Random Banter D&D 3.5e Campaign IC

[Amidus Drexel]

The first centipede misses, but the second connects... or at least appears to. It reaches all the way through the cloaked woman, and slams into the roof below.

OOC: The gargoyle bleeds out for another round. Also, can I get will saves from everyone?

Spoiler: Will DC 19

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The woman you see is an illusion, and there's nothing really there.

Lucas, you're up. And resolved. Tass, you're up.

[Teddy]

Tass flaps her wings with powerful sweeps to gain as much altitude as possible, swiftly rising to an altitude of 175 feet above ground level. With her eyes trained on the ground, she scouts the area for the green light of her escaping prey.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Spot check: (1d20+15)[35]

[Amidus Drexel]

Your keen eyes look far and wide, but there is no sight of the mysterious woman.

As you reach the apex of your climb, the illusion dissipates, the shadowy figure dissolving into the air. The last things you see before it disappears completely are the glint of the faerie fire-wreathed knife and the woman's piercing green eyes...

Additionally, the gargoyle seems to have stabilized, its metabolism keeping its wounds from bleeding much further.

[LaZodiac]

Alphonse sighs, and walks over to the now stabilized gargoyle. "So...do any of you know how to speak gargoyle? Or... know how to get information from one? Or what happens to it's body when we kill it? Because this fine fellow probably has some sort of information we need to lead us to that shadowy figure..."

Spoiler: Rolls

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Alphonse will also try a Knowledge: History check to see if he can think of any assassin groups that use gargoyles, specifically cross referencing that information with the assassin groups he already thought of that use golems.

History: (1d20+4)[10]

[Teddy]

Tass spreads her wings wide and start to drift downwards again. She listens intensely for any sounds out of the ordinary before she makes a steep dive, dropping toward the ground, and finally spreads her wings to catch her fall, landing her on the roof next to the gargoyle, where she changes back into her elven form.

[Amidus Drexel]

Spoiler: Tass

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You don't hear anything particularly out of the ordinary. The crowd in the feast hall is a little quieter than it was after the gargoyle slammed into the roof, but the noise from the people talking inside is still noticeable to your keen ears.

Surreptitiously edits in results:

Spoiler: Alphonse

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While you can't think of any groups of assassins known for using gargoyles on their jobs, you think you might get a little more information were you to talk to an assassin, or someone else knowledgeable in this field.

[Teddy]

Gargoyles aren't demons. They die like all of us.

Tass untangles her cloak and hunches down by the unconscious gargoyle.

What are you planning for him?

She turns toward the west, looking toward the enterance.

I couldn't see where she might've gone. I don't hear any screams, but she could be inside.

Tass points down toward the roof and the house under it.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Lucas pants as he comes to a stop. Climbing quickly up a ladder, and then sprinting along the roof gave him a need to catch his breath. Seeing that the danger at least for now had abated, he puts his mace back into his haversack.

"Not sure what happened here, but the Prince is tucked away safely, and...well, there...something happened to the musicians. All save one was dead when I got into the room, and they were all missing their left hand. Holtti is securing the final minstrel, as he's likely the only living witness to the scene...but it's pretty grusome in there. When I arrived, there was some hooded figure that vanished...I think I might have interrupted something."

Lucas then describes the pulsing ball of blood on the roof of the room, and how it matched the final musicians pulse. He then glances at the stone monster heaped on the roof, and says, "If you're looking for a way down, I got up from the roof access back that way." He points to the south, back the way he came. "But...what went on here?"

[LaZodiac]

Alphonse responds to Tass first "I was hoping we'd...find out where it was made, or whatever it is these creatures do to be born, to possibly find a clue as to where our little shadow hides. If we can question it, we might be able to get information that way as well. I'm just not sure about if we're even able to question it, so I'm really debating killing it before it wakes up and gets away."

As Lucas appears, Alphonse greets him, glad he and the prince are seemingly okay. He explains what happened "We found the assassin...though she escaped." he begins, rubbing his back where the magic scorched him, clearly still shaken. "We also found her gargoyle, but we managed to take it out. We're currently debating killing it, since it's far to dangerous to leave alive, but if we can question it..."

Changing the subject to what Lucas experienced, "Damn, that must of been the shadow we fought, as she was only an illusion. And...took their left hands. Interesting..."

Spoiler: Rollin'

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History check about assassins that take left hands, cross referencing the assassins I know: (1d20+4)[5]

[Cuthalion]

Or, at least, the Prince was tucked away safely when you left him.

[Teddy]

Tass gives Alphonse an amused look.
Gargoyles aren't golems either. They are born like all of us. And he's still got my poison in his blood, if we intend to save him, we'll have to treat it first.

And that woman was no illusion, she teleported away. She should be close, but I didn't see her. She could've fled indoors, or possibly to the forest.
She makes a sweeping gesture toward the open area around them. I don't see where else she could've gone.

Tass then sinks into though and carefully contemplates Lucas' description of the sphere of blood.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Spellcraft check: (1d20+11)[18]

[LaZodiac]

"Wait, she just...damn. Lucas, where is the prince exactly?" Alphonse says briskly. It's clear he's wounded, but his mind is on something else.

[Amidus Drexel]

Spoiler: Alphonse

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You can't think of any assassins known for that.

Spoiler: Tass

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You don't recognize the effect, although it seems like arcane magic to you.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Lucas paled at the mention of teleporting. He noticed Alphonse's wince, and approached him as he began to talk.

"He's hidden in a saferoom, that is protect by a grouping of spells. I was assured that he would be safe there, but if this cloaked figure magicked inside, then I vote we return with haste." He rests a hand on Alphonse's back, and murmurs, "Be well." Lucas sacrifices one of his spells to heal his companion, grasping a bottle withdrawn from his Haversack in his other hand.

"As for this beast, I know not how we would be able to communicate with it. My retinue of spells only allows me to speak with those of the disceased, and I'd feel safer using that for one that speaks our language."

[Teddy]

They tend not to be very intelligent, but they commonly speak one of our tongues. If we are to save him, we must act now, though.

[Cuthalion]

I do not see the point. I say we let the foul creature die.

[LaZodiac]

"Sir Bela, you can kill it if you wish, but I feel it'd be useful to have someone to interrogate. However, I have another idea to find out where to obtain information on where our shadowy friend will be. But first, I feel we must head over to the Prince at once, to protect him."

Alphonse will then run off to the nearest entrance to the hall so he can head to the area the Prince is hidden. Hopefully with Lucas following after so he can tell me where that is

[Teddy]

If we don't do anything now, he will die of the poison irregardless of our intentions. I could try and stop it, but I only know what little medicine nature's taught me.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Lucas turns to Bela and Tass. "I don't know about you, but I don't wish to split the group again. Let's ensure the Prince's safety. This creature however valuble, is not worth the Prince's life."
Lucas waits for the other two for a moment, and then quickly follows after Alphonse to lead them all back down to the main floor.

[Teddy]

Since you seem like a person who'd better know medicine than I do, I guess that seals his fate. We should come back later, on the chance he survives, though.

Tass gives the fallen gargoyle a look before she follows Lucas, her ears open for anything out of the ordinary.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Listen check: (1d20+16)[34]

[Amidus Drexel]

You make your way back down to the ground floor, and see General Holtti walking briskly towards the stairs. When he reaches you, he addresses Lucas, "The minstrel will live, although he seems too frightened to speak. Is the matter dealt with?" He nods towards the roof.

Spoiler: Tass

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You hear a few soft clinks when Holtti walks quickly, like metal plates knocking into each other.

[LaZodiac]

"Almost, Sir Holtti. We found the trouble, a gargoyle along with a mysterious...woman, I believe, who hid in the shadows. She teleported away and we were left fighting an illusion, and we fear that she may of breached security." Alphonse answers in a hurried pace.

[Teddy]

We left the gargoyle on the roof unconscious but poisoned. Chances are he won't survive, but I can't guarantee it. Don't send any more guards, though. That woman took out entire patrols singlehandedly.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

"They would be able to tell you more about what happened up there. The danger seemed to be handled as I arrived. Still, they described that the suspect had teleported, and felt it might be safer to return inside to ensure and maintain the safety of the Prince."

Lucas gaped at Tass, finding out this information for the first time. "How were they killed? Were they similar to how I described the victims of the performers?" He turns to the General. "I am glad that potion was enough to heal the mistrel, but do you have a stock of healing potions? You may want to see if any of the outer guard have survived, and administer them." A sudden idea occurs to Lucas. "Tass...Spiders. Were there any spiders? Around the area of the Guards or on the roof?"

[LaZodiac]

"There were spiders, yes. And the guards where primarily killed by the gargoyle, they had large gashes and a few looked as though their spines had been...well, for a moment I had thought a golem had crushed their spines. The gargoyle had long, razor sharp talons, so that explains that part of it."

Incidentally, Alphonse will continue running to the area where the Prince is. I don't know how nearby it is though

[Amidus Drexel]

"There is no extra-dimensional access to the bolt-hole, but if this woman is as strong as you say, then it couldn't hurt to check. I'd be impressed if she could break down the stone door, though. I will personally search all of the rooms after we have attended to Prince Wuscfrea's safety. We can see about the guards later."

Holtti walks towards the end of the hallway, and kicks the floorboards a few times until he hears a hollow sound. He pries up a board, revealing an underground passage hewn from stone. "Down there."

[LaZodiac]

"Thank you, Sir Holtti. And be sure to take one of us with you when you search, to be on the safe side." Alphonse will then go down the passage way, realizing that now that it's been revealed it might be easier for assassins to get in because oh god why am I so paranoid about all the things.

[Amidus Drexel]

The passage ahead is pitch-black; there are no sources of light down here save for what comes in through the floorboard Holtti removed. It feels cool and dry, and the sounds from the feast hall are muffled.

Holtti lowers himself under the floor as well. He steps in front of you, then begins to walk forward into the darkness. "There is a rut that runs the length of the left wall. Use it to guide you."

[LaZodiac]

"Thank you, Sir Holtti" Alphonse will then put his left hand on the left wall, and follow it along, thinking to himself One of these days I'm going to remember I can't see in the dark. Today is not one of those days.

[Teddy]

Tass puts her hand in the rut and follows the others.