Random Banter D&D 3.5e Campaign IC, Thread II

[AtlanteanTroll]

Spoiler: The Courtyard

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Down, Arthur! Niro swings out wildly with his shield, MONTAGNA MARTELLO!

To Hit: (1d20+10)[18]
Damage: [roll]1d4+3+2d6[/roll] 14+1 [15]

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

Niro's shield smashes Arthur in the face, and the guard falls over on his back, his sword clattering to the ground behind him. He shuts his eyes and clutches his head in pain.

OOC: That's a hit! I think I'm gonna call the combat here. Alphonse, you're arriving just in time to see this.

--
As you finish dealing with the guards, the crowd of guests watching the fight begins to mill about again. Alphonse and Prince Wuscfrea both come running, from opposite directions. The remaining guard helps Holtti (who has finally stopped bleeding) to his feet.

The prince stares in bewilderment at Niro and Bela, then Alphonse, then at the other guard and Holtti, and then at Tass (who is still an eagle). Out of breath, he gasps, "Wh... what. What the hell. One, uh..." Wuscfrea regains a bit of his composure, and finally manages a complete sentence. "What's going on? Explain!"

[LaZodiac]

"My Prince! I can explain! A fairy of some sort was going around trying to spread fae creatures that resembled flowers to you, and judging from General Holtti's condition others as well. We managed to stop the one aimed for you, but were unable to prevent the others it would appear." Alphonse said. He looked over at the general and noticed the missing cut off flowers. "...and as my wonderfully astute allies have ensured, the creatures have escaped and are likely proliferating as we speak. We need fire. Non magical fire. A lot of it."

[Amidus Drexel]

Wuscfrea's eyes widen, and he looks desperately at you and his guards. Holtti wipes some blood from his face, and speaks up, "You guards, fetch us torches. And oil, if you can find it. We've got a fairy hunt on our hands." The guards hesitate, but he waves them on. "I've been worse. Go, and warn the others."

Once the guards are gone, he staggers over to Niro for support. "Fairies, huh? This seems a little cold-blooded for just petty mischief, but I can't think of any other reason for one to attack. We've been very careful with the fey around here. What do you think?"

[AtlanteanTroll]

I know little of the fey. But it almost definitely is centered around an attempt on the prince's life. Are there any Fey remaining we could interrogate?

[LaZodiac]

"I don't know. Sir Bela, please try your best to find the invisible cretins that did this. We also have another problem...Lady Tass and I encountered an elf trying to set the tower on fire. We killed him, but his body turned into wood and he mentioned something about the cook. Or our 'friend' Cook." Alphonse explains. Then he'll turn to General Holtti. "Also, General Holtti, pardon my asking but is your blood supposed to be blue? That seems...bad."

[Amidus Drexel]

Holtti shrugs, and says, "My blood has always been blue. It's no more sinister than I am, I suppose." He chuckles, then scratches his chin thoughtfully. "Who is this 'Cook' you speak of? ...I take it not an actual chef - or should we be looking out for poison in the food? More than usual, that is?"

Wuscfrea mumbles, "Mother and Tass have made quite sure that I'm safe from poison."

Spoiler: Tass

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You've seen demonic and fey-like creatures with black or silver ichor for blood, but until now, nothing (natural or otherwise) that bled blue. Short of Holtti having fallen victim to some obscure disease that changes blood colour, his blue blood is almost definitely supernatural in nature.

[LaZodiac]

"Ah, yes...'Cook' was a friend of my fathers. He was a ur...shape shifter, or demon of some sort." Alphonse said awkwardly, realizing how troublesome bringing this up will be only a second too late.

[Teddy]

Tass takes the opportunity to take to the air again with a few powerful beats of her wings. When she reaches the height of the rooftops, she levels out into a wide circle, soaring over the courtyard while keeping her senses primed for more trouble.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Spot check: (1d20+17)[30]
Listen check: (1d20+17)[31]

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

Holtti grins. "A shapeshifter at a masquerade is at a disadvantage - a normal assassin could hide in plain sight with no trouble, but a shapeshifter would have to use magic. I can't detect magic on my own, but Bela, Tass, and some other guests should be able to, as well as any court wizards still around. As for myself..." He gestures at the palace. "...I have some healing potions in my office, and I think I can make it there, though it might take a while. Could one of you take Prince Wuscfrea to the royal family's safe-room under the palace? He can show you the way."

--
Above the Palace

Spoiler: Tass

Show

You don't hear anything unusual from the castle, though your ears can hear the sounds of celebration emanating from the city outside (and, if you choose, the conversation in the courtyard below).

You do, however, see a few things. Something in particular seems to be going on by the docks - a great crowd of people is gathered on the longest pier, next to a monstrous apparatus that is vaguely reminiscent of a pipe organ. Additionally, something is lying on the roof of the palace, next to the bell tower - it looks about the right size and shape for a person.

Minus the head, of course.

[AtlanteanTroll]

There's no need to go elsewhere to be healed. Niro gently places his hand on the general's shoulder. Guarire!

Spoiler: Rolls

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Already used the belt once today...
(2d8)[13]

It would be an honor escorting the Prince.

[Teddy]

The Airspace

Spoiler

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Tass swoops in closer to the suspect corpse, trying to ascertain who it could be and where the perpetrator may have gone next.

[Amidus Drexel]

The Courtyard

You see some energy return to Holtti's demeanor, but he's visibly still in a bad way. "I appreciate it, Niro, but I think I'll need something a bit more potent before I'm comfortable." He begins walking towards the palace, steadier this time, and calls over his shoulder. "Especially if we're expecting a fight."

OOC: Gonna need to know what everyone's doing before I can advance this side (HINT HINT).
--
Above the Palace

Spoiler: Tass

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Closer inspection confirms the body's status as a headless corpse. You also notice some (very clearly) broken bones and dented armor plates - as if the man had fallen from a great height.

You see no one else on the roof, nor in the bell tower. The nearest guard is on the outer wall, overlooking the city, and everyone else you can see is at ground level.

EDIT: AND the trap door you left open is now closed. I wonder how that happened?

[LaZodiac]

"Of course, we must be cautious. I propose Sir Niro accompany you to your office, to ensure you arrive with less flowers on your person than normal. I and Sir Bela shall escort the Prince to his safe room." Alphonse said.

[Cuthalion]

Béla nods (assuming he's visible again), stares at the outline of Tass in the sky, and turns to follow.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Yes, general. Let me accompany you. We shan't have you attacked again.

[Amidus Drexel]

Somewhere in the Palace

Spoiler: Alphonse, Bela

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Prince Wuscfrea leads you away from the celebration, deep into the royal palace. You see a few servants, who all bow as you pass.

As you approach the throne room, you hear a loud CLACK-clack-clack from a hallway to your left, like something hard repeatedly striking the marble floor.

The prince freezes. "What was that?"

Spoiler: Spot DC 17

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Just before the noise, you see a small stone fly across the main hallway from a nearby doorway.

Spoiler: Listen DC 13

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The sound reminds you of a small rock or pebble bouncing and skidding around.

--
The Great Hall

Spoiler: Niro

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On your way to the general's office, you pass through the great hall. The guests socializing there react with shock and horror at Holtti's condition, and several step away or avert their gaze.

Except for Princess Jacinth. Her eyes widen in surprise - but you also see a faint smirk. She falls in behind you and whispers, "Is everything alright?"

Spoiler: Spot DC 18

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Someone wearing a bright pink mask is present when you enter the room, but is not there when you look back to talk to Jacinth.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Prince!

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Alphonse held up his hand to stop the prince, scowling as he looked around the hall. "It was...some sort of noise, to the left. Sounds like something was thrown, though...what, I'm not sure. Let's do our best to avoid it, and to be alert."

[Teddy]

Above the Palace

Spoiler

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Tass carefully lands on top of the bell tower again. She skips forward to the hatch, jumps onto its handle and tries to open it with the help of her powerful wings.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Strength check: (1d20+1)[16]

[AtlanteanTroll]

Spoiler: The Great Hall

Show

I'm afraid not, your highness. Though, the Prince is safe....

In a hushed tone, For now. It might best to shut down the party. We seem to be under attack by a group of fae. At the least, we must begin the non-auspicious assembly of a non-magical bonfire. I urge you we take the utmost precautions.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Diplomacy: (1d20+8)[14]
Sense Motive: (1d20)[14]

[Amidus Drexel]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler: Tass

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With some effort, the trapdoor flies open, and you peer inside.

The interior of the bell tower is empty, save for the body of the intruder Alphonse killed. You notice the second jar of explosive liquid (which was left at the top of the stairs earlier) is now missing.

--
The Great Hall

Spoiler: Niro

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Princess Jacinth pulls the two of you aside, and removes her mask. She whispers sharply, "Where is he? My personal guard is still with him, right?" Jacinth crosses her arms and shakes her head. "And absolutely not. I will not be canceling this festival short of Vermiculus himself coming down and ordering it. I have a lot riding on tonight, and I have put too much work into making this happen to just abandon it. Am I clear?"

Holtti growls, "Duchess. I did not provide you with my own security detail just to have them ignored."

"Yes, Janick, and if the person who hired this "security detail" was not presently occupied covering my floors with his own blood, I might take them a little more seriously." The princess grabs the general by the shoulders. "My son has spent thirty years in a library - unlike some of us here, he can't just walk off bleeding to death. I certainly would not consider that acceptable from my guards."

"They were a bit occupied defending Prince Wuscfrea - and Niro here saved my life. If that isn't acceptable for a security detail, I challenge you to find a more useful guardsman among your own."

Jacinth looks down at Holtti's blood-stained uniform, then at herself, then brings her arms down. After a second or two she turns back to you, and says, "Anyway, Mister Niro. A bonfire? We might have enough wood in the palace if we exhaust every wood-pile. Do you intend to do that by yourself, or can I have someone help you? I don't think you'll be able to do it without anyone noticing, though."

--
The duchess is hard to read, but her shock and worry both seem genuine... as does her amusement and derision regarding the general's injuries. You're not sure if she just distrusts Holtti, or if there's something more between the two of them. When you mention stopping the party, however, she immediately clams up; it's clearly very important to her.

Holtti seems completely sincere. He doesn't seem to like Jacinth very much, but it's hard to say whether that's just frustration, distrust, or genuine dislike.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Spoiler: The Great Hall

Show

Niro bows toward Jacinth, and continues on in a hushed tone. If it is your wish for the party to continue, your highness, then so it must. But we must be on our highest alert. That so many guards fell ill and were unable to take their proper stands today was certainly a poor omen... And yes, a bonfire. We need a large, non-magical fire to combat the fey. If it can be incorporated into the festivities, the safer the guests will be. In addition, it will be easier to keep an eye on everyone if they are centered around a singular event. The assistance of servants would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not sure who your personal guard is, my higness. When I first saw the Prince this evening, no one was guarding him. He is now being watched after by two of my colleagues, Alphonse and Bela, both of whom are more than capable.

Niro takes a pause before continuing, knowing what comes next may not be met with much warmth. Speaking even more softly now. Your highness, general: I do not know what it is that drives your deep dipassions, but I implore you to lay whatever it may be that divides you aside and consider that whatever it is you feel for one another, you both are very invested in the Prince's future. Please consider putting a truce on for the rest of the night.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Diplomacy: (1d20+8)[27]

[Teddy]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Tass dives down into the tower, landing by the entrance.

[Cuthalion]

Spoiler: Place

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Béla keeps walking for a moment, then stops and stares around blankly. What?

[Amidus Drexel]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler: Tass

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The main door to the bell tower is closed... after a fashion. It looks like it's been broken open recently, but someone has taken time to put a bar over it anyways - possibly to keep it in place in the frame. The lock and hinges are still attached in their normal positions, though the rest of the door doesn't seem to be very attached to them.

You hear silence from the other side of the door - you're confident no one is there.

--
Elsewhere in the Palace

Spoiler: Alphonse, Bela

Show

Prince Wuscfrea looks worried, but he says nothing. You press onwards.

--
The Throne Room

The doors to the throne room open with a soft creeeak, and deep red light from magical torches spills through. As you step forward, motes of white light appear above you and illuminate the room. Brilliant crimson tapestries, carpet, and banners cover the walls, the floors, and the ceiling, respectively, most depicting scenes of war; gold fixtures and ornamentation hang or protrude from nearly every surface. The few sections of bare, polished marble reflect the dancing lights around you.

Wuscfrea dashes forward, past the throne, and begins tapping at the wall behind it. "Oh, where is that catch..."

Spoiler: Alphonse

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History knowledge - you recognize some of the scenes on the tapestries. One in particular shows the coronation of Cynfael, the first emperor of Cymru - three men in shackles place a tall, thin crown of stark points on a similarly tall, thin man kneeling before them. He's depicted with an empty, distant stare, like he's looking intently at something very far behind you.

You see something pink in one of the reflections on the floor - or, at least, you think you did. When you look back at that section, the only reflections you see are red and white.

Spoiler: Bela

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You see something pink in one of the reflections on the floor - or, at least, you think you did. When you look back at that section, the only reflections you see are red and white.

After the prince stops moving, you hear a soft padding sound from the far corner of the room, like someone trying to sneak around with heavy boots on.

--
The Great Hall

Spoiler: Niro

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Holtti and Jacinth look suspiciously at each other, then nod. The duchess takes a signet ring from her finger and hands it to you."You are acting on my authority now - the servants will obey your orders. There should be room enough in the courtyard. I trust you, Niro. Go and keep these people safe." She puts her mask back on, and returns to the crowd of party-goers.

--
As you and the general start walking again, he whispers to you, "Her personal guard blend in when they choose to. Whoever she assigned to Wuscfrea probably looks like a regular guest; or at the very least, is not too out of the ordinary. I'm sure they're still around."

--
Holtti's Office
You open the door to Holtti's office and peer inside. Everything is as you remember it - the papers on the desk are piled high, and while somewhat organized, you're still not sure how he ever finds anything. You don't notice much out of the ordinary - save for an empty case lying open on the desk, but the general makes no note of it.

Holtti opens one of the drawers on the desk, and rummages through it, eventually producing several small vials of a viscous white liquid. He drinks one, and his somewhat-labored breathing becomes less so - motes of white light dance across his skin as the tiny lacerations from the fae blossoms begin to heal.

[LaZodiac]

Spoiler: Throne Room: Al, Bel and Wuf's crazy adventure

Show

"Fascinating. Tell me, Prince Wuscfrea, what do you know about Emperor Cynfael. He looks...quite disturbed in this tapestry." Alphonse asks. He looks around to be sure everything is okay, keeping an ear out as he adds "And...what exactly are you looking for?"

[Cuthalion]

Spoiler: Throne Room

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Béla holds up a hand. Wait up. I think I heard someone. He stops and pivots on one heel, looking around the room.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Spoiler

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Niro visually sweeps the office, looking for tools. How may I be of assistance in gathering your things so we may quickly so we can return to the courtyard and build the bon fire?

[Teddy]

The Bell Tower

Spoiler

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Tass fluffs up with annoyance and turns around, flying out of the tower as fast as possible and resuming her round, scanning both the rooftops and the courtyard for the unknown perpetrator.

[Amidus Drexel]

Throne Room

Spoiler: Alphonse, Bela

Show

Wuscfrea is still concentrated on the wall, but he calls out an answer to your questions. "The first emperor? He was a warlord. A warrior and a leader, much like my father. Ambitious, and powerful. He united dozens of clans - the noble houses we are familiar with now - and forced them to cooperate to take and control territory. By all accounts, he was a fearsome and intimidating man - I suspect the accounts are exaggerated, but records from that time state he stood well over six feet." The prince turns around, and gestures to the room. "Rumor has it he conducted executions personally, driving spears through the skulls of his rivals... in this very room! He died in his sleep shortly before his fortieth birthday, and while foul play was suspected, it was never proven. His eldest son took the throne shortly thereafter. Why do you ask?"

"But yes! There is a little catch hidden between the stones here, which reveals a hidden passageway to a sanctum not unlike the one you saw at the feast hall... I just do not remember where it is! It may take me a little bit of searching."

--

Spoiler: Alphonse

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When you turn around, you see a reflection of something pink on the floor, and a vaguely humanoid shadow cast on the wall behind it. It moves, and shadows dance chaotically across the ceiling and walls. The reflection on the floor is a little closer now.

Spoiler: Bela

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When you turn around, you see something pink move out of the corner of your eye, but you can't follow the movement.

The sound of footsteps is definitely growing closer - you're sure you should be able to see something, but there's just nothing there.

--
Holtti's Office

Spoiler: Niro

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Before Holtti gets the chance to answer, a small crossbow bolt appears through his hand. He staggers back, and reaches for his sword... and another bolt goes through his other hand.

You hear the sounds of someone reloading a crossbow above your head between the two shots, but you don't see anyone.

OOC: Holtti eats two painful hits and takes a total of 30 damage. He doesn't look too good, but he's still standing. Niro, you're up.

--
Above the Palace

Spoiler: Tass

Show

The rooftops are clear of suspicious activity.

You do notice some of the servants clearing space and stacking wood in the courtyard. Lieutenant Borgia is busy arguing with one of them, away from the other guests - she seems noticeably flustered and is demanding to know what's going on.