Family Matters, part 5
- Title: Family Matters, part 5
- Emitter: Thurid
- Characters: Aimarra, Donna, Ashes,
- Place: The Jade Isles
- Time: Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 3:14 PM
- Summary: Aimarra, Donna and Ashes climb up to the main level of the castle, emerging in the latrines. While long out of use, the smell of burnt corpses comes up the pottys, evidence of their activities below. Silently they advance, Ashes opening the door the scullery, which also seems empty with reeking drains to the area below. The only exit is a workroom, filled with magical darkness. The group closes the door and bring out the map to consult. As they are doing this, the door opens. A figure is beyond, magically concealed. Battle ensues, with the blurred ninja attempting to stab Donna. He lands a blow but not a dangerously precise one. Aimarra fires, while Ashes stares at him with her Evil Eye. Donna lands several good shots, which forces the ninja to retreat. Attempting to draw him out, Ashes and Donna follow into the darkened room. He attacks her again, but is so badly beaten he surrenders. Or seems to, Aimarra and Ashes doubt the sincerity, so the ex-bounty-hunter shoots while Ashes advises their foe to let her hold person spell land. He resists, and she explains that. Donna attempts an intimidate, and the tiefling rises defiantly attempting one last trick. No tricks today, Donna beats him to an unrecoverable pulp of bones. Aimarra removes his trick-trap-necklace, and Ashes bars the door, listening to see if the commotion of the fight and the sudden light has brought attention.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Aimarra 5'1" 128 Lb Half-Elf Female Brown hair and eyes, breastplate, leathers, pointed ears. Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face Donna 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A black-haired human girl in black robes. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thurid 7'1" 249 Lb Giantborn Female Bright-eyed, muscular, blond Giantborn woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Having dispatched of those hidous corpse-feeding centipede monsters in the sewers, and tended the most immediate of their ails, the group are free to climb the ladder. It takes them upwards, to hatch. Once the hatch is pushed upwards, it opens into the latrines of the castle- a fact made obvious if not by the lingering scent (albeit one that is maked by the scent of blood and burning corpses after the encounter downstairs) but by the segregated cubicles, each containing a simple bench with a hole in it over a pit leading back down below. The room is empty, and to the south of it is a door. A door which, according to their map, will take them to the scullery area- where dishes and laundry would typically be cleaned by the servants, conveniently also located above the drain.
One glance at the area above the hatch tells Aimarra that absolute silence is now of the essence, and she hauls herself into the room as silently as she can manage, her nose wrinkling at the smell of offal. She turns to the others, once all are up, and raises her hands in silent question to the other two. "pointpoint point wave wave wiggle up wiggle" <unknown>
The lighting, here, seems to be provided by simple candlabras on the walls. Most of them have burned out, but one or two have stubs of candles remaining- currently unlit.
Having bedded down in a sewer, Donna takes a moment to regret that the smell of a castle's latrine isn't strong enough to give her much reason to react. Spotting movement, the brawler nods in silent answer, then details the thoughts moving through her head.
<Washing, then kitchen, then hall. If the spear's still on display, it isn't far.>
The Mourner is quite inured to the scent of death and decay, and to a certain extent fire, as befits her name. The reek of the latrines is unpleasant, but ignored. Ashes watches Aimarra as she makes some hand signs, then nods slowly.
She rumages around in her satchel, taking out her parasol. She adjust it to a hand-shield configuration, essentially an umbrella with a short handle. She brings out her khopesh next. She'd be the very picture of a midnight marauder if her parasol didn't have cute skulls and bones all over it.
She nods again, as Donna handsigns, and waits.
Something of satisfaction dawns across Aimarra's expression as she looks from face to face and gets affirmative responses. _That will make this much easier,_ she thinks to herself, then answers.
<And if it has not been moved, where do we think it might be?>
<Shrine is a maybe,> Donna signs, creeping toward the door to the scullery, and flattening herself against the wall to one side of the door. <If not, armory maybe. If not, upstairs.>
As the brawler creeps up, so does the Mourner. Ashlee follows, stepping lightly and blending into the shadows. At most her skull face is glimpsed as a lighter patch, floating around, ominous all on its own. Her breathing is careful and shallow, each footfall rolled in from the side. She takes up the opposite position on the door.
She glances back, making a 'halt' gesture for Aimarra. The end of the hall might be the best position for the archer. Looking at Donna next, she touches the handle on the door as if she's about to open it.
She doesn't.
She lets go, points at Donna, then herself, then the door. She holds up three fingers.
3... 2... 1...
GAME: Donna rolls stealth: (9)+10: 19 GAME: Aimarra rolls stealth: (5)+10: 15 <OOC> Ashes says, "+3 Chippen, +5 Shadowy, and I got Comfort so I don't have to add anything anymore, ACP0 YAAAAY!" GAME: Ashes rolls stealth+8: (1)+19+8: 28 (EPIC FAIL)
When the door is pushed open, the group are confronted by another dark and still room. Vague shadows can be made out, the washbasins, most empty but one or two full of grimy standing water which has attacted flies and mosquitos despite the soap in them- insects which buzz around them iritatingly. In the middle of the room, a series of drains each covered over with a rusty iron grate, likely where the basins are emptied into when their work is done. So far, no signs of enemies.
The door is cracked open, then upon seeing no light on the other side pushed open carefully. Donna slips into the room, clearing the doorway for Ash and Aimarra as she narrows her eyes against the castle's gloom. The smell of the latrine may not bother her, but, the buzzing of mosquitoes... definitely. One hand reaches into sight of the doorway to give a beckoning gesture, and the brawler takes a long, steadying breath.
Quiet boredom punctuated by frantic excitement... the life of an adventurer.
Aimarra hangs back behind the others a little, seeing Ashes' hand signal, but waits until the other two have gone through before going through herself about twenty feet behind the other two. She moves as lightly as she can, heel to toe in the way of those who have been taught something of hunting, but the floor is slippery, and such is tricky.
Ashes silently observes the scullery. It seems empty, except for the bugs. The washbasins get a little more attention. A small thing could hide in them, but this doesn't seem like much of a possibility.
The rusted grates hopefully won't collapse under her weight. She's not about to test it though. There's only one other exit from this room. From what she remembers of the map, it may be a guard mess hall. Still not enough light to check, and no real reason to with only one way forward.
Stepping carefully, keeping an eye on the washbasins, she moves over to the other door. She takes up the same position she held at the previous one, and waits.
3... 2... 1...
GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (15)+3: 18 GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (10)+12: 22 GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (6)+11: 17 GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (5)+11: 16 GAME: Thurid rolls 15+20: (16)+15+20: 51 GAME: Thurid rolls 15+20: (15)+15+20: 50
As the door opens, the room on the other side is dark- of course, much of the castle so far has been dark, but this is a cloying darkness. A darkness one can almost feel, a darkness which makes it hard to see ones hands when held out at arms length. It seems to spill out through the doorway, like a haze or a bank of fog. No details of the room beyond can be made out through the darkness as it stands.
Ashes, with her supernatural darkvision, is able to penetrate the gloom to a degree- she can spy a number of worktops to the north of the room, pots over empty firepits to the south. A doorway leading north to the servant's quarters and beyond that the hidden passages through the castle, and another directly opposite the one they entered through- which ought to lead to the main hall.
Various pots, some you could cook a full grown man in, others are smaller pots and kettles.
GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/arcana: (15)+16: 31 GAME: Donna rolls knowledge/arcana: (9)+10: 19
It is a Darkness spell, natural light can't penetrate it, nor can cantrips, but any more powerful light magic will dispell it.
Another countdown, and another door opened... But this darkness is oppressive and unnatural enough it has to be here by design. Frowning, Donna looks at Ashes, then over her shoulder at Aimarra, saying with gesture what she doesn't dare say aloud.
<Dafuq?>
At the back of the group, Aimarra shrugs eloquently and signals back. <He said the man was consorting with demons, maybe they did it. I would not be surprised.> She closes the distance between herself and the two of them with ginger and careful steps.
Ashlee stares into the darkness, able to make out a few things. It's clear to her from the looks on her companion's faces that they can't. She thinks about things a bit, then comes to a conclusion. She pulls the door closed.
She makes a 'hold' gesture to both, then slips back to the latrines and gets a stub of candle. Bringing it back, she lights it, then points at Aimarra, making a gesture like opening a book, aimed where she last saw her put the map.
Ashes wants to point out a few things, starting with the pots one could cook a man in.
GAME: Thurid rolls 15: (10)+15: 25 (Ninja Stealth) GAME: Donna rolls perception: (13)+12: 25 GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (14)+12: 26
Donna nods once as the door is closed... but when Ashes emerges from the latrine, Donna's head snaps up as if she heard something. Hopping a couple paces away from the door, she holds her fists up, using oe hand to gesture.
<Movement.>
The way Aimarra's head snaps up in the candlelight says that she heard the same thing, and her gesture in the shadows confirms it. <Yes.> As silently as she can, she produces the requested map for the other two, holding it where they can see it.
There's light, she's got the map, Ashlee is about to point out places she thinks something might be hiding when her two companions seem agitated. Distracted. Something in the other room, she suspects.
She sets the candle down in a dry washbasin, nods at the map but readies her khopesh. She watches the door. The ashen Arvec also makes a hooking gesture with her weapon, it helps that it's curved, towards a grate. It might be possible to pull them up. It would make some noise, could be a great trap. For everybody...
For the moment she waits to see if something comes through the door.
After what seems like an eternity, the door slowly begins to open once more. Just a crack at first, and then a foot hooks the cracked door and flings it open- the foots owner still mostly concealed on the other side of the wall.
There is one foot. The door has just opened. The owner is right on the other side.
<OOC> Donna says, "Any chance I could use Bluff ir Intimidate to lure him into the room? :3" GAME: Donna rolls bluff: (2)+7: 9
And finally, the silence is broken by a characteristic sound; the *clank* of metal on metal as Donna slams her fists together, then bringing them up to signal perfect willingness to have a punch-up.
...Followed by the 'come on, motherfucker' gesture known to all adherents of fist-to-face fighting.
GAME: Thurid rolls 15: (8)+15: 23 (Ninja Stealth) GAME: Donna rolls perception: (13)+12: 25 GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (10)+12: 22 GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (3)+3: 6 <OOC> Thurid says, "No luck, only Donna spots him before he attacks. On the bright side, that means no sneak attack bonus." GAME: Thurid rolls 9: (18)+9: 27 (THREAT) GAME: Thurid rolls 9: (5)+9: 14 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6+2: (4)+2: 6
A dark blur passes through the doorway, its outline warping and shifting unatturaly as it rushes up to Donna, the glint of a blade seeming to appear in its hand at the last moment before the subtly curved shortsword plunges past her defences- but, she is quick enough and perceptive enough to spot the shade before it reaches her, and as such is able to twist out of the way of being stuck through as the shade clearly intended- the blade slices at her side, instead.
The figure hops back again, and now he is still his shape seems to resolve into a clearer image. Clad from head to toe in black, save his face which is covered with a red porcelain mask depicting a face twisted with rage. Curled ram-like horns jutt from his skull. Scorched-black chainmail covered partly by a vest protects his upper body, while loose pants cover his legs, bound close around his ankles. His feet are each clad in curious split-toe soft moccasin-like footwear.
His hands are clad in half gloves, his pale fingers the only stretch of skin showing, each tipped with black, claw-like nails. He grips curved shortswords in each fist.
All of his motions are accompanied by a subtle, distracting trail of after-images which make his exact outline difficult to discern when he moves.
GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1+1: (4)+8+1: 13
And he shows himself, faster than Aimarra's eyes can track. Without thinking, she darts behind the nearest washbasin and quick-looses an arrow. Aim helps. She does not, and the arrow crashes into the washbasin on the other side of the basin with a clatter.
<OOC> Ashes says, "Evil Eye the Ninja, for -4 to AC. DC17. Will save makes it 1 round, failed will save makes it 7 rounds." GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (13)+4: 17 <OOC> Thurid says, "1 round, -4 AC"
The ashen Arvec can see clearly, even with the darkness, but still is having difficulty seeing the ninja. A spell, she suspects, perhaps one she should counter. For the moment, she doesn't do that. Instead she raises her parasol shield and readies her khopesh.
And steps back. In case the ninja would be so kind as to step on the grate between them, and perhaps fall through.
She takes note, of the mask, the fingernails, it's strange footwear. Mostly, she stares. A long, unsettling, baleful stare intended to sew doubt. Her friend was stabbed, the ninja is open as well. She gives her shield a little spin, the bones rotating. Look at this distraction, reflecting the flickering light of a dying candle.
You too are mortal, and might find out very soon.
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (10)+11+1+-2: 20 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (13)+11+1+-2: 23 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (6)+11+1+-2+-5: 11 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (17)+11+1+-2+-5: 22 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+3: (5)+1+3: 9 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+3: (1)+1+3: 5 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+3: (4)+1+3: 8
It was pure luck, that Donna saw the attack coming. What would have been solid damage to soft organ meats, became instead a light stab to abdominal muscle. The look the brawler gives the ninja, in that moment, needs no translation;
'You done goofed.'
Lightly stepping to one side, Donna looses a vicious combination, spike-knuckled gauntlets stabbing into gut, ribs, and finally a looping hook across the porcelain jaw, savage joy in the brawler's eyes.
Finally, a foe that hurts when she decks it.
<OOC> Thurid says, "Ninja withdraws, re-establishing stealth as he does." GAME: Thurid rolls 15: (9)+15: 24 GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (17)+3: 20 GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (17)+12: 29 GAME: Donna rolls perception: (12)+12: 24
After his spoiled sneak attack, the ninja clucks his tongue in disappointment, he ducks and weaves, trailing those disorienting after-images wherever he moves, but still he catches a solid sock to the jaw and two more to the flanks which drive him backwards. He rolls away from his Assailant, and then dashes back into the shadows, blurring together with the darkness as he puts some distance between himself and the brawler.
<OOC> Aimarra says, "Move to 16,9 and fire." <OOC> Thurid says, "And then d100, above 50 hits." <OOC> Thurid says, "He's still -4AC until Ashes' turn." GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1: (8)+8: 16 GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d100: (60): 60 GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d6+3: (2)+3: 5
When the ninja suddenly vanishes, this time, Aimarra's eyes are quick enough to catch him making for the door. Without hesitation, she scrambles around to follow, stopping in the doorframe. "You breathe too loud," she tells him in a hiss that holds more than a hint of mockery. This one flies into the gloom, but the sound that returns is a meaty thunk that suggests pay dirt.
<OOC> Ashes says, "I attack the darkness" GAME: Ashes casts Dispel Magic. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Ashes rolls 1d20+cleric: (2)+5: 7
A soft exhalation of breath. A frustrated sigh. Of course the ninja would retreat to a place of security. Ashlee immediately loses sight of it in the darkness of the other room. Perhaps she should save a spell, or perhaps using it now would avoid needlessly, and noisily, dragging the fight out. The ninja will be banging a gong next, if the pressure doesn't stay up.
She touches the holy symbol on her chest, "Feiu of the Tears, get rid of this darkness."
The power of the Grey Lady flows through her, and stops at the doorway.
Of course. Her spell fails. The darkness remains.
With her teeth clenched together, Ashes slips by Aimarra and through the door. Into the room. She can see in the dark. She can hide too. She'll see how the Ninja likes that, after she makes herself a tempting target.
Likewise frustrated by the assailant's refusal to stand there and get beaten on, Donna plunges into the magical darkness after Ashes, using her hand to guide her to the wall next to the open door. She can hide, but cannot see in the dark... and thus is a fat, happy target for sneaky stabbers.
<OOC> Thurid says, "Ninja moves again, and attemps to re-establish stealth using concealment." GAME: Thurid rolls 15: (5)+15: 20 GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (8)+12: 20 GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (9)+3: 12 GAME: Donna rolls perception: (5)+12: 17 <OOC> Thurid says, "Aimarra can still see him, Ashes and Donna can't. He sneak attacks Donna." GAME: Thurid rolls 9: (5)+9: 14
The shadow lets out a grunt of pain as an arrow sinks home in his flesh. He uses one of his blades to chop off the shaft of the arrow, and then dashes once more through the darkness back towards Donna. She blinks, and that's all it takes to lose track of him in the darkness, only catching sight of him again as the glimmer of his blade draws near. She's quick enough to avoid it, barely, and he once more makes a frustrated sound.
GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1+1: (4)+8+1: 13
Another arrow twangs unerring into the darkness. It's as if Aimarra can see their foe, despite the gloom, but this arrow goes wide, its skitter audible but not visible. "You might want to stop moving, I can see you, you know." The half-sil's smile is anything but nice.
<OOC> Ashes says, "Evil Eye hex for -4 AC again." <OOC> Ashes says, "move to 12.7, block the door" GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (12)+4: 16 <OOC> Thurid says, "Evil eye lasts for full duration, 7 rounds!"
It's dark, the Mourner would like to hide and while there are a few possibilities, none are near her. The work-cabinets are too bulky to get behind or under, the pots are all the way on the other side of the room.
She settles for shifting along the workspaces until her back is against the door on the northern wall. An escape route is cut off.
This done, she simply glares at the blurry, dark-clad figure. Her parasol rotates, widdershins, then deosil, then widdershins again. She rolls the bones of her umbrella, and back.
It's enough to bring doubt to any mind, and successfully does to the Ninja.
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (19)+11+1+-2: 29 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (10)+11+1+-2: 20 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (4)+11+1+-2+-5: 9 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (20)+11+1+-2+-5: 25 (THREAT) GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (9)+11+1+-2+-5: 14 GAME: Donna rolls 1d100: (91): 91 GAME: Donna rolls 1d100: (86): 86 GAME: Donna rolls 1d100: (72): 72 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+3: (6)+1+3: 10 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+3: (5)+1+3: 9 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+3: (2)+1+3: 6
There's a trick to attacking someone under blurring magics; Donna knows this, for half of her fighting is done under the exact same effect. The trick is to aim for center-mass, because there's only so much smearing that the magics can do. And if one is extra fortunate, off-target strikes will land on *very* soft targets indeed.
"Fucking amateur," Donna mutters as her fists find home again and again, her fist shattering the mask. "Give up or die with two less horns'n you started with."
The shattered mask reveals pale skin, goat-like amber eyes, and blotches of red. Looks like a tiefling.
GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (7)+11: 18 GAME: Ashes rolls sense motive: (19)+12: 31 GAME: Aimarra rolls sense motive: (19)+2: 21
The ninja takes a solid beating from Donna, his nose is smashed in and he's winded. He holds up his blades, and then lets them drop to the floor, as he takes a step back and drops down to a knee. "Alrigh, alrigh'" he says, with the stuffiness of someone whos nose is currently full of blood. "I gibe. Only doin dis because dat mordal bound my lord." he says, and then spits out a mouth full of spittle, blood, and a pointed sharklike tooth.
This surrender doesn't seem genuine.
GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1+1: (9)+8+1: 18 <OOC> Thurid says, "Hit. Roll for concealment, want higher than 20" GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d100: (23): 23 GAME: Aimarra rolls 1d6+3: (1)+3: 4
Without hesitating, Aimarra puts another arrow into him. "Pull the other one, it's got bells on. You gave a little too damn quick for someone who's being coerced. Ash, mind covering the far door?" Her smile remains anything but nice, her aim unerring, even if the arrow finds bone instead of vitals.
GAME: Ashes casts Hold Person. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15 GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (6)+4: 10 <OOC> Ashes says, "Can I tell he resisted?" <OOC> Thurid says, "Roll spellcraft, DC15" GAME: Ashes rolls spellcraft: (18)+10: 28 <OOC> Thurid says, "Yeah, he resisted."
"You're lying." The Mourner states, no sound of doubt in her voice. Still, it was an offer of surrender and it might be useful to know things about his lord. "If you aren't, don't resist."
Ashlee touches her Holy Symbol, whispering a small prayer, "Feiu of the Tears, prevent him from moving."
An eerie chill wafts from the ashen Arvec. It feels like a coffin door closing. It surrounds the ninja. There's a momentary jolt as he attempts to move, then is held by the magic.
Ashlee moves closer. "You lied. You resisted." It's still dark, the others can't really see. She speaks to them. "I have a Charm. He might resist that too. Do you want to try questioning him?"
And she stares.
GAME: Donna rolls intimidate: (4)+8: 12
"I think I would," Donna says, shifting to cover the far door -- with eyes, if not weapon for the moment -- and staring down the bloody, half-demonic face her fists have uncovered. "Cos I got good news for you, buddy. Could be as it's your lucky day. Tell us a truth or three, an' we'll be happy enough to probably not hurt you anymore, get me?"
<OOC> Thurid says, "Well, I'll roll his resist first." GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (20)+4: 24
The Tiefling ninja hangs his head as the group seem to have called his bluff, ashamed at being caught in a lie, perhaps? It certainly seems that way, for a moment, but even frozen in place, he begins a halting laugh, limited by the tightness in his chest and the blood in his airways, but all the same, he begins to laugh. "You're all fucked..." he mutters, and then his laughter continues apace. He grits his teeth, and then forces his paralyzed limbs through sheer force of will to obey as he slowly rises back to a standing position. "Even if you kill me, my Sire will flay you all, wear your skins and drink blood from your skulls you pitiful, worthless creatures!"
GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon1+1: (6)+8+1: 15
"I didn't realize a she-goat drank blood." Aimarra looses another arrow, this one sailing harmlessly over his shoulder and into the darkness as he twists free.
<OOC> Ashes says, "he is still -4 AC, but yeah." <OOC> Ashes says, "Evil Eye him for skill checks, to minimize him hiding again" <OOC> Ashes says, "DC17 Will, 1round/7rounds" <OOC> Thurid says, "Alrighty." GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (20)+4: 24
"No." Ashlee says simply, staring and shaking her head. Her glare is unwavering. Her eyes black beads deep in her skull face. She sighs at his idiocy, gives Donna a nod.
"Now you die."
<OOC> Donna says, "5' step in, rage (Blur+Haste), full attack + hastepunch." GAME: Donna RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 16 temporary HP GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (13)+11+1+-2: 23 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (9)+11+1+-2: 19 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2: (10)+11+1+-2: 20 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (13)+11+1+-2+-5: 18 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1-2-5: (17)+11+1+-2+-5: 22 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (6)+1+2+3: 12 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (3)+1+2+3: 9 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (5)+1+2+3: 11 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (3)+1+2+3: 9 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (5)+1+2+3: 11 <OOC> Thurid says, "He is pulp."
"Yup," Donna sighs, closing her eyes for a moment. Then, her eyes snap open, and arcane sigils flare alight on her exposed arms, eyes bleeding wisps of pale blue fire. "We *gave* you an out."
It's unnatural how quickly she moves forward to the attack, the magics wrapping around her and the speed with which she lunges making her look less like a person on the run, than just a straight line. Standing there, now punching this.
"Sip *that,* shitbrain," she snarls at the mass of pulp at her feet.
In his final moments, the Tiefling reaches for a bead on a pendant about his neck. His hand never gets there, though, as Donna's are swifter. The first blow sends him sprawling, and then she is upon him. By the time she is finished with him, she's made good on her promise- his horns are no longer attached to what remains of his head.
As he fades from life, so too does his magic- light rushes into the room to dispell the darkness that had enveloped it, the candlabras in this room still containing candles and still lit- they had been supressed, but not extinguished by his magic.
Scowling, Aimarra watches without really flinching as Donna beats the life out of the hapless would-be assassin, only relaxing when he crumples lifelessly to the stone. "Little shit," she hisses, then switches back to handspeech. <Which way?> She doesn't wait for an answer before reaching down to untie the leather thong holding that bead.
Ashlee watches as the tiefling is... well, reduced to a bleeding mass of broken bones that are ripped through skin and uniform. She feels no emotions, it was his choice, and he discovers the folly of his bad decision.
As the light rushes in, it brings a little panic. This will be noticed. She moves to the door to the main hall and checks for a lock or latch. It's a sliding door. Perhaps she can stop it moving, but she isn't confident in her chances.
She points at the door the barracks, rolls her shoulders a little.
The door doesn't seem to have a lock, but it moves on runners. There is a length of timber laying on the ground next to it, as well as a notch in the door. The notch is likely designed to receive the length of timber to stop the door from sliding.
A wooden bar and a notch. That might prevent the door from opening. Ok. It likely won't hold back a whole army but it's better than nothing. Ashlee quietly picks it up and slots it into place.
Staggering a little as she rises, Donna shifts away as Aimarra relieves the corpse of the bead hanging from what was once a neck. Shaking gore from her hands, she struggles to catch her breath as Ashes blocks the barracks door, nodding her approval.
To answer Aimarra's question, she jerks her head to the door do the main hall, rolling her own shoulders and getting ready for more action.
Combatty
Map - In Character
https://imgur.com/a/6cdaKll
Map - Out of Character
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m3joiph740p
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
>> 17 Aimarra 1 <<
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15 Donna 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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11 Ninja
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8 Ashes 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 2 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
15 Donna 1
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11 Ninja 1
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>> 11 Aimarra 1 <<
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8 Ashes 1
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