With Field Marshall Kroft's support, Nicoleta had no difficulty riding the wave of her popularity into a position to leverage the very throne of the city itself. Soon after her return, emmisaries were quickly dispatched to the various noble houses requesting their attendance at a council to determine the new ruler of Korvosa. With the majority supporting her as well as the City Guard's enthusiastic backing the transition went relatively smoothly.
Relatively.
~~~~~
Nicoleta shook out her hand as she stomped out of the elegant meeting room, her personal attendant, Elanor, close on her heels.
"Did you really need to hit the duke, Your Majesty?" the slender woman questioned. She juggled numerous scrolls in her arms as she fell in step with the angry dhampir. "He called Aurelia a slut!" Nicoleta argued, turning on the put-upon young woman. "I believe his exact words were, 'a woman of questionable moral character, a clouded history of bed partners, and dubious parentage,'" Elanor corrected.
"Exactly! He deserved it. He should be glad that all I did was punch him. And don't make me punch you as well. You've got a face too pretty to be mussed by a broken nose."
"No, Your Majesty. I was simply clarifying Duke Simpar's rude words. I have great respect for the Queen Consort and no wish to incur Your Majesty's fistful wrath." Elanor tipped her head in respect, but was unable to keep a slight smirk from appearing on her lips. Nicoleta glared at her aid for a moment before breaking out in a grin. "You're cheeky. I like you. I think I'll keep you. Maybe you should come by the Royal Chambers some night. I think they've finally finished redecorating." Elanor's face took on a pale hint of rose and she smiled. "I believe the Queen Consort has already expressed a desire for me to attend your chambers this evening, Your Majesty. Although, it was supposed to be a surprise."
"Is there any wonder why I love that woman?" Nicoleta said with a shake of her head. "So in regards to the agenda, what stands between me and my ... surprise?" Elanor's blush deepened before she referred to one of her many scrolls. "There's the final fitting for the dress for your coronation ..."
"Bor-ring," Nicoleta interrupted with a roll of her eyes.
"Field Marshall Kroft has the final candidates for the House Guard," Elanor continued, ignoring her ruler's declaration. "She would like you to give a final approval." Nicoleta waved her hand dismissively. "I already trust Kroft with my life. Pass along to her that if these people meet her approval, they meet my approval." Elanor looked up from her list. "I am under the impression that she wanted to make sure that you found them acceptable in regards to their ... physical appearance." The dhampir snorted. "You can let her know that I appreciate her effort to consider ... aesthetics. However, if the castle isn't secure, no amount of beefcake or cheesecake will make up the difference."
"Of course, Your Majesty," Elanor conceded, making a note on her parchment.
"Have you seen any of them?"
The slender woman restrained a grin. "I have not seen any of them, myself, Your Majesty, but I have it on good authority from one of the lower-chamber maids that some of them are quite 'delicious looking'." Nicoleta nodded and waved for the girl to continue. "You and the Queen Consort have a late lunch scheduled with Miss Tilescu and her, 'plus one'?" Elanor looked up. "Am I correct that you would prefer the private dining chambers rather than the regular guest dining room, Your Majesty?"
"You would be correct," Nicoleta answered with a grin. "Miss Tilescu's plus one prefers her ... anonymity. And put that on the repeating schedule. I would like this to be a weekly event." The girl's quill made a quick note. "And lastly, there is a follow-up meeting with the Shoanti council headed by ... Thousand Bones?" Nicoleta shook her head. "So many meetings. We sit and talk. Sit and talk. It's only once in a while it actually gets interesting."
"Like when you punch someone ... Your Majesty?"
"Don't you dare smirk at me." Nicoleta glowered at the young woman before breaking out in a grin of her own. "I did enjoy that part."
"Confidentially, Your Majesty?" Elenor whispered, "So did I."
"I'm just so tired of meetings. When do I get to do the queenly stuff?" the dhampir muttered as she began walking again. "Umm..." Elanor began as if not sure how to broach a delicate subject.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Your queen isn't a complete idiot."
"Can't just chuck 'em down the loo, I imagine," Nicoleta comments with a smirk.
She walks over the to body of the disposed queen and kneels down to examine her for any other jewelry or valuables. "Such a shame she turned into such a twisted b@**!. Pretty thing."
Nicoleta flinches at the shower of gore, but is relieved to see the effect is only temporary.
She shrugs when Vox shatters the crown with the destined blade. "I think I'd rather have something a little more understated anyways. What do you think, Sweetcheeks?"
Current HP: 114/148
Current AC: 35
Current Effects: barkskin, greater mask misery, freedom of movement, elemental fury, blessing of fervor
Current Ki: 3/9
Fortitude Save vs DC 25:1d20 + 16 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 16 + 1 = 35 Reflex Save vs DC 25:1d20 + 18 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 18 + 2 + 1 = 28 Will Save vs DC 25:1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 14 + 1 = 30
Stubborness is one of the few traits that both Vox and the dhampir share in abundance. She manages to dodge the chains and bolts of lightning, and that same hard-headedness helps her to avoid the remainder of the effects.
"What the f@%$ do we do with that?" she shouts out at the others, assuming that her normal strategy of just hitting a problem won't work in this situation.
Current HP: 114/148
Current AC: 35
Current Effects: barkskin, greater mask misery, freedom of movement, elemental fury, blessing of fervor
Current Ki: 3/9
"If you think magic like that is going to save your life, then you've got another think coming," Nicolata snarls. "I'm going to shove my fist so far down your throat, you'll think I'm grabbing your arse!"
Attack Spam:
Pummeling Style - add damage together before applying DR. Strikes count as adamantine.
Current HP: 114/148
Current AC: 35
Current Effects: barkskin, greater mask misery, freedom of movement, elemental fury, blessing of fervor
Current Ki: 3/9
Fortitude Save vs DC 23:1d20 + 16 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 16 + 1 = 33
Nicoleta resists the worst of the dragon's attack and continues to punch and kick the supernaturally evasive queen. "Stand still and take your medicine, you fat cow!" she snarls.
Attack Spam:
Pummeling Style - add damage together before applying DR. Strikes count as adamantine.
Current HP: 114/148
Current AC: 35
Current Effects: barkskin, greater mask misery, freedom of movement, elemental fury, blessing of fervor
Current Ki: 3/9
"So, not just a pretty face after all," Nicoleta says in admiration when the woman manages to dodge all but one of her attacks. "That punch to the throat hurts like a b&~&@ though, doesn't it?" She wades in again, but still only manages to catch the woman in the throat.
BoF: +2 attack, AC, Reflex Saves
Attack Spam:
Pummeling Style - add damage together before applying DR.
Current HP: 148/148
Current AC: 35
Current Effects: barkskin, greater mask misery, freedom of movement, elemental fury, blessing of fervor
Current Ki: 3/9
Current HP: 148/148
Current AC: 35
Current Effects: barkskin, grand destiny, greater mask misery, freedom of movement, elemental fury, blessing of fervor
Current Ki: 3/9
Nicoleta shakes out her hands as she appraises the figure. "Is this 'Play A Joke On Your Local Dhampir' day?" she says with a shake of her head. "With all the blood and blood suckers, I'm beginning to wonder."
"This is going to get messy," she mutters to herself.
Pummeling Assault: Add damage together before applying DR.
Unarmed Attack:1d20 + 25 ⇒ (14) + 25 = 39staggering fist Unarmed Damage - B:2d10 + 9 ⇒ (9, 2) + 9 = 20 DC 21 Fortitude Save or be staggered for 1d6+1 rounds
"They didn't give me much of a chance to think about it," the dhampir says with a shrug. "Besides ..." She gives Aurelia a quick slap on the bottom. "You're more than enough woman for me."
Current HP: 148/148
Current AC: 33
Current Effects: barkskin, grand destiny
Current Ki: 4/9
As Roz makes her rounds with a mix of the good touch and the bad touch, Nicoleta looks over the fallen furies.
"Well, I have to say that hot chicks with wings and tridents trumps the shit out of frog people as far as flunkies go," she says with a grin. "I might even consider getting some of my own once we get back home." She rolls her shoulders as the last effects of the the woman's 'healing' touch fade. "Time to move up to the next floor."
Current HP: 148/148
Current AC: 33
Current Effects: barkskin
Current Ki: 4/9
With one foe down and almost defeated, Nicoleta focuses a leg sweep on her undamaged enemy before returning her attention to finish off the previous target.
Pummeling style; add damage together before applying DR.
When the creature moves no more, Nicoleta sits roughly on the ground and leans back on her hands. "Oh, f#&& me," she says with a groan. "Why is it always the bloodsuckers that are a pain in my arse."
She closes her eyes. "Give me just a moment to catch my breath, Ladies."
The dhampir doesn't seem intimidated by the oversized red bug. "Come at me, Cockroach!" she growls. Showing that she doesn't plan on waiting for the creature to do so, she launches herself at it with a battle cry.
Nicoleta grins and electricity crackles between her fingertips. "Make way for the future queen of Korvosa, b~$~%es!" she says with a laugh as she wades into the melee, kicking and punching.
Nicoleta looks over the imposing edifice for a moment. "Let's work our way up from the bottom," she says after a bit. No suggestive comment or snarky quip this time. This is a walk away with all the coins on the table or be found as a cold corpse in the alley next morning sort of game.
And the heart and throne of Korvosa are sitting in the pot.
"Don't discount what the city can do for us," Nicoleta whispers back before reaching up and pulling the other woman into her lap. Giggles and sweet nothings are muttered for a moment or two before the dhampir sets her wife back on her feet and rises from the throne herself. Her eyes are on the white-haired elf now.
"I would appreciate your support as well, Vox. The people need a faceless hero in the shadows as well as a sane ruler. And you fill that role wonderfully well. But think of what more you could accomplish with the tacit backing of the throne. As well as the resources that the throne could provide."
Nicoleta gives her wife an innocent shrug as Zellara fades. "What can I say," she says. "Who can resist this face?"
~~~~~
After scouting through the castle to verify that the assassins and Gray Maidens are well and truly gone, the group holds its final strategy conference with Cressida in the throne room itself.
As the talk turns to rebuilding, the dhampir's eyes turn towards the throne. The conversation fades out as she walks casually to the silk covered metal monstrosity. Knowing that what she's doing is more than it seems, Nicoleta turns and sits casually on the royal seat. She takes a moment, shifting her bottom around to get a little more comfortable before leaning back casaully.
"So, what do you think? Does it suit me?" she asks with a grin. Her grin is for Aurelia, but her eyes are on Cressida. Without the woman's support this will carry no weight at all. "I have the lineage and no one can say I haven't done enough for this city. We still have Ileosa to put down, but it's not too soon to give the people someone to rally behind."
Nicoleta draws a number of cards from the infused deck, frowning at some, at others she grins. When she draws The Empty Throne she pumps her fist in victory. "We're moving up, Sweetcheeks, nothing but silk sheets for us now."
Another card and a moment later and she grimaces in pain as her hands twist and turn. When the transformation stops she looks at them with a frown. "Ok, that's just weird," she says. "I guess they still work, though."
"Just ... wow," is Nicoleta's response. "You know, the average power-hungry psycho would want to sacrifice one or two people for power. 'Cause that's what they do and the cities full of 'em. No one's going to miss a lowlife or three." She shakes her head. "But this is a whole other level of twisted thinking."
Nicoleta gives a nod of agreement and before Aurelia can get too involved with her latest conquest, takes her by the arm and leads her towards the cellers.
"What do you mean, 'That wasn't her'?" Nicoleta growls when it's explained to her. She turns to her wife's newest pet. "Where the f!+@ is she?! The Queen ... the real one." she snaps.
She gives Aurelia a glance. "If you keep bringing home strays, we're gonna have to get a bigger place."
Will Save vs DC 19:1d20 + 12 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 2 + 4 = 32 Reflex Save vs DC 21:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30 Reflex Save vs DC 21:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21 Reflex Save vs DC 21:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Nicoleta shakes off the mental fog and dodges most of the incoming flames.
"Hell of a shot, Vox!" the dhampir calls out, seeing the elf's arrows liquify the woman. She leaps towards the nearest of the hounds and pummels it with her fists and feet.
"I was going to say the exact same thing to you, Your Highness," Nicoleta says with a feral grin. "But to be honest, we have no intentions of letting you leave."
"... and when I get up there ... I'm ... gonna ... Nicoleta's diatribe trails off when she realizes that the battle's over. She's startled out of her momentary confusion by a swat from her wife.
"Petrified? That fat f&@# petrified me?" she growls. "Where is he?"
Not being mollified by the fact that the mage is quite dead, she releases some of her annoyance by brutally kicking his body for a few moments. Once she's vented her anger on the now dead seneschal, Nicoleta turns to the others.
"So, time to find queen sugartits," she says with a grin.
As they enter the hall Nicoleta wipes again at her nose. The last maiden's blade had come too close to slashing her eyes for her liking. Instead, it had opened a bleeding gash on the bridge of her nose. Roz had healed the damage, but there was still a lot of blood and the dhampir's worry was that there would be visible scar.
When Togomor strikes an arrogant pose and pronounces their doom, Nicoleta leans closer to Aurelia. "Isn't that our line?" she questions.
Current HP: 109/139
Current AC: 34
Current Effects: barkskin
Current Ki: 7/9
"That's a pretty f$#!ed up way to deal with a brother you don't like," Nicoleta says with a shake of her head. "After we deal with the 'Maidens', we'll try to find our wayward priest and then we'll take a quick look for dead brother's bones."
"Ok, what is it with haunted Harrow decks?" Nicoleta snaps before stepping back out of the room. Her eyes pass over the treasures in the case before settling back on the other ladies.
Later.
"I say we continue our search for the armored a+*$%&#$s. We can look for the ghost's bones once we've dealt with them. Does anyone know who this guy actually was?"
Nicoleta's eyes widen and she steps closer to the case, one hand unconsciously reaching up and touching the glass as she looks over the display of cards. The spell is broken at the sound of the scratching, though. She turns and settles into a combat stance before quietly moving towards the origin of the sound.
As Nicoleta shakes the ichor off her hands, she frowns in annoyance. "That was so very not satisfying," she grumbles. She grabs a cloak from one of the other assassins to wipe off the remainder.
"Gray Maidens next?" she questions, looking at the others with a raised eyebrow.
Subtly indicating the hidden foes, Nicoleta gestures towards the hanging draperies. "They might be vicious, cold-hearted bastards, but you really have to admire their decorating taste," she says casually.
With a wink, she dashes towards where the nearest is dropping to ready a waiting fist.
Readied attack ...
Unarmed Attack:1d20 + 23 ⇒ (8) + 23 = 31staggering fist Unarmed Damage - B:2d10 + 7 ⇒ (5, 4) + 7 = 16 DC 20 Fortitude Save or be staggered for 1d6+1 rounds
Current HP: 139/139
Current AC: 34
Current Effects: barkskin
Current Ki: 7/9
With a snarl Nicoleta kicks a small stool to send it crashing into the wall. "We are now truly f!!!ed!" she snaps. "He's going to sound the alarm. Good luck catching anyone else napping now."
"So ... Gray Maidens, Mantis Assassins, or a missing priest?" she continues, calming herself and ticking them off on her fingers. "I say we see if we can find where the assassins are holed up. In my opinion they're the biggest threat."
The dhampir grimaces and curses under her breath as she pulls a vicious looking barb from her forearm. Her mood doesn't improve much at Roz's 'Healing' - the negative energy hurting just as much as the devil's stabs.
She looks over the maps curiously, but shrugs, unsure of their relevance. "We should probably take this stuff with us when we go," she says.
"Sweet Cheeks?" Nicoleta says quietly. "Can you look over the door just to make sure there aren't any nasty protective magics waiting to bite me in the arse when I open it?"
Once assured that there's nothing of the sort, she attempts to open the door quietly.
There are a number of optional attacks in there (as well as some pretty crappy rolling). So I don't know how many actual attacks to account for regarding barbed damage.
Current HP: 139/139
Current AC: 34
Current Effects: barkskin, elemental fury
Current Ki: 7/9
"Dammit, I hate these guys," Nicoleta whispers with a groan, already dreading the painful barbs.
She takes a moment to harden her skin and envelope her hands in sparking electricity. She then streaks forward to engage with the nearest of the fiends.
Move action to close.
Current HP:
Current AC: 34
Current Effects: barkskin, elemental fury
Current Ki: 7/9
