CH. 7: The Viper's Nest

[djhyland]

Watching her mother reluctantly standing before their house, Arulia's sympathy overcomes her curiosity. "What could make Mother so unhappy?" she wonders. "And will I make things better or worse if I ask?"

With a worried sigh, Arulia approaches her mother. Trying not to be obvious about it, she walks as if she, too, is arriving home from her day out. When she's close enough, she calls out what she hopes is a convincing greeting, even as it sounds false to her. "Hello, Mother! Are you done at the cobbler's so soon?"

[Haahque]

Once Haahqae and Gregeddin are outside of the building, and therefore safe from the Histachii, Haahqae will turn to his companion and try to figure out what just happened.

"So since when did you start associating with goblins? Who was that? And why did you attack the cultists while I was busy in negotiations with them?"

[JadedDM]

Haahqae and Gregeddin (Outside deserted building, Harbor District)
"He said his name is Gobax," Gregeddin replies. "He claims he wanted to 'tag along' to see what it is like to be a mercenary." He shrugs. "He's probably lying, but I figure he'd make for decent sword fodder if nothing else. And we attacked to save you. Why didn't you come and get me before heading down there? We could have come up with a plan." The bard shakes his head. "In any case, we should probably get out of here and figure out what to do next."

Kendra Greylock (2527 Market Street, Gorgeous Greylock's Gems)
"You're right," Norris says dryly. "I don't like either option. You aren't seriously considering them, are you? If you join the army, there's no telling where they might deploy you. The rumor is that they are gearing up to go fight the Qualinesti. Do you really want to kill elves for them?" he asks. "The second option is, if anything, even worse. You were a Holy Guard and the Seekers were the ones who shut down that disgusting place originally. Besides, you realize that your customers would mostly be monsters?" He shudders. "I don't know how you can even think of it."

Arulia Seroth (Harbor District)
"A-A-Arulia!" Vera cries, practically jumping in surprise. Her eyes wide, she quickly tries to recover, smoothing out her clothes and clearing her throat. "Oh, uh...yes, I suppose you could say that. How is your day? I didn't think you'd be returning so soon." She starts to play with her hair idly. "My, it's getting cold fast this season, don't you think? We might even see snow soon," she rambles.

Grubnick (Deserted Building, Guard Lounge)
When the archer is freed from the spell's grasp, he takes a moment to recover, then points his bow at Grubnick. "You're lying," he states. "The church wants us all dead. There is no reason for you not to report our location to them the first chance you get. That is why you're here! The truth is, if I let you walk out of here, we're all dead anyway. So I'd rather go down fighting. Histachii, take him!" he orders.

(OOC: Grubnick makes a CHA check to bluff [TN 6] (1d20): 8, fail.

Action and Initiative?)

[Haahque]

"But I did have a plan, and a good one. The problem is I didn't have a spare Histachii costume for you, besides they would have been suspicious if two new Histachii showed up. We should be safe out here, my scouting was successful in that I learned the Histachii won't go outside, and also that the door is locked. You're right we should probably leave, but we are pretty safe here. What do you think we should do? Goblin said we shouldn't tell the church, but I don't want to go back in there right now. Maybe we should sleep on it and return tomorrow? I'm fairly sure that Tulbas is inside there."

[TristenC]

What a waste… Half expecting the Rogue to attack, Grubnick is ready. The goblin sprays the oil he has been holding in his mouth through the torch at the oil on the Histachii to light them up.

Idiot! I tried to give you all a chance to escape later and survive this! Grubnick hurls the torch at the large oil patch at the rogue’s feet.

[OOC: stupid 6 charisma… it would have worked if I’d had an 8 I was afraid he’d go with the ‘nothing to lose’ mentality…
I hope the Histachii that’s near death is reeealy near death…
I went ahead and listed my intentions for 2 actions since he was basically standing ready to blast them at the end of last round.
Fire Breathing Proficiency check (17), init, thrown thac0 18
Well… at least the first two rolls were good…]
1d20=9, 1d10=5, 1d20=5

[HorizonsDream]

"No, I really don't want to attack elves," Kendra says softly to Norris. "But it might be able to do something good in my own way if I do join them," she pointed out. "And the same goes for the brothel, the goal is to try to keep the girls working there as safe as possible," she explains. ~And to get information,~ she thinks to herself. "I was told it was a good paying job as well."

[djhyland]

Arulia studies her mother carefully. "And I was worried that she'd know that I wasn't telling the truth," she thinks.

Laying a hand on her mother's arm, Arulia asks, "Is everything well, Mother? You seem...well, you're acting strangely. Did something happen at your work today?"

[JadedDM]

Haahqae and Gregeddin (Outside deserted building, Harbor District)
"Maybe that's for the best," Gregeddin agrees. "Either way, there's not much we can do today. I'm heading home to sleep this off." With that, the bard limps off.

Kendra Greylock (2527 Market Street, Gorgeous Greylock's Gems)
"I'd rather us become paupers than sell out our principles," Norris replies. "Besides, we're not that desperate yet. You still have quite a bit of coin still from the kobolds, don't you? And if you really want a job, I'm sure I can find something for you that's less...dangerous. You like animals, right? How about the stables?"

Arulia Seroth (Harbor District)
Vera sighs heavily. "Oh, Arulia...I suppose you're going to find out sooner or later anyway. I'm afraid...I lost my job today. The master cobbler had to make budget cuts to compensate for the new tax. Somebody had to go, and since I have a husband that also works and you girls are mostly grown now, they chose me." She looks away. "I've been wandering all over the city, not sure what to do. I can't go home...I don't know what I'll tell the girls. I don't want them to worry."

Grubnick (Deserted Building, Guard Lounge)
Grubnick spits out the oil in his mouth, igniting it with the torch. A small ball of flame erupts from the spit. One of the Histachii manages to duck and shield itself with its arms, taking only a slight burn. The other somehow doesn't see it coming, and is engulfed in the flame. It screeches in hideous pain before falling over, blackened and quite dead.

The remaining Histachii leaps at Grubnick to avenge its comrade, clawing and biting at the goblin. Grubnick tries to throw the torch at the oil, but misses and fails to ignite the oil. The archer is smart enough to move away from the oil, then fires. The arrow is a glancing blow and just cuts Grubnick's shoulder as it passes.

"Your goddess can't save you now!" the archer proclaims, drawing another arrow.

======

Initiative
Grubnick (1d10): 5
Archer (1d10+7): 9+7 = 16
Histachii 02 (1d10): 9
Histachii 03 (1d10): 9

Round 1!

Grubnick makes a fire performing check [TN 17] (1d20): 9, pass. He breathes a ball of flame at the Histachii, dealing (1d6): 3 damage.
Histachii 04 saves vs. breath weapon [TN 17] (1d20): 19, pass. It takes half damage (1). It is now lightly wounded. Histachii 04 claws at Grubnick with its right hand [TN 16] (1d20): 3, miss. It then claws at Grubnick with its left hand [TN 16] (1d20): 18, hit for (1d2): 2 damage. It then bites at Grubnick in hide armor (+2 hit) [TN 16] (1d20+2): 16+2 = 18, hit for (1d3): 3 damage. Grubnick is now seriously wounded (50% HP).
Histachii 05 saves vs. breath weapon [TN 17] (1d20): 7, fail. It takes full damage (3). Histachii 05 burns to death.
Grubnick throws the torch at the oil [TN 10] (1d20): 5, miss.
Archer steps out of the circle of oil, moving 10 feet southeast. He then fires a sheaf arrow at Grubnick in hide armor (+2 hit) [TN 17] (1d20+2): 16+2 = 18, hit for (1d8): 1 damage.

(OOC: Actions and initiative for Round 2?)

[TristenC]

Damnit all. Grubnick tumbles up the stairs to avoid the attacks, intending to shut and block the bookcase doorway once he is on the other side. Shoulda just left him held... or burned them down...

[OOC: those are some badass rolls by the enemy... saved at 19,18 to hit, 18 to hit, 18 to hit...
Alright, dice don't fail me now. Init, tumble check (17)
1d10=2, 1d20=5
Thank Sirrion. aC -2 ]

[Haahque]

With Gregeddin limping off, Haahqae feels like he should probably follow him, but he doesn't really feel like it right now. He's had a hard day, found out that Tulbas wasn't eaten by zombies and talked to goblins all in the same day. Oh, and got shot. And what he wants to do is have a bit of a nap. So as a comprimize between napping and going to Gregeddin's house, Haahqae decides to sit on the steps to a nearby building and contemplate his next action.

"Hmm, what we need is powerful help to get in there. Now, if I feel like following some random goblin's advice for no apperent reason I shouldn't go to the temple, they're powerful, and they seem pretty reasonable, but if I were to find powerful help somewhere else. Hmm, mages are pretty powerful, after all, their whole trade is to wield power. Perhaps I should enlist the help of a powerful mage. One who knows Tulbas well enough to keep him safe from the cult here."

[HorizonsDream]

"...Stop trying to protect me from danger, Norris," Kendra says as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Just walking out on the streets is dangerous now. There isn't a safe, third option. It is either the army or the brothel."

[djhyland]

"Oh, Mother," Arulia sighs as she takes her hand and leads her inside. Despite her fears to the contrary, she says, "We will be fine, we will find a way to make ends meet. But right now, we're going to go inside and sit down and get you out of the cold. And when you're ready, we'll the girls what's going on. They're smart, and they already know that these are bad times. And as you said, they're mostly grown--they deserve to know the truth."

[BishGada]

Tulbas accepts the herbs, "Thanks, I need it." Then he looks at the dagger, "Mind if I draw my blood myself?" he takes the dagger and steps closer to the table takes an empty vial pinched his finger and draws few drops of blood. Then he boils the herbs and breath the steam.
"Mind giving some details regarding the process of the serum preparation? I have some experience in laboratories. I might help discovering more uses for the serum."
He then pauses for a second, 'What's with the sacrifices by the way?' he thinks to himself but say nothing.

============================================================
(OOC: I hope drawing blood doesn't lower HP )

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Outside deserted building, Harbor District)
While Haahqae sits there, talking to himself aloud, he draws the attention of someone walking down the street. It's Mad Marvin, the herbalist who helped take care of Tulbas. "Say, lad, you look like you took quite a beating. Wait...I remember you. The fellow who asked all those questions when I was looking after Raetmal. Hmm, you have any coin? I can bandage you up and give you some poultices back at my place."

Kendra Greylock (2527 Market Street, Gorgeous Greylock's Gems)
"What madness is this you speak?" Norris asks, bewildered. "Of course there are other options. There are many options." He shakes his head. "I don't think you are thinking this through, just like when you ran off to fight kobolds or nearly died in the sewers. What is your family going to think? How will this effect our own reputation and the reputation of our eventual children? You can't keep making rash, snap decisions without considering the long term consequences."

Tulbas Erogund (Unknown location, priest's chamber)
The priest with the snake arms takes the vial from him and looks at it derisively, swirling the few drops within it by shaking the vial. "We will need much more than this before we are done," he says. "As for the serum process, it requires potent and very advanced magic...far beyond the understanding of a child like you." He gestures to one of the open books on the table. In it are incredibly complicated arcane equations that are complete nonsense to Tulbas. It is clearly the work of a full blown magus, someone on the same level of understanding as Magnus.

"The ssserum alssso requiresss quite a bit of herbsss," the snake-headed woman says. She places some herbs into a mortar and hands it, along with a pestle, to Tulbas. "If you wish to make yourssself ussseful, mix thessse up for usss while we work on your blood sssample."

Arulia Seroth (323 Three Forks, Seroth residence)
"I just don't want to worry them," Vera admits as Arulia leads her to the house. "Oh, and I don't know how to break the news to Thoron. Cobbling is all I know how to do. And from what I've heard, lots of people are losing their jobs. I don't think the market is going to open up any time soon."

Inside, the house is much warmer. Niniva has set up a fire in the hearth while Cassilda and Camilla busy themselves with cleaning. All three are quite surprised to see their mother and Arulia walk through the front door.

"What's going on?" asks Niniva. "You two are both home earlier than expected."

Grubnick (Deserted Building, Guard Lounge)
The second Grubnick starts to tumble up the stairs, the histachii remaining starts slashing and biting at him. However, it hits nothing but air and the goblin successfully makes it up to the stop of the stairs. The archer, by the time he gets an arrow nocked and readied, can no longer see Grubnick at this point because the staircase is too steep. He'll have to get closer.

On the main floor, Grubnick can see that Gregeddin and Haahqae are not in the room and the front door hangs open. Obviously, they made it out.

"Don't let him escape!" the archer yells to the histachii. Likely they will be up here in seconds.

=====

Initiative
Grubnick (1d10): 2
Histachii (1d10): 2
Archer (1d10+7): 5+7 = 12

Round 2!

Grubnick makes a tumbling check [TN 17] up the stairs (1d20): 5, pass. His AC improves by 4.
Histachii claws at Grubnick with its right hand while he is tumbling (-4 hit) [TN 16] (1d20-4): 12-4 = 8, miss. It then claws at Grubnick with its left hand while he is tumbling (-4 hit) [TN 16] (1d20-4): 15-4 = 11, miss. It then bites at Grubnick in hide armor (+2 hit) while he is tumbling (-4 hit) [TN 16] (1d20-2): 4-2 = 2, miss.
Archer's target is out of range.

Deserted Building 11.jpg (21.92 KiB) Viewed 5347 times

(OOC: Actions and Initiative for Round 3?)

Felran and Ne-Chanz (High Hand Inn, Common room)
While Felran waits for Ne-Chanz to answer his question, a young man--one of the bar staff--approaches. "Uh, good morning," he says, eyeing the minotaur warily. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" he asks.

[TristenC]

Grubnick quickly shoves the bookcase to block the secret door, then runs towards the exit shouting Guards! You're late! Cover that bookcase!



[ooc: you use rules for running, right? Feets don't fail me now!]