When The Voice Whispers IC

[Derwood]

Thaddius d'Cannith

Arriving at the carriage, Thaddius puts himself to work while Mort attends to the door. Pulling a jar of viscus liquid from his pack, he unscrews the top and dips his fingers into the fluid. Drawing his bow with his other hand, he traces his fingers over the inner curve. Closing his eyes and whispering a few arcane phrases, the oil ignites runes along its length.

Capping the fluid and sliding it back into his pack, he draws his quill and draws the same shield he summoned the day before.

Spoiler

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Casting Weapon Augmentation, Personal (Bane, Undead) and Shield of Faith, Legions

[Breten]

((Okay people on the train. If you are prepared to start your assault kindly roll for initiative))

[Morituri]

Waiting for his companions to finish their final prep, Mort smiles, sliding his knife into his nimble hands while using his free one to check on the vials of Holy Water about his waist. Seeing everyone ready, he nods to each of them, saying, "Let's do this thing," and opening the hatch.

Init: (d20+5)[25]

[Glawackus]

Spoiler

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Let's do this thing.

(1d20+10)[13]

[Uncle_Putte]

Alestair makes his way out of the monastery on a brisk pace, searching for a cab on the go. As soon as he finds one, he'll call for the nearest house Sivis center for a chance of reporting via the Speaker's Guild.

The report will contain, in a brief overlook, the events that took place in the Seminary as well the group's speculations and the Abbot's testimonies on Simeon and the Khyberspawn threat. The bottom line will be a hefty urging for calling up all available people specialized in aberrations and their nature for standby, in case similar invasions would be witnessed on Thrane soil.

As soon as the report is sent, Alestair will take to discussing with Ailae on what would be the most effective destination to take next.

[Derwood]

Init: (d20+4)[23]

[Miraqariftsky]

Before they leave the temple, Wrath turns to the Abbot and the Brother and recites to them solemnly.

"May burn your foes in eternal night
And spring everwell, work of heart and hands
May prevail your soulstrong might
And never fail, prayers pure through all lands"

With those final words of blessing and farewell, the warforged paladin turns away and rumbles off down the road, ever vigilant and watching out for his companions. Every so often, he checks with worried glance on the Lady d'Orien who has long been silent and mostly unmoving but for breath and striding. "Milady, are you functional?"

Striding up to Alestair, Wrath rumbles matter-of-factly to his commander, "Sir, I require repairs. Though I can still fight at full effectiveness, my structural integrity is at seventy-five per cent"

[Uncle_Putte]

"Alright, Wrath. That should hardly be a delay, more an investment considering how handily we were caught by surprise just a while ago. Going about unprepared is a risk we propably can't afford, despite the need for urgency."

Assuming the group does find a cab, Alestair will have it make a stop at the closest available artificier-for-hire the driver knows of. If not, he'll stop by to chat the first, at least remotely normal-looking bypasser for the location of one.

[Breten]

Lightning Rail to Sharn

Mort throws the hatch open and sunlight filtered through the clouds attempts to shine into the car, however it seems to have no effect, swallowed up by the inky darkness within the car.

It doesn't take an arch-mage to know that it is magical in nature.

((Mort you go first. What will you do?))

Aundair

You find an artificers shop not far from the House Sivis enclave in town. The magewright there is able to get Wrath repaired quickly enough an noticing Ailea's dragonmark offers his services at a discounted price of only 300 gold.

[Morituri]

Silently cursing, Mort quickly waved hsi hands over his face, vanishing from sight, and utters a single word to his two magical companions, "Dispell."

[Breten]

((You have a surprise round Mort, so you can choose to hold off until someone dispels, or you can still act again))

Aundair

((I will NPC Ailae until Nyct shows up again or we figure out something else))

Ailae shakes her head at Wrath queery.

Sorry Wrath, I have just been think alot. Those poor children in the orphanage. I didn't want to say anything at the time and embarrass them, but they were so young...and all of them deformed in one way or another. It seems like Simeon was the only one of them who wasn't malformed...though perhaps his visions were another touch of madness.

In any case I think the next place to go would be Sharn. I think there we can find the facilities you need Alestair to continue your investigation, and perhaps we should take a visit to the library at Morgrave University. But before I can take us there I will need to rest. I know of an excellent Inn in Ghalt we can stay at. "The Dragonhawk's Roost"

[Morituri]

OOC: I hold my action until the darkness is dispelled.

[Glawackus]

Shrike takes off his medallion and whispers something in Elven, and then drops it down into the carriage. From below, it begins to steadily glow with light.

Spoiler

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Casting light on holy symbol and dropping it into the carriage.

(If I lose that thing, I'm gonna be ticked. )

[Breten]

The medallion glows with magical illumination, but is swallowed up by the inky blackness below. You hear a metallic *clank* as the medallion hits the floor of the car below.

[Miraqariftsky]

After the repairs are done and thanks are said, Wrath takes point once more, trident in hand. With Dol Arrah's rays glinting off his newly refurbished mithral plates, the warforged rumbles on down the road. Looking back towards Ailae, he replies, "The... 'Dragonhawk'... I hope none of the survivors of the Battle of Dragonhawk Pass are patrons there. My presence... might prove... disturbing, to say the least"

A long while passes with Wrath mulling over Lady d'Orien's words and then he speaks once more... "What if... just what if I had betrayed everything I believe in, everything I am and killed Simeon when he had asked me to? Conscience, yes... conscience is that which shows us, gives us some method out of the madness of that is the world. Flame be praised... yet agents of our Church were what caused the last breach in that temple's defenses... 'Tis yet more reason to stand against the corruption in the clergy..."

[Derwood]

Thaddius d'Cannith

Watching the coin fall into the inky darkness without effect, Thaddius pulls a long golden wand from his quiver and makes a few short, sharp motions and taps it onto a copper coin produced from his beltpouch. The coin shines with a brilliant intensity and Thaddius drops it into the darkness.

Spoiler

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Activating Eternal Wand of Daylight (1 of 2 uses for the day)

[Uncle_Putte]

At first Alestair seems a bit surprised, but the look melts into a weary smile. "Aye. Dinner, and a while to rest - I could have not asked for more myself. Maybe things will seem clearer when the immediate excitement wears off."

He then sinks back to a thoughtful silence, before adressing Wrath in a halting, quietly wary tone.

"I suppose I misunderstand, but... do you speak of killing Simeon as something you thought you might have done, or with the benefit of aftersight, would have done to spare the seminary from attack? Or perhaps at the Illithid's vile command, or... some, ah... more personal reason?"

He pauses, frowning more to his own words than anything else.

"My apologies, I am not wording my thoughts right - but as I see it, these children were all victim to the taint from birth as far as I can tell, if that is what makes you doubt yourself. Those who fell to claw and tooth today, though... of those I will bear a grudge, myself, along with the responsibility of a leader."

[Breten]

Battle map for the cargo train is HERE

As the coin falls into the darkness, the darkness is pushed back revealing the rest of the cargo hold.

There are several crates, all marked with the seal of Karrnath on the side. The door on one side is guarded by two Karrnathi Zombies, and on the other side two Karrnathi Skeletons. South east section of the car contains 10 coffins, two of which are open, and the angry vampires you remember from before are emerging from them.

All of you are still on the roof.

Initiative Order:

Mort
Thaddius
Vampires
Shrike
Skeletons
Zombies

Mort you are up first.

[Miraqariftsky]

If Wrath's face could have flushed or if he had a jaw to drop, he'd be beet red with shame and rage and have his mouth hanging ajar. "With aftersight of course, sir. To save the temple from harm"

"Grudge indeed... so too shall I bear" Wrath rumbles, having regained his gait. "When we arrive at the inn, would it be... proper... for me to have weapons drawn? I am acquainted with stalking and bluffing in battle but not with the mannerisms of fleshforged in their cities"

[Morituri]

Seeing the car illuminate below, Mort takes a deep breath, tucking and rolling as he drops into the chamber and into position.

Spoiler

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Drop into car, tumbling quietly to O-15.

Tumble (d20+13)[32]
Move Silently (d20+20)[26]

[Uncle_Putte]

"Ah - I went off to the woods with that, didn't I? My apologies, Wrath. I did not mean to question you with the 'personal reasons' part. You know how I am by now, despite our short association - making conclusions is what I do. And when you spoke of slaying Simeon and those who misuse their position as clergymen, half-thought words ensued. 'tis like the jerk of a knee, really - conditioned reflex."

Alestair's expression remains calm and neutral, despite his apologetic words. He trails off swiftly to a different subject, though, apparently considering the matter concluded.

"I would recommend against going about armed - perhaps there are, ah, old acquintances there, but the risk is far preferrable to making enemies out of strangers in such a way. The society of ours, the older races, is of great complexity compared to that of the structure of the battlefield. All living beings live with the risk of death or injury every day, despite the fact that we all assume ourselves to be 'safe' in where we form our lives. Anyone we pass on the street, or sit with in the pub, could be our headsman. The risk of violent death is naturally far from that of the battlefield, but it is there, irrevocably and unforgettably. Still, we all have to learn how to go about without baring our fangs out of fear at everyone. If we did, we would indeed seem to everyone else far more a danger than they could ever be to ourselves. There would be no society in that way. All one can do is to accept danger, learn to assess it by a fine scale, and react to it by the best of one's conscience."

He pauses for a moment, adding in a lighter tone;

"And do not fault yourself for being wary; the only thing that can help one to come accustomed to society is experience. We others have lived as we have do from birth, afterall."

[Derwood]

Thaddius d'Cannith

Drawing back on his bowstring and taking careful aim, Thaddius lets off a pair of shots at the nearest Vampire (q18) while taking a knee.

Attack 1: (d20+12)[17]
Damage 1: (1d8+3)[6]
Bane Damage 1: (2d6)[7]

Attack 2: (d20+12)[30]
Damage 2: (1d8+3)[7]
Bane Damage 2: (2d6)[8]

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A bane weapon also acts if its enhancement bonus is +2 better than what it actually is... Does that also mean I add 2 to each of the attack and damage rolls? Sorry if that sounds like a stupid question, I've been up since 9pm last night and am getting a little fuzzy in the head

[Breten]

((Sorry for not stating this before, but with the hatch only being 5 ft wide shooting down through it will only allow you to hit targets that are within 2 squares of the hatch, otherwise the angle is all wrong. You can change you action for free Der))

[Miraqariftsky]

"Very well then, sir. As ordered." Wrath rumbles as he shoulders his trident and secures its strap about his torso. As they walk along towards the inn, the warforged flexes his feet and fists, crackling knuckles and joints of living stone and silversteel.

"Sir" he begins, voicing concerns about their accomodations' security. "I suggest that you and the Lady d'Orien sleep together. With both of you in one area, it would be easier for me to guard the both of you while you recharge..."

[Uncle_Putte]

Alestair nods at Wrath in agreement.

"As how I see the matter, the conclusion you presented seems to be the safest one. It may not be preferrable by social norm though, but our circumstances call for caution. If it is of inconvenience to you, lady d'Orien, I will remind you that I can ward a part of a room with a simple cantrip that acts as an alarm against intruders. Thus I wouldn't be completely unguarded on my own."

[Miraqariftsky]

"If there are any Aundairian veterans who happen to recognize me," Wrath begins yet further preparational inquiry. "should I tell them 'I am not the warforged you are looking for' or should I leave the talking to you, sir?"

[Derwood]

OOC: psh- I thought Geometry went out of style with Plato and 9th grade math....

Thaddius d'Cannith

Following after Mort, Thaddius drops down into the carriage and fires his bow at one of the rising vampires. Arching an eyebrow as he takes aim and fires at the nearest vampire, Thaddius speaks matter of factly, "I hate the undead."

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Use my previous rolls or re-roll? Do I even get attacks in this situation? Lemme know! I'll be able to post pretty frequently in the next couple.

[Breten]

Thaddius drops to the floor, landing awkwardly and bruising his leg

Drop Damage: (2d6)[7]

But even so manages to get off a single shot. The arrow itself seems to cause the vampire so pain, but she hisses as the bane effect sears her with holy power.

For that morta
l I will make you death a long and slow one.

Sprinting forward she skirts around the edge of the square of deadly sunlight and the quickly changes direction slamming into Thaddius with a flying kick.

((move to R14))

Hit: (1d20+10)[13]
Dam: (1d8+4)[9]
Flying Kick: (1d12)[1]

[Breten]

Despite her bold words the vampires' attack is turned aside by the many enchantments protecting the artificer, and she hisses with frustration.

The other vampire is silent, but moves with liquid grace, stepping lightly over the coffins and moving forward to stab at Mort with a long dagger.

Hit: (1d20+12)[30]
Dam:(1d6+4)[5]


The blades swings true, bypassing your defences, and cuts a gash along your wrist. Even as the blade strikes home you are aware of a feeling like your blood is burning, and you notice an oily residue running with the blood on you arm.

make a DC 20 Fortitude Save

((Your go Shrike))

[Glawackus]

Shrike drops down into the carriage, attempting to tuck himself down into a ball to minimize the impact.

Once inside the car, he arches one eyebrow. "Ah. We meet again." He reaches down and scoops up his dropped holy symbol.

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Tumble check (-1 due to armor)
(1d20+5)[25]

I figure it's a move action to get down into the carriage, and another one to scoop up the holy symbol...let me know if there's more that I can do.