Family Matters, part 9
Log Info
- Title: Family Matters, part 9
- Emitter: Subduction
- Characters: Ashes, Aimarra, Donna
- Place: The Jade Isles
- Time: Thursday, July 08, 2021, 2:09 PM
- Summary: Aimarra, Ashes and Donna explore the second floor barracks. It is empty, with a set of doors iced over. They check the battlements, to the west is a large demon, to the east an idylic forest. As Ashes returns to report her findings, a Babau surprise and stabs her, stating his intention to make her a new playmate. The Mourner retreats as the Brawler and Archer move in. Aimarra is ripped through and dropped, and Donna's punches seem ineffectual. Ashes casts Align Weapon on Donna's mithril gauntlet, and the brawler goes to town beating the Babau like a punching bag. Ashes moves around to tend Aimarra. The Babau rips a chunk from Donna's face, and she pulps his in return, just about destroying it down to the skull, punching his teeth into his throat and leaving only the eyes. It staggers away from her and flees using greater teleport. So much for its bold taunts. The adventurers posit it is waiting for their spells to wear off, or to summon assistance, and both are good reasons to move. Checking the southern doors, Ashes sees that the other battlements are also iced off, although there are stairs heading down and up. They choose the servant stairs, and move it.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing sooner or later =-=-=-=-= Aimarra 5'1" 128 Lb Half-Elf Female Brown hair and eyes, breastplate, leathers, pointed ears. Donna 5'4" 106 Lb Human Female A black-haired human girl in black robes. Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face =-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thurid 57'1" 249 Lb Giantborn Female Bright-eyed, muscular, blond Giantborn woman. =-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
<OOC> Ashes says, "Healing Self with Healer's Kit, Overnight." GAME: Ashes used a Healer's Kit. GAME: Ashes used a Healer's Kit. GAME: Ashes takes ten on heal: (10)+15: 25 <OOC> Ashes says, "Healing Aimarra with Healer's Kit, Overnight." GAME: Ashes used a Healer's Kit. GAME: Ashes used a Healer's Kit. <OOC> Ashes says, "Healing Donna with Healer's Kit, Overnight." GAME: Ashes takes ten on heal: (10)+15: 25 GAME: Ashes used a Healer's Kit. GAME: Ashes used a Healer's Kit. GAME: Ashes takes ten on heal: (10)+15: 25 <OOC> Thurid says, "All heal for HD*2+3
After licking their wounds following their dramatic showdown with the possessed suit of armor, and taking advantage of the distraction created by the ancestral spirit of Kiriyama- the party are looking a little better. Wounds bandaged and minds restored, even if they are still acheing and knee deep in enemy territory.
They have pressed their way upstairs, despite their close encounter in the night with some sort of icy entity - that Ashes expects may be a Yuki-Onna.
As such, they have reached the second floor landing by way of the servants' stairs. There is another staircase, leading further up still, as well as an entrance into the barracks- a room which also has access to the battlements and, via them, the north and south towers if their intelligence is accurate.
There are filigree ice crystals clinging to the wooden walls here, and a cool mist drifts from beneath the doorway- another sliding number.
Being a child of the desert, Aimarra is still shivering after said close encounter, but the bandaging and rest at least seems to have cleared her mind. Once again focused and alert, perhaps a little more so even, and her eyes hold just a little more flash than they did, a little more feral-ness, perhaps? She brings up the rear, peering over others' shoulders at the doorway before them.
The Mourner stands a moment in thought, staring at the back of Donna's head. Finally, quietly, she says, "I have a few ideas, and spells."
"Hide from Undead will last and hour. Detect Undead a few minutes."
"I have speak with Dead, if we want to talk." Ashlee pauses a moment, "Poppy was not typical. I don't have negative energy protection."
Another moment of silence, "My khopesh will injure ghosts, if you recall."
Metal rasps against ice as Donna runs a hand along the walls, the brawler frowning deeply. Over her shoulder, she speaks in barely more than a whisper: "Hidin' us is a good idea if we wanna pass that ghost. Need t'make sure whether where we're lookin' for is or ain't on this floor."
GAME: Ashes casts Hide From Undead. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14 (Lasts 50 Minutes)
The Mourner nods, producing her small holy symbol from her satchel and making one of her efficient, straightforward prayers, "Feiu of the Tears, hide me from Undead sight." She taps her head, "Hide Donna." Taps the Brawler's head, "Hide Aimarra." She turns and taps the Archer's shoulder.
"That should do it."
GAME: Donna rolls perception: (17)+12: 29 GAME: Ashes rolls perception: (17)+3: 20 GAME: Aimarra rolls perception: (4)+13: 17 GAME: Thurid rolls 26: (9)+26: 35
As the door is pushed open, the source of the chill in the air becomes clear- there are crystals of ice, grown up and completely covering a doorway just next to the one Donna is peeking through. Other than that, the barracks seem to be empty- not a soul in sight. Another double door sits on the opposite wall, the other side from the ice-sealed one she stands next to. Along the western wall, sets of bunks are set up, with footlockers between them. And at the east wall, low tables with cushions arrayed around them. On both walls, a slightly recessed area allows access to loopholes looking out over the courtyard to the west and the cliffside approach at the rear of the castle.
"Clear," Donna whispers. "Door next to us, iced over. Door across from it." Easing the door closed again, the brawler leans against the wall, turning to her companions. "So we got choices. Break down the sealed door an' start shit with that ghost, or move on?"
"Let's make sure we don't get hit from behind," Aimarra hisses back, glancing behind her quickly, bow firmly in hand. "If it's really a ghost, can it walk through walls?"
"Yes." Ashlee says, and then corrects herself, "Probably. Some obey their memories of life, so they can but they don't. Not many."
She fiddles with her shoulder strap. "This one is vengeful. Wronged by a man, she might not attack. She might give us information, for a favour."
She looks between the two, "It depends. If we want to keep our retreat clear, we have to engage. We can try talking first. If she spots us." Looking between the two, Ashes suggests, "Let's search the room and look out the windows."
Her suggestion made and approved, Ashlee ventures into the room. The beds and their associated chests are given a cursory glance. She'll come back to them. Secure the perimeter first. Odd, how the military training comes back, but Hobgoblins are known hard-heads and the Blar cavalry was good at drilling, and drilling down.
Stepping outside, she moves carefully, avoiding silhouetting herself against the arrow slits and ducking below them when she passes. She will look out, carefully, and without light. Trusting her dark vision.
She draws a finger along the stone, testing the level of dust. It wasn't that long ago the uncle took over, as far as she's aware, heavy dust might betray some secrets of Lord Hiei's, or his Father's, reign.
As they press further into the room, they get a clearer view of it. Light filtering in through the loopholes from the sky outside, red and hazy, provides decent enough illumination that the extinguished lanterns are not an issue. The footlockers look to have been ransacked, probably the least demons of the plate picking through the former human occupants belongings. There are barrels in the eastern corners of the room. A couple of spears remain in them, but most seem to have been pilfered, or perhaps used in the defense of the castle before it fell.
As Ashes heads to check the western window, she will spot murder-holes on the southern wall, which allow a glimpe of the landing of the main staircase- she doesn't see anything alarming there. Outside the western Window, she will see the courtyard. Shattered bones and collapsed rotten corpses litter the place, and fires burn. Kiriyama left not a single undead to linger there, before passing once more to the afterlife where he belongs. However, the rank and file undead soldiers have been replaced. A giant creature- with blood red flesh, a pair of crooked, nobbly horns that burn with perpetual fire on his head and a lumbering gait, like that of a gorilla patrols the grounds, dragging the head of a double sided axe behind him by a length of sturdy chain.
The eastern view is more serene. The cliff face looks as though it would be a harrowing climb, even without the promise of arrow fire and scalding water from above. It is close to sheer, craggy, but windswept. It gives way to woods- and eventually the peasants hamlet on the coast, although the air is heavy with moisture today and it limits ones view that far.
Though there's not much to see, Donna takes the time to study the cliff face. From this angle, there might just be something resembling a path that could be traversed at need without having to throw oneself over the rocks and trust to fate.
Loosing a quiet breath after awhile, she turns, lifting her chin toward Ashes. "Nothing on this side," she stage-whispers. "You?" Ashes stares. She holds her breath, is motionless. She turns, pulling away from the opening to look at Donna. Her eyes are wide, looking very popped in the skull that is her face. She nods slowly, puts both hands to her head, making horns, then spreads them wide. She follows that up with a chopping motion, again spreading her hands.
In case that wasn't obvious enough, she reaches to her full extension. It's clear even if she's doesn't understand handspeech. Horned thing, wide, tall, big chopper too.
On silent feet, the Mourner slips away from that battlement to close and stand beside Donna. "It's a demon the size of Kiriyama."
GAME: Thurid rolls 1d3: (1): 1 GAME: Thurid rolls 15: (19)+15: 34 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6+3d6+7: (6)+(8)+7: 21 GAME: Babau damaged Ashes for 21 points. 14 HP remaining.
As Ashes makes her way back past the beds towards Donna, a shadow slips out from beneath one of them. Donna sees it over Ashes shoulder too late to shout a warning, and the first the Arvek knows of their adversary is as sharp claws punch through the flesh of her back. The fingertips curl, clutching at her flesh as they tear a gouge in her flank. And a long, slimy tongue lashes through the air to the side of her head. The shadow hisses- gaunt, almost skeletal features, wrapped in a taut, slimy layer of flesh- where it can be seen. It is garbed in dark clothes, not unlike those of the would be assassin they defeated in the kitchens.
Needle-like teeth, and a simple hole where a nose ought to be make up the rest of its face. The top of its face is covered by a bandanna, or blindfold, but an eerie green glow marks each of its eyes.
"You killed my precioussss little plaything." it hisses in Ashes' ear. "Now I need a new one. I think you will do nicely."
"Ash!" Donna calls, too late, as the demon makes its move. Its casual threat, causing the brawler to curl her hands into heavy, shaking fists. "You let her go," she says quietly, "Or I'mma shove your head so far up your ass you'll eat lunch twice. *Count on it.*"
Her armour and her innate sneaky creepiness has failed her. Ashes gasps loudly in pain. Staggers. Stares widely at the glowing eyes. It's unsettling body, it's touch. That tongue. Too much like a slimy tentacle. Both experiences are bad.
"I'm not!" Not a lot of things. Plaything, murderer, necrophile, infernaphile. She's terrible company at all sorts of parties. Especially when scared.
There's an edge on her words.
The creature jerks back, bringing its claws up to its long, serpentine tongue and tasting the blood dripping from them. It hisses an unsettling humorless laugh, "We will see." it taunts and then the light seems to begin to fade from the room, cloaking it in a pall of cloying shadows.
<OOC> Donna says, "Aha! Okay then! Huck a Tanglefoot Bag at his face." GAME: Donna used a Tanglefoot Bag. <OOC> Donna says, "Move to 10,7 regardless." GAME: Donna rolls ranged: (4)+11: 15 GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (19)+11: 30 (Babau Save)
The moment the light begins to dim, Donna is on the move. One hand digs into a pocket and produced a flimsy-looking bag filled with something... wibbly. Hurling the bag at the creature's horns, the brawler jogs around the garrison bunks. "Git back Ash," she says, her voice deadly calm. "I got this."
<OOC> Aimarra says, "Using a Blood Pact spend (T2), I increase my base speed to 40'. I'd like to end up at 7,5." <OOC> Aimarra says, "Sacrifice 1 HP." GAME: Aimarra rolls weapon2: (9)+9: 18
Aimarra's answer is not in words. Her teeth bare in a feral snarl, but the snarl is not that of a young half-sil. Instead, it's the deep, threatening snarl of the predator, something much bigger than she is. And then, the bow clatters to the ground, and she - moves. Fast. Faster than should be possible for one so small. In a flash, she's behind the thing, sword out and flashing muted in the dim light.
They'll see the bloodstains later on the cloth that covers that hideous old bite.
<OOC> Ashes says, "Evil Eye hex for AC then. DC 18 will save, save is 1 round -4AC/ Fail is 7 rounds," <OOC> Ashes says, "and back up to 16,5" GAME: Thurid rolls 5: (3)+5: 8 (Babau Will Save) <OOC> Thurid says, "7 rounds of -4 AC"
Ashlee gathers herself as the darkness falls, and her friends move in. She spins, asking, "Web it?"
There's a quick headshake from Aimarra, who moved amazingly swiftly. That decides it for her. She backs up, all the way across the room to the other window balcony entrance.
Staring, the whole time. Staring, once she's there. Her eyes intent within her skull face, fixed on the Babau. Her words are a simple promise, "That was your last mistake."
She sees openings, everywhere. The demon is vulnerable.
GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (20)+11: 31 (THREAT) GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (15)+11: 26 (Confirmed) GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (16)+11: 27 GAME: Thurid rolls 2d6+14: (12)+14: 26 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6+7: (5)+7: 12 GAME: Babau damaged Aimarra for 38 points. -10 HP remaining. (Dying)
The creature is pelted with slime, and it opens its mouth wide, emitting a shrill bark of wordless anger as it tries to scrape the slime from its face. It balks at Ashlee's stare, moving to take a step back, but it finds Aimarra behind it in the blink of an eye, leaning back away from the tip of her blade. It lunges back in after the swing - its vicious claws the only weapon it seems to need, as it plunges both hands into her abdomen, punching straight through armor, skin and muscle. It grips her entrails, and then wrenches its hands back pulling them loose, it's long tongue hanging out lasciviously.
"Your tricks will not save you, fleshlings." it hisses then, allowing Aimarra to drop in a heap to the ground, its hands dripping with her blood. "You are all meat for the slaughter."
<OOC> Donna says, "Swift -- Rage => Blur, Haste. Parkour over the footlocker, then two full-bonus attacks." GAME: Donna rolls acrobatics: (16)+13: 29 (DC 10 to clear the footlocker) GAME: Donna RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 16 temporary HP GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1: (10)+11+1+1: 23 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1: (10)+11+1+1: 23 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (4)+1+2+3: 10 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (1)+1+2+3: 7 <OOC> Thurid says, "Any special qualities on your weapons?" <OOC> Donna says, "+1 and Quenching. Oh! Also one is Mithral."
"Oh no the *fuck you didn't." A burst of pale-blue fire turns Donna's form into a blurred, flickering mass, an earthbound comet that streaks over the footlockers. Once and again, fists land solidly on demonic flesh, but to no effect.
"Come take a bite outta tougher meat, you shitstain!"
GAME: Aimarra rolls fortitude: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
There's no motion and no sign of life from the half-sil crumpled on the floor. There's so much blood that it is hard to tell if she is breathing or not.
GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/religion: (5)+17: 22 GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/the planes: Trained Use Only: 0 <OOC> Ashes says, "move up to 10,5 cast align weapon, GOOD, and touch one of Donna's fists/gauntlets" GAME: Ashes casts Align Weapon. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
Way back, Ashlee has a great perspective if an obstructed view. Aimarra is down, bleeding, very badly. As much as she'd like to do something about this, it will have to wait until after the fight.
Which is going to take a while if Donna's punches seem as ineffective as they were. She moves up, praying, "Feiu of the Tears, make it a really Good punch." Instructs, "Donna, Fist!"
Keeping the brawler between her and the Babau, she reaches over her shoulder to tag a fist. Vardama's teachings primarily focus around dealing with undead, so she's not sure. However, she is positive this is a demon, and something Good aligned will hurt.
<OOC> Thurid says, "Babau takes Donna up on her offer, and bites her." GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (1)+11: 12 (EPIC FAIL)
The demonic creature turns back to Dona as she pounds at his body uselessly, fixing its glowing green eyes upon her. It's maw opens wide, wider than its generally humanoid shape ought allow, the thin taut flesh of its cheeks stretching to translucency, and needle like teeth dripping with yellowed saliva. It snaps at Donna, happy to oblige her request- but the attack falls short, and he catches only air between his teeth.
<OOC> Donna says, "FULL ATTAAAAACK and the Good weapon is the Mithral one." GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2: (10)+11+1+1+-2: 21 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2: (13)+11+1+1+-2: 24 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2-5: (2)+11+1+1+-2+-5: 8 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2-5: (11)+11+1+1+-2+-5: 17 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1: (18)+11+1+1: 31 <OOC> Donna says, "I have a total of 5 attacks after Haste, thanks to TWF and ITWF. :D" GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (4)+1+2+3: 10 (GOOD) GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (2)+1+2+3: 8 (GOOD) GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (6)+1+2+3: 12 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (2)+1+2+3: 8
"Thought so," Donna snarls after the teeth click on nothing.
"My turn."
The monster needs to be brought down quickly, and with Ashes help, perhaps that's an achievable goal. Fists lance out left and right, finding solid, bone-creaking purchase in the demon's ribs, her blessed knuckles biting into flesh without pause or mercy.
GAME: Aimarra rolls fortitude: (12)+7-11: 8
Aimarra bleeds.
<OOC> Ashes says, "Evil Eye attacks, DC18 save, -4 to attacks 1 round/7 rounds" GAME: Thurid rolls 5: (20)+5: 25 (Babau Will) 1 Round
At times, Ashlee can have an imposing presence. She is a hobgoblin, even if she isn't a very muscular one. She is tall-ish, taller than Donna, with large goblinoid ears, sharp teeth, small tusks, a dark skin tone and ash-coloured, ropey hair.
She's also bleeding, her clerical vestments developing a dark stain. It's her stare that does it, unblinking, malevolent, and her monotone diction. Her words stated as fact.
"Your claws are weak, cracked, your teeth rotten. They'll break." It's believable, and briefly they are. The accursed thing is cursed some more.
The demonic creature loses its confidence rather quickly as the enchanted fists strike its chest- its flesh sizzles and burns away, thin as it is, revealing black bones beneath which crack and smoke at the holy pummeling. It brings its arms up, not to attack, but to shield itself from harm as it backsteps, trampling over the downed Aimarra, back into the recessed battlement. It limps along, clutching its charred and broken ribs as it emerges from one of the other recesses.
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1: (10)+11+1+1: 23 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1: (12)+11+1+1: 25 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (5)+1+2+3: 11 GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (2)+1+2+3: 8
"Ash, don't even worry 'bout me. Aimarra needs you."
Dropping into a runner's crouch, the dark twin all but disappears in a blur of movement.
"Where you goin'?" That cold, hateful voice pipes up from the demon's back, right before that blessed fist hammers twice where a man's kidney would be.
Do demons have kidneys? Hopefully it does, because this needs to *hurt.*
GAME: Aimarra rolls fortitude-12: (10)+7+-12: 5
Still bleeding, and running out of blood.
<OOC> Ashes says, "Move into the place between Aimarra and Donna, 7,6 with a regular move." <OOC> Ashes says, "then swap a level 3 spell for Cure Serious Wounds" GAME: Ashes casts Stone Shape. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Ashes rolls 3d8+5: (22)+5: 27 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Name | CHP (T) | HP | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Aimarra.......| 14 | 55 | | Ashes.........| 14 | 64 | | Donna.........| 41 | 61 | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Mourner nods. With the demon moving around she doesn't want to be in the same room anyhow. Swiftly, her pants sticking to her legs as more blood from her back trickles down, she moves out onto the balcony, past Aimarra and turns around.
She crouches to touch. "Feiu of the Tears, it is not her time. Bind her wounds." Put those insides back in, is the unstated addendum. The prayer is heard, and the numbing sensation of the Grey Lady's boon fills Aimarra.
She senses the Grey Halls, how close she came, and then is pulled back into the full vibrancy of life and the sounds of battle.
A big friendly skull face is the first thing Aimarra sees when she opens her eyes. So comforting.
<OOC> Thurid says, "Babau will turn and full attack back." GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (1)+11: 12 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Thurid rolls 11: (16)+11: 27 GAME: Thurid rolls 7: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6+7: (1)+7: 8 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d6+7: (6)+7: 13
The demon stumbles forwards at the unexpected strike to its flank, and its flesh sizzles once again as it falls forwards, almost to a knee. It hisses, and lashes back, spinning around with its claw outstretched- Donna is able to dodge the first attack, but not the follow up as it grabs at her throat and then leans in and takes a bite right out of her cheek, ripping away a chunk of flesh and swallowing it whole. "Pathetic, weak, insignificant mortals!" it hisses back at her, incensed at the beating it is receiving.
<OOC> Donna says, "Welp. Now I have to get that back! FULL ATTACK THE TEETH." GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2: (20)+11+1+1+-2: 31 (THREAT) GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2: (8)+11+1+1+-2: 19 (Confirmed) GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2: (16)+11+1+1+-2: 27 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2-5: (5)+11+1+1+-2+-5: 11 <OOC> Donna says, "And now, nonmithral;" GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2: (11)+11+1+1+-2: 22 GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2-5: (20)+11+1+1+-2+-5: 26 (THREAT) GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+1-2-5: (5)+11+1+1+-2+-5: 11 (Confirmed) Donna angery <OOC> Donna says, "MOTHERFUCKER BIT MAH FAS." GAME: Donna rolls 2d6+2+4+6: (6)+2+4+6: 18 (GOOD) GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (4)+1+2+3: 10 (GOOD) GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (6)+1+2+3: 12 (GOOD) GAME: Donna rolls 1d6+1+2+3: (3)+1+2+3: 9
"AUGH! YOU FFFFFFUCKING BITH!" Donna roars as a *hole is torn into her face,* exposing teeth and tongue. "GIMME THAT BAKK!"
All of the brawler's attention is focused on the demon's teeth, now; it seems Donna actually intends to get the swallowed piece of her face back, and the demon's teeth are simply all that's keeping her from ramming her blessed gauntlet down his throat.
<OOC> Ashes says, "okay, casting a second level cleric for a Cure Moderate, on me" GAME: Ashes casts Silence. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15 GAME: Ashes rolls 2d8+5: (12)+5: 17 GAME: Ashes damaged Ashes for -17 points. 31 HP remaining. <OOC> Ashes says, "Go to 8,3."
The first thing Aimarra sees when she comes round is a giant skull-like face in hers. "Aaah!" she shrieks, then nearly slumps back down as the move hurts _way_ too much. "Agh!" Slowly, painfully, she sits up, nodding to Ashes as she takes stock. "Thanks," she manages, staring at the hole in her armor and the amount of blood around her. That would explain the pain in her head.
More slow movement, to get to her feet, then quicker ones, to get to where her bow is. "Where's that fucker?"
<OOC> Thurid says, "Babau will 5' back and cast Greater Teleport."
Ashlee says quietly, "Feiu of the Tears, I need some help too." The feeling of cold, clammy earth soothes the ache in her back. She leaves the balcony, it's too open, and crosses over the bed to get to the north wall, near Aimarra and far from the Babau.
Donna's fists pummel the Babau, his head rocks back with the first one- and her blood on his lips is joined with his own sickly ichor, which bubbles and boils away as the enchanted gauntlet slams into it again, and again, and again. By the time its done, his face resembles nothing so much as a swollen, oozing mass of unrecognizable flesh, boiling blisters and shards of bone and tooth. His jaw is shattered and unhinged, most of his teeth are gone. He stumbles backwards, falling to the ground and hold out his hand. He doesn't speak.
As Donna seems about to continue the assault, he fizzles out of existence with a flash of smoke and the scent of sulfur.
"Coward." Ashlee states simply, "As full of itself as his throat was his teeth."
Aimarra doesn't seem to have the words to answer that, as most of her attention is on remaining upright. Slowly, painfully, she picks up her bow, and then her sword, in silence. She's clearly still badly hurt.
<OOC> Ashes says, "Hex counts as a CMW, and it's once per person per 24 hours" GAME: Ashes rolls 2d8+5: (12)+5: 17 (Healing Hex) GAME: Ashes rolls 3d6: (13): 13 (Channel 1 of 5) GAME: Ashes damaged Ashes for -13 points. 44 HP remaining. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Name | CHP (T) | HP | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Aimarra.......| 44 | 55 | | Ashes.........| 44 | 64 | | Donna.........| 54 | 61 | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Gonna fffind that bith," Donna pants, her words distorted by the unfamiliar gap in one cheek. Hurriedly she pulls a wad of cloth from a pocket and presses it hard against the wound, as the fires fade and the exhaustion joins the pain. "Gonna pull th' tof o' his head ofth an' beath tha' fffukkr tha' thtare' thiff hoool meff." Woozily, she makes her careful way toward Aimarra and Ashes, concerned eyes riveted on the archer. "Y'okay?"
Ashlee glares at the spot where the demon vanished, as if she could curse it through it's magical wake. It's gone, it's not invisible, a mild comfort. "It may come back."
Moving to Aimarra, she lays a hand on her and shakes her small holy symbol, "Feiu of the Tears, heal her, heal us. The struggle is hard." Numbing nothingness radiates from the Mourner. There is peace, less pain.
"Or raise alarm." She glances at the western balcony, "or the bigger one heard this. We should move."
For the time being, nothing has changed aside from the scent of blood and bile and sulfur in the room that was not present when they first entered. Wherever he has gone, he doesn't return in the time it takes Ashes to see to the wounds of her adventuring companions. Though not a hundred percent, the grey lady's embrace is stayed for today and they are much recovered.
It takes Aimarra a minute, her weapons gathered, to join the others, but she straightens as the healing washes over her, and she nods, drawing a few deep, experimental breaths. "I - I think so. Thanks." She looks down at her armor, at herself. "We'd best find the bastard."
"Ngrl." Hurriedly pulling the cloth away from her face as Ashes begins her prayers, Donna exposes an absolute ruin of mangled cheek and bloodstained teeth for a moment, just before raising an arm in front of her mouth to hide what is likely to be the more unsettling view of all of that damage growing back.
As the stillness washes over her, the brawler shudders for a moment, then spits out a wad of bloody awful onto the floor. "Pretty sure if he didn't go to hide -- blaaaah, tastes like a kid tried to make blood sausage -- he's gonna find us an' have a whole lotts buddies. Clear door, ice door, or up?"
The ashen Arvec nods. She gestures at Donna's mithril gauntlet, "The spell doesn't last long. If he's waiting it out, we have ten minutes." She spreads her hand, showing five fingers. In case of an eavesdropper, this might give them more time.
"Up might be best." She says, "Can we access a tower through the clear door, that could be one of the sites. The Yuki-Onna might be behind that." A gesture towards the Iced Door.
After voicing her question, Ashes comes to a decision. It would take longer to discuss it than it would to do it. She quickly strides across the room, slowly and moving more silently as she approaches the door. Shielding the opening as much as she can with her body, to minimize the visibility of the gap, she cracks the door open and carefully takes a peek. She'll open it a little further once it seems safe, so she can see both directions.
She points west, then down. East, and up. Finally she closes the doors and puts her hands together, like doors, points at the iced over ones and jerks her thumb to indicate behind her. Finally, a shrug where she looks at Donna, and she heads back.
The landing on the other side of the door heads to the stairs- that lead back down to the main hall, as well as a flight heading upwards. The southern battlement entrance is iced over, just like the northern one. It seems the ice is barring their path in every direction but up- or back the way they came.
"Looks like we got our path," Donna muses, after translating the gestures. "Welp... Up we get, I guess that ice ghost wants a word."
Ashes nods, heading for the servant's stairs. They're closer and it might give the big guy some trouble. A thought crosses her mind, but she doesn't share it just yet.
And so, the party make to vacate the barracks- not having found the ritual site, but at least having visited a thorough beating on a well deserving foe- even if it did manage to escape them for now, to who knows where. They head back the way they came, onto the servants' landing, and prepare to ascend to the third and highest floor of the main keep- where the lords chambers are said to be.
Combatty
Map
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m3fnvoo4fwd
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
25 Babau
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18 Donna 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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5 Ashes 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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==============================================================================
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 6 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
>> 25 Babau 1 <<
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 Donna 1 Raging (5 rnds active)
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14 Aimarra 1 DYING
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5 Ashes 1
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==============================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Name | CHP (T) | HP |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Aimarra.......| -10 | 55 |
| Ashes.........| 14 | 64 |
| Donna.........| 61 +1 | 61 |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Name | CHP (T) | HP |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Aimarra.......| 14 | 55 |
| Ashes.........| 14 | 64 |
| Donna.........| 41 | 61 |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Name | CHP (T) | HP |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
| Aimarra.......| 44 | 55 |
| Ashes.........| 44 | 64 |
| Donna.........| 54 | 61 |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Donna has raged for 5 rounds.
Donna has a necklace of fireballs with a single charge in it.
Ashes has used: See Invisibility, Hide from Undead, Stone Shape, Silence, Healing Hex (on Aimarra) and 1 channel.