The Shattered City: Chapter Five

[NeoTiamat]

Chateau Malchance, Quartier-Marchand, Early Morning of June 8th, 770
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April had ended, and May had rolled around, and now it was June, when summer was here and it was warm. The full moon poured light in through your window. You slept with it open, often, as the air was pleasantly cool after the heat of the day, caressing you into a soft slumber.

The crash of broken glass wrested you from your dreams.

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“Rise and shine, Sister Doherty!” Nerit was awoken by the sudden shattering of glass as her mirror was broken into a thousand tiny pieces. It was a familiar voice, confident, smarmy, a voice that had a secret and was not going to tell it to you. It was Sodalis’s voice. “Devereux should really invest in better wards, I broke them down in barely fifteen minutes.”

The black cat perched on the nun’s dresser, all but invisible in the darkness, his too-human green eyes the most visible part of him. He looked like he was smiling. Nearby, Nerit’s mirror had been smashed by a small hammer, which now lay at the cat’s feet.

“Now that we won’t be interrupted, I believe we have some accounts in need of settling.” Sodalis said, then glanced towards the door. “Bon appetit boys.”

Two large, muscular shapes, like over-sized Dobermans but with glowing red eyes, moved towards Nerit with slavering jaws.

I said we’d start the New Year’s off with a bang, didn’t I?

Roll Initiative. If you roll equal to or above a 18, you may act this turn, before Sodalis and the Darkhounds do. If you roll below a 18, you must wait until after the DMs post and Sodalis and the Darkhounds take their turn.

All PCs begin the battle Underdressed. See below for what that means.

Any PC that leaves their bedroom should make a DC 24 Perception Check. Upon a success, you may want to hold back the remainder of your action until you can get in touch with a DM.



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

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

Prof. Lia Mournswaithe (L): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
54/54
AC 21-3, F 17-3, R 19-3, W 18-3

Celeste Viardot (Cv): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
61/61
AC 19-3, F 19-3, R 21-3, W 23-3

Kerrian Mauganson (K): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
64/64
AC 19-3, F 21-3, R 18-3, W 22-3

Mercator Melanchthon (M): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
65/65
AC 20-3, F 21-3, R 20-3, W 23-3

Rex Alistair Prescott (R): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
59/59
AC 23-3, F 17-3, R 23-3, W 19-3

Mr. Agale (A): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
52/52
AC 20-3, F 17-3, R 21-3, W 23-3

Nicolas Etienne de Castaigne (Nc): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
67/67
AC 23-3, F 20-3, R 22-3, W 24-3

Foes

Sodalis

Darkhound #1
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #2
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Inactive

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The early hours of the morning are roughly equal to the late hours of the day for bats. Grimmric had been scouting around the house for any errant bugs that might have decided to lair there. Not that he was in dire need of extra nutrition, but the Mistress was always pleased if he dealt with such interlopers before they could gnaw on her books, and besides, hunting was fun, gosh darnit!

He had just been on his way back to the Mistress's cave -- room, really, but it just felt more comfortable to think of it as a cave -- when he heard the smashing noise. And the voice. That horrible, horrible voice...! Heart thumping faster than the pistons of the evil ghost train, Grimmric rocketed down the corridor to his Mistress' door and crawled through the little hole she had carved for him.

________________________________________________________________________________

"Hrnnuh? No more dress rehearsals, you..." Lia slurs as she is jolted ungently from sleep. The Mage sits bolt upright, blinking rapidly as she tries to separate an unpleasant dream from equally unpleasant reality. The blinking is slightly hampered by having Grimmric suddenly slam into her face and hang from her bangs onto her forehead, shrieking at her about breaking glass and the voice of...

"That..." Lia hisses, her eyes taking on a dangerous glow as she comes into full wakefulness. Grimmric hurriedly flutters away from her face. "That..." The Mage swings her feet over the side of her cot and reaches simultaneously for a robe and her staff.

"That cat! Awaken all, and to arms! We're under attack!" she shouts at the top of her lungs. "We are under attack! It's that damned cat again! To arms!"

[Nerit]

“Rise and shine, Sister Doherty! Devereux should really invest in better wards, I broke them down in barely fifteen minutes.”

There were only four hours in a night when Nerit did not stir, and this hour was not one of them. She had been raised in a strict, sleep-deprivation prayer cycle, after all. So by the time the mirror shattered, the nun opened one eye from where she sat on the edge of the bed.

"I am quite awake, Friend. Or is that no longer your title?" she smiled at the two points of reflective green light. It was not a genuine expression.

A shadow flickered by the window sill, and then a candle was lit upon it.

“Now that we won’t be interrupted, I believe we have some accounts in need of settling."

"Have you decided you've had enough of my amicability, Amities? Read my mind, Friend, see how I betrayed you only because I had to." Again she smiled, but this time it was ironic--pitiless, for herself.

Within her mind, Sodalis could see many things. How furious and frightened she was that he had broken her mirror; how deep her hatred ran now that he had tried to take Death for himself. In her mind, she was the one betrayed, betrayed by an invisible creature of chaos and darkness. And the deal they had made in the darkness, when she had been trapped, she remembered. And the favor they had traded only went so far--she could not have gotten past Gauvain. Sodalis had set her up to see her fall, just like Perrine.

“Bon appetit boys.”

"Do you want me to beg for life? I would not give you the pleasure, Prōditō. Doherty never does. ERIS QUOD SUM!"

The dogs grew ever closer, and Nerit released a laugh so bitter and hateful that frost erupted over the bed and splintered up the walls.

[lostboy]

"Wasssat?" Nicolas slurs sitting bolt upright and promptly falling out of bed, facefirst, on the hard wood floor. "Ow" he mutters picking himself and pausing a moment to pull on a pair of trousers (because not even drunken lush poets investigate noises in the middle of the night stark bollock naked) and grab the nearest weapons he could find. Somewhat suitably attired and armed he races heroically out the room in the direction of the crash.

Of course anyone in the corridor would be treated to the sight of a half naked, stumbling drunk, wearing trousers the wrong way round, brandishing a sword and what appeared to be half a stale baguette...


OOC:

Nicolas spends a minor actions to at least cover his modesty, then hot foots it Nerits' Way to L9 with 2 move actions
Perception: 19 (funny he didn't make that)

[NeoTiamat]

Chateau Malchance, Quartier-Marchand, Early Morning of June 8th, 770
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PC Actions
Nerit does not make initiative.
Kerrian does not make initiative.
Mercator does not make initiative.
Rex does not make initiative.
Lia does not make initiative.
Celeste does not make initiative.
Nicolas gets slightly dressed and starts running about.

Nicolas stumbled drunkenly about, hitting the wall and a banister a few times on his way out. He found himself resting on someone's door, probably somewhere across the hall from him. The number on the door read "8". Richard's room. Nicolas suddenly felt himself feeling nauseous, but it took him a moment to realize it was not simply from too much brandy in the early morning hours. There was a sickening, cloying scent emerging from under the door in front of him. The heavy smell of iron. Blood.

"Come quickly to me," a voice from behind whispered.

Nicolas found himself being dragged backward, like a puppet on strings. There was a man in the hall, wrapped all in black, face covered in a mask. Nicolas, in his half-drunk haze, had walked right past him. The man uttered another phrase, half aspirated and barely heard, and the bard felt his limbs start to dry and whither. As Nicolas was wracked with pain, another figure bounded out of the darkness - a massive dog, congealing into the air and bounding forward.

At the other end of the hallway a door swung open, Cerise's hand upon it, staring out in urgency. A green shawl was wrapped around her blue night-dress, and her hair hung in loose chestnut locks around her shoulders. He glasses were askew on her nose, her brown eyes opened wide. They stared straight at something right in front of her, that only she could seem to see.

Then Cerise said something, though Nicolas couldn't hear it. As the black hound exploded into being and fell upon him, he could see it being joined in reality by another. But this one flowed through the hall like heavy smoke, jaws and teeth forming and biting down heavily on the shadow-cloaked magician. The mage was well trained, to be sure, but he uttered a startled oath at the unexpected attack. At that same instant, the lights in the house all turned on, bathing the mage in light.

Cerise makes her initiative check, grabs a shawl, and runs out. She makes her Perception check, and does something. This something leads Darkhound #4 to become Dominated (save ends).

Assassin-Mage casts Infernal Puppet vs Will as a Minor action on Nicolas, hits with a 31 for Combat Advantage. This deals 7 Psychic Damage and Nicolas is slid 5 squares, towards the Assassin-Mage. The Assassin Mage then tosses off a Withering Consumption at Nicolas vs. Fortitude, which hits with an 18, deals 11 Necrotic damage and Nicolas is Weakened till the end of the next turn.

Darkhound #3, finding Nicolas right next to him, makes a Claw Attack vs. AC, hitting with a 29 and dealing 16 normal damage. Nicolas is now Bloodied.

Darkhound #4, meanwhile, suddenly finds the Assassin-Mage very tasty. It uses Rending, shifting 6 squares up to the Assassin-Mage and hitting him with a Claw Attack vs. AC with a 28. This deals 11 damage.

"I am quite awake, Friend. Or is that no longer your title?"

“Oh I’m always a friend.” Sodalis said, looking very much like the cat who had gotten into the cream. He washed a paw daintily as the hounds ripped into Nerit. “I just never say who’s friend I am.”

"Do you want me to beg for life? I would not give you the pleasure, Prōditō. Doherty never does. ERIS QUOD SUM!"

“Mortals always have such a high opinion of themselves.” Sodalis commented, watching the second Darkhound score its teeth along Nerit’s dress, though failing to actually wound the nun at all. “In any case, begging wouldn’t actually help the situation very much.”

“I’m going to kill you. How you meet your death is entirely beside the point.”

Sodalis gloats for 1d4 turns and cannot be disturbed.

Darkhound #1 uses Rending, shifting a square down to Nerit and making a claw-attack vs. AC. Hits with a 26. This deals 11 normal damage.

Darkhound #2 uses Rending, shifting a square down to Nerit and making a claw-attack vs. AC. Misses with a 14.

You were still groggy, by and large, Lia’s shouts and the shatter of glass notwithstanding, when someone forced down your door. The veil of sleep is not so easily thrown aside, even when in danger.

Thus it was that you were still on your beds, mostly, only faintly rising into wakefulness, when the hired thugs entered your bedrooms. They were unfriendly looking men, down-at-the-heels sailors, petty thugs and bullies willing to cut throats for a few coins. And Sodalis, it seemed, had a great deal of coin to spill.

Roughly, they pushed you aside and wrapped slender ropes around your throats, pulling them shut. Breathing became difficult, and in short order, you would return to an altogether more permanent sleep.

It is Thug Time! Docks Stranglers enter your rooms and attempt to strangle you! They gain Combat Advantage since you most of you failed your Initiative rolls.

Strangler #1 uses Strangle vs. Reflex on Kerrian, hitting with a 27+2, and dealing 9 normal damage.

Strangler #2 uses Strangle vs. Reflex on Lia, hitting with a 30+2, and dealing 18 normal damage.

Strangler #3 uses Strangle vs. Reflex on Celeste, hitting with a 23+2, and dealing 14 normal damage.

Strangler #4 uses Strangle vs. Reflex on Mercator, hitting with a 25+2, and dealing 10 normal damage.

Each of you is Grabbed (with a -4 penalty to escape). Grabs are on pages 288 to 290 of the Player’s Handbook, but to summarize! You are Immobilized until some action happens that would end the grab (the attacker being dazed/stunned/unconscious), one of you being pushed/pulled/slid away from the other, or you roll Acrobatics vs Reflex (DC 20) or Athletics vs Fort (DC 21) as a Move-Action.

You no longer need to make Perception checks. All enemies are now visible.

Saves: Darkhound #4 does not make its save versus Dominate.



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

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

Prof. Lia Mournswaithe (L): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
36/54
AC 21-3, F 17-3, R 19-3, W 18-3

Celeste Viardot (Cv): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
47/61
AC 19-3, F 19-3, R 21-3, W 23-3

Kerrian Mauganson (K): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
55/64
AC 19-3, F 21-3, R 18-3, W 22-3

Mercator Melanchthon (M): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
55/65
AC 20-3, F 21-3, R 20-3, W 23-3

Rex Alistair Prescott (R): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
59/59
AC 23-3, F 17-3, R 23-3, W 19-3

Mr. Agale (A): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
52/52
AC 20-3, F 17-3, R 21-3, W 23-3

Nicolas Etienne de Castaigne (Nc): Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
33/67, Bloodied
AC 23-2, F 20-2, R 22-2, W 24-2

Nerit Doherty (N): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
56/67
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 20-2, F 19-2, R 20-2, W 21-2

Foes

Sodalis

Assassin Mage (Green A)
-11 HP
AC 23, F 20, R 23, W 21

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

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

Darkhound #3 (Black 3)
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

Darkhound #4 (Black 4) , Dominated
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

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

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

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

Docks Strangler #4(Grey 4)
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19


Inactive

[Nathan of the FoS]

It had been an unpleasant dream--a dream of something with green eyes sitting on the window ledge, tapping at the window. The moon refused to light it, but it was not so very large...perhaps the size of a large cat. In the sky above it a star winked, blinked, flickered, but he could not seem to rise. Something was sitting on his chest.

And then, breaking glass.

Jerking to his feet, Mercator fumbled for trousers and a light; he did not even realize that someone stood at the door until the rope was around his neck. For a moment the pressure at his throat brought stark terror obscuring every other thought, and then something asserted itself, and Mercator was no longer a rather clumsy and half-awake physician, but a thing of light and shadow which slipped through the entangling rope as if it were made of air. Snatching up the silver-headed cane by the bed, this new being howled, "I see you, slave. Touch me not!"

A lance of colorless light shot through the window and transfixed the thug in the doorway.

Ethereal Stride to escape the grab and move to T21, granting +2 to all defenses until the end of Mercator's next turn. Minor action to pick up the Rod of Corruption. Dire Radiance roll 29-2 vs Fort, radiant damage 5-2, and if the strangler approaches on his turn he takes an extra 1d6+4-2 damage.

[Nerit]

Nerit had said her piece (or peace). Her laugh was only cut short by the dog's wide claws. Though the pain was great, she stuck out her foot and slipped from the bed. In an instant she was gone from the bedroom and running into the hall, dressed in nothing but her underclothes--which everyone had already seen--and the blood crawling down her bare leg.


Move: Fey Step to 5O. Double-move to M9.

[Kaitou Kage]

Rex heard the commotion, but was not about to hurry out there in a half-dressed state. In fact, he was not about to hurry at all. He learned the lessons of hurry and the others could take a few more hits before dying.

The pharmacist pulled his dagger out from under his pillow and slipped off his bed, then fetched his overshirt and jacket from the stand. He took a moment to put them on and make sure he looked presentable, then slipped to the dresser and fetched something from the drawer.

Rex spends two Minor actions to dress twice, then a Move action to move to G27, whereupon he makes a stealth check for 26 after using a reroll. I rolled another 1 the first time, so it seems like Cyrus's old bad luck may be back

[Rock of the Fraternity]

The rope appears around Lia's throat as if out of nowhere. Her flailing hand reaches for her equipment, and she manages to gasp out a couple of magic words before the cord tightens: "Solum flecto[/i]" -- and she is simply gone from her cot.

In case the assassin were wondering what happened to his target, he may soon be enlightened by the muttered words spoken behind him for some reason: "Sphaeram vis inimicum meum perfringet." An orb of luminous blue smashes into the floor next to his feet the very next moment.

(OOC: Minor action: Lia snatches what she can of her stuff.
Move action: Lia uses Dimension Door and moves to M30.
Standard action: Lia casts Orb of Force and misses. Re-rolls, and misses again. -_- Both times ith an 11. This sucks...)

[Cronax]

What is that infernal racket? Honestly, adolescents these days...

With an audible grumble, Mr. Agale swung himself out of bed and wrapped himself in a dapper dressing gown. Methodically, he combed back his hair and collected a few choice items from a nearby nightstand.

3 Minor Actions to suit up

[lostboy]

"Ow" Nicolas repeats, dropping the baguette and looking rather distractedly at the blood dripping from the bites as he backed up through the door. Whatever might be lurking in the room was better than being stuck in the hallway with a pack of deranged dogs and their master. "Someone needs some training methinks."

"Now sit! Good boy, roll over.. Now off you go and sit quietly out of the way somewhere." Miraculously the shadowy dog did exactly as instructed, although it didn't look best pleased about the situation as it vanished round the corner into Nicolas room.

"And don't chew anything!" He shouts after it.

OOC:
Nicolas shifts twice to O13 (I am assuming the door isnt locked)
Compulsion on Darkhound 3 - 22 vs Will
Damage: 11 + 5 = 17 psychic damage
Darkhound slides 5 squares to J12 at the start of its turn, until it saves it cannot take move actions and gets compelled 5 squares each turn by moi

[yalenusveler]

On the list of possible ways to wake up, this certainly had to number amongst the worst. Not the worst, certainly...but in the top five.
The other four, and their relative positions on the scale could be determined after immanent death was no longer the sort of thing one was at immediate risk for.

Oh, and once things like "scandalous nudity" were rectified.

And someone trying to strangle him.

Calling upon the knowledge of spirits, Kerrian managed to slip free of the assassin's garrote with a grace and ease that was rather out of the ordinary for the young shaman, but he tried not to let on that that was out of the norm for him. Of course at that point, the whole scandalous nudity thing struck home yet again, and Kerrian made use of the bedsheets for modesty preventing any further base conjecture on which was more dominant, the animal or the man.

OOC:Minor:Speak with Spirits for a +4 to Athletics, Move is to make a fortitude based escape attempt, successful with a 25. Standard downgraded to a minor to offset one point of under dressed.

[The Whistler]

Let it be said, for the record, that the marauder currently in Celeste’s bedroom would likely have been the first non-family, non-medical person to see Mlle. Viardot in a nightdress, when he pulled the covers down to apply the garrotte. Had he known how momentous a moment it would have been, he might also have hired a reporter or daguerrotypist along for the job—had he known any reporters or daguerrotypists that he had not also successfully strangled.

You will, however, notice the presence of the conditional tense in the above paragraph. This is because, half a second before he touched Mlle. Viardot’s hand-embroidered quilt, said marauder suffered a massive cerebral aneurysm, brought on no doubt by a dissolute life of alcoholism and poorly maintained cholesterol intake. Now: the symptoms of a cerebral aneurysm…

…Excuse me, a ruptured cerebral aneurysm include loss of balance and impaired vision. This explains why this unfortunate assassin bore witness to a wonderfully opaque field of red mist, stumbled rapidly backwards, tripped over a small statue that Celeste had forgotten to tidy up (Winged Bull, unknown sculptor, Phirazia, c.100-200 B.C.), and somehow managed to put his head through her second-story bedroom window. Which had previously been closed.

Via his as-yet-unimpaired sense of hearing, the interloper subsequently heard Celeste yawn daintily, sit up, say “GOOD HEAVENS!” in a very startled and rather judgmental tone of voice, and immediately patter off into the common room, where presumably there was something more suitable to wear.

Taking the “Hit Points are more about luck than taking actual damage” maxim a bit literally for the sake of fluff. Mechanically, rolling a 20 on a Reeling Torment, which is one short of hitting Fort, so using an action point which gets me +3 on all attacks this turn, bumping that up to a 23 which hits. Thus:

Reeling Torment hits for 19 psychic damage and slides Mr. Thug 3 squares to V30, allowing him an attack of opportunity but breaking the grab. He keeps getting slid 3 squares on each of my turns until he saves.

Celeste runs right up to the outer wall of her room at N29 and takes her minor to get respectably dressed.

Celeste uses her action point action to drop a (rerolled) 25 of a Spectral Claw on the thug for 14 damage, immobilizing him until the end of his next turn. And how about sliding him over to V31 just because I rolled evens and I can. Also, I get +1 to AC til the end of my next turn because of those evens. Wheee!

[NeoTiamat]

Chateau Malchance, Quartier-Marchand, Early Morning of June 8th, 770
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PC Actions
Nerit runs like a faerie wind.
Kerrian escapes the grab, grabs clothing.
Mercator teleports, dresses, and Dire Radiances the Thug #4 for 3 damage.
Rex dresses partially, moves and stealths with a 26.
Lia dresses slightly, teleports, does not deal any damage.
Celeste Torments and Claws Thug3 for 19+14=33 damage.
Nicolas shifts away, deals 17/2=8 Psychic damage to the Hound and puts it under a Compulsion to not move.
Agale gets dressed.

"Ow" Nicolas repeats, dropping the baguette and looking rather distractedly at the blood dripping from the bites as he backed up through the door. Whatever might be lurking in the room was better than being stuck in the hallway with a pack of deranged dogs and their master.

The smell of blood became even more overpowering as Nicolas backed into the room. From the lights in the hallway he could see it, now, the unmistakable hue of crimson staining the bedroom floor. Richard was visible too, half in and half out of his bed, wrapped in a grey and violet dressing gown. His left hand fingers were loosely circling the hilt of his longsword, frozen in the midst of unsheathing it. And everywhere from the chest down was splattered with gore. His bedsheets were covered in gore as well, his floor, his walls, his windows, his end table. He was staring, motionless, unseeing, at his blood-drenched bedroom mirror.

He blinked heavily at the sudden light from the corridor. "Mists!" Richard exclaimed, shock trumping shyness at the moment. He took a moment to register the poet's condition, putting one hand up to his collar, then quickly and absentmindedly pulling the dressing gown from his shoulders. There was a flash of pale skin - trousers underneath, but Richard's chest was bare, covered in old scars, purposeful and self-inflicted, carved into a swirling pattern. The young man tossed the gown to Nicolas, as he fumbled for his black coat. The gown made for poor armor, but it was better than what Nicolas had, and something had come with it: the alabaster symbol of Ezra that Richard usually wore around his neck.

Curious - it must have been a trick of the light, or the adrenaline, or perhaps too much whiskey. But though Richard's gown was covered in blood, the blood that had been dripping down Nicolas' trouser legs didn't seem to be there anymore. Richard ran for the door, and the poet could see Richard suddenly start to limp, red rivulets starting to stain his clothing.The young man slowed but didn't stop, bringing his sword down with a flash of silver light.

Richard appears in his room, suitably bloody. He uses Martyr’s Calling, AKA, giving Nicolas his coat. Nicolas loses the Underdressed Condition, and is healed for 25 damage. Richard gains that condition and loses 25 HP. He then uses an actions to get more dressed, and Charges the Darkhound #3 (which is still in range). He rolls a 23 vs. AC on his Broadsword attack, dealing 8 Radiant damage and Marking it, also turning off it’s Regen.

Cerise does another something vs Will. This something hits with a 29, and the Assassin Mage takes a -2 penalty on attacks that include Cerise (save ends).

In case the assassin were wondering what happened to his target, he may soon be enlightened by the muttered words spoken behind him for some reason: "Sphaeram vis inimicum meum perfringet." An orb of luminous blue smashes into the floor next to his feet the very next moment.

Lia also heard words spoken behind her, a whispering and susurrous chant. The black-cloaked mage was there, pointing at her and weaving his own enchantment. Magical strings wrapped around the mage's arms, hauling her upward into the air. Lia felt her mouth begin to dry out, the tongue and throat she used to utter her spells dessicated by evil magic. The sensation was replaced by an agonizing pain, stabbing into her back. The brutish cutthroat had followed her, as she was being held by magic, and plunged a knife between two of her ribs. Darkness quickly followed.

Assassin-Mage casts Infernal Puppet vs Will as a Minor action on Lia, hits with a 25. This deals 14 Psychic Damage and Lia is slid 5 squares, towards the Assassin-Mage. The Assassin Mage then tosses off a Withering Consumption at Lia vs. Fortitude, which hits with another 25, deals 12 Necrotic damage and Lia is Weakened till the end of the next turn. Lia now Bloodied.

Darkhound #3 cannot use Move Actions. So it uses Rending, which is a Standard, to shift down and attack Richard. Hits with a 30 and deals 10 damage.
Darkhound #4 is still Dominated, uses Rending on the Assassin-Mage. Misses.

Nerit had said her piece (or peace). Her laugh was only cut short by the dog's wide claws. Though the pain was great, she stuck out her foot and slipped from the bed. In an instant she was gone from the bedroom and running into the hall, dressed in nothing but her underclothes--which everyone had already seen--and the blood crawling down her bare leg.

“GET HER!” Sodalis shouted, watching the nun disappear out the door, followed very shortly thereafter by two large and rather irate mutated hounds. They caught up with her just outside the door, ripping into her with heavy claws.

Sodalis licked a paw. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

Darkhound #1 uses a move action followed by a Rending to catch up to Nerit, attacking with a Claw Attack vs. AC. Hits with a 27. Deals 10 damage.
Darkhound #2 uses a move action followed by a Rending to catch up to Nerit, attacking with a Claw Attack vs. AC. Hits with a 31. Deals 16 damage. Nerit is now Bloodied.

Strangler #1 uses Cutting Knife vs. AC on Kerrian. Hits with a 24, dealing 9 damage.
Strangler #2 follows Lia with a move-action followed by a Charge. Cutting Knife vs. AC. Hits with a 31, dealing 15 damage. Aaand Lia is DYING.
Strangler #3 is immobilized away from the action, so he’s out of it.
Strangler #4 takes 6 damage to move up to Mercator, and stabs him with a Cutting Knife. Rolls a natural 1, taking all of Team Evil’s bad luck for this round.


Somewhere downstairs you suddenly heard an ear-shattering crash, audible over the pitched sounds of combat up here. Something roared in rage, a sound like a frenzied beast, and yet not quite animal enough.

Saves: Darkhound #4 does not make its save versus Dominate.
Thug #3 makes his save versus Reeling Torment.
Darkhound #3 does not make its save versus Compulsion



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), Weakened
-5/54, DYING
AC 21-2, F 17-2, R 19-2, W 18-2

Celeste Viardot (Cv): Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
47/61
AC 19-2, F 19-2, R 21-2, W 23-2

Kerrian Mauganson (K): Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
46/64
AC 19-2, F 21-2, R 18-2, W 22-2

Mercator Melanchthon (M): Underdressed (-2 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers), Ethereal Stride (+2 to all defenses)
55/65
AC 20, F 21, R 20, W 23

Rex Alistair Prescott (R): Underdressed (-1 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers), Stealth (DC 26)
59/59
AC 23-1, F 17-1, R 23-1, W 19-1

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

Nicolas Etienne de Castaigne (Nc):
58/67
AC 23, F 20, R 22, W 24

Nerit Doherty (N): Underdressed (-3 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
30/67; 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), +1 AC
AC 20-1, F 19-2, R 20-2, W 21-2

Richard Blackwood (Blue R) Underdressed (-1 to Defenses, Attack & Damage rolls, cannot use Item Powers)
-35 HP
AC 23-1, F 21-1, R 21-1, W 21-1

Foes

Sodalis

Assassin Mage (Green A) Charmed (-2 on attacks involving Cerise, Save Ends)
-11 HP
AC 23, F 20, R 23, W 21

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

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

Darkhound #3 (Black 3) Compulsion (Save Ends)
-16
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 18

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

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

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

Docks Strangler #3(Grey 3)
-33 HP
AC 22, F 21, R 20, W 19

Docks Strangler #4(Grey 4) , Dire Radiance (1d6+2 if he moves)
-13
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 street tough standing in the doorway is too stupid to take a hint...actually, a rather sharply worded command. Or perhaps he is under the influence of some uncanny motivating power himself. Lurching forward, he thrusts with a knife; Mercator contemptuously stands aside.

Scooping a long silver knife and an amulet of the same material from the desk-top in one smooth gesture and letting his assailant stumble into the desk, he leans forward and whispers something into his attacker's ear. The footpad screams hoarsely; dark liquid begins to flow from his ear, followed by tears which seem black in the pale light.

Two minor actions to finish "dressing", then Dreadful Word, miss with 15, reroll, get a 30 vs. Will, 17 psychic damage and the target takes a -3 to Will until the end of my next turn.