust my memory of my parents' stories?"
Larachelle flinches backward when the creature approaches the party, but reflexively blocks her nose when it activates its smelly breath. "Gods, father wasn't lying, that really does stink!" As the smell fades, Larachelle quickly sends out a fiery bolt to follow up on Valda's arrows, before stepping back to avoid the Grauladon's snapping jaws. ,
"...a Grauladon! They're like very distant cousins of Dragons and Drakes, if I recall correctly. Very territorial creatures, and they guard the corpses of their prey like a dragon would treasures! I wouldn't be surprised if it considers the goblins trespassers upon its territory... got to wonder how, and when, it arrived here, though." Ranks slinks up to the top of Larachelle's head and stands up like a lookout, watching over the Grauladon. "If we have to get close, we'd best watch out for its breath. My father said it made him more sick than the scent of a rotten jackal corpse in the Mwangi."
Larachelle peers over the heads of the halflings and out through the gate, listening closely for the noises coming from up ahead. The sight of the ruined courtyard would be almost scenic if it weren't foreboding and eerie, though the dreamlike atmosphere is pierced by the intimidating crocodilian figure standing in the middle.
"Oh, my parents have described a creature just like this one in one of their tales! It was... it was, um..."
When it indeed seems that the skeletons have been taken care of, Larachelle steps carefully towards the cells, picking up a bone and inspecting it as she does. She was lucky the undead enemies didn't attempt to hit her this time, but a more intelligent enemy might find the unarmored mage an easy target; and what would she do then? "Do you think the goblins knew they have some animated skeletons lurking around their fortress?", she asks to take her mind off the sudden bout of fear. "Could these be from the days of the Hellknights?"
Larachelle looks at the scorched pile of bones, half surprised with the damage she herself inflicted, before snapping back to the matter at hand. "I'd love to help with the archer at the back, but there's a skeleton in my way. Ah shoot," she mutters as another one of her flaming bolts goes wide. ,
As the first skeleton falls, Larachelle realizes her safe hiding spot is too far from the fray to be of any use. Steeling herself, she leaps over the counter and conjures a bolt of fire to sear the skeleton. ,
"They sure look like skeletons!", Larachelle cries, taking cover behind a counter. "Hold them back, Arabella, I'll figure something out!" Larachelle squints as she looks at the living bones approaching her party. Skeletons, skeletons, how do you deal with those?
After making sure no one was hurt by her stray fire spell, Larachelle follows the party into the ransacked room. Before she can begin to inspect the wreckage, she notices two tiny canine heads pop out of a mess of blankets. "Oh, little puppies! Ahem--worry not, helpless puppies; I, Larachelle the Dazzling, have arrived to save you from the big bad wolf!" After hearing Arabella, though, Larachelle's expression darkens a little. Maybe the little puppies did not need saving after all.
To distract herself from the pangs of guilt, the mage starts going through some drawers, hoping to find something of interest. "Take a look, Arabella - I found this book that might interest you. Looks like some Hellknight Order protocols and how they relate to the law in Cheliax. And there's a dedication to the Lictor of the order, too!"
"What's that, a speaking wolf? I'm sure I have something for those..."
"If you could just get out of the way, though; I can't see the speaking wolf!" Trying to aim through the crowded doorway, Larachelle raises her staff and chants a few magic words, causing a small flame to spring out of her right arm. She swings it in a wide arc and attempts to hurl the fire at the wolf, to the best of her ability. ,
"You can keep the scrolls, Orchid. Not to brag, but I have access to a grand array of spells already, thanks to my studies and this staff!" Larachelle follows closely behind Arabella as she goes to inspect the books, but stops herself when the Chelaxian turns to her. "Ah, yes. We cannot delay now. Though I will say, diving into a Hellknight Order's library sounds thrilling..."
"Oh, just don't do anything hasty, everyone," Larachelle says worriedly as she trails behind the group, "these could be the goblins' pets for all we know." When the two reunite, she lets the ferret slip back up her legs and into her backpack.
"These doors do seem awfully rusty," Larachelle quietly confirms as she draws her staff. Though only faintly, she hears what sounds like a whining dog on the other side of the goods; and though she's always glad to help an injured animal, "I'd heard one too many tales about awful monsters that lure you by mimicking cries for help. Do we want to, maybe, look for an alternative way in? One that wouldn't force us to announce our presence?... as much as I enjoy announcing my presence," she blushes. "Oh, I know! Ranks," she says as the ferret climbs up her back and onto her shoulder, "how would you like to go on a scouting mission? Just pop in there, take a look, and come back!"
Dismounting off her steed, Larachelle stretches and jumps straight to action inspecting the doors to the keep. Her parents had told her tales of this citadel and others like it, and of their many quests alongside and against various Hellknight orders, but this was her first time actually seeing the old keep up close. "The doors are ajar. Doesn't look like they've seen much use lately, and no one bothered to lock them. I agree," she nods at Arabella, "I'd rather camp indoors than outdoors, and by the look of things it doesn't seem that the goblins--or anything else, for that matter, hang around the entrance too often."
Larachelle safely stows away the group's supply of gold in one of her pouches and thanks Greta with a wide grin. She then turns to Orchid, hearing the poppet's request, and presses her finger to her chin. "Oh, if transportation is an issue, I'm sure we could rent some horses and ponies from my family's stables. My brothers will provide us only with the strongest and bravest steeds, guaranteed! And perhaps we should hurry," she continues. "We don't want to give the perpetrator time to escape, of course."
Caught off-guard while wiping soot off her white and green robes, Larachelle quickly straightens up and clears her throat as she puts on her best, most radiant, most welcoming smile. "Let any trace of worry vanish from your heart, friends! I, Larachelle the Dazzling, am here to answer the Call for Heroes, investigate this curious affair, and deliver us and the Bramblebashers from all troubles!" She bows deeply before Council President Gardania. I did remember to hand that application in, right? She then takes a few moments to take a look at the faces and builds of those whom she will be joining in this journey. "So you will be my fellowship, yes? I knew you were the heroes-to-be Breachill needed the moment I laid eyes on you! Oh, the stories they'll write of our exploits: the daring feats, the sweeping romances, the tragic deaths; cross that last one off, actually! And anyway," she continues slightly more seriously as a striped ferret manifests out of her backpack, "there's a long road before the name Larachelle the Dazzling becomes known in every household, and it starts on Hellknight Hill..." Realizing that she'd gotten carried away in monologuing again, Larachelle finishes, "what I mean is, Ranks and I will happily lend you our aid."
Larachelle notices Orchid tie a wet rag to her face and her eyes light up. Oh, I was in such a rush, I didn't even stop to think about the smoke! Not very brilliant of you, Larachelle! The mage pulls a piece of light blue cloth from her belt pouch and mutters a few magic words, causing it to become damp. She then ties it around her nose and prepares to help with the buckets when the water starts pouring in.
"Lift on three - one, two, three! Ah, there we go, join your parents, kids!" Larachelle continues to help struggling townspeople on the western side of the room, though still keeping a close eye on the fire. "I see just a few more stuck here. Get a water line ready while we get these last ones free."
Larachelle happily shows off her staff's capabilities to any excited onlookers by generating some harmless sparks or flashing lights. "Worry not, children of the realm! I, Larachelle the Dazzling, have arrived!" Though she very much enjoys the attention, she quickly notices the worried-looking goblin pacing amongst the crowd, and overhears her mumble about the Bramblebasher tribe and the citadel in which they reside. She doesn't approach the goblin just yet, seeing that a few of the friends she met earlier at the Wizard's Grace have already turned their attention to the distressed lady, but bears it in mind for the upcoming Call for Heroes discussions. "Oh oh, no touching!," she fends off a curious girl who took advantage of her momentary distraction. "This staff is very dangerous. But also completely safe," she quickly adds, with a reassuring smile, at the sight of a nearby parent. When she turns back to look at the goblin, she is nowhere to be seen. How curious. When the time comes, Larachelle is among the first to enter the meeting hall. She takes a seat at the front of the room, smiling brightly at the five council members. As more and more citizens filter into the room, she shifts excitedly in her seat, ogling each of them curiously. When she hears the sharp sound of council president Gardania's gavel, she immediately straightens up and turns her attention to the stern woman. Right, Warbal Bramblebasher, that was her name, Larachelle muses as the goblin presents her plea. She doesn't have much time for musing, though, as the meeting is soon interrupted. A fire?! Larachelle immediately springs up from the bench, rushing up to the raised stage where, combined with her above-average height, she can get a good view of the chamber to assess the situation.
The door to the Wizard's Grace opens ever so slightly, allowing a deep green eye to peer inside. Oh, good! Getting prepared took so long, I was sure I'd be late for stew! The door quietly closes and a second or two pass before it swings wide, revealing the form of a tall young woman, her neat golden braid swinging around from the force of the flourish. She steps inside confidently, careful not to scratch the walls or furniture with the birch staff tied to her backpack. "Shining morning, friends! I, Larachelle the Dazzling, have arrived. Sorry to have kept you waiting!" She strides into the tavern and looks around, twirling her hair as she does. It's even emptier than I thought. Where is everyone? Could I be early? What time is it, again? Ah, nevermind. "Hello there, Mr. and Mrs. Twiddleton, so good to see you! Are the little ones answering the Call for Heroes? I knew they had it in them!" With a swift motion, Larachelle hangs her backpack on an unattended chair and sits right across from Arabella. She motions for Uskwold to bring her a stew before turning to the Chelish woman. "You, I know you... from the bookshop, pretty sure. It's... Arbel, wasn't it? Never thought to ask what brought you to town, but I guess that now I know! You're here to answer the Call, right? Same as me! I was thinking it's about time the world got to know Larachelle the Dazzling. You see, the timing is perfect, since I just now completed this incredible magic item here - I call it the Staff of the--oh, thank you!," she's interrupted by Uskwold and a plate of rosemary boar stew, finally giving Arabella a moment of respite. |
