Council of Thieves [Bastards of Erebus] (IC)

[lostsole31]

Meijen doesn't know how to respond to Kavina's tears. So he doesn't. "Are any still alive?"

After the party checks them over, one of the Bastards stabilized on their own ... one Kavina killed ... and another bled out, losing a race against the clock. You assume the sticky amber tiefling is dead. Stone cold, and the stickiness is now more tacky and hardened.

[pfm1995]

"Only the one, hmm? Ah, well, the rats are lucky today." Taking her newly unspooled rope, Dusha goes to tie knots around the hands and feet of the survivor. "Well, don't you all just stand there and gawk. One of you come here and help and the rest of you find out what's behind that door!"

[lostsole31]

Now what does the group do?

[digiman619]

"If we're quite done, we should be heading onward; the job's not finished yet." Aldo said, motioning to the door.

[Blackhawk101]

Kavina will seek comfort in Tia’s arms, if she is willing. Kavina will look daggers at Meijin’s back when he is not looking.

[meemaas]

Tia is more than willing to let Kavina seek her comfort. That said, she will quickly agree that we must move forward soon, before any other enemies have enough time to prepare an ambush or otherwise escape.

[Blackhawk101]

Kavina will regain her composure within the comforting embrace of Tia. Unfortunately her tears have reduced her face make up to an utter mess; the dark streaks serving to accentuate the grim determination on her face.
She locks and loads her purloined crossbow and prepares to hunt more bastards.

[digiman619]

Aldo will roll his eyes. "Yes, truly a tragedy. Let's get on with it."

[lostsole31]

Casting a spell and looking around, Erasmus says, "There is an aura I can't read in the pouch on the amber tiefling. Non-magicallly, he has nice armor we might keep an eye on for later, and has what seems to be a tanglefoot bag if someone wants it."

He takes one of his own potions to only heal 2. He takes his last one to heal 3. Meijen also takes his potions for a total of 12. Meijen is almost fully healed, but Erasmus still has significant wounds.

Anyone else have any post-battle, or go to look at whatever is had by the fallen?

[digiman619]

Aldo will pass Erasmus a healing potion; with a second ready if he's still quite wounded afterwards.

[lostsole31]

"Thanks," says Erasmus, downing the potion for 5, and the second for 2. It isn't enough to fully heal him, but it is only light wounds now. "I think my sister might still have a single healing spell remaining, but we need to keep that in reserve."

[meemaas]

After Erasmus speaks, a thought occurs to Tia. "I wanna check their armor, see if someone is wearing some that will fit me. I'd feel a little safer with some armor." With that, she goes and checks the fallen to see if any of them are wearing decent Light armor.

[digiman619]

Aldo let go of one his mind blades to put his face in his palm, his voice dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. "Yes. Let's go shopping for new armor while we are standing in the middle of an active crime scene. The Hellknights won't mind a bit if they find us here, no sir. And with no doubt more of these Bastards waiting to get the drop on us, clearly this is the optimal time to go looting for gear, especially one that will take you a minute or two to change into."

[SwordChucks]

"A fair point. Let's guard the perimeter to make it safer in the meantime." The Flycatcher points to the door to the north. "Let's form up here and keep the injured to the back of the group.".

Spoiler

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Keeping the rapier ready and the other hand clear for opening the door.

[Blackhawk101]

Kavina speaks to Tia, not caring who overhears.
“Easy for him to say!
You would have gotten the drop on these guys if not... Hey, what happened up the tower, anyway?”

[pfm1995]

Dusha sighs softly to herself as she finishes hogtying the Bastard who lived. "Perimiter, yes, like the parts of this place we have not explored yet." She re-draws her knife and makes sure Radigan is secured in her hood. "Would one of you sword-swingers care to take the lead?" She asks, gesturing towards the door to the north.

[meemaas]

Tia responds to Kavina while she's checking the bodies armor. "I think I just got unlucky. It seemed like someone looked out right while I was climbing."

[lostsole31]

Erasmus shrugs at Aldo's sarcasm. "They were already waiting, now they wait longer. Our person is protected. And the Hellknights aren't likely to head out at knight into this area. All-in-all, we are still quiet and with us underground, it should be good. No, let them wait longer .... especially if anyone cast magic on themselves."

Erasmus will help peel the masterwork studded leather off of the amber tiefling, and then help Tia get into it while Meijen holds up a blanket in case the donning of the armor should reveal a wardrobe malfunction.

[digiman619]

Aldo had grown increasingly frustrated as his teammates played dress up, but now it was over he was ready to finish the job he was here for. "Stunning." he says as his teammate was re-armored. "Anyone else want to change into something while we're waiting? No? Then lets' get to it."

[lostsole31]

Erasmus takes out what appears to be a potion and with spells studies it ... determining it to be a potion of cure light wounds. He hands it to Tia. "Drink this now before we continue forward."

[meemaas]

Tia takes the potion gladly and drinks it. Then she turns to Aldo. "You try fighting without your armor. I know I took more than one hit that would have been absorbed by my armor otherwise so far." Tia will summon Via now and have her lead the way when we start progressing.

[Blackhawk101]

Kavina watches Tia dress appreciatively if the view is afforded her. She locks and loads a crossbow bolt. She sticks out her tongue at Aldo.
“Ready!”

Spoiler

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if shadow clone effect wears off, she will spend a ki pool to activate.

[lostsole31]

Meijen specifically held up the blanket so that a view is not afforded, and if Kavina tries to sidestep, the gray-skinned elf will simply wrap the blanket around Tia (probably covering the assisting, and confused, Erasmus). "I appreciate beauty more than you understand, Calistrian," he almost growls to Kavina, "but I understand that each person's naked beauty is their own to reveal, not another's to demand, and not another's to steal. Step. Back. Now."

IF Kavina backs off, then Meijen continues to screen Tia with a blanket while Erasmus finishes assisting her with her armor. Once done, yes, Via is formed.

Meanwhile, Kavina will have to reactivate her shadow clone ability (which won't be done until the door is just about opened, so as not to waste duration...); she will get 2 images. Flycatcher recovers and sheathes his dagger and kunai. Tia's shield of faith runs out, as does Erasmus'.

The door is opened and Via steps carefully through. The mortared stone walls of this room give way to roughly chiseled rock walls to the west, where a narrow corridor turns to the north. As soon as Via steps into view of the western hallway, there is loud barking and growing coming from well down the hallway, so no surprise.

Begin Round One ...

R1T26: Erasmus bolts north to a corner and looks down the hallway. He peers down as best as he can, and it almost seems like a faint ghostly essence flies forth from him even as he is drained of all blood, his skin becoming translucent.

R1T23: Kavina, what do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

To Meijin's efforts to deny her the viewing pleasure of Tia's changing, she says, "You're the worst, you know that?"

When her fellow party member has his life sucked out out of him, she is more descriptive.
"****!"she exclaims in surprise. She looks for a place to hide and hides if such a opportunity presents itself. If not, she will go full defense.

[lostsole31]

R1T23: When Kavina sees that her fellow party member has his life sucked out out of him, she is quite descriptive. "****!"she exclaims in surprise. She looks for a place to hide, and in the back line as she is, she steps up and to the side of the door to the chamber beyond so she cannot be seen.

R1T22: Tia, what do you do? What do you have Via do? You [T] can't see what's around the bend, but if you switch your point of perception, Via can.

[meemaas]

Tia will switch her point of view to Via and check what she can see. If she can see any enemy (prioritizing ones that the rest of the party cannot see), Via will rush it, and Tia will channel an attack through Via with her Scythe. After that Tia will give a quick description of what she can see to the other party members.

Spoiler

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I'll leave any rolls to you. The map is only from Tia's point of view, and you never PM'd me what Via would be able to see, so I hope I left this open ended enough.

Also, Tia will use Spilled Salt on the first attack directed at any ally except Via.

[lostsole31]

R1T22: Tia switches her point of view to Via and sees to fiery dogs down the way. She sees two deeply red-tinged hounds with black socks and snout, but burly like a mastiff. Via rushes to it, and once there she slashes at one of the doggoes.

"Two hell dogs!" says Tia. "Basically, dogs from hell with heat and cold resistance."

Spoiler: Tia

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Tia is sure these are "hell dogs," fiendish mastiffs that resist temperature extremes and can deliver a nasty bite against righteous persons.

R1T17: Dusha, what do you do?

[pfm1995]

Dusha hurries forwards, dagger drawn - not that she's expecting to actually stab anything with it, though, it more just makes her feel comfortable. Squeezing past Aldo and Meijin, she makes her way to where Erasmus was fallen but doesn't yet check his dry and brittle body for signs of life. Preparing herself, wincing, she takes the quickest possible glance around the corner at the sounds of battle instead. With a vindictive grin and a flat disregard for Tia's... thing, she pulls a square of red cloth out of her voluminous robes and begins to twist it into strange knots, chanting monotonously.

Spoiler: Actions

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Moving up next to Erasmus and casting Summon Swarm as far down the corridor as possible.

[lostsole31]

R1T17: Dusha hurries forwards, dagger drawn; not that she's expecting to actually stab anything with it, though, it more just makes her feel comfortable. Squeezing past Aldo and Meijin, she makes her way to where Erasmus was fallen but doesn't yet check his dry and brittle body for signs of life is still standing and alert desite a ghost seemingly having come forth from him. Preparing herself, wincing, she takes the quickest possible glance around the corner at the sounds of battle instead. With a vindictive grin and a flat disregard for Tia's... thing, she pulls a square of red cloth out of her voluminous robes and begins to twist it into strange knots, chanting monotonously.

Spoiler: Tia (and Erasmus & Meijen)

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She is currently casting summon swarm.

R1T16: Aldo, both light mindblades are currently manifested. What do you do?

[digiman619]

Aldo steps into the room, and upon seeing the enemy, throws a mind blade at the closest one.

Spoiler: OOC

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MA: move into the room. I move 10 feet to see them and 5 foot closer to them so they are within my range increment.
SA: Throw mind blade. (1d20+9)[13] (1d4)[3]. If they are flat-footed, the attack gets a +1 and they get (2d6)[7] of sneak attack damage.