The Shattered City: Chapter Five

[NeoTiamat]

Chateau Malchance, Quartier-Marchand, Early Morning of June 8th, 770
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PC Actions
Nerit fails to hit anything, fails her save.
Kerrian hits T1 for 9 damage, heals self for 16
Mercator hits T4 for 19 Psychic damage, and must use the lower of two attack rolls -3. T4 is now Bloodied.
Rex hits T2 for 5 damage, then hides with a 28.
Lia spends her round dying.
Celeste uses Storm Walk, hits T3 for 11 Thunder. He is now Bloodied.
Nicolas hits D2 for 7 and D3 for 9 thunder damage, pushes and Dazes D1, D2, D3. Does not Save.
Agale hits the AM for 16 Psychic and 5 ongoing, this D4 for 9 Psychic and 5 ongoing, heals Lia for 19 HP. AM is now Bloodied.

Recharge Rolls: Cerise and Thierri do not recharge their powers (rolls of 1 and 3), but the Assassin-Mage does

Cerise reached out to try and snag the Mage’s cloak, even as he ran past her, still heedless of her presence. She didn’t quite manage, and instead pouted as he ran away. Then she turned her gaze to Agale, giving him a level, irritated look.

“Mr. Agale, don’t you dare hurt Mr. Asmodeus.” Cerise scolded, her voice clear and firm. She’d used the same voice when talking down the vampire in the sewers below Port-a-Lucine. Not quite the same voice, but there were hints of it. “He’s trying to help us!”

Cerise scratched the mutated monstrosity behind the ear. The hound showed no reaction, looking at Agale with a dead, glassy stare.

Richard shifts up and uses Blaze of Glory with a Inner Radiance for extra damage. This is a Close Burst vs. Will, targeting D1, D2, and D3. All hit, dealing 15 Fire and Radiant, turning off their regeneration and Marking them.

Cerise shifts north and tries to touch the Assassin-Mage. Misses.

Thierri throws some Sleeping Powder at the Hounds. He proceeds to get a result of 35, 34, and 30 against Will 18. Overkill slightly, but all Hounds are now Slowed (Save Ends): First failed save: unconscious (save ends).

Alice arrives, then throws a Desiccating Curse on D1. Hits with a 34 vs. Will, Hound #1 takes 13 damage and a -2 to all defenses till the end of the next round.

"FETCH!"

"Fantastic!" the mage yelled in reply.

Richard gave a fearsome swing as he stepped past the retreating bard, smashing his sword into the hardwood floor with a burst of silver light. The hounds recoiled at the holy radiance, their smoky forms somehow disrupted by it. Richard stood firm, a beacon and shield; the hounds slashed at him in revenge, one catching his injured leg and tearing it badly. Thierri chanted something, then threw a cloud of what looked like golden sand into the air. It shimmered ethereally as it wafted down, landing delicately on each of the dogs. One yawned, another faltered, and they all began to slow, as sleep tried to claim them.

There was a thud, and Alice crashed into her door, straining to shove something large and heavy off of her before slamming it behind her. She was dressed in a bloodstained nightgown, and she was holding a bloodstained dagger. She took one look at the hounds attacking her brother before a deep fury set in.

"I swear blood vengeance on thee," she cursed, pointing the dagger at one of the dogs. "You have dared to strike my kin." She placed the knife to her finger, and drawing a single drop of blood. There was no visible effect, but the hound suddenly howled, even as Richard's eyes widened.

The black cloaked assassin mage uttered a word, and Richard, caught off guard, was ripped off his feet by invisible strings. The young man tumbled, ripped away from the poet and nun he'd been trying to defend, blood flowing freely from magical cuts. He landed in the hallway, and did not get up again.

"Richard!" Alice screamed, murder in her eyes.

Regeneration: Darkhound 4 heals 5 HP.
Ongoing Damage: Darkhound 4 and Assassin Mage take 5 damage.

Darkhound #3 uses Rending to shift and Claw Richard vs. AC. Hits with a 30 for 16 damage. Richard is now Bloodied.

Darkhound #4 uses a Claw Attack vs. AC on the Assassin Mage. Misses with a 21. Faildog!

Darkhound #1 uses Rending to shift and Claw Richard vs. AC. Misses with a 20

Darkhound #2 uses Rending to shift and Claw Richard vs. AC. Hits with a 32 for 14 damage.

The Assassin goes and tosses a Chilling Transfer vs Fortitude (Area Burst 2) on Nicolas and Richard. Totally misses both, but at least heals D1, D2, and D3 for 5 Hp each. Then uses an Infernal Puppet vs Will on Richard, CRITICAL! Dealing 19 damage. Richard drops like a rock and is shoved off to the side. He then runs away towards the Darkhounds, provoking an AoO from Cerise in the process. Which she misses again.


From the floor below, more crashing sounds came, the sounds of violence and death. Something was dying down there, and it was selling its life dearly. There would be blood when you descended the stairs, of this there was no doubt.

Strangler #1 goes to attack Kerrian with a Cutting Knife vs. AC. Misses with a 15.

Strangler #2 decides to run outside, close the door as a Minor action (Rex! Takes a minor action to open the door), and charges Agale, hitting with a 28 on his Cutting Knife vs. AC, dealing 12 damage.

Strangler #3 goes to attack Celeste with a Cutting Knife vs. AC. Hits with a 22, dealing 9 damage.

Strangler #4 goes to attack Mercator with a Cutting Knife vs. AC. Hits with a 25, also dealing 9 damage.


Saves: Assassin Mage vs. Charm: Saves
Darkhound #4 vs. Dominate: Fails.
Darkhound #1 vs. Slow: Succeeds, Alice makes him reroll, still succeeds.
Darkhound #2 vs. Slow: Fails and drops unconscious (save ends)
Darkhound #3 vs. Slow: Fails and drops unconscious (save ends)


Coup de grace” You can deliver a coup de grace against a helpless enemy adjacent to you (such as the unconscious Darkhounds). Use any attack power you could normally use against the enemy, including a basic attack. Hit: You score a critical hit.

Slaying the Target Outright: If you deal damage greater than or equal to the target’s bloodied value, the target dies. The Darkhound’s bloodied value is 44.



Miscellaneous Mechanics

Underdressed (New Status Effect): Rather than try and figure out what your stats are without clothing, I shall streamline the process. All PCs begin Underdressed-3, Without their equipment. As such, they suffer a -3 penalty to all Defense, and to all Attack and Damage Rolls. Moreover, they cannot use any Item powers.

While in your room (and only while in your room), you may spend a Minor Action to grab stuff and reduce your Underdressed Penalty by 1. Once the penalty is reduced to 0, you are fully suited up and may use Item powers once more.

PCs
Prof. Lia Mournswaithe (L): Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
19/54
AC 21-2, F 17-2, R 19-2, W 18-2

Celeste Viardot (Cv):
38/61
AC 19+2, F 19+2, R 21+2, W 23+2

Kerrian Mauganson (K): Longtooth Shifting (+2 to damage, Regeneration 2)
47/64
AC 19, F 21, R 18, W 22

Mercator Melanchthon (M):
37/65
AC 20, F 21, R 20, W 23

Rex Alistair Prescott (R): Stealth (DC 28)
41/59
AC 23, F 17, R 23, W 19

Mr. Agale (A):
40/52
AC 20, F 17, R 21, W 23

Nicolas Etienne de Castaigne (Nc): Slowed (Save Ends)
48/67
AC 23, F 20, R 22, W 24

Nerit Doherty (N): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers), Slowed (Save Ends)
24/58, Bloodied
AC 19-3, F 17-3, R 19-3, W 23-3

Friends

Cerise Rondelet (Blue R) Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
AC 20-1, F 19-2, R 20-2, W 21-2

Richard Blackwood (Blue R)
-84 HP ; DYING! (-8 below 0)
AC 23, F 21, R 21, W 21

Thierri Boucher (Blue T)
AC 22 F 20 R 22 W 20

Foes

Assassin Mage (Green A)
-108 HP; Bloodied
AC 23, F 20, R 23, W 21

Darkhound #1 (Black 1), Dazed, Slowed (Save Ends), -2 to Defenses
-23
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #2 (Black 2) , Dazed, Unconscious (Save Ends)
-26
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #3 (Black 3) , Dazed, Unconscious (Save Ends)
-25
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #4 (Black 4) , Dominated (Save Ends), Dazed
-19
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Docks Strangler #1 (Grey 1)
-9 HP
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #2(Grey 2)
-5 HP
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #3(Grey 3)
-44; Bloodied
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #4(Grey 4) Warlock’s Curse
-49; Bloodied
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19


Inactive
Tomas Eisenwald (T): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
71/71
AC 26-3, F 19-3, R 19-3, W 22-3; Resist All/1

[Nathan of the FoS]

The thug shakes himself, mutters a curse of his own, and shuffles forward, feinting with his knife and then slashing and catching Mercator slightly off guard. The warlock's mouth gapes wide--in shock? Pain? Anger?--to reveal the abyss of darkness within him, but no sound emerges. Instead, he begins to dissolve, almost like a sugar-cube dropped into a glass of water, the light and shadow which form his "flesh" resolving themselves into the moonlight and shadows of the room.

A moment later he reappears in his front room. As he gestures almost absently, a beam of grey-purple light lances down toward the street tough. But Mercator has already departed, stepping into the hallway, a shadow among deeper shadows. Seeing the fallen Richard and the figure standing beyond him, he points at the stranger with his cane. A prickle runs up the spine of those close enough to see it; it has a peculiar menace all out of proportion to any real effect it seems to have.

Otherwind Stride, attack 24 vs. Fort, damage 9+6=15. Teleport to P21. I'll spend an action point and use Dire Radiance on S4. A 15 misses. So much for that. Move out the door and end in N20. Minor to put my Warlock's Curse on the Assassin Mage. This activates Shadow Walk, so Mercator has Concealment (+2 to all defenses) until the end of his next turn.

[lostboy]

At the word from the black clad mage Nicolas head snaps up "oho another with pretensions at playing the puppet master eh? Well I am afraid I shall have to disrupt your performance monsieur! " So saying he whirls the curved blade into the space over Richard's head, narrowly avoiding giving the young man a less than fashionable haircut, but by the same stroke severing some of the puppet masters arcane strings.

"Richard!" Alice screamed, murder in her eyes.

If he was honest Nicolas had expected his action to forestall Richard's flight across the room, so he did look slightly disconcerted at the outcome. "Hum, oh well c'est la vie, clearly I am needed still further." He shrugs before stepping gingerly around the sleeping dog, refocuses his attention on Richard's battered body and calls again "Up mon ami, no time for a quick nap, we have need of you, and besides our friend here won't gut himself..." he adds jerking this thumb towards the assassin.

Without really paying attention he punctuated the last comment by inserting the business end of the scimitar rather forcefully into the unconscious hound at his feet, twisting it viciously in the wound. Twice.



OOC:

Chord of Resilience on Richard negating 10hp damage from Infernal Puppet
Move action to shift to M14
Minor Action for Majestic Word on Richard for surge + 8hp regained and if he chooses he can slide 1 square as well
Standard action - War Song strike on Darkhound 3 31 vs AC for 15 + 8 (High Crit property) + 14 (additional crit damage form songblade) = 37 damage.
Anyone else hitting Darkhound 3 before end of Nicolas next turn gains 2 temporary hitpoints

save vs slowed 7 - dammit

Spending an Action point and going for a second coup de grace on Darkhound 3 as a standard action
Guiding Strike 31 vs AC for 15 + 8 (High Crit property) + 10 (additional crit damage from songblade) = 33

Here's hoping its dead...

[Nerit]

Nerit half-trudged, half-shuffled through the door. What a sight. "Hold on, Richard!"

She gripped the doorframe, strangely unable to concentrate. She tightened her jaw.




Standard: (not a coup de grace unfortunately, and it misses...twice...on UNCONSCIOUS DOGS. Grr. Useless reroll. So pathetic.)
Move: to N14
Minor: Sustain Deep Shroud
Save:
[dice]0[/dice]

[The Whistler]

Fluff later as I've got a potluck to be at. Shifting to L30 with a storm walk (plus my use of Singing Dagger) and attacking the thug again with a 21 to hit v. Fortitude for 14 total thunder damage, and the thug is dazed till the end of my next turn. Then moving to K27 in preparation for door-opening and cover-taking. In fluff terms, the thug has continued to bleed from the brain, causing him to "miss" Celeste AGAIN. And to have to take something of a rest.

[yalenusveler]

Kerrian moved, disengaging from melee with his assailant, likely a bad place to be. Even if the less savory side of his ancestry was coming more to the fore, he at least had that much good sense. A howl like thunder issued forth from his spiritual companion, but was so much sound and fury, signifying nothing as the accompanying bite failed to find its mark.
Move:Shift back to T2. Standard:Call to the Howling Storm, which sadly misses with a 17. Ready a spirit's shield in case the strangler moves.

[Kaitou Kage]

Fluff probably later; I'm at tabletop.

Move: Move to J26 (while Stealthed)
Minor: Open the door
Standard: Fleeting Spirit Strike against Strangler 3
Rex shifts to K26
Hits with a 33 for 16 + 7 = 23 damage.
Rex shifts 3 squares to I28 and makes a Stealth check 19 to hide.

Rex readies Slippery Mind (+2 Will Defense) against the first attack where it makes a difference.

[Cronax]

Not one usually prone to violent outbursts, Mr. Agale took an entirely ungentlemanly opportunity to slam the open door into the the arcanist's face. More surprise than actual force was behind the blow and the damage appeared largely psychological.

He gave Cerise a sideways look and rolled his eyes, "As you wish madam, though to paraphrase, spare the rod and spoil the dog." I had thought 'cat' people did not care for pets of the canine persuasion and vice versa he considered, only to receive a solid stab in the ribs for his own distraction.

The Tollere stumbled back and shot the offending thug a wicked glance. "If you must use such violent methods good sir, I must insist that you employ them to more useful ends, that chap over there for instance!"

Opportunity attack on the Assassin Mage
Critical hit, 3 whole damage.
Move: Shift to J20
Minor: Distract vs Thug 2
Standard: Augment 2 Betrayal at Thug 2, rolled a 1.. oh well

[NeoTiamat]

Chateau Malchance, Quartier-Marchand, Early Morning of June 8th, 770
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PC Actions
Nerit Fails. Makes save though.
Kerrian Shifts and readies a Spirit’s Shield.
Mercator deals 15 damage to S4, puts Curse on AM, Conceals self.
Lia is… no one knows.
Celeste dazes T3 and hits him for 14 Thunder.
Rex hits T3 for 23 damage.
Nicolas Heals Richard for 10 and 27 HP. Then action-points and Coup-de-Graces D3 for 70 damage. It is dead. Fails save.
Agale hits AM for 3 damage, then Distracts T2.

Recharge Rolls: Thierri and Cerise do not recharge. Assassin-Mage recharges Chilling Transfer, though.

Without really paying attention he punctuated the last comment by inserting the business end of the scimitar rather forcefully into the unconscious hound at his feet, twisting it viciously in the wound. Twice.

The hound, caught in slumber, passed away with barely a whimper - it was Thierri that clutched at his chest as if Nicolas had pierced his heart. The mage's eyes widened in some unnameable emotion, and then he burst into flame, a great flash of fire often seen among Dementlieu's stage magicians. When the light was gone, so was he.

Richard found his feet, a bit unsteadily, his eyes flashing in gratitude as they found his rescuer. The young man decided to best repay the poet by rushing the magus assassin, bounding forward and cutting a long line of blood across the cloaked figure's forearm. Alice quickly moved to join her brother - hounds suddenly of no importance at all, compared to ending the mage who had hurt her brother. "I lay a curse on thee," she hissed in malediction, pointing her knife at him without a trace of mercy or pity. "I'll cut out your tongue, mage."

In the sudden silence that had come with the darkhounds' unnatural sleep, you could hear the door near the far end of the corridor open. Katja was in armor, chainmail shirt thrown over her night clothes, which looked much like her day clothes. Her shield was strapped to her left arm, her sword held in her right, her cloth eye-patch tied firmly in place. Blood on the shield and blade bespoke of a violent encounter; her cold and trained reaction to the battle bespoke of her place as a warrior. She charged down the hall without hesitation, somehow knowing the sleeping hound would be where she ended, despite a wall blocking her sight. With a powerful stab, she cut into the helpless dog.

The remaining animal did not wait to join its two brethren. It was a creature of magic as much as of flesh, and it had its orders still firmly in mind. “GET HER” Sodalis had cried, and so with its dying breath, the Darkhound would do just that. It flowed past Nicolas, more shadow than animal, and into the darkness that Nerit gathered around her like a cloak.

Richard charges the Mage with a Broadsword vs. AC and an Inner Radiance for more damage. Hits with a 28, dealing 13 damage and the Mage is now Marked. Due to the Mage’s Vulnerability, all Hounds within 5 squares are now Slowed.

Cerise shifts and tries to touch the Thug. Rolls a natural 1. Moving on.

Thierri is now Dazed. He teleports and turns invisible.

Alice throws a Desiccating Curse vs. Fortitude at the Assassin Mage. Hits with a 32, dealing 14 damage and a -2 to all defenses.

Katja shows up, takes quick stock of the situation, and charges Darkhound #2. 33 to hit (utter overkill), rolls max damage, dealing 15 damage to D2.

The black-clad assassin regarded the steadily degenerating situation with as level a gaze as possible, under the circumstances. The situation was not, on the whole, very good. His twisted hounds were being steadily killed off, one of them had turned traitor completely. Most of his thugs were nowhere to be seen, and one of the remainder was chasing around a little slip of a girl. He himself was hemmed in from all sides, and the young woman with the knife had a distinctly murderous expression on her face. It was time, the assassin decided, to cut his losses.

The mage-assassin hissed a sibilant syllable, and Richard was pulled off his feet and thrown into the mass of people that were gathering in the middle of the room. The way to the stairs clear, the assassin ran for it, turning over his shoulder to bark another short spell. Chill tendrils of mist stroked flesh, leeching away whatever heat the body possessed. Skin turned white, breath steamed in the air, and joints ached and protested at movement.

Regeneration: D1, D2, and D4 regen 5 HP.

Mr. Asmodeus uses Rending on Strangler #2. Misses with a 20…

Darkhound #1 uses Rending to slip past Katja, Nicolas, and everyone else and rip into Nerit, as per Sodalis’s orders. Hits with a 25 vs. AC, dealing 16 damage.

Darkhound #2 is Unconscious.

The Assassin uses Infernal Puppet vs. Will on Richard, hits with a 38, deals 15 damage and Slides Richard out of the way. He then makes a run for the stairs, and tosses off another Chilling Transfer vs Fortitude at the big bunch of people in the middle of the hallway. Hits Thierri (with a 26), Katja (with a 27), Alice (with a 30), Nicolas (with a 23), and Nerit (with a 22), missing only Richard with a 16. Those 5 people take 23 Cold damage, and are Slowed (save ends), and healing D2 for 5. Alice and Katja, who entered the battle a little bruised, are both Bloodied now. Nerit, meanwhile, is dying.

*****************************************
Nerit could see nothing else now, but she could see him, holding his heavy farmer's scythe in one hand. He was standing in front of the fallen hound - she could see it now, too, now that she looked. It whimpered, slightly, and tried to lift its head to look at him. He shushed it, going down on one knee to pet its head comfortingly. The nun swore she saw something, something dark and shadowy, like smoke, pulled from the hound, swirling upward and flowing into Thierri's eyes. They flashed with blue light, as something else took to the skies... the fiery wings of a phoenix, perhaps.

Thierri Boucher stood back up, then turned, looking directly at her.

"A moment, bonne soeur," he breathed, blowing steam from his mouth, "And I shall attend to you."
*****************************************

Strangler #1 shifts and attacks Kerrian with a Cutting Knife vs. AC. Misses with a 17. Shield may be used now, if applicable.

Strangler #2 attacks Mr. Asmodeus with a Cutting Knife vs. AC. Hits with a 31, dealing 8 damage.

Strangler #3 has gone stark-raving nutters due to all of Celeste’s mind-bending, and is chasing her around with a big knife. Charge attack, Cutting Knife vs. AC, natural 1, miss.

Strangler #4 listens to the battle in the corridor, observes that he has just over a quarter of his HP left, moves to the window, opens it, and makes his escape.

There was a sudden silence coming from below. Whatever life-and-death struggle had been happening on the first floor, it had ended in death for one of the parties. Nothing could be heard down there, then a board creaked.

Saves: Darkhound #4 vs. Dominate: Fails… I have no words.
Darkhound #2 vs. Unconscious: Succeeds, Alice makes it reroll, still succeeds.
Thierri vs. Dazed: Succeeds



Miscellaneous Mechanics

Underdressed (New Status Effect): Rather than try and figure out what your stats are without clothing, I shall streamline the process. All PCs begin Underdressed-3, Without their equipment. As such, they suffer a -3 penalty to all Defense, and to all Attack and Damage Rolls. Moreover, they cannot use any Item powers.

While in your room (and only while in your room), you may spend a Minor Action to grab stuff and reduce your Underdressed Penalty by 1. Once the penalty is reduced to 0, you are fully suited up and may use Item powers once more.

PCs
Prof. Lia Mournswaithe (L): Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
19/54
AC 21-2, F 17-2, R 19-2, W 18-2

Celeste Viardot (Cv):
38/61
AC 19+2, F 19+2, R 21+2, W 23+2

Kerrian Mauganson (K): Longtooth Shifting (+2 to damage, Regeneration 2)
47/64
AC 19, F 21, R 18, W 22

Mercator Melanchthon (M):
37/65
AC 20, F 21, R 20, W 23

Rex Alistair Prescott (R): Stealth (DC 28)
41/59
AC 23, F 17, R 23, W 19

Mr. Agale (A):
40/52
AC 20, F 17, R 21, W 23

Nicolas Etienne de Castaigne (Nc): Slowed (Save Ends)
25/67
AC 23, F 20, R 22, W 24

Nerit Doherty (N): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers), Slowed (save ends)
-15/58, DYING
AC 19-3, F 17-3, R 19-3, W 23-3

Friends

Cerise Rondelet (Blue R) Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
AC 20-1, F 19-2, R 20-2, W 21-2

Richard Blackwood (Blue R)
-62 HP; Bloodied
AC 23, F 21, R 21, W 21

Thierri Boucher (Blue T) Slowed (save ends)
-23 HP
AC 22 F 20 R 22 W 20

Alice Blackwood (Blue A) Slowed (save ends)
-35 HP; Bloodied
AC 22 F 20 R 21 W 20

Katja Zweibach (Blue K) Slowed (save ends)
-37 HP; Bloodied
AC 25 F 22 R 21 W 21

Foes

Assassin Mage (Green A) Warlock’s Curse, -2 to all defenses.
-125 HP; Bloodied
AC 23, F 20, R 23, W 21

Darkhound #1 (Black 1), Slowed
-18
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #2 (Black 2) Slowed
-31
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #3 (Black 3)
DEAD

Mr. Asmodeus (Black 4) , Dominated (Save Ends), Slowed
-22
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Docks Strangler #1 (Grey 1)
-9 HP
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #2(Grey 2)
-5 HP
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #3(Grey 3) , Dazed
-78; Bloodied
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #4(Grey 4)
Ran Away


Inactive
Tomas Eisenwald (T): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
71/71
AC 26-3, F 19-3, R 19-3, W 22-3; Resist All/1

[Rock of the Fraternity]

(OOC: Sorry, I thought I had more time than I wound up having. :-\
At the time of my typing this, the map has become a broken link. Please bear with me...)

Colour and noise flood back into Lia's world, but she stays low to the ground at first, playing dead. She opens her eyes just a crack and moves as unobtrusively as she can, scanning the area.

'I feel awful,' she admits to herself. 'I need more healing.' Unfortunately, most of her equipment, including her healing potions, is still in her room. So the smart thing to do, obviously, would be to go there and grab her stuff before rejoining the battle. Except she still feels woozy from her near-death experience...

Then the assassin-mage runs by, and Lia finds herself athwart the ancient dilemma: fight or flight.

'A little of both, perhaps,' Lia concedes to herself as she suddenly springs to her feet and points her staff at the retreating magus. "Manu hiemis, inimicum cape et perfringe!" she chants, then starts to scurry for safety.

(Lia casts Icy Grasp at the assassin-mage, rolls a 20, misses unless someone can amp the attack roll somehow.
She then crawls to O25.)

[Nathan of the FoS]

Mercator's astral aspect, more like a porcelain mask than anything alive, is not well-suited to conveying emotion, but something in his posture and the tilt of his head suggests a certain degree of annoyance. He points with his cane toward the mage descending the stairs and a ripple of colorless energies, perceptible only as a distortion in the air, lance at the mage and strike him (her? it?) in the torso. Seeing Cerise with one hand placed protectively on "Mr. Asmodeus'" slightly deformed head, he glances instead at the street thug just beyond her. A spark of light passes across his empty black eyes as he notes his next target and moves to a more central location in the hall to consider his options.

Eldritch Blast on the assassin-mage, 26 vs. Reflex for 11 damage + 3 curse damage. Minor to put mah cursingz on S2. Move to M17, thereby retaining my Shadow Walk concealment, +2 to all defenses.

[lostboy]

Nicolas was momentarily nonplussed by Thierri's reaction and stares aimlessly at the space vacated by the mage for a moment whilst he absently wipes dead shadow dog entrails from his blade.

He does perk up a little as Katja appears "Good evening Cherie, miss me in all the fun?" He winks, blowing her a kiss.

But the speed of the remaining hounds movement and the horrid singlemindedness of its attack quickly wipes the jovial look from his face. "Not on my watch" he mutters through gritted teeth and plunges into the darkness after it.

Stunmbling for a moment his worst fears are realised as he almost tips over Nerit's supine form. "Hell no" he spits at the growling shadow before him, before doing something utterly stupid and interposing himself between the hound and the stricken Nun. Reaching down he gently grasps Nerit in his arms and whispers in her ear; "don't leave me, ma chere, whatever happens do not leave this mortal coil without me." As he speaks he gently massages her wrists, encouraging the blood to continue flowing.

Then rememberign the growling monstriosty before him, he thrusts an arm out in its direction and rants in the coarsest version of Low Mordentish which in a polite translation would be rendered as something like:

"Go on then, bite me you bastard! What are you bloody waiting for!"

OOC:

Move: move to O14
Minor: Inspire Competence on Healing
Standard: Heal to stabilise Nerit 14 +7 +2 = 23

*** edit ***
If allowable Nicolas will use the heal check to trigger Nerit's Second wind instead of stabilizing her.

Oh and he made the save vs. Slowed ... finally

[Nerit]

Nerit laughed, an echoey yet muffled sound in the space of her head, or the Mists, or Nowhere. "I appreciate your sentiment and generosity--and the lust in your eyes, Man of the Mordent, but I wait for another."

It was funny to her now. Never did she think she'd get so far. So far away. For family.


Parsely, sage, rosemary, and thyme...

Bidelia.
Show me, sister-mother, just who I serve.

Nothing came.

Fear had come earlier, after the hounds had gouged their way into her flesh--was it really hers, now or then?--yet she had claimed she would die proudly.

ERIS QUOD SUM.

Mark it on my grave, Nerit thought. Carve it into my flesh, for all must perish eventually, even the immortal and everlasting darkness.

Nothing came.

But a small sensation, of lifting up, of moving, of being warmer, enfolded her.

Don't...

leave me,

ma chere,

whatever happens

do not leave

this mortal coil

without me

Perhaps...perhaps...?


Nerit opened her eyes. She was, to say the least, surprised. But something about the look on Nicolas' face made her chuckle, which came across as a shudder. The nun experimentally lifted a hand to the drunkard's rough stubble and patted it. You done good, it seemed to say. She didn't focus so much on the immediate threat nearly slavering over them.

====
**Edit above**
Thanks again, Lostboy.
Standard: Second Wind for 14 HP. +2 all defenses until s.o.n.t. (essentially, -1 instead of -3).
Deep Shroud is no longer sustained.

[yalenusveler]

Kerrian...chose to make a break for it. His spirit companion moved to not be so obstructing, giving an avenue of escape to it's master. Sure, there was a chance of taking a hit from the strangler, but considering that the others likely had their own issues to deal with..a little injury wasn't exactly the first thing on Kerrian's mind.

OOC:Double move to L7. Then Minor to dismiss and re summon spirit companion to L12, giving all adjacent allies +1 to all non AC defenses

[Kaitou Kage]

The knife flew out of Rex's room again and landed deep in the man harassing Celeste. "Begging your pardon, Miss Viardot," he murmured and slipped back into the comfort of his room's shadows.

Move: Rex moves to K26
Standard: Gloaming Cut vs. Strangler 3
Hit with like a 90 million or something like that for 23 damage.
Rex shifts back to his original location and gets a Stealth check of Fail (17, wtf dice why do you hate my stealth?)