Snail Mail (Part 3)
When we last left our brave, noble heroes, they had been shrunk down.
Shrunk down to a very tiny size. They had thus far escaped the building they were in an en effort to get to the Soldier's Defense, hoping for help in undoing the magic impacting them.
And thus far, they have avoided being squished or preyed upon by the most vicious monster in all of Alexandria, the most fierce and terrible murderer of all...
.. the common house cat.
Well, a colony of them, anyway, which you have thus far managed to avoid.
Moving backwards mostly, keeping her eyes on the feline followers, Lysa has her sword out, and pointed at said felines. "Be being keeping moving." she suggests as she moves along.
Walery is keeping moving. His expertise with housecats is virtually non-existent, and he'd be happy if it wasn't put to the test.
Razen is near the front line; furious and that is clear. It's also clear that he doesn't much like this skulking about. But he does so nonetheless. Grumbling quietly to himself. Stroking the handle of his heavy mace with clear intent. "The moment I find the one who made those potions I am going to make them regret the day they were born." He eyes the cats prospectively as a means of venting his anger, but he keeps moving.
Still on rear guard routine, Lysa keeps at least one eye on the cats in the rear. But for the most part, she is just moving as fast as she is capable of moving. Though she is not the most -stealthy- individual.
As they draw further away from the cats Razen's muttering dissists a little; he doesn't take an eye off of them, but he keeps moving forward as quickly as he can without seeming to... /scurry/. The last thing he wants is to attract their attention in such a fashion after making such an effort to evade them.
At this size, any movement has to look at least a but like scurrying. "What about the people on the street?" Walery asks. "Do you think there's any way we can get their attention?"
"We could be being stabbing one of them in the foot. But I recommend that we could be being yelling, or hurling things at them if we are being wanting their attention. Or we could be being trying to avoid their boots." suggests Lysa as she keeps moving, guarding the rear.
"It would be a bad idea I think to stab one of them in the foot. We would be more likely to be stomped on or squished like a bug. Nor are we likely to be heard small as we are." Razen rubs a hand over his face and shakes his head. "I think our best bet would be to find a mirror. Then when someone goes to look at their face... there we are. If we stand very close it should even enlarge us to make us more visible."
GAME: Lysa rolls perception: (7)+7: 14 GAME: Walery rolls perception: (5)+10: 15 GAME: Razen rolls perception: (16)+9: 25 GAME: Iskandar rolls perception: (6)+11: 17
Good news, everyone!
You are not squished underfoot immediately by pedestrians or by wheelbarrows and wagons! How do mice do this?! You are making progress but it's exhausting. The amount of ground left to cover seems immense given your size and the distances involved... but you
... but you /are/ getting there.... though you are noticing one particular cat is on your tail....
Lysa is making it her job to watch that cat and keep it off the group. She is simply following the lead of the others in the front of the party. Where they go, she goes. Where they step, she steps.
Walery will hurry along and try not to look interesting to a cat. Sadly, at our size, that's easier said than done.
Razen can't help but half stare at the cat. "If it gets much closer, we will be forced to fight it." He has his hand on the haft of his weapon constantly now. Better safe than sorry.
Iskandar draws his bow and a few arrows.
Iskandar draws his bow and a few arrows. At the cat's relative soze
Iskandar draws his bow and a few arrows. At the cat's relative size they might be little more than thorns, but a thorn in just the right spot can irritate to the point of distraction. "This way," he urges. He's reasonably certain he knows which way to go.
The cat comes closer, able to keep up, but then stops.
IT hops up on to a sign post and licks its paw.
It is quite orange.
"/Well/, this is a fine mess the lot of you have gotten into," it announces.
Oh good. A talking cat.
Peering up at the cat, Lysa just reaches out with her left arm and nudges whomever happens to be nearest, "Please tell me that I am not being hearing what I am being hearing." she suggests.
Iskandar lowers his bow. "Perhaps...perhaps it is..." finally he shrugs. "Magic. Whatever is behind this, it must surely be magic."
Walery points out, "Talking with us is bettre than eating us." He says to the cat, "We'll help out, if we can. But we're in a bit of a spot, ourselves."
Razen has nothing to say. It's a magical. Talking. Cat. All he can do is stare at it.
"...no, I'm pretty sure you're seeing exactly what you're thinking you're seeing. I do need to point out that I'm a Familiar, so it's not that out of line. Hello," replies the 'magical talking cat'. "Nice to meet you all. Sooo, how /exactly/ did this happen and exactly where are you trying to go, hm? Perhaps I can help you... right meow." Oh its worse. It's a dad joking magical talking cat.
Walery explains to the cat, "Well, we were ..." and goes on to explain what they'd been doing, and says, "and we were trying to get to the Soldier's Defense, thinking they might be able to help us. And they were closest."
Razen is still... staring at the cat. He has no idea what a 'familiar' is, but it doesn't explain a talking cat. It just... doesn't.
Iskandar nods confidently. Familiar. Of course. That explains everything. "We are on a mission," he adds to other responses sent the cat's way. "It could be a matter of great import to the entire city." Of course he would say that. He's always sure the missions he and other adventurers go on for the Guild of Explorers are of Great Import. Even the ones in the sewers.
"...oh huh... I see..." Listening to the tale as Iskander and Walery explain it, the cat tilts its head.
"So, why don't you hop on? I can probably carry the lot of you a way to the Soldier's Defense. Maybe there, we can get you some help, hm?"
This offer. Can it be trusted? Or is it even a good idea?
Narrowing her eyes, Lysa looks to the others, and then glances back to the cat. Just as a suspicion, she narrows her eyes and searches for evil auras before her. Here is the question... does it still work out to 60 feet? Or is it relative to her size?
Walery absolutely trusts talking cats. They've never let him down before. As for the offer of riding, well, he can always jump off, right? "Thank you, Master Cat." He bows. "That would be greatly appreciated." And he'll hop on.
Razen's jaw finally closes and he shakes his head. "I think we can walk thank you." He looks at the feline warily.
Iskandar rubs his bearded chin in thought. Ride a cat? Then he snaps his fingers. "What a tale that would make! Yes, I agree. And if," he assured the cat, "A time ever comes when I can repay this boon, you can be certain that I will do so!"
"Well, seems like some of you want to walk. I don't blame you -- I wouldn't necessarily trust me either, but I should have it known I am recognized by the Guild of Explorers! I've done work for them after my wizard died. I retained my intellect, of course." Lick lick lick goes the cat as he washes his face.
"I can, anyway, just watch your back and keep the rats and cats off you. If you are all right with that. Otherwise, I can go about my day of prowling and looking for sweet old ladies to headbutt for attention."
"Well, it is being up to you others. If we are being walking or riding. I've no objection to either." suggests Lysa as she sheathes her sword at least to show -some- measure of trust, or at least not mistrust.
Razen looks at the others. "I at least would accept the company of the feline to keep us company, but riding..." He looks at the cat. "I do not remember you offering a name, but I would rather not ride you." He has good reasons.
Walery looks over his shoulder as Isk mounts up, and the others walk. "You'll slow us, but we'll do the best we can," he says. "Two might be better than four, anyway. Four is a lot to carry."
Iskandar at first tries to stand, like an archer in the howta on an elephant. But the cat's slightest movements nearly fling him off and he settles for kneeling on one knee. His bow is short enough that he can still aim it comfortably.
Oh hey look.
You're riding a cat. You're on cat back. Some of you, anyway.
The good news is that this is a very sociable familiar and he spends the entire time telling you stories about adventurers, his time in the resistance in Solmnus helping save the city from Bludgun. He's old for a cat, but it doesn't seem to impede him any. Must be part of the 'familiar'ishness that's lingering.
Eventually, you're getting closer to the Soldier's Defense, but at least one person has stopped to look down and say, "Aw, what a cute -- are there people on that cat?" and quickly move on because NO ONE WANTS ANY PART OF THAT so far.
It's probably frustrating, given it'd make things easier.
Meanwhile, Lysa is merely running as fast as she can maintain, clanking along in her heavy armor at Razen's side. If only to make sure that he doesn't get squished all alone. You know. teamwork. Getting squished WITH him and all.
Walery is good with how this is going, and we're making good time, it seems. Alexandrians wanting nothing to do with strange goings on seems unusual to him, but everyone's edgy with the plague in town. He'll encourage the cat's stories, and share some of his own stories as well, if the cat's interested.
Razen is hustling as quickly as Lysa can manage in her armor. He's not wearing a lot himself and carries little enough that he's not encombered in any way. He offers short glares to those that move along without helping. Particularly those that /notice/ and do nothing. He has half a mind to... but he leaves well enough alone and keeps hustling to get to where they're going.
Iskandar nods as he listens to both cat and artificer. At one point in a brief lull in the conversation he introduces himself - grinning slyly - as Iskandar, a Prince of the Pirate Kingdoms.
GAME: Razen rolls fortitude: (12)+8: 20 GAME: Walery rolls fortitude: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Lysa rolls fortitude: (14)+11: 25 GAME: Iskandar rolls fort: (2)+8: 10
...it's been a long day. Amusingly, it's Walery and Iskandar on the cat back that are having it catch up with him with both of them beginning to feel rather exhausted by the time you get to the Soldier's Defense, whom you are now outside of.
The cat slips through the door when the opportunity presents itself, helping Razen and Lysa time it so they can get inside as well.
"Right, okay. So... we're here. Now what? Should I fetch a cleric for you?"
Walery will tell the cat, "Yes, any of the clerics should do. I expect -they- won't ignore us. At least we can work with them to get a message even if they can't help us."
"I am being.." begins Lysa, catching her breath, "volunteering here quite often." And she leans on a wall nearby, "Be being telling them that Lysa, Sunblade of Daeus is at the door and very tiny."
"We will wait here for you mister cat." Razen nods to the feline and finds a place to lean against that's out of the way.
"...your call..."
The cat lets Iskandar and Walery down and then proceeds to bound off.
You might be waiting a short time. The soldier's defense is a busy place. Lots of folks, coming and going. The door never really stops.
Iskandar looks around blankly. Coming here sounded like such a logical plan but now that he sees it in person he's at a loss. Luckily other party members seem to have the matter in hand…
Walery has plenty of time, anyhow. He'll find some chalk or scrap of writing material if he can, in case talking doesn't work.
SO there you stand and wait.
Tired as you are...
People coming and going.
One fellow pushes into the place, then stops to hack and cough. It's prolonged. Black spatter hits the ground beside you. Black... goo.
Oh no.
"Be being moving away!" calls Lysa as she does her best to shove folks away from black plague goo!
Razen gets shoved of course. Because he's right next to Lysa. He makes a gruff noise and stumbles a few steps away from the black goo on the ground. Which... relative to their size isn't that small. "What? What is wrong?"
Walery will scoot along, too. That goo looks dangerous at this size. "Yuck!"
Snorting, Lysa shakes her head, "Plague. That be being how it spreads." as she keeps shooin' folks away from it.
...moving away was probably a good idea. That slime is burbling, bubbling...
...and then it begins to /move towrads you/.
Like its alive.
GAME: Lysa rolls melee+1: (2)+9+1: 12
For a moment, Lysa looks at the goo and growls. She reaches to her back and unslings the heavy flail there. With a two handed grip she brings it around and swings it. But she is used to sword blades and so she doesn't get it quite right. "Do not be being using blades!" she calls out.
GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+11: (7)+11: 18
It lashes out at Lysa with a tendril of black goo, attempting to grab her and pull her into its mass.
Thankfully, it is batted back by the paladin's heavy flail.
GAME: Walery activates his Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex GAME: Walery rolls 1d20+11: (8)+11: 19 GAME: Walery rolls 3d6+5: (8)+5: 13
Walery knows this drill right enough. He's fought slime before. Though never quite like this. He pulls a brass cylinder coated with glowing runes from his belt and slides it into his death ray, cycling it in with a lever. Ch-chk. He shoulders the weapon and fires, and flame lances out to strike the blob.
GAME: Razen rolls weapon13: (7)+11: 18
Iskandar clenches a fist. Then he uncurls the fingers to hold them stiffened like a spear. He can bludgeon enemies with blunt force, or jab them like a snake. But for the life of him he can't quite remember which is the best way to strike the plague goo. Where is Chay when they really need him?! Oh but one thing that Iskandar himself has used, to great effect - soapy water The warrior runs for a strategically placed bucket!
GAME: Razen rolls 1d20+6: (7)+6: 13 GAME: Razen rolls 1d10+6: (3)+6: 9
Razen smiles as Lysa turns to attack the ooze. This means of course... that he can attack it also. And he's been /waiting/ for something to attack. Something to vent his anger upon. So he takes his heavy flail in hand and attacks the black ooze with both hands wrapped around the hilt. The resulting splatter makes his smile widen into a full-out grin.
-TBC