The Black Shingle Fiasco II: Electric Boogaloo

[Kushina43]

Feeling much refreshed for the first time in ages thanks to Blue-Eyes' future belt, Sarim keeps his ears and eyes peeled- a weird phrase, he thought to himself- while the group advances, a hand ready to draw the weapon of his family's namesake.

Spoiler: OOC

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Spot: (1d20+2)[10]
Listen: Spot: (1d20+2)[13]

[rax]

Sarrazin smiles to himself but says nothing as Avita fills them in on recent events and their current mission. So the girl is the commander, not the brute with the axe. Good to know. And the goblin doesn't like elves, which makes two of us, but one wonders if he has the wit to tell the difference between an elf and someone with elvish blood. Best sleep with one eye open until he settles down or I can dispose of him.

"So, Sarim, was it? I hope you don't mind my asking, but I can't quite place your ancestry. You're a little short compared to most half-orcs I've known?" Despite the personal nature of the question, Sarrazin's tone betrays nothing but idle curiosity. As he speaks, he follows the others' lead and also keeps an eye open for trouble.

Spoiler: Spot and Listen

Show

Listen: (1d20+6)[10]
Spot: (1d20+6)[11]

[YossarianLives]

Lieutenant Kresh disappears into the crowd, oblivious to Rakash tongue-in-cheek behaviour.

With your newly-bolstered party, you set off for the former residence of Captain Parker, a fairly comfortable house around twenty minutes away, on foot. As you approach the barricade surrounding the compound - a motley collection of crates, sandbags, and other debris, plugging all of the nearby streets - the guards scramble to pull aside the cart to let you out. As you pass by, the gnomish soldiers watch you from beneath the wide brims of their helmets, expressionless.

The streets of Senra themselves are mostly quiet, empty. Occasionally a face appears at a window, or someone darts across the street ahead of you, but when compared to the usual bustle of Senra, this is very peculiar. No one wants to encounter a stray demon in a dark alley. In other places, the recent demonic incursion is all too obvious: you pass burnt-out ruins, stone walls scratched, as if with enormous claws, discarded weapons or goods lying in the streets, a handful of corpses.

Still, your journey is altogether uneventful. Soon you turn down a narrow sidestreet, and come to Parker's house: a sturdy stone building, with two storeys, a gabled roof, and an unusual number of clear, glass windows. A path leads around the side of the house, to the back, and there is an ornate double door of darkened wood at the front. Within, it is dark and silent - save for one thing. Just as you are approaching the house, Avita and Fion could swear they see something in a second level window. A quick flash of greenish-blue light, then nothing.

As the rest of you are still approaching the house on foot, Rakash takes to the roofs. Grabbing a rain pipe, he hoists himself swiftly up, shimmies along the side of a gutter, and clings to the weathervane of the tallest nearby building. From there, he can survey the surroundings - more narrow streets, alleys, all empty. Except for one. Behind Captain Parker's house, there is a small yard with a few shrubs and flowers, and behind that there is a tiny path, barely wide enough to walk single file. Someone - or something - lurks there, around six feet tall and shrouded in a long, brown cloak. At first glance, the figure is clearly humanoid, but further examination reveals something off. An uneven bulge around the chest, and around the back of the legs. It watches the house, completely still.

[rax]

OOC: I'm assuming that Fion and Avita alert everyone else to the flash of light.

"Looks like you were right, Mistress Avita. Someone's in there already," Sarrazin notes with unruffled calm. "I hear tell you've been quite successful as a commander so far. How do you propose we deal with this situation?"

[Blackhawk748]

"I would recommend the majority of us going in the front with a few circling around back to prevent them from escaping."

[Marlowe]

"Oh, I'm not a commander, I just the girl what winds up telling everyone what to do." says Avita, running a finger down her cheek. "That's essentially what we WILL do, since those front doors are broad enough to make nonsense of trying the reverse; but let's give Mister Rakust a few moments to get back with us. He's seen more than us, I'd imagine."

She stares up at the windows, eyes hard. "Oh, and chaps, after all that's happened I think we can probably dispense with the whole "present yourselves in the name of the Guard" business."

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash returns to inform the others of the strangely lumpy figure lurking in the shadows behind the house.

It's propably not an elf, he explains, so at least that's one less worry.

Think I should go say hello?

[Marlowe]

Avita throws her head back in thought, just for a second, then locks eyes with Sarim and speak low. "I'm guessing a Hybrid on look-out. Bulge in front is concealing his weapons, bulge in back is concealing his tail, and the brown cloak is because he came here through the sewers. So many jokes. Which I won't make."

She looks around at the rest of the party. "Hybrids are what we're calling the bug-headed Wheeler assault troops. Beefy sorts. Not really a match for most of us man to bug, saw a good fifty of them die yesterday, but you don't want to be outnumbered by them. Also, they can climb. Blocking doors means nothing when they can go in and out the windows upper. They have discipline, co-ordination, and they seem to like going around in squads of six. Watch the ones with the spears, the weapons deliver a curse."

She holds up her hand, the left gauntleted one. The long white scar down her arm left by the Hybrid sword the previous day is very much in evidence. "So. No splitting up. No covering all the doors 'cause they don't have use doors. They'll just be tipped off and we'll be risking getting the two parts of the party defeated separately."

"We go in the front. Now. As a group. Deal with who's inside quick as we can. It doesn't matter if the look-out guy in the yard gets away; his lot are just mercenary grunts anyway. Is it well, Gentlemen?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash visibly pales at the word 'climb' - clearly realising the rooftops aren't safe from this enemy .. and goes yet a shade paler at the word 'curse'. Never a brave soul, it's clear this particular enemy fills him with a dread only rivalled by the wicked elves.

Well - since my scouting is complete, I guess I'd better retreat to our head quarters. He doesn't quite turn and leave, but a desperate hope fills his features, indicating some attempt to convince himself the others will agree that his part of the mission is complete.

Then he smiles, showing a slightly disturbing array of tiny sharp fangs, and laughs halfheartedly - e-heheh.

[Marlowe]

Avita just looks at Rakust. Her lips twitches. "We're going to be needing you when the fight is done." she picks an imaginary piece of lint off her bowstring. "Run out on us now and I'll drown you in a privy", she says quietly.

[Kaptin Keen]

Rakash looks at the evil lady, aghast - quickly concluding that she must have some elf blood in her.

Ewww! Really?

Alright, alright, I'll help your suicidal mission to get impaled on demon spears, sheesh. Sweet dark powers of the trackless below, how do I get myself into these things?! I should have stayed at home and become a raider like my mother always said.

Rakash looks very sad at the mention of his family.

[Marlowe]

Avita's eyes move back over to Rakust. They look, if anything, slightly bored. "No one is asking you to hold the bridge at Gjallerbru. Stay behind the big guys. Stay sharp. Make yourself useful as you can. I was thinking of asking you to go up and check out the windows for us...", she touches a couple of fingers to her jaw and her teeth show. "...but I'm thinking now that's not going to happen."

She holds out her hand and turns to the rest of the party. "So. Again. We go in. Go in fast and hard. Watch your backs. Watch the ceilings. Get to the stairs toot sweet. Take down whatever's up there. Nothing fancy,
nothing stupid. Is it well?"

[YossarianLives]

The party reunited, you move forward to try the front door - but it is locked tight. There is, however, a small mail slot.

[Marlowe]

Avita carefully opens the mail slot with the point of her dagger, and keeping her face a respectful distance from the slot, bends down to see what can be seen through it.

"You any good with locks, Mister Rakust?" she says quietly.

[Kaptin Keen]

Are you any good with names, lady Avita? mumbles Rakash as he fishes out a set of picks and sets about the lock with something bordering on competence.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Open Lock: (1d20+5)[20]

While down there, why not peek through, and press an ear against the door?
Spot: (1d20+4)[20]
Listen: (1d20+5)[22]

[YossarianLives]

While Rakash fiddles with the lock, both he and Avita take turns peering through the mail slot. The foyer of Captain Parker's house is dimly lit, the only light spilling from other rooms and the narrow glass pane above the front door. The floor is covered with a fine carpet woven in floral patterns, and a set of decorative silver spoons hang on the wood paneled walls. There are doors to the left and right, both hanging open, and a broad stairway leads upwards straight ahead. Strangely, the floor and stairs seem to be slightly wet.

[Marlowe]

Avita raises an eyebrow at that "Lady", but steps back and murmurs under her breath to the group. "No hostiles in sight. Floors a little damp. From guests from the sewers, I'm guessing"

[Kushina43]

Sarim addresses Sarrazin with a quick "Most call me a dworc." before again gripping his weapon, hoping to make it clear that talking in more depth will be reserved for a slightly later, hopefully less stressful time.

[YossarianLives]

After a few more seconds, the lock clicks satisfyingly. Rakash has unlocked the door.

[Marlowe]

"All right" breathes Avita. "Good work, Twitchy. Now, Sarim? Templar? If you'd like to take the lead? Straight for the stairs, no unnecessary noise, no messing about. Let's see if we can't catch them napping."

[Kushina43]

Sarim nods and steps inside first, taking the lead.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Not certain it's what's being called for, but I'll roll Move Silently just in case
MS: (1d20+2)[20]

[rax]

Sarrazin moves in behind Sarim and Fion, hefting his glaive. Just before they go in, he whispers to them: "If we cooperate and fight as a unit, we will be more effective than fighting as individuals. So if we encounter heavy resistance, try to take up flanking positions and then strike on my command."

OOC: Just putting in some IC justification for Sarrazin's auras. Motivate Attack grants all allies within 60 feet +1 to hit on melee attacks, Master of Tactics grants +3 to damage rolls when flanking.

[Blackhawk748]

Fion puts his sword in a high guard and rushes up the stairs as quitely as a man completely covered in armor can.

[rax]

Sarrazin stays a step behind Fion and Sarim as they move forward, keeping his eyes and ears open for traps and ambushes.

Spoiler: Spot and Listen checks... if needed

Show

Listen: (1d20+6)[8]
Spot: (1d20+6)[9]

[Marlowe]

Avita, a little faster than Fion, takes the time to quickly check above the main door and peek down the side doorways briefly, her bow drawn, looking for any signs of danger before falling in with Sarrazin on the stairs.

Spoiler: Rollzuz

Show

Spot(1d20-1)[18]
Listen (1d20-1)[4]
Move Silently (1d20+1)[10]

[Kaptin Keen]

With a look of slight disgust, Rakash unrolls his sling and loads it. He stays firmly in the rear, eyes peeled more for loot than enemies.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Spot: (1d20+5)[19]
Listen: (1d20+4)[14]

Hide: (1d20+14)[28] - just in case someone (or thing) is lurking, might as well up the chances that Rakash isn't the one being pounced =)
Move silently: (1d20+14)[24]

[YossarianLives]

In a flash, your party is through the door and up the stairs. While the warriors thunder past the finely-carved banisters and reach the top in a few seconds, the others hang back. If anyone is in the house, they almost certainly heard Fion clanking around, and the creaking stairs.

Those who remain near the bottom can get a better view of their surroundings: on the ground level, the left door leads to some kind of sitting room, while the right leads to a dining room, containing a large alcohol cabinet and a table with places set for two. The floors in these rooms seem to be slightly damp as well. The stairs themselves extend up to the second floor, broad enough for three people to walk abreast. At the end, a hallway leads off to the left and right, while another double door goes straight ahead. Something is stuck to this door, a blob of opaque purple-something. The substance is completely foreign to you; it pulsates slowly, like a lung, made of a material somewhere between flesh and stone, with a few bulging veins visible just beneath its 'skin'. Every five or six seconds, a dim flash of light emanates from the blob, which is itself about the size of a human baby.

Fion, Sarim, and Sarrazin, who end up within spitting distance of the blob, are able to see it in more detail. It clings to the door like a parasite, covering the stained wood in some kind of ooze, and occasionally spraying a small amount of similar purple goo from an puckered orifice that is facing you. The periodic flashes of violet light seem to be coming from the veins which snake through the blob, covered only by a thin, outer layer of ooze. Dirk, who is hanging back near Avita and Rakash, gulps.

[Marlowe]

Avita finishes her brief scouting of the lower floor and double-steps it up the stairs, almost recoiling as she sees the thing attached to the door.

"That's...new", is all she says. Then draws her new wand.

"It is unfortunate", he says quietly, "that I've spent so much longer honing my dazzling social skills instead of the fundamentals of castership, but we'll see what I can tell you." And casts Detect Magic at the thing.

Spoiler: Spellcraft

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(1d20+2)[16]

[Kaptin Keen]

You know, says Rakash, in a whisper, certain wines and spirits are worth a small fortune.

How about I go for a quick look-see in the cabinet, while ... more able souls ... deal with ... that?

[rax]

"Charming," Sarrazin mutters, his lip curled in disgust. "Could it be some sort of creature? A lock or trap? Or all three?"

Spoiler: Knowledge checks

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Sarrazin searches his memory to see if he can recognize what the blob may be.
Knowledge (religion): (1d20+7)[23]
Knowledge (the planes): (1d20+7)[17]