Do it for Mei, part 2
Log Info
- Title: Do it for Mei, part 2
- Emitter: Zeke
- Characters: Aryia, Seyardu, Smuldur, Paenitia
- Place: Farmlands of Alexandria
- Time: Thursday, August 19, 2021, 2:07 PM
- Summary: The slain demon melts away. Aryia, Seyardu, Smuldur and Paenitia continue to the tower in the distance. The first challenge is getting there without being seen. Examining the landscape, there is a way through the forest that would get them close, but exposure is guaranteed. They consider options, then sneak, then run. They are pursued, but not inside. Once inside, even Ramirez, they choose to go down first. They come on a door and hear a conversation past it, regarding a 'moon' object. Coordinating it, they burst in, discovering a demon talking to a pool of blood. They interrupt this liquid conference call, with Paenitia bashing him around the knees, Smuldur using his shadow weapon, and Aryia flanking with her fists. Seyardu provides beneficial spells and moves in to strike, but it is Paenitia that takes out the fiend with a very low blow. Searching the room uncovers keys, and a strange moon disk, which Seyardu secures. They head lower, and discover a torture chambre with a still living prisoner. Not the rumoured treasure implied by Mei. Closer examination reveals it is an Erinyes, one of the Ashwings. She's in such terrible shape she's unrecognizeable as one, or even female. Aryia faints from the stress, too reminiscent of her life in Charn. Smuldur sees to the Mul'niessa while Paenitia attempts to determine if this is a trap. Seyardu moves into the cell and bandages up the Erinyes, drawing some criticism from Paenitia. There is no further depths and the top of the tower is the home of Imps and they can be avoided. The group decides to flee swiftly, with the devil on Ramirez.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Seyardu 5'6" 150 Lb Sith-Makar Female A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint. Smuldur 3'4" 45 Lb Goblin Male A gently used (cut, scraped, burnt, exploded) gobber. Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a tired look about her. Paenitia 3'0" 34 Lb Halfling Female A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery. =-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Zeke 6'8" 239 Lb Sith-Makar Male A blue-scaled sith-makar in white Daeus vestments. =-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Previously
Seyardu, Smuldur and Aryia set out to the dungeon Mei described, stopping first to speak to Gregor Marshal. He directs them to the road, along which they see a body. A man, with red skin, covered in flies. Smuldur immediately runs over to offer aid, and is grabbed by the man and held hostage. He reveals himself to be a devil, and orders them to drop their weapons... when, most of them don't have them out. Smuldur remembers that in a hostage situation, shooting the host is important, so he attacks him with fire. As the man tries to pin Smuldur, he orders flesh-blob-minion things to attack.
At this moment, Paenitia arrives on Ramirez, announces herself, issues her challenge, threatens to pin the demon to the ground and dismember him, and charges. She rides by, injuring him badly, but not as badly as she'd hoped. Aryia steps in, stunning the devil repeated, and Seyardu and Smuldur take to smashing the fleshy things. Paenitia realizes their fight might attract attention, and so minimizes her flashiness by riding in to melee and staying there. It seems the Devil is about to teleport, and Aryia is not about to let this happen and grabs him, while Pae and Rami give him a good wack and peck.
Unexpectedly, Shalethiste arrives, latest to the party. She charges in to smite the devil, and with a tremendous swing decapitates him. His death was as the little knight promised, being pinned and cut to pieces.
Now
In the wake of killing the devil, there's a surge of victory. Its body dissolves into ash and smoke, but that doesn't disatisfy you. Instead you gird yourselves for the next leg of the journey namely; discovering what the devils here are hiding and hopefully routing them out.
GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (19)+13: 32 GAME: Smuldur rolls perception: (5)+10: 15 GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (9)+3: 12 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+7: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (7)+4: 11 GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (15)+5: 20 (Ramirez Perception)
Aryia holds up a hand, her pointing to the figures flying about the tower before gesturing. "Seyardu, let everyone know that those things up there look like little people with wings. They don't see us but they probably will if we walk up there." <Handspeech>
Smuldur looks at the building ahead, then up a little higher. He points. "Pijjins!" What else would be flying around buildings, but 'rats with wings?' Even if its a building that just popped up in the middle of nowhere.
Seyardu nods to Aryia, looking upwards.
"Aryia says they look like small, winged people. I doubt they are allies, and Aryia thinks we're unseen where we are, but will not be closer to the building. Not pigeons." She relays.
"Is everyone alright still?"
Paenitia stares at the body as it dissolves. If only it would remove the mess from her weapons and Ramirez while it leaves. It does not, so the little Lucht guides her hippogryph over to some long grasses and tall bushes where she can make an effort to wipe down her lance.
Ramirez does so as well. At some point during his cleaning ritual he turns his head and focuses on something in the distance, in the sky.
'rrruuaaaaah.' It's quieter, not his usual challenge. A warning to his mistress that he's spotted something he's uncertain about.
She matches the angle of his head, and gazes. "Ramirez sees something. They are more than pigeons. He eat those without protest."
Aryia nods, she was just fine. She puts her hands in her pockets and shifts her weight to her back foot while staring at the flying creatures. Thinking of some way to deal with them while the others talked.
"We are well, thank you Friend Dragon." Paenitia says formally, standing on her saddle and bracing herself against Ramirz's head. This makes her viewpoint all of a foot higher. She surveys the countryside, and the pillar.
"I see the fliers when I turn about in the battle." The Red Knight looks down at her companions, "I have the bow, what do you have to attack with if they will not land? Ramirez cannot fly without the winds of Isobar at his tail. If we have no way to engage in the air, they will circle and shoot arrows until we die."
The way she describes this, suggests she's done exactly that.
"There are rocks, but that will not work, if their skin is as hard as his. I see if there a way to make it there, or good cover that will force them to the ground."
Paenitia examines the countryside further.
Smuldur looks back to Seyardu. "Oh." He scratches his backside (itch) then his chin (in thought). "Big pijjins?" He peers harder at the sky, then back at the others to check on them. "Good?" At Paenitia's question, his eyes light up with an instant idea. "Cannon!" Then he's looking to his peers again. "Who brought?"
GAME: Paenitia rolls knowledge/military theory: (18)+9: 27
There is a bit of trees off to the left that would provide good cover either for protection or for getting close to the tower, but it doesn't reach the whole way. No matter how it is approached, the party will have to pass through some open area in order to reach the tower. Someone with a skill similar to the knight likely set up the defenses here because they are TIGHT.
"I have magic. But I am not the best with a bow." Seyardu explains, looking up and sighing. "A path to bring them to the ground would be best. Not pigeons, people shaped with wings. And likely violent."
"Please, by the way, if you see anyone in here, do not rush to them again."
Aryia nods in agreement with the knight, but glares at Smuldur from Seyardu's warning, as if to reinforce it.
"Ha! I lose that in the Battle of Blackrock Outcrop." Paenitia laughs, "Ramirez did not like the boom. It hurt he ears."
The Dark Lucht adjusts her hat. There is no need to shade her eyes, the wide brim practically shades all of her. She slowly continues to look over the fields, the road.
"The placement is excellent. They make with skill. There is no unshelter approach. The trees there," she points at a stand, "those will give protection or to get close, but the last stretch is the open area."
"We will be seen, we will be attack." Fortunately, if she frowns it is hidden by her mask. The wide grin makes it seem she's delighted to run through an open field and a rain of arrows. "I do not think they will fall for the 'wounded one' ruse. I have no plan for get them to land that works without airship or fliers."
"Unless I am truly mistaken, they should not be able to fire through the tower though, unless it is an illusion. But then we are stuck in there, and there may be others in the building."
"The options seem poor. I should have brought a crossbow or something with me."
Seyardu sighs, and continues to watch the flying creatures.
Aryia makes a gesture of pretending an arrow is fired at her, and then her batting it out of the way. She nods at the idea, "Maybe we just need to get to the tower itself and get inside before they can get us." <Handspeech>
Smuldur looks at the others, then back at the not-pijjins, back at the others, back at the- He suddenly perks up again. Another idea, if his hopping in place and holding up a hand are any indication. "Smuldur know! Bait! They follow bait, we sneaky inside!"
"I am worried about them calling for reinforcements, however. Or them becoming the reinforcements. for what we may find in the tower. Mei mentioned 3, and we only found one without wings. perhaps those in the air are the ones they found?"
The suggestion of bait made her think. "It would let us get in perhaps, but what about the bait? They would either be left alone, or follow us in afterwards,which would make sneaking in accomplish little.
Paenitia takes out a dirty cloth and wipes her lance clean, then slides it into its scabbard. "I will buy the crossbows so you all have for next time." Ramirez' saddle is covered with halberds. One might guesss they adventured with archers previously, and people who don't carry melee weapons.
"Let go approach through the trees and see what is there." The Red Knight suggests, after watching Aryia's hands for a little bit. "You will be most easily seen, Friend Dragon, so perhap there an ambush point where Ramirez can jump, and Aryia and Smuldur climb trees to drop on them if they fly by."
Paenitia pats Ramirez on the head, then sits back down in her saddle and clucks for him to move into the treeline, "This way I best, I think. We have to face them, the only other way is to turn back. So we need fight them where they cannot simply kill us at their pleasure."
"I am the best bait. They may not be able to catch, if that seem a better option." Paenitia says.
GAME: Aryia rolls will: (20)+5: 25 (CRITICAL SUCCESS) GAME: Seyardu rolls will+2: (1)+8+2: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Smuldur rolls will: (15)+2: 17 GAME: Paenitia rolls will+1: (16)+5+1: 22 (+1 Lucht Luck, +2 vs fear maybe)
You gather together and head for a corpse of trees which offers some protection from prying eyes. The trees do seem to do their work, and there is no hail of arrows from the things flying around the tower. In fact, to Paenitia's surprise the trees go a bit further than they seemed to from the angle that you guys were at before. It seems that you can get quite close to the tower before being forced into the open if you're careful.
The extra trees are an illusion. They're not really there.
The forest itself is more of a lightly wooded area. It's got a slightly wet spot where a stream comes through from time to time, but not much else.
Seyardu moves around the treeline further in than the others, watching the creatures and her steps to avoid making too much noise from broken twigs.
"Well, that is lucky, at least." Seyardu says. "We may be able to reach cover spending little time in the open."
Aryia is good at being sneaky. The moment they started to head that way, she was silent, and hard to keep track of. As Seyardu moves up, the elf snaps her fingers at her and gestures for her to come closer.
Smuldur follows the others into the trees. Big trees (to him). Pretty trees. Flammable trees... wait, why don't those trees ahead look as flammable as they should? How dare they!
He points up ahead, waving his finger and stealthfully yelling, "Funny trees!"
Paenitia holds up her hand. She knows 'stop' in handsign at least. Or perhaps that is visual merctalk. Well it's not interpreting a barking dog and somewhat clear. She rises up to examine what's in front of her.
The distance from her current spot to the tower, is of primary importance. She's looking for a door, and while it would be hard to tell for sure at range, for something Ramirez could probably fit through. She knows arrow-slits won't work. A nice clear space for Ramirez to run around would help also. Finally, she judges how high up they are, compares that to her own archery skills.
How long will her comrades be exposed if they sprint to the tower, and how long she'd have to act as bait, are what the Red Knight is trying to determine. Quietly she says, "Smuldur is right. The trees are illusion now. We do not have real cover. I think. I work on a plan."
GAME: Paenitia rolls knowledge/military theory: (14)+9: 23 <OOC> Paenitia says, "would stealth synergy apply?" GAME: Paenitia rolls stealth: (18)+10: 28 GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (13)+5: 18 (Ramirez Stealth) GAME: Aryia rolls stealth: (19)+13: 32 GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20: (8): 8 GAME: Smuldur rolls stealth: (17)+5: 22 <OOC> Paenitia says, "Stealth results are 19 base, Aryia 32, Paenitia 29, Ramirez 24, Smuldur 24, Seyardu 19 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10
The entrance to the tower is thirty feet away from the edge of the fake trees. Sixty from the edge of the real ones.
"The trees are fake?" Seyardu asks once Aryia gestures her over. "They put that there thinking we would not notice, to catch us unaware you thing? Then they have some plan for if we are caught in the open, most likely."
The Red Knight outlines some options to the party. They could try to sneak the distance as a group to the door; they could run the distance as a group to the door; Paenitia could ride off on Ramirez as bait, makes noise, and the rest try to sneak, and if noticed, run with Paenitia attempting to catch up or draw them off; or the bait plan except Ramirez does it without his mistress.
He may not have space inside a tower to climb spiral stairs, as it is. Flying off after being a distraction is better than hiding just inside the tower and trying to avoid being poked.
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23
There is a brief discussion of their options, and it is decided to attempt sneaking as a group, and running once they're spotted.
"Yes. The trees are not real cover. You can run through them also." The Red Knight advises. Hopefully this is not bad advice.
"We should sneak close, as a group. Only the grass is real. When they spot us, then we run the last distance. Ramirez will take the most time to get through the door, so go before him."
As you head to the tower, you keep close together and nervously keep an eye on the things flying above. You make it halfway there before they spot you. You know that they have because the pattern of their flying changes and you can hear their excited muttering even with the distance between you and them. They dive down, but you're already up and running, heading for the entrance as quickly as you can. You make it just in time. With Ramerize bringing up the rear and shoving you guys deeper inside.
It's dark inside the tower, but the creatures flying just outside don't attack you from the rear. As if they have orders not to enter the tower. Instead you creep down the stairs. This means leaving Ramerize behind because he can't quite fit down them, but he seems safe enough on the ground floor.
You can hear voices drifting up from below you. A male and female voice talking to one another. "We can't afford to let any of them get ahold of the Moon. You know as well as I do the danger if one of the chosen of Eluna gets their paws on it. We'll both be slaughtered." This from the female voice. The male's much deeper tone follows.
"Don't be so worried. They'd have to steal it from here, and then how would they even know it was valuable? It looks like nothing." He laughs and his voice echoes down the staircase your in. The voices get louder until you reach a door. You think the pair of voices are coming from inside here, but the staircase leads further down as well.
Once they finally got inside, Aryia takes a moment to still her racing heart and silently move down the steps with everyone else. She cocks her head to the side one way, then another way before signing, "Voices. Does anyone recognize them? Also what moon thing are they talking about?" <Handpsesch>
It didn't help that Seyardu was a walking mirror flare for those in the sky. Once they seemed alerted, Seyardu breaks off into a run, heading for the entrance and lingering near it, not wishing to push forward too far until they were all there. With that handled, she slowly makes her way down with the others.
"This feels too obvious." Seyardu notess to Aryia. "It could be a trap quite easily. I do not recognize them, however, but I would not trust anything they say with the commotion outside. They already tried to trick us with the body outside."
Paenitia pets Ramirez, then selects her weapons from his saddle. Warhammer, Sword and bardiche will do. She takes both her large shield and her buckler as well as her healing kit. Achieving a small, blocky appearance. She cautions him, "Hide. Flee if you must, Brave Ramirez. Do not let them pluck you like a chicken. I will find you."
He wickers at her, making a disappointed sort of chirp, but does as commanded, managing to squeeze his feathery horse-self into a corner. It's remarkable really, it's almost impossible to not notice the giant peacock-hippogryph, but not entirely impossible to overlook him.
Down at the door, Paenitia makes a quiet grumble-growl in her voice. Dog-owners, or Gnolls might recognize it, but her current comrades won't. She fingers the head of her warhammer hefting it free. She gestures downstairs.
She thinks it over, shakes her head, then nods, whispering, "Guards talk about soup, not the very interesting to know. It not good to have enemies at the back, this may be the voice trap."
She examines the handle, then tests to see if it will turn. Surprise might be the best option.
The door is not locked.
Seeing Paenitia turn the handle, Aryia gets down on the flat of her feet and lowers herself, ready to blast in should that be the plan.
Her warhammer at the ready, seeing Aryia ready herself to charge, Paenitia nods to Smuldur and Seyardu then pushes the door a little more. There's floor. It's not a trap to make them charge into a hole. Yes!
Throwing the door wide, the Red Knight rushes in, seeking target in hand, abridging her challenge but issuing it none the less, "I am Sister Paenitia! Ignore me at your peril!"
If there is a spell-caster, his or her knees have just entered the danger zone.
GAME: Smuldur casts Shadow Weapon. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13
Smuldur already learned that these things are Torchi-resistant. How can that be, given that Torchie is All-Powerful? Well, they are icky nasty demony things? After running in, he drops Torchie, but still harnesses its pure Torchie essense by ...gathering the smoke into... what looks like a much larger torch with a longer handle, yet isn't burning.
GAME: Seyardu casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15 <OOC> Seyardu says, "Paenitia gets +4 strength!"
"You said hit them hard, yes?" Seyardu whispers close to the door, one hand on her breastplate. "Celestial mother, grant this one the strength to see this through." She offers in quiet prayer with a hand on Paenitia's arm. "Then do so."
With that, she shoves the door open, charging through to threaten the nearest figure with cold iron mace in hand.
<OOC> Aryia says, "aryia is gonna run in and get in a position to slap a demon, flank with Paenitia because she fast" <OOC> Zeke says, "acrobatics check!" GAME: Aryia rolls acrobatics: (6)+13: 19
Aryia bursts in after Paenitia, her dashing around the demon and sliding under the table to get past it. She pops up behind them, fists raised and face pinched in concentration. It's clear that she's ready to slap them silly if they let any sort of guard down.
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+2: (10)+9+2+2: 23 (+2 str bonus, +2 flanking) <OOC> Paenitia says, "challenged opponent, gets my cav levels as a bonus, +6, and +2 str bonus" GAME: Paenitia rolls damage5+6+2: aliased to 1d8+1+6+2: (5)+1+6+2: 14
A demon!
Paenitia knows how to handle those. Especially when he's got his face in a bowl of blood. Rushing within range she gives him a tremendous crack across one knee. A cold iron warhammer to the leg is one solid hell-o. Yet the demon seems resilient to the strike.
Not entirely, fortunately.
GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+10: (7)+10: 17 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+10: (7)+10: 17
The demon is clearly surprised, but it recovers quickly, swiping its claws through the air at Paenitia, but her armor serves her well and its claws don't sink into her body. Growling the demon takes a step back only to find the table there and blood spills down the table. A woman's voice echoes out of the bowl. "What-" It's cut off as the blood spills out and the demon narrows its eyes at the lot of you.
"What a waste of good blood!"
GAME: Smuldur RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 8 temporary HP GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7 GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d20+bloodrager: (19)+4: 23 GAME: Smuldur rolls melee+2: (12)+7+2: 21 GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d6+strength+2: (2)+2+2: 6 (it does normal weapon damage and not just 1 pt.) <OOC> Smuldur - unhinger Rage. "Enemy in 30' of me entering rage gets Will save or be shaken for the encounter. DC 14" GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+3: (14)+3: 17 (Demon Will)
Smuldur has his big dark not-torchie and waves it at the demon as starts cackling. "Ha! Smuldur have plenty more blood!" Maybe he didn't quite get the reference.. and then he's rushing in to swing and bonk the demon. While Torchie cheers him on sputteringly from the floor.
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Stepping back 5 ft to cast prayer" GAME: Seyardu casts Prayer. Caster Level: 6 DC: 16 <OOC> Paenitia says, "+1att +1dam +1skill +1save?" GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+6: (18)+6: 24 (Spell Resistance Check)
Seeing the fiend being rushed, Seyardu takes a step back, finding many of the bows working not quite as well as they should. "Guide our strikes to pierce through this fiends hide!" <Draconic> She offers in prayer, before she adjusts her grip on the weapon again, glaring at them. Perhaps they needed just needed to hit a bit harder?
<OOC> Aryia says, "first one is stunning fist" GAME: Aryia spends ONE point of KI POOL. GAME: Aryia spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST. GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+1+2: (10)+10+1+2: 23 (+1 prayer, +2 flank, DC 15 fort save) GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+1+2: (4)+10+1+2: 17 GAME: Aryia rolls weapon0+1+2: (10)+10+1+2: 23 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+9: (13)+9: 22 (Demon Fort) GAME: Aryia rolls damage0+1: aliased to 1d8+2+1: (5)+2+1: 8 GAME: Aryia rolls damage0+1: aliased to 1d8+2+1: (3)+2+1: 6
Feeling that familiar surge rush through Aryia, she launches forward with a signature haymaker across the side of the fiend's skull, following it up with two uppercuts from her left. Kill it. Kill it before it tries anything. That's the only thought coursing through her mind.
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+2+1: (7)+9+2+2+1: 21 (+2 Bulls, +2 Flank, +1 Prayer, 2 attacks) GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+2+1-5: (15)+9+2+2+1+-5: 24 (+2 Bulls, +2 Flank, +1 Prayer, 2 attacks) GAME: Paenitia rolls damage5+2+6+1: aliased to 1d8+1+2+6+1: (4)+1+2+6+1: 14 GAME: Paenitia rolls damage5+2+6+1: aliased to 1d8+1+2+6+1: (3)+1+2+6+1: 13
"Tell us about the Moon!" Paenitia orders, asking the demon's left knee and smacking it with her warhammer. It cracks with a nice resonance.
The swing leaves the Red Knight a little twisted and of balance, which she turns into extra umpf on the return swing.
"Tell us your Name!" She asks the demon's right knee, ringing it like a bongo and spread his stance wider. After which the little knight hunches, bringing up her shield to weather more attacks.
<OOC> Zeke says, "Demon makes a pair of attacks on Pae" GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+9: (4)+9: 13 GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+9: (3)+9: 12
The demon growls back at Paenitia. "NO!" He denies her any such answers. Answers that might tell her who he is, or what is going on here. He attacks her, but is thwarted a second time, bleeding from a dozen tiny wounds now. He spits at her in frustration, but even that misses, falling to the floor where it hisses ominiously.
She is the strongest of mountains.
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Moving into Melee, getting flank if I can, and power attacking!" GAME: Zeke rolls 1d20+9: (7)+9: 16 (AOO on Seyardu) GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11
With things in full swing, particularly towards the fiend, Seyardu ducks around the growing melee, past swipes and strikes from their foe so she could move into position. She brings down the mace on them, but a fumbled movement on the grip made it bounce harmlessly off of their skin.
GAME: Smuldur rolls melee+2+2: (13)+7+2+2: 24 GAME: Smuldur rolls 1d6+strength+2+1: (2)+2+2+1: 7
"Name? Or die?" Is Smuldur asking Paenitia on their plan? Is it an ultimatum to the demon? Is he hitting the demon again? The answer to all of these is an energetic YES.
<OOC> Aryia has improved grapple! GAME: Aryia rolls cmb+2: (5)+10+2: 17
Aryia lunges forward as the others start to wail on the creature, so goes for a horn and an arm, grabbing at the wrists but is twisted off. She lets go, not wanting to bowl the two short folk over. She huffs, bouncing on her feet to try it again.
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+2+1: (12)+9+2+2+1: 26 GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon5+2+2+1-5: (4)+9+2+2+1+-5: 13 GAME: Paenitia rolls damage5+2+6+1: aliased to 1d8+1+2+6+1: (5)+1+2+6+1: 15
Left knee struck, right knee struck, twice, Paenitia splits the difference and swings low and upwards. She might be a knight but her small stature almost guarantees all her blows are below the belt.
"Tell me your name!" She hollers, attacking his manhood. Demons have that, right? She's not about to check, but she buries the head of her warhammer between his legs.
A solid sledge-like strike there has got to hurt. She follows up for a reverse swing, stretching all the way up to smack him in the face.
It misses. Because the demon has crumpled. The party has prevailed.
She steps back as he falls forwards towards her.
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (18)+3: 21 GAME: Smuldur rolls perception: (11)+10: 21 GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (13)+4: 17 GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (1)+13: 14 (EPIC FAIL)
Aryia was a bit stunned that the demon managed to be felled with such a dishonorable strike. She blinks, staring at the pile of crumpled fiend and the three foot tall Lucht of steel and pizazz. She gives a slow thumbs up, wincing at imagining the strike again.
Seyardu shoves the demon away unceremoniously as they fall forward, so the Lucht Knight is not smothered. As she does, something catches her eye. Something that was shining just slightly out of a pocket. She pulls a dagger out of her bag, hooking the ring on the tip of it.
"Keys, to something." She says to the group, before she looks around to see what else she could find.
"I still do not trust them, but perhaps this is what they spoke of?" She offers to the the group, showing where she found a stone moon with a strange silver orb in the center. Well, metallic. She wasn't entirely sure.
"How they will be remembered if they do not give their name?" Paenitia asks rhetorically, sounding sad and disappointed. She lifts the demon's head with her warhammer, to see if she recognizes any features, check if he resembles the one from the road.
Or even could be the same one.
Looking towards Seyardu she says, "Friend Dragon, that may the thing they speak of. It may grip the mind, we should put in a safe bag."
Then determine who would be best to carry the bag. The little Lucht glances around the room, for exits, for things that might be unlocked with the key. "If we are done search, we should move on. I do not see anything more of import."
Notably, Seyardu is holding it and she's fine. Good thing they checked first.
Smuldur calms down from his bonking-spree, staring in awe at Paenitia. Obviously she has superior bonkinating skills, as she just bonked the bonkers out of the demon's bollocks! He's pulled from this revarie when someone mentions finding something shiny! Smuldur joins the hunt for shiny things, and in the end, only finds one. the one that Seyardu is already holding.
Aryia watches everyone talk and point out things before she gives a slow nod towards the keys and points upward. "Tower, right? Keys might go to something up there. And maybe we give that moon thing to the Elune temple?" <Handspeech>
"There are still the steps down, the great treasure the Mei suspect they are protecting." Paenitia says, watching Seyardu handle the odd object. She glances at the blood and the bowl. She can't think of anything to do with those.
She clanks quietly around the room, "I think we go down still, see what there, how deep the tower go, before we go up."
"Mor shiny?!" Smuldur's eyes and ears (well, the singed one not missing a bite) perk up! Then he's scampering his way back out the door for the stairs down. Because shiny!
The tower only has one more floor going down. And it seems to be a dungeon of some kind. There are cells with various body parts held within them. Impements of torture stacked neatly against one wall. If you're expecting 'shinies' this is not the location to look. As you search through the various cells however, the body inside moves. Groaning and turning toward the sound of your group. It's a... person. But one grieveously wounded enough that you're not sure what species or what gender. Whoever it is reaches out toward you but that's the most that they seem capable of managing.
GAME: Seyardu rolls will+2: (17)+8+2: 27 GAME: Paenitia rolls will+1: (19)+5+1: 25 (+2 vs fear if it applies) GAME: Aryia rolls will: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Smuldur rolls will: (16)+2: 18
A second more careful look at the individual reveals the knowledge that they must have at one point had wings on their back. Because they've been torn or cut off. Black feathers are laying beside some of the torture implements in the room.
"Well, at the very least, I feel fine holding it. But I still worry about what they are saying. I will not take it exactly where fiends say to take it without making sure as much as possible that it is safe."
She Stows her mace to place a hand on their breastplate for a moment with a prayer, opening their eyes to any magical effects in the room. Seeming content with the look around, she follows the group downstairs.
The sight sickens the sith-makar before she sees it with the scent of blood. But before she can do anything, she is looking around the room seeing the feathers, and where wings seemed to be removed from the prisoner.
"Those are black, correct?" She asks the group.
Smuldur peers at the thing, and the feathers. While the things outside weren't, maybe this one is? Or was? "Pijjin?"
Paenitia crusades on her quixotic quests for various reasons, gold and shinies tend to be the least. Honourable battles, protecting the downtrodden, ridding the world of oppressive, abusive lords and masters, are foremost.
A dungeon and torture instruments are sad, demoralizing sights to the Dark Lucht. Yet not unfamiliar ones. "We do not deal with honourable folk, my friends. To be caught by them means great suffering.
The tortured corpse moves! She springs forward, interposing her shield, ready to ward an attack. She peers closer, eyes intense. Married with her grinning mask, it almost seems as if she's pleased, excited by what she sees. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"This one lives. Could be man, woman, orc or human. It is not the Friend Dragon." She states firmly, then adds with some concern, "Not without skin removed and much injury. The feathers are black, yes."
She faces the being, her voice cautious, "Can you hear?"
Aryia follows after with a bit of haste, making sure Smuldur didn't stumble into something horrid. Again.
Though, they get further down, Aryia's attention strays from cell to cell, each footfall she moves closer to Seyardu, face a mixture of green, white, and horror. Once they get to the moving body, her eyes are saucer wide. Face so white she could be mistaken for a snow elf. A few shaky breaths leave her as she runs her fingers across some of the scars on her face.
There's no warning as she makes a choked sort of sob, eyes roll back, and she collapses to the ground in a heap.
The body shifts to the sound of voices, reaching again. It makes a choked noise, trying to communicate but unable to speak. Finally it manages a gesture. One hand flat, the other a fist on top with the thumb brokenly pointing up. Both lifting slightly before the hands fall apart unable to maintain any sort of cohesion. There's silence in the wake of their attempted communication.
The hand sign for help.
Seyardu stops. Looks to the feathers, to the body that was still moving. She shakes her head, holds a hand up to Paenitia. They sniff at the air.
"This one knows, the lack of skin does not hide the scent." She says. "Ashwing.Unless angels smell like this too."
Though, her attention turns to Aryia. She was too caught up by trying to figure out what was going on to stop the Mul from entering. She sighs and kneels down, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Aryia, it will be alright. Please, focus. You cannot let your guard down right now."
Seyardu's quick look and shake of the shadow elf yields that she fainted.
Paenitia turns, laying down her warhammer to rest her hand on Aryia back. "Be strong. I will handle this. Smuldur, watch her."
As she stands she meets Seyardu's eyes, hers are stern and dark. She turns to the bars, to the torture victim, stares upwards. Her grinning mask would not be reassuring. So fortunate then it can't be seen.
"You hear. We have been warned of the tricks, of the blackwings like you." Her voice is child-like and stern, an odd dichotomy made worse by her next statement. "I will grant you the swift end to your suffering. Ask it of me."
Seyardu felt the mul shift under her attempt at a reassuring hand. She sighs, and catches the movement. It was one of the first in the books she had read. Common greetings and requests for people you might come across.
"Why, should we help you?" Seyardu asks, standing up to look at the figure. "How many people, how many have you happily hurt and tortured in the same place, and done nothing for?"
Her mind goes back to the lancer, the blood filled room, magic detailing just how long they had kept her alive, all the pain and suffering they put them through, the methodical sorting of bodies, people and animals, for the sake of it.
"How can you be there, and ask for help? This implies you are aware of what suffering can cause, or you are simply attempting to catch us unaware so you can have your way yet again. You would ask for help, but give none in return."
Her hand was starting to cut itself on the collar of her breastplate from how hard she was gripping it, blood dribbling down the front of the metal. "Celestial Mother. Stabilize this one's wounds." She offers in prayer, at least, keeping the figure from dying just yet.
She turns to Paenitia. "Aryia has fainted. Culix, keep an eye on her. And Paenitia, this one will bandage their wounds. We will take them back with us."
GAME: Seyardu casts Stabilize. Caster Level: 6 DC: 13
"Friend Dragon, you ask the right questions but do not wait for the answer, and now have agree to help it." Paenitia says firmly, "I make the vow, to help the downtrodden, never attack the helpless. Even for this one. That vow would hold."
Her voice lowers, "If it ask the mercy of a swift death, I would give. Their death is not like mortals. Now it know, we will save regardless."
She laughs suddenly, "It is fine! There will be much mirth among it and the ones above when their trap is spring after we twice warned. Tarien will be pleased!"
For whatever reason. Perhaps lacking strength. Perhaps in the enactment of that warned-of trap, the creature doesn't move inside its cell. It simply lays there. Occasionally its body twitches, but that's the most that comes of it. It doesn't seem to notice or care about your conversation about it.
There's nothing magical going. There was faint magic on the Erinyes at the beginning, but that faded quickly.
Aryia's eyes flutter, her faintly moving against the ground. Slowwwwwwly regaining consciousness.
"This is no illusion. They are not in a position to answer you, even if you asked them." Seyardu notes, shaking her head. "I understand the importance of your vows. And my own beliefs, they are the same. My mind is torn, but I feel that there was betrayal, or another side here. And it would be well for us to hear theirs. I will carry them, take responsibility for this choice. If the knife is to go into anyone's back for the decision, it will be mine."
She tests the door, seeing if it will open before trying the keys on it. If allowed to enter, she reaches into her bag, pulling out a healer's kit. She kneels next to the body, bandaging up the form as best as she could, applying salves and the like to keep them stable longer, and stop any bleeding.
GAME: Seyardu rolls heal+2: (15)+7+2: 24 GAME: Seyardu used a Healer's Kit.
Paenitia watches, standing back and beside Aryia. She makes no move to stop Seyardu. "I have the healing skills also, the better armour. I can carry her. You have the spells to clear the mind, to protect and heal. Those I lack."
"It better I bandage her and you watch, so our protection not lost, but you decide the course."
After unlocking the cell, bandaging the injured ashwing seems to rouse them somewhat. At first the crawling, creeping noises of fear that they make is pathetic. Yet when you offer them no further harm beyond moving them to offer aid. There are pained sounds, but Seydardu quickly realizes why the ashwing hasn't tried to communicate verbally. It can't. Furthermore there's a drilled hole in its skull that doesn't have a clear purpose beyond perhaps mere torment. The other injuries are clearer. Simply put, they were the greatest pain that someone could think up to inflict.
"These wounds are real." She says while she works. Bandaging them, was still not unlike bandaging anyone else. "Something or someone did this. The one above had the keys to this room. It seems that fiends can be just as cruel amongst themselves. They cannot speak, this was ensured." She says to Paenitia. "You were much more of use than I was. I would not wish to burden you with my choices. And I can still use what magic I have while carrying them, most likely. The concern is those who were outside and above us, though. And there are still rooms above us, yes?"
Feeling stairs in her bleary consciousness, Aryia slowly drags herself up to a sitting position and puts her face into her knees, wobbling from side to side as she seemed like she was almost fully awake.
"The concern is perhaps it attack you when you enter the cell, or that it heal up fine at midnight and this a game they play like Fey. You fall for the illusion trees, maybe the illusion wounds too. The magic is harder when you are grip and be punched" Paenitia says evenly, then waves a gauntlet, "this does not matter. Take the normal knife, test the skin, see if it pierce. We will know if the ones above can be hurt. Press light."
She glances up the stairs, "the withdraw better, than try to carry an injured one through the avoidable fight. Ramirez is fastest, the bait plan might be the good plan now. Remember, they chase us in but do not follow, then we overhear the important information."
"This may be just the very slowly close trap."
The effort of being healed seems to have sapped the energy of the creature that Seayrdu is healing because its passed out. Still, it hasn't offered any aggression as of yet, and that might be considered a good thing.
"It is a possibility still." Seyardu agrees with a low nod as she was almost finished her bandaging. It used up most of what remained in her kit, with how extensive and thorough it had been. She takes a dagger out of her bag, and presses it against one of their arms, away from where any major blood vessels would be normally, pressing down to barely pierce, and mostly testing for resistance. She offers the prayer on her blood smeared breastplate now, stabilizing the now unconscious figure again, just in case. At least they were mostly bandage now, should Aryia continue to stir.
"Yes, this is true. Perhaps they were incapable of entering, and maybe they have orders to follow us out only so far."
Aryia makes a shuddering sound, her having steadied herself as she rubs at a forming bruise on her arm. She steals a glance towards the party, the gaze very quickly moving off of them and remaining affixed to her lap. Eventually she stands, turning as to not see any of the instruments and the body.
Paenitia nods, "Ok. I take the stairs first. Put the devil on Ramirez, he can carry it at speed. We all make the run."
"They will chase us. To not chase, very suspicious. They will be ready to attack, to not, also suspicious. This also how they will behave if they do not want us to take the prisoner." The Red Knight supplies her analysis of potentials, "So, the arrows will be real either way. If the attack get too strong, Ramirez and I can break away. To see who they chase would be good knowledge. Otherwise, we should move as group, fast as the slowest."
"We are part in a chain, the choice we make affect all." She glances around with her grinning mask, "This the good plan, or the the other things you want try?"
You check the top of the tower briefly - very briefly. It seems that this is where the flying devils nest and it is... very unpleasant. And being that there's no roof they will quickly notice your presence there. So you peek in and head quickly back downstairs to where Ramirez waits. You rush out as a group, and the flying devils chase you up the road. They don't seem to have ranged weapons, but rather swoop down and chatter incessantly in their language to one another. Their tails dripping with dangerous venom that thankfully doesn't hit. Eventually they give up.
Which leaves you with... a devil in tow.
