Serendipity

[Hank Pym]

Darius

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Initiative: [11]

AC: 16 (13 touch)
SAVES: Fort: +3 Ref: +8 Will: +3
HEALTH: 26 / 26

Conditions: none

Darius slides his gaze from the cleric back toward the villagers-turned-murderers and gives the tip of his rapier a threatening wave.

"That's right. You've got a chance here to return to your lives. Take it and live in peace."

[Lazlow]

Daen

"I said... Drop your weapons and come peacefully!"

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BUMP

[Faithdreamer]

“Ha, ha, ha you just don’t get it. You’ll see. Come on.” Isn’t it the strangest thing?
When they turned their backs on you and waved for you to follow it was like a skeleton was wagging a finger. Ah, ah, ah. But you’d follow anyway?

[davidthespecial]

Yres

Quietly content to let others decide whether to follow, Yres turns his full attention to the fallen, to see whether any are not beyond his aid. Well, almost his full attention; a suspicious eye occasionally drifts up toward the cultists, lest he be caught unawares by a sly sickle. Could their hostility really vanish so quickly?

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To look for visible life signs Spot - (1d20+3)[19]
To look for whatever other life signs a healer would note Heal - (1d20+9)[11]

Can Yres tell whether they are still hostile towards the party Sense Motive - (1d20+9)[16]
Can he tell whether they're 'up to something' - particularly whether they seem to like the idea of the party following them a little too much. Sense Motive - (1d20+9)[13]

[Faithdreamer]

If they weren’t hacked or stabbed they were crushed under their own feet or murdered by their fellows. It seems a little obvious if these men trust you at their backs they don’t seem to want to hurt you anymore... but it doesn’t look like they’re cunning enough to spring a trap alone. After taking a long breath to study everything the first thing that comes to mind is the militia.

There was that rasping soldier who seemed like he should get some attention. His injuries were probably internal kind.

[Zyks]

Blackfur

Blackfur shrugs

So what we do? follow crazy man? Me really confused

[Hank Pym]

Darius

The combat having stopped, Darius turns to the others.

"I'm confused as well. Does anyone here know how we got here or why? Last thing I remember I was in the town of Skirt and all of a sudden I'm in this cave with all of you."

He then turns to Captain Tada. "And somehow, sir, I recognized your name although I recognized nothing else. Do you know how that happened."

"Is our only way of discovering what's happened to follow these devils into the belly of their lair?" Darius is obviously quite uncomfortable with this solution.

[davidthespecial]

Yres

Musing on the rasping voice of the militia man, he searches back through the memories of the sick he had encountered on his travels for anything that might cause such a symptom. He'd keep an eye on the others. A contagious disease would not be an asset.

All will become clear in time. It is ever thus

Moving away from the others, in part to avoid conversation, Yres silently begins his solemn duty, closing the eyes of each of the fallen with a short prayer.

In the peace of the forest and the warmth of the sun may you find your rest

When next the dead of night falls, he will sing a lament for the dead. Assuming they're still alive...

[Faithdreamer]

Forking Road!

Against your better judgement you all took a contract to help the militia in their investigations and subsequent raids on the local cult of those-unbalanced. Against your better judgement you were all picked to be part of the mission to attack their biggest camp yet. Now you all seemed to be ignoring the eerie feeling in the pit of your stomach. That ‘Now we get out now,’ swirling around your temples. It wasn’t that your judgement wasn’t very good – you were all fools.

Arriving in Kilter was the easy part, in the middle of all the sick jokes flying around town after they found her body strung up in the town square. ’Oh my, gosh someone Kiter!’
‘Gaelinn you come here right this instance!’
‘Mother, but the town is right here.’ Sometimes the children never realized the importance of what was right under their nose. The smell of a rotting corpse was a guard gone poopie or a rancid store of food maybe. As if it was for anyone to judge but everyone was someone else’s child. That’s what the militia’s investigations were for.
You’d gone through a lot to get just that dagger Tada had. Pointing fingers at the town’s most hated resident felt too easy. The cult hadn’t hidden this deathtrap you were walking in now. All your struggles together had led to this. By now you might have had some professional familiarity. Tada was throwing a look your way.

“We can head outside to be stabbed or follow them. We’ll probably be stabbed later.”

He wasn’t putting his sword away.

The militiamen were smirking with humourless wrath. “I must admit, I’m just a little surprised. You all talk too much.” It was the man having trouble breathing. He stepped forward and strolled through the massive door with the others.

Smoke wafted out, the crackle of a strong fire and a strange smell. Your eyes were adjusting by now. A wall of piled crates hid the carved stone interior. You could see Tada’s men for as long as it took them to get behind that wooden wall. Tada made a point of waving at the trail of thick black ichors they left behind. Steamy, smelly clingy stuff you wouldn’t want on the soles of your feet. Blood?

[Zyks]

Blackfur

I rather take chances on getting stabbed later. stab-stab straight away sounds like no fun. Maybe chance of fighting before we die no? I say go with crazy people.

With that, he shuffles out in pursuit of the "crazy people" still with his sai drawn and ready.

[davidthespecial]

Yres

The rites complete, Yres rises and silently follows, sickle in hand.

[Faithdreamer]

Knife’s Edge

The first thing Blackfur got to see around the corner was the sharp edge of a sword. He’d be cleaning sticky mess out of his fur for hours. There was blood on the blade but it was better with the weight of lives than he was. “Filthy Doppleganger.”
Cultists were backing off and warily glaring at the men who were supposed to keep peace. There was a cultist with a knife at a young woman’s throat. The young woman implores Yres, she looks more afraid of Blackfur than she is of the cultist keeping her under the knife. “Help me...”
“I understand what you mean... we don’t discriminate here.” He flinched when the Doppleganger’s body smacked across the floor with a wet sound. “Thank goodness you’re willing to listen. You’ve got to listen. This is the only choice we’ve got left-

A shrill scream slips passed the barred iron door behind him. It’s a man, form the sounds of it he wasn’t as manly anymore. “We’ll take you to Ashen Graves, he’ll tell you everything. He’s one of the ones who can keep it straight.”

They’re burning supplies. Blackened crates heaped with good quality gray sacks, stacks of well used parchment and piles of dirty ink pens and refuse. The cultists have all got scarves, no such luck for you. The drafts in the tunnel saved you before, only a wizard would save this room now.

“Help me!” The cultist watching all the others presses deeply into her throat with the knife – “Quiet down!” – She’s a little more still, she can feel the red blood bubbling up and washing her neck.

[davidthespecial]

Yres

Yres studies the woman, slightly suspicious as to why she is present is she is only what she seems to be. He makes eye contact, but only briefly, before turning to the cultist holding her and raising an eyebrow. He doesn't quite trust himself to speak, negotiations not really being his strong point, what with the mumbling and the desire to hide in the nearest available hole when confronted with new people. Alas.

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Sense Motive - (1d20+9)[19] Does the woman seem to really be just a woman? In particular, is she as afraid of the cultist as she should be? Does the cultist seem afraid of her?

I would have done detect evil, but that seemed a little too lame

[Faithdreamer]

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I have my own ideas about Detect Evil. You don't feel like anyone is trying to deceive you. The desperation in the woman's eyes isn't hiding anything and that cultist looks awfully comfortable with his knife.

[davidthespecial]

Yres

Then again, he wasn't confident many of the others were particularly good negotiators either.

Dontmumbledon'tmumbledon'tmumble. No-one's trying to kill you at present. If they do you have pointy things to hit them with. It's fine. Breathe. Remember to pause occasionally.

"I am willing to listen. My price is her"

he gestures at the woman

"as you presumably expected"

See, that wasn't so bad. Soon you'll be mingling proficient. Or at least enter the room willingly...

[Zyks]

Blackfur

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So uhh, am I dead/unconscious? I love the cryptic language and everything, but It leaves me a little confused at times

[Lazlow]

Blackfur

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So uhh, am I dead/unconscious? I love the cryptic language and everything, but It leaves me a little confused at times

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I like the cryptic language too, but this is TOO cryptic. I have no idea what's going on. The cultists just backed off and the militiamen let them go? Who's a doppleganger, and where did they come from? Are we standing in a cave that's practically on fire (from the burning supplies)? Did we move to a different part of the cave?

I am beyond confused!

[Faithdreamer]

Situational Modifier

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I’m very sorry I’ve been unable to be as clear as I should have been. You entered the cave through a tunnel and encountered a trap. Militia members who were with you on the raid followed you inside even though they should have stayed outside. Cultists attacked you charging through the big door. They backed off into the room passed the big door. You followed them through the big door with the militia members in the lead (Captain Tada stayed with you). He noticed his men were leaving a blood trail that was decidedly non-human.
Yres and Blackfur were the next to follow the militiamen. Blackfur went first, and one of the militiamen’s swords flashes in front of his eyes. The militia man has just murdered his companion and Blackfur was so close to it (being so close to the sword) that he has that yucky blood all over his fur.

The Militiamen killed one of their own who was actually a Doppleganger pretending to be a militia soldier.

The cultists are burning their supplies in this room which presumably has vents for smoke but still smells AWFUL.

The cultist who is leading the cultists burning the supplies has a hostage, who Yres is trying to save by negotiating for her life. Does anyone still have questions?

Locations:

Supply Room - Yres, Blackfur, Militia Soldiers, Cultists, Hostage

Tunnel - Daen, Darius, Tada

[Hank Pym]

Darius

Still back in the passage, Darius misses some of what's happening in the room through the doorway, but he can see just enough of the zealot with the hostage and Yres talking to him to get the idea. Yres is strong, but obviously out of his element.

"These zealots aren't much for traps, are they? They've barely opened the door to their lair and they're turning on us. Well, watch my back would you, it seems there are dastardly Doppleganger's about! I'm going to see if I can help Yres with the hostage situation."

Darius sheathes his sword and clears his throat. He straightens a charming smile on his face, spreads his arms wide, and barges into the room where the hostage is.

He makes a bee-line toward the zealot with the hostage, chattering in a friendly tone. But the zealot isn't a zealot for nothing and, of course, is not so taken aback that Darius can walk right up and take the hostage from him. Rather, Darius turns as the zealot takes a sharp and nervous breath.

Darius keeps his arms wide, leaving himself open to attack, and jabbers in a friendly and loud tone, trying to keep the zealots attention as he walks in a long circle toward the zealot's flank, trying to force him to choose between turning his back on either Darius or Yres.

"Good friend zealot! Let not your love of personal deities bring this poor wretch to harm! What god enjoys not sacrifice, but what sacrifice is this woman? I see no ceremonial marks upon her. Fye! A shame if she should fall as she is! Besides what so cunning and handsome a man as yourself should need resort to such desperate behavior as making use of women as hostages? A steadfast and dedicated -- oh, I can see the dedication in your bloodshot, beady little eyes, my friend -- man like yourself has more use of feasts, perhaps! Or burnings! A burnt offering is a solid offering, my priest always used to say! Of course, he was a bit of a drunk and a pyromaniac, but that's beside the point! . . . " (and so on)

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Darius will use his Bluff to try to distract the zealot with the hostage and force him to turn his back on either Yres (and Blackfur) or Darius (hopefully Yres and Blackfur, so that they can strike him from behind or simply grab the knife or hostage from him) or throw some good spell on him or some such.

Basically, Darius is trying to distract the zealots (and specifically the one with the hostage) so that his partners can intervine.

Bluff: (1d20+11)[14]

(I hope that's a good roll!)

[Zyks]

Blackfur

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Thanks faithdreamer, know I know whats going on

Ugh, look what you done stupid man. Fur's not so easy to clean as clothes, and bloods the worst. But nice kill kill all the same. He makes an effort to shake blood off himself. So that guy a turncoat right right? me hates traitors too.

He seems to have momentarily forgotton about the immediate threat, but when Darius starts pleading, his memory is jolted. Why you want the girl alive? she matter to you or something? No blood on our hands if she fall right? Then we get to stab stab more crazy men!

He readies his sai again, but pauses instead of diving headlong into combat. After all, he wasn't in charge. Of the group or the situation. best to let people try talking first.

[Faithdreamer]

Heights of Ignorance

Good humour sparkles in the murder’s eyes. “You must be the clown.”
His knife sinks into the woman’s neck like it’s falling through the surface of water. He doesn’t bother with a savage yank; first he lets it slip out again before his grinning conclusion. He leans the woman on the floor gently so she can bleed to death. “I'm not a heartless beast. Your god can fix a little thing like this. His will is absolute.”
He’s looking at Yres with a condescending smirk. The iron door swings open and offers a new path.

Shadows beyond. “You’ll precede me, won’t you clown?”

The hooded cultists aren't all smiling, they're still staying out of the way. The militiamen hug the crates and their heads are jumping from one pair of farmers to the next. All those sickles are still sharp.

[davidthespecial]

Yres

The woman had barely touched the floor when Yres' hand clasped the wound on her neck, flooding her with healing light. He strokes her cheek briefly, before rising.

He rises, silver eyes blazing with the radiance of a thousand midday suns.

"You have chosen poorly"

[davidthespecial]

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Expending Bull's stength to cast Cure moderate wounds:
Heals - (2d8+8)[15]

[Hank Pym]

Darius

Darius stabs the throat-slitting zealot.

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If possible, Darius will stab him from behind at this point:

"He’s looking at Yres with a condescending smirk."

Attack: (1d20+5)[24] (crit on 18-20)
And damage (if I hit): (1d6+2)[4]

If it's a possible crit, here's the second roll: (1d20+5)[20]
And crit damage (if I crit): (1d6+2)[6]

If Darius can catch the villain flat-footed, then here's an extra die of sneak attack damage for him, too -- the jerk.

Sneak Attack: (1d6)[6]

[Faithdreamer]

Misssed

Darius knew as much as anyone the blade never needed to go too far. The tip of his rapier sinks into the man’s back and keeps going. He’s the last one to catch that condescending smirk twitch. It was getting a lot bigger... fog swirls around Darius and the cult boss seems to disappear inside it. It was going to be hard to shake the impression he was still there, smiling, a fleeting touch on the back of the neck.
The fog seems to dissipate as naturally as the fast closing wound on the young woman’s throat.

Gasping and laughing she smiles up and Yres with profound relief blazing in her eyes. “Praise Pelor, these monsters...”

Gray robes and hoods who still had the group surrounded. “Go ahead. We won’t stop you.” A sober, reasonable voice whose owner was taking a good long look at the militia soldiers; maybe he felt like he was a little outmatched.
Supplies hissed and crackled as flames ate them away, charred papers penned with expensive inks and eye-catching colours.

Shadows passed the barred iron door and the misty miasma that crawled away through them. Screams, pleading and vague chanting but everything was still too dark to see. The sun hadn’t been in this hallway for a very long time. A gentle breeze was blowing through the black unseen carrying the scent of... freshly based pastries and flowers...

Blood in this room... and home in the ones further in...?

[davidthespecial]

Yres

Mumbling something vaguely incoherant, Yres kneels down and stretches out a hand to help the lady up. He smiles a little at the cultist's words - they think they have a choice in the matter? Bless...

On the other hand, someone who vanishes at will is something of a cause for concern. Perhaps it was time to be pressing onward, though a dark room with chanting, screaming and general pastry related weirdness was perhap not the best place to take the lady.'The lady'? You really should find out who she is, you know.

"Erm... who are you, exactly, if I may ask?"

[Hank Pym]

Darius

Darius is startled at the man's vanishing and he takes a few slow moments to examine the shadows of the cave for the man. He eyes the remaining cultists suspiciously before moving over to the one who invited the party to continue.

Darius eyes the man for a moment, then speaks, but not to the cultists.

"I think we're fools if we don't kill them all now. They've thrown in their lot with one who would slit the throat of a helpless person without so much as a bat of the eye. They're sure to cause us trouble later. If we let them live they'll just find more victims later. Look at them: they're cowering because they know they can't stop us, but as soon as they find someone weaker than them, they'll surely be as vicious and uncaring as their leader."

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Search check for the leader, in case he has reappeared nearby in the shadows: (1d20+4)[19]

[Zyks]

Blackfur

Blackfur brightens up at Darius' speech.

Fools to let them live? I like it! He leans closer to the others, so as not to let the cultists hear But uhh, you think we can take them with just us three? doesn't look like others followed

[Lazlow]

Daen

The diminutive priest finally steps through the door in time to hear Blackfur's last statement.

"Do not worry, friend, we are here, we just--" He stops suddenly and is struck speechless as he takes in the scene of mindless carnage laid out before him.

He quickly rushes to help the nearest victim.

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Is there anyone close by that he can help?

[Faithdreamer]

Shadows and Fog

There’s nothing here but the beady dark eyes of men who saw too much.

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You don’t have any reason to believe the leader is close by.

They shuffle their feet and swing their sickles like lazy lions after a hunt. They might even be thinking about whether they want to pile on the four of you and take their chances. The glares these men and women give Blackfur are very pointed.
Yes, we can hear you. We’re standing right here.

It was any wonder why you didn’t feel...

The archer from before is playing with the string of his bow.

Twang. Twang. Twang.

A dim half smile at everyone while he glances around the room thinking about his own private joke. The woman’s come back to her senses. She doesn’t bother giving her name out to a stranger. “You have to help them someone needs to stop this nonsense! This is all mad scat!”

One of the militiamen was giggling at Daen trying to play with a dead body. He leans casually on his sword like he doesn’t care whether it gets a few chinks or not. He’s breathing in with his nose. Savour the scent... “Smells good. They’re dead. All these ones are dead, I got’s to admit I was more than a little surprised too...”