Things have gotten worse since the last time I posted anything. I'll have details tomorrow.
I'm sorry. Personal life is... yeah.
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Post tomorrow. Day has not been conducive to RP.
Strigala nods hello the returning, and now faceless, person. She still thinks they should have left a message using his body, though. And, as soon as Volk passes out from being kissed, Strigala bursts into laughter, covering her mouth to try (and fail) to dampen it. "I think turning in is good. Volk is already there!"
Strigala grins. "If they inquire or Zlincher gets word we sold the crate of absinthe, we simply say it was a payment to us for services rendered. It is the truth, after all." She chuckles, then shakes her head and looks to Saul. "But, Zlincher may be seeking a more immediate revenge, given how we left one of the bodies..."
Strigala frowns. "Maybe we better not head out tonight... When he finds his uncle, he won't be happy."
Strigala sighs happily and rubs her own back once they've gotten the crates back to the casino. She then shakes her head in mirth as the idea of enjoying the town comes up. "At the very least, we should try to find out something we can use about this guy who keeps coming after us." She stretches a bit, then considers. "Saul, do you have any idea why he would be making such of a concentrated effort to take you down right now? Attacking every day like this is definitely a sign of someone who isn't going to let up."
Strigala smiles. "My father is a full-blooded elf. That includes the elven view on time. And he's a bit lazy on some things, so he sometimes needed a reminder that a more human timescale is what he had to abide by..."
Strigala nods. "All of this talk of armor and fathers reminds me of my father teaching me how to fight. All of those hours on drills on how to wear armor better and how to swing certain weapons while my mother stood there, pointing a crossbow at his head..." She sighs happily, enjoying the fond memories. "I wonder why he never taught me how to use the weapon?"
Strigala will go for a set of chain shirt armor. It does mean increasing her armor check penalty by one, but at the same time it also grants her increased protection without compromising her defense any. I would include the value of the armor within her personal gold share. Edit: Wrote wrong type of chain.
Strigala goes to aid Volk in carrying a crate.
Strigala waves to Bojask. "They live, but are unconscious. They will heal and recover. We were delayed in making certain those who would steal the shipment didn't get a chance." She then sighs and looks to Gramlag. "Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you. But we've been attacked multiple times, and this a city where even the law enforcement are just another gang. I want people to get an idea we should be left alone, and so far simply beating up and scaring off the minions they send isn't doing it. Time to change tactics. Besides..." She looks to the body that Volk pulls out of the water. "That particular one went after both of our fallen comrades, made it clear he intended to murder all of us, and was their leader. He would be a perfect messenger. I had planned for him to be alive when he delivered the message, but I can't fault you or Volk for ending a clear threat." Her gaze turns back to Gram. "Besides, I don't plan to carve up the body... I just need to prop it up. I'm hoping that alone is message enough. And, later, perhaps we can talk as well? I have my own demons that need exorcised..." She nods in thanks to Volk, then moves to try to drive the tip of a javelin into the dock. After that, she moves mover to Volk to help him with the body, intending to have the old guard's back resting against the butt of the javelin. Propped up so he's on display, but not otherwise harmed further. "Thank you, Volk." After that, she either helps move Kertria or, if Kertria is revived, the wine.
Strigala looks down at Nel's announcement and curses. She planned to send the guy back with a wine bottle firmly lodged someplace uncomfortable! In some aspects, what Volk is doing is merciful. Then, she sighs. Nothing she can do about it. "Nel, could you search the dragonling for the wand? She doesn't say the question in the back of her mind: Where would the dragon be keeping the wand? She's decided she doesn't want to find out, just in case. Then, she looks to what they've gathered from the dead bodies, hefting one of the javelins and hrming to herself. I bet one of these could hold a human body... And then she pauses as a horrible idea occurs to her. One that may get people to stop attacking them... "Volk, when you're done with the body, can you bring it here a moment? I'm hoping to get people to stop bothering us, and the body's useful." Now, I just need to prop it right...
As the thugs rush toward the side of the pier, Strigala swings her morningstar at the knee of the closest one. It's to help the thug once he's in the water, of course. But, then, she's trying to help him drown, not swim to safety. Strigala may be a wee bit ticked over what happened to Ternock and Kertria, and this time she can actually take it out on two of the people partly responsible. Even if she completely misses due to the barrier being in the way. She then turns to the two they have that are down, but currently stable. And she shakes her head. "I'll help with Kertria. Once I've rested long enough to have spells back, I can use magical healing to help both heal quickly."
Strigala shifts her position, crossing behind the wall behind Gram to come up beside him, next to the water's edge. She swings her morningstar at the thug in front of Gram, determined to take him down so they can march on the archer.
Ternock, it looks like you live!
Strigala reaches down to touch Ternock and, using the last of her major magical power for the day, tries to heal him back to being awake.
Strigala can only stare in horror as the old guard cuts down Kertria in one blow. And then she looks at him, her eyes hardening. "Once the dwarf is done with you, I'm going to heal you back to life... just so you're awake when I shove a bottle up your @$%. That's the only wine you can drink."
Realizing there isn't much she can do right now, Strigala readies an action to heal people on either side of her if they get wounded.
Strigala frowns as she sees the thugs pressing their attacks. Cursing beneath her breath, she moves to in front of Kertria and swings her morningstar at the thug next to Gram, swinging it with all of her might and hoping to kill the guy in one blow. "Get behind one of these barriers before that archer uses you as a quiver!"
Strigala steps forward, moving to stand behind Lilica, and reaches out to touch the woman as she chants. As she calls upon the the divine power, her eyes begin to glow with light as her body is surrounded more and more by that nimbus of positive energy. She ignores the tormented screams of the malevolent spirits that surround her as they are tormented by the energy she calls upon, instead focusing just on healing Lilica. "That archer seems determined to be a threat."
Strigala cursed as Ternock is shot at and looked at the guards around the dwarf, this time calling upon the very same magic, her eyes glowing with an evil power and the very air around her taking on an air of darkness as she calls upon the spirits once more, this time aimed at a thug to the right..
Then, in Draconic, she promptly calls out, "Ternock, get behind something! Fly, you fool!" Then, she looks to the archer, grinning and calling out in Taldane. "Nice bow, child! But too afraid of people who can block your arrows to aim at us? Just because your mother is your sister doesn't mean you have to be such of a coward!" Yep. Real smart. Draw the attention of bow guy by implying his family tree is recursive. Ternock, if you die, I am skinning your corpse and turning you into a pair of shoes and then going on a mud stomping spree.
Thank you!
Is the HP correct for my sheet? Half plus one plus Con?
Strigala sighs as soon as she sees the archer firing after Volk's announcement. Nothing ever goes smooth... She begins to move up, hands already moving and mouth already muttering as she calls upon the power she learned from studying the ghosts. As she chants, she can feel the power moving through her and how the spirits haunting her begin to swirl and move in anticipation. As soon as the spell completes, the spirits charge towards the nearest thug, manifesting as those screaming spheres of darkness with those monstrous red glowing eyes and gnashing teeth, gazing at the man in utter hunger.
"You seriously are messing around with hauntings?" she announces to the thugs in disgust. "Seriously? No one told you?" And the mind games have begun!
Strigala went to bed immediately after turning the guy over to Saul. She didn't feel well with herself, and didn't want to stick around and know more. The next day, a bit of bad sleeping caused by rather dark dreams (aided by the spirits that haunt her adding sounds outside of dreams) and the half-bottle of "sleep medication" she took from the bar to help forget what had happened makes her look more than a little hung over. She's quietly sipping on a drink after breakfast, contemplating what Saul has said, when the dwarf walks in. For about two minutes, she stares at Gramlag, almost convinced she fell asleep again and that she was having a really realistic dream. And then her eyes widen in completely surprise as she realizes that he's real. She then sets her drink down on her left side and extends a hand. "Welcome!" she announces, only to wince as her own enthusiasm does not agree with the pounding in her head. "Um, welcome. I'm Strigala. I hope you heard good things about us. And not some of the nastier rumors that are probably flying right now. You know how people make things up and gossip." Unless that rumor is that we torture people. That one's entirely true. Maybe I should have joined the Dawndaisies after all...
Her eyes then turn to Saul. "If we catch him in the act, is it okay if we stuff him in a crate and ship him to Cheliax?" She then picks up her drink from her right side and begins to sip on it.
Sorry for delay. Real life has intruded. I vote for giving him a choice. Either he can have a "soft" interrogation at the hands of people like Strigala and walk away physically intact... or she can give Lilica eight hours alone with him.
Strigala sighs after the attack so soon when they return... and then she returns to the gambling floor, where she can stand guard for now, mace ready and eyes watching for those wanting to cause trouble.
Strigala shrugs and decides against the note. She then follows the rest to the bank.
Strigala shakes her head. "Try not to get hurt, please? The reason I react that way to positive energy... it isn't a good thing. At all. You'd rather it be for a good reason." She continues to search for the stick, though she indicates the note that was meant for Saul, then the dead body. "We send a message back to this guy's employers. One they won't forget. I have just the message..."
It's always interesting when personality quirks you didn't add to the character show up. Strigala's apparently got a streak of sadism where it comes to certain spirits that torment her...
"Look?" Strigala asks, slightly confused. And then a look of horror crosses her face as she realizes exactly what look Volk is talking about and she straightens her head, her face taking on a more serious look. Her eyes remain slightly unfocused for the moment, being slow to recover. "It comes from any positive energy spell. A side-effect of how I cast them." Or, more specifically, how the spirits react to the excess energy I call. She coughs, then looks around for a tiny stick she can use for writing with, hoping she can find one to leave the note she wants to leave.
As soon as the others flee (and after Nel and Kertria act), Strigala looks down to the body and raises an eyebrow. "Does someone have a piece of paper and a pen handy? Or just a tiny stick and this guy's blood will do. I've got an idea..." She gives an evil grin. "Just want to send someone a message..." She walks over to touch Volk, chanting under her breath as she calls upon power. She feels that ever-joyful nimbus of positive energy and the way the dark spirits around her writhe in pain as she unleashes the healing spell upon him. She had seen him get struck earlier. She then looks to the others, head slightly lulling and eyes partially glazed over from the holy bliss. "Anyone else need healing before I leave this note?"
Strigala nods to Lilica about carrying some items and slings a pack of them over her back. She stops when she sees an ambush, then raises an eyebrow as she hears Lilica and the ambush leader exchange pleasantries. She sighs as they talk and takes that opportunity to pull out her morningstar, readied for combat. "Lilica, could you warn us about any other jilted girlfriends you have? I swear, this one has a more shrill voice and is whinier than a human girl who missed her favorite bard putting on a concert. I can see why you dumped her." And then comes a charge straight at her, with that cut striking through her armor. Cursing beneath her breath, she takes a five foot step backward and lays her hand on her own chest, looking directly in the eyes as she chanted. Her body began to glow with the nimbus of holy energy, while the malevolent spirits around her screamed in agony from the positive energy she unleashed. And then, she unslung her morningstar and looked her assailant in the face. And she gave an evil grin. "Do they pay you enough to die painfully?" she asked, her smile getting more and more insane as she focused on scaring him away.
Strigala nods as Saul speaks, reconsidering the cook a moment. And then she smiles as she hears exactly why he was working here. Well, Saul is pretty good. Saved someone, earned their loyalty. She nods further as he discusses Bojask. Turning assassins into defenders... Is he certain he shouldn't move to another nation? Could use people skills like that in any number of places, and most of those would be a lot better than here. But, this is probably home; can't blame him for trying to make where he lives better. She continues to listen even more, then stops for a moment as Saul mentions most of the staff quit. She nods to herself, sadly... and think blinks in surprise when he mentions sending the entire group to the bank to get some money and then return. Why are you sending all of us? I would think you'd want people to guard this place. Just in case that crime lord you're thumbing your nose at decided to show you why you need to pay for protection. She just sips her drink, even as she watches him and tries to figure out his motive and he continues to speak. "This should be easy. Give us a chance to enjoy the sights, see the blot, and show anyone who tries to mess with us what happens when they come after your employees." She makes certain to keep her words absolutely normal, revealing nothing of her suspicions. Even as she directs her thoughts to Ternock, hoping he is listening. To Ternock: Could you hide nearby and keep an eye on Saul? Sending out all of his heavily armed people and keeping one single guard doesn't quite add up to me.
Strigala coughs a bit as she almost chokes on her drink at Volk's words. She shakes her head then, and goes back to drinking... sips, this time. Just in case.
To Gabsen:
Strigala nods, visibly making an effort to calm herself more.
"I trust you too. And I'll have your back. And, sometime, I have to tell you some stories about my father and why he doesn't like crossbows. He also was a bit rough around the edges." She turns, taking a moment to completely cal herself and smooth her armor, which really didn't need it, before heading to the meeting. Once in the meeting room, she settles and smiles, though she eyes Bojak warily for a moment; she is not certain why a guard is needed around them, but keeps her peace. Maybe he is paranoid after that attack? Not that I'd blame him. And then she sees the meal that arrives. She gives a tiny sniff to see if she can figure out what it is, and raises a questioning eyebrow at the dish. Then, she turns towards the others, making certain not to eat it and instead just sip her drink for now. And then she grins as she hears a familiar voice in her head. To Ternock:
Burning the kitchen down and eating the charred wood would be better than this. She, of course, politely says nothing in front of Saul or the cook. It's just not right to speak rudely of offered hospitality.
Already started working on my concept for my next character, for just in case things go very badly.
To Gabsen: The look Strigala levels on you as you grab her arm and speak slowly descends from startled to obviously-unconcealed fury and pure hate.
"He is a soldier in Absalom. I used to play with the children of his commanding officer. And if he were here right now, he and I would be discussing which gutter to leave your cooling corpse in for daring approach me this way. And I would be lecturing him about how he used to remind me blood rusts metal for running you through with a sword." She then narrows her eyes. "And if you think that acting this way is how you find out who you can trust, you're going to find out you can trust no one and end up lying dead in a gutter some day. And not everyone who is armed like I am has the restraint to not bury the head of a morningstar in your face and let that be their reply." She shakes her head and sighs as she calms down. "If you want people to trust you, don't approach them that way. Because if they can't trust you, then you can't trust them. Trust is a two-way street, and right now you're burning it like a dragon in a tailor shop."
Strigala smiles to Volk. "I'm looking for a friend. If anything beyond that happens, it happens. If it doesn't, then it doesn't. That is up to the gods to decide." She then glances at the empty air around her head. "They certainly will have their will." She considers what he says for a moment, then sighs. "Hunting a fiend in particular... I take it you have history with this creature. I will aid you. Taking down evil creatures and making the world a better place is something we should all strive for. And helping take out one who has earned personal enmity is also good." She stands up, ready to head in to try to cook, only to stop as Saul comes in. Figuring his timing is an act of the gods to save the people in this place from Strigala's attempts at producing edible food, she sends a silent prayer of thanks their way and nods to what he says. She waves hello to Nel as she heads to wake those not present. She stops to knock on the doors for Lilica and Gabsen. "Saul wants to see us in the meeting room, when you are ready," she announces at each before moving on. She is surprised to see Kertria headed out and turns to follow the woman, curious as to what the elf is up to. Upon seeing Kertia is performing a morning ritual, she nods, then walks up and makes a small noise with her throat to announce her presence without interrupting the woman. "Saul wants to see us in the meeting room. I'll let him know you'll be there when you are ready." She then heads for the meeting room, looking to see if Saul is there. "Some are on their way, some are busy and will be here soon. We each have our morning routines."
Strigala nods to Volk as she spots him. "Thank you," Strigala said while smiling. "I usually prefer to wear armor when working. Just in case things go wrong, like they did last night." She sighs. "That was a mess." She looks to him and nods. "Yes. Looking for breakfast. I may have to cook. Hopefully, it won't come to that... Not exactly the best chef." She shrugs. "Never had to be. Most people had their reasons for not wanting me to cook." She then chuckles at his questions. "I was sent out here to investigate the blot. I guess they got tired of my practical jokes back home... And I think I'll work security, so having this on helps. We definitely need security... I don't know about the rest. Have to ask Saul on that." She then sighs as he mentions things moving. "We all have our blessings... and our curses. For me, both are a lot more literal. I am blessed with power from the gods themselves... and cursed to be ever-followed by spirits that hate me. They would do more if they could, I am sure." She then looks to him. "What brings you here?"
When Strigala gets up the next morning, she yawns and then looks herself in the mirror. And then she nods; it's time to get dangerous. Then begins the dressing; putting on the underclothes she chose for the day before she grabs her traveler's shirt for wearing beneath the armor. Then the armor itself, with each buckle carefully fastened into place, each strap tightened just right, the armor and cloth carefully smoothed as she dons it. Overall, it takes her a good half-hour to put on that armor. And then, finished with that portion, she grabs her hooded cloak and ties it on before beginning to add the belt and belt pouch. She ends by sheathing her morningstar and strapping the buckler on her left hand. Then, finished and glad to be out of that succubus costume, she turns to head for the stairs, descending them into the main room. She stops to look around, making certain everyone can see her, before walking over to the bar. As she walks, she very clearly looks in all directions; not really doing any perceptive looking as much as making it clear that she is on security detail and the armor is not for show. Once in there, she waves to those present and wanders over to the bar to see who is present. For right now, she's searching for breakfast.
That's not my issue. I get random times where I have writer's block on one subject. It happens in my face-to-face group too. Usually, solved by me devoting attention elsewhere for a bit.
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