Duke Sallin, Mabriel and Haerekoe stumble out onto the patio.
"Ah ha! A foul monster menaces the populace! We must put a stop to this villainy, my comrades!", cries Mabriel.
Heedless of danger, the trio advance on the pacing cat. The creature looks more agitated by the second.
Krenshar initiative:
Duke Sallin and guards:
Mabriel and Haerekoe:
The krenshar's face suddenly peels back around its ears, exposing its muscles and skin. It emits an ear-piercing shriek that echoes through the night.
Duke Sallin will:
Mabriel:
Haerekoe:
Guards:
Haerekoe is taken off guard, but remains undaunted.
"A clever trick, but I've a more clever one!", he shouts as he throws a paper lantern at the cat. It sales wide, starting a small grass fire off the patio. Mabriel shrieks a cry to match the beast's... and Duke Sallin's. Breaking with his "paladin" hallucination, Duke Sallin runs off into the night, Mabriel and the guards in tow.
"Haerkoe, you're supposed to hit the thing!"
Will puffs out his cheeks in a heave of relief as Duke Salin and his entourage run off. His joy is short -lived.
“The fish people in here may have to wait Will,” he says quietly, looking around. “Sounds like people are dying out there.”
"Huh? Wha?,... But,..." Will sputters as Mal dashes off after the Duke, The 'LAdy' and her cousin, et al.
"But, But,... They're right there!" Will finally manages to blurt out, at Malatar's retreating back. "Aw. Swell!" He mutters petulantly, flapping his arms against his sides in frustration.
"Don't go anywhere! I've got a few questions for you! Several, actually." He mutters firmly, raising his fist in front of his face and pointing a finger at the nearest fish-face. He then grabs the edges of his feathered cape, and high-tails it after Malatar. He almost collides with the larger warrior as he reaches the patio and sees why everyone has suddenly stopped. He bravely peeks over Malatar's broad shoulder as a look of realization crosses his face that can be seen even through his mask.
"Ah. Of course. A Krenshar. Very dangerous. You go first."
Initiative:
Krenshar 19
Adelaine 12 (save vs. Krenshar Scare pending)
Will 11 (save vs. Krenshar Scare pending)
Zareby and Mal 9 (shaken, -2 attacks, saves, skill and ability checks for 1 round)
Haerekoe and Mabriel 5 (Mabriel flees)
Sallin and guards 4 (Sallin fleeing, guards follow)
The cat growls, sizing up the remaining foes. It pounces on Malatar, the large warrior seeming to be the greatest threat to it.
The agitated creature's fangs tear into the forearm Malatar raised on reflex to keep it from his neck, pain jolting up his arm as it tears into muscle and flesh.
Will save
2nd Round
Krenshar 19 (savaging Mal)
Adelaine 12 (frightened for 3 rounds, must flee)
Will 11 (shaken, action pending)
Zareby and Mal 9 (shaken, -2 attacks, saves, skill and ability checks for 1 round; actions pending)
Haerekoe and Mabriel 5 (Mabriel flees, Haerekoe attacks)
Sallin and guards 4 (Sallin fleeing, guards follow)
At the Krenshar's high-pitched shriek, "Lady Albercroft" panics, running back into the Grand Hall where the mad festival of hallucination continues.
Will cringes as the terrible screech washes over him. His knees shake under his lionskin tunic and feathered cape.
"Wow. That's not right." He mutters in Mal's ear as their female companion turns and runs back into the house. When the krenshar leaps at Mal, Will hastily steps back, and raises trembling hands. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he makes himself perform the gestures correctly as he concentrates on speaking the words without stuttering in fear. Finally (after what probably seems like TOO long to the beleaguered Mal)the incantation is complete, and a fan-shaped rainbow of colors leaps from Will's trembling fingers. At the last moment he manages to twist his hands just so, and the beam misses Mal, barely, engulfing the Krenshar and anything behind it.
;P
Never having experienced that sort of terror before in her life, Addy flees back into the main ballroom, right behind Duke Sallin and his guards.
Will cringes as the terrible screech washes over him. His knees shake under his lionskin tunic and feathered cape.
"Wow. That's not right." He mutters in Mal's ear as their female companion turns and runs back into the house. When the krenshar leaps at Mal, Will hastily steps back, and raises trembling hands. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he makes himself perform the gestures correctly as he concentrates on speaking the words without stuttering in fear. Finally (after what probably seems like TOO long to the beleaguered Mal)the incantation is complete, and a fan-shaped rainbow of colors leaps from Will's trembling fingers. At the last moment he manages to twist his hands just so, and the beam misses Mal, barely, engulfing the Krenshar and anything behind it.
;P
Shaken: A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.
Krenshar will save:
The krenshar turns its head toward Will's sudden movement, just quick enough to receive the full brunt of the colored light shining from the wizard's splayed fingers. Its pupils dilate and it falls to the ground in convulsions.
"Well... That was anticlimactic. You want to kill it before it gets back up or should I?", he says to Mal.
“Oh crap…” As the thing shrieks, that ear-splitting, soul-rending howl, Mal feels his knees turn to jelly. He grits his teeth, fighting the primal instinct to turn and flee. The only thing that lets him hold his ground is the knowledge that if he turns and runs, innocent people are going to get hurt … and that the cat thing will probably run him down from behind anyway.
Then the thing’s on him, biting and tearing. On reflex he raises his shield arm – but, oops, no shield. The burning pain in his forearm as the thing’s claws tear deep into his flesh jolt him somewhat back into reality.
“Gorum!” Mal hisses through clenched teeth, shakes the beast off, grips his sword with both hands and brings the blade to bear, trying to gut the beast.
EDIT: just saw DM's post. Mal will finish the thing off, if he can.
With a savage blow befitting his costume, Malatar cuts open the convulsing krenshar. The insensate beast spasms one last time, flecking Mal and Will with its blood before falling still, its rhinestone collar twinkling in the moonlight.
Well, that ended surprisingly well. Hey, Haerekoe, want to tag along with us or go find your friends?"
“Nice work Will,” Mal nods at his friend. “Handy thing, that magic.” He turns his arm about to inspect the wounds, wincing.
"G-Glad I could help,..." Will mutters, finally ditching the oversized eagle mask. He runs his fingers through his damp hair and takes a deep breath of fresh air to clear his head.
"Unfortunately, that was the only useful conflict spell in my memory. I was expecting a night of revelry, intrigue, and, well,... where IS Silas anyway?!?" He asks, looking around.
Will perception:
Mal and Zareby, on the back patio.
Wrrooonk... ssssuuk....wrrrooonk...
Just at the edge of the lamplight crouches a hunchbacked bipedal creature, regarding you with an unfathomable gaze. Its head is wide and frog-like, its limbs flippered limbs covered in green scales. Its lips part to display two rows of fangs. If it weren't for the shift in the wind and the moonlight, you likely wouldn't have even noticed it, crouched over with its trident in hand.
The commotion is continuing inside the Grand Hall and Will finds it quite distracting. You can hear Lady Vestang calling,"ASSEMBLE, MY SUBJECTS, ASSEMBLE! WE MUST BEGIN OUR GREAT PILGRIMAGE!" The wind shifts over the Inner Sea and it suddenly stinks like fish on the patio.
Addy perception:
Addy, back in the Grand Hall
"Oh damn it." "Ferdinand" raises one clawed hand towards the sea . "Folks, we've got another player joining the game."
Haerekoe preens in a fashion befitting his impish mask.
"Ha! My erstwhile allies have fled and so this reversal of fortune seems to favor a change of allegiance! I shall travel with you, then, great wyrm, barbarian and color spewing owlbear!"
Apparently Haerekoe doesn't quite get Will's costume...
The hallucinating tavern lad stares into the dark, completely missing the monster crouched where Zareby pointed.
"Your gaze is keener than mine or perhaps you conjure phantasms; come! Let us see what our Empress plans and seek to turn it to our advantage!"
With that, the lad strides back inside, tottering just a bit.
"Oh damn it." "Ferdinand" raises one clawed hand towards the sea . "Folks, we've got another player joining the game."
"Well, I hope that's better news than it sounds,..."
Will squints into the darkness, somewhat myopically, trying to see what 'Ferdinand' is pointing at.
Out of the shadows on the patio, the creature stands. Will can see that it's a hunchbacked humanoid creature with a frog-like head and green, scaly flesh. Its lips peel back to reveal rows of sharp teeth. It watches you cautiously, making a curious noise in the back of its throat.
"Um,... Mal? I think is more your department!" Will says with deceptive calmness, raising his hands instinctively in a warding gesture.
Out of the shadows on the patio, the creature stands. Will can see that it's a hunchbacked humanoid creature with a frog-like head and green, scaly flesh. Its lips peel back to reveal rows of sharp teeth. It watches you cautiously, making a curious noise in the back of its throat.
stealth
Taking advantage of the ruckus caused when the dwarf in the boggard mask starts trying to smash the Azlanti artifacts (and must be restrained by several of the gilled humans), Addy swipes a bracelet of weathered silver and a small statuette carved in that bizarre stone; it depicts a fish-like monstrosity with three eyes stacked one atop the other.
She can hear high-pitched voices yelling by the entrance of the Grand Hall before she actually sees the goblins, four of them, pushing, pulling and prodding party guests into small groups and driving them toward the doors. Distantly, Addy can hear disturbances further away in the manor house and the courtyard, though she can't quite tell what it could be.
Lady Vestang, surrounded by hallucinating guests (including the noblewoman that elf from the tavern was escorting, though neither he nor the bard can be seen) shouts ecstatically, with Duke Sallin on one arm and the Azlanti, Policrates on the other.
"COME, MY PILGRIMS! OUR ESCORTS HAVE ARRIVED! ONWARD, MY LOYAL SUBJECTS!"
Ok, this has been a lovely party, but I think I'm feeling a bit tired, Addy thinks sarcastically. Time to get the boys and check out! She takes the bracelet and statuette, and heads back through the chaotic crowd to the patio. Seeing only Mal, Will, and Zareby at first, she says, "Guys, this party has been seriously crashed. I think it's time we called ... it ... a ... night?" Her thoughts become interrupted as she notices the fish-headed thing, and the grip on her dagger reflexively tightens. "Uh, what in the Hells is that?"
'Mesmerizing charms, disguise enchantments, WHY do I listen to Silas?!?' Will berates himself as he steps behind the comforting presence of Malatar. 'And where IS that pointy-eared troublemaker when you NEED him?!?'
"Um, I'm with the lady. This party isn't nearly as much fun as I had hoped. Think the Venture-captain would be upset if we called it an early night?" He asks Malatar, his voice only squeaking slightly on the last word.
"That's assuming the fish are going to let us leave. Hopefully we won't have to fight our way out."
For a long moment, the four adventurers and the fish creature stare at each other. Finally, the thing slowly moves toward one of the prostrate guests laying in the grass. Though it holds its trident at the ready, it makes no hostile move toward you all. Stooping, it runs a slimy finger under the fallen man's collar and waits for a moment before flicking it's head in a very human "negative" gesture. It moves on to the next collapsed guest and does the same thing as you hear the steady beat of hooves approaching from your right, around the corner of the manor house. Four goblins leading camels can be seen in the torchlight. With switches and shoves, they attempt to goad some of the guests on the patio to follow the camels. One turns to the four of you.
"You! Longshanks! You come now!"
Picking up a fallen masquerade partier, the fishman croaks something at the goblins and begins walking toward the camels. The beasts seem agitated by the fish monsters even more than the hooting and squawking guests. It places its human cargo face down over the camel's back, giving the woman's ankle an almost affectionate squeeze before returning to the other collapsed people.
Will stares at the fish-creatures actions with eyes as wide as the fish-creatures own.
"What, the,... ?!?" IS all he manages to mutter before being shouted at by the goblins. He glances at Mal, then back to the goblin.
"Yeah,..." He murmurs, drawing the word out until it is it's own sentence. "Like That's gonna happen,..."
"Ferdinand" looks askance at the goblin who shouted at them before pointing his hand at it. "Well, shall we begin?" You would assume he would be giving you a rakish grin, if he wasn't wearing a mask.
Looking quickly at Will, Addy asks, "You got another one of those fireworks spells that'll knock these things flat on their butts? The rest of us can take care of the walking anchovy there. I think we need to get out of here and back to our tents/rooms; I know I'd feel better with a real blade, and not this little toothpick I brought along."
Mal’s been staring at the fish-man, oddly unnerved by it. He’s seen a monster or three in his time, even fought a couple … but there’s something very off-putting, very spooky about the way the fish-man just crouches there in the dark … and that smell …
Not making any sudden moves, the warrior quietly tears a strip of cloth from the cloak of his costume, and, leaning his sword against the rail of the patio and using his other hand and his teeth, ties a makeshift bandage around the bloody wound in his forearm.
By the time this is done, and his sword is back in hand, the goblins and camels have appeared, and Lady Abelcroft is back on the patio with them. He nods at her words, pulling the mask back down to cover his face. “Agree. We need to take out these things before we get out of here. It’s not right to let that fish-thing take women – people – that way.”
He hefts his sword and makes ready to step off the patio. “Any more tricks Will?” he asks, looking at the mage.
Will gives a small, swift shake of his head in the negative. He's obviously no happier about it than his companions are.
"Sorry, a good wizard never repeats himself!" He replies with an obviously forced attempt at humor.
"That was my only altercation spell. I've got a translation spell that might be handy, especially with the fish-man. And I can do almost any minor trick I can think of, maybe distract them with smoke and flashes. But the best I can offer,... I can let you see a glimpse of the future for a few seconds. It could give you a better chance of hitting." HE explains, eyeing the goblin warily. HE glances at Mal and 'Ferdinand', and makes a grand 'after you' gesture.
You can now only see two goblins and the sea monster... where the other two went, you don't know...
The fishman points at "Lady Albercroft" and croaks something to the lead goblin.
"Kill longshanks! Leave ugly pink-pink alive!", it shouts before advancing with its dogslicer, the other goblin in tow. The fishman readies his trident and warily breaks toward your left.
"Ferdinand" turns around and fires a bolt of arcane energy at the fishman.
1d20
"Ferdinand" turns around and fires a bolt of arcane energy at the fishman.
1d4+1
Monster initiative:
Initiative:
Goblins: 21
Aquaman: 16
Adelaine: 12
Will: 9
Zareby and Malatar: 8 (Zareby sends a magic missile at Aquaman)
Two goblins run at Malatar, waving dogslicers and screaming bloody murder, but the warrior is prepared this time, standing firm and parrying low with his bastard sword.
Charging goblins:
Two more of the little runts fire on Will from the cover of darkness. Split-seconds before the arrows sail toward him, Will can see the ghostly trail of disturbed air that they will travel. Unfortunately, this information comes a bit too late to help him dodge.
Goblin ranged attack:
Damage:
A sharp pain moves up will's side as one of the little monster's darts sails into his right thigh. The other little arrow sticks in the ground between the wizard's feet.
Meanwhile, the fishman circles to "Ferdinand" and "Lady Vivianna"'s side, coming cautiously within about ten feet of the costumed "aristocrats". The creatures fishy smell is practically overpowering.
"All hail the empress! Follow her, as we are her loyal subjects!" Addy cries, moving in the direction of the camels. As she moves, she stumbles a bit in the direction of the fish-man, while trying to inconspicuously make her dagger less noticable in her hand.
Feint (bluff check)
“Now where’d those little buggers go – ah…”
Malatar readies his blade as the two goblins charge towards him. He twists his sword low and deftly parries one of the clumsy blows, as a couple of arrows streak out of the darkness towards Will. He hears the mage cry out.
“Find cover Will,” he yells as he spins and kicks away the second goblin. “Won’t look good on the report if I let you die at the party,” he adds in a much lower voice.
He continues his spin and slices his sword into the side of the first goblin , near slicing the runt in two .
The fishman keeps his guard up, despite Lady Albercroft's ruse. Will remains behind Malatar.
"You're the only cover around!", he shouts back, before reciting an arcane phrase and placing a hand on Malatar's back. The warrior's vision swims with ghostly tracks which the goblin's and his own actions follow.
The fishman grunts as Ferdinand's force dart grazes his shoulder, then switches his grip to attack with the blunt end of the trident...
Second Round
Initiative:
Goblins: 21(flee, fire on Mal)
Aquaman: 16 (subdual attack, Adelaine)
Adelaine: 12
Will: 9
Zareby and Malatar: 8
Meanwhile, the goblin attacking Mal shrieks as his companion is split by the fighter's blade. It turns and runs in a panic as two more arrows streak toward the fighter.
Mal is grazed by a small shaft, but manages to deflect the second with his blade, even as he swings at the fleeing goblin.
The fishman pulls back on his trident to hit Lady Albercroft with the blunt haft, aiming for the temple.
The creature's aim is perfect, dealing Addy a blow where her skull is the thinnest. A white-hot flash of pain rings through her skull, her vision swimming. She falls to the ground in a heap.
"Ferdinand" points at the fishman and sends frosty ray at it.
"Ferdinand" points at the fishman and sends frosty ray at it.
1d20+1;1d3
1d20+1
“Whoa…” breathes Malatar as Will’s spell washes over him, then “Damn!” as he is hit by a small arrow.
The second goblin cuts and runs, and Mal lashes out with his sword, guided by Will’s spell.
With Will's aid, Malatar cuts down the fleeing goblin with ease.
“Watch yourself Will,” Malatar mutters, then breaks ranks to circle warily around the fish creature, holding his breath against the stink, trying to flank it with Zareby, before darting in to attack.
“Watch yourself Will,” Malatar mutters, then breaks ranks to circle warily around the fish creature, holding his breath against the stink, trying to flank it with Zareby, before darting in to attack.
Will blinks, suddenly realizing that his cover has flown!
"Yeah, no problem. IF my cover would stop moving." He mutters as Mal takes off towards the fish-man-thing. He scoots a little closer to the others, rubbing shoulder to shoulder with them as he tries to keep all of the beasties in his view.
"uhhh ..." is the only sound that escapes Addy's lips as she slams to the ground, unconscious.