[Game Thread] III. The Silver Cornucopia

[Krimchee]

Recovering from his bungle with a muttered "you flaming son of a motherless goat", Silas took in the scene around him almost as if from a great distance. It didn't seem possible for the innkeep to move so fast. Not human, a thought flittered across his consciousness, reminding him of the seriousness of the situation.

Hearing the tone of Dan's voice brought him up short, and he glanced quickly at his friend and then back to the inkeep. Seeing the stunned look on the creature's face, Silas lunged, the thin point of his blade streaking towards the inkeeper.

attack rolls attack Dice Roll: 1d20+4 (14)+4 Total = 18 damage Dice Roll: 1d6 2

[mountainbound]

Seeing the innkeeper temporarily dazed, Fahd bolts forward, whipping past him and away from the door. His timing is good, as just a few seconds later, one of the chess players bursts through the door, stumbling among the fallen potatoes. As he struggles to keep his feet, Fahd strikes, his aklys smacking him square in the face. Before the man can recover in any way, he gets pushed aside by the one following him. This second attacker whips his dagger in the air in front of him, trying to size up who is the easier target: Fahd or Dan.

Nearby, Silas seizes his chance and pierces Randy with his uncooperative rapier. The shock and pain of the ranger's blade brings Randy back to his senses, and he gropes for a cleaver on the counter. At that moment, the attacker by the door makes his decision and turns on Dan, who hasn't thought to grab a weapon for himself. The wizard tosses something in the air, which explodes like a tiny firework in the man's face, but the simple cantrip doesn't have any effect.

Then the woman appears in the doorway, her right hand glowing again with some angry energy, an arrow still poking from her chest. With a shriek she leaps toward Silas. The stench of burned flesh fills the room as she makes contact, and the ranger's left arm goes numb with her electric touch.

Combat Notes Enemy Status Randy: AC 15, Wounded for 4hp. Dazed this round. In melee with Silas. Assailant #1: AC 14, Seriously wounded for 7hp. Assailant #2: AC 15, Undamaged. In melee with Dan. The Woman: AC 18, Wounded. In melee with Silas. Character Status Dan: 5hp Damage. Silas: 8hp Damage

[Krimchee]

Silas howled as the energy from the woman jolted through his left side, causing him to jump as if he'd sat on a pocupine. Bloody hell! his mind screamed silently. Instinct demanded that Silas react to defend himself. Silas lept at the woman, viciously swinging his sword at her with a grunt.

attack Attack the Trotch-woman Dice Roll: 1d20+4 (20)+4 Total = 24 Damage Dice Roll: 1d6+2 (1)+2 Total = 3 Confirm Critical Hit Dice Roll: 1d20+4 (17)+4 Total = 21 Damage Dice Roll: 1d6+2 (1)+2 Total = 3

Status AC 15 HP 13

[Tangler]

Fahd: Current HP 7/12, Spirit Healing 2/6 remaining
AC16, AC12 flat-footed, AC16 touch, Fort/Ref/Will +6/4/5

Lynx: Current HP 21/21
AC 18, (AC12 flat-footed, AC17 touch, AC22 vs OA (Mobility), Fort/Ref/Will +4/8/2-status/defenses-

Too many, Fahd thinks as he pulls the aklys back into his hand. He hears the flapping of wings, but he isn't sure whether it is real or his fear-stoked imagination playing tricks on him. He feels blood dripping down his thighs from the wound in his belly and tries to remain calm as he flings the aklys again, targeting the man he struck once already, hoping to take at least one of their enemies out of the fray

Fahd targets the same man.

Dice Ranged attack with aklys with Deadly Aim:

d20+4

(20)+4

Total = 24

Dice Damage:

d6+2

(1)+2

Total = 3

Dice Crit Confirmation:

d20+4

(14)+4

Total = 18

Dice Crit damage:

d6+2

(5)+2

Total = 7

-actions/roll-

[mountainbound]

The hideous woman grins at the rattle of Silas's teeth when she touches him. She says a word, and her fingers begin glowing once again, ready to kill with her numbing, electric touch. The ranger seems to have something else in mind, however, and hefts his sword at once in a wide arc, causing Randy, cleaver in hand, to duck out of the way. The unarmored woman throws herself backward to avoid the sudden swipe, but quick as she is, she's not quick enough. Her hand is flung too wide and, with a soft, wet WHACK! it flies to the floor at Silas's feet.

"ARRRGH!!!!" the woman shrieks in a voice anything but womanly. She cradles her arm, its stump now spilling blood all over the floor. As she glares at Silas, her eyes are no longer human, but widespread, glinting red and sparking with malice.

Your minds are altogether unable to take in the nature of the transformation -- it was simply something unfit for the eyes of any human. In the days and years to come, whenever you try to recall the details of the hideous change, you’ll only remember staring down at the floor, at the fresh-scrubbed spuds rolling about all splattered with the steaming purple icor of a stalker.

Sudden memory of your battle beneath the Archeebald bridge spring into your heads, and you behold yet another of the creatures before you. This one has a neck long and scaly, with the head of an insect, like a giant cockroach, making jerky movements. Its body shrinks into something like a bird's, but completely hairless, gray, and misshapen. Though bird-like, it makes the sudden, precise gesticulations of an insect.

Struggling to get to his feet, the man with the bloodied face looks up for a moment and sees the streak of Fahd’s bone-white aklys flash before him. It is the last thing he ever sees. The man falls with a heavy thud, but Fahd cannot consider the results of his attack. The other chess player drives hard in, plying his forearm-length dagger to great effect. As the spiritchaser leaps to regain his weapon, the man slices the wicked blade across the small of his back, where armor parts to reveal flesh.

Momentarily out of harm’s way, Dan collects himself and grabs the closest weapon at hand: a huge iron skillet. Grunting from the knifewound in his chest, he brings it down hard, braining the dagger-wielding man with a loud clang. “How d'you like that?” the wizard snarls.

Combat Notes Enemy Status Randy: AC 15, Wounded for 4hp. In melee with Silas. Woman/Trotch/Creature: AC 18, Seriously wounded 17 (11 from prior arrow wound). It is now missing its right hand. In melee with Silas. Assailant #2: AC 15, Wounded for 3. Currently flanked by Dan and Fahd. Assailant #1: AC 14, Dead from 17hp damage. Character Status Fahd: 5hp Damage

[Krimchee]

Silas felt his sword bite, and then pass through the hand of the Trotch-woman-thing. Silas quickly sidestepped to avoid a gout of blood as it sprouted from the severed limb. Then suddenly the thing shifted. Unable to understand quite how it happened, suddenly Silas realized what was in front of him. While somewhere in his mind he knew that this was its true form, he was somehow still shocked to see it here in front of him. Seeing it again filled Silas with revulsion, repulsion, and horror. A need to kill this thing and send it from this world where, in his mind, it did not belong overcame Silas. Abomination! he thought, horrified.

With a wild scream, Silas attacked again with his sword.

attack rolls attack the Trotch-woman-thing Dice Roll: 1d20+4 (19)+4 Total = 23 Damage Dice Roll: 1d6+2 (4)+2 Total = 6

confirm critical confirm crit Dice Roll: 1d20+4 (1)+4 Total = 5 Damage Dice Roll: 1d6+2 (4)+2 Total = 6

[Tangler]

Fahd: Current HP 2/12, Spirit Healing 2/6 remaining
AC16, AC12 flat-footed, AC16 touch, Fort/Ref/Will +6/4/5

Lynx: Current HP 21/21
AC 18, (AC12 flat-footed, AC17 touch, AC22 vs OA (Mobility), Fort/Ref/Will +4/8/2-status/defenses-

With one of their enemies fallen the odds are now more even, but Fahd can feel more of his life blood dripping away from his latest wound and knows he can't take much more. There is no time to call on the spirits to heal himself, so he must hope they can disable their remaining enemies before he takes any more wounds, but he fears that the flapping of wings he continues to hear may portend his own passage over into the spirit realm.

Fahd takes a step back away from the remaining chess player and pulls the aklys back into his hand. "See what you serve in its true form," he says to the man, pointing with his off hand at the bird-like creature, which even now is taking further injury from Silas's rapier. Jenson's memories of the fight with the Stalker at the river couldn't possibly have prepared Fahd for witnessing it first hand, but the fact that this one is severely injured lessens the shock somewhat, and Fahd wonders whether the men they are fighting have ever seen the creatures in their true form.

Fahd flings his aklys at the man's head.

Fahd steps back 5 feet and targets Assailant #2

Dice Ranged attack with aklys with Deadly Aim:

d20+4

(18)+4

Total = 22

Dice Damage:

d6+2

(1)+2

Total = 3

-actions/roll-

[mountainbound]

Silas takes another vicious swing at the stalker driving the creature several steps backward, so that it's almost at the wall below the small window of the kitchen. At that moment Randy seizes his opportunity. Rolling out of the ranger's way, he keeps low and dives toward the trapdoor. A jet of green, sizzling acid shoots from the creature's hideous insect face, but misses Silas to splatter over the cutting board near Randy's head. It may be that the stalker was aiming for the innkeep, rather than Silas.

In any case, it is at that moment that the ranger buries his blade deep into the thing's chest, spurting gore in all directions as its bloated bird-body begins to thrash.

With a high creak, the trapdoor opens and Randy rolls down into the darkness below the kitchen. Dan is distracted by the movement, and is also having trouble hefting the heavy iron pan -- and so he only manages to crash it down onto one of the counters near the villager with an awful clang. Fahd has better aim. Stepping around the fallen, he sends his aklys at the villager, hitting him squarely in the mouth.

Unfortunately, the attack leaves Fahd weaponless for several moments, and the evil man sees his chance. "Yeah I see it," he growls in response to the spiritchaser's question. "You'd be wise to take a good look too. You'll be seeing a lot more of their kind soon. Best cast your lot on the winning side while you still can."

The blade in his hand shifts into a backward-facing position, angled to rip across Fahd's defenseless chest, when suddenly the kitchen door crashes open. The swarthy face of Jamie -- the gleeman who entertained the previous night. "What in the hell?--" Sliding into the kitchen he takes a quick glance around, absorbing the dying stalker and Silas's purple-coated rapier, Dan's shocked expression, the dead man on the floor, and one of the villagers diving in to kill Fahd. "You, STOP!" he explodes.

There is power in the bard's tone, so much so that, though bent on ripping Fahd's belly wide, the chess player suddenly stumbles to a halt, his dagger limp in his hand. The black form flapping in the window takes off as the abomination at Silas's feet shudders and dies on Randy's floor. For a brief moment, silence reigns as Jamie the bard sizes you up, pulling his own dagger from his belt Finally, he shouts "Where is Randy the barman, and what the hell is going on here?"

Combat Notes Enemy Status Randy: Escaped down the trapdoor. Woman/Trotch/Creature: AC 18, Dead at 23. Assailant #2: AC 15, Wounded for 6. Currently flanked by Dan and Fahd. Assailant #1: AC 14, Dead Character Status No damage this round.

[Tangler]

Fahd: Current HP 2/12, Spirit Healing 2/6 remaining
AC20 with Full Defense
AC16, AC12 flat-footed, AC16 touch, Fort/Ref/Will +6/4/5

Lynx: Current HP 21/21
AC 18, (AC12 flat-footed, AC17 touch, AC22 vs OA (Mobility), Fort/Ref/Will +4/8/2-status/defenses-

Fahd pulls the aklys back into his hand and grips it tightly, knuckles whitening. The bard's intervention is a godsend, as Fahd knows how close he came to being rendered unconscious or worse. Keeping an eye on the man who was prepared to finish him off if not for Jamie's arrival, Fahd replies. "We have uncovered a nest of vipers in Archeebald. The innkeep escaped through that trapdoor," he says, gesturing. "He and these two men attempted to kill us when we tracked that creature," he continues, now pointing at the birdlike Stalker dying on the floor, "here after fighting it in the forest. And lest you think he did so unknowingly, he admitted only moments before you came in that he knew what he served."

Fahd goes Total Defense-action-

[Krimchee]

Silas looked back and forth from Jamie to the final assailant. He was surprised to find the bard here. He also didn't like the bard showing up just now. It wasn't so long ago that the bard had given Silas and his companions questionable travel advice. Silas did not put his weapon down. His instinct was to run through the final assailant with his blade. Not yet, he thought, struggling to put all the pieces together. Let's see what happens here. He was also ready to defend himself from Jamie if need be. He didn't trust Jamie. But was Jamie an enemy here? He was not sure. One thing was sure; he was damn sick of being pushed around, attacked and otherwise taken for a fool.

Silas gestured to the corpse of the stalker. "What does it look like is going on here bard? Silas said with a sardonic tone. "We were ambushed by the inkeeper and this....abomination. Your Randy stuck a knife into Dan here before he fled through his little hidey hole. What is your business with Randy?" He gestured again to the corps, this time with his blade. Silas noticed a bit of ichor fly off the fine point of the blade at the gesture. "Do you serve these...things too?"

rolls perception check Dice Roll: 1d20+9 (4)+9 Total = 13 Sense Motive Dice Roll: 1d20+4 (9)+4 Total = 13

[mountainbound]

The balding bard looks from the dying creature to Fahd and Silas and then back to the abomination twitching in a pool of purple ichor on the floor. "No..." he says slowly, inching into the room and kicking a potato out of the way. His hand goes to a chain about his neck, fingering something upon it. "No, I don't serve them." He makes his way to the dazed man still poised to gut Fahd, and then knocks the dagger from his hand.

At that moment Dan tackles the man from behind, screaming, "I want my thirty crowns back!" Though it was Trotch who sold the wizard the faulty boat, it seems useless to argue the fact.

Watching Dan wrestle the other man, Jamie says to Silas, "I got no business with Randy, 'cept that he gives me a place to perform when I'm in Archeebald. I saw about twenty black birds fighting with each other to get a spot on yonder window sill, and lots more in the air over the inn. 'That's an ill omen if I ever seen one' I thought to myself. So I ducked in." He looks at Fahd, "Glad I did too, since Runko here was about to soil that pretty knife of his with your entrails." At that he motions to you to help him separate Dan from the chess player.

"Runko Johnston, what fool business you up to now?" Jamie asks as Silas drags the man to his feet.

The man called Runko merely spits a bloody tooth out on the floor. "I ain't got to answer to no gleeman."

DM's Note Silas has Runko (whose dagger is now on the floor) by the arm.

[Tangler]

Fahd: Current HP 2/12, Spirit Healing 0/6 remaining
AC16, AC12 flat-footed, AC16 touch, Fort/Ref/Will +6/4/5

Lynx: Current HP 21/21
AC 18, (AC12 flat-footed, AC17 touch, AC22 vs OA (Mobility), Fort/Ref/Will +4/8/2-status/defenses-

Relaxing somewhat once the dagger is knocked out of Runko's hand, Fahd tenses again when Dan assaults Runko. He feels a sharp pain in his belly as he does, a reminder that he has been badly injured. Dan and Silas, too, are wounded, he knows. "If you can keep him from interfering," he says once Silas as Runko under control, "and if someone might ensure that Randy doesn't interrupt by returning through the trap door," he adds with a gesture at the escape hatch and a glance at Jamie, "perhaps the spirits will oblige our need for some healing."

It is an odd setting for performing his ritual, but Fahd is loathe to seek a better location and risk running into more of the Stalker's lackeys before they have recovered. Taking his aklys in one hand and his quill bundle in the other, Fahd begins the rhythmic rapping of the bundle against the aklys that Silas and Dan have witnessed on two previous instances. Once again the spirits respond, and Fahd directs their healing as he did earlier, starting with the most injured, which in this case is himself. As he directs healing to the next most injured, Dan, he can feel the spirits weakening, and realizes that he has called on them as much as he can for the day.

Fahd lets the quill bundle rest against the aklys and glances apologetically at Silas. He is about to explain that the local spirits are exhausted when it occurs to him that revealing that weakness to their enemy, in the form of Runko, might be unwise. Fahd hopes that Silas understands and doesn't question him. The shaman looks at Runko, then at Jamie, evaluating their responses to his display. "Your masters are not the only ones with access to power," he says to Runko, "and men of courage will stand against them."

 

Spirit Healing

Dice Daily 5th Healing:

2d6+2

(2, 4)+2

Total = 8

Dice Daily 6th Healing:

2d6+2

(6, 3)+2

Total = 11

[Krimchee]

Silas gripped his charge firmly by the arm, shaking him and then daring him to move. "You even so much as think of twitching, you son of a goat, I'll flaming jam this bloody sword right through your flaming gullet," he said heatedly. Despite his tough talk, Silas was relieved to see Dan and Fahd healed. Their injuries had seemed serious. Jamie still worried him though. Silas had noticed the medalion Jamie fingered and wanted very much to get a good look at it. While all the healing is going on, Silas tries to see without being overly obvious about it. He also noticed that while Jamie said he didn't serve the stalkers, he didn't exactly seem repulsed by them either. It made him suspicious.

"Should we go after Randy?" he asked Dan and Fahd. "If we're going to do it, I say we should bloody well get on with it before these things have a chance to round up some friends and come after us." The truth of it was that Silas was a hunter. He did not like the idea of being hunted. No, he didn't like that at all.

perception check-try to see Jamie's medalion perception check Dice Roll: 1d20+9 (11)+9 Total = 20

[mountainbound]

If Runko is impressed at Fahd's show of healing, he doesn't let on. Jamie, however, raises an eyebrow. As the wounds are closing, the bard goes to trapdoor. "You said Randy fled through here?" He gives a tug on the cord but it holds tight. "Locked from the inside. He must have some kind of bunker down there." He gives the cord another tug and looks to Silas. "If you want to go after him, we're going to have to pry open this door."

At that moment a bell is heard from the common room. Without needing a clock, you know the lunch hour is drawing near. Runko glares darkly at the ranger holding him, and at Dan, who is currently feeling his own belly. The wizard can't help but explore the place below his ribs where, just a minute ago, there was a gaping hole.

[Krimchee]

Silas gave a low gasp of surprise upon seeing the medalion worn by Jamie. He supressed an urge to have a look at the arrowhead given to him by Isaiah to compare. In any case, he had Runko by the arm and at the moment he had more pressing matters to worry about. But he would have to re-evaluate Jamie.

Hearing Jamie's words, Silas started to look around for something that they might use to pry the door up. For the moment at least, he was in agreement with Jamie. Silas did not let go of Runko though, nor did he put down his slender blade.

"He's right guys," Silas said. "Let's see if we can get this door open before the lunch crowd hustles in. Otherwise, I think we should either show the town these.....corpses, or put this town behind us and be on our way."

perception check perception check : looking for a tool to pry up the door to Randy's hidey hole Dice Roll: 1d20+9 (5)+9 Total = 14