Tyrant's Grasp: The Dead Roads [IC]

[DrK]

Grum shakes his head sadly and claps Dravit on the shoulder. ”Dinnae worry. Get yerself to the inn. Get a drink. Forget I said owt.” He says clapping Dravit once more on the back.

Then looking to Drake and Sal, “Aye. Tae Arabella it is. Let’s be about this.”. Leaving Dravit behind he heads towards where they last said Arabella was.

[lostsole31]

Because of the time spent with Dravit, who just blankly goes wandering off, Helena and the rest of the crew catch up with Grum.

[DrK]

Helena see's Grum and, still with a face damp and puffy from tears approaches him. "Did you see the mayor. I saw my friends at the barracks, it was dreadful." she says as she reaches where Grum, Drake and Sal are.

The dwarf nods. "Aye lass its been tough" he says gruffly, eyes still staring down the street where Dravit had wandered off in the daze. Clapping a hand to Helena's arm he gesture where they are going looking for Arabella. "We spoke to the Mayor. She knows she be dead. But she needs help to sort the rest o' the town. We be heading to see Arabella tae' sort stuff out"

Helena shakes her head, dabbing at her face. "Yes Master Grum. I can help. Please lead on." The dwarf nods her head and waves to Gwen and Camael as well, "Come on then. Lets be about."

[lostsole31]

Arbella Tharmethion (female human) is a trader from Roslar’s Coffer who has a very distinguished ancestor: a warrior from the Shining Crusade named Garrid Tharmethion. Arbella is well known and well liked in Roslar’s Coffer, and sits on the town council as the local economic advisor. She now lingers in a hedge thicket with several other members of the council and a ranting, ghostly man who bears a strong resemblance to Arbella, albeit with a short beard and a broken nose. The PCs think they might have seen his image in area A11 of Roslar's Coffer in a likeness of Garrid Tharmethion. Garrid is telling Arbella and her friends that he’s come from beyond the grave to assure them they aren’t dead, and that greater heroics await Arbella once the “nefarious trickery” that afflicts the town is resolved.

What do you do?

[DrK]

Helena looks curiously at the figure, ”I don’t recognise him from the town but he looks like the picture of Arabella’s ancestor from the wall of the tomb.”

Grum stares and snorts, ”Aye, he looks tae be trouble.” With his normal subtlety he strides forward and offers a loose wave of greeting. “Council lady. We be needing to speak about the fall
O’ the town and what’s been going on. Who be your new friend?”

[lostsole31]

Arbella answers, "My ancestor has come in ghostly form to tell us of danger close and trickery near."

[DrK]

Grum looks at the figure, a knuckle tightening on his blade. ”Aye, well. Mayor had called a meeting, she be wanting all the townsfolk to gather. Ye be dead, Roslar’s Coffer be gone and ye be in the dead roads.”

The brutality of the delivery surprises Helena who tries a softer tact. ”Arabella. I don’t what they have told you, but surely you must see that there is something wrong here. This is the dead roads and the town have to move on.”

[lostsole31]

Helen never got to speak her peace. As soon as Grum tells Arabella she is dead, Garrid's face contorts in rage and he moves forward to attack.

Begin Round One ...

R1T25: Sal concentrates on the approaching creature. "It's a degenerate unfettered phantom of anger. It may be incorporeal. Put it out of its misery."

He moves north and west around thickets and headstones to flank it while taking out his bow. He shoots and misses.

R1T18: Helena, what do you do?

[DrK]

Helena starts, stepping backwards. ”A phantom, he go back..” she shouts as she steps into her stance drawing her bow and launching an arrow

Spoiler: OOC

Show

5ft step south
Drop into stance of piercing rays
Draw bow
Fire with risky attack (1d20+6)[19] dam (1d8+4)[8] + (1d6)[3] fire

[lostsole31]

R1T18: Helena starts, stepping backwards. ”A phantom, he go back..” she shouts as she steps into her stance drawing her bow and launching an arrow through Garrid's left calf for 3 mod + 3 fire.

R1T17: Garrid charges the dwarf right in this path. A fist slams Grum right on the jaw for 3, so Grum barely registers the hit.

R1T15: Camael heads due east while getting out his mace and readying his shield, and on a J-hook maneuver turns back around and closes to flank Garrid. He swings the mace, but even after a charge the mace barely seems to skip off the surface of the ghostly man.

R1T11: Gwennid takes to the air and gets 10' off the ground. She materializes her spear of light and then when she throws it, it doesn't fly from her hand so much as creates a continuous line of light that burns through part of the dodging man for 6 light.

R1T6: "Okay, this ain't a ghost," says Drake. "It's a guy who lived once, but is now an phantom like a spiritualist calls up ... but unfettered ... and degenerate. Weak,actually. Use blades."

Drake takes his own advice, drawing his machete and stepping up and swinging. The phantom deflects the blade so hard that it affects Drake's grip on his weapon.

R1T3: Grum, what do you do?

Sal on deck, Helena in the hole ...

[DrK]

Grum ducks back, before gripping the massive double handed blade. "Aye, so that be it..." he snarls and chops down with the blade upon the strange phantom.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift: titantic swings blade style
Standard: Risky attack (1d20+8)[23] dam (2d6+10)[17]

If attacked then counter (1d20+8)[22] dam (2d6+10)[14]


+2 to hit if flanking

[lostsole31]

R1T3: Grum ducks back, before gripping the massive double handed blade. "Aye, so that be it..." he snarls and chops down with the blade upon the strange phantom. The phantom reflexively lifts his arm to protect himself, getting cut in the upper right arm for 17 for his trouble.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T25: Sal skirts around to the far side while taking out his dagger and stabs, but a powerful deflection force throws off his aim.

R2T18: Helena, what do you do?

Garrid on deck, Camael in the hole ...

[DrK]

Helena throws a glance towards Arabella, ”Why do you consort with monsters?” she demands before launching a pair of arrows at the creature

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift: boost with Horizon wind lancet
silver strike with risky attack
(1d20+6)[13] or (1d20+6)[18]
Dam (1d8+4)[11] and (2d6)[10] (boost and stance)

[lostsole31]

R2T18: Helena throws a glance towards Arabella. ”Why do you consort with monsters?” she demands before launching a pair of arrows at the creature, both of which are deflected by or bounce lightly off of the phantom's physical form.

R2T17: Garrid recovers from his charge. He steps north and attacks Drake, with one fist pounding armor and the other missing.

R2T15: Camael sidles north to flank with Drake and puts more power than he should have in it. Though he has the power, not the accuracy, and doesn't hit Garrid's form solidly enough to connect.

R2T11: Gwennid flies forward and descends enough to still be able to attack, but her light spear doesn't penetrate Garrid's spirit-skin.

R2T6: Drake spends a quick moment to fix his bad grip. He continues to carefully eye his quarry and then strikes - his machete successfully striking Garrid's upper right arm for 8.

R2T3: Grum, what do you do?

Sal on deck, Helena in the hole ..

[DrK]

"Right ye beast... time tae' die again" the dwarf grunts as he shift into an aggressive stance to keep the phantom off balance as he stabs and cuts at the creature

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift: Enter vigilant keeper stance
Standard: Attack (1d29+8)[16] dam (2d6+10)[14]
---> If attacked then counter (1d29+8)[32] dam (2d6+10)[12]

[lostsole31]

R2T3: "Right, ye beast... time tae' die again," the dwarf grunts as he shift into an aggressive stance to keep the phantom off balance as he stabs and cuts at the creature, his sword bouncing off of Garrid's belly.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T25: Sal adjusts position a little farther back, focuses briefly on Garrid once more. He shoots, and the barely nicks Garrid's hand for 1. Though it only just barely hit the phantom, Garrid moves slower and more awkwardly now (staggered).

R3T18: Helena, what do you do? Note that Gwennid is 5' off the ground, and is therefore not soft cover.

Garrid on deck, Camael in the hole ...

[DrK]

Helen, with an angle to shoot under Gwen lets fly with a pair of arrows then holds her next arrow, waiting to see if she can prevent one her friends being hit.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

5ft step east

Helen Rapid shots
(1d20+5)[7] dam (1d8+2)[7] + (1d6)[5] fire
(1d20+5)[15] dam (1d8+2)[9] + (1d6)[6] fire

(not including Point Blank Shot)

When the Phantom attacks se intercepting shade to negate attack (1d20+7)[24] vs attack roll

[lostsole31]

R3T18: With an angle to shoot under Gwen, Helena lets fly with a pair of arrows then holds her next arrow, waiting to see if she can prevent one her friends being hit. The first arrow complete misses, and the second bounces off of what has proven to be impressively hardened spirit-skin.

R3T17: Garrid swings at Gwennid, but Helena is ready for him and an arrow along his fist's path is enough for him to stop short his attack so as not to get hit. Still reeling from Sal's strange shot, that is all the phantom has right now. It stumbles away from Grum's massive weapon and from Camael, for something about Camael seems to bother him as well.

R3T15: The sounds of flapping wings are heard as Camael disappears from where he was and appears to the north of Garrid. With full power he brings his mace slamming into Garrid's chest for 14. Garrid heaves from the blow, but Camael makes that fast secondary attack you've seen him make so many times before now - definitely some type of specialized fighting maneuver - but this time it misses wildly as Garrid seems to fear the angel, and desperately jukes out of the way.

R3T11: Gwennid flies around in a loop to keep her altitude; she seems great at station-keeping, but flying slowly is another matter, and her wings don't seem to be quite as agile as say, a normal bird's might be. She attacks and misses with her light-spear.

R3T6: Drake has been turning widdershins this whole time to follow Garrid's movement. With the angel setting up a flank, Drake says, "Thanks, Cam!"

He gets (over)confident and puts power into his strike as well, and Cam is there to distract the phantom and Drake's machete lands in Garrid's head with a thunk for 12, dropping the phantom.

"He's still ... alive?" calls out Sal.

R3T3: Grum, what do you do?

Sal on deck, Helena in the hole ...

[DrK]

Grum looks at the creature. ”I dinnae think it yet be alive eh.” he offers and then looks at Gwen and Helena with an approving nod having seen the arrow disrupt the attack

He watches the fallen phantom carefully lest it get up but looks at Arabella. “Ye be talking sense now aye?”

[lostsole31]

Camael finishes off Garrid by braining him .... which isn't a gory death so much as Garrid slowly dissipates into nothingness.

Initiative Ends!

Arabella is completely thrown, and somewhat panicked by Grum's demeanor ... which is neither helpful and definitely counter-productive, working against the good will the party gained by defeating a manipulative shade.

To everyone's surprise, it is little Gwennid that seems to take the lead here, backed up by Sal (once he had a chance to observe the town council members). Gwennid's unique fairy perspective and Sal's calm demeanor helps Arabella and the other three members of the town council to gain perspective and finally see the truth that yes, they are dead.

Now what?

[DrK]

Whilst Grum leaves Arabella to others Helena is more sympathetic, offering the woman a soft embrace to comfort her. ”I’m sorry you are dead, but you lived a good life, Pharasma will reward you.”

As Arabella and the others leave Helena points to the trees at the edge of town. “was that where the mayor said the children were?” she asks Grum and after getting a grunt of assent starts heading that way

[lostsole31]

Its an easy walk to find the children. Most of the children of Roslar’s Coffer are all playing together in and around a massive, dead oak tree tied with ribbons and unusually vibrant flowers. A large crow with white tips on its feathers watches over them.

At least some of the children recognize Grum and Helena and crowd around them. These children don’t need to be told they’re dead—they already know, and are surprisingly accepting of their fate. When the PCs bring up the subject, the children laugh and say, “Oh, we know! The lady told us!”

The children describe how a woman with a beautiful voice spoke to them through her pet bird. She told them to be good and be brave and that she would be there soon to make everything right.

As the children speak, a large crow with white wing tips lands atop a child’s head and opens its beak. A lyrical voice ushers forth, with a curious, lilting accent. “Ah, newcomers, you must be the curiosities I heard tell of. I am Mictena, and I cordially welcome you to the Boneyard and eternity. Do not fret about your unusual condition; I shall be with you shortly to correct this horrible error and help you on your way to the final rest you have earned!”

[DrK]

Helena's eyes well up at the joy and acceptance of the children. As she moves amongst them, "You poor dears. I'm sorry...." she starts before stopping with half a sob at the unfairness of whatever has happened robbing all of the children of their lives. As the crow speaks she eyes the bird suspiciously, "I am Helena,.. we do not need a final rest thank you. We are aware that we are in a different situation here. One that some of the denizens of this place told us about. I do not believe we need help getting to a final resting place."

Grum is far more blunt, looking at the raven, "Aye ye feathered rat, flap away and leave our children be." he grunts, waving towards the children he motions towards the town. "Aye little ones, ye be going to find your parents now please... The town be having a big meeting."

[lostsole31]

The white crow looks at Helena and the voice issues, "No, something sent you to the land of the dead, yes, and so you need to be properly dead before you can move on."

With Grum's dismissive notion at the bird, the voice says, "No, silly, the crow works for me. I am a psychopomp, but I am afraid I am quite busy for the time being. I'll be there in person soon enough."

Drake puffs out his chest, and in challenge asks, "Why are we still alive?"

Again, the voice that now you are all sure is coming through the bird, but not from it, “I have no idea, dears, but let’s not focus on the past. I’ll fix you up properly as soon as I’m able.”

[DrK]

Helena looks around nervously, but Grum is less concerned, and spits towards the crow. "Aye ye flying rat. Ye are welcome to try. But I won't be easy fer you." he bellows at the bird. Sword clutched in his hands.

Looking back at the others, "This beastie be a waste o'time. Shall we speak with the townsfolk and be on our way?"

[lostsole31]

With Grum railroading any other useful intel for his own impatience, it is obvious that further communication is at an end.

The crow seems irritable and disappears from sight.

[DrK]

Grum watches it vanish, ”cowardly wee bastard.” Grum mutters as he starts heading towards the town centre

Helena pauses, lowering her bow. ”She may have told us more Master Grum.” she suggests quietly

Grum shrugs as he walks , ”she did threaten us. So if she wants us she can come and find us.” before continuing to head back. As he walks he looks around at the others, ”Does one of ye want to speak tae the crowd. I ain’t the best with people.”

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

Something clips Grum in the head for 7 ... not enough to cause a wound, but enough to deplete the slowly building fortification from his Stone Giant's Girdle. Whatever it was zoomed right on past.

Begin Round One ...

R1T31: "There!" Sal points to the northwest. The white-tipped wings of the dusky black crow is seen 10' off the ground speeding away a bit. He concentrates, and briefly there is a short-range globe that shimmers around Sal before disappearing. He takes out his bow again. "Kids, take cover by the thickets."

R1T23: Camael gets in relative front of the group in relation to the bird, ready to strike it should it try another cheap shot.

R1T20: Helena, your bow is still in hand. What do you do?

[DrK]

Helena looks crossly at the bird, a whispered this is not what I wanted..” before she stepped westwards for a cleaner shot for a single arrow that catches fire at the bird

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Free: 5ft west
Swift: enter stance piercing rays
Standard: silver strike
(1d20+7)[12] or (1d20+7)[18] dam (1d8+2)[9] + (1d6)[2] fire

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Helena looks crossly at the bird, a whispered "This is not what I wanted,” before she steps westwards for a cleaner, single shot. Fire trails from the arrow, but the wall and thicket to the northwest foul the shot enough that the bird just manages to dodge away.

R1T18: Gwennid gives chase on the wing as well, matching altitude when they cast a spell and throws colorful sand she grabs from their bundle. The sands form into a burst of clashing colors that wash over the bird for no visible effect. "Witchcrow!" They cry back to the party. "Magical beast. A covey would be more dangerous, magically, but this one is alone and can't apport us."

R1T7: "A witchcrow, huh?" Drake mutters mostly to himself, but also obviously meant to be heard by his brother. "Yeah, I remember the lore. They're pretty good at stealing things right from under someone's nose, but also have some pretty nasty hexes - like bad luck and the evil eye."

Drake begins to give chase while drawing his pistol. He moves to right under the witchcrow and fires. It is a baleful shot that hits and mashes the creatures left leg for 17 + 1 DEX + 1/2 speed.

R1T3: With initiative beginning, you are not in a blade style. What do you do?

Sal on deck, Camael in the hole ...