Vincent watches Mum do what she does best and holds his spells for now. It doesn't look like he's going to be needed for this.
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Vincent is delighted that the creatures are ignoring him - having shaken off the poison that gives him precious time to consider his options. He crouches among the rocks, making himself an even smaller target and starts flicking through his spellbook as fast as he can.
Vincent gets pincushioned a little less than the others - mostly thanks to be smaller and at the back. He swiftly incants words of power and then uses his enhanced speed to gain distance from the dragons.
"Focus on their tails." Vincent says sharply. "If you sever them it will weaken them severely. Don't use fire. I will be of little use in this fight." Knowing that such creatures exist is very different from having to actually face them in person.
GM: "I cannot meet with the Baron at this time." Vincent says after a long moment's pause. "I have given my oath to a task which I must complete. But we have time. I will meet with Baron Krovax once I am able. I am interested in what he has to say. For now, we shall part. My companions will remove the fey and there will be no more issues."
Vincent walks away from the rest of the group without qualm and glances back to Mum briefly before inclining his head, just so it is clear he isn't being taken advantage of. "Speak." He says simply.
"Then I will speak with him." Vincent says, stepping forwards. "We will deal with this matter as it should be dealt with, by those of us with the proper perspective. Let them depart, make them Gliocas's problem and then I will ensure it is not your problem." He smiles coldly, fangs prominent.
Vincent pulls his spellbook out and starts skimming it for spells that will be useful if the First World creatures decide that violence is the answer.
"Two Quickwoods, two dweomercats and a forest giant if I'm not mistaken." And I'm not. The unshakable confidence in his voice proclaims. "All of them have been touched by the planes though. It would not be an easy fight for us. I can't see enough of the people to say anything beyond the obvious. I suggest we let this play out and deal with survivors if it comes to it." The child-like vampire turns to Mum with a sardonic grin. "Your command Auntie?"
Vincent frowns and spends a few minutes observing both groups as the stand-off continues.
Vincent inclines his head with a smile to Sophiel and says nothing. There's no need at this point and besides, if he speaks then someone scrying on the room might realise that the child curled up with a book in the corner is actually part of the meeting rather than an unimportant bystander.
Vincent looks oddly at Sophie for a second and then glances at Chrysa. "I might be persuaded." He says noncommittally, leaving the conversation there for now. Once they return to Gliocas Vincent retrieves the large bag of loot from Sophiel's vault where it had been stashed for safe keeping and turns to the rest of the group. "I'll take this back to my workspace now and examine them all tonight. We can divide everything suitably in the morning, arrange for the bounties on the basic weapons, all those sorts of things." "I'm an enchanter of some small skill if anyone has requests. I won't charge for my time since we're friends, just the raw materials. Can't say fairer than that can you? Mum, do you need to report in? I'm going that way."
"I'll be back." Vincent says simply, before vanishing with a silent flash of light (and the bag of holding with most of the loot).
Take what we can and leave. Vincent opinions silently. I can come back in a few months and bury this place so far under the earth that no-one will ever find it again. That sword should never leave. He has first hand experience of mind control and it is not something he intends to leave running around!
Vincent glances at the war priest once more and turns his back. Twisting threads together he speaks odd words and then suddenly the rest of the group can hear him. Inside their heads. His guard is down at least. What are we doing Auntie?
"Tikroch, release your spell and let the blade fall." Vincent commands. "No-one should touch it for the moment." Assuming the druid does as he requests the vampire makes no move towards the blade - as long as Zorek doesn't either.
"The sword is a powerful artifact in its own right." Vincent says coolly. At his current height the man could probably squash him like a bug but raging idiots with axes have to be shown their place sometimes. At least this one is listening. "It truly is Ovinrbaane but it wants to be wielded by Armaug. So it was turning you into him. The physical changes were minor transmutation abilities which can be reversed but the most dangerous ability was rewriting your mind. The blade has a powerful will of its own and I believe it was wiping your memories - to make you into a replica of the original Armaug." He gives the angry man a moment to digest that. "The sword is merely a sword. It's divine purpose is to kill. Anything and everything. If you stood in front of your army with it then I doubt your army would survive the experience. Neither would your enemies but you'd be the only living thing on the battlefield. That is the simple issue. What exactly the hags wanted in unclear, but I surmise that since they follow Gyronna they wanted to unleash you as Armaug upon the Stolen Lands and cause as much slaughter and death as they could. You are a strong chieftain of a powerful tribe. Don't let some hags steal your honor from you now." Talk of honor usually goes down well with those whose brains don't actually fill their skulls.
"If you're feeling a desire to kill everyone it's probably the sword." Vincent says without stopping. "It'll try and take control of you if it gets a chance."
Vincent frowns and then pulls out his spellbook and starts leafing through it so fast that his fingers and the pages blur.
"Not my problem right now." Vincent replies, sketching arcane signs with his small fingers as he examines the blade.
"Bring me the blade!" Vincent calls, seeing a sudden change in the man's demeanor. The only thing that changed was the sword so he needs to examine it (or whisk it away if needed).
Since his companions seem to have the main threat under control, Vincent turns to what he's good at - crowd control. A bolt of lightning leaps from his hands and hurtles through all of the skeletons, with another bolt leaping towards Armag himself. Just because.
Vincent takes advantage of his flight and (even smaller) size to swoop upwards towards the ceiling, staying out of the wayvif any irritating sword wielders. Then he tries to strip away the man's magical protections.
Vincent waits for the interminable process of spells being cast. It always takes such a long time when divine casters do it. Once everyone is ready he smears a droplet of his own blood on each of his commands and intones the arcane word that grants them all a burst of vampiric speed. Auntie Chrysa is invisible at this point - naturally. There isn't going to be any talking, just a swift and brutal slaughter. Gorum will probably appreciate it, even
Vincent watches the stand-off with a smirk, but he's sensible enough to stay silent. An eternal child with magical powers... not exactly the sort of thing Gorum approves not. Not that he cares much.
It takes Vincent a matter of seconds to note the enchantments on the skeletons gear and he isn't overly impressed. "Leave them." He opinions. "Collect them later and give them to the militia but they're no use to us. I can make something better in my sleep." With that withering commentary done he waits for one of the warrior types to lead the way onwards.
Vincent, having done his part in damaging the skeletons, does the sensible thing and moves to avoid any more shooting being done at him!
Vincent tries a new spell, imbuing it with extra potent magic!
Vincent moves into the corner of the room, putting as much distance between himself and the oncoming enemies as possible, and widening his field of view at the same time. Explosions will be incoming.
Vincent tracks down the doors with some basic magic and points out the doors for Mum. Then he waits for the doors to get opened - 'Aunty' has her own kind of magic.
Vincent frowns, slides to the corner of the room and pulls his spellbook out. After a blast of speedreading he comes to a conclusion - he is lamentably short on electricity magic. The only option is his most powerful spell and that's blatant overkill for a single golem. So he stays out of the way and accepts that he has nothing to contribute.
"It's an iron golem, and stronger than the normal kind!" Vincent calls. Without an easy way to damage it at this precise moment he weaves a spell of Haste so that those with damage can damage more, and quicker.
Vincent scrambles up onto Tikroch's large back and clings on like a spider-monkey, carefully keeping himself clear of the wings that the dire-bat-druid needs to fly.
Vincent steps off to one side and flicks off a small ball of acid at the wall on the left. Then he works his way around the room, waiting for the one where the acid doesn't splatter.
"So many strength tests." Vincent says with a (mildly) exaggerated sigh. "Why do warriors always forget that the mind is a muscle as well?" He stays back to let someone more muscular deal with the wheel.
"Like this." Vincent says, succinctly directing the giant bat where to push the various bolders.
Vincent retreats to a safe distance and looks over the cultist's bodies as Donovan does his work. "They were surprisingly effective." He comments. "We'll need to be better next time. I'll try to counteract their magics where I can."
Vincent sees Mum freeze, but there's nothing he can do to fix that sort of thing. On the other hand the witches are very annoying so he scurries into the room and fires off some scorching rays.
Vincent just waits, his magic is too valuable to waste at this point.
Vincent takes his cue from his aunt and targets the witches with beams of fire!
Vincent flicks his wrist and, almost leisurely, fires off a barrage of magic missiles.
Vincent watches the fight from behind Donovan and calls out a few pieces of (somewhat) useful advice.
"Hold tight." Vincent says simply, before grabbing both the cleric's much larger arm and Sootscale's slightly smaller one in his own hands and incanting words of magic that bend space to his will. They reappear a few feet behind Tikroch and the melee between him, Luca and their more numerous foes. Vincent makes sure that Donovan is between him and the enemies.
Vincent looks up sharply at hearing the other spellcaster then snaps his book shut inhales deeply and breaths out an impossibly powerful burst of wind that tears through the room.
"Give me a moment..." Vincent says, pulling out a surprisingly large book and leafing through it at speed. "I've got something here..."
"Apart from noting that this place seems to be dedicated to Gyronna. No." Vincent says, looking into the darkness. "Those sisters are definitely less than pleasant if they follow the Angry Hag."
Vincent skirts the combat and heads for the captives, checking that there are no magical impediments to deal with. "Auntie, need you over here!" He calls. Chrysa is better than he is with locks.
Since the fight isn't over yet Vincent snaps words of power and infuses his companions with a taste of vampiric speed.
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