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'Though he lacks the priestcraft to say anything relevant, Nikolae has a strong back and takes up a shovel, while Vermiis idly paws at some dirt, but proves to be more of a hindrance than a help and ends up coiled up in the shadow of a tree. A warm bath would definitely be welcome right now. We should probably make sure that the locals have checked the wells that any sign of the scourge has been purged. Spoiler: two birds fly up in the sky, as though they were the released souls
Nikolae's hair is matted on the side of his head from sleeping with his head against the wall, but he doesn't seem to notice as he gets up and helps to distribute the vials of cure. Are there any special instructions for application? Or do they just drink it straight away? Vermiis pokes his head up, and sets it back down on his paws with a heavy sigh, recognizing that any sudden motion on his part could startle the many milling people. He settles in and watches the proceedings through slitted yellow eyes.
Nikolae unbundles the bark, and, uh, whatever the other thing was, and hands them over to the apothecary. Hopefully, these components will help stave off the contagion. Looking to the others, Should we remain here, and distribute the cure when she has completed her work? Nikolae looks dead on his feet. I could nap right here, in her doorway...
Nikolae conjures a dolphin to assist as well, and not merely for Aaremeth's viewing pleasure.
The sleek grey-skinned creature seems as strong as a horse, despite it's compact size, and swims with impossible speed and agility, providing a stabilizing boost to anyone crossing along the rope.
I'll only be able to enlarge a single person, who should assist Quicksilver across during the few minutes that spell will last. Nikolae says, And the rest of us could benefit from dolphin assist, if we don't locate a better place to ford across within a mile or so... Can any of you local boys think of a better crossing point nearby, with your knowledge of the area?
Nikolae makes sure that the mushrooms are securely tucked away, although left with 'room to breath' so that they do not molder. The sooner we get back, the better. he says, Should we travel through the night? I would rather arrive tired on the morning than hear the sad tales of those children and elders who bodies could not await our arrival.
The tome itself appears valuable, particularly to a dwarven collector, but it also conceals a magical scroll of some sort. Nikolae relates to the others. Lacking any obvious target, the celestial eagle lands on the old altar, and it and Vermiis regard each other warily, with Vermiis stalking round it curiously, and the eagle fluttering its wings and adjusting its position to never allow the Eidolon to get behind it, snapping its beak in a warning motion. Moments later, the eagle raises its wings and head towards the heavens and dissolves into golden motes of light that soar upwards and out of sight.
Nikolae pokes at one of the squishy fallen creatures with his morningstar. Where I grew up, on the coast, the wealthy would sometimes eat a delicacy named calimari, that resembled this, but smaller. They produced an inky cloud of darkness, but it was an actual liquid, that was used to make ink for writing. I thought they only lived in the ocean, and I'm pretty sure they couldn't fly... He finally leaves the nasty looking corpse, and turns to examine the shrine, muttering an incantation as he does to open his eyes to the auras of magic.
Vermiis remains intrigued by the concept, and leans a paw against one of the bodies, pushing on it with more and more force, trying to make it 'squirt out more darkness.'
Round 2
Spoiler: Nikolae readies his crossbow, but incants a spell instead of firing it, trilling the words Aquila Celestianis as his fingers contort into a painful-looking gesture.
An eagle with feathers that look like long, thin leaves, in a riot of autumnal yellow, orange and red, appears in mid-flight, as if it soared straight out of his space, coalescing into solidity in midair, next to the flying squid-creature that just abandoned it's attack on Aaremeth. Apparently unconcerned with the shadowy visibility, it attacks with a flurry of flapping wings, raking talons and snapping beak. Celestial Eagle (augmented), full attack, attempting to Smite Evil, relying on darkvision to avoid penalties for the lighting
, +1 if target is evil
Round 1
Spoiler: Taking advantage of his darkvision, Vermiis attempts to strike into the square with Aaremeth and his attacker, biting at the creature.
If Trevor remains grappled;
If Trevor is no longer grappled, but still conscious;
Nikolae whispers an incantation of guidance on first Harn (for climbing, if that's his plan) then Trevor (for door-bustin'). For a moment, like shimmering spider-threads connecting every thing to every other thing, the recipients can see everything tied together and things spinning into conjunction.
Nikolae waits downstairs, keeping his crossbow pointed at the ceiling, so as not to accidentally shoot an ally. Upon Aaremeth's return, he heaves a sigh of relief. Alright, now we have to kill a couple of flying things? Ember tilts his head and adds in Draconic, Spoiler: And wolfs, when they jump us.
Round 2 Spoiler: Nikolae steps back and to the side and aims his crossbow at the doorway, waiting to fire when the creature comes into view, hissing to Ember to Wait until it comes forth.
Both delay their actions; When the spider reaches the doorway, crossbow bolt
Vermiis leaps forward, if there is room, to attack from any space not blocked by Harn (E 22, perhaps?). Vermiis' bite
Nikolae readies his crossbow as they approach the tower. Vermiis notes that Nikolae prefers speaking in Draconic to Thassilonian, for some unclear reason, and asks in the dragon's speech,
Spoiler:
We kill wolfs, right? Nikolae replies in the same tongue,
Spoiler: They will attack when we are weakened, as is their nature. Yes, we kill wolfs.
As they move towards the ruins, Nikolae wait for Lueck to finish his brief tale before replying, "I was born in devil-Cheliax, but close enough to the border that a fair bit of smuggling went on, beyond the notice of the authorities. I do not find myself welcome there, for diverse reasons, and Andoran seemed the best nation in which to forget that dreadful place." And the closest, he adds silently, hand trailing to the nape of Vermiis' neck. Yellow eyes look up at him, and Vermiis' twitches his ears, like a horse whisking away a fly, until the hand is withdrawn.
Nikolae selects the jar, and brings it outside, to bundle securely with the bark taken from the great tree. If no one is specifically carrying these items, he will make sure to carry them personally, in case some mischance causes them to lose Quicksilver...
As Aaremeth peruses the missing witches belongings, he steps outside and asks Vermiis to look for signs of tracks, suggesting what may have happened to her. Given the elaborate ruse, and prepared defense, it seems that she left willingly, but did she leave in the company of others?
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